One of the conveniences of modern living is mobility that is made possible by high-tech tools that keep up with people who are always on the go. Perhaps the best among these gadgets is the laptop.

The laptop has revolutionized the traditional office concept into what we know today as the virtual office. A sales executive can be several miles up in the sky and still enter his bid to a client through the use of the high-speed Internet connection of his trusty laptop. Doctors in remote jungles of Africa communicate with their colleagues through web cameras attached to their laptops. With Bluetooth technology, wireless connection among laptops over a network has enhanced the virtual office.

All over the world, several industriesand even livesdepend upon the connectivity among people that the laptop and the Internet provide. And laptops depend on battery power. A traveling salesman or doctor, or any sensible person on a business trip, must always have a fully charged battery on hand and some extras for emergencies.

Currently, there are only three kinds of laptop batteries in the market. These are Nickel Cadmium batteries (first generation rechargeable batteries), Nickel Metal Hydride batteries, and Lithium Ion batteries. All of these are rechargeable.

Among the three kinds mentioned, the Lithium Ion (LiON) is the one used in the latest laptop models. Although the most expensive, it is the most efficient and reliable. It is lighter, too, and has no effect on memory compared to the Nickel Metal Hydride kind.

Laptop manufacturers may still insist in their manuals that you buy only the same brand of batteries for your unit. But you may want to try some of the universal laptop batteries around that are compatible with most units. These lightweight batteries may even be cheaper compared to the established brands in the laptop business.