LCD Monitors - a few tips

Most Monitors/computer screens today are LCD, but what does that mean?
LCD means Liquid Crystal Display, mostly used in flat screen monitors and laptop screens.

Why should I worry about cleaning my LCD screen?
One of the most expensive components of a computer system or laptop is the LCD monitor or screen. LCD screens are easily susceptible to damage and scratches, so it's a good idea to make sure you clean it correctly.

Can I use any type of cleaning solution on my LCD screen?

NO! using alcohol or ammonia based cleaners repeatedly may cause permanent damage to the LCD. Over time using these types of cleaners could cause the surface of the screen to yellow. It can also make the screen brittle and eventually cause cracking on the screen surface. The following cleaners are unacceptable:

• Acetone
• Ethyl alcohol
• Ethyl acid
• Ammonia
• Methyl chloride

What types of cleaners are acceptable?

• Water
• Vinegar (mixed with water)
• Isopropyl Alcohol
• Petroleum Benzene

What are some of the basic supplies needed to clean an LCD screen?

• A soft cotton cloth. When cleaning the LCD screen it is important to use a soft cotton cloth, rather than an old rag. Some materials, such as paper towels, could cause scratches and damage the LCD screen.
• Solution of water and isopropyl alcohol. This solution can be used along with the soft cotton cloth.
• Computer wipes ONLY if they specifically state on the package they are designed for LCD screens. Computer wipes can come in handy for fast clean-ups or when you want to avoid mixing up a cleaning solution yourself.

How do I clean the LCD surface properly?

• Do not spray any liquids on the LCD screen directly, and do not use paper towels, this can cause the LCD screen to become scratched.
• Always apply the solution to your cloth first, not directly to the parts you are cleaning. You want to avoid dripping the solution directly into your computer or laptop.
• Stroke the cloth across the display in one direction, moving from the top of the display to the bottom.

INCREASE YOUR LAPTOP BATTERY'S LIFE

Without fail, the battery on our laptops – notebooks or netbooks, always stop working and run our of juice at the most inconvenient time – in the middle of that rush report or when you are on a flight and watching a DVD movie

Laptop screens take up significant amount of power and we usually don’t require maximum brightness, so check your system and decrease the screen brightness it to a comfortable point.

Stop your wireless signal when you aren’t using it - After turning off your Laptop, right click on your WiFi control signal and be sure it is off to save a considerable quantity of battery power

Check your power plans - Windows XP has several predetermined power plans to control settings like how rapidly your laptop turns off and when your screen saver boots in. You can change your laptop power scheme by choosing Control Panel, then choose Power Options. For maximum battery life from the “Maximum Battery” option from the "Power scheme" and decline the list. Other good choices might be "Low Power Mode" and Portable /Laptop – they may not conserve as much power as Max Battery, but they still help. After choosing the power scheme, click Ok to finish the process.

Word Processing Tips

MICROSOFT WORD – is the #1 word processing program used in the world today – remember once you learn the feature commands and corresponding icons for these commands, they are the same in any other software you might learn
Special Note: All Microsoft Office 97-2003 Program (including Word) use toolbars; whereas Office 2007 Programs, including Word use the new Tab/Ribbon Format

SELECT TO EFFECT (highlight)
When you want to edit/change text (add Bold, Italic, Underline, Delete, change color, cut, copy, past, change font size or style and lots of other "formatting options") remember to "select the text first/highlight it" and then click the button of your choice.. TIP: To highlight everything in a document, whether 1 page or 100 pages: use SELECT ALL of CTRL + A

BASIC SCREEN: Insertion Point “I” vs. Work Bar, Title Bar, Menu Bar, Toolbars, Ruler, Scroll Bars (right & bottom), Status Bar & Task Bar

BOLD, ITALIC, UNDERLINE: B – I – U Highlight text, then use icon on formatting toolbar OR Menu Bar, Format, Font

DON'T PANIC WHEN YOU MAKE A MISTAKE - Use your "Undo" & "Redo" buttons

FONT STYLE: The design of your characters – letters – numbers

FONT SIZE: the size of your characters – letters – numbers

STANDARD BUSINESS FONT & SIZES
Times New Roman - 12 pitch
Arial-14 pitch
Note: 72 pitch always = 1" high

WANT THE RULER ON OR OFF YOUR SCREEN?
Click "View" - Activate or deactivate the ruler.. choice is yours

TV & Monitor Differences - Plasma vs LCD vs LED

So many of you have asked "which TV or Monitor screen is better?" We hope these descriptions, pros & cons will help with your decision. Personally, budget to me is a major consideration because technology is changing so rapidly - so much technology today is considered "throw-away" so it makes no sense to invest a lot of money...

PLASMA SCREENS use gas plasma cells charged by precise electrical voltages to create a picture.

Plasma Pros:
• Better black rendering, contrast ratio and ability for more color depth
• Better motion tracking (response time) and available in very large screen sizes.

Plasma Cons:
• susceptible to burn-in (being reduced with technology improvements the past few years)
• they generate more heat and consume more power
• screen glare in brightly lit rooms
• heavier weight, and more delicate to ship

LCD SCREENS (Liquid Crystal Display) are layers of liquid crystal pushed into the space between two glass plates. Images are created by varying the amount of electrical charge applied to the crystals

LCD Pros
• No burn-in susceptibility and they run cooler than plasma & consume less power
• less screen glare, look better in brightly lit rooms & more functional at high altitudes
• longer display life (although improvements are being made in Plasma screen life)

LCD Cons
• Lower contrast ratio
• not as good rendering deep blacks
• not as good at tracking motion (but this is improving- look for at least 120 Hz or 240 Hz)

LED SCREENS (Light Emitting Diodes) use backlighting vs. fluorescent lights used in traditional LCD televisions

• LED Pros & Cons are almost the same as LCD but LED come with better contrast ratio, better picture quality , super slim and 40% less power consumption but higher price