1. LCD Price Fixing Admission Leads to Nokia Lawsuit

    January 8, 2010 by admin

    On the heels of a Department of Justice investigation into LCD manufacturers comes a lawsuit that will hurt them even further. Nokia has launched a case aimed at making the LCD manufacturers pay after they admitted to price fixing efforts.

    Nokia has alleged federal violations as well as antitrust violations and is looking at trebled damages for the federal violations. The case seems to carry a lot weight as the LCD manufacturers have been documented to having agreed on production allocations and market shares between each other at regular meetings over the past decade. The companies involved are not small fry either, the big boys of production like Samsung, Hitachi, Epson, LG, Sharp and Toshiba are names implicated by the DOJ investigation.

    Nokia is undoubtedly looking to gain some financial buffering from this payout when it happens, as it most undoubtedly will, to prop up their tottering bottom lines. But who can really blame them? The inflated prices pushed on Nokia by the manufacturers would have hurt them anyway during the decade long period and this is merely payback. The problem for the LCD manufacturers is that they have already admitted to their guilt and this has the effect of dropping a pint of blood in shark infested waters. Nokia is actually the second company to files lawsuits (the first was AT&T), and that too in the U.S. and U.K., depending on the outcome, the other “sharks” will seek blood.

    The only thing certain about the outcome of this lawsuit is that the LCD manufacturing cartel is about to take the biggest hit in their collective manufacturing history.

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  2. The Pros and Cons of Laptop versus Desktop Computers

    January 7, 2010 by admin

    When choosing a PC the eternally confusing question is - Laptop or Desktop? This can keep you wondering for a long time, at which point prices tend to change and you have another dilemma on your hands.

    In reality the question should be - What is the purpose of this computer? If the answer or answers are email, chat, social networking or something similar, then it does not really matter what you get. Then the issue just boils down to the space you have to place the PC, Cost and aesthetics. But if you come with more specific answers like taking notes in college, drawing architectural diagrams, working while you travel, graphic design, etc then your choices are more clear cut.

    A desktop PC is bulky, but it offers more in terms of power, hardware expansion and much bigger displays. People involved in any type of design or graphical work and even gamers should only consider this type of PC. For those who are familiar in tinkering with the innards of a desktop, customizing and upgrading it is a piece of cake. It is also less likely to suffer from overheating problems and problems stemming from vibration, etc.

    Laptops have the ultimate advantage over a desktop - Mobility. It goes, where you go. This fact alone makes it the only choice for busy executives, students, researchers, etc. Laptops are portable and get smaller everyday; this coupled with the mobility and the aesthetics is a powerful package. However, a limited screen size, heating and fragility are problems when using a laptop.

    In the end there is no clear winner and quite rightly so. The competition really is between the manufacturers and not between the differing architectures of the Laptop and Desktop. They are two forms of the same technology designed to suit different purposes. Therefore, when you do decide, make the decision with the purpose in mind and you will not regret it later.

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  3. Backing Up Your Files

    January 1, 2010 by admin

    We tend to realize the importance of backing up our files only after a hard disk crashes. By this time of course it is too late and the recovery of those files can be a very expensive proposition.

    Creating a backup is basically the act of creating a copy of the file on another medium. This can be another hard disk on the same computer or onto a CD or DVD depending on the size of the backup. Never create a backup on the same hard disk you are backing up from, because this defeats the whole reason for the backup. Once you do take a back up, if it is portable, store in a safe location.

    In the case of businesses, backups become very important. At the most basic level, financial records must be backed up. Usually companies tend to do three different backups - Daily, Weekly and Monthly. The daily backup stores only the files that have been updated from the previous day, and the weekly back up stores files that been updated compared to the previous week. The monthly back up, however, takes a back up of the all the data files regardless of whether they were updated or not.

    This also differs to the others in that it is stored offsite in a secure location unlike the other two which remain onsite in a secure location.
    With the amount of Virus, Trojan and Worm attacks that are prevalent today, performing a backup becomes all the more important for everyone who uses a computer.

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  4. Hard Disk Maintenance - Correct Methods to Maintain a Hard Disk

    by admin

    Although you may not realize it, your computer’s hard disk is a very important part of your computer. This is the component that stores all your data and is the only thing that will restore your data should you decide to upgrade to a newer computer. As a result the hard disk must be protected in certain ways so as to not lose any data.

    Never ever physically shut down power when the hard disk light is on or blinking. This means that the hard disk is working and transferring data. Any power loss at this point not only results in data loss but also in physical damage to the platters within the hard disk. Please note that shutting down in this instance refers to a loss in power and not the shut down process offered by the operating system which is the proper way to power down your computer.

    Ensure that the environment you work in is as dust free as possible. Hard disks are capable of absorbing minute granules of dust which in turn cause physical damage within the hard disk. You must also keep your computer free of any excessive vibration or physical movement when the computer is in use. This will also lead to the hard disk developing problems.

    You should regularly perform disk defragmentation if you have frequent creation and deletion of files. The defragmentation process will clear the hard disk of fragmented files and to put it bluntly “put all the files in a neat order”. This enables faster seek times in a hard disk which will result in faster data retrieval for you.

    If you follow the above guidelines you should be able to keep your hard disk running in good health for a long time to come.

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  5. Managing Scareware

    December 24, 2009 by admin

    You are browsing the Internet and things are going smoothly when suddenly, a message pops up informing you that your computer is under threat and that you need to click on the link that is found within that message.

    This type of message is known as Scareware and has become a common problem these days. Their true intent is basically to scare you into clicking whatever link is presented to you and thereby taking you into real danger. Whatever you do, do not believe the message, and do not click on the link.

    So how did you get this message on your browser? This may not be as mysterious as you think. Let us say you downloaded some harmless little program that made Santa Clause dance on your desktop. This might have looked cute and kept you entertained for a little while. You might have even deleted the program thereafter. What you do not realize is that the “harmless” little program contained a Trojan (a type of virus) which infected you system with the Scareware. Trojans will not disappear even after uninstalling the original carrier software.

    So how do you avoid Scareware? If you are experiencing Scareware, do not click on any of the links that appear. Simply close those pop-up windows, then close the browser and follow these tips. The first step is to install a Virus Scanner. This will prevent any new Trojans from entering your system and will also remove any existing Trojans in the system. Next, you should consider installing a Firewall. This will prevent any unauthorized communications from taking place. In addition to this, you can install software which hides your IP. This will ensure that your true IP does not appear to any hacker that might be out there which, in turn, means that they cannot access you system in any way.
    By making sure your system is protected, you can avoid any type of Scareware from bothering you in the future.

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  6. Seven Tips to Prevent Registry Errors

    by admin

    The Windows Registry is a sort of accounts keeper for all the software programs and settings that exist on your Windows-based computer. Every new program that you install will add one or more entries to the registry. In most cases, these entries remain in your system even after you uninstall the program. Your registry can report errors due to various reasons. Here are seven ways in which you can avoid them.

    1. Uninstall software properly - Use the Add/Remove option in Windows XP or Programs in Windows Vista and 7. Simply deleting the folder where the software was installed will not get rid of registry entries.

    2. Get rid of leftover entries - Using a registry cleaning software you can remove entries left behind by programs that did not uninstall completely. If you are experienced with it you can use “Regedit” which is found on any windows system to manually remove entries.

    3. Use an Anti-Virus program - Malicious software will often cause registry errors. Use an Anti-Virus program regularly to avoid such entities entering your system.

    4. Use a firewall - This will provide additional protection when used with Step 3.

    5. Disable the Remote Registry and Remote Assistance services - If you do not use these services you might as well disable them. Left unused, they represent a risk, so you must take steps to address this issue.

    6. Backup your Registry - Before you do any change whatsoever to your Registry, you must always make a backup. This way, if you do encounter errors after the changes, you can replace the Registry with the copy you backed up.

    7. Use registry cleaner software - Use this software once every two weeks to help you remove any outdated and unneeded entries which the deleted software may have left behind.

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  7. Piano Learning Software - Rocket Piano Review

    December 18, 2009 by admin

    Anyone who can play any musical instrument will tell you that it was the most time consuming, and single-minded effort that they have ever made. Ruth Searle, an accomplished pianist from New Zealand, has produced a piano course that takes some of the difficulty from learning to play piano, Rocket Piano.

    When you purchase Rocket Piano you will receive:
    Three Rocket Piano instructional books, a beginner, intermediate, and advanced.
    133 audio files.
    57 video lessons.
    Rocket Piano Jazz and Gospel books.
    Jayde Musica Pro, a software game for learning to read music.
    Chordinator, software for learning to read piano chords from sheet music.
    Rocket Piano virtual metronome.
    Advanced learning techniques for piano.
    Perfect Pitch Pro, software game for developing note recognition.
    Lifetime access to their website and utilities, with e-mail support.

    This course teaches the very basic concepts at the start, all the while demonstrating not only what is correct, but the common mistakes to avoid. This course will have you playing quickly, and advancing on to intermediate and advanced levels in no time. The level advancement is an effective way of learning, and the videos and other learning aids definitely reinforce the learning experience, providing visual aids and games to the learning experience.

    The Advanced Learning Techniques for the Piano book, and Perfect Pitch Pro program are excellent add-ons that any musician would find invaluable aides in learning any instrument, not just the piano. Price varies from place to place, so shop around, but for the money, Rocket Piano should have you playing like a pro in no time

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  8. The Top Ten Reasons iTunes Sucks

    December 17, 2009 by admin

    With the popularity of iPods and iPhones, it is easy to see why Apple’s iTunes is still one of the most commonly used music players. Despite its popularity and wide range of users, it still leaves much to be desired for the everyday music lover.

    An explanation of why Apple’s iTunes library player sucks is that above all else, it is a store. Although iTunes started as a very easy to use and great music player, it has become just a side application of the iTunes store. Updates have become a second priority and almost all of its features link back to the store.

    Because of the iTunes store being the top priority, a lot of iTunes music player has become very out-of-date. The main disadvantages here are that they put a large strain on your computer with a massive memory for just a music player. They also do not support any other music formats, cannot transport any music through your iPod and it downloads several other programs onto your computer such as QuickTime just to run.

    When you click on a song or artist, iTunes will direct you to their store where you can purchase more of their music, while other music players will direct you to their Wikipedia pages. This is a large disadvantage for many people using the program. Finally, there is also no plug-in architecture, the drag and drop is choppy and because of its lack of updates, iTunes runs fairly slow on most computers.

    Although the iTunes music player has so many issues, if you are using it to simply transfer music onto your iPod then it should be a sufficient way to do so. However, if you are a music junkie and looking for a way to listen to music while on your computer, then you will need to find another player.

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  9. How to Pick the Best Inkjet Printer

    December 12, 2009 by admin

    Although, figuratively speaking, there are a million different Inkjet printer models in the market, buying one is a simple task if you follow certain guidelines.

    1. Decide on the features. These days, Inkjet “printers” not only print but also scan, fax, and copy. Having all three features is now common, so this does not have to be a very crucial factor in your decision.

    2. Pick the top three to five brands and choose a few models that you think are right for you. Do not go for the cheapest (unless your budget is really low) or the most expensive. Go for something in the middle.

    3. Once you have your list, look for user reviews. Do not bother with experts’ reviews as they tend to get taken up with some technical aspect that is extremely fascinating to them but would really make no difference to the common user. Based on the information you gathered, prune your list down.

    4. For the remaining models on your list, check the prices of ink cartridges and the promised yields. An important fact about ink cartridges is that they are the means of revenue for a printer manufacturer. Inkjet printers cost less because they sold for less than the manufacturing cost. The manufacturer then prices the inkjet cartridges higher to recover the resulting loss. The promised yields are figures derived from printing in ideal/perfect conditions. So take those figures with a pinch of salt.

    Once you finalized your list, the choice is really down to price and personal choice. You can be sure that at this point you are getting a printer that will last you several years without too much trouble or excessive operating costs.

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  10. Basic Windows Shortcut Keys - Cut, Copy and Paste

    December 11, 2009 by admin

    While working on a document on your computer, you will find yourself using the mouse several times to click on various buttons to perform various tasks. As you keep working it becomes frustrating and even leading to a break in the flow of what you are doing when you have to keep switching one hand from the keyboard to the mouse. Using shortcut keys can help you speed up and keep you going at your work smoothly.
    Shortcut keys are just that - a shortcut to a task that would normally need one or more clicks with a mouse. This typically involves two or more keys. Some of the most common and used shortcuts are the Cut, Copy and Paste commands. If you are not familiar with the shortcut keys for these commands, let us take a closer look at them.

    For the purposes of this exercise we will use Windows Notepad as it is available on any Windows based computer. Open the Notepad application and type any sentence you like. It does not even have to make sense; all we need is a sentence of sufficient length that is suitable for you to experiment with. Now hold down the “CTRL” key and tap on the letter “A”. You will notice the entire sentence has been selected and you may let go of both keys. You have just performed the Select All task using this shortcut. Using this shortcut key will enable you to select the entire contents of the document to cut, copy or even delete.

    Next, while the selection is still highlighted try holding down on the “CTRL” key and tap on the letter “X”. The highlighted text would have vanished. Although the text is gone, it is stored temporarily in memory so that you can paste it back to the same or another location of your choosing. You have now performed a Cut command. To paste it back all you have to do is hold down on the “CTRL” key and tap on the letter “V”. This is known as the Paste command.

    Do the Select All command again and this time, hold down on the “CTRL” key and tap on the letter “C”. You will not see any change but the entire selection has been committed to temporary memory so that it can be pasted to any location you need. This is known as the Copy command. The difference between the Cut and Copy commands is that with Cut, the text then deleted from the original location after being copied to temporary memory.

    You will find that these shortcuts are universal in Windows operating systems and therefore useful in a myriad of tasks and not just limited to text based documents.

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