One of the biggest challenges that face web site owners is trying to traffic to their websites. This is usually achieved by getting the best possible ranking with the search engines, which comes down to trying to get onto the first page of Google or the other engines such as Yahoo and Bing.
It’s important to understand if you are promoting a popular product or services you may have hundreds if not thousands all competing for that same spot. For you to get the edge over the competition you need to do some fine-tuning of your site with search engine optimization. This is not as complex as it sounds and the steps below can give you some guidelines to improving your site to get some search engine attention.
Step 1: Check the layout and design of your website
Whilst you may think you have an impressive looking website, it could also be at the root of your problems. Does your copy start half way down the page, making it more difficult for the search engines to grasp what your site is about? Have you got bloated over sized graphics that make your page slow to load or too much white space between the lines? It’s not difficult to tweak your pages to get them right.
Step 2: Have you placed your keywords strategically through your website?
Keyword stuffing can be detrimental to your site but so can lack of keywords. It’s no longer good enough just to put your keywords in the title and meta tags, you need to have a certain percentage placed appropriately within your copy and articles. Your critical keyword is ideally to be found in your first paragraph of text, and should also be used in headlines and in your hyperlinks.
Step 3: Text links and site maps
To get your site recognized and positioned you need to make sure that all of your pages are being found by the web spider when it crawls your site; which means you need to get your site indexed correctly. It’s important to include a site map in your website that shows all the links to your inner pages. Another good habit to get into is creating a navigation menu with text links, these are a lot easier for the search engine robot to follow and identify all your pages. On page search engine optimization is just as important as off page.
Step 4: Backlinks – Quality vs. Quantity
When you are trying to position yourself a highly competitive category you will need quality backlinks to your site, preferably PR 6 & 7 when you can get them. You will find that when you have good content in your site others are willing to link to you as it provides credibility for their own sites.
But this can take time to build up, in the meantime you can actively search yourself and start requesting links, the more the better. Don’t overlook that quality will outdo quantity any day in terms of getting your site a better ranking.
Step 5: Keep up to date with search engine rulings
Search engines change their rules quite frequently and it is important to keep yourself up to date. This isn’t as hard as it may sound, there are numerous forums and blogs on the net that regularly post information on the latest changes.
Subscribe to informative newsletters or join relevant forums so you always know what changes are in the wind.
Search engine optimization (SEO) can be complex, but following these few simple steps provides the basics for getting started.
Spring has arrived, and we're not talking about Spring MVC. This time of year everyone is ready to shake off the shackles of winter and start fresh. The time for spring cleaning is here! This year we'd like you to take a different approach. The fact is, many IT employers emphasize the necessity of clean code. If their employees work on a team it's often one of the most crucial aspects of a developer's skills. It's easy to slip into sloppy code writing or forget a few things over the years so even if you're a veteran at writing code, it might not always be as clean as it needs to be. Time to make a change! Here are a few resources we found to help you out:
1) Clean Code Bible: Okay, so that's not actually the title of Robert C. Martin's revered text on coding. Clean Code: A Handbook of Agile Software Craftmanship promises to instill the values of a software craftsman into its readers. This book helps beginners understand the difference between functioning code and clean code and reminds veteran programmers that there's always room for improvement.
2) Just Press Clean: Although your boss might not encourage it, using sites like Dirty Markup are a quick and easy way to catch your mistakes. Just input your HTML, CSS or JavaScript code and press the clean button. Although we don't encourage relying on this to clean up your code for you, it's a great tool for pointing out some messy mistakes you might not realize you're making. It erases the mistakes from your original code so it's easy to compare the original to the cleaned up version to see where sloppiness resides in your code. Then take the initiative to make adjustments!
3) Cheat Sheet: If you find yourself committing minor code offenses but don't have much time to study, review some online coding guidelines. They'll give you a crash course in clean code and are easy to refer to at a moment's notice. Just make sure not to use these as a crutch! They're great as a quick refresher but can be detrimental to your performance if you can't work without them.
Your front-end design may be streamlined and visually appealing, but that doesn't mean your backend coding is without clutter. Take time this spring to adopt clean coding habits. Your teammates and employers--both future and present--will thank you for it.
When Internet technology invaded the mobile phone industry, the sales of broadband-ready mobile phones grew to millions on a daily basis. Because of this innovative idea, 90 percent of hand sets sold in the market are designed to gain access to the World Wide Web.
The influence of mobile broadband in the modern way of life has made it one of the most successful innovations in the world today. Its ability to provide people with Internet access even in the absence of a wired connection is not just a genius business and technological idea. It also carries undeniable benefits which include:
1. Convenience and Freedom of MovementMobile broadband has set people free from being confined to their computer tables. Its ability to allow a person to gain access to the web through a smart phone is the greatest factor that makes mobile devices the most popular product in the world in the present generation.
2. Unlimited Access to the WebMany individuals need broadband access even if they are out of their homes or offices. A lot of people in the business world need to provide their main offices with updates about special assignments. News writers, bloggers and journalists need to break real-time news to the world - and all of them want to be the first to do it. But how can they ever be the first to deliver their goods without the amazing power of mobile broadband?
People who are looking to buy handheld devices are no longer confined to use them solely for text messaging and phone conversations. A majority buy new smart phones because they want to access the web with their mobile phones wherever they are. A lot of people even abandon their old units to buy new ones that are Internet or Wi-Fi ready. The concept of integrating mobile and broadband technology is indeed the work of a great mind.
3. Availability of Frequent UpgradesThe introduction of mobile broadband is proof of a technology that's growing constantly. People who embrace this advancement are rewarded with updates of a continuously improving system.
This will allow users to take advantage of new systems that are intended to make mobile broadband fast, efficient, and reliable as a personal or business tool.
These are some of the most important benefits of mobile broadband. It is true that at present, this technology is not as fast as the standard or wired broadband. But its continuing innovation makes the mobile broadband the technology to reckon with now and in the near future. It is in fact, starting to become a part of the lives of people from all walks of life.
I think we can all agree that computers and the internet have had a huge impact on pretty much every industry, and are the cornerstones of our modern civilization. It's amazing to think that people once thought of computers as a huge waste of space, and that they would never become popular. The past decade has taken these innovations and brought them into the mainstream with technologies like social networking, GPS, smartphones, and a whole lot more. It truly is mind-blowing to see how far we've come in the past decade alone.
We live in a unique and interesting time in human history, where the sharing of ideas and information is done at lightening speed, and innovative research is at an all-time high. The next 10 years are going to be one hell of a ride, with so many problems still left to solve - from overpopulation to finding alternative energy sources, from ending illness to exploring space - and we're only just starting to understand this basic fact: for all we know, we know almost nothing.
With all the innovation taking place in the world, from tiny steps in existing technologies to new, industry-changing ideas, it's getting pretty hard to keep up to date on the latest discoveries. If you're interested in a small glipse of what's in store for humanity in the near future (we limited our list to technologies we believe could be out in the next ten years), then this list is for you.
The Chemputer
This idea is still in the concept stage, but we foresee a bright, intoxicating future. Just as the 3D printer is able to take a 3D digital model, basically a file on your computer, and translate that into physical objects such as machine or gun parts, the Chemputer would take this concept to the molecular level and enable printing of pharmaceuticals. Instead of ink, this printer would use a mixture of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen, the basic building blocks of most drugs, as well as certain agents such as vegetable oil and parafin.
Imagine the uses: diabetics could print their own insulin at home, personal Chemputers could be used in third world countries to print out the exact needed drug at the right time to save lives. Obviously this would have a huge impact on the medical and pharmaceutical industry as well as drug research. With the chemputer, you would go online, download your medication and then print it out, all from the comfort of your home.
Next-generation biofuels
The world is coming to terms with the need to ween itself of fossil fuels, which are quickly getting depleted and becoming more expensive to extract from the earth. Biofuels can be used in the place of fossil fuels in certain cases as they're derived from biological matter like vegetable oils, animal fats and so on. Unfortunately current technology has created biofuels that rely mainly on food, causing an increase in global food prices.
Today scientists are focusing their research into next-generation biofuels which would be generated from non-edible sources such as corn stover, switchgrass, woodchips, and miscanthus. In 2010 biofuels provided around 2.7% of the world's fuels for road transport, mainly through ethanol and biodiesel. It is believed that biofuels could help meet up to a quarter of the world's fuel needs by 2050.
Graphene
Graphene is basically a substance which is 300 times stronger than steel and made of only a thin layer of pure carbon, making it literally as light as a feather. Each sheet of graphene is only one atom thick, and one square meter weighs just 0.77 milligrams. In 2010 the Nobel Prize for Physics went to scientists researching this super film, and in 2013 a 1 billion dollar grant was awarded by the EU to researchers in the field.
The uses of this technology could be revolutionary: Space exploration and the aviation industry would benefit from the extremely light and strong material that could be used in aircraft construction. Graphene could revolutionize electronic devices by enabling lightweight, thin, flexible, yet durable display screens, cellphones, and much more. Graphene would also revolutionize transistor componentry and solar pane construction.
Photovoltaic Glass
This highly durable, efficient optical grade glass will be used in the future to allow any flat surface, from the mirror in your bathroom, to a picture hanging from the wall in your bedroom, to be used as an integrated computer screen. Together with a household computer system you will be able to access the internet, control your "smart" house, and get instant information about your fridge temperature or anything else, at the touch of a surface/screen.
Imagine brushing your teeth in the morning and simultaneously getting your news from the bathroom mirror. Your refrigerator would have touch capabilities, enabling you to continue with the news, display favorite family photos or even video chat with grandma from your fridge door. Then move it all to the kitchen table with just a touch. Photovoltaic glass can also house solar cells laminated between glass layers, meaning that soon every window will become an energy generating solar panel.
DNA Data Storage
The discovery of DNA has led to humanity's deeper understanding of living organisms and viruses, as it's basically a set of instructions and information encoded into molecules. Just as mother nature uses DNA to store biological information, so too have scientists discovered a way to store and encode digital information into DNA, enabling storage of massive amounts of data in a very small space. In fact, one gram of DNA can store at least 2.2 million gigabits of information, which is over 450,000 DVDs worth of storage space.
Using this new method of storing data, it will now be possible to store all the data that has been accumulating during the digital age, and much more. Written, audio and visual information have all already been uploaded into DNA then retrieved by DNA sequencing. The future of bio-computing is here.
Driverless Cars
When you just start out, it's exciting and fresh. As the years go by, it becomes habit and loses its lustre. Driving is a part of life for millions around the world, enabling fast and east transportation of people and goods, but also leading to many yearly fatalities from wreckless driving. Imagine getting into your car, talking to the voice-activated computer and telling it where you'd like to go, then nodding off to sleep, secure in the idea that your car will be able to drive you to your destination without your help.
Well, not only is this going to be a reality in the coming years, Google is already deep into the advanced stages of research, and driverless cars have already logged thousands of miles, having traversed the windy hills of San Francisco, cruised over the Golden Gate Bridge and even run laps around Lake Tahoe. The cars navigate using advanced GPS technology as well as special laser sensors mounted on the roof to help "map out" the area around the vehicle. They know to stop when there's a pedestrian on the road, and to drive when the traffic light turns green. Say goodbye to your designated driver!
Visual prosthesis (Bionic Eye)
Just as technology has advanced to the point where the cochlear implant is helping deaf people to hear, the idea behind the bionic eye is to help the blind, or those with very poor eyesight, to see. Researchers are making fast advances in developing artificial eyes that would give sight to the blind, and prototypes are already available that provide grainy images. However, the eye is much more complex than a regular camera and complex software, such as missile tracking technology, must be employed in perfecting the technology.
We believe there will come a time when everyone will be able to see with perfect eyesight. That future is closer then you imagine.
Global Positioning System unit is taking a high toll in the latest addition of gadgets and electronic devices. GPS - Global Positioning System is a satellite based electronic device that provides information on time, positioning and weather conditions. Sometimes the satellite navigation system may not be re-installed but you can connect it separately to your device. GPS devices can be loaded in cars, mobiles, home computers, laptops, digital cameras or smart phones.
How the GPS device works?
Each device has an inbuilt GPS receiver connected to the GPS satellite that coordinates the location and shows the position. The security forces and security system of countries have become largely dependent on GPS navigation system. The military defense, civil, navy and aviation forces are using GPS systems to track, coordinate and regulate the locational activities. The excessive use of GPS to track positions has made it more vulnerable to hacking. Attack on Global Positioning System for hacking and hijacking is on the rise. Installed GPS devices have enabled easy hacking of smart phones, iPhones, laptops and cars and last but not the least is aircraft hijacking. Through GPS, jamming a hacker can get a complete remote access of the electronic device.
How Can A GPS Device Be Jammed?
The purpose of GPS jamming is to block the signaling and prevent it from working. To disable a GPS tracking device a variety of methods is used. Hackers using mobile phones and other radio signal related electronics devices can disable the GPS too and not only that they can replace the real GPS signal with a fake one. This will show fake locational position. These GPS spoofing gadgets actually send fake radio signals replacing the real signal transmitted. Many people tend to relate GPS signals with navigation. The use of GPS as a time signal has potentially made it more susceptible to GPS spoofing which poised as a bigger threat today rather than simple GPS blocking.
How do you protect your GPS device is a big question?
Ethical Hacking Institutes are building technically sound experts who can actually prevent you from hackers. These ethical hacking training centers run certified ethical hacking courses. You can hire certified ethical hacking individuals who can technically and exclusively device programs for you to protect your GPS system.
Interloping, manipulating or nullifying of a GPS device is a punishable offense. So be on your guard and stay well informed and aware if you are technically and professionally dependent on the Global Positioning System. Remember whatever GPS device you have it is always prone to hacking.
Whether you're a small business looking to install a better phone system or computer network, or a large business needing an entire revamp of your existing phone or computer network system, there's bound to be wiring involved. And who should savvy businesses trust to wire their building or buildings with new or additional wiring? Well, an expert, of course. But what does "expert" in the IT & communications world actually mean when it comes to voice and data wiring?
Cabling Installer's Past Performance
Certainly a business looking to upgrade their phone and/or computer network cabling will want to choose an IT/communications company that has several years, if not decades of past experience installing cabling for internet-protocol phone systems and computer networks. Just as important as years of experience is type of experience though. An IT/communications company with a number of experienced professionals that install network cabling on a regular basis is certainly going to trump one that has, say, a licensed electrician who is permitted to install communications wire but doesn't have the expertise to design a highly functional network. In other words, the benefits of a professional cabling installation by a qualified IT/communications company is more about the expertise of the person or persons actually designing and doing the install.
Building Evaluation and Costs
When comparing IT/communications companies to hire, cost of install is obviously going to be a determining factor in decision-making. One way to know if an IT/communications company is evaluating cost efficiently is to not only request a proposal of their costs, but to meticulously evaluate that proposal in order to determine what each of the costs actually are and if they're really necessary.
In order for the IT/communications company to evaluate cost, they will surely need to survey your actual building. Determining proper pathways and capacities are critical to performance. What type of building you're in and the available places for wiring to be routed are also crucial. For example, an old Victorian converted into a business may need to have its walls opened up in order to install conduit tubing that wiring can fed through. A modern building is usually already equipped with conduit tubing. In addition, conduit tubing may not even be an option in a building that has concrete walls. In this case, running wiring along the girders of the building's frame may be an option or routing cabling along a surface raceway system. Some buildings will have such wiring exposed (in which case the professionalism of the wiring installation makes an aesthetic difference). Others will have ceiling panels that hide the wiring, in which case the installer would then focus more on functionality and performance.
Experts at Structured Cabling Bids.com note that, "Contractors who look around, nod their heads and say they will be in touch are not what you need. Focus your attention on structured cabling contractors who assess the physical aspects of the facility, ask questions about how your company uses voice and data communications and then really listen to the responses." Therefore, your cost proposal should include not only obvious price considerations like the cost of labor and materials, but also considerations about the building itself and about best practices. Beyond that, new VoIP phone systems and computer networks have a plethora of options and requirements. Therefore, it's important to be sure that the IT/communications company isn't just selling you "the whole package," but is instead able to sell you only what you need (without compromising performance)-with the option to add-on later if upgrades become necessary due to business expansion.
Cabling Installer's Certifications
This one is a "no-brainer." Only licensed cabling installers should be working on your cabling installation, and the IT/communications companies your business is evaluating should be able to show what licensing they truly have. A "low-voltage" electrician is licensed to install phone and network cabling, but will oftentimes have no clue about the technology itself, being that they're not an IT professional. That's when having someone on the IT team with an RCDD license is extremely valuable. A Registered Communications Distribution Designer (RCDD) has licensed expertise in designing, integrating, and applying IT systems and their related infrastructure components. This means that the professional harbors the expertise to think ahead about your IT system in its entirety and create the best cabling design and computer network hardware design for your business. The RCDD licensee can make your IT system work, and make it work well, while maintaining it into the future of your business.
Location of Cabling Installer
Maintaining your VoIP phone system and computer network system going forward is best done by an IT/communications company that is at least relatively local to your business. This is because not everything in the IT world can be done remotely-especially when it comes to cabling or hardware. Your business needs someone who can, when remote access just isn't solving the problem, be there in a jiffy to keep your business running with minimal downtime. As tempting as it may be to go with a cheaper IT company that's farther away, perhaps in the nearest big city, going with a more local, licensed IT company is going to be the best decision for your business simply due to their ability to be on-site when it really counts.
Greg Wilkoff is the owner of Adept Networks who's specialty is business communication networks including
voice and data cabling. He's seen many business owners spend far too much money on
business phone systems that ultimately fail them due too incompatible equipment and network capabilities.
Satellite TV is a very complicated system, and it is fairly obvious because the state of art technology is built in a digital age. However you may always rely on information that can make your satellite viewing experience slightly easier to grasp particularly when you are attempting to have your own customized set-up. Let us dig into some of the fundamentals as you pull into the store en route to having your own satellite TV system.
When heading off to your local store, keep in mind that you are going to go along with an entire system. So with that in mind, listed below are the three key units for your very own satellite system. You have to get a satellite receiver which connects to your TV set, your very own handy remote control, and last but not the least a satellite dish that can boost your reception. And one thing more, yea you need to get a subscription from your local provider who can provide you access to the needed signal for your own viewing experience.
You can have a go at either a standard set-up or a cranked up high definition system. In programming your standard satellite usually requires a spherical satellite dish measuring about 18 inches. On the other hand you can go high definition by procuring an oval-shaped dish having a dimension of 18×20 inches. Nonetheless if you don't want to have a fuss with your system, the dish comes as part of your subscription package. A must in order to receive good signal is that the dish should be to be oriented in a clear exposure by the southern direction and ensure there are no man-made structures hindering its reception. Trees are also a no-no.
Since the digital age is upon your time of wanting to have your very personal satellite system, assure that the broadcasting experience you are going to have is something to look forward to. Gone are the days of the blurring and fuzzy output on your TV screen. The present domain for a satellite system is in MPEG2. so either you have crystal clear signal or nothing at all. Nature can play with your signal in some cases such as strong winds and rain and when lightning comes bragging around. Nonetheless these problems occur less often.
Well that's it; you can now head on to the store feeling assured and use your satellite TV basics.
CCNA and CCNP candidates hear it all the time: “Get some hands-on experience”. From my personal experience climbing the Cisco certification ladder, I can tell you firsthand that there is no learning like hands-on learning. No simulator in the world is going to give you the experience you will get cabling and configuring your own routers.
Whenever I mention this to one of my students, they always say it costs too much. The truth is, it is cheaper now to build your own CCNA and CCNP lab than it has ever been. The secret? Used routers.
The word “used” turns off a lot of people not many of us buy used computers or used servers. Cisco routers, though, are robust. I personally own a Cisco 4000 router that I use as a Frame Relay switch in my lab that I’ve had for about four years, and I’ve never had a problem with it.
The good news for current CCNA and CCNP candidates interested in building their own labs is that used Cisco equipment has never been more plentiful or cheaper. eBay is a good way to get an idea of what’s out there and what the prices are, but you don’t have to assemble your lab one piece at a time. Many eBay vendors who sell used Cisco equipment sell ready-made CCNA and CCNP labs for one price, including cables.
I asked one major vendor of CCNA and CCNP labs, www.ciscokits.com, what the most common questions are regarding building your own home lab. Here’s what they had to say:
Why do I need real routers instead of a simulator?
You need a physical router,as the simulators just don’t have the ability to give you the “hands on” you need to see what happens when you disconnect a cable or put a cable in the wrong location. You will come to find quickly that mistakes you make on Router 1 are affecting Router 5 all because you did not screw in a cable properly. No simulator can simulate that.
How many routers do I need?
Two routers really are required to see if anything works. If you have a very limited budget, you can receive value from only purchasing a single router over working with a simulator. However, you will not be able to see the main thing we are trying to accomplish. The propagation of route tables!
The only way you can see if your configurations work, is to have at least two routers. Therefore, I strongly recommend that you purchase a dual router kit that comes with all the accessories you need. Otherwise you can spend days trying to find all the little extra pieces you need to get your lab up and running.
Do I need a switch?
Well, it is nice to have. However, with only about 2 questions on the test dedicated to “hands on” switch knowledge, if you have to skimp on something, skimp on the switch.
What routers and switches should I buy?
Choices, choices, choices! Which 2500/2600 router do I pick? I will list some pros and cons of each router below, along with current prices (note that prices are generally lower if you buy a dual router kit instead of a single router). Please note that prices are approximations.
1) Cisco 2501 Router with 16 MB Flash/16MB DRAM $94.99. The cheapest introduction router, and it can support a vast majority of the commands that you will need to learn for your CCNA test. All 2500 routers that we will discuss come with a minimum of two serial ports and an Ethernet port.
You will need to add a transceiver to this unit to convert the Ethernet AUI port to an RJ-45 style Ethernet port.
2) Cisco 2503 Router with 16 MB Flash/16MB DRAM $119.99. This is the same as a Cisco 2501, except it adds an ISDN port so you can complete all your ISDN commands for the CCNA test. You will need to add a transceiver to convert the Ethernet AUI port to an RJ-45 style Ethernet port.
3) Cisco 2505/2507 with 16 MB Flash/16MB DRAM $109.99. The same as a Cisco 2501 except it has a built-in 8 or 16 port hub so you do not have to purchase a transceiver.
4) Cisco 2514 Router with 16 MB Flash/16MB DRAM $149.99. This router is the same as a Cisco 2501 except instead of one Ethernet port you have two. You may ask, what is the big deal? Well, you can use this as your Cable Modem/DSL Modem router. Now you can test your ability to setup a firewall and router in a live environment on the Internet. Lots of fun! You will need to add two transceivers to convert the Ethernet AUI ports to an RJ-45 style Ethernet ports.
5) Cisco 2520 Router with 16 MB Flash/16MB DRAM $119.99. This is the same as a 2503 but it also adds two more serial ports so you can use this as a frame relay switch later in your CCNA studies. It costs the same as a 2503, so this is a great money saving tip.
6) Cisco 2612 Router with 32 DRAM and 8 MB Flash $199.99. This is a modular router unlike any of the 2500 series routers. So the big benefit of this is you can buy extra modules to add functionality such as more serial ports, ISDN ports, Ethernet ports, WICs and such. However, due to the flexibility you will pay a bit more. One day it is a frame relay switch, the next it is your ISDN router. In the long run it will be cheaper than purchasing a bunch of dedicated routers for each
discipline you want to learn.
7) Cisco 1912 or 1924 Switch with Enterprise Software $109.99. This is a good low cost switch. The only drawback is it is a 10 MB switch except for the two 100 MB uplink ports. Not a big deal since you have 10 MB routers.
Cisco 2912 or 2924 Switch with Enterprise Software $249.99. This switch will run all the current commands needed for the test and is a full 100 MB switch.
And should you desire to sell your lab after you complete your certification, you can either negotiate a price with the vendor who sold it to you, or you can sell it yourself on ebay. It’s my experience that 95% of candidates who earn their CCNA go on to pursue their CCNP within one year, though, so don’t sell it too quickly.
In the end, you spend only a few hundred dollars, and you gain invaluable experience and knowledge that will help you both in your certification quest and your job performance. Having worked my way from the CCNA to the CCIE, I can tell you that you will learn much more from actually configuring and cabling your own equipment than you ever will from any simulation of the real thing.
Stock market news is all around us everyday in different forms. It's on TV, it's on ticker tapes in front of financial buildings, it's in the newspaper in the form of stock tables and it's on the internet. So how do you make sense of the all the financial data coming from these resources? Learning how to read the stock market is an essential requirement for becoming a successful investor.Here are the basics you need to know.
How to Read the Stock Market Tables
Open any newspaper to the financial section and you'll see a table full of numbers, arrows and letters. This is usually a stock table and it encapsulates the stock market's performance for that day as well as gives you past data for comparative analysis.
Although every paper's stock tables might be slightly different, in general, they all contain the same basic info. Here's how to read the stock market table:
52 week high: This figure gives you the highest price for a particular share in the last 52 weeks. It's crucial to be able to determine the performance of a stock over time and analyze trends.
52 week low: This figure will give you the lowest price for a share in the last 52 weeks (nearly a year). It's also crucial for evaluating trends and performance. When combined with the 52-week high figure, it should5 give you an accurate assessment of the stock's yearly performance.
Name/Symbol: This column contains both the company name and its stock symbol. A stock symbol is usually a 3-letter symbol used to identify the company in the stock market. You need to know the stock symbol of any companies you invest in so you can track their performance over time and also when you use the internet to find stock quotes. Companies often pick memorable ticker symbols, so for example, Genentech, a biotechnology firm, has the stock symbol DNA.
Dividend: The amount paid on an annual basis by a company as profit to its shareholders.
Volume: The number of shares traded today for a particular stock.
Yield: Yield is a percentage calculated as dividend divided by stock price; the yield of a particular stock may change on a daily basis depending on its stock price for that day.
P/E Ratio: This ratio is simply the price of stock divided by the company's earnings per share. In general a lower P/E ratio is desirable because it would mean that the company is a good value investment for the current price.
Net Change: The net change measures the differential in the stock price between its current price and the price the day before, and reports the change as a percentage.
How to Read the Stock Market Ticker Tape
The stock market ticker tape runs on TV channels, as well as outside financial buildings and the Internet. It's usually a quick glance at how various stocks are performing on the current day. It denotes stocks by their symbol, which can be anywhere from one to four letters. Some companies abbreviate their business name, so Google's symbol is GOOG, while other companies use their entire name, such as NIKE.
The ticker generally also shows either a green arrow, indicating increase in stock price, or a red arrow indicating a decrease in stock price followed by a percentage figure denoting the amount of change in stock price for the day's trading.
Both stock tables and stock tickers are helpful for an investor to monitor and track stock performance. Knowing how to read the stock market is crucial for any investor because stock investing is all about making and then monitoring your investment so you can tweak your stock portfolio to optimal market conditions.
Best Online Stock Trading Platforms Reviewed
When it comes to choosing the best online stock trading platforms that are available to investors today, it is best to research the trading platforms that are well-known and reputable. An investor should never take a chance with some stock trading platform that nobody has ever heard of. There are enough risks in trading stocks and there is no need to make things any more difficult than need be. When comparing stock trading platforms it is often helpful for a stock investor to make a list of things that are important to them as a stock market trader. (i.e. cost of trades, stock research tools, ability to mobile trade, initial deposit required, etc...)
Popular Stock Trading Platforms & Services
Benefits offered by best online stock brokers:
- Scottrade - Scottrade has been one of the top investing platforms online for years now and is a good option for most stock market investors. $500 minimum deposit to fund your investing account. No opening or maintenance fees are involved with your Scottrade account. Easy to open an account or transfer a brokerage account from another broker. Online trades are just $7 for stocks that are priced $1 and above regardless of frequency or your account balance. Trade options for just $7 plus $1.25 per contract for market and limit orders. Trade as often as you like without worrying about hidden fees. Easily monitor your investment account, research and trade from any Internet-enabled mobile devices. Research the stock market and get quick stock quotes. Stay up-to-the-minute with complimentary Dow Jones News.
- E-Trade - E-Trade is another big player in the online stock market trading area and has been for over 20 years. Setting up an account on E-Trade takes about 10 minutes and you can trade free for 60 days. Easy, intuitive online investing and 24/7 customer service. $9.99 and less for stock and options trades. Over 8,000 mutual funds and 30,000 bonds available for trading. Innovative investing & trading tools to help investors make better trades. You get free independent research and a huge resource of investing information educational resources. Stocks, options, futures and Forex. Whatever you desire to trade, ETrade has you covered.regardless of account balance or how many shares you buy and zero maintenance fees. Trade free up to 60 days and get up to $600 in your account. Independent, objective investing research from S&P Capital IQ, Morningstar Associates, and ResearchTeam. Easy to use online trading tools. In business over 35 years, TD Ameritrade is a favorite among online investors.
The above online stock brokers are all reputable online businesses and have excellent reviews for thousands of stock traders. It is hard to go wrong by choosing one of best online stock trading platforms available and will make your future investments easier, more profitable, and more manageable than ever before.
XP Antispyware Pro 2013 is a rogue antivirus that belongs to Fake Rean/Braviax family. It targets computers having Windows XP operating system. As all of this family rogues, XP Antispyware Pro 2013 is known to disable existing computer security, legitimate programs and browser sessions. The aim of this fake antivirus program is to trick people's money away by trying to convince an infected computer user that her PC is badly damaged. Since cyber criminals use prepaid payment systems for collecting money, it is particularly difficult to trace the amounts paid.
For those not familiar with fake AV it might be difficult to identify that a computer is infected. XP Antispyware Pro 2013, just like many rogue AVs, shares several main features:
- its graphic user's interface (GUI) looks professional in order to create an impression of a legitimate antivirus;
- after infiltrating into the system fake AV imitates a computer scan and presents a list of threats found;
- as a solution to any of the problems found rogue AV offers purchase of its full version.
XP Antispyware Pro 2013 might get installed after browsing through corrupted websites and pressing on advertisements. It is also distributed in attachments of spam e-mails. Malware uses Adobe, Java or other software vulnerabilities to get inside a computer. In a case of infection, you should
remove XP Antispyware Pro 2013 as soon as noticed. There are reputable antivirus and antispyware tools available. If one tool is not enough to get rid of rogue AV, use multiple tools.
To protect your computer from XP Antispyware Pro 2013 attacks you should follow safe computer usage and internet browsing tips. An advice number one listed on many Lists is reliable and legitimate antivirus software. But it is not enough to have it. You must check regularly if your computer security is up to date. Also make sure that your computer operating system is updated. Another point to consider is having your web browser up to date since fixes of security holes are being identified and eliminated constantly. It is not recommended to download shareware or freeware files from untrustworthy sources because these might be a reason of many infections. In a case of downloading a file, you should scan it first before using it. When navigating through the Internet, leave the webpage if it looks suspicious. Note that even those pages that you use regularly and have been safe before might be infected one day. If you let other people use your computer, create another account for this with limited rights especially when it concerns downloading and installing of programs.
These tips should help to protect your computer from most of malwares including XP Antispyware Pro 2013.
The Rise of the Tablet Computer
Few electronic devices have enjoyed the rapid surge in popularity and usage that tablet computers have. Many consumers consider the January 27, 2010 announcement of the launch of Apple's iPad by the late Steve Jobs as the birthdate of the tablet computer, however, tablets as we know them today have existed for over 20 years.
According to Techradar, the first real tablet computer was the GRIDPad, launched in 1989. This basic, mono-color portable computing device had a 10-inch screen and boasted 3-hours of battery life, however, the whopping $2,400 price tag kept this early tablet out of reach for the average user. Since that time, tablet-like touchscreen devices such as PDA's gained in popularity, proving to computer companies that there was strong demand for portable computing devices. In 2007, the Amazon Kindle was launched, introducing readers to a portable, paperless way to read their favorite books.
Tablets now rank among the most popular electronic devices throughout the world. Techcruch reports that eMarketer estimates there were approximately 13 million U.S. tablet users in 2010, 33.7 million in 2011 and an estimated 54.8 million in 2012. According to this report, the number of Americans who use devices like the Microsoft Surface, Apple iPad and the Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 will grow to 90 million by 2014, meaning that about half of all American adults will own a tablet device within a few years.
What Makes Tablets So Popular?
Tablet computing has become wildly popular among a broad range of consumers, with everyone from schoolchildren to senior citizens using tablets at school, home and work. According to a June 2012 report from the Online Publishers Association (OPA), "tablet usage is exploding", with content consumption (watching movies, reading e-books, buying apps and shopping) being the most common reason why people use tablets.
Just How Popular Are Tablets?
Research by the OPA revealed that tablet owners use their tablets a lot - spending an average of 14 hours every week on their devices. Most tablets are used to access information on the Internet, with checking email, game playing, social networking and media consumption also ranking among the most frequent uses of tablet computers.
Tablet computers have even become a fixture in fast food restaurants, with a Virginia Beach McDonald's offering up free Apple iPad use with their fries, burgers and shakes.
Tablets, Wi-Fi & The Cloud - A Perfect Match
While the portability and affordability and functionality of tablet devices are often cited as the main reasons why these devices have gained such widespread acceptance among all consumer groups, without Wi-Fi, tablet computing would not exist. Tablet computers rely on wireless Internet connections using either Wi-Fi or 3G/4G cellular to connect users with their favorite websites, email and work servers.
Along with Wi-Fi, the advent of cloud-based computing has helped spur on the popularity of tablets, since many of these portable devices have relatively little onboard memory. Thanks to cloud computing, tablet users can store their favorite movies, music, photos and digital files on remote servers, accessing these files on demand via the Internet. This means that tablet computers do not need to have large, bulky hard drives onboard. This helps to reduce the cost of tablets, making them lighter and more portable while extending the battery life, adding to the portability of these devices.
Are Tablets and E-Readers Replacing Books?
According to a recent infographic released by Mashable, e-readers like the
Amazon Kindle are surging in popularity, with e-book readership nearly doubling between 2011 and 2012. In 2011, over 40 percent of American adults read an e-book on a tablet, smartphone or e-reader.
While some critics believe that tablets and e-readers could lead to the end of traditional paper-based books and magazines, others point to the benefits of the rise of e-reading. Mashable reports that e-book devices and tablets actually increases readership of novels, non-fiction e-books and publications, with owners of devices like the Amazon Kindle reading nearly twice as many books each year than readers of traditional-style books. Among those who use a tablet to read on, 25 percent do so to learn or gain new information, a promising statistic for the future of writers and publishers who feared obsolescence with the decline of paper-based book sales.
What's Next?
Industry watchers predict that tablet use will continue to grow, and in many households even replace traditional desktop and laptop computers. As these portable computers continue to become more powerful and affordable, tech companies will focus on building more apps and designing even more advanced devices. Tablets generally cost about the same, or in some cases, less than either desktop or laptop computers, leading many consumers to consider replacing their current computer with a tablet device.
Tablet computers such as the Apple iPad and the Microsoft Surface are leading the way among mobile devices that allow everyone to stay connected using the Internet, no matter where they work, live or play. While the traditional PC will endure in many homes, schools and businesses, consumers can expect to see tablets everywhere from their local hospital to schools, churches and libraries.
That New Computer Smell
If you are like most people when they go out and buy a new Personal Computer you probably get excited when you take it out of the box, turn it on and marvel at how fast it runs. When a computer is new it always seems to run faster and boot up quicker than your old computer. The applications and games seem to run without any slow down and when you get on the internet the pages load instantly on the screen, and you can quickly surf from one website to another. Overtime though, your computer can slow down and not run as quickly as it did when it was new.
This slow down can occur for a variety of reasons and when it happens it can be frustrating and spoil your computing experience. Often times when this happens it can be corrected by either cleaning up your hard drive, or running some diagnostics. Perhaps the computer has a virus and once you remove the virus, performance can be restored. What do you do though if you have done all those things and your computer is still running slow?
If your computer is running slow even after you have removed any viruses and attempted to improve system performance, it could mean that the demands you are now placing on your computer have exceeded the computer's capability.
As we use our computers we tend to install new software applications and attempt to run more applications simultaneously. The new software we install can require greater computer resources such as more computer memory and a faster CPU, or central processing unit to run the software applications or games properly.
If you are like me you like to have multiple software applications running or multiple internet browser windows open at the same time and that can utilize greater amounts of computer resources as well. The more resources you use, the slower the computer will run.
This is a constant problem in computing because computer technology doubles roughly every 18 months. In a demand for more feature rich software applications, software developers create more resource consuming software programs. To meet the increased demands of the software, computer manufacturers continue to build faster, more expensive computers. This, in my opinion, is a vicious cycle where in order to maintain a fast and enjoyable computing experience, the computer user is forced to go out and buy a new computer every few years.
Fortunately for me I have never had to worry about that problem. I am a certified computer professional and have been building and repairing computers for over 15 years. When I want a faster computer I do not go out and buy a new expensive computer. I have learned how to break the new computer buying cycle by upgrading my computer. By upgrading my computer rather than buying new, I can simply make myself a faster computer at a fraction of the cost.
You can break the computer buying cycle too and you do not have to be a computer professional like me to do it. You only need to know a few things about computers, be handy with a screw driver and be able to follow a few simple instructions; but before you begin to think about upgrading your computer, it might be important to get a brief overview on how a computer works.
Computer Basics
Computers are made up of a combination of hardware and software working together. When you aren't familiar with how a computer functions then they can seem very complex. You can reduce that complexity, once you understand how a computer works at a basic level.
At its most basic level a computer receives input and produces output. A computer receives input through input devices such as the keyboard and mouse (hardware). Every time we click the mouse on a link or move the mouse across the screen we are giving the computer input or an instruction to do something.
The computer receives the input as an electronic signal created by the mouse click or keystroke on the keyboard. This signal is transmitted through the computer and is converted into digital data where it can be interpreted as an instruction by the operating system, software application or game.(software)
The computer processes digital instruction data and produces output as either an image or words on the computer screen or perhaps as a printout on a printer.
What makes a computer fast is its ability to receive input, and produce output quickly. There are several components a computer needs in order to function but there are three primary components that directly affect how fast a computer can operate.
The three primary computer components which handle the processing of input and make a computer fast are the:
- Motherboard or Main System board
- CPU or Central Processing Unit
- RAM or Random Access Memory
he Motherboard
Without getting too technical, the Motherboard is the computer component that connects all the hardware together on the computer. You could think of the Motherboard as a data freeway that links together all the components of the computer and allows them to transmit
data between each other and and communicate.
Every computer component on the computer connects to the Motherboard either by being connected directly to the Motherboard or connecting via a data cable. The devices or components that connect to the Motherboard are the CPU, RAM Memory, Hard Drive, CD ROM/DVD drive, Video Card, Sound Card, Network Card, Modem, Key Board, Mouse and Monitor.
There are additional peripheral devices which can connect to the Motherboard as well through a variety of data ports which are connected to the Motherboard such as a printer, digital camera, microphone, and even a HDTV. These devices can connect to the Motherboard using one of several ports such as a USB, Parallel, Fire-Wire, SATA (Serial-ATA), or HDMI (High Definition Multimedia Interface) port.
In short the Motherboard provided the data communication infrastructure which allows communication between all the devices. What makes one Motherboard faster than another is the volume of data it can support being transmitted across what is called it's data BUS and the speed at which it can transmit the data. One way to think of it is in terms of a street. Think of the data bus as a street and the data are like cars driving down the street. Older Motherboards communication was the equivalent of a two way two lane street with a speed limit of 25 MPH. Today the new Motherboards are like 8 lane highways with 200MPH speed limits.
New Motherboards are faster because they can allow more data traffic at higher speeds.
The CPU
The CPU or Processor is the brain of the computer. The CPU carries out all the instructions that you in conjunction with the Operating System, like Windows XP or Windows 7, asks it to do. CPUs can only carry out one instruction at a time but they do it so fast it seems like they are doing multiple tasks at one time or "Multitasking".
Newer CPUs are faster because their "clock speed" or "clock cycle" is faster. The clock speed is the speed at which a CPU can carry out instructions. You can think of clock speed like the timing of a metronome, the device that helps musicians keep the right musical time. A metronome has a hand on the front of it which swings back and forth at a timing interval you set. As it swings back and forth it ticks like a clock. Like the metronome the CPU also ticks at a set interval but a CPU ticks at an incredibly fast rate which is measured in Mega or Gigahertz. The CPU carries out an instruction on every tick of its clock cycle.
New CPUs can not only carry out instructions at very high clock speeds but they can also be made up of multiple CPU Cores. Each Core can carry out its own instructions. When you have a Dual Core CPU it can carry out two instructions at the same time and a Quad Core CPU can carry out four. There are even six Core CPUs out now and like the newer Motherboards these CPUs also have a larger Data BUS to send and receive data faster through the Motherboard enhancing the computers overall performance.
RAM Memory
RAM or Random Access Memory is what stores all the instructions you have asked the computer to carry out. Every time we interact with our computer we are creating instruction data for the CPU to process and even the simplest interaction, like moving the mouse across the screen, requires many single instructions the CPU must carry out. You can imagine that playing a computer game or running an application like Adobe Photo shop can create a tremendous amount of instructions for the CPU. The CPU is fast and can execute a lot of instructions quickly but it can't do them all at once which is why we need a place to store the instructions until they can be processed. This is why RAM was created.
RAM is basically the storage place for all the instructions that are waiting to be executed by the CPU. You can sometimes tell when you don't have enough RAM when you have clicked on the mouse or hit the enter key to initiate a program and the hour glass just sits there spinning on the screen. It can appear that our computer has locked up or froze but what is actually happening is the computer is completing the series of instructions it has been given before it can perform any further instructions. When this happens we usually see it as the computer briefly locking up. It is also very frustrating.
The best way to resolve this problem is by simply adding more RAM to your computer. Adding more RAM is possibly the easiest way to increase the performance of your computer. Increasing the amount of RAM in your computer can help your computer run faster because it allows your computer store more instructions. This lets the computer carry out a lot of instructions while you continue to do your work and it reduces the computer freeze ups.
The speed of the RAM you use can also help the computer. If you use RAM that has a faster Data Bus speed it can send the instructions it is storing to the CPU at a faster rate. The faster the CPU gets the instructions the faster it can carry them out and the faster your computer will run.
The amount and type you can use is dictated by the type of CPU and Motherboard you use. The Bus speed of the CPU and Motherboard as well as the capacity of RAM the Motherboard can recognize will determine what type of RAM and how much you can use.
Some Motherboards will allow you to install as much as 32GBs of RAM and most Motherboards will recognize multiple Bus speeds so you can use several different types of RAM. Generally speaking the faster the BUS speed and the larger storage capacity of the RAM, the faster your computer will perform. The important thing to remember though is that with larger capacity and speed comes higher price.
What's nice about upgrading RAM is most Motherboards can accommodate several different speeds and capacities of RAM so you can start out with a slower speed and smaller capacity, which will be less expensive reducing your initial upgrade cost and then later down the road you can upgrade your RAM to a larger capacity and high speed.
Replacing the Motherboard, CPU and RAM is actually a lot easier than you may think. The CPU and RAM are directly connected to the motherboard so you can replace all three components at the same time by simply swapping out the motherboard.
To do this you must first determine what kind of form factor of motherboard your current computer supports.
The Motherboard Form Factor
Many computer manufacturers such as HP, Compaq, Dell, Gateway, eMachine, and Acer build their computers based on 4 primary motherboard form factors or design specifications and they are:
- ATX = Full Size Motherboard generally found in full size Desktop computers and Towers
- Micro-ATX = Mid Size motherboard found in Mid Tower and Smaller Desktops
- Mini-ATX = Small Motherboard found in Mid Towers, Smaller Desktops
- Mini-ITX = Newest motherboards very small size found in new smaller towers and desktops
These form factors refer to the size of the Motherboard itself. The computer case is designed to accommodate a specific size of Motherboard. Once you have determined which form factor your computer model is, then all you need to do is purchase the correct form factor Motherboard that fits your computer models case.
It would work like this. Let's say you have an HP Pavilion 750n desktop computer. This is an older computer with a single core processor. Nice computer when it first came out but very slow by today's standards. You decide that you want to make it faster by upgrading it to a Quad Core CPU but you need to determine if you can upgrade it.
You can determine whether or not you can upgrade that particular computer by going to the HP support website. On the site you would type in your computer model and look at the hardware specifications for that computer. HP will list the form factor information in the specifications guide. Having done this many times, I already know the 750n uses a Micro-ATX form factor.
Each computer manufacturer I named has a support site on their webpage where you can go to determine your models form factor. You can also do a search on Yahoo, Google, or Bing and ask what form factor your computer model is. If that doesn't work simply email me or leave a comment on this article and I can help you locate it.
Once you know the type of form factor your computer model supports you are now ready to decide what performance level you would like to upgrade your computer to.The performance level of the computer is generally dictated by the CPU it uses. You may recall I indicated the CPU is often referred to as the brain of the computer because it processes all the instructions and it sets the computers overall speed based on it's clock speed.Since the computers overall speed is set by the CPU, you typically start your upgrade by determining the CPU performance level you want.
How you decide which performance level you would like to upgrade to can be based on how you use your computer and how much you want to spend to upgrade it. Generally speaking if you only use your computer to send and receive email, browse the web, and save and share digital images from a digital camera, then you may only need to upgrade to a Dual Core CPU to significantly improve you computing experience.
If you play lots of games, burns DVDs, edit movies or sound files, and work with high resolution images or graphics, then you may want to select a Quad Core CPU to increase performance and improve your computing experience.
From a cost perspective you can expect to pay more for a faster CPU than you would for a slower CPU and Quad Core CPUs are generally more expensive than Dual Cores. As a rule I believe you should purchase as much as you can for as little as possible that way you get the most for your money and you won't have to upgrade again for quite a while.
When you are ready to select your CPU you will have choices based on manufacturer and type and there are also some differences between the various types of CPUs from each manufacturer which you should be aware of.
There are three primary CPU manufacturers Intel, AMD and Motorola, but for the purpose of this article we are only going to focus on Intel and AMD. Motorola is primarily responsible for making CPUs for Apple Computers. Apple computers, are a proprietary computer model and it can be more difficult and more costly to upgrade an Apple computer.
This article is focused on helping the budget conscious, who own what is generally referred to as an IBM compatible computer, upgrade their computer easily and inexpensively. IBM compatible computers are identified as those computers which primarily run a Microsoft Windows based operating system such as Windows XP or Windows 7. Intel and AMD manufacture CPUs that support IBM compatible computers so those are the two manufacturers we will focus on.
For the purpose of this article I am not going to go into great detail about the differences between Intel and AMD CPUs. There is already a significant amount of detailed information available on the internet which describes each manufacturers CPU chip architecture, as well as gives side by side comparison.
I would invite you to do a little research on how each manufacturers chips are designed and then review a website that benchmarks each CPUs performance. There are many links on CPU design, comparisons and reveiws on the weband this can help you make your CPU choice.
The prevailing sentiment regarding AMD vs. Intel is that both CPUs, in either Dual or Quad Core configuration, perform similarly with Intel being slightly faster. Intel CPUs have always been associated with executing business applications quickly while AMD CPUs run multimedia applications quickly. As you research their benchmark scores you will see Intel on a graph seems to dramatically out perform AMD but when you look at the duration of time between the two it is minimal.
Where you will see a significant difference between the two manufacturers is in cost. AMD CPUs are almost always less expensive than Intel CPUs. The question I always ask my clients is, "Is a 4 second faster speed difference worth an extra $200 or $300 dollars more by buying an Intel CPU?" To me it is not.
I am looking for an overall performance increase compared to what I am currently using. Once you upgrade your computer you are not going to be comparing it to another computer of equal performance, you will be comparing it to the speed of your last computer. If after your upgrade, you find your computer runs significantly faster than your last computer and it didn't cost much for you to achieve that performance increase, you will be happy with your upgrade and that is what is important.
CPU Cache
Earlier I indicated that RAM stores all the instruction data being transmitted to the CPU and throughout the computer. The CPU Cache is another form of high speed memory only it is specifically devoted to the CPU. It has been shown that a CPU can process data faster if more of the data it must process can be stored on memory located closer to the CPU itself.
All CPUs come with a cache but some newer CPUs will come with an additional cache that is faster and can hold more data closer to the CPU. Typically CPUs operating at a higher clock speed and having an additional, faster cache will offer higher performance.
A good example of this is the difference between the AMD Athlon and Phenom Series of CPUs. Both the Athlon and Phenom series come in Dual and Quad Core configurations but the Phenoim Series has an additional L3 cache making the CPU faster. It also makes a Phenom series CPU more expensive than the Athlon Series.
Another interesting tidbit is there is now a version II for both the Athlon and Phenom Series. The version II offers a more faster cache hence both CPUs are supposed to be faster than their predecessors however the benchmark numbers show a relatively small increase in performance.
Be sure to do a little research on the differences between the AMD and Intel CPUs and select the one you feel will be appropriate for your computing needs while meeting your budget goals. Once you have chosen the CPU you want you will then be ready to select the Motherboard that supports not only your CPU but your computer form factor as well.
One last thing regarding CPUs are both AMD and Intel have different CPU form factors so when you are selecting a Motherboard for the form factor that meets your computers specifications you also need to select the one that fits your CPU choice. This may seem complicated but it is not that difficult once you start looking at the Motherboard and CPU combinations.
The resellers I have showed you have filtering options on their web pages which allow you to select Motherboards that can support either AMD or Intel. You can also filter by both CPU and computer form factor as well which can help you narrow down your decision making.
Once you have made a decision on the CPU, you want to select the Motherboard that will support the CPU you have chosen. As far as Motherboards go there are several major manufactures of Motherboards and they all produce the 4 main types of Motherboard form factors. The major manufactures are:
- ASUS
- Biostar
- Gigabyte
- MSI
- Foxconn
- ECSJetway
- Zotac
This may seem like a lot to choose from but as you begin to filter on the CPU type you can narrow down your focus and make selecting the right Motherboard easier.
Each motherboard will come with common features that are necessary for standard computer operations and some can come with additional features that may or may not be beneficial to you. The primary thing to remember about the Motherboard is that all of the components connect too it and you can choose to customize your computer upgrade as much or as little you want depending on the Motherboard you purchase.
For example, you can purchase a Motherboard which has the video and sound card integrated into the board. This saves you both time and money because it eliminates the need for you to choose a video or sound card, but if you want a specific video or sound card, you can select a Motherboard that does not come with those integrated components and then pick the video and sound card you would like to install as add in cards onto the Motherboard.
Here is a list of common Motherboards features:
- Keyboard and Mouse input often referred to as a PS2 connector
- USB - Universal Serial Bus ports for connecting computer peripherals such as (Keyboard, Mouse, Printer, Digital Camera, external Hard Drive etc...)
- Parallel Printer Port (not as much in newer motherboards as printers use USB)
- Local Area Network or LAN connection for a network or internet connection
- Dial-up Modem (not as common in newer boards due to high speed internet connections)
Optional Motherboard Features:
- 1394 or Fire-wire connection (higher speed data connection)
- External SATA or Serial-ATA connection (higher speed data connection designed to connect external SATA devices such as a Hard Drive)
- HDMI - High-Definition Multimedia Interface to connect an HD Monitor or TV, or to an external High Definition Audio component
We touched on RAM earlier and we know that the RAM you choose must be supported by the CPU and Motherboard you choose. To make it simple it breaks down like this when upgrading. The CPU determines the type of Motherboard you have to choose and your computer model determines the type of Motherboard form factor you select.
The Motherboard will dictate what type of RAM you will be able to use so that will make your selection easier. The only thing you will have to decide when it comes to RAM, is the size of RAM meaning the amount of Gigabytes, Gigs or GBs of RAM you choose and the RAM speed you select.
One other thing you must be aware of is the newer Operating Systems such as Windows Vista and Windows 7 require a minimum of 2GBs of RAM to run properly so you will want to select at least 2GBs of RAM when you upgrade. Knowing this can make your decision regarding the amount of RAM pretty straight forward. As far as the speed of RAM you select that again will depend on the speeds the Motherboard will support, the amount of performance you want and how much you are willing to spend.
As far as determining the speed of RAM your Motherboard will support that is not difficult to determine. As you begin to look at Motherboards you will see they clearly specify the type and speed of RAM they support.
I have covered a lot of information up to this point and I hope you have a better understanding of what is required for you to be able to identify the Motherboard, CPU and RAM components you would need to upgrade your current computer. Buying these components and upgrading them your self is far less expensive then going out and buying a new computer and I am confident with this information as a starting point you too can save money buy upgrading the computer yourself.
There are however, two important additional pieces of information you should know before you attempt to upgrade your computer.
1. Before you upgrade your current computer you should back up all of your important data on to an external storage device such as an external hard drive, USB jump drive or burn it onto a CD or DVD.
The reason this is important is when you upgrade those components you will be forced to reinstall the operating system and that will erase all the current data on your hard drive. In additional if you don't have an installation disk for your current operating system, you will need to purchase a new copy of Windows XP, Vista or Windows 7 to install once you have upgraded the components. This may not actually be a major concern for you if you were already considering upgrading to a newer version of Windows. Also I can help you find an inexpensive copy of the Windows operating system if you it.
2. The new components you will install in you current PC will be more advanced from a power consumption standpoint and upgrading them will most likely require you to also upgrade your power supply.
The upgrade is not expensive and is a very easy to accomplish. The type of power supply you will want to select will be roughly 400 watts at least and will need to be a 20x4 pin or 24 pin power supply. This is the type of power supply supported by the newer Motherboards. Again the Motherboard specifications will indicate the power supply requirements.
To make your computer faster all you need to do is upgrade the Motherboard, CPU and RAM. You start by identifying the type of Motherboard form factor your current computer will support, and the performance level you want to upgrade to. Then you buy the CPU that fits your performance needs along with the Motherboard and RAM that fits both your computer model and CPU specifications.
The one thing I didn't cover is the actual installation of these components once you have purchased them and are ready to install. At a high level the process is nothing more then:
- Unplugging the computer and disconnecting all peripheral components such as the keyboard, mouse and monitor from the case
- Before you open the computer, discharge yourself electrically or purchase a static strap to ground yourself to the chassis, this will help you avoid static discharge which can fry a computer component.
- Removing the side cover off the computer case
- Disconnecting all the power cables and Data cables from the old Motherboard
- Unscrewing and removing the old Motherboard from the case
- Unscrewing and removing the old power supply
- Install the new power supply
- Install the new Motherboard into the case
- Reconnecting all the power and data cables
- Powering the computer back up and listening for proper post sound
- Now you are ready to install the operating system
I know once you decide to start this process you will have many questions which is why there is one last thing I would recommend you do before you begin to upgrade you computer.
There are many do it yourself computer repair and upgrade manuals available online and they can provide you all the help you need to do your computer upgrade. Many of the books will provide you step by step explanation on how to replace just about every component on your computer and provide you with detailed diagrams so you can see how to actually perform the removal or install. I would suggest you make a small investment and purchase one of these books.
If I could recommend any do it yourself computer manual it would be "Self Computer Repair Unleashed".This book covers all aspects of computer upgrade and repair in a clear concise format and provides full color diagrams and step by step instructions to help you through any computer upgrade or repair. I can't recommend this book enough. I have provided a link to this book on the links page of my website below in my signature.
I thank you for reading my article and I hope it has inspired you to go out and tackle what you may have originally thought was an impossible task. You can upgrade your computer yourself and save yourself a lot of money too.
David R Doohen
