computer science

Voodoo Envy

Voodoo Envy is a computer science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Voodoo Envy rather than just read about it. In short: The Voodoo Envy 133 was a notebook computer designed by VoodooPC after its acquisition by Hewlett-Packard. It was positioned as a mobile ultraportable notebook and was introduced at HP's Connecting Your World Live event in Berlin, Germany on June 10, 2008.

Key takeaways

Voodoo Envy belongs to computer science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Voodoo Envy to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Voodoo Envy from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

The Voodoo Envy 133 was a notebook computer designed by VoodooPC after its acquisition by Hewlett-Packard. It was positioned as a mobile ultraportable notebook and was introduced at HP's Connecting Your World Live event in Berlin, Germany on June 10, 2008.

Overview The chassis of the Voodoo Envy is made of carbon fiber, and it weighs 1.7 kg (3.75 lb) and is 1.8 cm (0.71 in) thick all around. The system utilizes the Windows Vista operating system as well as a Linux kernel dubbed "Voodoo Instant On" or "Voodoo IOS." The laptop has often been compared to the MacBook Air for its similar size and specifications. HP claimed it to be the world's thinnest notebook, although this record has now been broken, as it is 0.70 inches throughout, whereas the Dell Adamo is 0.65 inches thick all around. According to the specifications, its 3-cell lithium-ion battery will provide up to 3 hours and 10 minutes' battery life, depending on usage. The HP Envy line of laptops and other products replaced the Voodoo Envy when HP and VoodooPC merged.

References

External links VoodooPC web site VoodooPC community site

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Voodoo Envy

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Voodoo Envy claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In computer science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Voodoo Envy before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Voodoo Envy ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Voodoo Envy

In research: Voodoo Envy appears in computer science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Voodoo Envy in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Voodoo Envy is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Computer-related introductions in 2008, Computer hardware stubs, HP laptops, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Voodoo Envy outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Voodoo Envy in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Voodoo Envy means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Voodoo Envy out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Voodoo Envy in simple terms?

Why does Voodoo Envy matter?

Because it connects several computer science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Voodoo Envy?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Voodoo Envy.