laptop and notebook

Apple’s latest MacBook Pro lineup has been getting rave reviews. And deservedly so. Of course, as with any new hardware, these models are prone to a few minor hiccups that don’t affect older MacBook models. Here are two of the oddest ones:

Unusual optical disk drive noises. As first reported by Apple last month, the optical drives in these new laptops may exhibit an “unusual series of noises” when starting up or waking from sleep, even though no disc is in the drive. For those wondering exactly what “unusual” means here, Apple provides a recording of the noise. Out of context, I found the noise to be a bit funny; I’ve even thought about using it as a wacky ringtone.

To banish these sounds from your MacBook Pro, insert a disc “almost all the way” into the slot-loading drive (not releasing it from your hand). Then remove the disc and reinsert it, this time letting it go all the way. This unlikely procedure, dubbed by Apple as “resetting the drive,” should eliminate the problem.

Unexpected sleep. If you are lucky enough to have more than one mid-2009 MacBook Pro (or Late 2008 13-inch aluminum MacBook), Apple advises not stacking them on top of each other (at least not with their magnetic latches all facing the same way). If you do, the top computer may go to sleep unexpectedly, even in the middle of a startup.

While not likely to be a common problem, I found it interesting to learn exactly why it can occur. It can happen because “the magnet in the bottom computer may activate the magnetic switch in the top computer.” Apple considers this to be “normal behavior,” because this is how sleep onset is normally activated when you close the lid of an unstacked MacBook. Sleep is triggered when the magnet in the laptop’s display clamshell gets close enough to the magnetic “Hall Effect” switch in the MacBook body. By the way, Apple didn’t make up the name for this switch; you can check out various Web sites, including this Wikipedia page, to learn more about Hall Effect switches.

A majority of college-bound students gearing up for school will not consider buying a Mac laptop, a study reveals. Instead, students are gravitating toward affordable netbooks from a variety of manufacturers, according to Retrevo, a consumer electronics website, that conducted the study.

Retrevo says Macs are at the bottom of student wish lists this year. While 49 percent of students will buy full-sized Windows laptops, 34 percent will purchase netbooks. Bringing up the rear is Mac with only 17 percent of students saying they intend to buy one, the study shows.

The most affordable new Apple laptop I could find sells for $949 (white MacBook). Compare that to the 18 percent of survey participants who say they won’t spend a dime over $1000 for a laptop and Apple doesn’t look to be the big man on campus this year. A majority of penny-pinching students, 58 percent of them, said they plan on spending less than $750 on their back-to-school laptop.

Apple has been targeting the education market this year with a special promotion offering a free iPod Touch with every MacBook sold. Judging from Retrevo’s study the lure is not that effective. Apple’s promotion ends on September 8.

Cheap netbooks, some even under $200, may just be good enough for students tight on cash and already saddled with credit card and tuition debt. With long battery life, a variety of designs, these affordable mini-laptops give students more for their tight budgets.

While netbook sales are strong, Apple has been reluctant to enter the cheap ultraportable computer war. Speculation about such a device has been floating around for over a year now, but Apple execs blasted the idea of an Apple netbook back in March.

But Apple could have something else in mind for the education market. The Cupertino company is rumored to launch a tablet-sized device either this year or in early 2010, which could have broad applications for the education sector as well.

We might want to take the Retrevo study with a grain of salt considering it only polled 300 site visitors. And, personally, I’m not terribly surprised by its findings. Since when has Apple ever been the big man on campus when it comes to computer operating systems? If 17 percent of college-bound students actually do what they told Retrevo and buy a Mac, that’s actually pretty good news for Apple. Market research firm Gartner points out the Mac market share here in the United States is a paltry 8.7 percent. Plus, according to market research from NPD, Apple has its own bragging rights. It owns 90 percent of the over-$1000 PC market.

Hey, maybe Microsoft’s laptop hunter ad campaign is working? Next we’ll find out college students prefer Bing to Google. Can we hide from assimilation?

Whether you are part of the Borg or not, you still might want to check the latest Top 10 Netbooks and get some shopping tips on how to buy a netbook.

Follow Daniel on Twitter @danielionescu

Nokia announced it is moving beyond its mobile roots and boldly entering the PC market with its netbook offering dubbed the Booklet 3G.

The rumors surrounding Nokia’s entry into the netbook market have been circulating for several months now, and today the company made a splash by finally revealing its first computing product, an attractive yet small app-friendly device which blurs the lines between Ultra Mobile PC’s and netbooks.

The Windows powered aluminum device boasts a competitive 12 hours of battery life and also packs in WiFi connectivity, an HDMI port and integrated 3G and GPS, all in a neat well crafted 10″ package. The only thing that the company has chosen to keep quiet about spec wise was what version of Windows the device would use.

Nokia could tackle the increasingly popular netbook market by taking advantage of its history as a communications company. Whereas many manufacturers simply take the basic PC experience and make it portable, Nokia could attempt to integrate cell phone and laptop usage habits into one integrated device, thereby enhancing the user experience while on the move.

The integration of Nokia’s Ovi services within the Booklet is just one interesting step that the firm has taken in order to differentiate itself from other netbook providers, while also boosting Ovi’s profile. The benefits gained from having Ovi built into this new device are plentiful, from cloud storage, synched contacts, mail, media and more. Another smart move by Finnish firm is the Booklet’s integrated 3G capabilities, which will allow users to be connected pretty much anywhere, anytime, without a WiFi network.

These various additions on a whole could create a harmonious united link between your cell and netbook, that no other device has been able to offer before.

Check out the below video for further details on what the netbook can offer:

Nokia’s Executive Vice President for Devices, Kai Oistamo, had this to say regarding Nokia’s move into computing: “A growing number of people want the computing power of a PC with the full benefits of mobility, we are in the business of connecting people and the Nokia Booklet 3G is a natural evolution for us.”

What’s interesting is that Nokia choose to announce the new Booklet now, only days before Apple is expected to hold a media event where it may reveal its much discussed rumored tablet. By adding in 3G connectivity it can be assumed that Nokia is racing to seriously compete in the mobile computing market which is about to get all the more interesting, as Apple and Google turn up the heat.

Further details regarding the device, such as pricing and availability, will be revealed at the ‘Nokia World’ press event next week.

The article come from http://www.mylaptopbattery.co.uk/blog/2009/08/27/second-hand-laptop-battery-repair-methods1/

Laptop has been enchanting charm, a vast number of computer enthusiasts, especially the young to pursue a family focus. The new laptop mostly in million yuan, due to the reasons for the laptop battery of non-biggest names in hard to accept; while second-hand laptop computer is relatively cheap, its function in general can be used to meet the need, and therefore second-hand laptop computer enthusiasts to purchase a minority.

However, the second-hand laptop, after all, is the second-hand goods, is used by others, and its uneven performance, compared with the new notebooks, the biggest difference is the built-in battery should be working hours, and better able to work a little 2-3 hours, poor or even 1 hour is not that, Imagine, such a battery, has just appeared in front of their friends gestures some low-power alarm, how much loss of face. Although the second-hand laptop computers also are equipped with AC power adapter, but if only relied on, and there is nothing different from the desktop dell Inspiron 8600 battery,dell Inspiron 9200 battery? Will lose the significance of the purchase of notebook computers.

In order to play a second-hand notebook computers advantages of moving their own, it is necessary to work on the battery. Laptop battery has been a large “books” fans feel is a very mysterious thing, that it how high technical content, does not. Here is a notebook computer batteries internal structure.

From which we can easily see that, by a number of individual cells in series and parallel together to form a battery pack, combined with the battery protection circuit, they constitute a laptop battery. Whether you use a notebook computer is what the brand, and its built-in battery’s internal structure are similar. If the internal use in accordance with the type of battery to points, most of them can be divided into nickel-cadmium batteries, nickel-metal hydride batteries, lithium batteries, lithium polymer batteries. The nickel-cadmium batteries, nickel-metal hydride batteries have a memory effect due to the capacity of small and other disadvantages are gradually being eliminated out, lithium-ion battery has a large capacity, small size, light weight, low self-discharge rate advantage has now become a series of notebook computer the mainstream of the battery set.

Second-hand notebook computers because of production age-old, after the use of a few years later, its battery much shorter working hours need to be replaced, various brands of laptop battery shape is different, not interchangeable, in order to buy into the same look and feel, the same model second-hand laptop computer batteries be prohibitively difficult. How to do? Of course, this DIY spirit of the fans have yet to be rattled! After using various means (such as software maintenance, charging and discharging several times the depth of activation, etc.), are invalid or effect.

But our own hands, the charges will not spend more than 50 yuan! Worth a try.

There is a tag line, said: “The biggest operation - completely changed”, I introduce to you today, tends to be scrapped is the right notebook batteries reborn surgery, the charge is not into electricity, reduce the capacity of the battery replaced. “Reborn” is mildly entertaining seems scary, very difficult to like, actually read the contents of the back you will understand, as long as a little with the practical ability of the fans are all successful, I believe you can do a back surgeon , to their notebook computer batteries surgery dell Inspiron B120 battery,dell Inspiron B130 battery.

Material preparation: electric iron, digital multimeter, blade, hot melt adhesives, hot air guns, a number of lithium batteries batteries (as the case may be) and so on, of course, if your laptop is used in the original nickel-cadmium batteries or nickel-metal hydride battery, in order to enhance the battery capacity, are replaced by lithium batteries is also not a bad idea is only a suitable lithium batteries batteries is too difficult to find them. Mail-order single-cell lithium battery, model is US18650, a single-capacity 3.6V 1.35AH, through a certain series, parallel combination, can be combined into different voltage, different-capacity lithium battery, so as to achieve the requirements of your beloved notebook.

Of course, it is possible laptop batteries batteries may not necessarily be such a cylindrical, if it does not work, then you can also buy rectangular lithium batteries, in short, according to your own laptop battery exterior and interior space to choice and decision dell Inspiron E1405 battery,dell Inspiron E1505 battery,dell Inspiron E1705 battery.

The article come from http://www.mylaptopbattery.co.uk/blog/2009/08/27/recommend-two-laptop-battery-repair-software/

The greatest advantage of laptops is mobility, provide the basis for all this is the battery. In the energy-saving technology and battery technology being a time when there is no breakthrough to fully optimize the battery and master the use of a number of related techniques would be helpful. However, laptop battery life is longer, often dissatisfied with the charge, and even shows the battery is damaged, it must pay particular attention to the use of certain skills dell Inspiron 6400 battery,dell Inspiron 640m battery.

First, choose the best time to repair
Laptop battery there is an inevitable part of aging, almost all of the repair methods are trial “deep charge deep-release” principle, in order to ease the laptop battery memory effect. Undeniably, however, the depth of the charge and discharge operation will not be good for the laptop battery itself, is a must not to do this method. If the battery life to merely reduce the dozens of minutes, then care should be taken to this method of operation. In addition, the pool of laptop battery manufacturers has been optimized, there is no self-depth again to upgrade the battery charge and discharge capacity argument. However, exactly when you need the depth of charging and discharging is very difficult to master, after all, every time the electricity consumed are not the same, it is suggested we BatteryMon with this professional software.

BatteryMon is a specifically for the small laptop battery monitoring software, especially for those who are not built-in power management chips and software, machine, it will undoubtedly help a lot of great help. BatteryMon most salient feature is able to discharge curve, and the installation will run automatically. A good performance of the battery will have a very regular discharge curve, as shown, basically a grid for every drop of time are probably the same. If found to have a very unusual beating, then it is necessary for cell “deep charge deep-release” repair.
Second, “deep charge deep-release” of the basic method
Batteries correction is an effective way to deal with aging batteries, in general, the various brands of notebooks will have a dedicated battery calibration software. For example, IBM’s ThinkPad series of discharge dedicated software, recommended for all to use IBM notebook users. But the program need to be repeated three times to get the best results. Download the software and the implementation of discharge, the system will be prompted to create installation disks. Use the installation disk boot PCDOS, unplug the AC power supply prompted, discharge the software will automatically discharge control. When everything after the notebook will automatically shut down, and then we can be connected to AC power for charging, time control in the 9 ~ 12 hours, repeated for 2 or 3 times can be.

For the laptop battery activation, our key software to find a suitable discharge. Unfortunately, if your laptop is not specialized discharge software, you can be shut down in the BIOS and Windows power management features, and then do not run any programs where the battery runs out, and then in the boot state to 80% of charge , repeated a few times also equivalent to manually “deep charge deep release.” In fact, this approach aims to make continuous small current laptop battery discharge, which discharge status in our daily use is unlikely to be achieved, the effect of the discharge and those dedicated basically the same software dell Inspiron 8500 battery,dell Inspiron 8600 battery,dell Inspiron 9200 battery.

Asus and Apple were the most reliable PC vendors in the U.S. during the second quarter this year, according to a survey released by Rescuecom on Tuesday.

Rescuecom, a third-party computer repair firm, fielded the fewest support calls to repair Asus and Apple PCs on average, said David Milman, Rescuecom’s CEO. The companies offered PCs with high-quality components and excellent support, reducing the need for consumers to service PCs through third-party support companies.

The ratings were based on 11,560 support calls fielded by Rescuecom during the second quarter and adjusted to take into account the market share of each PC maker. Lenovo, Toshiba and Hewlett-Packard held the third, fourth and fifth spot respectively in the PC reliability survey.

The study was released on the same day the University of Michigan and other organizations issued the American Consumer Satisfaction Index, which measures user satisfaction with products including cars and PCs. Apple topped the survey with a score of 85, followed by Dell at 75, and a three-way tie between Hewlett-Packard, HP’s Compaq brand, and Acer/Gateway, which scored 74.

Consumers want PCs that require minimal repairs and good support, so the calls provide a good snapshot of PC reliability, Milman said. Companies that provide high-quality components tend to rate higher, while bad components and bad support may force PC owners to call third-party repair companies.

“We review … a combination of how reliable the components are and how good the support is from the manufacturer,” Milman said. Multiple PC components, including motherboards, memory and video cards were factored into the survey. The quality of software bundled by PC makers, including security and office suites, was also part of the survey.

“If a manufacturer provides quality software that is less trialware, especially in the area of [security]… it is certainly something that makes their computer less necessary to be supported,” Milman said. Many PC makers are also bundling one-touch data restore options in PCs, which reduces the need for customer support.

Asus is relatively new to the study and is reaping the benefit of the recent craze for products like netbooks in the U.S., Milman said. Many users are buying Eee PC netbooks, but the company’s PC reliability ratings might change as components start to break down, Milman said.

“Their quality has held up from the last study, but it will be interesting in two years once the machines age a little bit,” he said. Increased support calls for Asus products may help better evaluate the company’s support, Milman said.

Among the top five PC makers in the U.S., Apple has offered a steady stream of PCs with quality components and support services, Milman said.

“With the introduction of their Apple Genius [Bar] in retail stores, they are offering support that many other manufacturers aren’t offering,” Milman said. Apple’s margins on the Mac desktop and laptop PCs are much larger compared to competitors, so Apple can afford to offer free support, Milman said. Many Rescuecom technicians are certified by Apple to repair Mac computers, Milman said.

Rescuecom received more support calls for Dell and HP PCs, which were the top two PC vendors in the U.S. during the second quarter, according to IDC. Dell rated seventh in Rescuecom’s study, with 22.1 percent of the repair calls. Though HP and Dell held close market shares in PC shipments, Rescuecom received 18 percent more support calls on Dell PCs than HP.

Rescuecom established a baseline to rate reliability by balancing the number of support calls with the market share of PC vendors, Milman said. The study was not commissioned by PC makers, and the company has no support ties with PC makers.