Prices of laptop have definitely come down but since the parts are smaller compared to desktop, so laptops are still costlier than desktops for the same configuration. When planning to purchase a laptop, check how much you can afford according to your budget and do not overspend.  When you are sure that you have found the laptop that you want, do not immediately go for it.  Wait for a day and check over your finances, work expectations from laptop – its hardware and software configuration, and see if you are still as excited about the laptop in the morning, as you were when the Sales Executive was showing off its specifications.  If you still think that it is the laptop that you want to buy then purchase it.

Size And Weight Matters

Buying a laptop is a matter that requires a lot of thought as you don’t buy it every day.  You should also consider the size and weight of the laptop – another important factor especially for frequent travelers.  How frequently will you be carrying your laptop?  Your answer will help you in determining which size and weight will best suit your needs.  

If you will be carrying your laptop often, a lighter model will be more suitable.

Keyboard and Mouse

The keyboard is another important area to consider when buying a laptop as you cannot work on a laptop on which you are uncomfortable in typing due to keys and keyboard area being small. The size of the keyboard is important as a larger laptop will have a slightly bigger keyboard area with bigger keys and area for keys, without putting much pressure on your wrists. If you have bigger palm area and thick fingers, you must go for the laptop with more keyboard area and should also check the laptop keys by doing some actual typing on it.

A laptop will have a built in touch pad, an alternative to the mouse, whereby the pad is controlled by the user’s finger movement.  For some people, this type of pad is uncomfortable and not easy to work with.  Before purchasing a laptop, determine what mouse options are available.  Test each one and find out which one best meets your needs.

An external mouse and keyboard can be attached with USB ports of laptop but if you travel a lot then carrying external mouse and external keyboard can be an issue. By the way, there are foldable keyboards available that can be carried easily in your laptop bag.

Wireless Options

Today, when many people consider laptop, they think “wireless”.  People want to ascertain that their laptop computer will be able to let them work on the Internet with a wireless connection. Many of today’s laptops come with wireless Internet circuitry fitted in it. All you need to do is to get your wireless Internet activated from one of your wireless Internet Service Provider (ISP) and configure your laptop for same. So depending on your needs, choose your laptop whether it is capable of expanding with the option of a wireless card getting fit in it or if it is already fitted with wireless Internet facility.

Check for Ports

Peripheral equipment (devices at the edge or outside laptop) such as printer, camera, external keyboard, external mouse and external monitor etc. will be connected to your laptop through USB.  You will make your life much easier by ensuring that your laptop has adequate ports (>4).  Connecting external devices will be much simpler if you have the ports readily available on your new laptop. If you are not sure, thoroughly read the specifications for any laptop that you are considering purchasing.

Note: You can also buy an external USB hub and increase the number of USB ports of your laptop but this way you are increasing a device that needs to be carried and taken care of.

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Broad Must Consider Factors When Buying A Laptop!

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A laptop can be conveniently carried and used anywhere – on a beach, in a restaurant, in a flight and a park etc. It’s a light computer and thus extremely portable. When you are lazy and tired after a day hard work, you may generally use it on a bed also in a relaxed position – lying or sitting in a quilt etc. While using a laptop, you may unknowingly sleep with laptop powered on the bed. Happens in everyday life?

Yes, it’s normal.

A laptop is a compact computer and has small components and has very less gaps for ventilation and cooling as compared to a desktop. It has fans that help in throwing the hot air out as well as letting the fresh air in (due to gaps between the blades of fan). These fans are typically at the vertical back and bottom of the laptop. Now, when you are using a laptop on a bed, the flat surface is not hard and if the bed has pillows, quilt, bed sheets etc. blocking the hot air being vented out, you can easily analyze what will happen to the inner temperature of the laptop.

The situation of hot air being blocked from your laptop due to unnoticed stuff lying close to your laptop on your bed is extremely dangerous as it leads to overheating of the inner parts of the laptop. I am sure this is not a very technical thing to realize. This overheating of the electronic parts in the laptop can definitely damage the parts of the laptop or cause a fire too if it continues for a long time (few minutes to hours – depends on how compact your laptop is and how much heat is being blocked). I have heard of cases of start of fire due to laptop getting overheated due to blocking of the released heat, when used on a bed having stuff obstructing the intake and throwing of heat.

Thus my advice to all laptop users would be to avoid using laptop on a bed. If you have to use your laptop on bed, then make sure that the laptop fans passage for exhaling hot air and inhaling air is clear. Also use a laptop inner temperature monitoring software which is normally supplied by the laptop manufacturer. You can also download it from Internet. Using the computer temperature monitoring software will let you know the audio or visual alarms in case of a condition where the temperature of the inner parts of your computer increases too much. Using a laptop inner temperature monitoring software can help you in taking a corrective action in case it is needed. One such free software that monitors the temperature of various parts of computer is SpeedFan. You can also use a laptop Fan Control software. Do a  Google search for the mentioned keywords and download the relevant software that suits your laptop model.

If you still want to use your laptop on the bed, then use a laptop stand or make sure that the fans of the laptop are getting a clear path for air (intake and exhale).

I am sure that laptop users will find this post on avoiding the use of a laptop on an uneven and soft  bed extremely useful! Even using a hard board below the laptop when using it on a soft bed would help. It would help in passing of the heat through the vent and the air gap between the hard board and the laptop bottom (good word – Isn’t it?)

Take care of your laptop and don’t ever let it overheat. Take care that the vents of your laptops are never ever blocked otherwise it can become a frying pan and go up in flames. I know that no one sane enough would like it to happen ever! Right?

Any comments? Positive or negative – I love them!!!

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Avoid Using Laptop On A Soft and Congested Bed

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1. Full Charging and Discharging: Charge your laptop battery fully and discharge it fully too. It is applicable only for NiCad and NiMH batteries (NiMH batteries being better than NiCad in terms of less maintenance and better technology). Don’t charge the laptops with NiCad and NiMH batteries after a small usage, wait till the battery reaches 10% power backup and then charge.2. Use Operating System Power Management: To reduce load on laptop battery, use power management features such as hard disk, local network card, Wi-Fi, display etc. power off in case of inactivity. Avoid playing DVD’s, running video files, data transfer and other heavy load tasks when the laptop is on battery.

3. No to Extreme temperatures and Harsh environment: Don’t leave your laptop with batteries in extreme hot, cold conditions and tough environment. E.g.: In open sunlight with very hot conditions, snowy weather, cold waves and rain.

4. No Overheating: If you work in an environment where the power rarely goes or you have a power backup facility, then plug out your laptop battery and keep it in your laptop bag separately. You can use it when you feel that the battery backup is required. Also, use the battery once in a month till it discharges completely. (For NiCad and NiMH batteries only).

5. Use Branded Batteries: Always use branded batteries of good reputed companies. Don’t use local, bad quality batteries as it may damage your laptop. The money saved by buying low quality unbranded batteries isn’t worth it as you might have to spend a lot in laptop repairs due to poor power supply from the inferior battery that might damage your laptop electronic parts. Take bill of the branded battery, check its warranty and verify its genuineness.

6. Cleaning Battery Contacts: Clean the battery contacts at the battery and laptop end once in few months. Use cotton with slight isopropyl alcohol to clean the deposit on the battery and at battery pins at laptop. It leads to better conductivity and current flow. Oh! don’t forget to disconnect the power supply to the laptop when cleaning the battery connectors at the laptop side.

7. Use Prescribed Power Cord: In case of any change in the original power cord of the laptop, check the laptop manual and buy the suggested power cord only. This ensures proper supply and a quality cord that doesn’t break or get short circuit in normal use.

8. Discharge and Disconnect In Case of Long Non Usage: If you are not going to use laptop for few days, then discharge the battery fully and disconnect it.

9. Take Proper Care: Treat your laptop battery nicely; don’t mishandle it carelessly by dropping, throwing, letting the children play or accidentally pouring coffee, tea or water on it. If you take care of your laptop battery it will also take care of your laptop .

Hope that you use these tips to increase age of your laptop battery. Did you find them useful?

Cheers!

Rajesh Mago

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Extending Life of Your Laptop Battery

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