Archive for the ‘Laptop and PC’ Category
Before you can even decide what make of computer you want, whether it is a Dell, Mac or Hewlett Packard…you need to answer this burning question. Will your next computer be a laptop or a desktop PC?
In order to answer this question you need to do your research. You need to familiarize yourself with both laptops and PCs. The reason that I say this is because as with all purchasing decisions there are pros and cons to whatever decision you make. In order to make the most informed decision as to which choice will be your next computer, you need to not only look into the advantages and disadvantages of each of them but you also need to make sure that you apply these pros and cons to your individual circumstances.
So what exactly are these pros and cons?
If you are looking into desktop PCs you will see that they are usually cheaper than laptops and for the money that you are paying you will get a lot more hardware/software. You get a faster computer at a lower price. That’s the main reason many gamers tend to opt for desktop PCs over laptops as they are more suited to gaming and audio/video applications. However, recent developments have meant that there are now laptops coming out that have been primarily designed for gamers. The performance gap is narrowing swiftly.
While laptop prices are falling, they are generally more expensive than PCs because of their design aspect but mainly because they haven’t been around as long as PCs. Generally over time, electronic goods such as TVs, DVD players, computers… usually come down in price as makers recoup their initial manufacturing costs.
Another plus point for a PC comes in the fact that they are easily upgradable. If you want to upgrade the graphics card to a more powerful one you can. If you want to change or add another hard drive then go right ahead. With a laptop however, they may require professional installation and in many cases you are unable to upgrade or add to the technology that appears within it. They are a lot more troublesome to deal with when it comes to modifying or repairing them.
Despite these advantages that the PC holds over the laptop hasn’t stop the popularity of laptops from growing and expanding. There are in fact now more laptops being brought than desktops and this is a trend that is set to increase.
One of the main advantages that exist with laptops is the fact that they are portable. Many people now need a laptop in order to stay more productive. They allow you to access files and data at anytime and from any location, which is a necessity for many people due to our fast paced and on the go society. Also thanks to Wi-Fi wireless networks the connectivity of laptops are amazing. You are able to gain easy access to the Internet while you remain mobile.
Another pro to having a laptop as your next computer as oppose to a desktop PC is the fact that with a laptop you have low power consumption. The reason for this is that laptops are several times more power-efficient than desktops. A typical laptop uses 20-90 W, compared to 100-800 W for desktops. I feel that this is an important feature, especially for businesses that run hundreds of personal computers as it could ensure that you have a multitude of potential savings. It is also helpful to homes where there is a computer running 24/7 such as a home media server or print server.
Nor should you ignore the aesthetic appeal of the laptop. They have great style and design which makes them attractive to potential buyers. Gaming laptops are especially decked out with flashy decor and pizazz; while you should never buy a computer for its looks, many people do just that!
These are just a few examples of the pros and cons that are associated with laptops and desktop PCs. There are good and bad points for each option, so depending on what you need your computer for you may opt for a laptop or you may opt for a PC. The most important thing is that you make your choice based on your needs to ensure that you get the most out of your computer. Satisfy your own needs first and you won’t be disappointed with your final choice.
The Toshiba Satellite Pro P100 is an excellent multi-media desktop
replacement laptop. It sports many innovative features which will
immediately convert many users into admiring fans. However, like
any object of our affections, the Satellite P100 does have some
flaws. A close examination of all the features and flaws of
the Toshiba Pro100 will give you some indication if this is the
laptop for you, especially if you’re in the market for a PC desktop
replacement.
The Satellite Pro100 laptop was recently introduced by Toshiba
to compete in the lucrative PC marketplace. If you can fit all
the performance and features of a full size PC into a laptop,
why not go for a smaller sexier package? Has Toshiba succeeded
in producing a better desktop PC? Enquiring minds want to know!
Lets give the Toshiba P100 a closer look and point out all the
pluses and minuses, the pros and cons of this new multi-media
desktop replacement powerhouse. Lets consider the pluses first.
This laptop looks great.
There’s no denying it, the Toshiba Satellite P100 looks good. This
laptop has style. It lives up to its name — Professional. The Toshiba
Satellite P100 is black with a matte silver interior off-set with a
black keyboard. The design is sleek, simple and clean. Everything fits.
Quite frankly, in the looks department, it has to be rated a 10 or
very close to it.
Now everyone knows a laptop’s looks should not be your first
consideration when buying a laptop, but from a marketing angle
this factor may play a bigger role than all the impressive specs
and technical performance this laptop posesses. In today’s world,
looks and style does count; don’t let anyone try to convince you
otherwise. Besides, this classy laptop package will be displayed
prominently in your home or office — its impressive looks will
turn a lot more heads than your run-of-the-mill PC.
This laptop is fast.
Sporting the new Intel Core Duo T2400 1.83GHz processor on a 100GB
SATA (5400 RPM) hard drive with a 667MHz FSB or System Bus. The Satellite
P100 is pre-loaded with 1 Gig of RAM (expandable to 4 Gigs). You probably
already know RAM is the main factor in determining the speed of your
computer.
Plus, with a 128MB NVIDIA GeForce Go 7300 graphics card this laptop
will easily handle all business applications and will even handle many of the
older games… but please note you may need to upgrade to a ‘gamer-centric’
model, such as the Toshiba Satellite P105-S921 with NVIDIA GeForce Go 7900 GS
for playing all the latest games.
The NVIDIA’s GeForce Go 7300 video processor has 128 MB of dedicated
memory and can ‘borrow’ extra memory from the system’s RAM with Turbo Cache.
Up to 512 MB of total video memory.
This laptop offers top performance.
The new Intel dual core processor makes simultaneous multi-tasking
quick and painless. Double your power. It can process multiple applications,
and carry out some of the most demanding multi-threaded programs. It is
also Windows Vista compatible for those who are thinking ahead.
The Toshiba P100 does offer more than enough performance to easily
handle all the chores and tasks of a regular PC. In many cases, it will out
perform many current PCs.
This laptop runs cool and quiet.
The Satellite P100 runs very cool — for the first week or so this
laptop was placed on a thin plastic tablecloth, just to check if
there would be any overheating. None. Good underbody ventilation.
This laptop is also very quiet — there is only the occasional whir
from the fans. Like a high price auto gearing up, well not really,
but you won’t mind the sound.
This laptop offers great viewing pleasure.
Featuring a 17 inch LCD Widescreen TruBrite display that’s crisp and clear,
the visuals on this Toshiba laptop holds up against many higher priced
laptops. Toshiba is known for its high quality screens and this
laptop’s display is no different. The images are sharp and the colors are
brilliant. Native resolution for the display is 1440 x 900 pixels. And the
screen is clear and viewable from all angles.
Watching DVDs and Videos on this laptop may become addictive because
of the excellent viewing graphics and sound. The widescreen makes
watching 16:9 ratio aspect movies more enjoyable and because you’re
sitting close to the laptop, you get surprising good visuals.
The 100 Gig hard drive and the DVD Super-Multi Drive for burning
DVDs will come in handy for fully enjoying all those movie downloads.
The dual layer DVD burner which burns DVD-R or DVD+R discs
at a maximum of 8x. The Toshiba P100 also comes pre-loaded with the
InterVideo WinDVD Creator 2 Platinum and Sonic Record Now.
This laptop has perfect sound.
Perhaps, what makes the viewing experience so enjoyable are the
built-in Harman/Kardon stereo speakers. On most laptops you get
horrible sound, this is not the case here. This P100 has Intel High
Definition Audio sound chip and Toshiba has boosted this system with
integrated speakers, using top-of-line Harmon/Kardon speakers.
You also have headphone jack for private viewing. If you enjoy using
your laptop or computer for watching videos/movies than the great
sound on the Satellite P100 should play a major factor in your buying
decision.
This laptop has a nice touch and feel to it.
That might sound frivolous, but after using the Toshiba Satellite
for two or three weeks you really do appreciate how comfortable and
how effective the overall design of this laptop truly is. Typing is
a breeze and the touchpad is responsive. The three programmable
shortcuts on the touchpad is a unique feature that will save you a
lot of time.
The full size number keypad is convenient for many business applications
and almost justifies the rather cramped keyboard, some of the other
keys have been downsized. Especially the small right shift key and
a slightly smaller enter key. However, it must be added, after one
uses this laptop for a week or so — these smaller keys are not a
factor. You quickly adjust your typing and the differences become
insignificant.
This laptop comes pre-loaded.
Toshiba pre-loads their laptop with a config-free system. This
model had Windows Microsoft Windows XP Home edition. And includes
Toshiba Configfree, Toshiba Express Media Player, WinDVD, Sonic Record
Now, Intervideo WinDVD Creator 2 Platinum, Microsoft Office OneNote 2003,
Norton Antivirus 2006
Other features of the Toshiba P100 include 10/100/1000 Integrated
Ethernet LAN and Intel Wireless LAN 802.11abg for networking. Card slots
include 1 PC Card Slot Supports One Type II PC Cards, 1 Express Card
Slot Supports CardBus. Ports include 4 x USB 2.0, RJ11, RJ45, Headphone
Port, External Microphone Port, S-Video Out, RGB, DVI, and S/P DIF.
Now, lets consider some of the minuses.
This laptop is not portable. At little under 8 pounds you won’t be
lugging this laptop around on many trips. It really is not designed as a
lightweight portable notebook but as far as desktop replacements go – the
Toshiba P100 is easy to carry around the house. It does not feel or
look bulky.
This Laptop has poor battery life.
It has to be realized, in most big powerful multi-media desktop
replacement you will get poor battery life. The battery life
on the Satellite P100 is around 2 hrs with the 6 cell battery.
Since most owners use this laptop for a desktop replacement,
long battery life is not that important. They will mainly be
using this laptop plugged in to AC power.
After you have used this media-media laptop for three or four
weeks many of its high performance and powerful features will
surprise you. I have not had a crash or freeze-up yet. And I do
a lot of multi-tasking — it is not common for me to have 10 or
15 browser windows open, downloading files, graphics, answering
emails… all the while burning off a DVD or deleting files
with 35 over-writes, with countless programs running in the
background. The Intel Duo Processor does the trick. It lets you
handle much more work than an ordinary PC.
Keep in mind, the Toshiba Satellite does have some flaws, there
is poor battery life and at around 8 pounds this is not a portable
laptop. A truncated keyboard. It also has no built-in web cam
which would have been a nice addition in a laptop of this caliber.
However, the major selling point must be the great crisp 17 inch
screen with superb visuals and excellent sound from the Harman/Kardon
speakers. Forget all the specs and techno features, this laptop
is a pleasure to use and enjoy. Whether you buy the Satelitte P100
for your home or office; this laptop won’t disappoint. It has
a comfortable keyboard, more than enough performance for complex
multi-tasking chores and a display that won’t put a strain on your
eyes no matter what you’re watching.
The Satellite Pro is a powerful PC replacement that offers great
visuals and sound. The Intel Duo Processor will easily handle almost
any applications that you can throw at it. The Toshiba P100 does make
a great desktop replacement for your old PC. It is worth your
consideration.
Did we mention it also looks great!
You always get in trouble when your computer and laptop stop working because of technical errors. Now how to solve these technical errors related to your computer and laptop. To get your computer and laptop in shape you need to do servicing of these two equipments by contacting PC computer & Laptop repair services. Now need not to worry as computer repair sheffield provides such services to its valuable customers in U.K. Also Chesterfield PC Support is Derbyshire’s premier on site PC computer & Laptop repair services which offers quick and reliable services. The PC computer & Laptop repair services provides services at the most reasonable prices. The PC computer & Laptop repair services cover Chesterfield, Derbyshire, Sheffield and Mansfield all these parts of U.K. You have to just drag a call and get the services in if facing computer and laptop related problems.
They send their computer repair technician to your provided address on the same day to get your pc running. These technicians will let you know about the problem after testing all the hardware and software on your computer, and also tell you what is wrong with your PC. After that total expense of repairing is fixed by these technicians for repairing your computer and laptop. And after checking the hardware and software on your computer they will tell you what is wrong with your PC. You will also come to know that they install critical updates, perform optimization for faster and better performance.
Some of the common symptoms of your laptop are Laptop randomly shuts down without any warning, battery will not get charged, power LED and battery charge LED start flickering when you wiggle the power cord or the AC adapter tip on the back of your laptop etc. Now you used to get worried as are not aware of any reliable resources for the fast recovery of your computer and laptop problems. But PC computer & Laptop repair services is one of the most reliable services provider regarding the solutions of computer and laptop problems. Just give a call to the PC computer & Laptop repair services and get your work done. Now a days PC computer & Laptop repair services is becoming quite functional and renowned in these areas of U.K.
Years back it would’ve been just your imagination that Technology would some day advance to a point where you can watch satellite TV programs on your PC or Laptop. Then a few years ago, two types of PCTV cards became available, one to be installed in your PC while the other was an external USB plug-in device. Now there is a new way to watch TV on your PC or Laptop without any hardware.
PCTV cards are hardware that allow users to access satellite signals on their PCs or Laptops. The sophisticated types of PCTV cards are capable of the dual functions for watching both satellite and terrestrial television programs simultaneously.
To be able to use a PCTV card, your PC must have a USB port and should not be less than Pentium II, with a functional CD Rom drive. A lot of other complicated connections will then follow, either via a dish, Internet cable, satellite signal decoder or a media player.
Satellite TV On PC Software
All these hassles of the PCTV cards have now been blown away by the arrival of Internet television software. You can purchase Internet television software online, download and install it in either your PC or Laptop, and in seconds be hooked up with thousands of satellite TV programs from around the world, irrespective of where you are, so long as you are connected to the internet.
Internet television software is even more beneficial, because you have no need for extra gear; all you need is a broadband internet connection for a life time of satellite television viewing from thousands of TV stations around the world.
Note: As with every innovation, the rush has since begun for both manufacturers and consumers, be sure to purchase a popular Internet television software, because if it is popular, that means that it works without bugs.
In the present day world, the computer users do not show any kind of tendency to purchase low-quality products and services even if the same comes to them at low price. The modern-day customers are ready to pay a price and this is the motivational factor for the product manufacturers to introduce new products and services.
The world of PC laptops has seen quite a few drastic changes; all these positive changes have contributed to the growth of the computer market of today. Important factors such as the emergence of market players, growing competition and the introduction of innovative technologies have contributed to the growth and popularity of the laptops in a significant manner.
A prospective customer of the PC laptops must consider several factors before finalising a deal. Important factors such as quality, performance, warranty and customer service must be considered with a keen eye. A complete and comprehensive market survey, involving the traditional and the online market, helps to get a reasonable deal besides ensuring the “best bargains”. These factors hold as good as for a second-hand PC laptop as they apply to a brand new PC laptop.
The PC laptops offer several advantages to their users such as enhanced levels of flexibility, affordability and reliability, In addition to all these factors, the prices at which the modern day PC laptops are offered to the customers is competitive to that of the traditional and even high-end computing devices. The laptops are also space-conscious, making them a perfect companion for every computer user. In addition to all these benefits, a PC laptop can easily be carried to any place without any hiccups and thus offers a superior degree of flexibility than any other computing device. This means that now you can stay connected to important mails and applications, even while remaining on the move.
So, if you thinking on the lines of purchasing a PC laptop the market have enough prospects for you. You just need to prioritise your actual needs and consider your budget and then make a search. If you, as a prospective customer, can do that there is no doubt that you can derive the “smart benefits” of the PC laptop technology. After all, what is the use of a technology if it cannot bring the expected benefits out of it to its audience.
Do you have an old laptop lying around just collecting dust that for whatever reason, you no longer use? It just seems so antiquated, and slow. All you want to do is get rid of it. The hard drive is too small, and the memory sucks, plus you’re already planning on getting a sweet newer laptop.
I was in the same predicament. I have a 2 and half year old Compaq Presario 2500 that’s seen better days. I was thinking of giving it away, or putting it to sleep in favor of a newer laptop. It was my workhorse for the longest time, and had seen some serious abuse and usage. I was ready to put it to sleep and move on when I decided to refurbish, and upgrade it.
Just like I did, you may not have to get rid of that old laptop just yet. I’m going to show you how I breathed some some new life into my old laptop, and I did it for under $175. Consider this a perfect time to polish off your tech skills. I will show you how I upgraded my laptop, and how you can too.
Unlike a PC, there are only a few components that can be easily upgraded in a laptop. The main 2 are the hard drive, and the memory. If you were skillful enough, you could replace the motherboard, and if you knew how to solder, then you could possibly fiddle with the processor as well, but we’ll work under the assumption that this is beyond your knowledge.
You won’t need any fancy tools to upgrade your laptop. All you’ll really need is a jeweler’s screwdriver set which you can get for under $10 from any hobby store.
Before you begin handling any of the internal components, make sure your laptop is turned off, and that you remove the battery. There’s no sense in getting shocked. Also, make sure to get rid of any residual static electricity by touching the chassis before you dive in.
I went to my favorite online hardware store, http://newegg.com, for my upgrade purchasing. I go to that website because it’s loaded with every type of computer hardware under the sun, and they have the best deals I’ve found. I had to really focus on the task at hand because once there, I’m like a kid in a candy store.
The hard drive is relatively easy to get to and replace on most laptops. However, I still had to check my laptop’s user manual for hard drive removal instructions. Originally, my laptop had come with a 40GB hard drive, but I wanted to double that. I found an 80GB Western Digital Scorpio hard drive at http://newegg.com , and for only 80. 99, this is the one I went with.
Next came the memory. Originally, my laptop came with a paltry 256MB of RAM. I wanted at least 1GB because my laptop had been moving glacially slow. I’m not sure how I dealt with it for all those years. Please note, that not all laptops can support a memory upgrade so you should make sure yours can before you buy anything.
To see if mine could, I went to http://ramfinder.com. You can go there too and see how much RAM your laptop can support. Fortunately, the Compaq Presario 2500 can support 1 GB so I went with two 512MB Corsair memory sticks, which I got from NewEgg for only $45.99 each.
Once I had the hard drive and the memory installed, I re-loaded the operating system, and all the drivers. The whole process from start to finish (after I had the components shipped to me) took about 45 minutes, and now I have a laptop that behaves like new but cost me only $172. 97. Considering a new laptop with equal components would have cost me between $700-$900, I think I did pretty good, and you will too. Just follow this simple guide and you can save yourself hundreds of dollars while extending the life of that old laptop of yours.





