Monthly Archives: July 2022

Used Laptops and Accessories

Used Laptops and Accessories

Today’s technology is moving at lightning speed and it’s an expensive prospect to keep up and keep all of your own personal technology up to par. For instance, you may love taking digital photos with your camera, but do you have a computer or laptop that is compatible? Do you have a digital camcorder and you want to play around with digital video editing or that you’d like to hook up to your TV at home? Maybe you love your webcam, but your computer doesn’t have sufficient memory to keep up?
If you plan to buy, or have bought an inexpensive refurbished laptop, what do you need to power all of these nifty features? Once you have everything ready, how do you actually use everything together?
Here is a quick guide to using various components and accessories with your refurbished or used laptop computer!
Using Your Camcorder with Your Used Laptop
You can if you have an S-Video connector. S-Video-In allows you to connect laptops to a television or camcorder or VCR to transmit their signal and be able to view them on the laptop’s display. S-Video inputs use a four-pin jack to receive video signals from camcorders, gaming consoles, TV, or any device that has an S-Video out port. The S in S-Video stands for separate: S-Video connections transmit the chrominance (color) and luminance (brightness) portions of a video signal along different paths, allowing them to be processed separately. This is a common way to display content from a digital camcorder or any device that has an S-Video Out port.
S-Video Out: Connects a plasma or newer TV to your notebook to display video content streaming from the notebook. The most common way to connect a TV to a notebook, S-Video Out uses a four-pin jack to send signals from your notebook to your TV or anything that accepts S-Video In.
This feature is not standard to all laptops, so you need to check the feature list to make sure it is included if this is something you whish to do.
Using Your Used Laptop and a Web Cam
If you want to use your laptop and a webcam to talk to relatives or friends across the country it is best to have the same camera on both sides of the connection to be able use all the features of the cameras.
You can talk by using cell phones or telephones or can use instant messaging or even send e-mails back and forth. Using the webcam will allow you to see each other to add another dimension to the phone call.
You will need the following:
· A computer.
· An Internet connection (the faster the better).
· A connection from the laptop to the webcam (most common is the USB, others include Serial, Parallel, etc).
· Two cameras.
· Software (from the webcam vendor or from others, like Microsoft).
If you already own the webcam then check the systems requirements to determine what you need in the way of a laptop, should you not already own one. If you aren’t sure about which webcam to purchase then check out the reviews at ZDNet to get a better idea. Logitech (a market leader) has a low priced webcam the QuickCam® Communicate™ for .95 (on their website). It requires Win 98 or later OS, P3-700 MHz with 64MB RAM if you use their VideoCall software for broadband. It costs less than per month if you sign up for their one year plan.
Free software you can use for video chatting with friends includes: Microsoft’s NetMeeting. It includes video in multiple directions, chat, and audio. The systems requirements of NetMeeting are minimal as it will work with a Pentium 90 and Win 95 or later and a 56K modem. EyeballChat is another option. It lets you chat live, share messages, music and photos and communicate securely. Its systems requirements are a Pentium II 400 MHz with at least 64 MB RAM. Another option is a web based conferencing tool for per month like MegaMeeting Personal
So now you know how to use a refurbished laptop and how to buy a refurbished laptop that can help you use exciting accessories like your WebCam or your camcorder! The possibilities are endless and so are the savings!
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How to buy the perfect PC

How to buy the perfect PC

PCs have become a staple in every home. Without PCs, you will find it hard to stay connected and to even do the work required of you in school or in the office. With so much PC packages being shoved to our throat every time we go to department stores and computer shops, you’ll really get quite confused on what you really need and what PC package will fit your budget and lifestyle. To help you through this dilemma, here is a brief backgrounder of the parts of PCs that you should get to know.

Processor.

This is one of the three primary components of your PC. The processor is the part that determines how fast your computer process information. Intel is still the leading brand in processors but competitors such as American Micro Devices (AMD) are slowly catching up, offering cheaper alternative. In shopping for a processor, one should consider the following:

Clock speed – this will show the number of instructions that a computer can execute in a second. This usually comes after the brand name. Processors nowadays are already set at the gigahertz range.

Cache memory – this stores the data that were previously accessed. This simplifies the work of the computer as it would not take twice as long to access information already stored in memory bank. Without a cache memory, much of the work will fall on the RAM (Random Access Memory).

Operating temperature – some processors easily heats up. Before buying, make sure that you have asked about the operating temperature just in case you need to buy additional fans or put the computer in an air-conditioned room.

RAM (Random Access Memory).

RAM serves as the temporary memory of the PC, containing information that are needed for the computer and the programs to function. In addition to processors, RAM also determines the speed of the computer. The higher the RAM, the faster the computer is in accessing information and responding to commands.

Motherboard

This is where all the parts of the PC’s CPU (Central Processing Unit) are attached. Some motherboards already have videocards and soundcards embedded on it while others don’t. what is important however is to choose a motherboard that is compatible with your RAM and processor. Incompatibility of PC hardware can cause major problems and may even lead to the breakdown of your computer.

Hard drive.

This is the part where you store all the information in your PC. Picture a floppy disk with much much larger storing capacity. The hard drive serves as the permanent memory of your computer. Here you install all your programs and save all the documents that you need. It is also important that you buy a hard drive with really big capacity especially now when people are so used to storing multimedia files that may use up a lot of hard drive space.

Video cards

This is the part of the computer which determines the quality of the multimedia images that you will view. The higher the memory of the video card, the better is the picture quality and the colors. Also, video cards are also responsible for how fast multimedia images are accessed. This is especially needed if you use your computer for multimedia activities such as watching a movie or playing video games.

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PlayStation 3 Gaming Console: Taking a Peek inside the Ultimate Entertainment Powerhouse

PlayStation 3 Gaming Console: Taking a Peek inside the Ultimate Entertainment Powerhouse

A lot of people know about the upcoming release of PlayStation 3 in the United States, Japan, and Canada on November 2006 and Europe and Australasia on March 2007. However, what most people don’t know is what’s lurking inside that sleek-looking shell.

PlayStation 3 gaming console is considered to be the ultimate entertainment powerhouse where it can offer the ultimate gaming experience that you will never find in other gaming consoles available in the market today. However, you may ask why the PlayStation 3 is able to deliver quality gaming while other gaming consoles do not.

The only way to answer this question is to find out what makes the PlayStation 3 tick. Inside that sleek and attractive-looking outer shell, you will find that the PlayStation 3 houses one of the best and latest technologies in gaming consoles. You will find that PlayStation 3 is more than just an attractive looking game console.

PlayStation 3 is set for release on November 2006 and is very much anticipated by gamers worldwide. It has different capabilities that will not be found on other gaming consoles available in the market today.

Here are some of the things you should expect from this particular gaming console and why this gaming console is touted as the next big thing in the entertainment industry.

First of all, PlayStation 3 gaming console is integrated with a very powerful central processing unit that can run at a speed of 3.2 GHz, faster than some computers.. Adding to the processing speed is another 512MB of RAM. With just these two features, you can expect high quality gaming experience.

Adding on to the very powerful processing speed and a very high RAM is a powerful GeForce graphics chip from NVIDIA. NVIDIA GeForce is known to be a very powerful graphics processor where it is capable of creating fine details and adds realism to the game. By integrating the state-of-the-art graphics technology from NVIDIA and SCEI, you can expect high quality graphics combined with a powerful central processing unit.

Not only that, PlayStation 3 is also equipped with an upgradeable hard drive. With a hard drive, you can use this to save your games and also store your music or movies. In the basic configuration, you will be provided with a 20GB hard drive. However, with the premium configuration, your PlayStation 3 will be equipped with a 60GB hard drive. With this memory space, you can effectively save your games without worrying about running out of disk space.

Sony PlayStation 3 has also integrated the latest technology in disc media. The Blu-ray disc drive is one of the most advanced disc media technology available today. With the Blu-ray disc capability of storing 5 times more data than your regular DVD, game developers will be able to provide you with higher quality games.

Blu-ray disc drive is able to support DVDs, CDs, and SACDs. Because of this, you will be able to play your DVD movies and audio CDs in your PlayStation 3 gaming console.

PlayStation 3 gaming console will also have the backwards compatibility feature that will enable you to play your old PlayStation and PlayStation 2 games. This means that your investment with these games will not be wasted as you can still play with them with the PlayStation 3.

There are a lot more features that you can take advantage of in PlayStation 3, such as online capabilities with a built-in Wi-Fi technology.

As you can see, the specifications itself can explain why PlayStation 3 is highly anticipated by a lot of people in the world today. So, if you want to have your own PlayStation 3, you better preorder now.
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A Smart And Safer Way To Carry Your Laptop In Tow

A Smart And Safer Way To Carry Your Laptop In Tow

Laptops are a great investment. They provide an easier way to work and to have fun. Keeping that laptop in tiptop shape should be of importance to you as well. Here’s what you should look for in choosing a great laptop bag or case.

Laptops were made for convenience. With the advent of this technology, people have been able to work anytime and anywhere they feel like it, thanks to the invention of laptops.

Laptops can come in different designs and sizes. Some laptops are small and light fit for those working on the go. While other laptops are more conventional, slightly larger, and heavier, which work perfectly well for those who want to file and save as much work as possible and still be able to enjoy other activities like gaming in the same device.

People used to settle for the ordinary laptop bags this gadget typically comes along with. Others have even made use of their ordinary backpacks and ordinary totes to carry their laptops along with their other belongings. This is the time to stop this habit.

Carrying your laptop in inappropriate containers can be damaging to your laptop, not to mention the clutter it makes of your bag. In order to get the most out of your laptop in terms of function and warranty, you should start choosing the appropriate laptop bag that meets your varied needs.

There are various factors one should look for in a great laptop bag. This laptop bag should be able to keep you laptop safe, this is the first and most crucial factor. If your bag does not have the capability of protecting your laptop, it’s as if you just throw away the money you invested. Keep your laptop for as long as you want by keeping it safe and protected! A great laptop bag should always have a secure strap to keep that laptop in place. A second factor that a great laptop bag should have is enough storage space. By storage space, it means space for all your other belongings aside from your laptop, of course.

An ordinary bag won’t do much of a good work in achieving this, although your everyday bag may contain enough storage space, it does not have the different compartments specific to different gadgets that can only be found in laptop bags and cases. Who said you could only carry your laptop in your laptop bag? Laptop bags and cases are specially designed to properly store all your other gadgets as well as your personal belongings in the proper places without compromising the safety of its main component – the laptop.

A third factor that is specific to laptop bags and cases is the durability of the material used. Your laptop contains most, if not all, the important files you have ever accumulated in your life, be it personally or professionally. It is only understandable that you should keep this in a bag that is durable and can withstand whatever terrain, whatever weather.

An example of this type of durable material is a new style of laptop bag that is waterproof, perfect for those rainy moments that you come unprepared for. The durability of the material used for laptop bags should also encompass its capability to properly separate one gadget from another. There is no use in storing your different stuff in one laptop bag if the material cannot prevent factors such as friction that could ruin not only the laptop but all the other gadgets you might be carrying. A laptop bag that has thick interior padding could help you achieve this.

The material of the laptop bag or case should be as lightweight as possible. You have enough burden of carrying all your stuff, a good laptop bag should not add to the weight you might be carrying. If your laptop bag has shoulder straps, these should be adjustable and afford a hefty amount of padding to protect your shoulders from the weight you are carrying. Finally, the greatest laptop bags and cases in the market are both stylish and functional! Not only is it good to look at but good to make use of, too!

Since there are different laptop bags and cases to choose from, you should be able to know what available designs there are and which of them are suitable to your personality and work. The most common style is the brief bag laptop bag. This type of bag offer a semi-formal means of carrying your laptop if you do not want to look too casual or too professional. Another style is the top loading laptop bag. This bag gives you an easier access to your laptop and to all your other gears inside, especially useful if you constantly have to go through security on your way to work and back home.

The casual types of laptop bag are the backpack laptop bag and the messenger style laptop bag. This is absolutely an inconspicuous way of carrying your laptop. If you don’t want others to know those highly important gadgets you might be carrying inside, then these types of bag are the way to go. Rolling laptop bags are a great option especially if you are constantly on the go and you keep on being jostled around in a crowd along with your gadgets in tow. The rolling laptop bag keeps your gear safe and protected inside despite the circumstances going on outside.

For more gender specific types of laptop bags you can choose from ladies laptop bags or men’s laptop bags. If you are a woman and don’t want your femininity being compromised by all those extra baggage, a ladies laptop bag is perfect for you. If you are a man, on the other hand, and want to maintain your masculinity and professionalism, then men’s laptop bags are appropriate for you. Laptop bags also come in different sizes. It is important to know that you should never fit your laptop in a bag too small. This does not provide the proper ventilation for your laptop or you just can’t fit the laptop in it in the first place.

It’s not just fun to choose a laptop, choosing the right bag is just as enjoyable and should be invested in, too.

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The Best And Simplest Computer Virus Protection

The Best And Simplest Computer Virus Protection

Many computer users live in fear of computer viruses. It is true that computer viruses can do a lot of damage that most likely could have been easily prevented – that is if they had a working up to date virus program.

First of all be reassured. Even if your computer is “wiped clean” or “wiped out” you may not be in the doghouse so to speak. If you use the computer mainly for browsing on the internet, then it is only a matter of a reinstall of windows to get you on the web again. Your computer is only a device to access the internet. It is as if you get a new phone to plug into the wall or a new TV to watch the channels that were there that were and are still there.

Your email most likely is safe as well. If you use a web based mail program like hotmail or yahoo to access your email – then your email is most likely still sitting on that company’s server in California, Bombay India or somewhere else in the world. If Microsoft goes bust, your lost email will be the least of your problems in today’s world. If you use a mail reader client like Microsoft Outlook or Outlook Express, then at the worst your new email is sitting safely at that computer mail server computer.

Next it can be can be said that we have gotten off easy with computer viruses. Well at least up the present. Computer viruses can be written by its developer to do anything the developer wishes. For the most part computer viruses have been relatively innocuous. The majority of the computer viruses that you will encounter, at present, in your career as computer user, are of the “Trojan” variety and are not that mean or destructive to your computer. . Trojan antivirus are computer viruses that patiently sit in wait for a signal from a control computer, somewhere in the world, to be part of a large scale computer attack on some remote computer to overwhelm that service and disrupt its function on the internet.. You may have heard such tales in regards to C.N.N. or Amazon having their internet service being knocked out of service maliciously. Believe it or not it is estimated that up to 50 – 60 % of most computers have these Trojan viruses sitting quietly and patiently in their computers and do not know and most likely will never know that they are infected.

The first rules of computer security is that if the computer is used at for storing delicate, sensitive or important data – then that computer should not be attached to the internet or have an internet connection. It’s as simple as that. If you don’t talk then you can never be accused of blabbing.

As an example there was a firm that was allowed access to very confidential government data as part of its business plan. . It was made very clear, by the government agency involved as a sponsor, that this data was most confidential. I f this information was somehow leaked or placed on the internet then dire consequences would occur. What could be a simpler message? And yet in this case, all for the convenience of the owner of the firm, the computer was directly attached to a fax computer. Even of that computer was only connected to the fax max machine computer for a split second that is all it would take for the wrong information to “get out”. Politicians follow the rule of deniability. Why shouldn’t you. ? Make your life trouble free. If the computer is nowhere near the internet in any way shape or form you can never be blamed. Simple as that.

The most important factor in computer antivirus protection is not so much the product used or installed – and there is no shortage of very reasonable computer antivirus products. The most important factor for computer antivirus security protection is that updates for the antivirus be done on a regular basis.

When you purchase a new antivirus product or complete a renewal product that is in essence what you are doing. It as if you are buoying a magazine subscription for the year.

By purchasing the subscription you are now entitled to antivirus updates for the coming year. New computer viruses are coming out “all the time”. It does you little good to be protected from last years plague. You need to be protected from the current viruses that are causing the havoc now.

Make sure that you either have a copy of an antivirus installed that has current virus definitions or if you purchased a commercial product that you have a valid subscription that allows you access to the current up to date virus lists. Next be sure that you run regular full comprehensive antivirus scans to detect and quarantine new and perhaps dangerous computer viruses. More featured commercial antivirus programs may do this automatically.

In the end most of life comes down to preparation and attention to detail. A major role of fire departments is not only to fight fires but fire prevention. Your computer antivirus protections scheme and program should be likewise

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