July 22nd, 2008
The following applications make excellent alternatives to commercial software and/or default software that may have been pre-installed on your PC:
Video: VLC
Play DVDs and almost all video file formats without the need for installing video codecs. VLC will take care of most of your video viewing needs with minimal setup required.
Instant Messaging: Pidgin
Easily use all of your Instant Messaging accounts at once with Pidgin.
Web Browser: Firefox
There are a million reasons why you should be using Firefox to browse the web. Here are a few of them.
Anti-Virus: AVG Free
Basic Anti-Virus protection for your PC.
Archive/Compression: 7zip
Use 7zip to open compressed files (.rar, .zip, etc.) or to turn multiple files into an archive file (ie: for easy e-mailing).
Audio Player: foobar2000
An advanced/high-quality audio player that can be customized as much or as little as you want.
Image Viewer: IrfanView
View basically every type of image file in existence with relative ease. Extensive options make the program highly-configurable.
Office & Word Processing: Google Docs (or Open Office)
Instead of buying and installing software for word processing, spreadsheets and/or slide show presentations, you can just use the web-based Google Docs. Because Google Docs is web-based, you don’t have to worry about losing the files that you’ve created – they’re automatically backed-up for you!
If you’d prefer not to use a web-based application you can check out Open Office instead.
Tags: Applications, Freeware, Open Source, Programs, Software
Posted in Software Advice | No Comments »
July 11th, 2008
Sometimes it is necessary to know some information about your computer. For example, if you want to see if your computer meets the requirements of a game or an application. It is also important when deciding whether it is time for an upgrade in memory or processor. Other times you will need to provide pertinent information about your PC to help a technician troubleshoot a problem. I will provide you with multiple places to gather important information about your computer.
One such way is to locate your “My Computer” icon. It will be located on your start menu and/or desktop. Right-click on My Computer, and select properties.
The system properties (pictured below) will appear, and it shows you the operating system, version, and service pack installed. It also shows you what processor you have and how much RAM is installed in your computer. Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: Computer, device manager, directx, disk management, dxdiag, Hard Drive, microsoft, my computer, system information, systeminfo, windows
Posted in How to Guides | 2 Comments »
June 25th, 2008
Intel® Core™ 2 Duo E4500 (2.20GHz, 2MB L2 Cache, 800MHz FSB)
1GB DDR2-800 SDRAM Memory
250GB SATA, 7,200 RPM 1.5Gb/s Hard Drive
NVIDIA GeForce 8600 GT
Many people looking at the information above would probably have trouble understanding what it all means. Buying a computer can be a daunting task. Especially if you are not sure what it is that you are buying. Plenty of people go online or to a store and purchase a PC and trust a salesperson or choose a computer without knowing what each component means. You wouldn’t trust a dealership or a salesperson to pick out your car for you. You wouldn’t buy a car without knowing simple facts like the horsepower, transmission, interior, miles per gallon, etc. A general knowledge of the components of a PC is essential when investing hundreds or thousands of dollars into a new PC.
I will help decode the computer specifications listed above, and give details about the major components of a PC. First I will describe the function of the component, then I will explain the speed/capacity ratings for each component, and finally I will clarify what the component means for you.
Processor – The processor, or CPU (Central Processing Unit), is the brain of the computer. All operating systems and applications depend on the CPU to process data for them. This means that a more powerful CPU can allow a computer to run faster. Here is a list of processor you may see:
Intel® Core™ 2 Quad Q6600 (2.4GHz, 8MB L2 Cache, 1066 MHz FSB)
Intel® Core™ 2 Duo E4500 (2.20GHz, 2MB L2 Cache, 800MHz FSB)
Intel® Core™ 2 Duo T7250 (2.00GHz, 2MB L2 Cache, 800MHz FSB)
AMD Athlon™ 64 X2 6000+ (3.00 GHz, 2MB L2 Cache, 800 MHz FSB)
Let’s dissect these descriptions of processors. Intel and AMD are the two main competing manufacturers of processors. Core™ 2 Duo and X2 both mean that there are two cores, whereas Core™ 2 Quad means that there are four cores. The Intel processors currently use the letter Q for desktop quad core, E for desktop dual core, and T for laptop dual core. 6600, 4500, 7250, and 6000+ are processor numbers given by the manufacturer, and are not necessarily indicative of the actual speed. Finally in parenthesis are the clock speed, amount of cache, and front side bus speed. Confused yet? Even a seasoned computer technician can find this all overwhelming and confusing. Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: AMD, ATI, Benchmark, Computer Specifications, CPU, GeForce, Hard Drive, Intel, Memory, NVIDIA, Processor, Radeon, SATA, Vista
Posted in Hardware Buying Advice | 1 Comment »
June 23rd, 2008
A Brief Overview of Firefox & Some Tips for Getting Started
Your choice of web browsing software will affect your computing experience in many ways. Using a less than ideal web browser could cause any number of problems for you and your computer. It’s essential that you start out on the right foot by using a quality web browser. This choice is likely to make your web browsing safer, faster and more convenient.
Firefox is the second most-used web browsing application on the planet, and it continues to gain popularity faster than any of its competitors. This is due to a number of factors including its speed, ease-of-use, compatibility, and numerous innovative features. The most compelling reason to use Firefox (especially for Windows users) is its security[1 ] and its thorough customization options.
It’s easy to try out Firefox for yourself. First, visit http://www.mozilla.com/firefox/ and follow the steps listed there to get the program installed and running (click the Free Download link to get started). Firefox can run side-by-side with any other browsing software you already have on your PC. Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: AOL, Firefox, Google, Internet Explorer, Mozilla, Software, Web Browser
Posted in Firefox Tips & Tricks | No Comments »
June 19th, 2008
A difficult question that generally arises when buying a new computer is should I buy a laptop or a desktop? This depends most importantly on what your needs are for a computer. This article will try and help make that decision easier.
Portability
Laptop: A laptop offers plenty of portability, since they generally weigh less than ten pounds and are about the size of a large notebook. A laptop can be taken outside into the yard, the TV room, work, vacation, etc. If portability is needed then a laptop is the only way to go.
Desktop: A desktop on the other hand offers almost no portability, because it takes minutes to disconnect and reconnect all the cables. Desktops are also heavy, and usually have a separate monitor, keyboard and mouse. If you do not plan on moving your computer very often or do not have a need to take the PC with you, then a desktop is generally a better option.
Performance
Laptop: Laptops generally do not offer as much performance as their desktop counterparts. Portability is the reason that laptop performance suffers. Laptops have to be compact and energy efficient. For general use, such as browsing the internet, checking email, watching DVDs, listening to music, and using Microsoft Office, a laptop will work just fine. For 3D Gaming, demanding applications, and video editing a high-end laptop or a desktop is going to be needed. High-end laptops such the Dell Dimension XPS and Alienware laptops are challenging the desktop’s dominance in performance, but for a price.
Desktop: Desktops do not need to be portable, which means that energy efficiency and compactness are not the primary concerns. Components can be large power hogs, and there can be multiple high power cooling fans throughout the computer. Desktops can provide the power needed for 3D Gaming, high-end graphics, and computations. If you need a truly high-performance machine or a high-performance for less money than a comparable laptop, then a desktop is your best bet. Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: Advice, Buy, Computer, Desktop, Hardware, Laptop
Posted in Hardware Buying Advice | 2 Comments »