Hardware ~ Matt Smith

Have You Heard of DisplayPort?

Sunday, October 19th, 2008
by Matt Smith

When Steve Jobs introduced the new MacBooks and MacBook Pros in Apple’s most recent media event, a surprising new feature was added to the lineup. All new Apple computers from this point forward will include a Mini DisplayPort port for audio and video transmission.
I have never been a huge fan of DisplayPort. HDMI is THE industry [...]

Microsoft Surface: I Can’t Take a Picture?

Monday, September 22nd, 2008
by Matt Smith

I was at the AT&T store here in Atlanta earlier today, and was looking at the Microsoft Surface out on display. I had never seen one up close before, and was very impressed. The physical design of the Surface was excellent, and the UI was surprisingly slick. I was having a nice experience, when a lady walked [...]

Building a Computer

Sunday, June 8th, 2008
by Matt Smith

For anyone that needs a powerful computer at a reasonable price, building your own system is the obvious way to go. You can spec the build out with the exact components you want, so the system will be perfect for what it was intended for. And on top of that, you get to dive into [...]

How Do You Organize Your Cables?

Monday, May 26th, 2008
by Matt Smith

I absolutely hate dealing with cables. Every time I take my computer off my desk to install a component or check a connection inside the case, it usually takes me about a half-hour to get everything set back up. There’s just something that drives me insane if all my wires [...]

HDMI Outputs on Graphics Cards

Tuesday, May 6th, 2008
by Matt Smith

I’ve lately been considering purchasing a new graphics card. When looking at the selections, I noticed that almost all of the cards on the market today still feature an S-Video output. Why?
My current graphics card has HDMI out (but it’s an 8400GS). In a couple months I plan on upgrading [...]

Open Computer: Will They Close?

Saturday, April 19th, 2008
by Matt Smith

Recently, Psystar Corporation came out with a product originally called “OpenMac”, however, due to legal issues with Apple, it is now called “Open Computer”. The Open Computer is, simply put, a computer that can run ANY consumer operating system, including Mac OS X. Obviously, this opens a huge door of [...]

Apple Wireless Keyboard

Saturday, April 19th, 2008
by Matt Smith

I went to Best Buy yesterday and bought a new Apple Wireless Keyboard. It is by far the best keyboard I have ever experienced; everything about its simple design stands out from a mile. Nothing is present you don’t need. No overcrowding function buttons on the side, no obtrusive, clunky [...]

Hardwire Your Network

Saturday, April 12th, 2008
by Matt Smith

Even though wireless networking is definitely picking up the pace, a hardwired network will still produce much faster speeds, and is much more secure. I’ve come up with a basic how-to guide on putting the infrastructure in place for a hardwired network.
1. Get the cable and accessories. You can usually [...]

The Most Powerful Network on the Block

Saturday, April 5th, 2008
by Matt Smith

I could go on and on about my home network. I have a server (converted from an old computer) running Windows Server 2003 Enterprise.
I’ve come up with a basic list of the network’s components:

Active Directory
File Sharing (with NTFS permissions and security groups)
Group Policy (with links to multiple OUs)
Logon scripts assigned [...]

Top 5 Tips for Buying an HDTV

Monday, March 24th, 2008
by Matt Smith

High definition is not going away. It’s here to stay, like it or not. I received a TV for Christmas this past year and thought I’d share a top 5 list of things to keep in mind when purchasing a HDTV.
1. Size. While this may seem obvious, it’s important to [...]

Hardware