PC in Your Pocket- Meet The Incredible Shrinking Computer
By Amanda C. Kooser

A lot of buzz surrounded the initial launch of ultramobile PCs. The concept is that you get a full-fledged PC running a full OS in a compact, extremely portable device--more powerful than a PDA and smaller than a laptop. The first models out were expensive and featured less than stunning performance. The second wave has recently arrived and addresses some of the issues that plagued the first round. For example, the Samsung Q1 Ultra, which replaces the original Q1, now features a 4.5-hour battery life, a small, split, qwerty keyboard and a $799 price tag--which is several hundred dollars less than the old Q1 at launch. The 1.5-pound device also gets a little closer to full-size computer performance with 600MHz or 800MHz processors and 1GB of memory. Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are included.

The Q1 Ultra is joined by other UMPC offerings from Asus, OQO and Sony. UMPCs are still trying to find their niche in the computing world. Entrepreneurs who are looking for a more compact alternative to a laptop may want to take a look at this improved crop of machines. Still, it could be a couple of years before the UMPC concept effectively competes with both ultraportable notebooks and high-performance smartphones.

For every type of entrepreneur, there's a color printer to match.
By Lindsay Holloway

Just like the clients they serve, entrepreneurs have varying needs for supplies and serv-ices--especially when it comes to hard copies. Fortunately, there's a printer for every job.
Hewlett-Packard's new Officejet H470 mobile printer will appeal to the entrepreneur on the go. The shoebox-size color printer can print up to 480 sharp-looking pages per charge of its optional lithium-ion battery. For a mere $249, you can print 22 black ppm and 18 color ppm from your notebook, PDA, memory card and more. The H470 offers Wi-Fi connectivity and optional Bluetooth and car adapters.

For the office, Brother's HL-4070CDW is a solid choice for the entrepreneur who wants a quality color printer with top-tier appointments at a great price. The $499 network-ready printer has built-in Ethernet and wireless connectivity, as well as speedy USB 2.0 and parallel interfaces. It even has a direct USB connection so you can print straight from a camera. With an expandable paper tray and automatic duplexing for double-sided printing, the 4070CDW produces up to 21 ppm of sharp, 2400 x 600 dpi prints. High-yield toner cartridges are available for those seeking long-term savings.

If you're interested in conserving resources, check out the Xerox Phaser 6130. This $449 color printer reduces energy usage and relies on an Emulsion Aggregation high-gloss toner to use less toner per page. Its print speed is average (16 black ppm/ 12 color ppm), but a 333MHz processor and up to 1GB memory let it easily handle complex color projects, producing a rare 16 shades of color per pixel. Internal sensors automatically skip blank pages in a print job and keep the printer running on black if color runs out. Frequently printed documents can be saved for easy, one-touch printing.

Norton gives you something new to fall back on.
By Lindsay Holloway

This time around (the 14th), Norton Ghost takes backups to the next level. The latest rollout of its disk-imaging system incorporates Symantec's ThreatCon security system to automatically recognize potential threats to your business PC and trigger an incremental backup before an attack materializes. Back up your entire system or just specific folders to an FTP site, a NAS unit or your choice of disks and drives.

Symantec
Norton Ghost 14.0
symantec.com
Price: $69.99

For the full article, visit Entrepreneur Magazine- June 2008