Open source gadgets mean any software whose source code is made available for use or modification for users or developers.

The advantages of the open source gadgets are evident: since everyone can modify the source they are improved continually by software communities and the vast majority of open source programs are free.

Being free is a huge advantage sometimes you, the computer owner want to do simple, one job, like editing a document or a picture, and you don’t want to spend a small fortune doing it, so the free open source programs are your best friends.

The most of the open source gadgets were initially created for Linux owners, but in the last period of time more and more open source gadgets were developed for Windows. And in this article I’m going to tell you about the best gadgets for Windows users.

The free and open-source software that you should use are: web browsing – Mozilla Firefox, video player and video podcasting: Miro, instant messaging: Pidgin, e-mail – Mozilla Thunderbird, RSS: RSSOwl, peer-to-peer filesharing: Cabos, video player – Media Player Classic, DVD ripping and video conversion – Media Coder, word processing suites – OpenOffice.org, podcasting: Juice, sound recording: Audacity, photo editing Paint.NET, FTP – Filezilla.

I’m currently using: OpenOffice.org to write and manage documents, Filezilla for FTP connections, Paint.NET to work with graphics and Thunderbird to read and write emails.

Don’t aspect the open source gadgets to have as many features as the paid ones, after all you get them for free.

Well known are the open source Google Desktop Gadgets like: Google-battery (Never lose track of your power. Always tell you how much battery power is left) Google-calculator (Calculator gadget for Google Desktop), Google-cricket-news (Displays cricket news headlines and images), Google-cricket-videos (the same like the previous only it displays videos on your desktop), Google-desktop-sdk (Complete examples of using the Google Desktop Gadget APIs) Google-digital-clock (is one of my favorite desktop gadgets, it is obviously what it does: it shows time, but in a beautiful manner ),Google-flower-pot (It is a Virtual Flower Pot which will grow to full bloom right before your eyes if you give the flowers some water using your mouse like the old Tamagoci games), Google-moon-phase (Displays the moon’s current phase) and Google-timezone (Find what the time is in different locations).

For now the most used software’s are the paid ones, but the free open source ones come fast from behind. Each day communities of developers work on them for us to have a better experience and free programs.

Every time you use your computer does it slow to a halt, report strange errors or crash with a blue screen full of funny looking numbers? If this has happened to you then you can put a stop to it quickly with these slow computer tips.

Here are the steps you need to take to make your computer fly again.

#1 Remove anything you do not need on your computer. Many people keep installing one program after another and this slows the computer down, until it grids to a halt. Every time you install something it will use some memory, many programs use this computer memory even when they are not running until there is not enough free memory to run anything else.

#2 Remove any adware or spyware hiding on your computer. There are many sites that will download this malicious software on to your computer as soon as you visit them. You can protect yourself from this by using a good antivirus software and following these slow computer tips.

If you are seeing pop ups all over when you use the internet you are probably infected. Adware just displays annoying ads but spyware can steal away your passwords and other confidential information.

#3 Fix the windows registry. In 90% of cases the slow computer is down to the registry. The registry is a database or library that windows uses to find where everything is it needs to run. As time passes entries are added for programs you never use and eventually corruption creeps in. This is also where adware and spyware hide their entries to enable them to work.

By running a registry scan not only will you fix any registry errors and speed up your computer but you will be able to remove any malicious entries from it as well by following these slow computer tips.

Does the technical name of different component of a computer, such as RAM, processor, scares you off?

In this article, we will be covering most of the hardware in regardless of the form size (physical size of the computer casing)

Essential Computer Hardware consists of

Mainboard

CPU

RAM

Hard Disk Drive

Graphic Card

Power Supply / Casing

Keyboard / Mouse

Monitor

DVD Writer

Mainboard (Motherboard)

This is the biggest piece of hardware in the system. This is where various other essential components connect onto it, such as CPU, Ram, Hard Disk drive, etc, to it. Modern mid-range mainboard usually comes with add-on component such LAN port, sound card and graphics card.

As other hardware connects to the mainboard, it is important to ensure that the mainboard purchased is of high caliber and has at least the add-on component as stated in the paragraph above.

Central Processing Unit (CPU)

This is one of the computer hardware that determines the speed of the whole system. The other determining hardware are the RAM and Hard Disk Drive. Single Core CPUs are almost obsolete and are much slower compared to their Dual Core / Quad Core counterparts.

Usually a numeric figure is stated and that is the clock frequency, commonly known as the speed of the CPU. Usually the higher the clock frequency, the faster your data can be processed.

Ram

Known as Random Access Memory, are memory chips where data are temporary stored. By storing the data on RAMs, the CPU is able to process the data in a shorter period which leads faster execution of the instructions and tasks assigned to the computer.

Usually a numeric figure (in Gb) is stated and that is the physical size of data the RAM is able to store.

Hard Disk Drive

This computer hardware keeps all data permanently, unlike the RAM which will erase data if the computer is shut down. Comes in sizes of 2.5″ (for laptop) and 3.5″ (for Desktop)

Usually a numeric figure (in Gb) is stated and comes in various capacity.

A rough calculation

Assuming a 4 min long music song is stored in mp3 format and takes up 4mb worth of space in the hard disk. 160Gb will be able to store around 40,000 songs!

Graphic Card

As stated, this card is initially responsible for displaying images onto the monitor. However, due to the high rendering first-person-shooter games being produced, gamers will demand their graphics card to be better than the CPU. This is due to the fact that the graphic card will handle all taxing gaming images which the CPU was unable to process. To meet up the demands, even graphics cards are going dual core!

Power Supply Unit (PSU)

The life of the computer! This computer hardware sends power to various devices, such as the mainboard, hard disk drives, etc.

This is often the most overlooked hardware and is frequently compromised due to budget constraints. However, by cutting down on getting a good PSU, risks such as electric shock and under-current may occurs which could instantly destroy the mainboard and other hardware by providing the wrong current or voltage!!

Computer Casing / Chasis

Computer case is the tough armor to protect the dedicated various computer hardware.

Casing are important as they ventilate and regulate air flow to prevent overheating of the essential computer hardware.

Optical Drives

Commonly known as CD-ROM / DVD-ROM or DVD Writers, this allows reading of various CDs/DVDs. ROM hardware are only able to read from CD / DVD, while DVD Writers enables writing (copying of data) to the discs.

The latest technology for Optical Drive is currently Blu-Ray ROM will allows reading of Blu-ray disc. Due to the high cost, it is not widely included in systems.

Monitor

Is a visual display unit that shows images generated by the graphic card. CRT monitors that are working today are using older technology which consumes more power. Mainstream monitor manufactured are now mostly LCD due to their compact size and cheaper cost to manufacture.

LCD monitors come in various sizes, ranging from a minimum of 15″ to up to 70″!

Keyboard and Mouse

Is the hardware to input data and commands into the computer.

I hope that the above computer guide will assist you in having a further understanding of computer hardware.

For more information about computer, do visit S-Mall Computer Article Section.

If you are purchasing computers in Singapore, do drop by our website http://www.s-mall.com.sg

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Not even three months after its monumental release, Apple’s iphone is making really big news not only in the traditional media but also in the World Wide Web. iphone news have recently become more than just about features of the touchscreen-phone iPod. In fact, a person around the world search for iphone news even before the phone was launched last June.

When the rumors first came out that Steve Jobs’ Apple will be issuing an iPod with call and SMS capabilities, a lot of people have started calling it an iphone. With no official iphone news from Apple, many bloggers and tech enthusiasts have started discussing about the then-to-be-launched iphone. Soon, more iphone news was published in the Internet.

Truth be told, when Apple made the iphone available to public that very historic Friday in June, iphone news was indeed big news! Customers lined up for the iphone launch. The earliest was Monday, 4-days before the official launch. iphone news has it that many were excited with the product that combines an iPod, amobile phone, and even a wireless Internet device into one.

Apple Fans Love the Latest iphone News

Until today, Apple has never failed to give the Apple lovers and even those who think the cellphone is just hype with all the iphone news they want. The first week of September saw the release of Apple’s newest iPod models: the clip-on shuffle in new colors, the new fatty iPod Nano, the iPod classic, and the iPod Touch. The announcement proved to bring another Apple sensation in the media and the world. Just like iphone news, reports on the newest iPods are taking the world by storm.

However, early iphone adapters are disappointed with Steve Job’s statement that the iPone’s price will go down by almost $200, 3 months after they bought the $599 Apple phone. The change in price came with the release of iPod touch—an iphone without the phone. But 2 days after the announcement during Apple’s The Special Event, Steve Job’s sent out an open letter to the iphone owners that they will be receiving a $100 store credit reward. Now, the iphone owners are more than happy with the rebate after crying foul over the price cut.

Over the past few months of iphone news history, it is easy to note that Apple iphone is not just hype nor hysteria. It can be considered as a breakthrough gadget because it paved the way for many new hi-tech gadgets such as touchscreen phones, touchscreen MP3 players, and of course, the new iPods. http://www.the-iphone.biz

Are you looking for a place to help you kick start your shareware business or strengthen it? A place to discuss your problems with other independent software developers and exchange ideas with them? Professional software associations are here to do that and much more!

Depending on the type of business you run, you may join several of the following associations:

Association of Independent Software Industry Professionals (AISIP).

AISIP provides information and support to professionals in the independent software industry. Open to anybody that works in this industry, the association website hosts various forums on technical issues, book discussions and reviews, general topics (events, marketing, customer support, etc.) and community (non-business) where members can share news, ideas, opinions, ask or give advice.
Membership fees: 24 $/ year

www.aisip.com
Association of Shareware Professionals (ASP).

Created in 1987, the ASP now has fourteen hundred members world wide, its purpose being to promote shareware, improve members’ businesses and make it easier for computer users to find software at good prices. For independent software developers, one of the biggest advantages in joining this association is having access to a huge archive of resources and shareware know-how. Help regarding difficulties with business, technical or marketing problems is at hand around the clock, through private discussion groups. Also, there are experts that offer knowledge on business strategies and techniques, through monthly newsletters.
Membership fees: standard 100 $/ year, supporting member 250 $/ year

www.asp-shareware.org
Educational Software Cooperative (ESC)

ESC (Educational Software Cooperative) is a non-profit corporation bringing together developers, publishers, distributors and users of educational software.

The ESC web site features a download section, one-stop shopping for educational and edutainment software, The Service Guide – a directory of ESC members with businesses providing services other than software -, the ESC newsgroup, where members may communicate with each other and the public, a members-only web page with news, downloads, special offers, and information of interest to ESC members.

ESC membership gives acces to the Cooperative newsletter and allows participation in ESC’s Net Ring, a vehicle that can drive new, targeted traffic to your site.

Various membership fees, starting from $ 35 for basic annual membership to $ 1000 for Lifetime members.

www.edu-soft.org
Independent Software Developers Forum (ISDEF).

Its most important function is to support and improve software development and marketing, facilitating the creation and promotion of new products by organizing seminars, conferences and forums to exchange ideas and share experience in the field. ISDEF also organizes events tackling the problem of computer piracy. The Association’s self-declared purpose is to protect the interests of software developers and other participants in the software industry.
Membership fees: 100 $/ year

www.isdef.com/en/
Organization of Independent Software Vendors (OISV).

It’s a co-operative of developers, marketers, distributors and retailers that want to create better and more affordable software for users. Their mission statement is to create marketing, development and support paths for all OISV members to use as professional guidelines for success; to provide Web forums and Articles in which all members can contribute their thoughts and ideas equally; to help all members distribute and market their software using best practices and the experience of others; to help users by creating software that solves problems and is affordable. The OISV website features news, articles and forums organized in very relevant categories: Marketing, Distribution, Development , Web Design, SEO, E-Commerce, Customer Service.
Membership: free www.oisv.com