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Computer Program Translates Ancient Language

noreply@blogger.com (Doncrack) — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 00:53:00 +0000

In the late 1920's, archaeologists discovered clay tablets with unknown writing on them, in the city of Ugarit. Linguist spent decades trying to decode the writing, said to be from Biblical times, but were unable to completely do so. However, a new computer program developed by a team from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology has now translated about 60% of the text.

Scientists at MIT used the program to compare the Ugaritic text to Hebrew text, and were thrilled with how quickly it took. The Ugaritic language is considered a lost language and is made up of dots and wedge-shaped stylus signs. It hasn't been used since 1200 BC, where it was used in western Syria. The program was able to translate most of the symbols to letters and words.

According to Regina Barzilay, a computer science professor at MIT, this may be the first time anyone has ever effectively demonstrated a computer analysis of any of the lost languages. 60% of the language was correctly identified. Said Barzilay in an interview, "traditionally, decipherment has been viewed as a sort of scholarly detective game, and computers weren't thought to be of much use. Our aim is to bring to bear the full power of modern machine learning and statistics to this problem."

The team is hoping to decipher other old languages in the future and the computer program will be the key to help us learn more about our history. For example, they are hoping to look at Etruscan next, a script that was used in 700 BC in Italy. By 100 AD, the Etruscan had been replaced by Latin and because of this, very few traces of the language remain. And of the ones that do remain, none of it seems to match up to any other more current language, like Ugaritic does with Hebrew.

According to Barzilay, the computer program has the ability to scan several languages at once to see if anything between the ancient language and a number of modern languages matches up.

The program was made public last week at the 48th annual meeting of the Association for Computational Linguistics in Sweden.

Check out these related links:

1. 5 Ways to Learn the Language

2. The Computer Rental Blog

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HP Tops US Computer Sales

noreply@blogger.com (Doncrack) — Sun, 18 Jul 2010 02:47:00 +0000

There is some new information about 2010 United States computer sales and it comes from a preliminary estimate made by International Data Corporation. Hewlett-Packard and Dell are leading the way with about 26% and 24%, respectively, of all American computer sales, but the real change is the competition going on for third place.

For a long time, Acer has easily been number three, but according to the new data, Apple, who is in the number four spot, is starting to gain ground. Acer's numbers have dropped significantly from about 23% to 11% of all computers sold, while Apple's have increased. Apple currently controls about 8.8% of the computer market.

So, why the big changes for Acer and Apple? There are several possibilities. International Data Corporation says that Acer had an unusually "strong year-ago performance," but that it's growing faster in other markets than it is in the United States.

There is also the theory that those who would have purchased an Acer netbook in the past are turning to Apple to purchase an iPad instead. However, because the iPad is not considered a traditional computer, that theory can't be confirmed. However, there are rumors circulating that Acer is coming out with its own tablet computer in the future.

As for computer sales as a whole, during the first half of 2010, the United States saw an overall increase in the number of shipments - 12.6%. Worldwide, computer purchases increased by 22.4% over last year. As for the second half of the year, there is a lot of back and forth between analysts about what will happen, due to the fluctuating economy.

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Microsoft Encouraging More Tablets

noreply@blogger.com (Doncrack) — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 03:53:00 +0000

Several hardware makers are teaming up with Microsoft, in an attempt to give Apple a run for its money. They're looking to release a number of Windows-based tablet computers that can compete with Apple's iPad. At least 21 manufacturers were mentioned, including Fujitsu, Hewlett-Packard, Dell, Asus, Toshiba, Sony, Lenovo, and Panasonic.

The news was announced by Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer on Monday, July 12, at the Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference, "This year one of the most important things that we will do in the smart device category is really push forward with Windows 7-based slates and Windows 7 phones. Over the course of the next several months, you will see a range of Windows 7-based slates that I think you'll find quite impressive. This is a terribly important area for us. We are hardcore about this."

He added, "They'll come with keyboards, they'll come without keyboards, they'll be dockable, there'll be many form factors, many price points, many sizes, but they will all run Windows 7. They will run Windows 7 applications. They will run Office."

Ballmer did admit Microsoft failed with Windows Mobile and is unable to compete with iPhone, Droids, and Blackberrys. On the other hand, he says Windows Phone 7 has received, "great reviews, really quite remarkable reviews." The company's mobile phone partners were listed to include Samsung, Dell, Asus, Toshiba, Garmin, Sony Ericsson, and HTC.

Ballmer also talked at length about cloud computing - Windows Azure - and its "new opportunity." He says cloud enables Microsoft to help customers "streamline their operations and improve their agility." Ballmer also says, "The world of tomorrow is a world of a smart cloud talking to smart devices roam your information across the internet. We are at an inflection point in technology history...for customers, cloud computing creates tremendous value, which translates to massive opportunity for Microsoft and its partners."

According to Microsoft, eBay, Fujitsu, Dell, and HP will be using Windows Azure appliances. Dell says the platform will be useful for delivering cloud services to small and medium-sized businesses.

Other news from Microsoft included news that they've sold 150 million licenses for Windows 7 since its launch in October, 2009.

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Summer Travel with Your Computer

noreply@blogger.com (Doncrack) — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 16:44:00 +0000

Let's face it. With computers becoming more and more mobile, many people are traveling with their laptops, smartphones, tablet computers, and even desktops in some cases. Vacation doesn't necessarily mean a vacation from EVERYTHING in 2010. We still check in with the office, we still check our email, and we still surf the internet or play games. But what happens if you have a problem? How do you prevent a problem from occurring? If you're planning to take you computer on the road this summer, here are a few tips for you to keep in mind:

- Remember when you are on a public network, you are vulnerable than you would be at home on your own network. Unless you have a firewall, any data that can be shared on your home network can be shared with the other people using the same network you are, whether it be in a restaurant, hotel, or other spot.

- Purchase and take along a car adapter. My personal laptop battery only lasts about two-three hours. That was a bit disappointing when I recently found myself in the backseat of my grandfather's car for a five-hour drive to Florida. I was able to get a little work done and play a few computer games, but over half of the trip was spent wishing I'd charged my iPod. So, take your car adapter along for long rides, or don't use power-hungry applications.

- If you are going to have to rely on your battery more than usual, make sure your computer is running smoothly. Get yourself a tune-up, defrag your hard drive, run a few malware removal programs and delete or disable programs you no longer use for quicker boot-up and optimum performance.

- Be aware of thieves. Sure, we worry about people stealing our data but if someone has physically stolen our computers, data stolen over unsecure networks is the least of our worries. According to LoJack for Laptops, 600,000 laptops are stolen from cars and hotel rooms each year. Fortunately, there are laptop locks you can purchase that prevent this from happening. Also, use common sense. If your computer is in your car and you need to run into a store, don't leave it in plain view. Keep it in a suitcase or in your car's trunk.

- Power down. If you're done working with your computer, turn the power off completely. Wireless connections and even Bluetooth connections can leave you vulnerable to attacks.

- Find out where you can get reliable tech support and computer service. Many hotels offer tech support but many do not. If you find yourself with a problem, you don't want to be stuck, trying to find someone who can help get you up and running again. A quick call to a company like Computer Service Now (1-877-422-1907) can take care of any of your problems, no matter where you are located.

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Gateway’s DX4840-02e Desktop Computer

noreply@blogger.com (Doncrack) — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 18:30:00 +0000

It’s not exactly what I would call a budget desktop, but the Gateway DX4840-02e is certainly still a good deal. It comes standard with a 23-inch HD monitor and a 2-year warranty. It has all of the usual features and a design that should satisfy anyone looking at desktop computers.

The mid-sized black tower of the DX4840-02e has every port included that you could ever need. There are 10 USB ports, headphone and microphone jacks, a Photo Frame hot key, 2 PS/2 ports, Ethernet ports, VGA and HDMI video inputs, and 5 media card slots. Also included is a DVD burner.

The 23-inch LCD monitor matches the design of the keyboard and the mouse and features 1,920 x 1,080 resolution with a 16:9 aspect ratio. You can enjoy 1080 HD content to its full extent with the monitor. It has good color quality and decent sound, although if you’re going to be watching many movies on your computer than you may want to invest in some speakers.

Inside the DX4840-02e is a 3.2GHz Intel Core i5 650 processor and 4GB of RAM. That means that its not the fastest desktop computer out there, but it definitely still has great performance.

The Gateway DX4840-02e is a sleek, fast, feature-filled desktop that is pretty reasonably priced. You can get everything discussed and a 2-year warranty with Costco’s Concierge Service, that provides any technical services and help that you might need, all for $799.99.

If you’re looking for something a little more portable that the DX4840-02e but still like Gateway’s products, check out the Gateway EC14D Ultraportable laptop.

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Don't Trade That Book in for an iPad Just Yet

noreply@blogger.com (Doncrack) — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 02:48:00 +0000

iPads and eReaders are all the rage these days because people love the thoughts of being able to read on the go with the electronic devices - no turning pages, no losing your place, and no carrying multiple books around when you know you're going to have lots of time on your hands. Seems convenient, right? But according to a recent study by Dr. Jakob Nielson of the Nielsen Norman Group, a product development consultancy, reading on an iPad or a Kindle is a lot more time-consuming than reading good old fashioned ink and paper.

The study compared 24 users' reading times using Kindle 2, iPad's iBooks application, and an actual book. For the most part, reading on either of the electronic gadgets took almost 11% longer than reading a regularly printed book. But despite the increase in time taken, those who participated said they preferred the electronic devices to books. The study also looked at reading books on a regular PC monitor - something that was given all around negative reviews from participants.

The participants were people who describe themselves as people who like to read and read often. They read short stories by Ernest Hemingway on the four different platforms. Their reading speeds were measured, as was reading comprehension. It took each user an average of 17 minutes and 20 seconds to read each story on all four platforms and their reading comprehension was not affected by the platform used.

Statistics for the PC monitor weren't released by Nielsen but the numbers for the other platforms stacked up like this: compared to the paper books, readers read 6.2% slower on the iPad and even slower on the Kindle 2 at 10.7%. Sort of ironic considering the Kindle 2 is designed specifically for reading. But Nielsen dismissed the difference in time between the iPad and Kindle, saying the difference was not significant and shouldn't be considered when consumers are shopping for new gadgets.

Participants were also asked to rate how much they liked reading on each platform. They were given a scale of 1 to 7 with 7 being the greatest. The iPad was rated 5.8, Kindle 5.7 and printed book 5.6 - not a whole lot of difference there. But the PC monitor ranked at just 3.6. Reasons for disliking the PC monitor included that it was not as relaxing as the other gadgets and that users felt like they were at work when using it.

So what does this mean? In the long run, nothing. PC World asks what would happen if the study had looked ages. Would people in their 20's, who have been using digital screens for their entire life, prefer the Kindle or iPad, or read faster on it? Would people in their 60's be more set in their ways and prefer the printed page? Also, the study only included 24 participants - that's a pretty small group and not really representative of the general public.

One thing is for sure. digital books and eReaders are becoming more and more popular in the last couple of years. This year, eBook sales have grown at a rate of 217% from last year. But in my opinion, you still can't beat a good old-fashioned book.

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Great Deal on Dell Desktop

noreply@blogger.com (Doncrack) — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 03:35:00 +0000

If you are looking to buy a desktop computer this summer, Dell might just have the deal you've been looking for. The Dell Inspiron 580s Core i5 Dual Core 2.93GHz desktop is now on sale through July 31st. When you use the coupon code ?8CN$RJ?W5TQ0C you will get $199 off the original price of the computer plus free shipping.

The Inspiron 580s comes standard with a very fast i3 processor, HDMI port, 320 GB hard drive, and decent 3D performance. Also thrown in is a 15-month subscription to MacAfee Internet Security.

For merely $629.99, you can have this fast, easy to use desktop computer. The Dell Inspiron 580s is a fantastic deal that you should definitely look further into.

If a Dell just doesn’t suit you, the you should check out Gateway's ZX Series or maybe Apple's iMac.

Looking for Computer / PC Rental information? Visit the www.rentacomputer.com PC Rental page for your short term business PC needs. Or see this link for a complete line of Personal Computer Rentals.

Gizmodo iPhone 4G Fail

noreply@blogger.com (Doncrack) — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 10:00:00 +0000

Click to enlarge

So here we have an ad on Gizmodo playing off the stereotypical college graduate who has an extremely refined taste in beer and is also aimed at their fathers who are looking to buy them something shiny, new, and expensive. While the pitch is hilarious in itself, what really got me was this sentence and the picture chosen to accompany the ad.

"No one can be sure what the fourth generation iPhone will look like (oops! actually, we can)..."

Oops, actually, you can't Gizmodo. That's because you're using an outdated picture of the iPhone 3G instead of the iPhone 4G you are advertising. If I paid $10,000 for that iPhone, I would make pretty darn sure that I was using the correct picture for it.

You can see the original advertisment on Gizmodo's Grads & Dads Gift Guide by clicking on the photo of the iPhone.

The Shutdown Timer App for Your Computer

noreply@blogger.com (Doncrack) — Sat, 05 Jun 2010 02:09:00 +0000

The Shutdown Timer app is perfect for you if you don’t have the time to worry about whether or not you shut off your computer or not. The timer will shut down or reboot your computer whenever you set it to perform such actions. You can set it to do this based on CPU or RAM utilization or even CPU temperature. You can either put your computer into sleep or standby mode. Shutdown Timer can really help to save energy when you aren’t utilizing your computer.

Shutdown Timer runs on both Windows Vista and Windows 7. With the program, you are able to install a sidebar app that gives you single-click access to view Shutdown Timer, and you are able to use a portable version that can be dropped on a USB flash drive to be downloaded on a different computer.

Once Shutdown Timer is installed, you are given the ability to set a scheduled computer shut off time for every day of the week. You also may set it to reboot every day at a certain time or lock on its screen at certain points throughout the day. This is a great feature if you want to make sure that your computer will be turned off when you aren’t at home.

As mentioned before, you can set your computer to shutdown or reboot when certain conditions occur. For example, you can set your computer to shutdown or reboot when you reach a certain point of CPU or RAM utilization. Also, you can do the same thing if your computer is overheating because of something that you are not there to monitor. This can help to safely power down your computer without any possible damaging effects.

The Shutdown Timer app is a very handy tool. It can do more than just turn your computer on and off when you need it to, it can monitor your computer while you are not utilizing it. Another great thing is that its free! If you’re looking for anything like this for your computer, then you should definitely check it out.

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2 Million iPads in 2 Months

noreply@blogger.com (Doncrack) — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 04:26:00 +0000

While most people were gathered around their barbecues and remembering fallen soldiers, Apple was proclaiming the iPad the greatest computer in the world, ever! OK, not really, but they did announce that since its launch about two months ago, they've sold over two million iPads. The iPad, which shipped on April 3 of this year, hit stores in Europe, Canada, Australia, and Japan just last Friday. Crowds lined the streets in those countries, while the Apple online store has been swamped with purchases - a seven to ten day wait is being placed on new orders.

Steve Jobs talked about the shortage in a statement, "We appreciate patience, and are working hard to build enough iPads for everyone." When announced in January, Wall Street analysts projected the iPad would only sell anywhere from 175,000 to 778,000 units a month. You can bet Steven Jobs is thrilled to prove them wrong.

While the iPad hit stores in April, technically, they could be pre-ordered as early as March 12 in the United States. That was eleven weeks ago. Apple's numbers break down to show that in those eleven weeks, 181,818 iPads were sold per week. If they keep that up for the rest of 2010, the company will sell over 7.6 million of the tablet computers.

But could that number grow even larger? You betcha! Now that sales have expanded to other countries, with nine more countries being added in July and even more later in the year, sales should be a lot higher. Apple is no stranger to these kinds of sales numbers. Last summer, the iPhone 3GS sold over a million units in the first three days they were on the market.

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Intel Launches Core i3/i5/i7 Chips for Ultra-Portable Laptops

noreply@blogger.com (Doncrack) — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 01:32:00 +0000

Despite promises of a laptop with an all-day battery life coupled with an inexpensive price, Intel's ultra-low voltage processors, otherwise known as CULVs (Consumer Ultra Low Voltage), haven't exactly been living up to the hype. Part of the reason is that Intel hasn't updated their mobile line of processors with its new Core technology, instead their CULV line has simply been based on Core 2 Duo technology. That is until now.

The chipmaking giant Intel has released their new ulta-low voltage versions of its 32-nm “Nehalem” Core i3, Core i5, and Core i7 processors. This means that Intel’s premiere mainstream processors have been slightly downsized so they can now be installed inside power-sensitive ultra-portable notebook computers. These new chips not only pack a significant performance punch, which Intel says is about 30% faster than their previous ultra-low-voltage offerings, but also use 15 percent less power in the process. The new chips will be identified from their larger counterparts by their part numbers which will end with the letters "um" (i.e. Intel Core i5-430um or Intel Core i7-640um).

“Consumers crave laptops that offer style and performance, and the new 2010 Intel Core Ultra-Low Voltage processors for ultra-thin laptops delivers both, in one sleek design,” said Intel PC Client Group VP and general manager Mooly Eden, in a statement. “Not only are laptops becoming ultra-portable, but with the new processors inside, users will see faster response times and less waiting.”

Like their bigger brethren, ULV versions of the Intel Core chips will feature Turbo Boost and Hyper-Threading technologies enabling the processors to dynamically overclock themselves and devote resources to a single processor core. In addition, the new processors will have a thermal envelope of 17W, which is at least twice as energy efficient as their standard volt Core processors. However, Intel will not be converting its ultra-thin processor offerings completely over to the Core line. ULV versions of the Celeron and Pentium processors will continue to be available to manufacturers and will still be a mainstay among many laptops in the future.

It seems the direction that Intel wants to take its new chips is towards a strange middle ground between very affordable and highly portable, yet slower-performing netbooks and even full-size traditional laptops. The MacBook Air is an example of an ultra-thin laptop that offers powerful portability but is simply too expensive for the average consumer. On the other hand, there is the Toshiba T135 series of ultra-portable laptops which seem to attract far more interest than the Macbook Air for its more reasonable price tag despite being less powerful.

Then there are ultra-thin laptops which tout enhanced performance, such as dual-core Atoms, which offer negligible performance improvements for their cost. It appears that consumers are more interested in average and smaller sized laptops which deliver on affordability. Intel promises that systems will start appearing in June equipped with their new ULV processors, so we'll see soon enough just how they stack up. Already Intel says more than 40 designs based on the chips have been confirmed and are already in the works from makers such as Acer, Lenovo, Asus, and MSI.

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Onkyo's E713A9B All-In-One PC

noreply@blogger.com (Doncrack) — Tue, 25 May 2010 17:28:00 +0000

Onkyo, famous for their construction of numerous iPod docks, has just stepped up their game another level with their newest creation, an all-in-one PC centered around, you guessed it, an iPod dock. The newest PC, just announced today, has been dubbed the E713A9B. The PC is powered by an Intel Core i5-650 CPU at 3.20GHz. The E713A9B also comes in with 4GB of RAM upgradeable to 8GB, 1TB of HDD, a 23-inch LCD display and full 1920x1080 full HD resolution.

But the E713A9B isn't done there, the PC also comes with a Blu-Ray disc drive, the DTS Premium Suite Audio Codec, 2x5 watt speakers, 1.3 megapixel webcam, 3 USB 2.0 ports, 1 eSATA port, 1 HDMI port, b/g/n Wi-Fi, digital TV tuner, an SDXC memory card slot, Windows 7 Home Premium 64bit and, of course, the iPod docking station which slides out of the right side of the screen.

The iPod dock is specifically designed to accommodate the iPod Classic, the iPod Nano and the iPod Touch. For those observant ones of you out there, you may have noticed that I did not mention the iPhone. That is because the all-in-one E713A9B's iPod dock is apparently unable to house the bulky frame of the iPhone. It seems strange that an "all-in-one" PC would exclude one of Apple's biggest and most popular products.

Nevertheless, the specs for the E713A9B are intense and seem to be most everything you would want in a desktop PC. The desktop has great memory, an excellent hard drive and some other really good specs and the iPod dock is the cherry on top. For those of you that live in Japan, you will be able to get your hands on the E713A9B next month for a price of ¥99,880, or $1,100 U.S. All of us over here in America, however, will have to wait as Onkyo has yet to announce an America release date.

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Mega-Collaboration Power with MultiMouse

noreply@blogger.com (Doncrack) — Sat, 22 May 2010 21:31:00 +0000

Bartels Media has developed and recently released a program that allows up to 50 different Windows users to all control the desktop of one central computer. This can be extremely useful for collaborating, training, brainstorming, and document building.

So how exactly does this work? Well, MultiMouse uses a wireless or Ethernet connection that transmits each user’s mouse movements and text inputs. Other than having one of these two connections, no other additional hardware is necessary for MultiMouse to be completely functional. Also, so as to avoid confusion, each users cursor has a nametag so everyone will know who is sharing what.

This program is available at a starting price of $139. This version includes a five user license, but versions of the program can be purchased to accommodate up to 50 users. Teacher’s are even given an educational discount. To learn more about MultiMouse check out the trial version that can be downloaded the MultiMouse website.

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Gateway Upgrades Their ZX Series

noreply@blogger.com (Doncrack) — Thu, 20 May 2010 01:17:00 +0000

On Wednesday, Gateway updated their ZX series that includes mid-ranged and high-end all-in-one desktop computers.

Now Gateway is offering their ZX4300 line with the option of AMD’s Athlon II X2 processor, and their ZX6900 with either Intel’s Core i3 or Core i5 processor. The ZX6900, which is one of Gateway’s high-end PCs, can also be equipped with a Blu-ray reading drive. Both of the series also offer touch-screen technology that works perfectly with the included Windows 7 Home Premium operating system.

The Gateway One ZX6900-01e now comes standard with an Intel Core i3-530 processor, 4GB of DDR3 memory, a 640GB hard drive, slot-loading Blu-ray player/DVD burner, integrated Intel GMA graphics, 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi, and 23-inch widescreen touch panel that features 1,920 x 1,080 resolution. Also included are HDMI and eSATA ports that allow for more connectivity options. This PC is available from Gateway for $1,019.99.

The Gateway One ZX4300-01e is more of a mid-ranged desktop compared to the ZX6900. It features an AMD Athlon II X2 235e processor, 4GB of DDR3 memory, a 640GB SATA hard drive, DVD burner, integrated ATI Radeon HD 4270 graphics, 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi, and 20-inch touch panel widescreen monitor with 1,600 x 900 resolution. This model is available through Gateway for $749.99.

Both of these desktops from Gateway include webcams and a variety of free software. They are both excellent PCs. The upgrades from Gateway are certainly a welcome change.

Looking for Computer / PC Rental information? Visit the www.rentacomputer.com PC Rental page for your short term business PC needs. Or see this link for a complete line of Personal Computer Rentals.

The Apple iMac 27-inch (Core i7)

noreply@blogger.com (Doncrack) — Mon, 17 May 2010 19:04:00 +0000

Desktop computers have been forced to change their faces in order to not be considered obsolete. They are constantly being outdone by the convenience and speed of laptops, notebooks, and netbooks. The Apple iMac 27-inch (Core i7) is a fantastic example of an multimedia, all-in-one desktop computer. In many ways, it resembles its predecessor, the Apple iMac that featured a Core 2 Duo processor, except this iMac 27-inch (Core i7) is much faster.

The Apple iMac 27-inch (Core i7) is designed very much like the rest of the iMac line from Apple. It features brushed aluminum which surrounds a black glass frame. Also included is a sturdy metal arm, that tilts in a variety of different directions and angles, that suspends the screen over your desk for a sophisticated look. The back of the iMac is described as “clean.” Helping this “clean” look is the fact that the iMac 27-inch (Core i7) comes standard with a wireless keyboard and mouse. The MagicMouse that is included with this desktop has a multi-touch surface that allows for clicking and swiping. The back panel of the computer has audio in/out jacks, four USB 2.0 ports, a FireWire 800 port, the Mini Display Port (in/out), and a Gigabit Ethernet port.

The iMac 27-inch (Core i7) features a vibrantly lit screen with 2,560 x 1,440 resolution. This allows for easy spreadsheet editing and presentation of projects. You can also simply plug in an external monitor to give you more screen space. This can be done by utilizing the Mini DisplayPort to hook up another monitor or device.

On the side of the iMac there is a slot-loading DVD player/burner. Unfortunately for some reason, Apple does not allow for the option of Blu-ray. This was one of the very few disappointments to be found with the iMac 27-inch (Core i7).

Included with your iMac is the iLife suite that is comprised of iPhoto, iMovie, GarageBand, and iTunes. These are some great programs that allow for immense creativity. The system comes standard with 4GB of DDR3 memory and can hold up to 16GB. To replace the hard drive it is necessary to take apart the iMac, so external expansion is the best way to go.

The iMac 27-inch (Core i7) runs on an Intel Core i7-860 processor with 2.8GHz that can be boosted up to 3.46GHz when it is necessary to provide more computing power. The Core i7 processor also supports HyperThreading which allows you to compute eight streams of data at once. This is a great computer for multimedia purposes. This iMac is also great for gaming. It features ATI Radeon HD 4850 graphics that allows for smooth gameplay.

The Apple iMac 27-inch (Core i7) is an extremely powerful multimedia desktop computer. It is fast, sleek, up-to-date, and feature-filled. The only possible drawback for most people would be the price tag. It is listed at $2,199 direct from Apple. That may seem like a lot to put out for a desktop computer, but for those that have the cash for such a purchase, they will be getting everything they could ever want from the iMac.

Looking for Computer / PC Rental information? Visit the www.rentacomputer.com PC Rental page for your short term business PC needs. Or see this link for a complete line of Personal Computer Rentals.

Finally! Stream iTunes Online

noreply@blogger.com (Doncrack) — Thu, 13 May 2010 06:37:00 +0000

Rumors about an online version of iTunes have been rampant since mid to late 2009, but now it looks like there's a little truth to the idea...maybe. Apple will be launching an online music service that will allow users to listen to music streamed over the internet. Experts say the new application could become a major threat for music websites such as Spotify, a service that allows users access to millions of songs through a paid subscription.

Each iTunes user will have access to a "digital locker," which allows them to store music they've purchased through the iTunes store. If you'd like to access your locker, you simply go to the website (the New York Times says it will probably be iTunes.com), log in, and voila! Your music is there, waiting to be listened to on any computer.

With the current version of iTunes, music can only be stored on your computer or your iPod, which rules out listening to it on the go in some cases.

Last year, Apple bought Lala.com and last month, they closed it down. This led many to believe the web version of iTunes is coming. Lala's Software allows users to store music libraries online and play them through any browser on any computer. It's most likely that these guys will be working on the new web-based version of iTunes.

The New York Times spoke with an unnamed record label executive who said Apple had announced plans to create a cloud-based service just weeks before it purchased Lala. Others wondered if Amazon or Google would beat Apple to creating such a service.

Personally, I'm not sure I would use this service very often. I'm a big iTunes fan, but I'm never in a position where I would want to access my music on another computer. If I'm traveling with intentions to work, I generally take my laptop and/or iPod along if I plan to listen to music. If I'm on another computer, other than my laptop, I am most likely in a place where playing music wouldn't be a great idea, though I suppose you can always wear headphones. On the plus side, I can see where it would be handy if you own multiple computers. I guess we'll just have to wait and see what Apple comes up with.

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Keeping Your Child Safe Online

noreply@blogger.com (Doncrack) — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 12:23:00 +0000

Kids are getting online more than ever these days, especially those who are into social networking websites such as Facebook, Twitter, and MySpace. I've seen kids as young as six or seven years old with Facebook accounts. While these websites can be fun, they can also be dangerous if they fall into the wrong hands and as a parent, it's your duty to make sure your child know the risks and how to protect themselves from harm's way.

Kids love to get online and are often more knowledgeable than their parents and teachers. That's why it's important that parents and teachers should take steps to learn about what's happening online and what their kids are involved with. Kids left to their own devices could end up in a number of troublesome situations, from dealing with a cyber-bully or a schoolmate with ill intent, to facing child predators or even con artists.

Communication is important. Talk to your kids about what they're doing online and remind them of the danger they could face and what to be on the lookout for. But there are other things to do to keep your kids safe.

1. Take advantage of parental controls. Children don't want their parents watching every move they make but many websites offers ways for parents to monitor or control their children's online activity while respecting their privacy. Talk to your kids about exactly what you plan to monitor or control and be honest with them to gain their respect.

2. Keep your computer in an area of the house where you can be there to keep an eye out, without hovering over your child's shoulder. Insist computers stay in the kitchen or living room and not in a bedroom or office, where your child can lock themselves away to get online.

3. Don't allow your children to meet random strangers whom they've met online. In the event your child absolutely has to meet someone, make sure a parents or trusted adult accompanies them. Make sure your children know the potential risks of someone not really being who they say they are.

4. Make sure you know the "code" your kids are using online. Acronyms such as "TAW" means teachers are watching and "PA" means parent alert. There are dozens of other ways kids use code to let their online friends know there is an adult around. If you see these frequently, you may want to investigate further what your child is doing.

4. Make sure your child's teacher is monitoring their online usage. Many schools have blocked certain websites but with kids' knowledge of the web, they can find other ways to get into trouble. With computers in almost every classroom these days, teachers should constantly monitor their students' use. If a student is clicking out of a window when you walk by or a group has gathered around one computer screen, chances are, your students are not doing what they should be.

5. Let your child know that they do not have to feel uncomfortable having a conversation online, just as in real life. Whether it's a friend or stranger they're talking to, make sure they know that feeling scared, trapped, threatened, or offended is not OK and it is OK to end that conversation. Talk to them about how they can end the conversation promptly and let them know they can talk to you about how they feel.

6. If you do set up a Twitter, Facebook, MySpace, or other social networking website, make sure your child is taking advantage of the privacy settings. Make sure your kids are only adding friends who aren't safe to talk to and keep an eye out for anything suspicious.

7. Make your children aware of malicious information, such as spam or virus threats. Help them understand what it means and what they should and shouldn't open or click on.

8. Google your children's names on a regular basis. Again, you don't want your child to feel like you are spying on them, but you can do this to show them just how easy it is for ANYONE to find out anything about them. If your child has a blog, a social networking site you are not aware of, or have posted any information about themselves online, it will most likely come up in a search.

9. Again, communication is key. Make sure your kids know that not everything they see online is legitimate and talk to them about incidents in the news, so they know the risks.

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Intel Profits Up this Quarter

noreply@blogger.com (Doncrack) — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 14:50:00 +0000

In this day and time, we're so used to seeing companies talk about how much money they aren't making and employees they aren't hiring, but for Intel, that doesn't appear to be the case. The world's largest computer chip maker announced last week that it has nearly quadrupled its quarterly net profit and has intentions to hire between 1,000 and 2,000 new employees in 2,010.

In a conference call with analysts, Intel Chief Executive Paul Otellini said, "The industry has nearly fully recovered." He also accredits the increase in revenue to a higher demand for PC products and the fact that "the average fleet of notebooks is four years old, the average fleet of desktops is five years old." According to Otellini, "it makes business sense" to get new inventory now.

The comapany's profit for the first quarter (which ended on March 27) was about 2.4 billion dollars, up from this time, last year's 647 million dollars. Revenue rose 44% to 10.3 billion dollars. Wall Street had predicted 9.8 billion dollars, while the company itself had predicted 9.3 billion dollars.

Otellini also said in a statement, "looking forward, we're optimistic about our business as Intel products are designed into a variety of new and exciting segments."

The company has predicted 9.8 to 10.6 billion dollars for the second quarter, while Wall Street analysts have precited 9.69 billion.

Intel has already hired 100 employees this year. The company is based is Santa Monica and employs nearly 80,000 people (about 3,000 less than last year.

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Cisco's New Simple Home Routers

noreply@blogger.com (Doncrack) — Sun, 11 Apr 2010 19:29:00 +0000

If you're looking for a simpler way to customize or control your wireless network, Cisco has announced its new Linksys E-series routers that will do just that. Also, the company's new Valet and Valet Plus, which are designed like the company's Flip Video products, will serve its core consumer base and make wireless network set-up easier than ever. According to IDC, only 1/3 of homes in the United States is set up for wireless internet use and Cisco believes these products will increase that number.

"Consumers have felt powerless and frustrated with the entire process of home wireless, but with Valet we are tearing down the walls and opening it up to everyone. The market for wireless-enabled products is exploding and now mainstream users will be able to take full advantage of all the new opportunities," said Johnathan Kaplan, the Systems Senior Vice President at Cisco.

Valet will ship with he company's Cisco Connect software and getting your home network up and running will only require three steps. All of your information is retained by a USB-enabled setup key that will ship along with it. This will allow you to add computing devices to the network by inserting the key and letting the software do the rest. You can also set parental controls, allowing your children to only be online during certain periods of the day for certain amounts of time, and provide internet access for guests with a special guest network.

Valet will set you back $99.99 and is great for smaller homes with primary wireless devices. Valet plus is better for midsized to larger homes with a mix of wireless and wired devices. It will cost you around $149.99. You can purchase both products from Linksys.com, Amazon.com, and Staples.

The new Linksys E-Series is designed for a more sophisticated user. Once you've set-up and configured your home network, you can add multiple internet-capable devices or set parental controls for each device. The products also allow for more complicated and advanced actions through the router's default IP address. The Linksy E-Series also ships along with Cisco Connect software, which allows you to give visitors password-protected internet access on a guest network, and it will assign a WPA security passkey and SSID automatically. While Valet comes with a USB set-up key, this one comes with CD.

The entry level Linksys E1000 will cost about $79.99 and will supposedly connect at speeds of 300 Mpbs. The middle-range model, the Linksys E2100L, and the high-end model, the Linksys E3000, will use 802.11n and can connect computers, gaming consoles, internet-enabled HDTVs, and Blu-ray players. They will cost $119.99 and $179.99, respectively. All three of the products feature four gigabit Ethernet ports.

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Make Your Computer Last Longer

noreply@blogger.com (Doncrack) — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 04:48:00 +0000

The average computer lasts anywhere from two-five years. Eventually, your computer will tear up beyond repair or become so out-of-date that you can no longer use the latest software or accessories along with it, and you'll have to begin the dreaded, inevitable search for a replacement. Buying a new computer is a hassle if you don't know exactly what you're looking for and you aren't familiar with what's current. And of course, with today's economy and job market, you're probably cutting corners whenever possible. New computers can be expensive. Here are a few tips on how you can make your current computer last longer.

If your computer is older and it's running well, there's no need to get rid of it just yet. If you're using it for simple tasks such as word processing, surfing the internet, or manging pictures, age shouldn't be much of a factor. Routine maintenance will keep your computer running smoothly, save you money, and maybe even extend the life of your PC.

The temperature can have a big impact on your computer and cause a lot of damage. Computers generate a lot of heat and at one time had to be stored in climate-controlled rooms. You don't need to keep your living room or home office at a set temperature, but you do want to keep your PC from overheating. Make sure it's not left in direct sun too long and make sure it's properly ventilated.

You'll also want to keep your computer clean. Extra dust on or around your PC can trap heat and making your cooling fan work even harder. This can lead to lots of wear and tear, and eventually to your fan giving out all together. Be careful where you place the computer. Putting the machine on the floor can lead to lots of dirt and dust build-up. Also avoid any rooms with heavy dust build-up. Of course, no matter how careful you are, your computer is going to accumulate some dust, so you might want to blow it out with compressed air every so often.

Laptops are becoming extremely popular and generally don't last as long as desktops. You may leave your laptop plugged in all the time, but leaving it plugged in is bad for your battery. Apple even recommends users don't keep their laptops constantly plugged in and use the battery at times. A typical battery lasts 300-500 charge cycles, but if you find your battery struggling to stay charged, replacing it is a good idea and an inexpensive way to prevent yourself from having to buy a whole new computer.

Restarting your computer is another way to keep things flowing. Most people reboot when they hit trouble, hoping for a fresh start when the computer comes back on and this is actually a good idea. However, many people also leave their computer running 24/7. There's no set time as to how often you should reboot, but rebooting can give your computer a fresh start, speed things up, and serves as a small refresher to your PC.

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Apple to Prepare 12-Core Mac Pros and 27-inch LED Cinema Displays

noreply@blogger.com (Doncrack) — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 16:22:00 +0000

Apple is hard at work putting the "icing on the cake" for a pair of new products that Apple says are targeted at their professional customers. The two devices in question are a larger version of Apple's LED Cinema Display as well as a major upgrade to the Mac Pro workstations according to AppleInsider.

The first product on the list is Apple's Cupertino-based second LED-backlit Cinema Display. The new version will upgrade the previous 24-inch model to a 27-inch model. The 27-inch model has been rumored to have been sitting in the labs at Apple waiting for the displays to arrive. The new model will have a 27-inch diagonal frame which will support a 2560x1440 native resolution.

Since the 27-inch iMacs were so successful, Apple now believes that they can market the displays at a much more affordable price. Apple has also said that they fixed the problems that plagued the same size panels ultimately slowing the momentum of the larger iMac offerings back when they released in October 2009.

But the increased monitors are not the only thing Apple is coming up with. The company is also producing their boldest update to the Mac Pro they have ever done. Details about the update are still kind of scarce but anybody familiar with the matter were very clear in stating that Mac maker's plans call for a dodeca-core model which supports a pair of Intel's latest Westmere-bashed hexacore chips totaling out at 12 cores.

Another rumor floating around is that Apple will more than likely stay with its existing Xeon strategy by putting in a pair of not-so-cheap Xeon 5600 Series "Gulftown" chips into a dodeca-core Mac Pro. Apple will also be offering a single processor model with only 6 cores with a price similar to the $2,500 quad-core model.

Both the 27-inch monitor and the 5600 Series should be available by June with the 5600 Series coming in 2.66, 2.8, 2.93 and 3.33GHz configurations with a price ranging anywhere from $996 to $1663 in lots of 1000. The new 32 nanometer chips have 12MB of L3 cache as well as 6 cores with 12 threads for each CPU.

Whichever rout you go, either the single or the double Xeon model, be prepared to shell out a nice chunk of change. However, by doing so you will definitely be rewarded in the end. No official release date has been set but we should see these products sometime this June.

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Apple to Prepare 12-Core Mac Pros and 27-inch LED Cinema Displays

noreply@blogger.com (Doncrack) — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 16:22:00 +0000

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Never Use These Passwords

noreply@blogger.com (Doncrack) — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:18:00 +0000

Computer security is more important than ever these days and one of the most simple things you can do to protect yourself is come up with a password that is not easy to guess. Sure, it's tempting to come up with something easy for your own benefit; with all of passwords we have to remember these days, you probably find yourself forgetting your passwords if you don't keep careful documentation of them, but an easy password is like an invitation to anyone looking to steal your information.

According to researchers at the University of Maryland's James Clark School of Engineering in College Park, unsecured computers are hacked into over 2,000 times a day or every 39 seconds. Study leader Michel Cukier says it's a lot more common than you think, "Most of these attacks employ automated scripts that indiscriminately seek out thousands of computers at a time, looking for vulnerabilities. Our data provide quantifiable evidence that attacks are happening all the time to computers with Internet connections. The computers in our study were attacked, on average, 2,244 times a day."

Hackers are experts at coming up with passwords. For example, many people use their user name as their password. If you think you're being clever, guess again. 43% of the time, hackers are able to guess passwords by simply guessing that it's the user name. So what other kind of passwords are common and easily guessed? Below is a list of the ten most common passwords:

User Name
User Name with 123 at the end
123456
the word "password"
1234
12345
passwd
123
test
1

If any of these sound familiar, you probably need to change your information immediately. In addition, you might want to reconsider your user name if it's one of these top ten common user names:

root
admin
test
guest
info
adm
mysql
user
administrator
oracle

Once a hacker gains access to your computer, any number of things can happen. According to the study, the first things they do are check your software configuration, change your password, check your hardware and software configuration again, download a file, install the downloaded program and run the downloaded program.

But why are they doing this? Often, they are creating a "botnet." A botnet monitors your computer and reports back to the hacker. They can lead to fraud or identity theft, disrupt other networks or damage computer files, and lots of other criminal activity.

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Never Use These Passwords

noreply@blogger.com (Doncrack) — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:18:00 +0000

User Name
User Name with 123 at the end
123456
the word "password"
1234
12345
passwd
123
test
1

If any of these sound familiar, you probably need to change your information immediately. In addition, you might want to reconsider your user name if it's one of these top ten common user names:

root
admin
test
guest
info
adm
mysql
user
administrator
oracle

Looking for Computer / PC Rental information? Visit the www.rentacomputer.comPC Rental page for your short term business PC needs. Or see this link for a complete line of Personal Computer Rentals.

Never Use These Passwords

noreply@blogger.com (Doncrack) — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:18:00 +0000

User Name
User Name with 123 at the end
123456
the word "password"
1234
12345
passwd
123
test
1

If any of these sound familiar, you probably need to change your information immediately. In addition, you might want to reconsider your user name if it's one of these top ten common user names:

root
admin
test
guest
info
adm
mysql
user
administrator
oracle

Looking for Computer / PC Rental information? Visit the www.rentacomputer.com PC Rental page for your short term business PC needs. Or see this link for a complete line of Personal Computer Rentals.