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Overview
Laptops For Seniors For Dummies makes it easier than ever for the 50+ set to enjoy a laptop or tablet PC by taking the intimidation out of working with a new device. Featuring larger text and images, this bestseller empowers you to keep up with your kids or grandkids with all the latest and greatest that technology has to offer.
Assuming no prior knowledge, this accessible guide starts from the beginning by helping you select the right laptop or tablet for your needs, shows how the various parts connect together, and illustrates how to use the keyboard and mouse. Once you've chosen your device and mastered the basics, this book will help you navigate your way around the Windows 10 operating system, show you how to use the touchscreen capabilities, and so much more. In no time at all, you'll wonder why you hadn't bought a laptop sooner!
- Keep in touch with family and friends through email and social networking sites
- Get on the internet to shop and browse your favorite sites
- Ensure your information is safe online
- Use the latest applications for work and play
Everything you love about your desktop computer can be conveniently taken on the go with a laptop. Laptops For Seniors For Dummies will help you have fun and feel successful with your new device.
Product Details
| ISBN-13: | 9781119420262 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | Wiley |
| Publication date: | 10/23/2017 |
| Series: | For Dummies Books |
| Pages: | 432 |
| Sales rank: | 661,241 |
| Product dimensions: | 7.40(w) x 9.20(h) x 1.00(d) |
About the Author
Read an Excerpt
Laptops For Seniors For Dummies
By Nancy C. Muir
John Wiley & Sons
Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, LtdAll rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-118-71105-7
CHAPTER 1
Discovering the Laptop Advantage
Get ready to ...
* Understand the Difference
between a Desktop and
Laptop 10
* Understand Different
Types of Laptops 12
* Explore All You Can Do
with Your Laptop 14
* Appreciate the Portability
Factor 18
Laptop computers started as very expensive options for those who travelled for business and were willing to carry almost ten pounds of machine to be able to use a computer on the road.
Move forward in time, and you'll find that laptops have become a much more affordable, portable, and ubiquitous option that many are choosing as their only computer, whether they travel much or not. If you're thinking about joining the laptop revolution, it's time you understand the advantages a laptop can offer.
In this chapter, I introduce you to the key differences between a desktop computer and a laptop, the computing opportunities your laptop offers, and the different styles of laptops available.
Understand the Difference between a Desktop and Laptop
The fact is that when it comes to performing computing tasks, a desktop and laptop are pretty much identical. They both have an operating system such as Windows 8.1 or Mac OS X. They both contain a hard drive where you store data and computer chips that process data, and they both run software and access the Internet.
Where a desktop and laptop differ is their physical appearance, size, and weight. Here's a rundown of the key differences:
* Appearance: A desktop computer is typically encased in a tower, into which you plug a separate monitor, keyboard, and mouse. (Some newer models have the brains of the computer incorporated into a monitor base.) A laptop has all its parts in one unit, as shown in Figure 1-1. The central processing unit (CPU) — chips, monitor, keyboard, and touchpad (a laptop version of a mouse) — all fit in one compact package that includes slots called ports for plugging in other devices (called peripherals), such as a little toggle that acts as a transmitter for a wireless mouse or printer.
* Power source: A laptop contains a battery that you charge by plugging it into a wall outlet. You can run the laptop off of a charged battery or plug the laptop into a wall outlet so battery charge isn't a concern.
* Portability: Having a battery and coming in a more compact package makes a laptop more portable (although some larger models are a bit hefty to tote around); a desktop stays put on a desktop as a rule.
* Extras: Very small laptops might not include a CD/ DVD drive and therefore require an external drive, like the one shown in Figure 1-2, to be attached.
Understand Different Types of Laptops
Today, there are several types of laptop that vary by size and weight, functionality, and the way you enter information into them. Here are some options available to you:
* The garden-variety laptop (also referred to as a notebook computer) runs around 5–8 pounds and has a monitor size ranging from about 13 inches to 16 or so. It's portable and can handle most computing tasks. Multimedia/gaming laptops are laptops that have more sophisticated graphics and sound cards.
* Desktop replacements are laptops with more heft. They might weigh more than 10 pounds and have larger monitors (perhaps as big as 20 inches). Their keyboards are roomier as well. However, although they aren't too difficult to move around your home, they aren't meant to be as portable as other types of laptops.
* Ultrabooks are thinner, lightweight laptops that have lower-power processors for longer battery life. Whereas laptops usually weigh in at about 4 to 7 pounds, ultrabooks (see Figure 1-3) weigh a mere 3 pounds or so and their screens come in at around 12 to 15 inches. Of course, their light weight has tradeoffs, mainly in the form of a smaller keyboard, no DVD drive, and a heftier price point.
You may be wondering about netbooks, very small, inexpensive laptops that came out around 2007. Netbooks had less powerful processors than most laptops and very small keyboards. By 2009, netbooks had grown to become essentially small laptops, using the Windows 7 Starter operating system (still a bit limited compared to the full Windows 7). Netbooks are still around, but have pretty much been upstaged by ultrabooks and by tablet computers such as iPad or Microsoft's Surface that provide the same functionality in an even sleeker package at a similar price.
Many people own both a laptop and a tablet. If you decide to buy a tablet and choose an iPad, you might want to check out my book iPad For Seniors For Dummies, 5th Edition (John Wiley & Sons, Inc.).
Explore All You Can Do with Your Laptop
Your laptop is a computer in a smaller package, so you can perform all the typical computing tasks with it. If you've never owned a computer of any type, your laptop purchase will open up a world of activities.
Even if you're buying your laptop just to do e-mail (I hear this a lot from seniors!), do yourself a favor and explore a few other computing tasks that your laptop will allow you to do, such as these:
* Run software programs to accomplish everyday tasks. Utilize word processors to write letters or create flyers, spreadsheet software to organize your finances or household inventory, or photo-imaging software to work with your snapshots.
* Work with financial activities. From storing your checkbook and credit card records to doing your taxes, a computer can help you gain control over your finances. You can manage your investing, pay bills, and do your banking. Performing financial activities online can be very safe if you know the ins and outs of staying safe online (described in Chapter 21), and working online can be incredibly convenient, with your accounts available 24/7.
* Keep in touch with friends and family. The Internet makes it possible to communicate with other people via e-mail; share video images using webcams (tiny, inexpensive video cameras that capture and send your images to another computer); and make phone calls using a technology called VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) that uses your laptop and Internet connection to place calls. You can also chat with others by typing and sending messages using a technology called instant messaging. These messages are exchanged in real time so that you and your grandchild, for example, can see and reply to text immediately. Part IV of this book explains these topics in more detail.
* Research any topic from the comfort of your home. Online, you can find many reputable websites that give you information on anything from expert medical advice to the best travel deals. You can read news from around the corner or around the world. You can visit government websites to find out information about your taxes, Social Security, and more, or even go to entertainment sites to look up your local television listings.
* Create greeting cards, letters, or home inventories. Whether you're organizing your holiday card list or figuring out a monthly budget, computer programs can help. For example, Figure 1-4 shows the Hallmark greeting card site with lots of options for creating electronic cards to send to your friends' e-mail inboxes.
* Pursue hobbies such as genealogy or sports. You can research your favorite teams online or connect with people who have the same interests. The online world is full of special-interest chat groups where you can discuss your interests with others.
* Play interactive games with others over the Internet. You can play everything from shuffleboard to poker or action games in virtual worlds.
* Share and create photos, drawings, and videos. If you have a digital camera or mobile phone with a camera, you can transfer photos to your laptop (doing this is called uploading) or copy photos off the Internet and share them in e-mails or use them to create your own artwork. If you're artistically inclined, you can create digital drawings. Many popular websites make sharing digital movies easy, too. If you have a digital video camera and editing software, you can use editing tools to make a movie and share it with others. Steven Spielberg, look out!
* Shop online and compare products easily, day or night. You can shop for anything from a garden shed to travel deals or a new camera. Using handy online features, you can easily compare prices from several stores or read customer product reviews. Websites such as www.nextag.com list product prices from a variety of vendors on one web page, as shown in Figure 1-5, so you can find the best deals. Beyond the convenience, all this information can help you save money.
Appreciate the Portability Factor
Because your laptop is portable, you can move it around your house or around town with relative ease. What does this portability allow you to do?
* You can access your e-mail account from anywhere to stay in touch with others or get work done away from home or the office. You can also store documents online so that you can access them from anywhere.
* Use public hotspots — locations that provide access to the Internet, such as airports and Internet cafés — to go online. For example, some hotels today provide Wi-Fi access free of charge, so you can work on your laptop from the lobby or your room.
* Even if you're staying in town, it might be fun to take your laptop to a local café and putter while sipping a latte.
Check your laptop battery-life specifications. Recently, one laptop was shipped from Lenovo with a 30-hour battery life, but some still offer only about 2 hours. If you plan to use your laptop for an extended time away from a power source, be sure you've charged your battery (find out more about this in Chapter 4), and keep an eye on it. You could lose some work if you haven't saved it and the battery power runs out.
Tablets versus laptops
What's the difference between a laptop and tablet? Tablets, also called slates, are more like a hefty pad than a computer. There is no keyboard and no mouse. Instead, you tap the screen to make choices and enter text. The onscreen keyboard is still smaller than a laptop keyboard, but there are physical keyboard and mouse accessories that you can use with tablets to make input (typing text and commands) easier. Tablets also have super battery life at as much as 10 hours — almost a month in standby mode (when you're not actually using them). Tablets connect to the Internet using either Wi-Fi or 3G technologies (Wi-Fi is a network that is in close proximity to you; 3G is what your cellphone uses to connect virtually anywhere). 3G models require that you pay for your connection time.
Tablets, which are coming out from many manufacturers to compete with the iPad as of this writing, weigh about 1.5 pounds (more or less), and were first planned as devices for consuming media (watching videos and listening to music, to you and me). Whether used to read eBooks, play games such as Scrabble, browse the Internet, play music, or watch movies, these devices have proven incredibly popular. The big surprise since the launch of the iPad has been how big a hit tablets are with business and educational groups. Applications (called apps) range from credit card readers for retail businesses to eReaders such as Kindle and reasonably robust productivity tools such as word processors and spreadsheets.
However, tablets are pretty darn small. If you want a computing solution that's comfortable to work on at a desk for a few hours and pretty easy to take on the road, a laptop still has some advantages over a tablet.
(Continues...)
Excerpted from Laptops For Seniors For Dummies by Nancy C. Muir. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Excerpted by permission of John Wiley & Sons.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.
Table of Contents
Introduction 1About This Book 1
Foolish Assumptions 1
Beyond the Book 2
Where to Go from Here 2
Part 1: Get Going! 3
Chapter 1: Buying a Laptop 5
Understand All You Can Do with Laptops 6
Overview of Hardware 9
Appreciate Software 10
Understand the Difference between a Desktop and Laptop 11
Choose a Laptop 14
Select a Version of Windows 17
Determine Your Price Range 18
Understand Displays 19
Opt for Longer Battery Life 20
Use USB Ports for Storage or DVDs 21
Choose Features for Faster Performance 21
Determine How You’ll Connect to the Internet 23
Chapter 2: Setting Up Your Laptop 25
Install and Charge the Battery 26
Log on to Windows 10 27
Use the Mouse 29
Work with a Touchscreen 31
Use Shortcuts 31
Use the Function Keys 32
Set the Date and Time 33
Create a New User Account 34
Switch User Accounts 37
Shut Down Your Laptop 37
Chapter 3: Getting Around Windows 10 39
Get an Overview of Windows 10 40
Work with the Desktop 42
Display the Start Menu 44
Use Task View to See Open Apps 45
Use the Snap Feature to Organize Apps on the Desktop 46
Search for Files and Web Content with Cortana 48
Explore the Action Center 49
Find a File or Open an Application with File Explorer 50
Work with Windows 10 Using a Touchscreen 51
Create Additional Desktops 52
View All Apps in the Start Menu 53
Empty the Recycle Bin 54
Add an App to the Start Menu 56
Create a Desktop Shortcut 56
Resize Windows 57
Chapter 4: Managing Power 59
Change How Quickly the Computer Goes to Sleep 60
Change How Quickly the Display is Turned Off 62
Change the Display Brightness 63
Adjust the Battery Saver 64
Choose a Power Plan 65
Create a Customized Power Plan 67
Define Power Button Functions 68
Chapter 5: Setting Up Your Display 71
Customize the Appearance of Windows 72
Set Your Screen’s Resolution 73
Change the Desktop Background and Color 74
Change the Lock Screen Picture 76
Change Your Account Picture 77
Choose a Desktop Theme 79
Set Up a Screen Saver 81
Name Tile Groups 82
Rearrange Tiles in the Start Menu 83
Resize Tiles 83
Chapter 6: Getting Help with Vision, Hearing, and Dexterity Challenges 85
Use Tools for the Visually Challenged 86
Replace Sounds with Visual Cues 89
Make Text Larger or Smaller 91
Set Up Speech Recognition 92
Modify How Your Keyboard Works 95
Use the Onscreen Keyboard Feature 96
Set Up Keyboard Repeat Rates 98
Customize Mouse Behavior 99
Change the Cursor 101
Make Your Touch Visible 102
Chapter 7: Setting Up Printers and Scanners 105
Install a Printer 106
Add a Printer Manually 107
Set a Default Printer 110
Set Printer Preferences 112
View Currently Installed Printers 114
Remove a Printer 116
Modify Scanner Settings 116
Part 2: Getting Things Done with Software 119
Chapter 8: Connecting with Cortana 121
Get an Overview of Cortana 122
Set Up Cortana 123
Set Up Cortana’s Notebook 126
Interact with Cortana 127
Set Reminders 128
Search with Cortana 130
Identify Music with Cortana 131
Chapter 9: Working with Software 133
Launch Software 134
View Open Apps in Task View 136
Close Software 137
Move Information between Apps 137
Set App Defaults 140
Uninstall an App 141
Chapter 10: Working with Files and Folders 145
Understand How Windows Organizes Data 146
Access Recently Used Items 149
Locate Files and Folders in Your Laptop with File Explorer 150
Work with the View Ribbon 152
Search with Cortana 153
Move a File or Folder 154
Rename a File or Folder 156
Create a Shortcut to a File or Folder 157
Delete a File or Folder 158
Create a Compressed File or Folder 159
Add a Folder to Your Quick Access List 161
Back Up Files 163
Chapter 11: Working with Windows Apps 165
Get Up to Speed with the News App 166
Display Weather Views 170
Specify a Location in Weather 171
Add a Contact in the People App 173
Edit Contact Information 175
Send Email to Contacts 176
Add an Event to Your Calendar 178
Invite People to an Event 181
Work with Paint 182
Discover Paint 3D 184
Part 3: Going Online 187
Chapter 12: Hitting the Road with Your Laptop 189
Use the Maps App 190
Set Your Location 190
Show Traffic 191
Get Directions 192
Plan Travel Online 194
Get Travel Advice and Information 196
Chapter 13: Understanding Internet Basics 199
Understand What the Internet Is 200
Explore Different Types of Internet Connections 202
Set Up a Wi-Fi Internet Connection 205
Practice Navigation Basics with the Microsoft Edge App 207
Use Other Browsers 209
Understand Tabs in Browsers 210
Understand Start and Home Pages 212
Set Up a Home Page in Microsoft Edge 212
Chapter 14: Browsing the Web 215
Learn More about Microsoft Edge 216
Search the Web 218
Search the Web with Cortana 220
Use Reading View 221
Find Content on a Web Page 222
Add Your Own Notes to a Web Page 224
Add a Web Page to the Reading List 225
Pin a Tab 226
Add a Website to Favorites and Create a Folder 227
Use Favorites 228
View Your Browsing History 229
View Your Reading List 231
Print a Web Page 232
Adjust Microsoft Edge Settings 233
Chapter 15: Staying Safe While Online 235
Understand Technology Risks on the Internet 236
Use Suggested Content 239
Download Files Safely 241
Use InPrivate Browsing 243
Use SmartScreen Filter 244
Change Privacy Settings 245
Understand Information Exposure 246
Keep Your Information Private 249
Spot Phishing Scams and Other Email Fraud 251
Create Strong Passwords 253
Chapter 16: Keeping in Touch with Mail 255
Sign Up for an Internet-Based Email Account 256
Set Up an Email Account 258
Get to Know Mail 261
Open Mail and Receive Messages 263
Create and Send Email 265
Send an Attachment 267
Read a Message 269
Reply to a Message 270
Forward Email 272
Make Account Settings in Mail 273
Chapter 17: Working in the Cloud 277
Use Applications Online 278
Understand How OneDrive Works with the Cloud 280
Add Files to OneDrive Online 282
Share a File or Folder Using OneDrive 284
Create a New OneDrive Folder 285
Turn On the Sync Feature 286
Choose Which Settings You Want to Sync 288
Chapter 18: Connecting with People Online 289
Use Discussion Boards and Blogs 290
Participate in Chat 292
Understand Instant Messages (IMs) 294
Explore Skype and Add Contacts 296
Send and Receive Instant Messages (IMs) in Skype 298
Make a Call 299
Use a Webcam 301
Get an Overview of Collaborative and Social Networking Sites 303
Sign Up for a Social Networking Service 304
Understand How Online Dating Works 307
Select a Dating Service 308
Play Games Online 309
Part 4: Having Fun 311
Chapter 19: Getting Visual: Using Video, Photos, and Camera Apps 313
Get an Overview of Media Apps 314
Find Movies and TV Shows in the Store 316
Play Movies and TV Shows 318
Stream Videos from Other Sources 321
Upload Content from Your Digital Camera or Smartphone 321
Take Photos with the Camera App 322
Record Videos with the Camera App 324
View Photos in the Photos App 325
Edit Photos 327
Share Photos 328
Run a Slide Show in the Photos App 330
Chapter 20: Playing Music in Windows 10 331
Set Up Speakers 332
Adjust System Volume 333
Use Windows Media Player to Rip Music 335
Find Music in the Store 337
Buy Music 339
Search for Music with Cortana 340
Create a Playlist 341
Play Music 343
Part 5: Windows Toolkit 347
Chapter 21: Working with Networks 349
Join a Homegroup 350
Make a Connection to a Network 351
Specify What You Want to Share over a Network 353
Set Up a Wireless Network 354
Make Your Laptop Discoverable to Bluetooth 356
Connect to Bluetooth Devices 357
Go Online Using Your Cellular Network 358
Chapter 22: Protecting Windows 361
Understand Laptop Security 362
Use Other Software Protection 363
Understand Windows Update Options 364
Check for Windows Updates 365
Enable Windows Firewall 367
Run a Scan with Windows Defender 369
Change Your Laptop Password 370
Allow Firewall Exceptions 372
Use a Lock to Deter Thieves 374
Use a Fingerprint Reader 375
Protect Your Laptop from Damage 376
Use a Service to Find a Lost Laptop 377
Chapter 23: Maintaining Windows 379
Shut Down a Nonresponsive Application 380
Create a System Restore Point 381
Restore Your Laptop 383
Reset Your Laptop 385
Optimize Your Hard Drive 387
Free Disk Space 389
Index 391
