Hankering for an Ultrabook? Don’t Forget to Load Up on Accessories and Software
A laptop isn’t just a laptop anymore; it’s your right arm, an extension of your brain. These days, we’re always connected even when we’re out and about, and smartphones facilitate that better than any device in history. However, it’s not enough to just be able to fire off a text or field a phone call whenever and wherever anymore; even when we’re on the move, we need to able to work, create, and share.
Today’s Ultrabook™, such as those in the Lenovo® IdeaPad U Series, provides the ideal tool for mobile productivity, be it a class presentation using PowerPoint with audio clips you need to clean up, editing a short film, or just jotting down notes on your latest brainstorm.
A Lenovo IdeaPad U Series Ultrabook is thin and light, weighing just a few pounds and measuring less than an inch thick. When you flip open that lid, you’ll be ready to roll in two seconds or less, and because all your emails, IMs, and social networking notifications will be up to date due to Lenovo’s always-connected technology (even in sleep mode), any pertinent communications are right there for you to see—and of course, you’ll be ready to share your work and thoughts immediately, too. Plus, with long battery life—rated for up to 7 or 9 hours, depending on your preferred model—you can go the whole day without worrying about being near an outlet.
Of course, even with an Ultrabook as the centerpiece of your creativity and productivity, you’ll want some additional tools in the box, so to speak.
Today’s Ultrabook™, such as those in the Lenovo® IdeaPad U Series, provides the ideal tool for mobile productivity, be it a class presentation using PowerPoint with audio clips you need to clean up, editing a short film, or just jotting down notes on your latest brainstorm.
A Lenovo IdeaPad U Series Ultrabook is thin and light, weighing just a few pounds and measuring less than an inch thick. When you flip open that lid, you’ll be ready to roll in two seconds or less, and because all your emails, IMs, and social networking notifications will be up to date due to Lenovo’s always-connected technology (even in sleep mode), any pertinent communications are right there for you to see—and of course, you’ll be ready to share your work and thoughts immediately, too. Plus, with long battery life—rated for up to 7 or 9 hours, depending on your preferred model—you can go the whole day without worrying about being near an outlet.Of course, even with an Ultrabook as the centerpiece of your creativity and productivity, you’ll want some additional tools in the box, so to speak.
If you think of your Ultrabook as a multifaceted and high-powered journal or notebook, Evernote is ideal software for helping you take full advantage, whether you’re a scatterbrained genius or a highly organized machine of a person. With Evernote, you can quickly and easily jot down a note, record an audio snippet, take a snapshot, or add a file, and the software will keep it all organized in one place for you. You can install and use Evernote on your desktop, but all your notes, photos, audio clips, and other inspired miscellany will also be backed up to your Evernote account in the cloud, where you can access it whenever you need it.
Keeping all your thoughts, ideas, and inspirations all one place is a boon to creative and productive people, but you also need the tools to bring all of those things to life. Depending on your preferred method of expression, you might want to download some killer audio production, video editing, or CAD software, but whatever your field, you’ll find plenty of use for an application like Adobe Photoshop.
Photoshop is the industry standard for photo editing, but you can also use it to create art, posters and fliers, marketing materials, and other design projects. It does cost a pretty penny, but there’s discount pricing available for students and teachers; if you’re looking to spend even less, GIMP is a free, open source alternative that still offers plenty of features and capabilities.
Regardless of whether you’re just listening to some tunes while you work and play on your Ultrabook or actually need the audio fidelity (or privacy) to create and to work, a solid set of headphones is a must-have. You can get away with using earbuds, but do yourself a favor and spring for a set of cans that cover your ears and deliver a wide frequency response rate to ensure that you catch all the highs, lows, and mids with crystal clarity. You don’t need to break the bank to get excellent headphones, though; a set like the Grado SR60i deliver high quality with a comfortable fit for way under a hundred bucks.
Keeping all your thoughts, ideas, and inspirations all one place is a boon to creative and productive people, but you also need the tools to bring all of those things to life. Depending on your preferred method of expression, you might want to download some killer audio production, video editing, or CAD software, but whatever your field, you’ll find plenty of use for an application like Adobe Photoshop.
Photoshop is the industry standard for photo editing, but you can also use it to create art, posters and fliers, marketing materials, and other design projects. It does cost a pretty penny, but there’s discount pricing available for students and teachers; if you’re looking to spend even less, GIMP is a free, open source alternative that still offers plenty of features and capabilities.
Regardless of whether you’re just listening to some tunes while you work and play on your Ultrabook or actually need the audio fidelity (or privacy) to create and to work, a solid set of headphones is a must-have. You can get away with using earbuds, but do yourself a favor and spring for a set of cans that cover your ears and deliver a wide frequency response rate to ensure that you catch all the highs, lows, and mids with crystal clarity. You don’t need to break the bank to get excellent headphones, though; a set like the Grado SR60i deliver high quality with a comfortable fit for way under a hundred bucks.
Although most people don’t find themselves in need of a DVD drive all that often anymore thanks to high-speed Internet connections and a wealth of online video content and downloadable applications, there are definitely occasions when one is vital. You never know when someone will hand you a disc with a hot new musical act, indie film, or application on it, and for that matter, you’ll need to burn a disc or two sometimes, yourself. The Pioneer BDR-XD04 can read and write CDs, DVDs, and Blu-rays, and it connects via USB so you can whip it out, connect it to your Ultrabook, and start using it within moments. The drive weighs a little over half a pound and measures 5.2 inches square with a width of just over half an inch, so you can easily carry it with you anywhere you go.
For those times when the precision of a mouse is needed, you’ll want one that’s both compact for optimal portability but also comfortable to use, and Microsoft’s innovative Arc Touch Mouse perfectly fits the bill. The mouse lays flat when you stash it in your bag, but it snaps into an ergonomically kind arc shape and powers on when you need to use it. The Arc Touch Mouse connects wirelessly to your Ultrabook via a tiny USB dongle, and it can work on just about any surface thanks to Microsoft’s BlueTrack technology.
For those times when the precision of a mouse is needed, you’ll want one that’s both compact for optimal portability but also comfortable to use, and Microsoft’s innovative Arc Touch Mouse perfectly fits the bill. The mouse lays flat when you stash it in your bag, but it snaps into an ergonomically kind arc shape and powers on when you need to use it. The Arc Touch Mouse connects wirelessly to your Ultrabook via a tiny USB dongle, and it can work on just about any surface thanks to Microsoft’s BlueTrack technology.
Finally, you don’t just want a boring black box for a laptop; you want it to pop and sport some style. Lenovo’s line of IdeaPad U Series Ultrabooks offers beautiful colors including Graphite Gray, Cherry Blossom, Aqua Blue, Sapphire Blue, and Ruby Red.
See what you can do with the Book of Do, the IdeaPad® U Series Ultrabook™, at Lenovo.com.
*Thanks to Lenovo and Technorati Media for sponsoring this post. Although sponsored posts are paid for, no advertiser is paying us for our opinion.
See what you can do with the Book of Do, the IdeaPad® U Series Ultrabook™, at Lenovo.com.
*Thanks to Lenovo and Technorati Media for sponsoring this post. Although sponsored posts are paid for, no advertiser is paying us for our opinion.
