Win 7 SP1 is out
Any time Microsoft pushes an update to a few hundred million users, you can expect some hiccups. I’ve been monitoring the progress of Service Pack 1 for Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 since it was released to the public earlier this week, both on Microsoft’s official Windows Update forum and via e-mail and Twitter.
Future of Intel’s Thunderbolt Technology
A new technology from Intel will allow soon to transfer data between host and external devices at the speed of around 10GB bps. Incredibly fast!
Thunderbolt could compete with connector technologies such as USB, Firewire and HDMI (high-definition multimedia interface), which link PCs to external storage, audio devices and displays. Laptops and devices with USB 3.0 ports started reaching store shelves last year and offer data transfer speeds up to 5GB bps. Intel has held off support for USB 3.0 on its PC chipsets, which has been a topic of concern for PC makers, which have had to implement third-party controllers to add USB 3.0 ports to laptops.
Source: PCWorld
When is Time to Buy a New Computer?
There is never a good time to buy a new computer and a computer usually breaks at the most inconvenient time.
What is a good time then?
Usually a PC or a laptop is good for 3 to 4 years after which it becomes obvious that without significant hardware upgrades it may be difficult to operate. The life span of the hard drives (these days) is a couple of years if not shorter, so you are lucky if your PC has not required any hardware replacements during the past couple of years. So, after your computer has been worked for 3-4 years it’s time to look for a good replacment.
What to buy, a PC or a laptop? It all depends on a couple of following factors:
- your computer working environment
- your work office location (office/home)
- your work habits (desk/chair/sofa/bed)
- your projects (engineering & heavy computing/graphic design/internet browsing)
- your travel frequency
I prefer a laptop, a powerful, with 15-16″ display and light. I buy the top of the line so it helps me to stay on top of the performance for good 4 years without too much upgrading.
I can work with on my laptop at my office at my desk, in my house on my bed or sofa, on the airplane or in the cab when I ma traveling. I can connect an external monitor and make my desktop 2-3 time bigger. I can take my laptop to a customer to demo a new product or a presentation. That’s why I like to have a laptop.
When to Buy? On my opinion there is a couple dates when you can save a few bucks on shopping for a computer:
- End of August – go to school sales
- End of November – Thanksgiving sales
- End of December – Christmas sales
At that time all computer manufacturers, online stores and retail stores will be running various sales and it’s time to shop for a new computer.
A couple of suggestions on brands and prices.
First of all don’t buy the cheapest item. There must be something, it’s so cheap. However, there is always an exception. Shop for a good hardware specification such as CPU type, RAM memory, hard drive, video memory and of course the brand of the laptop is very important
Changing memory in Lenovo T61 laptop
Sometimes you need to change or to add a memory to a laptop. What you do first? – You find the brand and model of the laptop. Than, you find a memory selector site (I usually use newegg.com memory finder) to find out what memory type your laptop takes. Then after that it’s all about finding a laptop memory slot. Sometimes it may be trickier than you expect. I had to change a memory on the Lenovo T61 a couple of days ago and it was not a problem at all. Below are the steps I recommend to take:
1.Turn off the computer; then disconnect the AC adapter and all cables from the computer.
2. Close the computer display, and turn it over.
3. Remove the battery.
Step 4
4. Remove the four(4) screws that secure the palm rest.
5. Turn the computer over and open the display. Open up the palm rest in the direction shown by arrow (1) by picking up the projection tabs on the sides, and then release the palm rest from the computer (2).
6. Find the notch on the contact edge side of the SO-DIMM.
7. Note: To avoid damaging the SO-DIMM, do not touch its contact edge.
Step 5
8. With the notched end of the SO-DIMM toward the contact edge side of the socket, insert the SO-DIMM into the socket at an angle of about 20 degrees (1); then press it firmly (2).
9. Pivot the SO-DIMM downward until it snaps into place.
10. Make sure that the card is firmly fixed in the slot and does not move easily.
Source: IBM.com
IBM Cloud computing is On a Rise
Photo credit: IBM
IBM’s cloud computing helps enterprises transform business and technology.
More and more businesses are adapting cloud computing. IBM has announced following new clients benefiting from IBM’s Cloud initiatives: the Australian Bureau of Statistics, C&D Foods, Crawford & Company, FIDM/Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising, General Milling Corporation, General Motors Components Holdings and the Zoo and Aquarium Association of Australia.
Recent research shows that worldwide spending on cloud computing will be reaching $44,2 billion by 2013.
IBM LotusLive is a suite of business and collaboration services based on the Cloud computing and is hosted by IBM.
LotusLive offers following services: LotusLive Notes, LotusLive iNotes, LotusLive Engage, LotusLive Meetings, LotusLive Connections.
IBM has recently announced of availability LotusLive Symphony for cloud. “LotusLive Symphony authors will be able to co-edit documents in real time or work privately, store and share documents in LotusLive, comment, chat and manage revisions with other authors in real time, and assign and manage sections and tasks across multiple authors,” IBM said.
Source:
infoTECH spotlight
IBM Smart Business
PR Newswire
PCMag
Apple will have the best security on iPhone
Mobiledia [2011-01-24] – Apple has hired former NSA analyst and author David Rice to be its new director of global security, in a move to beef up encryption on the iPhone and iPad and increase market share among enterprise consumers.
The Cupertino, Calif.-based company hasn’t announced Rice’s responsibilities, but people familiar with the matter say he will ramp up its enterprise products to better compete with rival Research in Motion, whose BlackBerry devices are well-known for their encryption services.
Apple has been busy developing backfills for its software shortcomings, and the high-profile addition of Rice adds further credibility as it continues to make inroads into the corporate segment. Many employees, who use or want to use the iPad, have been blocked by IT professionals that worry those devices could leak sensitive information.
Without a broader security push, Apple’s corporate future would be limited.
That’s where Rice comes in. Well-respected among IT professionals, he gives added credibility to Apple’s products.
$100 million to fuel innovative economy
January 21, 2011|By Gus G. Sentementes, The Baltimore Sun.
Hoping to spur jobs, innovation and economic growth, Gov. Martin O’Malley wants to tap tax revenue to invest $100 million in fledgling technology, life sciences and other companies across the state.
O’Malley, a Democrat, plans to unveil details of the “Invest Maryland” program Monday as a centerpiece of his economic agenda in this year’s General Assembly session. The state would invest in small businesses and start-up companies — partially through the dormant Maryland Venture Fund — and would reap both the risks and rewards.
Five Advantages of Using Cloud Storage for Disaster Recovery
Photo credit: http://www.coparsystems.com
We all know what cloud means. I am talking about an internet cloud computing.
Cloud computing is location independent computing, whereby shared servers provide resources, software, and data to computers and other devices on demand, as with the electricity grid. Or more simply, remote computing. Cloud computing is a natural evolution of the widespread adoption of virtualization, service-oriented architecture and utility computing. Details are abstracted from consumers, who no longer have need for expertise in, or control over, the technology infrastructure “in the cloud” that supports them.
In October of 2010, the Aberdeen Group, an industry analyst firm, surveyed over 100 organizations with formal DR programs to learn whether they used public cloud storage for DR and if so, what benefits they saw.
Five Compelling Facts from Aberdeen’s Research
………………………………………………..
Source:
Wikipedia
Cirtas Blog
SoloPower will build a plant in Oregon
Photo credit: SoloPower
Green technology company that manufactures solar panels SoloPower has secured $20 million loan to build a manufacturing facilities in Oregon. Solo Power will be manufacturing thin film solar technology in Wilsonville. Oregon.
The initial phase of this expansion will be the construction of a 75 MW manufacturing line which will create 170 new jobs.
Today the Small Scale Energy Loan Program (SELP) Advisory Committee recommended approval to the Oregon Department of Energy for a $20 million loan to SoloPower. SoloPower has also applied for a Business Energy Tax Credit (BETC) of $20 million from the State of Oregon. These State programs will enable the company’s efforts to rapidly scale up production, while providing an economic boost to the community, creating jobs, and supporting local businesses. Simultaneously, SoloPower is in discussions with the United States Department of Energy to obtain a loan guarantee under Section 1703 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to support the construction of the additional production lines.
A New flash memory card format
Cnet.com [2011001-14] -Those who lived through the days of xD card vs. Memory Stick vs.
CompactFlash vs. Secure Digital may think people need a new flash memory card format like we need a hole in our heads. Who, after all, has a burning desire to upgrade the 9-in-1 flash card reader to a 10-in-1 model?
An established industry standards group, JEDEC, has a new format it hopes will catch on, though.
Photo credit: Lexar Media
The group already took over standardization of the MultiMediaCard specification that’s chiefly relevant today hidden away inaccessibly in its embedded form, EMMC, that’s used under the covers of various devices.
At the CES show last week, JEDEC members worked to build industry support for a faster successor called Universal Flash Storage (UFS). This specification “has been designed to be the most advanced specification for flash memory-based storage in mobile devices such as smart phones and tablet computers,” the group said, adding that it expects to publish a specification for it in the first quarter of 2011.
| M | T | W | T | F | S | S |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| « Aug | ||||||
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | |
| 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 |
| 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 |
| 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 |
| 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |||
