Laptop Computer Accessories

We detail and provide valuable recommendations for popular
laptop computer accessories.

Do you routinely back up your data?  We hope so, if not we definitely recommend an external hard drive for you, especially if your laptop is your primary computing machine. 

In our experience many people still do not take proper precautions by backing up their data on a routine basis. Keep in mind folks that if a laptop is your primary computer there is a greater risk that you will lose your data. 

We’ve seen individuals lose years of precious family photos from a stolen laptop.  A simple backup once in a while could have spared them a lot of agony.  Remember that laptops are also more susceptible to premature failure because of their design and typical usage patterns. 

Crucial External Hard Drive Data Backup Tips

If you are going to use an external hard drive for backups please folks do remember to leave it at home. 

We’ve also seen individuals use a portable hard drive for backups only to get it stolen along with their laptop because they left it in the laptop bag.  Oops, so much for the backup! 

We personally like to use a smaller portable external hard drives as supplemental data storage for our existing internal laptop hard drive.  

But for our crucial data backups we use a full-size stay at home external USB hard drive because they are cheaper and additionally have more storage space compared to portable drives.  Not to mention you won't get it stolen.

For ultimate data backup needs look for a hard drive with a one touch backup feature. Basically once it is setup all you have to do is press a button to backup your data. Pretty nifty and data bacups aren't a chore thus you will be more inclined to backup routinely.

Regardless of who you are, pinckup an external hard drive, especially if you use a laptop as your one and only computing machine.

By now most of you have seen a USB memory stick, right?  If not basically they are a little device that has replaced the old floppy discs for storage.  

You simply plug it into an available USB port that is standard on all computers, and then simply drag and drop your files to it. 

They are an invaluable piece of equipment to have with any laptop.  Great for pulling data such as music and photos off a laptop to transfer to a friend’s computer, keeping a quick second backup of that important assignment you’ve been working on, and well the list goes on.  

External Flash Drives With Encryption Capability

In fact, if you are worried about securing your sensitive data in the event that you lose your flash drive, manufacturers of flash drives even make models that offer advanced encryption capabilities.  

One such model that we use is the Memorex Kingston DataTraveler.  Basically you password protect the device and no one will be able to access its data without that password.  Pretty cool especially since identity theft is so out of hand these days. 

Prices of flash memory sticks are also lower than ever so you can pick them up for almost nothing.  Secure flash drives will cost more of course but if your data is something you want no one else to see it is invaluable and worth the extra cash.

Even though today's laptop processors run relatively cool, they're still capable of generating a lot of heat. 

If you put your laptop through long hours of use it doesn’t hurt one bit to keep it cooler by placing it on top of a laptop cooler pad.  

In fact if you have the bad habit of placing your laptop on a bed, carpet or other surface that can potentially block the vents causing the laptop to run hotter, we especially recommend you pick up a laptop podium.  

A cooler pad can prevent premature laptop component failure becuase it will always insure that you are keeping your laptop vents unobstructed. 

Most are light weight and fairly portable like today’s laptops, and there are tons of choices out there. 

One of our favorite manufacturers of laptop podiums includes Cooler Master.  Their NotePal podiums for example go one step above a basic generic laptop cooler by offering advanced cooling via a cooling fan.

If you are a busy always on the go individual a power inverter is a sweet laptop accessory. 

Power inverters convert a 12v DC power source such as the one found in you car into an AC power source that laptops or other devices use. 

Power Inverters are going to be very useful for travelers on the road or even for times of need where you simply forgot to charge you laptop before you left your home. 

External Laptop Power Inverter With Airplane Adapter - A Must For Travelers

Power inverters can normally be plugged into a 12v power connector in your automobile or with an included adapter the special airplane receptacles typically found in business class seats and many newer planes throughout. 

One thing to pay special attention to when shopping for a laptop power inverter is the power rating listed in watts. 

90W power adapters will be efficient for all but the largest laptops but to be 100 percent sure always check the wattage rating listed on your laptops AC adapter.  

The rule of thumb is that things will work fine if your power inverter has a higher wattage rating then your laptop AC adapter.  So if your laptops AC adapter says 60W and your power inverter says 90W all is good to go.  

Just always make sure your power inverter has higher output wattage and you will be fine.  Pretty straight forward right?

A notebook security lock in a nutshell protects your valuable laptop from an easy theft.  

Basically it is a cable that hooks into a special security slot on your laptop and a stationary object to secure it. 

Keep in mind that a security lock is not a theft prevention device but more of a theft deterrent device.  

Thief’s can and will not hesitate to cut cable lock if they see a laptop left unattended for a sustained period of time. 

Nevertheless if scum does come your way they may just walk right past your laptop onto easier prey.  Cable locks are great if you are a frequent coffee shop or bookstore junkie. 

There’s no better way to increase productivity in our opinion then sporting a USB optical mouse. 

On top of giving you more precision and comfort over the laptops touchpad, a USB mouse can also help to prevent premature wear & tear on the touchpad surface itself. 

If you don't already know, a laptops touchpad has a slippery material coating its surface to help your finger glide over it.  Basically over time this service can wear down with frequent use.   

The end result is that eventually you have a sticky spot in your touchpad that will get extremely annoying very fast, trust us if you haven't experienced this. 

When this happens you are going to need a new touchpad and replacing it is not going to be easy for all but the most technical individuals. 

So if you plan on using your laptop often simply pick up one of the million mice manufactured and you're good to go.   

We like Logitech and Targus but feel free to pick up any portable laptop mouse that you like, for even the most basic mouse is going to increase your productivity and future proof your laptop investment.

Look for something that is going to be small enough to carry easily with your other laptop accessories but large enough to be comfortable during use.  

We like portable mice with retractable USB cords for they are pretty darn cheap, but there are also plenty of wireless options too if you'd prefer them.

Portable printers can be a necessity for the traveling business professional and they can also make a great companion for photographers and other professionals.  

If you can in fact picture yourself using one they will definitely be a great on the go tool for you too. 

Some of our favorite portable printer manufacturers include HP and also Canon. 

We like HP’s Deskjet portable printers a bit more than Canon simply from personal experience but nevertheless they both make great products.  

There are plenty of other manufacturers who make portable printers too so we always recommend you shop around and read some reviews to get a better idea to your needs. 

Portable printers normally run off a battery or a power source similar to a laptop.  Printing is going to be slower than a full-sized printer but the quality of portable printers is pretty spectacular in our opinion. 

Many portable printers even have wireless technologies such as Bluetooth and the older infrared for wire free printing too.

See also:

• Laptop Printer Buying Guide
  
  

A WiFi finder is going to be a handy piece of tech for many of you.  

Basically they are a little device that can with the push of a button notify you of a nearby wireless hotspot. 

They are especially great because you won’t have to pull your laptop out and turn it on to detect the wireless network. 

In fact some laptops today have WiFi finders built-in so that you can detect an 802.11 wireless hotspot without ever having to turn the notebook on.  Of course not every laptop has this feature yet and even if it did you still will have to pull your laptop out of your laptop bag just to detect a wireless hotspot. 

Today there are tons of manufacturers who make laptop computer accessories that offer WiFi Finders.  We personally like Kensington WiFi finders but for the most part everything else we've used is very similar. 

In our opinion a Wi-Fi finder is going to be most useful for a traveling business user, however if you see yourself using one definitely pick up one of these handy little pieces of laptop tech.

A portable webcam is a great laptop accessory if you want to keep in touch with family, friends, and business colleagues when on the road or even at home.  

Creative Technologies makes tons of portable laptop webcams, including their Creative WebCam Notebook among others.  This particular model is a good example of a well designed portable laptop accessory.  

Of course their are other companies that make great webcams too.  We are also particuly fond of Logitech webcams.

All manufactures are going to bundle their webcams with software for a variety of tasks such as videoconferencing, sending video e-mail, etc. 

Of course you can always use your favorite instant messaging program such as Aol Instant Messenger, Yahoo Messenger, or MSN messeger too if desired.

Great little laptop computer accessory that is perfect if you are traveling and need a bit of extra light to illuminate your keyboard.  They are also perfect if you simply need some extra light for any task. 

Basically a USB notebook light plugs into any available laptop USB port where it gets its power to illuminate an ultra-bright LED mounted typically on some sort of flexible gooseneck for easy positioning. 

Some even have a built-in dimmer control so you can fine tune the brightness to your liking.  In fact LEDs are very energy-efficient and thus they draw minimal power so the light itself can last you up to 100,000 hours.  

A typical USB laptop light runs just around twenty bucks and there are tons of options out there from various manufactures such as Targus and Kensington among others.

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Laptop Computer Accessories, Batteries, AC Adapters, Power Accessories & More 

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