When you have a computer, be it desktop or mechanical or a laptop, it is common to always tend to clean the screen and forget about accessories and components such as the mouse and, above all, the keyboard. A piece this last one that is essential that it is clean because, really, it works very badly when it is dirty. 

And it is not only the dust, but sometimes they accumulate fat or they feel a bit sticky to the touch due to continued contact with the hands, sweat or because some product has fallen on the keyboard, which happens, for example, when you have bad habits like eating on top of it. 

From UNCOMO, we are going to explain how to clean the keyboard and the different ways to do it, whether it is a desktop computer or a laptop.

How to clean a computer keyboard?

The keyboard of a desktop computer is the easiest to clean because it can be disconnected from the USB port for better handling and movement than in the case of a laptop or a MAC. There are several ways we can clean a tenkeyless keyboard, depending on whether it is more or less dirty:

Flip it over: 

The easiest way to clean it is to flip it over and shake it lightly so that crumbs, food scraps that are between the keys and corners fall out. After turning it over, you end up passing a damp cloth over it or simply a cloth to remove the dust.

Vacuuming the keyboard: 

Using a special small vacuum cleaner for the keyboard is also quite effective in keeping it clean. If you don’t have one, you can use the one you have to vacuum the sofa, but putting a program with little power to avoid sucking the keys.

Pass a brush between the keys: 

When the keyboard is not very dirty, it can also be cleaned with a specific brush or brush to clean the dust, although you can also use a microfiber cloth or duster of those that trap dust.

Compressed air pears:

They are a solution to remove dust or dirt in corners or under the keys through the air. Then the remains can be removed when a duster or cloth or else vacuum.

Cleaning the keyboard with rubbing alcohol: 

The above methods are best thought of when the keyboard is not very dirty. In this case, what you have to do is use propyl alcohol because that way you will be able to remove the grease and everything sticky that is on the keyboard. You have to use it carefully so as not to remove the letters and numbers from the keys. 

Are you curious to use your PS4? Just connect the PS4 to a laptop and you are good to go!

Wait a second. Is it as easy as connecting via HDMI and ready to go? Usually yes, but it could be tricky for new players. Who is willing to play the game and find it difficult to cover laptop screen in the game screen. PS4 connection to laptop may require some functions.

The game is presented on a laptop screen and must have video input on your laptop. Video input is an unlikely case on most laptops, making it difficult to decode the correct solution. HDMI is unidirectional. It does not have a two-way connection. HDMI on the laptop has an out port, HDMI on the PS4 also has an out port. It is necessary to have video input with HDMI input on a laptop.

How to connect your ps4 to your laptop with an hdmi cable

Let’s make it simple by understanding the necessary steps and trying to take a look at every important aspect that is vital for playing PS4 on the laptop screen.

1. Via Video Capture Card

You can play PS4 moderately on a laptop using a video capture card. For the gamer, playing the game neither on the LCD TV nor on the laptop is a problem. Playing on PS4 with an HDMI cable is an easy method to follow. You can make it possible by capturing video. You just need to follow each step with concentration.

Things you need for this technique:

1. PS4
2. Laptop
3. HDMI cable (dual operation)
4. Remote control (double discharge)
5. Micro USB cable
6. internet connectivity

These are essential things for connecting the PS4 to a laptop screen. For external audio systems, this is an efficient option to adjust the sound settings of the PS4 simultaneously with the settings. It is also a handy option to adjust full sound settings as well as audio output settings to reveal the speakers. Typically, a single HDMI port has only one output port. If your laptop has two HDMI inputs and outputs, it would be easier to connect them. Once you have all the important things, follow this step by step method until the process is complete.

Step 1: check all connections

To turn on file sharing, follow these steps;

• Go to Settings in the PS4 menu
• Click on Network Settings
• Choose Internet connection settings
• Click on your router

If you don’t have a wireless connection, you need to set up the PS4 and the laptop on the same router using Ethernet cables. Now you can stream between the two flawlessly.

Step 2: Install the software.

Connect the video capture card to the laptop through a USB port. This will also establish a combined S-video connection. Install the software that came with the video card for the card to work properly.

Make sure the video capture card you are using is of high quality!

Step 3: Connect HDMI and PS4 cable to capture card

Then you need to connect the Ps4 console to the video capture card. To connect the video card to the PS4, you need an S-video connection cable. The next thing to do is connect the HDMI-IN input on the capture card and the HDMI-OUT output on the PS4.

Step 4: open and run the software

Now open the application software that came with your capture card and turn on the PS4. You can see the software on your laptop screen. Make sure the app displays full resolution. Make sure the process finished without any errors, then run the software.

With the steps mentioned above, you will be able to set up your laptop to stream games from PS4 with HDMI cable with ease and speed. This process can be expensive compared to other methods, but for your quality concern, I suggest this method instead.

For those who don’t want to spend a lot of money on this, here is another solution. To take a look at.

2. Capture PS4 games using the built-in recording function

ou can capture the PS4 game by its built-in recording function when the game is saved on the portable system. All you need to do is start the game you want to save and then go to the share page by pressing the share button on the controller.

To capture the recording function, you need to follow these steps:

• Go to sharing settings.
• Streaming settings in advanced settings
• Checked “include audio microphone in transmission”.
• Record your voice to record the game

Now the game you choose to save begins. This technique is quite advantageous and less expensive. In this technique, you don’t need a video capture card, which saves you money. Using the recording feature and the built-in tactics I mentioned here, you can easily stream to your laptop .

3. OBS recording software

As a professional gamer, you can often try the open streaming software for its features, advancements, and professionalism. It’s easy to capture or access OBS, let’s take a look!

• Install PS4 Remote Play
• Connect your PS4
• Open OBS and go to the add menu
• Choose window capture option
• Last but important, click OK

You can start to capture the PS4 game. OBS would allow the reader to take advantage of custom recording result types by changing the settings.

This technique has proven to be a cheaper, high-quality source for recording PS4 games on the screen of a laptop.

Computer repairers regularly work on laptops, which are subject to many risks of damage. Problems due to awkwardness during transport, damage caused by hazardous use… How much does a refurbishment of this device cost? How are the price differences explained? And finally, how to prevent damage?

Have your laptop repaired

There are many types of issues that can cause a laptop to malfunction. Whether it is a broken screen, a virus, a motherboard problem or even a keyboard that has suddenly become unusable, this damage leads machine owners to turn to experienced professionals. for upgrading their PC or Mac. 

The prices charged by these IT companies change according to the interventions: for example, count between 30 and 60 euros on average for virus removal, around one hundred euros for data recovery, between 80 and 100 euros for replacement a motherboard, or about 60 euros for installing an operating system. Some companies offer hourly packages for the home intervention. In this case, allow between 40 and 80 euros per hour.

Intervene on a PC or Mac

The prices charged by professionals change first of all according to the degree of difficulty encountered. The more damaged a hard drive, the longer and more complicated the intervention will be, which is why the price will increase compared to a healthy hard drive. 

For an hourly rate practiced during home repairs, it is obvious that a simple problem to solve will be less expensive than an enigmatic damage for which a thorough diagnosis will have to be established. 

In addition, there are price differences between Apple PCs and Macs. The latter require a more expensive service, in particular because of the materials and parts used. 

For example, we will spend around 80 euros for labor to replace the motherboard of a PC, and 100 euros for the same operation on a Mac provided it can be repaired, which is not the case with the latest models. The same is therefore true for other interventions.

Computer repairs: how to avoid problems?

To limit expenses due to repairs to a laptop, it is advisable to keep it away from the kitchen, bathroom, and avoid placing it on the floor or near small children. or animals. Extreme temperatures are also a danger for the correct operation of the machine. 

In addition, the presence of magnets near the device should be avoided. Care should also be taken not to obstruct the ventilation holes and pay attention to opening and closing the device, as the hinges are among the most fragile elements.

At one point or another, all laptop users have the same question: Is it bad to leave your laptop plugged in all the time?

It turns out that the answer is not entirely straightforward. So let’s see what it is.

Know the battery of your laptop

There are two main types of batteries used in laptops: lithium-ion and lithium-polymer. Although these are different technologies, they operate in broadly identical ways, producing energy through the movement of electrons.

This constant flow is also necessary to keep the battery healthy.

For both types of batteries, the following statements are true (at least when it comes to modern laptops ):

• A battery cannot be overcharged. There is no danger of overcharging a battery if you leave it plugged in all the time. As soon as it reaches 100%, it stops charging and only restarts when the voltage drops below a certain level.
• Completely discharging a battery will damage it. Allowing the battery to drain completely for an extended period of time can put it in a state of deep discharge. This can be fatal: you may never be able to charge it again. (You can try these methods to suddenly start a dead laptop battery).

So, based on this, should we conclude that you need to leave your laptop plugged in all the time? Not quite.

Things that damage lithium batteries

The truth about lithium-based batteries is that they are inherently unstable. They start to lose capacity as soon as they are produced and many factors accelerate their decline. Among these, we can mention:

• Charge / discharge cycles. Each battery has a limited number of times it can be charged and discharged.
• The voltage level. The higher the charge level (measured in volts per cell), the shorter the battery life.
• High temperature, over 30 degrees Celsius. It can cause irreparable damage.

The last two are the ones that interest us the most here. Comprehensive study shows how high voltage and high temperatures shorten the life of an isolated battery, and even more when combined.

Charge or voltage level

Lithium-ion batteries charge at 4.20 volts per cell, which is 100% of their capacity. At this level, the battery will have a lifespan of 300 to 500 discharge cycles.

Each reduction of 0.10 V / cell in the load doubles the number of discharge cycles, until the optimum level is reached: 3.90V / cell, with 2400-4000 discharge cycles.

Unfortunately, at this level, the battery is only about 60% charged. The autonomy will hardly exceed half of a fully charged battery.

Heat

And then there is the heat. High temperatures , generally classified as above 30 degrees Celsius, shorten the life of a battery, regardless of any other factor. Leaving your laptop in your car on a summer afternoon is a bad idea.

When you combine the stress of high temperature with that of high voltage, the effects are even worse.

The study shows that a battery stored with a 40% charge at 40 degrees would see its capacity drop to 85% after a year.

Fully charged, its capacity drops to 65% under the same conditions. For a fully charged battery at 60 degrees, the capacity drops to 60% in just three months.

The evidence seems clear. Keeping the battery permanently charged at 100% will slowly reduce its life. Keeping it at 100% and exposing it to high temperatures will reduce it much faster.

And remember, these high temperatures aren’t just environmental. Resource-intensive tasks, like gaming or video editing, greatly increase the heat level, and using the laptop on a pillow or in a poorly designed case can trap that heat as well.

For the sake of your battery, it’s always a good idea to fix an overheating laptop.

Should you remove the battery?

If heat is such a danger, it raises another question. Should you remove the battery completely when using your laptop on AC power?

Obviously, this is not possible on the growing number of laptops with sealed batteries.

When replaceable, the answer seems to vary from manufacturer to manufacturer. Acer, for example, says you don’t need to remove the battery on AC power, but remove it if you won’t be using it for several days. When Apple produced laptops with removable batteries, it advised against removing them.

It all comes down to configuring the power management in the laptop. Some may reduce power when no battery is available, just as some do when the battery level is low. It could leave you with poor performance.

If you decide to remove the battery, be sure to store it properly. This usually means that it should be 40-80% charged and stored at room temperature.

Should you keep your laptop plugged in?

Does leaving your laptop plugged in damage the battery? Yes it is. But recharging it every day also damages it.

Oddly enough, the industry as a whole doesn’t seem to have come up with a single answer to the question of whether you should use your laptop on AC power or on battery power.

We have seen that Acer recommends removing the battery when not in use. According to Asus , you should drain the battery to at least 50% every two weeks. But Dell says it’s okay to leave the laptop plugged in all the time.

Apple’s advice is no longer on its website, but you can still read it online. The company recommends that you don’t leave a laptop plugged in all the time.

Leaving your laptop plugged in won’t cause any short-term damage, but if you only ever use it on AC power, you will almost certainly find that after a year the battery capacity has been significantly reduced. . Likewise, if you only use it on battery power, you will go through battery drain cycles more quickly.

The best solution is therefore a kind of compromise between the two: use it on battery some days, and keep it plugged in other days. And whatever you do, be careful that it doesn’t get too hot.