Hardware Upgrade Tip of the Day #8



*1.   COOL FEATURES FOR PROJECTORS--PART 1 OF 3          
  
The latest wave in computer-based presentations is portable 
projectors. These devices have dropped in price several thousand 
dollars in the past two years. Their wall-size images make it 
much easier for groups to see what you're presenting. Price and 
image quality remain the most important factors when you're 
deciding which model to purchase, but you should consider other 
features. I'll mention some over the next few days. 

First of all, look for a projector that has a zoom lens. This 
feature lets you adjust the size of the image by simply zooming 
in or out. Some models have only a single fixed-focus lens, which 
requires you to move the projector back and forth to change the 
image size.  


*2. COOL FEATURES FOR PROJECTORS--PART 2 OF 3           
  
Another great feature for a projector is a wireless remote 
control. Some remotes let you control a mouse pointer or even 
shine a laser pointer onto your image. A remote frees you from 
your computer and projector during your presentation.


*3. INTEGRATED VERSUS EXTERNAL MICROPHONES          
  
Are you using an integrated microphone for recording voice 
messages on your PC? Be aware: You'll probably get higher-quality 
recordings by using a separate stand-alone microphone. In 
general, external microphones are much better at capturing voice 
audio data.


*4. REALLY BIG BACKUP          
  
And you thought the 2GB-to-3GB solutions of rewritable DVD 
formats were large--think again. Onstream at 

http://www.onstream.com 

offers digital tape drives that store 30GB worth of data on a 
single tape. Better still, the drive starts at around $500.


*5. HOME NETWORKING--PART 1 OF 4          
  
Intel has jumped into the home networking product fray. Its new 
AnyPoint Home Network kits use your existing telephone jacks to 
link all the computers in your house. You can also connect your 
computers directly via a telephone cable if they aren't 
positioned near a phone jack. Intel is at 

http://www.intel.com


*6. HOME NETWORKING--PART 2 OF 4          
  
Price wars may have casualties, but those don't usually include 
the consumer. The current home networking competition is driving 
this category's product prices lower and lower.  

Now Boca Research sells its HAN (Home Area Networking) kit for 
less than $100. For this price you might consider networking your 
home systems instead of buying additional peripherals (such as 
printers and scanners) or signing up for extra ISP accounts. You 
can share all these through your home network.


*7. HOME NETWORKING--PART 3 OF 4          
  
Will home networking technology become standard on home desktop 
systems? Maybe. Compaq has included home networking technology 
in its Presario 5670. Read the online tutorial on the subject on 
the Compaq Web site: 

http://www.compaq.com/mypresario/homenetwork/index.html


*8. HOME NETWORKING--PART 4 OF 4          
  
Are these new easy-to-use home networking kits suitable for use 
in a small business office? Not really. Many of the current home 
networking kits rely on phone line or radio transmission 
technology--neither of which really suits an office. Normally, 
offices have digital PBX switch systems for their phones, which 
may interfere with the linked PCs. Additionally, office 
buildings are usually built with more concrete and other dense 
materials than you would normally find in a home. These 
materials make it difficult to connect PCs via radio 
transmitters, especially when walls and floors separate 
the systems.


*9. CMOS BATTERIES ON THE WEB          
  
It's easy to forget about your PC's CMOS battery. They normally 
last for many years before giving up the ghost. When they do 
finally die, many people panic. It's easy to understand--because 
you lose all the setup information when the CMOS battery quits 
and the PC can't boot properly. It's a problem you want to fix 
quickly--so keep a bookmark for these online CMOS battery 
stores: Cables N Mor at 

http://www.cablesnmor.com 

and Resource800 at  

http://www.resource800.com 

Both of these Web stores will ship batteries directly to you 
after you purchase them online.


*10. 21-INCH MONITORS FOR CHEAP          
  
Remember when all 21-inch monitors were several thousand 
dollars? If you haven't checked the recent pricing for these big 
displays, you should. Lower-end 21-inch models from almost all 
the manufacturers are less than $1000, and some sell for $600 to 
$700. Yes, you'll still pay more for the very best monitors, but 
these cheaper displays are worth examining at your local computer 
store, especially if you're shopping for a new tube.
