I get a lot of questions regarding the functional differences between the laptop and desktop style computers. Apart from the obvious advantage of the laptop being portable, the differences are indeed quite minimal. Lets take a closer look at these 2 style of computers. (more…)

If you’re fed up with the hassles of running an Inkjet printer, read further. With laser printers cheaper than ever, its time for a welcomed change. (more…)

I would like to talk about the dangers of having an unsecured wireless network. An unsecured wireless network requires no password to login, and transmits unencrypted data between computer and router. (more…)

A router is an electronic device used to connect 2 computer networks together. A router is typically used to provide shared access to the internet. This is very common in both homes and businesses which contain more than 1 computer. The idea is very similar to splitting a cable TV signal. Utilizing a cable splitter, all of the televisions in the home may watch different channels at the same time. Applying this idea to computer networks, a router will allow all computers in the house to independently connect to the internet at the same time. Cool eh? (more…)

Aww, the famous ball style rolling mouse. They’re easily characterised by the hard ball which rolls underneath the mouse. They have been around for donkeys’ years, and have since been replaced with the more reliable “optical” mouse (An optical mouse has no ball underneath; instead, there is a bright red “laser” light). However, they are still kicking around in millions of homes and businesses. The problem with this style of mouse is that they begin to fail when the internal rollers get dirty. By failing, I mean that the cursor on the screen will no longer move fluently when moving the mouse. The cursor may skip, jump, or stop altogether. Thankfully, there is a quick and easy way to clean this classic ball-style mouse. Today we are going to walk through the cleaning process, and hopefully save millions of mice from being chucked into the rubbish bin (more…)

Heat is a leading cause of damage to computer hardware. Computers produce a massive amount of heat during normal operation. The heat is dissipated using a variety of strategies, including heat sinks and fans. This allows the computer to work at a safe operating temperature. If computers overheat, they are prone to random restarts and shut downs. In the worst case scenario, an overheated computer will simply operate until the CPU is destroyed. At that time, its bye bye computer. Lets take a look at the most common reasons for a computer to overheat, and some strategies to help prevent a disaster (more…)

I receive many questions about the mysterious Disk Defragmenter utility. People want to know why it’s necessary, and how it works. It is common knowledge that running the disk defragmenter will make the computer faster. But aside from that fact, defragmentation seems like a foreign word to the non-geek. Today we will dig deeper into the process of hard disk defragmentation, and hopefully answer some common questions about this alien concept. (more…)

By the time a power surge reaches your house, its already too late. Lightning strikes can be devastating and unforgiving when it comes to electronic devices. Power surges, voltage drops, intermittent service - these scenarios can wreak havok on computers. Did you know that even the slightest bit of static electricity can damage a computer’s motherboard? For this reason, computer technicians have to be very careful when handling computer parts; even the static electricity on your clothes can damage a circuit board! A computer’s case is designed to protect the “meat and potatoes” from getting damaged by static electricity, and physical trauma. However, it is no match for a voltage surge that comes right in through the power cord! (more…)