smart computer use?

What is the difference?

I recently browsed the isles of a local HDTV dealer. There were walls that were many, many feet in length. Expansive isles of HDTV’s. There were many option. Many price differences. I saw many situations where two very similar HDTV’s were sitting next to each other, but each was priced on a wildly different level.

Why the difference?

It is because of the different options in resolution, mainly.

1080p is the top level spec to shoot for. 720p will suffice for now, and looks great, but will not be a great long term option.

1080p will probably be a better bet long term option for power savvy folk.

First and foremost, some people just want what’s considered the best spec on a TV. If you’re one of those people, spend the extra dough, you’ll feel better in the long run. Secondly, if you’re thinking of going big, really big (a 55-inch or larger screen), or you like to sit really close (closer than 1.5 times the diagonal measurement), the extra resolution may make it worth the difference–as long as you have a pristine, 1080i or 1080p HD source to feed into the set. And finally, it’s a good idea to go with 1080p if you plan to use your TV a lot as a big computer monitor.

720p is the most cost-effective option, and not necessarily the worst option.

If none of those factors jump out at you as true priorities–and you are working on a tight budget and want to save some dough–a 720p set is going to do you just fine. HD will still look great on your set, I swear. In fact, our current highest-scoring HDTV, the Pioneer Kuro PDP-5080HD, is a 720p, er–768p, model.

Read the entire source article here.

del.icio.us Digg Reddit blogmarks Help

I don’t like it.

I always catch the glare of finger prints on my laptop screen. It bothers me. It especially bothers me because of the fact that my laptop computer screen is of the glossy finish type. If there is a finger print or smudge, it is very obvious.

Bad Habit?

If I notice a smudge on my screen, I clean it immediately. If I do not clean the smudge, I will sit and think about it until it is clean.

Just don’t touch the screen

It’s not that hard. When pointing at things on the screen, there is no need to drag your finger tip over the screen itself.

Maybe this is just something that I have to get used to.

del.icio.us Digg Reddit blogmarks Help

If it’s not a major inconvenience, it can be very worthwhile to keep an old computer or two around. I’m not necessarily talking about ancient computers. I’m talking about stuff like keeping the last computer that you replaced with your newest computer. And maybe the other computer before that.

Why?

I like to think that even if I buy a new computer, the old one can serve some dedicated or more specific purpose.

For example: An old laptop that I have serves as a drum machine. It runs a copy of Propellerheads Reason 2.5 (which is very lightweight on resources, by the way). I use it only as a drum machine and synthesizer. Nothing else.

The computer works great for that purpose, even though it is over 5 years old.

del.icio.us Digg Reddit blogmarks Help

These are the ground rules for web site use.

If something pops up inside your browser window, roll away.

If it remains, hit the ‘x’ or ‘close’

If it remains, kill it somehow

If it seems new and web 2.0 it probably is. Slick stuff, eh?

If it seems fishy, it probably is.

If it seems smart and intuitive, use it and enjoy it.

If it seems non-smart and non-intuitive, it still might be a good resource, but you may not want to use or enjoy it.

If you appreciate this list on some level, welcome to using web sites properly.

del.icio.us Digg Reddit blogmarks Help

I’ve been pretty reckless with my new laptop. It’s a little Toshiba machine, dual core Pentium CPU, 13 inch screen.

Very portable.

It’s so portable that I am finding myself to be very careless while “porting” it.

I often find myself walking with the laptop computer in one hand and the power supply in the front pocket of my hooded sweatshirt, for example. If I was to drop the machine, BAM! $600 down the drain, probably. I don’t want to speculate and create an omen.

I’ve been putting a lot of thought into buying a cheap yet serviceable laptop backpack for my laptop computer. I don’t want to sacrifice portability too much. It needs to be a pretty accessible and portable backpack.

Backpack Requirements

I want the backpack to be able to do the following:

• Hold a laptop
• Hold the laptop computer power supply
• Make both the laptop and power supply easily accessible
• Hold a camera, cell phone, wallet, notepad, pencil/pen and some other stupid crap that I probably don’t need to carry around at all
• Cost $20 or less

Backpack Actualities

I think my last bullet point relegates me to getting a backpack due to a:

• Garage sale
• Target/Kmart/Walmart/Some other supertmart “sale”
• Good pawn shop find
• Theft (I don’t condone theft, but it’s a realistic option to some)
• eBay special find

I’ll find one somehow. It’ll probably be at Kmart. I shoulda just went there instead of even typing out this blog post.

Backpacks of time past

I used to have a decent laptop backpack. It even had a nice shoulder strap, which made it very versatile. But one of the cats pissed on it, so much for that backpack.

Am I asking too much in my search for a decent, cheap laptop backpack?

del.icio.us Digg Reddit blogmarks Help