Explained | APPnox

Decoding AMD’s Fusion Laptop Processor List [Technology Explained]

Posted on 26 August 2011. Tags: AMD’s, decoding, explained, Fusion, Laptop, List, Processor, Technology

class="align-right" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/amdlaptop1.jpg" alt="" />In an earlier article I explained class="vt-p" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/decoding-intels-laptop-processor-list-technology-explained/">the differences between Intel’s numerous laptop processors. But Intel is not the only company in this market. AMD remains, and its newly released Fusion product line is the most competitive mobile part the company has offered in years.

I’d like to be able to say that this new product line is easy to understand, but as is often the case with technology, it’s not. There are several different types of class="vt-p" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/apu-technology-explained/">Fusion APUs available, and each has a difference balance of performance, price and efficiency.

Fusion In A Small Package – The C & E-Series

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Asus-Eee-PC-1215B.jpg" alt="" width="450" height="338" />

At the bottom of the entire AMD Fusion line you’ll find the C-Series, which consists of just two different APUs. In some odd positioning, the less expensive C-30 has a clock speed of 1.2 GHz while the more expensive C-50 ships at just 1 GHz. The catch? The C-50 has two cores.

The E-Series is more conventional. It again consists of just two parts, but the E-240’s clock speed of 1.5 GHz slots below the E-350’s speed of 1.6 GHz. Again, the part with the higher number offers two cores.

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/amdlaptop2.jpg" alt="" width="386" height="329" />

If you’re looking for easy product differentiation baked into AMD’s naming scheme, you’re going to be disappointed. There isn’t any. Both the C and E-Series parts are built on the same micro-architecture and have the same integrated class="vt-p" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/top-performing-laptop-video-cards-gaming-hd-video-technology-explained/">GPU. The only difference is clock speeds. In addition to the lower CPU clock on the C series, the graphics solution is limited to just a hair over 275 MHz, while the E series clocks as high as 500 MHz.

AMD must be hoping that, with only two processors in each series, consumers won’t have cause for confusion. While I think they’re correct, I hope they don’t intend to release many additional options for each line.

The Latest & Greatest – AMD’s Fusion A-Series

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/amdlaptop3.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="316" />

While the original Fusion C and E Series parts have been around for months, they’re low-end processors, and not well suited for laptops selling over $500. Those looking for a powerful processor are better off considering the new AMD Fusion A-Series.

There are more parts in the A-Series, but AMD has implemented a naming scheme that makes the list of processors somewhat easier to understand. The line is split into three different groups: A4, A6, and A8.

Among these, the A4 stands out the most. It is the only group that is made up of dual-core processors, and this also means that the class="vt-p" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/cpu-technology-explained/">clock speeds are high despite the budget focus. Even the basic A4-3300M has a base clock of 1.9 GHz, which matches that of the quickest A8. Graphics power comes courtesy of 240 Radeon cores clocked at 444 MHz.

Both the A6 and A8 parts are quad-core, and there isn’t a clear difference between them in clock speeds. Instead, the difference between these parts is the integrated graphics. The A8 offers 400 Radeon cores clocked at 444 MHz, while the A6 offers just 320 Radeon cores at 400 MHz.

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/amdlaptop4.jpg" alt="" width="284" height="257" />

While this processor list isn’t as precise as Intel’s, the jist is clear. The higher the number behind the A, the better the graphics. Processor clock speeds and core counts, however, are not apparent in the processor’s name.

AMD for some reason decided to add the “MX” suffix to some of its A-Series processors. This is applied to the fastest A4, A6 and A8 options, but otherwise doesn’t indicate anything special about the processor.

Conclusion

While describing Intel’s processor list wasn’t easy, AMD has created a labyrinth of letters and numbers that don’t have little relation to the components they represent.

Fortunately, there are not as many parts to remember, so understanding AMD’s products isn’t as difficult as it could be. For now, at least. But if AMD continues to release parts into these same brands without clarifying the naming system used, consumers will not be at fault for their confusion.

View full post on MakeUseOf

Posted in Useful APPsComments (0)

What You Need To Know About Touchpads Before Buying Your Next Laptop [Technology Explained]

Posted on 02 June 2011. Tags: about, Before, Buying, explained, Know, Laptop, Need, Next, Technology, Touchpads

class="align-right" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/touchpadthumb.jpg" alt="" />If you walk into a retail store and ask a sales rep to explain a laptop to you, chances are you’ll receive a long list of hardware information focusing on what’s inside. You’ll be told what the processor is, you’ll be told the size of the hard drive, and you’ll be told the RAM installed.

This is information you’ll want to know, but in today’s world of speedy processors and cheap RAM, many users will rarely ask about all their laptop has to give. As a result, the difference between a good laptop and a great one comes down to the little things, like the touchpad. Yet the touchpad itself is a mysterious item. It’s there, it works, and it has for years. Not all touchpads are built the same however.

The Basics Of Touchpad Technology

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/touchpad.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="375" />

The first class="vt-p" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/how-to-disable-the-touchpad-while-you-are-typing/">touchpads made their debut in the early 1990s, and were one of several responses to the problem of providing an portable input solution with a portable computer (trackpointers and trackballs were also common). The first laptop to have a touchpad –or trackpad, as it was officially called at the time – was the Apple PowerBook 500.

Modern touchpads use a technology called capacitive touch. This is the same tech used by most modern class="vt-p" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/dir/touch-test-touch-screen-test-app/">touchscreens, and it works by detecting the electrical current of a human finger as it comes into contact with the touchpad surface. This allows for smooth, easy navigation that doesn’t rely on physical pressure.

However, capacitive touch does have one minor disadvantage, and that’s the inability to detect inanimate objects or gloved human hands. Special touchpads, like the tablets from class="vt-p" href="http://www.wacom.com/">Wacom, are required for use with a class="vt-p" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/answers/tag/stylus/">stylus. Fortunately, only artists and Eskimos routinely bump into this problem.

The Differences Between Touchpads

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/touchpad4.jpg" alt="" width="412" height="530" />

While virtually all touchpads use the same basic technology to detect input, there are a wide variety of ways to use this technology, and a wide variety of touchpad sizes and textures.

The most important feature to look for in a touchpad is multitouch gesture support. Although this has become a common extra, it’s not ubiquitous. For example, I recently tested a MSI GT680R gaming laptop, priced at about $1,500, which did not have multitouch. Determining if a laptop supports this feature is easy if you can use it hands-on. Just try scrolling down a webpage with your middle and index fingers.

If a laptop doesn’t have multi-touch, it should at least have scroll space available. This is a small vertical area, usually on the right side of the touchpad, that’s exclusively designed to translate finger movement into an up/down scrolling motion.

Material quality, although low-tech, is critical. Most inexpensive laptops will simply construct the touchpad out of the same plastic as the surrounding laptop, and that works alright, but it doesn’t result in the smoothest feel. More expensive laptops, like the MacBooks, use a glass surface because it provides less resistance to finger movement. You’ll occasionally find other materials used, as well. The class="vt-p" href="http://event.asus.com/notebook/bamboo/index2.html">ASUS Bamboo series, for example, crafts the touchpad out of the same bamboo you’ll find on the rest of the laptop.

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/touchpad6.jpg" alt="" width="550" height="411" />

Finally, the touchpad buttons are important. The best option is a touchpad that offers two separate physical mouse buttons, but many touchpads use what is called a rocker-style button. This means there is one individual with a rocker in the middle, which means the button operates like a seesaw. Rocker-style buttons look sexy, but they can be annoying to use because pressing the button near the rocker requires more force than pressing the button at the edge.

The perfect touchpad should offer multitouch support, a smooth surface, and two individual buttons with great tactile response. Finding all of these features together is difficult, particularly in inexpensive laptops, but it’s not impossible.

The Importance Of Software Support

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/touchpad7.jpg" alt="" width="550" height="394" />

Although your touchpad’s hardware is important, the software being used also has an impact on how your touchpad performs.

For example, Windows did not even support multitouch until Windows 7 ( class="vt-p" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/easily-activate-finger-scroll-windows-laptops/">although there are ways to hack it), even if the hardware was capable of it. Although much has been made about the inclusion of multitouch as it relates to tablets, its impact on laptops has been more immediate and obvious. Navigating Windows with a touchpad is much easier than before.

With that said however, there are still clear differences between Windows 7 and Mac OS X, which offers incredible multitouch support. Much of the difference between navigating Windows and Mac OS X on a laptop comes down not to the hardware (although the MacBook’s glass touchpad is nice) but to the software support. Ubuntu also offers full multitouch support as of version 10.10.

Conclusion

It’s easy to forget about the touchpad when a sales rep is gushing to you about the great hardware packed inside the new laptop you have your eye on. Don’t let that distract you. The touchpad is something you’ll be using a lot, and it cannot be replaced or upgraded, so you need to be sure to buy a laptop with a touchpad you like. />
/> href="http://flashvideodownloader.org/fvd-suite/track/s/makeuseof">Download videos from the sites like YouTube, Break.com etc. Convert videos to almost any format. /> href="http://flashvideodownloader.org/fvd-suite/track/s/makeuseof"> src="http://flashvideodownloader.org/fvd-suite/banners/aban3.gif">

/>

Read comments: href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/touchpads-buying-laptop-technology-explained/#disqus_thread">Loved it? Hated it? Join discussion here …

href="http://api.tweetmeme.com/share?url=http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/touchpads-buying-laptop-technology-explained/"> src="http://api.tweetmeme.com/imagebutton.gif?url=http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/touchpads-buying-laptop-technology-explained/"> href="http://digg.com/tools/diggthis/login?url=http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/touchpads-buying-laptop-technology-explained/"> src="http://www.makeuseof.com/images/rss-buttons/diggme.png"> href="http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/touchpads-buying-laptop-technology-explained/"> src="http://www.makeuseof.com/images/rss-buttons/fb.jpg"> href="http://www.google.com/reader/link?url=http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/touchpads-buying-laptop-technology-explained/&title=What You Need To Know About Touchpads Before Buying Your Next Laptop [Technology Explained]&srcTitle=MakeUseOf.com"> src="http://www.makeuseof.com/images/rss-buttons/gbuzz-feed.png"> href="http://www.stumbleupon.com/submit?url=http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/touchpads-buying-laptop-technology-explained/"> src="http://www.makeuseof.com/images/rss-buttons/stumble.png">

More articles about: href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tags/buying-guide/" title="buying guide" rel="tag">buying guide, href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tags/buying-tips/" title="buying tips" rel="tag">buying tips, href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tags/hardware/" title="hardware" rel="tag">hardware, href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tags/laptop/" title="laptop" rel="tag">laptop, href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tags/technology-explained/" title="technology explained" rel="tag">technology explained, href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tags/touchpad/" title="touchpad" rel="tag">touchpad />

What A Hex Editor Is & Why You Might Use It [Technology Explained]

Posted on 15 March 2011. Tags: editor, explained, Might, Technology

class="align-right" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/xvi32.png" alt="what is a hex editor">The term hex, short for href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hexadecimal">hexadecimal or base-16, is the raw data structure that all files stored on your computer follow. Although literally every file is stored on your computer in this format, you almost never see this data anywhere. Yet being able to directly modify the raw bits and bytes in your computer can sometimes be used to your advantage.

So how does hex work, what is a hex editor and why might you need to use one on your PC?

id="more-67096">

What Is Hex?

The number system that humans use to count is called decimal, the numbers from 0 to 9. Decimal was invented by the Persians about 6000 years ago.

Fast forward to 1679. The binary number system made up of 0s and 1s was href="http://mathforum.org/library/drmath/view/52344.html">invented by Gottfried Wilhelm von Leibniz.

Finally in the 1950s or 1960s IBM formalized the Hexadecimal number system, which is a short way to represent binary data. Instead of using digits 0-9, hexadecimal uses digits from 0 to F. Counting from 0 to 31 (converting from decimal to hexadecimal):

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 A B C D E F 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 1A 1B 1C 1D 1E 1F

Once you reach the end of the numeric “digits”, you simply increase the number to the left by one, just like you do with the decimal counting system.

Now that we have the basics of hexadecimal out of the way, let’s move on to some hex editors.

Hex Editors

Hex editors differ from a regular text editors in a number of ways. The basis of a hex editor is that they display the raw contents of the file. No encoding or translation into text – just the raw machine code. The second is that line numbers instead of being based on “lines” are an offset address from the beginning of the file.

href="http://www.pspad.com/en/">PSPad

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" style="border: 0pt none;" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/pspad.png" alt="what is a hex editor" width="560" height="355" />

My favorite hex editor is href="http://www.pspad.com/en/">PSPad. PSPad, in addition to being a great text and code editor, offers the “Open in HEX Editor …” option which will launch the special editing mode.

Once you are in this mode, you can see the location and hexadecimal values of each bit of the file. You have two choices for editing the file – you can either edit the hexadecimal values by location, or on the right side you have the alphanumeric representation of that value which you can also edit.

href="http://www.chmaas.handshake.de/delphi/freeware/xvi32/xvi32.htm">XVI32

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" style="border: 0pt none;" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/xvi32.png" alt="what is a hex editor used for" width="560" height="356" />

href="http://www.chmaas.handshake.de/delphi/freeware/xvi32/xvi32.htm">XVI32 is also a very capable hex editor. As with PSPad you can edit the hex values directly or the character representation.

It also has some advanced hex editing tools such as an address calculator for checking offsets and some other hex-specific options which can help you get around a hex file if you know what you are doing.

What Can You Do With A Hex Editor?

Now that you know what a hex value is, and how you can open and edit them, why would you want to do that exactly?

Find Out A File Type

Every once in a while you might come across a file that you just can’t seem to open. It has a normal size, but Word or Adobe won’t open it. So can you do anything about that?

The first thing I will do is open the file in a hex editor. Most files include some information in the very top of the file which describes what kind of file it actually might be.

Below, is a character representation of an Adobe PDF file. Let’s say someone mistakenly saves a PDF file as a Microsoft Word .DOC file.

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" style="border: 0pt none;" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/pdf-example.png" alt="what is a hex editor" width="158" height="302" />

When your system sees that extension, it will try to launch Microsoft Word to open the file – but it will fail. Open the file in a hex editor, and it is immediately clear that this file is indeed a PDF file, and a quick switch to the file extension and you will be able to open it right up in Adobe Acrobat or other proper reader.

If you see a filetype but have no idea what kind of program might be used to open that file, you might check out href="http://www.openwith.org/">OpenWith which lists many file extensions and the programs used to open them.

Game & File Hacking

Another popular reason you might use a hex editor is game hacking. You can load up a game href="http://www.fantasyanime.com/garden/savestatehacking2.htm">save state file and change the amount of money you have from $1,000 to $1,000,000, for example.

Now, on more recent games this has been made much harder. Many modern games include either compression or encryption which make it many times more difficult to decompile the save state or game. However, some games still allow you to edit certain variables, such as in href="http://info.sonicretro.org/SCHG_How-to:Use_a_Hex_Editor">Sonic Spinball.

In addition to looking into game files, sometimes you can glean other important information from a saved file that you otherwise might not have access to. This depends greatly on the type of file and what information you are looking for, but using a hex editor is useful in determining what exactly resides within a file.

Debugging & Editing

Finally the last main reason you might use a hex editor is if you are a programmer who is debugging your code. Instead of going back to recompile you code, a simple hex edit might be all you need to test out a verification pattern. Editing a raw binary file is not recommended for the feint of heart – modify just one character in a file could potentially render it useless. Make sure you have a backup before modifying any files using a hex editor.

When a Hex Isn’t a Hex

Hopefully you’ve learned a little bit about computers that you hadn’t known before, or at least have had your memory refreshed. Knowing how your computer ticks becomes more and more important as they become easier and easier to use. I know if you made it this far, you are ready to use these advanced strategies for getting the most out of the bits and bytes stored on your hard drive!

Have questions about hexadecimal or hex editors in general? Let us know below! />
/>Do you like MakeUseOf articles? Don’t forget to target="_blank" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/share-share-share-spread-word/">share our articles with others! It’s really important to us.

/>

href="http://api.tweetmeme.com/share?url=http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/hex-editor-technology-explained/"> src="http://api.tweetmeme.com/imagebutton.gif?url=http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/hex-editor-technology-explained/"> href="http://digg.com/tools/diggthis/login?url=http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/hex-editor-technology-explained/"> src="http://www.makeuseof.com/images/rss-buttons/diggme.png"> href="http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/hex-editor-technology-explained/"> src="http://www.makeuseof.com/images/rss-buttons/fb.jpg"> href="http://www.google.com/reader/link?url=http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/hex-editor-technology-explained/&title=What A Hex Editor Is & Why You Might Use It [Technology Explained]&srcTitle=MakeUseOf.com"> src="http://www.makeuseof.com/images/rss-buttons/gbuzz-feed.png"> href="http://www.stumbleupon.com/submit?url=http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/hex-editor-technology-explained/"> src="http://www.makeuseof.com/images/rss-buttons/stumble.png">

View full post on MakeUseOf.com

Posted in Useful APPsComments (3)

What Is An APU? [Technology Explained]

Posted on 18 February 2011. Tags: explained, Technology

class="align-left" style="border: 0px none; margin-left: 20px; margin-top: 5px; float: right;" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/aputhumb.png" alt="what is an apu" width="207" height="194" />The CPU has been the heart of every PC since Intel’s x86 processors became popular over two decades ago. Yet the CPU does have weaknesses,the greatest of which is their relatively linear data execution. Graphics processors, by comparison, consist of many small cores that execute data simultaneously. This makes it easier for them to perform certain tasks, like video decoding and 3D graphics.

Both Intel and AMD know this, and have for some time. In response they’ve combined the strengths of both CPUs and GPUs, resulting in a new type of product called the APU.

id="more-65363">

APU Architecture

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/apu1.jpg" alt="what is an apu" width="576" height="296" />

What is an APU? The term APU stands for Accelerated Processing Unit. At the moment, this is a term that only AMD is using for its products. Intel’s recently released update to its processors also qualifies as an APU; Intel simply seems unwilling to use the definition. That’s understandable, since the company has been known as the world’s leading href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tags/cpu/">CPU maker for years.

An APU is simply a processor that combines CPU and GPU elements into a single architecture. The first APU products being shipped by AMD and Intel do this without much fuss by adding graphics processing cores into the processor architecture and letting them share a cache with the CPU. While both AMD and Intel are using their own GPU architectures in their new processors, the basic concepts and reasons behind the decision to bring a GPU into the architecture remain the same.

The Benefits Of An APU

AMD and Intel wouldn’t go to the trouble of integrating a GPU into their CPU architectures if there weren’t some benefits to doing so, but sometimes the benefit of a new technology seems to be focused more on the company selling the product than the consumer. Fortunately, the benefits of the APU are dramatic and will be noticed by end users.

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/apu2.png" alt="what is an apu processor" width="500" height="400" />

Obviously, improved performance is one advantage. The graphics placed on current APUs are not meant to be competitive with high-end or even mid-range discrete graphics cards, but they are better than previous integrated graphics processors. Intel HD Graphics 3000, the fastest graphics option available on the company’s newest processor, is href="http://www.anandtech.com/show/4083/the-sandy-bridge-review-intel-core-i7-2600k-i5-2500k-core-i3-2100-tested/11"> two to three times quicker than the previous Intel HD Graphics solution, which was on the processor die but not integrated into the architecture. This also makes it possible to include new features, like href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/intels-quick-sync-video-technology-explained/"> Intel’s QuickSync video transcoding techology.

Another advantage brought by APUs is improved power efficiency. Integrated the GPU into the architecture makes it possible to share resources and achieve the same results with less silicon. This means an APU can replicate the performance of a system equipped with a low-end discrete graphics card while using far less power. Early benchmarks of Intel Sandy Bridge and AMD Fusion laptops make this advantage obvious; systems equipped with these processors have href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/20-ways-to-increase-the-life-of-your-laptops-battery/"> better battery life than similar system saddled with a CPU and a separate discrete or integrated graphics processor.

Should You Buy One?

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/apu3.png" alt="what is an apu" width="450" height="225" />

Now you know the benefits of an APU, you may be thinking about purchasing one of these fancy new processors. Upgrading to a new processor is never inexpensive, however. Is an APU worth your money?

The answer is yes, but on the other hand, it doesn’t matter if you upgrade now or later. You are, eventually, going to end up owning an APU no matter what you do. All of Intel’s processors from here on, with the exception of the Atom processor, will be APUs. AMD’s entire line of processors will be updated to APUs by the end of this year. And Nvidia, which recently announced intentions to create a line of ARM processors for desktops, will of course be creating an APU.

In fact, you may want to wait, if only because this technology is relatively new. Both Intel and AMD are hard at work on new products that further leverage the advantages of this design, and AMD’s desktop APU is unlikely to become available before the summer.

Conclusion

The APU is the future of processor design. The only question at this point is the term itself. While Intel’s new processors also fit the definition of an APU, the term APU is only used by AMD in its marketing. If Nvidia also decides this is a term worth using as it develops its new processor it may have some legs. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be surprised if Intel uses its considerable marketshare might to squash it.

But whatever this new generation of hardware is called five years from now, the results are the same. APUs are here, they’re awesome, and they’ll make it easier for users to enjoy media without consuming unreasonable amounts of power.

The benchmark graph is part of Anandtech’s href="http://www.anandtech.com/show/4083/the-sandy-bridge-review-intel-core-i7-2600k-i5-2500k-core-i3-2100-tested"> review of Intel’s Sandy Bridge processors. Check it out for full information. />
/>Do you like MakeUseOf articles? Don’t forget to target="_blank" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/share-share-share-spread-word/">share our articles with others! It’s really important to us.

/>

href="http://api.tweetmeme.com/share?url=http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/apu-technology-explained/"> src="http://api.tweetmeme.com/imagebutton.gif?url=http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/apu-technology-explained/"> href="http://digg.com/tools/diggthis/login?url=http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/apu-technology-explained/"> src="http://www.makeuseof.com/images/rss-buttons/diggme.png"> href="http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/apu-technology-explained/"> src="http://www.makeuseof.com/images/rss-buttons/fb.jpg"> href="http://www.google.com/reader/link?url=http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/apu-technology-explained/&title=What Is An APU? [Technology Explained]&srcTitle=MakeUseOf.com"> src="http://www.makeuseof.com/images/rss-buttons/gbuzz-feed.png"> href="http://www.stumbleupon.com/submit?url=http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/apu-technology-explained/"> src="http://www.makeuseof.com/images/rss-buttons/stumble.png">

What All This MD5 Hash Stuff Actually Means [Technology Explained]

Posted on 11 February 2011. Tags: Actually, explained, Hash, Means, Stuff, Technology, This

class="align-left" style="border: 0px none; margin-left: 20px; margin-top: 5px; float: right;" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/intro.jpg" alt="md5 hash" width="180" height="180" />In a recent article about checking whether you were href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/find-email-address-leaked-gawkers-database/">affected by Gawker’s hacking incident, one of the steps involved converting your email address into an MD5 hash.

We had a few questions from readers asking exactly what was going on, and why this process was necessary. It’s not our style to leave you guys asking questions, so here’s a full run-down of MD5, hashing and a small overview of computers and cryptography.

id="more-64811">

Cryptographic Hashing

MD5 stands for Message Digest algorithm 5, and was invented by celebrated US cryptographer Professor Ronald Rivest in 1991 to replace the old MD4 standard. MD5 is simply the name for a type of cryptographic hashing function Ron came up with, way back in ’91.

The idea behind cryptographic hashing is to take an arbitrary block of data and return a fixed-size “hash” value. It can be any data, of any size but the hash value will always be fixed. Try it for yourself href="http://www.miraclesalad.com/webtools/md5.php">here.

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/cryptohash.png" alt="md5 hash" width="539" height="385" />

Cryptographic hashing has a number of uses, and there are a vast number of algorithms (other than MD5) designed to do a similar job. One of the main uses for cryptographic hashing is for verifying the contents of a message or file after transfer.

If you’ve ever downloaded a particularly large file ( href="http://www.makeuseof.com/pages/getting-started-guide-linux">Linux distributions, that sort of thing) you’ll probably have noticed the hash value that accompanies it. Once this file has been downloaded, you can use the hash to verify that the file you downloaded is in no way different to the file advertised.

The same method works for messages, with the hash verifying that the message received matches the message sent. On a very basic level, if you and a friend have a large file each and wish to verify they’re exactly the same without the hefty transfer, the hash code will do it for you.

Hashing algorithms also play a part in data or file identification. A good example for this is peer to peer href="http://www.makeuseof.com/dir/tag/file-sharing/">file sharing networks, such as eDonkey2000. The system used a variant of the MD4 algorithm (below) which also combined file’s size into a hash to quickly point to files on the network.

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/md4hash.png" alt="what is md5 hash" width="300" height="330" />

A signature example of this is in the ability to quickly find data in hash tables, a method commonly used by search engines.

style="text-align: left;">Another use for hashes is in the storage of passwords. href="http://www.makeuseof.com/dir/password-tool-storing-passwords-online/">Storing passwords as clear text is a bad idea, for obvious reasons so instead they are converted to hash values. When a user inputs a password it is converted to a hash value, and checked against the known stored hash. As hashing is a one-way process, provided the algorithm is sound then there is theoretically little chance of the original password being deciphered from the hash.

Cryptographic hashing is also often used in the generation of passwords, and derivative passwords from a single phrase.

Message Digest algorithm 5

The MD5 function provides a 32 digit hexadecimal number. If we were to turn ‘makeuseof.com’ into into an MD5 hash value then it would look like: 64399513b7d734ca90181b27a62134dc. It was built upon a method called the Merkle–Damgård structure (below), which is used to build what are known as “collision-proof” hash functions.

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/merkledamgard.jpg" alt="what is md5 hash" width="581" height="271" />

No security is everything-proof, however and in 1996 potential flaws were found within the MD5 hashing algorithm. At the time these were not seen as fatal, and MD5 continued to be used. In 2004 a far more serious problem was discovered after a group of researchers described how to make two separate files share the same MD5 hash value. This was the first instance of a collision attack being used against the MD5 hashing algorithm. A collision attack attempts to find two arbritary outputs which produce the same hash value – hence, a collision (two files existing with the same value).

Over the next few years attempts to find further security problems within MD5 took place, and in 2008 another research group managed to use the collision attack method to fake href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tags/ssl/">SSL certificate validity. This could dupe users into thinking they are browsing securely, when they are not. The US Department of Homeland Security href="http://www.kb.cert.org/vuls/id/836068">announced that: “users should avoid using the MD5 algorithm in any capacity. As previous research has demonstrated, it should be considered cryptographically broken and unsuitable for further use“.

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/Selection_159.png" alt="md5 hash" width="580" height="291" />

Despite the government warning, many services still use MD5 and as such are technically at risk. It is however possible to “salt” passwords, to prevent potential attackers using dictionary attacks (testing known words) against the system. If a hacker has a list of random often-used passwords and your user account database, they can check the hashes in the database against those on the list. Salt is a random string, which is linked to existing password hashes and then hashed again. The salt value and resulting hash is then stored in the database.

If a hacker wanted to find out your users’ passwords then he would need to decipher the salt hashes first, and this renders a dictionary attack pretty useless. Salt does not affect the password itself, so you must always href="http://www.makeuseof.com/dir/randomkeygen-generate-multiple-secure-passwords-quickly/">choose a hard-to-guess password.

Conclusion

MD5 is one of many different methods of identifying, securing and verifying data. Cryptographic hashing is a vital chapter in the history of security, and keeping things hidden. As with many things designed with security in mind, someone’s gone and broken it.

You probably won’t have to worry too much about hashing and MD5 checksums in your daily surfing habits, but at least now you know what they do and how they do it.

Ever needed to hash anything? Do you verify the files you download? Do you know of any good MD5 web apps? Let us know in the comments!

Intro image: rel="nofollow" href="http://www.shutterstock.com/pic-50897122/stock-photo-macro-computer-screen-shot-with-binary-code-and-password-text-great-concept-for-computer.html">Shutterstock />
/>NEW: href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/makeuseof/id366921965?mt=8" target="_blank">Download MakeUseOf iPhone App. FREE!

/>

href="http://api.tweetmeme.com/share?url=http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/md5-hash-stuff-means-technology-explained/"> src="http://api.tweetmeme.com/imagebutton.gif?url=http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/md5-hash-stuff-means-technology-explained/"> href="http://digg.com/tools/diggthis/login?url=http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/md5-hash-stuff-means-technology-explained/"> src="http://www.makeuseof.com/images/rss-buttons/diggme.png"> href="http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/md5-hash-stuff-means-technology-explained/"> src="http://www.makeuseof.com/images/rss-buttons/fb.jpg"> href="http://www.google.com/reader/link?url=http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/md5-hash-stuff-means-technology-explained/&title=What All This MD5 Hash Stuff Actually Means [Technology Explained]&srcTitle=MakeUseOf.com"> src="http://www.makeuseof.com/images/rss-buttons/gbuzz-feed.png"> href="http://www.stumbleupon.com/submit?url=http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/md5-hash-stuff-means-technology-explained/"> src="http://www.makeuseof.com/images/rss-buttons/stumble.png">

The Difference Between DDR2 & DDR3 RAM [Technology Explained]

Posted on 10 September 2010. Tags: Between, DDR2, DDR3, Difference, explained, Technology

class="align-left" style="border: 0px none; margin-left: 20px; margin-top: 5px; float: right;" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/ddrramthumbnail.jpg" alt="ddr memory" width="300" height="198" />RAM, or Random Access Memory, is your computer’s short term memory. If your computer needs information and does not find the RAM, it then needs to journey to the class="vt-p" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/all-the-tools-you-need-to-predict-the-death-of-your-hard-drive/">hard drive to try and retrieve the data, which is far more time consuming. Many older computers that feel sluggish can be given new life if upgraded with additional RAM.

However, capacity is only one specification. RAM is also available in a variety of versions and speeds. A 2GB stick of DDR2 800 RAM is not the same thing as a 2GB stick of DDR3 1333 RAM. Understanding the difference is important because computers will generally accept only certain types of RAM.

id="more-52913"> /> Let’s take a look at the different types of DDR memory on the market and how they are different from each other.

The Big Issue: DDR2 vs DDR3

In late 2008, Intel released the first Core i7 processors. These processors were paired with a new motherboard chipset called X58. This chipset introduced the need for a new type of memory called DDR3.

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" style="border: 0pt none;" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/ddrram1.jpg" alt="ddr memory"/>

In the last two years the entire industry has converted over to DDR3. All of Intel’s new processors can only be used with a motherboard that requires DDR3. Recent AMD motherboards are also changing over to DDR3.

The term “DDR” stands for Double Data Rate RAM. This term came into use at the turn of the century when the first Double Data Rate RAM modules arrived. Double Data Rate RAM was capable of two data transfers per clock cycle, giving it twice the theoretical peak bandwidth of previous SDRAM while running at the same clock speed.

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/ddrram2.jpg" alt="ddr ram" width="350" height="220" />

DDR2 and DDR3 are improvements on the same technology and further increase the number of data transfers per clock cycle. DDR2 RAM provides 4 data transfers per cycle, while DDR3 increases the number to 8. Assuming a base clock speed of 100Mhz, DDR RAM will provide 1600 MB/s of Bandwidth, DDR2 provides 3200 MB/s, and DDR3 provides 6400 MB/s. More is always better!

Performance & Compatibility Consequences

Does this mean you’ll notice a big difference between DDR2 and DDR3 systems? Well, maybe not. While the increase in memory bandwidth is great, the truth is that 99% of programs are not capable of creating a workload that will be restricted by memory bandwidth. The issue is most relevant to server and workstation class products.

To see a difference in performance you’ll usually need to use a class="vt-p" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/5-free-benchmark-programs/">benchmark program capable of testing memory bandwidth.

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/ddr3ram.jpg" alt="ddr ram" width="480" height="209" />

However, purchasing DDR2 or DDR3 RAM isn’t usually a matter of preference. DDR2 and DDR3 RAM are not compatible. If your motherboard uses DDR2, you cannot upgrade to DDR3 without upgrading your motherboard. This means that if you currently own a computer with DDR2 RAM and you want to upgrade to a brand new processor and motherboard you have to throw your your perfectly good DDR2 RAM and buy new DDR3 RAM.

There are a few motherboards which are exceptions to this rule, but they are exceptions only because they provide both DDR2 and DDR3 RAM slots, and these exceptions are available only on older chipsets.

I know – it’s a bummer, but there isn’t much you can do about it. Both Intel and AMD have committed to DDR3 RAM for future products, so you’ll be forced to either buy new RAM and deal with your computer becoming a dinosaur.

Clock Speed – The Other Part Of The Equation

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/ddrram4.jpg" alt="ddr memory" width="399" height="284" />

Another important specification to consider when looking at RAM is the clock speed. Clock speed is an indication of how well the RAM will perform in much the same way that clock speed indicates how well a processor will perform, and it is part of the equation that determines the maximum theoretical peak bandwidth of memory. A higher clock speed is better. However, as I mentioned previously, this is a difference that is unlikely to be noticeable in normal daily use. The typical enthusiast won’t see much benefit from memory with a higher clock speed.

With that said, there are motherboards that only accept memory within a limited range of clock speeds. It is always a good idea to consult a motherboard manufacturer’s website to double-check the RAM that is compatible. Motherboards are usually very flexible in this regard, but it is better to be safe than sorry.

Conclusion

The bad news is that the invention of DDR3 is making DDR2 obsolete by force. I have four sticks of spare DDR2 memory that are no longer capable of finding a home in a new system, even a low-power class="vt-p" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/using-your-linux-computer-as-a-media-center-part-1/">HTPC or office computer, because of the change. The good news is that new RAM technology is at least several years off, so DDR3 purchased today should be good for a while. Just be sure to check the type of RAM a new motherboard requires before purchasing RAM to go with it!

Credit for the third image goes to class="vt-p" href="http://techreport.com/">The Tech Report, one of my favorite hardware websites. Please visit them and check out their in-depth reviews! />
/>Do you like MakeUseOf articles? Don’t forget to target="_blank" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/share-share-share-spread-word/">share our articles with others! It’s really important to us.

/>

href="http://api.tweetmeme.com/share?url=http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/difference-ddr2-ddr3-ram-technology-explained/"> src="http://api.tweetmeme.com/imagebutton.gif?url=http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/difference-ddr2-ddr3-ram-technology-explained/"> href="http://digg.com/tools/diggthis/login?url=http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/difference-ddr2-ddr3-ram-technology-explained/"> src="http://www.makeuseof.com/images/rss-buttons/diggme.png"> href="http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/difference-ddr2-ddr3-ram-technology-explained/"> src="http://www.makeuseof.com/images/rss-buttons/fb.jpg"> href="http://www.google.com/reader/link?url=http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/difference-ddr2-ddr3-ram-technology-explained/&title=The Difference Between DDR2 & DDR3 RAM [Technology Explained]&srcTitle=MakeUseOf.com"> src="http://www.makeuseof.com/images/rss-buttons/gbuzz-feed.png"> href="http://www.stumbleupon.com/submit?url=http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/difference-ddr2-ddr3-ram-technology-explained/"> src="http://www.makeuseof.com/images/rss-buttons/stumble.png">

Windows 7 Editions Explained In Simple Terms

Posted on 03 September 2010. Tags: Editions, explained, Simple, Terms, Windows

class="align-left" style="border: 0px none; margin-left: 20px; margin-top: 5px; float: right;" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/windows7logo.jpg" border="0" alt="windows 7 editions" />Since the late 20th century the market for personal computers has been growing and developing rapidly. The sudden diversity among customers and their increasingly differential demands created a need for specialized operating systems. During the late 1990’s, Microsoft developed Windows versions specifically targeted at businesses or home PC users.

With its introduction of Windows 2000, Microsoft started to release its operating systems in multiple editions. On the one hand this united previously diverse products under one hat and simplified marketing. On the other hand different groups of users were accommodated.

id="more-51764"> /> Windows 7 comes in six different flavors. In this article I have briefly reviewed the features of each edition. I have also made recommendations as to which version you should get, depending on the user group you belong to.

Starter

This is the most basic Windows 7 edition. Since Windows 7 Starter supports less features than any other edition, it requires less system resources. It is typically found pre-installed on netbooks.

limit: three concurrent applications, home group join only, Backup and Restore Center manual to local HDD or DVD only
not included: Aero theme
not changeable: desktop wallpaper and visual style
not supported: .NET Framework and 64-bit

If your computer has a weak CPU (minimum 1GHz) and no more than 1GB of RAM, you should go with Windows 7 Starter to avoid a slow system.

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" style="border: 0pt none;" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/Windows7Editions03.png" border="0" alt="windows 7 editions" width="580" height="281" />

Home Basic

This edition is not available in ‘first world’ countries. It was designed for emerging markets and forms an intermediate between Starter and Home Premium. Due to a geographical activation restriction, it can only be activated in countries where it is sold.

included: Desktop Window Manager, Windows Mobility Center
unlimited: concurrent applications
supported: 64-bit, multiple monitors, fast user switching, change of desktop wallpaper
limit: home group join only, partial Aero theme

You should use this edition as a budget alternative to Home Premium, if it is sold in your country.

Home Premium

This is the standard edition of Windows 7. It was specifically outfitted to satisfy home users.

included: Windows Aero theme, Windows Media Center, premium games
unlimited: create and join home group
supported: multi-touch

Home Premium provides all the functionality required on a daily basis. It puts minor limits on networking and lacks backup and security features, which can however be complemented by additional software.

There is no need to spend extra cash on one of the following editions, unless you must have one of its additional features.

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" style="border: 0pt none;" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/Windows7Editions01.png" border="0" alt="windows 7 editions" width="580" height="283" />

Professional

The Professional edition was designed to be used in a work environment. Its additional features compared to Home Premium are not typically required in a home environment. The Professional Backup and Restore Center for example supports backup to a home or business network. Features like Location Aware Printing and Remote Desktop Host recognizes the mobility involved in today’s (professional) life.

included: Backup and Restore Center, Encrypting File System, Windows Server Domain, Windows XP Mode
supported: Location Aware Printing, Remote Desktop Host, Presentation Mode

You should invest in Windows 7 Professional if you frequently work from your laptop in different locations, use your computer to give presentations, must access your home computer via remote desktop, have multiple computers, or need to manage a network.

Enterprise

The Enterprise edition is not available to home users. It is exclusively sold to companies that have a Software Assurance (SA) for Volume Licensing contract with Microsoft. This edition comes with several SA-only benefits, including license rights for network booting of Windows or running up to four additional Windows copies on virtual machines. Microsoft support for this product will continue until 2020.

included: AppLocker, BitLocker Drive Encryption, Subsystem for Unix-based applications, Multilingual User Interface Pack
supported: BranchCache Distributed Cache, DirectAccess, Virtual Hard Disk Booting

The additional features of Enterprise compared to Professional are relevant for computers running in a corporate environment. They can decrease the freedom each user has, while on the other hand making it easier to work from anywhere in the world.

AppLocker for example is a tool through which an administrator can specify which software is allowed to run on centrally managed user PCs. DirectAccess replaces the need to log into your company network via VPN. A full review of these additional Enterprise and Ultimate features can be found in this Microsoft article: class="vt-p" title="Windows 7 Enterprise Features" href="http://www.microsoft.com/windows/enterprise/products/windows-7/features.aspx">Unique technology for enterprise customers.

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" style="border: 0pt none;" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/Windows7Editions02.png" border="0" alt="compare windows 7 editions" width="580" height="213" />

Ultimate

Windows 7 Ultimate has all the features of the Enterprise edition and no benefits or further extras. The difference is that individual licenses are available to home users. Windows Anytime Upgrade from Windows 7 Home Premium or Professional is possible. Microsoft support for this edition is scheduled to expire in 2015.

PC World has created a thorough class="vt-p" title="PC World Windows 7 Editions Chart" href="http://www.pcworld.com/zoom?id=167444&page=1&zoomIdx=1">graphical chart comparing all editions of Windows 7.

You may also want to check out this article by Mahendra: title="Windows 7 32-bit vs. 64-bit" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/how-to-choose-between-32-bit-64-bit-windows-7-operating-systems/">How To Choose Between 32-bit & 64-bit Windows 7 Operating Systems

I hope you now have a better idea of what each Windows 7 edition was designed for and which one is right for you. Have you had the chance to work with different Windows 7 editions already? What are your experiences so far with them? />
/>Do you like MakeUseOf articles? Don’t forget to target="_blank" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/share-share-share-spread-word/">share our articles with others! It’s really important to us.

/>

href="http://api.tweetmeme.com/share?url=http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/windows-7-editions-explained-simple-terms/"> src="http://api.tweetmeme.com/imagebutton.gif?url=http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/windows-7-editions-explained-simple-terms/"> href="http://digg.com/tools/diggthis/login?url=http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/windows-7-editions-explained-simple-terms/"> src="http://www.makeuseof.com/images/rss-buttons/diggme.png"> href="http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/windows-7-editions-explained-simple-terms/"> src="http://www.makeuseof.com/images/rss-buttons/fb.jpg"> href="http://www.google.com/reader/link?url=http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/windows-7-editions-explained-simple-terms/&title=Windows 7 Editions Explained In Simple Terms&srcTitle=MakeUseOf.com"> src="http://www.makeuseof.com/images/rss-buttons/gbuzz-feed.png"> href="http://www.stumbleupon.com/submit?url=http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/windows-7-editions-explained-simple-terms/"> src="http://www.makeuseof.com/images/rss-buttons/stumble.png">

What Is An API & What Are They Good For? [Technology Explained]

Posted on 23 August 2010. Tags: explained, Good, Technology, They

class="align-left" style="border: 0px none; margin-left: 20px; margin-top: 5px; float: right;" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/communication.jpg" alt="what does api stand for" />What does the acronym API stand for? API means Application Programming Interface and they say that APIs are the underlying aspect of Web 2.0. But what does it really mean – what is an api? Let’s try to demystify the term a little.

The word to really pay attention to is “Interface”. If you have any experience at all with programming, all kinds of abstractions and contracts must be coming to your mind when you hear the word “interface” but we are more interested in the classical meaning of the term.

An interface is a common boundary between two separate systems. It is the means or the medium via which these two systems communicate.

id="more-51415">

Definition

An API is the interface implemented by an application which allows other applications to communicate with it.

Why Is It Needed?

In one word – communication. You might ask why communication is so important. Just imagine Notepad couldn’t copy-paste to and from Microsoft Word or class="vt-p" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/dir/tag/chrome/">Google Chrome. Imagine having to type each and every time although the text is already there in some other application. This is only one of the examples of communication between applications and all this communication is made possible via APIs.

What Is It Really?

You cannot run an API like you would run say a class="vt-p" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tags/notepad/">Notepad application. This is because APIs are generally invisible to the end users like you and me. APIs are carefully thought out pieces of code created by programmers for their applications that allow other applications to interact with their application.

APIs are specially crafted to expose only chosen functionality and/or data while safeguarding other parts of the application which provides the interface. Creating an API is indeed time well spent, because ultimately the more applications that interact with your application the more popular it becomes.

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/twitterclients.jpg" alt="what does api stand for" />

An excellent example is class="vt-p" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/dir/tag/twitter/">Twitter. Most people prefer their favorite class="vt-p" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/twitter-clients-web-apps-desktops-apps/">Twitter client instead of the web interface. You can interact with Twitter whether you are using a mobile phone, a smart phone, an iPod or a computer. This has been made possible by the excellent class="vt-p" href="http://apiwiki.twitter.com/">Twitter API.

What Is It Good For?

As we have seen, APIs facilitate communication allowing different applications to communicate effectively with each other. So these are really well suited for extending a platform and for class="vt-p" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/dir/tag/mashup/">mashups. We have already seen Twitter as an example of how APIs are useful in extending a platform. When you combine data or functionality from more than one application to create another application, you have essentially created a mashup.

Such mashups are extremely popular on the Internet these days. The Internet thrives on communication so it is an ideal place to take advantage of APIs. It is a common practice to expose part of your functionality or data as an API to others on the Web. They can then tap into what you offer, combine it with what they (or someone else) offers and then provide improved and added functionality to their users.

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/googlemapsyelp.png" alt="what does api stand for" width="519" height="370" />

class="vt-p" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/search-fo-worst-local-businesses-yelp">Yelp for example has data on restaurants, hotels, shopping destinations and other local services but it would be a wasteful and tedious job if they set out to create their own Maps engine to let users know where the various destinations are. So instead they tap into the Google Maps API and plot their data on top of it, thereby increasing the utility of their service to the end user. This is a typical use of an API.

Popular APIs You Can Use Or Try

APIs are all over the place. The most popular ones are the Web APIs like class="vt-p" href="http://code.google.com/apis/maps/index.html">Google Maps API, class="vt-p" href="http://apiwiki.twitter.com/">Twitter API and the class="vt-p" href="http://www.flickr.com/services/api/">Flickr API. These are not the only ones though. You can find a complete, classified and searchable directory of APIs at class="vt-p" href="http://www.programmableweb.com">Programmable Web and class="vt-p" href="http://www.webmashup.com/">WebMashup. Here you can see the level of interest in an API, what services are provided by the API and which services are making use of the API.

How you actually use an API depends upon your needs and your level of expertise. You might want to create the next big thing on the Internet, in which case you would most likely need to program for the Web using languages such as PHP, ASP.NET, Java or Python. A good starting point is to visit the official API page for the service you choose. Look for libraries others have written in the language of your choice. Usually these libraries make your job a lot easier and faster. Twitter for example mentions a number of these class="vt-p" href="http://dev.twitter.com/pages/libraries">libraries on its API wiki. You can also find tutorials, official documentation and best practices on these pages.

APIs have existed in one form or another for a very long time. The first communication between cooperating applications may or may not have been through an officially documented API, but nowadays they are an important component of your application especially if yours is a Web application.

Have you ever created or used an API? We would love to hear about your experiences in the comments.

href="http://api.tweetmeme.com/share?url=http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/api-good-technology-explained/"> src="http://api.tweetmeme.com/imagebutton.gif?url=http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/api-good-technology-explained/"> href="http://digg.com/tools/diggthis/login?url=http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/api-good-technology-explained/"> src="http://www.makeuseof.com/images/rss-buttons/diggme.png"> href="http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/api-good-technology-explained/"> src="http://www.makeuseof.com/images/rss-buttons/fb.jpg"> href="http://www.google.com/reader/link?url=http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/api-good-technology-explained/&title=What Is An API & What Are They Good For? [Technology Explained]&srcTitle=MakeUseOf.com"> src="http://www.makeuseof.com/images/rss-buttons/gbuzz-feed.png"> href="http://www.stumbleupon.com/submit?url=http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/api-good-technology-explained/"> src="http://www.makeuseof.com/images/rss-buttons/stumble.png">

What Google Chrome Canary Is [Technology Explained]

Posted on 21 August 2010. Tags: Canary, Chrome, explained, Google, Technology

class="align-left" style="border: 0px none; margin-left: 20px; margin-top: 5px; float: right;" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/0-canary-intro.jpg" alt="google chrome canary" width="270" height="223" /> class="vt-p" href="http://www.google.com/chrome/intl/en/landing_chrome.html?hl=en&platform=win">Google Chrome is now my default browser for pretty much everything. The stable release has finally got to a point where it is stable enough for me to use all the time. I’ve even been using the class="vt-p" href="http://www.google.com/chrome/eula.html?extra=betachannel">beta/ class="vt-p" href="http://www.google.com/chrome/eula.html?extra=devchannel">developer builds of Chrome on my laptop without any problems.

On July 22, Google, being all about speed, announced that they were going to shorten the release cycles of new, stable versions of Chrome from quarterly to 6 weeks. With this announcement came the Canary release channel.

In this article, I am going to explain exactly what class="vt-p" href="http://tools.google.com/dlpage/chromesxs">Google Chrome Canary is and why you should be excited about its release. I will explain the meaning of its name, as well as its overall purpose in the grand scheme of things.

id="more-51208">

Why Call It Canary?

By calling the release Canary, Google is referring to the old technique of using canaries in coal mines. Back in the day, coal miners used to bring canaries down in the mines with them as a precaution. If there was any kind of deadly gas build-up, the canary would be the first to die. If the canary died, everyone knew it would be a good idea to leave the mine as soon as possible.

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/1-canary-version.png" alt="google chrome canary" width="522" height="294" />

Chrome Canary offers the same set of precautions. The Canary build is less stable, but it will be used to test even more cutting-edge features than the developer’s build, which already tests new features before they are pushed to the beta build. If a change “kills” Chrome Canary, Google will block it from the developer build.

What’s Different About It?

Chrome Canary is somewhat of a mix between the Chrome developer build and the Chromium snapshot builds. It can be run side-by-side with any other channel, which is a new feature. This means that it isn’t linked to your other Chrome installs and can therefore run different class="vt-p" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/cool-tips-you-can-use-to-get-more-out-of-bookmarks-in-chrome/">sync profiles, class="vt-p" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/design-browser-theme-google-chrome/">themes, class="vt-p" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/dir/tag/chrome/">apps, and use different preferences.

Unlike the other channels (beta and dev), Canary’s side-by-side feature allows builds to be installed without overwriting a regular Chrome build, which means that, technically, you can install both a Canary build and a regular build that could be on the stable, beta or dev channel.

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/2-canary-icons.png" alt="google chrome canary" width="270" height="285" />

If you install Chrome Canary, you will notice that it has a different, all-yellow icon instead of the multi-colored Chrome icon or even the all-blue icon you might be accustomed to. Also, the skin of the browser is blue, helping you tell it apart from other versions of Chrome as well.

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/3-canary-default.png" alt="google canary" width="538" height="208" />

[Note]: As Canary is a secondary installation of Chrome, you cannot set it as the default browser. Also, it is currently only available on Windows.

Why Is It Necessary?

Giving users the option to run a more advanced version of Chrome without having to fully commit to alpha testing it should help increase the number of people willing to use the browser.

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/4-canary-dev.png" alt="google canary" width="580" height="214" />

Canary will auto-update more frequently than any other versions available to developers. Google is working on making it update as often as they have successful nightly builds, according to their class="vt-p" href="http://groups.google.com/a/chromium.org/group/chromium-dev/browse_thread/thread/bf71d02dae94eb88?pli=1">developer’s email list. When something doesn’t work on the Canary, you can just fall back on your beta version.

Also, by speeding up the Chrome development cycle, it will begin testing new features with the public and collecting feedback more quickly. The data – especially crash statistics – that they get back from users will help them find (and fix) regressions in the software faster.

[Note]: Since the Canary version of Chrome will be very unstable, it should only be used by those who are willing to risk losing browsing data in the event of a program crash.

Conclusion

Well there you have it. As I stated earlier, I use Google Chrome as my browser, so I am quite pleased with the news of a faster development cycle. Google seems to be very enthusiastic about getting their browser to the top and class="vt-p" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/2-reasons-google-chrome-pull-mozilla-firefox/">surpassing Mozilla once and for all.

From a user’s standpoint, I think this is good news for all of us. Quicker releases mean better features, and better features for Chrome should inspire some of these other companies to pick up the pace with their browsers as well.

What do you think of this news? Will you be giving Canary a try?

Leave your thoughts, ideas, and comments below, and please share this story with others if you found it useful.

Image Credit: class="vt-p" rel="nofollow" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/14119298@N00/2503638588/">Thepollen />
/> Follow href="http://twitter.com/MakeUseOf" target="_blank" >MakeUseOf on Twitter. Includes cool extras.

/>

href="http://api.tweetmeme.com/share?url=http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/google-chrome-canary-technology-explained/"> src="http://api.tweetmeme.com/imagebutton.gif?url=http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/google-chrome-canary-technology-explained/"> href="http://digg.com/tools/diggthis/login?url=http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/google-chrome-canary-technology-explained/"> src="http://www.makeuseof.com/images/rss-buttons/diggme.png"> href="http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/google-chrome-canary-technology-explained/"> src="http://www.makeuseof.com/images/rss-buttons/fb.jpg"> href="http://www.google.com/reader/link?url=http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/google-chrome-canary-technology-explained/&title=What Google Chrome Canary Is [Technology Explained]&srcTitle=MakeUseOf.com"> src="http://www.makeuseof.com/images/rss-buttons/gbuzz-feed.png"> href="http://www.stumbleupon.com/submit?url=http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/google-chrome-canary-technology-explained/"> src="http://www.makeuseof.com/images/rss-buttons/stumble.png">

What Google Chrome Canary Is & Why It’s Necessary [Technology Explained]

Posted on 21 August 2010. Tags: Canary, Chrome, explained, Google, It’s, Necessary, Technology

class="align-left" style="border: 0px none; margin-left: 20px; margin-top: 5px; float: right;" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/0-canary-intro.jpg" alt="google chrome canary" width="270" height="223" /> class="vt-p" href="http://www.google.com/chrome/intl/en/landing_chrome.html?hl=en&platform=win">Google Chrome is now my default browser for pretty much everything. The stable release has finally got to a point where it is stable enough for me to use all the time. I’ve even been using the class="vt-p" href="http://www.google.com/chrome/eula.html?extra=betachannel">beta/ class="vt-p" href="http://www.google.com/chrome/eula.html?extra=devchannel">developer builds of Chrome on my laptop without any problems.

On July 22, Google, being all about speed, announced that they were going to shorten the release cycles of new, stable versions of Chrome from quarterly to 6 weeks. With this announcement came the Canary release channel.

In this article, I am going to explain exactly what class="vt-p" href="http://tools.google.com/dlpage/chromesxs">Google Chrome Canary is and why you should be excited about its release. I will explain the meaning of its name, as well as its overall purpose in the grand scheme of things.

id="more-51208">

Why Call It Canary?

By calling the release Canary, Google is referring to the old technique of using canaries in coal mines. Back in the day, coal miners used to bring canaries down in the mines with them as a precaution. If there was any kind of deadly gas build-up, the canary would be the first to die. If the canary died, everyone knew it would be a good idea to leave the mine as soon as possible.

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/1-canary-version.png" alt="google chrome canary" width="522" height="294" />

Chrome Canary offers the same set of precautions. The Canary build is less stable, but it will be used to test even more cutting-edge features than the developer’s build, which already tests new features before they are pushed to the beta build. If a change “kills” Chrome Canary, Google will block it from the developer build.

What’s Different About It?

Chrome Canary is somewhat of a mix between the Chrome developer build and the Chromium snapshot builds. It can be run side-by-side with any other channel, which is a new feature. This means that it isn’t linked to your other Chrome installs and can therefore run different class="vt-p" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/cool-tips-you-can-use-to-get-more-out-of-bookmarks-in-chrome/">sync profiles, class="vt-p" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/design-browser-theme-google-chrome/">themes, class="vt-p" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/dir/tag/chrome/">apps, and use different preferences.

Unlike the other channels (beta and dev), Canary’s side-by-side feature allows builds to be installed without overwriting a regular Chrome build, which means that, technically, you can install both a Canary build and a regular build that could be on the stable, beta or dev channel.

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/2-canary-icons.png" alt="google chrome canary" width="270" height="285" />

If you install Chrome Canary, you will notice that it has a different, all-yellow icon instead of the multi-colored Chrome icon or even the all-blue icon you might be accustomed to. Also, the skin of the browser is blue, helping you tell it apart from other versions of Chrome as well.

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/3-canary-default.png" alt="google canary" width="538" height="208" />

[Note]: As Canary is a secondary installation of Chrome, you cannot set it as the default browser. Also, it is currently only available on Windows.

Why Is It Necessary?

Giving users the option to run a more advanced version of Chrome without having to fully commit to alpha testing it should help increase the number of people willing to use the browser.

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/4-canary-dev.png" alt="google canary" width="580" height="214" />

Canary will auto-update more frequently than any other versions available to developers. Google is working on making it update as often as they have successful nightly builds, according to their class="vt-p" href="http://groups.google.com/a/chromium.org/group/chromium-dev/browse_thread/thread/bf71d02dae94eb88?pli=1">developer’s email list. When something doesn’t work on the Canary, you can just fall back on your beta version.

Also, by speeding up the Chrome development cycle, it will begin testing new features with the public and collecting feedback more quickly. The data – especially crash statistics – that they get back from users will help them find (and fix) regressions in the software faster.

[Note]: Since the Canary version of Chrome will be very unstable, it should only be used by those who are willing to risk losing browsing data in the event of a program crash.

Conclusion

Well there you have it. As I stated earlier, I use Google Chrome as my browser, so I am quite pleased with the news of a faster development cycle. Google seems to be very enthusiastic about getting their browser to the top and class="vt-p" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/2-reasons-google-chrome-pull-mozilla-firefox/">surpassing Mozilla once and for all.

From a user’s standpoint, I think this is good news for all of us. Quicker releases mean better features, and better features for Chrome should inspire some of these other companies to pick up the pace with their browsers as well.

What do you think of this news? Will you be giving Canary a try?

Leave your thoughts, ideas, and comments below, and please share this story with others if you found it useful.

Image Credit: class="vt-p" rel="nofollow" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/14119298@N00/2503638588/">Thepollen />
/> Follow href="http://twitter.com/MakeUseOf" target="_blank" >MakeUseOf on Twitter. Includes cool extras.

/>

href="http://api.tweetmeme.com/share?url=http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/google-chrome-canary-technology-explained/"> src="http://api.tweetmeme.com/imagebutton.gif?url=http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/google-chrome-canary-technology-explained/"> href="http://digg.com/tools/diggthis/login?url=http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/google-chrome-canary-technology-explained/"> src="http://www.makeuseof.com/images/rss-buttons/diggme.png"> href="http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/google-chrome-canary-technology-explained/"> src="http://www.makeuseof.com/images/rss-buttons/fb.jpg"> href="http://www.google.com/reader/link?url=http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/google-chrome-canary-technology-explained/&title=What Google Chrome Canary Is & Why It’s Necessary [Technology Explained]&srcTitle=MakeUseOf.com"> src="http://www.makeuseof.com/images/rss-buttons/gbuzz-feed.png"> href="http://www.stumbleupon.com/submit?url=http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/google-chrome-canary-technology-explained/"> src="http://www.makeuseof.com/images/rss-buttons/stumble.png">

USB 3.0: Everything You Need To Know [Technology Explained]

Posted on 16 July 2010. Tags: Everything, explained, Know, Need, Technology

usb technology Within the past 14 years, the Universal Serial Bus (USB) has become the standard interface to connect devices to a computer. Whether it’s an external hard drive, a camera, the mouse, a printer, or a scanner, the physical connection to transfer data between devices generally is a USB cable. The interface is indeed universal.

USB technology has been under development since 1993. The first official definition, USB 1.0, was introduced in 1996. It provides a Low-Speed transfer rate of 1.5 Mbits/s for sub-channel keyboards and mice, and a Full-Speed channel at 12 Mbits/s. USB 2.0, which came in 2001, made a leap to Hi-Speed transfer rates of up to 480 Mbits/s. In 2010, USB 3.0 has finally hit the market.

So what can you expect from USB 3.0 and how will it affect you?

USB 3.0 Specifications

A number of changes have been implemented in USB 3.0 to satisfy the increased demands of external devices. Here is a quick USB technology overview:

Transfer Rate
This new SuperSpeed interface provides realistic transfer rates of around 3,200 Mbits/s or 3.2 Gbits/s. The theoretical top signaling rate is at 4.8 Gbits/s.
Data Transfer
USB 3.0 introduces full duplex data transfer. Two of five lanes are reserved for transmitting data, while another pair is dedicated to receiving data, meaning that USB 3.0 can read and write data simultaneously at full speed. Previous USB specifications did not support bi-directional data transfer.
Power
The unit load has been increased to 150 mA and a configured device can draw up to six unit loads, which adds up to 900 mA. This exceeds USB 2.0 by 80% and leads to faster recharging or powering of more than four devices from a single hub. In addition, the minimum device operating voltage was dropped from 4.4 V to 4 V, which saves energy.
Power Management
USB 3.0 suspends device polling, which is replaced by interrupt-driven protocol. As a result, idle devices won’t experience a power drain since a signal from the device is required to initiate data transfer. With USB 2.0 the host controller used to look for active transfers, slowly draining power. Briefly, USB 3.0 supports idle, sleep, and suspend states, as well as link-, device-, and function-level power management (Wikipedia).
Physical Appearance
The above described specifications are also represented in the physical appearance of USB 3.0. While the cable was previously described to be thicker because it contains four more wires than USB 2.0, this appears not to be the case now. The plug, however, is a dead giveaway for USB 3.0. It contains an additional set of connectors, as illustrated in the image below.

usb technology

The Good News

New technology is very exciting. But what does it mean? Will you still be able to use your old USB hardware? How will the new USB technology affect your everyday life? What are the benefits?

usb 3.0 vs 2.0

Compatibility
USB 3.0 is backwards compatible with USB 2.0. So whether you get a new USB 3.0 device or a new computer that supports USB 3.0, your old device will be able to communicate with the new interface. Naturally, it will do so at the old USB 2.0 speed. However, you won’t be able to use a USB 3.0 cable to connect a USB 2.0 device.
Transfer Rate
Now I bet all this Megabit and Gigabit per second numbers sound impressive, but what does it actually translate to? Well, let me give you an example. With USB 3.0 you could transfer a 10 GB file from your computer to an external drive in approximately 25 seconds. With USB 2.0 this would take more than five minutes.
Benefits
The devices that will benefit most from USB 3.0 are those that already outspeed USB 2.0, including HD webcams, Blu-Ray drives, or some external hard drives.
Support by Operating Systems
Windows Vista, Windows 7, and Linux already support USB 3.0. Mac is expected follow. Given its age, Windows XP will probably not receive an update to support the new interface.

The Bad News

I was tempted to report that there is no bad news, but that’s not true. Let’s say bad news is minimal.

Cable
The maximum cable length USB 3.0 supports is reduced to approximately three meters, opposed to five meters with USB 2.0. However, using hubs, the maximum length can be extended to 18 meters.
Speed Limit
Naturally, not all devices will be able to make use of the increased speed in USB 3.0. Magnetic hard drives for example, are limited by their RPM and the corresponding read/write speed. Hence, USB 3.0 will not unfold its full beauty until computers are equipped per default with faster hardware, such as solid state drives. But we all know how speedy progress is in the IT world. Give it a year or two and you will be able to fully benefit from USB 3.0.

Feel like you need more information? Computerworld has an excellent USB 3.0 review (USB 3.0: The new speed limit), including tests of currently available USB 3.0 hardware. Are you craving for even more in depth information? Check out this article at Tech Republic: 10 things you should know about USB 2.0 and 3.0. And have a look at Everything USB’s Super Speed USB 3.0 FAQ.

Now aren’t you looking forward to switching to USB 3.0? And if you have already been using a USB 3.0 device, please let the rest of us know how it feels!

Image credit: 09

Do you like MakeUseOf articles? Don’t forget to share our articles with others! It’s really important to us.

The technology behind the sound – Mp3 Explained

Posted on 14 July 2010. Tags: behind, explained, Sound, Technology

MP3 or MPEG-1 Audio Layer 3 is an innovative digital audio encoding format which is meant for consumer audio storage and employs a type of lossy data compression algorithm. This compression helps in reducing the quantity of data required to embody the audio recording. It is that benchmark of audio compression which transfers and plays back music on digital audio players, known as MP3 players.

MP3 files are usually created using settings to the tune of 128 kbit/s which often results in 1/11th size of a CD filed produced from initial audio source. MP3 player’s recent evolution in the music format helps users to create personalized music lists and allows them to carry thousands of songs with them. Additionally it contains features like video and photo viewing, alarm and calendar functions and not to forget cell phone and even internet service. MP3 players come in two formats viz., Hard-drive-based players and Flash-based players. Hard drive based MP3 players are of high-capacity and have a capability of 20GB onwards.

While considerable players like Apple iPod Classic can hold nearly 30,000 songs and comes with a 120GB capacity. Flash based MP3 players are shockproof and comes in various storage sizes ranging from 512MB to 32GB. Like other digital music formats, MP3 also uses a binary code series containing 1s and 0s, when playing a digital file. MP3 players often employ DAC i.e. digital-to-analog converters to turn 1s and 0s into analog signals which are amplified and broadcast with the assistance of speakers and headphones.
It is the requirement of all MP3 players that a user’s PC should contain USB 1.1 or 2.0 ports this will help in loading songs quickly onto and off the players. Almost all the MP3 players come bundled with software and drivers which allow users to download the songs from a PC.

While purchasing MP3 players always stick to well-known brands like Apple iPod, Creative Zen, Microsoft Zune, SanDisk Sansa, Sony and Archos. MP3 players come in a diverse array of physical sizes; some are so tiny that they can be accommodated even in your keychain while the other large sizes will hardly fit in your hand. The smaller MP3 players suit people in their routine work or while jogging etc. Most of the MP3 players have 2” to 3.5” screens and weigh usually less than 5 ounces.

Posted in UtilitiesComments (0)

The Basic Parts Of A Computer & How To Upgrade Them [Technology Explained]

Posted on 14 July 2010. Tags: Basic, Computer, explained, parts., Technology, them, Upgrade

diagram of the basic parts of a computer Do you know how to use a computer? Of course you do. But how familiar are you with what’s inside that shiny metal box of yours? For as complicated as the inner workings of computers may seem, they are really only made up of a few key pieces. If you ever have a hardware problem or would simply like to upgrade one of those pieces, it helps to know what they do and where they are located.

Today we’re taking it back to the basics. In this article, I am going to name the basic parts of a computer, describe what they do, show you where they are usually located, and give you a few tips on how to upgrade them. So the next time your hard drive dies or your CD-Rom stops reading discs, you don’t have to pay for a house call from your neighborhood PC-repair man.

[Note]: This article is meant to be a basic diagram of the basic parts of a computer and is by no means a complete and accurate description of everything that is inside a computer. While replacing computer parts, there are various things to consider that I will not be able to cover here, like compatibility issues.

This article is not about how to build a computer. For that, I invite you to check out our guides, How to Build a Gaming PC and The Idiot’s Ultimate Guide to Building Your Own PC. You can find a lot of what will be here in our Basic Computer Terms You Should Know Before Buying A PC article.

Now that most of the professionals and hardcore geeks have left, onto the basics!

diagram of the basic parts of a computer

Motherboard

Your motherboard is where all of the components I’m going to talk about will inevitably plug into. It has slots for most removable components like RAM, IDE/SATA drives, and video cards. If you are a beginner, I wouldn’t advise you to upgrade your motherboard yourself, but a lot of the other components I will cover require you to unplug things from the motherboard.

To view system specs, try Speccy.

Central Processing Unit (CPU)

See: What Is A CPU and What Does It Do? [Technology Explained]

If a computer was a human, the CPU would be the brain. It is the single most important piece of a computer because it does all the processing of data, calculations, and it controls most of the other components. The CPU is usually located directly underneath a cooling unit on the motherboard.

Once again, I would not advise you to upgrade your CPU yourself if you are a beginner. In most cases, upgrading your CPU will require a new motherboard, along with a heat sink and perhaps other components. While I won’t go into it here, you can find a very informative and detailed walk-through on How to Upgrade a Processor here.

Power Supply Unit (PSU)

name the parts of a computer

The PSU provides power to your whole PC and is usually located in the top-back of your computer. PSUs are rated by the amount of power they give out (e.g. 600 watts). It is important that your computer is powered properly so that it does not fail on you.

To upgrade your PSU, you should research the specifications of the other components in your system, most importantly the video card and CPU. You also want to make sure you get the proper connectors for your system.

Calculate your PC power supply with eXtreme PSU Engine.

Hard Drive

name the parts of a computer

Your hard drive is what stores all your data long-term. Hard drives are generally kept in the bottom-front of most PCs, and are usually connected to the motherboard via SATA cables (IDE for older PCs). Also, there will be a power cable.

If yours dies on you or you simply want to upgrade to a bigger one (storage wise), you just need to purchase one with the proper connections. Hard drives are usually screwed into place.

Random Access Memory (RAM)

name the parts of a computer

RAM is temporary (or short-term) memory and helps out with overall system performance and speed. RAM consists of long sticks that are plugged directly into your motherboard. Consult your owner’s manual or system information to determine the maximum amount of RAM that’s supported by your system.

Upgrading RAM depends on how many slots you have and the maximum size each slot supports. Some computers require that you have the same amount of RAM in each slot. This would be listed in your manual as well.

Disk Drive (CD-ROM or DVD-ROM)

parts of a computer system

Your disk drive(s) is/are generally located at the top-front of your machine. They allow you to play and burn (copy) CDs and DVDs. Since discs spin in these drives, they occasionally break on you. Also, the speed at which these drives can read and write data is constantly increasing.

To upgrade a CD or DVD-ROM, simply unplug and unscrew the existing drive and plug the cables (power, SATA/IDE) into the new drive. If you are upgrading from one drive to multiple drives, you can learn about setting the drives to master/slave configuration here.

Video Card

diagram of the basic parts of a computer

Your video card is what allows you to view anything on your monitor (makes sense). If you’re into gaming, you either left already to learn how to build a gaming PC or you stuck around to see what I had to say about video cards.

Modern games require better video cards. Your video card is usually located in the bottom-back portion of your computer case. Aside from size specifications, slot placement, motherboard type, processor speed, and power intake – which are all compatibility issues – upgrading your video card is as simple as unplugging the stock card and plugging the new video card in its place.

How did I do? Leave a comment below and please be gentle!

Image Credit: William Hook, BBC News, William Hook, Fr3d.org, mattk1979, Renee V, mattjb

Hey Facebookers, make sure to check out MakeUseOf page on Facebook. Over 24,000 fans already!

The Basic Parts Of A Computer & How To Upgrade Them [Technology Explained]

Posted on 14 July 2010. Tags: Basic, Computer, explained, parts., Technology, them, Upgrade

diagram of the basic parts of a computer Do you know how to use a computer? Of course you do. But how familiar are you with what’s inside that shiny metal box of yours? For as complicated as the inner workings of computers may seem, they are really only made up of a few key pieces. If you ever have a hardware problem or would simply like to upgrade one of those pieces, it helps to know what they do and where they are located.

Today we’re taking it back to the basics. In this article, I am going to name the basic parts of a computer, describe what they do, show you where they are usually located, and give you a few tips on how to upgrade them. So the next time your hard drive dies or your CD-Rom stops reading discs, you don’t have to pay for a house call from your neighborhood PC-repair man.

[Note]: This article is meant to be a basic diagram of the basic parts of a computer and is by no means a complete and accurate description of everything that is inside a computer. While replacing computer parts, there are various things to consider that I will not be able to cover here, like compatibility issues.

This article is not about how to build a computer. For that, I invite you to check out our guides, How to Build a Gaming PC and The Idiot’s Ultimate Guide to Building Your Own PC. You can find a lot of what will be here in our Basic Computer Terms You Should Know Before Buying A PC article.

Now that most of the professionals and hardcore geeks have left, onto the basics!

diagram of the basic parts of a computer

Motherboard

Your motherboard is where all of the components I’m going to talk about will inevitably plug into. It has slots for most removable components like RAM, IDE/SATA drives, and video cards. If you are a beginner, I wouldn’t advise you to upgrade your motherboard yourself, but a lot of the other components I will cover require you to unplug things from the motherboard.

To view system specs, try Speccy.

Central Processing Unit (CPU)

See: What Is A CPU and What Does It Do? [Technology Explained]

If a computer was a human, the CPU would be the brain. It is the single most important piece of a computer because it does all the processing of data, calculations, and it controls most of the other components. The CPU is usually located directly underneath a cooling unit on the motherboard.

Once again, I would not advise you to upgrade your CPU yourself if you are a beginner. In most cases, upgrading your CPU will require a new motherboard, along with a heat sink and perhaps other components. While I won’t go into it here, you can find a very informative and detailed walk-through on How to Upgrade a Processor here.

Power Supply Unit (PSU)

name the parts of a computer

The PSU provides power to your whole PC and is usually located in the top-back of your computer. PSUs are rated by the amount of power they give out (e.g. 600 watts). It is important that your computer is powered properly so that it does not fail on you.

To upgrade your PSU, you should research the specifications of the other components in your system, most importantly the video card and CPU. You also want to make sure you get the proper connectors for your system.

Calculate your PC power supply with eXtreme PSU Engine.

Hard Drive

name the parts of a computer

Your hard drive is what stores all your data long-term. Hard drives are generally kept in the bottom-front of most PCs, and are usually connected to the motherboard via SATA cables (IDE for older PCs). Also, there will be a power cable.

If yours dies on you or you simply want to upgrade to a bigger one (storage wise), you just need to purchase one with the proper connections. Hard drives are usually screwed into place.

Random Access Memory (RAM)

name the parts of a computer

RAM is temporary (or short-term) memory and helps out with overall system performance and speed. RAM consists of long sticks that are plugged directly into your motherboard. Consult your owner’s manual or system information to determine the maximum amount of RAM that’s supported by your system.

Upgrading RAM depends on how many slots you have and the maximum size each slot supports. Some computers require that you have the same amount of RAM in each slot. This would be listed in your manual as well.

Disk Drive (CD-ROM or DVD-ROM)

parts of a computer system

Your disk drive(s) is/are generally located at the top-front of your machine. They allow you to play and burn (copy) CDs and DVDs. Since discs spin in these drives, they occasionally break on you. Also, the speed at which these drives can read and write data is constantly increasing.

To upgrade a CD or DVD-ROM, simply unplug and unscrew the existing drive and plug the cables (power, SATA/IDE) into the new drive. If you are upgrading from one drive to multiple drives, you can learn about setting the drives to master/slave configuration here.

Video Card

diagram of the basic parts of a computer

Your video card is what allows you to view anything on your monitor (makes sense). If you’re into gaming, you either left already to learn how to build a gaming PC or you stuck around to see what I had to say about video cards.

Modern games require better video cards. Your video card is usually located in the bottom-back portion of your computer case. Aside from size specifications, slot placement, motherboard type, processor speed, and power intake – which are all compatibility issues – upgrading your video card is as simple as unplugging the stock card and plugging the new video card in its place.

How did I do? Leave a comment below and please be gentle!

Image Credit: William Hook, BBC News, William Hook, Fr3d.org, mattk1979, Renee V, mattjb

Hey Facebookers, make sure to check out MakeUseOf page on Facebook. Over 24,000 fans already!

Powerline Networking: What It Is & Why It Is Awesome [Technology Explained]

Posted on 13 July 2010. Tags: Awesome, explained, Networking, Powerline, Technology

powerline networking If you have a home network, or you are thinking of setting up a home network, you’ve probably considered two solutions – wired and wireless. And unless you desperately want the fastest download speeds possible, or you don’t trust wireless security, you probably have settled on wireless as the solution. Wireless networking, with its encryption keys and signal strength issues, isn’t as easy as making toast. But it certainly beats having to route expensive Ethernet cables through your house.

There is, however, a third way. Known as powerline networking, this rarely considered option has many appealing strengths. It is even easier to set up than wireless, but provided network performance similar to wired network. Let’s take a look at the wonderful world of powerline networking.

What Is A Powerline Network?

Your home already has a network of wires in it that connect every room in the house. These are the wires that provide each room with electricity. Normally, these wires are used for only that task, but it is possible to turn them into a way of conveying data like any other wire.

This is exactly what a powerline network does. By using network adapters that are plugged into power outlets throughout your home it is possible to use your existing electrical wires as a sort of substitute Ethernet cord. Doing this has no effect on the normal function of the electrical wires, either – all your power outlets will continue to work normally.

Why Is Powerline Networking Awesome?

powerline computer networking

Powerline networks operate like standard wired networks in terms of security and performance. Since the entire network is routed through wires there is no chance of your home network being hijacked or used by an unauthorized person (short of someone breaking into your home). Performance is not quite as fast as Ethernet, but real-world usage is typically between 40 and 80 Mbps depending on the adapters you use. You don’t have to worry about reception issues, either.

However, because you don’t have to lay any new cable, setting up a powerline network is much easier than setting up a home network with Ethernet cord. Connecting a computer via powerline networking requires only that you plug a powerline network adapter into a power outlet and then run an Ethernet cable from the powerline adapter to your computer’s Ethernet port. You can use multiple powerline network adapters on the same network, and they don’t have to be the same brand or model.

What Is The Cost Of Powerline Networking?

powerline networking

The primary cost of setting up a powerline network is the adapters themselves. Most major network hardware companies, like Netgear and Belkin, offer powerline adapters. These adapters are mostly sold in pairs of two and cost around $100 a pair. Adapters that offer less performance may cost only $60 to $80 a pair, while the fastest adapters are closer to $150. My personal recommendation is to buy the least expensive pair of 85Mbps adapters you can find.

Besides the adapters, you also may have to buy some Ethernet cord if the cord you currently have is not enough to reach from the powerline adapter to the computer(s) you need to connect. This can add $10 or $20 to your budget.

Overall, a powerline network with two computers will cost around $100 if you buy online. You’ll usually spend more if you purchase at a brick-and-mortar store.

What Are The Limitations Of Powerline Networking?

Although powerline networking is a great alternative to more popular networking methods, it does have a few limitations that are important to note.

First, powerline network adapters cannot be plugged into a surge protector unless the surge protector that you own specifically states otherwise. This can be a bit of an issue if you already have a power outlet crisis in your home, which isn’t unheard of these days.

powerline networking

Second, powerline network adapters are usually on the larger side. The ones that I use are approximately five inches long, an inch and a half thick, and three inches wide. There are some smaller models, but none are tiny. This can be an issue if your power outlets are behind a piece of furniture or otherwise in a confined space.

Finally, powerline adapters still have to connect to your computer with an Ethernet cord. If your computer is not already near a power outlet with a free socket you may need to re-arrange your furniture or simply deal with having an Ethernet cord visible.

Conclusion

Those minor problems aside, powerline networking is an incredible solution. I personally use it for all the desktop computers in my home, and I would never go back to wireless. Powerline networking combines the flexibility and simplicity of wireless with the performance of wired. You must check it out if you’re unhappy with wireless performance in your home.

For more information check out the MakeUseOf PDF Guide To Computer Networks.

Got Questions? Ask Them Now FREE on MakeUseOf Answers!

Sophos WebAlert – explained with children’s toys

Posted on 12 July 2010. Tags: Children's, explained, Sophos, toys, WebAlert

With a selection of children’s toys, Sophos security experts demonstrate how it can monitor your website and warn you if hackers have planted viruses or Trojan horses on your website. Learn more at www.sophos.com

Posted in UtilitiesComments (14)

Tag Archive | "explained"

Fusion In A Small Package – The C & E-Series

The Latest & Greatest – AMD’s Fusion A-Series

Conclusion

The Basics Of Touchpad Technology

The Differences Between Touchpads

The Importance Of Software Support

Conclusion

Similar articles:

What Is Hex?

Hex Editors

href="http://www.pspad.com/en/">PSPad

href="http://www.chmaas.handshake.de/delphi/freeware/xvi32/xvi32.htm">XVI32

What Can You Do With A Hex Editor?

Find Out A File Type

Game & File Hacking

Debugging & Editing

When a Hex Isn’t a Hex

APU Architecture

The Benefits Of An APU

Should You Buy One?

Conclusion

Similar MakeUseOf Articles

Cryptographic Hashing

Message Digest algorithm 5

Conclusion

Similar MakeUseOf Articles

The Big Issue: DDR2 vs DDR3

Performance & Compatibility Consequences

Clock Speed – The Other Part Of The Equation

Conclusion

Similar MakeUseOf Articles

Starter

Home Basic

Home Premium

Professional

Enterprise

Ultimate

Similar MakeUseOf Articles

Definition

Why Is It Needed?

What Is It Really?

What Is It Good For?

Popular APIs You Can Use Or Try

Similar MakeUseOf Articles

Why Call It Canary?

What’s Different About It?

Why Is It Necessary?

Conclusion

Similar MakeUseOf Articles

Why Call It Canary?

What’s Different About It?

Why Is It Necessary?

Conclusion

Similar MakeUseOf Articles

USB 3.0 Specifications

The Good News

The Bad News

Similar MakeUseOf Articles

Motherboard

Central Processing Unit (CPU)

Power Supply Unit (PSU)

Hard Drive

Random Access Memory (RAM)

Disk Drive (CD-ROM or DVD-ROM)

Video Card

Similar MakeUseOf Articles

Motherboard

Central Processing Unit (CPU)

Power Supply Unit (PSU)

Hard Drive

Random Access Memory (RAM)

Disk Drive (CD-ROM or DVD-ROM)

Video Card

Similar MakeUseOf Articles

What Is A Powerline Network?

Why Is Powerline Networking Awesome?

What Is The Cost Of Powerline Networking?

What Are The Limitations Of Powerline Networking?

Conclusion