About Laptop Batteries

Everyone who buys a notebook wants to know how long its battery will last. The brief answer – it’s highly variable depending on how your use your laptop. Batteries for laptops come in three main types: nickel cadmium (NiCad), nickel metal hydride (NiMH), and lithium ion. You can recharge each of these batteries with an AC adaptor. In most cases, it will give you between one and two hours of computer use, depending on a number of factors. Following are five tips to help you get the longest battery life possible Keep Your Screen as Dim as Possible – LCD screens are one of the biggest battery drainers. Adjust your setting so you have enough brightness for comfortable computing. During an overnight flight, for example, you can dim your brightness yet still see clearly. Most notebooks have simple applications you can use to control LCD brightness; consult your user’s manual. Use Power Wisely – Turn off unused devices; each of them drains power. Most notebooks have power-management options. When you’re not using your laptop, you should have it on sleep mode, or your notebook’s equivalent. This mode keeps enough power running to maintain minimal function, so you can resume full power with very little delay when you’re ready to return to your work or play. Cut Down on HD Activity - You can cut down on how hard your hard drive must work by defragmenting it regularly. This can be done automatically at selected regular intervals once you’ve located the Disk Degragmenter in the Start/Programs/Accessories/System Tools menu and follow the prompts. Disable Startup Items – Every time you boot up (on Windows), startup items load into memory, causing other open programs to add to your CPU’s power load. You can easily disable startup options simply by clicking Start/Run, entering C:\MSCONFIG and following the prompts. Keep Your Battery Fit! - Yes, you can actually condition your battery. When you buy your laptop, charge the battery to its full capacity, then discharge it completely. Next, fully charge it again. This way your battery actually learns how much electrical charge it can hold. Always make sure when you charge your battery that it reaches 100 percent.

What is a Windows Vista Capable PC?

A PC that carries the Windows Vista Capable PC logo or meets the Windows Vista Capable requirements below can be upgraded from Windows XP to Windows Vista. All editions of Windows Vista will deliver core experiences such as innovations in organizing and finding information, security, and reliability. All Windows Vista Capable PCs will run these core experiences at a minimum. Some features available in the premium editions of Windows Vista-like the new Windows Aero user experience-may require advanced or additional hardware. You will need to purchase the edition of Windows Vista that you want to install on your Windows Vista Capable PC. A Windows Vista Capable PC includes at least: - A modern processor (at least 800MHz) - 20GB Hard Drive with 15GB Free - 512 MB of system memory - A graphics processor that is DirectX 9 capable - SVGA (800 x 600) - CD-ROM

What is a Windows Vista Premium Ready PC?

To get an even better Windows Vista experience, including the Windows Aero user experience, and run Windows Vista Home Premium, Business or Ultimate versions you need a Windows Vista Capable PC that is designated Premium Ready, or choose a PC that meets or exceeds the Premium Ready requirements described below. Features available in specific premium editions of Windows Vista, such as the ability to watch and record live TV, may require additional hardware. You will need to purchase the edition of Windows Vista that you want to install on your Windows Vista Premium Ready PC. A Windows Vista Premium Ready PC includes at least: - 1 GHz 32-bit (x86) or 64-bit (x64) processor - 1 GB of System Memory - A graphics processor that runs Windows Aero - 128 MB of graphics memory - 40 GB of hard drive capacity with 15 GB free spac - DVD-ROM Drive - Audio output capability - Internet access capability

3M Privacy Filters Help You Comply with Federal Confidentiality Laws 3M Privacy Computer Filters help companies comply with federal legislation requiring confidential personal information be kept confidential. 3M Privacy Computer filters can help medical facilities (i.e. hospitals,clinics, health insurance companies, etc.) comply with the Health Insurance Portability & Accessibility Act (HIPAA). The privacy filters are a simple accessory to desktop monitors, both LCD and CRT, as well as laptop computers. They darken the viewable area of the monitor screen when viewed from the side, which helps prevent the release of confidential personal information that must be protected. Similar legislation exists for those in the financial industry. The Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act places the same restrictions on banks, finance companies, mortgage companies and credit card companies, to name a few.

Shedding Light On CD Burning Your CD burner is one of the most useful and exciting innovations on your PC. It gives you the ability to create a customized music library or back up vast amounts of digital data. In fact, a compact disc can store more than 450 times as much data as a floppy disk! To help you get the most out of this powerful tool, our editors have compiled this handy beginner’s guide to burning your own CDs. November 08, 2004

Starting And Stopping Windows How to Get the Most out of Starting and Stopping Windows Some have compared it to an 800-pound gorilla. A system so huge and powerful, that it’s hard to know exactly what to do with it. So it remains in its cage… its true power and glory untapped. We’re talking about Windows. And whether you use Windows XP, ME, 2000 or 98, you know from experience that its vast wealth of features can be overwhelming. This article gives you insight on how even the simple acts of starting and stopping Windows create opportunities to get a tremendous amount of maintenance work done.