Tag Archives: Information

General Information

Desktops Over Laptops?

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Everyone wants a laptop now more than they want a desktop. Many years ago the sales of laptops started beating desktops and are still today. The reason mostly is because of the portability and mobility of laptops as we need to move around more with our entertainment and work. Don’t write off the desktop from your mind though, as there are benefits of buying a desktop too.

First reason will be the power you get from desktop computers. They mostly come with faster processors and have more memory to run your software application smoothly and efficiently.

Desktops can be small too. If you thought desktops are always big, look at this very powerful desktop that can almost fit on a palm.

Fujitsu Esprimo Q920
Fujitsu Esprimo Q920

 

For the more techy guys, you have many reasons to get a desktop as you can easily upgrade what is inside it compared to a laptop. Desktops can take more memory, hard drives, more graphic power and even change the power source. Some of these would almost be impossible to change in a laptop. As a gamer that constantly needs more power, the desktop will sound as a good choice.

When a desktop breaks, it is easier to take apart and easily clean or replace parts than in laptops. Most desktops also use standard parts, so you can easily replace them with cheap compatibles.

Comparing power for power, desktops are easily cheaper than laptops. With the above characteristics, it is easy to see why.

So unless mobility is ultimate for you, desktops are generally faster, more powerful, sometimes cheaper and a good idea.

General Information

Want A Smart TV? Read First

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In case you don’t know, smart TVs are TVs that can access the internet, update your viewing content, connect to your home systems  and even run apps to enhance your entertainment.

You hear about smart TVs everywhere now. It has almost become a norm to have one. Your friends are talking about it, and you wished you had one. Well, have no fear, you don’t need to splash out another £500 pounds to get yourself one.

There are devices now that you can get and connect to your TV and it makes your old TV “smart”. There are many of them out and they are all unique and different in what they offer. You just need to research into what you want to be watching or listening to and you will find the set-top box, as they are called, that will fulfil your needs.

Don’t be scared for your pockets, the price range is from £30 to as much as £140. They all offer almost similar services so you won’t go wrong if you went for the cheaper one. Most of them run Android and you will find others running other systems.

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I will recommend anyone that runs android because they are more scalable, easy to use, cheap and flexible for your entertainment needs. They come with built in apps that will make your viewing and listening experience worthwhile. You can also easily go the Play store to download your favourite apps like Netflix and other video and music apps to enjoy. Some won’t let you download any app though, they have their own store where you can add manufacturer specific apps to the system.

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What you need is a TV that has an HDMI connection and you are ready to use and even browse the internet on your old TV. Set-top boxes come with remote controls or keyboards to easily control them.

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Where to buy is easy, you can do a quick search on google and you will see a list of the common ones out there. You can also go to your local electrical store and ask for recommendations. Happy Viewing

 

General Information

The Internet Is Set To Cast More Webs!!!

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“The internet of Things” is everywhere. Well it is going to be everywhere, literally. It is becoming a topic everyone is talking about. Do you care about what it means? Well you should, because it is pushed to be what will take over our lives as we know it. The topic is very technical, and even so now that it is still in the development stage. However, like always, the Computer Potato is here to simplify even the most complex technological problems.

Look at it this way; there are so many devices around the world now.  Every smartphone, desktop, laptop and even watches (Click to Read about Smartwatches) can all connect to the internet via your mobile network or your home WiFi. So, what if we could connect every single electrical device to the internet? They would be able to actually talk to each other and share valuable information. I am not just talking about your TV, or watch. I am talking your electrical toothbrush, your air conditioning unit, your sewing machine, even your clothes!

How does that benefit anybody do I hear you ask? Well imagine your alarm clock wakes you up and sends information to your heater to start heating your bathing water or make you a nice lukewarm bath, just like you like it. After your bath, the bathtub sends information to your cooker that you have left the bathroom so that it gets the stoves ready for you will soon be making breakfast. After breakfast your house alarm sends information to your car to meet you in front of the house because you are about to leave the house for work. Should I go on? I am sure you get the gist of it already. Even though it sounds like a scene from Bill Gates house in a Marvel studios movie, but today the groundwork for this system is already building up.

If you think like me, I know you are asking “what about security?”. You might be thinking “I will now be getting SPAM in my car, or even my toaster is going to be hacked!” Well all these issues are being looked into and the whole concept of IoT (Internet of Things) won’t be put in place unless the technological giants pushing the idea have come together to iron out any problems

Even though it is an idea that sounds absurd to us today, I am certain the benefits of IoT will be far greater than the issues it brings. And it will help us interact with our environment even more than we can today. We might be putting on more pounds though- and I don’t mean money- as we would all be doing far less!

General Information

The New And Slightly Improved Microsoft Surface 3

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Here it comes, the tablet that might take over your laptop. The Laptop that can take over your tablet. Confused yet? Well that is not the intention of hybrid computers (click to read about hybrid laptops).

The Microsoft surface pro 3 is the third instalment – as the name implies- of the move by Microsoft to create a device that you will take with you everywhere.

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It has a 12 inch screen that has an impressive and improved resolution of 2160 x 1440. Your videos, images and graphic work would look stunning in the ClearType Full HD Plus Display

 

The main issue users of the first and second version of the Surface pro had was the battery life, but now Microsoft is promising 9 hours of battery. If this is to be true in real life environment, then you should be able to use your device for almost a day without needing a charge in normal use.

 

They come with the latest generation of processors (the 4th generation chips) so you can work and play faster.

 

You can get them with 4GB memory for running your programs and apps or you can go for the higher end that has 8GB for even better and more efficient multi-tasking

 

The hard drive can be from 64 to GB to 512 GB depending on how much you want to store on your device and how much you are ready to pay for it of course. Also you can increase that capacity with a micro SD

Prices start at £639 and it is ready to pre-order at the official Microsoft website. Happy buying!

 

 

General Information

Samsung S5 Too Big Or Too Expensive? Learn About the S5 Mini

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The Galaxy S5 too big or too expensive for you? Not to worry, the Galaxy S5 Mini is scheduled for a July launch according to a report by SamMobile today.

The dumbed down version of Samsung’s smartphone is rumoured to launch next month and includes many of the same features as the bulkier S5. These will include the S5’s water and dust resistance, heart-rate monitor and maybe the fingerprint scanner.

Samsung S5

The Mini is also said to feature a 4.5-inch 720p Super AMOLED Gorilla glass display, an 8-megapixel camera, 16GB of internal storage, 1.5GB of RAM and a quad-core Exynos 3 processor.

We don’t know about the price yet, but we are sure it will be cheaper as the Samsung S4 and S3 followed the same path in releasing a mini versions that were cheaper and scaled down.

According to a report by Forbes, “amongst those that did buy a Galaxy S5, 17% switched from Apple and 58% of European Galaxy S5 buyers were previous Samsung owners. As we know, Android is still the dominant operating system, with a 73.3% share of the European market. Apple is second with 16.6% and Windows Phone 8.1%”

The Rumoured Iphone 6's Screen Leaked! Compared To The Iphone 5s
The Rumoured Iphone 6’s Screen Leaked! Compared To The Iphone 5s

Also in the rumour mill is the upcoming “Iphone 6” or whatever it will be called when it finally launches in September. This will be featuring a larger screen which is said to battle head on with the larger phones we see running Android, so as to gain back some of the market they are losing.

General Information

Hybrid Is Everywhere And Now Making An Appearance In Computing!!

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In 2014 you must come across the hybrid a lot. As the world is looking for more innovative ways to make our lives easier and cheaper, people are combining ideas to make sure this vision is achieved. Anything hybrid is a combination of two unique things to make them one. Nowadays you have hybrid Cars, hybrid bikes even hybrid animals like the cute Liger, isn’t it adorable?

 

Well we are not here to talk about Ligers, even though they are everybody I know favourite hybrid. We are here to talk about hybrid Laptops. These are laptops that can be used as many things, mostly as tablets and laptops. Some even go as far to be used as a phone. (The Asus Transformer Book V is an upcoming hybrid computer that can be used in 5 different modes, including as a phone.) Check out the picture below.

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Asus Transformer Book V

 

Let us not go crazy yet and just talk about the common hybrid computers that can be used as a laptop or detached or folded to double up as a tablet and you can control it with your fingers alone.

 

The upcoming Surface pro 3
The upcoming Surface pro 3

 

What is the use for this? Well first of all, instead of buying a laptop and a tablet. You have a device that can be both, with just a few hundreds more than a laptop. They are generally smaller too, so you can carry them around with you like any tablet. This means you will have a device that can do your heavy work Adobe, Excel, or Google Docs efficiently or just browse the internet and install apps as a tablet. Switching from laptop to tablet is different in each device and can be achieved easily by unique buttons. In the Sony Flip series, you press a button and flip the keyboard under the screen and then you have a tablet

 

The Sony Flip Series

 

In the Asus transformer series you press a button and the screen detaches so you can use it as a laptop. Asus also has a version where when you press a button or detach the screen from the keyboard and it becomes an Android tablet/laptop depending on the mode you are using.

 

The Asus Transformer Book Trio
The Asus Transformer Book Trio

All these sound great but you can only use the full features if you need the of both devices (tablet and laptop) or you want to brag to your peers you have got the latest tech! If not you are better off buying either a laptop or a tablet as they are cheaper. But as a professional, they can be useful as a work and play device. When working you can have it in laptop mode, and when it is time to relax on that plane journey, you can put it in the tablet mode and watch your videos or play your games.

General Information

Your Wrists Are About To Get Smarter

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Ever heard the word smartwatch? You should, as big tech companies like google, Samsung, LG, Motorola all think this is the next big thing. How did I come to this ? They have been spending millions to make them and market them to get them into our homes and on everybody’s arm.

What are smartwatches? They are watches that do more than tell the time, they do more like answer your call, listen for your voice commands, display the weather and much more. With the new system Google recently announced, they can even control your TV or order that sweet pizza within minutes.

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Google recently announced amidst other announcements that they have developed Android Wear, an official android version that will go on these smartwatches. Android is a system that runs on many smartphones. If you download your apps from the Play Store, then your phone definitely runs android.

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Any need for these smartwatches I hear you ask? Well I’d say it depends on how much you would like to use your watch to do most things your phone can do already. In fact most of the smartwatches out today like the LG’s G watch (£159), Samsung Gear Live (£169) need you to have a smartphone running android before they can function fully. But all is not useless in the land of smartwatches, as you can quickly view appointments, check your text messages or see who is calling you on your watch while your phone is tucked away, if that is something you’d like. Might be very useful in UK where there is a lot of rainfall.

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I should add, Apple (Iphone) users should not feel left out as Apple has been rumoured to have its own smartwatch in the works. Stay tuned as we will be bringing you news on that if they are any different from the android counterparts.

Conclusion: Smartwatches might not take over your life like smartphones have done in the past years, but there is definitely potential for the smartwatches as they would make life easier for those of us who prefer not to bring their phones out in public or those of us who like quick access to text messages and features that you would access on the phone. As for me, until the smartwatch can do what my phone cannot do, I won’t be spending £170 on a smartwatch.

 

What do you think? Please vote below

General Information

Virtual Desktops Any Good?

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Physical desktop is dying in the business world. Not only are they expensive, insecure, and maintenance-heavy, they also cannot change fast enough to accommodate the fast paced change of software and services.

Virtualisation, however, is helping mitigate many of the challenges of traditional virtual desktop infrastructure at an increasing rate. Companies can now better manage their desktops and give the full infrastructure increase in these values

•Centralized management

•Improved data security

•Simplified deployment

There are a number of ways to virtualise desktops. They can be cloud based or managed by the company. Anyway used, virtual desktops achieve many benefits without the excessive costs, limitations, or hassles of straight forward physical desktops. To a small or large businesses, there is essentially no reason to migrate the complexities and costs ofmanaging physical desktops to another complex and expensive infrastructure. Choosing the technology used needs proper planning and costing to choose effectively.

These benefits alone make Virtual Desktops especially cloud based a very well considerable choice for big and small companies alike.

Please tell us what you think below

Simple Explanations

Feeling Gloomy About What The Cloud Is?

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Have you ever heard the word Cloud and you were clueless of what it is and how it works? With the amount of services out nowadays,  you must have come across the word Cloud somewhere almost every week. You see it on your mobile devices, your computers and even in Newspapers. All these mediums are used to promise you one thing; that they will keep your data secure, backed up and accessible from anywhere in the world. Brilliant, who wouldn’t want that hey?

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You must have wondered at some point how this works. Well, the computer Potato is here to tell you exactly that and make it look like a pot of noodles.

Think of the cloud as a big computer with such a massive memory that it can store everything and more. This big computer’s memory can also increase or decrease at will by the way. Now imagine this big computer has the exact same type of itself and data stored in it in many locations, for arguments sake lets say 15 locations. Now each of the computers in these locations make sure all data are exactly the same across the locations. This is very helpful because lets say the worst happened and 13 of those locations where destroyed somehow and the computers  with them. Then the data is still accessible from 2 of the 15 and can be easily moved to another 13 in different locations. Are you still reading? Well you don’t need to bother yourself on how this is achieved but if you do signup to one of these services, your data will be, in this case, in 15 locations (you wouldn’t know from your end though). This is what keeps your data secure and accessible from anywhere in the world.

Why use the word cloud? Well I am not a weather expert, but I notice these things are everywhere in the world. Hence why someone clever chose to use this word to represent something they hoped will be everywhere and steadily ready for use.

 

Simple Explanations

The Fear That Binds All Computer Users

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Have you ever had your computer do something you didn’t ask it to do or have it behave in a way you had never seen before? Well, if you are like me or the rest of the world that use computers, the first thing you think is; I have got a virus!

Warning! Now be careful how you use this phrase around your partners, as this can cause loss of partners.

The chances are your computer is just misbehaving, but you still have that inclination to think the worse of it. Well today you must know you are not alone. In fact, I have added a survey at the end of this article to vote how many percentage of our readers actually have that very first thought when their computer coughs. (Please feel free to complete the short survey, it will help the poor data hungry people. Thanks for your charity)

As if this is not enough, the NCA warned users about 3 weeks ago that there were 2 viruses on the way that could seriously cause damage or steal information from your computer. I must say heed these warnings, but before you actually become the Compvirophob (Patent coming soon) the world expects you to be, you need to know some important things about computer viruses.

1) They are not biological, hence the origin is known! It might shock you to know that viruses are actually written by computer programmers like the ones who wrote the antivirus.

2) A virus cannot act on your computer unless it has got a link, a direct access or is actually sitting on your computer. They are not omnipotent. Millions of unsuspecting users are tricked into downloading and installing viruses by some websites.

3) Some viruses actually do nothing on your computer till the end life of the computer, if the programmer that wrote it never activated it. Is your computer a carrier?

4) An antivirus might not detect a virus if it is unknown to it or if it is dormant

Even though what we all call viruses come in different forms and sizes (and I mean this literally), they can be somewhat prevented or removed. Below are some tips on what you can do to safeguard yourself against viruses (no it doesn’t involve a condom).

1) Make sure your antivirus is up to date and you regularly scan your computer. Most antiviruses connect to the internet first thing your put on your computer to update itself

2) Be wary of any emails from people you know or don’t that you weren’t expecting and they contain links to a funny video or an attachment. Please investigate further before clicking. Check the sender to make sure they did send it willingly

3) Always update the operating system (Microsoft, Apple MAC, Linux) you are using to get the fixes for know vulnerabilities.

Conclusion: No, compvirophob is not a word yet, but we all are seemingly close to being diagnosed with it.  All said, viruses can pose a real threat to your information or computer, but there is no real need to fear if you follow the tips here. Don’t forget to vote below. Thanks