Laptops getting grounded?
So I'm in the market for a good laptop now that my Dell died (what is it with Dell quality these days? I'm done with Dell for good) and the several years-old Toshiba laptop that was sitting around is nearing its end as well. So I'm looking for a laptop that's heavy duty enough to use as my main computer but also light enough to travel with me -- whether it is to a Starbucks hotspot down the street or across the country.
So I started looking for reviews and found some interesting although not very promising information in this Washington Post story that says that laptop development is on hold as most laptops appear to be serving as replacements for desktop computers rather than lightness and mobility that is important to a much smaller group of people:
"First-time buyers are not necessarily interested in weight or battery life, or functionality above and beyond e-mail and Web browsing," said Mike Abarri, product manager for Sony's Vaio line.
Last year, laptop computer sales exceeded desktop sales in total dollars for the first time, though not in terms of units sold. ...These often heavier laptops, many powered by processors engineered for use in desktop computers, now make up about 80 percent of the consumer laptop market. They don't cost much more than desktops and offer about the same level of utility.