Hauling your laptop to the library is getting easier

MSI X340 X-Slim laptop is one of the first CULV laptops (Credit: MSI) The MSI X340 is one of the first ultra thin laptops. The X340 has a 13.4-inch screen, weighs 2.86 pounds, and measures .78 inches thick.

The trend in laptops is thinner and lighter. I thought about that yesterday when I had to lug my older laptop to a class I was teaching. I also think about it every time I actually use my laptop computer on my lap. The heat and weight of my current computer do not lend themselves to comfortable computing without a table. When I get around to replacing my current HP 17" laptop I will have a lot of low cost, light weight choices.

Intel recently announced chips for low-cost, thin laptops. This development will be boon for all of those researchers who are carrying their computers to libraries, conferences and other meetings. Intel's marketing chief Sean Maloney was quoted as saying;

"It's clear that people like devices to be thin and light," said Maloney, who was speaking from the Computex conference...We've really taken that to heart and come out with a complete top-to-bottom range of microprocessors that enable radically longer battery life and much smaller designs," referring to Intel's new lineup of consumer ultra-low-voltage (CULV) processors. "There are a lot of computers being announced here (Computex) that look like conventional notebooks in terms of how wide the screens are, but they're super-thin, the performance is very good, and they get up to nine hours battery life without a big, fat battery at the back."

Prices for these new laptops will start at $399 and range up to $2,000.

It looks like the day when you can conveniently carry your laptop is fast approaching. The main challenge is for those of us who already have a laptop than even though it is heavy, works just fine, thank you. On the budget for genealogy research thin and light will have to overcome spending additional scarce funds.