DO,
I’ve never had a laptop. How are the connected to the net? Do they have microphomes and camera in them? I heard that the mikes and cameras can be turned ob surreptitiously by a third party. Is any of that true? I have black tape over the camera in my desktop iMac.
Laptops are great because you can lug them around with you. I wouldn't be very surprised to find out a large percentage of people use them in one location like they did their static desk top computer. I seldom take my main laptop with me.
I have a second that is the thinnest serious PC laptop I am aware of. It is the computer of choice when I'm out. I have a backpack, and it's always with me now. It is part of my own mobile command center. LOL
I have the computer, an iPad mini, a serious power supply that will recharge my iPhone over ten times, and all the cables necessary to charge my stuff or other people's stuff.
My camera works as a wifi hub, so I can connect devices to it if I'm out. What I've often wondered is, what good is this if you can't use the iPhone as a wifi hub if there's no wifi around? Why not connect your other devices to the local wifi directly. Security may be the issue with that. I'm not sure how much more secure your devices would be routed through your iPhone vs the local wifi, but they may be. Wouldn't count on it.
I am looking into purchasing a VPN account, so that when I am out I can communicate securely. In a public place, your computer is vulnerable. The VPN is an account you sign into and browse the web through the VPN pipeline. It's not totally foolproof from what I've read, but it's the best insurance I know of for safe secure internet use when you're in a public place, accessing public wifi.
Laptops come in various configurations. Some have a slot for plugging directly into the internet modem. Some also have wifi capability, and can connect to their WIFI router, which is connected to the modem.
The modems will connect to cable or a land line.
Some have microphone and speaker plug-in ports. Some can pick up sound, so you can talk while connected without a mic. With some you'll need a mic.
People claim that someone can hack into your computer and access your camera even if you haven't turned it on. Others claim that isn't true.
As a rule of thumb, I cover my laptop camera lens.
I received a credit card facsimile. It's a cardboard/poly laminate card. I bent it at a 90 degree angle about an inch from the end. Then I put it up to my laptop and bent it again at the exact width of the area where the camera was at the top of my screen. This left the card in a U shape at the top, with about a 3/4 inch hang down on the short side. I then slipped that over the top of my laptop screen where the camera lens is. It covers it nicely, but doesn't hang down into the screen area. I can then slip the device off the lens when I want to use Skype or some other program where I want the camera to function, then slip it back on when I want privacy. Almost all the time, it remains covered. It isn't a hassle, so why not?
Some articles make what I consider to be a decent point, that a green light next to your camera would go on if someone were accessing it. Is there a workaround for that? I don't know. Back to the rule of thumb.
As for your iMac, that sounds like a good idea.
I have been using a laptop as opposed to a desktop for the last five years. I haven't missed my deck-top at all. It depends on what you use your system for. There may be issues in certain circumstances.
One device I purchased has helped a lot with backup. It was a 2 terabyte USB ported drive. I move stuff off my laptop to it. If I have a failure, I can then plug that terabyte drive into my other computer and be ready to go quickly.
There are now USB disk drives up to five terabytes in size. Saw one recently for about $125.00. I don't remember exactly, but it was in the low $100s.
Here is a specific article about the camera issue: LINK
Here are more resources on the topic: LINK