Saturday, January 31, 2009

How to Clean Your Laptop Computer

Do you know how to clean your laptop computer? If you're purchased a good laptop, it only makes sense to keep it clean and dust-free.

Not cleaning your laptop can lead to a lot of problems. Dust can build up in your laptop cooling vents and cause your system to overheat. Dirt may also get trapped on your screen or keyboard and cause problems.

In this article, we will learn how to keep your laptop spick and span in a few a simple steps.

1. Read the User Manual
Before you start cleaning your laptop, I'd recommend that you take a look at any special instructions in the laptop user manual. Manuals will usually highlight to you any special precautions you need to take, e.g. not to use any harsh cleaning agents or rough material on any part of the laptop. Once you understand the special precautions to take, you can get started on the cleaning process.

2. Equipment Needed
You'll usually need the following to clean your laptop computer:

  • Compressed air
  • Some cotton swabs
  • Cleaning solution
  • A soft cleaning cloth (e.g. cotton t-shirt)

You can also find some good laptop cleaning kits available in the market, such as the one below.

3. Cleaning the Exterior
The first step is to clean the exterior of your laptop. What you do here is to use a soft damp cloth to clean the casing of the laptop. Never, ever use an abrasive cleaning cloth or use harsh cleaning products. If you do that, any glossy finish on your new laptop will get eroded very, very quickly (ouch).

4. Cleaning the Display
To me, one of the most irritating areas where dust and grime accumulate is the laptop screen. This is because the screen is where you view the output of your work, your movies, etc. So any dust on the screen is very noticeable.

When cleaning the display, first you need to turn off the laptop. Again, don ever use abrasive cloth or paper towels to clean your display. You will scratch it and leave more than dust and grime on the screen.

You can try to use monitor cleaning solutions which come in spray form. Spray some on a cloth first, then wipe the screen conscientiously from left to right, and top to bottom.

5. Cleaning the Keyboard
I also get very frustrated when dirt gets into my laptop keyboard. One key thing to remember is to keep food and drinks away from your laptop! Even if you don't spill something directly on the laptop keyboard, you just might dirty the laptop with the food and grime on your fingers. Try to get some cotton swabs to clean in and around keys.

6. Cleaning the Cooling Vents
The cooling vents on a laptop tend to trap a lot of dust and grime. What you can do is to use a can of compressed air to spray and clean those cooling vents. One thing to be careful is to avoid spraying so much that you get liquid on the fan blades.

Conclusion
Make sure you regularly set aside time to clean your laptop. Laptops which have not been cleaned in a long time are not only more unattractive, they are also potentially more prone to problems. Take care of your laptop and it will serve you faithfully for many years to come.

Friday, January 30, 2009

Dedicated Hosting For E-Commerce Website

To have a success in any online business or E-commerce, you will need a reputable reliability to ensure you service to your clients. To have reliability, you need a good web hosting in place. However, there is another question to think of, you need to find a suitable type of server to host your website so that it works perfectly fine. For an e-commerce website, the best kind of server to go for is dedicated server hosting.

A dedicated hosting is the kind of hosting that only has one website or customer in one server. This means that the server only serves one website. Unlike some account that uses shared hosting which host multiple website, dedicated only serves one. With that being said, websites using dedicated server will have better security and reliability.

There is a lot of advantage with dedicated server. Firstly, the security is very good. There are no other websites in your server, so your website will not be affected by the errors from other websites. Another added feature with the dedicated server is the huge storage space. You have control over the whole server. So you can have more graphics, pictures and so on in your website. Then, there is the advantage of the data transfer speed. This is possible because you will have more bandwidth. You don't have to share or compete for bandwidth with other website like in the shared hosting.

Having a dedicated server also gives you more functionality with your control panel because you can monitor your website on a day to day basis. Having the entire server also lets you choose whatever software that you feel is more suitable for your website. There is no restriction.

However, there is always a thin line between good and bad. There is one disadvantage with dedicated server. This disadvantage is the price you have to pay for a dedicated server. Having a shared server will definitely be cheaper but if you are into a business, service and reliability is valued more than anything. That is why dedicated server is more suitable for any serious business website. As an example, if any business transaction done in your website goes wrong, you will have trouble. However, we are not telling you to jump into a dedicated server when you are just a beginner in the field. Dedicated server should be under your consideration when your business gets bigger and you need more quality in your service. If you feel that this is what you need, then dedicated server may just be the right hosting plan for you.

Justin Knights.

Thursday, January 29, 2009

A Safety and Care Guide for Notebook or Laptop Computers

Notebook computers - also known as laptop computers - have become an important part of our lives. They are more affordable than ever and as popular as cell phones. A laptop computer has a versatility that the home PC does not provide. With its smaller size it is portable and easier to carry along. This makes it convenient to use in many situations. You can take it to work and back home as well as take it on more extensive travel.

Laptop computers are not just for older working people anymore. Because of its ease of use, more young people are using them for school and college. They can access the Internet almost anywhere and provide updates for work, research, and even games.

Taking Care of Your Laptop or Notebook Computer

It is important to take care of your laptop computer and protect it from accidents. They are designed for heavy use but common sense will tell you that you need to be prudent in your treatment. One of the first recommendations is to buy a case designed for a notebook computer. These are made with padding to protect your laptop computer from wear and tear and protection in case you drop it. It is not good to carry your notebook computer unprotected or in a purse or backpack. You can easily find a case by shopping online where you will find 1000s of products to choose from. Another important tip for laptop computer care is to keep food and drinks away from it. Even a small amount of liquid is enough to ruin the delicate components in the laptop computer. It means almost certain replacement, and most warranties will not cover it. It is not worth the risk to lose all your data.

Protect Your Notebook Computer

When using your laptop computer you should always use a surge protector. An electrical surge may not hurt it one time, but continued surges could destroy it. If you are using a cable or dial-up modem during a storm, be sure to unplug it. Lightening can travel through phone lines and ruin the laptop computer. You should not leave your notebook computer in a cold environment. This can cause condensation when you return it to a warm area and could cause the circuitry to short it out. If it has been in the cold, let it warm up before turning it on. When traveling with your laptop computer, be sure to charge all your batteries before you leave. You might not know when you will be able to charge them again. On a long trip, take extra batteries to avoid this problem.

By shopping online, you can find the supplies you need as well as other products such as iPods, jewelry, games, toys, sporting goods, pet supplies and cell phones - even free gifts. Do not leave your notebook computer unattended and do not check it as baggage when flying. Keep it in your hands at all times to avoid the possibility of theft. Don't try to disassemble or repair your laptop computer; this is a job for professionals. You may inadvertently cause more damage by your lack of knowledge.

Shopping Online

When you are ready to buy a laptop computer, cell phone, iPod, or other electronics, shopping online will provide everything you need.

Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Dedicated Hosting For an Online Shopping Website

For any online business to achieve success, there are many small parts in many different aspect that need to be tune to be in harmony. Especially for a website that is related t e-commerce. A website that is related to online transaction needs all the reliability it can get. Therefore, most of the e-commerce websites around are hosted by a dedicated web hosting system. The cost may be high but business owners are willing to pay rather than taking the risk.

A dedicated server is a server that hosts only one website. There are no other websites in the server. Therefore, all the resources are used by one single website in that dedicated server. A dedicated server will give you the best security compared to other forms of web hosting. So, there will be no risk of being affected by other websites like it happens in a shared web hosting situation. There will be no spam, bugs or virus which comes from another website.

Having the whole server, there will be more storage space, bandwidth and resource that can be used by that one particular website. This means better response and increase in speed and uptime giving visitors or clients a better experience in transactions or other activities that take place in your website.

With a dedicated server, you will also have more control over your website. You can choose the type of control panel you desire and also choose the functionality that suits your operation.

However, not everything is perfect with the dedicated server. It does have some minor disadvantages. Firstly, the price is much higher and you will need more time and requirement to monitor your website. If you were to hire technical personnel, it will add up your cost in your website expenditure. However, if you are well educated with the technical issues of web hosting, you could still do it yourself. Therefore, hiring another person will require a labor cost which you will need to bear.

So, should you go for dedicated server? If you are serious about your business and have the money to invest in a website, go for a dedicated hosting because it will definitely provide you the kind of service or resources you need. If you are planning on a small or medium scale business, maybe a shared hosting would do just fine for you. If your business expands, you could switch to a dedicated hosting at a later time.

Justin Knights

Tuesday, January 27, 2009

How to Fix and Prevent Sudden Thermal Shutdowns of Laptop Computers

The sudden shutdown of a laptop computer while it is in operation has three common causes among others.

  1. The power-supply transformer or adaptor is going bad, causing the power supply itself to shutdown
  2. A cooling fan has quit working, causing the laptop to thermally shutdown
  3. Lint has collected on the cooling fan guards or in the cooling ducts, causing the laptop to thermally shutdown from lack of adequate air flow

The first two causes and fixes.

The first cause does not happen often. But, to check it or to fix it quickly, a spare power adaptor will do both. The spare will also eliminate this possibly if these shutdowns keep occurring while it is connected. That leaves the two other causes.

The second cause has a greater potential of happening, but not very often. One can lift the front side of the laptop to see if the cooling fan (usually on the bottom side if the laptop) is rotating all right. Many laptops have two fans. If these fans are rotating all right, that leaves only one other common cause. If not, then the nonfunctional fan(s) must be replaced. This replacement can be self-done, but it requires disassembly of the computer. This disassembly is not easy because a laptop has several ports and accessories tightly fitted into its chassis. A repair shop can do it much easier.

The third and most common cause and fix.

The third cause (lint) is the most likely reason why the laptop shutdown. For one thing, the bottom-side cooling fans are close to the surface on which the laptop sits. There, the fans can suck up surface dust easily. This dust collects on the fan guards as lint, which prevents adequate air flow through the cooling air ducts. This lint also collects in the ducts themselves, but in much smaller amounts.

To describe these ducts further, they pass over the metal heat-transfer sinks surrounding the processor, which, in turn, allow the air flow to keep the processor at a safe preset temperature. If that temperature is exceeded, the laptop shuts down quickly to protect the processor. These air ducts usually vent from the back or one side of the chassis.

More-than-likely, however, the easiest and best two-step recommended way to fix this problem most of the time is simply to remove any lint collected on the fan guards. And then, starting from the fan locations, blow out the fan boxes and its connecting cooling ducts with a small canister of compressed air. This cleaning method is not new, but it works well here because only small amounts of lint in the ducts will cause this problem. The compressed air can be purchased at camera, computer, or electronics shops. This problem can be further prevented by blowing out the fans and air ducts periodically.


Monday, January 26, 2009

Dedicated Hosting - Is It Time For You To Get Your Own Server?

Many individuals and small businesses begin with shared hosting. When a website only consists of a few sales pages and does not expect more than a few hundred visitors a month, then that can be an economical and sensible decision. However, when people and companies really establish themselves as a successful web business, they may outgrow the limitations of sharing a host with other businesses. Then it is time to consider a dedicated host, meaning that the server computer is step up and established for just that business.
For instance, did you know that you can share your server with hundreds of other websites. You have no control over these other websites, and yet your own website performance, and even credibility, can depend upon them. It is not that hard for savvy web surfers to find out where your site is hosted, and what other websites you share space with.

You may have a website that sells religious books and find that you are sharing a web server with websites that advertise adult material! Even though you understand that your own company has nothing to do with this, and you may have been totally unaware of this, it is a little like putting a church supply store next door to a bar a lingerie shop. You can be judged by your neighbors.

Beyond sharing a web host with unsavory websites, you may also share with other sites that experience sudden bursts of traffic, or even attacks, that affect the performance of your server. You site may slow down, or even go down, and you will lose business. Web surfers are an impatient lot, and when they have to wait more than a few seconds for their page to load, they will be sure to hit the back button.

The last point to consider is control. If you share a server, the hosting company is certain to apply very restrictive security to keep all of the account holders out of other people's accounts. However, if you plan on building one massive site, or maintaining a few dozen of your own sites, you will not have this problem and the restrictions will just prevent you from being able to use some software.

You may not have looked into a dedicated server before because you thought it was too expensive or complicated. However, you can find companies that will set up and manage your server as part of the package, making the whole deal as simple as shared hosting! You can also find packages that start under $100 a month. If you are serious about your online business, it may be time to consider dedicated hosting!

Sunday, January 25, 2009

Laptop Computer Parts

Laptops or notebooks are the way of life in today's modern world. No jets setting executive can do without them, such is their importance. They usually weigh from one to three kilograms, based on their size.

Laptops usually run on a single battery. Some run on an external AC/DC. This could also charge the battery, while supplying energy to the laptop itself. Laptops are capable of doing the same tasks as a desktop PC, though at times they may be a little less powerful. They contain all the components that are present in a conventional PC in a miniaturized size. These components are optimized for mobile use and low energy consumption. Laptops usually have liquid crystal displays. They come with different memory modules for their RAM.
Apart from a keyboard, laptops come with a touchpad or a pointing stick, which is used for input functions. Alternately, in many of the laptops, one can attach an external keyboard of mouse, if the need arises.

Laptops are typically divided into three categories, ultra portables, thin, light and medium-sized. These categories depend on the size of the laptops, as the name suggest. The entire size of a laptop is usually dependent on the screen size, which could vary from one brand to another.


Powerful laptops, otherwise known as desktop replacement computers, are also available. They are usually used in a fixed location and are not that portable because of size and weight. The monitors usually measure 15 inches or more. These desktop replacements have limited battery life due to their hardware.

The early days saw the use of heavy lead-acid batteries in laptops that have been replaced with lighter and more efficient nickel metal hydride and lithium batteries in the present generation laptops. The processors have also become more powerful. Laptops usually come with all kinds of drives like a floppy drive and a separate drive for CDs.

Saturday, January 24, 2009

A to Z About Dedicated Web Hosting

There are many types of hosting in the market today. Do you know what is a dedicated hosting? A dedicated hosting is hosted in a dedicated server where there is only a single website in that entire server. This means that the entire server is occupied by a single account.

The benefit of a website which is hosted in a dedicated server is better security, flexibility comparing to other types of hosting. The owner of the website will get full control over the bandwidth, operating system, specifications, hardware, applications and so on.

With that in mind, we can expect that a dedicated hosting will cost much more if compared to shared hosting because of its superiority in features. As an average, a dedicated hosting will cost more than $100 per month compared to shared hosting that only cost below$10 per month
To have your website hosted in a dedicated server, you don't have to be an expert as a webmaster.

You just have to make sure that you sign up with a provider that has excellent maintenance service. Dedicated hosting is most suitable for an e-commerce website. This is because dedicated hosting provides great security that enables your online transaction to go through without much worry. It also gives you more assurance to know that your database that contains your clients information as safe.

Even though dedicated hosting is more costly, there are business owners out there that invest in it because the superb service and features are put to good use. This can help their business to grow and give them a high return or profit in their respective business. Therefore, there are many good reasons on why we should go for a dedicated hosting.


Justin Knights

Friday, January 23, 2009

Laptop Computers - What Makes Them Better Than Desktop Computers?

Almost all of us would prefer using laptop computers rather than regular desktop computers. Why? Simple, because of the mobility it offers. There are actually more advantages that anyone can think of. Every user has a different experience with laptop computers and one can simply add an advantage while using it. But all of us share the same story that we are blessed with the invention of such machines.

Laptop computers offer mobility. Designed to work on batteries and direct electricity from wall outlets these are truly advantageous for someone who is always on the go. Who would want to bring a desktop on a plane? Without laptops monitoring businesses miles away would be difficult. This feature of a laptop gives us the freedom and ability to use computers anywhere. Be it in a restaurant, in a car or places we feel comfortable, we can use laptops as long as we do not disturb others and go beyond rules.

Unlike desktop computers, laptop computers are compact and may contain features that an ordinary computer set may not have. Built-in camera, speakers, Bluetooth, WiFi device, and infrared are among the features you would not normally see on desktop computers. All these features when added to a desktop computer require individual purchases and manually installation for both hardware and software.

What makes it more exciting is the processing power that laptop computers offer. Do you think laptops can give you the computing power you see while using desktop computer, considering the size and weight of a laptop? I tell! You will definitely get the same computing power. Though built in smaller sizes, architecture and components in laptops are similar to what desktop computers are made of. If Intel Core Duo can be used to run desktop computers, then it can also be used to run laptop computers. Size does actually matter, but this does not affect the performance it provides.

There may be differences with some features such as the display, but both offer good qualities. Laptop computers also save a lot of energy. Display for a laptop does not require that much electricity compared to CRT or LCD monitors for desktops. Since it's designed to work with batteries, one can still have the convenience of working even without the presence of electricity coming from the wall outlet.

Newest addition to the family of mobile computing is the ultra portable laptop or tablet. These super small and powerful computers have emerged to revolutionize computing. Providing extra convenience in mobility because of its size, this type of laptop is ideal for individuals who are also on the go. Aside from its tiny feature this comes into affordable prices that anyone can afford. Teachers wanting to use a different medium in teaching can use these devices. Buying these ultra portable laptops does not hurt someone's budget.

Thursday, January 22, 2009

Free Hosting, Shared Hosting and Dedicated Hosting - Which One is the Best For You?

You think about creating your web site in order to share on the Web your passions, to make known your company... That is relatively simple but it is still necessary not to skip the crucial step of hosting. To be indeed consulted by the public, your web site must be stored ("hosted") on a specific computer ("server") connected permanently to Internet network. For that, several solutions are offered to you:

Free hosting:

The service is more widespread in the personal pages because it is free and require no particular skills. The services are generally very comparable: a hosting in sub-domain like www.provider.com/you with tools of assistance to creation, a generous disk space to store your files, an email address, statistics and features to be integrated like forums, chats and surveys. The majority also enable you to integrate audio and video files. The exemption from payment of this service is however not without counterparts: the publicity which appears with Pop-up or an incompressible space reserved for the web hosting provider, very limited technical features, the slowness and frequent unavailability of the servers.

Not free hosting:

Although the free solution can appear tempting, it will quickly become a brake with the expansion of your web site. It is thus advisable to define the vocation of the web site as a preliminary, your requirements in term for capacity for space, traffic, of the computer programming languages which you wish to develop,... According to that, it will be perhaps more judicious to annually invest a few tens of dollars in a professional hosting of quality. You would profit in addition from a customer support quite present, wide features (choice of the types of databases, operating system of the server, languages scripts), options of safeguard and generally of a hosting which can be evolutionary.

The Shared Hosting, which is intended for small sites, remains a solution with low costs accessible to all without any hardware or software concern. It is acted in fact of a disk space which you rent on one of the machines of the web hosting provider. The only constraints come from the division even of the resources (power of the machine and band-width) between several customers which can cause decelerations.

But on a certain level of traffic, the important customers are generally directed towards a solution of Dedicated Hosting. In this case, you rent a complete server and thus profit from a total freedom to develop the wished technologies, to install software while benefiting from the infrastructure of the hosting provider. Many advantages but also of heavy responsibilities since all the administration network is under your responsibility. This solution will therefore be considered at a later stage, when the system will no longer have any secrets for you.

If the providers are numerous, the good choice of hosting depends entirely on you according to the type of web site which you wish to put online, of your competences too. It is thus important to define your needs well and to study all the offers attentively. And before signing your contract of hosting, read very carefully all the terms of your engagement!

J. Stark

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

LoJack Serves and Protects Your Laptop Computer

An unlocked office, a head turned at a busy airport, a smashed trunk and a computer is gone. According to FBI statistics a computer is stolen every 53 seconds. Computer left is the second leading form of theft. It follows, and goes hand and hand with, identity theft. A stolen computer means complete access to your confidential information.

Identity theft is a major concern for victims of computer theft but their first concern is often will I get my computer back?

As only 3% of stolen computers are ever recovered through traditional law enforcement means, it is a legitimate question.

"How Can You Improve the Odds?"

Absolute software is offering LoJack for Laptops, a stolen computer recovery service that works for desk tops as well as laptops. Absolute reports a 90% recovery rate for stolen computers with LoJack. When a computer is stolen, users can call Absolute Software's 800 number or go to another computer to report it on line. The computer goes onto Absolute Software's "most wanted" list.

Absolute can determine the location of your computer as it "checks in." If a computer thief uses your computer to go on line using a dial-up modem, Absolute can access the phone number and trace the address. If the thief uses a broadband connection, Absolute can track the IP address and locate a street address with cooperation from the internet service provider. Then LoJack's recovery team, made up of all ex-cops, then connects with local law enforcement and informs them of the location of the stolen laptop.

This has been one issue that has concerned users. Will local law enforcement follow up? A representative from Absolute shared that they initially had this concern as well but have found law enforcement to be very supportive. He explains, "Property theft is a situation where they don't get a lot of success. But this is stolen property with a built-in electronic tip where it's located. They also realized that, in 5% of the cases, the location they go to other criminal activity is taking place." Recently police in McKinney, Texas recovered a stolen laptop from a chop shop and found drugs and weapons as well.

But how can LoJack protect users from Identity Theft?

In seconds, LoJack, with your instruction and permission, can wipe clean your hard drive or any of the software and data from your computer.

The Low Down on LoJack

  • It's available at CompUSA. (Absolute Software says they hope to add new retailers this year.)
  • LoJack is $49.99 for a year or $99.00 for three years of protection.
  • LoJack comes on a disc.
  • Users install it on their computer and then call the 800 number.

The monitoring office will tell you right away where your computer is located. It's pretty cool.

Not yet, for Mac Users

Currently there is a corporate version of LoJack available for Macs but not a consumer version. Absolute says that this is in the works.

LoJack is a new tool in the battle against stolen computers and identity theft. If you are the one to find your laptop missing from the office, the airport or the trunk of your car, what will be the odds that you will get it back? Will there be a 3% or a 90% percent chance that you'll see your computer again? Will a thief have not just your laptop but all of your financial information too? It's something to think about.

Lisa Carey

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

How to Pick Up the Right Dedicated Hosting

One of the toughest processes in getting a website is to choose which type of hosting. In the market today, there is the free hosting, shared hosting and the dedicated hosting. If you are looking to use your business for business purposes, you should head for s dedicated hosting. Most people begin with shared hosting only to find out that they face limitations that eventually forced them to change to dedicated hosting.

A dedicated hosting is unlike shared hosting hat host multiple sites in a server. A dedicated hosting only hosts one single website in the whole server. There is also the advantage of having an internet connection of your own where you don't have to compete to get the resources that you need. This means that visitors who come to your website will experience extreme fast speed surfing. This is vital when you are expecting massive traffic to your website.

Having the entire server to you means power to control. Therefore, you can do any customization that you want to in your hosting. You can choose to have certain components to make your website more secure and operate in a more efficient way. You will also have the privilege of choosing the type of operating system you desire. You can choose Linux or Windows depending on your taste. Like e said, you have total power over your website.

Thus, all you have to do is to choose from 2 options you have for a dedicated web hosting. There is the managed and unmanaged category. For a managed service, you just have to provide the hosting provider with your data and this saves you all the technical issues. Most users do not have the knowledge of that anyway. Furthermore, a managed hosting also gives you more security with their monitoring system. As for the unmanaged hosting it is considered as the most common case. You will have to operates and manage the server while the company provides security, bandwidth and so on. The company will also provide some level of assistance but that may come in if you opt to pay the additional fees.

Before getting hooked with a dedicated hosting provider, you should first consider and think of the things you need for your website. Things to consider are issues like space, amount of bandwidth. You should also think of the amount of personalization that you desire. Some hosting provides full customization and there are some that offers pre-designed or pre-customize package. You should only choose the one that suits with your business.

Like any other service you are looking for, you must find one that you can rely on. The same rule must be applied when you are looking for a dedicated web hosting. Having a reliable hosting will save you all the unwanted trouble. It will also ensure the smooth progression of your business and will lead to profits in the end.

Monday, January 19, 2009

Laptop Computer Bags Come in All Shapes and Sizes

If you have a laptop, and almost every business person and student does, you need a good laptop bag or case. And if you travel for a living, then you know this is one of the most essential items you can have to keep your laptop safe and secure.

Of course the days of having a simple black or blue laptop bag, (while still available) have long since been surpassed by designer computer bags. The designer computer/laptop bags are a way for the fashion conscious to make a statement, while still keeping their possessions and laptop safe and secure. Most of these designer laptop bags are constructed with a thick durable neoprene rubber that will give your laptop the greatest protection.

What you'll need to make certain of is whether your brand of laptop fits snugly inside, allowing the thick cushioning to do its job. When you accomplish that not only will your laptop be well protected (the most important point), but you'll also be expressing yourself, saying look at this bag, it's a reflection of who I am.

Some of the best computer bags will blend the functionality of a messenger bag (made famous by those crazy bike messengers in New York) with the practicality of a laptop computer bag. Perhaps if we look back in time, the current designer bags owe a lot to those early messengers, who were unique deliverers of messages and documents across the many cities.

To survive as a messenger, you had to be a unique individual, and many displayed their uniqueness on their bags; and now you can do exactly the same with a unique and different computer bag. The one thing every good computer bag should have in common, is the ability to protect what's inside, other than that how it looks is completely up to you. Personalize it to your own satisfaction, with distinctive patches, emblems or something personal, it's your bag, make it say so.

Of course, when we've narrowed our search for the perfect computer bag, it should be one with plenty of room your accessories; pens, papers, wallets, PDAs, cell phones, or whatever. Basically when you find the right computer bag you'll find something akin to a friend, something that represents and protects you and yours with style.

Now let's turn away from style to the more practical side of computer bags. Do you travel extensively, climbing on and off airplanes several times a week? If so then you might consider a hard-shell computer case, or possibly a backpack. By backpack were not thinking of hiking, but something that can contain everything you need (obviously your laptop) to get from point A, point B, and conduct business, no matter what it is or where in the world you find yourself.

Laptops and computer bags are as much a part of our landscape, as a good pair of shoes. Obviously, we want a pair of shoes that are both distinctive and durable; reflecting not only who we are, but how we planned to do it. If you use this same line of thinking, you'll find the perfect computer bag for you. The choices are many and varied, but with a few clicks of your mouse, you can easily find what the perfect computer bag.

Sunday, January 18, 2009

Guide to Self Managed Dedicated Hosting for Your Business Web Site

If your business has outgrown its shared server and you need to expand, or if you are starting a new business web site that will require its own server from the start, self managed dedicated hosting might be the right hosting solution for you.

What is Self Managed Dedicated Hosting?

Self managed dedicated hosting, which is also called unmanaged hosting, is a type of hosting in which you lease your own server that will be kept in an off-site data center. The server is for your use only, meaning it is not shared with other websites or companies. With self managed dedicated hosting, you'll be required to have some technical experience with web servers so you can perform your own management and administrative tasks. If you don't have technical experience, consider hiring a technical person to handle these tasks if you feel the self managed server is what your business needs.

What about Managed Dedicated Hosting?

Self managed dedicated hosting is not to be confused with managed dedicated hosting. With managed hosting, a hosting provider gives technical support and basic system helps. You will still have complete control over your server, and the server is dedicated entirely to your business web site as with self managed hosting. You'll also be offered optional managed services such as upgrades, security patching, firewalls, and backup systems.

With both types of hosting, you can choose between two operating systems, Windows and Linux. Also with both, you'll have control over the hardware, bandwidth capacity, and processor so you can expand your site as needed.

Which Type of Hosting is Right for You?

Choosing which type of hosting, self managed or managed, is easy once you know what your specific needs are for a website. If you're not sure, talk with a programmer or web developer to determine what you will need. Be sure to outline all the features and capabilities needed for your site to be operational and to grow in the future.

Types of sites range from small business informational sites to blogs, gaming, and a variety of e-commerce sites. Also, determine the type of programming you'll need to accomplish your goals - PHP, ASP, and so forth.

You should also consider your budget for webhosting. The self managed dedicated hosting is more affordable than managed because the administrative and technical services are not offered. But if you need technical assistance, you might want to invest a little more for the managed server. Other features to consider with any website hosting service include domain name registration, web design capabilities (Front Page design or other programs), and the type of services or amount of web space offered for your investment.

Whether buying a self managed dedicated server or a managed server, explore all your options before making a commitment. Use online resources to research various hosting companies and find out what each offers. When choosing a provider, go for quality of service and trust rather than price so you can enjoy years of prosperity with your new business web site.



Chris Robertson

Saturday, January 17, 2009

How to Choose a Laptop Computer

Laptops are an increasingly popular product catering to professionals and casual users alike. However, it can be very difficult choosing which laptop is good for you and with so many specifications, as well as such a variety of choice, picking the right one can be a very difficult task. This short guide aims to help show you how to choose a laptop computer.

Think about your needs

Some people may think they need a laptop when really a desktop PC would do just as well. The benefit of buying a desktop over a laptop is price - desktops are far cheaper. However, if you need something portable then a laptop is the definitive solution.

It's important to take the time to work out what you really need to get from your laptop. There's no point in spending $2000 on a top of the range laptop when all you need to do is check emails on it.

If your needs are primarily checking emails and writing documents then a low cost laptop will be all you need. If you plan to watch movies and burn files to disk then a middle-range laptop would suit you better. Top of the range laptops are only really necessary for playing games with advanced graphics or for handling programs which need a lot of computer power such as graphical design packages.

Important features

The key features of a laptop are its battery life, processor speed, RAM memory, and hard drive storage capacity. A DVD player/burner is another popular feature, as well as the size and weight. Finally, in high end laptops graphics cards are also important. You may also want to take note of whether MS Office applications (or equivalent) are bundled with the computer or not if you intend to create written documents.

Buying the laptop

It's really important to shop around when you look for a laptop. Deals vary greatly from place to place, but as a general rule the Internet is a great place to start your search.

Friday, January 16, 2009

Dedicated Hosting For Beginners

Dedicated hosting is different from shared hosting in that it resides on a server by itself. Shared hosting means that several websites are sharing the same server, but when there is a problem with that single server, all of the websites residing on that server will fall victim to that problem. That is why more and more people are turning to dedicated hosting.

A business can purchase their own dedicated server or they can lease it. There are other options available for those who choose a dedicated server and that is to have their hosting managed. That is why dedicated hosting is frequently referred to as managed hosting. Nevertheless, dedicated hosting is more flexible than shared hosting.

Return on investment

In many ways, dedicated hosting can result in a larger return on investment. This is due to the fact that there is very little overhead involved. If a company were to have their dedicated hosting in-house, they may be facing some pretty steep costs. However, employing the hosting company to take care of all of the administrative responsibilities can prove to be quite profitable.

For those who may not have the IT staff or be able to afford a staff to take care of the server, having the hosting company take care of technical issues and routine maintenance is going to be something you might find quite handy. Basically, that allows you to concentrate on those things that are important within your business. Not that your hosting isn't important, because it is. It's just that your hosting won't do you any good if you don't do the marketing activities that are needed to draw people to your business. It also won't do you any good if you get a reputation for not being able to handle consumer needs because you're too busy concentrating on your hosting.

A must for your business

So if you're not too sure about what to do as far as your Internet presence goes, dedicated hosting is a good place to start. You can get all of the assistance that you need to ensure that everything goes smoothly. This means that you don't have to have technical expertise and you don't have to have knowledge of a lot of the technical turns. Your hosting company will explain things to you in ways that you can understand so that you know what it is you're getting. They will also not do anything drastic unless they let you know what it is they are doing, so you don't have to worry about some sort of unauthorized action being carried out.

If you're not on the Internet yet because you are not sure what it is you need to do, this is a great place to start. Once you figure out your hosting options, you can then work on getting a website built for your business. Many businesses find that they profit more on the Internet because they can reach a global audience. Reaching a global audience means global sales, if it is possible for your business. You'll notice a considerable difference in the amount of revenue that you bring in. What's great is that dedicated hosting does that for you.

So don't worry if you're a beginner or you know nothing about the world of Internet because you'll definitely catch on. You'll be able to learn as you go as someone else does the work. All you have to do is find a reliable company. Look at Internet reviews, talk to other businesses, and check out what businesses similar to you are using. Compare price plans and options. By doing this, you'll find the best dedicated hosting plan for you.

Amy Nutt

Thursday, January 15, 2009

Speed Up Laptop - 3 Quick Steps to Speed Up My Laptop Computer

Are you wondering "why is my computer so slow"? Looking to speed up laptop computers overall performance? Well you have come to the right place. All computers and especially laptops slow down when they get a little wear and tear on them. Unfortunately instead of adjusting a few things, people believe they need to buy a new computer in order to increase laptop speed. This just isn't true. You can actually speed up your laptop with these three quick steps. I will also recommend a program that can perform all three automatically for you. Speeding up your laptop was never this easy!

The first step is to run a disk defrag on your system. What a disk defragmenter does is increase the speed in which you can access information. Whenever your computer processes information it needs to jump from place to place and this takes time. Defragging your system allows your computer to stream information through one path. This will speed up laptop computers ability to access and run different programs.

The second step is to eliminate as many unnecessary startup programs as possible. Anytime you install a new program it will try to automatically start itself every time you power your computer on. This will dramatically slow down the speed your computer can start up or shutdown. These programs also eat up valuable RAM which causes the computer to be very sluggish. Eliminate all but the necessary programs and feel the incredible difference in your laptop processor speed.

The third step is to clean up registry congestion. This is without question the most important step you can take to speed up your laptop. As we download new or remove old programs our registries get congested with useless and redundant files. This clogs everything up and leaves you asking why is my computer slow? Getting rid of those unnecessary files will not only speed up your computer but prevent it from crashing in the future.

These are three steps you can do right now to get your computer running like it did out of the box. If you are a computer novice and want a program to do the work for you I highly recommend visiting the link below. Instead of spending hundreds on new upgrades or thousands on a new laptop, why not just optimize your computer to reach it's peak performance for a fraction of the cost? Give it a try.

Want to turbocharge your computer speed? Looking to fix those pesky windows error messages? Get an easy fix and scan your computer for free with the best registry clean up software on the internet today.

Jim Marshall



Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Dedicated Server vs Shared Server Hosting

Any website that is located on the internet is viewable by anyone who comes to it. To be able to have your website on the internet, you need a service provider. It is like a location for you to have your website in the internet. The kind of service that allows you to do that is called the web hosting service. There are many kinds of web hosting services available out there and 2 of the most common or mostly used is the shared hosting or the dedicated hosting.

Obviously there is difference in these 2 types of hosting. To put it in simple words, each has a different control given to the user to manage their website. Therefore, we need to know what the differences are before we choose the kind of web hosting we want.

For a shared hosting, its name already gives you a clear idea on what it offers. Shared means multiple websites hosted in the same location. So, in a server, there are multiple websites sharing the space, bandwidth and so on. This type of hosting is ideal for small business as well as new webmasters who are trying out for the first time. Over an all, it is very usable but it has some limitations in its resources.

As you are paying for the service, the provider will provide you with software, security, maintenance and support. As for the users, they will get a certain level of control with the control panel of their choice.

Shared hosting provides control panels like Cpanel PLeask and VDeck. With these control panels, users can really manage their websites. As for the serve, it is maintain or manage by more complex control panel like Helm and DirectAdmin. However, there are also some shared hosting that uses Linux web hosting and they will use either Windows or FreeBSD control panel. A Linux system is know to be compatible with most of the current control panel and therefore making it more acceptable in the market.

Due to the fact that shared hosting is shared, you can guess that the price required owning a website with this kind of web hosting would be more affordable. The fact that it is cheaper is the reason why many people turn to it. They can still get multiple database, management tools and many other service when they choose shared hosting. Even though that they know that it is more likely to face security issue and probability of their website occurring downtime, this is something that the are willing to accept.

On the contrary, a dedicated hosting is a hosting that only hosts one website in the entire server. Therefore, the user has total usage over the server. They do not have to share space, bandwidth or any other feature with any other website. It is most suitable for websites that expect a heavy amount of traffic. With more bandwidth, they have nothing to worry about. Users of dedicated hosting also have the power to choose the type of software that they want to use in the website. They also have the same capability of having multiple domains.

To sum it all up, a user of a dedicated web hosting service will have total control over their website. This provides them with freedom but they themselves have to make sure of the stability of the operation of their website. This is not something complex but very simple. All the skills that the user needs are at an administrative level. Users must also make sure that their website is monitored constantly to maintain security. However, if the user no knowledge about the technical requirements, the hosting provider does provide additional support and service to help users of the dedicated hosting.

In case you're searching for the right dedicated hosting service, check out Hostgator dedicated hosting. In my opinion, they are one of the best dedicated hosting providers.

Article written by Justin Knights


Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Planning to Purchase a Laptop Computer?

So, you're planning to purchase a laptop computer, eh? Don't worry, there's so many choices you're probably going to be overwhelmed-especially if you've just started looking! However, I'm getting ready to help guide you toward a clearer picture of the questions you should really be asking your self before you purchase a laptop computer.

Most anyone who has any experience with computer will begin with asking what kind of computer user you are or what type of programs or applications you're planning on running-I'm no different, this is a crucial first question before attempting to purchase a laptop computer.

If you're a gamer, then you're going to need something packing a little more power than the standard internet surfer who may occasionally chat, read a few articles, do a little homework, and update their Myspace account. So, what about the gamer looking to purchase a laptop computer?

Basically, go read the recommended requirements on your favorite video game and then try to at least double that as far as the video graphics card and RAM is concerned! Now, you need to make sure that the video graphics card is a dedicated rather than a shared. Shared means that the computer will be sharing, or pulling resource memory from your RAM, rather than standing on its on and acting as an independent memory source.

For the common user looking to purchase a laptop computer, you could almost go with Dell, Gateway, HP, or any other name brand PC's cheapest computer and be fine. Although, I always suggest aiming to purchase a laptop computer somewhere near the middle of the pack rather than one on either end. The reason being, the one on the higher end is just a short time from dropping off the expensive list, and the computer on the lower end is nearly falling off the chart!

Sure, I could go more in depth and start slinging "techie" words around, but I believe the best step to purchase a laptop computer is to find out what kind of performance the person will expect out of the computer.

Monday, January 12, 2009

VMware Virtualized Hosting Vs. Dedicated Hosting

With so many hosting options available, it can be rather confusing what to go with. This isn’t referring to the many hosting plans that are on the market. This is referring to whether you should use VMware hosting, dedicated hosting, or shared hosting. In this case, we’re talking about VMware virtualized hosting and dedicated hosting since you want your website to exist on its own server and not have to share with others. The point is, it is a large decision to make.

VMware Virtualized Hosting

VMware virtualized hosting is different from any other hosting that you may research. You’ll find that it exists on a virtual server that operates independent of any operating system instead of it existing on a physical server that operates an operating system such as Windows. Servers usually have to have an operating system to rely on, but VMware virtualized hosting does not. It is an effective IT solution for your business when you want to manage your server in-house and want to do so in an effective manner.

VMware virtualized hosting also allows you to get multiple servers running in a matter of minutes without having to purchase any new hardware. If you have your own servers in which you require hardware, you can actually combine your VMware virtualized hosting and your hardware servers to make it all more manageable. Basically, you’re creating several virtual machines that are operating in one centralized area. This can save you both manpower and a lot of time. If something happens to your server hardware, you can quickly create more virtual servers to back yourself up. You technically have your own data center at your disposal that can do anything you need it to do with your hosting.

Dedicated hosting

Dedicated hosting is hosting in which the business leases a server that is not used by anyone else. It is not like shared hosting where several customers share the same server. This is a server in which you, the customer, can have complete control over it or you can go for managed hosting that allows the hosting company to take care of your server for you. If you have any problems, you simply have your hosting company take care of it. If you choose to do things in-house, you consult with your own IT department. It is what you find to be more cost-effective for you that determines how your server is managed. If you can afford an IT staff, you can do that. However, if you find that paying for managed hosting is the better solution, you can go that route as well.

The main difference between VMware virtualized hosting and dedicated hosting is the fact that you have to have the actual hardware with dedicated hosting. You can choose your hardware, your operating system, and other elements, but it can be costly. VMware does not require hardware, is not reliable on an operating system, and is vey cost-effective. As stated before, you have the ability to manage multiple servers in one centralized location. You do manage it on your own, but it takes very little manpower to make sure everything is up and running and to operate multiple servers.

Which is better?

Of course it is up to you as to what route you want to take when choosing a server for your website. You may choose that you want the hardware and other options that comes with dedicated servers. Then again, you may choose that you want to take the low cost route of VMware virtualized hosting and having a small staff manage it. Each has their own set of benefits, but only one is the solution for you.



Amy Nutt

Hot Links

Followers

Hot Computer Stuff © 2008 Template by Dicas Blogger.

TOPO