If you’re looking to purchase a new computer with Microsoft Vista, make sure you also get the downgrade license to Windows XP.  What does this mean?  This means if you don’t like Vista, you can easily downgrade, or install, XP.  The “easy” part means that your computer will also contain an operating system CD that includes Windows XP with all of the hardware device drivers.  The key point to take from this is that the downgrade license includes the drivers.  Without the drivers, you might find yourself looking all over the Internet for the relevant XP drivers.  This could take a certified Windows expert 3-4 hours and take the layperson 7-10 hours.  Whether you think Vista is for you or not, it is in your best interest to get the downgrade version.  Many times, this added version is free or a few extra bucks.

This downgrade license is available for a reason.  There have been continued complaints from Vista users and in order to accomodate the public, manufacturers are offering this XP Operating System CD along with Vista to provide an option for any future Vista complainer or unhappy camper.  Make sure you protect yourself and get this downgrade option also.

If your laptop’s internal wireless connection just died, what can you do?  Can your friends or officemates get on your wireless router, but you cannot?  You have a few options that will get you back on the Internet wirelessly.  

Here’s what you can do:

1. Replace the internal wireless connection.  You’ll probably need a computer repair technician for this job.
2. Insert one of those Linksys wireless adapters into your available laptop slots.  These are the cards that sticks out from the side of your system.
3. Insert a USB wireless adapter.  These are not as stable, but the easiest to set up.

If you don’t feel like fixing your wireless issue, then you’ll be grounded with just using a physical, wired cable for your Internet use.

Computer technology can get serious and machine-oriented often times.  We thought to lighten it up a little bit with a few St. Patty’s Day pick-up lines you guys can use at the bar.  Of course, this will be all computer-related. 

Please brace yourself for the top 10 R-rated geeky pick-up lines:

1. So do you know what I do for a living?  I tweak and optimize hard drives.
2. Do you like your RAM fast or your hard drive large?
3. Hard drive size doesn’t matter.  It’s how fast I can get around Vista and Leopard that count.
4. I would love to make a robot out of you.
5. My fingers really hurt.  Because I’ve been typing your name in MySpace and Google all day long!
6. It’s like deja vu.  Everytime I look in my temporary internet files, your picture is there looking at me.
7. Are you sure we didn’t meet once on JDate?
8. Your personality would be suit mine perfectly on Match.com.
9. I know some computer games we can play.
10. Wants wrong with my Vista??

For every new benefit or addition with the iPhone 2.0, there is potential pitfall or room for improvement. 

Below are the top 5 “So What Benefits” of the iPhone 2.0:

1. New GPS system.  Yes, but it doesn’t show you where you’re starting from which defeats the purpose if you’re aimlessly lost.
2. 3G speed.  This is supposed to be an upgrade in Internet speed from the old EDGE network of att; however, this speed is undocumented and may be spotty in certain areas.
3. Third-party software will offer chat ability.  It is insane that the iPhone cannot offer a chat system directly via its interface.  To have to go through a third-party site or software begs that a flaw is in the technology.
4. Push technology for e-mails.  This means 2.0 will have e-mails automatically arrive upon receipt instead of needing to check auto-send/receive in settings on a certain timer.  Here’s the catch: this only applies to Yahoo!
5. The keyboard.  It’s still the screen touchpad approach which, well, it’s not as easy as the Blackberry’s keyboard.

If you want to max out your computer to 4GB, but only 3GB shows up, did you get ripped off?  Not necessarily.  There are 2 types of operating systems, x32 and x64; otherwise knows as 32 bit and 64 bit.  If your computer doesn’t specify which one, then it is x32.  Only when it specifically reads x64 near the Windows sticker is when you know it is x64.  You cannot buy either one, your computer’s architecture is inherently either x32 or x64.  So, you inherit these types.

Now, that we’ve covered the bits, let’s talk about the bytes.  Here’s the graph the each type can handle:

• Windows XP:  32bit: up to 4GB; 64bit: up to 128GB
• Windows Vista: 32bit: up to 4GB, except 1GB for Vista Starter; 64 bit: up to 128GB
• -exceptions Vista 64-bit: Home Premium 16GB; Home Starter: 8GB

Now, that we’ve gotten the limitations out of the way, we can talk about what to do if your RAM only shows up with a total of 3GB when you’ve installed 4GB.  First of all, your computer needs to allocate this RAM to your video adapter and overall hardware.  Then, the rest of the RAM is allocated to applications and the operating system.  So, although you’re not getting all of your 4GB of RAM to your software and Windows, the rest of the RAM is being used well.

The hacker fix:  If your computer doesn’t seem to recognize 4GB, there may be a trick you can do.  Open your boot.ini files and remove the Read-Only and Hidden attributes.  And then delete the 3GB switch.  Then, add the /PAE switch and reboot your computer. 

Keep in mind that the hacker fix maxes out your RAM expectations above Windows expectations.  So, your results may be short-lived and so may be your computer’s life.  So, it’s recommended to just leave your computer alone and let Windows be the judge of what memory, whether 3GB or 3.5G, may be the total amount allocated to the operating system and applications.

Internet Explorer 8 is already out in beta form.  We would have added a big “Yipee!,” but openly can scream “Copycat!” instead.  IE 8 looks like just Mozilla’s Firefox, but on steroids.  It restores crashed website sessions, downloads files while surfing on other tabbed browsers, and is more graphic-intensive. 

The big difference that Internet Explorer provides that Firefox doesn’t is the following:

• provides slices or pop-up windows featuring RSS-feed like preferences
• new favorites bar that allows links to files on your desktop
• activities section that features Live Maps and Microsoft Live
• easy-to-find domains (www. and .com are grayed out)

Overall, the interface is glossier and chock-full of buttons and drop-downs.  We like it because it’s more like Firefox; however, it fails in that the fluff sometimes gets in the way of a larger viewing surface like Firefox.  In the end, we’d wait for IE to have patches or applied the necessary fixes for IE8 or else you’re bound to have a computer crash.

Do you find that your laptop is accessing the Internet slow?  If your laptop is 4+ years old, chances are your internal wireless card is still on the slower 11 mb of speed.  Today, we are on 54 mb of speed, which is approximately 5x faster.  So, if your laptop is still on 11 mb, then your connection to the Internet can seem slower than modern laptops.  Also, your wireless signal could be failing slowly. 

What’s the computer fix?  Buy a wireless PC card and slide it into one of your available slots.  You can buy a Linksys wireless G card which is pretty stable one.  Or you can pump it up a notch to the N series which is even faster than the G’s 54 mb.  These cards usually cost $70 - 95 and are well worth it to speed up your wireless Internet. 

The x300 is the newest Lenovo, formerly IBM, laptop model.  It is dazzling consumers and achieving well in performance tests.  More notably, it is competing fiercely with the Macbook Air, or actually trumping the Apple thin product.  It has a 13.3 inch screen like the Air by has a better resolution on its display. 

Here are some more of the Lenovo x300 specs:

• spill-resistant keyboard
• glass-fiber exterior protects the hard drive like a Toughbook to prevent data recovery
• only 3.4 pounds
• includes a DVD drive, not an external one like the Air
• 1.2GHZ core 2 duo processor & 2GB RAM -> faster than the Air
• 64GB solid-state, sturdy hard drive
• 3 USB ports, monitor port, webcam, headphone jack, internet & wireless
• easy built-in backup and Windows restore partition

We like the x300 over the Air pound for pound, or spec for spec.  However, we’re not happy about the smaller 64GB hard drive offered whereas the Air has more storage space available.

Your wireless issue may be an easier fix than you think.  Many wireless issue pertain to spyware, viruses, or pop-ups preventing Internet access.  Or perhaps your wireless router is not functioning.   What about your Internet provider not being active in your area?   OK, these fixes are not so easy and will probaby require a computer service technician or a long time on the phone with TimeWarner or Verizon.

But, what if your wireless fix was right under your nose…literally?  There is a keyboard combination, such as Fn and F2 that will enable your wireless connection.  Sometimes, it is not easy, but possible where these keys are pressed by mistake which will turn off your wireless connection.  The combination to press is to first hold the Fn key at the bottom-left of your keyboard and then press one of the F keys at the top of your keyboard that has the wireless signal button on it.  This will also enable your wireless signal.  Other than these keys, you can also make sure that your wireless on/off switch is switched on.  That little button could have easily been turned off as well by mistake.  These two wireless switches could be a big nuisance if you don’t know where to look. 

There is currently an ongoing class action suit against Microsoft.  The suit contends that Microsoft Vista has not been “Vista capable” on its computers.  Specifically, users have complained that Microsoft Vista has not been compatible with printers, processors were unable to process video well, and computers did not contain enough RAM for adequate speed.  Also, users contend that current Windows XP computers are not easily upgradeable to Vista as Microsoft offered. 

A year ago, Microsoft promised that existing computers that met Vista minimum requirements will work seamlessly.  Also, Microsoft put out labels on new computers saying “Vista capable” or “Vista ready.”  This class action suit disagrees with these promises.  The big revealing fact is not what we’ve found with Vista, but what the court was able to find by ordering Microsoft to allow open access to over 200 internal e-mails.  A former CEO said that he used Vista and didn’t find that the video-powered processor didn’t play well with his videos.  Another executive complained to another staff member of the slow Vista speed.  Further, one board member mentioned his inability to connect to his printer that worked fine for Vista.  These points all point to the favor of the class action suit.  The last revealing and most poignant point is one of the Microsoft execs relaying to another internal member that they should do what’s right for the consumers instead of re-doing Vista.  We don’t know what that exactly means, but it doesn’t sound too consumer-friendly.  The court has reviewed these e-mails and will probably have the final say on how Microsoft reveals the Vista struggle.

We feel it is telling when Microsoft’s own complaints about its product.  These complaints were not when Vista was in beta mode.  These complaints were when Vista was produced and being used in the mainstream public.  So, what’s telling is Microsoft’s execs knowingly saw defects while the public was using Vista and really did nothing actively to resolve it.