Archive for March, 2008

Keep Your Computer Cool

If the computer after several hours’ use suddenly rebooted and does not show any sign of system failure, there could only be one thing. The computer is overheating.

Unknown to many, (especially those who are not into technological stuff) the computer could generate a large amount of heat when it is in use. Adding video or sound cards could also add more heat generation from your computer.

The temperature inside the computer or laptop that has high-powered processors that runs with multiple applications reaches one hundred forty (140) degrees.

The more drives, memory and even colored lights stuffed in today’s CPUs and laptops, the less space there is for internal air circulation. Combine that with poor exhaust or surrounding ventilation, and systems slow, applications run poorly, or the computer could reboot to cool itself down, or crash altogether.

The popularity of cheap computers is fast increasing. People are drawn to buying the cheap computers but they are not aware of the reductions made just so to meet the demand.

One of these reductions is the size as well as the effectiveness of cooling fans on the computer. As the computer gets warmer, the computer speed also gets slower.

With the proper cooling device in the computer, rest assured that the performance of the computer would be better. It could also extend the life of the computer, motherboard and the processor.

Cooling products help drop the temperature of the CPU and its components by circulating, dissipating, cooling and pulling air from a desktop or laptop computer.

Some fans mount in the front drive bays of computers, while others slip into PCI slots to suck air out the back. Copper or aluminum “heat sinks” mount atop the processor to cool that device itself.

When buying a new computer, visit a retailer and touch the computer case to see how hot it gets. Consider adding additional fans to the PCI slots or atop the processor.

Other cooling tips include cleaning dust away from the CPU’s fan, or opening the unit and using a can of compressed air to blow dust off the components.

Keep the CPU off the floor, and install filters atop the fans, to reduce dust, pet fur or other debris from getting into the unit. A small electrical fan aimed to blow across the CPU also can help disperse heat and cool the unit.

Keep the computer in a location where air can circulate freely. Keeping the tower in a desk cabinet, leaving the doors open or removed to aid circulation also helps air to circulate inside the computer.

For general office cooling, a flat-panel monitor, or LCD, can reduce the amount of heat generated, as compared to a traditional CRT monitor.

Laptop heat is especially common. Many road warriors, teleworkers and home office workers place the laptop literally upon their laps to work.

This not only can block exhaust fans, but can trap and build heat. Laptop pads dissipate heat by either elevating the unit from the surface, or by using fans to help draw heat away from the device.

Many slot coolers are being marketed today. There are two things that you have to consider before buying one. The intake of fresh cool air is very important. Case temperature drops with the intake fan in the case. T

he position of the fan is the other. It has to be positioned one slot away from the AGP card. The extra space would help the airflow inside the computer. This way the computer heat would be lessened.

James Monahan is the owner and Senior Editor of http://www.CoolingBase.com and writes expert articles about cooling.


Broadband and Internet 101

Internet is the World Wide Web. Broadband is the medium that carries it. Internet is the international computer network linking together thousands of individual networks. Broadband is the transmitter of these signals.

The most popular features of the Internet include electronic mail (of course you know e-mail), discussion groups (called newsgroups or bulletin boards, where users can post messages and look for responses on a system called Usenet). There is also the online conversations or chats, adventure and role-playing games and information retrieval You can also find electronic commerce (e-commerce) in the Net where you can buy and sell stuff at the click of a button.

On the other hand, broadband is the high-speed transmission. It is used to refer to Internet access which uses cable modems or DSL (Digital Subscriber Line). Broadband DSL connections are faster compared to dial-up connections.

Dial-up connections utilize phone lines to connect to the Internet while broadband uses cables.

High-speed transmission is commonly used to refer to Internet access via cable modems or DSL, which is faster than dial-up. For years, “broadband” has referred to a higher-speed connection, but the actual speed threshold has varied.

Along with digital subscriber line technology, cable modems ushered in the age of broadband Internet access in developed countries. Before DSL and cable modems, Internet access involved slow dial-up access over a public switched telephone network.

Users in a neighborhood share the available bandwidth provided by a single cable line. Therefore, connection speed can vary depending on how many people are using the service at the same time.

While T1 (1.5 Mbps) has been widely used as the threshold, others have used T3 (45 Mbps) for broadband. For example, after the turn of the century, South Korea leapfrogged the U.S. in Internet access, offering DSL up to 50 Mbps and calling their 1.5 Mbps service “light.”

Mbps is an abbreviation for megabits per second. It is the data transfer speeds as measured in megabits. This unit is mostly used in networking technologies such as broadband.

The World Wide Web (WWW) is the greatest force to the popularization of the Internet. It is a hypertext system (a computer based retrieval system) which makes browsing the Internet both fast and intuitive.

The information stored in the computer networks connected to the Internet forms a huge cyber library. But the enormous quantity of data and information in these interconnected computers makes it difficult to retrieve the information.

This is where broadband comes in because with the use of these cables, the information available in the Internet can be retrieved really fast and without hassles.

The broadband medium can carry signals from different network carriers. This is done through fiber-optic cable. Fiber-optic cable is a thin glass strand designed for transmission. It is capable of transmitting trillions of bits per second

Broadband technology can support a wide range of frequencies. Broadband in general refers to data transmission where multiple pieces of data are sent simultaneously to increase the effective rate of transmission. In network engineering this term is used for methods where two or more signals share a medium.

Various forms of DSL service are broadband in the sense that digital information is sent over one channel and voice over another channel sharing a single pair of wires.

James Monahan is the owner and senior editor of BroadbandBase.com


Essentials of an Effective Backup Strategy

What will you do if you lost thousands of Megabytes worth of data because you never saw the importance of a backup system? If your personal computer or laptop suddenly crashes, the irretrievable data can sum up to a staggering amount and even cause irreversible damage to a company.

Most people and businesses make the mistake of not having a backup for years worth of data. The primary reasons of foregoing this important procedure is their belief that such a disaster can never happen to them and copying data to a storage device is tedious and even a waste of time. How do you put a price tag on lost work documents, personal documents, notes, databases, emails, email contacts and plans? Not backing up important data is an invitation for disaster. Whether you encounter power failure, a corrupted file, a virus, or human error, most computer users can still lose some amount of data if not all.

Having realized the importance of backing up, here are 5 essential guidelines for a reliable backup strategy.

Effective backup strategy element #1

Invest in a Backup Software of good quality and performance.
Think about how much more you’ll spend to recover lost data versus the price of a reliable backup software. A product that leaves you secured from future data data-loss disasters is always a good investment. A good backup software is the heart of an effective backup strategy. Do research over the Internet to know the latest softwares, compare their features and prices. You can also visit forums and see first-hand reviews of backup softwares they have tried.

Effective backup strategy element #2

Double check the restore capability.
Now what good is a backup system if it can store but cannot be restore the data? One way of ensuring the full restorability of your data is to invest in a backup product that has bit-level verification. The feature guarantees that while the product is performing your backup it checks all the data down to the level of bits and bytes. Fundamentally, the software first backs up the data and then automatically performs a test restore to make sure that every single bit has been copied.

Effective backup strategy element #3

Double check the capability of your backup medium.
You can spend so much on the best backup software and diligently backup your data everyday but disaster can still hit if you don’t have a dependable medium to store your archives. Another way to ensure your data restorability is choose mediums of high quality and performance. Performing test restores using the medium from time to time is also a good idea.

Effective backup strategy element #4

Inspect your hard drives from time to time.
Regularly checking your hard drives to prevent disaster is not a waste of time. Beware of spyware and viruses that can affect your system. Correct errors and bad sectors as soon as they are detected to prevent the failure of your drives.

Effective backup strategy element #5

Set a regular backup.
You add data every time you use your personal computer or laptop. This means that you will have to backup all this additional data every once in a while too. Most software packages can do the updating for you with a built in scheduler. You can set the backup timetable from every hour to as long an interval you think is needed.

James Monahan is the owner and Senior Editor of www.BackupSearch.com.


Now You Can Watch Pocket PC Mobile TV Wherever You Are

Just as you think that you’ve got the most out of your PocketPC, you are suddenly made aware that it can actually function as a Pocket PC Mobile TV. Yes folks, bring your television with you.

Not in the mood to watch television outside your home? Then download specialized software and make your iPAQ function like an iPAQ TV remote control inside the house. With the right remote control software, make your iPAQ a universal remote control that can operate your television, VCR, and other home or office audio and video equipment. This feature is already available for various models of the iPAQ.

Pocket PC Remote Control Functionality

The MPEG video player and Windows Media Player applications installed on your handheld can play various audio-video flicks on your iPAQ, Palm or Sony CLI


Are The TMobile Pocket PC Exchange And Repair Programs Worth The Effort?

TMobile Pocket PC exchange and repair programs are just one of the things that consumers like about this top notch carrier. Through this program, a customer may ask for repair services or an exchange of his handheld via TMobile Pocket PC Repair Centers or through the assistance of a T-Mobile Customer Service representative.

And according to customer reviews, the T-Mobile Pocket PC repair and exchange service is something that consumers can indeed rely on.

TMobile’s After Purchase Service

As a T-Mobile customer, you can avail of the exchange or repair program if your Pocket PC is still within the warranty period (usually one year) and that the defect or damage is through no fault of your own. If such is the case, T-Mobile will send a replacement Pocket PC.

Upon receipt of the Pocket PC replacement, you will then have to fill out a replacement form and send it with the defective Pocket PC within seven days. Otherwise, T-Mobile will charge you the amount of the handheld replacement.

If, however, your Pocket PC is more than a year old (i.e., out of the T-Mobile warranty period), a replacement can still be dispatched to you while repairs are being done on your Pocket PC for a $70 fee.

Don’t want to pay the $70 fee? Call a T-Mobile Customer Service representative to know more about other options you may have regarding your defective or malfunctioning Pocket PC. Don’t be shy; many Pocket PC consumers are unaware of the options they have when it comes to repairs, rebates and exchanges concerning their gadgets.

A note about T-Mobile exchanges – if you have an old model handheld such as a Toshiba Pocket PC, T-Mobile may not be able to provide replacements or repairs for these handhelds because their manufacturers do not make them anymore.

Jon Butt is the publisher of www.the-PDA-guide.com One of the web’s leading sources of information on how to choose your perfect PDA or PocketPC or Handheld, where to get the biggest discounts online, which software downloads will enhance your life and what accessories will enhance your little PDA friend


Why do I need a external antenna for my PocketPC?

For stronger signal strengths, lesser static interruptions, and better GPS reception and accuracy, use an external antenna. PocketPC gadgets from HP iPAQ, Dell, and Palm, especially those with cellular phone and GPS capabilities, can work better with various signal enhancers.

An external antenna is one of the numerous PDA handheld accessories along with PDA cases, screen protectors, styluses, car mounts, cables, and others that ensure total Pocket PC protection and improved functions.

External Antennas For PocketPCs – Promoting Seamless Connectivity

For PDAs with cellular phone and GPS (global position system), an external antenna can work wonders. An external antenna can be attached to the Pocket PC device and can be conveniently placed on the roof of your car, at the top of your desk, etc. An external antenna for your Pocket PC can utilize more signals making communication faster and more convenient.

Even though some Pocket PC units, PDA phones, and cellular phones have their built-in antenna, an external one is still useful.

A built-in antenna has certain limitations in sending and receiving signals because of its restricted size so the user has to find the right place to conduct his call or use the GPS of his Pocket PC. An external antenna can easily get better signals because it can place itself in a better radio frequency (RF) environment.

Various points should also be taken care of before connecting an antenna to your Pocket PC. Other PDA accessories, like cables or connectors, are needed to connect the antenna to your Pocket PC.

Longer handheld cables lessen the signals, so shorter cables should be chosen where possible. The location of the external antenna should also be considered. For example, when you’re on the road, the perfect spot to put the Pocket PC antenna is on the roof of the vehicle to widen handheld signal coverage.

Jon Butt is the publisher of www.the-PDA-guide.com One of the web’s leading sources of information on how to choose your perfect PDA or PocketPC or Handheld, where to get the biggest discounts online, which software downloads will enhance your life and what accessories will enhance your little PDA friend


How Can The CompactFlash Expansion Plus Improve My iPAQ?

With an iPAQ Compact Flash Expansion Pack Plus, you can go and buy Type I or Type II CompactFlash cards compatible with your Pocket PC’s operating system and extend the functionality of your iPAQ. The HP iPAQ CompactFlash Expansion Plus, as far as PDA handheld accessories go, is indeed a smart buy for your PDA.

You can now put more files on your PDA or swap more files with others. You can even access the great WWW wirelessly through a cellular data network. Expansion cards are also important for the smooth running of multimedia files.

iPAQ CompactFlash Expansion Pack Plus – Enhancing… Extending…

The iPAQ Compact Flash Expansion Pack Plus works on two levels – it enhances the ‘life’ of your PDA because it adds a removable, rechargeable battery, and it extends the functionality of your PDA via an open Type I or Type II CF card slot. This means that with the iPAQ Compact Flash Expansion Pack Plus, you can buy CF cards that can boost file storage space on your iPAQ Pocket PC.

Further, with the right CF card, you can access your firm’s WLAN for important email messages. Bored? Access the Internet for the latest news (or gossip!). Lastly, the iPAQ Compact Flash Card Expansion Pack Plus launches a new cover pack design with a removable display cover to protect your iPAQ’s screen and buttons at the front.

If you’re also one of those who dread the day their PDA ‘dies’ on them, then you will surely like the fact that the iPAQ Compact Flash Card Expansion Pack Plus has removable slim battery to prolong the life of your Compaq iPAQ between charges!

Jon Butt is the publisher of www.the-PDA-guide.com One of the web’s leading sources of information on how to choose your perfect PDA or PocketPC or Handheld, where to get the biggest discounts online, which software downloads will enhance your life and what accessories will enhance your little PDA friend



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