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1029usr078198
Forum Admin
USA
333 Posts |
 Posted - November 20 2010 : 19:57:45
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Listen now. or Download the archive.
Question: Bro. James asks, "If I think it’s time to get a new computer, what do you recommend?"
Answer: Great question, Brother. Given the time of year it is, it's a good time to consider replacing your computer, especially if it's over three years old or so. In that case, I'd recommend these minimum specifications:
- Windows 7 Premium (most likely not a problem)
- 3 Gigabytes of RAM
- 320 Gigabyte Hard Drive
- Intel® Pentium™, Core i3™, or i5 or AMD® Athlon® processor
Remember, these are minimum specs. Whatever you can afford beyond this will increase performance.
Cool Site: BFAds.net: Next week is Black Friday, and I don't know about you, but that's the one day a year that I get in touch with my inner shopper. It's interesting to watch folks wrestle over stuff, but I really like the planning that goes into it, trying to be sure to get the bargains you want for yourself and those on your Christmas list. Well, to help with that part, check out this week's cool site, bfads.net. On the site, you'll find sections for hot deals, guides, and scans of the actual Black Friday ads for this year. You can even download PDF copies of the ads that you can print out and then mark up! You can check online deals, see store hours, submit an ad, and connect with Facebook and Twitter. The site has a contest that is about as easy as possible to enter: if you live in the US and fill out the form once, you might win, and your eligibility remains even if you win, but the contest, which started on the first, ends next week, so hurry. There's a search, to help you can find the ads for the places you care about, there's a mailing list you can subscribe to, and an RSS feed. When you view an ad online, you'll see dots on the page that you can point at for more information, or click to go to the store's website for a description of the item and to verify their current price.
Cool Gadget: USB Star Trek Communicator: Here's one from ThinkGeek that I'm kind of hoping to find under the tree: a USB microphone Star Trek Communicator. For the Star Trek fan on your list, you can now get a replica of the communicators from the original series. It's compatible with Skype, MSN, iChat and other instant messaging applications. It’s an officially licensed collectible that has a microphone and earphone, a speaker that produces sound effects from the series, a volume control and mute button, and a 6-foot USB cable. It runs about $35.00. Now if only it were Bluetooth.
It's All "Geek" To Me: 802.11: This week's term is a number: eight-hundred and two point eleven. It's actually pronounced "eight oh two dot eleven" and will normally have the letters "a", "b", "g", or "n" after it. 802.11 refers to the wireless communication standards used at Wi-Fi hotspots. All laptops newer than about four or five years have this capability. The first one was 802.11b, but today, you'll likely only find 802.11g and 802.11n in stores. N is the fastest standard and the one with the longest range.
Links
Tech Tip Friday's Show Notes RSS Feed:
http://www.daconsult.com/downloads/rss.xml
Black Friday Ads:
http://www.bfads.net
USB Star Trek Communicator at ThinkGeek:
http://www.thinkgeek.com/computing/usb-gadgets/bd48/
802.11b, 802.11a, 802.11g, and 802.11n at TechTerms:
http://www.techterms.com/definition/80211b
http://www.techterms.com/definition/80211a
http://www.techterms.com/definition/80211g
http://www.techterms.com/definition/80211n
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11/19/2010-ComputerSpecs,BlackFri,Comm.,"802.11"
