Wireless Computing on the Go

By: Alison Brundle

Wi-Fi was probably one of the most revolutionary transitions in modern times. Before the advent of Wi-Fi or wireless computing technology, users were tethered to their desks, routing everything through a LAN line and restricted in where they used their faster and more powerful computing technology by how long their cables were. Wi-Fi changed all that. Suddenly, you had a mobile network that allowed people the freedom to roam and still connect to the Internet and their emails.

A Sociological Transformation

It is easy to underestimate the impact of wireless computing. It has become a common sight to see cafés full of people all connected up to a server, yet not a cable in sight. An entire business has grown up around wireless computing – the Internet café – that lets anyone, for a small charge, piggyback the establishment’s Wi-Fi connection and surf to their hearts content. It is even possible to connect wirelessly using a mobile phone – a situation that would have been unthinkable 25 years ago when you were lucky if you could connect to another phone number using the first mobile 'bricks’, let along the fledgling Internet.

It has released the constraints of an old system of doing business. But how does wireless computing actually work?

There are two types of what has become known as ‘wireless’ Internet – either connection through a router (your standard Wi-Fi) or through the mobile phone network. Wireless routers are the most common form of land based system, and are fundamentally a small connection box that allows a signal to be shared between several computers. Basically, computers ‘tap in’ to the signal, which can be made even easier by adding a wireless interface card. These usually come as standard with most new laptops, but can be bought as a separate add-on. USB routers and dongles also give anyone the power to be able to tap into any wireless signal, creating their own ‘access points’ through which the computer can send and receive network data.

Another key component of wireless computing is the actual hardware itself, namely the laptop. There is some contention as to who actually invented the concept of the laptop, but most cite Adam Osborne as the originator of the modern day laptop in 1981, although the ‘clam-shell’ design was attributed to William Moggridge and developed for GRiD Systems Corporation in 1979. It is difficult now to imagine life without laptops, yet it has only been a little over 30 years since their original conception. But probably the biggest influence on wireless computing was the development of WAP for mobile phones, allowing anyone to connect to the Internet using their mobile phone technology. Today, we feel short-changed if our mobile phone can’t connect to the Internet on demand, 24/7.
What future for wireless computing?

The question of wireless computing’s future is uncertain. Many believe that wireless computing has reached its full potential – we now have almost universal coverage thanks to a global satellite system creating a web across the world with very few ‘blind spots’. Smart phones are feature-rich and future-proofed to a certain extent, and laptops are smaller, lighter and more processor powerful than ever. The only area that can really see any form of development to enhance wireless computing is in the field of battery-life. The most up to date laptops and Netbooks can achieve up to nine hours on one battery, but after that you are still forced to tether up to a power source to keep your laptop running – hardly a ‘wireless’ situation by any stretch of the imagination. So for wireless computing to move to a new level and give us true autonomy and control about where and when we use our computers, manufacturers have to address the knotty problem of that infuriating ‘low battery’ symbol. Perhaps then we’ll have truly wireless computing on the go

Discover Ways To Extend Your Computer's Capabilities

By: Colon Bolden

Once your computer knowledge and confidence grows, you will be eager to expand your personal computer's capabilities. A wide range of devices is available that will make working with your computer even more interesting and enjoyable. Here are some extras that can be collected over time:

- Modems. One very important aspect of modems is never try to buy a used one. Because, how are you going to know if its actually going to work, and it could be also missing alot of instructions for installation and might not have the driver software CD that comes with it. A new modem will be more money, but the money you save getting a used modem is not worth the trouble when trying to install right or may wear out much sooner than a new one. Basically, there are two main types of modems. Internal modems are installed inside the system unit in one of the spare slots at the back. External modems sit outside your computer, on your desk, and plug into one of the serial ports at the back of the system unit. Once you have a model, you can connect to the internet, send emails, and send and receive faxes, using your computer as a fax machine.

- Scanners. The basic operation of the scanner is to read the image of the object placed on the scanner pane of optical reading feature which converts the analog code into digitized code. A scanner will transform your paper images and photo prints into graphic files that you can then edit and use on your PC. Flatbed scanners, in which you lay your images face down and a light-sensitive device passes undernealth, are the most versatile and affordable type of scanner. Buy a scanner with a resolution capability of atleast 300dpi.

- Digital Cameras. Digital cameras look similar to ordinary cameras, but take photographs without using any film. The picture is stored as a graphic file that you can transfer directly to your computer through a connection cord. Good quality cameras are quite expensive, but it's worth remembering that you won't need to buy film and get it developed, and you don't need a scanner. Care should be taken while transferring the files from your camera to your computers. Improper transferring may lead to short circuiting of your digital camera. Never try to disconnect your device while transferring files from your digital cameras to the computers.

- Joysticks. If you're a fan of computer games, a joystick is essential. Many home PCs come with their own joystick, but you can also buy joystick with extra feature buttons and better grips. They plug into a port in your system unit. The best joysticks are those that also provide feedback. It's also possible to buy steering wheels and pedals for driving games. If you have the opportunity, you should try to use the joystick in-store before purchasing it. If the joystick is uncomfortable or you are having to use too much force when maneuvering it in different directions, you should probably pass on that model of joystick because it may cause unnecessary wrist strain and leave you unable to have the fast reaction time that new computer age games require.

- Video Cameras. If you mount a small video camera on the top of your computer, you can conduct video conferences. These small cameras are also used for the WebCam sites on the internet. Bear in mind that video conferencing require a powerful PC, and without special high-speed phone lines, the picture can be jerky and the sound can stutter. Looking for the best video cameras often is successfully done with a few simple steps. Know your options in the marketplace and know what features will be important to you. Make sure you have a set price range. Take a look at the reviews as well as talking to people who have purchased and understand how to use a video camera.

- Microphones. They are available for common computer usage like recording a narration. Many computers come with a microphone in the accessories that come with it. Your accessory microphone may be alright to begin with but it probably will not be professional quality but should be ok because it all depends on what your needs are. But it is now possible to use a microphone in conjunction with speech-recognition software. This means that you don't have to type in anything you just have to say it. Unless you spend a long time teaching it to recognize your voice, it may give poor results.

Your added devices can also be bought to make the most of existing on-screen entertainments. The new generation of joysticks for instance, really take game playing to a new dimension. Like I mentioned earlier, you can have all these over time but you don't need to buy everything on the same shopping trip.

Computer Programs That Will Improve Your Computer Skills

By: Colon Bolden

The operating system which helps the elements of your personal computer interact, but it can't perform practical tasks such as letter writing and calculating your bills. For these jobs you need to use additional software called applications or programs which is designed to carry out specific tasks. Here are a few computer programs that will improve your skills:

- Microsoft Word. A powerful word processor that's able to produce written documents of all kinds, including letters, memos, newsletters and posters. You can create documents from scratch yourself or, for many types of document, you can use one of the program's Wizards or templates. The Wizards let you choose the content and how the document looks, while the templates have a preset layout.

- Excel. A spreadsheet program used for organizing and calculating numerical data. It is ideal for keeping track of all types of budgets and accounts. Like all spreadsheets, it takes the form of a grid containing cells into which you input figures and formulas to calculate the figures. Excel allows you to have several spreadsheets or worksheets within the same document, and to enter calculations using figures from each of the worksheets. This is particularly useful when organizing a major event that includes mini-projects.

- Outlook. A desktop information management program that contains an address book into which you can enter contact details for friends, family and business associates. Also has a diary and calendar that will help you to keep track of your current schedule and appointments. Outlook can also be used to send and receive email through the internet or through an internal company network.

- Powerpoint. This is most often used in business. It enables you to create presentations for conferences, company meetings and marketing projects. It helps your business to structure information efficiently and do graphics within your text. It even offers animation effects to maximize the impact of your presentations. You can also use powerpoint at home to make a computerized slide show for your friends and family.

It's always a good ideal to learn different computer programs because knowing what each program, especially in your bundled software package can do will help you decide which will be the most appropriate for the tasks you want to perform.

Fortunately, many people these days have discovered that the best way to learn new skills fast, is through the use of Video Lessons (whenever possible). By using new and improved Video Lessons, you will be able to Master Basic Computer Skills fast. You'll be able to see every step necessary to perform every task you need on your computer. You will drastically improve your learning ability by a hundred folds, if you use video tutorials to learn new skills, compared to someone who still insist on learning new skills from books only (the old fashion way). So many people who have already try learning new skills or learning Basic Computer Skills fast from books only, always end up not acquiring basic Computer Knowledge fast. This is because, the more you read, the more confused you'll become, as you try to understand so many things and terms at the same time. So many things or terms that you probably never heard of before.

Renting Computers and the Benefits

By: Adriana Noton

Renting computers is something that a lot of people have a lot of doubts about. Most of the time, people do not truly think about renting a computer as the computer being theirs and they do not realize any of the benefits of it. Well, that is what this article is going to explore, some of the benefits that surround renting computers and certainly how it can be used for your business or even for your home. We will also talk about how you can find a computer to rent and where you can find it.

Firstly, you need to get into your head that when you rent a computer, it is your computer for the allotted time frame that you have it. You can truly do anything you want to the computer while you have it, besides destroying it of course. You can save things to is and also use all of its features and different benefits. All of the computers that come back after being rented are reformatted, so there is no information on them.

However, if you do have a lot of information that you are saving to the computer that is sensitive and that you do not want anyone to see, you might want to use a thumb drive. This is just a quick way to transport the information from the rented computer to your own computer if you wanted.

Another benefit of renting over buying is that you do not have to worry about upgrading the computer or any of the hardware that might go inside the computer to expand the memory or the RAM. When renting, you are constantly getting the very best computer that you can get and use. That means you will never, ever have an outdated computer again, you will have the latest and greatest technology possible.

Laptops are also computers that can be rented and they are actually one of the most popular rented computers. The reason is because laptops are expensive and if you constantly have to replace your laptop, it can get costly. This is especially true if you do not use your laptop all that often, so renting is a better option a lot of the time.

Right about now, you are probably asking where you can rent yourself a computer or a laptop and that is not all that difficult to find. To be honest, many companies nowadays are offering up computer rentals because it is becoming so popular. There are also stores that are geared specifically toward the rental customer and there are many benefits of these kinds of stores.

For one, you can actually pay your computer off little by little and when you are renting computers that is an awesome benefit. A lot of rental places where you can pick up a computer allow you to pay week by week as well, so you do not have to save up a huge chunk of money at one time, which is certainly a benefit in this day and age.

The cost of computers is constantly growing and increasing, so when you are renting computers, you can pay over time, which is certainly a great benefit!

How to Find the Right Chipset Drivers

By: Charles Carvist

In brief, the chipset drivers are small software programs that help the main board of a computer to work properly. All the chipsets need exactly the driver designed for them so they can interact with the operating system. In a more usual language, the driver is translating the flows of directions between the operating system and the chipset. If the translator is missing or is not working, then the operating system cannot understand what the chipset is saying.

The importance of a chipset driver is very high, if it has problems functioning, then everything else that is connected to it will have problems. An essential thing that everyone has to acknowledge is the diversity of existing drivers. Practically, every piece of hardware has a specific driver, which in turn can be divided into different versions. As there are different operating systems, each has its own set of drivers.

A useful thing that you need to know is that new versions of the existing drivers appear all the time and it is a good idea to update regularly so you will not encounter any problems. New versions are needed either to fix new problems or to add specific new things. So you should always keep searching for new versions.

Next, you can discover some easy steps on how you can find a driver for your new chipset or to update the one you already have. If you ever had troubles finding the right driver or you are new to this field, follow on:

- The first step in finding the best driver for your chipset is to know what you are searching for. The way to do this is by reading the information provided by the supplier of the hardware. It is written on the manual, on the packaging, or even on the chipset itself. If the information is not present, the solution would be to get a program that automatically identifies what you need.

- The second step in finding your driver is to start searching the web by using the data you acquired, and for this you should use your favorite search website. From the results, choose the one that has the best answer. If the company that produces the software is listed, you should try there first. If not, there usually are websites dedicated especially for driver download.

- If you cannot find a solution in the previous steps, you should try to connect with those who made the hardware. If you can provide a proof or a license for your product, most of the times they will provide you with a driver or they will direct you to where you can find one.

If you take the time to go through these recommendations, you should be able to come up with the perfect driver for you. The installation or update of the chipset drivers is usually pretty easy, as there are instructions on how to do that. If the process is completed, you will rest assure that your computer will continue to work.

My Computer Starts Slowly - The DIY Approach to Better Performance

By: Larry Donaldson

Most of us these days love the do-it-yourself (DIY) approach to building, making, fixing, altering anything. There is something very empowering about the DIY approach to life. It offers us a certain sense of empowerment - giving us the feeling that we can do or fix almost anything in our daily lives that we may need or want.

And, there are plenty of companies these days willing to help each of us make that a reality. There are stores for helping you make your own home repairs and improvements. You can change your own automobile oil. You can assemble your own furniture and toys. You can even do maintenance on your own personal computer.

DIY Tune-Ups on Your Personal Computer

When it comes to computers, even the non-technical among us can perform simple DIY-style maintenance and repair work. For example, we can use canned air to spray-clean dust and other particles out of our keyboards or computer case. We can run some built-in utilities like disk defragmenter and disk cleanup in order to improve hard drive efficiency. We can empty our "recycle bin" full of unused files, thereby freeing up room on the hard drive. The slightly better-trained among us may even new memory or replace our processor when it becomes outdated.

My Computer Starts Slowly - What to Do

One commonly-experienced computer problem that does not seem to always have an easy DIY fix is that of a super-slow startup. If you are saying to yourself almost every day, "My computer starts slow," it means that the problem is serious enough to warrant a fix. If your computer is taking more than 2-3 minutes to start up, it is starting too slowly.

The reason why slow computer startups are so frustrating is that when you want to use your computer, you want to use it NOW. Nobody wants to have to wait for the computer to get going just to be able to use it.

What Happens at Computer Startup

To understand why computers sometimes take too long to start up, it is important to get a handle on what happens during startup. The basic process that occurs during startup is:

a. the system is supplied with power

b. the operating system is loaded into the computer's RAM (memory)

c. hardware is connected and made operational

d. any applications that are set to "run at startup" are launched

Why Some Computers Start Up Slowly

Your computer is starting up slowly for one or both of the following reasons. The first reason is that you have too many applications set to run at startup. Over time, most of us install more and more applications onto our computer. Many of them, unbeknownst to us, are set to launch at computer startup. Your computer may be currently launched 10, 20, 30 or more computers at startup. If this is the case with your computer, disable all of the unneeded programs that launch at startup.

The second reason has to do with something called your computer registry. This is a database that acts as a control mechanism for your computer. The registry operates at a level just below that of your operating system (OS) and hardware. It records all of the personal settings and other control features for your OS. The trouble is, over time, every computer registry starts to accumulate a lot of invalid "registry keys" (the files that make up your registry). Having too many invalid or incorrect registry keys can slow the performance of your computer during and even after startup.

How to Fix Your Computer Registry

You can run a reputable registry scan software application that will identify how many registry errors your computer currently has. If more than 20 registry errors are found, you should run the registry fix utility built into the software. This will remove or "clean" the invalid registry keys, helping restore your computer to its previous, faster startup times.

Try these DIY approaches to shortening your computer's startup time.

How to Find the Right Driver Download

By: Charles Carvist

Drivers are essentially a set of instructions that your computer needs to operate hardware, another description is a piece of software that determines how your computer will communicate with a device. If you are not familiar with drivers or a driver download then the following information will help you.

Most hardware devices require a driver in order to operate properly. If you buy a computer brand new, it will already have all the required hardware drivers installed, also your computer should come with a disc containing the drivers.

When you purchase a new piece of hardware, for example a sound card or a printer, it will come with a CD containing the drivers for the device. These drivers are specific to the make and model of your hardware.

Some devices do not come supplied with a driver disc, this could be because the drivers may be an intrinsic property of the device, this means any drivers required are on the hardware. An example is a mobile broadband USB stick. Once the stick is inserted into a USB port, its drivers will auto run and automatically install. It only takes a couple of clicks to confirm where you want the drivers installed, and your new device is ready for use.

Hardware like CD drives and hard drives are simple plug and play, no additional drivers are required. Some gadgets like mp3 players and cell phones come supplied with a driver disc, in many cases your mp3 player or cell phone can be used on your computer without installing any drivers. You may be limited to what functions you can perform. You will be able to perform basic operations like moving music files and pictures etc. But for more in depth activities such as synchronising your device you will need to install the drivers supplied.

There will no doubt come a time when you will need to download a driver. If you take your time to look around the internet you will probably find the driver you need for free. There are hundreds of sites that will let you download drivers for free.

But many sites out there will charge you for downloading drivers. Before paying for drivers always visit the manufacturer web site. Very often they will have drivers for all of their products available for free. When using a search engine to locate the file you want, remember to be specific in your search term. With so many drivers available and probably several different models of your device, it is very easy to download the wrong
one.

If you have exhausted every option and still cannot get your driver for free and your only option is to pay for it, then be sure it is the exact driver you need. Remember drivers are specific to the hardware, if you download the wrong one you will not get a refund, so be careful.

Some manufactures provide updated drivers for your device, these updates can come available some time after you purchased the equipment. So it is always worth checking on their web site for any driver download updates available.