Abstract: A housing for a central processing unit including a body capable of supporting and enclosing the central processing unit. The body has a front side including an upper portion and a lower portion. A first decorative faceplate is for detachably engaging with at least a portion of the upper portion of the front side of the body. A first-faceplate-quick-connect-device extends from the first decorative faceplate for readily attaching and removing the first decorative faceplate to the body. Also described herein is a housing for a central processing unit including a body capable of supporting and enclosing the central processing unit. The body has a front side including an upper portion and a lower portion. A first decorative faceplate is detachably engagable with at least a portion of the upper portion of the front side of the body. A second decorative faceplate is for detachably engaging with at least a portion of the lower portion of the front side of the body.

Abstract: A notebook computer base housing has operatively disposed therein a CD ROM drive, a hard disk drive and a floppy disk drive, an AC/DC electrical power converter, a modem, a PCMCIA card bay structure and a battery. This internal provision of three drive units in addition to the other equipment within the base housing is facilitated from a space standpoint by the vertical stacking of the hard disk drive atop the CD ROM drive within the base housing. To dissipate the operating heat from these components within the base housing, a heat spreader plate is interposed between the CD ROM drive and the overlying hard disk drive, and the high heat-generating components—namely, the modem, the AC/DC converter, the PCMCIA card bay structure, and the computer processor—are closely grouped together, with the AC/DC converter in thermal communication with a second heat spreader plate. The processor is disposed above the other high heat-generating components on a horizontally oriented main system circuit board.

Abstract: A notebook computer base housing has operatively disposed therein a CD ROM drive, a hard disk drive and a floppy disk drive, an AC/DC electrical power converter, a modem, a PCMCIA card bay structure and a battery. This internal provision of three drive units in addition to the other equipment within the base housing is facilitated from a space standpoint by the vertical stacking of the hard disk drive atop the CD ROM drive within the base housing. To dissipate the operating heat from these components within the base housing, a heat spreader plate is interposed between the CD ROM drive and the overlying hard disk drive, and the high heat-generating components—namely, the modem, the AC/DC converter, the PCMCIA card bay structure, and the computer processor—are closely grouped together, with the AC/DC converter in thermal communication with a second heat spreader plate.

Abstract: A notebook computer base housing has operatively disposed therein a CD ROM drive, a hard disk drive and a floppy disk drive, an AC/DC electrical power converter, a modem, a PCMCIA card bay structure and a battery. This internal provision of three drive units in addition to the other equipment within the base housing is facilitated from a space standpoint by the vertical stacking of the hard disk drive atop the CD ROM drive within the base housing. To dissipate the operating heat from these components within the base housing, a heat spreader plate is interposed between the CD ROM drive and the overlying hard disk drive, and the high heat-generating components—namely, the modem, the AC/DC converter, the PCMCIA card bay structure, and the computer processor—are closely grouped together, with the AC/DC converter in thermal communication with a second heat spreader plate.

Abstract: A computing system employs a user feedback mechanism to monitor operating conditions of the computing system and to alert a user to the operating conditions independently of an operating system of the computing system. The user feedback mechanism includes a display panel to display operating condition messages to the user and includes a controller to monitor operating condition signals. Some examples of operating conditions include a connection state of the computing system to the Internet, a connection state of a peripheral device to the computing system, a new e-mail notification message, a new Internet message and atomic time from a network server coupled to the computing system. The user feedback mechanism may include a safety button to signal a power supply to power off the computing system independently of the operating system.

Abstract: A notebook computer base housing has operatively disposed therein a CD ROM drive, a hard disk drive and a floppy disk drive, an AC/DC electrical power converter, a modem, a PCMCIA card bay structure and a battery. This internal provision of three drive units in addition to the other equipment within the base housing is facilitated from a space standpoint by the vertical stacking of the hard disk drive atop the CD ROM drive within the base housing. To dissipate the operating heat from these components within the base housing, a heat spreader plate is interposed between the CD ROM drive and the overlying hard disk drive, and the high heat-generating components--namely, the modem, the AC/DC converter, the PCMCIA card bay structure, and the computer processor--are closely grouped together, with the AC/DC converter in thermal communication with a second heat spreader plate.

Abstract: A container and lid assembly includes a container, lid and handle members for carrying and securing together the handle and lid, and the lid has recesses oriented in the top wall of the lid such that a user's hand is received in the recess when a user is grasping one of the handles.

Abstract: An inclined docking base having slides, positioned outboard of the docked portable computer, to guide respective legs of a monitor support member from an initial slide position to a desktop operation position. Blocking surfaces and slide walls at the front end of each slide in combination with the respective legs align the coupling members on the support member and the docking base. A method for quick installation and removal of the support member relative to the docking base is disclosed.