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On August 25, 2008 IOGEAR introduced a new generation USB Cable with the advanced facility. This USB Cable can be used for splitting screens and Sharing files between two computers. This device is very useful for those people, who routinely use two machines at the same time via K.V.M. (keyboard, video,mouse). Via K.B.M you can switch between PC’s by using the same keyboard,video,mouse but the main drawback is, PC’s are not linked and connected to each other.

So now to overcome this problem IOGEAR, launched a new U.S.B. Laptop switch. IOGEAR is a leading connectivity manufacturer that provides complete KVM (Keyboard, Video, Mouse), Connectivity, Networking, Digital Audio/Video, Mobility, and Desktop solutions. Logear’s new USB Laptop KBM switch is one double ended cable, that connects two machines (PC’s/Laptops) together with single keyboard and mouse. By this USB cable from one machine you can access another system files and folders and even drag also. If you connect your Laptop with desktop PC via USB cable then you can synchronize and share files between them, can also use peripherals between machines access by both.

Additional feature is you can split monitor screen and select the screen among them(PC’s/Laptops) according to your task, You can get this Iogear’s new USB laptop switch by paying only 130$.

Irvine, CA – August 25, 2008 – Consumers can now easily access another computer using their laptop with IOGEAR’s USB Laptop KVM Switch. The product is the first KVM switch that enables a laptop to replace the traditional keyboard, mouse and monitor on a second computer. The product is on display at RetailVision, August 25-28, 2008, at booth #603.

For on-the-go users, the USB Laptop KVM Switch provides file transfers and convenient switching between a desktop or a secondary laptop. The product simply connects two computers via USB 2.0 ports and enables individuals to manage both computers with the laptop. The product also comes with built-in file transfer utility software that lets consumers drag and drop files or create backup copies between machines.

In addition, the USB Laptop KVM Switch contains an integrated USB 2.0 port to connect devices, such as printers, scanners, external hard drives, digital cameras, speakers, MP3 players and Webcams, which users can access directly from the laptop. Using a laptop as the console eliminates energy- and space-consuming desktop keyboards, monitors and mice. The USB Laptop KVM Switch also features desktop scaling that modifies the desktop computer’s resolution to be compatible with a laptop screen.

Miranda Su executive vice president at IOGEAR Said

Our USB Laptop KVM Switch provides laptop users a simple space- and device-saving solution compared with traditional KVM switches. It also makes file sharing easy, sparing users from having to set up a network. We strive to develop innovative technologies that address growing consumer needs. The laptop is the preferred device for mobile computing and we make it easier for road warriors to bridge the gap between their on-the-go, home and work lives.

The USB Laptop KVM Switch is compatible with Windows® 2000, XP and Vista operating systems. The product is available immediately for $129.95 MSRP from all major catalog and online resellers, as well as select retail outlets.

Thanks to maximumpc

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It’s really difficult to find  laptop as per our requirement and it’s even harder to find the place form where we can purchase the laptops. As I live in India and here laptops are costlier then other parts of the world.  Some days back Ajay has written a very good post about “Laptop buying guide”, but he has not covered any thing about from where we can purchase the laptop and other gadgets.

After searching a lot over the Internet I found Computershopper and Dell impressions 1525 is the laptop that I was looking for it. Dell laptops are best suited for my requirements because  they are chipper then other laptop provider so i prefer dell computer over other vendors. I found that Computershopper is the Website that will fulfill the requirement of most of the Laptop and gadget buyers.

Computershopper is not the Website, just about the computer products but here I found some really good reviews on Laptops and other gadgets. These reviews are not paid reviews they are critical reviews about the products and these reviews will help you to get the best value of your money. Like PC World here we also have the editor’s review and editor’s choice of product.

There are a number of brands available in the market and these brands makes life even tougher for us to select the best product for our choice here I found the Computershopper offers a good amount of useful information like how to buy products, complete buying guide and most importantly we get latest news about newly launched products including  Desktops, Laptops, cell phones, graphics cards, printers, networking, LCD monitors, hard drives , software, Digital Cameras & camcorders, mp3 players, HDTV & Home Theater, LCD Monitors .

Computershopper also has a very good blog and discussion forum. Blogs will give us latest news and reviews about the products, their prices and buying guide. If you are not satisfied with the Computershopper reviews and their guides then we can discuss our queries in their discussion forum.

Overall on the scale of 10 I will give 8.5 to Computershopper. If you are planning to buy a laptop or any gadget then before going to any other Website first check Computershopper.

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Recently some days back my friend Rich has written one very good book Windows Vista named as Windows Vista - The Pocket Guide. Vista Pocket Guide is very good and easy read book for all Windows Vista users. Vista- Pocket Guide help Vista users to find solutions for their day-to-day Vista issues as well as how they can get most out of Windows Vista.

Windows Vista- The Pocket Guide consists of 134 page in 9 chapters. First chapter of this book gives an introduction to computers and here author strongly recommend that first go to Getting Started chapter then after jump to any other chapter in this book.

Getting Started is very useful and a must read section of this book, before start reading the book. Here I find some very useful content like how to dual boot XP with Windows Vista, Which version of Vista is best for you, What to choose between Vista 32 and 64bit and many more.

Rest of the book deals with specific guide and issues in each chapter. Security and System maintenance and Management section I find very useful for Vista users.

1. Getting Started
2. Backing Up Early and Often
3. Security
4. System Maintenance & Management
5. Increasing Performance
6. Working Efficiently
7. Personalizing Vista
8. Taking Control of Your Files

Vista Pocket Guide download

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Many of the times we come across different terms in computer security and more home user AntiVirus and Spyware are the two most common terms, but they are and how to handle them. Let’s find out in this article.

Spyware: Spyware is software programs that show performs some operation or behaviors such as advertising, collecting personal information, or changing the configuration of your computer, generally without appropriately obtaining your consent first.

Signs of Spyware

• Advertisement pop-ups comes all the time.
• Computer settings has been changed.
• Browser install some additional extension that you never installed.
• Computer performance goes down.
• Unfamiliar websites are handling your search.
• Antispyware programs stop working and keep asking that some files are missing or your computer requires a critical update.

How to Prevent yourself from Spyware

• Use a Firewall :Spyware’s are generally bundled with some other programs after installation spyware try to access Internet or performing some other activity on your system, Firewall may block or ask user permission for all these activities.  Always go for two way firewall.
• Adjust Internet Explorer Settings: Internet Explorer is now more secure and offers a better control over your browsing. Always use Internet Explorer’s Protected Mode.
• Download and Install a Good Antispyware: Download and install a good Antispyware program. Windows Vista comes with preinstalled Windows Defender. Windows XP users can also download and install Windows Defender with free of cost.
• Downloads software’s only from trusted websites. If you find any webpage is vulnerable then instead if using mouse use ALT+F4 to close that webpage. Beware before downloading or visiting various free music and movie websites.

Virus: Virus are small computer programs that are designed to infect the computer also spread from one computer to another computer. A computer virus can delete all your computer data, use computers email program to send and receive email as well as spread the same virus. There are a number of way for a virus to come in computer system like e-mail message or instant messaging messages, e-mail attachments,attachments of funny images, greeting cards, or audio and video files.

Signs of viruses:

• Computer runs more slowly than normal.
• Computer stops responding or locks up often.
• Computer crashes and restarts every few minutes.
• Computer restarts on its own and then fails to run normally.
• Applications on computer don’t work or stop working correctly.
• Disks or disk drives are inaccessible.
• Unusual error messages are keep coming.
• Distorted menus and dialog boxes.

These are common signs of infection—but they might also indicate hardware or software problems that have nothing to do with a virus. Unless you run the Microsoft Malicious Software Removal Tool and install industry-standard, up-to-date antivirus software on your computer, there is no way to be certain if your computer is infected with a virus or not. If you don’t have current antivirus software installed or if you’re interested in installing a different brand, you can try Windows Live OneCare free for 90 days or visit our Security software downloads page for software from other companies.

How to Prevent yourself from Virus

• Use a Firewall
• Use Good AntiVirus Software program
• Regularly update computer software’s.
• Remove unwanted software’s from computer.
• Never open an e-mail attachment from someone you don’t know.
• Only download or accept programs and content (including photos, video clips, ring tones, mobile device themes, and games) from a source you trust.

This article is written after visiting Microsoft Security Website

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Well, fairly speaking its not an idea that struck my mind. I was surfing through archive of one of the programmer’s blog, and found this post. According to that post,

It’s unbelievable to me that a company would pay a developer $60-$100k in salary, yet cripple him or her with terrible working conditions and crusty hand-me-down hardware. This makes no business sense whatsoever. And yet I see it all the time. It’s shocking how many companies still don’t provide software developers with the essential things they need to succeed.

So true. I personally calculated myself, the cost of increasing infrastructure quality (read, better system, and better facilities) can be recovered in just a month, provided that it efficiently increases one’s productivity by atleast 10%. And then, the fact that better infrastructure leads to better state of mind, which means better productivity again. Not just me or other developers think this way, but whole gaming industry is running according to these principles. And no one can deny the fact that it is the fastest growing sector in IT industry.  I know it sounds ridiculous according to the managerial concept that those HR guys learn in their IIM classes. But sometimes you just have to think outta box to make sure you are the leader.

Anyways, to adhere to this bill, is totally a matter of choice of the HR. We can just hope for the same. By the time, we should just make a list of what changes can seriously affect the productivity and hence should be included in this bill.

P.S. - Few of them are my own thoughts and few are from other developers all across the world.

So, here is the list.

• Every programmer shall have a bigger workspace :- Well, easily this is one thing that can radically change the time required to search for a pad or pencil, while you are busy discussing the issues with your clients. It happened to me a lot of times. Dropping the pad, while looking for a whiteboard marker is not something that’s rare.
• Every programmer shall have two monitors :- Although increasing the number of monitors, reduces the amount of free space available on your desk. But it really helps to open multiple windows at times, and thus can save the time used for switching to help window every now and then, and coming back to code window. Also, it helps decreasing the frustration of accidentally closing a window while minimizing it.
• Every programmer should have better PC :- Programmers deserve the rights to work on best in class hardware, as they are the persons using computers for half of their life. And other point is that no one loves to wait for a program to compile or for a application to load, looking at those silly progress bar or status bar.
• Every programmer should have comfortable chair :- I should say I personally prefers bean bag, but if chair is comfortable, that’s good enough. After all, we have to sit on that chair for too long, and I don’t think your brain will work, if you are feeling pain in your arse.
• Every programmer should get enough of coffee and snacks :- Every other day, a programmer works for more than usual time schedule. So, enough of coffee, and snacks can always help him keep going for hours. Oh yeah, if s/he is a smoker, providing enough of smokes can be a good option too.
• Every programmer should get better mouse and keyboard :- At work, I just like most of the programmers, use a sticky keyboard, and a scroll mouse, and I really feel this is an important point for consideration.
• Every programmer deserves his own space :- What if some one keep on nitpicking on your just-a-draft webpage, saying that it doesn’t look cool? No one likes it, right. So, does the programmer. But, sadly managers just don’t understand. They keep on asking you to tell them how much percentage of task you have done to complete the homepage structure of the website. It simply hurts.
• Every programmer should have fast Internet connection :- In case, you don’t have offline help, its very important. I can still remember those days, when I was stuck on some stupid syntax error, and googling for same, took 15 minutes of my time, thanks to that silly 54kbps connection I have got at my desk. Just by increasing the speed to 256kbps, this time could have reduced to 5 minutes. And if you consider the fact that you encounter same situation every hour, that accounts for 15% of your productivity.
• Every programmer should have rights to ask “Why?” :- How many times you have felt as a programmer that something you are working on is not properly justified? That the spacing between two textboxes can be decreased by 10% to make the page look better and to fit more information? I felt it almost every day when working on a enhancements project. And then, you have got no right to ask why you just can’t do it. Is it because, some stupid jerk called Business Analyst didn’t thought of it first. I know it sounds crazy. People who have got no idea about coding, defines the way we should code, and we can’t even argue on that.
• Every programmer should have access to all the documentation, books and Google :- Why does the managers think that being a programmer, you should know every thing about your programming language, and environment used? Why can’t I just use Google to look for an answer, when I am stuck?  And do you know about any manager who have crammed every single management principles,he learnt from the business school?
• Every programmer should be given full right to wear any outfit :- I am never able to understand how can one’s outfit affect his work. One reason is that I have to wear professional outfits for those daily meetings, I may attend. But then, if I am supposed to attend those meetings, why the hell we need those managers for?

So, here is the list of points what developers think, should be included in their rights. I would definitely love to hear about other points that you think, should be a part of this bill. Well, till that time, I am off to file a petition to the programmer’s union about this bill. Oops, i forgot, i don’t even know about any union as such. Do you??? Do you even care about your rights????

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For many first time laptop buyers deciding how to go about buying a laptop is indeed a very tricky process. ReadersZone comes to the rescue of many such harried buyers by providing them with a detailed and easy to understand description of the various important specifications

Processor: Sometimes referred to as CPU or central processing unit of your laptop. This is the most important part of your laptop It’s always better to go with the fastest processor that you can afford. AMD’s mobile processors are usually more affordable than Intel’s.

Memory: Always look for laptops that have easy-to-access memory slots because memory is the first thing that a user would generally want to upgrade. Having more main memory is vital for system performance and more main memory lets you run more applications simultaneously.

Display Size: Unlike the desktop computer laptops are shipped with thin LCD screens. Wide-screen notebooks, which have an aspect ratio of 16:9, offer larger, sharper, and all-round better image than their 4:3 standard-screen cousins. 17-inch wide-screen laptop is a nice luxury if you’re not planning on traveling with it.

Hard Drive: Hard drive provides you the space for storing your personal data on magnetic disk. Generally a 160GB hard drive is good unless and until you are planning to store a huge amount of multimedia content like songs and movies. Hard Drive capacity alone does not make a good hard drive. The hard disk’s rotational speed also makes a big difference; a 7,200rpm laptop disk delivers significantly faster performance than a 5,400rpm model. The faster the disk spins, the better your notebook will perform overall, though a faster disk will also shorten your laptop’s battery life.

PC Cards and Express Cards: PC Card can plug into a slot on your notebook and can provide you with a number of connection types including modems, USB connections and wireless WAN radios which are all available in PC Card form. PC Cards are handy because they’re easy to upgrade and because you can buy third-party PC Card solutions after you purchase your notebooks. It’s always better to look for a laptop that has more number of PC Card slots. PC Cards and slots come in three sizes: Type I, II, and III. Type I cards are normally used for memory, Type II for input/output devices, and Type III for mass storage and firewalls. Express cards are the successor of PC Cards. Express Cards are smaller then the PC Cards and provides the twice the data transfer rate as compared to PC Cards.

Networking Options: Wireless networking has now become an essential part of any laptop. Most notebooks ship with a choice of 802.11b or 802.11b/G. Capable of data throughput of 11Mbps, 802.11b is fine for ordinary use. Public hotspots typically use 802.11b or 802.11g.

Video RAM: If you are not planning to play 3D games or do some graphics work then shared video memory is best suited for you otherwise if you are high end graphics user then go for a graphics chipset that at least share 64MB of system Memory.

Battery Life: If you do a lot of traveling with your laptop then it’s always good to have a battery that has the longest battery life available in all your models. Look for Battery capacity (measured in milliamp hours, or mAh), and the number of cells. Typical batteries have a mAh rating between 2,000mAh and 6,000mAh; higher the better. Cells are the actual compartments where power is produced and can range from four to 12; the more the better.

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Microsoft Windows XP is still preferred operating system, instead of the fact that it has a number of security loop holes. When Microsoft started building Vista, there primary goal is to make an operating that can address most of security issues that are addressed in Windows XP. Windows Vista comes with a number of security improvements. It’s important for end user to understand how to use these new security features.

• Network Access Protection (NAP): Network Access Protection (NAP) is one of the most desired and highly anticipated features of Windows Server 2008. NAP is a new platform and solution that controls access to network resources based on a client computer’s identity and compliance with corporate governance policy. NAP allows network administrators to define granular levels of network access based on who a client is, the groups to which the client belongs, and the degree to which that client is compliant with corporate governance policy. If a client is not compliant, NAP provides a mechanism to automatically bring the client back into compliance and then dynamically increase its level of network access. Network Access Protection is complicated to setup but I think it’s a good idea to setup Network Access Protection. Step by step guide: How to Set up Network Access Protection.

• Turn on Phishing Filter: Make sure that Phishing Filter is turned on for all your desktop computers. The Phishing Filter combines a local (client side) system scanning for suspicious website characteristics with an online service. Phishing Filter checks website characteristics to common Phishing websites, warn if it finds any fraudulent and legitimate website.
  The Phishing Filter is not enabled by default—you must actively enable the feature the first time you use the browser after installation. You can enable and disable the Phishing Filter with just a single click at any time using the browser menus.
• Use Network Profiles: Windows Vista does not treat all network connections equally as compare to previous version of Windows operating system. Vista’s Network and Sharing center designate a networks as public, private or a domain network. Vista treats domain networks automatically when computer is used to login into a domain. It’s very important to select proper network network profile because vista implements various security features based on network type.
• Use Vista 64-Bit Version: Windows Vista’s 64-Bit version is more secure as compare to 32-Bit version. Vista 64bit version offers Data Execution Prevention feature. DEP is a security feature that can help prevent damage to your computer from viruses and other security threats. DEP can help protect your computer by monitoring programs to make sure they use system memory safely. If a program tries running (also known as executing) code from memory in an incorrect way, DEP closes the program.

This Post is created reading  a number of Microsoft Technet Articles.

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