Best Graphics Cards For The Money: November ’09

Detailed graphics card specifications and reviews are great—that is, if you have the time to do the research. But at the end of the day, what a gamer needs is the best graphics card within a certain budget.

So, if you don’t have the time to research the benchmarks, or if you don’t feel confident enough in your ability to pick the right card, then fear not. Tom’s Hardware have come to your aid with a simple list of the best gaming cards offered for the money.

Here is their review of the best grapics cards for the money November 2009 edition: http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/best-graphics-card,2464.html

Detailed graphics card specifications and reviews are great—that is, if you have the time to do the research. But at the end of the day, what a gamer needs is the best graphics card within a certain budget.

So, if you don’t have the time to research the benchmarks, or if you don’t feel confident enough in your ability to pick the right card, then fear not. Tom’s Hardware have come to your aid with a simple list of the best gaming cards offered for the money.

Here is their review of the best grapics cards for the money November 2009 edition: http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/best-graphics-card,2464.html

20 Essential Tweaks and Tips Every Firefox User Should Know

Firefox may be your default browser, but that doesn’t mean you really use it to its full potential. Mozilla’s browser is a big threat to Microsoft not because it’s fast and full of unique features, but because it’s also extremely customizable. Add-ons, style scripts, and hidden preferences let you personalize your Firefox experience to meet your tastes and needs. Sure, you may know about hidden easter eggs like the about:robots page, but here are the 20 most essential tips, tricks, and tweaks to this super browser. Thanks to MaximumPC for this article: http://www.maximumpc.com/article/features/20_essential_tweaks_every_firefox_user_should_know?page=0%2C0

Firefox may be your default browser, but that doesn’t mean you really use it to its full potential. Mozilla’s browser is a big threat to Microsoft not because it’s fast and full of unique features, but because it’s also extremely customizable. Add-ons, style scripts, and hidden preferences let you personalize your Firefox experience to meet your tastes and needs. Sure, you may know about hidden easter eggs like the about:robots page, but here are the 20 most essential tips, tricks, and tweaks to this super browser. Thanks to MaximumPC for this article: http://www.maximumpc.com/article/features/20_essential_tweaks_every_firefox_user_should_know?page=0%2C0

Making of the Computer grapics for Star Wars

Larry Cuba shows how he made the computer graphics for Star Wars, specifically, the Death Star assault video Dodonna plays for the Rebel pilots. It is amazing how far computer graphics has come in 30 years. This project would have taking so much time to do.

Larry Cuba shows how he made the computer graphics for Star Wars, specifically, the Death Star assault video Dodonna plays for the Rebel pilots. It is amazing how far computer graphics has come in 30 years. This project would have taking so much time to do.

Found on eBay: An original Apple-1 with wonderful documentation

Here are the details of an auction that features a Mac that had been given to Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry by Apple. If you missed your chance to pick up that prime item, now you have an opportunity to own an Apple that is even more rare: an Apple-1 (also known as the Apple I) that’s currently on auction on eBay. Here is the ebay acution link: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=320451173813
Here is an article that gives more details about the auction. http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/18/found-on-ebay-an-original-apple-1-with-wonderful-documentation/

Here are the details of an auction that features a Mac that had been given to Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry by Apple. If you missed your chance to pick up that prime item, now you have an opportunity to own an Apple that is even more rare: an Apple-1 (also known as the Apple I) that’s currently on auction on eBay. Here is the ebay acution link: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=320451173813
Here is an article that gives more details about the auction. http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/18/found-on-ebay-an-original-apple-1-with-wonderful-documentation/

Have you Ever Seen a Miniature Room Inside a PC?

I’ve seen case mods before but nothing like this. Case mods from the completely badass to the completely dorky to the practical? I guess that’s the word I’d use to describe this particular PC Modification. You have to view the pictures to believe it. Someone has created a miniature room inside of a PC. Here is the link to the pics http://unrealitymag.com/index.php/2009/11/18/a-miniature-room-inside-a-pc/

I’ve seen case mods before but nothing like this. Case mods from the completely badass to the completely dorky to the practical? I guess that’s the word I’d use to describe this particular PC Modification. You have to view the pictures to believe it. Someone has created a miniature room inside of a PC. Here is the link to the pics http://unrealitymag.com/index.php/2009/11/18/a-miniature-room-inside-a-pc/

Negative Cashback from Bing Cashback

I posted about bing.com’s cashback program a while ago. Apparently it was too good to be true and Samir has made a post about the negative cashback that could be happening when Bing’s price is different from the original retailer’s price. Samir talks about how bing.com is adding a 3 month cookie to your browers that could potentially cause you to pay more for goods because you are a bing and bing cashback program user. Samir goes through the steps to prove that this is flawed and gives some more details about it here: http://bountii.com/blog/2009/11/23/negative-cashback-from-bing-cashback/

I posted about bing.com’s cashback program a while ago. Apparently it was too good to be true and Samir has made a post about the negative cashback that could be happening when Bing’s price is different from the original retailer’s price. Samir talks about how bing.com is adding a 3 month cookie to your browers that could potentially cause you to pay more for goods because you are a bing and bing cashback program user. Samir goes through the steps to prove that this is flawed and gives some more details about it here: http://bountii.com/blog/2009/11/23/negative-cashback-from-bing-cashback/

If you like funny charts this is your new favorite site.

http://thisisindexed.com/
This site is a little project that makes fun of some things and sense of others. I use it to think a little more relationally without resorting to doing actual math.
Indexed started in August of 2006, Indexed has been noted around the web. The site has become so popular and has so many entries that they created a book of the best charts. Available on Amazon.com here is a link to the book. There are also post cards and an Indexed notebook of charts.
http://thisisindexed.com/
This site is a little project that makes fun of some things and sense of others. I use it to think a little more relationally without resorting to doing actual math.
Indexed started in August of 2006, Indexed has been noted around the web. The site has become so popular and has so many entries that they created a book of the best charts. Available on Amazon.com here is a link to the book. There are also post cards and an Indexed notebook of charts.

Microsoft Office 2010: An Intriguing Beta

The revised productivity suite brings interface tweaks, modest but useful desktop innovations, and integration with minimalist Web apps.
PC World’s Yardena Arar has a review of the Microsoft Office productivity suite. Microsoft Office 2010 has a lot of carry over of the innovations from Office 2007 with the ribbon menus spread throughout the suite and many features that were found in one product integrated into the whole suite. Microsoft Office 2010 added the ability to edit audio and video files within Power Point. You can also broadcast the presentation on the internet with Power Point. Microsoft Office 2010 adds image manipulation within word so you do not need to use an external program to edit images. Excel has added a new way to display data in one cell with charts. Excel has made charts easier then ever before.

Here is Yardena Arar’s review: http://www.pcworld.com/article/182393/microsoft_office_2010_an_intriguing_beta.html

Here is a visual tour in slideshow form of Microsoft Office 2010 Beta: http://www.pcworld.com/article/182502/office_2010_beta_a_visual_tour_of_whats_new.html

Here is Microsoft Office 2010 Beta homepage where you can get in on the beta program: http://www.microsoft.com/office/2010/en/default.aspx

The revised productivity suite brings interface tweaks, modest but useful desktop innovations, and integration with minimalist Web apps.
PC World’s Yardena Arar has a review of the Microsoft Office productivity suite. Microsoft Office 2010 has a lot of carry over of the innovations from Office 2007 with the ribbon menus spread throughout the suite and many features that were found in one product integrated into the whole suite. Microsoft Office 2010 added the ability to edit audio and video files within Power Point. You can also broadcast the presentation on the internet with Power Point. Microsoft Office 2010 adds image manipulation within word so you do not need to use an external program to edit images. Excel has added a new way to display data in one cell with charts. Excel has made charts easier then ever before.

Here is Yardena Arar’s review: http://www.pcworld.com/article/182393/microsoft_office_2010_an_intriguing_beta.html

Here is a visual tour in slideshow form of Microsoft Office 2010 Beta: http://www.pcworld.com/article/182502/office_2010_beta_a_visual_tour_of_whats_new.html

Here is Microsoft Office 2010 Beta homepage where you can get in on the beta program: http://www.microsoft.com/office/2010/en/default.aspx

SquareTrade Research: Nearly 1 in 3 Laptops fail over 3 years

An analysis of reported laptop failures from malfunctions and accidental damage.

Synopsis:
SquareTrade analyzed failure rates for over 30,000 new laptop computers covered by SquareTrade Laptop Warranty plans and found that one-third of all laptops will fail within 3 years. SquareTrade also found that netbooks are 20% more unreliable than other laptops, and that Asus and Toshiba are the most reliable laptop brands.

Read the full report here(PDF):http://www.squaretrade.com/htm/pdf/SquareTrade_laptop_reliability_1109.pdf

My next laptop will be an Asus or Toshiba, my wife has a 6 year old Toshiba that still works no problems yet. A little underpowered for newer software but runs Windows XP and Office 2003 without problems.

An analysis of reported laptop failures from malfunctions and accidental damage.

Synopsis:
SquareTrade analyzed failure rates for over 30,000 new laptop computers covered by SquareTrade Laptop Warranty plans and found that one-third of all laptops will fail within 3 years. SquareTrade also found that netbooks are 20% more unreliable than other laptops, and that Asus and Toshiba are the most reliable laptop brands.

Read the full report here(PDF):http://www.squaretrade.com/htm/pdf/SquareTrade_laptop_reliability_1109.pdf

My next laptop will be an Asus or Toshiba, my wife has a 6 year old Toshiba that still works no problems yet. A little underpowered for newer software but runs Windows XP and Office 2003 without problems.

6 factors why Windows 7 Will Win in Business

Businesses all but ignored Microsoft’s Windows Vista. Windows 7 will be a different story and here’s 6 reasons why. Windows 7 could be the most successful business operating system since Windows XP. I sound crazy, don’t I? Thing is, I can’t even back this up with facts and figures. In fact, I’m under no illusion that the remainder of 2009 will be Windows 7’s quarter. Next year, however, will be a different story, and it’s all because of the perfect storm of technology factors.

Read the 6 factors why Windows 7 will win Business here: http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2355709,00.asp

Businesses all but ignored Microsoft’s Windows Vista. Windows 7 will be a different story and here’s 6 reasons why. Windows 7 could be the most successful business operating system since Windows XP. I sound crazy, don’t I? Thing is, I can’t even back this up with facts and figures. In fact, I’m under no illusion that the remainder of 2009 will be Windows 7’s quarter. Next year, however, will be a different story, and it’s all because of the perfect storm of technology factors.

Read the 6 factors why Windows 7 will win Business here: http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2355709,00.asp