Washington: Go shopping for a notebook computer today, and you're likely to focus on the specs that manufacturers tout: dual core processor, large screen, size, and lightweight.

Other features of current notebooks, though, are less desirable - and more controversial. Know what they are before you buy a notebook, and you're more likely to remain happy about your purchase.

When you buy a notebook computer, pay special attention to whether the LCD is "glossy" or "matte". Increasingly, manufacturers are offering glossy screens. While these are great for watching movies on your laptop, they're not optimal for doing traditional office work.

The reason: the glossy screens are highly reflective. In typical office environments, glossy screens can be hard on both your eyes and your concentration, as you'll have to work harder to ignore the ambient lighting and background objects that are reflected in your screen. Bottom line: if you're buying a notebook primarily to get work done and not to watch movies or play games, avoid glossy screens.

Most notebooks on the market today come with built-in wireless network connectivity. The trouble is that many still include yesterday's technology. The wireless transmission standard is about to get a big boost in speed with the official unveiling of the 802.11n standard, which provides Internet and networking connectivity speeds that are about 10 times faster than the wireless standards currently in use.

That's a significant speed boost, and it's one you want in your notebook computer, especially because changing the type of wireless connectivity that you have in a notebook is difficult or impossible once you buy the machine.