There have been instances when we create the paper in the hands of things, ideas with our thoughts and letters in the envelope, then there is a hurricane called technology, in the past these habits are blown away and provides a miraculous remedy to our computer system!!
A device of great utility, a personal computer has turn into a component of daily life. The portability related with laptops is definitely an added advantage.
Suitable from materializing of enterprise objectives for businessmen to serving as a medium of know-how (via Online) and assignment creation platform for students to a source of entertainment for homemakers, and much more utilities, laptops have touched the lives of all.
Gone will be the days when not everyone could purchase laptop. This can be because it was expensive and there weren’t quite a few players within the field. With time, the predicament changed and demand for these devices increased manifold. A lot more producers cropped up as well as the value went down. Just like mobile phones, laptops are currently owned by quite a few an individual.
The cost of a laptop varies as per the configurations and added characteristics. The additional will be the functions, the far more will be the price. Battery life is a single important aspect that quite a few a buyer takes into account when arranging to get a laptop. In this case, a greater value can fetch you a laptop using a lengthy battery life. While around the move, you can operate for hours together devoid of worrying about acquiring it charged. You’ll find also smaller versions of laptops out there inside the market, termed as netbooks which have a higher Acer as07b31 laptop battery life, say 5 to seven hours. Apart from being affordable, it is possible to carry these laptops in tiny bags or in purses; such will be the portability and handiness. And these laptops are lightweight also.
In addition to laptops, laptop accessories also saw an equal development momentum. Regardless of whether it really is laptop covers or skins or hardware upgrades meant for enhancing your laptop’s performance, you’ll find many solutions within the market which you can pick from. For anyone who is not comfy placing your laptop in your lap, you may obtain laptop stand that will be positioned as per your comfortability and comfort. The keyboard might be adjusted in such a manner which you will not really feel the burden in your hands and arms even when you use it for hours with each other. When not in use, it is possible to easily store away your laptop stand. If you need to go just a little above simplicity, you can obtain laptop stand which is versatile in design and style with multi-configuration facility. It comes with an assortment of hinges and locking mechanisms. The greatest benefit of this stand is that you could adjust it the way you desire as per your working conditions.
Regardless of whether you need to upgrade your operating method or have your systems memory expanded, install gaming software or get new higher top quality head phones you know you might have come to the ideal spot. You’ll be able to browse via a vast collection of accessories and parts and choose at ease as to which will suit you best. DCA also gives specialist suggestions when you can’t determine which configuration will likely be the most beneficial for you personally. Laptops and Desktops offer you far better outputs when upgraded often, and as software program is constantly enhanced, you will discover that there is a lot more you’ll be able to do together with your method, should you hold up with all the demanding requirements of new and improved software program.
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The MacBook Air’s tenth anniversary in January 16th, to commemorate the birthday, we are looking for the latest MacBook Air the most important trend setting function. Whether you have a notebook computer, are different from MacBook Air, its effect is very easy in the notebook computer today is see.
Here are five trends in laptops that the MacBook Air killed for good.
It killed optical disc drives
The original MacBook Air was one of the first high-profile premium laptops to hit the market without an optical disc drive. Sure there was an attachment you could buy — and you could always use Apple’s remote disk feature — but excluding the optical drive was important for a couple reasons.
Not only is it extremely rare to find a laptop with an optical drive these days, it signaled to other manufacturers at the time that people would actually buy a laptop without an optical drive. With more software available online and iTunes shaking up the music industry, the MacBook Air was a marker that we were on the way to leaving behind optical drives for good.
It killed removable batteries
Remember back when you could just pop your laptop’s battery out and slot in a new one when you were running low? Yeah, we can barely remember those days either. It’s been so long since user-removable batteries were a standard feature that they seem almost quaint now.
The MacBook Air was one of the first high-profile laptops to omit a user replaceable Apple a1278 laptop battery and at the time it was a very controversial decision, as noted in our original review. If you’re wondering if the risk paid off, just check to see if the laptop you own today has a removable battery.
It tried to kill your ports
Apple has long been engaged in a war against superfluous ports, and the original MacBook Air was no exception. Without an SD Card slot, and with its single USB port hidden under a bizarre metal flap, the MacBook Air tried to cut out the unnecessary clutter which dominated laptops at the time.
It didn’t quite work out. Apple eventually backpedaled and included an SD Card slot on the MacBook Air — and did away with the flap. Even still, the amount of ports we have on laptops today has been drastically reduced. For good or for bad, we have the MacBook Air to thank.
It almost killed thick laptops
Of course thick laptops are still around, but the overwhelming majority of them are thin, light, and wedge-shaped. That wedge design pioneered by the MacBook Air still lives on in laptops like the Dell XPS 13. It’s easy to see why.
By shaving down the form factor in the right areas, manufacturers have managed to give their laptops the appearance of a svelte build without sacrificing performance or cooling capabilities. Laptops have only continued to get thinner and lighter — and the MacBook Air really started that trend.
It almost killed bad hinges
Take another look at the Dell XPS 13, the archetypal modern laptop. It’s got a wedge shape, a nice thin build, some premium materials, and one under-appreciated feature brought to us by Apple. The hinge that mounts the MacBook Air’s display to its chassis is located on the back-edge of its body, rather than on top.
This means the lid won’t open enough to lay flat, but it means you don’t have those unsightly plastic hinges taking up unnecessary real estate. Sure, they’re still around in some laptops, but the overwhelming majority of laptops today feature the integrated hinge pioneered by Apple and popularized by the MacBook Air.
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You might have missed the weekend, but yesterday (January 15th) marked the tenth anniversary of MacBook Air launched by Steve Jobs on the stage of the apple. When he put it on the slippery chassis from the Manila envelope, it changed the laptop forever; the competitors compete to make their machines light. However, as apple has hardly updated in recent years, this laptop is now the time for MacBook Air to travel to the small tool closet in the sky.
When it was first announced, the MacBook Air made some controversial cuts, including the lack of a DVD drive, and, at launch, just one USB 2.0 port. For a display, it used a Micro-DVI connector and used adapters for full-size DVI and VGA displays. Today, with USB Type-C, offering just a couple of ports wouldn’t be surprising. But back then, at a pricey $1,799, it was a shocker. (No, the MacBook Air wasn’t always affordable.)
In February of 2008, when we published our review of the initial MacBook Air, we gave it three stars, praising its slim design and great display, but panning its single USB port and shorter-than-expected battery life.
That changed over the years, as it earned another USB port, switched to Mini DisplayPort, added an 11.6-inch size alongside the 13.3-inch default and, of course, got faster processors and much longer Apple a1322 laptop battery life. The Air became one of our favorite notebooks of all, and we gave it high ratings and numerous editors’ choice awards. But today, in 2018, the MacBook Air has lost its relevance. It didn’t have to be this way. Apple could have continued to upgrade the Air with top-notch features like a Retina display, Thunderbolt 3, Touch ID and even longer battery life. But Apple has instead focused on the 12-inch MacBook as its flagship thin notebook (one might call it the “Air apparent”), and the MacBook Air has languished.
Apple’s last update of the MacBook Air was a small processor bump to a fifth-generation Intel Broadwell CPU in 2017. (Most new notebooks have 8th or 7th Gen CPUs. The fifth-gen option was old even then.) The laptop still uses the same basic chassis design that it had in 2010. You won’t find any other PCs on the market with components and design that old, and the Air starts at $999 these days.
If Apple isn’t going to give the Air a full, true refresh, then it’s time for it to go. Every refresh cycle that passes by without it getting a meaningful update is a stain on the laptop that, at one time, no one could beat. But now every vendor, from Asus to Dell to Apple itself, has laptops that are thinner, lighter and more powerful. That’s not how the most influential laptop of all time should be treated or remembered.
If Apple were to update the Air with a Retina display and all of the new trappings, I know plenty of people who would buy it, with its mix of ports, the best keyboard on a MacBook (the ones on the Pro and 12-inch MacBook have been having some issues), and what’s still a slim and sleek design. But I don’t think that update will ever come. The MacBook Air is 10 years old, and Apple is letting it dangle by a thread. But it should let it go. Not every iconic product lives forever. (Where’s your click wheel iPod now?)
It’s OK to let the MacBook Air die and try new things, but don’t tarnish the legacy of one of the finest laptops ever by letting it collect dust with mediocre specs from 2015. It deserves better than that.
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Last year, I deemed that, after one or two years of stagnation, the laptop cooled again. This year, the focus of suppliers is to make them cooler.
At last week’s CES tradeshow, we saw a number of upcoming laptops and got a good sense of where the market is headed in 2018. Yes, some laptops will get thinner. But they do that every year. The real innovations come in the form of higher performance, better entertainment value and a easier-to-use, more personal experience.
Here are five things we just learned about the future of laptops.
HDR is in
Some laptops will look as good as TVs in 2018. We’ve seen number of devices with 4K panels, but now we’ll see ones that have HDR for brighter pops of color, sharper details and deeper blacks. Standouts include the Dell XPS 15 2-in-1 and Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon, though we’re expecting several more throughout the year, along with additional content that supports HDR.
Now if only we’d see some more laptops with OLED screen options (only two models, the ThinkPad X1 Yoga and Alienware 13 provide the option).
Alexa Comes to Windows
“Hey Cortana, I need to shut you off.”
“Alexa, your turn to shine.”
Microsoft’s digital assistant never really took off in the mainstream, and now Amazon is releasing an Alexa app that will fill in the gaps. Acer, Asus, HP and Lenovo have all announced systems that will support it with far-field microphones, but there’s no reason not to expect that every Windows 10 laptop will support Amazon’s assistant.
This follows reports last year that users would eventually be able to access Alexa by asking Cortana. Now, Amazon’s own app means you won’t need to use Cortana at all.
Microsoft’s big advantage is that you’ll be able to use Cortana when your laptop is locked, but with Alexa’s booming popularity, I’m sure people will put up with that.
Microsoft will tell you it’s all about choice, but it’s a real blow towards Cortana and its attempt to hold any sort of market share at all in digital assistants and the internet of things.
New Year, New CPUs
Intel’s staggered roll out of its 8th Gen Core CPUs has been awkward, but its new Kaby Lake-G chips with Radeon graphics are a big deal. Besides partnering with AMD, which seems crazy on its own, Intel is delivering CPUs with integrated graphics that can provide real power for video editing, photo editing and even low-level gaming. They’re not workstation laptops, but mobile creatives will be able to carry something thinner and lighter than ever before, like HP’s 15-inch Spectre x360 with Hp pavilion dv6000 laptop battery and the Dell XPS 15 2-in-1.
And if your favorite laptop hasn’t yet been refreshed with 8th Gen Core speeds, you can expect it to soon. We saw our first business laptops, like Lenovo’s ThinkPad lineup and Dell’s Latitudes with 8th Gen ready for enterprise deployment.
Gaming Laptops Are Waiting on Intel
It was quiet on the gaming laptop front at CES. Why? Because laptop vendors either don’t have or can’t talk about Intel’s upcoming 8th Gen Core H-series processors, which haven’t been announced yet.
In fact, that’s why our favorite gaming laptops of CES included a refreshed budget machine from Acer with Ryzen Mobile and a premium rig from MSI with a CPU that the company is being very cagey about.
Several vendors hinted that gaming laptops will get exciting this year, but not until the back half of the year. If you’re looking to refresh your gaming laptop, you might want to wait until the summer or the fall.
USB Type-C is finally getting somewhere
Look, we’re all attached to our full-size USB ports. But USB Type-C is the future, and this year it finally looks like everyone’s getting on board. I saw cheap Chromebooks and powerful workstations, all of which offered the new standard (or Thunderbolt 3, its more powerful sibling). Almost every laptop I saw offered it.
And that’s important, because people aren’t going to start buying and using USB-C accessories without that kind of support. Most laptops, though, are still keeping USB 3.0 around, at least for awhile longer. Not everything is going the way of the new Dell XPS 13 and Apple’s MacBook Pro, both of which use only Thunderbolt / Type-C ports.
Lots of vendors give away press kits on USB sticks with images and information about new machines. This year was the first time I got one with USB Type-C, even though it was dual-sided and had USB 3.0 on the other side. Hey, at least it’s progress.
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On one month’s CES 2018, HP announced the two update of its laptop. The popular HP Spectre X360 15 is a built-in Radeon Rx Vega M GPU and full digital keyboard to get a new eighth generation Intel core processor; it is scheduled in March 18th for a starting price of $1369.99. HP’s jealousy X2 also got a subtle transformation with the seventh generation Intel processor, but the release date and pricing have not yet been announced. As we get more practical time on these new laptop computers, we may modify our advice on HP’s laptop business.
Whether you’re looking for a lightweight travel companion or a beastly workstation, HP makes some excellent laptops that should meet your needs. HP’s business-class laptops – which fall under the Elite, ZBook and ProBook brands – offer extra durability credentials and good enough security to satisfy your company’s IT department. And don’t count out the Spectre line of premium consumer notebooks, which are some of the best-designed laptops on the market. Read on to see our choices for different needs and budgets.
How We Evaluate Laptops
Every laptop on this list has been fully reviewed on our sister site, BusinessNewsDaily.com. We use precise, repeatable testing procedures to evaluate products and help our readers make informed buying decisions. Our methods include industry-standard synthetic benchmark tests, including the Geekbench 3 performance test, and the 3DMark Ice Storm Unlimited graphics test. We also use a variety of in-house tests to assess each laptop’s battery life, file transfer speed and more.
For more information on how we evaluate laptops, check out our testing guide.
Best Overall Laptop – HP EliteBook x360 G2
Best Budget Laptop- HP Spectre x360
Best workstation – HP ZBook Studio G4
What You Need to Know Before Buying an HP Laptop
Security, durability and manageability features vary widely across HP’s laptop lineup. Here’s an overview of what to expect from the brand.
Spectre vs. Elite vs. ZBook
HP offers work-ready laptops in a number of different lines. Here’s a quick breakdown.
- Spectre: The Spectre line of premium consumer laptops is known for its stunning looks and portable designs. These laptops typically lack secure manageability options and business-class durability. Still, they’re good for independent mobile workers, as well as executives and other select users in enterprise environments.
- Elite: HP’s Elite line includes ultraportable laptops with business-class security features, including hardware encryption, biometric authentication and secure manageability. These durable notebooks are also tested to withstand dings, drops, dust, humidity and more.
- ZBook: The ZBook lineup offers similar security and durability credentials to the Elite line. ZBooks, however, provide workstation-class performance for heavy-duty tasks. They’re also larger and heavier than Elite laptops.
- ProBook: The ProBook line includes HP’s most affordable business-class laptops. ProBook systems match the Elite line in terms of security and durability, but they’re generally bulkier and heavier.
Security
HP’s business laptops offer a variety of security features.
- Encryption: All of HP’s business laptops come equipped with a Trusted Platform Module, which enables hardware-based encryption.
- Biometric security: This means you can unlock your work laptop using your own body. In its most basic form, that means a fingerprint scanner, which is available on many HP models. And a few HP laptops – such as the Elite x2 – have cameras capable of facial recognition, so you can unlock your laptop just by looking at it.
- Lock slot: Most HP business laptops also come with a lock slot that lets you physically secure your device to your desk with a cable.
Manageability
Many of HP’s business laptops offer special manageability tools.
- VPro: Many HP models are available with secure manageability via Intel vPro technology. VPro is a remote management platform baked right into high-end Intel processors, giving you or your IT team access to laptops at the hardware level. That makes it possible to run software and group policy updates even when a system has been turned off. The ability to manage a powered-down system also helps when you need to locate the system, restrict access to it, or wipe it clean if it’s been lost or stolen.
- Deployment: HP offers a range of migration and deployment services. For starters, HP can preload company images onto new PCs in the factory. Additionally, it can migrate system images and data to your new PCs remotely, limiting workday disruptions. For companies that need a bit of extra hand holding, HP offers on-site services, including delivery of new PCs, image installation and full data migration.
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When you have a fairly large budget laptop, you can afford a great computer. But there are so many choices, you risk you to invest your hard earned money on a machine, and you may regret it one day.
So, we weren’t surprised to see forum user talhaaslam650 ask this question:
“So I am looking for a laptop for my university, and it should handle light photo editing and offer good Dell xps m1330 laptop battery life for general use. $1,000 is my budget, but if the laptop is worth it, I can go $1,100. Kindly suggest the best laptop in this range.”
Well, talhaaslam650, we kindly thank you for this question, and have an answer: the $899 Dell XPS 13 9360, with a 7th Generation Intel Core i5-7200U processor, 8 GB RAM, and a 128 GB SSD. Not only is it fast enough to handle all of your classwork and photo editing; it’s also extremely lightweight at 2.78 pounds, so it’s easy to bring from class to class.
But, before you run to Dell’s website, let’s go over why I specified the 9360 model number. Rather than the most current XPS model we tested this month (Jan. 2018), the 9360 is a device from 2017. Why are we recommending last year’s model? It’s simple, actually: It’s because you mentioned how important battery life is to you.
We agree that a long-lasting laptop is important, and that’s why we’d recommend this 2017 model, which lasted 16 hours and 5 minutes on the Laptop Mag Battery Test (web browsing at 100 nits). In contrast, the XPS 13 9370 (2018) model topped out at 12 hours and 37 minutes. That extra 3-plus hours can make all the difference between a machine that lasts through your afternoon classes without its power cable, and one that dies during a critical lecture.
The other reason I’m recommending the 9360 is because the model we suggest is $100 less than the cheapest 2018 version ($999), which would max out your budget. This way, you’ve got money left over for food purchased outside of your university’s meal plan. But, if you want more storage, we wouldn’t argue against the $100 upgrade to turn this notebook’s 128 GB SSD into a 256 GB drive.
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CES is the time of year when we expect to see new, blazing-fast CPUs and laptops that incorporate these new chips.This year’s performance did not disappoint, Intel finally opened AMD Radeon and Kirby lake-g: GPU in high power mobile processor Vega. Business notebook computer finally upgraded to the eighth generation of Intel core processor, and AMD announced plans to release later this year ryzen Pro mobile chip business notebook computer.
At this year’s show, vendors focused on beauty, not just power and speed. Dell equipped both of its new XPS laptops with high-end displays, while Asus released a 4K OLED monitor that you can take on the road. MSI’s new GE63 Raider RGB Edition has its most striking feature on the back of its lid, in the form of LED lights.
These are the best laptops, accessories and software of CES 2018.
Best Laptop: Dell XPS 13 9370
The best clamshell-style laptop just got even better. For 2018, Dell gave the XPS 13 a makeover, providing a slimmer chassis, lighter weight and stunning new rose-gold-and-white color scheme. The eye-popping, optional 4K display is extremely sharp, bright and vibrant; an even narrower screen bezel helps enhance the experience. On the inside, a new dual-fan cooling system allows the 8th Gen Core-powered laptop to offer better sustained performance than competitors. Though the new XPS 13 is part of Dell’s CES lineup, we already had a chance to review the system a few days before the show, and it earned 4.5 stars out of 5 and an Editors’ Choice award. — Avram Piltch
Best 2-in-1: Dell XPS 15 2-in-1
One of two laptops we’ve seen that takes advantage of Intel’s new 8th Gen Core CPUs with Radeon (aka Kaby Lake-G), the XPS 15 2-in-1 is an impressive system. Not only is this convertible slim, but it’s ready for both creative work and light gaming. The display — especially the 4K option — appeared masterful in our first impressions, and the Maglev keyboard is an interesting way of getting more key travel, though it will take some serious getting used to. Toss in some great software, like Dell’s awesome new Mobile Connect, and it’s hard to ignore this mix of power and ingenuity. — Andrew E. Freedman
Editors’ Choice: HP Envy x2
Microsoft’s Surface Pro finally has some real competition. The HP Envy x2 not only comes with the accessories that Microsoft charges extra for — the keyboard and pen — but also offers always-on connectivity via optional LTE and Modern Standby mode in Windows 10. The 12.3-inch full-HD screen is colorful and crisp, and the keyboard itself offers a comfortable amount of travel. If you’d rather have something with even longer Hp 364602-001 laptop battery life, HP’s upcoming Envy x2 with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon chip promises up to 20 hours of juice (compared with 15 hours for the Intel model) and a kickstand that’s more adjustable. — Mark Spoonauer
Best Detachable: Lenovo Miix 630
Lenovo was late to the party when it announced its Snapdragon-based Windows 10 laptop, but the wait seems worth it. The 12.3-inch display is great, and while the metal keyboard takes some getting used to, the folio case felt the most premium of any we’ve seen so far. Travelers will have lots of LTE options at their disposal, including for both eSIM and Nano SIM, and the hinge is flexible enough to make the device lap-friendly in most situations. — Andrew E. Freedman
Best Business Laptop: Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon
Lenovo gave the ThinkPad X1 Carbon a makeover this year, and its redesigned appearance is hard to ignore. The new blacked-out ThinkPad logo and X1 moniker (to show that you have the latest and greatest) immediately piqued our interest, but the incredibly bright and vibrant Dolby Vision HDR display option is what really turned our heads. The X1 Carbon also includes Intel’s 8th Gen CPUs and a new innovative side-docking solution that will give business users a lot of port options. — Andrew E. Freedman
Best Budget Gaming Laptop: Acer Nitro 5
It’s hard to say no to a sub-$1,000 gaming laptop, especially one as good-looking as the Acer Nitro 5. Priced at $799, the notebook delivers a solid AMD processor and graphics, coupled with a full-HD display — all in a stylish faux-carbon-fiber chassis with some striking red accents. Customizable with up to 32 GB of RAM, a 2 TB HDD and a 512 GB SSD, the Nitro 5 could be the best deal of 2018. — Sherri L. Smith
Best Gaming Laptop Overall: MSI GE63 Raider RGB Edition
MSI made a simple decision with the GE63 Raider RGB Edition: It took a great laptop and made it really, really pretty. The new Raider lets you customize lights with 24 million colors not only on its keyboard but also on the lid, allowing you to create a laptop design that’s uniquely your own. The Raider’s GTX 1060 and 1070 GPU options will provide plenty of power, and we’re looking forward to the performance from what we suspect may be an 8th Gen Intel Core i7 H-series CPU (even if MSI wouldn’t confirm that for us). With MSI’s Dragon Center gaming software getting a makeover, even your settings will look amazing. — Andrew E. Freedman
Best Software: Dell Mobile Connect
Dell Mobile Connect is a prime example of an existing concept that someone finally got right. While other companies have launched apps that let you access your smartphone via your computer, Mobile Connect gives you full access to all of your apps if you’re an Android-phone owner (sorry, iPhone faithful), thanks to screen mirroring. Throw in instant connection via Direct Wi-Fi, and you’ve got a winner. But the real revelation was the ability to call a Lyft from a Dell XPS 13. — Sherri L. Smith
Best Concept: Razer Project Linda
I was never a big lap-dock fan, but Razer has made me a believer. Pairing its Razer Phone with a laptop dock similar in design to the Blade Stealth, Project Linda offers a pretty, full-HD panel paired with an Android OS capable of doing light video editing, playing games and handling a reasonable amount of multitasking. The keyboard even has full RGB Chroma lighting! Project Linda continues Razer’s time-honored tradition of introducing tech that’s both weird and wonderful at CES. While some concepts never see the light of day in their initial forms, I’m rooting for Project Linda to buck the trend. — Sherri L. Smith
Best Accessory: Asus ProArt PQ22UC
Carrying a portable monitor on your next business trip could make your hotel room feel more like your office. However, most portable monitors aren’t good enough to use when you’re at home. The ProArt PQ22UC, on the other hand, is so sharp and colorful that you may want to use it as your primary display all the time. This 21.6-inch monitor has a 4K resolution and an OLED panel that reproduces 99 percent of the DCI-P3 color gamut — the same one that many professional movie-makers use. And, at just 2.6 pounds, this monitor could be particularly useful for on-the-go creative professionals. — Avram Piltch
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After you have jumped through the initial screens from the Mac Setup Assistant that had you log in with your Apple ID, connect to the network and so on, then your work is not completed. There are 15 settings to change here, at least to check a new MacBook.
1. Check for updates
Has Apple released an update to MacOS High Sierra since it built your MacBook? Find out by clicking the Apple button in the upper-left corner of your screen and then clicking About This Mac. You should be staring at the General tab of the About This Mac window. If so, click the Software Update button, which will launch the App Store app and check for updates.
2. Show battery percentage
Like an iPhone, a MacBook displays a small battery icon at the top of the display to show how much battery power remains. It’s more helpful if next to this icon it also displays the percentage of Apple a1322 laptop battery you have left. To show the percentage, click the battery icon in the menu bar and click Show Percentage. (If you don’t see a battery icon, go to System Preferences > Energy Saver and check the box for Show battery status in menu bar.)
3. Set up Siri
Siri should be enabled by default, but if you would prefer to use Siri only on your iPhone, then you can disable Siri by going to System Preferences > Siri and unchecking the box for Enable Ask Siri. If you plan on using Siri frequently, then you can use this Siri window to choose Siri’s voice, language and a keyboard shortcut.
4. Customize the Touch Bar
If you have a new MacBook Pro model with the Touch Bar, then head to System Preferences > Keyboard and click the Customize Control Strip button and then simply drag the buttons you want to show up on the default view of the Touch Bar to the Touch Bar below the display. Don’t worry, they’ll make the leap from your display across the hinge and to the Touch Bar. (And please don’t ask me why Apple calls it the Control Strip in some places and Touch Bar in others because I don’t know.)
5. Sync folders via iCloud
I find it incredibly useful to sync the Desktop and Documents folders between my two Macs and my iOS devices. To sync these two folders, go to System Preferences > iCloud and click the Options button for iCloud Drive. Next, check the box for the top item, Desktop and Documents folders.
6. Choose default browser
Even though it uses more system resources than Safari, I use Chrome instead of Safari because the favicons help me keep track of all of my open tabs. To set a default browser, go to System Preferences > General and make a selection other than Safari for Default web browser.
7. Set scrolling direction
A MacBook’s “natural” scrolling direction doesn’t feel natural to me. If you want the two-finger swipe gesture to scroll vertically in the opposite way, head to System Preferences > Trackpad and click on the Scroll & Zoom tab. Next, uncheck the box for Scroll direction: Natural.
8. Get your Dashboard
MacOS Sierra lets you juggle multiple desktops via Mission Control, which you can swipe through using the three- or four-finger swipe gesture. The Dashboard is a special desktop that lets you pin various apps to it for quick access to current weather conditions, your calendar, a calculator and other info. To enable the Dashboard, go to System Preferences > Mission Control and change the Dashboard setting from Off to either As Space or As Overlay. The former sets up the Dashboard as your leftmost desktop, and the latter overlays it on your current desktop with the press of the F12 key.
9. Add and remove items from Dock
Apple throws a number of stock apps into the Dock at the bottom of the screen. You can make room for the apps you use most frequently by removing others you don’t need in the Dock. To remove an app from the Dock, simple click on its icon in the Dock and drag it to the desktop until you see Remove appear above the icon and then let go. Poof, it’s gone! To add an app to the Dock, open it and then right-click on its icon in the Dock and mouse over the Option line in the menu and click Keep in Dock.
10. Move the Dock
The Dock sits at the bottom of your screen, but on a widescreen MacBook display, you might find it better to have it on the side. To move the Dock, go to System Preferences > Dock and choose either Left or Right for Position on Screen. While you’re there, you can also drag a slider to adjust the size of the Dock. You can also make it disappear from view when you aren’t using it by checking the box for Automatically hide and show the Dock.
11. Set up Safari
Safari now combats two of the bigger internet annoyances: autoplay videos and ad trackers. Ad tracking is stopped by default, but there is a global setting for stopping autoplay videos that you’ll want to enable. Open Safari’s Preferences and click on the Websites tab. Choose Auto-Play from the left panel and for When visiting other websites at the bottom of the window, select Never Auto-Play or Stop Media with Sound (if you are okay with muted videos playing) and sit back and rejoice in the silence.
12. Enable Night Shift
Staring at a blue screen before bed can shift your body’s natural clock and make it difficult to get a good night’s sleep. With Apple’s Night Shift feature, the colors of your display are shifted to the warmer end of the spectrum during the evening hours. Head to System Preferences > Displays and click the Night Shift tab. You can set Night Shift to come on from sunset to sunrise, or you can select a custom time period. Use the slider to adjust the color temperature of the effect between less warm and more. Once you start using Night Shift, you’ll wonder how you ever sat in front of a cold, blue screen in the evening hours.
13. Set hours for Do Not Disturb
Along with overly blue screens, notifications have no place in my home after a certain hour. As with iOS, MacOS lets you disable notifications in the evening so you aren’t disturbed while watching Netflix or sleeping. Go to System Preferences > Notifications and check the box Turn on Do Not Disturb. By default, it’s set for the hours of 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. but you can set your own Do Not Disturb Window. There are options to enable the feature when your MacBook’s display is sleeping or when you are mirroring the display to a TV or projector (and presumably watching a movie or show or video). You can also let calls come through (if you use your MacBook to answer calls) or just repeated calls, which might mean there is an emergency or something urgent to which you may need to respond.
14. Set app download tolerance level
If you want to download apps from the web at large and not just from the Mac App Store, you’ll need to tell MacOS to loosen up on the reins a bit. Go to System Preferences > Security & Privacy, click the lock in the lower-left corner and enter your password to make changes. Next, for Allow apps downloaded from choose App Store and identified developers.
15. Choose how quickly your MacBook locks
While on the Security & Privacy page, you can set the length of time your MacBook can sit idle before the screen locks. It’s more convenient to set a longer time but also less secure. The time period to set here doesn’t start ticking until the screen saver begins, so you also need to set the length of time before your screen saver kicks in. Go to System Preferences > Desktop & Screen Saver and you can select the style of your screen saver and also the time by using the drop-down menu in the lower-left corner.
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At the end of last year, Intel and AMD announced a new chip they work together, combined with Intel core H series quad core processor and AMD Radeon Vega graphics discrete class. In CES 2018 we started in some computer, those new Intel / AMD series chip of G ship at Lake kirby.
One of the first is Dell’s new XPS 15 2-in-1 laptop, which is a convertible notebook with a 15.6 inch touchscreen display, a 360 degree hinge, support for an optional Dell Active Pen, and a 65 watt 8th-gen Intel Core processor with Radeon RX Vega M graphics featuring 4GB of dedicated high bandwidth graphics memory.
The Dell XPS 15 2-in-1 should be available this spring for $1300 and up.
The notebook basically pairs a 45-watt quad-core Intel CPU with AMD graphics on a single package. I’m told that if the same CPU and equivalent graphics were on separate packages, the TDP would be 85 watts rather than 65.
Specifically, Dell will offer models with a choice of Core i5-8305G or Core i7-8705G chips. Both chips feature Radeon Vega M GL graphics with 20 Compute Units and 1280 stream processors. the key differences are in the CPU: the Core i7 version has more cache and faster clock speeds.
While Dell isn’t positioning the XPS 15 as a gaming laptop, the company says it can handle some gaming duties, and offers performance that’s a bit better than you’d expect from a PC with an NVIDIA GeForce 1050 graphics card.
Weighing in at a little over 4 pounds, it’s relatively portable for a 15.6 inch laptop, and the computer measures 16mm (0.63 inches) thick, which makes it surprisingly compact for a computer with this type of CPU and graphics power.
Dell will offer 1080p and 4K display options and the company says you can expect up to 12 hours of Dell xps m1530 laptop battery life while web surfing or streaming videos on the full HD model or about 9 hours of run time with the 4K version (which also offer 100% Adobe RGB color).
Battery life will probably drop significantly if you’re taking advantage of the GPU for gaming, video editing, or other tasks that leverage the AMD graphics rather than the integrated Intel UHD graphics that you also get with Kaby Lake G-series chips.
Dell says optional Active Pen uses Wacom technology and offers 4096 levels of pressure sensitivity, tilt detection, and palm rejection. It connects to the notebook using Bluetooth 4.2.
There’s no slot for storing the pen when it’s not in use, but it’s magnetic, so you can snap it to the side of the computer. The magnets on the demo model I played with aren’t nearly as strong as those on the Eve V tablet though, so I wouldn’t want to leave the pen attached when transporting the tablet. It’s more like the magnet lets you put down the pen for a little while without worrying that it’ll roll off the table, but you might want to come up with a better solution for permanent storage.
One surprising thing about the Dell XPS 15 is that, like its smaller XPS 13 sibling, it lacks full-sized USB or HDMI ports. The convertible laptop has microSD card and headset jacks, along with 4 USB Type-C ports, so you’ll need a dock or adapter if you want to plug in a display, Ethernet cable, or anything that requires a full-sized USB port.
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I think everyone, including Microsoft, wants to forget the confusion of Windows RT. On the contrary, Microsoft began to stimulate the potential of full fat Windows 10 in ARM, and is still expected to be in December.
The most important feature of Windows 10 on ARM is its ability to run all Win32 applications without modification. That’s thanks to an emulator working seamlessly in the background. But as TrustedReviews reports, Pete Bernard, Principal Group Program Manager for Connectivity Partners at Microsoft, has revealed Windows 10 on ARM comes with a major selling point for laptop users: battery life.
Bernard claims that battery life when running Windows 10 on the Snapdragon 835 chipset isn’t just good, it’s “beyond our expectations” and “a game-changer in terms of the way people have experienced PCs in the past.”
Those are bold claims until you realize Bernard is talking about laptops that don’t need charging for multiple days at a time. Forget about hours of battery life, if Bernard’s claims are true Windows 10 ARM laptops will be shipping in December with two-day HP 593554-001 laptop battery life as a feature.
In an interview with ZDNet, Bernard also talks about a bug being reported by development directors at Microsoft claiming the battery meter wasn’t working on these ARM laptops. In reality, the meter was working just fine, it was simply ticking down very slowly and nobody is used to that (yet).
According to Don McGuire, vice president of Global Marketing at Qualcomm, Windows 10 ARM laptops are still expected to launch in December. Microsoft is also thought to be testing hundreds of Snapdragon-powered laptops right now, meaning 2018 could be the year of the ARM laptop, and potentially a very painful 2018 for Intel.
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