About Small-Laptops.com – History and Coverage

Update: May 2018, please see our Privacy Policy changes.

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About Small-Laptops.com
Small-Laptops.com covers small and ultraportable laptops/notebooks, convertible Tablet PCs, laptop-style UMPCs. When using the word “small”, it can get into a gray area of just what small is. These days, 13″ laptops fall into the “small” category, simply because some of them these days weigh half the size they did just five years ago, not to mention with the introduction of LED-backlit displays and widescreen displays in general dropping the physical dimensions down quite a bit. There are even some 14″ laptops that are creeping into this area.

“Convertible” Tablet PCs covers Tablet PCs that can convert into a laptop/notebook form factor with a physical keyboard as well as a touch screen.

UMPCs – Ultra Mobile PCs – quite a few of these have laptop/notebook form factor, and so I’m more than willing to cover these (especially since small laptops led to UMPCs).

Purpose #1: Latest News and Information
Basically, to bring together and collect news and information about ultraportable laptops and notebooks and related mobile computing devices, from a variety of other websites, providing sources when possible and applicable. While there are many excellent mobile computing sites, this one has a definite niche, a niche that appears to be picking up a lot of steam as of late, from two ends of the ultraportable spectrum – the bargan Asus Eee PC-style computers (including the CloudBook) and the larger ultimate (and pricey) high-end Sony, Toshiba, and now Apple (with the MacBook Air), laptops. Given that CPUs are shrinking while becoming more powerful, with the widescreen acceptance of LED-backlit panels, this market is only going to grow.

Purpose #2: A guide to small form-factor laptops/notebooks
In April 2008 and towards the end of May, we’ll be rolling out a new design as well as updates to provide a much-more comprehensive guide covering all small form-factor laptops/notebooks going back 10-15 years. (Note: the new design has been rolled out.)

Purpose #3: Parts, Accessories, Where to Buy, Support
We get a lot of requests for people looking for information, batteries, drivers, etc. for older laptops. As such we have start adding support pages for older laptops (or rather links, to find drivers, etc.). We are also working on providing more information on finding batteries, etc., as well as where to purchase certain systems.

Where does the information come from?
Surprisingly, quite a lot of the information comes from individuals – basically a group of regulars. Now we will admit that a lot of these individuals may work for the companies that produce these computers – We have no way of knowing this unless they contact me from their official e-mail account. We track about 30-40 websites (including company/shopping sites), and we have several people who contact us and provide information, including other website owners.

Rumors, Leaks, Embargos
We do respect embargoes if such information is presented by the companies involved.

Difference between laptops and notebooks?
Traditionally, laptops were just that – portable computers small enough to fit on one’s lap. Notebooks were originally considered by some to be larger than laptops, as well as thinner in some areas. If you have a larger display, you could (in theory) have a larger keyboard, etc., and the components would have a larger chassis length and depth wise to be built-into, and so things didn’t have to be stacked up.

Over time, that’s changed to the point where most people and companies use them interchangeably. Heck, what some would call laptops are hot enough that you don’t want them sitting on your lap without something between it and your legs.

History of Small-Laptops.com
Small-Laptops.com has existed since the middle of 2005, and it’s had a few periods where the site owners/publishers found opportunities that led to some inactivity here and there. It started out as a simple blog and grew rather rapidly, and it has the growing pains to show.

– CW