Computers | Tech | Gadgets: 8/1/07 - 9/1/07

Friday, August 31, 2007

Apacer DDR3-1600MHz

In addition to the DDR3 1066/1333 models, Apacer Technology has announced the world's first DDR3-1600MHz overclocking module that has full support for Intel's Bearlake* desktop chipset. This high-level DDR3 range delivers higher performance, lower energy consumption and has a greater capacity.

Equipped with an 8-bit prefetch design, a computing speed of 800-1600MHz compared to DDR2 which using the 4-bit prefetch design with a computing speed 400-800MHz and voltage is at 1.5V unliked DDR2 which is controlled at 1.8V.

The Apacer DDR3 desktop range includes the DDR3-1066MHz and DDR3-1333MHz both with 512KB and 1GB models.

*Intel 3 Series Chipset Family

Online PowerPoint by Google

With its Internet Office packet, Google is directly attacking Microsoft for months. What was missing in the packet was a presentation tool such as PowerPoint. Google has solved this problem by purchasing the company Tonic System. However i'm not sure when this online tool will be launched.

Thursday, August 30, 2007

CPU utility software

You can now alter BIOS setting in Windows via CRYSTAL CPUID. Crystal CPUID is a CPU utility software. With Crystal CPUID, the multiplier and the core voltage of Pentium 4 (3 GHz and above) and AMD Athlon can be controlled.

>> download

[Via Crystalmark]

Wednesday, August 29, 2007

Disable USB writing

You can disable writing to the usb port to prevent user from using thumb drives.

Go to Start>Run and type 'regedit'.

Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Control.

Add a new folder on the left by right click on it and selecting 'new | key'. Name this folder as "StorageDevicePolicies". Click this new folder, create a new DWORD value, label it "WriteProtect" and set value data "1". It is done. Turn the value data to "0" to make this accessible again. Grin

Defragmentation Software Comparison

1 O&O Defrag 8
Price-performance ratio: GOOD
Interfaces: Very good, easy to navigate
Advance setting: Extensive advance setting
Publisher: oo-software.com

2 Diskeeper 10 Professional
Price-performance ratio: Satisfactory
Interfaces: Good interface but to many explanations for functions
Advance setting: Extensive advance setting
Publisher: diskeepereurope.com

3 Rexco PerfectDisk 8
Price-performance ratio: Satisfactory
Interfaces: Very good, easy and comprehensible, perfect graphics
Advance setting: Extensive advance setting
Publisher: raxco.com

4 Ashampoo Magical Defrag 2
Price-performance ratio: GOOD
Interfaces: Difficult for a beginner
Advance setting: Limited
Publisher: ashampoo.com

5 Microsoft XP Defrag
Price-performance ratio: Not applicable
Interfaces: Simple
Advance setting: Not possible
Publisher: microsoft.com

Tuesday, August 28, 2007

Vista Sidebar for Windows XP

Even XP users should enjoy some advantages of the brand-new operating system by Microsoft. Thoosje Vista Sidebar includes functions like a clock, calendar, slideshow, weather forecast on the right screen and works on Windows XP and Windows Vista . Gadgets are easy to use mini applications that give you information at a glance and provide easy access to frequently used tools. Thoosje Vista Sidebar helps you to organize your gadgets.

If the sidebar doesnt safe settings install this registry patch : Download here

Download Sidebar v2.2

[Via Thoosje]

A safe on the Net

Passlet is an online password manager. Most online password managers are easy to use but they also pose their own share of problem. Nobody wants to entrust his password to a web server. Passlet deals with this problem by performing all encryption using 128bit long AES codes and decryption operations exclusively within your browser.

https://www.passlet.com

Saturday, August 25, 2007

Explore the sky in Google Earth 4.2

Google just launched a new version of Google Earth from which you gaze up from the surface of the planet, not just down on it. It's a good way to see a hundred million stars and two hundred million galaxies. :)

Friday, August 24, 2007

The Alexa Toolbar for Firefox

Sparky is a free FireFox browser plugin that accompanies you as you surf, providing useful information about the sites you visit without interrupting your Web browsing.

Learn about Website Traffic Trend information.
Get detailed traffic information including Reach and Rank.
Surf more efficiently with Related Links for each page.

Install Alexa Sparky 1.1

iWebtool PageRank Predictor

Google PageRank (PR) updates about once every three months. People have come up with ways of trying to predict what your Pagerank is likely to be at the next update. If you work hard at link building you will see your predicted PageRank increase and when the next update comes you should see your PageRank increase.

"This predictor tool** does what it says, it predicts your future Google PageRank*.

*Google PageRank (PR) is a measure from 0 -10 of how important Google thinks a webpage is.
**Accuracy= 80-90%

Powered by iWEBTOOL

Wednesday, August 22, 2007

Fujitsu U1010

Fujitsu has always been fielding ultraportables so introducing an UMPC is not suprising from them. The Fujitsu U1010 has a rotating screen which you can flip around over the keyboard to use like a Tablet PC.

Processor: Intel Sealey 663 BGA processor (800MHz)
Memory: 1GB RAM
Graphics: Intel 945GM graphics
Display: 5.6in LCD (1,024 x 600pixels)
Storage: 40GB hard drive
Connectivity: WiFi 802.11a/b/g, Bluetooth 2.0, 3G-compatible
I/O ports: One USB 2.0 port, audio out and microphone
Operating system: Windows Vista Home Premium
Other features: SD card slot, CompactFlash card slot, docking port,
rotating screen, 3G SIM card slot, built-in VGA camera, built-in biometric
fingerprint reader, built-in trackpoint and touch-sensitive screen with stylus.
Dimensions (w x d x h): 17 x 13 x 3cm
Weight: 499g

[Source: Fujitsu]

Tuesday, August 21, 2007

O2 XDA orbit

Based on the Microsoft Windows Mobile 5.0, features like Pocket Office(Word, Excel, Outlook) and Co-Pilot Live 6 sat-nav software and maps. It has a large 2.8 inch touchscreen and thus, handwriting recognition is the input way. The device offers EDGE support, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth wireless technology, FM radio and MP3 player & 2 MP digital camera. Sadly it doesn't pack 3G capabilities.

This pda phone allow the combination of personal office and entertainment.

Monday, August 20, 2007

Top 10 Power Laptops

Performance details provided by the PC World Test Center.
(Last Rated: August 08, 2007)

1 HP Pavilion HDX

Stylish, high-end desktop replacement is huge and heavy, but its fast performance makes it a great gaming machine.

CPU: 2.4-GHz Core 2 Duo T7700
Display Size (inches): 20.1
Wide Screen: Yes
Total HD Size (GB): 200
Min. Weight (lbs.): 15.5

2 Apple MacBook Pro

Lightweight 17-incher has a beautiful screen and comes loaded with useful software. It's fast, too.

CPU: 2.4-GHz Core 2 Duo T7700
Display Size (inches): 17
Wide Screen: Yes
Total HD Size (GB): 160
Min. Weight (lbs.): 6.6

3 Acer Aspire 5920G

Sophisticated looking multimedia unit has oodles of custom keyboard buttons and one-touch 3D sound for music.

CPU: 2-GHz Core 2 Duo T7300
Display Size (inches): 15.4
Wide Screen: Yes
Total HD Size (GB): 200
Min. Weight (lbs.): 7

4 Asus G2P-7R009C

If your dream notebook is a desktop replacement that doubles as a lights-flashing gaming machine, look no further.

CPU: 2-GHz Core 2 Duo T7200
Display Size (inches): 17.1
Wide Screen: Yes
Total HD Size (GB): 160
Min. Weight (lbs.): 9.6

5 Gateway NX860XL

Looks can deceive: The Gateway NX860XL lacks flair, but it's fast and powerful.

CPU: 2.16-GHz Core 2 Duo T7400
Display Size (inches): 17
Wide Screen: Yes
Total HD Size (GB): 80
Min. Weight (lbs.): 8

6 Dell Inspiron 1720

Splashy laptop offers excellent entertainment options and great sound, as well as strong performance.

CPU: 2-GHz Core 2 Duo T7300
Display Size (inches): 17
Wide Screen: Yes
Total HD Size (GB): 160
Min. Weight (lbs.): 8.7

7 HP Pavilion dv9500t

This notebook looks as nice as a designer cellphone, and it has a 17-inch screen.

CPU: 2.2-GHz Core 2 Duo T7500
Display Size (inches): 17
Wide Screen: Yes
Total HD Size (GB): 400
Min. Weight (lbs.): 8.5

8 Micro Express NP5760

This pricey gaming notebook's scorching performance is undermined by poor design in certain areas.

CPU: 2.33-GHz Core 2 Duo T7600
Display Size (inches): 17
Wide Screen: Yes
Total HD Size (GB): 100
Min. Weight (lbs.): 9.4

9 Fujitsu LifeBook E8410

This is a sophisticated looking unit powerful enough for the desktop yet light enough to travel well.

CPU: 2.2-GHz Core 2 Duo T7500
Display Size (inches): 15.4
Wide Screen: Yes
Total HD Size (GB): 100
Min. Weight (lbs.): 5.7

10 Fujitsu LifeBook A6030

Although not a best-of-class desktop replacement, the LifeBook A6030 offers a lot for the money, including stylus input.

CPU: 2-GHz Core 2 Duo T7300
Display Size (inches): 15.4
Wide Screen: Yes
Total HD Size (GB): 120
Min. Weight (lbs.): 6.5

[Via Pc World]

Sunday, August 19, 2007

Free Design / Banner

Need banner/ animated logo? Boring with text style in your blog header? We do it for FREE! Yes.. you are not dreaming. Only LINK BACK to us by displaying our banner (88 x 30).

"I was surprised when I first heard about it - a free logo! But it is true. ibytes is offering a free logo design service to interested peoples"-Nazri http://www.nazriharun.com

Follow the Step
1. Email us your link, size, desire image, slogan, sample etc.
2. Waiting for our email confirmation.
3. Copy and paste our code in the position where you want to display the banner, in the bottom of the page or in a table.
4. Wait for 2 or 3 days. Maximum is 1 week.

Copy and paste our code

FAQ

What is the benefit I get if I display your banner?

Free update.

I like the design but I not interested to display your banner.

You can pay for the job.

What if I delete your banner?

You should not use my design anymore.

Why ibytes do not link back to my blog?

This is not link exchange service.

Why I should put your banner first?

To make sure that you are the owner/admin of the blog. If I not finish your banner within 1 week (after you get confirmation email from me), you deserve to delete my banner.

Sample only. Certain image has been resized. Click to view the full image.

More sample CLICK HERE.

Intensify to the power of quad

The high end just got higher. Whether it's encoding, rendering, editing, or streaming, make the most of your professional-grade multimedia applications with a PC powered by the Intel® Core™2 Quad processor. With four processing cores and up to 8MB of shared L2 cache¹ and up to 1066 MHz Front Side Bus, more intensive entertainment and more multitasking can bring a multimedia powerhouse to your house.

Features

Intel® Wide Dynamic Execution, enabling delivery of more instructions per clock cycle to improve execution time and energy efficiency

Intel® Intelligent Power Capability, designed to deliver more energy-efficient performance and smarter battery performance in your laptop

Intel® Smart Memory Access, improving system performance by optimizing the use of the available data bandwidth

Intel® Advanced Smart Cache, providing a higher-performance, more efficient cache subsystem. Optimized for multi-core and dual-core processors

Intel® Advanced Digital Media Boost, accelerating a broad range of applications, including video, speech and image, photo processing, encryption, financial, engineering and scientific applications

[Via intel]

Digix ball point pen with built in 1GB Flash memory

DIGIX launched its 1GB ball-point pen type USB memory in Korea market. The pen has a a removable cover that reveals a USB connection and available in four different colors silver, black, red and pearl blue. Pricing is not known yet.

[Via aving]

Friday, August 17, 2007

Ultra-Mobile PC

The Ultra-Mobile PC (UMPC) combines the power of Windows Vista and the Origami Experience™ with mobile-ready technologies—to put everything you need at your fingertips, wherever you go. Easily access and use your software anywhere.

Flexible navigation and input options let you move through life and interact with your companion whichever way helps you get more done, more quickly. Choose between an easy-to-use touch screen, on-screen keyboard, stylus, or hardware controls.

Origami Experience™: One-Touch Entertainment

With Origami Experience, you can enjoy your favorite music, videos, and photos anywhere you take your Ultra-Mobile PC—at just the touch of the screen.

Connect Anywhere & Full Windows Vista Functionality

More about UMPC and model, CLICK HERE.

[Source: Microsoft.com]

miCARD - Another memory card format

MultiMediaCard Association (MMC) recently announced a new format known as miCARD (multiple-interface memory card) produced by a Taiwanese research institute. That multiple-interface consists of the standard MMC interface, along with an integrated USB connector. The compatibility with both USB and MMC slots means most users won't need separate card readers anymore.

The MiCARD will transfer data at 480M bits per second, and throughput will improve over time, able to store 8G bytes of information but the maximum capacity is expected to top out around 2048G bytes.

ASUS P526 uses Windows Live Functions

The new ASUS P526 uses Window Live to enable user to share and update photos, instant messaging, email and view which contact online or offline. P526 also keeps users connected with their communities and lets them find the information they require quickly and without hassle.

The P526 can direct users to correct destinations using GPS with user-friendly interface.

"The P526 is a trendy PDA phone for users who like to keep connected with their friends and online communities with ease via instant messengers, blog updates, email and file transfers.."
-H C Hung, Head of ASUSTeK's Handheld Business Unit.

Specifications

Radio - EDGE/GPRS/GSM 850/900/1800/1900
OS - Microsoft Windows Mobile™ 6 Professional
CPU - TI OMAP 850 (200MHz)
Memory - 128 MB Flash + 64 MB SDRAM
Expansion - Micro-SD
Display - 2.6" TFT, Supports 65K colors, 240 x 320 resolution
Dimensions - 110 x 58 x 15.4 mm 115g (with battery)
Battery - 1300 mAh Lithium-Ion
Talk Time - Standby Time: 150 hours / Talk Time: 4 hours
GPS - Built-in SiRF Star III Chip, supports GPS
Camera - 2 Mega-Pixel Resolution
Connectivity - USB v1.1 / Bluetooth 1.2

Thursday, August 16, 2007

500 MB of free online storage

Windows Live SkyDrive

Password-protected online file storage. Always available where you need it.

For each folder you create, you choose who has access to it. Add new folders, rename them, or change who has access at any time.

500 MB of free online storage, available from any computer with Internet access.
Create personal, shared, and public folders -- you decide who has access to each folder.
Windows Live SkyDrive works well on any Windows or Macintosh computer with Firefox 1.5 or higher, or Internet Explorer 6 or higher.
Your personal folders are password-protected with your Windows Live ID, so only you have access.
When you create a shared folder, the friends you're sharing with need to sign in with their own Windows Live ID and password.
Just like at your online bank, all file transfers are protected using Secure Socket Layers (SSL).

Personal

Use personal folders to back up important files that are only for you.
Get to your files from any computer with Internet access by signing in with your Windows Live ID.

Shared

Shared folders make it easy to collaborate with coworkers or classmates.
You decide how much control each person has over each shared folder. Some can just read what's there: others can add and delete files.
Everyone who is sharing uses their own Windows Live ID.

Public

With public folders, anyone on the Internet can view your files, but they can't change them.
Want to show your public files to others? Just send them a link! Each folder and file has its own web address.

Wednesday, August 15, 2007

PCMark®05 Basic Edition (Build 1.2.0)

PC Performance Analysis

PCMark®05 is everything you need to reliably and easily measure the performance of your PC and determine its strengths and weaknesses. With PCMark®05, you will be able to select the optimal upgrades for your existing PC, or choose the right new PC that fits your specific needs. This easy-to-use product gives you the same tools and knowledge that virtually every professional tester in the industry uses.

Minimum System requirements

Intel or AMD compatible processor 1.4GHz or higher, SSE support
128MB of RAM (256MB recommended)
DirectX 7 compliant graphics adapter (3D tests require a fully DirectX 9 compatible hardware)
110MB of Hard Disk space *
Windows XP 32bit or Windows Vista 32bit operating system with latest Service Packs and updates installed
DirectX 9.0c
Visual C++ 2005 Redist
DirectX 9.0c
Microsoft Internet Explorer 6 or later installed
Microsoft Media Player 10 or later installed
Microsoft Media Encoder 9 installed

* HDD tests require additional 130MB of Hard Disk space.

PCMark®05 Basic (Limited Free Version):

DOWNLOAD via MajorGeeks!

[Source: FutureMark.com]

Tuesday, August 14, 2007

How to show html code in blogger

Often web designers/ bloggers need to show examples of HTML code in their pages, such as:

<a href="http://ibytes.blogspot.com" target="_blank">Computers | Tech | Gadgets</a>

How do you render HTML as text not as HTML elements?

Most HTML tags require an 'opening' and 'closing'. Just replace "<" with < and > for ">".

or using Frontpage:

Choose Show Design View, type your html code.
Change to Code View and copy the selected code.
Paste into your post in Compose Mode.

Another technic is using Form, ex: Text Area

[Go to Insert > Form > Text Area]

Sample Text Area

How to Hide Blogger NavBar

This is a simple technic but please check whether it is against the TOS (Terms of Service).

1) Go to Template > Edit Html

2) Search for the string #header { height: 119px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; background-color: $headerBgColor; }

3) Paste the following code:

#navbar-iframe { height: 0px; visibility: hidden; display: none; }

4) Click Save template

Monday, August 13, 2007

LogMeIn Free 3.0.606

Free remote access is a reality with LogMeIn. Secure and ease-of-use come together in a powerful remote control solution that's 100% free and gives you full control of your home or work PC from anywhere you are with an Internet connection. LogMeIn is Web-based so it's far easier to use than alternatives - yet offers layers of security that others just don't including end-to-end 256-bit SSL encryption, dual authentication and RSA SecureID. Control your PC from anywhere quickly, easily, and securely.

Version 3.0.606 adds minor updates.

Download Now (7.82MB)

Tested spyware free

License:Free
Requirements: Windows 2000/XP/2003 Server/Vista
Limitations: No limitations
Date Added:June 1, 2007

*If you're running Firefox, it asks to install a plug-in and then opens an emulator of the remote PC in a new window.

[Via Download.com]

Things You Should Look For in Antivirus

Most important Antivirus features:
	Scheduled Scans: Most antivirus software products will include a schedule to set when the software will automatically perform a scan. Programs vary in their flexibility of scan scheduling as well, so look for a program that will accommodate your daily schedule. Email Scanning: the program should monitor incoming and/or outgoing email traffic and file attachments. If a threat should be detected you will be notified to take action. Instant Messaging Protection: Viruses are often contracted through instant messaging programs such as AOL Instant Messenger (AIM) or Yahoo! Messenger. Some antivirus software can keep watch over instant messaging traffic to detect virus threats. Automatic Virus Updates/Program Updates: Because viruses are so rapidly and continuously developing updates to your antivirus software is incredibly important. Additionally, the program itself may be updated by the developers to increase efficiency and detection ability.

Other criteria used to evaluate anti-virus software:

Ease of Use –Exceptional anti-virus software is simple to use, regardless of a person’s computer experience or knowledge of viruses.
Effective at Identifying Viruses and Worms – The best anti-virus products identify infected files quickly through real-time scanning, searching for viruses in a multitude of sources, including email, instant message applications, web browsing and so on.
Effective at Cleaning or Isolating Infected Files –Truly capable anti-virus software thoroughly cleans, deletes or quarantines infected files—keeping them from spreading throughout the hard drive or network.
Activity Reporting – Anti-virus programs should give immediate notification of viruses found by real-time scanners and should provide an easy-to-read report of scan results, including what it found and what it did with infected files.
Feature Set – A well-rounded feature set allows anti-virus software to provide absolute protection. The best programs are those that offer a wide variety of tools, from basic real-time scanning to more advanced, heuristic scanning and script blocking—when it comes to virus protection, the more options the better.
Ease of Installation and Setup – Anti-virus programs should be a breeze to install, making it easy to go from installation to initial scan in just a couple clicks of the mouse.
Help Documentation – High-end anti-virus software come with plenty of help, including support via email, online chat or over the telephone. There should also be online resources, such as knowledge bases and FAQs available for quick and convenient help.

Sunday, August 12, 2007

Free utility to view your PDA on your desktop

My Mobiler v1.0 (06/24/2007) - FREEWARE

View your mobile screen on your desktop.
Control your mobile by using desktop keyboard and mouse.
Copy/Paste text between mobile and desktop.
Capture mobile screen.
Drag and drop files to your mobile.
Requires ActiveSync connection.

>> Download 'MyMobiler'

Support Windows Mobile 2003 Support Windows Mobile 5.0 / Windows Mobile 6.0

[Via My Mobiler.com]

Saturday, August 11, 2007

GIGABYTE UMPC U60

GIGABYTE UMPC U60 features the VIA C7-M processor, built-in IEEE 802.11 b/g wireless for wide compatibility, and the Bluetooth 2.0+EDR for increased data transfer rate which is three times faster than that of the conventional bluetooth.

GIGABYTE UMPC U60 is equipped with the built-in stereo microphones and speaker and the fun packed 300K pixel webcam, GPS satellite navigation module and DVB-T digital TV receiver module.

The power saving design of the GIGABYTE UMPC U60 stands out among the many UMPCs on the market. The VIA C7-M ULV 770 1GHz ultra low voltage processor features the Enhanced Power Saver technology using only 5W of power. In addition, the combination of the ultra thin LED backlight at 3.3V, the 1.8 inch ultra thin and low power consumption hard drive and the Windows Portal Power Management allows the U60 for up to 4 hours of battery usage with easy control over the volume, wireless network, synchronization status, and power management. The enhancement of productivity is literally in the palm of your hand.

Dopod M700

1st Windows Mobile PDA Phone for Music and Video Downloads

Carry your music with you! Now with the new M700 from Dopod International, your PDA phone isn’t just an executive’s tool anymore – it’s a full-fledged entertainment and business tool.

256MB Total Storage Memory

With 128MB ROM and 128MB Flash memory, there’s plenty of space to store your favourite music and/or Office documents. Plus, there is the usual 64MB RAM to help speed things along.

Enjoy Music To The Fullest

The M700 comes equipped with an Audio Booster which gives its owner a 10-band equalizer – for those who demand the highest standards in their mobile music.

FM Radio

When you finally get tired of your regular fare, tune in to your favourite FM radio stations. You can program up to 20 stations into the phone and access them easily and quickly at the touch of a button.

Quadband GSM and high speed WiFi (802.11g)

Frequent traveler? Fret not. With the M800, you get Quadband GSM connectivity, allowing you to connect to any GSM network in the world (with the proper roaming agreement). Furthermore, its built-in high speed WiFi connection allows users to download emails, data or surf the Internet at higher speeds.

Installed applications:

Microsoft Windows Mobile 5.0 with DirectPush Technology; Outlook Mobile, Office Mobile (Word, Excel, Powerpoint), Adobe Reader (PDF), IE Mobile, Windows Media Player 10 Mobile, PocketMSN, Activesync, Comm Mgr, Streaming Media Player, Internet Sharing, Media Hub, Audio Booster, FM Radio, Cyberon Voice Commander, RSS News Reader, CE-Star (download)

[Source Dopod Asia]

Thursday, August 9, 2007

See what Spybot S&D can do for you

Spybot - Search & Destroy detects and removes spyware, a relatively new kind of threat not yet covered by common anti-virus applications. Spyware silently tracks your surfing behaviour to create a marketing profile for you that is transmitted without your knowledge to the compilers and sold to advertising companies. If you see new toolbars in your Internet Explorer that you haven't intentionally installed, if your browser crashes inexplicably, or if your home page has been "hijacked" (or changed without your knowledge), your computer is most probably infected with spyware. Even if you don't see the symptoms, your computer may be infected, because more and more spyware is emerging. Spybot-S&D is free, so there's no harm giving it a try to see if something has invaded your computer.

CNET Download.com is the safe and trusted provider for
Spybot - Search & Destroy 1.4

To complete your download, click the Download Now link below:

Download Now (4.8MB)
Safe and spyware free

Spybot-S&D for Symbian UIQ
all Symbian UIQ based phones, for example Motorola A920, A925, A1000, A1010; Arima U300; BenQ P30; Sony Ericsson P800, P900, P910
Download for Symbian UIQ (.sis)

Spybot-S&D for Windows Mobile
Spybot-S&D for Windows Mobile is compatible to Pocket PCs and Smartphones running Windows CE 3.0 (Pocket PC 2002) up to the current Windows Mobile
Download for Smartphones (.cab)
Download for Pocket PC (.cab)

[Via home of Spybot-S&D]

Optimize Your PC for Faster Start-Up

1. Tweak the PC Setup:

Your PC's hardware can keep you waiting for quite a while before Windows has a chance to start. You can reduce the delay by changing a few settings in your CMOS.

Quick Power On Self-Test: Set this to Fast or Enabled to skip some time-consuming memory and hardware start-up tests. The downside is that you might miss a developing problem with RAM or the motherboard.

Floppy Seek: If your PC's floppy has been working fine, there's no reason to test it every time you boot. Set this to Disabled.

IDE Drives: Look for a list of your Primary and Secondary IDE channels. When these options are set to Auto, your PC pauses to identify each IDE device as it boots. Set this to None on IDE channels you aren't using.

2. Check for viruses, spyware and adware:

Hidden malicious or annoying programs often load at system start-up, slowing down the process. Get rid of them by scanning for viruses and pests regularly.

Don't have antivirus and spyware utilities? You can get a free antivirus at Avast or AVG . At Trend Micro and BitDefender, you can find a free online virus check. Spybots-S&D can help you remove spyware and adware from your system, or you can try at PestScan's free online detector.

3. Eliminate unwanted start-up programs:

Go to Start, Run, typing MSCONFIG , click OK and you can see what programs load at start-up. (Msconfig isn't in Windows 2000, but programs like Startup Control Panel can fill in for it.)

Click the Startup tab to see a list of programs that launch at start-up. You'll need to experiment to see what you can do without. Just uncheck the boxes on the left-hand side of the Msconfig window to keep them from loading. The name and location of each file can help you figure out what it does.

In Windows XP, Msconfig has a Services tab that shows other application and OS components. Some can be unchecked so they won't load at start-up; others are essential to Windows.

4. Tune the Registry:

Programs like RegClean can sweep out defunct hardware and software settings that can clog up your Registry. RegClean works for older versions of Windows.

5. Defragment your hard drive:

Your hard drive doesn't always save a file in one place. Instead, it tucks parts of the file wherever there's free space. Use Disk Defragmenter on each of your drives to make those files contiguous, improving both start-up and overall Windows performance. Select Start, Programs, Accessories, System Tools, Disk Defragmenter, select a drive, and click Start.

Wednesday, August 8, 2007

5 tips to extend the life of your laptop battery

1 - Power down the display

Lowering the screen resolution and color depth decreases the workload on the GPU, thus extending the battery runtime. You can change these by going to Start/Settings/Control Panel/Display and clicking the Settings tab.

Disabling extra features like ClearType fonts and fade effects will cut down on the CPU’s power consumption. You can find these in the Control Panel under System/Advanced/Performance Settings/Visual Effects.

2 - Turn off unused devices

Many new notebooks provide a hard-wired On/Off switch for the Wi-Fi radio for this reason. Beyond that, you should go to the Control Panel, select System/Hardware/Device Manager, and disable the Ethernet adapter, infrared transceiver, and Bluetooth (if your notebook has one). It was designed for mobile devices, but having Bluetooth enabled actually consumes quite a bit of power.

3 - Decrease hard drive activity

To minimize the frequency with which your hard disk has to spin up to access data, defragmenting your hard drive regularly. This optimizes the placement of data on the drive so that it can be found more quickly. You can find the Disk Degfragmenter in the Start/Programs/Accessories/System Tools menu.

Also optimizing Windows paging file, which is an area of the hard drive that serves as virtual memory whenever your RAM is full. To change it, go to the Control Panel and click through System/Advanced/Performance Settings/Advanced/Virtual Memory Change and set both the initial and maximum paging file size to 1.5 times the capacity of the installed memory.

4 - Disable startup items

Startup items load into memory every time Windows boots up, which causes other open applications to spill over into virtual memory and adds to the CPU load. You can disable the startup options by opening the associated programs and going to the Options or Preferences menu. You can also remove them from the Start/Programs/Startup folder or by clicking Start/Run, entering MSCONFIG, and clicking OK. Select the Startup tab and clear the checkbox beside any unnecessary background items, like qttask (QuickTime).

5 - Condition the battery

When you purchase your notebook, charge the battery to 100 percent, discharge it completely, and then fully charge it to 100 percent again to help the battery remember exactly how much electrical charge it can hold. From then on, you’ll never need to completely discharge the battery again, but always make sure when charging it that you let it reach 100 percent.

Remember to plug in the AC adapter (or dock/port replicator) whenever you get a chance. Most notebooks will recharge quickly.

Keep your notebook cool. Exposure to high temperatures can be a battery’s worst enemy.

[Source Laptopmag.com]

Dopod C500 Windows Mobile 6 Standard Smartphone

With the latest Windows Mobile 6 platform and Microsoft Office Mobile, you can truly enjoy all the benefits that come with having your own mobile office. The powerful features mean that information and documents you require are always available at your fingertips. The C500 allows users to both view and edit familiar Word and Excel documents as well as the ability to view PowerPoint and Adobe PDF documents.

One of the biggest advantages of the Dopod C500 is its size. The handheld is considered small for a device that hides a full QWERTY keyboard (semi-auto sliding) beneath its 2.4-inch LCD screen and a 12-numeric keypad.

From Ear to Eternity

V-MODA is the music lifestyle brand based in Hollywood, California. It designs and markets innovative products that fuse high-fashion and high-function, while paying homage to a rock-and-roll and house music lifestyle.

Vibe in Flashblack Chrome and Gunmetal Black

The Modaphone Hearwear Collection is part of the V-MODA collection of music-inspired products, apparel, and DJ compilations unveiled in 2006.

[Via V-Moda]

Tuesday, August 7, 2007

Apple MacBook Pro

A 2.2GHz or 2.4GHz Intel Core 2 Duo, 4MB of Smart Cache, L2 cache that can be shared between the cores as needed. MacBook Pro delivers up to 4GB of 667MHz DDR2 memory with a faster, 800MHz frontside bus and support for hard drives up to 250GB.

Ultimate speed, performance, and connectivity. Next-generation 802.11n wireless. Gorgeous upgraded displays. Wickedly fast NVIDIA graphics- GeForce 8600M GT graphics controller. Now available in 15.4- and 17-inch models with an optional 1920-by-1200 pixel display.

TOP 10 Portable MP3/ Media Player

1. Apple iPod
Put your entire music library into your pocket up to 20,000 songs (80GB). Plus carry movies, TV shows, videos, games, podcasts, audiobooks, photos, and more.

2. Creative Zen V Plus
The Creative Zen V Plus offers a cute, pocket-friendly design without sacrificing screen real estate, and the vivid OLED display is viewable from any angle. The player is packed to the gills with features, including an FM radio, voice and line-in recording, photo and video playback, and compatibility with subscription WMA tracks.

3. Samsung YP-K5
Samsung’s newest digital music player masterpiece, the K5, is a lightweight 1GB/2GB/4GB MP3 player with a heavyweight portfolio including an innovative touch screen, FM radio receiver, alarm clock, and built-in speakers.

4. Sandisk Sansa e200 series
The Sansa e200 Series MP3 players are the flagship products of SanDisks audio line. Created by the leaders in flash memory, this flash-based player provides everything you need for music, photo, and video clip playback.

5. Apple iPod Nano G2
Now up to 8GB, the 2G iPod nano features a new Amazing Technicolor Casing, gapless playback, a brighter screen, and almost double the battery life of the original, while maintaining the slim profile that other MP3 players have yet to match.

6. Microsoft Zune
Zune is Microsoft’s music and entertainment platform that provides an end-to-end solution for Connected Entertainment. The Zune experience includes a 30GB digital media player, the Zune Marketplace music service, and a foundation for an online community that will enable music fans to discover new music. Built-in wireless technology lets consumers share experiences device to device.

7. Sony Walkman NW-S205F
Designed with an active lifestyle in mind, the 2GB NW-S205F is the perfect companion on your workouts. Holds Up to 1350 Songs.

8. Sony Walkman NW-s703F
Walkman introduces an exciting, new way to enjoy your music. Equipped with a built-in noise cancelling system and enhanced Clear Audio technology, Walkman delivers distortion-free audio for a dynamic listening experience.

9. Samsung YP-T9B
Beautifully designed; Bluetooth wireless connectivity; outstanding battery life; impressive audio playback.

10. Apple iPod Shuffle
iPod shuffle is the smallest digital music player, letting you wear up to 240 songs on your sleeve.

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