Electricity in the Air !!!

Wireless power technologies are moving closer to becoming viable options.

This year probably won't be the tipping point for wireless electricity. But judging from all the new techniques and applications of this awe-inspiring technology, getting power through the airwaves could soon be viable.

Fulton Innovations showcased blenders that whir wirelessly and laptops that power up without a battery at the 2009 International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas last month. The devices are all powered by electromagnetic coils built into the charging surface, and there's not a plug in sight.

Fulton's wireless electricity technology is called eCoupled, and the company hopes it can be used across a wide rage of consumer devices. Fulton was one of half a dozen companies that wowed consumers at CES.

ECoupled uses a wireless powering technique called "close proximity coupling," which uses circuit boards and coils to communicate and transmit energy using magnetic fields. The technology is efficient but works only at close ranges. Typically, the coils must be bigger than the distance the energy needs to travel. What it lacks in distance, it makes up in intelligence.

In conjunction with the Wireless Power Consortium, Fulton, a subsidiary of Amway, has developed a standard that can send digital messages back and forth using the same magnetic field used to power devices. These messages are used to distinguish devices that can and can't be charged wirelessly, and to relay information like power requirements or how much battery power is left in a device.

Using this technique, an industrial van parked outside the Fulton booth at CES charged a set of power tools from within its carrying case. The van was tricked out by Leggett & Platt -- a diversified manufacturing company based in Carthage, Mo., and an eCoupled licensee -- and is designed to solve its customers' biggest headache: arriving at the job site with a dead set of tools. Fulton, which teamed up with Bosch to design the setup, already has test vehicles rolling around in the field and plans to sell them to utility and other industrial companies by the end of the year.

Texas Instruments announced last November that it will manufacture a chip set that will reduce the manufacturing cost of integrating eCoupled wireless power into consumer electronic devices.

In another area of the vast electronics show, cell phones, video-game controllers and a laptop charged wirelessly on a silver and black mat created by Boulder, Colo.-based WildCharge.

The mat uses a conductive powering technique, which is more efficient than inductive powering but requires direct contact between the devices and the charging pad. Though most of the mats or pads on display are intended to power only a handful of devices at a time, WildCharge says the product design is certified for up to 150 watts -- enough to power 30 laptops.

Across the room from WildCharge, PowerCast displayed Christmas ornaments and floor tiles glowing with LEDs powered by ambient radio waves. The devices harvest electromagnetic energy in ambient radio waves from a nearby low-power antenna. Because of the dangerous nature of electromagnetic waves in high doses, Pittsburgh-based PowerCast is targeting its application for small devices like ZigBee wireless chips, which require little power.

Perhaps the most promising wireless power technology was the latest iteration of WiTricity, the Watertown, Mass.-based brainchild of MIT physicist Marin Soljacic, on display in a private suite high in the Venetian hotel tower.

The technology uses a technique developed by Soljacic called "highly coupled magnetic resonance." As proof that it works, an LCD TV is powered by a coil hidden behind an oil painting located a few feet away. Across the hotel room, WiTricity Chief Executive Eric Giler walks in the direction of another coil holding an iPod Touch in the palm of his hand. Power hungry, it starts to charge when it gets within two meters.

Soljacic has already earned a $500,000 "genius grant" from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation for his work, but Giler said the technology is at least a year away. In the meantime, WiTricity has obtained an exclusive license from MIT to bring Soljacic's idea to market and hopes to have an estimated 200 patents.

But because Soljacic published his academic paper in Nature magazine, companies like Intel have been able to replicate the effect in their labs based on his principles.

Elsewhere at CES, PowerBeam showcased wireless lamps and picture frames. Located in Sunnyvale, Calif., the company uses yet another wireless-powering approach. Its technology beams optical energy into photovoltaic cells using laser diodes. Although the company says it can maintain a constant energy flow across long distances, the difficulty of targeting a laser means that it's not ideal for charging moving devices.

So, while 2009 may not be the year wireless electricity takes off, the nascent sector is certainly on its way.

Best way to buy a Cell Phone

Here's what you need to know to get the cell phone and service plan that are right for you.

Introduction

Few tools of modern technology have become as prevalent as the cell phone, which allows you to be in touch (almost) all the time, (almost) anywhere. And you can do more than just talk -- modern phones let you send and receive e-mail and text messages, and even surf the Web. Sifting through the sea of service plans and handsets can be difficult, but we'll walk you through what you need to know to get the phone and service plan that are right for you.

The big picture Find out how to decide which phone is right for you, and learn about network coverage.

The specs explained We take an in-depth look at the low-end and high-end features of wireless phones and service plans.

Cell phone shopping tips Before you start shopping, read our recommendations to get the best deal on a cell phone and service plan.

The big picture

Cell phones are more than just convenient communication tools: They allow you to check e-mail, sync with the calendar and contacts on your PC, dial a number by the sound of your voice, read breaking news on the Internet, take photos, play games, send text messages, view and edit documents, listen to music, and more. But choosing a phone -- and the service plan to go with it -- requires some legwork.

Your choice of phone may depend on your choice of wireless service provider. If you're shopping for a carrier, you first need to figure out which carrier offers the best coverage and monthly service plan in your area. Then you'll have to select a phone from the assortment that your chosen service provider offers. With the exception of a few handsets, most phones work only on one provider's system because carriers have mutually exclusive networks, and many carriers lock their phones so you can't take the same phone to another provider.

The third generation of mobile communications technology, commonly called 3G, is becoming more widely available. It's supposed to boost data-transfer performance to 2 megabits per second from the more common data-transfer rate of 19.2 kilobits per second, and is particularly handy if you use a phone to wirelessly access data such as e-mail, text messages and the Web.

The availability of 3G service remains a mixed bag. Sprint and Verizon Wireless use the Evolution Data Optimized (EvDO) network, which offers average download speeds of 400 to 700 kbps and potential maximum download speeds of 2 mbps. AT&T and T-Mobile support a 3G network called HSDPA (High Speed Downlink Packet Access), which is available only on select handsets. (AT&T's HSDPA is also available for use with PC Cards.) HSDPA promises average download data rates of 400 to 700 kbps with bursts to more than 1 mbps. While more phones are offering support for HSDPA, most AT&T and T-Mobile phones still support EDGE (Enhanced Data rates for Global Evolution), which promises data transmission speeds of 384 kbps, and GPRS (General Packet Radio Service), with an average speed of 40 kbps but the capability to go up to 115 kbps.

Key phone features

Wireless standard: World travelers are more affected by wireless standards than are users based strictly in the United States. Most of the world uses networks based on the GSM (Global System for Mobile communications) standard. U.S. carriers, however, use a variety of networks in addition to GSM. U.S. carriers work on the CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access), TDMA (Time Division Multiple Access), iDEN (Integrated Digital Enhanced Network), AMPS (Advanced Mobile Phone Service), GPRS (General Packet Radio Service), EDGE (Enhanced Data rates for Global Evolution), and/or EvDO (Evolution Data Optimized) standards. AT&T runs on the AMPS, EDGE, GSM, GPRS and TDMA networks. Sprint Nextel uses the iDEN network exclusively. Sprint and Verizon Wireless run on CDMA and EvDO; Verizon also uses AMPS. T-Mobile supports GSM and GPRS networks. It is important to note that while AT&T runs on both GSM and TDMA networks, the services and the phones that use them do not interoperate.

Band support: The more radio bands a phone supports, the more frequencies it picks up. Quad-band phones, as their name suggests, operate across four frequency bands. Theoretically, they provide better coverage than triple-, dual-, or single-band phones. These so-called world phones are compatible with four GSM frequencies -- 850 MHz (prevalent in the United States), 900 MHz (prevalent in Europe), 1800 MHz (prevalent in Asia) and 1900 MHz (also available in the U.S.). As a result, they function around the globe. You can also find tri-mode phones that work on two digital frequency bands in addition to an analog network, a particularly handy feature if you travel to rural areas.

Design: You can choose among flip-open, clamshell-style phones; nonflip, candy-bar-style phones; slider-style phones that -- obviously -- slide open; and swivel phones that twist open. Low-end flip phones may lack a separate caller ID screen, but many new phones sport dual screens -- a small, external LCD on the cover plus an internal display. If you buy a nonflip phone, make sure it has a keypad lock that prevents inadvertent dialing -- a helpful feature when you put the phone in a pocket or bag.

Whichever type of phone you choose, check its ergonomics. Is it comfortable against your ear, and can you hear callers without constant adjustment? Can you use the phone with one hand? Consider hands-free use: Can you comfortably hold the phone to your ear by scrunching your neck and shoulder? Also, look for the placement of the headset jack -- a jack located on top of the phone is often more convenient than one located on the side.

Size and weight: Part of what makes a phone easy to use is its portability. A typical standard cell phone weighs about 4 ounces, and most nonflip models are about the size of an energy bar -- approximately 5 inches long, 2 inches wide, and 1 inch thick. An exception is a smartphone with a full QWERTY keyboard, such as a Palm Treo or BlackBerry device. Though these hybrid units continue to get smaller and slimmer, they are larger than a basic cell phone, and you should keep that in mind if you plan to use one for long phone calls.

Battery life: Most new phones allow at least four hours of talk time and two to six days on standby. Some phones can last up to 14 days or more on standby. Keep in mind that several factors affect battery life; high-speed 3G networks tend to be power-hungry, for example, and the phones that support them often have shorter battery life. The signal strength of your cellular service also has an effect, since a phone that constantly searches for signals will run itself down quickly. Depending on the phone, recharging the battery should take about an hour or longer. When you buy a phone, consider optional accessories such as a higher-capacity battery and a portable charging adapter for use in a car.

Screen: If you intend to send and receive text messages, surf the Web or use the phone's organizer, make sure the screen is up to snuff. Make sure it's big enough for you to take full advantage of the phone's features. If you're going to surf the Web or edit office documents on your phone, a screen that's less than 2 inches diagonally will feel very small.

The screen's contrast and backlight strengths are also important. The phones we've seen show marked differences in viewing quality. If your phone allows you to adjust such settings, you can make text and graphics easily viewable -- even in bright places. These days, most phones offer color screens, which are easy on the eyes.

When the first-generation iPhone launched in 2007, it touched off a touch-screen frenzy. Since then, more and more phones have come out with touch-screens. If you're looking for such a phone, keep in mind that not all touch-screens are created equal. Some -- like the iPhone's screen -- support multitouch, which means they can register more than one touch point at a time. This technology allows you to pinch and grab the screen to zoom in and out on a Web page, for example. Other phones support single touch only, and can register only one tap at a time. Some touch-screens also offer a type of feedback -- either a slight vibration or a sound -- when they register your touch, which can prevent you from tapping needlessly. Finally, consider ease of use: How simple is it to scroll through items on a particular touch-screen menu? Can you adjust the sensitivity of it to your liking?

Keypad: If you can't figure out how to use certain functions on a phone pretty quickly (with or without consulting the manual), try another; remember, though, that if you're looking at a phone that packs a lot of features, you should spend some time learning how to use them. Regardless, the keypad layout and menu system should be intuitive. The buttons should be responsive and easy to press. Check out the navigation buttons on the keypad. A joystick-style knob on some phones can make navigating menus quick. Most handsets come with up/down and left/right arrow keys. Buttons that protrude slightly are much easier to use than flat or recessed keys.

Many smart phones come with a small QWERTY keyboard. The tiny keys may not suit everyone, but they can save you a great deal of time if you plan to use your phone for sending e-mail messages and editing office documents. Even very small QWERTY keyboards can be much easier to use than a software-based keyboard on a touch-sensitive screen.

Operating system: If you're looking to do more than make calls and send text messages with your phone, you should consider the platform on which it runs. The mobile operating system you choose will greatly affect the capabilities of your phone. Smartphones that run the Windows Mobile OS, for example, usually come with mobile versions of the Microsoft Office suite, so you can view and edit documents when you're away from your PC. Windows Mobile is available on a wide range of handsets from all carriers, so you'll have plenty of choice in hardware. The Palm OS is not as widely available, but it retains a devoted following, largely because of its easy learning curve; you'll also find a good deal of productivity software available for Palm OS-based phones. The Symbian platform, which is available on most Nokia smartphones, is not as user-friendly, but it supports a range of business and productivity apps.

Newer platforms include the modified version of the Mac OS that runs on Apple's iPhones. While the iPhone doesn't ship with any true office applications, it does include easy access to Apple's App Store, where you can find an incredible range of applications -- for work and play -- available for download. The newest platform is Google's Android, which for the time being is available only on the upcoming T-Mobile G1 smartphone. Android phones will include access to their own marketplace for downloading applications, but how vast the selection will be remains to be seen.

Voice communications and organizer: Mobile phones bombard you with call-management features -- voice-activated calling, voice recording, phone books, call histories, speed dialing and so on. Enabling some of the features (such as caller ID, call waiting and three-way calling) depends on your service plan. Most phones also provide security features that can restrict incoming and outgoing calls, lock the keypad and protect or mass-delete phone book entries. Many handsets also provide a speakerphone. Some even function as two-way radios, connecting you with others on the same carrier; and in many cases, such communications don't count as airtime -- a great benefit for IT personnel and other roving staff.

If you want to talk on the phone hands-free (a must if you use the phone while driving), look for a model that comes with a headset or an earphone. If you don't want to mess with cords, consider a phone that supports Bluetooth, which allows you to pair the device with a wireless Bluetooth headset.

Wireless data: Nearly all cell phones are capable of sending and receiving e-mail and instant messages, downloading custom ring tones and simple games, or connecting to the Internet (sometimes merely by way of a minibrowser that's designed to work best with text-only versions of popular sites like Amazon, Google and Yahoo). Such features, however, are heavily dependent on your provider and your service plan.

Going online while you're waiting for the elevator is a cool idea, but most phones connect at slow speeds: only up to 115 kbps on a GPRS network and up to 384 kbps on EDGE; 3G networks, such as EvDO and HSDPA, provide faster connections at up to 2 mbps.

Key service provider features

Coverage: The biggest nationwide carriers are AT&T Mobility (formerly Cingular Wireless), Sprint Nextel, T-Mobile and Verizon Wireless. Not all networks are created equal, however. Service can be erratic even if a carrier claims to have coverage in an area; the quality of the reception varies, too. One way to find out about a carrier's network reliability is to try the service and one of its phones. Most nationwide carriers offer a trial period of up to 30 days where you pay for only the minutes you use. You should also poll friends and colleagues about their experiences. Find out how good the phone signal is at your home, office or anywhere else you'll need to use it.

Plan type: The national phone plans that the major carriers offer will let you send and receive calls anywhere in the United States (and even in parts of Canada) at no extra charge. You may be able to sign up for a local or regional plan that limits the areas where you can originate a call and still pull from your monthly pool of minutes; this option may be worth considering if you use your phone for local calls exclusively. If you have a world phone and plan to use it in other countries, choose service with international roaming.

Data plan: You should also take into account your data usage (e-mail, photos, IM and Web access) when selecting your cell phone plan. Some carriers bundle voice and data plans, while others let you select a voice and data plan separately. You can always pay for messaging and data use a la carte, but you'll likely be charged a higher rate. So if you think you'll be sending and receiving data with your phone, you'll want to select some sort of data plan.

Minutes: When choosing a plan, it's best to overestimate the number of minutes you'll be using for every sent and received call. Because one carrier's definition of off-peak may be different from another's, ask the carrier to specify the times for its peak, off-peak and weekend hours. Other service charges include a data plan (see above), three-way calling and downloads.

Contract: Virtually all carriers offer discounted service fees if you commit to a specified period of time, usually two years, though one year is sometimes available. The longer the contract period, the lower the rate. If you break the agreement, you'll incur hefty fees.

Other services: Activating service to your phone or switching the service from your old phone to a new one almost always incurs a fee. Look into phone-replacement plans or extended warranties, both of which typically entitle you to a new phone if yours is lost, stolen or goes kaput. You should also find out whom you can contact if something goes wrong with your phone. Find out exactly what you'll need to do -- and how much you'll need to pay -- in order to fix your phone.

The specs explained

While a cell phone can make your life easier, just getting one can be a huge hassle. When you look at handsets and service plans, the sales reps may bombard you with a ton of terms and restrictions.

The two most important questions to ask yourself before you decide on a phone and plan are, "How much will I use the phone?" and "Where will I use it?" Those two questions will help you determine how many minutes you need and whether to go with a local, regional, national or international plan.

The service meter starts running the minute you place and receive calls. The most common plans are national plans, which allow you to call from anywhere in the United States (and perhaps from some parts of Canada) without additional charges. You may also be able to sign up for a local service plan (one that allows you to make and receive calls from within your local area without so-called roaming charges being added) or for a regional plan that allows you to call from a wider area without incurring additional charges. If you travel overseas, look for an international plan that lets you use your world phone both stateside and in several other countries.

Many companies require that you buy a phone from them when you sign up. Some offer great discounts when you do so. In some cases you can buy the phone from a third party and sign up for service with the carrier of your choice.

Cell phone specs

If you're shopping for a low-end cell phone, you can expect to spend anywhere from nothing to about $149. Many low-end phones are free when you sign a contract with the service provider, or after a mail-in rebate. Also, many cell phone companies offer great discounts when you purchase phones online. A typical cell phone costs anywhere from $150 to $299, while higher-end cell phones run $300 and up.

Because you'll be carrying the phone, its weight and size are fairly important factors to consider before you buy. Most cell phones weigh from 3 to 6 ounces; generally, the more expensive a phone is, the smaller and lighter it is. (Smartphones with QWERTY keyboards, however, are an exception to this rule; they tend to be bulkier and heavier than standard cell phones.)

Battery life is another important factor, since it determines how long you can go without recharging the phone, and you don't want to be stranded with a dead battery. Talk-time battery life can range from little more than one hour to over 10 hours, depending on your handset. A phone that supports a 3G network is likely to have a shorter battery life than a non-3G phone. "Standby battery life" refers to battery life while the phone is on but not in use. Vendors will estimate both talk-time and standby battery life, but their estimates do not always reflect real-world usage; for more on battery life.

Today's phones let you do more than just talk. You can send and receive instant messages and even listen to songs or watch videos after downloading them. You need to take into account what you'd like to do with your phone before deciding on the right handset for you. Most low-end phones support sending and receiving text messages, handling basic e-mail chores and doing limited Web surfing. More low-end phones are adding features like built-in cameras and music playback, but if you want faster or more advanced Web access, video playback and recording, or GPS functionality, you'll probably have to spring for at least an average or higher-end cell phone. And if you're looking for a phone that will let you view and/or edit Office documents, consider a more advanced smartphone.

Choosing among single-, dual-, tri- and quad-band phones isn't critical for most users. The more bands a phone supports, the more frequencies it picks up. Quad-band phones, as their name suggests, operate across four frequency bands. As a result, theoretically, they provide better coverage than tri-, dual- or single-band phones.

Tip's to buy a best Laptop

Introduction

The most highly evolved species of computer, the laptop (aka notebook) computer allows you to work without being tethered to an office. Portability and good performance make laptop PCs an essential part of the daily lives of millions of people, from college students to business travelers. Even the least-expensive of today's laptops are well-equipped for everyday work.

The big picture: There are more laptop choices than ever. We'll identify and discuss the available options -- including screen size, weight, battery life and communications ports.

The specs explained: Do you need a superfast CPU? Or a huge hard drive? We'll guide you through the choices and tell you which features are most critical.

Laptop shopping tips: Looking for a powerful, versatile notebook at a reasonable price? Our advice will help you find the right laptop.

The big picture

If you've ever shopped for a laptop, you know that the factors to consider go far beyond performance and connections. Notebook buyers have to think about such additional variables as size, weight, screen dimensions, battery life and keyboard quality -- plus options such as built-in wireless.

Key features

Processor: Intel's dual-core processors have helped laptops gain ground in the power department. In PC World tests, laptops using these dual-core processors performed considerably faster than laptops using single-core processors, particularly when multitasking. In newer notebooks you may see references to Core Duo, Core 2 Duo and Core 2 Extreme, which represent steps up in computing power for laptops.

Some notebooks use AMD's Athlon Turion 64 X2 dual-core processor, which also supports improved performance. The Turion 64 X2 and the Core 2 Duo both provide 64-bit support, which will become increasingly useful as more 64-bit applications reach the market.

Low-end laptops offer Intel's Celeron M processor, which is generally not as speedy as the Core 2 Duo processors. And down below low-end are the new mobile processors that appear in netbooks (or mini-notebooks) -- sub-$500 machines that run on low-power, low-cost 1.6-GHz Atom CPUs.

System memory: Unless you're buying on the cheap, a new laptop generally includes 2GB of system memory. Many notebooks today are available with 3GB of RAM or more. Before electing to upgrade to more RAM than that, be sure to check which version of Windows your new notebook uses. A 32-bit OS can't efficiently use more than 3GB of RAM. A 64-bit version can go higher. Outfitting your laptop with more RAM at the time you buy it is convenient and helps you extend its useful life.

Graphics memory: Portables can have either of two different types of video chip sets: dedicated video (which means a separate pre-installed graphics card) or integrated graphics. Dedicated video chip sets come from nVidia and ATI/AMD, whereas integrated graphics are typically from Intel. If you intend to use your laptop for even casual gaming, make sure that it has memory dedicated to graphics use, rather than relying on graphics that pull from main memory. Gamers need advanced 3-D graphics chips, along with 512MB of dedicated graphics memory. High-end desktop-replacement notebooks have sophisticated desktop graphics capabilities, as well; in the past, integrated graphics would work just fine for business purposes, but Windows Vista demands a more powerful graphics subsystem.

Some laptops now offer Scalable Link Interface (SLI), which provides a means to run multiple graphics chips in one machine. Hybrid SLI, a technology offered by nVidia, involves two GPUs operating within a single notebook. The most basic version of Hybrid SLI already exists on Apple's new MacBook Pro laptop and on a couple of notebooks from Sony's Vaio line. With these machines you toggle between a high-powered discrete GPU for graphics-intensive work or play and an integrated GPU on the motherboard for low-demand graphics. A second implementation of Hybrid SLI will allow an integrated GPU, like nVidia's GeForce 9400M GS, to work in tandem with a discrete GPU for greater performance when needed -- and then downshift to a lower-power mode when it isn't.

Screen: Some laptop screens continue to get bigger -- and most have gone wide, too, enabling you to view spreadsheets or movies with ease. But other screens have gotten significantly smaller to accommodate all sorts of road-ready computing. Price is no longer much of a deterrent for any of these choices. Even budget shoppers can afford the luxury of high-resolution color: Portables with 14.1-inch and 15.4-inch wide screens now cost well under $1,000. Most notebook manufacturers offer laptops with wide-screen panels, to permit better side-by-side document viewing as well as to display films at their proper aspect ratio. These days, netbooks come equipped with screens as large as 10.2 inches. Ultraportable notebooks max out at 13.3 inches. And anything between 13.3 and 17 inches qualifies as an all-purpose machine -- a laptop that still fits in your bag. The new middle ground for all-purpose screens is 16 inches because screen of this size can display a true 1080p (1920-by-1080-pixel resolution) picture.

Battery: Laptop battery life continues to improve. In PC World's tests, laptops using a Core Duo or Core 2 Duo processor average roughly 3.5 hours on one battery charge. Keep in mind that manufacturers may improve their times by taking steps such as turning off wireless receivers, which tend to consume a lot of power. Also, check to see if the manufacturer's stated battery-life numbers are for its regular or extended-life battery -- the latter kind of battery can last up to twice as long as a regular one. And remember that, in general, lighter laptops tend to have longer battery lives than big desktop-replacement notebooks do.

Keyboard and pointing device: Though you can get accustomed to almost any laptop keyboard, it's best to try before you buy. Thin-and-light notebooks usually have smaller-than-average keys spaced more closely than the keys on a desktop-replacement model, and their layouts may differ from a standard keyboard's. If you have largish hands, be aware that an ultraportable's keyboard may be difficult to use.

You probably won't be invited to choose between eraserhead and trackpad pointing devices; if you have a preference, look for manufacturers that use the pointing device you prefer on most of their products. A better option: Buy a USB mouse designed for laptops. It's a small investment, and your hands will thank you for it.

Optical and other drives: Most manufacturers offer laptops with rewritable DVD drives. But now that Blu-ray Disc has triumphed over HD DVD in the high-definition format wars, more notebooks are being configured with Blu-ray drives. If you need a floppy drive for some reason, you can buy a USB add-on drive for 20 bucks.

Hard drive: Even inexpensive netbooks now come with 60GB hard-disk drives (HDDs). Most all-purpose machines offer hard drives in the range of 200GB to 320GB, and ultraportables now pack solid-state drives (SDDs). Though SDDs are faster and lighter than HDDs, their capacities are considerably lower (maxing out at around 128GB) at a significantly higher cost. In today's market, an SSD adds about $1,000 to a laptop's price tag over the cost of a machine with similar specs equipped with a larger-capacity platter-based drive. So, you need to balance speed and weight against price and storage capacity. Whichever choice you make, you'll find that hard-drive space fills up quickly, so you might want to consider buying a portable external drive as well.

Weight and bay design: Laptops range from 15-pound desktop replacement monsters to ultraportable lightweights that rely on external drives to come in at under 3 pounds. One-bay notebooks balance features and weight. Some laptops continue to offer the optical drive as a modular device, so you can swap it out for a second hard drive or a second battery.

When making a purchase, however, keep in mind that you should consider the weight not only of the laptop but also of the AC adapter, the extra batteries, any external modules, and their cables. Ultraportable notebooks have lightweight adapters, but they can weigh almost as much as a full-size notebook if you have to carry an external optical drive, too.

When you return to your desk, you can snap most laptops onto an extra-cost docking station or port replicator (prices range from $100 to $500). Doing so saves you from repeatedly having to plug in and unplug an external monitor, keyboard, mouse and other desktop peripherals.

Communications: Few laptops come with a full set of legacy ports anymore. Serial ports are as rare as Bigfoot sightings at this point, as are PS/2 ports (for a mouse or keyboard). Most notebooks still have one PC Card slot, though many now offer an ExpressCard slot as well. With new GPUs, many notebooks -- and even some netbooks -- now offer HDMI outputs.

Most laptops have at least two USB 2.0 ports; many offer four, and some up to six. A majority of notebooks include a four-pin FireWire (IEEE 1394) port for connecting an external drive or a digital-video camcorder. Others now include eSATA ports for high-speed data transfers.

Built-in Ethernet now comes standard on all portables, with many models carrying gigabit Ethernet. Many laptops also have built-in Bluetooth. Notebooks using the Intel Core Duo or Core 2 Duo processors -- or AMD's Turion 64 X2 processor -- include Intel's wireless 802.11a/b/g chip set.

Some laptops come with built-in wireless broadband wide-area networking, enabling them to access, for example, Verizon Wireless's EvDO Broadband Access service.

Most also include a multiformat flash card reader, which can read Secure Digital, MultiMediaCard, Memory Stick, Memory Stick Duo and xD formats.

The specs explained

Before shopping for a laptop, consider how you'll be using it. If your primary goal is to get some word processing or spreadsheet work done while staying on top of e-mail, a netbook (priced at less than $500) will meet your needs. But a netbook does entail some sacrifices: a smaller processor, about 1GB of RAM, not much in the way of hard drive space, no optical drive, and (at biggest) a 10.2-inch screen. On the surface not much separates the netbooks from sexy lightweight notebooks, but the specs under the hood (and a big screen inside it) can inflate an ultraportable's price to as much as $2,000 more than a typical netbook.

Remember that most vendors let you custom-build and -price your own laptop by picking from a mind-boggling array of features, which gives you a lot of control over the final product. You may be able to afford a faster notebook by accepting a smaller, less-expensive hard drive or DVD-ROM/CD-RW drive, instead of a BD-ROM.

Unlike those on desktop PCs, only some of the components (such as memory and the hard drive) are upgradable; others (such as the graphics board) are permanent once they're installed at the factory. That's slowly changing, as some manufacturers begin to incorporate upgradable graphics. But take your time and pick only what you need. Following is a rough breakout of some configuration options.

Important consideration: Installed memory. The more installed memory your laptop has, the more applications you can run at once, and the better your machine will perform. Ease of access aside, upgrading memory in a notebook is a bit trickier than with a desktop, so buy as much memory pre-installed as you can afford. Laptops with 2GB of RAM are optimal. If you're running Windows Vista on a laptop, consider upgrading to 3GB of RAM (or more if your notebook uses a 64-bit version of the OS).

Important consideration: Processor. The CPU determines how quickly a notebook runs applications and performs on-screen tasks. Core Duo and Core 2 Duo processors are good choices for speedy processing. Atom processors appear only in budget-friendly netbooks, so plan according to your needs. 

Important consideration: Screen size. The specified size of a laptop's LCD screen represents a diagonal measurement. The larger the screen, the higher the maximum resolution and the more information you can view at once. At this point, most notebooks are wide-screen models; if you want a laptop with a standard-aspect screen you'll have to search a bit, but they are still available. The aspect ratio seen on some newer 16-inch laptop screens offers the ideal resolution for viewing high-definition movies on the go.

Important consideration: Screen coating. A laptop's LCD panel is only as good as it looks when you look into it. Can you see text and images clearly when you're viewing them in broad daylight? Many notebooks that look sharp on store shelves (thanks to their extra-glossy coatings) may be tough to work with outdoors or in a coffee shop. So keep in mind not only how you plan to use your notebook, but where you want to use it.

Somewhat important: Hard drive. The larger the hard drive, the more data you can keep on your laptop. Most cheap netbooks offer 80GB drives at this point, so why not give yourself a little room to grow? If you plan to work with databases, spreadsheets or digital photo or video files, opt for a large drive. Be sure to find out the hard drive's speed, too. Older, slower drives run at 4200 rpm, and most current drives clock in at 5400 rpm; but a 7200-rpm model will offer better speed in data-read-intensive tasks.

Somewhat important: Expansion bays. The more expansion bays your laptop has, the more options you'll have for switching in new optical drives or other storage drives. But switching drives takes time, and modular components aren't as common as they used to be. As laptops gravitate toward flush form factors and unibody designs, may find that your only practical option is to lug around external drives that plug in through USB ports.

Somewhat important: Optical drives. Most manufacturers offer laptops with rewritable DVD drives, which give you the most flexibility. Alternatively, you could purchase a notebook with a DVD-ROM/CD-RW drive, to save money.

Laptop shopping tips

Are you ready to buy a notebook? Here are our recommendations for specifications that will fit the needs of the average user.

A 2.0-GHz Core 2 Duo processor. For everyday work -- word processing, spreadsheets, e-mail -- you don't need the latest, greatest (read: "most expensive") processor, but thankfully, with the Core Duo, you get strong performance and great battery life. 

2GB or more of memory. Anything less will slow your work. The only new machines that still carry less than 2GB of RAM are netbooks. Upgrade to a 64-bit OS if you want to carry more than 3GB on your laptop.

Supplemental battery. If you want more time away from an outlet, buy a higher-capacity supplementary battery when you purchase the laptop, or buy a notebook that has a modular bay capable of holding a supplementary power pack. Secondary batteries usually cost between $99 and $200.

A 13.3-inch wide screen. A screen larger than 12.1 inches permits higher resolutions. Unless you're pinching pennies -- or you crave a tiny laptop -- bigger is usually better, especially on your eyes.

A 160GB hard drive. Even some netbooks that cost under $500 are bundling a 160GB hard drive (granted, they spin slowly at 4200 rpm). So if you can get a large hard drive in your unit, do so. And as tempting as a solid-state drive may sound, it's an expensive choice for relatively little storage capacity.

A touchpad pointing device. Pointing devices are a matter of taste. Most people, however, find a touchpad easier to use than a pointing stick. For people who can't decide between a touchpad and an eraserhead pointing device, some notebooks include both. If you buy one of these, make sure that it provides two sets of mouse buttons -- one for the touchpad and the other for the eraserhead -- so you don't have to stretch to reach.

Multiple USB ports. Many laptops now come with two or more USB 2.0 ports, useful for connecting more of the latest peripherals.

All-in-one design. Unless you need a lightweight notebook, opt for one with an internal bay for the optical drive. This design enables you to swap in other devices, such as an extra hard drive or a second battery. 

Is Envy Getting the Best of You?

Nowadays, people divulge tons of private life details. But TMI can create covetous feelings that wreak havoc on self-esteem.

Telling people how much money you make or the number of orgasms you had last night used to be considered inappropriate. But in today’s confessional society, we’re encouraged to spill — or even brag — about all the good things that happen to us.

Trouble is, this oversharing has given rise to a new level of envy. “Status is much more important than it used to be, and we’re way more competitive,” says Jean Twenge, PhD, author of Generation Me. “People want others to know they’re living well. And since there’s more pressure than ever to keep up, hearing intimate details of someone’s life can make you feel envious.”

Adding to the problem is our heightened level of brand awareness. When people wear their financial prosperity on their sleeve (sometimes literally), you know how much their wardrobe cost without their telling you. And since no Cosmo girl should ever feel inferior, we’ve asked experts to explain why this new breed of envy is so toxic and how you can cope.

Who Works Our Envy Nerve
Not everybody has the ability to conjure up covetous feelings. “It may not bother you that an acquaintance or someone older has something you don’t,” says Linda Centeno, PhD, psychologist in private practice in New Jersey. But when it’s a friend or a person on your level, it can be harder to take, because you feel you deserve the same things. Kerri, 25, can relate. “My boss has lots of designer purses, and it doesn’t bug me because she’s reached a place where she should have them,” she says. “But when my friend got a raise and bought a Louis Vuitton bag, I was jealous because I can’t afford one.”

More often than not, envy stems from insecurity. And everyone has an Achilles’ heel — whether it relates to the size of their bank account or the size of their butt. So when another chick offers up that she was willed 10 grand from her great-aunt or that she dropped two pants sizes, it can magnify feelings of inadequacy. “Women tend to compare themselves to others,” says Polly Young-Eisendrath, PhD, author of The Self-Esteem Trap. “And how they stack up can affect their self-esteem.”

How to Deal in the Moment
Rather than sitting around listening to a friend go on and on about her $20,000 bonus or the designer shoes she just scored on sale, reroute the conversation in a nonaggressive way. “If someone’s bragging, change the subject to something neutral that will grab her interest,” suggests communication coach Peggy Klaus, author of Brag: The Art of Tooting Your Own Horn Without Blowing It. For example, when your friend starts yapping about her trip to Paris, say something like, “You’ll never believe who hooked up last weekend!”

If she doesn’t take the hint, try a more direct approach. “Tell her the topic makes you uncomfortable,” says Klaus. Most people will respect your boundaries and shut it.

Let Those Icky Feelings Motivate You
No matter how adept you become at defusing envy-inducing situations, you’re still bound to get green-eyed once in a while. “The trick is to allow envy to motivate you to improve your life,” says Darlene Mininni, PhD, author of The Emotional Toolkit.

Sick of listening to your friend gush about her amazing guy? Make a pact with yourself to go on a date a week until you meet someone you like.

Practice What You Preach
Finally, since you know jealousy is a lousy feeling, don’t subject others to it. “You can share private details with close friends, but tell people things based on their own situations,” says Klaus. For example, text your happily coupled-up best friend that your man dropped the L bomb. Dying to tell someone about your recent promotion? Call and dish to your übersuccessful cousin. When someone feels secure about the subject matter, they won’t feel envious.

Also, try using a humble tone and complimenting the person you’re talking to. When telling a friend about a pricey new dress, mentioning that it will look great on her when she borrows it will leave her feeling good about herself...and happy for you.

Come On, Get Happy

With some mental exercises and patience, living happier isn't just a pipe dream.

Happiness isn't a shapeless myth that hippies throw around like a Frisbee. Research shows that happy people not only have a better attitude in life but they tend to be healthier and live longer. One study from University College London showed that happiness improves certain bodily functions that help prevent cardiovascular disease and diabetes. And a Yale University study found that optimists live more than seven years longer than pessimists.

Being happier isn't all about money, parties and social status. If you pay attention to doing things that make you happier, keep an open mind and put in the effort, you can be well on your way to loving your life in 30 days. So go ahead and smile, because you're about to embark on a change that can only end in sheer delight.

Training Your Brain

Being happier starts with priming your brain to think happier or positive thoughts. "Whether you like it or not, facts are facts. You might not enjoy the fact you're facing but you can control your emotional response to it. Do it with a positive attitude and you'll get through it a lot quicker than if you agonize and lament over it," says Michael Anthony, author of the e-book How to be Happy and Have Fun Changing the World.

Louise Bluth,* a 37-year-old sales manager, found it difficult to be happier after living through an abusive childhood. "I was always told that I was a failure and a loser, and that I was the shame of the family," she says.

She decided she didn't deserve to be that unhappy and started volunteering for a suicide helpline. Her training stressed the concept of getting into the mind of a suicidal person to be able to show them possible solutions to their problems. "This proved to me that your state of mind could be changed, and so you can become happier," she says. Louise started taking Buddhist meditation classes, where she further learned how to prime her mind for happiness. "I learned that my happiness was up to me," she says.

It's hard to change your mindset overnight, so you might have to draw your positive brain waves out of hiding. One way to do this is by reciting a daily affirmation or a mantra. This statement can be repeated daily to get your brain ready to think happier thoughts.

Fear of Living Happier

There's a fear of failure that people encounter when it comes to being happier. Fear can make you revert to some old, unhealthy habits and behaviors just to enjoy that comfortable feeling again.

"Recognize that fear, recognize that you're human and just put it aside," says Debbie Gisonni, author of The Goddess of Happiness: A Down-to-Earth Guide for Heavenly Balance and Bliss. "Don't think about it. Instead of thinking about what could happen, keep focusing on what you want to happen."

Another way to handle the fears of being happier is through volunteer work. As Anthony says, when you're helping others, "you're being very positive with your time and then there's that satisfaction -- the feeling of greatness that comes from helping others."

When Scott Harrison decided to change his life to be happier, he never realized that he would question everything he held true. In 2004, the New York City resident realized that his work promoting nightclubs and fashion events was utterly unfulfilling. "I was one of the most miserable people I knew," he says.

In order to live a happier life, Scott changed his life drastically. He re-examined his faith and volunteered a year of service as a photographer for Mercy Ships, a non-profit that offers free medical care to poor countries around the world.

"I had to see 5,000 people standing in a field with horrible tumors, cleft lips and palates, the blind, the lame," he says. "I cried a lot, I prayed a lot and I doubted a lot, too. How could a God allow this stuff to happen?"

These tragedies didn't stop Scott from continuing to pursue his dream of helping others. "I was lucky to be able to focus on what we could do -- on the thousands of lives we could and did radically transform," he explains. His change was so successful that he started his own non-profit called "Charity," and Scott feels that he's happiest when he's helping others.

Helpful Happiness Tips

"Active gratitude -- counting your blessings and actually taking time during the day to do so -- is probably the single most important habit," says David Leonhardt, known as "The Happy Guy" and author of Climb Your Stairway to Heaven: The 9 Habits of Maximum Happiness. "From the paperclip to our cars to our health to our freedoms -- if we don't actively appreciate it, then we're not going to get all the happiness out of any other habit or any other change we make."

Being grateful helped Katsuaki Tsukamoto be happier. The 35-year-old carpenter had always felt a bit of emptiness in his life. "I thought I needed to have something or own something to make me happy," he says.

He had an epiphany while on a bike ride one beautiful day. "I suddenly realized that my bicycle was a gift, but more than that, I started feeling that everything was a gift in some sense," he says. "I really felt appreciation for the miracle of the moment and was grateful that I could experience it."

For many, this epiphany doesn't come naturally in the first 30 days. A gratitude journal documenting everything you're grateful for can often help remind you of all the good things in your life. Every day, simply write three to five things that you appreciated about that day.

Happier Living

Your success in the first 30 days and beyond will be dependent on how well you make time for the things that make you happy. Whether it's completing a Sudoku puzzle, catching up with a friend or painting, you should always strive for a balance between the things you have to do and the things you want to do.

Your success won't be measured in this month, but over your lifetime. For Scott, his charity work is so connected to his overall happiness that he no longer views them as mutually exclusive.

"I don't really think about the word 'happiness,' but I guess I am," he says. "It's just what I do now. I love it and can't imagine ever doing anything else."

His Dating Diary: Why Do We Repeat Emotional Mistakes?

We humans are a funny breed … we tend to learn from physical mistakes but when it comes to matters of the heart and falling in love, many of us are gluttons for punishment who repeat patterns again and again.

Part of human intelligence is learning from mistakes. The common example is when a child touches a hot stove for the first time. That child knows never to touch that stove again because of the physical pain it caused.

But why do we repeat so many mistakes when it comes to our emotions?

We learn at work when we make mistakes. We learn from horrible non-dating experiences in life:

One time I went to a concert when I was 15, thinking I had to get there as soon as the doors opened. But when a long-haired hooligan named Vinnie Moore opened for them with the phrase: "This one's called Cinnabon," before making my ears bleed with hellish guitar licks. I learned, at that point, never to attend the opening act portion of a concert.

I've learned to avoid saying stupid things to girls: Once you've complimented a girl on how great her outfit looks, don't try to double-compliment her by saying it looks like she got a great deal at Target, too (only other girls can get away with that).

Emotional mistakes? Seems like we are gluttons for punishment. Here are some common emotional mistakes that people can make, and often repeat:

Taking them back: You broke up with him, but —even if he was a total jerk —there is still a soft spot in your heart. You remember the good times, and — hey — it's not THAT fun being single. Often, we end up taking back people who have hurt us in the past or who just didn't work out. Not sure how often this works out, but doesn't it seem like we would be able to say "no"?

Believing this time, he or she is "The One": I'm so guilty of this one — I get a number, I meet a girl, I feel like there is some kind of magical cloud hanging over me. I'm still single, so obviously I have been way off with these predictions. I mistakenly believe I've met "The One" about two times a year. You'd think that I'd learn not to get so ahead of myself at "Hello."

Getting lied to repeatedly: Isn't it terrible when someone stays in a relationship while they are being lied to? It seems like everyone on the outside knows what's going on, but that person in the relationship believes everything to the point of blindness. In a perfect world, we'd learn from one lie, but often we think that lies are isolated incidents when in fact we could be getting lied to repeatedly.

Staying with someone wrong for you (a.k.a. "I can change him/her"): Why do we stay with people when they are jerks, and why do we keep thinking we can change people? It's much better to be alone than to be dating a jerk. Why can't we apply that common sense?

Mistaking physical intimacy for emotional intimacy: When we are in the heat of the moment, emotional closeness gets all intertwined with physical closeness. Sometimes we feel that if we get close physically, it will eventually lead to a close emotional connection. I can say I have never gotten into anything special that was sparked by a physical connection and, believe me, I've tried. The deeper relationships grow out of a gradual emotional connection. Nevertheless, sometimes we think if we have sex, then something might come of it.

Emotional pain is much more complicated than physical pain or a mistake at work that you learn from and never repeat. I guess Pat Benatar was right when she sang "Love Is a Battlefield," but it's a shame that we must go through pain and make multiple mistakes to get to where we want to be in the dating world. Humans naturally want to trust and love. We want to believe that the good in everyone will prevail, and it's devastating to come to grips with the fact that you may have misjudged someone. This is why we are prone to repeat emotional mistakes.

We are left to choose between withdrawing from dating, or going through the mistakes until you find The One, because it's almost impossible to know for sure that something will not be an emotional mistake until after it's too late.

13 Things Not to Share with Your Co-workers

It’s happened to everyone before. The constant flow of words that just keep coming, long after you’ve made your point (if there ever was one) and even longer after people stopped caring. The kind of gibberish that just won’t stop unless someone else starts talking. The type of chatter that inevitably ends with you wishing you’d put a sock in it.

Yes, verbal diarrhea is never a good thing – but it can be worse in some places more than others.

Like the workplace.

There are certain things co-workers need not know about each other – your baby-making plans and stomach issues, for example – but some folks just can’t seem to keep their mouths shut.

Some people talk to hear the sound of their own voice; others share because they don’t really have a life and, by revealing details you’d rather not know, they create the illusion of one, says Linda Lopeke, a career advancement expert and creator of SmartStart Virtual Mentoring Programs. “Then there is the person who believes gossip, even about them, creates instant emotional intimacy. It doesn’t.”

Walk the line

Because people spend more time at the office with co-workers than anywhere (or anyone) else, some workers have trouble drawing the line between business and friendship, says Susan Solovic, co-founder and CEO of SBTV.com, and author of three books, including “Reinvent Your Career: Attain the Success You Desire and Deserve.”

“It’s a social environment as well as a work environment. However, you must remember while you can be friendly and develop a good rapport, business is business and friendship is friendship.”

Most workers don’t realize that what they say has as much impact on their professional images as what they wear, Lopeke says. People who say too much, about themselves or others, can be seen as incompetent, unproductive and unworthy of professional development.

To avoid your next case of verbal diarrhea, here are 13 things to never share or discuss with your co-workers.

1. Salary information
What you earn is between you and Human Resources, Solovic says. Disclosure indicates you aren’t capable of keeping a confidence.

2. Medical history
“Nobody really cares about your aches and pains, your latest operation, your infertility woes or the contents of your medicine cabinet,” Lopeke says. To your employer, your constant medical issues make you seem like an expensive, high-risk employee.

3. Gossip
Whomever you’re gossiping with will undoubtedly tell others what you said, Solovic says. Plus, if a co-worker is gossiping with you, most likely he or she will gossip about you.

4. Work complaints
Constant complaints about your workload, stress levels or the company will quickly make you the kind of person who never gets invited to lunch, Solovic warns. If you don’t agree with company policies and procedures, address it through official channels or move on.

5. Cost of purchases
The spirit of keeping up with the Joneses is alive and well in the workplace, Lopeke says, but you don’t want others speculating on the lifestyle you’re living –or if you’re living beyond your salary bracket.

6. Intimate details
Don’t share intimate details about your personal life. Co-workers can and will use the information against you, Solovic says.

7. Politics or religion
“People have strong, passionate views on both topics,” Solovic says. You may alienate a co-worker or be viewed negatively in a way that could impact your career.

8. Lifestyle changes
Breakups, divorces and baby-making plans should be shared only if there is a need to know, Lopeke says. Otherwise, others will speak for your capabilities, desires and limitations on availability, whether there is any truth to their assumptions or not.

9. Blogs or social networking profile
What you say in a social networking community or in your personal blog may be even more damaging than what you say in person, Solovic warns. “Comments online can be seen by multiple eyes. An outburst of anger when you are having a bad day … can blow up in your face.”

10. Negative views of colleagues
If you don’t agree with a co-worker’s lifestyle, wardrobe or professional abilities, confront that person privately or keep it to yourself, Lopeke says. The workplace is not the venue for controversy.

11. Hangovers and wild weekends
It’s perfectly fine to have fun during the weekend, but don’t talk about your wild adventures on Monday, Solovic advises. That information can make you look unprofessional and unreliable.

12. Personal problems and relationships – in and out of the office
“Failed marriages and volatile romances spell instability to an employer,” Lopeke says. Office romances lead to gossip and broken hearts, so it’s best to steer clear. “The safest way to play is to follow the rule, ‘Never get your honey where you get your money.’”

13. Off-color or racially charged comments
You can assume your co-worker wouldn’t be offended or would think something is funny, but you might be wrong, Solovic says. Never take that risk. Furthermore, even if you know for certain your colleague wouldn’t mind your comment, don’t talk about it at work. Others can easily overhear.

Five Things Happy People Do

There just may be a hidden formula for joy! Experts reveal the secrets of happy women.

Sages going back to Socrates have offered advice on how to be happy, but only now are scientists beginning to address this question with systematic, controlled research. Although many of the new studies reaffirm time-honored wisdom ("Do what you love," "To thine own self be true"), they also add a number of fresh twists and insights. We canvassed the leading experts on what happy people have in common—and why it's worth trying to become one of them:

They find their most golden self. Picture happiness. What do you see? A peaceful soul sitting in a field of daisies appreciating the moment? That kind of passive, pleasure-oriented—hedonic—contentment is definitely a component of overall happiness. But researchers now believe that eudaimonic well-being may be more important. Cobbled from the Greek eu ("good") and daimon ("spirit" or "deity"), eudaimonia means striving toward excellence based on one's unique talents and potential—Aristotle considered it to be the noblest goal in life. In his time, the Greeks believed that each child was blessed at birth with a personal daimon embodying the highest possible expression of his or her nature. One way they envisioned the daimon was as a golden figurine that would be revealed by cracking away an outer layer of cheap pottery (the person's base exterior). The effort to know and realize one's most golden self—"personal growth," in today's lingo—is now the central concept of eudaimonia, which has also come to include continually taking on new challenges and fulfilling one's sense of purpose in life.

"Eudaimonic well-being is much more robust and satisfying than hedonic happiness, and it engages different parts of the brain," says Richard J. Davidson, PhD, of the University of Wisconsin-Madison. "The positive emotion accompanying thoughts that are directed toward meaningful goals is one of the most enduring components of well-being." Eudaimonia is also good for the body. Women who scored high on psychological tests for it (they were purposefully engaged in life, pursued self-development) weighed less, slept better, and had fewer stress hormones and markers for heart disease than others—including those reporting hedonic happiness—according to a study led by Carol Ryff, PhD, a professor of psychology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

They design their lives to bring in joy. It may seem obvious, but "people don't devote enough time to thinking seriously about how they spend their life and how much of it they actually enjoy," says David Schkade, PhD, a psychologist and professor of management at the University of California, San Diego. In a recent study, Schkade and colleagues asked more than 900 working women to write down everything they'd done the day before. Afterward, they reviewed their diaries and evaluated how they felt at each point. When the women saw how much time they spent on activities they didn't like, "some people had tears in their eyes," Schkade says. "They didn't realize their happiness was something they could design and have control over."

Analyzing one's life isn't necessarily easy and may require questioning long-held assumptions. A high-powered career might, in fact, turn out to be unfulfilling; a committed relationship once longed for could end up being irritating with all the compromising that comes with having a partner. Dreams can be hard to abandon, even when they've turned sour.

Fortunately, changes don't have to be big ones to tip the joy in your favor. Schkade says that if you transfer even an hour of your day from an activity you hate (commuting, scrubbing the bathroom) to one you like (reading, spending time with friends), you should see a significant improvement in your overall happiness. Taking action is key. Another recent study, at the University of Missouri, compared college students who made intentional changes (joining a club, upgrading their study habits) with others who passively experienced positive turns in their circumstances (receiving a scholarship, being relieved of a bad roommate). All the students were happier in the short term, but only the group who made deliberate changes stayed that way.

They avoid "if only" fantasies. If only I get a better job…find a man…lose the weight…life will be perfect. Happy people don't buy into this kind of thinking.

The latest research shows that we're surprisingly bad at predicting what will make us happy. People also tend to misjudge their contentment when zeroing in on a single aspect of their lives—it's called the focusing illusion. In one study, single subjects were asked, "How happy are you with your life in general?" and "How many dates did you have last month?" When the dating question was asked first, their romantic lives weighed more heavily into how they rated their overall happiness than when the questions were reversed.

The other argument against "if only" fantasies has to do with "hedonic adaptation"—the brain's natural dimming effect, which guarantees that a new house won't generate the same pleasure a year after its purchase and the thrill of having a boyfriend will ebb as you get used to being part of a couple. Happy people are wise to this, which is why they keep their lives full of novelty, even if it's just trying a new activity (diving, yoga) or putting a new spin on an old favorite (kundalini instead of vinyasa).

They put best friends first. It's no surprise that social engagement is one of the most important contributors to happiness. What's news is that the nature of the relationship counts. Compared with dashing around chatting with acquaintances, you get more joy from spending longer periods of time with a close friend, according to research by Meliksah Demir, PhD, assistant professor of psychology at Northern Arizona University. And the best-friend benefit doesn't necessarily come from delving into heavy discussions. One of the most essential pleasures of close friendship, Demir found, is simple companionship, "just hanging out," as he says, hitting the mall or going to the movies together and eating popcorn in the dark.

They allow themselves to be happy. As much as we all think we want it, many of us are convinced, deep down, that it's wrong to be happy (or too happy). Whether the belief comes from religion, culture, or the family you were raised in, it usually leaves you feeling guilty if you're having fun.

"Some people would say you shouldn't strive for personal happiness until you've taken care of everyone in the world who is starving or doesn't have adequate medical care," says Howard Cutler, MD, who co-authored The Art of Happiness in a Troubled World with the Dalai Lama. "The Dalai Lama believes you should pursue both simultaneously. For one thing, there is clear research showing that happy people tend to be more open to helping others. They also make better spouses and parents." And in one famous study, nuns whose autobiographies expressed positive emotions (such as gratitude and optimism) lived seven to 10-and-a-half years longer than other nuns. So, for any die-hard pessimist who still needs persuading, just think of how much more you can help the world if you allow a little happiness into your life.

10 Things You Should Never Say to a Woman

Do you really have it "under control"?

Madame, that is by far the ugliest nose I have ever seen, and I compliment you on it—it suits you!
—Peter Sellers, "The Pink Panther"

It's true: Some comments are better left unsaid.

But as a sophisticated man of the 21st century, you already know this. You know you're not supposed to comment on your girlfriend's weight, or tell her that her friends are hot. And you know she probably feels the same way you do about the phrase, "Can we still be friends?"

Additionally, you've found that honesty, while valued in most situations, can sometimes offend. What you say to defuse tension in an argument often stokes the fire. We understand that the female psyche can be complicated, and we're here to demystify what may seem like strategically placed trapdoors.

Here are 10 things most women don't want to hear:

1) "What did you do to your hair?"
Unless we've cut our own hair—this is not common—someone else did something to our hair. It wasn't us. And most likely we've gone to a lot of trouble and expense for it. "I like your new haircut" is infinitely better, and shows you're paying attention. It's also far superior to the generic "You look different," which tells us you're as clueless as ever.

2) "They both look the same to me."
We understand you care a lot less than we do about the outfits or the registry dishware we're asking you to compare. But they can't possibly look exactly the same, can they? Give us something. Anything. Mentally roll the dice and pick one, so we don't worry about your vision—or worse, that you don't care.

3) "Relax."
A kissing cousin to "Don't get so worked up," this generally creates the exact opposite effect you're shooting for. When you say "Relax," what we hear is that you think that we're being irrational over nothing, and this makes us do anything but relax.

4) "I've got it all under control."
Ha! Famous last words. Refrain from using them if you don't want us to take fiendish delight in your getting lost because you won't stop for directions (if we're late, there will be fiendish fuming), or because you're missing a piece to your flat-screen television because you said you didn't need to read the assembly instructions.

5) "You're not one of those feminists, are you?"
Yikes. Chivalry may be nearly dead, but saying this will drive the last spear through its heart. Feminist or not, a woman is likely to be offended by the question. Just be yourself. Be kind, open the door, offer to pay, and go from there. We can choose to accept or share in your generosity.

6) "When are you due?"
Take one second to imagine a woman turning to you and responding, "I'm not pregnant," or "I had the baby six months ago," and you'll understand why you should eradicate this question from your vocabulary. In one nanosecond, innocent—even considerate—curiosity can turn to deadly, if unintentional, offense. And there's just no way to recover from this one.

7) "You're being emotional."
In the heat of the moment this may be true. But unless you want your partner to become more emotional or get angry, you're better off keeping this observation and its off-limits follow-up question—"Is it that time of month?"—to yourself.

8) "You're acting just like your mother/my mother/my ex-girlfriend."
All three are problematic. An ex should be mentioned sparingly, and never in comparison. Why would we want to remind you of a person you broke up with? And come to mention it, why are you thinking about her? You see the slippery slope. Conjuring an image of our mother or your mother can be equally grating. We want you to treat us as individuals and not as mere products of your (or our) upbringing.

9) "You complete me."
We've seen "Jerry Maguire" and most other romantic comedies far more often than you, and while we may (or may not) like cheesy movie lines, they usually fail in real life. We understand that the possibility of romance makes inexplicable things come out of a man's—and sometimes a woman's—mouth, but keep the compliments real and honest and sincere and say you love someone when you mean it.

10) "Do you really think you should be eating that?"
Yes. She should be eating it. Even if she told you she's given it up.

Good Boss, Bad Boss

Whether you're in charge of kids, a cleaning lady or a staff of thousands, you're the boss. But are you a good one - or a controlling dominatrix? Martha Beck gives you an eye-opening lesson in leadership.

Few things incite a frothing, wild-eyed rage like asking people to talk about bad bosses. People aren't just annoyed by poor leadership– they sputter and snarl as they describe their superiors, lusting for the chance to hit that bad boss with a perfect, withering insult. Or perhaps a truck.

It's a little scary, then, to realize that we're all likely to occupy a leadership role, from motherhood to mogulhood, at some point in our lives. When we blow it, our imperfections will be magnified by our authority. Leadership is simply too complex to do perfectly. I believe that the key to being a better boss lies in accepting that fact. Ineffective leaders expect their role to be easy and think– no matter what– that they're doing the job just right. Although good leaders often begin with similar expectations, convinced they're natural-born chieftains, they soon run smack-dab into a little thing called Monday morning. The best leaders let go of the fantasy and become fully present and responsive to the complexities of each new situation. They're the ones– the few, the proud, the downright worshipped– who earn their followers' respect. To become one of them, you need to turn bad-boss behaviors on their head to find your way toward good-boss techniques.

Bad-boss self-concept: As a leader, I'll be a higher-up.

Good-boss self-concept: As a leader, I'll have to go lower down.

The bad-boss tales I've heard include many stories of managers demanding the undoable, responding to objections by simply reiterating that it had to be done. This creates nothing but hostility. "If you want to govern the people, you must place yourself below them," said the philosopher Lao-tzu (who is my favorite management consultant, despite having been dead for centuries). That doesn't mean you become a slave to your followers' whims. Great bosses acknowledge their own ignorance and ask questions of everyone to gain a better grasp of two important things: What's going on? What needs to be done?

Bad-boss target setting: Now that I'm the boss, I give orders to others.

Good-boss target setting: Now that I'm the boss, I bring order to what others do.

Many people thrill to giving orders or critiques but have unclear, uninformed or ambivalent ideas about what they're actually trying to accomplish– that is, they know what they want this second, but the big picture is as fuzzy as a winter mink. Leading well means forming a crystal clear image of what must happen and communicating that precisely. After giving an assignment, ask that person to describe the task in their own words. If they can't, or if the account they give doesn't match what you were trying to convey, you need to try a new tack. The first step could be as easy as clarifying your directives– or you might have to rethink your organizational chart and who reports to whom.

Bad-boss position on feedback: Now everyone must tell me when I'm right.

Good-boss position on feedback: Now everyone must tell me when I'm wrong.

Most humans go through the world trying to elicit validation. Al Preble, a leadership consultant for Cambridge Leadership Group in Cambridge, Massachusetts, says this isn't the way to go. The most powerful way for leaders to communicate, he believes, is to use just three simple steps. When a problem arises:
1. Clearly tell your subordinate what you really think.
2. Describe the facts that led you to this opinion.
3. Ask to be disconfirmed; in other words, honestly request that people tell you where you're wrong.

Bad-boss protection strategy: As a boss, I'll be protected from taking blame.

Good-boss protection strategy: As a boss, I'll protect others by taking blame.

The successful bosses I interviewed emphasized that a good leader helps her followers feel safe from the dangers that come from both inside and outside the organization. An incompetent supervisor, on the other hand, feels that the best way to secure her position is to appear faultless, and works mightily to make clear who fouled up or even to lay blame on a scapegoat. But that behavior turns people into twitchy, record-keeping, blame-tallying masses of ectoplasm.

Bad-boss problem solving: Being the boss means I can avoid problems.

Good-boss problem solving: Being the boss means I must seek out problems.

You can tell if you're making mistakes as a leader because things go wrong– not just one catastrophic computer snafu but repeated errors. Bad bosses turn away from these realities. They don't discuss problems; they just hunker down and hope the issue will go away. It won't. Untreated, a minor concern becomes a major issue becomes a catastrophe.

This is the core of good leadership, whether you're managing a corporation, your immediate family, or just your own life. Lao-tzu puts it this way: "When [the Master] runs into a difficulty, she stops and gives herself to it. She doesn't cling to her own comfort; thus problems are no problem for her." Embracing the fact that you'll encounter many obstacles– and that this is all right– allows you to understand, listen, give clear instructions, invite negative feedback, and protect those you lead. You'll be comfortable with leadership, even when it's uncomfortable. And that will make you an easy act to follow.

Warning Signs You Can't Ignore

Buying a home? Selecting a surgeon? Trying to tell if she's true? The FBI's best profilers are standing by to help you spot, and avoid, big trouble.

Before John Douglas became one of the FBI's most legendary crime stalkers, he wanted to be a veterinarian, so he spent a lot of time working on farms. "I always wondered how cows got out of those barbed-wire fences," he recounts. "But then I realized what a cow does all day. He stands around chewing his cud and looking at the fence. Eventually, if you look at something long enough, you see weakness. Trouble is, most people don't spend much time looking."

You could say that Douglas's farm experience became a metaphor for his 25 years at the Bureau. He has a knack for spotting holes, weaknesses, and clues (not to mention bullshit) that other investigators miss. In professional parlance, he is a profiler--an agent specially trained in observation, investigation, and interpretation. By studying the facts of a case, inspecting forensic evidence, and reviewing law-enforcement witness interviews, profilers can often predict things about an offender long before he's apprehended. At times, good profilers can appear almost clairvoyant, but it's actually their highly evolved sense of awareness and deductive reasoning that's at work.

Douglas and other adept profilers are about to teach you the same skills they honed at the acclaimed behavioral science unit of the FBI Academy in Quantico, Virginia. You don't have to be a crime victim to take advantage of this knowledge. Most of their techniques can be used to minimize risks that arise in all sorts of everyday situations.

Indeed, in a world that seems more threatening and filled with more people trying to take advantage of you every day, there's no better time to learn a new way of protecting yourself.

What follows are descriptions of eight situations you may eventually find yourself facing. For each, our team has assembled a checklist of things to look for to minimize your vulnerability or risk.

Good luck with your investigation.

Find out if she's cheating

You have a creeping suspicion she's seeing some creep. Here's how to conduct an interview that'll make her divulge the truth.

• Work from a "zero behavioral baseline," advises Mark Safarik, a 23-year veteran of the Bureau who now runs FBSI, a Virginia-based company dedicated to crime-scene analysis and threat assessment. In other words, look for sudden deviations in her usual conduct: a new hairstyle and clothes, more concern with hygiene and fitness, prolonged absences, less interest in sex.
• If enough signs exist, set a trap. Buy two romantic cards that are exactly the same. Send one to her at work, unsigned. If she's having an affair, she won't mention it, because she won't know who sent it.
• Now "play" the second card. Tell her you need to talk. "Make sure it's after dark," says Douglas, "because it'll make her feel more relaxed." Sit at a table on which you previously placed the second card. Don't make it too obvious, but be sure she notices it.

This is called "introducing a stressor."

• Don't confront her with the card. Instead, look in her eyes and ask, "Are you having an affair?" Study what she does next. If she repeats the question, drops her eyes, looks away, folds her arms, licks her lips, crosses her legs, or picks some invisible lint off her clothing, she's stalling and is probably guilty. It's time to go in stronger.
• Ask the question again, this time glancing at the card but still not fully acknowledging it. If she truly has something to hide, she'll become increasingly agitated.
• Finally, to spark a confession, provide what FBI interrogators call a "face-saving scenario." Say this: "I know we've been having problems, and I don't blame you if you did this, but I just want the truth." "If she's being perceived as a victim," says Douglas, who has used this technique to crack many criminals, "she'll be more likely to talk."
• Don't be misled by...her denials. "I've had people pass polygraph tests and still turn out to be lying," says Douglas. "Those with a history of lying, like O.J. and Bill Clinton, are good at it. Other people besides criminals are chronic liars. Don't make the mistake of thinking everyone is honest."

See if your potential boss is a psycho

The company is booming and the benefits package is great, but will you really enjoy working for the guy behind the desk?

• Case the company as you would a crime scene. How is it organized? What's its mission? What's the competition? "It's a no-lose effort," says Douglas. "The knowledge you acquire will positively shape the interview."
• When you arrive, notice if the boss's door is open or closed. If it and others are shut, it's a tense work atmosphere.
• Be on the lookout for superiority cues (he keeps you waiting, he doesn't rise to greet you, your chair is set lower than his). Sure, he's the boss, but he doesn't have to rub it in.
• Look for the "Love-Me Wall" covered with diplomas, awards, and autographed celebrity photos. Robert Ressler, a 20-year FBI man who coined the term "serial killer," says it's basically a shrine that screams, "It's all about me." And if it's about him, that means it won't be about your needs or success.
• Most important, ask yourself a few questions. Does he give me his full attention during an interview? Does he push aside the demands of the day, stop glancing at e-mail, and listen? If he does now, he'll do the same later.
• Don't be misled by...family photos. "They don't mean anything," says Douglas. "I've seen pictures on desks of men with their wives, and they're divorced the next week. Sometimes it means he's trying to impress everyone by showing he's a family man. This is called 'staging the office.' He's trying to project something he's not."

Discover if it's a dream neighborhood or a nightmare on Elm Street

A house is only as great as its location. Here's how to spot a troublesome neighborhood before you hand over the down payment.

• When Douglas goes to a mall and sees children performing onstage, he watches the crowd, not the kids. "Good profilers learn to look away from the focal point," he says. In this case, shift your focus from the property to what surrounds it.
• Log on to the U.S. Department of Justice's national sex-offender public registry (nsopr.gov). Enter your prospective zip code to see if any offenders would be living near you. "Real-estate agents don't have to volunteer this information," says Douglas.
• Ask the local police about criminal activity. Some departments have online databases that are searchable using zip codes.
• Beyond the physical appearance of the surrounding properties, look at the cars parked in driveways. Are they upscale brands or candidates for Pimp My Ride? Also look at the condition of the lawns. "Yards and cars mirror personality," says Ressler.
• Talk to the neighbors. See if they own or rent. Ask them about the best and worst aspects of living there.
• Observe the real-estate agent as he's showing the place. Is he in a hurry? Does he make eye contact when answering questions? Ask to see certain parts of the property again, but this time watch where he's looking. (People often self-consciously glance at trouble spots.)
• Stake out the area on a Saturday night. Sit in your car, roll down the window, have a snack, and observe. A neighborhood's personality can change dramatically on weekends. (If someone calls the cops on you, it's a good sign.)
• Don't be misled by...the owners or the agent. Remember, they want to sell. "Always work from a constellation of behaviors and observations," says Safarik. "Don't put too much importance on any one person or attribute."

Look into the job candidate's soul

He's polite, professional, and highly qualified. But how will he perform on the job?

• Employees are 15 times more likely to steal than customers are. So set up an integrity test. Leave a file marked "confidential" on the waiting-room table or a $50 bill under a magazine. Then ask the receptionist to watch if he bites.
• Call human resources at his previous workplaces. Ask one telling question: Is he eligible for rehire?
• Search him on all the usual Internet sites (Google, MySpace, Facebook). They may yield clues about his personality that he'd never volunteer.
• Fifty percent of people lie on their résumés. If you notice discrepancies, give your prospective employee the chance to correct them. "Most people embellish. If you give them an opportunity to come clean, they will," says Clint Van Zandt, a 25-year FBI veteran who now operates his own risk-assessment company. "If he doesn't come clean, then he'll probably exhibit that same behavior on the job."
• Find what FBI investigators call "spin-off." "This is a person who's not one of your target's drinking buddies, who knows something about him and is willing to share it," says Van Zandt. Ask if there's someone at his previous company he didn't get along with. Ask his references the same question. "You want to find at least one person who isn't going to paint this guy with a smiley-face brush," he adds.
• Don't be misled by...secondhand information. "People naturally filter information in a way that's positive for them," says Safarik. "This could bias you. Take note of what others say, but always draw your own conclusions."

Decide if she's the one

• You think you're in love. You think she'd make a great wife and mother. But don't buy the ring until you observe her in these six situations.
• Dinner with your family: They know you almost as well as you know yourself. Value their opinion.
• Dinner with her family: Watch how her parents treat each other. Their relationship is her role model.
• An evening of babysitting: Do you see any motherly instincts emerge? Is she patient? Does she have fun? Afterward, ask if she'd like to have kids one day. Does she reply directly and comfortably, or is she evasive?
• Breakfast at a diner: Observe her interaction with the waitresses. "How she handles service staff is a good indication of how she treats others," says Van Zandt.
• Drinks with other women: Take her to a bar where some of your attractive female friends hang out. Is she jealous?
• Hanging at her place: It's filled with clues to her true personality--books, magazines, DVDs, art. Remember that reality mimics fantasy. Also, is she living within her means? "Financial issues are a major cause of divorce," says Safarik.
• Don't be misled by...your unchecked emotions. Good profilers are able to detach themselves from circumstances in order to make an honest appraisal.

Cut open the surgeon's record

• You need a good one, but is the surgeon who cut out Uncle Tony's gallbladder really qualified?
• Google him. You'll get a snapshot of his career accomplishments, community involvement, and any controversy that may surround him.
• Give his waiting room the once-over. Is it clean and organized? Do the nurses appear in control, or harried? Are other patients growing restless? What does the man next to you think of him?
• Give the doctor the once-over. Is he in good health for his age? Is he professional in presentation and demeanor?
• Evaluate his time with you. Is he punctual? Is his first question about your medical insurance, or about your medical problem? Does he listen? Is he sincere? Does he profess to be able to cure anything, or does he recommend seeking other opinions?
• Grill him. Most people are too trustful of doctors. Be sure to ask how long he's been practicing, how many times he's done this surgery, and what his success rate is.
• Back in the parking lot, look for his car. Peek inside. If it's in shambles, he may leave your innards looking the same way.
• Find out which floor of the hospital he operates on, and visit it. Casually ask the nurses for their opinions of him.
• Don't be misled by...appearance. "What do bad people look like?" says Douglas. "They look like you and me. Ted Bundy was a good-looking guy, and he killed more than 20 people."

Decide whether to go to bed with her

• She's been coming on to you all night. Is she another "fatal attraction"?
• Measure her actions against the "zero behavioral baseline" you already have for such situations. Compared with other women, is she far from the norm in appearance, dress, and aggressiveness? If so, beware.
• Try to find out if she's on the rebound. If so, she's vulnerable and more likely to latch onto you.
• Is she already talking about the long term, such as vacations together? If so, that's a sign of possessiveness.
• Start talking to another woman and see how woman number one reacts. If she acts jealous even though she hardly knows you, her reaction will be even stronger after you've become intimate with her.
• When in doubt, ask the bartender. Chances are, he'll know her.
• Don't be misled by...her sudden interest in you. "Since when did you become Brad Pitt?" asks Douglas. "Great profilers consider motive--they walk in the shoes of whoever they're trying to understand."

See if the employee is a time bomb before he blows

He's always bitching and moaning, and sometimes he even acts slightly threatening. Could he go postal?

• "People are always leaking information," says Safarik, "but others never pick up on it until after the fact. You see this at school shootings all the time. Profilers learn to stop and say, 'What does he mean by that?' "
• Look around his cubicle. If his walls are plastered with family photographs and shots of him fishing, he's probably not a risk. On the other hand, if the walls are blank or push-pinned with complaints, or if everything appears obsessively neat, he bears watching.
• Take him to lunch and listen to his complaints. Are they reasonable? Is he upset about one thing, or everything? Is it a situation, or a person? Does he obsess about what this person has done to him? (If so, pick up the tab to get on his good side.)
• Note whether he's speaking in the active or passive voice. For instance, if he says, "Someone ought to take care of that guy," it's passive. But if he says, "I'm going to get him," that's active, which elevates the level of threat.
• Don't be misled by...gut instinct. Note how you feel about the situation initially, but then put those feelings aside and objectively and thoroughly gather as much information as possible. Then return to your instinct to see how it fits in.
• As Sherlock Holmes, the most famous profiler of all, said, "It is a capital mistake to theorize before one has data. Insensibly one begins to twist facts to suit theories, instead of theories to suit facts."