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.
Author(s): Dan Gookin
Series: For Dummies
Edition: 6th Edition
Publisher: For Dummies
Year: 2016
Language: English
Pages: 319
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
