Hardware
Pre-Ordering Gadgets of the Future on Kickstarter
Would you buy a product before it actually exists? That’s essentially what Amazon asks us to do each time a new Kindle is announced. We see a prototype with a list of features paired with the promise of an amazing e-Reader. Apple does the same thing with the iPad, soliciting pre-orders before you can see [...]
With What Gadgets Do You Travel?
I’m writing this article while sitting in a hotel room in Seattle, eagerly anticipating the Seattle Interactive Conference and Gnomedex. It has occurred to me that there are a million top gadget lists out there, but very few focus on what a blogger or tech journalist would take with them while traveling. Since a great [...]
How to Troubleshoot Computer Crashes or Freezes
Wolfen, a member of the LockerGnome community, asks: “How do you diagnose computer crashes or freezes?“ Computer crashes and freezes can happen to anyone, using any kind of hardware, running any kind of operating system, of any level of tech expertise. And because any number of things could cause your computer to crash or freeze, [...]
Why Technical Specifications Mean Very Little Today
Whether you’re comparing mobile phones or desktop computers, people love to argue about the specs as if the technological object of their affection were the most important tool on which opposing products could be judged. Years ago, this would be true. Today, there are so many different and more important factors present, breaking the habit [...]
How to Speed Up Your HP TouchPad
So, you’ve ordered one of the new HP TouchPads for the super-discount price. You got it in the mail, booted it up, and were probably pretty taken aback at how slow the thing is. Sure, webOS is nice, but it just feels laggy, like it should go much faster given the fairly fast specs of [...]
How Much RAM Do You Need to Make a Good Computer?
GREENPHONE776, a member of the LockerGnome community asked: “How many gigs of RAM do you need to make a good computer?“ This is a good question, but the answer is determined by a number of factors. What are you using the system for? How many processes do you plan on running simultaneously? Let’s take a [...]
The Robo Stir is Great in Theory, Lousy in Practice
Several months ago, I decided to grab a Robo Stir while visiting the local Fry’s in search of RAM. The display itself wasn’t overwhelming, but I liked the idea of having a simple robot handle the stirring for me while I concentrated on chopping vegetables and other cooking tasks. Unfortunately, while the Robo Stir is great in [...]
Five Interesting USB Hubs
One of the greatest things about universal serial ports (USB) is that a single port can be connected to a dozens of different devices at the same time. Using a simple hub, a user can extend their system’s technical capabilities to include a multitude of different devices including external storage drives, lava lamps, missile launchers, [...]
Five Tips for Avoiding a Regrettable Tech Buy
Rahul247rocks, a member of the LockerGnome community, asks: “What’s your worst tech buy ever?“ If you’re a geek, and you have money in your pocket, you are probably itching to spend it on something that lights up or makes noise. Let’s face it, we’re a community of gadget lovers, and nothing makes us happier than [...]
Are Desktops Becoming Obsolete?
When Chris Pirillo released a video explaining how the days of the desktop could be numbered, the response from the community was as passionate as it was split. One side of the argument stated that laptops would never match the power or performance of even a budget desktop system, and the other camp gave a [...]
