Tuesday, 2 January 2018

6 ways to improve your laptop’s battery life on Windows 10

Don’t let your portable PC run out of power. Follow these tips and you’ll get a lot more battery life out of your Windows 10 machine.
Battery life is always a crucial part of any PC, whether it’s old or brand new.
We’ve already explained some techniques to preserve power on Windows 7 but what about Microsoft’s latest addition Windows 10? Thankfully if you’re using the new operating system, there are a number of simple tips that will help you save on power so you can continue using your PC that little bit longer. Watch the video below to see some of the tips in action and follow our guide for more details.
Tip 1: Turn off wi-fi and Bluetooth
Windows 10’s new Action Center makes it easier to switch off connectivity options such as wi-fi and Bluetooth which can drain battery life.
If you don’t need or Bluetooth on all the time, go to the Action Center by clicking the small square icon near the time in the bottom right, and click on Bluetooth to deactivate them so that they’re no longer lit. Older machines may not have Bluetooth, in which case you won’t see that option.
Wi-fi is usually used a lot of the time, but if you don’t need to be online for a while (perhaps if you’re writing a letter using a word processor) you can always click the Wi-fi icon to turn it off, which will save some battery as well.
Alternatively, if you want to switch all connectivity options off for a certain period of time, click Airplane mode and it’ll cut off all connections for you. When you want them back, simply click Airplane mode again.
Tip 2: Turn on Battery Saver
For laptops that aren’t plugged in to a power source, Windows 10’s new Battery Saver is a great way to preserve some of your machine’s juice.
Battery Saver does what its name suggests by reducing screen brightness, stopping push notifications and preventing apps from running in in the background.
Battery Saver is automatically set to kick in whenever your battery falls below 20%, but you can switch it on at any time (if mains power is not connected) from the Action Center.
You can also set Battery Saver to start automatically a bit earlier or later too, by going into the settings menu. Simply search for ‘Battery’ in Cortana and select Change battery saver settings at the bottom.
From here you can adjust the point at which Battery Saver will kick in by moving the scrolling bar.
Tip 3: Turn the sound down
Your PC’s speakers use up a decent amount of power, so turning them down even a little bit could help save some of your battery’s life.
Headphones also use less battery than speakers, so if you can opt for a pair instead, all the better.
Tip 4: Turn screen brightness down
The brightness of your screen is another big battery sucker. You can turn it down a notch or two by searching for ‘Brightness’ in Cortana and clicking on Display settings.
Under ‘Adjust brightness level’, move the scrolling bar down – but make sure it’s still bright enough to use.
Tip 5: Adjust power and sleep settings
Leaving your PC idle is a waste of battery, so make sure you’ve got the best screen and sleep options set-up.
Search ‘Power’ in Cortana and select Power & sleep settings.
Here, you can adjust how long your PC should wait before the screen dims or goes into sleep mode. Select a suitable time that you’re comfortable with from each drop down box.
Tip 6: Unplug any peripherals you’re not using
Got a USB stick plugged in all day but not using it? Remove it! Even if you’re not actively using it yourself, your PC will still be powering it.

Top tips for shooting video on your smartphone

The phone you carry around all day is also a brilliant video recorder. Here are some basic tips for mastering mobile video.
As Christmas draws closer, many of us will be taking photos and shooting videos on our phones.
Follow our shooting tips to make your home movies even better.
Shooting Tips
Record in landscape
Filming in portrait mode can seem natural because that’s generally how we hold and use our phones. But it’s no good if you want to share it on any online portal or cast it to your TV. That’s because you’ll get vertical black borders surrounding your thin-looking clip.
So shoot in landscape mode – holding the phone is on its side - is essential. You might have to stand a little further from your subject, but it gives you a wider angle to fit more of the scene in your shot.
Keep a steady hand
There’s nothing more distracting than wobbly video, motion blur and out-of-focus subjects. One way to steady your shot is to hold your phone with both hands.
It’ll help you cut the amount of movement - but take care not to cover the lens or the microphone by mistake.
Many high-end smartphones, like the Sony Xperia X, have stabilisation technology to help reduce shake.
Keep movement smooth
Capturing moving subjects isn’t easy. So you’ll need to keep your camera movements smooth. One way to do that is by moving your body rather than just your arms - keep your elbows locked to your side and rotate your body instead. Or try using a tripod.
Take care with zooming
The digital zoom on most smartphone video cameras enlarges the pixels, which can diminish the quality. So try not to use it unless you really need to.
If you can, get closer to your subject instead. The alternative is pixelated, noisy video you won’t want to watch anyway. Have you ever had to sit through a friends’ video shot at a concert? That’s  what you want to avoid.
Experiment to find the best light
It’s important to try to find the best light for your imagery, so move around and make use of natural light if possible. In daylight, try to make sure the sun is lighting your scene rather than shining directly into the lens.
Avoid the flashlight
On most phone cameras, the flash can double up as a light to illuminate subjects when recording video. But it can be too strong and make it look unnatural. So save it for when you can't find any natural light.
Manually adjust exposure and focus
Many smartphone cameras feature a tap to focus setting and a way to adjust the exposure (controlling how much light the sensor lets in). Both methods can help with lighting your subjects correctly.
On an iPhone, for example, you can long press on the focal point to lock the focus and exposure.
Use the time lapse setting
Most high-end smartphones now have a time lapse setting, which lets you condense several minutes or even hours of footage in to a much shorter clip. This can be a great way to capture interesting road trips, tidal scenes or sunrises and sunsets. Here it’s important to lock the exposure (as we explained above) to make sure the lighting stays consistent.
Protect yourself from the elements
If it’s possible you should use your body to shield your phone from the wind, because it’ll ruin the audio. Position yourself in a way that stops the breeze getting to your phone’s microphone at the bottom of the handset.
Practical tips for your smartphone
Shoot at lower quality
4K and Ultra HD video are becoming more common on our phones. Which is great, but the resulting clips take up much more space on your phone. You can save space by shooting at lower quality.
Don’t eat up all your data
Upload large video files over wi-fi so you don’t use up all your mobile data allowance.
Trim your footage
Most phone cameras offer the ability to whip off the awkward start and end of clips, giving the video a more professional feel.
Use an editing app
You can use a specialised editing app to pull more than one clip together. Many will also let you add fades and transitions as well as a soundtrack. Try Apple’s own iMovie for iOS and KineMaster for Android.
Bring a spare battery
Shooting video does as much to drain battery life as any activity, so come prepared. If your phone has a removable battery, bring a spare. Otherwise, think about investing in a portable battery pack. 

Monday, 1 January 2018

How to Use iPhone Low Power Mode for Longer Battery Life

Squeezing the longest use out of your iPhone battery is crucial. There are dozens of tips and tricks to help you, but if your battery is very low right now or you won't be able to charge for a while, here's one simple tip to conserve battery life: turn on Low Power Mode.
Low Power Mode is a feature of iOS 9 and up that disables some features of the iPhone in order to make your battery last longer.
How Much Extra Time Does Low Power Mode Get You?
The amount of extra battery life Low Power Mode delivers is dependent on how you use your iPhone, so there's no single prediction.
According to Apple, though, the average person can expect to up to get an extra 3 hours of battery life.
How to Turn On iPhone Low Power Mode
Sound like something you want to try? To turn Low Power Mode on:
1.     Tap the Settings app to open it.
2.     Tap Battery.
3.     Move the Low Power Mode slider to On/green.
To turn it off, just repeat these steps and move the slider of Off/white.
This isn't the only way to enable Low Power Mode, though. The iPhone gives you other options:
Ÿ   Siri—Just tell Siri "turn on Low Power Mode" (or a variation of that phrase) and she'll take care of it for you.
Ÿ   Pop-up Window—When your iPhone's battery life drops to 20%, and then again at 10%, the iOS displays a pop-up warning. In that warning is a button that can turn on Low Power Mode. Tap it to start saving battery.
Ÿ   Control Center—In iOS 11 and up, you can add Low Power Mode to Control Center. Check out the section at the end of the article for more on this.
What Does Low Power Mode Turn Off?
Making your battery last longer sounds great, but you have to understand the trade-offs to know when it's the right choice. When Low Power Mode is enabled, here's how the iPhone changes:
Ÿ   Processing power is reduced—The speed of the iPhone's processor influences how much battery it uses. Low Power Mode reduces the performance of the processor and the graphics chip to conserve battery. This means your phone will be a little slower and might not perform as well in games and other graphics-intensive tasks.
Ÿ   Background App Refresh is disabled—Your iPhone learns how you use apps and automatically updates them around the times you use them to ensure that the latest data is always waiting for you. It's a cool feature, but it also requires battery life. Low Power Mode temporarily suspends this feature.
Ÿ   Email fetch is turned off—The iPhone can be set to periodically grab new email from your accounts. Low Power Mode turns this feature off and forces you to manually check for new messages (open Mail and swipe down from the top on any inbox to refresh).
Ÿ   Automatic downloads are disabled—You can set your iPhone to automatically download app updates or purchases made on other devices. This keeps your content in sync, but it also requires power. Low Power Mode prevents automatic downloads while it's on.
Ÿ   Visual effects and animations are suspended—The iOS is packed full of all sorts of cool visual effects and animations. They make using the iPhone more fun, but they also use battery. By turning them off, Low Power Mode saves power.
Ÿ   Screen brightness is turned down—The brighter your phone's screen, the more battery you use. Low Power Mode reduces your screen brightness to save energy.
Can You Use Low Power Mode All the Time?
Given that Low Power Mode can give your iPhone up to 3 hours of extra battery life, and the features it turns off aren't completely essential to using the phone, you may wonder if it makes sense to use all the time.
Writer Matt Birchler tested that scenario and found that Low Power Mode can reduce battery use by 33%-47% in some cases. That's a huge savings.
So, if you don't use the features listed above very much, or are willing to give them up for more juice in your battery, you could use Low Power Mode all the time.
When Low Power Mode Is Automatically Disabled
Even if you've turned on Low Power Mode, it's automatically turned off when the charge in your battery exceeds 80%.
Adding a Low Power Mode Shortcut to iOS 11 Control Center
In iOS 11 and up, you can customize the options that are available in Control Center.
One of the changes you can make is to add Low Power Mode. If you do this, turning the mode on is as simple as opening Control Center and tapping a button. Here's how to do that:
1.     Tap Settings.
2.     Tap Control Center.
3.     Tap Customize Controls.
4.     Tap the green + icon next to Low Power Mode. It will move into the Include group at the top.
5.     Open Control Center and the battery icon at the bottom of the screen toggles Low Power Mode on and off.

Computer Power Supply Wattage

Pretty much every power supply on the market for a desktop PC computer is advertised solely on its wattage. Unfortunately, this is a simplistic view of a very complex issue. The power supply is there to convert the high voltage from the wall outlet into the lower voltages required to operate the computer circuitry. If this is not done properly, the irregular power signals that are sent to the components can cause damage and system instability.
Because of this, it is important to make sure you buy a power supply that meets the needs of your computer system.
Peak vs. Maximum Wattage Output
This is the first real big gotcha when it comes to looking at power supply specifications. The peak output rating is the highest amount of power the unit can supply but this is only for a very brief time. Units cannot continuously supply power at this level and if it attempts to do so will cause damage. You want to find the maximum continuous wattage rating of the power supply. This is the highest amount that the unit can supply stably to the components. Even with this, you want to make sure the maximum wattage rating is higher than you intend to use.
Another thing to be aware of with the wattage output has to do with how it is calculated. There are three primary voltage rails inside of the power supply: +3.3V, +5V and +12V. Each of these supplies power to the various components of the computer system.
It is the combined total power output of all these lines that make up the total power output of the power supply. The formula used to do this is:
Ÿ   Wattage = Voltage * Amperage
So, if you look at a power supply label and it shows that the +12V line supplies 18A of power, that voltage rail can supply a maximum of 216W of power.
This may be only a small fraction of say the 450W the power supply is rated at. The maximum output of the +5V and +3.3V rails would then be calculated and added to the overall wattage rating.
+12V Rail
The most important voltage rail in a power supply is the +12V rail. This voltage rail supplies power to the most demanding components including the processor, drives, cooling fans and graphics cards. All of these items draw a lot of current and as a result you want to make sure that you purchase a unit that supplies enough power to the +12V rail.
With the increasing demands on the 12V lines, many new power supplies have multiple 12V rails that will be listed as +12V1, +12V2 and +12V3 depending on if it has two or three rails. When calculating the amps for the +12V line, it is necessary to look at the total amps produces from all of the 12V rails. Often times there might be a footnote that the combine maximum wattage will be less than the total rating of the rails. Just reverse the above formula to get the maximum combined amps.
Ÿ   Amperage = Wattage / Voltage
With this information about the +12V rails, one can use it against a general power usage based on the system of the system. Here are the recommendations for the minimum combined 12V rail amperages (and their relative PSU wattage rating) for various size computer systems:
Ÿ   Small Form Factor - 15A (250W)
Ÿ   Mini-Tower - 25A (300-350W)
Ÿ   Mid-Tower - 35A (400-500W)
Ÿ   Full Tower - 40A (600-650W)
Ÿ   Dual Video Card (SLI) - 50A (750W+)
Remember that these are only a recommendation. If you have specific power hungry components, check the power supply requirements with the manufacturer. Many high end graphics cards can pull near 200W on their own under full load. Running two of the cards can easily require a power supply that can sustain at least 750W or more of total power output.
Can My Computer Handle This?
I frequently get questions from people who are looking to upgrade their graphics card in their desktop computer system.
Many high-end graphics cards have very specific requirements for power in order to operate properly. Thankfully this has improved with manufacturers now listing some information. Most will just list the recommended total wattage of the power supply but the best is when they list the minimum number of amps required on the 12V line. Previously they never published any power supply requirements.
Now, in terms of most desktop computers, the companies generally do not list the PC's power supply ratings in their specifications. Typically the user will have to open up the case and look for the power supply label to determine what exactly the system can support. Unfortunately, most desktop PCs will come with fairly low power supplies as cost savings measures. A typical desktop PC that didn't come with a dedicated graphics card will usually have between a 300 to 350W unit with around 15 to 22A rating. This will be fine for some budget graphics cards, but many of the budget graphics cards have been increasing in their power demands where they won't work.
Conclusions
Remember that everything we have been talking about involves the maximum limits of the computer power supply. Probably 99% of the time a computer is being used, it is not being used to its maximum potential and as a result will draw much less power than the maximums. The important thing is that the computer power supply needs to have enough headroom for those times that the system is being taxed heavily. Examples of such times are playing graphic intensive 3D games or doing video transcoding.
These things heavily tax the components and need additional power.
As a case in point, I put a power usage meter between the power supply and the wall outlet on my computer as a test. During average computing, my system was pulling no more than 240W of power. This is well below the rating of my power supply. However, if I then play a 3D game for several hours, the power usage peaks upwards to around 400W of total power. Does this mean that a 400W power supply would be sufficient? Probably not as I have a large number of items that draw heavily on the 12V rail such that a 400W could have voltage problems which would result in system instability.

Thursday, 28 December 2017

Apple bows to mounting pressure, offers $29 battery replacements to regain trust

A week after it was first revealed Apple was slowing down older iPhones, ostensibly to stabilize performance, the company has succumbed to mounting pressure and, as an apparent gesture of goodwill, is offering owners of an iPhone 6 and later models a battery replacement for $29 — a limited-time $50 discount.
You are likely familiar with the rumor that Apple throttles older iPhones in an effort to make users resort to buying new devices. Of course, Apple maintains that’s not the case and it offered a statement regarding why iPhones may struggle as they get older.
Apple confirmed it slowed down older iPhones in an effort to better handle the power output that aging batteries can offer. Some users were upset. So much, in fact, that several lawsuits have been filed against the company.
Defendant breached the implied contracts it made with Plaintiffs and Class Members by purposefully slowing down older iPhone models when new models come out and by failing to properly disclose that at the time the parties entered into an agreement,” reads a lawsuit filed by Wilshire Law Firm on behalf of Stefan Bogdanovich and Dakota Speas. The pair are seeking both California and nationwide class action status for their suit, according to a report from TMZ.
Apple Insider has reported that attorneys on behalf of Keaton Harvey have filed another suit against Apple. The class-action suit alleges that the company’s decision to slow down old iPhones “allowed Apple to conceal the true nature and scope of the battery defect and to avoid expending time, money, and effort on correcting it.”
The suit requests that Apple notify owners about changes to the OS, repair the flaws in the software that led to the throttling, and reimburse those who bought affected iPhones.
In light of the suits, on Thursday, December 28, Apple released an apology for the confusion surrounding battery and performance issues. In its apology, the company stated “we have never — and would never — do anything to intentionally shorten the life of any Apple product, or degrade the user experience to drive customer upgrades. Our goal has always been to create products that our customers love, and making iPhones last as long as possible is an important part of that.”
Apple also promised to release a software update in 2018 that will allow users to better monitor battery performance and health on their devices. Additionally, it stated it will reduce the price of battery replacement on all iPhone 6 phones and later to $29 for the next year.
Recent throttling accusations first appeared a couple of weeks ago, when a Redditor shared Geekbench results take right before and right after the battery in an iPhone 6S was replaced. According to the Redditor, who goes by the name TeckFire, the iPhone performed as much as 20 percent better after the battery replacement.
After the Reddit post, John Poole, who founded Primate Labs, offered a more visualized look at the link between battery health and iPhone performance. Benchmarking tests were performed on iOS 10.2.0 and 10.2.1, and show some pretty serious differences in performance. Apple introduced an update in iOS 10.2.1 aimed at fixing an issue where some iPhone 6S models shut down, thanks to uneven power delivery from older batteries in the phones. That power management feature is what was causing the performance dips on some iPhone models.
According to Apple, there is a good reason for the performance dip.
Lithium-ion batteries become less capable of supplying peak current demands when in cold conditions, have a low battery charge, or as they age over time, which can result in the device unexpectedly shutting down to protect its electronic components,” Apple said in a statement to TechCrunch.
In other words, when an iPhone’s battery gets older, it becomes less capable of delivering enough power to the processor during a peak of performance, and when that happens it has to spread out the power requests over a few processor cycles. The result of that is a dip in performance.
That’s what is triggered when benchmarks are run — they look like performance peaks and valleys to an operating system, and as such on older batteries the power requests will be spread out. Upgrade to a new battery, and power will be delivered much more effectively.
It’s not all that surprising. As a battery ages, it stops working as well. That has always been the case and likely always will be. That doesn’t mean that the average performance of a device is being affected, nor does it mean that Apple is throttling your phone to make you upgrade. OF course, Apple could have been a little more transparent — a simple notification telling users that their battery is getting old and that they may see a performance dip because of it would go a long way. That lack of notification may be a serious point of contention when and if the new lawsuit ever gains ground.

Maintain Lithium Battery

Lithium batteries are presently the most commonly used energy storage devices on mobile phones, laptops, digital cameras and other electric devices. Learning how to maintain lithium batteries can not only prolong battery lifetime but also protect your device from potential damage.
Here attached the steps for your reference.
1.Use appropriate chargers. Many people take great care with their electronic gadgets, but often neglect the consequences of bad chargers on their lithium ion batteries. When choosing a charger, the original charger is the best choice. If that's unavailable, a high quality charger that has an overcharge protection function, or a brand name charger will do. A low quality battery charger can lead to shorter run times, premature battery failure, or even fire or explosion.
2.Avoid frequently over charging. Over charging with a low quality charger may let the battery's interior rise to a high temperature, which is bad for the lithium ion battery and charger. Thus, simply fully charging is good enough - overcharging will make your lithium battery into a little bomb if overcharge protection function is missing.
3.Avoid touching metal contacts. All batteries' contacts need to be kept clean for best performance. When carrying batteries around, do not let the contacts touch metal objects such as keys; this could cause a short circuit, damaging the battery or potentially resulting in a fire or an explosion.
4.Avoid using often in high or low temperature environments. Lithium ion batteries have optimal working and storage temperatures. If they're continually used in extreme temperature environments, this will negatively affect battery use time and useful cycles.
5.Avoid long periods without using or recharging. If batteries will be left unused for 3 months or more, partially recharge them, then store the device to prevent battery damage. You may need to take the device out of storage and charge again after a few months.
6.Avoid using lithium ion batteries which are hot after being fully charged. Temperatures can be very high when batteries are freshly recharged. If you use them immediately, the electronic gadget’s internal temperature will rise, which may negatively affect the device's electronic components.

Wednesday, 27 December 2017

Earphones Vs. Earbuds?

What's the Difference Between These In-ear Audio Devices?
Although companies like to stretch these definitions to fit their marketing needs, the difference between earphones and earbuds essentially boils down to this: earphones (also called in-ear headphones or in-ears) are inserted into the ear canal, while earbuds rest outside the ear canal.
Earbuds
Earbuds usually do not have cushions, although they can. They are meant to be held in place by the concha ridge at the center of your outer ear, rather than sitting inside the ear canal.
They are often one-size-fits-all, which may not be comfortable to wear. Depending on the shape of your ear ridges, they may not fit securely and may fall out frequently. That is annoying, especially if you are wearing them for sports and exercise. Some have wings or loops to tuck under the ridges of the ear to help keep them in place.
Earbuds allow in ambient noise so you can hear what is going on around you. You don't feel sealed off from your environment. That provides a small measure of safety for outdoor exercise such as running or walking while wearing earbuds.
Earbuds have generally not had the same performance as high-end headphones, often lacking bass and sounding tinny.  If you're buying ear buds, the good news is they are often less expensive than earphones and in-ear headphones. If you want something for the gym that you don't care if you step on them on the treadmill, or if you need the thirty-umpth pair for your teenager, ear buds are your friends.
Earphones - In-ears - In-ear Headphones
In-ears often feature different sizes and types of ear cushions to achieve the most comfortable fit possible. Examples of cushions include memory foam, rubber, and silicone. Some are shaped to lock into the concha and have a protrusion that extends further into the ear canal.
As with earbuds, you may find that they fall out if the fit is not snug enough, and they may not be comfortable if the fit is too tight. The kind that is designed to lock into your concha may be more secure, but you may also be trading off some comfort. Some high-end earphones are custom fitted to your ear with an ear mold done by an audiologist.
The wires may extend straight down, or they may be designed to go up and over the ear, or swivel for either configuration.
Don't let their small sizes fool you -- earphones can get into the extremely high end of the price and performance spectrum.
Wireless Earbuds and Earphones
Wireless versions of earbuds and in-ears often have a larger earpiece to accommodate the Bluetooth mechanism and controls, or have them on a thicker behind-the-neck cord. This adds additional bulk and weight. Another factor with wireless audio devices is that they are powered and need to be recharged after a few hours of use. With the iPhone 7 eliminating the audio jack port, many more designs will enter the marketplace for wireless earbuds and in-ears.

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