Tuesday, 22 November 2011
What to look for when buying a laptop
1. Portability - The main reason to have a laptop or notebook computer is portability - the need to take your entire computer from one place to another. If you don't need portability, then you should probably buy a desktop. Or if you really need portability but don't want the weight and size of a laptop, a well equipped cell phone/pda/net book/tablet might be a good choice. Laptops come in all diferent weights, sizes, and speeds.
2. Expense - Laptop computers cost almost twice as much as comparably equipped desktops. Shocking isn't it?
You can actually buy two comparably equipped desktops for the price of one laptop. So if you have to have a computer in two separate places, you would be better off with two desktops (if they were reasonably close together you could hook them together in a wired or wireless local area network (LAN).
You can actually buy two comparably equipped desktops for the price of one laptop. So if you have to have a computer in two separate places, you would be better off with two desktops (if they were reasonably close together you could hook them together in a wired or wireless local area network (LAN).
3. Speed - Laptops are 30-100% slower than a desktop with the same features (CPU, RAM, hard drive capacity, etc.). Slower CPUs, motherboards, hard drives, and video systems all contribute to the speed loss.
4. Upgradeability - Laptop computers are mostly non-upgradeable. Whatever CPU, video card (built into the motherboard), sound card (also built-in), and screen, that come with the laptop are the same parts the laptop will end with.
While it is possible to upgrade main memory, DVD drives, hard drives, and sometimes CPUs, these upgrades can be expensive.
While it is possible to upgrade main memory, DVD drives, hard drives, and sometimes CPUs, these upgrades can be expensive.
You can also upgrade newer laptops through their USB, EIDE, and Firewire ports. While much improvement has been made in the speed and price of external drives, upgrading a laptop this way adds weight and decreases portability.
(However, it is a very good idea to back up all your important files to a CD, DVD, external hard drive, web storage etc. at least once a week. - ed)
(However, it is a very good idea to back up all your important files to a CD, DVD, external hard drive, web storage etc. at least once a week. - ed)
5. Serious Gaming. You will need to spend at least €1,500 – €2,500 for a laptop that can play new games at a respectable speed. I don't recommend laptops for serious gaming no matter how much you are willing to spend. Why?
Because if you love to play games, about 1-1.5 years after you purchase your laptop you will find it isn't fast enough to keep up with the latest new game. At that time, you will regret buying a gaming laptop. However, if you have the money, and want to throw down €2500 every year or so, more power to you.
On the other hand, if your computer budget is limited, it's better to have a functional laptop/netbook, and spend your gaming dollars on an upgradeable desktop.
6. Processor. When it comes to processors, go with the fastest you can afford, regardless of the notebook's form factor. You have a lot of options, so here are the basics.
Intel's Pentium M CPU line offers speed while enabling great battery life. These chips, combined with Intel's wireless LAN electronics and either the 915 Express or 855 chipset, make up Intel's Centrino mobile technology. The biggest downside is price -- Pentium Ms are still costly.
AMD's mobile processors are more affordable than Intel's, but they generally lag behind Intel's on our MobileMark tests. AMD's Turion 64 processors may change that, however. AMD says the chips will offer optimisations for high performance, wireless capability, and long battery life.
Intel's Pentium M CPU line offers speed while enabling great battery life. These chips, combined with Intel's wireless LAN electronics and either the 915 Express or 855 chipset, make up Intel's Centrino mobile technology. The biggest downside is price -- Pentium Ms are still costly.
AMD's mobile processors are more affordable than Intel's, but they generally lag behind Intel's on our MobileMark tests. AMD's Turion 64 processors may change that, however. AMD says the chips will offer optimisations for high performance, wireless capability, and long battery life.
4. Memory. Having enough memory is vital to system performance, and lots of RAM lets you run more applications simultaneously. Sufficient RAM is also necessary for graphics work, image editing, and video editing, and crucial for 3D gaming. This is especially true in notebooks, because notebook graphics processors frequently have little or no memory of their own and share the main system RAM.
Monday, 21 November 2011
How Technology is Affecting Sports
How Technology is Affecting Sports
In this article i learned about all new advancements in sports technology. it goes into debt about how eliete athletes use different things like a body suite that tells how your muscles react and then by using vibrations it helps them fix any problems they have. it also says how twitter plays a vital role because it can make it easier for sport icons to communicate with fans. it says how studies show this helps them psychologically with moral support from a vast number of fans. it was a really interesting article and it says even technology that we take for granted has shaped the world of sport such as action replays and even the fact that you can now sit down in the comfort of your own living room and watch a match in such high quality you are more or less on the field.
The article was really intresting and it makes it hard to believe that we take so much of technology in sport for granted
In this article i learned about all new advancements in sports technology. it goes into debt about how eliete athletes use different things like a body suite that tells how your muscles react and then by using vibrations it helps them fix any problems they have. it also says how twitter plays a vital role because it can make it easier for sport icons to communicate with fans. it says how studies show this helps them psychologically with moral support from a vast number of fans. it was a really interesting article and it says even technology that we take for granted has shaped the world of sport such as action replays and even the fact that you can now sit down in the comfort of your own living room and watch a match in such high quality you are more or less on the field.
The article was really intresting and it makes it hard to believe that we take so much of technology in sport for granted
Lets Jump On The Band Wagon
Who is Brian O'Driscoll?
I didnt think Dublin even had a football team.
If this doesn't make the hairs stand at the back of your necks im not sure what does.
However some of the 'biggest fans' wouldn't have a clue about these players 6 months ago. people jumping on the bandwagon is a pet pieve of mine.
I can relate this to IADT in the sense that being from Kerry in Dublin, I naturally got a lot of abuse after Stephan Cluxtans kick to give Dublin the Sam Maguire. I love the banter had and i'd always say Dublin deserved it. It's afterwards when i asked 'were you watching the game?' i'd recieve a firm NO! Dublin fans grew ten fold when they got to the final, and i know for a fact a lot of fans there had no intrest in being there,just a fat wallet that could afford the seats.
During Irelands soccer downfall, support for the national team dropped an alarming amount. However i can almost garentee it will rapidly rise again since there qualification for euro 2012 which makes it cool to follow the team.
This however does not take away from the fact that ireland have the best followers in the world. In the link about Brian O 'Driscoll he says it was like playing in Dublin.
Its only after studying psychology you realise how important the crowed is to a team.....so go show your support to the team when they are down....not just when its cool to do so
I didnt think Dublin even had a football team.
If this doesn't make the hairs stand at the back of your necks im not sure what does.
However some of the 'biggest fans' wouldn't have a clue about these players 6 months ago. people jumping on the bandwagon is a pet pieve of mine.
I can relate this to IADT in the sense that being from Kerry in Dublin, I naturally got a lot of abuse after Stephan Cluxtans kick to give Dublin the Sam Maguire. I love the banter had and i'd always say Dublin deserved it. It's afterwards when i asked 'were you watching the game?' i'd recieve a firm NO! Dublin fans grew ten fold when they got to the final, and i know for a fact a lot of fans there had no intrest in being there,just a fat wallet that could afford the seats.
During Irelands soccer downfall, support for the national team dropped an alarming amount. However i can almost garentee it will rapidly rise again since there qualification for euro 2012 which makes it cool to follow the team.
This however does not take away from the fact that ireland have the best followers in the world. In the link about Brian O 'Driscoll he says it was like playing in Dublin.
Its only after studying psychology you realise how important the crowed is to a team.....so go show your support to the team when they are down....not just when its cool to do so
Choose your coarse, not your college
Iadt is a great college in an academic sense, however i am writing this regarding its lack of emphasis on sport.
I am a big sport player myself,taking part in a number of different activities that range from rugby to athletics. My one worry when i started in this college was its lack of sport facilities,clubs and events.These worries have been realised when i found out the college didn't even have a GAA team.
I know from first hand experience that young 6th years take sport into account when choosing the college they wish to attend. With Iadt looking to acertaine university standard this is a big problem. This is due to students choosing the college not the coarse. When they see IADT compared to other IT's such as C.I.T and I.T.Tralee all they see is the sporting facilities and interest the college has in sport. whether they are better colleges is certainally debatable. In my view I still would choose this college over most but something needs to be done regarding this situation.
I am a big sport player myself,taking part in a number of different activities that range from rugby to athletics. My one worry when i started in this college was its lack of sport facilities,clubs and events.These worries have been realised when i found out the college didn't even have a GAA team.
I know from first hand experience that young 6th years take sport into account when choosing the college they wish to attend. With Iadt looking to acertaine university standard this is a big problem. This is due to students choosing the college not the coarse. When they see IADT compared to other IT's such as C.I.T and I.T.Tralee all they see is the sporting facilities and interest the college has in sport. whether they are better colleges is certainally debatable. In my view I still would choose this college over most but something needs to be done regarding this situation.
Introduction
Hi, my name is Edward O'Carroll and i am a student here at the wonderful IADT. I am writing this blog about something important to me, sport, and the lack there of in this college. I am a keen sports man myself taking part in sports that range from athletics to rugby. I hope you agree with me to some extent.
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