Dumping Old PCs Is Not "PC"

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, nearly 250 million computers will become obsolete in the next five years. Unfortunately, less than 20 percent of PCs retired in the U.S. are recycled most years, instead creating what is being termed "e-waste."

To help reverse this trend, the U.S. government recently passed legislation that imposes penalties and fines on companies that do not practice environmentally proper IT disposal. According to a survey conducted by HP, the majority of companies-especially small-to-medium businesses (SMBs)-underestimate the security, financial and environmental impact of technology equipment disposal. Key findings include:

• 70 percent of respondents underestimate the cost of disposing of PCs;

• 66 percent of executives with purchasing authority are unaware of the financial implications of ignoring environmental regulations when disposing of IT equipment; and

• The biggest concern regarding disposal of IT equipment is data security and privacy.

So, what is the "politically correct" way to dispose of aging technology equipment? IT leaders like HP are increasing their commitment to real-world solutions that help customers achieve environmental responsibility, while also helping them get a better return on their IT investments.

E-Cycling computers and their components can be done to build new computers. HP helped its customers recycle more than 140 million pounds of hardware and print cartridges last year-the equivalent weight of 280 jumbo airliners! More and more retailers are also offering recycled products, which helps keep them out of landfills and other disposal sites.

Leasing is another way for companies to mitigate the various risks involved with acquiring IT assets, because the lessor assumes the responsibility for proper disposal of equipment at the end of its useful life. Leasing protects customers against the fines and consequences associated with violating environmental regulations, as well as from violations of data security and personal privacy laws. Similarly, older systems can be traded in for discounts on the price of new machines through such programs as HP's "Ditch Your Dinosaur," which offers a $100 rebate when customers trade in an outdated computer.

Donating computers to charities in need is a positive option to consider. Like older cars, they can be used as an effective tax write-off for a business, while benefiting worthwhile organizations. For example, HP and many others work with the National Cristina Foundation. This organization helps people with disabilities, students at risk and economically disadvantaged persons lead more independent and productive lives by providing them with computer technology and training.

Did I choose the best laptop ?

Keys to choosing the best laptop computer :

Who is the laptop user? When choosing a laptop computer, it is important to understand who will be using it.., school student, college student, professional businessman ,office worker, etc.

Where will the laptop be used? For heavy mobile users such as college students and  professionals, size, weight and battery life are very important. So when looking over the reviews and relevant specs, keep those factors in mind. The average high school student uses a laptop from room to room in their house, and have loads of access to AC power most of the time. So for these users, the factors listed above may not be as critical.

How will the laptop be used? The more mobile the user, the more durability is needed. Heavy users ie sales reps spend a great deal of time start and shutting down their laptops every day. an average heavy user will open and shut their laptop computer 5 times a day. Although that may not seem alot of wear and tear, there is also the issue of general handling. Heavy users will be travelling from location to location, in and out of cars,on and off planes etc on  a constant basis. This increases the likelihood of damage to the laptop computer, via dropping, bumping and banging, drink spills on the keyboard, etc....

Should I buy a service contract for my laptop? the answer is  YES. When you think about carrying around a fragile piece of electronics costing £800 or more, the price of a typical service contract is a bargain. for a relatively small price £50  per laptop computer, its worth it to for you peace of mind.

.How much should I expect to pay for a laptop? It used to be hard to find a quality laptop under £600; however, this is no longer true. There are several companies with great offers, starting around £300. The options / upgrades you select have a large impact in what you can expect to pay. Having a list of what you want in a laptop, such as memory, speed, hard drive size, burners, etc..will help when you go shopping. Although online laptop computer  manufacturers allow a great deal of customization, the general public are easily serviced with a "off the shelf" standard laptop computer.

What Laptop Brand Should I Select? the worlds your oyster in this respect with the amount of laptop computer manufactures out there,with different colours and sizes its everyones personal choice , I myself find that acer have all the features which service my needs.
  Laptop computer

Creating a Wireless Desktop

We live in an age of technology and as such we are always looking for ways to make life easier or ways to make things look better. In the home or office (or even the home office) making things look better involves getting rid of clutter. This is where the wireless desktop comes into play. No wires means less clutter and because when using Bluetooth wireless devices line of sight is not needed, you can use your desk space to its optimum with no worries.

There is more to the wireless desktop than you might think as well. You will all be aware that you can get a wireless keyboard and mouse. But wireless technology and Bluetooth in particular stretches much further than that. Your mobile phone if a recent one will probably have Bluetooth technology built into it. This means that you can easily connect it to your PC. Companies such as Logitech offer software that really gets your mobile phone and your PC working together. Synchronization is just one aspect of this, but how about being able to type an SMS text message on your keyboard and send it without having to touch your phone. This is all possible with the power of Bluetooth. Communication with your mobile phone is not the only method of contact with Bluetooth. You can also get Bluetooth headsets that work with Microsoft Messenger so you can add an easy chat functionality to your desktop. As new products come on the market Bluetooth becomes more and more popular. Peripheral devices such as Printers and Scanners can now be found.

<b>The Wireless Keyboard and Mouse</b>

This is the first device that you will probably buy for your wireless desktop. This is the basic starting point and probably the most effective. The keyboard and mouse wires cannot be hidden away from sight as they have to be straight in front of you. plus limiting the mouse wire can mean limiting the mouse movement as well. So A wireless keyboard and mouse will give you a better looking desktop as well as freedom to move your keyboard where you want it. You can have it on your lap or anywhere else in range. Having a wireless mouse will also help in gaming. Most wireless mice are just as responsive as corded ones and your wire wont snag at that vital moment when online gaming.

<b>Wireless Printers</b>

While printers are not being produced as wireless as yet. The idea is very much being worked on. Currently what you can by for your USB connected printers is a two small connecters that plug into your printer and USB port which connect together like a wireless network. Its almost a wireless USB connection if you like. I doubt that is how it will be described though. The advantages of the wireless printer as well as the lack of wires behind your PC is the range can be increased as well as you being able to place your printer in a place where a USB cable would be unsuitable to travel. A second advantage would be that connecting your printer to a wireless network for sharing will be much easier.

<b>Wireless Networking</b>

I think the biggest advantage of wireless technology has to be Wireless Networking. While Bluetooth technology is does not have the range in which to be affective at networking computers together. RF technology is still used however and is very easy to setup. For a simple network (peer to peer) on two computers all you need is two wireless networking cards setup to the same channel. More complex networks can also be setup using a server and workstations. Anything you can do with a wired network you can do with wireless technology.

While we keep saying that the main advantage of wireless technology is that you don't have wires lying around everywhere, this is more true than ever when we are talking about wireless networking. When your computers are likely to be located in different room, the last thing you want is for wires to be laid around your home or office being an eyesore. Plus should you wish to move your computer at anytime, you don't have to re-route the wires connecting your network together.
Security on Wireless networks is set by adding a name for your network which all computers on that network must be assigned to connect to, plus then you can add a password to keep unwanted intruders out from your files. Software firewalls are also recommended on wireless connections (as well as wired) just for added security against unwanted virus' or Adware/Spyware.

<b>Wireless Headphones / Microphone</b>

Wireless headphones are readily available from many manufacturers. These are really one of the most practical uses of wireless technology behind the networking. Wireless headphones allow you to freely listen to your music, game or whatever noise your PC is making anywhere in your room without the restriction of wires. Even if your wires are long enough they will still be a little dangerous stretched across the room. And we all know you like to dance around your room listening to your favourite tracks. A set of wireless headphones could save you a few quid on broken items that your headphone wires have snagged on and brought crashing down to the floor :).

<b>Wireless Speakers</b>

Wireless speakers are poking out of the woodwork and those of you that have a 5.1 or above sound system will just how many wires are involved in that setup. Not only do you have connection to the computer but each speaker is connected to the sub / power box and and you also have the volume control to deal with. At time of writing this the US seem to have a decent supply of wireless speakers where as only a few can be found in the UK. I am very sure that wireless speakers will become a lot more popular in the UK over the next couple of months. Wireless speakers will remove loads of wires from the back of your computer. Using a 5.1 wireless system will allow you to place your speakers in the perfect position without any restrictions or ugly wires running along your walls or floor.

A Perfectly Clean Uninstall

Uninstalling a Windows application leaves multiple traces such as abandoned registry keys, configuration files and shared libraries that are no longer used by any application. When you are looking for a perfect solution to your problem, you are typically downloading and testing dozens of different applications distributed on the try-before-you-buy basis. After you complete your search, you'll decide on just one application, and will want to remove the other products you've tested. But do you realize how much garbage they leave behind even after being 'completely' uninstalled?

If you install a comprehensive suite created by a big-name company, you're getting the best quality software that surely knows how to behave and how to clean up after itself, right? Wrong! Many if not all products leave behind them multiple traces that are more than likely to make your computer behave odd, or even lead to problems that are impossible to predict and hard to resolve.

Want examples? How about a firewall that forgets to remove a system-level driver that filters IP packets? After uninstalling the product, the driver just sits there, doing nothing except slowing down the performance of your PC. Try another one of those firewalls and stack an extra system-level driver on top, and you'll get connectivity problems that are very hard to resolve if you're not an experienced system administrator.

Did you use any tools to make backups of your CDs and DVDs? There's a bunch of tools on the market that shamelessly leave behind the drivers they use to access the disks directly, and, let's nail it, circumvent their copy protection. Each of these drivers slows down access to optical disks and makes reads and writes less stable. You might get many coasters just because of these extra links in the driver chain.

Simple utilities created by small companies and independent software vendors are very likely to leave traces behind in many places on your computer. Being time-limited by their definition, they try to hide information about their installation date and usage in obscure places, making it deliberately difficult to trace and clean up. There's nothing wrong with protecting intellectual property, but what if you test a bunch of applications, and decide on a single app to do the job? Do you really have to bring all the garbage in house in order to buy just one tool?

If you start thinking that the only way to keep your computer clean is by not installing anything on it, think again! There's a great solution to these kind of problems made by ChemTable. Reg Organizer helps you clean sweep your computer and keeps it in pristine clean condition by removing any traces left behind after you uninstall a product.

It works simply, quietly, and with no magic. Reg Organizer makes snapshots of your system before you install an application and immediately after. Comparing the two snapshots discovers all changes that were made to the files on your hard drives and Windows Registry settings. Uninstalling an application in Reg Organizer sweeps your computer pristine clean, allowing for no traces to be left behind on the PC and effectively making it the way it was before you installed the application.

No more abandoned files, no hidden registry settings, and no quirky drivers to harm your PC performance! With Reg Organizer you can try as many tools, utilities and packages as you please without slowing down your PC or littering its hard disk.

Are you a Reg Organizer user already? Open Reg Organizer, open the "Mode" menu, and select "Application Uninstall". From there you will be able to remove applications and all of their files, registry settings, and other traces, effectively restoring your computer into the state it was in before installing the program.

A new unique MultiCore AntiVirus & AntiSpyware product

A new unique MultiCore AntiVirus & AntiSpyware product reliably defends PC against computer malware and on-line threats at unsurpassed, highest security levels.

A MultiCore AntiVirus & AntiSpyware product ( http://www.nuwavesoft.com ) effectively prevents, stops, and eliminates computer viruses and spyware.  The revolutionary underlying software technology enables multiple antivirus and antispyware scan-engines running on the same PC.  A MultiCore AntiVirus & AntiSpyware product is truly unique, because it offers unprecedented security benefits of running multiple antivirus and spyware scan-engines simultaneously, in parallel, and without performance degradation!  No other computer security product for PC in the world is capable of or offering that to date.

What multi-core antivirus and antispyware solution means?  Comparatively speaking, you can imagine all the benefits of having computer processor with more than one CPU core.  The modern multi-core computer processors allow smoother performance and much increased speed of computer applications, which translates into better overall experience delivered to the end-users.

Conceptually similar, a multi-core antivirus and antispyware solution runs multiple antivirus and spyware scan-engines simultaneously and in parallel.  As result, it delivers exceptional performance while providing the strongest protection against malware and on-line threats.  With total four anti-malware scan-engines employed, MultiCore AntiVirus & AntiSpyware product continuously scans PC at the same speed as traditional single-core solutions from competitors, while delivering unprecedented four times the protection!  Currently, MultiCore AntiVirus & AntiSpyware product utilizes world’s leading two antivirus and two antispyware scan-engines: Frisk ( http://www.f-prot.com ), Norman ( http://www.norman.com ), Lavasoft (http://www.lavasoft.com ), and Sunbelt (http://www.sunbelt-software.com ).

Why end-users need a multi-core anti-malware solution?  Are traditional single-core computer security products not enough?  Well, the truth of the matter is that none of the traditional single-core computer security products can provide 100% protection alone.   There are at least seven major computer security vendors in the world who claim that precisely their brand is the world’ leading solution.  And yet multiple tests performed by credible and independent computer security certification institutions ( such as http://www.virusbtn.com , http://www.westcoastlabs.org , and so forth) do demonstrate year after year  that even the very best individual single-core computer security product can only deal with approximately 98% of the existing computer viruses and spyware.  Of course, there is no conscious end-user who wants to be unprotected and to face remaining 2% computer viruses and spyware and yet they all do, unfortunately.  A MultiCore AntiVirus & AntiSpyware product eliminates this problem!  Each and every individual scan-engine differs from the other.  And all scan-engines have their own specific pros and cons in certain areas, such as heuristics, scanning speed, dealing with unknown malware, and so forth.  So, all end-users inherently tied up with those pros and cons of the underlying single-core scan-engines.  A MultiCore AntiVirus & AntiSpyware product eliminates this problem too!  Also, concerned computer users sometimes install more than one computer security solution their PCs.  Little do they know that the different security products do not live well with each other on one PC - they constantly conflicting and causing instabilities and a sizeable performance hits too.  It is not uncommon for end-users to have PC crashes when the two or more antivirus or other security products start fighting for control over PC.  By engineering the four security cores together, MultiCore AntiVirus & AntiSpyware product eliminates these problems completely!

A MultiCore AntiVirus & AntiSpyware product is uniquely powerful, because by running multiple antivirus and spyware scan-engines simultaneously and in parallel – it creates unsurpassed synergy of combined strengths provided by each individual scan-engine!  The new integrated multi-core solution ensures smooth and problem-free operation of all four antivirus and antispyware scan-engines in real-time.  There are no conflicts, no compatibility problems and no fighting for control over PC among the cores.  The four engines are working in synergy continuously scanning and protecting your PC much better and even faster than many of the traditional anti-malware products with just one core!  And unlike many traditional PC security products, MultiCore AntiVirus & AntiSpyware works transparently and is compatible with third-party antivirus, antispyware and firewall applications.  And of course - all four security engines receive online updates in real-time, ensuring uninterrupted, the highest reliability, and up to date security measures.

A MultiCore AntiVirus & AntiSpyware product brings the PC security to a truly new height!

A Guide To Free Screensavers

There are millions of Screensavers available on the Internet. Almost all of these can be downloaded and installed easily. These are usually categorized according to themes. Nature lovers can choose picturesque locations. Fish lovers can choose from different kinds of aquariums with multi-colored fish that are swishing through colored water. Those who really like adventure sports or aircraft can choose from a wide array of moving images and clips of death-defying stunts. Screensavers can also be slide shows that have various pictures of movie celebrities, sportspersons and politicians.

However, some precautions need to be taken before downloading Screensavers. The most important one is that Screensavers must be downloaded from trusted sites. It’s also always a good idea to scan Screensavers for viruses and other potentially dangerous elements, such as spyware and adware. If an anti-virus is already installed on the system, a right click enables a menu which provides for a ‘scan with…’ option. This option can be selected and left-clicked to check the selected download before double-clicking it and installing it.

Sometimes Screensavers are extremely graphic-intensive. This means that they contain so many graphics that they are huge files. Huge files take a lot of space on the computer when they run, and make the computer work so much harder and so much faster than normal that the computer freezes. Then the computer needs to be restarted and all the unsaved information on the computer -- such as open files that were being worked on before the Screensaver was activated – is lost.

Some Screensavers also make the hard drive of the computer crash, causing irretrievable data loss. Therefore, it is important for users to download Screensavers that are compatible with the configuration of their computers. This means that the speed of the processor in the computer, and the free space on it, should be sufficient for the Screensaver to be downloaded, installed and run.

Many users like to create their own Screensavers, often with the visuals and audio of their choice. Some software applications facilitate this. Out of these, some can be freely downloaded from the Internet. However, these should be downloaded only from trusted sites, and should be supported by the configuration of the user’s computer. Once downloaded, these should also be scanned for viruses and other common infections. When installed, these programs enable the user to combine images, video clips and audio clips to create a personalized Screensaver, sometimes even for circulation amongst friends and family.

Blu-Ray set to take the world by storm!

The Blu-ray Disc belongs to a new generation of optical discs capable of staging high density data. Blu-Ray technology is based on a blue-violet coloured laser. The blue laser operates at a wave length of 405 nm, while older technology such as DVDs and CDs are based on red and infrared lasers that works at 650 and 780 nm. Since the wave length is shorter with a blue laser, the new Blu-ray technology makes is possible to store much more information

The advantage with the Blu-ray technology is that the laser beam can be focused much more tightly at the surface of the disc. Tight focus means that a smaller spot will be produced on the surface on the disc, and when the spots become smaller there will naturally be room for more information on each disc. The minimum spot size of any laser depends on a naturally accruing phenomenon called diffraction. The narrow beam of light sent out from a laser will always diverge into a wider beam eventually, due to the natural diffraction of waves. Diffraction will also occur the waves meet an obstruction. By reducing the wavelength of a laser, we can affect the diffraction.

In Blu-ray technology, the diffractions is also affected by the fact that the lens used to focus the light has a higher numerical aperture than the lenses found in ordinary DVDs - 0.85 instead of 0.6. Blu-ray technology based appliances are also equipped with a dual-lens system of supreme quality, and the cover layer has been made thinner in order to prevent unwanted optical effects. All this makes it possible for a Blu-ray laser to focus on much smaller spots. The optical improvements are accompanied with a new method for encoding data which makes it possible to store even more data on the Blu-ray disc.

The standard for Blu-ray technology has been developed as a joint venture between several major manufacturers of PCs and consumer electronics, including Sony and Philips. The group is called the Blu-ray Disc Association (BDA). The first Blu-ray recorder was launched in Japan in 2003, by Sony. Today, Samsung, JVC, Matsushita (Panasonic) and LG Electronics are all examples of companies using Blu-ray technology in their products. Hewlett Packard has announced that they will release desktop PCs equipped with Blu-ray technology in late 2005.

The main competitor for the Blu-ray technology is the HD DVD format which is also capable of storing more information than a normal DVD. The Blu-ray technology does however allow for more information per layer than the HD DVD format – 25 GB compared to 15 GB. The Blu-ray technology will on the other hand most likely be more expensive to support, at least initially, which can make the HD DVD a tempting alternative. In a Blu-ray disc, the data is stored extremely close to the surface. This made the first Blu-ray discs extremely vulnerable to scratching and many users preferred the tougher HD DVD discs. Since 2004, all Blu-ray discs are coated with a clear polymer called “Durabis” which makes them much more durable. According to the developers of Durabis, the TDK Corporation, a coated Blu-ray disc will work even after being attacked with a screwdriver.

Best Buy for Laptop: How to Buy a Laptop Computer

There is a wide range of laptop models available on the market today and buying the right machine can turn into a confusing mission.

There are laptop computers intended for home users, multimedia, business and gaming. You can spend from $500 to $5,000.

The very first step you need to do is to determine your needs.

If you spend a lot of time traveling, your best option is a light laptop with a long battery life.

If you are an average home user, you can easily select a low-range laptop that will cost you about $500.

If you use the Internet a lot or store photographs and videos, you choice should be a mid-range laptop that will cost you from $1,000 to $1,500.

But if plan to purchase a gaming laptop, be ready to pay at least $3,000.

Look at the following categories:

- Processor is the most important thing to take into consideration. Intel Pentium M, Mobile AMD Athlon 64 and AMD Turion 64 Mobile are high-powered processors. Intel's Celeron M and AMD's Duron and Sempron are processors found in low-end laptops.

Avoid desktop processors in laptops because they need a lot of power and will quickly exhaust your battery.

- Screen sizes range from 12 to 19 inches. A laptop computer with smaller screen is great option if you do not plan to use laptop too much. A larger screen is perfect for extensive use.

- Your new laptop should have at least 1 gigabyte of memory. Also, your machine should come with a dedicated video card with 128 megabytes of memory.

- Choose a faster hard drive with at least 60GB of space. This is sufficient for the majority of users. Gamers should get at least 100 GB hard drive.

Beginners Guide To Buying A Pda

Are you considering the purchase of your very first PDA? If so, what should you look for? How much should you spend? What features should you get?

Before making the final decision to purchase a PDA, have you thoroughly researched what they can do, and if you really need one or are you just intrigued by having a new gadget like your friends? Let’s start with this question. One of the first and still major uses for a PDA is an appointment book or calendar. If you are currently using an appointment book like a Franklin Planner, the PDA can certainly replace this. One advantage of a PDA over an appointment book is that changes don’t require constant erasing and re-writing. A PDA is usually backed up on your PC, so there is always a back-up.

A new PDA does not have to be purchased every year like a Franklin Planner, so in the long run it will be cheaper. This plus the previous mentioned advantages may be enough to make the switch. Of course there are many other features and uses for a PDA besides an appointment book, among which are:

• Address book
• Calculator
• Internet Access
• Notes and document management
• Games
• GPS

Given that you are ready to go forward with the purchase, your choice of a PDA model will depend on what you need it for—what you want it to do. Following are some of the important considerations:

Memory – If you plan to use your PDA for storing large documents and other reference works, then you’ll need the corresponding amount of memory. Also check to see if the memory can be expanded. You’ll need to consider the other software that you might want to run on your PDA.

Size – All the features do you no good if you don’t bother to bring the PDA with you due to its bulky size.

Input Options – If you plan on using the PDA to take notes with, a compact external keyboard is essential. The built in stylus input is designed for small amounts of data only.

Battery Life – Again, dictated by your specific needs.

Finding the best place to purchase your PDA can be done easily with online shopping portals. Ebay of course always has offers. One thing to consider for a PDA is a buyers protection plan that is offered by many local retailers. Normally these end up costing more than they are worth, but just one drop of your PDA onto a hard surface can destroy it. If you are buying a high end PDA and will be running around with it daily, a buyers protection plan may be worthwhile.

Be Picky About Computer Keyboards

If there is anything I have learned in the past ten years of being an editor that is using my computer all day, it is that it is good and right to be absolutely picky when it comes to choosing computer keyboards. If this seems like an insignificant choice to you, then it is clear that you, unlike me, do not spend the majority of your days typing on a computer.

If you did, you would quickly realize what a difference computer keyboards can make to a typing experience. It took me a couple of years to realize that there were actuallly a lot of options when it comes to computer keyboards and that I didn't have to be satisfied with a computer keyboard that didn't fit my hands.

I have probably made my way through at least eight or nine computer keyboards in the past ten years. I have learned what suites my body and my needs better and that has often caused me to go on the hunt for a newer and better computer keyboard. I have learned that there are a huge variety ofAs computer keyboards and that if you search for them, they do not have to be too expensive or hard to find.

If you are about to purchase a computer for the first time, or if you are simply looking for a computer keyboard that fits your body and your needs better, then don't rush into a purchase until you have done some research to learn about your options. A great place to begin the search for computer keyboards or any other part of computers is by visiting a computer store where the employees are knowledgable about all things computer. Stop into a local store or two and see what you can learn about choosing computer keyboards that are right for you.

Another great way to do research on computer keyboards is online. That is, if you can manage to use your current keyboard for a few hours to do the research! Look through many websites until you find the deals that are in your budget and that match your needs. Finding a computer keyboard can be a tedious process, or it can be easy if you look in the right places. The bottom line is that if you are going to be using your computer a lot, then it pays to have the best possible computer keyboard.

Avoid Data Loss During Thunderstorms and Blackouts

ComputerBatteries is advising that in order to avoid the risk of losing data, you should take heed the government’s current heat wave warning and protect IT equipment in your office.

ComputerBatteries is ensuring the fastest, most convenient and cost-effective solutions to clients who have experienced a data loss and they advise that companies should adopt anti-melt down measures for PCs and servers. The advice is following the many cases of data loss the vendor is dealing with lately due to the high temperatures and thunderstorms in the UK.

The risk is the same for PCs, servers and laptop batteries and it is coming from power surges and blackouts if they become overheated by direct or indirect lightning strikes or the hot climate.

There are some rules that should be followed when arranging the computers in an office. The computers should be placed in cool and dry areas to prevent overheating. It is also highly recommended that not too many computers to be running off one power supply, via an extension cable. It has become almost a necessity to have a surge protector installed between the power socket and the computer’s power cable. The protection devices should be check regularly.  IT equipment should not share power with air conditioners and fans but dedicated circuits should be used. 

These are general rules to be followed in order to protect the IT equipments but there are some tips that ComputerBatteries is offering for special cases such as thunderstorm and blackouts. During thunderstorm the power cord of IT equipments should be turned off and disconnected and the telephone lines from modem jack should be unplugged. This is due to the fact high voltages can enter a computer through a phone line connected to the modem. The best solution to avoid losing data during a blackout is to invest in some form of uninterruptible power supply, which cleans the power supply and features backup batteries to keep servers running during power outages. This is highly recommended especially for the offices that have network servers.

Athlon 64 Processors

For a long time Intel has been leading the market in processor sales and popularity but AMD is finally putting a stop to that.  With the release of their Athlon 64 processor, with 64 bit computing capabilities, they have been slowly but surely regaining the market back from Intel. 

The Athlon 64 processors have been around for a while now and they have proven themselves the market leaders in processing power.  As we know AMD processor run at a lot slower speeds than Intel processors making them cooler to run.  This has eliminated the need for expensive cooling equipment and opened the doorway for overclocking.

Although AMD hit the target by releasing their 64 bit processor long before Intel did, they are not standing still.  They have been constantly upgrading their line up to increase speed and efficiency.  This is apparent with their fx series processors and their dual core processors.

The fx series processor are the king of the hill at AMD.  They are the most powerful processor that is available.  They show blistering speeds for CPU intensive functions such video encoding and gaming.  They also show great performance in database driven work and most other aspects of computing.

The dual-core line of processor are the ultimate in multi-tasking.  They provide the power of two processor running in unison while still being able to fit in a single processor motherboard.  Although these processors are essentially two processors in one, they are rather pricy and may not be everyones cup of tea.

Intel is trying to fight back by forming an alliance with Apple.  All macs are now available with Intel processors.  Whether this will be profitable for Intel only time will tell.

With competition growing stronger from AMD this can only mean increased benefits for the consumer.  As the war between Intel and AMD intensifies, the consumer will benefit from lowered prices, and increased quality in their processors.

Are Inkjet Printers the right choice?

Inkjet Printers are not only getting better but they also becoming less expensive with time. A branded inkjet cartridge can cost you $30 or more and if your printer uses a multi-color ink cartridge system ink costs could easily $1000 to replace all inkjet cartridges for your entire inkjet printer.

The growing business of inkjet printers has brought about additional benefits to them. Manufacturers have built their business around the supplies rather than the printer itself. They have made the inkjet printers an inexpensive commodity sometimes selling them at lower cost or may be even less thereby making long term profits from inkjet printers.

An Inkjet printer uses a unique printer mechanism, which provides quality printing. They transfer tiny droplets of ink directly to the page. This is the reason why you will find most photo printers are inkjets. If you want to print photos at home, photo inkjet printer would probably be a perfect choice. For instance, if you want to print few photos, few e books or print any other project work an inkjet printer would help your cause. Inkjet printers are far less expensive than laser printers. 

Tips to keep your inkjet cost low
•When you print inter-office, personal or draft documents use the “draft” and “grayscale” option. This can help you save a lot on black and color ink.
•Purchase generic cartridges made for you printer as they can be purchased at half the price.
•Purchase a cartridge refill kit as they are have an excellent quality and cost low.
•Always purchase your cartridge in bulk as this can help you bring down the total cost.
•Purchase remanufactured cartridges made for your printer
•Order you inkjet cartridge online to save time and money. Now days many online outlets do not carry the generic version and costs are normally lower.

All About the HP Colour LaserJet 3600n

Design
With a price tag of £480, the new HP Colour LaserJet 3600n is small, weighs 27kg and has deep handholds, so one person can carry it easily. At 15.7 by 15.7 by 17.7 inches (HWD), this laser printer can easily fit into a busy home office or individual office in a large company, should you need this level of speed and paper capacity. Its simplistic design makes jam-clearing and maintenance uncomplicated. However, the wall and hinges don’t appear to be too sturdy. It can be setup in the standard manner applicable to its class of printers, and the network installation routine is fully automated.

Paper Handling

The HP Colour LaserJet 3600n offers high-speed performance, with an engine rated at 17 pages per minute (ppm) for both colour and monochrome, fairly good graphics quality, even better text, and photographs that are good enough for client newsletters and the like. HP has also included an Ethernet connection for easy sharing over a network.

However, the main paper tray feels a little unsteady and has nothing to stop it when pulled out, so users should be careful not to drop it. The paper-length and paper-width guides are easy to adjust. The printer has a 100-sheet auxiliary feed in addition to the enclosed 250-sheet tray. You can boost this number to 850 by adding a 500-sheet feeder for £280.

Features

A two-line backlit LCD screen on the 3600n's top panel displays a complete set of menus, which is easy to navigate with buttons for going through menus, selecting items and going back.

This printer comes with 64MB of memory and unfortunately you cannot expand that, nor add a duplexer, which makes expansion options very limited. If you need the extra memory, then consider HP's 3600dn, a £670 model with a duplexer and twice the memory.

Performance

The 3600n prints black text at a reasonable 13ppm and colour graphics a bit faster, at 13.5ppm. In contrast, the Lexmark C522n prints text at 14.2ppm and graphics at 12.3ppm. However, if saving money is your real priority, and you don't print much colour, consider Ricoh Aficio G700, which prints fine text at 12.1ppm but misses the cut on graphics speed and quality.

The 3600n disappoints the user with its print quality. In a few tests carried out by popular technology magazines, the text looked greyish instead of black, showed some roughness in large point sizes, and lost fine strokes. This is also the case with some of the 4-point output, which looked slightly grey, rather than black. Colour graphics did not negotiate shading ramps smoothly and produced blockish transitions. However, the printer makes the cut with colour accuracy and detail. Additionally, it prints greyscale photos very well, with fine detail and smooth shading.

Graphics are easily good enough for internal business use, but not satisfactory for handing out to important clients or customers. The most important issue in a number of tests was misregistration, with the colours slightly out of alignment. It resulted in a noticeable white gap between some blocks of colours, around some lines, and around some colour text on a colour background. Thin lines also tended to disappear. Additionally, colours tend to shift toward darker shades, losing detail in dark areas and making some colours look muddy.

On the whole, the 3600n's text output has high enough quality for most purposes. Unless you have an unusual need for small font sizes, it is unlikely that you will print any text that the 3600n can't handle. Lexmark's similar C522 sells for around £100 less and offers equal speed and better quality, though Lexmark's cost per page is slightly higher than HP's and the difference may add up over time.

All About Dye-Sublimation Printers

Dedicated photo printers differ from all-purpose printers as they are designed to print photos only, as opposed to text or graphics documents in addition to photos. They are generally compact in size and lightweight, and some models even feature batteries that allow you to print without the need for an outlet. Most photo printers, including dye-sublimation (or dye-sub) printers, are built around a thermal dye engine, though there are a few that feature inkjet technology.

For many years, dye-sublimation printers were specialist devices used in demanding graphic arts and photographic applications. The advent of digital photography led to the entry of this technology into the mainstream, forming the basis of many of the standalone, portable photo printers that surfaced in the second half of the 1990s.

The term "dye" in the name refers to the solid dyes that were used in the process instead of inks or toner. "Sublimation" is the scientific term for a process where solids (in this case, dyes) are converted into their gaseous form without going through an intervening liquid phase.

The printing process employed by true dye-sublimation printers differs from that of inkjets. Instead of spraying tiny jets of ink onto a page as inkjet printers do, dye-sublimation printers apply a dye from a plastic film.
A three-pass system (featuring solid dyes in tape form on either a ribbon or a roll) layers cyan, magenta, yellow, and black dyes on top of one another. The print head on a dye-sub printer uses tiny heaters to vapourise the dye, which permeates the glossy surface of the paper. A clear coat is added to protect the print against ultraviolet light. Although this method is capable of producing excellent results, it is far from economical. Even if a particular image does not need any one of the pigments, that ribbon segment is still consumed. This is the reason it is common for dye-sub printer compatible paper packs to contain a transfer film capable of producing the same number of prints. In addition, dye sublimation inks need a paper that allows the ink to remain on the surface of the paper.

Nowadays, a number of inkjet printers on the market are capable of deploying dye-sublimation techniques. The cartridges in such printers spray the ink, covering the page one strip at a time. The print head heats the inks to form a gas, controlled by a heating element that reaches temperatures of up to 500° C (higher than the average dye sublimation printer). A big difference in the results with dye-sublimation technique is that because the dyes are applied to the paper in gas form, they do not form distinct dots with a hard edge like inkjet printers. Instead, the edges are softer and blend into each other easily. Additionally, the infusion of the gaseous dye into the paper yields a more colour-fast picture.

Comparing Dye-Sublimation Printers and Inkjet Printers
Although it is difficult to point out every possible advantage and disadvantage when comparing inkjet and dye-sub printers, the following list mentions the major points that apply to most people printing photos at home.

Advantages of Inkjet Printers over Dye-Sub Printers:
·    Prints are very precise with sharp edges
·    Latest models offer incredible detail that exceeds most dye-sub printers
·    Variety of papers/surfaces available—including matte, luster, glossy.
·    Not locked in to one manufacturer's paper
·    Some archival inkjets can produce prints that long-lasting
·    Most inkjets can print on many different surfaces that are designed to accept ink, including CDs, CD inserts, envelopes, etc.
·    Inkjets have a considerably larger colour gamut and usually produce more vivid photos than dye-subs
·    Easier to obtain large format inkjets that can print 11x14, 13x20 sizes, or larger
·    Inkjet printing is often cheaper than dye-sub printing

Inkjet Printer Disadvantages:
·    Often much slower than dye-sub printers
·    Most non-archival inkjets produce prints that fade a little (sometimes a lot) faster than dye-sub prints
·    Print heads sometimes clog and require cleaning, or even replacement

Advantages of Dye-Sub Printers over Inkjet Printers:
·    Very fast
·    Relatively maintenance-free
·    Smooth with no dot patterns visible, even under magnification
·    Produce excellent shadow detail in dark areas where some inkjets may be "blotchy"
·    Prints are usually more durable and more waterproof than inkjet prints
·    For many viewers, dye-sub printers produce photos that look and feel more like real photographs due to the smoothness of the prints and the absence of visible dot patterns
Dye-Sub Printer Disadvantages:
·    Consumer level models often smear high contrast edges (like a black square on a white background) to some degree, making charts, graphs, and line art look a little less "precise"
·    Dye-sub prints typically only last as long or slightly longer than a good non-archival inkjet printer and are generally not considered "archival"
·    Paper type selection is very limited and while dye-sub printers produce excellent glossy photos, most fall behind or do not even offer the option of matte prints
·    Dye-sub printers use an entire page and an entire page worth of ribbon even to print one small wallet size photo
·    Pages cannot be normally fed through the printer twice to fill more of the page as they can in inkjets
·    Dust can sometimes get inside and cause vertical scratches on prints
·    Dye sub printing and the cost of paper and toner (ribbon) is often higher than inkjet printing

Few Popular Models of Dye-Sublimation Printers

Canon Selphy CP710
Dye-sub printer for 150x100mm photographs

Samsung SPP-2040 photo printer
Dye-sub printer with 300x300dpi resolution

Samsung SPP-2020
Digital photo printer that produces 100x150mm snapshots

HiTi Photo Printer 641PS
Dye-sub printer for 152x102mm photographs

Sony PictureStation DPP-FP30
A user-friendly dye-sub photo printer

Kodak EasyShare Printer Dock 6000
A dye-sublimation printer for compatible Kodak cameras


Kodak EasyShare Printer Dock 6000
A dye-sublimation printer for compatible Kodak cameras


Olympus P-10 Digital Photo Printer
A dye-sublimation printer that prints straight from your Olympus digital camera


Polaroid PP46d photo printer
A dye-sub photo printer


Olympus P-440
Dye-sub printer capable of printing A4 photographs


Sony DPP-EX50
Dye-sublimation photo printer

AIT Technologies – the finest of Palm Beach IT marketplace!

The concept of network troubleshooting has become more and more popular in the past few years, as there are a lot of companies looking for experts in Palm Beach IT solutions. They need someone to repair and improve their network operating system, efficiently solving any existing problem and all done in just a short period of time. Does such a company exist? Of course and it is called AIT Technologies, camp-based in South Florida!

What are the most common problems when it comes to <a href="http://www.aittechnologies.net/">Palm Beach networking</a>? Well, most companies are complaining of a decreased performance of the network in question, desiring constant support for server that fail to deliver the information and firewalls that don’t serve their purpose. Expert technicians and solution engineers from AIT Technologies are trained to correct such malfunctions, while providing support with a short response time and logical <a href="http://www.aittechnologies.net/html/company.html">Palm Beach repair solutions</a>. If you have problems with data sending, routing or data recovery, you should consider AIT Technologies as your number one choice, as they are the best out there for Palm Beach network repairing and not only.

Palm Beach certified Microsoft and Cisco experts from AIT Technologies are simply the best! They will identify all the problems you have with your computer, network or security, remedy them and then provide you with ongoing advice. System engineers, solutions developers and other professionals will work to configure your network the right way, taking advantage of today’s advanced technology and of their experience as well. Palm Beach technology solutions are greatly represented by the professionals from AIT Technology, as there is no other team that will do more for your business and security issues. They always go for the highest performance possible and they do everything in order to obtain it!

By taking every aspect related to your network, these professionals will demonstrate that you can benefit from intelligent Palm Beach consulting and programming solutions. They will manage your network, with the primary purpose of increasing the productivity of your business. By dealing with data backup and recovery, custom software updates and firewall <a href="http://www.aittechnologies.net/html/services.html">Palm Beach security</a>, they clearly showcase the reasons why your business needs them. Knowing all the critical aspects of Palm Beach networking, they are able to solve any existing problems and let you not worry about anything, having complete liberty to focus on developing your business.

Network security is an equal critical aspect when it comes to Palm Beach network troubleshooting. AIT Technologies is a company with a dedicated staff, working to ensure your security online and constantly monitoring your situation. They are particularly smart when it comes to web filtering and that means controlling the content of the information that is being sent or received. Specialized in IT solutions, they know how to solve any issues related to Palm Beach Security (Internet-related, of course), being both Microsoft and Cisco Certified. As for more advanced networking services, they deal with LAN implementation, providing constant maintenance as well data recovery in case you need such services. The years of experience are more than proof for all the work done by the specialists working for AIT Technologies; they are efficient, offering to you cost-effective Palm Beach IT solutions and they always try to measure up to their client’s expectations, if not to exceed them. How about getting in touch with them and present them your needs?

Advantages of Buying Refurbished Laptops

Laptops can be sent back to the manufacturer if the purchaser finds the screen of the laptop scratched or with a minor blemish, or if it is an unwanted present to him or if the packaging of the laptop is dented etc. Such laptops are inspected, tested again for quality and repackaged by the manufacturer and sold for a very less price.  Such laptops are called as refurbished laptops.

<b>Factory refurbished laptops: </b>

The laptops in the factory undergo rechecking for any manufacturing defect by passing through various stages of examination.  Then, when no fault is found, the hard disk of the laptop is reformatted and again the operating system is loaded.  It is again made to work for less than 4-5 hours time to check for any defect and the parts are replaced if they are found to be defective.  The refurbished laptop is then updated with a new serial number to mark it as a factory refurbished laptop.  Such factory refurbished laptops are of high quality available to the consumer at a lesser retail price.  Such refurbished laptops can be got from almost all the renowned brands.  However the process carried out for the restoration of laptops may differ from company to company.  The main aim is to make the laptop run again efficiently as it used to be previously.

<b>Custom refurbished laptops: </b>

These are repaired laptops which are reassembled to match the customer’s preference.  It gives an opportunity to get a complete laptop solution at a very affordable price to the customer.  The utilities offered by the customer refurbished laptops are got at a cost of a used laptop.  It also avoids the necessity to upgrade immediately, which is not the case with the standard laptop.  It allows the customers to have preferences in terms of selecting the features like the screen size, processor speed requirements, multimedia, memory capacity, hard drive size, optical drive, graphics, accessories, Bluetooth etc.
When purchased in bulk, custom refurbished laptops are the best option as it combines both functionality and price advantage together.  Additional benefits can be availed through promotional offers and discounts from the manufacturers.

<b>Advantages of purchasing refurbished laptops: </b>

The refurbished laptops are of high quality as they are checked for high standards of performance at each level of examination done.  The consumer can get a branded, quality laptop of a latest model at a very less price compared to the retail price.  More over discounts are offered to military personnel, senior citizens and students who can maximize their savings by purchasing a refurbished laptop.  The refurbished laptops can be selected from renowned brands available in the market at a lesser cost.  Such refurbished laptops are also got with 1 year warranty which can be extended up to 3 years.  The warranty period supports replacement of parts and maintenance required by the laptop.  Hence purchasing such laptops are very reliable.  The refurbished model laptops enable the customers get more features at a lower cost.  When the purchaser is bent on buying the latest, trendiest laptop, but cannot afford to buy a new one he can go for a refurbished laptop to get satisfied.

Acer Aspire 3004WLCi - A Quick Review

I recently found myself in need of a new laptop. With a tight budget and moderate needs, I knew it wasn't going to be easy to find a product that would do what I wanted and still be in my price range.

As a Network Technician and a Web Designer, I needed a machine that would have enough storage to store all my software, projects for my clients, and still be able to handle an occasional temporary operating system backup from a client's machine. The qualifying candidate also had to have a decent amount of RAM and a reasonably fast processor to keep up with the demands of multitasking and using Studio MX '04 on a daily basis.

At first, I checked the auction sites, the refurbished outlets, and the wholesale warehouses. I found a few good deals for under $500, but nothing that would handle the processing load that Studio MX 2004 would place on it. The average machine had 256MB of PC133 RAM, a 20GB HDD, and a 1.0GHz Pentium processor. Not too shabby for a student machine, but for daily service in the fields I work in, not nearly enough space or power to keep up with my demands.

I quickly realized that a new laptop would be needed in order to meet my needs. Realizing that most decent laptops are priced at over $1,000, I wasn't expecting a whole lot when I started shopping around. However, to my surprise, a local retail chain had a special running on the Acer Aspire 3004WLCi for $600 after a $150 rebate. This was the top end of my budget, but the specs were far more than what I thought I would find in this price range.

<strong>Quick Specs:</strong>
AMD Mobile Sempron 3100+ (1.8GHz) w/ 256K L2 cache
512MB DDR333 SODIM RAM (expandable to 2GB)
60GB 4200rpm Hard Disk Drive
15.4 Wide Screen WXGA Monitor
CD-RW/DVD-ROM Combo Drive
3 USB 2.0 Ports (1 front / 2 side)
Front Audio / Microphone jacks
Integrated Microphone / Speakers
Integrated Audio Controller
Integrated Video Controller (up to 128MB shared)
Integrated 56Kbps Data/Fax Modem
Integrated 802.3 10/100 Ethernet NIC
Integrated 802.11b/g WiFi
Maximum screen resolution: 1280 x 800
External monitor maximum resolution: 2048 x 1536
One type II PCMCIA Slot
AC Power Adapter / 4-cell lithium-ion battery
1.5"Hx14.3"Wx11"D / 6.2lb. w/ Battery
Microsoft Windows XP Home SP2

OK, before I go into the Pros and Cons of this system, let me first say this... As a Network technician, I'm a bit of a stranger to Acer products. I've seen them before, but I've never used them. In an industry dominated by Dells and HPs, Acer seemed more of an "off-brand" to me. With that in mind, I wasn't expecting a whole lot for my money. Fortunately, I was not disappointed, but neither was I entirely wrong.

Also, it is worthy to note that before I used this machine, XP Home was trashed in favor of XP Professional SP2 and I went through the system and performed several minor software performance tweaks on the operating system; all of which can be performed using the native Windows XP Pro utilities.

<strong>Pros:</strong>
The Acer Aspire 3004 WLCi is a reasonably powerful system for $600. Even at the original $750, this system is hard to beat in the performance department. The Sempron 3100+ processor is surprisingly fast and capable. It handled running Dreamweaver MX 2004, Fireworks MX 2004, Microsoft Word 2003, Microsoft OneNote 2003, Firefox 1.5, Internet Explorer 6.0, Opera 8.5, Resize Browser, CPick, Java JRE, NOD32 Anti-Virus, Hotmail Popper, and several system services and minor utilities running in the background simultaneously and didn't complain or produce any unacceptable sustained CPU usage spikes. This is partly due to the generous and fast 512MB of DDR333 RAM, but even so, the processor surprised this long-time AMD user.

The 60GB hard drive provides an ample amount of storage for average users. It is on the lower end of my requirements, but sufficiently large enough to handle all my installed software, over 12GB of service software needed for service calls, all my client projects, and it still has enough space left over to easily accommodate a 20GB client system backup.

In addition, this system has a very good Broadcom WiFi controller. In my 3 story townhouse, which has excellent insulation, this system can be used anywhere in my home with a signal strength of "Very Good" to "Excellent".

The system is ergonomically laid out. I have rather large hands, and most modern laptops are entirely too small for me to realistically use for any extended period of time. Usually, within 20 or 30 minutes, my wrists and hands begin to ache from trying to maintain a very unnatural position in order to type the documents I'm working on. Not so with the Aspire 3000 series. These laptops have a relatively large chassis with a keypad that is almost perfect for someone with large hands. I've actually found that I can type nearly as fast (roughly 35wpm) on this laptop as I can on my desktop system that has an ergonomic split keyboard (40wpm).

<strong>Cons:</strong>
If you're looking for a Multimedia system, or if you plan to do any graphics intensive gaming, keep on looking; this system is not for you. Even with the widescreen WXGA display, this machine is not well suited for watching DVDs. The integrated video controller is only acceptable and the monitor requires a lot of "fiddling" with in order to find the "just right" position for viewing. Furthermore, the glare on the screen of this unit is terrible. I've found that in most brightly lit rooms I'm spending more time straining my eyes to see past my own reflection. Also, the viewing angle is unimpressive. If you try to view the screen from anything greater than 15 degrees in any direction, you're either looking at a washed out or negative variation of the original. I've never been a big fan of LCD. I've always felt that a high quality CRT always looks better, but this screen is more reminiscent of a LCD of three years ago than a brand new product.

The integrated audio and video controllers are a definite sore spot as well. I've always preferred expansion controllers over integrated controllers, but in this price range, I knew I would be stuck with the so-so quality of an integrated controller. No surprise here. As usual, the quality and performance is sub-par with these controllers, but for my needs, they do the job. However, if you plan on listening to any audio playback on this machine, you had better pack a quality set of headphones. The tiny speakers on this machine are terrible sounding. Again, no big surprise.

Now, about battery life. I don't know who was in charge of defining this aspect of this machine, but they need a checkup from the neck up. Battery performance on this machine is absolutely unacceptable. Unless you tune the system down significantly, it is very difficult to squeeze more than an hour of real usable time out of this system's battery life. The manufacturer states that it will run for 1.5 hours on the battery. I've never been able to get more than an hour out of the unit. In this day and age, this is not acceptable. Fortunately, there are very few occasions when I need to use this system where I'm not close to a power outlet.

My only other major complaint is the lack of expandability of this system. You get two SODIM memory card slots (filled with 256MBx2 sticks from the factory), three USB 2.0 ports and a Type II PCMCIA slot on this machine, and that's it. No internal expansion capabilities, no firewire, no serial or parallel connections, and you cannot swap out the combo drive easily. Given the price range of this system, I'm really not surprised, but I am a bit disappointed. Fortunately, there are an abundance of USB adapters available that allow me to do whatever is needed.

<strong>Summary:</strong>
If you just need a basic system for work or school related tasks the Acer Aspire 3004WLCi is a solid performer that can handle average use with ease. I would definitely recommend this unit to college students or traveling professionals who need an inexpensive, user-friendly laptop, but who do not plan on using their laptop on batteries very often, or who do not intend on playing many games or movies. For the price conscious consumers out there, this system is definitely worth the money. In my humble opinion, you get more than what you pay for, but not by much.

Laser Printers

Like with many other things in the world of printing, laser printers have come a long way in the past few years. They have gone from being found almost exclusively in offices to being offered at $100 for a home user. Although they are better for a lot of people, some have a hard time imagining themselves buying a laser printer for their home. A lot of people have the idea that laser printers are just the big clunky machines in their offices where the toner cartridges cost a fortune. However, if you are someone who prints out a large amount of documents and is tired of always having to buy new black inkjet cartridges, laser printers can be the solution. Once you get past the initial sticker shock of buying laser toner cartridges, you will realize the numbers for an entry level laser printer versus an inkjet printer look something like this:

Typical toner cartridge - $50-$60
Page yield - 2,000-3,000 pages
Average cost per page - 2-2.5 cents per page

Typical inkjet cartridge - $20-$30
Page yield - 400-500 pages
Average cost per page - 4-6 cents per page

Although these are just averages and may not seem all that different, in general if you are printing documents, it will probably cost you twice as much to run an inkjet printer than a laser printer. It is better to think of things in the long term when it comes to laser printers, because only then will you truly appreciate their value. If you buy a laser printer and then a backup toner cartridge at the same time, by the time you will have finished that second cartridge, you would have gone through roughly 10 inkjet cartridges.

So if you aren't into printing color, then you are probably better off going with a laser printer over a standard inkjet printer. You will appreciate the speed and low maintenance of a laser printer, while also saving money on printer ink in the long run.

A thermal roll of proposed analysis techniques.

The thermal rolls of print media of this invention comprise a core/spindle and a sheet, preferably continuous, of a print medium of substantially the same width as the core/spindle. The sheet of print medium is wound around the core/spindle to provide a thickness of layered paper on the core/spindle of at least one half inch, measured from the periphery of the core/spindle to the outer layer of the sheet of print medium on the roll. At least one side of the wound sheet of print medium is marked with at least one impression which serves as an identifying mark. The "sides" of the roll of a print medium, as referred to herein, are where the edges of the wound print medium are exposed. The term "impression" as used herein includes shallow indentations as well as realignment of the edges of the wound print medium and realignment of the fibers within the wound print medium. In realigning the edges and/or fibers of the wound print medium, there may be no indentation which is detectable and in certain embodiments, no indentation at all.

Thermal paper rolls in the past is no longer true. While thermal tape used to be an uncommon alternative due to a short lifespan and high prices, it's now the most viable choice. Recent developments have led to better technology, including advanced chemical films and more durable substrata.

The rolling force and roll deformation behavior in the twin-roll-type strip continuous casting process have been computed to estimate the thermal characteristics of a caster roll. To calculate the rolling force, the relationship between the flow stress and strain for a roll material and a casting alloy are assumed as a function of the strain rate and temperature, because the mechanical properties of casting materials depend on temperature. Temperature field data for a caster roll, provided by the authors, were used to estimate the roll deformation. Therfore, numerical models considering the thermal and rolling forces have been developed to estimate the roll life. Roll life considering the thermal cycle is calculated using thermal elastic-plastic analysis results. The roll life is proposed in terms of roll revolution in the caster roll models with and without the fine crack failure on the roll surface. To obtain plastic strain distributions of the caster roll, thermomechanical properties of a roll sleeve with a copper alloy are obtained by a uniaxial tensile test for variation of temperature. The proposed analysis techniques have improved in caster roll design.

A market study of colour printers

The printer manufacturing market seems to be a booming one. Manufacturers are no doubt eyeing expansion and coming up with newer products to capture the burgeoning market. The manufacturers are interested in the colour -printer sector for purely reasons of expansion. There is stiff competition between the makers as all are concentrating to keep the prices low to capture the market. It must be said here that while in the monochrome department Hewlett-Packard co. are the market leaders, the reigning company in the colour segment still remains undecided.

However the future of the colour printer market is purported to be a bright one according to those investing in these companies. The investors are much optimistic, as these printers, using four times the toner cyan, magenta, yellow, and black of a monochrome printer, will produce pictures of a much higher quality. The market, currently a billion dollar industry, will increase manifold.

Adding on to its product range, printing giant Lexmark introduced its c52x series, which included the c524n last June. Earlier there was a huge gap in its colour line up-there was simply the low- end c510 with a capacity of printing about 8 colour and 30 monochrome pictures in a single minute which wasn’t all that fast. There also existed, side-by-side, the high-end c762 which, though having a higher speed, was much more expensive, thereby difficult to afford for the smaller offices and home users. As there was no other product catering to the demands of the users the competitors of Lexmark had an edge over it.

The introduction of Lexmark’s c524n however changed things.
They introduced this product with a very low price range, thereby making it affordable. Offering a dpi resolution of 1200*1200, this network ready colour laser printer has an outstanding colour output and can print up to twenty pages per minute. The very first page may be printed in as little as 13seconds. The model has a monthly maximum duty cycle of 65000 pages, which is quite impressive. The new c524 also reduces the time taken by print jobs considerably as it has a 437.5MHz processor and 128Mbytes of memory. The memory can be expanded up to 576, which decreases the waiting time taken for print jobs. Moreover, colour care technology and Lexmark coverage estimator help in managing the cost involved in using colour toner. The model, weighing 57 pounds, is 17.3 inches wide, 19 inches high and 20.2 deep.  With the model also comes a CD consisting of the user guide and the printer software, a power cable, a paper exit extension tray, set up sheet and toner cartridges for cyan, yellow, magenta and black. The product has a one-year warranty period for on site repair.

It goes without saying that that outsourcing of IT and consumer electronic products lower manufacturing costs of the product, which helps lower the prices of the produced good. The question is how low must the producers keep their profit margins in order to stay in the race in today’s colour printing market?

The current analysis lab examined the c524n at a product volume of 1,20,000 units under the assumption that the model was produced in china. An analysis was made of the procurement costs of commodity components, manufacturing costs of fabricated components and location labour rates. The production cost was estimated to be around £265 / unit. The cost distribution showed the cost of the printer mechanism and its assembly to be about £51. The electronics and assembly account for £60. Other costs included laser power supply, consumables assembly, fuser assembly, paper assembly, control panel assembly electronics assembly, final arrangements, etc.

At the time of launching the product, the product was supposed to be priced at £390. However, Lexmark priced the product at almost half of the originally intended price at some places. To maximize its revenue, the company in a clever move, outfitted the toner with different toner cartridges. The toner content was increased or decreased according to the budget of the customer. The more expensive models containing more toner catered to the demands of the enterprise segment while the lower priced models with low yield cartridges were ideal for small offices and also home users.

The product, being suitably priced, was a great success, perfectly fitted to meet the needs of the buyers and the manufacturers and compete with its competitors in the lucrative colour printer market. Lexmark claimed the print quality was Photorealistic. On account of its chemically processed, spherical toner delivering a 1200*1200 dpi resolution and also because the new print head four lasers in one unit with a mirror. The machine enabled Lexmark to take on the enterprise market as well as their competitors, especially Hewlett-Packard.

A Checklist for Used Computers

It is very important to check a used computer thoroughly before buying it as it may lead to problems in the future.  A hard drive will not show any outward signs but may be deteriorating. The same way the needle can suddenly slip and can cause scratches on the disc ultimately leading to memory loss as used computers can fail any time.  If they are checked, the faults which may occur can be known.  Let us first see the possible faults which may occur while purchasing a used computer.

Hard disk failures can happen due to heavy wear and tear over a period of time.  The read and write heads of a hard disk are used to retrieve or recode data stored on the hard disk with the help of a disk platter rotating at a high speed.  Over a period of time the risk of failure or malfunction of disk increases.  Faulty sectors of the hard disks can be found out only if a full surface scan is done on the used computer.  The scanning time depends on the capacity and size of the hard disk of the used computer.  Many skip this procedure due to the time consuming process of scanning the whole disk and end up purchasing a used computer with a faulty sector.

Monitors need to be checked for any faults.  The malfunctioning of a monitor is called a “dry joint” which results in the monitor not working after getting warmed.  This can be checked only if the monitor is made to work for at least 20 to 30 minutes after switching on the computer.

Next is to look for any possibilities of the central processing unit getting freezed.  Normally all the central processing units have a fan and heat sink for keeping the unit cool.  Over a period of time the fans may not work properly due to the accumulation of dust and dirt resulting in over heating of the central processing unit and even leading to stopping from functioning.  While buying a used computer the fan needs to be checked and if any abnormal sound is heard, it is not good for purchase.

The used computer may have a higher possibility of getting crashed and freezed due to the usage of the operating system for a good number of years.  There may be a cache or RAM fault due to the over exposure leading to loss of data.  To increase the performance of the computer and to avoid crashing, the operating system of the used computer can be reinstalled with a new operating system or a fresh one.

While checking the used computers for any faults, it is good to disconnect the network connection if any present before performing the tests.  Also it is advisable to check the drives like the CD or DVD by opening and closing them and also playing something on the drives to see how they work.  Monitors of the used computers can be checked for the resolution and brightness by trying different options of color, settings and so on.  To check the hard disk size the CMOS setup can be gone through and to verify the speed of the processor, cache and RAM the pause button is pressed when it appears on the screen during the booting process.  To check the booting process, the computer can be turned on and off a few times and seen how it responds.  Checking should be done to see if all the passwords are erased before purchasing a used computer.

92298a, C4127x, C4096a, Q2610a - Toner Cartridges That Will Stand The Test Of Time.

The HP 92298A printer toner cartridge is the ideal choice for any individual, small business or home office using Hewlett Packard LaserJet 4, 4M, 4 Plus, 5, 5M or 5N. The HP 92298A is a high quality printer toner cartridge offering a powerful 6,800 page yield on a average five percent average coverage print. This cartridge delivers crisp, sharp results using microfine black toner.

The HP 92298A's durable package design measures just 13.9 x 6.14 x 9.72 inches and weights just 4.2 pounds, installing easily and quickly.

Buyers are protected with the Hewlett Packard Premium Protection Warranty which ensures the product is free from defects in both workmanship and materials.

As with all printer cartridges, the HP 92298A should be carefully installed based on packaging information and properly recycled by either returning the cartridge to Hewlett Packard or participating in on of the many recycling programs in your area.

The HP C4127A black laser printer toner cartridge is an excellent choice for owners of the Hewlett Packard LaserJet 4000, 4000se, 4000n, 4000t, 4000tn, LaserJet 4050, 4050se, 4050n, 4050t and 4050tn printer models.

This Ultraprecise Print Cartridge, featuring a Helical Roller Drive, Dual PolymerToner cartridges, Magnetic Seals and an HP Pull Tab, is ideal for low volume users looking for a high-quality, cost-effective toner solution. The HP C4127A printer toner cartridge yields 6,000 standard pages.

The HP C4127X Ultraprecise laser black toner cartridge supports users of the same Hewlett Packard printers, but offers maximum capacity printing up to 65 percent higher. This option gives users about 10,000 pages based on an average five percent coverage ratio, superb for mid- to high-volume printers. The HP C4127X toner cartridge delivers increased output with a lower overall cost at up to 20 percent savings. Both the HP C4127X toner cartridge and its lower capacity HP C4127A counterpart should be properly installed according to in-box instructions, then recycled after use.

The HP C4096A Ultraprecise black print cartridge offers an improved, new formulation and design ideal for LaserJet 2100 and 2200 series printer users. This cartridge delivers powerful, professional graphic and text reproduction. The HP C4096A print cartridge gives exceptional detail and gray-scale quality for businesses, small groups and professionals in all lines of work.

The genuine HP C4096A toner cartridge delivers a large yield of 5,000 standard letter pages. This cartridge is priced competitively considering the quality of print afforded. Users can acquire true 1200 dpi quality and 23 percent more yield than its predecessor, the HP C3903A. Lightweight at just 3.63 pounds and small measuring 13..9 x 6.14 x 9.72 inches, the cartridge installs easily with no mess. Owners are also protected under the HP Premium Protection Warranty, ensuring no material or workmanship defects.

As with all printer cartridges, users should follow the in-box installation guide and participate in a qualifying recycling program when disposing of each cartridge.

The HP Q2610X printer toner cartridge is the high yield equivalent to the HP Q2610A cartridge. In an easy-to-use design and architecture offering fast, trusted performance, the Hewlett Packard Q2610X is a superb choice for businesses and individuals using the HP LaserJet 2300, 2300D, 2300DN, 2300DTN, 2300L, 2300L and 2300N printer. It offers high-quality, crisp print results for busy, demanding offices or workgroups. The HP Q2610A toner cartridge delivers a print yield of 6,000 standard pages.

The HP Q2610A black printer toner cartridge comes with HP smart printing supplies that make ordering, installation and maintenance even easier.
This cartridge is extremely easy to install and maintain, while its pricing is competitive based on quality and throughput offered. It's lightweight package is just 3.53 pounds and measures 15.35 x 7.48 x 9.72 inches. If you need a reliable, cost-effective solution to your high printing demands, the HP Q2610X is your best choice.

To get the best deals on toner cartridges, visit http://www.tonerdealers.com or to signup for a FREE HP printer. Visit http://www.getyourfreeprinter.com.

Either way... you can't lose.

10 Tips To Shopping For Printers

Consider the printer’s DPI (dots per inch) capability, which is the resolution at which it can print photos and documents. The higher DPI (dots per inch) you have, the better quality you will have in either text or photo printouts.

$Consider the cost of ink. When purchasing a new printer, take a moment to compare prices among ink cartridges and make sure that you can afford frequent ink purchases if you plan to do a lot of printing.

$Take a look at the connector and make sure it’s compatible with your system. Most new printers connect via a USB port. Older ones connect using a parallel port, which is not commonly found on new PCs.

$When looking at the cost of ink, also look at the number of pages a single ink cartridge can print. If the page count is high, the cost of the ink may be reasonable. If the page count is low compared to other similar ink cartridges, you may want to select another printer that offers a better performing ink cartridge.

$Check out the warranty. All new electronics, including printers, carry a manufacturer’s warranty. Depending on the company, warranties can be valid anywhere from 90 days to 1 year and may include defects in material and/or workmanship. If your printer fails to perform correctly and develops a problem while under warranty, you will be glad that you saved the paperwork. Always keep the original purchase receipt and warranty information relating to your purchase.

$Buy from a name that you trust. When shopping for any item, it is best to purchase from a manufacturer that you know produces a quality product and especially when it comes to a substantial electronics purchase.

$Consider the size and weight of the printer. This is important for both cleaning general convenience. If your desk is small, you may not want a bulky printer taking up most of your space. At the same time, you may not want to lift on a heavy piece of equipment when cleaning your work station. A lightweight and compact style may be better, especially if your office is at home.

$Make sure that your computer is capable of running the printer software, which means it may require a specific processor type and speed, available memory, etc.

$Make sure that the printer you purchase has all of the features and capabilities that you need. For instance, if your primary goal is to produce realistic photos and you also plan to print written documents from time to time, consider the purchase of a photo printer. You can change the quality of printing to suit either images or documents or even a combination of both if you plan to print photo newsletters.

$Make sure that the printer has all of the necessary connector cables and that you will not need to buy any additional hardware prior to finalizing your purchase. If you need to purchase a USB cable, which is often the case with many new printers, you will want to purchase it at the same time to save on shipping if ordering online or having to make a special trip if you purchase locally.

10 Reasons Why To Share Printer With Printer Anywhere

Advanced technology is discovering new tools and devices to make one’s life easier. Everyone’s life became effortless because of computers and digital tools. We use computers to finish our tasks rapidly and easily. Everyone uses internet to contact his/her friends and co-workers. Many things are shared among people using the internet. Many photo images and files can be shared across the globe with the help of internet. Numerous types of software are available in the market, which would help one to distribute papers online.

This article on 10 Reasons Why to Share Printer with Printer Anywhere will help you understand how to print your papers with any printer from everywhere on the globe. The process is helpful to everyone who uses internet frequently. You do not need to go to anyone’s house to print any documents. After you login to Printeranywhere.com, one is able to access his partner’s or subordinate’s printer to print his papers.

Printer Anywhere is useful in such conditions when your printer is not working properly and you have to print out some official documents urgently. In such cases, certainly everyone gets frustrated. However, with this new technology you can share your friend’s printer to print out whatever you want. The process is not very lengthy, with in a while you can find your printouts prepared. This is a free software and one can set up it in few moments on his/her PC or on laptop. It is not necessary that you have to know the details of complex settings, network sharing along with figuring out Windows entry rights.

While using Printer Anywhere technology you do not need to collect emails and several issues related to emails. Usually many papers are sent through fax. Printer anywhere also provides the word-to-word instant paper service. One of the benefits of the technology is that it has no superiority issues. The papers are sent digitally without experiencing any data loss or data corruption. Complex printouts like graphics also can be delivered in just a few seconds.

Some of the advantages of the technology are that the user can make sure that the papers came from a lawful resource. Generally, the sender is a person whom you are acquainted with. Therefore, the chances of any illegal delivery will not arise. The technology does not provide any electronic files of the papers that you have printed. You can print high-class images and graphics for your users. The technology is helpful while traveling as well. Suppose you are away from your office on personal tours and you want to print official papers from your office or from home, this technology helps to complete your task in a little while if your laptop is there with you. Using this technology, you will be able to organize time and reception without having to experience any difficulty while sharing your printers. The biggest advantage of the technology is that you do not need to pay any charges for sharing documents via Printer Anywhere.

To use this technology efficiently you need to put your user ID with password, after that you can use any printer crossways the globe to print your papers. Thus using printer anywhere software you can make your tasks simpler and quicker.

6 Tips to Save on Your Printer Ink Cartridges

Buying a printer is a one time cost, but since printer ink cartridges need to be bought on a regular basis, the cost of operating the printer and maintaining it in proper condition can add up. Each ‘print’ command, however small, makes your printer use ink, but with some easy tips, you can actually save a lot of ink and use a cartridge for a longer period than usual.

<b>1) Print only what is necessary </b>

Let’s begin with economising. Most often, we end up making unnecessary printouts and in the process waste precious ink. For instance, you might need to print only a small portion of a web page instead of the whole page. Instead of simply printing the whole page, complete with its heavy graphics etc, be specific on what you want to have in hard copy and print only that portion.

Text always consumes less ink compared to graphics or images. If textual information is all that you need then you can make sure that you don’t print the graphics and images.  If it is a web page you need to save in a printed form, check for its print version. If there is no print version, you can copy and paste the text in a word document and take a printout of that.

Also try to do a bit of planning and double check what you are printing before hitting the print button.

<b>2) Go for a quick print preview </b>

Most branded printers such as HP, Canon, Dell, Epson or any other printer come with a printer driver which has a very useful print preview function. With this function, you can have a prior preview of the copy you want to take a print out of.

This function is especially handy when you are directly taking the print out from the Internet. At times, what you see on a site is totally different as compared to the printed version. A quick preview can help to get the printout of the material that you specifically want.

<b>3) Make sure the power is turned off </b>

Just as you never switch off your computer without properly shutting it down, the same rule applies to your printer too. If you don’t shut down the printer properly, the print heads will remain directly exposed to air causing the ink to dry in the nozzles which, in turn, could affect the quality of printing adversely. Make it a habit to check the position of the print heads before cutting off the power.

<b>4) Use good software </b>

There are various ink saving software options available online. These software applications are designed to reduce the consumption of your printer ink. With these applications, you can get good quality printout copies with less ink consumption even during high resolution printing.

<b>5) Use printer ink cartridges smartly </b>

If you don’t do printing regularly, run a small printing test at least once a week, to avoid the ink cartridges from drying up. This little precaution will help you to increase the life of the cartridge.

<b>6) Never expose your printer to extreme temperatures </b>

Too much variation in room temperature is bad for printer ink cartridges. You must avoid keeping your printer in too hot or too cold a temperature as the cartridges can dry up. For lasting printer performance, make sure the room has a normal and stable temperature.

With these small but important tips, your printer ink cartridges will get a longer life. It is easy to buy good quality printer ink cartridges at excellent prices from online shops.

5 Ways To Find Cheap Used Laptops

There are many reason why one would want to buy cheap used laptops, the main, and most obvious  reason being that a new laptop is simply too expensive. If your goal is to find a <a href="http://thetechboy.com/2006/06/21/5-ways-to-find-cheap-used-laptops/">cheap used laptop</a>, then take some time to do the research, and you will be sure to get a great deal. I will detail 5 ways you can use to locate the right used laptop that suits your needs, and price range.

One of the first steps in your research should be to get on the Internet and begin your search. Your first stop should be eBay. Unless you've been living under a rock for the past few years, you already know that eBay is an auction site where you bid for items. It's also a great place to find hard to find items such as, a piece of toast with a religious icon burned into it, or a clip Elvis's sideburns. But, it's also a great place to find inexpensive used equipment, i.e. laptops.

Once on eBay, you can do a quick search by typing “used laptop” into the search function. You're sure to find hundreds of selections, and name brands too. Spend some time there conducting your research. You don't have to bid right away so take your time. Compare prices, and look for sellers with good ratings. The higher the rating, the more reputable the seller.

Another place to find used laptops is Amazon.com. Amazon is not only a great bargain store that sells new items—you can also find used items for sale at a great price, often a lot cheaper than their respective new items. If you've used Amazon before, then you've probably seen the links “new & used.” By clicking on this link when you do a search, you'll be able to see both options. But of course we're interested in used. You'll be given the prices for the used items, as well as its condition, and the rating of the seller.

Still another stop you should make before concluding your research is Craig's List. This website is much like a newspaper classified section in its apparent simplicity. But don't let that simplicity fool you. Do a search for “used laptop” and you will find a huge selection. You can even choose by location to find something local, or you can opt to expand your search to other regions if you wish. One bad thing about Craig's List is that it doesn't include a seller's rating, so you have to be careful. One way to avoid being scammed this is to stick to buying locally, where you can have potential face-to-face interaction with the seller.

One more place where you can try to find cheap used laptops is Overstock.com. Although this site won't yield as much of a selection as eBay, or Graig's List, and perhaps even fewer than Amazon, it's still a good place to look. You may find something in there you didn't see in any of the other sites, so it won't hurt to look.

You don't have to limit your search to the Internet. You can also try doing a bit of off line research. Look in your local newspaper and see what turns up. Often times, some people will opt to sell their used computers by placing ads in the newspaper, so you may be pleasantly surprised by what you find. Try the Sunday paper since it usually has a larger classified section.

There you have it—5 ways to look for cheap used laptops. By doing some thorough research, you're sure to find a great deal. With all of the selections you'll have at your disposal, you'll be able to find a laptop that has the features you're searching for, at a price range you're comfortable with.

5 Tips To Buying Ink Cartridges For Printers

As a general rule, black ink cartridges are more affordable than color toner. When considering which to purchase, take a moment to think about how you will be using your printer. Will your printouts require color or will they work just as well in black & white? If the answer is ‘yes,’ you will save a considerable amount of money in purchasing the black ink cartridges.

$If you are cost conscious and also have a great concern for the environment, purchasing recycled ink cartridges may be your best bet. Not only are these more affordable, but they are also better for the environment as are other recycled products. One of the best places for purchasing quality recycled ink cartridges is Viking Office Products and Staples.

$When you purchase any type of ink cartridge, make sure that it is compatible with your printer. Many people are surprised to learn that ink cartridges are designed to be used with a specific model and manufacturer of printers, which should be clearly explained on the outside packaging. If you have trouble remembering the model number on your printer, simply write it down on a piece of paper and take it to the store with you. This will be the single most important information to have on hand when selecting ink cartridges for printers because without the right printer model number, you are not likely to get the right product.

$Because ink cartridges are sometimes very expensive, it is often possible to find a real bargain on a printer/ink cartridge combo. A recent visit to a local retail store revealed a single ink cartridge for $29.97. Just beside the ink cartridge selection were several boxed printers. Among them, a new printer and color ink cartridge combo, which was priced at just $34.95. When you consider the difference of only $5.00 and the fact that you could purchase a brand new printer and ink for almost the same price as a single ink cartridge, the better deal was obvious. In this scenario, you could simply resale your former printer on eBay and replace it with the new printer. This just goes to show that a little smart shopping can go a long way in terms of getting the best value for your dollar.

$The majority of ink cartridges for printers carry a manufacturer’s warranty guaranteeing your satisfaction. The only way to receive coverage as promised is to retain the original purchase receipt, ink cartridge packaging and warranty information. If your new ink cartridge should fail to work as promised, most manufacturer’s will either replace the cartridge at no cost to you or refund the original purchase price in it’s entirety.