The decision to work with No Fixed Office, often means that you need to rethink the equipment that you use. Almost the first thing that it is almost impossible to get by without changing is your computer. If you are using a desktop computer now, there is little chance it is going to be overly portable, and as such if you want to actually be working anywhere but where that computer is, then you need to make the move to a laptop.
While there may be some occasions where a computer is not really needed, by far the bulk of what you may need to do on a day to day basis for your business may require a computer. Choosing a laptop is not always the easiest choice to make though, there are a number of different factors which you need to take into account when making a decision.
Netbook vs laptop
Choosing a netbook or a laptop over the other can be a confusing task. There are really 2 major differences. When you are looking at netbooks the specifications (such as processor, ram and hard drive) will likely differ little. Where as with notebooks there can be quite a large difference in specifications. The other primary difference is that netbooks rarely if ever come with a CD/DVD drive, this can mean an added cost or you may find that this is not overly important.
You will find another separation between netbooks and laptops in the weight and battery life. Netbooks will often be designed for being more portable, as in lighter weight, and to operate for extended periods on battery. This can provide quite a benefit, if you are looking for the ability take them anywhere and work for longer.
Battery Life
Getting the most out of the battery is an important factor if you are planning to be working away from a fixed location often. There is not always easy access to a power point, and looking at other options can start to add quickly to the cost of your portable office and the weight that you are going to be carrying around.
Expected battery life can range anywhere from 60 minutes up to 11 hours. All dependent on the model of the laptop and the size of the battery provided. While some models give information about the expected battery life this is often not something that is easy to determine, and can vary a lot. It can be worth looking for a model that at least gives some information in regards to the battery life.
Screen Size
The screen size of a laptop can be very important for a number of reasons. First you need to establish just what you are planning to do with the laptop. There is no doubt that bigger is usually better, and for a number of different tasks, like web and graphic design, CAD, and a number of others a big screen is almost essential. Where as other uses you may be able to get away with a smaller screen size if you are happy to do so.
Weight
Like the battery life, the weight of a laptop can vary greatly. From as little as 1.3kg up to 4kg+. The actual weight of the laptop will depend a lot on the size of the screen, with smaller screen sizes generally offering lighter options, and larger screen sizes getting heavier. The reason behind this lies in the footprint of a laptop. There needs to be more consideration made to using smaller and lighter parts for smaller screens, because of the smaller amount of space, where this becomes less concerning on the larger screen sizes.
Extra Features
The additional features that you may want to look at can be of great benefit. For example looking for a laptop with Bluetooth can give you a much great range for devices to use, such as Bluetooth cordless mouse, which would not require a dongle to connect to the laptop. Things like card readers, HDMI, and other connectors can all add to the ability to use your laptop in a much more productive way then if you dont have them available.
Looks
Many vendors are making a number of different models now that have a much more interesting and unique look to them. While the looks of a laptop can go a long way towards catching you attention, this should probably not be one of the main focal points in making your decision. Especially if you are sacrificing a feature or two to be able to have a different look.
Overall you should be looking for a laptop that provides the complete range of features you need. While taking into account the time you need to use the laptop in respect to the potential battery life. Finally don’t forget the consideration for the weight. You will soon get tired of carrying around a 4kg laptop, if you did want to go for the larger screen.So make your choice wisely and hopefully a little better informed.
The information that you provide people, especially on the internet becomes the impression that is framed around you. If you continually share information that adds a lot of value, and is interesting and what people want to see then they are going to be hanging to see more information from you. However if on the other hand you are sharing information of now use, people will quickly disappear seeing that you are just wasting their time.