PC manufacturers have reason to be worried during these uncertain times.
The coronavirus pandemic has jolted markets worldwide, with most countries adopting lockdowns to contain the spread of the virus. As economic activity grinds to a standstill, many white-collar workers have been furloughed, while the more fortunate ones have switched to working from home.
A consequence of this change in workspace, would logically be the renewed importance of personal computers. However, PC manufacturers have reason to be worried. According to the market analysis firm Canalys, computer shipments fell by 8 per cent year-over-year in the first quarter of 2020.
This could be due to the fact that Chinese factories were shut for the majority of this period, first due to the Lunar New Year holiday, and then, due to the coronavirus outbreak. The report said that supply-side problems have kept manufacturers from rolling out new machines, and deferring future models.
Market analysis firm Canalys's report on PC shipments for the first quarter of 2020
Chipmaker Intel suffered shortages from a rough transition to 10-nanometer manufacturing. This is the highest drop in PC shipments since 2016, when the market contracted by 12 percentage points over the previous year.
Most manufacturers were dealt an unkind hand, but Apple was hit hardest. Shipments of its Macintosh range slowed by 21 per cent compared to Q1 2919. HP and Acer also had double digit drops, while Lenovo saw its shipments reduce by 4.4 per cent. Dell, the only manufacturer to deliver more computers in 2020 over 2019, recorded a miniscule 1.1 per cent growth in shipments.
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While shipments have gone down, manufacturers have a reason to cheer. Despite the economic downturn and unemployment caused by the pandemic, actual sales of PCs is up. Back-to-school buyers are cashing in on discounts, as are companies investing in work-from-home gear for employees.
This bump, however, is not likely to last, with Canalys expecting a “significant downturn” in both demand and supply, once the initial buzz dies down and the future of the manufacturing sector remains uncertain owing to the fluid economic situation spawned by the pandemic.
Keeping Your Phone Clean, And Safe, In The Time Of Coronavirus
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Holding hands, an affectionate gesture with romantic undertones, has become taboo in the time of the coronavirus. Handshakes, too, have been outlawed in the boardroom as well as stadiums - and after closing a deal, folks now pick up their phones and send each other formal emails.
Lovers in parks sit on benches, their hands skidding across smartphone screens, sending emoji-laced messages. However, exercising one’s primary tactile organs to communicate through gestures might not be as dangerous as using a mobile phone.
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The World Health Organization has explained how people should wash their hands to safeguard against infection and to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. However, the benefits of smearing hands with sanitizers is an exercise in futility if people then pick up their phones and expose themselves to germs all over again.
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Phone screens are a hotbed of different types of germs. Phone hygiene, therefore, becomes an imperative to ward off contagious germs. Apple recommends using felt cloth, the type used to clean spectacles.
The iPhone 7 and upwards, which are water-resistant, can be cleaned using a cloth dabbed with soapy water, as long as the different orifices of the devices are covered. Other manufacturers do not specify water-tolerance, but most new models are partially resistant to fluids, meaning that cleaning your phone display with a wet cloth is the least you could do.
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Samsung and Apple advise against using cleaning fluids as they could potentially damage fingerprint-resistant coatings on their screens. Some new phones have in-display fingerprint sensors which make the task of cleaning your phone more complex. However, this could be remedied by using a screen protector, which in turn, could be wiped clean using diluted alcohol.
The back and sides of the phone should also be cleaned thoroughly. Germs will invariably accumulate on phone screens. The best possible remedy seems to be washing one’s hands before and after touching one’s phone, especially when in public spaces or commuting to work.
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Users given to making a lot of phone calls are advised to use headphones or Bluetooth earphones to prevent the germs on phone screens from coming in contact with their faces. Bluetooth earphones aren’t germ-proof either, but their exteriors can be cleaned with cotton swabs dipped in antiseptic fluids or isopropyl alcohol.
Be careful to not get any inside your audio device as it could damage the circuitry. Boozy headphones can make one grin from ear to ear.
Users given to making a lot of phone calls are advised to use headphones or Bluetooth earphones to prevent the germs on phone screens from coming in contact with their faces. Bluetooth earphones aren..
