New generation of gadgets enhances laptop performance
Add-ons raise
laptop capabilities and performance to desk-top level
by Alan Zisman (c) 2002
First published in Business in
Vancouver,
Issue #648 March 26- April 1, 2002: GearGuide column
Laptops are
typically at least a few months behind desktops in offering the latest
high-tech amenities. The gap is quickly closing, thanks to recent
product
offerings that promise faster processing, more storage and better
music.
More Notebook
Ottawa-based
notebook manufacturer, Eurocom (www.eurocom.ca)
has
long
had a tradition of giving
users more in their notebook computers: faster processors, more ports
and
better sound, with generations of portable computers that aimed to be
true
desktop replacements. Last year, the company introduced the first
notebook
running faster than 1 GHz. Now that that speed is relatively
commonplace,
the company once again takes the medal, this time for the first
notebook
sporting Intel's top-of-the-line Pentium 4 processor. Eurocom's Monte
Cristo
8170s offer a 1.6 GHz Pentium 4 CPU for $2,299, with speed ramping
up to 2.2 GHz (and price ramping up by another $900). Memory can be
upgraded
to a full gigabyte, while USB, Firewire, modem, and network card are
all
built in. DVD, CD-RW, or combo DVD/CD-RW drives are optionally
available.
With the recent
release of Intel's Mobile P4 CPU, other companies are starting to
release
Pentium 4-powered notebooks, but the Canadians got there first.
More drive
space
Unlike desktop
computers, notebooks offer no room inside for a second hard drive. USB
connections, built into virtually all desktop and notebook computers
these
days, would be a convenient way to get around this limitation, but the
USB standard is just too darn slow.
All current
Mac and high-end PC notebooks, such as the Eurocom 8170, sport Firewire
connectors (officially known as IEEE 1394), which are 40 times faster
than
USB. While Firewire can be added inexpensively onto PC desktop models,
many PC manufacturers are betting on the recently released USB 2.0, to
boost speeds to Firewire levels.
EZQuest (www.ezq.com)
doesn't care if you want to use Firewire or USB 2.0; they've
released their
high-capacity Cobra external hard drives in both flavours. Models range
from 40 GB to a roomy $600 120 GB version. Performance is plenty fast
too:
it was almost twice as fast as the drive built into my late-model
notebook.
The Firewire model that I tested was immediately usable plugged into my
Mac. My Windows XP PC recognized the drive, but needed to be
reformatted
before I could use it. This process is clearly spelled out by EZQuest's
documentation.
These big drives
won't fit in your shirt pocket, however. They're about the size of a
brick
(a stylish silver brick, mind you), and require external power. But if
you need a lot more drive space, for working with digital video for
example,
it's the way to go.
Better music
People are listening
to more music on their computers. Once again, notebook users are at a
disadvantage.
The built-in speakers are tiny and pretty tinny, and even if you plug
in
better external speakers or headphones, few notebooks include quality
sound
cards. Desktop users can pop in a new sound card such as Creative
Labs' new Audigy models, but notebook users lacked that
option.
New from Creative
(www.creativelabs.com) is the Sound Blaster Extigy ($249), a
high-end
sound card in a box. Using plain old USB, it easily connects to any
notebook
or desktop computer (PC only), with clever software that replaces the
existing
sound card whenever the Extigy is connected, but puts things back to
normal
when the Extigy isn't present. (All computer software should be so
well-behaved!)
Plug a set of
speakers into the Extigy and you've immediately got noticeably better
sound.
It supports 2, 4, or 5.1 analog or digital speaker setups and can
translate
standard stereo to 5.1 surround sound. There's MIDI in and out along
with
lots of other ports and a remote control. It can even be used without a
computer to improve the sound of DVD and MP3 players and other home
entertainment
devices.