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5 Things To Know About Online Multiplayer Games

5 Things To Know About Online Multiplayer Games

Online multiplayer games continue to grow in popularity, reaching millions of people each and every day. These games bring together different communities, cultures, and people through one single world and goal.

If you are new to these online games, you may not know what to expect. By being informed, you can be sure that you are getting into online gaming with your best foot forward. These five tips and facts about online gaming will help you to better understand what to expect form the virtual online game that you have chosen.

1. They Can be Violent

There are virtual worlds that feature some violent game play. They require fighting, shooting, and may feature killing. There are some people who enjoy this type of gaming, and others who do not like this type of violent game. You should be fully aware of the game play before you make your decision.

It is important to realize that a more mature setting for an online multiplayer game may bring about more mature conversations. If you do not want to be in a community that features swearing and trash talking, you may want to choose a less-violent game.

2. You Can Chat Over the Computer

There are some online games that only feature the ability to chat through typing and online chats. These chat applications allow you to talk to the other players that you are gaming with. This feature is generally found with online multiplayer games that move at a slower pace.

3. You Can Chat with Microphones and Headsets

There are multiplayer games that feature more serious and fast paced gaming. These games require you to communicate with team members at a relatively fast pace. You will find that these games support actual audio chat. You can use a microphone and headphones to talk to the various member of your team.

4. They May Cost Money

There are online multiplayer games that require you to pay for their services. Some will allow for free gaming, but will require you to pay for more advanced gaming. Understand any possible fees before you start playing.

5. They Take Time

It is important to realize that online multi-player game play requires time. If you want to fully enjoy the game, you need to be patient. Eventually, you will get to a level of game play that is more enjoyable. With that being said, you may find yourself bored for the first few levels until you reach that higher level of game play.

These are simply some of the most basic facts and tips for online multiplayer games. Each and every game is unique, and will have a variety of rules and tips that go with that specific game. Get to know the online game and community that you are going to enter before you actually start to play. This will help you to understand proper actions and etiquette, helping you to blend in with the rest of the community.
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Things To Do When Your Computer Starts Developing Problems

Things To Do When Your Computer Starts Developing Problems

The introduction of the lap top has made computers portable and you can find them on planes, trains, buses and in cars. Computers are the latest method of communicating with nearly everyone, everywhere. That is until they start to develop problems. They are notorious for breaking down a few hours before you have to turn in your paper or make your office presentation.

Most computers have warranties covering service. There is usually probably a service where computer owners can get help over the phone or online. This service is essential to computer owners. If you have tried everything you know to resolve a computer problem and nothing is working, you can go online, at the computer manufacturer’s site, and do some simple diagnostic tests. Usually the site contains questions that commonly arise when computers fail. Simple solutions, from plugging in the equipment to rebooting a program, are available online.

If the online suggestions don’t work, you can call a service over the phone. The cable or phone company provider has this service available when you first are hooked-up to the Internet. A computer technician will listen to your complaint and then offer a variety of solutions. A pleasant, knowledgeable voice on the other end of the line can calm you down when you’re ready to pull your hair out or commit violent acts against your computer.

Sometimes, the phone technician can’t fix your problem. Then you need to call a repair service. There are companies that will dispatch computer technicians who will come to your home and, for a price, fix whatever is ailing your computer. Geek Squad is one such service. It will, on a 24/7 basis, provide upgrades, repairs and protection from spyware and viruses. If you think the problem is something you did as a result of not being familiar with a computer system, Geek Squad offers one- and two-hour personal instruction courses.

After it has been established that you don’t have a software problem, you now face the challenge of correcting a hardware problem. Then you have no choice but to open up the computer and do the repairs yourself. While most of us would pass on this option, it is not as difficult as it seems. There are less than 12 parts, including keyboard and mouse, in most computers. The number one cause of computer malfunctions is the AC power supply. Often, especially in cheaper models, replacing it solves all the problems.

There are some problems that you cannot solve without proper training, such as repairing the motherboard or the CPU or fixing video components and defective hard drives. Then you have to take your computer to a repair facility. There they can take your computer apart, run a diagnostic checkup and replace what needs to be replaced. They can install new hard drives, new components and programs, and replace any mechanical parts that are not working properly. They will also clean the inside of your computer, where dust and other smart particles have collected. If your computer is under warranty, you will probably get these services for free. If you have not purchased an extended warranty, you will have to pay for whatever is done.

If there is a hardware problem with your computer, you may not have to take it to the store where you bought it or a repair facility. There are facilities that come to you and, like Geek Squad, repair the malfunctioning equipment in your home.

Six Things To Do On Long Plane Trips

Six Things To Do On Long Plane Trips

No matter how long the flight, a long plane ride can feel like an eternity. Even though flying is the fastest way to travel, you can feel like you’re wasting time, bored, and restless if you don’t have activities planned for your trip. Here are some things you can do on your next long plane trip.

Read a Book or Magazine

Although you may not normally have time to sit down with a good book and read, a long plane ride is the perfect time to catch up on reading that book you’ve been meaning to get to or your favorite magazine. That’s why books and magazines are the top selling items in the airport stores.

Sleep

Need to catch up on some much needed sleep? A long flight can be a great way to get those extra Zzzs and kill time on way to your final destination. Some tips for a more restful sleep include bringing a travel pillow, wear comfortable shoes you can slip off easily, and use snoring prevention, like Breathe Right Strips, if you have been known to snore. Nobody wants to sit next to a snoring passenger, so plan to be comfortable yourself and let others enjoy their flight as well with snoring prevention.

Work or Study

A long plane trip is a great time to get some work done or study for school. It’s quiet so you can focus on your work. Laptop computers make it even easier these days to write a paper for school, study for a big test, or complete the work you need before your vacation or business trip. Take along a pen and a pad of paper too in case you want to joy down some notes.

Play Games

Everyone likes to play games! If you are traveling with someone you can play cards, a magnetic board game, or on a laptop computer. If you’re flying solo you can still play with handheld portable games or computer games. Make sure you bring an extra laptop computer battery since gaming tends to drain your battery quickly, and you may not have anywhere to plug in while flying.

Puzzles and Brain Teasers

Kids and adults can both have fun with crossword puzzles, word search puzzles, and Sodoku, the hottest new game of logic. You can buy a book of all of these puzzles mixed together to entertain and challenge you.

Music or Audio Books

With the popularity of portable Mp3 players like iPods, taking music with you anywhere you want is easier than ever. You can also get a new book on tape, CD, or digital download. So for those of you who don’t like to read, now you can have the book read to you for the same cost as the book itself. What a deal!

If you are planning on taking a plane ride over 2 hours long, try bringing a few items to do on the flight. Take a magazine, sleeping pillow, music, and a laptop computer to be sure you’ll always have something to do on your trip.

8 Things You Must Know Before Building A PC

8 Things You Must Know Before Building A PC

Perhaps you’re interested in learning how to build your own computer. That’s great, really!

I’ve put together a list of 8 things you MUST know before you ever start to build your own PC. You’ll be in a world of hurt if you don’t have these down.

Tip #1 – Safety First

I hope you didn’t think the last time you’d hear “safety first” was in your Drivers Education classes! Working on any electronics, including computers, has its risks and requires certain precautions. Having said that, what’s the first part you should purchase when building your own computer?

* Motherboard?
* Processor?
* Computer Case?

Nope, those are all wrong. And honestly, they aren’t even close!

A computer tool kit should be the first thing you purchase. Normal household tools aren’t suited to working on a computer because they’re often dirty, rusty, and magnetic. Here are some things you must have in your computer tool kit :

Antistatic wrist band – This is a must-have for any computer builder. Your computer’s components are very sensitive to static electricity. Make sure that you ALWAYS have your antistatic wrist band on when working on your computer. You must attach it to a ground source, usually a large piece of metal works well. This removes any free electrons, which cause static charge, from your body to the ground. Also, as an additional measure, before touching any hardware, touch your computers metal frame. This will also help put your body’s charge at equilibrium with your PC’s.

Needle-nose pliers and Tweezers – These tools are useful when handling small screws and bits of metal. Your computer’s circuitry is very precise and you’ll need some good tweezers and pliers to hold things into place.

Screwdrivers – This is an obvious requirement for computer tool kits. You should have at least one small Phillips and Flathead screwdriver in your kit.

Spare parts container – You’ll be surprised how handy one of these will be. They can be used to store small parts, screws, spacers, etc.

Nut drivers – Although these aren’t a requirement for your tool kit, most tool kits come with some nut drivers. I have yet to use mine, but someday I’ll probably need them.

Small flash light – Most computer tool kits don’t come with a small flashlight, but it is a good thing to have when you’re working in a dark computer case. A keychain type flashlight works great for this purpose!

Also, make sure all of your tools are NOT magnetic. Many screwdrivers for small screws are magnetic to help hold the screw in place. You don’t want this when dealing with your computer hardware because the magnetic field could damage your components.

I can’t stress this enough; having the correct tools is the easiest way to avoid damaging your components that could easily cost you hundreds of dollars. And please turn off and UNPLUG your computer before working on it, the last thing you need is a phobia of computers after you’ve been inadvertently shocked by one.

Tip #2 – Buy everything at once

This is was a major mistake that I made as a rookie computer builder. I know how anxious you may be to build your first computer; I can still remember how excited I was when UPS delivered my first part. But before you start buying parts left & right, you should set down and answer the following questions:

* What do I want to do with my computer?
Simple internet browsing? Word processing? Graphic design? Audio and video editing? Play video games?
* How long do I want this computer to last me?
Only for a couple years. Forever!

The idea here is to decide where your money will be best spent to maximize the use and/or life of your computer parts. For long term and/or intensive use, such as video/image editing, you’ll want something that you can easily upgrade over time. While for short term and/or simpler tasks, a cheaper, less upgradeable PC should work fine.

The easiest way to assure that all of your computer components will be compatible is to purchase them all at the same time. This way you can compare the features and requirements all at once.

I recommend that you start with your motherboard and processor. Many companies sell motherboard & processor bundles . A bundle is great way to start buying your computer parts because usually you’ll get a deal when you buy the processor and motherboard together. In addition, the processor will be compatible in that particular motherboard, which is one less thing you’ll have to worry about.

Next, select the type of RAM that is compatible with your motherboard and decide how many MB’s of power you want with it. Generally 512 MB of RAM will be sufficient. If you plan on doing image/video editing, or playing video games on your PC, 1 GB of RAM would be better suited for this job.

Now you can decide what types of extra components you want, such as a video card, hard drives, CD/DVD drives, etc.

Once you’ve picked those out, determine roughly how much wattage of power you’ll need from your power supply . I’ve attached a power usage chart below with how much each component uses, but these are only averages, so I can’t guarantee this is what you’ll observe.

Device [Power required (Watts)]
Video card [20 – 30]
PCI card [5]
Floppy Drive [5]
CD, DVD-ROM [10-25]
RAM per 128 MB [8]
Hard Drive [15-35]
Motherboard [20-30]
CPU [25-70]

Generally 400 watts should be plenty of power, even for the most power hungry systems you can build. Also consider purchasing a quiet power supply, because the power supply is generally your noisiest piece of hardware. I personally use a 400 Watt Zalman Quiet Power Supply (pictured at left) that I love. It provides tons of power with virtually no sound.

By purchasing everything at once you can ascertain that your computer parts will support all of your computing needs. Another benefit is that you’ll save money on shipping charges by purchasing everything at once rather than separately.

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When you buy a computer, you probably have special things that you need it to do

When you buy a computer, you probably have special things that you need it to do

Games take up a lot of memory on a computer. Most are really good at handling games these days, but if you have more than a few on your computer, you are going to need something stronger. There are gaming computers out there that are built to have very fast processors and large amounts of memory so that they can handle your game play. You pay more for a gaming computer, but with the extras that is to be expected. Don’t forget about the extra accessories that you will need for game play as well.

Gaming computers are supposed to be fast enough to keep up with the most advanced games. Some of these games are very graphic intensive, and that means you computer is going to struggle to keep up and display everything properly. When special gaming computers are put together, they are made with these very thoughts in mind. If you go online, and you play games with others, you really want to be sure you have all the extras that this grade of computer can give you. You can sometimes find specials on these, but you will have to be patient for such a sale.

Good types of gaming computers can come from any computer company, but they should all have the same types of features. When you go to look at these computers, you should ask specifically to see ones that are strong enough and fast enough for what you hope to do. Your gaming computers are going to run a higher bill, and though it might seem excessive, you aren’t going to find a good one that compares with computers with less memory and other features. You may also find you need to pay more for a larger monitor in the case of buying a desktop, but that will enhance your game play extensively.