© 2007 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved
OverviewIn this chapter, you will learn to
Describe the many types of portable computing devices available
Enhance and upgrade portable computers
Manage and maintain portable computers
Troubleshoot portable computers
© 2007 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved
LCD ScreensMajor contributor to cost
Most range from 12 inch to 17 inchAspect ratio changing from 4:3 standardFor comparison, 16:9 is standard for
widescreen16:10 is the standard for 17-inch LCD screen
Mode Name ResolutionXGA eXtended Graphics Array 1024 x 768SXGA Super eXtended Graphics Array 1280 x 1024SXGA+ Super eXtended Graphics Array Plus 1400 x 1050WSXGA+ Widescreen SXGA Plus 1680 x 1050UXGA Ultra eXtended Graphics Array 1600 x 1200WUXGA Widescreen UXGA 1920 x 1200
© 2007 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved
LCD ScreensTwo types of finishes
MatteTraditional standardReduces glareWashes out a lot in bright lightHopeless in bright daylight
High GlossRelatively newOffers sharper contrast, richer colors and
wider viewing angles
© 2007 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved
Desktop ReplacementsTypical laptops can function as a fully
standalone PC Can be used as a
desktop replacement
Input devicesTrackballs on early laptops IBM’s TrackPoint—pencil eraser–sized
joystick in the middle of the keyboardTouchpads
© 2007 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved
Desktop ExtendersDesktop extenders are portable devices
Not intended to take the place of a desktop
Think of them as a smaller, lighter, less-powerful laptop for less intensive use
© 2007 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved
PDAsPersonal digital assistants (PDAs)
Tiny, handheld portable computing devices
Address book, personal notes, appointments, word processors, image viewers
Often use handwriting recognition with a pen-style stylus for pen-based computing
Use specialized OS such as Windows CE, PocketPC, PalmOS, and Linux
Made by Palm, Sony, Toshiba, Hewlett-Packard, Microsoft, and other companies
© 2007 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved
PDA FeaturesHotSync
Can synchronize data between PDA and office PC
PalmOS calls it HotSync
BeamingPDAs typically have IR portsCan transfer data (beam) between PDAs
PDA MemoryInternal flash ROM of 1 MB or moreCompactFlash cards that are
removable and upgradeable for removable storage needs
© 2007 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved
Tablet PCsCombines handwriting benefits of PDAs
with power of traditional laptops
Use a stylus to write
Applications can use digital ink to capture pen strokes
© 2007 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved
Portable Computer Device Types
Screen Size Weight Uses
Desktopreplacements
14–20 inches 8–12 lbs Mobile anything
Desktop extenders
10–14 inches 4 lbs Presentations, note taking
Ultralights 6–12 inches 2–3 lbs Long-term traveling
Tablet PCs 10–12 inches 4 lbs Niche market
Ultra-mobile PCs
4–7 inches 1–2 lbs Niche market
PDAs 3–4 inches 1 lb Organization
PDA phones 2 niches < 1 lb Eliminates cell phone
© 2007 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved
IT Technician
CompTIA A+Technician
Enhance and Upgrade the Portable PC
© 2007 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved
PC Cards PC Cards are commonly known as the
Personal Computer Memory Card International Association (PCMCIA)Hot-swappable devices Easy to use, inexpensive, and convenient
© 2007 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved
PC CardsParallel PC Cards
16-bit or CardBus (32-bit 3.3V cards)Three sizes: Type I (thinnest), II, and III
(thickest)Cards can have one or many functions
ExpressCardHigh-performance serial versionCan connect to USB 2.0 slot (480 Mbps) or
PCIe (2.5 Gbps)
© 2007 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved
Card Types
Type Length Width Thickness Typical Use
Type I 85.6 mm 54 mm 3.3 mm Flash memory
Type II 85.6 mm 54 mm 5.0 mm I/O (modem, NIC, etc.)
Type III 85.6 mm 54 mm 10.5 mm Hard drives
© 2007 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved
PC Cards Two levels of software drivers
Socket servicesDevice drivers that enable the system to detect when a PC
Card is inserted or removedProvide necessary I/O to the deviceStandardized and handled by the system BIOS
Card servicesRecognize the function of a particular PC Card and provide
the specialized drivers required to make the card workHandled by WindowsAccessed via PCMCIA option in Control Panel
© 2007 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved
Limited-Function PortsAll portable PCs and many PDAs come with
a variety of portsVGA connection for hooking up an external
monitorPS/2 port for an external keyboard or mouseBuilt-in NICs and modems for network support
All of these work the same as in desktop PCs
Video ports External monitor, projector,
or a combination of both
Speaker portsExtra function key
© 2007 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved
General-Purpose Ports Legacy ports
PS/2, RS-232
USB and FireWireWork same as in PC
Port replicators Plug into a single port Offer common PC ports
such as serial, parallel, network, and PS/2
© 2007 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved
Docking StationsGives laptops access to PC resources
Large monitors, regular mice, network connections, and full-size keyboards
Provides an easy way to take your laptop in and out of the office
Basically a port replicator with extra features such as a DVD drive or PC Card slots
© 2007 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved
Replacing RAMNo standard method
You usually have to unscrew or pop open a panel on the underside of the portable
© 2007 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved
Shared MemoryReduces cost of video cards
Reduces amount of memory on the video card
Shared memory technologiesTurboCache (NVIDIA)HyperMemory (ATI)
System RAM will report less RAM availableNot shared as much as taken from OSOnce taken, OS no longer has access to the
RAM
© 2007 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved
The Modular Laptop Common components that can be replaced
or upgraded in a portable PC
Hard drives2.5-inch ATA drives most commonCable select often requiredOtherwise the same as regular
3.5-inch drives
Modular CPUs Just replace with a newer module from Intel or AMD
Video cardsLeast standardized
© 2007 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved
The Modular Laptop Common components that can be replaced
or upgraded in a portable PC
Modular DrivesCD-ROM, DVD-ROM, CD-R/W, hard drives
Mobile NICs and Mini PCIMost laptops have dial-up modems and EthernetMany also come with integrated wireless networking
supportMany devices can be toggled on and off with key
combinations such as FN-F2
© 2007 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved
MaintenanceEverything you normally do to maintain a
PC applies to portable PCs
Windows patches and Service PacksUpgrading driversCHKDSKScanDiskDefragmentDisk Cleanup
© 2007 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved
Batteries Three types of commonly used batteries
Nickel-Cadmium (Ni-Cd)Nickel-Metal Hydride (Ni-MH)Lithium-Ion (Li-Ion)
© 2007 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved
Nickel-Cadmium BatteriesNickel-Cadmium (Ni-Cd) batteries
First batteries commonly used in mobile PCs
Battery memory is the tendency of a Ni-Cd battery to lose a significant amount of its recharge ability
Conditioning charge could sometimes resolve battery memory problem
At best, can only be recharged about 1000 times
Toxic—dispose of at recycling centers
© 2007 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved
Nickel Metal Hydride Nickel Metal Hydride (Ni-MH) batteries
Next generation of mobile PC batteries
Less susceptible to memory problems and last longer between recharges
Still susceptible to heat
Popular replacement for Ni-Cd systems
© 2007 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved
Lithium Ion Lithium Ion batteries
Most common type of battery used todayPowerfulCompletely immune to memory problemsBuilt-in circuitry to prevent accidental
overcharging
© 2007 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved
Other Portable Power Sources
Smart batteries Tell the computer when they need to be
charged, conditioned, or replaced
Fuel cellsPromising new technology that could power a
laptop for up to 40 hours before refillingHasn’t yet reached the consumer market
© 2007 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved
Battery Maintenance Batteries should be stored in a cool place
Ni-Cd and Ni-MH batteries should be conditioned by using a special charger
Battery contacts should be kept clean using a little alcohol or dry cloth
Used or old batteries should be recycled
© 2007 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved
Power Management Power management goals
Shut down unused devices selectively
Define a maximum period of inactivity
Shut down the entire system during longer periods of inactivity
Ready to restart if triggered by a wake-up event
Sensitive to potential hazards like shutting down the hard drive in the middle of a write operation
Keep the system cost about the same
© 2007 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved
System Management ModeSystem Management Mode (SMM)
Set of features that enables the CPU to slow down or stop its clock without deleting information
Stops the CPU and all of the peripherals
Requires a specialized BIOS and OS
To further power management capabilities, Intel introduced Advanced Power Management (APM) in 1992 Advanced Configuration and Power Interface (ACPI) in 1996
© 2007 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved
Requirements for APM/ACPI APM and ACPI require the following in order
to function properly
An SMM-capable CPU
APM-compliant BIOS
Devices that will accept being shut off (“Energy Star”)
A system OS that knows how to request the shutdown of a particular device
© 2007 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved
APM/ACPI Levels Full On
No power management—everything running
APM EnabledCPU and RAM running at full powerUnused devices may or may not be shut down
APM StandbyCPU is stopped (can easily be restarted)RAM still stores all the programsAll peripherals are shut down
APM SuspendEverything is shut down or at its lowest power-consumptionHibernation (stores everything in RAM on the hard drive
before powering down)
© 2007 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved
APM/ACPI ConfigurationCMOS settings Windows
Overrides CMOS settings
Display applet in Control Panel Settings Advanced
Monitor tab
Power Management applet in Control Panel
© 2007 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved
Cleaning & HeatCleaning
Use a screen cleaner to clean the LCD screen (not a glass cleaner)
Use compressed air to clean out the keyboard and PC Card sockets
HeatUse power managementKeep air space between the bottom of the laptop and the
surface it sits onDon’t use a keyboard protectorListen for fan running a lot or stopping
© 2007 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved
Protect the MachineProtect your investment with best practices
Tripping Watch the power cord
Storage Protect from damage and dirt
Travel Remember foreign power is 230 V
Shipping Protect from damage and theft
Security Protect from theft
© 2007 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved
TroubleshootingLaptop won’t power on
Verify the outlet is goodVerify the adapter is goodRemove all peripherals
Screen doesn’t come on properlyMake sure the display is onPress FN key combination to activate the screen
Wireless networking doesn’t workCheck for physical or software switch to turn it onEnsure you’re in range
© 2007 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved
TroubleshootingHandwriting is not recognized
May need to retrain the digitizer
Keypad doesn’t workProbably unseated keypad connectorCheck manufacturer’s disassembly
procedures
Touchpad doesn’t workClean with compressed airMay need to reconfigure touchpad driver
© 2007 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved
Beyond A+Intel’s Centrino Technology
Extremely low powerFast CPUsIntegrated wireless networking
Origami—Ultra-Mobile PCs (UMPC)Small form factor tablet PCRuns full-fledged OS such as
Windows XP or Vista
Recommended