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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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!

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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

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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.

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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.

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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).

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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!

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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.

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