Buying a cell phone is more than a matter of choosing a handset--you also have to pick a service provider, or carrier, as well. Each carrier in the United States offers s different selection of technologies and services, so it's important to think about your needs when making a choice. For that reason, selecting a carrier should be the first step in the cell phone buying process.

Twisting technology

Frequent travelers, especially those traveling for business, are almost certain to carry laptop computers with them these days. In fact, Keynamics claims that a staggering 92 percent of business travelers carry laptops on airline flights, and with recently approved plans to offer inflight broadband Internet service, there’s even more incentive to get the laptop out and use it during the flight.

There’s just one problem: airline seats and tray tables, especially in economy class, are awfully cramped and inhospitable to the laptop computer.

Enter the Keynamics Aviator Laptop Stand, the second product from the company that brought the laptop world the brilliant but awkwardly named Laptop Stand on Wheels.

The Aviator is a three-piece plastic and rubber affair that fits together in two configurations: flat for packing and locked upright as a stand for computing. Its ability to collapse into a flat package makes for easy transport: just slide it into a side pocket in your computer case and you’re all set.

As a stand, the Aviator works fairly well. In fact, it might be the most versatile stand I’ve used, a jack of many trades and master of one in particular: nothing beats it for use on an airliner’s tray table. Perhaps the closest overall competitor is the CoolPad line from RoadTools, but the Aviator beats both the CoolPads hands down when it comes to computing in a cramped airplane seat.

The Aviator really gets the laptop at a comfortable, elbows-in typing angle, which is important if you get stuck in a middle seat in coach with well-fed seatmates on either side, as seems to be the case so often these days. Even if you’re in a window or aisle seat, or lucky enough to be in business or first class, the Aviator really improves the typing experience. The relative position of most airline tray tables really lends itself to the Aviator’s overhanging stance, and about the only way airborne computing could get more comfortable is if you had an actual desk to use.

According to Keynamics, the angle and offset positioning offer protection from a sudden reclining of the seat in front of you. I can’t attest to the severity of this perceived hazard, but the Aviator does seem to allow for less impact to the screen in such cases than might otherwise occur. Whether you’re using a stand or not, however, if the passenger in front of you reclines his seat, you’re pretty much done using your laptop unless your arms are disproportionately short, like a tyrannosaurus rex.

Keynamics also advertises the Aviator as a desk stand, a role in which it is competent, though not excellent. Like Keynamics’ dedicated desk stand, the Laptop Stand on Wheels, the Aviator hangs the laptop off the front edge of the desk at a very comfortable typing angle. It can also be used entirely on the desk, though some of its ergonomic benefit is lost if you choose to do so.

The only major drawback of the Aviator on a tray table—or on a desk—is its front retaining hooks, which prevent the laptop from experiencing a gravitational fatal attraction to the floor. Like those on the ill-designed Contour NoteRiser, they block the optical drive slot on many Mac laptops—the MacBook line, with its side-loading optical drive, is the major exception—but unlike the NoteRiser, the Aviator allows the laptop to be lifted easily to gain access. Most people don’t swap optical media in and out very often during a single flight, so this probably won’t bother you too much.

My final minor complaint is with the security of the assembly. The plastic seems robust and slides together easily, but it slides apart just as easily. This can cause the stand to fall apart if you pick it up from one side. This isn’t a big deal as long as you remember to use both hands when moving the Aviator and computer as a unit, but it would be nice if the stand could lock into its configuration or fit together more tightly.

There isn’t a lot of quality competition at the low end of the laptop-stand market, especially when it comes to portable or quasi-portable stands. The Aviator really, uh, “stands” out as an excellent value and a truly functional product with only minor flaws. It’s more portable than its competition and much more suited to inflight use. Keynamics has done it again.

Ready to get your life in order? Then maybe it's time to get a personal digital assistant. These small, lightweight devices can keep track of your appointments, phone numbers, and to-do lists, usually syncing with Microsoft Outlook or other desktop organizer software. Today's PDAs can also keep you amused with games, music, and video; a growing number have built-in cameras, and a few newer ones integrate GPS receivers as well. Even entry-level PDAs now have color screens, and all but the most inexpensive models also let you track e-mail, browse the Web, and send instant or text messages via built-in wireless Internet connectivity--Bluetooth (for connecting via a Bluetooth cell phone), Wi-Fi, and/or (in the case of PDA-phone hybrids) cellular networks. At the high end, a couple of models support two or three modes of wireless connection, so you can enjoy broadband speeds at Wi-Fi hotspots and increasingly speedy cellular hookups almost anyplace else.

The Big Picture
PDAs range from simple, unconnected devices designed primarily to replace pocket address books and calendars to powerful devices with lots of memory, wireless connectivity, integrated cameras and keyboards, and graphics muscle for playing music and video. Here, we'll discuss the main issues you need to think about, such as PDA operating systems and how much memory you need.

The Specs Explained
We'll address the CPUs used in handhelds, screen resolution, and internal versus external memory--and tell you how important each feature is to your purchase.

Travelling by air with a laptop computer has never been more complicated. These days, with the spate of terrorist threats, electronic devices are being banned by some airlines and airports from being hand-carried. And this includes laptops, which are traditionally hand-carried, as it’s a known fact that checked-in luggage is usually handled harshly. In other words, you can expect your laptop to be thrown around and dropped along with your luggage.

The tips, apparently sent in by Ontrack Data Recovery (who will help you recover your precious data in the event your laptop dies with all those bumps and bruises) include the following:

• Backing up important files
• Creating copies of important documents or files on portable media such as CDs and flash drives
• Securing your laptop’s hard drive and software (BIOS and OS)
• Enclosing your laptop in protective material and in-between clothes

Now I’m wondering if airlines or travel agents would insure laptops that are checked-in. After all, it’s not the passenger’s fault that he/she cannot bring the machine carry-on. If I were the airport or airline officials, I would allow laptops onboard, but the batteries and other power sources would have to be stowed in checked-in luggage. I think this is a better compromise rather than have the entire thing checked in.

If the security risk would be the possibility of using the gadget for communications, then removing the power source would be one good way to mitigate or minimize this risk.

Now, as for the laptop being another type of threat, remember anything can be used as a weapon. Even batteries wrapped inside a sock can serve as a mace of sorts. So can a canned drink wrapped in a shirt or blanket. Books can be deadly, especially if they’re hardbound. I don’t see the airlines banning socks, shirts and books anytime soon.

Harddisk space is one of the major factors to be considered when purchasing or assembling a computer. Of course, this is where you would save all your files, MP3s, movies, pictures, etc. When buying a computer, my main focus is on the processor, memory (RAM), video card, and the harddisk space. But large harddisk space needed for laptop computers?

Most laptop users would have a personal computer (desktop computer) at home. They only have laptop computers for portability purpose where they can bring their work anywhere they go. For this kind of users, maybe, HDD (harddisk drive) space is just a plus when choosing laptop or notebook computers. Files are stored in computers at home, and only needed files would be stored in a laptop. For those who don’t have a desktop computer, you could still backup your files in DVDs or CDs or even the use of external harddrives which are commonly used for laptops.

So I guess, large HDD capacity is not a need for laptop computers, but of course, why not settle for the best? Large difference in HDD capacity doesn’t mean a huge difference in its price. It is not a need, but would still advice to go for the best.

Is external hard disk drives useful for laptop computers? My first thought about it is you bought a laptop for portability, so isn’t an additional hardware a hassle to bring with it? Yes maybe it is, but why do we need external an hard drive in the first place?

Since laptop is not that easy to upgrade in the first place, expanding a laptop’s internal hard drive should have been planned before purchasing a laptop. So what can we do if we need more storage space? The use of an external hard drive is the easiest option. You don’t need to bring you laptop in a service center to change your current hard drive.

Laptop is mainly used to bring your needed files where ever you go. But you don’t need all the files especially pictures and movies that you have already watched everywhere you go. And external hard drives are the best options for backups. A bonus is, you may also bring it anywhere you want.

As written in my previous article, a personal computer is somewhat a necessity for most of us especially in the IT industry but there is always a dilema on deciding if he will be buying a traditional desktop computer or a portable notebook. I’ve read an article stating pros and cons of each side.

“If the main purpose of buying a computer is for occasional use, regardless if it is for work or entertainment activities, one may consider buying a traditional desktop computer taking in consideration that its price is usually lower than the portable version.

If the main reason for the purchasing of a computer is portability, then in this case the notebook will be the right choice.”

A more detailed discussion could be read at their website. It still depends on the main purpose why you are buying a personal computer. Both have their advantages and disadvantages, either would be helpful. You may just need to consider practicality and quality.