Category Archives: Computer Parts

Guide to Buying Discount Computer Supplies

Guide to Buying Discount Computer Supplies

When it comes time to upgrade your computer or find parts that need to be replaced, shopping online is a practical way to shop. It has also become a more convenient way to shop than visiting several computer supply stores in your local area or in the nearest big city.

The good news is you don’t have to leave your home to find products and services that you need. In your leisure time, you can stay in your home and find bargains on your computer. Free time at work is also an opportune time to browse and surf to find the computer supplies you need.

Shopping for Discount Supplies

There are a variety of websites now that offer an extensive choice of products. Instead of driving to several different stores to compare products and prices you can now do it with the touch of the mouse. Whether you are shopping for one product or need several, home shopping will bring to light the best bargains available. As competition increases, there are many sites that offer discount prices – and you win!

Start Shopping

It is simple to find computer products or brands that you are seeking. At the search engine of your choice, type in the key words for your computer merchandise using the type or name brand of the computer or part you need. Then, you just choose the website you want to inspect and take your time reviewing the products they offer.

While you are looking for discount computer supplies and accessories, you can also shop for additional products. Many sites are like a department store and have a variety of discount products for you to choose from. An online mall is a great place to shop for assorted merchandise. You will be able to find any computer supplies that you may need including hard drives, CPUs, modems, scanners, monitors and many other necessities.

Shop for Other Discounts

While you are on these sites, you can also shop for other wares. The selection is unlimited! At the same time you’re shopping for discount computer supplies, you can also find discounts on sporting goods, tools, pet supplies, electronics, candles and auto parts. While you are looking for your supplies, you can often find great gifts and things that your family would like.

It is often more economical to order multiple products from one site. This way you have combined postage instead of paying individual rates. It is best to check shipping costs on each site to find the best possible rate. Remember to include the shipping costs in your overall expense.

Compare Discounts

When you are shopping for discount computer supplies, be sure of the product you want to buy. Check to see if there is a picture or a detailed description so you will know what you are getting. Check different online catalogs to compare products, quality, and prices. You can even make a wish list on your favorite sites and watch for sales on these items.

Become an Online Shopper

Find the products and supplies you need at discount prices online. This can save you a lot of time and money. Take advantage of the abundance of sites and opportunities to find everything you need. You may never want to fight the traffic or crowds again after you have tried shopping at home.

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Building A Computer Introduction

Building A Computer Introduction

If you are reading this article, you are probably wondernig, why and how do you build a computer. Building your own computer is more simple than you think and has many benefits.

Why Build A Computer?
Building a computer has many benefits over buying a premade. First of all, it is generally cheaper if you build your own than buying one. If you shop your components, your DIY(Do it yourself) computer will be cheaper than its premade equivalent. If you build your own computer, it will be faster than one that is premade, because most computer manufacturers use cheap components and try to cut corners to cut down costs. Additionally, your self built computer has more room to upgrade if you so decide to in the future. Prebuilt computers usually only have enough expansion slots for the components that are going to be in the computer. Because of this, your prebuilt computer will become obsolete sooner. Also, building a computer is a satisfying experience and you will learn more about how your computer works.

How do I go About Building a Computer?
Building a computer is probably much simpler than you think. Especially now, things have been simplified and standardized. First, you pick out components and make sure they are all compatible. Once you get the parts, you put them together! This guide was made to show you how to do everything and contains pictures and good information to make building a computer a fun and rewarding experience. For more information about building a computer, be sure to check out the next article in this guide!

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Think About Buying A Decent Computer Desk Furniture

Think About Buying A Decent Computer Desk Furniture

When it comes to creating a home office, there are many things to think about when decorating and furnishing it. With so many different things to choose from, it can be overwhelming at times.

The most important part of a home office is usually the computer desk furniture because that is where most of your time will be spent so it needs to fit your needs as closely as possible. Computer desk furniture has to do a lot of things to be truly useful to a user.

The furniture you use in your office each day needs to be ergonomically friendly or you can find yourself in a lot of pain within just a few short weeks. So the desk itself should be of the right height and used with a chair that will let you sit correctly and comfortably to make sure muscle problems do not occur. Many people suffer from recurring pain because of an ill-fitted chair or desk. If at all possible, it’s important to correct this if it’s a problem as soon as possible.

Computer desk furniture is more than just the desk and the chair, it’s about the keyboard and mouse and even the stackable trays you have to have to keep yourself organized. If things like stackable trays or paper clip holders are not considered to be part of your computer desk furniture, there is a chance you will overlook some of it and end up compromising the best experience you can have in your new home office.

Computer desk furniture doesn’t have to be expensive to do its job, and do it well. You can usually find great deals through local furniture stores because of sales or liquidations. Purchasing older models of computer desk furniture from manufacturers can save you a lot of money too.

All in all, computer desk furniture is easy to come by, and offers many different benefits to a home office. If you find computer desk furniture that you like but you have not heard a lot about the product or the manufacturer of the product, it is understandable to be a little weary.

In this case, you can simply read reviews of what other consumers have to say on the internet at one of many available review sites. This should help to make your decision the best that it can be.

When all is said and done, it really comes down to personal taste and budget in regard to which computer desk furniture to choose from. There are so many different choices when it comes to particular pieces of office furniture, that there is no right or wrong answer to the computer desk furniture you decide on.

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Computer Components for Idiots

Computer Components for Idiots

There are many fancy add-ons for computers, but the basic components of the computer are simple and universal. If 1 of these main components is missing, it’s not a computer.
The 4 essentials of every computer system are: a motherboard, a Central Processing Unit (CPU), memory, and a hard drive. These components are installed in a case to which are attached a monitor, a keyboard and a mouse. That’s your basic computer.
Mother WHAT?
The motherboard (“mobo” for short) is the foundation. Everything attaches to the mobo — the CPU, memory, hard drive, monitor, mouse, keyboard, add-on cards, even additional peripherals like printers, scanners, and speakers. The motherboard is like the nervous system and skeleton of the human body — it provides support for the internal components and also passes information between the computer parts.
CPU
If the motherboard is the nervous system, then the CPU is the brain. Most of the mathematical manipulations that make computers operate are done by the CPU. Other components may also have their own processors, but their results still have to be passed through the CPU.
The speed of the computer is usually measured by the speed of the CPU. Even though other factors also affect overall speed, the CPU rating is generally seen as the single most important measure of performance.
Modern CPUs are usually rated between 2.0 GHz and 3.0 GHz, although each passing month will see increasing performance. This measurement refer to the number of calculations the processor can make in 1 second. The higher the number, the faster (better) the computer.
CPUs generate a lot of heat doing this work, so they need a heat sink and fan to keep them from overheating. Heat is a major enemy of the computer and directly affects its life span.
Computer Memory
RAM (Random Access Memory) is the part of the computer that stores information the computer needs while it is operating. It is Random Access because the computer can get the data in any order, not necessarily the order in which it is stored. Generally speaking, the more RAM the better. 512 to 1024 megabytes is common for memory.
The most common type of RAM these days is DDR-SDRAM, which stands for double-data-rate synchronous dynamic random access memory. We already know what the RAM part means. DDR means that the data is accessed twice as fast as ordinary RAM.
The latest type of RAM is DDR2. It offers even faster access rates and is quickly becoming the standard for computer memory.
Hard Drive
All the data contained in RAM is lost when the computer is turned off, so there has to be a place to store it permanently. This is what the hard disk is for.
It holds the computer’s operating system. An operating system like Windows uses around 4 gigabytes of hard drive space. The extra space is used to install computer programs and to store your personal data.
80 gigabyte hard drives are common, but 400 GB units are available. Furthermore, you can install more than 1 in a computer case for added security and convenience.
Peripherals
All you need to complete the basic computer system is a monitor, keyboard and mouse.
Accessories like a printer or scanner are useful for office work, and gamers will probably want to add speakers and joystick controls.
So there you have it. The basic computer needs just 7 major components. For the best performance, these components must integrate well. The motherboard is the most important component for determining the type and specification of the other parts. Choosing an appropriate mobo for your computer needs is the first step and may require a quick call to your local geek.
Soon YOU will be considered the local geek!

5 Steps to Securing Your Windows XP Home Computer

5 Steps to Securing Your Windows XP Home Computer

Most people are aware that there are continuous security issues with Microsoft’s Windows operating system and other programs. However, what most people do not realize is how easy it is to significantly improve your computer’s security and reduce the likelihood of becoming a victim to ever increasingly sophisticated threats that lurk on the internet. These steps should take less than a couple of hours to complete and should not clean out your wallet.

1) Windows Update – the first crucial step you need to take to make sure that all your Microsoft applications have all the latest product updates installed. These updates or “patches” address security vulnerabilities and other issues. Microsoft usually issues these updates on a monthly cycle. Visit the Microsoft website or switch on automatic updates from the Windows Control panel. Even if your “new” computer is second hand this is still a critical first step. If you buy a used computer with Windows XP make sure Service Pack 2 or SP2 is installed.

2) Strong Passwords – people often overlook this but having well thought through passwords is an important element of your computer security. A strong password should include at least 8 characters with a mixture of text, symbols and numbers. As a minimum you need to make sure the services most at risk have a strong log-in password. These services include your bank, credit card, other financial services like PayPal, your email address and any other services like Ebay which hackers can use to generate profit.

3) Anti Virus Protection – while it is fair to say the threat of the computer virus has receded during the last couple of years they can still inflict serious damage on your computer. Part of the reason why the threat has reduced is because PC manufactures are now more frequently bundling anti virus packages with their new computers. For example last year my new Dell shipped with a 90-day trial of McAfee’s Internet Security Suite. The best bet here is to purchase a security package which includes firewall and anti virus software as a minimum. Top brands include McAfee and Symantec Norton products. However, Microsoft has recently entered the market with their “OneCare” offering which is very aggressively priced.

4) Firewall – if you are using a broadband connection then a firewall is definite requirement to manage the traffic flowing between your computer and the internet. A firewall monitors the inbound internet traffic passing through the ports of your computer. Better products also monitor outbound traffic from your computer to the internet. As per above the best bet here is buy a firewall application as part of a security package which most vendors offer as standard. If a hardware firewall is included as part of your router package then you do not need anything else. A company called Zone Labs offer a great free firewall product called Zone Alarm which should be used as a minimum. Windows XP does now ship with a free firewall but the product does not monitor outbound communication and therefore I believe does not offer adequate protection.

5) Anti Spyware Tool – this software is the last piece in your basic internet security set up. This tool helps combat spyware and adware. There is a good mixture of free and paid versions on offer. Good free software include Microsoft’s Windows Defender, Spybot S&D or Ewido Anti-Malware. Ewido Anti-Malware is frequently recommended in computer help forums. Be careful if you decide to purchase a solution. There are a number of rogue vendors out there which aggressively push products which offer you little value. Stick to trusted names like Webroot’s Spy Sweeper or PC Tool’s Spyware Doctor. These products always come out well on independent tests.