Mouse pads are sold in many places throughout the world. I buy most of my pads for my mouse online, purely from a convenience point of view. You can send a photo of yourself, your partner or just a nice place in the world to a printing company online and they will mail out your pad in the next few days. It really is that simple, and with a bit of thought you can come up with a pad for your mouse that is much more comfortable than the standard ones.
The best pad for your mouse that you can use is one that supports your hands and wrist, and that is comfortable. Regardless of the price and how much people recommend you get something, make sure that it is comfortable before you buy it. After all, that is the whole purpose behind upgrading! Belkin Pads are quite good value, and they have a huge range to suit what you need. Spend some time testing them out to pick the best; I have friends that swear that the mouse wrist pads with gel pads are great, whilst I personally haven't had that good of an experience with them
Friday, July 2, 2010
Where Can I Get Good Mouse Pads?
Sunday, January 31, 2010
How to Install New Devices on Your Computer
Everyone has trouble with is installing a new device to their computer. The device might be a printer
If the writer uses "ain't" or some other words that might cause English teachers to "cringe," that's no big deal. But I do appreciate it when the writer at least knows enough of the language that I'm not lost before I even get started. Another problem with manuals is that they are sometimes hidden in a text file on the installation CD.
If you are having installation problems, go to the manufacturer's website. There's a good chance that you'll find a software update that either fixes the problem or a FAQ file that will help you to better understanding what you're doing wrong. If you have a manual read it! Even if your device has a printed manual, look on the CD anyway. Many times, a manufacturer will find a bug in the software and will include the fix on the CD. It's expensive to reprint manuals while it costs practically nothing to include the fix on the CD. Of course, the website should have the latest information.
Here are three devices that I see people having trouble with all the time, scanners, digital cameras, and printers. These first two devices use a "twain" driver and this is where the problems usually start. Most of the better scanners and cameras use the USB (Universal Serial Buss) for connecting to the computer. USB ports are "hot swap" ports, meaning they will automatically detect a new device as soon as you plug it in. The problem most people make is to plug in the device before they install the software.
Usually, the software has to be installed before you plug in your device. READ your manual. If this is the case, install the software, then, with your computer up and running, plug the USB cable into your new device (making sure the device is turned on) and then into your computer. A message should appear on the monitor saying something such as, "scanner found" or "camera found." You may even get a message on the monitor before the software is completely installed saying, "plug in your device." Just be sure to follow the instructions and you should be OK.
Printers install in much the same way. Printer/scanner combinations are usually the best choice if you need color printing. If you only need to print text, then a laser will most likely be your best bet.
Another peripheral I'm often asked about is the monitor. There's not much to hooking up a monitor, but once it's connected, you'll probably need to adjust it. Every video card is different and each monitor will display the image a little differently. Adjust the controls on the monitor so that the image covers the complete display area. If you see a black border between your screen image and the edge of the monitor, it's out of adjustment. I've seen 17" monitors
Don't forget to set your display output from within Windows itself. I usually use 1024 x 768 with 16 bit color, but this will depend on the size and type of monitor you're using.
Installing new devices is easy if you just take the time to read your manual and then follow the directions closely. If you don't have the manual, you might be able to find it if you Google it. Also, check out "YouTube." I've found tutorials there that have been a huge help in both installing and operating new peripheral devices.
source:http://ezinearticles.com
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
How to Keep Laptop Batteries Good For Much Longer
Laptop computers have come a long ways in technology and capabilities. People now have the opportunity to take tiny compact computers wherever they want. The only problem and the thing that limits laptops the most are their batteries.
Laptop batteries never seem to last as long as they are advertised to do. And as they age they only get worse. What many people find is that their laptop adapters and cords go bad before their battery. I would suggest all laptop users to have a few backup batteries and a few power adapters to keep them charged.
Batteries for laptops are not cheap and are sold only by the company who makes your laptop. This is done specifically so that the manufacturer can make money from you later on. Depending on how old or worn down your laptop may be, it may be better to just buy a new laptop than spending all of that money on a new battery. There are a few things you can do though to ensure the longest possible life from your battery.
Most laptop batteries have problems because they are left plugged in to charge too much. For me, I used to keep the laptop plugged in all of the time unless I wasn't near an outlet. Needless to say my battery didn't last too long. Its best to let your battery run all of the way down until it needs to be recharged. Do this about once a month or so and you will find that your battery life will last longer.
Try not to keep the batteries from being used for too long. Not using a battery at all will slowly kill the batteries life expectancy. Cycle through your batteries so that they are all getting at least some use.
Monitor your battery to make sure that it is not getting too hot. If it feels hot to the touch you should then remove it and let it cool down. Keep a close eye on how hot your battery gets when it is in use. A hot battery may mean that is is defective and can ruin your computer.
Remember that the conditions that you store your computer in will have an effect on the battery as well. Be sure to leave it out of extreme hot or cold conditions.
Until laptop computers get better with making their batteries (and they will) we will just have to settle with what we have and keep our current batteries lasting as long as possible. The above tips will help your battery live longer so you can save money.
Saturday, December 19, 2009
What is the Best Laptop for beginner
When you ask people for computer advice for your first laptop purchase you will get varying answers, depending on the person. Some say the best kind of computer is Apple and others mention netbooks. Your task when listening to these peoples opinions is to determine who is a brand loyalist with skewed view of the product and who is offering you quality advice.
First I will give you the pros and cons of owning a Apple computer. I'll start out with the pros first, the main thing that Apple users will be telling you is "It Just Works" now I'm calling them dumb or anything but if you use your computer responsibly it won't matter if it's from Apple or not it'll just work. The other point they bring up is the simplicity of OSX and you'll get no argument from me on that point it is very simple to use. The other pro Apple users like to bring up is the lack of viruses and again I won't argue on that because it is true.
Now the cons of the Apple computer is the price and the learning curve. The price because the cheapest Apple laptop is still $1000. The learning curve is only a con if you've been using Windows for a long time. Learning to use a Apple computer isn't that bad, I'd recommend going to either the Apple store of the Apple section of your local Best Buy to sit down and try and learn before buying.
Netbooks are the next recommendation that some of just recently started making. Netbook on average cost less than $350 and they are able to do things like Internet and E-mail very well. The pros of owning a netbook are pretty simple it's cheap, portable and long battery life. The cons of owning a netbook are one having to get used to the smaller keyboard, two limited computing power, lessened durability.
A netbook is only a good choice if you are a casual computer user. Someone who only needs something portable to read e-mails and go online with. That is where a netbook is best utilized.
A netbook and a Apple computer are the extremes of price spectrum, netbooks being the cheapest and Apple being the most expensive. Now we should discuss in the middle laptop brands. The best ones are Dell, Sony, Acer and Asus. When it comes to customer satisfaction Asus ranked higher than any other company including Apple.
The pros of buying a mid range PC laptop is that there is no learning curve and the price to performance ratio is very good. The best laptops are priced between $800 and $1000 and for those prices you get similar specifications to $1500 Apple laptops. I highly recommend looking the laptops that Asus and Sony have to offer, they are styled good have all the specifications you need.
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Tips For a Greener Computer
While the world is thriving, it can't be denied that our resources are getting depleted day by day. It is indispensable to preserve our resources. In the present times, sitting in front of computers incessantly for long periods of time has become inevitable. But this is harmful for you and your computer as well. A few possible changes can help you go a long way by diminishing the negative impacts on you, your computer and the environment. At the same time, these amendments will help you save money as well. Depending on the way you use or reuse your computer, environmental repercussions are bound to occur. There are seven main ways for a greener computer. Read on to find out what they are.
You can place your PC in the sleep mode for sometime if not in use, when the PC is left idle for a fixed amount of time like fifteen minutes or more. Using the Windows operating system, this mode can be set through 'Power Options' in the 'Control Panel', while using MAC it can be done through 'Energy Saver preferences'. In Windows, WinOFF is responsible for shutting down, restarting or hibernating the system after a certain amount of time, when it goes idle. There are nearly ten computing energy savers available. PCs normally take 2 to 3 seconds to wake up. In certain laptops of today, the mere closing of the lid will put the system to sleep.
The next way to save power is by turning off the system when it is not needed. For normal running, a laptop needs 30 watts whereas a flat panel system or traditional desktop requires 60 watts for its running. In sleep mode, the power consumption will be reduced by 5 watts. If you want your system to consume zero power, it needs to be shut down or put into hibernate state by using the Operating System menu. The difference is that the former requires one minute for recovery whereas the latter requires thirty seconds.
If you want your computer to consume less power while working, you can disconnect other peripherals such as the printer, speakers, scanner, router and backup drives unless they are needed. Because, these equipment consume a few watts even when they are idle but connected. It is passable to leave your cable modem connected, since it requires some time to provide Internet connection once turned off.
Incase your PC decelerates, you can think of extended memory to bump up the speed to some extent, before going in for a new one. Because, a small extended memory with reasonable price may give a lift to its life span. Make certain of the memory you have by going through the Control Panel in Windows and About This MAC in MAC operating systems and use a reliable memory configurator to check if the system is extendable to a gigabyte or more. This kind of upgradation saves you money.
Instead of having separate PCs for every member of your family, you can share the available one by creating separate accounts. In order to create separate accounts simply go to User Accounts in the Control Panel in Windows and Accounts Panel in MAC OS. You can easily toggle between the accounts by logging off instead of restarting the system. Always look for the Energy Star label when you buy a new PC. At all times, lower the brightness of the monitor to protect your eyes.
Friday, December 11, 2009
Feature of Laptop
Now many people use laptops as more and more people have shifted their preference for the portable device. Many schools in USA have made it obligatory for their students the use of laptops to save them from the bulky rucksacks. No wonder that the sales of laptops are unprecedently high in the last couple of years. Very often choosing a right product becomes a difficult task, as many of the first time buyers are getting confused with the technical terms and jargons made use of in the advertisements and catalogues.
Laptops are available in many sizes and shapes. So are the diverse features incorporated in them. The buyers can go for a cheap product if it is intended only for basic usage like word processing or emails. There are expensive products with innovative features. Size and weight are important for this portable device. But then some of the important factors cannot be ignored. Processor, Memory, Screen and battery life are vital matters to be looked into. Processors with Pentium M were used earlier, but now Intel's core duo and core 2 duo are more popular. Some of the laptops use AMD Athlon and Turion 64 x 2 dual core processors also. Intel core duo processor is widely used than other categories. As for memory it is better to have minimum 1GB of RAM which will be sufficient for basic use. For advanced usage like graphics, laptop with a minimum of 128MB dedicated video RAM is needed. For gaming purposes it should be between 256 MB and 512 MB.
Size of the screen is another important factor. Screen sizes vary between 12 inches to 17 inches. Widescreen used for movies etc are also available. But remember that weight of the laptop with larger screens will be more, much to the disadvantage of the users who want to carry it as a personal baggage. Those who want portability for their devices should go for smaller screens. Similarly battery life is important. Many of the laptops batteries will have minimum 3.5 hours of durability. The shopper should make sure of the battery life while buying the product.
There are other features like keyboard, hard drives, USB ports and network capability which are very vital. It all depends on the types of jobs to be carried out in the laptop. Built-in Ethernet capability, built-in wireless connection and built-in blue tooth are other features which are to be taken into account by the prospective buyers. Laptop technology is in a fast forward mode. More and more innovative products are arriving the markets with special features and applications. Special websites devoted to computers and accessories will help the shoppers with valuable tips and guidance regarding the purchase and maintenance of laptops.
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Which the best of Notebook ?
There are notebooks coming out every day, making it hard to decide which one to get. With technology always developing new things and ideas, it`s tricky to know what you need and what you don`t need. Luckily shopping for notebooks can be fun when you do know what all of the options available to you are. And the great thing about technology always changing is that they are making things easier and better. Anyway, there are five notebooks that have made the top five best seller lists.
The first one to mention is the Apple Mac Pro MB991LL. It has been rated the best for a few months in a row which means it is holding true to its fans. It features a 13 inch screen and a seven hour battery life. The battery can be charged up to a thousand times before it has to be replaced which is three times what is considered normal. It has core two duo processor with three MB L2 cache and runs applications really fast. It has a five times boost for graphic processor and makes things look very vivid and clear on its screen. It also comes loaded with applications and features a unibody that is known for its durability and rough and tumble abilities.
The next one on the top five list is the ASUS LL 30A - XS. It is thin and light and has a twelve hour battery. It`s stylish and has an excellent looking keyboard that is comfortable to use. It also features a multi touch rack pad that offers fast delivery. The LED screen is nice even when you look at it from an angle. It also offers a one year warranty under accidental damage.
Third on the list is the Apple Mac book MC207LL/A. It is 13 inches long, has LED back lit which means that it saves on energy and looks great. It also has seven hours of battery life and a durable unibody design. It features a glossy wide screen display and a fast duo processor. It has a 250 GB hard drive, blue tooth and the longest lasting battery there is.
Next on the list is the Toshiba Satellite LSO SD series. It is very affordable has a 15.6 inch wide screen and LCD display. It features TruBrite technology, AMD Athlon double duo core processor with 2 GB and a 250 GB hard drive. It also has webcam, and two standard USB ports.
The last one on the top five lists is the Apple Mac book Pro. It has a 13.3 screen, two USB ports, fire wire, 800Mbps and a SK card slot. Mini display port, dual display video, eight times the super drive mirroring and a Kensington lock slot. It also has wireless connectivity. This one is a bargain for the price.
There are lots of notebooks to choose from, some that are light in weight and some that are a bit heavier but might be a bit more durable in and out of the laptop case. You may select one based on name, reputation, the way it looks and its design or for the programs that come with it, or you might even just pick one based on the price, but however you decide to choose your notebook, the ones on this top five lists will be sure to please.
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Purple Laptop - A Fashion Gadget?
Over the years gadgets have always been fancied and every person wants to own the best and the most funky gadget around. Portable gadgets are now a rage and almost every technology freak has some portable gadget to show off.
One of the most popular gadgets is the laptop, and is owned by most technology geeks. Laptops come in various shapes and sizes and every brand has got its own charm. While, for example, Apple provides their laptops in white and aluminum base other companies provide it in many other colors and designs, including Purple Laptops.
Nowadays, it's pretty common that people personalize their Laptops, and attending this market tendency, manufacturers are starting to provide their own pre-personalized Laptops with more and more extras and, in other things, Colors.
One in special evidence is the Purple Laptop that according to market surveys is gaining more and more importance. The first reason for this is that in fact is a really pretty piece of technology and the other reason is that Purple is one of the color that grabs customer attention, so the combination of Fashion and Technology is explosive, in this case.
Purple Laptops with skins and prints on the flap are directly available on manufacturers and you can also get custom models made for you. Many websites also offer these services and you can place the order on the Internet. Manufacturers like Dell are even offering these services on their website so that you can get your laptop designed and customized as you want and usually at a small price.
Most designs that are available on these websites are in shades of purple. Purple is the color that matches well with black and white, which is the base color for most of the laptops available in the market. So, if you choose purple and buy a purple laptop you will not regret it.
Saturday, November 14, 2009
Dell Announces Mini 3 Smartphone
In an announcement that surprised no one, Dell Computers took the wrapping off its Android-based Dell Mini 3 smartphone on Friday.
Dell did not provide a launch date, but the company did say the phone would be available only in Brazil and China to start. That doesn't mean the Mini 3 will never reach American carriers, but don't count on it any time soon.
A Mini 3 History
Earlier this year rumors were circulating that Dell's smartphone project had been canceled due to lame specs and lack of interest from carriers. The day after that rumor came out, CEO Michael Dell reignited handset rumors after he said "it wouldn't be unreasonable" to expect the computer maker to release a smartphone in the future.
Those comments were followed by rumors that Dell was producing a smartphone for the Chinese market. Then in August, a prototype reportedly surfaced at a promotional event in China.
Who Gets the New Phone at Launch?
The Mini 3 will be available in Brazil from the national carrier Claro and from China Mobile in the world's most populous country. The two carriers serve more than 542 million customers combined.
Will the Phone Come to the U.S.?
It's not clear whether the Mini 3 will ever show up in the U.S., and that may not be such a bad thing considering the phone's rumored specs (see below). But Dell was quick to point out in its announcement that the company already sells 3G netbooks through AT&T and Verizon, as well as many other carriers around the world.
Dell hinted that these relationships with carriers could mean "more opportunities to meet the needs of a connected lifestyle" in the future. In October, there were reports that Dell may offer a smartphone through AT&T as early as next year.
What are the Phone's Specs?
Dell did not release any specs for the Mini 3, saying information would only be available on a partner-by-partner basis when the device is available in stores. This suggests Dell will be tailoring the Mini 3's feature set for the particular tastes and needs of each country where the device is sold. This is also supported by the fact that in China, the Dell is baking China Mobile's Ophone platform -- a modified version of Android -- into the Mini 3.
When a prototype of the device surfaced earlier this year, the Mini 3 (then known as the Mini3i) was believed to have a 3.5-inch touchscreen with 360-by-640 resolution, mini USB port, SD card slot (no word on maximum storage size), and a 3.2-megapixel camera. The Mini3i was also thought to be a 2G device with no Wi-Fi connectivity. However, considering China Mobile's recent desire to improve its 3G offerings, it's safe to assume Dell's Mini 3 has been bumped up to 3G capability.
With or without 3G, the Mini3i's rumored specs were so lame they only reinforced earlier reports that Dell's smartphone was a real stinker. If the Mini 3 is to have any impact in the U.S., the company would have to step up its game for a market that is becoming increasingly crowded with BlackBerrys, Droids and iPhones
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Xperia X10 : Sony Ericsson's Stylish Android Phone Debuts
Sony Ericsson's first Android-based smartphone, the Xperia X10, comes with a unique user interface that's designed to improve handling and organization of communications and multimedia content. But one analyst said the interface still needs work, particularly when it comes to speed and responsiveness, before the phone hits the market.
The X10 will be flagship model in a family of phones coming to market during the first half of next year, Sony Ericsson said, without providing details of other models in the lineup.
As part of the X10's interface, Sony Ericsson added two applications, dubbed Timescape and Mediascape, to the Android, following in the footsteps of Motorola, HTC and Acer, which have also tweaked the operating system for their own handsets.
These modifications may prove to be important. Apple's iPhone has shown that winning in the smartphone space is about ease-of-use and not hardware specifications, like offering the biggest display or the best camera.
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Intel releases Windows 7 SSD optimization toolbox
Intel Corp. announced the availability today of a tool kit to optimize the performance of its X25-M consumer-class solid state disk (SSD) drive with Windows 7 operating system.
The Intel SSD Toolbox with Intel SSD Optimizer and firmware update was created for the company's latest 34nm Intel X25-M Mainstream SATA SSDs, which were released in July.
The tools are designed to help better manage and retain the out-of-box performance of Intel SSDs, Intel said in a statement.
The Intel SSD Toolbox allows users to more effectively monitor and manage the SSD's health. The firmware upgrade and Intel SSD Optimizer use the Windows 7 ATA Data Set Management Command (known as Trim) to help keep the Intel SSD running at continued high performance.
In addition, the SSD Toolbox and Optimizer also allow the respective enhancements to work with Windows XP and Vista.
"Not only will Windows 7 users receive the performance enhancements of the Trim command, but so will our Windows XP and Vista users," said Pete Hazen, director of marketing, Intel NAND Solutions Group.
The Trim attribute of Windows 7 synchs the operating system's view of deleted files with those that are deleted, but not erased on the drive. Trim tells the SSD which data blocks are no longer in use. Intel said this helps stabilize the performance and health of the SSD over time.
For X25-M owners with 160GB of capacity on the dive, the firmware update also offers a performance boost to sequential write speeds by delivering up to 100MB per second, a 40% performance improvement over the existing firmware version.
The Intel SSD Toolbox provides SSD management tools and information about the drive, including comparing Self-Monitoring and Reporting Technology (S.M.A.R.T.) drive attributes to manufacturer threshold.
It provides basic and full diagnostics, along with recommended actions. The Toolbox also features a graphical user interface that will allow end users to schedule and run the Trim command independent of the operating system.
Intel recommends users install the firmware update and toolbox, and run the Trim function daily to ensure best performance.
Saturday, October 17, 2009
IBM plans big hardware upgrade next year
IBM disclosed the plans at a time when server sales among all vendors have taken a bruising during the economic downturn, and IBM is no exception. In a third quarter earnings call yesterday, said Mark Loughridge, IBM's chief financial officer, said that the company's third quarter mainframe revenue declined by 26% from the year-earlier period.
Nonetheless, Loughridge said IBM is optimistic about the hardware business in the near future in a climate of what he called a return to "general stability."
The new Power7 chip will offer up to eight cores and increase support for virtualized environments, executives said. IBM has slowly be releasing specs for Power7, which it says will support 1,000 virtualized machines, almost four times the 254 supported by the dual core Power6 chip that was released in 2007. IBM's Power chips support AIX, Linux and the older System I computers.
IBM released its last mainframe, the z10, in February, 2008, and typically releases a new mainframe every three years. If it keeps with that schedule, the new mainframe probably won't be shipping until late next year.
Gordon Haff, an analyst at Illuminata Inc. in Nashua, N.H., said IBM's next mainframes may help users cut costs by allowing them to move some of the mainframe processing to IBM x86 systems. In a hybrid system, the mainframe may handle the service management and data storage with the x86 systems performing some of computational work, said Haff.
IBM has tried to cut user costs in the current mainframe line by using specialty processing engines, such the Linux IFL processor.
The ability to offload mainframe work to the x86 systems of multiple vendors is one of the reasons cited by the Computer and Communications Industry Association (CCIA) trade group in its effort to trigger a new antitrust inquiry into IBM practices by the Department of Justice. The trade group claims that IBM is blocks third party vendors from offering such an offloading capability.
Rich Partridge, an analyst at Ideas International Inc. in Rye Brook, N.Y., said that with increases in throughput and processing power in the next mainframe, IBM will probably encourage users to replace servers with mainframes to cut back on data center sprawl. The argument for "more centralized computing infrastructure will play to the mainframe," he said.
IBM's planned hardware improvements come as Oracle Corp. outlines more of its plan to integrate Sun Microsystems Inc. once its deal to buy the struggling computer maker closes. Oracle CEO Larry Ellison went into overdrive about IBM at company's annual conference OpenWorld, vowing to vanquish IBM.
IBM CTO Alan Ganek was sanguine about IBM's prospects in any head-to-head performance metric match up.
"Oracle is a competitor and will always be a partner," said Ganek, of Ellison's attack, "but I don't see any change here I'm worried about."
Meanwhile, Loughridge noted that IBM's software's sales improved in the third quarter. He cited In particular a 2% increase in sales of the company's major middleware products, such as the WebSphere, Tivoli, Lotus and Rational product lines.
Ganek said in an interview that improvements in the WebSphere and other middleware lines generally are the result of automating businesses processes, so that a user's data can flow through the process end-to-end.
source : computerworld
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Samsung quietly testing mini SSD for laptops and netbooks
Samsung told Computerworld at the Storage Networking World show that its new SSD conforms to the new mini-SATA (mSATA) interface that the SATA International Organization (SATA-IO) announced at Intel's Developer's Forum last month.
The new drive's form factor leaves behind the hard disk drive case that most solid state disk (SSD) drives come in today that require serial ATA (SATA) slots.
Samsung's new mSATA drive currently has capacities of up to 64GB. Industry observers have said that the 2.5-in and 3.5-in disk drive casings used to house solid state chips that make up SSDs are only a stop-gap measure until makers modify mother boards to include PCIe slots.
While the drive may not contend with today's traditional hard disk drives (HDD) that are approaching 2TB in size, it can be used to run the PC's OS and higher performance applications right next to a slower, higher capacity HDD that would be used for mass storage of things such as photos, video, music and slower applications.
The mSATA drive uses a PCIe slot that does not currently exist in today's desktops, laptops and netbooks. So hardware makers would need to modify their products to include a PCIe slot. The mSATA drive, however, still uses the serial ATA (SATA) protocol, which would allow data and applications to be moved seamlessly between a hard disk drive and the smaller SSD.
"mSATA will eventually be an industry standard," said Brian Beard, flash marketing manager for Samsung Semiconductor.
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Secure USB
Also called USB thumb drives, USB sticks are highly compact. Thanks to their small size, chances of them getting stolen are high. If your USB drive contains extremely private and sensitive information, go in for USB data security. These measures would help prevent anyone from accessing your personal details.
How to secure USB
Majority of modern USB Stick are now accompanied with specific pre-installed security features enabling users to prevent unauthorized access and password protect their data. If you have private information stored inside, simply password-protect the USB drive.
Using encryption, you can add extra security to the data. Some software use 128-bit AES encryption for maximum security and don't store passwords on removable USB drives.
Data recovery
If your USB doesn't have the password protection option or built-in security, use third party software.
Below are some of the free passwords-protect software to secure USB:-
• FOLDER LOCK: It is one of the fastest ways to password protect and encrypt your folders and files. You can either select to encrypt essential files from techies or lock your private data, pictures and files from casual users. This software comes with plug-and-play support, portability, hack attempt monitoring, stealth mode, shredding, encryption and locking.
Salient Features:
• Folder Encryption, File Encryption, Drive Lock, Folder Lock, File Lock
• Uses 256-bit AES encryption
• Password-protection of USB Drives without the requiring installation at the other end
• Use tool in stealth mode (used while hiding the tool from other system users)
• Move, e-mail, backup or transfer password-protected lockers wherever desired
• TRUE CRYPT: It is open-source software used for creating encrypted folders on USB drives. Its major advantage is that you can install it in USB drive and use it in the form of portable application.
• CRYPTAINER: It is a full freeware utility to password-protect USB drives. You can encrypt folders and files by simply dropping and dragging them into the vault. Additionally, it permits you to form secure-email files which you can send it to anyone.
Even after completely protecting the USB drives, chances that the hackers would crack USB password using keyboard sniffers and keyloggers are high.
SafeStick provides mandatory password protection and automatic hardware encryption of all stored data. SafeStick drives are manageable world-wide on an enterprise scale with the lightweight SafeConsole management software offering full control, remote life-cycle management and device enhancement such as remote password recovery, customised password policy, audit for compliance, portable authentication tokens, productivity tools.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/
Sunday, September 27, 2009
Computer Failure
There are over 250 million computers in use in just the United States alone. They do everything from streamline and control the operations of major manufacturing plants or huge institutions to allowing a person to communicate via the Internet from the comfort of their own living room.
Thanks to a wealth of information from a wide variety of sources, most computer owners understand the importance of running virus protection programs, making back up disks to restore their operating system after a crash and installing a firewall to keep their machines safe from outside intruders.
Although most of us are now indeed conditioned to run all these various system checks on a regular basis, many of us still find ourselves complaining about PCs that crash and freeze, computers that make strange and disturbing noises and annoyances such as a disk drive that refuses to read disks properly any more. So if it is not a virus or a full memory causing these problems what might it be?
The number one cause of these kinds of problems and indeed the number one cause of overall computer failure in general is far simpler than any bug or virus created by a clever hacker. It is dust, common dust that is everywhere in the air.
Yet many people do not realize the amount of dust that can get inside a computer and the damage it can cause. A computer's cooling fans run all the time that a computer is powered on, even if it is "sleep" mode. Unprotected dust is pulled into the computer every time the fan spins and it accumulates far more quickly than you might imagine.
To protect a computer from this dangerous intrusion costs less than $5 per computer, yet it is still overlooked by many people. A removable, replaceable filter mesh that catches the dust being drawn in before it enters the computer is the best answer available and is a simple way that any computer can be protected from its number one enemy. The average computer repair person charges about $100 just for the first initial visit and a repair can cost much more, not to mention that precious data that can be lost forever when a computer fails. Taking five minutes to install this inexpensive safeguard can add years of useful life to the average computer's overall function whatever its make or model.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Toshiba Vs Dell Vs HP Laptops
Toshiba, Dell and HP are some of the best brands in the world when it comes to laptops. They offer great value for your money and excellent performance to boot. Here is a quick comparison in several categories between these three laptop giants.
Price: In this category, HP and Dell are neck in neck in competitiveness. Although both brands offer great value for your money, Dell seems to be a little cheaper in its overall price. Toshiba is a little more expensive than these two brands probably due to its extensive R&D. Among these three brands, Dell laptops are the cheapest where they also offer a high level of customization.
Durability: As someone who has used all three brands before, Toshiba is the clear winner in this category. There is something about Toshiba laptops that not only makes it last really long but also last long flawlessly. My oldest Toshiba machine is about 6 years old and I don't remember the last time I have ever had the need to send it back to the service center. Among these three brands HP would come in second while Dell is in a close third (from my years of collecting customer feedback).
Features & Performance:HP is the winner of this category. Probably due to the fact that HP tries to create entertainment-centric laptops, their machines sometimes comes with an extraordinarily amount of bells and whistles. Toshiba comes in second where it strives to offer the latest essential features in its laptop. What Dell laptops lack in extra features is made up by their amazing customer service. Dell is known for providing one of the best services around.
Overall:All these three laptop brands have strengths that will cater for many niches of the market. Consumers who are looking for a laptop that would last for long time with solid performance should look no further than a Toshiba laptop. Those who are on a budget and appreciate good service should get Dell laptop. Those who love a feature-filled and well-priced laptop should consider a HP machine.
For more reviews and product info on currently one of the best Toshiba laptops in the market visit Toshiba Satellite A505-S5973. For reviews on other laptop models, visit http://laptops.treeso.com/reviews.html
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Sunday, September 13, 2009
Can I Upgrade Computer Components in My Old PC?
If you have an older personal computer that needs some updated computer components to increase the speed or capabilities, then you should first understand the various components available and determine whether your computer have the capabilities to be compatible to newer components. Most personal computer resellers can you determine whether your existing computer is upgradable or not. The original manufacturer of the person computer can also provide insight on whether or not this is possible.
Not all manufacturers of personal computers allow for an upgrade path for your equipment. Instead they frequently release newer versions of PCs with higher performing computer components which are usually not backward compatible. This is one of their best techniques to encourage people to purchase the latest computers available which have the faster, bigger, and unique capabilities that their otherwise older PC did not have or offer. Although this is a great strategy for selling new computers it does not leave many options for people who want to extend the life of their existing computers by adding or upgrading individual components.
Some computer components that can provide increased performance by upgrading them include the monitor. Many existing and new computers are compatible with almost all the monitors. Of course some monitors will have starker clarity and higher resolution with a newer video board or computer but you can still see some improvements by upgrading the monitor. And there are some computer manufacturers that provide a more enhanced video board that could be compatible with your current PC if you are looking for improvement in graphics and images.
Other computer components that can typically be upgraded without purchasing a new computer can also be a keyboard, mouse, speakers and devices used for games such as joysticks. These types of components are much easier to upgrade over the internal components of your main computer.
Saturday, September 5, 2009
How to Make a Slow Computer Run Like New Quickly
Do you keep asking yourself, "why is my computer slow?" This is a problem millions of people have and it starts the day you take your computer out of the box. You can fix this though without any expensive upgrades or having to buy a new PC.
There are three main reasons for this problem. Here they are and how to fix them.
#1 Lack of memory. This caused by the combination of every program that is installed. Many programs use memory even when you are not using them as windows loads them when it starts up.
Each time programs are installed more memory is used, until there is barely enough to do anything. These also bloat the registry by adding more and more entries, slowing your PC down further. Remove every program that you do not use.
#2 Programs and files scattered all over the disk drive. This happens when you install them and makes it harder for windows to find anything and eventually corruption occurs and programs will not run as files become too scattered. This can be fixed with the windows disk defragmenter program which is in accessories -> system tools.
#3 Registry errors and corruption. This is the single biggest cause of a slow computer and windows errors. Every program you install puts an entry in the registry and even when the program is removed the entries remain behind slowing windows down, eventually errors occur and these errors in the registry cause windows to restart by itself, freeze and to eventually fail to start if they are not fixed.
A free registry scan will find them all in minutes, and there can be hundreds. Then you can fix them with a single click of the mouse.
If you have a slow PC here is the solution for a Slow Windows Computer this is guaranteed to make your PC faster, just click here
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Brad_Armstrong
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
What to Look For When You Buy Computers
Every couple of years people replace their computers. Or, they need to buy computers for their children going off to college or for another purpose. When you look at all of the computers for sale, especially if the company has done enough advertising to become a household name you get the feeling that you "know" them. The problem is that the more we see these people on television and in print, the more we trust them. That is a huge mistake!
It is important when you are considering a computer system that you ask some hard questions, and look very closely at the fine print. Here are some of the things you will want to be aware of before you buy computers.
READ THE FINE PRINT
- It seems that the way that some of the more unscrupulous computer companies that are losing money are making it back is by including outrageous fine print that actually charges you to return the computer system if it is defective. Yes, Dell Computer, offers free shipping. What they don't tell you is that if the product is defective, you have to pay to ship it back to them and if you don't have one of "their" dell technicians go over the computer system before returning it, you will not have a hope of getting a refund!
- Another little splurb in the fine print is that if you return the computer with a dell technician going over it to make sure that it is lousy and return the computer, not only do you not get a refund for the money you have spent on the computer, BUT you don't get the computer replaced by Dell. So, they get your money AND the computer!
- Another little "fine print" mega money maker for Dell computer is that if you do return a product, even if it is defective, even if you have done nothing but remove it from the box and put it back, they charge you a 15% "re-shelf" fee. So, if you have bought one of Dell's "cheap" computers for over a thousand dollars and it didn't work and you took it to a "certified Dell Technician" who affirmed that it was defective, and returned it, you are still going to have to pay 15% plus pay to ship it back to the company yourself just for ordering the dell computer. Now I don't know about you, but I have NEVER gotten a "tip" for doing a lousy job. But, this company includes that little message in the fine print so that even if they don't give you a quality product, they are still going to make money off of you.
- When you are shopping for a personal computer, be certain to read the fine print before paying any money or signing any contracts. Don't assume that the company is honest or reputable. If a company is not selling a quality product they are going to make their money off the backs of people trying to return the bad product. And, if you think that the fine print is too small, then there is something in there that the company does not want you to see. Walk away, find a company locally that will stand behind their product and, even if it appears to cost a little more, go for quality and honesty. In the end, the extra money you spend on an honest and reputable company will be much less than what you will spend trying to get a company like Dell computer to stand behind their product.
- Just because a company has an 800 number does not mean that they are going to answer it. Or, if they do answer it, it does not mean that you will actually get "customer service." When shopping for a computer system make sure that there is an actual human who will help you if you need assistance. One of the ways that some computer companies avoid having to actually "talk" about their defective products is to run you through seven or eight mechanic and human voices who cannot help you and put you on hold until the next person comes on to say they can't help you. They do this because they know that the majority of people will give up and keep the defective equipment they have purchased, or call in a local repairman to try and fix the computer system.
- For the life of your system, you will have more contact with a customer service representative of the company that you buy the product from than anyone else. Be certain that you actually will be able to contact a customer service representative that can help you solve problems and issues. "Hostgator" is a very reputable company that has customer service technicians who will come on line for you and walk you through any issues that you may have, they are incredibly helpful. This is a big company, they get all kinds of questions and issues everyday, but they manage to provide personal one on one customer service. If the excuse you get from a computer supplier is that they are "so" big, "so" busy, "so" bored that they can't take the time to help you. Or, if they don't have online live chat to help you, then go to a different computer company. When live chat online is only used as a sales tool, that is not going to help you when you are trying to figure out how to make your wireless keyboard work. You want help when you need it, not when it is convenient for dell computer people to play the transfer game.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ellen_Jackson
