Technology Right Now

How to buy Mini Laptop ???

2010-02-23T10:56:00.001+02:00

The devices, which are becoming popularly known as netbooks, or my favorite term, "laptots," have caught on because they offer people a mobile, easy way to wirelessly access the Web.

They come with 7-inch to 10-inch LCD screens and are about half to two-thirds the size of a mainstream laptop. They weigh around 1 kilogram (2.2 lbs) each, carry batteries that last up to 8 hours and generally cost between US$199 and $699.

I've written several netbook reviews and after some consideration, offer these tips for your first netbook.

1. Know what you want to use it for and how much you're willing to spend.

This is a cliche in reviews and doesn't tell you much but it's actually very important. What do you want this for? Do you want a lightweight device for easy Internet access? Or are you really looking for a full-featured laptop computer? Don't buy a netbook if you're really looking for a laptop, it would be a mistake.

To ensure longer battery life, some key components on a netbook, such as the microprocessor, are far less powerful than common laptops. That's why they're good for surfing the Internet, doing homework on a word processing program, working on spreadsheets or for presentations and other Office-like work.

Anyone looking for a gaming laptop or one for video-editing or other multimedia work should shop for true laptops, not netbooks.

2. Buy a netbook with an 8.9-inch screen or larger.

I tried out an Eee PC with a 7-inch screen and the annoying part is not being able to see an entire Web page because the screen is too small.

That's less of a problem on the slightly larger-sized screens and in the 8.9-inch screen size, the weight and size of the netbook is nearly the same as devices with 7-inch screens.

3. Make sure you get a 6-cell battery for your netbook, although you may have to pay $50 more and the device will weigh more.

Most companies are offering netbooks with 3-cell batteries as the standard, but that doesn't offer a whole lot of run time, just 2 to 3 hours. A 6-cell battery doubles that, and in some devices designed around a 6-cell battery, such as Asustek Computer's Eee PC 1000 and Eee PC 901, you can get up to 8 hours.

In a mobile device, battery life is vital. You don't want to always be looking around for plugs, nor fighting over the last one.

Most vendors are now following Asustek's lead with 6-cell batteries. Micro-Star International recently announced a line of Wind netbooks with 6-cell batteries, and Acer recently put out a formal version of its Aspire one with a 6-cell battery, and larger HDD to boot.

Vendors generally offer 6-cell batteries for all models. But most devices come standard with a 3-cell or 4-cell battery, so if you want a 6-cell then you have to ask for it, and expect to pay a bit more.

Another benefit of the larger battery is that it props up the back of the device, putting it on a slight angle that makes typing easier. Keypads on netbooks are smaller than normal keypads, and comfortable typing was one area I was not willing to compromise on.

4. Try out the keypad and make sure it's right for you.

None of the devices I tested had a better typing pad on a cheaper netbook than Intel's ClassMate PC, which has a keypad far smaller than the Eee PC 1000. Keys on the ClassMate PC's keyboard are raised and there is a lot of space between them, making them easy to find by touch.

By contrast, the Eee PCs, Wind and Elitegroup Computer Systems' G10IL designed their keypads with flat keys and little or no space between keys because, I was told by Elitegroup staff, it makes them look nice.

The trouble is, it also makes typing more difficult.

I really liked the keypads on Acer's Aspire one and Everex's CloudBook Max, but the best keypad was on Hewlett-Packard's Mini-Note.

5. Software: see what it comes with and consider trying the Linux OS.

There are two lessons on software.

First, some vendors have skimped on including software in their netbooks on the pretense that users can download a lot of free software on the Internet. That's true, but it's a bogus excuse. Who wants to spend time downloading when many netbook makers have added lots of software so users can play with their new netbook right away?

Asustek included a lot of useful software on its Eee PCs 1000, 1000H and 901, as has Acer, which also added a nice opening screen that boots up in just 12 seconds.

Second, it may be time to the give the Linux OS a try.

The Acer opening screen I just referred to is based on Linux, and the Aspire one comes with the Linpus Linux Lite OS, which is very user friendly. I've used Windows for most of my life but switching to Linux to try out the Aspire one was smooth and easy.

Most of the netbooks I tested with Linux OSs booted up far faster than Windows XP or Windows Vista (I would not buy a netbook with Vista, it's just too slow).

There are also free Linux-based word processing programs, spreadsheets etc. available on the Internet such as Open Office, Google Pack, which includes Sun's StarOffice or Web-based software such as Google Apps.

Of course, it would be nice to see a Web site devoted to netbooks, with software specifically designed for low-power devices and smaller screens. Netbookdownload.com, anyone?

6. Price: if it costs more than $500, start looking at a regular notebook computer.

Companies have started promoting a wide range of netbooks at ever higher prices, but once you pass $500, netbooks start to compete with laptops, and a laptop will almost always give you more value for your money in that case.

Laptop computers have far more powerful microprocessors and other components than netbooks, and sport DVD drives. There are no DVD drives on netbooks.

If size and weight are your main concerns, there are plenty of small, full-featured laptops, including the Sony Vaio VGN-TZ340, Lenovo Ideapad U110-23042BU, and of course, Apple's lightweight MacBook Air.

7. Look around at what's available.

There were a lot of devices that impressed me and that are worth considering.

Giga-byte's M912, is the netbook that has by far the coolest technology on board with its touchscreen. The screen can also swivel around so you can show someone else what you're working on or looking at on the Net.

But I was quoted a price of NT$19,900 (US$632) for the device, and since I'm not really sure how much I'd use the touchscreen, I figured it wasn't right for me.

I almost decided on one of the netbooks with the bigger, 10-inch screens. My top choices were Asustek's Eee PC 1000 with the Xandros Linux OS and a 40G-byte solid state drive (SSD) for storage and 6-cell battery, or Micro-Star International's Wind with a 6-cell battery.

Both devices are very nice to use but were a little bigger and more expensive than what I was looking for. Size is important to consider in terms of weight. Ten inch screens, hard disk drives (HDDs) and 6-cell batteries add a lot of extra weight to a netbook.

All of the netbooks I tried out include wireless Internet access through Wi-Fi 802.11b/g, but only Asustek's Eee PCs 1000, 1000H and 901 offered speedier 802.11b/g/n as of this writing.

The CloudBook Max will be sold with subscriptions for WiMax wireless networking, and some netbooks will also be sold with built-in 3G modules so mobile phone service providers can offer them with 3G (third generation telecommunications) contracts, so people can access the Internet from anywhere on their mobile phone network.

People can also buy add-on 3G (third generation telephony) or WiMax cards for any netbook.

8. And finally, the best netbook available is....

I tested several different netbooks and published reviews on them all, and after trying out some pretty cool devices, I decided to buy the one that's right for me: Acer's Aspire one.

Based on the criteria above, here's why:

I already have a laptop PC, so I don't need a powerful netbook. I just wanted a smaller, lighter device easier to carry around that I can use to surf the Web and write outside my office.

The Aspire one comes with an 8.9-inch screen and a 3-cell battery, standard, but I will pay a little more for a 6-cell battery. I get stranded in airports sometimes, often take trains, and simply like to sip my coffee very slowly. I need a long lasting battery.

The keypad on the device is quite comfortable, and the software it comes with is easy to use, especially the Linpus Linux Lite OS.

The price sealed my decision.

Last Friday, Acer slashed prices on three Aspire one models in the U.S., to US$399 for an Aspire one with Windows XP, a 160G-byte HDD (hard disk drive) and 6-cell battery. An Aspire one with Windows XP, a 120G-byte HDD and 3-cell battery costs just $349, and a similar device running on Linpus Linux Lite is just $329.

I plan to buy the $329 Linux-based Aspire one, which has an 8.9-inch screen, a 1.6GHz Intel Atom microprocessor, 512M bytes of DRAM and 8G bytes of flash memory storage and a 3-cell battery. I'll add more DRAM and buy an additional flash card, as well as trade up to a 6-cell battery, which will likely raise the price to around $420, in all.

Kia Ray Concept: Another Plug-In Electric Hybrid On The Horizon?

2010-02-21T23:27:00.001+02:00

While the Chevy Volt continues to mature towards production, other four door plug-in electric hybrid vehicles continue to emerge. Kia Motors debuted their sleek Ray concept car yesterday at the Chicago Auto Show. The Ray is a four-seat compact sedan based on the Kia Forte platform powered by a direct injection four cylinder engine with a continuously variable transmission. On the electrical side the concept draws power from a lithium ion polymer battery pack which spins a 78-kilowatt electric motor. What this all means is that the Ray isn’t meant to be a high performance vehicle but Kia is aiming for efficiency and range. Kia speculates the car would get 202.3 mpg in electric only mode and 77.6 mpg running as a hybrid. Electric power provides 50 miles of travel and the overall range is estimated to be 746 miles.

What will likely capture a lot of attention is the Ray’s styling and design. The concept was produced at Kia’s California design studio under the direction of chief design officer, Peter Schreyer.

It is important to imagine what people will want in the future from a green perspective early in the design process, because people want to reduce their carbon footprint without driving carbon copies. Being green doesn’t have to be an obvious statement anymore and the Kia Ray exemplifies a viable blend of modern, eco-minded features for today’s environmentally conscious consumers.

Likely learning a lesson from the design development the Volt went through, engineers and designers at Kia sought creative ways to make the Ray aerodynamically efficient to boost the range. This had obvious implications for the exterior styling so inspiration came from looking at aircraft. Referencing a wing, the car’s side profile tapers tapers towards the rear, reducing drag. The exterior glass incorporates new “cool car” technologies like nano-laminate films and integrated solar cells to keep the interior cool and reduce the need for air-conditioning. The transparent roof contains hexagonal solar cells that provide power to interior fans to keep the car cool.

The Ray’s interior is comprised of eco-friendly recycled materials and the design aims to create a light and airy feel. Front and rear seats, mounted on side sills, create a floating effect with hollowed out elastomeric materials to support body weight, also made of lightweight composite materials. The flooring is 100% wool, a renewable resource. The Ray features the new GreenEdge Infinity audio system with speakers that use less power and components that save weight.

Most Produced Aircrafts

2010-02-19T18:51:00.008+02:00

Cessna 172 - Made in United States - More than 43,000 Planes till now - Still in production. Was also built under license in France (The Cessna 172 Skyhawk is a four-seat, single-engine, high-wing fixed-wing aircraft. First flown in 1955 and still in production, more Cessna 172s have been built than any other aircraft)
Military operators
A variant of the 172, the T-41 Mescalero is used as a trainer with the United States Air Force and Army. Due to its high-wing design, stability at low airspeeds and relatively low stall speed, the 172 is used for search operations and is the primary platform for the Civil Air Patrol's operations. In addition, the United States Border Patrol uses a fleet of 172s for aerial surveillance along the Mexican-American border.
Polikarpov - Made In Soviet Union - More than 40,000 planes til 1959 - Most produced biplane
The Polikarpov U-2 or Po-2 served as a general-purpose Soviet biplane, nicknamed Kukuruznik , NATO reporting name of "Mule". The reliable, uncomplicated and forgiving aircraft served as a trainer and crop-duster. It is the second most produced aircraft, and the most produced biplane, in the history of aviation.
Ilyushin Il-2 - Made In Soviet Union - More than 36,183 planes till 1945 - Most produced combat aircraft.
The Ilyushin Il-2 Shturmovik (Russian: Ил-2 Штурмовик) was a ground attack aircraft in the Second World War, produced by the Soviet Union in very large numbers. In combination with its successor, the Ilyushin Il-10, a total of 42,330 were built, making it the single most produced military aircraft design in all of aviation history, as well as one of the most produced piloted aircraft in history along with the Cessna 172 and the Polikarpov Po-2. It was a prominent aircraft for tank killing with its accuracy in dive bombing and its 37mm guns penetrating their thin back armor.
Messerschmitt Bf 109 - Made in German - More than 35,000 Plane till 56 - Most produced fighter. Also made under license in Romania, Spain, Czechoslovakia, and Switzerland.
was a German World War II fighter aircraft designed by Willy Messerschmitt in the early 1930s. It was one of the first true modern fighters of the era, including such features as an all-metal monocoque construction, a closed canopy, and retractable landing gear. Having gone through its baptism of fire in the Spanish Civil War, the Bf 109 was still in service at the dawn of the jet age at the end of World War II, during which it was the backbone of the German Luftwaffe fighter force. An inverted Vee-piston engined fighter, the Bf 109 was supplemented, but never completely replaced in service, by the radial engined Focke-Wulf Fw 190 from the end of 1941.
Piper Cherokee - Made in United States - More than 32,778 plane till now.
is a family of light aircraft designed for flight training, air taxi and personal use, built by Piper Aircraft. All members of the PA-28 family are all-metal, unpressurized, four-seat, single-engine piston-powered airplanes with low-mounted wings and tricycle landing gear. All PA-28 aircraft have a single door on the co-pilot side, which is entered by stepping on the wing.

Railguns ... lectric Future Rail Gun – Military Raligun

2010-02-16T01:25:00.006+02:00

Theory and construction
A railgun consists of two parallel metal rails (hence the name) connected to an electrical power supply. When a conductive projectile is inserted between the rails (at the end connected to the power supply), it completes the circuit. Electrons flow from the negative terminal of the power supply up the negative rail, across the projectile, and down the positive rail, back to the power supply.

This current makes the railgun behave as an electromagnet, creating a powerful magnetic field in the region of the rails up to the position of the projectile. In accordance with the right-hand rule, the magnetic field circulates around each conductor. Since the current is in opposite direction along each rail, the net magnetic field between the rails (B) is directed vertically. In combination with the current (I) across the projectile, this produces a Lorentz force which accelerates the projectile along the rails. There are also forces acting on the rails attempting to push them apart, but since the rails are mounted firmly, they cannot move. The projectile slides up the rails away from the power supply.

A very large power supply providing, on the order of, one million amperes of current will create a tremendous force on the projectile, accelerating it to a speed of many kilometres per second (km/s). 20 km/s has been achieved with small projectiles explosively injected into the railgun. Although these speeds are possible theoretically, the heat generated from the propulsion of the object is enough to erode the rails rapidly. Such a railgun would require frequent replacement of the rails, or to use a heat resistant material that would be conductive enough to produce the same effect.
Railguns as weapons

Railguns are being researched as weapons with projectiles that do not contain explosives, but are given extremely great velocities: 3,500 m/s (11,500 ft/s, approximately Mach 10 at sea level) or more (for comparison, the M16 rifle has a muzzle speed of 930 m/s, or 3,050 ft/s), which would make their kinetic energy equal or superior to the energy yield of an explosive-filled shell of greater mass. This would allow more ammunition to be carried and eliminate the hazards of carrying explosives in a tank or naval weapons platform. Also, by firing at greater velocities railguns have greater range, less bullet drop and less wind drift, bypassing the inherent cost and physical limitations of conventional firearms–"the limits of gas expansion prohibit launching an unassisted projectile to velocities greater than about 1.5 km/s and ranges of more than 50 miles [80 km] from a practical conventional gun system."

If it were possible to apply the technology as a rapid-fire automatic weapon, a railgun would have further advantages of increased rate of fire. The feed mechanisms of a conventional firearm must move to accommodate the propellant charge as well as the ammunition round, while a railgun would only need to accommodate the projectile. Furthermore, a railgun would not have to extract a spent cartridge case from the breech, meaning that a fresh round could be cycled almost immediately after the previous round has been shot.
Tests
Naval Surface Warfare Center test firing in January 2008, leaving a plume of plasma behind the projectile.

Full-scale models have been built and fired, including a very successful 90 mm bore, 9 MJ kinetic energy gun developed by the US DARPA. Rail and insulator wear problems still need to be solved before railguns can start to replace conventional weapons. Probably the oldest consistently successful system was built by the UK's Defence Research Agency at Dundrennan Range in Kirkcudbright, Scotland. This system has now been operational for over 10 years at an associated flight range for internal, intermediate, external and terminal ballistics, and achieved several mass and velocity records.[

The Yugoslavian MTI (MTI - Military - technology institute) developed, within a project named EDO-0, a rail gun with 7 kJ kinetic energy, in 1985. In 1987 a successor was created, project EDO-1, that used projectile with a mass of 0.7 g and achieved speeds of 3,000 m/s, and with a mass of 1.1 g reached speeds of 2,400 m/s. It used a track length of 0.7 m. According to those working on it, with other modifications it was able to achieve a speed of 4,500 m/s. The aim was to achieve projectile speed of 7,000 m/s. At the time, it was considered a military secret.

The United States military is funding railgun experiments. At the University of Texas at Austin Institute for Advanced Technology, military railguns capable of delivering tungsten armor piercing bullets with kinetic energies of nine megajoules have been developed. MJ is enough energy to deliver 2 kg of projectile at 3 km/s–at that velocity a rod of tungsten or another dense metal could easily penetrate a tank, and potentially pass through it.

The United States Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren Division demonstrated an 8 MJ rail gun firing 3.2 kg projectiles in October 2006 as a prototype of a 64 MJ weapon to be deployed aboard Navy warships. The main problem the Navy has had with implementing a railgun cannon system is that the guns wear out due to the immense heat produced by firing. Such weapons are expected to be powerful enough to do a little more damage than a BGM-109 Tomahawk missile at a fraction of the projectile cost. Since then, BAE Systems has delivered a 32 MJ prototype to the Navy.

Due to the very high muzzle velocity that can be attained with railguns, there is interest in using them to shoot high-speed missiles.[citation needed]

On January 31, 2008 the US Navy tested a railgun that fired a shell at 10.64 MJ with a muzzle velocity of 2,520 m/s. Its expected performance is a muzzle velocity over 5,800 m/s, accurate enough to hit a 5 meter target over 200 nautical miles (370.4 km) away while firing at 10 shots per minute. The power was provided by a new 9-megajoule (MJ) prototype capacitor bank using solid-state switches and high-energy-density capacitors delivered in 2007 and an older 32-MJ pulse power system from the US Army’s Green Farm Electric Gun Research and Development Facility developed in the late 1980’s that was previously refurbished by General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems (EMS) Division. It is expected to be ready between 2020 to 2025

Acer Liquid A1 Smartphone

2010-02-16T00:04:00.003+02:00

If you like the features of the iPhone but you don't consider yourself a Mac person then you will be happy to know that Acer came up with one of the best alternatives to date which is said to rival the features and look of the iPhone, such handheld device is called the Acer Liquid A1 Smartphone and it is the device that we are going to be reviewing today.

Acer Liquid A1 Box Contents

This smartphone comes with a wall charger with various socket inserts, a USB cable to link your handheld device to your computer, a 2 GB microSD card, a screen protector, a user guide as well as all the software required to synchronize your phone with your computer. Right of the bat we must say that having a 2 GB microSD card is a nice addition to this box set.

Look and feel

The Acer liquid A1 is somewhat similar to the iPhone in the sense that it also features a touchscreen and its overall design emulates that of the iPhone however the A1 features a beautiful black finish that is not found on the iPhone. If you like sharp graphics then you will be pleased to know that this smartphone features a 3.5 inch touch sensitive WVGA which makes all the objects on the screen look really sharp and clear.

Features and specs

As we already said the A1 features a 3.5 inch touch sensitive WVGA screen, at the very top it has LEDs will let you know whenever you have a message without having to look at the screen of the phone. On the right hand side you will find the volume controls as well as a shortcut to the camera which by the way is five megapixels in resolution. This phone also uses a Lithium-ion 1300 mAh battery which provides plenty of talk time, a Snapdragon processor that has been under clocked to work at around 768 MHz and increases the responsiveness of the handset, WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity along with GPS capabilities and to top it all it supports QuadBand (GSM/GPRS/EDGE and triband HSDPA). If you are a power user then you will but you know that this phone has 512 MB of ROM (read only memory) and 256 MB of RAM which can be expanded with the included microSD card.

This phone also features four easy-to-use navigation buttons which are a pretty nice addition for those users who like to flip and navigate deep into programs and just want to comb back to the home screen in order to use any other app.

The texting capabilities of this phone matched that of the iPhone and Android handheld device with its on-screen QUERTY keyboard which is quite responsive, messages can be typed vertically or horizontally. The multimedia features are also impressive and the built-in speaker is great for those who don't want to listen to their music or watch videos using headphones. The five megapixel camera produces pictures are well above the average quality of those cameras are found in other handheld devices which by the way don't go as high as five megapixels. All in all, the Acer liquid A1 phone is a great handheld device for those who want more options besides the obvious ones.

Does Cheap Domain Registration Mean Lesser Quality Domains?

2010-02-15T23:34:00.002+02:00

Anyone who searches for a domain registrar wants to get the best service for the best price. Often people think that means that customers must pay premium prices to get good, quality domain registration services. This simply is not true. Many cheap domain registration

companies offer very good service for affordable prices. Besides, the process is going to be the same whether you choose a cheap domain registration company or a more expensive registrar.

It is important to state that while all domains are created equal, all registrars are not. One domain will not be better than another. A customer can purchase mypersonaldomain.com at Network Solutions, Register.com, or CheapDomains.com. No registrar has exclusive access to a domain name that all other registrars do not have. However, registrars differ in the quality of service they offer. This fact will determine whether or not a consumer will choose cheap domain registration or not.

Some registrars offer very basic domain registration services. Others offer bonus features like a domain control panel, starter web page, email forwarding, domain locking, and technical support. It would seem that technical support would be a standard feature of domain registration. However, many companies do not offer technical support. Therefore, customers who are not very knowledgeable about domain registration must beware. Prices increase as customers choose domain registration packages with more and more features.

Cheap domain registration definitely does not suggest an inferior domain. It is important to remember that all domains are the same. The quality of service offered by the registrar is what makes the difference. While customers will find cheap domain registration companies, they may not receive the services offered by more expensive registrars. However, if the person seeking to register a domain does not need as many services, the cheapest route may be the best route.

Know Your TLDs Before You Buy a Domain Name !

2010-02-15T23:14:00.001+02:00

When you attempt to register a domain name, you must choose which top-level domain you will be using. The top-level domain (TLD) is actually the extension of the domain name. For example, the .com is the top-level domain or extension in yourdomain.com. Many people think that the extension is included for no specific purpose. This could not be further from the truth. The domain extension or TLD actually indicates what the kind of entity the domain belongs to. For business you always want to buy a domain name that ends in .com. Here is a list of the most common TLDs and what they are used for.

.COM â€“ Anyone with a personal or commercial site may buy a domain name with this extension. However, it is most commonly used by commercial entities. It is, by far, the most popular web domain extension and also the most valuable.

.NET â€“ This is another general TLD, but it is mostly companies involved in internet communications and infrastructure buy a domain name with this extension.

.ORG â€“ Buy a domain name with this extension and you are likely to operate some type of organization. Mostly non-profits register this type of domain.

.BIZ â€“ Since .com has become so crowded with names, many business are registering this domain extension. It still reflects a commercial identity and allows you the opportunity to purchase your company name if it was already used under the more prevalent .com extension. Personal web sites may not use this extension.

.INFO â€“ This top-level domain is steadily rising in popularity. If you have a personal or commercial web site, you can buy this domain name extension.

.PRO â€“ Doctors, lawyers and other professionals buy this domain name extension when they are ready to display web sites with information about themselves and their occupations.

.COOP â€“ This TLD is used by organizations that want to denote their status as cooperatives.

.NAME â€“ Individuals buy this domain name extension to promote their personal web sites It must be comprised of your first and last name.

.AERO â€“ This is a new option for the air-transportation industry.

.MUSEUM â€“ The domain name extension is self-explanatory. In case itâ€™s not obvious, only official museums may use this TLD.

.EDU and .GOV â€“ Both of these domain names are not available for public registration. Only educational institutions and government agencies respectively are allowed to use these domain extensions.

IMPORTANT: For commercial and business use you should concentrate on finding a .com name first. Numerous studies show that surfers will consistently type .com into their browsers before any other extension. If you own MySite.net but your competition owns MySite.com then you will lose hard earned business. This is why .com names are so valuable and why NameSeek deals almost exclusively in the .com TLDs.

Once you own your .com name then you can acquire the .net, .biz, etc. names to keep those names from your competitors. You can point all your names to one web site.

Domain ?!?

2010-02-15T23:10:00.002+02:00

A Domain is where you hang out. If you hang out in New York City then NYC is your domain. In computer jargon a domain is the network where your computer hangs out, either a local subnet or on the internet.

A domain is a group of networked computers that contain a common communication address and share common resources. Domains are based on a hierarchical naming scheme or a tree structure called the Domain Namespace. In a namespace, names are used to represent other types of information such as IP Numbers.

Computers use IP or Internet Protocol numbers to find each other in a network. These numbers typically look like 192.168.122.244. To make it easy on humans the IP numbers are given friendly names known as Domain Names. Yahoo.com and Google.com are domain names and are much easier to remember than 216.109.112.135

Networks use a distributed data base known as the Domain Name System to translate the human friendly names into IP numbers computers can use. Computers will query other computers known as Name Servers to translate the domain names to numbers. The whole Domain Name System is designed to be transparent to the end user. The only thing the user has to remember is the Domain Name of the site they wish to visit.

NameSeek makes it easy for website owners and entrepreneurs to find exciting and memorable names that will bring business and traffic to your domain again and again.

Is there a real free domain?

2010-02-15T23:05:00.002+02:00

To be totally honest, there is no such thing as a free domain. Obtaining a domain is going to cost something. The cost may differ depending on the company, but you will ultimately have to pay something to receive a domain.

There are companies that offer domains that are free of monetary expenses. This may seem like it is absolutely, positively, no-strings-attached free, but it is not. Companies like these offer free websites, but they come with many stipulations for keeping the free website. One specific domain registration company, called DotTK, offers up to three free domain names. However, there must already be an established website for the domain to link to. You may not register the domain name and then create the website at a later date. Also, the domain must receive a minimum of twenty-five web visitors within the first ninety days. If this does not occur, DotTK will repossess the domain and then give it to some other user. While you are essentially getting a free domain, you are giving up all legal and transfer rights to the domain. Those rights stay with DotTK.

The other option when trying to get a free domain is to get it through a web hosting company. You need a web hosting company to provide space for your website. Otherwise, your website will not be posted online. Web hosting companies recognize this and try to make it more convenient for you to display a website online. They are aware that you must pay the web hosting fee. So, they offer free domain names to their customers. Therefore, you will pay a fee to have the sight hosted and you will seemingly have a free domain. However, many feel that the monthly web hosting fees include the domain fees.

The advantage of obtaining a free domain through a low-cost web hosting service is that it usually comes with additional freebies. Some bonus features include: domain forwarding, auto-responders, email forwarding, bulk domain registration options, tremendous disk space, website templates, and more. The majority of these services have excellent customer and technical support. Even though you are paying for the free domain, you are getting quality service. Remember, you get what you pay for. That has never ceased to be true.

Samsung I7500 & D980

2010-02-11T19:47:00.004+02:00

Different brands of mobile phones are flooded in the market, but still Samsung has maintained its position very successfully. The handsets provided by this brand are outstanding in terms of functionality and features. Awesome designs and looks have supported its mobile phones to reach to a standard level. All the handsets provided by this manufacturer are unique and different from one another. There are many competitors of this firm, such as Motorola, Nokia, Sony Ericsson, LG etc. Although there is a tough competition between these providers, Samsung has its own handsets competing with each other. For instance , Samsung i7500 and Samsung D980 are two magnificent gadgets, engaged in superiority war against each other.

The Samsung i7500 has the dimensions of 115.9 * 56 * 11.9 mm, and this 3G network
phone weighs only 116.7 grams. On the other hand, the Samsung D980 weighs 117 grams and has the dimensions of 97.5 * 55 * 16.3 mm, which is slightly heavier than the above mentioned device. The battery backup of the i7500 offers standby time upto 450 hours in 2G & 340 hours in 3G, and talktime upto 9 hours 20 minutes in 2G & 6 hours 10 minutes in 3G. In the contrast, the D980 battery supports standby time upto 200 hours and talktime upto 3 hours, which is less than the other model.

On comparing the memory capability of these two handsets, one would find that the Samsung i7500's internal memory is composed of 8 GB with 128 MB RAM that could be extended upto 16 GB with MicroStick card. Whereas, the Samsung D980's internal memory consists of 45 MB, which could be increased upto 2 GB only. In this war between both, we would find something common, and that is the inbuilt camera. Both have 5 mega pixel camera with autofocus and LED flash, which is capable of capturing images of 2592 * 1944 pixels resolution. But i7500 has an additional feature of Geo-tagging, which makes it more advanced than the other.

Both the handsets have fast connectivity and fast paced Internet browsing facilities. But i7500 has certainly more options for data transfer and connectivity. Other applications like messaging, call record, organizer etc. are available in both the handsets. For music lovers, both offer MP3 player and MP4 player, but D980 has something additional, and that is FM radio. These handsets are enabled with touchscreens, and they have different features. I7500 has 3.2 inches AMOLED capacitive screen with accelerometer sensor for auto-rotate, which supports 16 million colors display. On the other hand, D980 has 2.6 inches TFT resistive screen, which supports 256 thousand colors display. So, there is no doubt that the first one is better in terms of display.

Samsung i7500 and Samsung D980, both are competent handsets in their own way. It becomes difficult to assess, which handset is better or superior to the other. All necessary features and applications are provided with these handsets, depending on the user's requirements.

Generators

2010-02-11T19:26:00.004+02:00

Generators are used for the generation of electricity and they ensure that most of the essential appliances can be run whenever there is a power outage. Generators of different wattage capacities can be used according to the needs of the individual. The choice of buying the right type of generator depends upon a number of factors like the wattage capacity, voltage ratings, fuel type, fuel efficiency, noise level, portability and price – a prudent choice can only be made if you knew what to look for.

Stand By – Standby generators provide backup power in homes and offices and are permanently installed outside the house or office building. They are plugged into the electric circuits or home wiring. – The unit turns itself on and off automatically. They can automatically detect disruption in the usual electric supply and begin supplying power within a few seconds. – Propane and natural gas offer a safe, long-term fuel supply and are more environment friendly than gasoline or diesel fuels. – Like any motor, a generator motor creates quite a bit of heat and needs a cooling system to prevent overheating. Standby generators can be either air-cooled or liquid-cooled. The major difference is that air-cooled systems are louder and not quite as effective. Liquid cooled systems are quieter and more dependable – and also more expensive to purchase and to maintain.

Portable – Portable generators are usually used in places where there is no power supply such as construction sites, camps, etc. These generators are sufficient to run appliances like televisions, refrigerators, sump pumps and furnaces. – Portable systems are wheeled units that require to roll the generator outside, start it up, and hook it up to a power inlet box Portable generators supply electricity to selected appliances through extension cords. – They are fueled by gasoline, which can be difficult to store and transport during a blackout. Carbon monoxide is always a concern in the safe use of portable generators. – They are designed to be used for short periods of time only a few hours at a stretch. As a result, they tend to be much smaller and less expensive.

the speed at which they run is a related aspect of generator motors, as measured in RPMs. Generators made for the US market operate at one of two speeds: 1800 RPM or 3600 RPM. 3600 RPM motors are smaller and lighter, 1800 RPM motors will last longer and run quieter.

Amp, Volt, and Watt? (Electricity Principles)

2009-07-25T03:12:00.003+03:00

Although we can't necessarily see electricity, we can measure it by its effects. An ampere, or amp, represents the amount of current in a circuit. Voltage is defined scientifically as the circuit's "potential difference," and can be seen as the amount of "pressure" that drives electricity in a circuit. Watts are a measure of the use of electrical power, and one watt is equal to one volt multiplied by one amp.

In this case it is helpful to use an analogy to help us understand how each of these terms relate to each other. One commonly used analogy is that of the garden hose. The water pressure in the hose is like the voltage, and the amp value is like the volume of water flowing through the hose. The wattage, then, is the total amount of water that comes out of the hose, per unit of time.

If we replace the hose in the above analogy with an electrical wire, it is simple to see how they relate. In an electrical circuit, the voltage may be 220, as it is in most electrical outlets in all the world except the United States and other few countries. Most appliances are meant to run on this voltage, although each operates at different amp levels, and therefore at a different wattage.

An appliance which uses a large amount of current, such as an electric stove, may be on a separate circuit with a higher voltage. There must be more pressure -- or voltage -- to supply the needed amps to the appliance, because it has a higher wattage. In other words, it uses up more current, or amps, per unit of time, than another appliance. Without the higher voltage, it wouldn't run, because it would be "starved" for the amps it needed to be able to operate.

Another electrical term that helps tie together the other three is the ohm, which is a unit of electrical resistance. Going back to the garden hose analogy, if the hose has a larger diameter, more water will be able to flow through. A circuit with a high resistance value, expressed in ohms, is able to carry fewer amps than one with lower resistance, regardless of the voltage. If a high voltage encounters high resistance, the amount of possible amps in the circuit will be very low -- not much water will get through a narrow hose, no matter how high the pressure is.

Electrical consumption is measured in watts, or watt-hours, and this is the basis on which a power company bills a customer for electrical usage. For convenience, power companies measure consumption in a unit called a kilowatt-hour, which is the equivalent of using 1000 watts of power for one hour. The average household uses hundreds of kilowatt-hours per month.

Biometrics

2009-07-23T01:40:00.002+03:00

Biometrics are used to identify people based on their biological traits. This growing technological field has deep implications because proving identity is becoming an integral part of our daily lives. To uncover the prevalence that biometrics could attain, let us consider an ordinary day of Thomas.

Thomas wakes up in the morning, and checks his email on his computer. His service provider requires that Thomas confirm that it is he that is checking his account; instead of entering a username and password, he presses his thumb against a biometric scanner on his keyboard. The system confirms that it is, in fact, Thomas and grants him access to his messages. On his way to work, he enters his car but instead of using a key to identify him as the owner of the vehicle, another biometric scanner checks his fingerprint to confirm that he has the permission to enter.

A biometric hand-recognition device confirms that it is Thomas and allows him entrance to the building at work. Thomas' work computer uses a voice-recognition system that requires him to say a short phrase; it recognizes him and confirms that he has permission to access all programs and files on the computer network.

For lunch, Thomas takes a short trolley ride with some colleagues to a nearby restaurant. Upon entering the trolley, a biometric face-recognition camera recognizes him and automatically bills his bank account. At the restaurant, he pays by 'credit card' but instead of using an actual card, he presses his thumb against a portable biometric scanner. No signature is required and he is authenticated almost immediately. On his way home from work, he stops at the library to pick up a book, and he checks it out with a biometric retina scan instead of a library card.

It is evident that our identity is frequently required; For the time being we use a wide assortment of methods to verify our identity: usernames, passwords, signatures, keys, cards etc. Biometrics allow us to authenticate ourselves with things that we carry with us wherever we may go, such as our hands, eyes, voices, faces, fingerprints etc. In addition to the convenience, biometrics can be much more effective; a key or card, for example, can fall into someone else's hands. The promise of ease and increased security are perhaps biometric's most appealing features.

The downside of all of the benefits of biometrics is personal privacy. If we are going to be identified at various points during the day, will large companies, the government or other institutions track our behaviors and use this data in unanticipated or invasive ways? These questions must be addressed before biometrics have the chance of pervading our daily lives.

Digital Camera advices

2009-07-23T01:11:00.001+03:00

Digital cameras have changed the way photographs are taken and stored. With so many models of digital cameras on the market and in so many different price ranges, it can be difficult to know what to look for when buying one. Basically, there are three factors to consider: resolution, storage capacity, and special features for picture taking and storage.

The resolution of the photographs taken with a digital camera is measured in pixels. The greater number of pixels or dots per inch, the higher the resolution of the finished photograph will be. Digital cameras generally range from 2.0 megapixels to 5 and above. The next generation of digital cameras have higher and higher resolutions as consumers are looking for detail and color accuracy in their images. Older digital technology used under 2.0 megapixels.

Since film is not used in digital photography, the images are stored on internal disks in the camera. Most mid-priced digital cameras do not contain very much storage space and this requires users to download their pictures to their computer before snapping more shots.

More memory can be added to the interior of the camera, just like in a computer. A less expensive method is to add memory by using a small card that pops into the camera. These disks can be purchased with capacities between 64MB all the way up to 2 gigabytes. Larger disks can can hold hundreds of pictures at their highest quality!

Digital cameras come with an assortment of options and features. Some digital cameras can use wide-angle and telephoto lenses for added flexibility. Also when buying a digital camera, it is important to look at how easily the photos can be off loaded to a computer for storage or sharing and how easy they are to print. Some digital cameras come with docking systems that easily transfer the digital images to the computer. The images can then be modified using special editing software, stored to the hard drive or CD-ROM and even emailed.

iDog

2009-07-23T00:38:00.001+03:00

An iDog® or any type of iPet, such as iFish or iCat or even the iPenguin, is a clever children’s toy that allows you to use your MP3 player in a very different way. These little animals, which are made of hard plastic and come in a variety of colors, interact with music and will "dance" when they are either plugged into an MP3 player or placed next to a loud speaker. The toys also respond to things like being petted, and are similar in some ways to toy predecessors like Furbies®. The latest version, the iDog Amp’d has more interactive features, even sulking if you don’t allow it to listen to music regularly.

Though one might hope that the iDog, made by Hasbro®, would really do some serious dancing, the toy is a bit more passive. It may shake its head a little, raise its ears up and down, and tap its foot, but it won’t be dancing all over your table or floor. Its principle use, which can be especially helpful in the Amp’d version is as a speaker so you can play your MP3 player without earphones. The earliest versions of iPets did not have stereo sound, so they weren’t necessarily for music aficionados. Amp’d versions of the toy feature stereo sound, about equivalent to an inexpensive boom box, and often good enough for kids who’d like to share music with friends.

Volume on the toy is adjustable, usually by moving the dog’s tail up and down. You can also set the volume on the MP3 player lower if you’d like to turn down the Amp’d iDog. The Amp’d version does tend to play at a higher volume than others around you might appreciate, so it takes a little adjusting. You can also purchase iPets in a variety of colors. Some lean toward the distinctly feminine in color and others are more unisex in color.

Age recommendations for the toy are eight years and up, and it does take careful reading of the instructions to get the most out of any iPet. Kids who are not techies and who don’t read directions well may need to get help from parents at first to get their iDog to respond appropriately, and even parents should read any accompanying instructions carefully.

Price is definitely one of the most likeable features about the toy. While you can spend quite a bit to get docks or stereo systems to accommodate your MP3 player, the Amp’d iDog can retail on sale for as little as $20 US Dollars (USD). When not on sale, the average price of the toy is still under $30 USD, and you might want to do some comparison shopping for the best price. Do expect to use batteries aplenty if you use your iPet frequently. Though the pet only takes two AA batteries, you still might want to consider rechargeable batteries if you find yourself using the iDog all the time.

Red Pixel problem with LCD

2009-07-22T12:08:00.001+03:00

Liquid crystal display (LCD) monitors work basically through grouping of subpixels, one each for the red, the blue, and the green colors. Using these three colors the monitor can create any of the colors needed to display images. Unfortunately, because of the fragile nature of LCD monitors, a number of things can go wrong with them, causing defective pixels of one sort or another.

Two of the main types of monitor defect involve a pixel being stuck either on or off. The first of these, when a pixel is stuck on at all times, is known as a hot pixel. Hot pixels look like pure white marks on the screen, and usually show up most clearly against a dark background. The second of these, when a pixel is off, is known as a dead pixel. Dead pixels are simply black spots on the screen, and show up most clearly against a lighter background.

The third type of defective pixel is a stuck pixel. A stuck pixel can be any of the six main pure colors or color composites: red, green, blue, cyan, magenta, or yellow, but most often is one of the three pure colors. The most noticeable to most people is the red pixel, since it jumps out more clearly than green or blue. A red pixel is exactly what it sounds like, a pixel that has a single red subpixel stuck in the always-on state. Rather than being white or black, therefore, a red pixel manifests as a single red mark on whatever image you’re trying to look at.

Unlike a dead pixel, which is largely unfixable by a consumer, a red pixel can often be fixed fairly easily. There are a number of different ways to go about fixing a red pixel, from software solutions to actually playing around with the hardware. Although some of the fixes aren’t necessarily recommended, because they can cause damage to the screen, others have no negative consequences, so are worth trying. It’s also worth noting that many times a red pixel will simply repair itself after being left alone for a while. The stuck pixel eventually works its way clear and the monitor returns to full operation.

A number of software packages exist to help try to fix stuck pixels, for Mac, Windows, and Linux. These programs work by just flashing colors through the pixel region, trying to jolt it clear with energy. Allow for a few cycles, and hopefully the stuck pixel will just disappear. If not, however, there are two other, more direct approaches you can take.

The first is called the pressure method, and involves applying direct pressure to the red pixel itself. You want to take a slightly damp washcloth and put it over the screen first, to make sure you don’t scratch your screen while trying to fix it. Then take some solid object, like a stylus or eraser, and press through the cloth directly on to the stuck pixel with the monitor off. While applying pressure, turn on the computer or monitor and hold it for a moment longer, then remove the pressure and the red pixel should disappear.

If this doesn’t work, you can try the tapping method. To do this, turn on the screen and open a document that is completely black, or go to a black image somewhere on the internet, or set your desktop background to black. Then take a pen with a rounded cap, like the one found on a Sharpie®, and start tapping on the stuck pixel. When you tap, you should see a bit of white glow through, which will let you know you’re tapping with sufficient force. Continue tapping ten or twenty times and the red pixel should right itself and vanish.

What is WWW in website name?

2009-07-21T22:25:00.001+03:00

The quick answer to this question is that there is no difference between the two addresses for most modern domains. For example, typing www.eg.vg or eg.vg into the Uniform Resource Locator (URL) of your Web browser will bring you to this site with equal ease. However, leaving “www” off of some websites can result in the browser being unable to find the site. This problem is correctable by the domain holder. A cursory understanding of how the World Wide Web (WWW) works will be helpful in understanding the problem.

The Internet is a massive network of computers that communicate by using agreed upon protocols. For example, every computer on the Internet is assigned a unique numerical address so that information can be sent and received without being lost. These unique addresses are called Internet Protocol addresses, or IPs for short. In the case of a website the numeric IP maps to a name, as names are easier for surfers to remember than numbers.

The Domain Name System (DNS) database contains a record for each website, which stores the website's name and IP address. When clicking on a link or entering an address in a Web browser, it sends a request to the DNS database to resolve the name to the corresponding IP address. If the “www” prefix is left off and the browser stalls, it is likely that the DNS record does not contain the short version of the domain name: the version without the “www.”

Once the name is found in the DNS database it is resolved to the corresponding IP. This allows the browser to create a connection with the server that hosts the site. It requests the page and supplies your IP address, akin to sending a self-addressed stamped envelope. The host server sends the webpage to your computer and the transaction is complete.

In the past many host servers created websites as subdomains under www., following then-current naming conventions. "WWW" identified the server as a Web server, versus a server dedicated to other tasks. As the Internet became more widely traveled by the general public, however, the ubiquitous “www” was often overlooked when entering website addresses into browsers. This resulted in lost website traffic and frustrated surfers, as many DNS records only contained www.example.com, and not example.com for the domain name.

Over time hosts began dropping the “www” designation for Web servers, and domains were created as example.com. To catch traffic that might arbitrarily include “www” in the browser request, DNS records instead included an extra entry to cover this occurrence. CNAME is the DNS tag that maps an alias to the main name in the DNS record: in this case the "www." version of the name. With this solution surfers could include or exclude www. and reach the site either way.

DNS records can be modified to include a mapped alias. If you require this service for your domain(s), contact your domain registrar.

More Ram ... More Speed !

2009-07-21T22:14:00.001+03:00

Computer speed is one of the most sought after features of both desktops and laptops. Whether gaming, surfing the Web, executing code, running financial reports or updating databases, a computer can never be too fast. Will adding more random access memory (RAM) increase computer speed? In some cases it will, but not in all.

If RAM is the only bottleneck in an otherwise fast system, adding RAM will improve computer speed, possibly dramatically. If there are other problems aside from a shortage of RAM, however, adding memory might help, but the other factors will need to be addressed to get the best possible performance boost. In some cases a computer might simply be too old to run newer applications efficiently, if at all.

In Windows™ systems you can check RAM usage several ways. One method is to hold down the keys, Ctrl + Alt + Del to bring up the Task Manager. Click the Performance tab to see a graph of RAM resources. Third party freeware memory managers will also check memory usage for you. Some even monitor memory to free up RAM when necessary, though this is a stopgap measure.

If your system is low on RAM or routinely requires freeing RAM, installing more memory should improve computer speed. Check your motherboard before heading to your favorite retailer, however. The board might be maxed out in terms of the amount of RAM it will support. It can also happen that existing memory might need to be replaced if all ports are occupied by 1-gigabyte sticks, for example, on a motherboard that will support greater sticks.

If you are a gamer or work with video applications a slow graphics card might be a contributor to poor performance. A good graphics card should have its own on-board RAM and graphics processor (GPU), otherwise it will use system RAM and CPU resources. Consult the motherboard manual to see if you can improve performance by upgrading to a better card. If your present card is top notch and RAM seems fine, the central processing unit (CPU) is another upgrade that can drastically improve computer speed.

Maintenance issues also affect performance and might need to be addressed to remove bottlenecks. A lack of sufficient hard disk space will slow performance, as will a fragmented drive. Spyware, adware, keyloggers, root kits, Trojans and viruses can also slow a computer by taking up system resources as they run background processes.

In some cases a computer serves fine except for one specific application. Most software advertises minimum requirements but these recommendations are generally insufficient for good performance. One rule of thumb is to double the requirements for better performance. If your system can only meet minimal requirements this is likely the problem.

Taking the measures outlined should improve computer speed unless the system is already running at peak and the motherboard cannot be upgraded further. If so, the only alternative is to invest in a new computer that supports newer, faster technology. With prices falling all the time it should be easy to find an affordable buy that will reward you each time you boot up.

How Much My Computer Use Electricity ?

2009-07-21T21:53:00.003+03:00

If you’re trying to save money on your utility bills, you may find yourself wondering how much electricity a computer uses. However, finding the answer to this question can be a somewhat complicated task. The amount of electricity a computer uses depends upon what type of equipment you have and what applications you are running.

Typically, the amount of electricity a computer uses is between 65 watts and 250 watts. The monitor often needs between 35 watts and 80 watts of electricity as well. Most desktop computers have a label that lists how much electricity they need, but this is generally the theoretical maximum and not an average representation.

As you might expect, desktop computers with faster processors use more electricity than computers with slower processors. LCD monitors only use about half the electricity of similarly sized CRT monitors, however. Accessories and peripherals such as cable modems, routers, or webcams contribute to a slight increase in how much electricity a computer uses as well.

Regardless of what type of computer you own, the type of work you do on your computer makes a difference in electrical consumption. Using your computer to edit digital pictures, design a website, or play a video game uses more electricity than reading email or completing simple word processing tasks. In addition, the amount of electricity a computer uses significantly increases when it is connected to the Internet.

One common misconception about the amount of electricity a computer uses is that using a screensaver saves money. A screensaver does not use less energy. It's series of moving images is aimed at protecting the screen from having a static image ingrained into it.

If you’re worried about high utility bills, a better option is to leave your computer in standby mode when it’s not being used. In standby mode, a computer uses approximately 6 watts of electricity and the monitor’s electrical consumption drops to almost nothing. Of course, it’s even cheaper to turn your computer completely off when it won’t be used for several hours at a time.

Although many people prefer laptops because of their added convenience, it is interesting to note that a laptop computer can also result in a significant energy savings. Most laptops use between 15 watts and 45 watts of electricity. Switching to a laptop may be a smart decision if you’re concerned about how much electricity a computer uses.

laptop battery longer life...!

2009-07-21T21:47:00.004+03:00

The question of extending laptop battery life is one of the most vexing concerns of many of those who take advantage of mobile computing. A laptop battery can be a very expensive component to replace, with most costing at least $100 US Dollars (USD) and some costing considerably more than that. Therefore, it is to the computer owner's advantage to follow a few simple steps to extend battery life.

Of primary importance is to know the type of battery you have. For example, lithium ion batteries work differently than NiCD or NiMH batteries. The latter two should be fully discharged to avoid a memory effect, which will work to deplete laptop battery life. The lithium ion battery should never be fully discharged.

Whenever possible, avoid needless recharge cycles. Any rechargeable battery has only so many of these. Discharging a battery for a few minutes, then plugging it in could prematurely cause laptop battery life to decrease dramatically. Rather, if you do not need the battery and it is charged or even if it is not charged, take it out and run off the cord.

Most laptop computers have power saving settings. Use them. Nearly every computer expert will tell you this, for a good reason. It simply may be the best way to extend laptop battery life. Dimming the screen, hibernation, not running the CD/DVD drive any more than absolutely necessary when on the battery all will help.

Use the battery at least once every couple of weeks. While this may seem counterintuitive given the instruction to avoid needless recharge cycles, it is not. This is because in order to get the most laptop battery life possible, you must use it. Rechargeable batteries need to be worked or they will lose their effectiveness. This does not mean recharging the battery after every 15-minute use, but rather using the battery for substantially longer periods of time.

For those who rely heavily on their battery, consider a long-life laptop battery. This will help extend times needed between charges, cutting down on the number of recharging cycles needed. While this may seem like an expensive option, it also provides the added benefit, if you already have a standard battery, of having a backup when away from a corded power source.

Watch the use of peripherals, which can substantially drain energy from the battery. If running on battery, use the touchpad instead of the USB mouse. Avoid other such connections as well, as these tend to drain laptop battery life.

Defragment your hard drive regularly. This is a good idea even for desktops, but it is especially important for laptops. Defragmenting should be done when on corded power as it takes a substantial amount of resources to do. However, a properly defragmented hard drive will help keep your hard drive from working harder than it has to when it is on battery power.

Also, don't run unnecessary programs or devices. This will also cause your battery to drain prematurely. When extending the laptop battery life is a concern, this may be one of the easiest things to do. For example, if there is no WiFi access where you are, having that component turned on is nothing but a waste of resources.

Please turn off your computer at night ...!

2009-07-21T21:41:00.001+03:00

There are several reasons why it may be a good idea to turn off your computer at night. For some, it may not matter whether the computer is on or off. Most newer computers have a sleep mode when they are inactive which doesn't use much power. However, in businesses or at home, it may be wise to turn off the computer at night for security reasons.

For example, computers connected to the Internet via DSL or cable modem are vulnerable to hacking if they are still connected. You can either turn off the connection or turn off the computer. You may need to keep the computer turned on, conversely, if the computer is used as a fax machine as well.

However, if you work from home and log into a business, you should definitely turn off the computer at night, or at the very least, log out from the business. Not only does leaving the computer on threaten the security of your personal computer, but it could also give hackers entry to your business.

Sleep mode on computers still uses some electricity, and the most economic thing to do is to turn off the computer at night, especially if you're is penny pinching. Saving electricity also has environmental benefits. Older computers may not have the sleep feature, so if you have an older computer you might want to turn it off to save money. Obviously, laptops, which run on a battery, will have a longer battery life if they are turned off when not in use.

You may turn off the computer out of the common misconception that this will protect the computer from power surges. Actually, this is not the case. Even when people turn off their computer, the computer is still vulnerable to power surges if it's not hooked up to a surge protector. Be sure to purchase a good surge protector and do not skimp on money in this case. Find a well rated one that will protect your computer whether off or on from power surges.

Some computer experts suggest that certain programs benefit from getting a break at night, like Windows®. Turning off the computer at night may help eliminate crashes during the day, since the program is rebooted when the computer is turned on again in the morning.

If you aren't concerned about money, computer security, and crashes, then you don't have to turn off the computer at night. But, since at least one of these issues is usually a concern, you might want to turn off your computer at night.

Bandwidth ?

2009-07-21T21:32:00.003+03:00

Bandwidth is a term used to describe how much information can be transmitted over a connection. Bandwidth is usually given as bits per second, or as some larger denomination of bits, such as Megabits per second, expressed as kbit/s or Mbit/s. Bandwidth is a gross measurement, taking the total amount of data transferred in a given period of time as a rate, without taking into consideration the quality of the signal itself.

Throughput can be looked at as a subset of bandwidth that takes into account whether data was successfully transmitted or not. While the bandwidth of a connection might be quite high, if the signal loss is also high, then the throughput of the connection will remain somewhat low. Conversely, even a relatively low-bandwidth connection can have a moderately high throughput if the signal quality is also high.

Bandwidth is most familiar to consumers because of its use by hosting companies or internet service providers. The sense in which bandwidth is used by most web hosting companies, that is, as a measure of total data transferred in a month, is not strictly correct. This measurement is more rightly referred to as data transfer, but the use of bandwidth by hosting companies is so pervasive that it has become accepted by the general public.

Many hosting providers place caps on the amount of bandwidth a site can transfer in a given period of time, usually a month, but sometimes twenty-four hours or a week. If the site exceeds its bandwidth allotment, the service is usually either suspended or else additional bandwidth is billed separately, often at a much higher cost than the base cost included with the hosting plan.

Some hosts offer so-called unlimited bandwidth plans, which in theory have an unlimited amount of data transfer per month. Usually the actual bandwidth, that is the per-second transfer of a connection, is somewhat limited on these services, ensuring data transfer for the site never becomes too large. If the bandwidth limit is met, speeds for users may be throttled down substantially, or service may even be interrupted.

Different technologies for connecting to the internet have different bandwidth limits associated with them, as well. These act as an upper limit to how much data may be transferred each second by a user. At the low end of the bandwidth spectrum, a simple dialup connection, using a modem and a normal phone line, has a maximum bandwidth of around 56 kbit/s. In comparison, a DSL connection can reach nearly 10 Mbit/s, or two-hundred times that of a dialup connection, while a cable connection can theoretically reach around 30 Mbit/s. Connections such as a T1 line can reach 1.544 Mbit/s, but given their dedicated nature the actual bandwidth they reach is often higher than cable or DSL. Larger connections include T3 at around 43 Mbit/s, OC3 at 155 Mbit/s, OC12 at 622 Mbit/s, and the monumental OC192 at 9.6 Gbit/s, more than three-hundred times faster than a cable connection as its maximum speed.

Bandwidth is also a limiting factor for the technology that connects the computer itself to the modem or device interacting with the direct internet line. Basic Ethernet, for example, has a bandwidth of 10 Mbit/s, so that using an internet connection faster than that would be largely wasted speed. Fast Ethernet has a bandwidth of 100 Mbit/s, more than fast enough for all consumer uses, while Gigabit Ethernet has a bandwidth of 1 Gbit/s and 10 Gigabit Ethernet is 10 Gbit/s. Wireless technologies are also limited by bandwidth, with Wireless 802.11b featuring a bandwidth of 11Mbit/s, Wireless-G 802.11g having a 54 Mbit/s cap, and Wireless-N 802.11n a blazing 300Mbit/s.

Why USB 2.0?

2009-07-21T21:28:00.002+03:00

Universal Serial Bus (USB) 2.0 is an external serial interface used on computers and other digital devices to transfer data using a USB cable. The designation “2.0” refers to the standard or version of the USB interface. As of fall 2006, USB 2.0 remains the current standard.

USB is a plug-and-play interface. This means that the computer does not need to be powered off in order to plug in or unplug a USB 2.0 component. For example, an iPod or other MP3 player can be connected to a computer via a USB cable running to the USB 2.0 port. The computer will register the device as another storage area and show any files it contains.

Using the USB 2.0 interface, one can transfer files to or from the MP3 player. When finished, simply unplug the USB cable from the interface. Because the computer does not need to be shut down to plug in the device, USB components are considered “hot swappable.”

Aside from MP3 players, many other external devices use USB 2.0 data ports, including digital cameras, cell phones, and newer cable boxes. Native components also make use of USB, such as mice, keyboards, external hard drive enclosures, printers, scanners, fax machines, wireless and wired networks keys, and WiFi scanners. One of the most popular and convenient USB gadgets is a memory stick.

When USB standards change from an existing version to a newer version, as they did from USB 1.1 to USB 2.0, hardware made for the newer version is in most cases backwards-compatible. For instance, if a computer has a USB 1.1 port, a device made for USB 2.0 that is marked as “backwards compatible to USB 1.1” will work on the older port. However, the device will only transfer data at 1.1 speeds using a USB 1.1 port.

Currently, computers are built with USB 2.0 ports. The USB 2.0 standard encompasses three data transfer rates:

* Low Speed: 1.5 megabits per second, used mostly for keyboards and mice.
* Full Speed: 12 megabits per second, the USB 1.1 standard rate.
* Hi Speed: 480 megabits per second, the USB 2.0 standard rate.

Since USB 2.0 supports all three data rates, a device that is marked as “USB 2.0 compliant” isn’t necessarily hi-speed. It may operate through a USB 2.0 port at one of the slower speeds. Look for clarification when shopping for hi-speed USB 2.0 devices.

(ICANN) The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers

2009-07-21T21:14:00.002+03:00

The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) is a non-profit corporation located in Marina Del Rey, California tasked with managing the logistics of Internet Protocol (IP) addresses and domain names. Created in September 1998, ICANN took over these duties previously served by the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA). As recently as September 2006 ICANN renewed its agreement with the U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC) to continue in this capacity.

Every computer than connects to the Internet must have a unique address in order to issue requests and receive information within the Internet. When a user logs on to the Internet, the Internet Service Provider (ISP) assigns an IP address. ISPs are assigned blocks of proprietary IP addresses for their use. The IPs they assign to their customers are pulled from these blocks.

In addition to every computer online having a unique address, every website must also have a unique address. The domain name is only used as a convenience because names are easier for people to remember than a string of numbers, but each name maps back to a specific IP address. In the case of wiseGEEK.com, for example, the IP address is 69.93.118.236. Considering the vast number of Internauts and websites, it becomes clear that ICANN has a formidable job in managing the global coordination of this crucial aspect of the Internet.

Over time new domain hierarchies became necessary to answer demand. Thanks to ICANN, standard .com, .net and .org addresses were joined by extensions .info, .name, .tv and .museum among others. The travel industry got its own hierarchy with .travel, and websites dedicated to employment opportunities could populate the .jobs hierarchy. ICANN also manages IPs assigned to government offices (.gov), military (.mil), and country code hierarchies (e.g. .uk).

ICANN operates through a board of stakeholders who regularly meet to discuss policy development to better serve the needs of the Internet. It coordinates resources from a variety of bodies within ICANN that include the Address Supporting Organization (ASO), the Generic Names Supporting Organization (GNSO), and the Country Code Names Supporting Organization (CCNSO). Input also comes from the At-Large Advisory Committee (ALAC), the Security and Stability Advisory Committee (SSAC), the Root Server System Advisory Committee (RSSAC), the Governmental Advisory Committee (GAC), and the Technical Liaison Group (TLG). Each of these bodies within ICANN addresses specific areas required for effective overall management of the global assignment of domain names and IP addresses.

UNIX

2009-07-21T21:11:00.002+03:00

UNIX® is a class of operating system developed at Bell Labs in 1969. Today it is owned as a trademark by The Open Group, which oversees its develop and publishes the Single UNIX® Specification. Operating systems which are based on UNIX®, or share many features with UNIX®, but do not comply with the spec, are generally referred to as UNIX®-like.

Generally, UNIX® is seen as the operating system on a workstation or a network server. UNIX® systems formed the backbone of the early internet, and they continue to play an important part in keeping the internet functioning. UNIX® originally set out to be an incredibly portable system, capable of allowing a computer to have multiple processes going on at once, and with multiple users logged in at the same time.

The interactions in early UNIX® systems took place through a text input, and used a hierarchical file storage system. Although UNIX® has changed since its early development, many commands remain the same, and it is largely recognizable today as the same system it was forty years ago. Since 1994, UNIX® has been owned by The Open Group, which purchased it from Novell. The standard continues to develop, and has also had a number of popular offshoots which originated with its core ideals.

The most famous of these is the Linux kernel, which has its beginnings as far back as 1983 when Richard Stallman began the GNU project to try to create a free version of UNIX®. Although the project itself had no success, in 1992 Linus Torvalds produced a free version of the kernel, which he called Linux, and he released it under the GNU license. As a result, while UNIX® remained relatively closed off, Linux was completely open source. This spurred a great number of distributions of the core kernel, including popular ones like Fedora, Ubuntu, and Red Hat.

Although people tend to think of UNIX® as a single operating system, it is actually a broader class of systems that meet a spec. Anyone who has an operating system that meets that spec can use the name UNIX®, assuming they pay the proper licensing fees. A number of existing operating systems could use the mark UNIX® if they so chose, although in many cases this would undermine their own properties.

For example, the Apple OSX system meets the UNIX® spec, and so is strictly speaking a UNIX® system. Similarly, the Solaris operating system is a UNIX® system, as are HP-UX, AIX, Tru64, and IRIX. Operating systems, like Linux flavors, or BSD, which have a great deal in common with UNIX®, but are not technically UNIX® systems because of either a failure to meet the spec, to pay the licensing fee, or both, are often referred to simply as *nix systems. This comes from a practice in UNIX® itself, of using the asterisk as a wildcard symbol, which can stand in for any character. Although technically UNIX®-like systems is the preferred term, it is very rarely seen in place of *nix, *NIX, or ?nix.

Live CD (Operating System on Fly)

2009-07-20T22:49:00.001+03:00

A Live CD is a bootable compact disk that contains its own operating system (OS). Booting to a Live CD allows a user to try out alternate operating systems without making changes to the computer’s existing OS, hard drives or files. Live CDs, sometimes referred to as LiveDistros are used extensively for various incarnations of the GNU/Linux operating system.

When power is supplied to a computer, the first thing the computer does is process a set of instructions read from the BIOS, or the Basic Input/Output System chip. Settings contained here can be user-modified but typical default settings instruct the computer, among other things, to boot off the hard drive after checking to make sure there is no bootable compact disk in the CD/DVD drive.

If the computer finds a Live CD in the drive, it will boot to that system rather than the installed OS. Once the computer boots to the Live CD the user is free to explore the operating system without compromising the host computer. To get back to the locally installed system, simply remove the Live CD from the CD/DVD drive and reboot the computer, allowing it to boot from the hard drive.

Live CDs are useful for a number of reasons. For one, a user no longer has to invest time and internal storage space to set up a dual boot system in order to try out a new OS. Moreover, many Linux distributions such as Ubuntu are self-sufficient systems with a suite of free built-in programs including a word processor, spreadsheet program, graphics editor and the award-winning FireFox™ Web browser. This means one can take a Live CD to any computer to get work done without invading the desktop, workspace or system of the host computer.

If attempts to boot from a Live CD fail and the system boots to the hard drive, you’ll need to change your BIOS settings. To do this, hold down the Delete key during the beginning moments of the boot process. When the BIOS menu pops up, navigate to the options that will allow you to change the order of bootable devices. Rather than listing the hard disk as the first device to check, change the settings so that the computer will try the CD drive first. These settings can be saved without creating problems. When there is not a Live CD in the drive, the computer will boot from the hard drive.

Various Linux distributions are available online, many free. In some cases you can request a Live CD be sent through the mail, though this might incur charges for materials and shipping. You can also opt to download a Live CD file and place it on a CD yourself. The file will be large, however, and unsuitable for download through low-bandwidth connections such as dial up.

Torrent (Revolutionof Sharing & Downloading)

2009-07-20T22:38:00.003+03:00

Torrents are specialized files utilized in peer-to-peer (P2P) network environments. P2P is a network of personal computers that communicate with one another by running proprietary P2P software. The first P2P software designed to utilize torrents was BitTorrent by Bram Cohen. Other torrent clients have followed.

Torrents are distinguished by a unique transfer process. To compare how torrents download to standard files, let’s first consider how normal files download off the Internet.

At any given website a user might click on a file to transfer it to his or her computer. Upon clicking on the file, the website’s server starts sending the file to the visitor in discreet data packets. These packets travel various routes to reach the user’s computer and are reconstructed upon receipt to complete the file transfer.

While this works fine for smaller files, it is cumbersome to transfer larger files this way. If the server is busy, download time can be very slow. Communication between your server and the computer can even crash, causing corruption in the transfer, or at best, delays.

Unlike downloads off the Web, torrents do not point to a single source on a P2P network when requesting files. Instead, torrents contain specific information that multiple computers in the network can read to send various parts of the requested file simultaneously and en masse. Torrents keep active track of which parts of the file are needed to complete the request. By downloading bits of the file from dozens, hundreds, or even thousands of sources, large files can download very quickly.

Working with torrents is also unique for another reason. At the same time the user is downloading file parts, the computer is also uploading parts already received to others. This decreases download time because users do not have to wait for file sources to have completed torrents before receiving needed parts of a requested file.

Once requested torrents have downloaded in full, you become a seed for those files. A seed refers to someone that has the entire file available. It is considered rude to download torrents and disconnect, referred to as leeching. Instead, users are encouraged to participate by seeding the file for others so that a minimal 1:1 share ratio is maintained. A swarm refers to the entire group of people transferring a file at any given time.

To encourage sharing, software used for downloading torrents keeps track of the share ratio. The torrent client will automatically allocate more bandwidth for downloading at faster speeds when a user shares more than he or she downloads. This usually means leaving the computer running while doing other things, as upstream bandwidth is much slower for most of us than downstream bandwidth. While it might take 40 minutes to download a 250MB freeware suite, it can take several times longer to upload that same amount of data.

Torrents are archived in libraries that are searchable with a Web browser. One cannot download torrents without installing a torrent client first. There are many free torrent clients available, some of which are open source. Once a desired torrent is found, clicking on it will open the torrent client to begin the download process. The user may have to configure his or her firewall to allow the use of certain communication ports.

Many types of files are shared as torrents, including software, music and videos. While P2P sharing is not illegal, sharing copyrighted material without permission from the copyright holder is illegal. The Recording Industry Artists of American (RIAA), and Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) have targeted some websites that cater to archiving illegal torrents.

VPN ( Virtual Private Network )

2009-07-20T22:34:00.002+03:00

VPN, or virtual private network, is a catchall phrase for a variety of networking schemes that allow businesses to use public Internet lines to create a virtual network.

There is no standard model for a VPN, but in general it uses public Internet lines in one of several unique fashions to create a virtual private network. The VPN can operate between branches, regional centers and field representatives via a set of software and hardware protocols that authenticate users and encrypt traffic.

A few types of VPN security include:

Encrypted tunneling: utilizes SSL (Secure Socket Layer) encryption to authenticate users and send information between the remote client(s) and server(s).

IP Security (IPsec): encrypts IP packets like SSL, but can also encrypt UDP (user datagram protocol) traffic, one layer deeper in the network model. UDP traffic accounts for only a small percentage of network traffic, but is used in some key applications like streaming media, and Voice over IP (VoIP).

Point-to-point Protocol (PTPP): Microsoft's VPN protocol, not considered as secure as some others, including IPsec.

Other VPN models include "trusted VPNs," which rely on the third party services of an established network provider. The provider handles all network traffic and guarantees the security of VPN communications. Trusted network structures might use multi-protocol label switching (MPLS), layer-2 forwarding (L2F), layer 2 tunneling protocol (L2TP), or later versions of these protocols, such as L2TP version 3.

A VPN differs from a WAN (wide area network) in that the latter uses leased network lines, thus restricting all traffic to corporate business only. This is effective but costly, particularly when the network must span large distances.

Some companies use intranets or extranets to facilitate 'private' communication. These protocols involve password-protected pages or sites that, ideally, only employees and authorized personnel can access. However, connections between remote users and host servers are not always encrypted, and intranets and extranets are not technically private networks.

The alternate answer is a VPN.

A VPN is expandable, much more cost-effective than a traditional WAN, connects field operators, international offices, affiliated partners or clients, and improves productivity. Assuming care is taken to build a secure VPN, it is a highly beneficial step that can be a tremendous asset to any company with networking needs.

AJAX as New Innovation

2009-07-20T22:20:00.004+03:00

AJAX is a term used to describe an approach to designing and implementing web applications. It is an acronym for Asynchronous JavaScript and XML. The term was first introduced in an article by Jesse James Garrett of Adaptive Path, a web-design firm based out of San Francisco. He conceived of the term when he realized the need for an easy, sellable way to pitch a certain style of design and building to clients.

The primary purpose of AJAX is to help make web applications function more like desktop applications. HyperText Markup Language (HTML), the language that drives the World-Wide Web, was designed around the idea of hypertext – pages of text that could be linked within themselves to other documents. For HTML to function, most actions that an end-user takes in his or her browser send a request back to the web server. The server then processes that request, perhaps sends out further requests, and eventually responds with whatever the user requested.

While this approach may have worked well in the early days of the Internet, for modern web applications, the constant waiting between clicks is frustrating for users and serves to dampen the entire experience. Users have become accustomed to blazing-fast responses in their desktop applications and are unhappy when a website can’t offer the same immediate response. By adding an additional layer between the user interface and the communication with the server, AJAX applications remove a great deal of the lag between user interaction and application response. As AJAX becomes more common in popular web applications, users become more and more accustomed to this immediate response, helping to drive more businesses to adopt AJAX methodologies.

An AJAX application consists of a number of applications used in conjunction to create a more seamless experience. This includes Extensible HTML (XHTML) and Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) for building the underlying page structure and its visual style, respectively; some sort of interaction suite using the Document Object Model; data manipulation using Extensible Markup Language (XML); data retrieval using XMLHttpRequest; and JavaScript to help these different elements interact with one another. AJAX is spreading quickly throughout the web, with examples visible at many major sites. Google Maps, for example, in many ways epitomizes the ethos of the AJAX model, with its complex functionality and virtually seamless interactivity.

Like most emerging philosophies of web development, AJAX has its share of detractors. One commonly leveled argument against AJAX is that in many cases it breaks some expected functionality, such as the use of the Back button, causing confusion. While some fixes exist for many of these breaks, they are rarely implemented to the extent that the behavior of an AJAX application conforms to the expected behavior of the larger browser.

BIOS (Basic Input/Output System)

2009-07-20T22:07:00.003+03:00

A BIOS (Basic Input/Output System) is an electronic set of instructions that a computer uses to successfully start operating. The BIOS is located on a chip inside of the computer and is designed in a way that protects it from disk failure.

A main function of the BIOS is to give instructions for the power-on self test (POST). This self test ensures that the computer has all of the necessary parts and functionality needed to successfully start itself, such as use of memory, a keyboard and other parts. If errors are detected during the test, the BIOS instructs the computer to give a code that reveals the problem. Error codes are typically a series of beeps heard shortly after startup.

The BIOS also works to give the computer basic information about how to interact with some critical components, such as drives and memory, that it will need to load the operating system. Once the basic instructions have been loaded and the self-test has been passed, the computer can proceed with loading the operating system from one of the attached drives.

Computer users can often make certain adjustments to the BIOS through a configuration screen on the computer. The setup screen is typically accessed with a special key sequence during the first moments of startup. This setup screen often allows users to change the order in which drives are accessed during startup and control the functionality of a number of critical devices. Features vary among individual BIOS versions.

Many PC manufacturers today use flash-memory cards to hold BIOS information. This allows users to update the BIOS version on computers after a vendor releases an update. This system was designed to solve problems with the original BIOS or to add new functionality. Users can periodically check for updated BIOS versions, as some vendors release a dozen or more updates over the course of a product's lifetime. To check for an updated BIOS, users can check the website of the specific hardware vendor.

How to get Maximum Performance from Dual Core Processor

2009-07-20T00:03:00.001+03:00

A dual core processor is a CPU with two separate cores on the same die, each with its own cache. It's the equivalent of getting two microprocessors in one.

In a single-core or traditional processor the CPU is fed strings of instructions it must order, execute, then selectively store in its cache for quick retrieval. When data outside the cache is required, it is retrieved through the system bus from random access memory (RAM) or from storage devices. Accessing these slows down performance to the maximum speed the bus, RAM or storage device will allow, which is far slower than the speed of the CPU. The situation is compounded when multi-tasking. In this case the processor must switch back and forth between two or more sets of data streams and programs. CPU resources are depleted and performance suffers.

In a dual core processor each core handles incoming data strings simultaneously to improve efficiency. Just as two heads are better than one, so are two hands. Now when one is executing the other can be accessing the system bus or executing its own code. Adding to this favorable scenario, both AMD and Intel's dual-core flagships are 64-bit.

To utilize a dual core processor, the operating system must be able to recognize multi-threading and the software must have simultaneous multi-threading technology (SMT) written into its code. SMT enables parallel multi-threading wherein the cores are served multi-threaded instructions in parallel. Without SMT the software will only recognize one core. Adobe Photoshop is an example of SMT-aware software. SMT is also used with multi-processor systems common to servers.

A dual core processor is different from a multi-processor system. In the latter there are two separate CPUs with their own resources. In the former, resources are shared and the cores reside on the same chip. A multi-processor system is faster than a system with a dual core processor, while a dual core system is faster than a single-core system, all else being equal.

An attractive value of dual core processors is that they do not require a new motherboard, but can be used in existing boards that feature the correct socket. For the average user the difference in performance will be most noticeable in multi-tasking until more software is SMT aware. Servers running multiple dual core processors will see an appreciable increase in performance.

Multi-core processors are the goal and as technology shrinks, there is more "real-estate" available on the die. In the fall of 2004 Bill Siu of Intel predicted that current accommodating motherboards would be here to stay until 4-core CPUs eventually force a changeover to incorporate a new memory controller that will be required for handling 4 or more cores.

Multi-Core Processor Advantages & Disadvantages

2009-07-19T23:43:00.002+03:00

A multi-core processor is a processing system composed of two or more independent cores (or CPUs). The cores are typically integrated onto a single integrated circuit die (known as a chip multiprocessor or CMP), or they may be integrated onto multiple dies in a single chip package. A many-core processor is one in which the number of cores is large enough that traditional multi-processor techniques are no longer efficient — this threshold is somewhere in the range of several tens of cores — and likely requires a network on chip.

A dual-core processor contains two cores, and a quad-core processor contains four cores. A multi-core processor implements multiprocessing in a single physical package. Cores in a multi-core device may be coupled together tightly or loosely. For example, cores may or may not share caches, and they may implement message passing or shared memory inter-core communication methods. Common network topologies to interconnect cores include: bus, ring, 2-dimensional mesh, and crossbar. All cores are identical in homogeneous multi-core systems and they are not identical in heterogeneous multi-core systems. Just as with single-processor systems, cores in multi-core systems may implement architectures such as superscalar, VLIW, vector processing, SIMD, or multithreading.

Multi-core processors are widely used across many application domains including: general-purpose, embedded, network, digital signal processing, and graphics.

The amount of performance gained by the use of a multi-core processor is strongly dependent on the software algorithms and implementation. In particular, the possible gains are limited by the fraction of the software that can be "parallelized" to run on multiple cores simultaneously; this effect is described by Amdahl's law. In the best case, so-called embarrassingly parallel problems may realize speedup factors near the number of cores. Many typical applications, however, do not realize such large speedup factors and thus, the parallelization of software is a significant on-going topic of research.

Advantages

The proximity of multiple CPU cores on the same die allows the cache coherency circuitry to operate at a much higher clock rate than is possible if the signals have to travel off-chip. Combining equivalent CPUs on a single die significantly improves the performance of cache snoop (alternative: Bus snooping) operations. Put simply, this means that signals between different CPUs travel shorter distances, and therefore those signals degrade less. These higher quality signals allow more data to be sent in a given time period since individual signals can be shorter and do not need to be repeated as often.

The largest boost in performance will likely be noticed in improved response time while running CPU-intensive processes, like antivirus scans, ripping/burning media (requiring file conversion), or searching for folders. For example, if the automatic virus scan initiates while a movie is being watched, the application running the movie is far less likely to be starved of processor power, as the antivirus program will be assigned to a different processor core than the one running the movie playback.

Assuming that the die can fit into the package, physically, the multi-core CPU designs require much less Printed Circuit Board (PCB) space than multi-chip SMP designs. Also, a dual-core processor uses slightly less power than two coupled single-core processors, principally because of the decreased power required to drive signals external to the chip. Furthermore, the cores share some circuitry, like the L2 cache and the interface to the front side bus (FSB). In terms of competing technologies for the available silicon die area, multi-core design can make use of proven CPU core library designs and produce a product with lower risk of design error than devising a new wider core design. Also, adding more cache suffers from diminishing returns.

Disadvantages

In addition to operating system (OS) support, adjustments to existing software are required to maximize utilization of the computing resources provided by multi-core processors. Also, the ability of multi-core processors to increase application performance depends on the use of multiple threads within applications. The situation is improving: for example the Valve Corporation's Source engine, offers multi-core support, and Crytek has developed similar technologies for CryEngine 2, which powers their game, Crysis. Emergent Game Technologies' Gamebryo engine includes their Floodgate technology[3] which simplifies multicore development across game platforms. See Dynamic Acceleration Technology for the Santa Rosa platform for an example of a technique to improve single-thread performance on dual-core processors.

Integration of a multi-core chip drives production yields down and they are more difficult to manage thermally than lower-density single-chip designs. Intel has partially countered this first problem by creating its quad-core designs by combining two dual-core on a single die with a unified cache, hence any two working dual-core dies can be used, as opposed to producing four cores on a single die and requiring all four to work to produce a quad-core. From an architectural point of view, ultimately, single CPU designs may make better use of the silicon surface area than multiprocessing cores, so a development commitment to this architecture may carry the risk of obsolescence. Finally, raw processing power is not the only constraint on system performance. Two processing cores sharing the same system bus and memory bandwidth limits the real-world performance advantage. If a single core is close to being memory bandwidth limited, going to dual-core might only give 30% to 70% improvement. If memory bandwidth is not a problem, a 90% improvement can be expected. It would be possible for an application that used two CPUs to end up running faster on one dual-core if communication between the CPUs was the limiting factor, which would count as more than 100% improvement.

Best Small Laptops (Sony VAIO VGN-TZ11MN)

2009-07-18T16:51:00.001+03:00

Screen Size: 11.1”
Battery Life: 5-6 Hours
Operating System: Windows Vista Home Premium
Weight: 2.6lbs

Sony's offering to the world of ultrathin laptops isn't quite as visually attractive or unique as their 'netbook' offering but it's one of the best out there in terms of overall features including one of the most commonly excluded features on most small laptops: a fully capable DVD drive.
The design on the TZ1 isn't exactly ugly; it just doesn't stand out amongst its competitors in the way people who are familiar with the Vaio brand might be used to. One of its more unique design features is the keyboard, which features spaced out keys similar to those seen the Macbook. This style was actually first created by Sony themselves nearly five years ago. It's not a bad keyboard although many people find the spacing between keys more annoying than practical.

The 11" screen is without doubt one of the best around, running in a 1366 x 768 resolution which is commonly seen in HDTV. This makes it the only system in the list to achieve a real 16:9 ratio making it perfect for watching films. And of course, watching DVD movies is something you can actually do with ease on the TZ1 compared to the vast majority of competitors that offer, at best, an external DVD drive option. In fact Sony goes a step further and provides DVD and CD playback on the system without even having to boot up windows, saving considerable battery life on a task that's well known for quickly draining power.

The system boasts full AV media controls as well as Firewire and 2 USB ports. There’s integrated Bluetooth support but despite an express card slot, there's no integrated mobile broadband support.

The Core 2 Duo that powers the system runs at 1.06 GHz per core and provides enough juice to sufficiently power the system although it’s slightly slower compared to some of the newer small laptops on this list. However, base installs are let down by including only 1 GB of ram, not enough to run Vista without slowdown. Luckily the machine supports up to 2 GB and most stores are selling the system as such. Despite Vista, machine battery life is excellent giving about 6 hours of power under heavy usage.

An amazing screen and internal DVD drive set the VAIO apart from its competitors, so if you need a small laptop that's capable for business use but also performs well as a media system, the TZ1 could be a very good choice. The TZ1 is one of the older systems on our list so prices have fallen since launch, averaging at around $1600.

Conclusion:
As we've seen already there are two major problems in the world of small laptops. Firstly, to make them as small and portable as possible features are eventually axed, be it DVD drives or faster CPU speeds. Secondly, the price of components makes many small laptops a particular sticking point for many, especially during a recession.

Luckily the market has expanded considerably in the last few years giving consumers not only an excellent array of different sizes and styles of laptops but also a massive variation in budget, from as low as $300 to as high as $2,000. People might argue over the system we have or haven’t included in our list but one thing is for sure: there has never been a better time to take the leap into portable computing than right now.

Best Small Laptops (Dell Latitude E4200)

2009-07-18T16:49:00.002+03:00

Screen Size: 12.1”
Battery Life: 4 Hours
Operating System: Windows XP / Windows Vista Home Basic / Windows Vista Business
Weight: 2.2lbs

Dell has recently released an incredibly lightweight and portable system named the Adamo, which boasts some fairly impressive design detail and interesting specifications. The reason it isn't in this list is because it's priced ridiculously high even for a small laptop. For those looking towards Dell, the latitude remains as ever the best choice between value and performance, and the E4200 is no different.

The E4200 is slightly more of a professional system than some of the others we've looked at, and this ethos is echoed in the systems design. It's bold, practical and refreshingly angular in a world that's obsessed with curves. It's also one of the most solid systems we've seen and at 12" this is quite an accomplishment. It may not hold up to companies like Lenovo, Sony or Apple when it comes to style, but it's not ugly either. The only stumbling point some people may have is that the systems 6-cell battery sticks out from the back of the system quite a long way. It sounds worse than it looks, though!

For a 12" laptop it's quite surprising to not see an optical drive installed, and the options provided by Dell are expensive and not including in the base price of the system, which will be a turn off to some. There's also no integrated webcam which is a standard for most small laptops released today, although perhaps not a necessity for most users. It's an interesting thing to exclude considering the business focus of the E4200, but a webcam wouldn't have fit amongst the bezel on the top of the system.

The E4200 features a high quality full sized laptop keyboard and a responsive touchpad, not surprising considering solid and tactile controls have become a trademark of the modern Latitude range. The system is very configurable so if you want to save money by removing features such as mobile broadband you've got the option.

One of the more unique features of the E4200 is its secondary OS. Yes, it’s not uncommon in small laptops, but it's usually reserved for the much smaller netbooks and it's refreshing to the see the OS in a larger system. Much like most instant-boot secondary systems, Dell's 'Latitude ON Reader' provides a much longer battery life than Vista could hope for while giving users quick access to the internet, instant messaging and document viewing.

Battery life on the system manages around 4 hours on heavy load, quite an impressive result considering the size and brightness of the screen. The SSD only drive makes the system speedy even using a comparatively slow 1.4 GHz CoreDuo CPU. Combined with its sturdy design and excellent software options the E4200 is a stunning choice, provided you can live without a DVD drive. Prices range from $1000 - $2000 depending on the wide variety of options available.

Best Small Laptops (Lenovo IdeaPad U110)

2009-07-18T16:48:00.002+03:00

Screen Size: 11.1”
Battery Life: 3 Hours / 1.5 Hours (depending on battery)
Operating System: Windows Vista Home Premium
Weight: 2.42lbs / 2.92lbs

The Lenovo is perhaps the PC world's answer to the Macbook Air. It's incredibly stylish, thin and lightweight. Its 11" screen strikes a good balance between screen size and weight. Its size makes the system one of the smallest 'ultrathin' laptops, only an inch bigger than the larger netbooks. Despite weighing only 3.1 pounds with its 4-cell battery included, the U110 is one of the most sturdy feeling machines around thanks to its aluminium cover and case.

With the size comes an interesting 1366x768 native resolution which allows the laptop to fit an impressive amount of onto its small screen. The display is sharp and bright. Unfortunately the screen is very reflective much like many of its competitors, so while it looks great at the right angle, it's far from ideal for using in direct sunlight. 1,366 is also a high resolution for an 11" screen so everything appears quite a bit considerably smaller than you might be used to on other small laptops. Despite all this, the overall design and clarity of the screen make up for any real shortcomings of the system.

The Lenovo’s option to use a low-voltage version of Intel’s trademark Core 2 Duo chip means the system isn't as fast as some of its competitors, but it still outweighs netbooks by a long way. This is quite an impressive feat considering the size of the system which manages to run Vista with very few problems. There's also plenty of connectivity on the U1110 with three USB ports, mini firewire and an express card slot. The only major drawback on the connectivity side is the same as those faced by Macbook Air users - no internal DVD drive. The difference with the Lenovo is that a DVD drive is provided within the cost of the system rather than as a separate accessory.

Battery life on the U1110 is quite unique. The Lenovo actually ships with two batteries, a lightweight 4-cell and a heavier but much longer lasting 7-cell. The larger battery lasts a full 3 hours but the 4-cell only manages around 1.5 on heavy load. The difference between the two batteries means you are likely to find yourself using the 7-cell far more often. However, it's an excellent design decision to give the user some choice when it comes to how heavy the system is.

There's not a lot of choice outside the world of batteries however, the U110 comes in a single configuration with all the advantages and drawbacks that brings. Finding drivers for the system is much easier because there’s only one set of hardware but it means you can't include many of the higher-end options you might see on many of the systems competitors. There's no option to replace the 120GB spinning drive with a solid state alternative for example.

The Lenovo weighs in at around $1300 and there are some options to upgrade the 2GB ram higher if you find the right store. The Lenovo is a system that takes the great looks of the Macbook Air and hands it to Windows users for nearly half the price. However, the lack of DVD drive and use of a slower Intel chip make it slightly less functional than a larger more complete system.

Best Small Laptops (Apple Macbook Air)

2009-07-18T16:47:00.002+03:00

Screen Size: 13.3”
Battery Life: 2.5 Hours
Operating System: Mac OS X
Weight: 4.5lbs

The Air is alone on this list for being a small laptop of slightly different dimensions. It's actually a 13" system making it the biggest we've looked at so far. What makes it still qualify as a small laptop? It's incredibly thin and light, ideal for people that travel often. You may well have seen the high profile Mac adverts which involve putting the laptop into envelopes and other such small spaces. It's also incredibly sexy compared to just about every other 13" laptop around. Do the looks justify the price, though?

The 13" screen on the Air is a real head turner. Combined with its full sized and spacious keyboard it's got none of the problems of mistyped words or lack of screen real estate as many of its competitors do. It's also uses an Intel Core 2 Duo rather than the much slower Atom CPUs used in other small laptops.

The Air has been hailed by Apple as a 'no compromise' portable machine, although it's clear that have been a fair amount of compromises in apples quest to provide a 13" system that isn't much more difficult to carry around than a standard netbook. Power will be definite issue for some with the laptop lasting just over 2 hours on heavy use. Luckily, the power adapter doesn't add much more weight to the laptop. Providing you aren't going to be away from a power source for long it's fine. It does limit the systems portability somewhat though.

There's also rather limited audio capacity, awkward USB ports and no DVD drive. Netbooks might not include DVD drives either but it's worth noting that an equivalent netbook would be far, far cheaper than that Air. Shortcomings aside however, what most people are looking for in the Air isn't a long list of technical specifications - they're looking for a Mac that offers them a similar level of functionality as the rest of the small laptop world but with software they are familiar with.

The Air uses Leopard as its primary operating system and it's just as usable and attractive as it is on a full size Mac. There are no significant changes to the system except for a gesture based control system using the Air's generously sized touch pad. The gestures allow you to move your hand in a certain way to complete a task and could save a lot of time once you've properly learned them all. Also included is a 'remote disk' application which allows you to use a limited form of DVD sharing from a host computer. This is a good option for those not willing to pay the extra $100 for the DVD drive attachment. The software is intelligent and useful for installing applications or reinstalling the operating system, but it can’t be used for streaming content like DVD movies.

The best and worst thing you can say about the Air is simple; it's a Mac. Most people will instantly love or hate the machine just because of this. Its price and hardware offer little to make PC fans consider the Air as an option. However, its sleek design and use of Leopard as its primary operating system will entice Mac users who are looking for a more portable option the larger and heavier Macbook Pro range. Prices range from $1400 - $2000 depending on the model.

Best Small Laptops (HP Pavilion Dv2)

2009-07-18T16:46:00.002+03:00

Screen Size: 12.1”
Battery Life: 3 Hours
Operating System: Windows Vista Home Premium
Weight: 3.8lbs

With an impressive technical list that sounds more like a regular sized laptop but a small form factor and light weight to rival a small laptop, the DV2 is HP's answer to the problem of size vs. power. For many people who are turned off by the idea of small laptops, it could well be the solution if you are looking for a system capable of demanding tasks that won’t break the bank or your back.

A standard Dv2 features some pretty nice specifications for its form factor, far in advance of anything seen amongst the 10" netbooks. The standard Intel Atom processor is replaced by a similar speed Athlon Neo, 4GB ram and ATI Mobility HD 3410 graphics. Unlike most small laptops, the system runs on a 64 bit version of Windows Vista. It also features all the usual standard options of a regular 14" laptop such as DVD-RW drive and a 320GB hard drive. There's plenty of room for manoeuvrability and customisation in the design although obviously things can get quite expensive with the higher-end options.

The DV2 is a departure in design for HP moving away from the standard pavilion look and feel. This could be seen as a bad thing considering pavilion range is well known for its excellent design. Luckily everything feels just as smooth and compact as ever. Some things haven't changed though, the DV2 offers the same catch less design as other trademark HP laptops. Intelligently, the 6-cell battery is actually hidden at the back as a hinge for the screen.

The keyboard is standard laptop size and with the exception of the fiddly function keys, very easy and comfortable to use even for extremely long periods of time. Even people with bigger hands should have no problem at all with the keys which feel solid and responsive. The touchpad is equally well designed although its reflective surface feels a little slippery when compared to some other models.

As with most models in the pavilion range, the screen is absolutely excellent with sunlight reflection and a limited viewing angle being the only concerns. For the most part, the glossy screen and it's 1280x800 resolution are perfect for everyday use.

For connectivity Wi-Fi and Ethernet are supported as standard as well as three USB ports, similar to what you'll find on a well fitted small laptop. There's also an external HDMI to complement the VGA port, great for people interested in connecting the laptop up to a TV that doesn't support VGA. For extra battery life, wireless is controllable via a switch on the side of the system.

The overall speed of the system is let down slightly by a single core CPU that the 4GB of ram can't compensate for, even on a 64bit operating system. Comparing it to the same speed Intel Atom however the Athlon processor is considerably faster. As far as overall performance is concerned, the Dv2 falls into the useful category of being faster than a netbook but not quite as fully featured as a similar priced full sized laptop.

The 512MB graphics card also makes the Dv2 a good choice for gamers, with the system easily capable of running fairly modem games such as Bioshock on medium-low settings on the Dv2’s native resolution. Price wise, the system will set you back around $750-$800, depending on options. It's an excellent deal if you need to combine portability with power and other small laptops simply don't offer enough for you.

Best Small Laptops (Samsung NC10)

2009-07-18T16:45:00.002+03:00

Screen Size: 10.2”
Battery Life: 5 Hours
Operating System: Windows XP
Weight: 2.8lbs

Samsungs entry to the market is the exact opposite of some of the niche systems we've already run through, sharing more in common with the EEE PC line - it's powerful, small and focuses on doing simple tasks as well as possible. Thanks to this focus on simplicity, the NC10 remains an excellent contender despite doing nothing 'special'.

The Samsungs design is piratical and uses a 10" screen. From the outside it looks like the epitome of a standard small laptop. It's not stylish but nor is it over-the-top, and it could easily be mistaken for just about every other non-descript small laptop on the market.

One of the ways the NC10 does differ from other models is that there are no options in terms of changing any of the specifications. There's no Linux version, no different CPU speeds, no option for a solid state drive. It offers a standard Intel Atom N270 configuration running at 1.6 GHz, 1GB of ram and a 160GB hard drive.

Control on the system is hit and miss. The 10" size has made the keyboard large and easy to use even if it's not the best on offer. However, the touchpad is awkwardly placed and oddly unresponsive. Worse still, Samsung have taken the rather odd design decision to make a 'widescreen' style touchpad which makes vertical scrolling a somewhat ardous task.

The systems Matte display runs at the 1024x600 and looks appealing and crisp, although it would be hard to differentiate between the NC10 and offerings from ASUS or Dell in terms of pure screen quality. Sound offers a similar 'adequate' quality without providing any real power. The integrated 1.3MP webcam however does stand out as one of the best in the world of small laptops and combined with a decent microphone it's a great system for talking to friends over the net.

Battery life is one of the few absolute standouts of the NC10, featuring a 6-cell standard battery that even beats out contenders like the EEE PC. Depending on the tasks and the brightness of the screen, the system can last for around 5 hours. The NC10 is also priced perfectly; at around $450-$500 - slightly cheaper than many of its direct competition.

Best Small Laptops (Asus N10J-A1)

2009-07-18T16:44:00.002+03:00

Screen Size: 10.2”
Battery Life: 4 Hours
Operating System: Windows Vista Home Premium / Windows XP
Weight: 3.5lbs

On the surface the N10J looks like just about every other small laptop around. It's not got any particular design features that stand out; it runs a similar chip, OS and ram options. It's small, lightweight and portable. What really makes the N10J stand apart from its competition is on the inside: a dedicated 3D graphics chip.

Gamers have always had to sacrifice a lot when they move to portable systems. Firstly, a laptop is always more expensive than the equivalent desktop system. Secondly, upgrading is more difficult. Thirdly, heat from a separate graphics card can be a major issue. That doesn't mean there isn't any practical use or market for the world of small laptops to get in on the gaming action however, providing you are realistic about the systems abilities.

The dedicated graphics chip is a relatively powerful GeForce 9300. The genius of the system is that it also has integrated graphics, so when you're not gaming you can turn off the high powered graphics and save massive amounts of battery life. Other features are fairly standard such the Atom CPU and 160GB hard drive. The screen weighs in at 10", large than most small laptops but a good compromise for gaming. Unfortunately games aren't designed with small laptops in mind, and you'll find yourself limited by the awkward 1024x600 resolution.

Connectivity is good with Bluetooth included as standard. There's also a DVI port which is another first in the small laptop market and an excellent addition considering that the N10J is all about graphical ability. Don't forget that plugging the system into a larger monitor and trying to run games at that monitors resolution is unlikely to gain any decent results. The graphic card isn't designed to cope with the resolution of every day monitors.
The system runs on Windows XP though a Linux powered quick launch environment is available from boot. This gives you access to both a web browser and a media player, handy for quick use or times when battery life is a high priority.
XP is by far the best choice for a portable operating system that focused on gaming, and it works well with the GeForce card. Gaming performance isn't exactly cutting edge, but you shouldn't expect it to be for a system weighing around 3 pounds. What it does offer is a device that’s more than capable of playing popular games like The Sims and World of Warcraft out of the box. A basic rule of thumb is that most games over 3 years old will work great on the N10J. Anything newer will be hit or miss and the newest games simply won’t run.

Thanks to the switch which turns off the high powered graphics card and a trademark ASUS 6-cell battery offering, the systems battery life is very good. For people that really can't leave PC gaming behind when they have to leave the house, it's pretty much the only option in the small laptop world right now. Luckily, it's a good one.

Best Small Laptops (Sony VAIO VGN-P588E Lifestyle PC)

2009-07-18T16:42:00.003+03:00

Screen Size: 8”
Battery Life: 2.5 Hours
Operating System: Windows Vista Home Premium
Weight: 1.4lbs
Wow, that's a bit of a mouthful, isn't it? It's a rather pretentious name for what is essentially just another small laptop, but then the Vaio range has always been one for style and design following just behind apple in desirability ratings. It’s popular amongst people with the disposable income to afford to pay for the brand as well as the components.

And there's no denying that the P5's design is excellent. It's stylish without being loud. It’s thin and elegant. It looks like no other small laptop on the market, so if you're after some visual originality, the P5 has to be right up there with anything Apple can offer. It comes with a price tag to match the design however, weighing in it over a thousand dollars.

The Sony model opts for an 8 inch widescreen display, offering a resolution of 1,600 x 768, slightly different from the usual notebook standard. In fact, it's one of the best resolutions around for a system of its size and because the screen is so wide, there’s far less chance you'll have to worry about scrolling.
Sony's small laptop is also unusual in its decision to use a pointing stick rather than a touch pad to save space. Some people really dislike pointing sticks and find them slow and difficult to use, while others actually prefer them to a touchpad.. The keyboard is adequate and doesn't have any major faults, though as one of the smaller laptops in this list the lack of space does making typing quite a challenge for those with big hands.

One rather confusing design decision was the move to Windows Vista as opposed to more lightweight systems like Linux or XP. The P5 comes equipped with 2GB of ram, but where better operating systems would fly Vista feels slow and cumbersome. It's important to weigh in the resource load of the operating system when directly comparing system technical specifications. Of course, the eye catching design of Vista fits very well into the P5’s own visual attractiveness.

Extra features are what make the P5 stand out amongst cheaper competitors. It has .11n wireless which is faster than standard, GPS, Bluetooth and even integrated mobile broadband. This makes it highly connectable which is a massive bonus for a portable device. Combine this with its weight and fact it's less than inch thick and it's one of the best devices out there in terms of pure portability.

The battery life of the laptop is the only crutch on portability, offering just over 2 hours under heavy use. You could probably get more out of the system by swapping to a less battery draining operating system. Sony also offers a larger capacity battery that nearly doubles the life of the system, but it does stick out of the P5 and it costs another $100 on top of the already heavy price tag.

Best Small Laptops (HP Mini 1000)

2009-07-18T16:39:00.001+03:00

Screen Size: 8.9” / 10.2”
Battery Life: 3 hours
Operating System: Windows XP / Linux (Ubuntu)
Weight: 2.5lbs

HP’s last small laptop offering was the 2133. It was an interesting attempt at the market with an excellent control interface and keyboard. Unfortunately, use of a budget processor and a high price range meant the system couldn’t quite cut it amongst its competitors at the time. The Mini 1000 is HP’s consumer answer to the 2133, lifting the excellent keyboard straight from the business model while upgrading the CPU to the much more powerful Intel Atom.

The Mini 1000 runs on Windows XP, uses a 1.6 Ghz Intel Atom processor and comes with 1Gb or 2Gb memory options as standard. Nine or ten inch screens are available depending on preference and price range, and everything is powered by a standard 3-cell battery. The 'Mini' version of the range runs Windows XP but the 'Mi' runs Ubuntu Linux complete with proprietary HP media software. Hard drive options include a spinning 60GB drive or an 8/16GB solid state solution.

Like most HP machines, the 1000 stands out in the small laptop market for both its stylish design and light weight form factor. HP thankfully swapped out the metal chassis from the 2133 with plastic - it looks cheaper, sure, but you also save money and in weight in the swap. The laptop remains attractive once opened with an excellent use of the limited space on offer.

The amazing thing about the Mini 1000 and the thing that many people considering purchasing a small notebook should consider is the size of the keyboard. HP claim the keyboard on the 1000 is 92% of the size of a regular laptop keyboard. That's quite an achievement, and in terms of typing if nothing else, the 1000 is the best in the market. This makes the HP product perfect for people who have had a bad experience with key mashing or pain when using other small laptop keyboards.

The 10 inch display model offers the standard 1024x600 resolution seen in many small laptops. As with much of HP's laptop range, the screen is covered in gloss which makes the display look fantastic - inside. Outside on a sunny day you'll be constantly trying to adjust the screen to avoid reflection, a shame considering it does limit the portability of the device somewhat.

The only thing that lets the 1000 down slightly is the rather confusing decisions HP has made with the systems ports. The 1000 has 2 USB ports and only one port for audio. There's actually plenty of room for the extra ports but HP has decided to use the space for a proprietary system called 'Mini mobile drive'. Mini mobile drive is nothing more than a high capacity memory stick that you can only buy from HP, and we can't see any reason why most small laptop users would ever find a use for one.

The Mini 1000 retails from $500 depending on your options with the 'designer' Vivienne Tam edition selling for a ridiculously high $700+. We recommend grabbing the Windows XP 'Mini' range over the 'Mi' as the extra money you have to spend on Windows gives you so much more software options. An extend battery might also be on the cards for some users as the 1000 uses a 3-cell system that will only last around 2.5 hours under heavy use.

Best Small Laptops (ASUS EEE PC 1000H)

2009-07-18T16:34:00.002+03:00

Screen Size: 10”
Battery Life: 5 hours
Operating System: Windows XP
Weight: 3.2lbs

ASUS’ EEE PC range was a key playing in the birth of small laptops only a few years ago. Early models were limited by their small solid state drives and reliance on using Linux as the primary OS to keep the price down. Initially, the EEE PC was designed with only the most casual users in mind, but a shift to Windows XP as well as a full upgrade of just about every aspect of the old model has seen the 1000H bring Asus back to the forefront of the small laptop market.

Technical specs of the laptop include a 10 inch screen with integrated 1.3 MP webcam, Intel Atom CPU and a 160GB hard drive, all powered by a 6-cell battery.

One of the bigger criticisms of the old EEE PC range was that at seven inches, the screen was just too small to effectively display web pages and other forms of content that are increasingly designed for large, widescreen displays. Further problems relating to size included the keyboard being too small for fast typers with large hands to keep up their natural speed on the system.

The 1000H has changed that. Yes, it's still at the lower of what most consumers would consider a small laptop, but the jump to 10" has increased usability tenfold. It allows users to not only take full advantage of the sharp and vibrant LCD display but also keep their typing speeds up by a much more spaced out and sensibly designed keyboard. Even the touchpad has been improved and made more ergonomic and responsive.

It's the little features that make the 1000H stand out on the cutting edge of small laptops. The "Super Hybrid Engine" technology allows you to switch between 3 different CPU speeds which enhance the systems portability. Writing a word document? Set your CPU speed to 1.2 GHz and save battery life. Watching a video file? Set your CPU speed to maximum and take full advantage of the Intel Atom's speed.

Add to this an integrated card reader, webcam, free office suite and even a button above the keyboard that can change your resolution and you have a very complete hardware package. As small laptops go, battery life is slight above average performing for about 4.5-5 hours under heavy load. It's advertised at 7 hours, although it’s unlikely you'll get close to that unless you leave the laptop on idle.

With prices ranging between $400 and $600 depending on your technical requirements, the N1000 is one of the best deals amongst all the small laptops. It doesn't specialise in anything particular and its battery life might be a letdown for some, but its budget price tag and attractive arrange of features make it a front line contender for casual users.

Most Expensive Laptops (only 1 Million $)

2009-07-18T15:51:00.006+03:00

The more expensive a computer is, the better it's gotta be, right? So then that must mean that the Luvaglio One Million Dollar Laptop is the super best computer in the whole wide world. The name says it all about its price.

This English-made masterpiece has not been released yet, but put your bid in now. There will only be one made. Rumor has it that the Luvaglio will come with nothing less than a built-in USB memory stick, a 128GB hard drive, Blu-ray optical drive, and your choice of adornments--wood, leather, and metals of only the mostprecious kind. What's more, the Luvaglio will have an automaticscreen cleaner and allows its user to upgrade and swap outcomponents at will.

For No. 2 on our list, we'll have to take a steep drop in price. The Tulip E-Go Diamond laptop will only run you $355,000. The beauty of this computer is its, well, beauty. It has chrome handles and smooth curves, leather swatches, and white gold plating encrusted with diamonds. Underneath all this regalia, however, is a standard computer with 2GB of RAM and 160GB harddrive. But would you really want to risk scratching the leatherby opening up this laptop? I think not.

Now we get into the real "cheapies" of the most-expensive-laptoplist. There is the Voodoo Envy H: 171, the ultimate in gaming for$8768. No diamonds or leather here, but hardware that should meltthe chassis at their top speeds-4GB of RAM, two Nvidia Quatro FXGo 2500M graphics chips, two 250GB hard drives andguillotine-sharp to visualize your whirling gaming universe. TheEnvy still has some fashion sense, though: you can pick from oneof 24 chassis colors and a "tattoo."

Another gamer on this list is the WidowPC Sting 919, for only$7326. this 20-inch display weighs in at 20 pounds, about as muchas the gold bullion you'd need to pay it off. It also comes with4GB of RAM, but just one 160GB hard drive. The graphics set up,though, is second to none-with twin Nvidia GeForce Go 7950 GTXprocessors and an Nvidia nForce 4 SLI processor.

For another heavy desktop replacer, try the Dell XPS M2010, at18.3 pounds and $5898. One neat twist to this is the Bluetoothkeyboard and the Blu-ray drive. That and the 2.3 GHz Intel Core 2Duo processor and 4GB that make this thing fly-all for under $1million. And if you have a lot of media to store, the double200GB hard drives should provide more than enough room. If not,you're rich, buy another.

So I lied. The most expensive laptops out there aren't necessarily the best. The Luvaglio might be nice for a Saudi prince, and the Tulip might work for a drunken Hollywood vixen. But in my opinion the best expensive pcs on this list are the "reasonably" price.

Sony Ericsson C905

2009-07-18T15:39:00.003+03:00

The C905 was the flagship model for Sony in 2008 finally being released in October after being announced in June. The Sony Cyber-shot brand renowned for digital cameras was introduced to mobiles phones with the launch of the K800 and K790 back in 2006. The Sony C905 is a phone and digital camera all rolled into one and has all the Cyber-shot features you might usually expect and more.

Key Features of the C905

The Sony Ericsson C905 has an impressive design specification which makes it a high end mobile camera phone. The C905 slider phone is the successor to the popular 5-megapixel K800i but takes photo imagery to another level.

The TFT display uses 256k colours and is 240 x 320 pixels. Internal memory is clocked at 160MB with an additional M2 memory stick supporting up to 8GB. Battery life allows for stand-by up to 380h without re-charging (based on not making or receiving calls) and talk-time up to 9h. The phone is available in night black, copper gold, ice silver and tender rose colours.

The following are the key technical features of the C905:

* Xenon flash – uses white LED for snapping high quality night time photos. Shoot well lit photos indoors or in dark environments.
* BestPic – press camera key fully down for 7 shots at once that range from before to after the key was pressed. Useful for shooting moving objects and helps make you look skilful with a lens.
* Auto focus – provides sharper pictures by homing in on the subject. The phone features 16x digital zoom.
* Face detection – makes facial features the focus of your shot and includes red-eye reduction.
* Image stabiliser – reduces the chance of blurred images caused by hand movements during picture taking.
* Geo-tagging – applies a label to show where you took your photos.
* HSDPA – delivers broadband like speed of 3.5G for super fast downloads and streaming.
* Wi-Fi enabled – support for fast wireless Internet connectivity in hotspots.
* GPS – built in satellite navigation with trial version of Wayfinder Navigator pre-installed.

Inkjet or a laser printer ?

2009-07-18T13:06:00.003+03:00

Printer toner: what is it and how could it save you money and time in the long run? Although this may not be a question you have asked yourself before, taking the time to understand a little bit about the printing process could see your productivity increase and your outgoings shrink.

Indeed, whilst many of us own a computer and printer, for professional and personal reasons, there are very few who actually understand how they work. By learning the basics of their operation, you are in a much better position to evaluate whether they are right for the job or not.

For example, if you are a large company and need to print off hundreds of pages at a time, on a regular basis, it is important to know that an inkjet printer won’t be able to competently handle the job. Conversely, if you want your printer to produce high quality photographs, a laser is not the right tool for you.

So, what exactly is the difference between an inkjet and a laser printer, and where does toner fit into it all?

Inkjet printers operate on the principle of spraying small particles of ink onto a page. They are the most common type of printer and usually produce a high quality of finish, especially when printing photographs and colour documents. However, they are not suitable for high volume printing and if the ink is not left to dry properly, can smudge easily.

Laser printers, on the other hand, employ the use of printer toner. Traditionally used in photocopiers, it was first utilised in commercial laser printers in 1978. Taking the form of a powder, the toner was initially comprised of carbon. However, over the years, and to increase the quality of the print, its composition changed to also include a polymer (either a styrene acrylate copolymer or a polyester resin).

The toner particles, which are electronically charged, are permanently bound to a paper’s fibres after being melted by a fuser. This holds the advantage over the liquid inks found in inkjet printers in that it doesn’t smudge or bleed once printed. Not only that, but toner printers are also capable of printing on almost any type of paper.

Using printer toner, in comparison to ink, additionally makes it a much more cost efficient option for printing large quantities of text. In fact, one toner cartridge is capable of printing up to 2000 pages before it will need to be changed. This is in contrast to an inkjet printer, whose average lifespan doesn’t last past a few thousand pages.

As a result of the differences between inkjet and laser printers, it is very important that you understand their role and how they work. If you expect to use your printer to regularly produce a large volume of work, then you should have a laser, which utilises toner technology and not an inkjet, which will be more costly and time consuming in the long run.

Choosing the Best Digital Camera

2009-07-18T12:58:00.002+03:00

Nowadays many people have the demand of having digital camera. Many other people would like to begin using this technology, but find the task of choosing an appropriate digital camera to be irresistible. So finding the best digital camera is not so easy. Here are 7 smart ways in choosing the best digital camera:

1) Computing Platform: This is an obvious consideration but it is fast becoming less of an issue than it once was. Most current cameras can be interfaced with both Mac and Windows platforms.

2) Image Quality: Image quality is a complex subject that includes exposure accuracy, color purity, optics, and image compression techniques.

3) Onboard Image Capacity: The amount of onboard image storage could be pretty important. There is generally a tradeoff between image capacity and image quality, so don't get too excited about high image capacity until you compare the amount of storage in relation to image resolution.

4) Reusable Memory Cards
: Many cameras allow you to make your own decision about the memory/cost tradeoff by allowing you to store images on plug-in cards. This approach allows users to add as much or as little memory to the camera as they feel they need.

5) Exposure Versatility: digital cameras have the incapability to handle radically different lighting conditions. With film cameras, you can compensate for different lighting situations by using different types of film. With a digital camera, the camera's image sensor acts as the film, and it is not interchangeable.

6) Flash Capability: You have to also look for the availability and capabilities of a built-in flash. Key factors here are the range over which the flash will be useful, and the number of "modes" it has.

7) Self-Timer: A self-timer is simply a shutter delay that allows you to trigger the camera, and then run around to be included in the picture before the shutter snaps.

iPhone 3G S

2009-07-18T12:27:00.001+03:00

Now-a-days, people are crazy to own their own iPhone 3GS and why not? iPhone 3GS has amazing applications that has made life so relaxed and great. It is faster than 3G with speed of about 7.2 Mbps HSDPA; it has a 3 megapixel autofocus camera with which you can capture those lovely moments of your life. Not only this, but iPhone 3GS has immediate Internet connectivity through WAP features, with other wonderful features like video recording, Wi Fi, touch screen, iTunes, battery backup, 3G free talktime and many additional features. As iPhone 3GS has such amazing features, it isobvious that it is one of the hottest choices among most of the people today. It comes with a huge price label where you have to pay more for the contract too. But just imagine, if you get iPhone 3GS for free! Now that's actually surprising, to have a handset for which the whole world is mad is in fact unbelievable. Yes it's a fact, that you can now have your own iPhone 3GS without paying a penny. Want to know how? Simply read. Affiliate marketing is not a new concept, its quite well-known. Although affiliate marketers use this concept to advertise their affiliate products, but here you get an iPhone 3GS for free just by following three easy steps. But how can you own such an expensive handset for free? Here are the three steps which help you attain your free iPhone 3GS: - First Step: You need to sign up on this freebie website. To sign up, you should fill a simple form where you should mention your private details like your complete name, your country, your address and you email ID, that's it. You can now open your account with this freebie website one you agree the terms and conditions of this site. - Second Step: After you have started an account with the freebie website, you need to complete an offer mentioned on the site. You are free to choose any of the several offer presented on this site, the choice depend on your interest. You have reached the final step, once you complete the offer. - Third Step: Now you need to call your friends here. You can ask your friends or relative to sign up to his site through your unique referral link that is already given to you once you sign up . You can call your friends by copying your unique referral link and pasting it in your email and sending it to your friends in your address book. You can also post your referral link in your forums, blogs or personal websites etc. . The greater the number of referrals, the higher are the chances of getting a free iPhone 3GS. So now you can claim a free iPhone 3GS for yourself and get one in your hands. Isn't it excellent to get an expensive gift like iPhone 3GS for free? Why would anyone give away such expensive gifts for free? The reply is here. When you complete an offer on the freebie website, the affiliate marketer gets commission from the company on each sign-up. This way, the freebie website has saved huge amount of cash, as you have given your referral link to your friends and relatives. Now this freebie website has enough money to give you an expensive iPhone 3GS for free and still has good cash for itself. This is called affiliate marketing and earning money through it.

Stop Your Mobile Phone From Stolen

2009-07-16T01:28:00.001+03:00

Have you ever had the unfortunate experience of having your mobile phone or handheld device stolen ? Have you ever misplaced or lost your mobile phone ? Are you worried that something like this could happen to you ?

Well, it has happened to me, when I absentmindedly left my mobile phone on the table of the train seat I had been using during a train journey recently. However, I managed to retrieve my phone (see how further down) and breathed a big sigh of relief as it had lots of things on there that I use in my work everyday (i.e. contacts, emails, SMS message etc), and also family photographs and a video of a birthday celebration that I had not had chance to upload to my laptop at that stage.

You can imagine the panic striken feelings I went through when I first realised that my mobile phone had gone missing, and believe me, you do not ever want to find yourself in that same situation. I can vouch for it, it is not a pleasant experience. I believe that I am not alone in keeping so much of my life and work on my mobile phone. It is just so handy and useful to have the information at my fingertips as I go about my daily business. It never really crossed my mind what I would do should the phone go missing.

My Mobile Security Software Rescued Me

Getting my phone back was down to a mixture of two things - information and software technology. Information, in that I had read up on mobile security software products previously, and when I purchased my latest phone decided to invest in some software protection, especially as the relative cost when compared to a new phone was very low. In addition, I couldn't put a price on the contents of my phone. Software technology in that I purchased and installed a copy of Kaspersky's Mobile Security software, which in addition to securing my phone against internet threats like malware and spam, has excellent anti-theft features.

Kaspersky Mobile Security Anti-Theft features

The Anti-Theft feature of Kaspersky Mobile Security is designed to ensure the protection of data stored on a mobile device against unauthorized access to it in case the device was lost or stolen.

The component includes the following functions:

MS-Block - allows blocking of the device at the user's discretion.

SMS-Clean - allows you to erase personal data (all contacts, messages, gallery, calendar, log, network connection settings), and data from the storage card and files from folder C:Data.

SIM-Watch - allows you to send to the specified phone number and/or to an e-mail address, the new phone number and to block the stolen device if the SIM card was replaced or the device was turned on without it.

SMS-Find - allows you to determine the geographical coordinates of the device and to send them to the requesting devices or to a certain e-mail address using an SMS message. This function only works with devices with in-built GPS receiver.

Stealth SMS - allows you to erase personal data from the device, block it and obtain its geographical coordinates using a special SMS message.

Using the SMS-Find feature, I was able to track down and retrieve my mobile phone. How great is that ? You can see how useful this software is, and in my opinion is much better than any mobile phone insurance you could have.

For those of us who have children that use a mobile phone, the Kaspersky Mobile Security software also comes with a Parental Control feature too. This can be used in addition with the SMS-Find feature to keep a caring eye on your young ones. Very useful if they have gone out and are long overdue in returning, and I dare say a multitude of other uses may spring to a parents mind - just great "piece of mind" stuff from Kaspersky.

Don't Leave It Until It Happens To You

When I look back on the incident now, I am forever thankful that I not only took the time to read about mobile security software, but that I purchased it and installed it on my phone. In fact, all the family now have it on their phones too. I can't describe how much "piece of mind" it gives you to know that there are steps you can take to not only secure your phone should something untoward happen, but to also have the facility to locate it's whereabouts and get it back.

My experience is something I wouldn't wish on anyone, and I encourage you to take the same steps I did and get your mobile phone protected sooner rather than later. As the old saying goes "better to be safe than sorry" - in this instance, never was a truer word spoken!

Nokia 5800 XpressMusic

2009-07-16T01:24:00.002+03:00

To maintain the quality of introducing something new, Nokia has ever introduced its gadgets with distinct looks and advanced features. The Nokia 5800 XpressMusic is a best example of phone with nice look and useful applications. Present day users will definitely like this unique and advanced device. One can fulfill the need and desire with this beautiful gadget.

A fantastic display viewing is supported by 3.2 inches wide touch screen of this phone. A very clear, sharp and eye pleasing images can be viewed on the touch screen of this device. This Nokia 5800 XpressMusic runs with advanced 3G technology. High Internet connectivity is supported by 3G HSDPA technology. It facilitates fast data transfer. The wireless connectivity option Bluetooth comes with this phone. One can share the needed files through Bluetooth to other compatible devices. This brilliant device runs over a quad band technology plus four GSM bands and HSDPA coverage.

Like other Nokia phones, this gadget is also blessed with some special features. As name suggests, this is a lovely music phone. The built-in music player justifies this statement. The music player of this phone is known for its amazing sound quality and crystal clear voice effects. Various advanced music formats including MP3, WMA, WAV, eAAC+, MPEG4 and WMV are well supported by this gadget. So one enjoy vast collection of favourite songs with this music player while on move. FM Radio comes next to music player.

Now, time to discuss about some useful features of this Nokia tool. This tool comes with 81 megabytes of memory with 128 MB RAM, that allows you to store all your personal stuffs with the phone memory. The 3.15 mega pixel camera is the camera feature of this mobile phone. You cannot stop yourself capturing images with this stunning Nokia 5800 XpressMusic. Both good quality imaging as well as recording can be done with the camera. If you want to share your captured files with others, then the sharing option of the main camera menu will help you to do that. Video calling is secondary camera feature of this camera phone.

The Nokia 5800 Xpressmusic is useful in more manner. Apart from useful and special features, one can also enjoy working with the additional features embedded with this phone. Some of them are lovely messaging features, browsing facility, GPS technology, photo editor, voice memo facility, document viewer etc. Through these features, it can be illustrated that this phone is suitable for all kind of users either students, housewives or business professionals. The battery of is known as the focal point this gadget. This all rounder phone is blessed with impressive battery capability. You are not required to keep the phone charger with you all the time. Once the battery is fully charged, it can help you to talk up to 8 hours and 45 minutes. The standby time is around 406 hours. As this is a music phone, so for the music lovers this standard battery comes with 35 hours of music play time. That's why this compact good looking Nokia 5800 XpressMusic is popular among the Nokia mobile phone family.

Trace A Cell Phone?

2009-07-16T01:18:00.002+03:00

Nowadays, cellular phone is an important part in our lives. It helps us to communicate with the world, wherever and in any time. never the less, in order to protect their own privacy, many people make their phone numbers private or not published. That makes it very difficult to find the owner of a cell you don't recognize. If there are some numbers that call you but don't show up in your cellular book, you must be very confused and want to know who is calling and who the owners of those numbers are. trace cell phone call in order to control your expences.

If you have a cell phone you probably love the magic and all of the other attribute it provides. Being able to call your friends and family members, whenever and in any place you are, is truly stunning.

When you turn on your cellular phone, your cell searches for a signal in order to confirm that there is an available service in your area. If network is available, your cellular transmits certain identification numbers so that the network can verify your specificcustomer information including your cell provider and mobile phone number, etc.

When your cellular phone is on, it "talks" with the antenna that is closest to you at all times, even when you are not chattering, so that it is able to hook up your call at any given time.

If you are making a call to a land phone from you cellular phone, your call travels via a antennathat is close in proximity, and is switched by your network provider to the traditionalwired phonesystem. Your call then becomes like all other standard phone calls and is routed over the traditional telephone network to the person you arecalling.

If you are using your cell phone to call another phone two things can occur:

* The call may travel through the landline phone network to reach the persons's mobile service.

* Your call may be routed within the service network to the cellular site that is nearest to the person being called.

However, if you want to make a long distance call, your call will be routed to a long distance switchboard that will direct your call over the USA or around the globe via underwater optical cables to reach the receiver.

I must say though, that long distance calls, cost allot of money. and with the growing rate of multiple cell phones, and the rising of this technology, we are more prone to phone theft, around the world and in USA alone. we must use the tools provided today, in order to control our expenses and control our lives.

All this information, should make you feel comfortable. but i must notice, that it is very important to know who is making a call to you, that way you can't be ripped off, and you always know who made the call and from where. you can trace cell phone call from many companies, but the easy way is to go to Trace-That-Phone .com

Sony Ericsson W995

2009-07-16T01:16:00.003+03:00

Sony Ericsson is one of the popular brands in the mobile phone market. It has launched a plenty of handsets with a wide variety of sophisticated features. All its handsets come with good functions as well as great looks.

The Sony Ericsson W995 Silver is one of the excellent handsets, that can be taken as an instance in this respect. The classy gadget has a slider music phone and comes in three different colours like red, cosmic silver along with black coloured casing. The stunning gadget has an exclusive high quality sound quality along with imaging and connectivity features. The handset has dimensions 97 x 49 x 15 mm and weighs just 113 grams,with the fitted battery. The 2.6 Inch colour screen has a high-quality resolution, with the auto rotate function the users are able to view the pictures horizontally as well as vertically.

And for the ones who loves to click high quality images, the Sony Ericsson W995 Silver is provided with a 8.1 megapixel camera, user can store, capture, edit the images along with recording the videos. The camera is provided with an auto focus feature,16 time digital zoom, image stabiliser, face detection and geo tagging. With the feature of DVD support users can utilise the 8.1 megapixel camera for video capture that makes their precious moments as video footage. The darker milieu can be brighten up by the built-in video light and a high quality video can be displayed on the gadgets 262k color screen.

It is a pure music gadget, its perfect sound quality and built in Walkman music player provides the users with best music experience. The music features are clear bass and clear stereo features that provides lucid and pleasant sound. The music player has a TrackID, music recognition feature, shake control, SensMe music and a feature of PlayNow ringtone download. Moreover, a built-in radio feature has FM radio tuning for the users to enjoy more.

The Sony Ericsson W995 Silver has 118 MB of internal memory. Moreover, memory can be expanded by adding a compatible memory card. The GPS navigation feature provides access Google Maps and Wayfinder Navigator by which the users can be guided about directions and locations information about new places. The3G HSDPA gadget allows WiFi technology so the users can connect to Internet through local WLAN. Last but not the least, this battery of this handset delivers talk time of 9 hours and 4 hours for 2G and 3G network respectively. Undoubtedly, this smart handsets have every features which is eagerly desired by the users of the present time.

Nokia N96 vs Nokia N96i – Better and Best

2009-07-16T01:05:00.003+03:00

Nokia N96 and Nokia N96i are the two compounds which were recently produced. Looking at the devices of these two astounding mobile phones, the maintenance with Nokia N96 against Nokia N96i is on the charts. It is said to that N96i is the version improved of N96, but N96i has some of the single devices which attract lovers of mobiles.

Nokia N96 is the late member of point of the mobile phones of series of NR. This beautiful mobile phone represents a lucrative structure with a dimension of 103x55x18 millimetre. It weighs only 125 grams which does to him one of the lightest mobile phones in the same category of the mobile devices. This compound is a great source of entertainment. One can look at the photographs of high-resolution on 3.2 inches of screen of this device. The color screen shows to 16 million colors what give more choice to the users.

On the one hand, Nokia N96i is the last buzz in industry with its configurations and seizing functions. It has a design of double slide and a traditional screen turning. Its 3 inches of screen of posting to liquid crystals is able to show more than 16 million colors. N96i is relatively lighter than the N96 mobile phone. It weighs just 110 grams in spite to have a metal body. This mobile device comes in some from the colors and the attractive designs. The silver plated compounds of color obtain more request compared to any other mobile phone of camera.

Nokia N96 praises itself of a camera of Pixel of the mega 7.1 with the optical objective of Carl Zeiss. N96 gives the opportunity to observe news, sports and of living TV. A powerful player of music, the FM radio and the radio of Internet give a final musical experiment. Another interesting device of this mobile phone is the section of charts. Now, the search and the conclusion of the local places and any other important information became easy with these compound and Nokia N82 also.

Nokia N96 against the squabble of Nokia N96i becomes more interesting when the devices of entertainment are compared. N96i is equipped with the camera of Pixel of the mega just 5.5 which is relatively less powerful than its predecessor. The player of music supports all the principal formats of file like the MP3, the MP4 and the WMV. The double stereo loudspeakers provided this product of mobile phone to an exciting quality of sound. A stereo headphone was also given with compound for those which frequently travel.

When the matter of the connectivity of Web comes, Nokia N96 does not disappoint the users. Assistances of Bluetooth, USB 2.0 and WLAN to provide the fast connectivity of Internet. The transmission speed of data is 3.5G which helps of the users to send or receive the music, the files and other data. It has an enormous memory capacity of 10 gigaoctets which gives the capacity to store a great number of songs and films. In the same way, Nokia N96i is equipped with Bluetooth and port of USB which gives the really fast connection of Web. The cardphone micro of standard deviations of 10 gigaoctets of built-in memory capacity and 256 mbs to increase the memory.

In a general way, Nokia produced two chiefs of work in the form of these two mobile phones. In love ones and the mobile experts compare the devices of both the compounds. It leads to the competition of Nokia N96 against Nokia N96i. One can find some or the other single devices in one or the other of the devices. However, it depends completely on the users who model them want to be useful themselves. All the two compounds are able to enchant the customers with their executions.

Power line communication

2009-04-07T17:14:00.001+02:00

Power line communication or power line carrier (PLC), also known as Power line Digital Subscriber Line (PDSL), mains communication, power line telecom (PLT), or power line networking (PLN), is a system for carrying data on a conductor also used for electric power transmission. Broadband over Power Lines (BPL) uses PLC by sending and receiving information bearing signals over power lines to provide access to the Internet.

Electrical power is transmitted over high voltage transmission lines, distributed over medium voltage, and used inside buildings at lower voltages. Powerline communications can be applied at each stage. Most PLC technologies limit themselves to one set of wires (for example, premises wiring), but some can cross between two levels (for example, both the distribution network and premises wiring).

All power line communications systems operate by impressing a modulated carrier signal on the wiring system. Different types of powerline communications use different frequency bands, depending on the signal transmission characteristics of the power wiring used. Since the power wiring system was originally intended for transmission of AC power, the power wire circuits have only a limited ability to carry higher frequencies. The propagation problem is a limiting factor for each type of power line communications.

Data rates over a power line communication system vary widely. Low-frequency (about 100-200 kHz) carriers impressed on high-voltage transmission lines may carry one or two analog voice circuits, or telemetry and control circuits with an equivalent data rate of a few hundred bits per second; however, these circuits may be many miles (kilometres) long. Higher data rates generally imply shorter ranges; a local area network operating at millions of bits per second may only cover one floor of an office building, but eliminates installation of dedicated network cabling.

Internet access (broadband over powerlines)
Broadband over power lines (BPL), also known as power-line Internet or powerband, is the use of PLC technology to provide broadband Internet access through ordinary power lines. A computer (or any other device) would need only to plug a BPL "modem" into any outlet in an equipped building to have high-speed Internet access. International Broadband Electric Communications or IBEC and other companies currently offer BPL service to several electric cooperatives.

BPL may offer benefits over regular cable or DSL connections: the extensive infrastructure already available appears to allow people in remote locations to access the Internet with relatively little equipment investment by the utility. Also, such ubiquitous availability would make it much easier for other electronics, such as televisions or sound systems, to hook up.

Home control (narrowband)
Power line communications technology can use the household electrical power wiring as a transmission medium. INSTEON and X10 are the two most popular,de facto standards using power line communications for home control. This is a technique used in home automation for remote control of lighting and appliances without installation of additional control wiring.

Home networking (broadband)
Power line communications can also be used to interconnect home computers, peripherals or other networked consumer peripherals. Proprietary specifications for power line home networking have been developed by a number of different companies within the framework of the HomePlug Powerline Alliance, the Universal Powerline Association and the HD-PLC Alliance.

DSL (Digital subscriber line)

2009-04-07T16:54:00.002+02:00

DSL or xDSL, is a family of technologies that provides digital data transmission over the wires of a local telephone network. DSL originally stood for digital subscriber loop, although in recent years, the term digital subscriber line has been widely adopted as a more marketing-friendly term for ADSL, which is the most popular version of consumer-ready DSL. DSL can be used at the same time and on the same telephone line with regular telephone, as it uses high frequency, while regular telephone uses low frequency.

Typically, the download speed of consumer DSL services ranges from 256 kilobits per second (kbit/s) to 24,000 kbit/s, depending on DSL technology, line conditions and service level implemented. Typically, upload speed is lower than download

DSL (VDSL) typically works by dividing the frequencies used in a single phone line into two primary "bands". The ISP data is carried over the high-frequency band (25 kHz and above) whereas the voice is carried over the lower-frequency band (4 kHz and below).The user typically installs a DSL filter on each phone. This filters out the high frequencies from the phone line, so that the phone only sends or receives the lower frequencies (the human voice). The DSL modem and the normal telephone equipment can be used simultaneously on the line without interference from each other.

DSL technologies
The line length limitations from telephone exchange to subscriber are more restrictive for higher data transmission rates. Technologies such as VDSL provide very high speed, short-range links as a method of delivering "triple play" services (typically implemented in fiber to the curb network architectures). Technologies likes GDSL can further increase the data rate of DSL. Fiber Optic technologies exist today that allow the conversion of copper based IDSN, ADSL and DSL over fiber optics.

Example DSL technologies (sometimes called xDSL) include:

ISDN Digital Subscriber Line (IDSL), uses ISDN based technology to provide data flow that is slightly higher than dual channel ISDN.
High Data Rate Digital Subscriber Line (HDSL / HDSL2), was the first DSL technology that uses a higher frequency spectrum of copper, twisted pair cables.
Symmetric Digital Subscriber Line (SDSL / SHDSL), the volume of data flow is equal in both directions.
Symmetric High-speed Digital Subscriber Line (G.SHDSL), a standardised replacement for early proprietary SDSL.
Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL), the volume of data flow is greater in one direction than the other.
Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line 2 (ADSL2), an improved version of ADSL
Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line 2 Plus (ADSL2+), A version of ADSL2 that doubles the data rates by using twice the spectrum.
Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line Plus Plus (ADSL++), technology developed by Centillium Communications for Japan market that extends downstream rates to 50 Mbit/s by using spectrum up to 3.75 MHz.
Rate-Adaptive Digital Subscriber Line (RADSL)
Very High Speed Digital Subscriber Line (VDSL)
Very High Speed Digital Subscriber Line 2 (VDSL2), an improved version of VDSL
Etherloop Ethernet Local Loop
Uni Digital Subscriber Line (UDSL), technology developed by Texas Instruments, backwards compatible with all DMT standards
Gigabit Digital Subscriber Line (GDSL), based on binder MIMO technologies[7].
(UHDSL) Universal Digital Subscriber Line using fiber optics. Developed in 2005 by RLH Industries, Inc. Converts HDSL-1, 2 or 4 copper service into fiber optic HDSL service.

Laptop or Notebook ::: How to Buy?

2009-04-01T16:47:00.002+02:00

Step1
Read through Desktop Computer ::: How to . The "Before you shop" points and most of "The basics" also apply when shopping for a laptop.
Step2
Pick up the laptops at the store. (Ask to have them unlocked if necessary.) Choose one that feels sturdy, solid and not too heavy.
Step3
Try the keyboard. Since you can't replace it (except with the exact same item), make sure you're comfortable with its touch and responsiveness. Test it on a desk and on your lap.
Step4
Test the pointing device, track pad or track ball, the laptop alternatives to a mouse. Some of these can be hard to master. You'll be able to connect an external mouse, but the built-in device is more handy when you're mobile.
Step5
Check if the computer's bottom gets uncomfortably hot when it's running--a problem if you actually use the laptop on your lap.
Step6
Pay attention to screen size and resolution. Current liquid-crystal display (LCD) screens on laptops measure from 13 to 21 inches diagonally. Screen resolution may be as low as 800 x 600 pixels or as high as 1600 x 1200. The more pixels, the crisper the screen image. View the screen in a variety of settings: A screen that looks great in normal room lighting can look terrible in bright or dim light.
Step7
Choose a laptop with at least two USB 2 connections and at least one Firewire (IEEE1394) connection. USB 2 and Firewire are very popular and fast ways of connecting iPods, digital cameras and some phones to computers.
Step8
Check to see if the laptop has built in wireless capabilities, most do these days. A wireless network card (also called Wi-Fi or 802.11) will free you from having to be wired to your Internet connection (see How to Network Your Computers). Also, Bluetooth capability will let you share information wirelessly with other Bluetooth-equipped devices, such as your cell phone or personal digital assistant.
Step9
Check to see if the laptop has a DVD Burner. That makes backing up documents, music files and pictures a snap because of the high capacity of the discs.
Step10
Get an antitheft device. Hundreds of thousands of laptops are stolen every year. Look for cables that secure the laptop to a desk. Install software that disables a stolen laptop, or better yet, reports the laptop's location when it connects to the Internet.

Desktop Computer ::: How to Buy?

2009-04-01T16:34:00.004+02:00

Before you shop
Step1
Decide if you're better served by the PC/Windows platform or the Macintosh. You can generally get a faster computer for your money by choosing a Windows machine, but Macs come with more easy-to-use built-in software. Top brands are Dell, Hewlett- Packard, IBM, Gateway and Toshiba. Apple, of course, makes the Macintosh.
Step2
Think about whether this machine will need to work with your office or school server. Exchanging files between platforms is less of an issue than it used to be, but it's still worth noting.
Step3
Ask your friends and co-workers in similar lines of work what machines they have, where they bought them, if there were any problems, and whether they're happy with their choices.
Step4
Expect to spend $1,000 to $2,000 for a general-purpose machine, although you can find desktop computers for anywhere from $400 to $10,000.

The basics
Step1
Realize that if you buy a super cheap computer at a warehouse store or discounter, you're going to be on your own. Technical support from the major manufacturers tends to be a lot better.
Step2
Buy as much random-access memory (RAM), or system memory, as you can afford. At a bare minimum, get 1024 megabytes (MB); 2048 MB or 4096 MB is preferable. (For a Macintosh, get at least 1024 MB.) Memory is more critical than a faster processor.
Step3
Get at least two universal serial bus (USB) connections and a FireWire (also called IEEE 1394) connection. These will connect peripheral devices, such as a printer, PDA, digital cameras and camcorders, scanners and game controllers.
Step4
Get a CD burner so you can back up valuable data and make your own music CDs. Look into a DVD burner too if you're involved in film making or editing, but remember that there are multiple competing standards; computer-burned DVDs might not play in your home DVD player. Make sure your machine has a DVD drive if you want to watch movies on your computer. Also look for an internal modem.
Step5
Ask about upgradability if you intend to use this computer for a long time, which is considered three or more years.
Step6
Choose any current computer model from the major manufacturers with a high degree of confidence if you simply want to send e-mail, surf the Web and do word-processing.
Special considerations
Step1
Get high-quality graphics and sound if you plan to play games. Look for a system that has a graphics card with a coprocessor, and 5.1 Surround sound. You'll want a broadband Internet connection to play online games, and to improve your Internet experience overall.
Step2
Buy the biggest hard drive you can afford--120 to 180 gigabytes (GB) is now commonplace. Get more than 200 GB if you're storing music and/or editing video. For video editing, you'll also need a video input/output card and a FireWire connection.
Step3
Add a TV capture card, and you can even have your computer function as a DVR.

How to Save Laptop Battery Power

2009-03-31T11:05:00.002+02:00

During the course of a long day away from a wall socket. Here are some tips for keeping your laptop running as long as possible when you're on the go.

When you're on the road, you can significantly conserve battery power by dimming your laptop screen's brightness. Make sure there are no CDs or DVDs sitting in your optical drive, and don't connect any USB peripherals--all power hogs. Turn off Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and 3G networking (you have to do that in flight anyhow).

Also, tweak your laptop's power settings to conserve your battery. For example, in Windows Vista, go to Control Panel, Power Options and select the "Power saver" setting You can adjust the "Power saver" settings, if you want, or create your own power plan.

Buy a Second Battery

Many laptops today can run off two batteries. When the juice from the primary battery runs dry, the auxiliary kicks in. In most cases, the primary battery comes with the laptop; the second is an optional purchase. For example, HP's EliteBook 6930p promises up to 24 hours of use from one charge--but only if you attach an optional, external 12-cell ultra-capacity battery pack ($189) as a secondary battery to augment the laptop's internal, primary six-cell battery (There are other requirements, too, such as the need to downgrade to Windows XP.) Keep in mind that second battery packs, sometimes also called battery slices often add bulk and weight to your laptop.

Another option: Buy a portable battery pack. I like the Duracell Powersource Mobile 100 (about $110 and up online) because it lets you power a variety of devices, such as laptops, cell phones, portable DVD players, and video cameras, using their own power cords. By comparison, some portable power rechargers require special tips or cables to recharge your gear. The Duracell Powersource can also recharge two USB devices simultaneously with your laptop.
Get to Know Battery Specs

When buying a new laptop or a second laptop battery, pay attention to the power specs. Generally speaking, you need to know how many cells the battery has. The more cells, the longer the battery can last on a charge. For example, a 12-cell battery is designed to last much longer than a six-cell battery. Alternatively, the specs might list Watt-Hour rating, or WHr. The higher the number, the longer your battery should last. Some computer makers, such as Apple, describe laptop batteries in terms of WHr, while others use cells.
Check for Power Ports Before You Fly

Before I book a flight, I find out the type of aircraft I'll be on. Then I jump over to Seatguru.com, which offers helpful seating configuration maps for most domestic and international airlines. The black dots on seat maps indicate the presence of in-seat power ports. Keep in mind, though, that sometimes (especially in coach) you may have to share one power port with your neighbor.
Play Your Music on a Portable Player

Playing music or videos on your laptop is a great way to pass the time--and drain your battery. Music and audio files make frequent hits on your hard drive, which consumes battery power. If you need to work during a long flight, and yet you want to silence that crying baby in 12B, listen to music on your portable media player. That way you won't tax your laptop battery. Most airplanes today have an in-flight music system, which you can listen to even during take-off and landings (which you can't do with a portable electronic device).

Watch Videos on Your Hard Drive

Playing a video on a laptop's DVD drive eats battery power. Video playback from a hard drive, however, is less taxing. So for your next long flight, consider downloading a few movies or TV shows to your hard drive. Or convert your own DVDs into files you can play off your hard drive. As PCWorld.com blogger Rick Broida points out, you can use the popular open-source program Handbrake to rip DVDs into files for watching on a laptop or iPod/iPhone.

Share an Airport Power Plug

Have you ever tried to find an available wall socket at an airport departure gate? Most of the time, other people have already taken the few existing wall sockets. That's why I travel with a multi-plug power adapter. Example: Kensington's Portable Power Outlet ($21 on Amazon.com) lets you simultaneously plug up to three devices into one wall outlet. It also lets you charge up to two USB devices at the same time, and it offers surge protection. Belkin makes a similar product, the Mini Surge Protector With USB Charger (about $14 or more online).

Wi Fi VS Bluetooth

2009-03-31T10:57:00.003+02:00

Q: What's the Difference Between Bluetooth and Wi-Fi?

A: Bluetooth and Wi-Fi are both wireless networking standards that provide connectivity via radio waves. The main difference: Bluetooth's primary use is to replace cables, while Wi-Fi is largely used to provide wireless, high-speed access to the Internet or a local area network.
Bluetooth

First developed in 1994, Bluetooth is a low-power, short-range (30 feet) networking specification with moderately fast transmission speeds of 800 kilobits per second. Bluetooth provides a wireless, point-to-point, "personal area network" for PDAs, notebooks, printers, mobile phones, audio components, and other devices. The wireless technology can be used anywhere you have two or more devices that are Bluetooth enabled. For example, you could send files from a notebook to a printer without having to physically connect the two devices with a cable.

A few notebooks, such as the IBM ThinkPad T30, now include built-in Bluetooth connectivity. And $129 will buy you a Bluetooth card for expansion-slot Palm PDAs, allowing you to connect to printers, notebooks, mobile phones, and other devices without cables.

Despite the promises of Bluetooth, however, hardware makers have been slow to incorporate it into their products. Some experts believe it could be eight years before Bluetooth is commonly used. They attribute the technology's lagging adoption rate to poor usability and confusion about what Bluetooth is and does. For more on that topic, read "Why We're Still Waiting for Bluetooth."
Wi-Fi

Short for Wireless Fidelity, Wi-Fi is a user-friendly name for devices that have been certified by the Wireless Ethernet Compatibility Alliance to conform to the industry-standard wireless networking specification IEEE 802.11b. Wi-Fi began appearing in products in late 1998. The standard currently provides access to Ethernet networks such as a corporate LAN or the Internet at super-fast speeds of up to 11 megabits per second.

Wi-Fi connections can be made up to about 300 feet away from a "hot spot" (slang for a Wi-Fi networking node). When your notebook or PDA has a Wi-Fi networking card or built-in chip, you can surf the Internet at broadband speeds wirelessly. Wi-Fi networking nodes are proliferating globally; many Starbucks locations, for instance, offer access to Wi-Fi hot spots for a fee. (See the Notebooks section in this newsletter for information on finding Wi-Fi hot spots.)

Many notebooks today have IEEE 802.11b built-in; those that don't can be adapted via Wi-Fi connectivity PC Cards. Wi-Fi is also the basis for some home networking products, allowing you to share high-speed Internet connections without cabling. Late last year, products featuring a newer wireless networking specification, IEEE 802.11a (called Wi-Fi5 by WECA), debuted. This standard provides transmission speeds of up to 54 mbps. Wireless networking is expected to grow in popularity as a practical, flexible way to replace some LANs. With wireless networking, for instance, workers can carry their notebooks from cubicle to conference room and stay connected to the corporate network.

For information about setting up a wireless home network, see "How to Set Up Your Home Network."

For more about the first IEEE 802.11a-based products, see "Wireless LANs Gain Speed at Comdex." In addition, Socket Communications, a network connections provider, has posted a helpful white paper that compares Bluetooth with Wi-Fi.

Wi Fi

2009-03-31T10:34:00.005+02:00

Wi-Fi is a trademark of the Wi-Fi Alliance for certified products based on the IEEE 802.11 standards (also called Wireless LAN (WLAN) and Wi-Fi). This certification warrants interoperability between different wireless devices.

The term Wi-Fi often is used by the public as a synonym for wireless Internet (WLAN); but not every wireless Internet product has a Wi-Fi certification, which may be because of certification costs that must be paid for each certified device type.

Wi-Fi is supported by most personal computer operating systems, many game consoles, laptops, smartphones, printers, and other peripherals.

A Wi-Fi enabled device such as a PC, game console, mobile phone, MP3 player or PDA can connect to the Internet when within range of a wireless network connected to the Internet. The coverage of one or more interconnected access points — called a hotspot — can comprise an area as small as a single room with wireless-opaque walls or as large as many square miles covered by overlapping access points. Wi-Fi technology has served to set up mesh networks, for example, in London. Both architectures can operate in community networks.

In addition to restricted use in homes and offices, Wi-Fi can make access publicly available at Wi-Fi hotspots provided either free of charge or to subscribers to various providers. Organizations and businesses such as airports, hotels and restaurants often provide free hotspots to attract or assist clients. Enthusiasts or authorities who wish to provide services or even to promote business in a given area sometimes provide free Wi-Fi access. Metropolitan-wide Wi-Fi (Muni-Fi) alread has more than 300 projects in process. There were 879 Wi-Fi based Wireless Internet service providers in the Czech Republic as of May 2008.

Wi-Fi also allows connectivity in peer-to-peer (wireless ad-hoc network) mode, which enables devices to connect directly with each other. This connectivity mode can prove useful in consumer electronics and gaming applications.

When wireless networking technology first entered the market many problems ensued for consumers who could not rely on products from different vendors working together. The Wi-Fi Alliance began as a community to solve this issue — aiming to address the needs of the end-user and to allow the technology to mature. The Alliance created the branding Wi-Fi CERTIFIED to reassure consumers that products will interoperate with other products displaying the same branding.

Many consumer devices use Wi-Fi. Amongst others, personal computers can network to each other and connect to the Internet, mobile computers can connect to the Internet from any Wi-Fi hotspot, and digital cameras can transfer images wirelessly.

Routers which incorporate a DSL-modem or a cable-modem and a Wi-Fi access point, often set up in homes and other premises, provide Internet-access and internetworking to all devices connected (wirelessly or by cable) to them. One can also connect Wi-Fi devices in ad-hoc mode for client-to-client connections without a router. Wi-Fi also enables places which would traditionally not have network to be connected, for example bathrooms, kitchens and garden sheds. The "father of Wi-Fi", Vic Hayes, stated that being able to access the internet whilst answering a call of nature was "one of life's most liberating experiences".

As of 2007 Wi-Fi technology had spread widely within business and industrial sites. In business environments, just like other environments, increasing the number of Wi-Fi access-points provides redundancy, support for fast roaming and increased overall network-capacity by using more channels or by defining smaller cells. Wi-Fi enables wireless voice-applications (VoWLAN or WVOIP). Over the years, Wi-Fi implementations have moved toward "thin" access-points, with more of the network intelligence housed in a centralized network appliance, relegating individual access-points to the role of mere "dumb" radios. Outdoor applications may utilize true mesh topologies. As of 2007 Wi-Fi installations can provide a secure computer networking gateway, firewall, DHCP server, intrusion detection system, and other functions.

Operational advantages

Wi-Fi allows local area networks (LANs) to be deployed without wires for client devices, typically reducing the costs of network deployment and expansion. Spaces where cables cannot be run, such as outdoor areas and historical buildings, can host wireless LANs.

Wireless network adapters are now built into most laptops. The price of chipsets for Wi-Fi continues to drop, making it an economical networking option included in even more devices. Wi-Fi has become widespread in corporate infrastructures.

Different competitive brands of access points and client network interfaces are inter-operable at a basic level of service. Products designated as "Wi-Fi Certified" by the Wi-Fi Alliance are backwards compatible. Wi-Fi is a global set of standards. Unlike mobile telephones, any standard Wi-Fi device will work anywhere in the world.

Wi-Fi is widely available in more than 220,000 public hotspots and tens of millions of homes and corporate and university campuses worldwide. Wi-Fi Protected Access encryption (WPA and WPA2) is not easily cracked if strong passwords are used. New protocols for Quality of Service (WMM) make Wi-Fi more suitable for latency-sensitive applications (such as voice and video), and power saving mechanisms (WMM Power Save) improve battery operation.

Limitations

Spectrum assignments and operational limitations are not consistent worldwide. Most of Europe allows for an additional 2 channels beyond those permitted in the U.S. for the 2.4 GHz band. (1–13 vs. 1–11); Japan has one more on top of that (1–14). Europe, as of 2007, was essentially homogeneous in this respect. A very confusing aspect is the fact that a Wi-Fi signal actually occupies five channels in the 2.4 GHz band resulting in only three non-overlapped channels in the U.S.: 1, 6, 11, and three or four in Europe: 1, 5, 9, 13 can be used if all the equipment on a specific area can be guaranteed not to use 802.11b at all, even as fallback or beacon. Equivalent isotropically radiated power (EIRP) in the EU is limited to 20 dBm (100 mW).

Reach

Wi-Fi networks have limited range. A typical Wi-Fi home router using 802.11b or 802.11g with a stock antenna might have a range of 32 m (120 ft) indoors and 95 m (300 ft) outdoors. Range also varies with frequency band. Wi-Fi in the 2.4 GHz frequency block has slightly better range than Wi-Fi in the 5 GHz frequency block. Outdoor range with improved (directional) antennas can be several kilometres or more with line-of-sight. In general, the maximum amount of power that a Wi-Fi device can transmit is limited by local regulations, such as FCC Part 15 in USA.

Wi-Fi performance decreases roughly quadratically as distance increases at constant radiation levels.

Due to reach requirements for wireless LAN applications, power consumption is fairly high compared to some other short-range standards. Technologies such as Zigbee and Bluetooth, which are designed to support wireless PAN applications, provide a much shorter propagation range of

Blue Tooth

2009-03-31T10:18:00.003+02:00

Bluetooth is an open wireless protocol for exchanging data over short distances from fixed and mobile devices, creating personal area networks (PANs). It was originally conceived as a wireless alternative to RS232 data cables. It can connect several devices, overcoming problems of synchronization.

The word Bluetooth is an anglicized version of Old Norse Blátönn or Danish Blåtand, the name of the tenth-century king Harald I of Denmark and Norway, who united dissonant Scandinavian tribes into a single kingdom. The implication is that Bluetooth does the same with communications protocols, uniting them into one universal standard.

Bluetooth uses a radio technology called frequency-hopping spread spectrum, which chops up the data being sent and transmits chunks of it on up to 79 frequencies. In its basic mode, the modulation is Gaussian frequency-shift keying (GFSK). It can achieve a gross data rate of 1 Mb/s. Bluetooth provides a way to connect and exchange information between devices such as mobile phones, telephones, laptops, personal computers, printers, Global Positioning System (GPS) receivers, digital cameras, and video game consoles through a secure, globally unlicensed Industrial, Scientific and Medical (ISM) 2.4 GHz short-range radio frequency bandwidth. The Bluetooth specifications are developed and licensed by the Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG). The Bluetooth SIG consists of companies in the areas of telecommunication, computing, networking, and consumer electronics.[

Bluetooth is a standard and communications protocol primarily designed for low power consumption, with a short range (power-class-dependent: 1 meter, 10 meters, 100 meters) based on low-cost transceiver microchips in each device. Bluetooth makes it possible for these devices to communicate with each other when they are in range. Because the devices use a radio (broadcast) communications system, they do not have to be in line of sight of each other.

Class 1 100 mW (20 dBm) ~100 meters
Class 2 2.5 mW (4 dBm) ~10 meters
Class 3 1 mW (0 dBm) ~1 meter

In most cases the effective range of class 2 devices is extended if they connect to a class 1 transceiver, compared to a pure class 2 network. This is accomplished by the higher sensitivity and transmission power of Class 1 devices.

More prevalent applications of Bluetooth include:

* Wireless control of and communication between a mobile phone and a hands-free headset. This was one of the earliest applications to become popular.
* Wireless networking between PCs in a confined space and where little bandwidth is required.
* Wireless communication with PC input and output devices, the most common being the mouse, keyboard and printer.
* Transfer of files, contact details, calendar appointments, and reminders between devices with OBEX.
* Replacement of traditional wired serial communications in test equipment, GPS receivers, medical equipment, bar code scanners, and traffic control devices.
* For controls where infrared was traditionally used.
* Sending small advertisements from Bluetooth-enabled advertising hoardings to other, discoverable, Bluetooth devices[citation needed].
* Two seventh-generation game consoles, Nintendo's Wii and Sony's PlayStation 3, use Bluetooth for their respective wireless controllers.
* Dial-up internet access on personal computers or PDAs using a data-capable mobile phone as a modem.

A personal computer must have a Bluetooth adapter in order to communicate with other Bluetooth devices (such as mobile phones, mice and keyboards). While some desktop computers and most recent laptops come with a built-in Bluetooth adapter, others will require an external one in the form of a dongle.

Computer requirements

Unlike its predecessor, IrDA, which requires a separate adapter for each device, Bluetooth allows multiple devices to communicate with a computer over a single adapter.

will Google follow the Same as Destiny of IBM’s?

2009-03-31T10:01:00.005+02:00

For as long as some can remember, Google has been the search engine of choice for almost everyone who searched the Internet. Since its inception, Google has almost toppled other big search engines such as Excite and Yahoo and these companies have struggled to regain market share. At the moment, Google still dominates the industry and it appears that it will continue to forever. But will it maintain its competitive advantage or is it possible that other search engines can break its monopoly in ways that the Department of Justice cannot imagine?

In the 1980s IBM dominated the industry to the point that many considered it a monopoly. It was believed that IBM’s legacy would last forever. However, when smaller companies entered the market with lower-margin products, IBM was forced to compete on their terms. Of course, we all know that the company failed miserably at this attempt, and the company was forced to completely revamp its business and give up its monopoly in the personal computer industry.

Despite the glamour that Google has been basking in for the last few years, we would be naïve to believe that this control over the market will endure for eternity. Like IBM and AT&T, Google will probably find the day when it is dethroned by smaller companies with their own particular niche. One search engine makes it possible to enter a photograph of a product that visitors would like to purchase, and the search engine tells the user which stores in their area are selling the product. Another search engine functions by having the user type in a question, and provide links to experts who can answer it.

While many experts feel that these smaller search engines do not pose a threat, both history and the present suggest otherwise. Many of these specialized search engines have multiplied their traffic in periods as short as a year. While it is uncertain how these companies will affect Google, there is no denying that they are on the rise. Even Google may inevitably find it impossible to provide all the features that are provided by each of the smaller, more specialized search engines. How will these companies affect Google in the future? It is very likely that they will pose a significant threat to the current leader, and very possible that Google’s survival will depend on its ability to adapt to the new environment and completely change its business structure just as IBM had to do ten years ago. Only time will tell.

Having your Windows on your USB Stick

2009-03-19T02:24:00.002+02:00

Almost everyone who has worked with computers for any length of time at all has run into at least one situation in which a problem left a PC unbootable. What if you could return the machine to a bootable state just by inserting a USB flash drive though? Believe it or not, it is actually possible to install a bootable copy of Windows XP onto a flash drive and then boot a PC off of the flash drive. From there, you can use applications that you have installed on the flash drive (anti virus, anti spyware, disk repair, etc.) to fix the PC's problem. In this article, I will show you how.
What's the catch?

As with most cool new techniques, there are a few catches. For starters, not every PC is capable of booting from a USB flash drive. For the most part, computers manufactured within the last two years are generally able to boot from a flash drive. Older systems may require a BIOS update, or might not be able to boot from a flash drive at all.

Another catch is that not every flash drive will get the job done. The primary factors that limit your use of a particular flash drive are capacity and speed. Technically, speed isn't really a limiting factor, but booting Windows will be painfully slow unless you use a flash drive that supports USB 2.0.

The flash drive's capacity is actually a limiting factor though. Surprisingly though, there are size limits on both the upper and lower end. Your flash drive can't be too large or too small. There isn't really a documented minimal size for a flash drive. You just need something large enough to hold Windows XP and a few applications. As you probably know, Windows XP normally consumes over a gigabyte of disk space. Later I will show you how to use a free utility to trim the excess fat off of Windows XP and make it a whole lot smaller. Even so, I still recommend that your flash drive be at least a minimum of 256 MB in size.

As I mentioned, there is a maximum size for the USB flash drive that you can use. Currently, USB flash drives exist in sizes of up to 4 GB, and 8 GB flash drives are expected to be available by the end of the year. As nice as it would be to have 8 GB to play with, the flash drive that you use for this project can be no larger than 2 GB. The reason for this is because you will have to format the flash drive using the FAT-16 file system, which has a 2 GB limit. Presently, you are stuck using FAT-16 because most computers will not recognize a flash drive as being bootable if the drive is formatted with anything other than FAT-16.
Preparing your Windows installation CD

One of the requirements for creating our bootable USB flash drive is a Windows XP with Service Pack 2 installation CD. If your Windows XP installation CD doesn't already include Service Pack 2, then you will have to make a CD that includes Service Pack 2 through a technique called slipstreaming.
Other requirements

In addition to your Windows XP installation CD, there are a couple of other things that you are going to need. For starters, you will need the HP USB Disk Storage Format Tool. You can download this tool for free.

Another utility that you are going to need is Bart's Preinstalled Environment Bootable Live Windows CD / DVD, or BartPE for short. You can download this utility for free from the BartPE Web site.

In addition to the software requirements, you must verify that the PC that you will be using to create the Windows deployment has 1.5 GB of free hard disk space (minimum) and supports booting from a USB device. I also strongly recommend that the PC be running Windows XP Service Pack 2. Prior to Service Pack 2, Windows XP sometimes had trouble interacting with USB storage devices.
Formatting the flash drive

Now that you have all of the prerequisites taken care of, it's time to actually start setting up our flash drive. The first step in doing so, as strange as it sounds, is to format the flash drive. Windows will actually let you format a flash drive in the same way that you format a floppy disk. However, formatting a flash drive in this way will not work for this project. Furthermore, using Windows to format a flash drive directly has been known to destroy some types of flash drives.

Instead, you must format the flash drive by using the HP USB Disk Storage Format Tool that you downloaded earlier. To do so, simply open the utility, select the device followed by the FAT file system option and click Start.

Once the device has been formatted, you must make it bootable. To do so, you must copy the BOOT.INI, NTLDR, and NTDETECT from the root directory of your PC's boot drive to the flash drive. These files are hidden by default, so you will either have to configure Windows Explorer to show hidden files (including protected operating system files) or you will have to open a Command Prompt window and use the COPY command to copy the files.

If you choose to use the Windows Explorer method, then open Internet Explorer and enter C: into the address bar so that you are looking at your local hard drive. Next, select the Folder Options command from the Tools menu. When the Folder Options properties sheet opens, select the View tab. Now, just select the Show Hidden Files and Folders and deselect the Hide Extensions for Known File Types and the Hide Protected Operating System Files check boxes. Click OK to continue.
Booting from the USB flash drive

Now that you have formatted your USB flash drive and installed the boot files onto it, the next thing that you must do is to configure your PC to allow you to boot from the flash drive. This is all done through the computer's BIOS Setup. I can't give you specific instructions for this part, because every computer is different. I can give you a few pointers though.

You can access your computer's BIOS by pressing a specific key immediately after you turn the PC on. The key varies, but it is usually either [F1], [F2], or [Delete]. Once you are in the BIOS Setup, you should verify that all of your computer's USB options are enabled. This might include things like support for legacy USB devices or support for USB 2.0. If there is a time out setting for USB devices, you should set it to the max to insure that the system doesn't time out while waiting on the USB device to boot.

Next, find the section on boot device priority. Normally, a USB flash drive (which is usually listed as USB-HDD, but may be listed as a removable device) will have a very low boot priority. If the USB flash drive's boot priority is lower than the hard disk (listed as HDD) then the only time the computer would ever boot off of the USB flash drive is if the system were to fail to boot from the hard disk. You must therefore rearrange the boot device priority so that the flash drive has a higher priority than the hard drive.
Configuring Windows

Now that we have finally made it through all of the prep work, it's time to start setting up Windows. As you have probably already guessed, the process of installing Windows to a flash drive is quite a bit different from your normal, run of the mill installation. There are a couple of reasons for this.

For starters, a full blown Windows XP deployment takes up over a Gigabyte of hard disk space. When you are installing to a flash drive, disk space is a scarce commodity. Even if you have over a Gigabyte of space on your flash drive, you probably don't want to use it all on Windows. It would be nice to have room to install a few applications. Therefore, you need to trim the excess fat off of Windows.

The other reason why the installation process is so different from the usual Windows installation is because Windows Setup is not designed to install Windows to a flash drive. You therefore have to configure Windows using an alternate method.

The PEBuilder utility that you downloaded earlier can take care of both of these issues. PEBuilder is designed to create a build of Windows XP (or Windows Server 2003) that does not take up as much space as a full blown installation. Once you create this new build, you can copy it to the flash drive. For right now, I will show you how to create a basic Windows build and copy it to the memory stick. Unfortunately, it's rather difficult to install applications once Windows is up and running. Therefore, after I show you how to create a basic Windows build, I will show you how to create a build that includes some applications.

Begin the process by opening PEBuilder. When you open PEBuilder, you will see a screen. Simply enter the path to the Windows installation files (the ones from your Windows XP with Service Pack 2 installation CD). Next, verify that the Create ISO Image and the Burn to CD check boxes are not selected and then click the Build button. PEBuilder will now create the new Windows build.

Now, it's time to copy Windows to the flash drive. To do so, you will have to use a special batch file that's included with PEBuilder. Open a Command Prompt window and navigate to c:\pebuilder313\plugin\peinst. Now, insert an empty flash drive into the computer's USB port and then execute the file PEINST.CMD. You will now see a menu appear.

Type 1 and press [Enter] and you will be prompted to enter the path to the build that you have created. Enter C:\pebuilder313\BartPE. Now, type 2, press [Enter], and you will be prompted for the target path. Enter the drive letter that Windows has assigned to your USB flash drive. After doing so, the menu is updated. The menu now displays the source path and the destination drive. Type 5 and press [Enter] to install Windows to the flash drive.

Now that I have shown you how to create and install a basic Windows build, I want to talk for a moment about how you can add an application to the build (prior to creating it). The PEBuilder program comes pre-configured to support a number of common Windows applications, but does not come with the applications themselves.

The reason why installing applications can be a little bit tricky is because most Windows applications modify the Windows registry. The build that you are creating is basically a collection of installation files, and the build itself does not contain a registry (the registry gets created when Windows is installed onto the flash drive). As such, PEBuilder uses a sort of registry emulator.

If you go to the C:\PEBUILDER313\PLUGIN folder, you will see sub folders for a number of different applications. If you open one of these application folders, you will see that the folder contains an INF file and a FILES folder. The INF file contains all of the information that would normally go into the registry, and the FILES folder stores all of the program's files.

To see how this works, let's install an application that I'm sure most of you are familiar with; Nero. Begin by installing Nero onto the machine that's running PEBuilder, as if you planned to run Nero locally on that machine. When the installation completes, copy all of the files from C:\Program Files\ahead\Nero to C:\pebuilder313\plugin\nero burning rom\files. In this particular case, the nero burning rom folder is the folder that has been set aside for the Nero application. The Files sub folder is intended to store Nero's system files.

Now, you must take care of Nero's registry entries. To do so, go to the C:\pebuilder313\plugin\nero burning rom folder and open the PENERO.INF file using Notepad. As I explained earlier, the INF file in an application's folder is used to store the application's registry entries. For Nero and all of the other applications that PEBuilder predefines, the INF file is pre-configured. You just have to make a few changes that are specific to your system.

In this particular case, the PENERO.INF file is designed to support both Nero versions 5.x and 6.x. Initially, the lines for both versions are commented out. You must therefore determine which version you have and then remove the semi colon from the beginning of the lines that apply to that version.

Once you uncomment the appropriate lines, just replace "Your Name", "Your Company Name" and "Your Serial Number" with your name, your company's name, and your Nero product key. Save the file, and your set to go. The next time that you click the Build button, Nero will be included in the build.
Putting XP in your pocket

Running Windows from a flash drive isn't an exact science. Sometimes the process just doesn't work and there is no good reason why. As more PCs start to support booting from USB devices though, USB boots should become more standardized, and the technique should become more reliable.

Projector or an LCD Display?

2009-03-14T23:19:00.001+02:00

With the price of large (>32”) LCD displays decreasing rapidly and new functionalities being added to LCD displays, does it still make sense for businesses to buy a projector vs. an LCD display?

Some of the variables to consider when evaluating this question are product quality, price, picture quality, screen size and other such considerations. We discuss these and other factors from a typical business organization perspective. Read other articles and make your informed judgement.

Product Life: LCD TVs or displays typically have a backlight life of 30,000 to 60,000 hours (ie, if you have the display on for ~6 hours every day, the backlight will last for 16 years). Even then the backlight can be replaced in most LCD displays. A projector bulb typically has a life of 2,000 hours.

Price Considerations: A basic projector can be found for INR 25,000. However, if the projector is going to be used for video conferencing or board room presentation, a high resolution, good contrast ratio and saturated colour projector would be required. The cost of such a projector is close to INR 1 lakh. Thereafter, you need to factor in the prices of projector bulb and projection screens. A typical projector bulb needs to be replaced almost every year or two with bulbs costing Rs 20,000+ per bulb. We have added these costs over a five-year period to compare a projector vs. an LCD (see chart below). With 46” LCD TV or display costing around Rs 135,000 – Rs 150,000 and dropping, price becomes less of an issue when considering whether to buy a Projector or LCD display

Figure: Total Cost of Ownership Comparison for Projector vs. LCD Display

Basic Device capital cost for projector is INR 70,000 and that of an LCD display is INR 150,000, Projector Screen Capital Cost (Wall Mount Screens INR 5-15K) is INR 10,000, Consumable cost of the projector is 20,000 x 3 = INR 60,000, Consumable life of a projector is 2,000hrs and that of an LCD display is 60,000hrs and the Cost of Ownership of a projector is Rs.140, 000/- and Rs.150, 000/- for an LCD display.

Assume: 5years of usage @ 5hrs a day ~ 6600hrs of use. This translates to 4 lamps in 5 years requiring the customer to buy 3 lamps in addition to 1 supplied with machine.

What is clear from the above figure is that a Full High Definition 46” LCD Display is, at best, only marginally costlier than a XGA Projector of ~2500AL. Additional costs of low screen installation costs and lower device loss costs are purely additional.

Picture Quality: Projectors such as a DLP or LCD projector use glass panels to combine red, green and blue colours to create the image. When sitting close to screen, the viewer can see the different colours at the borders of an image, aptly described as the rainbow effect. The rainbow effect takes away from the image quality and can give headaches. High-end projectors have been able to reduce the rainbow effect, however the problem still remains and these high-end projectors cost more. LCD TV or LCD displays do not have rainbow effect issues and the quality of the picture is good at close range.

Rather, projectors cannot compare with the picture quality for an LCD display. The vividness of the colours, the contrast ratio, the colour saturation and image sharpness are much better for an LCD display than a projector. When viewing a projector image, especially in ambient light, the viewer has to dim the lights or close the curtains unless the business has purchased an even more costly higher lumen projector. Not true with LCD displays, as the brightness and colour quality are much better.

Viewing angles used to be an issue with LCD displays but this issue is no longer true. Most LCD displays can be viewed from up to 176 degrees.

Dead or Stuck Pixels: Projectors can suffer from dead pixels and LCD displays can suffer from stuck pixels. Both dead pixels and stuck pixels result in white spots in the projected image. However, the manufacturers of both technologies have worked hard to minimize such issues and in most cases they provide warranty against such issues.

Screen Size: A common thought is that screen size is not an issue for most projectors as the thinking is that the projector image can be made larger by moving the projector away from the screen. This is not true as the image quality deteriorates as the image becomes larger. With projectors, most buyers opt for maximum optimized projector image sizes from 76-inches to 120-inches and the actual working normal projection image used is much smaller. Today, if businesses need a large LCD display in the maximum projector image size, a wide variety of competitive LCD displays can be found in this range.

Portability: Projectors are easy to carry and move around. For a business this could be a value-add or a drawback. LCD displays are durable and can be moved however they are not as light as projectors.

Power Consumption: Projector power consumption varies more from unit to unit, with brighter conference projectors requiring more power than smaller portable projectors. It is hard to compare the two technologies on this performance parameter.

Connectivity: Most LCD displays have more number and different types of ports than projectors. As a result more types of devices can be connected to an LCD display than a projector.

Other Value-Add Features: New features are appearing in LCD displays that could be quite valuable for businesses. For example, touch screen features on LCD displays allow for LCD displays to be used as digital whiteboards where the data written on the display can easily get captured electronically in a text document.

Plasma Television

2009-03-14T23:14:00.001+02:00

Here we go, I am going to try and simply explain all you need to know about Plasma Televisions. This guide will hopefully arm you with enough information about Plasma TVs that you can confidently walk into a shop and know what you want…..

The Basics

A plasma television is a flat panel television which displays light (and therefore images) by using phosphors. The phosphors are trapped between two thin panels of glass and are triggered by a gas discharge made up fro non harmful Noble Gases. Plasma Televisions offer a variable sized screen area that provides excellent quality picture, with minimal distortion (An advantage over rear projection!) There are many plasma screen televisions on the market and currently it is vying with LCD to be the market no.1

Pro Points

Most Plasma screen televisions start at 42” (107cm) in diagonal size and go upwards to around 65” (Biggest I have seen!). This size makes them perfect for any home use or even that garage theatre you have dreamt about

Colour reproduction is excellent, and the “darkroom” contrast can ensure your display shows the “perfect” black

Plasma televisions can perform well under any lighting, whether it be electrical light or natural light. Any external brightness will not distort the display. (So you don’t have to turn the lights off for that scary movie!!)

Every pixel displayed on the Plasma screen is individually lit, this means the display is always full of colour and can be viewed at any angle

The Plasma television units are never more than 10cm thick, meaning you can position them just about anywhere in your house

Nearly all available plasma television units are HD ready and also digital TV ready

Con Points

Plasma displays have lower total resolution than LCD displays

These units are not as economical as an LCD one. Plasma televisions use approx same as old CRT units

Plasma units are still quite pricey, although in current economic climate, prices are dropping all the time

Plasma screens have a “shelf life”. This is generally 58,000 hours, by which time the colour begins to fade and does not appear as “brilliant” as before. In a general household a Plasma Screen Television will last approx 10 years (By which time something better will be around….)

Dead pixels may become an issue with Plasma. If a screen is left on pause for a long time, any logos or prominent images on that show may become “burnt” onto the display. This can cause that logo to appear everytime you watch the TV. So be careful not to leave it on pause for too long!!

Plasma displays are much more fragile than a normal television; handle with care

When mounting your plasma television on the wall, please take care to get reinforced supports as the weight is more than that of an LCD unit

Beginners Tips

When hanging a TV above fireplace, ensure the ambient temperature is not more than 80 degrees as you may damage the display

Don’t leave tv shows on pause for too long, we don’t want the “burning” effect explained above

With early plasma displays, it is advised, for best picture, to view the image from approx 10 foot away. With newer models it is less as resolution has improved

Glossary

Pixel resolution - The higher the number of pixels displayed on the screen, the higher the picture resolution will be. Currently the most common pixel resolution displayed by most TVs is 1024x768.

Native resolution - Is the standard resolution of the plasma display and not the resolution of the delivery signal.

Contrast ratio - The measurement of light intensity between the brightest white and the darkest black. Therefore you should look for the contrast ratio to be the highest possible, this will mean better picture quality.

Viewing angle - This describes the best viewing angle

HD Ready - Contains the required screen resolution and necessary connections to display high definition content. Programs should be broadcast in this format in the UK in 2006.

NTSC, PAL, and SECAM - standard video formats.

Aspect ratio - this is the ratio TV signals are transmitted in, such as 4:3 or 16:9 widescreen format (HDTV will be).

Renewable Energy

2009-03-14T22:57:00.001+02:00

As the worlds energy crisis becomes more and more obvious, the importance of reducing society's dependence on non-renewable energy sources like fossil fuels is more and more urgent. Non-renewable energy sources are on the way out. Renewable energy sources, such as a home wind turbine, can put out energy cleanly and without using up rapidly depleting sources. There are three types of renewable sources to look out for: solar, hydro, and the most promising, wind.

The sun is the most abundant energy source on Earth. It's free and unlimited. Solar power solutions are currently being developed to be more cost efficient and widely available. Many predict that this will be one of the biggest energy suppliers in the future. Solar systems are environmentally friendly as well as very low maintenance. The sun has always been the main supply of energy to the earth and hopefully in the future we can harness this great power.

Hydro energy is currently the most popular renewable energy source. In the future however, this is likely to change. Although hydro energy is clean and efficient, it is extremely detrimental to local environment and ecosystems. Although hydro energy is being developed to operate cars and appliances.

By far the best and most promising solution is wind energy. For around $200 dollars, anyone can set up a small home wind turbine and begin harnessing the wind to power their home. wind is completely clean and efficient. Before wind was too expensive to employ at the consumer level but with recent technological advancements, virtually anyone can begin using it. There is a low start up cost and very little maintenance. The future is here when it comes to wind power.

Macbook Air

2009-03-14T22:39:00.003+02:00

Computer manufacturers have responded positively to our demands for laptops that are as functional as possible. Too often, however, the results are machines that are space savers on desks but are not as convenient to carry around or prop on your knees as their name suggests. Apple has therefore gone back to the basic purpose of a laptop – portability – and introduced its light and thin MacBook Air.

When describing Mac Computers, there’s always a possibility that words such as "stylish" and "elegant" will appear too frequently; but when you first come across a MacBook Air, no one can blame you if these words spring to mind. "I want people to see me with this," is the sort of comment that may run through your head. The MacBook Air is sleek: it’s just 4mm (1/6 inch) at the front, tapering out to a mere 19mm (3/4 inch) at its deepest point. It’s also robust: the aluminium casing ensures that thinness doesn’t mean fragility.

Pick up the Macbook Air and you further appreciate what Apple has achieved. At 1.36kg (3 pounds), the MacBook Air easily beats Apple’s previous lightweight, the 2.26kg (5 pounds) MacBook.

With such a drop in weight, you cannot help but wonder if you’re going to open up the MacBook Air to find a tiny screen that causes you to squint and a keyboard that bunches up your fingers. The reality is a 13.3 inch widescreen display and a full size keyboard. What’s more, a large trackpad complements these to give an overall impression that this is a laptop that’s both practical and a pleasure to use.

The technology of the MacBook Air

It stands to reason that Apple has had to surrender some technological capability to make a laptop that’s so thin and that has shed so much weight. Or has it? You still get an Intel Core 2 Duo processor of either 1.6GHz or 1.8GHz with 2GB of memory for both. You also have an 80GB 4,200 rpm hard drive for the 1.6GHz model, a 64GB solid-state drive for the 1.8GHz, and built-in 802.11n Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR. These specs are easily good enough for most everyday laptop uses.

Hardware

The hardware of the MacBook Air includes

* an iSight camera and microphone
* a mono speaker
* an infrared receiver
* a built-in battery
* an ambient light sensor that adjusts the brightness of the backlit LED screen and brightens the keyboard as necessary

Tucked neatly away in a hatch on the right-hand side of the MacBook Air are also three ports:

* a headphone/speaker jack
* a USB 2.0 port
* a micro DVI port

A possible hardware concern is the one USB port. By itself such a port is rarely enough, so if you plan to connect a series of peripheral devices at the same time, you’ll need a USB hub. As for the micro DVI port, the MacBook Air comes with useful VGA and DVI adaptors to improve your connectivity options.

You may have noticed by now a hardware omission: the MacBook Air doesn’t have an optical drive. Instead, Apple offers an external 8x SuperDrive. Whether you need this depends on your use of CDs and DVDs. Another choice is to employ Apple’s Remote Disc application so that your MacBook Air connects to a network and links with the optical drive of another Mac or PC.

Remote Disc is very handy because it installs software and gives you access to files. Unfortunately, though, it doesn’t allow you to play or burn CDs and DVDs remotely. When you want to listen to music, or watch a film or TV programme, you must turn to iTunes. If you already own an iPod, this isn’t exactly a hardship.

Software

Apple includes Remote Disc with the usual bundle of MacBook Air software. This software comes with the excellent Mac OS X v10.5 Leopard operating system and offers you everything you’d expect from all other Macs. What’s more, you can swiftly navigate and manage the software with the responsive features of the MacBook Air trackpad.

Battery

The MacBook Air’s battery can give you up to five hours continuous service. Once it dies, however, you may have a problem. The MacBook Air has the battery built in, so you can’t replace it with one that’s fully charged. Your only alternative is to find an electric socket for the MagSafe Power Adaptor, an option that’s not always available if you’re on the move.

MacBook Air performance

For standard tasks such as keeping up with your email, writing, and browsing the Internet, you won’t find a significant speed difference between a MacBook Air and the more powerful MacBook. Some people may still worry about the smaller processor sizes and the relatively slower speeds of the hard drives on both MacBook Air models compared to other Apple laptops. What you have to do, however, is ask yourself why you want the MacBook Air. Complex graphics applications, for example, will certainly strain the processor’s capacity, but then again, if you have this sort of use in mind, you probably need a MacBook Pro anyway.

The fact remains that the MacBook Air is a truly portable all-purpose laptop that performs daily computing jobs extremely well. For most of us, this is precisely what we want.

Conclusion Pros

* The MacBook Air is light, thin and unquestionably stylish
* The casing is robust
* The 13.3 inch screen automatically adjusts its brightness, thanks to a light sensor
* The keyboard is full size and lights up in dim conditions
* There are technology compromises, but most users will notice little difference in speed and responsiveness to a MacBook

Cons

* The lower processor and hard drive specs (compared to the MacBook and MacBook Pro) may disappoint some people
* Inability to swap a dead battery for a fresh one may cause difficulties in some circumstances

DVD

2009-03-13T18:19:00.003+02:00

DVD, also known as "Digital Versatile Disc" or "Digital Video Disc," is a optical disc storage media format. Its main uses are video and data storage. Most DVDs are of the same dimensions as compact discs (CDs) but store more than six times as much data.

Variations of the term DVD often describe the way data is stored on the discs: DVD-ROM (Read Only Memory), has data that can only be read and not written, DVD-R and DVD+R can record data only once and then function as a DVD-ROM. DVD-RW, DVD+RW and DVD-RAM can both record and erase data multiple times. The wavelength used by standard DVD lasers is 650 nm,[1] and thus the light has a red color.

DVD-Video and DVD-Audio discs respectively refer to properly formatted and structured video and audio content. Other types of DVDs, including those with video content, may be referred to as DVD-Data discs. As next generation high-definition optical formats also use a disc identical in some aspects yet more advanced than a DVD, such as Blu-ray Disc, the original DVD is occasionally given the retronym SD DVD (for standard definition).

DVD uses 650 nm wavelength laser diode light as opposed to 780 nm for CD. This permits a smaller pit to be etched on the media surface (0.74 µm for DVD versus 1.6 µm for CD) compared to CDs, allowing for a DVD's increased storage capacity. In comparison HD DVD and Blu-Ray, the successors to the DVD format, use a wavelength of 405 nm.

Writing speeds for DVD were 1×, that is 1350 kB/s (1318 KiB/s), in the first drives and media models. More recent models at 18× or 20× have 18 or 20 times that speed. Note that for CD drives, 1× means 150 KiB/s (153.6 kB/s), approximately 9 times slower

GPS? Global Positioning System

2009-03-11T15:07:00.012+02:00

What is GPS? The acronym stands for Global Positioning System. It is the new "Polaris" that aids in navigating, positioning and tracking with the use of a satellite-controlled system that broadcasts signals to the equipment on the ground. With receivers hand carried by users, GPS determines the exact location of a vehicle, person or assets and other things useful and valuable to which it is attached and records the position at regular intervals. It is a powerful tracking system that has provided the world with diverse applications for the military and civilian users.

What is GPS? The GPS is a space-based radionavigation system controlled and funded by the U.S. Department of Defense and operated by the U.S. Military. This is the GPS Operational Constellation. The tracking system has space segments consisting of GPS satellites sending signals coming from space. There can be at least 24 operational satellites orbiting in 12 hours that recapitulate the same ground track as the earth turns underneath them. The GPS satellites then transmit the data in a very precise time reference plied by what is called "atomic clocks" onboard the satellite. These atomic clocks then passively transmit the navigation messages in specially coded signals, enabling the equipment on the ground called "receivers" to compute position, time, direction and velocity in three-dimensional locations known as latitude, longitude and altitude.

What is GPS? Your Most Reliable and Most Precise Assistant

The GPS was primarily for the use of the military. However, after the Korean Flight 007 in 1983 tragedy, which would have been prevented had its crew only had access to better navigational tools, President Ronald Reagan issued a directive which would guarantee that GPS signals be made available to the world for free or without restrictions. Though it was intended for civilians as well as military applications at first, from its design, civilian users would not be getting the same accuracy that the military could.

Going public, what is GPS serving the commercial market? GPS became the new powerful tool that improved efficient routing of vessels at sea. It has saved a ship's navigator hours of celestial inference and calculation. GPS enhanced safety at sea made it possible to report precise position to rescuers in case of disasters.

What is GPS navigating the land? GPS also improved efficiency on land: delivery trucks can now receive GPS signals and easily transmit their position back to a central dispatcher; police and fire departments use GPS to efficiently dispatch their vehicles and reduced response time; GPS keeps motorists from getting lost by showing their position and intended route on dashboard displays; railroads now use GPS technology in replacing older maintenance-intensive mechanical signals.

What is GPS navigating the air? Long before the GPS, aircrafts typically fly from one waypoint to another and pilots on long-distance flights relied on navigational beacons situated across the country. The dawning of GPS supplemented existing navigational techniques for aircrafts inexpensively. With GPS navigating the air, airplanes can now fly a direct route to a destination that save significant amount in consumption of fuel and time, the methods of guiding planes to a safe landing in a poor weather or visibility has been improved and simplified and aided pilots with a precise position data to keep the plane on course.

What is GPS surveying, mapping the earth, managing the land and agriculture? GPS is used by surveyors and map makers for precision positioning; map locations of such facilities as telephone poles, sewer lines, and fire hydrants; map construction sites and property lines in minutes. In mapping the earth, GPS points have assigned codes in order to identify roads, streams, or other objects during data collection for analyses and comparison through a computer program called "Geographic Information Systems (GIS)."

GPS can be used in forestry, for mineral exploration, and wildlife habitat management to define positions of important assets precisely and identify their changes. In agriculture, a farm equipment with GPS receivers can provide precise position information and it also gives farmers great accuracy in the application of fertilizers and harvesting crops.

Agricultural GPS systems can be used to create crop yield maps during harvesting, making it easy for farmers to plan exactly how the fields should be used and fertilized for future crops.

So, what is GPS? It is a powerful navigational tool acting as your most reliable and most precise assistant that is transforming the way nations operate in space.

satellite television

2009-03-11T14:50:00.004+02:00

When television was first created, it was in black and white and nobody believed it would ever enter the home of almost every citizen in the United States. While technology developed over the next many years to add features such as color pictures, stereo sound, and remote controls, the concept of the television remained largely unchanged for many years. The VCR was one of the first revolutionary changes, and satellite television was developed as a means of offering consumers the same channels nationwide. Right from its inception, satellite TV has been a revolutionary concept, and the technology has stayed on the leading edge of television ever since.

From the days of big, UFO shaped dishes to the modern models that attach to the side of a home; satellite has changed not just with the times, but in many cases ahead of them. Satellite has offered television services in areas where no other service was available since the 1980's and continues to do so to this day. Where cable runs via a complex series of underground wires, satellite operates over the airwaves, requiring only a dish, a receiver, a television, and a clear view of the southern sky.

In addition to smaller dishes, satellite has also stayed with the times in being among the first services to offer services such as Pay per View and OnDemand, both of which are now staples for most television viewers. Satellite was one of the first services to offer Digital Video Recorder services, and continues to expand upon this technology all the time. Satellite now offers the service in HD and is the only service provider that currently allows DVR boxes to be scheduled from computers or mobile phones.

Satellite also offers service to planes, boats, and recreational vehicles, a revolutionary achievement offered by no other television provider. The most recent portable television innovation is a small screen and receiver called the Sat-Go, which is roughly the size of a laptop computer and is capable of receiving all subscribed satellite channels. The technology has received much praise and is quickly becoming a favorite among travelers, campers, and sports fans alike.

In short, satellite television is truly a revolution and has been since the beginning. The pioneer in bringing multiple channels to customers across the country, satellite has always had the most to offer. These days, satellite companies are still hard at work developing new technologies. Satellite currently offers the most exclusive and high definition programming of any television service provider as well as the world's most popular paid sports packages, such as the perennial favorite NFL Sunday Ticket. DVR and HD-DVR services couple with the clearest signal and the most interactive features to create a truly superior viewing experience while extensive Pay per View and OnDemand libraries offer more choices than the competition. It is uncertain what technologies lie ahead in the future of television, but if the past is any indicator whatsoever, there is little doubt that satellite will be the first to perfect it and bring it to the masses.

VOIP = Voice Over Internet Protocol

2009-03-11T14:38:00.004+02:00

'Voice Over Internet Protocol' or VOIP routes voice conversations over the internet or any other IP-based network. VOIP's greatest contribution is the greatly reduced costs, especially for those companies which are call based. This technology provides opportunities to streamline the office communication, with efficient voicemail, call routing, voicemail to email, and auto-answering systems. Most offices switching over to VOIP, site reasons such as cost effectiveness in comparison to PBX systems as one of the major reasons for the change. There are three types of VoIP these being, pc-to-pc VoIP, a soft phone and a monthly VoIP service

This latest technology has several interesting advantages that make it a novelty. ‘Virtual numbers' are those numbers that you can access on your phone but have a different area code. VOIP also facilitates ‘Call filtering', by which you may decline calls that are unidentified or unknown. ‘Call hunting' is a facility, which makes it possible for incoming calls to dial different numbers if you are not available at home.

An ‘upgraded voice mail', you can use through the internet, or even get forwarded to your cell. Another VOIP facility would be ‘Conference calling' to about ten other lines. A ‘Do Not Disturb' facility is also available which allows one from barring incoming calls when you don't want to.

Like any new technology that needs the passage of time to prove itself, the VOIP is surrounded by a shroud of questions that often arise in the mindset of the average new user, so used to his regular PBX system. Industry experts believe that there are plenty of reasons to be wary of this new technology. According to them it eats up bandwidth at a dangerous pace. It can also make the systems susceptible to e-mail or a virus attack leading to complications for Oracle users too. There is another industry opinion that argues that VoIP phone sets have far fewer desired options and features than PBX phones. Apart from this slowing down the entire net work is an associated concern for all industrial concerns

Surveys have shown that 36% of 106 respondents want to use VoIP only in some parts of their organizations. Again another 27% said that they will eventually move entirely to VoIP. Another 22% said that they would deploy VoIP only in remote or field offices in the outskirts. Some others are of the belief that VoIP systems can make enterprises more vulnerable, experts warn that it is necessary to have very good messaging security to prevent exploits that could occur as a result of VoIP. At times vendors promise big cost savings but one should be wary of the actual results.

VOIP, as an industry trend is stable and here to stay. Some of the VoIP service providers might not be very stable since the industry is still in its nascent stages, yet there are plenty of companies which have entered the market in the last two or three years. In the ensuing completion there would probably just some of the bigger companies, in a case of the ‘survival of the fittest' which will actually absorb the smaller companies and help in making the market a more competitive one.

Nokia N96

2009-03-11T14:26:00.004+02:00

The Nokia N96 on Three uses Dual ARM 9 264 MHZ CPU. The attractive design of this phone has been inherited from the Nokia N81. The phone comes with a dual slide open and you can move the top slider either way up and down. Pushing the panel upwards will reveal the numeric keypad and pushing it down will reveal the 4 dedicated keys used for music and games.

The Nokia N96 comes with excellent memory space. It comes with an internal memory of 16GB and provides room for further expansion using a micro SD memory card. You can extend the memory up to 32GB. The screen of the phone measures 2.8 inches and has brilliant display even under direct sunlight.

The inbuilt 5 megapixel Carl Zeiss lens camera of the Nokia N96 is further accompanied with a powerful dual LED flash that captures superb pictures. The pictures are excellent in all lighting conditions. You can even capture video footage with great clarity with the same camera. The entertainment functions of the Nokia N96 include a good DVB – H tuner, mp3 player and video playback functions. Further, the Nokia N96 has a great software package that comes in an utterly user-unfriendly shell. By opting for the Three deals you can get this highly expensive mobile phone without burning a hole in your pocket.

So, compare the deals of Nokia N96 on Three available through various online retailers to get the most competitive one that best suits you budget.

Should I Get The Iphone 3G?

2009-03-11T14:16:00.003+02:00

The iphone 3G is a revolutionary multimedia smart phone. The mobile phone was developed and is marketed by Apple inc. This phone combines 3 products in one which are a phone, a wide screen ipod and a breakthrough internet device with a desktop class web browser.

1. With the phone, you can send and receive calls or send and receive text messages.
2. With the ipod, you can enjoy music, music videos and also shop for music.
3. With the internet, you can browse the web, read emails, down load files, find and locate direction with GPS maps.

Advantages of 3G technology

With the 3G, the iphone has advantage over other mobile phone around the world. Advantages include

1. The fastest email and internet access over other cellular networks around the world. With 3G, you get the best speeds possibles. Email attachments and web pages load twice as fast.
2. 3G creates the advantage of multi tasking where by you can use your phone to perform different applications such as browse the web, read emails, down load online files, use maps to locate directions, watch videos, listen to music, receive and make phone calls, send and receive text messages.
3. With 3G technology, the iphone has attained international standards of cellular networks and you can use your iphone 3G any where in the world. If you are in an area without 3G, the iphone connects through GSM for calls and EDGE for data.

Other applications include

1.With the iphone's App store, you can browse games and applications then download and install them directly int your iphone 3G

2. You can conduct arithmetic calculations with a state of the art scientific calculator.

3.Watch videos on you tube.

4.You can take videos and pictures with high tech camera.

5.Get all the information in your local area on the stock market exchange, weather, traffic, news.

6.Organise your work schedule using the iphones note book, calender, diary, watch.

7.Get push email and contacts with Microsoft exchange active sync.

8.The iphone 3G has more languauge support systems.

Processors and Graphics Cards the History

2009-03-11T13:52:00.003+02:00

Have you ever thought of a day when only a CPU or GPU controlled the whole system, and the other option was not there anymore? Recently, I have.

This thought came to mind when I was thinking about the recent court case between Intel and NVidia, fighting over licensing rights for developing chipsets that supported the Core i7 Nehalem processors. Intel is the processor powerhouse, and NVidia is a large GPU competitor against ATI.

Now, years and years ago, when computers were still at lower levels, and Intel was competing against stronghold AMD with its new Pentium processors, not much was integrated; memory controllers were in a separate location on the motherboard, memory was still controlled via the memory controller, there was only DDR memory, and the GPU was at its separate location, receiving commands from the CPU. Initially, a computer could not work without a CPU or a GPU; the computer had to have both. You'd definitely need a CPU to send commands to other components through the motherboard for the computer to even function, and you'd need a GPU to have a display to look at.

As developers and manufacturers created new and better computer hardware at an alarming rate, things started to become integrated; AMD went on to be the first to include the on-die memory controller in its CPU's, NVidia was established and began to create its own GPU's, Intel began the development of the Core2 series, and motherboard chipsets became more and more advanced for CPUs to be able to process and send commands and data to components of the computers more quickly. CPU's and GPU's developed at a neck-to-neck rate, and both were progressively becoming much more powerful and efficient.

And now, here we are today, with the Core i7 Nehalmen processors, ATI's popular 4870 X2 and NVidia's GTX 295 GPU's, one with 2 GPU's on one graphics card and the latter with one powerful GPU. Intel now includes its on-die memory controller in the CPU itself, and now there're motherboards with integrated GPU's powerful enough to produce a good display on monitors. Everything is becoming INTEGRATED.

Clean Registry to Save Your PC's Life

2009-03-11T13:22:00.002+02:00

First of all I should tell you, what is a registry? Registry is a complex ball of string which is used by Windows operating system for keeping the tracks of windows settings, user preferences, hardware configuration, file associations, installed software and system policies. You can also say that registry is just a database used by Windows OS to keep track of relationship between software, hardware and operating system. There are many registries which becomes unusable or unwanted after some time.

Now, what is a registry cleaner? Registry cleaner is just a software utility which is used for removing the unwanted registry items from the windows operating system. In simple terms a registry cleaner removes those windows registry which is never used and which have no work at all. It just take the unwanted and garbage materials from you. But it is not giving you anything like that unwanted material and garbage.

You may be thinking that why I am telling all these things? I am telling all these things because I want to make you aware about the fact of registry cleaner and how it helped me? I've been using a computer system for the last 6 years. I update my system's hardware on a regular basis. After doing all these things, still my system was very slow and sluggish, it took entirely too long to startup. This left me wondering what the reason behind this is and then one day I got the answer to my question. All these things are happening because of unwanted and unused registries. The registries that don't serve any purposes start delaying the startup. In a short span of time, these registries just grew and decreased the computer's performance and also produced some errors. All these things were happening with me. I got frustrated because this caused more problems such as, while working on software, programs or surfing the internet my computer kept restarting, which caused me to lose data.

So, I decided to solve these problems before starting any other work. One day a computer buddy of mine told me that this happens because of unwanted registries. I asked him how can I remove them and then his advice to me was to download a registry cleaner. I did as he suggested and my problems got solved. Now, I regularly run the registry cleaner at least once a week.

There are many rumors in the market that registry cleaner are of no use and they can create problems. I don't believe all these rumors because I actually used one and my problem got solved. My problem was not solved by any rumors that I heard or read on the internet. It was a registry cleaner that solved my problem.

Your Computer Skills need Improving ...!

2009-03-11T13:02:00.003+02:00

Computer skills are very essential these days, because computers are widely used in almost all the business fields. Improving your computer skills can mean improving your career prospects for the future. For this reason, irrespectively of your field you have to learn computers.

Learning to use a personal computer is not that difficult. If you have never used a computer before, you may find it intimidating. However, with a little practice, it is very easy to use the computer. The best way to learn to use a computer is by fiddling with it and learning by doing. You may also consider joining a computer training course to accelerate your learning.

Computer software are usually developed with the common user in mind. Operating systems like the popular Windows have a graphical user interface. This makes the operation of the computer very intuitive. All that you have to do is point and click on the icons using the mouse to navigate around the files and folders and to open programs. There is no need to remember any commands.

Once you master to use the basics of the computer, it is time to learn more advanced programs like word-processors, accounting software, etc. You may also consider investing your time in learning programming languages. Programming languages are a little difficult to learn. However, with practice and lessons, it is possible to master these within a short time.

There are many introductory books on computers. Buying and going through some of these books may be very beneficial. There are also many websites on the Internet that provide information on various computer topics. Search for such sites and practice the information provided there to improve your computer skills. You may also consider joining a computer user group for mutually learning from others.

Artificial Intelligence Vs Human Race

2009-03-11T12:39:00.004+02:00

Human beings are endowed with the most developed brain of all the species to ever inhabit this planet called the earth. This unique feature makes the humans to continually seek change and development. The ever lasting thirst of knowledge and to improve efficiency has led them to the discovery of artificial intelligence; the computer technology.

The computer or information technology has had a profound impact on almost all the aspects of the human life since its inception. Not only the social aspects are affected but also the financial ones too are profoundly influenced.

The computer technology which can be considered as a recent phenomenon when viewed on the scale of history of the world, has made progress in leaps and bounds in a matter of a mere decade or so. No one could have imagined the true affect of this emerging technology only a short while ago.

Internet is the biggest pawn of the computer technology. With just a click of a button, a vast universe of information is opened in front of the user and that too in the privacy of ones own home or office. There is a wide array of search engines available which have the ability to fetch massive loads of required information within a fraction of a second. The latest web applications which are undergoing rapid changes are targeting more interactive options. Today the focus is to provide safe, convenient and user friendly applications.

Not only the internet acts as a highway for information, it is a magical means of communication between friends and family and can bridge a gap of thousands of kilometers. The distances are shrinking and the whole world has become one big global village.

E-commerce is yet another useful utility which is ever evolving and is making its effect felt in the financial sector. The user has the option and power to transact with the vendors in a secure environment and the deals can be closed within seconds.

The education sector is one big beneficiary of this marvelous technology. Accumulation and sharing of knowledge related to social as well as the technical subjects has transformed the way of imparting education, thanks to the computer related technologies. Not only the stand alone computer tools are a useful accompaniment to the education, but also the networked systems are a convenient and efficient means of knowledge accumulation and sharing.

The industries too are utilizing the information technology not only for maintaining data bases but also in their manufacturing processes. The use of this technology not only makes the management much easier for the stake holders but also translates into much better revenue generation.

The developments in the software and the hard ware both have been phenomenal in the recent years and the trend is expected to continue into the future with more momentum and to have profound effects on the human social as well as financial aspects.

Thus one can safely vouch that the future of the information technology is by all means very promising which will have even more enhanced positive effects on the lives of the modern day human beings.

Let's Clearning Your Computer

2009-03-11T12:15:00.004+02:00

To see your computer working uninterruptedly, its cleaning at regular intervals is extremely necessary. However, the cleaning of your computer should not be for the sake of cleaning only, rather it has to be done in such a way which doesn't prove detrimental to your computer.

It has always been found that while cleaning our computers, computer parts and laptops accessories, we messing up the things a lot and damage them. These damages, most of the times, are not visible to our naked eyes. Thus we force our personal computer systems to go nastier rather than helping them to come out clean.

Here is a series of tips and tricks which will help you to clean your computers in the 'cleanest' way ever possible.

Adult Job : Cleaning computers is not a child's play. Their enthusiasm brings many irreparable damages to your computers. However, do it by yourself in front of him/her. That could be a computer cleaning training session for your kid.

Hit The Hidden : Many people tend to clean the external or visible dirt first. Instead, they should try to clean the hidden dirt, below the keys or inside the CPU, before doing so. This can be easily done using vacuum cleaners made specifically to suck up stubborn dirt, strands of hair etc. Such vacuum cleaners have special nozzles, meant for computer cleaning only, to do the same.

No Direct Spray : While cleaning your keyboard, mouse or other computer parts, always refrain from spraying the liquid computer cleaning products directly onto them. It may creep to dirty corners and make them greasy. To avoid such situations, spray the formula onto a small piece of cotton fabric and wipe away all the dirt using it. However, before you use the cloth, you can use a brush too to have an effective cleaning.

No Clothes for Inner Parts : The cleaning of the outer portion of a keyboard or a mouse or a drive can be safely and easily done by a wet piece of cloth. But the cleaning of delicate parts such a motherboard etc. should not be done with a piece of cloth at all, even if it is a dry one. Rather, use specific computer cleaning products such as vacuum nozzles.

Improve Your Habits : Like a human being , even your computer can be sensitive and allergic to many things. For example, don't force your computer to go for passive smoking. Also, beware from giving it something to drink and eat. Definitely, it eats up some amount of power only. Thus while smoking and eating/drinking something always maintain a safe distance. Also, buy only qualitative computer cleaning products to clean your computer.

Cleaning Pattern Differs : Not all the desktops are same, so are the laptops. Thus there is a variation in the way we clean them up. So if you are cleaning your computer for the first time, it would be better if you throw a look into the user's manual. They always carry some specially relevant tips and tricks telling you how to use computer cleaning products judiciously.

Make Better Buying Decisions

2009-03-11T11:43:00.003+02:00

The technology world is a fun and ever changing world. Today, there are literally thousands of products in the marketplace. We are simply swarmed by the sheer number of products that we can choose from. And these are not big ticket items. They could be just small little gadgets like a mobile phone, a portable printer, or a digital camera.

Of course, if you have the budget, a seemingly small item may end up costing you a small fortune. When making a buying decision, you need to be discerning enough to strike a balance between the price and your own needs and wants. One way to achieve this balance, is to rely on technology news to help you come to a better decision.

How technology news can help you.

Make a quick visit to any technology news website. There are a plethora of tech sites out there on the Internet. Some are well established websites (think CNET), and others are run by small publishers. Both have their merits.

A big publisher usually releases tons of tech related news on all sorts of products. The problem is, due to the huge scope of coverage, the focus is usually diluted. You will find different types of content - reviews, product releases, specifications, etc. Some of these content are written by paid tech writers, so there is a commercial element involved. Perhaps some writers are more inclined to write positive things about the products? Maybe.

Smaller publishers tend to be more focused, and they usually release news on hand picked products only. Being small, they can't possibly cover everything under the sun. So it's a wise strategy to adopt. Often, you find articles that are much more in depth. The owners are also more likely to be very passionate about the tech products they are writing about.

When buying a tech gadget, you usually pay more for newer technology. The important here is to remember that everything new comes with a much heftier price tag. The technology may not be necessarily better (e.g. buggy since it's new), but you still end up paying substantially more for the product anyway.

If you want to save some money, just be patient. Keep browsing the tech news to keep yourself abreast of the changes. For instance, how is the technology improving? What are others saying about the brand new gadget? If you read nothing but great reviews on the product, that is a good sign.

You may need to suppress your own desire a little, so that you don't end up rushing to be the first in line to buy that new camcorder, new television, or new mobile phone. Just wait a little. The price will come down soon enough as soon as the masses start to adopt the new technology. That way, you get a more stable device, at a much lower price.

DDR2 Memory - Upgrade Right Now

2009-03-11T11:14:00.003+02:00

We all seek swifter and more efficient performance from our computers, investing in a variety of peripherals to assist in achieving greater heights of performance. Many PCs come with the latest in computer technology with speedy CPUs and large RAM. Since 2004, DDR2 Memory or Double Data Rate 2, has replaced DDR1 as the new generation in DDR technology.

DDR2 - What does it do?

Physically, DDR2 is different from DDR1. It cannot be used on PCs that do not come with DDR2 technology, as there are different numbers of pins: 240 pins in DDR2 as opposed to 180 in DDR1. In fact, in terms of speed, the DDR2 starts at 400mHz at the lowest level, which is the highest on DDR1. Therefore, upgrading to DDR2 will give you better performance on your computer. It can now function at faster speeds and adjust to higher data bandwidths, which makes for more rapid Internet browsing. This RAM also consumes less power, saving you valuable dollars on your energy bill if you're a high computer user. With a thermal performance that's enhanced, your PC will remain cool for a longer period of time compared with DDR1.

Points to note when buying DDR2

Be aware of certain factors when make your upgrade decision:

* Right RAM for your motherboard. Study your PC manufacturer's guidelines on the recommended RAM for your particular machine before purchasing the DDR. Your new DDR must be an exact fit for your motherboard otherwise it will be money down the drain. The wrong DDR would cease vital functions of RAM and slow down your computer system.

* Increase both the RAM and speed. If you want a faster, more efficient computer, you have to upgrade both the RAM and the speed. There's a specific speed for each computer. So get bigger DDR2 Memory!

* Don't install memory yourself. You might find that your computer warranty becomes null and void if you do. Take your new memory chip to the Sales and Service Centre of a reputable PC manufacturer or a reliable computer accessories shop, and have the technicians there upgrade your machine.

Advantageous of DDR2

You will enjoy tremendous benefits from DDR2:

* Faster programs. Your computer applications will run at a faster rate, enabling you to complete your work in half the time. You can even effortlessly play high quality 3D computer games that rely on plenty of precise graphics and a fast PC for a stimulating experience.

* Enhanced program download. You won't have to wait ages for your programs to download and you can switch easily between programs. You can also run more programs at once

* Increased computer speed. Your PC will be more efficient as it runs at a faster level.

Upgrading your PC to DDR2 Memory doesn't have to be a convoluted matter. You could purchase the required component and proceed to any computer store to have it installed in your machine. Alternatively, you could take your laptop directly to the store, discuss your requirements with the technicians and follow their suggestions for trouble free computer usage.

Assembled Computer Or a Branded One?

2009-03-11T11:01:00.005+02:00

This is a debate that has been raging a long time, since the inception of the idea of assembling a computer. There are many reasons why you could buy a branded computer but there are many reasons also, why you had rather go for an assembled one. It is a difficult fight and the outcome will be a series of advantages and disadvantages on both sides. But the concern is really what you are comfortable with and what is to your advantage.

See, basically an assembled computer is one where you buy all the parts of a computer separately and assemble them on your own. For this type of a computer you will need to know what you have to buy and what you want to buy. You will have to buy also the monitor, the mouse and the keyboard on your own. An operating system will also need to be bought and installed separately. So, all the work will be done by you without any professional help.

For a branded computer the scenario is pretty much the same. The only difference is that all the parts of the machine will be pre-assembled saving you the trouble of assembling it on your own. Your operating system will be loaded and every other detail would be already attended to when you buy it. All you need to do is to take it home and plug it in. Your new computer will work without you having to do anything. You may think that this is the best as you have to take no headache, but it is not so. Any branded computer will not have all the parts from that company. Remember, generally the case of the computer and the monitor will be of the branded company while all other parts inside the CPU will be from other manufacturers. But if you are an amateur and donot really know much about assembling then it is best to go for the branded computer. Also, since they are branded, they will afford a warranty period within which you can change any defective part of your machine.

But, if you are an expert or have good knowledge in computer hardware then it will better to go for an assembled computer. The biggest advantage that any assembled computer has is that you get to take the parts of your choice and that too at a very cheap price. It is never a problem with the money. For those who know nothing about assembling but are attracted to it, they should check the internet for assembling tips and steps. It is very easily available and Googling it will give you multiple hits. Personally I feel that assembled computers are far better than the branded ones since you will have to buy an OS CD which most branded computers don't come with. Also performance of any assembled computer is better than the branded ones and the speed is great. The machine is simply very worthy of all the trouble. But as a warning I would like to add that if you don't know the dealer very well then refrain from assembled machines. You maybe tricked and cheated. If you are a novice then please go for a branded computer as it is a lot safer with all its warranty and high price.

Using Flash Memory to Speed Up My Computer

2009-03-11T10:52:00.004+02:00

Everybody knows that the more RAM (Random Access Memories) you have on your computer, the faster your computer will be in performing tasks. However, adding RAM can be an expensive option at times, especially adding RAM to your PC notebook. There's also a limit to the amount of RAM you can add on to your computer.

Another issue associated with adding RAM is that it can be cumbersome. This is so because it usually requires you to open up the computer casing and you have to get your hands dirty with the cables and connectors.

Now, there is an alternative option and it's much more easier to implement. If you are running Windows Vista on your computer, you can make your computer run faster by adding Virtual Memory!

In Windows Vista system, there is a feature called "ReadyBoost". This feature allows your computer to use Flash Memory Devices (e.g. SD cards, USB Thumb Drive) as additional cache memory. In another word, your computer is virtually enhanced with extra memory it can use to store data it needs to access frequently. This is how you can speed up your computer and at the same time free up the RAM for other usage. The end result: you improve your PC performance without having to add more physical RAM.

Here are the steps to make your computer run faster with USB Flash Drive:

1. Plug in your USB Drive. Your computer should be able to detect the drive automatically and present you with a dialogue box. If this is the first time you are using the USB drive on your computer, click on "Speed up my computer" under the "General Option". A Properties dialogue box will appear. If the USB drive had been used on the computer before, it will be listed as "Removable Disk" under your Window Explorer. Rick click on the "Removable Disk" and select "Properties" from the pop-up menu.
2. Inside the "Properties" dialogue box, click on the "ReadyBoost" menu tab.
3. Select "Use this device" and use the Slider to indicate the amount of USB drive you wish to allocate for virtual memory cache. Click "OK" and you are done!

Keeping my Laptop fine

2009-03-11T08:41:00.017+02:00

Laptops, regardless of the reason you buy them, are very important, not only because of their monetary value but because of the data that is stored on them. Furthermore, if your laptop stops functioning properly, then the time it spends in the repair shop will be time that you can't spend doing your work, studying or whatever it was you used the laptop for.

Here are some tips to help you keep your laptop in the best shape possible, year after year:

1. Vent Cleaning: The vents on your laptop need to be looked at every week to make sure there is nothing blocking them or impeding their performance. You can buy a can of air at a local store and use this to clean them out, as it is best not to poke anything in them.

2. Fan Functioning: A malfunction in the fan can lead to your laptop overheating, so make sure that your fan is working properly. Check the website of the company that made the laptop and look for software that will help you determine if the fan is working correctly.

3. Surface: Try and use a hard surface to keep your laptop on, and avoid both your lap and pillows as this will reduce the airflow to the fans and vents, causing the laptop to heat up.

4. Storage: Buy a good quality laptop bag or sleeve and store the laptop in this every time you turn it off. This will stop dust from getting into the laptop, as well as protect it from spills, or bumps. Make sure you only store the laptop when it is completely shut down, as putting it in a bag when it is on could make it overheat.

5. Liquids: Keep all liquids away from your laptop at all times. If you are in the habit of drinking water while working, make sure the bottle is covered at all times. If possible keep the water bottle on a different table to avoid mishaps.

6. Shocks: Make sure the laptop is well protected when you move it around, and always move it gently to avoid jarring it and breaking something.

7. Humidity: Protect your laptop from humidity at all times. It can cause damage to the motherboard and the screen. Don't use your laptop when at the beach, or outside when the weather is humid.

8. Dust: Always protect your laptop from dust. Keep it away from open windows, put it in a storage sleeve when not in use, and every week clean the screen and keyboard with a soft cloth to remove dust.

9. Floor: Never put your laptop on the floor for storage, as someone is undoubtedly going to step on it or put something on it, damaging it permanently.

10. Surge Protectors: Always use a surge protector when charging your laptop to protect the battery.

These few tips should keep your laptop in good condition for years to come and enable you to get great performance from it.

Dell History

2009-03-11T08:23:00.014+02:00

The invention and the history of the Dell computer is quite interesting. First of all, it was in 1984 when Michael Dell, a student at the University of Texas at Austin, created the company PC's Limited. He only had a starting capital of $1,000. So what he did was he started working out of his dorm room to build personal computers made from stock components. These computers were to be IBM compatible because that was the standard at that time. If a computer were to function with various pieces of hardware, it needed to be IMB compatible since hardware and software programs were being designed to be IBM compatible.

It is when Michael Dell figured that selling computers directly to customers to determine customer need that he dropped out of college. His family then extended him the $300,000 in expansion capital that he needed to make his business take off.

A success

It was in 1985 that the Turbo PC was developed and it sold for less than $800. It contained an Intel 8088 processor that ran at 8 MHz, which is considerably slower than the computers that we use today. Computers today are running in gigahertz, which are hundreds and even thousands of times faster than the 8 MHz processor that Michael Dell was installing in his computers at the time. But the truth is that this was the best that could be done in 1985. The technology was developing.

But there was an aspect of PC's Limited that was unique from the rest and continues to be this way today. It is the fact that customers could custom order their computers rather than buy a computer that was already assembled. This allowed individuals to receive computers at lower prices than what they could get with their competitors. This definitely worked because PC's Limited grossed $73 million in its first year of trading.

The beginning of Dell

It was in 1988 that PC's Limited became Dell. Prior to that, the company already had 11 international operations occurring, so the company was quite large. There were on site services set up to compensate for the lack of businesses acting as service centers for Dell computers. It was in 1990 that Dell attempted to sell through club houses, but had very little success with this. So it is then that Dell went right back to its direct to customer sales.

In 1996, Dell started selling computers on its website. An individual could go onto the website and custom design their computer so that it would be built to their specifications. From there, it would be shipped to the customer's home. Financing was made available so that individuals would be able to acquire their computers easily.

In 1999, Dell became the largest personal computer seller when they took over Compaq computers. Their revenue topped $25 billion in 2002. Also in 2002, Dell started selling televisions and other electronic items. They now have Dell brand printers, LCD TVs, and much more. Because of the expansion beyond computers, Dell was changed to Dell Inc. in 2003.

It is amazing that this billion dollar company started in a dorm room with $1000 in starting capital. And Michael Dell has always stood by the principles of letting individuals have the capability to design their own machine. Although there are Dell computers now sold in various retail outlets, a person can still go to the website and design the machine of their dreams. And Dell also offers a lot of assistance for individuals needing help with their computers. They offer on-site services and so much more for the computer user so that they can have the best experience possible.