The display is small and the computing power is closer to that of an outdated PC. Yet because they are ideally suited for mobile use — whether on the sofa or on the train — netbooks are currently topping the electronics bestseller charts.
Even so, working with the low-priced mini-laptops is different than working with desktop computers or standard laptops. Most users start wondering how to tickle more performance out of the machines almost as soon as they start working with them in earnest. Fortunately, there are a few tricks for juicing up the netbook — without having to upgrade the hardware at all.
Many of the devices are equipped with three-cell batteries that typically allow for up to three hours of unplugged use. Six-cell batteries allow for double that battery life. Yet even that span isn’t enough for really long train rides, making energy conservation a must: “To achieve the absolute longest battery life, you can manually adjust the display brightness to reflect the ambient lighting,” explains Robert Perenz, product manager for netbooks at hardware maker Acer.
Many models provide this function through a specific key combination like “Ctrl+F5.” Lowering the brightness by just one or two levels is often enough to provide a noticeable bump to the battery life. That’s because the factory default for brightness is often the maximum level, which isn’t really required at all in practical situations. After only a brief period, you won’t notice that the brightness has been reduced at all.
Another key trick: turn off the WLAN when it’s not needed. Pressing “Ctrl+F11” will do just that instantly on most netbooks. Reactivating the wireless connection is just as quick. The same holds true for Bluetooth. Both wireless functions represent more than just an energy suck: they also provide a potential portal for hacker attacks.
In principle it’s…