Monday, April 29, 2013
Check Out Geeks.com Top Rated Products
Looking for something good? Check out Geeks.com’s top rated products! The best products, reviewed by Geeks.com customers. You might find something useful, and a good deal too.
Let’s take a look at what’s hot! Trust customers like yourself who’ve come in and taken the time to comment on some of their favorite buys!
Looking to save some money and stop renting from the cable company? Check out the Motorola SB6121 SURFboard eXtreme DOCSIS 3.0 Cable Modem. Get speeds up to speeds up to 160 Mbps. In his review, Sam said “Got this to replace an aging ISP modem with connection issues. It was recommended by my ISP so I went with their advice and have to say this modem has been flawless since install, which was amazingly easy. Buy it and you can stop paying your ISP to rent their unit.” Easy to setup, fast, and reliable!
Read More
Big Data and the Cloud
We’ve talked about data storage before. My first computer had two 1 GB hard drives. At the time I thought it was more than I’d ever need. Of course, I filled up those hard drives. I was amazed when I got my first 1 GB thumb drive. Now I have several thumb drives, and a couple of them hold 8 GB.
Remember the days when data storage and transfer was an issue? When it used to be a hassle to move and store data? Now we’ve got the Cloud--the virtual storage of data, accessible, anywhere, any time. Tools like Dropbox help us integrate our data and storage solutions across multiple platforms like our PCs, laptops, tablets and even phones. Evernote and Google Docs allow us to access our notes and documents anywhere. I use multiple laptops for work and my PC and I’m constantly moving data back and forth using different tools like Dropbox and my thumb drives.
Courtesy of Dropbox.com
Read More
Hey Kids! Learn to Write Code, It's the Future!
My first attempts at coding were with a tiny Radio Shack computer that hooked up to a cassette player and the TV. I think it took me hours to write the Basic program to get “Hello world!” to display on the screen. Years later I’d work in the world of web marketing and design and work with HTML, JavaScript and CGI every day. Well that’s nothing compared to what’s coming! Top leaders in the tech world are encouraging kids to start learning how to code now, for the future.
Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates, Facebook co-founder Mark Zuckerberg, and Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey all recently threw their considerable tech weigh and credibility into Code.org’s video “What Most Schools Don’t Teach.” The clip stresses a growing worldwide shortage of coders, and that only 10% of American schools teach any kind of programming. Since Computer Science is the best paying college degree in the U.S., learning a little coding makes financial sense. But what’s it gonna cost YOU up front? In many cases, only time and effort!
Code.org is a “non-profit whose goal is to expose all students to computer programming. We believe that computer programming is a liberal art; it's something EVERY student in the world should be exposed to at some point in their childhood.”
Read More
Windows 7 Versus Windows 8
What’s that old joke? Why does your PC crash? Because it has Windows?
Kidding, kidding…KIND OF, but I do have to add that MS Word JUST locked up
while starting this post. Hmm…well, despite the instability that your Mac and
Linux friends would have you think is inherent to Windows, there have been some
popular, and unpopular Windows versions. I mean, I’m still on XP on my PC! My
Mom had to get a new computer and lamented the change to Windows 7!
But I don’t think any Windows version has gotten the bad rap that came along with Windows 8…OK, maybe Windows Vista, but that was a learning curve issue. Too much change, man! I’ve always thought Windows 8 was Microsoft’s attempt to start to start easing us into a touch world beyond our phones and tablets, in prep for the Microsoft touch home where everything in our home will be touchy, integrated, and Microsoft.
But I don’t think any Windows version has gotten the bad rap that came along with Windows 8…OK, maybe Windows Vista, but that was a learning curve issue. Too much change, man! I’ve always thought Windows 8 was Microsoft’s attempt to start to start easing us into a touch world beyond our phones and tablets, in prep for the Microsoft touch home where everything in our home will be touchy, integrated, and Microsoft.
State of Streaming Music
There are streaming music services of all types, each with their advantages and limitations. At their best, these sites give us access to huge libraries of music, and allow us to listen online, on our smart phones, on our tablets and even in our cars. More convenience and portability of music than ever before, and it’s only just begun. The world of streaming music is still relatively new, but there are a myriad of choices out there.
Online streaming is the fastest growing form of music listening, according to CNN, and other industry experts. The Recording Industry Association of America, has said that overall music sales continued to decline in 2012, but digital-music sales were up 14%, topping $4 billion.
Read More
Amp Up Your Audio with Geeks.com
AMP, aka Antec, is a California based company with audio products sold in over 30 countries throughout the world. Antec is committed to providing “innovative and visually appealing quality PC components that give computer users higher performance and more flexibility.”
Let’s take a quick look at how Bluetooth audio works. Bluetooth is a technology that allows devices to communicate wirelessly over short distances. We’ve all seen or heard of it with our cell phone headsets, those delightful little devices people wear in their ears so they can talk all the time. Their phones are in close proximity and communicate with the earpiece via a Bluetooth connection.
AMP offers some great Bluetooth audio options with its Bluetooth speaker line. The AMP SP1 - GRN Portable Wireless Bluetooth Speaker & Speaker Phone is intended for music listening, movie watching, game playing, and of course, high quality phone audio. Speakers are available in green, white/pink, and black/red.
Monday, April 8, 2013
Touching on Touch Screen Tech
Reach out and touch…screens! Touchscreen tech is so commonplace now, we
take it for granted. Not that long ago we still had to pound, press and mouse
away on our tech.
Touchscreens are so common now, if I walk up to a screen somewhere and it’s NOT touch reactive, I’m disappointed. I have to press BUTTONS!? Touchscreens are going to get even more and more prevalent in our lives, homes, and workplaces.
According to PC Magazine a touchscreen is, "a display screen that is sensitive to the touch of a finger or stylus. Widely used on ATM machines, retail point-of-sale terminals, car navigation systems, medical monitors and industrial control panels, the touchscreen became wildly popular on handhelds after Apple introduced the iPhone in 2007."
Touchscreens are so common now, if I walk up to a screen somewhere and it’s NOT touch reactive, I’m disappointed. I have to press BUTTONS!? Touchscreens are going to get even more and more prevalent in our lives, homes, and workplaces.
According to PC Magazine a touchscreen is, "a display screen that is sensitive to the touch of a finger or stylus. Widely used on ATM machines, retail point-of-sale terminals, car navigation systems, medical monitors and industrial control panels, the touchscreen became wildly popular on handhelds after Apple introduced the iPhone in 2007."
You Can Still DIY with Geeks.com!
Back in the early days of Geeks.com, our
bread and butter was the do it yourself (DIY) geeks at home buying components
and building their own systems. Times have changed—we now sell computers,
laptops, tablets, hard drives, and much more.
But you can still DIY with Geeks.com. So if you’re the adventurous type, and want to DIY with Geeks.com, what are you going to need? One of the main reasons DIY geeks like to deal with and install their own components has always been to save money. Sure it’s a little more hassle and effort to swap out your own parts, and you do need some basic computer knowledge, but it’s affordable to put your own computer together. It’s also probably not as hard as you think it is.
Every monster needs a brain, right? “Young Frankenstein’s” brain was “Abby Normal.” Your computer’s brain is the processor. When looking at processors, look at clock speed and cores. Basically, the higher clock speed system can do things fast, and more cores means it can do more things at one time. For example, the Intel Core i5-3330 Socket 1155 quad-core processor features a 3.0 GHz clock speed and can accelerate up to 3.2 GHz under turbo mode.
But you can still DIY with Geeks.com. So if you’re the adventurous type, and want to DIY with Geeks.com, what are you going to need? One of the main reasons DIY geeks like to deal with and install their own components has always been to save money. Sure it’s a little more hassle and effort to swap out your own parts, and you do need some basic computer knowledge, but it’s affordable to put your own computer together. It’s also probably not as hard as you think it is.
Every monster needs a brain, right? “Young Frankenstein’s” brain was “Abby Normal.” Your computer’s brain is the processor. When looking at processors, look at clock speed and cores. Basically, the higher clock speed system can do things fast, and more cores means it can do more things at one time. For example, the Intel Core i5-3330 Socket 1155 quad-core processor features a 3.0 GHz clock speed and can accelerate up to 3.2 GHz under turbo mode.
Is it Time for Smart Watches?
Smart phones, smart cars, smart appliances…we’re surrounded by smart
stuff. Several companies are taking the IQ boost to your wrist, and there are
rumors that Samsung and Apple also want to make your watch smarter.
The Pebble smart watch features a cool look enhanced by and E-Paper display, helping to make it readable even in direct sunlight. The Pebble can integrate with Android and iOS, and displays email, texts, and call notifications. Customizable watch faces also make this one for those looking for a cool looking, and functional smart watch.
The Pebble smart watch features a cool look enhanced by and E-Paper display, helping to make it readable even in direct sunlight. The Pebble can integrate with Android and iOS, and displays email, texts, and call notifications. Customizable watch faces also make this one for those looking for a cool looking, and functional smart watch.
Go SSD with Geeks.com!
Remember that old computer you drove into the ground? Remember that grinding sound right before it died? Chances are that was the hard disc drive (HDD) taking a dive. That can be a nightmare of lost data, and a costly replacement. Generally that sound meant at least a new drive, or even a new computer or laptop.
My first desktop PC was a used one I bought from a friend. He told me it had two hard drives, both .5 GB, much more than I’d EVER need. Now I've got THUMB drives that can hold 8 GB!
There are two main types of drives in use now. HDDs, and Solid State Drives (SSD).
Read More
Home Networking with Geeks.com
This time, we’re bringing you a home networking overview, with a little help from our friends at TRENDnet. So what really IS a home network? Let’s get a working vocabulary before we get into some of the fun you can have with your network.
You can have a wired network, or a wireless network. Most home networks are a combination of both.
A wired network is basically a network of devices, connected by…wires. The wires are usually connected via a router, basically a hub that directs the connections of your network. A network cable runs a signal to the router, and the router runs the signal via wire or wireless out to other devices on the network.
Most home networks are a combination
Read More
3D Printing, The Printing of the Future
News stories on 3D printing are literally popping out at us everywhere. “Printing” is perhaps not even the right label for 3D printing. We think of printing, and we think of ink on paper, and maybe how cool it is that we can now print via the Cloud from our smartphones. 3D printing is more like 3D creating. It’s a whole new ballgame. It’s more about creating an actual object from scratch and giving it reality. Perhaps something like a human bone, a prosthetic ear, an automobile design, or a form fitting dress on burlesque model Dita Von Teese.
Image credit OsteoFab, from 3D-Printed Skull Implant Ready for Operation
Read More
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)