Now that you have been introduced to the XO Laptop, would you believe this laptop cost is $199.00.  That is not a misprint-it is $199.00.  You can't even buy a new Ipod Touch for $199.00.  Perhaps the greatest characteristic about this laptop is in its mission of creating educational opportunities for the world's poorest chldren. One in nearly three of nearly 2 billion children will never complete a fifth grade education.  Empowerment to children around the world through mesh connectivity, each child's laptop is able to connect to its nearest neighbor's.  In 2002, then MIT Professor Nicholas Negroponte experienced the influence of a connected laptop with children in a Cambodian village.  Today, the organization, One Laptop Per Child, founded in 2005 by MIT Professor Nicholas Negroponte, co-founder of MIT Media Labs, is reaching tens of thousands of children around the globe.  What a great time of the year to get involved in such an organization.  How, you may ask?  Well, for $399.00, you can purchase an XO Laptop for a child somewhere in the world as well as an XO Laptop for your child.  No, it is not a MacBook.  However, it is a mighty powerful little machine providing the opportunity for educational empowment for millions of children around the world.  What a way to say, Merry Christmas!!

I hope you find these tips interesting and useful! I would appreciate any feedback you may have.

Image source: Michael Tan

At the first glance, I mistakenly took it as the sound card, network interface card, TV tuner card or any sort of cards. I could hardly guess what this thing was, and finally someone told me that this is a masterpiece of a Japanese company. It is known as PCI Disk Card which is inserted into the PCI slot of a computer or a laptop. It is indeed a magical imagination. Such invention really makes me wondering the unique as well as the creativity of the Japanese imagination.

Isn't it strange from its aluminum appearance? It looks like mosquito spray.

(Image source: Michael Tan)

What's this? Can you guess? Perhaps you will think that it's a mosquito spray as what I've thought of while looking at this bizarre stuff. I'm sure that you haven't seen something like this so-called USB anti-mosquito spray elsewhere. Now, something makes you doubt about this. Where got USB anti-mosquito spray, never heard of it before. If not, is this an USB exploding device? No, impossible, its line is too short to have even burnt your hand when you light it up. Then, what on earth is this crazy thing?

(Image source: Michael Tan)

Well, this is actually called USB sound card with its external appearance fully coated in aluminum. It was a product of Hercules Audio which is named as USB External Soundcard. This is cool, right?

Is this a blue hoop or a life buoy? What's its connection to IT?

(Image source: Michael Tan)

Crazy! What's this? Is this a blue hoop or a life buoy? Impossible, a hoop or a life buoy will not have two-legs attached at its bottom. Instead of saying it's a two-leg appliance; it seems more like two wooden rods. You will never know what this thing is by just judging from its external appearance. I'm certain that you'll have problem to guess for this thing if I decide not to tell you the answer. Well, this is a stereo headphones launched by a company called Tube. Though it may look small, it has 5.1-channel audio capability to enhance its performance. It's indeed shocking to know that it has 6 built-in speakers. Due to its extraordinary audio capability, it will cause you about 150 Euros.

Is this a product from an alien planet?

(Image source: Michael Tan)

I'm sure that every one of you may have watched science fiction movie of Minority Report 2002 directed by Steven Spielberg and starring by Tom Cruise, Colin Farrell, Samantha Morton, Max von Sydow, and Lois Smith. You would come across with numerous technologically advanced gadgets in this movie, but this gadget with a blue semi-translucent cap attached on its top is somewhat looks like the film projector in the science fiction films. Now, you will be amazed to learn that this is a high-tech product of a Caller Display invented by Olympia InfoGlobe, and it is a model of OL 3000 caller display device. Whenever there is an incoming call, the caller ID (or calling number identification) will be automatically displayed on its screen.

What're you saying? A golden ladybird is used for a computer?

(Image source: Michael Tan)

This golden ladybird gives me a good feel to look at it. Though it's not made of the pure gold, it's manufactured with an excellent artwork to give you a delicate and sophisticated sensation.

(Image source: Michael Tan)

It's not for MP3 as you couldn't find a headphone slot to fit its plug into your laptop or computer. If not, what's this? Please guess, dear friend! Hmm, this is a U-beetle or in a simple word, U-dish. It's attractive and yet strange, right?

What's this stuff then? Its transparent body is packed with many “top secrets.”

(Image source: Michael Tan)

A first touch on this stuff made me thinking that it's a USB hub. However, this couldn't be a USB hub as its circuit is designed to be more complicated than the USB hub. As this gadget has a D-Sub interface, then it must be a graphic card. However, this guess is not true. The graphic card is an important part of the computer, it couldn't be connected externally. Even for a modern computer nowadays, there isn't any standard I/O interface that could meet the data transmission speed in this manner. The next possibility guess is that it's a screen. Again, it's incorrect as the screen will require more than one D-Sub interface but this device only has one. In fact, this is an external graphic card designed by the Japanese. A bit incredible …….Well, this stuff is not manufactured for you to play games; rather it's a dual mode, enabling multiple displays with different contents via a computer or a laptop. I don't think it could meet the requirement for 3D data processing speed, as it uses USB 2.0 interface so its speed is far behind the former mentioned earlier.

Besides showing time, what can this stuff do?

(Image source: Michael Tan)

You need no my answer and you'll tell me that this is a watch. You're right! This is a simple designed watch judging from its external appearance. Of course, its function is to show time. But, wait, my friend; don't make this as your final conclusion. Let me telling you that this is not just a watch, it's a product resulted from a micro-electronic technology. Not only it's a watch, but it has a close link to a computer. Now, at this point, you may challenge me for talking rubbish here.

(Image source: Michael Tan)

This thing is not hard to guess instead. If you keep yourself abreast with the IT news, I'm certain that you'll know that this is a U-watch. Again, this is a U-disk which is cleverly made convenient and portable for you to bring along elsewhere but it has a limited capacity for data storage.

Is this an insect of Y2K?

Image source

I can't imagine that this gigantic insect got to do with a computer. It's amazing to find that it's a computer's mouse. When you lift up its wings, it doesn't show you that it's a mouse. Instead, it looks like a housefly or any types of insects with a typically known six legs.

(Image source: InTozgc.com)

It's regarded as an insect of Y2K. Because of this invention, I've to accept the fact that human thinking is complicated and beyond the imagination. Needless to say about this Y2K's insect, could you imagine that your computer hardware is invented as the smelly toilet ball as listed in Desmonrock21's article entitled Gizmo: Cool Computer Case Mods 2. Gosh, stink, it gets me vomiting to look at those disgustingly designed computer products!

Oops, something totally unknown!

(Image source: InTozgc.com)

Now, my brain is poor enough to guess what this device is. It's not appearing to me as a computer's mouse. If I was not told that it's a mouse, probably I'll mad at guessing at it. And, I may never be guessed it right, I believe.

(Image source: InTozgc.com)

As shown in the above picture, its usage is very easy.

Is this a UFO?

Image source

This pumpkin-like computer product is designed to make it looks attractive as well as delicate to indirectly show the beauty in the art of the modern computer technology. The wooden treasure box which is attached with the pumpkin part looks very antique indeed! This product was on display in the exhibition of the Pentium 4 E3 in 2002.

Run, run! It's going to explode!

(Image source: InTozgc.com)

Wow, this explosive looks grand and elegant! Is this going to explore, I doubt of it. It's so beautiful. Incredibly, you couldn't imagine that it's a computer's mouse. I couldn't figure it out what's the feel when touching on it to move the cursor around the computer's screen.

Yuck, a strange human hand!

(Image source: InTozgc.com)

Yuck, a strange human hand to be your computer's mouse?! I hope this is just a nightmare but it happened to be a real fact that I've to accept while sitting in front of the computer. This hand looks so disgusting and I'm not going to touch on it. I believe that it'll bring a bad luck for me. Could you examine it closely? This strange human hand even comes with a look-real fingernail and some hair on top of its surface. Now, what do you feel? It's hilarious and bizarre though!

Yuck, another scary human body part!

(Image source: InTozgc.com)

The scary story about the designs on the mouse not only stops on a human's hand, but it also extends to the human's mouth. Look, the mouth is attached with two rows of teeth; one is located on the upper jaw, while the other one is located on its lower jaw. Whoever will want this to become his or her mouse? It's so disgusting to look at!

This is a computer and not a Christmas house. Can you believe your eyes?

Image source

Oh, I'm confusing with this device. I couldn't believe my eyes that this is a computer. Its design looks very attractive, but you can't eat the butter spreading over its top roof. While looking at this computer, it reminds me that the Christmas is around the corner.

Hey, are you kidding with me? This is a computer, you said?

Image source

This is a WMD computer, an abbreviation of its name: Weapon of Mass Destruction. From its name, you might judge that its killing power must be very scary and destructive. Why the inventor wanted to design the computer in this manner? Perhaps, the inventor just wants to show its greatest ability in terms of speed, capacity, and its operating systems. Anyway, this design is indeed hilarious!

Wow, what an odd-looking computer!

Image source

Hey, is this really a computer? Where's its CPU (processors)? Its main MOD systems are all attached to the surface of the wall, can't you see? Its motherboard, drivers, hard drives, graphic cards, and even its power cords are all hung to the side wall of the cupboard. I guess this inventor do this to avoid removing out parts of the components too often from his computer. Or else, he must be the weirdest person who feels comfortable to look at the computer in this crazy and illogical manner. See, the label pasted onto the side wall “Intel Outside!” Such a cool and ridiculous bastard!

Wow, what a good idea to have a microwave oven bake your programmes.

Image source

Do you want a microwave oven to bake your “programs?” Interesting stuff indeed! You'll get interested with this cool stuff, I'm sure. It's completely a perfect microwave oven ever designed to become a computer. This computer was displayed in CES Exhibition in 2003. This microwave oven is equipped with a liquid crystal display door. To operate this computer, you just press either its button located from the right side of this image. Its main operating system is “grilling” inside once the power button is pressed. Cool stuff though!

Do you want some cute animals running around your computer?

(Image source: Michael Tan)

Pets such as dogs, cats, hamsters, and etc. no longer will they sit on your lap, palm, or sleep beside or under your table. They are now active enough to run around parts of your computer.

(Image source: Michael Tan)

It must be enjoyable watching these cute animals or pets crawling along the cables, USB flash drive, power cords, external disks, U-disks and other computer's components. The addition of these computer by-products will definitely refresh your feeling while sitting in front of a computer or a laptop.

These are very creative designs!

(Image source: InTozgc.com)

This luxurious car designed mouse will definitely add in a sense of fashion while contributing a constructive design to the IT world. It's so nice and beautiful that I'm going to have one as my new computer's mouse. It can move just as smooth as the sport car could move along its track.

Is anyone hungry here? Would you like some fast food or Japanese delicacies?

In the past, a USB flash drive was shaped into either a rectangular or a square shape. Its shape was limited to a fundamental pattern and design. But, nowadays, the USB flash drive has shaped into a strange, wield and extraordinary pattern to increase its sale in the market. The design of USB flash drive has appeared as a fast food menu that will definitely capture the computer user's attentions worldwide.

Hamburger, Pizza, and Hotdog Menu

(Image source: Korean Monthly Technology Magazine, March 2007)

These USB flash drives take a theme of a fast food menu. They can be ranged from hamburgers, pizzas and hotdogs that you are familiar at any fast food outlets. As their appearance are manufactured in a framework resembles to hamburger, pizza, hotdog and sandwich, and thus they sometimes tempt people to eat them. Presently, these types of USB flash drives have a capacity up to one gigabyte.

A strange Menu of KFC

(Image source: Korean Monthly Technology Magazine, September 2007)

This is not a real set of KFC menu, it is a strange design of USB flash drive. If you examine it closely, you will find that the rice is actually a USB 2.0 Hub with four openings. Each opening is connected to a chicken, pudding and prawns. They are furnished with a ready boost facility with their capacities up to one gigabyte.

Octopus Sushi Menu

(Image source: Japanese Monthly Technology Magazine, January 2006)

The main design of these USB flash drives is an octopus (or tako in Japanese). If you do not examine them closely, probably you will be perceived to believe that they are real octopus. The manufacturer made them so real to give people a convenience feel of their completeness. When you pull out the head of the octopus, you can see the body of the USB flash drive. Of course, the other part of its body is a protective casing for the USB flash drive. When you insert this USB flash drive into the slot of the computer, the body of the octopus will shine or glister in blue light. It is fun and interesting to look at, isn't it?

Sushi Menu

(Image source: Japanese Monthly Technology Magazine, January 2006)

These USB flash drives are shaped into a Japanese cuisine or Sushi menu. Sometimes, you may come across a variety type of Sushi found in a Japanese restaurant which includes kappa(cucumber), California Roll, makizushi (rolls), inarizushi(toppings stuffed into a small pouch of fried tofu), Chirashizushi(scattered sushi), temarizushi (ball-shaped sushi with a filling of fish) and omelette. These USB flash drives have a capacity as big as one gigabyte.

Hmmm, this one looks rather odd!

(Image source: Jackson)

Not everyone will prefer to have their computer designed in a conventional manner, some computer enthusiasts may prefer to have their computers looking weirder than others to show that theirs stand out to be more striking and extraordinary. Despite of this perception, they started modifying their computers in this weird manner as what you see in the above picture is one of the examples. What's your opinion? Do you like this skeleton's computer? Tell me your idea, perhaps someone is going to modify his or her computer in a rather odd manner than all the stuffs I've managed to list here.

• Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS): Usually two systems in one. A UPS has circuitry that cleans incoming power of spikes, surges, and other noise so IT equipment receives the cleanest possible power. A UPS system also has banks of batteries that can become the primary power source for a short time - usually a fraction of an hour.
• Electric generator: For power outages that last more than several minutes, you need an electric generator, in addition to a UPS, to assure power availability for as long as several days.
• Fuel storage: For organizations that may experience power outages that last more than a few days (and if you can't easily get fresh supplies of fuel), consider building a fuel storage facility. With such a fuel storage facility, you can have continuous electric power, even during prolonged outages. UPS and generators work together - you need both to assure continuous power. Generators take up to two minutes to come online, so you need a UPS to fill the gap between the utility outage and when the generator can come online. Similarly, a UPS can't supply power for very long, which requires a generator to provide power for up to several days.

Mainframe Server Platform

Mainframe computer platform; also referred to as “Big Iron” are computers that are predominantly used by very large organizations for “mission critical” applications. The early mainframe computers were very large machines in deed, occupying entire rooms and in some cases many floors of a building.

Now the term is primarily used to refer to the ultra high-end computer as opposed to less well endowed computers. Mainframe computer is now generally meant to include computers that are compatible with the IBM System/360 series (first introduced in 1965). Other very high-end computers that are not compatible with the IBM System/360 series are usually referred to as “servers”.

The major distinguishing feature of the modern mainframe computer is their considerable amount of redundant internal engineering. This gives these mainframe computers high reliability, tight security, extensive input/output facilities, strict backwards compatibility for older software, and high utilization rates (very little processing idle time) to support their characteristic massive throughput capabilities.

These mainframe computers usually run for many years without interruption. All repairs and hardware upgrades take place during normal operation of the mainframe computer which is another benefit that the inclusion of internal redundant hardware engineering makes possible.

The tasks that these mainframe computers usually perform today still revolve around the so called “mission critical” operations that require much repetative or parallel processing such as correlation of data collected during a census or a survey, statistical processing and analysis, financial transaction processing (banks) and Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP).

By the way, the computational power of the mainframe class computer platform is measured in terms of Millions of Instructions Per Second (MIPS).

Above all else it is their reliability that defines and identifies the mainframe class of computer platform with uninterrupted service histories measured in many numbers of years. Many of the current IBM mainframe computers have been working non-stop for over a decade now. Not bad value for the dollar.

One last aspect of the mainframe computer platform that I will touch on here is their ability to run or host not just one operating system at a time, but many. In this way a single mainframe computer can replace tens or even hundreds of smaller servers. In so doing administrative and management costs are greatly reduced yet at the same time still providing for superior scalability and reliability.

Now to the smaller server platform. I will start with the generally smaller standard server platform known as “stand alone” or bastion host servers.

Bastion Host Server Platform

The “stand alone” or bastion host server platform is very similar to your average “stand alone” tower workstation or desktop PC, which they may in fact very well be. More robust servers, containing multiple redundant hardware components, especially redundant power supply units (PSU) and hard disk drives (HDD) occupy considerably more space and generally consume more energy.

As far as the average small business or community group is concerned, the small bastion host server has more than enough compute power and resources to service their needs. This is truer today more than ever before with the current generation of multi-core CPUs and high capacity storage devices making it possible for a tower to perform server platform functionalities.

Both the hard disk drive (HDD) and optical disk (usually DVD) are now more than capable of satisfying the small players' computational storage requirements. The streamlined backup and restore procedures offered by today's network operating systems is better than ever and the automation capability of these services is now better than ever before.

It is no surprise to find that many multi-core “consumer” type workstations are currently finding their way into service as a server platform by much of the community both for business and for personal use scenarios alike.

I will now briefly mention the classic bastion host server. This class of server computer platform is characterised by their multiplicity of redundant hardware components. Multiple redundant power supplies (PSU) being one of the more common components that are duplicated in this class of server platform.

Others include support for multiple multi-core CPUs, vast memory array support, multiple internal hard disk drive (HDD) bays, duplicate and even in some instances an array of optical storage drives (usually DVD-R and DVD-RW) and numerous network interface modules supporting high-end network transport media such as Gigabit and 10 Gigabit Ethernet as well as fiber-optic transmission media.

The Rack Mounted Server Platform

The standard computer server-rack platform form factor uses 1U units, which have the following minimum dimensions 19" (482.6 mm) wide and 1.75" (44.45 mm) tall.

The most common computer rack server platform form factor uses a 42U configuration which means that each rack is capable of containing a maximum of 42 x 1U units. At the most this means a grand total of 42 rack mounted server computers.

Unfortunately not many self-contained servers can be accommodated into a mere 1.75” (44.45 mm) height form factor. Thus most installations will fall considerably short of the maximum 42 units especially when a monitor is included. Still the rack does make a good secure enclosure for multiple servers.

The 1U minimum unit size applies to all units that are to be mounted into the rack including servers, redundant power supplies, networking devices etc. Units that are multiples of the 1U form factor dimensions can be accommodated but smaller units generally can not (at least not without additional mounting braces).

Other features added to the rack mounted server platform and/or the rack to facillitate their use in a rack-mount scenario include:

Sliding Rails - The addition of slide rails allowing the equipment to be slide in and out without disconnecting it from the rack chasis is an added security feature. This gets even better when the slide rails can be locked in both the in and out positions. This gives added stability and reduces accidental dropage during routine service.

Server Mounted Locking Pins - This little extra enables the server unit to be “dropped” into place without necessitating fiddling with screws. This one is a big favorite with administrators for obvious reasons.

Rear Mounted Handles - Great for pulling and pushing servers in and out of the rack chasis. It certainly saves a lot of cable pulling and the ensueing damage that causes.

Rear Mounted Cable Tray - Somewhere to tuck cables neatly out of the way. Not only does this help prevent “cable knotting” but it also gives the added protection of securing cables against accidental displacement. In combination with lockable sliding rails the rear mounted cable tray enables the server equipment to be still operational while it is extended out of the frame. A must for “hot swappable” devices.

Indicator Lights - Identification lights on the front and back of the rack to identify individual rack mounted devices. It can be very difficult to identify which machine you were working on at the front when you go to the back of a fully loaded rack.

Here is yet another reason why a proper naming convention in combination with a secure labeling system is so essential in these situations. For more information see these articles, Building Your Own Naming Convention and Making Your Own Indexed Labeling System.

KVM Switch Support - Including a KVM switch with the rack means that an administrator can directly interact with any server mounted in the rack using just one keyboard, mouse and monitor that can be shared by all members of the rack.

Standard rack mounted servers can generally exist outside of the rack and function within a network environment with just the addition of a power cord and appropriate network cable.

The Blade Computing Server Platform

Blade servers are self-contained computer servers, designed for high density implementations. Unlike the bastion host or standard rack mounted servers the blade computing model has units with a number of hardware and support systems removed. The blade chasis provides these functions rather than having each individual blade component do them.

This has resulted in blades that are specialized for processing, network, storage, Input/Output (I/O) and memory subsystems. “A blade for every function”. This is the phrase that comes to mind.

If you need more processing power then add a blade that is loaded with multiple multi-core CPUs and oh-la-la, more processing power to brag about is yours. Similarly if it's more memory for those graphics rendering intensive applications that you require, then add a memory blade. You can even get “general purpose” blades.

The idea behind this is that removing these components saves considerable space. In addition the removal of the power supply units (PSU) not only saves considerable space it also reduces the overall thermal energy produced during normal and stress level operating conditions.

Everyone who has put their hand at the back of their PC is only too well aware of the amount of heat that the PSU generates. Factor in the fact that the PSU is the most common component of all computers to fail and you see the sense in replacing thirty or forty cheaper PSUs with two to four more robust and reliable units. In the big picture perspective this actually is cheaper than the former solution.

By removing it and replacing each blade with a dedicated lead from a DC providing higher quality less failure-prone redundant set of PSUs considerable energy and accrued downtime losses are saved.

The big thing in blade computing is the engineering technologies encompassed by the blade enclosure. This is what makes it all possible. Here are some of the support features that the blade enclosure delivers:

• Housing for multiple blade servers
• Provision of utility services such as power and cooling
• Provision of infrastructure such as networking and various interconnects
• Platform Management

Different manufacturers do have different ideas of what should be included with each blade as well as what should or should not be provided with the blade enclosure. However, it is all of these elements in combination that make the blade computing platform. The benefits of the blade computing platform include:

Minimum Size Limit Restrictions Removed - Removal of the 1U minimum size limit requirement with the traditional rack mounted server platform.

Higher Unit Densities - Instead of the 42 unit maximum of the standard rack it is not unusual for blade systems to hold up to 100 or more individual blade units per blade enclosure.

Specialization - This is also due to the size reduction that blade unit specialization introduces and will no doubt escalate as technology, integration and miniturisation continue to evolve.

Improved Energy Efficiency - The “green IT” movement is becoming an ever increasing influence in technology today and will undoubtedly continue to do so in the future.

Additional Information - Check out ServerWatch.com if you would like to find out more about various specialty servers and new developments in the server industry.

The Basics

Here is what you need to get started:

• Motherboard
• Processor
• RAM
• Graphics Card
• Hard Drive
• DVD/CD Drive
• Sound Card
• Power Supply Unit
• Case
• Keyboard and Mouse
• Monitor

Please keep in mind that some components may not be necessary for your build. For instance, many people simply stick with the onboard sound on their motherboard, scratching the need for a sound card. Likewise, the same can be said for motherboards with built-in graphics. Some people skip out on an optical drive (although this is only recommended for very cheap rigs).

Motherboard

What all the components are plugged in to. This is an area where many people like to skimp, but accessibility and expandability in the motherboard can mean the difference between a fun build and a nightmare. Please make sure all other components are compatible with this part (i.e., it has enough of the right types of ports for your hard drive(s), optical drive(s), and case fan(s), the right socket type and support for your processor, the correct size for your case, has enough of the correct type of ports for your peripherals (e.g. mouse, keyboard, speakers, etc.), the correct slot for your Graphics Card, and support for your RAM). Recommended for most Intel builds are the P35 and X38/X48 motherboards.

If you feel the need for SLI (multiple Nvidia graphics cards), go with either the 680/780 boards, or, if you've got the cash, the 790i Ultra. For AMD builds, most any AM2+ boards should do you fine.

Processor

First of all, make sure that the CPU (processor) you are getting matches the socket type of the motherboard (e.g. LGA 775, AM2, etc.). Also, make sure the chipset of the motherboard supports the CPU. You can check this at the motherboard manufacturer's website. For performance computers, Intel CPUs are currently your best bet. Keep in mind that Gigahertz (Ghz, the speed of the processor) aren't necessarily equal between different models and brands. For example, the 3Ghz Intel Core 2 Duo e8400 is INFINITELY faster than the 3.2 Ghz AMD Athlon 64+ 6400+. Also, if your programs support them, quad cores are the way to go, but seeing as many don't yet, I would stick with a dual core for the time being. If you are on a tight budget, AMD CPUs can be found for less than Intel's, and a single core may suffice for your needs.

RAM

RAM (Random Access Memory) needs to have the same socket type (SDRAM, DDR, DDR2, DDR3) as the motherboard to be compatible. The most common socket type for RAM for new computers is DDR2 (Double Data Rate revision 2). For most builds, DDR2 800 should be quite fast, although if you plan on extreme overclocking, DDR2 1066 may be warranted. The number after DDR2 is the effective operating frequency, in Megahertz (Mhz, 1000 of which equal one Ghz). Most people will use a dual channel setup (installation varies by motherboard), where two sticks of the same type of RAM are put together, effectively doubling performance. The RAM speed is dependent on the slowest stick, though, so this is only recommended if using two identical RAM modules. For EXTREME overclocking, you may want to use DDR3 (which currently comes in speeds between 1333 Mhz and 2000 Mhz), but this is much more expensive, and motherboards supporting this technology are, as of yet, few and far between. 2GB (gigabytes, 1000 megabytes, amount of memory) are more than sufficient for most builds, but if you plan on doing a lot of multitasking, you may want to think about getting 4GB of memory.

Graphics Card(s)

For a gaming computer, the graphics card is, perhaps, the most important part of the build. It is necessary in any computer, but some motherboards come with built in graphics for those who do not use any graphic-intense applications. Please insure that the slot-type (PCI Express x16, AGPx8, etc.) is supported by your motherboard, and that the power supply has the necessary connections (PCIE 6-pin, PCIE 8-pin, etc.). The two main companies here are ATI (owned by AMD) and Nvidia. Currently, Nvidia supplies the very best of the best when it comes to graphics cards, but in some cases, you may prefer an ATI card. If you want to watch blu-ray/HD-DVD movies, you need to ensure that the graphics card supports HDCP to watch it at the full, intended resolution. Two of the newest cards, the Nvidia 9800GX2 and ATI Radeon 3870 X2 have TWO physical cards in them, replicating SLI and Crossfire respectively in a board that does not support SLI/Crossfire. SLI and Crossfire are the names for Nvidia and ATI's multi-graphics card systems respectively. For the most intense graphics, you may wish to pursue one of these two options (in which case you need to make sure your motherboard supports the technology). The top of the line Nvidia single-card graphics card is the 9800GTX (closely trailed by the 8800 Ultra, 8800 GTS G92, and 8800GTX), and ATI's is the Radeon 3870 (closely followed by the 3850).

Hard Drive(s)

The hard drive is the component which stores all of the software on your computer. There are various interface types (IDE, ATA, SATA, SATAII), of which SATAII is the most recent (and best). This is because it supports the highest bandwidth while sporting the thinnest cable (helping to promote good air flow, and make cable management easier). The most important statistic when buying a hard drive is the storage space. Make sure it has enough (e.g. 200GB, 500GB, 750GB, etc.) storage space for your needs. If you are not sure, see how much you use on you current computer to get a rough estimate. If you still aren't sure, it never hurts (anything but your wallet) to have too much. Performance is mostly dictated by the interface type, spindle speed, and amount of platters. Spindle speed is the speed at which the hard drive rotates. Most desktop hard drives rotate at 7200RPM, although there are faster 10,000RPM drives, but these offer less storage space. That second figure I mentioned, amount of platters, is how many magnetic disks there are within your hard drive. The less there are, the faster, quieter, and less likely to break your hard drive is. The best platter today is available in the Samsung Spinpoint F1 1 TB (terabyte, 1000 gigabytes). It has three platters, each with 333GB of storage space. Most desktop hard drives fit in a 3.5” internal drive bay. Eventually hard drives will be replaced by Solid State Drives (SSDs), but these are currently far too expensive and don't provide nearly enough storage space for the average user.

Optical Drive

Where you put your optical discs (DVD, CD, blu-ray, etc.). There are two main interface types (SATA and IDE), with SATA once again being the preferable type. For most budgets, a DVD writer would be recommended, although none are necessary if you are building an “el cheapo” computer. If you have the money and the media, you may want a blu-ray drive though. The fastest of these write blu-ray discs at 6x, while DVD writers can write at speeds of up to 20x. The claimed speeds are important, but there are more variables than the test figures represent (due to variations in which media brand is used for the testing). The fastest optical drive on the market today (DVD writer) is the Samsung SH-S203B. Most optical drives fit in a 5.25” external drive bay. Another technology some may be interested in is lightscribe, which laser etches an image into the top of a disc, although these drives cost slightly more. Also, for almost everybody, floppy drives are no longer needed.

Sound Card

While almost every motherboard nowadays comes with built-in sound, aftermarket sound cards will always be there for the audiophile. There are varying interface types (PCI, PCI Express x1). The most popular today are the Creative X-Fi Series and the ASUS Xonar D2 series. Some sound cards feature onboard RAM to offload all of the sound processing from the CPU, boosting performance in any application that involves sound (sometimes a few FPS (frames per second) even in intense games). Only get an aftermarket sound card if you truly appreciate rich, vibrant sound and have a good set of speakers/headphones to go fully take advantage of one.

Power Supply Unit

The PSU is what provides power to all of the components of your computer. It is important not to skimp on this, as it is the only component that, should it fail, has the possibility of taking all the other components with it. The most important thing to look for in a PSU is the brand, as certain brands have a reputation for power supplies that will not crash (as some cheap, generic ones have a tendency to do, sometimes with explosive results). Some recommended brands are PC Power & Cooling, Antec, Seasonic, Enermax, Thermaltake, OCZ, Corsair, Thermaltake, Tagan, and Gigabyte. The most important statistic in the PSU is the wattage rating. This tells you how much wattage the PSU can supply to your components. Use a wattage calculator (and add 15% or so for safety's sake) to determine what kind of wattage it will take to run your computer. Also important is the efficiency. Many PSUs today are stamped with the 80plus seal of approval, signifying that they run at 80% or better efficiency (e.g. less than 20% of the supplied power is lost as heat), improving performance, component life, and helping reduce energy consumption. Also, be sure that the PSU has connectors for all of the components you need to power, and try to find one that will allow you to keep it as you add things to your computer. Modular support is a nice feature to have (not all of the wires are permanently attached to the PSU, so the connectors you aren't using can be unplugged from the power supply, reducing cable clutter), but you pay a premium for it.

Case

What you put all of your components in. Important things to look for in the case are it's size, motherboard form factor, if it will hold your graphics card, what kind of bays it has, the provided cooling, and what it looks like. Size-wise, for most people the only way to go is either Mid-Tower ATX or Full Tower ATX (sometimes called Super Tower ATX). Either of these will hold an ATX motherboard, and most Full Tower cases will hold an Extended ATX (EATX) motherboard. Check reviews to see if your graphics card will fit the case, as some of the newer graphics cards are quite long and do not fit in some cases. You need to make sure it has enough 3.5” internal bays for your hard drives, 5.25” external bays for your optical drives, and if it has 3.5” external bays if you use accessories that utilize those bays. Make sure it has adequate cooling for the setup you are planning on building. I recommend that the case you choose has at least a 120mm fan or 2 80mm fans. Any more than that should be good as well. Look to see it h as at least on exhaust fan, and that there are not more fans than you need (this will make it very loud). If you are planning on watercooling, you should definitely go with a Full Tower case, and for ease of installation find out if it fits the radiator you are planning on using. Looks are personal preference, but I find some people like to have a conservative looking case with one solid color and usually either in black, beige or white, while others like flashy cases with side windows, LED fans and crazy paint jobs.

Keyboard and Mouse

Keyboards and mice are generally best chosen after trying out a few and seeing what you like best. There are a few things to look for. If you want an uncluttered desktop, go for a wireless set. If you want all-out gaming performance, try a keyboard with macro keys and the ability to disable the windows key, and a mouse with lots of extra buttons, a “clicky”, or tactile, scroll wheel, and a high and adjustable dpi. If you have many late-night sessions, look for a mouse with an illuminated scroll wheel and a backlit keyboard (such as the Saitek Eclipse II, arguably the best back-lit keyboard to date). But most important, MAKE SURE WHATEVER YOU PICK IS COMFORTABLE!!! I can not stress this enough. You can have the best mouse/keyboard combo ever, but if you find them uncomfortable, you'll find it hell to use your computer.

Monitor

Finally the monitor, what you will be viewing everything you do with. Make sure it is as big as you can afford. A bigger monitor reduces eye-strain and increases the amount of windows you can work with at one time. There is no longer any reason to get a CRT monitor, so be sure to go for an LCD. Also, be sure to get a widescreen (16:10/16:9) as opposed to a fullscreen (4:3), because you get more screen for the price (widescreen panels are cheaper to manufacture). The contrast ratio is quite important to how good the images look. It tells you how black the blacks are and how white the whites are. The higher the better. Make sure is reproduces at least 16.2 million colors, as this means it is 16-bit (8-bit monitors simply can't compete when it comes to visual quality). The response time should be as low as possible, but make sure that the monitors you are comparing measure response time the same way, or else this statistic is pointless (some measure black-to-white-to-black, while others measure grey-to-grey). Other things to look for in a monitor are how much the stand adjusts, how many screen adjustment options there are (as a general rule, the more the better), and how good you think it looks. Just like mice and keyboards, I recommend you try out the monitor you are thinking about purchasing before you do so, as you want to be sure you will be happy with it after you plop down the cash (which can be quite a lot).

Conclusion

Now you should have a good idea of what kind of computer you will be building. It really isn't nearly as hard as it seems at first. This is all stuff I've come across in the two years I've been interested in building computers, and I could have gone into much more depth, but won't in this article for the sake of simplicity. After you've read this and chosen what components you are going to purchase for your build, you just need to put it all together. I will explain how to do that in a future article, but I promise, it is no harder than it was to choose what to buy. I GUARANTEE you will be happy if you build your own computer, as so long as you do a little research before buying the parts, you will end up with a better performing, cheaper computer than Dell and the likes will ever sell you. Good luck, and be sure to check back in the coming weeks for more of my guides!

The first thing to do; take a breath, and ascertain whether or not your computer is plugged in. This is not a joke. In the majority of cases the computer does not turn on because it is not plugged in.

Often cleaners unplug and forget to replug equipment. Sometimes someone steps on a surge protector putting it into the off position.

Wise office managers insure everything is unplugged before s/he leaves. This is a precaution. Electrical storms can cause havoc, and can travel not merely over electrical wires, but phone lines. It is not overreacting to unplug, and some officers lock off electricity to that section of the building when leaving. Insure what you are experiencing is not a failure of your equipment, but a lack of power.

Make certain your equipment is plugged in, and that there is power in the socket. Sockets do fail, so plug equipment into another socket, or an appliance into that socket to insure that there is power. Once certain that there is power in the socket, insure it is getting to your equipment.

Unplug everything from the back of your computer, have a glass of water, then carefully replug. You may find a feeling of "looseness" in a connection, which is some evidence why it doesn't work. Once everything has been plugged into a live socket, and all connections are verified, and your computer does not come on, nor seems to be receiving power, when you call the techie, you can be specific.

Instead of shrieking; "It's not Workin!" you can explain the checks you made, and isolate the problem, so that when the techie arrives, it can be with the replacement part, meaning one visit, not two.

If the computer seems to be getting power, but the monitor is not coming on, make sure the monitor is plugged into a working socket and into the computer. In many cases, the problem is a loose connection. By pulling out and remaking the connection, most problems are solved.

Insure the monitor is turned on. On occasion, monitors have been turned off, hence they are not coming on. Make sure your monitor is on. If there is power in the computer, (lights, noise vibration) and none in the monitor, then the problem is the monitor.

If the monitor has power, but no "picture", insure that the contrast control has not been moved. Many times a cleaner inadvertently moves a dial, or presses a button, and the screen is darkened to such extent you can not see it. If there is power in the monitor, try adjusting the contrast. Make sure the connection from the monitor to the computer is solid. The usual reason why you don't see anything on a screen is because the monitor is not receiving instructions.

In many cases, these checks are sufficient to reveal the problem, and you won't have to call the techie. If you do have to, at least you will be able to give the correct information which can determine the problem.

Although what I have written sounds "silly", the majority of calls to techies are made up of these, as well as jacks not in modems, and my favourite, "no internet on the computer" because the owner has not gotten a provider. ?

It should be no surprise that a company in a sunny area such as Florida first came up with the idea for solar-powered wireless routers long before a company in Seattle or the Northeast would, but Solis Energy plans to market the new devices. Environmentalists may harp on the "green" feature of the product but for those who want to be wireless or where wires do not exist the products have a distinct advantage over current technologies which need to be directly wired to a network, the solar routers are wireless eliminating the need for extra chords.

State governments and municipalities look towards the new technology as a way to reduce greenhouse gases, but the Solis routers may also help to restore communications after an earthquake or similar natural disaster. The panels which power the router are similar to other solar powered devices. Photosensitive panels are placed over batteries. The panels generate an electric charge which powers that batteries and the batteries in turn power the device. The array of panels used to power does store more power than the router will require while the device is basking in the sunlight, but as sunlight is not available all the time, the remaining panels are used to store electricity to power the routers until solar energy can once again be used as a power source.

Solis has not made the costs for the new unit available to the public. A spokesperson for the company says having one of their technicians install these into an area will be significantly less than having an electrician come out to install a solar panel in a house. (Houses, typically, are already wired to the electric grid.) It may be a while before the average consumer sees these devices on the market and in many areas, it simply may not be practical to install them. It is more likely they will make their way into the hands of state and local governments first until the price drops low enough for the average consumer to afford one. Does anyone wonder if someone in Holland is working on wind powered wireless devices?

Notebooks usually use Lithium Ion Battery. It is light, has a big capacity and recharges fast. But they are not cheap and get old very fast. After about 2-3 years Lilon will work only half time.

You should always fully use your battery; never leave your notebook on direct sunlight. Optimal battery work temperature is +22. Max is +30. You also should remove battery from notebook if you have plugged it to electricity.

How to make battery work longer?

First of all, remove all discs and memory cards. Also disconnect all devices, which are not used. Most of the battery is used by screen, cooler, graphics card. By changing few “Windows” settings, you will save much battery power.

“Windows XP”

1. Go to Control Panel. Switch to classic view and select POWER OPTIONS.
2. From the list select MAX BATTERY and press OK.

Our computer will become slower, but it will save much power.

Turning of unused devices

If we don't watch movies or music, we should turn off sound. Press the volume icon on right corner of the screen (next to the clock) and select MUTE.

If you are listening music or watch movies alone, you should use headphones. They will not only save power, but the sound will be better.

Computer screen uses much battery power. We should reduce its brightness.

Now we should turn of unused devices.

1. On your keyboard hold button WIN and press PAUSE. In new window select HARDWARE, after that DEVICE MANAGER.
2. Here we can turn off unused devices. For example, I don't need my modem right now. Select MODEMS. Then, with your right mouse button, press on our modem device.
3. Now press DISABLE. After that, YES.
4. Now turn off all unused devices. If you will need them on, do 3 step and select ENABLE.

Saving power with graphics card

If we are playing games or watching movies often, we shouldn't do this.

For “Ati Catalyst” drivers:

1. On your desktop press right mouse button and select PROPERTIES.
2. Select SETTINGS. Then find and press ADVANCED. Now press CATALYST CONTROL CENTER.
3. In new window press ATI CATALYST ® Control Panel. In new window select Advanced and press NEXT. After that, press YES.
4. Select POWERPLAY™. If we can't find this, that means our graphics card can't work with power saving.
5. Select ENABLE POWERPLAY™ and high battery, low battery move to left.

For “Ati Catalyst” drivers:

1. On your desktop press right mouse button and select PROPERTIES.
2. Select SETTINGS. Then find and press ADVANCED. Now press POWERPLAY™.
3. Now select ENABLE POWERPLAY™ and press APPLY.

“Nvidia” graphics card

1. On your desktop press right mouse button and select PROPERTIES.
2. Now find and press SETTINGS. Then press ADVANCED.
3. Now select your graphics card. Now find and press POWERMIZER.
4. Now move the arrow to left (Maximum Power Savings).

I also recommend reading Free-CD-and-DVD. There you will find more info how you can save notebook power by using CD/DVD emulators.