Ergonomic Health Tips for Laptop Users

More and more people are relying on laptops to get their work done. Laptops allow us to improve our productivity by working on tasks just about anywhere; not just in the office or class. In fact, in 2005 laptop computers outsold desktop PCs for the first time in history. With prices of laptops continuing to drop and netbooks making portable computing even more accessible, more and more people are relying on laptops for their primary computer.

With this trend on the rise, there are some increasing health risks that affect the growing number of users. No, it's not catching a computer virus—it's more about how we position ourselves while we use our laptops. According to the 2007 Labor Force Survey, nearly half a million workers suffer from upper limb disorders. Staying in the wrong position for long periods of time over the course of months or years can do significant nerve and joint damage.

Below are some helpful tips for avoiding some painful ergonomic conditions that may arise from avid laptop use.


Use a Separate Keyboard & Mouse

For your eyes and your posture, it's ideal for your keyboard to be close to you and your screen to be at a distance. Unfortunately, those two devices are firmly connected to each other on a laptop.

So unless you're using our laptop on the go, use an external keyboard and mouse whenever possible. An external keyboard can be moved to whatever position is most comfortable and convenient for you. You can even use an ergonomic keyboard as an alternative. Using an external mouse also gives you more freedom to move about than awkward laptop touchpads or trackballs.

USB keyboards and mice are very affordable and Bluetooth keyboards and mice greatly help with mobility.


Use a Docking Station or Stand

As much as possible, resting your laptop on your lap. The heat that a laptop produces can do internal damage to your legs with long-term direct contact. Instead, set the laptop on a stable surface. Better still, use a docking station or laptop stand. They're specially designed to keep your laptop steady and most expand your laptop's functionality.


Get in Position



While typing, we tend to lean or hunch over to get your face closer to the screen. Your back should be straight with your head centered above your shoulders. The best place to position your keyboard is level with your elbows as your arms are positioned where they're most comfortable.

If necessary, place a pillow or cushion underneath your forearms for additional coziness. Contrary to popular belief, you shouldn't rely on resting your wrists on a wrist pad. Instead, keep your wrists straight with your arms and rest the ball of your hand on the pad.


Adjust Your Screen

The best viewing distance between you and your screen is between 18-30 inches. A good way to avoid eyestrain is to position your screen perpendicular to your line of sight. It's also helpful to lower the light level in the room, if possible, to reduce glare.

Clean off your LCD screen often, but be gentle since too much pressure can damage the displays pixels. And always use proper cleaning fluids.


Take Frequent Breaks

Of course...take a break; you've earned it! Every 30-60 minutes, take a quick breather from your work. Stretch your arms and legs to help with blood flow and maybe take a quick walk around the office. This may help refresh your mind as well as your body.

To help prevent carpel tunnel syndrome, try this easy exercise with every break:

1. Make gripping motions with your hands. Squeezing a tennis ball is a great help.


2. Extend your arms with your palms facing forward. This will stretch the tendons in your wrist.


3. With arms still extended, make fists while turning your hands downward.


4. Finish it off with a good few swirls of the wrist.

Carry On

How you carry your laptop also as important as how you use it. Try not to overload your laptop's travel bag with additional cargo. This will take extra weight off of your shoulder. To further improve comfort, use a travel bag that has a cushion on the shoulder strap. Switch shoulders periodically to balance out the burden on your shoulder muscles.

Backpacks that are designed for carrying laptops are great for not only distributing the laptop's weight on your back, but also as camouflage for potential thieves. Wheeled luggage carts are even better since they take the weight off your body entirely.


Make it a Habit

It's always best to get in some preventive medicine. If you wait for when you start feeling the pain, then it's too late—the damage is already done. Instead, start getting into these habits early. Your aching co-workers may notice your exercises and ask, "But you don't have any joint problems!" You can then tell them that's right...that's how you know it works!


For more information about laptop docking stations and other useful laptop accessories, please take a look at our online store. You can also contact us with any questions via email or by calling 1-877-456-7869.

Coolest PC Case Mods

Computers are like sports cars for geeks. It's the meter by which we judge each other and establish our geeky status.

It's not always about who has the hottest technical specifications... Many times, it's about personal style! If you can't have the most powerful computer, it's just as good to have the most unique. Hardcore computer geeks with an artistic talent (and a lot of time on their hands) turn their computers into fun projects. Think of it as Pimp My Ride, but for PCs.

The key to an impressive PC case mod is—as the saying goes—thinking outside the box. In order to fit all the necessary hardware into various unorthodox shapes, most PC case modders use laptop parts, due to their compact size. The most common parts used are laptop optical drives and laptop motherboards.

Here are some examples of the craziest PC mods that we've found across the web! Some of the engineers that created them were also kind enough to supply detailed instructions for how to create your own!


Hamster PC


We all like to joke that our computers are powered by a hamster wheel. Will Knier from Raleigh, NC decided to bring that vision to life! He converted the top sections of a full-sized PC tower into an actual home for his hamster. The living compartment of the PC case is split into two rooms, connected by PVC pipe, and are visible by translucent walls.


NES PC


One popular case mod converts an old 8-bit Nintendo Entertainment System into a slick retro PC design. The NES's cartridge loading bay is an ideal spot to install the optical drive, often using a laptop CD-ROM drive. The power and reset buttons can easily be used for their PC tower counterparts.


Similar PC case mods have been produced using the bodies of other classic video game consoles, such as the Commodore 64, Super NES, and even the portable-sized Nintendo Game Boy.


Victorian All-in-One PC


This case mod (created by Jake von Slatt) is made with state of the art hardware, but given a classy, antiquated look. It's also been nicknamed the "Steampunk PC", since it harkens to the type of science fiction that places modern technology in old-world eras.

On the inside, the creator of the Steampunk PC mounted the system hardware onto the back of the 19in LCD monitor. The DVD-ROM drive is installed inside the base, hidden on one side. As icing to this nerd-tastic cake, Jake added matching custom-made keyboard and mouse.


Batman Begins Batmobile PC


There are few pop culture icons that rank cooler than Batman. He has the neatest gadgets, hottest car, and can master any puzzle with his sharp detective mind. A veritable geek god.

In homage to the caped crusader, a PC case modder known only as "batfan06" assembled an impressive case mod in the form of the tumbler Batmobile from the recent Batman Begins film. What's especially cool about this case mod is that the case itself is a simple remote-controlled Batmobile toy found at Walmart!

Mr. batfan06 took great care to make all the ports, drives, and vents easily accessible, yet tactically hidden from casual view. LED lights were added to make the Batmobile PC quite the impressive sight in the dark. At first glance, you wouldn't expect it to be a fully-functional desktop PC; it would just look like a really sweet Batmobile model.


Microwave PC


This may be the most clever way to disguise your computer as a common household appliance. The front window of the microwave has been refitted with a flat-panel LCD monitor. By opening the microwave's door, you'll be able to access the system hardware, housed inside the food compartment. The control panel on the side has been revamped with PC controls and switches, while maintaining the style of a traditional microwave oven. Oddly, the optical drive is mounted on the top of the microwave, where discs are fed in vertically, though it doesn't detract much from the overall coolness factor.


For any questions or suggestions about PC hardware, please contact us via email or by calling 1-800-620-6886. We offer a wide variety of replacement laptop parts that you may need for your own custom PC case mod, as well as laptop repair services (in the event of a modding mishap).

Top 10 Laptop Battery Tips

Your laptop battery is the lifeblood of your portable computer work. The longer a laptop battery can stay juiced up, the more work we can get done between charges. And when the battery eventually dies, it can be costly to replace. More so if you have an older laptop whose parts are hard to find.

So in order to keep your laptop running strong, you'll need to take good care of your battery. It's easy to neglect the laptop battery; they don't stand out as much as most notebook accessories. As they say, out of sight, out of mind.

To arm you with the knowledge you need to maintain your beloved laptop, we've come up with this list of essential Top 10 tips for extending the life of your laptop's battery!


1. Avoid The "Memory Effect"

Older laptops that use nickel-metal hybrid batteries are tricky in how they are charged. If you frequently use battery power for a short period of time before recharging it, the battery life will gradually shorten.

For example, if you typically use only 15% of the battery's power before recharging it back to full capacity, the batter will "remember" this habit and over time will only make that 15% available. That means 85% of the battery's full capacity will become wasted. For older batteries, it's best to not recharge it until it reaches below 25%. This will improve the battery's chances of "remembering" its actual full capacity.

Laptop owners with newer Lithium-Ion batteries shouldn't worry about this phenomenon. In fact, a full depletion of battery charge is only recommended for every 30 recharges.


2. Power Options

You can easily adjust the power settings in your laptop to optimize your battery power usage. For Windows users, access Power Options in your Control Panel. From there, select the Max Battery power scheme to get the most power from the battery. Adjust the wait time before the laptop's screen or hard drive is shut off.


Mac users can click on System Preferences from the Apple Menu. When running on battery power, select the Power Saver power plan. When your laptop is plugged into an AC adapter, switch the power plan to High-Performance. You can adjust when the screen shuts off from here as well.


3. Keep The Laptop Cool

As is true for any type of hardware, heat is a killer. Never place your laptop on an insulated surface like a pillow or blanket. Avoid using your laptop in areas where the temperature exceeds 80°F. Make a habit of blowing compressed air through your laptop's fans and vents to clear out any dust or hair. And if at all possible, get a cooling pad to rest under your laptop to insure a cooling airflow.


4. Hibernate, Not Stand By

Two key areas to pay attention to while you're managing your laptop's power options are Hibernate and Stand By. Sending your system to Stand By will save some power while the laptop is idle, but many functions remain active.

When your laptop goes into hibernation, it saves the state that your system is in before shutting itself off. When the laptop switches back on, that state is send back into memory so you can pick up where you left off while saving significantly more power in the meantime.


5. Save To The Hard Drive

It may not look like it, but CD- and DVD-ROM drives use a lot of power to keep spinning. If you need to access multiple or large files that are stored on a disc, save the files to the hard drive first. You'll save a lot of power reading the files from the hard drive than keeping the optical drive's motor continuously spinning.


6. Defrag Often


Since we recommend reading your data from the hard drive, you'll need to make sure the hard drive is in optimal shape. The easiest thing to do is to defragment the hard drive every week or two. By defragmenting our hard drive, data that's used most often is kept close together. As a result, the hard drive won't have to work as hard to gather up that data, thus using less power.

As a bonus, you'll notice a vast improvement in load time!


7. Avoid Multitasking

The more tasks that your system has to juggle, the more battery power you'll eat up. If possible, try to only have one or two applications running at a time. Using the Task Manager in Windows, shut down all the background processes that you aren't currently using.

Multitasking applies to hardware as well! Minimize the amount of devices you have connected to the laptop at a time. Each USB device you have connected to the laptop uses battery power to operate. Obviously, it may not be wise to charge the battery in your cell phone or iPod through a USB cable while your laptop itself is running off battery power.


8. Dim Your Screen

Your laptop's monitor screen is like a big, flat light bulb. Turn the brightness setting of your laptop's display as low as you can comfortably see. If you're using your laptop in a dark room, you should be able to turn the brightness levels to their lowest setting while still seeing the display clearly.

As mentioned before, set the display to turn off shortly after you stop working on the laptop. Avoid relying on a screensaver while on battery power, since they tend to keep the screen's backlight on unnecessarily as your laptop sits idle.


9. Disable WiFi

If you're not accessing the internet while you're running on battery power, disable your laptop's wireless internet adapter. Even if you're not actively working online, the wireless adapter will continue to seek and connect with nearby WiFi hotspots.


10. Disconnect The Battery

If you're at home or anywhere that you can connect your laptop to a laptop AC adapter, you may want to remove the battery once it's been fully recharged. This will decrease the risk of overloading the battery. Store the battery in a cool place, since heat can damage the battery even when not in use. A fully-charged battery should be used again within three weeks in order to maintain longevity.

While your battery is disconnected, it's important to keep the connectors clean. Use light amounts of rubbing alcohol on the connectors of the battery and the laptop (just make sure the laptop is turned off first!).


One habit we like to encourage: Always keep a spare! While traveling with your laptop, keep a spare laptop battery packed with you in case your first battery gets used up.

Additionally, we recommend carrying a spare laptop AC adapter wherever you take your laptop so you're never too far from a recharge.

If you're experiencing strange power glitches in your laptop that you can't explain, we can take a look at it for you! Our laptop repair service includes checking your laptop's battery or DC power jack. For any questions, send us an email or call 919-620-6886.

Awesome Gaming Laptop Tips

Traditionally, laptop computers have been used for business and academic applications. But as laptop technology has advanced, video game lovers have been generating demand for high-powered gaming laptops for portable PC gaming. Using a laptop PC for video games is a fantastic way to play your favorite games anytime, anywhere. Especially when gathering with your friends in a multiplayer LAN party.

If you're shopping around for a new laptop with gaming in mind, there are some things that you need to be aware of in order to give yourself the best laptop gaming experience possible. We've put together some ideas for you to help you along!


MINIMUM SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS

Every PC game comes with a list of minimum system requirements needed to play the game. If your specs don't make the grade, then it's game over before you've even begun!

Video games will also list the recommended system specifications that the developers suggest for the best results for playing their games. It's best to look at some of the newest titles that are out right now and look for a laptop with hardware specs that are just above the games' recommended requirements. Not only will you be ready to play the hot new titles, but you'll also have invested in being prepared for games coming out in the near future.


At the time of this writing, we recommend a laptop that has at least a dual-core CPU of 1.6Ghz, 60GB of available hard drive space, and as much RAM as you can get!


PRICE

Naturally, the price of a laptop weighs heavy into how you shop. If you're looking for a laptop that you know you'll want to use for video games, then you'll have spend a bit more. Realistically, low-priced netbooks and "red tag sale" laptops will only frustrate you if you try to use them for video games.

The only exception being if you have a more casual attitude toward gaming and intend to use your laptop to play PC games that are older than 7 years or Flash games found on the web. Otherwise, expect to pay at least $1500 for a machine capable of playing current popular game titles.


VIDEO PROCESSOR

A computer's GPU (or Graphics Processor Unit) is the keystone of a PC video game's performance. What you definitely don't want is a graphics processor that's integrated with the motherboard. A separate graphics card is best since it takes care of the whole video workload by itself, freeing the laptop's system resources.

ATi and nVidia make the best laptop graphics cards on the market right now with 128MB-256MB of video memory.


SCREEN SIZE

How you view your video games is a crucial part of how you interact with them. Luckily, laptop LCD screens have come a long way in quality over the past couple of years. While smaller displays come with the territory of smaller, more portable laptops, size matters for video games.

For the best view of your PC games, you'll want a laptop screen that's at least 15 inches. We recommend a screen that's closer to 17 inches just so you don't have to squint as much while trying to concentrate on a PC game's finer graphical details. A screen with a natural resolution of 1280x800 pixels is also best for getting the clearest quality of picture.

You may need to consider whether or not you prefer a laptop with a standard or widescreen LCD display. More computer monitors and laptop LCD screens are being produced in widescreen format to keep up with trends in high-definition television.


However, not as many PC games are being developed with widescreen displays in mind. Playing a PC game in fullscreen mode on a widescreen display may cause the game to appear stretched out or fuzzy. We recommend a widescreen display because of its advantages outside of gaming and in expectation that more PC game developers will adopt widescreen display options.

Of course there are details like contrast, viewing angles, etc., but that’s a whole different topic in itself! The best idea is to go to your local retailer’s laptop displays and let your eyes be the judge. Note the specs of whichever ones look the best to you and shop around for laptop models with similar displays.


PERIPHERALS

There's always more gadgets that you can add to your laptop to enhance your gaming experience! Most laptop owners that use a laptop at home prefer to connect a full-sized USB keyboard and mouse, as well as connect their laptop to a docking station or port replicator to expand their audio/video options.

Whether you're at home or on the go, we recommend at least using a USB optical mouse with your laptop for the best possible control of your game.

The #1 killer of computer hardware is heat and laptops are notorious for overheating, due to their compact design. Of course, nothing heats up a system more than a CPU/GPU generating high-quality 3D graphics! For this, you should look into picking up a cooling fan for your laptop. If for no other reason than to keep from cooking your legs from resting your laptop on your lap! Ouch!

Most PC games come with the option to play with a gamepad or joystick, which is great for people who aren't used to playing on a keyboard. Arguably, the gamer's favorite controller design of all-time is Sony's Dual Shock controller for its PlayStation consoles. By using a PlayStation-to-PC USB adapter, you can connect any PSone or PS2 controller to your laptop.

This includes any other controller accessory made for PlayStation, like steering wheels and dance pads. The most popular use is for connecting arcade-style joysticks for playing classic arcade games or competitive fighting games like Street Fighter IV.


For all of our available video game accessories, please browse through our online store. If you have any questions about PC gaming or for more gaming laptop advice, please feel free to send us an email!

Back-To-School Checklist for Laptops

The new school year is upon us! With the fall semester just about to start, it's important to make sure that you or your student are well equipped for handling all their schoolwork.

To make sure you have everything you need to be prepared, we've put together a list of tips to maximize your gear:


NETBOOKS

Netbooks are the hottest new tool for portable computing. They're ideal for students because of their petite, travel-friendly size, economic prices, and easy mobile web access. While they're not as powerful as most desktop or laptop computers, they pack just enough power to dedicate to schoolwork and basic web-based communication.

Whichever model of netbook you plan to buy, you'll need to make sure that you have all the right netbook accessories. Using a slim, external DVD drive is essential for installing all the necessary software that you or your student may need for school projects. Netbooks lack any kind of optical disc drive, so it's good idea if you need to read or backup any data to a CD or DVD. You may also want to pick up a spare netbook AC adapter, to make sure that your netbook can be fully charged no matter where you go.


LAPTOP BATTERIES
& AC ADAPTERS

Notebook PCs need love just as much as netbooks. If you're frequently on the move, keep a spare laptop battery handy to double your mobile computer work time. And just in case of an emergency, pack a spare laptop AC adapter to make sure that you're laptop is powered up and your work time goes on, uninterrupted.


SECURITY CABLES

Keeping your laptop or netbook secure is crucial to keep from falling into the hands of thieves. Most laptops and netbooks come equipped with slots to connect a Kensington notebook security cable lock. These laptop cable locks will keep your notebook or netbook firmly tethered so that they don't sprout wings and fly away. Laptops are expensive enough to replace, but imagine losing any irreplaceable schoolwork that might be stored inside!


BACK-UP!

Hardware failure, viruses, theft... No matter how you lose your data, it could cost you hours, days, or even weeks worth of work! Back up your data routinely; preferably every day. You can use a USB thumb drive (2GB or more) or an external DVD burner for backing up smaller files or projects, or you can use a larger external hard drive for larger tasks. Remember, though, it's only a back-up if you have more than one copy!


WIRELESS CARDS

Public WiFi access is increasing, with free wireless web access becoming available in most restaurants and other local businesses. However, not every laptop comes with wireless hardware built in. If your laptop doesn't have a laptop wireless card, you should definitely get one. With wireless accessibility, your laptop can truly be mobile, connecting to local wireless networks and WiFi hotspots.

Staying connected is becoming more and more critical for school to keep in touch with teachers, fellow students, and other online resources.


DOCKING STATIONS

If you want to get the most out of your laptop, you can use a laptop port replicator or docking station to expand the functionality of the laptop while working at home.

A laptop itself is excellent for mobile computing, but when you return home to your desk, it's nice to be able to view your work on a larger monitor and hear music through full-sized speakers. A port replicator can get your laptop working like a desktop, allowing it to connect to just about any computer accessory.


TRAVEL BAGS

While carrying around your laptop, you want to make sure that it has as much protection as possible. Most people use laptop travel bags (which are great), but they stand out like a beacon through the eyes of thieves. Your best bet is to use a backpack to blend in with the crowd, but make sure it has extra padding to protect your laptop. Many new backpacks are designed with special compartments for storing laptops or netbooks, so picking up one of those is definitely recommended.


GAMING

Naturally you'll want to have some fun with your laptop or netbook. Any computer you own for the purpose of school or business should be considered a tool first and a toy well below that. But there's always that rule of all work and no play...

To provide some extra comfort in your game time, we offer the PlayStation-to-PC USB adapter. This little gadget will let you connect any PSone or PS2 controller or accessory to your PC. It's compatible with any desktop, laptop, or notebook computer with an available USB 2.0 port. It's great for any joystick-enabled PC games or ports of classic games found on download services like Steam.


With all this kit on hand, you should be ready to make the grade! Of course, if you're ever in need of repair or upgrade service for your netbook or notebook PC, Triangle Laptops offers it's fantastic laptop repair service in order to keep your computer up and running! For more information, please visit the Triangle Laptops homepage or call 1-919-620-6886.

Laptop Repair Service By Triangle Laptops

If your laptop is no longer under warranty, getting laptop repair can get expensive. If you try to get your laptop serviced by a big-name retailer like Best Buy, they're more likely to try to sell you unnecessary accessories (or a whole new laptop). They're more interested in big sales, not servicing the customer.

Triangle Laptops understands that we're in a time where we need to get the most out of the computer hardware that we have. So in addition to being a top source of laptop replacement parts and accessories, Triangle Laptops now offers nationwide professional laptop repair services!

Customers in need of laptop repair can contact Triangle Laptops with their requests. Our professional, experienced staff is fully capable of servicing the top name brand laptops, including Dell, HP, IBM, Toshiba, and more! Better still, each laptop repair service comes with free return shipping!

Among our list of laptop repair services:

Laptop Hard Drive Data Recovery Laptop Hard Drive Replacement Virus Removal & Repair Laptop Operating System Installation

Laptop LCD Replacement Laptop DC Jack Replacement Laptop Keyboard Replacement Laptop Memory Upgrades

If your laptop is running slowly or is behaving strangely, Triangle Laptops can perform a thorough system diagnostic in order to track down the problem and offer the best solutions. Along with repair, we also help with system upgrades and optimization to give your laptop an extra turbo-boost.

Triangle Laptops is based in the Triangle Area of North Carolina. To better serve local businesses and residents of the Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill, Cary, Hillsborough, and RTP areas, Triangle Laptops offers special savings on local drop-off and pick-up laptop repair services our facilities.

All customers are welcome to provide their own hardware, software, and back-up data for the laptop service, though some parts may be available through Triangle Laptops directly. Customers are encouraged to check availability of all laptop parts in order to save themselves time and money on their laptop repairs.

To begin maximizing the power of your laptop, please check out our laptop repair service page. For laptop service requests or questions, please email Triangle Laptops or call 919-620-6886.

Laptop Travel Tips for Your Summer Vacation

Summer is upon us! Kids are getting out of school and it’s time to think about how we’re going to spend our vacation time.

Of course, we can’t escape completely—we live in an age where we can still bring our computers with us wherever we go to stay current with work and keep in touch with friends. Better still: Blog about your adventures! Portable laptops and netbook PCs have made it too convenient (though not necessarily in a bad way) to bring our desktop environment with us on summer trips.

That being a given, there are some important things to keep in mind in order to keep your laptop and precious data safe while traveling. Here are some summer laptop tips:


TAKE A SPARE BATTERY AND AC ADAPTER

There’s nothing more essential to a laptop than keeping it powered up. Remember to bring along your laptop’s AC adapter so that you can plug into any nearby outlet, wherever you might be staying. Also be sure that you have the right power cords and international power adapters if you’re vacationing to countries with different power plugs. It’s also a clever idea to keep a spare AC adapter around: One for home and one for travel.

Of course, for true portability, the laptop battery frees us from the tether of a power cord. Especially if you’re booting up inside planes, trains, and automobiles. The average battery is built to last just a few hours. For extra long trips and emergencies, keep an extra battery handy!


USE A TRAVEL BAG

You’ll need a place to store your laptop, adapter, batteries, and whatever other gadgets you carry with you. A laptop travel bag holds your laptop accessories all in one convenient place, wrapped in protective padding to prevent damage.

However, most experts will agree that it’s wise to use travel bags other than a traditional laptop bag. When a thief sees a laptop bag, they know exactly what’s inside; almost as if you’ve stuck a “Steal me!” sign on your computer. Instead, use a well padded backpack or messenger bag. Since they’re more common, they’re less likely to be stolen.


SECURE YOUR LAPTOP

While you and your family are out seeing the sights, you should secure your laptop in case of a break in. A laptop security lock and cable will fasten your notebook so that the bad guys can’t make off with it.

In the event that your laptop still gets stolen, you’ll also need to protect your data. A laptop only costs a few hundred dollars to replace; the private data that criminals can pull from your laptop can cost you thousands! Password protect as much software as you can. It may be a hassle at times, but it could very well save you.

There’s also the option of using a USB security key. These devices look similar to USB thumb drives and are very reasonably priced. Most of these security keys use software that will keep your laptop’s data encrypted or limit access unless they’re connected to the laptop while running. Fancy ones have features like thumb print scanners to insure that you and only you are the one accessing your personal computer.


REMEMBER ALL CABLES AND ADAPTERS

If you plan on looking over the photos on your digital camera while on your trip, you’ll need to be able to get those files from your camera to your laptop. To pull the files from the camera’s memory card, there are a wide variety of flash card readers that will do the trick, but that’s unnecessary weight to be carrying around. The most convenient method is connecting the digital camera directly to the laptop and reading the files from there. Most digital cameras are equipped with a mini-USB port to connect to any PC.

Keep a couple mini-USB cables stashed in your laptop travel bag, depending on how many gadgets you bring along with you. Mini-USB is a near-universal connection for plugging portable electronic devices to a PC. You can even use them to charge your cell phone or video games, like the Sony PSP, in case you’d like to leave their bulky AC adapters at home!


USE A WIRELESS PLAN FROM YOUR MOBILE PROVIDER

It’s possible to find free wireless hotspots while you’re on vacation, but who wants to drive around searching for one when you could be relaxing by the pool? You can sign up for a data plan through your mobile phone service for your own secured connection. Most services are able to provide connection speeds as fast as broadband!


PORTABLE PC ON A USB DRIVE

There’s always the crazy alternative: Leave the laptop at home! If you’re visiting family or anywhere else that already has an accessible computer with an internet connection, you can still carry your own software, settings, and files with the use of a simple USB flash drive.

There are hundreds of free portable applications that can easily be installed on a USB flash drive that will allow you to check your email, edit pictures, and even balance your check book wherever you go! They’re very effective for their size and you should be able to pack all you need in a USB drive no larger than 2GB.

It’s easy to find portable, stand-alone applications online, but the easiest way is to install the PortableApps Suite onto the USB drive. It comes with several popular applications and you can add as many as you want from their software library. Best of all, they’re all free!


With these tips, you'll earn yourself some peace of mind with your laptop by your side. After all, you should relax...you're on vacation!

Connect Your Laptop To Your TV With Ease!

With streaming video services like NetFlix and Hulu, watching high quality movies and television shows on-demand are just a click away. But how comfortable can it be to watch them sitting in your desk chair on a cramped computer screen? Nothing beats snuggling up with your loved ones on a couch across from a large, high-def screen.

So how do we bring the convenience of internet broadcasting together with the comfort of the living room theater? It’s easier than you think, and in fact there are dozens of ways to do it!

A lot of people will build a dedicated media center PC that stays connected to their entertainment center. This is a great option, but that kind of hardware can be bulky and incredibly expensive.

We recommend taking advantage of a laptop for this setup. They’re compact and mobile, so they won’t take up too much space in your entertainment center. If you already have a laptop, you’ll save money by getting extra use out of something you already own. And if you don’t have a laptop, they’re fairly inexpensive and you get the dual benefit of having an excellent media device and a portable computer!

Now it’s time to hook it up! The first question is how to connect the video. Laptops typically have a video output of some kind built into them. Older laptops may have a Composite or S-video connection. Newer laptops are readily equipped with DVI or even HDMI (which is the best option). Just about all will have a VGA output. If your laptop doesn’t have DVI or HDMI, then VGA is possibly your best option since it’s still able to support higher screen resolutions.

If you have a high-definition television, you’re in luck because most new HDTVs have input connections for just about all forms of video input. In some cases you may need to get an adapter. For example, if your HDTV doesn’t support VGA, you can get a VGA-to-DVI or VGA-to-Component adapter. For older TVs, you may have to get an S-video-to-Composite adapter.

Of course, one of the best options is to use a laptop docking station or port replicator for your laptop. A laptop port replicator expands the capabilities of your laptop, giving it the full array of connections found in a full-sized PC. For example, the Dell Precision E/Port Plus port replicator has two DVI outputs, allowing for a simultaneous dual-screen setup with high-definition displays.

A laptop port replicator will also give you more audio options. Most laptops will only be equipped with the standard 3.5mm headphone jack. Laptop docking stations can have better audio options, including optical connections for the best quality digital sound. In some cases, the headphone jack of a laptop is rigged to double as a digital coaxial output, so you may need a 3.5mm-to-RCA digital coaxial adapter. Or, there are external USB soundcards that will come with the connectors you need.

Once you have the hardware together, it’s time to boot up! If the picture doesn’t show up on your TV right away, you may need to adjust the video software settings on the laptop. For machines running Windows, simply right-click on the desktop and click on the Properties option. In the Display Properties, click on the Settings tab on the right. From there, you can either set the TV as an extension of the laptop’s screen, or set it as the single primary display.

All that’s left is to pull up your favorite video, full-screen it, and hit Play! With this set up, you can also play your favorite games, give presentations, or watch photo slideshows.

8 Easy Laptop Security Tips

There are few things scarier than having your laptop stolen or compromised. Most of us rely on our notebook PCs as the keystone of our professions. There are always people out there that would like nothing more than to steal your private data.

Here are some handy tips for beefing up your laptop's security so that you can rest easy about your crucial data...

1. Back up your data and do it often! Invest in an external hard drive to copy your files to each night. Thumb drives are great for smaller documents. Some people back up their files on to recordable CDs or DVDs to store at home or office. You can also sign up for off-sight back-up services that will let you upload your data to a secure location. These services are great in the event of a fire or traveling.
   
   


2. Disable the infrared sensor, if your laptop has one. Bad guys can access your laptop remotely through it.
   
   


3. Don't trust WiFi! Wireless internet connection is a fantastic convenience, but free WiFi hotspots allow anyone on that network to access your laptop. This includes website passwords, unencrypted email... All the private information you need to keep private!
   
   


4. Rename your Windows "Administrator" account. Many hackers go right for that account once they can get into your machine. You can even create a bogus "Administrator" login and a few extra redundant accounts to throw them off the trail.
   
   


5. Use a docking station for your home or office. This will lock down the laptop to a more secure location, in case visitors or staff get a case of sticky fingers. It also gives you a place to charge your battery and back up your data when you're not traveling.
   
   


6. Use a complicated password. The best type of password is a completely random mess of numbers, letters, and symbols. But if you need to use words for a mnemonic, replace some of the letters with similar numbers. For example: "p4s5w0rd".
   
   


7. Don't save passwords or use automatic logins for websites on your laptop. If someone were to get their hands on your laptop, they'd have instant access to all those important accounts. Anywhere from your FaceBook to your online banking!
   
   


8. Finally, use encryption whenever possible. There are loads of software and USB devices out there that will help keep your data encrypted and secure.

Keeping your data secure will save you loads of time and money. With these simple tips, you should be able to sleep easy knowing that your vital data is safe.

Have any tips of your own? Add them to the comments! We'd love to hear any ideas that we might have missed!