Hello Jay,
To answer your question at face value there is a pick list under configure application --> build --> pick lists --> pick list:CI Type. In there are all the different types of CIs. Examples would be server, virtual server, workstation, router, switch, batch, etc. So if you are looking at the fields for the BO of CI and you find a field named CITypeList you can see where that list comes from. I have given you a screen shot of our install and the pick list is called CI Type. You can then look at the values, either from here or by looking in the pick list section on the left pane.
Each one of those does point back to a child business object off the main business object of CI. What I mean by that is if you do a search on the keyword server in the find box in your Business Object view. The first two hits you get should be CI.server and CI.virtualserver. Those are extended child CIs off the parent of CI.
Now, having said all of that I have never see a CI type of laptop or a BO named CI.Laptop, did you all create a CI for this? That is possible and we have done a few. Could you actually follow what I said in the above section and verify if that type does exist in BO and the Pick lists?
Thanks,
Joe