Whenever you're always working on the go, the last thing you want is for your laptop to go dead at the moment you need it most and there's no power outlet in sight. So how do you keep your laptop running for as long as possible?
Control the brightness
Adjust the screen brightness to the lowest level you can tolerate. You can also configure the display to be turned off when it's not in use. This is different from using a screensaver, which still requires the display's backlight to be on.
Cut down external devices
Disconnect all external devices, like USB gadgets, optical drives, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connections. Remove or shut them down when not in use.
Work from the hard drive
Although you may not be actively using them, the CD and DVD drives still consume power. Programs that are run from a CD or DVD can be copied to and run from the hard drive instead, which consumes less power than an optical drive.
Go easy on the PC
The more things you do, the more battery power you consume. Passive activities like email and word processing consume much less power than playing a game or DVD.
Stay out of extreme temperatures
Don't expose the battery to heat or freezing temperatures; don't leave it baking in the car boot while you go out for lunch. Temperatures can affect battery performance. It's best to keep at room temperature.
Take care of your battery
Don't leave a charged battery unused for long periods of time. Once charged, you should at least use the battery at least once every two to three weeks. If you're not using it, remove the battery pack from the laptop.
Carry a spare power source
Invest in a spare battery pack like the Arigo Mobile Power marketed by Fesv International. This universal extended battery pack can present a new lease of life for your laptop and other digital devices. There's a new version that comes with a built-in USB port as well as eight DC connectors; it works with most portable electronics in the market.
Extracted from: The Straits Times newspaper
West Coast Plaza
12 years ago
