Laptops on a Plane
I’ve probably read about Snakes on a Plane so much that the title is getting to me. Anyway, in relation to our earlier posts about battery recalls by Dell and Apple, some airlines have gone to the extent of banning Dell and select Apple notebooks from being brought onboard as hand-carry luggage.
The Australian-based Qantas Airlines already placed a restriction on using Dells on their planes (the machines either have to run solely on battery power, or plugged in, sans-battery), and now they’re considering clamping down on Macs as well. Qantas is currently investigating the actual threat that Apple’s recalled batteries might or might not pose. We haven’t heard any reports of Apple’s batteries exploding like Dell’s, but we can understand an airline’s need to err on the side of caution.
Qantas is taking a walk on the safe side. Yes, it’s inconveniencing passengers who might want to do some work while on the plane. But hey, I don’t think there’s anything more inconveniencing than having your plane crash because of an exploding gadget!
At any rate, I recall reading somewhere that Qantas has the safest air record among all of the world’s airlines.
MacBook Firmware Update Protects Against Overheating
We know MacBooks and MacBooks Pro are particularly hot computers. That’s why they’re no longer referred to as “laptops,” but just “notebooks.” You probably won’t be able to comfortably use them on your lap because of the heat.
If you own a MacBook, you might want to install the SMC firmware update, which changes your MacBook’s fan behavior. The update will make your fan run at all times, as described by techweb:
According to users commenting on Apple’s own discussion groups, the MacBook firmware update makes a notebook’s fans run continuously, albeit at a low speed. When necessary, the fans will speed up to move more air through the case.
Perhaps then, you can use your MacBook as an actual laptop computer. But if it still gets hotter than expected, it might be time to get yourself one of the third-party notebook cooling peripherals we discussed here.
On The Go? Get Connected and Stay Secure With Simple, Free VPN Tools!
What you will read here will change the way you use your laptop while on the road. Okay, that’s probably too optimistic of me, but being an avid laptop user, I try to keep abreast of technologies and trends, especially when it comes to being connected while on the go. I should–I write about laptops, and I often find myself at public WiFi hotspots doing some work or just catching up on email.
Two things keep popping up in my list of needs when connecting on the go: security and connectivity with the home front.
Security. Public hotspots are usually open access points that do not offer any level of security at all. Not WPA. No, not even WEP. The idea is for the hotspot to be as accessible to as many people as possible. So this means the lowest common denominator in terms of security–no encryption.
Also, even commercial hotspots tend to be unsecured, so they can support as many clients as possible, most of whom wouldn’t know a thing about even entering a short piece of code onto their WiFi managers in order to connect.
Problem: You turn on your email client and chances are, your email username and password are being sent over the network in clear, unencrypted text everytime you poll for messages. Anyone with a packet sniffer running on the network can get your password in less than thirty seconds. And even if you’re using secure http (https, say, in Gmail), not all of the sites you are browsing are using a secure connection. The websites you’re reading are available for someone else on the network to read, with the right tools.
Connectivity. Don’t you just love the fact that on your home or office network, you can store all your files on one computer and then you can share them across your different computers? I mean, I certainly wouldn’t want to have duplicate copies of all the documents I’m currently working on, especially if I constantly shift from working on the desktop, to my main laptop, and then sometimes to another laptop.
Problem: You’ve just arrived at a meeting venue when you realize you left some important presentation documents at your office desktop. You end up having to call someone from the office (or mom, the wifey, or the kids back at home) to email over the files you forgot to copy on your laptop.
The Solutions: Virtual Private Networking
Setting up a VPN might sound daunting at first, but it doesn’t have to be. A VPN doesn’t have to be an expensive enterprise solution installed and maintained by an office IT department. It can be as simple as installing two small pieces of free software, tweaking some configurations, and voila! You’re all set to conquer the mobile realms!
My picks: iPIG and Hamachi.
Tools to Keep Your Laptop (and Your Lap) Cool
Heat is a problem of any hardware, not only laptops. Generation of heat is actually an indication of some inefficiency in any set-up. This is because instead of energy being turned into something productive, it is released thru heat instead. Of course, this is unless your primary aim is to generate heat–then it’s not an inefficiency, but we digress.
However, with laptops, heat is a major concern because being portable computers, users tend to use them on their laps for extended periods while on the go. That’s why they’re called laptops! Smart, huh?
Actually, this is also the reason some manufacturers have ceased to call their portables “laptops.” The heat some machines generate is just too much for comfort. Apple MacBooks, for instance, are considered very hot machines. Yes, Apple calls them “notebooks,” instead, and shuns any mention of “laptop” in marketing materials.
The new MacBook Pros and MacBooks run hot - almost hot enough to fry eggs. Indeed, Apple no longer advertises its portable computers as “laptops”, presumably fearing product liability lawsuits should someone singe their thighs.
Low End Mac reviews seven products that help cool notebook computers. The accessory reviews were done in relation to Mac notebooks that the reviewer owned, but these can also be applicable to non-Apple notebooks, as long as they are the right size and/or aspect ratio.
- Podium CoolPad. The CoolPad raises a notebook computer off the surface to give better airflow at the bottom, where excaust fans usually blow off air to dissipate heat from the computer’s internals. ($29.95)
- Targus Chillmat. The ChillMat is a fan-based cooler powered via USB. The Chillmat has two large-diameter fans that run silent. Don’t worry, the fans won’t be too noisy for comfort. ($29.95)
- Targus Notebook ChillHub. The ChullHub is like the Chillmat, but is powered by an external AC/DC adaptor, and extends your laptop’s connectivity options by acting as a USB hub. ($49.99)
- Laptop Desk and Laptop Desk Ultralite. The Laptop Desk and its Ultralite version are basically bags that convert into a mat that can be placed on your lap or on a desk to protect your body or furniture from heat by helping dissipate heat from the laptop via ventilation channels. ($29.95)
- Xpad Non-slip Laptop Cooler & Heatshield. The Xpad does not use any fans, but helps improve airflow to the bottom of your laptop by enhancing natural convection airflow.
- iLap Laptop Stand. These are designed specially for Apple notebooks. The iLap both elevats the computer to enhance airflow, and serves as a heatsink to help dissipation. (From $49.99 to $69.99)
- MacMice iBreeze Laptop Cooling Stand. The iBreeze both raises the laptop for better ground clearance and uses fans to help improve airflow. The iBreeze is designed specially for Apple notebooks though. One plus: it uses the USB plug as a passthru port, so you won’t necessarily have to use up one port in the process of using the cooler. ($29.99)
I think the basic concept is raising your laptop to provide adequiate clearance from the surface it’s being used on. Some of the older laptops I’ve owned actually had built-in stands that one can extend from the bottom to help increase ground clearance. However, this feature has been removed from most new notebooks, and hence there is still the need for laptop cooling pads.
Lithium Ion in the Spotlight
Sure, Lithium-based batteries are probably the next best thing to laptop users since colored LCDs, They’re lightweight, packs more charge per unit of weight, and had none of the memory problems associated with the older Nickel-based batteries, not to mention they’re more environmentally-friendly than Ni-Cad and Ni-MH.
However, the recent spate of overheating battery cells, resulting to exploding laptops has led manufacturers and industry analysts to look into the viability of Lithium Ion as a source of portable power in the long run. Apple and Dell have recently recalled millions of batteries suspected of having high risks of overheating and explosion.
BusinessWeek reports that Lithium Ion is on the spotlight because of these volatility issues.
Their foundation is the lithium ion. Lightweight, highly reactive and tiny, the metal can generate high voltage while taking up little space, making it ideal for use in energy-sucking portable electronics. Its chemical makeup also makes it easy to recharge.
But the batteries are also delicate. Manufacturing contamination caused the overheating that prompted the recall of nearly 6 million Sony Corp.-made batteries in the past two weeks from Apple Computer Inc. and Dell Inc. laptops.
While news of overheating equipment would probably not make laptop users shun Lithium Ion batteries altogether, this signals that with anything that concerns power, electricity and chemistry, there will always be risks. In this case, it pays to take heed of safety precautions when handling equipment. Of course, on the manufacturers’ part, they should be more responsible, especially when millions of users might be in danger.
As for me, I still feel safe using my laptop on my lap.
Apple to Recall 1.1 Million iBook and Powerbook Batteries
Update: Apple is recalling 1.1 Million batteries in the US alone. There are 700,000 units to be recalled from outside the US.
Apple is recalling more than a million laptop batteries in the US, particularly those found in G4-class iBooks and Powerbooks. This is apparently related to the Dell battery recall, inasmuch as the lithium-ion cells in question were both manufactured by Sony.
SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) — Apple Computer Inc. will recall 1.1 million laptop batteries in the United States that are at risk of overheating, the Consumer Product Safety Commission said Thursday. The CPSC said an additional 700,000 batteries were sold outside the U.S. The recalled lithium-ion batteries, with cells manufactured by Sony Corp., were used in iBook G4 and PowerBook G4 laptops. According to the the CPSC, Apple has received nine reports of batteries overheating, including two reports of minor burns from handling overheated computers and other reports of minor property damage.
AS of this writing, Apple still has not identified the battery models and serial numbers to be replaced, but do watch the Apple Battery recall page for more information.
What’s great with Apple’s battery recall is that they send you a new battery pack even before they ask you to send your defective one in for replacement. You just have to inform them of your laptop’s and/or battery’s serial number.
After serial number verification, a new battery will be shipped to you, free of charge. When you receive the replacement battery, please use the same shipping packaging and included prepaid shipping label to return the recalled battery to Apple.
Advertising on Laptop Lids
Sacha Chua seems to like the way her laptop sticker grabs attention in public.
Want to meet interesting but don’t want to have to make the first move? Use the back of your laptop to get people to talk to you.
Stickers are a great way to do that. My laptop reads “The geek shall inherit the earth.” I can’t count the smiles, chuckles, and conversations I’ve gotten out of it–and all I have to do is open my laptop!
She’s even tempted to rent out space for advertising! And this seems like a good idea to earn extra revenues, if you frequently use your laptop in public. It’s much like the way Chris Pirillo rented out his chest for ad space. Stowe Boyd, who rented out rights to his T-shirt messages seems to welcome the idea, too.
There’s actually a business plan in there somewhere. People register with the company, get sent a new sticker every month that covers the lid, and take pictures to show they’ve put in on at the start and that its still there at the end of the month, and they get sent a small check. Fun!
It’s like renting out ad space on buses, taxis and even airplanes, only on a smaller scale.
Hey, if someone will sponsor my coffee, snacks, WiFi connection and fare/gas every day just to get me to spend a few hours at Starbucks or Seattle’s Best, I would be all right with slapping some stickers on my V2000. I’ll be able to get some work done, get my daily caffeine fix, satisfy my sweet tooth, and probably earn some extra dough.
Laptop Battery Explosion Blamed for House Burning
A homeowner believes that his Dell laptop may have exploded and caused his house to burn down. While there are no official reports yet to this effect, this seems to be another blow to Dell after the company issued a recall for some 4 million batteries for danger of overheating and blowing up.
A fire that destroyed a South Venice house and left a family of five homeless early Thursday may have been sparked by a Dell computer model that was recalled by the company because its battery was a fire hazard.
Homeowner Louis Minnear, 36, said his wife’s Dell laptop was sitting on papers on the family’s couch when the couch mysteriously caught fire.
Lesons learned:
- Do not leave your laptop turned on and lying on top of a couch.
- Avoid #1, especially if your laptop’s a Dell.
Musings on the MagSafe
Apple is at the forefront of design, wouldn’t you agree? It seems the designers over at Cupertino know just what the user needs, and this evolves based on lessons learned from past mistakes and successes. And apparently, each incarnation of Apple laptops is better than the previous one in many respects, not just a re-packaging and a processor upgrade as with most other notebook manufacturers.
And I’ve come to believe that the MagSafe adaptor is one of those nifty little innovations that actually mean a big thing in my book. Why? I’ve actually tripped on my laptop’s power cord more than twice in my lifetime and twice have I actually had some things fall on the floor because the adaptor plug stubbornly stuck to the laptop’s socket.
The first time, it was my mug. The second time around, it was my trusty ThinkPad flying three feet off the table onto the floor. Talk about accidents! Luckily, the ThinkPad survived with only a few surface scratches and a weakened hinge. Nothing broken, nothing cracked, no data lost. If it weren’t a ThinkPad, the damage would’ve probably been worse, I tell myself.
When Apple introduced the MacBook Pro earlier this year, I was happy that they considered the MagSafe power adaptor as one of the highlights the new laptops offered. I guess the old-style large adaptor plugs Apple used in its Notebooks were prone to the same problems as just any notebook. Trip on them, and you’ll be sending something flying a few feet onto the floor. Apparently, the MagSafe was designed so that any such abrupt pulling would only lead to the adaptor being unplugged from the computer, since magnets hold it in place, and not friction, and the thing is not plugged in deeply inside the socket, even pulls from different angles won’t cause your laptop to budge.
Cool, huh?
I thought all other manufacturers would go the way of the MacBook Pro. This was just the logical step to take in the evolution of laptop design.
Still, I’m not seeing this development even in the latest of laptop models. Patent issues, perhaps? Or does everyone else have a big inventory of plug-type AC adaptors to dispose of. Whatever the reason, I’m hoping laptop manufacturers wake up to the reality that accidents happen, and that any way to minimize damages would be very much welcome.
MagSafe-type adaptors are now at the top of my laptop design/feature wishlist.
HP Pavilion dv2000z Review
Laptop Magazine has a review up on the HP Pavilion dv2000z, where they start off by saying that people should head towards the dv2000t instead.
the HP Pavilion dv2000z is a traveling entertainment center that is sure to turn heads. However, we strongly suggest skipping the AMD verison of this system in favor of the Intel-powered dv2000t, which offers faster dual-core performance along with nearly an hour more of battery life.
Weighing 5.3 pounds and measuring just one-inch thick, this machine is decked out in HP’s new Imprint finish, featuring a high gloss piano-black lid and a shiny silver-and-black keyboard. The exterior finish is gorgeous, but be forewarned: Fingerprint smudges will stick out like a sore thumb.
In the end they give the Pavilion dv2000z a three out of five, due to its mediocre productivity performance, and below-average battery life.
Check out the close cousin, the Pavilion dv1650us at DigitalAdvisor.
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