HARDWARE INFO
LAST UPDATED:
Sunday, 08 March 2009 17:03:00 -0600
Translate this page
using
FreeTranslation.com
Changes to this page are IN PROGRESS
A COMFORTABLE MONITOR
HEIGHT
ADD NEW
HARDWARE MOTHERBOARD INCOMPATIBILITY
ANOTHER WIRELESS CONNECTION
AUDIO ENHANCEMENTS--PART 1
OF 3
AUDIO ENHANCEMENTS--PART
2 OF 3
AUDIO ENHANCEMENTS--PART 3
OF 3
BATTERY LIFE IN DIGITAL
PENS
BEFORE YOU UPGRADE--PARTS 1 TO 4
BIG HARD DRIVE
BLUETOOTH FOR THE
DESKTOP--PARTS 1 TO 3
CD-RW AND DVD-ROM, THE LATEST COMBO DRIVE--PARTS 1 TO 3
CHANGES IN WEB TV--PARTS
1 to 5
COLOR INK JET
PRINTER TIPS--PARTS 1 TO 8
COMPARE MOTHERBOARDS ONLINE
COMPUTER TRENDS--PARTS 1 TO
4 COOL
WEB SITES--PARTS 1 TO 4
DESKTOP
TRENDS: SLIM AND SMALL--PARTS 1 TO 3
DIGITAL PICTURE FRAME
DO-IT-YOURSELF MEMORY
UPGRADES
ERGONOMIC KEYBOARDS
ERGONOMIC WRIST PADS
EXCITING NEW
HARDWARE--PARTS 1 TO 3
FALSE NEGATIVES
FROM BIOMETRIC SECURITY
FINDING A COMFORTABLE PEN
FIREWIRE TIPS--PARTS 1 TO 5
FREE PC TIPS--PARTS 2 TO 4
INKJET PAPER
HARDWARE
UPGRADES AND THE IMAC--PARTS 1 TO 3
IMAC TIPS--PARTS 1 TO 3
HOME NETWORKING--PARTS 1 TO
6
MICROPHONE-SPEAKER HEADSET TIPS-PARTS 1 TO 3
MINIMUM SYSTEM
REQUIREMENTS--PARTS 1 TO 4
In past tips, I mentioned that at least two companies, Anchor Chips
at
http://www.anchorchips.com
and Belkin at
http://www.belkin.com
offer USB cables (called bridges) that let you easily connect two
PCs via their USB ports. This lets you share files and printers and
run some multiplayer games between the two systems.
We understand that there may be some confusion about these USB
products. They are not meant to replace a LAN. First off, they only
transfer data at about 4 Mbps rather than the 10- to 100-Mbps
transfers of standard Ethernets. Additionally, you'll quickly load
down your systems if you start to connect more than two PCs using this
approach.
Generally, these USB bridges function best as quick and temporary
connections--say, for transferring data between a notebook and a
desktop. The bridges can also connect just two systems that need
minimal file sharing. For anything more sophisticated, look for true
LAN hardware.
Are you having trouble getting your USB products to work? Even with
the news about USB 2.0 coming down the line, many users are still
struggling with system hangups, hardware conflicts, and slow
performance. Get some help from other consumers who have already
conquered your troublesome USB product or PC setup--browse the public
USB newsgroup at the USB Implementers Web site,
http://www.usb.org/forums/retail/webboard.html
The newsgroup is very active, and most of the postings are helpful.
If you can't find a reason why you need a Web-ready PC camera, then
you just haven't looked hard enough. For inspiration, try browsing
EarthCam's new Web storefront, the WebCamStore, at
http://www.webcamstore.com
Whatever your needs--from spying on your nanny to tracking remote
construction projects--you'll find a "solution" at this site. For
those not interested in shopping, check out the site's excellent
tutorial on Web cameras, which explains resolution, video streaming,
and hooking up a Web camera. Also browse the glossary of Web camera
terminology.
Computer audio is no longer a joke. In some homes and offices, the
computer offers higher fidelity than the stereo sitting across the
room. But this quality comes at a price: You must manage this audio by
containing loud sounds and keeping out unwanted noise. For tips,
suggestions, and a list of products that can help, browse
SoundProofing.Org at
http://www.soundproofing.org
Have you heard about Bluetooth? It's a technology specification
various players in the telecommunications biz are hammering out. The
goal of the project is to create short-range radio links between
mobile devices, so that when you walk into a room with your mobile PC
or cell phone, you're instantly connected to all the other mobile
devices in the same room. Plus, you can share notes, transfer contact
information (instead of paper business cards), and exchange files with
those around you. For the latest Bluetooth news and specifications,
browse Bluetooth.com at
http://www.bluetooth.com
Finding drivers and troubleshooting hardware installations on Linux
systems is still a work in progress for most people. If you're
investigating this alternative operating system, you might want to
communicate with a user group so that you don't have to relive
hardware nightmares others have already survived. For a list of Red
Hat Linux user groups around the country, check the Community section
of the RedHat.Com Web site at
http://www.redhat.com/community/namerica.html
One of the latest desktop trends is cutting down on the physical
footprint of a system so that it takes up significantly less space on
top of (and even underneath) the desk. Unfortunately, this trend
strikes fear into the hearts of hardware upgraders--and rightly so.
While systems like the new Gateway Profile are futuristic-looking and
inherently cool, they do nothing to stop the ever-shortening cycle of
obsolescence that plagues desktop computer owners. If a desktop is not
upgrade-friendly, it will quickly lose value and usefulness. Over the
next few days I'll pass along hints to help you keep these new slim
and small systems useful for more than five or six months.
First, buy as much RAM as you can afford when you first purchase a
slim and small desktop. The Gateway Profile, for example, has only 2
DIMM slots for RAM. Thus, you'd have to throw out the stock 64MB
module of RAM later if you decide to upgrade to the Profile's maximum
256MB of RAM.
The new slim and small desktops feature very few add-in card slots
because they take up too much room for these space-saving computers.
Upgrade fans must take advantage of other buses for expansion and
upgrades. The most obvious choice for these new systems would be USB (
Universal Serial Bus). With USB, you can add a whole range of new
peripherals to your slim system, maintaining its usefulness for a
longer period of time. USB's hot-swap capability lets you quickly
configure your system to match your current needs and keep your spare
devices stashed away. This way, you can maintain the small desktop
footprint, but have room to expand.
Small office/home office (SOHO) networking is another way to extend
the useful life of your slim and small PC. If you're on a network, you
can use one of these less powerful systems as a file server or print
server. Some of the small-footprint systems feature integrated
Ethernet adapters; you can take advantage of these in an office
environment. At home, you can go with a USB networking solution or
even a card-based networking kit if you have an open card slot in your
slim system.
In a SOHO network, you can even share an Internet connection. Thus
a fast PC on your network can act as the Internet gateway, while your
over-the-hill small-footprint PC can act as a browsing station.
Sharp at
http://www.sharp-usa.com
has announced that its multifunction devices, which allow you to
copy, fax, and print all with one unit, will come in a USB interface.
Its AR-150 line of Imagers will offer both parallel port and USB
connections. However, USB mode loads all the necessary driver
software, whereas the dumber parallel port connection requires you to
load the drivers yourself.
Before you buy any of the all-in-one boxes, always check the
performance and price of separate printer and fax components. Never
assume you're getting a deal just because these units do more than one
job.
Assistive technology helps the physically challenged use computers
for communication, work, and play. There have been big advances in
both software and hardware tools for the disabled. Over the next few
days, I'll pass along some tips to help you outfit a computer for a
physically challenged user.
First, for those who have vision impairment but are not totally
blind, check out a screen magnifier like Bausch and Lomb's PC Magni-Viewer
at
http://www.bauschvision.com
The PC Magni-Viewer mounts onto a computer monitor and magnifies
screen content by 175 percent. IBM and Microsoft both produce software
that magnifies screen content as well, but these products don't work
with all software and all operating systems.
Mouse pointing devices require fine motor control of the hand and
fingers. Trackballs are a far more forgiving category of pointing
device. Users can operate a trackball with just a slight movement of
the palm or hand. For a comfortable trackball, check into the latest
designs by Logitech, at
http://www.logitech.com
and Kensington Technology Group, at
http://www.kensington.com
People with severe vision impairment may be able to use
text-to-speech software that "reads" the computer screen for them. To
make such a setup complete, you'll also need a good set of PC
speakers, specifically designed for near-field (close-up) listening.
Browse the sites for Bose, at
http://www.bose.com
and Altec Lansing, at
http://www.alteclansing.com
for the latest in powerful yet pint-size computer speakers.
People with limited mobility often forego traditional keyboard
input devices altogether and opt for voice input instead. This type of
setup requires voice recognition software and a quality microphone. As
I have mentioned before in these tips, you'll often achieve better
results if you toss out the microphone included in your voice
recognition package and buy a higher-quality one. Check into headset
microphones from Shure, at
http://www.shure.com
and Telex, at
http://www.computeraudio.telex.com
Another assistive technology tool is the touchscreen monitor. You
will probably need special software to go with your touchscreen--usually
both hardware and software are required to make your applications
truly "touchable." A good place to start looking for such a setup is
TouchStore.Com.
Its Web site,
http://www.touchstore.com
offers touchscreens from major manufacturers.
With only limited space, we can't mention all the latest assistive
hardware products out there. If you need more information on assistive
technology, browse the Alliance for Technology Access, at
http://www.ataccess.org
and Webable, at
http://www.webable.com
where you'll find databases of products and a host of other
resources for finding the right assistive technology for your needs.
Are you familiar with your monitor's menu and screen control
functions? You should be. When you first set up a new monitor, make
sure you run through the entire gamut of monitor calibration and
adjustment settings. That way, you'll have the sharpest clarity and
the deepest colors on your screen and the least strain on your eyes.
After that, make sure you run through these adjustments again once
a month. That's right, once a month. Monitors "drift" during use, so
you'll likely find that your brightness, contrast, and other controls
need resetting after a few weeks of use.
Have you ever noticed how often we touch computer screens?
Sometimes we're pointing something out to a friend, family member, or
colleague, and sometimes we are adjusting the position of the monitor
on the desk. In any case, this touching makes cleaning a computer
monitor more of a regular activity than, say, cleaning a television
screen.
What should you use to clean your monitor's screen? First, follow
the manufacturer's instructions for cleaning, particularly if you
suspect your display is made from unusual materials. You could go out
and purchase special, monitor-safe cleaning products. However, in most
cases, glass cleaner and paper towels or soft cotton cloths should
work fine. Just make sure you spray the cleaner directly onto your
paper towel or cloth, not onto the screen. That way, the cleaner fluid
won't run down the front of your tube and get inside the monitor
casing.
Are you planning to study that detailed spreadsheet first thing in
the morning? You may want to make another plan. Monitors need to warm
up. Just after they power on, monitors may not display the proper
image position, black level, and contrast. So you should postpone
fine-detail viewing for a good 15 to 20 minutes after you turn your
monitor on.
Do you stack paper, books, or equipment on top of your computer
monitor? You could be shortening its life. Most monitors have vents on
top, which circulate the air and cool the inner components. Junk on
top of your monitor may prevent the airflow your tube requires.
While you're there, you might as well vacuum out the vents with the
low suction setting on your vacuum. These vents sometimes get clogged
with dust.
With the tremendous success of Apple's iMac, the odds are greater
than ever that you'll find both PCs and iMacs living together as
friends in your office or your home. What can you share between these
two platforms? Without the help of an IS department--not a lot.
However, there are two things you should be aware of if you find
yourself in the company of these two different species of computer.
I'll mention one today and the other in tomorrow's tip.
First: Farallon is currently the only company that offers a
phone line-based home networking product that links PCs and iMacs
together. It's called HomeLINE, and it allows you to share
files, printers, and an Internet connection.
As I mentioned yesterday, your options are somewhat limited for
sharing data between iMacs and PCs. However, it may be to your
advantage to leverage your peripheral devices and use them on both
your iMac and PC. To do this, focus on USB-based devices. The USB bus
comes standard on both iMacs and new PCs. Several USB products--like
Entrega Technologies
USB to SCSI Converter--work with both iMacs and PCs. For a list of
iMac/PC friendly USB devices, check
AllUSB.com.
Whatever happened to the Internet phone idea? Remember the concept
of saving money by calling either another computer or an actual phone
using your Internet-connected computer rather than a traditional
phone? After some initial excitement, the buzz died down. Now we don't
hear much about these products. Well, they are still out there and
still interesting. With a few helpful hardware hints, you can save
some money using these products without sacrificing much in terms of
sound fidelity.
First, make sure you have a full-duplex voice-capable modem.
Internet phone software like Net2Phone, at
http://www.net2phone.com
will work much like a regular phone if you have such a modem. With
a half-duplex modem, the software still functions, but you must click
a button when you switch from talking to listening and back again.
Just as with voice recognition software, you should consider buying
your own microphone headset for use with Internet phone products.
These products already include a headset in the box (the manufacturer
will send you a free one if you download the software over the Web).
However, the headsets utilize cheap, low-quality microphones and
speakers, and that negatively impacts your calls.
Frequent callers will want to invest in a quality headset from a
company like NCT Group at
http://www.nct-active.com/heads.htm
or Shure at
http://www.shure.com
The people you call will thank you.
How fast is your PC? If you have the option, run your Internet
phone software on your fastest PC--preferably 266 MHz or better. The
audio quality of the call will suffer on 100 MHz or slower
systems--you'll hear pauses, hissing, and other annoyances during most
calls. If you must run on a slower system, don't run any other
applications during a phone call.
If you're think of investing in one of those hot new LCD flat panel
displays for your desktop, but you can't afford both the display and
the special digital graphics board many panels require, check out
Hewlett-Packard's Pavilion FX70 15-inch display at
http://www.hp.com
The FX70 supports both regular analog graphics adapters, like the
one you undoubtedly already have, and several digital models. You can
buy the panel first, and purchase a digital graphics adapter down the
road when you've saved up more money.
Scanners are cheaper than ever. For as little as $100, you can add
one to your computer arsenal. They are no longer just a tool for
graphics professionals. For these prices, you can use them for loading
images to your personal Web page, digitizing business documents, and
even as copiers (combined with your printer).
Many scanners, like Visioneer's OneTouch 8600, offer more than one
interface. Contact Visioneer at
http://www.visioneer.com
The 8600, for example, comes ready for a parallel port connection
or a USB hookup. If you have these type of choices on your scanner
(and your PC is USB-capable), go with the USB connection. It's more
flexible than the parallel port and you don't need a pass-through
device if you want to use another device (such as a printer) at the
same time.
Button, button, who's got the button? In an attempt at creating
better usability, many scanner manufacturers have placed extra buttons
on the tops (or sides) of their scanners. These buttons let you
perform various functions (such as copying, printing, or posting an
image to an e-mail message) by simply pressing one button. Agfa's
SnapScan Touch is one such scanner; see Agfa's Web site at
http://www.agfahome.com
Whatever you do, don't assume that these preprogrammed buttons are
your only options for various tasks. By tweaking the scan settings in
software, you can tune your scanner for your particular environment.
These changes may involve increasing or decreasing the resolution or
adjusting the color settings.
While a flatbed scanner remains the best choice for most users, you
should consider the alternatives before you settle on one. C
Technologies' C-Pen 200, for example, is a battery-powered, pen-size
scanner designed for digitizing typed text line by line from a book or
document. Contact C Technologies at
http://www.cpen.com
With an infrared port transfer, you can quickly send your scanned
data to your PC, even directly into a Word document. Consider how you
will use your scanner before you buy, and try to find one that best
suits your needs.
Some computers do not let Windows fully control power management.
If you find that changing the Standby, Monitor, or Hard Drive timeout
values in the Power Control have no effect, your computer's own power
management settings are overriding Windows' settings. Open your
computer's power management Setup program and disable any Standby,
Suspend, Monitor, or Hard Drive timeout values. After you do this, you
should be able to control these settings from the Windows Power
Management control panel.
Sometimes it's obvious when you need to upgrade--you can't play a
DVD disk on a CD-ROM drive, for example. Other times, people perform
upgrades when their computer just "seems too slow." These less obvious
cases always deserve a second look. You may be able to eke a little
more life out of your PC by doing a little cleanup and maintenance.
There's no need to spend money unnecessarily. Over the next few days,
I'll pass along some tips and tricks you should try before you upgrade
that older computer.
First, older hard drives are nowhere near the capacity of the
latest multigigabyte models. However, your system may be using space
very inefficiently, and you might have more room left than you think.
Perform a cleanup before you upgrade your hard drive. Remove or
archive unneeded files and applications. Then perform a Scandisk-like
operation on the drive to reorganize the data at a lower level. Your
drive's capacity and overall system performance should improve with
just this little bit of maintenance.
Feel like you need a new modem? If you aren't running with at least
a V.90 modem, then you may be right. But at any speed, you want to
make sure the modem is running at its full capability. In Windows, be
sure to check the Dial-Up Network connection settings for your ISP
connection. In Windows 98, for example, you'll find your connection
settings under Start/Programs/Accessories/Communications/Dial-Up
Networking. Make sure your settings match the upper data transfer
limits of your modem.
A processor upgrade can be expensive and tricky, particularly if
you aren't an experienced upgrader. Sometimes, however, it's your only
option. With the demands of new software and hardware, processors do
become obsolete. However, yours might still have more ooomph than you
think. Double-check the performance settings of your operating system.
In Windows NT, for example, you'll find them within the Performance
tab of the System object in the Control Panel. Make sure you're
running your applications at full throttle before you decide to buy a
new engine.
The latest CD-ROM drives offer X speeds that match many computer
users' ages, while a few years back the X speeds were more in line
with people's shoe sizes. If your PC sports a 6X, 8X, or 10X CD-ROM
drive, you may be thinking of upgrading to one of these new 40X
drives--but think twice. All CD-ROM titles are still optimized for
playback on about a 4X CD-ROM drive. This means you'll notice no
improvement in audio, video, or animation when you play back the title
on a faster drive. The only time CD-ROM drive speed makes a difference
is when you install software or copy files from a CD to your hard
drive. In those cases, the CD-ROM drive transfers data as fast as it
can.
The real reason to buy a new optical storage drive is to add
functionality--for example, you might purchase a CD-R recording drive
or a DVD new media drive. In terms of performance alone, odds are your
current CD-ROM drive is fast enough.
The system fans inside your PC cool off your system's internal
components by drawing air in through the front of the PC case and
pushing it out through the back. Unfortunately, if you've relegated
your PC to the dusty corner beneath a desk, these fans may be doing
more harm than good. Whatever you do, don't disconnect or remove the
fans--your system needs this air circulation. But for the sake of your
PC's longevity, keep the area around your PC free of dust, dirt, and
smoke.
If you're on the fence about buying a set-top box for your
television, you may just want to sit there a little bit longer. Early
next year, you can expect the introduction of a number of set-top
boxes running the OpenTV operating system. Open TV will allow you to
send email, bank online, and be interactive with TV programming,
initially from the Dish Network satellite TV network. You can contact
OpenTV at
http://www.opentv.com
Keyboard keys break or go missing more often than you might think.
If you've ever busted a key on your keyboard, you know how frustrating
it can be. Before you buy a whole new keyboard, check into replacing
the key itself. Your first stop should be your PC manufacturer (or
your keyboard manufacturer, if you purchased it separately). Also try
The Key Connection, at
http://www.customkeys.com
In addition to replacement keys, the company also offers colored
keys and specially labeled keys to suit your work or applications.
One way to avoid the repetitive stress injuries keyboard and mouse
devices can exacerbate is to use your feet. HTH Engineering at
http://www.startstop.com
sells a foot pedal called the Pedal Power that sends keystrokes and
mouse button messages to Windows applications. You can customize the
two-pedal device to communicate with your software.
If the BIOS configures the video device to use an IRQ and you use
the secondary PCI IDE controller in your computer, your video will
work only in VGA mode. To load the accelerated Windows 98 driver for
your video, disable the secondary PCI IDE controller in the BIOS and
the Device Manager (double-click System in Control Panel). An
alternative (if the BIOS supports it) is to disable the video device's
IRQ.
Before you install Windows 98 on your Micron system, make sure you
have the BIOS read/write jumper (W22) set to the read-only position.
If you try to install Windows 98 with this jumper in the read/write
position, it may cause BIOS corruption. For more information, contact
Micron Technologies at
http://www.micron.com
Before you install Windows 98 on your Micro system, make sure you
have BIOS version N15 or later. If not, you'll experience a number of
problems. For more information, contact Micron Technologies at
http://www.micron.com
Color ink jet printer prices have now dropped so low that even SOHO
users can afford them. Lower-end color ink jets range in price from
$99 to $400. Depending upon your home or office budget, you might now
be able to afford one of these color printers. Busy offices often use
a standard black-and-white printer as the office workhorse, since they
are usually cheaper to run over the long term due to less expensive
consumables, but there may occasions when you wish to use a color ink
jet for special color jobs.
Over the next few days I'll pass along some tips to keep in mind
about these inexpensive color ink jets. First, with color printers,
it's best to consider print quality over speed. Most of us don't print
color documents often enough that we can't wait a few extra seconds
for them. Don't concern yourself with the pages-per-minute
specification (at least the color ppm rating) of your new color ink
jet. But do try to get some sample color pages from any ink jet you
are considering. Watch for crisp and clear images, little or no color
bleeding, and solid, not fuzzy, lines.
Ink tank issues may be something that black-and-white-only printer
users may not have had to contend with in the past. With color ink jet
printers, scoping out the ink tank is an important task to do before
you buy. Some printers have just one tank that contains all the
separate ink colors, while others have small individual tanks so you
can replace just one color at a time if you need to. The latter design
will save you a lot of money in the long run. You won't need to throw
out an entire ink cartridge simply because you've run out of one
color. Put ink tank design high on your list of criteria for a color
ink jet printer, and have the salesperson of your local computer store
show you how the ink tank works on any printer you're considering.
Did you know that you can buy special ink jet printer paper? The
paper is specially designed to provide quality printing without
soaking up excess ink. Over the long term, using ink jet paper rather
than regular paper with your color ink jet printer will save you
money. Just make sure you can use this type of paper with the color
ink jet you're thinking of buying. Also, check whether you can buy and
use ink jet paper from various manufacturers, not just the one that
makes your printer.
How often do you address envelopes? If you plan to use your color
ink jet as your regular office printer, you should take this need into
account. Most printers make the standard paper trays (8.5 by 11
inches) very user friendly and easy to access, but when it comes to
single-feed envelope slots, there are good and bad designs. Some
printers force you to remove the standard paper trays before you can
access the envelope slots. Carefully check this feature on any color
ink jet you plan to buy.
Duplex printing is another factor to keep in mind when you shop for
color ink jet printers. Some models will print on both sides of a
sheet of paper without your intervention. Others--in fact, most of the
low-end models--force you to turn the paper over and send it through
again when you want to use both sides. If you commonly use duplex
printing (or if you just like saving trees), check for duplex printing
capability in any color ink jet on your shortlist.
How is your small office configured? If you have all the PCs in
your office connected on a LAN, you might consider a color ink jet
that features an Ethernet adapter (or offers one as an expansion
option). This way, all the office PCs can access the printer without
slowing down the one PC to which the printer is locally attached.
Expect to spend around $100 to $150 for an Ethernet printer adapter.
Some of the latest printers come with multiple interface options,
including parallel, serial, and USB ports. They also sometimes support
both PC and iMac platforms. This is all good. Because SOHO computing
environments often change, you should buy a printer that is flexible
and can change along with your setup. Ask whether these interface
options come standard with the printer or are optional configurations.
The best buy would be a printer that's ready for multiple interfaces
and multiple platforms right out of the box.
Many color ink jet printers include software packages. While this
extra software shouldn't be your main concern in shopping for a
quality printer, it is a nice extra that you might take into account.
Most often, the packages help you format and print Web sites and
digital camera images. If a printer includes any software you were
actually planning to purchase, you can consider this savings and
calculate that into your buying decision.
One of your next computer hardware purchases just might be a device
that utilizes your sense of smell. DigiScents, at
http://www.digiscents.com
hopes to bring its digital scent synthesizers to a computer near
you
so you can smell e-mail, Web sites, advertisements, DVD movies, and so
on. You can sign up for the beta program now at its Web site.
If you're using a PCMCIA hard drive with your Zenith NoteFlex 486
DX system, you must enable 32-bit PCMCIA support to gain access to the
drive. To enable 32-bit PCMCIA support, click Start, point to
Settings, click Control Panel, and then double-click PC Card (PCMCIA).
Follow the instructions on your screen. If you see properties for your
PCMCIA socket instead of the PC Card (PCMCIA) wizard, Windows 32-bit
support for PC cards is already on. In Control Panel, if you do not
see the PC Card (PCMCIA) icon, double-click Add New Hardware to
install your PCMCIA socket.
Forget those troublesome slot-hogging TV tuner cards! Samsung, at
http://www.samsung.com
will begin shipping its computer monitor/TV SyncMaster 150MP early
next year. This 15-inch flat panel TFT has a TV tuner built-in and
comes ready for standard video-gear input, picture-picture playback,
and of course input from your video graphics board.
There is a known problem with the Megahertz Em1144T modem and
Windows 98 whereby this card enabler ignores the default values set
for certain parameters. If you experience problems setting up the
modem side of the EM1144T card in a real-mode PCMCIA environment, set
the COMIRQ and COMBASE parameters explicitly in the Megahertz section
of your protocol.ini file.
In an effort to keep e-commerce moving forward, many companies have
spent money just getting out the word that shopping online is safe.
Fortunately, some organizations still maintain a healthy dose of
skepticism about the brave new world of e-tailers and click-and-mortar
businesses. Take the Better Business Bureau, for example. Better yet,
browse its online hub at
http://www.bbb.org
where you'll find tips, warnings, and information on real scams
currently out there on the Web. If you're planning to buy computer
hardware online this holiday season, make the Better Business Bureau
your first virtual stop.
Expect a new type of combo drive--a CD-RW and DVD-ROM--early next
year from Ricoh at
http://www.ricoh.com
as well as Toshiba at
http://www.toshiba.com
and possibly others. Are these products a good buy? Are there
caveats you should be aware of? Over the next few days, I'll pass
along some tips to keep in mind if you plan to shop for one of these
drives.
First of all, price will be a key concern, but neither Toshiba or
Ricoh has yet announced the pricing of these combo drives--they only
say that the combo will cost less than purchasing CD-RW and DVD-ROM
drives separately. Make sure you test this claim yourself by pricing
out these drives as individual purchases. Whatever you do, don't pay
more for a combo drive than you would pay for two drives.
Saving space is always a motivation for buying a combo drive. In
the case of the new CD-RW and DVD-ROM combo drives, you can save an
extra drive bay by buying a combo drive instead of getting two
separate drives.
But don't try to take this space-saving concept too far. For
example, don't replace your current CD-ROM drive with a new combo
drive unless the CD playback specifications (or better yet, actual
side-by-side performance tests) indicate that the combo drive is as
fast as or faster than the drive you currently own. Early reports say
combo drives will play CD-ROMs at 24X speed. So if your current CD-ROM
drive is 24X or faster, consider just adding a combo drive to your
system rather than replacing your installed drive.
Even on the eve of the 21st century, DVD-ROM drives still remain a
questionable purchase. Buying a combo drive that includes a DVD-ROM
drive is also a questionable purchase. If you're into watching movies
through your computer, you can't go wrong with DVD. But just about
anything else--games, education, reference titles, kid's software--is
still more plentiful on CD than on DVD. Blame it on new technology and
the additional cost of content and production for DVD-ROM disks.
If you feel like gambling that the amount of non-movie DVD-ROM
titles will increase, a combo drive is probably a reasonable purchase.
If, on the other hand, you're into saving money, consider buying a
single-purpose CD-R/CD-RW drive instead.
Some hardware peripherals, like scanners and CD-R drives, rely
heavily on software. In some cases, you can improve the feature set
and even the performance of your hardware by upgrading its driver
software.
Take, for example, a scanner you use for scanning and converting
documents into a word processor-ready format. One easy way to get
better OCR capability is to upgrade your OCR software. Caere Corp at
http://www.caere.com
now offers a new edition of its OmniPage Pro software (version 10)
that uses a new OCR engine, making for better character recognition.
Just make sure the software you plan to buy or download supports
the hardware you already own.
Feeling dissatisfied with your computer's audio, but don't feel
like spending the money on new gear? Check out the Wowthing at
http://www.wowthing.com
This $30 box increases the height and width of the audio image
coming from your sound card, using technology from SRS Labs.
Basically, it makes small speakers sound bigger.
Have you sampled the wonders of attaching audio files to your
e-mail messages? Since most of us talk faster than we can type, you
can pass on a lot more information via recorded voice messages you
attach to outgoing e-mail. Now Altec Lansing at
http://www.alteclansing.com
offers a device that helps you create, attach, and listen to voice
files in e-mail. It's called the ABA2020 VoicePod, and it has a
built-in speaker and microphone, as well as Record, Playback, and
Attach function buttons.
The adjective "flat" doesn't just apply to the latest monitors.
Labtec at
http://www.labtec.com
has announced the LCS-2418, a three-unit computer speaker setup
that includes two flat satellite speakers you can mount on your
monitor, hang on your wall, or place on your desk. The $99 LCS-2418
also features a wood-trimmed subwoofer unit. Look for the LCS-2418 in
February 2000.
Acer America at
http://www.acer.com
has announced that a USB version of its WarpLink wireless home
networking products (now available in ISA card plus ISA card and ISA
card plus PC Card versions) will ship in the first few months of 2000.
The WarpLink connects two PCs and allows you to transfer files, share
an Internet connection, and play games between the networked systems.
Here's a new way to save space on your crowded desk--use a
keyboard, video, and mouse switch that lets you control more than one
PC with only one keyboard, one monitor, and one mouse. IOGear's
MiniView performs this function, and there's even a model that lets
you control both PCs and Macs off the same switch. Check it out at
http://www.iogear.com
It's still true that high-speed Internet access (DSL and cable
modem) is not available in all areas. Telecom and cable companies
continue to roll out service in different parts of the country,
usually beginning with the major cities and spreading out to the
suburbs.
To run a quick check on whether high-speed Internet access is
available in your area, go to GetSpeed.Com at
http://www.getspeed.com
Enter your address and GetSpeed will tell you what deals are
available and how much they cost.
You'll want to inquire about both installation and setup costs
before you sign on any dotted lines for high-speed Internet access.
Both of these costs can be steep. Look for bargains that reduce or
drop the price of installation altogether. Also, compare the monthly
costs of DSL and cable Internet service and see how they stack up.
Make sure you go over the minimum system requirements you'll need
for high-speed Internet access. The details may include your computer
make and model, the processor type and speed, the amount of RAM your
system contains, and whether you have an Ethernet adapter card or open
card slots in your system. You may find you need to upgrade a
component or two before you can use a particular type of high-speed
Internet service.
When you're ready to order your DSL or Internet cable line, it's a
good idea to ask about installation scheduling. Sometimes customer
demand swamps high-speed Internet access services. They may inform you
that there's a four- or six-week wait before technicians can come by
and set up your system. Notice of a lengthy delay may be a reason for
you to investigate another service provider, if you have that option.
Whether you use a DSL or a cable modem, your connection to the
Internet is always on. What this really means is that you are part of
an Ethernet network that doesn't require you to dial in. In this type
of computing environment, you should seriously consider the resulting
security issues. Normally, with DSL or cable modem services, the
installation technicians set up your system so that you share file and
print capability on your system. This means others on the same network
can look into your PC, open your files, and browse through your data.
To help protect yourself against unwanted access, talk to your
service's network administrator and set up your system so it doesn't
share file and print services.
Have you put off upgrading that old 33.6-kbps modem? Don't wait any
longer. Some modem makers, like Zoom Telephonics, have set a final
deadline for their free upgrades to 56 kbps or V.90. Contact your
modem manufacturer or at least browse its Web site if you're still
chugging along at 33.6 kbps.
With all the options for connecting to the Internet (DSL, cable
modem, ISDN, standard phone line), it's hard to determine exactly what
hardware you need in your small office or home office. Xircom now
offers an interesting solution called the PortStation. This
customizable box can include any combination of modems, as well as USB
ports, Ethernet adapters, and more. Check the Xircom Web site for more
details.
http://www.xircom.com
You don't have to miss all your phone calls when you're online
anymore. Zoom Telephonics now offers a feature it calls Channel 2 on
its modems. Channel 2-equipped modems either hang up your Internet
connection when a call comes in (this is suggested when you're waiting
for very important calls), or make an alert sound and offer you the
option of taking the call or continuing to surf. Other modem makers
offer similar features on their latest models.
Some new desktops, such as Compaq's Presario 5900Z, sport
DSL/56-kbps combination modems. That way, you can choose either a DSL
or a standard phone line connection to the Internet. Check for
enhanced modem options on any new desktop you are considering. Contact
Compaq at
http://www.compaq.com
After the first iMac from Apple, at
http://www.apple.com
appeared, it didn't take long for PC manufacturers to begin copying
the stylish design and colorful flare. They got the message--personal
computers don't have to be boring to sell.
However, now Apple has updated the iMac. The new versions are
called the iMac DV and iMac DV Special Edition. These models have the
unique style of the original, but they also include interesting
hardware updates PC makers and hardware upgraders alike should be
aware of. As an upgrader, you might want to look for some of these
features when you go shopping for your next PC. Who knows, they might
just be available.
First, how about a little door in the case just for upgrading RAM?
RAM upgrades are one of the most common for PCs. The new iMacs have a
little door on the back that swings open, allowing you to insert more
RAM DIMMS easily without opening up the whole case. Wouldn't this be a
nice feature to see on a PC?
PC makers continue to force PC users to squirm around the back of
the system unit just to plug in USB devices, phone lines, Ethernet
cables, and such. The new iMacs have a plate on the right side of the
unit sporting all the ports, including FireWire, USB, Ethernet, and
modem ports. These ports are easy to reach from the front of the iMac,
even if you're sitting down. Look for this feature the next time you
go shopping for a PC.
How many times has the sliding tray of your PC's CD-ROM/DVD-ROM
drive gotten in the way? This tray bumps my leg or slams against my
other computer equipment just about every other day.
The new iMac comes with a slot-loading DVD-ROM drive. Disks slip
easily in and out of the drive and there's no tray to bother with. On
your next system, or simply your next optical drive upgrade, look into
a slot-loading drive. Your shins will thank you.
PC makers still don't make keyboards as useful as they could be.
The new iMac (just like the original) comes with a USB keyboard. It
has two USB ports on it (most people use one for the mouse) in the
upper right and left corners. This is incredibly useful for USB
devices you just want to plug in for a few minutes, such as a
removable storage drive or a digital camera. The iMac's keyboard also
lets you turn the system unit on and off with a special button. Look
for these convenient features the next time you shop for a PC.
Several cutting-edge hardware products out there right now are well
worth talking about. Over the next few days, I'll mention a few of
them and tell you why you should know they exist.
First, photographers should take note--Nikon at
http://www.nikonusa.com
now sells a PC-based film scanner called the Super CoolScan 2000
for around $2000. It scans 35mm film in slide or strip formats at an
optical resolution of 2700 dpi. That's over four times the detail you
would get with a standard 600-dpi color scanner. A film scanner such
as this helps pro-level photographers put off that expensive
professional digital camera purchase (which starts at around $15,000).
Using the CoolScan 2000, you can scan in your traditional film and
process it just like a digital image taken with a multimegapixel
digital camera.
Who needs a bookshelf to store CDs and DVDs? Escient now sells a
DVD/CD-ROM jukebox called the PowerFile C200 with a 200-disc capacity;
see
http://www.dvdchanger.com
The $1499 Powerfile C200 sports two DVD-ROM drives, which also play
CD-ROM discs, and it connects to your PC via a FireWire connection. A
jukebox of this sort is a great way to keep all your disks quickly and
easily accessible.
Set your inner artist free! Wacom at
http://www.wacom.com
now sells USB-interface graphics tablets. Its Intuos pen and tablet
sets come in five sizes ranging from 4 by 5 inches up to 12 by 18
inches. The hot-swappable USB connection lets you plug in the device
and go, without the usual tablet installation hassles. The pressure
-sensitive pen reads up to 1024 different levels of pressure, which
translate into lighter or darker brushstrokes. The Intuos is both Mac
and PC compatible.
PC makers are scrambling to come up with the next big thing. With
all the competition driving prices lower and lower, PC computer
manufacturers are no longer making much profit selling standard
systems, so they're brainstorming like mad to come up with new and
interesting products to entice consumers.
One avenue many PC makers are taking is production of Internet or
Web-ready PCs, such as Dell's WebPC. These small, futuristic-looking
systems are popping up all over the marketplace. Over the next few
days, I'll pass along some tips in case you are shopping for one of
these new systems.
First, check the price. If systems like Dell's WebPC at
http://www.webpc.com
are an indication, you'll pay a premium for the easy setup, stylish
designs, and all-in-one-box construction. If you priced a similarly
configured (meaning processor speed, RAM amount, hard drive size, and
so on) traditional PC, you'll generally find it's the same price or
cheaper than the Web-ready PC. You'll have to decide for yourself if
futuristic styling is worth extra money.
Before you buy one of the new Internet PCs on the market,
investigate the Internet service contract that comes with it. Most of
these new Web-ready PCs include ISP service as part of the deal. These
contracts often require multiyear commitments--and you might have to
pay a special fee if you decide to cancel early.
Compare and contrast these contracts with those from other ISPs.
You may find the contract the Internet PC includes isn't such a
bargain.
Many of the new Internet PCs come with a very small system
unit--much smaller than a standard PC's. While these small-footprint
PCs are great for saving space on the top of your desk, they aren't so
easy to upgrade. You'll find few (if any) card expansion slots. And
most offer no expansion bays for extra internal hard drives, optical
storage drives, or removable storage drives.
Before you buy a Web-ready PC, ask a salesperson about its upgrade
path. If there isn't one, you might want to consider a traditional PC
instead.
According to reports, several PC makers should begin phasing out
ISA expansion slots from their new PCs this year. New card-based
products generally use the more efficient PCI bus, but ISA slots have
lasted this long because of legacy hardware support. Unfortunately,
the often-unused ISA slots have been taking up valuable space inside
PC system units, and PC makers want to use that space for other
purposes--or perhaps just slim down the PC case altogether. Over the
next few days, we'll mention some ways in which the hardware upgrader
should prepare for the death of ISA.
First, ask your salesperson about ISA slots in any new PC that you
buy this year. Don't just assume they will be there as in the past.
It's doubtful that PC manufacturers will trumpet this change to the PC
configuration. If you're shopping online, check the complete
specification sheet, which should describe the number and type of card
slots.
With the end of ISA drawing near, it's time to survey your current
hardware. Open up your PC case and determine how many of your
card-based products use the ISA bus. Your PC's documentation should
show you what the ISA slots look like. Make a list of all your ISA
hardware and then consider which products you might want to use in a
new PC you purchase this year. If you have no ISA products you want to
move to a new system, then you have no worries. If you do have ISA
hardware you want to take along, make sure any new system you buy
offers ISA slots.
If you don't see any ISA slots listed in the specification of a new
PC you're considering, and you need them to support certain hardware,
ask a salesperson if the store offers custom PC configurations. Some
PC makers may assist customers by offering special ISA slot riser
boards that snap in and sit above the motherboard. In general, any
special customization costs extra, and these ISA riser boards probably
will as well.
One way to manage the death of ISA is through networking. If you
use ISA-based products but your new PC has no ISA slots, consider
building a very small network (of maybe only two computers). Most
networking hardware lets you share devices (printers, scanners, and
drives) between PCs. Thus, instead of junking your old PC, just
network it to your new system and use it as a device station. The
latest SOHO networking products let you connect two PCs for about
$100.
Since manufacturers are phasing ISA card slots out of new
computers, it makes sense to avoid ISA products whenever you buy new
card-based hardware. You'll still find some ISA products on store
shelves because some hardware makers simply haven't built new card
designs based on the alternative data buses. If you find yourself
interested in a particular ISA product, contact the manufacturer and
ask when it plans to come out with a PCI-based version of that
product. Generally, the answer will be very soon--and you may only
have to wait a few weeks, if at all, for the newer version.
Small office/home office networking products are generating a new
interest in processor upgrade chips, such as
Intel's Overdrive chips
and Kingston's
TurboChip products. Over a small network, you can leverage slower
PCs as extra stations for Internet access, game playing, and printer
stations. So instead of tossing out that ancient PC, consider bringing
it back to life with a chip upgrade. You don't need to upgrade it to
today's speed standards--just make it fast enough to take advantage of
your network.
A gap is widening between those who have ordinary PC graphics
boards and those with high-performance graphics boards. In the old
days, business users and gamers generally used the same type of
graphics boards. But today, the high-end boards gamers and video
editors use come with much more memory, extra features, and a
completely different chipset compared to boards that target typical
Windows users. Over the next few days, we'll mention some of the
details you'll need to bridge the graphics board gap.
First, almost all the new high-end graphics boards use the AGP (
ccelerated Graphics Port) interface, not the PCI bus. If you decide
you need high-performance graphics, first determine if your PC
supports AGP.
Extra memory means better performance. Does this sound familiar? Of
course, this statement is true regarding your PC's RAM, but now it's
also true for your graphics board. These days, high-performance
graphics boards come with 16MB to 32MB or more of memory. In general,
gamers report that you'll notice the improved performance as you
upgrade to more memory, even just a jump from 16MB to 32MB. If gaming
is your passion, decide if running 32MB of memory on your card is
within your budget. Regular business application users don't have to
play this upgrade game--they only need 4MB or 8MB on their graphics
boards.
With gaming, the hardware often runs ahead of software. Thus you'll
often find that the games you own (or even those you buy new off the
store shelves) don't take advantage of the 3D processing technology
and the improved performance on your new graphics board. If you
purchase a high-end graphics board, check with the software maker
about the specifications for its software, and ask specifically
whether that software takes advantage of the power in your particular
graphics board. You might want to choose one game over another if it
leverages the capabilities of your new graphics board.
TV-tuning capability remains a specialized feature that only a few
companies offer on graphics boards. This means if you want to watch TV
over your computer, you must search for a board that offers the
capability. Currently
3dfx , ATI, and
Matrox all
offer TV-tuner cards.
Anyone who owns a high-performance graphics board must check
regularly for driver updates. New drivers, offered after the boards
hit the market, often fine-tune their performance. You'll also find
drivers to support new operating systems, such as Windows 2000.
However, keep in mind that new drivers sometimes have bugs, so make
sure you know how to return to your old driver before you install a
new driver--in case you run into an emergency.
Up until now, most TV tuner products have been limited to the
desktop, and most require adding an extra board into your PC.
Lifeview now
sells a USB-interface TV tuner that comes with everything you need to
watch TV over a notebook computer or a desktop computer. Its USB Life
TV sports an antenna and built-in speaker so you don't need to attach
extra cables to the device. The Life TV also accepts video input from
VCRs, camcorders, and desktop
cameras.
Windows 98's Add New Hardware tool in the Control Panel can make
certain systems hang and eventually lock up. Microsoft says Window
98's incompatibility with certain (unspecified) motherboards may cause
this Plug and Play detection problem. If you are experiencing these
problems, Microsoft recommends upgrading your motherboard's BIOS from
the manufacturer's Web site.
Color scanners are cheaper than ever. Now you can pick one up for
as little as $100. Over the next few days, I'll pass along some tips
that should help you choose among these inexpensive peripherals.
First, don't consider the ENHANCED resolution specification.
Instead, look at the OPTICAL resolution spec, which should be 600 dpi
(dots per inch) or higher for a quality scanner. Enhanced resolution
is simply a software-based image process for adding detail to a
scanned image. Unfortunately, most of the time these enhancement
algorithms don't work very well. Besides, most image-processing
applications perform this function for you, so you don't need your
scanner to do any enhancing.
Not had a briefing on WebTV lately? The products and services of
WebTV, at
http://www.tivo.com
first made this concept a reality, but their products don't offer
Web access capability.
WebTV's interactive programming allows you to browse Web sites
related to the TV shows you watch. WebTV's picture-in-picture
capability lets you browse them while you watch the show. You can also
search updated TV listings, set reminders for shows, and even have
WebTV program your VCR to record shows you don't want to miss. All of
these features are new to WebTV; the original service was really only
a way to browse the Web using your TV as a monitor. Now the service is
trying to leverage its connection to television.
One of the original complaints about WebTV was local access
numbers--the service wasn't available in all areas. Well, it still
isn't, but Microsoft has attempted to solve the problem by allowing
you to use other ISPs and their local service numbers to gain access
to the WebTV service. Because you'll be paying the monthly service
bill of another ISP, WebTV will discount your WebTV service $10 per
month if you connect in this manner.
In the beginning, you could only get WebTV in the United States.
Now Microsoft has expanded the service to Canada and Japan. The WebTV
site, at
http://www.webtv.com
offers links to the WebTV home pages for both of these countries.
In the United States, you can buy a WebTV Internet Receiver from
Philips Magnavox, Sony, RCA, Mitsubishi, or Samsung, but for Canada
only Sony currently makes a compatible device.
Initially, Sony sold its WebTV Internet Receiver only in stores,
but now you can purchase the product through Sony's Web site at
http://www.webtv.com
and send it in for the free two months' service.
Windows 2000 has finally arrived. As with all new operating system
upgrades, you should perform several preparatory steps before you
start the installation. Over the next few days, these tips will cover
the steps that relate to hardware.
First, if necessary, upgrade your hardware to achieve the
RECOMMENDED system requirements
for Windows 2000--not just the minimum. Windows 2000 will run
incredibly slowly if your system only meets the minimum level
requirements. This means your processor should be at least 133MHz, and
preferably 166MHz; your RAM amount should be at least 64MB, and you
should have 1GB of free hard disk space on your hard drive. If you
need to upgrade your hardware, do so BEFORE you upgrade to Windows
2000. Don't wait until after the OS upgrade--your upgrade will go much
more smoothly on a proper hardware configuration.
Investigate your BIOS before you upgrade to the Windows 2000
operating system. An older system BIOS will likely only support the
older APM (Advanced Power Management) power management specification.
Windows 2000 does support APM, but it also supports the newer ACPI
(Advanced Configuration and Power Interface) specification, which lets
you slow down or turn off individual devices in order to conserve
battery power. Notebook computer users, in particular, would benefit
from using ACPI. If you find your BIOS does not support ACPI, contact
your PC manufacturer on the Web
or over the phone and ask about a
BIOS upgrade.
Are your computer's internal and external devices ready for Windows
2000? Never assume they are, even if you have relatively new
components. Browse the Windows 2000 Hardware and Software
compatibility section of Microsoft's Web site at
http://www.pcworld.com/r/tw/1%2C2061%2Ctw-hu0229y%2C00.html
You can search for your hardware in the compatibility list that's
available on the site, or you can download the free Windows 2000
Readiness Analyzer utility, which investigates your system and reports
any known hardware or software compatibility issues.
Before you upgrade your operating system to Windows 2000, be sure
to perform a COMPLETE BACKUP.
Unlike the Windows 98 upgrade, Windows 2000 doesn't give you the
option of returning to your original setup if you decide for some
reason you don't like Windows 2000. Thus, you need to create this
emergency exit for yourself. Use tape, CD-R discs, or some other
removable storage medium and perform a complete system backup. Also,
make sure you have a properly configured bootable system disk so you
can boot from it and access your backup data. With a full backup on
standby, Windows 2000's hour-long installation procedure won't seem
quite so stressful.
Finally, round up the new Windows 2000 drivers for your devices
before you upgrade. At this point the manufacturers of most graphics
cards, sound boards, modems, and other devices offer Windows 2000
drivers. Make sure you have already downloaded the new drivers or know
where you can obtain them over the Web. Windows 2000 often functions
with default drivers, but you will probably see better performance
using drivers specifically designed for the OS.
Inkjets have dropped dramatically in price over the last two years.
Now, for $100 to $400, you can buy a quality inkjet printer.
Unfortunately, until very recently, those users who needed to print on
large-size paper still had to go with the more expensive laser
printers, because all the inexpensive inkjets operated only on the
standard 8.5-by-11-inch format.
Epson saw this as an opportunity. Its new Stylus Color 1160 prints
on paper up to 13 inches by 19 inches, or on banners with a maximum
length of 44 inches. Visit Epson at
http://www.epson.com
Does your computer listen? More and more computers now ship with
built-in microphones or headset microphones as well as voice
recognition, voice memo, and video teleconferencing software. Over the
next few days, we'll pass along some tips for getting the best
performance while dictating, recording, or conferencing.
First, carefully read over the documentation that ships with your
voice-related software. You'll want to pay close attention to sound
board compatibility listings and settings. Voice packages often work
best with certain sound cards and sometimes have known problems with
other cards. Check to make sure your card works well with your voice
package and is set correctly to get the best performance.
Microphone positioning is crucial to voice recognition and
high-quality voice recording. An excellent microphone can make a
horrible recording if worn incorrectly. Avoid breath sounds by placing
your mike off to the side of your mouth, not directly in front. Never
talk with the microphone directly against your lips; there should
always be a small gap between your mouth and the mike.
For other positioning tips, read the documentation of the software
package that came with your mike. Often you'll find a diagram showing
the proper mike positioning for best performance.
How noisy is your work environment? If you encounter more than
minimal chatter and machine noise, it may affect the quality of your
voice recording or recognition. Read your software's documentation on
what to do (adjust audio settings, calibrate your microphone) to
compensate for unusually high background noise.
Also, once you've made software adjustments, take note whenever
there is a change in your environment. If your voice software is set
to handle a high level of background noise, it might not function well
in periods without any background noise. Above all, try to situate
your computer in an area where the level of background noise is
constant.
Don't assume that knowing how to talk means you know how to talk to
a computer. Voice recognition experts say there is an art or craft to
dictating to a computer. Enunciation, volume, and pace are
all-important factors in attaining high levels of voice recognition.
Your software's documentation should have some information about
cultivating the skill of dictating. Practice the techniques until
you've mastered them.
If you have a little extra money to spend on your voice setup,
check into a wireless microphone. Very few voice-based software
packages ship with a wireless mike in the box because of the added
expense. However, for $200 to $400 you can purchase a high-quality
microphone. A wireless device frees you up from your computer so you
can walk around the room, even while talking. Most people find they
get more use out of a wireless mike than a standard microphone
headset.
Would you like to use your computer monitor for multimedia
presentations, in addition to using it for your regular desktop work?
Shop for a monitor that accepts video inputs from VCRs, camcorders,
and other audiovisual devices. One example of a monitor with this
capability is Samsung's SyncMaster 570p Plus TFT. The 570p is a
15-inch LCD flat panel display that features both composite and
S-Video input. Check it out at
http://www.samsung.com
Is flat a good thing? When you head to the store, you'll find both
LCD flat-panel displays and flat-screen CRT monitors. You may wonder
if flat screens make a difference in terms of image quality, compared
to the traditional curved screen of older CRT monitors.
In a word, yes. For decades, CRT tubes were curved out of
necessity, not because of a design choice. The electron gun technology
used for many years required a curved tube front, in order to position
the internal gun equidistant from every point on the screen.
Unfortunately, this curvature slightly distorts the image for the
viewer. We've all just gotten used to it over time.
However, a flat screen does present the image without distortion.
Thus, if you work in graphic, video, or art production, you may want
to spend the extra money on a new flat CRT monitor or a LCD flat-panel
display.
Some monitors offer an extra USB hub integrated into the monitor
case, and you may ask why. Good question--this feature costs extra
money, but really has nothing to do with your monitor. Monitor makers
started including USB hubs as a space saver for cramped computing
environments (so that the hub unit doesn't take up space in its own
separate box).
However, if you don't use USB devices or you don't require any
additional USB ports or hubs, you should forgo a USB-ready monitor and
save the extra money.
Another strange feature of modern monitors is the integrated
speaker set. Like the USB hubs (mentioned in the last tip), integrated
speakers are only a space-saving convenience. However, you may find
that the speakers aren't any good and you're stuck with them; only a
few monitors allow you to detach and remove the speakers from the
monitor case. In addition, if you ever decide to upgrade to
surround-sound speakers or to a set that includes a subwoofer, you may
find the integrated speakers take up valuable space on your desk. Only
consider integrated speakers if you're very space conscious. Most
users should purchase speakers separately.
While you can find CD-RW drives in a USB interface, these drives
generally aren't as fast in recording and playback as the EIDE and
SCSI interface CD-RW drives. Drives like HP's external SCSI CD-Writer
Plus 9210e (www.hp.com)
can play CDs at 32X, write CD-R media at 8X, and record CD-RW discs at
4X. So if you feel the need for recording speed, look into an EIDE- or
SCSI-based optical drive. You will have to deal with a little more
installation hassle with an EIDE/SCSI drive than you would with a USB
drive, but in terms of performance you'll find it's worth the extra
effort.
The key difference between CD-RW and DVD-RAM optical recording
drives is storage volume. Like CD-R media, CD-RW discs have an upper
limit of 650MB. With DVD-RAM, on the other hand, you can store up to
5.2GB on a double-sided disk. However, you'll pay handsomely for the
extra storage DVD-RAM offers. Blank DVD-RAM disks cost around $40
apiece,
whereas blank CD-RW discs cost only about $2. On average, you'll pay
about 50 cents more per megabyte for DVD-RAM media than for CD-RW.
The recording software that used to accompany optical recording
drives was a nightmare--often too complicated and frustrating to use.
Fortunately, the last couple of years have seen major improvements.
Now even recording novices can quickly make a CD-RW or DVD-RAM
recording with just a few clicks of the mouse.
You'll also notice that the MP3 music craze has had an effect on
recording software. Many CD-RW drives come with packages that help you
download and store MP3 files from the Internet as well as create your
own music discs.
You can save around $100, sometimes a little more, by opting for an
internal CD-RW or DVD-RAM drive rather than an external drive. The
extra casing and shielding costs more to manufacture, and the drive
makers pass this cost onto the consumer. If you have a spare drive bay
and you aren't concerned with using your recording drive on more than
one PC, buy an internal drive.
Consider the following issue, however. You may need to use one
drive to archive the data of several systems you don't have networked,
or you may want to share DVD-RAM data between two nonnetworked
systems, one of which doesn't have a DVD-RAM drive--they are still
fairly uncommon on PCs. In that case, look for an external drive. This
will let you quickly detach the drive from one PC and reattach it to
another.
A mouse makes a difficult tool for controlling a PC-based
presentation. You still have to use even wireless mice in close
proximity to a PC, so presenters often find themselves standing
between the audience and the PC screen.
Enter Interlink Electronics' RemotePoint RF, a radio-frequency PC
remote control that lets you stand up to 100 feet away from the PC you
are controlling. The RemotePoint features mouse controls, forward and
backward slide buttons, and an integrated laser pointer.
http://www.interlink.com
Universal Serial Bus seems to be the hot new interface for
scanners, and for flexibility and ease of installation, you can't beat
USB. However, if scanning speed is important to you (that is, you work
in an art department), you might consider going with a faster
interface like SCSI. In terms of data transfer, SCSI outpaces USB.
With large, high-resolution scans, you'll notice the speed difference.
Believe it or not, the internal scanning element used to digitize
your images can make a big difference in the quality of your scans.
Currently, two distinct types of elements are used in scanners--CCD
(Charge Coupled Device) and CIS (Contact Image Sensor). In general,
CCD elements make for clearer and sharper scanned images, even if the
material you are scanning is uneven or textured. However, CCD elements
are usually larger than CIS elements and also slightly more expensive
than CIS elements. If you are choosing between CCD and CIS for a pair
of scanners, however, CCD is generally worth the few extra dollars.
Scanner usability has improved dramatically. Many now offer
one-button scan features that let you digitize images quickly and
easily. Even so, you should still thoroughly investigate the scanning
software that comes with your scanner. You will almost certainly need
to adjust resolution, contrast, and brightness settings at some point,
so make sure the software is easy to manipulate.
If you will be digitizing documents for use in your word-processing
application, definitely investigate the optical character recognition
software that comes with your scanner. Unfortunately, in low-end
scanners (costing around $100), the OCR software is usually a light
version of a more full-featured package you would need to purchase
separately. Still, you should shop around for the best OCR package
that's bundled with a scanner on your list. Unless you frequently
digitize documents, you may not need to purchase a separate OCR
package.
You have many choices for extra storage: you could consider
removable storage devices, virtual storage from an Internet company, a
CD-RW drive, adding a second hard drive, buying an external USB or
FireWire hard drive--or you could just buy one of the biggest hard
drives on the planet.
IBM's new DeskStar 75GXP, available at
http://www.ibm.com
features 75GB of storage. Who needs archiving when you have that
much space?
Bluetooth, which you can read about at
http://www.bluetooth.com
is a wireless communications standard that will allow handheld
devices such as PDAs and cellular phones to interact over a
close-range radio network. It will appear on handheld devices from a
number of manufacturers by the end of this year.
If you're a desktop PC user, though, don't think that Bluetooth
(with its focus on handheld devices) has nothing to offer you.
Bluetooth technology will also be available to desktops, although
perhaps not until early 2001.
One potential advantage of a Bluetooth-enabled desktop is the
ability to synchronize data between the home system and a
Bluetooth-capable handheld device. For example, you'll be able to keep
your contact database up-to-date by syncing your desktop and PDA,
without any need for cables or a cradle attachment.
Another Bluetooth desktop solution companies are plotting is the
wireless file-transfer connection. Using Bluetooth without cables or a
traditional LAN, you'll be able to send files between desktops located
within 10 meters of each other. You might also find this capability
useful for multiplayer gaming.
Bluetooth-enabled desktops will work as Internet gateways for
handheld devices within conference rooms and other meeting areas.
Initially, Bluetooth add-on products will enable this functionality,
making desktops capable of sending and receiving data via the
Bluetooth radio frequency. A little farther down the road, desktop
systems will fully integrate Bluetooth technology.
Thinking about building your own PC? The first thing to start with
is the motherboard; you'll build everything from the motherboard's
foundation. For a quick introduction to motherboard shopping, browse
MotherboardsDirect at
http://www.motherboardsdirect.com
and Motherboards.com at
http://www.motherboards.com
You'll need to pick the features of your board, including the CPU
socket type, number of ISA and PCI add-in board slots, form factor,
and other things. Generally, motherboards cost $70 to $200.
Acer has entered a new era in PC security. While most PC
manufacturers still concern themselves with "soft" attacks from
computer viruses or Internet hackers, Acer worries about people
getting physical with your PC. Its AcerPower 8600 business systems now
come equipped with chassis intrusion alarms. If someone tampers with
your PC, it can sound the alarm--or transmit a message to your IS
manager via remote management software.
http://www.acer.com
Are you outfitting your small business with desktop PCs?
Double-check the configuration of the systems you plan to purchase.
Many PC makers currently configure business PCs with both a LAN
adapter and a modem. However, in many offices this configuration is
overkill. When connected via LAN, PCs already enjoy all the benefits a
modem connection would offer, such as Internet connection and remote
access. In some circumstances, you need both a LAN adapter and a
modem, but be aware of this trend in case you don't. You may save a
few dollars by having your PC maker build your systems without one of
these components.
For home systems, almost all PC makers include a set of external
stereo speakers. However, depending on the quality, this extra may not
be such a good deal. If you aren't familiar with the brand and quality
of speakers included in a PC bundle you're considering, ask the PC
vendor if you'll save any money by eliminating the speaker set.
Chances are you can purchase a higher-quality set of speakers
separately for the same amount of money. As always, try to get a
demonstration of the exact configuration you want to buy and listen
carefully to the quality of the speakers.
In the old days, upgrading components inside the PC system unit was
like digging around in the deep recesses of an automobile's engine
compartment. In a relatively new trend, however, almost all PC makers
now feature some sort of swing-out or slide-out section on their PC's
internals. You'll often find a swing-out power supply or hard drive
rack, and you may find the entire motherboard slides out when you
release a couple of locks. If you upgrade your PCs often, check
whether the new PC you plan to purchase features a slide-out
motherboard or at least swing-out sections of the internal
architecture. You'll find this a great help when upgrading internal
components.
You thought the digital camera revolutionized the world of
photography. Ha! How about the digital frame? Check out Ceiva at
http://www.ceiva.com
This LED screen, the size of a standard 5 by 7 frame, connects to
your phone line and downloads pictures overnight from the Ceiva Web
site. The company is targeting the family and friends of digital
camera users. The Ceiva device stores up to 10 images at a time.
The IEEE 1394 specification, also known as FireWire, describes a
data bus that far surpasses the USB bus in speed. FireWire can
transfer data at up to 400 Mbps. You'll now find digital video
cameras, scanners, and external hard drives that use the FireWire bus.
Unfortunately, despite original plans and promises, very few PC
manufacturers include FireWire ports on their new PCs. If you're
interested in this fast new bus, you'll most likely have to install it
yourself.
Over the next few days I'll pass along some items to keep in mind
if you plan to make your PC FireWire-capable.
First take an inventory of open card slots inside your system.
You'll need an open PCI slot for the IEEE 1394 add-in board.
You can purchase your FireWire add-in board separately or as part
of a hardware-software package. If you plan to use your FireWire port
for capturing digital video from a camcorder, I would recommend that
you shop for a FireWire card with video editing software. You'll
likely save money, and most combo packs of this sort come with
detailed installation and setup instructions (more than you'll find if
you buy the FireWire card by itself).
Otherwise, if you plan to use your FireWire mainly for a scanner
connection or for other peripherals, you can buy a FireWire card by
itself for as little as $150.
Because FireWire (IEEE 1394) is still relatively new, you might
encounter some compatibility problems, as others have. To avoid
compatibility problems, do as much preliminary investigation as you
can. If your PC already features FireWire ports, check your PC maker's
Web site to see if it offers a list of FireWire hardware tested with
the company's systems.
Whenever you actually go to purchase a FireWire peripheral, ask
about any known compatibility problems before you buy. This will save
you the hassle of returning products that don't work.
Are you running Windows 98, Second Edition? If not, you might
seriously considering upgrading to this operating system. Most
FireWire hardware will specify that it runs on Windows 98, and
technically both versions of Windows 98 support the bus. But users
have generally found fewer FireWire-related problems when using the
second edition of Windows 98. If you're still considering FireWire,
add the price of the Windows 98 SE upgrade into your cost analysis.
Believe it or not, you can use your desktop's FireWire peripherals
on your notebook computer as well. You just need a Firewire-Cardbus
adapter such as the $100 version sold by FireWireDirect.com (www.firewiredirect.com).
These PC Card FireWire adapters won't transfer data at the same speed
as the desktop PCI FireWire add-in board, but it IS nice to have the
option of sharing FireWire devices between a desktop and a notebook.
Always check for hidden cost in a "free" PC offer in addition to
researching the full cost of any required ISP contract (we covered
this in the last tip). The types of hidden costs you could find
include exorbitant shipping costs for sending you the hardware, the
fee for including a monitor, and a startup fee for initiating the ISP
service. Look around for a deal that doesn't include any of these
costs. You should really only pay some nominal fee for hardware (it's
supposedly free, anyway), plus your monthly ISP bill.
What kind of horsepower are you getting with your "free" PC deal?
Typically, these cheap PCs come configured with midrange components
for the processor and modem, and midsize RAM and hard drive. Depending
on what purpose you have for the PC, these slower-performing
components might work just fine. However, if you plan on crunching
spreadsheets, querying databases, or running high-end graphics, your
new system's performance might disappoint you.
You should definitely decide whether the PC's performance matches
your needs before you sign up for the deal. Many of these offers
restrict you in how you can upgrade or expand your system once it
arrives. If you can't find a cheap PC with the right performance for
your needs, you're probably better off purchasing a standard PC from a
known vendor.
Do you typically rely on technical support when you use a computer?
If so, beware the "free" PC offer. Often, technical support is the
lowest priority for companies that offer super-discounted systems. In
fact, some owners of the original "free" PC offers now find themselves
without any technical support because the company they signed up with
has gone out of business. You might also encounter a fee for technical
support. Once again, try to avoid deals with such hidden costs.
Some USB-based peripheral devices for the Apple iMac include a file
called iMac Update Version 1.0 on the installation CD. This file
updates the USB driver software for the iMac so the peripheral and the
iMac can communicate. Unfortunately, only the original blue iMac
running Mac OS 8.1 requires this update. In fact, if you run this
update on a later iMac--such as an iMac DV, which comes preinstalled
with Mac OS 8.5 or later--you'll crash your computer. Check Apple's
online technical support database at
http://www.apple.com
for more information about these USB updates.
The iMac DV comes fully equipped to support FireWire interface
devices, but when you're shopping you may become confused over what
products use the FireWire interface. For example, many DV cameras list
i.link capability in their specs. This actually connotes FireWire
support, as does IEEE 1364. Your best bet as to what products have
undergone iMac compatibility testing is to check the technical support
section of the Apple site at
http://www.apple.com
The Iomega Zip drive offers an easy and ubiquitous medium for
removable storage needs, but Zip drives are not all that fast.
Fortunately, Iomega has just announced a Zip 250 USB FireWire adapter
that iMac DV owners can use to soup up their Zip 250 USB drives. The
$79.95 adapter connects your 250MB Zip USB interface drive to your
iMac's FireWire port, instead of to the usual USB port--and allows the
drive to transfer data at up to 2.3 MBps, or twice as fast as it does
when connected to the USB port.
The latest generation of home networking products delivers data
transfer speeds of 10 to 11 Mbps. This rate is an order of magnitude
better than the initial home network products, which ran at 1 to 2
Mbps. These speeds make it even more tempting to create a home network
for playing multiplayer games, sharing an Internet connection, or just
sharing devices such as printers within your home. I'll pass along
some tips about high-tech home networking products over the next few
days.
First, don't assume you'll get exactly the data transfer speed in
your own home network that you see written on the product box. There
is no standard for assigning a speed rating to these home networking
products, though initial testing shows that most of the new products
do come close to their claims. If performance is important to you,
read independent competitive reviews for the latest speed test of home
networking products. For wireless products, remember that the
placement of PCs in your home, where they must sometimes communicate
through ceilings and floors, may affect their overall network
performance. In general, you should get throughput fast enough to play
digital music files stored on the furthest PC on your network.
So far the two most effective communication technologies in home
networking products remain phone line and wireless. Your choice really
depends on the layout of your home. If you have few walls (or floors)
between the computers you want to connect, then wireless is probably
your best bet. Wireless home networking solutions give you the
flexibility and freedom to move about the room, especially with a
notebook computer you can run off a battery. However, if your
computers are far apart, you should check into phone line-based
networking gear. In a phone line-based scenario, it doesn't matter how
far apart the computers are, as long as each has access to your phone
line via wall jacks.
Many people mistakenly believe that phone line-based home
networking products will somehow disrupt their phone service. Not
so--these products use a higher frequency than voice, so your
computers will communicate "behind the scenes" over your phone line
even when you are making or receiving calls. You can answer a
telephone call, have a conversation, and hang up--all while
transferring files between your home PCs over the same line. And you
can't hear any type of computer noise in the background when you pick
up your telephone handset.
Expect to spend between $80 to $180 per PC when you connect several
in your home. The price range depends on whether you use wireless
(more expensive) or phone line-based (less expensive) technology.
You'll also spend a little more for the PC Card adapters for adding
notebook computers into your home network. With home networks, it's
best to start with just two PCs. All home networking solutions offer
two-PC kits that include everything you need to connect two systems.
After you've gotten through the installation and have seen what your
home network can accomplish, you can always add more PCs to your
network down the road. All home networking solutions also offer
single-PC kits so that you can add just one desktop or notebook to
your home LAN.
How fast is your home Internet connection? Most home networking
products support 56-Kbps modem connections, which you can share across
all the PCs on your network. However, few currently support the faster
cable or DSL connections now rolling out across the country. Read the
fine print on the product boxes, or ask a salesperson whether a
particular product supports cable or DSL if you have these types of
connections in your home.
Are you reluctant to open up your PC? Then you may need to look
around for the very latest home networking products, which use USB
ports to connect your PC to the phone line or to a wireless
transmitter-receiver for home networking purposes. All older home
networking products (and many still on the market) use PCI add-in
boards for home networking. With these boards, you must operate on
your PC by removing the cover to complete installation.
When Apple Computer at
http://www.apple.com
transformed the old Macintosh computer into the new iMac, that
evolution left behind a lot of old Mac hardware looking for ports. You
see, the iMac has no serial port, no parallel printer port, not even a
floppy drive.
If you own old Mac products based on serial or parallel ports,
you'll need to purchase a serial-to-USB or parallel-to-USB adapter.
Belkin at
http://www.belkin.com
offers such products. To find other companies, browse the USB
developers site at
http://www.usb.org
You won't find it easy to hook up your existing Mac floppy drive to
your iMac--Apple didn't design either the old or the new iMacs for
addition of extra internal drives. However, you can still leverage
your old Mac floppy disks on your new iMac. Imation's SuperDisk USB
drive at
http://www.superdisk.com
is iMac compatible, and it reads and writes both Imation 120MB
SuperDisks and Mac floppies.
The iMac's lack of documentation may shock hardware upgraders. It
has no manual to speak of--just a four-page foldout showing how to
plug the unit into the electrical outlet and the phone jack.
Fortunately, a new series of books called "The Missing Manuals"
available at
http://www.missingmanual.com
has come out. This series tells techies everything they want to
know about hardware and software for the iMac and the latest version
of its operating system (OS 9).
Paper remains a hidden cost of the inexpensive (less than $100)
inkjet printer. If you ever try printing graphics or photographs on
regular paper using one of these printers, you'll notice that you get
terrible results. Using specialized inkjet paper with the proper
absorbency for that technology makes your printouts look much better.
Unfortunately, inkjet paper is much more expensive than regular
paper--as much as 10 cents a sheet for so-called premium-quality
inkjet paper. And you'll spend even more than that for photo-quality
inkjet paper. Keep these costs in mind when you consider buying a new
inkjet printer.
Microphone-and-speaker-combination headsets are becoming more and
more popular. With microphones you can call people over the Internet,
talk to your word processor software, or talk to a game. With a
speaker headset, you can hear game sound effects or listen to audio
files you've downloaded from the Internet, all without disturbing
others. Over the next few days, I'll mention some tips to keep in mind
while you shop for a microphone-speaker headset.
First, comfort is key. Both the earphone and the strap going over
your head should be lightly padded so you'll feel comfortable even
after wearing your headset for hours at a time. Try on any headset
before you buy it. At the risk of looking stupid, walk around the
store wearing the headset for a while. Prolonged use may show you the
difference between comfortable and ALMOST comfortable.
The microphone arm of your microphone-speaker headset is vitally
important. The arm should be flexible enough to position the
microphone pickup mechanism about a thumb's width from the corner of
your mouth. It should also be rigid enough to stay in position once
you've aligned it properly. If the arm is too rigid, it won't fit
everyone's head or face. If the arm is too flexible, the microphone
will end up lying against your cheek or hanging down by your ear, both
of which make for poor voice recording.
Do you plan to listen to music over your microphone-speaker
headset? If so, definitely choose a model that features two stereo
speakers rather than the more common single-mono speakers. You
shouldn't have to switch from your microphone headset to headphones
when you switch on the tunes. Again, your best bet is to listen before
you buy.
A lot of hardware upgraders remain confused by the minimum system
requirements listed on their product boxes. Upgraders often wonder
what the requirements really mean and how their own PCs match up.
These product requirements become important when you're considering
adding a new videoconferencing kit, CD-recording drive, or some other
product to your existing system. Over the next few days I'll pass
along some important info about minimum system requirements.
First, be warned. There is no standard for assigning minimum system
requirements to any computer product; it's completely up to the
manufacturer. Unfortunately, product makers often fudge the numbers so
their products appear to be capable of running on a greater variety of
PCs than is really possible. You might find your product runs
intolerably slow if your system matches just the MINIMUM system
requirements listed on the box.
Your best bet is to look for and follow the RECOMMENDED system
requirements; ask a salesperson if you don't find them listed on the
outside of the product box. When listing recommended system
requirements, product makers usually provide the true facts--they want
to make sure you know how their product would perform on a properly
equipped PC.
When you're looking at the panel of a computer product box, the
label may make misleading claims about which operating systems the new
product can run on. Don't assume that when a product box states
"Windows NT" in big letters, it will run on all Windows NT systems.
The numbers and names of Microsoft's Windows operating systems make
sense to no one. Windows 95 had three separate releases: A, B, and C.
Windows 98 had two: Windows 98 (original) and Windows 98 SE (Second
Edition). Finally, Windows NT had six service pack releases (read "bug
fixes"), called SP1 through SP6.
Look carefully for details about the operating system your new
products require. The minimum system requirement list (perhaps in
small print) should include the operating system version.
Never confuse a product's minimum system requirements list with its
performance specifications. Sometimes upgraders believe they can
improve a new product's performance by tweaking one item from the
minimum system requirements list--say, by adding more RAM than the
requirements call for. This approach to better performance may not
work. Keep in mind that overall system performance changes (such as
adding RAM) apply to your whole PC, not to a particular device on your
system. To improve the performance of a particular component, read its
documentation or contact the manufacturer for performance improvement
tips. You may find out that some unexpected modifications (perhaps
more free disk space or an OS setting) will make the product perform
better.
When you inventory your PC to see if it meets a new product's
minimum system requirements, make sure you also check the product
manufacturer's list of compatible or certified hardware, if one
exists. You can usually find this list on the company's Web site.
Think of a compatible hardware list as an extension of the minimum
system requirements list.
Netpliance's I-Opener Internet appliance has dropped in price from
$199 to $99. However, you still must separately purchase a mouse
($19.95), a warranty ($49-$79), and the monthly service ($21.95 per
month). The I-Opener is a new Internet-for-dummies device that lets
you browse the Web; send and receive e-mail; and receive news,
weather, and sports updates.
http://www.i-opener.com
Cevia at
http://www.cevia.com
has a new competitor for its Picture Frame digital frame product--Digi-Frame
at
http://www.digi-frame.com
Digi-Frame offers two types of products: a small 3.9-inch
(diagonal) display and a larger 5.6-inch (diagonal) model.
Like the Cevia product, Digi-Frame products display your digital
images as a kind of slide show. While Cevia connects to a Web site
(where you post and organize your images) via a phone line, the Digi-Frame
products either connect to your PC (for image download) or accept
CompactFlash and SmartMedia cards as input. None of these products are
cheap, however. Digi-Frame units start at $399.
Shopping for a brand-new PC? Now you can customize most if not all
of the components within your system--usually just by selecting items
from a drop-down box on a manufacturer's Web site.
Over the next few days I'll pass along some tips to keep in mind
regarding customizable components.
First, consider going with a recording-capable optical drive
instead of a playback-only CD-ROM drive. These days, CD-R and CD-RW
media are a cheap and effective method of sharing files and archiving
data. Some PC makers let you pick a CD-R or CD-RW drive instead of a
regular CD-ROM drive, and the price difference is usually minimal.
Many PC manufacturers still include a floppy drive in the computer
whether you like it or not. A floppy drive is a legacy piece of
hardware we just can't seem to let go of. With some PC makers,
however, you can opt for a SuperDisk drive that the manufacturer will
install in place of a regular floppy drive. SuperDisk drives work with
120MB SuperDisk media, and they can also read and write regular 1.44MB
floppies. If you share disks with other PCs (or PC users) that use
SuperDisk media, you might consider this type of swap the next time
you purchase a new PC.
Do you own legacy ISA card-based computer products? If you intend
to use these products in your new PC, you might need to specify that
the vendor add an ISA riser to your new system in the configuration
stage of the purchase. Some manufacturers are phasing out ISA slots,
replacing them with more PCI slots. Check for this feature if ISA
slots are important to you.
Do you plan to use a cable-modem connection to the Internet? If so,
you may want to have the manufacturer install an Ethernet Network
Adapter card in your system. In addition to a cable modem, you'll need
an Ethernet card to connect to a cable service's network. It's
generally cheaper to purchase the card from your PC maker rather your
cable service company.
The optical storage drive appears to be here to stay. With faster
and faster drives and the addition of DVD-ROM and record-capable
CD-RW, the choices in optical drives is only growing vaster.
What features should you look for in optical storage? Over the next
few days I'll pass along some things to keep in mind the next time you
go shopping.
First, look for a drive that features CD playback controls (next
track, previous track), a volume wheel, and a headset jack on the
front of the unit. With a drive like this, you can quickly plug in
headphones and listen to your favorite music CD even if a microphone
and speakers are consuming your sound card ports (or if your headphone
cable is too short to reach to the back of your PC).
In a minitower-style PC case, the PC is meant to stand straight up,
usually under your desk. With a desktop-style case, the PC is designed
to sit on top of your desk, usually underneath the PC monitor.
However, at times you'll want to store this type of PC underneath your
desk too, standing it on one end to save space on a small desk.
In this case, you'll need an optical storage drive meant to operate
on its side. Many optical drives can manage this, but they must
feature small plastic arms that hold the CD in place while you open
and close the tray. Look for these disk holders on any optical drive
you plan to buy.
Newer, small-footprint PCs have a very limited number of open drive
bays. You may want both a high-density DVD-ROM playback drive and a
recording CD-RW drive--but you may not have the sufficient number of
drive bays in your system.
Take heart. Products like Ricoh's MediaMaster MP9060A (www.ricoh-usa.com)
package a CD-RW drive and a DVD-ROM drive in a combination drive that
fits into one PC drive bay. While combo drives are generally not the
fastest-performing drives available, their space-saving designs are
good for certain upgrade scenarios.
Remember all the industry struggles over the recording format for
DVD media? In the beginning, a host of formats and names battled for
center stage, and great confusion reigned over their mutual
compatibility.
Well, most of the confusion has fallen away. The first available
and currently clearly dominant DVD-recordable format is called
DVD-RAM. Currently DVD-RAM drives can use two types of media. Type 1
is double-sided and can record up to 5.2GB per disk; Type 2 is
single-sided and stores 2.6GB per disk.
If massive storage is your goal, look into a DVD-RAM drive, with a
caveat: Just a handful of the very latest DVD-ROM drives on the market
support DVD-RAM playback. Also keep in mind that you can only remove
Type 2 discs from their standard cartridges, so you won't be sharing
your recorded DVD-RAM media with many other people.
Some people own a PC with a DVD-ROM drive but use a notebook that
only supports CD-ROM media--thus limiting their ability to use DVD-ROM
discs while traveling. One way around this problem is to purchase a
portable DVD-ROM drive for use with your notebook. For example,
Port-Noteworthy at
http://www.port.com
offers a DVD/CD-ROM PC Card drive for $399. Similarly, Addonics at
http://www.addonics.com
sells its FireWire-PC Card interfacing PocketDVD drive for $423.
You've heard about small-footprint PCs, but how about
zero-footprint ones? Check out Cybernet Manufacturing's Zero FootPrint
PC for the smallest of the small in desktop PCs. The Zero FootPrint is
basically a full system unit and keyboard--including CPU, RAM, hard
drive, and a 24X CD-ROM drive--crunched down into the space of a thick
keyboard. For further details check the Web site at
http://www.cybernetman.com
The recent I Love You computer virus proved once again that our
computers are vulnerable to attack. You're probably already aware of
the traditional antivirus protections offered by regular software
backups and up-to-date antivirus software. However, with the
ever-changing technology landscape, you should know of some
hardware-related options that can protect your computer assets.
First, removable storage drives now offer more storage than ever.
Even the popular Iomega Zip drive available at
http://www.iomega.com
now comes in a 250MB-per-disk USB version. Consider a removable
storage drive if you want easy, fast, portable backups.
As CD-RW optical storage drives continue to drop in price, they
become a real alternative to traditional backup hardware (like tape or
removable storage drives). Low-end CD-RW drives cost between $160 and
$200. CD-R discs (which record one time only) cost about $1 each,
while CD-RW discs (which record many times) cost about $3 each. With
either style, you can store up to 650MB of data. And, of course, you
get an added bonus with a CD-RW drive--the ability to create your own
music CDs.
When a virus wreaks havoc on your computer, it is really messing
around with the software and structure of your hard drive. In fact,
your hard drive is the only place where a virus can reside when you
power off your system.
The latest fast and large hard drives open a new avenue for
recovering from a virus infection. You can use a separate disk
partition and disk imaging software, like PowerQuest's Drive Image,
available at
http://www.powerquest.com
to store an image of your entire hard drive, updated daily. This
means if a virus does infect your system, you can boot from an
emergency disk, then copy back your hard drive data from the latest
disk image in mere seconds.
This method is not foolproof, however. Some particularly nasty
viruses infect all of the partitions on your hard drive and could
therefore destroy the disk image you've stored on a separate disk
partition. However, for those who need to recover the system in a
hurry, this approach is the fastest way.
The high-speed FireWire bus (aka IEEE 1394) offers some PCs the
ability to use plug-and-play external hard drives such as LaCie's 18GB
portable PocketDrive, available at
http://www.lacie.com
as antivirus backup protection. With such a device, you can save a
full disk backup or a disk image to a separate external drive on a
daily basis. If you remove the connection between your PC and the
external drive, the backup remains safe from a virus attack.
You may think your PC does it all. You can run standard
applications (like a word processor), browse the Web, or even run the
latest computer games for you or your kids. But have you considered
the dedicated set-top game console? The latest game consoles have come
a long way from the old Super Nintendo. Products like Sega's already
available Dreamcast (http://www.sega.com),
the upcoming Sony PlayStation 2 (http://www.playstation.com),
and Microsoft's x-box (http://www.xbox.com)
offer custom hardware, expandability, stunning gameplay, and
affordable startup costs. Over the next few days I'll pass along some
things you should know about the newest game boxes and how they
compare to the PC.
First, you should know that the latest, hottest game-oriented video
cards for the PC, featuring NVidia's GeForce2 GTS (http://www.nvidia.com),
start at over $300 for the 32MB version and over $400 for the 64MB
version. You can purchase a whole game console for the price of one of
these video cards.
Don't think you are limited to your own home when you buy one of
the game console products, such as Sega's Dreamcast (http://www.sega.com).
It and all of its soon-to-arrive competitors can connect to the Web
for browsing or multiplayer gaming. The Dreamcast features a 56-kbps
modem and includes a Web browser. Reportedly, Sony's PlayStation 2 (http://www.playstation.com)
will feature broadband (cable or DSL) capability when it arrives in
the United States sometime this fall.
Game consoles may make better use of DVD-ROM technology than your
PC does. Both the upcoming Sony PlayStation 2 (http://www.playstation.com)
and Microsoft's x-box (http://www.xbox.com)
include DVD-ROM drives, and both are specifically designed to connect
to TVs for game and movie playback. With PCs, on the other hand, you
often have to jury-rig the connection between your DVD playback board
and your TV or just suffer through playing your DVD-ROM game or movie
on your small computer monitor. With both games and movies, bigger is
better.
FireWire technology has many names, including I.Link and IEEE 1394,
but your PC probably doesn't know any of them. Very few new desktop
systems ship with this superfast new bus technology that lets you plug
and play with audio and video gear such as digital camcorders. Guess
what? Sony's upcoming PlayStation 2 (http://www.playstation.com)
game console does recognize FireWire. How the PlayStation 2 will use
FireWire is still anyone's guess, but until the box arrives this fall
in the United States, we can just imagine the possibilities.
Feel the need for speed? The first version of Microsoft's x-box (http://www.xbox.com)
game console will ship with a Pentium III 600MHz processor. That's
probably faster than the PC you currently have on your desk. While
pricing has not been finalized, Microsoft says it will price the x-box
similarly to its competition, the $200 to $300 game boxes. Once again,
for gameplay speed, the PC has little or no advantage over a dedicated
game box.
Cable and DSL Internet connections are growing more and more
popular with home users. However, these broadband connections to the
Internet can throw a wrench into the works of many home networks. Most
of the current home networking products do not support the Ethernet
network adapter component these broadband solutions use.
A set of new products--like Sohoware's Broadband Internet Gateway
and Proxim's Symphony Cordless Ethernet Bridge--allows you to share a
broadband Internet connection across several PCs. Over the next few
days I'll pass along a short checklist to keep in mind as you shop for
this type of product.
First, make sure your solution will allow you to share your
Internet connection without having to alert your ISP service
provider--meaning you'll be sharing a single IP address. If you're
required make special arrangements with your ISP, you'll likely find
an increase in your monthly service bill, and that negates some of the
savings you get from using these home networking products.
Make sure you investigate the operating systems supported by your
broadband Internet sharing solution. Some products only support
Windows 98, while others support a range of Windows flavors. Of
course, you'll want support for all the PCs in your house. If you own
any iMacs, Macs, or any other Apple Computer product, you should
prepare yourself for a long search for a cross-platform solution.
Some of the solutions for broadband Internet access sharing use
wireless technology for sending data to the PCs in your house. If you
are considering such a solution, you'll want to check whether the
products support the IEEE 802.11 standard for wireless LANs or use a
proprietary method for wireless communications. In the long run, it's
best if your products support IEEE 802.11, because this will allow you
to add other products to your home network--perhaps ones from other
vendors--that also support the wireless LAN standard. A proprietary
approach limits you to that vendor's products in the future.
As with any home network solution, make sure you study the
product's specifications regarding the distance between PCs. With
either a wired or wireless solution, you'll have to take into account
a maximum distance spec, and you'll need this to figure out whether
the products will work in your home.
Before you go shopping, measure the distance between your PCs. Also
note whether walls, floors, or ceilings separate the systems you're
attaching to your home network. Take all this information with you and
plot out the design of your home network with the salespeople before
you buy the network gear.
Can't decide between a new DVD-ROM drive or a recording CD-RW
drive? Don't bother! The latest fad in combo drives is the
DVD-ROM/CD-RW drive. Both Ricoh, at
http://www.ricohdms.com
with its MediaMaster MP9060A, and Toshiba, at
http://www.diskproducts.toshiba.com
with its SD-R1002, have jumped into this new arena.
For many users, these drives ($350 to $399) make the perfect
upgrade. You can get the benefits of CD recording for data archiving
and sharing, along with the fun of DVD-ROM playback, and save space in
your PC case.
You can now buy a cable modem off the shelf or off the Web, but
should you? Most cable modem services lease the cable modem as part of
the monthly service fee. But, here's the catch: Because the monthly
service fee includes the cost of the cable modem, you don't get a
discount even if you supply your own. Before you buy a cable modem,
you should check with the services in your area. You may be wasting
your money if you buy your own cable modem.
Are you happy with your current ISP? You'll probably have to say
goodbye to it if you upgrade from a 56-kbps modem to a cable modem.
Cable modem services are usually an all-in-one deal that includes the
cable modem itself (as mentioned in the last tip) as well as the ISP
service. Therefore, you probably won't be able to use your old ISP to
access the Internet.
Before the cable modem service installation team arrives at your
house, make sure you plan out which rooms in your home should have
Internet access. Even if you only plan to hook up one computer in one
location initially, you may want the technician to wire the rooms that
will have computers connected to the Internet at a later time. In the
long run, this will likely save you money in installation fees.
Do you want cable TV service in addition to your cable Internet
service? Currently, the cable companies that offer cable modem
Internet service also supply cable TV service to those that want it.
Once again, as mentioned in the last tip, you'll have to plan out the
installation so the TV rooms as well as the computer rooms have the
cable connection. Additionally, ask about a discount. Most cable
services will discount the monthly service fee somewhat if you order
both cable TV and cable Internet access.
PC security becomes an issue when you upgrade to a cable modem
service for Internet access. The "always-on" feature of cable modem
services really means you are connected to a computer network, which
your cable service administers via a static IP address. A static IP
address makes it easy for intruders to browse your hard drive without
your knowing about it.
One easy security measure is to restrict the file- and
print-sharing setttings in your operating system. Another security
measure is to purchase one of the new software products in the
personal firewall category; these can detect intruders and protect
your system from attack.
PC upgraders beware: Your interface options for peripheral devices
will soon become more complicated. At this month's USB 2.0 Developer's
Conference, hardware makers discussed plans to introduce products
based on the new, faster USB (Universal Serial Bus) 2.0 specification
in the last quarter of this year. The USB 2.0 spec supports data
transfer rates of 480 Mbps, much faster than the current USB 1.1's
12-Mbps rate. Keep in mind that FireWire currently supports a 400-Mbps
data transfer rate. Thus choosing between a FireWire and a USB 2.0
interface for your next high-bandwidth peripheral, such as a video
camera, may turn into a real mind-boggler.
Add Intel's new Dot.Station at
http://www.intel.com
to the list of Internet-Web appliances for the home. These new
products make a great addition to a home with no computer and can even
work in a home with one or more other computers.
The two most important features of a Web appliance are e-mail and
Web browsing. If you already own a PC connected to an ISP and you've
just purchased a Web appliance for general family use, find out if you
can consolidate your ISP service with the one your new Web appliance
will use. You will save money every month if you can use one ISP for
all of your home's Internet-Web needs.
What operating system does your new Web appliance use? Intel's new
Dot.Station at
http://www.intel.com
uses Red Hat Linux, but Dell's WebPC at
http://www.webpc.com
runs on Windows 98. Before you decide on a Web appliance,
investigate whether you'll be able to share files between your other
computers and the Web appliance. You'll get more use out of a Web
appliance if you have software compatibility or at least translation
capability between all your computers.
Few new Web appliances offer anything in the way of expansion bays
or open add-in card slots. But some, like Dell's WebPC at
http://www.webpc.com
come with USB ports. If your new Web appliance offers USB (or
FireWire) ports, you can use your current USB (or FireWire) devices on
it, as well as on your other PCs. Also, you may be able to leverage
the simple networking capability that USB-to-USB network cable
connection products offer.
What was hard to imagine a few years ago has happened. The latest
PC CPUs run at 1GHz (or 1000MHz). Both Intel, with its 1GHz Pentium
III, and AMD, with its 1GHz Athlon chip, have broken through to the
next level of speed. The question you must ask yourself is--do you
need a PC with such a fast chip? Over the next few days I'll pass
along some things to consider if you're thinking about buying one of
the latest, greatest, and fastest PCs.
First, know that you always pay a premium for a PC with the fastest
processor available. Call it the "early adopter" tax. Generally,
selecting the latest processor will add $300 to $500 over the price of
a similarly configured system based on the next-fastest processor.
Most benchmark tests that rate the speed of new central processor
units (CPUs) are really artificial in their measurement approach. Even
the so-called application-based benchmarks that measure performance
using off-the-shelf software do so at an artificially high
speed--quite unlike the way you would work. Thus, you should take all
performance evaluations of new processors with more than a grain of
salt. You probably won't notice the difference between the fastest and
the second-fastest (or even the third-fastest) processor in your
everyday work.
Performance bottlenecks that have nothing to do your CPU plague
your PC. Typically, a PC will max out the speed of the CD-ROM drive,
the hard drive, or the USB bus before it reaches the limit of what the
CPU can do. Thus, as an upgrader, you should always weigh the
potential performance improvements you would see if you bought a
particular faster component, like a hard drive, rather than a new PC
with a fast CPU. Think about the work you do and what PC devices might
be holding you back performancewise.
Typical business applications such as spreadsheet programs and word
processor applications do not stress your PC's CPU. Even simple
database programs, finance packages, and scheduling programs are no
match for today's processors. So don't even consider buying the
fastest PC available if your work revolves around business
applications.
The list of processor-intensive software includes sophisticated
database applications, 3D graphics rendering, and audio- and
video-editing software. Only if your work requires these types of
programs should you consider buying the newest and fastest PC.
In case you were wondering, new office wireless LAN products aren't
just for mobile PCs. In several scenarios a wireless LAN, or a
wireless LAN extension to a wired LAN, is the best fit--even for a
network comprised many of desktops systems.
Need examples? Retrofitting an older building with the standard LAN
cabling and gear may be costly. A wireless LAN allows you to install a
network with a minimal amount of construction.
Another example is the temporary office space where employees work
while waiting for the permanent space. It would be a waste to spend
the money on LAN cabling and wall jacks in an area that will only have
a temporary need for network access. Using wireless LAN products to
install network access in a temporary space is much more efficient.
Over the next few days I'll pass along tips regarding wireless
LANs.
First, make sure you build a system compatible with the IEEE
802.11b wireless LAN standard. This will allow you to remain flexible
in your future equipment purchases and won't force you to buy the same
brand of gear. If your current wireless LAN gear and your future
wireless LAN purchases all support IEEE 802.11b, then all your network
hardware will interoperate.
If your wireless LAN hubs and adapters support the IEEE 802.11b
standard for wireless LANs, then you can move your equipment (or just
carry your mobile PC) from one place to another within your office
space with automatic switching between wireless LAN hubs. However, you
should make sure you don't need to reboot your PC if you move your
gear. Particularly for notebook PCs, it's much more useful if you can
keep your system up and running (and attached to the LAN) even while
you move around the office.
Investigate the speed at which your wireless LAN gear operates.
Most of the new products transfer data at 11 Mbps (megabits per
second). But some products slow this rate dramatically, down to only 1
or 2 Mbps, when you request encryption of data before it gets passed
around wirelessly. Look for products that maintain a high data
transfer rate with encrypted data.
Positioning your wireless LAN network hubs is a more critical and
difficult task than it is for wired LAN hubs. You don't need to
maintain a line of sight between your wireless LAN hub and your
wirelessly connected PC. However, if you place your hub behind filing
cabinets or far away in a corner, you may be shortening the maximum
distance at which your hub and PC can connect. Your best bet is to
follow the positioning instructions included with your wireless LAN
hardware, but also experiment with placing wireless hubs in different
locations and hooking up your network before you permanently mount the
hubs to the wall.
You may find that many wireless LAN products only support notebook
computers initially (by using a PC Card interface for the wireless LAN
adapter). If you find this is true of gear you are considering, ask
the salespeople whether the company has plans to produce wireless LAN
adapters for desktop PCs. You'll make your wireless LAN more flexible
and more valuable as a company asset if you can add both notebook
computers and desktop computers to it.
High-end paper shredders can retail up
to $200 and more, but did you know you can get a personal home-office
type shredder for as little as $15? Well, now you know. You can find
Tech Solutions 1500 Home Shredder for $14.99 at most office retail
outlets. Not much bigger than your desktop telephone, the 1500 shreds
at 12 feet per minute with a quarter-inch shred size. Perfectly
adequate for most home or small office uses. Unless, of course, you're
a high ranking intelligence officer or globe-trotting secret agent, in
which case you should be eating those documents yourself.
Strange as it may sound, ask if you can borrow one from a colleague
or store to try for a week or two before you buy a specific model.
That way you can find one that you'll know you'll like in the long
run.
Before buying wrist pads it's definitely best to monitor your own
wrist/arm position while typing. Check for diagrams in a book on
typing to get a good sense of the straight wrist, raised arms typing
method that most experts agree is least tiring for your limbs and
joints. If your wrists still hurt after using the proper typing
technique for awhile, then maybe you should investigate products that
aid repetitive stress problems.
