Things to consider when buying an MP3 Player

The advent of technology has brought about change in the way we view the MP3 player. The MP3 Player which was thought of as a thing of luxury has now become a necessity. People now a days seem to can't leave their homes without the MP3 player. Be it work, play, exercise, or simply relaxing the MP3 player is always there. With a wide selection of brands to choose from the search for the perfect MP3 becomes more challenging than ever. Here are a few things you should consider when buying a new MP3 player.

1. You should always ask yourself on how are going to use your MP3 player. Different brands and models usually cater to particular needs or activities.

2. Memory capacity. You should always check the memory capacity of your MP3 player as it usually determines the number of songs or tracks you could store. You could also consider an option for expandable memory. However, it is not really that important.

3. Battery life. No matter how big the capacity it will always be dependent on how long the batter life is or is the batter life long enough to allow you to enjoy all your songs or tracks.

4. Durability. Always consider, can the MP3 player withstand all the pressures and stress of daily use. Let's face it no matter how much you take care of your MP3 player, you may at one time drop it or bump into a hard surface.

5. Sound Quality. MP3 players were built to be listened too.

6. Warranty and Terms of Service. Your MP3 was not meant to last forever. So consider an MP3 player with excellent warranty and service.

7. Price per performance. Consider if based on the criteria above is the price worth it?

8. Add-on's and additional features: Though not as important, could also be a deciding factor in choosing your MP3 player.

* MP4 capability
* LCD Display
* FM radio capability
* Software utility
* Freebies and additional accessories

Proper replacement of System Board for Notebooks

Parts/Tools Needed:



Screw driver/s
ESD wrist strap that is properly grounded
Antistatic gloves or Finger sacs
Work Table with anti-static mat
Installers/drivers as needed

Procedure:

1. Before removing the system board, the following items must first be done/checked:
• Check for any media still inserted on the unit (e.g. CD/DVD/Floppy Disks/Etc.)
• Shut-down the system
• Be sure that all applications are closed and all opened files/documents have been saved.
• Turn off the system and any attached peripherals.
• Disconnect the system and any attached peripherals from AC power.
• Disconnect any telephone or telecommunications lines from the system.
• Use a wrist grounding strap and mat when working inside any computer system to avoid electrostatic discharge (ESD) damage.
• After removing any system component, carefully place the removed component on an anti-static mat.

2. Before opening the unit, you must first remove the battery.


3. Remove the HDD from the unit. Take note of the capacity of the HDD.


4. Remove all installed Memory modules. Take note of the quantity and capacity.
           
     Caution: Memory is easily damaged and should not be forced into the slot when replacing it.                                 

5. Disconnect the cable from the Modem Daughter Card and remove the MDC from the Mother board.

18. Power-on clients unit, & run diagnostics if available to check functionality of all installed components.  Be sure to check  the capacity of all installed components and compare if it tallies with the original unit configuration.  

19. BIOS setup


• Warning: Changing motherboards from one brand to another sometimes requires reformatting the hard drive and reloading the operating system. Choose your motherboard and read the motherboard manual thoroughly before upgrading.

• BIOS is a program located on a Read-Only Memory (ROM) chip on the motherboard. This program will not be lost when you turn the main power to your computer off. This program is also sometimes referred to as the boot program. It is the only channel for the hardware circuit to communicate with the operating system. Its main function is to manage the setup of the basic parameters for motherboard and interface cards. These parameters include simple ones such as time, date, hard disk drive, as well as more complex ones such as hardware synchronization, and device operating mode.

• WARNING: Do not change any parameters inside the BIOS unless you know what you are doing! The parameters inside the BIOS are used to set up the hardware synchronization or the device operating mode. If these parameters are incorrect, they may produce error, the computer may crash, and sometimes you may even not be able to boot the computer after it crashes. We suggest you not to change the parameters inside the BIOS unless you are familiar with them.

• When you start your computer, the computer is first controlled by the BIOS program. The BIOS runs an auto-diagnostic procedure for all the necessary hardware, configures the parameters for the hardware synchronization, and detects all the hardware. After it completes these tasks, BIOS gives up the control of the computer to the program of the next level, which is the operating system.

• Since the BIOS is the only channel for hardware and software to communicate, it will be the key factor to system stability and optimal performance. You lose your customized BIOS setting if the CMOS battery on your motherboard is removed or fails. Your BIOS goes back to its original manufacturer default if that happens.stalled components. Be sure to check the capacity of all installed components and compare if it tallies with the original unit configuration. Reinstall drivers as necessary.

WARNING: Handle motherboards gently by the edges. Some of the component leads    under the board have sharp edges and may cause serious injury. To prevent electrostatic discharge damage to the components on your motherboard, do not remove the motherboard from the static-shielded bag until you have discharged any static electricity from your body by touching any unpainted surface on the case of your computer.

6. Remove any installed optical drives from the unit. Before removing the optical drive, be sure to disconnect all optical drive cables from the MB. Please note the capacity and speed of the installed unit.

7. Remove installed FDD if there is any. Before removing the FDD, be sure to disconnect all FDD cables from the MB.


8. Remove the screws from the keyboard bezel and gently lift it from the chassis.

     Caution: Extra care should be taken when removing the bezel, as excessive force may cause it to crack and break.

9. Remove the screws from the keyboard. Gently slide the keyboard away from the touchpad to release the tabs. Gently lift up the keyboard from the back right corner to approximately a 30 degree angle. Don’t pull the keyboard straight up as it is still physically attached to the MB via flex connectors and attached to be palm rest via tabs at the side of the keyboard. Remove the flex cables from the motherboard.

14. Remove all the screws connecting the mother board to the base cover and remove the mother board from the base cover.

15. Check the MB for any removable items such as CMOS batteries, Audio boards, Processor, etc.

       Caution: Use extreme caution when removing the processor. The socket and processor are highly sensitive   products and should not be touched.  Upon replacing or repositioning the processor, application of additional thermal grease may be necessary.

16. Make sure that the defective MB to be replaced is exactly the same as the replacement MB, inclusive of cables and removable items.

17. Do the reverse when replacing the MB. Please make sure that the same parts are to be installed in the clients unit. Make sure that all screws and cables have been secured and properly returned to their proper places.

10. Check for and remove any Mini PCI Cards installed on the clients unit.

11. Remove the LCD from the motherboard by gently pulling on the LCD pull tab.

        Caution:  Extra care should be taken when pulling on the LCD pull tabs as they easily be damaged.

12. Remove the screws from the palm rest.  The palm rest is normally screwed on to the bottom connected to the base cover or sometimes on top connected to the MB.   Gently remove the palm rest by releasing the tabs securing it to the base cover.

         Caution: Extra care should be taken when removing the bezel, as excessive force may cause it to crack and break.

13.  Remove the CPU fan/Heat sink from the MB by removing the screws & disconnecting the fan cable.             

        Caution: Gently pull on the plastic connector and not on the wires to prevent damaging the cable. Be sure to place the heat sink so that the portion with thermal grease facing upwards.

CD-R King Video Capture Dongle

The CD-R King Video Capture Dongle allows you to capture high-quality video and audio files directly by USB 2.0 interface. Easy to install and use. No external power supply needed. The CD-R King Video Capture Dongle also allows you capture audio even with the sound card. It also Comes with Ulead Video Studio 8.0 SE DVD. The CD-R King Video Capture Dongle supports brigthness, contrast,hue, and saturation control. The CD-R king Video Capture Dongle is virtually plug and play, however,USB 2.0 is highly recommended as lower versions tend to make your video capture time longer and sometimes may cause your system to hang.

Philips Gogear Rage 4GB MP3 Player

* Approximately 1in display


* 22hrs. battery time

* Excellent Sound quality

* FM radio with record option

* Voice record option

* Repeat and shuffle options

* Compatible with Windows 2000, XP or Vista.

* MP3, WAV, WMA, FLAC and APE compatible

* Weight 35g. Size H4.7, W4.5

Cons:

* Has built in Songbird software. However, is quite tedious to manage and no auto sync function.

* Included headset is quite uncomfortable and no cable management option. However, sound quality is outstanding and you could always replace the headset with a more comfortable one.

* Quite tedious to arrange songs in your desired order.

Overall take:

The Philips Gogear RAGA 4GB is a definite moneys worth based on price to functionality comparison. Excellent sound quality is probably its best feature.

Play and Learn Quilt

* Stimulate your childs visual learning with this safe and easy to set-up Play and Learn Quilt. Attractive colors and designs make the Play and Learn Quilt fun and visually appealing to your child.

* Develop your childs motor skills by allowing them to reach and play the hanging toys or let them explore their environment by allowing them to crawl around the Play and Learn Quilt.

* Built in rattles, honkers and musical sound attract your child to the areas of the Play and Learn Quilt wherein they could explore on their own.

* Have loads of fun with your child by creating activities and play scenarios with your child. A definite must have Toy in aiding the development of your child.

* Easy to set-up and disassemble, the Play and Learn Quilt could be set-up in a matter of seconds and easily folded and stored.

Protecting and Hiding Formulas and Cells on your Excel Worksheet

1. click the tab at corner of your Excel sheet to select all the cells.

2. Press right click "Format Cells" and go to "Protection Tab".

3. Uncheck the check boxes for "Locked" and "Hidden" and press "OK".

4. From the "Edit" menu select "Go to".

5. Press the "Special" button,select the "Formulas" radio button and click "OK".

6. Hold the "Ctrl" button and click on the other cells you would want to protect.

7. Press right click "Format Cells" and go to "Protection Tab".

8. Activate the check boxes for "Locked" and "Hidden" and press "OK".

9. From the "Tools" menu, select "Protection", then "Protect Sheet".

10. Activate the "Protect worksheet and content of locked cells" checkbox. Activate other options you would want your users to access from the list. Usually "Select locked cells" and "Select unlocked cells" are activated and press "OK".

11. Inputting a password is highly recommended to ensure security of your data. However, you may also choose not to.

Things to consider when buying a computer printer

A typical computer should always have a printer on hand. There are different types of computer printer

characteristics to look into first. The type of printer that is used is one of the characteristics to consider. This includes the printing quality and the speed of the printing.

Multiple services, including scanning and faxing, can take place from a printer too. However, for heavy volume jobs, it is still advisable to purchase separate equipments for printing, scanning and faxing. Damage to one of the components would in certain cases cause the printer to become totally unusable.

Here is a look into these computer printer characteristics.The type of the printer is one of  the computer printer characteristics to follow. The dot matrix printer is still used in some places. Dot matrix printers are generally used in printing receipts, invoices and on continuous from papers.  This is where pixels are printed to form a single image. However, more advanced technologies are being used. For instance, the toner based printer uses static electricity to move the toner into the paper for printing and then heat is applied to keep it on the paper. Toner based printers are ideal for documents and form processing, print-out quality of documents are crisp and does not smudge when wet. 

The inkjet printer is the most common printer on the market today. This is where small bits of ink are printed onto a piece of paper. Each bit of ink will be attached via a small electric charge.  Inkjet printers are usually ideal for photo and image printing. With the right quality printer and paper, you could achieve high quality images.

The first of the computer printer characteristics to consider is printing quality. The quality that a printer will be capable of handling will be measured by its dpi, or dots per inch. The dpi readout will be based on the ability of the printer to be able to print high quality images. For instance, a typical printer on the market will have a dpi readout of 600x600. This means that there will be 600 dots per inch on both the vertical and horizontal parts of the page.


The second characteristics is the speed of the printer. The number of pages per minute that it will be able to print measures the speed. This speed will be different based on whether or not black and white pages or color pages are going to be printed. 

The multiple features on a printer are the last of the computer printer characteristics to look into.  Some printers are able to handle scanning or fax technologies. Some will also be able to copy pages right from the printer without a connection to anything (printer connects to our computer via Blue tooth or wireless connection). Some can also print CD and DVD labels. However, in some cases, multiple feature printers as not recommended for high volume printing jobs. Damage to one of these feature will usually make your printer unusable.


These are the computer printer characteristics to consider when buying a new printer. The type of printer, its quality output and the speed of the printer should always be considered. Additional services may also be included, but it depends on your particular usage. By taking these features in consideration, finding a printer that is right for one’s specific needs should be easy.

Five Stars Welcome Play House

* Size 240cm x 70cm x 125cm

* Can easily fit an adult sitting down.
*  Easy to assemble, store, and wash.
* Comes with plastic supports that makes it more
   stable than the usual folding play tents.
* Fold-out doors allow for easy access in and out of the Play House.
* Enjoy loads of fun with your kids and create your own activities.
* Suitable for kids 3+.

Wood Works Toys (Pick-up Truck)

An educational toy designed to stimulate your child's motor and logical skills. Entirely made of wood, except for the metal screws that hold the toy into place. Composed of 50+ pieces, the finished model assembles into a fully functional toy (for this case moving wheels and trunk). Just follow the instructions and you'll be able to assemble the toy in no time. A mini screw driver is included in the set. However, I suggest you use a bigger screw driver as you would sometimes need a little more force to hold the screws in place. Assistance from an adult is also much appreciated. Overall this is a very fun toy to assemble, play and collect for both the child and child at heart.