Is the Apple iPad for You?
Yesterday’s announcement by Steve Jobs was exciting to say the least. For anyone looking for a portable browser, reader, and multimedia device, the iPad is a game-changer. It also promises to be extremely handy for managing personal data like contacts, calendaring, and email. However, if what you need is a portable ‘primary’ business device, this will likely not be it.
The iPad’s stand-out features are its multi-touch screen, extremely light weight (a little over a pound), all-day battery, and low price ($499 to start). It does everything you can currently do on an iPod Touch but on a 9.7 inch screen. For games, reading an e-book, or surfing the Web and emailing from your favorite coffee shop the iPad is almost untouchable (pardon the pun) except for not supporting Flash or Silverlight which knocks out a lot of Web content. For students, scientists, artists, and business professionals, the iPad lacks the tools for serious data entry. The on-screen keyboard is not a full QWERTY and is too small and uncomfortable to use for more than just a few minutes. The iPad also does not come with a stylus and does not support handwriting recognition. This kills any extended note-taking for meetings and classes. While Steve Jobs touted the iWorks business applications one wonders how you can seriously work on a spreadsheet with just your fingers. To address the problem of losing significant screen real estate when the keyboard is launched Apple announced a plug-in external keyboard. However the iPad does not support the use of an external monitor and amazingly the iPad does not have any USB ports. Expandability is limited to a dock for the keyboard and a SIM card tray – that’s it. Also incredible is the lack of a built-in video camera so video conferencing is out of the question.
The iPad comes with a 1 GHz processor, 64 GB flash memory, and the iPhone’s operating system. As you can see this is not really a Tablet PC or a Slate PC but a large handheld device that is extremely powerful for its niche. Having no stylus, no ports to speak of, no expandable memory, no Adobe Flash support, and no way to work on more than one application at a time, means this device is impractical for real-world business applications. So don’t trash your laptop, Netbook, or Tablet PC just yet. However if Apple includes the aforementioned features in future versions of the iPad watch out!
What’s the difference between Intel Dual Core and Core 2 Duo?
- Intel’s Core 2 Duo & Dual Core processors
The simple answer is, “not much difference.” Both are Pentium processors and both contain two separate processing cores. Intel’s Dual Core and Core 2 Duo are two product lines. The Pentium Dual Core is the budget line and the Core 2 Duo the premium line. These CPU’s are 95% identical. The premium Core 2 Duo has higher L2 cache. That is really the only technical difference between the two lines of processors.
The Core 2 Duo has between 2 and 6 MB cache. The Pentium Dual Core line only has 1 MB cache. By the way, each processor has an Intel number, like e5200 or e7500, so you can look up the specs online. Is it worth shelling out a couple hundred bucks for more MB cache? If you know how to over clock your processor, or you are using the PC for home and small office use, the answer is no. The Pentium Dual Core will be just fine. However, for each MB of cache you probably increase system responsiveness by 10%. That means if you spend another $200 for a Core 2 Duo with 2 MB cache you will likely not feel the difference in performance. You are going to spend considerably more for 6 MB cache. Is it worth it? For most folks it isn’t.
How to Build a PC – Every Step Explained
Will Smith (not the actor) is the gentleman in the video and the editor of Maximum PC. They shot this video demonstration to show people how to build a killer PC, one step at a time. It’s really a great reference for beginners and experts alike. This video was created for viewing by attendees of Comic-Con 2009.
Is it still cheaper to build your own PC?
Build your own PC?
With so much competition in the PC marketplace it is generally less-expensive to buy a built PC than to build your own. Why? If you are looking to use a PC for basic business, or for home/student use, you simply can’t buy the pieces needed to build a PC for what you can buy a budget PC for these days. Of course if you are in the market for a gaming PC, or other high-end unit, you can actually save a little money on parts if you know what you are doing. However, once you factor in time, you will probably still be better off buying a built unit, that is, if you can find one that meats your specs.
On-the-other-hand building your own PC has value in itself. If you enjoy puzzles and tinkering the fun and excitement of building your own hotrod will be worth it. Another approach is to buy an expandable PC with the basic features you want and then to add components as you wish. This can save you money if, for example, the PC is expandable to 16 GB of RAM but you buy it with only 2 GB. Manufacturer RAM upgrades are usually much more expensive than it would be for you to buy and install your RAM after purchase. This may also be true of larger secondary hard drives.
In the final analysis you will usually do better just shopping around for the best deal. If you want to latest and greatest, you know what you are doing, and you enjoy the process, then building your own is the way to go.
This article is based on input from PC users here.
New Windows 7 Features and Keyboard Shortcuts
In this video Chris shows us some new features of Windows 7. You can see the new Aero features: Aero Snap, Aero Shake, and Aero Peak. Chris also explains how Jump Lists are used and shows the new pin to taskbar functionality. So have a short look and see what’s possible.
Now we show you the new and best keyboard shortcuts in Windows 7. Take a look, learn, and enjoy!
How the Internet Works and Tips On Solving Browser Problems
How does the Internet work? What is a browser? What should you be aware of when browsing the Net? Why do Web sites appear differently in different browser? With the help of Florian, and his aunt, we share tips and tricks regarding the use of a web browser. You will find the videos below helpful in explaining these concepts to others.
In this second video we explain how you can solve browser display problems and we provide some tips, tricks, and valuable resources for webmasters, web developers, and web designers. If your site is not working just right you really should watch this informative video.
What Is a Denial of Service (DoS) Attack?
The name of this attack, “denial of service” (DoS), refers to the intended result. Also known as a “distributed denial-of-service attack (DDoS attack), these types of attacks attempt to make a Web site unresponsive, in other words to crash it. Of course the target can be any Internet site or service but the most likely targets are high-profile servers.
The perpetrators of these attacks usually flood the target with massive requests. The servers get overwhelmed and stop responding to legitimate requests. A “successful” denial of service attack forces the target computer to either reset or it consumes so much of the server’s resources that it can no longer provide service to its customers. These attacks are malicious, malevolent, and unethical. Perpetrators may be prosecuted under the laws of some countries.
For more technical information go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denial-of-service_attack.
Dr. Ware Will Launch a New Low-cost Electronic Health Records/Practice Management System
Dr. Ware, in partnership with Microsoft and PracticeFusion, is happy to announce the launch of a world-class Electronic Health Records EMR/PMS system on September 15, 2009. In step with our SaaS (Software as a Service) and “managed services” business model we will be offering doctors and hospitals a suite of offerings targeted at reducing IT costs while increasing efficiency and bringing patients improved care. The three primary modules in this system will be:
Practice Fusion addresses the critical needs of today’s healthcare environments by providing a revolutionary application and delivery model for physicians and patients at no cost. Practice Fusion’s award-winning, free, web-based applications require no on-site software, hardware and integration, eliminating the burden of supporting traditional enterprise software products. As a result, Practice Fusion dramatically reduces costs and complexities, enabling medical practitioners to deliver the highest level of care possible to their patients.
Microsoft® HealthVaultTM, is a platform that puts people in control of their health data. It helps them collect, store, and share health information with family members and healthcare providers, and it provides people with a choice of third-party applications to help them manage things like fitness, diet, and health. Microsoft has also developed HealthVaultTM Search, a new intuitive Web search service that helps people discover answers to their health questions, learn more about topics important to them, confidentially store the information they discover, and act on that knowledge to improve their health and wellness. Healthcare organizations can use the HealthVault platform to deliver compatible tools and services to facilitate communication between patients and healthcare professionals and enable patients to participate more actively in their care.
Microsoft Online Services makes it easy for you to leverage and rapidly deploy familiar Microsoft server products as flexible services. These hosted services-our Business Productivity Online Standard Suite-include the following:
Exchange Online
Provide employees access to e-mail, calendar, and contacts from virtually anywhere, at anytime, on desktops, laptops, and mobile devices-while helping to protect against malware and spam. Exchange Online can be rapidly deployed, flexibly expanded, and is designed to be securely administered using a powerful yet easy-to-use Web-based console.
SharePoint Online
Share documents, contacts, calendars, and tasks in a single location. Based on Microsoft Office SharePoint® Server 2007, SharePoint Online delivers rich collaboration capabilities that enable team members to flexibly and efficiently collaborate, find organizational resources, search your intranet site, and manage content and workflow.
Office Live Meeting
Connect with colleagues and customers through real-time meetings, training sessions, and events using only a PC with an Internet connection. Hosted Web conferencing services from Microsoft Office Live Meeting give your employees the power to collaborate wherever they are, to set up project meetings, brainstorm ideas, and collaborate on whiteboards without the cost and hassle of travel!
Office Communications Online
Enable users to find and rapidly connect with the right person from the applications they use most. Office Communications Online provides streamlined access to rich presence and instant messaging capabilities that are centrally managed by IT and work seamlessly with a range of Microsoft Office system programs.
With this combination of services doctors and hospitals can concentrate on caring for their patients while they employ low-cost integrated solutions that promote communication between all participants involved in a patient’s care – labs, pharmacies, insurance companies, employers, family members, etc. I.T. support resides on the desktop and is monitored full-time for immediate response. PracticeFusion is free, Microsoft® HealthVaultTM is free, and Microsoft’s Online Services are as little as $15 a month per user for the complete suite. No in-house server(s), networks, IT staff required. Additionally an integrated solution allows patients to use devices at home: like blood-glucose meters, pulse oximeters, blood-pressure gauges, and even scales. The data is automatically uploaded to the patient’s HealthVaultTM account and then made available, by the patient, to medical professionals and/or family, etc. If you would like more information we would love to speak with you. Feel free to contact us.
10 Men Who Helped Shape Today’s Technology Landscape
Often a good idea, hard work, and timing contribute heavily toward a successful venture. Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, Jeff Bezos, Larry Ellison, Pierre Omidyar, Shawn Fanning, Sergey Brin, and Mark Cuban are tech industry leaders who underscore these principles. Their experiences, thinking outside the “norm,” have given them much earned insights to pass on to those willing to listen. This 60 Minutes montage covers interviews with these men at different times and situations over several years. While their companies have changed over time they had some interesting things to say about their contributions to technology and the world.
Plans For Microsoft’s Retail Stores – The (interactive) Details
According to Gizmodo the presentation below was leaked to them, “by Lippicott, a ‘design and brand strategy’ consultant firm with extensive retail experience that it appears Microsoft has hired to help develop the store’s concept, principles, and design. It looks pretty legit to us–if it’s a fake, it’s fairly elaborate, with detailed graphics, research, plans and even rough store layouts.”
To operate the presentation start by clicking on the Home icon at the top. You can drag the slides around with your mouse and zoom in/out by using your scroll wheel (or the buttons in the top left corner). To view in full screen mode click on icon in the top right. Enjoy!