I don’t want to sound all foreboding here, but I would suggest to everyone to have an up to date backup of all the important information on your laptop.  Learn from my mistakes and don’t go through what I did over the weekend.

You see, things were going great on Saturday, I got a lot of work done and I felt good with myself.  It was hot outside and so inside my home it was hot, but I thought nothing much of it.  Sure, the laptop was whining a little more than usual, but it is an older one, so it didn’t bother me much.

I woke up on Sunday and while I was sitting at the computer, it froze and made a weird noise and I shut it off.  I left to run some errands and didn’t come back until later at night.

When I came home and turned it on, I was in for a surprise - the hard drive was dead.  I fiddled with it for about an hour, and tried to find everything that I could on how to fix it, but I was unsuccessful.

I had to wait until Monday to go to the computer store and get a new hard drive, and then I began the arduous task of reinstalling Windows and all my software.  I didn’t realize how much of a pickle that I was in until I went to restore the information from my external hard drive.

It had been three months since my last backup.

Great.  Now, I was kicking myself because I run my business off of the notebook, and honestly I would never know what I had lost.

What I learned from this experience is that I need to do a backup at least once per week and I have picked Friday that I will hookup my external drive to my notebook to back it up.  I am also looking into online backup solutions, and I might do a post on them later.

Just remember: backup your laptop!

It seems not too long ago, I wrote about laptop batteries and their lives.  Based on the previous article, my laptop battery should be nearing less than 50% of it’s capacity.

Well, I am sad to say I think it is closer to zero.

Just the other day, while out on a consulting job, I decided to show a client some examples of some websites in an effort to give them some ideas.  Turning on my laptop, I booted up windows and was ready to show them the samples… and then…

“Battery low, change battery or plug in immediately”

Needless to say, I got about five minutes of power out of it.

That sucks.

So, off to find a replacement battery.  I will let you all know what kind of prices and places I was able to find a replacement.

Till then,

Take care. 

To be honest, most people wouldn’t consider the amount of power there computers use, rather, just like appliances, most of us consider them to be a necessary cost of life.  But I thought it would be interesting to know how much it costs me to have my laptop on 24 hours a day, seven days a week.  So I did a little experiment.

I went over to my local hardware store to purchase a energy meter.  This device just plugs into any wall outlet an measures the amount of power that passes through it.  You can also set the rate that you pay for each kWh (kilowatt hour) from your utility company to figure out the cost of running the device.

After setting up the program to run for a few days I came up with the following result:

My laptop uses an average of 30 watts per hour.

Now, with all the concern regarding greenhouse gas emissions, I went online to find some calculators to find out how much carbon dioxide is a result of me having my laptop on all the time.

Using my laptop results in about 350 pounds of carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere each year.

Feeling a little guilty (I am killing the world for my children) I checked into what I could do to offset these carbon emissions.  I came across one site that stated that a tree can absorb about 48 pounds of carbon dioxide a year.  So to make up for the carbon emissions my laptop generates, I would have to plant about eight trees.

In conclusion, I urge you to think about what effect you and your computer use has on the environment.  Chances are in our lifetimes we won’t have to deal with the consequences of our actions but our children will.

Customers expect that laptop computers and laptop accessories should be cheaper and available easily in third world countries’ computer markets - but the fact is that is not currently the reality. Among cheaper laptops acer laptops perform very well. Laptop accessories should be purchased keeping in view laptop compatibility. Customers should be well aware of laptop guideline uses for better performance of their machine.

I am sitting here blogging.  I have been typing for two hours or so.  And do you know what?  My wrists hurt.

This is a sign I need to take a break.  In fact, I should have taken a break a long time ago.  You should take a break at least every half hour.  If you don’t, you run the risk of getting Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is a painful, progressive condition related to the compression of a key nerve in the wrist.  It can start simply as pain in the hands progressing to numbness, loss of strength and finally loss of function.  Even though there is surgery available to reverse most cases, take a break every once in awhile - your wrists will thank you.

People tend to get really excited owning their first laptop.  Their is definitely a sense of freedom when you can take your notebook wherever you go.  Here is a list of some places you shouldn’t take your notebook:

1.  The beach

Sure it may seem like a good idea to take your laptop out with you while you catch some rays, but please reconsider.  The sand at the beach is not good for the insides of your notebook and can damage it.

2.  On your motor boat

Ok, sure it may be cool to take your GPS software out on the lake and mark those good fishing spots but water and laptops are not friends.  There is definitely a good chance of the notebook getting wet, and a chance that it could fall in the lake.

3.  The tub

Sure a good soak in the tub is great, but leave the laptop out of it; it has the same problem as the motor boat: water.

4.  Winter camping

I suppose it would be ok to take it with you if winter in your part of the world is warm.  Up here in Canada, the -40 degree Celsius is not so good for the laptop.  Without proper warmth, the screen can freeze and crack.

5.  Outside in your vehicle on a hot day

If it is hot outside and your laptop is going to be in your car, leave it in the trunk.  Why?  If you leave it in the passenger compartment, the heat inside could cause parts of your notebook to melt.

Computers rapid change into laptops is taking place all over the world in offices and homes. A major concern is the life of the laptop battery which matters a lot for the user. Some branded computer firms claim their batteries have a longer life - for example acer laptops. Every laptop has some typical feature which distinguishes it from the other; for example a toshiba laptop is very beautiful in shape and fully loaded with all accessories. The most important thing to do is to understand laptop guideline uses. A user must be well aware of stolen laptop guide for enhanced security of his machine. A problem apparent in third world countries’ computer markets is shortage of used laptop accessories.

Do you make periodic backups?  If you don’t, you are not unlike the hundreds of notebook users that do not backup their information.  Most people assume that since a laptop is more durable than a desktop, the hard drive in the notebook should last longer.

Inevitably, laptops are just as likely to have a hard drive failure as a desktop.  Often these failures can be more costly as a large number of business people use their laptops specifically for work.

In order to protect your data, you can try some of these steps:

1. Purchase an external hard drive.

   By purchasing (don’t just buy it - use it) a portable hard drive, it is easy to make backups.  Usually you just have to plug the hard drive into the USB port on your laptop and you can use the included backup software to backup your vital files.  Price on external hard drives usually start out around the $100 mark and up.

2. Use a USB flash drive

   With USB flash drive prices plummeting, this can be a cost effective option if you do not have a lot of information to backup.  Provided your data takes up less than 8 GB or so (currently the largest size available at a reasonable price) this can be a convenient option.  Not only do USB flash drives fit in your pocked, they can also fit in your safety deposit box for extra security.  Most flash drives also come with some security software to protect your information should the drive get stolen.

3. Make a backup on DVDs or CDs

   One of the cheaper options, you can backup your information on traditional CDs or DVDs.  The catch with this method is that you have to do it, there is not really any automated backup solution that would backup to your optical drive and change disks as needed (as of yet).  One advantage of backing your data to optical disks is that they should last longer than the above discussed options and provided you are not using re-writeable disks, do not run the risk of being erased by accident. 

Remember to backup your information, it shouldn’t be considered a chore, rather you are protecting your pictures, data, and potentially your livelihood by engaging in this important habit.

If you have owned a computer in your life, you may have had to decide between purchasing a notebook or a desktop computer.  If you need some pros and cons to help you make your decision, check the following list out:

Pros of owning a laptop:

• Portability.  You can take your laptop out for coffee, to work and even to your job site.
• Convenience.  You do not have to stay attached to a desk anymore.  If it is a nice day, go outside and take your computer with you.
• Environmentally friendly.  Laptop computers tend to use less power than their desktop counterparts.
• Safe from power outages.  Since your laptop has a battery, if the power goes out your work is not lost.
• Multiple uses when traveling.  Your laptop can work as a GPS, a portable DVD player, a stereo, a tour guide, and many other uses as well.

Cons of owning a notebook:

• Not very upgradeable.  Except for the memory, hard drive, battery and wireless card, most laptops are not upgradeable.  Be sure to buy what you need now and what you will need in the future.
• Theft.  Laptops are easy to conceal and much easier to steal compared to a desktop.  Be sure to have some type of anti-theft device to use with your laptop.
• Multi-tasking ability.  Now this may seem weird, but just last night, I was working on my laptop while watching television.  I was more productive, but something is just wrong doing these two tasks at the same time. 

I am sure some of you have gone out and purchased a mouse for your notebook.  When you were out shopping, you may have noticed that there were regular mice and notebook mice.  Take a look at the following picture:

The mouse on the left is a “regular” size mouse, and the mouse on the right is a notebook mouse.  Now that you can see the visual differences, let us look at the good (pros) and the bad (cons) of using a notebook mouse.

Pros

• Small, easy to carry around
• Convenient.  Some wireless notebook mice also double as a wireless presenter
• Requires less counter space to function

Cons

• Smaller than a regular mouse
• Extended use can cause hand strain and pain
• Easier to lose because of size
• Hard to use if you have large hands

If you do decide to buy a notebook mouse, purchase it from a place where it can be easily returned.  If you do find that it does cause problems, take it back and get a regular sized mouse.

If you are like many entrepreneurs, bookkeepers, accountants and business owners, you keep track of your books on your laptop.  If you have a laptop that has a screen smaller than 17 inches, you will notice something missing compared to a traditional keyboard: the number pad.

A sample of a keyboard laptop on a 15″ notebook.

Usually it is easier to use a number pad to do accounting - if you are familiar with a 10-key calculator, it makes life quicker and easier.  So, instead of using the numbers along the top of the keyboard, you can get a USB powered number pad.

An example of a USB number pad.

You can find a USB number pad at any computer store, with prices ranging from about $20 and up.  If you need to lighten your load in your notebook bag, consider purchasing the USB calculator by Canon - it works just as a ten key calculator, with the benefit of being able to plug into your notebook as well.

I get a lot of questions as to whether or not you should leave you batter in your laptop when you have it plugged in.  If you remove the batter while the computer is plugged in, you get the following benefits:

1. Slow down the batter aging process

   The life of your lithium battery decreases with higher temperatures.  When you have the notebook plugged in, the battery heats up as some power is sent to it to keep it charged up.  By removing the battery, you extend the life of the battery by keeping it away from the heat experienced while installed in the laptop.

2. Preserves charge cycles

   Lithium ion batteries slowly discharge over time.  By leaving your battery in the notebook, the laptop will top-up the battery on a continuous basis, losing some of your charge cycles.  By removing the battery, you will save some of your charge cycles (typically a battery will have 300 to 800 charge cycles during its’ lifetime).

Along with the benefits, there are some negatives to having your battery out of your laptop.  Examples are:

1. Lose battery backup

   The battery in the laptop serves as a UPS (uninterruptible power supply.)  When you remove the battery, you no longer get the benefits that it has to offer such as protection from power outages and voltage drops.

2. Data loss

   If the power does go out while you are using your laptop due to a power outage, you run the risk of lost or corrupt data.  You need to be certain to save your work often to reduce the chance of lost data.

3. Need a UPS for backup power

   To help avoid data loss with your battery removed, consider plugging the laptop into a UPS (uninterruptible power supply.)  A good quality UPS can cost $100 or more, whereas you can buy a laptop battery for $50+.