Intel: Haswell allows laptop to last 24 hours on one charge

Tags: Cloud Computing, Office Computers, Virtual Office

By Melanie Pinola | Sep 16, 2011

Think you're lucky when your laptop doesn't die after six or even eight hours of use? Just wait until Intel's next processor platform, code named Haswell, arrives. At the Intel Developer Forum on Tuesday, Intel claimed that the Haswell chips, slated for 2013, will offer more than 10 days of connected standby battery life and the ability to run your laptop for a full 24 hours on one charge. Standby connected power will be decreased about 20 times over current Sandy Bridge processors. In real-life terms, this means you could put your laptop to sleep, unplugged, and it could still be working in the background, getting your emails and IMs, for ten days straight. With 24 hours of battery life, those long-distance flights and day trips will no longer be a worry. Before Haswell products arrive on the scene, however, we'll see "Ivy Bridge" chips, which also use new 22-nanometer architecture. Ivy Bridge chips are due early next year as the replacement for Sandy Bridge processors and will help make laptops more power efficient as well.

 

OFFICE ERGONOMIC GUIDELINES - EQUIPMENT SET UP

Tags:  Office Furniture | Office Equipment

 

Visual Display Unit

• Adjustable brightness and contrast between the background and the text
• Free from reflections, screen flicker and glare
• Able to rotate and tilt to be easily adjustable
• At an appropriate height above the work surface where the top line of text is just below eye level (15 degrees)
• Legible characters of appropriate size, colour and quality
• No greater than six colours should be simultaneously displayed

The orientation of the VDU will also influence posture, particularly head posture and ease of viewing

VDU Adjustments

• Fixed monitor raisers or monitor arms are used at times to enable optimum screen placement.
• Some monitor arms offer increased flexibility in monitor heights. These are often a good consideration for multiple user stations
• Desk top stands often take up more desk space than the monitor arms– a small number have adjustable heights
• Some large monitors may require the desk to pulled out from the wall to ensure it is at a comfortable viewing distance. Care needs to be taken with balancing the equipment to prevent tipping.
• Phone books may provide an adequate short term solution to adjusting monitor height, providing they are not required to be accessed once the monitor is set upon them.

Anti-Glare Filters

• Alternative light control options should be investigated first eg blinds to reduce glare from the work environment.
• Glass, mesh and plastic filters are available and a correct fit to the screen is important
• Regular cleaning is necessary for optimum long-term use.

Document Holders

The source material should not be positioned flat on the desk or in a position to the extreme side of the monitor. To read a document at such angles requires prolonged bending and twisting of the neck and therefore greater prolonged muscle tension.

Preferences for document holders

• At a comfortable viewing distance in line with the screen
• A3 size document holders located between the keyboard and screen can conserve desk space
• Stable and free from vibration
• Consider as well, the need to turn pages frequently or write on the document
• Select from designs on the basis of document size, weight, legibility of documents and reading distance

Keyboards

Keyboard type and position

• It is preferable that the keyboard be separate from the screen to allow the screen and the keyboard to be independently adjusted. This requirement is essential for intensive users.
• There are various keyboard designs, including split keyboards, compact, "Internet" and "ergonomic". These will need to be trialled to check whether the design matches the hand size, finger reach and keying style of the users.
• A shorter, compact keyboard can sometimes assist in reducing arm and shoulder fatigue in combined keying and mouse tasks as it reduces the reach required when using the mouse. Correct arm posture is also important. The primary part of the keyboard to be used (ie alpha or numeric), should be directly aligned in front of the body

Laptop computers

• Laptop screens and keyboards cannot be optimally adjusted and consistent use of these for input work is not recommended.
• Attachment of a standard keyboard and mouse and placement of the lap top unit at a height with the top line of text just below the eye line is important for extended keying.

Keying Technique

• Over stretching the fingers to reach shift and function keys should be avoided
• Micro pauses in between program operations are important eg resting hand in lap whilst document saves
• Touch typing skills and keyboard short cuts are advantageous as they can cut down on key strokes and mouse use

Mouse Controls

The problems associated with intense mouse work and work without breaks cannot be solved by mouse design alone. Consider the following options and seek trial of mouse design before purchase where possible through suppliers or colleagues.

Mouse shape and position

• The slope and shape of the mouse fits you best when it allows your wrist to be aligned with the forearm and not at an angle to either side
• Consider the incline of the mouse to ensure there is minimal bending up of the wrist
• The mouse should be used as close as possible to the keyboard

Mouse movement and use

• Controls that allow a variety of finger movement rather than holding a position on a button are preferred as this ensures better blood flow to the muscles and prevents fatigue
• Easy alternation between the left and right hands is a beneficial consideration if extensive mouse use is required
• Moving the whole forearm and not just the wrist side to side to operate the mouse is also important

Speed

• Speed can often be altered through the Control panel or mouse software and should be considered as an option to reduce the demands of maintaining a tense grip to control excess movement

Activation force and grip

• A concerted effort needs to be made to relax the grip on the mouse and release the mouse when not in use
• Minimal activation force for button operation is desirable. Eg: standard Microsoft Mouse requires minimal force

Scrolling options

• Scroll wheels can reduce prolonged holding down of mouse buttons eg during web searches
• Take care the wheel use does not cause extra finger strain

Track ball controls

• The mouse with the trackball on the top at the middle often places the wrist at an excessive angle and requires the fingers and thumb to stretch when operating the ball. This may cause problems for those with high levels of use, and for people with small hands

Chairs

• Sitting too long in any chair will lead to fatigue and stress on the spinal column.
  A chair needs to maintain the curves of the spine by providing adequate support to the lower back curve. The backrest should be sufficiently padded and contoured to fit and support the small of the back.
• Individual chair needs are different.
  Purchase of standard chairs for the whole work group is not recommended without considering people who are shorter, taller or larger than the average. For larger workers a longer seat base is often more comfortable to support the weight and length of the legs.
• Varied postures are important.
  Consider a chair which allows alternation between a semi-reclined and upright posture throughout the day, eg when on the phone.

Chair preferences

• Adjustable in height whilst seated
• Stable under normal operating conditions at all heights
• Have backrest adjustable in height and tilt whilst seated on the chair
• Allow close access to the desk. Some armrests impede correct arm posture whilst keying
• Select styles to suit task requirements eg. Sit-stand stools, glides rather than castors for vinyl floors, easy care covering, draughting style for high desktops
• Some people prefer a higher back rest which can offer a good opportunity to change posture and lean back when reading
• The backrest width should not impede keying posture by causing the arms to be held out to the side

Chair Movement

• Chairs may not move easily across some surfaces leading to extra strain on the upper limbs in pulling and pushing the worker towards or away from the desk
• Use of a plastic or vinyl floor mat over carpet can be of assistance

Castors or glides

• Glides are recommended if chairs are on linoleum or similar floors, as castors may present a hazard by rolling too freely
• Lockable castors may be used on linoleum floors. These are free rolling when there is no weight on the chair, and lock in position when weight is applied

Desks

When selecting a desk design, consider the tasks to be performed and the adjustability required to meet the range of sizes of users and the diversity of task performed at the desk.

Desk top size

Desk top sizeAdequate width and depth of desk top allows for correct posture at the keyboard. If there is insufficient space for source documents, muscles can be strained by holding or balancing documents. Australian Standard 3590.2-1990 Screen based Workstations, defines the following minimum desk top sizes;

• Mixed tasks eg computer and clerical - 1500 X 900mm
• Singe tasks eg computer only - 1200 X 900mm

Large monitors may necessitate the need for larger space.

Desk Height

• Older style desks are often too high for most employees compared to those designed for computer use. With increased desk height there is a tendency to tense the shoulders to key or write
• Adjustable desks are an advantage where desks are shared by different sized workers
• Australian Standard 3590.2-1990 states fixed height keyboard desks should be in the height range of 680 mm to 710mm

Standing height benches

For standing height benches such as laboratory benches or reception counters, adjustable height is preferred to suit workers of different heights. In most offices, having a higher work area is often useful to provide safe and efficient working postures for layout, sorting and collating of documents. Australian Standard 3590.2-1990 states;

• Fixed height – approximately 950mm
• Adjustable height – at least adjustable between 900 and 1100mm

Leg Well Space

The underside of the desk should be free from obstruction to the knees and shins through items such as under desk CPU holders and drawer units. Australian Standard 3590.2-1990 recommends the following for leg well spaces;

• Minimum depth 550mm
• Minimum width 800mm
• The desk top and supporting frame should be a maximum thickness of 30mm to allow for adequate leg clearance.

Cutout keyboard platforms (part of the desk structure)

• Can assist with establishing a relaxed shoulder position whilst keying by lowering the keyboard
• Designs which adequately fit the mouse control on the same level are preferred as raising the shoulder and over reaching to the mouse must be minimised

Attached keyboard extensions (located under the desk on a moveable arm)

• Purchase of desks fitting the standard depths rather than this equipment is the preferred option thus allowing monitor and keyboard location on the desk top
• Fittings may obstruct leg space
• Need to look for designs that fits mouse at same level

Desk top raise

• Extended periods of reading or writing at a desk may cause flexed and uncomfortable postures. Bringing the material up to the worker on a sloping work surface with a desk top raise may be helpful. Various sizes are available.

Equipment Layout on Desktop

• Generally the items most frequently handled should be within easy reach
• Less frequently used equipment and materials should be placed within the distance reached by the outstretched arm

Phones

• Telephones are ideally positioned on the non-dominant side to allow pick up and holding in the non-dominant hand while writing or keying with the dominant hand
• Holding the handset between the shoulder and ear creates excessive muscular tension in the shoulder and neck
• When phone answering is frequently combined with keying and or writing a phone head set should be considered

 

Footrests

• The footrest should be stable, height adjustable and large enough to comfortably accommodate both feet.

Office Accessories and Non Routine Processes

• Repetitive, forceful and awkward hand and wrist postures whilst using office accessories also needs to be avoided as this can also lead to discomfort
• Non routine processes involving prolonged tasks such as stapling, hole punching, flipping through heavy lever arch files, guillotining, handling of heavy reference texts and large mail outs should only be performed for short intervals, at a relaxed pace. Staff are often not conditioned to perform these tasks for extended periods and are therefore at higher risk of injury.

PC Set Up for Bi/tri/mutli-focal Wearers

• As we age it is natural for our visual capacities to decline. It is important to have you eyes checked regularly. Current advice from the Australian College of Opthamology states the use of computers does not cause damage to an employee's vision.
• For those who wear bi/tri or mutli focal spectacles, the standard set up of the monitor may not be adequate and may contribute to poor neck posture.
• The monitor must be positioned low enough to allow the user to correctly utilise their spectacles without having to raise their chin to look at the screen.
• The monitor distance from the user needs to match the focal length of the spectacles.
• It is vital you inform your eye practitioner regarding your work activities to ensure the spectacles prescribed suit the primary tasks performed at work.

 

Microsoft launches Windows 8 preview

Tags: Office Computers  Cloud Computing

Kicking off Microsoft's BUILD conference, Steven Sinofsky pitches the company's next generation operating system

Steven Sinofsky, president of Windows and Windows Live Divisions at Microsoft, talks to developers about the Windows 8 Developer Preview during the opening BUILD keynote, 13 September 2011, in Anaheim, California.

Microsoft will post the first developer preview beta of Windows 8 late on Tuesday, the company announced as it showed off the new OS running on a Samsung tablet.

Steven Sinofsky, president of the Windows division, announced the release at Microsoft's "Build" Professional Developers Conference, being held this week in Anaheim, California. The beta version, intended for developers, will be posted at 8 p.m. Pacific Time.

The 5,000 developers in attendance will each get their copies along with a tablet produced by Samsung, preloaded with this early edition of Windows 8. The "Developer Preview PC," as it is called, runs an Intel Core i5 processor, a 1366 -by-768 pixel touch sensitive display, a 64GB solid state drive, and 4GB of DDR3 memory.

Such a portable device is typical of the new tablets and touch screen devices Microsoft is hoping Windows 8 will power. "Things are a lot different than in 1995, the last time Windows went through a major change," Sinosfky said.

Windows 8 is Microsoft's first significant step beyond the traditional desktop-bound OS, as well as the first major challenger that company has presented to Apple's popular iPad.

Sinofsky, along with other Microsoft executives, spent over two hours explaining the many ways that Windows 8 differs from its predecessors. Most notably, they extolled the virtues of the new Metro interface, which emphasizes interaction with applications through touch interfaces. It will also be the first version to support processors based on the ARM architecture, paving the way for its use on mobile, low-powered devices.

Performance improvements abound with the new release. Memory use has been improved, for instance. Sinofsky showed off how, in a netbook, Windows 7 would consume more memory than Windows 8. When it ran Windows 7, the netbook used on average around 400MB of memory, while the same workload on Windows 8 consumed less than 300MB. The improvements come about thanks to a new routine that can identify duplicate code, such as a library used by multiple applications, residing in memory.

Microsoft also showed off support for USB 3.0, which can speed transfer times. USB 3 copies at 166MB per second compared with about 40MB per second for the older version of USB.

For the business market, Sinofsky also demonstrated a remote desktop access application in Windows 8 that will allow users to log into and make full use another Windows 8 computer, through the touch interface. He also showed Windows 8's virtualization capabilities, designed to allow users to build and run a virtual machine. The presenters demonstrated a new task manager that shows CPU, disk, networking usage and performance. They also showed off a system wide spell checker, which can be used by any application. Developers can also make use of other routine tasks embedded in Windows 8, such as search and networking.

Another big change for developers is the option to use Web standards, such as HTML5, JavaScript and CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) to write Windows Metro-style applications. "This is a departure from prior operating systems," said IDC software analyst Al Hilwa. "This is a smart way of attracting new developers who have moved to standard technologies."

 

Office Desking-Hot or Not

Tags: Cloud Computing, Office Furniture, Office Space

Once upon a time, an employee's desk was a home away from home.

Adorned with paraphernalia of hobbies and interests and obligatory family photos, it was as much a statement of identity as it was a place to perform a job.

But this cosy space is slowly being taken away. Hot-desking is the culprit.

Otherwise known as 'hotelling', it's a practice whereby employees don't have a permanent place to sit.

Instead, when they arrive at work, they take any seat that's available. Where they sit today might not be where they sit tomorrow.

It's a policy that Macquarie Bank introduced two years ago at its head office at Sydney's Darling Harbour.

They call it 'activity-based working', a more palatable expression of the same concept.

A spokesperson told me that even though people don't have their own desk, they still have an 'anchor point', which is a locker and a place to congregate with their team. Upon arrival in the morning, employees choose where they'd like to work - anywhere in the building.

A recent staff survey showed that the majority of the building's 2500 employees don't want to return to the traditional methods of working.

"Our teams aren't sitting in silos, and they're able to work a lot better together," explained the spokesperson. "It supports the sharing of information, the sharing of knowledge, and it brings people together from different parts of the business."

But research suggests that hot-desking isn't a driver of collaboration. A study released by the University of Sheffield in the UK shows it diminishes the connection between colleagues, and the scattered locations make it difficult for people to communicate with each other. 

George Mylonas is a psychologist and workplace interior designer. I asked him whether hot-desking is a good idea.

"It depends on the situation," he said.

"For some organisations that have a lot of staff on the road, such as sales reps or consultants, they're used to not having their own desk, so they're better able to adapt. But hot-desking is not for everyone. Some people find it difficult to adjust and acclimatise to different colleagues and different locations on a regular basis."

Hot-desking seems to be the favoured option for organisations with a large number of part-time staff.

Rather than having vacant desks gathering dust, it makes sense to share.

It reminds me, though, of a big team of part-timers I once managed, all of whom were hot-desking. I was constantly inundated with complaints of dirty mugs, coffee stains, messy desks, damaged computers, and hazardous ergonomics. It was a non-stop source of discontent.

For businesses considering a move to a hot-desking environment, Mylonas emphasised the importance of involving staff in the process.

"Employees are more likely to accept these changes if they're involved along the way, and if they know how it's going to benefit them and the work they perform," he said.

He pinpointed two common issues. The first is that some employees feel isolated and team-less. The second is that hot-desking removes the opportunity for employees to personalise their workspace.

Both concerns can be mitigated by having designated zones where staff can interact with their colleagues and "mark their territory" - similar to Macquarie Bank's anchor points.

Recruitment firm Kelly Executive has noticed an increase in the number of workplaces transitioning into hot-desking environments. And they don't like it.

General manager Ray Fleming told me that "the popularity of hot-desking is being driven by the obvious environmental and cost benefits but may not be the right option for all types of businesses".

He added that productivity and motivation are maximised when employees have their own workspace.

It helps them to "feel part of the organisation and solidifies their position in the team, and businesses need to keep this in mind. Businesses also need to be aware that shifting to hot-desking just to save money may drive some employees to look elsewhere for employment".

http://officeprohub.com 

 

Why First Impressions Count To New Clients

The best way to impress your potential clients begins from the moment the client enters into the building. The first thing they see is the reception furniture, how the furniture has been arranged and what the general room looks like in terms of organisation and cleanliness. Imagine for a moment that you walk into a corporate building, when the first thing you see is a stack of boxes piling up on the floor by the entrance door, no receptionist at the reception desk and all of the reception furniture are dated tattered and unkept.

Your immediate reaction is to ask yourself where the nearest receptionist or member of staff is located. Once you have found the member of staff, they ask you to take a seat; you wince and try not to make it obvious that you have no intentions of sitting on a couch that has holes on the arms and stains that appear to be from previous drink spillages. Now imagine if this was your office or company building and your new client is walking in to find badly presented reception furniture.

Part of impressing your client is to communicate with them as a professional individual with the ability to network efficiently. When holding a meeting at your establishment the last thing you would want is to greet them in an unorganised office, which is unclean and is clearly not a suitable working environment. You will also need to establish how to arrange all of the furniture in the reception area, but allowing more space for walking round and keeping the furniture layout simple.

Keeping boxes stacked in front of the door to the reception area is both a hazard and is not recommended if this is a designated fire exit. The reception furniture itself must not be elaborately designed and should match the rest of the decor of the office. Of course, if you work in a very informal environment then this is a different matter altogether, some public buildings may have such wacky furniture to suit the theme of the building.

Generally, corporate buildings stick to simple, modern and neutral coloured furniture that compliment the design and style of the rest of the office. This gives a more professional and calm tone to it. Most of these buildings have a very specific style about them as they are targeted towards serving a specific purpose, therefore when clients come in they have a more conservative and business-like nature about them.

Picking the right reception furniture for your office is not as easy as some may think, as this requires understanding on what type of furniture will give out the right impression and what ones give out the wrong impressions. You should make that they are also laid out evenly around the room, but allowing plenty of space to manoeuvre and opening the room up. Often some establishments can make the mistake in ordering more desks or chairs over a period, which then leads to the offices becoming cluttered with furniture.

The best thing to do is to seek professional advice on how best to lay out everything in the office, without have to make too many dramatic changes and preferably with knocking any walls. This can be achieved through making accurate judgement on where best to move the furniture, which will bring out more space. The size of the furniture is vital if you are looking to save space, so make sure you take some measurements before going out to buy your online reception furniture.

Ergonomic Work Chairs Help Keep You Healthy

Ergonomic office chairs add style to your office or personal space. But the main reason people turn to an ergonomic work chair is for the support it can provide for your back and your body. The benefits of ergonomic desks and chairs are plenty as they are particularly designed to provide maximum comfort and improve how long you can sit without hurting yourself.

Ergonomic work chairs are great, but, as compared to usual chairs, ergonomic chairs are a bit expensive. They are usually expensive because they are usually offered by chair designers so you will pay a premium for them. You pay for the work going into the design of a well made chair, and typically a work chair is made with better materials. However, for those that work long hours, and sit for long periods of time, an ergonomic work chair can make a huge difference in your overall well being.

There are ways to find great prices. You can visit online retail shops and discounted shops to attain the best bargain on ergonomic chairs. These online stores provide alot of promotional and discounted offers to the customers and you just might be lucky enough to grab one of them. If looking for ergonomic chairs offline, then you may visit the showrooms, furniture exhibits and trade fairs organized from time to time in your city to fetch good offers on ergonomic chairs range. Keep an eye out for sales.

Ergonomic chairs are available in a wide range, such as massage chairs, orthopedic chairs, executive chairs, kneelers, swivels and lots more. You can find chairs made in many different styles and materials. The padding and design of every ergonomic chair will differ according to its utility. So while making a selection on ergonomic chairs, you may list down the features you are looking for and accordingly carry out market research before buying.

Typically, the desk chairs don't let you slump on a chair in an incorrect posture, which is detrimental to your overall health and may aggravate problems of spine and back. As ergonomic chairs allow you to sit in a correct sitting posture,your spine posture is still maintained even if you kneel or slump. Your back muscles and stomach muscles are not strained and you need not worry about stiffness of muscles, joints, headache and lower abdomen pain and back pain.

Besides that you can consider options like adjustable lumber in back support models. This will help to keep your body relaxed and healthy during working hours. Ergonomic chairs like, massage chairs, orthopedic chairs and therapeutic chairs also help reduce work stress and stiffness of muscles and joints.

In addition to helping keep your spine in check, the design of a good work chair will keep your body in complete proportion. You should feel fine and relaxed when you are sitting in the chair. Your shoulders should not feel cruched, your feet should be planted evenly on the ground, and at no point should you feel any circulation cut off.

Ergonomic chairs come in a vast variety of shapes, adjustable features and sizes ranging from flat seats, contoured seats, stretch seats, petite seats for smaller people.

When you are ready to buy your chair, go to stores and try the different models and see what works best for you. Then go about finding the best prices either in brick and mortar stores and at online stores

Choosing Office Furniture

There are many different types of office furniture on offer to a wide range of business that have their base at an office. There are huge varieties of different types of furniture that are on offer from tables and chairs to desks and storage cabinets, these are available worldwide in many different stores as well as on the internet in many online stores.

This is ideal for all types of businesses that need office furniture, for example a newly set up business that has just moved into an office building will need to order all their equipment and furniture that they are going to use in the office. The most common pieces of office furniture that are on the market today are the wide range of office chairs including comfort chairs and armchairs.

The other common piece of furniture is the wide range of desks and tables that are on offer to all businesses. These include workstations for employees to sit and work at as well as boardroom desks where executives and managers can hold board meetings to discuss important events relating to the business.

These desks and tables come in different dimensions and each has their own iconic look about them. This allows some individuality within the office and provides some colour instead of all the desks looking the same and making the office look dull. An additional help to this is the designs of the desks and tables. With many new shapes such as semi circle layouts and curvy lines it makes the desks look modern and 'cool' compared to traditional square desks.

Seating is also very important as employees are going to sit for long periods of time working at a desk then the chairs they are going to be sitting on need to be comfy. This means that businesses need to check their products before they buy them to make sure they will not break and are comfy enough to sit on for long periods of time.

These office chairs can come in a wide range. For example, you can have fixed chairs that are made of cotton or leather and can provide considerable support to the person when sitting down. There is also the option of having large and luxurious armchairs which can be fixed or are moveable with wheels on the bottom.

These chairs provide a huge amount of comfort to the users and allow them to work and concentrate without them being uncomfortable or distracted. These are normally associated with executive chairs and conference chairs.

Other pieces of office furniture that businesses can buy are storage facilities such as cabinets and lockers. These are ideal as any loose equipment or belongings that could get in the way can be stored easily in these lockers and cabinets, meaning that there is more room for anything extra in the offices that the businesses may want to include.

These office cupboards and cabinets have been improved over the years to fit into small spaces and corners with new shapes and sizes. Also moveable storage units are very easy and clever for all businesses that have a relatively small office and are quite busy. This means any loose equipment or rubbish can be stored into these cabinets and then moved out of the way instead of being in a fixed position. This also frees up room around the office allowing easier movement and space.

With more and more businesses setting up in offices the market is booming with record sales and prices may rise. The range has never been so big and there is plenty of different furniture to choose from that will suit any office environment.