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Hardware and devices

September 8th, 2010

If there’s anything that’s different about Windows Phone 7 than previous iterations of Windows Mobile (besides aesthetically, of course) it’s that Microsoft is controlling the hardware specs. Of course, they don’t have full control over it like Apple’s iPhone, but they do require a minimum standard of hardware to sell a license for the OS. What does that mean? Well, in layman’s terms: it’s a good thing.
Before, Windows Mobile ran slow and stuttered because the hardware just could not keep up with the software and the operating system. Now, that’s all changed. We should expect nothing less. Just like Apple, which caters every hardware need for its iPhone and therefore does not usually receive many complaints about sluggishness (although, don’t even talk to me about older phones like the iPhone 3G!).
More so, just like Android and unlike iPhone, there will be several devices to choose from. Windows Phone 7 has yet to make its debut and already there are a variety of rumored phones to hit the market later this year; ranging from Asus to LG to Dell, it seems like there will be a plethora of phone–and users will be able to find one that’s “just right.” The downside to a company making one OS and one phone is that, even if you like the OS, you can’t ever change devices because you’re unsatisfied with its hardware. That does not seem to be a factor with Microsoft’s latest game-changer, WP7.
Say you have the Asus and you find that you think LG’s Optimus 7 has better entertainment features (for example, how it supposedly streams media to TVs). Well, ceteris paribus, you would understandably return the Asus and go for the LG. And with HTC, Samsung, and other companies jumping on the Windows Phone 7 bandwagon, it’s hard to think that won’t happen–because it definitely will.
The best part is that even if you decide to switch, you know the what each phone’s hardware has, or the bare minimum of its hardware capabilities. Microsoft outlines their minimum requirements as: Capacitive touch screen with four or more contact points; A-GPS (assisted GPS); accelerometer; a 5 mega pixel camera with flash; 256mb of RAM; 8gb of flash memory; and much more.

Source:-http://zunited.net/2010/09/7for7-5-hardware-and-devices/

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Tags: Devices Hardware

America’s small hardware stores local, helpful and hurting

September 7th, 2010

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S.C. — For three years, Terry Reynolds has watched sales dwindle at his West Columbia ACE Hardware store.We get tired of fighting and trying to survive,” Reynolds said.The thought of whether he will be next is always sitting on a back shelf, but it’s not an option he wants to think about. Reynolds said he believes his community needs a local hardware store — even if his store has a Lowe’s or Home Depot within five miles of it in three different directions.

Beyond the bolts and brass knobs, the mom-and-pop hardware store sells itself on service and specialty products. It is a place where shoppers can find a mishmash of garden gnomes, garbage disposals and good advice.They can come in and say, ‘I woke up this morning and didn’t have water. What’s wrong with my well?’ We’ll kind of walk them through it,” said James Rimer, who owns the 34-year-old Blythewood Feed and Hardware with his mother, Neysa, in Blythewood, S.C. “That’s something they’re not really going to find somewhere else.

The local hardware store is a slice of Americana that is quickly fading as large chains have swooped into smaller communities and as customers have put their wallets under lock and key in a lasting economic downturn.”I’ve never seen it this bad sustained for coming up on two years,” said Rimer, who has seen customer spending drop an average of 10 percent this year.The ones that survive, said Scott Wright, spokesman for the North American Retail Hardware Association, carve out a niche as the place to go for advice – and parts – to complete home projects and make emergency repairs, which more customers are attempting to do themselves in a down economy.

It’s service and product know-how, whereas they might not be able to get that from the big-box retailers,” Wright said. “When your toilet breaks, you need to fix it. You can’t wait for the economy to improve.But as some struggling hardware stores close down, others are preparing to fight for customers and their limited dollars.Business overall is down. It’s nowhere close to where it was last year or the year before,” said Ronnie Boland, who operates Boland’s True Value Hardware in Chapin, S.C. “We’ve got to find ways of doing business that we haven’t done before.Boland recently broke ground on a 20,000-square-foot building about a mile closer to the Ballentine side of Chapin.It was either move or get ready to face the demise,” Boland said.

Boland will create a softer hardware store to appeal more to women, who often control the purse strings in a home, research has shown. The store – a new Destination True Value model – will put an emphasis on home decor, paint and kitchen fixtures, Boland said.”It’s got a lot of dream aisles – an opportunity to dream about, ‘How will this look in my house?”‘ he said. “But we’ll still have all the good-old-boy hardware we always had right down to the brass valves and nuts and bolts. In fact, we’ve got more nuts and bolts.I think we found a fine line we can survive on.

Source:-http://www.pressherald.com/business/local-helpful-and-hurting_2010-09-07.html

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Tags: Hardware

Gigabyte ga-ex58-ud3r motherboard review

September 7th, 2010

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Introduction

It’s been a while since I have had the opportunity to review a motherboard and honestly, I forgot how much time was involved. Needless to say, I still enjoy it.

So if it’s not up to the Raven standards (oops, that was when I was with ?), actually just call me BackDraft, the Raven days are over. So if this review is not up to par, blame Raven not BackDraft.

ut with the old and in with the new – frankly I was getting quite tired of having to deal with a Northbridge as a middle man when it came to Intel systems.

After years of waiting I got my wish. Intel, with the launch of their Core I7 and new X58 motherboards, finally have forgone the Northbridge and put the memory controller on the processor.

In this review I will focus on the X58 motherboard and that motherboard is the Gigabyte GA-EX58-UD3R.

The Gigabyte GA-EX58-UD3R motherboard is one of the most inexpensive, quality X58 motherboards you can purchase and, although it doesn’t contain all the extras you may get with a more expensive motherboard in the X58 class, it does come with some of Gigabyte’s new innovations.

The Gigabyte GA-EX58-UD3R is ATX form factor and is capable of SLI with a BIOS flash.

Gigabyte was founded in 1986 as a research and development team. They have since evolved and manufacture not only motherboards but graphics cards and other computer peripherals.

They have recently launched their Ultra Durable 3 line and still lead the industry with their Dual BIOS and EZ-Share BIOS technology.

Source:http://www.hitechlegion.com/reviews/motherboards/315-gigabyte-ga-ex58-ud3r

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Tags: Hardware Motherboard Technology

Use backup vmware to save virtual machine data

September 7th, 2010

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A virtual machine, or VM for short, can be considered as a computer within a computer.

Basically, it is software that acts like a physical machine.

It uses its own designated memory that is cut off from the rest of the computer.

Backup VMWare ensures that you never lose data due to destruction of your physical machine.

There are two categories of virtual machines. The first is the system virtual machine.

This type of VM acts as a second operating system on your computer, but in isolation from other operating systems.

For example, multiple virtual machines can run on one physical machine in order to provide server consolidation.

This is a more efficient way to provide separate servers on one machine and still keep them separate.

It also allows a user to run multiple operating systems on one computer in order to support software that may not have bee updated for newer versions of an operating system.

The other type of VM is the process virtual machine, sometimes called the application virtual machine.

Instead of being designated for certain operating systems, this VM runs as an application within your operating system, supporting a single process and destroying itself once that process is finished.

VMware is the specific software that allows the virtualization of computer hardware.

It is especially handy for those who switch between working from home and in an office.

You can use backup VMware to access your home computer from the office, and vice versa, as the software allows the guest operating system to be used on each computer.

It also allows you to use multiple operating systems without having separate IP addresses for each.

The loss of data always poses huge problems to companies and individuals. Backing up your data is a must.

As with any data storage on a computer, you need to protect your virtual machine.

When you have a computer problem, you want to be able to access your data as quickly as possible.

With backup VMware, you can restore your virtual environment quickly and efficiently with less money spent.

Virtual environments are great for IT teams, as they allow experts to fix problems or help users without having to physically be at the user’s machine.

They can add and remove programs, run updates, and help users figure out solutions to whatever issues they may be having.

VMware can also help administrators test software, configurations, and new coding before implementing them into their networks.

Source:http://www.burbank.com/story/Use-Backup-VMWare-to-Save-Virtual-Machine-Data/132128

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Tags: computer Hardware

Getac introduces v200 rugged core i7 tablet

September 7th, 2010

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Getac, known for its ruggadized computer solutions, has announced its convertible, multitouch tablet PC made of magnesium alloy.

Built to perform in a number harsh environments, the Getac V200 is taking hits and making guarantees.

This PC is powered by Intel’s Core i7-620LM processor, running 2GHZ to 2.8GHZ with Turbo Boost.

The V200 comes standard with a shock mounted, 320GB hard drive–you can swap it out for an 80GB solid state drive upon configuration.

The multitouch is resistive, rather than touch sentitive, meaning you can use it with your gloves on.

The screen measures 12.1-inches and weighs less than 6 pounds. The design supports a full-size keyboard as well as 802.11n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, 2.1 connectivity, and 10/100/1000 Giga LAN.

Ports include USB, VGA, RS232, eSATA, SD card reader, and PCMCIA. It also comes with a fingerprint scanner and hardware encryption for security.

Getac’s V200 also features the company’s LifeSupport battery swapping system that allows you to swap batteries in the field without shutting the system down.

Simply enter into standby mode and you will have 2 minutes to swap batteries without closing any applications or programs.

The V200 is IP65 compliant for resilience to dust, vibration, water, and temperatures as low as -20 degrees centigrade.

The V200 will be available starting in October and, SlashGear reports, it will be priced between $3,799 and $5,099 depending on sceen size and options included upon order.

Source:http://www.gearlog.com/2010/09/getac_introduces_v200_rugged_c.php

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Tags: computer Hardware

Create a pc toolkit in your pocket with a usb flash drive

September 7th, 2010

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Veteran PC users know that it’s just a matter of time before some computer glitch — or complete meltdown — will cause you to reach for your troubleshooting toolkit.

When that happens, will you be prepared in a way that will allow you to minimize downtime? You will be if you carry around a PC toolkit in your pocket.

Thanks to the affordability and growing data storage Relevant Products/Services capacities of USB-based flash drives today, you can easily carry around with you enough digital Relevant Products/Services first aid to get your PC back up and running in a snap. Here’s how.

Choose Your Flash Drive

Not all USB flash drives are created equal, so before you run out and buy a new one to hold your PC toolkit, think about the features you’ll need in the drive and how you’ll carry it.

Your first consideration should be storage capacity. Knowing approximately how much storage space you’ll need or want will help you to limit the number of flash drives from which you have to choose.

Since you’ll probably be storing a fair amount of data on your toolkit drive, you’ll want to start with models of no less than 16 gigabytes (GB). These tend to run in the 25 to 35 dollar range.

Beyond that, you’ll find models in 32, 64, 128, and even 256 GB, with prices generally doubling along with capacity.

Capacity isn’t all that matters, though. Size and design do as well. Generally, smaller and thinner are better — and if you’ll be carrying your drive on a key ring, which is very convenient, look for a drive that has a key ring hole large enough to fit on the key chain you carry.

Some drives — like the LaCie iamaKey, WhizKey, or CooKey — are even designed to look exactly like a key.

Key-like or not, thin drives are important because with them, you can be sure that they’ll be able to squeeze them in almost anywhere.

Speed and durability are also important. To determine how fast a drive is, you can start by comparing drive speed statistics.

USB flash drives tout read and write speeds ranging from 10 megabytes per second (MB/s) up to 32 MB/s and higher.

Supplement this research, though, by reading user reviews on such sites as Amazon.com or Newegg.com.

Stock It with Software

There are several categories of software you should store on your toolkit drive: drivers, your essential data files, and, if space allows, program installation ISO files and system backups or images.

Drivers are essential if you have to reinstall your operating system from scratch. Most operating systems will install only essential system device drivers needed to operate your computer, such as drivers for USB ports.

Other device drivers — such as those for your LAN port, wireless card, sound card, chipset, printer, scanner, tablet, or webcam — will usually have to be installed after your operating system.

Many people want to seek out these drivers online after installing the operating system.

However, if you don’t already have a driver for your wireless card or LAN port, you won’t be able to get online to download the drivers.

So store them on your USB toolkit drive and be done with that worry.

Your essential data files should also have a place on your toolkit drive.

Be sure the data is encrypted or password-protected, of course. You can do this by using a conventional Zip tool such as the free 7-zip and creating a password-protected archive of all of your critical data files.

Also include on your toolkit drive any other personal files you would need in order to become productive again quickly.

Such files might include your browser favorites or bookmarks, as well as any password manager or form filler you rely upon, with its password vault encrypted.

If you get a spacious flash drive, consider storing ISO images of any software programs you can’t live without. An ISO image is a single archive file that contains the entire contents of a CD or DVD.

With an application like UltraISO , you can both create an ISO image from an installation disk and then “mount” the ISO image on your computer so that it appears and works just like a hardware-based drive.

Installations from ISO files occur much more quickly, though, than from CDs.

Also, space allowing, create or save an image of your entire C drive on the flash drive. Remember that you’ll also need a bootable rescue CD to be able to access the image file.

Every program that creates system images — such as Windows 7 or Acronis True Image — will also create a rescue disk in a couple of clicks.

You can certainly create a portable PC toolkit of your own by using an external hard drive rather than a USB flash device. But a larger drive may not be around when you need it.

Either way, though, create that repair toolkit now and then rest easy, knowing that if disaster strikes, you’re prepared.

Source:http://www.cio-today.com/news/Create-a-PC-Toolkit-in-Your-Pocket/story.xhtml?story_id=0130015Q4490

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How to install xp and vista with a usb flash drive

September 7th, 2010

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How many times have you reloaded your system and wished there was an easier and faster way of doing it?

How many times have you had troubles installing Windows because of a scratched CD or DVD, or had to reload your PC or Laptop only to find out that the DVD Drive was bad?

Are you a Netbook owner? Then keep reading because you do not need to spend $60 on an external DVD drive to install Windows.

All the worries & headaches end here, as I am about to show you how to install Windows XP and Windows Vista from a USB flash drive.

Yes, that’s correct, you can put those CDs and DVDs away and use nothing more than a $7.00 4GB USB flash drive.

I have been using this method for some time now and it is a God send. I am always reloading my machines, either for myself or for a review, and it was a nightmare to have piles of CDs all over my desk.

Not only that, but I no longer need to download or keep track of where drivers and certain applications are, as those get put into their own folder right on the same USB drive (if you have a large enough drive).

Not only do I no longer need to have CDs scattered all over my desk, I do not even need a DVD drive installed in my PC.

If I am in a rush, or running out of room on my test bench, or even building a mini system or HTPC, I can just leave the DVD drive in its box, grab my USB drive with XP or Vista on it and just install Windows that way.

The Hardware

The very first thing you need is a PC or laptop that is capable of booting from a USB device. If you have a machine that is 4 years old or older, there is a chance you may not be able to do this, as your BIOS may not be capable of booting from a USB device. I would consult your user manual or contact the hardware vendor’s technical support if you are unsure.

Most, if not all, newer hardware (motherboards and laptops) have no issues at all booting from a USB flash drive, but I have seen a few laptops and the rare motherboard that cannot.
Once you know that your hardware can boot from a USB flash device, let’s go find some flash drives!

Right now, many online websites have 4GB flash drives on sale for as low as $5.00! Most decent drives will run you around $7-10 though.

For my tests, I went with 3 different types of flash drives. An OCZ Rally2 8GB drive, a Super Talent 4GB drive, and an HP v100w 4GB drive.

The Super Talent cost me $7/ea and the HP drives came as a 2-pack for $14. The OCZ 8GB Rally 2 was $20.99 and had a $10 mail-in rebate for an ending total of $10.99.

All of the drives performed extremely similar, so similar that I am hard pressed to tell which one was faster.

Windows XP is small enough that you can do this with a 1GB drive. I recommend no less than a 2GB, simply because we will be loading it up with more than just Windows.

Remember I mentioned the ability to add a folder with all your drivers and some favorite applications on it? All of that can easily add up to near 2GB.

Windows Vista, on the other hand, takes over 3GB just to store the data from the CD. 4GB is more than enough, but leaves you with less room to store drivers and applications.

There would be no harm in purchasing an 8GB drive for Vista but I have mine on a 4GB drive without any issues.

USB Drive Preparation – Windows XP

Getting your USB Flash drive ready to install Windows XP on your PC is a pretty quick and painless process. It is not fool proof though, so just follow along with me and in the end you will have a fully functioning USB flash drive that can install Windows XP on nearly any PC.

Be aware that you can NOT use a flash drive larger than 4GB for the XP tutorial. PEToUSB.exe uses FAT16 which is limited to a max of only 4GB.

Please note that to complete this tutorial you must have a PC or laptop running a 32bit version of Windows XP or Vista.

The Programs needed to complete this procedure are:

USB_PREP8

PeToUSB

Bootsect.exe

Simply save that file to your hard drive. Open it and extract the folder inside your C: drive.

Once done, you should have only a folder on your C: drive called usb_prep8 with a bunch of files in it.

For those who like to use nLite to slipstream drivers and updates into your XP cd, please note that I have had issues using nLite in conjunction with this method.

You should keep your manual install files when using nLite, or this will not work.

Plug in your USB flash drive and write down what drive letter Windows assigned it.

(mine was G)
Open the folder that you just created from the file you downloaded called usb_prep8.