Considering a Mac

From wsj.com

Q. Who should consider a Mac?

A. Pretty much every average consumer (has money) using a computer should at least look at the Mac.

It combines gorgeous hardware with an operating system that is superior to Windows, with better built-in software.

It can even run Windows programs if you buy and install a copy of Windows.

And you won't be vulnerable to the vast array of viruses and spyware that threaten Windows users. Only a handful, so far, have been written to run on the Mac operating system, OS X.

Q. Who shouldn't consider the Mac?

A. People playing cutting-edge games should stick to Windows computers, because there are far fewer games written for OS X. Apple doesn't offer hardware tuned for serious gaming.

People looking for the lowest-price low-end PCs should also avoid the Mac, because Apple's cheapest model, the Mac Mini, costs $599. And, it is BYOKMM - Bring your own Keyboard, Mouse and Monitor.

Q. What desktops does Apple offer for consumers?

A. Apple's main consumer desktop is the one-piece iMac, which is the best (but expensive) consumer desktop on the market. It comes in four models, with built-in 20-inch or 24-inch, flat-panel screens at starting prices ranging from $1,199 to $2,299.

Q. How about Mac laptops?

A. There are two. The entry-level MacBook has a 13-inch screen and a starting price of $1,099. The high-end MacBook Pro comes with either a 15-inch or 17-inch screen and starts at $1,999.

Apple currently doesn't offer a smaller laptop for road warriors.

Q. What minimum specs should I look for on a Mac?

A. All Macs come with at least one gigabyte of memory -- twice the minimum required for the new version of OS X, called Leopard.

If you can, get two gigabytes. Apple charges a lot for extra memory, but you can buy it for less at stores and online providers.

Macs use the same dual-core Intel processors and graphics systems as many mainstream Windows computers; and, as with Windows, you shouldn't pay extra for greater processor speed.

The iMac comes with at least a 250-gigabyte hard disk, and Mac laptop hard disks start at 80 gigabytes.

Apple offers much larger disks as options, which you should consider if you store a lot of photos, music and video files.

The technology of XO laptop

The XO laptop is designed by the One Laptop Per Child project. They want to provide a $100 laptop to every child in the developing countries.

The XO will cost $175 $188 and have the following technology:

366 MHz 433 MHz AMD Geode LX-700 x86 Processor
128 MB 256 MB RAM
512 MB 1 GB NAND Flash Storage
3 USB Ports
2 watts power usage during nominal load
802.11b / g-based WiFi Mesh networking
Dual Mode Display (Color or high-contrast for outdoors)

Also worth nothing is the battery: the nickel-metal hydride battery selected will allow the XO to operate for between four and eight hours depending on what features are in use. And when power sockets aren't available, users can recharge the battery with a built-in pull-string charger.

Power usage will be at its highest when the device is in "e-book mode." The XO laptop's unique 7-1/2 inch dual-mode LCD supports a resolution of 800x600 in color mode, but it jumps to 1200x900 in monochrome mode for reading and ease of use outdoors. In that mode, power usage will be closer to 4-8 watts.

As far as software, the OLPC will run a suite based around Linux, X-Windows, the lightweight Matchbox window manager, and the Sugar desktop environment. A FORTH interpreter is provided to teach programming skills.

Everything created on the laptop will automatically get backed up to the child's Google account, using a mesh networking infrastructure. This networking protocol is a form of Internet connection sharing that allows a single connection to be shared by many nearby laptops. There is also shared school software that sits on a common server accessible by all students.

OLPC - best use of money?

OLPC stands for One Laptop Per Child. The project is intedned to provide low-cost computers to the children of developing countries.


BITS of nytimes.com reported the following

The One Laptop Per Child project is starting a “Give 1 Get 1″ campaign to try to jump start its drive to bring its XO laptop to children in the developing world.

Give 1 Get 1

In return for spending $399, American customers will receive their own laptop as well as paying for a second computer for children in countries that are among the poorest of the poor: Afghanistan, Cambodia, Haiti and Rwanda.

OLPC hopes that by subsidizing the purchase of computers in these four countries, other countries will be prompted to make their own investments on their children.

If we built the laptop, will they buy it?

Quanta Computer is beginning mass production of the laptops in OctoberNovember (some 40,000 units will be produced in November, then about 80,000 the following month), but with far fewer than the 3 1 million orders that OLPC was waiting for.

So far, not a single government has written a check for the laptops.

The OLPC is facing skepticism among potential customers — the governments in developing nations — mainly because the laptops' price has gone up from $100 to $188. Given that poor countries only allocate less than $20 per year per pupil to education, few governments are willing to invest this much in technology for education.


Also, the technology of XO laptops is unusual — a small green-and-white machine that communicates with a wireless, peer-to-peer network and is not running Microsoft’s Windows or Office. So even if a government is willing to invest in computers, they have to bet on an odd-looking box and unfamiliar software.

Instead, I think that building schools, hiring teachers, and buying books and equipments would be better use of education dollars in the developing world.

P.S. More reporting from msn.com on the '$100 laptop.'

Upgrading Dell OptiPlex GX1

Why?

A good exercise for CompTIA A+ students. Many slot-1 motherboards could be upgraded to run the Tualatin processor by using Slot-1 adaptor.

I done it because I have all the components and it is easy to work on a GX1.

The followings are how I did it, with the help of many web pages. One of them is Dell GX1 Upgrade.

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This is the original Dell GX1 system that I have

Processor: Intel Pentium III 500 MHz (Slot 1, L2 Cache 256 Kb, 100 MHz FSB)

Memory: 128 mB

BIOS: a09

Onboard video memory: 4 mb

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The followings are what I did to upgrade the system

-I downgraded the BIOS from version a09 to a07. Save GX1_A07.EXE onto a bootable floppy disk and reboot the system with the floopy disk.

-I took out the 128 mB DIMM memory module and put in three 256 mB DIMM memory modules. The 256 mb modules need to be double sides. This GX1 motherboard is one of the few could have memory of greater than 512 mb.

-I took out the Pentium III assembly and put in the Powerleap PL-iP3/T upgrade with a Celeron 1200 CPU.

-I replaced the fan on the Powerleap PL-iP3/T with the fan from the Pentium III assembly. The original Pentium III fan may not pwerful enough; however, the GX1's fan (see below) is specially designed for Dell.

-I put in a PCI video card to increase the video memory to 16 mb.

-The computer rebooted with no problem!

-I enabled the ACPI in the system setup so the OS will set this computer as an Advanced Configuration and Power Interface (ACPI) PC . You enter the system setup with F2.

-I did a clean install of Windows XP Home Edition.

-I disabled the onboard video.

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Here is the upgraded Dell GX1 system

Processor: Intel Celeron 1.2 GHz (Tualatin Socket 370 FC-PGA2, L2 Cache 256 Kb, 100 MHz FSB)

Memory: 768 mB

BIOS: a07

Video: 16 mB PCI card

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More notes:

1) The CPU speed increased from 500 MHz to 1200 MHz, 2.4 times faster.

2) After the CPU upgrade, the system setup says that it has a Pentium III 800 MHz processor with 512 kb L2 cache. But the CPU-Z says it has an Taulatin Celeron 1200 MHz processor.

3) CPU fan of most Dell computers has a proprietary design that includes an RPM sensor and the color white wire carries the fan sense signal.

Without the proprietary connector, the BIOS does not recognize the fan and you get an error on boot. It says 'Alert! Previous fan error. Press F1 to continue or F2 for setup.'

Third-party fans without this connector work great and the computer works just fine. But you won't be alerted if the CPU fan is dying.

$99 Zonbu computer

This computer is a desktop preloaded with 20 popular & full versions Linux programs. It comes with free, automatic, online backup of your files, and a design that cuts energy use way below that of a standard computer.

It uses just 10 watts while a standard PC uses 200 watts.

But you've to get your own display, keyboard, and mouse. You also have to have a broadband connection!

The PC is $99 if you get a two-year Amazon S3 service plan. For $13-$20, you get 25-100GB of synched data. It is sold for $249 without any commitment.

WALTER S. MOSSBERG of wsj.com reviewed this pc from Zonbu and found it has many compromises that belie its goal of eliminating hassles.

1) You aren't allowed to install any added software. You seem to stuck with what the company provides.

2) Most Linux softwares ate rough, below the polished level of Windows or Mac programs.

3) The Zonbu crawled much of the time.

Folders took forever to open, email took way too long to appear, and so forth. And it was on a very fast Internet connection. This may be because of the very wimpy processor (1.2GHz intel-compatible VIA C7 ULV chipset) Zonbu uses to save money and energy.

How to dowgrade the computer

At present, many new entry-level desktops and notebooks are pre-loaded with Windows Vista and 512 MB of memeory.

However, to run Vista satisfactory requires at least 1 GB of memory.

You should downgrade the computer to run Windows XP which minimum requirement for memory is only 256 MB.

Low-priced laptops

By Jeff Bertloucci of Kiplinger

If you could spend $450 to $600, you will have a reliable portable computer with a decent-size screen that you can access the Web wirelessly, burn CDs or DVDs, and play movies.

These low-priced laptops from major companies, such as Dell, Gateway, Hewlett-Packard and Toshiba, are built as well as systems that are more expensive. One reason that they're less expensive: the cheaper models use less powerful processor than their $1,200 counterparts.

Still, the processor has plenty of power for everyday tasks, such as word processing and Web surfing. But forget about editing videos or running the latest 3D games -- not enough horsepower!

Most come with just 512 megabytes of memory, which means you will be running Windows Vista Home Basic, the simplest version of Microsoft's new operating system.

You'll be able to listen to streaming audio from your favorite Internet radio station, but the hard drive will likely be too small for storing movies or TV shows.

Best buys

HP's Compaq Presario V6000T ($609; www.shopping.hp.com).

Its specs are pretty good. The Intel Pentium Dual-Core T2080(1.73GHz/1MB) processor is fast and powerful. The 80GB hard drive is spacious enough to store music and photographs. The 15.4-inch widescreen display is big and bright, and the built-in wireless networking is fine for most homes.

Weighing in at less than 6 pounds, the V6000T is light enough to move from room to room (and to lug around the airport for a short while). Its six-cell lithium-ion battery lasts up to two hours, and the CD writer is good for burning audio discs (it can plays CDs & DVDs and burns only CDs).

HP also offers the Compaq Presario C500T (lower price - $449; www.shopping.hp.com), which uses a different processor - Intel Celeron M440 (1.86GHz/1MB). Overall, these two laptops should perform comparably.

The Dell Inspiron 1501 ($549; www.dell.com) is similar to HP's low-end Presarios. Its processor is AMD Mobile Sempron 3500+ (1.8GHz/512KB). Weighing a little more than 6 pounds, its sleek look, crisp widescreen display and Wi-Fi capability make it a good buy. The 60GB hard disk is small, but you can upgrade to 80GB for an extra $35.


One last thing

Don't expect a multiyear warranty or on-site service with these laptops. The Presario and Inspiron models come with one-year, mail-in service plans, which means you'll have to pack up your notebook and ship it back to the manufacturer if something goes really wrong.

Top four computer upgrades

1) Install broadbrand connection for Internet

2) Add more RAM

3) Replace or add a bigger hard drive

4) Replace or add a graphic card


Upgrades that are not worth the time and money

1) Replace CPU with a faster processor

2) Upgrade to a new operating system

What is Pentium Dual-Core processor?

The Intel Pentium Dual-Core T2060 is an unannounced Intel processor that mysteriously shown up in budget laptops at retailing stores in early 2007.

The T2060 is an off-roadmap processor (i.e. not on Intel's roadmap). It was developed at the request of some of Intel's customers.

It is a variant of the value Core Duo processor (T2050).

But the T2060's L2 cache is smaller than the L2 cache of Core Duo; and it may lacks some of Intel's latest power management features.

Favors of Windows Vista

* Windows Vista Business

* Windows Vista Enterprise

* Windows Vista Home Basic
-- Requires at least 512 Mb of memory

* Windows Vista Home Premium
-- Requires at least 1.0 Gb of memory

* Windows Vista Ultimate

There is also the Windows Vista Starter which is only available in developing technology markets.


Last Windows OS has

* Windows XP Home

* Windows XP Professional

* Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005

Tips for individuals to donate old computers

Original source: http://www.techsoup.org/products/recycle/articlepage.cfm?ArticleId=524

These are the reasons that we should find the appropriate way to discard old computers:

* According to the U.S. EPA, nearly 250 million computers will become obsolete in the next five years. In 2001, only 11 percent of personal computers retired in the U.S. were recycled.

* Each computer dumped in a landfill is a missed opportunity to provide Information Age tools for people to cross the digital divide.

* To reuse a old computer is more environmental friendly than to manufacture a new computer.

Tips for donating computers

Donate old computer to a refurbisher or recycler, rather than to the schools and nonprofits directly.

Out-of-date computer systems can be more a burden than a blessing to the schools and nonprofits; as it is very costly for them to bring a old computer up to today's standards.

Determine if your old computer can be reused.

It is okay to donate a “slow” computer or a computer with minor glitch. If it is less than seven years old, chances are that it can be upgraded and put to good use by someone else. If your computer is more than seven years old, consider to send it to a commercial recycler.

Recycle any broken computers.

Any computers that could not turn on should be recycled. Most recyclers are businesses or organizations that can remove useful parts and then break down the rest of the materials, as we do with bottles and cans. They also remove hazardous materials safely.

Note: Some of these organizations may charge a fee to accept computers for recycling -- especially computer monitors.

Contact the refurbisher or recycler before donating.

Call the organization or check for details on its Web site to ensure that it accepts the computer that you plan to give away.

Many recycling and refurbishing organizations also have specific locations where a PC can be donated, while others have delivery instructions they expect donors to follow.

Donate the accessories too.

If you can, include the keyboard, mouse, printer, modem, speakers, or any other accessories.

Keep the proof of the operating system intact if possible.

Microsoft XP operating system can only be reinstalled on the computers that had XP.

Clean your computer of personal information by yourself.

Best to use a disk wiping utility that overwrites whole hard drive so that no data is recoverable.

Keep a record of what you donated.

You are eligible for a tax donation if you donate to a nonprofit refurbisher. Most school or nonprofit refurbishers can provide a tax receipt upon request. The tax laws pertaining to this are Section 170 of the Federal Income Tax Code, the New Millennium Classrooms Act, and the 21st Century Classrooms Act.

Note: Individuals can deduct the current market value of donated computer on their tax returns.

To determine the fair market value of a computer

Go to the Computers for Schools Canada for free computer "valuator".

Plan for future donations.

Do not put away any unused computer in storage or basement. Most people will not use their old computer again. Donate it as soon as you brought a new computer.

OPN of AMD processors

Let's take an example to see what information can be obtained from an OPN.

Assume that the OPN is A1400AMS3C.

• The first "A" indicates that this is an Athlon processor.
  "AX" would indicates that this is an Athlon XP processor,
  "D" would indicates that this is an Duron processor, and
  "SDA" would indicates that this is an Sempron processor.
• The "1400" after the letter indicates the speed of the processor, which is 1,400MHz in this case.
• The next "A" describes the package type, which is a PGA (pin-grid array) in this case.
• The "M" after that indicates the operating voltage.
  ("M" means operating voltage is 1.75V whereas "P" means it operates at 1.7V.)
• The next position indicates the maximum case temperature.
  An "S" indicates a maximum case temperature of 95C whereas a "T" indicates a maximum case temperature of 90C.
• The number "3" which comes next describes the Level 2 cache size, which is 256KB in this case. (In addition to 128KB Level 1 cache.)
• The last one - a "C" indicates that the processor runs with a 266MHz bus whereas a "B" indicates that the processor is only capable of being operated with a 200MHz bus.