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2.1 Which Hardware Is Right for You?

FedEx Kinko’s print and ship centers) also rent computers for an hourly rate during their
business hours. If you use a shared computer at a public site, always take a USB memory
device (also called a USB memory stick, flash drive, or thumb drive) with you to save your
personal files.

Technical difficulties—including not having access to a computer and not being able to con-
nect to the Internet—are not acceptable excuses for turning in assignments late. So check
computer options in your local community now, in case you need computer access in a pinch.
Make sure you have a backup plan in the event that your primary computer is not functioning
properly. Also, check out the troubleshooting section of Module 3 to learn how to solve com-
puter or Internet problems that you may encounter.

Desktop or Laptop? Let Usage Be Your Guide

Now that you understand the impor-
tance of a desktop or laptop computer
for your academic success and the
computer’s basic operating compo-
nents, how do you choose one? Both
desktops and laptops have advantages
and disadvantages. As we compare
them, think about how and where you
will do your schoolwork and your per-
sonal preferences for types of com-
puter hardware; this knowledge will
help guide your decision.
Hero Images/Hero/Images/SuperStock
Our friend, Jason, put a lot of thought
into his decision. Life in the military Should you use a laptop or a desktop computer for
takes him around the world, so hav- your course work? Both have advantages, but choose
ing a portable, lightweight device with based on how and where you think you will work.
long battery life was of utmost impor-
tance to him. Before heading to the store to look at laptops, he read some consumer reports
and reviews to determine which brands were the best quality and value, as well as what other
consumers thought about the computers they purchased. He also talked with friends about
the types of computers they had and asked what they liked and disliked about the models
they chose. Using what he learned, Jason narrowed down his choices to a handful of possible
models, as we will help you do in this section. He then compared prices of specific brands and
models online with prices at major computer retail stores.

With this information in hand, Jason headed to a computer store, where he consulted fur-
ther with the sales staff. He took a copy of the Ashford University Technology Requirements
with him (available at http://www.ashford.edu/catalog-online-undergraduate-programs
.htm#catalog11798) to show salespeople what his course work would require. He also told
the sales staff that he intended to keep in touch with friends and family on social media, man-
age his growing photo collection, and play a couple of online games. The salespeople took his
usage into account and recommended a number of options.

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