If you plan to land your laptop in one place all the time, then you probably want to upgrade its teensy portable features with some more robust desktop counterparts - specifically, the keyboard and monitor. You can add and use any of these desktop-sized items with a laptop instead of their feeble laptop counterparts. Use one. Use them all. It's up to you.
Using an external keyboard
If you miss the full size and action of a real PC keyboard, then get one! Just plug it into your laptop, either into the keyboard port or a USB port, whichever your laptop has. You can start using the keyboard the second that you plug it in.
Note that adding an external keyboard often doesn't disable the laptop's internal keyboard. You can use both! But you're probably not crazy enough to do that.
When you're done using the full-sized keyboard, simply unplug it.
If you're yearning for only a separate numeric keypad, then consider getting only that. You can pick up a USB numeric keypad, which is just the keypad and not the entire keyboard, at most computer stores and office supply stores.
The standard color for a PC's keyboard connector - the hole somewhere on your laptop for plugging in the keyboard - is purple.
Connecting a second monitor or video projector
Most modern laptops come automatically equipped to handle two monitors, the laptop's own LCD and an external monitor. Many laptop owners use their laptops for storing and showing presentations, and it just makes sense to have the laptop all ready to go in that respect.
To add the external monitor, locate the monitor connector on your PC's rump. Plug in the monitor, and you're ready to go. You can use that monitor in conjunction with your laptop's LCD or as your laptop's only display.
On some laptops, the same image appears on both the LCD and the external monitor.
If you want to use the external monitor exclusively, then just close your laptop's lid. Most laptops are smart enough to see the external monitor and let you start using it, keeping the laptop's power on while the lid is closed. When you open the laptop's lid, control returns back to the laptop's LCD.
Note that if you close the lid, it helps to have an external mouse or keyboard connected to the laptop so that you can still use your software.
The monitor connector may also be an S-video connector. This kind of connector lets you connect your laptop not only to an external monitor, but also to many TV sets, VCRs, and DVD players.
Using two monitors at once
If you want to use two monitors at once, you need to direct Windows to do so. After connecting the second monitor, follow these steps:
1. Open the Display Properties dialog box.
2. Click the Settings tab.
You see both monitors displayed in the top of the dialog box.
3. Click the second monitor.
4. Choose the Extend My Windows Desktop onto This Monitor option.
5. Click the Apply button.
6. Adjust the positions of the monitors' icons in the area near the top of the dialog box.
You can drag the number 1 or number 2 monitor icons around to help align the two desktops. Use the mouse to grab and drag each monitor icon into a proper position relative to each other.
7. Click the OK button when you're done.
The laptop's LCD is always the first display. It's the only display that contains the taskbar and Start button. And although you can drag windows and icons to the second display, they all hop back to the first display the next time you restart Windows.
