Archive Hardware

moving announcement

2009-12-12T08:12:00.000+08:00

Retail PCs: Intel or AMD?

2009-11-10T17:24:00.000+08:00

Does it matter whether you buy a machine with an Intel processor or one with an AMD processor? Both companies will tell you it does: Intel would stress the better performance it claims to offer, and AMD would talk about better integrated graphics and better value. But with a new crop of machines designed for Windows 7 now on the market, I wanted to take a look for myself.

When you see a review of a PC online or in a magazine, it's typically a review of a machine, and particularly the configuration set by the manufacturers. Sometimes these are what you would get if you bought a machine at a retail outlet, but sometimes they aren't. So I decided to check out what performance would be like on two relatively inexpensive retail computers. I ended up with two Hewlett-Packard notebooks from Best Buy. I ran a variety of tests, and found notable differences in some things, but not in others.

The first machine is an HP dv4-2045dx with a 2.2-GHz AMD Turion II X2, ATI Radeon HD 4200 Graphics, a 320GB hard drive, and a 14.1-inch screen (1280 by 800); it weighs 5.4 pounds and cost $579.99. The other is an HP dv6-1355dx with a 2.2-GHz Intel Core 2 Duo, an Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 4500MHD, a 500GB drive, and a 15.6-inch screen (1366 by 768); it weighs 6.3 pounds and cost $679.99. These aren't the thinnest, lightest systems you can buy, nor are the most powerful, but both seem like great values for the money, and are the type of notebook computer most people are buying.

But both came with 4GB of memory, writable DVD drives, and a Web camera, and all sorts of ports. Obviously, the machines aren't identical—for $100 more, you get a larger display, a bigger hard drive, and an Intel processor on the dv6. The question I wanted to answer was whether that made a difference.

PC hardware - Built your own Computer

2009-10-27T03:22:00.007+08:00

For more write up on the steps to follow below are the step by step details on you tube - Click here

1 - Choosing a CPU

2 - More on CPU's

3 - Choosing a Motherboard

4 - More on Choosing a Motherboard

5 - Choosing RAM

6 - More on RAM

7 - Choosing the Hard Drive

8 - More Stuff About Hard Drives

9 - Choosing an Optical Drive

10 - More on Optical Drives

11 - Choosing a Case

12 - More on Cases

13 - Power Supplies

14 - The Motherboard

15 - Installing the CPU

16 - Installing CPU Fan

17 - Installing the RAM

18 - Preparing the Case

19 - Mounting the Motherboard

20 - Installing the Optical Drive

21 - Installing the Hard Drive

22 - Installing the PSU

The Power Supply

2009-03-20T15:19:00.001+08:00

So, tell me, has your computer ever made a noise that sounds like one of your fans is dying? I'm sure you would know if it has, because it can be pretty loud and it usually just sounds awful! Well, either way, I'm willing to bet that your fan really isn't the culprit here. Nope, it could be your power supply instead. If you have a noisy fan, you smell something burning or you see smoke or flames shooting out the back of your computer, you may very well have a problem with your power supply. And I assure you, that's a whole lot worse than a dead fan if you don't catch it right away. Keep reading for more on this!

There are many different things that could cause your power supply to go bad. For instance, the fan that runs next to your power supply could get clogged up with dust and dirt and start to run much slower or the fan's bearings could start to wear off. When those things happen, your power supply is at risk of overheating and it will eventually fail. Or, it could have nothing to do with your fan. Perhaps the power supply itself was faulty from the get go and it only took a matter of time before it failed completely.

Even more so, if you're having trouble with your computer shutting down and restarting itself at random times, that could be another indicator that your power supply is going bad. And since your motherboard, CPU, disk drives, etc. all work off of the power supply, it's not a good idea to take a chance on it getting any better. If you do, you'll just have more trouble down the road. Don't worry though, replacing a power supply is rather easy to do and it's fairly cost friendly. So, if your computer is experiencing any of the symptoms I mentioned above, you'll want to check into getting a new power supply. It's a small price to pay for the safety of your computer!

~ Erin worldstart.com

Choosing Computer Speakers

2009-02-26T12:14:00.000+08:00

It used to be that choosing speakers for your computer was an easy task because there weren't really any options to choose from. Sound was typically an afterthought and most speakers made for computer use weren't exactly what you would call "ear candy".

That has all changed now. Many well-respected audio/video speaker manufacturers have gotten into the computer speaker game. It is not uncommon to see well-known names like Klipsch, Bose, Polk & JBL on either side of computer monitors now.

When it comes to picking out computer speakers, the same rules that you would use to choose speakers for your stereo or home theater system still apply. Obviously, unless you are very lucky, there will be budget constraints. While cheap, no name speakers are never a good deal; there are many inexpensive entry-level models from reputable manufacturers that will do a great job of accurate sound reproduction.

Everyone hears differently and will have a different definition of great sound, which is probably why there are so many different speaker manufacturers. Musical tastes can also have an effect on the perceived sound quality of a pair of speakers. While a good speaker is always a good speaker, rock and roll fans may have different requirements for a pair of speakers than classical fans. A gamer may also have different needs than a music listener.

When choosing speakers, there are three things that you need to listen for in your auditions. The first is tonal balance. The instruments and voices should sound natural, like they would in real life. No single part of the frequency spectrum should be exaggerated or suppressed. While speakers with an exaggerated bass or treble response might stand out at first listen, they will usually become fatiguing after an extended amount of time.

The next thing to listen for is bass response. Because of the size constraints placed on most computer speaker systems it will be necessary to have a separate subwoofer (a speaker made to solely reproduce low frequencies) that can be set off to the side or on the floor. Listen carefully to recordings with male vocalists to make sure that the subwoofer blends seamlessly with the smaller satellite speakers. The subwoofer should not call attention to itself. In fact if it is set up correctly is will seem like all of the bass is coming from the desktop satellite speakers.

Lastly, you will want to listen to how set of speakers image. Imaging is the most magical quality that speakers can possess. It is the ability of a pair of speakers to throw a sound stage. This is not only left to right information, but also depth and height. Having a huge monitor between your speakers can make good imaging harder to achieve, but with a properly set up pair of speakers, playing a good recording, you should be able to close your eyes and see where everything is positioned in the mix. The first time you hear this it will blow your mind!

This is a very basic guide, but if you spend a little time and follow the advice above you should have no problems at all picking out computer speakers that are satisfying for whatever application you need them for.

courtesy ~ Bruce Neher

USB Speeds

2009-01-13T18:41:00.002+08:00

If you've gotten a new computer in the last few years, it more than likely came with USB ports. If you're not sure, USB ports are the little slots on either the front or back of your computer that you can use to plug in certain devices, such as a flash drive or digital camera. USB ports come in two different speeds: 2.0 and 1.0, with 2.0 being faster. Most newer PCs have the 2.0 speed, but if you purchased yours quite awhile ago, you may have the 1.0 speed. So, if you've ever wondered which speed you have, keep reading to learn how you can find out!

To get to your computer's USB area, you need to right click on the My Computer icon on your desktop and choose Properties. Next, click on the Hardware tab and then hit the Device Manager button. When the new window opens, scroll down to the very bottom where it says Universal Serial Bus controllers. Click on the plus sign (+) next to that and all of your USB information will come up. You may have quite a few listings or you may only have a few. It just depends on how many ports came with your computer and if you've added any yourself.

If you see one that says something like "USB Enhanced Host Controller," that means you have the 2.0 speed. The "Enhanced" part is what sets the 2.0 apart from the slower speed. On my computer, that entry was the very last one, so make sure you look through your whole list before you make any assumptions. Also, just for your information, if one of your USB ports is 2.0, it's likely that all of your ports will be the same. That goes for the 1.0 speed as well. Most computers don't come with two different port speeds. So, tell me, how does it feel to know what kind of USB speed your PC is running? Pretty darn good, huh? Check yours out today!

~ Erin

Time For a New Computer?

2009-01-08T23:52:00.001+08:00

Another reader asks: I have had my computer for quite some time now and my grandkids are always telling me I need to get a new one. They say mine is too slow and it just doesn't work right. As for me, I'm not convinced. Do you have any guidelines I can follow to see if I really should get a new one or not?

Good question! Isn't it funny how everyone's views on the same exact topic can be so different? I mean, it's obvious the person who asked today's question is being bombarded by their grandchildren to get a new computer. And why do you think they want a new one? Well, so they can have all the perks they're used to when they go visit grandma and grandpa, of course! Then on the other hand, grandma and grandpa don't agree and they think their computer works just fine.

Well, it's hard to tell who is right here. Children these days are very much into computers and they know a lot more about them than some of us would like to admit. But then again, if our computers are working good enough to do what we want on them, why bother buying a whole new one? That debate could go on and on, so I think I'll end it by giving you some pointers you can follow to see if you really should buy a new computer or not. Let's check them out!

First of all, as you all know, technology is changing everyday. There's always something new coming out and there's always something different to try. It's not always pertinent that you go along with those changes, but here are some reasons why you may want to. You need a new computer if:

1.) Your processor speed is less than 1.0 GHz (gigahertz). (On another note, if your computer is still running on megahertz, you'll definitely want to make an upgrade soon!) See, most programs and other applications that you may put on your computer require a lot more power than 1 GHz can give them. If you don't have a fast enough processing speed, your computer will run very slow and you won't be able to browse the Internet, play games, etc. with the ease you should have. You can check your processor speed by going to Start, Control Panel, Performance and Maintenance, System.

2.) Your computer has less than 256 MB of memory. (Again, go to Start, Control Panel, Performance and Maintenance, System to check on that information). If you don't have at least 512 MB or 1 GB of RAM memory, your computer will not run smoothly or to the best of its ability.

3.) You're using a Windows version that starts with a 3 or a 9 (for example, Windows 3.1, 95 and 98). Those older operating systems lack a lot of the features every computer should have these days, including security features and other updates that are required to keep your computer running properly and protected. The same thing applies if you're using a Mac version that is older than OS X.

4.) Your monitor is a 14 inch or smaller. If you don't have at least a 17 inch monitor, you're not going to be able to see full Web sites, which really is a shame!

5.) You're always getting an error message of "Operating system not supported" when you try to install new programs onto your PC. Or, when you're trying to upgrade to a new operating system and you get an error message of "Hardware not supported."

6.) Your computer has no USB ports. Nowadays, most external devices (such as keyboards, mice, printers, etc.) run via USB. Therefore, if you don't have any ports, you're going to have trouble keeping up with the newer computer devices.

7.) Your PC has a 5.25 inch disk drive or even a 3.5 inch floppy drive. Floppy drives are still around, but they're being phased out as well. Software has just outgrown those two drives and they won't be of much use in the near future. Flash and thumb drives are definitely taking over.

So, those are just a few things you should look into if you're wondering about buying a new computer or not. They are all good reasons why you should fork out the money and invest in a new PC. And I'm not just saying that to make your grandchildren happy either! With a brand new computer, everyone who uses it (including you) will benefit. Now, I realize you may use your computer on a very limited basis (maybe just for checking your e-mail and playing a game here and there), but if you fall into any of the categories listed above, you should still look into getting a new computer.

Yes, I know change is hard to take, but I think once you get your new computer up and running, you will agree with me on everything I said today. On the other hand, if you answered "no" to almost all of the specifications above, you should be fine with the computer you have. And if your grandchildren still complain, just tell them once they give you enough money for a new PC, you'll go right out and buy one. That should do the trick!

courtesy ~ Erin

What is the difference between CD-R and CD-RW?

2008-12-25T23:24:00.001+08:00

I thought that we had already done a tip on this subject, but after doing some research for it, I couldn't find anything. We have one for DVDs, which is pretty similar, but I thought I would go ahead and answer the CD part of it for you. Good thing you asked!

Both the CD-R and CD-RW CDs look alike, but there are obviously some major differences between them. (They wouldn't have separate names if there wasn't, right?!) We've done several articles on burning lately, so you should be pretty up to par on that, but picking the CDs you are going to use is the next big step. The main difference that comes into play is the quality you will get from each type of CD.

Most people burn CDs to either back up their data or to make a music CD. The CD-R format is a more inexpensive disk with a decent amount of quality. They usually hold between 650 and 700 MB of information. These are good for saving any type of information, but they're better used for school projects, copying games, moving data from one computer to another, etc. If you're not planning on ever erasing the information, you'll want to use a CD-R.

On the other hand, a CD-RW is a rewriteable disk. They are more flexible for the mere fact that you can write and rewrite information on them. You can usually copy over them at least 40 times as well, which is pretty impressive. CD-RWs are good for making music CDs, because if you get tired of that music, you can always copy new songs over the old data. So, if you're planning on erasing the information you put on a CD, use a CD-RW, because you can get a lot more use out of them. This also makes it less expensive in the end, because of the reuse factor.

Whichever format you use, you burn them the same way. As long as you have a CD burner and some type of burning software installed on your computer, you're good to go. As I said earlier, this information is pretty much the same for DVDs, but here's an article you can read on that if you're wanting to burn DVDs instead.

Happy burning!

~ Erin worldstart.com

Monitors: LCD vs. CRT

2008-12-21T16:56:00.000+08:00

There’s a fierce battle raging in the world of computer monitors these days! It’s basically old technology pitched against a constantly evolving new technology and there's no telling who will eventually triumph over the other. It will more than likely be LCD, but for now, let's take a look at the following factors before favoring one over the other. Here we go!

Size Does Matter

There’s something to be said about Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) monitors. To begin, the size is a lot less than what is usually given. For example, if it’s a 32" monitor, it actually means 32" diagonally. However, a 17" CRT monitor will only have a 15.7" viewable diagonal image. This is where LCD monitors score, because they are measured by the actual size of the screen.

Look at the Applications

If you're really into gaming or your job is to create high-end graphic designs and animations, a larger, more advanced CRT screen is still the best bet for you. But, if you're a home user who isn’t so particular about size or application, an LCD screen would do just fine. The image quality on an LCD is excellent, the look is more contemporary and it doesn’t strain your eyes that much either. Now, if your preference is a CRT monitor, don’t buy anything smaller than a 17” monitor. Similarly, if you're going for a 15" LCD monitor, you might as well go for a 17,” because they cost pretty much the same. If your house is spacious enough, you should go for the biggest LCD monitor you can afford.

The Price Stakes

There were days when there was quite a price difference between LCD and CRT monitors. But with much of today's technology streamlined and quality controls in place, it’s increasingly becoming a business with high volumes. And the best part? The prices are going southward as the days fly by. According to the price stakes, a 19" LCD monitor can be purchased for an affordable $200. However, for LCD sizes larger than 21," the price shoots up by 50 to 100 percent. If a 21" LCD can be had for around $250, the larger sizes cost upwards of $400.

Bundled Monitors

If you're going for a branded PC, the monitors (whether LCD or CRT) come with it. However, those monitors may not score high on quality and performance. So, it’s best to choose the right brand that is good at all of these things. The way out of this is to go for an "assembled PC," where you go to a vendor and choose the brand of PC, UPS, DVD ROM, hard drive, monitor and so on. The best way to find the best monitor for yourself is to check out the entire range of monitors and go for one that suits your needs the most.

Don’t Mistake Them for Flat Screens

You can get a flat screen CRT monitor, as well as, an LCD. So, just because the vendor is promising to hand you a cheaper flat screen monitor, don’t think it’s an LCD and jump for the deal. You should always ask the vendor if it's a CRT or an LCD. That's the only way to know for sure.

Happy monitor shopping, my friends!

~ Zahid H. Javali courtesy worldstart

USB Storage device.

2008-12-09T20:04:00.002+08:00

USB storage devices are relatively cheap these days, as such in order to avoid my kids from messing up my PC hard drives, i had instructed that my kids, including those from Primary School to get their own USB storage devices. They are required to a get a RM20.00 USB storage device each using their own Hari Raya Puasa money, immediately after the first day of Raya. I did this, in order to provide a psychological reason, that will make them take a better care of their own USB storage devices and educating them, to spend their money wisely rather than on some silly "mini fireworks" which is a norm for the kids here. They are free to use their own USB storage device for keeping whatever they want, downloads - songs, you-tubes, movies, games and for their school work such as for contents of their folios.

And I have regularly reminded them on how to remove their USB storage device, safely. I found out that somebody had written those reminders so I am sharing it with you.

Proper Removal

Are you one of the many who use a flash drive these days? I mean, really, how can you resist? They are so simple to use and just as convenient as can be. So, tell me, when you go to remove your flash drive from the USB port it's in, how do you do it? Do you just yank it out of there and go on with your day? If you do, that's not really the proper way to do it and if you keep doing it that way, you could end up ruining your flash drive. Well, lucky for you, I have come bearing instructions on how to properly remove a flash drive from your computer.

There are actually a couple different ways you can do this. I suggest that you read through them and choose the one that you feel the most comfortable with. The first one has a few less steps than the second, so we'll start there. When you're ready to take your flash drive out, double click on the My Computer icon on your desktop and find the drive that your flash drive is listed under. (It will usually be listed under a "Removable Disk" letter). Right click on that drive and choose Eject. You can then remove the flash drive with no risks of ruining anything.

The second way is to use your Safely Remove Hardware icon, located in your bottom system tray. Double click on that icon (it's a little green arrow with a little gray disk underneath it). Highlight the choice that says "USB Mass Storage Device" and click on the Stop button. Next, find the entry for your flash drive and click on it so it's highlighted. Click OK. You will then see a little pop up window in the bottom of your screen telling you that it's now safe to remove the hardware. Once you see that, you can remove the flash drive and go on your way. As you can see, both ways are very easy to do, but you need to make sure you do at least one of them, in order to keep your flash drive safe!

~ Erin ( Courtesy steve@worldstart.com )

There is no limit to creativity (courtesy - st.bull my egroup)

Phillips Electronics in collaboration with Swarovski made the 'Active Crystal' collection of USB memory. These are really fancy.

This is platinum USB drive hand set with 350
white diamonds. It even comes with a solid
platinum chain and you can have it for $38,000.

Here are some less expencive.

Heart...

Wrists...

There are memory sticks shaped like food...

ice cream

or drink.

Dogs...

penguins...

teddy bear...

Cute.

Disney caracters...

Human thumb

a video tour of the new Nokia N97.

2008-12-05T17:51:00.000+08:00

New Gadget - USB Negative

2008-11-24T17:10:00.001+08:00

The latest in a slew of analogue to digital converters – think tapes and vinyl to MP3 files, or VHS to DVD – is this nifty negative scanner.

Transform forgotten 35mm negatives or slides into digital photos by loading them into the device and connecting it to your USB port. Now you can edit your images using the scanner's software. The resulting files may come in at 5 megapixels and the whole shebang is compatible with Windows XP and Vista. Let the blasts from the past begin.

Kaspersky on Threats

2008-11-22T12:50:00.000+08:00

New IT Developments: New Internet Threats

Viruses, hacker attacks and other cyber threats are now a part of daily life. Malware spreading throughout the Internet, hackers stealing confidential data and mailboxes flooded with spam are the price we pay for computing convenience. Any unprotected computer or network is vulnerable.

All computers need internet security

Home users can lose valuable personal data with one click to the wrong website. Children trading games also exchange viruses unknowingly. You receive an email requesting an update to your payment details, and a hacker gains access to your bank account. A backdoor is installed on your machine, and your PC becomes a zombie, spewing out spam.

Address the risks

It's not just home users who suffer. For businesses of all sizes, the risks are manifold. Crucial data distorted by viruses, financial data misappropriated by cyber criminals, and mountains of spam reducing ROI on human and technological resources. An effective risk management strategy is essential for business success.

New technologies - new anti-malware solutions

As cyber threats have evolved, so has software to deflect such threats. Sophisticated antispyware and antivirus solutions capable of detecting the most complex new viruses are now available. New personal firewall programs designed to identify the stealthiest hacker attacks can hide your computer on the Internet. And the latest anti-spam products filter out up to 99% of unsolicited mail, protecting computers from malicious code and saving time and resources.

Forewarned is forearmed

In addition to providing a wide range of cutting-edge antivirus solutions, we at Kaspersky Lab believe that information is an essential element of safe computing. The Virus News section of our website (click 'about us' tab, then click 'press center' tab) offers information about all current cyber threats, ranging from basic definitions to thorough analysis and the Kaspersky Virus Encyclopedia, a comprehensive library of virus descriptions.

courtesy : Kaspersky

MS offers peek through Windows 7

2008-10-29T02:30:00.000+08:00

Windows 7 will make it easier to view photos

Microsoft has unveiled the latest version of its Windows operating system.

It promised that it will deliver a better experience for users when it arrives sometime late next year.

Windows 7 follows Vista, which Microsoft claims has been a success, but which has been subject to fierce criticism from a number of users.

The system was demonstrated at the company's Professional Developers Conference in Los Angeles.

Senior vice-president Steven Sinofsky described it as an "exciting new version of Windows" and claimed it would deliver a more personalised experience.

Feedback

When Vista launched in January 2007, many users complained that it ran slowly and failed to work at all with some programs and devices.

Corporate customers have been slow to switch from Windows XP to Vista, although Microsoft said that the operating system had an unfair press, and has enjoyed record sales.

"We got a lot of feedback about Vista," admitted Mr Sinofsky, who runs the Windows business.

He said his team had responded with improvements and had learned some lessons in developing Windows 7.

Data sharing

Among the new features promised in the latest operating system are Windows Touch, which introduces support for multi-touch technology.

This will enable users to zoom in on an image by moving two fingers closer together - a technology first introduced to millions of users by Apple's iPhone.

A new taskbar aims to give more rapid access to files and programs, with each open window appearing as a graphic thumbnail.

There is also a feature called HomeGroup, allowing users easy sharing of data across PCs and other devices in the home.

And there is more support for devices such as cameras, printers, and mobile phones with a product called Device Stage offering a single window to manage tasks for each device.

Microsoft's chief software architect Ray Ozzie defended Vista and indicated that Windows 7 would be evolutionary rather than revolutionary.

"Vista is a great operating system, it's tremendously functional," he told the BBC. "Windows 7 brings it up a level by enabling it to take advantage of certain hardware innovations. PCs have evolved since Vista was launched," he said.

Microsoft also announced that its Office software will now be available as a web application, so that users can create and share documents across multiple devices.

Google already offers users online applications allowing them to create documents, spreadsheets, and presentations online for free.

Microsoft's Office Web will be supplied to customers who purchase the next edition of Office, but Microsoft stressed that it will provide all the same functions online as are available offline.

Computer Hacking

2008-06-11T23:47:00.000+08:00

IBM aims to cool chips with water

2008-06-09T00:17:00.000+08:00

The water cooling technology was built into IBM's 3D chips

Enlarge Image

A network of tiny pipes of water could be used to cool next-generation PC chips, researchers at IBM have said.

Scientists at the firm have shown off a prototype device layered with thousands of "hair-width" cooling arteries.

They believe it could be a solution to the increasing amount of heat pumped out by chips as they become smaller and more densely packed with components. . . more

Factfile: XO laptop

2008-05-29T22:18:00.000+08:00

The One Laptop Per Child project is one step closer to releasing the completed machine to millions of schoolchildren in the developing world. But what makes the computer so unique?

. . . . more

Now Available : Firefox 3 RC 1

2008-05-25T11:35:00.000+08:00

Here's a quick update on what's happening in the world of Firefox 3 these days!

As you may recall, last week, I told you the Mozilla company was planning to release the Firefox 3 Release Candidate 1 in late May 2008. Well, they kept their promise, because it is now available for download! It made its debut on May 16, 2008 and while anyone is welcome to download it, you should keep in mind that it is for testing purposes only. At this stage, Mozilla is just basically looking for feedback and they will release the final version when they feel it's up to par for its users.

Firefox 3 comes along with several new features that will improve its performance, memory usage and speed. Of course, all of that will be tweaked as the process goes along and you shouldn't expect the RC1 to perform at 100 percent. For example, you might run into some trouble when working with your add ons. That's to be expected. But you can help by downloading the Firefox 3 RC1 and giving your feedback. It is available in more than 45 languages and you can download it right here. Simply choose your language, your operating system and then click on the Download link. Happy testing!

~ Erin (courtesy computer tips)

Microsoft walks away from Yahoo

2008-05-05T03:37:00.000+08:00

Page last updated at 16:02 GMT, Sunday, 4 May 2008 17:02 UK

Yahoo's shares are expected to fall when markets open on Monday

Software giant Microsoft has dropped its three-month-old bid to buy internet firm Yahoo because the two sides cannot agree on an acceptable sale price.

Microsoft chief executive Steve Ballmer formally withdrew the offer in a letter to Yahoo chief executive Jerry Yang.

Mr Ballmer said Microsoft had raised its original offer from $44.6bn to $47.5bn (£24.1bn) - $33 per share.

But he added that Yahoo had insisted on at least $53bn, or $37 a share - more than Microsoft was prepared to pay. . . . . read more

Microsoft gives Yahoo three weeks

2008-04-07T06:43:00.000+08:00

Yahoo said Microsoft's original offer undervalued the firm

Computer software giant Microsoft has given Yahoo a three-week deadline to respond to its offer to buy out the internet company for $44.6bn (£22.3bn).

Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer said his company would take its case directly to Yahoo's shareholders if Yahoo's directors did not respond by 26 April.

Google helping with US spy work?

2008-04-02T09:21:00.001+08:00

Tue, 01 Apr 2008 11:03:33

US intelligence agencies have recruited search engine giant Google to help its agents share information about their suspects.

Under the partnership, Google is helping intelligence organizations like the National Security Agency, CIA and FBI to deviate from their current archiving systems by offering them the latest, easy-to-use technologies and supplying the necessary software and hardware.

The three intelligence agencies have reportedly created a secure internal government intranet to share data about their targets that can be accessed by colleagues on a system similar to Wikipedia called Intellipedia.

Agents have clearance to log on to the site, which is closed to public users, and access three levels of data, top secret, secret and sensitive, and sensitive but unclassified.

Google's transactions with the intelligence community have irked bloggers who criticize it for collaborating with spy agencies more closely than simply selling search equipment.

CS/FH/BGH Courtesy Presstv

Nano-controlling chemical brain invented

2008-03-24T19:54:00.000+08:00

Tue, 11 Mar 2008 17:17:02

Scientists have produced a tiny chemical 'brain', able to control nano-machines and boost the processing power of future computers.

The molecular device, which can control eight microscopic machines at one time, has raised new hopes in treating diseases.

The machine is made of 17 chemical duroquinone molecules, each sitting at the centre of a ring formed by the remaining 16.

The chemical duroquinone molecules known as 'logic device' are connected by hydrogen bonds and a scanning tunneling microscope (STM) switches the state of the control molecule at the centre.

The STM system enables the nanotechnologists to change the central molecule's state and switch the states of the surrounding 16 at the same time, BBC reported.

Experts believe the device could be used during remote operations by guiding the nanobots through the body and controlling their functions.

TE/HGH

Asus Already Looking to USB 3.0

2008-01-19T03:29:00.000+08:00

USB 3.0 could take off fast. We believe that the connectors were shown for the first time publicly at this year's CES, and at least one manufacturer is already working the spec into their laptops. Eagle-eyed scouts at The Register spotted two USB 3.0-like ports in the Asus' M50 laptop.

But it's sort of complicated. The transition of USB 2.0 to USB 3.0 will increase the number of wire contacts from 4 to 5. The Register spotted ports that made room for the fifth wire contact but still sported only four, meaning that Asus was framing their system for USB 3.0 even though they weren't technically adopting the spec just yet. Given that USB 3.0 will bring data transfers up to 4.7GB/sec, we're fine with companies pushing this technology onto us.

Linux defenders go after more alleged GPL offenders

2007-11-25T07:26:00.000+08:00

November 20, 2007 11:15 AM PST

Posted by Martin LaMonica

The Software Freedom Law Center (SFLC) said it has filed suit against two companies for allegedly violating the General Public License, which covers usage of Linux and thousands of other free and open-source products.

The suits are the second and third time that the nonprofit foundation has filed suit, signaling a willingness to use the court system to enforce the GPL.

The plaintiffs are two programmers--Erik Andersen and Rob Landley--who wrote BusyBox, software covered by the GPL version 2 often used in conjunction with the Linux operating system in embedded devices.

The suit was filed against Xterasys and High-Gain Antennas; both companies manufacture wireless communications hardware.

The SFLC said it had contacted the two companies to notify them about the alleged violations but were forced to file suit because they received no response.

In October, it settled a similar case with Monsoon Multimedia filed on behalf of the same plaintiffs over use of the BusyBox software.

Under the terms of the GPL version 2, people who make additions to software covered by the GPL have to make the source code of that program available.

"We let companies do what they like with BusyBox on their hardware, and what we asked in return was that they let us reproduce what they've done with BusyBox on our hardware. That's the deal embodied in the GPL," said Rob Landley, in a statement.

2007-11-15T12:18:00.000+08:00

EU will investigate Google deal

Other advertisers are worried Google could dominate the internet
European Union regulators have launched an in-depth investigation into Google's $3.1bn (£1.5bn) takeover of online advertising firm DoubleClick.

The EU Commission said its initial probe had shown the deal would raise competition concerns.

It has set itself a deadline of 2 April 2008 to reach a decision.

Google said it would work with the Commission to show how the acquisition would benefit publishers, advertisers and consumers.

"We seek to avoid further delays that might put us at a disadvantage in competing fully against Microsoft, Yahoo, AOL and others whose acquisitions in the highly competitive online advertising market have already been approved," said Google boss Eric Schmidt.

The European Commission is working closely on the case with the US Federal Trade Commission, which has been reviewing the deal since May.

Both Google and DoubleClick are involved in online advertising, although they have different roles.

DoubleClick helps link up advertising agencies, marketers and web site publishers hoping to put ads online and track them.

Google allows firms to target advertising at people using particular search terms and also stores information about users' internet surfing habits.

Google Big Mobilre Splash -Handicapping winners & losers

2007-11-05T13:37:00.000+08:00

Google is reportedly rolling out its mobile operating system and one thing is clear: It’s going to make a big splash. The question is who will drown in Google’s wake?

The reports about Google’s Android phone software are multiplying at a rapid rate. The New York Times did a big profile of Andy Rubin, the guy behind Google’s mobile plans (you don’t think that access would have been granted if this launch wasn’t happening do you?). Rubin joined Google when the search giant bought his company–Android–in 2005. News.com’s Tom Krazit reports that Google will announce its mobile phone software stack Monday and has some detail on the 30 companies lined up as partners.

But once the details emerge the real handicapping begins. What’s the impact of Google’s mobile moves? Will Google really reshape the wireless industry? Here’s a look at some of the winners and losers and a few companies left on the fence:

Winners:

Google: The search giant has managed to line up a big chunk of the wireless industry, cordoned off some mobile advertising inventory and may have found away to commoditize the wireless operating system. If reports are to believed Google’s operating system won’t appear until the middle of 2008. Couple Google’s Android plan with its OpenSocial movement and the search giant looks like it can rally partners with mutual interests.
Sprint: The wireless carrier is struggling and needs a plan. By aligning with Google–by most counts Sprint will be on the partner roster–Sprint may give itself a much needed spark. This effect may be magnified if Verizon Wireless isn’t on board with Google. AT&T isn’t expected to get cozy with Google yet.
Developers: Google’s mobile software stack is giving developers some open field to play with. I’ll be one of the many who will be curious to see what they do with it. At the very least, Google is giving developers another software development stack to tweak. This is part of Google’s new openness–moving away from proprietary software where it makes sense, meaning accelerating the growth of the Web overall, breaking down the old order and creating more inventory to monetize.
Open source: Google’s Android is expected to integrate parts of Linux. This is a mobile victory for the open source movement in what remains a proprietary wireless world. The leading mobile software players are all proprietary.
Handset makers: Google’s mobile software stack sounds like it’ll come cheap–like free. This fact enables handset makers to push the envelope on the hardware side of the equation. Add it up and you may get cheaper phones with more features and maybe even a cut of ad revenue.

Yet to be determined:

Apple: A few folks have taken Google’s leap to surmise that Apple will be hurt somehow. There may be some potential impact, but there’s a cure for this line of thinking. Repeat after me: Apple sells hardware. Apple sells hardware. Apple sells hardware. Think about it. Apple’s game is selling Macs, iPods and iPhones. Sure software helps, but Apple lives and dies by hardware sales. With that perspective, Google’s mobile operating system doesn’t look like that big of a threat. Apple wasn’t planning for OS X to dominate the mobile world anyway. And if Google gets too much mojo Apple could just sell you iPhones with Google preloaded. After all, Google CEO Eric Schmidt is on Apple’s board of directors.
Microsoft: The open source supporters and technology’s talking heads will try to lead you to believe that Windows Mobile is toast. Don’t hold your breath. Windows Mobile is entrenched, has a big footprint in the corporate world and is a key partner to wireless carriers and developers. Whatever Google cooks up isn’t likely to change that equation overnight. Just like Windows vs. Linux it’s not a zero sum game.
Consumers: Mobile phone users will apparently get better software out of this Google move. But if the trade off is more ads on your phone it may be a wash for some.

Losers:

Palm: Man it gets tiring kicking Palm, but it’s clear this former high flier has major problems. Wasn’t Palm trying to cook up its own Linux based operating system? Yup. It’s late to the party and looks like Google will get any momentum that may come its way. The Palm OS is rapidly becoming a footnote to the history of the wireless market.
Wireless carriers’ current business model: Wireless carriers have a model that is extremely controlling. These companies tell you what handsets you can buy, what you download and impose limitations. Google’s software could pry the standard wireless model open. What carriers wind up in the loser category vs. yet to be determined remains to be seen. AT&T and Verizon Wireless are entrenched and aren’t going to be immediately impacted. Sprint will be a winner. In the grand scheme of things, Google is nibbling away at the standard wireless business model.

Details Revealed :Google OpenSosial To Launch Thursday

2007-11-04T23:25:00.000+08:00

Michael Arrington

Details emerged today on Google’s broad social networking ambitions, first reported here in late September, with a follow up earlier this week. The new project, called OpenSocial (URL will go live on Thursday), goes well beyond what we’ve previously reported. It is a set of common APIs that application developers can use to create applications that work on any social networks (called “hosts”) that choose to participate.

What they haven’t done is launch yet another social network platform. As more and more of these platforms launch, developers have difficult choices to make. There are costs associated with writing and maintaining applications for these social networks. Most developers will choose one or two platforms and ignore the rest, based on a simple cost/benefit analysis.

Google wants to create an easy way for developers to create an application that works on all social networks. And if they pull it off, they’ll be in the center, controlling the network.

What They’re Launching

OpenSocial is a set of three common APIs, defined by Google with input from partners, that allow developers to access core functions and information at social networks:

Profile Information (user data)
Friends Information (social graph)
Activities (things that happen, News Feed type stuff)

Hosts agree to accept the API calls and return appropriate data. Google won’t try to provide universal API coverage for special use cases, instead focusing on the most common uses. Specialized functions/data can be accessed from the hosts directly via their own APIs.

Unlike Facebook, OpenSocial does not have its own markup language (Facebook requires use of FBML for security reasons, but it also makes code unusable outside of Facebook). Instead, developers use normal javascript and html (and can embed Flash elements). The benefit of the Google approach is that developers can use much of their existing front end code and simply tailor it slightly for OpenSocial, so creating applications is even easier than on Facebook.

Applications can have full functionality on profile and/or canvas pages, subject to the specific rules of each host. Facebook, by contrast, limits most functionality to the canvas page, allowing a widget on the profile page with limited features.

OpenSocial is silent when it comes to specific rules and policies of the hosts, like whether or not advertising is accepted or whether any developer can get in without applying first (the Facebook approach). Hosts set and enforce their own policies. The APIs are created with maximum flexibility.

Launch Partners

Partners are in two categories: hosts and developers. Hosts are the participating social networks, and include Orkut, Salesforce, LinkedIn, Ning, Hi5, Plaxo, Friendster, Viadeo and Oracle.

Developers include Flixster, iLike, RockYou and Slide.

What This Means

The timing of OpenSocial couldn’t be better. Developers have been complaining non stop about the costs of learning yet another markup launguage for every new social network platform, and taking developer time in creating and maintaining the code. Someone had to build a system to streamline this (as we said in the last few sentences in this post). And Facebook-fear has clearly driven good partners to side with Google. Developers will immediately start building on these APIs to get distribution across the impressive list of hosts above.

And they’ll do it soon, too. It’s clear that the developers who arrived early to the Facebook Platform party won easy customers. Those that came later had to fight much harder. Developers found their new gold strike, and they will soon all be there, mining away.

Open Source in the Community and Voluntary Sector

2007-10-30T01:18:00.000+08:00

Hitachi exits personal computers

2007-10-24T18:42:00.001+08:00

is pulling out of the sale of personal computers, saying it

Hitachi had been Japan's eighth-largest PC maker

Hitachi
wants to focus on larger network systems for businesses instead.

Analysts said the move showed Hitachi had been struggling to compete in a PC market dominated by US firms Dell and Hewlett-Packard and China's Lenovo.

Hitachi said it was now scaling back PC production at its central Japan plant.

The electronics group had been Japan's eighth-largest PC maker, with its main PC brand being Prius.

"We want to develop new computers for use in the broadcasting industry, which is becoming more digitised," said a spokesman.

Microsoft unveils unified communication

2007-10-21T04:00:00.000+08:00

Thu, 18 Oct 2007 10:52:04

Microsoft, world's largest maker of PC software, has announced new software linking phones and video to the Office application suite.

The Microsoft Office Communications Server 2007 (OCS) software runs on large server systems and allows people using Microsoft's Office software to manage voice calling from their personal computers and in combination with email, instant messaging and other communications.

The software can allow a user with a headset to make a phone call from a PC, by clicking on a name in a contact list. But it includes far more advanced features, such as being able to add people to a conference call by using a mouse to drag and drop their names across the computer screen.

In addition to the core server software, Microsoft is introducing a companion desktop product, Office Communicator, and a new version of its Live Meeting videoconferencing software. It is also making available its RoundTable videoconferencing device with a 360-degree camera and recording abilities.

Microsoft predicted within five years most offices will rely on the software.

MHE/PA

Google Inc. to launch 'Gphone'

2007-10-21T03:58:00.000+08:00

Mon, 15 Oct 2007 17:18:42

The world's top search engine Google has developed a series of 'Gphones', offering mobile services, such as search, e-mail, and maps.

Wall Street analysts say the mobile phone 'to be launched as early as February 2008', will help company shares break the $700 mark.

"The mobile world has much greater reach than the wired Internet. Google sees this as the future," says Avi Greengart, a principal analyst with research firm Current Analysis.

In the short run, Gphone also threatens to dethrone the Apple iPhone as the wireless industry's newest star.

Google and Apple have worked closely in the past, but Gphone could test this cozy relationship and force Apple to make the iPhone a more open device than it is today.

The Web giant has made no secret that it believes mobile phones should be free to consumers, where revenues are generated through advertising and no single carrier has a lock on users.

Lehman analyst Doug Anmuth says the Google phone will be a "low-priced, simple form factor handset with an operating system specifically designed for Internet applications."

SBB/HGH

Yahoo Inc. upgrades search engine

2007-10-21T03:56:00.000+08:00

Wed, 03 Oct 2007 20:47:40

The Sunnyvale-based Company Yahoo Inc. has upgraded and retooled its online search engine in a bid to make it more helpful and powerful.

According to AP, Yahoo's new search engine provides a list of related concepts as a user types into the query box. Moreover, the engine offers more links to photos, videos and music on the main results page.

The search engine also highlights local events in relevance to the request by gathering information from Yahoo's calendar service and Upcoming.org.

The similarity of the new features with Google's recently introduced improvements has made many assume Yahoo is simply trying to catch up instead of taking the next technological leap.

Between June 2000 and May 2004, Yahoo relied on Google to power its search engine. This transformed the once-smaller rival into a juggernaut that now fields more than half of the search requests on the Web.

LINUX ADS

2007-10-21T02:58:00.000+08:00

Linux advertisement from IBM, released in September 2003.
"The Future is Open"

Web search giant Google saw its profits leap 46%

2007-10-19T10:55:00.000+08:00

Google profits beat expectations

Google has seen its shares surge above $600

Web search giant Google saw its profits leap 46% in the third quarter, beating expectations as it gains market share.

The firm saw profits for the three months to the end of September hit $1.07bn (£523.4m) up from 733.4m for the same period a year earlier.

The latest rise comes after Google saw profits for the second quarter miss forecasts - which has only occurred twice in just over three years.

Google shares recently breached the $600 mark, rising $100 over four weeks.

The firm's shares ended at $639.62 on Thursday, but in after-hours trading the stock reached $642.20 - marking a rise of just over $6 or 1%.

The company's revenue reached $3.01bn for the quarter, after commissions for advertising partners.

Derek Brown, an analyst with Cantor Fitzgerald said: "It seemed like yet another strong quarter for the company, with very healthy revenue growth and strong profitability on top of that."

"We are very pleased with the impressive growth we experienced across our business," said chief executive Eric Schmidt.

"Our core search advertising business experienced continued momentum driven by growth in monetization and traffic," he said.

Next gen. computers to mind read

2007-10-14T19:40:00.000+08:00

Wed, 03 Oct 2007 22:15:34

Scientists say the next generation of computers will be ones that can read the mind and analyze its emotional and physical health.

Researchers with the Human Computer Interaction group at Tufts have recently come up with a computer which can tell whether the user is overworked, under-worked or not working at all.

The mind reading uses the technology called functional near-infrared spectroscopy (FNIRS) to measure the volume and oxygen level of the blood in and around the subject's brain.

According to a paper sent for Association of Computing Machinery symposium, the user wears a futuristic headband which sends light of the near-infrared spectrum into the head where it is absorbed by active, blood-filled tissues.

The headband then measures how much light was not absorbed, letting the computer gauge the metabolic demands that the brain is making.

Using the new technology, the particular area of the brain where the blood-flow change occurs, can be read. It will provide indications of the brain's metabolic changes by extension workload, which could be a trigger for emotions like frustration.

'Microsoft must obey legal duties'

2007-09-18T08:13:00.000+08:00

Mon, 17 Sep 2007 17:57:25
Sources: Agencies

Microsoft urged to cut market share.

The EU competition commissioner has warned Microsoft to comply with its legal duties to desist from engaging in anti-competitive ways.

Neelie Kroes, who took on the case from former Commissioner Mario Monti, said that she expects Microsoft to cut its dominant market share to comply with a 2004 European Commission anti-trust ruling.

The warning came hours after the European Court of First Instance, Europe's second-highest court, upheld most of the European Commission's ruling against Microsoft, including a record fine of 497 million Euros, ($690 million).

The Luxembourg-based court confirmed that Microsoft had used its massive share in operating systems in personal computers to crush rivals in other linked markets.

"The court has upheld a landmark commission decision to give consumers more choice in software markets. The decision sets an important precedent in terms of the obligations of dominant companies to allow competition, in particular, high tech industries," Kroes said.

She noted the court ruling shows that the commission was right in taking its decision.

Kroes vowed to make certain that the US software giant would respect the Commission's decision, saying "The commission will do its utmost to ensure that Microsoft complies swiftly.''

Google Sky launched

2007-09-03T12:38:00.000+08:00

Thu, 30 Aug 2007 07:50:08
Source: Agencies

Google Sky allows internet users to view galaxies.

Google has launched 'Google Sky' enabling amateur star-gazers to view imagery sent by the Hubble Space Telescope from their PCs.

Packed with 100 million individual stars and 200 million galaxies, the new feature was a serious undertaking. The Google Earth Sky feature contains seven informative layers, including constellations, backyard astronomy showing objects within easy optical reach, Hubble imagery, the moon, planets, galaxies, and even "Life of a Star" tour.

Sky is not the first time Google has ventured into space. In March 2006, the company launched Google Mars which allows users to explore the surface of the Red Planet.

Another service, Google Moon, lets users view the sites of the Apollo moon landings. Both services use data from the US Space Agency NASA, with which Google signed an agreement in December 200

Apple shows off new iMac

2007-08-08T18:28:00.000+08:00

Democrat's You Tube Debate

2007-07-25T10:27:00.000+08:00

Opera 9.22 Released

2007-07-24T14:47:00.000+08:00

Well, last week, I told you about an upgrade for Firefox and today, I've got good news for all you Opera users out there! That's right, Opera version 9.22 was just recently released and it is now available to download for anyone who is interested. As with any upgrade, there have been several changes made since the 9.21 version. Let's check out some of those right now, shall we?!

First of all, this new version is a recommended security upgrade, so if you use Opera as your main Web browser, you'll definitely want to download this as soon as possible. In terms of security, various items have been fixed, including issues with torrent transfers, data URLs, domain names and so on.

Along with all of those, there have been changes made to the user interface with the toolbars, fonts, tabs and the different info panels. Fixes for scripting, stability and performance problems have also been created. There have also been some updates made for those of you who use Windows Vista. For a complete list of all the changes made in Opera 9.22, check out this Web site. Then once you're ready to download the new version, you can do so right from here. Just choose your language, location and then click the big green Download Opera button. Then get ready to enjoy your new Opera, my friends!

~ Erin

Apple CEO, Steve Jobs shows off SAFARI for PC

2007-06-14T06:16:00.000+08:00

MicroSoft Unveil their Unified Communications Strategy

2007-05-15T01:01:00.000+08:00

Microsoft unveils hardware for Web phone push

Mon May 14, 2007 5:09AM BST

SEATTLE (Reuters) - Microsoft Corp. introduced on Sunday phones, headsets and other devices to work with its software that aim to replace the traditional office phone and deliver e-mails, instant messages and phone calls over the Internet.

Microsoft, the world's largest software company, said it worked with nine technology manufacturers including Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. and NEC Corp. to develop hardware to work with its unified communications strategy.

Instead of one system for phones and another for e-mails and instant messaging, Microsoft wants all communications to run over Internet networks on its Office Communicator program.

Microsoft forecasts that the shift to Web-based phone systems will gain momentum during the next three years, eventually generating billions of dollars in new revenue for the company.

The new hardware products will be unveiled at this week's Microsoft Windows Hardware Engineering Conference in Los Angeles.

The new products include an Internet Protocol phone from NEC that connects to a computer's Universal Serial Bus and a Bluetooth headset that connects via wireless technology to the Office program made by LG-Nortel, a joint venture of LG Electronics Inc. and Nortel Networks.

Other hardware manufacturers working with Microsoft are ASUS, Plantronics Inc., Polycom Inc., Tatung Co. Ltd. and Vitelix.

U.S. Search Engine Rankings, February 2007

2007-05-13T03:11:00.000+08:00

By Enid Burns | March 23, 2007

U.S. Internet users conducted 6.9 billion searches in February, according to data from comScore Networks' QSearch.

The 6.9 billion searches conducted in February account for a 1 percent increase over January 2007 and a 19 percent increase over February 2006. Web surfers used Google for 3.3 billion search queries. Yahoo served 2 billion, MSN garnered 730 million, Ask.com served 348 million, and Time Warner sites, including AOL, served 338 million searches in February.

QSearch data are based on an opt-in global panel of over 2 million consumers. The panel is observed for browsing and transactional behavior and participates in survey research to capture attitudes.

U.S. Online Searches by Engine, January 2007 and February 2007 (%)
	January 2007 (B)	February 2007 (B)	Change
Total Internet population	100	100	N/A
Google	47.5	48.1	0.6
Yahoo	28.1	28.1	0.0
Microsoft	10.6	10.5	-0.1
Ask.com	5.2	5.0	-0.2
Time Warner	5.0	4.9	-0.1
Source: comScore Networks, 2007

2007-01-11T04:05:00.000+08:00

Hardware Is "Storage and Transmission"

The more memory and disk storage a computer has, the more work it can do. The faster the memory and disks transfer data and instructions to the CPU, the faster the work gets done. A hardware requirement is based on the size of the databases that will be created and the number of users or applications that will be served at the same time. How much? How fast?

Hardware

Software Is "Logic and Language"

Software deals with the details of an ever-changing business and must process transactions in a logical fashion. Languages are used to program the software. The "logic an language" involved in analysis and programming is generally far more complicated than specifying a storage and transmission requirement.

answer.com