| Once you've got your new laptop, the first thing you | | | | protection for devices fixed to a specific location, |
| think about, instinctively, is tuning it on and being | | | | equipment which is used in various locations often |
| productive. Before you've even got it out of the | | | | gets overlooked. The average price of a replacement |
| box, however, there are certain things which should | | | | laptop power supply is between £50 and |
| really be looked after. This also applies to laptops | | | | £60 for branded replacements at the moment. |
| notebooks which are already in use. | | | | A power surge protection socket is less than |
| 1. First of all, it surprises me how many people don't | | | | £10. It makes sense to use one in order to |
| have a carry case for their laptop. They are cheap | | | | protect your laptop power supply and the laptop |
| and most high streets have at least one store selling | | | | itself. |
| them. Even if you convince yourself that your Laptop | | | | 4. This last tip relates to desktop PCs also and is a |
| will only live on a desk, there will come a time where | | | | recurring theme of mine. If you own a laptop you |
| you'll want to carry it somewhere and, unprotected, | | | | really should have a usb key for simple data transfer, |
| you're open to accidental disasters. Even carrying a | | | | storage and backup. In the early days of mass |
| Laptop plus car keys can be tricky without a carry | | | | computer use, floppy disks were the convenient way |
| case. For laptop repairs, I carry a laptop rucksack for | | | | to store and transfer small files. We now have a |
| this very reason. | | | | replacement which can do so much more for very |
| 2. The word 'Laptop' can be misleading, Notebook | | | | little outlay. The question isn't 'why should you', but |
| computers are not really designed to be used on | | | | 'why shouldn't you' have one?. You can pick up a 1gb |
| your lap. The best place for a notebook is on a desk. | | | | usb key for as little as £5. Having a laptop |
| Use of Laptops on your lap or a cushion or bed can | | | | without one is needless these days. |
| lead to overheating as many have vents underneath | | | | So there you have it, tips which make sense in the |
| and most need air circulation underneath to aid | | | | world of modern computing. As I always advocate, |
| cooling. A simple remedy for this is a lap tray, the | | | | you don't need to spend a small fortune to do things |
| type with a hard top and a soft cushion underneath | | | | correctly. You do, however, have to spend a little to |
| usually sold as dinner trays. They make a perfect | | | | save a small fortune. At 'A Star Universal' Computers |
| base for your laptop and is something which I've | | | | in Kent UK, we often give these tips as information |
| recommended for some years now and use myself. | | | | for customers whose laptops we've repaired after a |
| 3. The next tip is probably the least laptop-specific | | | | disaster which could have been avoided by following |
| but just as important. Power surge protection! Whilst | | | | these guidelines. Hopefully you're reading this in good |
| it's quite normal for people to think of surge | | | | time. |