Dim Your Screen a Little

Yes, we get it. As a creative professional, you’ll normally want to keep your screen at maximum brightness. But it’s worth knowing that this is one of the most significant drains on its battery. Consequently, dimming your screen even a little can really help prolong its life.

Obviously, you don’t want to ruin your eyesight or create bad work, though. So it’s really about fiddling around and finding the right balance between power and performance for you, depending on the ambient lighting conditions you’re working in. Start by experimenting with lower brightness levels and work your way up until you hit that sweet spot.

Close Down Unnecessary Tabs

Creative software like the Adobe Creative Suite, video editing programs, and 3D rendering tools can do amazing things, but by the same token, they will drain your battery incredibly quickly. So you need to be strategic about what you do and when, if you’re working on battery power.

So for example, when you’re using a resource-intensive application like Final Cut Pro, make sure you have all other unnecessary browser tabs and tools closed. This might sound like a lot of faffing around, but this approach can significantly extend your battery life, giving you more uninterrupted creative time overall.

Use Airplane Mode

You might not think simply having your Wi-Fi and Bluetooth on would be a drain on your battery. But actually, both are constant energy consumers, even when it doesn’t seem like they’re actually doing anything. So when you’re working offline—such as editing photos, sketching designs, or rendering a video—consider switching to Airplane Mode. This simple tweak can dramatically reduce the amount of power your laptop is using.

Create the Right Physical Environment

Most people don’t think of this, but temperature and physical surroundings play crucial roles in the amount of energy your laptop uses.

Most importantly, avoid using your laptop on soft surfaces such as beds or sofas that can restrict airflow to its internal components. It’s much better to use your device on hard, flat surfaces that allow proper airflow. Alternatively, you might want to cool things down further by investing in a laptop stand (for better airflow) or a cooling pad (for direct cooling).

Monitor Your Battery Health

Sadly, batteries don’t operate at the optimum efficiency forever: they get less effective over time. There’s no way of preventing this, but you can at least monitor the situation to help you act accordingly. To learn how to do so in both Mac and Windows, read our article How to check your laptop’s battery health.

Stay Updated with Software and Drivers

Let’s face it, updating your software regularly probably isn’t at the top of your priorities. But if you want to get the maximum life out of your battery, maybe it should be. Firstly, because updates often include power management improvements. And secondly, because regularly updating your operating system and device drivers can make your laptop work more efficiently and be less draining on the battery. So set your system to automatically download and install updates, ensuring you’re always running the most optimised version.

Disconnect Peripherals

Got a USB stick plugged into your laptop doing nothing? Well, actually, it’s not doing nothing. Even when not actively used, such devices draw power from your laptop’s battery. So boost your laptop’s battery life by making sure you disconnect peripherals, including external hard drives, USB drives, mice, and keyboards, when you’re not using them.

Use Built-in Battery-Saving Modes

Both Windows and Mac laptops offer battery-saving modes that can significantly extend runtime by limiting background processes and reducing screen brightness. Mac offers similar energy-saving features. These modes can be lifesavers when you’re working away from a power outlet.

Manage Background Processes and Startup Apps

A lot of the time, applications run in the background of your laptop, consuming valuable battery resources without you even knowing about it. So take the time to review and manage startup applications and background processes. Both Windows and Mac offer tools to help you identify and disable unnecessary startup items. Check your task manager or activity monitor regularly, and close applications and processes you’re not actively using. Doing this can significantly extend your battery life.

Switch to a Lighter Web Browser

The major web browsers, Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge, can be surprisingly power-hungry. So if you’re working on battery power, consider using lighter browsers such as Opera, or at least limiting the number of open tabs.

Conclusion

By following these simple yet effective techniques, you can potentially extend your device’s runtime, whether you’re using one of the best laptops for graphic design or one of the best MacBooks for students. Remember to dim your screen, close down unnecessary tabs, use Airplane Mode, create the right physical environment, monitor your battery health, stay updated with software and drivers, disconnect peripherals, use built-in battery-saving modes, manage background processes and startup apps, and switch to a lighter web browser.

FAQs

Q: Can I really make a difference with these tips?
A: Yes, following these simple techniques can significantly extend your device’s runtime, making it easier to work on the go or in areas with unpredictable power access.

Q: What are the most power-hungry applications?
A: Resource-intensive applications like the Adobe Creative Suite, video editing programs, and 3D rendering tools can drain your battery quickly. Be strategic about what you do and when, and consider closing down unnecessary tabs and processes.

Q: Can I use my laptop in a soft, non-flat surface?
A: Avoid using your laptop on soft surfaces like beds or sofas, as they can restrict airflow to its internal components. Use a hard, flat surface instead to allow proper airflow and cooling.

Q: How often should I update my software and drivers?
A: Regularly update your operating system and device drivers to ensure you’re always running the most optimised version, which can help extend your battery life. Set your system to automatically download and install updates.

Theft or Remix?

Perhaps the biggest complaint creatives have had about generative AI since the likes of Midjourney burst onto the scene is the use of original, human-made artwork as the raw material to train AI systems to produce its own images. Whether you view scraping (finding online content to use as training data) as outright copyright infringement or as a 21st-century spin on the famous maxim (usually attributed to Picasso) “good artists copy, great artists steal”, it suddenly becomes a lot more real when you see AI-made work that’s stylistically eerily similar to your own, as many prominent illustrators have.

Fairly Trained, an organisation advocating for the ethical use of data in training, has issued a straightforward declaration: “The unlicensed use of creative works for training generative AI is a major, unjust threat to the livelihoods of the people behind those works, and must not be permitted.” Among the 38,000 signatories to date are illustrator Claire Wendling and comic book artist Duncan Fegredo.

Where Do People Fit In?

Many creatives are worried or angry when they see generative AI producing material they might have expected themselves or their industry colleagues to have made previously. Artists and designers who’ve spent years honing their technical skills and their personal styles now find themselves pitching against people making material through text prompts.

It’s a hornets’ nest that Coca-Cola, arguably the world’s biggest brand, has poked on more than one occasion in 2024. In July, Ian reported from Siggraph on how agency WPP was collaborating with Nvidia to produce AI-generated Coca-Cola assets by the truckload, placing AI-made 3D assets into configurable virtual photoshoots. More contentious was the recent remake of a classic Coca-Cola Christmas TV spot, made entirely with AI and challenging the company’s own ‘Real Magic’ tagline: it felt neither real nor magical.

Against Slop

Beyond economic concerns, the strong feedback from both the creative community and the broader audience of consumers towards AI creative content is that so much of it is – how do I put this diplomatically? – awful. AI-shaming, where everyone competes to find the most egregious examples of bad AI art, has become one of social media’s biggest bloodsports.

AI Done Right?

If large-scale generative AI brings with it the risk of producing generic, lowest-common-denominator material, perhaps the most promising direction forward lies with private AI models – engines trained on smaller, privately owned data sets, with a tighter end goal than the ability to create anything that might appear in a text prompt.

The agency Rehab is a compelling example that Joe looked at for Creative Bloq’s AI Week in June. Rehab is using AI not to produce artwork, but to streamline the research stage of its projects, leaving responsibility for generating ideas and creative from that research to people. Data from social media and commissioned research helps Rehab’s AI to create profiles of potential customers: what they’re thinking, what they’re buying, and so on.

A Return to Discernment (Please)

If 2024 has taught us anything about AI in the creative fields, it’s that human taste is going to be more important than ever. The novelty of having access to a toolset that makes creating images and video easier than ever before is rubbing off fast, and expecting people to respond to your content simply because of the tool you used to make it isn’t, and has never been, enough.

We’ve been here before with digital art that felt too airbrushed and 3D graphics that hurled us into the Uncanny Valley, where something looks right and wrong at the same time. Step into this broader context, and generative AI becomes the newest inflexion point in a challenge artists and creatives have faced ever since Photoshop was unveiled in 1987. At what stage in your use of technology do you lose the sense of human connection that lies at the heart of any worthwhile creative endeavour? When does making art become so easy that you miss the part where you put something of yourself into the work?

AI image-making is succeeding massively at democratising the creative process, and failing wholeheartedly at fostering art with a genuine human connection. Can it ever find a balance? 2025 will start to answer that question.

Conclusion

The future of AI in the creative fields is uncertain, but one thing is clear: the stakes are high. As AI becomes more integrated into our workflows, we must be mindful of the potential consequences and strive to create a balance between technology and human connection. The onus is on us to ensure that AI is used responsibly and ethically, and that it enhances our creativity rather than replacing it.

FAQs

Q: What is generative AI?
A: Generative AI refers to artificial intelligence that can create new content, such as images, videos, or music, based on patterns and structures it has learned from existing data.

Q: Is AI going to replace human artists?
A: While AI can generate impressive content, it is unlikely to replace human artists entirely. AI can augment human creativity, but it lacks the emotional depth and nuance that human artists bring to their work.

Q: How can I use AI in my creative work?
A: AI can be used in a variety of ways, from generating ideas and inspiration to automating repetitive tasks and enhancing your workflow. However, it is essential to use AI responsibly and ethically, and to ensure that it does not replace human creativity.

Q: What are the ethical implications of using AI in the creative fields?
A: The ethical implications of using AI in the creative fields are significant. AI can be used to create content that is biased, inaccurate, or misleading, and it can also be used to exploit or manipulate people. It is essential to consider the ethical implications of using AI and to ensure that it is used responsibly and ethically.

The Best Post-Christmas Deals on Portable SSDs

Why You Need a Portable SSD

After another year of creative projects, chances are that you portable SSDs are running low on space and you need to either do a massive cull of material or get a new device for the new year. Happily, there are some great Post-Christmas deals about on portable SSDs to make that decision easier.

Top Deals on Portable SSDs

Amazon has up to 30% off the super-fast Micron Crucial X10 Pro, with the 4TB option reduced by $120 from $399.99 to $279.99. And there’s 40% off the 4TB Samsung T9, reduced from $549.99 to $329.99. In both cases, there are smaller discounts on lower capacities.

Features of Portable SSDs

These external SSDs are designed to provide the read and write speeds needed for video editing in a well-built, compact form factor that’s easy to carry around when working remotely.

The Best Portable SSDs for Your Needs

• Micron Crucial X10 Pro
• Samsung T9

Other Options

Need another option? Take a look below for the best SSD sale prices in your area. Or if you prefer to back up your year’s work up the cloud, see our pick of the best cloud storage.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What are portable SSDs used for?
A: Portable SSDs are used for storing and transferring large files, such as videos and photos, while working remotely.

Q: What are the benefits of using portable SSDs?
A: Portable SSDs provide fast read and write speeds, are compact and easy to carry, and are ideal for video editing and other data-intensive tasks.

Q: Are portable SSDs secure?
A: Yes, portable SSDs are designed with security features such as encryption and password protection to keep your data safe.

Q: Can I use a portable SSD for cloud storage?
A: Yes, many portable SSDs can be used as a backup device, but it’s recommended to use a dedicated cloud storage service for optimal performance and security.

Artificial Intelligence in Marketing: The Future of Personalization

The Power of AI in Marketing

Watch the livestream here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ANdPTXbNUa0

The Rise of AI in Marketing

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has revolutionized the way businesses operate, and marketing is no exception. With its ability to process vast amounts of data, identify patterns, and make predictions, AI has become an essential tool for marketers. In this article, we will explore the role of AI in marketing and its potential to transform the way we approach personalization.

The Benefits of AI in Marketing

AI-powered marketing offers numerous benefits, including:

Improved Personalization

AI can help businesses deliver targeted and personalized messages to their customers, increasing the likelihood of conversion. By analyzing customer data, AI can identify patterns and preferences, enabling marketers to tailor their campaigns to individual needs.

Enhanced Customer Experience

AI can help businesses provide a more seamless and efficient customer experience by automating routine tasks, such as customer service inquiries, and freeing up human representatives to focus on high-value tasks like problem-solving and relationship-building.

Increased Efficiency

AI can help marketers streamline their workflow, automate repetitive tasks, and make data-driven decisions, resulting in increased productivity and efficiency.

Better Predictive Analytics

AI can help marketers make more accurate predictions about customer behavior, allowing them to anticipate and respond to changes in the market.

Getting Started with AI in Marketing

If you’re new to AI in marketing, here are some steps to get you started:

Start with Small Batches

Begin by testing AI-powered tools and technologies on a small scale, such as using AI-powered chatbots for customer service or testing AI-driven ad targeting.

Integrate AI with Existing Tools

Integrate AI-powered tools with your existing marketing software, such as marketing automation platforms, customer relationship management (CRM) systems, and social media management tools.

Monitor and Analyze Results

Monitor and analyze the results of your AI-powered marketing campaigns, making adjustments as needed to optimize performance.

Conclusion

In conclusion, AI has the potential to revolutionize the way we approach marketing, enabling businesses to deliver targeted and personalized messages, provide a seamless customer experience, and increase efficiency. By understanding the benefits and getting started with AI in marketing, businesses can stay ahead of the competition and achieve greater success.

FAQs

Q: What is the difference between AI and machine learning?
A: AI is a broader field that encompasses machine learning, which is a subfield of AI that involves training algorithms to learn from data.

Q: How do I get started with AI in marketing?
A: Start by testing AI-powered tools and technologies on a small scale, integrating them with your existing marketing software, and monitoring and analyzing results.

Q: What are some popular AI-powered marketing tools?
A: Some popular AI-powered marketing tools include chatbots, marketing automation platforms, and AI-driven ad targeting platforms.