Posts Tagged ‘Laptops’

How To Play Age Of Empires Ii Multiplayers Game On Vista Laptops Using An Ethernet Switch?

December 11th, 2009 by admin | 1 Comment | Filed in sports

Me and 3 of my friends want to play Age of empires II: conquerors in multiplayer mode. We have four Vista machines and an 8-ports ethernet switch. We also have enough RJ45 cables to connect between PCs and Switch.
We would like to know how to set up a LAN connection among us in order to play the game.
Any idea will be very much appreciated.

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What Is The Difference Between Netbooks And Laptops?

October 26th, 2009 by admin | No Comments | Filed in technie stuff

Copyright (c) 2009 Titus Hoskins

Lately, one question that keeps constantly popping up with laptop buyers - what is the difference between netbooks and laptops? If you’re buying the latest mobile computer, should you go with a netbook or laptop? What are the major differences and which one should you buy?

First, you have to realize the category of “netbook” is a fairly new one. Asustek launched the netbook category when it released its first Eee PC in the fall of 2007. Nebooks have proven so popular with consumers it is now the fastest growing laptop segment.

Netbooks are small in size, usually with screens of 10 inches, but some displays can be slightly smaller or larger. Netbooks will usually run Windows XP or Linux and sell for well under $500. Most have the smaller Intel Atom processor and at least one GB of RAM.

Netbooks usually have multiple USB ports, wireless Internet, Ethernet, webcam, vga port for an external larger monitor, microphone and headphone jacks, card readers and most now come with 160 GB hard drive, but older models will have 30 to 60 GB ones. Expect longer battery life with a netbook and nine hours is not that uncommon.

Sounds like a regular laptop, doesn’t it?

Well, not exactly, because the main difference besides the smaller size, is the lower processing power you will find in a netbook. Most have the smaller Intel Atom processor so expect less performance, especially when you consider most netbooks have much less RAM than a regular laptop. In addition, most netbooks don’t have an optical drive (cd/dvd player), although some newer models do have this feature. The keyboard will usually be smaller so if you have large hands, look for a model with normal sized keys.

Why have Netbooks become so popular?

The main reason could be our constant quest for a handy portable device to go along with our hectic fast-paced well-connected lifestyles. Many people want something larger than a smart phone or PDA to connect with family and friends at all times. For students, a netbook is ideal because of its small size and portability. For travelers, vacationers, hikers, sailors… a netbook can be a very convenient device to bring along to stay connected with the outside world.

The other major reason is Price!

Netbooks are a lot cheaper than laptops, at least for the moment this statement is true. Since regular laptop prices are constantly decreasing, this price difference has grown a lot smaller in recent years. But for the most part, netbooks will be cheaper to buy then laptops.

Should you buy a netbook or laptop?

This question will largely depend upon what tasks you want your new device to perform. If you have computer tasks which require high performance or you want to store large amounts of data, then go with a laptop or PC. If you have tasks which require a large viewing area (display) then go with a laptop; those third quarter company spreadsheets will be very hard to read on a netbook.

However, if you want a small portable device to stay connected with friends and family while you’re traveling or just out around town, then go with a netbook. If you’re a student and want a small compact device for the classroom, then go with a netbook.

Now, to confuse things somewhat, any prudent buyer must be aware that you can have all of the features of a netbook in many ultra-portable laptops currently on the market. For example, you can buy a Sony VAIO 11.1 Inch Laptop with a 1.6 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo SU9600 Processor, 4 GB RAM, 250 GB Hard Drive and a Blu-ray Drive. The main difference is price, expect to pay well over two grand for the Sony.

Again, which device you buy will largely depend upon your own computer needs and your budget. A cheap, yet sturdy netbook, may be all you need to get the job done, why waste money by buying features you don’t need and will never use? However, if you require high performance in a small package, then a more powerful ultra-portable laptop may fit the bill in more ways than one. It’s your call?

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For more information on Buying Student Netbooks at Bargain Prices Click Here: best netbooks
To download our Comprehensive Laptop Computer Buying Guide go here: Laptop Computer Buying Guide
2009 Titus Hoskins. This article may be freely distributed if this resource
box stays attached.

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Netbooks Versus Laptops - What You Need to Know Before You Buy, Pros and Cons

September 20th, 2009 by admin | No Comments | Filed in technie stuff

Netbooks - What you need to know before you buy Comparing laptops and notebooks, pros and cons

Are the days of the Laptop numbered?

As the world becomes a smaller place, the Internet grows ever larger and more resourceful. Today, we cannot survive without the Internet at our disposal for a very long time. Hence, vast arrays of handheld solutions which promise Internet access are available. While all of them have their uses, Internet on handheld devices is hardly as rich and resourceful as that on a full-fledged PC. Mobile browsers come with limited support, especially for features like embedded video and animation, thus leaving your web experience half-baked. In today’s age of extensive mobility, even the much vaulted laptop looks like a lumbering giant. The solution? Enter the Netbook world.

As of today, Netbooks are little more than ultraportable laptops. As the name suggests, it is best suited for surfing the net on the go along with other lightweight allied tasks. It is not fundamentally designed to be a multimedia center or an office workstation and most Netbooks reflect that.

Screen size for Netbooks is generally 8-9 inches. Screen resolution varies according to make and model and is available up to a respectable 1024×600. While the smaller form factor has definite portability advantages, the smaller keyboard and touchpad area can be a real pain for people with large hands. Connectivity in Netbooks is paramount and hence it generally comes with a whole array of USB connectors, an Ethernet connection and the latest available wireless technology. External display devices maybe supported through DVI/S-Video. Optical drives are optionally available.

Under the hood, the processor for Netbooks needs to be a frugal drinker of electricity. As of today, three different platforms are available. The reliable but ageing VIA C7D (HP 2133 miniNote), the popular Intel Atom processor, and the mixed-bag options offered by AMD (Sempron 2100+, Turion64 or the puny Geode LX800). Memory typically comes in the 512MB-2GB range. Storage may be in the form of a SSD (solid state drive) or a simple hard drive. While SSD’s are faster, compact and consume less power, they also add a lot to the price tag of Netbooks. As a compromise, some vendors ship their units with a limited capacity (2-4 GB) flash memory which usually contains the operating system, and a standard hard drive for storage.

In terms of software on your Netbook, you can go for Windows XP or Linux. Linux distributions like Ubuntu 8.10 are an excellent choice as they work very well out of the box. Windows Vista performance is generally poor as they require more power.

A checklist while getting Netbooks can be as follows:-

• Power efficiency- The Atom offers the best bet, but the 945 chipset it ships with is old. The newer US15 chipset is expected to be out soon. Keep a lookout
• Memory- 512MB maybe adequate but you are better off with 1GB+
• Video - Look out for the upcoming Ion(Atom+ GeForce 9400) platform for NVidia with HD Playback capabilities
• Hard Drive -SSD’s offer performance and efficiency at higher prices
• Price- can be bought within $500 in general

Most major brands like Dell, HP, Compaq and Acer have Netbooks in their lineup. The ASUS Eee Pc, the first one launched, is also a decent choice. What you have to decide is whether you actually need a Netbook. While it offers portability, a rich web experience and lightweight computing capabilities, it is not really a replacement for a laptop or a phone and in general have failed to find a market niche till date.

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For more similar articles, visit http://www.bestlaptopsreviews.com, and read about Laptop and notebook reviews and ratings, most popular laptops, industry news, forums.

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Are Netbooks the Perfect Student Laptops?

September 9th, 2009 by admin | No Comments | Filed in technie stuff

Netbooks are everywhere, on buses, on trains, on planes… and in the classroom. It seems the little netbook has come out of nowhere to become extremely popular overnight.

But what is a netbook?

Netbooks usually have screens of 10 inches or less, runs Windows or Linux and generally sell for well under $500. As its name indicates, the netbook’s main purpose is to keep its owner conveniently connected to the net - anywhere, anytime.

First introduced by Asustek when it launched the first Eee PC in the fall of 2007. But it was only in the last year when we saw the explosive growth of these so-called mini-laptops. Now we have many computer companies such as HP, Dell, Lenovo… all jumping on this craze for a small portable laptop. So much so, that netbooks now is the fastest growing segment of the laptop industry and is expected to reach 139 million units by 2013.

Why is there a sudden popularity for the small netbook? Perhaps the answer lies mainly in our constant quest for mobility. We want a portable device that will keep us connected to the Internet and yet be small and light enough to be carried around all day. A truly ultra-portable device that keeps us connected with family, friends and the web.

The next question you have to ask: why do netbooks make for great student laptops? If the above reasons aren’t enough, try the following:

Size

Netbooks are small with 10 inch displays or less, which make them ideal for students. Plus, they are usually very lightweight - around 2 or 3 pounds. They are compact enough to tuck into your school bag or backpack, and small enough to carry around all day without developing a hernia.

Portability

As mentioned above because the netbook is so small and compact, it is very portable. A very mobile device that we can use to stay connected to the web and friends. Connectability is one of the main features - you are connected to the web at all times.

Sturdiness

Most netbooks are designed to be sturdy and tough. They can take a few hard knocks and still keep on working. Students are not exactly the most gentle creatures on the planet, so a sturdy tough machine is needed to handle the demands put upon it.

Battery Life

Because of their small size, you will usually get better battery life than with a regular sized laptop. This is important to the student since you may have to go all day without a chance to re-charge the battery. Long lasting battery life makes the netbook the perfect student laptop.

Performance

Although small, these mini-laptops still sports some very impressive specs. Many now come with at least 1 Gig of RAM and Intel Atom processors. There are even some with Solid State Hard Drives which make them more durable and less likely to be damaged. Most use Windows XP - newer models debuting this year with the Nvidia’s Ion platform may have Vista or Windows 7, but still don’t expect the kind of performance you would get from a regular laptop.

Storage

While storage on netbooks is constantly increasing, it is still nowhere near the kind of storage you will find on a regular sized laptop. Usually, most devices have around 30 or 60 Gig hard drives which should be adequate for most student’s needs. Many newer netbooks have 160 Gigs of storage.

Price

Perhaps, the main reason netbooks make the perfect student laptops is the low price. Students are usually on a very limited budget and the low price-tag is a perfect fit. Many perfectly adequate machines are now priced in the $300 to $500 range - while many good ones go for well under $300. Plus, prices are steadily dropping so almost any student can now afford a netbook.

As you can plainly see, the netbook does have many features to make it a perfect student laptop: small size, very portable, excellent connections, very sturdy, long battery life, good performance, adequate storage and most of all, a very affordable price almost any student can take advantage of. Overall, netbooks are well suited for the classroom and the student.

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For more information on Buying Student Netbooks at Bargain Prices Click Here: best netbooks Or here: Cheap Laptops Copyright © 2009 Titus Hoskins. This article may be freely distributed if this resource box stays attached.

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