Author: bella

The 2nd generation AirPods Pro retain the duck-head shape typical of the Pro, with a more curved and shorter neck than the traditional AirPods. As we said, they are in-ear, the kind of earbuds that have a silicone grommet at the end, designed to “plug” the ear canal. This isolates, mechanically, from external noises and is a necessary pre-condition for the proper functioning of ANC, the active noise cancellation, or that ‘magic’ that greatly reduces external sounds. One of the distinguishing features of AirPods Pro. Not everyone likes in-ear earbuds, because plugged ears generate a sort of ‘underwater effect’ that is annoying in the long run. Apple has retained its solution from the first AirPods, with a ventilation grille designed to alleviate the hollow effect. It works but only up to a point. If you know you don’t like in-ears, better to head for the traditional AirPods (find a guide to buying AirPods here) or other similar models (a type sometimes called open fit), even if you lose the ANC.
In the box there are now also XS grommets (in addition to the pre-mounted M and S and L ones: four sizes, then). Choosing the right ones is crucial for the Pro to work well and there is the usual test (now copied by many other manufacturers) that recommends the most suitable size.
On the stems remains the pressure control to switch ANC, play/pause, Siri on and off. With a very welcome novelty: by sliding your fingertip up and down on the control area, you now control the volume. A function that has never arrived on the AirPods, with the need until now to operate the iPhone or Apple Watch, or to ask Siri for help. The control works, on both earbuds, although it is not always comfortable to ‘grip’ the AirPods to handle the volume. There is also audible feedback, similar to that of the AirPods Max when you turn the digital crown, but it is not easy to hear with loud music or podcasts. If, on the other hand, you change the volume during playback, it is perfectly audible.

More attentive to people with disabilities

On the accessibility front, for instance, comes real-time transcription via machine learning of everything that passes through the sound card. It is activated by pressing the Windows + Control + L key combination and initially asks for a local vocabulary download: the system works even without a permanent Internet connection.

While most video content already has subtitles, even automatic ones, this does not apply in the case of Teams meetings, for example, or Zoom. Thanks to real-time transcription, a deaf person can follow the conversation without any problem.

The ‘caption’, as it is called in Italian, occupies the upper part of the desktop but can be repositioned like a normal window. Among the special features of the system is the possibility to include one’s own microphone and, above all, to automatically filter out vulgar content. The only limitation at the moment is the presence of the English vocabulary only: it cannot be used with other languages.

Drag & drop on the taskbar at last, but tabs in Windows Explorer only in a while

Windows 11, we had seen last year, was a bit of a work in progress: old apps hidden under a newer theme, ‘dark’ mode not flawless in its management, and many other small limitations that held back many users, who preferred to stay with Windows 10. With the update, many of these things have been revised, especially in the menu and toolbar areas. The latter, and here many will be able to breathe a sigh of relief, finally supports drag & drop: if you drag a Jpeg file onto the Photoshop icon the app will be brought to the foreground and you can then automatically open the file, or a group of files.

Windows 11 was an excellent work in progress, and with this update we can say that we have almost completed the work. Microsoft is aware that the platform is evolving and that it still needs to work on many aspects, especially in removing everything that, graphically, is legacy, but it is doing so slowly, so as not to bring down a delicate castle. The new Activity Manager panel, for example, is a small sign that slowly all traces of old Windows, there is still something of Windows NT, will disappear. Some were sceptical about the upgrade, and decided to stick with Windows 10: this new version could be the push to make the leap.

Batteries are consumable, and no matter how well you take care of them, they will eventually need to be replaced. You can never be sure that your laptop battery will never swell – it can happen to any device. You can make sure you’re using your device in a proper way to minimize the risk of damage. Here’s what you can do:
1- Don’t leave your laptop plugged-in. charge the battery properly (do not wait until it’s completely discharged, do not leave your device connected to a charger all day). Lithium-ion batteries are meant to a cycle of charge and discharge. Keeping them plugged in all the time stops them to use the capacity and hence its cells can enter into sleeping state.
2- Use the correct power charger with parameters compatible with the laptop. Finding a cheaper version of your laptop’s charger may seem like a savvy money saver but having the wrong charger can cost you in the long run which may not have a same power output which can damage the battery.
3- Replace the battery immediately if its damaged or not performing as it should. there is a standard life span of a battery so don’t expect more from it, replace it immediately.
4- Store the device in a cool, dry environment. .When you are using a laptop, you can use a radiator. Or put a wet towel at the bottom of the notebook and turn on the air conditioner, try not to block the vents on your laptop when you are using, and try to keep the battery cool. Always keep it away from flammable materials and high temperature conditions.
5-avoid overheating. always note the battery condition – if you see it’s overheating or drains too fast, consider getting a replacement
6-This is especially important when using the device for the first time. when you get a new battery, please insert adapter before the battery is completely discharged. Wait for the device to turn off before you start charging the battery.
7- If you want to leave the laptop idle for a long time, please remember to remove the battery and store it separately.

1-After the new battery is installed, please use the original adapter to activate it. Please charge for 8 hours for the first three times, then discharge to 10-15%, and cycle three times
2-Please charge the battery in time when the battery power reaches 10-15% in normal times to avoid low-voltage discharge and prolong battery life
3-Use battery to work at least 2-3 times a month. It is easy to swell if not used for a long time
4-After the computer shuts down at night, try to unplug the adapter power, because the adapter current will always impact the battery power supply chip
5-The computer should not be placed in a high temperature environment for a long time, because the polymer ultra-thin battery cell is easy to expand
6-Please put waste batteries in a special waste battery recycling bin, because the pollution of batteries is very huge.

The only correct and best way to resolve an issue of a swollen battery is replacement of the entire battery. The swollen batteries cannot be fixed or healed – just recycled and replaced. Even if your device still works, the battery must be replaced immediately. Using the device or leaving it connected to power can pose risks.

Once a battery starts to swell, it is considered compromised in every way and a replacement is the only way to avoid further damage to your laptop. And most important: At the first sign of battery swelling, back up any crucial data ASAP, discontinue the use of the laptop and discharge it by disconnecting the AC Adapter and letting the battery drain.

Do not press on the swollen battery (or screen or casing that’s popping up).

If your device has a user-removable battery, you can try to carefully remove it and place it in a container in a safe cool place. Be sure to wear eye protection and gloves. Place the device on a flat surface, previously removing all the flammable objects from the vicinity. The laptop should first cool down. Later you could try removing the battery – remember to be careful. Don’t try wedging it up or prodding it with sharp devices, or flex it in a swollen state, and whatever you do, do not puncture the swollen battery—some of the gases could be harmful.

If you’re not 100% sure whether the battery is at fault, you find it hard to remove the battery or are afraid to do it on your own – take your laptop to a service store.

A variety of problems—some rather subtle, or impossible to ignore—can indicate that the internal battery is swelling, such as the screen not closing properly, a gap between the upper and lower parts of the case(enclosure splitting), a failure to sit perfectly flat, system rocking when placed on an even surface, touchpad or keyboard lifting or not working properly, and keyboard and touchpad might begin to warp or could start protruding. Sometimes it may be accompanied by: overheating, fast-draining battery.

If your system has gone through 500-600 charge-discharge cycles, you should replace the battery on priority basis, some users who wait till the battery backup comes down to 5 minutes and don’t consider to replace the laptop battery then the battery can swell.

With an iPhone or iPad, a swollen battery is usually obvious because it starts to warp the case and can even crack the screen—it all depends on where the swelling takes place and what part of the device gives way first.

In some cases, a swollen battery may also leak, resulting in a very pungent strong smell of metal. This can easily damage other components to the point where it may be unable to be used.
If you smell burning or metal, it is best that you immediately stop all operations on your laptop and let it be looked at by a professional.

It is known to all that almost all batteries are lithium batteries now. When charging, the lithium electronic polymer will produce a small amount of gas when it is discharged, which will cause a slight expansion, that’s normal. Overtime that gas will build up and cause the battery to expand.
Other Causes of Laptop Battery Swelling

1- overcharging.
2- Manufacturing defect, such as no protective plate inside, unreasonable distribution of positive and negative plates, uneven distribution of lye (electrolyte),etc.
3- Exposure to high temperature, the battery will be overheated and deformed.
4- Deep discharge.
5- Damage to the battery, such as damage to the membranes that separate the internal layers of the battery.
6- Natural aging.
7-Using a charger of the wrong voltage rating.

Redmi K60: will it come with Dynamic Island?
Rumours speculate that this flagship smartphone line-up will be available no earlier than 2023. In fact, information reports a debut for early next year. There should be models with Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 and devices with Snapdragon 8 Gen 2. Unfortunately, the leaks end there.

Apple introduced the new iPhone 14 Pro and 14 Pro Max a few weeks ago with this unprecedented feature: the notch gives way to the Dynamic Island, an interactive system that features selfies, sensors and a pop-up notification system that changes size depending on the app. It is now only compatible with system apps and some third-party software, but should be compatible with all programmes in the future.

To date, the full list of compatible apps has been made public by the youtuber MKBHD; the guy also demonstrated how all the dynamic island options work. According to him, ‘in the coming months, many Android OEMs will copy this feature’.

Packaging and content
Apple’s packaging is familiar. Apart from the iPhone, all we find is the USB-C to Lightning cable and an Apple sticker.

Materials design and touch-and-feel
The materials of the Pro are glass and steel instead of aluminium, compared to which it is stronger but also heavier. The thickness is 7.9 millimetres and the weight 206 grams, but in the hand it holds well, the dimensions are just right and the grip is there.

Yes, we can finally say it for an iPhone too: the always-on display is there! Regarding connectivity we find 5G, WiFi 6, Bluetooth 5.3, dual-band GPS and, in the US only, satellite service to send emergency calls.

Display
The display is a 6.1-inch LTPO OLED with 120Hz refresh rate, Dolby Vision, and a peak brightness of 2,000 nits, which is flawless when set to minimum and is always clearly visible when set to maximum, even in direct sunlight, the sensor adjusting it automatically being dual. In short I would say the best display ever seen on an iPhone, on a par with Samsung’s tops with the only flaw, common to the iPhone 13 Pro, that when it gets really hot it goes into a sort of protection mode and reduces the maximum brightness.

Processor and memory
The processor is Apple’s 4nm A16 Bionic flanked by 6GB of RAM and 128, 256, 512GB or 1TB of non-expandable internal storage.

Battery
The battery is a 3,200mAh 12.4 Wh that charges at 20W, 50% in 30 minutes, or wirelessly at 15W. It might seem small, but combined with the new 4nm A16 chip and iOS 16 optimisation the result is great, reaching the end of my stress day with still 25/30% or 15% if we keep always-on.

Software and ecosystem
iOS 16 has several new features that we have already talked about but the real innovation here, both hardware and software is the Dynamic Island. Apple has managed to turn what would be a classic and ugly hole in the display into something pleasant or even useful. Useful because this ‘island’ that expands and adapts to incoming notifications or the main info of apps running in the background shows information that was previously not shown, or in any case makes it accessible only with a touch, acting as a shortcut.

Phone department
The phone department is excellent both in terms of reception and audio quality, whether capsule or speakerphone. What is really anachronistic now is the dialer, which does not allow a quick search among contacts and does not warn of possible SPAM numbers.