In today’s Wall Street Journal, Walter Mossberg provides a concise cheat sheet to help clarify some of the issues that makes buying a new laptop easier.

Walter has been providing IT advice in the WSJ for as long as I can remember.  Here’s a summary of Walter’s recommendations.

Cost:  Windows thin and ultrathin laptops can be purchased between $500 and $800 with bigger screens and keyboards.  Net books prices range from $300-$500.  A desktop tower can be bought for $400 or less.  Acer has a 15” laptop for $299!  Micro Center chain is selling Apple’s entry level Mac Book laptop for $200 off the $999 retail price.

Processors:  The new Intel Core series of chips called i3, i5 and i7 come in both PC and Mac.  Good new chips that come with “Turbo Boost”.  AMD still makes a solid chip for less money.  Older chips like the Core Duo still work fine also.

Graphics:  For most users integrated graphics are fine.  Discrete graphic have more power for games and video but take more batter power.  Nvidia graphics package called, Optimus works between both platforms saving your PC power on battery.

Windows vs. Mac:  The new 7 operating system competes with Apples Snow Leopard system.  Windows 7 costs less than the $1199 Apple version.  Mac’s have a cooler design, are super reliable, boot faster and aren’t affected by malicious software.  Apple also scores highest on customer support.

Memory:  4 gigabytes of RAM should do it.  Never less than 2 gigs.

Hard disks:  320 gig should be the minimum.    On a net book, 160 gigs works OK.

64 bit:  The better choice for software to use more memory and run faster.

Touch:  Make sure your PC has a full multi-touch screen that supports all Windows 7 apps.  The I-Touch is surely hard to beat.

My daughter just bought a new laptop for a great price.  Getting online has never been easier.

Recently I was honored to be invited to the 30^th Anniversary celebration of the Wisconsin Small Business Development Network in conjunction with the Wisconsin Entrepreneurial Network.  This was a great event to celebrate the service and support that the Small Business Development centers provide for startups and entrepreneurs across Wisconsin.

Three years ago I applied for and was accepted into the Entrepreneurial Training Program at UW Madison.  A large part of my success can be attributed to my involvement with the Small Business Development Center.  The process allowed me to work with professionals to strategize, research and write my business plan.  I recommend the SBDC to anyone interested in starting a business.

In 2009 the Small Business Development Center here in Madison, Wisconsin counseled 628 clients interested in learning about starting or strengthening local companies.  Of those 628, 22% are in-business now and 13% are start ups.  Statewide, the SBDC Network counseled 4,952 entrepreneurs.  Overall this effort leads to over $22 million in capital infusion.

I plan to get more involved with the SBDC Network to help others who have a dream, who are inspired, who know that the idea that stokes their desire to provide a better product, a better service, a better way, find the right resources, counsel and support that is required to successfully launch a new business or strengthen an existing small company.

To get involved with the UW Small Business Development Center Network click http://sbdc.wisc.edu.

It’s been just over a month since my last post.  WOW has it been busy.  Too busy to write.  Too busy to think clearly about what to write.

A friend I met at Wizard Academy last July has an incredibly powerful blog and he writes and posts every day 365 days a year.  He gets up at 3am and always has quality ideas, concepts and video’s to share.  I’m not that great.  For me it takes great focus and energy to push out concepts that I believe will be of value.  Even today, I really don’t have time to blog, but I can’t let another day go by.

So today I share the thought of focus and energy.   When does something that needs to be done, get so important that you stop what you’re doing whether you’re on deadline or not and dedicate your focus and energy to that new project?  For me it’s letting a blog go 30 days.
Gair Maxwell has enough focus and energy to write great blogs every 24 hours.  Now maybe he’s not as immersed as I am with client projects.  At any rate, you’ll love his blog and you can find it at www.seamlessbrand.com.

Enjoy the day, enjoy Gair’s blog and enjoy your focus and energy on whatever subject you determine needs to be focused on right now!