No subject

tolerable for an appliance.

Other Considerations
As a selling feature, notebook manufacturers try to maximize battery
life, that is, the amount of time their computers will run on a single
charge. Since we keep the unit plugged in so much, battery life is not
critical, but it?s still a good indicator of system efficiency.

Within groups of similar computers, the longer the--battery life, the
more efficient the computer is. This comparison works best if
independently measured, but manufacturers? estimated time is usually a
good rough estimate. Just remember that this measurement applies within
a given category of processor, screen size, battery size, and
peripherals.

While it may seem good to keep the battery charged up, it is also good
to let it cycle some. So don?t leave it plugged in all the time. Unplug
it every once in a while, and let it discharge fully before charging
again. If NiCd is used, the battery should be fully discharged routinely
(several times a month) and then refilled. If the battery is NiMH or
lithium technology, it isn?t as important to fully discharge the battery
routinely, but it should be fully discharged once every month or two.
Most modern notebooks use the NiMH or lithium ion batteries.

Keyboards are also a concern with notebooks. The great portability of a
3+ pound (1.4+ kg) unit is somewhat offset by a slightly smaller
keyboard, not to mention a few keys in somewhat different places. I find
the tradeoff to be acceptable. You may not. The larger notebooks do have
equivalent keyboards, but not exactly ergonomically correct ones.

Another alternative is to buy a notebook with an auxiliary keyboard
port. Then you can use a standard keyboard ordinarily used with a
desktop unit. Most larger notebooks have similar ports for a mouse and
monitor. Others have auxiliary ports in docking stations so a notebook
can emulate a desktop computer.

Of course, not everyone is in a position to part with more than US$2,000
to save some watt-hours. But it was worth it for us. The cost of adding
more PVs and related equipment to have our desktop unit available full
time would have exceeded what we spent. Almost any notebook computer,
with the ability to handle similar tasks, is far preferable to a desktop
system for energy conservation.

As time goes on, more models will use the new energy-saving chip sets.
Even the model we bought is now available as refurbished. (Usually they
are returned within 30 days after purchase and like new.) I just saw one
similar to ours for less than US$1,600.

Although I was researching PCs, Apple?s latest notebooks are also quite
frugal. I managed to get permission (not without a questioning look from
the store manager) to measure one of the 600 MHz G3 iBooks, and it came
in at around 20 watts.

Dessert
The rest of the changes to our computing scene may seem frivolous.
Still, if we see the computer as an appliance, the handier the better.
We added a D-Link wireless router (Model DI 713P, US$140, 7 watts) that
gives us the ability to use the laptop almost anywhere in the house. It
also connects the two computers together and provides good Internet
security from hackers. (Incidentally, software can provide good
protection also, but it?s not as good as the hardware solution in a
router.)

The setup of the router was very time consuming. I have read of others
who have had an easier setup, and still others who have given up and
returned the unit. So I have mixed feelings about it. Setting up a
single computer would be easier, as would setting up with only a newer
operating system.

The manufacturers need to provide more information than we received.
Usually I like to exhaust my own resources before calling tech support,
but I still spent quite a few hours sorting things out with both the
router tech support and my Internet service provider tech support.

Energy-Sipping Computing
Everything needs to be on switched outlets for efficiency, preferably
surge protected outlets. On one switch, we have the fixed wireless radio
and the router, which have no internal switches, and the printer, which
does have an internal switch (usually turned off). The notebook computer
is on another, and the desktop computer and scanner (usually turned off)
on another. So we can handle almost any combination of computing needs
without having unnecessary equipment sucking electricity.

In spite of the less-than-satisfactory router experience, our new
computer system has been a great convenience. After half a year of no
computer availability in our off-grid home, we learned that our desktop
computer was just too much of an energy hog to work for us in our
limited-energy environment. Having cast about for a solution, I believe
we found a good one with our 3 pound (1.4 kg) notebook computer. It
draws only 15 to 18 watts when being used, and practically none when in
standby.

We no longer have to feel guilty when using a very important appliance.
It is handy anywhere we are in the house, anytime we need it. And so
far, we have run the generator hardly at all. Aloha.

Access
John Bertrand, PO Box 811, Holualoa, HI 96725 caber at kona.net

Dell Computer Corporation, One Dell Way, Round Rock, TX 78682 •
800-915-3355 or 512-338-4400 • csd at dell.com • www.dell.com • Dell
Latitude C-400 • notebook computer

Alvarion, Inc., 5858 Edison Pl., Carlsbad, CA 92008 • 760-517-3100 •
Fax: 760-517-3200 • sales-north.america at alvarion.com • www.alvarion.com
• Breezenet Pro.11 radio

D-Link U.S.A., 53 Discovery Dr., Irvine, CA 92618 • 800-326-1688 • Fax:
949-753-7033 • sales at dlink.com www.dlink.com • D-Link DI-713P wireless
router

Some Useful PC Computer Web Sites
Major Notebook Manufacturers:
www.dell.com • www.gateway.com • www.ibm.com • www.micronpc.com •
www.sonystyle.com • www.hp.com • www.apple.com

Networking Info:
www.wown.com •
www.pcworld.com/features/article/0,aid,86935,tk,cxb,00.asp

Internet Security Software:
www.zonelabs.com • Zonelabs? Zone Alarm is a free download; the Pro
version costs US$40. The free version has been highly recommended and
has been used by the author. The Pro version has more bells & whistles.

Notebook Power Management:
www.extremetech.com/article/0,3396,apn=2&s=1005&a=24385&ap=1,00.asp •
This is an article at the Extreme Tech site and may be available for a
limited time.

Evaluations & Comparisons:
www.pcmagazine.com • www.zdnet.com • www.techtv.com • www.pcworld.com •
www.practicallynetworked.com

Shopping/Price Comparisons:
www.pricewatch.com • www.pricegrabber.com • www.techbargains.com •
www.amazon.com • www.cnet.com

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