Taiwanese hardware maker Giga-byte Technology has stumbled upon a faster way to boot up PCs based on Microsoft's Windows XP operating system.Giga-byte's IRam is a PC add-in card with four DDR DRAM (double data rate dynamic RAM memory) slots that's designed to be used as a PC drive. Because the IRam uses DRAM rather than a hard disk to store information, data can be retrieved from the drive up to 60 times faster than is possible with a hard drive, according to Giga-byte, which showed the board at the Computex exhibition in Taipei this week.The IRam was originally designed for video and editing applications where users require fast access to very large files, but the company soon realized that the IRam had other potential applications, says Tim Handley, a marketing account manager at the company.Quick StartFor users who are tired of sitting around and waiting for their Windows-based PCs to boot up, they can install Windows on the IRam and use that as the drive to start the system more quickly, Handley says. When the card is used in this way, starting Windows XP is a matter of seconds, rather than a minute or more, he says.The IRam can also be used by gamers, who want to reduce the time required to access stored data, he says.The IRam holds up to 4GB of DRAM in four memory slots. The card fits into a standard PCI slot, which provides power, and it uses a SATA (Serial ATA) connection for data transfer.Unlike DRAM-based main memory, the IRam card doesn't lose data when the PC is switched off, says Thomas Chang, a product manager at Giga-byte. As long as the PC is plugged into a socket, a very small amount of current continues to run through some parts of the system, including the PCI slots. This provides enough power to make sure that no data is lost, he says.If the PC is unplugged, the IRam has an on-board battery for emergency power that can last up to 12 hours, he says.The IRam will be available in July and will be priced at around $60 without DRAM.Computex runs through Saturday.
I've used the service and it works quite well. I can find anyone's directory information if I can type it in on my keypad. Helpful hint. Most phones have something called T9 mode which guesses words based on what keys you type. It's a must use for this service as it is difficult to type all that stuff.
For example: I can type Pizza 93534 and it will text me back with a few directions. Use this service. Text messages are much cheaper than 411 which on my phone costs 1.50 per use.
While Microsoft's Internet Explorer has become the bane of computer security, switching to Mozilla may not be the simple answer after all. Security firm Secunia has issued a 'highly critical' advisory that details 10 separate vulnerabilities found in Mozilla, Firefox and Thunderbird. The flaws can be exploited remotely, allowing an attacker to compromise a system and expose sensitive data. Mozilla users are urged to upgrade to the latest releases of each application, which contain the necessary fixes.
(ed. Nothing is totally secure. Hackers have nothing better to do than to crash whatever they can get they're hands on. Just keep everything up to date, no matter what browser you use.)
This is the latest to come down the pike. Be very careful. Never open attachments unless you have verified by phone that it's been sent. Viruses can use your address book to send out and it would seem like the virus came from someone you knew. This one not only installs itself without your interaction or knowledge, it also downloads W32.Sykel and Backdoor.Nemog.C. Just be careful and update your antivirus program. It's your best defense.
I often get calls from customers asking if I could build them a computer or upgrade their current one. Normally what I do is I ask them how old their current machine is. If a computer is more than 3 years old I start talking to them about a new machine. To be honest, I can't build a machine that Compaq or Dell can sell online or in the stores. And after you start upgrading and factoring in labor it becomes even cheaper to buy new. Go to Dell.com; they tend to have the best prices. Or you can call me to assist you with your investment.
Thank you for visiting my site. My site offers much knowledge if you look around. However, I was wondering if you'd like me to offer more. Advice on new software or other such things. Please email me on the left so that I can serve you well.
Thus begins the Dr. Computer News Wire. This is a special blog that will make reports and commentary on events in technology and any peripheral topic I can think of. Today's entry will talk about security.
We recommend that customers update their virus definitions every week as needed. An excellent program is Grisoft's AVG Antivirus. There is a free version there that rivals it's paid competitors.
Also, make sure that you have these two programs running on your machine: Spybot Search and Destroy and Ad Aware. These two programs are completely essential to blocking those random toolbars from appearing in your browser and any other spyware that may be polluting your system. And remember in Spybot S&D there's an immunize feature. Use it or you'll be using spyware detection software all over the place.
Don't worry folks these three programs are totally free and do not have any spyware added to it. Other products may say they'll help your system, but as shown by this article in CNET Spyware cures may cause more harm than good, other programs, such as SpyBan, may include it's own spyware.
So watch out folks. The internet is like the old west. If you didn't carry a gun, you might not be shot, but then again you might. At least if you were packing protection, you had a fighting chance. It's the same here. I help my customers identify spyware and viruses, sure. But I also help them change the behavior that allowed the nasties to get there in the first place.
Have a good day folks.