The three issues to take into account when comparing DSL and cable Internet connection are speed, customer satisfaction and security.

Theoretically, cable modems run faster than DSL because they offer more bandwith. There is also a form of DSL called VDSL which can match the speed of a cable modem. However, the speed of cable is relative to the number of people in your area who are accessing the neighborhood at the same time. One popular commercial compares cable modems to drinking out of a straw – the straw is fine, if one person is drinking from it. But if the straw must be shared – well, obviously things slow down a little. Both DSL and cable also vary in speed by the minute depending on the congestion caused by multiple users.

Customer service surveys conducted by J.D. Power and Associates in 2004 showed that DSL had an edge over cable in customer satisfaction ratings. This survey looked at billing, the provider’s business image, cost and tech support, and email services. Earthlink and Verizon, both DSL, were the top two service providers rated in the survey.

Since cable modems necessitate the sharing of a cable line to provide service to the entire neighborhood, DSL is slightly more secure. However, cable modems are easier to install, and many sources believe that the difference in security is not significant enough to go through the trouble of installing DSL. Many cable customers avoid security problems by putting up firewalls in order to protect themselves, and their information.

Home Internet Options: The War Between DSL And Cable is a post from: The Latest Tech, Computers and Gadgets

These ten steps will help you increase your computer’s security. From discovering viruses to learning how to avoid them, this article is a must read!

Windows password This is the easiest way to make sure you know who is using your pc. Choose a lengthy password that contains capital and lower case letters. Including a number or two will greatly increase your security. Having a Windows password means that the only people that can log onto a Windows session are people that you have granted access to.

Password manager You should never write your passwords down. Using the same password all the time will also make it very easy for hackers to reach your personal information. So if you can’t write it down and you’re not
supposed to use the same one – how are you supposed to keep track of all of your passwords? The easiest way to do this is to use a password manager. We prefer to use Roboform. Roboform is an easy to use password and profile manager that docks neatly into your Internet Explorer toolbar and keeps track of all of your passwords for you. Roboform also uses a master password system. You will have one password that accesses all of the passwords in the program. This way you can keep all of your information safe and secure. You can download Roboform for free by http://www.roboform.com.

Spyware Remover Next to spam, spyware is the internet’s biggest annoyance. By definition, spyware is “any software that covertly gathers user information through the user’s Internet connection without his or her knowledge, usually for advertising purposes. Once installed, the spyware
monitors user activity on the Internet and transmits that information in the background to someone else. Spyware can also gather information about e-mail addresses and even passwords and credit card numbers.” The amount of spyware that exists on your pc is dependent on the amount of internet surfing you do. A good rule of thumb here is to scan for spyware once per week or whenever poor system performance surfaces. If you don’t have a spyware scanner, we recommend http://www.webroot.com.

Antivirus This should go without saying, but if your computer is connected to the internet you need antivirus software. With weekly scans and program updates you should be protected from most threats. For added protection, we
recommend using more than one anvtivirus scanner.

Firewall A firewall will keep unwanted visitors out of your computer. You can obtain a firewall either by using software application like ZoneAlarm or Black Ice Defender, or by using a router with your internet connection. For more information on routers plese visit http://www.Linksys.com.

File sharing Basically, file sharing programs are the single biggest security risk you will come across. This is because the only facts you have about the files you are downloading are the file name and the file size. It is quite simple to change a filename to dupe someone into downloading a virus or other malware like keystroke recorders. Our advice – stay away from file sharing at all costs. If you need to use it, make sure you have updated antivirus software installed and running.

Research In a sentence – know what’s out there. http://www.Symantec.com has a section on their website that will serve you well. Knowing what types of viruses exist and how to avoid them will make you a much smarter internet user.

Email protection Most of the antivirus applications available offer email scanning. If yours does not, you will want to get one that does. Email scanning will make sure all of your incoming and outgoing emails are safe for both you and the recipient. Email viruses spread very quickly by using your address book to propagate. Never read email from people you don’t know and always make sure your email scanner is active.

Network security Another way that viruses spread is through computer networks. We have a few quick tips to keep your network safe. Always scan any files that come in from other computers. Even if it’s a file you have brought from home. Never allow a file to be placed on your network until it
has been scanned. The main server should be the only computer with file sharing enabled. By not allowing computer users to transmit files, you can quickly neutralize a threat.

Maintenance Performing weekly virus and spyware scans will go a long way to keeping your computer safe. Defragmenting weekly will also greatly improve performance. If you put in the effort, you will be rewarded with a safe and smooth running pc. Not to mention less headaches!

By following these ten guide lines, you will greatly improve the performance of your computer. You will also generate peace of mind as you gain a new sense of security.

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10 Steps To A Safe, Smooth Running PC is a post from: The Latest Tech, Computers and Gadgets

Bandwidth. Bandwidth is the amount of data that your website can send each second, as well as the amount of data that the visitor to your website can receive. If either one doesn’t have enough bandwidth, then the website will appear slowly. For this reason, you should choose a host with plenty of bandwidth, as well as testing that your site doesn’t take too long to download on slow connections.

Browser. A browser is the software (see below) that visitors to your site use to view it. The most popular browser is Microsoft’s Internet Explorer, which comes with Windows.

Cookie. Cookies are data files that your site can save on the computer of someone who visits that site, to allow it to remember who they are if they return. You will find that problems people have in ordering from you will almost inevitably be related to cookies — they will need to have them turned on.

Download. Transferring data from a website to a computer.

Favourite. A favourite is a website that a user has stored to look at again, by choosing ‘Add to Favourites’ in their browser’s menu.

FTP. File Transfer Protocol. This is a common method of uploading (see below) files to your website.

Javascript. A common language for writing ‘scripts’ on websites, which are small programs that make the site more interactive. Another common cause of problems for visitors.

JPEG. Joint Photographic Experts Group. This is the name of the most popular format for pictures on the web, named after the group that came up with it. If you want to put pictures on your website, you should save them as JPEGs.

Hardware. Hardware is computer equipment that physically exists. It is the opposite of software.

Hosting. If you’ve got a website out there on the Internet, then you’ll be paying someone for hosting. It is the service of making your site available for people to see.

HTML. HyperText Markup Language. A kind of code used to indicate how web pages should be displayed, using a system of small ‘tags’. The ‘b’ tag, for example, causes text to appear in bold, and the ‘img’ tag displays a picture.

Hyperlink. A hyperlink is when a piece of text on a website can be clicked to take you to another site, or another page on the same site. For example, if clicking your email address on your website allows someone to email you, then your email address is a hyperlink.

Programming. This is when the computer is given instructions to tell it what to do, using one of many ‘programming languages’. Programming languages for the web include PHP and Perl.

Server. The server is where your website is stored, and it is the server that people are connecting to when they visit the site. If someone tells you, for example, that your server is ‘down’, it means that your website is inaccessible. Note that server refers both to the hardware and software of this system.

Software. Programs that run on the computer, or that make your website work. Microsoft Word is software, for example, as is Apache (the most popular web server software). Opposite of hardware.

Spider. Don’t be scared if a spider visits your website! Spiders are simply programs used by search engines to scan your site and help them decide where it should appear when people search. It is good to be visited by spiders, as it means you should start appearing in search engines soon.

Upload. Uploading is when you transfer data from your own computer to your website. For example, you might upload your logo, or an article you’ve written. Opposite of download.

URL. Uniform Resource Locator. This is just a short way of saying ‘web address’, meaning what you have to type in to get to your website. Sometimes pronounced as ‘Earl’.

A Computer And Internet Glossary is a post from: The Latest Tech, Computers and Gadgets

There are many things that cause a computer to be sluggish from software to hardware. It can be too small a hard drive or not enough RAM. It can be anything from BIOS and/or Operating System Settings to programs that are eating up your CPU and RAM (no matter how much you have). Or it can be your network.

Personally, I work my computer like a young mother with a house full of kids 12 to 18 hours a day.

That mother needs to unwind at the end of the day and so does my computer and probably yours too.

Here are 9 Tips in the order they should be completed that can help keep your computer happy and working without complaining:

1. This is so basic I shouldn’t need to say it, Keep Which Ever E-Mail Program You Use Cleaned Out. I have clients who are always complaining, but who refuse to dump years and years of accumulated e-mail.

2. Make sure you have a good anti virus program (Only one per computer please), have it up to date, and auto monitoring.

3. Make sure you have a good anti spy ware program (Only one per computer), have it up to date, and auto monitoring.

4. Run Disk Clean Up Daily (Start, Programs, Accessories, System Tools, Disk Clean Up – a box opens – make sure each box is checked, click ‘OK’ – a box pops up – Click Yes).

5. Delete Cookies and Cached Files Daily (Start, Control Panel -if you have not done it yet, click ‘Switch To Classic View’, Internet Options – a pop up box will appear – Delete Cookies, Click OK, Click Delete Files – check ‘Delete All Offline Content’ – Click OK, Now Set Your Clear History to no more than 7 Days – if you haven’t used it for a week you probably won’t miss it – Click OK)

6. A very important step almost everyone misses: Empty The Prefetch Folder (Start, My Computer, ‘C’ , Windows, Prefetch Folder, Edit, Select All, File, Delete – pop up box appears – Click Yes, Close Windows Window)

7. Empty Recycle Bin. For the sake of brevity, I am assuming everyone knows where it is and how to empty it.

8. Scan Hard Drive ‘C’ (Start, My Computer, Right Click ‘C’ – box opens – Click Properties at the bottom – another box opens – Click Tools, Click Check Now, Make sure both ‘Automatically fix file system errors’ and ‘Scan for and attempt recovery of bad sectors’ are checked, Click Start. Get a cup of java (oh, black, thank you) and Wait !

9. Defrag Computer (Start, Programs, Accessories, System Tools, Disk Defragmenter – window opens – Select ‘C’ Drive, Click Defragment). Pop a top and Wait !

The last two steps (8 and 9) can take awhile if they have not been done recently. I complete this entire routine on my computer just before I stop work for the day everyday and the entire sequence takes no longer than 20 minutes and often much less.

You can find more help with free download links at http://www.remotehelpdesk1.com

9 Tips To Keep Windows XP Running Smooth is a post from: The Latest Tech, Computers and Gadgets

Apple.com Ipod:Start a Serious Music Collection Tip 1
Stay legal. Would you really think it was worth serving a prison sentence, or having to pay a massive fine, just to get some Mp3s? You can find some perfectly legal download sites to get your MP3s from (more on this later), so make sure you give torrent sites and sites of that type a wide berth. It may feel like there is no risk when you if you download illegally, but from your download your IP address can be traced, and it won’t take much effort for a half decent law enforcement officer to trace your home address from that!

Apple.com Ipod:Start a Serious Music Collection Tip 2
Be very wary of the hype. You’ve probably lost count of how many times you’ve found a ?free? music download site, only for it to ask you for money so you can create a membership. Virtually all of the sites which claim to offer you free downloads of music, games or videos are lying. It my appear that you are being offered free downloads, but when you try to actually get the download, they will make you sign up for a membership or try to get hold of your credit card details. Be very wary.

Apple.com Ipod: Start a Serious Music Collection Tip 3
Don’t fall foul of the truly awful sites. A lot of sites on the internet will actually allow you to have one or two downloads for free, but in trying to get the downloads, you will be assaulted with popups and spammy ads. These sites make all of their profits from getting people to click on the advertising, so get inside the head of these people, and understand what they want you to do! The downloads that you can get from a site like this are A, unbelievably slow, and B, often, not the download that you thought you were getting. Sometimes these fake downloads will even be infected with spyware or viruses! It is much better to totally avoid this type of site. You could easily find your Ipod completely ruined by these fake downloads.

The situation is not all bad! You can find a few sites online that are completely genuine, and will give you access to as many downloads as you want, games, music, videos, whatever, without any charge, and unlimited for life. What?s the catch? Well, you will have to pay a joining fee often around $25 to $50 or thereabouts, but this gives you unlimited downloads for life. This fee has to be charged in order to keep the download speeds up, and also to keep updating the lists with the latest available downloads for your Ipod. These sites are your best option if you are looking to download quite a lot of stuff over time.

You now know that there is more involved in finding a good download site for you Ipod than you may have first realised, so do your research and take the time to make the right choices. For more info on which are the best legal sites, check out the links below.

Apple Ipod: Start a Serious Music Collection With Free Downloads is a post from: The Latest Tech, Computers and Gadgets

I’ll first teach you how to spot one yourself. This applies to any thing that you may want to purchase online.

Things to watchout for:

1) Is it in stock?

There are a lot of online dealers out there allowing you to buy the Macbook online but don’t tell you that they don’t have it stocked yet in their inventory, so it will actually take some time for you to order. Watch out for these people.

How can you tell? Always look for an authorized dealer. Authorized dealers usually post the information regarding the number of items left in their inventory. If it is a very reputable online site, then it’s a safe bet that your future Macbook is ready for shipping.

2) Bonus deals

One of the things people don’t know about is that, online dealers usually spice the item up in their online store (if they have a physical one) because they’re encouraging online orders! They have to give you a better deal otherwise they would be losing a sale to a physical store such as your local BestBuy.

If you don’t get Bonus deals out of it, then you may be better off going to the nearest dealer and actually buy your Macbook there.

3) Rebates

Ahhh Macbook cheap deals should have rebates! Mail-in rebates actually decrease the total cost of your Macbook. So instead of paying let’s say $1100, after some time you get your $100 back.
Total cost: $1000…not bad eh?

Again, if there are no rebates… go buy your Macbook somewhere else.

4) Financing Options

A good deal offers a great financing option. Low interest payments per month, 0 payments for a certain period of time, all contribute to the overall Macbook cheap deal. The great thing about financing plans is that you really don’t have to spend a big chunk of your cash at one period of time. The idea here is to spread your costs over a relatively longer period of time.

When you do this, you can be productive with your new Macbook, get some cash going, and actually pay for those small amounts over let’s say 6,12,18 months?

Where to find all these?

Each and every online store will have different features, different bonuses, etc. One factor to consider is buying from a very reputable website.

I consider Macmall to be the best place to buy a Macbook. When I bought my Macbook I was only able to avail of the $50 rebate but now the rebate is already at $100! What a great deal!

Final Words

The Apple Macbook is one of my best purchases yet. No viruses, no hassles, cool eyecandy, fast and reliable performance, all in one! All my pc-using friends have envied my Macbook for a lot of reasons among them of course is the design of the Macbook, simple, classy, and it doesn’t look like all the other laptops out there.

Finally, it’s a joy to bring to work. I can type all day long and not feel any eye-strain, I can be sure that my Macbook won’t crash on me when I have a big project to do and here’s a big plus:

It runs Windows. I can still play games with my friends and switch back to OS X when I want to work! If you’re still thinking twice about buying a Macbook. Don’t. Stop thinking and just buy it. You’ll never regret your purchase.

Super tip:

There’s a super tip you can take advantage of right now, I made a site/guide for free so you can purchase your Macbook with ease.

Best Place To Buy Macbook Cheap — Finding Hot Deals is a post from: The Latest Tech, Computers and Gadgets

The most obvious consideration when buying a gaming notebook would of course be the quality of the video card. General purpose notebooks have minimal graphics processing power and therefore cannot cater to most modern games. The video card will need to have at least 128mb of RAM and have a fairly good processing speed. The video card is the heart of a gaming notebook so the getting a notebook with a good video card is important.

Another consideration would be the amount of system RAM the notebook has. For general purposes such as browsing the internet or word processing 256mb is enough. However for a decent gaming notebook you will need 1gb of RAM or more if possible. Most modern games will use 1gb where some will use even more. A good amount of RAM is essential to play today’s modern games.

Battery power is also essential. With a good video card and a fair amount of system RAM the notebook will need enough power to run all these components. Getting a high quality battery will ensure you won’t be searching for a power-point everywhere you go. If possible it is best to get a notebook accommodates a second battery. Gaming uses a lot of power compared to other mundane tasks so ensuring your notebook has ample power is not to be overlooked.

Buying a gaming laptop can be simple if you watch out for the points mentioned above. Most manufacturers have pre-built gaming configurations. These configurations can end up costing less compared to custom built notebooks but can also be lacking in some aspects.

Buying a Gaming Notebook is a post from: The Latest Tech, Computers and Gadgets

As a matter of fact, there really is such a thing as a free Internet Service Provider or free ISP, for short. Most Internet service providers offer service for a small monthly charge. Most people are surprised to learn that there are companies that offer free Internet service. This is much more than the free trials offered on the discs everyone receives in the mail. These ISPs actually offer free Internet service, and not for just a trial period.

You might wonder how it is that these ISPs can offer free service when everyone else is paying for it. The answer to that is really no surprise at all. It is advertising, the funding that is behind nearly every free product. For example, there are a variety of sites that offer free MP3 downloads. The catch is that these downloads arrive with a ton of pop-up advertisements, just like the free ISPs. These pop-ups can create a real problem on free Internet service because there are so many of them. They can even cause your computer to freeze up and generally make it extremely difficult to navigate the Internet.

Another concern with these free ISPs is that they may not offer the free Internet deal in your area. If there is no local dial-up number for you, it can turn into big charges on your telephone. Some of these free ISPs also put a limit on the number of hours you can spend on the Internet. Also, the features available with commercial ISPs are often lacking in the free ISPs. An ISP that charges for their service is always coming up with new and better features for their customers. Free ISPs do not make that kind of effort. The quality of the connection can also be a problem with free ISPs. You may find you have poor connections with constant interruptions.

Still, you may want to find an ISP that is a step up from the free ISPs. The answer may actually be with the free ISP company. Many of them offer a better package for paying customers. This is often at a lower cost than other commercial ISPs. Many companies offer free Internet service as an incentive to try out their service. What they are hoping is that customer will like their service more than a competitor and decide to upgrade to unlimited Internet access.

It is always a good idea to read and fully understand the terms and conditions of any ISP before you sign anything. This is especially true when you are making an agreement for free Internet access. Make sure that they are offering exactly what they say they are, and you are aware of any conditions. Double-check any time limits on your Internet access, and know the fees for going over your limit. Last of all, make sure you know ahead of time about any long distance charges or other charges that may actually apply for your free ISP.

Free ISP is a post from: The Latest Tech, Computers and Gadgets

Hard disk failures can happen due to heavy wear and tear over a period of time. The read and write heads of a hard disk are used to retrieve or recode data stored on the hard disk with the help of a disk platter rotating at a high speed. Over a period of time the risk of failure or malfunction of disk increases. Faulty sectors of the hard disks can be found out only if a full surface scan is done on the used computer. The scanning time depends on the capacity and size of the hard disk of the used computer. Many skip this procedure due to the time consuming process of scanning the whole disk and end up purchasing a used computer with a faulty sector.

Monitors need to be checked for any faults. The malfunctioning of a monitor is called a “dry joint” which results in the monitor not working after getting warmed. This can be checked only if the monitor is made to work for at least 20 to 30 minutes after switching on the computer.

Next is to look for any possibilities of the central processing unit getting freezed. Normally all the central processing units have a fan and heat sink for keeping the unit cool. Over a period of time the fans may not work properly due to the accumulation of dust and dirt resulting in over heating of the central processing unit and even leading to stopping from functioning. While buying a used computer the fan needs to be checked and if any abnormal sound is heard, it is not good for purchase.

The used computer may have a higher possibility of getting crashed and freezed due to the usage of the operating system for a good number of years. There may be a cache or RAM fault due to the over exposure leading to loss of data. To increase the performance of the computer and to avoid crashing, the operating system of the used computer can be reinstalled with a new operating system or a fresh one.

While checking the used computers for any faults, it is good to disconnect the network connection if any present before performing the tests. Also it is advisable to check the drives like the CD or DVD by opening and closing them and also playing something on the drives to see how they work. Monitors of the used computers can be checked for the resolution and brightness by trying different options of color, settings and so on. To check the hard disk size the CMOS setup can be gone through and to verify the speed of the processor, cache and RAM the pause button is pressed when it appears on the screen during the booting process. To check the booting process, the computer can be turned on and off a few times and seen how it responds. Checking should be done to see if all the passwords are erased before purchasing a used computer.

A Checklist for Used Computers is a post from: The Latest Tech, Computers and Gadgets

The HP 92298A’s durable package design measures just 13.9 x 6.14 x 9.72 inches and weights just 4.2 pounds, installing easily and quickly.

Buyers are protected with the Hewlett Packard Premium Protection Warranty which ensures the product is free from defects in both workmanship and materials.

As with all printer cartridges, the HP 92298A should be carefully installed based on packaging information and properly recycled by either returning the cartridge to Hewlett Packard or participating in on of the many recycling programs in your area.

The HP C4127A black laser printer toner cartridge is an excellent choice for owners of the Hewlett Packard LaserJet 4000, 4000se, 4000n, 4000t, 4000tn, LaserJet 4050, 4050se, 4050n, 4050t and 4050tn printer models.

This Ultraprecise Print Cartridge, featuring a Helical Roller Drive, Dual PolymerToner cartridges, Magnetic Seals and an HP Pull Tab, is ideal for low volume users looking for a high-quality, cost-effective toner solution. The HP C4127A printer toner cartridge yields 6,000 standard pages.

The HP C4127X Ultraprecise laser black toner cartridge supports users of the same Hewlett Packard printers, but offers maximum capacity printing up to 65 percent higher. This option gives users about 10,000 pages based on an average five percent coverage ratio, superb for mid- to high-volume printers. The HP C4127X toner cartridge delivers increased output with a lower overall cost at up to 20 percent savings. Both the HP C4127X toner cartridge and its lower capacity HP C4127A counterpart should be properly installed according to in-box instructions, then recycled after use.

The HP C4096A Ultraprecise black print cartridge offers an improved, new formulation and design ideal for LaserJet 2100 and 2200 series printer users. This cartridge delivers powerful, professional graphic and text reproduction. The HP C4096A print cartridge gives exceptional detail and gray-scale quality for businesses, small groups and professionals in all lines of work.

The genuine HP C4096A toner cartridge delivers a large yield of 5,000 standard letter pages. This cartridge is priced competitively considering the quality of print afforded. Users can acquire true 1200 dpi quality and 23 percent more yield than its predecessor, the HP C3903A. Lightweight at just 3.63 pounds and small measuring 13..9 x 6.14 x 9.72 inches, the cartridge installs easily with no mess. Owners are also protected under the HP Premium Protection Warranty, ensuring no material or workmanship defects.

As with all printer cartridges, users should follow the in-box installation guide and participate in a qualifying recycling program when disposing of each cartridge.

The HP Q2610X printer toner cartridge is the high yield equivalent to the HP Q2610A cartridge. In an easy-to-use design and architecture offering fast, trusted performance, the Hewlett Packard Q2610X is a superb choice for businesses and individuals using the HP LaserJet 2300, 2300D, 2300DN, 2300DTN, 2300L, 2300L and 2300N printer. It offers high-quality, crisp print results for busy, demanding offices or workgroups. The HP Q2610A toner cartridge delivers a print yield of 6,000 standard pages.

The HP Q2610A black printer toner cartridge comes with HP smart printing supplies that make ordering, installation and maintenance even easier.
This cartridge is extremely easy to install and maintain, while its pricing is competitive based on quality and throughput offered. It’s lightweight package is just 3.53 pounds and measures 15.35 x 7.48 x 9.72 inches. If you need a reliable, cost-effective solution to your high printing demands, the HP Q2610X is your best choice.

To get the best deals on toner cartridges, visit http://www.tonerdealers.com or to signup for a FREE HP printer. Visit http://www.getyourfreeprinter.com.

Either way… you can’t lose.

92298a, C4127x, C4096a, Q2610a – Toner Cartridges That Will Stand The Test Of Time. is a post from: The Latest Tech, Computers and Gadgets