How are desktop and notebook computers improved with ExpressCard technology?
ExpressCard slots give desktop computer users the same ‘sealed box’ computing benefits that have for a long time been a part of the notebook computing experience. Before ExpressCard technology it was not economically feasibly to integrate hot pluggable PC Card technology into a broad range of desktop systems. A sealed box computer is a system that does not have to be opened to have hardware features added. Most of today’s desktop designs have expansion slots inside. These are not ‘sealed box computers.’ To add hardware to today’s platforms you have to open up the system, typically with a screwdriver, to install the new card. Apart from being awkward for the user, it puts a huge burden on the manufacturer to ensure that the process is safe, that there is appropriate mechanical clearance inside the chassis and that the airflow and thermal characteristics of the design will not be compromised. By moving to a sealed box configuration the designer can make the entire system a lot smaller an
