How to Replace Laptop Screen

Watch this tutorial if you are going to replace laptop LCD screen yourself:

To Recycle Or Not To Recycle Laptop

Nowadays, computer technology is developing at a very fast pace. Prices have become affordable. Consumers cannot resist the temptation to replace computer systems too often, sometimes neglecting the importance of environmental care. How to help keeping the balance between a technical progress and ecological protection?

The reasons why people rid of old laptop computers can be different - obsolete models, broken or malfunctioning parts, or the combination of many factors. A fast developing technology makes computers outdated at a very quick pace. An additional factor, why people are prone to look for the replacement of currently owned laptop, is low prices. Decreasing prices make it affordable to replace the old computers more often with the latest improved ones.

A laptop computer is a complex system. Since it consists of many parts, the probability that one part can be out of order within a finite period of time is quite high. To make it more clear, let's do a simple math for a single notebook. If probability for one part to fail within one-year period equals, for example, only 0.01%, and the notebook has, for instance, 1,000 parts, the chance of failing one of the parts in a single laptop is around 10% (0.01*1,000). Now let's assume there are 10,000 laptops that people bought in a city. Since the probability that one laptop in each group of 10 has 100% chance to be broken, we get 1,000 broken laptops annually. We could estimate the number of broken laptops worldwide every year. This number is huge - the millions of broken laptops.

Besides the complexity, laptops are pretty fragile devices. A small defect or even damage can be easily introduced by users. So what would you do if only some particular part of your laptop is broken? What if laptop's warranty has expired or does not cover the part replacement? Would you try to find some place to repair? Despite the obvious benefit of repairing - money saving, some people say that it is easier to look for a new laptop. Of course, it is up to user if it is time to say good-bye a non-fully functional or defective laptop. But if you decided to throw out your old PC, think about recycling.

Why is it vital to recycle old laptop computers? When computers decompose, dangerous chemicals contaminate the water supply and the air. The disposal of old computers is a serious problem. If even a very tiny battery can make soil seriously contaminated and causes a water pollution, a much bigger laptop battery creates much more troubles, not to mention about other parts of computer. Additional problem is a growing demand for laptops because their production pollutes the Earth.

First of all, if your computer is still functional, consider donating it to someone, to a charity, or budget-limited organization. If you are buying a new laptop, sometimes the option is to recycle an old one at store. Now many manufacturers offer different computer recycling programs. If your computer is still in a good shape, they may even refurbish it and re-sell. Nevertheless, most components inside of the computer contain valuable resources that can be reused.

Computer technology is moving now at a breakneck speed, sometimes diminishing the importance of environment protection and care about our green planet. Fortunately, more and more laptop users become ecological-minded. They understand that recycling helps converting used materials into new products to prevent waste of potentially useful materials and reduce the pollution of the Earth. Some of them have found places to repair; others have learned how to replace broken screen, keyboard, and other parts on their own.


© Alex Smartson. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission.

Dell Studio XPS 16 Laptop

Combining power with elegance, Dell has designed the Studio XPS 16 with cutting-edge features, superb performance and style. It may include optional genuine leather accents and backlit keyboard, optional 16" RGB-LED display. The following is a configuration with Intel Core i7 CPU:

• Intel Core i7-720QM Quad Core Processor 1.6GHz (2.8GHz Turbo Mode, 6MB Cache)
  
• 4GB Shared Dual Channel DDR3 at 1333MHz
  
• HD+ Widescreen 15.6" WLED LCD (1680x945) W/2.0 MP
  
• 500GB 7200 RPM SATA Hard Drive
  
• Intel 5300 WLAN Wireless-N (3x3) Mini Card
  
• 8X Slot Load CD/DVD Burner (Dual Layer DVD+/-R Drive)
  
• Obsidian Black High Gloss Finish with Leather
  
• Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium, 64bit, English
  
• Microsoft Office Starter 2010
  
• McAfee SecurityCenter, 15-Months
  
• Dell Online Backup 30GB for 1 year
  
• ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5730 - 1GB
  
• 85 WHr 9-cell Lithium Ion Primary Battery
  
• Integrated 10/100 Network Card
  
• Adobe Acrobat Reader 9, Multiple Languages
  
• Price $1139.99
  

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Lenovo Greenest Laptop ThinkPad L512

Lenovo releases new environment friendly laptops of ThinkPad L series. These laptops are 40% more energy efficient than previous ThinkPad laptops. One of these series, ThinkPad L512 laptop, is lightweight, ergonomic, loaded with green, productivity and cost-saving features. It is a high performance and durable laptop with integrated graphics. The details are following:

• Processor: Intel Core i3-330M Processor (2.13GHz, 3MB L3, 1066MHz FSB)
  
• Display type: Anti-glare 15.6" LED backlit widescreen with WWAN
  
• System graphics: Mobile Intel HM55 Express Chipset with integrated Intel HD Graphics, Gigabit Ethernet, secure chip, WWAN support
  
• Total memory: 2 GB PC3-10600 DDR3 SDRAM 1333MHz SODIMM Memory (1 DIMM)
  
• Hard drive: 160 GB Hard Disk Drive, 5400rpm
  
• Optical device: DVD Recordable 8x Max Dual Layer
  
• Battery: 6 cell 2.6Ah Li-Ion Battery - Dual Mode
  
• Integrated WiFi wireless LAN adapters: ThinkPad bgn Wireless
  
• Operating system: Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium 32
  
• Price: $599.00
  

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Common LCD Screen Cleaning Mistake

Question:

I sprayed Windex on my laptop LCD screen and now it has pink streaks. Is it possible to remove the pink streaks from the screen using a stain remover?

Answer:

Pink streaks on your screen are not paint or dirt and cannot be erased by stain remover. Since Windex is a solvent, the pink color is a result of dissolved surface of the screen. Every LCD panel has a coating on top of the actual screen, this is what is damaged. It is hard to believe that you can easily rid of these streaks. However, the LCD screen in a laptop is easy to remove and replace. You may learn from some on-line guide how to replace LCD screen.

For your information in the future. Despite the fact that the technology is changing fast and screen coatings are different, in general, it is not recommended to use any solvent including alcohol. It is better to use distilled water. Shut down your laptop before cleaning. Using a lint-free microfiber cloth is best, an old cloth can introduce dust. After cleaning dry a wet screen with a dry cloth. Read more How to Clean LCD Screen

Most Popular Laptops for May 2010

Each month NotebookReview.Com presents data for the number of times a particular notebook is viewed on their site's product pages. It is to get an idea for what mainstream consumers are looking at and maybe thinking about buying. While these laptops are not necessarily the most popular in terms of sales, they are the most popular based on the number of times the visitors clicked the links to find out more details about them. The Lenovo G550 still holds the most popular spot as one of the preferred value notebooks. The Dell Studio XPS 16, Lenovo ThinkPad X201 and ASUS G73JH are holding their 2nd, 3rd and 4th list position respectively. New to the list this month are the Dell Inspiron 14 and Inspiron 11z, in spots 5 and 10. The the most discussed item is Alienware M11x.

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New Screen Demonstrations at the Society of Information Display 2010

Society of Information Display (SID) held 2010 International Symposium, Seminar, and Exhibition from May 23 to May 28, 2010 at Washington State Convention Center, Seattle, WA, USA. The SID, that is now in its 48th year, is the major international event for scientists, engineers, manufacturers, and users in the electronic-display industry. Below is a brief review for only three of many products presented this year.

Samsung has presented an ultra energy-efficient USB-powered monitor. It is an 18.5" LCD display capable of running exclusively from USB - no adapter required. It is an extremely energy efficient display. Built with LED backlight, Samsung has been able to drop the peak power consumption down to only 6.3W. That is why the device can function from bus power over USB.

SONY has introduced a rollable (bendable) OLED display. The flexible OLED measures 4.1" and is only 80 micrometers thick. To reach the goal of a rollable display, SONY developed OTFT - organic TFT (thin film transistor) with original organic semiconductor material. The rollable OLED has a resolution of 432x240 pixel, 16.8 million colors, and contrast ratio 1000:1.

LG has showed the largest 3-D display in the World. This display is a gigantic 84" ultra high definition (UHD) 3-D panel with 3840x2160 resolutions. That is four times the resolution of previous full HD TV panels with (1920x1080). To enable watching in 3-D, the display requires a polarized glasses.

Fujitsu LifeBook AH550 Notebook

* Intel^® Core^TM i3-330M Processor (2.13 GHz, 3 MB L3 cache, 1066 MHz FSB)
* Genuine Windows^® 7 Home Premium (64 bit)
* 15.6" (1366x768) LED-backlit display
* Intel HD graphics with up to 1.6 GB of shared video memory
* 4 GB DDR3 1066 MHz SDRAM memory (2 GB + 2 GB)
* 500 GB S-ATA, 5400 rpm hard drive
* Dual-Layer Multi-Format DVD Writer
* Integrated webcam and digital microphone
* Gigabit Ethernet LAN
* Integrated Atheros XSPANR 802.11BGN (802.11 b/g/n) wireless
* Integrated Bluetooth
* HDMI, four USB 2.0 ports, MemoryStick^®/SD slot, ExpressCard^® slot
* Main battery: Lithium ion (6-cell, 10.8V, 4000 mAh)
* Standard spill-resistant keyboard with separate numeric 10-Key keypad
* Price $749

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Fixing a Broken Laptop Screen Yourself is Easier Than You Think

Laptop screen problems can be different. It may be easy fixable or may require certain efforts. Some LCD screen issues can be resolved by cleaning or running software, others replacing with a new LCD panel in worst-case scenario. Anyway, the first step is to define what type of problem your screen has.

First of all, if your LCD screen has small black spots it can be just a dirt. In this case you will need to clean the screen. It is better to use distilled water (or tap water, at last resort) but not a solvent. Shut down your laptop before cleaning. Using a lint-free microfiber cloth is best, an old cloth can introduce dust. Finally, dry the screen with a dry cloth.

If small black spots did not disappear after cleaning or the spots are white or colorized, it is quite possible that the screen has faulty pixels. Faulty pixels can be different by nature. According to a typical classification, they can be stuck, hot, and dead. And consequently, they require different approaches to fix. At times, stuck pixels may start working with time again. Sometimes such pixels can be re-energized by turning them on and off rapidly (you can try to use some pixels-fixing software tools).

You may find many different advices on the Internet how to deal with faulty pixels. Some of them are worth to try, others may damage the screen (for instance, using an excessive heat). Anyway, it is better to try different approaches to fix these pixels (at least to make sure that the only one option is left). Unfortunately, if your srceen has a dead or a partially dead pixels, in most cases there is nothing that you can do about it other than replacing your LCD screen with a new panel.

LCD screens are more fragile than old CRTs and faulty pixels can be easily contributed by users if pressure is put upon screen. As well as, the screen may have scratches. Some people try CD scratch remover but as a rule it makes the screen worse. The matter of fact, every LCD panel has a coating on top of the actual screen, this is what is scratched. Unfortunately, it can not be repaired. If your screen has many scratches, looks too ugly, then the most radical solution would be to replace the screen.

In case of dark screen, flicker, stripes, or other image problem, the first step should be to make sure that this is a screen problem, not other laptop's part. Therefore, it is necessary to check if other parts of laptop work. The easiest way is just to connect an external monitor through video output. If picture is good it means the laptop screen is non-functional or broken.

In case of dimmed screen or flicker it might be broken inverter or back-light bulb (that causes flicker). The back-light lamp is mounted inside the screen. When the back-light lamp fails, you have to replace the whole LCD screen (it is possible to replace only the lamp but very hard). All screen parts are supplied in one module that can be replaced.

If your screen is not repairable, a good cost-effective solution could be to replace the screen on your own. Are non-technical people capable to replace a laptop screen themselves? Evidently, yes. No doubt that most people are scared to change their laptop screen first time. But replacing LCD screen is easy. It is only slightly more difficult than changing a light-bulb: removing 6 screws, pulling off a bezel, disconnecting the old screen, and the installation of the new screen by following steps in reverse order. You may learn from some on-line illustrated guide how to replace LCD screen.

Since most laptop manufacturers charge too much, search for a good online store-retailer for your screen replacement (it should be within $50-150 depending on model). Some places carry a big inventory of brand new LCD panels to replace any notebook screen. If you are unable to find a particular model listed on their website, call or email them to find a screen replacement for your laptop.

© Alex Smartson. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission.

How to Make Someone Happy

Link to the website source: andrewsallee

How to Choose The Best Laptop and its Manufacturer

Buying a laptop is an investment and it can be a difficult decision. To get most from your investment, you need to choose right features and options. On the other hand, it is important to select a good quality system that will last for years. This article is to help to find approaches that may ease the process of choosing the best laptop for you.

If you ask any expert what laptop is the best in terms of quality, normally you get different answers. One of the reasons is that every user has different experience. Another reason is that each user experienced good or bad things with laptops in different times. In fact, there is no laptop model that was always positioned at the top of the list. This is one of difficulties in choosing a laptop with the best quality.

It is easy to notice that comparison in terms of the quality or reliability of laptops (manufacturers) is very similar to the comparison of any hi-tech devices, like, TV-sets, cellular phones, as well as, automobiles. New ideas, inventions, and technologies enable human-made things to evolve very fast and in different directions. Evidently, discovering similar underlying principles may help to ease a selective process.

Firstly, we need to accept an important fact why in eyes of different people the best models are different. The quality can be different for the same model because it depends on criteria that are set by evaluator. Secondly, nowadays there is a wide variety of laptops, such as, mini, netbook, desktop replacement, therefore, the comparison may be similar to comparing apples and oranges. Thirdly, the quality can be relative thing to a certain extend even without a sound basis because particular models may be preferable for some users due to an emotional attachment, not logical objective reasons.

Anyway, the good news is that the number of laptop manufacturers is not so big and there are almost the same major ones for a decade. Currently these are Dell, HP Compaq, Toshiba, Acer, Lenovo (IBM), Sony, Gateway, Apple, Asus, Samsung, Panasonic, Fujitsu. The existence of many manufacturers is good because it means a stronger competition. A honest competition helps to create a perfect product otherwise monopoly would eventually lead to the degradation of quality.

Concerning particular models, if we define an average notebook in terms of performance and screen size it could be easy to build the list of models that are considered by most users as the best. For business needs, for example, the list could consists of such models as Lenovo ThinkPad, Sony VAIO Z Series, Dell Studio, HP Pavilion, Gateway NV7915u, Toshiba Satellite, Asus UL30VT. Please note, this list may change as time goes by, so that in 2011 this list should be updated.

© Alex Smartson. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission.

Lenovo ThinkPad Edge 15" with Intel Processor

ThinkPad Edge 15" is affordable laptop for entrepreneurs and small IT budgets. System components:

• IntelR CoreT i3-330M Processor ( 2.13GHz 1066MHz 3MB )
  
• 15.6" AntiGlare 1366x768 LED backlit widescreen
  
• Intel HD Graphics
  
• 3 GB PC3-8500 DDR3 SDRAM 1066MHz
  
• HD 320GB 7200
  
• DVD Recordable (Dual Layer)
  
• 6 Cell Lithium-Ion
  
• Intel Wireless Wi-Fi Link 1000
  
• Bluetooth, plenty of ports and slots for expansion
  
• Multitouch touchpad for easy zooming, rotating and scrolling
  
• Streamlined, spill-resistant keyboard
  
• Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium 64
  
• Price $729.00
  

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Lenovo Introduced new IdeaPad Z360/Z560/Z565

Lenovo Z Series laptops are all an about updated look, feel and features. Zero embarrassment-factor with these. Z Series laptops are a natural fit anywhere.

* LED 16:9 displays, not lower-end LCD panels.
* DolbyR stereo surround sound and two 2 inch quality speakers.
* Premium hi-def NVIDIA graphics.
* Plenty of ports.
* Full HD support for flawless video and audio playback.
* Thin, light and very portable for day and night.
* High-end look with a nice, low price.
* Trendy design with a cool, metallic-like finish.
* Refined style, smooth edges and gorgeous screen options.
* The best wireless - WiFi, Bluetooth and 3G connectivity.
* Trim and thin-no bulky, heavy laptop to lug around.

New IdeaPad Z Series models will be available starting in June 2010.

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Comparative Analysis: Different Types of Laptops

Now computers are important part of the life for many people. Computers can be different: mobile, stationary, special, universal, and so on. For a regular user, there are two major types of computers: desktop and laptop (notebook). Notebook mobility enables you to move around freely and easily while holding or using a laptop. These days, laptop manufacturers make a wide range of different types of laptops – thin/light, portable, ultra-portable, netbooks, desktop replacements, etc. The performance of current high-end notebook is sufficient for running most applications fluently.

A thin and light laptop is almost the same as regular one but optimized in terms of weight and size. These systems can vary widely in terms of their price and performance. They are able to perform most computing tasks on a certain level. They tend to perform better than the counterparts in the ultraportable category but they are smaller and more portable than regular notebooks (although may have the same LCD panel size) and large desktop replacements. These systems are designed for those people who travel a lot, who want a system that is simple and useful enough, and who are willing to sacrifice computing power for portability.

The type of mini notebook, ultraportable laptop computer (sometimes, called subnotebook) is smaller and lighter than a typical notebook. It is able to run a normal desktop operating system. Subnotebooks often have smaller LCD screens, less than 14 inches. Usually smaller size and weight are achieved by omitting ports or having removable disc drives. However, most of them can be paired with docking stations and become as fully-functional notebooks.

There are mini notebooks with a new concept, commonly called netbooks, that are less expensive than subnotebooks and optimized for use as portable Internet capable devices. Netbooks made compact as possible yet powerful enough for most common applications such as web browsers, e-mail, word processing, presentation and other simple software. ASUS EEE PC was the first of a new class of netbooks.

A few years ago it was unimaginable that notebooks could come close to the performance of desktops. Nevertheless, current top technologies allow making your notebook performance almost equal to the performance of a desktop. The notebooks that called “desktop replacement notebooks” are designed to be complete systems that have almost equivalent processing power and capability to desktop systems but in a mobile package. Current high-end desktop replacement notebooks should be capable of replacing a desktop computers in many areas soon. Their performance is getting close to desktop performance. However, their cost is greater and they are larger and bulkier than regular notebooks.

Comparing laptops and desktops, we need to note that laptop processors (CPU) differ from their desktop counterparts. The reasons for this is a limited amount of power they have to run and difficulties to provide a good temperature conditions. To do this, the manufacturers use different tricks such as CPU scaling where a processor scales its power usage (and consequently, performance) to the tasks. This presents a major challenge in balanced performance and power consumption. The less power the laptop uses, the longer the system should be able to run on batteries.

Another disadvantage of using laptops is that laptop's keyboard and mouse may be not so convenient as it is with desktop. Also an extra-big screen size may be the most important parameter for some types of works. Therefore, the desktops that have been specially designed as servers, or ones for professional video processing, complex computing, scientific research, may never be replaced by notebooks. To this end, desktop replacement notebooks may never be the same as the top-end desktops.

© Alex Smartson. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission.

Most Popular Laptops for April 2010

Each month NotebookReview.Com compiles data for the number of times a particular notebook is viewed on their site's product pages to get an idea for what mainstream consumers are looking at and thinking about buying. While these laptops are not necessarily the most popular in terms of sales, they are the most popular based on the number of times the visitors clicked on them. The Lenovo G550 still holds the most popular spot as one of our preferred value notebooks by a wide margin. The Dell Studio XPS 16 moved up to #2 and the ASUS G73JH gaming notebook moving up to #4. Two newcomers this month are the Lenovo ThinkPad Edge 14 and Lenovo ThinkPad X100e taking the #9 and #10 spots respectively.

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Cheap Netbooks Attract fewer Buyers: Users Need more Computing Power

Many consumers search for laptops with more computing power than the compact portable netbooks. They are willing to pay more for laptops with bigger displays and circuitry suited for jobs like manipulating photos and video, which is beyond the capability of most netbooks. Microsoft's report in the first quarter indicates that laptop sales in the $550 to $850 range grew faster than the 35% year-over-year growth in overall Windows unit sales to consumers.

link to a full story...

How to Manage your PC Power Consumption

If you are a notebook computer user, you may know the frustration of running out of battery power, sometimes, at critical moments. However, knowing how to set a proper power management is not just about extending battery life of your laptop. Configuring power management also can reduce electrical usage on your laptop and desktop computer as well. And it can lower your electric bill and save environment.

Why some users do not turn off their computers for long, even during the nights? The reasons can be different. Some people prefer to keep unfinished tasks in the same order - they leave documents and programs opened. Others prefer to start working immediately. Some users consider PC rebooting as a waste of time - often MS-Windows start-up process takes too much time. The last issue may be resolved in the future with faster computers, Solid-State Disks, and optimized operating systems. Nevertheless, it is good to have some options not to shut down computers completely in order to be able quickly to resume working.

What options do we have these days to balance power consumption and working convenience? Except screen saver mode that does not save too much energy with new types of LCD screens, there are other power saving options - “Stand By” and “Hibernate”. These two options allow users harmonically combine the convenience of smooth work and energy saving. These are also ways to prolong your notebook battery life. What are the differences between Standby and Hibernate? How to activate these modes and choose their settings correctly?

“Stand By” means that PC is ready to go once called. Your computer returns to a state of readiness when you press a key or move the mouse. It only takes a few seconds to resume a computer from Standby. Computer recovers quickly because data are stored in RAM. It is a low power consumption mode. However, energy saving is moderate because power has been cut only to hard drive and monitor. This power saving option is good for a short-term while you take short breaks. Another disadvantage is that power disappearance in this mode can cause your data loss.

Hibernate is similar to Standby and it also enables recovering your working space. It is a good state for a long-term to save energy because it allows reducing power consumption of your PC to a few watts. In this mode, data are saved to your hard disk (not RAM). So that in case of power interruption, your data are protected. On the other hand, it takes longer to recover from hibernation when you need to use your computer again.

MS Windows operating systems allow you to set various power options. These options make it easy to conserve power after a certain period of inactivity. You may create a few profiles that first switch automatically your computer into Standby mode and then after a while into Hibernate mode if no activity. To create a Power Profile in Windows XP, go to “Start“ menu, “Control Panel“, then “Power Options“. First, if you are going to use Hibernate mode, you need to activate it. Go to Hibernate tab-page and check box “Enable hibernation”. This will create a special file called “hiberfil.sys” where the data from RAM and other info will be saved.

Notebooks have extra settings relating to using battery. Also on notebook computers, you can significantly extend the battery life by setting the “When I close the lid on my portable computer” option to “Stand by” (“Advanced” tab). Note, you can switch also anytime to Standby or Hibernate mode manually. Go to “Start”, and then “Turn Off Computer”. You should see dialog with “Stand by” button. If you press and keep the Shift key, “Stand by” button changes to “Hibernate”. But do not forget, in order to see and use Hibernate option, it needs to be enabled - Hibernate does not show by default.


© Alec Smith. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission.

How To Clean Laptop LCD Screen on Your Own

The laptop LCD screen is a fragile part of the laptop computer and probably one of the most expensive parts of the laptop. The best way to safeguard your laptop and its screen is to use it with a proper care. Laptop repair could cost much more than a simple regular care. So that it is better to take preventive steps to prolong the laptop screen life.

1. Make a special cleaning solution or use commercially available cleaning kit designed specifically for use on LCD screens.
   
2. If you do not use a special commercial cleaner, the ideal solution is plain distilled water. If more heavy cleaning is needed a 50:50 mix of white vinegar and distilled water can also effective.
   
3. Make the cleaning mixture and keep it in a small container nearby.
   
4. Shut down your laptop before cleaning.
   
5. Apply the solution to a very soft cotton cloth; it is better to use lint-free lens wipes instead of a cotton cloth. A large cloth is best, since it will help to reduce the risk of leaving streaks across the screen from finger pressure.
   
6. Soak cloth in the cleaning mixture, then wring it out completely. It should be damp but not wet. Wipe the computer screen down gently in long motions rather than hard circles. Dry the screen with a dry cloth.
   
7. If your screen is damage or you prefer to replace with better one, you may find third-party companies on the market that are selling laptop screens since most laptop manufacturers charge too much.
   

Things You Will Need

• Distilled water
  
• A soft cotton cloth
  

Warnings

• Do not use paper towels, tissues, or napkins - they can contain wood fibers that can scratch the screen.
  
• Use either a soft, lint free dry cloth or a commercially available cleaning kit designed specifically for use on LCD screens.
  
• Using a lint-free microfiber cloth is best, an old cloth can introduce dust.
  
• Avoid using products such as Windex because these contain ammonia and it can degrade the screen.
  
• Do not use any products that contain alcohol, ammonia, or other strong solvents. Do not use soap.
  
• Do not spray any liquid directly on the LCD screen.
  
• It is better not use tap water, especially, if the water in your area is rich in minerals.
  
• Use only enough pressure to hold your cleaning wipe on the screen. NEVER press hard, scrub, or scour when cleaning an LCD screen.
  
• If in doubt, test a small area of screen first.
  

Useful resources

• Commercial cleaning kit - link
  
• Brand new LCD screens
  

Tip :)
One of our clients recommends an alternative approach to cleaning screen from the inside. This is his testimonial, "At first I was skeptical of this screen cleaning device, but it certainly was well worth the effort and I now highly recommend it to everyone regardless of how much your screen might need it" - link to the device

How to Make Your Notebook Run Faster and Last Longer

Newly bought notebook worked fast. Then after a while the performance of your notebook dropped noticeably. Startup process became longer and the software programs that worked fast before became slow. It is time to perform some maintenance.

Normally when you just bought your notebook and started using it, you are happy how it works. However, in most cases, after several months the performance of your notebook starts to degrade noticeably. It takes longer and longer to start up your computer. The software programs that worked fast before become sluggish. And eventually, your overall productivity starts depending on speed of your computer. What happens? How to restore the performance of your “assistant”?

Maybe it is hard to believe but your notebook is slow because it is dirty. To fix this issue you need to clean software and hardware. Yes, the hardware too. The reason is that dust clogs the vents, which causes CPU to heat up. When temperature increases, Pentium 4 and later models go slower until they are no longer at a critical temperature. Your notebook even can burn if you do not keep it clean. Generally, heat is the biggest cause of component failure in computers. So that regular cleaning also can help to avoid costly repair and replacement costs.

For mentioned reason, it is important to limit the use of your laptop at high temperature and to keep your notebook in a open area that has a good air circulation during the power on. Clean your notebook regularly. You may use an old tooth brush to rid of the dust in the area around the fan. Shut it down before cleaning. Keep drinks and any liquids away from your notebook because short circuits by liquid destroy notebooks quite often. Also it is wise to not eat over because crumbs can go easily in the keyboard that cause PC to fail eventually.

Now software. The first step is to rid of unwanted and not-used-anymore programs. Normally programs are provided with uninstall option that can be used to completely uninstall programs and their components form your PC. If some software does not have this option, the best way is to use the Add or Remove Programs tool in the Control Panel of your MS Windows. Doing so ensures that any registry items associated with that application are removed safely.

The second step is not necessary but recommended. You need to find and remove all invalid registry items on your PC. It might be not easy to do manually because it is difficult to determine which items correspond to which applications (you might accidentally remove a valid registry item, causing software crashes and errors). So that for this purpose it is better to use some tool, for example, Windows Live OneCare safety scanner or Norton tools.

The third step is to delete all unnecessary data files. If some files are rarely used, you may archive them. If you have MS Windows XP or later OS, open any folder, right-click on blank area, select New, then Compressed (zipped) Folder. After creating empty zip file, move in it all files that you want to compress. Also as one-time measure to make the next step more effective, it would be good to clean Recycle Bin - right-click the Recycle Bin icon and select Empty Recycle Bin.

The final step to speed up your PC is to defragment the hard disk of your notebook. In case if you have MS Windows XP or later OS, open My Computer, right-click the local disk volume that you want to defragment, and then click Properties. On the Tools tab, click Defragment Now. Click Defragment. If your OS does not have a disk defragmenter, you may use some software tool, like, Norton Utilities. For the defragmenter to properly run, ensure you have no other applications running. Also note, the defragmenter can take a considerable time to run.

© Alex Smartson. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission.

HP EliteBook 2540p

The EliteBook 2540p is the latest road-warrior ultraportable notebook from HP. The 2540p offers a 12.1-inch WXGA screen, Intel Core i5 and Core i7 processors, built-in optical drive with select configurations, and a plethora of storage options. In our review, we put the new EliteBook through its paces to see how it stacks up against the competition.

The 2540p starts at $1,099, though with our configurations, it tops out at $1,629.

Our HP EliteBook 2540p review unit features the following configuration:

* Intel Core i7-640LM 2.13GHz Dual-Core Processor (4MB Cache)
* Windows 7 Professional 64-bit
* 12.1-inch WXGA anti-glare LCD screen (1280 x 800)
* Intel GMA HD integrated graphics
* 4GB 1333MHz DDR3 SDRAM (2GB x 2GB)
* 250GB 5400rpm 1.8-inch SATA II
* DVD+/-RW optical drive
* Intel 6200AGN Wifi, gigabit Ethernet, modem and Bluetooth connectivity
* 6-Cell 62WHr battery
* Three-year warranty
* Dimensions: 11.1 x 8.4 x 1.10 inches (with 6-cell battery)
* Weight: 3.97 pounds with 6-cell battery

via http://www.notebookreview.com/default.asp?newsID=5612&review=hp+elitebook+2540p

What Laptop Users Should Consider When Choosing LCD Screen Size

Screen size is a key factor in the laptop's overall performance, size, and weight. The laptop screen size also is one of the most important factors when it comes to how long your battery is going to last. What is the most optimal laptop screen size?


It is easy to take the quality of laptop for granted. But when you consider that you probably spend more time using your laptop than any other device or tool, you realize that the screen you stare at every day is a vital part of your computer system.

The laptop screen size is one of the first things that is worth to choose before considering other laptop parameters. As a matter of fact, screen size is a key factor in the laptop's overall performance, size, and weight. The laptop screen size also is one of the most important factors when it comes to how long your battery is going to last. The most popular laptop screen diagonal sizes range from 12 to 17 inches. The most popular screen resolutions are 1024 x 768, 1280 x 800, 1280 x 1024, 1680 x 1050, and 1440 x 900.

Some people would never consider any laptop below a 14.1-inch screen. The laptops with 17-inch screen or even bigger are not so convenient for traveling. However, they combine the power of a desktop and the benefits of a laptop (that is why some people call them as desktop replacements). The battery life is short for such big laptops. Another disadvantage is that these laptops may be too heavy and too big.

What screen resolution is optimal? A higher screen resolution reduces the size of items on your screen and increases the relative space on your desktop. But on the other hand, you may feel uncomfortable if fonts are too small to read a text. Another parameter is aspect ratio (the relative numbers of horizontal and vertical pixels). Traditional screens built with 4:3 aspect ratio. For example, a native resolution of 1280x1024 indicates an aspect ratio of 5:4, which is the most used format on 17" and 19" LCD monitors in the recent years. New wide-screen monitors may use almost 2:1 ratio. Wide-screen monitors use a special aspect ratio control to resolve the problem of "unnatural" displaying video with different formats. Normally, a native resolution should allow displaying without any distortion. The best way to find the perfect resolution that is optimal for you and your screen is to try different settings.

Most people like the laptops with 14-inch or larger LCD screens with preferred Windows resolution of 1,024x768. These laptops are not too heavy. They are prone to have a long battery life and charge-cycle capability (run time more than several hours). Also 14-15-inch laptops are the most reasonably priced. The experienced computer users also consider this choice as the best compromise between viewable area and overall portability.

If you prefer to have the laptop screen with size less than 15-inch, it could be reasonable to use an internal display only when you are on the road. When you at your desk, your laptop can be connected to an external monitor (for example, with a spacious 19-21-inch screen) for better view and more professional works. At desk also it could be good to use an external ergonomic keyboard and mouse (that are connected to laptop).

© Alec Smith. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission.

HP 2133 Mini-Note PC

It might be small in size but its big on usability, durability, and attractiveness. Packed with an impressive combination of features, the HP 2133 offers you a full-function PC with the utmost mobility. Plus, its simple, refined design and all-aluminium case make it sleek and sturdy yet super lightweight.

Weighing in at just 1.27 kg, with a large 8.9-inch WXGA display, the HP 2133 Mini-Note PC features a durable design with a robust suite of wireless, multimedia and security capabilities to allow users to stay productive

With a starting weight of just 1.27 kg and only 1.05 inches (27 to 33 mm) thin, the HP 2133 is designed to go where you go without weighing you down. Dont be fooled by its size; this small wonder keeps you ultra-productive.

The HP 2133 comes equipped with the tools to help you conduct business efficiently on the go with features such as high-resolution, 8.9-inch diagonal WXGA display; 92% full-size, user-friendly QWERTY keyboard; and touchpad.

read more...

How to Keep Yourself Healthy at Computer Screen

If you spend more time using your computer than any other device or equipment, it is important to take seriously all possible impacts that it can cause to your eyes and health. Some experts consider that being around computers 8 to 10 hours a day may endanger your future health. Should you worry about any ill-effects from your computer? Learn how to take preventive measures in reducing the risk of using computer.

Probably you enjoy reading this article on your LCD screen that is supposed to be a flicker- and radiation- free alternative to a bulky and power-consuming CRT monitor. But do not think that LCD screen which most people use these days is much better for your eyes and you can stare at longer hours. At present as it was in the past, computer users often suffer eyestrain, headache, fatigue, eyes burn or ache; what is called Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS). This health issue can be caused by the computer screen itself and the conditions surrounding the computer screen (a pre-existing eye problem may be the cause too). The following simple steps can help you to minimize your eye-problems while working on your computer.

Optimize your monitor refresh rate. Higher refresh rates are less likely to cause eyestrain. Check what are the optimal and maximum possible refresh rate for your monitor. Use Control Panel > Display Settings > Advanced > Monitor and set up "Screen refresh rate" (frequency) to a maximum possible. According to the eye experts refresh rate should be 70 Hz or higher.

Adjust the contrast control of your monitor so that the characters on the background are easily read. The best contrast ratio setting is the one that allows you to see all the details but does not hide any shadow. This setting can be found by increasing contrast ration until all the details are well-visible and then back down to just before the details disappear. If you work on desktop, switch to digital connection (DVI) if it is possible. It decreases noise and displays images smoother than with VGA.

Optimize your screen resolution. Make sure that the text size is optimized for the most comfort. A higher screen resolution reduces the size of items on your screen and increases the relative space on your desktop. But on the other hand, you may feel uncomfortable if fonts are too small to read a text. To change your screen resolution in Windows OS, open Display in Control Panel. On the Settings tab, under Screen resolution, drag the slider, and then click Apply. When prompted to apply the settings, click OK. Your screen will turn black for a moment. Once your screen resolution changes, you have 15 seconds to confirm the change. Click Yes to confirm the change; click No or do nothing to revert to your previous setting. Be aware that using a non-native low resolution on LCD may result in a poorer image (may appear blurred). In most cases using native resolution of LCD screen is better.

Adjust the brightness of the monitor to an intensity that is comfortable to your eyes; not to bright and not to dim. Avoid excessively bright light coming from your monitor. Turn off any color enhancement features (if your monitor has any). Normally the brightness of the screen should be about the same as your work environment.

Take care of surrounding lighting. It should be indirect, soft, and non-interfering. Avoid glare, bright light, or shadows caused by nearby windows. The best position is where windows are to the side of your screen. Use shades, blinds, or curtains to avoid reflections. Make sure that a desk lamp does not shine into your eyes or onto the computer screen.

Blink often. It is very important when working at a computer. It moistens your eyes and helps reduce eyes dryness and irritation. The normal blink rate is around 10-12 times per minute. Avoid the flow of air in front of your eyes.

Optimize the distance and position of your monitor. Place your computer monitor 40-70 cm from your eyes. In vertical dimension, the computer screen should be placed slightly below eye level.

Regularly exercise your eyes by looking away from your computer screen every 20-30 minutes and focusing for 10-20 seconds on a distant object (at least 6 meters from your eyes). Move your eyes and change your position. Take a 10-minute break every hour to rest your eyes and reduce eyestrain problems - stand up, move, exercise arms, legs, back, neck, and shoulders. Make sure you get enough sleep - approximately 8 hours per night.

Try to turn on ClearType if you use Microsoft Windows. It improves readability on color LCD displays with a digital interface, such as those in laptops and high-quality flat panel displays. You may see better and clearer with reduced eyestrain. Visit Microsoft.Com and read step-by-step articles how to enable ClearType tuner.

© Alex Smartson. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission.

If Your Laptop Screen Is Broken

To learn how to select the correct replacement screen, order it, and then install your new LCD screen , visit http://www.laptopscreen.com/English/section/FAQ/

Lenovo ThinkPad W510

The Lenovo ThinkPad W510 is a 15-inch screen workstation style notebook. The W510 provides performance, reliability and mobility. It is Ultra responsive for graphics-intensive tasks so you can accomplish more on the go.

in reference to:

"Lenovo ThinkPad W510"
- Lenovo ThinkPad W510 Review and Information (view on Google Sidewiki)

Choosing between Matte and Glossy LCD Screens

It is easy to take the quality of your PC display for granted. But when you consider that you spend more time using your monitor than any other component of your PC, you realize that the LCD screen you stare at every day is a vital part of your computer system. What differentiates one LCD panel from another is image quality. The light source, the viewing angle, and the system's graphics card can have a dramatic effect on an LCD's performance. Also such parameters as, text readability, sharpness, grayscale range, color quality, or image uniformity are important. However, the recent researches show that the surface of your LCD panel is very important characteristic. There are two major types of LCD screens distinguished by surface – matte and glossy.

A matte LCD screen has an anti-glare coating that diffuses ambient light. A side effect of the coating is a slight blurring, reduced contrast, and a narrow viewing angle. A matte screen may be the best one for a color-minded professional. Also a matte LCD may be better for your eyes in the long run.

In general, a glossy LCD screen has a better contrast, brighter colors (more saturated), and better viewing angles. A glossy screen may look more vibrant to watch movies or play games. The major disadvantage of a glossy screen is the reflection of a light and other objects. Sometimes it is not easy to adjust the screen to make it less reflective. Glare may interfere with color perception. Also in print, supersaturated colors will not show up. Overusing a glossy screen may cause a vision problem (eye strain). Also the distractions from reflection may cause a headache (brain overloaded thought eye's nervous signals). Many visual designers find that the glossy screens present unrealistic colors and overly contrasted images. Sometimes photographs cannot be accurately matched to the final print.

So matte or glossy? Actually, it is a personal preference. When you choosing between two types of screens, make your decision after careful consideration. It is better to buy after seeing and comparing matte and glossy types first. Often a laptop manufacturer does not offer the option (or at least for now) to choose between glossy and matte screens. However, there is a solution how to get the LCD screen that you like. Just replace it. It is easy to do even if you are not a technical person (use some illustrated guide). Since most laptop manufacturers charge too much, you may try to find third-party companies on the market that are selling laptop screens. Some of them have a lot of brand new genuine LCD screens for laptops.

© Alex Smartson. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission.

Lenovo IdeaPad U1 Hybrid Notebook-Tablet Combo

It is all-in-one PC. The U1 comes with 11" LED multitouch screen that can be removed and used as an independent slate tablet. The device basically combines a notebook and a slate tablet into one, each with its own processor OS. When the multi-touch screen is detached, it becomes a slate tablet with Qualcomm SnapDragon processor, 16GB SSD and Lenovo's customized Skylight Linux OS. In the traditional configuration, it uses Intel Core 2 Duo CULV processor running Windows 7 Home Premium and a 128GB SSD for speedy storage. The U1 supports 3G connectivity in addition to Bluetooth. It has also integrated webcam and stereo speakers. The Lenovo IdeaPad U1 Hybrid will be available on 1 June 2010 for $999.1.

via http://www.itechnews.net/2010/01/06/lenovo-ideapad-u1-hybrid-notebookslate-tablet-combo

Why LED Backlight Screens Are Better than Traditional Ones

LED-backlight LCD screens are brighter, thinner, less power-consuming, and more reliable than the screens built with fluorescent lamp. But they are more expensive too. Is it worth today to buy a laptop or monitor with LED-backlight LCD screen instead of traditional one?

A backlight (or backlit) is a form of illumination that used in LCD (liquid crystal display) screens. In other words, backlight is an internal source of white light that illuminates the LCD from the back of the display panel. This is how most modern laptop screens and desktop monitors are built. Note, LED-backlight LCD (or TFT) screen is not the same as an OLED (Organic LED) active screen which does not require a backlight to function.

Only a few years ago, display technology started incorporating LED (light emitting diode) backlights. Today LCD screens with LED backlight are still more expensive than traditional screens. Are they really better than old ones? Most computer experts would tell you that these new types of screens are brighter, thinner, less power-consuming (and less heat), and more reliable. They may forget to mention that these screens with LED backlight have longer life (old technology monitors starts dim after several years usage and loses brightness).

Also it is important that backlight-LED type of LCD screen is "greener" than a regular screen because it is mercury-free, less power-consuming, and able to prolong battery life in laptops (therefore, decrease its disposal problem). According to Dell's internal research, switching all of its laptops to LED, which use 43% less power than fluorescent lamp will save consumers $20 million dollars in energy costs and 220 million kilowatt-hours over 2010 and 2011.

There is one more reason to switch to LED backlight. Regular screens use CCFL (Cold Cathode Fluorescent Lamp) backlighting that produces inaccurate color. CCFL emits white light that has non-uniform (stripped) spectrum. Actual white light (sunlight or daylight) has a continuous spectrum. And LED is able to produce such full spectrum white light. That is why LED-backlight screens are able to reproduce more natural and richer colors. The first users who gratefully noticed this were photographers, designers, and graphics professionals.

Important to note, now we see only the first generation of LED backlight monitors. They are not developed and worked out properly yet. In principle, manufacturing LED is cheaper than CCFL and, eventually, the monitors with LED backlit will be cheaper. Evidently, LED-backlight screen will replace soon older CCFL type as LCD replaced CRT in the past. However, it seems, the true revolution will come with OLEDs.

© Alex Smartson. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission.

How to Get the Best Quality of LCD Screen

It is easy to take the quality of LCD screen for granted. But when you consider that you spend more time using your LCD monitor than any other component of your PC, you realize that the screen you stare at every day is a vital part of your computer system. What differentiates one LCD panel from another is image quality. The light source, the viewing angle, and the system's graphics card can have a dramatic effect on an LCD's performance. Also such parameters as, text readability, sharpness, grayscale range, color quality, or image uniformity are important.

Make sure that a display is adjusted to perform optimally, based on the manufacturer-recommended or default settings when possible. Ensure that your video card is set to the LCD Monitor's optimal resolution. Evidently, the most important tool (diagnostic equipment) to evaluate the quality of LCD screen is the human eye. Adjust the display settings on your computer so the brightness of the screen is about the same as your work environment. Also, adjust the screen settings to make sure the contrast between the screen background and the on-screen characters is high. And make sure that the text size is optimized for the most comfort. Use Control Panel > Display Settings > Advanced > Monitor and set up "Screen refresh rate" (frequency) to a maximum possible. According to the eye experts refresh rate should be 70 Hz or higher.

LCD screens often have trouble reproducing all of the levels of the grayscale (the range of grays between true black and true white). When producing a bright white image, many LCD screens oversaturate the grayscale: the lightest grays of the scale are lost in the white background. Oversaturation can also lead to loss of color range - a poor color reproduction of a LCD screen at the brightest end of the scale, closest to white. A color-tracking error occurs when the intensity of red, green, and blue (RGB) do not adjust identically with signal-level changes for LCD screen. This lack of balance between the RGB channels affects color as well as grayscale, but it is most easily identified as a shift in color within shades of gray.

Perfectly uniform backlighting across an LCD's entire display surface is difficult to achieve. It is not uncommon for an LCD to have bright or dim patches or subtler variations in color intensity, which give the appearance of shading across the screen, or variable color intensity on the LCD display. Additionally, using a dark screen is the easiest way to spot glare and reflection problems, both of which can have distracting effects when you are viewing an LCD screen.

LCD screens are vulnerable. Dead pixels can occur when the screen is damaged or pressure is put upon the screen. Unfortunately, few manufacturers replace screens with dead pixels under warranty. A cracked or broken LCD display is not repairable and requires a new LCD screen to be replaced. Luckily, it is easy to replace even if you are not a technical person. Since most computer's manufacturers charge too much, you may try to find third-party companies on the market that are selling LCD screens. Some places carry a large inventory of brand new LCD screens. If you are unable to find a particular model listed on the websites, you can call or email them.

© Alex Smartson. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission.

Things You Will Need to Know Today to Shop Online

Shopping online may look fascinating due to almost unlimited supply of products and different sellers on your computer screen. However, online shopping differs from a regular brick-and-mortar one where you can see the product in person and have less doubts if you can trust the seller. Luckily, following simple procedures may make your shopping experience better and safer.

Before you do your online shopping, and especially, before entering your credit card number, make sure that your computer operating system and security software are updated (including firewall, anti-virus software, and anti-spyware). Make sure that you are using the most recent version of Web browser.

The first step is to find an exact product (that you need) with good quality and the best price. You can find reviews on almost any product on the Internet. There are many different product reviews websites - well-known general websites, like, ConsumerSearch (it compiles cross-references reviews from many sources) or special ones, like, NotebookReview. Many websites allow you to compare prices on different sites at the click of a mouse.

When comparing prices, there are some useful tips to keep in mind. (1) Check the price of shipping; a low price with paid shipping may be a better deal than a higher price with a free shipping. (2) For an expensive item, you would feel comfortable using a more trusted retailer even with high price. (3) Check the return policy and possible insurance. In case of returning, some stores deduct a "restocking fee" from refund. However, this fee should be voided if the item was damaged or defective.

The next step is to determine if a selected retailer is trustworthy. Be aware: there are many untrustworthy retailers on the Internet. There is a certain probability that you may get a bad product, have a bad experience, or lose your money. When you visit a new website, use your intuition and common sense. The first impression of web design is important for fraud prevention. It should be clear and easy to navigate website. A trustworthy retailer has a telephone number to call their customer service.

Look for a web-page that includes information on the company's policies. Check if the return policy is existent and it is clear. It is good if a retailer is “VeriSign Secure“, “Hacker Safe“, or “BBB“ certified (although it does not guarantee a complete security). The letters "https" should appear at the beginning of the URL if you are on a page where you submit your personal and credit card information. It is better to deal with well-known and reputable payment systems.

If you have doubts, search Google, Yahoo, or Bing using the company name with the word "fraud", "scam", or “complaint”. Watch out for fake web-sites. Be aware that some websites may look like well-known companies' sites. Check your browser's address bar to make sure that you use the correct website address. Also it would be good to check the domain information using www.whois.org or www.dnsstuff.com. Pay attention to the registration date, registrar name, and contact info.

Make sure to keep the receipt (printing normally available at the end of your transaction). Keep copies of any emails you exchange with the seller. Do not share your passwords with anyone. Never provide your social insurance number, birth date, or any personal information that is irrelevant for shopping. Notify your credit card company immediately if anything wrong happens. Check your bank and credit card accounts regularly for any activity you did not initiate. Do not allow crooks avoid punishment – it will prevent you and others from becoming a victim of online fraud in the future.

© Alex Smartson. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission.

Acer Aspire One 532g Netbook

The new Aspire One 532g is the first netbook to run the NVIDIA ION 2 chipset graphics platform. It has a 10in LED backlit screen. It uses an Intel Atom N450 CPU 1.66GHz which is complimented by the NVIDIA GT218 GPU that has 512MB of dedicated memory attached. Battery life is about 10 hours. The netbook's GPU is only called upon when it is specifically used, ie, when graphic intensive changes need to happen on screen. When the NVIDIA GPU is not used the netbook switches back to a standard GMA 315 chip that requires less power consumption to run. The Aspire One 532g is set to launch in the US at the end of March... read more

Acer Is Designing an Exotic Ultra-thin Notebook

According to Digitimes, Acer is working on a laptop that could have a touchscreen keyboard and a frame-less display. A possible availability of the Acer frameless laptop expected in the third quarter of 2010. The display of this unnamed laptop would be thinner and entirely frameless... read more

Recession Creates a Green Habit among PC Users - Do-It-Yourself

A small Canadian company, Vancouver Laptop, becomes one of the pioneers to promote a new green habit of living by creating a new option for laptop users - fix-it-yourself.

The millions of laptops are broken worldwide every year; and statistically, the most breakable part is an LCD screen. Before recession it was easier for most people to buy a new laptop in case of broken screen. Now more and more consumers look for a cost-effective solution. Surprisingly it has a positive side effect for environmental protection.

It is known that a very tiny battery can make one cubic meter of soil seriously contaminated and cause a water pollution. A much bigger laptop battery creates much more disposal troubles, not to mention other parts of laptop. Besides, replacing broken LCD screens, PC users can reduce the demand for new laptops those production pollute the Earth. Evidently replacing screens by laptop's manufacturer is good for our green planet. But there is even a "greener" option.

"What to do if your laptop screen is broken and you do not have warranty? Of course, you may find some place to repair or to send to the laptop manufacturer to fix. But these options would be not the best for your budget and the environment," says Andrei Kisel, the co-owner of Vancouver Laptop Inc. "If you replace the screen on your own, you save resources and minimize your expenses on the cost of the laptop screen and labor. It is easy to do using our on-line illustrated guide even if you are not a technical person - with a couple of tools you will be able to replace the screen on your own."

The PC users who decide to replace a broken screen themselves can be sure that the company distributes only new genuine laptop screens. These screens are the same as the ones that laptop manufacturers use in their current laptop models. All models are made by reputable manufacturers that are globally recognized suppliers of electronic components. The LCD screens are compatible with Dell, Acer, HP, IBM-Lenovo, Compaq, Gateway, Toshiba, Sony, Apple, Samsung, Fujitsu, Packard Bell, NEC, Asus, Cicero, Eurocom, MDG, Averatec and many other laptop brands.


Related story: Do Your Part: Travel Green

HP Compaq L2105tm Multi-Touch LCD Monitor

Now multitouch LCD screen is available with HP's monitor L2105tm. It is Windows 7 Certified multitouch monitor. Dell and HP Compaq compete closely creating new models of touchscreens. Dell recently released SX2210T and HP Compaq - its L2105tm. The touch screen is very sensitive and picks up the slightest movement with your finger. It is so sensitive so that you do not even have to touch the screen, it picks up your finger movement before you touch the screen.

Specifications
Display size: (diagonal) 21.5 in
Display type: Wide-aspect active matrix TFT
Resolution: 1920 x 1080 @ 60 Hz (Full HD), 1.76 Million pixels
Brightness: 250 cd/m2
Contrast ratio (typical): 1000:1
Viewing angle: 170°, vertical 160°
Response rate (typical): 5 ms (on and off)
Frequency Range: Horizontal 24 to 83 kHz, Vertical 50 to 76 Hz
Surface features: Anti-glare, Anti-static
Weight: 14.1 lb (6.4 kg)
Dimensions (w x d x h): 20.2 x 9.1 x 16.5 in (51.3 x 23.05 x 41.86 cm)
Price (typical): USD 300

source: HP Compaq
view demo: video

Best on the 2010 Consumer Electronics Show

Sony, Samsung, LG, and Toshiba all announced 3D-compatible HDTVs at CES-2010, but Panasonic has made the most noise about the technology. It has finally announced a shipping date for its first 3D plasma TV. The first 3D-capable flat-panel HDTVs will be available for sale in the U.S this spring.

Sony showed new 3D AMOLED (three-dimensional active-matrix organic light-emitting diode) prototypes at the CES-2010. The display does have 24.5 inch and is 3D ready, and a really amazing picture quality and contrast. Sony says this is only a prototype there are no release date price or anything... read more

LCD Screen Optimal Resolution

The best way to find the perfect screen resolution that is optimal for you and your LCD screen is to try different settings. However, not all settings may be good. There are a few technical limitations that users should be aware of.

A few years ago, 1024x768 was the most common display resolution. Now HD (high definition) resolution of 2560x1600 is used in 30" or bigger LCD monitors. Special medical monitors have been designed for 3280x2048 resolution. The term "display resolution" is used to describe simply the physical number of columns and rows of pixels creating the display, for example, 1280x1024, or in other words, the size of display. However, the meaning of the word "resolution" here is misleading. Such using "display resolution" means pixel dimensions which does not tell about a real resolution of the display. Technically, display resolution is measured in pixels per inch.

In digital imaging, a pixel (pic's-el, or picture element) is a single smallest point or unit of picture which can be controlled. Pixels are normally arranged in a 2-dimensional grid, and are often represented using dots or squares. Dots per inch (DPI) is a measure of spatial printing or video dot density, in particular the number of individual dots that can be placed in a line within the span of one inch (2.54 cm). As it was mentioned above, DPI is often confused with image size, leading to expressions such as 1024x768 resolution.

What screen resolution is optimal? A higher screen resolution reduces the size of items on your screen and increases the relative space on your desktop. But on the other hand, you may feel uncomfortable if fonts are too small to read a text. Another parameter is aspect ratio (the relative numbers of horizontal and vertical pixels). Traditional displays built with 4:3 aspect ratio. For example, a native resolution of 1280x1024 indicates an aspect ratio of 5:4, which is the most used format on current 17" and 19" LCD monitors. New wide-screen monitors may use almost 2:1 ratio. Wide-screen monitors use a special aspect ratio control to resolve the problem of "unnatural" displaying video with different formats. Normally, a native resolution should allow displaying without any distortion. The best way to find the perfect resolution that is optimal for you and your monitor is to try different settings.

To change your screen resolution in Windows OS, open Display in Control Panel. On the Settings tab, under Screen resolution, drag the slider, and then click Apply. When prompted to apply the settings, click OK. Your screen will turn black for a moment. Once your screen resolution changes, you have 15 seconds to confirm the change. Click Yes to confirm the change; click No or do nothing to revert to your previous setting. Your monitor and graphics card (video adapter) determine how much you can change your screen resolution; normally, it is a limited list of standard settings.

In general, a computer display resolution can be set higher or lower than the physical screen resolution. However, if old CRT monitors provided a variability in resolution, LCD displays are not so easy adjustable because they have a fixed physical resolution. You may be unable to increase the resolution of LCD display above a certain level (normally better than native resolution). The "native" resolution is the same as a screen maximum resolution if a correct video driver installed. Be aware that using a non-native low resolution on LCD may result in a poorer image (may appear blurred), due to dropping of pixels to make the image fit (if using DVI) or insufficient sampling of the analog signal (if using VGA).

© Alex Smartson. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission.

Robot Sex - Robots Are Making Other Robots

LCD screens use thin-flat-transistors (TFT) technology to control the images being shown on the panel. TFT panels are difficult to manufacture because LCD manufacturing technology is based on wiring patterns that generated using masks. That is why automation and robotic are very handy there. It is known that most LCD screens are made by robots. But what about robots that make themselves? There is a biggest robot sex operation in the world 24 hours a day and 7 days a week. Watch how robots are making other robots: YouTube video

If Your LCD Screen Broken, Should You Buy a New Laptop?

It is easier to buy a new laptop. However, replacing broken LCD screens, you can reduce the demand for new laptops those production and disposal pollute the Earth. If you care about our green planet, try to find some place to repair or to ask the laptop manufacturer to fix or to replace the screen by yourself.

The millions of laptops are broken worldwide every year; and statistically, the most breakable part is an LCD screen. What to do if your laptop screen is broken? Some people may say that it is better to buy a new laptop. However, by replacing broken LCD screens, PC users can reduce the demand for new laptops those production pollutes the Earth. But even more dramatic problem is their disposal. A very tiny battery can make 1 cubic meter of soil seriously contaminated and cause a water pollution. A much bigger laptop battery creates much more troubles, not to mention about other parts of laptop (you can find more info at US Environmental Protection Agency website).

Of course, it is easier to look for a new laptop. But if you care about our green planet, try to find some place to repair or to ask the laptop manufacturer to fix. If you are even "more green", replace the screen by yourself. It could be the most cost-effective solution for your budget. Do not worry if you are not a tech person - in less than an hour and with a couple of tools, you will be able to replace the screen on your own.

First, you need to locate the screw covers. These small rubber covers are normally found on the front of the display's bezel (surrounding frame), though on some notebooks you might find some of the covers along the side of the screen. Use the tip of a small flat-head screwdriver or knife to carefully pry back the corner of each rubber cover around the screen until you can see if a screw lies underneath. If you locate a screw, remove the cover and place it in a safe location. In most cases, a screen has from 4 to 6 screws on the bezel. After you have located them all, remove and store them with the covers.

When screws are removed, start to unsnap the bezel by inserting your fingers between the bezel and the screen. To unsnap the bezel, start at the bottom with most laptops. Much force is not necessary but if you encounter difficulty, move a little bit further and try a different spot. You may need to slide laptop lid latch to completely remove the bezel. If you are unable to move the screen you may have to remove screws holding screen brackets to the laptop screen lid. Watch out for wires and cables stuck underneath the screen - such as of webcam or wireless antenna - and be sure not to damage them.

Your first step would be to define an exact model number for replacement. To determine which screen models is compatible with any given laptop old screen, you may use some on-line illustrated guide. It shows also how to disassemble the laptop screen. The next step is to find the companies that sell LCD screens on the Internet - normally it is exact the same screen but you will get it fast and for less. The quality of the screens are the same - the reason why some companies can afford to sell them for less is their business model - they buy wholesale with discount.

© Alex Smartson. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission.

An LCD Screen with Gestural Control

Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have created a working prototype of a bidirectional LCD screen (captures and displays images) that allows a viewer to control on-screen objects without the need for any peripheral controllers or even touching the screen - interaction is possible with just a wave of the hand. .. read more

BiDi Screen, 3D gesture interaction in thin screen device from Matt Hirsch on Vimeo.

New Dell Latitude ATG Laptop

In addition to being rugged, durable, and powerful, All Terrain Grade (ATG) laptop designed for demanding work environments where dust, vibration, and moisture exist. It features a super-bright 500-nit LCD display with anti-reflective coating, so the screen can be easily seen on even the brightest days. On the other hand, if you are working in dark environments or at night, special ATG task lights will illuminate the keyboard so you can stay productive anywhere. These features, along with its durability and high performance Intel Core 2 Duo dual-core processor, make the Latitude ATG a force to be reckoned with... read more from Dell

Apple LED Cinema Display

An LED display that turns your notebook into a desktop and has a built-in iSight camera, microphone, and speaker system is one must-have MacBook Pro and MacBook Air accessory. The 24-inch LED Cinema display is designed precisely for the new MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, and new Mac desktops. And with a built-in iSight camera, mic, speakers, and MagSafe charger, it doesn't just expand the screen - it expands your whole experience... read more

Replacing Laptop Screen to Save Money

The millions of laptops are broken worldwide every year; and statistically, the most breakable part is an LCD screen. What to do if your laptop screen is broken? You may try to find some place to repair or to ask the laptop manufacturer to fix, or to look for a new laptop. As a rule, these options would be not the best for your budget. One of the cost-effective solutions is to replace the screen by yourself. Do not worry if you are not a tech person - in less than an hour and with a couple of tools, you will be able to replace the screen on your own.

Your first step would be to define an exact model number for replacement. To determine which screen models is compatible with any given laptop old screen, you may use some illustrated guide. It shows also how to disassemble the laptop screen.

The next step is to find the companies that sell LCD screens on the Internet – normally it is exact the same screen but you will get it fast and for less. The quality of the screens are the same – the reason why some companies can afford to sell them for less is their business model – they buy wholesale with discount.

© Alex Smartson. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission.

Pixel Qi's ePaper-LCD Hybrid Screens Will Invade the World in 2010

Pixel Qi's magic transforming displays seemed too good to be true: One screen that's both a bright, full color LCD and a reflective, E-Ink quality display for reading in light. It is pretty... read more from GIZMODO

The First Blog of LaptopScreen.Com

LaptopScreen.Com distributes brand new genuine LCD screens for laptops HP, Toshiba, Acer, DELL, Apple, Compaq, Sony, Toshiba, HP, Asus, Gateway. LCD screens made by reputable manufacturers.