However, unlike a desktop computer , a laptop is portable and can run on batteries alone. They have a life of roughly two hours between charges, but this life decreases with each charge based on the memory effect.
Gas bubbles form in the cell plates, reducing the total amount of available cell space for recharge. The only way around this is to discharge the battery completely before recharging it. The other drawback of NiCad is that if the battery charges too long, it can explode. They last longer between charges than NiCad but overall have a shorter total lifespan. They suffer from the memory effect, but to a lesser extent than NiCad batteries.
LiIon batteries are the current standard for laptop computers. They are light and have long life spans. They do not suffer from the memory effect, can be charged randomly, and won't overheat if overcharged. They are also thinner than any other battery available for laptops, making them ideal for the new ultra-thin notebooks. LiIon batteries can last for anything from about up to charges.
Many laptops with LiIon batteries claim to have a 5-hour battery life, but this measurement can vary greatly depending on how the computer is used. The hard drive , other disk drives and LCD display all use substantial battery power. Even maintaining wireless Internet connectivity requires some battery power.
Many laptop computer models have power management software to extend the battery life or conserve battery power when the battery is low. Laptops are available in a huge variety of configurations, with a wide range of options and capabilities.
Here are a few things to keep in mind when you shop for a laptop:. Many people build custom PCs for themselves or customers. These home-made computers, called whiteboxes , represent a significant portion of the computer market.
Some people also modify their computers for cosmetics or performance. This is called modding. But what about building or modding a laptop? Whitebooks represent about 5 percent of the notebook market right now, and this number is slowly rising. The industry has done a pretty good job of keeping end users out of laptops. They've made it difficult to open, modify and get parts for a laptop. In addition, opening the laptop chassis voids the manufacturer's warranty in most cases.
It is still difficult to find parts to build a laptop from the ground up, but vendors like ASUS and ECS allow some customers to order blank laptop shells. They are especially open to resellers who build whitebooks and sell them to customers. In addition, people can mod or upgrade what came with the shell.
Companies like TechStyle have made a business of it. At this point, there are no real standards for the form factor shape and design of laptop parts. Processors designed for laptops are available for sale, but finding a motherboard for those chips is a different story.
In the s, Alan Kay of the Xerox Palo Alto Research Center had a vision for a wireless portable computer roughly the size of a notebook. He called it the Dynabook.
Kay's Dynabook never got past sketches and a cardboard model, but it set the wheels in motion for the development of a truly portable computer. It had kilobytes of bubble memory, a die-cast magnesium case and a folding electroluminescent graphics display screen. Other companies, like Gavilan Computer and Apple, introduced other portable computers in following years. The PC Convertible featured:. Weighing in at a hefty 12 lbs 5. It was the first portable computer with the clamshell design used in today's laptops.
The success of the PC Convertible was the catalyst for competitors like Compaq and Toshiba to switch to the clamshell design in their portable computers. And so began the era of the laptop computer. For more information about laptops and related topics, check out the links on the following page. Sign up for our Newsletter! Mobile Newsletter banner close. Mobile Newsletter chat close. On a Windows laptop, use Windows to connect to the Internet.
If you're plugging in a new or different wireless card into your laptop, you might need to use the software that came with your card rather than Windows' built-in wireless utility. While you're on the road or just outside of the house, you can often pick up wireless Internet for free.
Schools, libraries and cafes often have free wi-fi for you to use, and you can often find wi-fi in places that might surprise you like some supermarkets, banks and outdoor venues.
Part 4. Add a wireless mouse to your laptop. An external mouse can make it easier to work on your laptop - you won't need to pinch your wrists in at an angle to use the touchpad or mouse pad. Use your laptop in combination with another screen for a high-productivity two-screen workspace. You can arrange your laptop and your second screen as one big workspace, or set up your second screen to mirror what's on the laptop screen useful if you're giving presentations.
You can use your laptop to play movies and show photos on your TV. Connect your laptop to speakers and you've essentially got a huge, powerful, high-capacity MP3 player. Your laptop may be able to connect to your car's audio system. Follow our how-to on connecting to car audio, but be careful - driving down the street at the same time that you're trying to click a tiny button on your laptop to change the music is a really easy way to get into an accident.
Laptops can be used as desktops. If you want to use the laptop as a desktop, it's as simple as hooking a monitor into the VGA socket, attaching a mouse and a keyboard and connecting speakers if desired. Hold down the power button, or click on the windows icon on the bottom left corner, find a power symbol, and click it to get the option to make it sleep, restart or shutdown. Not Helpful 19 Helpful You click down and hold with one finger, and slide the other finger across the trackpad in the direction you want to scroll.
Not Helpful 17 Helpful Hold down the power button or, if you are using windows, select the windows icon on the bottom left corner and find the power symbol and you will have an option to sleep, restart or shut down. Not Helpful 13 Helpful Look at the different products available and see which one best appeals to you the most: what it does, how much it costs, reviews, etc.
There are free versions of most virus protection programs. It depends on what phone you have. For example, if you have an ISSUE device, like an iPhone, then you will need to plug the device into the computer using the wire. This applies for most other devices. Once plugged in, you should be prompted with what to do next to retrieve your photos off your phone. Not Helpful 20 Helpful Right-click the photo and then click "Save image as," then name it whatever you want and save it in the location you want to.
Not Helpful 11 Helpful Bring it over and any other items you need for it mouse, charger, etc. Then you can use your laptop as you normally would. Don't ignore your friend, though! If you wish to have Chrome as your browser, go to the Chrome website and download the browser.
Software are programs that your laptop runs, and are not something physical. Hardware is what runs the laptop, and includes the processor, storage, etc.
Not Helpful 9 Helpful Laptops are portable computers, so using a laptop means that you can have your computer on the go, while still having a full keyboard, USB ports, and other crucial features unlike tablets. Today's laptops can also be as powerful as desktops. For some people, the combination of convenience and power makes laptops preferable to desktops or tablets.
Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. Set up your laptop and work area for ergonomic usage.
Laptops can be ergonomically worse than desktops because laptop keyboards are usually smaller, requiring you to pinch in your wrists at an angle to use all the keys, and their ability to be placed anywhere can promote poor positioning. Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0. You need a case to carry around your laptop. Laptops are fragile and it's easy to damage them if you stuff them into unpadded cases and jolt them against things. Consider investing in a quality padded case for your laptop - or just make one yourself if you have a hoodie handy.
It's a good idea to periodically clean your laptop with compressed air so that dust and dirt do not settle in it. Submit a Tip All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published. Back up your laptop regularly. Doing a lot of work on your laptop and only keeping one copy on your laptop is a disaster waiting to happen. Keep a regular back up schedule, especially if you use your laptop for work.
Keep an eye on your laptop at all times. Your laptop is valuable, portable, and easily re-sellable, making it attractive to thieves. Take basic precautions when traveling , and don't leave your laptop out without keeping an eye on it, don't leave your laptop out on your car seat, and as always, be aware of your environment.
Don't spill stuff on your laptop! Laptops have a lot of open ports for ventilation and an open keyboard that sits on top of hot, tightly packed circuitry - a great set-up for a catastrophic coffee spill. Your laptop's warranty will probably not cover these types of events. Consciously make sure to keep your beverage far away from your laptop - on opposite ends of your table or desk, or even on a separate table if possible - when you are working and drinking.
Do not drop or subject your laptop to impacts while it is running. Most laptops use hard drives that can easily be damaged if subjected to sudden shocks while running. A hard enough impact will cause a head crash , where the rapidly spinning disks inside your hard drive collide against the drive's reading head. This will make your laptop a very expensive brick.
Be careful and treat your laptop gently. Laptops run hot. Many laptops, particularly powerful ones, will become hot on the bottom after prolonged usage. This can cause discomfort or a heat rash on your thighs if you are using your laptop on your lap. Gaming laptops with powerful graphics cards and processors are particularly prone to overheating.
Treat these laptops more carefully. Try not to use your laptop in a brightly sun-lit or hot setting. Consider purchasing a laptop cooler if your laptop runs especially hot. However, laptops also tend to be more expensive than comparable desktop computers. Because laptops are designed for portability, there are some important differences between them and desktop computers.
A laptop has an all-in-one design , with a built-in monitor , keyboard , touchpad which replaces the mouse , and speakers.
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