Keeping you safe and sound on the web.

Every computer has a brain called the Central Processing Unit. It is named so because all major processes happen here. All brains have memory storage. And under the memory is the ROM or the Read Only Memory, the RAM or the Random Access Memory, and the cache. Among these storage hardware is the HDD or the Hard Disk Drive.

 

Most computers you see on the market today whether desktops or laptops have a hard disk drive or hard drive in short, as the main storage memory. There are those that have SSDs Solid State Drive as well. Hard drives have been proven a reliable technology in the computing world that’s why they are still around today and are ever-improving. A computer cannot efficiently process things without a memory hardware. But it can do so without a hard drive. Really? Arguably so.

 

A computer can still function without a hard drive. This can be done through a network, USB, CD, or DVD. Believe it or not.

Although a hard drive is typically where an operating system is installed, there are a number of ways you can run a computer without one. Computers can be booted over a network, through a USB drive, or even off of a CD or DVD. When you attempt to run a computer without a hard drive, you will often be asked for a boot device.

(Via:https://www.techwalla.com/articles/what-will-a-computer-do-without-a-hard-drive)

 

Upon startup. When a computer starts, various tests and checks are done. This is why you can’t immediately use the computer as soon as you see the desktop or the screen. You have to give it a minute or two.

When a computer first runs, a Power On Self Test (POST) is performed. This checks all of the hardware to make sure that everything is responding properly, then a series of system beeps are performed. The BIOS is loaded and the computer then looks for a boot device based upon the order of the devices in memory. These devices can be hard drives, network drives, external drives, or even removable media. Many servers are actual ran off of a single-network device with the hardware loading an operating system into RAM memory over the network.

(Via:https://www.techwalla.com/articles/what-will-a-computer-do-without-a-hard-drive)

 

In cases where no devices are found, your computer will let you know and will present you with a blank screen, one message, and a cursor that’s blinking. Kind of like the first computers.

If your system runs through the list of devices in the BIOS and none are available for booting, it will simply perform a series of PC speaker beeps and inform you that no bootable devices have been found. You will be presented with

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You’ve done your research. You knew what you are looking for based on what you’ll use the mouse for. You’ve decided between a wireless mouse or a wired one. You’ve considered the dimension and the size. And of course, you’ve chosen the right shape and color for you (or maybe overlooked them because you decided they’re the last things to worry about). So now you might ask, can I proceed to the counter now? You can. If those are the only things you want to cover. Wait, there’s more? Yes. More specific criteria that is.

 

Mouse, like other parts of your computer, is still a machine. It has its technical and mechanical aspects. And if you are more on the picky side, then you might appreciate this article.

 

Sensors. The sensor type will depend on the manufacturer of the mouse.

From Razer’s “Dual Sensors” to Microsoft’s “BlueTrack” and Logitech’s “Darkfield,” advanced sensors offer a lot. On the gaming side of things, most companies offer calibration for different surfaces, insanely high DPI (covered later in this guide) and improved precision. And for the always-on-the-go office worker, some mice offer to work for you even on shiny surfaces like glass, marble and more.

(Via:https://www.groovypost.com/howto/guide-to-find-best-mouse-to-fit-your-needs/)

 

The positioning of the sensors is also crucial. The sensors must be positioned in the center of the mouse.

The off-center sensor, however, resulted in extremely poor accuracy when making sharp flicks to the left or right.

Unless you are using your mouse for casual browsing only, do watch out for sensor placement. Look for a photo of the bottom of the mouse before your purchase. If the sensor is positioned too far from the center of the mouse – stay away!

(Via:https://www.groovypost.com/howto/guide-to-find-best-mouse-to-fit-your-needs/)

 

Buttons. The different types and placements are vital as well. Again, it comes down to what you’ll use the mouse for.

Depending on how you use your mouse, you may need to consider the types of buttons and switches used. For late night web surfing or a busy office, you may want to consider a silent mouse. But for gaming or anything else where you really want to feel your clicks, you may want a mouse with more tactile feedback.

Aside from the feel of the buttons, there’s also the question of how many buttons you need. Some will be more than happy with a three button mouse (left, middle and right). Others… well, let’s just say they can never get enough.

Some advice when buying a mouse with more than three buttons is to make sure every button is easily within reach. If it takes you a few seconds to re-position your hand, it’s probably faster

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Can’t you just buy the first thing you see? After all, they all have a left clicker, a right clicker, and a scrolling wheel, right? Yes to the latter but no to the former. Much like choosing a computer, a smartphone, or even a camera, you have to consider what you will be using it for. The price and color can just come next.

 

Buying a mouse can be tricky especially online. You only get to see descriptions and pictures of it. There are reviews from some other people that have purchased and probably used it. But you simply can’t rely solely on them. How they use their mouse might be different from how you use yours. But how about going to a physical store? That would be easy right? Yes, it can, if you know what you are looking for. If you do your research before going to the store, finding a mouse would be much easier.

 

As mentioned, the first thing you should consider is what you will be using the mouse mostly for. It can be for work, gaming, or just regular surfing.

A mistake I made when first looking for my best mouse was that I was only looking for gaming products. My train of thought was “I have a gaming mouse now, so let’s just find a better one!”. But I realized that games were now far from priority – I was using my computer mostly for work. Although more complex tasks require their fair share of precision, you don’t necessarily need the “unmatched performance” of a gaming mouse. It was at that moment I could almost put my current gaming mouse to my ear and hear the marketing team laughing at me for spending my money on some shiny LEDs and a logo.

(Via:https://www.groovypost.com/howto/guide-to-find-best-mouse-to-fit-your-needs/)

 

Size and weight. This matters because if you are a gamer and you need to shot a moving zombie straight in the head, you’ll need a more accurate mouse. And smaller mice aren’t always. Wireless mice are more lightweight than wired ones.

Regardless of whether you have small or big hands, you are very likely to be used to a certain mouse size. Accuracy-wise I would advise people to stay away from little mice, regardless of how compact and portable they might be. But if performance isn’t an issue you can feel free to explore mice of all shapes and sizes.

Although plenty of mouse reviewers talk about size, very few seem to mention the importance of weight. The average weight of a wired mouse is anywhere between 90 and 100 grams. When you go into more exotic mice options. However, this number can vary.

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We use computers for different reasons and different tasks. But either we’re at the office or not, computers remain the same in terms of function. They write documents, save media files, send emails, let you search the web, tabulate data, update your social media, and all the computing processes there is. But these computers are the ones that we commonly know of. There are other types that seem unfamiliar with most people. Even these computers we use in the office or at home can differ from each other base on how heavy we use them. For example, if you are active on social media, you can always use a computer to update or upload files. But if you use it for business or as a job, then you will need a computer that’s best suited for more creative tasks.

 

Now let’s check out the other types of computers.

 

Supercomputers. You might have probably heard of this one. These are the fastest and biggest computers that exist. They are used to calculate weather patterns, quantum physics, and even perform mock nuclear weapon detonation.

The “Father of Supercomputing,” Seymour Cray, built the first supercomputer in 1963 called the CDC 6600, according to Cray Inc. He founded the company Cray Research to focus on engineering supercomputer systems. Supercomputers provide the fastest processing speed of any computer. Used for highly complex calculations, supercomputers possess extreme processing capabilities. For example, the Jaguar, a Cray Inc. supercomputer, operates at 1750 Teraflops (floating point operations per second) at peak performance—which means the system can calculate 1,750,000 Gigabytes per second. Supercomputers work behind the scenes to drive the most advanced information research forward. They are used for various highly specified applications including weather research, quantum physics, nuclear weapon detonation simulations and a class of problems called the “Grand Challenge problems,” a set of problems requiring a high-performance computer.

(Via:https://www.techwalla.com/articles/types-of-computers-their-functions)

 

Mid-range computers are called so after the rise of desktop computers. They were used to do various applications.

The mid-range computer, originally called the minicomputer and currently called a server, is between a microcomputer and mainframe computer (as related to size and power). The term “minicomputer” developed during the 1960s to describe computers that utilized transistor technology. During the 1970s and 1980s, the development of microcomputers—or desktops—placed minicomputers in the mid-range designation. They were considered a more powerful single-user machine. True minicomputers began to decline, however, due to a less-expensive minicomputer that used microprocessor technology. Mid-range computers provide processing services for several applications. They are used to run back-end applications such as enterprise email, database systems and network-wide antivirus software.

(Via:https://www.techwalla.com/articles/types-of-computers-their-functions)

 

Personal computers are the computers we know, use, and love …

If there is something that mankind has so successfully, effectively, and profitably invented, it’s the computer, the first vessel for the other triumphantly discovered internet.

 

Computers have made great strides ever since their creation. Historically, computing was first related to numbers. And the earliest tool recognized to count numbers was the abacus. Hence, the name computer.

 

Computers are useful in many different fields both at home and at work.

They can be used as research tools, scouring the internet and online databases for information about all different topics. Information that’s found can easily be downloaded and saved or printed to hard copy.

(Via:https://www.techwalla.com/articles/pros-cons-of-the-use-of-computers)

 

There’s not one office that doesn’t have a computer. In fact, they might be the most functional and operational items in the office. That’s all thanks to their multitasking skills of writing documents, sending emails, making presentations, scheduling meetings, doing training, etc.

Computers are also often more efficient for producing written work, whether a financial spreadsheet where numbers are automatically totaled up without the need of a calculator or a word processing document with automatic spellchecking and easy, paper-free editing.

Documents created on a computer can also easily be backed up, shared and searched, unlike paper documents that need to be stored in secure spaces and physically transported and examined.

They’ve also boosted efficiency in other areas of business by allowing people to work remotely – when on business trips, for example – and by automating tasks in fields like manufacturing.

(Via:https://www.techwalla.com/articles/pros-cons-of-the-use-of-computers)

 

At home, you can use it to do shopping, be active on social media, plan your out-of-the-country trip, search for recipes or housekeeping DIYs, and a whole lot more.

Computers can be also convenient shopping tools, making it possible to find any number of products without having to visit a store or thumb through a paper catalog. And they’re excellent for communication, letting people share photos, send emails and disseminate life updates on their own schedules for friends and family to see.

(Via:https://www.techwalla.com/articles/pros-cons-of-the-use-of-computers)

 

So what’s the deal about the challenge of using a computer? Well, for a start, since they are uber- efficient, they can replace you at work. Second, they are not soldiers. Your orders won’t always be accepted, sometimes not even welcomed, because they are programmed. Third, they can make you glued to them and not do anything else. Fourth, your privacy will be at stake. And fifth, they can give you addiction.

While they can make workplaces more efficient, they often do so effectively by putting people out of work as their jobs are replaced by automation. They can also increase bureaucracy, since it can be harder to override a process

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Before we dive in with their differences, let’s look at their similarities. Hard Disk Drive (HDD) and Solid State Drive (SSD) are both storage components of your computer. Both also come in external or portable form. But how they function and store data are completely different.

 

Whenever consumers shop for new computers, even second-hand ones, they always check for the storage. And what they commonly encounter as the storage of say, example 1TB, is the hard drive, and very rarely the SSD. But some desktops and laptops have SSD in them as storage. Ultimately, what you use your computer for will determine which one you will need more. Wait, you can run a computer without an HDD? Well technically, yes. But it will be tricky.

 

The reason why HDD is one of the first things you see when shopping for a computer is because its quality and technology is tried and tested with time. 5 decades, to be precise.

The technology behind hard disk drives is well known and well-tested. Hard disk drives have been around for more than 50 years, steadily increasing their storage capacity and decreasing their physical size. HDDs rely on spinning disks, or platters, to read and write data.

(Via:https://www.crucial.com/usa/en/ssd-vs-hdd)

 

Spinning platters and moving arms are what mainly compose a hard disk drive.

Hard disk drives consist of one or more magnetically-sensitive platters, an actuator arm with a read/write head on it for each platter, and a motor to spin the platters and move the arms. There is also an I/O controller and firmware that tells the hardware what to do and communicates with the rest of the system.

(Via:https://www.crucial.com/usa/en/ssd-vs-hdd)

 

HDDs have stood the test of time. They have a trusted and reliable technology. Moreover, they are more affordable than SSDs even with the same storage amount. And compared to SSDs, they also come with more storage in the market. The bad? They use physical power. The moving parts can stop working when your computer is mishandled, especially laptops.

The drawbacks to HDDs are a result of the mechanical parts used to read and write data, as physically finding and retrieving data takes more time than electronically finding and retrieving data. The mechanical parts can skip or even fail if they are handled roughly or dropped. This is a concern in laptops, but not as much in desktops. HDDs are also heavier and use more energy than comparable SSDs.

(Via:https://www.crucial.com/usa/en/ssd-vs-hdd)

 

An SSD, on the other hand, utilizes flash memory. This means that its processes are electronic, not physical.

Solid state drives use flash memory to deliver superior performance and durability. Because there are lots of

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Do you remember that time you got your PC or laptop and how mighty fast it was? A few months in and it was beginning to be sluggish. Pages load slow, programs don’t open as fast as they did before, the computer starts and shuts off slower than ever – it’s beginning to be hard to tell what is which.

The truth is, a lot of things can cause your computer to slow down. Your storage may be almost full if not already, you have viruses and other malware lying around, you have a long list of search history, or you simply have a slow internet connection. These are just some of the many things that have been keeping your computer from performing at its fastest.

Here are some things you can do to help your computer work relatively faster.

Make way for the more important and current things.

If these temporary internet files and other useless items stick around for too long, they can not only cause programs to hang and become unresponsive and sluggish, but also take up valuable hard drive space.

Clean up your desktop if it’s cluttered. Making Windows Explorer load those icons and folders each time the desktop refreshes can put unnecessary load on your hardware, which takes away system resources that could be used elsewhere.

Remove unwanted programs that are just lingering on your computer. These are not only taking up hard drive space but they might open automatically with Windows and be running in the background all the time, sucking away at the processor and memory. There are several free uninstaller tools that make this really easy.

Also considered junk files is anything you simply don’t use or want anymore. So, delete those old video files that you downloaded a year ago and back up all the data you don’t readily use, like vacation pictures.
(Via: https://www.lifewire.com/speed-up-your-computer-3506852)

Defragging the hard drive.

To defrag your hard drive is to consolidate all the empty spaces that are created in the file system structure as you add and remove files. These empty spaces make your hard drive take longer to think, which in turn causes files, folders, and programs to open slowly.
(Via: https://www.lifewire.com/speed-up-your-computer-3506852)

Windows is more susceptible to viruses and malware than Mac. The best way to address this is by having an anti-virus or malware program.

Once the virus is on the computer, it usually stores itself in the system memory, hogging resources that could be used by legitimate programs, thus slowing everything down. Some malicious programs show pop-ups or trick you into buying their “antivirus program,” which are even more reasons to remove them.

You should periodically scan your computer for

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Backing up data isn’t only for your PC or laptop. There’s nothing like losing important data because of accidental deletion or a misplaced folder or location. When it comes to smartphones and tablets, you can always back them up by storing some data on your computer from your device. But if this isn’t an option for you or if your computer is almost full, other backup processes can be done instead.

Devices that store data like smartphones and tablets need to be backed up as well. You use your smartphone almost every time and take it with you wherever you go. Therefore, it only makes sense to back it up.

Back in the day, backing up phones is a tedious process. But today, it has become less dreary and confusing. Everyone’s got a different Android version on their device. But these steps can still apply to the recent ones. Android allows backing up from your Google account.

First step, you need to turn on the backup settings.

Open the Settings menu and look for Backup and reset. Check that the Back up my data option is enabled under Google account and that the correct Google account is shown under Backup account — tap this section to add another account, if necessary.
Also check that Automatic restore is enabled, this backs up your app settings.
(Via: http://home.bt.com/tech-gadgets/phones-tablets/dont-lose-your-stuff-how-to-backup-your-smartphone-and-tablet-11363975313535)

After turning it on, you can now decide on what to sync with your Google account. Among these are your contacts, calendar, Google Drive, etc.

Go to Settings – Accounts and tap your Google account and you’ll see a list of what is being backed up to Google’s servers, including: Calendar, Contacts, Drive and Gmail.

Use the sliders to turn back up off.
(Via: http://home.bt.com/tech-gadgets/phones-tablets/dont-lose-your-stuff-how-to-backup-your-smartphone-and-tablet-11363975313535)

Another thing you can backup is your photos. Better back them up than lose them.

Back up your photos using the Google Photos app.
The first time you use this it may give you the option to Back up your photos and videos.

Otherwise, launch the Photos app, sign in with the Google account you want to use, then click Settings – Back up & sync and turn on the slider next to Back up & sync.
(Via: http://home.bt.com/tech-gadgets/phones-tablets/dont-lose-your-stuff-how-to-backup-your-smartphone-and-tablet-11363975313535)

The next thing is to choose how you want to back up your photos. You have two choices: over wi-fi or mobile data.

By default, backups takes place over wi-fi, but you can choose to use mobile data by tapping the slider next to Photos. If you opt for this make sure you keep an eye on how much data you use.

Google Photos provides ‘unlimited’ online storage for your photos and they’re private unless you share

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There are many fast browsers and search engines out there. Among all these, Google Chrome is one of them. When one uses a search engine, data is downloaded, uploaded, and stored. This causes the user experience to slow down. Servers can go slow, loading of pages go slow, and so on. This can cause frustration among users, especially those who are using it for work-related tasks.

If you are using Chrome to upload content during the deadline, or going online shopping because the item you’ve been eyeing on is finally on sale, there is something you can do to make things faster. These steps will help you improve the speed and overall experience.

The first thing you do is to clear the browsing data. The reason why you have data stored in your cache and history from all of your searches and pages you’ve opened is that Chrome wants to load them faster for you the next time you visit them. The more pages you open, the more data is collected and stored. This means that Chrome can work slower.

Thankfully, the solution to this is easy: clear your cache. To do this, simply access your browsing history by entering chrome://history on your address bar. From the left panel, select Clear browsing data. Choose which data will be deleted by clicking on the checkboxes of all items you want to delete, like cached images or cookies. You can also select the time range that will be affected by the deletion. You can delete your history for the past hour, the last 24 hours, the last 7 days, the last 4 weeks, or from the beginning of time. Once you’ve selected the files you want to delete and their corresponding time range, click Clear data.
(Via: https://www.techadvisory.org/2018/12/make-google-chrome-faster-with-these-easy-steps/)

Another thing you can do is to deactivate or not enable the extensions. Chrome extensions are available for download. These are like programs that give your Chrome browser a personal touch. Depending on what you need or want, you can download a lot of different extensions available on Chrome. They are there to add into, remove, or change a certain function according to your preferences to make the way you use Chrome more convenient. But the more extensions you install, the more the browser can slow down.

Most extensions will show on Chrome’s address bar, and you can quickly uninstall them by right-clicking on their icons and selecting Remove from Chrome. You can also manage all extensions by typing chrome://extensions on your browser and hitting Enter. From there, you’ll find a list of all the extensions you have (even those you don’t remember installing). Simply scroll through the list and click Remove to

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Are you looking for a laptop? You have a lot of options out there but if you’re on a budget, your options maybe limited. Nonetheless, you’d still be able to one. That’s for sure.

If you’re looking for a laptop under $300, you’re going to have to make some sacrifices, but that doesn’t mean you have to be stuck with a bad notebook. There are laptops under $300 that offer 1080p displays, long battery life and even 2-in-1 functionality. If you’re against getting a Chromebook, you might want to reconsider, especially because that device will most likely run a lot smoother with a weaker processor compared to a Windows 10 machine.

(Via: https://www.laptopmag.com/articles/best-laptops-under-300)

Here are the 4 options you can look into. You can start with HP Stream 11.

The HP Stream 11 is one of the best Windows 10 laptops you can find at this price. The Stream’s cute, 11-inch chassis is packed with all-day battery life and relatively strong performance. This laptop is also incredibly portable, weighing in at 2.5 pounds and measuring just 0.7 inches thick. And even though its keyboard can be a little cramped, it offers decent key travel. You won’t find a better Windows laptop for under $200.

(Via: https://www.laptopmag.com/articles/best-laptops-under-300)

The HP Chromebook 14 is also worth looking into.

The Intel version of the HP Chromebook 14 is a solid improvement over its AMD counterpart. For just under $300, you get an attractive laptop with a 14-inch, 1920 x 1080 display, which is an incredibly rare combination at this price point. To top it all off, HP’s Chromebook 14 features a comfortable keyboard and a battery that can last an entire workday and then some. If you’re looking for a Chromebook that doesn’t scream elementary school, then the HP Chromebook 14 is the one to get.

(Via: https://www.laptopmag.com/articles/best-laptops-under-300)

The Lenovo IdealPad 330 is packed with a lot of features for a very affordable price.

We wouldn’t call the Lenovo IdeaPad 330 one of the best laptops around, but for under $300, it’s pretty decent. Its design is pretty standard, but the chassis itself is actually sturdy, not giving into pressure when flexed. Additionally, Lenovo’s gold-standard keyboard design remains intact on this budget machine, as the system is super comfortable to type on. However, be wary of its short, 5:52 battery life and its subpar Celeron N4100 processor.

(Via: https://www.laptopmag.com/articles/best-laptops-under-300)

The Lenovo Chromebook C330 boasts of a long battery life.

The Lenovo Chromebook C330 gets nearly 10 hours of battery life as well as a comfortable keyboard and a neat HDMI port, which is somewhat rare for a Chromebook. This 11-inch convertible is also pretty light and thin, coming in at

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