Looking at the laptops that went through my hands, the problems that I encountered were the following : ( no particular order, other than by memory )
- Southbridge or GPU failure due to cracking of RoHS solder (Toshiba, IBM, HP, Apple)
- Dead batteries (Samsung, Dell)
- Excessive heat (HP, Averatec/MSI, Samsung)
- Constant fan running with heavy dust accumulation (Acer, HP, Apple)
- Dead screen due to poor solder on display cable ( Samsung )
- Worn hinges ( Lenovo, Dell, Samsung )
- Noisy keyboards and loose keys ( HP, Acer, Compaq )
Negligence ( which good design may be able to prevent )
- Liquid spills
- Cat hair
- Picking it up by the screen
- Fingerprints on screen
- Broken USB ports
With less to no moving parts, a fully enclosed motherboard, like in the aluminium cased tablets, there is a decreased risk that the part can fail. A cracked screen is likely considering people sit on their cell phones, so people may also not want to have to think about being careful with their machines. It is also possible that people are more likely drop the more portable devices in water as they take them around everywhere they go.
Perhaps the laptop of the future will be like a large tablet with a wireless and mouse. Instead of being too small like a tablet, the screen size will be "normal" 14 -15 inches.
It may have to be a little bit thicker than a tablet - not for the components inside, but just to accommodate the possibility of it being twisted and warped.
Regarding power and ports, everything should be wireless. That would mean it would be less secure, but no chances of corroded connections, picking something up while plugged in etc.
Inductive chargers are nothing new. I recall an electric toothbrush from the 80s that used that technology. Now is it just a question of what we'll compromise in the design to accommodate a new component.
Friday, July 29, 2011
Pon Pon Pon Way way way
I love the artistic director of the kyarypamyupamyu's video PONPONPON
There is a mix of references to consumer culture, junk food, toys, and images that are universal including bright colours, a brain, heart, skulls etc.
Although the CGI is a bit over the top, I think of it like a notepad with pages upon pages of layouts and ideas. I do not know how much time it takes to fit in each element of animation, but some are far more demanding than others...
There is a mix of references to consumer culture, junk food, toys, and images that are universal including bright colours, a brain, heart, skulls etc.
Although the CGI is a bit over the top, I think of it like a notepad with pages upon pages of layouts and ideas. I do not know how much time it takes to fit in each element of animation, but some are far more demanding than others...
Thursday, July 28, 2011
How portable devices just need to be better
What I dislike about my computer are the following :
CPU fan - it is quiet, but it would be much nicer if it would never turn on
HDD - I have no need for a lot of storage. A SSD may save a little power, but it will be pleasantly quiet
Touchpad - I only use it when I need to navigate on the web at distance.
With the exception of the touch interface, tablets and touchphone generally produce little heat and are all SSD. That is great.
Although there is huge potential for improvements in the processing power, most writing, calculations in spreadsheets etc, do not need massive power. It is not like trying to determine the perimeter of a shoreline.
Although modern laptops do not look much different from the ones in the early 1990s, they should be cooler and quieter, perhaps not even have any moving parts. If that will be the case, it sure sounds quite an improvement to me!
CPU fan - it is quiet, but it would be much nicer if it would never turn on
HDD - I have no need for a lot of storage. A SSD may save a little power, but it will be pleasantly quiet
Touchpad - I only use it when I need to navigate on the web at distance.
With the exception of the touch interface, tablets and touchphone generally produce little heat and are all SSD. That is great.
Although there is huge potential for improvements in the processing power, most writing, calculations in spreadsheets etc, do not need massive power. It is not like trying to determine the perimeter of a shoreline.
Although modern laptops do not look much different from the ones in the early 1990s, they should be cooler and quieter, perhaps not even have any moving parts. If that will be the case, it sure sounds quite an improvement to me!
Sunday, July 24, 2011
Trackpoints - ease of navigation
Nostalgia for old cars is what I am doing with computers. The trackpoint, found on Thinkpads, some business line Dells and Toshibas, is a pointing device for a cursor, which seems a little primitive. However it works really well.
Some people express their liking of the device, whereas other may express the inability to part with it.
Nevertheless, I agree that it does take some time to get used to. The settings need to be at the most sensitive to avoid strain. That could go for a lot of devices.
If the trackpoint setting are set to smooth scrolling, the centre button it what you will use most: in a browser the centre button opens a new tab with the link that you clicked; if you click on the tab bar's tabs, the centre button closes the tab!
However if you know the keyboard shortcuts, the mouse will only be used occasionally, and not be the main form of input.
Some people express their liking of the device, whereas other may express the inability to part with it.
Nevertheless, I agree that it does take some time to get used to. The settings need to be at the most sensitive to avoid strain. That could go for a lot of devices.
If the trackpoint setting are set to smooth scrolling, the centre button it what you will use most: in a browser the centre button opens a new tab with the link that you clicked; if you click on the tab bar's tabs, the centre button closes the tab!
However if you know the keyboard shortcuts, the mouse will only be used occasionally, and not be the main form of input.
Saturday, July 23, 2011
Orgasms through Android/iPhone iPad/Tablet accelerometer and probes
A friend of mine was ranting on and on about iboobs, or the Android variant, being seconds and seconds of fun. Whether I believe him or not, does not prevent me from seeing the applications of accelerometers for applications other than diamond drilling and hard drive protection.
I assume that nobody would want to have wires wrapped around their body while having sex. However a belt, a pair of socks, or other light garments isn't usually a problem. Now what about gathering some data from both partners while everything is action.
Human senses are not so refined to determine odours emitted by a partner during intercourse to know when an orgasm is about to take place. However, a measurement of the skin's resistance gives an indication of changes of fluids throughout the body and the brain. Although I would like to philosophize about the psychological nature of an orgasm, for most is really a physiological experience.
Some questions that need to be determined in this type of research include locations on the body, the types of devices need not to be that complicated. Measuring types of motion, rate, temperature, sound etc. Sexual intercourse is complicated, but the proper use of technology can probably make it all more pleasurable.
I assume that nobody would want to have wires wrapped around their body while having sex. However a belt, a pair of socks, or other light garments isn't usually a problem. Now what about gathering some data from both partners while everything is action.
Human senses are not so refined to determine odours emitted by a partner during intercourse to know when an orgasm is about to take place. However, a measurement of the skin's resistance gives an indication of changes of fluids throughout the body and the brain. Although I would like to philosophize about the psychological nature of an orgasm, for most is really a physiological experience.
Some questions that need to be determined in this type of research include locations on the body, the types of devices need not to be that complicated. Measuring types of motion, rate, temperature, sound etc. Sexual intercourse is complicated, but the proper use of technology can probably make it all more pleasurable.
Alternate input - mouse, keyboard, touch, pen, voice, Wii Controller/Kinect
Not everybody uses computers a whole lot, nor should everybody have to. However it would be nice to have a form of interaction that makes computers more varied in their uses.
Would we want a flight simulator input that would follow our retina? A cursor that moves according to what we are looking at?
Multimedia is one thing : listening to music, watching videos, making print media, art, video production, etc. Different applications require new forms of input. Sometimes people want nothing more than a simple "Play" button. ( Sorry Moby, but I have yet to listen to any of your music since 1994.)
My mouse has a time out to save battery life. It is set at 30 minutes. I am surprised how often time goes by without me ever reaching for the mouse. ( The trackpoint may help, but even at that I like the keyboard shortcuts...)
Surely computers have been used for countless industrial applications, geographical exploration, modelisation, manufacturing, sociological studies, training etc. Would it be possible to use computers to provide us with new ways of thinking? Artificial intelligence that makes it possible for coming up with solutions while minimizing human input? Propose new ways of organizing cities, how to provide services for the physically or mentally challenged?
I visualize huge databases, detailed informations with comparison charts, advantages et les inconvénients, but it all seems too human to start with. That is fine, but where would linguistics come into play? Strict rules for input will only reflect the creators of the database. What about the margin of error to make the use of random data?
A computer that could daydream is it that far off? A computer that could dream and not forget is something that many of us wish we could be.
Would we want a flight simulator input that would follow our retina? A cursor that moves according to what we are looking at?
Multimedia is one thing : listening to music, watching videos, making print media, art, video production, etc. Different applications require new forms of input. Sometimes people want nothing more than a simple "Play" button. ( Sorry Moby, but I have yet to listen to any of your music since 1994.)
My mouse has a time out to save battery life. It is set at 30 minutes. I am surprised how often time goes by without me ever reaching for the mouse. ( The trackpoint may help, but even at that I like the keyboard shortcuts...)
Surely computers have been used for countless industrial applications, geographical exploration, modelisation, manufacturing, sociological studies, training etc. Would it be possible to use computers to provide us with new ways of thinking? Artificial intelligence that makes it possible for coming up with solutions while minimizing human input? Propose new ways of organizing cities, how to provide services for the physically or mentally challenged?
I visualize huge databases, detailed informations with comparison charts, advantages et les inconvénients, but it all seems too human to start with. That is fine, but where would linguistics come into play? Strict rules for input will only reflect the creators of the database. What about the margin of error to make the use of random data?
A computer that could daydream is it that far off? A computer that could dream and not forget is something that many of us wish we could be.
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Android and iPhone Apps - Apps or widgets
I looked over the Android Market to see what are the most popular applications. It is indisputable that games dominate sales and development.
Although there is a slew of apps that assist in typing, a few for managing docs etc, only specific applications which may attract the attention of a few specialists can really justify using such a device.
However, if I was working with time critical or a specialized data set, I would much prefer a system made for my application - touch screen do offer label buttons, but it is not something that really matters if all I really need is a 4 to 6 buttons. Could you see a bouncer using a tablet as a counter to know how many people have entered the bar?
Thus far I have only found the Lenovo tablet useful because they have a pressure sensitive stylus making the Wacom graphic tablets less relevant. Come to think of it, I still prefer drawing with a pen and paper!
Although there is a slew of apps that assist in typing, a few for managing docs etc, only specific applications which may attract the attention of a few specialists can really justify using such a device.
However, if I was working with time critical or a specialized data set, I would much prefer a system made for my application - touch screen do offer label buttons, but it is not something that really matters if all I really need is a 4 to 6 buttons. Could you see a bouncer using a tablet as a counter to know how many people have entered the bar?
Thus far I have only found the Lenovo tablet useful because they have a pressure sensitive stylus making the Wacom graphic tablets less relevant. Come to think of it, I still prefer drawing with a pen and paper!
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Websites vs Blogs (bookface pages)
Looking over this blog, I see a number of problems :
- Organisation of the themes of the entries
- Overall grammar and sentence structure ( Should that matter that I no one I know is reading this..)
- Navigation. I do not believe chronology is enough for finding what you are looking for.
- Photo Galleries ( which should also be horizontal not vertical - Picasa Widget perhaps?)
The list will surely get longer. Although some sites have a refreshing look, the sets of pull down menus, radio buttons, colours etc, make then unusable.
How about Flash? Perhaps I should get into HTML5 - reading the newspaper will be just the same!
- Organisation of the themes of the entries
- Overall grammar and sentence structure ( Should that matter that I no one I know is reading this..)
- Navigation. I do not believe chronology is enough for finding what you are looking for.
- Photo Galleries ( which should also be horizontal not vertical - Picasa Widget perhaps?)
The list will surely get longer. Although some sites have a refreshing look, the sets of pull down menus, radio buttons, colours etc, make then unusable.
How about Flash? Perhaps I should get into HTML5 - reading the newspaper will be just the same!
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
BT-09 Bluetooth Mouse - euh... keine ahnung
Well, I finally got myself a replacement for the Logitech mouse. It is great that it is Bluetooth, however it does have some problems :
Mouse wheel is not smooth/optical - there is a mechanical switch that connects to the shaft of the wheel, making a bump click motion for the indexing.
Auto Shut off does save batteries, but there are better ways to save energy. To wake the mouse - from the very poorly written instructions, I apparently have to double click. Seeing how amazingly bright is the LED underneath, I am sure there are other ways to save energy while in use!
The centre click is not quite smooth as the button is offset to the right. One will have to adjust the motion of the centre click to work with it!
Right click would not work! It seems that the tolerances were so low, that the plastic of the button cap could not spring back. I took it apart and shaved a certain amount on both sides of the cap. Then I put a little stress on the plastic cap to make it stick out in the opposite direction that it had been since it had been assembled.
Was the 1600cpi Bluetooth mouse worth it 12$ USD? Well, I think I am most satisfied about finally getting a mouse without an extra dongle, but I cannot recommend the BT-09 to anybody. It feels cheap. The forward back buttons stick out too much, it is a little small for my hands. The mould are cut too deep, so I also had to shave some of the plastic at the tips of the buttons and at the back to make the edges smooth. Beauty is found in the details.
Regarding noise, I may have to put in foam pads to make it silent. Otherwise, any movement from the mouse causes the Bluetooth light, next to the Wifi light on the laptop base, to blink. I think that is annoying - Visual noise, like blue LEDs are to be avoided.
All in all, I am learning about design by consumption. How would I make a better mouse? Would a custom hand moulded system work? What about the bad habits that have come with using a regular mouse, keyboard or other tools and how has that influenced the ergonomics of the things that we use today?
Again - What is it with these tablets?!?
You may have heard that there is a declining amount of interest in tablets that are only Wi-Fi or WWAN.
I cannot make sense of a tablet that is only one or the other. However, if you are in need http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifof a quick search on the internet, a smart phone, or even a simple feature phone with only a Java browser like http://boltbrowser.com/dnld.html#BOLTLite, Opera, or UC Browser, you cannot justify the use of a tablet : bulky, heavy, poor input( with exception of the accelerometers ).
If any work needs to be done, use a real keyboard, screen and cursor.
I am impressed with the Lenovo X200 simply because it is pressure sensitive. If you are drawing it may be nice. But then again, so does real paper and a pen!
I cannot make sense of a tablet that is only one or the other. However, if you are in need http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifof a quick search on the internet, a smart phone, or even a simple feature phone with only a Java browser like http://boltbrowser.com/dnld.html#BOLTLite, Opera, or UC Browser, you cannot justify the use of a tablet : bulky, heavy, poor input( with exception of the accelerometers ).
If any work needs to be done, use a real keyboard, screen and cursor.
I am impressed with the Lenovo X200 simply because it is pressure sensitive. If you are drawing it may be nice. But then again, so does real paper and a pen!
Monday, July 18, 2011
Mini USB Wireless N - Ebay Ralink RT2870 - AVOID
I just received the RT2870 mini usb wireless adapter. I got it off Ebay.
The title on Ebay is :
WIFI 802.11n USB Wireless Network LAN Adapter Card N
If you do not want to read further : do not buy it.
Compared with my old laptop Intel Wireless B adapter, the performance is pathetic : what is usually 85%(Intel PCI2100 802.11b) is less than 7% with the Ralink RT2870.
I disconnected a 900Mhz cordless phone. The signal did improve to about 25%, but it still was not reliable.
Apparently that phone should not make much of a difference, but it does. :(
Regarding the router, it is the Trendnet TEW 432BRP
At 15$ it works great. I don't use it much for intra network file transfers, so wireless G is more than enough. It is a little old, so you will not be able to adjust QoS if you use VoIP phones or software.
The worst part of the performance of this 802.11n adapter is the location : I am in a rural area with no wifi noise other than those from my own home!
Update 27/08/2011: I installed OSX 86 on my ThinkPad - it worked great except for the Intel Wifi card no drivers are available. However, I went to the Ralink site and got the drivers for 10.6.8 - the RT2870 works. The range and poor connectivity did not change! I guess this adapter is fine if your router is only a few meters away, but I doubt it would a good option in the library or a regular sized house or apartment.
The title on Ebay is :
WIFI 802.11n USB Wireless Network LAN Adapter Card N
If you do not want to read further : do not buy it.
Compared with my old laptop Intel Wireless B adapter, the performance is pathetic : what is usually 85%(Intel PCI2100 802.11b) is less than 7% with the Ralink RT2870.
I disconnected a 900Mhz cordless phone. The signal did improve to about 25%, but it still was not reliable.
Apparently that phone should not make much of a difference, but it does. :(
Regarding the router, it is the Trendnet TEW 432BRP
At 15$ it works great. I don't use it much for intra network file transfers, so wireless G is more than enough. It is a little old, so you will not be able to adjust QoS if you use VoIP phones or software.
The worst part of the performance of this 802.11n adapter is the location : I am in a rural area with no wifi noise other than those from my own home!
Update 27/08/2011: I installed OSX 86 on my ThinkPad - it worked great except for the Intel Wifi card no drivers are available. However, I went to the Ralink site and got the drivers for 10.6.8 - the RT2870 works. The range and poor connectivity did not change! I guess this adapter is fine if your router is only a few meters away, but I doubt it would a good option in the library or a regular sized house or apartment.
Friday, July 15, 2011
Alcohol cures all ills - laptop spills, mouse buttons, etc...
Have you had a hard time keeping contact?
It may depend what you are working with, but in many electronic devices, isopropyl alcohol is very useful. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isopropyl_alcohol
My Microsoft Intellimouse was dying. The left click would occasionally work. I thought about unsoldering and resoldering existing buttons, given I almost never use the forward button, but I gave alcohol a try. Since then the mouse has been working like day one.
Regarding the purity of the alcohol, I recommend a 70% alcohol to 30% water mixture. Sometimes a spill will dry, but the contents will not dissolve in pure alcohol but will in water ie. salt or sugar. That will give a better chance that the contaminated area will be cleansed of the spilt liquid.
It has worked on two laptops and motherboards so far.
It may depend what you are working with, but in many electronic devices, isopropyl alcohol is very useful. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isopropyl_alcohol
My Microsoft Intellimouse was dying. The left click would occasionally work. I thought about unsoldering and resoldering existing buttons, given I almost never use the forward button, but I gave alcohol a try. Since then the mouse has been working like day one.
Regarding the purity of the alcohol, I recommend a 70% alcohol to 30% water mixture. Sometimes a spill will dry, but the contents will not dissolve in pure alcohol but will in water ie. salt or sugar. That will give a better chance that the contaminated area will be cleansed of the spilt liquid.
It has worked on two laptops and motherboards so far.
MK300 Logitech Keyboard dead!!! (mouse is OK)
I was sort of happy that it decided to suddenly stop working. Nothing wrong with it, but a little troubleshooting for me.
After plugging in and unplugging the receiver, the keyboard had no response to anything.
I put in new batteries. Still nothing.
I held the receiver for 10 seconds to reset it. Still nothing.
I uninstalled and reinstalled Setpoint, only to see that there is no keyboard tab. Still nothing.
The CTRL (left) -ALT (left) F12 (once or twice the key combination) - connect Receiver, connect keyboard and then ESC. Still nothing.
For some odd reason, connecting the receiver to USB 1.1 port (probably unrelated) and holding in the connect button while inserting batteries, seemed to have fixed the problem.
I noticed as a red bar appeared in the bottom of Firefox - Search as you Type, for the random keys that were pressed when I did that connection test!!!
UPDATE : it is inconsistent - the keyboard died again. It worked on the same computer in safe mode, they stopped - again. I looked up the EEPROM Amtel 25160AN found in the receiver- but I do not want to mess around with it more than I have to.
If you are still under warranty - contact customer support if you cannot get it working again!
Update :
I booted off Puppy Linux : mouse and keyboard worked fine. It is obvious there is problem with Windows and how it manages the drivers. Why won't Logitech make software fix for this?
After plugging in and unplugging the receiver, the keyboard had no response to anything.
I put in new batteries. Still nothing.
I held the receiver for 10 seconds to reset it. Still nothing.
I uninstalled and reinstalled Setpoint, only to see that there is no keyboard tab. Still nothing.
The CTRL (left) -ALT (left) F12 (once or twice the key combination) - connect Receiver, connect keyboard and then ESC. Still nothing.
For some odd reason, connecting the receiver to USB 1.1 port (probably unrelated) and holding in the connect button while inserting batteries, seemed to have fixed the problem.
I noticed as a red bar appeared in the bottom of Firefox - Search as you Type, for the random keys that were pressed when I did that connection test!!!
UPDATE : it is inconsistent - the keyboard died again. It worked on the same computer in safe mode, they stopped - again. I looked up the EEPROM Amtel 25160AN found in the receiver- but I do not want to mess around with it more than I have to.
If you are still under warranty - contact customer support if you cannot get it working again!
Update :
I booted off Puppy Linux : mouse and keyboard worked fine. It is obvious there is problem with Windows and how it manages the drivers. Why won't Logitech make software fix for this?
Developing apps - no sound please
Unless it is a media player, or a game, please keep the sounds, click etc out of the app.
I am looking at the App Inventor for Android, http://appinventor.googlelabs.com
The first demo is cute. A cat sitting around a computer. The app name is Hello Purr.
Image button sound. Not really useful, but it makes a sound.
In windows, it is "fun" cute to see desktop images, sound themes, but really they are useless. I rarely ever see my desktop, the sounds would be nothing more than a bother.
I am looking at the App Inventor for Android, http://appinventor.googlelabs.com
The first demo is cute. A cat sitting around a computer. The app name is Hello Purr.
Image button sound. Not really useful, but it makes a sound.
In windows, it is "fun" cute to see desktop images, sound themes, but really they are useless. I rarely ever see my desktop, the sounds would be nothing more than a bother.
Thursday, July 14, 2011
The Tablet Hype is Over
Back in 2003, Bill Gates made a presentation of the tablet. It was relatively new, but still too expensive and many people still did not have computers. Why get a tablet?
http://www.pcworld.com/article/107024/gates_describes_home_full_of_smart_gadgets.html
Now everybody has one or more computers, cell phones, mp3 players, cameras, GPS units etc. The tablet was the next logical step?
There are a number of things that I bought that bought just for trying : bluetooth headset, USB remote control, webcam. Just about none have been useful.
What about a tablet? Will the keyboard allow me to scroll through words quickly like CTRL+Left or Right arrow? How about the keyboard? If one makes mistakes with a normal keyboard, the predictive nature of the tablet must be amazing to avoid the typos I've come across using touch phones.
From a manufacturing standpoint, tablets are great - no customizable buttons, minimal parts to fit together. It is all software and a disposable device if anything other than the screen or battery goes wrong.
Regarding ergonomics, notebooks are a step down from desktops, considering that the screen is usually at the height of one's chest, rather than eyes. Tablet are just screens to watch videos or read books. Much less ergonomic than a screen far away or a book that you can fit in your back pocket.
Many manufacturers have gotten into making tablets and alternatives to the iPad, but know they will have to move on. A convertible laptop, tablet etc... doubles as a phone... I do not have a vision, but things will change sooner than we think.
http://www.pcworld.com/article/107024/gates_describes_home_full_of_smart_gadgets.html
Now everybody has one or more computers, cell phones, mp3 players, cameras, GPS units etc. The tablet was the next logical step?
There are a number of things that I bought that bought just for trying : bluetooth headset, USB remote control, webcam. Just about none have been useful.
What about a tablet? Will the keyboard allow me to scroll through words quickly like CTRL+Left or Right arrow? How about the keyboard? If one makes mistakes with a normal keyboard, the predictive nature of the tablet must be amazing to avoid the typos I've come across using touch phones.
From a manufacturing standpoint, tablets are great - no customizable buttons, minimal parts to fit together. It is all software and a disposable device if anything other than the screen or battery goes wrong.
Regarding ergonomics, notebooks are a step down from desktops, considering that the screen is usually at the height of one's chest, rather than eyes. Tablet are just screens to watch videos or read books. Much less ergonomic than a screen far away or a book that you can fit in your back pocket.
Many manufacturers have gotten into making tablets and alternatives to the iPad, but know they will have to move on. A convertible laptop, tablet etc... doubles as a phone... I do not have a vision, but things will change sooner than we think.
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
How little have computers changed
Writing this will not get me a job as a reviewer or editor. Saying that my old computer is just fine, for 99% percent of my tasks, will not encourage people to dispose of their old system.
Checking the speed tests of a CPU would make a system seem impressive, but the few seconds that one may save during compilation of a program compared to the hundreds of hours required for coding, is really little benefit. Do not get me wrong I do appreciate the design or artwork that goes into new consumer electronics, but it it makes sense why things have changed so little.
An ideal system must have a keyboard with little flex, a high resolution screen so images and small text is clear (preferably IPS), and low noise emissions. When Windows XP has at least 512 MB of RAM, it runs well. I could have 15 – 20 tabs open in Firefox without a problem. Office applications would also run fine.
I appreciate faster file transfers and programs that take a little less time to load. However, I cannot say that the improvements are that impressive. A touch screen isn't amazing, nor is LCD panel that acts as a subwoofer.
I just like the fact that I can fold my computer, put it in my bag and go wherever. A few hours of battery life is more than enough.
Checking the speed tests of a CPU would make a system seem impressive, but the few seconds that one may save during compilation of a program compared to the hundreds of hours required for coding, is really little benefit. Do not get me wrong I do appreciate the design or artwork that goes into new consumer electronics, but it it makes sense why things have changed so little.
An ideal system must have a keyboard with little flex, a high resolution screen so images and small text is clear (preferably IPS), and low noise emissions. When Windows XP has at least 512 MB of RAM, it runs well. I could have 15 – 20 tabs open in Firefox without a problem. Office applications would also run fine.
I appreciate faster file transfers and programs that take a little less time to load. However, I cannot say that the improvements are that impressive. A touch screen isn't amazing, nor is LCD panel that acts as a subwoofer.
I just like the fact that I can fold my computer, put it in my bag and go wherever. A few hours of battery life is more than enough.
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