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Get Familiar With These 7 Serious Computer Security Tips

We have security systems in our homes and alarms in our cars. Why would we not be as cautious about our computers – places where we store tons of personal information – as we are about every other aspect of our lives? Using a computer can leave you exposed to a number of security concerns. Here are some things you can do to ensure your data is never compromised.

Install and Update an Antivirus Program

Antivirus programs play a huge role in your ability to protect your computer. They’ll block spyware, malware, adware, and any other virus aimed at stealing your information and causing damage to your PC. The trick is to make sure you are updating your antivirus program on a regular basis. Many will update automatically to ensure you are protected from the latest virus releases.

Monitor Your Email

Take special care when opening your email each day. Don’t open attachments from senders you aren’t familiar with or from anyone who is sending an attachment you didn’t expect to receive. Doing so could put you at risk of setting a virus loose on your computer. Don’t click on links from strangers, either.

Avoiding the Hype

Have you ever heard of the Koobface virus? People on Facebook talk about it all the time. The truth of the matter is that the virus isn’t actually spread by Facebook. It’s spread by fear. Individuals who hear about the virus will go online and search for a “removal” program. Unknown programs that promise to remove certain unknown viruses are the targets – things hackers hope you’ll download so that they can access your real information.

Change Your Passwords Regularly

We all do the same thing – we set our passwords and then we forget about them, operating on auto-pilot each time we have to type it in. Make sure you are updating your passwords on a regular basis. Despite being a pain in the rear, doing so will ensure that anyone who does access your information doesn’t have it for long.

Install a Firewall

Firewalls are great tools and can often be purchased a part of an internet security suite – packages that offer antivirus programs and other pieces designed to protect you from online threats. Firewalls act as barriers, preventing internet threats from breaking through your virtual door to access your computer.

Don’t Ignore Security Patches

Windows and other programs and operating systems are constantly identifying holes in their systems – places in which hackers or viruses have entered and which may pose a security threat. As such, these companies regularly release “patches” that you should be downloading in order to ensure your computer is safe from harm. The patches are free and easy to download. Ignoring them can be detrimental to the health of your PC.

Choose the Right Internet Browser

Many people think that Internet Explorer will leave their computers open to harm. The truth is that hackers and those who want to compromise your computer aren’t only targeting IE – they’re targeting all browsers. The best thing you can do is choose a browser that functions the way you like and then turn off your JavaScript capabilities. Doing so will leave you less susceptible to intrusions.

The internet is a vast and sometimes overwhelming place but you can keep your home computer as safe as anything else in your life. Take some time to take a few precautionary measures and you’ll be able to continue enjoying your computer without having to call a computer repair tech in Newark.

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Speeding Up A Windows 7 Computer

Everyone wants a fast Windows 7 computer. This is especially true of people who play games. So the question is what makes a Windows 7 computer fast? How can you speed up your Windows 7 computer without paying an arm and a leg to increase the speed.

Several things make a computer fast. The most important is keeping it clean. A new Windows 7 computer is like my 2 car garage in 1985. At that time it help 2 cars no problem. Today is holds no cars. There is no room because other stuff has been stored there.

The same is true of most computers today. When they were purchased they were fast because they were empty of software. Over time software accumulated in the computer. The most egregious software is memory resident software. Often we use programs for a short time and then never again. However, these programs often have memory resident components that slow down the computer. A clean computer is a fast computer. How to clean is computer is the focus of another article.

In this article the focus is on what makes Windows 7 fast. So the first step is to measure Windows 7 speed. There are benchmarks and diagnostic programs that measure performance and speed. While they do a good job, they are not the measure on what a computer user considers fast. To me fast is responsive. Windows 7 has a responsive measurement tool called the Windows Experience Index. It is a measurement scale ranging from 1.0 to 7.9 currently. Newly purchased computers typically score in the range of 3.4 to 4.5.

To find the Windows Experience Index, click on START, then point to COMPUTER, click the right mouse button (the other mouse button), and use the normal mouse click to open PROPERTIES from the bottom of the menu. the overall rating is displayed smack dab in the middle of the display. A click on the Windows Experience Index to the right of the overall rating number should reveal the rating for each of the Windows Experience Index categories.

The Windows Experience Index measures Processor speed, Memory speed, Graphics card desktop performance speed, graphics card 3D gaming and business performance, and hard disk transfer rate. It rates the overall performance of the computer as the lowest score in any of these categories.

Many computers today have quad-core processors running at 2.5 to 3.2 GHz with DDR3 memory. Such systems typically score in the 6.9 to 7.2 range for CPU and memory speed. Generally, CPU and Memory are not a major consideration in making a Windows 7 computer fast. My laptop running an Inter i3 dual core 2.13 Ghz CPU and memory performs in the 5.9 to 6.1 range.

Disk drives in computers are Serial AT Attachment (SATA) drives. They rotate at 7,200 rpm. This is typically twice the 3,000 rpm at which automobile engines cruse. Laptop drives may run at 5,400 rpm. High performance drives operate at 10,000 rpm. So why the focus on rpm speed. A large part of disk performance is the time it mechanically takes to move the disks read/write mechanism. Part of that mechanical performance is the rotational speed of the drive. So 5,400 rpm drives are slower than 7,200 rpm drives. Most SATA drives have a Windows Experience Index of from 5.6 to 5.9.

What remains is the graphics card performance. That is the area which makes the Windows experience index run in the 3.4 to 4.5 range.

How do we make our Windows 7 computer more responsive? Changing processor and memory are costly. They are likely the fastest components already. Changes there make no sense. With Windows XP, increasing the computer’s memory size from 256 MB or 512 MB to 3 GB or 4 GB noticeably improves performance. Most Windows 7 computers today come with 3 GB to 6 GB of memory. Windows 7 64-bit Edition can use more than 6 GB. My computer has 16 GB of memory. However, application programs mostly are written to use no more than 4 GB or memory. So most of the 16 GB memory is unused. Right now my computer seems to be using 10 GB of memory. Increasing memory size in a Windows 7 computer is not likely to result in a noticeable improvement in responsiveness.

It is possible to improve responsiveness with a faster disk drive. This requires disk drive replacement. Two drives can improve performance: 1. Solid State Drives (no moving parts) and 2. High RPM drives (10,000 rpm). Both types of drives are expensive with Solid State Drives (SSD) being the most expensive. Solid State Drives also wear out over time (several years) depending upon use. The smaller the SSD, the quicker it wears out. SSD are the fastest drives because there are no mechanical parts.

One disk drive strategy is to get a small 128 MB SSD that only holds Windows 7 and the application programs and place the remaining data on another larger SATA drive. The Windows supports the Windows paging files and temporary file area. These areas are constantly used by Windows to store and retrieve data while you are working on the computer. Making that storage and retrieval process faster makes Windows more responsive. Word, Excel, Pictures and Music files stored on another slower drive do not make the Windows 7 computer less responsive because we expect some delay every time we retrieve one of those files. My computer uses a 128 GB SSD for Windows. It has a Windows experience Index of 6.8. All my data is stored on 1TB SATA drives with a Windows Experience of 5.9. I have not tested 10,000 rpm drives as yet to determine their Windows Experience Index. The Windows Experience Index is not published for any drives because it depends in part on the motherboard and CPU to which the drive is attached.

The last area is the graphics cards. Because their Windows Experience Index score is low they offer the greatest potential for improvement. Graphics cards are advertised with high performance chips (chip sets) from ATI or Nvidia typically. They have graphics memory on the card. Fast graphics chips and more memory on the card can speed up and make games more responsive. They should make the 3D business and gaming graphics Windows Experience Index higher.

In contrast a card with a high 3D performance and a low desktop performance our computer may not make our computer as responsive as we hope. Also how we use our computer can be important. In my case I run four (4) monitors each with 1920 by 1200 resolution. So having two Digital Video Interface (DVI) connectors on a graphics card is important because I need two graphics cards to support the four monitors. Configuring the cards for responsive performance requires that the motherboard of the computer have graphics card slots (Peripheral Connect Interface Express – PCI Express connectors) that run at the highest PCI Express speed (16X speed) from both slots simultaneously.

The final consideration is the graphics card memory interface. The interface can be 64-bit, 128-bit, 256-bit or higher. Here the larger number is better. If you are a gamer and get the best performing chips (chip set) on a graphics card that only has a 64-bit interface you could find the gaming performance less than expected. Not being a game player (except for Solitaire) I may be incorrect here. In the case of four monitors, a $100 card that has a 256-bit memory interface produces a Windows Experience Index rating of 6.8 for both Windows Desktop and 3D Graphics performance. Finding a good performing and moderately priced graphics card requires a look a the specifications and specifically the memory interface. Cards with a 320-bit memory interface or higher can be very expensive. Actually, some cost more than my motherboard, CPU and 16 GB of memory.

The last part of performance is the network interface. Computers with a 100 Mbps or 1 Gbps interface are common. Few if any computers operate at the original 10 Mbps Ethernet speed. The speed is not so important here. Internet speeds are typically slower. The Verizon FIOS speed is often slower than 35 Mbps. This is under the 100 Mbps of most computer Ethernet interfaces. So then what is important to understand about network performance? It is simple, when a network is not working well, a Windows 7 computer slows to a snail’s crawl. With a malfunctioning network interface (or any Universal Serial Bus – USB interface) it looks like someone poured liquid nitrogen over the computer so it is frozen solid. This can also happens when the batteries in your cordless mouse die.

So a responsive Windows 7 computer is determined more by graphics card performance and memory interface, as opposed to CPU speed, Memory speed, and disk drive speed. Any network, USB or mouse problems tend to stop everything. Keeping the computer clean from unused and memory resident software helps as well.

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How Can Pitney Bowes Toner And Printer Products Save A Company Money?

Pitney Bowes just keeps doing it. They are constantly trumping other brands of printers in their ability to pump out the absolute most number of prints in the least amount of time without breaking a sweat. They are saving companies money by the quality service they are always providing and continuing the work day normally.

Pitney Bowes is a brand that means business when it comes to durability of machines as well as providing top-notch quality in everything they do. This equipment for one thing can produce 155 pages per minute. On top of printing this many pages all at one time, it can go for hours printing intricate things that all have the exact same great quality and not once stop because of overheating. These printers keep their cool because of the exact reason that they don’t want to ruin the prints. They handle all different types of paper that includes in the list labels and envelopes. The labels and envelopes obviously have adhesive on them and if they are printed by the wrong printer they can be melted. This is not going to make anyone happy having to start over or spend all the time re-opening the envelopes so Pitney Bowes came up with a plan to just cut that part out.

The engine is equipped with enough fan work that will intake cooler air and blow out warmer air to keep everything at a lower temperature. The machine may get a little warm but it is not going to get hot enough to melt any of the ink. This means you can print on your envelopes with windows, labels and also other medium like plain paper, glossy paper, oak tag, brochures and other media that has already been printed on it.

This machine is so tough that it can even print on already filled up envelopes. Whether you are looking to put logos on there, addresses or just some sort of photo or other information it will be put right on there for you.

The unique thing about Pitney Bowes is the security system. Their printers each have the ability to spray red ink all over the documents that are wrongly printed and are also able to be encrypted or decrypted with the code program. There is also the option for key codes that allow you to create a security number to punch in order for the transaction to go through. You can have locks on all the output trays as well as the ink levels being monitored for the ultimate system.

Pitney Bowes takes care of their customers by providing the perfect money saving situation. The programs are ideal for fast action secure document printing.

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The Importance of DNS and IP Address

Now day’s innumerous websites are being used on the web and daily people creating various websites. To find out the site of interest of a particular field or person people use the domain name system and internet protocol address to access their site of interest. The DNS and the IP address play an important role here to get people to the desired website. The DNS is used to translate the domain name into an IP address that helps the user to visit the desired website. In the absence of the domain name system it takes a long time to visit any website.

At the present scenario people should be aware of these two things and it does not matter whether they are a computer geek or not. So let’s talk about some basic things of DNS. A domain name system is used to retain the domain name hierarchy. The DNS manages to translate the service between it and the address spaces. The organizations that offer managed IT services also have hosting services for managed servers.

There is a particular web server that does the task of maintaining the domain names and addresses. It is a computer system assigned and set in such a way that it directs the user into the specified direction. The second thing is the internet protocol address. It is meant to use for labeling all the devices present in the network. Here the network device can be a computer system, scanner, printer etc. that is comprised in the network. The DNS acts for the name of the searched item and the user gets it from the IP which is the address for that and lets us grab it. With the increasing advancement in the technology the internet is continuously expanding itself at a fast rate. Sometimes it is very difficult to navigate through it. It is very necessary that the website has a low loading time otherwise the user may change for another site.

The secondary domain name service can also be used that behaves like a backup and it does not let your domain name down. If you are taking the web hosting services then the provider should also have a good IT support system to provide quick assistance if there is any issue in the loading process of your site. Having an efficient IT support team, the control and accessibility of the network automatically get nourished. The benefits a user gets from the service provider are enhanced security, flexibility and the most important thing is that your process is running by a skilled backend team.

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The Origins of Laptop Brand Names

As is known to all that there are many famous laptop brands in the world, such as Acer, Apple, Asus, Dell, HP, Lenovo, Thinkpad and so on. But how many people know how these brand names are created? Let us talk about this.

Lenovo named itself “Legend” when it was founded in 1988. But it proved to be a stumbling block when Lenovo planned to enter international market. “Legend” had been registered by almost all European countries and it covered fields from PCs, food, and automobile to clothes. As a result, Lenovo changed “Legend” to “Lenovo”. “Novo” is a Latin root and it means innovation. “Le” is a part of “legend” and owns the meaning of “legend”. The whole word “Lenovo” has the meaning of innovative legend. It is reported that Lenovo tells the world that Lenovo will leave the world a legend with the innovative minds.

In 1992, IBM developed a portable computer but it racked all the company members’ wits about how to name it. One day, when the workers gathered again to discuss how to call this new computer, the project leader suddenly threw a pad with a word “THINKPAD” on the envelopment. And then someone cried out “Thinkpad! Thinkpad is a pad can think. It is the best name!” Finally, Thinkpad started its legend in the PC market.

HP was founded by Bill Hewlett and Dave Packard in the garage and HP later on became the most successful company in Silicon Valley. It was said that Bill Hewlett and Dave Packard had a debate about the name. Bill Hewlett wanted Hewlett-Packard while Dave Packard stuck to Packard-Hewlett. So they decided to flip a coin. Hewlett won at last and the company was named as “Hewlett-Packard”. The name was shortened as “HP”. HP means innovation, innovation and innovation.

Users who know Dell will surely know how this name is generated. Dell traces its origins to 1984. Michael Dell created PCs Limited when he was just a student at the University of Texas. He created a selling miracle and an epoch-making business pattern when he was only 18 years old.

Apple Computer Inc was built on April 1st in 1976 by Jobs and Woziak. They named the brand new microcomputer as Apple in memory of the part-work and part-study time of Jobs in an apple orchard. Apple soon got its popularity in the whole world.

Before 1986, The English name of Acer was “Multitech”. Later on, Acer entrusted the famous advertising design company-Ogilvy and Mather to design a new name because the former one had too many words and was hard to remember. Ogilvy and Mather spent 8 months selecting “Acer” from 40,000 names sent by designers all over the world. “Acer” means distinction and penetration.

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Facts About Windows Registry – What Is A Windows Registry?

Windows registry is a set of configuration parameters on the Windows system that reads and utilizes for run time execution of programs. Registries are the central part of Windows OS and critical for the system functioning well. It controls various parts including the kernel, drivers, user interface and applications. Registries are maintained in a hierarchy structure and the entries are stored in various levels to control the system behavior.

Windows registry entry is a set of key and value pair that can be stored and accessed at various levels. The levels are the machine, all users, current user who has logged in etc., The registry entries can be manually modified by running regedit. Also, the registries can be modified by writing scripts and programs like.reg and .ini files which updates the registry entry. The user must be an administrator to modify the registry entries. In general registry entries are created and maintained by Windows. The registry entries of an application are created and managed during the installation of the application.

Significance, relevance and usage of Windows registry

Let us look at the relevance of registry keys. They are used for storing global level parameters hence there is a greater risk of modifying or deleting them. Registry entries store default values on how system or application should behave during execution time. It is critical to maintain the health of the registry as a whole to preserve system sanctity and integrity. The security policy of the organization should cover this critical topic in terms of the restrictions and how it can be governed.

Let us take an example where Windows registry can be used by an application. A collaborative website sends email notification to various users based on the alert levels set by the user, for example once the user modifies a document or an artifact a mail needs to be sent to the observers, reviewers and the author. The website runs on an internet information server over Windows platform. The collaborative application web server can set a registry parameter on the limits of the mails the server can generate at a given point of time for spooling to the mail server. The limit can be, say 2000, which means that at a given point of time the application can process 2000 alerts or mail notifications to the user through a messaging server. This helps the application to manage the queue at a global level of the application. This parameter can be changed to control the outgoing message rate based on the incoming rate of the mail server.

Similarly all applications and even Windows kernel use these global parameters in the registry to optimize performance, manage concurrence and have a reference point for the system to operate on default values.

Limitations

Registry values are organized at very lower level hence the whole system can be impacted like performance degradation, crashes and other catastrophic impacts.

As registry values can be overridden manually it is quite possible that the user may be unaware of the consequences of those changes. The programmer/developer or administrator must be extremely careful for tweaking lower level entries like system.

The best practice is to change the parameters through predefined application interfaces provided by Windows or the application itself, than going to registry.

Virus, malware, spam and Trojans tend to alter registry entries and execute scripts altering the system level parameters. In a system check the integrity of the registry must be checked to avoid corruption.

In summary Windows registry is a mechanism by which the system behavior is governed. It is critical to evolve a policy of making changes and altering them through change management methods.

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What Is Desktop Wallpaper And Why Is It So Popular?

Desktop wallpaper originated way back in the 1980′s when wallpaper was dos green tiles that populated a computer screen after entering hibernation mode. Since that time, wallpaper has grown to be one of the most popular items online. A browser search of desktop wallpapers will provide results of over 60 million sites offering some type of wallpaper.

So what is desktop wallpaper and why is it so popular? The answer is in the wallpaper itself and in the variety of available backgrounds for your computer. Let’s face it, today people crave individuality in the clothes they wear from the people they pal around with. The computer wallpaper they have revolving on the desktop on a daily basis is no different. People put their own touch on nearly everything they own, and the personal computer is no different.

There are different wallpapers for nearly every mood, season, holiday, animal, and art. Computer wallpapers can be customized to become more personalized to the individual by incorporating their name, a funny phrase, or advertising a business. Certain programs allow the user to upload a photo and the program manipulates it, twisting and turning the photo into different shapes and sizes. Many new computer wallpaper programs have incorporated animations into their wallpaper turning their screensavers into fish bowls, flying eagles, dinosaur battles, or a tranquil autumn scene. There’s virtually nothing you can’t do with wallpaper today, and that includes using it on cell phones and smart phones.

Personalizing your cell phone with the latest backgrounds and screen savers has become a popular trend. Several Internet sites have begun to classify their wallpaper as cell-phone-safe wallpaper, or have clearly marked the size of the wallpaper making it easy for the consumer to pick out the best fitting for their screen. Many of the cell phone manufacturer’s have taken notice and started supplying better graphics on the wallpaper included on the phone, but they still fall short of the professional wallpaper sites online.

Locating a desktop wallpaper and screensaver website doesn’t have to be difficult, but you do need to pay close attention to the site you choose. Some websites just want your personal information to spam your inbox with meaningless offers. For example, if the site forces you to fill in your name, address, and email before allowing you to download one free sample, it’s best to stay clear. Focus on the sites that are professionally built, easy to navigate, and focused solely on providing their customers with the highest standard wallpaper and enjoyable experience.

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Network Technology Improvements

To benefit from the central resources and communications, a remote user usually has at least one wide area connection to the central site. The bandwidth requirements for the wide area connection depend on the kind of network services that the employers want to use in their job. If remote employees are part of the IP telephony network, a call manager device may need to be placed remotely. The network architect must think through whether the remote users need access to video resources concurrently. This kind of access will impact bandwidth. For instance, streaming video may be used for a business meeting. These design decisions involve evaluating the bandwidth at the central site wide area connection as well.

Selecting a Permanent or On Demand link

The net architect chooses whether it is superior to use permanent or on-demand links to the central location. The architect works with the client to consider security, cost as well as availability requirements.

A high-speed Internet link is a good choice for outworkers. It is easy to install in remote offices and is also available in many hotels. Occasionally, asynchronous dialup links are the one and only remote access solution accessible to travelers. Personnel who travel can use a laptop with a modem and the current telephone net to connect to the enterprise.

Wide area network connections at teleworker sites can use the following technologies: Asynchronous dialup, ISDN BRI, Cable modems, DSL, Wireless and satellite, VPN, Traffic Flow.

Traffic flow on a net is analogous to the car traffic flow on metropolitan streets. Vehicles move from one place to another throughout the city. Data traffic created from applications moves from one place in the net to another. The route is usually defined by a Net Layer TCP/IP address. Depending on the quality of service policies configured in the net, the route can be influenced by additional factors like Transport Layer source and destination port numbers. Let’s say, a host sends a request for a shared folder to a server in one traffic flow. The server examines the request and if the user has the expected permissions, returns the data to the user in another traffic flow.

Traffic Control

Without a method of traffic control, like traffic signs or alternative roads to retain the flow, traffic on the highways becomes congested. Nets also need a path to regulate traffic flows. Quality of service mechanisms are created to guarantee the smooth traffic flow of application data traffic on the net.

Traffic flow is very important for all the networks and this is what really differentiates a good for a bad network.

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How to Connect PC to TV

The consumer faces a bewildering range of cable options when trying to connect their PC to their TV. They may wonder which cables give them the best sound and picture quality, and may also want to know the various options they have to connect their television and computer together. HDMI cables are by far the most popular cable of choice nowadays, but consumers are ill-informed that they have other options of connecting their television to their computer.

So, what are the ‘other options’ of connecting PC to TV?

If your computer, or PC, has a USB port or ‘socket’, there are many products available from numerous online retailers which will allow you to stream both audio and visual content wirelessly from your PC, provided that your Television has a HDMI port or socket (same thing). Fortunately, nearly all HD Televisions on sale in the UK are equipped with a HDMI socket, and every new 3D television is equipped with a HDMI port.

Connecting mini USB and micro USB PC to TV wirelessly

Some Laptops, Desktops, Tablet PCs and even Smartphones have mini USB or micro USB ports, and so to stream audio and visual content wirelessly from one of these devices, you would need a micro USB to USB (Type A) adapter, or mini USB to USB (Type A) adapter to use a Wireless PC to TV streamer.

Connecting iPad, iPhone or iPod Touch to an HD Television screen with a HDMI cable.

If you want to connect your Apple iPad or iPhone to your Television screen, you can do this by using an Apple 30-Pin Dock connector to HDMI (Type A) adapter in conjunction with a HDMI (Type A) 1.4 cable. This combination of adapter and cable can also be used with the iPhone and iPod touch.

There is a staggering variety of HDMI cables available to the consumer at present, which can only be a good thing for the consumer. Due to massive competition, consumers have the power to demand ever-increasing levels of durability and transmission quality, at prices as low as 46p for a HDMI cable. It would be best to recommend any form of HDMI 1.4 cable from a trusted online retailer.

Is it worth investing big bucks into a snazzy HDMI cable?

If you have just spent your hard-earned cash on a 42″ HD Television, you may think that spending 40 on a “top-of-the-range” HDMI cable will ensure better image quality, but it is widely regarded that around 9.99 is a sensible amount to spend on a HDMI cable (to strike a good compromise between value and quality), unless you require a cable of more than 3 metres. Lengthier HDMI cables tend to cost more than 10, but are surely a cost-effective alternative to connecting PC to TV wirelessly.

Connect PC to TV

If you don’t know your PC or TV connection type, use an online configurator to search for a PC and TV connection by Make and Model. If you don’t know the Make and Model of the PC and TV you want to connect, you can also search by cable connection type.

If your laptop lacks a HDMI input, but has a VGA socket, you have two options:

Option one: Buy a VGA (Male) to VGA (Male) cable, a VGA to HDMI converter box, a HDMI (Male) to HDMI (Male) cable, and a 3.5mm Mini Jack to RCA cable

Option two: If your PC also has a USB socket, use that instead and buy a Wireless PC to TV Streamer

Option one will cost you nearly the same as the wireless PC to TV streamer, because the VGA to HDMI converter box will set you back at least 39.99.

Most wireless PC to TV streamer devices are rated to work from a distance of up to 30 feet, so if you are planning to connect PC to TV wirelessly from a large distance, you will be better off using high quality HDMI cable, VGA cable and HDMI to VGA converter box, along with a 3.5mm Mini Jack to RCA cable.

You will need a 3.5mm Mini Jack to RCA cable when connecting using VGA because VGA does not carry audio signal. VGA ports must be used in conjunction with a 3.5mm Mini Jack to RCA cable when connecting PC to TV.

If you have a recent Apple laptop or PC, you are likely to have either a Mini DisplayPort socket or Apple Thunderbolt socket. Most new Mini DisplayPort adapters and cables are compatible with Apple Thunderbolt for connecting PC to TV, so if you are planning to connect your Mini Displayport or Thunderbolt equipped Apple device to your Apple LED Monitor, you can use a Thunderbolt cable. Like HDMI cables, Thunderbolt also carries audio signal.

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Data Mining: From Moore’s Law to One Sale a Day

Today the internet is more customized than it ever has been before. This is largely because of data mining, which involves using patterns and records of how you use the internet, to anticipate how you will continue to use the internet. This is an application of data mining, however; more broadly, the term refers to how to analyze data to cut costs or increase revenue.

While the term data mining is new, the practice is not. Due to Moore’s Law, which states that processing power and data storage double every 18 months, over the past five years, it has become significantly easier to access vast stores of data. People are also continuing to use the internet and explore the web at an exponential rate so that the effect of data mining by 2020 will mean that roughly five billion of the world’s seven and a half billion people will be affected. After about 2020, integrate circuits will be so advanced and tiny, that many predict Moore’s law will be inapplicable to circuitry, but will continue to dictate the conventions of nanotechnology and biochips.

Data mining has more practical examples, too. The products you’ve bought off Amazon, for example, are analyzed by data miners at that company, to show you similar products that you may be interested in. Applied more widely, a restaurant chain could determine what customers buy and when they visit in order to tailor their menu to fit the tastes of the public at large, as well as to invent and supply new dishes and offer specials. This is called class data mining. A deal of the day site could target its giveaway of the day to a certain segment of the population that visits its site. If it knows that most people visit its site searching for technology-related items, chances are it will offer more of those items instead of a clothing or travel deal of the day. This is called cluster data mining. Association mining is a logical rule followed by supermarkets such that if a customer buys bread and butter, he will is likely to also buy milk.

Data mining involves statistics which determine what customers will buy over the course of thousands and millions of interactions. In effect, this is what makes technology seem smarter. The logical and statistical formulae humans implement make these rules widely applicable and largely sensible. The applications of data mining are various and exciting. In the future, the internet will be that much closer to reading your mind.

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