Laptop battery to last longer: The 5 ways

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We have all been in that position where our laptop battery starts to malfunction; that moment when a 10-hour battery life device depreciates to serving you for one hour or less. Insight from the Research and Development Unit of Yudala, Nigeria’s fastest growing composite e-commerce outfit, shows that while laptop batteries often depreciate with constant use over time, misuse or wrong usage often leads to this happening within a short period of time and at a time when you should still be deriving optimum utility from your laptop battery.

Laptop batteries are usually made from lithium-ion: a lightweight, high-power battery often used in computers and mobile phones. Lithium-ion batteries come in various shapes, although a flat rectangle is most common in smartphones. It is lighter than the nickel cadmium battery and the nickel metal-hydride battery, thus accounting for its lightweight nature. Lithium-ion batteries work by the movement of lithium ions through a membrane and are clearly different from lithium batteries.

Whereas lithium batteries contain lithium metal and are not rechargeable, lithium-ion batteries do not contain lithium metal and are rechargeable.

However, lithium-ion batteries do not last forever. Each lithium-ion battery will have an average of 600 charge cycles and will work optimally for about 4-5 years without a drastic depreciation on battery life. Hence, your laptop battery should serve you well for at least 3-4 years depending on how frequently you use the device and recharge the battery.

Research shows that frequent travelers only get a couple of years out of their laptop battery because they tend to charge intermittently and keep their laptop unplugged when on the move which kills the laptop battery faster.  

To help you get maximum life out of your laptop battery, the following tips from Yudala will go a long way in helping you save the cost of investing in a new battery at short intervals:

1.Avoid putting your laptop on soft surfaces: It is easy to place your laptop on your thighs or bed while working at home or during your rest time. Many of us are guilty of this. However, if you need your battery to last long or have a stronger life span, it is advisable to place the device on hard surfaces such as tables or desks in order to avoid over-heating. Research has shown that heat is one of the biggest obstacles to your battery’s longevity because your laptop fan can’t circulate air properly when your laptop is placed on a soft surface.

2.Be careful how you store your laptop battery: This cannot be over-emphasized. It is advisable to store your laptop in a cool place with less heat. This tip is directed especially at people who keep their laptops in their cars where it can get really hot when it’s sunny. Laptop batteries do not work well with heat and might stop working if exposed to excessive humidity. Research shows that, if a stored battery is not charged, it starts to lose it energy and might get damaged. Also, for travelers who leave their laptops behind, it is advisable to store your battery with a 40 - 60% charge instead of a full charge. Study shows that fully charged batteries depreciate faster than half-charged batteries.

3.Do not leave your laptop dead before plugging it in: There is said to be a problem called ‘battery memory’ which, cause batteries to ‘forget’ their full charge capacity and start charging at lower levels; charging to 100% and discharging to 0%. Current research indicates that this problem doesn’t exist anymore and we have the modern lithium-ion battery to thank for that. It is important to point out that the problem here is not over-charging your laptop, which makes us believe that letting your battery charge more than 100 percent will make the battery wear out faster. A research study by Battery University shows that, modern devices are designed to stop charging at 100 per cent hence, keeping them plugged in doesn’t impact the battery’s lifespan. However, a lot of us wait until our laptop dies before we plug it in, which isn’t good for our battery. You should avoid letting your battery drain and discharge below 20 per cent, else, it would reduce the charging capacity of your battery.

4.Show your laptop some love: This starts with your battery. Your battery is the powerhouse of your laptop. Abandoning your laptop battery and just letting it do its job without paying much attention to it won’t cut it. Make sure to take care of the battery contact points; the battery contact connects the battery to the laptop. If the contact point gets dirty or damaged, it may reduce or disrupt the flow of power to the laptop.  If you have a removable battery, you can carefully wipe your battery with a soft cloth to get rid of dust. However, you have nothing to worry about if your laptop battery is sealed.

5.Update your laptop: As underrated as this may sound, an outdated hardware may reduce the performance of your laptop thereby affecting the laptop battery. The cells in laptop batteries degrade over time, and it is totally normal for old laptop batteries to hold charge less than an hour. Current laptops can achieve up to 10 hours of standard usage because of the software that comes with the perk of a new laptop. Henceforth, upgrading your laptop hardware will significantly improve your laptop battery life.

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For stealing laptop @gunpoint, Judge says Izuma must die

ITRealms:

A male hairdresser, Izuma Ajaere, 25, has been found guilty of stealing laptop with a Judge ruling he must die, reports ITRealms.

Justice Kudirat Jose of Ikeja High Court in Lagos, ruled Wednesday that for stealing a laptop and a mobile phone at gunpoint, Ajaere has been convicted.

ITRealms reports that Ajaere was found guilty as charged and ordered that to be hanging.

The Judge in her judgment noted that the evidence of Mr Uchenna Ukah, the victim was overwhelmingly convincing to nail Ajaere.

Ukah in his testimony was ‘clear and emphatic’ about the series of events of the armed robbery, and from his conduct, while giving evidence, the court found the complainant to be ‘cogent and believable.’

The prosecution led by Mrs A.B Awosika had told the court that the Ajaere committed the offences at 9.30pm on June 22, 2012, at No. 12, Vincent Eze, St., Ajao Estate, Lagos.

Awosika also said that the convict alongside an accomplice had accosted Ukah at gunpoint outside his flat.

“Ukah led them to his flat where they stole a laptop, a modem and a blackberry mobile phone.

“Ajaere and his accomplice after the robbery, locked the complainant in his apartment with the intent to also rob his neighbours.

“The complainant managed to get out of his apartment to raise an alarm leading to Ajaere and his accomplice being apprehended.

“Ukah’s laptop and modem were recovered from the duo, however, his blackberry mobile phone was never recovered,” Awosika said.

In giving evidence in his defence during the trial, Ajaere had denied robbing Ukah, claiming he only went to Ajao Estate for hairdressing work and was arrested during a police raid in the area.

The convict, also said, he was falsely charged with conspiracy and armed robbery by officials of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).

But in delivering her judgement, Justice Jose reportedly declared that the evidence of the prosecution witness proved that the defendant was one of the armed robbers, “therefore, all the ingredients of the crime of armed robbery has been shown.

In addition, “The prosecution has proved the charge of conspiracy to commit armed robbery and armed robbery beyond a reasonable doubt.

“The defendant is hereby sentenced to death for conspiracy to commit armed robbery and sentenced to death for armed robbery. He is to be hanged by the neck till he is dead, may the Lord have mercy on his soul,” the judge said.

Ayo Midele/GEE

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Six must have features for new laptop

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For the contemporary tech-smart population, a laptop is often regarded as more than just a work tool.

Many rely on the laptop for multi-faceted purposes spanning social, entertainment, educational and business-related needs. This makes it imperative for the right decision to be made when shopping for a new device or a replacement unit for your old laptop.

According to the Research and Development Unit of Yudala, Nigeria’s fastest growing composite e-commerce outfit, here are major things to look out for when shopping for a new laptop.

1.Size: Gone are the days when laptops weighed a ton and took up so much space. On-going advancements in the sphere of computer manufacturing has seen a lot of refinements in laptop sizes. For students and busy executives, portability is a core requirement. The easier it is to fit your laptop PC into a small bag, the better. 

Therefore, a laptop with a screen size between 12.5 - 14 inches and weighing between 1 – 1.5kg fits the bill. When shopping for such a portable device, it is often best to go for a notebook. A notebook is a personal computer that foregoes some functionality to remain light-weight and small. Notebook computers are sleek, typically weigh less than five pounds and are small enough to fit easily into your briefcase or a back-pack.

An Ultrabook also falls into this category as they are portable and light-weight.

2.Processor Speed: Processor speed is a major selling point to look out for when shopping for a new laptop. Most computer applications require that the computer system meets minimum requirements in order for the installation to run. One of those requirements is processor speed. Processor speed measures (in megahertz or gigahertz; MHz or GHz) the number of instructions per second the computer executes. Intel’s Core-based processors including Core i3, Corei5 and Core i7 are usually the best bet for computing power as these processors deliver top performance.

3.Screen quality/Resolution: Considering the amount length of time the average user spends working on a laptop, screen quality is a factor worth taking into cognizance when buying a laptop.

The harsh glare from grainy laptop screens may pre-dispose users to side-effects as constant staring at the screen may result in redness, itching and blurring of the eyes, or headaches and migraines, in extreme cases. 

Touch-screenen laptops, many of which are glossy, may also not be a good choice as these throw back a lot of reflections, thereby putting the eyes under considerable strain. Closely related to this, you must consider the resolution of the laptop before making the buying decision.

If you fall into the class of heavy users who work on their laptop for upwards of eight hours in a day, it is more advisable to go for a High Definition (HD) screen with resolution of 1600 x 900 or higher.

4.Random Access Memory (RAM): Random Access Memory (RAM) is a form of computer data storage which stores frequently used programme instructions to increase the general speed of a system. Depending on the type of laptop you wish to buy, a RAM of between 2G - 4GB and upwards will be required to get your system working optimally. Memory speed refers to the amount of time that it takes the RAM to receive a request from the processor and then read or write data.

Generally, the faster the RAM, the faster the processing speed of your laptop. In other words, with a faster RAM, it is easier for you to use the laptop for your multimedia or multi-tasking activities.

RAM speed is measured in Megahertz (MHz), millions of cycles per second, so that it can be compared to your processor's clock speed.

5.Battery: Bearing in mind the peculiar power supply challenges in the country, you are better off investing in a laptop with a strong battery that can guarantee at least up to 10 hours of battery life on average use.

For a notebook, a battery capacity of 10,000mAH/3.7V or higher is adequately sufficient to begin with, especially as both the total charging capacity and life of a laptop computer's battery will diminish as you use your computer.

6.Price: Price is another significant factor to consider when shopping for a new laptop. Laptop prices are often predicated on the features of the device, especially the ones listed above.

As such, a laptop with a faster processor speed and RAM would likely cost more than a model with less speed. However, increasing competition in the market and more attention to research and development of new products makes it possible these days to find moderately-priced devices boasting features that would naturally be found in more expensive models.

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Airplane laptop bomb triggers ban on electronics by US, UK

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The fear of laptop bomb has triggered off the electronics ban onboard airplanes entering the United States of America (USA) and lately United Kingdom (UK), reports ITRealms.

The new rules, ITRealms gathered has been confirmed by US Department of Homeland Security and UK authorities’ ban, both linked to suspected plans by terrorist groups based on intelligence report.

Britain, according to PA, has taken the dramatic move to ban laptop computers and tablets from the cabins of planes flying to the UK from six countries, amid fears of a new terror threat.

The move affecting thousands of passengers coming from six predominantly-Muslim countries mirrors a similar measure imposed by the US, citing an attempt by the Islamist al-Shabaab group to bring down a jet in Somalia using a laptop bomb.

The British Government’s decision follows the receipt of specific intelligence reports, according to security sources.

Downing Street officials refused to discuss any specific terrorist plot, but action hitting 15 airlines with the extra restrictions was taken after Theresa May met aviation experts on Tuesday morning.

Ministers said they understood the “frustration” the extra measures would cause passengers but said they are working with the industry to minimise the impact.

A No 10 spokesman said: “The safety and security of the travelling public is our highest priority.

“That is why we keep our aviation security under constant review and put in place measures we believe are necessary, effective and proportionate.”

•             Emirates confirms laptops, Kindles and iPads banned from US flights

•             Trump's new rules on electronic devices 'a Muslim ban by 1,000 cuts'

•             US bans passengers from carrying electronic devices on 12 airlines

The six countries affected are: Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt, Tunisia and Saudi Arabia. Devices measuring more than 16cm in length, 9.3cm in width, or 1.5cm depth will be banned from the cabin and need to be placed into hold luggage and checked-in before going through security.

Also, Downing Street said the measure was effective immediately, but would not give details as to why the decision had been taken now. No 10 did say UK security services have been “in close touch” with their US counterparts during the decision to implement the ban.

The US electronics measure, announced late on Monday, affected nine airlines flying from 10 specific airports in Jordan, Egypt, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Morocco, Qatar and the UAE, including Dubai, the world’s busiest airport for international travellers.

An incident last year appears to have caused particular alarm, after al-Shabaab smuggled an explosive-filled laptop on a flight out of Mogadishu. The explosion was small, but the bomb was particularly placed by the extremist so as to blow a hole in the side of the passenger cabin.

Experts said that if the plane was at a higher altitude, the small blast in the passenger area could have triggered a bigger explosion due to the pressurised cabin and caused the jet to crash.

Nonye Dom with additional report from Independent /GEE

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Pix: Shutters image

Why Anambra State insists on laptop per teacher - Omenugha

ITRealms:

The Anambra State Commissioner for Education, Prof. Kate Omenugha has explained the insistence of the government of Gov. Willie Obiano that laptop acquisition scheme for primary school teachers must go on without distraction, ITRealms reports.

She disclosed that the bottom line for the scheme is to enable every teacher in Anambra State to own a laptop through soft loan before December 31, this year, and every student to own a palmtop by end of 2016.

Prof. Omenugha reiterated the commitment of the state government to ensure that both teachers and pupils are globally competitive for the 21^st century, stressing that the policy was introduced nationwide since 2012 by the National Council on Education.

The commissioner who made this known in Awka, the state capital, expressed shock over the controversy generated by the policy implementation under the current dispensation in the state.

According to her, the policy will give Anambra children the golden chance to competitive with their contemporaries from across the world.

With the scheme, Prof. Omenugha underscored the fact that it gives primary school teachers a chance to acquire first rate laptops complete with a synchronized tutorial package was actually a voluntary scheme and as such not mandatory on the teachers to subscribe to.

At the 58^th meeting of National Council on Education in Abuja over three years ago it was decided among many other things that all state ministries of education should comply with the instruction to “supply adequate number of computer laptops on soft loan basis to all teachers and continually organize training workshops and seminars for teachers on effective use of computer,” pointing out that her Ministry felt compelled to carve out a better path for the future of Anambra children by embracing the policy to ensure that teachers have enough computer literacy to impart the same knowledge on the children.

Prof. Omeugha explained that the policy thrust of the National Council on Education was in tandem with governor Obiano’s Blueprint for Education which prescribes a laptop for every teacher by 2015 and a palmtop for every student by 2016. 

Also she pointed out that the 9-year Basic Education Curriculum Structure of the National Council on Education encourages Primary 1 – 3 pupils to be taught basic technology and Information Technology.

Thus, she said, it has become necessary that every teacher must be computer literate.

“We have promised our children to have a globally competitive education. I always like to give myself as a good example. I was born in the village; I grew up in the village and spent 27 years of my life in the village. But from there I was able to get a scholarship to study for my PhD in the United Kingdom at the University of Gloucestershire through the Internet. I didn’t pay a kobo. Therefore, what we promise Anambra children is education that is globally competitive and one of the ways you can be globally competitive is through a good knowledge of ICT,” Prof. Omenugha explained.

She noted that the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) would soon become a computer based test and NECO had taken the same path, indicating that from 2016, every exam that is ‘Objective’ would be computer based. 

“So, how would you produce children who can compete nationally and internationally with teachers who are still analogue?” she wondered.

 

Chuks Egbuna +Remmy Nweke (ITRealms)
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Samsung produces laptops 100% in-house, unveils Ultrabooks

Samsung Electronics says laptops from its stables are produced 100 per cent in-house, even as it unveils ultrabooks in Lagos.

Director, Information Technology at Samsung Electronics West Africa, Mrs. Chioma Iwuchukwu-Nweke made these disclosures to ITRealms Online at the launch of Samsung series 5 ultra Notebook.

According to her, Samsung invents, designs and builds its own technologies, apart from producing IT products for other technology companies around the world.

“Everything is done in-house 100% it helps us to monitor the quality,” she declared.

For this reason, she said, Samsung has unrivaled quality, better performance and technology, designed, and supportive.

She noted that in 2006 Samsung signed up with Olympic and is ranked among the top 50 technology companies, while is number 1 in Television manufacturing.

Samsung, she also said, is the largest revenue technology company globally, adding that in 2010, Samsung was ranked second on top patient, just as its 20th in brand equity.

In 2011, she further said came out with solar notebook and since has become the fastest growing Personal Computing (PC) company.

Kim, Chioma Nweke, Shade Oyelayo @ unveiling of Ultrabook 14" 13"

The Information Technology (IT) for Samsung West Africa, Mrs. Shade Oyelayo, said that Ultra Notebook comes in 13 and 14 inches that is 3.7kg and 4.1kg respectively.

She also explained that if the Notebook ever got stolen, will be locked once it goes online.

“If it’s lost and reported, once its online every part is locked and shot in its own,” she said.

Also, she said, it’s not possible for anyone to remove the hard drive to sale or any other parts.

Additionally, she said that with the shared connectivity, it has digital network living express (DNLE) which affords wireless connectivity with other IT products.

As said by her, the high performing 14 inches ultrabook, comes with a huge hard disk drive of up to 1 Terabytes and integrated optical disk drive.

With the Samsung series 5 ultrabook, she said, there is no compromise, as it’s the perfect combination of performance and portability.

“It has brilliant 14.0” display and wakes in just two seconds, but it’s still ultra think and light and has a battery life of 6.5 hours,” she said, stressing that the large storage space any user could need.

She described the ultrabooks as entertaining anywhere, anytime, saying the integrated optical disc drive stands the ultrabooks out in the market place.

Additionally, she said that aside the expandable and upgradable features, ultrabook has 8 Gega Bytes of upgradable memory plus the VGA and full HDMI ports and a security slot for maximum flexibility.

Remmy Nweke

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