temperature

Sometimes after running a system update, be it a security patch, an incremental OS update, or a full upgrade to a new OS version, you may experience problems with the system's fans running loudly. This may happen immediately and continuously after updating the system, or it may be an intermittent but frequent occurrence. Sometimes this can be coupled with system slowdowns, but at other times it may seem to happen with no other apparent effects.

There are several reasons why this can happen, including corrupt hardware settings, corruption in software configurations and temporary files, and a fault in the … Read more

It's always great to save money on gadgets, but even better when that gadget helps you save even more money.

For example, the Black & Decker Thermal Leak Detector helps you locate hidden energy leaks in your home. Patch 'em up and you could save a small fortune on heating and cooling.

The gizmo has a list price of $60, but Lowe's has the Thermal Leak Detector for $29 (plus sales tax). The only hitch is that you have to pick it up in-store. (Truck delivery is laughably expensive.)

Update: Apparently this was a regional deal. Although it … Read more

Owners of the new Ford Focus Electric won't have to worry about going out to warm up the car before driving on a winter's day, the car will warm up its battery pack automatically if left plugged in.

Ford announced Thursday its Focus Electric, due out next year in the U.S., will contain a lithium ion battery pack with a liquid-based thermal management system.

In addition to keeping the car's battery within a preferred temperature range while engaged, the system also kicks in to cool or warm the car's battery pack as needed while it'… Read more

Record-breaking heat in San Francisco earlier this week got me thinking about the effect of temperature and other external conditions on portable electronics. Most gadgets weren't designed to withstand extreme heat or cold, or to fend off excessive moisture (with some notable exceptions). With that in mind, I've compiled the following tips to help you keep your tech in good working order.

It may already be nearing the end of August, but many of us still have several warm, sunny weeks left. During that time, DON'T leave your cell phone, MP3 player, or other portable device in your car all day long--especially in direct sunlight. (In this city, doing that is just begging to have your car window smashed in, as well.) Gadgets, like prescription meds, are best kept at room temperature. Exposing them to extremes can damage the internal hardware, causing system malfunctions and general user unhappiness.

If you're wondering about the limitations of your device, DO check out the packaging; most electronics call out an appropriate temperature range in the specs. For example, the iPod Touch is guaranteed operational between 32 degrees and 95 degrees Fahrenheit. As you can see, the upper end of that range is not all that high. From what I've been told, many parts of the country also dip well below freezing some months of the year, so heed this advice in the winter as well. (Or just spend November through March in California--it's totally affordable, I swear.)… Read more

One of the biggest concerns to come out of the early days of the iPad revolves around an apparent problem with rising temperatures when operating the touch-screen tablet in direct sunlight or other hot conditions.… Read more

Hard Disk Sentinel monitors and tests the health of your computer's hard disks. Although casual users may find some of the information helpful, this tool is better left to those already familiar with the metrics associated with PC performance.

The application monitors hard disk activity and performance. To do so, it integrates information from disks that use Self-Monitoring, Analysis and Reporting Technology (SMART), which measures mechanical failures during such processes as seeking and spin-up/spin-down. Hard Disk Sentinel also provides several tests to run through these processes. Errors are logged, and you can save or e-mail reports. Registered users ($… Read more

If you've got burnt thighs from an old MacBook Pro or you notice that your computer is always overheating and crashing from using CPU-intensive apps (like playing PC games in a virtual Windows environment), you might want to check out smcFanControl. This free, GPL-licensed utility has a single purpose: letting you increase the minimum speed of built-in fans, so your Intel computer will run cooler.

smcFanControl lets you monitor the current temperature (in Celsius or Fahrenheit), assign different minimum speeds for each fan using sliders, and even apply different settings when your power source changes (for example, going back … Read more

At first glance, Smart Diary seems similar to many other planners, with various calendar views and the ability to set tasks. What really sets Smart Diary apart is its diary feature, which is unlike anything we've seen before in this sort of program.

The program's interface is attractive and intuitive, with a surprisingly sleek calendar design. It's easy to do all the basics, like adding events and tasks, scheduling reminders, printing schedules, and so on. Everything is neatly arranged with tabs and drop-down menus, allowing users to quickly find the functions they want. What really impressed us … Read more

This updated weather application offers a smorgasbord of weather-related data. Once you've provided a zip code or city, Weather Watcher Live's easy-to-use interface displays detailed weather information, including forecasts, temperature, and expected highs and lows. You can add as many locations as you'd like and switch among them using the system-tray icon.

Automatic updates keep you abreast of the current wind speed, dew point, humidity, barometric pressure, and moon phases. You can display your location's current weather conditions by mousing over the temperature readout in your system tray. Weather Watcher Live provides extensive customizations, measurement conversions, … Read more