LAPTOP HINTS

WHAT ANTIVIRUS TO BUY IN 2010 EVEN THE FREE ONE

bvit — Sun, 10 Jan 2010 18:10:42 +0000

Notebook Review made test of various antivirus software and below is the result presented by Charles P Jefferies.

Here are the following list of antivirus tested which are also available free of charge option:

· AVG 9.0 Antivirus Free

· Avira Home Edition

· Avast! Free Antivirus

· Microsoft Security Essentials

What field to test to get objectively result?

· Protection

· Ease of use

· Performance

· Extra features

Antivirus solutions will be given a rating for each category; higher numbers are better.

And the winner is . . . Avast Free Antivirus!

Avast took our top spot for several reasons.

Avast provides the best protection and additionally has a relatively easy to use interface. It also included several extra features, most notably its file recovery database and a light firewall. Microsoft SE comes in a close second — while not as proactive as Avast it has the slickest interface and least amount of free drawbacks.

AVG is exactly after Microsoft as the second most easy-to-use solution with several useful extras including identity theft protection.

Avira takes last place primarily due to its antiquated interface, confusing terminology, and annoying nag screen. Nonetheless, remember that all four products individually received our recommendation since they passed our tests.

TEN WAYS TO UPGRADE YOUR NETBOOK WITH THREE KINDS OF LEVEL

bvit — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 12:58:51 +0000

TEN WAYS TO UPGRADE YOUR NETBOOK WITH THREE KINDS OF LEVEL

This summarized article originally written by David Murphy from PC World, I try to highlight the point for the rest of technical things please consider to PC World site.

A netbook with a superior battery might have a horrible keyboard arrangement; a netbook with a solid-state drive might slip out of your price range; a netbook with a killer list of specs might be missing 802.11n connectivity. This guide will give you a brighter idea of the kinds of upgrades that could be possible for your machine and skill level.

EASY UPGRADES

Insert a Better Battery

To replace the battery, flip your netbook upside-down and move the two switches from the locked icon to the unlocked icon, and push up on the battery tray.

Upgrade the Operating System

If you want to install a new operating system onto your netbook, you certainly can: Just pop the CD in any external USB optical drive and install away.

Want to dual-boot your netbook? Insert that disc into the external optical drive, restart your netbook, and jump into the BIOS to change the boot settings for your machine. For any OS, if your netbook does have space for it, enter a new partition size of your choosing. Is the default layout of your netbook’s keyboard conflicting with the muscle memory you’ve built for desktop keyboard layouts? Pop an offending key off of your netbook by wedging a tiny screwdriver under the key and gently applying upward pressure.

INTERMEDIATE UPGRADES

Upgrade the Hard Drive

What’s worse: the underwhelming capacity of the typical solid-state drive that comes with a brand-new netbook, or the price difference you’d have to pay just to get a larger drive in your preconfigured netbook build? First, pick the lowest-capacity drive you can purchase when you’re building your netbook on the manufacturer’s Web site (or, if you have no configuration options, just buy the netbook as it is). On the Dell Mini 9, flip the netbook over and remove the two screws that secure the larger back panel into place (since it’s in the center of the netbook, it’s hard to miss). With the Dell Mini 9’s battery facing north, you’ll see a set of four large electronic pieces inside the machine; those are the hard drive, the memory, the network card, and a blank space for a nonexistent 3G card.

Upgrade the RAM

To upgrade your machine’s RAM, first open the back of the netbook and look for the memory. If it does, your upgrade is a success.

Upgrade the Wi-Fi

Upgrading the internal Wi-Fi capabilities of a netbook from 802.11g to 802.11n looks like an easy task at first to do. For starters, just because a Wi-Fi card looks like it will fit in your netbook, that doesn’t mean the card, is compatible with the operating system/motherboard combination. When purchasing a replacement Wi-Fi card, you need to know whether your netbook can support a full-height or half-height card. To verify this, remove the back of the netbook and look for the existing Wi-Fi card. Once you’ve cleared that hurdle, installing the card is an easy task. On the Dell Mini 9, for example, first remove the netbook’s rear covering. The Wi-Fi card is located in the center-right of the system; it’s the card with white and black wires (the antenna) running into it. Gently disconnect those wires, undo the screws holding the card in place, and remove the card from the slot. Overclocking represents the pinnacle of system upgrades that an average user can perform without physically deconstructing the netbook. Owners of Dell Mini 10 netbooks can rev up their CPU through the SetFSB utility.

EXTREME UPGRADES

Some of the crazier upgrades you can perform on netbooks, including the Dell Mini 9, are detailed enough to warrant their own multipage articles.

Add a Touch screen

First up is the process of replacing your netbook’s ordinary screen with a touch screen. Add a GPS Receiver

Inserting a brand-new GPS receiver into a Mini 9 sounds like an easy task, given the size of the device in question. The Dell Mini 9 certainly has plenty of room inside for an integrated GPS receiver, but unlike an average motherboard, the Mini 9’s doesn’t have any open USB connectors to simplify the powering of the receiver. Super Moderator Acabtp of the MyDellMini forum ran wires all around his Dell Mini 9 in search of power for the device, eventually finding success in connecting the GPS unit to the unused mini-PCI Express connector of the Mini 9’s WWAN port.

Add a Drive-Activity Light

In the case of the Dell Mini 9, the netbook lacks a hard-drive-activity light on its front to let you know when your magnetic (or solid-state) drive is in use. Super Moderator UnaClocker of the MyDellMini forum went through the painstaking process of detailing exactly how to add an activity light to a Dell Mini 9 that has been upgraded previously with a RunCore solid-state drive. The procedure requires you to identify the exact pin on the SSD’s controller that’s responsible for the activity reading, solder a wire to the resistor, and then solder the other end of the wire to a resistor that’s attached to an LED.

LENOVO THINKPAD EDGE PRICED RIGHT AND ENGINEERED FOR SMALL BUSINESS

bvit — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 06:29:39 +0000

Lenovo Thinkpad Edge is launched to the market in two types, they are ThinkPad Edge 13″ with AMD processors and ThinkPad Edge 13″ with Intel processors.

Here are some points about Lenovo Thinkpad Edge:

The ThinkPad® Edge 13″ model features a progressive new design, with clean lines and bold color and finish choices.

The simplified keyboard reflects contemporary usage patterns while keeping exist the legendary ThinkPad keyboard feel.

There are two navigation options: the popular TrackPoint® pointing device and a multitouch TouchPad that lets you zoom, rotate and scroll using simple two-finger gestures.

Infinity-glass 13.3” high-definition widescreen features a 16:9 aspect ratio and LED backlight

Highly portable, the lightweight ThinkPad Edge 13″ model starts at just 3.6 lbs. and gives you all-day computing with almost 8 hrs. of battery life on the 6-cell Intel® model.

The new low-light-sensitive Web camera gives you better image quality in both normal and poor lighting conditions.

And according to Lenovo, Lenovo Thinkpad Edge support for our green conservation in terms of product details below:

EPEAT Gold, ENERGY STAR® and RoHS compliance

100% recycled paperboard packaging

Recyclable packaging

Nontoxic inks on packaging

ThinkPad Edge 13″ with AMD processors (sale price $579)

For image- and budget-conscious small business owners: a progressive new design with color options, simplified keyboard layout and worry-free manageability, plus a great AMD CPU, featuring excellent graphics performance and up to 5 hours of battery life.

General specification

Up to AMD Turion™ X2 processor (1.60GHz)

Genuine Windows®7 Professional
Other editions of Windows available

13.3″ HD LED widescreen panel

Battery life could be up to 5 hrs.

The weight starts from 3.6 lbs.

ThinkPad Edge 13″ with Intel processors (sale price $799)

The same sophisticated design, color options, simplified keyboard and worry-free manageability, but with a great Intel® processor and up to 8 hours of battery life.

General specification

Up to Intel® Core™2 Duo SU7300 processor (1.30GHz)

Genuine Windows®7 Professional
other editions of Windows available

13.3″ HD LED widescreen panel

Battery life could be up to 8 hours

The weight starts from 3.6 lbs

What I am thinking is Lenovo gives the best laptop for business laptop, Lenovo Thinkpad Edge, seen from the technical specification and of course the price.

PREVENTING IDENTITY THEFT

bvit — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 17:03:21 +0000

This information I get is summarized from NATIONAL CRIME PREVENTION COUNCIL (NCPC) report about PREVENTING IDENTITY THEFT.

According to U.S Department of Justice Identity theft defines as follow:

“Identity theft is a crime. Identity theft and identity fraud are terms used to refer to all types of crime in which someone wrongfully obtains and uses another person’s personal data in some way that involves fraud or deception, typically for economic gain.”

Facts and Figures

According to the U.S. Postal Service, there were almost ten million incidents of identity theft in the United States in 2004, a huge figure dwarfed only by its cost to consumers—$5 billion. And limiting your use of your personal computer may not help much: a study released in January 2005 by the Better Business Bureau and Javelin Strategy and Research reported that most identity thefts take place offline, not online—just the opposite of what many folks might think. In fact, the study found, the theft of online information accounted for only 11.6 percent of identity fraud cases.

What is the trick?

Here are some samples of identity theft trick on online activity which was done most:

Hack into a computer that contains your personal records and steal the data

Phish by sending a legitimate-looking email that directs you to a phony website that looks legitimate and asks for your personal and financial data.

“Pharm” a tactic by which criminals “hijack” whole domains to their own sites and gather the personal and financial data of users who believe they’re communicating through their customary service provider.

Send fraudulent spam emails that promise huge prizes or bargains in return for personal and financial information

HOW TO PREVENT FROM IDENTITY THEFT?

E-Commerce

Make sure nobody is standing right behind you when you’re using an ATM machine. He or she may be trying to photograph your card number and password with a camera cell phone. Always shield your hand and the screen, even if no one’s right behind you.

Pay your bills online using a secure site if that service is available.

Don’t give out your credit card number on the Internet unless it is encrypted on a secure site.

Mail Matters

Don’t put outgoing mail, especially bill payments, in personal curbside mailboxes. Use United States

Postal Service mailboxes instead, or, better yet, drop off your mail inside a post office.

Use a locked mailbox with a slot at home, if at all possible.

Don’t put outgoing mail in an unguarded “out box” at work.

Don’t write your account number on the outside of envelopes containing bill payments.

When you’re out of town, have the post office hold your mail for you or have someone you trust

pick it up every day.

OK, MAKE YOUR LUCK BY EXECUTING the above tips.

Reference: NATIONAL CRIME PREVENTION COUNCIL (NCPC) report.

SONY VAIO CW SERIES

bvit — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 20:26:26 +0000

Today I will present one of Sony Laptop that is VPCCW16FG/P series. Yes it is one of the Sony VAIO CW series in pink color version. Yes the color is like Samsung NC10-11GP 10.2-Inch Pink Netbook. Although they are not the same in technical specification because the Samsung one is a netbook type meanwhile This Sony Vaio CW pink is laptop with good specification. Furthermore the graphic card is not integrated one with the motherboard, Sony Vaio VPCCW16FG/P series uses NVIDIA® GeForce® GT 230M graphics processing unit and operated with OS Genuine Windows® 7 Home Premium (64-bit). Yes you get the latest Windows operation system series. The NVIDIA GeForce card powers you to play 3D game and video and also supported with 14” WXGA LED display (1366 x 768), a real wide screen. One more thing for you who loves pink laptop with powerful ability, HDMI port enable you to make your large screen TV as secondary monitor to watch video or make presentation (if your audience is not too big numbers, what you need is the cable connector), so you don’t have to bring LCD projector and the big screen everywhere you go to make presentation.

So here are the most important things you will get from SONY when you buy this machine.

Intel® Centrino® 2 Processor Technology

Unrivaled performance, compactness, connectivity, energy efficiency, and security are provided by the advanced Intel® Core™2 Duo Processor, Mobile Intel® 45 Express Chipset, and built-in Intel® wireless LAN (a/b/g/Draft n) for faster multitasking.

Windows® 7 Home Premium

Windows® 7 Home Premium makes it easy to enjoy and share your favorite TV shows, photos, videos, and music.

NVIDIA® GeForce® GT 230M

This GPU delivers fantastic video processing power that your digital lifestyle requires. You can enhance and convert videos and photos extremely fast. Playback of movies on Blu-ray Disc™ is so easy. This GPU also offers premium Windows® 7 experience.

Built-in Wireless LAN 802.11a/b/g/n

Wirelessly access network resources at home and elsewhere with up to 5 GHz performance, thanks to compatibility with fast and stable IEEE 802.11a, widely available IEEE 802.11b, downwardly compatible IEEE 802.11g, and advanced IEEE 802.11n.

Bluetooth®

Built-in Bluetooth® unleashes the power of communication by enabling swift wireless data transfer with minimum power consumption. Compatible accessories for enhanced wireless enjoyment include a Bluetooth® mouse, keyboard, and headset.

i.LINK

The i.LINK connector provides a direct digital link between your video camcorder and VAIO, allowing fast and easy transfer of your original video data.

HDMI Output

A single HDMI cable lets you digitally output movies and music to your large-screen television. It’s the perfect way to enjoy original HD home movies and Hollywood Blu-ray Discs.

Hmm..one more not to forget like Sony Vaio Z series has functional button for making battery life longer, then in this Sony Vaio CW series has shortcut button for displaying media files and go to web.

Reference: sony.com

THE BIG SCREEN HP G71-340us Notebook PC

bvit — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 02:23:32 +0000

Yes with display monitor diagonal size 17” makes this HP G71-340us notebook perform just like your PC with big screen. Designed with clean and minimalist lines HP G71-340us provided with the latest mobile features where you could watch movies, listen to music, edit videos, and lots more, all on a spacious and bright, 17.3″ diagonal LED screen. I do not deny the great things with big screen to enjoy the multimedia like playing games or watch movies.

Only my question is about editing videos like the official site of HP declared for HP G71-340us. Why does this become my question? Let us take a look at the technical specification of HP G71-340us below.

Specification:

Operating system

Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit

Processor

Intel Core2 Duo Processor T6600

Display

17.3″ Diagonal HD+ High-Definition(8) HP LED BrightView Widescreen Display (1600 x 900)

Dimensions

16.24″(L) x 10.90″ (D) 1.42″ (min) - 1.77″(max) (H)

Weight

6.72 Ibs

Memory

4096MB DDR2

Total memory slots

Maximum memory expansion

8192MB

Graphics card

Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 4500MHD (shared) with up to 1759MB total available graphics memory

Networking

Integrated 10/100BASE-T Ethernet LAN (RJ-45 connector)

Broadband wireless

Intel WiFi Link 1000BGN

Most desktop computers using for video editing need separated graphic card or video card memory, while on most laptop this graphic card memory integrated with the main board. I am not saying you could not do this on laptop or PC with integrated memory card but of course for better performance the laptop should have separated graphic or video memory card. This will prevent from hang or stuck when rendering better quality videos. Some laptops has also separated graphic card like HP, Acer and others (at least this two brands I have ever found with the specification I mean at computer store. Otherwise you could check also market place or computer providers like macmall which has ads spot at the right side of this blog.

SONY VAIO CW SERIES

HOW TO EXTEND YOUR LAPTOP BATTERY LIFE WHILE ON TRAVELLING

bvit — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 14:24:49 +0000

This is a summary I made from article who made in Microsoft official site.

In 2002 a survey done by chip maker Intel resulted 57% of laptop users said that they wished their batteries last longer. Result: The average battery life is still painfully short (about three to four hours for most laptops).

Here are four tried-and-true tips to extend the life of your laptop battery.

Power Down All Non Essential Functions

In Windows Vista Ultimate, click on “Power Options” in your control panel. The technology that powers you battery isn’t terribly complicated. Specifically, temperatures can affect the performance of your battery. It is best to use (and especially charge) your batteries at room temperatures. Extreme conditions could drain your battery in a short time. Also, avoid partial charges and use the battery until it stops function. Battery experts liken partial charges — and discharges — to eating a cup of lard every day. It significantly shortens your battery’s life.

Considering that a lithium-ion battery can explode if it’s improperly used, it could also shorten your life. So pay attention on this.

Let Your Laptop Do The Saving

Not every computing device handles a power source in the same way. Some of the more sophisticated laptops, which are designed with small business travel in mind, are misers when it comes to using power. “Most users make the mistake of simply not choosing to use a product’s built-in ability to conserve battery life,” says Dan Coffman, a senior product manager for PC manufacturer ViewSonic. How do you tie together your PC’s built-in ability to save? Seek advice from your user manual. Often, calibrating your laptop is as simple as double-clicking on the battery icon in the toolbar.

Always Keep On Bringing A Spare Device That Uses Batteries.

Thompson recommends a system that can concurrently charge a second portable device such as a cell phone or PDA, allowing you to do multi tasking your battery operations.

If you’ve stuck with me long enough to hear my pitiful excuse for running my laptop battery down, here it is: My 2-year-old-son, Aren, uses my laptop to watch “The Wiggles” while I’m on the road (if you don’t know who “The Wiggles” are, consider yourself fortunate).

Aren decided to pull the power chord while he was watching an episode and used up all the power to run the DVD player. Incidentally, he’s also demonstrated how impact-resistant a battery can be (surprisingly) and that

You’d be amazed at how well a battery holds up to liquids, especially whole milk.

Reality Battery Check

If you rely on a battery to get work done while you’re away, you should, however, give yourself a reality check. I mean, even if you’ve taken all of these precautions, you can probably still think of several instances where you had a brilliant argument on the tip of your fingers, only to have the laptop power down under a faltering battery. PC manufacturers may make it seem as if their laptops will run forever, but most of us know otherwise. Visit the Small Business Technology Articles section of this website to learn more about small business technology strategies and solutions.

Laptop Tips about Configuring Power Management And Resolve Battery Issues

Internal Wireless Card Installation Guide For Your Older laptop

bvit — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 21:23:48 +0000

If you still use an older laptop because it still works and you just need to browse internet or other online activity but no wireless card because it is out of date. Don’t worry! There is still other part even it does not come from the same manufacturer brand you could still install the internal wireless card into your older laptop.

I just found good resource for you to consider as good guidance and knowledge from cj2600. He is posting step by step guide to do it technically. And if you find all the information cj2600 gives for free you could consider clicking at the blog’s donate button.

Here is the link: Wireless Installation
For further info about laptop repair video click here

What Is The Best Laptop For Traveler?

bvit — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 04:51:37 +0000

According to PC World and their tests LENOVO THINKPAD X200 mentioned as the best laptop for traveler. Hmm.. how come? Let us see the criteria focusing on.

Lenovo Thinkpad ran for almost 9 hours for battery life test. Compared to Apple Macbook Air which has less battery life, even though it is lighter than Lenovo? PC World did not mention what application run on the laptop to finish as long as 9 hours battery life.

What I am thinking is you traveler appreciate more to longer battery life than the weight, although this thing is also a consideration point as a portable machine.

Take a look at the technical specification below

Processor Intel Core 2 Duo processor P8600 (2.40GHz, 3MB L2, 1066MHz FSB)

Operating systemGenuine Windows 7 Home Premium 32

Display type12.1 WXGA, 2×2 UltraConnect II antenna; with Camera and Wireless Broadband Upgradeable

System graphics Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 4500MHD

Total memory 2 GB PC3-8500 DDR3 SDRAM 1067MHz SODIMM Memory (1 DIMM)

Pointing device TrackPoint

Hard drive160GB Hard Disk Drive, 5400rpm

Bluetooth No Bluetooth (too bad, but you could gain it on model Lenovo Elite Thinkpad X200)

Wireless CardIntel WiFi Link 5100 (AGN) with My WiFi Technology

Mobile BroadbandIntegrated Mobile Broadband – Upgradable

BatteryThinkPad X200 Series 6 cell Li-Ion Battery

Warranty7454: 1 Year Depot Warranty – TopSeller

At the market place Lenovo Thinkpad X200 sold at $979.00 while the Lenovo Elite Thinkpad X200 sold at $1,069.00. Check for discount price at amazon link store at the right side bar of this Laptop Hints blog.

Reference: LENOVO.COM

Finding Computer Course Online Freely or Paid Scheme

bvit — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 04:38:11 +0000

In this era of technology it is not to mention anymore that everyone has to be able to operate computer even now more to use internet. Sometimes for they who never touched before with laptop or computer it is confusing. And for them who have not enough time to go to study computer in a college it is really a need while they are working.

Actually when you try ‘googling’ with key phrase ‘computer course online’ plus free one there are many website provider supply computer class from FREE CLASS until paid scheme. Of course some free class is directed for them who is a beginner in very basic class, starting from operating Ms Office, some online computer course provide also basic program, basic web development. They provide also with online examination form. So I think if you need letter as a proof of your computer literature then this is a good start.

Here is some online course you could implement for your own needs. Pay attention with paid scheme, read carefully their Term and Conditions before you agree to submit your registration and payment. And consider with what is your task and you get after all.

Online Computer Course List

Home and Learn – FREE SERVICE

GCF Learn Free – FREE SERVICE

Training Center – individual start from $37 or $67

If you have more info of other site with online computer course service please give comment and I will be pleased to add it to this post by mentioning refer by who (will put your link at reference people name, if you have website or blog).

LAPTOP HINTS

WHAT ANTIVIRUS TO BUY IN 2010 EVEN THE FREE ONE

Most Commented Posts

TEN WAYS TO UPGRADE YOUR NETBOOK WITH THREE KINDS OF LEVEL

EASY UPGRADES

INTERMEDIATE UPGRADES

EXTREME UPGRADES

Most Commented Posts

LENOVO THINKPAD EDGE PRICED RIGHT AND ENGINEERED FOR SMALL BUSINESS

Related Post

PREVENTING IDENTITY THEFT

Most Commented Posts

SONY VAIO CW SERIES

Reference: sony.com

Related Post

THE BIG SCREEN HP G71-340us Notebook PC

Related Post

HOW TO EXTEND YOUR LAPTOP BATTERY LIFE WHILE ON TRAVELLING

Related Post

Internal Wireless Card Installation Guide For Your Older laptop

Most Commented Posts

What Is The Best Laptop For Traveler?

Most Commented Posts

Finding Computer Course Online Freely or Paid Scheme

Most Commented Posts