Google’s New Browser “Chrome”

Just when you thought the browser wars were going to be a battle between Internet Explorer and Firefox, Google has entered the fray. Their new browser matches the lean design asthetic from google.com. The interface is so minimalist, there isn’t even a home button. But while Chrome has surprisingly few obvious options on the screen it has a lot of power below the surface. I won’t go into the technical details of how Google took a new approach with Chrome, there’s a very informative guide to that available in the form of a comic book. Here are a few initial observations of the browser:

• Feels Fast
• Has a fresh and modern interface design that maximizes usable screen real estate
• Brings Browser to 2008 instead of 1998.
• Incognito mode allows you to surf anonymously
• Font site can be adjusted, but it doesn’t support Opera’s screen magnification feature

It’s a free download, so try it out.

Windows XP Dual Monitors

Did you know that your laptop running Windows may support dual displays? Most laptops have a VGA connector which allows them to be hooked up to an external display (like an overhead projector for example).

1. Right-click your desktop.
2. Click “properties” toward the bottom of the list that appears.
3. Choose the “settings” tab on the “display properties” window that appears.
4. You should see two windows, one with a “1″ and a second with a “2″.

You can set the resolutions independently for each display. You can also decide on whether the displays mirror each other (show the same thing) or that the Windows desktop is extended onto the additional monitor. If you extend the desktop, You will need to tell Windows how the monitors are arranged (so that when dragging a window from one desktop to another makes sense).

Dual monitors can be extremely useful for productivity. For example, you might have one desktop displaying a website while you work on a document in another. Some applications can take advantage of multiple desktops, Adobe Photoshop can have menus displayed on one monitor while the image is displayed on another.

Charleston Computer Repair

Digital Blade of Charleston, SC has a 3 step process to repair your computer and get you back to work.

1. Evaluate the problem. This is a combination of discussing the symptoms with you and observing the system. For example, if the computer is freezing or locking up, can it be reproduced or is it completely random? Are certain error messages being displayed? Is the system performing substantially slower than in the past?
2. Diagnose the problem. After the initial evaluation, we narrow down the potential causes through a process of elimination. Computers are complicated ecosystems consisting of the hardware, the bios (the basic computer settings), the operating system, the patches and upgrades that have been applied to the operating system, hardware drivers, utilities, applications, and application plugins. This complex interaction can make diagnosing a problem difficult. What appears to be a problem with an application may in fact be an issue with low memory that was caused by the recent installation of a new unrelated utility.
3. Repair/Correct the problem. Having narrowed down the cause, we repair the computer. This might involve upgrading the memory or replacing old memory modules, removing a utility that is conflicting with other software, upgrading a hardware driver, or changing some of the computer’s settings, among other things.

A properly maintained computer can provide many years of service which counts toward your bottom line. Don’t put it off another day, if your computer isn’t working for you, call us to set an appointment for an evaluation. We service Charleston, North Charleston, Mount Pleasant, and surrounding areas.

New Web Addresses On The Way

ICANN, the international authority that regulates the creation and use of domains on the Internet has opened up the system. According to the new rules, any company, organization or country will be able to apply for a new TLD (top level domain).

A Review:

• Top level domain: .com
• Second level domain: digitalblade.com
• Third level domain: www.digitalblade.com (or something else like “m” which is a popular third level domain for the mobile version of many websites)

Some of the earliest domains that could be reserved for use on the Internet included: .com, .net, .org, and .edu. New TLD’s such as .info and .mobi were introduced by ICANN after a lengthy review process. The new system would allow for an entity to buy a TLD and then sell the second level domains. An example would be the purchase of .perfume. Interested companies would then be able to purchase “perfume name here.perfume” similar to the process of buying “perfume name here.com.”

Personally, I question the value of the new system. The more extensions, the more confusing the system will become. Most users currently assume that an address will end in a .com, hence the value of that extension.

Let’s propose that a company buys a new TLD “.real” for real estate agents. And you, frustrated that “yourname.com” is already registered, register “yourname.real.” What do you think the chances are that a person driving by a listing will think your website is at “yourname.com” by the time they get back home and boot their computer? Better to be creative and register “creativephrase.com.”

A resource I find useful for registering domains is instantdomainsearch.com which does a real time search for domains as you type them in.

Surge Protection Basics

With all the late afternoon thunderstorms in the Charleston area lately, I thought it would be beneficial to discuss surge protectors. Basically..unless you like having to spend money and time on replacing electronics..you need them.

photo credit: El Garza

First, evaluate your needs. How many devices do you need to protect? A typical desktop system might include:

• The system box
• Monitor
• Cable or DSL Modem
• Router
• Printer
• Amplified Speaker system
• External hard drive

As you can see, it’s not uncommon to have 7 or more devices. Remember, any device you connect to the computer needs protection or it might conduct a surge through a connection like a USB, telephone or coax cable.

A good surge protector will provide enough outlets for all your devices. You will also need a cable in/out if you have a cable modem and/or a telephone in/out if you have DSL.

Be careful about the orientation and spacing of the outlets…DC converter boxes may block adjacent outlets on surge protectors that have the outlets crowded together.

Well designed surge protectors will have lights that indicate the protector is working (for example, it hasn’t been damaged by a surge). Many can also indicate if the outlet they are plugged into is properly wired.

One of the differences between surge protectors is how many joules of energy they can absorb. This may be a number like 1750 joules or 2500. Higher is generally better. Think of this as the capacity of a tank that can hold excess energy that comes through and protect your equipment.

The time to consider buying a surge protector is before you need it, don’t wait until you lose an expensive component to buy one.

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