RAM (Random Access Memory )

RAM is a moniker for Random Access Memory. It acts as a short-term memory much like the human brain to store a wealth of information. The RAM is accessible through the computer's brain called the CPU which stands for Central Processing Unit. RAM has the capability of being retrieved only while a computer is on. When the computer is turned off the RAM is no longer accessible. ROM chips along with BIOS (computer boot firmware) allows the RAM information to be retrievable when the computer is rebooted.

RAM size and Location on the Computer System

Most computers come equipped with 256 million bytes of RAM already on the computer. Additional RAM can be placed within the system. However, there is usually a limitation placed upon just how much RAM can be added to a computer system. RAM is not random as its name would lead one to believe. The RAM is highly controlled and the storage can be directly ascertained. There is a decisive method that RAM utilizes to make its memory available to certain areas of the computer system.

Forms for RAM

RAM is what is known as discrete microchips which means that it is separate. An additional form of RAM is modules which attach into outlets in the motherboard of the computer. A network of electrical pathways to the processor allows the connection to spark for the RAM.

Why is RAM Important

RAM serves the very important function of retrieving information that must be accessed in a quick manner. This operation is very similar to the human brain's function in retrieving necessary facts from short term memory. Open files and the utilization of applications on a computer systems requires the assistance of RAM. Users that play alot of video games with detailed graphics or keep alot of folders open while on their computer, will need the use of additional RAM. This will allow them to better access the information they need when the time comes. RAM is held onto a limited time, but it allows the information to come up quickly and without much fuss on the part of the computer user.

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Tips For Selecting The Right Notebook Computer

These days it is very common to find people taking their notebook computers with them everywhere they go. Having one can be very convenient and make working on the go less of a hassle. It can be confusing though to figure out which one you should buy because the market is saturated with different brands and models of notebook computers.

Before you go out and look at notebook computers write down what your needs are. This will help you narrow down your selection. How often will you be taking the notebook computer with you? If you plan to use it often when you travel for work or for other activities you want one with a long battery life and that is very light. You also want one with a good warranty in case it gets damaged.

The size of the screen is important. Nothing is more frustrating than trying to complete work on a screen that is so small you get distracted from what you are trying to accomplish with it. Think about the different features you are going to need for your notebook computer. It doesn’t make sense to pay for features you won’t every use. Some of your options include a memory card and a disk drive.

It is very important to consider the amount of RAM you will need for your notebook computer. You definitely don’t want to be limited in the amount of work you can perform on it because you don’t have enough memory.

Once you have decided all the components of a notebook computer you need you are ready to take a look at what is available on the market that offers those items. You can compare prices as well as read consumer reviews to help you make the right purchase.

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Technology For Travelers

If you’re a tech head like me then choosing the right bits if kit to take with you traveling is a very important decision. I like to be wired into the world and well entertained when I am sitting on a 12 hour train ride or some hotel room on a stopover – it makes the time pass much faster and I can actually get some stuff done. But what should you consider packing for your trek and how can you possibly fit it all in?

As with any type of packing for travel, selecting which pieces of technology to take with you should be determined by weight, size and utility. Less is more! That means taking the smallest and lightest of everything you need.

If you want some computing power on your travels, then a laptop would be the obvious choice. But do you need all the computing power that a laptop can give you or could you escape with just using a tablet or a PDA? When you are lugging around 6 pounds of laptop for miles and miles, the thought of a nice little 200 gram PDA become mighty attractive. If word processing the main reason for taking a computer then consider a PDA with a fold out keyboard. You will be thankful for the weight and space it saves. Alternatively some tablets are more powerful than many laptops and offer the same software options so that might be one other consideration.

Your camera is another consideration. Do you need the 35mm SLR with 4 spare lenses? Unless you are going somewhere that justifies the weight of that, then you might be better off with any of the myriad of small digital cameras available on the market. Many of the newer models are up around the 6 megapixel and above mark meaning the quality of shots is getting very good.

If you desperately need music, then consider any type of MP3 player that can double as a digital photo storage device. IPods are a good choice and nice and light and the fact that you can store any data such as digital photos on them means you can cut down on packing other storage devices.

One of the big things that you are really going to need for all of your gadgets is insurance. Aside from the fact that a person with a lot of gadgets has a lot more to lose when they get robbed, stuff also gets knocked around a lot when you travel. Make sure you get insurance that covers you for the cost of a new replacement of anything that is lost, damaged or stolen.

A few minor considerations at the time of purchase can save a traveler a lot of heartache with gadgets. If you can describe your gear as small, light, useful and insured then you should have a pleasant trip!

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How to find Cheap Laptop

Ah yes, I want a laptop but I am not going to spend a couple of thousand dollars for one. Well guess what you don't have to. Laptop prices have come down dramatically over the past year alone and they will continue to do so as technology advances. But the trick here is to find good quality laptops that fit your needs at the cheapest prices available today.

I would say that there probably is a store near you right now that has cheap laptop computers. In fact, many stores already have them. The reason being, like any other new product, laptops were once considered the cream of the crop in the computer world which made them very expensive. However, all that has changed now. Laptops are a dime a dozen! The hand held digital assistants, Bluetooth cell phones and tablet pads are the new rage making laptop computers cheap.

Now, don't get me wrong, this does not mean that they are cheaply made. Thanks to the wonders of the technological cycle, laptop computers are decreasing in price as their capabilities rise. Of course, there are the latest and greatest monsters out there that are made for gaming or high powered multimedia applications and these babies still cost a pretty penny.

But for the average user, you can find cheap laptop computers that provide all the power you need and then some. Every major manufacturer out there, there have lower end and intermediate models that come with more than enough speed and usability.

Now here is the key to finding the right cheap computer laptop for you, and that is to figure out exactly what you need it for.

Are you going to use it mainly for surfing the web or word processing? Do you need it to work from home or mainly to save your MP3 and digital pictures?

OK, so now you have an idea of what you want to use your laptop for. Now let’s go out shopping and compare. You can visit any of the top manufacturer’s websites or visit your local store and find their low end or intermediate models that may suit your needs. The three top components of a computer you want to look for is the hard drive size, memory, and processor speeds and takes notes of each model you find on each component and model.

The hard drive, you can consider this the brain of your computer; this is where all your files, applications and folders are stored. If you plan on using your computer for MP3 and digital pictures your hard drive should be large since these files are usually very large. I personally would look at 1000 GB as minimum.

Next would be the memory, memory can be considered the thought processes of your computer. As a minimum I would look at 8 GB but if you plan on using your laptop for gaming of course this should be much larger, in the area of 1 to 2 GB. Now memory is used whenever a program or application is running. So the more memory you have the faster your computer can process the program.

And finally your processor, now your processor is just that it processes all the inner workings of how each program runs. The faster the processor is, the faster the program instructions are processed. Again if you’re looking for a laptop for gaming uses you want your processor with high speeds 2 GHz or more. For other uses you can go less.

Other parts of the computer to also consider are the ports involved that can connect your computer to your digital camera or your MP3 player for example. You also want to check that your laptop has wireless and broadband connectivity. Many cheap computer laptops today already come with this but you want to make sure or you will have to pay additional, for example, a wireless card to install in your laptop to have this capability.

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Making Money Using The Computer

There is a saying that goes, “money does not come trees.” Everybody knows that and if there is not enough, the person has to do something about it. An employee can ask for a raise, the individual can get a second job or even transfer to one that pays more.

If the employee has a family, it will be hard to just quit and hope that tomorrow there is a new company to report to. It wouldn’t hurt to look around first before leaving but since an application takes months to process, there are some ways to make a few extra bucks.

Studies show that most American homes have a computer. Instead of playing games, the person can use this to make some money by selling some items through EBay and make some money.

Instead of coursing through another website who gets a certain percentage for every item sold or bought, those who are good with computers can even make one to get more profit. Someone skilled can put up the website or hire someone to do it then just learn how to keep it running.

Another will be to participate in online surveys. More than a hundred companies need the opinion of the consumer before launching a product into the market. The person will not become a millionaire doing this but at least there is additional money for other expenses.

Blogging is another great way to make money. The individual is able to express one’s opinion regarding certain issues and if there is a lot of traffic, people will want to advertise in the blog site. A portion of the revenue will be used to maintain and upgrade the site while the rest can be used for other things. 

Those who love to get paid can also get money by writing about certain topics. There are companies who need talented professionals to do some research and get paid for each assignment. The more the person does, the more money is made. 

Networking is another great idea. The entrepreneur may sell a few items at first but when there are people who are already under one’s umbrella, it is time to kick back and relax because money will come in the form of sales commissions.

Another way to make money is to offer computer repair services to friends and neighbors. The customer will be able to save money by hiring someone that the person knows instead of the word of someone from the shop.

There was a time that an individual who wanted to invest in stocks or in foreign exchange had to deal with a broker. Since it is hard to call the specialist, those who want to play in the money market can still do it by creating an account online for faster results.

The person should just be updated on the current market trends to make good decisions especially when is the best time to buy and sell.

The amount of money made by using the computer is enormous. The person may have to shell out a little cash to upgrade the system or become a member of certain sites but it is worth every penny when the money starts coming in. This sideline can pay off by learning the different strategies that are proven to make it work.

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Network Hardware Basics

Even a basic knowledge of networking is a major asset in today's world. Even if you don't want to get into the details of the subject, the ability to connect your computer to other computers, a router or a peripheral will save you a lot of headaches. It is also a good idea to have a basic knowledge of the equipment you need and what it does. In this article we look at the basic building blocks of a computer network and explain what the various pieces of hardware do.

Of course, any network will need at computers. If you are very new to the subject a good first lesson would be to attempt to connect two computers either by Ethernet cable or wireless so that they can share information. If you can do this, you have created your first network.

However, when you add more computers, printers, scanners and other peripherals, as well as an internet connection, things get a lot more complicated. The average home network will have most or all of these components and business networks get infinitely more complex. So, here is a basic overview of the hardware needed to build a network.

Cable or wireless?

The most basic requirement of any network is that the various components are connected to each other. Here, there are two choices Cable or wireless Ethernet cable remains the faster of the two and remains an important building block of most networks, especially large business network where high data transfer speeds are essential.

That said the next generation of wireless is set to close the gap on ethernet cable in terms of speed, and offer a much greater range. Already, wireless is favored in smaller networks because it spares the expense and the mess of ethernet cables, and is easier and cheaper to maintain.

Modems

Although networks can exist without being connected to the internet, it is rare in today's world. And for a network to connect to the internet a modem is required. Most modern home or small business networks will use a cable/ADSL modem. These usually provide speeds of up to 10 Mbps by ethernet. However, in reality, very few internet service providers can provide a connection that even comes close to this speed. Ethernet modems are the norm these days, although USB modems do exist and dial-up modems are still used, though rarely for networks.

Routers

A router is essential for all networks as it provides the connection between the Local Area Network (LAN), which is the home or small business network, and the Wide Area Network (WAN), usually the internet. A lot of home network will use a combined modem, router and switch which will allow the network to connect to the internet and allow any computers and peripherals on the network to communicate with each other. In very large business networks the router (or sometimes a gateway is used) and switch will be individual hardware devices.

Switches and hubs

There is often a lot of confusion about the difference between switches and hubs. Both allow computers and devices within a network to communicate with each other, but there are some significant differences between them. Of the two, switches are by far the better, and more expensive, option. Switches are essential for larger networks because they make the transfer of information much more efficient.

When a switch receives data from a computer or peripheral it can determine which device/s on the network on the network the data is intended for, and will only send it to its intended destination. This will not be noticed on a small home network but can make a big difference on larger networks.

A hub is a simpler device that can connect anywhere between four and 24 devices. The data will pass through the hub but it the hub will not interfere with the data in any way. Therefore, data sent through a hub will be sent to, and can be accessed by, all devices on a network.

Firewalls

Hardware firewall devices are not really necessary for home networks. The firewall software on your individual computers' operating systems' firewalls, and the security options provided by your router, should be more than enough to protect your network.

However, for business networks that are storing large amounts of sensitive information a good hardware firewall is essential. All information from outside the network must pass through this before reaching the network's main switch. If properly configured by a network professional this should provide all the security a business needs. Further software firewall protection within the network is also an option to secure the network further.

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How To Make Children Smart Computer

Although research on the use of computers in education plods along slowly compared to the progression of the technology itself, there are already positive correlations between children’s education and computer use. If employed effectively and within a comprehensive educational program, computers can: help a student increase critical thinking skills, allow for customization and learning based on the individual students’ interests and pre-existing knowledge, aid in memorization through interactivity, enhances collaboration among students who are not in the same geographical location, and can simulate complex or real-life tasks. In short, programs that incorporate computer use and technology for learning are many times, more effective than instruction that does not.

The use of computers for learning does not need to stop once school lets out. Creating a home “computer learning center” for your child will create an environment that encourages learning outside of the classroom. To create an educational home computer environment, you will need to do the following:

The physical computer workstation your child will need a comfortable computer desk. Because children are smaller than adults with a shorter reach, it’s important to find a desk that’s ergonomically designed to fit his/her body. We found several high-qualities, affordable options at Versa Products, Inc. (an American manufacturer or classroom tables with adjustable heights and various desktop sizes that sells direct to the public). They will also need a comfortable chair.

Buy a computer. If this isn’t a computer that will be shared by the whole family (for example to be used for financial management, online shopping, etc.), don’t spend a lot of money. The computer needs to be reasonably fast with a high speed internet connection, but it doesn’t need extra hard drive storage space or other fancy features available for exorbitant prices.

Make the computer internet-safe. Your child will need internet access for research purposes and email. The internet allows children to explore new places and learn things they wouldn’t otherwise. But the internet can also be a dangerous place for a child with the prevalence of easily accessible adult websites, chat rooms, etc. Take time block inappropriate sites, create filters, and actively monitor the history of the sites visited after your child is done with his/her session on a daily basis.

Although the computer is a tool to enhance education and exploration, too much of even a good thing can reduce its benefits. Children still need to be involved in group activities with other children and adults (in-person) as well as physical activities and non-computer play. The American Heart Association suggests limiting computer activities at home to no more than two hours per day. If those two hours are well spent doing internet research or playing educational games, that amount of time should be sufficient. Encourage your children’s learning by taking an interest in their progress on games and becoming involved in conversation about interesting topics they’ve discovered.

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