PC sales going down!

PC or Personal computers were and are the greatest invention of all times. From time of Charles Babbage to the time of Bill Gates, computer has been the most talked about product. PCs especially desktops were among the best upgrades that we ever saw in the history. From a 1000sq.ft huge 1st generation computer, we have come down to micro-computer which does the same task but effectively. PCs really changed the way we communicated with each other. PC revolutionized technology completely. But things are slowly changing as tablets are taking over PCs itself!

Yes, you heard it right! PC sales is going down rapidly every year as tablets are on the rise. It looks like tablets are more preferred by general people than PCs. By PC, I mean, desktops, laptops and Ultrabooks which mostly run Windows operating system. Tablets are mainly taking over laptops and ultrabooks, ie portable PC's. Though tablets are not as powerful as laptops, people buy it due to its easy touch interface and high resolution screen. For a normal user who opens his/her PC for web browsing, watching YouTube videos and using Facebook, tablets can be a better alternative. However, for a software programmer or a hardcore gamer, tablets are not going to meet their all requirements as PCs are much more powerful in that case. 

The thing is a person who owes a PC usually buy tablets because of their portability and good battery life but many tablet users refuse to buy a PC. Even Windows 8 release has not been able to keep the PC sales up. It looks like people are more attracted towards touch screen interface. Most tablets which run on Google Android and iOS are selling like pancakes which PC sales is going down. Few years later, don't be surprised to seen  tablet PCs running full Windows 8 like the Microsoft Surface RT pro. In 2013, expect fall of PC sales like never before. The time has come. PCs are finally going down. Tablets are on the rise!!!

Thank you for reading my post.Stay tuned and stay updated. Do send comments and suggestions down below. You can also catch me on my Facebook page.

Category › PC Solutions

Windows 8 - Should you upgrade?

Windows 8 is here folks! It's the latest and the greatest operating system (OS) from Microsoft. It has wowed many of us and for few it is not a major upgrade. Windows 8 sure has a lot of new features. Some of them are:

• Support for both x86 PCs and ARM tablets
• Touch-centric, Tiles-based User Interface (UI)
• Snap Multi-tasking
• Much easier Windows 8 Control Panel
• Web Navigation by Touch
• Two Touch Keyboards
• Enhanced Copy Experience
• Native USB 3.0 Support
• Better Support for Multiple Monitors
• Better Graphics Hardware Acceleration
• Metro UI
• Microsoft Account Integration
• Fast Boot Time
• SkyDrive Integration
• New Task Manager
• Improved Malware Protection

Seems like a lot has changed and in fact it has! But it doesn't mean you will notice all the changes. If you are a tech savy, you will surely see a lot of changes but if you are just a basic user, you won't like the new interface at least for a month or so.

Upgrading to Windows 8 is suitable for those people who are upgrading their PC itself (with TouchScreen featured Monitors). Windows 8 is optimized for touch screen monitors. If you want to make the most out of your Windows 7 make sure you have got a touch screen Monitor. Also, you will need a active Internet connection all the time to use its premium features. Although the minimum requirement of Windows 8 is same as that of Windows 7, you may want to have a high spec PC to enjoy all the features of Windows 8. 

If you have a old Windows 8 PC which has low specs and uses a non-touchscreen PC, then trust me, you won't enjoy much of Windows 8. The touchscreen optimization itself will trouble you. It will look funny to use your mouse as a finger input to swipe through different Windows panel. Windows 8  uses a lot of gestures and touch options which will surely trouble you.It's certainly not going to be worth spending 100's of dollar for just upgrading to Windows 8.

So, that's it for now. Stay tuned and stay updated. You can also catch me on Facebook. Just click this "Facebook" word to be redirected to my page. Thanks for reading my post.

Category › PC Solutions

How to boost Windows 8 performance

Have you just updated to Windows 8? Had you expected your new OS to be smooth and fast just as Windows 7? Yes, the Windows 8 is now what you had expected. With the new OS and the new UI, there are a lot of bugs and disappointments. The Metro UI may be breath-taking but it is also very demanding. Though the system requirements of Windows 8 as just like what was found in Windows 7, your system may not handle all the threads and processes your new OS performs.

The first reason Windows 8 doesn't run properly in your computer is the lack of system requirements. If you have got some bucks, do invest it in upgrading your PC. Go and buy a new PC which has a touchscreen to make the best out of your Windows 8 operating system. Windows 8 is a lot of fun when you have a touch-screen desktop or laptop.

If you think you meet all the requirement to run Windows 8 without lags, there are things you need to consider. Windows 8 is a completely new platform so you can expect it to have some lags which will of course be removed by Windows update itself. If that is the case all you can do is wait for the update to roll in. Do frequently check for system updates. Make sure Automatic update is turned on your Windows 8. Also, you can check the Microsoft website and download updates manually if you find specific problem in your new OS.
There are several bugs that are reported by users running Windows 8 but many of them were found due to users own lack of skills. so, make sure you have installed or updated to Windows 8 properly without any errors. Also, you experience a lot of unusual problems, you can simply install a fresh copy of Windows 8 in your computer. Make sure your disc is not corrupt and your hard-disk is virus free as even Windows 8 is prone to viruses. Just like in earlier version of Windows, remove unnecessary files and uninstall unrequired applications from your computer. 
The next thing you can do is download and use free registry cleaner such as RegCleaner which may look simple but does it work pretty well. You can download it here for free. One more more, there may be some applications which is causing problems in your computer. For instance, there are many applications which are not compatible with Windows 8. They may be causing the slow downs of your computer. If you have seen a recent slow down, just uninstall the program you have just installed and check for the program update which is made for Windows 8.
If you follow the above listed guidelines, you will have Windows 8 running smooth in your PC.Thank you for reading my post.Stay tuned and stay updated. Do send comments and suggestions down below. You can also catch me on my Facebook page.

Category › PC Solutions

Best Internet Service Provider (ISP) of Nepal

With the increase in Internet Service Providers(ISP) in Nepal, it has become very important to choose the right one for you. The number of Internet users are increasing day by day as ISP's offer more to the user. The top 5 ISP's of Nepal are:

• NTC ADSL
• Subisu CableNet
• ClassicTech
• WorldLink
• BroadLink 

There are also other ISP's like NetMax Technologies,Mercantile Communications, Global Internet, AccessNet Communication, etc which are not very popular. The above 5 ISP's(Those listed in Bullets) offer you with the amount of Bandwidth you really want. Also, many of these have various packages available like Night Time Internet Access Package, Volume Based Package, Unlimited Package, etc. The price of the service varies from ISP to ISP. 

The most reliable ISP provider so far is NTC ADSL. It may be a bit expensive than other ISP's but the service is the best. Prices of NTC ADSL varies from Rs.1,017 for 192kbps to Rs.1,500+Tax for 384kbps Internet Speed. Also, volume based packages are available which are faster but finish as you use it. ADSL users hardly face any technical difficulties as the system is very reliable. The customer support is also very good. If you have any problem, you can contact NTC and think your problem is solved. The download and upload speed are also very good and upto the standard. This is the best ISP currently in Nepal.

The no.1 contender for the ISP battle is Subisu CableNet. The reason people choose Subisu Internet over other ISP is its low cost as well as the good service it provides. You get 128kbps Internet for Rs.800 along with all the TV channels. This is indeed a very good service where users can enjoy the best of both worlds. The Youtube Videos stream flawlessly in Subisu CableNet and the download speed is also very good. The only problem is that Subisu CableNet sometimes doesn't respond and very little times turns to be very slow. The Customer Service Support is good as well if not as good as NTC ADSL.
These are the two best ISP's available right now. If you have to chose, do chose from any of these two. If these service are not available for you, you can chose WorldLink as it too offers a good Internet facility. If you have any questions or suggestions, do leave a comment below. Stay tuned and stay updated. 

Category › PC Solutions

Holographic Versatile Disc

DVD's, those were legends. Having storage of 4.7GB, that was huge during the time of CD's. Now, we have Blu-ray disc's which can store up to 50GB data in a single disc. That's pretty large,isn't it? These discs are specially used for recording HD videos and used in gaming consoles such as PS3. Blu-ray Disc have same size and diameter as that of DVD's but have much more significant write speed and can store much more data. They are slowly replacing DVD's.

Have you ever heard of Holographic Versatile Disc? These discs were developed between April 2004 and mid-2008. These discs can  store up to several terabytes of data on an optical disc! These discs are 10cm in diameter. This is the best we can get out of a optical disc. Having storage capacity in Terabyte is extremely large. Even hard-disks don't come up in such high storage. However, these discs have yet not come in practical use as Holographic Versatile Disc Drive initially costs 15,000$ which is extremely expensive and a single disc costs 150$ to 180$. Now, no one would like to spend so much money on a optical disc drive, would anyone?But, prices are gradually decreasing So, this technology is not of much use for now but it has a great future ahead. Once people will find Blu-ray insufficient of holding data's, these discs will surely come to use. Stay tuned and stay updated!

Category › PC Solutions

Google's Chromium OS

Did you guys hear about "Google's Chromium OS"? It may not have been advertised very much but it sure has gained a lot of publicity. It is the lightest operating system that I have ever experienced It takes only 7 to 8 second to boot up your Pc/Laptop with this awesome operating system. The requirement of this operating system isn't very high either. Any basic computer with 512MB of RAM can run this OS smoothly. 

To be honest its not a operating system as you may expect it to be. It is nothing like Windows or Mac OS. It's completely different. Then how is it? It's simply a web browser. Surprised? Really, it's just a web browser with everything inside it. Very interesting, isn't it?

Chromium OS is still in it's BETA's. So, it isn't fully complete. There are many cool stuff you can perform with this OS. The best thing about this OS is that it is faster then the fastest. If you are using it in your laptop, then it's even better because you battery will run thrice as more. It's because the OS isn't heavy at all. For instance, it doesn't need antivirus running in background nor does it need its graphics card using aero feature and the list is never ending. If you use your PC/Laptop just for browsing on the Internet, then this OS is going to be a gift from heaven. But, if you use other PC features like Photoshop and if you are a hardcore PC gamer, this OS just isn't right for you. If you are an officer who uses Microsoft Office, this OS isn't that great either as it doesn't contain Microsoft package in it's operating system nor can it be installed via third party installer. It's more or less like a small part of an operating system. But hopefully it's still on progress.

Google has tried to make their operating system very simple and easy to use. Even if you don't want this operating system to be your first priority, you can keep it as your second option. I said this because this operating system can be kept in your pen drive(Portable hard disk or any other storage device) and can be used to boot your PC/Laptop. If you don't like it remove the pendrive and you can use your previous OS. IT's as simple as that. 

If you look closely, this OS isn't bad either because if I recall properly, browsing web is what we do most and this OS is especially designed to browse on the internet. Really, what more can we ask for? They have been frequently updatind and improving this OS by fixing bugs and adding new features such as capability to install applications and games. If this OS is developed properly, it may one day be a leading OS as well. That day sure isn't very far way. The "Google men" are still trying to do best and bring forward a free bootable all-in-one OS.

Below, I have enlisted the pros and cons of the Chromium Operating System:

Pros:

1. Great booting time (only 7 seconds!)
2. Easy to use
3. Virus Free
4. Battery economical
5. Doesn't require large hard-disk
6. Runs pretty well on old PCs(has very low specification requirement)
7. Best OS for Web Browser
8. Doesn't require local hard-disk
9. Portable(Can be taken anywhere using Pendrive)
10. Global data sharing

Cons:

1. Still in Beta
2. Doesn't support Microsoft Office
3. Nod good at all for hardcore Gamers and Application Users
4. Very limited Application Library
5. Limited only with Browser
6. Not ideal for places with slow Internet Connectivity
7. Useless for people without Internet
8. Cannot use hardware resources even if they are excellent
9. Still has some bugs
10. Security is questionable

The Chromium OS is  innovative and is also a great concept. If web browser is all we use, why not make web browser our Operating System? This OS is just great for Net-Books and Laptops. Stay tuned and you won't be disappointed.Don't forget to keep your finger crossed!

Category › PC Solutions

Boost WiFi Signal Reception from your Router

Are you tired of losing WiFi signal reception even when the wireless router is around you. Does your neighbor have wireless router and you know the password but still due to low signal reception, you are not being able to use it? Do you always have to stick around your wireless router? Does your router throws signal in places where it is not necessary? If these are your problems then I can say that I can help with ease.

1) Official Firmware Update

I would like to say that if your device has official firmware update via Internet, I would recommend you to do that. Firmware updates can also boost your WiFi Signal significantly. Before the update you will have WiFi 802.11g and after the update, you will have 802.11n (which is the latest). You can simply do this by going to your router's profile by typing 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.0.1. Then, under Administration you will find  "Update your router" option and follow the instruction accordingly.

2) Position your Wireless Router in Proper Place

It may sound funny to you all but the fact doesn't change that if you proper position your Wireless router, you can get heavy signal boost. For instance, if you keep your router near metallic object and has to pass through several walls before reaching you (Your WiFi Device), you will get very weak signal. So, keep the router in a place as high as possible where there are less obstacles.  The less the obstacles, the better signal you will get. Also avoid microwaves and cordless phone as they use the same frequency. 

3) Change your Router's Channel

You all may not know about changing your router's WiFi channel but this too help to improve your wireless network devices signal. All your have to do is go to your router's home page. Then, go to "Wireless Setup" and change your "Channel No.". You will find channel from 1 to 13. The channel number doesn't change your bandwidth speed. Try to keep your channel as unique as possible. Look out for other wireless networks and check out on which channel they are running. If all the wireless network run on the same channel, you will get slower speed as there are chances of mixing up of networks. So, use different/unique channel for your router. 

4) Buy Stronger Antenna

The better and longer your antenna, the more signal it will give to your WiFi Device. You can buy Antennas according to your need (Omni-Directional or Bi-Directional) at ebay.com or amazon.com.

You also get WiFi boosters but they are pretty expensive. The antennas you buy should be compatible with your router. So, check well before purchasing the Antenna.

5) Build your own WiFi Booster

The other thing you can do  is build your own WiFi booster. It's pretty simple and very effective. Believe me, I got up to 40% signal boost by using this technique. To make this possible there are a number of things that are required out of which most of them are easily available.So, here are the things that you will need in order to boost your Wi-Fi Signal :

• A Wireless Router
• Wireless Receiver/Adapter (Most of the laptops and mobiles now a days have them inbuilt)
• A pair of Scissor
• Tape/Glue
• Aluminium Foil

Download WindSurfer Template from Google Search.Resize the template using either MS Word, Paint etc. The bigger the size of WindSurfer the better will be the Wi-fi signal strength and range.
Once you have done the resizing, print the template.

Now stick a cardboard behind the template, the cardboard must not be too hard use something that is flexible like a calender etc.After you've stuck the cardboard, cut out the two parts. The first part will be the one which says "WindSurfer" and the second part will say "FreeAntennas.com".Stick aluminum foil to the second part.

Now cut slits in the second part using a knife. Then insert the slots from First Partinto the slits. Use sticky tape and tape them nicely.
Finally pinch two holes where a plus sign appears.

There you go its done. place the WindSurfer on your WiFi antenna and check your Wifi Signal, you'll find an increase in signal bars.


Follow these simple tips and boom you will get significant signal boost for your Wi-Fi Device.

Category › Gadget Help , PC Solutions