Why does it seem like every time you get a new computer it operates at lightning fast speeds for only a few months before becoming slow and laborious over its tasks? Is this just something that we have to live with or can we do something to keep our computers running at optimum speeds?

The truth is that computers do not get slower as they age, a slow computer is a sign that something is literally holding your PC back and affecting its performance. And the good news is that you can do something about it.
There are many things that can affect your computer’s performance, from low memory to a fragmented hard drive and everything in between. The things that can affect your computer’s performance are usually of your own doing. You see, each time we download a program or delete a program, we affect the way our computer operates. This change in operation can leave holes in our PCs operating procedures or may even leave behind programs that can affect our computer’s performance.

Here are just a few things that could be making your computer slow:  Read more...

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Inkjet… laser… LED… multifunction… single function. With so many makes and models to choose from, selecting the right printer for your work environment can become a headache if you don’t know what to look for. In fact, identifying the right printer can be like finding a needle in a haystack, so it’s important to ask yourself a few basic questions that will guide your printer search in the right direction.

Cost:
How much can you afford to spend? Consider what you print, how much you print, and whether or not you require additional features or room for your printing needs to grow. No one wants to spend more than they can afford, but it’s important to look beyond the initial investment price of each printing device, and make sure you look into the long term running costs. What may appear as a cheap printing investment can often turn into a very expensive operation, with specialised ink cartridges for instance? By the same token, what may be deemed on the more expensive side may effectively reduce your overall running costs in the long run. The cunning approach taken by manufacturers’ works more or less like this: the lower the initial price tag of the printer, the higher the cost of replacement ink or toner. So, the only one who stands to benefit is the manufacturer, or someone who barely uses their printer at all.  Read more...

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The computer. The thing we all love to hate. It does so many important things for us, yet also causes some of our biggest headaches. There is always something that needs to be fixed or optimized, no matter what we do it seems. No matter how well they invent new technology, something still breaks down.

And when it does, you end up calling tech support where either you or the technician is bound to feel stupid at some point. Believe me, it’s the technician in many cases, so don’t feel bad.

In this article, I am going to go over one of the most common computer problems and how to fix it without calling a computer support technician, or your Uncle Bob’s third cousin’s friend, who knows a lot about computers.

Let’s start at the beginning. Booting up, that (for some of us) long process where your computer comes to life. I read a book that explains computers pretty well. In it, the author said that when a computer gets turned on it’s as if every time you woke up, you had to make sure you still had 10 fingers, 10 toes, two eyes, two arms, etc.  Read more...

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Well, we’ve been warned that this time would come – probably from the earlier eighties on. Yes, computers have finally taken over and if you doubt it, we’re here to convince you – but not because we want to or because we can. We want to convince you that if you don’t take the necessary steps to control that reign, you’re going to be left behind further than you could have ever imagined.

Computers are everywhere. Take a moment to try and think of a place a business where you didn’t see a computer in use. From the small local corner store to the largest hospital, computers are in every gas station, grocery store, bank, restaurant, beauty shop, and doctor’s office around. From a consumer’s point of view – you may not think that’s much to worry about. But along with computers, we’ve also been infiltrated with a little thing called “self-service.” Today, there are more self-serviced resources than ever and in an effort to synchronize them with headquarter databases, they’re provided via your inescapable computer.  Read more...

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It is very important to check a used computer thoroughly before buying it as it may lead to problems in the future.  A hard drive will not show any outward signs but may be deteriorating. The same way the needle can suddenly slip and can cause scratches on the disc ultimately leading to memory loss as used computers can fail any time.  If they are checked, the faults which may occur can be known.  Let us first see the possible faults which may occur while purchasing a used computer.

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.  Read more...

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If you believe what you hear in the media, there are an awful lot of viruses going around. No, I’m not talking about the make-you-sick kind of virus, though they get plenty of airtime, too. I’m talking about the kind of virus that enters via your internet connection rather than your nasal passages.

What the mainstream media often don’t tell you–at least, in most radio and television newscasts and in the crucial headlines and opening paragraphs of newspaper articles– is that many of these “viruses” are not viruses at all.

What Computer Viruses Really Are

The main reason the mainstream media always are in alarm over viruses is that they tend to call any malicious computer program a virus. In reality, there are at least eleven distinct types of malicious software, or malware, commonly affecting computers today. The most common of these are worms, Trojans, and spyware.

So, what’s the difference between computer viruses and the other types of malware? The difference is that computer viruses are just about the only ones that regularly shut down computers and cause other obvious damage. The most common of the other kinds of malware–worms, Trojans, and spyware–are usually only detectable with a special scan.  Read more...

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Consider the printer’s DPI (dots per inch) capability, which is the resolution at which it can print photos and documents. The higher DPI (dots per inch) you have, the better quality you will have in either text or photo printouts.

Consider the cost of ink. When purchasing a new printer, take a moment to compare prices among ink cartridges and make sure that you can afford frequent ink purchases if you plan to do a lot of printing.

Take a look at the connector and make sure it’s compatible with your system. Most new printers connect via a USB port. Older ones connect using a parallel port, which is not commonly found on new PCs.

When looking at the cost of ink, also look at the number of pages a single ink cartridge can print. If the page count is high, the cost of the ink may be reasonable. If the page count is low compared to other similar ink cartridges, you may want to select another printer that offers a better performing ink cartridge.  Read more...

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Can you imagine being away from your computer for an extended period of time? No internet, no email, no funny jokes, no games to play? Many people have found themselves in this position when the unexpected happens. In the event of a natural disaster, terrorist event or a bird flu pandemic, having access to your computer could be a lifesaver. Are you one of the many people who have all their personal and financial records stored on their computer with no back up and no way to access them in the event of an emergency?

Because we are so wired these days, a backup laptop computer should be considered part of your essential survival gear just as much as a 3 day supply of food and extra water. You can either choose to use your existing laptop or buy a used one specifically for use in the event of an emergency.

Now you could buy one of the laptops that are made to withstand extreme conditions but that will set you back several thousand and probably isn’t necessary. You can find a number of good used laptops online for a few hundred dollars. It doesn’t have to be the latest and greatest, it just needs to get the job done when you need it to. A good basic laptop with a cd rom and a good battery will do the trick.  Read more...

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Built in wireless capabilities are becoming almost standard equipment on most laptop and home computers these days for a couple of reasons. One of the primary reasons is cost. Adding wireless capacity is so inexpensive that it would be silly for the manufacturers not to add it. The perceived value of any machine with wireless capacity far exceeds the cost to add it. Wireless is the wave of the future, so if the manufacturers want to stay ahead of the technology curve they need to add it to all but there most basic models.

However, if you’re like most people you probably can’t even check how much memory your computer has, let-alone if your computer is wireless enabled. Throw in the fact that you may not even know what wireless networking is and it’s easy to ignore even trying to determine if your computer has that capacity. As a result, having ever taken the time to set it up is clearly out of the question.

However, since you bought your computer you’ve probably heard more and more about “going wireless” because it’s becoming the hip thing to do. If that’s the case with you or I’ve simply peaked your imagination then read a bit more because I’ve outlined a few things you can to do to check if your computer has wireless capabilities.  Read more...

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Many people buy a computer, only to find that it doesn’t really fit anywhere. They can be big, awkwardly-shaped things, with a whole collection of wires and gadgets that all need somewhere to stand.

The solution is to get a computer desk. They don’t cost much, and they’re specially designed to hold all the peripherals a computer needs. There’s space for the monitor, speakers and mouse on the top, a shelf for the keyboard, and then compartments at the bottom for the system box itself and even for a printer or scanner. A good computer desk will also have holes and routes for all the various cables that are needed to tie it all together and make it work. All you need is a comfortable office chair, and you’re set.

With the rise of wireless networking, it is even possible to have computer desks in places you wouldn’t otherwise have thought of, as long as you have an electrical outlet handy. All you need to do is add a wireless card to the computer and plug the connection into a router, and then you can use the Internet without having to run network cables all over the place. This works especially well in offices, where lots of computer may be networked together, or, worse, networked to one printer or server.  Read more...

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