What is Computer ?

A computer is an electronic device  that receives input, stores and manipulates 

data, and provides output in a useful format.

Computers can be Categorized as :

•Desktop Computers and
•Laptop Computers

Desktop Computers :
A desktop computer is a personal computer (PC) designed for regular
use at a single location
 History of Computer :
The first electronic computer was designed during World War II (1940–
1945).
A team of scientists and engineers at the University of Pennsylvania invented
a general-purpose electronic digital calculator know as ENIAC (Electronic
Numerator, Integrator, Analyzer, and Computer).
It’s size was just like size of a large room, consuming as much power as
several hundred modern personal computers (PCs).
It consisted of 18,000 vacuum tubes and it was capable of adding 5,000 ten-
digit decimal numbers per second.
It consisted of 18,000 vacuum tubes and it was capable of adding 5,000 ten-
digit decimal numbers per second. And consumed 150 kW of power
 ENIAC (Electronic Numeric Integrator and Computer)was
not a computer in the strict meaning of the term. Its major problem was that it could not
store a program. In other words, it could not store a list of list of commands that tell a
computer what to do .
Then in 1946, these problems were solved with the creation
of the EDVAC (Electronic Discrete Variable Computer), which could store programs in
memory .
Laptop Computers :
A laptop is a personal computer designed for mobile use and small
and light enough to sit on a person's  lap while in use

Laptops are usually notebook-shaped with thicknesses between 0.7–1.5

inches and dimensions ranging from 10x8 inches display to 15x11 inches
display . Modern laptops weight 1.4 to 3.4 kg .

Components Of Laptop Computers :

•Display
• keyboard
•Pointing device
•Touchpad also known as a track pad
•A Rechargeable battery
•An Adaptor .
• speakers
History Of Laptops :
The first laptop was invented by Adam Osborne in 1981. It was called
'Osborne 1' and cost $1,795.

Introduced: April 1981

Price: US $1,795
Weight: 24.5 pounds
CPU: Zilog Z80 @ 4.0 MHz
RAM: 64K RAM
Display: built-in 5" monitor
53 X 24 text
Storage: dual 5-1/4 inch, 91K drives

OS: CP/M
The first portable computer was a success, with sales reaching 10,000 units a month.

Then , IBM launched the IBM 5155 Portable Personal Computer in 1984.
In 1988, Compaq Computer launched the first laptop PC with VGA graphics,
Compaq SLT/286.
In 1989, NEC released UltraLite, which was the first 'laptop' computer. Weighting
under 5 lbs(~2.3 Kg). 
n October 1991, Apple Computers released the Macintosh PowerBook 100, 140,
and170 - all notebook style laptops. 
In October 1992, IBM released its ThinkPad 700 laptop computer.
In 1993, the first PDAs or Personal Digital Assistants are released. PDAs are pen-
based hand-held computers.
Advantages of Laptop Computers :

Getting more work done :

Work done with help of Laptop is more than desktop.
Size –
Laptops are much smaller than standard PCs.
Ease of Access -
Laptop can be use anywhere (kitchen to Bed Room ).
Low power consumption –
Laptops use less power than desktops. A typical laptop uses 20-90 W,
compared to 100-800 W for desktops.
Battery –
A charged laptop can run several hours in case of a power outage and is not
affected by short power interruptions and blackouts.
All-in-One -
Designed to be portable, laptops have everything integrated in to the chassis .
Hardware

-Intel Core 2 Duo T7200 Processor

-80GB HDD
-1GB RAM
-14.1 screen
-CD Burner/DVD Player
-4-6 hours battery Life
-5 lbs
Use of Laptop in various field :

Law Enforcement
Many police cars are now equipped with laptop computers. Police officers can use
laptops to type incident reports immediately at the scene, rather than take notes and
type the reports later.
Astronomy
Because laptop computers are so portable, astronomers can take them easily to
observing sites.
Navigation
On small boats, space is a premium , so, you can use a laptop computer, equipped
with appropriate software for precise navigation.
Bussiness
Salespeople can use the laptop to make presentations to customers, access company
data over the Internet and process orders while on the road.
Presentations
In college, where lectures to large classes are commonplace, many professors can
use their laptops, along with other audiovisual equipment, to project slides or
lecture notes
Disadvantage Of Laptop Computers

• More expensive
• Slower than a desktop
• Difficult to upgrade or repair
• You have to lug it around all day
• Much easier to drop/break
• Easily stolen
•They are much easier to steal than ordinary computers
• Batteries often have to be replaced after a certain amount of
time .
• It quickly gets heated
•The lifespan is relatively shorter
An ideal configuration of Laptop for a student :

-INTEL CORE 2DUO PROCESSOR (2.0GHz) 2MB CACHE

-INTEGRATED GRAPHICS MEDIA CARD (Optional )
-15.6WIDESCREEN with 1.3MP WEB CAMERA WITH TRUE LIFE
-MEDIA CARD READER/ INTERNAL 56K MODEM
-2GB DDR2 SDRAM
-250GB HARD DISK DRIVE
-BLUETOOTH 
-6-CELL PRIMARY BATTERY
-INTERNAL 8X DVD WRITER WITH DUAL LAYER WRITE CAPABLITIES
-INEGRATED STEREO SOUND
Laptop Brands :

Acer  - Travel Mate, Extensa, Ferrari, Aspire

Apple  - MacBook , MacBook Air, MacBook Pro
Compaq  - Evo, Armada, LTE, Presario
Dell- Inspiron, Latitude, Precision, Studio,  XPS, Studio XPS
 HP Compaq - Notebooks
Lenovo- ThinkPad,  IdeaPal , 3000 series
Panasonic- Toughbook , Satellite , Let's Note
Sony- Vaio
Toshiba -

Laptop Hardware :
·  
 
HOW LAPTOPS ARE LIKE DESKTOPS

For the most part, laptops have the same major parts as desktops: 
-Microprocessor 
-Operating system 
-Solid-state memory 
-Disk drives 
-nput/output ports 
-Sound cards and speakers 
-Microprocessors
 Backing up Data
 Backup your data on a daily basis to prevent accidental data
loss.

Three easy options for backing up your data:

 CD Burner - your laptop comes with one and we also give you
a CDRW today in your bag. They are also available for sale in
the Book Store

 USB Keys
 Just plug your USB key into one of the available ports
 Copy files onto drive

 Rescue & Recovery - Please visit St. John’s Central to learn

how to schedule the incremental backup of your valuable data
 How to increase Laptop Battery Life :

Here are some ways to Extend Laptop’s Battery Life

-Use the correct recharging procedure for your laptop. Only use
the power cord that came with your laptop or an authorized
replacement.
-Dim your screen
-Keep the battery contacts clean:
-Take care of your battery
-Hibernate not standby
-Keeping the battery in a cool place 
-If you don't use your laptop for a period of time, you must fully
discharge then recharge the battery.

Suggested Reading
Shutting Down

Do not press the power button

to shut down. If you do, you will
lose valuable data. Instead…

1. Click on the “Shut Down” icon from

the Start Menu
2. Select “Shut Down” from drop-down
box
3. Click “OK”
4. Wait for screen and indicator lights to
go dark and close the lid