Toshiba L350 Manual

111Exploring Your Computer’s Features
Exploring the desktop
Finding your way around the desktop
Your computer’s desktop includes several standard features: icons, 
Start button, Taskbar, Notification Area, and background pattern.
(Sample Image) Windows
® operating system desktop
Icons
An icon represents a folder, file , or program that can be quickly 
activated by double-clicking the icon.
You can create a new desktop icon for any folder, file, or program 
by dragging the element’s icon from  its...

112Exploring Your Computer’s Features
Exploring the desktop
Your desktop may contain other icons depending on your 
configuration. See Windows® online Help for more specific 
information on each icon and how to use it.
Start button
You use the Start button to: 
❖ Start programs 
❖ Open documents 
❖ Adjust system settings 
❖ Find files 
❖ Access Windows
® Help and Support
❖ Suspend system activity and shut down the computer 
Whenever a procedure in this User ’s Guide instructs you to click 
Start, it...

113Exploring Your Computer’s Features
Setting up for communications
Setting up for communications
To connect to the Internet, use an online service, or communicate 
across the telephone lines with  another computer, you need:
❖ A browser or communications program 
❖ An Internet Service Provider (ISP ) or online service if you plan 
to use the Internet 
❖ A way to connect to the  ISP (for example modem/
Wi-Fi
®/LAN, etc. 
Using Wireless LAN connectivity
Wireless connectivity and some features may require...

114Exploring Your Computer’s Features
Setting up for communications
Accessing a network
To access a network:
❖At the office, connect an Ethern et cable to the RJ45 jack on 
your computer. For specific info rmation about connecting to 
the network, consult your netw ork administrator. Many hotels, 
airports, and offices offer Wi-Fi
® access. If your computer has 
Wi-Fi®, ask them for help when  connecting to their Wi-Fi® 
network.
❖ While you are at home or traveling, you need a dial-up 
connection. Ask...

115Exploring Your Computer’s Features
Setting up for communications
Before you can communicate using the modem, you need to 
connect it to a telephone line. Your computer’s built-in modem port 
provides an RJ-11 jack, allowing you to connect the modem to a 
standard voice-grade telephone line.
1Plug one end of a telephone cable  (purchased separately) into 
the modem port on the back of the computer. 
(Sample Illustration) Connecting the telephone cable to the modem 
port
2 Connect the other end to the...

116Exploring Your Computer’s Features
An overview of using the Internet
An overview of using the Internet
The following sections give a quick introduction to the Internet and 
some of its exciting features, under these headings:
❖ The Internet
❖ The World Wide Web  
❖ Internet Service Providers
❖ Connecting to the Internet  
❖ Surfing the Internet  
❖ Internet features  
❖ Uploading to, and downloading files from, the Internet  
The Internet 
The Internet is an association of thousands of networks and...

117Exploring Your Computer’s Features
An overview of using the Internet
Connecting to the Internet 
To connect to the Internet, you need:
❖A modem and telephone line, or a LAN connection
❖ A Web browser 
❖ An Internet Service Provider (ISP) account
Once you have established an ISP account, you can connect to the 
Internet.
1 Connect your computer’s modem (a vailable on certain models) 
to a telephone line. For more information on connecting a 
modem, see  “Connecting a modem to a telephone line” on...

118Exploring Your Computer’s Features
Exploring audio features
❖Internet chat rooms
A chat room is a Web site that  offers a place where people with 
similar interests and ideas comm unicate in real-time, one-on-
one or in groups, by typing messages which are instantly 
viewed by others on their computer screens.
❖ Internet news groups
A news group is similar to a chat room, but instead of using a 
dedicated site to converse about a specialized subject with 
others in real-time, it uses a  Web site as a...

119Exploring Your Computer’s Features
Exploring audio features
2Click  Start, All  Programs , Accessories , and then Sound 
Recorder .
(Sample Image) Soun d Recorder screen
3 Click the  Start Recording  button.
4 Speak normally into the microphone. 
5 When you have finished recording, click the  Stop Recording 
button.
The  Save As  dialog box appears.
6 To save the file, type a file name, and then click  Save.
Using external speakers or headphones
Your computer is equipped with  a full stereo sound...

120Exploring Your Computer’s Features
We b  C a m e r a
Web Camera
(Available on certain models)
Your computer may come with a built-in Web camera. With this 
Web camera you can do the following:
❖ Take pictures and record videos with your notebook computer
❖ Chat with others and have them see you while using instant 
messaging (IM) programs
❖ Have video conference calls
To E-mail, instant message or video conference, you must be 
connected to the Internet. 
Depending on your computer model, the process...