2007/09/14

A Purchase Guide to Budget Notebooks


A Purchase Guide to Budget Notebooks


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WindowBlinds is safe and easy to use. It doesn't alter any system files and users can switch between the default Windows look and feel and a custom WindowBlinds skin with the click of a button. In addition, WindowBlinds has been tested to ensure it works with Windows Vista, so you know it is compatible, reliable,, and more secure.

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Since it became commercially available back in the early eighties, notebooks called the attention of computer users because of its small size and portability. Not much of a commercial success back then, it only took a short time before the computer industry improved this item, up to a point that is now considered to be one of the best selling computer consumer products.

For one who intends to buy a budget notebook, he may have some difficulties in picking the right one, since there are several notebook manufactures offering so many models. Budget notebooks are in a class by itself with basic features but capable of delivering full solutions for computer related tasks.

For an easy guide to budget notebooks, check the following major manufactures:

SONY

Sony VAIO notebooks are fashioned products targeted to consumers who demand flexibility and power without compromise. It is expected to find features such as 15.4`` WXGA, duo core processor and 100 gb hard disk. Although not the cheapest of budget notebooks, it compensates the higher price by offering more technological features.

Most common features one can expect from Sony budget notebooks: 1 - Intel Core Duo Processor T2250 1.72 Ghz; 2 - Windows Vista; 3 - 1 gb DDR2 ram; 4 - Widescreen XGA display type; 5 - Intel graphics media accelerator 950; 6 - 100 gb SATA hard disk 5400 rpm; 7 - CD-RW/DVD rom; 8 - wireless lan 802.11 a/b/g; 9 - Modem and Lan port 10/100; 10 - USB connectivity; 11 - It weighs around 6.5 pounds; 12 - Lithium ion battery up to 5.5 hours; 13 - One year limited warranty. Price starts from U$ 929.00 and up according with optional accessories.

DELL

With features such as 15.4`` WXGA, duo core processor and ATI Radeon Xpress graphics, Dell budget notebooks offer a flexible combination of power, mobile productivity and entertainment at a good price.

Most common features one can expect out of these notebooks are: 1 - AMD Turion 62 X2 1.8 ghz/1mb cache processor; 2 - Windows Vista; 3 - 512 mb ram; 4 - Widescreen XGA display type; 5 - ATI Radeon Xpress 256 mb video graphics chipset; 6 - Up to 80 gb hard disk; 7 - CD-RW/DVD rom; 8 - It weighs around 6 pounds; 9 - 9-cell lithium ion battery; 10 - One year limited warranty. Price starts from U$ 549.00 and up according with optional accessories.

TOSHIBA

All Toshiba budget notebooks feature an 15.4`` diagonal WXGA display, DVD optical drive which reads and writes up to 11 formats, high speed wireless lan (802.11 b/g) for easy connection in networks.

Most common features one can expect out of these notebooks are: 1 - Intel Celeron processor with 1+ Ghz; 2 - Windows Vista; 3 - 512 mb ram; 4 - Widescreen XGA display type; 5 - Radeon Xpress 200M video graphics chipset; 6 - 60 gb hard disk; 7 - CD-RW/DVD rom; 8 - wireless lan but no Bluetooth connectivity; 9 - Modem and Lan port 10/100 mbps; 10 - USB and firewire connectivity; 11 - It weighs around 5 pounds; 12 - 4-cell lithium ion battery; 13 - Tv-out s-video; 14 - One year parts and labor warranty. Price starts from U$ 599.00 and up according with optional accessories.

HP

HP Budget notebooks with features such as 15.4`` display screen, AMD Sempron 3500+ and a sophisticated black resin finish, offer an attractive mix of style, mobility and performance.

Expected features one can find in this HP notebook category: 1 - AMD Sempron 3500+; 2 - Windows Vista; 3 - 15.4`` WXGA Widescreen; 3 - 512 mb ddr2; 4 - CD-RW/DVD rom; 4 - Wireless connectivity 802.11b/g wlan; 5 - It weighs around 7 pounds; 6 - Nvidia video graphics chipset with 256 mb; 7 - 6-cell lithium ion battery; 8 - USB, lan and modem port; 9 - Integrated stereo speakers; 10 - 60 gb SATA hard disk; 11 - Tv-out s-video; 12 - One year warranty in parts and labor. Price starts from U$ 569.00 and up according with optional accessories.

A while ago portable electronics devices were a luxury at an expensive price. Nowadays it became an affordable must have kind of product for lots of people. Notebooks are in this category for sure! And basic notebooks are the best option for those who are in a tight budget. So, if portability is a must for your personal or professional computer related tasks, waste no more time. Get yourself a budget notebook!

Roberto Sedycias
IT Consultant for PoloMercantil

This article is under GNU FDL license and can be distributed without any previous authorization from the author. However the author´s name and all the URL´s (links) mentioned in the article and biography must be kept.





About the Author: This article can also be accessed in portuguese language from the News Article section of page PoloMercantil

Roberto Sedycias has a bachelor degree in Business Administration and over 20 years experience in systems analysis and computer programming. Currently working as IT consultant for www.PoloMercantil.com.br

2007/09/08

Mac OS X Server version 10.4 Tiger offers 200+ new features

The fifth major release of Apple’s award-winning server operating system, Mac OS X Server version 10.4 Tiger offers 200+ new features and builds on more than 100 of the latest open source projects. Get started now with the 10-client edition for only $499. Or provide services to everyone on your network with the unlimited-client edition for $999.


Manage Macintosh and Windows workgroups

Mac OS X Server gives you everything you need to provide standards-based workgroup and Internet services — without the complexity of Linux or the cost inherent in other UNIX-based solutions. Manage Mac and Windows workgroups. Enable secure and efficient collaboration. Host dynamic websites, stream media and run enterprise applications. And while you’re doing it — integrate seamlessly with your existing infrastructure. Best of all, Apple streamlines these management tasks with applications and utilities that are both powerful and easy to use.


UNIX-based

UNIX at the core



The power and simplicity of Mac OS X Server begin with a UNIX-based foundation built around the Mach microkernel and the latest advances from the open source BSD community. The result is a stable, high-performance 64-bit computing platform that’s ideal for deploying server-based applications and services.


Come in it's open

Open Standards. Apple Ease of Use.


Instead of developing proprietary technologies, Apple has embraced the best open source projects, such as Apache, Samba, OpenLDAP, Kerberos, Postfix, Jabber and SpamAssassin. Mac OS X Server integrates these robust technologies and enhances them with a unified, consistent management interface. Powerful administrative tools permit novices to configure and maintain core network services — while providing the advanced features you require if you’re an experienced IT professional.



ACL Permissions window

Model Citizen in a Multiplatform World


Because it’s built on open standards, Mac OS X Server is compatible with your existing computing infrastructure. It uses native protocols to deliver directory services, file and printer sharing and secure network access to Mac, Windows and Linux clients. New support for access control lists (ACLs) provides flexible file system permissions that are fully compatible with the native file permissions of Windows 2003 and Windows XP. And a standards-based directory services architecture called Open Directory offers centralized management of network resources using any LDAP server — even proprietary servers such as Microsoft Active Directory.



Server Admin
Workgroup Manager

Industry-Leading Management Tools


You don’t need to be a UNIX guru to take advantage of Mac OS X Server and its full complement of services. Server Admin provides a graphical user interface that makes it easy to configure, manage and monitor services from any Internet-connected Mac OS X system. You also get the powerful Workgroup Manager application, an easy-to-use tool for setting up user accounts, defining groups and managing computing resources in a directory-based network environment.


Fits into IT Budgets Everywhere


Stable, compatible, easy to use and easy on the budget too. A complete suite of workgroup and Internet services is included in the box, so you can get started right away. Mac OS X Server is available in 10-client and unlimited-client editions. With the unlimited-client edition, there are no additional per-seat fees for connecting more users, making it an affordable solution for organizations of any size.

Mac mini

Live the digital life in stylish simplicity — up to 39% faster.1 Just 6.5 inches square and 2 inches small, Mac mini lets you have more fun with your music, photos, and movies, more quickly and more easily. Enjoy them up close or far away with the included Apple Remote. The most affordable way to Intel Core 2 Duo, iLife ’08, and Front Row starts at $599.



Intel Core 2 Duo chip

Power has never been this economical.


Mac mini makes it easy and affordable to work with digital photos, movies, music, and the web. And now it all happens with the blazing speed of the Intel Core 2 Duo. Delivering unprecedented power in such a small package, the Mac mini runs up to 39% faster than previously. Coupled with the world’s most advanced operating system, Mac OS X, Mac mini runs all your modern and innovative software, speedily.



iLife ’08

Your digital life starts here.


Mac mini comes with iLife ’08, a suite of easy-to-use applications that make it easy to make amazing things. Enhance, organize, and share your photos via iPhoto. Create calendars, books, and cards. Make an epic starring your kids in iMovie. Turn your photo and movie creations into professional DVDs with iDVD. Create original music in GarageBand, even if you can’t carry a tune. Make podcasts and blogs. Then publish them online via .Mac and iWeb.2 You’ll be amazed at how quickly, easily, and beautifully you can share your digital life.



Front Row

Now showing.


The full-screen Front Row media experience — with its intuitive menus, large text, and brilliant graphics — lets you browse the music, photos, and videos on your Mac mini as easily as you browse music on your iPod. The included Apple Remote lets you enjoy your media from anywhere in the room, from your desk chair to favorite sofa. Front Row and Mac mini can even play music, photos, and videos saved on other computers in the house, thanks to Bonjour instant networking.3 So gather your friends and dazzle them with a slideshow of your vacation pics, a home movie, your latest playlist, or a DVD.



Mac mini Dimensions

More Mac per square inch.


Inside its petite 2-inch-tall, 6.5-inch-square anodized aluminum enclosure, Mac mini houses the fast Intel Core 2 Duo processor, an 80GB or 120GB hard drive, a slot-loading Combo drive or SuperDrive, as well as built-in wireless — all whisper-quiet. This modular design lets you upgrade your current system to the elegance, simplicity, and reliability of Macintosh without a lot of extra expense. BYODKM: Bring your own display, keyboard, and mouse (or buy new ones). Either way you’ll be up and running in minutes.


Mac mini ports

Mac mini also gives you plenty of room to grow. Simply connect your digital devices, such as cameras, iPod, printer, camcorder, or keyboard, to the Mac mini over USB 2.0 or FireWire. Share files around your house at blazing speeds with built-in 10/100/1000BASE-T Ethernet. Enjoy high-quality sound on almost any speaker system with double-duty analog/digital audio. Record digital and analog sources through audio line in, perfect for your latest podcast in GarageBand. Mac mini gives you the built-in amenities you need to enjoy the digital lifestyle.




  • Performance based on common application tasks in iPhoto ’08. Testing conducted by Apple in July 2007 using preproduction Mac mini units with 2.0GHz Intel Core 2 Duo; all other systems were production units. Safari HTML Load Speed (cached) test, Java Script, and Java VM are a subset of the i-Bench 5.0 benchmark. Performance tests are conducted using specific computer systems and reflect the approximate performance of Mac mini.

  • Some features require .Mac. The .Mac service is available to persons age 13 and older. Annual membership fee and Internet access required. Terms and conditions apply.

  • Sharing photos requires a Mac with iPhoto. Sharing music and videos requires iTunes 6.0.4 or later.

  • Some options must be installed by Apple at the factory; the rest can be added in-store at an Apple Retail Store or an Apple authorized reseller.
  • 2007/09/05

    Multi-Core Confrontation: Core 2 Quad Q6600 vs. Core 2 Duo E6850

    Multi-Core Confrontation: Core 2 Quad Q6600 vs. Core 2 Duo E6850




    Category: CPU


    by Ilya Gavrichenkov


    [ 08/31/2007 | 12:01 PM ]



    While AMD keeps postponing the launch of their quad-core processors to the end of this year – beginning of next, Intel Company is offering very affordable quad-core CPUs from Core 2 Quad family. However, can Core 2 Quad processors be regarded as a worthy alternative to popular dual-core solutions?




    Table of contents:








    Real-time Pricing and Availability:


    Intel Core?2 Quad Q6600, 2.40 GHz (BX80562Q6600) Boxed Processor Products













    Pages : 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12






    The Intel processor price cut that occurred a month ago turned into an important milestone on the multi-core processors’ way to user computer systems. The price of quad-core processors has finally dropped down to the level of dual-core solutions. To be more exact, the youngest model in the official Core 2 Quad lineup is priced exactly the same as the top Core 2 Duo CPU. This price, by the way, is set at $266, which seems quite sufficient to make processors with four computational cores much more popular than they used to be before.This particular situation inspired us to undertake another analytical investigation where we decided to arrange a duel between dual-core and quad-core processors priced identically. I am talking about Core 2 Duo E6850 and Core 2 Quad Q6600. True, a lot of users found themselves facing this difficult choice, as the above mentioned processor models are currently sold in retail stores at comparable prices. However, these processors are so different in their specifications that even true professionals cannot always make the most optimal choice between them with all certainty. These processors feature not only different number of computational cores, they also work at very different clock speeds and support busses running with different frequencies.

    There is an opinion that a lot of resource-hungry applications that have be released or updated recently, can take real advantage of multi-core processor capabilities. At the same time, this is not always true about the older applications and games, the majority of which are still working with only one of two computational threads. Therefore, we decided to perform a special test session that will make a lot of things clear and help us decide if quad-core processors can really replace high-speed dual-core CPUs in different applications.

    It is also very interesting to see the outcome of Core 2 Duo E6850 and Core 2 Quad Q6600 rivalry because both these processors use absolutely identical semiconductor dies. The thing is that contemporary quad-core Intel processors consist of a pair of dual-core dies mounted within the same LGA775 package. That is why we can actually expect dual- and quad-core processors from the Core family to demonstrate similar overclockability. This, at the same time, dives us some hope for Core 2 Quad Q6600 to overclock to the top frequencies that can be achieved with Core 2 Duo E6850. In other words, it should be even more exciting to compare Core 2 Duo E6850 and Core 2 Quad Q6600 from the overclocking standpoint than in the nominal operational mode. Moreover, both, Core 2 Duo E6850 as well as the recently released Core 2 Quad Q6600 are based on the new G0 core stepping, that boasts slightly better overclocking potential, according to our previously conducted research.