Normally the older technology gets then the less expensive it becomes. It happened with stereos. It happened with “walkmans.” Not only did the technology get less expensive, but it also seemed to grow more compact.

Personal computers seem to defy that logic. Instead of getting less expensive, they hold their price or even go up in expense. The increase in technology only makes the personal computers currently residing in homes completely outdated – requiring families to upgrade computers if they want the ability to use software.

If I were one prone to conspiracies then I would say that computers are built with designed obsolescence. Much like pantyhose (and sometimes it seems with the same life span), cars and especially printers, the personal computer is built and sold with the understanding that it is just a matter of time before the same person will be back for another one.

There have been some attempts at “affordable” computers over the last few years, but none that have a real place in the every day life of a technological society. A wind up computer might be helpful when you are out in the wilderness away from civilization, but it probably won’t be much help when you have a term paper due tomorrow.

There has to be an easier answer than upgrading every few years.

High speed internet is not available to everyone – forget the commercials that cover the airwaves. Living in a rural community can make it impossible to enter into the world that exists on the internet today. Dialup may be the only way to surf the web and that means missing out on many of the downloads and websites around the Web.

When AT&T bought out Bellsouth, they agreed to have high speed internet service available to everyone in their service range by the end of the year. That was 2007. By December of 2007, we realized that getting AT&T high speed was a dream (or delusion).

Satellite was not a top choice. Or location keeps us from always getting a good signal for our television and that’s not something to be easily dealt with over the internet, particularly when you are in the middle of working online. Besides, the two satellite companies that serviced the area wanted a small fortune to install and then another small fortune each month.

Cable was the ideal solution. It offered the fastest speeds around and there was no limit to access or connections. Only the cable company claimed our location was unserviceable. For just a few thousand dollars they would be glad to MAKE us serviceable.

After being disappointed by the unfulfilled promises of AT&T and after too many hours waiting for dialup to download, we bit the bullet. We paid the ransom to get the high speed – let’s just see if it’s really worth all the hype and trouble.

Recently there was a news show on that had the two anchors discussing the smartphones. They were comparing the new cell phones to laptops. In their opinions, the new phones were capable of doing much of what a laptop can do.

I can understand their points – to some extent. If you are carrying around a laptop or notebook to check emails when you are traveling or other simple computer tasks then one of the smartphones would work just as well. The problem is that few people who carry around a laptop or notebook are limiting their work to simple tasks.

For many of the people who have a entire bad devoted to their mobile computer needs a cell phone just doesn’t have the capabilities to do what needs to be done. Even if it did have the power and storage, the keypad is just not large enough to accomplish complicated tasks.

Although one of the two anchors predicted that the newer smartphones would eliminate the need for laptop and notebook computers, I think that day is a long way off. There are too many tasks that need to be done that require the larger and stronger laptop.

Still, it will be interesting to see what how small technology will be able to get in the future.

There is nothing quite as frustrating as trying to work on the road on my laptop only to have my time run out because the battery is drained.  The ideas are flowing through my head, but my laptop isn’t flowing anywhere.  Now I have to take the time to dig out the plug and charge the battery back up – there goes the flow!

What if it were possible to work all week long without charging the battery even once?  It may be in the not so distance future that you can get a 40-hour rechargeable battery for your laptop. 

By using nanotechnology a team of scientists from Stanford University have made a breakthrough in battery life.  They are currently evaluating the technology further to see if it can be used commercially.

This revolutionary development will give batteries 10 times more charging ability.  It was made possible because the scientists used silicon nanowires instead of the traditional graphite.  It has long been theorized that the silicon anodes have the highest charge capacity, but until now no one has been able to determine how to put them into practical use.

The only real concern that I have is the price.  I got a GREAT deal on my laptop (especially when you add in rebates and the fact that I bought it on a no tax weekend).  It would be cruel irony if the battery that I needed to get my work done cost me more than the computer I was doing the work on. 

No matter what the cost (and you know it is going to cost) might be it will be worth it to have that kind of charge life on the battery.

It is time to start shopping for a new computer.  There seems to be no end to the design, color, and look that I can get these days.  What I really need is a machine that will do all I need it to do (run the kids’ educational programs and maybe a word processing program along with games) without costing as much as the new (used) car.  If a company like Quanta can make a laptop that costs less than my electric bill, why aren’t there more inexpensive options on the market?

In my opinion, the make and model isn’t as important as the function.  I’m not as interested in who makes the computer (except when it comes to customer service or having the machine worked on) as I am getting a system that works for our family.  I want a machine with extra usb ports and easy access to expand if necessary.

I’m not a computer whiz by any stretch of the imagination.  It is important that the company or sales rep break down the technological terms to as simple as possible.  Telling me about RAM and REM (get it ;) ) only confuses me.  Even when I compare like to like (and write down the specifics to be sure) I still don’t know what I’m comparing. 

Make it easy and make it cheap.  Sale me a computer that will run 20 games and 20 educational programs along with 2 word processing programs all for under $300.  Will it ever happen?