by Mark Tiongco – April 11, 2010

Regarding the concept of multiple CPUs, Intel introduced this technology with its Pentium 4 processor. Even though there was only 1 physical CPU, Hyper-Threading fooled Windows XP by indicating there are 2 (virtual) CPUs running which helped a little with multi-tasking. Currently, chip makers such as Intel and AMD engineer their CPUs to have 1, 2, 3 and even 4 processors on a single chip package. The good news is that Windows 7 and Mac OS X Snow Leopard have the ability to utilize all available processors to make the operating system run smoother.

Despite its advantages, the biggest issue with multi-core processors is the fact there aren’t many software programs for the average-joe PC user that take advantage of multiple CPUs. For software makers, it’s very labor-intensive to code software to utilize more than one CPU.In the last 10 years, we have seen many advances in CPU technologies that range from Intel’s SpeedStep which lowers CPU speed to save laptop battery life to AMD’s innovative integrated memory controller which increases performance. Still, one thing that hasn’t really changed is the majority of PC users still use their computer for checking email, listening to music and running Microsoft Office.Which brings us to the question, “how many CPUs do I really need?”To answer this question, let us examine commonly used software program CPU requirements:

• Windows XP – 233 Mhz Pentium CPU or higher
• Windows Vistaonline prescription viagra style=”font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 9.5pt”> – 1Ghz 32-bit or 64-bit CPU or higher
• Windows 7 – 1 Ghz 32-bit or 64-bit CPU or higher
• Mac OS X Snow Leopard – Intel CPU
• Office 2007 – 500 Mhz CPU or higher
• FireFox – 233 Mhz CPU or higher
• Adobe CS4 – 1.8Ghz CPU or higher
• iTunes – 1Ghz CPU or higher

From this list, we can see that many of the programs used every day require about a 1Ghz CPU to run smoothly. Most modern CPUs, regardless of performance class, run at least 1.5 times or twice these required speeds regardless of performance class. For the average PC user who routinely uses a computer for checking email with multiple browser tabs, writing school papers on MS Word, and playing music on iTunes, a Dual-Core CPU is plenty fast enough for these tasks.Below are examples of lower-end CPUs which have plenty of power for basic computing needs:

• Intel Pentium Dual-Core (budget)
• AMD Athlon X2 TK-XX (budget)
• Intel Core 2 Duo (mainstream)
• Intel Core i3 (high performance)

If you’re a moderate enthusiast who enjoys casual gaming and/or does lots of research for school or work and needs more horsepower, consider the following:

• AMD Phenom X3 710 (mainstream triple-core)
• AMD Phenom X4 630 (budget quad-core)
• Intel Core i5 (mainstream/high performance dual-core)
• Intel Core 2 Quad Q8200 (high performance quad-core)

PC games released now are being written to utilize multiple cores which help make AI (artificial intelligence) more challenging for the gamer.For hardcore gamers who demand the most for the best graphical output or for multimedia professionals who need the computing muscle for Adobe CS4, the following are recommended:

• Intel Core 2 Quad Q9650 (high performance quad-core)
• Intel Core i7 (high performance quad-core)

Programs like Adobe CS4 can actually utilize all available cores, thus making whatever resource-intensive task such as image rendering take less time.

Since dual-core CPUs have become virtually mainstream, chip makers have bridged the gap between these and their high-performance quad-core counterparts. One trend is to disable 1 or 2 CPUs during manufacturing and offer it at a lower price. Thus, AMD’s Phenom X3 is actually a Phenom X4 quad-core with one CPU disabled. AMD can market this chip as a middle-of-the-road between budget and high performance. Intel has considered this approach and is releasing their Core i7 (code-named Gulftown) 6-core CPU.Another trend that Intel has introduced is the return of Hyper-Threading. As in the Pentium 4 processor, Hyper-Threading is inside all Core i3, i5 and i7 CPUs. So, for example, a computer will recognize a Core i7 as having 8 processors even though there are only 4 physical CPUs on the chip. In addition, Intel is adding Hyper-Threading to their low-power Atom CPU which is designed for netbooks. Starting with the N280 chip, the Intel Atom netbook can now mimic a multi-core computer while maintaining its tiny footprint and minimal power consumption.

If you’re in the market to purchase a new PC, keep in mind the reasons for your purchase. For example, if the salesperson is urging you to buy a fully-loaded $800 quad-core CPU desktop or laptop computer and you specifically told him it’s only for web research, email and watching YouTube videos, a $450 dual-core CPU system makes more sense.

by Scott Nesbitt – March 28, 2010

A surge protector (also called a surge suppressor or a power strip) diverts power away from your delicate electronics. You've probably seen one, or even own one: a white rectangular strip about a foot long, which plugs into a wall socket. On the strip are anywhere from six to eight sockets for your electronics, along with a power switch. It's not what's on the outside that protects your devices. It's what's on the inside that really counts. A surge protector contains two lines: a main line that carries power from the wall socket to your devices, and a ground line that routes any excess voltage into the earth.When a power surge hits, the surge connection – which links the main and ground lines – comes into play. A device within the surge protector, called a varistor (or a MOV), is what diverts the electricity. The varistor is a semiconductor made from metal oxide that has a variable resistance. When the voltage is at normal levels, the varistor doesn't conduct electricity very well. But when the voltage increases, the varistor becomes a very good conductor.It's the varistor that shunts the excess electricity from a power surge from the main line to the ground line. Once the surge passes, the main line returns to normal.

There are a few. First, a power surge can carry a lot of electricity. The varistor in some surge protectors might not be able to handle all of that energy. It probably won't be able to if the surge lasts for more than a few fractions of a second. Some excess electricity may get to the device or devices that you're trying to protect. No matter how good it is, a surge protector won't do its job at the exact moment a power surge hits. There's a short delay while the surge protector kicks in. During that interval, some excess electricity may hit your devices. With any luck the damage will be minimal, but you never can tell.

When shopping for surge protectors, you really need to read the label (or the side of the box). That's where you'll find the information you need to make your choice.Here are four things to look for when buying surge protectors:

• First, the clamping voltage. This is the voltage at which the varistor will kick in. Common clamping voltages are 500 volts, 400 volts, and 330 volts. A surge protector with a clamping voltage of 400 volts or 330 volts will give you the best protection.

• Second, consider the response time (also called the clamping response time). This is how quickly the varistor will kick in. Obviously, you want the fastest response time that you can get. Most surge protectors have a response time of a few nanoseconds (billionths of a second). That's pretty fast. But if you want better protection, go with a surge protector that has a response time of a few picoseconds next day viagra (trillionths of a second).

• Third, look at the energy absorption and dissipation rating of the surge protector. This is the amount of energy, measured in joules, that the surge protector can handle before it's overloaded. Look for a protector with a minimum rating of 300 to 400 joules. A rating of 600 joules or higher will give you better protection.

• Finally, remember the warranty. Things happen, and even really good surge protectors fail. Look for a surge protector with a lifetime warranty and which offers replacements for damaged or destroyed equipment.

As for brands, APC makes some of the best surge protectors on the market. Belkin's surge protectors vary in quality, but some of their higher-end models work very well. Dynex also offers some solid surge protectors for both your home office and home electronics.

You've probably spent quite a bit of money on the electronics in your home. A power surge can do nasty things to those devices. To protect your investment, try to buy the best surge protector that you can afford. If the worst happens, the price will be well worth what you paid.

by Ryan Morse – March 14, 2010

The biggest feature of USB 3.0, also known as SuperSpeed USB, is undoubtedly its higher bandwidth. The new specification has a signal rate of 5 Gigabits per second (Gbps). Compare that to the previous 2.0 specification, which was 480 Megabits per second (Mbps), and you're looking at a potential tenfold increase in performance. In Megabytes (MB), that's a jump from 60 per second to 625 per second! This means faster sync times for your mobile multimedia devices, flash drives, and other data-related peripherals. Another beneficial feature is optimized power efficiency. The previous specification allowed for up to five 100 mA unit loads, for a total of 500 mA, but the unit load values and totals have been increased to six unit loads of up 150 mA each. This can provide faster charging times for your mobile devices like portable DVD players.

If you're worried about replacing all your old devices, fear not; SuperSpeed USB will be backwards compatible with USB 2.0 devices. New USB 3.0 hosts will recognize USB 2.0 devices and new 3.0 devices will still connect to 2.0 controllers. The old connectors and cables were wired using four wires, one for power, one for ground, and two in a twisted pair for data transfers. The new specification builds off this design, using the standard power, ground, and two data wires, but add four more wires for SuperSpeed data. To accommodate the extra pins for this, USB 3.0 standard A connectors and ports will be longer and deeper than their predecessors, preventing older devices from ever coming into contact with the new pins. SuperSpeed standard B connectors will be built on top of the existing form factor. The only drawback is, while SuperSpeed standard A plugs will fit into USB 2.0 standard A ports, SuperSpeed standard B plugs will not fit into Hi-Speed standard B ports. For that, a new cable must be used to connect a SuperSpeed device to your existing USB 2.0 port, but cannot be used to connect old devices to your new 3.0 port. For the most part, you should be able to recognize USB 3.0/SuperSpeed ports and cables because they are color-coded blue.

The best part of all these exciting new features is that they are available right now! Chip makers have already released chips to motherboard and add-on card manufacturers, so you can buy a new motherboard with USB 3.0 already integrated or install an add-on card to an available PCI Express x4 slot for desktop systems or ExpressCard 2.0 slot for notebooks. A PCI Express x4 slot must be used because a x1 slot would limit the effective bandwidth to 250 Megabytes per second or about 2 Gigabits per second. The same is true for ExpressCard slots that are not ExpressCard 2.0 compliant. External hard drives, case enclosures, and notebook computers are already available using the technology, and with many more on the way, it's only a matter of time before you're spending less of it watching progress bars as you sync and charge.