pcgeek's Blog

There are many cool electronic gadgets on the market, not all of those are ideal for daily uses, I will give you some information on how to select a good electronic gadget that perfect for your daily uses.

Something like mp3 player will be a very good gadget for your daily uses. By that player you can enjoy your music anywhere and anytime, let your digital mp3 player do everything for your enjoyment. The mp3 player should be small and with a light weight. It is always a great idea for th next gadget.

You next mp3 player can be combined with sunglasses to add a very cool function for your sunglasses, by this great gadget you can protect your eyes while enjoying your favorite music and songs, it is really a cool gadget for your enjoyment, I recommend you to try one of those.

Another gadget that will make you feel good is the mp4 player watch, which can easily play a complete film, only by your mp4 watch you can watch a complete film anywhere, it is very exciting gadget, You can also use it to play your personal clips, songs etc..

The last one I will mention here is the photo frame, it works like magic to display your photo with high resolution, it can compatible with TVs, DVDs, PCs, Laptops and other electronic equipments, take your time to find another cool gadget for the the next buy.

I suggest you to search for these cool gadgets online. Nowadays, it is very simple to do shopping online.

By Elhusseiny Shahin the owner of electronic gadget, you may also visit the mp3 gadget page and camera gadget page to find more information on mp3 players and cameras.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/gadgets-and-gizmos-articles/tips-to-choose-your-next-electronic-gadget-213702.html

As the year 2008 ends many people are anticipating what will happen in this forthcoming year of 2009. Well according to the Chinese calendar, this coming year is the year of the Ox.

According to Wikipedia, the Ox is the sign of prosperity through fortitude and hard work. This powerful sign is a born leader, being quite dependable and possessing an innate ability to achieve great things. As one might guess, such people are dependable, calm, and modest. Like their animal namesake, the Ox is unswervingly patient, tireless in their work, and capable of enduring any amount of hardship without complaint.

Many people who were born on this years (19 February 1901 - 7 February 1902, 6 February 1913 - 25 January 1914, 25 January 1925 - 12 February 1926, 11 February 1937 - 30 January 1938, 29 January 1949 - 16 February 1950, 15 February 1961 - 4 February 1962, 3 February 1973 - 22 January 1974, 20 February 1985 - 8 February 1986, 7 February 1997 - 28 January 1998, 26 January 2009 - 14 February 2010, 2021 - 2022, 2033 – 2034) are anticipating to have a lucky year and looking forward to have a prosperous year. But for me, I believe that everything is permitted by God. Whether it is a good or bad luck, as most people say, I personally believe that we are governed by God and we should thank for all those things.

Have a blessed year to come!!

Well seems like I want to have the following phone:

 The Blackberry Pearl 8130 also known as: Blackberry 8130

The Blackberry Pearl 8130 includes numerous features such as: broadband EV-DO wireless data, EDGE high speed wireless data, trackball and Bluetooth.

If you want to know the full specifications and feataures of this phone feel free to visit in the following link...

http://cellphones.about.com/od/blackberry/Latest_BlackBerry_Cell_Phones_Specifications_and_Features.htm

One welcome feature in a new computer is its speed; new computers are notably faster than the ones they replace. The speed difference is attributed to technology, of course. Replacing a tired old Pentium III computer with a Pentium 4, for example, makes everything run faster — or at least seem to. The problem with a slow PC isn’t that technology is brushing by. That’s more of a fact than a problem. No, the true slow PC is sluggish for a number of reasons, some of which definitely can be helped, as discussed in this chapter. I recommend drinking coffee for slow mornings or to help your own brain maintain speed during long meetings. I don’t recommend coffee for your computer.

Slow Is Relative

Computers aren’t designed to be slow. In fact, if you were to peer into a tiny window and observe the microprocessor, you would discover that it spends most of its time doing nothing. It waits. That’s because most things the computer does aren’t that speed intensive. When you word-process, the computer spends electronic epochs waiting for you to type the next letter — even if you’re a fast typist. And, no matter how fast your Internet connection, the computer is literally twiddling its thumbs while waiting for the next byte of data to stroll in. There are intensive operations, of course: Any time you manipulate graphics, you’re making the computer do some real work. Even the fastest computers have to wait while images are rendered. And, some mathematical calculations cause the microprocessor to fire all its burners. Even then, for the most part, the computer sits and hums. It’s because the computer sits and waits that you find things like barking dogs or tap-dancing wizards to amuse you while you type in your word processor. Speed apparently isn’t a true issue when it comes to computer performance. Developers could make software go even faster than it does now, but there’s little demand for it. Also, increasing program speed would mean that the programs would take longer to develop, so as long as people don’t mind waiting, developers have no incentive to make things faster.

Why things can get slow (and what you can do about it)

 Your computer can slow down for a number of reasons, almost too many to mention. Slothfulness boils down to one of the causes listed in this section:

Malfunctioning hardware: The hard drive may be on its last legs, in which case it has to read and reread information because of errors. That adds overhead.

Corrupted programs: Most sudden slowness is caused by some corrupt program, which may be tainted on the disk or somehow become besmirched in memory. In any event, the program’s response time dwindles, which affects overall PC speed.

Viruses: Computer viruses can also slow things down, either by corrupting existing files or consuming resources in memory or on the hard drive, or they may just be designed to slow down your computer. Most of the time, some corrupt program brings the computer down and crawling on its knees. Fix or eliminate that program, and the problem goes away. Typically, recovering speed is simply as easy as restarting Windows. Please be patient! Yes, restarting Windows probably fixes the situation. But, give the slow computer its due. Obey the rules! Shut down like you normally do, even if it seems to take longer. Give the computer a chance before you impatiently punch the power switch or defiantly unplug the sucker.

Any way to speed things up?

The old joke went that you could double your computer’s speed by plugging it into a 240-volt socket. I actually got e-mail from a man who believed this to be true and wanted to know where he could get a power adapter. Of course, following through would have resulted in a blown-up power supply. Computers do some things fast and some things slow. Aside from getting a newer computer, you can do only a handful of legitimate things to improve overall performance:

 _ Eliminate what you don’t need. Uninstall programs you don’t use.

_ Review your startup programs. Ensure that utilities you don’t need are disabled and not using RAM or disk space.

_ Install more RAM. Computers can always use more RAM.

_ Check for viruses.

_ Keep an eye out for memory leaks.

_ Defragment (especially good for older drives).

In your applications, try to avoid using lots of fonts or pasting images into a word processor until the text editing is done. Word processors, such as Microsoft Word, really slow down when you add graphics into the mix. Write your text first and then add images.

The Slow PC

For image editing as well as other demanding applications, try not to run other programs at the same time. That conserves resources and gives more power to the programs that demand it. Above all, try to avoid software fixes that claim to speed up your computer. Although some of them may subtly tweak resources and give you better performance, most of the ones I have encountered are shams. These programs seldom perform as promised and end up turning your PC into a billboard for endless advertisements or porn.  I don’t recommend upgrading the microprocessor as a solution to a slow PC. Older PCs that could theoretically benefit from a newer CPU are typically not compatible with the new microprocessors. And, the replacement CPUs you can get often don’t give you the same bang for the buck as a better upgrade, such as more RAM or a second hard drive. Low resources can also cause a system to run slowly. For more information on defragmenting a hard drive. Internally, the computer uses only 5 or 12 volts to run things, so doubling the input voltage from 120 to 240 volts — even if you could — wouldn’t improve your speed situation.

Some Slow Q&A

Anyone who has used a PC for any length of time has encountered the slow PC. After initial disbelief, you probably act like I do and seriously wonder whether a black hole is nearby and slowing down the entire space-time continuum. Do you slam your keyboard into the desktop? I have tried it. Doesn’t work. And, yes, a few times I just flipped off the power to the UPS because the computer was taking geological time to restart. I know. Naughty me, but sometimes the stupid device wears my patience paper-thin.

Q: It’s suddenly slow, and it wasn’t like that yesterday!

Sudden slow is good. Sudden slow means that some program has twisted itself into a confusing garden of electronic salad. A simple reset fixes this problem. In Windows XP, try checking the Task Manager’s Processes tab to see whether you can find the process hog and kill it off. At least that method tells you which program was running amok, if only for future reference.

Troubleshooting Minor Irks and Quirks

I have noticed that some USB devices may fly south and attempt to take other USB devices with them. For example, the scanner may be on the fritz, and so the USB keyboard no longer responds quickly. Consider disconnecting (from the computer) the USB devices that you’re not using and see whether that improves the situation.

Q: The computer is just always slow.

Remember that speed is relative. Or, as it was put to me long ago by a friend with a much better computer: You never know how crappy your system is until you sit down at a better one. Buy more RAM! Consider running fewer programs. Also consider using a thorough disk drive analysis utility, such as Norton Utilities, to see whether the hard drive is becoming too error prone. If so, consider replacing the hard drive.

Q: The computer gets slower the longer I leave it on.

This is definitely a sign of a memory leak. The best way to track this one down is as follows:

First, don’t run any software. Just let the computer sit and stew. Note whether it’s getting slow. If so, it’s Windows itself that’s slow, one of the supersecret startup programs or perhaps a virus that’s causing the problem.

Second, run your programs one at a time. Pause. Note whether that particular program is causing the computer to slow down. If not, restart the computer and run your next program. Run them one at a time to search for the culprit. When you find the program that’s slowing down the computer, check with the developer to see whether it has any information about causes or fixes.

Q: The computer has gotten slower and slower in recent weeks.

This problem is most likely caused by some nasty programs infiltrating your computer, such as a virus or worm or spyware. These programs consume resources and run without your knowledge, so it isn’t readily obvious what’s to blame for the slowdown.

 The Slow PC

Another problem may be hardware-oriented. A full hard drive can slow down a computer. To check the hard drive’s capacity, follow these steps:

1. Open the My Computer icon on the desktop.

2. Right-click the hard drive you want to examine.

3. Choose Properties from the pop-up menu.

On the General tab, you see a graphical pie chart showing you the amount of disk space used versus what’s remaining. When only a little pie is left, you’ve got disk woes!

4. Close the Properties dialog box as well as the My Computer window.

Slowness can also just be a sign of “tired RAM” or an older computer in general. It’s time to buy a new one.

Q: The computer’s clock is slower than normal time.

Yes. Computers make lousy clocks. The clock in your typical PC is off anywhere from several seconds to a few minutes at the end of each day, depending on what you do with the computer. This is normal.

Many of us have heard of how the PC user called in to say his cup holder was not working on his computer only to find out he was referring to his CD drive. Well, that's obviously a silly thing to do, but following are some less obvious but also not-so-wise things to do with your computer.

The switch on the back of the power supply that says 115/230 is not to be used to see if there is a problem with the power by switching it back and forth.

No matter how much you think you know, make it a rule never to plug in a new USB device until you read the manual. In most cases, the software has to be installed first or in a specific manner, and by skipping the proper steps, you might waste a lot of time trying to get the device to work correctly.

We are constantly getting laptop computers in the shop for repair due to all types of liquids spilling on the keyboard that were kept right next to it. Unlike a desktop computer where the keyboard is a separate and usually inexpensive peripheral, the notebook keyboard is directly over the circuitry of the computer, and the liquid will wick its way into every crevice and corrode and short out the system.  Keep your drinks and food away from electronics.

Speaking of spilling liquids on the laptop, customers often turn on their laptops after only wiping the outside of it right after the spill. Basic science tells us that will only ensure more, and most likely permanent and possibly fatal, damage. We try to tell all of our customers that if a spill ever occurs to immediately remove the battery, unplug the laptop, turn it upside down to minimize migration of the liquid into the components, and bring it to a qualified technician right away to be cleaned out. Never let your curiosity force you to turn it back on.

A customer recently walked into the shop and asked if we could test his Pentium 4 processor. When asked if he had it with him, he retrieved it from his pocket and held it up proudly by the corners. It might have been working before he brought it in, but its chances started decreasing when he handled it that way. Do not ever handle a static-sensitive component (processors, memory, add-in cards, etc.) with your bare hands unless you are wearing a wrist strap and using precautions to ground yourself and prevent static discharge.

 Another customer brought in his server because it was dead. We checked it out and discovered a 1/4-inch gap between the processor and its heat sink. We removed the heat sink and found globs of thermal transfer compound—so much that the heat sink didn't make good contact with the processor—and there was a thermal pad as well. Now, the ironic thing is that this customer is obsessed with cooling. There were two fans on the processor and various case fans. However, his failure to follow directions ") caused his CPU to overheat and fail. The rule: use either a thermal pad or a small amount of thermal transfer compound, and make sure that the heat sink is flush against the processor.

One time a customer called and frantically explained that his video disappeared, and he needed his computer for business right away. He was willing to buy a new monitor. We told him to bring in his computer and monitor. When we checked out the monitor, we found that the brightness had been turned all the way down. The lesson here is to always check the simplest, most obvious things first.

Often, when a PC comes in to the shop it has loose wires hanging inside even though the original system builder took the time to tie the wires. The problem was that they used rubber bands, and the rubber bands had rotted away from age and the heat within a computer. Another thing we have seen is shorted wiring from twist ties. When the paper on a twist ties dries up and goes away, all that is left is a thin metal wire that can wear through insulation and short out connections. When you tie up all the wires inside your computer to make them look neat and to help increase the airflow for cooling, use nylon zip ties or nylon wire restraints and clips designed for the purpose. They are easier to work with and will last much longer.

Up in the cooler climates, we occasionally have PCs come in for freeze-ups or damage that cannot be immediately explained, until we find out that the computer is kept right next to a radiator or heating vent.

One of the frequent cause of problems in PCs we see is viruses. Most name brand computers come with some form of virus protection. Usually, it is good for one year or is a three-month trial version. When we ask the customers if they have virus protection, they say yes. When we ask them if it is up to date, they usually assume that you install it and forget it and you are protected forever. After they get the bill to clean out the virus and save the data on the computer, they rarely forget to stay up to date.

On that note, many people out there cannot believe they got a virus because they do not open attachments or open e-mails only from people they know. They forget or do not know that the virus can come from an e-mail sent from their friend's or family member's PC without their knowledge. Additionally, viruses can come over the Web, even if there is no browser open.

Another less technical but important issue is the choice of cabinets for computers. While many computers are getting smaller all the time, we constantly see customers choosing a computer desk or cabinet that does not fit the case. I recently installed a pair of computer systems at a home and the new furniture had arrived and was installed. The so-called computer desks looked great, but the first thing I noticed was that the shelf for the PC had a door and only one small hole for the cables in the back. There was no consideration of ventilation, or cabling, and you had to open the door just to insert a CD, DVD, or floppy disk. Things worked out after I opened the backs and installed small bumpers on the doors so they would allow some ventilation. Often, the problem is size, and there is no room for the computer once it is in place with all the cables attached. It sometimes seems as if the designers of

office furniture forget that they have to accommodate machines with cables attached and the need for ventilation.

Many times, I have been called upon to work with a small business that has two or more PCs they purchased at a big box store or online, and now they want to be able to take advantage of networking or need a server to accommodate their needs and growth. The assumption of many of these customers is that a computer is a computer, and one for home is the same as one for business, and the only difference is the work they are doing on them. That cannot be further from the truth. The difference between a professional versus home version of Windows when purchasing a new PC is usually $60 to $90 dollars versus approximately $180 dollars to upgrade later. Most home PCs come with a home suite of programs to keep the cost of the PC lower and more attractive to the buyers. However, Microsoft Office Professional or a similar office suite at the time of purchase will cost you about $300 now, or you can buy the full product later for about $600. The point here is that consulting an expert first will probably save you time and money in the long term.

(Another Excerpt from PC Repair and Maintenace E-book)