GADGET SPECIAL.... YOU GOT THE POWER

GADGET SPECIAL YOU GOT THE POWER





With summer heat at its peak ­ and the monsoons just around the corner ­ it's load shedding and power failure season. A few tips on how to protect your gadgets from sudden power surges and shortages, and also tips and tricks to make your batteries last longer...

UNINTERRUPTIBLE POWER SUPPLY (UPS)

If you've spent a bomb on your PC, spend a few thousands extra to protect it from sudden power failure. Frequent cuts in electricity or its erratic supply to your computer could result in data loss, corruption of the operating system, and even hard drive failure. To avoid this, a UPS is recommended. These machines comprise a rechargeable battery, and act as a protective interface between your wall socket and computer. In the case of power failures, the UPS switches to battery mode, giving you time to shut down your computer properly .

You can also invest in a larger-capacity UPS to protect home appliances such as televisions, music systems, home theatres and set-top boxes.

All UPSes come with a Volt-Amps (VA) rating that denotes its power output capacity . For most computers, a 600VA UPS should be enough. For higher-end gaming PCs you might need to invest in one with around 1,000 to 1,100VA.

UPSes are generally built to give you backup power for between 10 and 30 minutes; enough for you to save what you're working on, before you shut down your machine.

Also, some models come with features such as Automatic Voltage Regulation (A VR) which protects your PC from voltage fluctuations, and also initiates a shutdown sequence when power is lost.

For PC UPSes, you can consider brands like APC, Microtek, iBall and Zebronics, with models costing anything between `2,000 and `6,000 depending on features. You might want to look at brands like Luminous for larger home UPSes.

SPIKE BUSTERSSURGE PROTECTORS

In case, you don't feel the need for a UPS, you will ­ at least ­ need to buy a spikesurge buster to protect your gadgetry from power surges that could potentially “fry“ your electronics. Surge protectors available in India comprise between four and eight plug points so you can connect multiple devices to it, including your phone and tablet chargers.

When buying, make sure you're actually picking up a surge protector, rather than an extension stripboard that looks similar. The latter does not have a built-in fuse.

Opt for products from known brands such as Anchor, Belkin, Honeywell, MX and Zebronics. These could cost anything between `300 and `1,800 depending on the number of plug points and build quality .

MONITOR YOUR LAPTOP BATTERY

Once you've ensured clean and uninterrupted power supply to your devices, also pay attention to your laptop's battery health and longevity. If you run Windows 10, you're in luck: Microsoft's new OS comes with a built-in battery tool. To access it...

Open the Settings app by pressing the Windows key + I.

From there, go to System > Battery. Here, you will get an overview of estimated time to full charge, battery usage by app so you can check which software is guzzling the most power ­ and you also get a `Battery saver' option, which lets you extend battery life by lowering screen brightness.

You can find other battery-extending settings under Settings > Power & sleep. From here you can access options to turn off the screen ­ or to put the computer into sleep mode ­ after stipulated periods of inactivity to conserve power.

In the same screen, you also get access to Additional power settings, from where you can choose or customise your power consumption plan. You can select between Balanced for an optimum mix of performance and energy , Power saver that conserves energy while reducing your laptop's performance, and High performance for the times when you have to complete resource intensive tasks.

Users running an older operating system can opt for a free third-party battery monitor such as BatteryCare. In any case, most laptop manufacturers preinstall proprietary apps that do the same job. Samsung has its BatteryLifeExtender, HP comes with Battery Check, while Lenovo is equipped with Energy Management ­ all of which can be accessed from the system tray .

Now if you suspect that your battery is not operating at its optimum, Windows 10 also lets you generate a health report.

Press the Windows key + X and then go to the Command Prompt option.

In the black dialog box, type `powercfg batteryreport' (without the single quotes). Windows automatically saves the file at C:Usersusernamebattery-report.html

The resulting file gives you details of the battery manufacturer, its capacity , usage history and drains, battery life estimates and more. These details can then be used to understand your battery and its health.

HOW TO CHOOSE A POWER BANK

To back up your phone battery invest in power banks that promise protection against voltage surge, short circuit, over-current and over charging. These features ensure that the battery pack lasts longer, and they also protect your phone's battery from overcharging and heating.

You can consider battery chargers like the Asus ZenPower 10050mAh (`2,499) and Mi Power Bank 10000mAh (`1,299), which have all these features, including temperature control so that it operates within a safe range.

Additionally , avoid using your handset while it is connected to the powerbank. Using the device in this mode will increase internal temperatures and shorten battery life.

BATTERY CARE FOR LAPTOPS...

Lithium batteries have a finite life. As the battery ages, you will notice a gradual decrease in its power capacity due to wear and tear. The average life span of a laptop battery can vary from two to four years. While it is not possible to control the natural aging process, you can follow some best practices to prolong your laptop's battery...

Charge your laptop battery regularly even if you do not use it often. Leaving any battery without charge for an extended period of time can reduce its ability to store power. Moreover, an unused, completely flat battery will have a shorter life and ­ in a worst case scenario ­ make it unusable.

Stow your laptop and spare battery in a cool, dry place. Exposure to high temperature ­ like on an open shelf in direct sunlight, or in the car ­ impacts overall battery capacity .

Do not use your laptop on the bed. Always place it on a flat surface where its vents and fan outlets are not obstructed.

...AND SMARTPHONES

Most of the points listed for laptops are applicable to smartphones too, but here are a few extra precautions you can take ...

Always charge your phone with its own charger. Unlike laptops, smartphones use a universal charging interface ­ the microUSB port. However, if the charger you use does not match the original, it will affect battery performance, capacity to store charge and overall life (if done repeatedly). Always ensure that the replacement charger's output voltage (V) and current (Ampere) rating matches the original adapter or is approved by the phone's manufacturer.

Avoid cheap chargers from unknown manufacturers.

They do not include any safety mechanisms to protect against fluctuation and over charging. Adapter failure could permanently damage the battery and phone.

It is recommended that you remove the phone's protective case while charging. It is natural for the battery to become slightly warm, but the case may act as a barrier and slow down heat dissipation. If possible, flip the phone over and place it on a soft cloth to protect the display .

Always using a fast charger might not be the best thing for your battery's health. This process involves a higher voltage to be sent to the phone's battery, which results in a rapid rise in temperature. Opt for a normal charging cycle, if your smartphone provides this option in its battery settings. Alternatively, switch to an approved matching regular charger.

In case your phone heats up abnormally, immediately keep the power button pressed for a few seconds till the display switches off. Allow the device to return to room temperature before powering it up.

Do not leave your phone charging through the night. Overcharging is detrimental to battery health.

Use power management options ­ like normal, balanced and ultra ­ provided on your smartphone to conserve battery. Avoid using third-party battery apps. Most of them affect battery life negatively as they constantly run in the background, aggressively shut down other apps; some take over the lockscreen to load advertisements and even recommend apps that will further optimise your smartphone. Also, do not fall for the browser ads that con you into installing an app because your phone is “apparently“ low on memory .

CHARGING BASICS

Whenever you charge, ensure that your battery reaches at least 80% charge. It is not necessary that it should always be topped up to maximum.

Allow the battery to discharge to around 20% before you plug it in. Constant and unnecessary recharges shorten the lifespan of the battery. On the flip side, avoid allowing the battery to lose all power.

If you are not going to be using a device ­ like a digital camera, smartphone, laptop ­ for a couple of months, then stow it with at least 40 to 50% percent charge. Do not leave a drained battery .

If you keep a spare battery as contingency , then alternate between the old and new cell. This will prevent the new one from losing its capacity to store charge over time and also extend the life of your old battery .

Switch to an energy-efficient browser

If you spend quite a lot of time on the internet, you can save on battery life by switching to a `low-power' web browser. Both Microsoft and Opera have been at it for over a year now, trying to prove that their respective products consume lesser power than the other. That said, you could opt for either the Microsoft Edge browser or use Opera with its `battery saver settings' to extend battery life. Independent tests have shown that Chrome performs on a par with Opera too, so limit your choice between these three for greater energy efficiency.

Savio D'Souza and Ashutosh Desai

TOI 3JUN17