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Tips to Tweaking Your Version of Windows 7

Windows 7 was a very well received Windows upgrade, but with any piece of computer software, there are things that can be changed around and tweaked to each individual user’s likes. That’s where Windows 7 tweaks come in. These are great and generally free ways to make your version the way that you want it.

There are many different ways to tweak your OS, but the ones below are all concerned with the appearance of Windows. You can change the way the system is running, but if you don’t know too much about computers then that’s best left to the experts. These tips are great ways to make your computer your own.

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March 24, 2011
How to Enable Graphics Hardware Acceleration in Google Chrome
The main Web browser that I use frequently is Google Chrome. I have been using this browser most of the time for almost a year, and I have enjoyed using it. I find it quicker that the other browsers, the addition of the sandbox for security is great, and the fact that Google provides a new version each month is fantastic.

As with many of the major browsers that are used today, Google Chrome now supports graphics hardware acceleration. What this does is move most of the Web page graphics processing to the graphics card instead of the CPU. This reduces the CPU usage, while making the rendering of Web pages much quicker. I thought that the Chrome browser had enabled this feature by default, but to my surprise it wasn’t enabled. It is very easy to enable hardware acceleration and I outline the steps to enable the hardware acceleration, as well as some comparisons below.

Enabling Hardware Acceleration in Google Chrome

To enable the graphics hardware acceleration in Google’s Chrome Web browser, use the following steps:
1. Open the Chrome Web browser.
2. In the address bar, enter “about:flags” (without the quotes), and then press Enter. A list of experimental features should be displayed.
3. Search for “GPU Accelerated Compositing”, and then click the “Enable” link.
4. Next, search for “GPU Accelerated Canvas 2D” and click the “Enable” link.
5. Close and restart the Chrome Web browser.
When the browser is restarted, the hardware acceleration is now enabled. You won’t be able to tell that is enabled unless you view something that can make use of the graphics hardware on your computer. Below I show you the difference between disabling and enabling this feature.

Results of Hardware Acceleration

Once you enable hardware acceleration, you can search for web sites that provide test that you can run in your browser. Once such site is used by Microsoft to test Internet Explorer’s graphics hardware acceleration capabilities. This site is called Internet Explorer Test Drive and is what I used to test Chrome’s hardware acceleration capability.

For the purposes of this test, I ran it on my home desktop with the following specifications:
- Processor: Intel i7 920 2.66 Ghz
- RAM: 6 GB DDR3-1066
- Graphics Card: PowerColor ATI Radeon 5850 x 2 (Crossfire)
- Monitor: BenQ E2420HD (1920×1080)
- Operating System: Windows 7 Professional
To test the acceleration feature, I used the FishIE tank demo under “Speed Demos” from the Microsoft’s Internet Explorer Test Drive site.

I chose to use 1000 fish to display in the demo to really test out the graphics capability of the browser. The tests were run at full screen (1920×1080), but with the browser tabs and Windows taskbar, the actual test area was 1920×979. The results of the setting disabled and then enabled are shown below.

Google Chrome – FishIE Tank – No Hardware Acceleration
(Click to enlarge)

As you can see in the above image, with 1000 fish being rendered, and no hardware acceleration enabled, the CPU is pumping out only 3 FPS (frames per second). While the test was running the fish barely moved on the screen, so everything looked choppy. I then enabled hardware acceleration, the result is shown below.

Google Chrome – FishIE Tank – Hardware Acceleration
(Click to enlarge)

Now that the rendering is being offloaded to the more powerful graphics processors, the FPS has jumped to 46, which produced a smooth animation of the fish swimming. This is a huge improvement compared to when the hardware acceleration was disabled. The graphics card in your computer may have different results than mine, but testing is the only way to determine the performance that you will see on your computer.

If you use Google’s Chrome Web browser, and would like to have the best experience online, I suggest you try using hardware acceleration and then run some of the test I mentioned above to see if it improves the performance of your browser.
March 23, 2011
Glasses-Free 3D Products
We all love the 3D theatre experience, but the glasses can be a pain, so finding glasses-free 3D products can be important. It’s a good thing we watch movies in the dark because we look ridiculous. The glasses themselves are not only uncomfortable, but when using them with home theatre systems they can easily become lost or broken. When will we be able to enjoy 3D without having to wear these ugly spectacles?

Manufacturers are currently racing to bring the first eyeglass-free 3D technologies to the American consumer market. The scientific name for this technology is called “autostereoscopy.” Several types of products featuring autostereoscopic displays will soon be in stores, including cameras, cell phones, camcorders, smartphones, game systems, and laptops. Here are a few that are expected to be available this year.

Nintendo 3DS

Expected to launch later this month, this glasses-free 3D game system features not only a 3D screen, but also stereo cameras that enable you to take your own 3D photos. The package will include several new interfaces, including motion and gyro sensors, and the Circle Pad: a round input device. There will be a control allowing you to fine-tune the 3D effects to suit your personal preference. The Nintendo 3DS will be able to detect WiFi networks in range so you can exchange game data with other 3DS systems online. It is expected to retail for around $250 USD, and 20 different games will be released within a few months of the launch date, including:
- The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D
- LEGO StarWars III: The Clone Wars
- Madden NFL Football
- Resident Evil: Mercenaries 3DS
- Ridge Racer 3DS
- The Sims 3
- Star Fox 64 3D
LG Optimus 3D Smartphone

This phone was unveiled at this year’s Mobile World Congress technology show in Barcelona. It features a 4.3” autostereoscopic display and dual-core 1 GHz OMAP4 processor, both groundbreaking technologies for smartphones. Similar to the Nintendo DS3, the Optimus includes a five megapixel camera that will allow you to take your own 3D pictures and videos. It will be powered by Google’s Android 2.2 Froyo, but you’ll be able to change to Gingerbread 2.3 if you prefer. It is expected to hit the European market later this year. The release date and pricing information for American consumers have yet to be announced.

Gaming Laptop Asus ROG G53

American gaming enthusiasts are still anxiously awaiting the release of this laptop in the states, which was unveiled at last year’s Computex show. It was released in Europe late last year, but has yet to reach the US market. While you’re playing your favorite game, this laptop is actually keeping an eye on you, thanks to its advanced eye-tracking system.

This technology monitors where you are in relation to the 15-inch screen, thereby delivering a glasses-free 3D experience from any angle. This laptop is powered by an Intel i7 2.66 GHz processor, and comes bundled with a NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560M graphics card, 120 Hz LED-backlit display, and up to 16 GB of DDR3 memory. European models ranged in price from €1,899-2,199 (approximately $2,650-3,100 USD).

The above items allow you to enjoy 3D games and movies easily since they are glasses-free 3D products.
March 22, 2011
Tablet PC Operating Systems

Tablet PCs have grown in popularity and the main reason is due to their interface with a touch sensitive screen. Most laptops and personal computers do not use touch screen technology because they rely on either a physical keyboard or a mouse.

The tablet PC is different and thus requires a different operating system to run the touch screen interface as well as the other processes. The range of tablets on the market is large but the majority of tablets are controlled by just a few operating systems.

The Operating Systems

The main operating systems that tablet pc use are either Windows 7 or a version of Android (either 2.1 or 2.2) and Apple Mac`s own operating system, iOS. Windows 7 has been dominating the personal computer operating system market and Microsoft have delayed their emergence into the tablet market because Apple and Google have already cornered and shared the initial markets with their two operating systems.

Time will tell if Microsoft`s Windows 7 will compete with the two current market leaders and regain lost ground.

Operating System Differences

All three operating systems were designed to be used in conjunction with touch screens but Google`s Android system and Apple`s iOS. Both are specifically designed with the smart mobile phone as a core feature for the end use and hence both are good at integrating between phones or tablets and the main reason a consumer will buy a tablet is to have a wireless internet connection to stream movies, chat, browse and shop, the operating systems enable users to do what they can already do on their phones with ease.

Microsoft`s Windows 7 is more used to operating larger systems and hence is very memory hungry. Android 2.1 and 2.2 operating systems are mainly used for the devices communication and background functions.

The Android 2.1 Platform ensures the applications that are present have good access to the machines hardware and drives the main actions for the applications such as browsing, phoning and driving a host of built in applications (such as a clock, an alarm and mail).

Apple`s iOS is very similar and also drives the applications that can be used in an iPad as well as an iPhone.

The main advantages of using and Android or iOS is the similarity and compatibility with a users mobile phone and in fact the familiarity of a tablet to a mobile phone is probably why customers seek out these deals and also look to some laptop deals to provide an all round package. Depending on personal preference and experience the choice of operating system will not affect the use of the tablet in any way and sometimes a change can be a good thing.

March 21, 2011
The Various Memory Cards for Digital Cameras

There are various memory cards for digital cameras on the market. A digital camera is only as good as its memory card, since the storage capacity of a camera itself is quite limited. The memory card field originally had two competitors, CompactFlash and Smart Media, but many options in digital memory are available now.

The Various Memory Cards for Digital Cameras

CompactFlash

CompactFlash, produced by SanDisk, was the first of the various memory cards for digital cameras, and it has outlived the other early models. CompactFlash remains popular, especially with professional photographers for its durability, quick transfer rate, and large capacity. Two types of CompactFlash cards are available, Type 1 and Type 2, each with its different physical and memory size.

The other early type of memory card, Smart Media, was used most commonly in Fuji and Olympus camera, but is being phased out in favor of xD cards.

Smart Media cards are still available but are likely to be in limited supply and have a smaller capacity than most newer cards. The xD memory card was introduced in 2002; it features a very small size and has an adaptor for us in CompactFlash compatible cameras.

Secure Digital (SD)

Secure Digital (SD) cards are about the size of a postage stamp and have the capability for large memory capacity, and are used in everything from digital cameras and video recorders to HD televisions.

SD cards feature a locking switch and digital rights management, which is a way to protect data, and is the the mosts popular card in the memory card market. SD cards are available in mini versions, which offer a much smaller size. They are are available with higher storage capacities (4 GB or more), and are referred to as SDHC cards.

For video records, it is important to use at least a class 6 card as they will be able to save data at the necessary speed. The class number is usually written on the card.

Memory Stick

One additional type of memory card is Sony’s Memory Stick. While the original Memory Stick’s limited storage size and larger physical size has made it obsolete, Sony has released a Memory Stick Pro with a larger memory and Duo versions of both the Memory Stick and Memory Stick Pro, which are smaller in size.

Originally, the Memory Stick was a proprietary design so they were only produced by Sony, but in the past few years other brands of Memory Sticks have been created.

How to Choose Among the Various Memory Cards for Digital Cameras

When shopping for various memory cards for digital cameras, users should be aware of these card differences. Many camera brands are designed for a specific type of card, so users should first consult their cameras for specifications. Quite a few cameras have SD card slots, sometimes in addition to slots for other types of cards, so an SD card can often be a good purchase.

After the memory card type, storage capability is the next important thing to look for. Typically, users should look for a card with at least 2 GB of storage; people who plan to take video or high definition pictures will likely need a much higher capacity. With the availability of various memory cards for digital cameras, you are sure to find the one you need.

March 18, 2011
Detecting Earthquakes With Everyday Gadgetry

Detecting earthquakes is important as earthquakes are not isolated to a single moment in time. There are aftershocks and often there are also telltale rumbles beforehand. The problem is that detecting these warning signs is difficult and expensive, and even if the possibility of a major quake is successfully detected, there’s often not much time to get the necessary information out to the general public before it hits.

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March 17, 2011
5 Steps You Should Do To Keep Your Computer Running Smoothly
If you lack the technical experience that so many people in today’s world seem to have when it comes to computers, it can be pretty frustrating when you are finally faced with the prospect of operating a PC for the very first time. If you have recently purchased a computer of your own, you are planting a firm step into the future. The future is technology, and computers are at the forefront of this international revolution.
1. Shutdown properly.
  
  One of the first things you should know before even using your computer for the first time is that you should never under any circumstances turn off the computer off with the power button. You should always shut down a computer from the start menu button. The only time you should perform a manual shut down is when the computer will not respond to this demand from its start menu.
2. Get an uninterruptible power supply.
  
  Purchasing a uninterruptible power supply for your computer is highly recommended to any user. The UPS is what prevents the computer from voltage fluctuations and from being crashed during a power outage. Despite what you may have been told before by other people, a UPS will be far more effective and much safer for your computer than any power strip.
  
  Shop for an uninterruptible power supply.
3. Install a good antivirus application.
  
  Many people underestimate the importance of having a virus protection program installed on their computer. Without proper protection, the Internet becomes a hot spot for all kinds of viruses and other malware that steal personal information and infect the computer’s hard drive. This slows up a computer’s processor dramatically and can even destroy the motherboard completely if left untreated. Never use the Internet without the appropriate protection installed.
  
  Shop for an antivirus application.
4. Install a software firewall.
  
  Having a strong firewall program installed onto a computer is crucial for its overall health. It is pertinent to ensuring full Internet protection and is especially necessary for when you are using a faster wireless connection speed. The firewall program will prevent malicious hackers from getting into your system and taking control of it.
  
  Shop for a software firewall.
5. Defragment your hard drive regularly.
  
  You will need to run a defragment session once each month as part of a routine that keeps your computer’s hard drive in good standing health. The defragment process accomplishes this by keeping the hard drive clean through the elimination of unnecessary files from the system. In the long run, this will prevent your computer from crashing and help it to run more smoothly.
  
  Shop for a hard drive defragger.
By sticking to these five basic guidelines, keeping your computer in optimum health will prove to be a much easier ordeal altogether. Knowledge is power, so use it!
March 16, 2011
Transparency Or Anonymity? Battle Lines Are Being Drawn

Christopher Poole, founder of 4chan has launched a debate while speaking at the SXSW interactive conference over the weekend by telling his audience that Facebook is ‘totally wrong’ when it comes to online identity. Mark Zuckerberg, and by extension Facebook, maintains that an individual have only one identity which should follow one around from site to site (some might suggest this demonstrates what a sheltered existence Mr Zuckerberg has led up to this point but more on that later).

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March 15, 2011