By Bill H Robinson (Contributed)
Once you’ve got your new laptop, the first thing you think about, instinctively, is tuning it on and being productive. Before you’ve even got it out of the box, however, there are certain things which should really be looked after. This also applies to laptops/notebooks which are already in use.
1. First of all, it surprises me how many people don’t have a carry case for their laptop. They are cheap and most high streets have at least one store selling them. Even if you convince yourself that your Laptop will only live on a desk, there will come a time where you’ll want to carry it somewhere and, unprotected, you’re open to accidental disasters. Even carrying a Laptop plus car keys can be tricky without a carry case. For laptop repairs, I carry a laptop rucksack for this very reason.
2. The word ‘Laptop’ can be misleading, Notebook computers are not really designed to be used on your lap. The best place for a notebook is on a desk. Use of Laptops on your lap or a cushion or bed can lead to overheating as many have vents underneath and most need air circulation underneath to aid cooling. A simple remedy for this is a lap tray, the type with a hard top and a soft cushion underneath usually sold as dinner trays. They make a perfect base for your laptop and is something which I’ve recommended for some years now and use myself.
3. The next tip is probably the least laptop-specific but just as important. Power surge protection! Whilst it’s quite normal for people to think of surge protection for devices fixed to a specific location, equipment which is used in various locations often gets overlooked. The average price of a replacement laptop power supply is between £50 and £60 for branded replacements at the moment. A power surge protection socket is less than £10. It makes sense to use one in order to protect your laptop power supply and the laptop itself.
4. This last tip relates to desktop PCs also and is a recurring theme of mine. If you own a laptop you really should have a usb key for simple data transfer, storage and backup. In the early days of mass computer use, floppy disks were the convenient way to store and transfer small files. We now have a replacement which can do so much more for very little outlay. The question isn’t ‘why should you’, but ‘why shouldn’t you’ have one?. You can pick up a 1gb usb key for as little as £5. Having a laptop without one is needless these days.
So there you have it, tips which make sense in the world of modern computing. As I always advocate, you don’t need to spend a small fortune to do things correctly. You do, however, have to spend a little to save a small fortune. At ‘A Star Universal’ Computers in Kent UK, we often give these tips as information for customers whose laptops we’ve repaired after a disaster which could have been avoided by following these guidelines. Hopefully you’re reading this in good time.
Article by Bill on behalf of ‘A Star Universal computers’.
A Kent based local computer repair and Web Site design company located in Teynham near Sittingbourne Kent. We also offer home or office tutorials for new or nervous computer users who want to be confident with the basics.
More info can be had by visiting Laptop computer repair in Kent or email us at enquiries@astar-universal.co.uk
If you are an organization and would like to book a tutorial session, please leave a message using our contact enquiry form
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James is the owner of WindowsTalk.org and has been a Microsoft Windows Consumer MVP since 2003.
Nice tips should be read by all laptop owners.