At the end of January, Google announced that it would phase out support for older browsers, including Internet Explorer 6 (IE6), starting on March 1st. You can read the announcement here.

As we mentioned here last August, Internet Explorer 6 doesn’t conform to the current HTML and CSS programming standards. It - and other older browsers - are also more vulnerable to cyber-criminals; a vulnerability in Internet Explorer 6 was used to attack Google and other companies in December.

In practical terms, what does this mean for IE6 users? (We know you’re still out there....) In their announcement, Google said that some of the functionality in their Google Docs and Sites editor may no longer be supported in the old browsers effective March 1st; impacts to Google Mail (Gmail) and Calendar will occur later in the year.

If your firm has considered upgrading, now’s the time... some firms skip straight to Internet Explorer 8 instead of 7; occasionally a law firm switches to Mozilla Firefox or Google Chrome.

I was surprised recently when a colleague wasn’t familiar with netbooks; I’ve been contemplating purchasing one for some time now. With Apple’s recent announcement regarding the release of the iPad, a new tablet computer, I thought it would be an opportune time to look at the various portable computer options.

The first portable computer was the IBM 5100; it weighed about 55 pounds (exceeding the current limit on most airlines for checked baggage!). Nowadays, the standard laptop, or notebook, is designed for mobile use with almost a full-size screen and keyboard, and weighing in between 3 and 12 pounds. There’s a wide variety of laptops currently available, ranging from low cost laptops for basic use to gaming laptops with high-end graphic processors.

Netbooks are even smaller; they’re usually between 7 and 11 inches wide and weigh 2 or 3 pounds. I’ve seen teenagers pull them out of backpacks or purses; they’re that small! As the name implies, they’re designed to access the internet; they’re typically sold with built-in wireless access. The sacrifice, especially for those of us putting on the years, is the smaller screen and what seems like a miniature keyboard. (I realize, they’re larger than the keyboard on our smart phones, but I don’t try to type on those with both hands!) But they can be supplemented with larger USB keyboards (like this foldable one) or Bluetooth keyboards (like this Laser Virtual Keyboard).

Which brings us to Apple’s recent announcement... the iPad. A tablet PC – the iPad won’t be the first on the market – is shaped like a writing slate, and includes either a stylus or touchscreen, with the option of using a keyboard. Like netbooks, these are ultra-portable computers that can be used where a normal laptop might be impractical. They are, not surprisingly, more expensive than their laptop equivalents in processing power, which are in turn more expensive than their desktop equivalents. The initial information regarding the iPad shows a larger version of the iPhone, which so many people already use, with more power, functionality and a larger screen (9.7 inches).

As neat as the iPad will be, I’m still inclined to get a netbook. How about you?

-- Frances