Hello fellow readers and welcome to today's edition of El Toro's Tech Blog, where you get the down and dirty on my views in technology, games, and the occasional mumble jumble that is me. :)
Many of my friends have asked on a number of occasions how I provide tech support. I like to think of myself as someone who is always available to help someone in a difficult situation when it comes to technology. You can ask most people close to me and they know when I have the time to help them out, I do. Most of the times its as easy as being on the phone if they dont have internet access and walking them through the steps they need to do. There are other times where both of us will have access to internet, and that is where it makes things easier for me.
I love using TeamViewer. It's free, easy to install and will always be running in the background. I have helped reconfigure a network printer, cleaned viruses, installed software, and setup training sessions using this remoting software.
I know what you must be thinking, "With all the issues going around about security, how secure is this?" No one can remote onto the computer without the ID and password. The ID is unique to every computer but the password changes on a daily basis, and it uses the highest security encryption. You can read their security statement by clicking here (this will open up in another page).
There have been people from a few blocks away, a few towns away, a few states and a few countries away where I have been able to assist them remotely using this. So if you are ever in a pickle or even want to show someone how to do something without having to be there, Teamviewer is the way to do. Just a quick tip when installing it, always indicate it is for personal use.
If you ever need me to assist you or train you in something on your computer, make sure you have this installed and send me a message. I will work with you on scheduling a time and we will go from there. Until next time fellow readers! Be Safe! :)
Thursday, February 6, 2014
Monday, January 27, 2014
Rumors on Latest Technology ... Should I believe them?
Hello fellow readers and welcome back to this weeks edition of El Toro's Tech Blog.
Today I figure I talk to you about how to address rumors when it comes to the newest tech.
Many of my friends follow social media like no one's business. Needless to say, there is a lot of information out there when it comes to the latest in technology. So, as a techie, I am constantly bombarded with questions such as "Hey did you hear about the iPhone6 yet?" or "Samsung is already getting ready to release the Galaxy S5 and I wanted to get your thoughts on it".
Here is the short and skinny, the rumors in technology are just that ... RUMORS.
The last thing you want to do is believe the rumors because that's all they are, rumors.
Wait until the announcement is made from the company. This way you will know EXACTLY what is coming and when, instead of reading articles of what could've, would've, should've happened.
That's all for today. Be safe!
Today I figure I talk to you about how to address rumors when it comes to the newest tech.
Many of my friends follow social media like no one's business. Needless to say, there is a lot of information out there when it comes to the latest in technology. So, as a techie, I am constantly bombarded with questions such as "Hey did you hear about the iPhone6 yet?" or "Samsung is already getting ready to release the Galaxy S5 and I wanted to get your thoughts on it".
Here is the short and skinny, the rumors in technology are just that ... RUMORS.
The last thing you want to do is believe the rumors because that's all they are, rumors.
Wait until the announcement is made from the company. This way you will know EXACTLY what is coming and when, instead of reading articles of what could've, would've, should've happened.
That's all for today. Be safe!
Monday, January 13, 2014
Getting the Latest in Tech ... Good or Bad?
Welcome back to this weeks "episode" of El Toro's Tech Blog.
This week, I will answer that common question that most people have been asking themselves. No not the "which came first, the chicken or the egg". And no, I will not make reference to the "birds and the bees" either. Its a bit simpler than that.
People ask what my thoughts are on getting that just came out in technology.
While I love the latest and the greatest and I will be the first to admit i suffer from "IGOTTAHAVEIT" syndrome, the fact is, not everything new will always be good, at first.
Lets go back some time when Apple first introduced the iPhone4. The very first phone to go on 3G service. We (and by we I mean as consumers, not myself included) were very excited to have a phone with faster voice and data and no longer on a 2G network. YAY for new stuff!!! ... That is, until so many people moved over to get the new 3G phone and crashed the 3G network. People were pissed that the latest new phone and its technology wasnt working. Was i surprised? Nope. That is what happens with new technology when it first comes out. Something always goes wrong.
Here is another example of what I mean, Not too long ago in the android market, Motorola released the Droid Razr (the very first model, not the newer derivatives of today). I was excited because I had always been a Moto Razr guy for years, and after some time with my Blackberry Storm, it was time for a new phone. I took the plunge despite my own better judgement on getting the latest device. I didn't have any issues with it, at first. Excited to be on the 4GLTE network and my first Android device. Then when software updates to the phone were available I went ahead and did the logical thing, update it. My phone dies. I had to get it replaced. When my replacement arrived (same make and model), the software update worked. I was once again happy, until another software update came, and after I tried that one, phone dead. I had to get them to provide me with a totally different phone.
Moral of the story, just because it is the latest and greatest and highly rated device or software that came out, does NOT mean you should run out and get it. Always wait 3-6 months after it has come out. By then all the bugs and kinks will have been fixed and not to mention the price will have gone down a bit as well.
There you have it, patience is a virtue when it comes to technology. Always wait when the new stuff comes out. Trust me, you will thank me for it later. Until next week! Be safe.
This week, I will answer that common question that most people have been asking themselves. No not the "which came first, the chicken or the egg". And no, I will not make reference to the "birds and the bees" either. Its a bit simpler than that.
People ask what my thoughts are on getting that just came out in technology.
While I love the latest and the greatest and I will be the first to admit i suffer from "IGOTTAHAVEIT" syndrome, the fact is, not everything new will always be good, at first.
Lets go back some time when Apple first introduced the iPhone4. The very first phone to go on 3G service. We (and by we I mean as consumers, not myself included) were very excited to have a phone with faster voice and data and no longer on a 2G network. YAY for new stuff!!! ... That is, until so many people moved over to get the new 3G phone and crashed the 3G network. People were pissed that the latest new phone and its technology wasnt working. Was i surprised? Nope. That is what happens with new technology when it first comes out. Something always goes wrong.
Here is another example of what I mean, Not too long ago in the android market, Motorola released the Droid Razr (the very first model, not the newer derivatives of today). I was excited because I had always been a Moto Razr guy for years, and after some time with my Blackberry Storm, it was time for a new phone. I took the plunge despite my own better judgement on getting the latest device. I didn't have any issues with it, at first. Excited to be on the 4GLTE network and my first Android device. Then when software updates to the phone were available I went ahead and did the logical thing, update it. My phone dies. I had to get it replaced. When my replacement arrived (same make and model), the software update worked. I was once again happy, until another software update came, and after I tried that one, phone dead. I had to get them to provide me with a totally different phone.
Moral of the story, just because it is the latest and greatest and highly rated device or software that came out, does NOT mean you should run out and get it. Always wait 3-6 months after it has come out. By then all the bugs and kinks will have been fixed and not to mention the price will have gone down a bit as well.
There you have it, patience is a virtue when it comes to technology. Always wait when the new stuff comes out. Trust me, you will thank me for it later. Until next week! Be safe.
Thursday, January 9, 2014
Happy New Year 2014!
Reports of my demise and that of El Toro's Tech Blog have been greatly exaggerated .
It is me. I have returned. Many things have taken place in my life that have prevented me from updating my blog and for that I wish to apologize to my readers.
As part of my new years resolution, I intend to work harder in providing at least a weekly entry on anything I come across in tech and video games. But this time, I will come in with a few changes and hopefully you will come to like them a bit better.
Thank you all
It is me. I have returned. Many things have taken place in my life that have prevented me from updating my blog and for that I wish to apologize to my readers.
As part of my new years resolution, I intend to work harder in providing at least a weekly entry on anything I come across in tech and video games. But this time, I will come in with a few changes and hopefully you will come to like them a bit better.
Thank you all
Thursday, April 18, 2013
Headphones - Which one is Best?
People keep asking me about what are the best headphones out there to use for music and smart-phones. In all honesty, each headphone is unique in its own way and when it comes down to it, it is more of a preference on what you want in the end rather than what I think is the best one. It is also down to whether or not you want a brand name or something that works. But nonetheless, I will mention a few headphones that I personally like (and have used) which are good.
Now for the sake of this entry today, I am going to point out several commonly known headphones to the average Joe (or Jill) so things like professional headphones like Audiotechnica, V-Moda Crossfades and Sennheiser will not be mentioned. I will be talking about Beats by Dr Dre, Bose, Skullcandy, and Sony. These are the ones that are still popular and common today and can easily be purchased at most electronics stores.
Sony
Sony has been for the longest one of the most well known in Walkmans, Discmans, MiniDiscman, stereos, the list goes on and on. One of their products that I had plenty of were their headphones. I've used their in-the-ear and over-the-ear. These have been the headphones you WANTED to get back in the 80's, 90's and Early 2000. They were (for the most part) affordable, durable and you could find them in a pharmacy store like Walgreens or such.
Now with people using their headphones to answer calls and change the volume without ever touching their phones or mp3 players, Sony has kept it simple and implemented their line of headphones with the ability to increase/decrease the volume and press a button to answer your calls. The quality of sound on them are pretty good if all you want is to just listen to your music. The great thing about these headphones are the price. You can get a no bells/whistles headphone as low as 15 bucks and if you want something very good, a really good pair for up to 50 bucks. Please note there are other Sony headphones that range into the 200 bucks area and more and I am aware of that. I am simply pointing out headphones that most people can afford.
Skullcandy
I will be the first to admit I was pretty skeptical about this company when it first made its appearance in 2003. Skullcandy's products were targeted for outdoor action sports such as snowboarders, bikers, skateboarders. It went so well that it eventually went out to the general consumer market and have been going strong every since. Fast forward 5 years later and Fortune's Magazine named Skullcandy "the world's coolest ear bud". You know what? They were right! The designs were amazing and the quality just as great. Not to mention the fact almost anyone can actually afford to get their hands on a really cool set of headphones or ear buds! Let's talk pricing now. If you really want something very basic, you can get some basic buds for as low as 9 bucks online (like Amazon) and these 9 buck buds have volume and mic control. Not bad eh? If you wanted something over the ear, you got a range from 12 to 50 bucks for a decent pair, great quality and not to mention an awesome look to them. I personally tried a few of the over the ears and I gotta say if it weren't for the fact I have several headphones already, I would've purchased a few Skullcandy's!
Bose
Here you have a company that has been around since the 1970s specializing in audio equipment. Bose is known for its loudspeakers, noise-cancelling headsets and automotive sound systems. Here is a fun fact for you all that you may or may not know. Bose has contracts with the U.S. Military and N.A.S.A. So chances are if you see any piece of audio equipment such as military and aviation headsets, its a Bose. Pretty cool right? Here is another fun fact for you. Bose, officially, was the first company to release active noise cancelling headphones as a consumer product. Nice!
You definitely will get amazing quality from their headphones both in the ear and over the ear. Bose is also very particularly protective of its patents and trademarks and with very good reason. Not too many companies have the contracts they do so it is very important to Bose to be defensive of its brand. Now lets talk prices on their headphones. For in the ear headphones, you can find online a decent price as low as 70 bucks. All things considering, with the history of its line and the quality of their headphones, this is not bad at all. The downer though is at 70 bucks, all you get are the headphones, case and replacement buds. It does not come with mic and volume control so for some people it might be a downer. If you want that, you are looking to pay at least 130 bucks. For over the ear headphones you have at least 2 options, you have the normal ones and the noise cancelling ones. For regular ones, look to fork out at least 140 bucks, while the noise cancelling ones, a whopping 190 (at least). Hey, if I was in a room of loud people and construction, 190 bucks will be worth it to me.
Beats by Dr. Dre
The company was founded by hip-hop producer Andre "Dr. Dre" Young (who in my opinion is AWESOME) in 2006. Beats produces a line of audio products and equipment and these in turn are manufactured under the exclusive license of Monster Cable. This lasted from about 2009 - 2012 in which now Beats no longer has a contract with Monster Cable, so it produces its own products. The purpose for Dr. Dre in creating the Beats was because listeners were not able to hear "all" of the music with most headphones and with Beats, it would allow people to "hear what the artists hear, and listen to the music the way they should: the way I (Dr Dre) do." The technology used in these headphones can make even the most basic mp3 player or smartphone sound amazing. If you remember back in the day you would need to go to the radio and fiddle around with buttons to get the bass, the tremble, and all that other stuff in order to get the sounds just right? Beats allows you to take all that legwork out and it makes it feel it does it for you. Even if you have the worst recording of a song or audio clip, you can still hear it pretty darn well. Now here comes the bad news for those people getting all excited. Pricing is a bit steep even for basic ones. For in the ears with mic and volume options, you can expect to dish out at least 50 bucks if you know where to look online. The over the ear basic ones (this is the Beats Solo) at least 180 bucks ... and the ones I mentioned are the discontinued ones. the High Definition (HD) ones are worth even more ... 200 bucks. You can certainly find them cheaper like perhaps slightly used, refurbished or places going out of business but still, its pretty expensive considering the other options.
You see now the more popular options out there that I have described above, now I give you my take. I have either used or owned one of each device and can vouch for its quality. In a pinch, I know I can buy a Sony headphone at your local CVS, Duane Reade, Right Aid, etc. and use it without worrying about bad quality. I've done it before and its reliable. Not to mention I can actually afford them. If it wasn't for the fact I invested in the Beats, I would probably own a pair of Skullcandy's. My pick for something that will not only give you great quality and an affordable price, I would go with Skullcandy. My next pick assumes I have the money and want something top of the line, it will have to be the Bose ... no contest. Yes I love my beats, but it is too overpriced. I can have more bang for my buck purchasing a normal over the ear Bose and still have enough money for something else. (Over the Ear w/ Bose = 140 ... Over the Ear w/ Beats = 180)
That's all for now folks. See you all next time!
Now for the sake of this entry today, I am going to point out several commonly known headphones to the average Joe (or Jill) so things like professional headphones like Audiotechnica, V-Moda Crossfades and Sennheiser will not be mentioned. I will be talking about Beats by Dr Dre, Bose, Skullcandy, and Sony. These are the ones that are still popular and common today and can easily be purchased at most electronics stores.
Sony
Sony has been for the longest one of the most well known in Walkmans, Discmans, MiniDiscman, stereos, the list goes on and on. One of their products that I had plenty of were their headphones. I've used their in-the-ear and over-the-ear. These have been the headphones you WANTED to get back in the 80's, 90's and Early 2000. They were (for the most part) affordable, durable and you could find them in a pharmacy store like Walgreens or such.
Now with people using their headphones to answer calls and change the volume without ever touching their phones or mp3 players, Sony has kept it simple and implemented their line of headphones with the ability to increase/decrease the volume and press a button to answer your calls. The quality of sound on them are pretty good if all you want is to just listen to your music. The great thing about these headphones are the price. You can get a no bells/whistles headphone as low as 15 bucks and if you want something very good, a really good pair for up to 50 bucks. Please note there are other Sony headphones that range into the 200 bucks area and more and I am aware of that. I am simply pointing out headphones that most people can afford.
Skullcandy
I will be the first to admit I was pretty skeptical about this company when it first made its appearance in 2003. Skullcandy's products were targeted for outdoor action sports such as snowboarders, bikers, skateboarders. It went so well that it eventually went out to the general consumer market and have been going strong every since. Fast forward 5 years later and Fortune's Magazine named Skullcandy "the world's coolest ear bud". You know what? They were right! The designs were amazing and the quality just as great. Not to mention the fact almost anyone can actually afford to get their hands on a really cool set of headphones or ear buds! Let's talk pricing now. If you really want something very basic, you can get some basic buds for as low as 9 bucks online (like Amazon) and these 9 buck buds have volume and mic control. Not bad eh? If you wanted something over the ear, you got a range from 12 to 50 bucks for a decent pair, great quality and not to mention an awesome look to them. I personally tried a few of the over the ears and I gotta say if it weren't for the fact I have several headphones already, I would've purchased a few Skullcandy's!
Bose
Here you have a company that has been around since the 1970s specializing in audio equipment. Bose is known for its loudspeakers, noise-cancelling headsets and automotive sound systems. Here is a fun fact for you all that you may or may not know. Bose has contracts with the U.S. Military and N.A.S.A. So chances are if you see any piece of audio equipment such as military and aviation headsets, its a Bose. Pretty cool right? Here is another fun fact for you. Bose, officially, was the first company to release active noise cancelling headphones as a consumer product. Nice!
You definitely will get amazing quality from their headphones both in the ear and over the ear. Bose is also very particularly protective of its patents and trademarks and with very good reason. Not too many companies have the contracts they do so it is very important to Bose to be defensive of its brand. Now lets talk prices on their headphones. For in the ear headphones, you can find online a decent price as low as 70 bucks. All things considering, with the history of its line and the quality of their headphones, this is not bad at all. The downer though is at 70 bucks, all you get are the headphones, case and replacement buds. It does not come with mic and volume control so for some people it might be a downer. If you want that, you are looking to pay at least 130 bucks. For over the ear headphones you have at least 2 options, you have the normal ones and the noise cancelling ones. For regular ones, look to fork out at least 140 bucks, while the noise cancelling ones, a whopping 190 (at least). Hey, if I was in a room of loud people and construction, 190 bucks will be worth it to me.
Beats by Dr. Dre
The company was founded by hip-hop producer Andre "Dr. Dre" Young (who in my opinion is AWESOME) in 2006. Beats produces a line of audio products and equipment and these in turn are manufactured under the exclusive license of Monster Cable. This lasted from about 2009 - 2012 in which now Beats no longer has a contract with Monster Cable, so it produces its own products. The purpose for Dr. Dre in creating the Beats was because listeners were not able to hear "all" of the music with most headphones and with Beats, it would allow people to "hear what the artists hear, and listen to the music the way they should: the way I (Dr Dre) do." The technology used in these headphones can make even the most basic mp3 player or smartphone sound amazing. If you remember back in the day you would need to go to the radio and fiddle around with buttons to get the bass, the tremble, and all that other stuff in order to get the sounds just right? Beats allows you to take all that legwork out and it makes it feel it does it for you. Even if you have the worst recording of a song or audio clip, you can still hear it pretty darn well. Now here comes the bad news for those people getting all excited. Pricing is a bit steep even for basic ones. For in the ears with mic and volume options, you can expect to dish out at least 50 bucks if you know where to look online. The over the ear basic ones (this is the Beats Solo) at least 180 bucks ... and the ones I mentioned are the discontinued ones. the High Definition (HD) ones are worth even more ... 200 bucks. You can certainly find them cheaper like perhaps slightly used, refurbished or places going out of business but still, its pretty expensive considering the other options.
You see now the more popular options out there that I have described above, now I give you my take. I have either used or owned one of each device and can vouch for its quality. In a pinch, I know I can buy a Sony headphone at your local CVS, Duane Reade, Right Aid, etc. and use it without worrying about bad quality. I've done it before and its reliable. Not to mention I can actually afford them. If it wasn't for the fact I invested in the Beats, I would probably own a pair of Skullcandy's. My pick for something that will not only give you great quality and an affordable price, I would go with Skullcandy. My next pick assumes I have the money and want something top of the line, it will have to be the Bose ... no contest. Yes I love my beats, but it is too overpriced. I can have more bang for my buck purchasing a normal over the ear Bose and still have enough money for something else. (Over the Ear w/ Bose = 140 ... Over the Ear w/ Beats = 180)
That's all for now folks. See you all next time!
Tuesday, January 15, 2013
Desktop vs Laptop
Greetings and welcome to El Toro's Tech Blog! I wish to apologize to my readers for the long hiatus. A lot of things have been taking place in my life where I haven't been able to be available to post any new entries. Now that things are a bit more settled I hope to be able to bring to you what I do best.
I tend to get a lot of my friends asking me "Hey I am going to be getting a new computer soon and I wanted to know if you think I should get a desktop or a laptop". People tend to wonder which one is better for them to get. Most people even assume they should be getting one thing, when in fact they may just need the other. So, what is the best thing to get? Here I hope to accomplish the following for my readers:
In the end, I do hope you will be able to find this information useful and help make your decision the best one for your needs. For the sake of making the blog a bit easier to relate to, I will be speaking mainly about Microsoft Windows computers, with a mention of Apple.
DESKTOPS COMPUTERS
My teacher gave me one of the best definitions on what a desktop computer was without using technical lingo and I remember it to this very day. A desktop computer is a "huge box with a tv screen, keyboard and mouse that will allow you to do multiple tasks and view it on the screen". I look back at what she said to me and I laugh, because it is essentially just that. A machine that a regular person can use to write letters and email them, browse the internet, talk with friends overseas without having to pay for long distance. We sure have come a long way from having "a huge box with a tv screen". Desktop computers come in various shapes, sizes and makes, and each desktop has different configurations, specifications and support. Without going into too much technical detail, you can pretty much walk into any computer/electronic store and purchase a desktop and set it up at home pretty easily. While there are many makes of a desktop, there are 2 types of desktop you can get:
Apple is its sole creator of the hardware for its desktop computers and it will have its own operating system, Apple Mac OS. Windows desktop computers, on the other hand, is a Microsoft product and has Microsoft Windows installed on it. What makes Windows different from Mac OS is that Mac OS can only be installed(LEGALLY) on a Mac computer and Mac hardware. But with Windows, you can install it on any type of hardware (ex: Dell, HP, Toshiba, Acer, Asus, Sony, etc). You could install Windows on Mac hardware but to do that is almost as taking the engine of a Ferrari and putting it into a VW buggy ... it wouldn't make sense.
Desktop computers are not meant to be portable. I mean, really, do you want to lug around a computer, a monitor, a keyboard and a mouse? You tend to see desktops in places such as the office, public libraries, hotels, internet cafes, banks, even some touch screen vending machines, like in the case of some New Yorkers, the MTA Metro Card machines (it uses a compact version of Microsoft Windows). Most businesses use Microsoft Windows and have Windows Desktops computers.
Laptop Computers
The same teacher who told me how to define a desktop told me this and I am not even kidding (my teacher was a riot LOL). The laptop is essentially a very smaller, "squished down" version of a desktop and its more portable. You could take it a step further and say laptops are also space savers.
There are also several types of laptops you can get but the 2 most common ones out in the market today are:
Because laptops are meant to be portable, they tend to be more expensive because the parts are smaller than your average desktop. They can do just the same as a regular desktop can do. It is just a question of how much you are willing to fork out and if you plan on being mobile or not.
Now that I have explained what each device is, lets put together some pros and cons about each.
Final Thoughts: This is now a choice you need to make on your own. Only you will know your needs when it comes down to a desktop or a laptop. I strongly suggest you do your research no matter what you decide to get. Ask around, talk to people, Google is your best resource on getting good and accurate reviews. Don't ask a salesperson because in the long run, they want to make a sale so they will mostly tell you what you want to hear. If you wish to ask me, I can certainly give you recommendations based on the questions I ask you but in the long haul, it is your decision.
Until next time, be safe! =)
I tend to get a lot of my friends asking me "Hey I am going to be getting a new computer soon and I wanted to know if you think I should get a desktop or a laptop". People tend to wonder which one is better for them to get. Most people even assume they should be getting one thing, when in fact they may just need the other. So, what is the best thing to get? Here I hope to accomplish the following for my readers:
- Provide a better understanding what a desktop and a laptop is
- What are the benefits of having a desktop vs having a laptop
- What works better in what type of situation
- My final thoughts
In the end, I do hope you will be able to find this information useful and help make your decision the best one for your needs. For the sake of making the blog a bit easier to relate to, I will be speaking mainly about Microsoft Windows computers, with a mention of Apple.
DESKTOPS COMPUTERS
My teacher gave me one of the best definitions on what a desktop computer was without using technical lingo and I remember it to this very day. A desktop computer is a "huge box with a tv screen, keyboard and mouse that will allow you to do multiple tasks and view it on the screen". I look back at what she said to me and I laugh, because it is essentially just that. A machine that a regular person can use to write letters and email them, browse the internet, talk with friends overseas without having to pay for long distance. We sure have come a long way from having "a huge box with a tv screen". Desktop computers come in various shapes, sizes and makes, and each desktop has different configurations, specifications and support. Without going into too much technical detail, you can pretty much walk into any computer/electronic store and purchase a desktop and set it up at home pretty easily. While there are many makes of a desktop, there are 2 types of desktop you can get:
- Windows Desktop computer
- Apple Desktop computer.
Apple is its sole creator of the hardware for its desktop computers and it will have its own operating system, Apple Mac OS. Windows desktop computers, on the other hand, is a Microsoft product and has Microsoft Windows installed on it. What makes Windows different from Mac OS is that Mac OS can only be installed(LEGALLY) on a Mac computer and Mac hardware. But with Windows, you can install it on any type of hardware (ex: Dell, HP, Toshiba, Acer, Asus, Sony, etc). You could install Windows on Mac hardware but to do that is almost as taking the engine of a Ferrari and putting it into a VW buggy ... it wouldn't make sense.
Desktop computers are not meant to be portable. I mean, really, do you want to lug around a computer, a monitor, a keyboard and a mouse? You tend to see desktops in places such as the office, public libraries, hotels, internet cafes, banks, even some touch screen vending machines, like in the case of some New Yorkers, the MTA Metro Card machines (it uses a compact version of Microsoft Windows). Most businesses use Microsoft Windows and have Windows Desktops computers.
Laptop Computers
The same teacher who told me how to define a desktop told me this and I am not even kidding (my teacher was a riot LOL). The laptop is essentially a very smaller, "squished down" version of a desktop and its more portable. You could take it a step further and say laptops are also space savers.
There are also several types of laptops you can get but the 2 most common ones out in the market today are:
- Windows Laptops (Dell, Acer, Asus, Toshiba, Lenovo, etc)
- Apple Laptops (Macbook, Macbook Air, Macbook Pro)
Because laptops are meant to be portable, they tend to be more expensive because the parts are smaller than your average desktop. They can do just the same as a regular desktop can do. It is just a question of how much you are willing to fork out and if you plan on being mobile or not.
Now that I have explained what each device is, lets put together some pros and cons about each.
Pros | Cons |
More Bang for your Buck - you can get better graphics, | "Isn’t going anywhere" - This means, you don’t |
Easier to use - with a desktop, you can get a large | |
Upgrading is Easy - because of the size of the desktop, | |
Easy to keep track of - let’s face it, unless someone | |
Hard Drive Space - you can get a lot of space for your | |
Memory - You can get a lot of memory capacity for your | |
Laptops | |
Pros | Cons |
Mobility - you can easily pick up the laptop and go from | Less bang for more buck - you can |
Most laptops have internal WiFi | Maintenance - unlike a desktop where you can open it up |
Power - If you lose power for any reason, you still can | "It can walk easily" - someone can easily pick |
Final Thoughts: This is now a choice you need to make on your own. Only you will know your needs when it comes down to a desktop or a laptop. I strongly suggest you do your research no matter what you decide to get. Ask around, talk to people, Google is your best resource on getting good and accurate reviews. Don't ask a salesperson because in the long run, they want to make a sale so they will mostly tell you what you want to hear. If you wish to ask me, I can certainly give you recommendations based on the questions I ask you but in the long haul, it is your decision.
Until next time, be safe! =)
Sunday, September 23, 2012
Tips on How to Keep up with Technology.
Hi everyone, I hope you are all doing well. I am on a flight towards my vacation with my wife to San Francisco and figured I start writing up my latest installment. This time I am going to do something a bit different though. Instead of taking items of technology and comparing them like I usually do, I wanted to give you my in site on how technology is constantly changing and if we as users and consumers are every ready for the newest thing out there? Are we ready for "the next big thing"? It doesn't matter if your a tech guru person like I like to think I am or just your average Joe who needs something that works.
As an IT technician, I need to be always on my toes with the latest technology and because of my line of work, it makes it that much harder to do so. I not only have to take care of my users needs but I also need make sure I don't have a dumb founded look when one of my users asks me a question about what's new. Naturally I cant purchase all the latest "toys" that are out there (even if I could, I think my wife would divorce me if I did LOL). The best I can do though is educate myself and that's why I love the internet so much.
My friends have asked me what is it I do to keep up to date? The truth of the matter, it really isn't that difficult so as long as you have access to the internet. Lets face it, everyone has access to some means of the internet, whether its at work, at home, public hot spot or library, even on their phones. As long as you have access to the internet, you can view the blogs, read the news, hit up forums online, even watch youtube videos of people testing out this new technology. That's what I do and if you are as lucky as I am, the company you work at are into the latest in technology and want you testing it. It is also no secret you can go to any Best Buy, PC Richards, and other electronic shop like that to play around with these toys. I like getting hands on experience on the new stuff if I can.
That is truly the best advice I can give anyone. Go to a store, ask questions, if the equipment is there, ask to hold it, test and try it out there. Trust me they will let you, after all, they will potentially want your business so they will let you play around with the gadgets there. I didn't get to learn about the latest tablets just by reading or hearing about it, I've physically held and played with them.
I hope this was insightful and you have enjoyed today's blog. Until next time! :)
As an IT technician, I need to be always on my toes with the latest technology and because of my line of work, it makes it that much harder to do so. I not only have to take care of my users needs but I also need make sure I don't have a dumb founded look when one of my users asks me a question about what's new. Naturally I cant purchase all the latest "toys" that are out there (even if I could, I think my wife would divorce me if I did LOL). The best I can do though is educate myself and that's why I love the internet so much.
My friends have asked me what is it I do to keep up to date? The truth of the matter, it really isn't that difficult so as long as you have access to the internet. Lets face it, everyone has access to some means of the internet, whether its at work, at home, public hot spot or library, even on their phones. As long as you have access to the internet, you can view the blogs, read the news, hit up forums online, even watch youtube videos of people testing out this new technology. That's what I do and if you are as lucky as I am, the company you work at are into the latest in technology and want you testing it. It is also no secret you can go to any Best Buy, PC Richards, and other electronic shop like that to play around with these toys. I like getting hands on experience on the new stuff if I can.
That is truly the best advice I can give anyone. Go to a store, ask questions, if the equipment is there, ask to hold it, test and try it out there. Trust me they will let you, after all, they will potentially want your business so they will let you play around with the gadgets there. I didn't get to learn about the latest tablets just by reading or hearing about it, I've physically held and played with them.
I hope this was insightful and you have enjoyed today's blog. Until next time! :)
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