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Hardware
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December 8, 2014My latest build project. I found the project relatively easy a few day project doing it at night after work. There was a lot of soldering and involved and wire stripping over all it was a very easy project and well worth the time. The parts and materials are of good quality and easy to work with. Very much enjoyed the project. From The Box Assembly of this XP-15 Regulated Variable Power Supply Kit will prove to be an exciting project and give much satisfaction and personal achievement. If you have experience in soldering and wiring technique, you should have no problem following the detailed instructions that are provided and successfully assembling of this kit. The Variable Voltage Power Supply Kit is a handy portable power supply with a variable output voltage of 15VDC. Specifications: Input voltage – 120VAC, Output voltage – 1.25 – 15VDC, Output Current – 0.5A @ 8V, 0.3A @ 12V, 0.2A @ 15V, Short Protected IC Thermo, Mounted in a rugged Bakelite case.Made in the United States.
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August 27, 2014
HP Notebook Power Cord Safety Recall and Replacement Warning
If you bought a Hewlett-Packard laptop between September 2010 and June 2012, you may want to check the serial number on the power cord as the computer giant has just issued a global recall for around six million of them. HP issued the voluntary recall on Tuesday, explaining that a recently discovered overheating issue made the cords a “fire and burn hazard.” According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, HP has so far received 29 reports of power cords “overheating and melting or charring, resulting in two claims of minor burns and 13 claims of minor property damage.” The commission said that 5.6 million of the recalled cords were sold in the US, and advised anybody in possession of one to stop using it “immediately.” The cords at the center of the recall were sold with HP and Compaq notebook and mini notebook computers, as well as with AC adapters provided with accessories such as docking stations, HP said. Not all cords sold with the listed machines during the specified time frame are part of the recall – only those with a molded mark at the end of the cord showing “LS-15.” In addition, some customers who bought their machine outside of the specified time frame may also find “LS-15″ shown on the power cord, but these are not part of the recall. HP has a website up to allow you to check if your cord is recalled https://h30652.www3.hp.com/ -
July 23, 2014Samsung launched the Galaxy Core last year, which did garner a good amount of attention thanks to affordable price tag which placed it between the entry level Galaxy S Duos and the mid-range Galaxy Grand. It arrived as an optimum choice for consumers who wanted a high-specked smartphone but were reluctant to 5-inchers. The company has now introduced an upgraded variant, the Samsung Galaxy Core 2. Although the new Galaxy Core 2 packs enough punch to prove itself an efficient successor, but seems this wouldn’t be so easy this time. The price segment where it falls has burgeoned with new smartphones which deliver excellent features vis-à-vis the pricing. If you are also planning to go for the Galaxy Core 2, here are few alternatives which might make you think again. The newly launched Galaxy Core 2 comes with leather-like back cover design and is equipped with 1.2GHz quad-core processor. The 5-megapixel primary camera with LED flash, 2,000mAh battery, 768MB RAM and 4GB internal storage with expandable memory of up to 32GB via microSD card are some of the fortes of the device in the budget handset segment. Now let’s have a look on what the competition has to offer. Samsung Galaxy Core 2 vs Motorola Moto G Both the smartphones come with the same screen size of 4.5-inches but weight and thickness wise the Samsung Galaxy Core 2 is lighter and slim. It is 138 grams vs 143 grams and 9.8 mm vs 11.6 mm respectively. The Motorola Moto G runs on Android 4.3 Jelly Bean OS where as the South Korean handset comes with Android 4.4.2 KitKat OS. Apart from these there are some goodness in the Moto G that may keep it ahead such as more RAM, more internal storage, better display resolution, better secondary camera and better...
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April 10, 2014Choosing a cloud service provider is a task that shouldn’t be taken lightly. You need to make sure the company you choose is capable of storing your data as securely as possible while providing a solution that works for your business. With that in mind, you shouldn’t be afraid to ask some serious questions: Software and Contracts Questions Can I try the software/service before making a commitment? This is a great way to see if the solution actually meets your needs before spending a lot of money. If they won’t give you access to the full product, see if they have a trial or limited version that you can try. Do you have any stories of successful similar deployments? Ask for specific case studies that deal with businesses in the same industry or with the same needs. You can also ask to talk to current and past clients. How flexible is the contract? Will the price remain constant? Is there a termination fee? Can we configure a solution to specifically meet our needs? Don’t be afraid to ask if you can tweak certain aspects of the solution to more fully meet your needs. Security Questions Where is your data center? What security measures are in place at the physical location? Different countries and locations have different laws regarding data security. Find out where the data center is and what physical measures they take to prevent data loss. What certificates do you have for data protection? How will you store my data? Find out about encryption, both on their servers and in transit. If they do encrypt data, ask that you control the decryption keys. What happens in the event of data corruption? Similarly, what is your disaster recovery process? Do they offer data duplication? Do you offer backup storage? If...
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April 4, 2014One of the most common problem parents encounter when it comes to dealing with teenagers is handling their video game addiction. With computers and gaming consoles evolving so quickly, more and more teenagers develop serious addictions to video games, spending countless hours in front of the TV or computer, which is not only bad for their health but for their productivity as well. Given these circumstances, the fact that some teachers want to use video games as learning tools may seem downright crazy, but is it really? Are video games complete time wasters, or are there useful things a teenager can learn from them? Boost Creativity & Enhance Perception of Realism One of the most important aspects of video games is that they provide a complete scenario which may be based on real elements or on fantasy elements. However, by creating an entire world and placing the player inside it, video games automatically trigger the player’s imagination, which is especially useful in art-related classes. Also, games that are based on reality allow teenagers to get a better grip of reality by providing them with a visual representation of the world they live in, at a larger scale, which is something that would be significantly harder to achieve without some visual stimulants. A good example is the popular game Angry Birds; although at a first glance the game can seem to be just entertaining, it is in fact a game that someone can really learn a lot from. The game comes with a very sophisticated physics engine, which will allow students to understand how concepts like gravity and kinetic energy work, while also developing their problem-solving skills. Increase Self-Confidence When playing video games, one of the things you need to get accommodated to is losing. While this may not seem as...
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April 3, 2014It seems that you have finally decided to go with the flow and switch to the VoIP telephony system. Prior to jumping with joy at the prospect of using the best telephony technology, it is imperative that you learn a bit about the technology as well. You also need to learn about the basic factors to consider before migrating to VoIP. In the last few years the number of companies switching to VoIP has immensely increased and there are obvious reasons behind the fan following. VoIP is a technology that converts voice signals into digital IP packets and transmits it over a secured network. Companies are using it to manage large call volumes with greater efficiency by availing the advanced telephony features offered by VoIP. Call centers are heavily benefited by switching to the VoIP telephony system. The new technology provides the call centre owners and business managers to avail cost-effective features to maintain seamless communication with their clients as well as their employees. Now, not everyone needs to opt for the VoIP because not everyone needs the advanced features offered by the VoIP. If you too want to determine whether you need to migrate to the latest VoIP telephony system then there are few factors that you will influence your decision. Some of the basic factors that you will have to consider before switching to VoIP are as follows: Will VoIP positively affect your business process? Well, this is probably the first question that anyone switching to the VoIP telephony system needs to ask themselves. If you are running a call center with more than 20 seats, then migrating to VoIP will definitely prove to be a prudent decision. You will need to understand that the advanced call management features offered by VoIP will be greatly helpful in handling...
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March 24, 2014Do you want to become cleverer at once? Google put on the market a new version of the “clever eyeglasses”. Google released a new, complete and renovated version of its “clever spectacles” that is called Google Glass. Besides, the Internet giant reports about the widening of the testing program of the Internet spectacles by opening the access to this gadget to nearly twenty-four thousand of people. The renewed version of the eyeglasses a little differs from the first one. Perhaps, the main difference that has a new version is an existence of one headphone, which the first version didn’t have. Additionally, software was renewed in the second output. In this case, they became bigger and heavier, that is not convenient for the users. The representatives of Google approve that an earphone in Glass can be disconnected from the device and its usage isn’t necessary. Within the next several weeks the number of testers within the Glass Explorers program will be increased, because every of the current users of the glasses will be able to invite three men for testing. Initially, eyeglasses received about eight thousand of testers, and now this number can treble. Let’s remind that Google distributes spectacles to testers not free, but for charge of $1500. Besides, the testers must be in the USA and have the possibility to go to New York or San Francisco, where they can buy these spectacles. It is told that it is necessary to show the invitation and pay $1500 and then, wait for the delivery of the spectacles to the house or in the office. “The bigger number of users means the bigger number of feedbacks and the bigger number of the feedbacks means the product of the highest quality” – Google informed. Let’s note that the company starts delivering newer...
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March 20, 2014Regardless of the latest and greatest gadgets available on the market, there is one topic that holds every tech enthusiast’s attention – how to make the most out of battery life. With the capabilities of our favourite gadgets growing each and every day, the average battery is taking a bit of a beating and battery saving apps are springing up left, right and centre, all claiming to improve your tablet or smartphone’s shortfall. We explore whether these battery saving applications really work and reveal the best battery savers on the market. Do battery saving apps really work? Whilst battery saving apps have taken the gadget world by storm in recent years, their rising popularity has led many to question their efficiency and effectiveness. Battery saving apps are designed to target the poorest performing areas of your gadget and make them more energy efficient thus protecting your battery further. However, many users have reported diminishing battery life due to usage of these apps. The stop-start effect that these battery saving apps have on other features and applications on your tablet or smartphone has been proven to drain battery life, resulting in mixed reviews. In fact, users have found it much more effective to use more conventional methods of conserving energy, such as keeping conditions cool, organising apps into folders, charging more efficiently and lowering screen brightness. Top battery savers Whilst battery saving applications still continue to receive a varied response from smartphone and tablet users in the consumer and corporate markets, some apps have provided a more favourable service for those looking to preserve battery life on that long commute or trip away from the office. The Battery Doctor is perhaps the most popular application to date and with over 150 million downloads it must be doing something right! The opportunity...
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March 17, 2014Trends come and go even in the data center world. These trends consist of everything from reconfiguring the center for energy efficiency to taking new security measures in light of the National Security Agency’s spying controversy. Data center managers and IT administrators have a lot to think about and often approach problems in a strategic way. Admins and managers have numerous operational choices to consider, and the cost of upgrading and expanding the data center relies heavily on the business’s return on investment. Some trends stay on point, such as the need for improved energy efficiency. However, other trends remain optional, such as choosing a hybrid cloud environment. With a clear road map and new trends presenting greater benefits, the IT world seems brighter than ever. The Top 5 Data Center Trends for IT Directors and Admins 1. Virtualization This first trend optimizes the data center in a variety of ways: It saves money, reduces energy consumption and decreases the need for large space. Both large and small data centers everywhere have jumped on the virtualization bandwagon, making this trend the top choice among admins and managers. Although managers have to choose the appropriate software and spend money to move to virtualization, it pays for itself in the end with reduced energy and operational costs. 2. Cloud Computing Some data center managers consider cloud computing only as an option, whereas others see it as part of a viable solution for modernizing the business. The cloud trend has ramped up and adds value to many data centers. As a data center requires constant updates and changes its goals, so does cloud computing. It allows a data center to grow without the need to purchase costly programs and new software licenses. Cloud computing also lets the business do more work in less...