6 Tips for saving money on your next computer purchase

Buying a Computer does not need to be a budget breaker. A Computer purchase often includes additional components and software that are not needed and can be avoided...if you are well prepared with the correct information. To help, the following tips can be used to save money on your next Computer purchase: Tip #1 - Take a look at your Computer case. If it is not a name brand Computer more than likely the case is expandable and can be reused. Cases can cost anywhere from $25 to $100. If you have a mid tower case, check how many bays are available for CD/DVD drives, and other peripherals, Are the USB and audio ports in the front? Cases are often an over-looked item that usually can be used over and over again. Tip #2 - Monitor Keyboard and Mouse - Just because you are purchasing a new Computer does not mean the keyboard and mouse need to be replaced. An Optical mouse last longer than the ball style mouse. The same principal applies to keyboards, unless you are a heavy Computer user and the keys are worn and do not respond, you probably don't need a new keyboard. Monitors may need to be replayed if want to upgrade to a larger screen size. If you are happy with your monitor and are having no problems with it, you are better of keeping it a little longer until you can afford a new Monitor. Tip #3 - Software License - Many people forget when purchasing a new Computer the cost of the Operating System license is included in the price. If the new Computer has the same OS installed, don't pay for another license. The same applies for other software such as Microsoft Office. Unless you want to upgrade to another OS or Office version, save your money. Significant savings can be realized by not purchasing un-needed software license costs. Tip #4 - Consider No Name Brand - While Dell, Hp and Sony are some of the big names with Computers, the reality is that most Computers originate from the same area in Asia, specifically laptops. Consider shopping for lesser name brands, or visiting your local Computer repair store. Unknown brand names such as Acer, are usually cheaper, yet inside the case or laptop, the parts are the sameputer repair stores allows for customization, so you can tailor to your need, not by what is on the shelf allowing for more savings. Tip #5 - Warranty - With Technology advancing, what seems like the speed of sound, the life span of Computers tend to run about three to five years. Its not that the hardware starts to fail, but advancements in Software requires more processing power and increased memory requirements. Consider the length and type of warranty at time of purchase. Also consider the warranty that comes with the Computer. It may be possible that purchasing an extended warranty may not be needed for a desktop, but may be needed for laptops. Tip #6 - Labor costs - Adding or upgrading involves labor which amounts to additional costs. If you are somewhat technical or handy, consider installing any additional components yourself. There are lots of how - to tutorials on the Internet, with video that detail many types of installations. As always with making a big purchase, research and shop around for prices. Understanding what your price range is will keep you from overspending, while becoming knowledgeable about what you are buying, will keep the salesman commissions from emptying your wallet!

The pro s and con s of satellite tv for pc

People all over the country now have satellite TV in their homes. What was once something that seemed to hard to understand has now become the normal way of life. The same holds true for computers, since most people now have computers as well, and they have also become a part of everyday life. It was just a matter of time before the computer and satellite TV found each other. Now people can enjoy satellite TV for PCs without ever having to leave their desks. Many people have made the computer station the central hub for every day life. When people decide to have the TV go into the computer, there are a few things that need to be done before the computer will pick up the signal. A satellite TV for PC will allow people to stick close to the computer without having to turn on a separate television set. This of course saves time and makes the process of obtaining more information from a single work space that much easier. The first thing that needs to be done in order to get the satellite signal to the computer is to have the correct PC card for the computer. Without the proper television PC card, the signal will not be able to be seen. Many people buy these cards from an online auction house and save a lot of money by doing it that way. Cards can also be purchased new in any computer supply store or office warehouse store. One can be purchased used from an auction site for as little $25 and brand new for between $75 and $100. More to Know about Satellite TV for PCs After the new PC card has been purchased, all of the cables that were installed into the television can now be adapted to the computer monitor. Satellite TV for PCs can save time and effort when people want to see whatever programming is available. One disadvantage to having a satellite TV for PCs is that you cannot watch television at the same time you are working on the PC. Something else to consider is the computer itself. For some computers, having the satellite TV coming through the computer cables can cause the computer to slow down. Other people may not experience this problem, but it can and does happen. It primarily depends upon the type of computer and the amount of memory that is installed on it.

The new frontier digital home business

As you probably know, home businesses are on the rise in the United States. Not only do people want the convenience from working at home, but they also want to be in charge of what they are doing as well. In today’s day and age, starting a home business is a process that has never been easier. What is the reason for this? Simply put, the digital world has made every industry more accessible. When it comes to a digital home business there is a lot that you need to know. For instance, just because we are in the middle of the digital age does not mean that you will be able to simply earn thousands of dollars a day. But with that being said, a digital home business gives you the ability to get started with the technology that you need to excel. So what types of digital home businesses are available? First off, you need to decide what industry you want to get involved with. For instance, a digital home business can be based around anything from content to software to technical aspects of video blogging or video email. As you can see, a digital home business can be based around any industry imaginable. You need to narrow down your options so that you can have the proper focus as you move forward. Before you start your digital home business you need to realize that this is a relatively new way of doing things. Remember, the digital age is not something that has been around for years on end. In fact, these types of home businesses have just started to come into fruition over the past decade. The good thing about this is that you have plenty of opportunities available to you because the industries have not been saturated. And of course, if you can come up with a new idea or a new take on an old idea, you will have a great chance of success. If you want to start a digital home business you need a certain set of skills. Luckily, they are all ones that you can learn over time. Many people never look into these home business ideas because they do not think that their technical skills will allow them to do so. But guess what? You can learn everything that you need to know if you are willing to put in the time. Just remember, the more that you know when you are starting the better off you will be. All in all, the new frontier in home business is definitely going to be dictated by the digital age. If you are looking to start a home business, consider letting the digital aspects of industry determine your direction. Copyright Paul Majestyck

Most useful method to protect confidentiality wipe disc

Disc wiping is a useful method of maintaining confidentiality because deleted files are not often deleted from the hard disk. High security installations like government and security institutions have specific protocol for file deletion. The United states Department of Defense has specified that a file must be overwritten three times. The newer operating systems such as Windows XP and Mac OS X use a journaling file system that renders complete erasure of files almost impossible. Journaling file systems keeps a log in which the changes to a journal is updated before writing it to the main file system. This reduces the chance of a file becoming corrupt in the event of a power failure. The system accomplishes this task by keeping metadata in various locations in the disc. These metadata are rarely wiped out with a standard file shredder. The task is made harder by fact that these systems often use I/O commands to continuously ferry the data from one location to another. It's these power enhancing features of the file systems that requires the need to bring in more powerful disc wipes. However, to use a disc wipe one must store the data on a temporary partition by using any journaling or non journaling file system. When its time to wipe all files just uses a disc wipe software such as Eraser to secure the entire segment. “Disc wipe” softwares work by rapidly overwriting the segment of a drive with nonsensical information. By literally burying the file under multiple layers of garbage the data is rendered practically unrecoverable. Wipe disc works much like your average paper shredder. Though the letters on the scraps of paper are visible it is practically an impossible task to put them back together. File shredding and disk wiping are commonly confused to be the same. To understand the difference one requires a basic idea of what really happens to a file after it has been deleted. Many a people wrongly assume that by deleting a file they are rendering it impossible to be recovered. The fact is that it's very much possible to retrieve a deleted file, often pretty much intact. Deleting a file works by removing the address of the file thus rendering it invisible in the directory or index. Theoretically what it means is that the segment is now available to be use for newer data. The data is very much there on your disk until newer files overwrite them. File shredding is no doubt a good method of obliterating a file it has its limitations. If a defrag utility is used after the original file was saved the file will be scattered on several locations. This renders File shredding ineffective and the only way to assure the total decimation of the file is to “Disk wipe” the entire segment. This obliterates all the files in the entire portion of the disc thus leaving no loop hole for the file to be recovered. Unfortunately, any software that is written can be reverse - engineered which creates loop holes in the usage of any “wiping” software. The only remaining and guaranteed way is to completely destroy the disc by physically melting it or pour acid on it.

The need for adware and spyware blocker

There is this one law school student whose thesis is about money laundering so oftentimes she would google the term to come up with a ready list of online references. This proved to be useful to her and the entire process of writing her paper. After several months of doing so, she was confronted with problems like being directed to a weird page totally not related to money laundering every time she types the same words las8.com At first she thought it was just a glitch in the internet system and then she rationalized that no it maybe a glitch in the search engine she is using but the persistent occurrence of such a thing made her think that someone bugged her. We all hate bugging people us but people we can fend of. What this law student is confronted with is a computer bug that she cannot fend off. In the first place she is not a technology savvy person and in the second place she never uses her laptop for any other things than academic research and actual writing of her papers. The situation above is not an isolated case. There are many people who find themselves caught up in technology problems that are mind boggling but actually can be answered with two words and those two words are spyware and adware. The infamous term of spyware was first coined in the year 1995 but it was popularized in the year 2000. Spyware is a computer software innocently infiltrated in a personal computer to be able to access personal information of the user. This is done by studying logging keystrokes, web browsing history and even scanning a user’s hard drive. Sounds like something we see only in James Bond movies but apparently we are wrong for anyone can be a victim of spyware. It is safe to use the word victim because no one wants to be monitored of all their online activities. Spyware can understandably be used to spy on criminals because such use is beneficial to society but how about the use of spyware to intercept credit card details and the like. There is simply no excuse for the lax of the use of spyware. What ordinary people can do to protect themselves is to block spyware and all other software programs similar to it like adware and malware. This can easily be done by availing adware and spyware blocker programs online. The role of these blocking programs include to remove or disable existing spyware programs or to avoid the installation of these malicious software programs. Spyware, adware, malware are not like virus or worms that self replicate but they can be just as hassle as their counterparts for whoever wants to be disrupted of their normal personal computer activities. One of the more popular hassles cause by these infectious software programs is the slowness of the computer which can really be annoying because when you are at work you tend to want to finish things quick not just because you are required but also because you want more done or you want to be able to go home early. In some infections, spyware is not even evident as the bad guy so it can get away with its crime. It is best then to have a ready blocker to at least do something for preventing any infection to occur in the first place.

The developments of artificial intelligence

The computer has evolved from the great hulking beast that once took up three rooms to the now portable versions that can be taken anywhere. The abilities that the computers have are also highly advanced in comparison. The early machines did little more than help humans to solve complicated math problems and store large amounts of information. Today computers play movies and control complicated machinery and systems to help avoid human mistakes. Advancing what a computer can accomplish is the main area of study in the industry. People all over the world know the day is coming when computers can think and react like a human does, which they fear will render the human race obsolete. Most researchers are not a subscriber to this theory because computers will always lack most of the basic human emotions and not reactionary as the homo-sapien species does. This does little to console the masses as Hollywood has forever taken us to the dark place where computers rule the Earth and decide that the humans are not worth saving. Most of the experts in the field seriously doubt that it will ever come to that place in time but there are some concerns that they voice about the concept none the less. Artificial intelligence is the term that is commonly used for computers that can think. This is actually a true term when you think about it. A computer is a completely artificial machine, made up of parts developed for a specific purpose. If the machine is given any kind of intelligence it must come from man himself, because the computer lacks the capability to perform such a task on its own. With this in mind, the researchers for artificial intelligence are working on a way to make the computers of the future more human like in nature. This is done by way of intelligence chips that are built into the computer system which teaches the machine how to learn on its own through outside sources and not having to be prompted to do so by man. There have been some developments in the field over the years but there are still many questions that need to be answered. For one thing, computers lack the function to act outside of the logic stageputers will act upon their programming from the most logical point of view and not take any other factors into consideration. This is why such things occur that make computers seem like they are not human at all. An experiment by a large company to build a computer that would defeat grand master chess champions took place some years ago. The company believed that they had created the perfect chess playing machine and put it to the test. In the end the grand master would win simply because he was able to think outside of the box rather than based on the statistics that the computer was playing with. This showed the world that we are still light years away from actual thinking machines that will replace the human race. The computer needs to come full circle from its current state and earn the marks that it can think with emotion and not just logic.

Security issues for online businesses

Shared SSL vs. Standard SSL Shared SSL If you use your hosting company’s shared SSL, your checkout page's URL will appear as follows: _https://secure. yourhostingcompanysdomaindotcom/andsomemorerandompathhere Standard SSL If you purchase your own SSL Certificate from a CA such as VeriSign, your checkout page's URL will appear as follows: _https:// yoursitedotcom/yourcheckoutpath Social Engineering Social engineering is a deceptive practice to manipulate people into revealing confidential information. Criminals have been known to trick people into disclosing personal information, passwords, credit card numbers and other sensitive information. Social engineering is one of the most dangerous crimes web surfers and online businesses face today. It is a low-tech crime, but it can hurt some of the most sophisticated companies. Pretexting This technique is commonly used to trick a consumer or business into divulging sensitive information. Individuals use this method to obtain phone and utility records, banking records, addresses, credit card numbers, user names and passwords, e-mail addresses, and other confidential information. Bases on the information collected, the criminal can establish an even greater authority. Many U. Spanies ask for a social security number, mailing address, phone number, mother’s maiden name, or date of birth to authenticate customers. All of which can be easily obtained. Pretexting is frequently used to impersonate colleagues, authorities, bank, tax authorities or anyone who could have a right-to-know in the mind of the target. The pretexter is armed with prearranged answers to possible questions that the target may ask. Voices over IP programs are popular among pretexters because they provide an easy platform for untraceable phone calls. The lack of a traceable phone number makes the pretexter less vulnerable to being caught. Phishing Phishing is a subcategory of social engineering where attackers deceptively obtain sensitive information, such as credit card numbers, usernames, and password, by camouflaged as a trustworthy entity in an electronic communication. It is likely that you have received phishing e-mails in the recent past. Some of the most common phishing attacks involve recognized names such as PayPal, eBay, Amazon, and various banks. Phishing is normally carried out through e-mail. Instant messaging is another common vehicle for attacks. The key to deceiving people through phishing is to make a link in an email appear to belong to a legitimate company while the link really points to the site controlled by the criminal. A common trick is to make the anchor text for a link appear to be a valid URL when the link actually goes to the phishers' site. Phone phishing is the same principal with a low-tech twist. Instead of e-mail, attackers use the phone to contact their victims. They might leave a message pretending to be calling from a legitimate business such as a bank or long distance provider, leaving a phone number that terminates at the phisher location.

Timex heart rate monitor

Many people who are involved in sports and fitness are looking for a great heart rate monitor, and who better to go to than one of the leading makers. Timex is one of the most popular makers of this kind of technology, and they also excel in regular watches as well. Now you can get a great heart rate monitor from tem and know that you have a accurate heart rate monitor to aid you in your activities. Whether you are training athletes, are an athlete in training, or just someone who enjoys staying fit, you will appreciate these great heart rate monitors. What makes these monitors so great and accurate is the new FM technology that they use. These monitors have two different parts. One part is the receiver, which is usually worn on your wrist. The receiver actually lets the user see the heart rate reading and also gives the user access to other features such as the amount of fat and calories that are burned during the workout. The other part of the monitor is the transmitter. The transmitter has to be worn on the chest so it can measure the heart rate of the user and then send it on to the receiver for data measurement. Most heart rate monitors use what is called an analog signal, and while these are usually quite accurate, Timex has developed a more accurate technology. This technology, the FM technology, is more accurate than the analog signals and will give you an accurate reading of your heart rate that may only be off by two or three beats a minute. This new technology is digital, and since it is digital you do not have to worry about getting interference from those around you who are also using heart rate monitors. You can be sure that the readings you get with this monitor are always accurate and you can rely on this information. Some of these heart rate monitors made by Timex also have other great features as well. Some of them have special sensors that will keep track of the distance you go, as well as your speed. These Timex monitors actually use a special GPS system to calculate the time and the distance you have gone. All of these features set Timex apart from any other maker of heart rate monitors. They are a step above the rest of the competition. If you need accuracy, then you want Timex. If you want great features, then you want Timex. If you accuracy and great features, then you again will want a Timex.

An introduction to walkie talkies

Walkie-Talkie Possession of walkie-talkie makes you experience the adventure of being a walkie-talkie man acting in Hollywood movie. Walkie-talkies facilitate you to communicate with other people without any restriction of place. You can keep in contact with other people even when you are at home, office or experiencing the adventure of hiking, mountaineering etc. A good quality walkie-talkie has following features. • Range about 3 miles • Stop watch • CTCSS & VOX • 8 to 10 channels • Channel scanner • Auto power off facility • Earpieces • Different call tones • Charging cradle • Some warlike-talkies even have baby monitor Warlike-talkie handsets are normally available in black and silver shades. Most of the present day walkie-talkies have LCD display. Walkie-talkies with earpieces are preferred more as they offer you freedom of moving around without carrying the handsets. How does Walkie-Talkie function? You must be eager to know how does walkie-talkie works? Warlike-talkies function by sending signal (radio waves) to or receiving signal (radio waves) from another walkie-talkie. Frequency is the main factor in the use of walkie-talkie. When the tuned frequency matches people using walkie-talkie can communicate with each other. The communications signals received by the walkie-talkie are converted into radio waves and these radio waves reach the receiver. Once the radio waves reach the receiver, they are again converted into communication signals. Walkie-talkie provides you the communication faculty without any cost within the coverage area. Some walkie-talkies offer you facility of communicating with more than one person at time. Many walkie-talkie service providers have their own cellular network and also0 share network with other service providers. Such service providers offer you better walkie-talkie service as they have wider range. Following are some of the common features that a quality walkie-talkie offers for you. • Usual phone voice communications • Wireless web and private network data services • E-mail and pager facility • Two-way digital radio Walkie-Talkie Watches Walkie-talkie watches are considered to be the smallest walkie-talkies available in the market. These watches not only provide you clock function but also have the feature of providing you private mobile radio (PMR) communication facility. These walkie-talkie watches allow you to communicate in adverse conditions like high altitudes, high winds etc. Like normal walkie-talkies, these watches have range of about 3 miles and are quipped with VOX. Walkie-talkie watches are considered best for adventurous people who undertake activities like skiing, mountaineering, hiking etc. The main feature of these walkie-talkie watches is that they do not require license and mostly you get the free service. Walkie-Talkie Radios Walkie-talkie radios are simple electronic devices. For communicating with these radios, you have to set the channel or channels at a particular frequency. That’s all! The operation of walkie-talkie radios is also very simple. You have to just push a button when you are speaking and release the button when you are listening. This service is free of cost and you need not to pay any rental. Following are the main differences between a walkie-talkie radio and a mobile phone. • Mobile phones require outside network for operation as signals are transmitted indirectly through network. You have to pay for making calls and even rental for using mobile phones. • For using walkie-talkie radio you must remember to “push” and “release” the button for speaking and listening. Kid Walkie-Talkie Kid walkie-talkies are identical to that of a cell phone. The range in these walkie-talkies is comparatively less (about 200 feet). Sound effects and flashing lights are some of the features of these kid walkie-talkies. These walkie-talkies run on 9-volt batteries. These are not advisable for use by children below age of 4 years.

How do viruses and worms affect your computer

Also, unlike viruses that most commonly infect an individual computer, the worms usually attack a computer network. A computer network functions by using a collection of servers and routers. This is what the internet is comprised of. A server is like a PC but has more speed and storage and a router is a server with specialized functions, it directs traffic through the network. PC Security - Worm Viruses, Deadliest of All A virus attacks the unit used to run programs on the computer called the central processing unit or CPU for short. It does this by running programs and being constantly busy, so that none of the functions you select can be opened. Similarly, this is how a worm functions on a network. The routers rely on memory and processing time (similar to the CPU functions). These are attacked and as a result the network drastically slows down. Worms carry payloads which are comprised of other types of malware, backdoor installations or spyware. Spyware is a monitoring program that can keep an eye on activities on your computer and backdoor programs set up hidden access points used by hackers to steal your information or send spam. “My Doom” sent out at the beginning of 2004, was the fastest spreading worm to date. The worm came in the form of an email with the message "andy; I'm just doing my job, nothing personal, sorry." Although the culprit was never found, its intended victim is thought to have been a software company called Santa Cruz Operation or SCO for short. When a person opened this email, the worm was programmed to overwhelm SCO’s website with traffic. The worm spread through the internet and caused a massive slow down. For the individual computer, the worm’s payload is more serious because it allows ports to be opened on the computer where hackers have access to steal or delete information. In addition, a payload may come with a program to attack your antivirus software and disable it. De worming Using firewalls will help protect your computer. Firewalls reduce traffic and “hide” your computer. In this state, you are less likely to be attacked by worms spread over the network. Be careful not to open suspicious emails and if you don’t know the person or get and unexpected email don’t open it. If you find your computer is slow and reboots by itself or the internet is sluggish, you may have been infected. Try running antivirus software to check it out. If that doesn’t work, try to manually removing the virus. Information as to how this is done can be found on the internet.

Free microsoft certification training for mcdst

Microsoft has many computer certifications that appeal to a wide range of expert computer repair technicians to operating system geniuses. They also have certifications in administration and engineering. Microsoft Certified Professionals are a standard above in the field of information technology. Microsoft certification is widely accepted and recognized by the service and support industry. Microsoft curriculum has the practical knowledge that only an advanced developed company can provide. MCDST is one of the most sought after Microsoft certifications on the market today. Microsoft Certified Desktop Support Technician is a title that has much recognition for employers who want a highly qualified technician to work as a help desk specialist and give desktop support by phone and by servicing the individual station. Microsoft Certified Desktop Support Technician (MCDST) on Microsoft Windows XP is a certification that validates the fundamental and higher skills needed to enter the IT industry as a support desk professional. Because of the recognition that Microsoft Certified Desktop Support Technician (MCDST) receives many online and classroom IT schools are offering some free tutoring. You will find free information technology Microsoft computer training on the web almost as much as you will find pay certification training. There is a long list of online schools that offer free study guides, some free online tutoring and free practice exam questions in order to prepare you for your certification. MCDST certification demonstrates valuable troubleshooting expertise with the Windows Desktop Operating System to employers and consumers. It provides a structure for learning the skills that support technicians need. As a desktop support technician, you will use excellent customer service skills, educate users, and solve hardware or software operation and application problems on the desktop. You will learn valuable skills and best practices consistent with networking and file sharing to maintaining DHCP communications devices and Domain name system for Internet system to translate names into IP addresses. Microsoft Certified Desktop Support Technician certification validates the fundamental skills needed to enter the IT industry as a support professional. It communicates the technical skills of the individual to clients and employers and distinguishes career candidates from their peers. MCDST certification enhances job satisfaction through increased technical proficiency as you increase your knowledge and skills. MCDST certification helps advance support technician careers by providing a structured framework for learning skills, and provides a knowledge basis for additional Microsoft certifications, such as the MCSA and the MCSE. Microsoft Certified Desktop Support Technician Certification Requirements on Microsoft Windows XP are to pass two core exams that provide a valid and dependable measure of technical proficiency. These exams are developed with the input of professionals in the industry and reflect how Microsoft products are used in organizations throughout the world. The two core exams are: Exam 70-271: Supporting Users and Troubleshooting a Microsoft Windows XP Operating System consisting of about 60 questions and Exam 70-272: Supporting Users and Troubleshooting Desktop Applications on a Microsoft Windows XP Operating System consisting of about 50 questions. A candidate for Microsoft Certified Desktop Support Technician will need training for your Microsoft certification. There is free Microsoft training available online with free Microsoft practice exam questions, free study guides and free MCDST training to make your preparation less complicated. Free will only take you so far, you will need to purchase some Microsoft certification training in order to be fully prepared for your actual exam. Your training is not the objective but receiving your Microsoft certification. Learn how to pass your information technology certification exam. There are good resources accessible all you will need is a little searching.