How to Extend the Life of Your Printer

 

 

A high-performance laser printer nowadays can be $600. But before you can say "highway robbery", printers are actually worth their costs considering their lifespan. That is of course, if you’re taking good-care of your device. Whatever type of printer you are using, here are a few tips to make you them live longer.


Shut Your Printer Down Properly
When you’re not using your printer, turn it off. It prevents ink from drying and helps in keeping your printer functioning at its best. Do not just pull the plug; use the printer’s power button. Once you have already turned it off, unplug your printer if necessary. Avoid turning it off when in the middle of something.

Do not use cheap ink cartridges or toners
We usually think that compatible means the same as the original thing. Compatible parts may perform like originals, but they do not do so for a long time. This is you should never use compatible or refilled ink and toner cartridges. The worse thing is it may affect your printer’s performance.
See, it has it has something to do with how manufacturers make their cartridges. First, they buy empty cartridges from end users. Then, they strip these cartridges, clean them and finally reassemble them. In this scenario, you should be most concerned about the toner. The toner drum can only last for a set period of time. No amount of cleaning can change that.

Do not force jammed paper out
In case of a paper jam, do not force the paper out. Forcing paper out can damage the printer. Plus, the paper can tear can leave bit of paper stuck inside. These can cause problems later on. There is a better way to get paper out easily. Printers usually have a hatch at the back that can easily be removed. There, you can access the paper wheels and see the jammed paper. Then, you can get the paper out smoothly, without having to pull and tear.

Cartridge Lifespan
It all depends on frequency and quantity. Frequent and heavy users might need to replace cartridges every few months. Light users may need to replace cartridges only about 2-3 times a year (ink dries out if not used for more than a year). For more complete answers, talk to the manufacturers. For instance, they can tell you that certain printers can print 350 pages at 5% percent coverage or 5% surface area inked on each page.
Toner cartridges vary in lifespan. The less expensive ones go for $100. These printers can print 2,500 to 5,000 pages. The more expensive printers can print tens of thousands of pages. The most expensive types can even yield hundreds of thousands of pages.

Lastly
Your printer’s lifespan depends greatly on the sturdiness of the machine, frequency of use and maintenance. Some printers last longer than some. To make sure that your printer will last, use it according to its (monthly) duty cycle. The monthly duty cycle tells you the maximum number of pages your printer is designed to produce.
A good idea is to buy a printer that has a duty cycle three times your estimated volume. Take good care of your printer so that it can perform at its best and last for a long time.

Understanding Laptop Size and Weight

Laptops have become quite a common gadget to have nowadays. All the cool people seem to travel and go out with their laptops always on hand. If you are planning to buy a laptop of your own, then you should know that there are different types of laptops now available in different sizes and weights.
Here is a guide that will help you understand laptop size and weight specifications and help you if ever you plan to buy one.

Size Basics
When talking about laptop size, it usually refers to the external physical dimensions. This usually refers only to the laptop itself and not the other accessories that come with it but may also be required when being used.
When choosing laptop sizes, the required accessories of the laptop should also be taken into consideration aside from its physical dimensions. Laptops are designed to be portable, added accessories may lessen its portability.

Weight Basics
When the laptop size may determine its level of portability, it should not be the only thing to be considered. The weight of the laptop should also be made part of the decision making when choosing a ideal laptop. Since laptops were designed to be carried around, weight becomes an important issue especially if the laptop is a requirement for daily travel.
Weight specifications of laptops can be tricky from one manufacturer to another. Some laptops have weight specifications that include only its installed batteries. Many laptop manufacturers fail to mention the weight of the laptop power adapters which can easily add up from one to three pounds to a laptops total weight.
When buying a laptop, try to inquire about the traveling weight of a certain model. This would usually include all the other accessories needed by the laptop for portable use. This would provide you with a more accurate assessment of its actual weight.

Laptop Types
Most portable laptops today have been categorized according to their weight and size. Since many laptop buyers look into physical specifications first and foremost when buying one, laptop types have been essentially categorized as the following:
Luggable- laptops with sizes that ranges greater than 18 inches in length, 13 inches wide and 1.5 inches thick. Luggable weigh more than 12 lbs on average.
Desktop Replacement Laptops- these are laptops that range in size greater than 15 inches long, 11 inches wide and 1.5 inches thick. These types of laptops also weight greater than 7 lbs.
Thin and Light Laptops- these are laptops that range from 11-14 inches long, less than 11 inches wide and from1-1.6 inches thick. These laptops also average from 5 to 7 lbs in weight.
Ultraportable Laptops- these laptops average 9 to 11 inches long, 8 to 10 inches wide and about 1.3 inches thick. Ultraportable weigh from 2 to 4 lbs on average.
Subnotebooks- the smallest laptop category, subnotebooks average less than 9 inches in length, 7 inches wide and 1.3 inches thick. Subnotebooks also average less than 2.5 lbs in weight.

How to Clean Your Laptop

Providing a certain amount of care for your gadgets and devices such as your laptop, even if not as often as possible, may help it run faster and look presentable. 
As the laptop does not come dust-, debris-, dirt-, or even bug-proof, you may as well do some cleaning measures yourself. Most often than not, the underlying problem of a laptop not operating efficiently is that it is dirty and unkempt. Below are ways on how you can clean your laptop:

• Apply a cleaning solution to a piece of paper towel. Wipe the screen of your laptop with it.

• The consistency of the paper should at least be soft so as not to scratch the screen.

• Wipe below the small open areas of your laptop. This will take out the dust and dirt.

• Next, get a swab of cotton. Apply the cleaning solution.

• Use the cotton swab to wipe the grooves of the keys. It is best that you go over the keys then go for the grooves.

• If not in use, cover your laptop with a towel. This can help in preventing dust from forming on the surface.

Additional Tips

• Do not spray the cleaning solution directly to your laptop.

• Household cleaners must not be used in cleaning laptops.

• A damp cloth will do as a primary cleaning tool.

• Compressed air can be used to take of dirt embedded in the keyboard grooves.

• Take your laptop to a repair center if there has been a build-up of dirt inside.