Figure 3-19. Lap-top vs. desk top PC.
(9) Data transfer. Transferring data between the lap-top and desk top is not
so easy. Most desk tops use 5 1/4-inch floppy disks, while lap-tops use 3 1/2-inch
disks. (A bridge program run on both machines while they are cabled together using a
serial port is one solution. A simpler solution is to outfit the desk top with a 3 1/2-inch
disk drive or to buy an external 5 1/2-inch floppy drive for the lap-top and copy from one
drive to another.) All the lap-tops have a port for an external disk drive. Adding one
costs about 0 to 0. Modems, which connect computers via telephone lines, can
also be used to transfer data from lap-top to desk top. An internal modem raises the
price 0 to 0.
modem: device that connects computers by telephone lines. It changes digital
signals into analog and vice versa.
(10) Battery life. This is more important for those who must compute where
A.C. power is not available: in a classroom, plane, or backyard. If you need a machine
portable enough to take from home to office and back, battery life is less important.
Battery life runs from 3 to 5 hours. For those who really need it, additional battery packs
can be purchased. Lap-tops with hard drives use extra power, so batteries don't last as
long in hard-drive lap-tops as they do in floppy-drive machines.
MD0057
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