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DADDY BOB'S COMPUTER Q & A
February 14, 2010
Q.
I have a laptop and the display dims when I
go from AC power to battery. Once plugged in
the display brightens again. Is there a
setting so this display will be bright all
the time? I find this annoying and have not
located such a setting.
A.
First, if you have not located a method to
control the screen brightness, you probably
have not read the User's manual that came
with your computer. The screen dimming when
switching from AC to battery is the default
setting on most laptops to warn you that you
are running on battery. The brighter the
screen the more power it takes so on battery
it is reduced a little.
On most
laptops, you can change the brightness
setting by holding down the Fn key and
tapping another key. On most Dell computers,
this other key is the Cursor up or down
keys. On an Acer it will probably be the
Cursor right and left keys. Other
manufacturer's use other keys. Since most
people that use laptops haven't read the
User's manual and haven't a clue about what
this Fn key is for, I'll explain further.
The Fn key is a modifier key
used in a compact layout to
combine keys which are
usually kept separate on
full sized keyboards. It is
typically found on laptops,
since a full sized keyboard
would be difficult to fit in
a laptop chassis.
It differs from the
normal (function) keys, the
F1 thru F12 at the top of a
keyboard, in that they are
not user programmable, and
have fixed functions usually
determined by the computer
manufacturer. Just what the
Fn stands for is debatable
with the majority consensus
being that they are Function
keys, and differentiated
from the other Function keys
by the lower case n.
Typically in a compact
layout, the main area of the
keyboard is kept in much the
same layout as with a
full-sized keyboard, and the
numeric keypad is moved to
share a group of central
keys. This allows
keyboarders to enter text
without having to learn a
new layout.
Unlike other modifier keys
such as Shift, Ctrl or Alt,
the control processor inside
the keyboard typically sends
out a different key code
depending on whether the Fn
key is depressed. This
allows the keyboard to
emulate a full sized
keyboard and the operating
system can use standard key
matrix maps designed for a
full sized keyboard.
The color
of the Fn on the key is usually blue. If you
look closely at the other keys on your
laptop keyboard, you will see some of them
have something on them in blue also. Some
may be words like Stand By or Hibernate, but
most will just be symbols. Holding down the
Fn key and pressing these other keys perform
the action indicated by the word or symbol
on that key.
Your
User's Manual that either comes with, or is
accessible on the computer surely covers the
operation of the Fn key and many other oft
unknown features of the computer. Sadly,
experience has taught me that very few users
ever read these manuals. The main difference
between a laptop user, and a knowledgeable
laptop user is the later has read the
manual. This is the main reason that
manufactures no longer supply a printed User
Manual with most new equipment is the fact
that they are rarely used.
Therefore, the best way to find out what the
Fn key presses do, may be to just try them
and see. Most are "toggles", meaning they do
one thing on a press, and reverse it on the
next press, or they have reversing keys next
to them. The mute is a toggle, but the
volume has two keys, one for increase, and
one for decrease. |
