LaptopsA mini laptop is a computer about half the size of a regular laptop. It has smaller screen, hard drive, memory, and usually slower CPU. Mini laptops and the MS Windows Mobile platform are not the same thing and should not be confused. Here, we discuss mini laptops that use the standard Windows platform (or, in some cases, the Linux platform). Although standard laptops are quite portable, your lifestyle or work style may demand something even more mobile. Mini laptops weigh about 1.5 lb, and they fit in most handbags, or even large pockets. They are able to meet most of your computing needs without too much loss in performance - or at least that is their aim.

Background

IBM was one of the pioneers in experimenting with miniature laptops. They eventually handed over their prototype to a third party developer but that product never made it to the mass market.

A number of manufacturers have produced commercially available products including Sony, Fujitsu, Asus, JVC, Sharp, and Acer. Additionally, the $200 Linux-based XO laptop developed by the One Laptop Per Child program (whose goal is to provide children in the developing world with access to computer technology) might almost be considered a mini laptop because of its small size.

Functionality

The Fujitsu U810 is an example of an MS Windows-based mini laptop and is therefore PC compatible. It has a 5.6" LCD screen, 1GB ram with 40GB hard drive. For wireless connectivity, you get WiFi a/b/g and Bluetooth. The unit has a qwerty keyboard. Surveys reveal that web browsing, reading email with attachments, managing personal information (such as agendas), downloading pictures, and word processing make up most of our usage when we are on the move. The Fujitsu U810, and its peers, can accomplish all those tasks, and can also provide communication via Skype.

Impact on teaching

In the classroom, most instructors will probably find mini laptops less than ideal: the small keyboard make it hard to type quickly (especially at a podium), the on-board mouse is a bit awkward for moving the cursor, and the screen resolution and pixel pitch is too low for quick glances. For use in a classroom, an instructor would do well to choose a decent 12-13" laptop over a mini laptop.

Impact on learning