Laptop expansion options

Laptops use a special expansion card system no longer called PCMCIA. It was once called PCMCIA, and you may still hear that term bandied about. But because no one can remember PCMCIA, let alone what it stands for, PCMCIA was changed back in the 1990s, renamed first to Fred and then to PC Card. Despite this, I noticed in Office Max the other day that some guy called them PCMCIA cards. His name was Fred.

The PCMCIA, er, PC Card system uses special expansion slots and cards for adding options to your laptop. These cards are about the size of a credit card, though thicker (and without revolving debt). They slide into a special slot on the laptop’s side, which is how you can add special options to your laptop. The options include a memory card reader, networking abilities, more storage, and so on.

Laptops may also use an exchangeable disk system. For example, the CD-ROM or DVD drive might be removable and could be replaced with a second hard drive or a floppy drive. This type of drive-swapping is usually specific to certain laptop models; you generally cannot swap drives between two laptops from different manufacturers, unless you’re just incredibly lucky.

Okay: PCMCIA stands for Personal Computer Memory Card International Association. Big deal!

It’s often said that PCMCIA stands for People Cannot Memorize Computer Industry Acronyms.

Better than getting the swappable drive option is simply knowing exactly what you need in a laptop in the first place. Buying a laptop with non-swappable disk drives is cheaper.

Other laptop expansion options are available through the same type of expansion ports available on desktop PCs. These include standard USB ports, as well as older serial and printer ports.

Communications options

Laptops thirst for communications! Therefore, they must come with an internal modem plus networking abilities, either wire-based Ethernet, or wireless networking, or often both.

Most laptops are adorned with infrared communications ports, which allow for communications with other infrared devices. Or I suppose the infrared ports exist so that you can use your laptop to change channels on the hotel room TV.

Ethernet is provided on a laptop via internal circuitry and an RJ-45 port (or hole) on the laptop’s case. If the laptop doesn’t have this circuitry built in, then you can add it via a PC Card.

Wireless networking is done via the 802.11 standard. The most popular version of this standard is 802.11g, though some older systems use 802.11b. (Some wireless laptops use both systems, 802.11g and 802.11b.)

Yes, the 802.11h and 802.11i standard will most likely be available soon. Don’t worry about them. A good gauge of which wireless standard to get is to look at what’s available in the store. According to Fred at Office Max, it’s 802.11g.

Whoa! I just saw the 802.11n standard fly by!

If the laptop doesn’t come with wireless networking built in, it can be added via a PC Card. I recommend getting a card with an external, directional antenna.

Avoid the temptation to fondle the external antenna.

If the laptop lacks a modem, then you can also add a modem via a PC Card.

For more on networking, see Chapter 9.

No, sadly you cannot use your laptop to change channels on the hotel room TV. I have this information on authority from many who’ve tried.

Energy management hardware

While desktop computers come with some energy management features — the ability to suspend or sleep the computer, or the “hibernate” option — these features are far more necessary on a laptop. Primarily, energy management on the laptop is concerned with controlling the power drain on the battery.

Ensure that your future laptop has the ability to merely sip power when necessary. Chapter 8 has more information on various tricks to make this happen, but it helps to look for such abilities in your laptop before you buy.

When power is really important to you, consider getting one of the powermiser microprocessors as opposed to the high-speed, top-of-the-line models. This does save a tad on battery life, but keep in mind that a high-end microprocessor works better for extending the laptop’s lifespan.

Docking stations and port replicators

One optional item you can purchase for your laptop is the docking station or port replicator. Despite these being optional, I highly recommend them.

The docking station or port replicator serves as a base for your laptop when it’s not on the road. It can be used to recharge the laptop’s battery, but more importantly, it has connectors that allow you to add desktop options to the laptop. In fact, you can keep the full-sized keyboard and monitor connected to the docking station or port replicator, and just pop off the laptop when you’re ready to go on the road.

A port replicator may be nothing more than an extra attachment that plugs into a special expansion jack (or hole) on a laptop. The port replicator then lets you plug in standard desktop peripherals to the laptop.

Docking stations are generally more sophisticated than port replicators. They’re also more expensive, and they smell better.

There is no need for a port replicator when you buy a laptop that contains all the ports you need in the first place.