While his email is original, the question from community member “Tamloo” is an all-too-familiar one for me (unedited):

Hey Chris, I have been a really big fan of yous over the past couple of years. You are one of the main sources I get my technology news from. One thing I really like about you is that yes, you can be an “Apple Fanboy” at sometimes, but for the most part, you do reviews fairly and over a wide range of products and software. Unlike other tech reviews, you don’t just focus on one specific platform or company.

Well, the main reason why I am emailing you is because I recently purchased an Asus Netbook computer last year. It worked great for traveling since I travel very frequently; however I accidentally dropped my computer one week after the warranty expired and the screen completely shattered (huge crack down the middle, and I can’t see a thing on the screen). Sadly, during these rough economic times, I don’t know what kind of small-easy-to-use computer I could invest in at the moment.

Right now, all I have to use when I travel is my new iPhone4 (which I have grew to love over a month). I have not been much of an Apple fan, however I think it is actually coming out of me at the moment just like WilsonTech1 has lately. My main dilemma is what kind of computer should I get? Right now, I am extremely happy with my iPhone, and I am considering getting an iPad. But I don’t know if it is worth getting since I don’t know if the price is really right to me. If I get an iPad, I will most likely be getting the original as seeing the price has been dropped.

Now, the thing I like about a netbook is that it has a physical keyboard, but watching you videos, you state that the virtual keyboard isn’t that bad on the iPad. Is that really true? I like the iPhone’s keyboard and find it easy to use and normally don’t miss a key when typing. But does the iPad’s keyboard have that same easy and fluent functionality and can I type fast enough to have it replace a netbook?

What is your stance on this, should I go the extra $200 and buy an iPad or would a new netbook be worth it? Thanks for your opinion.

I appreciate that you’re asking for my opinion, but I can’t really tell you what to buy. It’s your money, and you need to be the one who makes the decision that works best for you. I’m only here to provide a good amount of perspective; I really have no horse in this race.

What I find most uplifting about the phrasing of your question is how you’re referring to an iPad as a computer – which it absolutely is. Few people have made this distinction, but I can tell you that the iPad can certainly do more than my first “home computer” could. The iPad is a computer.

Now, on to the crux of your quandary.

I don’t know about you, but I’ve always found super-compact notebook / netbook computers to have super-scrunched, unusable-for-anything-but-infant-hand keyboards – and this flat fact, to me, defeats the purpose of having a keyboard in the first place. If your WPM on an average netbook is half of what it is on a standard keyboard, I’d be shocked.

So, are you in love with the keyboard – or merely the idea of the keyboard?

If the lack of a physical keyboard is what’s keeping you from buying an iPad, rest assured that there are countless iPad cases that accommodate workable keyboards that couple with the iPad (AND iPhone) via Bluetooth. You could also pick up an Apple Wireless Keyboard and use that in a similar fashion.

Moreover, iOS typo correction kicks the shot out of anything I’ve ever seen as a default in Windows (outright, third-party tools notwithstanding). Doesn’t that count for something in relation to keyboarding?

So, if that doesn’t help you decide, you should also be considering battery life. I’ve yet to find a single netbook computer that came close to 10-hour battery life after any amount of usage. You’d be lucky to find one that lasted 5 hours when doing nothing. If you’re never more than three hours from an electrical outlet, this may be less of an issue for you.

I think you may be better off comparing the iPad against other tablet computers (no, not Tablet PCs). There are quite a few Android devices on the market that weigh in at the same price point as a netbook, although you’re more than likely sacrificing quality if you go that direction – not just in terms of construction, but in absolute hardware features (resistive screen, no multi-touch, et al).

You can always save money – but at what cost?

It’s this phrase alone that continues to poke holes in the “too expensive” theory. Ask any owner of a faulty product how much more they would have paid to have something that just worked.

Either way, if you’re looking to save money on your impending purchase, we have a coupon site for you to use – which includes savings on Apple computers.

iPad vs Netbook: Does a Physical Keyboard REALLY Matter?

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You asked for it! And, even if you didn’t ask for it, you’re getting it, anyway. I did the first real home office tour at the beginning of 2009 (and didn’t think much of it at the time). Well, I didn’t do one in 2010 – and some of y’all really got pissy about it. This oughta tide you over until 2012.

What would your office look like if you could do anything you wanted when it comes to decor? Would you go crazy geeking things out, or would you keep things simple?

If you already have the office or space of your dreams, why not show us a photo?

What Does Your Home Office Look Like?

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Brandon asked in chat the other night if an iMac is a good investment. I don’t know if I can view any computer as an “investment.” Yes, I think the iMac is a good computer. The issue I see with a lot of desktop computers is that they lose their value the moment you bring them home. The iMac is an excellent machine, to be sure. However, is it really something you need?

I wouldn’t classify any computer as a good “investment,” no. Even an iMac will lose value over time. Get whatever machine it is that will fit your needs, whether it’s an iMac or a Windows machine.

Take care of your machine… baby it. Keep it in good shape and you just may be lucky enough to make a little cash from it when the time comes for you to upgrade to something newer.

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Do You Want an iMac?

I had to chuckle when I read Decimic’s question on Lockergnome earlier. Up for discussion is what our lives would be like if computers had never been invented. A few of the answers are funny, with people gasping over the fact that they would have to go back to reading books or drawing pictures. Heck, they might even have to go outside!

One answer in particular caught my attention, though. EoinMuurphy stated simply that “No one can answer this, because we have become so engulfed into the computer world that it’s almost impossible to think what life would be like without it.” Boy, ain’t that the truth? Can you even begin to imagine what your life would be like right now if there were no computers? Sure, we’d all like to think we’d have more time on our hands if we weren’t attached to our machines. Is that really true, though? Wouldn’t your work take up even more of your time without the aid of your various devices and gadgets?

Personally, I don’t even want to think about what my life would be like without a computer nearby. I’m not quite sure how this whole live-streaming thing would work. What do you think? Do you want to imagine a life without computers long enough to ponder what you might be doing differently in life?

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Since we DO happen to have computers and devices in our lives, we gathered together all of the best software and apps you could possibly need to make your life easier.

Life Without Computers

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Adam asked over on Lockergnome which sites I would recommend he order computer parts from. With so many online retailers out there in cyberspace, he’s not sure where to turn for reputable parts. The problem though, is that there is no right answer. Some places will have better prices than others. Some will have better parts at higher cost. It all boils down to choosing what’s best for YOU – and doing some research.

There are “big names” out there, of course. Most people will tell you to run to either TigerDirect or Newegg. There’s also a small site a friend of the community helps run, called Shark Systems. From what I’ve seen, their prices are pretty competitive. They also have excellent customer service. Sometimes, it’s the smaller companies that will have the best relationships with their customers, ya know?

In any case, buying computer parts and pieces online is no different from any other type of Geek purchase. You have to know what you’re looking for, and do your research. Ask around – get opinions. Find out who you feel will serve your needs the best.

If you have suggestions as to which place online you feel is the best to buy from – backed up with reasons WHY you feel they’re the best – please leave us a follow-up comment!

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Where Do You Buy Computer Hardware?

Faizal from Malaysia writes:

I’m very excited that Apple has introduced a new Mac Mini which I consider very good in terms of specification and price. So, I decided to buy this new Mac Mini as my first Mac PC. The main reason I like Mac Mini because of its form factor. I’m a Windows PC user and with this new Mac Mini, I hope I can experience myself with Mac computers and Mac OS X.

The only problem I have for now is the monitor. I found that Mac LCD monitors are too expensive if compared to other brands. I can’t afford to buy an Apple LCD monitor since it is out of my budget. So, my questions: (1) Can I use an LCD monitor from another brand, and (2) What are the main advantages to using Apple-brand monitors for Mac systems.

I saw today’s Mac Mini update, too!

Indeed, for the quality hardware combined with a tiny physical footprint, the Mac Mini is a great first Mac for anybody. My only wish is that they’d soon migrate to the iX series of Intel processors (dropping the Core 2 Duos altogether).

If you’re a new Mac user (or someone switching from Windows), I have my 100 Mac Tips eBook available to help give you a leg up on what you’ll soon discover in Mac OS X. I’d suggest it not just because I wrote it, but because I’ve been there myself. I live in between Windows and Mac OS X (and definitely a better geek for that).

Apple has done an absolutely wonderful job at causing people to believe that their products are only compatible with their other products. This, my friend, is NOT the case. You can connect any monitor to the Mac Mini that your little Malaysian heart desires (although, you may need to get an adapter – depending on which ports you’re connecting). That’s good news – reuse what you’ve already got!

Moreover, the only reason you’d want to get an Apple LCD monitor at this point is… if you like looking at the Apple logo. That’s about it.

Current Mac Mini Deals:

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Getting a New Mac Mini

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Headwards is a user on our Lockergnome.net site who asked what capacity our first hard drive was. My first computer didn’t even have a hard drive in it! The first one I purchased with my own money cost me around $200.00 and it had a couple of 5 1/4″ floppy drives. When I bought it back in 1993, it seemed relatively outdated even then.

I then worked to save around $2200.00 and bought my first real computer. I got a machine with 8MB of RAM and 4MB of video RAM. I think it had 420MB worth of storage! It even had a CD drive that could read at double-speed. Back in the day, that was a pretty good system. It was the best that was out there.

I still have binaries (executables) and media that I downloaded from the newsgroups back then that I had to decode and ultimately put on my system. I remember when I’d see a 100k file and think how big it was. I’d wonder if it would even work on my system. Yes… 100 K. Anything 1MB or more was considered “killer” back then.

What was your first computer, and how big of a hard drive did it have? Who can beat me?

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My First Hard Drive Was…

This catchy tune by joystyle will have you laughing and tapping your toes. While it may be a comedy to some, it’s sacred to those of us who call ourselves Geeks.

We live and die by the things rapped about in this video. We grew up in the days of DOS. We roll our eyes when someone calls us a nerd (and some of us get angry!). We eat, sleep and breathe all things computer.

This video rocks.

An Ode to Computers

Playing with the Surface that Microsoft is bringing to Gnomedex. They’ve even developed an application that will allow attendees to exchange contact information in real-time – not to mention, watch a live Twitter and Flickr stream of the latest content tagged with “gnomedex” online.

A still photo doesn’t do this Surface app justice, however. What you’re seeing is a monochromatic LIVE shot of the other side of my face as it was pressed against the Surface. Don’t worry, though – they’re going to be bringing it to Gnomedex where you can play with it in person.

I’m assuming you’re coming to Gnomedex. Then again, I’m assuming that you’re a geek like me who loves conferences with unlimited food, beverages, power, and wireless Internet access. I could be wrong to assume such things, however.

Would you rather watch a video demonstration of what the Surface will surface at the conference?

Kissing My Surface Reflection

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There is this thing sitting inside your computer that is the one thing every other thing is connected to! It’s called a motherboard. I have no idea why there’s no fatherboard… but yeah. The motherboard is crucial. If it’s not working – good luck using your computer at all. Ian from the PCPitStop community is sad because his Sony Vaio died. His motherboard is now dead, and wonders where he can find an affordable replacement.

Virut won’t corrupt your motherboard – but it will usually lead to having to reformat your system. With that said, if your motherboard is hosed for any reason, you might want to run a few diagnostics if you can. It’s possible it could be a bad power supply, you know? Check everything you possibly can, to determine for sure that it’s a motherboard.

I feel your pain. I’ve heard some not-so-happy things about Sony support in the past. Unfortunately, if it is a motherboard problem – it’s going to cost you. My recommendation is to find a local Geek. Pay them in pizza and cola. They’ll take a look at the computer to assess the problem. Sometimes it’s something small that trips us up, and I certainly hope that’s what is going on with you!

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What Happens When Your Laptop’s Motherboard Goes Bad?

One of the things I read today on our family of sites is a thread over on Geeks asking what the worst thing is that has ever happened to a computer of yours. Oh boy did that ever get me to thinking. Sadly, some of the “worst” things that have happened to me all show up somewhere out there in YouTube land. I guess maybe it was the time Wicket threw up all over my Macbook. That may not have broken anything – but it certainly was disgusting!

In all my years of doing this stuff, I’ve heard thousands of “computer boohoo” stories. Things break – or we break them ourselves. What’s the worst thing that’s ever happened to a machine of yours? Was it your fault, or just plain bad luck? Leave a comment and tell us your story! And while you’re thinking of what to say – make sure you check out what else is going on in our Geek realm.

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What’s the Worst That Could Happen?

This is Calvin’s submission for the HP Magic Giveaway. Feel free to leave comments for this article as you see fit – your feedback is certainly welcomed! If you’d like to submit your own how-to, what-is, or top-five list, you can send it to me. Views and opinions of this writer are not necessarily my own:

These days, more people are building their own computers rather than buying them from a retailer. I built myself a new computer back in August. My experience was mostly flawless, and those minor problems I did have were quickly fixed. Perhaps you’re looking at getting a new computer, and giving thought to building your own? Here are five tips that I believe will help you.

1. Know what you need. Generally, when you’re building your own computer, you’ll need a motherboard, processor, RAM, video card, optical drive, hard drive, power supply, and a case. You may also need a keyboard, mouse, or monitor, depending on what peripherals you’ve got laying around. There are also extras like TV tuners, media card readers, and dedicated sound cards, which all can improve your PC experience, but you don’t need them – and not buying them can lower your purchase price.
2. Don’t forget the operating system! While buying components, it’s very easy to forget to pick up an OS. Unless you’re going with Linux, it’s usually easier to buy the OS from the same place you’re getting the parts from, at the same time (so you don’t forget). You’ll probably want a copy of Windows Vista, which is Microsoft’s latest operating system. You can go with 32-bit or 64-bit versions, but unless you’re truly using more than 2GB of RAM, you should go with the 32-bit edition.
3. Don’t put all of your money into one component. You can easily spend ~$500 on a graphics card. Unless you’re doing extreme gaming, you probably won’t need a top-of-the-line graphics card. The same goes for processors — even though the price-per-gigahertz is getting lower by the day, you still probably don’t need the high-end model. Remember: you don’t HAVE to buy the best out there to have a great computer.
4. Don’t spend more than $100 on a motherboard. Unless you’re going to overclock (which you probably aren’t), you don’t really need all the special features that the more expensive boards sport. In many cases, the cheaper ones will perform just as good as their pricier counterparts – and they should give you all the options you might need. When buying a motherboard, make sure that the socket is the same as your processor, the RAM speed is compatible, it has at least two SATA ports (for the hard disk and optical drive), and that it has at least one PCI-Express x16 slot (the long one) for your graphics card.
5. Shop around. If you stay patient and persistent, you can find some pretty great deals on the hardware you’re buying. Online retailers through TagJag.com provide regular discounts on their products, and coupons.lockergnome.com offers coupon codes to lower the price even more. Buying online will generally be cheaper than buying in-store, and you usually won’t have to pay taxes on what you buy. Some products also have manufacturer rebates on them, so be sure to print those out and send those in to save even more money!

Hopefully these tips will help you with your new machine. Also remember to have fun. It can be quite an enjoyable experience – to put together your own machine, and then see it run for the first time. If you do experience a problem, there are tons of hardware and PC-building forums out there that would be happy to help you. And of course, if you have any questions, ask! Good luck!

Things to Consider When Building Your Own PC

This is Brian Patrie’s submission for the HP Magic Giveaway. Feel free to leave comments for this article as you see fit – your feedback is certainly welcomed! If you’d like to submit your own how-to, what-is, or top-five list, you can send it to me. Views and opinions of this writer are not necessarily my own:

Before 64-bit. Before 32-bit. Before even those old archaic 16-bit machines of the mid to late ’80s. We used 8-bit microcomputers. Okay, before that there was 4-bit; but I’m not that old. By 8-bit, I mean fully 8-bit. The 8088 CPU had an 8-bit external data bus; but internally it was the 16-bit 8086.

Here is a hastily compiled list of a few noteworthy machines from the heyday of 8-bit computing in the mid 1970s through mid 1980s.

I’ll start with the Apple II—mainly because it was the first micro that I ever knew. I was immediately enthralled with the idea of being able to make it into anything that I could programme it to be. Electronic Lego-blocks, I called it. Eventually I got my hands on the Apple ][ / ][ Plus Technical Reference Manual, and read of an electronic logic ecosystem that didn't waste a single gate. Its wide open architecture made it a hit with hardware hackers (and, no doubt, made hardware hackers of many of its initiates). Its handling of addresse decoding on the motherboard made it a simple matter of checking one of two lines for a card to detect that its memory or i/o space was being addressed. It did have some limitations compared to some of its later contemporaries, such as monochrome text, and some bizarre graphics idiosyncracies (things that Apple were slow to improve, due to being distracted by other major projects, like the Apple III, Lisa, and Macintosh). But it was a great machine, nonetheless.

It's fairly predictable that the Commodore 64 would turn up in the list. It’s most obvious strength was its price—which made it one of the most popular personal computers of its time. For a few-hundred bucks, you could have a working system. Its design didn’t match the austere elegance of the Apple II; but it had some attractive features beyond it, including chroma/luma video output (which is what s-video is), multicolourable text (limited to one background colour for the whole screen), and sprites. It made for an attractive game platform. (I gather that Commodore did attempt to market a C-64 based game console; but it failed miserably.) The worst criticism that I have of the C-64 is the disk-unfriendly initial user interface. Starting a programme from disk required a rather cumbersome LOAD “*”,8 followed by RUN (versus the short and sweet 6 ctrl-p of the Apple II, or nothing for the auto-starting II Plus). And when developing a BASIC programme, one had to specify the device number for every stinking SAVE. (I was spoiled by the Apple II’s feature of remembering the last drive you used.) It was also impossible (without 3rd party software) to list a disk directory without stepping on the BASIC programme in memory. (I confess, though, that the directory-as-a-BASIC-programme was a cute trick.) These things may seem trivial; but they were enough of an annoyance to turn me off to an otherwise reasonably attractive platform.

Most people never heard of the Panasonic JR-200U. A friend of mine found one at a yard sale, and it ended up in my hands. Apparently it had a bit of a following in Japan and Europe (where it was usually sold under the National brand). It sported many of the features of the C-64, plus the ability to colour the background on a per character basis. Unfortunately its display was only 32×24 characters (versus the 40×24 of the C-64 and early Apple II,II+ and 80×24 of the later Commodore models and Apple IIs). It also had an 8 colour 2×2 per character block graphics mode that allowed any text character cell to display 4 independently coloured blocks, along with some higher resolution modes that acted like colour custom character sets. One of the little things that made me smile was the ability to use hexadecimal numbers simply by prefixing them with a $ (the old Berkley convention). This could also be used with the val function to convert a string to decimal within a programme; and there was a hex$ function that worked like str$ to convert the other way.

The Kyocera Kyotronic (best known in the guise of the TRS-80 Model 100) was one of the first notebook computers. The Epson HC-20 has the honour of being THE first; but its calculator-sized display was a bane to its popularity). The Kyotronic sported a 40×8 character display which made it practical for basic word processing. It’s ability to run for several hours on a handful of AA cells made it particularly popular with field journalists. it came in 16 and 32kB RAM configurations—the rest of its 64kB addresse space being reserved for firmware modules that contained application software. (It is also noteworthy as the last project to which Bill Gates personally contributed the majority of code.)

I should probably put the Sinclair ZX Spectrum (ZX-82) here; but I know almost nothing about it. Instead I’ll mention its predecessor, the Sinclair ZX-81. This was an extremely frugal machine that came with a whopping 1kB of RAM (expandable to 16 or 64k with one of two rather cantankerous modules, that you’d better not bump whilst in use). It was available assembled or in kit form. It had a 32 column monochrome text display with the curious feature of being firmware generated—which allowed software to take it over and produce highish resolution graphics. It’s not a machine that I would be terribly interested in using for anything anymore; but it warrants mention by virtue of being interesting and weird. (Maybe I should have included the TRS-80 or Atari 800 instead. But I’m not very up on those, either.)

The Most Notable Obsolete Computer Platforms

This is JB’s submission for the HP Magic Giveaway. Feel free to leave comments for this article as you see fit – your feedback is certainly welcomed! If you’d like to submit your own how-to, what-is, or top-five list, you can send it to me. Views and opinions of this writer are not necessarily my own:

As the tech guy of my family, family business, and my friends, I had the opportunity to put together and maintain several computers, some of which have been bought as presents. The difficulty is in creating a PC (or Mac) that is fit for the purpose it will be used for – all the while, sticking to a budget.

First of all, you need to know what the machine will be used for. The two typical cases are office and gaming, but it might be graphics work, on-demand television, or whatever. Let’s make some generalizations:

• If the computer will only be used to run Word, it is safe to say that the cheapest option is the best option. Performance doesn’t really matter.
• For everything else, there is MasterCard! Buying a top quality gaming rig is going to cost you… a lot. But some of us are on a tighter budget, and so your motto should be: spend as much as you can afford. But I have to warn you: computers are the WORST INVESTMENT EVER. Yes, even worse than Nigerian Treasury Bonds. Try not to overspend yourself.
• If the present is for a child (by child, I mean under the age of 11), do not spend a fortune buying him/her a supercomputer that will never be used to its full potential. By the way, that will also help you keep your 8 year-old from playing violent games, as they tend to require better hardware.
• If it will ONLY be used for gaming, consider a gaming console. Popular ones are: Microsoft Xbox, Sony PlayStation 3, and Nintendo Wii.
• If you are giving it to someone who already owns a computer, try to check what kind of computer he/she has. This also avoids the blunder of buying a brand new computer that actually underperforms the previous one. Never buy a Mac user a PC and vice versa – unless you know he/she has been thinking about switching. Always check if he/she already has a monitor, a printer, etc. so you can avoid buying those devices and/or accessories.
• Laptop or Desktop? Desktops are ideal for people who work at home, for children, for the elderly, and when high performance is needed. Laptops are better if he/she travels a lot or needs to work at more than one place. Laptops are also great gifts for students.

If you have done your research, you will face 3 options:

• Build a PC yourself / Have it custom made by a professional. This is something I wouldn’t recommend – unless you count yourself among at least those so called “Power Users”. If you decide to pick the parts yourself, there are some tips below.
• Buy a PC in your local store / on the Internet. Most people don’t bother, and buy a computer the same way they buy… toilet paper, for example. By looking at it. “This one looks good, it’s shiny, I will buy it”. And here comes the No. 1. Rule of buying computers: DO NOT PICK ONE ONLY BY ITS APPEARANCE. Yes, looks are important, but there are literally thousands of more important things in case of computers. Some tips when buying in a local store:
  • Ask a salesman. Don’t just tell him: “I am looking for a computer”. Tell him: “I am looking for a computer for my 98 year-old grandma, with…”
  • Don’t let them blackmail you. If they say it is the last one they have, tell them you can always buy one in another store. They will tell you: “No sir, not this one.” Trust me, the shop next door will be more than happy to find you a computer just like that. Set a budget, and don’t let them exceed it. If they insist on spending just $50 more, you will end up spending $500 more if you accept. Don’t buy it at first sight. Go to other stores, you may even find it helpful to ask: “What do you think about that computer they recommended me at the other store?” But don’t believe everything they say. Ask if they have a better deal.
  • Don’t let them persuade you to buy tons of accessories that no one really needs. If you don’t want another monitor, don’t buy one. Avoid expensive cables. No cable costs more than a couple of dollars to make, so if they say it’s a hundred, tell them to find you one for $3.
  • If you must take a loan, be informed. They might have a better deal than your credit card company.
• Buying the computer online is also an option. Deals might be better, but you will need more confidence in the vendor as you only have raw specs to rely on.

Now, the debate of Mac vs. PC has been going on for years, but people fail to realize, Macs are (in fact) PCs. There is nothing you can’t do with a Mac that you can do with a PC. There is a joke hanging around the Internet about this: “Name one thing you can do with your PC that I can’t do with my Mac!” And the answer is: “Right-click” That’s not true (yes, Virginia, you really can right-click in OS X, the Mac’s operating system). Macs are compatible with almost all PC accessories, including mice. Actually, several Mac applications need the second mouse button to function better. So, when is it time to go Mac?

• It is a first computer. Easier to learn and maintain, Macs are ideal first computers. Most first time users fall in love with that, not the user interface.
• He/she already has a Mac.
• You want something… aesthetically pleasing. Like something for a living room. Or for a storefront. iMacs are elegant all-in-one computing solutions, and you can’t beat the look.
• You are buying a laptop / notebook computetr. This might start a civil war, but Macbooks are probably the best laptops on the market today. They are not cheap, maybe they don’t have the best performance, but they have great battery life, size, and weight. They are also sturdy.

Yes, yes – but how do you actually CHOOSE what to buy? Here are some tips regarding the choice of hardware:

• Trust bigger brands, but not blindly. There are some companies whose names became synonymous with quality. They deliver excellent products, albeit sometimes not cheaply.
• Graphics. If it’s office-type work, it’s fine to go with integrated an graphics card. It’s cheaper that way. For games, you’d want a dedicated video card. There are two brands worth mentioning on the market: nVidia and AMD/ATI. They only produce the chips however, and if you custom-build your PC, you will need to choose the card’s manufacturer as well. Bigger brands tend to work better here, too. Price and performance are in close relation. You can also buy more than one card into one PC (called CrossFire and SLI by ATI and nVidia, respectively). The prime factor to take into consideration is the size of the screen (to be specific, its resolution). The bigger the screen, the more power you will need to achieve the same speed and quality in games. Also consider the games that will be played on the computer. Action and RPG games tend to require more from the graphics card. Also, the bigger the screen, the more video memory you will need. 256 megabytes is fine for 17 inch displays and smaller, but you will need more for a 19, 20, 24 inch screen. You will likely need more than one card to card a 30 inch screen.
• CPU. As much as Intel hates it, CPUs have reached a level of performance where more speed doesn’t really have any effect for everyday use. However, if the computer will be used for video or audio editing, hardcore gaming, 3D modeling, or any other demanding task, you are better off with a faster model. There are two manufacturers: Intel and AMD. AMD has traditionally offered a more affordable solution, while Intel has traditionally offered the fastest processors. To be honest, it doesn’t matter which one you have anymore.
• Storage. The Bigger, the better. Don’t ever buy a computer with less than 200 gigabytes of storage capacity. Laptops are the exception, especially with SSD (a next-generation solid state storage device – faster, yet significantly more expensive). SSD lacks the volume capacity of its mechanical big brother, the traditional hard drive. SSD is, however, more quiet and energy efficient (no moving parts). SSD options are usually found only for laptop configurations these days.
• Screen. First of all: go with LCD. If CRT still exists, it is an “ancient” technology that nobody wants today. Also, the bigger the screen, the better (and, the more expensive). Most people do not need to go bigger than 20 inches. Remember, you need a better video card if you have a bigger screen! Keep in mind, text does not appear larger on bigger screens. Don’t just buy a bigger screen to cope with sight problems. Get glasses. ;)

Bottom line? For standard office work, you can get a PC without a screen for less than $300. With everything included, it could be as low as $500 – $600. For gaming, a basic rig will cost you around $900 without a screen. But that’s pretty basic, so you might want to spend around $1600 – $2200 (at least) to get a decent system. With a 20 inch screen, that might be $2000 – $2500 total. Decent laptops start relatively low, so you might be able to get one for $500 – but you have to spend at least $1000 – $1200 to get one that is capable of gaming. Netbooks (lightweight laptops) start as low as $300, but their usability is sometimes seriously impaired. Of course, I don’t claim that these prices are 100% accurate, but they might give you a pretty good picture of how much you are likely to spend on a new computer this holiday season.

How to Buy a Computer for Christmas

This is KY Wildcat’s submission for the HP Magic Giveaway. Feel free to leave comments for this article as you see fit – your feedback is certainly welcomed! If you’d like to submit your own how-to, what-is, or top-five list, you can send it to me. Views and opinions of this writer are not necessarily my own:

The topic of OS X vs. Windows has been in a long and drawn out heated debate for well over 4 years now with the introduction of Windows XP and Mac OS X. Windows users will tell you that your current software will not work on OS X and that you will be stuck with a mediocre OS doing mediocre tasks. Mac users on the other hand will tell you that you are missing out on a much more powerful user experience. Today, we will discuss the top 5 reasons (I think) you should switch to Mac OS X.

Reason 1: Beauty

This sounds weird when talking about an operating system… but when you are talking about OS X… this is true. Mac OS X, unlike Windows, takes the user’s experience into account. When you click a radio button, the OS responds to your click in an appropriate way. When you open an application, the dock will bounce the application’s icon to alert you that the application is “doing something”. Not only does the dock do this, but also other applications throughout the OS responds in similar ways.

Reason 2: Management

In Windows, when you need to manage a specific part of the OS, you have to search around to find the one dialog box to allow you to manage that part. In OS X, there is none of that. You open up System Preferences, and boom (as Steve Jobs would say), there every thing is! If you need to change a network preference, instead of having to search around the Control Panel, then to the Network Setup Wizard in Windows, you just click Network and everything is there. Also, if, by any chance, your computer does crash… don’t panic. With Time Machine and an External Hard Drive… there is no need to worry. Just pop in the OS X installation CD, choose restore, and that’s it. Wait for the system to restart and everything is back to the way it was. Did I mention that OS X does all this with out outside action? That means, in laymen’s terms, that OS X does that all for you. As soon as you plug in a External Hard Drive, OS X sees it and automatically starts backing up your entire system. It’s really great!

Reason 3: Multimedia

As you have previously read, OS X was designed with power in mind. However, OS X was also designed to be the hub of your digital life. Now, what is a digital life? A digital life is basically this: your music, your photos and your movies. That’s it! That’s a digital life. I know for a fact that just about all of you that read this have your digital photos and music somewhere on your computer. With Mac OS X’s built in applications such as iPhoto and iMovie, making a DVD for grandma or grandpa for Christmas could not be easier. On Windows, when you plug in a digital camera, you more than likely get that annoying dialog that asks you “Hey! What do you want to do!?” Then, you have to choose an option, choose where you want to put the photos, what you want to name them, then after all that… import. With OS X, there is none of that. You simply plug in a digital camera, iPhoto automatically opens, and imports your photos into a new set. Its that easy. Once you have the photos into iPhoto, and you want to make a slideshow DVD as a Christmas gift. just click the DVD button. OS X does all the rest for you. Enter a title, choose some background music, and press burn. That’s it. There is nothing else to do but to see the joy on grandma or grandpa’s face when they open up a gift that you made.

Reason 4: Making the Switch Can’t be Easier

Making the switch from a Windows PC to a Mac couldn’t be simpler. If you have a network, (and who doesn’t these days?) just connect the Mac, give it a name, and watch it show up in your network connections. Once its there, just drag and drop your files into the appropriate folder and watch them show up on your Mac. Another way to switch… your iPod. Most geeks have an iPod. If you have one with a large amount of storage, just enable disk mode, open up My Computer on the PC, then just drag and drop your files. Once they are on the iPod, just hook it up to the Mac, open the disk from the desktop, then simply drag and drop the files into the right folder on the Mac. Yet another way to switch is to use an External Hard Drive. Just hook up the drive and drag and drop like I mentioned above. Switching couldn’t be simpler.

Reason 5: Social Benefits

For whatever reason, a Mac seems to have a social benefit that follows them wherever they go. I have a MacBook Pro and a MacBook Air. Anytime I go to Starbucks or to any of the many small cafés around Louisville, I get asked all the time, “What kind of computer is that?” “Where can I get one of those?” Those are just a few of the questions that I get asked all the time. People want a Mac! Put simply, they are cool. People view them as a cool addition to any person. A Mac can boost your self-esteem and also your view from other people.

Mac OS X is more than just a operating system… it’s a way of life. I know that sounds weird, but as soon as you use a Mac, I promise you, you will never go back!! If you are a Windows user… I want to hear from you! I want you to disagree with me! I want you to tell me why I am wrong. If you hate Apple.. I want you to tell me why! Click the comments button… Let me know! I want to hear from you!

My wife, colleagues, and I will be awarding the computers (if I win) to a charity of our choice. Not only will that charity receive over FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS worth of brand new computer equipment from HP, but I’ll be MATCHING the cost of the computers ($5000) and awarding that to a local charity, also of choice. In order for the charities to receive their awards, we need your help. Please post a comment in the comments section and help us make the day of a local charity.

Top 5 Reasons to Switch to OS X