Power Strip vs. Surge Protector
January 28, 2010
If you have electronic items, then you know what a power strip is. A power strip plugs into your wall outlet and allows you to plug in multiple electronic devices. The outlets in your house or office likely have room for two devices. Well, if you need to plug in more than two devices you can use a power strip and plug in many more. Some people think that a surge protector is the same thing as a power strip when in fact this is not true, even if they both appear to be the same. Read more
What Exactly is 3G?
January 28, 2010
3G and even 4G are words that are casually tossed around in the tech world everyday, and are recently showing up in TV commercials for cell phones. Most people don’t know what it really means other than a “faster” connection than phones that aren’t 3G. There are a lot of misconceptions I have heard about 3G cell phones that I would like to clear up. First, 3G does not mean you have 3gb or even a 3mb download rate. All 3G really means is 3rd generation. The different generation of cell phones refers to the wireless technology they use to stream data from the cell towers to the actual phone. Without getting too technical, think of each generation as a better and faster way to transmit data. Read more
E-book Readers: How to Carry Thousands of Books Anywhere
December 16, 2009
An item of technology that has become increasingly popular over the last year is an electronic book reader, or “e-book reader”. Essentially, it is a hand-held, portable device that allows a user to read a book electronically and store multiple books all in one location. They are incredibly useful and for the avid reader they are a becoming a necessity. They come in different sizes but typically have around a 7″ screen. They display 1 page from a book at a time (or magazine, blog or newspaper) on a paper-like screen; the screen emulates the actual page from a book so that it can be read in sunlight, or inside in normal reading conditions. This means that it is soft on the eyes and doesn’t cause strain like a computer screen does.
Last Minute Gift Ideas
December 16, 2009
It’s that time a year again when it’s panic and mayhem in the stores. Everyone is frantically running around trying to get their Christmas shopping done (unless you’re like my Aunt who gets her Christmas shopping done in June). Well it doesn’t have to be that way. You can order excellent items online fromA mazon and ThinkGeek or pick a particularly cool item from Radio Shack.
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Online Backups: Why Are They So Important?
November 17, 2009
In this day and age, people know there are problems with computers. They can malfunction and crash and your important data lost. A lot of people have taken steps to back up their data. This can be done many different ways from having it backed up to an external hard drive, to DVD backups, storage tapes and onto other computers, but there is one thing all of these have in common: they are all local backups. Read more
Windows 7: Should I Upgrade?
November 17, 2009
Windows 7 has been out for almost a month now and for the most part has gotten positive reviews. I have been asked by a lot of people if they should upgrade their computers to the new operating system. The short answer is no, but for some users it does make sense.
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Planning Ahead For 2010
October 19, 2009
Most people are still using a version of Windows called “Windows XP.” After Windows XP, the next version was “Windows Vista.” Coming out on 10/22/2009 is the newest version of Windows, “Windows 7.” There is nothing wrong with continuing to use Windows XP; there is no need to upgrade…yet. Emerson Technologies recommends that Windows 7 be deployed as you purchase new computers from now on. Once Windows 7 is released, Windows XP will no longer be available for direct purchase. It will still be possible to find Windows XP for use in new computers for some time yet, however it will be significantly more expensive to purchase. Microsoft will gradually be supporting Windows XP less and less. The gradual transition to Windows 7 is only one aspect to consider when planning for the 2010 budget. Read more
Toolbars…Are They Helpful?
October 14, 2009
How many toolbars do you currently have installed in your web browser? Did you know that the more toolbars you have, the slower your browser will behave? Toolbars may seem like they are a useful tool but in reality they aren’t as useful as you may think. Most of the time, the “features” they add are already in the latest version of your browser. Read more
Apple Releases New iPod Nano: Now with Radio and Video Camera capabilities!
September 14, 2009
This month, Apple released their latest version of the iPod Nano. The iPod Nano has been Apple’s smallest fully functioning version of their iPod line. I say fully functioning because they do have an iPod shuffle, which is nothing more than a small music player with no interactive screen. The new iPod Nano has a 2.2” screen and weighs 1.28oz. It has a lot of new features as well. It can be bought in either an 8gb model or a 16gb model which is approximately 2,000 or 4,000 songs. Read more
Twitter, Facebook, Myspace and the Social Networking Craze
September 14, 2009
Social networking is a way for people to develop networks with their friends and associates. The medium by which this is done is internet websites. It allows people to stay in touch and see what others are up to. Three popular social networking websites are Twitter, Facebook and Myspace. Each one is a tool that in one way or another allows you to interact with another person. We are going to examine each one and talk about the differences between them.