Now, nVidia just released the 9800GX2 and 9800GTX GPUs a few weeks before. So why would they keep releasing more and more new ones? Well, nVidia is releasing the 9900 series to replace the 9800 series. The 9900GTX will replace the 9800GTX, and the 9900GX2 will replace the 9800GX2. But again, why would they do this?

Frankly, I don’t really know what the heck they’re thinking. Doesn’t that sound familiar though? That’s the same thing they did for the 9800GTX; it was released to replace the former 8800GTX. So, why would they do the same thing twice? Well, a rather simple idea is that nVidia is stalling for more time. More time for what? To develop new chips of course!

Have you noticed that ever since the debut of the G92 chip in the 8800GT that they’ve been stalled in development? Here, look at their GPU’s: the 8800GT, the 8800GTS G92, the 9600GT(G94, which is a close sibling of the G92), the 9800GX2(just two G92 chips put together on a single card) and the 9800GTX(again, the G92 chip). They’ve been using the same chip for many months now. In my opinion, now would be the time for something new, something just so original that it just beats every other GPU.

If they keep this up, they may give ATi enough time to catch up on them in market shares, and maybe beat nVidia! Then no more part-monopoly! Who knows what will happen. But this will be a very interesting battle.

To read more computer hardware articles, go to http://www.ImIcarus.com

#7 – Build a Clock

Sure its the most common thing to do with Nixie Tubes, but you gotta start somewhere. Get Started!

#6 – Build a Watch

Similar to a clock, but smaller and much more challenging. Well, relatively smaller.

#5 – Build a Calendar or Calculator

Again, similar to a clock, but not nearly as common. Challenge yourself.

#4 – Build a Nixie Cable TV Box

Now we are getting past all the standard stuff and into the realm of creativity. This is a pretty nifty idea!

#3 – Build a Miniature Plasma Ball

Ok, this is no joke. The person who did this has some serious time on their hands, but should be commended for a great feat in creativity.

#2 – Make Art

Ok, so technically these works of art are not Nixie Tubes, but you could accomplish the same end with a slightly different twist. When all else fails, call it “art”.

#1 – Repair the Display in Your Very Own Vintage Russian Submarine

This could perhaps be the most obvious use of Nixie Tubes, but it is quite possibly the most overlooked as well. Why not fix up the ole sub, eh? Get Started!

Visit http://buynixietubes.com/ for additional resources and more information, pictures and videos and about Nixie tubes!

The following chart contains 15.4 inch PC’s that have been chosen and customized (with the exception of Acer) to best compare with the Macbook Pro. All 3-year warranties are basic and anti-virus software is based on a 15 month price.

(Sources: Apple.com, Amazon.com, Dell.com, HP.com, Sony.com)

Price Comparison of 15.4 Inch Laptops

Brand Model Processor Graphics Card RAM Hard Drive Weight Price 3-Year Warranty Anti-Virus Software Total Price

Apple Macbook Pro 2.4 GHz NVIDIA GeForce 8600M GT with 256MB 2 GB 200 GB

5.4 lbs $1,999.00 $349.00 $0 $2,348.00

Acer Aspire 5920-6329 2.5 GHz NVIDIA GeForce 8600M GT with 256MB 2 GB 320 GB 6.6 lbs $1,799.00 $199.99 $60 $2,058.98

Dell XPS M1530 2.4 GHz NVIDIA GeForce 8600M GT with 256MB 2 GB 250 GB 5.8 lbs $1,763.00 $299.00 Included $2,062.00

HP dv6700t 2.4 GHz NVIDIA GeForce 8400M GS with 256MB 2 GB 250 GB 6.14 lbs $1,220.99 $269.99 $59.99 $1,550.97

Sony VGN-FZ24000 2.4 GHz NVIDIA GeForce 8400M GT with 256MB 2 GB 200 GB 5.9 lbs $1,258.99 $199.99 $59.99 $1,518.97

When it comes to making sure you are getting the assistance you need the first thing you want to look at is the warranty. If you choose to purchase a dell you may want to look into the XPS M1530. At a price of $2,062 you can get a 15.4 inch notebook with a 2 GB RAM, a 250 GB hard drive, virus software included and a three year warranty. Dell warranty includes in-home service parts labor and 24×7 phone service.

HP is a popular choice for a notebook, dv6700t is one of HP’s most comparable notebook to a Mac. The dv6700t comes with a 2 GB RAM, 250 GB hard drive, anti-virus software, and a 3-year warranty for $1,550. HP’s warranty includes a pick-up and return service where your notebook would be diagnosed, repaired and returned to you as fast as possible. They also have a 24×7 phone support service. Within the warranty you would also get assistance with virus and spyware issues.

Apple’s Macbook Pro comes standard with a 2.4 GHz Intel Core Duo processor, 2 GB RAM, and a 200 GB hard drive. Apple’s 3-year protection plan includes service and support for the Mac operation system, iLife, and iWork. This accesses you to Apple’s technical support group when calling and ensures Apple-authorized technicians will perform repairs using genuine Apple parts (apple.com/support). The Macbook Pro also comes already installed with iLife, which is comprised of such programs like GarageBand, iMovie, iChat, and iPhoto. These programs alone are equivalent to $400 in PC programs (“Mac Vs. PC”).

When choosing your selection consider that Mac users have a 98 percent satisfaction rate as opposed to Windows users who have a 83 percent rate. Mac’s also have a higher resale value. During a study, James Stoup found that Mac’s sell for 40 percent of their retail cost after three years (Stoup). Most Windows users find it cheaper to just invest a brand new laptop.

Small businesses have also reconsidered switching from PC to Mac. It is less costly in the long run making up for its higher retail cost with lesser IT and electrical costs (Schwartau). On average there is one IT person per 150-250 Macs compared to one IT person for every 50-60 PC’s (Van Dyke).

In closing, when looking at your options to buy a notebook; make sure you do all the research. Whether you decide to pick a PC or a Mac there are plenty of alternatives out there. So regardless if you need a computer for the office, for your house or for a dorm, there are many things to look at before you make your purchase. Not everyone needs all the luxuries of iLife although some may prefer it. So you decide what will best fit you; PC or Mac?

“Mac – PC PriceWatch 2008.” Apr 2008. April 2008.

Below is a step by step process to speed Windows XP boot time via the system BIOS.

First of all, your computer must be completely powered down and turned off before starting this process. You won’t be able to edit the BIOS in sleep mode or hybernation mode. Next, power on the PC and enter the system BIOS. How you enter the system BIOS screen will vary according to your computer’s manufacturer. This usually involves a series of keystrokes. Which keys are used will depend on your system.

Now that we are in the BIOS screen, we are ready to speed up Windows XP boot time. Find the Boot menu and select it using the arrow, Tab and Enter keys on your keyboard. (You won’t be able to use your mouse in BIOS.)

In most systems, you’ll find a Quick Boot option. Enabling this will skip common system self tests that occur automatically when the computer is powered up.

In the next step to speed up Windows XP boot time, look for the Boot Device Priority option. You should change the first boot device to your hard drive. This will speed up boot time, but won’t allow you to boot via a boot disk (CD or floppy). If you make this change, then need to boot from a disk later, you can re-enter BIOS and change it back. Next, choose the option Exit and Save Changes and the computer will restart.

This is just one small way to help speed up Windows XP boot time. Again, be extremely careful when working in the BIOS screen. One wrong move can render your computer completely useless.

Kurt Tasche is an Internet marketer and SEO expert, and has spent much time researching ways to optimize PCs for better performance. He highly recommends Kris Mainieri’s “PC Secret Formula”, which offers a simple click by click system to speed up and optimize your PC in about 15 minutes. http://www.kurttasche.com/pcsecretformula

Here is how you set up security when using PDF Creator.

1. Click Start

2. Go to Programs

3. Select “PDF Creator”

4. Then select Security

A window with an extensive list of options will pop up. Your first option will be to “Add security to generated PDF documents.” If you wish to apply any of the security settings, this box will need to be checked.

You will be able to specify passwords to both open the document and to change the permissions and passwords on documents. You do this by clicking the check box next to these options. You will also be able to choose your level of encryption (either 40-bit RC4 or 128-bit RC4).

You will also get the following options:

1. No printing

2. No changing the document

3. No content copying or extraction, disable Accessibility.

4. No adding or changing Comments and Form Fields.

By choosing any of these options you will keep people from being able to do things to your document that you don’t want them to. The peace of mind this gives me with having my documents on my PC is priceless. These security features are also very popular among E-Book developers. Utilizing PDF Creator you can easily apply iron clad protection to all of your PDF documents.

Please Visit: http://www.PDFCreator.com/

The world is moving forward with technology and you hear the term paper-less office quite often. What does this mean, really? It means no dang file folders, that’s what it means!

The last office I worked in was a really small organization; a mom and pop shipping company (Hi Bill and Anne!). They had about 30 full-time employees and very little cash to invest in the technology end of their business. But they wanted to be better organized. Apparently, customers get really upset when you have “lost their file” and can’t verify their bill of lading.

So, being the resourceful assistant that I like to be, I took on the task of making their office paperless. I found this great little program, PDF Creator, that even Bill could use. This man defines computer illiterate if you know what I mean?

We simply scanned our documents, saved them as PDFs and filed them electronically. All our file folders were online! No digging through file cabinets, no papercuts, no misfiling, no losing anything! From the moment we went paperless, everything ran smoother. We saved so much time by having everything accessible on the computer network.

Even though I no longer work with Bill and Anne, I still use PDF Creator. It’s really simple to use and even I can afford it. Plus, I can secure all my personal financial documents that I keep on my PC.

Please Visit: http://www.PDFCreator.com/

If you have any experience publishing e-books, you know that the number one thing you need is the ability to reach anyone who has an interest in your book. This means your e-book needs to be in a format that anyone can easily access.

The obvious format choice is PDF. You can view and print PDF’s from any system: Mac, Linux, Windows, UNIX and a wide number of portable systems. Anyone who has access to the internet has access to Adobe Reader for free.

I personally don’t have extra cash lying around to purchase the full Adobe program. Furthermore, I don’t really have the time to learn all the ins and outs of such a huge program. When you work for yourself, time truly is money.

So, I did what any good business person does, and I researched. I download some free demos and tried some online converters. Believe me, there are a lot to choose from and it can get a little overwhelming. Mostly, I did not get the results I expected. Weird watermarks in my PDFs, incorrect formatting, or I just couldn’t figure out how to work the dang things!

The program I decided on was PDF Creator. Once I used it, the choice was pretty easy for me to make. Not only is PDF Creator really affordable comparatively, it’s super easy to use.

It works like a printer once it’s installed. You click file, print and save. Pretty dang easy! It doesn’t take me very long to turn any information product I have created into a PDF. This is good news! The sooner that I have a PDF, the sooner it’s online making me money. And that is a GREAT thing.

Please Visit: http://www.PDFCreator.com/

However, even though the XBox 360 is the world’s most popular video game system, that doesn’t mean that you should simply run out to your nearest electronic goods retailer and pick up the first XBox 360 that you see. As with any vital purchase decision, research is the key to making an informed buying choice.

Even though the XBox 360 enjoys unparalleled popularity, there are certain things that you should bear in mind before you ultimately purchase your XBox 360:

•IS THE XBox 360 RIGHT FOR ME

There’s the original XBox, the XBox 360, and the Xbox Online too. Each variation of the Xbox or Xbox 360 has different features and functions than the other. And while the new XBox 360 should be easy to locate in a wide range of stores, other versions might be difficult to locate if they are discontinued or sold out. You should definitely research exactly which XBox you want before you purchase it.

•DO I WANT ACCESSORIES

You can easily purchase a simple XBox 360 for your pleasure, but you’ll then have to consider where you will use your XBox 360 and how you’ll use it. Will you just keep it with you at home for playing? Will you take it with you to a friend’s house, or even work and school? For each use of the XBox 360, there are many accessories that you can purchase to store and protect your device. You will have to ask yourself if you are willing to spend the extra money for the wide range of XBox 360 accessories that Microsoft has to offer.

•HOW MUCH IS ENOUGH FOR ME

Are you a video game fanatic, playing everything your eyes can possibly take all the time? Or do you have a limited amount of games that you absolutely love? If you’re the former, then you will want to get an XBox 360 with the greatest memory capacity that you can afford. The larger the memory capacities, the more games you can download, store and play on your Xbox. But, if you are the latter, then you won’t need to spend so much on an XBox 360, as you will not require an exceptionally large memory capacity.

•ASK WHAT YOUR XBox 360 CAN DO FOR YOU

We all know that the XBox 360 is great for playing games and movies. However, XBox 360s can be much more than simple video game system. Your XBox 360 can connect you online to the world if you want. You can shop for Microsoft and Xbox 360 items right from your console if you want. If you want your XBox 360 to be everything you need, then you should expect to shell out extra money for it. However, if you just want your XBox 360 to play games and nothing else, then you won’t have to spend as much money.

No matter what kind of XBox 360 you get or how you plan on using it, you should do a bit of research before you make that purchase. It’s never a good thing when you buy something you don’t really need, or when you purchase something that does not meet your needs and expectations. However, when armed with knowledge, you will be certain to purchase the right XBox 360 for you.

Looking for advice and deals on electronics? Micheal Coley’s always on the lookout for the best deals and tips when it comes to hottest electronics and games.

1. Always Be Positive Even In A Bad Situation

Regardless of how you feel, or the situation you are in you must always be positive. One of the sad things about this world is that nobody cares if you are down. Unfortunately it is a fact of life, so it is important that when you are networking you are at all times positive. Even if someone is stealing from you, you still must remain positive.

2. Always Be Sincere

The world seems to be made up of very rude people and it only seems to be getting worse, as more people adopt the rude characteristic. Being rude will never win you friends and will only alienate those around you. The Master Networker always has a key characteristic to always be sincere even in a difficult situation.

3. Be Prepared To Help Others

Always be prepared to help others regardless of who they are. If you remember that there are only 6 degrees of separation between each of us, you must be prepared to help others because you just never know who they know or you may be helping someone who will help you in the future.

4. Always Be Networking

Whenever you leave home, your mind should always be focused on networking. You just never know when a new opportunity might arise; it could be in the supermarket buying the weekly groceries or some one you sit next to on the plane on your way to your business meeting.

The Master Networker is always trying to build his own network and expand his Mastermind Group.

5. Work Your Network

In Think and Grow Rich, Napoleon Hill talks about building a Mastermind Group of Advisers. You network is apart of your Mastermind Group that will help you build the success you desire. Working your network involves, asking for referrals from your network, advice and also asking them to share their experiences.

6. Always Follow-up On Your Referrals

If someone suggests that you give someone a call or they give you an introduction ensure that you follow-up on your referrals. If someone has given you a referral, then they are handing you an opportunity and they are also putting their reputation on the line by giving you the referral. If you do not follow-up on that referral you may find that you lose out in the future.

7. Be Enthusiastic About Life

Business is a tough world and many people are easily downed by the pressures that it brings. One of the secrets of Master Networkers is that they are enthusiastic about life and further to that they love the challenges and excitement that business brings. Love life to the fullest and everyday you get up, find a reason to keep going on.

Think and Grow Rich teaches us that we must have a clear desire on what we want in life to succeed. At the very least, you should be enthusiastic every single day to be going after your desire and the fact that you are one step closer to achieving it.

8. Always Keep Your Word

One of the great sayings I have heard many business leaders, including Donald Trump say is, “It is not personal, it is just business”. Many people believe that that saying gives you the right to do anything that you want to another person all in the name of business. This is further from the truth. If you say you are going to do something then you must keep your word. Some of the great deals on this planet are done without contracts because the people doing the deals are known to keep their word.

9. Be 100% Trustworthy

Trust is an important characteristic of a Master Networker. If your network cannot trust you then they are not going to introduce you to quality referrals or to allow you to join their Mastermind Group.

10. Always Thank People

The sweetest thing to hear is a Thank you from a grateful person and in business today it is one of the things you very rarely hear people say. Thanking people can come in a number of forms, from a simple verbal thank you to sending a simple note to thank the person. For example if you meet some one at a Local Chamber of Commerce Meeting, then as a Master Networker it is important that you send a note to thank them for their time at the meeting

Networking is a major skill you must master if you want to achieve the ultimate success that Napoleon Hill talks about in his book Think and Grow Rich. The characteristics outlined in this article are mandatory for you to learn and live your life by. You cannot only adopt 1 or 2 of the characteristics to be successful, you must adopt immediately all ten characteristics.

To finish off, I want to take a moment to list the Top 10 Characteristics all Master Networkers must have:

1. Always Be Positive Even In A Bad Situation

2. Always Be Sincere

3. Be Prepared To Help Others

4. Always Be Networking

5. Work Your Network

6. Always Follow-up On Your Referrals

7. Be Enthusiastic About Life

8. Always Keep Your Word

9. Be 100% Trustworthy

10. Always Thank People

If you would like to read Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill simply visit my website. Alternatively if you would like to learn more about marketing your business online visit Online Marketing.

The Local Security Settings include:

Account Policies: Password and account lockout policies.

Local Policies: Audit policies, user rights assignments, and security options.

Public Key Policies: Configure encrypted data recovery agents and trusted certificate authorities.

IP Security (IPSec) Policies: Configure network IP security on the local machine.

By using the Group Policy Editor via a command you are given more control over settings for the local machine. You must have administrator privileges to access the Group Policy Editor. Click Start, Run, and type gpedit.msc and press enter. All the controls in the Local Security Settings are available here plus many more. The level of control over the local machine is truly remarkable. If you use gpedit.msc you will find the Local Security Settings under the Windows Settings folder.

Password Policy

The default setting for Password Policy allows insecure passwords. Users can set passwords with only one letter if they want. The more complex the password id the more secure it is. Its a good idea to set a minimum length here and also select password complexity which stops people using words as passwords or simple variations of words. You can also set passwords to expire forcing users to change their passwords at predetermined intervals. I suggest you use long passwords of at least 8 characters with a mix of letters and numbers. Its important to remember that if your on a domain network, domain security settings will override these settings.

Account Lockout Policy

This policy will lock the account of a user if X number of unsuccessful attempts in Y number of minutes are made to log into an account. It will lock for Z number of minutes. There are 3 policies in this folder, 1 each for X, Y, and Z. If an account is locked the user can either wait for the account to unlock or contact a person with administrator privileges to unlock it. Once again any domain level policies will override this local setting.

Audit Policy

The Audit Policy allows administrators to log user activity. When auditing is turned on for events they are recorded in the security log which can be found in the Event Viewer within Administrative Tools. The size of the security log is limited and also auditing consumes computer resources and slows performance, keep this in mind.

User Rights Assignment

This policy is set by groups not users, also the domain settings will override local settings, thus two columns “Local setting” and “effective Setting”. Some rights are negative rights, “Deny Logon Locally”.

Security Options

Security Options gives a range of additional security options such as preventing users from installing printer drivers, allowing the removal of removable NTFS media, and many other things.

Encrypted Data Recovery Agent

This allows you to add users who can act as a recovery agent in the event people are locked out from their encrypted files. By default the administrator is a recovery agent.

IP Security Policies on Local Machine

Configures network IP security on the local machine. These policies are either simply assigned or the use of a wizard is used to create a policy

Author: Wayne Jansson MCP A+ Network+ jansant© 2007

Wayne Jansson MCP A+ Network+