Chris Pirillo » Hardware

These are a Few of My Favorite Things

Chris — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 05:35:23 +0000

These are a Few of My Favorite Things is a post from Chris Pirillo

I’m willing to bet that old song is now stuck in your head. If you’re too young to know and remember the song – well, you just missed out. Look it up on YouTube, and immerse yourself!

What are your favorite “things”? You cannot list people, as they aren’t things. We all know your family, friends and loved ones come first… that’s a given! I’m talking about honest-to-goodness things. Is your cell phone the best thing you own? What about your iPod, or maybe even your dual monitors? Heck, maybe your favorite things aren’t even tech-related. That’s ok, as well! I’m curious to see what everyone will list as being their favorite thing.

We’re so wrapped up with using our gadgets and gizmos that we sometimes forget all about human connections. We forget to take the time to really talk to others, and get to know them. Why not spend some time today checking out what the people around you are talking about? Go ahead – join their conversations!

What Happens When Your Laptop’s Motherboard Goes Bad?

Chris — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 04:02:14 +0000

What Happens When Your Laptop’s Motherboard Goes Bad? is a post from Chris Pirillo

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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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Samsung’s SSD Hardware is Stupid Fast

Chris — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 00:37:08 +0000

Samsung’s SSD Hardware is Stupid Fast is a post from Chris Pirillo

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I recently purchased a Samsung SSD drive and put it in my Mac. I decided to try opening a bunch of intensive programs all at once to see how fast they would open. It is STUPID FAST!! All of them opened before I could even count to two!

So what IS a solid state drive? An SSD is a data storage device that uses solid-state memory to store data. An SSD emulates a hard disk drive interface, thus replacing it in most situations. They’re light, and they’re fast. This makes them ideal for laptops!

These drives have been around for some time, but it is only recently that they have started to become available through normal channels and even available to the average consumers; despite that fact they are still far from affordable.

Not only are they stupid fast, they’re completely silent. You’d expect to hear your hard drive “working” when you’re doing something, right? Not with one of these babies. They’re just totally and completely quiet. What a change that is!

If you’re in the market for something like this, I’d definitely recommend the Samsung. It works very well, and I’m absolutely happy with it.

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Where Do You Find Manuals?

Chris — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 13:41:34 +0000

Where Do You Find Manuals? is a post from Chris Pirillo

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You’ve probably hit the frustration when needing to find information about hardware or software. You reach for the manual, only to not be able to find what you need. You just can’t find things easily. They lead to nothing but frustration many times.

Take, in comparison, a PDF. You can do a quick search and find what you’re looking for. Electronic manuals are the way to go. You can read them on your phone, or on your desktop. Online help isn’t intuitative, no. You have to know what you’re looking for in order to find it.

So where can you find these electronic manuals? OwnerIQ helps you locate user manuals, how-to guides, installation instructions, and tutorials from thousands of manufacturers and hundreds of thousands of products.

Registration is completely free. Once you sign up, create an inventory of your manuals, based on products you own. You’ll have detailed information about your possessions stored for you on the site. If and when there are updates, recalls, or other information released about your products, you will receive an email to alert you.

OwnerIQ also has a community within their site. You and other owners can learn from each other by discussing problems, giving each other tips, and exchanging documentation. Exchange of information can help all of us to get the most out of the products we own.

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Would You Like a Computer Contest has Ended

Chris — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 05:00:56 +0000

Would You Like a Computer Contest has Ended is a post from Chris Pirillo

Hey everyone! Our HP Magic contest is officially over! We will be going through all of the posts and comments tonight, and will announce our winner tomorrow. Please keep in mind that any comments made from here on out will not count towards helping someone to win.

Thank you all for participating… and good luck! We were completely overwhelmed with the amount of submissions we received (and underestimated the time it would take to edit / prepare those that were 99% perfect to begin with).

This is Kat, posting an update for Chris. He’s been sick with food poisoning since early last night. Ponzi reports that he’s completely knocked out, but I wanted to express my thanks to those of you who played by the rules and remained patient with us. I also wanted to thank both Ryan Courtade and Jamie Inscore, who helped us get things done – and kept things running smoothly for the duration).

We’re finding it difficult to discover the winner, as we’re starting to peel back layers of duplicate IP addresses, use of proxies to comment, as well as checking for comment validity (remember, insipid comments would be rejected or would NOT count towards the total number). Thanks again for your patience.

Do You Put Stickers and Skins on Your Hardware?

Chris — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 08:52:04 +0000

Do You Put Stickers and Skins on Your Hardware? is a post from Chris Pirillo

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Yes, this is me you’re watching in this video. But that’s also me in the sticker on the back of my notebook. How awesome looking is that sticker? Customizing your notebook or hardware with skins or stickers not only makes them more fun – it also allows you to help identify them as yours. The sticker on the back of my Macbook came with a full skin. I uploaded a square image, instead of a circular one. So, it didn’t look right. I simply cut it out and made it look much better. Skinit allows you to customize your own skin.

Set yourself apart from the crowd with a Skinit Skin that reflects your tastes and passions. Choose from thousands of designs for thousands of devices, including professional sports leagues, entertainment, colleges, fashion, exclusive art and more.

Skinit is the leader in on demand personalization manufacturing, powering programs for computer manufacturers, wireless carriers, retailers, OEMs and other companies. Your skin will perfectly fit over 1,500 different wireless handsets, PDAs, iPods, notebook computers, gaming consoles and other devices.

Skinit offers the highest quality and most durable product in the market place. The Scotchprint Graphics 3M logo assures photo quality imaging, residue free removal and air bubble free application. The Skinit R and D team is dedicated to developing the best products possible with feedback from our customers, manufacturers, OEMs and service providers.

Even if you don’t need to deck out your hardware, maybe you’re buying something for a holiday gift. Why not personalize it to make it that much more special.

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What are You Looking for in Webcam Hardware?

Chris — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 09:23:14 +0000

What are You Looking for in Webcam Hardware? is a post from Chris Pirillo

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A few weeks ago we gave away ten Webcams on Geeks, courtesy of Microsoft. I wanted to show you a bit about this particular webcam, and what makes it compelling. It’s an excellent piece of hardware. The Microsoft LifeCam VX 5500 allows you to share your world anywhere, anytime.

Send a video message to your contacts anywhere, anytime – even if they are not online. Send and receive video messages directly from your desktop using the exclusive LifeCam Video Message gadget. Webcam folds flat to go with you whenever, and wherever, you want to use it. Fits on all monitors, including flat screens and notebooks, or sits directly on your desk.

Share and swap photos in real time with your friends and family using Windows Live Messenger—right in the video call window! It’s simple to start video calls. One touch of the Windows Live Call Button lets you see who’s online, and you’re on your way to making a video call.

I’ve been a fan of Microsoft hardware for years. I’ve regularly used their keyboards and mice, and their webcams. What makes this particular webcam interesting is the faceplate. You can easily change the faceplate to other colors, based on what your office looks like. You may want everything to match – or have a fun color to your cam just to mix things up a bit!

There’s a built-in microphone, it will allow you to do video and even take pictures. More interesting to me is the compact nature to this particular model. You can twist it around, and even push it down on itself. The profile, when collapsed, is very skinny. It makes it suitable for traveling or moving around if that’s something that you do.

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Griffin Clarifi Macro Lens for iPhone Camera

Chris — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 06:35:31 +0000

Griffin Clarifi Macro Lens for iPhone Camera is a post from Chris Pirillo

If you’ve always wanted to take macro shots with your iPhone 3G, you want the Griffin Clarifi. Here’s the original upload for best comparison purposes.

What Should You Look for When Buying a New PC?

Chris — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 00:16:06 +0000

What Should You Look for When Buying a New PC? is a post from Chris Pirillo

The other night, I posted a blog post from Dan, with his tips on how to find information. He sent me a second list, and it is definitely something you all should read through. Here are Dan’s tips for how to make sense of Windows computer specs when buying a new computer.

SIZE Decide what general dimensions you want and what personal preferences you have. Examples are: laptop or desktop?, screen size?, keyboard size?, physically large or small? It is important to have SOME idea of what you want because a store employee is going to try to sell you the most expensive computer they can.
RAM The more stuff your computer does at one time (internet+music+documents+email) the more RAM you’re going to need. Vista (which ships with all Windows PCs now) needs significantly more RAM than XP does, but most of the major manufacturers have added RAM to compensate. If you plan on pushing your multi-tasking ability to the limit (or if you’re going to game) you’re going to need 3 to 4 gigabytes. For a normal user- 2 gigabytes should meet your needs just fine.
HARD DRIVE The more pictures, video, and music you want on your computer, the more hard drive space you’ll need. The hard drives are getting really large to compensate for the increase in personal digital media creation. Keep in mind that it’s probably better to keep your valuable data in an external place anyway, so don’t get carried away. (100-200GB is a smaller size, 300-500+ is really large.)
PROCESSOR The processor controls almost all operations of your computer, so again, if you’re going to be pushing your computer a lot, get a faster one (2-3GHz). Vista needs 1GHz to run comfortably, but even most laptops have a faster one out of box.
Shop Around! There are a lot of brands of computers, at a lot of different prices, found in a bunch of different places. I’d recommend sniffing around a couple of big-box stores, then seeing if there’s anything in online stores that may match you better. A computer is a significant investment that should last you for a long time, so do your homework!
Video Cards If you plan of doing any gaming, make SURE you get a dedicated video card (usually ATI or Nvidia). If it doesn’t have a sticker for one of those on the case, then it’s an integrated graphics chipset. In most cases, it’s going to be significantly less powerful.
Getting Ripped Off If you go to a large store like Best Buy or Circuit City, be wary of all the ‘But there’s more!’ packages they try to throw at you. Be wary of the protection plans, but get it if you need it. DO NOT buy the security suite they try to shove down your throat, there are much better free alternatives for Windows security out there.

Have you Ever Owned any Apple Products?

Chris — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 06:23:03 +0000

Have you Ever Owned any Apple Products? is a post from Chris Pirillo

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Do you have any kind of history of all the PCs you’ve ever owned? Is there a spreadsheet somewhere that outlines every machine you’ve had, and what the specs were? I’m guessing the answer is no. There’s a program for Apple fanatics that will keep track of what’s inside every piece of Apple hardware.

Mactracker is available for both Windows and OS X. Inside this program is a database that has information about literally every single product that Apple has ever released. It can also keep track of the Apple products you own. I’m guessing you have an iPod, or maybe an iPhone. Most people tend to want /something/ from Apple these days.

This program even has the startup sound from every single Mac operating system ever made. Did you know that they even used to have a “death chime”? I’d like to convert that to an iPhone ring tone. It gives you information such as processor speed, memory, optical drives, and even graphic cards. In addition to just providing the information, Mactracker also will give you the original price, along with benchmarking information. How much better can you get… especially since it’s free.

Increasingly, we’re finding ourselves faced with statistics that show that Apple is getting a lot more desktop space than it used to. College students going back to school will be able to get a free iPod Touch with purchase of a Mac. It has been shown that Apple commands a lion’s share of the “pc market” that sell for over $1000.00. Apple’s going to be around for a long time. PC manufacturers are going to have to get more creative and better at putting their machines together, pulling in the software, and putting it on the market.

What computer manufacturer do you choose to support, and why? What model is your favorite of all time? I’d love to hear your comments and thoughts.

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How to Make your PC into a Firewall

Chris — Sat, 31 May 2008 00:58:11 +0000

How to Make your PC into a Firewall is a post from Chris Pirillo

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Last week, we shared tips with you on things you can do with your old computers. One of those things was to turn it into a firewall. Of course, in order to do this you’ll also need software.

So what is a firewall? It’s a service that acts as a bodyguard of sorts, keeping bad traffic out and allowing good traffic in. Firewalls can be tricky to deal with. There are software firewalls, or hardware firewalls. There is open source software you can use, called IPCop. IPCop Linux is a complete Linux Distribution whose sole purpose is to protect the networks it is installed on. By implementing existing technology, outstanding new technology and secure programming practices IPCop is the Linux Distribution for those wanting to keep their computers/networks safe.

IPCop has many features, probably way more than you’ll take advantage of. It’s also very powerful. I highly recommend this if you have an old computer that you’d like to throw this onto, or just want to get yourself an excellent firewall.

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How Do you Teach People about Hardware and Software?

Chris — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 03:10:47 +0000

How Do you Teach People about Hardware and Software? is a post from Chris Pirillo

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One of our community members writes: “Hey Chris, jthermane24 from the chat room. Here are my top tips for helping those who are “technically challenged” to learn.”

Be calm and talk slow. Seniors and the technological illiterate will NOT know all the shortcuts that we geeks know and live by. Most likely, it will take them three times as long to do the simple tasks that we can do in five seconds. Talking slow and loudly (for seniors) will make this process much easer for them and less stressful for you. Be prepared to explain the same thing multiple times. This will mostly apply to seniors because they often have problems hearing. So always talk VERY slow.
Having a preprepared list of steps to read from will make the process of teaching easier. Just type them or even write them up. It will make the speed of the session go so much faster, because you won’t have to sit there and stare at the screen with that blank stare that we get when we forget stuff.
When you are done showing the “student” what they asked you to teach them, ask them to use their computer to make a step-by-step instruction manual. Use the print screen button to take a screen capture of each page as you show them again how to do whatever they asked. Keep a text document running in the background, and then just copy each screen capture into the document. After you have finished the task, use the simple drawing tools to circle the icons, drop down lists, or whatever they have to click on for that step. Put each picture on its own page and include text (use at least 20 size font).
Now with new technology, there is the ability to screen record. Simply install a simple screen recording software (such as CamStuido) and record the steps to a video file… then embed your voice over it.

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Tips for a Good PC Gaming Experience

Chris — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 13:44:14 +0000

Tips for a Good PC Gaming Experience is a post from Chris Pirillo

Getting your computer ready for gaming can be complicated… at least, if you want a good gaming experience. Here are some excellent tips sent in by a community member. These are things you should definitely do before you install your next game.

System Requirements and Hardware Always Read the minimal system requirements. If your computer barely meets the minimum requirements, don’t expect your gaming experience to be mind-blowing. You will have to lower the graphics options of the game. Hardware is another issue most people don’t seem to think about. Make sure you have good performance hardware and graphics cards before gaming. Make sure your CPU, PSU and Mobo are up to the task, as well.
Installing Procedures Installing the game can be a hassle, especially when some of the manufacturers bloat their ame with extras you really don’t need. Be sure to read carefully through the installation process, so you don’t install something that could harm your computer and its performance. Always install in the Default Directory, and never change that. Type in your serial codes carefully. DirectX upgrades are a must if the game install suggests it.
Updating For newer games, updating all of your drivers is definitely recommended. When patching the game itself, make sure your firewall allows the game to get through. Use Manual Patching at your own risk. It’s best to let the game do the work, since that’s how it was intended. Update drivers for your video card, chipset, anything that you can. The more updated you are, the better chance you have of having a smooth gaming experience.
Game Settings and FPS This is another thing that people tend to neglect. Your goal in any game is to run between 30-60 FPS. Resolution and graphics settings will affect your FPS, so adjust them accordingly.
Maintainence After you have done all of the above things, perform a system Defrag on your computer. This will go a long way to make your gaming experience better.

Tips for Buying Hardware

Chris — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 09:11:22 +0000

Tips for Buying Hardware is a post from Chris Pirillo

Since I already posted the top five tips for buying a new computer, I thought I’d pass along Alex’s tips for buying new hardware.

Make sure your PC is compatible with the hardware you’re considering. This is perhaps the most critical part of buying new hardware. If you’re in the market for a new video card, know if your computer has AGP or PCI-Express when you shop for your card. Nothing is worse than getting home with a nice new video card only to find out you have a different slot. Also keep in mind power requirements. If you didn’t build your PC, you probably aren’t aware of your power supply outage unless you’ve had to check before. This can be critical information when buying a new piece of hardware.
Ensure that the upgrade will actually boost performance. There are times when you buy a nice new piece of hardware because you believe it will increase performance only to discover once installed that your PC performs no better, or, worst case scenario, your PC is actually running worse than it started. Research any parts you’re thinking about replacing plus the parts you’re looking to replace with. This knowledge will be extremely helpful in ensuring that you’re not blowing your money on an upgrade that will slow down your PC instead of speeding it up.
Shop around. Prices for PC hardware can be very flexible. Just because a price looks good doesn’t mean it’s necessarily the cheapest. Take your time and shop around. In the long run, you’re bound to discover there are competitively priced retailers out there to whatever price you thought was good when you first saw it.
If you’re shopping on the internet, know your vendor. There are a few shady vendors on the internet. Some internet stores will send you either nothing or a product they know is defective when it’s shipped. To avoid this, check around for reviews about any vendor you’re considering shopping from. If you cannot find any reviews, ask around various forums to get different opinions. Remember that it’s important to get a good number of opinions about any given vendor, as the worst vendors are still likely to have a small handful of good experiences. Also, if you’re shopping for hardware on eBay, check the reputation of the seller. Any seller with any negative feedback in the past year should be avoided at all costs. Pay the extra and ensure you’re not getting snaked.
Know what you use your PC for. If you’re a lightweight user who uses their PC to type email and browse the web, you most likely do not need the newest, top-of-the-line graphics card. If you do music or audio editing, you also won’t need the top-of-the-line graphics card, but perhaps you should consider the top-of-the-line sound card. Gamers will probably want top-of-the-line everything to ensure their PC is up to date for whatever game is thrown at it. If you’ve never really paid any attention to how you use your PC, you’re much better off knowing this information before you consider any purchases.
Know how to install your component before attempting to install it. It’s a bad idea to go guns blazing into attempting to install a component you’ve never installed before. Don’t be too proud to read the manual or go onto the internet for assistance. It will save you lots of time, effort, and possibly money.

Find Windows Drivers for Hardware

Chris — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 04:02:00 +0000

Find Windows Drivers for Hardware is a post from Chris Pirillo

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I had a caller the other night on the 888-PIRILLO line who was asking where he can find drivers for old Windows hardware. His machines are, of course, home-built.. making this even more challenging.

I used to be friends with the guy who originally built the WinDrivers website. It has since been aquired by Internet.com. They’re bragging now that there is free unlimited access. I still recommend it, as it is a “one-stop source for device drivers, anti-virus updates, and security patches”.

Some of the features you’ll receive (in addition to driver downloads) with your free membership:

Comprehensive Hardware Manufacturer Directory You can browse by product type (covering everything from BIOS/motherboard to printer/driver to USB and video) or by manufacturer (from Acer to Zoltrix).
Anti-Virus Center WinDrivers.com reports on the ten leading anti-virus software vendors and links you directly to the latest data file downloads.
Security Update Alerts Receive automatic alerts when security updates occur.
Latest Driver Updates Use Windrivers to help you locate current and out-of-date device drivers & BIOS through our “Driver Updates” section. Every day, the WinDrivers.com staff adds the latest new BIOS and drivers covering thousands of products across virtually every PC hardware category.
Hard Drive Center Moving a hard drive to a new computer? The Hard Drive Center will help you identify the correct jumper settings and guide you through the treacherous process of partitioning and formatting.
Networking Center Need to identify the pin-outs in a network cable? Need to identify an unlabeled network card? This is the place to go.
DLL Search Get access to hundreds of DLL files through the Windrivers DLL Search lists, which explain their purpose and link to the most recent updates so you know how to proceed when receiving a “DLL File Not Found” message.
Service Packs Direct links to more than a hundred Microsoft Service Packs for Windows, NT and Office, covering virtually every service pack Microsoft offers.

I definitely trust this site. I don’t often recommend ANY download site. However, since I know the guy who started it all… I’m comfortable telling you all it’s a great place to go.

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How to Handle Remote Tech Support

chris@lockergnome.com (Chris Pirillo) — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 06:30:00 GMT

Using GoToAssist is the easiest way to view and control another person's computer online. Use it to provide instant technical support to family, friends and customers. Start a session with just one click, and instantly connect with the other party.

Network Tools for Windows

chris@lockergnome.com (Chris Pirillo) — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 06:30:00 GMT

You need these network tools, no matter which operating systems and networks you have to support. SolarWinds ipMonitor: Affordable Network Monitoring for SMBs. Get turnkey network, server and application availability monitoring with SolarWinds ipMonitor v9.0. This easy-to-use, reliable solution for SMBs delivers out-of-the-box availability monitoring so you always know exactly what's up with Active Directory, DNS, Exchange, FTP, Web, IMAP, MS SQL Server, and SMTP. Download your free trial today. Or, try their totally free tools! And, through 2/29, save 20% when you purchase ipMonitor 9.0.

Get Your Own Web Site

chris@lockergnome.com (Chris Pirillo) — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 06:30:00 GMT

Starting at just $3.99/month, web hosting from GoDaddy includes 99.9% uptime, 24/7 support and free access to GoDaddy Hosting Connection, THE place to install over 30 FREE applications sure to help you get the most from your hosting plan and Web site. Enter code CP2 at checkout, and save an additional 10% on any order.

Plus, as a friend of Chris Pirillo, enter code CHRIS7, that's C-H-R-I-S and the number 7, when you check out, and save an additional 10% on any order. Get your piece of the internet at GoDaddy.com.

VMware and Parallels for Virtual Machines

chris@lockergnome.com (Chris Pirillo) — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 06:30:00 GMT

It doesn't matter if you're running on Windows or Mac OS X - every power user needs either Parallels or VMware (or both). There's never been an easier way to test software without destroying your primary operating system's stability. Think of how many times you wish you could press a 'reverse' button on your computer. Plus, there's no easier way to try new Linux distributions - see what all the fuss is about. Run Windows in OS X, run Linux in Windows, but the best way to do either is with VMware and/or Parallels.

Coupons for Online Shopping

chris@lockergnome.com (Chris Pirillo) — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 07:56:13 GMT

This feed is fueled by Lockergnome Online Shopping and Coupon Codes

Before you shop next time, see if we have a coupon first.