Hardware Upgrade Tip of the Day #12



*1. COMPAQ'S INTERNET PCS          
  
Compaq believes that many home PCs serve mainly for Internet 
access. So it has enhanced the connectivity components of its 
new 5300 and 5700 Presario lines--and dropped the price. The 
low-end models start at $599. Compaq offers to outfit these 
systems with your choice of cable, DSL, or satellite cable 
hardware, depending on what high-speed access services are 
available in your area. 

http://www.compaq.com


*2. JUMP TO LIGHTSPEED          
  
PowerLeap offers a host of CPU upgrades at its Web site. For 
around $140 to $280, you can upgrade your older system to 333MHz 
and 400MHz performance levels. Just make sure you carefully 
check the compatibility charts before you buy. Not all PCs 
support all upgrade chips. 

http://www.powerleap.com


*3. STRONG FINGERS, WEAK FINGERS          
  
Believe it or not, some of your fingers are stronger than others; 
it's just the nature of anatomy. Unfortunately, most keyboards 
require the same amount of pressure across all the keys before 
registering a keystroke. This can lead to sore fingers and less 
productivity. Key Tronic Corporation has developed the ErgoForce 
Keyboard; it has different pressures for different keys (based on 
their position on the keyboard)--ranging from only 35 grams for 
the weak fingers to 80 grams for the stronger ones.  

http://www.keytronic.com


*4. UPS WITH USB          
  
American Power Conversion has introduced an Uninterruptible Power 
Supply (UPS) for Windows 98 systems that connect to the PC via a 
Universal Serial Bus (USB) interface. Its $229 Back-UPS Pro USB 
protects your system against power surges and brief 
power outages. 

http://www.apcc.com


*5. FASTER CD-ROM          
  
Kenwood Technologies claims its new 52X TrueX CD-ROM runs at 45X 
to 52X speeds across the entire CD. What does this mean? 
Typically, variable-speed CD-ROMs range from speeds of 12X to 32X 
as the read heads move across the disc. Expect to see the drive 
in new PCs as well as upgrade kit form. 

http://www.kenwoodtech.com


*6. CONVENIENT CD-RW          
  
La Cie now sells a USB-ready CD-RW drive called the CDRW 226. Now 
you can just plug in the drive and start creating or playing CDs 
very quickly. The drive works with both USB-capable Windows 98 
systems and Apple iMac and G3 computers. However, you may pay a 
price for this convenience: PC World tests showed significantly 
slower reading and writing speeds than for other non-USB 
CD-RW drives. 

http://www.lacie.com


*7. HOME NETWORKING TIPS (PART 1 OF 4)          
  
New wireless SOHO (Small Office, Home Office) products offer many 
improvements over the original versions of these kinder, simpler 
networking products. The latest, second-generation wireless 
networks transfer data faster (2 Mbps rather than 1 Mbps) over 
greater distances (250 to 300 feet rather than 100 feet). 

Still, there are some things to keep in mind before you jump in 
and buy a wireless SOHO solution. Over the next few days, I'll 
pass along some suggestions. 

First, measure the distance between your PCs. The wireless 
transmitters can pass a signal through most home walls, but they 
have greater difficulty sending data through floors and ceilings 
(because these surfaces usually contain some metal components). 
The more obstacles your signal encounters, the shorter your 
overall successful transmission distance. You may not get the 
full 250- to 300-foot distance in your space. It depends on 
your architecture.


*8. HOME NETWORKING TIPS (PART 2 OF 4)          
  
Ambient electrical noise plays a significant role in the 
efficiency of SOHO (Small Office, Home Office) wireless networks. 
If your space is buzzing with electronic equipment or appliances, 
you may not be getting the clearest connections between your PCs. 
Some network kits come with antennas (attached to your PC via a 
cable) that let you elevate the transmitter/receiver above your 
other equipment, thereby improving the signal quality. If your 
environment is electronically noisy, check into one of 
these products.


*9. HOME NETWORKING TIPS (PART 3 OF 4)          
  
A new network kit will try to add a client, adapter, and protocol 
to the network setting list on your PC, but it may not be able to 
if yours is already full. This could add wasted minutes to your 
installation process, so prune your network settings before you 
begin installing your network. Edit the network settings on your 
PC (under Start, Settings, Control Panel, Network). Windows 98, 
for example, has a limit of six each of the clients, network 
adapters, and network protocols that you can add to your 
network list.


*10. HOME NETWORKING TIPS (PART 4 OF 4)          
  
Carefully read the setup instructions of your SOHO (Small Office, 
Home Office) network product. Some ask you to install the 
included Internet sharing software on only one system, and it 
might not start properly if you mistakenly load it on more than 
one. Additionally, due to the network settings, hardware drivers, 
and PC cards (used for mobile computers), the order in which you 
install the components can sometimes be critical to your success.
