Afraid me? Bite me!

-I have nothing against the Zune, I'll have to try it. This article is based on what Microsoft has made public-

Is Apple afraid? Not trying to be a fanboy here but the quick answer is no. What's the real question you might say? The one and only speculation Microsoft wants us all to cling on: Is the upcoming Zune the iPod killer? Hmm let me ponder on that one really quickly....

On a side note, I'm sitting on this airplane, Vancouver bound, behind an annoying teen fighting with his seat and working away on my macbook. To my left, a business man who has been drinking his tea and watching me for the past hour clicking away on my mouse. I'm editing on Final Cut Pro some projects, getting a DVD Studio Pro theme ready and planning the soundtrack while he is.. well he's still watching. I guess not to be overshadowed, he quickly pulls from beneath his seat a slim ThinkPad (or should I say Lenovo?) and starts it up. While we both wait for his windows to boot, I'm rendering and exporting my soundtrack at blazing speed - hmm he seems jealous. The thing takes so long to boot that he whips out the paper to catch up on some news while XP winds up.

Ok, it just stopped and now he's logging in - my FCP project is done and I'm now just catching up myself on some news via vidcasts. He watches again in envy. I could be smug about it but I decide to let him show me what he'll be working on. Like the classic old tale of PC vs Mac, he launches Excel and starts typing away (more actually simply scrolling up and down, gazing at the screen) on some account management summary file. I don't think he actually has any work, just didn't want to feel left out. I can understand that. I won't even comment on the work that he might have been doing since I don't understand jack squat in Excel files and management lingo but I couldn't help to feel that his machine was more like a thin book (yep, he's reading PDF files just now) and mine is more of workstation, a creating tool on which I can do almost anything. I'm not implying that his Lenovo couldn't do most of the stuff I just did but I don't feel like those users have that incline. If they did, they would get a mac (oh boy, sorry I sound like a fanboy now).

The side note is over and I now understand why that man caught my attention. The perfect analogy. Although PC's are fast, sturdy, universally used and have proved in the past to be able to compete in the art department, they still need to get an OS that works, features in their hardware that will make you go WOW, and a brand new way of thinking about design and usability - theirs users and their aspirations will drive their future. The Zune will be a cool little device that Microsoft will pump full of hype and promise of apparently some great new features that Apple has obviously already been planning for the months to come. I can only feel like it's a little too late for MS, the iPod is here, if they want to capture the world's attention with an MP3 player, they surely have to think outside the box and not just remake the blueprints. Will the Zune be grabbing some precious iPod market share even with the $20 you're left in your pocket after buying it? Not likely. Will it mostly interest Xbox users? Of course which is one of its biggest ray of hope.

I'm still working on my macbook and I think he's done with his "work", well maybe not done since his battery just died - yep, he's back to the newspaper.

Find A Notebook That Fits Your Needs

Notebook computers are everywhere you look! With a huge price range and numerous options, it may leave the consumer scratching their heads on where to start. It can be a juggling act to find which Notebook fits your needs, desires and your pocket book.

Notebooks have become cheaper and more powerful than ever. You can almost have everything that your Desktop Computer offers at a reasonable price.

Before purchasing your Notebook computer first you should decide what kind of user you plan to be. Buy a computer that fits your usage. You don't want to buy the top of the line Notebook with every option known to man and only use it once a year while you are at the cottage to check your emails. The other side of the coin would be to make sure you purchased a Notebook Computer that was powerful enough to handle the tasks you plan to use it for.

It is important to make sure that the size, weight and feel of your Notebook is to your satisfaction because you will be carrying it around a lot.

With Notebook Computers buy what you need when you need it as there will always be newer, cheaper and faster models being released everyday.

Some of the Notebook options you may wish to consider before you purchase are:

CPU: The most important factor in choosing your Notebook is the CPU or microprocessor. This is the brain of the Notebook and the most expensive part as well. Make sure you have enough speed for your use but not so much that you spent extra money on something you don't plan to use. RAM Memory: RAM memory or random access memory is very important for the speed and performance in your Notebook. If you don't have enough RAM for the programs you are running then your Notebook slows down. Hard Drive: This is where all your software and files are stored for use on your Notebook. The size of your hard drive is what is important here. Make sure you have enough hard drive space for all your needs. I like to have a lot of extra space because you would be surprised on how fast it fills up. Screen: The size and resolution of your Notebook screen are important. The bigger the screen usual means the overall dimensions of your Notebook increase as well. The resolution of the screen is measured in the number of dots on the screen. Batteries: There are FOUR main types of Notebook batteries. They are Ni-Cad, Li-Ion, Li-Poly and Ni-MH. Ni-Cad batteries are very old are rarely used anymore. Li-Ion and Li-Poly batteries weigh less and produces more current than Ni-MH batteries. You should try to get a Notebook that uses these types of batteries. USB Ports: USB ports which are a faster version of serial ports allow you to connect your Notebook to many accessories including MP3 Players, External Mice and Digital Cameras. Make sure you get at least TWO USB ports and its nice to have one on the front of the Notebook for convenience. Pointing Device: A Notebook will have a Stick, PAD or Trackball in place of a mouse to keep it more compact and portable. You should try each option and see which one you like the best. I personally keep a regular USB mouse that I carry around as I can't use the Notebook pad as well and a regular mouse makes things much easier. Video Card: The purpose of the video card (or graphic accelerator card) is to generate the images and display them to your Notebook screen. If you plan on doing a lot of graphics work or play higher end games, you may consider an upgraded Video Card. CD / DVD ROM: The CD / DVD drive reads compact CD's and / or DVD's which allow you to run software and play music / movies. Most Notebooks come with CD / DVD burners which will allow you to make CD's and / or DVD's to store files, pictures and music.

For a final thought, only hard core graphic professionals and rocket scientists need the most cutting edge Notebook technology. Take one step back from top of the line and you will save some money and probably have all the power that you will ever need.

How Do I Download Music to My PSP

How do anyone like I download music to my psp device from the personal computer? All you need simply is a USB cable to connect your psp device to the personal computer. Yes, it's that simple and here are the main steps, I like to share with everyone, on how do I download music to my psp device.

A. PSP device to personal computer connection

Firstly, use the USB cable to connect your psp device to your personal computer. Then press on the psp "home" button, which is at the lower left of the psp screen. Look for the "settings" selection by using the left-right directional buttons to navigate and then from there, search for the "USB Connection" on the psp device by using the top-down buttons and then press the X button (round bottom marked X) to confirm your selection. You should now be able to see a USB connection on your psp device.

B. Create a download folder

By now, your computer has already detected a new USB device on the hard drive. Click the drive, usually will be your last alphabetical drive, which corresponds to your psp memory card. Create a new folder inside that drive and you can name the folder as "music download" or any other title you want to use.

C. Download Music from your personal computer to psp

You can now start to copy your favorite music files from your personal computer onto the new folder that you have created in your psp device.

NOTE: Please take note that psp's using the older software runs only on mp3 format. And also the older software runs inside the psp device does not support the WMA & WMV music formats. We will discuss more later.

Once you have completed downloading the music to the new folder, press O on the psp to exit the USB connection mode. Then on your psp device, look for the "memory stick" at the music section by using the up-down arrows for navigation. Then press the X button again to enter your selection. You should be able to find all the music files, which you have downloaded.

Note that you need to upgrade your psp firmware if you really needs or wants to play the WMA and WMV audio files. Newer firmware versions of Sony for example, can play WMA & WMV files directly on your psp. Otherwise, you can also convert the files to mp3 format. There are many ways to do this. An easier way is to use free Windows application Switch. This is easily available in the Internet. First, in the windows media player, rip the music file that you want to convert. Then you need to run the Switch software, create a new folder or output folder and select the output format. In the output format, you will have a choice to select mp3. Once you are done, you now have converted your WMA audio file to an mp3 file.

Now you can enjoy listening to the music that you have downloaded to your psp. Just repeat the easy steps above whenever you have additional music to download onto your psp device.

How To Configure Wireless Internet Access For Your Laptop

Here's what you need to know (and do) to connect your laptop to a wireless network and get Internet access.

First off, let's talk common sense. Before you access any wireless network, especially one in a public place, you must have anti-virus software installed and up-to-date on your laptop. Your laptop should also be current with all Windows Operating System Updates.

That said, the next thing you need is to have a laptop with wireless networking capabilities. If you're not sure whether yours does, do the following to check it out:

Click on Start | Connect To | Show all connections, or Click on Start | Settings | (Control Panel) | Network Connections Under "LAN or High-Speed Internet" you should see a wireless connection icon. (If not, see below about installing a wireless network card). Assuming you have wireless capabilities, continue on doing the following: Right-click on the wireless connection icon. In the pop-up menu, select "View Available Wireless Networks." In the "Wireless Networking Connection" window, click on the appropriate wireless network. Check the box that says "Allow me to connect to the selected wireless network." An icon in the lower right hand corner of your desktop should eventually appear stating that you are connected. Open your browser and visit any website you want. If authentication is required on the wireless network, you will be redirected automatically to a login page where you'll have to log in using an approved Network User Name/ID and the correct password.

That's all it takes.

Note: If your laptop does not already have built-in wireless networking, you will need to purchase and install, or have installed, a Wireless Networking Card. There are many brands of wireless networking cards. Just make sure you buy a card that is 802.11b or 802.11g compatible. Linksys cards are an excellent choice and I recommend them highly. If you choose another brand, be certain that the card is WiFi Certified. (For a list of 802.11b and 802.11g certified cards, please visit the WiFi Alliance website.)

Here's The Safe Way To Use A Wireless Laptop to Reach The Internet

If you're reading this article, then you probably just got a new laptop with wireless capabilities. Or perhaps you just set up a wireless network in your home or office and want to know how your laptop can connect to it easily.

Here's what you need to know:

For the purposes of this article, I'm going to assume some basic things about your equipment and layout. If your home network looks a bit different, you'll still be able to make things work, but it may not be quite as simple and straightforward.

Hardware

Most home and small office systems will have a cable/DSL modem. Plugged into that will be your wireless access point or router. Your model may have a few wired network ports as well as the wireless antenna. In addition all this, you have all your computers -- some of which may be connected by wires and some of which are wireless.

Network Security

One of the first things you'll want to do is increase the security of your network. There are a number of things you can, and should, do to accomplish this goal.

Make Your Wireless Network "Invisible" As a convenience, wireless access points "announce" their presence to nearby wireless-enabled computers. This is called "identifier broadcasting." It is turned on by default, purely as a convenience. For example, it is nice if you are in a hotel or coffee shop -- it makes it easy for your laptop to find their network and use it quickly. However, when the network is in your home or office, you don't want everyone nearby (e.g., outside or next door) to know you're there. So consult your access point's user manual for instructions on how to disable identifier broadcasting. Rename Your Wireless Network. The wireless network access point/router will be configured with a name, or "service set identifier" (SSID). The wireless manufacturer sets this up at the factory; it is a case-sensitive name that uniquely identifies the network. You'll want to change that name because intruders can scan a neighborhood using the default name to find your network. In other words, until you change your SSID, you might be giving an intruder a head-start on hacking into your network from out on the street somewhere. Consult your manual and change that name. Choose a name that won't be easily guessed by others. Encrypt Your Network Traffic. Your wireless access point/router should allow you to scramble, or encrypt, data moving between the device and your computers. By encrypting your wireless traffic, you are changing it to a format that can only be read by computers with the correct conversion-key for that format. Change Your Administrator Password. In order to do the things I mentioned above, you need to log on to your wireless access point/router. At the factory, it was given a default password. These passwords are widely known and can be used to gain unauthorized access to your network. Be sure to change your administrator password. Use File Sharing with Caution. Sometimes all you want to do with your wireless network is share an internet connection with others. If that is the case, you may not have file sharing turned on. But if your network is set up to help you access files and folders on other computers, you'll need to have "file sharing" turned on. The downside to this is that it makes it easier for outsiders to steal information from you. To stop them, you may want to consider creating a dedicated directory for file sharing, and move or copy files to that directory for sharing. Then you should password-protect that directory and the files in it. Note: Never open an entire hard drive for file sharing! Keep Your Access Point Software Up to Date. From time to time, the manufacturer of your wireless access point/router will release updates to the software (or patches to repair bugs). Be sure to check the manufacturer's web site regularly for any updates or patches for your device's software.

Convenience

Once you've taken care of the security issues, the rest is relatively easy.

After you set the SSID on your access point/router, you may want to add it (and any other wireless networks you use) to your preferred network list if Windows XP Wireless Auto Configuration is enabled. Follow these steps:

In Control Panel, click Network and Internet Connections, and then click Network Connections. Right-click the Wireless Network Connection, and then click Properties. On the Wireless Networks tab, click Add. In the Wireless network properties dialog box, enter the SSID you configured for your wireless access point/router. Fill in the rest of the fields, including the necessary authentication and encryption information based on the configuration of your wireless access point/router. Click OK and your home network will be added to the list of preferred networks.

Now, your laptop should automatically see the desired wireless network and connect to it.

Enjoy!

Dell Laptops - What You Need To Know About All Those Brand Names

Before we get started, let me say that I am not a Dell reseller, nor do I make a commission from the sales of any Dell computer you'll read about here. In other words, I am not connected to Dell Computer in any way. I've just done some research on Dell laptops and I am sharing it with you here, no strings attached.

OK, got it? Let's go.

As you know, Dell produces a large collection of laptops and notebook computers under lots of different brand names. Here's a brief outline/rundown of what they offer:

Dell Vostro

Dell's Dimension is being phased out and a "value-oriented" line of laptops -- Vostro (Latin for "yours") -- has been created for the small business market. One great thing to note: Dell claims the Vostro line will not come with "trialware" (or "crapware") pre-installed. The other thing is that the Vostro laptops have an "upmarket" -- classier -- black finish with chrome trim.

Current Models

The following laptop models were released during July, 2007 in Canada and the US.

Vostro 1000 Vostro 1400 Vostro 1500 Vostro 1700

Dell Latitude

Dell's Latitude laptops are targeted at the corporate market, e.g., the road warriors. Latitude uses standardized, interchangeable parts throughout the line. After all, businesses want fast and cheap product service, right? In addition, the specs are meant to NOT change for several years (also for support purposes).

Note: This contrasts with the Dell Inspiron line which is aimed at the (fickle and flighty?) consumer market whose specifications change regularly.

Dell Latitude computers are also built with a more durable casing and internal metal frames. In addition, many offer hard drive protection systems in case the computer is dropped or suffers a severe impact.

Current models

Current Latitude models include the ATG, X1, D430, D520, D600, D620, the newly launched D630 and the D830. Select models based on the Intel Core Duo, Core Solo and Core 2 Duo are now available. The D420, D620, and D820 feature wide aspect LCD screens: 12.1", 14.1", and 15.4" respectively.

The Latitude D620 weighs 4.7 pounds, and the base model includes a 1.67GHz Intel Core Duo T2300 processor (667MHz front-side-bus) and 2M of L2 cache. There is an option to upgrade to a Core 2 Duo T7X00 processor (667Mhz font-side-bus) with 4M of L2 cache.

It comes standard with 512M of DDR2 RAM, expandable to 4GB, and four USB ports.

For graphics, it offers the Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 950, and an option to upgrade to NVIDIA discrete graphics at the expense of lower battery life.

Dell Precision

The Precision brand name features the most powerful laptop computers that Dell makes. These include the M4300 and M90. The M4300 is a little less in quality compared to the M90. These computers, when configured for extreme computing, can exceed $3,000. The Precision line top-shelf: its nVidia Quadro FX 1500M - 3500M gives you super-high-end video graphics.

Dell Inspiron

Inspiron is targeted at the consumer laptop market. As of June 26, 2007 the Inspiron name also refers to Dell's desktop systems as well.

Current Configurations

Dell updated their Inspiron series in June of 2007 with the 1420/1420 N, 1520/1521, and 1720/1721 models.

Inspiron 1420/1420 N Small (5.39 lbs), portable models based on the Intel Santa Rosa platform. Both models have an Intel Core 2 Duo Processor (up to 2.2 GHz), 14.1" display (up to 1440x900), SATA hard drive (up to 160 GB), and 667MHz DDR2 SDRAM (up to 4 GB). The 1420 features an integrated Intel X3100 or NVIDIA GeForce Go 8400M GS. The 1420 N has an integrated Intel X3100. Dell also offers Ubuntu Linux as an alternate operating system on this laptop. Available in 8 colors. Inspiron 1501 Mid-size (6.19 lbs), mainstream model with an AMD Turion (up to 2.0 GHz) or Mobile AMD Sempron 3500+ processor, 15.4" display, ATI Radeon Xpress 1150, SATA hard drive (up to 120 GB), and DDR2 SDRAM (up to 2 GB). Inspiron 6400/E1505 N Mid-size (6.18 lbs), mainstream models with an Intel Core 2 Duo (up to 2.00 Ghz), 15.4" display, SATA hard drive (up to 160 GB), and DDR2 SDRAM (up to 2 GB). The 6400 features an ATI Mobility Radeon X1400. The E1505 N features an integrated Intel Media Accelerator 950, ATI Radeon x1300, ATI Radeon x1400, or NVIDIA GeForce Go 7300. Inspiron 1520/1521 Mid-size (6.40 lbs), mainstream models based on the Intel Santa Rosa platform (Model: GM 965 or PM 965). The 1520 features an Intel Core 2 Duo Processor (up to 2.2 Ghz) with an integrated Intel X3100 or NVIDIA GeForce Go 8400M GS/8600M GT. The 1521 features an AMD Turion (up to 2.2 GHz) with an ATI Radeon Xpress 1150. Both models have a 15.4" display (up to 1680x1050), 160GB SATA hard drive (option for 5400RPM or 7200RPM), and 667 MHz DDR2 SDRAM (up to 4 GB). The notebooks also have the option to come installed with a Blu-Ray drive. Available in 8 colors with webcam. Inspiron 1720/1721 Large (7.62 lbs), high-end models based on the Intel Santa Rosa platform (Model: GM 965 or PM 965). The 1720 features an Intel Core 2 Duo Processor (up to 2.4 Ghz) with an integrated Intel X3100 or NVIDIA GeForce Go 8400M GS/8600M GT. The 1721 features an AMD Turion (up to 2.2GHz) with an ATI Radeon Xpress 1270. Both models have a 17" display (up to 1900x1200), support for dual SATA hard drives (up to 500GB - 2 x 250GB drives), and 667MHz DDR2 SDRAM (up to 4 GB). The 1721 also features RAID 0 or 1 hard drive configurations, an option which is strangely missing from the 1720. They also lack DVI or HDMI connections, which would be expected for a high-end desktop replacement, given their HDCP compliant graphics card and Blu-ray Disc option. Both models are available in 8 colors.

XPS

Dell has marketed this brand as an all-in-one multimedia system.

XPS M2010 Software includes Dell's "Media Center" with an instant-access button to quickly start the system direct in this application, and it is equipped with an 8 speaker plus subwoofer audio system. On the downside, the battery is only good for about 2 hours, but you are probably not buying this laptop to take on the road -- the system weighs almost 18 pounds. That said, it is fully portable and self-contained. The case design includes a detachable keyboard with full-size keys and integrated trackpad, and flexible approach to screen placement. The base unit cannot be detached from the monitor, although the monitor offers articulation in two locations. The design incorporates a large handle which also forms part of the display hinge - the optional carry case uses this and does not provide a handle to lift the system, but it does feature casters and a telescopic handle to wheel the case around. The keyboard is often reported to attach magnetically. It uses two large spring-loaded locating catches, but does not fix rigidly to the chassis. Instead, the folded screen holds everything together. But when open the keyboard does detach easily. M2010 features a wide, flat CPU section with a symmetrical design - the optical drive is flush to the top surface and motorised. Internally the symmetry is maintained with the centrally mounted CPU flanked by two SATA HD drives and two cooling systems - the GPU and CPU coolers vent on opposite sides of the base. The M2010 also features a unique option, the Dell Premium Remote developed by Gyration Inc. Using 2.4GHz RF on an internal board. Referred to in the service manual as a Wireless USB board. it uses the Cypress "WirelessUSB" chipset, which predates and does not conform to the Wireless USB standard. the remote offers basic HID functions and control for Windows Media Centre with an additional LCD allowing navigation of the music library in a style akin to an iPod or similar device. The remote had been exclusive to the M2010 from launch. In August 2007 Gyration announced the Ultra R4000 remote which offers the same LCD-display functionality and has a similar appearance. XPS M1710 The higher-end mobile XPS computer available in black or red that features a 17" widescreen, Intel Core 2 Duo processors, NVIDIA GeForce Go 7900GS or 7950GTX video cards, 7200 RPM SATA hard drive, and DDR2 SDRAM. The Inspiron E1705/9400 offers similar features, notably the Core Duo or Core 2 Duo processors, 17" screen, and the NVIDIA GeForce Go 7900GS for a lesser price (about $1000 less than the M1710). The M1710 does offer unique user- and software-changeable LED lighting in the touchpad and fan outlets/inlets, as well as the lid, also including BluRay Disc Drive in some models. The system was marketed to gamers. It was physically identical to the Inspiron 9100. This computer was later replaced by the Inspiron XPS Gen 2 and ultimately the current XPS M1710. This model is highly expected[weasel words] to be replaced in the coming weeks. XPS M1330 This high end laptop, released in June of 2007, features the Intel Centrino's Fourth Generation Santa Rosa platform. It features a 13.3" screen either with CCFL or WLED. The WLED version will have a 0.3 Mega pixel camera, as opposed to the 2MP camera with the original CCFL screen. Moreover, XPS 1330 also features a biometric fingerprint reader, which was usually found in business class laptops like the latitude series. The XPS 1330, with the WLED screen is thinner and brighter than the previous XPS 1210 version. The XPS M1330 also offers the NVIDIA GeForce Go 8400M GS graphics card as an option.

Conclusion

There you have it -- the Dell line of laptops. Hopefully you gained an appreciation of the similarities and differences between the different brand names.

Sony VAIO Laptops - The Big Picture

History

Although Sony made computers in the 1980s for the Japanese market only, Sony withdrew from the computer business around 1990. Later, Sony re-entered the market, this time globally, under the new VAIO brand, started in 1996 with the PCV series of desktops.

VAIO Brand

The VAIO is a sub-brand for many of Sony's computer products. The branding was created to distinguish items that used consumer audio and video, as well as being conventional computing products.

One example of this was the Sony VAIO W Series personal computer, which was a regular PC and a miniature entertainment center.

Sony is expanding the use of the VAIO label. It can now be found on notebooks, subnotebooks, desktop, and a hard-disk-based audio player that comes in both 20GB and 40GB variations (called VAIO POCKET player).

VAIO Features

High-end VAIO laptops are usually shipped with Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium or Business, while low end laptops such as N series come with Microsoft Vista Home Basic.

As of October 2005, VAIO laptops are available upon request without pre-installed software at a slightly lower price. Most recently, some models no longer ship with a Recovery CD, but a special partition on the hard drive is used for the recovery information, including operating system and all bundled software. VAIO users are prompted to create a set of recovery CDs or DVDs immediately after purchase.

VAIO computers use Intel processors, Seagate Technology or Fujitsu hard drives, Infineon RAM, Sony (usually made by Hitachi) or Matsushita optical drives, Intel or NVIDIA graphics processors and Sony speakers.

Current VAIO Models

AR - Flagship 17" High-end multimedia machine FZ - The first 15" notebook with BluRay burner CR - New 14" derivatives of the FJ and C Series. BX - Professional 4:3 notebook G - Entry level Vista Laptop for professionals N - Entry level Vista laptop for home users TZ- 11.1" professional notebook, perfect for long business trips with 7hour battery life SZ- 13.3" professional notebook

Bundled software

VAIO computers feature a wide array of specially designed or bundled software that help you to use the laptop for multimedia purposes. Many of these applications inspired similar software or integration into the Windows OS, e.g. Movie Shaker preceded Windows XP's Movie Maker.

Additional software products in the bundle can include:

Adobe Photoshop and Premiere Elements. These products are bundled as part of the video and audio integration that Sony prides its VAIO series on. SonicStage, a digital music manager. Integrated with Sony's Connect downloadable music service, it allows users to transfer music to Sony standalone music players, PDAs, or PSPs. PictureGear, an image management software that predated popular programs like Picasa. VAIO Zone, used for music listening, viewing photo slide shows, and watching TV (when a tuner card is present) and DVDs. VAIO Zone is an equivalent to Apple Front Row and Windows XP Media Center Edition.

VAIO Trivia

Sony named its VAIO line using an acronym for "Video Audio Integrated Operation." The VAIO logo represents a combination of analog and digital signal technology. The 'VA' represents an analog wave and the 'IO' represents digital binary code.

Cheap New Laptops - Three Of The Best

I realize that "cheap" is in the eye of the beholder. Not only that -- the laptops in this article might not even be as cheap as something you could get off eBay or even as inexpensive as a refurbished laptop.

But, face it: new laptops are almost always going to be more expensive than the equivalently configured desktop PC because of the need for miniaturization of the components. And laptops have to use different (more expensive) technologies to maximize battery life.

Bottom line: you're going to pay more for a laptop; or you're going to get less laptop for your dollar compared to a desktop PC.

That said, these three laptops -- Sony VAIO, HP Pavilion, and Dell Latitude -- are all solid buys in a range of prices that is very competitive for brand new equipment. And they come from decent companies and offer you a range of features as well.

Let's get started...

Sony VAIO N170GT

The nice thing about this Sony model is that it doesn't have a lot of junky frills on it. It is a clean looking design that is stylish, too. The screen is very bright, yet you don't get a lot of glare. The speed and performance is okay -- nothing to brag about, but for the price it's not bad. The battery is good for probably around four hours. That's enough to watch a movie if you're on a plane flight, but again -- nothing to write home about.

On the downside, this laptop uses an older Intel Core Duo processor. This processor comes with integrated graphics, which means that the performance is not to be that great. But again, you're not paying a lot of money, relatively speaking, or this laptop. If you're going to install Windows Vista on this machine you're going to want to upgrade the memory.

Overall, this model of Sony's VAIO gives you a good price, but doesn't give you a really powerful processor. But the laptop looks great and it's very stylish and attractive. If looks count and you want to save some bucks, this is a great machine. Brand-new, out-of-the-box this model will set you back about $1100 plus tax and shipping.

HP Pavilion dv6205us

This laptop is part of the HP Pavilion DV6000 series, and it is designed to appeal to the mass market. It is a very stylish laptop with a shiny finish -- designed to appeal to the same customers who might consider a Sony or an Apple laptop. It's got a series of high-end components and multimedia features at a price that's lower than the comparable Dell laptop.

For example, this laptop has some pretty nice stereo speakers from Altec Lansing. They're located above the controls. But be aware that if you close the top the sound gets can get muffled. This laptop also has a 1.3 megapixel WebCam built right in, as well as two microphones. There is a row of buttons above the keyboard that launches different features like the media player, volume-control and playback. The keys look nice, but they make a really annoying beeping sound when you press them (and you can't really turn that off either).

This laptop weighs a little over 6 pounds, which makes it lighter than the comparable Dell laptop. When you add the AC adapter it brings the whole thing up to a little over 7 pounds.

The screen is 15.4 inches wide, with a kind of a shiny finish that makes colors very bright and vibrant, although it gives the appearance a bit of a glare in bright sunlight or next to a window.

The keyboard is very comfortable. The touchpad has an on-off button. This is very cool because it keeps your cursor from flying off in the wrong direction if your hand passes over the touchpad while using an external mouse. This laptop has a decent number of ports including a FireWire port, a VGA port, S-video and 3 USB 2.0 ports. You also get a microphone jack and two headphone jacks.

As far as processors go, you have a couple of choices. You can do a 1.86 GHz Celeron or a 2.0 GHz Core Duo. This laptop can be configured for up to 2 GB of RAM, and it'll work with hard drives of up to 200 GB in capacity.

Bottom line: it's got lots of entertainment features, you can configure it lots of different ways and it is very affordable. Brand-new out-of-the-box, you can get one for as little as $600-$800 plus tax and shipping.

Dell Latitude D600

The D series laptops from Dell use the Pentium M which comes in 1.3GHz, 1.4GHz, and 1.6GHz speeds--all paired with Intel's new 855PM chipset. You can this laptop with between 128MB - 2GB of fast 266MHz DDR SDRAM. It also comes with a faster 40GB hard drive, or a choice of 20GB, 30GB, and 60GB drives running at slower speed.

It's got a 32MB ATI Mobility Radeon 9000 graphics chip. There are a number of swappable modules for the single internal bay, including CD, DVD, CD-RW, DVD/CD-RW, floppy, a second hard drive, or a second battery.

The average-sized, 14.1-inch screen isn't super. But it comes with a pretty good 1,400x1,050 native resolution. (You can also save a few bucks by opting for the 1,024x768 display instead.)

It's very fast, and it includes an integrated wireless antenna that is of the dual-band type. This means that if you are within range of a Wi-Fi hotspot that runs either "b" or "g" wireless protocols, this laptop will be compatible with either protocol. It also has built-in Bluetooth.

On the downside, this laptop is part of the D-series notebooks for Dell which means it will not be compatible with C-series Dell laptops. This means that if you have a C-series docking station, you're out of luck. And if you have media modules that are for another C-series notebook you'll have the same limitation.

Overall, this is a very thin and light notebook computer at a fantastic price -- $400, plus tax and shipping.

Conclusion

No matter how you define "cheap," these three laptops give you a great value.

Mobile Phones - Interacting With Your ATM!

Those days are passé when mobile phones were only an instrument that facilitated communication. Today, they are multipurpose gadgets where making and receiving calls is just one of the many aspects of these multitasking handsets. Mobile phones today can be categorised into camera phones, music phones, as well as business phones. They are the one man army today that entertains you, keeps you connected, acts as your assistant at office and even let's you surf the web and do banking!

Mobile phones or PDA owners can now directly interact with their ATM's through a recently patented technology developed by Diebold, Incorporated. The company has started offering applications that enables mobile phone users to directly interact with the automated teller machines of their banks via their handsets! A revolutionary beginning that integrates mobiles and banking seamlessly, giving a peek-a-boo to the consumers into a great revolution that is about to break in this field.

Not just that, the new application will let you locate and even get directions to the nearest ATM. Be it cash withdrawals, generation of electronic checks or conducting other transaction like transmitting wireless payments can all be accomplished now via your mobile phone, and that too in a safe and secure environment.

According to Jim Block, director, global advanced technology, Diebold, "Diebold's new patented technology has the potential to offer myriad applications to boost the convenience and personal security factors of using an ATM."

Diebold has been working on this system long before the concept of mobile banking gained some grounds in the UK. Today, the application developed by the company let's ATM's directly interact with mobile devices, and also allows more than one customer to simultaneously interact with the machine.

This application is undoubtedly going to create ripples in the world of mobile banking. The convenience of the customers is the ultimate thing, and the same is going to make it a revolutionary invention that will grace the world market for a long time.

5 Reasons to Choose a Notebook Over a Desktop Computer

Many of us are so used to working on a computer desktop that when it comes time to purchase a new computer, we don't consider other options. Today, computer notebooks - which were once called laptops - offer a number of advantages over a computer desktop. Here are just five reasons why you should take a second look at notebooks.

1. Mobility

You might be used to pulling up a chair to your computer, but it makes much more sense to pull your computer up to your chair. Laptops can certainly be used at your desk, but you also have the option of bringing them to the spot where you're most comfortable. Maybe you'd like to surf the Web in the evening out in the living room or catch up on your favorite blogs before bedtime. Notebooks with wireless connectivity can travel with you throughout your home, so you can check your email or do your Internet shopping anywhere.

Of course, notebooks also make sense for those who are on the go. Students can take laptops to class and to the library, while businesspeople can take them along while traveling. With WiFi so widely available, it even makes sense to have a notebook while on vacation. With the right notebook, it's easy to take photos with your digital camera, upload them, and email them to friends and family before you even get back home. Or you can use it to write a vacation blog and include those pictures from your digital camera.

2. Better Displays

The size and quality of computer notebook displays has improved so dramatically that there's little difference between laptops and a computer desktop. For example, you can get Apple's MacBook with a 13.3-inch LCD widescreen (1280 x 800 pixels), a 15.4-inch LCD widescreen (1440 x 900 pixels) or a 17-inch widescreen (1680 x 1050 pixels). Similarly, the Compaq Presario has a 15.4-inch display.

3. Lighter Weight

Just a few years ago, even the lightest notebook was a pain to lug around. Today, though, laptops are increasingly easy on the back. The MacBook is slightly over an inch thick and the Toshiba Portege weighs in at about four pounds. While that's still heavy compared to come of the new ultralight convertibles (Fujitsu's LifeBook U810 weighs only a pound and half), it's a significant improvement over the old seven-pound laptops.

4. Better Computing and Battery Power

Historically, two drawbacks of notebooks were their limited RAM, limited space on the hard drive, and short battery life. Times have changed, though, and laptops now have as much power under the hood as their computer desktop cousins. The MacBook, for example, has 1GB of memory (configurable up to 4 GB) and a hard drive that's configurable to 250GB. This means that your software will hum right along and you'll be able to zip through programs as quickly and as easily as you do on your desktop. Likewise, batteries in today's notebooks don't heat up and don't conk out.

5. More Features

In older laptops, the computer's size and weight limited the number and types of features available. Today, with smaller processors and other components, there's room to pack more features into notebooks. For example, the MacBook has a DVD player, built-in webcam, built-in wireless capability, two USB ports and a FireWire port, built-in microphone, and audio and digital input/output.

There are so many advantages to owning notebooks that, before you buy your next computer, it's worth your while to take one for a spin.

Information Shared to Start Under Linux

I am not a guru under Linux rather a beginner but I make a point of sharing in the community some observations that can largely help in the first steps and the catch in hand of Linu

Many users of Linux say Linux it is easy, and as it is better as Windows, it is more flexible more convivial, more configurable, more, more, more... All that is not false, but Linux is not easy when one comes from Windows, because one enters a different world, or much of things land and manage themselves differently.

Linux thus becomes easy when one approaches it with the state of mind and time necessary.

The keys of the world of linux pass by the comprehension of the importance of the Command Line. In fact the command line, unpleasing for the Windows user, will be the only barrier between him and the formidable potential of Linux. It is thus advised at the beginning to familiarize yourself with the command line because it is it which will help you to solve a problem when you do not have access to the graphic user interface.

As soon as you accepted that, all goes very quickly and you start to understand why "many users of Linux say Linux, it is easy". Almost all the problems which I encountered under Linux came from the bad habits taken under Windows. Is another concern, the choice of the distributions, when one starts to be interested in the world of Linux one wonders "but why all these distributions? and compatibility in all that? "

It is absolutely recommended for the beginner to start with distributions for general public and known for their facility of catch in hand and installation, and providing a support and a base of sufficient knowledge so that you easily find solutions with your first problems.

Finally it is recommended to the owners of laptop to make a search for compatibility before launching out in the adventure.

Laptops - Dominating the Lives of People

Laptops are very innovative gadgets built with the aim to fulfill all the requirements of users. It can be used for business, professional and students use them for education reasons. Shopping for laptops is also easy nowadays with the online sites coming to one's aid. It is easy to place orders on the several websites for such laptops.

A laptop is similar to a desktop computer but the only difference is that they are portable and run on batteries. They are also fitted with a core processor, a chipset, RAM and ROM and other hardwares such as DVD player or writer and wireless net access.

The laptops are fitted with a TFT LCD screen and that makes playing games, watching videos and surfing internet very exciting on the device. There are also inbuilt speakers and microphone and that adds to the overall sound quality. It is supported by wi-fi and thus internet can be availed even while one is on a move. So, the user can easily download movies, games and music while travelling on laptops. These can be opened for entertainment reasons on the way. Thus with laptops in hand, entertainment is totally exalted. The best form on entertainment is accessing the net itself. This is because one can chat with friends and make use of latest facilities like VoIP connection to interact with people. This is what makes laptops so marvelous a device .

Without laptops it is practically impossible for any professional to operate the business well. It is the same in case of students as now every information is available in the internet. So, student cannot think of pursuing higher studies without laptops. In classrooms too teachers instruct the students on their laptops.

As these gadgets are fitted with large memory that extends to 1 GB, it leaves no room for users to contemplate on where to store the important files. Now the space is ample and files can be stored without deleting them for a long time. Movies can also be stored in the hard disc of the device. One just needs to transfer the movies from the DVD dics to the laptop by making use of the DVD writer. The same can be done be simply transferring files from a secondary storage device using the USB port. Thus one carries with him all the files where ever one goes.

The latest Laptops are generally given a slim design and the dimensions are made such that the device becomes compact. The weight too is kept reasonably light. This the reason why people find it very convenient to carry laptops wherever they go.

The latest laptops are priced low and they are none but cheap laptops. This has made it possible for people to buy the laptops. The buyer can order for such laptops online too. Every company starting from Acer Laptops to other companies have their own websites where they place their models for sale. The buyer can simply visit these sites and enquire about the price and configuration of different models. On finding a satisfactory model, one can simply place an order for the laptop. Once the order is placed the laptop is delivered at the submitted address of the buyer. The advantage of this is that one need not depend anymore on a middle man and can directly buy the laptop from the company. In this way the buyer can get the laptop at its original price with no extra charges. Moreover, the customer gets full access to all the free gifts with the laptop. In case a laptop is brought from a dealer, such free gifts may not be handed over by the dealer to the customer. So, online shopping is safe and wise.

Know Your Laptop Battery

When given this question to any laptop or notebook computer user, they will get puzzled. This happens to me once when someone ask me about my laptop battery. As you can see, before you replace your laptop battery it is quite important to know a bit on the back ground first. There are several types of laptop batteries which I will share in this post.

Types of Laptop Batteries:

1. Alkaline - This is one of the common batteries around but only few laptops used it and the flaw about alkaline batteries is that is not rechargeable. You have to throw it once it goes flat.

2. Lead Acid - One of the most commons usage for this type is for laptop computers. It is long lasting, durable and rechargeable but unfortunately it is heavy and full of lead :P .

3. Lithium-Ion - The type of battery you would want to have for your laptop. The fast charging effect make it good for users on the go (need not wait for a long time for the battery to get charged completely). It is also environment friendly as well.

4. Nickel-Cadium - Ni-Cd batteries is one of the oldest and best performance types of rechargeable batteries but it has a major problem. After a long usage ( a few years), the battery will suffer from the dreaded memory effect. This means that the lifespan usage of the battery will deteriorate as time goes by.

5. Nickel- Metal Hydride - Ni-MH batteries is considered to be the successor of the Ni-Cd batteries but unfortunately the dreaded memory effect is as bad as well. However as compared between Ni-Cd and NiMH batteries, the latter last longer as compared to its predecessor.

The odds that you will using the Lithium-Ion batteries are 99% ( that's if you are using the new breeds of laptops :) ). Just check the abbreviation that says LION or Li-Ion on your laptop battery label. There are still a few laptops that are using Ni-MH batteries these days and you might want to check with the manufacturer whether you can do an upgrade from Ni-MH to Li-Ion. Using unapproved batteries could led to dire consequences .... so do be very careful on this. If you have a higher budget you might want to check out SMART batteries. It has a power management circuitry and it will indicate to the user what is the current condition of the battery.

What to Look For When Buying a Laptop Backpack

As the trend shifts from bulky to portable gadgets, almost every hefty device now has a corresponding mini counterpart. So if you're a techno-maniac, various sizes are now available for you to choose from--from outsized to standard size to mini, to ultra small gadgets--generally, the handier they are, the more cash you have to shell out.

This fad drives most consumers to prefer buying the smaller devices. True for computers--with the emergence of laptops in the marketplace, most shoppers prefer this handy computing device than buying space consuming desktops. Not only does it save you huge space, you can also carry it anywhere at anytime you want.

So you have your new laptop at hand, next in your shopping list is a bag to put it in. Of course, you don't want to pay huge sums of money for a gadget that you don't intend to take care of. If you want to carry it around with ease, without worrying about laptop scratches and scrapes, then laptop bag is a must-have.

There are different kinds of laptop bags to choose from. To name some, there is attache' type which is more appropriate for business person, for it looks like a briefcase. Another one is the messenger type, which come in horizontal and vertical styles. And of course backpacks, which is far more convenient and more practical than other type of laptop cases.

Because backpack is designed to be carried on your back and has two straps, they are more comfortable to use since you don't have to carry the weight on only one shoulder, thus keeping your shoulders from aching. At the same time, it would allow you tighter grip, so thieves can't take it away from you effortlessly.

But prior to purchasing a laptop backpack, there are some things you need to consider. Laptop backpacks are available in different shapes and sizes, so choosing the right one for you may not be that easy. So as a smart shopper, you'll need to figure out what your laptop needs and what your eyes want.

First to take note is the measurement of your laptop. You don't want to buy a bag just to find out that your laptop won't fit in, and likewise you don't want to buy backpacks that are extra large than what your laptop really needs either. Buying too large backpacks may cause more damage to your laptop rather than protecting them, because your laptop may move constantly inside the bag. You may want to buy backpack that has straps inside, so you'll be sure that your laptop will stay in place.

You also need to take into consideration the space for the other accessories such as the adapter, mouse, and CDs. Furthermore, if you want to keep it more secure, you can choose backpacks with built-in locks, or choose backpacks with two zippers, so you can buy your own padlock and attach it to the holes of the two zippers. You can also buy a laptop sleeve for added protection.

Further considerations are the style, color, and price which would solely depend on your personality. Carrying a laptop doesn't have to put you off the fashion, backpacks may be more casual in style, but they now come in various designs, hence you don't have to sacrifice your fashion reputation, and at the same time getting all the comforts you deserve.

Know Your Notebook Inside Out

Notebook or Laptop as it is called, is rapidly gaining popularity among people of all age groups because of its easy portability option, ultra user friendly interface, small, smart and slick look, ergonomic keypad and advanced features as compared to desktop computers.

Many might not know that notebooks consume less power and produce less heat as well as less noise than desktop PCs. One can comfortably perform a variety of tasks starting from sending of emails, listening to music, capturing images to other major business operations on a compact notebook PC. The affordable price also acts as catalyst for more and more people to opt for buying notebooks. Different types of notebooks are available like ultra portable, general-purpose, media center, cheap notebook or even gaming notebook. Depending upon one`s need, one can select a notebook.

A general curiosity might arise in a common user`s mind about the components of what constitute a notebook. For starters, a notebook is a compact model and instead of a sizeable case for air circulation, a notebook uses a miniature, flat design in which all the components fit together comfortably. The notebook screen is an integrated built unit and so is its keyboard.

Since in a notebook all the components are arranged in a compact space, to cool the components so that they can give optimum performance, the processors are mounted directly to the motherboard without the use of socket. To reduce the heat generation, some notebooks also use desktop CPUs which usually run at a lower voltage and clock speed, though it reduces the battery life significantly. Notebooks are equipped with small fans, heat spreaders, heat pipes or heat sinks and also the location of CPU near the edge helps to disperse the heat from the CPU. Some expensive models have liquid coolant channels alongside the heat pipe facility to reduce heat.

Memory types used in notebooks can be of four types, namely: Single data rate Synchronous RAM (SDRAM), Dual Data Rate Synchronous RAM (DDR SDRAM), Small Outline Dual Inline Memory Module (SODIMM), Proprietary memory modules

The memory of notebook make up for the performance associated with slower processors. Some notebooks have cache memory very near the CPU capacity, so that data can be accessed more quickly while some have larger buses to move data quickly between the processors and motherboard.

The internal hard disk drive of the notebook stores the operating system and data files. Many notebooks allow a variety of drives to fit in the same bay by using the modular design. These drives can be of three types like; cold swappable mode, where the notebook must be switched off during the swap or hot swappable mode in which the notebook can stay on while changing the drive or the warm swappable method in which the bus (the path the drive uses to send data to the CPU) must be inactive while the notebook can stay on while changing the drive.

Unlike some desktops, notebooks display its graphics on a liquid crystal display (LCD) screen and the screens measure between 12 and 17 inches. Most notebooks have smaller graphics cards with a Graphics Power Unit (GPU) designed specifically for them and memory is shared between CPU and GPU.

Notebooks have sound cards as well as small, built-in speakers to provide quality sounds. However, external sound controllers can be used to cater to the need of gaming enthusiasts.

Batteries on notebooks can be of Nickel-Cadmium (NiCad) type, Nickel-Metal Hydride (NiMH) batteries or of the latest Lilon batteries type which are light and have long life spans. Lilon batteries can last for 5 hours from about 950 up to 1200 charges.

The key components of a notebook are its processor, memory, hard drive, operating system, graphics card and display units. Mind it! While looking at these lists of features, it is very important to know the fact that notebook PC can not as easily upgraded as desktop computers. Therefore, one must choose a notebook which has power-packed features.

Why Buy a New Notebook Computer?

Your current notebook may meet your needs quite adequately when it comes to word processing and e-mail. But if you want to expand into digital photography, create your own music CDs or home movie DVDs, get into more elaborate gaming, or surf the internet in more places using broadband, it might be time to buy a new notebook. This article will explain to you some of the features to consider in buying your next notebook. It will explain: Processor, Operating System, Memory, Size and Weight, Display, CD/DVD Writer Drives, USB 2.0, IEEE 1394 Firewire, Network Interface Card (NIC), and Wireless.

Processor

The processor is the "engine" in your computer. I recommend buying a new notebook with a processor speed of atleast 2.0 GHz. You can take advantage of several new processor technologies by replacing your old system. AMD's Turion 64 X2 mobile technology and Intel's Core 2 Duo processors both offer significant gains in performance over previous generations. Since the processor is the "engine" of the notebook PC, these latest versions give you a much-improved experience across a wide range of activities, such as web surfing over broadband connections, 3-D gaming, printing digital photographs, and making videos and music.

Operating System

Microsoft® Windows® Vista lets you get things done, stay connected, and enjoy a variety of entertainment in a secure environment. Choose from Windows Vista Home Basic, Home Premium, Business or Ultimate. You may still have certain applications, particularly business, that are not Vista compatible . If that is the case then there is a way to be able to dual boot your computer with the option of either Vista or XP which can be found.

Memory

I recommend buying a new notebook with a minimum of 2GB of Ram. Many mainstream notebooks now offer DDR SDRAM memory, which provides much higher bandwidth, and therefore better system performance, than older SDRAM technology. You get a better PC experience regardless of which applications you use.

Size and Weight

Notebook computers come in a wide variety of sizes and weights, with most at about 14 x 10 x13 and 5-8 lbs. They range from ultraportable notebooks that weigh as little as 3.00 lbs to powerhouse desktop replacements. When choosing a new laptop, consider the ways you'll use it most of the time. If you're using it to replace a desktop computer, a larger, high-end notebook will give you the most versatility and expandability. A few extra pounds won't make a significant difference if you're moving it around your home or office. If you're looking for something to supplement a desktop computer or if you travel a lot, consider a smaller notebook.

Display

In recent years, Active matrix (or TFT, thin film transistor) displays have become the most popular because of their bright, vivid images that can be viewed from any angle. The most common notebook screen sizes are 14.13 and 15.43, though some ultra-portable models have screens as small as 12.13 or 13.3". The midrange screens are generally satisfactory and easy on the eyes, but if you'll use your notebook primarily as a desktop replacement or for PowerPoint presentations on the road, choose a 15.43 or larger screen. The higher the resolution, the more information can be displayed and the sharper the definition and color. If your budget permits, shoot for a minimum of a 12.13 active matrix display capable of WXGA resolution.

CD-Writer Drive (DVD/CD-RW)

A CD-RW is great for backing up data, saving digital photos, and creating mixed-music CDs. A single CD-R disc gives you up to 650MB of storage (equal to 451 floppies). Plus, this combo drive allows you to play movies.

DVD-Writer Drive (DVD +/-R/RW)

I recommend going with a Blue Ray Drive for the High Definition DVD Drive in your new note book computer. A DVD writer and companion software let you create interactive DVD movies viewable on most DVD players or DVD-ROM drives. Edit and enhance your home videos, add music or special effects, and burn all your great content onto DVD for future enjoyment. On a single long-lasting, rewritable DVD disc you can store up to seven times more information than you can on a CD. For enhanced entertainment, choose the Lightscribe option, which allows you to label discs by burning silkscreen-quality graphics on them.

USB 2.0

Great for digital photography enthusiasts, USB 2.0 ports allow you to connect to devices such as digital cameras, scanners, and printers, and transfer files up to 40 times faster than with USB 1.1-standard devices (if the devices support USB 2.0). USB 2.0 is also backward-compatible and can be used with devices featuring USB 1.1.

IEEE 1394 (FireWire)

Want to create home movies on your notebook? An IEEE 1394 port allows you to quickly move digital videos from your digital camcorder to your notebook, where you can edit them and produce the perfect home movie.

Network Interface Card

Most notebooks now come with integrated network interface cards. Not only do these give you a direct network connection, but they let you connect to the latest modems, such as high-speed DSL and cable modems, without having to purchase or install a separate card.

Wireless

Since one of the main advantages of a notebook is being able to pick it up and go, wireless technology has become a key benefit of high-end notebooks. Wireless capability allows you to avoid continually connecting and disconnecting cables in order to access the Web, synchronize with your handheld, print a document, or use another peripheral by ensuring that your notebook is ready for the wireless world. For even more wireless flexibility, choose a Broadband wireless option to work wirelessly without the hassle of finding Wi-Fi hotspots.

Sony Laptops

Sony is a brand known for its quality, looks and performance. Their laptop offerings are stylish and are a hit among the crowd. Sony faces competition from able competitors like Dell, Hp, Apple, Acer, Toshiba to name a few. Sony laptops are unique for their lightweight laptops, good enduring performance, pleasant audio/video output and elegant looks. While you look out for a performance-based laptop you can avail the varied Sony Vaio laptop series.

The Sony Vaio laptops have a number of offerings. The latest Vaio SR series is a truly elegant laptop with performance to match your business needs. The Vaio FW series has added the latest Blur-ray disk capability and large bright screen which gives enhanced imaging and audio/video capability. The economical Vaio NR series is loaded with home entertainment features and great for basic usage.

The most popular and famed Vaio CR series is a bundle of style and performance. The Vaio FZ series is good for meeting your business computing needs at a reasonable cost. The ultra compact designing of the Vaio TZ series is a combination of performance packed in a sturdy yet lightweight design. The absolute multimedia offering of the Vaio NR and Vaio SZ series is sure to get you noticed everywhere.

The Vaio L series is a unique prospect in designing and unleashes true performance. These ultraportable laptops make your work easy and manageable. With these many options to choose from, the Sony laptop range is an exhaustive one, suiting all requirements. There is varied software applications bundled up with all the Sony laptops

There are specific editing and multimedia software applications given with the immensely popular Vaio CR series, which are easy to use for home editing and adding special effects to your videos. The Sony laptops have an edge over the sound quality they offer, their inbuilt speakers are better than in the most available laptops. You can buy Sony laptops online from popular and trusted online shopping websites.

You can avail lowest price Sony laptops from the deals and offers in these shopping websites. It is more convenient to shop from websites as you can surf through all the latest products and can compare and shop for the one that fits your bill perfectly. With the vast range of Sony laptops you can get that meets your requirement levels and fits your budget.

Adjustable Ergonomic Laptop Stand - Portable Laptop Accessories

Laptop stands are the new and innovative way of making laptop little less stressful. Laptop stands in particular are the perfect mobile notebook stand or laptop stand that elevate the laptop and brings to the appropriate eye-level of the user. Adjustable laptop holder stand comes with 6-gear adjustable settings to provide you with necessary angles as per your preference.This elevation in turn also helps in cooling down the laptop and increasing the airflow around your notebook laptop. People who have been adjustable laptop holder are of the view that these computer laptop stand provide the best ergonomically appropriate viewing position.

Sturdy laptop stands is what you should be vouching for. Sturdy laptop computer stand also gives your back relief from back ache due to prolonged use of the laptop. Along with the portable notebook stand, you are also provided with a 4-port USB hub for keyboard, USB mouse, etc connectivity. If you wish to improve your posture, maximize your efficiency to work for longs hours at a stretch, keep yourself away from back aches, neck strain or eye strain, the best option would be to change the way you work. Use laptop stands as they are the best mobile laptop holders you could avail of. In addition to the eye-level screen positioning, you are also benefited with the non-skid rubber feet of the laptop stand. So even if you happen to change the base from a wooden table to a plastic table, placing your mobile laptop stand will not hinder your work. And in case if you are worried about carrying your laptop stand from one place to another, all you have to do is fold it! It is as simple as that.

To be in sync with the changing technology, you need to adopt the various enhanced versions of laptop accessories like the portable laptop stand. Adjustable laptop stands are the ideal choice stands for laptop computers. Use laptop stand for elevating laptop and improving your posture. The better laptop accessories you use, the better would your posture and way of working will be. Choose suitable laptop stand that fits the weight of your laptop and is easily movable. Portable laptop stands turn out to be great for people who are always traveling.

Considering Buying Asus Eee PC 1000? Read This First!

Even if you don't know much about Asus you have probably almost certainly heard about the EEE PC, it's a very popular sub notebook computer. It was the first affordable subnotebook, or netbook computer to be launched.

The original EEE PC's had 7" screens which was far too small for most people. Recently Asus has added two new models to its line, including the EEE PC 901 and EEE PC 1000. The 901 has a larger screen and is available in both Windows XP and Linux configurations. Although the 901 is a great computer more people are excited about the EEE PC 1000. These are more expensive than the original EEE PC's, however they are still very good value. So what's the EEE PC 1000 got?

10" Screen 92% size keyboard compared to standard laptop keyboards 1.6GHz Intel Atom Processor A choice of windows XP or Linux 40GB SSD

Asus also produce an EEE PC 1000H model which is identical in spec, with the exception of the SSD being replaced with an 80GB conventional hard drive.

The 1000H is the first EEE PC to come with a conventional hard drive. This machine is designed to compete with the already popular HP Mininote computer. The only real complaint that people had with the original EEE PC was that the keyboard and screen size was a little too small. Now thanks to the 901 and 1000 there are two different options people have available.

The EEE PC 1000 is available with Windows XP preinstalled, or a Linux version. The Linux version is cheaper than the XP version; however XP will make it much easier for more people to use. Again this could be in line with competing machines.

The keyboard size is a very impressive improvement, the keyboard is only slightly smaller than a standard laptop computer keyboard it's actually 92% the size of a standard laptop computer keyboard. This makes typing much easier than with the original models; the cramped keyboard was actually one of the only complaints with the original EEE PC.

There will no doubt be plenty more EEE PC's released further down the line, what's in store for us? Well we'll have to wait to find out! A touch screen would be a fantastic addition to the EEE PC as it would make it even easier to use.

The great thing about these computers is that they are very affordable, even models with windows XP are much cheaper than many other subnotebook computers. All of the EEE PC 1000 models are run using Atom processors, which are a new processor created by Intel, this makes it very efficient to use. The EEE PC 1000 does not have any optical drives, and when using the SSD drive there are no moving parts inside the computer. This makes it the ideal PC to travel with.

Laptops - Getting Digital

Laptops are steadily gaining importance over the personal computer. The advanced laptops offer high-quality features such as flexibility, affordability, reliability and portability. In addition to all these benefits, a PC laptop can easily be carried to any place without any spacing tension. Although, it offers a higher degree of flexibility than any other computing device. With this device, the users can stay connected with his work, important mails and applications, even while commuting or on the move.

With stiff competition in the market, the laptops come to users at affordable costs. In the market there are several types of laptops such as media center, general-purpose, gaming, home use, business, cheap or ultra portable laptops. Depending upon the need and requirement, one can easily select the best for himself from a wide array of laptops.

The inexpensive or cheap laptops are suitable for people with comparatively low-budget or the people who would rather replace their laptop than suffer the repairs. These low-priced or cheap laptops are good option for students or beginners who are either new in this domain or do not want to get caught up in anything related with high-end computing.

A prospective user of the PC laptops considers several factors other than cost, before finalising a deal. Some of the important factors that are considered are processor, operating system, memory storage, hard drive, graphics card, screen display, performance, warranty and customer service center. While preparing the list of features the users must know that laptop computers are not as easily upgraded like any other desktop computers. A complete and detailed survey in the traditional and online market help to get a reasonable deal, as it ensure the "best bargains". The best selling latest laptops in India are from the top-notch companies such as Toshiba, Sony, Dell, HP, Lenova and Intel.

Toshiba is the major manufacturers of laptops. It draws on years of experience to produce cutting-edge stylish laptops with advanced technologies. From the entry level Satellite Pro desktop and the advanced portable Tecra and Qosmio series to the super slim Portégé, Toshiba has a laptop to suit everyone's needs.

Flying Getting Easier For Laptop Owners

The US government has changed its rules on carrying laptops through airport security checkpoints. Whereas passengers previously had to keep their laptops in clear display, they can now keep them packed away in approved bags. While there's no official register of which bags are suitable, most existing laptop bags will not make the grade. That's because the guiding principle now is that security agents should be able to lay the bag flat on the X-ray belt and get a clear view of the contents when they scan it.

The guidelines follow tests of 40 manufacturer prototype bags for Transport Security Authority staff, which were examined on actual security checkpoints. Those firms are expected to market the redesigned bags as 'checkpoint friendly'.

It's worth bearing in mind that the TSA doesn't police such claims, so it's always possible rogue firms could make bogus claims about their products. The TSA is advising passengers to check that any bag they intend to carry a laptop in has no metal components above or below where the laptop is stored, and that they do not carry anything else in the laptop compartment other than the computer.

As a general guideline, both the 'butterfly' and 'trifold' style of bags, which fold out flat, should be suitable. 'Accordion' and 'backpack' styles will not be suitable, meaning users will still have to take their laptop out in these cases. (Source: tsa.gov)

It's hoped the new rules will cut down the time it takes to get through security and reduce losses caused by people taking their laptops out of bags and forgetting to pick them up again. A study for Dell found this happens nearly 5,000 times a year. (Source: wired.com)

The TSA announced the changes on its 'Evolution of Security' blog, which launched earlier this year and has already led to policy changes stemming from reader comments.

PDA Protection

PDA protection includes two related areas, protection of the physical device, and protection of the data you store on your PDA.

Especially since they became integrated with cell phones, many PDAs are subject to a fair amount of physical abuse, they get dropped, scratched, bumped and banged as they accompany you on your day. Most models have a range of hard and soft cases available. If you tend to be ham-fisted the hard case is the way to go. Nothing can guarantee your data will not be lost if your PDA gets flung onto a hard floor but a good case will help keep the odds in your favour.

There isn't a lot one can do about it but remember to monitor your battery and recharge or replace the battery before it completely discharges. This is especially important if you use your device for entertainment types of activities like listening to music. Entertainment uses tend to run down your battery quickly. Some PDAs have internal backup memory to save your data if the battery fails. It is a worthwhile feature as all batteries are consumables and will eventually not hold a charge.

Those of us who prefer to live uncomplicated lives might think about staying with a paper organizer to store our contact data and appointments. The fact is that a PDA is far superior because you can have a backup on your home computer and/or to a memory card- you do take the time for backups? Ideally you will synchronize your device daily to backup data and in the process recharge your battery. The PDA goes way beyond the traditional paper approach because it can store all sorts of files (eg: photos, MP3s) and many have sophisticated Bluetooth and Wi-Fi capabilities. Unfortunately the latter can lead to unauthorized access.

As with desktop and laptop computers, PDAs need to be protected with firewalls and antivirus software. Because of their wireless functions PDAs are used in a variety of public places. If you keep sensitive data on your PDA you need to consider a combination of firewall, antivirus and encryption software. Best talk to an IT professional about this ASAP if you do not have this combination. Remember the basics of computer hygiene and use any password protection, delete cookies and clear your cache on a regular basis.

How to Increase Your PC's Performance

Sitting idle in front of your pc and waiting for the completion of a task is really frustrating.

The performance of your pc can be increased if you follow the below steps:

1. Remove those programs which you don't use

There are some programs in your computer that you have not used and are unlikely to use them in future or you may have games installed in the past that you no longer play now. These installed programs consume resources and can affect your pc's performance.

To remove those programs, just follow these steps for windows xp (similar procedure for other window versions):

a. Select start and then click on control panel.

b. Control panel window will get displayed. Click on Add or Remove Program, and then on Remove Programs.

c. Select the program you want to remove and click on remove/change.

d. Follow the wizard to remove that program.

2. Defragmentation of your disk volumes

You may have noticed that when you open any folder. It takes some time (indicated by turning of the mouse pointer into an hour glass) to list the files in that folder. Similar is the case when you open any volume (e.g. C, D, E or any other volume). You can increase the speed with which folders can be accessed by doing the defragmentation of your hard disk volumes. Defragmentation of the hard disk volumes is referred to as the process in which disk fragmenter (a program) analyzes local volumes (some refer it as drives) and arranges files and folders in such a way that each occupies a single, contiguous space on the volume. As a result, your PC can access files and folders efficiently. Defragmentation process often takes large amount of time as it has to move each file and collect file's data at the contiguous (continuous) locations.

Follow these simple steps to increase your system's performance.

a. Click on start and then point to All Programs

b. Point to Accessories and then to System Tools.

c. Click on Disk Defragmenter

d. Click the volume that you want to defragment, and then click Defragment.

e. Upon completion of defragmentation, Disk Defragmenter displays the results in the Defragmentation display.

f. Click View Report to view the Defragmentation Report, which displays detailed information about the volume you defragmented.

After defragmenting your all drives, you will find that your pc's performance is increased to some extent.

3. Disk Clean up

Increase your pc's performance by removing temporary files, recycle bin's files, old chkdsk files etc.

For disk clean up, follow these simple steps:

a. Click on start and then point to All programs.

b. Point on Accessories and then to System Tools.

c. Click on Disk Cleanup

d. A window will pop up to ask you for drive which you want to clean up.

e. Select Drive and click ok.

f. Select the files you want to remove and click ok.

g. Repeat this process for all drives.

4. Cleaning your windows registry

The most important step towards improving your system's performance is to clean your windows registry. Windows registry is the part of an operating system which contains settings for all the hardware, software, users, and preferences of the PC. It is a database which stores settings and options for the Windows operating system like login information, applications installed and their configuration. How it can be optimized? For this purpose, you need to have a good windows registry cleaner. For more information on windows registry cleaner, visit window registry cleaner website

What You Must Know Before Formatting Your Laptop

The formatting became an easy and current operation, but on a laptop it can contain certain unforeseen risks, nowadays the majority of the laptops are sold with a restoration system located in a hidden partition to facilitate the restoration of the operating system, one can also finds in the hidden partition a media player customized by the manufacturer for your machine.

The problems:

Certain manufacturer to decrease their expenses do not provide any more a DVD of restoration. They invite you at the time of the first starting to burn a restoration system DVD.

It is very important to make this or these dvd because in the event of formatting (low level format) or of breakdown of your hard disk you will not have any more access to your legally bought operating system.

There is today a very significant number of user which seeks on Internet to recover their Windows OS after having to erase their hidden partition to gain place, or to get rid of a virus, or because the installation of another operating system make the hidden partition inaccessible.

In the same way for the partitions where are installed media player, it is necessary to be sure to have the DVD of reinstallment, and often the reinstallment works only on the same type of partition as in the beginning.

For those which read this document too late, there remain possibilities to recover the hidden partitions, in certain cases, some software make it possible to recover the data of an erased disc, also in certain cases the hidden partition is not erased but just inaccessible it is necessary at this time to restore the master boot record. For more information you can visit laptop support.

Choosing a Laptop

As with buying a PC laptop or for that matter any electrical equipment, it is a case of different strokes for different folks, what might be good for Joe may not be right for bill. With laptops, you should consider a few things before you purchase. With the new school, collage, and university terms, starting you may find yourself being convinced that your offspring would do so much better in education with this new top of the line ever so expensive laptop computer. Alternatively, you may be a travailing sales person and find that you need access to the office database while out of the office and the company has given you free reign to choose your own piece of IT kit whatever the situation you should consider the options available that will meet your needs.

Laptop computers are more expensive then an equivalent desktop unit with similar specification and if they go wrong they are much more complicated to repair (and did I mention more expensive as well).

So the first consideration is do you actually need a notebook computer, a desktop unit will give so much more bang for your buck.

So if your still with me, then you have decided being mobile is the only way to go. what things should you be looking for with a new laptop. However, the actual question should be what do you need the laptop to do.

Let's start with the basics, are you going to be using it for your main computer if so we should be looking for a larger screen. When you spend a lot of time in front of a screen you want to be able to see what you're doing. If you're only going using it as a support for your main computer, I would advise a smaller compact unit as the larger laptops begin to weigh you down if you have to carry them around for any length of time.

Hard Drive

The hard drive size is another important factor bigger is better in this case go as large as you can afford with what your budget will allow.

Memory again same as above, but just think what you will be using it for, the standard amount of memory for most computers is 512 RAM, which is more then enough for most people. Exceptions to this are if you are going to be using large graphics in application like Photoshop, working with movie files, or any sort of 3D work then I would recommend going for a larger memory directly proportional to the size of the files you will be working with.

Graphics card

For office applications the basic built in graphics adapters are fine but if your doing any 3d gaming or anything even slightly graphically intense , or want to run windows vista in all is glory then a better card is needed, one with at least 256 Ram

DVD/DVD-RW

A DVD drive is now the minimum you would get in most laptops but for backing up data a DVD-RW is necessary, your data depending on what sort of business you are in can be worth a lot more then your computer, you should make sure you back up regularly.

Wireless

Wireless internet is now a common reality and having a built in wifi card can be a real help when in need of information from the office or the internet I would recommend including this option if at all possible

Operating system

Most of the world has been focused on the Windows operating system with windows XP and now Windows Vista. There is an alternative that a lot of the general public don't know about, Linux. In the past Linux has been seen as an operating system for computer nerds and geeks and too complicated for Joe public, but with Linux distributions like the excellent Ubuntu this is changing. The benefits of Linux are legion, the best being its free with lots of software available also free.

Tutorial For Making your First WAP Mobile Site

Introduction

What is WAP?

WAP stands for Wireless Application Protocol. Like the name suggested, This technology is used to access and control mobile application. WAP is inherited from Internet standards. This protocol helps to access the web by the micro browsers installed on the mobile phones. That changes the web world and now the web is also sharing with millions of WAP sites. WAP uses the mark-up language WML (not HTML) to show (or paint like HTML does) the contents of a page on mobile browsers. WML is defined as an XML 1.0 application.

What is WML?

WML (Wireless Markup Language) is the new web language for making sites on mobile phones. WML is used to create pages that can be displayed in a WAP browser. WML is a content format for devices that implement the WAP specification, and preceded the use of other markup languages now used with WAP, such as XHTML and even standard HTML. Pages in WML are called DECKS. Decks are constructed as a set of CARDS.

Why Should I Use WML?

It is not necessary to use WML for making WAP sites. But WML is much similar to HTML. That helps you to study and understand the format of WML easy. So WML is a better option to make mobile site pages. WML pages have the extension *.wml, just like HTML pages have the extension *.html.

How do WAP Sites Differ from Normal Sites?

WAP sites are not like standard web sites at all. Sites written in WML are monochrome, very limited and there is very little screen space. Because of this you must be very careful when you are designing a WAP site as it is nothing like a web site. Only use small pages for wap sites. This is because mobile phones hold little memory to display pages.

Buying A Dell Inspiron 1520 Notebook? Read This First

The Dell Inspiron 1520 is one of the most popular Notebooks at the moment. When you shop online at Dell there are a few things you need to keep in mind. The first thing to note is that the "Deals of the Week" change in offer and it sometimes is better to wait the next week. Some weeks it maybe an extra 1Gb of RAM free or an upgraded hard disk other times it could be $100 off or a free Bluetooth mouse or Targus bag. Depending on the special it maybe better to hold off for a better deal. For instance a $100 off on a separate monitor may not be as useful as more RAM on the Notebook, unfortunately it's a bit of a gamble as you don't know what is coming up. Dell do provide the date of when the deal ends so you may have to act by this date.

Don't buy RAM or Hard Disks from Dell... unless they are on special. They're more expensive than buying outside. For the same price for the upgrade of the hard disk you keep the hard disk on the standard Inspiron build and bought a new third party 160Gb 7200RPM hard disk and still have some spare change. Btw Vista eats RAM like no tomorrow so it's worth getting at least 2Gb's especially if you are gonna have Aero turned on.

Sometimes they offer the a Creative SoundBlaster Audigy. This is NOT hardware and just an application CD that gives the chipset extra features. Really useful stuff like Bathroom Reverb or something. The chipset still appears as a SIGMATEL STAC 92XX C-Major HD Audio and NOT a SoundBlaster Audigy.

Oh another thing. The DELLay. It's all over the Interweb. There have been massive delays in the ordering process of the colored Inspirons. They appear to be coming through now but a few times the order specifically mentions 6-8 week delay for certain colors. Unless you order White or Black (sometimes without the webcam) then you may have to wait. Apparently this is because the spraying process is similar to that of a car and is a very slow procedure. The white ones which seem more available than say blue or green actually has more coats of paint because it's a gloss sheen. Sadly no other color has this gloss coating. Also the colour only applies to the lid of the Notebook, everything else including the keyboard is silver and the underside is black. These delays obviously don't deter Dell in still advertising the Inspiron creating more customer backlogs.

Choosing the Intel Centrino Core 2 Duo processor? If you can afford it go for the Intel Core 2 Duo T7300 2.0Ghz and above. Obviously they are a faster clock speed with a 800mhz Front Side Bus (FSB) as opposed to the 667mhz of the T5450 1.66 Ghz. They also have 4mb of cache instead of 2mb which makes a difference.

The 15.4" WXGA+ 1440x900 Widescreen with Truelife is worth going for. The resolution is crisp and not too small. The 1680x1050 option maybe overkill as the monitor is too small for that resolution (a lot of 20.1" monitors are that res). Also LCD's look the best at its native resolution so playing games and having to turn the res down ain't gonna look pretty. The LCD is the glossy type which seems to be easier to wipe off fingerprints than the matt ones but are more prone to reflection. Think carefully before buying a 17" version. They are heavy and sometimes you can get and 15.4" and a separate Dell 17" monitor for about the same price.

The Dell Inspiron 1520 as a Gaming Notebook.

We'll it's actually quite good (for a Notebook). The Nvidia 8600m GT works well enough it has 256mb GDDR2. You cannot use shared RAM to increase the graphics RAM either. There are some online debates saying some do come with GDDR3 but to be certain the Asus G1 and G2 do have GDDR3 but are much more expensive. If you've got money to burn there's also the Toshiba X205 with the 8700M GT. Strangely the so called Dell Gaming Notebook the XPS series don't currently have the Geforce 8 series and go up only to the Geforce Go 7950 GTX which is really baffling. There is less wait time on a XPS though. The 7950 GTX is actually more powerful than the 8600 GT but only has the DX9 code path compared to the 8 series DX10. As mentioned before the 8600M GT would struggle with more recent games at the 1680x1050 resolution and DX10 games would choke. The Inspiron gets reasonably warm when playing games hard you can feel a warm air pushed out through the side vent. Good in winter as a fan heater.

Replacing Vista with XP

This is a real world of hurt. Until Vista SP1 arrives I want to get every bit of performance out of the Inspiron and Vista just doesn't cut the mustard. At the time I bought mine they weren't offering XP but now they recently have started. It was either Vista Home Basic or Home Premium. The Forceware Nvidia drivers for the 8 series off the Nvidia website DO NOT work. There is only now an 8 series drivers for XP on the Dell website previous to this there was a nice hacked version here: http://www.tweakforce.com

The Creative/SigmaTel audio driver is worse. Real hard to find and SigmaTel don't support the public so it's up to Dell. So after trying a few that were supposed to work I finally found one on the Dell website http://support.us.dell.com/support/downloads/download.aspx?c=us&l=en&s=gen&releaseid=R153908&formatcnt=1&libid=0&fileid=205136 from the Dell Community site. This ain't listed under XP drivers on the Dell Inspiron driver downloads.

When booting an XP CD up it immediately crashed with a PCI.SYS error. I then had to Slipstream a XP build with SP2. After that I had to add Dell SATA drivers to the image. Then download pretty much all the other drivers from the Dell site. Maybe they have rectified that now with the inclusion of XP.

The Good

A really cheap laptop for the components you get and one of the best gaming laptops available.

The build quality is pretty good.

Nice looking.

You get what you ordered online pretty much delivered with Dell. For me nothing was missing or the wrong hardware.

The tracking of delivery is reasonably accurate and I manage to get it a day before the expected arrival date.

The Dell Service Tag is a good feature and allows you to enter your Notebooks Service Tag into their website which will bring up the details of your hardware.

There is a fair bit of documentation, driver CD's and DVD's.

You get the actual DVD for the OS.

The BIOS isn't too bad (for Dell) there are a fair bit of options. But you can't seem to tweak the CPU or RAM in anyway. So no OCing.

The WiFi seems pretty good, it's got three aerials built in. There's also a slider that turns off WiFi if not needed. You also get Bluetooth.

There are some speaker and play buttons on the front panel that are pretty convenient. The Notebook sound itself is quite good.

The keyboard is pretty good though a little cramped considering the size of the laptop. Not too spongey and they look like they are clipped on pretty well compared to some of the Lenovo ThinkPads which have fiddlely little clips if the keys accidentally fall off.

The Targus bag for cheap.

The Bad

The DELLay on certain colors.

The delivery wait when ordering online on a normal day.

The initial build on the Inspiron 1520 which was Vista Home Basic is full of bloatware. Like the Google Desktop search and Norton's Anti-Virus with a limited subscription.

Dell's XP driver support is all over the place. Maybe they've fixed this now by selling it with XP, dunno.

Your 120Gb or 160Gb hard disk is divided into three partitions at the factory. A hidden recovery one and a C: and D:. The D: has some drivers and a recovery for Windows to reinstall to factory defaults. Yuck.

If you want a Track Point you will need to go to the Lattitude series (under the Business option) or shell out some serious money for a ThinkPad. With the Inspirons your stuck with a Thermal Pad. I personally don't like em but some do.

The Dell Inspiron is pretty heavy and coupled with the large-ish power supply it's borderline for lugging around in a backpack all day as a student.

The Ugly

The black one looks too plain. When you buy an Inspiron you gotta get a colored one (if you can endure the wait)!

5 Reasons for Using Email and Mobile Technology in a Population Survey

Statistics South Africa is planning to use the Internet and email as one of the survey tools in South Africa's next population census in 2011. As a prelude to this, the state institution is using e-mail to communicate with farmers in the upcoming Commercial Agriculture Census.

Here are some of the reasons the government institution gave for the move:

1. Convenience for respondents

The questionnaire can easily be forwarded to the person designated to complete it. Electronic copies are also hard to lose.

2. Reach remote farm areas

An email questionnaire allows the field worker to reach hard-to-reach, remote areas which were previously inaccessible. This is especially important in instances where field workers were unable to reach potential respondents because of distances, or a guard dog.

3. Respond at own time

In general, working people don't want to arrive at home after work and have to face a field worker with long list of questions. An email survey gives respondents the opportunity to take part in a census without having to entertain a field worker in their homes.

4. Citizens like the idea

Earlier this year Stats SA ran a poll to determine the possibility of adding of an online channel to the 2011 census. This was done through an online questionnaire and through workshops.

The response to the idea of an online option was positive, with 97% of the 1 194 respondents saying they are willing to complete the census questionnaire online. Of the 425 national workshops participants, 90% said they would use the online option.

Only 6.7% of respondents to Stats SA's research efforts said they did not have Internet access. Some 28.8% said they had access at home, 53.8% at work, 5.9% at a school or college, 2.8% at an Internet café and 2.2% said they had access to the Internet elsewhere

5. Improved quality of data

Stats SA says it is looking at how Australia, New Zealand and Canada conducted the online portions of their censuses. The idea is to learn from the challenges they faced, the results they received and lessons learnt.

Australia's 2006 census saw 9% of households use its online option and produce higher data quality. However, Stats SA says it is mindful that the improved quality of data may have been due to the socio-economic status of these respondents.

The online option also added to the cost of the Australia's 2006 census, as that country chose to distribute the paper questionnaire to all households, says Stats SA.

Canada targeted an Internet response rate of 20%. Although 22% of the initial response to the census was via the Internet, only 18% of respondents actually used the online channel to deliver their forms. Like Australia, the quality of its Internet-delivered content was higher than its paper response.

Laptops - GB and Battery Problem

Here are some of the information that purchasers and the users of the laptops must know.

Users of the cheap laptops carries lots of problem. Here are some of the queries that they face with their laptops.

Most of the users ask "I bought a 20.0 GB drive, but my computer only shows 18.60 GB. Where is the missing space I paid for? The answer to this question is : The operating system reports the capacity of the hard drive using the assumption that 1MB is equal to 1,048,576 bytes. This is technically correct. The hardware manufacturers compute the size a bit differently. They consider 1MB to be equal to 1,000,000 bytes. You can see how this can cause confusion! If the drive is advertised as 20.0GB (20,000,000,000 bytes), the operating system will see it as approximately 19.07GB (20,000,000,000 / 1,048,576 / 1000=19.07). The full 20,000,000,000 bytes are really there.

The second question comes in the battery part of the laptop. Here it is: How can I maximize the performance of my battery? The answer to this questions is: There are several steps you can take to help you get maximum performance from your battery:

(1) Prevent the Memory Effect - Keep the battery healthy by fully charging and then fully discharging it at least once every three weeks. Exceptions to the rule are lithium ion batteries which do not suffer from the memory effect.

(2) Keep the Batteries Clean - It's a good idea to clean dirty battery contacts with a cotton swab and alcohol. This helps maintain a good connection between the battery and the portable device.

(3) Exercise the Battery - Do not leave the battery dormant for long periods of time. We recommend using the battery at least once every three weeks. If a battery has not been used for a long period of time, perform the new battery break in procedure described above.

(4) Battery Storage - If you don't plan on using the battery for a month or more, store it in a clean, dry, cool place away from heat and metal objects. NiCad, NiMH and Li-Ion batteries will self-discharge during storage; remember to recharge the batteries before use. Courtesy to techlaptops.com.