By Jay Dougherty
Washington - Notebook computer technology is very much a moving target these days. Small wonder: everyone wants a notebook, and everyone wants a notebook that does it all: operates quickly, gives great wireless Internet access, has a fantastic screen, and is portable.
So manufacturers are beefing up notebook components at a rate not seen in some time - which makes buying a notebook today challenging. You have machines with older technology sitting alongside machines with components you've never heard of - and prices are all over the place.
Your goal, though, is clear: to get a machine that will carry you forward into the next few years, all the while knowing that you'll be wanting to install a new operating system when Windows Vista comes along later this year. And you'll want to have a machine that will work with you as wireless Internet access speeds increase. So what should you look for? Here's a rundown.
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Go dual core
Dual-core processors are available for notebook computers now. Previously offered only to desktop users, dual-core processors are the future, so it makes little sense today to opt for a new notebook computer that does not offer dual-core processing.
What do you get with dual-core that you don't with traditional processors? Put simply: speed where it counts the most - and future-proofing. Dual-core processors pack the brains of two processors into one. Getting a notebook outfitted with a dual core processors is like getting a machine packed with two Intel Pentium chips rather than a computer that comes with only one.
Dual-core machines, however, won't run twice as fast as single-core computers. But they will make multitasking operating systems and applications run faster and more efficiently. In short, they can make you more productive if you find yourself wanting to burn a DVD and do anything else at the same time.
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