Computers and Technology Articles

Most people buy a computer to surf the internet, send / receive mail and occasionally work with text files or other documents. Today even the most “poor” computer can do that without problems and very low prices. If this is all you need and you do not have pretensions then any computer is helpful.

But if your requirements are greater, you want to edit media files, images, you need databases, you want to play the newest games… you have to think on a last generation computer. Even if technology progresses in a rapid pace, the acquisition of a top computer can help you save money in the future because it will face (up to a time) future software demands. Maybe one of the most active segments market sales of computers is a PC-gaming segment, for computer games. Crazy users spend hundreds of dollars for last generation graphical card and processors not just Dual-Core but Quad-core to get maximum performance. Do not be fooled, to play a game is not just a hobby, a passion for those who give you the money. Games industry worth billions annual.

 

But enough for now… let’s talk about the computer components and see what you have to know when you want to buy a computer:

Processor

Like I said, using a computer for applications like internet, emails and documents do not require a performing computer. But if you want more, then the processor can do what you want.

 

At this point processor market battle goes between Intel and AMD, two American companies. In many tests Intel Core 2 Duo have proved better than AMD rivals as AMD Athlon 64 X2. Do not consider however that AMD processors are weak. It’s just a situation of moment; not only once AMD was ahead of Intel. Anyways, in this case, Intel is in front of AMD, even both processors are dual-core (dual core - two independent processors connected in one circuit on the same silicon plate) so that processors that enable fast multitasking function through (several operations performed at the same time) with good performance for gaming and multimedia.

In case you still want a dual-core processor but do not have enough money for one of the top, you can find dual-core processors at lower prices but usually it falls in performance. Refurbished or used computers could be good options for a low budget.

It you are a game passionate, remember that even if a quad-core processor sounds great, one dual-core is definitely enough for most users. At this moment there are few applications that need quad-core processors and surely you will not use its full capacity.

Memory

Computer memory (an electronic component that retain information and instructions so the processor can access them quickly) is measured in capacity. If more memory is installed in your computer, the applications will run easily and the system will work better. Memory is an essential component of the computer, without it it will not work, reason for which come preinstalled. However, anytime can be added a new memory module that will increase the capacity and the operations speed.

Motherboard

A motherboard should be bought thinking at the future and of course, depending on the facilities that it offers. The second generation SATA connectors (which reached a transfer rate of 3 Gb / sec), high-definition sound on board, and even dual graphics card (SLI or CrossFire) can help a lot in present as well in the future.

A very appreciated motherboard is Intel “Skulltrail”. Its configuration is: Dual-socket LGA 771 for procesors which support Penryn chips on 45nm technology and also supports four x16 PCI Express 1.1 slots, two PCI 2.3 slots, six SATA 3.0 ports and two eSATA ports.

BUT before buying a motherboard, consider all the components you would like to buy them, choose the desired configuration and then go shopping

Computer case

A good computer case could make your day better when you want to do an upgrade. It should let you add almost any type of new component, it should be easy to open and let you move the components and everything should be proper ventilated.

If you plan to keep your computer a longer period of time, leave room in computer case for future components. Let free slots for memory, one for another sound card etc..

The most common cases are ATX format. ATX specification not only indicate where you should connect the plugs on the back of the case but also show you what source to use.

You can find different shapes and formats as MicroATX, NLX, BTX (new format seems to replace ATX, supported primarily by Intel).

Video card (graphics card)

Video card is responsible for generating all images on the monitor and can be preinstalled on the motherboard or bought separately. Their main characteristics is power. The integrated graphics card typically use the system memory to operate, while the dedicated video cards use their own dedicated memory. For the vast majority of users, integrated boards are sufficiently advanced, however, if you want to run games, graphics and other multimedia programs, a dedicated video card is recommended.

If you already have a computer, before you go shopping, find out what type of card fits your system. Or, if you get a computer try to find a system that have PCI Express x16 slot for graphics card. Although there are still motherboards using the AGP and PCI slots, they are already the past.

Hardisk

The hard disk size has increased enormously in the last 12 months, the current size reaching from 160 Gb till 1 terabite (1000 Gb). If planning to store large amounts of data, then the higher, the better.

Today’s most hard disks are Serial ATA and  they do have 7200 rpm; gamers will certainly appreciate the Raptor X 150GB hard disk at 10,000 rpm from Western Digital.

Monitor

It does not matter what it looks like, but what it does. Some things you should keep in mind when you buy a monitor: optimal resolution (at least 1024×768). For higher resolutions, you need a better video card. Remember this when you want to get a 30 inch monitor. Remember the distance to the monitor. It is not the old problem of cathodic tubes but that you must include the entire screen with his eyes when working at the computer, otherwise you eyes will get tired very soon (and health problems could also appear).

Most people use 17 “or 19″ monitors. Another option would be a 22″ monitor, especially because the price difference is relatively small compared to the 19″s.

All computers need an optical drive. Optical units are very different and could have multiple options. Unlikely that a new system will have incorporated less than a DVD-ROM (read discs but not write); but most systems have a DVD-RW dual-layer multiformat (read and write / rewrite CD / DVD). Look for DVD units that can write dual-layer DVDs and offers the option LightScribe Direct Disc for labeling (can burn a disc with a label).

The highest quality range of computers have Blu-ray Disc and HD DVD units. But the price is rather high (three or more from a DVD-RW).

USB devices are growing in popularity and today come to rival DVD thanks to the advantage of mobility and increased life time.  

Network card

 

Today, the Internet is part of our daily life. Any new computer has incorporated an internal network card. If you want something more, try a router or gateway.

Sound card

In the office, the integrated sound card is probably more than enough. At home, you’ll probably want surround sound which will require a performing sound card. Prices are not high so there will be no problem to find and buy. Do not forget that for a quality sound you need and a wet set of quality speakers too.

The new systems offers quality sound because they already have integrated sound cards with outputs of 7.1, 24-bit (32-bit internal processing) and sound of 192-kHz.

Keyboard and Mouse

The current trend is to use a wireless keyboard and mouse, but still there are a lot of systems using the USB ports. The keyboard can be simple with only basic functions or a real machine with lot of buttons worthy of Star Trek. Today the most known is optical (uses a small camera to detect motion and provide a much better movement).

Operating System: Linux, XP or Vista?

For those who doesn’t even consider to use an operating system based on Linux, I advise you to think again. Yes, there are many options to be developed in Linux, but the same it’s true for Windows too. Linux interface has become comparable to that of Windows (for example, try the Ubuntu distribution on ubuntu.com).

Windows XP is the best selling operating system. Most applications were built especially for it, drivers for the components have been written, so on…If you can, use Windows XP, but soon will be out for sale. But do not forget to update it often. Being the most  purchased system, it’s the most attacked too. And he has its own problems some even serious. Remember to buy an antivirus, spyware and use firewall.

Windows Vista is a step forward regarding security features including more and better than XP. It’s cool as design, but also eats a lot of resources. Unfortunately for Microsoft, Vista, which was supposed to be a replacement for XP failed in its goal to make its users happy.

So, are you ready to buy a computer? Before you leave for shopping, take one more minute and read the tips below:

Look at the warranty and support offered: most problems occur (if they appear) in the first year, so one year warranty should be enough. Moreover, the better.

Do not buy additional software if you do not need them. Buy the computer operating system (if you decided to Windows), a suite of office applications and an antivirus (free antivirus you can find on the internet. AVG or Avast are good choices).

Look at the number of connectors. More, the better, you will use them in time.

Buy what you need. Promotions are interesting but might not help much.

Buy a little over the minimum that you set to use the computer as much time as possible. Even if it looks like a hard disk of 160 GB is sufficient, over time you will need a bigger hard drive. Do yourself a list with minimum configuration and then add the extra “ingredients”.

Check the connectors for the monitor. If your video card has DVI output then the monitor should have DVI input.

If you do not need, do not buy. Good sellers know that they can attract you with all sorts of components made to take your eyes. Do not buy if you do not need them immediately. Over a few months when you need them, the product will be half price.

 

Hope it helped. And don’t forget. If your budget is low, you could find good refurbished systems at a good price.

Windows Vista is an advanced operating system from Microsoft. The operating system has enhanced features over the previous versions and hence it provides a good reason to upgrade to the new version. Vista is available in five versions. Like other operating systems, Windows Vista totally depends on the registry, the core of the system, for handing all hardware and software functions. Hence it stores all the configurations and settings in the core of the system and refers to it for every function it needs to perform. So we can conclude that most of windows vista problems are originated from it.

As the days pass, there may be certain errors occurring in the system due to installation/uninstalling of programs and other normal operations. A lot of obsolete and unwanted information also leads to a fragmented and cluttered files which in turn may hamper the normal working of the computer. The center of the system becomes full of errors and these errors have to be removed soon otherwise the performance of the computer will be severely degraded. The worst case could be the blue screen of death or people call it physical memory dump.

In case you are a computer-techie you can simply open the registry of the Vista operating system by typing “regedit” in the “run application” located on the start up menu. You can then change the settings and also remove the corrupted entries in your own. However it is not advisable to implement this method in case you are not experienced handling it Even an expert is not really capable of fixing the registry system manually. Hence for novices its best to use Vista registry cleaner tool. The cleaner program can perform a variety of tasks to optimize the system and fix all the windows vista problems.

First of all, the cleaner can take a backup of the whole registry of Windows Vista. This is because the changes are permanent and irreversible. Hence of there is any problem after the cleanup, you can simply rollback to the previous settings. The Vista registry cleaner tools have an automatic cleanup option as well as a manual cleanup option. The automatic cleanup option can be used to detect and cleanup errors automatically while manual cleanup will seek your permission to remove the invalid entries. The tool can also optimize the registry for you so that it becomes uncluttered. Many tools also have the option of removing your privacy information from the registry so that hackers can’t get hold of it.

In order to maintain your system to perform at its best speed and prevent further errors that might lead to total system paralyze, windows vista users are advised to install vista registry cleaner on their Computer. Download the free scanner at Registry Cleaner for Windows Vista Problems.

Dell Latitude D820 offers good performance, study build quality with plethora of connectivity options makes it ideal companion for any business professionals.

It offer 1680×1050 widescreen display with lot of working space on desktop you can work on multiple documents at the same time.

Dell Latitude Quick Overview

Pros

o Sturdy build quality

o Work well computer intensive tasks

o Good heat solution

o Dual mouse options

o WiFi catcher and battery life LEDs

o Price (relative to other corporate notebooks)

Cons

o monotonous screen

o little noisy optical drive

o graphics performance can be better plus no option for a better card

In corporate or companies this laptop can easily be used as training computers.

Features Overview

Dell Latitude D820 configuration with the following major options:

Processor: Intel Core Duo T2500 2GHz 667MHz FSB & 2MB Smart L2 cache

Memory (standard & maximum): Standard - 2GB DDR2 667MHz (2GB x 1 Module); Maximum - 4GB

Hard Disk: 100GB 7200RPM SATA Drive

Graphics: 512MB NVidia Quadro NVS 120M Turbocache

Display: 1680 x 1050 WSXGA+ Resolution; 15.4 inch Wide Screen Display 16:10 Wide Aspect ratio

CD/DVD ROM: 8x DVD+/-RW with Roxio Creator DVD

Ethernet: Gigabit NIC

Wireless: A/G & Bluetooth

PC Slots: type 1 or II & 54mm Express Card Slot

Modem: 56K v.92 Integrated

Battery: 6 Cell 56 w/Hr battery

Audio: High Definition Audio Codec with Stereo Speakers

Operating System: Win XP Pro

Weight: 6 Lbs

Dimensions: (W x H x D) Inches 14.2W x 1.39H x 10.34D inches

Rentfusion a nationwide computer rental company offers Dell latitude D820 for trade shows, convention centers rentals on weekly and monthly basis, also offer computer rentals, Laptop rentals and Notebook rentals.

So what is the best freeware registry cleaner available on the internet today? Given the fact that there are so many available it really comes down to trial and error to see which registry cleaner has the greater effect on your operating system in terms of increased performance and functionality. Now although most people are quick to use registry cleaners when their pc’s start to function poorly how many of us actually know what this system component does and why it causes so many problems?

You registry is of huge importance as it is like the “mothership” of your windows system in which it stores configuration information related to all of your software and hardware which windows has to refer to during operation to run programs and execute tasks. When you frequently add and remove software and hardware components from your pc it will cause the information in the registry to expand with new and old information which will negatively affect your pc with time. The reason why is because windows must constantly refer to the data in this component to allow programs to operate and tasks to function so if it has to read obsolete and erroneous information it will cause those unwanted error messages, sluggish performances and declines in functionality.

So you can understand how important it is to consistently scan your pc with a freeware registry cleaner in order to prevent the build up of these errors within this database. If you put a blind eye to these problems they will escalate over time and consequently result in your system becoming totally corrupted which could set you back.

Reg Cure is my recommendation as the top freeware registry cleaner which continues to gain popularity because of its solid scanning and repair capabilities. If you would like to download the latest free version and scan your pc now please visit the website below.

Some say that dogs are man’s best friend. But if you’re a tech specialist for a UK company, computers are probably yours. Because of this, it’s important that you know the proper steps to protect your “best friend” from outside intrusion, internal snoopers, and stability issues. By taking a security course at an IT training centre, you’ll learn how to stop threats to your system and keep it running smooth and healthy.

There are essentially two kinds of outside threats: the kind that brings down your system, and the kind that leaks sensitive data. Hackers and others may want to bring your company site down. Others may want to steal or access personal data on employees, financial records, and more. Whether you’re dealing with a teenager looking for a cyber thrill or a disgruntled employee who wants to get back at the company, these threats are real and must be protected against. There are many ways to configure a network and use safeguards such as firewalls which can protect you. Training courses can help teach you the threats to look out for as well as ways to detect an intruder.

But once you secure your system, there’s also stability to consider. Is the network set up properly? How will it handle traffic? Is there a plan in place to back up data in case original data is lost? A certified training institute can help you answer these key questions and more. There are some classes offered 24/7.

There are many good avenues for you to take in receiving the training you need. Many respected UK centres provide online distance learning courses. Some even offer free seminars, so keep an eye out for those as well. In any event, it begins with an IT training centre. Check one out today!

If you’re printer uses the hp 88 cartridge series and you’re considering the purchase of a continuous ink supply system for your printer, you should carefully consider your purchase.

The first and foremost reason that I will cover in this article is ink quality. The hp 88 black ink cartridge, requires the use of a high density pigment black ink.

99.999999999999% of CISS or Continuous Ink Supply Systems for printers that use the hp 88 cartridge DO NOT contain the proper black ink and the color inks are generally always poor quality generic inks that are certainly not formulated for use in hp 88 printheads.

I speak from having extensive knowledge of this industry.

Continuous Ink Supply Systems are almost always manufactured in China. Now, there is nothing wrong with products made in China as a whole, however there is a real problem when products are imported and advertised as being compatible for particular products when they certainly are not.

If you are looking for a CISS for your printer, it is perfectly fine to buy one that is Chinese made. However, buy it empty and CHOOSE the inks that you use in your printer. Especially if your printer uses the hp 88 cartridge series. An hp 88 printhead right now is selling for over 50 dollars from the manufacturer. Your Officejet printer has TWO of these printheads. Not something that you’ll want to gamble.

Quality aftermarket inks are always going to be made in the United States and are only available from U.S. distributors. Ink cartridges from abroad that are advertised as having American made inks are very misleading as the inks are only bottom of the barrel generics produced specifically for foreign markets that buy based on price.

I’ve been around the aftermarket ink industry for several, several years. I recommend that if a Continuous Ink Supply System is what you crave, buy one. Just use quality American made inks that are made specifically for the Hp 88 ink cartridge series, only.

Excel offers many page formatting options to assist you in displaying worksheet data. These features can help organise your data and make it presentable for printing.

The first stop in formatting your page is Page Setup, found under the File menu. With this control, you can orient the page in either horizontal or vertical format, scale the page when printing, shrink the data to fit a specific page format, adjust the print quality and set the page size and choose the proper printer driver.

The Margin tab in the Page Setup dialogue box also allows you to set the document margins, either by sliding the margins on a graphic, or by typing in precise numerical margins on all four sides of the document. You can also adjust the document’s header and footer.

The Header/Footer tab allows you to select pre-defined header and footer elements, or customise your own. You can also apply formatting and style elements to text in the header and footer. The customised text option will also allow you to cut and paste pictures into the document’s header and footer.

Data within the document can be formatted using standard formatting controls found in the formatting toolbars and in the Format menu. Formatting can be applied to the entire document or to individual cells, rows or columns. You can select non-adjacent cells by holding down the Ctrl key and selecting individual cells. Once the desired cells are selected, apply formatting changes as desired. The formatting changes will be visible in the selected cells.

If you want to adjust the page breaks, select Page Break Preview from the View menu. The preview will show the default page breaks. You can adjust the page breaks to fit your desired layout by clicking on the margins of the document in Page Break Preview mode and dragging them to suit your needs. Keep in mind that you cannot affect the document margins by moving the location of the page break. In other words, you can “shorten” a page with the Page Break Preview tool, but you cannot use it to extend the established margins of the document.

You can also insert a Page Break using the Insert > Page Break menu command. You are likely to find it easier to use the Page Break Preview to adjust your page breaks, however.

Computer or information technology certification training can range in expense from free to hundreds of dollars and sometimes can go into the thousands. Students of information technology and computer repair want the best achievable IT certification training available at the lowest possible cost. Price is important but they do not want to sacrifice on the quality of computer certification training.

What does free online information technology computer certification training offer that would be beneficial for the student who plans on passing there IT certification exam on the first attempt? Free computer certification training can only take you so far. You will learn the basics but you will not know enough to pass a certification exam. Many Websites will give you free training in order to draw you in, so you will purchase some training material (study guides, online tutoring and practice exam questions).

Will paying the high dollar for your online or classroom information technology computer certification training better prepare you for your final exam? You can find enough information and computer certification on the Internet that will fully prepare you for your final certification exam, if you really know what to look for. It is sometimes helpful to get advice from someone who has taken an IT certification exam. You will have to spend some money in order to be fully prepared for your certification exam.

After you have completed your information technology certification training will you be totally prepared to pass your IT certification exam? You can be trained very well in computer repair or windows operating systems and yet not be able to pass your certification exam. Classroom and online practice exam questions will not be able to adequately prepare you for a certification exam, unless you are studying the actual certification exam. A IT certification exam is different from all other exams and without information technology computer certification Exam training you will not be fully prepared to pass your certification exam.

Is there such a thing as information technology computer certification Exam preparation and training on how to pass an IT certification Exam? There are very few resources available online or classroom in which you will be able to find the appropriate certification exam training. Knowing how to take a test and apply the learning that you have acquired is an art that can be learned also. Information technology computer certification exam taking requires skills that you can easily pick-up by using the right exam training material.

Are all computer certification exam materials and tutoring the same? Some materials and training can be out dated. Microsoft and other information technology certification exams are constantly being updated with new questions and material on there final exams. Microsoft and other information technology companies are always updating their system to make better improvements. These companies need to be on top of the industry with new technology. Exam training also needs new industry material and exam questions in order to keep up with Information technology companies like Microsoft.

How to pass your information technology certification exam? This is the question all computer students should be asking. Having the training and skills about computers and information technology is good for the knowledge. Receiving your information technology certification exam training will benefit you more because you will be prepared to pass your certification exam. Your knowledge will not get you the job. Receiving your certification can give you a high paying position.

This slow start up of your computer is caused by a congestion problem in the Windows operating system registry. The registry is where all your start up files and start up programs receive its commands from. When this registry becomes full of unnecessary garbage and useless information, it slows down your window start up process drastically.

It’s sort of like being stuck in traffic. Whenever the road has too many cars all try to go a particular way then of course traffic is going to come to a halt. You have to begin cleaning registry files in order for your computer to speed back up to its normal performance.

So how’s this taken care of? What I did personally was to eliminate as many of the starter programs from my registry as possible. You may think that just uninstalling the program will do the trick, but that’s not the case. The registry still holds the command to run the uninstalled software even after you delete it manually by using add or remove programs. This is why the registry becomes so congested and why cleaning registry files is necessary. Just deleting the uninstalled programs from the control panel won’t take the entries out of operating system registry.

To get rid of that slow performance that your computer is experiencing you need to access your registry and began cleaning registry components and useless files and programs that are unnecessary. But don’t just go jumping up happy-go-lucky. There are some caveats that you need to understand. You must know what you’re doing when you do this because if not, fiddling around with the registry has some serious implications — there are serious amounts of damage that can be done here. The registry is a very important directory and it can be corrupted if you mistakenly remove the wrong files.

This is the reason why I use a piece of software for cleaning registry files on my Windows XP operating system. The program lists all of your start up programs and lets you know what exactly they are and the properties they contain, then it gives you the choice to remove them just by simply clicking on your mouse. This gives your computer an optimization that will have it starting up faster than even before you’ve initially bought it. It also removes files that are redundant and the fixes corrupted files and component problems that also contribute to slow performance. It’s much easier to have a robust piece of software to do this for you than trying to go in and do it yourself.

When it comes to Outlook 2007 Microsoft has done a great job of building in repair features for Outlook. They have a built in memory scanner as well a tool to actually scan for corrupt Office files and make a repair.

Besides having to get used to a completely different layout and having to save files in 2003 format for other people who never use the updates in office the other big draw back is the automatic PST file repair tool that is built into 2007. While it does a decent job at repairing your mail file it still is lacking.

The built in tools is called Scanpst.exe, located at C:Program FilesCommon FilesSystemMSMAPILocaleID folder - normally called1033. Just double click the file and follow the on screen prompts. Be sure to also make a backup of the file when asked. Nothing is worse then overriding your existing outlook mail file.

In about 50% of all cases I have found this tool to work well and fully resolve the issue. You should also note that Outlook 2007 has to be closed for you to run this repair tool.

I know I don’t need to say this but I hope you have learned your lesson. It is very important to backup your files in case a computer crash or corrupt files. You should also store them on a separate hard drive to ensure protection.

If the built in tool did not help then all is not lost just yet. PST file repair can be a bit daunting but you can find many other resources online to help you resolve your issues. worst case you can always call in a pro or use a specific software program to help you out

In many cases people loose this file due to a hard drive malfunction. If this is the case then you should expect to pay any were from $159 dollars all the way up to $1800 to recover the information. The lower cost is best case and normally only happens when the NTFS partition is damaged. The higher cost is when the drive does not even spin up and a company needs to take your disc spindals and place them in another hard drive. The best thing you can do is to call around to several computer repair shops and see what advice they can offer. Many places do data recovery however they all do it differently and you need to find an expert at this to ensure no more data loss or damage is done.