There was in this world once a golden age of literature and art. Today, however, science and technology have the position that art and literature had some centuries ago. And computing is at the centre of this new ‘technological renaissance’ that the twain decades have witnessed. Everyday, new algorithms are being written and new inventions being made – some big and some small. Some ignorable, while some that have the power to alter the collective destiny of the world (consider, for example, the Google search engine) and several others that take us ahead one step at a time.
The notebook, on the hardware front, is what has taken us one step forward from its desktop counterpart. Giving computing the new dimension of portability the notebook has solved many a problem. No more do you have to wait to reach office everyday to resume work, you can take your office with you as you travel. In today’s times, a good fraction of our daily life is spent in travel. That time can now be utilized in computing. Today, high-end notebooks are available that are not in any way less in performance as compared to desktops. These same are expensive no doubt but are indispensable for their portability. These machines can be used for sophisticated computing as well as gaming.
Building a platform for playing a multiplayer game or something else
Be it Counter Strike or FIFA 08, the notebook is a far better option when it comes to building a platform where several people can work/play together. Hubs can be easily and quickly built up in a bedroom or a hostel-room. Because of the notebook’s size, many can be placed a few inches apart and a hub can be built. The environment is pretty wireless — or a lot less wired than the one built with desktops — but for the only wires connecting the notebooks to the power supply. Clearly, this is a better work-environment. It has more space, and is less cumbersome not just over the tables but beneath too. It also means that one doesn’t have to watch his step while commuting between two points. And last but not the least, this workspace has, owing to the notebook’s portability, infinite degrees of freedom. In fact, a notebook is often an ideal choise for a hosteller. The reasons being that: the tiny room can often accomodate the notebook better; you can carry it to the library or a friend’s room, etc., or carry it to a wi-fi hotspot in your college. (I tried the last, but, for some reason, Vista wouldn‘t connect; XP did)
Wi-Fi
On the flip side, notebooks are roughly a bit over than twice as expensive while delivering the same sevice and with the same performance. They have come under harsh criticism for this. And indeed, the prices inevitably shot up because of the sophistication of the technology. In fact, each time when something new is invented, the prices are high, but as the technology advances, begins to be manufactured by several companies and begins to be consumed by millions of people, its price begins to drop at drastic rates. The mobile revolution is a case in point. Desktops too were not always as cheap as they are today! But already we see that as Dell notebooks have now begun to be manufactured in India (Bangalore), there is no import duty to be paid anymore as the case was only six months back when they had to be imported from the U.S. Prices will further reduce as more and more people use the notebook.
