the laptop computer

Laptop Overview

A laptop computer, also known as a notebook computer, is a small personal computer designed

for mobile use. A laptop integrates all of the typical components of a desktop computer, including

a display, a keyboard, a pointing device (a touchpad, also known as a trackpad, or a pointing

stick) and a battery into a single portable unit. The rechargeable battery is charged from an

AC/DC adapter and has enough capacity to power the laptop for several hours.

A laptop is usually shaped like a large notebook with thickness of 0.7-1.5 inches (1.7-4cm) and

dimensions ranging from 10x8 inches (27x22cm, 13" display) to 15x11 inches (39x28cm, 17"

display) and up. Modern laptops weigh 3 to 12 pounds (1.4 to 5.4 kg), and some older laptops

were even heavier. Most laptops are designed in the flip form factor to protect the screen and

the keyboard when closed.

Originally considered "a small niche market"[1] and perceived as suitable for "specialized field

applications" such as "the military, the Internal Revenue Service, accountants and sales

representatives"[1][2], battery-powered portables had just 2% worldwide market share in 1986

[3]. But today, there are already more laptops than desktops in the enterprise[4] and, according

to a forecast by Intel, more laptops than desktops will be sold in the general PC market as soon

as 2009[5].


article source:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laptop