Connect Your Computer to Your TV

In the old days, massive pieces of furniture dubbed "entertainment centers" housed our bulky TVs, stereos, and tape decks, and the idea that you could connect your computer to your TV was foreign. Welcome to the 21st century where the digital world of movies, music, games, and more is just a click-of-the-remote away—and it's all available using a sleek entertainment PC.
Entertainment technology comes in more flavors than we could have dreamed a few years ago. An entertainment PC combines everything a regular computer can do—e-mail, Web, etc.—with the best of digital entertainment. Some of these new PCs look like a traditional receiver you would find in your stereo cabinet—yet others are smaller sized PCs that take up little space, standing vertically.
Following are some of the fun things you can do. Make sure you talk with your sales person to ensure your new computer does some or all of the following:

• Record, rewind, and pause TV (even live TV) with the digital video recorder capabilities and incur no monthly fee.
• Listen to music from an online radio station and other streaming sources, MP3s, or your CD collection.
• Use standard PC functions like e-mail, the Web, and productivity applications.
• Play the hottest games on your TV.
• Share and organize your photos using your TV screen, not the small monitor on your PC.
• Play and burn CDs and DVDs and even personalize them with your own look. Check out this article "Make Your Own CDs and DVDs" to learn how.

Getting started

Any retail electronics store that sells computers should offer a selection of entertainment PCs. Consider these features and options:

• Windows Vista* is a great choice for an operating system (OS), building nicely on the functionality of Windows XP* Media Center Edition 2005, adding great usability features and enhancements.
• Make sure the entertainment PC you buy has a TV tuner card so you can watch live TV and enjoy all of the benefits of digital video recorder functionality.
• Who doesn't love a remote control? Yep, you can get that with your entertainment PC too.
• Look for Intel Inside® including Intel® Graphic Technology built in—no need to purchase an expensive discrete graphics card.

Although most TVs built in the last ten years or so will work with your entertainment PC, some of the more recent TVs are really spectacular, with your TV acting as a monitor. If you don't already have one, consider taking the plunge into HD TV and even better, one with PC inputs. And make sure you know what kind of video inputs are on the TV you will be using (see the discussion of plugs and cables below), because you'll need to match them up with the rest of the hardware.

A word about plugs and cables

There are a variety of plugs and cables that you can use to move video signals around in your entertainment setup. Your choice of connection will affect the quality of the picture. The connection type you use may be limited by what kind of plugs your TV has for video inputs (the more advanced connection types will likely be found only on the newer, higher-end sets), but you should use the highest-quality choice that is available to you.

Setting up your entertainment PC

Setup is easy and straightforward. First, read through the user guides, quick-start guides, and other manuals that came with your equipment. That documentation will be your main reference guide during setup.

1. Connect the cable outlet to your cable box with a coaxial cable, if it's not connected already.
2. Connect the video and audio outputs on the cable box to the inputs on your entertainment PC.
3. Connect the video output on the entertainment PC to the video input on your TV.
4. Connect the audio output on the entertainment PC to the audio input on your audio system, external speakers, or TV.
5. Power up the entertainment PC and launch Windows Media Center* using the Start > Programs > Windows Media Center menu option.
6. Follow the wizard to complete setup and configuration.

Convinced? Upgrade your computer to an entertainment PC today with an Intel® processor inside and experience the mind-blowing multimedia without limits.

Protect Your Computer from Viruses

As everyone who has ever had the flu knows, viruses can be devastating—and computers don't get off any easier than people. Even though a flu virus and a computer virus have obvious differences, there are some similarities: Both you and your computer get viruses from others who are already infected, and prevention can help keep both of you healthy.
Keep in mind that the steps listed in this article are only recommendations that may help prevent virus infection and help deal with it if one does occur. This topic is complex, and it changes rapidly, so it's important to stay vigilant and stay informed.

Prevention is the key.

Your best defense is to keep your system from getting infected in the first place because once it is, it can be very difficult, if not impossible, to get rid of the virus. The road to prevention begins with these steps:

• Install effective anti-virus software. Anti-virus software is widely available; any online or brick-and-mortar store that sells software will offer a number of products. These products typically require an annual subscription, which lets you keep your anti-virus software up to date and ready to detect the latest threats.
  Tip: For added protection, consider buying a security suite that includes firewall software and other protection (such as spam filtering).
  
• Avoid risky behavior. For example: never open an email attachment that comes from someone you don't know, and avoid downloading anything from the Internet that might not be trustworthy. Keep in mind that humorous material is often passed along, from address to address, through email. It's best not to open this type of file, because even if the attachment is from someone you know, they may be unknowingly passing along a virus.

Make regular virus scans a habit.

Anti-virus software typically lets you choose whether to schedule a scan on a regular basis or perform a manual scan. Because a full scan can take an hour or more to complete, many anti-virus software packages also let you perform a quick, but less thorough, scan of the most commonly infected parts of the computer. See your product documentation for details.
Tip: While you shouldn't depend on it for your main anti-virus solution, another option is to use a free online service to scan your computer, like Trend Micro HouseCall*, McAfee FreeScan*, or Symantec Security Check*.

You've discovered an infection. Now what?

If you discover a virus or related threat during a scan, follow these steps:

• Follow your anti-virus software's on-screen instructions. Many viruses can be easily removed using this method. Another option for Windows-based systems is to use the Microsoft Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool*, free software distributed through Windows Update* and updated monthly. Re-scan your computer after you've removed the virus (just to be sure).
  Tip: It's also a good idea to scan again with a separate scanner, such as an online service, for added assurance.
• Contact an expert. If first efforts aren't enough, check your anti-virus product's Web site for additional information. Sometimes—especially for high-profile threats—major anti-virus software manufacturers will provide a tool to help get rid of specific viruses. However, these tools can be complicated to use, so depending on how comfortable you are with the procedure, you might want to bring in an expert. Many large retail chains now provide in-store services that specialize in removing viruses. The cost involved can be a small amount to pay to resolve the problem.
• Use restore disks or re-install the operating system. A new computer often comes with a set of one or more emergency "restore" disks. If you haven't been able to remove the virus, this set of disks might help you to resolve the problem. However, you will lose any files that haven't been backed up on separate media. Although many anti-virus programs let you make a set of emergency restore disks when you install the software. Similarly, if your computer came with a set of one or more operating system disks, you can re-install the operating system and return the computer to factory condition. These options are strong medicine, but if everything else fails, they may be the only way to restore your computer's health.

Keeping virus-free

• Install anti-virus software and keep it up to date
• Don't open suspicious email attachments or download untrustworthy Internet content
• Set Windows Update to automatic mode
• Use firewall software

Looking for a new PC with hardware-based security features to help keep you even safer? Look for laptops and desktops with Intel Inside® for the very best computing experiences both at home and on the go.

Install a Wireless Webcam

Installing a Webcam is a fun and worthwhile project, whether it's for home security or to help you keep track of your kids or pets. You can securely view whatever the camera sees from anywhere in the world, as long as you have access to the Internet. And with a wireless Webcam, you'll have even more flexibility, because you can install it farther away from your computer.
Wired or wireless? You can use most Webcams with either a wireless or a wired connection to your network. Wireless connections offer more flexibility, but wired connections are simpler to set up. In fact, as part of the steps toward wireless setup, you'll set up a temporary wired connection first. If you run into trouble setting up the wireless connection, you can always fall back on the wired connection. Assuming that you do want to use wireless, consider using an 802.11g or 802.11n networking technology, as opposed to the older 802.11a or 802.11b ones. These technologies are discussed in "Build a Home Network."
Gather the equipment. We assume that you already have a network set up that supports both wired and wireless connections, as discussed in "Build a Home Network." The only other equipment you need is the Webcam itself and a network cable to connect it to the router during setup. Webcams are available for around $100, and they often include the cable. To ensure maximum compatibility, consider buying a Webcam made by the same company as your router. Also consider these features:

Webcam features

• Compatibility with your wireless protocol (that is, 802.11g or 802.11n)
• Support for the wireless security you use, if any (that is, WEP or WPA)
• Built-in Web server (to connect to the Internet without a computer)
• Support for audio and built-in microphone
• Ability for tabletop or wall-mounted use

Gather network information

In addition to equipment, during setup you'll need information about your wireless network, available from the administration screens for your router (for details, refer to the documentation that came with your router):

• Network name or Service Set Identifier (SSID)
• The type of security the network uses, like WEP (Wired Equivalency Protocol) or WPA (WiFi Protected Access)
• For WEP networks, the key length (64-bit or 128-bit)
• For WPA networks, the encryption algorithm (TKIP or AES)
• The shared encryption key or passphrase

Set up the webcam

Once you have everything together, you're ready for setup. Of course, the first thing you need to do is decide where to place the Webcam (make sure there's a nearby power outlet). If, in the Webcam's permanent place, the network cable doesn't reach the router, you'll need to bring the Webcam closer to the router during setup, and then move it back later. For detailed steps, follow the setup instructions that come with the Webcam, but here are the basic steps:

• Connect the Webcam to the router with a network cable, plug it into a wall outlet, and then power up the camera.
  Note: Installation instructions may tell you to connect or power up the camera at a specific time during setup; be sure to follow these and any other manufacturer's instructions.
  
• Using a computer on the same network as the Webcam, launch the setup software that comes with the camera, which usually provides a user-friendly wizard to guide you through the process.
  Note: If you are prompted to set up an administrator username and password for the camera, be sure to use a strong password, so the camera is secure over the Internet. See the article "Choosing Good Passwords" for more information.
  
• Enter your wireless network information into the setup software. If you are asked to choose between Infrastructure mode and Ad-Hoc mode, select Infrastructure. Note: During setup, you'll be provided with the camera's IP address. Write it down; you'll need it later to access the camera.
• Name the camera. (Use a name that's easy to remember and keep in mind that you may add more cameras later.)
• Once the setup wizard is finished, power down the camera and disconnect the network cable from the router.

Test the camera. Now is the moment you've been waiting for. With the camera's network cable still unplugged, power up the camera. On a computer on the same network as the camera, enter the IP address you wrote down during setup into the address bar of your browser, and then press Enter on your keyboard. If all goes well, you'll see the picture from your camera.
If you want to make the camera available from outside your network (over the Internet), you'll probably need to enter an IP address that is unique all over the world (called a Public IP address), not just on your network.¹ If your Webcam has this capability, refer to its documentation for setup instructions.

Troubleshooting steps, just in case.

If you have trouble setting up or connecting to the Webcam over your network, try these steps before calling the manufacturer's technical support:

• Anti-virus and firewall software (including the built-in firewall in Microsoft Windows*) may interfere with setup; try disabling them. To be on the safe side, first disconnect from the Internet.
• Make sure your browser is compatible with the Webcam. (Check the documentation that came with the camera.)
• Make sure the Channel setting on the camera's wireless setup screens matches that on your router.
• If the camera's wireless setup software provides an option to change the transmission rate (the speed that data flows between the camera and router), try different settings, starting with the lowest options first.
• If the wireless connection still doesn't work, power down the camera, connect it to the router using the network cable, and then retest it in your browser.
• If all else fails, consider hiring help. Many consumer electronics retail chains now have in-house services that specialize in helping their customers with equipment setup and configuration.

Lots of computers today come with a Webcam built in. Look for your next laptop or desktop computer to have both a Webcam and Intel Inside®.

Determine if a Netbook is Right for You

I know that recently oceans of ink have been spilled and billions of electrons sprayed debating the question: Who needs a netbook? I know the arguments well: These small laptop-style machines are neither fish nor fowl—too underpowered to do "real work" and too big to tote around in your pocket.
Well, I'm here to tell you that the naysayers are all wrong. I believe the netbook is a truly fabulous new class of gadget.
So much so that I bought one—an Asus Eee PC* with an 8.9-inch screen, about 20 gigs of flash memory, and Windows XP*—for about $500 for the two months of European travel I was planning with my wife and 12-year-old daughter.
This was going to be a weird trip—with not much planned in advance, we were just going to follow our noses, bumming around Greece, Turkey, Bulgaria, Hungary, and Portugal like college kids (except that it's been about 30 years since I was in college).
Now that my trip is drawing to a close, I can tell you that my netbook was an extremely useful and cool piece of technology to have along.
My wife and daughter both blogged about our experiences, sharing our trip with friends and family with several updates every week. We found Wi-Fi connectivity wherever we needed it—usually free—in places as big as Athens to as small as Urgup, Turkey.
Similarly, I was able share trip photos that I uploaded to my Picasa* web album every few days.
We used the netbook to do everything from making overnight train reservations in Istanbul to finding bus schedules in the Greek islands to Google Earth*-ing whatever neighborhood or city or island we were visiting to better understand its geography.
We turned to Wikitravel on the netbook repeatedly to find out, say, the history of a Byzantine church on the Greek island of Thira. We brought along relatively few bulky travel books. (My suitcase for our entire trip was just airline carry-on size.)
Both my wife and I stayed in touch with our elderly parents, assuring them we had not dropped off the face of the earth, by using Skype* to connect with them every week or so from the netbook. Earlier today from Lisbon, I called my mom to wish her happy birthday. Perfect connection.
Never once did I worry about the machine getting lost, dropped, or stolen because it was small enough to toss in a little backpack with plenty of extra room for a camera, windbreaker, water bottle, whatever. And because the machine did not cost a few thousand dollars, I worried zero about babying it.
My sole regret was that I was seriously itchy to pick up my netbook, and was unwilling to wait for an Intel® Atom™ processor-powered machine to hit the market. The battery life that my Intel® Celeron® processor-based Eee PC delivers is about three hours. I'd like six or seven. But just for the record, the Intel® Celeron® processor handled my photos fine (although I did not edit them, just uploaded them), and played some TV shows that my daughter got on iTunes with no hiccups at all.
I plan to use my netbook a bunch once I get home, when I want to do stuff online, but don't want to haul along my laptop with an Intel processor inside.
Does my Intel® processor-based netbook kick up rooster-tails of dust when I start it? Does it glow like a spacecraft on the launch pad? No, it's not a powerful or glitzy system.
But it was absolutely perfect for what I needed. And I have a hunch that people all over the world will soon discover their own uses for this kind of easy, friendly technology.
Want to take your computer wherever, whenever? Look for ultra-portable netbooks with an Intel® Atom™ processor inside for everything you need to explore the endless possibilities of your connected world.

Choose a Gaming PC

Despite the popularity of the Nintendo Wii* and other gaming consoles, the PC is still a great platform for games, with millions of devoted players, and lots of new titles coming out each year. But today's graphically complex games call for a wide variety of high-performance hardware. Choosing the right game-friendly PC can be a daunting experience, unless you know what to look for.
Some hardcore gamers build their machines at home. But the majority of us who don't have time or just want to choose the right computer for a gaming enthusiast in our lives generally prefer to order a computer online and have it built just the way we want it.
If you want a computer that provides a good environment for video games, take a look at this PC gaming checklist, which covers all the essentials, before you go shopping.

Controllers

Although PC games can be played with a keyboard and mouse, many can be enhanced with specialized gaming controllers. From steering wheels for racing games, to joysticks for flying and shooting games, to high-performance gaming mice. However, these extras should only be purchased once you know you need them.

Laptop and desktop PCs

Tons of laptops these days have the power to handle demanding games—so gaming on the go will no longer get you laughed out of the arena. And desktops offer expandability and performance always just a hair beyond that of their mobile counterparts.

Hard drive

Since lots of the data used by games live on a computer's hard drive, you want a hard drive that 1) holds lots of data, and 2) can access that data fast. Most new computers come with large enough hard drives, but if you're willing to spend a little extra, you might be able to eke out better gaming performance by choosing the one with the highest RPM rating and largest cache.

Internet connection

If you plan on playing online games, a fast connection is crucial, because even the fastest system performs sluggishly over a slow connection. Some providers offer different levels of service; you may find it necessary to upgrade.

Monitor

There was a time when only deep, desk-filling "CRT" monitors were capable of providing performance suitable for fast-paced video games, but thanks to strides made in LCD monitor technology, choosing a monitor that's great for gaming no longer means surrendering most of your desk space. Any newish LCD monitor should have a low enough response time to suffice. Other than that, the main thing to keep in mind is that games generally look better on larger monitors.

Processor

A fast processor is key. Look for a high GHz (speed) rating and a multi-core processor. The "multi" means that it actually comprises two or more processors that team up to process data faster. The result? Fast, smooth game graphics. Some manufacturers sell computers with "factory overclocked" processors that are even better for gaming.
Want to experience the very best in laptop gaming? Look for laptops with the latest processor in the Intel® Core™ processor family.
Want to get a desktop PC that screams through the latest, computer intensive games? Look for desktops with Intel® Core™ i7 processor Extreme Edition.

RAM (sometimes called "memory")

Computers and the games that run on them store the data they need to access fastest on these chips. You can upgrade RAM yourself, so long as you don't mind popping open your computer's case and inserting a chip. If that's the case, you can always install more later if it's inconvenient for you to include it with the purchase of a new computer. But if you want your computer to be great for gaming, you'll want to pack as many gigabytes of RAM into it as you can, one way or the other.

Sound card

Videogames are like films; both are visual mediums that use audio to add meaning and nuance to the narrative. Many of the new computers sold today include a sound card built into their main circuit board (called the motherboard). Although these have improved over recent years, they mostly don't offer the solid performance of a dedicated sound card. You can add a quality sound card for relatively little. Models with 5.1 channel surround sound are preferable; even if you don't feel like buying surround sound speakers now, you might change your mind later.

Speakers

Most desktop computers ship with some sort of desktop speaker system, but it's often possible to add a higher-end model for a fuller gaming experience. A 2.1 speaker system (the "2.1" stands for two small desktop speakers plus a subwoofer) can provide decent sound, but a 5.1- (or even 7.1-) channel surround sound speaker system is even better. Want to hear that ninja creeping up behind you? You'd better have surround sound speakers back there.

Graphics card

Battling a hillside of warriors is hard, and when you choose Intel® processors to power your desktop and laptop PCs, you get Intel® Graphics Technology built in. That means you can forgo adding that expensive external graphics card and spend that money on more RAM or the latest alien-destroying game.

Windows*

You can find a few games for the Macintosh* operating system (OS), but the vast majority of PC game developers make games for Windows-based OSs like Vista* and XP*. That said, if you absolutely must have a Mac* and you want to use it as a gaming machine, there is a way: buy a copy of Windows, install it on your Mac (using the Mac OSs BootCamp* feature, which allows it to run Windows), and reboot your computer every time you want to play a game. That's why Windows is widely preferred over Macintosh for gaming. For more, read "Run Windows on a Mac."
Want to find a killer desktop or laptop built for gaming with Intel Inside®? Visit Intel's gaming site for the latest in games and gaming PCs.

Create a Screen Saver with Your Digital Photos

Though digital photography has done wonders for increasing the quality (and number) of the photos we take today, we seem to see less of the photos we actually take. Usually that's because we store them away on our hard drives and go off to take more, printing only a very small number of them for display.
One of the easiest ways to see more of your snapshots is to incorporate them into a screen saver, which will display a large number of them whenever your computer is idle. As is so often the case today, this is where Google* comes in.

Google Photos Screensaver*

Google is largely known as a search engine, but has expanded to include a large assortment of computer applications. Google Photos Screensaver is a free application that comes bundled together with several other free programs in a Google Pack. With a few clicks, you can display your photos in a slide show as a screen saver.
(Note: The following instructions are for Windows* users, but the sequence is pretty similar if you're using a Mac* OS.)
Once installed, Google Photos Screensaver will display all the digital photos on your computer. You can also personalize your screen saver to display a select group.

• Type http://pack.google.com/screensaver.html into your browser (i.e., Internet Explorer*, Mozilla Firefox*, Safari*)
• Click the Settings button and uncheck any options you do not want
• Click on the Configure button for each image you would like to incorporate into your screen saver
• Adjust the way the photos appear by clicking on the drop-down menu under Visual Effect and try the various filters until you find one you prefer. You will see a preview of the screen saver on the left
• Modify the transitions between pictures by use your mouse to move the marker to the time desired
• Uncheck the box Show Captions if you do not want to see them
• Click OK.
• Open the display properties by right-clicking on your desktop and selecting Properties. You can also access it from the Control Panel by clicking on Appearance and Themes and then Display.

Now sit back, wait and watch. In a matter of moments, you will get to see your newly created screen saver with your selected digital photos.
For great computing experiences at home and on the go, look for computers with Intel Inside®.

Connect with Friends and Family Online

How many times a year do we make that extra effort to get in touch with friends and family for a friendly greeting? This year, with the entire world's mind seemingly focused on things related to the economy, why not consider these alternative and inexpensive options to get you through?
Reach out and touch someone. So, you've got family from west coast to east coast and everywhere in between and on just about every continent. And if you're not careful, the chatty Cathy in your house—or Carl respectively—and that might be you—will have your phone bill rivaling that of the national debt.
Luckily, you can contact everyone you know on every continent and you can do it for FREE. How, you ask? Through this wonderful little thing I like to call "the Internet". Here are some wonderful ways to call, chat, video conference, etc.:

• Instant Messaging (IM). What's so cool about IM? First, it's free to get the software, free to chat with friends, and if you've got a Webcam and a microphone, you don't even have to type. You can look at your friend or family member and chat just like you would in person via video conference. But with this option, unlike in person, you have the added benefit of not having to share your holiday cookies.
• Voice over Internet protocol (VoIP). The name sounds more complicated than it really is. There two VoIP options—you can go and purchase a monthly service plan and use your normal phone—or you can got the totally free route over the Internet with a microphone. That means you can talk with anyone, anywhere on earth, as long as they have a connected computer. How awesome is that? Catching up on the last 20 years (or more) with your best friend from grade school? Talking with Mom, Dad, uncles, aunts, cousins, sisters, brothers... and without fear of going broke? Priceless!

Free e-cards

To find e-cards simply type "free e-cards" or "e-greetings" into your favorite search engine—or you can try out one of these:

• Blue Mountain
• Hallmark—yes! They do e-cards too!
• American Greetings

Say goodbye to stamps and hello e-greetings. Unlike "snail mail", electronic greetings or e-greeting are customizable and are another way to say, "I'm thinking of you". And it's super simple whether you're a novice or expert Internet guru. All you need is your list of email addresses and you're a few clicks away from sending your friends and loved ones personal greetings that are funny, cute, touching and interactive. And you can schedule the time when they go out—today, tomorrow, three weeks from now, whenever.
The mother of all family newsletters. If you're a newsletter writer, there is nothing better than having access to a computer with a good word processing program. With so much available (free) clip art options, along with your own photo library of digital images, you can create a newsletter that's the ultimate show-and-tell as to where you've been in the last year. Not only that? You can email it to friends and family members, no stamp required.
Even better? Consider creating a photo blog—simply send a link and they can point, click, and see and read the wonderful things you've been doing all year long.
If you are looking for a new computer to do all these wonderful things with, consider laptop and desktop PCs with Intel Inside® and stay connected.

Make Your Own CDs and DVDs

Creating CDs and DVDs is a great way to make backup copies of your computer data for safekeeping or to send your pictures and videos to friends and relatives. Called "burning" a CD or DVD, recording your own discs is easy as long as you keep a few things in mind, which we'll tell you about in this article.
The first thing you should know is that not all CD and DVD drives can record discs, and older CD and DVD drives may not be able to even read them once you have recorded them. If your computer doesn't have a drive that can burn the kind of disc you want, you can buy separate drives that you plug into your computer using a USB cable. Ask the salesperson at your favorite electronics store to help you make sure you buy the right equipment. One thing to keep in mind is that if you buy an external CD/DVD drive that has a USB cable, you'll want to make sure your computer has a USB port.

Comparing CDs and DVDs

These days, you can store data on two kinds of plastic discs: CDs (compact discs) and DVDs (digital versatile discs). CDs are sometimes called CD-ROMs, and DVDs are sometimes called DVD-ROMs (ROM means "read-only memory"). Both are a little more than four and a half inches in diameter (about 12 cm), and the two look more or less identical.

A CD can hold 650-700 megabytes of data (enough for about 75 minutes of music), and a standard DVD holds 4.7 gigabytes (enough for about one full-length movie). Both can hold any type of computer file, from photos to word-processing documents. Dual-layer DVDs, usable by only certain DVD drives, can hold up to 8.5 gigabytes.

Alphabet soup, part 1: CDs

When you go to the store to buy blank CDs, here's what to pay attention to:

• CD-R (Compact Disc-Recordable). Meant to be recorded onto just once and it cannot be erased for reuse.
• CD-RW (Compact Disc-Re-Writable). Can be erased and reused hundreds of times. Note that not all CD drives can use CD-RW discs, so check your computer's documentation first.

Alphabet soup, part 2: DVDs

Like CDs, DVDs also use the R (recordable) and RW (re-writable) labels, but in addition, plus signs and minus signs are used between the DVD and the R or RW labels. DVD drives made in the past several years will typically work with both types of discs, although older ones may not:

• DVD-R or DVD-RW. The DVD Forum created this type of DVD technology. Older equipment is more likely to work with this type of disc than DVD+R or DVD+RW. The difference here is the "+" and "-" between "DVD" and "R" and "DVD" and "RW".
• DVD+R or DVD+RW. A different organization—the DVD+RW Alliance—created this DVD technology.
• DVD±R or DVD±RW. In the past several years, manufacturers have been making DVD discs and drives that get along with either of the above two types.

Burning discs in Windows Vista*

Windows Vista* includes the built-in ability to burn both CDs and DVDs. Here's how to create a disc to use on a Windows XP* or Windows Vista computer.

• Insert a blank recordable disc.
• In the message box that appears, select the Burn files to disc option.
• In the Burn a disc message box, type a name for the disc, and then click Next. Windows* will begin to prepare the disc. After the process completes, an empty disc folder will appear.
• Drag the files you want into the empty disc folder; they are automatically copied onto the disc.

(To drag a file, point to it with the mouse. Press the mouse button and hold it down while you move the mouse. When the file is at its new location, release the button.)
Note: To create a disc for use in an earlier version of Windows or a different type of machine, see the Windows Vista help topic, Burn a CD or DVD.

Burning discs in Windows XP*

Windows XP includes the built-in capability to burn CDs but not DVDs.

• Insert a blank CD-R or CD-RW.
• In the message box that appears, choose the Open writable CD folder option.
• Drag the files you want into the empty disc folder that appears.
• When you are ready to burn the CD, click the Write these files to CD link located in the upper-left corner of the window under the CD Writing Tasks section.
• The CD Writing Wizard will appear and ask you to name the disc. Type the name you want and then click Next.
• When the Completing the CD Writing Wizard message box appears, click Finish.

Note: To burn DVDs in Windows XP, you need an additional piece of DVD-burning software, which normally comes packaged along with drives that can burn DVDs.

Burning discs in Mac OS X*

Mac OS X* includes the built-in ability to burn both CDs and DVDs:

• Insert a blank recordable disc.
• In the message box that appears, choose the Open Finder option and click OK.
• To name the disk, select the CD, click its current label (Untitled), and then type the new name.
• Drag files from the Finder to the disc icon.
• When you're ready to burn the disc, click once on the disc icon to select it, and then from the File menu, select Burn Disc.
• In the message box that appears asking you to confirm the process, choose Burn Disc.

For more information, see Apple's Software Documentation page for the specific version of Mac OS X.
Time to upgrade your computer? Look no further than desktop and laptop PCs with Intel Inside® for great computing experiences at home and on the go.

Organize Financial Information

If you use the Web to pay your bills, manage your bank accounts, buy and sell stock, or check your credit cards, you probably spend a lot of time logging into each site to check the status of your accounts. For the last several months I've been using a free service called Mint* that consolidates all my financial information in one place.
Not only does Mint give me an at-a-glance update of all my spending and saving activity, it has a host of other nifty features that makes it worth checking out. For instance, the overview page gives me a snapshot of all my cash holdings and all my debts, so I can see how much in the black (or, more likely, in the red) I'm in. It also gives me a list of alert items, such as credit card payment dates, unusual spending events, and budget overruns (these alerts can also be sent by email or text message, which has already saved me from having to paying a late fee on my credit card).
Because I have signed up for online checking with my bank, Mint has access to my checking account transactions, and it does a pretty good job of categorizing my debit card expenditures, based on the name of the stores the purchases were made. Occasionally I'll have to go in and correct a faulty assumption (Mint categorizes purchases made at Lucky, the clothing store, as ones made at Lucky, the supermarket) but once you teach it how to handle something, it won't forget. The budget tracking and spending trend reports Mint offers are excellent. You can even compare your spending habits with those of other Mint users in different cities.
Mint also analyzes my spending habits, credit card interest rates, and other data and comes up with suggestions to save money, like switching to a credit card with a lower interest rate or a checking account with a higher interest rate.

You might be asking yourself "Is it safe to give this company access to all my financial information?" That's a very good question, and I strongly recommend that you visit www.mint.com/privacy to learn how Mint protects your data before making a decision whether or not to use the service.
Want to spend smarter on your next computer? With Intel you can compare and shop online and have your perfect laptop or desktop PC delivered right to your door. Always look for Intel Inside® for great computing experiences.

What is Twitter*?

You might have heard about a Web site called Twitter*. You might have even visited it but scratched your head, asking, what is this? That's a good question because even though Twitter itself is simple, it's not immediately apparent what it's good for.
Simply put, Twitter is a way for you to let other people know what you are doing. After you register at Twitter, you'll be presented with this question: "What are you doing?" Below the question is a blank rectangle for you to give your answer. You must answer using 140 characters or less (about two sentences). This answer is called a "tweet" and you can tweet as often as you want (for free). Anyone who has your Twitter address can read your tweets.
Who cares? Another excellent question. The answer: people who care about you—your friends, your family, even people you've never met but only know online. You can let people know you're tweeting on Twitter by letting them know you have a Twitter address: mine is http://twitter.com/frauenfelder. Some people put their Twitter address at the bottom of their email messages to let people know.

Others post it on their blog or Web page.

I use Twitter to let my friends know about funny photos and stories I've found online, or if I'm going to an event in town that other people might want to attend. If you sign up for Twitter and stick with it, I'm sure you'll come up with you own uses.
Need even more social networking in your life? Check out our article "What are MySpace, Facebook, and LinkedIn?"
Looking for a computer that you can tweet on? Look for computers with Intel Inside® for great laptop and desktop computing experiences.

Old Computer Disposal

So you're thinking about getting a new computer, but have you thought about what you're going to do with the old one? Don't just think of that tired old machine as yesterday's news—it deserves some serious attention, to turn it from potential landfill contents into a potential asset. In this article, I'll introduce you to some of the smart choices you can make when it comes to dealing with used computers and related equipment like printers and monitors.

Security alert: old files never die...

First things first—before saying goodbye to that old computer, consider what private information might be stored on it, such as financial information, social security numbers, and so on. Even if you have deleted all of your files, a determined individual may be able to recover the information. The U.S. Department of Defense and others have set standards for getting rid of information for good, but some truly careful people actually destroy the hard drives of computers before getting rid of them. No matter what, you'll want to pull out the hard drive and either store it or destroy it before you get rid of your old computer.

Things to avoid doing with old equipment

While the tide is changing, the unfortunate truth is that a lot of computer equipment still winds up in landfills, leaching toxic materials into the soil and groundwater. With a little bit of extra effort, you can take a greener path:

• Don't throw it in the trash. In many places, there are now laws against doing so, and even if it's not against the law, it's still wasteful, as well as harmful to the environment. Computer equipment contains a lot of toxic materials, and the plastic parts will sit in a landfill for many years, if ever before they break down into the soil.
• Don't just put it on a shelf. In many cases, people don't know what to do with old computers, so they end up storing them. Leaving that old computer in the back of a closet for a year or two where it becomes more obsolete over time makes it far less likely that anyone else can use it.

If you've decided you need a new computer, some parts of your existing computer may still be useful. Regardless of what happens to the rest of your old setup, it will save you some money as well as be environmentally responsible if you decide to keep equipment like your old display, for example. One thing to bear in mind is that newer LCD models use significantly less electricity than the older bulky displays with an old-fashioned picture tube. That means that the green karma you gain by keeping that old display out of the landfill may be offset by the extra energy it requires.
Keyboards and mouse devices evolve in the marketplace far more slowly than other computer equipment, which means that your old ones may be essentially the same as the new ones you would buy. Holding onto the old ones can be a good choice, even if you just keep them on hand as spares. Likewise, an older printer may be fine for your needs, depending on how much you use it. For more information that may help you decide whether you should replace equipment, see our article "Computer Accessories".
With a little bit of creative thinking, even the main computer itself may still be useful. One obvious choice is to give it to kids-yours, your neighbors', or your relatives'. Letting them have a computer of their own is a good way to avoid having them change the settings on the grown-ups' machine, which can help keep household peace. Local schools and charities may also be interested in taking it off your hands-it doesn't take much effort to find out. It might even be useful to you in a different location, like providing Internet access in the garage, where you wouldn't want to use a shiny new computer.

Recycling old equipment

Unavoidably, there comes a time when any piece of computer equipment has outlived its usefulness. When that time comes, the simplest way to recycle the materials is to use a trade-in or recycling program run by the company where you buy the new machine. Almost all computer manufacturers run this type of program, and while they probably won't give you any money for your old equipment, they also probably won't charge you anything.
You can also ask about recycling programs at office-supply stores and electronics retailers. Some of the larger chains run recycling programs themselves, and others will have information that you can use to recycle the equipment yourself. It takes a bit of effort, and you might even have to pay for postage, but it's the responsible thing to do.

IKLANADS.COM

IklanAds.com is aired Service Ads for free via the Internet are online 24 hours a day, 365hari year. IklanAds.com also as a means and place information on buying and selling advertising and business promotion or business and your website is quite comprehensive and are not paid, except for premium ads.

Through IklanAds.com service, you can search for jobs, products, services, blogs, news, news, articles and web-site is very interesting, and whatever you want, but that you also can contact the owner of a service or product directly through the classifieds page at IklanAds.com. We always serve you with full dedication and presents information classified ads a very complete and up to date.

This corporate philosophy is to create a win-win-win paradigm in which all parties are profitable and happy. Our online advertising partners provide brand recognition and integrity, while our publishers leverage their premium content to provide qualified sales leads.

AdOptim offers a wide range of customized products and services to drive publisher revenue and achieve advertiser goals.
AdOptim provides publishers with customized advertising feeds and formats needed to maximize site revenue through targeted advertising inventory and innovative search technology.

AdOptim's advertising team ensures results by identifying fraud, optimizing traffic, increasing return-on-investment and developing brands. The team at Adoptim is dynamic and dedicated to providing our clients with the excellent service that they deserve.

You can always rely on our 24-hour, full-service technical support to answer any questions or address any concerns. Our service is already available in 10 languages and in more than 31 countries, with more to come.

 GOOGLE CHROME

Pasar Sistem Operasi bakal tambah seru karena pemain baru di pangsa ini segera hadir, yaitu dari raksasa mesin pencari Google yang sudah sangat populer bagi pengguna internet di dunia, Google memberikan nama untuk sistem operasi ini adalah Chrome OS dimana sebelumnya Chrome sudah sukses merebut hati banyak pengguna internet sebagai browser. Dari blog resmi Google inilah rilis resmi google tentang proyek barunya tersebut:
Ada yang menarik sudah sembilan bulan sejak kami meluncurkan Google Chrome browser. Sudah, lebih dari 30 juta orang menggunakannya secara teratur. Kami dirancang Google Chrome untuk orang-orang yang tinggal di Web – mencari informasi, memeriksa email, penangkapan pada berita, belanja atau hanya tinggal berkomunikasi dengan teman-teman. Namun, sistem operasi dijalankan pada browser yang dirancang dalam sebuah era di mana tidak ada web. Jadi hari ini, kami mengumumkan sebuah proyek baru yang merupakan perluasan alam Google Chrome – Chrome Google Operating System. Ada upaya kami berpikir ulang sistem operasi apa yang seharusnya.
OS Google Chrome merupakan open source, sistem operasi yang ringan pada awalnya akan menjadi target di netbooks. Tahun ini nanti akan kita buka kode-sumber-nya, dan netbooks OS menjalankan Google Chrome akan tersedia untuk konsumen di paruh kedua 2010. Karena kami sudah berbicara dengan mitra tentang proyek, dan kami akan segera bekerja sama dengan komunitas open source, kami ingin berbagi visi kami sekarang sehingga semua orang mengerti apa yang kami sedang mencoba untuk dicapai.
Kecepatan, kemudahan dan keamanan merupakan aspek utama dari Google Chrome OS. Kami sedang merancang OS menjadi cepat dan ringan, ke atas dan mulai mendapatkan web Anda ke dalam beberapa detik. User interface yang tinggal sedikit dari jalan, dan sebagian besar pengguna berlangsung di web. Dan seperti yang kita lakukan untuk Google Chrome browser, kita akan kembali ke dasar-dasar dan benar-benar redesigning dengan arsitektur keamanan yang OS sehingga pengguna tidak perlu berurusan dengan virus, malware dan keamanan. Seharusnya hanya berfungsi.
Google Chrome OS akan berjalan di kedua x86 maupun ARM keripik dan kami sedang bekerja dengan beberapa OEMs membawa sejumlah netbooks ke pasar tahun depan. Software arsitektur sederhana – Google Chrome berjalan dalam sistem baru windowing di atas Linux kernel. Untuk pengembang aplikasi, web adalah platform. Semua aplikasi berbasis web secara otomatis akan bekerja dan aplikasi baru dapat ditulis menggunakan teknologi web favorit Anda. Dan tentu saja, aplikasi ini tidak hanya akan berjalan di Google Chrome OS, tetapi pada standar berbasis browser di Windows, Mac dan Linux sehingga memberikan pengembang terbesar pengguna dasar dari platform manapun.
OS Google Chrome adalah sebuah proyek baru, terpisah dari Android. Android dirancang dari awal untuk bekerja di berbagai perangkat dari ponsel ke set-top box untuk netbooks. OS Google Chrome sedang dibuat untuk orang-orang yang menghabiskan sebagian besar waktu mereka di web, dan sedang dirancang untuk daya komputer mulai dari netbooks kecil untuk ukuran penuh sistem desktop. Walaupun ada tempat Chrome Google Android OS dan tumpang tindih, kami yakin akan pilihan berkendara inovasi untuk kepentingan semua orang, termasuk Google.
Kami mendengar banyak dari para pengguna mereka dan pesan yang jelas – komputer perlu mendapatkan lebih baik. Orang yang ingin mendapatkan email dengan segera, tanpa menunggu waktu wasting komputer mereka ke browser untuk boot dan start up. Mereka ingin komputer mereka untuk selalu menjalankan secepat ketika mereka pertama membeli mereka. Mereka ingin mereka data yang akan dapat diakses oleh mereka di mana mereka ada dan tidak perlu khawatir kehilangan komputer atau lupa untuk membuat salinan cadangan file. Bahkan lebih penting lagi, mereka tidak ingin menghabiskan hari mengkonfigurasi komputer mereka untuk bekerja dengan setiap baru yang keras, atau harus khawatir konstan tentang perangkat lunak. Dan setiap kali pengguna kami memiliki pengalaman komputasi yang lebih baik, Google juga manfaat dengan bahagia pengguna yang lebih sering menghabiskan waktu di Internet.
Kami memiliki banyak pekerjaan yang harus dilakukan, dan kita pasti akan memerlukan banyak bantuan dari komunitas open source untuk mencapai visi ini. Kami sangat gembira untuk apa yang akan datang dan kami berharap anda juga. Menantikan untuk pembaruan di jatuh dan have a great summer.
Nah siap siaplah untuk migrasi dari yang berbayar menuju yang gratisan, lebih hemat kan atau nggak perlu lagi pakai piranti bajakan.

Sherlock Holmes

Patung Sherlock Holmes

Sherlock Holmes adalah detektif fiktif berkebangsaan Inggris ciptaan Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Ia biasanya ditemani rekannya Dr. Watson dalam petualangannya. Ia terkenal akan kemampuan deduksinya dan kepandaiannya dalam memecahkan kasus.
Sherlock Holmes menyebut dirinya "detektif konsultan", orang yang dimintai tolong dalam suatu kasus ketika kasus tersebut dianggap terlalu sulit untuk dipecahkan polisi dan detektif lain; kita bahkan sering mendengar bahwa dia dapat memecahkan suatu kasus tanpa harus meninggalkan rumahnya. Ia sangat handal dalam menyelesaikan kasus-kasus yang tidak biasa dengan menggunakan kemampuan analisisnya yang luar biasa, dan sering juga menunjukkan kemampuannya ini kepada klien barunya dengan membuat analisis langsung tentang pribadi atau hal-hal yang baru saja dilakukan sang klien. Strategi ini, tentu saja, tidak pernah gagal mencengangkan dan membuat kliennya percaya akan kemampuannya.
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle mendasarkan penciptaan Holmes atas gurunya di Fakultas Kedokteran Universitas Edinburgh, seorang ahli bedah yang sangat berbakat dan juga detektif forensik Joseph Bell, yang mana ilmu forensik menjadi ilmu baru pada waktu itu. "Holmes" dinamakan atas Oliver Wendell Holmes yang sangat dikagumi oleh Conan Doyle, dan atas atlet kriket Inggris yang bernama Sherlock.
Sherlock Holmes tinggal di 221B Baker Street sejak tahun 1881 di mana ia menghabiskan tahun-tahunnya bersama rekannya, dr. John H. Watson, yang dengan siapa ia berbagi kamar selama beberapa waktu sampai Watson menikah dengan Mary Morstan pada tahun 1890. Induk semangnya adalah seorang wanita Skotlandia bernama Mrs. Hudson.
Dalam sebagian besar cerita Holmes ditemani oleh dr. Watson, yang bukan hanya rekannya, tapi juga merupakan penulisnya. Kebanyakan cerita Holmes diceritakan oleh dr. Watson, tentang penyelesaiannya dalam masalah kriminal; di cerita-cerita selanjutnya, Holmes mengkritik Watson atas tulisannya karena Watson menulisnya seperti cerita biasa dan bukannya penjelasan ilmiah.
Holmes mempunyai seorang kakak, Mycroft Holmes, yang muncul di 3 cerita, Penterjemah Yunani, Kasus Terakhir, dan Rencana Bruce-Partington.

 

SAINT LOCO - MARABAHAYA

Rahasia Dibalik Trik Sulap

Sulap adalah seni yang menakjubkan bagi banyak orang. Masih ada orang yang memuja-muja Harry Houdini, sang ahli meloloskan diri. Mungkin kita juga masih ingat gegap gempitanya Jakarta ketika David Copperfield datang berkunjung dan menurunkan hujan salju. Banyak orang yang terheran-heran dengan sulap-jarak-dekatnya David Blaine. Bahkan ketika mulai bermunculan buku dan acara televisi yang mengupas rahasia di balik trik-trik sulap lama, kita tetap terpana oleh trik-trik baru yang lebih muskil diungkap dengan akal sehat yang sederhana. Meskipun muncul reaksi-reaksi seperti ”Ya ampun, ternyata cuma begitu doang toh,” atau ”Sial, gue ketipu. Begitu doang mah gue juga bisa,” dalam hati kecil kita tetap mengagumi kelihaian mereka, seperti dulu kita juga kagum melihat merpati keluar dari topi saat acara ulang tahun anak-anak.

Tentu dalam kekaguman itu ada satu pertanyaan mendasar yang keluar: ”Bagaimana mungkin mereka bisa melakukannya?” Ada bermacam-macam cara, mulai dari penggunaan benda-benda biasa yang sudah ’diakali’ sampai pemakaian kostum, set panggung, dan penghasil efek khusus. Namun yang menjadi andalan utama seorang pesulap sejati pada dasarnya hanyalah gerakan tangan, tubuh, dan kata-katanya. Juga pengetahuan akan mata dan pikiran manusia yang tidak sempurna. Baru-baru ini di YouTube muncul sebuah tayangan yang mengungkap rahasia di balik trik sulap mengubah warna kartu. Beberapa orang sudah membahasnya, dan saya juga akan membahasnya dari sudut pandang ilmu psikologi. Dalam tayangan yang akan saya cantumkan berikut ini, cobalah untuk terus awas dan menerka-nerka bagaimana si pesulap melakukan triknya sebelum ia mulai membahasnya.

VIDEO POLISI GORONTALO MENGGILA