Technology Blog

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.

Home security is an important issue for any person. A person’s home is their castle and they want to feel safe and secure. There are several security measures that can be implemented to ensure security such as alarms but one that ensures peace of mind is a wireless home security camera package.

What’s need in the package is a camera to fit either just outside the front or back door that transmits a wireless signal. The best one to buy would be one that has night vision to ensure you can see everything at night. The second would be a receiver. Some receivers have screens so you can watch what’s going on no matter where you are and others need to be connected to a computer or television to see the transmission.

If connected to a computer or television the live feed from the camera can be directly recorded to a hard drive or a cassette or DVD depending on which is convenient. Several cameras can be implemented to get several signals meaning more coverage of the home and the surrounding area.

These wireless home security packages are common and can be purchased at most electronics stores. They are on the expensive side but are worth the purchase for the kind of technology it has. With almost everything becoming wireless these days it was only a matter of time until cameras became wireless also.

Most people need some sort of security measure in place, not for protection, but for peace of mind that they are safe in their home. Although there are several other measures that can be implemented in terms of security, the wireless home security camera is a valuable tool for keeping an eye on things at all times. It will complement any other security measure you have in place and will not disappoint.

With the growing proliferation of broadband Internet in every household, it is a natural phenomenon for services that have traditionally been delivered via analog means to be alternatively delivered via Internet Protocol (IP). One of these services is the broadcast of television programs via broadband Internet instead of radio waves. This is called Broadband Internet TV.

The major advantages of broadband Internet TV are:

Broadcasters can reach a wider audience without having to worry about the additional cost needed, since the viewer pays for the broadband access. This translates to a bigger opportunity to generate more income from advertising.

The viewer need not be at home to be able to watch his favorite TV shows since all he will need is Internet access. Again, because the Internet is so pervasive, it now becomes possible to be anywhere in the world and still be up-to-date with the latest news, sitcoms and other TV shows that you would normally watch at home. This brings rise to the opportunity for broadcasters (assuming that their business model does not rely mostly on advertising revenues) to charge subscriptions for remote access to their shows. Using encryption, data for shows. The viewer can be selective as to the shows he/she wants or allows his children to watch. Filters can be applied to block or limit access to certain shows.

There are, of course, disadvantages to broadband Internet TV. For example, to be able to access broadband Internet TV, of course, assumes that there you have access to broadband Internet with speeds of at least 256kbps. This is a relatively slower speed than that which was required a few years ago when 512kbps was the minimum broadband speed was needed. Better compression technology makes streaming video at lower speeds possible. Nevertheless, broadband access is still a requirement.

Another disadvantage of broadband Internet TV is that it requires that you either have a computer with the appropriate decoding software, or a set-top box with decoding software. The latter is needed if you want to use your television set as the display medium.

Also the broadband Internet TV output resolution is currently inferior to that of radio broadcast technology. This is because higher resolution requires more file storage space that translates to more bandwidth to get a real-time streaming video experience. Also, the bigger the image, the finer the resolution needs to be so that it does not “break up” during display. Again, this translates to bigger file sizes and bigger bandwidth requirements.

Broadband Internet TV is offered in two modes: Free and Subscription Based. The Free mode is the akin to the conventional “free-to-air” television programming, where all you need to have is a television set configured to the broadcast system in your area (e.g., NTSC, PAL/SECAM, etc.), a television antenna to capture the broadcast, and electricity. Subscription mode is similar to the model of cable TV, where a monthly fee is paid for a set of channels, with extra charges levied for premium channels on a pay-per-view or monthly basis.

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.

Quick Specs:
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.

Pros:
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).

Cons:
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.

Summary:
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.

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.

There are a wide variety of playing cards. Some card decks are game specific particularly  Pinochle cards, Bridge Decks, and Poker decks. Other card games are King’s Corner, Solitaire,  Gin Rummy, War, Old Maid and Slap Jack.

There are various categories of games that can be played using playing cards. There are fortune telling cards such as Tarot cards, Author cards, and book cards. There are historical fact games, special interest games and a wizard card game.

There are educational card decks such as Arithmetic flash cards, Trivia fact cards, and many more. There are self help card decks such as blessing cards, affirmation cards, conversation cards, and corporate training card decks.

While it is not a game strictly speaking, building a house of cards is fun. The foundation is two card placed facing each other on the short end of the card and a card is place on either side of the two cards. As you move out you can also move up in height.  Sounds easy right…NOT!!!! The slightest breath of air can tumble your card castle in seconds. The secret is to not breathe, have a window open, or anyone in the room with you. Since that isn’t possible, you need to be extremely light handed while building your card house.

Card decks have the number and the suit imprinted on the front with some kind of a design on the back. They are printed with a plain matte finish, a glossy finish or no real finishing at all. Laminated card decks are best because they will last much longer than other types of decks.

Most people are aware that there are continuous security issues with Microsoft’s Windows operating system and other programs. However, what most people do not realize is how easy it is to significantly improve your computer’s security and reduce the likelihood of becoming a victim to ever increasingly sophisticated threats that lurk on the internet. These steps should take less than a couple of hours to complete and should not clean out your wallet.

1) Windows Update – the first crucial step you need to take to make sure that all your Microsoft applications have all the latest product updates installed. These updates or “patches” address security vulnerabilities and other issues. Microsoft usually issues these updates on a monthly cycle. Visit the Microsoft website or switch on automatic updates from the Windows Control panel. Even if your “new” computer is second hand this is still a critical first step. If you buy a used computer with Windows XP make sure Service Pack 2 or SP2 is installed.

2) Strong Passwords – people often overlook this but having well thought through passwords is an important element of your computer security. A strong password should include at least 8 characters with a mixture of text, symbols and numbers. As a minimum you need to make sure the services most at risk have a strong log-in password. These services include your bank, credit card, other financial services like PayPal, your email address and any other services like Ebay which hackers can use to generate profit.

3) Anti Virus Protection – while it is fair to say the threat of the computer virus has receded during the last couple of years they can still inflict serious damage on your computer. Part of the reason why the threat has reduced is because PC manufactures are now more frequently bundling anti virus packages with their new computers. For example last year my new Dell shipped with a 90-day trial of McAfee’s Internet Security Suite. The best bet here is to purchase a security package which includes firewall and anti virus software as a minimum. Top brands include McAfee and Symantec Norton products. However, Microsoft has recently entered the market with their “OneCare” offering which is very aggressively priced.

4) Firewall – if you are using a broadband connection then a firewall is definite requirement to manage the traffic flowing between your computer and the internet. A firewall monitors the inbound internet traffic passing through the ports of your computer. Better products also monitor outbound traffic from your computer to the internet. As per above the best bet here is buy a firewall application as part of a security package which most vendors offer as standard. If a hardware firewall is included as part of your router package then you do not need anything else. A company called Zone Labs offer a great free firewall product called Zone Alarm which should be used as a minimum. Windows XP does now ship with a free firewall but the product does not monitor outbound communication and therefore I believe does not offer adequate protection.

5) Anti Spyware Tool – this software is the last piece in your basic internet security set up. This tool helps combat spyware and adware. There is a good mixture of free and paid versions on offer. Good free software include Microsoft’s Windows Defender, Spybot S&D or Ewido Anti-Malware. Ewido Anti-Malware is frequently recommended in computer help forums. Be careful if you decide to purchase a solution. There are a number of rogue vendors out there which aggressively push products which offer you little value. Stick to trusted names like Webroot’s Spy Sweeper or PC Tool’s Spyware Doctor. These products always come out well on independent tests.

The PSP has enjoyed a strong support that is rarely matched for a hand held console.  When you first see a PSP, you will probably immediately notice the screen.  The screen dominates the device, which takes a full two-thirds of the device.  For a hand held device, that is amazingly massive.  The PSP feels perfectly balanced between both hands, making it easier to play.  The screen is designed to be completely hypnotic, drawing any gamer completely into the world of the video or game that is playing.  The black color is only natural, since the PS2 was also made to be black.

The PSP, with battery, a memory stick, case, and everything else together weighs a very light ten ounces, less than a full pound.  This makes it much lighter than the old fashioned Gameboys and makes it easy to put in a jacket pocket.  One major problem that the PSP initially had, and still has some degree of issue with, is that the screen is a fine glossy screen and as a result, it is easy to leave fingerprints and various smudges.  Obviously most people aren’t going to wear gloves to play video games, and even the most careful handling would still leave marks.

The front of the PSP has the directional pad on the left side, and the analog thumb stick below that.  The analog thumb stick is a complaint of some gamers, who say it’s too far down, since there is no thumb support when you use it.  The PSP also features the basic circle, square, triangle, and x buttons any Play station gamer is already familiar with.  The left and right trigger buttons are at the top and are clear.

The PSP console also has the added advantage of not just being for video games and gamers, but also for watching DVDs, as well.  The PSP seems to keep gaining in popularity, and has the natural advantage of being made by the Sony corporation is that they are not likely to go out of style any time soon.  The console remains popular with gamers, and its added benefits as a DVD player is keeping it popular.  One thing that may PSP fans keep pointing out is that the PlayStation Portable is like a shrunken version of a PlayStation 2, and that one does not lose any of the impressive gaming graphics and playability that usually must be sacrificed with a hand held system.

Whether you’re a web developer, a graphic designer, or an artist, you’ve undoubtedly counted on Adobe software to help you get the job done. Now, the design world is buzzing about Adobe Creative Suite 3, a collection of computer graphic design tools that are fully integrated to allow you to work in almost any medium.

Adobe offers six different editions of CS3, designed to fit the needs of a variety of professionals. The six editions are:

Adobe Creative Suite 3 Design Premium – Developed for the designer who works in mobile, Web, and print publishing, CS3 Design Premium includes the professional or extended versions of InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator, Flash, Dreamweaver, and Acrobat.

Adobe Creative Suite 3 Design Standard – Perfect for the professional who works primarily in print, CS3 Design Premium includes InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator, and Acrobat Professional.

Adobe Creative Suite 3 Web Premium – Adobe takes web design software to a whole new level by allowing integration across virtually all Adobe products, including Photoshop Extended, Illustrator, Flash Professional, Dreamweaver, Fireworks, Contribute Cue, Bridge, and Device Central.

Adobe Creative Suite 3 Web Standard – Perfect for website design, this graphics software integrates Dreamweaver, Flash Professional, Fireworks, and Contribute.

Adobe Creative Suite 3 Production Platinum – Adobe solves the challenges of video post production by combining a wide variety of products, including Bridge, Dynamic Link, Device Central, Acrobat Connect, After Effects, Premiere Pro, Photoshop Extended, Flash Professional, Illustrator, Soundbooth, and Encore. For professionals working in a Windows environment, it also includes OnLocation and Ultra.

Adobe Creative Suite 3 Master Collection – The CS3 Master Collection is a computer graphics dream come true, with virtually every Adobe product integrated so that you can create in almost any medium, including film, print, mobile, Web, and interactive. The Master Collection includes InDesign, Photoshop Extended, Illustrator, Acrobat Professional, Dreamweaver, Fireworks, Contribute, After Effects, Premiere Pro, Soundbooth, and Encore. Web applications include Bridge, Cue, Device Central, Stock Photos, Acrobat Connect, Dynamic Link, OnLocation, and Ultra.

Essentially, CS3 provides professionals with product configurations that will enable them to seamlessly accomplish their goals. For example, designers can do web page design, user interface design, game development, e-learning, animation, and mobile development. Those who work with video can do editing and production, multimedia, audio editing and production, and visual effects. And, of course, professionals can edit and fuse images, as well as design for print.

Professionals also appreciate Adobe graphic design website software because it works on a variety of platforms, including Windows Vista and both Tiger and Leopard on Macs. And, for those who already own Adobe products, it’s easy to upgrade to CS3 – even from standalone graphics software programs. Finally, those who purchase one CS3 edition and then decide that they would like an enhanced version (moving from, for example, CS3 Design Standard to Design Premium) can easily make the switch.

There’s no question that the creativity of designers has spurred Adobe to step up and develop a toolkit that enables professionals to reach new heights.

Microsoft has tried to catch up with some of the titans of the gaming world, such as Sony with the release of the Xbox 360.  The Xbox 360 offers many new features that players will love:
Free limited subscription to online gaming – This allows players who have not been participating in online gaming a chance to see what is available at no charge.
All Xbox 360s come with Live-aware – This means you can get a friend invite or see who is online and what they are playing from your Xbox 360.  The button in the middle of the controller makes all this very easy.
It offers great media features including listening to music while you play games, the ability to create custom playlists and your own custom soundtracks, the ability to rip songs from original CDs to your Xbox 360 and stream music from your MP3 player to your Xbox 360.  You can also create slideshows of photos to share with friends and family.
Xbox 360 has a wireless controller.  No more tripping over the wires, although it can support two wired controllers through USB ports in the front.
The game console is not only great for gamers, but developers as well.  It is a powerful machine with an unprecedented amount of RAM – a feature added on the request of developers.
But, Xbox 360 still has some problems that need to be worked out:
Their Japanese third party support is lacking – While some Japanese developers offer software for the Xbox, it is small in number when compared to what the same developers offer for Playstation.
While the controller is wireless, it eats batteries rather quickly.  Standard alkaline batteries only last about thirty hours, so if you buy Xbox 360, invest in rechargeable batteries to save yourself some money in the end.
When they were set up in WalMart stores before days before the launch, many suffered what is known as the Xbox “360 screen of death,” an error screen.  The Xbox 360 had also had some problems with overheating.
Some report the Xbox 360 system as being very noisy when playing an Xbox 360 disc.
Many people are eagerly awaiting the release of Playstation 3, which may occur as soon as November of this year.  It has been said that the Playstation 3 has an outward feel (which allows it to stand vertically or horizontally on its own), as opposed to the Xbox 360’s inward feel.  It is a much larger console than the Playstation 2 and closer to the original size of the Xbox.  Game discs slide into the console like CDs slide into a car player.

Here are a few attractive features of the Playstation 3:
It is always on, so you can access your Playstation 3 from anywhere as long as you have an Internet connection.
With a Playstation Portable, you can connect to your Playstation 3 and transfer media such as music and movies.
The Playstation 3 appears to be much more powerful than that Xbox 360, Ninetindo Revolution, and Playstation 2.  Initial reports say it will be twice as fast as the Xbox 360.
Developers and publishers of over 230 games have announced titles for Playstation 3 games.
Here are a few reported cons and problems with the Playstation 360:
Comes with only 256 MB, less than the 512 MB the Xbox 360 will come with.
Their Playstation Network Platform (the online service) is still in development and may not be ready by the time Playstation 3 is released.
The launch of the Playstation 3 has already been delayed due to disk problems.
Both the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3 are incredible gaming consoles.  It seems that although the Xbox 360 came out first, the best bet is still the Playstation 3.  The strongest point of the Xbox 360 is its online functionality, but Sony may be working on something similar to Xbox Live right now.  However, Microsoft is closing the gap with Xbox 360 and probably will eventually catch up with Sony in gaming consoles.  For some users, it may come down to something as simple as which one is more compatible with the games they already own.