Everyone wants the best performance, but what about price? How big a screen can you get before you sacrifice portability? How many ports do you need, and what size hard drive will do the job?
Your best weapon before you go shopping is to be informed. To help, we've created this laptop guide with a few pointers on what you'll need to consider before buying a laptop / laptop battery .
1. Choose your form factor
We break notebooks down into five categories by weight, with some overlap: netbooks (usually less than 1kg), ultraportables (1.5kg-2kg), thin and lights (1kg-2kg), mainstream models (2kg-4kg) and desktop replacements (generally 4kg or heavier).
New netbooks are rare things, but you can still get one if you really try. They were effectively killed off by considerably more powerful mainstream laptops entering the AU$700 price point, and the MacBook Air 11 and ultrabooks bringing portability at a good price.
These days, you can pick one up for under AU$300, but we'd advise you to steer clear; there are simply better options and experiences available now.
While there are still a few ultraportables around, like Sony's Vaio Z series and Alienware's M11x R3, they have effectively been killed off by thin-and-light laptops, or what Intel calls ultrabooks. Occupying the 11- to 13-inch space, thin-and-light laptops can now genuinely claim extra portability with minimal performance sacrifice. Going for between AU$999 and AU$2299 depending on build quality, storage capacity, aesthetics and branding, thin and lights are the natural evolution of the category defined by Apple's MacBook Air. Don't expect optical drives here, but battery life in this category is generally excellent.
Mainstream laptops are like budget desktops; they're good for general tasks, but they won't win any contests for their performance. They're significantly thicker than the newest thin-and-light laptops to hit the shelves, but typically come with more ports and generally have more powerful processors and dedicated graphics cards, usually at the detriment to battery life.
This category is set for a shake-up in 2012, with many analysts expecting things to get thinner — whether this is at the sacrifice of ports remains to be seen.
If you want desktop power, you need a desktop replacement. With screen sizes of 16- to 18-inches, weight as heavy as 6 kilograms and average battery life of less than three hours, these behemoths are not for people on the go. They can accommodate a wide range of performance parts, however, and are just right for power users of all kinds.
2. The CPU and you
When it comes to processors, a general rule of thumb is to buy the fastest that you can afford. Problem is, it's not all just about speed these days. A GHz from one family of CPUs doesn't equal a GHz from another.
There's also the question of how many cores you should get. Entry level these days is dual core, which will suit most people just fine. There are also triple-core and quad-core processors out there, but keep in mind that not all applications take advantage of this extra power. Some video-encoding applications, 3D applications and games will use them, though, so if you're a content-production maniac or a gamer, it'll likely be worth investing in a quad-core machine. If you mainly just browse the internet, then dual core is perfectly fine.
You have a lot of options, so below are the basics.
High performance
Intel Core i7
Now in its second generation (and about to enter its third), Intel holds the fastest chips in the mobile space. As the performance part, Core i7 is often paired with a discrete graphics processing unit (GPU).
Keep an eye out, though — some are dual core, some are quad core and some have low-voltage chips (meaning lower performance, but also much longer battery life). These days, low-voltage chips are generally found in thin-and-light laptops — what Intel calls ultrabooks.
AMD's strategy in the CPU world seems to be changing; it no longer competes at the high end.
Mainstream performance
Core i5
Available in dual- and quad-core configurations, as well as low-voltage variants, the Core i5 is the workhorse of the industry, filling many a fine mainstream laptop. Just make sure that you pick up a second-generation part, easily identifiable by the model number starting with a two. It'll usually come with Intel HD graphics, although it's often paired with a discrete graphics card from AMD or Nvidia, as well.
AMD A8
A quad-core part, the A8's performance falls somewhere between Intel's dual-core Core i3 and Core i5, depending on the clock speed.
Budget
Core i3
Now in its second generation, these dual-core processors are almost exclusively paired with Intel HD Graphics, and are for those who only do the basics: word processing, image viewing, music listening and internet browsing. It's a small step above the processors below, and is usually what we consider as being the minimum for hassle-free computing.
Intel Pentium and Celeron; AMD A6, A4
These are low-performance machines that tend to be used in sub-AU$700, 14-inch to 15.6-inch laptops, primarily to keep the cost down. If you're on a strict budget and have modest needs, then these may do the job for you.
Low power, low performance
Intel Atom, AMD C series, AMD E series
These tend to be used in the 8.9- to 11.6-inch space, in laptops often incorrectly termed "netbooks" — a phrase that is actually reserved for laptops featuring Intel's Atom CPU.
These are generally low-power, very low-performance chips best suited to basic internet browsing and office tasks.
While Atom really hasn't progressed much in the performance stakes in the past year, AMD's competing E series does provide a much better computing experience at the budget end, as evidenced by HP's Pavilion dm1.
3. The (not-so) great outdoors
Sunlight is not ideal for computing — specifically, for seeing the screen. If you want to work outdoors, you'll need to hunt for a matte screen. While some consumer laptops have matte screens, most come with glossy screens, maximising reflections and making it hard to see anything when outside.
As a general rule of thumb, most business laptops still come with matte screens, and some laptops, like the MacBook Pro 15, have matte options if you're willing to pay a little more.
4. Mind your memory
Having enough memory is vital to system performance, and lots of RAM lets you run more applications simultaneously. Sufficient RAM is also necessary for graphics work, image editing and video editing, and is crucial for 3D gaming. This is especially true in notebooks, because notebook graphics processors frequently have little or no memory of their own, and share the main system's RAM.
Adding RAM is an easy way to boost performance, but first make sure that the notebook's memory sockets are accessible. (They're usually under a panel on the bottom of the system.) Here's an easy way to determine how much you need:
512MB: generally fine if you're running a Linux variant on something small like a netbook, but really, this is far too little for today's uses.
1GB: adequate for running a number of basic programs at once, but you may find that your machine struggles quite a bit with modern apps and operating systems.
2GB: entry level. This will be fine for office work and basic internet browsing, and will get you by for most basic tasks.
4GB or more: recommended! Good for 3D gaming, graphics work and video editing. Keep in mind that if you hit the 4GB point, you'll need to run a 64-bit operating system to take advantage of all the memory — a 32-bit one won't be able to access it all. Make sure to check that you're getting a 64-bit version of Windows before you buy.
5. Finger fitting
As notebooks shrink in size, so do their keyboards. If possible, try some simple typing exercises before you buy it. The smaller the keyboard, the more creative the vendor may have been with key size and placement. Pay particular attention to the space bar, Shift, Ctrl and Backspace/Delete keys. Be sure that all are in good locations for your hand size and typing style.
Keep an eye out for backlit keyboards, as well — these help immensely when typing in dim light.
6. Touchy, touchy
Computing today relies a lot on mousing. With a notebook, all you get is a touch pad or pointing stick. Unless you plan on travelling with a mouse, test the notebook's input device for comfort and responsiveness. Some touch pads include extra features, such as a dedicated area for scrolling, or multi-touch capability. We've never been big fans of those little pointing sticks tucked in the middle of the keyboard, because precision is tough and the little nubs wear off, requiring replacement.
7. Vying for video RAM
With the introduction of Intel HD Graphics on Core i3 processors and above, the bar has now been raised enough for integrated graphics to suit most peoples' needs. If you want to play games, though, you'll need a dedicated GPU — try to grab something with 512MB to 1GB of video RAM. Ignore the salesperson who insists that video memory is an indication of performance; while larger video memory does tend to be paired with higher performing cards, it's not the thing that's primarily responsible for the performance increase.
8. Get connected
Make sure that you have enough ports on your laptop — at a minimum, look for two USB ports (although three to four is better). If you'd like to use a digital camcorder with your notebook, you may need a FireWire (IEEE 1394) port. Connecting a monitor will require a VGA port at minimum (if you'll be giving presentations, a VGA port is also where you'll connect a projector), but for extra image quality look for a DVI, HDMI or DisplayPort connector in addition to this. A lot of PC laptops these days also have a combined USB and eSATA port — eSATA allows faster connections to external hard drives, provided that your external hard drive supports it.
These days, there are two newer ports doing the rounds — USB 3.0 (often indicated by a blue USB port or an "SS" symbol above the port) and Thunderbolt. USB 3.0 can offer significantly better speeds than USB 2.0 (up to 254MBps in our tests so far), providing that what you're plugging in is capable of those speeds.
Thunderbolt is really only found on Apple computers at this stage, and is the fastest connection on the block; it's expected to hit Windows-based laptops in Q2 2012. It can also double as a DisplayPort connection, meaning that it can be plugged in to some modern monitors.
Thunderbolt's accessories are extremely few at this point in time, limited to some displays and high-speed storage applications. Cables are also expensive, at AU$55 a pop. For most users, it won't be important right now, but this may change over time.
Like a PCI-Express slot in a desktop, an ExpressCard slot provides expansion opportunities. Additional USB, FireWire, SATA and Ethernet ports, sound cards, wireless cards and TV tuners are all available in ExpressCard format. It comes in two sizes — 54 and 34, representing how many millimetres wide they are. Both sizes end in a 34mm connection, with the 54mm end of the bigger card used to store extra circuitry. As such, an ExpressCard 34 will fit into a 54 slot, but not vice versa.
These barely exist on consumer laptops any more, and are generally only found on business machines. These very same business machines may still have the older PC Card (or PCMCIA) included, as well. PC Cards and slots come in three sizes: Type I, II and III. Type I cards are normally used for memory, Type II for input/output devices and Type III for mass storage and firewalls.
9. Go wireless
Integrated wireless networking (Wi-Fi) has become an indispensable feature. Most notebooks ship with a variant of 802.11n these days, although some (such as netbooks) still use 802.11g. Public hotspots typically use 802.11g; fortunately, 802.11n is backwards compatible, along with 802.11b.
Most mainstream laptops come with 2.4GHz 802.11n, whereas the premium ones come with both 2.4GHz and 5GHz. The difference: 2.4GHz has greater range, but lesser throughput. It also has more chance of interference, either from your neighbour's Wi-Fi or from other implements that use the 2.4GHz spectrum, like microwaves and cordless phones.
5GHz has less chance of interference and higher throughput, but has smaller range. Your wireless router will also need to support it for you to take advantage of it.
10. Power without the plug
While you might have a two- or three-year warranty on your laptop, your battery acer as07a41 is generally only covered for one year.
Two specs to look for in laptop batteries are capacity (measured in milliamp hours, or mAh) and the number of cells. Typical batteries have an mAh rating of between 2000mAh and 6000mAh; higher is better. Cells are the actual compartments where power is produced, and can range from four to 12; the more the better. Keep in mind, though, that this may cause the battery pack to stick out from your laptop in potentially awkward positions.
Some laptops don't have easily swappable batteries, in an attempt to cut down on physical size and to lengthen battery life. Be aware of this — and when your battery dies, you may need to take your laptop in for a service rather than simply swapping the battery out yourself.
On the other hand, some can take a second battery, either by replacing the optical drive or by placing a shim on the bottom. Check your accessories before you buy.
11. Tiny, tinny sound
Laptops are notorious for having terrible speakers. While a lot of laptops these days are including some version of Dolby, THX, Beats or other sort of "branded" sound, this is done in software, and often paired with such tiny speakers that it doesn't make that much of a difference.
Our recommendation: get a good set of headphones, or a stereo or 2.1 speaker set. You can even get speakers powered by USB if you want something portable that doesn't require a power point.
12. Going for the perfect drive
Notebook hard drives tend to start at the 64GB point, and work their way up to 1TB in size. If you have a choice, select a drive with a rotational speed of 7200rpm instead of 5400rpm. The faster it spins, the faster you'll get your files.
Solid state drives (SSDs) are also an option, bringing significantly faster sequential and random read and write speeds, and a much higher cost as a result. Disappointingly, most manufacturers won't tell you what brand SSD that they put in their laptops, and not all are created equal — in many cases, you're better off buying aftermarket so that you can ensure you'll receive an Intel, Samsung 830 or SandForce-based drive.
While they are diminishing in importance these days, optical drives of all kinds are available for laptops — from basic CD ROM units to Blu-ray/DVD±RW combos. We like DVD±RW drives for notebooks; they burn and play both DVDs and CDs. Blu-ray is a good choice if you're a movie buff, but make sure that your notebook can display a Full HD resolution (at least 1920x1080, usually only seen on desktop replacements), or can at least output the video to a screen that can — otherwise, you'll lose the benefits of all of that clarity.
13. Is it pretty?
Just because the laptop on the shop shelf may look a little dour, doesn't mean that there aren't any options. Many models these days sell in different colours, and Dell, for instance, even has a huge range of swappable back covers available for sale for certain laptops.
14. Connect the docks
A docking station quickly turns your notebook into a desktop. You connect your peripherals (monitor, keyboard, mouse) to the dock, which stays at your desk. Simply attach the notebook to the dock, and you instantly get the conveniences of a desktop without having to unplug everything when it's time to go.
Most manufacturers offer docks designed to go with their notebooks, while third-party docks, such as the Logitech Alto Cordless and Belkin High Speed Docking Station, are also available.
Another advantage of a docking station is increasing the number of ports your laptop has, whether it be extra video connections, more USB ports, or legacy ports like serial and PS/2. Thunderbolt is likely to shake things up here. For instance, Apple's recent Thunderbolt Displays, through one cable not only offers a monitor, but more USB ports, a FireWire port and gigabit Ethernet for your MacBook.
If you don't need all of the features of a dock, but could still use the extra connectivity, check whether the notebook maker offers a port replicator, which is basically a pared-down version of a dock.
15. When good notebooks go bad
Every notebook is susceptible to accidents and system failures. Keep an eye open for longer than usual warranties, and check to see if the manufacturer offers an international warranty rather than local — particularly useful for travellers.
We recommend, if available, paying for a good three-year warranty with express service. Try getting it direct from the manufacturer rather than dealing with in-store warranty extensions.
16. Essential accessories
When pricing a notebook, set aside cash for important extras. These include a laptop bag, an extra battery, a mouse, keyboard, software for office work, internet security and system maintenance. You may even want to consider an external hard drive for backup.
17. What's it made of?
Most laptop cases are still made from moulded plastic, but you can find some encased in metal, which dissipates heat better. Look for models made from light, strong metal alloys. If you're in the market for a desktop replacement, check that the case has adequate ventilation for the powerful (and hot-running) components inside.
18. Fixed or swappable
Less-expensive notebooks have fixed drives, meaning that the optical and hard drives can't be removed. Some, though, have a swappable drive bay, letting you change out an optical drive for a hard drive or extra battery hp pavilion dv7 — or just a spacer module, so that you can shed some travel weight.
19. Are you the tablet type?
Before the iPad, tablets meant something entirely different.
Comparable in size and weight to ultraportable notebooks, tablet PCs occupy a different niche, allowing the full productivity of a Windows machine, as opposed to the content consumption focus of Android and iOS tablets.
They're available in two basic designs: convertibles, which are laptops that have displays that swivel and fold flat facing outwards; and slates, which have no attached keyboards, but can be connected easily enough to one.
This space is set for lots of changes with the introduction of Windows 8, expected in October 2012.
20. 32- or 64-bit?
Most vendors should be selling laptops today with Windows 7 64-bit, with only business laptops being the exception for compatibility reasons. If the choice is presented to you, you'll want a 64-bit version of Windows, as the 32-bit version can't address 4GB RAM or greater.
21. Are you an Apple person?
Perhaps you've been curious about Apple' MacBooks — just be aware that if you were previously a Windows user, you'll need all new software to go with that Mac purchase, and the transition might be a little daunting. If you're planning on becoming a first time Mac OS X user, we've got a guide here to help you make the switch.
Also be aware that Apple's extended warranty option, called Apple Care, can be quite expensive. We recommend you do purchase Apple Care so you're covered for a longer period of time — just be prepared for the price hike.
Sunday, March 25, 2012
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
Which one you would like choose : a Consumer or a Business Laptop?
Laptop makers such as Dell, HP, and Lenovo carefully label and target their laptops for either "business users" or "home users," which implies that they've done their homework for you and selected the best models for your type of usage.
But even if you'll be using the laptop in your living room rather than during board meetings, should you skip shopping in the business laptop department altogether? The answer is, well, it depends.
I compared similarly configured consumer and business laptop offerings from several major laptop vendors, and found several good reasons for home users to consider business laptops--including more configuration options and better warranties.
But it isn't always a cut-and-dried decision. Here's what you need to keep in mind when selecting your next laptop.
Six Reasons to Consider a Business Laptop
Better durability and build quality: Business laptops are designed to take a beating, literally in some cases. Lenovo's ThinkPad line of business laptops are military-spec-tested to endure heat, humidity, pressure, shock, and other extremes so that the laptops can survive anything business travelers and outdoor workers toss at them. (Seriously, Lenovo testers even throw laptops out of airplanes.)
The company's IdeaPad consumer laptops don't get that same extreme treatment, because regular laptop users supposedly don't torture their laptops as much.
Even if you don't plan on working in severe conditions, a business laptop's more rugged design may help you get more long-lasting value out of your laptop, thanks to the use of premium materials. The HP ProBook 4530s laptop for professionals, for example, might look quite similar to the silver HP Pavilion dv6 in the consumer line, but the ProBook 4530s is constructed of "high-strength precision-formed aluminum" while the dv6 simply has a metallic finish. The ProBook's aluminum is deeply anodized to be scratch-, smudge-, and wear-resistant.
However, high-end materials have started to show up in premium consumer ultraportable laptops, such as the Asus U36S, which has a magnesium-aluminum alloy cover. But business laptops generally are still constructed and tested to be tougher.
For instance, Asus reinforces its business-oriented B23E laptop with metal hinges and metal brackets to cushion the hard drive, and tests both the hinges and the panels beyond consumer standards. Here's some information on how Asus tests.
And the Dell E6520 not only has a spill-resistant keyboard (a protective seal guards against everyday spills), it also comes with a 360-degree bumper around the LCD panel, and even its latch is made of a zinc alloy for durability.
More build-to-order options: You'll find many preconfigured laptop models to choose from in the home/consumer site of any major laptop manufacturer, but if you want to fine-tune a laptop's specifications to a greater extent, head to the business side.
For example, with the entertainment-focused Lenovo IdeaPad Y470, you can select from consumer models with Intel Core i3, i5, or i7 processors and different memory and hard-drive capacities. But your customization options for those models are limited to adding on more years to the warranty or selecting laptop accessories.
Select the business-oriented Lenovo ThinkPad T420 model, on the other hand, and you can opt for a higher-resolution display, swap in a discrete graphics card, upgrade the hard drive, add a fingerprint reader, and much more--at additional cost, of course.
Longer warranties and better support: If you want more protection for your laptop, business laptop warranties typically trump consumer ones. The Toshiba, Dell, and Asus business laptops I looked at, for example, came with standard three-year warranties, versus a one-year warranty on the consumer models.
The ThinkPad was configurable for up to a four-year warranty, while the IdeaPad warranty only went up to three years. Each year of additional protection and support is worth between $50 and $100 dollars, and gives you more peace of mind should your laptop break down beyond a one-year period.
Priority service is also sometimes available to owners of business laptops, whether or not you use it for business purposes. HP EliteBook buyers, for example, will soon be getting their own dedicated tech support person to talk to.
Additional security built in: Because lost business laptops are a huge liability and concern for business owners and IT departments, security features that consumer laptops don't get are practically standard here. All of the business laptops I looked at offer at least the option to add a fingerprint reader, and many come with TPM (Trusted Platform Module) Embedded Security chips to encrypt your laptop's data. HP touts its own suite of security tools ("ProtectTools") that promises to wipe your drive remotely, shred files, check credentials on boot-up, and more.
More expansion and connectivity options: Want to quickly plug in or unplug your laptop from an external monitor and the many peripherals you own? A business laptop is more likely to have a matching docking station or port replicator, perhaps because business users are more likely to want a setup both at the office and at home, or because they need quick connectivity if they travel often.
Matte screens: Finally, consumer laptops tend to come with glossy displays that may show vibrant colors but also are subject to terrible glare. Business laptops generally have antiglare displays or at least antiglare options. These screens are easier on the eyes, easier to view outdoors, and have better viewing angles.
Four Reasons to Buy a Consumer Laptop
Despite the many advantages of business laptops, we can still cite several reasons why you might want to stick with a consumer model.
Ability to test drive before you buy: It's not common to find business laptops in stock at, say, Best Buy or other retail establishments. This is a problem if you want to inspect a laptop before purchase. If you want to see how a laptop looks and feels, many more consumer models are available for you try out than business ones.
More selection and styles: Similarly, there's a lot more selection with consumer laptops than with business ones. Want a girly pink laptop? No problem. A gaming laptop that's under an inch thick? Okay. Anything from a tiny netbook to an 18-inch laptop? Or something that costs under $500? You'll find a wide range of laptop styles, sizes, and types on the consumer side to suit your tastes and needs. That is not as true with business laptops.
More premium features now available: Consumer laptops are being built better and better every year, especially powerful entertainment laptops. Models like the HP Pavilion dv6t, the Lenovo IdeaPad Y470, and the Asus U36SG--all mentioned above--offer discrete graphics cards for better video performance, HDMI for connecting to your TV, and bright HD displays.
And a category like Ultrabooks--the new class of ultrathin laptops--is largely targeted at consumers. Most models in this category sport high-performance solid-state drives, long-lasting batteries, and premium build materials, as well as some added security features like remote lock and location tracking.
Lower cost and (sometimes) better specs for the money: Business laptops tend to cost more than their consumer counterparts, and often you can get consumer laptops on sale with many instant discounts and free upgrades.
For example, the HP Pavilion dv6t was recently offered at $580 after an instant rebate of $100 at the HP Home and Home Office Store, plus a free 6GB memory upgrade and a free 640GB hard-drive upgrade.
Meanwhile, in the Business store, HP offered the ProBook 4530s for $589 in a "Smart Buy" preconfiguration with just 4GB of memory and a 500GB hard drive--no extras thrown in. Build-to-order options in the business section can be even pricier. The HP 530 ProBook 4530s starts at a whopping $1353 if you want to configure it yourself rather than buy a preconfigured model.
Of course, a price advantage for consumer models doesn't always hold, depending on when and where you shop. Sometimes the prices between consumer and business laptops are comparable, or the business laptops cost even less, so it makes sense to shop around.
In the end, there's no reason to limit yourself to just the "home and home office" laptop section. It's a good idea to see if there's a business version of the consumer laptop you're interested in. Sometimes laptop vendors will even have a business model that's the exact same laptop, with just a few differences--ones that you might be interested in.
The Toshiba Portege R830 series is one example. This ultraportable is available as the Portege R835 for consumers in several configurations and as the Portege R830, which is "built for business."
The business-oriented Portege R830 is priced at about $250 more than the R835, but for that premium, you get:
A matte display, longer warranty, more security, and more configuration options. All you have to decide is whether these features are worth the extra money to you.
If they are not, then, in this example, buy the consumer-oriented Portege R835.
But even if you'll be using the laptop in your living room rather than during board meetings, should you skip shopping in the business laptop department altogether? The answer is, well, it depends.
I compared similarly configured consumer and business laptop offerings from several major laptop vendors, and found several good reasons for home users to consider business laptops--including more configuration options and better warranties.
But it isn't always a cut-and-dried decision. Here's what you need to keep in mind when selecting your next laptop.
Six Reasons to Consider a Business Laptop
Better durability and build quality: Business laptops are designed to take a beating, literally in some cases. Lenovo's ThinkPad line of business laptops are military-spec-tested to endure heat, humidity, pressure, shock, and other extremes so that the laptops can survive anything business travelers and outdoor workers toss at them. (Seriously, Lenovo testers even throw laptops out of airplanes.)
The company's IdeaPad consumer laptops don't get that same extreme treatment, because regular laptop users supposedly don't torture their laptops as much.
Even if you don't plan on working in severe conditions, a business laptop's more rugged design may help you get more long-lasting value out of your laptop, thanks to the use of premium materials. The HP ProBook 4530s laptop for professionals, for example, might look quite similar to the silver HP Pavilion dv6 in the consumer line, but the ProBook 4530s is constructed of "high-strength precision-formed aluminum" while the dv6 simply has a metallic finish. The ProBook's aluminum is deeply anodized to be scratch-, smudge-, and wear-resistant.
However, high-end materials have started to show up in premium consumer ultraportable laptops, such as the Asus U36S, which has a magnesium-aluminum alloy cover. But business laptops generally are still constructed and tested to be tougher.
For instance, Asus reinforces its business-oriented B23E laptop with metal hinges and metal brackets to cushion the hard drive, and tests both the hinges and the panels beyond consumer standards. Here's some information on how Asus tests.
And the Dell E6520 not only has a spill-resistant keyboard (a protective seal guards against everyday spills), it also comes with a 360-degree bumper around the LCD panel, and even its latch is made of a zinc alloy for durability.
More build-to-order options: You'll find many preconfigured laptop models to choose from in the home/consumer site of any major laptop manufacturer, but if you want to fine-tune a laptop's specifications to a greater extent, head to the business side.
For example, with the entertainment-focused Lenovo IdeaPad Y470, you can select from consumer models with Intel Core i3, i5, or i7 processors and different memory and hard-drive capacities. But your customization options for those models are limited to adding on more years to the warranty or selecting laptop accessories.
Select the business-oriented Lenovo ThinkPad T420 model, on the other hand, and you can opt for a higher-resolution display, swap in a discrete graphics card, upgrade the hard drive, add a fingerprint reader, and much more--at additional cost, of course.
Longer warranties and better support: If you want more protection for your laptop, business laptop warranties typically trump consumer ones. The Toshiba, Dell, and Asus business laptops I looked at, for example, came with standard three-year warranties, versus a one-year warranty on the consumer models.
The ThinkPad was configurable for up to a four-year warranty, while the IdeaPad warranty only went up to three years. Each year of additional protection and support is worth between $50 and $100 dollars, and gives you more peace of mind should your laptop break down beyond a one-year period.
Priority service is also sometimes available to owners of business laptops, whether or not you use it for business purposes. HP EliteBook buyers, for example, will soon be getting their own dedicated tech support person to talk to.
Additional security built in: Because lost business laptops are a huge liability and concern for business owners and IT departments, security features that consumer laptops don't get are practically standard here. All of the business laptops I looked at offer at least the option to add a fingerprint reader, and many come with TPM (Trusted Platform Module) Embedded Security chips to encrypt your laptop's data. HP touts its own suite of security tools ("ProtectTools") that promises to wipe your drive remotely, shred files, check credentials on boot-up, and more.
More expansion and connectivity options: Want to quickly plug in or unplug your laptop from an external monitor and the many peripherals you own? A business laptop is more likely to have a matching docking station or port replicator, perhaps because business users are more likely to want a setup both at the office and at home, or because they need quick connectivity if they travel often.
Matte screens: Finally, consumer laptops tend to come with glossy displays that may show vibrant colors but also are subject to terrible glare. Business laptops generally have antiglare displays or at least antiglare options. These screens are easier on the eyes, easier to view outdoors, and have better viewing angles.
Four Reasons to Buy a Consumer Laptop
Despite the many advantages of business laptops, we can still cite several reasons why you might want to stick with a consumer model.
Ability to test drive before you buy: It's not common to find business laptops in stock at, say, Best Buy or other retail establishments. This is a problem if you want to inspect a laptop before purchase. If you want to see how a laptop looks and feels, many more consumer models are available for you try out than business ones.
More selection and styles: Similarly, there's a lot more selection with consumer laptops than with business ones. Want a girly pink laptop? No problem. A gaming laptop that's under an inch thick? Okay. Anything from a tiny netbook to an 18-inch laptop? Or something that costs under $500? You'll find a wide range of laptop styles, sizes, and types on the consumer side to suit your tastes and needs. That is not as true with business laptops.
More premium features now available: Consumer laptops are being built better and better every year, especially powerful entertainment laptops. Models like the HP Pavilion dv6t, the Lenovo IdeaPad Y470, and the Asus U36SG--all mentioned above--offer discrete graphics cards for better video performance, HDMI for connecting to your TV, and bright HD displays.
And a category like Ultrabooks--the new class of ultrathin laptops--is largely targeted at consumers. Most models in this category sport high-performance solid-state drives, long-lasting batteries, and premium build materials, as well as some added security features like remote lock and location tracking.
Lower cost and (sometimes) better specs for the money: Business laptops tend to cost more than their consumer counterparts, and often you can get consumer laptops on sale with many instant discounts and free upgrades.
For example, the HP Pavilion dv6t was recently offered at $580 after an instant rebate of $100 at the HP Home and Home Office Store, plus a free 6GB memory upgrade and a free 640GB hard-drive upgrade.
Meanwhile, in the Business store, HP offered the ProBook 4530s for $589 in a "Smart Buy" preconfiguration with just 4GB of memory and a 500GB hard drive--no extras thrown in. Build-to-order options in the business section can be even pricier. The HP 530 ProBook 4530s starts at a whopping $1353 if you want to configure it yourself rather than buy a preconfigured model.
Of course, a price advantage for consumer models doesn't always hold, depending on when and where you shop. Sometimes the prices between consumer and business laptops are comparable, or the business laptops cost even less, so it makes sense to shop around.
Why You Should Shop Both the Consumer and Business Departments
In the end, there's no reason to limit yourself to just the "home and home office" laptop section. It's a good idea to see if there's a business version of the consumer laptop you're interested in. Sometimes laptop vendors will even have a business model that's the exact same laptop, with just a few differences--ones that you might be interested in.
The Toshiba Portege R830 series is one example. This ultraportable is available as the Portege R835 for consumers in several configurations and as the Portege R830, which is "built for business."
The business-oriented Portege R830 is priced at about $250 more than the R835, but for that premium, you get:
- The Windows 7 Professional operating system instead of Windows Home Premium
- A matte, antiglare display rather than your typical glossy screen
- A three-year warranty versus the R835's standard one-year warranty
- Additional security features, such as a fingerprint reader and a TPM security module for encrypting your laptop's data
A matte display, longer warranty, more security, and more configuration options. All you have to decide is whether these features are worth the extra money to you.
If they are not, then, in this example, buy the consumer-oriented Portege R835.
Sunday, February 19, 2012
Powerhouse gaming laptop: Samsung Series 7 Gamer Review
Keywords: Powerhouse gaming laptop , Samsung Series 7 Gamer , laptops , Acer extensa 5220 battery , Hp 484170-001 batteries , Dell inspiron 1525 batteries
Read more: http://bestlaptopbattery.co.uk/battery-wiki/powerhouse-gaming-laptop-samsung-series-7-gamer-review
Verdict: A powerhouse of a gaming laptop which has no direct competitors at its price. Samsung’s latest high-end laptop, the Series 7 Gamer, has been designed with one thing in mind – as its name suggests, the 17in desktop replacement is aimed at anyone looking for a portable gaming powerhouse.
Read more: http://bestlaptopbattery.co.uk/battery-wiki/powerhouse-gaming-laptop-samsung-series-7-gamer-review
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Toshiba Qosmio X770 gaming laptop Review
Keywords: Toshiba , Qosmio X770 gaming laptop , toshiba laptop , toshiba laptop battery , Toshiba pa3534u-1brs , Toshiba pa3536u-1brs , Toshiba pa3533u-1brs batteries
Today is February 14, Valentine’s Day, and that can only mean one thing….chocolate! Just kidding but of course it is a significant day of the year for showing that special someone just how much you care. If you share your life with an enthusiastic gamer what could be a better gift idea than a gaming laptop, even if it has a rather special price. The Toshiba Qosmio X770 is a laptop that could fit the exact bill.
Read more: http://bestlaptopbattery.co.uk/battery-wiki/toshiba-qosmio-x770-gaming-laptop-review
Today is February 14, Valentine’s Day, and that can only mean one thing….chocolate! Just kidding but of course it is a significant day of the year for showing that special someone just how much you care. If you share your life with an enthusiastic gamer what could be a better gift idea than a gaming laptop, even if it has a rather special price. The Toshiba Qosmio X770 is a laptop that could fit the exact bill.
Read more: http://bestlaptopbattery.co.uk/battery-wiki/toshiba-qosmio-x770-gaming-laptop-review
Thursday, February 9, 2012
Laptop Battery Life : All Lightweight Laptops Should Last 10+ Hours
Tagcloud: Laptop Battery Life , Lightweight Laptops , ultrabooks , laptops batteries , Hp probook 4310s battery , Hp presario cq70 , Dell precision m65 batteries
In the rush to hook know-nothing consumers mindlessly scannning the shelves at retail, looking for shiny objects, too many notebook makers have forgotten the true meaning of “ultraportable” as they manufacturer systems that get little more than half a day’s battery life. Sure, everyone wants a notebook that’s wafer thin, blinged out with brushed metal or soft-touch rubber, and lighter than Kodak’s bank account, but not when that $1,000 system takes a siesta first thing after lunch. There’s only one solution: higher-capacity batteries.
In the rush to hook know-nothing consumers mindlessly scannning the shelves at retail, looking for shiny objects, too many notebook makers have forgotten the true meaning of “ultraportable” as they manufacturer systems that get little more than half a day’s battery life. Sure, everyone wants a notebook that’s wafer thin, blinged out with brushed metal or soft-touch rubber, and lighter than Kodak’s bank account, but not when that $1,000 system takes a siesta first thing after lunch. There’s only one solution: higher-capacity batteries.
Monday, February 6, 2012
Tablet Guide: Tips on Buying a Cheap Tablet PC
KeyTags: Tablet Guide , Buying tips , Cheap Tablet PC , tablets , laptop batteries news , Dell inspiron 6400 batteries , Hp 530 batteries , Hp 485041-003 Batteries
Tablet computers are the latest technological marvels to get peoples’ attention. Obviously, the benefits of these computers are small, light and highly portable, making them a great option for people who are constantly on the go.
Tablets are smaller than laptops, plus most of them (there are exceptions) lack keyboards; however, they can be very powerful and capable of performing a number of different tasks.
Read more: http://blog.bestlaptopbattery.co.uk/tablet-guide-tips-on-buying-a-cheap-tablet-pc/
Tablet computers are the latest technological marvels to get peoples’ attention. Obviously, the benefits of these computers are small, light and highly portable, making them a great option for people who are constantly on the go.
Tablets are smaller than laptops, plus most of them (there are exceptions) lack keyboards; however, they can be very powerful and capable of performing a number of different tasks.
Read more: http://blog.bestlaptopbattery.co.uk/tablet-guide-tips-on-buying-a-cheap-tablet-pc/
Friday, February 3, 2012
Baby Monitor: New baby via Wi-Fi monitors stream video
The cry has been heard: After 30 years with little change to baby monitoring devices, new designs premiered this month at the Consumer Electronics Show promising Wi-Fi connectivity and high-definition video that streams live to a smartphone.
Some new monitors will have two-way audio, allowing parents to whisper comforting words in their baby’s ear without stepping foot in the room. Other monitors will text messages when a baby starts to cry, and still others will allow parents to shift the camera’s view up, down and around the room remotely, using an iPad.
Read more:
Shopping Guidelines – Tips to choose a best Bay monitors
Top 5 popular baby monitor to take care of your children
Nanny Camera – Best Security Camear to Protecte Your Children
Read more: http://www.akkuschnell.de/akku-blog/baby-monitor-new-baby-via-wi-fi-monitors-stream-video/
Some new monitors will have two-way audio, allowing parents to whisper comforting words in their baby’s ear without stepping foot in the room. Other monitors will text messages when a baby starts to cry, and still others will allow parents to shift the camera’s view up, down and around the room remotely, using an iPad.
Read more:
Shopping Guidelines – Tips to choose a best Bay monitors
Top 5 popular baby monitor to take care of your children
Nanny Camera – Best Security Camear to Protecte Your Children
Read more: http://www.akkuschnell.de/akku-blog/baby-monitor-new-baby-via-wi-fi-monitors-stream-video/
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Green Gadgets: Top 10 great eco-friendly gadgets for 2012
Eco-friendly gadgets for 2012 post by top-shoppingmall.com
The tech world is going green everyday. In the wake of looming energy crisis, the tech makers produce lots of eco-friendly gadgets. Consumers are willing to buy and test green products, which not only cut their electric bills, but also help reduce their carbon footprints. Out in stores there are too many eco-friendly gadgets and accessories for grabs. Here we review ten great eco-friendly products for this year. Most of them were displayed at the International CES 2012 in Las Vegas.
Read more: http://news.top-shoppingmall.com/green-gadgets-top-10-great-eco-friendly-gadgets-for-2012/
The tech world is going green everyday. In the wake of looming energy crisis, the tech makers produce lots of eco-friendly gadgets. Consumers are willing to buy and test green products, which not only cut their electric bills, but also help reduce their carbon footprints. Out in stores there are too many eco-friendly gadgets and accessories for grabs. Here we review ten great eco-friendly products for this year. Most of them were displayed at the International CES 2012 in Las Vegas.
Read more: http://news.top-shoppingmall.com/green-gadgets-top-10-great-eco-friendly-gadgets-for-2012/
Sunday, January 29, 2012
Battery care tips: How to Preserve Notebook Battery Life
Keywords: Battery care tip, battery usage tips , High quality laptop batteries , Acer as07b41 , Toshiba pa3536u-1brs battery , Panasonic VW-VBG130 , Dell inspiron 1300 battery
Notebook battery life is a big concern among users due to the high costs of battery replacement. While many people concern themselves with how many hours they can squeeze out of each charge, it is also important to know what things you can do to keep your battery running over the years.
Read more: http://blog.bestlaptopbattery.co.uk/battery-care-tips-how-to-preserve-notebook-battery-life/
Notebook battery life is a big concern among users due to the high costs of battery replacement. While many people concern themselves with how many hours they can squeeze out of each charge, it is also important to know what things you can do to keep your battery running over the years.
Read more: http://blog.bestlaptopbattery.co.uk/battery-care-tips-how-to-preserve-notebook-battery-life/
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
Battery Tips: How to Buy a Best Battery for a Compaq Laptop
Keywords: Battery Tips , How to , Compaq Laptop , Best Compaq Battery , 485041-003 , Compaq pavilion dv6 , Compaq nc6400, Dell inspiron 9300 batteries
There are several reasons to purchase a new battery for your Compaq (which is now part of Hewlett Packard) laptop. Having a backup battery is an excellent idea, especially if you are often on the road.
Read more: http://blog.bestlaptopbattery.co.uk/battery-tips-how-to-buy-a-best-battery-for-a-compaq-laptop/
There are several reasons to purchase a new battery for your Compaq (which is now part of Hewlett Packard) laptop. Having a backup battery is an excellent idea, especially if you are often on the road.
Read more: http://blog.bestlaptopbattery.co.uk/battery-tips-how-to-buy-a-best-battery-for-a-compaq-laptop/
Monday, January 16, 2012
Tablets Wars: Apple iPad 3 vs Asus Eee Pad Transformer Prime
Apple’s iPad 3 is enjoying a healthy amount of attention in the run-up to its official unveiling, which is rumoured to take place in March of this year. Irrespective of its pros or cons the device, which will undoubtedly sell by the truckload, doesn’t have such a clear run at the market this time round.Devices like Asus‘ Eee Pad Transformer Prime have raised the bar in the tablet market and given Apple’s slate big shoes to fill, and we’ve decided to collate all the reliable leaks, speculation and predictions to see if the device has what it takes.
Read more: http://www.akkuschnell.de/akku-blog/tablets-wars-apple-ipad-3-vs-asus-eee-pad-transformer-prime/
Read more: http://www.akkuschnell.de/akku-blog/tablets-wars-apple-ipad-3-vs-asus-eee-pad-transformer-prime/
Sunday, January 15, 2012
Top tips help you to surf safely using your smartphone
Keywords: smartphone , smartphone safe , Internet security , discount batteries , Hp 530 , Toshiba pa3536u-1brs , 485041-003 Battery
Have you ever lost data from your smart phone in unexplainable circumstances?
Does your smartphone hang or switch off unexpectedly? If yes, then you need to be extremely worried.
Someone could be stealing your data. Your key passwords may have been compromised and that could prove costly in the long run.
Read more: http://blog.bestlaptopbattery.co.uk/top-tips-help-you-to-surf-safely-using-your-smartphone/
Have you ever lost data from your smart phone in unexplainable circumstances?
Does your smartphone hang or switch off unexpectedly? If yes, then you need to be extremely worried.
Someone could be stealing your data. Your key passwords may have been compromised and that could prove costly in the long run.
Read more: http://blog.bestlaptopbattery.co.uk/top-tips-help-you-to-surf-safely-using-your-smartphone/
Friday, January 13, 2012
How Androids Invade 2012 Consumer Electronics Show
Keywords: 2012 Consumer Electronics Show , Google's Android , battery for Hp pavilion dv7 , Sony vgp-bps2c , Dell xps m1730 battery
The predictable phones and tablets running Android are joined by TVs, goggles, cameras and more. Here are some of the gadgets running Android.
Google's Android operating system played a big role in the 2012 Consumer Electronics Show, appearing in smartphones, tablets, televisions, MP3 players, cameras, and gaming headsets. Device manufacturers are using Android for a wide variety of devices as part of a larger strategy to create a network of connected gadgets backed up by online storage and sync.
Read more: http://bestlaptopbattery.co.uk/battery-wiki/how-androids-invade-2012-consumer-electronics-show
The predictable phones and tablets running Android are joined by TVs, goggles, cameras and more. Here are some of the gadgets running Android.
Read more: http://bestlaptopbattery.co.uk/battery-wiki/how-androids-invade-2012-consumer-electronics-show
Thursday, January 12, 2012
CES 2012 : Top 10 best gadgets and tech
10 best gadgets and tech of CES 2012 post by top-shoppingmall.com
At one end of the scale, CES is about big, high-end product announcements – the world’s biggest TV, the smallest pico projector, hi-fi speakers that cost more than your car.
At the other end it’s about companies you’ve never (or barely) heard of trying to catch the tired eye of a wandering blogger with head-mounted displays, portable scanners and USB penknives.
Filter out the noise with our pick of the best gadgets and tech of CES 2012.
Read more: http://news.top-shoppingmall.com/ces-2012-top-10-best-gadgets-and-tech/
At one end of the scale, CES is about big, high-end product announcements – the world’s biggest TV, the smallest pico projector, hi-fi speakers that cost more than your car.
At the other end it’s about companies you’ve never (or barely) heard of trying to catch the tired eye of a wandering blogger with head-mounted displays, portable scanners and USB penknives.
Filter out the noise with our pick of the best gadgets and tech of CES 2012.
Read more: http://news.top-shoppingmall.com/ces-2012-top-10-best-gadgets-and-tech/
Monday, January 9, 2012
Digital Technology – All New GE Digital Cameras Offer High Performance
AT CES- General Imaging (GIC), exclusive licensee of GE branded digital cameras, will showcase its new 2012 line on the eve of the Consumer Electronics Show at tonight’s Pepcom Digital Experience event in Las Vegas. Underscoring its continuing commitment to deliver high-performance cameras that give consumers more features and value at unbeatable prices, the picture-perfect 2012 GE line offers consumers CMOS technology, new bridge cameras and 1080p HD video recording, among other must-have, advanced features.
The GE Digital Camera brand kicks off the year as the fastest growing mid-tier camera brand, according to Gap Intelligence, and was recognized by consumers as the second most reliable camera brand in a recent PC World Reliability and Satisfaction survey.
Read more: http://news.top-shoppingmall.com/digital-technology-all-new-ge-digital-cameras-offer-high-performance/
The GE Digital Camera brand kicks off the year as the fastest growing mid-tier camera brand, according to Gap Intelligence, and was recognized by consumers as the second most reliable camera brand in a recent PC World Reliability and Satisfaction survey.
Read more: http://news.top-shoppingmall.com/digital-technology-all-new-ge-digital-cameras-offer-high-performance/
Sunday, January 8, 2012
Lenovo of 2012 – Lenovo puts Android 4 on 55-inch TV and 10-inch tablet
Lenovo New Products post by top-shoppingmall.com
Keywords: Lenovo , Android 4 , Lcd monitors + tv , home theater , Lenovo Smart TV K91 , Lenovo IdeaTab S2 , Lenovo Smartphone S2
Lenovo announced plans today to release an Android 4-powered smart TV, an Android 4 10-inch tablet, and a new smartphone, along with its own cloud-based data services. The company is calling the 55-inch TV the first to run the Android 4 operating system.
The smart TV, imaginatively named the K91, has a 1080p IPS display, a 1.5GHz dual-core processor, 1GB of RAM, and a built-in 5-megapixel camera to support face recognition. In addition to stock Android 4, the K91 will also run a second interface Lenovo calls “the Sandwich UI” which can handle video on demand, “Internet apps,” and regular TV programming. According to a press release, the TV will be controllable through speech as well as with a compatible tablet or smartphone. Photos of the TV’s remote have not been released, but it will have a touchpad, 5 directional keys, and a motion sensor.
The Lenovo Smart TV K91, displaying its video-on-demand service
Read more: http://www.akkuschnell.de/akku-blog/lenovo-of-2012-lenovo-puts-android-4-on-55-inch-tv-and-10-inch-tablet/
Keywords: Lenovo , Android 4 , Lcd monitors + tv , home theater , Lenovo Smart TV K91 , Lenovo IdeaTab S2 , Lenovo Smartphone S2
Lenovo announced plans today to release an Android 4-powered smart TV, an Android 4 10-inch tablet, and a new smartphone, along with its own cloud-based data services. The company is calling the 55-inch TV the first to run the Android 4 operating system.
The smart TV, imaginatively named the K91, has a 1080p IPS display, a 1.5GHz dual-core processor, 1GB of RAM, and a built-in 5-megapixel camera to support face recognition. In addition to stock Android 4, the K91 will also run a second interface Lenovo calls “the Sandwich UI” which can handle video on demand, “Internet apps,” and regular TV programming. According to a press release, the TV will be controllable through speech as well as with a compatible tablet or smartphone. Photos of the TV’s remote have not been released, but it will have a touchpad, 5 directional keys, and a motion sensor.
The Lenovo Smart TV K91, displaying its video-on-demand service
Read more: http://www.akkuschnell.de/akku-blog/lenovo-of-2012-lenovo-puts-android-4-on-55-inch-tv-and-10-inch-tablet/
Thursday, January 5, 2012
Top 5 Tips to Help Enhance Your Laptop Battery Life
Keywords: Top 5 Tips, Enhance Laptop Battery Life , Laptop batteries, Dell inspiron 1720 batteries, Dell xps m1330 batteries , Hp 2230s batteries
Laptop batteries increasingly last longer. Still, over time, the life of a battery will diminish significantly. Without a long battery life, your laptop basically becomes a desktop. Enhancing the life of your laptop battery can save money and put off the need to purchase another one.
Read more: http://bestlaptopbattery.co.uk/battery-wiki/top-5-tips-to-help-enhance-your-laptop-battery-life
Laptop batteries increasingly last longer. Still, over time, the life of a battery will diminish significantly. Without a long battery life, your laptop basically becomes a desktop. Enhancing the life of your laptop battery can save money and put off the need to purchase another one.Read more: http://bestlaptopbattery.co.uk/battery-wiki/top-5-tips-to-help-enhance-your-laptop-battery-life
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
Top 7 Best Ultraportable Laptops
Keywords: Laptops, Best Ultraportable Laptops , top laptops , dell laptop batteries , Dell inspiron 1520 battery , Dell inspiron 1300 battery
Yeah, we may headed to a post-PC existence—but we ain’t there yet. The rise to prominence of Ultrabooks, though, brings the modern laptop closer to a tablet experience than a desktop. Their speed, portability, and tiny-but-not-a-piece-of-crap-netbook-ness have made them popular, but which is the one to own?
Read more: http://blog.bestlaptopbattery.co.uk/top-7-best-ultraportable-laptops/
Yeah, we may headed to a post-PC existence—but we ain’t there yet. The rise to prominence of Ultrabooks, though, brings the modern laptop closer to a tablet experience than a desktop. Their speed, portability, and tiny-but-not-a-piece-of-crap-netbook-ness have made them popular, but which is the one to own?
Read more: http://blog.bestlaptopbattery.co.uk/top-7-best-ultraportable-laptops/
Friday, December 30, 2011
2012 Technology Mainstream - Tech Trends You'll See in 2012
We’re living in an exciting time in technology: From consumer products such as phones and tablets to the way your home computer accesses the Internet, everything is changing, and mostly for the better. We predict that next year the following ten developments will change the way you interact with the digital world.
1. Dual-Core Processors Become the Norm in Smartphones
In 2011, the Motorola Atrix and the Droid Bionic were the first commercially popular smartphones to sport dual-core processors. In the fall, Apple’s iPhone 4S followed suit--and now it seems unlikely that any smartphones unveiled in 2012 will be competitive unless they can offer the same processing power that Apple’s phones do.
Tech Trends You'll See in 2012As a result, you should expect to see a surge in dual-core mobile devices. ARM executive James Bruce, whose company licenses the designs of chips that find their way into almost every mobile device in the world, said in a May interview that dual-core processors would be a huge part of making smartphones not just powerful but also battery-efficient.
“If you look at handsets today, we’ve seen dual-core handsets reduce power consumption,” he says. For example, if you're sending a text message, dual-cores have the potential to effectively streamline the lower-power functions of the phone through one core, while reserving the other core for more power-intensive functions, like gaming or navigation."
And don’t expect chip development to stop at two cores. In December, Nvidia announced its first quad-core processor for tablets and smartphones, the Tegra 3.
2. Optical-Disc Drives Disappear From New Laptops
If you could download a movie in 2 minutes at any airport or coffee shop, or access hundreds of family photos from any network connection, how often would you use your laptop’s optical drive? For most people, the answer is "not often."
Tech Trends You'll See in 2012That’s why, in 2012, you’ll see fewer laptops / laptop batteries with optical drives. And the superlight classes (such as MacBook Airs and Ultrabooks) won't be the only ones abandoning them--larger-screened portables will, as well.
Ali Sadri, president of the Wireless Gigabit Alliance, which is working to propagate 7-gbps wireless on the 60GHz band of the spectrum, says that faster wireless will certainly change the way that laptops look, for good. “Multi-gigabit connectivity gives us all sorts of uses. Suddenly you don't need to have all these bulky devices. A very light laptop doesn't have room for an HDMI cable port, or a docking station.”
In 2012, regular-size laptops will be able to ditch their disc drives--and even many of their ports--without losing too much functionality. MacBook Airs don’t include optical drives, and larger MacBooks will likely follow suit this year. Laptops from other manufacturers, such as Asus, Dell, and Toshiba, will join the trend. Of course, some laptops will retain drives, but in 2012 new laptops with optical-disc drives will become harder to find.
3. Data-Only and Reduced-Voice Cell Phone Plans Proliferate
Tech Trends You'll See in 2012You probably spend way more time sending email and checking Facebook updates than you do making calls on your cell phone these days. And cell phone carriers are taking notice. In 2012, when you’re shopping for a phone plan, you’ll see data plans emphasized and calling minutes marginalized. Already, T-Mobile and Walmart have partnered to create a prepaid plan that offers 5GB of data and a measly 100 voice-calling minutes for just $30 a month.
PCWorld Associate Editor Patrick Miller tested the plan, doing most of his calling via VoIP on Skype’s app. Although his calls sometimes suffered from lag or occasionally cut out, ultimately the voice quality and reliability of his VoIP calls were no worse than on calls he made through a traditional cellular voice plan.
And new carrier Republic Wireless announced a plan that charges just $19 a month for unlimited data, text, and calling. The plan assumes that you’ll spend most of your time using Wi-Fi networks in your home, office, or around town, but provides cellular access for those occasions when you’re not around a hotspot. Use the cellular service too much, and you get kicked out of the Republic Wireless plan.
4. Facebook Accounts Become Necessary to Do More Stuff on the Web
Want a Spotify account? You’ll need to get a Facebook account first. When Facebook announced its partnership with Spotify in September 2011, the big objection that most people had to the partnership was that everyone could see what songs you were listening to, no matter how embarrassing your musical choices were.
Since then, Facebook and Spotify have decided to allow you to make your sharing private. (Or, for some people, secret. There’s a difference.) But one thing that Facebook and Spotify have not backed down on is the requirement that all new Spotify users sign in with Facebook before they can access any free tunes.
Turntable.fm is another new music-sharing service that requires the user to log in with a Facebook account--do so, or take a hike. While many websites aren’t quite so stringent with their login demands, it’s becoming more and more common to see “Sign in with your Twitter or Facebook account!” in big letters across a website’s login area. Only in the small print can you find the option to make an account without linking to your social media pages.
In 2012, it’s safe to assume that you’ll see more of this. The setup is good for small sites--they can largely weed out fake accounts and abusive users with the filter of a Facebook login, all while making sure that genuine customers don’t forget their login information. And the arrangement is good for Facebook--it can keep track of the sites that users visit, and encourage them to share more thoroughly (which is better for Facebook’s ad sales).
5. NFC Facilitates Mobile Payments, Peer-to-Peer Networking
Tech Trends You'll See in 2012Imagine tapping your phone to a receiver at a register, and instantly paying for an item without fumbling for your wallet. Or getting into a movie theater with a similar tap of your phone. Or being able to load your transit card onto your phone, using a simple tap to deduct money for every trip on the subway.
All of that is already possible with the help of near-field communication chips, which transfer small amounts of data through a short-range, low-friction connection.
Currently, you can buy the Google Nexus S phone, which carries an NFC chip and the Google Wallet companion app for syncing your credit cards to your phone and making mobile payments at participating vendors. Meanwhile, RIM is baking NFC chips into newer phones such as the BlackBerry 9900, and recently it introduced Tag, a RIM-specific feature that allows BlackBerry users to transfer contact information and documents.
The latest version of Android, Ice Cream Sandwich, is built to let app developers take advantage of the many uses for NFC, such as setting up peer-to peer connections between phones simply by tapping the phones' backs to each other. So without a doubt, in 2012 you’ll see more phones with these chips built into them, as well as more apps that employ the technology.
6. Processing Enters the Cloud
Makers of devices such as smartphones, tablets, and even cameras are pushing the boundaries of mobile computing by thinking outside of the chip. In 2012, “cloud processing,” or the ability to process complex information on remote servers, will make considerable advances.
Tech Trends You'll See in 2012The most evident indicator of this coming trend is every iPhone 4S owner’s new best friend, Siri. This virtual assistant is made possible because your iPhone 4S doesn’t have to analyze your request on its own processors--it sends your voice request to Apple’s data centers, which process the audio, find a response, and then send that response back to your phone.
A year before Siri debuted, Google Goggles did the same thing: You could snap a picture of a book, a logo, or a notable landmark, for instance, and Goggles would analyze the image at one of its Google server centers and return a search page relevant to the image. So apps that take advantage of cloud processing already exist--but you should expect to see a slew of voice recognition and face/object recognition apps appear for mobile devices in 2012. (A Google exec recently revealed that the company is working on a Siri competitor, called Majel.)
7. HTML 5 Takes the Stage
Markup languages rarely make headlines, but the HTML 5 upgrade will change the Internet in 2012 more than any cool new website will. That's because it’s the foundation that all cool new websites will be built upon. By bringing XHTML under the same umbrella as HTML, and by allowing Web programmers to use brand-new video and audio commands to integrate media into sites more gracefully, HTML 5 will become the key tool for making sites act a lot more like native apps on your phone.
And in some cases, HTML 5 websites might even replace apps. All the major mobile operating systems have adopted the new Web standard. HTML 5 promises to make it easier and more affordable for developers to introduce interactivity in browsers because they no longer need to buy and install proprietary plug-ins to create click-responsive graphics or to embed video.
Facebook is one of the major companies that have committed considerable resources to developing their sites for HTML 5. Pandora redesigned its site with HTML 5, too. Then, in November, Adobe announced that it would no longer continue to develop its mobile Flash Player because HTML 5 has been so much better received than its Flash plug-in.
Watch for redesigned sites in 2012, and be prepared to see companies forgo building new apps in favor of creating a unified HTML 5-based site. There’s even an Occupy Flash movement intended to encourage developers to stop using Flash and start using HTML 5.
8. IPv6 Starts Rolling Out
To send and receive data on the Internet, every connected device needs an IP address--and 2011 was the year we finally started running out of IPv4's unique, 32-bit sequences.
Tech Trends You'll See in 2012For the time being, Internet service providers can assign groups of devices a single IP address using network address translation, or NAT, to break down where traffic should travel among the group of devices. We can’t use NAT forever, but for the average consumer, that won’t be a concern for quite a long time.
In 2012, however, the issue will affect websites that are hosting their content on IPv4-only servers, and smart businesses will want to get an IPv6 address in addition to an IPv4 address so that when the transition to IPv6 does come, they’ll be prepared. IPv6 isn’t backward-compatible with IPv4, but companies can “dual stack” their servers to offer content on both “versions of the Internet.”
It will be important for companies to keep their IPv4 addresses for some time, as households might not be equipped for IPv6 (increasingly, however, routers and device operating systems are offering support for both versions). When the time comes for websites to relinquish their old IPv4 addresses, many average consumer devices will be ready.
9. Consumers Borrow More Books, Movies, and Music
The Internet has done wonders for media sharing, and in 2012 it will become easier than ever to borrow media rather than buy it. Spotify and Rdio already let you listen to the music of your choice for free, and Google announced in November that its music-storing service will permit users to share songs with their friends.
E-readers such as the Amazon Kindle and the Sony Reader Wi-Fi PRS-T1 let you rent ebooks from public libraries. And you'll find no shortage of movie streaming services that let you watch flicks at a moment’s notice without filling up your hard drive with downloaded copies.
Devices that help you consume multimedia are boosting the trend. Amazon’s Kindle Fire, for instance, ships with only 8GB of storage, less than an entry-level iPhone 4S. That means Fire users will likely be streaming movies rather than downloading them, and listening to music from Rdio rather than keeping thousands of tunes on their tablets.
And Barnes & Noble’s Nook Tablet is hardly more than an e-reader with media-streaming capabilities, as only 1GB of its storage is available to hold non-Barnes & Noble downloads.
10. Fewer (but Better) Tablets Arrive
Tech Trends You'll See in 2012Clearly, tech companies want to sell tablets. In 2011, however, no tablet could truly compete with the iPad. From the genuinely disappointing (Fusion Garage’s Grid 10 tablet, based on a proprietary version of Android called GridOS) to the mildly dissatisfying (the Kindle Fire), there’s clearly a market for tablets, but someone other than Apple has yet to get it right.
In 2012, you'll almost certainly see some tablet makers dropping out of the game, but the ones that stick around will finally start to understand what tablet consumers want: not a big phone, but a media consumption and creation device that can stand up to heavy use.
New tablets will use the Android Ice Cream Sandwich OS, the tablet-optimized Windows 8, or the new RIM PlayBook 2.0 operating system. Let’s hope that 2011 was the warm-up, and that 2012 will be the year you’ll see real competitors to the iPad.
Tagcloud : 2012 Technology, Tech Trends , laptop , Hp 2230s battery ,smartphone, Tablets
1. Dual-Core Processors Become the Norm in Smartphones
In 2011, the Motorola Atrix and the Droid Bionic were the first commercially popular smartphones to sport dual-core processors. In the fall, Apple’s iPhone 4S followed suit--and now it seems unlikely that any smartphones unveiled in 2012 will be competitive unless they can offer the same processing power that Apple’s phones do.
Tech Trends You'll See in 2012As a result, you should expect to see a surge in dual-core mobile devices. ARM executive James Bruce, whose company licenses the designs of chips that find their way into almost every mobile device in the world, said in a May interview that dual-core processors would be a huge part of making smartphones not just powerful but also battery-efficient.
“If you look at handsets today, we’ve seen dual-core handsets reduce power consumption,” he says. For example, if you're sending a text message, dual-cores have the potential to effectively streamline the lower-power functions of the phone through one core, while reserving the other core for more power-intensive functions, like gaming or navigation."
And don’t expect chip development to stop at two cores. In December, Nvidia announced its first quad-core processor for tablets and smartphones, the Tegra 3.
2. Optical-Disc Drives Disappear From New Laptops
If you could download a movie in 2 minutes at any airport or coffee shop, or access hundreds of family photos from any network connection, how often would you use your laptop’s optical drive? For most people, the answer is "not often."
Tech Trends You'll See in 2012That’s why, in 2012, you’ll see fewer laptops / laptop batteries with optical drives. And the superlight classes (such as MacBook Airs and Ultrabooks) won't be the only ones abandoning them--larger-screened portables will, as well.
Ali Sadri, president of the Wireless Gigabit Alliance, which is working to propagate 7-gbps wireless on the 60GHz band of the spectrum, says that faster wireless will certainly change the way that laptops look, for good. “Multi-gigabit connectivity gives us all sorts of uses. Suddenly you don't need to have all these bulky devices. A very light laptop doesn't have room for an HDMI cable port, or a docking station.”
In 2012, regular-size laptops will be able to ditch their disc drives--and even many of their ports--without losing too much functionality. MacBook Airs don’t include optical drives, and larger MacBooks will likely follow suit this year. Laptops from other manufacturers, such as Asus, Dell, and Toshiba, will join the trend. Of course, some laptops will retain drives, but in 2012 new laptops with optical-disc drives will become harder to find.
3. Data-Only and Reduced-Voice Cell Phone Plans Proliferate
Tech Trends You'll See in 2012You probably spend way more time sending email and checking Facebook updates than you do making calls on your cell phone these days. And cell phone carriers are taking notice. In 2012, when you’re shopping for a phone plan, you’ll see data plans emphasized and calling minutes marginalized. Already, T-Mobile and Walmart have partnered to create a prepaid plan that offers 5GB of data and a measly 100 voice-calling minutes for just $30 a month.
PCWorld Associate Editor Patrick Miller tested the plan, doing most of his calling via VoIP on Skype’s app. Although his calls sometimes suffered from lag or occasionally cut out, ultimately the voice quality and reliability of his VoIP calls were no worse than on calls he made through a traditional cellular voice plan.
And new carrier Republic Wireless announced a plan that charges just $19 a month for unlimited data, text, and calling. The plan assumes that you’ll spend most of your time using Wi-Fi networks in your home, office, or around town, but provides cellular access for those occasions when you’re not around a hotspot. Use the cellular service too much, and you get kicked out of the Republic Wireless plan.
4. Facebook Accounts Become Necessary to Do More Stuff on the Web
Want a Spotify account? You’ll need to get a Facebook account first. When Facebook announced its partnership with Spotify in September 2011, the big objection that most people had to the partnership was that everyone could see what songs you were listening to, no matter how embarrassing your musical choices were.
Since then, Facebook and Spotify have decided to allow you to make your sharing private. (Or, for some people, secret. There’s a difference.) But one thing that Facebook and Spotify have not backed down on is the requirement that all new Spotify users sign in with Facebook before they can access any free tunes.
Turntable.fm is another new music-sharing service that requires the user to log in with a Facebook account--do so, or take a hike. While many websites aren’t quite so stringent with their login demands, it’s becoming more and more common to see “Sign in with your Twitter or Facebook account!” in big letters across a website’s login area. Only in the small print can you find the option to make an account without linking to your social media pages.
In 2012, it’s safe to assume that you’ll see more of this. The setup is good for small sites--they can largely weed out fake accounts and abusive users with the filter of a Facebook login, all while making sure that genuine customers don’t forget their login information. And the arrangement is good for Facebook--it can keep track of the sites that users visit, and encourage them to share more thoroughly (which is better for Facebook’s ad sales).
5. NFC Facilitates Mobile Payments, Peer-to-Peer Networking
Tech Trends You'll See in 2012Imagine tapping your phone to a receiver at a register, and instantly paying for an item without fumbling for your wallet. Or getting into a movie theater with a similar tap of your phone. Or being able to load your transit card onto your phone, using a simple tap to deduct money for every trip on the subway.
All of that is already possible with the help of near-field communication chips, which transfer small amounts of data through a short-range, low-friction connection.
Currently, you can buy the Google Nexus S phone, which carries an NFC chip and the Google Wallet companion app for syncing your credit cards to your phone and making mobile payments at participating vendors. Meanwhile, RIM is baking NFC chips into newer phones such as the BlackBerry 9900, and recently it introduced Tag, a RIM-specific feature that allows BlackBerry users to transfer contact information and documents.
The latest version of Android, Ice Cream Sandwich, is built to let app developers take advantage of the many uses for NFC, such as setting up peer-to peer connections between phones simply by tapping the phones' backs to each other. So without a doubt, in 2012 you’ll see more phones with these chips built into them, as well as more apps that employ the technology.
6. Processing Enters the Cloud
Makers of devices such as smartphones, tablets, and even cameras are pushing the boundaries of mobile computing by thinking outside of the chip. In 2012, “cloud processing,” or the ability to process complex information on remote servers, will make considerable advances.
Tech Trends You'll See in 2012The most evident indicator of this coming trend is every iPhone 4S owner’s new best friend, Siri. This virtual assistant is made possible because your iPhone 4S doesn’t have to analyze your request on its own processors--it sends your voice request to Apple’s data centers, which process the audio, find a response, and then send that response back to your phone.
A year before Siri debuted, Google Goggles did the same thing: You could snap a picture of a book, a logo, or a notable landmark, for instance, and Goggles would analyze the image at one of its Google server centers and return a search page relevant to the image. So apps that take advantage of cloud processing already exist--but you should expect to see a slew of voice recognition and face/object recognition apps appear for mobile devices in 2012. (A Google exec recently revealed that the company is working on a Siri competitor, called Majel.)
7. HTML 5 Takes the Stage
Markup languages rarely make headlines, but the HTML 5 upgrade will change the Internet in 2012 more than any cool new website will. That's because it’s the foundation that all cool new websites will be built upon. By bringing XHTML under the same umbrella as HTML, and by allowing Web programmers to use brand-new video and audio commands to integrate media into sites more gracefully, HTML 5 will become the key tool for making sites act a lot more like native apps on your phone.
And in some cases, HTML 5 websites might even replace apps. All the major mobile operating systems have adopted the new Web standard. HTML 5 promises to make it easier and more affordable for developers to introduce interactivity in browsers because they no longer need to buy and install proprietary plug-ins to create click-responsive graphics or to embed video.
Facebook is one of the major companies that have committed considerable resources to developing their sites for HTML 5. Pandora redesigned its site with HTML 5, too. Then, in November, Adobe announced that it would no longer continue to develop its mobile Flash Player because HTML 5 has been so much better received than its Flash plug-in.
Watch for redesigned sites in 2012, and be prepared to see companies forgo building new apps in favor of creating a unified HTML 5-based site. There’s even an Occupy Flash movement intended to encourage developers to stop using Flash and start using HTML 5.
8. IPv6 Starts Rolling Out
To send and receive data on the Internet, every connected device needs an IP address--and 2011 was the year we finally started running out of IPv4's unique, 32-bit sequences.
Tech Trends You'll See in 2012For the time being, Internet service providers can assign groups of devices a single IP address using network address translation, or NAT, to break down where traffic should travel among the group of devices. We can’t use NAT forever, but for the average consumer, that won’t be a concern for quite a long time.
In 2012, however, the issue will affect websites that are hosting their content on IPv4-only servers, and smart businesses will want to get an IPv6 address in addition to an IPv4 address so that when the transition to IPv6 does come, they’ll be prepared. IPv6 isn’t backward-compatible with IPv4, but companies can “dual stack” their servers to offer content on both “versions of the Internet.”
It will be important for companies to keep their IPv4 addresses for some time, as households might not be equipped for IPv6 (increasingly, however, routers and device operating systems are offering support for both versions). When the time comes for websites to relinquish their old IPv4 addresses, many average consumer devices will be ready.
9. Consumers Borrow More Books, Movies, and Music
The Internet has done wonders for media sharing, and in 2012 it will become easier than ever to borrow media rather than buy it. Spotify and Rdio already let you listen to the music of your choice for free, and Google announced in November that its music-storing service will permit users to share songs with their friends.
E-readers such as the Amazon Kindle and the Sony Reader Wi-Fi PRS-T1 let you rent ebooks from public libraries. And you'll find no shortage of movie streaming services that let you watch flicks at a moment’s notice without filling up your hard drive with downloaded copies.
Devices that help you consume multimedia are boosting the trend. Amazon’s Kindle Fire, for instance, ships with only 8GB of storage, less than an entry-level iPhone 4S. That means Fire users will likely be streaming movies rather than downloading them, and listening to music from Rdio rather than keeping thousands of tunes on their tablets.
And Barnes & Noble’s Nook Tablet is hardly more than an e-reader with media-streaming capabilities, as only 1GB of its storage is available to hold non-Barnes & Noble downloads.
10. Fewer (but Better) Tablets Arrive
Tech Trends You'll See in 2012Clearly, tech companies want to sell tablets. In 2011, however, no tablet could truly compete with the iPad. From the genuinely disappointing (Fusion Garage’s Grid 10 tablet, based on a proprietary version of Android called GridOS) to the mildly dissatisfying (the Kindle Fire), there’s clearly a market for tablets, but someone other than Apple has yet to get it right.
In 2012, you'll almost certainly see some tablet makers dropping out of the game, but the ones that stick around will finally start to understand what tablet consumers want: not a big phone, but a media consumption and creation device that can stand up to heavy use.
New tablets will use the Android Ice Cream Sandwich OS, the tablet-optimized Windows 8, or the new RIM PlayBook 2.0 operating system. Let’s hope that 2011 was the warm-up, and that 2012 will be the year you’ll see real competitors to the iPad.
Tagcloud : 2012 Technology, Tech Trends , laptop , Hp 2230s battery ,smartphone, Tablets
Thursday, December 22, 2011
Holiday Secure: Tips for a safe and healthy holiday
It's the night before Christmas, and if last-minute preparations have you stirring, here are some holiday tips to help take away the stress.
First, some ways to help you set the perfect winter-wonderland atmosphere at your house without having to call the fire department.
Here's how to make sure the Christmas tree stays fresh, the turkey stays moist, and the presents remain danger-free.
As a bonus, I've included this stress-free recipe for my signature roasted Cajun pecans that's sure to please visiting family and friends. Have a safe and happy holiday!
Fireplace safety tips:
• If you hung your stockings with care, you'll need to remove them before you light the hearth, preventing any fire hazard and potentially ruining any stocking stuffers inside.
• Install a screen in front of the fireplace to keep sparks from flying.
• Never use gasoline to start an indoor fire.
• Use seasoned, dried wood in the fireplace.
• Put out the fire before you go to bed.
• Remove ashes regularly, as they are flammable.
• Install a carbon-monoxide detector in your home.
• Don't burn wrapping paper, ribbons or bows as a means of disposing the trash from opening gifts; that can pose a health concern.
Christmas tree safety tips:
• If you buy an artificial tree, choose one with a label that says it is fire-resistant.
• Select the freshest live tree you can find. Its needles should be green and hard to pull from the branches. Needles shouldn't break when you bend them.
• Water your tree every day.
• Place the tree away from heat sources, including the fireplace and heating vents.
• Don't put up the tree too early. If it dries out, it will ignite more easily.
• Resist the temptation to burn your tree in the fireplace after Christmas. Needles and branches can cause a flash fire that's too intense for indoors.
• Replace tree lights often. Don't use any with cracked or frayed wires or damaged lights. String no more than three standard-size sets of lights per extension cord.
• Turn off the holiday lights before you go to bed or leave the house.
• Never put lighted candles on a tree.
• One unusual tip that can keep your Christmas tree fresh is to soak it in your pool overnight. Tie a rope around the trunk so you can retrieve it from the pool more easily. This allows the entire tree to soak up water and stay fresh much longer. Some people have told me this has helped the tree last through January.
Deep-fried turkey tips:
• Deep-fried turkeys had a bad reputation for years, because most deep fryers were gas-powered and safe only for use outdoors. I was reluctant at first to let go of my trusty gas deep fryer, but now I find electric deep fryers make frying a turkey easier, cleaner and much more safe. Most electric deep fryers cost $100 to $200.
• To fry your holiday bird, choose a high smoke-point oil, such as peanut, canola or sunflower, and search the Internet or ask friends for their favorite deep-fried-turkey marinade. Buy a smallish turkey -- eight to 10 pounds -- or you'll have to fry the turkey in parts.
Toy-safety tips:
• Check the minimum age recommendation on the package, and only buy gifts that suit a child's age, ability and interest level.
• Look for the letters "ASTM," which mean the toy meets the American Society for Testing and Materials' safety standards.
• Supervise children while they are using electronic toys. When they're done, put the toys away in a dry area out of smaller kids' reach.
• If the toy plugs in to the wall, teach the child how to safely use electrical outlets. Demonstrate how to "unplug" by pulling on the plug itself, not the cord.
• Avoid buying toys from thrift shops or garage sales; secondhand toys may not adhere to newer safety standards and could be dangerous.
Related articles:
Holiday Travel – 6 Safety Tips for Holiday Travelers
Simple tips to protect your home and valuables safe at holiday
Merry Christmas! Be smart and safe this holiday season
First, some ways to help you set the perfect winter-wonderland atmosphere at your house without having to call the fire department.
As a bonus, I've included this stress-free recipe for my signature roasted Cajun pecans that's sure to please visiting family and friends. Have a safe and happy holiday!
Fireplace safety tips:
• If you hung your stockings with care, you'll need to remove them before you light the hearth, preventing any fire hazard and potentially ruining any stocking stuffers inside.
• Install a screen in front of the fireplace to keep sparks from flying.
• Never use gasoline to start an indoor fire.
• Use seasoned, dried wood in the fireplace.
• Put out the fire before you go to bed.
• Remove ashes regularly, as they are flammable.
• Install a carbon-monoxide detector in your home.
• Don't burn wrapping paper, ribbons or bows as a means of disposing the trash from opening gifts; that can pose a health concern.
Christmas tree safety tips:
• If you buy an artificial tree, choose one with a label that says it is fire-resistant.
• Select the freshest live tree you can find. Its needles should be green and hard to pull from the branches. Needles shouldn't break when you bend them.
• Water your tree every day.
• Place the tree away from heat sources, including the fireplace and heating vents.
• Don't put up the tree too early. If it dries out, it will ignite more easily.
• Resist the temptation to burn your tree in the fireplace after Christmas. Needles and branches can cause a flash fire that's too intense for indoors.
• Replace tree lights often. Don't use any with cracked or frayed wires or damaged lights. String no more than three standard-size sets of lights per extension cord.
• Turn off the holiday lights before you go to bed or leave the house.
• Never put lighted candles on a tree.
• One unusual tip that can keep your Christmas tree fresh is to soak it in your pool overnight. Tie a rope around the trunk so you can retrieve it from the pool more easily. This allows the entire tree to soak up water and stay fresh much longer. Some people have told me this has helped the tree last through January.
Deep-fried turkey tips:
• Deep-fried turkeys had a bad reputation for years, because most deep fryers were gas-powered and safe only for use outdoors. I was reluctant at first to let go of my trusty gas deep fryer, but now I find electric deep fryers make frying a turkey easier, cleaner and much more safe. Most electric deep fryers cost $100 to $200.
• To fry your holiday bird, choose a high smoke-point oil, such as peanut, canola or sunflower, and search the Internet or ask friends for their favorite deep-fried-turkey marinade. Buy a smallish turkey -- eight to 10 pounds -- or you'll have to fry the turkey in parts.
Toy-safety tips:
• Check the minimum age recommendation on the package, and only buy gifts that suit a child's age, ability and interest level.
• Look for the letters "ASTM," which mean the toy meets the American Society for Testing and Materials' safety standards.
• Supervise children while they are using electronic toys. When they're done, put the toys away in a dry area out of smaller kids' reach.
• If the toy plugs in to the wall, teach the child how to safely use electrical outlets. Demonstrate how to "unplug" by pulling on the plug itself, not the cord.
• Avoid buying toys from thrift shops or garage sales; secondhand toys may not adhere to newer safety standards and could be dangerous.
Related articles:
Holiday Travel – 6 Safety Tips for Holiday Travelers
Simple tips to protect your home and valuables safe at holiday
Merry Christmas! Be smart and safe this holiday season
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