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Archive for the ‘Computer Hardware’ Category

USB Flash Drive – From USB 1.0 to USB 3.0

Friday, May 28th, 2010

There were just a few people who could imagine how USB Flash drives will settle in our lives when they firstly appeared. The technology was and is evolving rapidly. USB port version 1.0 was introduced in 1996 and was quickly followed by version 1.1 in 1998. As IT customers’ demand increases, it became apparent that the performance specifications of the port were inefficient. However, this changed in April 2000. We can sedately consider this moment as the beginning of the USB flash drive era as the USB 2.0 port was introduced. It greatly exceeds his predecessor in every way. The maximum transfer rate of USB 2.0 is 480 Mbits/s which is 40 times faster then USB 1.1.

Companies have come to the great opportunity and to thrive on developing Flash drives. With maximum read/write speed of nearly 40 Mbytes/s it seemed like an endless variety of USB memory sticks kept coming to the IT market.

Even so, nobody thought of it as a replacement for a floppy disk, but here we are in 2010 and floppy drives are no longer required since USB flash drives have overtaken all its functionality from booting (system rescue), through data storage, backup and transfer, to function as an installation medium. USB drive is much more durable, secure and has larger capacity reaching 256 GB which is over 150,000 times more compared to 1.44 MB floppy disk.

Year 2010 brought us another innovative step in USB technology: USB 3.0 – the most powerful USB port to date with an amazing maximum transfer rate of 3,200 Mbits/s. USB 3.0 flash drives were already introduced; ranging from 16 GB to 256 GB and covering the field of security, reliability and speed.

We already have USB flash drives with very useful features like the whole operating system on-the-go or special USB flash drives designed to store important personal medical records which may save your life one day and a lot more. Although it might seem like nothing else can be done to improve the USB technology, immense progress from the 1998 is a testimony to continued innovative efforts in further advancing and enhancing of the USB flash drives.

The future of USB 3.0 looks very promising and everyday thousands people are working hard on developing new ways of using USB memory sticks. Let’s see what the future brings us.

Learn more about USB Flash Drive and its newest technologies.

This article was written by Igor Balko – member of team which brought you http://www.usb-drive-flash.com

Kyocera FS-C5020N Toner Based Printer

Friday, May 28th, 2010

Overview

The Kyocera FS-C5020n is a color laser printer built to last for several years. Unlike many other printers currently on the market, the speed is fairly slow at 17 pages per minute. However, the Kyocera FS-C5020n makes up for its lack of speed in a very high quality output and a significantly lower cost-per-page print price than what you’ll find in other office machines of the same class.

Features and Functionality

Offering both color and monochrome prints at a 600 x 600 dpi resolution, the Kyocera FS-C5020n is considered a mid-line printer as far as capabilities go. That’s why the real benefits to this printer are found in its solid construction, large memory capabilities, and longevity. It offers a high monthly duty cycle of 85,000 pages and can be upgraded to hold a maximum of 512MB of memory. The Kyocera FS-C5020n is also capable of automated duplex printing. All these features combine to make a printer built to last in even the toughest work environment.

The Kyocera FS-C5020n holds up to 600 sheets of paper in its two trays: one 500-sheet drawer and one 100-sheet multipurpose tray. The multipurpose tray can be adjusted for use with a variety of paper types and sizes, including envelopes, legal paper, bond or recycled paper, and transparencies.

One of the best features of this printer is the low cost of replacing the Kyocera FS-C5020n toner. The FS-C5020n cartridges are offered in four varieties. The TK-512C cartridge offers Cyan toner with a yield of up to 8,000 pages. The TK-512M (Magenta) and TK-512Y (Yellow) offer the same high-quantity yield, and for Black FS-C5020n toner in the same size, the TK-512K cartridge is available.

Connectivity for the Kyocera FS-C5020n is offered through a variety of options, including a 10/100 BaseTX Ethernet, standard Parallel port, or a full-speed USB port. These network-ready options allow users to begin using the printer almost immediately, with the high-quality results this machine is known to produce.

Why Choose the Kyocera FS-C5020n Printer?

The Kyocera FS-C5020n is a printer built for high-yield corporate workgroup or busy office use. It is a bit costlier to purchase than many other printers in its class, but it makes up for the initial costs with efficient FS-C5020n toner and with long-term stability. If you need to put a polish on all of your monochrome and color prints, and you want to do it without any printer hassle, then the Kyocera FS-C5020n is an excellent choice.

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History of the Paper Shredder

Friday, May 28th, 2010

The first ever paper shredder was patented by the New Yorker A. A. Low in 1909, under the name “Waste Paper Receptacle.” Low’s shredder had a feeder and blades and could be powered either manually or by a motor; however, A. A. Low was an inventor with hundreds of ideas and even though designed and patented his shredder, it was never manufactured.

In 1935, the German Adolf Ehinger produced his own design, which was based on a hand-crank pasta machine, and was created after anti-Nazi propaganda documents were found in his garbage bin and he was questioned. This motivated him to create a device, which destroys documents in a way that they cannot be easily restored. His first model was hand-cranked, sat in a wooden frame, and had a receptacle large enough to take most sizes of documents; a few years later Adolf Ehinger manufactured a motor-powered version and it was his company that manufactured the first cross-cutter shredder in 1959.

From the time of the first shredder up until the eighties of the twentieth century, the shredders were mostly used by government and financial organizations; the Cold War provoked the need of securely destroying all kinds of documents in order to prevent them from falling in the wrong hands and during this time the market for paper shredders grew dramatically.

Paper shredders have also been associated with many political scandals or cover-up operations; the most infamous case in the United States was the Watergate scandal, where shredders were used by the Nixon re-election committee to destroy incriminating papers. In more recent years, the United Nations chief was accused of shredding documents, allegedly revealing large scale corruption in the Food-For-Oil UN program.

The home use of paper shredders grew drastically in the United States in the 80s of the last century, when the US Supreme Court declared that seizure and search of garbage, found outside one’s home is perfectly legal. This led to the rise in shredder sales and more and more people are using them today to destroy bank statements, credit card reports, tax documents, utility bills, and other sensitive documents.

http://www.paper-shredders.biz/papershredder/1/History-of-the-paper-shredder

Creating an Entirely New Computer Market

Friday, May 28th, 2010

What does one look for in buying a laptop computer? Ever since they have been introduced on the market, they have made an huge impact on our society. No longer are we tethered to a desk to accomplish computer work. Our society has learned to take their computer with them wherever they go. You can find people using laptops at home on the sofa, at a coffee shop, in a school library, at the airport, on a park bench, and many, many other places. College students today are expected to have laptops. Today’s professional world requires portability of many in the work force. So, primarily, the portable laptop computer has been viewed as a working tool.

For non technical people, laptops and computers in generally have been difficult to use because of their complexity. Most computer systems have their quarks and pitfalls that often leave the technical naive asking for help when they get stuck while using their computer. For many people, learning how to use a computer can be more challenging than learning how to drive. Drivers almost never have a problem driving a new car because the essential operations are the same. Pretty much anyone can switch from a Chevy to a Toyota, and then to a BMW without studying anything. Switching between software operating systems on a computer generally requires a good amount of time to learn what is different. When younger technical minded people go home for Thanksgiving, mom and dad never ask them to help them with their car but often they do ask their smart young children to fix their computer while they are visiting. The difficulty of using a computer is what is so frustrating for non technical people. Often, they see the power and wealth of information a computer can give them but they just are not able to bridge the gap and learn what it takes to effectively use a computer.

Now, Apple has introduced the iPad which will change everything. There is tremendous power and simplicity in this device. This device bridges the gap allowing the non technical to experience what the rest of the world gets. Many technical minded people look down on the iPad because they do not see the value of the device in accomplishing normal computer work. They are missing the point because this is not the purpose of Apple’s new product. The iPad is primarily a consumption device. This is what the non technical masses want. These people do not need computers to get their work done. They just need a device to keep pulse with the world around them. This is what the iPad does and that is why it will drastically open up a new computer laptop market.

David Price writes about laptop brands. He, also, desperately wants an iPad.

Clear Your Remote Clutter – Use a Universal Remote

Friday, May 28th, 2010

One of the most useful accessories for a home theater is found in the universal remote. If you are unfamiliar with its purpose, functions, and available features, this article will provide you with an overview to the device.

What Will It Do For Me?

A universal remote for your home theater integrates a number of devices in your setup. For instance, if you have a television, receiver, speaker system, satellite system, and a digital video recorder (DVR; such as Tivo), you would probably want to investigate reducing the remotes you have to one central remote.

This is where the usefulness of these remotes is seen. Most universal remotes include basic functions to control such devices. The remote will allow you to choose which device you would like to control, where basic functions can be utilized, such as power, channel, and volume selections.

Lower-end universal remotes involve a set number of codes that you will be required to enter in order to get the device(s) to work. Compatibility ranges with the quality of the remote. Not surprisingly, setup can be frustrating with lower-end remotes. In some cases certain devices may not be compatible with universal remotes (especially those that are lower-end remotes).

What to Look For

If you are interested in more control and convenience in a universal remote, you may want to look at a higher-end universal remote control. Typically, you can enter this realm with a great deal of control and convenience for $100 to $200, and beyond for more advanced models.

In these models, control is quite advanced. You will have control of more devices than in lower-end models, commonly 15-20 devices instead of perhaps 5 on a lower-end model. Repeaters can extend the range of such remotes, Bluetooth compatibility is seen, and RF-compatible signals are able to be realized in this higher-end market. Macro programming is a strong feature, where you can setup a number of devices to perform a function with the press of a button.

These models also offer many convenience functions. Backlit remotes, increase status information, and visual representations are seen on some higher-end models. In general, higher-end universal remotes offer basic comfort advantages, such as the shape of the remote and comfortable and soft buttons.

What to Consider

If you are considering a universal remote control, either of these options may be appropriate for you. First, consider what your budget will allow. For some a couple hundred dollars is not that significant for the money of a home theater. Others may find the convenience and control not as useful for their needs and budget.

However, many find this type of remote incredibly useful for their needs. With one touch of the button in many advanced models, your television, audio, and video signals can turn on, and you can also program other elements in the room (such as your video game system, stereo, and even remote-controlled lighting) to come on in coordination, or in a separate macro. The universal remote control may be just what you need in order to see increased control and comfort for your home theater.

Jonathan Adams
Tech Writer
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