------------------------------------------------------------ Computer Universe Your source for all things computer! October 10 2002 Issue #4 Matthew Zator, Editor, compuniverse@yahoo.ca ------------------------------------------------------------ By subscription only! Welcome to your next issue of "Computer Universe", I haven't gotton any questions yet!!!! Remember the question & answer section is for you, the readers. This ezine and I are always here to answer your computer problem questions, so email me with some. You are receiving this newsletter because you requested a subscription. Unsubscribe instructions are at the end of this newsletter. ------------------------------------------------------------ IN THIS ISSUE ------------------------------------------------------------ => **Survey-Do You Want Jokes??????** => Feature Article => Step By Step Course On How To Make A Website => Review Of The HP Pavilion 950 Computer => The Computer SpotLight On Digital Cameras => Feedback from Our Readers => Question & Answer Section => How To Submit Questions To Me => Classified Ads => How To Obtain Advertising Information => Contest Winner! (Rebecca Smith!) => Next Issue.... (Guest Columnists Extended!) => Subscribe/Unsubscribe information ------------------------------------------------------------ **SURVEY, Do You Want Computer Jokes In This EZine???? ------------------------------------------------------------ Do This Survey by emailing me with your answer. Put Your response in the subject line. If you want to suggest other sections, put those in the body of the email. Thanks for doing this! I welcome your opinion. Matthew Zator Editor ------------------------------------------------------------ Feature Article, How To Get Great Sound From Your PC ------------------------------------------------------------ How to Get Great Sound from Your PC By Peter Logan Senior Technology Trainer, Crutchfield Corporation (ARA) - When students head back to school this fall, it's a good bet that their PCs will be used for more than just term papers. Thousands of college students have turned their personal computers into high-tech entertainment centers by downloading songs from the Internet, using CD-R and CD-R/W drives to create "mixes" of their favorites, and even watching DVD movies. With help from some great innovations, it's easier than ever to get excellent sound quality from a PC -- and save the precious dorm room space that a much larger stereo system might occupy. Here are some pointers for upgrading your PC's sound quality -- and saving some space: Get a Set of High-quality Speakers The basic speakers that come with many PCs are fine for the blips you hear from a Windows program, but they're not powerful enough to deliver full, rich sound. A pair of desktop powered speakers can dramatically improve the quality of your listening experience. These speakers usually require only two connections -- one to your computer's sound card through the line out stereo mini-jack, and another to an AC power source. You'll be amazed at how much better every audio source will sound -- especially the deep bass notes that give music much of its flavor. Consider Headphones for Personalized Listening The dorm environment can be pretty noisy at times. To enjoy your music, movies, or video games in relative peace, you might want to invest in a set of quality headphones, especially models with a full, "over-the-ear" design. Just plug them into your PC's line out stereo mini-jack and immerse yourself in a private world of CDs, MP3s, streaming Internet broadcasts, and more. Some headphones even produce an out-of-phase signal to cancel distracting, outside noises! Integrating your PC with your Stereo System If you already have a separate stereo system in place, you can use a USB audio adapter to connect your computer to your system. This type of adapter routes your computer's audio signal through the USB port while it's still in digital form -- a huge plus because it removes the analog conversion and signal routing from the PC's noisy internal environment. The result -- all your PC sound is "beefed up" by the more powerful stereo system. Add a Desktop Receiver

Another way to achieve excellent PC sound without a room-hogging stereo system is to couple your computer with a desktop receiver. Some companies offer vertically-styled receivers, amplifiers, and processors -- all of which work with your computer and greatly improve its audio delivery. These desktop components include Windows- and Mac-based software, as well as stereo audio inputs, so it's easy to manage your music sources. With a little imagination, you can make dorm life a little more enjoyable, and still have plenty of room to sprawl out and hit the books. Before you decide what's right for you, check out the free Crutchfield buyer's guide at www.crutchfield.com/greatpcsound. This friendly, information-packed resource will help you get the most from your PC audio. For info on the versatile components mentioned above, check out www.crutchfield.com/pcaudiocomponents. Courtesy of ARA Content ------------------------------------------------------------ Step-By-Step Course: How To Create Your Own Website Matthew Zator, Editor ------------------------------------------------------------ This course is on how to create your own business/personal website. It explains how to make a website with little or no HTML knowledge. STEP 1: Find a freeweb host that offers at least 20 MB of space, browser file manager, already created scripts, a basic editor, and (OPTIONAL) support for CGI. LINKS: http://www.angelfire.com http://www.tripod.com http://www.geocities.com http://www.esmartstart.com (RECOMMENDED) http://www.Ohosting.com (GOOD 100 MB Space!) http://www.prohosting.com STEP 2: If you have a good budget, you can go with a webhost that charges a monthly fee and gives you a domain and a huge amount of space. This comes in handy when you're building a business website. LINKS: http://www.featureprice.com (affordable) http://secure.ipowerweb.com http://www.siteandsites.com (very affordable) http://www.apollohosting.com (high speed servers!) STEP 3: Once you've signed up for the free/paid webhost, start building your website. Most free/paid webhosts provide a basic editor for HTML beginners. They give you a template and other stuff that doesn't require HTML knowledge. STEP 4: (Personal websites) Start off with a simple website without all the complications of frames and tables. And then let your imagination run wild! You can fill your website with photos,writings,or a whole fan site on whatever! STEP 5: Promote your website by going to different search engines and directories and submitting your URL. (You can automate this by using free auto submitters) STEP 6: (For Businesses) Get a free shopping cart and credit card processing from PAYPAL. (http://www.paypal.com) Then make your website personlizing it to your business! Now you've just made a website that you can be proud of. SUGGESTIONS FOR THIS SECTION CAN BE SUBMITTED BY EMAILING ME AT: compuniversezine@yahoo.ca ------------------------------------------------------------ *-----------------Computer Trick!----------------* You can quickly copy and paste with CTRL-C & CTRL-V! *---------------- Computer Trick!----------------* *---------------- Computer Tip!------------------* Defragment your hard drive at least every month, & Run Scan Disk at least every 2 weeks *---------------- Computer Tip!------------------* ------------------------------------------------------------ REVIEW: HP Pavilion 950 By Bill O'Brien (04/02/02) ------------------------------------------------------------ The 2.4GHz P4-based HP Pavilion 950 debuts with a dream configuration for power-hungry consumers. Its cutting-edge CPU, copious memory, and fast graphics card can handle gaming and DV editing as easily as homework and other mainstream applications. And its DDR SDRAM, while something of a performance hindrance, helps keep the Pavilion 950's price reasonable. We only wish HP offered more generous support options. Fast and affordable Anyone buying a 2.4GHz system would expect it to be the fastest thing going. The Pavilion 950 offers plenty of power for a diverse range of home uses, but it has a few limitations. HP's selection of DDR SDRAM, even in a sizable 512MB dollop, helped keep the Pavilion 950 at an affordable $2,409, but it also made the system a little slower than the RDRAM-equipped (and pricier) Dell Dimension 8200 in CNET Labs' tests. The Pavilion 950's big (120GB), fast (7,200rpm) hard drive with a typical 2MB buffer couldn't compete with the Dimension 8200's larger 8MB. Despite these differences, the performance gaps are small: a little more than 7 percent in Quake III Arena, almost 6 percent in MPEG-2 encoding, and virtually nil in SysMark2002. Unless you need the Dimension 8200's RDRAM and higher-end hard drive for serious gaming and video creation, the Pavilion 950 offers nearly the same performance for a lower price. Generous configuration The Pavilion 950's gaming/DV talents start with its superfast 128MB Nvidia Ti 4600 graphics card. Our system also came with both DVD-ROM and CD-RW drives; a DVD+RW drive is a $350 option. HP bundles every Pavilion 950 with a copy of Studio DV for editing and builds front-mounted USB and IEEE 1394 ports into the system for easy connectivity to your DV camera. If you need even more hookups, you have two front-accessible drive bays and three PCI slots free. Even the peripherals get into the act. The 15-inch, 1,024x768 analog LCD, HP's own F50, works great with DVDs and graphics, and it'll be easy on your eyes during the hours you'll spend staring at the screen while editing video. The Cambridge SoundWorks SW-320 2.1 speakers with subwoofer are capable but not imposing, delivering 12 watts of good bass and 9 watts from each of the two wide-range satellites. We'd prefer the optional ($30) Polk AMR-50 system, though. The power ratings between the two are roughly equivalent, but in our experience, the Polk's audio quality is somewhat better. Service and support deficits The Pavilion 950's step-by-step illustrated guide makes this system extremely easy to set up. But the user-friendliness slows down when you get to service and support. The computer is priced to include HP's three-year parts and labor plan, but the company doesn't even offer an onsite service option. Technical support is available 24/7, but it's not toll-free. The Pavilion 950 is a fast, well-configured consumer system with an affordable price. Its service and support deficiencies mar an otherwise pretty picture, but if you can get past that, you'll find this system's a good value for home users who want to do it all on one machine. Used with permission from CNET Networks, Inc. Copyright 2002. All rights reserved." --------------------------------------------------------------- *Also, if you would like to submit a review of a product or service you just used, email compuniversezine@yahoo.ca and I will publish it in the next issue. -------------------------------------------------------------- COMPUTER SPOTLIGHT: On Digital Cameras -------------------------------------------------------------- What Smart Buyers Look for in Digital Cameras By Peter Logan (ARA) - It's time to start snapping pictures now that summer is here. And more shutterbugs than ever are doing that the digital way. Digital cameras combine the fun of traditional picture-taking with versatility that you don't find in film cameras. They use memory devices to capture snapshots, so you're no longer buying roll after roll of film. And they make e-mailing of images simple and convenient. Whether you're a novice or experienced pro, there's bound to be a digital camera that meets your needs. Before you purchase one, you'll want to check out the free Crutchfield buyer's guide at www.crutchfield.com/digitalca merahelp. This friendly, information-packed resource will help you choose the right camera and avoid costly mistakes. Here are a few pointers to get you started: Which camera is right for me? You'll see the word "megapixel" with digital cameras. Megapixel refers to the number of dots that make up an image -- the more dots, the sharper the image. Most people will be satisfied with a 2- or 3-megapixel camera. For the highest quality enlargements or professional photography, a 4- or 5-megapixel camera is best. What does resolution mean? Most digital cameras offer several resolution settings. When you don't require super-precise images (i.e., for e-mailing or Internet use), use a lower-resolution mode, like 480x640. When you want crystal-clear shots (i.e., for enlargements), use a higher resolution, like 1024x768 and up. These settings are changed easily on the camera's menu. What kind of memory do I need for my camera? Most digital cameras come with some kind of removable flash memory, like a Memory Stick, a CompactFlash card, or a SmartMedia card. Removable flash memory is tiny and lightweight, and you can buy extra cards for additional storage. Other cameras, like Sony's Mavicas, use mini CD-Rs and CD-RWs, or inexpensive, standard computer floppy disks to store images. Can I actually delete pictures I don't want? Yes, and this is a real advantage over traditional film photography. You can view a digital picture as soon as it's snapped on the camera's color display screen. If you like the shot, great -- keep it. If you wish you'd taken it from a different angle, no problem -- delete it and snap another. Imagine -- no more wasted film! How do I get the pictures from my camera to my computer? Different cameras have different ways of connecting to your computer. USB connections are the most common; they're easy to hook up and transfer images quickly. Plus, most cameras have removable memory media that can be used for direct transfer to your PC via an optional blank media adapter. The great thing is that you can re-use your memory device over and over. Once you've transferred images to your PC, simply erase the ones on the memory device and you're ready to snap another round! How do I print my pictures? Once they're on your PC, you can print them using your computer's printer. For even better results, though, choose a printer that's designed for digital printing. Stand-alone digital photo printers produce quality prints directly from the camera or memory without using a computer. (Make sure they're compatible with your camera and its memory). Also, some photo labs will print directly from a disk, CD, or flash memory. Ready to look at some cameras? Visit www.crutchfield.com/ digitalcameras for a wide selection of digital cameras for just about any user. Courtesy of ARA Content ------------------------------------------------------------ From our Readers: ------------------------------------------------------------ None This Time Around (you can submit feedback or suggestions to compuniversezine@ yahoo.ca) ------------------------------------------------------------ Question & Answer Column Where you can submit computer questions/problems and get answers! ------------------------------------------------------------ Questions that I wish you asked me..... How do I eraticate a virus I've picked up? Well, you should get a virus scan program like Norton Anti- Virus at http://www.norton.com/. Then once it's scanned the virus, it will provide you with ways to remove it. If it can't then I recommend you format your hard drive. Hopefully, the virus will be deleted with the rest of the data on your hard drive. (Read Issue #1 on how to do this at, http://compuniverse.bizhosting.com/issue1.html How do I protect myself from viruses? Buy a good virus protection program and don't download suspicous attachments in your email, and don't accept 3 1/2" disks from people. They might have hidden viruses on it. And keep up to date on virus reports. Go to http://www.norton.com/ ------------------------------------------------------------ PLEASE!! Submit questions to me at compuniversezine@yahoo.ca for the next issue. ------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------ LAST ISSUE'S CONTEST WINNER ------------------------------------------------------------ The winner of last issue's contest was, Rebecca Smith! Congratulations Rebecca, you have won! (Expect your prize emailed to you today!) ------------------------------------------------------------ **NEXT ISSUE: I will allow a guest colomnist to be featured!** So Get those articles to me this week by emailing me at compuniversezine@yahoo.ca (if you have a business & if you get featured, this allows you to advertise your business for FREE!) ------------------------------------------------------------ CLASSIFIED ADS ------------------------------------------------------------ ******************** Come on out and join the fun with Powers Of Friendship. I have Original Poems, Recipes, game links and much more. I also have a newsletter called POF Gossips & Freebies you can join at the site. Or send a blank email to websurfer_fan12-subscribe@topica.com http://www.geocities.com/mistaken_id2001/index.html AOL link ******************** Would you like to know more about the internet? Well here's the report for you! 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Copyright 2002 Matthew Zator ------------------------------------------------------------ List Maintenance: To subscribe [e-mail 34897-subscribe@zinester.com] To unsubscribe [e-mail 34897-unsubscribe@zinester.com] Archives of past issues can be found at http://compuniverse.bizhosting.com/archives.html ------------------------------------------------------------- Matthew Zator compuniversezine@yahoo.ca