Best Budget Laptops Deals

You can also buy small laptops called netbooks which are available for around 300$. A netbook is also ultra portable, slim and thin. But netbooks do not have the power to do more advanced stuff like laptops. Netbooks are small laptops that you can use for most internet activities. Like browsing, chatting and sending emails. They started with super small screens 7 to 8 inch screens and the ones you can buy nowadays are usually around 10 inch screens. Laptops that start at around 11 to 13 inch and weight less than 4 pounds are called ultra portables. The disadvantage of netbooks compared with regular laptops are:
- small harddrive;
- 1 gb of memory in some cases 2;
- atom processor which is not as powerful as a intel or amd processor found in laptops;
- small screen and not so good graphics;

They are replaced in the market by tablets now which offer also internet connectivity and offer some other options.

So you've bought a brand new laptop and are ready to get some work done or just play around. Here are some great tips for laptop users.

Extending battery life
Consider removing the battery from your laptop if you work from home. The battery capacity will degrade over time when you use it. Charge the battery up to 40-50% and store the battery in a dry and cool environment (not too hot).

Things to consider if you want to extend the battery time you have while running on the battery.
- disable the screensaver - its better to put the display to sleep instead of using a screensaver.
- watch movies from the harddrive or usb drive instead of from a dvd - there are several programs which allow you to rip a dvd. Reading dvd's from a spinning player take up more energy.
-

Use windows 7 build in power trouble shooter by typing power in the search box and clicking on the power icon. Just follow the wizard to find options to shutoff to save power. (source: howto geek improving batterylife )

Backups
If you are on the road or on a vacation a good idea is to backup your data. For instance when I was on holidays I put the photos I took that day on my laptop and also stored them online. There are several sites/businesses which offer storage online. some are:

Dropbox
Ubuntu One for Windows - also available for Linux
Most programs offer an automatic backup solution. If you have a second pc or laptop you can synchronize the backup data from your laptop with this program.

Also backup at home or on the road. There are several ways to backup your data:
- external harddrive - lots of storage capacity;
- usb storage
- sd card

Security
It's a good idea to install prey on your new laptop. Prey is a program which lets you monitor your laptops or computers whereabouts. If a thief steals your laptop you can login to the prey website and mark your laptop as being stolen. The software makes pictures with your webcam and sends details about where it connected to the internet. Prey also sends you reports via email about the laptops location. You can then print out these details and go to the police to file a report.

Make sure that Windows logs in automatically - why? Well if a thief has to enter a password to use your laptop there is a chance they will reformat your laptop making prey useless also it won't be able to connect to the internet. Prey is free to setup for 3 devices and 10 reports.
Hide your personal folders.

Prey

Laptops are easy targets for thieves because they are small, valuable and they are easy to carry around.
Here are some tips to make sure your laptop doesn't get stolen:
- don't leave your laptop out in the open even for a short amount of time;
- consider purchasing a kensington lock;
- write down the serial number of your laptop in case it get stolen - you may need it to identify your laptop;

Other tips
If you travel to another country you could need an adaptor for different power plugs.

Make sure that the laptop gets enough airflow. Check that the vents have access to air and do not block the vents. This causes the laptop to heat up and can lead with prolonged air vent blockage to damage to your laptop.

What is a sleeve?

A sleeve is usually made of a rubbery fabric like neoprene, which is the same material that diving suits are made from. Its a small bag for around your laptop and fold up nicely when you are not using it. Also sleeves are not really heavy like some bags.

Like a bag it will protect your laptop from scratches and small accidents. Especially if your laptop has a glossy finish or you want to protect the screen of your tablet. Because of the neoprene it will also protect your laptop from minor spills of liquid or a bit of rain.

If you want to protect your laptop but want somthing lightweight and also cheap then consider getting a sleeve. It will usually protect enough for most people's purposes.

If you will be carrying it a round a lot like on Holidays a bag is probably a better option. I've bought a laptop bagpack to carry my laptop and extra equipment. A bag also has more storage space while a sleeve will hold just the laptop and the extensioncords.