5 Tips for Buying a Laptop
Buying a laptop is a major investment decision. As such it is not one that you should make lightly. Below are 5 tips that will help prepare you for making the best and most well informed decision when buying a laptop.
Tip #1 Size Matters
Buying a laptop is a matter that requires some thought. Consider the size and weight of the laptop. How often will you be carrying your laptop? Your answer will help determine which size and weight will best suit your needs. If you will be carrying your laptop frequently, a lighter model will be preferable.
The keyboard is another area to consider when buying a laptop. Why is the size of the keyboard important? A larger laptop will have a slightly larger keyboard area. But keep in mind that if you worry about your fingers or wrists taking on too much stress from typing on a keyboard that is too small, you may want this to be a main factor in your purchasing decision,
Tip #2 Choose Your Mouse
A laptop it will come with a built in touch pad, an alternative to the mouse, whereby the pad is controlled by the user’s finger movement. For some people, this type of pad is uncomfortable and not easy to work with. Before purchasing a laptop, determine what mouse options are available. Test each one and determine which one best meets your needs.
Tip #3 Wireless Options
Today, when many people think laptop, they think “wireless”. No doubt people want to make sure that their laptop computer will be able to access the Internet with a wireless connection. Many try to account for this by ensuring that their laptop has potential upgrade options, such as room for an expandable PC card or a USB port. However, since so many laptop users are looking for wireless connections, many of today’s laptops come pre-wired for wireless Internet. All you need to do is activate your wireless Internet service, and your laptop will take it from there. So depending on your needs, choose your laptop whether it is capable of expanding or if it is already configured for wireless Internet.
Tip #4 Check for Ports
Peripheral equipment will be connected to your laptop through USB ports. You will make your life much less complicated by ensuring that your laptop has adequate ports. Connecting equipment such as printers, scanners, and digital cameras will be much simpler if you have the ports readily available. If you are not sure, thoroughly read the specs for any laptop that you are considering purchasing.
Tip #5 Check Your Budget First
Finally, when buying a laptop, beware that you do not overspend. First create your budget and stick to it. When you think that you have found the laptop that you want, do not rush into it. Wait a day and check over your budget, requirements, and see if you are still as excited about the laptop in the morning, as you were when the sales clerk was showing off its specs. If you still feel that it is the laptop that you want to purchase, then go for it.
Showing posts with label laptop. Show all posts
Showing posts with label laptop. Show all posts
Friday, January 9, 2009
Sunday, January 4, 2009
Cheap Laptops: How to Buy the Right One
Cheap and inexpensive laptops are available plenty in number in the market. While buying laptops, price factor alone should not limit the purchase. Cheap laptops are made available to the consumer to suit the budget as well as specific requirements. The person buying a laptop should be very clear regarding the required features, options and then conduct a search to match his needs. The place of purchasing cheap laptops is also important. There are various sources from which a person can buy cheap laptops. Out of all the sources, Internet is considered to be the best place to purchase laptops. A same laptop model can be sold at different prices in different websites. The purchaser can easily select the one with a lesser price easily. Also it is better to avoid impulse purchase as far as laptops are concerned, since it is impossible for a lay man to comprehend the hi-tech lingo associated with laptop computers like the flat panel TFT, WiFi connectivity, wireless and many more features.
Features to be considered before buying cheap laptops:
Processor of the laptop: A processor is very important to run applications and to perform on-screen tasks. The processor should not be less than 1.4 GHz as it may affect the quick performance of the laptop. For day today operation using word processing, e-mail, spread sheets etc the above processor speed is enough. When Pentium processors are bought they assure a longer battery life and at the same time they are quick.
Screen size of the cheap laptops should not be less than 12.1 inches. The screen size of laptops is measured diagonally. The larger the screen size, the higher the resolution, making it easy for viewing more information all at once.
Laptops should have a good battery life as they are carried with the operator for presentations, or for calculations whenever and wherever they are required. A laptop with a good battery life should be able to perform jobs ranging from 3 to 7 hours of non stop work without any electrical charge required in between. Lithium ion rechargeable batteries are an ideal choice.
The hard drive capacity is very important to store large amount of data on to the laptops. A cheap laptop can be chosen with a hard drive capacity ranging from 20 GB to 40 GB depending on the person’s usage.
The keyboards of laptops are different from those of the desktop computers. The keys on the keypad are relatively smaller and are packed closely with each other. Hence, it is very important to see if it can be handled comfortably before purchasing a cheap laptop.
Touchpad or pointing stick inbuilt with a laptop can be more very useful than a mouse connected via USB port. Two USB ports are more than enough for a cheap laptop; in case more ports are required the user can use an external USB hub.
The ideal weight of the laptops should be between 4 – 10 pounds, never go for a more weighing laptop even if it comes for a very cheap amount. In order to reduce the weight of the laptops, external CD drives can be used. For communications a built in Ethernet port is more ideal than the serial ports or infrared ports.
Features to be considered before buying cheap laptops:
Processor of the laptop: A processor is very important to run applications and to perform on-screen tasks. The processor should not be less than 1.4 GHz as it may affect the quick performance of the laptop. For day today operation using word processing, e-mail, spread sheets etc the above processor speed is enough. When Pentium processors are bought they assure a longer battery life and at the same time they are quick.
Screen size of the cheap laptops should not be less than 12.1 inches. The screen size of laptops is measured diagonally. The larger the screen size, the higher the resolution, making it easy for viewing more information all at once.
Laptops should have a good battery life as they are carried with the operator for presentations, or for calculations whenever and wherever they are required. A laptop with a good battery life should be able to perform jobs ranging from 3 to 7 hours of non stop work without any electrical charge required in between. Lithium ion rechargeable batteries are an ideal choice.
The hard drive capacity is very important to store large amount of data on to the laptops. A cheap laptop can be chosen with a hard drive capacity ranging from 20 GB to 40 GB depending on the person’s usage.
The keyboards of laptops are different from those of the desktop computers. The keys on the keypad are relatively smaller and are packed closely with each other. Hence, it is very important to see if it can be handled comfortably before purchasing a cheap laptop.
Touchpad or pointing stick inbuilt with a laptop can be more very useful than a mouse connected via USB port. Two USB ports are more than enough for a cheap laptop; in case more ports are required the user can use an external USB hub.
The ideal weight of the laptops should be between 4 – 10 pounds, never go for a more weighing laptop even if it comes for a very cheap amount. In order to reduce the weight of the laptops, external CD drives can be used. For communications a built in Ethernet port is more ideal than the serial ports or infrared ports.
Buying a Refurbished Laptop Computer
When considering buying a used or even a new laptop, the first thing you need to do is to determine your computing needs.
* word processing
* e-mail
* browsing web pages
* moving the laptop from home to work (weight)
* gaming
* on-line shopping
* a database application
* personal finance
* is battery power important
Check out the Minimum Systems Requirements needed to do all of the your applications. They will not come with the laptop, as refurbished laptops often only include the Operating System (OS). If they don't include an installed OS, then be prepared to install it yourself. This is not for those that don't know what they are doing, so research what is involved before buying one without an OS.
Once you understand what you really need, you need to determine your budget.
Most old laptops do not have working batteries. If you need a battery, shop around to figure out how much they cost. You should know that on older laptops, batteries don't last more than an hour or two, so purchasing a new battery for the purpose of longer battery life may not be worth the expense. And by all means, stick with a name brand… IBM, Dell, Toshiba, Compaq-HP.
If you are new to computers and you want to browse the World Wide Web, you will need to obtain the services of an ISP (Internet Service Provider). There are basically two types of Internet access options: broadband (cable modem, DSL, satellite) and lowband (dial-up). Broadband is the preferred type since download speeds can range from 128kbs to 6000kbs. The faster the better, of course. But, if your budget is tight, dial-up works just fine for typical browsing and e-mail usage.
Your choice of ISP's will be dependent upon two things: budget and location. If the budget allows and you don't mind paying upwards of $35-50+ per month, you can purchase a broadband connection. However, even if money were no object, your physical location will determine what types of services are available to you. Broadband is not available everywhere (with the exception of satellite). If you have a telephone line, you can always choose dial-up. AOL's bread and butter is dial-up users. Do your research to determine what is available in your area and compare costs.
And for you gamers out there, you definitely need a reliable broadband connection. Gaming over a lowband connection can be a frustrating experience and sometimes even impossible. You will need to check out the minimum systems requirement for the games you are interested in using to make sure the CPU speed and the RAM and graphic chip requirements will support the games you wish to play.
Once you have figured out your budget and your needs and the requirements of your laptop it is time to search for the laptop of your desires.
Some people choose to search at www.ebay.com. If you do be sure to check out the seller to be sure you will have a smooth transaction.
Many people don't want the hassle of bidding, so use your favorite search engine: Google or Yahoo or MSN for the terms "used laptops" or "refurbished laptop".
An important thing to keep in mind is how will the vendor treat you should there be a problem. If you don't like their attitude or they don't pick up the phone shop elsewhere. Price is important, but if you have a problem and spent the least amount of money possible the vendor may not have any resources available to help you after you have purchased and spent your money.
If all the above seems like too much of a hassle, then buy a new computer. It will cost around $700 + but will come with a new battery and a one year warranty, although some new ones seem to have only 90 day warranties. It will also have the latest Windows XP system and an 800 number to call the vendor, should their be a problem. I'd call the 800# first before buying to get an idea what kind of support they will provide.
* word processing
* browsing web pages
* moving the laptop from home to work (weight)
* gaming
* on-line shopping
* a database application
* personal finance
* is battery power important
Check out the Minimum Systems Requirements needed to do all of the your applications. They will not come with the laptop, as refurbished laptops often only include the Operating System (OS). If they don't include an installed OS, then be prepared to install it yourself. This is not for those that don't know what they are doing, so research what is involved before buying one without an OS.
Once you understand what you really need, you need to determine your budget.
Most old laptops do not have working batteries. If you need a battery, shop around to figure out how much they cost. You should know that on older laptops, batteries don't last more than an hour or two, so purchasing a new battery for the purpose of longer battery life may not be worth the expense. And by all means, stick with a name brand… IBM, Dell, Toshiba, Compaq-HP.
If you are new to computers and you want to browse the World Wide Web, you will need to obtain the services of an ISP (Internet Service Provider). There are basically two types of Internet access options: broadband (cable modem, DSL, satellite) and lowband (dial-up). Broadband is the preferred type since download speeds can range from 128kbs to 6000kbs. The faster the better, of course. But, if your budget is tight, dial-up works just fine for typical browsing and e-mail usage.
Your choice of ISP's will be dependent upon two things: budget and location. If the budget allows and you don't mind paying upwards of $35-50+ per month, you can purchase a broadband connection. However, even if money were no object, your physical location will determine what types of services are available to you. Broadband is not available everywhere (with the exception of satellite). If you have a telephone line, you can always choose dial-up. AOL's bread and butter is dial-up users. Do your research to determine what is available in your area and compare costs.
And for you gamers out there, you definitely need a reliable broadband connection. Gaming over a lowband connection can be a frustrating experience and sometimes even impossible. You will need to check out the minimum systems requirement for the games you are interested in using to make sure the CPU speed and the RAM and graphic chip requirements will support the games you wish to play.
Once you have figured out your budget and your needs and the requirements of your laptop it is time to search for the laptop of your desires.
Some people choose to search at www.ebay.com. If you do be sure to check out the seller to be sure you will have a smooth transaction.
Many people don't want the hassle of bidding, so use your favorite search engine: Google or Yahoo or MSN for the terms "used laptops" or "refurbished laptop".
An important thing to keep in mind is how will the vendor treat you should there be a problem. If you don't like their attitude or they don't pick up the phone shop elsewhere. Price is important, but if you have a problem and spent the least amount of money possible the vendor may not have any resources available to help you after you have purchased and spent your money.
If all the above seems like too much of a hassle, then buy a new computer. It will cost around $700 + but will come with a new battery and a one year warranty, although some new ones seem to have only 90 day warranties. It will also have the latest Windows XP system and an 800 number to call the vendor, should their be a problem. I'd call the 800# first before buying to get an idea what kind of support they will provide.
Best Buy for Laptop: How to Buy a Laptop Computer
There is a wide range of laptop models available on the market today and buying the right machine can turn into a confusing mission.
There are laptop computers intended for home users, multimedia, business and gaming. You can spend from $500 to $5,000.
The very first step you need to do is to determine your needs.
If you spend a lot of time traveling, your best option is a light laptop with a long battery life.
If you are an average home user, you can easily select a low-range laptop that will cost you about $500.
If you use the Internet a lot or store photographs and videos, you choice should be a mid-range laptop that will cost you from $1,000 to $1,500.
But if plan to purchase a gaming laptop, be ready to pay at least $3,000.
Look at the following categories:
- Processor is the most important thing to take into consideration. Intel Pentium M, Mobile AMD Athlon 64 and AMD Turion 64 Mobile are high-powered processors. Intel's Celeron M and AMD's Duron and Sempron are processors found in low-end laptops.
Avoid desktop processors in laptops because they need a lot of power and will quickly exhaust your battery.
- Screen sizes range from 12 to 19 inches. A laptop computer with smaller screen is great option if you do not plan to use laptop too much. A larger screen is perfect for extensive use.
- Your new laptop should have at least 1 gigabyte of memory. Also, your machine should come with a dedicated video card with 128 megabytes of memory.
- Choose a faster hard drive with at least 60GB of space. This is sufficient for the majority of users. Gamers should get at least 100 GB hard drive.
There are laptop computers intended for home users, multimedia, business and gaming. You can spend from $500 to $5,000.
The very first step you need to do is to determine your needs.
If you spend a lot of time traveling, your best option is a light laptop with a long battery life.
If you are an average home user, you can easily select a low-range laptop that will cost you about $500.
If you use the Internet a lot or store photographs and videos, you choice should be a mid-range laptop that will cost you from $1,000 to $1,500.
But if plan to purchase a gaming laptop, be ready to pay at least $3,000.
Look at the following categories:
- Processor is the most important thing to take into consideration. Intel Pentium M, Mobile AMD Athlon 64 and AMD Turion 64 Mobile are high-powered processors. Intel's Celeron M and AMD's Duron and Sempron are processors found in low-end laptops.
Avoid desktop processors in laptops because they need a lot of power and will quickly exhaust your battery.
- Screen sizes range from 12 to 19 inches. A laptop computer with smaller screen is great option if you do not plan to use laptop too much. A larger screen is perfect for extensive use.
- Your new laptop should have at least 1 gigabyte of memory. Also, your machine should come with a dedicated video card with 128 megabytes of memory.
- Choose a faster hard drive with at least 60GB of space. This is sufficient for the majority of users. Gamers should get at least 100 GB hard drive.
Advantages of Buying Refurbished Laptops
Laptops can be sent back to the manufacturer if the purchaser finds the screen of the laptop scratched or with a minor blemish, or if it is an unwanted present to him or if the packaging of the laptop is dented etc. Such laptops are inspected, tested again for quality and repackaged by the manufacturer and sold for a very less price. Such laptops are called as refurbished laptops.
Factory refurbished laptops:
The laptops in the factory undergo rechecking for any manufacturing defect by passing through various stages of examination. Then, when no fault is found, the hard disk of the laptop is reformatted and again the operating system is loaded. It is again made to work for less than 4-5 hours time to check for any defect and the parts are replaced if they are found to be defective. The refurbished laptop is then updated with a new serial number to mark it as a factory refurbished laptop. Such factory refurbished laptops are of high quality available to the consumer at a lesser retail price. Such refurbished laptops can be got from almost all the renowned brands. However the process carried out for the restoration of laptops may differ from company to company. The main aim is to make the laptop run again efficiently as it used to be previously.
Custom refurbished laptops:
These are repaired laptops which are reassembled to match the customer’s preference. It gives an opportunity to get a complete laptop solution at a very affordable price to the customer. The utilities offered by the customer refurbished laptops are got at a cost of a used laptop. It also avoids the necessity to upgrade immediately, which is not the case with the standard laptop. It allows the customers to have preferences in terms of selecting the features like the screen size, processor speed requirements, multimedia, memory capacity, hard drive size, optical drive, graphics, accessories, Bluetooth etc.
When purchased in bulk, custom refurbished laptops are the best option as it combines both functionality and price advantage together. Additional benefits can be availed through promotional offers and discounts from the manufacturers.
Advantages of purchasing refurbished laptops:
The refurbished laptops are of high quality as they are checked for high standards of performance at each level of examination done. The consumer can get a branded, quality laptop of a latest model at a very less price compared to the retail price. More over discounts are offered to military personnel, senior citizens and students who can maximize their savings by purchasing a refurbished laptop. The refurbished laptops can be selected from renowned brands available in the market at a lesser cost. Such refurbished laptops are also got with 1 year warranty which can be extended up to 3 years. The warranty period supports replacement of parts and maintenance required by the laptop. Hence purchasing such laptops are very reliable. The refurbished model laptops enable the customers get more features at a lower cost. When the purchaser is bent on buying the latest, trendiest laptop, but cannot afford to buy a new one he can go for a refurbished laptop to get satisfied.
Factory refurbished laptops:
The laptops in the factory undergo rechecking for any manufacturing defect by passing through various stages of examination. Then, when no fault is found, the hard disk of the laptop is reformatted and again the operating system is loaded. It is again made to work for less than 4-5 hours time to check for any defect and the parts are replaced if they are found to be defective. The refurbished laptop is then updated with a new serial number to mark it as a factory refurbished laptop. Such factory refurbished laptops are of high quality available to the consumer at a lesser retail price. Such refurbished laptops can be got from almost all the renowned brands. However the process carried out for the restoration of laptops may differ from company to company. The main aim is to make the laptop run again efficiently as it used to be previously.
Custom refurbished laptops:
These are repaired laptops which are reassembled to match the customer’s preference. It gives an opportunity to get a complete laptop solution at a very affordable price to the customer. The utilities offered by the customer refurbished laptops are got at a cost of a used laptop. It also avoids the necessity to upgrade immediately, which is not the case with the standard laptop. It allows the customers to have preferences in terms of selecting the features like the screen size, processor speed requirements, multimedia, memory capacity, hard drive size, optical drive, graphics, accessories, Bluetooth etc.
When purchased in bulk, custom refurbished laptops are the best option as it combines both functionality and price advantage together. Additional benefits can be availed through promotional offers and discounts from the manufacturers.
Advantages of purchasing refurbished laptops:
The refurbished laptops are of high quality as they are checked for high standards of performance at each level of examination done. The consumer can get a branded, quality laptop of a latest model at a very less price compared to the retail price. More over discounts are offered to military personnel, senior citizens and students who can maximize their savings by purchasing a refurbished laptop. The refurbished laptops can be selected from renowned brands available in the market at a lesser cost. Such refurbished laptops are also got with 1 year warranty which can be extended up to 3 years. The warranty period supports replacement of parts and maintenance required by the laptop. Hence purchasing such laptops are very reliable. The refurbished model laptops enable the customers get more features at a lower cost. When the purchaser is bent on buying the latest, trendiest laptop, but cannot afford to buy a new one he can go for a refurbished laptop to get satisfied.
Acer Aspire 3004WLCi - A Quick Review
I recently found myself in need of a new laptop. With a tight budget and moderate needs, I knew it wasn't going to be easy to find a product that would do what I wanted and still be in my price range.
As a Network Technician and a Web Designer, I needed a machine that would have enough storage to store all my software, projects for my clients, and still be able to handle an occasional temporary operating system backup from a client's machine. The qualifying candidate also had to have a decent amount of RAM and a reasonably fast processor to keep up with the demands of multitasking and using Studio MX '04 on a daily basis.
At first, I checked the auction sites, the refurbished outlets, and the wholesale warehouses. I found a few good deals for under $500, but nothing that would handle the processing load that Studio MX 2004 would place on it. The average machine had 256MB of PC133 RAM, a 20GB HDD, and a 1.0GHz Pentium processor. Not too shabby for a student machine, but for daily service in the fields I work in, not nearly enough space or power to keep up with my demands.
I quickly realized that a new laptop would be needed in order to meet my needs. Realizing that most decent laptops are priced at over $1,000, I wasn't expecting a whole lot when I started shopping around. However, to my surprise, a local retail chain had a special running on the Acer Aspire 3004WLCi for $600 after a $150 rebate. This was the top end of my budget, but the specs were far more than what I thought I would find in this price range.
Quick Specs:
AMD Mobile Sempron 3100+ (1.8GHz) w/ 256K L2 cache
512MB DDR333 SODIM RAM (expandable to 2GB)
60GB 4200rpm Hard Disk Drive
15.4 Wide Screen WXGA Monitor
CD-RW/DVD-ROM Combo Drive
3 USB 2.0 Ports (1 front / 2 side)
Front Audio / Microphone jacks
Integrated Microphone / Speakers
Integrated Audio Controller
Integrated Video Controller (up to 128MB shared)
Integrated 56Kbps Data/Fax Modem
Integrated 802.3 10/100 Ethernet NIC
Integrated 802.11b/g WiFi
Maximum screen resolution: 1280 x 800
External monitor maximum resolution: 2048 x 1536
One type II PCMCIA Slot
AC Power Adapter / 4-cell lithium-ion battery
1.5"Hx14.3"Wx11"D / 6.2lb. w/ Battery
Microsoft Windows XP Home SP2
OK, before I go into the Pros and Cons of this system, let me first say this... As a Network technician, I'm a bit of a stranger to Acer products. I've seen them before, but I've never used them. In an industry dominated by Dells and HPs, Acer seemed more of an "off-brand" to me. With that in mind, I wasn't expecting a whole lot for my money. Fortunately, I was not disappointed, but neither was I entirely wrong.
Also, it is worthy to note that before I used this machine, XP Home was trashed in favor of XP Professional SP2 and I went through the system and performed several minor software performance tweaks on the operating system; all of which can be performed using the native Windows XP Pro utilities.
Pros:
The Acer Aspire 3004 WLCi is a reasonably powerful system for $600. Even at the original $750, this system is hard to beat in the performance department. The Sempron 3100+ processor is surprisingly fast and capable. It handled running Dreamweaver MX 2004, Fireworks MX 2004, Microsoft Word 2003, Microsoft OneNote 2003, Firefox 1.5, Internet Explorer 6.0, Opera 8.5, Resize Browser, CPick, Java JRE, NOD32 Anti-Virus, Hotmail Popper, and several system services and minor utilities running in the background simultaneously and didn't complain or produce any unacceptable sustained CPU usage spikes. This is partly due to the generous and fast 512MB of DDR333 RAM, but even so, the processor surprised this long-time AMD user.
The 60GB hard drive provides an ample amount of storage for average users. It is on the lower end of my requirements, but sufficiently large enough to handle all my installed software, over 12GB of service software needed for service calls, all my client projects, and it still has enough space left over to easily accommodate a 20GB client system backup.
In addition, this system has a very good Broadcom WiFi controller. In my 3 story townhouse, which has excellent insulation, this system can be used anywhere in my home with a signal strength of "Very Good" to "Excellent".
The system is ergonomically laid out. I have rather large hands, and most modern laptops are entirely too small for me to realistically use for any extended period of time. Usually, within 20 or 30 minutes, my wrists and hands begin to ache from trying to maintain a very unnatural position in order to type the documents I'm working on. Not so with the Aspire 3000 series. These laptops have a relatively large chassis with a keypad that is almost perfect for someone with large hands. I've actually found that I can type nearly as fast (roughly 35wpm) on this laptop as I can on my desktop system that has an ergonomic split keyboard (40wpm).
Cons:
If you're looking for a Multimedia system, or if you plan to do any graphics intensive gaming, keep on looking; this system is not for you. Even with the widescreen WXGA display, this machine is not well suited for watching DVDs. The integrated video controller is only acceptable and the monitor requires a lot of "fiddling" with in order to find the "just right" position for viewing. Furthermore, the glare on the screen of this unit is terrible. I've found that in most brightly lit rooms I'm spending more time straining my eyes to see past my own reflection. Also, the viewing angle is unimpressive. If you try to view the screen from anything greater than 15 degrees in any direction, you're either looking at a washed out or negative variation of the original. I've never been a big fan of LCD. I've always felt that a high quality CRT always looks better, but this screen is more reminiscent of a LCD of three years ago than a brand new product.
The integrated audio and video controllers are a definite sore spot as well. I've always preferred expansion controllers over integrated controllers, but in this price range, I knew I would be stuck with the so-so quality of an integrated controller. No surprise here. As usual, the quality and performance is sub-par with these controllers, but for my needs, they do the job. However, if you plan on listening to any audio playback on this machine, you had better pack a quality set of headphones. The tiny speakers on this machine are terrible sounding. Again, no big surprise.
Now, about battery life. I don't know who was in charge of defining this aspect of this machine, but they need a checkup from the neck up. Battery performance on this machine is absolutely unacceptable. Unless you tune the system down significantly, it is very difficult to squeeze more than an hour of real usable time out of this system's battery life. The manufacturer states that it will run for 1.5 hours on the battery. I've never been able to get more than an hour out of the unit. In this day and age, this is not acceptable. Fortunately, there are very few occasions when I need to use this system where I'm not close to a power outlet.
My only other major complaint is the lack of expandability of this system. You get two SODIM memory card slots (filled with 256MBx2 sticks from the factory), three USB 2.0 ports and a Type II PCMCIA slot on this machine, and that's it. No internal expansion capabilities, no firewire, no serial or parallel connections, and you cannot swap out the combo drive easily. Given the price range of this system, I'm really not surprised, but I am a bit disappointed. Fortunately, there are an abundance of USB adapters available that allow me to do whatever is needed.
Summary:
If you just need a basic system for work or school related tasks the Acer Aspire 3004WLCi is a solid performer that can handle average use with ease. I would definitely recommend this unit to college students or traveling professionals who need an inexpensive, user-friendly laptop, but who do not plan on using their laptop on batteries very often, or who do not intend on playing many games or movies. For the price conscious consumers out there, this system is definitely worth the money. In my humble opinion, you get more than what you pay for, but not by much.
As a Network Technician and a Web Designer, I needed a machine that would have enough storage to store all my software, projects for my clients, and still be able to handle an occasional temporary operating system backup from a client's machine. The qualifying candidate also had to have a decent amount of RAM and a reasonably fast processor to keep up with the demands of multitasking and using Studio MX '04 on a daily basis.
At first, I checked the auction sites, the refurbished outlets, and the wholesale warehouses. I found a few good deals for under $500, but nothing that would handle the processing load that Studio MX 2004 would place on it. The average machine had 256MB of PC133 RAM, a 20GB HDD, and a 1.0GHz Pentium processor. Not too shabby for a student machine, but for daily service in the fields I work in, not nearly enough space or power to keep up with my demands.
I quickly realized that a new laptop would be needed in order to meet my needs. Realizing that most decent laptops are priced at over $1,000, I wasn't expecting a whole lot when I started shopping around. However, to my surprise, a local retail chain had a special running on the Acer Aspire 3004WLCi for $600 after a $150 rebate. This was the top end of my budget, but the specs were far more than what I thought I would find in this price range.
Quick Specs:
AMD Mobile Sempron 3100+ (1.8GHz) w/ 256K L2 cache
512MB DDR333 SODIM RAM (expandable to 2GB)
60GB 4200rpm Hard Disk Drive
15.4 Wide Screen WXGA Monitor
CD-RW/DVD-ROM Combo Drive
3 USB 2.0 Ports (1 front / 2 side)
Front Audio / Microphone jacks
Integrated Microphone / Speakers
Integrated Audio Controller
Integrated Video Controller (up to 128MB shared)
Integrated 56Kbps Data/Fax Modem
Integrated 802.3 10/100 Ethernet NIC
Integrated 802.11b/g WiFi
Maximum screen resolution: 1280 x 800
External monitor maximum resolution: 2048 x 1536
One type II PCMCIA Slot
AC Power Adapter / 4-cell lithium-ion battery
1.5"Hx14.3"Wx11"D / 6.2lb. w/ Battery
Microsoft Windows XP Home SP2
OK, before I go into the Pros and Cons of this system, let me first say this... As a Network technician, I'm a bit of a stranger to Acer products. I've seen them before, but I've never used them. In an industry dominated by Dells and HPs, Acer seemed more of an "off-brand" to me. With that in mind, I wasn't expecting a whole lot for my money. Fortunately, I was not disappointed, but neither was I entirely wrong.
Also, it is worthy to note that before I used this machine, XP Home was trashed in favor of XP Professional SP2 and I went through the system and performed several minor software performance tweaks on the operating system; all of which can be performed using the native Windows XP Pro utilities.
Pros:
The Acer Aspire 3004 WLCi is a reasonably powerful system for $600. Even at the original $750, this system is hard to beat in the performance department. The Sempron 3100+ processor is surprisingly fast and capable. It handled running Dreamweaver MX 2004, Fireworks MX 2004, Microsoft Word 2003, Microsoft OneNote 2003, Firefox 1.5, Internet Explorer 6.0, Opera 8.5, Resize Browser, CPick, Java JRE, NOD32 Anti-Virus, Hotmail Popper, and several system services and minor utilities running in the background simultaneously and didn't complain or produce any unacceptable sustained CPU usage spikes. This is partly due to the generous and fast 512MB of DDR333 RAM, but even so, the processor surprised this long-time AMD user.
The 60GB hard drive provides an ample amount of storage for average users. It is on the lower end of my requirements, but sufficiently large enough to handle all my installed software, over 12GB of service software needed for service calls, all my client projects, and it still has enough space left over to easily accommodate a 20GB client system backup.
In addition, this system has a very good Broadcom WiFi controller. In my 3 story townhouse, which has excellent insulation, this system can be used anywhere in my home with a signal strength of "Very Good" to "Excellent".
The system is ergonomically laid out. I have rather large hands, and most modern laptops are entirely too small for me to realistically use for any extended period of time. Usually, within 20 or 30 minutes, my wrists and hands begin to ache from trying to maintain a very unnatural position in order to type the documents I'm working on. Not so with the Aspire 3000 series. These laptops have a relatively large chassis with a keypad that is almost perfect for someone with large hands. I've actually found that I can type nearly as fast (roughly 35wpm) on this laptop as I can on my desktop system that has an ergonomic split keyboard (40wpm).
Cons:
If you're looking for a Multimedia system, or if you plan to do any graphics intensive gaming, keep on looking; this system is not for you. Even with the widescreen WXGA display, this machine is not well suited for watching DVDs. The integrated video controller is only acceptable and the monitor requires a lot of "fiddling" with in order to find the "just right" position for viewing. Furthermore, the glare on the screen of this unit is terrible. I've found that in most brightly lit rooms I'm spending more time straining my eyes to see past my own reflection. Also, the viewing angle is unimpressive. If you try to view the screen from anything greater than 15 degrees in any direction, you're either looking at a washed out or negative variation of the original. I've never been a big fan of LCD. I've always felt that a high quality CRT always looks better, but this screen is more reminiscent of a LCD of three years ago than a brand new product.
The integrated audio and video controllers are a definite sore spot as well. I've always preferred expansion controllers over integrated controllers, but in this price range, I knew I would be stuck with the so-so quality of an integrated controller. No surprise here. As usual, the quality and performance is sub-par with these controllers, but for my needs, they do the job. However, if you plan on listening to any audio playback on this machine, you had better pack a quality set of headphones. The tiny speakers on this machine are terrible sounding. Again, no big surprise.
Now, about battery life. I don't know who was in charge of defining this aspect of this machine, but they need a checkup from the neck up. Battery performance on this machine is absolutely unacceptable. Unless you tune the system down significantly, it is very difficult to squeeze more than an hour of real usable time out of this system's battery life. The manufacturer states that it will run for 1.5 hours on the battery. I've never been able to get more than an hour out of the unit. In this day and age, this is not acceptable. Fortunately, there are very few occasions when I need to use this system where I'm not close to a power outlet.
My only other major complaint is the lack of expandability of this system. You get two SODIM memory card slots (filled with 256MBx2 sticks from the factory), three USB 2.0 ports and a Type II PCMCIA slot on this machine, and that's it. No internal expansion capabilities, no firewire, no serial or parallel connections, and you cannot swap out the combo drive easily. Given the price range of this system, I'm really not surprised, but I am a bit disappointed. Fortunately, there are an abundance of USB adapters available that allow me to do whatever is needed.
Summary:
If you just need a basic system for work or school related tasks the Acer Aspire 3004WLCi is a solid performer that can handle average use with ease. I would definitely recommend this unit to college students or traveling professionals who need an inexpensive, user-friendly laptop, but who do not plan on using their laptop on batteries very often, or who do not intend on playing many games or movies. For the price conscious consumers out there, this system is definitely worth the money. In my humble opinion, you get more than what you pay for, but not by much.
Thursday, January 1, 2009
Data Recovery - What To Do When Your Hard Drive Fails
How many times have you experienced that sickening feeling when your hard drive suddenly fails? How many times have you experienced that your hard disk just does not boot and all the data may be gone forever? A hard drive failure is one of the most common problems and worst nightmares faced by computer operators all over the world. Precious data is lost either at home or in big corporate environments. What can be done in these situations? Well, there are certain solutions that can be performed by you in order to revive your hard drive. We will talk about the solution later. First, let us discuss why a hard drive fails.
Whether the data on the hard drive can be recovered or not depends on the extent of the problem. A hard drive can be damaged due to firmware corruption, electronic failure, mechanical failure or a logical failure. Many times your hard drive may lose data due to the combination of the above mentioned factors. A hard drive may also develop bad sectors due to which the data on those sectors is lost or becomes unreadable.
Firmware refers to the information used by the computer to interact correctly with the hard drive. If the firmware fails or becomes corrupted, then important data on the hard drive is lost. In case of an electronic failure there maybe occur an electrical surge that can knock out the controller board on the hard drive and make it unusable. However data can be recovered by data recovery experts who use special data recovery software. Swapping the controller board with another one can prove to be dangerous as the information on the controller board is unique to the hard drive on which it is fitted. In comparison to electronic failure a mechanical failure can turn out to be worst as data recovery can almost become impossible. Mechanical failure includes head crash and also read/write head failure. Head crash can occur due to physical shock, power surges and movement of the computer. Next come the logical errors. Logical errors have nothing to do with the hardware part. Logical errors can occur due to corruption of the file system on the hard drive or improper entries in the file allocation table.
In case of hard drive failure it is vital to call the data recovery experts. In most cases, the information on the hard drive is important and you cannot bear to lose it. The experts enhance the possibilities of hard drive recovery in the case of failure of hard drive due to software malfunction, virus attacks and other reasons mentioned above. Data can be recovered on any type of operating system including all versions of Windows as well as Apple Macintosh, Novell, Linux, Unix and also on all types of file systems like FAT, FAT32, NTFS, NTFS5, HFS, HFS+, NWFS, EXT2 and EXT3. The experts may take the hard drive to their workshop in order to recover the lost data and then return it to you in a few days. Most of the data recovery experts have their own laboratories that are involved in testing the hard drives and repairing them.
Loss of data is the last thing that you as the customer would ever want. This is where the data recovery experts come into the picture. They cannot extract only data from hard drives, but recover data also from tape drives, cds, dvds and other important storage media. You as the consumer can take up some preventive measures like backing up all your important data at least once a week. Windows has its own feature rich backup program. There are other backup software programs available in the market that can avert a possible disaster.
Besides the concern of recovering your data, another problem is the time it may take for an expert to help. This can be a slow and tedious process. I recommend having a second complete computer source such as a laptop (for portability) that you can continue your work. This way you are never completely down and you can share important data between the two.
Whether the data on the hard drive can be recovered or not depends on the extent of the problem. A hard drive can be damaged due to firmware corruption, electronic failure, mechanical failure or a logical failure. Many times your hard drive may lose data due to the combination of the above mentioned factors. A hard drive may also develop bad sectors due to which the data on those sectors is lost or becomes unreadable.
Firmware refers to the information used by the computer to interact correctly with the hard drive. If the firmware fails or becomes corrupted, then important data on the hard drive is lost. In case of an electronic failure there maybe occur an electrical surge that can knock out the controller board on the hard drive and make it unusable. However data can be recovered by data recovery experts who use special data recovery software. Swapping the controller board with another one can prove to be dangerous as the information on the controller board is unique to the hard drive on which it is fitted. In comparison to electronic failure a mechanical failure can turn out to be worst as data recovery can almost become impossible. Mechanical failure includes head crash and also read/write head failure. Head crash can occur due to physical shock, power surges and movement of the computer. Next come the logical errors. Logical errors have nothing to do with the hardware part. Logical errors can occur due to corruption of the file system on the hard drive or improper entries in the file allocation table.
In case of hard drive failure it is vital to call the data recovery experts. In most cases, the information on the hard drive is important and you cannot bear to lose it. The experts enhance the possibilities of hard drive recovery in the case of failure of hard drive due to software malfunction, virus attacks and other reasons mentioned above. Data can be recovered on any type of operating system including all versions of Windows as well as Apple Macintosh, Novell, Linux, Unix and also on all types of file systems like FAT, FAT32, NTFS, NTFS5, HFS, HFS+, NWFS, EXT2 and EXT3. The experts may take the hard drive to their workshop in order to recover the lost data and then return it to you in a few days. Most of the data recovery experts have their own laboratories that are involved in testing the hard drives and repairing them.
Loss of data is the last thing that you as the customer would ever want. This is where the data recovery experts come into the picture. They cannot extract only data from hard drives, but recover data also from tape drives, cds, dvds and other important storage media. You as the consumer can take up some preventive measures like backing up all your important data at least once a week. Windows has its own feature rich backup program. There are other backup software programs available in the market that can avert a possible disaster.
Besides the concern of recovering your data, another problem is the time it may take for an expert to help. This can be a slow and tedious process. I recommend having a second complete computer source such as a laptop (for portability) that you can continue your work. This way you are never completely down and you can share important data between the two.
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
6 Tips For Saving Money On Your Next Computer Purchase
Buying a Computer does not need to be a budget breaker. A Computer purchase often includes additional components and software that are not needed and can be avoided...if you are well prepared with the correct information.
To help, the following tips can be used to save money on your next Computer purchase:
Tip #1 - Take a look at your Computer case. If it is not a name brand Computer more than likely the case is expandable and can be reused. Cases can cost anywhere from $25 to $100. If you have a mid tower case, check how many bays are available for CD/DVD drives, and other peripherals, Are the USB and audio ports in the front?
Cases are often an over-looked item that usually can be used over and over again.
Tip #2 - Monitor Keyboard and Mouse - Just because you are purchasing a new Computer does not mean the keyboard and mouse need to be replaced. An Optical mouse last longer than the ball style mouse. The same principal applies to keyboards, unless you are a heavy Computer user and the keys are worn and do not respond, you probably don't need a new keyboard.
Monitors may need to be replayed if want to upgrade to a larger screen size. If you are happy with your monitor and are having no problems with it, you are better of keeping it a little longer until you can afford a new Monitor.
Tip #3 - Software License - Many people forget when purchasing a new Computer the cost of the Operating System license is included in the price. If the new Computer has the same OS installed, don't pay for another license.
The same applies for other software such as Microsoft Office. Unless you want to upgrade to another OS or Office version, save your money. Significant savings can be realized by not purchasing un-needed software license costs.
Tip #4 - Consider No Name Brand - While Dell, Hp and Sony are some of the big names with Computers, the reality is that most Computers originate from the same area in Asia, specifically laptops. Consider shopping for lesser name brands, or visiting your local Computer repair store.
Unknown brand names such as Acer, are usually cheaper, yet inside the case or laptop, the parts are the same. Computer repair stores allows for customization, so you can tailor to your need, not by what is on the shelf allowing for more savings.
Tip #5 - Warranty - With Technology advancing, what seems like the speed of sound, the life span of Computers tend to run about three to five years. Its not that the hardware starts to fail, but advancements in Software requires more processing power and increased memory requirements.
Consider the length and type of warranty at time of purchase. Also consider the warranty that comes with the Computer. It may be possible that purchasing an extended warranty may not be needed for a desktop, but may be needed for laptops.
Tip #6 - Labor costs - Adding or upgrading involves labor which amounts to additional costs. If you are somewhat technical or handy, consider installing any additional components yourself. There are lots of how - to tutorials on the Internet, with video that detail many types of installations.
As always with making a big purchase, research and shop around for prices. Understanding what your price range is will keep you from overspending, while becoming knowledgeable about what you are buying, will keep the salesman commissions from emptying your wallet!
To help, the following tips can be used to save money on your next Computer purchase:
Tip #1 - Take a look at your Computer case. If it is not a name brand Computer more than likely the case is expandable and can be reused. Cases can cost anywhere from $25 to $100. If you have a mid tower case, check how many bays are available for CD/DVD drives, and other peripherals, Are the USB and audio ports in the front?
Cases are often an over-looked item that usually can be used over and over again.
Tip #2 - Monitor Keyboard and Mouse - Just because you are purchasing a new Computer does not mean the keyboard and mouse need to be replaced. An Optical mouse last longer than the ball style mouse. The same principal applies to keyboards, unless you are a heavy Computer user and the keys are worn and do not respond, you probably don't need a new keyboard.
Monitors may need to be replayed if want to upgrade to a larger screen size. If you are happy with your monitor and are having no problems with it, you are better of keeping it a little longer until you can afford a new Monitor.
Tip #3 - Software License - Many people forget when purchasing a new Computer the cost of the Operating System license is included in the price. If the new Computer has the same OS installed, don't pay for another license.
The same applies for other software such as Microsoft Office. Unless you want to upgrade to another OS or Office version, save your money. Significant savings can be realized by not purchasing un-needed software license costs.
Tip #4 - Consider No Name Brand - While Dell, Hp and Sony are some of the big names with Computers, the reality is that most Computers originate from the same area in Asia, specifically laptops. Consider shopping for lesser name brands, or visiting your local Computer repair store.
Unknown brand names such as Acer, are usually cheaper, yet inside the case or laptop, the parts are the same. Computer repair stores allows for customization, so you can tailor to your need, not by what is on the shelf allowing for more savings.
Tip #5 - Warranty - With Technology advancing, what seems like the speed of sound, the life span of Computers tend to run about three to five years. Its not that the hardware starts to fail, but advancements in Software requires more processing power and increased memory requirements.
Consider the length and type of warranty at time of purchase. Also consider the warranty that comes with the Computer. It may be possible that purchasing an extended warranty may not be needed for a desktop, but may be needed for laptops.
Tip #6 - Labor costs - Adding or upgrading involves labor which amounts to additional costs. If you are somewhat technical or handy, consider installing any additional components yourself. There are lots of how - to tutorials on the Internet, with video that detail many types of installations.
As always with making a big purchase, research and shop around for prices. Understanding what your price range is will keep you from overspending, while becoming knowledgeable about what you are buying, will keep the salesman commissions from emptying your wallet!
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