Laptops For Dummies

Description

The fast and easy way to get up and running with a laptop Are you new to the world of laptops? You've come to the right place! Laptops For Dummies covers the many topics and issues unique to laptops, including synchronizing with the desktop, coordinating email pick-up between two machines, remotely accessing the desktop, networking, power management, storage, security, and more. This new edition also provides updates to cover the latest technology, current processors, and steps to update memory and hard drive capacities. In business―while they spend most of their time in a desktop docking station―laptops are absolutely essential for providing mobility to professionals. In the home, they've begun to replace desktop PCs, as they now offer larger displays, longer battery power, and speeds equal to desktop computers. Plus, you can do just about everything with a laptop that you can do with a traditional desktop, minus the big, bulky machine and multiple cords. If you're just making the switch over to a laptop, this hands-on, easy-to-follow guide makes the transition easy! Covers the latest hardware and technology updates you need to get up and running with your laptop Includes updates on the new Windows 10 operating system, wireless networking, smartphone tethering, and using productivity applications on laptops Walks you through everything you need to deal with add-ons, networking procedures, and connectivity and communication Presents complex material in a way that makes it simple and accessible Whether you've never logged onto a laptop or are just looking to stay up-to-date with the latest information on operating systems and software, Laptops For Dummies has you covered. Title Page......Page 3 Copyright Page......Page 4 Table of Contents......Page 7 About This Book......Page 17 Icons Used in This Book......Page 18 Where to Go from Here......Page 19 Part I This Laptop Thing......Page 21 The History of Portable Computing......Page 23 The loveable luggables......Page 25 The Model 100......Page 28 The lunch buckets......Page 29 Dawn of the PC laptop......Page 30 The search for light......Page 31 Modern Laptops......Page 33 The subnotebook......Page 34 The tablet PC......Page 35 Do You Need a Laptop?......Page 37 Why you need a laptop......Page 38 Laptop Shopping......Page 39 Things to heed when buying a laptop......Page 40 The operating system......Page 41 Important laptop hardware guts......Page 42 The green laptop......Page 44 Service, Support, and Warranty......Page 45 The Final Step: Buying Your Laptop......Page 46 Part II Say Hello to Your Laptop......Page 47 Laptop Box 101......Page 49 Removing the laptop from the box......Page 50 Set Up Your Laptop......Page 52 Finding a place for the laptop......Page 53 Charging the battery......Page 54 Bye‐Bye, Old Laptop......Page 55 What to Do Next......Page 56 Turn On Your Laptop......Page 59 Step 1: Open the lid......Page 60 Step 3: Locate the power button......Page 61 Step 4: Punch the power button......Page 62 It’s Windows!......Page 63 Activating Windows......Page 64 Signing in to Windows......Page 65 What’s Next?......Page 66 Migrating your files......Page 67 Adding other accounts......Page 69 Keeping the laptop on all the time......Page 71 Finding the shutdown options......Page 72 Shutting down your laptop......Page 74 Putting Mr. Laptop to sleep......Page 75 Hibernating the laptop......Page 76 Locking Windows......Page 77 Switching to another user......Page 78 Setting the power button’s function......Page 79 Activating hibernation......Page 81 Finding the optical drive......Page 83 Locating removable storage slots......Page 84 Keeping the air circulating......Page 85 Those Pluggable‐Innable Holes......Page 86 Look at the Pretty Lights!......Page 87 Exploring the keyboard layout......Page 89 Having fun with the Fn key......Page 91 Using a touchpad......Page 92 Working the Lenovo TrackPoint mouse......Page 93 Obtaining a real mouse......Page 94 Chapter 7 The Tablet PC Tour......Page 95 Tablet PC Types......Page 96 The Tablet PC Tour......Page 97 The Pen Is Mightier than the Mouse......Page 98 Introducing the digital pen......Page 99 Using the pen as a mouse......Page 100 Touchscreen Text Typing......Page 101 Exploring the touch keyboard varieties......Page 102 Scribbling text on the screen......Page 105 Windows Does the Tablet PC......Page 106 Special Tablet PC Software......Page 108 The Big Windows Picture......Page 109 Viewing the desktop......Page 110 Exploring the Start button menu......Page 111 Working on the taskbar......Page 113 Visiting with the Action Center......Page 114 Using the supersecret shortcut menu......Page 115 Exploring your laptop’s storage......Page 116 Accessing your user profile folder......Page 118 Finding programs......Page 119 Visiting the Control Panel......Page 120 Using the Quick Settings......Page 122 Accessing the Windows Mobility Center......Page 123 Part III Out and About with Mr. Laptop......Page 125 User Accounts......Page 127 Accessing your user account info......Page 128 Setting an account PIN......Page 129 Changing your user account picture......Page 130 Setting the display resolution......Page 133 Adding a screen saver......Page 134 Setting the display orientation......Page 135 Adjusting screen brightness......Page 136 Adding storage......Page 137 Using the AutoPlay notification......Page 138 Controlling AutoPlay settings......Page 139 Removing media and storage devices......Page 140 Adding new software......Page 141 Installing from the Internet......Page 142 Removing software......Page 143 The Battery Will Get a Charge Out of This!......Page 145 Locating the laptop’s battery......Page 146 Monitoring the battery......Page 148 Using a second battery......Page 149 Setting low‐battery warnings......Page 150 Using the Battery Saver......Page 153 Creating a power management plan......Page 154 Finding printers in Windows......Page 157 Connecting a printer directly to your laptop......Page 159 Adding a network or wireless printer......Page 160 Something Needs Printing......Page 162 Printing a document......Page 163 Stopping a printer run amok......Page 164 Printing when you don’t have a printer......Page 165 Printing a PDF document......Page 166 A Portable Printer for Your Laptop......Page 167 Understanding the USB thing......Page 169 Attaching and removing a USB gizmo......Page 171 Using a USB hub......Page 172 Perusing potential USB goodies......Page 173 Checking for Bluetooth......Page 174 Pairing with a Bluetooth gizmo......Page 176 Using a full‐size keyboard and mouse......Page 177 Adding a monitor......Page 178 Running the laptop with its lid closed......Page 179 In the Bag......Page 181 Features to look for......Page 182 Things to pack in your laptop bag......Page 183 Is your laptop case one carry‐on bag or half a carry‐on bag?......Page 184 All aboard!......Page 185 Air power......Page 186 In‐flight Wi‐Fi......Page 187 Find a good seat......Page 188 Other tips ’n’ stuff......Page 189 Mind the Laptop’s Temperature......Page 190 Giving the dog‐and‐pony show......Page 193 Setting up your presentation......Page 195 Disabling notifications during the show......Page 196 Printing out a slide show......Page 197 Starting your presentation......Page 198 Building a better presentation......Page 199 Keeping your audience awake......Page 200 Selling a presentation......Page 201 Exploring Windows Media Player......Page 203 Running the Photos app......Page 205 Using the Groove Music app......Page 206 Ripping music from a CD......Page 207 Uploading pictures and videos from a phone or camera......Page 209 Taking a picture......Page 211 Copying media to your OneDrive......Page 212 Adding media from your OneDrive......Page 213 Connecting to a network media player......Page 214 Sharing your laptop’s media......Page 215 Laptop Phone Calls......Page 216 eBooks on Your Laptop......Page 218 Part IV Laptop Networking......Page 219 The Big Networking Picture......Page 221 Connecting the laptop to a wired network......Page 224 Accessing a Wi‐Fi network......Page 225 Connecting to a hidden Wi‐Fi network......Page 226 Tethering to a smartphone......Page 228 Releasing the Wi‐Fi connection......Page 229 Locating network central......Page 231 Setting the network type......Page 232 Disabling Wi‐Fi sharing......Page 234 Forgetting a Wi‐Fi connection......Page 235 Getting the laptop’s MAC address......Page 236 Setting your laptop’s network name......Page 237 Exploring the network......Page 238 Sharing a folder......Page 240 Walking files between computers......Page 243 Using octopus net to connect computers......Page 244 Cloud Storage Synchronization......Page 245 Understanding cloud storage......Page 246 Exploring cloud storage options......Page 247 Synchronizing cloud storage files......Page 248 Sharing a file from cloud storage......Page 250 Part V Security and Maintenance......Page 253 Security Central......Page 255 Viewing the Action Center......Page 256 Keep Windows Up‐to‐Date......Page 258 Disabling multiple update sources......Page 259 Setting up Windows Defender......Page 260 Using Windows Defender......Page 261 Scanning your laptop for malware......Page 262 Dealing with a quarantined file......Page 263 Finding the firewall......Page 264 Dealing with a firewall warning......Page 265 Browsing in secret......Page 266 Deleting your web browsing history......Page 267 Location Information......Page 268 General Security Settings......Page 269 The Hot Laptop......Page 271 Before Your Laptop Is Stolen......Page 272 Paying attention to your environment......Page 273 Attaching the old ball‐and‐chain......Page 274 Protect Your Data with a Strong Password......Page 275 Back Up Your Data......Page 276 Configuring File History......Page 277 Checking the backup schedule......Page 279 Restoring an older version......Page 280 Restoring more than a single file......Page 282 The Laptop Reset......Page 284 The Universal Quick‐Fix......Page 285 Signing out of Windows......Page 286 The Windows Troubleshooter......Page 287 Resetting Windows......Page 288 Doing a system restore......Page 289 Giving up on Windows 10......Page 291 Touch pad touchiness......Page 292 “The battery won’t charge”......Page 293 New Laptop Hardware......Page 295 Upgrading your software......Page 296 Laptop Maintenance......Page 297 Keeping it clean......Page 298 Cleansing the screen......Page 299 Part VI The Part of Tens......Page 301 Don’t Drop the Battery, Get It Wet, Short It, Play Keep‐Away with It, Open It, Burn It, or Throw It Away......Page 303 Power Down the Hard Drive......Page 304 Add RAM to Prevent Virtual Memory Disk Swapping......Page 305 Guard the Battery’s Terminals......Page 306 Store the Battery if You Don’t Plan to Use It......Page 307 Deal with the Low‐Battery Warning......Page 308 Spare Battery......Page 309 Cooling Pad......Page 310 USB Lamp......Page 311 Privacy Screen Filter......Page 312 Theft‐Prevention System......Page 313 Power Cord and Brick......Page 315 Laptop Lock......Page 316 Office Supplies......Page 317 Not the End of the List......Page 318 Index......Page 319 EULA......Page 339