The RamSan-70 PCIe SSD is a solid-state drive integrated into a PCIe card, meaning it can be easily installed in any system with an open PCIe slot. This eliminates the need for an open drive bay, which may not be possible on many compact server designs. In addition, it also means that the original drive does not need to be removed, adding more storage space to the server instead of subtracting it by installing a smaller SSD than the original platter-based drive.

Speaking of storage space, the RamSan-70 PCIe SSD has up to 900 GB of usable capacity, which makes it one of the largest SSD configurations currently on the market. An add-on “mezzanine” card can be installed to add an additional 450 GB as well.

The RamSan-70 PCIe SSD features a built-in processor for handling input and output calculations. This takes some of the strain off the host computer by doing these calculations onboard. Once the unit and its driver are installed, it appears as a regular hard drive on the system, ready to be formatted or partitioned. It also includes automatic error checking and wear leveling, to avoid wearing out portions of the drive prematurely.

Overall, server administrators who prefer a PCIe solution instead of a traditional drive will find a lot to like in the RamSan-70 PCIe SSD. They can get the speed and reliability of SSD technology in an easy-to-install card that is also relatively affordable.

Decide on a Platform and Form Factor

First, you will want to decide whether to go with a Windows-based machine, a Mac, a Linux-based machine, or even a mobile device that supports software such as Android. Also decide what size and form factor you would like, whether it be a traditional laptop, a compact netbook, or a tablet device.

Operating System

If you are choosing a Mac, you have only one option for an operating system: OS X. If you are looking for a Windows machine, however, you will have a choice of different Windows versions designed for differing needs. Most users will be fine with Windows 7 Home or Home Premium, but make sure you don’t need any of the advanced features of other versions before purchasing.

Hard Drive

Users who generally store a lot of files, such as photos and music, will want to ensure they have enough hard drive space. Users who download a lot of movies and shows from iTunes and other sources will want to make sure they have even more space.

Processor and Memory

Intel processors tend to be the fastest on the market at this time. Check reviews to see how the performance of your potential laptop compares against others in its class, and make sure it has at least 4 GB of RAM if you plan to do any photo-editing, gaming, or other high-end applications.

Extras

Lastly, make sure the laptop has the extras you need, such as enough USB ports for your devices, a DVD burner or Blu-Ray player, or a Webcam if you plan to do videoconferencing.

Shopping for a laptop doesn’t have to be a daunting task. With a little preparation and research, you can ensure that you get the best laptop for your specific needs.

1. AMD Radeon HD 6990

Although its release has been postponed to the first quarter of 2011, the Radeon HD 6990 looks poised to be one of fastest graphics cards on the market at release. With two Cayman cores, it may meet or exceed the performance of two cards running in CrossFire, making it the fastest card yet.

2. Nvidia GeForce GTX 580

The GeForce GTX 580 is one of their top-performing single-GPU cards, with great performance and still a relatively affordable price. Its 512 shader cores make it a force to be reckoned with, and its fairly compact size won’t take up as much space as a two-card array.

3. Nvidia GeForce GTX 570 As a less expensive option from the 580, the GTX 570 has fewer shader cores at 480, as well as fewer texture units, but its performance is still very fast. For gamers who want great performance and sharp graphics without paying too much for it, the GTX 570 is a good value.

4. AMD Radeon HD 6970 As AMD’s fastest single-GPU card, the Radeon HD 6970 offers solid performance for those who don’t want the added hassle and expense of dual cards. It sits at a good middle-ground between price and performance, though it is still expensive for all but the most serious gamers.

5. AMD Radeon HD 6950 Calling the Radeon HD 6950 a paired down version of the 6970 would not be doing it justice, as this card offers most of the performance of its more expensive brother at a bit lower price. It is a good choice for gamers who want to save a bit more money for a single-GPU solution.

Physical Media

Perhaps the most popular method of backing up important data is using physical media for backing up files, mainly thumb drives, external hard drives, or optical discs such as CD-Rs or DVD-Rs. While this is a very good way to quickly and easily back up important files, the user must remember to do it often for it to work, and sometimes important files can be missed in the process. The other problem with this solution is that the physical media is often stored in the same building or the same room as the user’s computer, meaning that a fire or other disaster could wipe out both copies of the file. Many programs are available to help automate this process, but usually still require input from the user.

Trading Media

Many users have devised a method of backing up to physical media and then taking one copy off the premises, to protect against disasters. In many cases, the user will use two external hard drives, swapping them after every backup with a friend or co-worker, to be stored at an off-site location. This helps eliminate the problem of disasters, but still relies on the user to remember to backup frequently.

Online Backup

The newest and perhaps most effective backup method involves using an online backup solution. These are generally programs designed to automatically backup important files over the internet when the user is away from the computer and store the files in a server or number of servers off-site. The files can then be retrieved when needed from any computer with the proper login information. This eliminates most of the problems mentioned above, as the user doesn’t have to remember to backup, but instead it all happens automatically in the background. The most popular services for online backup include DropBox, Carbonite, and Mozy.

With so many different backup methods available, it should be possible to find a solution that is simple and easy for your needs. With a little research, you can rest assured that your data is protected.

The main cause of a computer slowing down over time is the amount of software installed on it. Many of the programs in your computer may be running in the background, consuming resources. Go to Control Panel, then Add/Remove Programs to see if there are any unused programs that can be uninstalled.

Viruses, spyware, and other malware can often cause a computer to run much slower. If you have antivirus installed, make sure it is up-to-date and then do a full scan of your PC, removing any malware it finds. There are many good free antivirus programs such as AVG antivirus available if you do not already have one installed. Many programs start automatically whether they need to or not. Check the Startup folder in your Start menu and remove any unnecessary programs. Also, you can right-click any programs in your taskbar and look for a setting to disable automatic startup. Remember that you can always open these programs manually when you actually need them.

If your desktop PC can support more RAM than it currently has installed, it is a good idea to upgrade the RAM to the maximum amount. This can have a significant impact on performance, as it allows more programs to be run at once with less slowdown. Defragging a hard drive will often not have a significant impact on performance, but a computer that has been in operation for a long time can sometimes have a very fragmented hard drive, which can hinder performance. Use the Windows defrag tool every few months or set it to run automatically for a little better disk performance.

If you try all of the steps above you should notice increased performance from your desktop PC. It may just be enough to save you from a costly upgrade or new computer purchase.

LightScribe and LabelFlash are similar, but different in a few key ways. Both technologies require a special optical disc drive, special software, and special discs. While that may sound daunting at first, you may want to double check your machine as chances are good if you have a newer drive, it comes equipped with one of these technologies already. The reason these use such specialized equipment comes down to lasers and chemistry. The software tells the drive how exactly to move the laser in coordination with the disc, which on its label side has a non-toxic chemical compound that reacts to the laser by changing pigment, thus “etching” the desired design into your disc.

LightScribe is more common in the United States than LabelFlash, though LabelFlash is growing. LightScribe discs are available in all CD and DVD formats, and as of recently come in a variety of colors. LightScribe CDs cost about $0.30 while DVDs cost about $0.60 apiece.

LabelFlash actually predates LightScribe technology, being the revival of the old DiscT@2 (pronounced Disc Tattoo) from Yamaha and Fujifilm. At the time, it was used to etch designs actually on the data side of discs, in the unused space of smaller discs. This didn’t catch on, as people had to burn less data to their discs to use it, and it wasn’t very practical. LabelFlash combines that old ability to burn images in the empty space of discs with the technology of LightScribe, but flipped on its head. LabelFlash discs are all blue, and the chemical compound on their label side actually turns lighter under laser light, making their designs monochromatic negative space depictions with incredible crispness and depth. Unfortunately, they only work with specialized DVDs, no CDs, and they cost about $1.50 apiece.

When choosing between the two technologies, it really comes down to what is available to you in your area. If you have your choice of the two, then it largely becomes a matter of taste. LightScribe is more versatile, with more colors and supported formats, as well as cheaper to supply; LabelFlash is crisper and slightly faster, but at greater cost to you.

Solid state technology is composed of non moving semiconductor components, as opposed to electromechanical devices such as magnetic hard drives that rely upon moving read/write heads to store and retrieve data. Solid state hard drives (SSDs) have a low access time and run quieter than existing hard drives due to the lack of moving parts; if a cooling fan is added to the drive then noise will be apparent but at lower decibel levels. The fans are typically included in a RAM and Flash combination SSD. As of 2008, SSDs are capable of far lower seek-times and result in faster boot times and far lower temperature outputs.

For lower capacity SSDs the power consumption is markedly lower than traditional hard drives; but it should be noted that higher capacity and higher end SSDs will have a much higher power consumption and heat generation. A downside of the SSD technology is that they have a limited number of write cycles as opposed to mechanical hard drives. The number of writes is a function of the type of SSD technology used but is limited. Solid state drives also can endure higher impacts and a larger range of operating temperatures making them ideal for laptops and use in extreme environments.

Solid state drives are more expensive per unit of storage than their traditional counterparts but are not affected by fragmented files in read times. Although, with solid state technology, a portion of the storage that is to be altered or written over will write over all of the stored information in that area, or sector, of the drive even if only a portion of it is being replaced. SSDs also have slower write speeds during small writes due to the fact that erase blocks on flash based SSDs are larger than traditional drives. This is not the case with DRAM solid state drives which are much faster than traditional hard drives.

Another major point about printer hard drives is their ability to hold and store frequently used documents and images. If your company has a particular form that is needed for new business, for instance, that form can be stored on the hard drive instead of a personal desk top freeing space for more important data. Printer errors may not always be noticeable to the end user and the printer hard drive can be set up to log all errors into a log file much the same way a PC hard drive does. This allows for better maintenance and preventative care for the printer which can lengthen the life of the device.

One of the nicest perks to having a printer hard drive is password enabling or secure printing. An end user can store sensitive documents on the printer hard drive which can only be accessed if the user keys in the pass code on the printer interface screen. This alleviates the possibility of sensitive materials being printed by anyone from anywhere on the network. The user that needs the secure printing has to be at the printer to access them. To save time, specialized fonts, printing styles, logos and client data can be stored on the drive as well allowing access to all users on the network or assigned group increasing performance and proficiency.

Integrated circuits are in almost every appliance known to man at this point in history from wristwatches to televisions and from coffee makers to, the most obvious, computers. An integrated circuit is a collection of diodes, transistors and microprocessors in miniature scale all operating on a single piece of semiconductor, typically silicon. Each performs a specific function that, when combined with the other components, can perform multiple tasks and calculations. First are the diodes; diodes by definition are electronic or electrical devices that regulate the flow or current of electricity within the circuit. Diodes control how much, when and how often electrons or electricity is allowed to flow into other parts of the system.

We have all heard of transistor radios from the early 20th century and the transistors in integrated circuits, or ICs, are them same, at least by definition. Transistors can store voltage to stabilize the circuit or for amplifying a signal. A transistor can be used as a switch, similar to a light switch, for an integrated circuit or for functions held within the circuit. For example, a transistor my only allow a certain voltage through to another part of the circuit. It does this by using a gate that is set to open only at a specific voltage; for binary code it is five volts. Opening the gate is a 1 in binary while closing the gate is 0. This way the transistor sends the information or data through the integrated circuit to its destination within the system.

The most important part of an IC is the microprocessor. Microprocessors simply give the integrated circuit memory, memory to perform calculations and follow logic, or a set of rules. The logic tells the integrated circuit how to process electricity, data and how to function. Think of the microprocessor as the operating system of the IC; the way the transistors and diodes work to enable a television to be turned on when the power button is pressed, or how to interpret a mouse click on an icon on a desktop computer. On some IC chips there are more miniature components than there are humans on Earth, and the applications are literally limitless.

For example: a native resolution of 1024 by 768 will have low quality images if set to 800 by 600 resolution because the pixels cannot be distributed evenly from the 1024 to the 800 and from the 768 to 600. This results in some image pixels being displayed over 2 hardware pixels while other image pixels are displayed over one hardware pixel; the resulting resolution works, but is not very attractive. If you have to display at a lower resolution that can not evenly divide into the native resolution find the display options for your monitor. In this utility you will find parameters to change to improve the image quality.

First start with the contrast ratio as this can be the simplest to change and you may not need to change anything else. If the image seems blurred then increase the ratio in small increments to see the effects; this may take several tries. Next try the color settings of the monitor and pay close attention to the hues of colors seen on the monitor, i.e greens, blues and yellows. This is best done in a low light area to gain the full effect first. After adjusting the color settings in the “dark” turn on the lights and adjust until you have the desired result. This will improve the picture as best as you can; however, the best action to take would be to leave the LCD monitor at its native resolution.