A History of the Dell Inspiron Line

Filed Under (Computers) by Fabian Toulouse on 18-10-2008

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by Fabian Toulouse

Dell Computers revolutionized the ‘custom built’ PC market as we know it today. Michael Dell famously started his multi-national business from his humble University of Texas dorm room. Dell has managed to establish a reputation for hitting the sweet spot of price and performance for most users, and regularly updates their brand lines to match the latest specifications.

The two brands of Dell laptops are the business-centric Dell Latitudes, which usually boost RAM, battery life and disk drive space at the expense of video card, and the Inspiron line. The Inspiron line sacrifices battery life and RAM for a better video experience. Inspiron laptops are geenrally geared towards college students and ‘consumer’ laptop users.

Starting from the first Inspirons in the early ‘90, the line has sold well. They were never the cutting edge of performance for Dell laptops, but they were usually comparable to a 6 to 9 month old ‘top of the laptop’ at a good price point. Early Inspirons came with the Celeron 1.4 GHz processor, and then got a line refresh in the early 2000s with a Pentium M, which was quickly supplanted by the Centrino processor. During this span of time, the motherboards also grew in capabilities, adding more USB ports, onboard power management, and the batteries grew denser in terms of their energy storage capabilities. It was the higher density batteries that caused the laptop recall of mid 2006, as the new batteries could result in significant overheating, damaging internal components on the motherboard, or potentially, burst into flame on a high run charge cycle.

A persistent problem with the Inspiron line involves a tab applying pressure to one of the chips on the motherboard. When pressure is applied consistently to the left side of the lower edge of the keyboard is slowly breaks soldering links from the chip to the motherboard. Symptoms included random shutdowns of the computer. This was eventually settled with a class action lawsuit, and many Inspiron 5150s were recalled as a result.

Subsequently, Dell completed a thorough overhaul of their manufacturing facilities. Indeed, there was talk about selling some of their manufacturing plants and hiring third party manufacturers to cover the costs. The overhaul of their manufacturing process has seemingly paid off. The newest lines of Dell Inspirons have not suffered from the same problems. There are currently several Inspiron models available, ranging from the budget conscious 13″ notebook market, to the behemoth 17″ widescreen laptops. These models are typical Inspirons: they are not geared towards the cutting-edge consumer (Dell acquired the Alienware brand for that market). Dell Inspirons are meant to be a good value notebook.

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Look To Microsoft Exchange Server 2007 For The Industry?s Best

Filed Under (Computers) by J.D Theis on 18-10-2008

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by J.D Theis

When you see the need for a hosted exchange system so that your company can stay in touch, make sure to look at the Microsoft Exchange Server 2007 that’s available through exchangemymail.com. This is the company that’s got the best infrastructure in terms of, among other things, a Tier 3 Datacenter that’s considered one of the most modern that you can find. Of course there’s more to a company that’s got the good presence of mind to use the Microsoft Exchange Server 2007.

One of the features that will attract business to this place is the security they’ve got in place to ensure that their Exchange Mail Hosting Services are the best in the industry. To that end they’ve got the Postini service to ensure that whatever information you transfer over the Microsoft Exchange Server 2007 is secure. There are several reasons why this is one of the best systems going and they include,

Experience. This is the company that processes over 10x the volume of email over any of their competitors. Typically Postini users see a decrease in SPAM of 98% Still, there are other reasons that you’ll want to use the Microsoft Exchange Server 2007 as it’s offered at exchangemymail.com and one of the other reasons are the Wireless Sync options that are available. These are the ones that make it both easy and affordable to link up with any wireless device that’s out on the market today and when you sign-up for Personal or Business E-mail Hosting account with this company, you have the option to add on BlackBerry Wireless Synchronization for Outlook/Exchange.

This Microsoft Exchange Server 2007 with all the features that it delivers is one of the best things that has come along in exchange server hosting in a long time. There are other companies like this one on the market today , but not one of them has been able to put together such a comprehensive package that will service all of your business needs.

Remember that there are always clear leaders in any field and in this one it seems that exchangemymail.com is the one that can provide the best services at the best prices.

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Dell Inspiron Laptops: Shrinking Down to Size

Filed Under (Computers) by Fabian Toulouse on 17-10-2008

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by Fabian Toulouse

With the runaway sales of the ASUS PC 7″ model last year, lots of computer manufacturers have been scrambling to keep up with demand. While the initial wave of these diminutive devises, from such manufacturers as ASUS, Acer, and MSI, caught on like wildfire, it left some established manufacturers in the lurch. Many see these new laptops as the Volkswagon Beetles of small computers. Not since the hobbyist computers of the 1980s and 1990s has a computer been so customizable.

Dell has noticed this market segment and acted. With the Dell Inspiron Mini 9 (more formally, the Inspiron 910), it has dipped its toe into this market niche. Like the other designs, it is an Intel Atom driven computer with 1 GB of RA and an Intel 950 series graphical chip set. The Dell Inspiron Mini 9 comes with options for spinning platter and shockproof solid state drives, and has several other options in place for operating systems, ranging from Linux distributions tailored for its specific hardware mix to Windows XP Home edition.

While the Dell Inspiron Mini 9 will not win any awards for power computing, you must remember it was not designed to. This is why the Mini 9 was folded into the Inspiron line, rather than the Latitude line. It is a low-end consumer laptop made from the lowest price commodity parts. It is geared for people who need to handle light office work, surf the web, check emails, and maybe play a YouTube video or two. The Intel Atom CPU has options for ‘low power’ mode, which drops its effective clock rate to 1.2 GHz from 1.8 GHz.

One aspect where the Dell Inspiron is a bit lack luster compared to other netbook-style laptops on the market is accessibility. Unlike the ASUS 901, very little of the laptop’s internal hardware is user accessible. The 901 allows the user to swap out the RAM and the hard disk drive - the two most common changes - without partially disassembling the computer, the Dell requires you to pretty much take it apart, which is a bit daunting for a casual computer user. On the other hand, the Dell Inspiron Mini 9 does have the best keyboard in this product category, and it has the most customizable properties at point of purchase of any laptop on the market. Dell also wins kudos for overall sturdiness and quality of components - the microcard reader is much easier to use than the one on the EeePC.

Overall, the Dell Inspiron Mini 9 is recommended for someone who wants a netbook, but also wants Dell’s general level of customer support and customizability. If you aren’t into modding your netbooks, the Dell Inspiron Mini 9 is a great buy, capable out of the box and nearly ideal for a second laptop, or a “take it to school’ notebook computer.

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Easy To Follow Steps On How To Pack A Computer For Storage

Filed Under (Computers) by Brian Hodson on 15-10-2008

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by The Affordable Storage Guy

Packing up a computer usually means getting down on your hands and knees to unplug a mess of cables and connections. A time consuming task - even for people who know what they are doing! Using these tips should make packing it up a little easier.

Do you still have the boxes and packing supplies it came with? It may be obvious, but I’ll go ahead and say it anyway Those boxes were specifically designed for your computer and will provide excellent protection. Use them if you can.

If those items are no longer available, the following measures will help make the job easier and protect your computer.

Whatever you do - don’t use foam chips (sometimes called peanuts) - they can produce static electricity; which may harm the computer. The preferred packaging supplies are foam pads, bubble wrap and clear plastic bags.

Before you even think of packing - back up all your data.

Turn your computer off and unplug it from the wall. Label the cords and cables so you know where to plug them back in later. Some people use a diagram and others take a photo.

Computer Equipment Packing 101

Cables - To avoid nasty tangles, wrap cables with twist ties, tape, or elastic bands.

Hard Drive - The hard drive is usually left in the computer. However, if you need to remove it, it should be packed snugly in the center of a large box with foam pads and styrofoam holding it in place in a static free bag. Static can damage the drive and erase data.

Monitor - First - place the monitor in a plastic bag to protect the screen. Then, put it in a large box leaving plenty of space for bubble wrap, foam pads and styrofoam.

Keyboard - Protect the keys of the keyboard with a piece of foam and then wrap the whole thing in plastic and/or bubble wrap. Box separately.

Sound Cards and Memory Chips - Normally, you wouldn’t want to remove these. But should there be any need to remove and pack any internal parts such as sound cards, or memory chips, they must be wrapped separately in Anti-Static bags. Regular plastic and paper products can damage these components. After the item is in its protective anti-static bag, it can then be cushioned with bubble wrap and foam pads.

Mouse - To keep the mouse clean, put it in a little plastic bag. If you have a battery-operated wireless mouse, remove them before storing it in a plastic bag.

External CD Rom Drives and Modems - These should be packaged individually in plastic bags and then boxed with bubble wrap and foam pads for protection.

Printer - First - remove all trays, arms and paper. Wrap them in plastic bags before boxing them. Then, place the printer in a plastic bag in the center of its own box. Use foam and styrofoam to protect the fragile parts.

CDs and DVDs - Simply store these in any of the standard cases. These products are very durable and will take a lot of punishment.

Finally, carefully box the items so they won’t bump into each other during the move. Consider adding warnings such as FRAGILE, THIS SIDE UP and/or DO NOT STA

Be careful! If you follow these tips, you may be seen as a ‘computer set up expert’ and be invited to set up all your friend’s computers, too.

Good luck!

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The Standards of High Availability Data Centers

Filed Under (Computers) by Amy Nutt on 15-10-2008

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by Amy Nutt

Why High Availability is Important

In today’s fast-paced, information-reliant business world, high availability of data centers is a must. Hardware and systems availability increases employee productivity and reinforces a company’s bottom line. Availability of data is a large part of what keeps a company viable.

How Adhering to Industry Standards Influences High Availability

The availability of a data center is only as good as the data center itself. That’s why it is so important for data centers to adhere to industry standards. These standards ensure that a data center functions properly and is reliable and available to clients. Since data centers were often originally designed without established standards, today’s data centers sometimes face the challenge of selecting technologies and implementing them in less-than-ideal space constraints. When selecting a data center, it is important to ensure that these standards have been met.

How to Evaluate High Availability in a Data Center

A data center interested in high availability of systems will place a great deal of emphasis on operational processes and standards. In addition, service assurance policies are expected, and lifecycle and maintenance strategies are well-established and regularly reviewed. Before choosing a data center for your business, make sure high availability is a priority for that particular data center.

Standards for Physical Layout

Because computers are sensitive to changes in environment, physical layout standards are an important part of ensuring high availability in a data center. The ideal physical environment is a high priority for many organizations.

- Backup power supplies should be available. This can be accomplished by a generator or by an uninterruptible power supply. - Effective fire protection systems are a must for a high availability data center. Fire prevention programs should be a part of regular system operations, and passive and active design elements should also reflect this goal. - Duplicate systems, such as backup systems and electrical systems, help avoid single points of failure and a loss of data center availability. - Air conditioning is needed to control the data center’s ambient temperature. The large consumption of electrical power can rapidly increase the temperature in a room if air conditioning is not used to counteract this effect. - Raised flooring generally a recommended standard for data centers. This allows air to circulate beneath the equipment and assist in cooling, and it also provides a space for cabling. - Physical security is also of the utmost importance for high availability data centers. Restricted access, video surveillance, and full-time security personnel help maintain a secure environment for data.

Standards for Network Infrastructure

Just as the physical environment of a data center has a direct impact on availability, so does the network infrastructure. The availability of data is totally dependent on the network’s ability to transmit information.

That’s why there are important standards in place for network infrastructure. - Cabling systems must be flexible and capable of handling a wide range of technologies, including current and future applications. - Redundant cabling and components reduce the risk of a loss of data center availability. - Creating and maintaining simple documentation ensures accurate knowledge transfer and reduces loss of information. - All components should be properly labeled. This prevents confusion and helps reduce downtime.

The Single Most Important Quality

In short, adhering to these important standards helps a data center increase its availability. Availability may be the single most important quality to consider when selecting a data center, so special attention should be paid to how effectively these standards have been met. Make sure you ask about whether a data center adheres to these industry standards.

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Computer Repair Exposed!

Filed Under (Computers) by Chuck the Computer Geek on 15-10-2008

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by Chuck the Computer Geek

Lots of people own computers yet most of us do not have a clue how to fix them. When it breaks down we have to rely on other people to sort it for us. The business of repairing computers is growing day by day. As more technological advances are made, the need for the technical expertise will only escalate.

The cost of computer repair is the most apprehensive part. Some computer engineers are earning on average $50 per hour; some have even been known to charge $100. The job does take a high level of skill and knowledge, however, the second price is very steep.

You can locate computer repairers in your region through message boards and adverts. You will see lots of business cards and fliers around that you can pick up. If you can give the large stores a wide berth. Their costs can be more expensive as they have to pay for things such as office space and staff salaries. Choosing a local computer engineer should work out cheaper as they will not have as many overheads.

If you can try to gain some knowledge about computers in order that you are not swindled. When the mechanic arrives and sees your computer they should be very sure of what they are doing. They should be able to tell you exactly what they think is wrong with your computer, and a rough estimate of time and cost.

There are many courses and computer certificates available at present in order for an engineer to prove they have the right skills and knowledge. If you have any doubts you can ask to see a copy of their qualifications; any upstanding computer mechanic will be happy to oblige. It pays to be cautious of anyone who appears too nervous, uses confusing jargon and is overconfident. Just because they can sound knowledgeable does not mean that they have the necessary skills.

Of course there is the possibility that a nervous mechanic may be just so as it is his first time, or he is not confident with people You can leave them to start the work and return later to see what progress has been made. This should give you an indication as to how highly skilled they actually are.

If you have to use a computer repair store it is likely that the cost will be substantially higher than that of a local repairman. Whether you chose the store or a local repairman to mend you computer, make sure that you are paying a fair price. If you feel that it is too expensive you can ask for a detailed list of what work was involved and at what cost. If you are still unhappy you can try and talk the price down a little. It is worth remembering though, that they are trying to make a decent living, so do not try and haggle to a silly price.

There is another option too, which is teaching yourself to repair your computer. There are many courses you can take as well as books and DVD’s. The internet is a great source of help as there are many sites with forums to get help and advise from fellow computer owners and experts.

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