Electrical devices increasingly play a pivotal role in our everyday lives – walk into any typical household or workplace, and you are likely to find a wide selection of electronic equipment, used for a variety of different purposes.
One would expect to see a laptop amongst these items, a device that was only introduced to the world approximately 40 years ago but is now seen by many as an essential commodity. We look into some of the ways these devices are currently being exploited in both recreational and professional settings.
At home
An activity that has experienced exponential growth in recent years – in both the U.S. and further afield – is online gambling. Indeed, the number of individuals using digital gaming sites has risen immeasurably, with registered members able to enjoy classic table games, slot titles, bingo, and other verticals when visiting these webpages.
The US has seen an exponential rise in online casinos and sportsbooks, particularly as respective US states have legalized these platforms over recent years. Boasting convenience for bettors (who can access these platforms via mobile or desktop devices) and offering competitive bonuses/promotions, many franchises have established themselves on the scene with a bang. For example, within the state of New Jersey, the NJ online casino PlayStar generated $1.66bn in revenue during 2022, which was a staggering 21.6% uplift from the previous year. Evidently, online casinos and sportsbooks have taken off with bettors. Especially for laptop users, the easy-to-navigate interfaces and impressive game graphics have allowed players to enjoy a relatively straightforward and immersive gambling experience from the comfort of their own homes.
Laptops also provide a great outlet for those looking to consume entertainment-based content online. Most modern-day laptops can connect easily to domestic wireless routers, enabling users to conveniently access the internet at their leisure. Therefore, laptop owners can stream videos, browse social media platforms, listen to music, and enjoy various other forms of online entertainment whether they’re based in one location or on the go.
At work
However, the increased usage of laptops is perhaps most prominently observed within the workplace. A vast number of sectors and industries rely on these devices to support their various operational requirements, and therefore laptops also feature prominently in professional environments.
In the financial sector, for instance, stockbrokers often take advantage of specialist software that is installed onto laptops and other CPUs in order to aid the act of selling and purchasing shares. When setting up property surveillance networks, safety system engineers provide clients with the ability to view security camera coverage on laptops, whilst various corporate enterprises require employees to have access to a laptop or computer device so that they are able to complete training modules from remote locations.
Laptops are even used to help sports officials reach fair and accurate decisions; for instance, in tennis, computer-based technology enables umpires to scrutinize events in closer detail, supporting them to arrive at the correct judgment in any given scenario.
As alluded to above, most applications, platforms, and programs that are used on laptops can also be uploaded onto traditional desktop computers. However, the portability of laptops, made possible by their light shells and streamlined design, ensures these devices are often favored by consumers. This shift in popularity has become more pronounced in recent times; this year, it is expected that laptop sales will eclipse desktop computer purchases by almost 100m units.
Laptops were once pricey bits of tech that only the affluent could afford – with limited functionality and only a handful of software able to accommodate the devices, they were hardly renowned as fashionable accessories. Yet in the modern era, laptops are the staple of many a workplace and also the chosen medium for gaming, streaming, and working on the go. We’re excited to see what they’ll go on to do next.