Transcript Everything You Need to Know Before Buying a Computer

Everything You Need to Know
Before Buying a Computer
Common sense talk- money saving
solutions
Dr. Jan Pittman Vanderpool
Email: [email protected]
PC (Windows) Versus Apple (MAC)
PC
Cost
X
Available Software
(Business)
X
MAC
Available Software (Home)
X
Ease of Use
X
Reliability
X
Vulnerability (viruses, etc.)
X
Desktop versus Laptop (Notebook)
Desktop
Cost (relative)
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Performance (raw power)
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CPU
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Portability
Laptop
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Screen Size & Clarity
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Permanent storage
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Memory
X
Definitions-Desktop
• Desktop computer-May consist of five or more
components;
– Main frame which houses the CPU, memory, permanent
storage, DVD or CD drive, video adapter, sound adapter,
Ethernet connector, keyboard, mouse, speakers and
display
– Non-portable configuration whose components may weigh
more than twenty pounds
• Review sites
– http://reviews.cnet.com/desktop-computers/
– http://www.pcworld.com/products/computers/desktops.h
tml
Definitions-Laptop (Notebook)
• Personal computers designed for mobility in five
broad categories as defined by size & weight;
– Netbook/Subnotebook: <10.5" x <1.5" x <1.3" @ <3.5
lbs
– Ultraportable: 9-11" x 8-10" x <1.5" @ 2.0-5 lbs.
– Thin and light: 11-15" x <11" x 1-1.7" @ 5-7 lbs.
– Desktop Replacement: >15" x >11" x >1.5" @ >7 lbs.
– Luggables: >18” x >13” x >1.5” @ >12 lbs.
• Review sites
– http://reviews.cnet.com/laptops/
– http://www.notebookreview.com/
Definitions-CPU
• CPU(Central processing unit)- This is the brains
of the computer and its power is generally
measured in clock speed (cpu cycles). Today’s
CPU’s clock speeds will exceed 2 GHz on
desktops and 1.6 GHz on laptops.
• Caveat-Rated clock speeds are not linear
measurements- a 3.0 GHz P4 is actually less
powerful than a 2.0 GHz Core 2 Duo
Definitions- Memory
• Memory (RAM)- non permanent storage
measured in megabytes (MB) or preferably,
gigabytes (GB). Desktops should have at least
2 GB of RAM while laptops may have 1 GB but
should have 2 GB of RAM
• Caveat- Windows XP can only recognize 3.28
GB of RAM. Anything more is wasted.
Windows 7 (32 bit) can recognize 4 GB and
Windows 7 (64 bit) can recognize 192 GB
Definitions-Storage
• Permanent Storage (Hard drive) – Unlike RAM,
data stored in permanent storage remains
after the power is turned off. Storage, like
RAM, is measured in gigabytes (GB). Desktops
should have at a minimum 500 GB of storage
while laptops may suffice with 250 GB
• Caveat- If you plan to store pictures, videos or
music, you should opt for as much storage as
possible (terabyte plus)
Definitions-Display
• Desktop display (monitor) – New systems should
have an LCD flat panel display of at least 19”
diagonal with a minimum resolution of 1280 x
1024. Higher is better.
• Laptops display – Depending upon the size laptop
the screen dimensions will vary from 7” to 19”
(too heavy) Minimum resolution of 1280 x 1024
• Caveat- The video card must have its own fast
processor and enough memory to support active
screens
Definitions-Display
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Screen size
– The screen size is the measurement of the displayable area of the screen from the lower
corner to the opposite upper corner of the display (7”-20” notebook, 15”-30”+ desktop)
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Aspect ratio
– The aspect ratio refers to the number of horizontal pixels to vertical pixels in a display.
Traditional displays used a 4:3 aspect ratio. Most new widescreen monitors use either a 16:10
or 16:9 aspect ratio.
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Native resolution
– All LCD screens can actually display only a single given resolution referred to as the native
resolution. This is the physical number of horizontal and vertical pixels that make up the LCD
matrix of the display..
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Contrast ratio
– Basically a higher contrast ratio will mean that the screen will tend to have deeper blacks and
brighter whites.
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Connectors
– Most LCD panels have an analog and a digital connector on them. The analog connector is the
VGA or DSUB-15. The common digital interface is the DVI connector.
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Stands
– Many people don't consider the stand when purchasing a monitor but it can make a huge
difference. There are typically four different types of adjustment: height, tilt, swivel and pivot.
Operating System
• Windows is the predominant operating system
found on PCs
– Windows XP-released October 30, 2001 and is
currently the most widely installed PC operating
system (est. >400 million worldwide)
– Windows Vista-released January 30, 2007 and has
been plagued by problems ever since its release
– Windows 7- released October 22, 2009 purportedly to
fix all past mistakes (installed on all new, major brand
computers)
• Mac OS X-current version code named Snow
Leopard
Manufacturers
• PCs are manufactured (assembled) by either 1st tier, 2nd tier or whitebox
companies (53% of all systems sold)
– 1st tier companies
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HP www.hp.com
Dell www.dell.com
Toshiba www.toshiba.com
Lenovo www.lenovo.com
– 2nd tier companies
• Acer www.acer.com
• Sony www.sony.com
• Sharp www.sharp.com
– Whitebox companies
• Your local computer store
• Caveat- Buyer beware; smaller stores may not be there when you
need them but conversely, may be able to provide you with
personalized service when you want it
iPad vs. Kindle
From $489.00 - $829.00
From $259.00 - $489.00
Kindle-Fact Sheet
Slim: Just over 1/3 of an inch, as thin as most magazines
Lightweight: At 10.2 ounces, lighter than a typical paperback
Books in Under 60 Seconds: Get books delivered wirelessly in less than 60 seconds; no PC required
3G Wireless: 3G wireless lets you download books right from your Kindle; no annual contracts, no monthly fees,
no hunting for Wi-Fi hotspots
Global Coverage: Enjoy 3G wireless coverage at home or abroad in over 100 countries. See details. Check
wireless coverage map.
Paper-Like Display: Reads like real paper without glare, even in bright sunlight
Carry Your Library: Holds up to 1,500 books
Longer Battery Life: Now read for up to 1 week on a single charge with wireless on, a significant improvement
from the previous battery life of 4 days
Built-In PDF Reader: Your Kindle can now display PDF documents natively. Native PDF support allows you to
carry and read all of your personal and professional documents on the go.
Read-to-Me: With the experimental Text-to-Speech feature, Kindle can read newspapers, magazines, blogs, and
books out loud to you, unless the book's rights holder made the feature unavailable
Kindle Fact Sheet cont.
Large Selection: Over 480,000 books and the largest selection of the most popular books people want to read,
including 105 of 112 New York Times® Best Sellers, plus U.S. and international newspapers, magazines, and
blogs. For non-U.S. customers, content availability and pricing will vary. Check your country.
Out-of-Copyright, Pre-1923 Books: Over 1.8 million free, out-of-copyright, pre-1923 books are available to read
on Kindle, including titles such as The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, Pride and Prejudice, and Treasure Island.
Learn more
Low Book Prices: New York Times® Best Sellers and new releases from $9.99. When traveling abroad, you can
download books wirelessly from the Kindle Store or your Archived Items.
Free Book Samples: Download and read first chapters for free before you decide to buy
iPad Fact Sheet
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Watch the iPad video
All of the built-in apps on iPad were designed from the ground up to take advantage of the large MultiTouch screen and advanced capabilities of iPad. And they work in any orientation. So you can do things
with these apps that you can’t do on any other device.
Safari
iPad is the best way to experience the web. View whole pages in portrait or landscape on the large MultiTouch screen. And let your fingers do the surfing. Learn more
Mail
There’s nothing like the Mail app on iPad. With a split-screen view and expansive onscreen keyboard, it
lets you see and touch your email in ways you never could before. Learn more
Photos
A vivid LED-backlit IPS display makes viewing photos on iPad extraordinary. Open albums with a tap. Flip
through your pictures one by one. Or play a slideshow and share your photos. Learn more
Videos
The 9.7-inch high-resolution screen makes iPad perfect for watching HD movies, TV shows, podcasts,
music videos, and more. Learn more
iPad Fact Sheet cont.
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Videos
The 9.7-inch high-resolution screen makes iPad perfect for watching HD movies, TV shows, podcasts,
music videos, and more. Learn more
YouTube
With the YouTube app designed specifically for iPad, videos are even easier to find. And on the amazing
iPad display, they’re more fun to watch. Especially in HD. Learn more
iPod
Reach out and touch your songs. View your album art full-size. iPad makes music look as good as it sounds.
Learn more
iTunes
Millions of songs, thousands of movies and TV shows, and so much more. Browsing and buying are just a
tap away. Learn more
App Store
You’ll find more than 150,000 apps on the App Store, and iPad can run almost all of them. Including
everything from games to productivity apps. Learn more
iBooks
Reading is a joy on iPad. Text looks crisp and bright. Pages turn with a flick. And you can buy new books
from the iBookstore. Just download the free iBooks app to get started.1 Learn more
iPad fact Sheet cont.
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Maps
See more of the world with iPad. Find locations easier than ever with street view, satellite
view, or new terrain view — all using Google services. Learn more
Notes
With its large display and onscreen keyboard, iPad makes it easy to jot down quick notes and
keep important information on hand. You can even email yourself reminders. Learn more
Calendar
Work, home, and everything in between. Your schedules are easy to read and easy to
manage on iPad — even all at once. Learn more
Contacts
With Contacts on iPad, you can see much more than just names and numbers. And you can
do more with them, too. Learn more
Home Screen
With just one press of the Home button, you have access to every app on your iPad. Learn
more
iPad Fact Sheet cont.
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Spotlight Search
No matter what you’re looking for, Spotlight Search can help you find it. Learn more
Accessibility
Universal access is built into iPad. So right out of the box, Apple makes it easy for people with
disabilities to enjoy all that iPad has to offer. Learn more
iWork
The iWork productivity applications that you know and love on the Mac — Keynote, Pages,
and Numbers — have been completely redesigned for iPad.2 So you can create great-looking
presentations, documents, and spreadsheets. All using just your fingers. And while they’re
easy to use, they’re also the most powerful productivity apps ever built for a mobile device.
Keynote
Create a presentation with custom graphic styles, elegantly designed themes, stunning
animations and effects, and powerful new features designed just for iPad. Learn more
Pages
Pages has everything you need to put your words into beautiful documents. Including Appledesigned templates and easy-to-use formatting tools. Learn more
Numbers
Numbers includes over 250 easy-to-use functions, an intelligent keyboard, flexible tables, and
eye-catching charts. So you can create compelling spreadsheets in just a few taps. Learn
more
Network Appliance
$100.00 Internet access device
http://www.sylvaniacomputers.com/
Netbooks
Typical configuration
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Intel Atom N450(1.66GHz)
10.1” WSVGA
1GB Memory
160GB HDD
$199- $459
Notebooks
Windows PC Notebooks
$299 & up
Apple Notebooks
$899 & up
Notebooks-Configuration
PC
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2.4 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
2 GB DDR3 SDRAM
300 GB Hard Drive
DVD+/-RW-CD-RW
15 in 1280 x 1024 Display
Apple
• 2.4GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
• 2GB DDR3 SDRAM
• 250GB Hard Drive /
SuperDrive
• DVD±RW/CD-RW
• 13.3in 1280 x 800 Display /
NVIDIA
Software
• Productivity-Paid
– Microsoft Office-2010 (generally does not come
included with the computer, just a 60 day trial)
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Word-Wordprocessing
Excel-Spreadsheet
Powerpoint-Presentation
Outlook-Email
Access-Database
– Adobe Acrobat –PDF maker
– Act or Goldmine-Contact manager
Software-Free
• Productivity
– Open Office-Microsoft Office open source software from
Sun Micro Systems http://www.openoffice.org/
– Adobe Reader 9.1-read PDF files
http://download.cnet.com/Adobe-Reader/3000-10743_410000062.html
– Avira-Anti virus http://www.free-av.com/
– Antispyware- AdAware http://download.cnet.com/AdAware-Free-Anti-Malware/3000-8022_410045910.html?part=dl-ad-aware&subj=dl&tag=top5
– Registry repair-Spybot-Search and Destroy
http://www.safer-networking.org/en/spybotsd/index.html
Home Software-Pictures
– Adobe Photoshop https://www.photoshop.com/
– Web Picture Creator
http://software.informer.com/wpc/
– Flickr http://www.flickr.com/
– Shutterfly http://www.shutterfly.com/photobooks
– Snapfish http://www.snapfish.com/
Home Software-Music Catalog
• Apple iTunes
– http://www.apple.com/itunes/download/
• Limewire
– http://www.limewire.com/
• Rhapsody
– http://www.rhapsody.com/home.html
• Napster
– http://free.napster.com/
• Kazzaa
– http://www.kazaa.com/
Home Software-Movies
• Windows Movie Maker
– http://desktopvideo.about.com/lr/windows_movi
e_maker/90641/2/
• Apple iMovie
– http://desktopvideo.about.com/lr/apple_imovie/
90641/3/
• Free video editing software
– http://www.desktop-video-guide.com/top-5-freevideo-editing-software-review.html
Home Software-Music
• Audacity
– http://audacity.sourceforge.net/download/
• Wavosaur
– http://www.wavosaur.com/
• Free Digital Audio Editors
– http://www.hongkiat.com/blog/25-free-digitalaudio-editors/
Educators Discount Sites
• Online academic sites
– Academic Superstore
http://www.academicsuperstore.com/
– Viosoft http://www.viosoftware.com/index.php
– Royal Discount
http://www.royaldiscount.com/index.cfm?stateful
– Journey http://www.ccvsoftware.com/
– Needsoft http://needsoftware.com/
– Gradware http://www.gradware.com/
Wholesale sites
• Online sources where retailers shop
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Nextag http://www.nextag.com/
Newegg http://www.newegg.com/
Froogle http://www.google.com/products
Ebay http://www.ebay.com/
Geeks http://www.geeks.com/
The Nerds http://www.thenerds.net/
Mac Connection
http://www.macconnection.com/IPA/Home.htm
• Refurbished computers
– Overstock http://www.overstock.com/