Samsungs N510 and HP Mini 311 - 1st Generation Nvidia Ion Notebooks Specs

Remember everyone, you heard it here first! (Not even those popular tech news/blogs have this posted yet! Most sites claim: "Full specs aren't available...")

Well since this is a "simple" tech blog, I'll break it down to you very easily. These netbooks are going to be the first to offer playable gaming and HD playback to those mini-netbooks that everyone seems to be picking up nowadays. It's the next evolution of netbooks. First it was the atom chip that allowed netbooks even be possible. Now, it's "gameability". However, the ION is not for everyone. It's a waste of money if you're not planning to be playing any games or watching any HD content. Check out the specs for each below.

The Samsung N510

Specs:

Processor	Intel® ATOM™ Processor N280 (1.66GHz, 667MHz, 512KB)
Main Chipset	Nvidia MCP79-D9
System Memory	1GB (DDR2 / 1GB x 1)
Memory Slot	1 x SODIMM
LCD	11.6" LED HD (1366 x 768) 16:9
Graphic Processor	Nvidia ION LE (Int. Graphic)
Graphic Memory	Shared Memory (Int. Grahpic)
Sound	HD (High Definition) Audio
Sound Effect	Mic Noise Suppression
	SRS 3D Sound Effect
Speaker	3W Stereo Speaker (1.5W x 2)
Integrated Camera	1.3MP Web Camera
HDD	160GB (5400rpm S-ATA)
ODD	No
Wired Ethernet LAN	10 / 100 LAN
Wireless LAN	802.11bg/n
Bluetooth	Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR
VGA	Yes
S-Video (TV-out)	No
HDMI	Yes
Headphone-out	Yes
Mic-in	Yes
Internal Mic	Yes
USB	(Chargeable USB included)
	3 x USB 2.0
Multi Card Slot	3-in-1 (SD, SDHC, MMC)
RJ45 (LAN)	Yes
Keyboard Type	83 Key (Anti-Bacteria Keyboard)
Security	BIOS Boot Up Password
	HDD Password
AC Adapter	40W
Standard Battery	6 Cell
Dimension (W x D x H mm)	289 x 199.5 x 26.5 ~ 30.3mm
Weight (kg)	1.41kg
Standard DVD	OS CD
	System S/W Media

HP Mini 311

Specs

Product Number	VT111PA
Microprocessor	1.66 GHz Intel Atom Processor N280
Microprocessor Cache	512 KB Level 2 cache
Memory	1024 MB (1 x 1024 MB)
Maximum Memory	3 GB
Video Graphics	NVIDIA ION LE
Hard Drive	160 GB (5400 rpm)
Keyboard	92% Full size keyboard
Pointing Device	Touch Pad with dedicated vertical Scroll Up/Down
Display	11.6” Diagonal HD LED BrightView Widescreen Display (1366 x 768)
Network Card	Ethernet 10/100BT integrated network interface
Wireless Connectivity	802.11b/g WLAN Bluetooth
Sound	Altec Lansing speakers
Keyboard	82 key (92% Full size)
Pointing Device	Touch Pad with dedicated vertical Scroll Up/Down
External Ports	3 USB 2.0 HDMI VGA RJ-45 Headphone-out/Microphone in combo jack AC adapter
Dimensions	28.9 cm (L) x 20.4 cm (W) x 1.98 - 3.06 cm (H)
Weight	1.46 kg
Power	65 W AC Power Adapter 6-Cell Lithium Polymer (26Whr)

more Mini 311 models here.

To control my obsessive gaming behavior in the past (hehe), I have limited myself by having my gaming computer as a notebook. Limited upgradeability, compared to a desktop, so I'm saving a lot of money by not buying a new upgrade every week! But I'm considering selling all the computers I have just to buy one of these... We'll see

Consumer Value & Smart Shopping

Some guy on a forum I go to said this:

once again, people fail to realize mobile graphics cards are MUCH weaker than desktop graphics cards of the same model number...

I responded with (there are some geek references but you'll get the point):

It's all relative. if you're comparing mobile graphics to desktop graphics, then ya, the 9600m is crap. if you're comparing the 9600m to most integrated laptop solutions like the 4500hmd or the Radeon 3200, then yeah the 9600m is appealing (especially at $585).

It's like comparing apples to oranges, it's like saying you wear clothes for it's function alone. Mobile graphics categorization does not equal desktop graphics categorization, duh. Laptops with discrete chipsets aren't just for gaming, it's a compromise of portability and power. Everyone has their needs, whether it be mobility, space constraints, style, functions, etc... And saying that the 9600m "is actually a very weak card" and that "people fail to realize" it, are very ignorant assumptions.

What you guys "fail to realize" is that you're enveloped in the marketing ploy set forth by these genius marketing campaigns that cause you to focus only on the speed and power of computing these days, that you've become critical of those not meant to be the fastest and most powerful. You don't see the computer as a whole, only what they want you to see.

It's the same thing with anything else we buy. Wake up.

But really, we all need to wake up as consumers and do some Smart Shopping. It's not about jumping on the newest sale or always using a coupon, it's about the value in what you are getting.

We buy to fulfill a need, whether it's "to be cool with my ipod, because everyone else has one", "to buy a netbook to lighten my luggage when I travel", or to "replace my 10 year old computer". Let me tell you what consumer value really is, it's:

1. Timing. Buying what you need, when you really need it.
2. Research. Knowing exactly what you need and what you don't.
3. Perseverance. We are all different! What works for some, won't work for others. Know what you need first, and then take into consideration what other people say, but don't let those smooth talking salesmen/woman, or even a cheap price, fool you!
4. Price gauging. To really understand a good monetary "value", you'll have to watch market trends in any industry. In fashion: what's in style for the season is what is going to be higher priced, and last seasons leftovers are what's on sale. It's the same thing with technology. Although the trends aren't easily marked from season to season, you can read about the up-and-coming technologies and then see the other side of the spectrum, what products are on constantly on sale (which usually marks the end-of-life of a product).

Apply this knowledge to any item you buy, and that should be a good start for smart shopping. I think 2) and 4) go hand in hand, but for the most part, I organized these aspects by level of importance, to me. Remember, everyone is different, so feel free to change or even construct your own ideology and criteria for smart shopping. It's just important that you have something to buy by.


A reflection of my perspective of smart shopping

Please view my previous, relevant postings about smart shopping (it seems that I talk about this subject a lot. I think I'm just tired of repeating myself to those who I help shop for):
Bargain Online Christmas (actually anytime) Shopping
Mechanics of buying for the future (and now)
DVDs & Blu-Rays: who needs em?

It seems that I was pretty adamant back then on my shopping ways, but I have grown. I respect other peoples values now (haha, I'm such a jerk). If you can afford the luxury of a high-priced Blu-Ray collection, by all means! I'm just the kind of guy who knows what he wants and has the patience to wait for it.

My friend Jeanne, asked me in 2002, "You're into electronics. Out of all people, you should have an Ipod!" I told her, "I'm going to wait. There will be a time, very soon, when they'll have a device where it'll be your camera, your phone, your mp3 player, and web browser." I knew exactly what I wanted. Then the 1st generation iPhone came out... but it was a touch screen (I'm a clutz) and it used iTunes to manage it's music (which was very anti-pirate/secure at the time). So I waited some more, until the Blackberry Curve came out, and I was in love! My criteria for my next mobile device:

• Mp3 player
• GPS
• Web Browser/IM
• Phone
• Integrated into a car console to replace the radio.

C'mon iPhone, I'm willing to give you a chance if you're the first on this bandwagon.

Quick Blackberry Tips

1. Always close your programs using Menu => Exit. If you don't the open programs will eat up memory on your blackberry. It will slow your BB to a crawl if you have multiple programs installed, especially on the old 83xx series.
2. When in doubt, pull the battery. Sometimes your BB gets clogged like a toilet full of crap and the only way to fix it is to pull the battery out.
3. Alt + L + G + L +G. This will bring up the device log. Sometimes a large log will slow down your BB, so make sure you hit Menu => Clear log. I do this before I do a battery pull to insure freshness!
4. Alt + Rt. Caps + Del. Same thing as a Ctrl/Alt/Del. Will soft reboot your BB in case of freezes.
5. Sync it to your PC at least every couple months. That way if you break or lose it, you can do a recent restore.

Must haves (IMO)

• Google Maps
• Google Sync
• Viigo
• Bolt Browser
• BPhone Theme
• BBFileScout (for advanced users)

Off to college? or Need some MS Office work done? Office Software and alternatives

When I was in college, I bought a laptop for taking notes in class. It was a whopping 8 lbs, with a rollerball, and 133mhz cpu! I thought that I would use it in class to take notes, but hardly ever did. It was just to heavy, not enough outlets for internet and power, and the transferring of files was so slow and inconvenient.

To transfer files back then you had one of two options: 1) Transfer it to floppy or 2) email it to yourself. Floppies were just too slow, flimsy, and unreliable. Emailing was an option, but only if you were connected to one of the network ports, which were scarce, and even then you were limited to a maximum amount of attachments.

Unlike most people, I have a multitude of computers, and internet technologies have made completing and keeping track of documents a lot easier. Boy things have changed! I watched as more power outlets were added in school to accommodate laptops, the adaptation of wifi access for students, and decline of the digital mediums. I have gone from using floppies, to emailing, from CDRs, to USB thumb drives. And now, thumb drives are no longer necessary to transfer your files from computer to computer, because Google provides an All-In-One solution for simple word processing(wp), spreadsheet(spr), and presentation(pres) needs, for FREE! Google Docs

Google Docs is not for everyone! Below I will discuss Google Docs, Microsoft Office, & Open Office and who it's perfect for.

Google Docs
Who should use it: Students and People who need something simple, flexible, and free. People with a GMail account.
Why:

• Ability to edit and save documents online. No more forgetting your important papers anywhere you go!
• No need for a physical digital storage medium to transfer from computer to computer.
• Ability to share your documents (i.e. note, papers, etc) with classmates easily (if they have a gmail account)
• Other examples.

Business Model Interpretation: Offer services to the people for free. And make corporations pay for consumers' usage through ads.

Microsoft Office
Who should use it: Business Professionals, Business Students, or individuals who demand more features out of their WP, SPR, & PRES needs. Individuals who mostly use their computer offline (if this is you, c'mon! Get with the times! Although Google Docs does have an offline feature). Individuals who need to have a name brand software and are willing to pay for it. Students who are required to use it in school.
Who else/why?

• if you need more features than those provided by Google Docs.
• if you need Word to make your resume look better using templates. Although, if you need a template for your resume, you might reconsider working on improving the content of your resume first.
• if you're a student who really needs it visit The Ultimate Steal.

Business Model Interpretation: Knowledge is a commodity. So we hire intelligence to work for us, snap on our corporate label, and make the consumer pay for it.

Open Office
Who should use it: People who need something as powerful as Microsoft Office, but hate Microsoft or are cheap. Individuals who mostly use their computer offline and are cheap.
Who else/why/other?

• If you need the features of Microsoft Office and aren't willing to pay for it.
• If you have the time and patience to re-learn the layout of your WP, SPR, PRES software. (It has a very easy learning curve and should be an easy transition).
• Tip: Make your Open Office save the default documents in MS Office software format.

Business Model Interpretation: Knowledge belongs to the world. Here world, use it.


Now that you have the facts, I'll let you decide. You should find not only what is best for your needs, but also, what fits your values. And if you have none, then download MS Office illegally, haha.

I like to think of Google Docs as Ralph Nader (Independent), Microsoft Office as John McCain (Republican), and OpenOffice as Barrack Obama (Socialist, I mean Democratic).

Keep your laptop cool!

Keep your laptop on a HARD SURFACE or a laptop cooler at ALL TIMES (especially if you have a defective laptop discussed here).



Much like a car, laptops have an intake and an exhaust. And unlike a car, the internal workings are packed into a very small area, making the airflow necessary. You cover one up, by placing your laptop on your bed or carpet, it'll not only block the airflow, but may suck up lint/dust/dirt into your system, which can clog up heatsinks, disable fans, and fry your system.

Rechargeable battery-powered devices tip

Rechargeable battery-powered devices (i.e. cell phones, mp3 players, digital cameras, laptops, etc...) - drain the battery fully and fast (play/record a movie) and recharge fully. Repeat.



This will set the batteries "memory", give you a longer battery life, and help prevent false battery readings on your device. Although, lithium-ion battery technologies have come a long ways where discharging is "not necessary", it is still recommended.

Best laptop for under $700

If you want the best laptop for under $700, this puppy will play games and kick arse at about everything else without breaking your wallet MSI EX625-227US

Quick Specs:
Intel Core 2 Duo P7350(2.00GHz) CPU
16" Wide XGA Screen
4GB Memory DDR2 800 Ram
320GB HDD 7200rpm
DVD Super Multi
ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4670 Dedicated Video card.

How to upgrade your blackberry

Hello Class, today we're going to learn one of the most important procedures concerning your BlackBerry, but also one of the easiest. As CrackBerry Nation knows, RIM is constantly developing and testing new software for all of its devices. So as true CrackBerry addicts, we like to keep up with the latest and greatest. Today's lesson is another step-by-step guide on upgrading your device's Operating System(OS) using the Application Loader method. We already have a BlackBerry 101 that guides you through the upgrade process using RIM's BlackBerry Desktop Manager software, but for many new to BlackBerry owners the AppLoader method is a bit simpler with less chance for error. Let the lesson begin!

Full Story courtesy of crackberry.com

Conficker Virus

Symptoms
In a nutshell, will scare you into thinking your computer is infected, and asks you to pay to have it removed. Newest variant may show no symptoms, except maybe a slow connection read story.


Detection

1. Conficker Eye chart
2. Detector

Removal

1. Microsoft Live OneCare
2. Malwarebytes

HP and Dell woes, Nvidia's fault

After diagnosing over a dozen HP computers with the same problem, it's amazing that none of the numerous friends, family, & clients are taking heed of the warning:

• HP admits 38 desktops have defective Nvidia chips
• Ten Dell models have defective Nvidia GPUs
• Nvidia in defective-chip class-action suit

The issue is not only for desktops, but for laptops as well, which poses an even greater threat because of the lack of space for fans that dissipate heat.

The List of "affected" models

• HP's list of defective products - link
• Dells' list of defective products - link
  

The Issue
"Arising from a weak die/packaging material set in certain versions... of MCP [motherboard] and GPU [graphics card] products used in notebook systems" (and desktops as well), Nvidia has basically created a family of products that do not efficiently transfer heat from MCP/GPU. Dell and HP, being 2 of the biggest computer retailers in the world, used these products in a majority of their previous generation line of computers.

The "Solutions"
1. HP's Solution - They have issued an free "Limited Warranty Service Enhancement" for it's defective products as well as a BIOS upgrade for those who haven't been affected yet. Please check to see that your unit is covered and:

• If you are unable to turn on your pc, experiencing a dead wifi connection, or no video please follow the instructions on the link above for sending your laptop in for a free repair
  
• If you are not experiencing any of the problems, initiate the latest
• And please join the class action lawsuit here.
  

2. Dell's Solution - If you are experiencing major problems, the repair should be covered under your warranty or the Extended Warranty, otherwise please perform the BIOS upgrade.

3. NVidia's Solution - Don't buy their defective models, buy the newer ones!

The Issue with the Solutions

• BIOS Update. The solutions listed above are band-aids for a bullet wound. The chips will inevitably fail. The immediate solution is to boost fan speed via BIOS upgrade to help prevent the chip from overheating. This upgrade is at the expense of the user, sacrificing quietness & battery life and does not ensure that the product will not fail. "First of all, it isn't a fix, it simply delays the problem to the point where the warranty is (hopefully) expired, then it isn't the problem of the OEM, and therefore not Nvidia's problem. " Read more here: Link 1 - Link 2

• Cover it up. "Basically they are trying to delay the failures until they can disclaim liability." Hundreds of posts have been made on their support forums that have mysteriously disappeared! To view a sample these deleted posts click here. Click the original link above and you get this message "The Message you are trying to access has been deleted. View more here, or type motherboard defective nvidia site:hp.com/psg/board into google.
  

I am 100% positive that there are dozens more models affected by this issue, but won't be covered for a defective replacement. If you notice the list of defective laptop models, most of the models are the best selling or most popular models. Since it accounts for approximately more than 75% of their defective model list, the other 25% is left out to dry. People who technical support will tell, that is not covered under their "Limited Warranty Service Enhancement Repair", because they are not part of the majority. I have to admit it's quite a strategy:

1. Deny it.
2. False security by a "fix" that only slows the problem down.
   
3. Offer a warranty to only the majority.

The minority of those not covered by a replacement will have to either replace it themselves, purchase an extended warranty to fix it, or wait until a class-action lawsuit is settled. Why?

My Theory.

• You get rid of the 75% majority by offering a free fix, and you appease the majority and stall a potentially huge, institution-killing class-action lawsuit and mandatory recall.
  
• HP's technical support and legal team can fend off the other 25% minority until they convince the consumer to purchase an extended warranty or until a class-action is settled.
• By that time, a mandatory recall will probably be issued and it will be years from now. The technology will be semi-obsolete.
  
• HP, Dell, & NVidia will have had time to mass manufacture a plausible "fix", which would have costs hundreds of dollars per unit now, and will probably only cost them less than $50/unit to fix it in the future.

I am appalled that none of this news has made headlines. I guess you can get away with anything short of murder nowadays: steal money from hard-working Americans by selling them loans you know they can't afford, or beg Uncle Sam for money to save your environment-destroying car company. Pretty soon NVidia will ask for a part of the bail out, and they will gladly issue a recall to fix their problem- WITH OUR MONEY.

Thank you lying, cheating corporate America, thank you.

My freeware favorites for windows

Freeware is software that is available for free on the internet, with no strings attached (except for maybe an ad to upgrade to the paid version of their program, which you probably won't need). Most of these listed are open-source software, software that has been created and maintained not by a single person/company but a community of programmers who donate their time to create most of these programs. Try them out by clicking the links below.

Firefox - If you're still using Internet Explorer... tssk tssk tssk. This is much faster, safer, powerful, & customizable.

OpenOffice - Microsoft Office subsitute. In order to completely replace Office, follow these directions, to save default formats to Office formats.

AVG - Decent/Free Antivirus replacement.

Spyware Doctor SE - Used to scan for spyware, one of the better freeones. Spybot is another one.

7zip - Use this to unzip *.zip, *.rar, & other files.

PDFCreator - Create your own PDF files by using the print function in any program. It creates a printer "emulator" that will print to a pdf instead of paper.

PDF X-Change Viewer - Uninstall that slow Adobe Reader and replace it with this sleek, fast, and & editable reader.

VideoLan - Play Divx, Xvid, & etc... w/ downloading codecs.

Winamp - Replace stupid iTunes w/ Winamp, less a chance you'll delete your songs on your ipod. And a lot more customizable. Not as user-friendly as iTunes though.


Google Week starts 2/9/09

Get a GMail Account!

For those of you with aol.com, yahoo.com, cox.net, sbcglobal.net, att.net email accounts, consider supplementing your email address with a gmail.com account.

I know most of you want to keep it simple, and therefore you have only one email account. It may be the one that your ISP Internet provider has issued you (i.e. cox.net, sbcglobal.net) or may even be the one you've had since you first started browsing the internet. But there have been an increasing amount of advances in technology that allow you to do so much more with an email address. Sure yahoo, cox, & others offer similar features to Google, but when it comes to simplicity and intuitiveness, all others are pale in comparison.

What you can do with your Gmail account:

1. Simple email with Gmail. Easy, fast, clutter free.
   
2. Easily share or email pictures & videos w/ Picasa. Doesn't get much simpler than this. Upload, edit, print, share your photos with just one program!
   
3. Read a collection of your news favorites w/ Google Reader. Read only the news & blogs you want, nothing more, nothing less.
   
4. Organize your life with Google Calendar. Be on time. Be organized. Sync to your phone. Sync to your Outlook. Your calender, everywhere you go.
   
5. Easily chat and video conference with GMail. Why download a separate program to chat, when keeping in touch is as easy as checking your gmail!
   
6. Create discussion groups & mailing lists w/ Google Groups. Don't you hate it when you email a group of people a question, then slowly receive hundreds of responses on your email. So hard to keep track! Especially painful if you have a blackberry and it buzzes every minute with a new response. Instead, create a topic, and discuss the topic in an organized and simple manner, where no response is ever lost in your mailbox.

Still not convinced? Then stop reading and leave this blog, you are no longer my friend. Otherwise, click here to sign up!

This coming week will be dedicated to exploring the Gmail interface and the Google features! So stay tuned!

Printers

Most of my family, aunts, uncles, mom, dad, & cousins, have more than one computer in their household. Along with those computers, they have paired it with a printer. Mistake. Printer ink ranges anywhere from $20-50 for Black & Color inkjet cartridges, and $60+ for laser toner. And with 2+ printers , you're spending about $80-240+ a year on ink (more if you have more than 2 printers)!

I also service local businesses to streamline office productivity and the worse case I saw was an office with two computers having:

1- Fax Machine
1- Copy Machine
2- Inket Printers hooked up to two different computers.

Instead, I found out that their copying machine was actually a multifunction printer/copier/fax, and networked that with their 2 computers, which replaced 4 machines into 1. Saving their office about $500/year in ink and toner purchases.

The same can be true with any home network. If you have more than 1 printer in a home network, in most cases (i.e. unless you run a business from home), you can replace it with one.

I want to set up a networked printer at home
So you decided that you want to use a networked printer at home. You can either buy one with networking capabilities (wired ethernet or wireless) or share a printer you already have. Let's explore the two options:

1. Sharing a printer

• You will need a computer to be powered on and wired to a printer in order for other computers in the network to print.
• If you are sharing a multifunction printer, most likely you will not be able to access the scan capabilities of the printer on any other computer other than the one connected to the printer.
• If you have more than one printer, and have trouble deciding which one you would like to network, and which one you want to throw away, choose the printer that is 1) the newest 2) the one that has the better print quality 3) the one you have extra ink for.
• Once you have decided and want to network your printer, follow these step by step guides: select for XP, Vista, or Mac OS. (and if you want to share on linux, why are you reading this blog?)

2. Buying a network printer, what to consider:

• Ethernet wired or Wireless. Both should be sufficient, but wired printers usually provides less of a hassle to setup and maintain.
• Multifunction or Regular printer. I recommend getting a multifunction for most home networks, with the added ability to scan and copy, it's worth the ~$50 more.
• Fax or no fax. If you need the ability to fax, and you are getting a wireless networked printer, keep in mind that if you do setup a wireless printer somewhere in the house, you will still need a phone wire to connect to the fax.
• Troubleshooting. Setting up is pretty straightforward, usually consisting of just connecting the printer and installing a cd to all the networked computers. If you need help, the guide provides a lot of helpful information or don't hesitate to call their customer service!

Another thing to consider: Inkjet ink is on average about $35. With budget printers at $25-$50 and budget multifunction printers at $69-99, consider buying a new printer to replace your aging printer, then share it!