The Computer Tech Tips

A4Tech introduces a padless mouse

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 31 Jul 2011 01:39:00 +0000

A mouse without a need of a mouse pad—that is exactly what A4Tech V-Track mouse is all about as it is capable on running on any surface and cleverly gets rid of the movement restrictions brought about by rectangular-shaped pads. And by anywhere, A4Tech means that the mouse could really function on almost anything under the sun, including surfaces which are typically not suitable for the normal optical mouse such as an uneven surface, slightly dusty glass, marble, soft 3D fabrics like beds, and even on furry textiles.

A4Tech’s V-Track technology uses vertical incident light instead of the regular slanted light which traditional mouse models offer, allowing it to function perfectly on various surfaces and ensure perfect precision. The V-Track mouse promises to provide perfect cursor direction and speed as well as resolve regular mouse’s adaptability problems of slow-moving cursor when working on glossy, uneven or multi-color surfaces.

The V-Track mouse features a four-way wheel which allows for a smart vertical and horizontal scroll for limitless movements. The mouse also gives power-saving benefits with its shorter light path, providing 20 percent to 30 percent less power than those of the regular optical mouse. V-Track also offers better resistance to dust with a tiny lens aperture which prevents dust accumulation compared to larger lens holes that just gather dust and affects the mouse’s speed and performance.

Prices range at P350 to P450 for the wired and P700 to P850 for the wireless, cheaper than other brands in the market considering its innovative technology features.

Samsung to be unveiled the Next Gen of AMOLED

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 14 May 2011 14:52:00 +0000

Samsung will be unveiling the next generation of AMOLED (Active-matrix organic light-emitting diode) displays during CES 2011 next week. AMOLED is the technology used in TVs and mobile devices. An AMOLED display includes of a matrix of OLED (organic light-emitting diode) pixels that generate light. The current flowing to each pixel is controlled by a thin film transistor (TFT) array that functions as a series of switches.

During CES 2011, Samsung will unveil a 4.5-inch 800 x 480 (WVGA) resolution flexible AMOLED display concept prototype. This AMOLED display technology will be used for mobile devices. It is 2 mm thick and can be rolled down to a radius of 1 cm.

Samsung will also unveil a -inch transparent AMOLED display prototype that boasts of a qFHD (quad Full High Definition) resolution. This has a resolution of 3840 x 2160 pixels in a 16:9 aspect ratio. It is named as quadFHD because it has four times the resolution of 1080p. This AMOLED display will be deployed on PC monitors and television sets.

How to Install Windows XP and Remove Windows Vista

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 10 May 2011 11:18:00 +0000

Windows Vista is not yet perfected and chances are you will reach the point where you want to revert to Windows XP. But the task is easier said than done especially if you want a clean copy of Windows XP on your PC. With that in mind, what can you do to uninstall Windows Vista and install Windows XP on your computer? Well, I had that problem last week and much as I looked for solutions on the web, I discovered a different way to remove Windows Vista and install a fresh Windows XP operating system.

How? Follow these steps.

1. Grab a hold of the usual bootable DOS disk. Some peripherals (particularly laptops) no longer come with the traditional floppy drives but not to worry. You can still download the DOS system from sites and burn them on a CD which you can use to boot.

2. Boot up your PC using the CD ROM as your first boot device. Allow it to load and then run the handy FDISK like before.

3. View the partitions on your hard drive and delete them one by one. Make sure you don’t leave any drive intact to make sure you get a RAW drive ready for formatting.

NOTE: As far as backups are concerned, this guide assumes that they have been already backed up or that the user wants to completely erase the Windows Vista OS.

4. After all partitions have been deleted or removed, place your Windows XP setup disk and restart the computer. Now you can install the Windows XP OS as you would in any first time setup. Some people have tried to use the dual boot which is really ridiculous.

For one, it eats up space and second why would you leave an operating system when you have no plans of using it. Some have even said that it causes problems so why leave it there in the first place?

Also, if at times you are attempting to overwrite Windows Vista, chances are your Windows XP setup will not even reach the first screen setup (blue screen). Such is the problem I had experienced that led me to find an alternative to which is itemized above.

These steps are guaranteed. Don’t let Windows Vista be a pain. You can outthink Windows Vista using the traditional way of formatting a computer, similar to the first time you install Windows XP.

How to Clean Computer Keyboard

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 06 May 2011 20:08:00 +0000

If you are using just a damp cloth to wipe the screen, be sure to dry it off as well to prevent streaking. When cleaning the Computer monitor casing use a soft cloth with your cleaning fluid. Always spray onto the cloth, not the equipment! Turn the keyboard upside down and shake so loose dust, dirt, and food crumbs will fall out. Spray between the keys with compressed air or vacuum the keyboard. For hard to remove stains such as ink, use a cotton ball with rubbing alcohol or an alcohol saturated wipe.

Let those nasty little keys soak for a bit. Once you are finished cleaning the keyboard proper, dry the keys using a lint-free rag or towel. This will remove any remaining filth. Next, place them on a towel. The inner spaces will still need to air dry for awhile – NEVER put wet keys back onto the keyboard. Water has a Jihad out on circuitry. Be patient; you’re halfway clean keyboard. ed outside will suffice. You may need a toothpick for sludge scraping. Run cotton balls (I use swabs for the tight spaces) damp with isopropyl alcohol along the rows and around the rest of the keyboard, including the palm rests, large keys, and outer edges. Squeeze excess fluid out of the cotton before application, and never apply the alcohol directly to the keyboard.

Lessons from getting hit by a computer virus

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 06 May 2011 19:51:00 +0000

For the 10th time, I got hit by a computer virus. This time, though, it was a nasty hit. I was happily surfing the Internet last weekend when my antivirus software started detecting it. I am not yet sure if it is a Trojan (a malicious program that leaves a backdoor open in your system for hackers to take control), or a computer worm (self-replicating malware). But it was clear. It was annoying and it took control of my laptop. As one saying goes, there are many ways to skin a cat. The most effective and y et desperate way to get rid of a computer virus is to format the computer. Wipe the hard drive clean, and start afresh. But that would mean losing all your important files, data, and programs -- not to mention wasted man hours in reinsta lling the operating system, drivers, etc. So that wasn't an option. I had to fi nd a way to take out the computer virus with surgical precision. A friend who is computer virus expert told me that getting rid of a computer virus is like peeling an onion. No, it does not make you cry. You have to pass th rough several layers to get to the juicy part.

It took me to kill da bastard . We ran full scans, using both my existing antivirus software and an online free service from Trend Micro. The software was able to detect it. It was called CRYP_NSANTI. It was a Trojan. But when we chec ked for a solution, there was none at this time. I Googled it and found that ot hers have recently been hit, and were asking how to get rid of it. He used a free trial antivirus software version from Avira and launched a Filipino-made solution called Noob Killer, which fixed Windows registries in my system. You c an Google both and find a way to download the software. Noob is apparently a solution developed by Pinoy techies. The free antivirus detected 30 more infected files.

They were all quarantined. The Noob Killer was then launched, correcting registries affected by th e computer virus. I asked what Noob Killer did to the nasty computer malware, a nd our in-house techie said that it "patched" the damaged "autorun" configurati on of my system, and sought other computer viruses/worms that are spreading through removable medias. Lessons: if you're patient enough, there are free and effective fixes online. But you have to have an expert with you when using such software. Also, numerous free trial versions of antivirus software are on the Internet. You can download them and use them to scan and quarantine computer viruses. Finally, it is bes t to update your antivirus software.

If it's a corporate account, then ask your network administrator if it comes with the latest fixes. More lessons: be careful in deleting files during computer virus scans. It is b est to quarantine them first. Also always make sure that you scan removable med ia you plug in to your computer. That means USB thumb drives, external hard dis k drives, and other media. Computer worms are now spreading through removable media, and it can be a nasty problem. Finally, I learned that today's computer viruses will not necessarily render your system useless. But when not dealt with quickly, it would. In past discussions with computer virus experts, computer malwares are increasingly being launch ed to steal passwords, usernames, and other personal information on an infected system. So when you're infected, it is best to seek the help of an expert. You would never know that they are just sitting in a little corner in your office.

How to increase internet speed

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 06 May 2011 19:42:00 +0000

Test your Internet connection speed. You can do this by going to one of these speed test websites: Speakeasy.net/speedtest or Speedtest.net. Record your results. Compare the speeds from step one and step two. If your getting the speed your paying for go no further.

Disable web-browser Add-ons that can slow down your Internet connection speed. Check to see if you have multiple web browser Add-ons operating with your browser. For example, if your web browser is Internet Explorer, go to Tools, select Manage Add-ons, and look at what Add-ons are enabled. Disable the ones you do not want to use.

Download TCP Optimizer software to optimize your computers MTU (Maximum Transmission Unit) values, RWIN (Receive Window) values, and broadband related registry keys. The most popular and FREE TCP Optimizer that I found is called "SG TCP Optimizer". You can download it at CNET: http://www.download.com/SG-TCP-Optimizer/3000-2155_4-10488572.html?tag=lst-1 or at PCWORLD: http://www.pcworld.com/downloads/file/fid,68524-order,1-page,1/description.html.

Retest your Internet connection speed by going to one of these speed test websites: Speakeasy.net/speedtest or Speedtest.net. Record and compare these results with the results obtained from steps one and two.

Samsung GALAXY Smartphones

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 06 May 2011 19:28:00 +0000

The new Samsung GALAXY smart phones are powered by the Android 2.2 OS system, allowing for a smarter user experience.

Equipped with Wi-Fi connectivity and Social Hub functionality, the Samsung GALAXY smart phones allow users to view their contacts, SMS, IM and email together in an integrated single-page layout. This connectivity with the Social Hub further allows users to gain access to more than 100,000 applications from Android Market and Samsung Apps. Quick communication is a breeze with QuickType by SWYPE text input.

Samsung GALAXY Ace

The Samsung GALAXY Ace offers a premium experience with a 3.5 inch HVGA display on a compact and comfortable handset. Equipped with a 800MHz processor, Google Voice search and ThinkFree document viewer, the smart phone does not compromise on capabilities.

Samsung GALAXY Fit

The Samsung GALAXY Fit features a 3.31 inch QVGA display. Equipped with an office viewer and a 5MP camera, the smart phone is ideal for social and professional use. It offers a functional user experience and smooth web browsing on the go with its 600 MHz processor.

Samsung GALAXY PRO

The Galaxy Pro squeezes a four-row button array beneath a set of Android keys and a 2.8-inch touchscreen, while its insides are filled with an 800MHz processor and a 3.2 megapixel cam with autofocus skills.

Samsung GALAXY Mini

The Samsung GALAXY Mini embodies great productivity and performance while boasting a 3.14 inch QVGA display. Powered by a 600 MHz processor, the Samsung GALAXY mini offers Google voice actions and Quick Office document viewer.

NTC to start broadband equipment test

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 06 May 2011 19:21:00 +0000

The anticipated triple-digit growth in broadband subscribers requires better quality services. So to ensure that the telecom players deliver their promised internet speed to their subscribers, the state telecom regulator, the National Telecommunications Commission, will start the rollout of its broadband equipment test this month.

Initially, the broadband speed test equipment will be deployed in Metro Manila and other selected provinces to know if the telecom companies deliver at least 80 percent of their promised internet speed to their subscribers. Because broadband in the Philippines is still in the infancy stage, with about 3 million subscribers, the NTC has been receiving numerous complaints on the poor quality internet services of telcos.

So to address this issue, the NTC will rollout the broadband test equipment and will issue a memorandum circular on broadband speed which mandates the telecom to disclose the minimum broadband speed they delivers to subscribers.

The NTC will get the latest software they ordered in early May, then after undergoing training, NTC personnel will operate the equipment that will be deployed in selected areas. The equipment amounted between P5 million to 6 million. It will rolled out in Metro Manila first.

Last year, the NTC has issued a draft memorandum circular on broadband speed. Under the memorandum order, NTC mandates the telecom providers to disclosed their minimum broadband speed and deliver at least 80 percent of their promised speed. The final circular was expected to be released after the regional hearing in Cebu and Davao this month according to NTC.

Globe Telecom Inc, the country’s second largest telecom firm said that their network is ready for the test, given the continues improvement of their network specially on broadband to deliver superior services to its subscribers.

Smartphone boost to overall cellphone market volumes

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 06 May 2011 19:19:00 +0000

Strong demand for smartphones gave a further boost to overall cellphone market volumes in January-March and made iPhone supplier Apple Inc a rare winner on the market. Apple’s iPhone sales more than doubled from a year ago, buoyed by strong sales on Verizon Wireless and additional carrier deals elsewhere, with market share rising to 5 percent.

The iPhone once again sold particularly well in developed economic regions of the world, such as North America and western Europe. Apple is now within striking distance of LG, which had a 6.6 percent market share in the quarter. Nokia’s share dropped to 29 percent from 35 percent a year ago while Samsung slipped to 19 percent.

Blackberry-maker Research In Motion Ltd benefited from the smartphone boom in the quarter, winning market share, but warned late on Thursday its quarterly sales would miss earlier forecasts. The Canadian group is in a transition period as it revamps its product line and launches its first tablet computer.

Separately Strategy Analytics estimated handset shipments grew 17 percent from a year ago, driven by surging smartphone demand in mature regions and increasingly popular models with multiple SIM cards in emerging markets.

Common Problems in PC crashes

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 09:17:00 +0000

Here are some Common Problems in PC crashes. Your computer slows down, and part of the screen goes either black or white. This usually means that you’re using too many applications or programs all at once, and your computer can’t handle it. Try pressing ctrl+alt+delete, and look for the program that giving you trouble (usually labeled “not responding”), then try closing the said application by clicking end task. And if your computer is still in the line age of the dinosaur, try not to do all things at once. You might end up with less than you want to gain. Also, this may mean that your 20 years old version computer needs some upgrading like increase of RAM, or better yet, a new computer.

You removed some files or programs from your PC, and the next time you boot up, it won’t.
All computer operating systems (OS) have their own standard files and applications that will render the computer inoperable if you remove them. It safe to say that in windows, whatever was installed in your PC should not be removed, because windows will look for it when you boot up again. Also don’t simply delete programs that look unnecessary or uninstall them. When you boot up, windows system files look for programs that have been installed, so whether you remove the program manually or accidentally, you’re bound to get in trouble.

You installed a new hardware and software, and get a fatal exception error (or something like that). That’s what you called “Blue Screen of Death”. You might have installed something that is incompatible with your OS, it might be a new sound card, RAM, device driver, software. Try to remove that hardware that you installed or download the latest software updates for that particular hardware. Also pieces of advice, if you are unsure about installing something, try to find someone who knows better.

Why doesn’t my PC shut down, why is it so slow? When about to shut down your PC, allow a few minutes for some rest time. Illegal shutdowns can result in more permanent damage to your files or worst to your PC as well. The system might still be resolving something, maybe like cleaning up temporary files or folders, reallocating memory. This will help prevent from crashes. Try to backup your files on another media, like CD, DVD, or another hard disk. When your system fails, you can still restore your files. Screensavers and desktop themes along with a huge desktop picture of you and your boyfriend/girlfriend can also eat up resources, so try to disable those, or get one that’s not too heavy. Regular system maintenance can prevent slowing down or crashes of your PC. Try to run disk defragmenting and scan disk sessions, virus scanning, dust cleaning, and cleaning up unwanted files. That’s all folks thanks for reading.

How to Clean a Digital Camera

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 09:09:00 +0000

To take good care of your digital camera, it is necessary to clean it regularly. However, you need to ensure that your camera is safe while you clean it. You can go over your photography instructions manual to guide you on how to keep your gadget secured during cleaning. You can also refer to this list of cleaning procedures intended to give you some useful steps to clean a digital camera.

Prepare your cleaning supplies

clean-digital-camera supplies
While you will not use all cleaning supplies every time you clean, it is important to have the following on hand when you clean your digital camera:

* Microfiber cloth stored in a re-sealable plastic bag to protect it from dirt and grime
* Lens cleaning paper, which is a good substitute for a cotton cloth
* Clean water or lens fluid
* A cleaning brush made of small and soft bristles.

Clean the lens

clean digital camera lens
You can clean your camera while you are still at home or you can also clean it while you are out. If you at home, you can do the following:

* Open the lens cover, turn on the camera if necessary.
* Let your lens face the ground while softly blowing onto it to release dirt particles. Or, use a brush to get rid of particles.
* Using a microfiber cloth with a lens fluid for cleaning, gently remove smudges or grime from the lens, starting from the center and moving out towards the sides.

If you are already at the event location, you can still clean your lens with your cleaning supplies. Just make sure you keep them in your camera bag. Just in case you forget them, you can still clean your camera by following these tips:

* Turn on your camera if needed to open the lens.
* Blow on your lens to get rid of particles. Do not use any type of cloth or your fingers to free the lens of shingles.
* Using a very soft, clean and damp cloth, wipe your lens in a circular motion.
* Dry the lens with a cloth.

Clean the LCD

Turning off your camera when cleaning the LCD is the most applicable thing to do. This will allow you to see clearly any smudges. You can use both a small, soft cloth and a soft brush to clean the LCD.

Clean the body of the camera

clean the body camera
First, turn off the camera. Then using a microfiber cloth and a soft brush, clean the various areas of your camera body such as the seam, the camera connector, buttons, dials, the viewfinder and the front part of the flash. A damp cloth is also useful in clearing out smudges. Just make sure to wipe the camera with a dry cloth when you are finished.

It is important to avoid touching the lens and the LCD of your camera. Using a lens pen is a practical way to refrain from cleaning your lens with your shirt. Lastly, you can choose to have a professional service clean your camera for you.

How to Protect My iPhone

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 09:05:00 +0000

How to Protect Our iPhone was very easy. First is, use a good case or cover to protect your iPhone from scratches, dirt, and dust. The first thing that probably comes into your mind when you speak of protection is to get a protective case or cover for your iPhone. There are different materials and styles of cases you can choose from, including skins, silicone cases, hard plastic cases, and leather cases. There are pros and cons for each type of cover, so you need to decide which one suits your needs best. If you also intend to go on beach outings or fishing, you can get a waterproof iphone case for better protection. The general rule is that you need to make sure that your case snugly fits your iPhone to so that it will not fall off and ensures true protection of your iPhone. See to it that the necessary cuts and holes are there for different iPhone functions, such as the power button, volume button, dock, and headphone jack.
iPhone 4g

Clean your covered iPhone at least once a week to avoid dirt build up. Even if your case fits your iPhone well, you need to make sure you remove your cover and clean your phone every week so that dust and other particles do not build up, causing scratches on your phone. Carefully wipe your iPhone with a soft, dry cloth, like one made of microfiber.

Protect your screen with an anti-glare film. One very useful addition you need to get for your iPhone is a screen protector. The most popular and most advisable one is the anti-glare film, which is a transparent sheet you can stick on the screen of your iPhone. Not only does it help protect your screen from unwanted scratches, but it also prevents screen glare, especially when using your iPhone outdoors.

Use security features for information protection. Some information you store in your iPhone may be very important and too crucial to keep unprotected, such as personal information, bank account information, and other important things. To keep other people from gaining access to this information, it is important to make use of security features, such as password lock and other verification codes. Even treasured pictures and videos can remain protected from unauthorized access or deletion.

Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 07 Jan 2011 06:39:00 +0000

Sony Ericsson introduced last Thursday January 6, 2011 the new Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc Smartphone, the first of a new generation of Xperia smartphones it uses the latest version of the Android platform. The best of Sony technology is inside Xperia Arc. The Reality Display with Mobile BRAVIA® Engine delivers exceptional visual brilliance and a crystal clear image which enhances the overall entertainment experience. Furthermore, Sony’s award-winning Exmor R™ mobile sensor with the f/2.4 lens enable Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc's 8 Megapixel 720p camera to capture of high quality photos and HD videos even in low light conditions. All pictures and videos can be shared in HD on your living room TV via the built in HDMI-connector. Sony Ericsson describes the Xperia arc as sleek, strong designed to fit perfectly in the user’s hand and created from premium materials. As we heard previously, the Arc has managed to slim down to a crazy 8.7mm which wrests the title from the Samsung Infuze 4G’s 9mm. The back of the device is concave which makes the phone seem even thinner than its already slim dimensions suggest. The screen is identified by Sony Ericsson as a “reality display,” running a Mobile BRAVIA Engine and, excusing their bit of hyperbole, it is definitely an amazing looking display. At 4.2 inches they are striking new ground between the Droid X/Evo and the Galaxy S devices, and with its incredibly thin profile. The processor may only be a single-core 1GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon chip, but it’s still fast and its pages quickly.

Facebook to Challenge Google Supremacy

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 30 Dec 2010 06:07:00 +0000

If we want to search for something we go to Google right? But now 2011 seems going to be change for the King of Search Engines. Facebook is challenging Google’s supremacy on the Internet with a radically different approach to how people live, work, play and search online. While Google delivers search results selected by algorithms that take into account a user’s Web history, Facebook boasts a richer level of personalization based on one’s own “likes” and the recommendations of Facebook friends. Mark Zuckerberg refers to it as the “social graph.” He said that when you can use products with your friends and your family and the people you care about they tend to be more engaging.

It includes not only what you do and what you like but people you know and what they like and the companies you interact with. Social media is an increasingly important part of how you reach people and it’s a growing part of every marketer’s budget. The idea is you do not want to fight Facebook, you want to embrace Facebook and leverage Facebook because this is where people are going to spend increasing amounts of time”.

According to online tracking firm comScore, Google receives more unique monthly visitors than Facebook but visitors to Facebook spend more time at the site than they do on Google properties. Since early 2010, Facebook has been rolling out features which put it on a collision course with Google. Facebook has also been facing off with Google on the hiring front. They’ve become competitive in some areas, but it’s not that Facebook has grown at Google’s expense or that Facebook is growing and Google is shrinking. Facebook’s growth is not necessarily a bad thing for Google. It’s not necessarily to Google’s disadvantage that Facebook is growing. Google is not going away, Google, in fact, I think is going to benefit from the emergence of social media.

How to Start Windows in Safe Mode

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 30 Dec 2010 05:59:00 +0000

You can choose the Safe Mode with Networking option, which loads all of the above files and drivers and the essential services and drivers to start networking, or you can choose the Safe Mode with Command Prompt option, which is exactly the same as safe mode except that a command prompt is started instead of the graphical user interface. You can also choose Last Known Good Configuration, which starts your computer using the registry information that was saved at the last shutdown. Follow the instructions below How to Start Windows in Safe Mode for your specific version of Windows.

Windows 2000
Note: You should print these instructions before continuing. They will not be available after you shut your computer down in step 1.
• Click Start, click Shut Down, and then, in the drop-down list, click Shut down.
• When you see the black-and-white Starting Windows bar at the bottom of the screen, start pressing the F8 key on the keyboard. The Windows 2000 Advanced Options Menu appears.
• Use the arrow keys to highlight the appropriate safe mode option, and then press ENTER.
• The computer then begins to start in Safe mode.
• After finished with all troubleshooting, close all programs and restart the computer in normal mode.

Windows XP
Note: You should print these instructions before continuing. They will not be available after you shut your computer down in step 1.
• If the computer is running, click start, and then click turn off the Computer.
• In the Shut Down Windows dialog box, click Restart, and then click OK.
• Start pressing the F8 key. The Windows Advanced Options Menu appears. If you begin tapping the F8 key too soon, some computers display a “keyboard error” message. To resolve this, restart the computer and try again.
• Use the arrow keys to highlight the appropriate safe mode option, and then press ENTER.
• The computer then begins to start in Safe mode.
• After finished with all troubleshooting, close all programs and restart the computer in normal mode.

Windows Vista
• Turn the computer on or Restart the computer
• Start pressing the F8 key. The Windows Advanced Boot Options Menu appears. If you begin tapping the F8 key too soon, some computers display a “keyboard error” message. To resolve this, restart the computer and try again.
• Use the arrow keys to highlight the appropriate safe mode option, and then press ENTER.
• The computer then begins to start in Safe mode.
• After finished with all troubleshooting, close all programs and restart the computer in normal mode.

The most powerful DirectX 11 for ASUS GTX580

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 20 Dec 2010 17:43:00 +0000

The successful Fermi series from NVIDIA continues to expand with the new GTX 580, featuring 512 CUDA cores and achieving the most impressive DirectX 11 performance ever fielded by a single NVIDIA GPU. ASUS has added its own exclusive Voltage Tweak to the GTX580 for significant output gains on demand. The hardcore performance of the ASUS GTX580 offers full HD NVIDIA 3D Vision Surround gaming and movie watching on up to three screens, and CUDA parallel computing that puts the great power of the GPU at the disposal of the CPU for overall system enhancement.

Product Highlights

• ASUS exclusive Voltage Tweak gives users a quick and accessible way to overvolt the graphics card to its limit at 1157MHz – up to 50% faster performance compared to reference.

• ASUS GTX580 is factory overclocked at 782MHz with 512 CUDA cores, the most of any current NVIDIA design. It features a large 1536MB GDDR5 video memory, rated at over 4GHz. The massive 384-bit memory interface opens up performance by removing data transmission bottlenecks for better hardware utilization.

• Support for NVIDIA 3D Vision Surround in full 1080p HD — users can expand 3D games, movies and photos on up to three screens at once for the most immersive PC multimedia experience around.

• With its over-the-top power, ASUS GTX580 opens up optimal utilization of DirectX® 11 features such as advanced tessellation and real time ray tracing. This enables high resolution PC gaming in unprecedented detail, allowing even the most taxing titles to run smoothly at maximum frames per second.

• HDMI 1.4a updates video output to the fastest, highest-bandwidth standard available.

First playable Google doodle marks 30 years of Pac-Man

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 22 May 2010 04:16:00 +0000

Internet giant Google marked the 30th birthday of Pac-Man by featuring the classic arcade videogame in the first-ever playable doodle on its home page. Web users who opened Google’s homepage after 1500 GMT Friday — which is midnight in Japan, where Pac-Man was born — were greeted by a small-scale Pac-man game set around a barely discernible “Google” in the middle of the game’s colorful maze.

The game designed by Toru Iwatani was first released by Japan-based Namco into arcades on May 22, 1980. The Google doodle Pac-Man comes complete with the arcade game’s trademark music and sound effects, and an “Insert Coin” button where Google’s “I’m feeling lucky” button usually is.

But even though Pac-Man grew to become the best-selling coin-operated game in history, the Google doodle was decidedly less popular with Internet users. Other online comments were more charitable, but wondered about the effect the doodle on productivity.

All the game details are spot-on, right down to the impulse to ignore work, friends, familiy and play for hours. The playable Pac-Man doodle will stay on Google for 48 hours.

Facebook may make prophet page inaccessible in Pakistan

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 22 May 2010 04:11:00 +0000

Facebook is disappointed at being blocked in Pakistan over a contest that encourages users to post caricatures of the Prophet Mohammed and may make the offending page inaccessible to users there, the social network said late Wednesday. Pakistan blocked access to Facebook on a court order over a competition created by a Facebook user who set up a page called “Draw Mohammed Day,” inviting people to send in caricatures of the Muslim prophet on May 20.

Islam strictly prohibits depictions of Prophet Mohammed as blasphemous and Muslims around the world staged angry protests over the publication of satirical cartoons of the prophet in European newspapers in 2006.

The statement from the Palo Alto, California-based social network said “we want Facebook to be a place where people can openly discuss issues and express their views, while respecting the rights and feelings of others.

With now more than 400 million users from around the world… we sometimes find people discussing and posting about topics that others may find controversial, inaccurate, or offensive.While some kinds of comments and content may be upsetting for someone — criticism of a certain culture, country, religion, lifestyle, or political ideology, for example — that alone is not a reason to remove the discussion.

We strongly believe that Facebook users have the freedom to express their opinions, and we don’t typically take down content, groups or pages that speak out against countries, religions, political entities, or ideas. The statement noted that “Nazi content is illegal in some countries” but said “that does not mean it should be removed entirely from Facebook.”

Some Bankers use Apple’s iPhone over Blackberry

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 22 May 2010 04:08:00 +0000

British bank Standard Chartered is replacing the Blackberry, currently its standard corporate communications device, with the iPhone, a move that could eventually result in thousands of bankers switching to the Apple device for business communication on the go. Standard Chartered bankers in Asia told Reuters that the London-based lender was giving its corporate Blackberry users the option of switching to the iPhone, with the company agreeing to continue to pay monthly billing for business-related telephone and data services.

The process of migrating corporate email services from the Blackberry to the iPhone started about a month ago, said the spokeswoman, although she did not know how many of the Asia-focused bank’s 75,000 employees used company-issued Blackberries or when the switchover could be completed.

Bankers at other financial institutions such as HSBC Holdings Plc and Morgan Stanley have so far been restricted to the Blackberry as the standard device issued by their firms for business communications. Despite some indications of change, it may take time for a broader switch to take place, mainly because of security concerns, according to financial professionals and information technology analysts.

Blackberries, from Canada’s Research in Motion, are the device of choice for bankers and executives who need regular access to email and the Internet when outside the office.

People are always switching. I saw there were people switching to Blackberries as well. I think the point is it’s a very dynamic market. There are many very imaginative companies out there. Service providers, vendors, software application developers, very dynamic, after the launch ceremony for BlackBerry services offered by China Telecom, the smallest of China’s trio telecoms providers.

Feds to look at Apple policy on programming tools

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 05 May 2010 03:03:00 +0000

Federal regulators plan to examine whether Apple Inc. is violating antitrust rules by requiring software developers to use Apple programming tools to create applications for the iPhone and iPad. Officials at the Justice Department and the Federal Trade Commission are sorting out which agency will examine Apple's new policy, according to a person with knowledge of the inquiry. Apple's policy prevents developers from using outside tools such as Adobe Systems Inc.'s Flash format, which is used in many Web videos, games and interactive graphics, to design apps for Apple's popular devices.

The person with knowledge of the inquiry, who was not authorized to speak publicly, noted that it is in a preliminary stage. The two antitrust agencies regularly scrutinize whether corporate conduct could stifle competition, and not all inquiries result in a formal investigation or action by the government. Apple had no immediate comment Tuesday. The Federal Trade Commission and the Justice Department had no comment.

The inquiry was reported earlier by the New York Post.

A key question facing federal regulators is whether Apple hurts competition in the mobile device market by forcing software developers to choose between designing apps that can run only on the iPhone and iPad and those that can run on rival devices such as Google Inc.'s Android phones and Research in Motion Ltd.'s BlackBerry.

Apple's new policy has also raised concerns for Adobe, which includes Flash as part of a suite of software tools sold to professional designers and Web developers. Although Apple's decision to ban Flash limits what its iPhone and iPad can do, the popularity of the devices has led many software developers to design apps without the format.

Last week, Apple Chief Executive Steve Jobs defended the company's decision in a lengthy Web posting arguing that "letting a third party layer of software come between the platform and the developer ultimately results in substandard apps." Jobs criticized Flash for, among other things, causing performance problems with mobile devices.

Adobe had no comment Tuesday. But last week, the company said in a statement that Apple's "attempt to position this solely as a technology issue is a smoke screen." Instead, Adobe said, Apple was trying to protect a business model that locks developers and consumers into its tools and services.

Original Source: PhilStar.com

Error Message: Conflict IP Address on the network

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 07:41:00 +0000

Have you ever encountered a network error message that pop-up and say "Conflict IP address in a network?" It means that there is two or more of the same IP address in your network. Sometimes it is happening when your IP address was obtained manually because you might maybe forgot that you already put the first IP address in some of the computers. There is a way to avoid conflict of IP Addresses in a network and that is rechecking the IP address in your computers. To solve this problem either you put the IP address automatically or recheck and put it manually again a different IP address for that particular computer.

Follow these Instructions on how to automatically or manually set a static IP Address in Network Computers.

Do one of the following: Manually
1. Right Click the Icon of "My Network Places" then go to properties.
2. Right Click the "Local Area Network Icon" then choose properties.
3. When the Local Area Network Properties appear, look and double click on the “Internet Protocol (TCP\IP)” or click the button Properties.
4. Then the Internet Protocol (TCP\IP) Properties will appear. Click "Use the Following IP Addresses".
5. Then you can now set manually an IP Addresses for that particular computer. Including your subnet mask "255.255.255.0" and the default gateway of the internet server.

Do one of the following: Automatically
1. If you want IP settings to be assigned automatically, first repeat the procedure 1, 2, and 3 above, when the Internet Protocol (TCP\IP) Properties appear, click Obtain an IP address automatically, and then click OK.

World's first solar-powered mobile phone

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 06:14:00 +0000

Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. announced the world’s first solar-powered mobile phone — the Crest Solar (E1107). The new handset enables its users to charge the battery anywhere the sun is shining when electricity is unavailable. “The Crest Solar represents our effort and commitment to strengthen our leadership in the solar panel mobile market,” said Charles Choi, VP for HHP Samsung Electronics Philippines Corporation. “With Samsung’s cutting-edge technology and consumer-oriented strategy, I believe the Crest Solar will be the perfect fit for anyone in any market — not only because it is solar powered, but because it has features that were designed to appeal to various cultures.” Powered By The Sun With an extended solar-powered battery, the Samsung Crest Solar solves the problem of unavailable or unstable electrical outlets, particularly in rural areas. The phone has the capacity to provide around five to 10 minutes of talk time with one hour of solar charging. Moreover, the solar panel charging allows its users to save money and energy consumption on traditional electrical charging. Measured when the phone is turned-off under the sun light of 80,000 Lux. Results can be different depending on circumstances. The Crest Solar comes in a compact design with essential mobile phone features such as FM radio, MP3 ring tones, embedded games and a powerful torch light. For consumer safety, the phone offers Mobile Tracker, which automatically alerts when the SIM card is changed or sends out an SOS message in an emergency. The Crest Solar also has a fake call feature, so users can pretend they have an incoming call when necessary. To satisfy Crest Solar users in various markets, Samsung offers localized features for different countries. For instance, it offers profile screening for bikers in the Southeast Asian market that provides incoming call alerts only from selected contacts for safe riding. The Crest Solar also provides specialized features for different religions such as alerts for prayer time.

How to remove unused desktop icons

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 07:20:00 +0000

Desktop Icons are small picture that typically represents a program or file. Double-clicking an icon opens the associated program or file. But sometimes there are icons in our desktop that needs to be removed because you’re not using them or it is unnecessary.

To remove unused desktop icons
1. Open Display in Control Panel.
2. On the Desktop tab, click Customize Desktop.
3. Under Desktop cleanup, click Clean Desktop Now.
4. Follow the directions in the Desktop Cleanup Wizard.
Notes
1. To open Display, click Start, click Control Panel, and then double-click Display.
2. The Desktop Cleanup Wizard displays a list of the desktop icons that have not been used for 60 days or more, enabling you to remove those icons that you don't want on your desktop. You can retrieve icons you have removed by opening the Unused Desktop Shortcuts folder on your desktop.
3. Clear the Run Desktop Cleanup Wizard every 60 days check box if you don't want the wizard to run automatically every two months.
4. You can remove an individual desktop icon by right-clicking the icon and then clicking Delete.
5. To add or remove the icons for My Documents, My Computer, My Network Places, or Internet Explorer, select or clear those items under Desktop icons.

How to Pin or Assign Programs for easy access

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 07:09:00 +0000

Want to keep your programs within easy reach? Windows XP lets you customize the Start menu and task bar so you can launch your favorite programs whenever you want them. No more searching for your favorite programs; you can easily pin, or assign, programs to the Start menu. Or you can use the Quick Launch bar as a way to keep other programs at your fingertips; ready to go at the click of the button. You can also place convenient shortcut icons on your desktop. Shortcut icons provide instant links to important files, folders, and other applications - even your printer and Internet connection - with a touch of your mouse. Here's how to pin a program to the Start menu. As an example, we'll pin the Windows XP Calculator program to the Start menu.

Pin Calculator to the Start menu
1. Click Start, and then click All Programs.
2. Click Accessories and point to Calculator.
3. Right-click Calculator and click Pin to Start menu.
4. Click anywhere on the desktop to quit the Start menu.

That's all there is to it. The above works for any program on your computer, putting those programs on the Start menu until you decide to remove them.

How to add sound effects

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 07:08:00 +0000

The customizing features of Windows XP offer more than just visual tweaks. You can also add sound effects - silly or sensible - to orchestrate any move, from opening and closing folders to emptying the Recycle Bin. Sound effects are a perfect complement to any customized desktop and a great way to express your personality. Adding them is easy, too. Here's how:

Add sound effects
1. Click Start, and then click Control Panel.
2. Click Sounds, Speech, and Audio Devices.
3. Under Pick a task, click Change the sound scheme.
4. On the Sounds tab, under Program events, click the event to which you want to apply a sound.
5. In the Sounds list, click the sound you want to link to the event.
6. To hear the sound, click the playbutton to the right of the Sounds list. If you are satisfied with your choice, click OK. Repeat steps 4 and 5 until you have linked sounds to as many program events as you want.
7. To save your settings into a personalized sound scheme, click Save As. Type a name for the sound scheme, and then click OK.
8. Click OK to complete the procedure and save your sound scheme.

While Windows XP contains many sound effects to choose from, you can create your own by copying them from other sources, such as CDs or the Internet, and storing them on your hard drive.