Archive for August, 2009



Alienware Area 51 – M7700 – The Dream

Flashback year 2006, everyone in the computer world got stunned as Alienware unveiled their new breed of customizable gaming laptop, the Alienware Area 51. Back then, this gaming laptop was hands down every gamers’ dream for a gaming laptop. If not for its steep price back then, everyone would probably work double jobs just to get their hands on this formerly jaw-dropping gaming notebook – including myself.

What more could a gamer ask for in a gaming laptop? What game or 3d application do you think would not be running without a snag on the Alienware Area 51 M7700’s 3.8 GHz of hyper threading raw processing power provided by Intel’s Pentium 4 processor? Add Nvidia’s GeForce 7800 GTX with 256mb of dedicated memory for stunning visuals. Not to mention its 4 GB of PC5300 DDR 2 of ram. And of course, nobody with a right mind would settle for less than 7200 rpm for a hard drive given you already have all the previously mentioned top performing specs. Definitely not I!

Oh well, those were the days when all I could do is daydream on getting my hands on the world’s best gaming laptop. Luckily for me, the time for daydreaming is over. Even with our present economic challenges, I have managed well enough to be able to finally get myself the gaming laptop that I deserve.

Dilemma to get Alienware Area 51 – M7700

Ok. Now here is the funny part. I finally got enough cash to splurge on my dream gaming laptop right? So shopping I tried to do. And guess what? Alienware does not sell my dream no more! How ironic. How ironic indeed. I guess my dream will have to remain a dream for a little bit longer – Oh yes! I definitely am not giving up on this baby!

After countless hours trying to get quality information from Alienware’s customer support on how I could get my hands on the Alienware Area 51 M7700, I gave up on the Alienware’s horrific customer service and I took a step back to assess what options I got left in getting what I have dreamed of.

Then it hit me. EBay! There, I finally found one Alienware Area 51 M7700! Right then and there, I almost purchased it outright specially with it’s less than $ 1,000 price tag. Lucky for me I did not let my emotions get the better of me. I checked on the details of the unit being sold by this EBay seller. It does look like it’s in excellent condition; I will give the unit that. However, the configured specs are a little low for my taste. And the worst part? No option for a warranty! Oh no! Definitely not going with that one now. Not unless I want to end up going bald for issues that might arise after buying the rig.

The Solution

Just when things seemed too dark, a light shined at service.ztronics.com. They had some of the few Alienware Area 51 M7700 left on the planet. And not just that. There units are configured even better than how I dreamed it should be years back. And the best part? They have a 1 year warranty as an option. Need I say more?

At long last, I’m off gaming with what the critics and gamers alike dubbed as the best gaming laptop for months on end. All thanks to everyone at service.ztronics.com specially their top-notch customer service!

For more details on any variant of Alienware Area 51 you may contact http://service.ztronics.com or call at – 714-979-9877


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Selling old gadgets is easier than most think, especially through the internet, consider the following for a moment – Technology, gadgets and devices are playing an increasing role in many of or lives nowadays, and wit the speed at which the technology advances many of us desire an upgrade to stay updated. For most, this desire to upgrade is carried out so we have the newest, and best gadgets that are available on the market – leaving us one small problem, the old, unused gadget or device that is now going to sit in the back of the drawer gathering dust, or end up in a landfill somewhere. I would therefore like to take a few moments and explain not only the damage to the planet this can cause, but how we can all benefit when we upgrade or devices, by selling the old gadgets and receiving a cash payment online.

So firstly, the damage that can be caused to the planet by those of us who are too ignorant, or un-educated to sell the gadgets and benefit. Each year millions of tones of electronic waste is deposited into landfills, of which most contains polluting toxins which seep into the ground and contaminate the soil, local water resources and damage the wildlife – the only people to blame for this is ourselves, and the only people who can prevent it is ourselves, so I am offering some advice and guidelines that can help not only prevent this from happening but help you benefit when you sell your gadgets or devices. When you sell the gadgets they avoid being added to this waste pile, and they me often than not go on to aid those in a less fortunate position than us, so selling gadgets brings more than just one environmental and social benefit.

Let´s now talk about the benefit to you, the benefits that you receive when you sell your gadgets and devices – well already we have discussed how you can be helping the planet, so there is one key benefit that you can feel proud of, the second is the useful cash payment that you will receive for selling your gadget, and the next benefit is the hassle free, swift and simple transaction that can be done online to enable you to sell your gadgets. Selecting the right site to sell gadgets to can also bring you additional benefits, such as no upfront cost from you for shipping and packaging eating in to your well deserved payment, all this can be paid for by the recycling company as long as you select an industry leader that offers a top quality service to you when you sell your gadgets with them.

Therefore I would suggest the following to anybody who has old gadgets or devices to sell, and wishes to benefit and help assist with the benefits mentioned above – visit the ‘CashFor’ family of sites, with dedicated teams and technicians for any gadget you wish to sell, see for yourself the professional team in action at www.cash4laptops.com and their many other sites they have dedicated for selling your gadgets.


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How to Use the GPS Clock



The Global positioning System (GPS) is a US military system primarily intended for global navigation. The system provides highly accurate positioning information for navigation. The GPS system consists of a constellation of 24 orbiting satellites. Each satellite has an on-board atomic clock, which is ideal for providing a highly accurate timing reference.

This article discusses how the GPS clock can be used to provide an accurate timing reference for computers and computer networks. The GPS system is often used for computer timing applications, such as NTP time servers and accurate timing references.

GPS Time

GPS time is continuously broadcast by the GPS system. Time is referenced to UTC (Universal Coordinated Time), which is the same worldwide and does not vary with time zones. GPS timing information can be received with relatively low-cost equipment, such as a GPS receiver and antenna.

The GPS signal is very weak low-power radio signal. The signal has two designated frequencies, L1 and L2. Frequency, L1, is the civilian GPS frequency transmitted at 1575.42 MHz. The signal travels in a straight line and can pass through clouds, glass and plastics but is blocked by objects such as metal and brickwork. The ideal location for a GPS antenna is therefore on rooftop with a good view of the sky. Often, antenna installation on the side of a building or in a window can provide a good enough view of the sky to give adequate results.

GPS Clock

The GPS system provides a free-to-air time synchronisation service; there are no on-going set-up or subscription charges. Many computer systems utilise the GPS clock as an accurate timing reference. Highly accurate NTP server systems use the GPS clock as an external reference to synchronise Network Time Protocol servers. Typically, a GPS receiver can provide timing information to within a few nanoseconds of UTC. The accuracy achieved with a GPS receiver is generally more than required for most computer network timing applications.

GPS Receiver Output

The GPS receiver constantly outputs position and timing information. Generally, information is transmitted to and from the receiver via a RS232 serial interface. Standard GPS interface protocols exist, the most common being NMEA. The NMEA protocol consists of a number of sentences, or character strings, transmitted at 4800 bits per second. Contained within each character string is accurate time and position information. Due to the latencies involved in serial communication, the NMEA sentences are not generally accurate enough to provide a timing reference. Therefore a pulse per second (PPS) output is utilised. A PPS output is an accurate pulse output each second that is aligned to the start of each second. The PPS output can be fed into a control line on the RS232 interface to provide a hardware interrupt input for accurate timing. Often the DCD RS232 line is utilised as a PPS input from the GPS receiver. The PPS output combined with NMEA timing and positioning information provides a highly accurate timing reference for computers.

GPS Antennas

The GPS antenna is a signal amplifier that boosts the GPS signal for transmission along a cable, usually coax, to the receiver. GPS antennas used for timing purposes are generally dome-shaped pole mounting devices for permanent installation in a static location. Typically, the GPS antenna is fairly small in size, measuring less than 900 mm in diameter

GPS Cabling

The cable distance that can be utilised by a GPS antenna and receiver depends on the amplification of the GPS antenna and the quality of coax used in the installation. A typical GPS antenna may have a gain of 35 db. Low-quality coax such as RG58 has an attenuation of 0.64 db/m at 1575 MHz. Therefore, a cable run of 55m can be obtained using RG58 cable. Higher quality coax, such as LMR400, an unaided cable run of 200m can be achieved. However, very high quality coax can be expensive. A good compromise is LMR200 cable, which can be run unaided to 80m. Longer distances can be achieved with the aid of GPS amplifiers, which amplify the GPS signal still further, to increase cable distance.


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A notebook computer, also called a laptop, is a smaller mobile computer. The term laptop was coined back in the 80`s, because they were so small that they could sit on your lap.

All notebook computers open like a book to reveal a 12“ to 20“ screen and a keyboard at the base with a touchpad. This touchpad is also known as a track pad which acts as a mouse. A notebook computer`s hardware is physically smaller in size and usually less powerful than a desktop. Most notebooks can do everything a desktop can these days, right from playing CD`s, games, music, run office applications to surfing the web.

With most notebooks having several built-in USB ports, any peripheral can be connected to a laptop including printers, mp3 players, and external hard drives. Notebooks give the user the flexibility to work wherever they want, whether at home, at the beach or in an airplane. Wireless connectivity to the internet is one of the best features of notebook computers.

Even before desktops went wireless, people used their wireless connections with their laptop to surf the web anywhere they wanted. Notebooks opened up an altogether new world with their mobile technology. Businessmen could fly across the country and keep their files with them and access them from their personal notebooks whenever required. The notebook also found its use in the campuses around the world for students to take down notes, look up for resources and research topics online.

Notebook computers range in price from around $500 to $3000 depending on the power of the CPU, the amount of memory one needs, the audio and video features selected as well as the peripherals chosen. Another important determinant for the price of a notebook is its weight. Because the primary use of a notebook is its mobile computing, a light weight unit is important to many people. Notebooks range from 3 to 7 lbs in weight and one has to pay more for a lighter computer.

When you own a laptop, you are almost certainly going to need a notebook computer accessory. There are all sorts of notebook peripherals that help make portable computing easier and more convenient. If you are looking for a cheap notebook computer, there are a few issues you need to be aware of so that you do not skimp on quality.

Computers have become so commonplace in our lives that we sometimes forget that they are intricate pieces of technology that demand care. And notebook computers are no exception. You may also wish to own a used notebook computer or a refurbished notebook computer that has been cleaned, fixed, upgraded and is ready for reuse.

Refurbished notebooks are popular because they are a less expensive way of owning a notebook. The first commercially available laptop notebook computer was in 1981. It was heavy and slow. But it was also the first step in computer technology. Then in 1995, Microsoft launched Windows 95 which enabled laptop computers to contain a universal processor, the Intel Pentium. Since that time there have been some noteworthy innovations that propelled the notebook to reach millions of homes and offices worldwide.

The best budget notebook is what every consumer wants when looking for a nice portable computer. Notebook computers are perhaps the best type of computers that a person can buy and is the ultimate in portability. Notebooks are a favorite in computing. Because just as the cell phone has almost replaced the home phone, the notebook computer can do everything a desktop can.

So many people like to have a notebook exclusively, only because it gives them the flexibility to use it in bed at night, at their desk at work, or in a meeting halfway across the globe!


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Silverlight Technology developed by Microsoft incorporates the same functionalities as Adobe flash. It helps integrate graphics, multimedia, animation, and interactivity in one runtime environment. The latest version of the technology was introduced in July 2009. The technology gels well with Microsoft windows as well as Mac operating system.

Why use Silverlight?

High definition video files can be viewed with Silverlight Technology and Microsoft will responsible for transferring these files to the Internet. The transfer of large media files is expensive but Microsoft will still take the trouble to stream Silverlight media files. However, the service will be optional. Streaming done by microsoft will save content distribution network fees for small developers. According to Microsoft, 700 kbps throughput will be reliable and the free distribution of network content will last for a year.

In addition, the applications based on Silverlight Technology are delivered to browser in XAML. The advantage of using XAML is that it is easier for the search engines to find scan XAML than compiled Flash applications. The Flash based applications have an added web code which facilitates the search but adding that means extra work for developers. Even if the web code is added to the application, the result will not be as good. This is because Silverlight Technology helps search engines index the actual application instead of just searching for the keywords.

Lastly, Microsoft is marketing Silverlight Technology along with its live services. It is introducing Application Program Interfaces (APIs) for search engine, Virtual Earth, instant messenger and other services. Microsoft networks and resources will be used to create these services which will be supported by advanced online applications. Silverlight Technology will spearhead the development of Rich Internet Applications because of these reasons.


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