The Budget Desktop Replacement From Dell

When people think of desktop replacement laptops, usually expensive laptops come to mind. Almost all of them have powerful processors that are also paired up with powerful video cards, thus making them also gaming laptops.

How about the people who do not need those features? Well, Dell has an answer for that – the Inspiron 17R SE. For those looking for a big laptop without the need for extreme features, this will serve you well.

Design

The Inspiron 17R is a desktop replacement, but it doesn’t have the imposing frame its peers are known for. Rather, the 17R has a softer appeal, great for mainstream users who aren’t interested in playing games.

Being a 17 – inch laptop, you’re bound to have some weight to carry. Weighing at 7.27 pounds, that’s certainly a lot of weight, but better than most laptops of the same screen size.

Since this is a budget laptop, expect some compromises when it comes to the body. The bottom is made of plastic. Thankfully, the top lid is made of aluminum with a honeycomb pattern that looks nice. The aluminum design is also found in the palm rest.

Display

Featuring a wonderful 17.3 – inch screen, the 17R has a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels. It’s great because it compliments all of your HD videos.

Aside from that, the laptop has more than enough brightness to fill up a dark room. You can watch a movie comfortably in the dark with this laptop. To help with glare, Dell even supplies this laptop with a matte screen.

Due to its purpose of being a multimedia laptop, the display has good viewing angles, allowing you to watch movies with a friend or two.

Hardware

In terms of hardware, the laptop actually impresses. 

The processor is a quad – core i7 Ivy Bridge processor, the 3610QM. It’s actually a great processor because many gaming laptops offer it as a default offering. It’s a very capable processor allowing you to do heavy duty tasks such as rendering videos without any problems.

For graphics, you are provided with the fastest budget NVIDIA graphics card, the GeForce GT 650M. It’s a graphics card that actually turns the laptop into a decent gaming machine. You’ll find it in ultraportable boutique laptops.

How does it perform? You can play some demanding games on it, such as Diablo III. It runs at a smooth 29 fps on ultra at 1080p. Even Starcraft II runs at a playable 41 fps at 1080p. Some other games though can’t be played. The ultra – demanding Dirt Showdown moves along at a slow 19 fps with everything maxed out. However, reducing the image settings to High allows you to play at 47 fps.

Memory is at 6 GB, which is normal for budget laptops. Since this you’ll mostly be using this laptop for simple tasks, it’s more than enough. Storage comes at a measly 1 TB HDD. That’s enough, but it doesn’t compare to an SSD.

For the adventurous though, you can always install an SSD yourself.

Conclusion

Dell has created a great budget laptop for just 1,160 dollars. It manages to impress thanks to its decent gaming abilities and quad – core processor.

Well, this is better than your old laptop, so if you have decided to sell your laptop be sure that you will only transact to legitimate companies like Cash4Laptops.com. 

Protecting Your Laptop Software

So you just bought a new laptop and sold old laptop. Congratulations! However, a computer is one of the most fragile things ever created, especially when it comes to software. Just mess up on little things and then everything goes down the drain. Examples include getting viruses, which are nasty occurrences.

With that in mind, you need to be aware of protecting your software at all times, because you never know when something could go wrong.

Keep in mind these things when you have a new laptop:

Antivirus Software

One of the first things you need to do when you turn on your new laptop is installing antivirus software. It is imperative you protectyour laptop from any viruses, because if you don’t you’ll notice a drop in performance.

If you bought a laptop, normally they come with trial versions of antivirus software. These are great, because they already work. To get the full features though, just pay a small fee.

Other times, free antivirus software works great too, such as Microsoft Security Essentials. Just make sure you scan your computer every week.

Updating the Software

If your laptop comes with preinstalled software, you better make sure they are updated. That’s because updated software allows better protection from viruses and hackers.

Programs like Google Chrome, Adobe Flash and other things like that all require regular updates. If you install them, don’t ignore the updates that come with them afterwards. They’ll definitely help you in the long run.

Create a System Restore

Eventually, you’ll want to branch out and experiment with your operating system. Sometimes, those experiments go haywire. That’s where a System Restore comes in.

A System Restore allows you to return to the last working condition of Windows, where all of the settings and everything else are restored to their normal condition, as if nothing happened.

It’s a great tool to have, especially for those who like to tinker with computers. You can set how often Windows will save restore points such as weekly or daily so you can pick the latest one.

Remove Bloatware

Other times, manufacturers ship laptops with plenty of software to sweeten the deal. Some are useful, while some are not. Useful software includes Adobe programs. You’ll definitely use them in the future.

Examples of useless programs include additional menus that look similar to Mac OS X, Other examples include webcam software, which a lot of people don’t really need, especially when they’re not into webcam sessions.

Create an Admin Account

If other people are going to use your computer, sooner or later someone is bound to mess it up. Prevent this from happening by creating an administrator account.

There, you’ll be able to control everything other people do, such as installing software. You can prevent them from installing anything by asking them to enter a password, which of course, they don’t know.

The benefit of this strategy is significant, especially for those who have internet cafes.

Conclusion

By following these simple tips, you’ll be able to preserve the life of Windows. You won’t have to reinstall the OS every 6 months or sell your laptop to have a new one.You can leave it longer if you like.

Key Tips for BlackBerry

Problems are common. If it doesn’t have any solution, then it may not be a problem after all. Many have tried to solve their problems, with or without support, like their love lives, selling BlackBerry, or the more simpler ones like opening a can or sending an email. You may also encounter these problems on BlackBerry smartphones. Having a hard time using BlackBerry’s keyboard? Well, if you are, don’t cry over that. BlackBerry smartphones have been designed for ergonomics and user convenience. Some users just don’t know how things work, especially the first time. Even if you read the manual, the specifics just don’t appear right away.

BlackBerry keys are important because they not only provide basic phone functions but also bring convenience. You can’t imagine a phone without keys. So, understanding how these keys work will be of great help. So, here are some tips that can help you:

·        Setting the Convenience button to open preferred app or feature

Setting the Convenience button may differ depending on what BlackBerry model unit you are using because it may have one or two keypads. For BlackBerry phones with two convenience keys, it may be identified as ‘left’ or ‘right’ buttons. Convenience keys may be customized to perform or open an app. If you wish to change these apps, do the following:

BlackBerry 6 and BlackBerry 7 OS

1.      Select ‘Options’ from a folder or from the Home screen.

2.      Select ‘Device,’ then the ‘Convenience Key.’

3.      Select an option to assign the app to the key next to ‘Convenience Key Opens.’

4.      Press the Menu key and select ‘Save’ to end the process.

·         Lock the Keypad to enter capital letters

YOU MAD? i need something bigger. YOU might HAVE a HARD time TYPING. Well, if that problem needs to be bigger or smaller, turning on caps lock mode on a Blackberry is as simple as selling BlackBerry. You just need to:

1.      Press Alt key and Right Shift Key together

2.      To unlock, either press the Alt key or one of the Shift keys.

·         Lock the keypad to enter numbers

If a friend texts you and asks for your number, doing it manually will burn calories and time. If you’re the gym buff, then by all means do it. But, if you need to send it fast, do these simple things to lock your keypad to enter numbers:

1.      While typing, press the Alt and Left Shift key together.

2.      To turn it off, press the Alt key or any of the Shift keys.

·         Media keys and dual functionality

BlackBerry phones can be music players. But, not everyone knows that the up and down volume buttons may be a good way to skip or go back a track. The mute button can even be your pause button.

·         To skip one track, press and hold the Up Volume button

·         To go back one track, press and hold the Down Volume button

·         To pause the current track, press and hold the Mute button

These are some basic tips that will help you use BlackBerry phones easier. It’s like when you trade in BlackBerry to online buyers. BlackBerry phones are ergonomic and user-friendly. So make good use of them now.

Facebook on Blackberry

Mark Zuckerberg is said to have painted Facebook blue because he is supposedly color-blind to non-blue colors. True or not, it certainly is more real to say that Facebook is a happy and hip place to be. Facebook has been an internet sensation following its initial success as being an innovative social networking site. Facebook then started Facesmash as a way for people to decide who is prettier over the other. You might even sell BlackBerry on Facebook. Now, it’s not just a place to smash other people faces but to connect and share posts in the most convenient ways. Facebook has infused everything in it and there certainly a place for BlackBerrys.

BlackBerry phones are a traveler’s best companion. They are well-rounded enough for people to check email, edit documents, and chat through BBM all day long. But, BlackBerry’s well-roundedness is only complete if Facebook comes into the picture. Thus, Facebook on BlackBerry is a hit. Since it is a website visited more often on computers, Facebook can’t import all of its awesome features to the BlackBerry. However, that didn’t stop both BlackBerry and Facebook from bringing out the best. BlackBerry offers basic functions on Facebook including the following:

Facebook Newsfeed

Most people want to be updated the easiest way they can. Everyone wants the latest news, especially if it’s from Facebook. You get to know where your friends are, or know what they have been doing recently. That’s a good icebreaker when all of your friends mingle.

Facebook Groups

Hello peer pressure! With your peers hanging out and posting it on your private group account, you can see what your peers are up to. You just don’t want to be left out at times. It takes a little time and effort to talk with them on Facebook even if you’re really busy and some friends decide to sell BlackBerry online.

Nearby Places

If you’re in a park alone and want to look for a friend nearby, this feature is best for you. Nearby Places lets you update where you are. Online Facebook friends may know where you are and might accompany you if he’s free. That’s instant meeting to the extreme.

Facebook Messages

You want to talk to your friend pronto? Well, when you’re both online, the Facebook Messenger is the best way to communicate. Aside from the usual chatter, you can also share posts and links with eachother. You can’t do that in actual conversations. It just got better.

Apparently, you can’t just put Facebook on your BlackBerry. There are specifications that need to be met in order for you to enjoy Facebook on BlackBerry. BlackBerry advises that your phone has the following specs to optimize Facebook use:

• ·         BlackBerry device Software v5.0 or later
• ·         A Facebook account (Obviously, yes!)
• ·         Wi-Fi connectivity
• ·         2.7 MB of available app memory
• ·         A wireless service data plan

That certainly will update your friends about the latest shenanigans in the town. Facebook takes communicating with your friends to a whole new level. Don’t be left out because others might try selling BlackBerry. You can update both your phone and your status anytime of the day.

image source: 

http://mashable.com/2012/09/13/blackberry-facebook-mobile-app/

http://n4bb.com/facebook-blackberry-3-2-0-12-available-app-world/

BlackBerry 10 APPvailable for more?

Smartphones would not be as smart as they are without certain apps. The Apple soars high with a thousand available apps for its users. You can just download them and play games like Temple Run and Bejeweled. The Android OS opens a market that provides unlimited apps from social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter to battery-saving apps and more. You may have the urge to sell used Blackberry because of their small selection. Smartphone users may either pay for really good apps or download free ones and play harder. Smartphones are really smart because apps in the market today are limitless and downloadable. But, with Apple and Android providing most of the apps in the online world, can BlackBerry catch up with the ever-changing trend?

BlackBerry phone apps are known for their ingenuity. They have no messy patent infringements, like both Apple and Samsung, and have arguably one of the most durable smartphones in the market. But, what most BlackBerry users complain about is the BlackBerry World App does not provide as many apps compared to Apple and Android. It may flunk BlackBerry out of the grandiose picture of smartphones. With users basically wanting more apps, BlackBerry needs to address this simple yet important dilemma.

With recent events unfolding, the world is excited about the much-anticipated release of the BlackBerry 10. The BlackBerry 10 is seen to be RIM’s defining moment. RIM could not catch up. Apple and Samsung have been in the spotlight and RIM can’t seem to take a little peek. With BlackBerry users complaining that BlackBerry World App does not provide many apps for its users, RIM’s Vice President of Developer Relations and Ecosystem Development, Alec Saunders promises to address this complaint. He says the BlackBerry 10 will have approximately 7,000 apps for users to download. It ensures that Facebook and Twitter apps will be available. The BlackBerry Messenger will available as always. You may not have to sell BlackBerry after all.

The BlackBerry 10’s release would be in 2013 although no definite date is set. With a nearing deadline and pressure from excited customers, how can BlackBerry pull in as many as 7,000 apps? Well, good thing BlackBerry 10 partners with the Windows Marketplace. The Windows Marketplace promises 7,000 apps as OS for the Nokia Lumia 920.  Now, BlackBerry taps them to give them a pretty good head start with Apple and Android. It’s not surprising that Windows Marketplace agrees with BlackBerry. Microsoft wants to be at least the 3^rd biggest OS provider after Apple’s iOS and Android. So, Apple and Android should expect their numerous apps to be one tiny spec for the Windows Marketplace.

The BlackBerry 10 will be a giant leap for RIM. They took the risk of innovating new ways just to provide many apps for its future users. On the other hand, users should not just expect less from BlackBerry 10 because it detaches itself from RIM’s first-generation smartphones. It’s pretty obvious that it’s high time to sell your BlackBerry once the BlackBerry 10 is released.

The Young Alienware

When the Alienware M11x burst into the scene, it captured the attention of critics who thought that gamers couldn’t game on a portable system. It proved to be a hit, but sadly it was discontinued. Alienware said that customers wanted to focus on bigger systems.

However, the portable gaming crowd isn’t lost because Alienware recently updated their medium – sized laptop, the M14x to accommodate better hardware, but still be portable enough.

Let’s take a look, shall we?

Design

The Alienware M14x is just like every other Alienware made, only smaller. The features are still the same. You get the same crazy colors on the grills, logos and keyboard, which you can change with a special program.

Despite being a medium – sized laptop, it manages to be bulky. It weighs 6.4 pounds, and is 1.5 inches thick. That being said, it actually manages to be the as thick and as heavy as 17 – inch laptops, so consider that if you’re buying this laptop.

Display

The M14x comes with a 14.0 inch display with a screen resolution of 1600 x 900 pixels. If you’re feeling cheap, you can lower the resolution to 1366 x 768 pixels.

Overall, the glossy display can be a bit of a hassle to use outdoors thanks to some crazy reflections. To make up for it though, the M14x has great viewing angles.

Hardware

This laptop isn’t afraid to put on some muscle. Featuring the latest hardware available, the M14x easily beats laptops of the same category.

It features an Intel Ivy Bridge 3720QM processor, one of the higher end i7 processors. The clock speed is at 2.6 GHz, but you can turn on Turbo Boost 2.0 for an amazing 3.6 GHz.

For graphics, you’re provided with the GeForce GT 650M, the top mid – level graphics card of NVIDIA.  Though it may not be the GTX series, it’s certainly no slouch.

Thanks to the lower resolution, games play smoothly. You can play Diablo III with 45 fps and the demanding Deus Ex Human Revolution at 30 fps. For racing fans, you’ll be happy to know that Dirt 3 can be played at ultra with 26 fps. By doing a couple of tweaks to the settings, you can get even faster frame rates.

When it comes to storage, you’re provided with a 64 GB solid state drive by Samsung. You’ll find it adequate, but due to the small space, you’ll have to put all of your games and files onto the 500 GB hard drive. The solid state drive is there to help decrease boot times, which it effectively does.

Memory is at 8 GB, which is a standard among enthusiast gamers. It’s also adequate for daily tasks.

Conclusion

You have 1 USB 2.0 port and two 3.0 ports. There’s also VGA, HDMI and DisplayPort for your multi – display needs.

All in all, this laptop features sturdy construction, great design and if you sell computer for cash for this Alienware, you will not regret it.It has  amazing performance for its price (2000 dollars) . At that price though, you might be turned away, because there are other alternatives. But since it’s Alienware, you get consistent performance and great support.