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Windows 7 Fails to Boot Post Power Failure

2010-01-09T07:21:00.000-08:00

Story By: Bury Shane

Windows 7 is the latest release of Windows line of operating systems. A Windows 7 computer can become unbootable for various reasons that can affect the functioning of its earlier versions too, for example unexpected power failure. As the last resort, you might need to use your previous backup to restore lost data. But if a suitable backup is unavailable for any reason, you should use a windows data recovery product to recover it.

For instance, suppose you have a Windows 7 run desktop computer. You encounter a power failure when the computer is in sleep mode. The next time, when you try to boot the computer, you observe one or more of the following behaviors:

The startup process fails
You come across a black screen
The computer directly enters into repair mode

Cause

The above situation can occur if the computer is set up to enter the hibernation or hybrid sleep mode when the power goes off. The hybrid sleep mode is enabled on desktop computer by default. So, if the computer is in sleep mode when the power outage occurs, it actually enters in hybrid sleep mode.

Unexpected power outage can even result into corruption of any critical boot files, file system structures or operating system files.

Solution

To solve the discussed issue, you should boot your computer using a Windows 7 installation DVD or Windows PE (Windows Preinstallation Environment) disc. You can then try to start the computer in normal mode.

If this fails and your computer still cannot boot, you should use Windows RE (Windows Recovery Environment) to run tools like:

Startup Repair
System Restore
sfc /scannow command
bootrec /fixmbr command
bootrec /fixboot command
bootrec /rebuildbcd command
chkdsk /r command

If these measures prove unable to solve the described problem, you should finally opt for a windows partition recovery solution to recover the inaccessible data. However, you can reinstall the system provided a good backup is available. A windows data recovery software can scan the corrupted disk and recover the lost data at a safe location.

Stellar Phoenix Windows Data Recovery is an advanced recovery utility that recovers lost data from Windows 7, Vista, XP, 2003, and 2000 systems. The powerful windows partition recovery tool is available with a simple interface and various user-end features. The tool supports FAT32, VFAT, NTFS, and NTFS5 file systems.

About the Author

Bury Shane is a data recovery expert doing research from last 6 years on data recovery services, partition recovery and raid data recovery.

Article Directory Source: http://www.articlerich.com/profile/Bury-Shane/59108

Computer Runs Slowly--7 Easy Ways to Speed It Up

2009-04-01T00:49:00.000-07:00

Story by: John Mowatt

A new computer will perform at its best speed. How fast it runs is of course a function of it's components. The fastest computers have a high end processor and a lot of RAM memory.

Then again your speed for surfing the internet depends entirely on your internet connection speed. Obviously a high speed cable connection is much faster than a dial up.

When your computer seems to gradually run slower over a period of time there can be a number of reasons for this and you can correct the problems fairly easily in most cases.

1. Do you have enough memory in your machine? Anything less than 1 gigabyte of RAM is barely enough these days. If you have less you should upgrade to at least 1 Gigabyte of RAM and 2 or more gigabytes would be better. Same applies to your hard drive. If you download a lot of stuff you should have a big hard drive. A minimum of 100 gigabytes is needed these days.

2. Have you got a lot of programs you never use on your hard drive? Uninstall as many as possible. The extra hard drive space will speed things up especially if you have a small hard drive. Aim to have no more than 50 to 60 percent of your hard drive space in use.

3. You should defragment your hard drive regularly to keep things running fast and smoothly. When pieces of programs are scattered throughout the hard drive the computer is slowed down as it attempts to find the many pieces of a program. All the pieces of a program should be together on the hard drive and defragmenting accomplishes this.

4. Regular use of an antispyware program will eliminate spyware which has been installed on your machine by someone unknown. Adaware and Spybot are free programs which you can download. Your computer resources are used up by spyware as it goes about its dirty business. Take it out and speed up your machine.

5. Many people will have months or even years of old emails taking up hard drive space. Remove all deleted items,sent items and old inbox items regularly and you will free up a surprising amount of hard drive room. This will enable your machine to run faster.

6. Your startup menu may be clutterd with all kinds of material which need not be there. You can access any of these programs quite easily if you need them. No need to have them slow down the booting of the machine. Edit them out of the startup menu. No need to delete them,just remove them from startup and booting will become faster.

7. All Windows PCs will slow down over a period of time. The computer registry gradually becomes choked with excess material. This greatly slows down the operating system as it tries to locate the data it needs to run your computer. The solution is to remove all the unwanted data from the registry and clean it up.

If you have the necessary computer knowledge you can do this manually using the Regedit function which is installed in all Windows computers for this purpose. Regedit will give you access to the registry files and you can then delete any material you don't want in there.

A serious caution is in order at this point however. If you do not know exactly what you are doing you should not remove any data from the registry. Many entries are there for the purpose of running the computer and if you should delete any of these important files your computer could be disabled. It might become necessary to reinstall the operating system to get the machine back in working order. Needless to say you want to avoid this at all costs.

Fortunately there is a safe and easy way to remove the unecessary material from the registry. You simply need to download a registry repair application from the internet and this will take care of the problem for you quickly and easily.

A number of these programs are available to download and they vary considerably in ease of use and in performance. We purchased and tested several of them and found that some were superior to others.

The first necessity is to get a free scan of your computer which most of these applications offer. This will determine whether or not you do have a registry problem and will report to you what the problems are.

You can look at this report and decide what you would like to do. It is well worthwhile to pay the reasonable charge to have the registry repaired and this is what we recommend.

The registry cleaner will quickly do it's work and your computer will be returned to full operating speed. Your computer will run like a new machine again.

About The Author
Which registry repair tool did we find to be far superior to others? Do you want a free, no obligation scan, to repair your registry problems? We have lots of free information and resources available at our website: http://www.bestregistryrepaironline.com

Top Sites To Sell a Used Laptop

2009-02-08T19:37:00.000-08:00

By Mark Grey

With the internet being a vast mass of sites, knowing where to start looking when you want to sell a used laptop can be a daunting experience.

We have all heard stories of some wonderful sites that we can sell our used, or broken laptop to - but how much of the hype can we believe, and what can we do to take the precautionary measures to ensure we choose not only the most efficient company, but also the most professional when we decide to sell our old, used or broken laptop.

Firstly, I mention it being a daunting experience, since the evolution of Cash for Laptops in 2001 there has been numerous sites that have joined the industry such as Gazelle, Laptops into cash, Laptop Trader Express, Jaybrokers and so forth - this plus the many others available leaves us bedazzled as to which company is best for selling a used laptop.

Some sites will offer a vast amount of money for the used laptop, but is there a guarantee that comes with it, others promise immediate responses, but again - no guarantee to back up their comments and can leave you stranded in the process of trying to sell your laptop. Old, used,, or broken it still holds a value, and with the economy as it stands losing out when you try to sell your used laptop is no good thing.

So we know there are many sites available - it´s time to do our homework. Check through the sites and their privacy policy - I noticed Cash for Laptops mention many things in their policy that some sites tend to omit - a sign of honesty if my opinion. Offering advice of what to do if you are not satisfied surely means they will go beyond the call of duty to provide a great service to you when you sell your laptop, doesn´t it?

If we need further proof, how abut scanning the web for some testimonials, Google a few names, maybe check for video testimonials on You Tube and such sites - see if we can gauge an overall feeling of how the site performs and previous clients opinions. Having the company's opinion is great, but backing this up with public opinion we are now getting on track to find who is best to sell a used laptop to.

The last thing to just provide the extra reassurance - how can we contact the company we want to trade with, do they have a contact number, is it easily available? And what about an address, do they operate from a non-disclosed address, or can we find it on their website. These details add real credibility in my opinion, and provide the confidence we need when we sell a used laptop online - this is another reason I would encourage you to check www.cashforlaptops.com before you try anywhere else.

About the Author
Mark Grey, mark@markfreelance.com

What is a Registry Cleaner Software?

2009-02-01T21:16:00.000-08:00

By: IC

The Registry cleaner software ensures that your computer functions at its optimum level, by supporting a fundamental section of the Windows, i.e. the Windows registry. This is an integral part of the Windows OS, without which the computer would become unusable. Hence, you will need to have the Registry cleaner software downloaded to ensure that your Windows Registry is complete and in working condition.

Windows Registry is a complex system that holds in specific files and all the information and commands that are required to have the computer run smoothly. Every time you create a file, Windows sends information about that file to its registry. A registry entry is also made by Windows when you install or remove a program.

It is common knowledge that whenever you are using an application, you will have a temporary file formed mirroring the file you are using. This information along with many other redundant data saved in the form of various files would usually be stored in the temporary section. Over a period of time, this accumulation of unnecessary information would slow down your computer.

Registry cleaner software scans your system and finds all the wrong and unwanted information and deletes it permanently from the PC. Once that process is done your computer will have no more problems and it will run a lot faster. Most of the registry cleaner software also allows the user to backup all your information to store it to the registry just incase you experience some sort of system failure. This feature will also let you handle the start-up easily.

The Registry cleaner software ensures that your computer functions at its optimum level, by supporting a fundamental section of the Windows, i.e. the Windows registry. This is an integral part of the Windows OS, without which the computer would become unusable. Hence, you will need to have the Registry cleaner software downloaded to ensure that your Windows Registry is complete and in working condition.

About the Author
Webpctools provides information which shows you how to delete internet history files to keep your PC performance at its best. Learn more about applications which let you erase internet history archives or clear internet history records on your PC.
Article Directory: http://www.articlerich.com

The Next Generation Of Top Budget Notebooks

2009-01-16T19:40:00.000-08:00

By : Roberto Sedycias

The top budget notebooks are the answer to your system requirements. Available with affordable price range, these budget notebooks have impressive set of core options.

Notebooks have come a long way since their incarnations in the early eighties. Once considered as a status symbol, today they are a necessity, because of their easy portability and connectivity facility. With constant innovation in the notebook technology, modern notebooks have now a wide array of user-friendly features.

They are much lighter in weight, have more storage space and faster processing speed as compared to earlier notebooks. The prices of these modern notebooks also vary as per the rich convenient features. Notebooks manufacturers set the convenience features in notebooks according to consumers demand in market.

You are mistaken if you think these modern notebooks with its slim lighter weights are only available in higher price range. Depending upon its advanced features and storage capacity, there can be high-end expensive and the top budget notebooks. For budget conscious consumers, notebook manufacturers offer the top budget notebooks which are cheaper in price and lighter in performance.

While manufacturing the top budget notebooks, manufacturers trade off in hardware or software features to produce quality systems. Let`s face it; consumers who are in a shoe-string budget have to compromise either on price or on high-end performance.

But the top budget notebooks have all basic features and are capable of delivering full solutions for computer related tasks. With computing technology improving every year, today many varieties of the top budget notebooks are available with impressive set of core options in affordable price ranges.

It is wise to invest in the top budget notebooks. Of course the latest high-end ultra-slim notebooks offer much more as compared to these budget notebooks. But consider about the usability of so many high-end features. Not all of us need a high-speed notebook.

If you are into a dominating corporate world, constantly traveling and living life out of conference rooms and hotels, then a costly notebook justifies your requirement. But if emails and surfing the Internet are all you do, then having an expensive notebook is a waste of your money.

A basic top budget notebook is all you need in this scenario. Moreover, any unforeseen catastrophe such as stealing of your expensive notebook will put you in emotional shock which takes a long time to come out of. Even though you inevitably have to make a number of performance sacrifices, but the top budget notebooks will get your basic system related jobs done for a whole lot less.

Buying top budget notebooks can be a tricky task considering so many varieties and features available in market today. There are a few things which you must consider while looking for the top budget notebooks. First feature to watch out is the processor. It should definitely be dual core for dual core offers multi-tasking performance and has an extending battery life. It is good to opt for branded CPU manufacturers.

Another important feature is the RAM. It should be 1GB as minimum to be considered in the top budget notebooks. Large display screens and built-in wireless connectivity are other two basic features which you need to look into the top budget notebooks.

Some top budget notebooks also have standard DVD writer and Wi-Fi radio features. Unnecessary pre-loaded software actually slow down the top budget notebooks and hence should be avoided. Advance operating systems are always in sync with the top budget notebooks.

If you prefer, you can opt for downgrading to older platforms. The best thing is with an easy affordable price, these top budget notebooks have optional high-end available including HDMI inputs and touch-sensitive media control buttons. Although it costs a bit moreFree Articles, an extended warranty of 3years is better in the long run for the top budget notebooks.

Source: Free Articles from ArticlesFactory.com

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

You can have access to portuguese articles about portable notebooks from page Notebook. Roberto Sedycias works as IT consultant for PoloMercantil

Acer Aspire One Mini Laptop Review

2009-01-10T05:20:00.000-08:00

Many people falsely assume that small laptops aren't powerful laptops, or that small laptops could not possibly be as feature-rich as their larger competitors, but anyone who believes these false assumptions have not met the Acer Aspire One Mini Laptop. The Acer Aspire One is an 8.9 inch LCD, 160GB HDD, 1GB RAM White Laptop Computer that weighs a mere 2.78 lbs and offers amazing transportability.

Regardless of whether you are checking your e-mail, managing your online accounts or having a conversation with your friends, this Acer Aspire One Mini Laptop Review surprisingly transportable Aspire One laptop offers an operating system that is simple and intuitive, clearly organizing everything that you need in order to effectively surf the internet, get your work done or simply have some fun.

Battery Life - This is one of the greatest elements of the Acer Aspire One. As far as battery life is concerned, you will be surprised when you see how long this battery can go for. I've taken my laptop out of the house expecting to lose power within an hour or so. After playing my favorite video game for four hours straight, I closed it down and found that I still had a surprising hour and fifteen minutes worth of battery life to take advantage of.

Look and Feel - My Acer Aspire One Mini Laptop attracts crowds beyond my imagination. Most people assume I am playing with a DVD player until I start playing games or my laptop starts throwing off chat sounds. If you are looking for a small, portable and visually attractive laptop computer, then the produces created by Acer are a good way to go. The Acer Aspire One is my favorite laptop by far, and it continues to blow my mind when I take it out and watch everyone get excited at it.

The key specifications are enough to give a clear indication of how awesome this small, portable laptop really is.

Processor - Intel Atom Processor N270

Memory - 1024MB DDR2 533MHz SDRAM

OS - Windows XP Home

Monitor - 8.9" WSVGA CrystalBrite LED Backlight LCD Display

Hard Drive - 160GB 5400RPM SATA

Weight - 2.78 lbs

Measurement - 9.8"L x 6.7"W x 1.42"H

Ports - 3 - USB 2.0, VGA Connector, RJ45-Ethernet and AC Adaptor Connector

Included Accessories - 4GB USB flash drive, 6-cell LI-ion battery, user guide, Power adaptor, Power cord and USB mouse

Pre-Installed Software - Acer Recovery Management, Acer Launch Manager, Adobe Reader, McAfee Internet Security Suite, Microsoft Office Trial 2007

If you are looking for a small and portable laptop that is visually stunning and really packs a punch in terms of functionality, then the Acer Aspire One Mini laptop is the way to go. This laptop will give you the capability and functionality that you need, regardless of whether you are looking for a laptop offering work functionality or a nice gaming rig. No matter what you need, this is an excellent laptop for you if portability is important. Check it out here the laptops link

About Author Brandi Yates :
Here you can get up to 50% Off the Acer Aspire One Laptop: http://pda.gotmineforless.com/Cell-Phones-and-PDAs/Acer-Aspire

Article Source: http://www.BharatBhasha.com
Article Url: http://www.bharatbhasha.com/internet-and-computers.php/112804

Ten ways to cool down your Laptop

2009-01-03T06:11:00.000-08:00

By: aaroah sunil

All laptop users have had that moment, that really common yet frustrating moment, when they think- "How in the hell do I cool down my laptop?"

Well, I have had that moment more than once; needless to say the heating issue has caused me harm as well. So I decided to Google my way out of this problem, and also hit some really dusty manuals and of course talk to those spectacled dudes!

So here are some ways, that I found over these talks and surfing and I think would benefit you as well over the long run:

1. Laptops like it hard – Yeah, they really don't care if it's a cushion or a rock they are on. So sensitive feelings, what is important they you put them on a hard surface and not a soft surface this goes a long way in helping air flow.

2. If you have the money- Then you could go for a cooling stand, it makes things simpler.

3. Power Save- This is a great option to keep the temperatures under check, looks after your hard drive and make sure that not too much energy is wasted.

4. Burden- USB Devices can only be a burden, it generates heat big time. So unplug it is.

5. Obvious- Move to a cooler place!

6. Place a notebook- If you don't write in them, you might as well use them to cool down your laptop!

7. Close that Notepad file will you? - Make sure that you don't have unnecessary files open and simply eating away into your energy quotient.

8. Dim it- You can dim the brightness, it goes a long way in helping the cause.

9. Air Flow- Make sure you know how the whole Air Flow system that the Laptop follows and make sure you have them working without any hindrance.

10. Wet- Take a damp tissue and place it on the heated surface, it helps.

These are what one would call, simple tricks, if you have the money, and then there are several things that you can do and get it good and going.

Article Source: http://www.new.citynewslive.com

The author is an active tech expert and has written various articles that circles around www.gadgetadvisor.com/computer-hardware/lenovo-thinkpad-x301>ThinkPad X301 and www.gadgetadvisor.com/gadgets/apple-iphone-2g-1st-generation-and-3g-2nd-generation-compared>iPhone.

How Laptops Have Changed the World

2008-12-13T23:26:00.000-08:00

Story by : Theodor Cartman

Another mini revolution that has overtaken the world is the advent of laptops. A major computer maker, Toshiba, in conjunction with Sony Computers, got together and decided to shrink the personal computer (PC) in order to make it smaller and portable. This meant that personal computing was no longer limited to just sitting behind a desk. One could now pack their computer into a small carrier bag and go off with it. The term "laptops" started from here because these mini computers could be used, apart from one's desk, by simply putting it on one's lap. The laptop was then used to refer to smaller portable computers as opposed to "desktops" which were the regular computers that sit on desks in many offices and homes.

Laptops are made by simply compacting the usual components of the personal computers and major computer manufacturers such as Dell, Toshiba, Sony, HP-Compaq and other such as Acer and Lenovo have a major market share when it comes to computers. Dell brought in the concept of customizing computers for its customers. This was a welcome relief because it equipped buys with the power to choose exactly what they wanted to be included in their new computer in terms of memory size, hard-drive size, processor speed and more. All this could be done right from the Dell company website. Other companies followed suit and the era of customization was here.

In the past people could only customize as far as the components. This is still important because the computer is all about performance and performance is all about components. But today customization has actually extended even to the way the computer actually looks. Here we are talking about cosmetic appearance. While most computers come in black and grey, the top computer manufactures have began to crank out laptops that come in different colors. One of the colors is pink and this is one of the most popular laptop colors now in the open market.

But today, laptops are not the sole domain of lone businessmen, researchers working on projects or lecturers and teachers. This is partly because they have become more hip and also because of what computers are used for. Computers used to be created for work-related tasks and that is why they were popular with businessmen and researchers and others. But today laptops, also called "notebooks" have become multimedia centers coming with more RAM, more processor capability and more storage.

Theodore provides information about cheap pink laptops. Check out complete guide to Pink Laptops : Apple, Dell, Sony colored notebooks and accessories reviews.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Theodor_Cartman

Must-Dos When Your Computer is Infected

2008-12-06T00:50:00.000-08:00

By Mike Darwin

If you see the message, "Your computer is infected. Windows has detected spyware infection", on your PC, be wary about installing just any anti-spyware software program. This could just be a clever way of tricking PC owners into downloading spyware into their computer system.

Spyware programs, along with computer viruses, have become among the top Internet threats that PC owners and Internet surfers face. When one's computer system becomes spyware infected, one becomes very vulnerable to identity theft. Through these programs, it becomes easier for some malicious software developers to steal information about the PC owner. What makes this even worse is that new spyware programs are created every day, each one more sophisticated and more potentially damaging than the previous versions.

Spyware can be a source of major computer trouble. Because it is, PC owners have to get themselves a reliable anti-spyware software program. However, if one's PC is not yet infected with spyware, certain steps have to be followed to keep it that way. In addition, PC owners should be aware of the methods on how spyware can be transferred or injected to one's computer system.

One of the proven and tested ways of getting that dreaded spyware infection is when you click a link on a message that suddenly appears on your screen telling you that you need an anti-spyware software. When this flashing message appears on your screen, close it by using the ctrl/alt/delete method that is usually used to manually close some programs. Do not use the close button, as it might be part of the active link that is waiting to be transferred to your PC.

PC owners have to be careful about downloading certain programs to their computer system. Moreover, Internet users also have to veer away from free downloadable programs as these are almost always unreliable. Always choose paid anti-spyware software programs instead. To help you in making a good choice, make sure to read the reviews of these products. With an efficient anti-spyware tool in your arsenal, you will no longer receive deceiving messages saying that your computer is infected with spyware.

PC infested with stubborn spyware and adware? Read this detailed anti-spyware software review and discover which is the most highly-rated spyware remover in the market.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mike_Darwin

Disc Cleaning and Repairing

2008-11-25T05:45:00.000-08:00

By: Mira Williams

One can also not go around buying as many pen-drives as CDs, thus storing information on various media is possible only with compact discs. Compact discs are also the only way to store ‘away’ information that you might not want to use very frequently. But, how many times have you inserted an old movie CD to find it unreadable because it is scratched?

This problem is quite common. No matter how much care you take, CDs are bound to get damaged over time. Storing in cases or envelopes does not really help, especially if you keep traveling with them. And all CDs are going to slip from your fingers at least once. All these actions are enough to scratch the CD, rendering it useless. Although you might have a back up of the information on your PC, there is a good chance of this happening to a movie CD or movie DVD, where you don’t have a back-up.

But hold on. Don’t discard it yet. Ever heard of CD repairing? CDs can be repaired too. There is a way to actually fix the scratches on your CD just like fixing a broken piece of furniture. Imagine how much money it would save you if you could get each scratched disc you have, repaired, each time it scratches – instead of buying boxfuls of new ones. And it’s pretty easy too.

All you have to do is take the help of any one of the various disc repair services that are available online. You could visit a hardware shop or ask a computer mechanic to do it as well, but that would mean shelling out a few extra bucks and most importantly a lot of waiting and repeated calling and traveling to get your disc cleaned. Online repairing is much fast and completely hassle-free. Most of these websites only require you to register and then mail them the scratched CDs. In a few days time – you will have your CDs back – as good as new.

However, you need to exercise some preliminary caution before you send your discs to the cleaners. There is a limit to the damage that can be fixed. A CD has three layers
- The top layer on which usually graphics or labels are printed. You can even write on this layer.
- The bottom plastic layer. This acts as a protective shield against any scratching or falling or any corrosion.
- The middle – inner foil layer – this is where all the information is stored. If this layer’s been damaged, there’s nothing you can do to save your CD.
Any damage to the bottom layer or top layer can be corrected by disc repair services.

Most of the times, data becomes unreadable due to dirt that has accumulated on the CD and not scratches – thus it makes sense to clean the CD once with a soft cloth before you decide to send it to the cleaners. However if you’re not sure of how to go about cleaning the disc, you might end up causing more damage. IT will thus be better to seek professional help once you find out that your disc’s been scratched.
You could try any of the hundreds of the websites offering such services. Upon registering your name and address on the website you’re sent a three way disc mailer. Just pack up your discs and send. The best part is that most websites offer a money back guarantee AND they will not charge you if they can’t fix your disc.

Article Directory: http://www.articlecube.com

DiscRepairServices.com - You have found Disc Repair Services! Send us your discs and we will repair and return the same day we receive them: repair service, service, cd, dvd, playstation, xbox, game, cd repair, DVD repair.

Cheap Web Site Hosting: Host your website on the Internet at unbelievably affordable rates

2008-11-03T01:05:00.000-08:00

By: Aman Satphati

Having designed your website, the next step is to upload it to the Internet so that it can be viewed by people. To facilitate this, you have to use web hosting services from a company. This implies that you are buying virtual space from a company which will host your website on its server. It is possible for that company to host many more websites with differing domain names and IP addresses, but this won't affect your website.

Today, there are a large number of companies that provide web hosting services at affordable rates. However, many times cheaper rates can also be an indication of poor quality. So, before you select your service provider, you must judge the credentials of the same. Out of the many companies that are presently plying the market, Manashosting, a Bangalore based company deserves special mention. Manashosting provides you with exclusive web hosting services at competitive rates. In case you are wondering that how does the company provide these services at such unbelievable rates then here is how they do it.

They essentially save a lot of money on rentals as they have their own servers. By using a large number of servers they are able to maintain high uptime and thus provide unlimited web space and bandwidth to the clients. This results in lowering of costs. Manshosting also saves on other aspects such as large number of employees, unnecessary out going phone calls and expensive office space. This further facilitates lowered operational costs. Thus, it is because of a planned and structured operational set up that the company is able to provide the customers with lowered costs. Under no circumstances is the quality hampered. So, you can be rest assured while handing over your next assignment to the company.

Adorned by an experienced team of professionals, Manashosting is committed to provide you quality services at unbelievable and unheard prices. There are various packages available with the company for you to choose from. Apart from being exceptionally affordable, these packages are tailor made to suit your requirements. Some of these packages include 25 MB Small package, 10 GB Reseller Package, Super reseller Package, and One domain Package to name a few.

You can gather more information about the services of the company from their website: www.manashosting.com. This website would enable you to go through all details regarding the package that you choose for yourself. Further, you would also get all relevant information about the prices and other details.

So, get your website designed and hosted by Manashosting and feel the difference immediately.

Article Directory: http://www.articlecube.com

Author generally writes for Unlimited Bandwidth India , Java Web Hosting In India & Linux Dedicated Server .

Branded Laptops – Best Deals on Branded Laptops

2008-10-25T00:16:00.000-07:00

Here you can read features and specifications of Acer Aspire 4720NWXMi LX.AMP0C.033 laptops and Lenovo Y410 775756Q Laptops:

Acer Aspire 4720NWXMi LX.AMP0C.033 Laptop

Features of Acer Aspire 4720NWXMi LX.AMP0C.033 Laptop

Backed by Intel Core2 Duo processors, and featuring Acer's cool new notebook ID and cutting-edge graphics, the Aspire 4720 is a 14.1" performance notebook for the value-conscious consumer. Boasting ultra-realistic Dolby sound this exceptional multimedia machine is built to meet any user's digital needs.
• Processor Intel Core2Duo Processor T5250
• 1024MB RAM (2* 512MB) DDR2 667MHz Memory
• 160GB Hard Disk Drive (5400RPM)
• 14.1" WXGA TFT LCD, 1280 x 800 resolution
Specifications of Acer Aspire 4720NWXMi LX.AMP0C.033 Laptop

• Operating System: Linux
• Processor: Intel Core2Duo Processor T5250
• Chipset: Intel 965GM chipset
• Memory: 1024MB DDR2 667MHz Memory
• Screen Size: 35.81 cms (14.1 wide)
• Optical Drive: 8X DVD Super Multi double layer drive
• Hard Disk Drive: 160 GB HDD
• Bluetooth Integrated bluetooth 2.0+EDR
• Card Reader 5-in-1 Card reader
• LAN: Gigabit LAN
• Camera: Acer Crystal Eye Webcam supporting Primalite Technology
• Ports & Others: Four USB 2.0 Ports, Dolby Stereo Speakers
Lenovo Y410 775756Q Laptops

Features of Lenovo Y410 775756Q Laptop

The Y410 series is a stylish 14.1" notebook delivered in cool chassis design and backed by a selection of Intel Core 2 Duo processors. A complete solution for all your needs.
• Intel Core 2 Duo T7250 (2.0 GHz/2 MB L2 cache)
• 2 GB DDR 2, SDRM
• 160GB Hard Disk Drive
• DVD+RW/DVD RAM (slot in)
• 14.1-inch WXGA TFT LCD.
Specifications of Lenovo Y410 775756Q Laptop
• Processor: Intel Core 2Duo T7250 (2.0 Ghz) 2 MB L2cache
• Memory: 2 GB DDR2
• Hard Drive: 160 GB SATA
• Wireless: 802.11 abg/ Blue Tooth
• Ethernet: 10/100
• Modem: 56kbps
• Display Screen: 14.1"WXGA vibrant view
• Media Card Reader: 4 in 1 (SD, MMC, XD, MS, SD pro)
• Graphics: 128 MB Nvidia GE Force FX GO 8400 GS
• OS Provided: Vista Home Basic
• Battery: 6 Cell
• Optical Drive: Drive DVD+RW/DVD RAM (slot in)
• Port: 4 USB 2.0, IEEE 1394, S-Video, VGA, Mic in, Headphone
• Additional Features:Dolby Home Theatre/camera/ AUDIO DJ
Author suggests you to try these laptops once.

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Anita Vishwas has written articles on Toshiba laptops, acer laptops, Compaq laptops, lenovo laptops etc.

10 Great Printer Ink Saving Tips

2008-10-11T07:43:00.000-07:00

By: John C. Arkin

As the costs of just about everything continue to go up, spending on items that we might call luxury items goes down. You may not have thought about it before, but printer ink can be one of those luxuries when you’re considering whether to buy a half a tank of gas or a new set of printer ink cartridges. To forestall the purchase of those $30 black ink cartridges or $60 color/black packages there are some easy printing habit changes you can make.

Keep your nozzles clean

Perhaps the easiest change you can make to your printing habits is to keep an eye on your printer heads. The printer ink nozzles that dispense the actual ink use a spray function to get the ink onto the paper. As such, these nozzles can find build-up occuring. If the ink collects on the dispensing head excessively more ink will likely build-up on the head then the paper
Print only what you need

When it comes to printing, most people are fairly lazy. Click on the print icon and you’re done. This habit lends itself to several habits changes that you can make to significantly reduce your printer ink usage but also your paper usage. Instead of just hitting print, add the print preview function to see what you are about to print. Then ask yourself; do I need all those color ads on the sides? Do I need the last two paragraphs on the page? If not, consider turning off the color ink cartridges, select only the text you require and select only the pages you need –especially that last page with the footer that comes out with each print job.
Alternate colors and reduce size

Maybe this thought is going to the extreme but it will extend the overall replacement cycle of your ink cartridges. Print in different colors on a rotating basis. It may be a bit hard on the eyes but printing only in green or blue to spread the color cartridges use out over time is a way to better balance your overall cartridge use. Also on the bit excessive side, is reducing the font size on the documents you are printing.

Print only when needed

Keeping a leash on your clicking finger is perhaps the best ink saving tip that could be given. The tendency is to let your hand and finger head right for the print function as a matter of course. Stop and think about it for a few moments. Will that that piece of information be used somewhere else where I’ll need to reference it often? If not, try minimizing it for five or ten minutes. If you keep coming back to maximize it you can likely print it because it is relevant.

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This Article is written by John C. Arkin from PrintCountry, the contributor of Printer Ink Cartridges Articles. More information on the subject is at 10 Great Printer Ink Saving Tips, and related resources can be found at Printer Ink Cartridge.

Top 10 Easiest Things To Recycle

2008-10-10T07:33:00.000-07:00

By: John C. Arkin

Just about everything is recyclable. One way or the other everything will return to dust at some point in the future. The only differences are how quickly and in what form will they get there. Recycling is a process that helps the products along their path in the right way. The mantra of “reduce-reuse-recycle” is all tied up in the recycling process regardless of the fact that “recycle” is used in the mantra. Unfortunately, some items shoot right through the recycling process to turn to dust after only a few product life cycles. Others, however, take longer to get through the recycling process –which is where reduce, reuse parts come in- and stick around for a second, third fourth and more lives. These are the products environmentalists like and are often the easiest to recycle.

The most and easiest material to recycle

The most recycled material on the planet is steel. For the most part, this is due to the number of cars manufactured and the amount of commercial construction waste generated each year. Steel is a great reuse item because it can be melted and recast without losing integrity. In many cases, the next printer case you see may be recycled steel or something close to it. Printers are notoriously associated as a price loss leader so cheap steel and components need to be found; used and recycled again if they are to be considered viable recycled products.

Aluminum

Aluminum cans are a recycled product that most will be familiar with. They may not be the most recycled product but they can be considered one on the most beneficially recycled where trash and aluminum prices are concerned. Your next printer likely won’t have much aluminum from cans in it but it will help with other areas of printing like markers in the ink cartridges.

Recycled printers

We’ve seen the recycled products being used in components of a printer, but what about recycling the printer as well. You may not think about it all that much, but there are quite a few minerals in computer peripherals like printers, towers and monitors.

Maybe not steel

In many printers, there is a good amount of steel included. For the most part, however, they are comprised of plastic. Plastic makes up the most waste by volume in our waste stream and is readily recyclable into computer shells and more specifically printer components.

Although there are many products that may not be the most recycled, in whatever measured you might consider, the world’s population is starting to recycle just about anything they can think of. Yard waste is a very big category; glass is a large category while paper and cardboard are perhaps the most profitable categories. When you look around, you may also consider; the carpet you’re standing on, the filters your furnace uses and the waste fluids you use every day when recycling.

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This Article is written by John C. Arkin from PrintCountry, the contributor of Printer Ink Cartridges Articles. More information on the subject is at Top 10 easiest things to recycle, and related resources can be found at Recycling Brother Ink Cartridges.

World of wonders with Lenovo Laptops

2008-10-01T03:36:00.000-07:00

A laptop computer or laptop is a small computer, which usually runs on a single battery or an external AC/DC adapter that charges the battery. It also supplies power to the computer even if there is a power failure. Laptops usually have LCDs and most of them use different memory modules for their RAM.

Among the various laptop manufacturers, Lenovo is the name to reckon with reliability. It is one of the best Laptop manufacturer in the present times. Lenovo laptops are well designed with great features to meet the users need. The Lenovo laptops offer exceptional sound clarity with Dolby speaker system, transforming the laptop into a home theatre. It comes with touch-sensitive control panel, scratch-resistant screen, integrated TV tuner and iconic design.

Some of the most sought-after Lenovo laptops are the Lenovo 3000 G410 2049-42Q, Lenovo 3000 G400 2048-23Q and Lenovo 3000N 200 0769-A29. The Lenovo 3000 G410 2049-42Q comes with smart features like 14.1 inch TFT WXGA, 80 GB hard disk drive and Wireless Card 802.11b. The Lenovo 3000 G400 2048-23Q laptop comes with Intel 1.73GHz Dual Core Processor; 512MB RAM. The Lenovo 3000N 200 0769-A29 comes with Intel Pentium dual-core processor T2310(1.46Ghz), memory 512 MB, HDD(GB) and 120 GB optical drive.

There are also a wide range of cheap laptops in the market with all the advance features and technology. These cheap laptops are durable and price are also affordable for the users. The cheap laptops manufacturer are having a big share in the market and giving a tough competition to the brand manufacturers.

The laptops main advantage over the larger desktop computers is their inherent portability, another advantage is the laptop's ability to operate on battery power in the case of a power failure and also it less energy consumption.

In recent times, computers and laptops have became a necessity for everyone and its presence can be seen everywhere.

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The author is a specialist in retail writing. Her writing skills reflect the outcome of years of exposure to the retail industry. Working with retail giants as a consultant has enriched her knowledge base and her passion for writing got fire. She can be read regularly on RetailsDirect.com. For details please visit: www.retailsdirect.com
HCL Laptops.

Neck pain : Causes, Symptoms and Treatments

2008-09-21T00:36:00.000-07:00

I have been surfing and blogging in the net quite some years during my younger days. Then I landed myself some pain in the neck, arm , and hands. And when I consulted the doctor and he informed me I had developed Cervical spondylosis.

Story by: peterhutch

Most people will experience neck pain at some point in their lives. Neck pain can be acute, meaning it lasts a few hours to a few weeks, or it can be chronic. Neck pain that lasts several weeks or longer is considered chronic neck pain.

The neck (cervical spine) is composed of vertebrae that begin in the upper torso and end at the base of the skull. The bony vertebrae along with the ligaments (which are comparable to thick rubber bands) provide stability to the spine. The muscles allow for support and motion.

Causes of Neck Pain

Muscle strains usually related to sustained physical activity such as sitting at computer terminals for prolonged periods of time. Acute strain may occur after sleeping in an awkward position.

Osteoarthritis resulting from the narrowing of the intervertebral discs located between the vertebrae of the spine.

Spinal stenosis which is a narrowing of the spinal canal that causes compression of the spinal cord (cervical myelopathy). The narrowing is caused by disc bulging, bony spurs and thickening of spinal ligaments.

Cervical spondylosis

With everyday use over many years the discs and the facet joints become worn. This wear varies from person to person. The discs become thinner and this causes the spaces between the vertebrae to become narrower. Also, 'spurs' of bone, known as osteophytes, form at the edges of the vertebrae and the facet joints.

Tension

Most muscles of the body relax completely when they are not being used but some muscles (known as 'anti-gravity muscles') have to work all the time in order to keep your body upright. Muscles at the back of your neck must always be tensed, otherwise your head would fall forwards when you are sitting or standing.

Symptoms of Neck Pain

Noisy joints

You may hear or feel clicking or grating (called 'crepitus') as you move your head. This is caused by roughened bony surfaces moving against each other or by ligaments rubbing against bone.

Neck pain is commonly associated with dull aching. Sometimes pain in the neck is worsened with movement of the neck. Other symptoms associated with some forms of neck pain include numbness, tingling, tenderness, sharp shooting pain, fullness, difficulty swallowing, pulsations, swishing sounds in the head, dizziness or lightheadedness, and gland swelling.

Computers

Stockbyte/Getty Images - computerSpending a lot of time in front of a computer screen can damage the muscles in your eyes. This can lead to eye strain or eye fatigue.

Smoky environments

Smoky environments can irritate the eye's delicate membranes. If you can't avoid smoke, make sure you keep your eyes moist with eyewash or eye drops.

Treatments of neck pain

Applying ice massages for 5 to 10 minutes at a time to a painful area within the first 48 hours of pain onset can help relieve pain as can heat, which relaxes the muscles. Heat should be applied for pains lasting greater than 48 hours. Over-the-counter pain relievers.

Rest. Lie down from time to time during the day to give your neck a rest from holding up your head. Avoid prolonged rest, since too much inactivity can cause increased stiffness in your neck muscles.

Neck exercises and stretching. Your doctor may recommend that you work with a physical therapist to learn neck exercises and stretches. A physical therapist can guide you through these exercises and stretches.

Medical Treatment

Pain medications: Usually in the form of acetaminophen (Tylenol) with or without an anti-inflammatory medicine such as ibuprofen (Advil) or naproxen (Aleve). It may take several days to settle the pain down. Stronger narcotic-containing medicines are usually not necessary, but your doctor may provide these for the first few days.

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Best Laptop Computers

2008-09-14T05:34:00.000-07:00

By: PoojaLapasia

Laptop computers are gaining popularity and are advancing to replace the desktop computers. Newer trends and innovations in laptop computers are making them a gullible buy. Laptop computers have evolved over the years; they have reduced in size and are pumping up in performance. There are different types of laptop computers but the 4 broad categories are, ultra portable laptop computers, mid-sized or popular laptops, gaming laptops and business laptops. The size of the laptop computer varies in each category and the cost differs according.

You need to prioritize your usage type and then narrow down on a purchase. The most popular laptop might not serve your need to the fullest. Hence you need to buy a laptop computer that has a configuration to meet your needs. With growing competition there are many low price laptop computers which can fit most budgets. These low priced laptop computers have the capacity to perform basic computing functions and some of them even offer scope for up gradation. The life of a laptop is around one year if it doesn’t offer up gradations, this is if you want to use enhanced software applications which are out in the market every month.

You can get also get second hand laptop computers if you are on a tight budget. Gamers usually look out for the best laptop computers in the market and are willing to sell off the old ones at reasonable rates. The popular brands of laptop computers are Acer, Sony, Dell, Hp, and Toshiba to name a few. Laptops run on different processor and the most popular ones are the Intel technology and AMD technology. These processors are world-renowned and are known for their enduring performance.

You can accessorize your laptop computer to make it functional as a desktop computer. If you are not used to the touch pad mouse you can get yourself a wireless mouse attachment. Most Laptop Computers lacks the thumping audio quality, you can gear up your laptop with a set of good sounding speakers. You can get wireless synchronization of your laptop with other devices by using a Bluetooth dongle. This makes your file transfers easy and convenient. You can buy laptop computers online through popular online shopping based websites. These sites offer a wide variety and also give you option of comparing various laptop computers across brands. You can also get great deals, offers and discounts if you shop online.

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Pooja Lapasia is a well known author and has written articles on Acer Laptops , Laptop store,Laptop Computers , online shop and many other subjects.

Data Recovery - 4 Things You Should Know About Hard Drive Crashes

2008-08-28T08:11:00.000-07:00

By: Sydney Johnson

As I talk to people about data recovery, I find that they certainly do not have all the facts. Most people are only aware of a few options for something as important as their data. If you are anything like me you store photo memories, work information, personal emails -- All those things that are hard to replace.

So, I've put together a list of 4 things EVERYBODY ought to know about data recovery.

1. Just because it was deleted does not mean it is gone forever.

When you lose important data, it is still possible to recover it. In fact, even if something has been written over, it may still be possible to recover that data. The US Department of Justice has said that a purposefully deleted piece of information, in many cases, has to be written over 7 or more times before it is completely gone. The bottom line here is that just because it may seem that it is gone, doesn't mean that it cannot be recovered.

2. Your Drive Will Wear Out.

Physical damage can occur to a hard drive because of mechanical failures such as motors going bad, or head crashes. Physical damage to the hard drive will almost always lead to data loss. In addition to the data loss, it is likely that damage to the logical structure of the hard drive will also occur. Most of the physical damage on a hard drive cannot be repaired by the end user. The mere opening of the hard drive in the normal environment can result in dust settling on the surface which results in further damage to the platters.

3. Data Loss Can Be Difficult in Many Ways.

Losing data from your hard drive can be devastating for many reasons. If you use the computer for business, perhaps all your client files, accounting files, etc. are there. For personal users, you may have your entire family photo album there, in addition to all family contact information. Perhaps there are important emails from family members stored on the computer. In any case, this information is extremely important to you. In addition to regular backup sessions a good data recovery software can be helpful. This software can be useful to a personal user, and it can help you to recover important data, and save you hundreds of dollars along the way. There are many to choose from, but you'll want to make sure what you buy can do what it says it will do.

4. Data Recovery Services are an Option.

When taking your hard drive to a specialist for data recovery, they will evaluate the drive and inform you of the problem, as well as the cost for recovery. Once you have this quote, you may think the price is too high. The real question you need to ask yourself then, is how important the data is. As I mentioned previously, there are data recovery software programs available, but if your data is very critical, you should consider the price quoted to you by the data recovery service. When you attempt to do it yourself, it will almost always lead to permanent loss of your data. A professional can recover most, if not all of the data in question. If your data is that important, then it is well worth the cost involved. Always remember too, that much of the headache can be avoided simply by backing up your data regularly. I can't tell you how many times this has saved my butt!

There you have it! 4 Things that everyone should know about data recovery. There are many more but I just wanted to touch on the most important.

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Do you know batteries is safety?

2008-08-16T22:40:00.000-07:00

By: Johnxuster

I am a manufacturer which specialize in research, development, manufacturing & sales of all types of batteries such as laptop battery, camera battery, camcorder battery and others:www.power-battery.com.au.

When Sony introduced the first lithium-ion batteries in 1991, they knew of the potential safety risks. A recall of the previously released rechargeable metallic lithium batteries was a bleak reminder of the discipline one must exercise when dealing with this high energy-dense batteries system.

Pioneering work for the lithium batteries began in 1912 by G. N. Lewis. It was not until the early 1970's when the first non-rechargeable lithium batteries became commercially available.

Attempts to develop rechargeable lithium batteries followed in the eighties. These early models were based on metallic lithium and offered very high energy density. However, inherent instabilities of lithium metal, especially during charging, put a damper on the development.

The cell had the potential of a thermal run-away. The temperature would quickly rise to the melting point of the metallic lithium and cause a violent reaction. A large quantity of rechargeable lithium batteries sent to Japan had to be recalled in 1991 after the pack in a cellular phone released hot gases and inflicted burns to a man's face.

Because of the inherent instability of lithium metal, research shifted to a non-metallic lithium batteries using lithium ions. Although slightly lower in energy density, the lithium-ion system is safe, providing certain precautions are met when charging and discharging. Today, lithium-ion is one of the most successful and safe batteries chemistries available. Two billion cells are produced every year.

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How to Clean the Registry

2008-08-03T01:15:00.000-07:00

By: Ray Geide

In the beginning Windows' registry consisted of two files totalling around 5mb in size. Today it consists of at least 12 files with the Software file itself being 30mb or bigger in size. As the size of the registry has exploded, so has the trash and clutter in it. It may seem like a daunting task, but cleaning the registry properly can fix system problems, speed your computer up, and make it run more efficiently.

I have spent many years developing and refining thousands of procedures to do just that. I could share these methods of hunting down the trash with you and let you find them and delete them by hand, but if you were to sit down at your computer right now and work nonstop, you would still be busy with them a week from now when the next issue of Ray's Computer Tips arrives. By then your registry would have new clutter and you would have to start all over again.

To make registry cleaning easier on everyone, I wrote a program called RegVac Registry Cleaner (http://regvac.com/regvac.htm) to perform those procedures. It has been so successful that several companies have asked me to model their registry cleaners after RegVac and even more have copied processes that first debutted in RegVac.

The first place RegVac cleans is the HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT section (the Classes Vac in RegVac does this). This section contains settings for the classes of Windows. Think of a huge box full of snakes and you will get an idea of how complicated and interwoven it is. It is so complicated that many registry cleaners bypass it or simply perform surface scans of it. RegVac uses over a hundred processes to follow each tentacle of each class deep into this area and make sure that they abide by the rules.

Next RegVac validates the entries in 22 lists with 7 different methods (the FilesList Vac does this). This is a minor part of RegVac but the bulk of most other registry cleaners even though they usually do not clean all 22 lists.

Another part of RegVac, the Software Vac, which is unique to RegVac, finds old software sections in the registry and provides a way to remove that software's entire branch. Other registry cleaners only remove a few entries in this area often leaving huge portions of the registry that do nothing but take up space and get in the way.

Even more trash can be discovered in hundreds of stashes used to store data you will never use. Most registry cleaners do not even touch these. The Stash Vac lists these stashes and lets you go through and select which ones to empty out. Please use caution when using the Stash Vac because some of the items listed there may be important. For example, one folder in the Stash Vac lists places where data for international keyboards are stored. You probably will never use the data for Bulgarian keyboards, so you can remove it, but if you live in the US you may experience problems after removing the United States 101 keyboard. The items that you can safely remove are usually obvious.

Last but not least, when cleaning the registry, you should look for broken links to files on the computer (this is what the Bad Link Vac does). If a file is referenced in the registry but it does not exist on your hard drive, that is a good indicator that something is wrong. Many programmers start out writing a registry cleaner thinking all it has to do is check for these broken links and remove them. In fact, that is all many registry cleaners do.

Even though that is all they do, they often don't do it correctly. If you check the results of such scans, you will find out that many of the broken links are really good links. I spent several months refining this part of RegVac so that as far as I know it is 100% accurate. Despite this, please realize that some software enter broken links in the registry and require them to be there in order for them to run. RegVac skips the ones it knows about, but you still need to be careful with this part of RegVac.

RegVac has six more tools that clean even more areas: the Add/Remove Editor, the System Config Utility, the OpenWith Editor, the AutoComplete Editor, the Junk Keys Editor, and Registry Backup, Pack, and Restore.

Many of you already use RegVac but if you don't, you can downloaded a free 30 day trial of RegVac at http://regvac.com/regvacz.exe. For more information about RegVac Registry Cleaner go to http://regvac.com/regvac.htm. If you like RegVac, you can purchase it for only $29.95. All future updates are free.

Keep the Windows registry clean and running smoothly with RegVac Registry Cleaner.

About The Author

Ray Geide writes a free weekly newsletter called Ray's Computer Tips and moderates a discussion board answering computer questions called Computer Q&A.

He is an experienced computer programmer who has been writing top-rated software for over a decade. Though he has written for some big-name companies, he prefers to write for his own company, Super Win Software, Inc. http://www.superwin.com/

How to clean your Mother Board

2008-07-05T22:37:00.000-07:00

By: Ray Geide

If you have not done the inspection mentioned in the previous article - How to Clean your Case, now is the time to do so. Look at the blades of the fan in the back of the computer. Also look at any vents. Is there clusters of dust there? Is there grime caked on to it? If so, the inside needs to be cleaned. If the fan blades are clean but it has been several years since you have cleaned the motherboard or if the computer is around cigarette smoke, it probably should be cleaned anyway. Dust and particles in the air (like cigarette smoke) can build up on the circuitry of the motherboard and cause it to heat up and/or corrode.

The first thing that you need to do is unplug your computer. Then open up the case to get access to the motherboard. Cases open differently. If you don't know how to open your case, look on the back of your computer along the edge for some screws. These screws may hold on side panels or an upside down U shaped panel that covers the sides and top. Removing the screws will allow you to take off the cover. Other cases have the screws on the front of the computer. To get access to these screws, you must first remove the front panel by pressing a hidden latch. The cover is there to give easy access to the inside of your computer, so if you look hard enough, you should be able to figure out how to remove it.

Remember that if you touch anything on the motherboard, you should be grounded by either touching the metal frame of the computer with your other hand or by wearing a special grounding device.

The goal of cleaning the motherboard is to remove all dust and debris from the motherboard and all components inside of the case. This can be done using one of three methods.

The preferred method is to use a can of compressed air to blow it out. Always hold the can in an up-right position to prevent the propellent chemicals which can damage or corrode components from coming out. Dust and dirt should be blown away from the motherboard and out of the case.

Another way to remove dust is to use a vacuum. The common advice is to only use a battery operated vacuum because an AC powered vacuum causes static and static can ruin the motherboard. I have used an AC powered vacuum (before I knew that it was not recommended) to clean my motherboard many times and it has never caused any problems, but I may have just been lucky. When using the vacuum, keep the nozzle a couple of inches away from the motherboard or any other components so that it does not come in contact with them and so that any small parts are not sucked into the vacuum.

If you do not have a can of compressed air or a vacuum, you can use a dry cloth and brush to clean the motherboard. Be careful not to dislodge or break anything using this method.

While cleaning the motherboard, be careful not to unplug any cables or connections or to dislodge any loose components, such as, jumpers.

Methodically clean the whole inside of the case going over all of the motherboard from one end to the other and all other components. Don't forget to clean the fans and heat sinks. Do not open up the power supply box or stick anything in it beyond the fan. If you do, you could get a shocking surprise and ruin your computer.

If your computer does not work when you put it back together, something was obviously dislodged during the cleaning. Open the case back up and push all connections and cards into their slots. Look for anything that may have become disconnected.

Cleaning the motherboard is probably the most dangerous form of cleaning but it is necessary to prevent an early death of your computer.

About The Author

Ray Geide writes a free weekly newsletter called Ray's Computer Tips and moderates a discussion board answering computer questions called Computer Q&A. He is an experienced computer programmer who has been writing top-rated software for over a decade. Though he has written for some big-name companies, he prefers to write for his own company, Super Win Software, Inc. http://www.superwin.com/

How to Clean your Keyboard-Part 2

2008-06-20T04:09:00.000-07:00

By: Ray Geide

When it comes to cleaning your keyboard there are many methods that can be used, some harder and more effective than others.

The easiest method is the Shake Method. It is so easy that you can do it right now. Pick up your keyboard, turn it over being careful not to press any keys, and shake it. See all of that stuff fall out? It is dirtier than you thought, isn't it? You can use one of the following methods to clean it further.

The Blow Method - You can buy cans of pressurized air at the computer department or computer store which are made especially for cleaning your computer. They usually have either a hose and nozzle or a tube extending from the nozzle. Hold the keyboard up vertically (that means that end of the keyboard is up and the other end is down), aim towards the keys and press the button. Keep blowing until all of the debris is blown out. Be sure to get around and in between all of the keys. This can be done with the computer on, but it is better if it is off so that you do not have to worry about pressing the keys and coming up with a page of aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa's.

The Vacuum Method - This is just like the Blow Method except that a vacuum is used instead of a can of pressurized air. It is quite simple. Just turn the vacuum on, pull out the hose, and run the nozzle over the keys. Before doing this make sure your keyboard does not have any loose pop off keys that could be sucked into the vacuum.

The Cotton Ball Method - This can be done in addition to the above methods and in lieu of the following methods. Take a cotton ball or cloth and wet it with rubbing alcohol. It should not be so wet that the alcohol runs down into the cracks of the keyboard. Wipe the tops and sides of the keys.

The Dishwasher Method - I hesitate to tell about this method because there is the possibility that it could fry your keyboard. When I had less experience with computers, I dunked my keyboard in a sink full of water to clean it. It did work afterwards, so I don't doubt those who say this method will not mess up your keyboard, but if it does, don't complain to me. I warned you. If your keyboard is not the standard membrane type of keyboard or if it is on a laptop, do not even think of trying this.

This is how you do it. Unplug the keyboard and place it face down in an empty dishwasher. Do not disassemble the keyboard and do not put it in a dishwasher that has dirty dishes in it. Some say to add soap, some say not to. Run the dishwasher through a regular cycle. Take the keyboard out, shake the water out, and stand it on end until it is completely dry (this may take several days). If it does not work after doing this, it may not be dry. Let it stand another week and try it again. If it still does not work, I warned you.

The Disassembly Method - This is the most thorough method, but it should not be done on laptop keyboards or non-standard non-membrane keyboards.

Turn off the computer and unplug the keyboard. Turn the keyboard upside down. You may want to get two books or short boards to place the keyboard on. Position them so that they hold up the keyboard on the edges when it is turned over. This should leave the keys dangling and not touching the books or the floor. This is especially needed when the keyboard's back is off; otherwise the keys will be lifted out of their position by the floor (or whatever surface it is laying on).

Get a screwdriver and remove all of the screws from the back of the keyboard. Lay the keyboard down on the books and carefully remove the back.

Take everything apart and clean thoroughly. It is better to take the keys out one at a time and clean them so that you do not put them back in the wrong place. Wipe each one down with a wet cloth and then with a dry cloth. Any keys that may be hard to put back in, can be cleaned in place without removing them. Wipe around the keys as they sit in place and blow any debris out with your lungs (using compressed air or a vacuum may upset the keys). If you are really brave, you can remove all of the keys at once and give the frame a good wipe down too.

Do a once over and make sure that you have cleaned everything. Then reassemble it all.

Don't forget the keyboard's cable. Wrap a wet cloth around it and wipe it down. It may have an accumulation of grime that needs to be scrubbed off. Also if any of the letters on the keys have rubbed off, you can use a fine point permanent marker to draw the letter back on the key.

Use these cleaning methods and your keyboard will last a long time and be something you can be proud of.

About The Author

How to Clean your Keyboard- Part 1

2008-06-15T01:53:00.000-07:00

By: Ray Geide

I know most of you will not heed this advice, but KEYBOARDS CAN MAKE YOU SICK (how's that for tactfulness?). Germs live on your hands and fingers. When you type, many of them jump on to the keyboard. When someone else types on your keyboard, those germs transfer to their fingers. Or when you later type on the same keyboard, those germs reconquer your fingers. Regularly disinfecting the keyboard can prevent this.

To disinfect the keyboard, turn off the computer. Then spray disinfectant on a cloth. Be sure to use disinfectant and not just any type of cleaner because not all cleaners disinfect. Also do not spray the disinfectent directly on the keys. Spray it on the cloth. Wipe down the top and sides of the keys. Give the keys a few minutes to dry off before turning the computer back on.

Now that you know how to do it, you should make it a regular practice to disinfect the keyboard. It's one step towards a healthier you.

So you have your keyboard disinfected and life is great. Then your child spills koolaide all over it. What do you do? There are certain steps that you should take when something, like pop, beer, wine, coffee, milk, or kool-aide, is spilled on the keyboard.

The first thing to do is immediately unplug the keyboard from the back of the computer and turn the keyboard over so that its keys are down. This will allow the liquid to drain out. You will probably want to put a cloth under the keyboard or at least make sure that the surface you have put it on is washable.

Then use the mouse to shut down Windows and turn off the computer (this is important because later you will have to plug the keyboard back into the computer and you should never plug any device into a computer while it is on).

While the keyboard is upside down use a cloth to dry as much of the liquid off as you can. If you have a can of compressed air or a vacuum, while the keyboard is upside down blow or vacuum it out. Then let the keyboard set upside down for at least a night so that it can adequately dry out.

If the liquid that spilled on it was sticky, you may want to follow the extensive cleaning procedure explained in the next article, How to Clean your Keyboard - Part 2.

Liquid spilled on a laptop keyboard can easily reach the hard drive, so turn it over immediately and leave it in that position until it dries.

Keyboards are quite resilient and so it should work when you turn it on again. But if not, another attribute of keyboards is that they are cheap and so it won't cost too much to buy another one.

With these pointers in mind and a quick reaction, you just may save your keyboard from total destruction the next time it gets coated with coffee.

About The Author

A Guide on RSS Tool

2008-06-07T18:02:00.000-07:00

By: Terry Leslie

RSS is an abbreviation that has evolved into the following, depending on their versions:

• RDF Site Summary (also known as RSS 0.9; the first version of RSS)
• Rich Site Summary (also known as RSS 0.91; a prototype)
• Really Simple Syndication (also known as RSS 2.0)

Today, RSS stands for 'Really Simple Syndication', and it has the following 7 existing formats or versions:

• 0.90
• 0.91
• 0.92
• 0.93
• 0.94
• 1.0
• 2.0

RSS tools refer to a group of file formats that are designed to share headlines and other web content (this may be a summary or simply 1 to 2 lines of the article), links to the full versions of the content (the full article or post), and even file attachments such as multimedia files. All of these data is delivered in the form of an XML file (XML stands for eXtensible Markup Language), which has the following common names:

• RSS feed
• Webfeed
• RSS stream
• RSS channel

They are typically shown on web pages as an orange rectangle that usually has the letters XML or RSS in it.

RSS feeds can be used to deliver any kind of information. Some of these 'feeds' include:

• Blogs feed - each blog entry is summarized as a feed item. This makes blog posts easier to scan, enabling 'visitors' to zoom in on their items of interest.

• Article feed - this alerts readers whenever there are new articles and web contents available.

• Forum feed - this allows users to receive forum posts and latest discussion topics.

• Schedule feed - this allows users (such as schools, clubs, and other organizations) to broadcast events and announce schedule changes or meeting agendas.

• Discounts or Special feed - this is used to enable users (such as retail and online stores) to 'deliver' latest specials and discounted offers.

• Ego or News Monitoring - this enables users to receive 'filtered' headlines or news that are based on a specific phrase or keyword.

• Industry-specific feed - used by technical professionals in order to market, promote, or communicate with current (and prospective) customers and clients within their specific industries.

RSS feeds enable people to track numerous blogs and news sources at the same time. To produce an RSS feed, all you need is the content or the article that you want to publicize and a validated RSS text file. Once your text file is registered at various aggregators (or 'news readers'), any external site can then capture and display your RSS feed, automatically updating them whenever you update your RSS file.

RSS tools are useful for sites that add or modify their contents on a regular basis. They are especially used for 'web syndication' or activities that involve regular updates and/or publications, such as the following:

• News websites - as used by major news organizations such as Reuters, CNN, and the BBC.
• Marketing
• Bug reports
• Personal weblogs

There are many benefits to using RSS feeds. Aside from being a great supplemental communication method that streamlines the communication needs of various sectors, RSS tools and feeds can also have tremendous benefits in your business, particularly in the field of internet marketing.

RSS tools and feeds provide Internet users with a free (or cheap) and easy advertising or online marketing opportunity for their businesses. Below are some of the RSS features that can help make your internet marketing strategies more effective.

1. Ease in content distribution services. With RSS, your business can be captured and displayed by virtually any external site, giving you an easy way to 'spread out' and advertise them.

2. Ease in regular content updates. With RSS, web contents concerning your business can now be automatically updated on a daily (and even hourly) basis. Internet users will be able to experience 'real time' updates as information in your own file (such as new products and other business-related releases) is changed and modified simultaneously with that of the RSS feeds that people are subscribed to.

3. Custom-made content services. With RSS, visitors can have personalized content services, allowing them total control of the flow and type of information that they receive. Depending on their interests and needs, visitors can subscribe to only those contents that they are looking for (such as real estate or job listings).

4. Increase in (and targeted) traffic. With RSS, traffic will be directed to your site as readers of your content summary (or 1 to 2 lines of your article) who find them interesting are 'forced' to click on a link back to your site.

These are just several of the many things that you can do with RSS. The possibilities are endless, and they are all aimed at providing you with an effective internet marketing strategy for your business.

In the mean time, Good Luck on your journey to success…

OR if you would like to succeed immediately to create financial freedom working only 4 hours a week, check out www.secrets2internetfortunes.com.

AND for a Limited Time, you will also receive a FREE copy of a limited number of the amazing 60 page eBook “52 Highly Profitable Instant Online Business Ideas That You Can Steal As Your Own And Start Today On A Very Tight Budget!”, which is jam packed with so many ideas you can use to instantly create an automated income for life! That’s my GIFT to You as a way of saying thank you for reading my articles.

About The Author

Terry Leslie is a very successful and world renowned authority figure in both on and off line marketing, and rapid business creation. A much sought after global speaker in the areas of internet marketing, business development, self-improvement and human peak potential training.

For more Secrets to Internet Business success, check out http://www.secrets2internetfortunes.com

The Battle of the Browsers – The History and the Future of Internet Browsers

2008-05-15T07:37:00.000-07:00

By: Nicholas C Smith

With Internet Explorer 8 now available, can Microsoft hope to retain market dominance over fierce open source rivals such as Mozilla's Firefox or the feature packed Opera web browser. Can history give us a clue to what the future of web browsers/browsing might hold? How did Netscape Navigator go from having a dominant 89.36% market share of all web browsers in 1996 and yet only 3.76% by mid 1999?

Let us take a journey that will begin long before even the intellectual conception of Internet Explorer, that will glance at its long defeated rivals, examine the current browsers available and will end with a prediction of what the future of browsing will offer us – and which browser(s) will still be around to offer it.

People often think that Internet Explorer has been the dominant web browser since the golden age of the internet began. Well for a very long time now it has indeed been the most popular browser and at times been almost totally unrivalled. This was mainly a result of it being packaged free with Microsoft Windows, in what some would later call a brutal monopolisation attempt by Microsoft. The last few years however have heralded the arrival of new, possibly superior browsers. Mozilla's Firefox has been particularly successful at chipping away at Explorers market dominance. So where did it all begin, and why were Microsoft ever allowed to have a hundred percent market dominance?

Origins

The truth is they never did have total dominance, but at times they have come very close. Microsoft actually entered the Browser Battle quite late on. Infact a man named Neil Larson is credited to be one of the originators of internet browsers, when in 1977 he created a program – The TRS-80 - that allowed browsing between “sites” via hypertext jumps. This was a DOS program and the basis of much to come. Slowly other browsers powered by DOS and inspired by the TRS 80 were developed. Unfortunately they were often constricted by the limitations of the still fairly young internet itself.

In 1988, Peter Scott and Earle Fogel created a simple, fast browser called Hytelnet, which by 1990 offered users instant logon and access to the online catalogues of over five thousand libraries around the world – an exhilarating taste of what the internet, and web browsers, would soon be able to offer.

In 1989 the original World Wide Web was born. Using a NeXTcube computer, Tim Berners-Lee created a web browser that would change how people used the internet forever. He called his browser the WorldWideWeb(http://www., which is still likely to sound familiar to internet users today. It was a windowed browser capable of displaying simple style sheet, capable of editing sites and able to download and open any file type supported by the NeXTcube.

In 1993 the first popular graphical browser was released. Its name was Mosaic and it was created by Marc Andreessen and Eric Bina. Mosaic could be run on both Unix, and very importantly, on the highly popular Microsoft Windows operating system (incidentally it could also be used on Amiga and Apple computers). It was the first browser on Windows that could display graphics/pictures on a page where there was also textual content. It is often cited as being responsible for triggering the internet boom due to it making the internet bearable for the masses. (It should be noted that the web browser Cello was the first browser to be used on Windows – but it was non graphical and made very little impact compared to Mosaic).

The Browser Wars - Netscape Navigator versus Internet Explorer

Mosaic's decline began almost as soon as Netscape Navigator was released (1994). Netscape Navigator was a browser created by Marc Andreessen, one of the men behind Mosaic and co-founder of Netscape Communications Corporation. Netscape was unrivalled in terms of features and usability at the time. For example, one major change from previous browsers was that it allowed surfers to see parts of a website before the whole site was downloaded. This meant that people did not have to wait for minutes simply to see if the site they were loading was the actual one the were after, whilst also allowing them to read information on the site as the rest of it downloaded. By 1996 Netscape had almost 90% market dominance, as shown below.

Market Share Comparisons of Netscape Navigator and Internet Explorer from 1996 to 1998

....................Netscape.......IE
October 1998..........64%.........32.2%
April 1998............70%.........22.7%
October 1997..........59.67%......15.13%
April 1997............81.13%......12.13%
October 1996..........80.45%......12.18%
April 1996............89.36%.......3.76%

In these two years Netscape clearly dominated the internet browser market, but a new browser named Internet Explorer was quickly gaining ground on it.

Microsoft released their own browser (ironically based on the earlier Mosaic browser which was created by one of the men now running Netscape), clearly worried about Netscape's dominance. It was not so much the worry that it would have a 100% market share of internet browsers on their Windows operating system, but more the worry that browsers would soon be capable of running all types programs on them. That would mean foregoing the need for an actual operating system, or at the most only a very basic one would be needed. This in turn would mean Netscape would soon be able to dictate terms to Microsoft, and Microsoft were not going to let that happen easily. Thus in August 1995, Internet Explorer was released.

By 1999 Internet explorer had captured an 89.03% market share, whilst Netscape was down to 10.47%. How could Internet Explorer make this much ground in just two years? Well this was down to two things really. The first, and by far the most important was that Microsoft bundled Internet Explorer in with every new copy of Windows, and as Windows was used by about 90% of the computer using population it clearly gave them a huge advantage. Internet Explorer had one other ace it held over Netscape – it was much better. Netscape Navigator was stagnant and had been for some time. The only new features it ever seemed to introduce were often perceived by the public as beneficial for Netscape's parent company rather than Netscape's user base. (i.e., features that would help it monopolise the market). Explorer, on the other hand, was given much attention by Microsoft. Regular updates and excellent usability plus a hundred million dollar investment would prove too much for Netscape Explorer.

2000 – 2005

These years were fairly quiet in the Battle of the Browsers. It seemed as if Internet Explorer had won the war and that nobody could even hope to compete with it. In 2002/2003 it had attained about 95% of the market share – about the time of IE 5/6. With over 1000 people working on it and millions of dollars being poured in, few people had the resources to compete. Then again, who wanted to compete? It was clearly a volatile market, and besides that everybody was content with Internet Explorer. Or were they? Some people saw faults with IE – security issues, incompatibility issues or simply bad programming. Not only that, it was being shoved down peoples throats. There was almost no competition to keep it in line or to turn to as an alternative. Something had to change. The only people with the ability and the power to compete with Microsoft took matters into their own hands.

Netscape was now supported by AOL. A few years prior, just after they had lost the Browser Wars to Microsoft, they had released the coding for Netscape into the public domain. This meant anybody could develop their own browser using the Netscape skeleton. And people did. Epiphany, Galeon and Camino, amongst others, were born out of Netscape's ashes. However the two most popular newcomers were called Mozilla and Firefox.

Mozilla was originally an open sourced project aimed to improve the Netscape browser. Eventually it was released as Netscape Navigator 7 and then 8. Later it was released as Mozilla 1.0.

Mozilla was almost an early version on another open source browser, Firefox. With it being an open source the public were able to contribute to it - adding in what features it needed, the programming it required and the support it deserved. The problems people saw in Internet Explorer were being fixed by members of the open sourced browser community via Firefox. For instance, the many security issues IE 6 had were almost entirely fixed in the very first release of Firefox. Microsoft had another fight on their hands.

2005 – Present

Firefox was the browser that grew and grew in these years. Every year capturing an even larger market share percentage than before. More user friendly than most of its rivals along with high security levels and arguably more intelligent programming helped its popularity. With such a large programming community behind it, updates have always been regular and add on programs/features are often released. It prides itself on being the peoples browser. It currently has a 28.38% market share.

Apple computers have had their own browser since the mid 1990's – Safari - complete with its own problems, such as (until recently) the inability to run Java scripts. However most Apple users seemed happy with it and a version capable of running on Windows has been released. It has had no major competitor on Apple Macs, and as such has largely been out of the Browser Wars. It currently holds a 2.54% market share and is slowly increasing.

Internet Explorer's market share has dropped from over 90% to around 75%, and is falling. It will be interesting to see what Microsoft will attempt to regain such a high market share.

Opera currently holds 1.07%.

Mozilla itself only has a 0.6% market share these days.

The Future of Web Browsing

Web browsers come and go. It is the nature of technology (if such a term can be used), to supplant inferior software in very short periods of time. It is almost impossible for a single company to stay ahead of the competition for long. Microsoft have the advantage of being able to release IE with any Windows using PC. That covers over 90% of the market. They also have the advantage of unprecedented resources. They can compete how they wish for as long as they wish. So there is no counting IE out of the future of web browsing.

Safari is in a similar position, being easily the most popular Mac web browser. Its long term survival is dependant upon Apple and the sale of their computers.

These are the only two browsers that are almost guaranteed another five years of life, at least. Firefox may seem like another candidate, but the public is fickle, and one bad release, or if it seriously lags behind the new Internet Explorer 8 for long, could easily see its popularity quickly descend into virtual oblivion.

However, it seems likely community driven browsers, such as Mozilla and Firefox, will be the only types of browser capable of competing with the wealthy internet arm of Microsoft in the near future.

As for web browsing itself, will it change any time soon? Well it already has for some online communities. For example, if you want to buy clothes you could try entering an online 'world' creating an online virtual You to go from 'shop to shop' with, looking at products and trying/buying what you see. Some 'worlds' allow you to recreate yourself accurately including weight and height and then try on things apparel such as jeans to give you an idea of how you would look in that particular item.

Will 'worlds' like this destroy normal web browsers such as IE ? - It seems unlikely. Traditional web browsers provide such freedom and ease of access that it is hard to see any other alternative taking over. However they are part of the new, 'thinking out of the box' wave of alternatives that some people will find attractive, and really who knows what the future will bring.

About The Author

Nicholas C Smith is the project manager at Breakfrom Limited, who specialise in affordable ecommerce solutions and general web design knowledge and advice.

For more information and advice visit http://www.breakfrom.com

Used Computers (Desktops/Laptops) – What To Look For?

2008-04-27T00:46:00.001-07:00

By: Christophe Catesson

Nowadays desktops and laptops are much more durable and dependable that they were just five years ago. Therefore, buying a used or refurbished computer is becoming more of a trend.

Suppliers replace their computers on average every 6 months and companies frequently upgrade their equipment. Buying one of these used or refurbished computers can save you a lot of money while still using a quite up to date technology. This is even more relevant if you are not a heavy user (i.e. most of your time on a computer is spent online, you may use a few standard applications once in a while). Even modestly priced computers will more than suffice for these types of demand.

Thinking about buying a used or refurbished desktop or laptop?

Buying a computer is not at all an easy job, one has look get detailed information of the available computers of good and reputed brands. One must take into consideration the size, color, configurations, features etc… While your computer should correspond to your personality and lifestyle, you should always keep in mind the reputation of the brand in the market. Brand counts a lot; you can render good service by the manufacturer if your computer is damaged.

Important handy Tips before buying a computer...

* Verify if the brand is reputed and always buy a good reputed brand. Read about customer service experience for that specific computer issues
* Check the warranty/guarantee of the computer (seek out computers which still have warranty/guarantee remaining)
* Compare the price of the new model in the market with what price your buying your used computer, try to get the best bargain. i.e. a two year old computer should not be bought for more than half of its original price.
* Check if the computer is outdated (if out of production it is difficult to get spare parts)
* Is the operating system current (Windows Vista/Windows Xp). Earlier versions probably run slower (windows 2000) and would not be advisable unless your needs are limited (i.e. web surfing, Word...). In any event, stay away with computers running on Windows 98 (granted you don't find many anymore). Also be aware of Windows Vista. Many users are reverting back to XP and that is even more obvious in the corporate world. Why? Vista looks nice but doesn't bring many technical improvements; therefore IT managers are not willing to implement something new when what they have works just fine. Some domestic users just don't like the new way of navigation within the Vista Operating System.
* Check if the configuration of the computer you are buying is good.
* Check the speed of the processor. If possible start the computer and see how long it takes to fully turn on. If its slow just turning on, imagine the lack of speed once you start adding software..

Additional Tips for laptops

* Is the battery life good? (search for the computers with a very good battery backup (2 hours minimum).
* Check for the screen size of the computer your buying and see to it that it is not exceeding the Normal (normally the screen size should be between 15-17). Less than that generally translates in older computers and increases the chance of age failure. Once the screen breaks, you are often better of changing the whole computer.
* Review the connectivity of the computer (Network, USB, Video, Audio…) look to it that it has a good connectivity including wireless
* Check out the weight. Ensure the computer is light enough for you to carry (light 7pounds)

Where to buy used computers:

* Online auctions. Pro: Often offer the best prices. Cons: Cannot validate the accuracy of the described item. No warranty. Tip 1: Some companies will offer warranty for up to two years, the cost is about 12 of the purchase price. Tip2: Buy from sellers with great feedback, do not hesitate to contact the seller with questions prior to bidding
* Online marketplaces: Pro: Set prices and quantities - Sometime warranty is available. Cons: Prices can vary a lot, do your homework
* Craiglist.com Contacting sellers on Craiglist.com in your local area gives you a chance to meet with the owner and physically test the computer before the purchase

Where to buy refurbished computers:

Refurbished computers can be a great way to buy as they have warranties and are generally sold by manufacturers or companies affiliated with them.

* Manufacturers websites will tell you how to buy directly from them or from their authorized sellers. Pros: Warranty, established companies. Cons: Prices are higher than regular auctions (you pay more for peace of mind)

Buying a used or refurbished computer can be a great way to save money. If you use some of the advice discussed above you can avoid many pitfalls. One last thing concerning laptops, make sure you have a good bag to protect your computer from a fatal accident. Your bag should be big enough for a 17 inch screen computer as it is rapidly becoming the norm, you will probably change your computer within a few years, the bag you may keep a lot longer.

Good Buy!

About The Author Christophe Catesson - Communication Manager for http://www.bestlaptopsreviews.com. A source of unbiased information on laptops/notebooks. Supporting companies and individuals with their computer purchasing, deployment, maintenance, upgrade...

Laptop Buying Guide

2008-04-22T07:34:00.000-07:00

Story by Bigshop

A laptop is the ideal replacement for your desktop computer. The greatest advantage of a laptop is its portability. Unlike desktop computers, you can easily move a laptop around your home, carry it to work or class and take it with you when you travel. Laptops are a big investment, so before buying one, you should consider many factors like the manufacturer, performance and features.

What kind of laptop user are you?

A home user wants all the features of a desktop PC in the form of a notebook. If you are a home user, then choose a notebook which is easy to carry and comes with the most basic computer applications. Students should opt for an affordable laptop which is light and durable. Frequent fliers need slim notebook models with long-lasting batteries. A business user should purchase a laptop with plenty of hard disk space and advanced security features while a gamer needs a fast processor and the latest graphics card.

What are the different kinds of laptop computers available?

Laptops for Entertainment:

Multimedia laptops are always more expensive and heavier than your standard model. These laptops come with a powerful processor, abundant memory and a large hard drive. You can use these laptops as a mobile DVD player, MP3 jukebox and a digital photo album. If you buy a TV tuner card, you can even use your multimedia notebook as a television set. These notebooks are ideal for PC gaming.

Laptops for Business:

Laptops especially designed for business use are ultra portable. These laptops are durable and more secure than the basic laptop. They are best suited for consumers who are always on the move. A good business laptop should offer a fingerprint reader or SmartCard support to prevent data theft. These notebooks usually have advanced computer applications and wireless capabilities, so you can work even when you are away from your desk.

Laptops for Home:

The home user typically uses a laptop for checking mail and browsing the web. These laptops perform general tasks. A high speed processor is an unnecessary luxury and tends to be wasted on most home users. Opt for a notebook with at least a 14-inch screen and a comfortable keyboard. These laptops are generally heavy, weighing more than 4 kg at times. Their average battery life is less than three hours.

What constitutes a good laptop?

Ergonomics:

If you are going to use your laptop extensively, then you need to be comfortable with the keys. Try a laptop with slightly larger keys to avoid straining your fingers from typing. Most laptops come with a touch pad or a tracking pointer instead of a mouse. If you are a PC gamer, buy a separate mouse which can keep up with the fast-paced action on screen.

Operating Systems:

The Windows XP Media Center Edition is a good operating system for entertainment laptops. It makes optimal use of multimedia features like TV tuners, radio tuners and media players. If you are a professional who prefers Apple notebooks but are concerned about compatibility, check out the dual boot models by Apple that allow you to install and run Windows as well as Mac OS X. If you prefer PCs, Microsoft Vista is an ideal alternative to Windows XP. Vista comes in several editions, including Vista Home Basic and Vista Home Premium for the home user, Vista Business for the professional and Vista Ultimate for the best of both worlds.

Memory and Storage:

All data and applications are stored in the RAM (random access memory). Many laptops commonly use 256 MB of RAM. Most business laptops and entertainment laptops come with 512 MB or more of RAM. The more RAM you buy, the more data you can store.

The hard drive stores all programs and files. For the average home user, a 20 GB hard drive will more than suffice. If you buy a laptop for entertainment or business purposes, a 60 GB hard drive will better serve your needs. Some entertainment laptops even have multiple hard drives for better performance. Hard drives come with different speeds. Most laptop hard drives have a speed of 5,400 rpm. However, faster hard drives go up to 7,200 rpm.

Display:

The size of a laptop is based on the size of the screen. Screen size starts as small as 10.6 inches and goes up to 20 inches diagonally. Most laptops have an LCD monitor. However, if you are using your laptop for CAD, a CRT monitor will serve you just as well, if not better. The screen resolution determines the crispness of your image. A 12.1 inch display uses WXGA resolutions (1,280 by 800). A 14 or 15 inch display typically uses WSXGA+ (1680 by 1,050), although a small number of notebook computers use WUXGA (1,920 by 1,200) instead.

Processor:

It is more difficult to upgrade a notebooks processor than it is to upgrade a desktop computer. For this reason, you should buy a processor with a speed that will best suit your use. Also, it is wise to choose a processor with less battery consumption. Processors with 1.4 to 1.6 Ghz are preferred by most users.

Battery:

Lithium ion batteries are commonly used in laptops. The average battery life is about 3 hours. It takes around 75 minutes to fully recharge a lithium ion battery.

Graphics Card:

A graphics card, sometimes referred to as a video adapter, is responsible for generating the images you see on a laptops display. For businessmen who need to do lot of presentations, a graphics card containing 32 or 64 MB of dedicated memory is the right choice. There are also specially designed cards for gaming. These cards are expensive and should be avoided unless you require excellent graphics.

USB Ports:

Laptop computers come with at least one USB port so that you can connect peripherals to the notebook. Recent models have a FireWire connection that lets you transfer digital information from camcorders or MP3 players.

Optical Drives:

Most laptops come with either a CD-ROM (compact disc, read-only memory), a CD-RW (compact disc, re-writeable) or a DVD-ROM (digital versatile disc, read-only-memory). The DVD+RW/+R with CD-RW is a combination drive which will read a CD or a DVD and write data to a DVD as well.

Modem:

Laptops are available with integrated modems for dial-up connections, Ethernet ports for cable internet and DSL and wireless modems for Wi-Fi connections. Many business laptops also have a cellular wireless modem so you can browse at broadband speeds with just a mobile phone signal.

About the Author

Bob Shanty has been researching and writing articles that help shoppers make more
educated buying decisions on laptops and notebooks for online shopping
mega store BIGshop for years. For more articles by Bob please visit http://www.bigshop.com.au.

Source: ArticleTrader.com

Laptops Are Becoming Increasingly More Popular. But Why?

2008-04-13T02:59:00.000-07:00

by: Robert Michael

In the Lap of Luxury

Laptops are becoming increasingly more popular, and have evolved so much that some business people and individuals are using them as their only computer. The reasons laptops are popular is that they are portable, they use far less power than desktop computers, and they make less noise. The disadvantages of laptops, however, are that they are usually slower than desktop models, have fewer graphics, and their power to process sound is not as robust. As laptops are upgraded, however, many of these differences are not substantial enough to even be noticeable to the average computer user.

Laptops are generally more costly than desktop computers, although that may not be the cost for much longer. The price of both is falling continually, with the price of laptops dropping more quickly. As of May 2005 more laptops were sold in the United States than desktop computers.

Laptops and desktops are actually quite similar in design, with the same basic software, hardware and operating systems. The basic difference between the two is in how these components are fitted together. Laptops, of course, of necessity, must have more compact components.

Desktop computers have motherboards, hard drives, video cards and their other hardware components assembled together and housed in a large case, commonly referred to as the CPU (central processing unit) or the tower. In a desktop model the keyboard, mouse, monitor, printer and other peripherals are connected to the tower by wire or through the newest technology are connected wirelessly. Each CPU or tower has plenty of extra internal space for additional cards, cables and the circulation of air.

A laptop, of course, is considerably smaller and lighter weight than the smallest tower for a desktop. Neither the mouse, keyboard nor monitors are peripherals, but rather part of the laptop unit itself. There isn’t a lot of extra space for circulation of air or addition of cards. Not only must laptop components be compact but their heat production must be considerably lower than that of desktop components, and they must conserve considerably more power. Thus the additional cost.

The CPU, also called the microprocessor, works with the laptop’s operating system to control the computer. This CPU is the brain for laptops. In a desktop computer a CPU generates a considerable amount of heat, so it must have a fan and a heat sink. The heat sink is made up of plates, channels and radiator fins that work systematically to draw heat away from the processor.

Laptops have CPUs that run at lower clock speeds and voltage. The heat is reduced, and power is not consumed as greatly, but the processor is slower as a result. Most laptops will run faster and at a voltage that is higher when they run on electricity than when they run on batteries.

Laptop processors don’t use pins to mount to their motherboard, which saves room. The two alternatives are for the processors to mount right to the laptop motherboard without any socket, or to use a micro-FCBGA (Flip Chip Ball Grid Array.) The latter replaces pins with balls. The disadvantage of this, however, is that the owner cannot replace or upgrade the processor because it can’t be removed from the motherboard.

Laptops have slow-down, hibernation or sleep modes. These reduce the speed of the CPU when the laptop is not in use. One Macintosh processor actually prioritizes its data to help minimize the drain on its battery.

Some laptops use CPUs made for desktops, but that are designed to run at slower clock speed. Performance is improved in these laptops but they tend to run considerably hotter than other laptops, and their battery life is reduced a great deal.

About The Author

Robert Michael is a writer for http://nhmxservers.com which is an excellent place to find Notebooks links, resources and articles. For more information go to: Laptops & Notebooks.

How To Fix A Slow Computer

2008-03-14T22:01:00.000-07:00

By Austin Porter

Do you want to learn how to fix a slow computer? Most likely you are a computer user, but have no idea about why your computer starts to slow down over time. Having experienced a slow computer myself, I was finally able to clean up my slow computer and make it run like brand new again.

What I Did To Fix My Slow Computer

To make your computer run faster again, you will need to repair your registry files. They are the files in your computer registry that give the software and hardware the instructions to run properly. A computer registry filled with errors will cause the computer to slow down, because the applications get stuck while running. Another result of a bad registry is the frequent freezing of the computer.

How To Fix Your Computer Registry

The computer registry is a component of the computer that is not regularly talked about, yet it is one of the most important. Most people have no idea about a computer registry, even after years of using their own PC.

Fixing your computer registry requires you to download a good registry cleaner. Try not to fix your registry by yourself, because any mistakes made may be fatal to the system. The registry cleaner I used managed to detect all the errors in my computer registry, and proceeded to clean up all of them. The whole process took about 10 minutes to complete. To download the top registry cleaner on the internet, visit my website link below to learn more about the best 5 registry cleaners.

Is your computer always slow or freezing? Read the author's review of the Best Registry Cleaners on the market now at http://www.review-best.com/registry-cleaner.htm and completely clean up your computer registry in 2 minutes!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Austin_Porter

Practical Tips For Buying Your New Laptop

2008-02-15T06:56:00.000-08:00

By: Titus Hoskins

So you want to buy a laptop but don't know where to start. You're not alone. Buying a new laptop can present many challenges, especially if you're unfamiliar with laptops or notebook computers.

Over the last little while so much new laptop technology has hit the market... Intel Duo Processors, SLI, Dual Graphics... it can all be totally mind boggling to the average consumer. For the first time laptop buyer understanding all the techno jargon can be downright scary.

Mainly because a whole new generation of notebook technology comes around every two years or less; probably much less when you consider all the new advances made recently. It can even be a little overwhelming even for someone like myself who runs an online Laptop Guide and who has a keen interest in all things laptop.

Regardless of all these fancy new improvements, devices and notebook technology, you must remember you're buying a new laptop for you and you alone. You must first decide if all this new stuff is important to you? Do you really need all this new notebook technology?

But most of all before you can consider that question you must first figure out WHY you want a laptop? Why are you buying a laptop? What chores or tasks do you want the laptop to perform?

If you just want a laptop for simple web browsing and emailing, a laptop made five years ago will do the job nicely and cost you a heck of lot less. You really don't need a top of the line laptop unless of course, you're keeping up with the Jones and want the latest top model of everything. But that's moving into Dr. Phil's territory... lets not venture there!

So what do you need the laptop for?

Do you need a lightweight portable laptop for business trips or meetings? Do you need a student notebook for classes? Or do just want a desktop replacement computer that you can easily move around in your home?

Your answer will greatly determine which type of laptop you should buy.

In my case, I work full time at home and do a lot of web design so I needed a solid machine with a lot of RAM. I also enjoy downloading and enjoying the occasional movie so a DVD Multi Drive and a wide screen display were important. High quality graphics and sound was also important for what I needed.

* RAM

RAM is to computer what location is to real estate. RAM or Random Access Memory is perhaps the most important factor to consider when buying your laptop or any computer.

RAM will greatly determine the speed of your laptop or computer. How fast it will process your tasks and graphics. You must make sure you have enough for your needs. You can now find many laptops pre-loaded with 1 Gig of RAM and capable of upgrading to 4 Gigs or more. Compared to yesterday's computers that's a lot of RAM. If you're not into gaming, handling large video files/editing, all that RAM is not needed but it will make your laptop run faster. Also, remember if you're into gaming, Video RAM will be important -- you need a top of the line (read expensive) Graphics Card and it will increase the cost of your laptop.

Also it may be wise to buy a laptop with upgradable memory - since new applications, multi windowed browsers, streaming video... of the very near future may place high demand on your laptop's RAM.

* Dual Core Processors

CPU or Computer Processing Unit is the heart of your laptop and in this case you have Two Hearts -- Intel Centrino Duo is the front runner in this area right now. However, AMD is giving Intel some stiff competition in the dual core battle with its Athlon™ 64 X2 dual core processor. Either one would be a wise choice.

* Hard Drive

The amount of space or size of laptop hard drives are steadily increasing, a 100 Gig laptop is now common. If you don't want a lot of storage, buying a smaller size hard drive will save you money. Many laptop experts choose the SATA hard drive with a high 5400 or 7200 RPM.

* Weight or Size

Perhaps the major reason you're considering buying a laptop is its size or weight -- otherwise you're better of saving your money and buying a desktop computer instead. A laptop is portable, you can carry it anywhere... tuck it under your arm and cart it to class or your next business meeting. It is ideal for taking your information and work to wherever you want to go. This portability is the main selling feature of a laptop.

Obviously you must pick the best sized laptop to suit your needs. Laptops are divided into different categories, here's a quick rundown:

Tablet PC (smallest) Size of a paper tablet or notepad, less than 3 pounds.

Ultra Portable (small) <11">13" x >11" More than 1.5 inches, more than 7 pounds and up

Pick the size that suits your purpose and use.

* Price

Laptop prices are steadily falling, it is now possible to get a quality laptop for well under a $1000. Many are selling at the $500 - $600 range. High quality gaming laptops offered by such specialty laptop makers as Alienware, Rock, will still set you back 3 to 4 grand. Ouch!

* Warranties

Don't overlook this factor, if you're buying an expensive laptop, you might want to check out these extended warranties. If you do a lot of traveling, you might need to purchase insurance against thief and loss.

* Dead Pixels Was the Only Thing I Feared!

If you can check your laptop for any dead pixels. A dead pixel will give you white spots(pixels)on your LCD display screen. Most cases you're buying your laptop straight out of the box, booting up and finding you have dead pixels is not a pleasant experience. If you want to check your laptop screen for dead pixels, just do a search for the free 'Dead Pixel Buddy' software program and run it to check your laptop for dead pixels.

* Use The Internet For Information Or Even Purchase

I run a simple Laptop Guide on one of my sites and I also keep a laptop blog so I am constantly using the Internet to gather information and compare prices. You must shop around and check out the consumer reports on the different laptop makers and the different laptop products. You must also check out the service records/reputation of the major brand names.

I researched all the different laptops and found the one that met my requirements and price. I bought it in the real world at a local Computer store mainly because I wanted to examine the laptop's graphics and keyboard in the flesh. However, I checked out all of the product's details beforehand on this store's online site -- much easier than in a busy crowded store.

* Kick The Tires

Like buying anything, it is always a good idea to fully check out your purchase. Sample the laptop's keyboard, does typing feel comfortable? Try the touchpad, is it responsive? Open your favorite programs and check the processing speed of your laptop. Bring along a DVD and sample the sound and graphics. Take note of any problems or irritations that may pop-up, in my case it was a small right shift key but this was so minor I knew I could get used to it and it didn't stop me from buying my desired laptop.

* Research Your Laptop

Use the Internet to research your desired laptop, know exactly what components it has and know what software is already preloaded. Be careful of salespeople who will try to charge you extra for configuring or installing programs on your laptop when these programs may already be preloaded at the factory stage!

I settled on a Toshiba Satellite P100-SD3: it has Intel Duo, 1 Gig of RAM, 100 Gig Hard Drive, 17" widescreen TrueBrite Display, compatible with the new Windows Vista... it meets all my needs and I am quite pleased with my new laptop. And I will be writing a full review after I have used it for a couple of weeks... but that's another article.

If you consider most of the simple points and check out the factors listed above then making your own laptop purchase will not only be quite painless but it may even prove an enjoyable experience. Do a little homework and you will easily find the perfect laptop for you.

Article Source: http://add-articles.com
The author runs an online Laptop Guide featuring the latest top gaming laptops: www.bizwaremagic.com/best_gaming_notebooks.htm For Timely Special Savings/Deals/Coupons on Dell, Toshiba, Apple, Sony, Alienware...click here: www.bizwaremagic.com/cheap_laptops.htm This article may be freely distributed if this resource box stays attached.

Critical Steps to Protecting Your Computer on the Internet

2008-02-09T02:32:00.000-08:00

Spyware, viruses and worms... oh my!

If you are connected to the internet, you need to make sure you get your computer set up properly if you want to avoid problems down the road.

With all the viruses, spyware and other threats on the internet today, no computer should be set up without the proper protection.

And that protection needs to be in place as soon after you hook up your new machine as possible.

The following five steps will make your computer a much harder target for threats. You still won't be completely immune to problems, but 99% of the time the threat will pass you by, looking for the easy mark.

1. Running a Personal Firewall

A personal firewall is software that basically makes your computer invisible to hackers, worms and other threats that can infect your computer over the internet.

Setting up a firewall is the absolute first thing you should do if you're going to connect to the internet. Without a firewall, your computer could get infected in as little as one minute after connecting.

If you have a brand new computer running Windows XP Service Pack 2, there is a firewall built into Windows. It will already have been turned on when you first set up your computer.

If you're running an older version of Windows, even an earlier version of Windows XP, there is no firewall automatically set up for you. In this case there are two possibilities:

- Your computer came pre-loaded with a firewall such as Norton Internet Security or McAfee Internet Security
- You have no firewall installed and should download one ASAP.

If you don't have any personal firewall software installed, you should do so right away. Zone Alarm is a very good firewall program that has a version that you can download and install for free.

You can download the free version of Zone Alarm from http://www.computer-help-squad.com/zonealarm

2. Turn on Windows Updates

Again, if you're running Windows XP Service Pack 2 this is already set up, but otherwise you should turn on Windows Updates. Microsoft releases updates for security problems and other bugs in Windows on a regular basis.

These updates will keep your computer running better, and they often fix security issues that could compromise your information or privacy.

If you are running Windows XP Service Pack 2, you can double-check that automatic updates are turned on by clicking Start, then click Control Panel, then double-click Security Center. The window that opens will tell you if automatic updates are turned on, and lets you turn them on if they're not.

To turn on automatic updates in earlier versions of Windows XP, click on the Start menu, click Control Panel and then double-click on System. On the "Automatic Updates" tab, click the option to "Automatically download the updates and install them on the schedule I specify."

To turn them on in Windows 2000, click on Start, click Control Panel and then double-click on Automatic Updates. Again, click the option to "automatically download the updates and install them on the schedule I specify."

Now when Microsoft releases updates, they will be downloaded for you automatically and Windows will tell you when they are ready to be installed.

3. Install & Update Antivirus Software

Most new computers come with antivirus software these days. You might have Norton, McAfee, PC-Cillin or another brand. No matter what program you have, you will need to update it when you get connected to the internet.

It doesn't matter how new your computer is - there will be new viruses, and new updates for the antivirus software, since it was loaded.

The exact process is different for each brand of antivirus program, but most of them will have an icon in the bottom right corner of your desktop, beside the time. The icon might be a picture of a shield (McAfee), a stethoscope (Norton) or something else.

In most cases, if you point to the icon for your antivirus and click the right mouse button, a menu will pop up with an update option. It could be simply called update or could be something like Live Update or Download Latest Updates. If you click on the update option (with the left button this time) it will install the newest updates for you.

If you're not sure which icon is for your antivirus software, just point to each one for a few seconds and a little title should pop up telling you what it is.

4. Install Anti-Spyware Software

Spyware - and other things known as adware and malware - is becoming as big a problem as viruses. Spyware programs can cause a lot of problems with your computer, not to mention they can track your personal information and you never know where it's being sent.

Some new computers might includes antispyware software, but most of them don't yet. There are quite a few anti-spyware programs available, some free and some not. The one I recommend is from Microsoft and is one of the free ones.

One of the reasons I like it is because it always runs in the background and will automatically catch a lot of spyware before it gets on your computer.

Many of the other programs don't catch it until you run a scan. Not only does this allow things to get on your computer, it also means you have to actually remember to run a scan.

You can download the free Microsoft Antispyware from http://www.computer-help-squad.com/antispyware

5. Set up a Free Email Account

This last item is not as critical as the first four, but I would highly recommend you set up an email account with one of the free services like Hotmail or Gmail.

Once you're on the internet, you'll find a lot of useful information that you want that requires you to provide an email address. In some cases, these people will end up sending you a bunch of spam.

If you use a free email account to sign up for anything that you don't know for sure you can trust, it's not going to fill your main email with a bunch of junk.

This goes for anything really, not just online information. If you're entering a contest or signing up for anything offline and you don't know where your information could end up being used, I would suggest using your free email address.

If worse comes to worse, and your free email address gets inundated with spam, you can always just set up a new one and let the old one expire.

Some of the better free email services are www.hotmail.com, www.gmail.com and www.yahoomail.com.

If you've had your computer for a while and never done any of these things, you should still take these steps to get it set up properly. It will definitely save you a lot of time - and possibly money - as you use your system.

About the Author

John Lenaghan offers easy-to-understand advice at the Computer Help Squad website. Find out more about these 5 steps - sign up for our newsletter and receive your free 5-part guide at http://www.computer-help-squad.com/5steps

The World's Thinnest Laptop

2008-01-23T06:39:00.000-08:00

Apple CEO Steve Jobs introduced the MacBook Air, a computer that the company billed as the world's thinnest laptop -- small enough to fit inside an interoffice mailing envelope. It's priced starting at $1,799 and will be available within two weeks.

Sporting a silvery finish, the MacBook Air features a 13.3-inch LED-backlit widescreen display that has a 1280 x 800 pixel resolution. The backlighting saves power and provides "instant on" response from the moment you turn it on, according to Jobs. The device has a slightly wedge-shaped profile. It weighs about 3 pounds, and sports a thickness of 0.16-0.76 inches. It's 12.8 inches wide and 8.95 inches deep.

The MacBook Air also features a built-in iSight webcam and a full sized MacBook-style black keyboard. The keyboard is backlit, similar to MacBook Pros, and has an ambient light sensor that automatically adjusts brightness. The trackpad is also capable of recognizing multi-touch gestures, similar to using an iPhone or iPod touch. As a result, the MacBook Air's trackpad is disproportionately large, compared to the size of trackpads found on the MacBook or MacBook Pro.

The MacBook Air features a 1.8-inch hard disk drive with 80GB of storage capacity standard. A 64GB solid-state disk (SSD) drive is an option. The hard drive is a Parallel ATA (PATA) model that operates at 4200 RPM.

The laptop is powered by an Intel Core 2 Duo chip running at 1.6GHz, with 1.8GHz available as an option. Jobs noted that Intel was willing to engineer a new version of the Core 2 Duo specifically to Apple's specifications -- it's 60 percent smaller than others. The chip operates with 4MB of on-chip shared L2 cache running at full processor speed, and uses an 800MHz frontside bus. 2GB of 667MH DDR2 SDRAM is also included.

Like the MacBook and the MacBook Pro, the MacBook Air features a slimmed down MagSafe connector for power. It comes with a 45 watt power adapter. A flip-down door on one side reveals USB 2.0, Micro-DVI (to connect an external display) and a headphone jack. The MacBook Air also includes 802.11n-based wireless networking support and Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR.

Apple estimates that with wireless networking turned on, the MacBook Air can get about 5 hours of battery life.

No internal optical drive is included, but Apple will offer a $99 USB 2.0-based add-on SuperDrive for users who need it. For users that opt not to get the optical drive, Apple is offering a new software feature on this machine called Remote Disk; it enables you to "borrow" the optical drive of another Mac or PC on the same network as the MacBook Air, to use for installing software, for example.

Apple's frequently been in the crosshairs of environmental group Greenpeace in recent years. Jobs offered information about the environmental goals behind the MacBook Air -- it has a fully recyclable aluminum case, and is "the first" to have a mercury-free display with arsenic-free glass. All the circuit boards are BFR-free and PVC-free, and the retail packaging uses 56 percent less material than the MacBook packaging.