While there are no major developments in the laptop industry, people looking for a new portable machine should make sure that they look into the latest processors and graphics innovations, according to an industry expert.

Walter Mossberg, writing for the Wall Street Journal, said that Intel’s new Core series of chips are all faster and more efficient than their predecessors, with the i5 and i7 all featuring ‘turbo boost’ which improves speed when it is most needed.

“For the most common tasks – even video playback – integrated graphics, which lack their own dedicated memory, are adequate. So-called discrete graphics, which are almost like having a second processor, are more potent, especially for games,” he added.

Furthermore, Mr Mossberg added that Windows’ new operating system is now “quite competitive” with Apple’s Snow Leopard programme, with computers running the Microsoft option available for much less money.

Answering a customer query on Computer Active, one reader was advised recently to think about buying a new computer instead of just upgrading certain hardware elements.

People looking to turn their new laptop into a music centre have been told that Spotify has taken a “huge step forward” in a bid to beat Apple’s iTunes at its own game, according to an industry expert.

Paul Brindley, managing director of Music Ally, said that a new update to Spotify will see it become the default media player on a computer, even for songs which are in iTunes.

He added that this could start off a cat-and-mouse battle with iTunes, with the Apple service possibly looking to do something with its future updates to offer the consumer more.

“It absolutely does set Spotify up one step ahead of iTunes. It would seem to also be setting them up to do what one might expect iTunes to do following [Apple's] acquisition of Lala,” he added.

Mr Brindley’s words came after Spotify announced a “major evolution” of its music streaming service, which includes the largest feature upgrades since it launched two years ago.

The capability of netbooks to handle multitasking is one reason why the machines are better than Apple’s new iPad, according to an industry expert.

Abhinav Lal, writing for ThinkDigit, said that despite the announcement that multitasking will be available on the iPad by Autumn thanks to an operating system upgrade, the extra RAM in a netbook will see it handle tasks more effectively.

The expert also said that the fact that netbooks contain web cameras is another major advantage they have over the iPad, as it allows users to stay connected with friends, family and colleagues around the world.

He added: “The holy grail of inter-device connectivity, USB support will allow you to connect a variety of devices to a netbook, from game controllers to external storage devices, USB modems to printers.”

Another advantage that netbook users will have over iPad fans is the use of Flash when viewing web pages, allowing for a deeper and more graphical browsing experience.

The advent of netbooks has changed the amount of choice that people looking for a new computer have available to them, according to an expert.

Payal Dhar, writing for MDigitalFC.com, said that the smaller netbooks give users an ultra-portable device which is primarily built for browsing and accessing web-based applications.

“Netbooks’ compact form (a ten-inch screen is common), lightweight bodies (no optical drive) make them easy enough to slip into a purse. If you intend to do lots of travelling where you need to fit into cramped spaces to work or have to travel light, a netbook is the answer to your prayers,” he added.

The expert also said that, armed with connectivity features such as Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, netbooks are customised for internet access, providing a great option for people who depend on cloud computing services like Google Docs.

Another known benefit of netbooks over their larger laptop cousins is that they often provide a longer battery life, making them ideal for use on the move.

Apple should learn from the launch of its iPad if it releases a new update to the MacBook Pro this year.

According ElectricPig.co.uk, incorporating a touchscreen into the device could appeal to many people, as the screen on the iPad has been well received.

"Multi-touch pinch zooming and flick scrolling feel totally intuitive and we’d love more than anything to be able to do the same on any Mac," it stated.

The website added that the MacBook Air should have space for a 3G SIM card, as the 3G version of the iPad has shown that people like to be able to access the web anywhere and everywhere.

More games is another call from the source, as they have been so well adopted on the iPhone and iPod Touch.

TopNews.co.uk said that four new Apple stock keeping units have appeared in the Microcentre purchasing system, which may correspond to new Macbook or Macbook Pro models.

People looking to buy a netbook have been told to download OpenOffice as it will provide them with all their word processing needs for free.

A report on TheLink said that those buying a netbook are already saving good money on the device, compared to the price of PCs, with a free office suite also giving excellent benefits.

“Laptops and netbooks are every bit as good as desktop PCs when it comes to word processing, but it’s all too easy to spend money on software when you don’t have to,” the guide added.

OpenOffice contains all the features which someone operating outside of their study will need, such as spreadsheets, word processing and presentations.

Those looking to save space on their new netbook should also consider using an online office suite, such as Google Docs.

This saves files in the cloud, meaning that even if your machine is stolen or broken, documents will still be safe.

Samsung has unveiled a new range of all-in-one computers geared towards in-home entertainment lovers.

Resembling the popular Apple iMac computer, the newly-announced U250 and U200 represent the electronics giant’s first move into the desk computing market.

However, while the company may not have past experience in this end of the market, unlike its vast range of laptop computers, initial reviews suggest that Samsung has effectively identified what many home users want most from their machines.

As such, the two all-in-one computers boast 23-inch touch-screen interfaces, ideally suited to those users looking to make use of digital photo-editing suites, as well as gamers and movie fans.

Welcoming the new machines, which are due to be launched in the UK in May, Gartner analyst Ranjit Atwal explained that the Samsung computers should attract considerable interest.

“(They) will certainly appeal to a section of the market,” the expert told PC Pro magazine.

Meanwhile, PC Pro recently welcomed the launch of the Samsung N210 netbook, noting that the machine brings a “businessman like” approach to the mobile computing sector.