technology for dummies: May 2007

Wednesday, May 30, 2007

Keep your computer healthy

Everybody just has to have a computer these days. Life without a computer is unimaginable. I am sure that there are those who feel that life without a computer is impossible. There was a time when food, clothing and shelter were the only necessities that man had. Fast forward to today, and we have yet another necessity to add to that list -- Say hello to the friendly neighborhood computer.

Of course, now that you have a computer, you have to work on it. Certainly, there must be people who keep their PCs covered throughout the year, removing the covers once a month only to check if it is still working. But you don't need me to tell you that such people are exceptions, not the rule. So for all those of us that have to be on our computers everyday, how do we make sure that our computers are working perfectly? This is where computer tips & tricks come in.

One important aspect that requires you to use computer tips & tricks is in ensuring that your computer does not become unnecessarily slow. We all want our computers to work at the speed of light. You can ensure that your computer remains quick by carrying out Scandisk and Defrag -- two methods that are used to make your computer faster.

The function of Scandisk is to find and correct errors on the hard disk of a computer. Defrag performs the task of making sure that data files that have been stored across the disk are now reorganized in a continuous order. Defrag helps free space in which new data can now be stored. Both Scandisk and Defrag should be carried out regularly to make sure that your computer's hard disk is both error-free and not overloaded.

These two operations are among the most important of the many gazillion computer tips & tricks that computer experts recommend you to make use of. If you have embarked on a journey to find some of the best computer tips & tricks, you are not going to return empty-handed. With a large percent of the population of the world having become dependent on computers technical snags become inevitable. And the consequence of these snags is that one finds cures and way of preventing them.

So don't lose heart if your computer is threatening to crash. Consult a computer expert or a reliable online website and find some great computer tips & tricks to take care of your PC problems.

Ajeet Khurana is a web enthusiast and an author. He recommends: Computer Tips & Tricks, Internet Technologies and Technology Bites.

This article is free for republishing
Source: http://www.articlealley.com/article_163007_10.html

Saturday, May 26, 2007

Slim and sleek Nokia 6300

Nokia devices are well known for their innovative and performance rich features. Additionally, these devices are very intuitive and are available at affordable price range. That's one of the reasons why Nokia devices are leading in the global mobile phone market. Continuing with the same trend, the new launch of the Nokia 6300 is again an effort from Nokia to offer a slim yet powerful device as an affordable commodity.

The candy-bar designed handset looks great in its steel casing. A tall, slim and powerful device, featuring a wide bright screen – it provides an excellent interface for browsing and watching videos and images. Browse phone features through an ergonomically designed keypad, capture images and play your favourite songs on the move – the device is all set to change your mobile lifestyle.

The slim and lightweight mobile phone weighs only 91g and has a thickness of less than 13.1mm. Though boasting a slim profile, the device does not compromise on phone features. The Nokia 6300 comes with a 2.0 mega-pixel camera, MP3 player with FM radio and lots more – just click and capture quality pictures or play music on the go.

Nokia's successful journey in the mobile communications world is complemented by its performance and the consummate products that the company delivers. The Nokia 6300 is one of the best examples of Nokia's products. In addition to digital and multimedia applications, the device also offers messaging options such as SMS, MMS, EMS and Nokia Xpress Audio messaging – keep in touch with friends and family.

In the wireless mobile world, Nokia offers Bluetooth equipped handset, the Nokia 6300. Connect and share data through Bluetooth enabled devices. Supported with WAP, GPRS and EDGE technologies – enjoy browsing high speed mobile internet or transfer files swiftly in no time. The Nokia 6300 has everything that can change your mobile lifestyle.

Source: http://www.articlealley.com/article_165145_45.html

Taking care of your printer

Of all the peripherals and devices on the typical desk, the one usually taken for granted is the printer. Most of us don't pay much attention to the printer unless something isn't printing the way we want it or it won't print at all!

The bad news is that because of the heavy usage placed on printers, they tend to "mess up" pretty frequently if you don't take care of them. The good thing is that maintaining printers in top condition is for the most part, fairly painless. Most common malfunctions are easily prevented.

Obviously, the easiest way to avoid printing problems is to keep your printer in good shape. The good news is that doing so is pretty quick and easy. Just a couple of minutes devoted to a few maintenance steps will keep your printer almost entirely free of most common problems.

1) Use Your Printer: The number one problem (as reported to us) is poor print output... missing colors, lines in the print, etc. Using your printer on a regular basis, at least 2-3 times per week, will keep the ink flowing through the nozzles. Each ink nozzle opening is about half the size of a human hair and there are hundreds of them on the average print head! If you don't print often, you can keep your printer nozzles open and reduce the incidence of clogging. Here's how:
Simply place a "sticky note" on your computer monitor to remind you to print something in both black and color at least TWO TIMES a week. For example, use a colorful web page to print. This will use MUCH LESS ink than having to run multiple print head cleaning cycles through the printer utility. What a waste that is!

2) Power Down Properly: Don't forget to turn your printer off when not in use (end of day). This will help prevent clogging of the nozzles in the print head. ALWAYS use the printer's on/off switch, not a 'power strip'. Using the on/off switch will fully activate the print head capping mechanism and help prevent drying/clogging of the print nozzles.

3) Remove Paper Dust and Other Debris: As you might imagine, all that paper feeding through various rollers and guides tends to leave dust behind. Depending on how many pages you usually print per week and the weight of the paper (heavier bonds leave more dust), cleaning out the interior of your printer with a can of compressed air every one to two weeks improves the ability of your printer to feed pages. Also, visually inspect for the larger stuff like paper clips, etc.

Note: NEVER use an electrical powered vacuum as it can cause a short in your printer and quite possibly "fry" the electronics in it (battery powered is O.K.)

If you live in a dusty area and/or have pets inside, simply put a cover over the printer (plastic or cloth) to reduce the amount of dust or hair into the printer. Make sure your printer is off before doing so.

4) Handle Ink Cartridges Properly When Replacing: This one might not seem that important but ink cartridges are quite delicate, specifically, the electrical contacts and chips. They may become damaged or impeded by fingerprint oil. This can cause the printer to signal the dreaded "cartridge not recognized" error and/or cause poor print quality. Wiping the contacts using a q-tip slightly moistened with alcohol will clean them up nicely.

5) Make Use of Diagnostic Tools: All printers have built-in self test programs and other software diagnostic utilities. Take the time to learn how to access and use them. The information they provide can help correct a problem well before it even occurs. Here's How:
For WinXP go to Start>Control Panel. Doulble-click on Printers and Faxes. Place your cursor on your default printer (the one with the "check mark" on it) and double-click to bring up the printer status dialog and choose the "Help" button for diagnostic and troubleshooting access.

6) Often-times non-print issues or printer error messages can be EASILY corrected by simply turning the printer off (using it's on/off switch) and then, UNPLUGGING it from the power outlet for at least ten minutes. Re-plug the printer, turn it on and try printing.
You’ll be amazed at how many times this solves the problem!

About the author

This article is written by Phil McKinney owner of Max Patch Ink Supplies. Max Patch Ink is a highly trusted supplier of compatible and remanufactured printer ink cartridges. Check out the many other free printer tips.

This article is copyright
Source: http://www.articlealley.com/article_164779_10.html

Thursday, May 24, 2007

The Future of Mobile Data Communications - HSDPA

HSDPA, High Speed Downlink Packet Access, offers breakthrough mobile data speed – up to 14Mbps which is higher than most advanced 3G network in existence – as well as three-to five-fold sector throughput increase, which translates into significantly more data users on a single 3G carrier spectrum. This substantial increase in data rate and throughput is achieved through implementing a fast and complex channel control mechanism based on short physical layer frames. By delivering low cost and rich content applications, operators will be able to differentiate their services, create brand loyalty, grow data revenue and margins. Another important characteristic of HSDPA is the reduced variance in downlink transmission delay. A guaranteed short delay time is important for many applications such as interactive games and instant chatting. In general, HSDPA’s enhancements can be used to implement efficiently, the ‘interactive’ and ‘background’ Quality of Service classes standardized by 3GPP. HSDPA’s high data rates also improve streaming applications on shared packet channel, while the shortened roundtrip time will benefit web-browsing applications. As a result of these enhancements, operators using HSDPA will be able to support considerably higher numbers of high data users on a single radio carrier than is possible with any existing 3G technology.

PLDT (Smart) and Globe both offer Internet connectivity via this technology. PLDT's WeRoam offers connection via HSPDA/3G/EDGE and GPRS of the SMART network whichever is available. While WeRoam is cheaper than Globe's Visibility, Globe promises a fast connection of up to 3.6Mbps. You can also experience HSDPA on some cellular phones, like the Samsung SGH-Z560. But be sure to have a deep pocket, this is not your ordinary phone though.