Dell Inspiron 1545 Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 142

Using Your Laptop Computer for the First Time Power Meter icon The first time you use your computer, use the AC adapter to connect your computer to an electrical outlet in case your battery is not fully charged. For best results, operate the computer with the AC adapter until the battery is fully charged. To view the battery charge status, check the Power Meter icon on the taskbar. NOTE: To preserve battery power, connect your computer to an electrical outlet when writing to a CD or DVD. Preserving the Life of a Battery The operating time of a battery, which is the time the battery can hold a charge, varies depending on how you use your laptop computer. The following will significantly reduce the operating time of your battery: • Using optical drives • Using wireless communications devices, PC Cards, Express Cards, media memory cards, or USB devices • Using high-brightness display settings, 3D screen savers, or other power- intensive programs such as complex 3D graphics applications • Running the computer in maximum performance mode (see Maintaining Your Computer for ways to adjust optimize your computer performance). The life of the battery decreases over time depending on how often the battery is used and the conditions under which it is used. You may need to purchase a new battery during the life of your computer. For more information on preserving the battery life of your laptop computer, see "Dell™ ControlPoint Power Manager" on page 146. 142 Power (Power Settings, Power Protection Devices, and Batteries)