With the availability of multiple types of portable computers, it’s no longer necessary to be chained to your desk when browsing digital magazines or watching movies with your xvid software. Each type of computer has its own advantages and disadvantages, and not every type is best suited for a variety of digital media.
Netbooks
A netbook is a mini laptop. It’s designed for portability and has many of the same advantages a laptop has. Available hard drives are similar to those for laptops, and they can run standard software. But, because of their small display, viewing digital magazines or watching movies can be difficult. Disadvantages include a small display, a compact keyboard, and limited battery life.
Tablets
Tablets are essentially handheld displays. They have the size of a normal laptop monitor, and usually feature either a touchscreen keyboard, or a breakaway keyboard that can flip away from the body. Digital magazines were seemingly made for tablets, and they can run many of the same apps as smartphones. They have a distinct advantage for viewing all types of digital media. The disadvantage is that they don’t do much of anything else, and typing on a large touchscreen keyboard is not intuitive.
Laptops
Laptops are fully functioning portable computers. They usually have compact keyboards and a trackpad. They can run standard software, provide a portable platform for work or school, and have all the functionality of a desktop computer. Because they are compact there isn’t much room for a fan, so they tend to overheat. Another disadvantage is a smaller hard drive than a desktop.
Desktops
The desktop is big and bulky, but you can do everything on it from read magazines to play games to watch movies. These can be customizable in ways portable computers can’t, and can feature larger displays, better sound systems, and much larger amounts of storage. They can run any standard software, but they are not portable.