Steps to clean your PC for performance

Some simple maintenance tasks once or twice a month can keep your PC running smoothly.
Spyware, adware, and viruses need to be detected and removed frequently to maximize your computer's efficiency. Your hard drive and personal files must be managed and stored properly to ensure that they are not corrupted over time. Important data should be backed up onto a storage source such as a DVD or an external hard drive.

Use the following steps to Clean Your PC:

Step 1 - Undo Harmful changes using Windows System Restore

Undo harmful changes to your computer by using the Windows System Restore feature. This tool returns your computer to a date before you installed that unwanted software or began receiving those annoying pop-up advertisements.

Step 2 - Remove malicious software

Installing Anti-Virus software and keeping the virus definition files current is the very best way to maintain the health of your computer.

Step 3 - Manage your hard drive more effectively

Manage your hard drive more effectively by using Microsoft Windows built-in system tools. Disk Cleanup deletes temporary files and other data that make your computer run slower.

Disk Defragmenter takes all of the scattered bits of program data and groups them together in the front of the drive, helping your hard drive to work faster and store more data.

We will go into detail on how to do these steps in upcoming posts.

Dr. Dre and HP

Laptop Gaming

I always hear people talking about the possibility of gaming on their laptops. For this, one needs quite a powerful laptop. If you are playing very low end games, such as those on Facebook, then power and speed is not too important. Most laptops should play those small games. Today's fancy games (the ones you purchase in the shops) need a built in graphics card to process all the gaming goodness.

Keep in mind that it is also, most of the time, not possible to upgrade the graphics card inside a laptop. This is only possible on laptops that have been custom built. Games that you purchase at a store on a DVD need these type of graphics cards inside the laptop.

If your games run slow then you can try upgrade the RAM and Hard-Drive. When purchasing your laptop, you should always check how many slots the laptop has for RAM. This will give you an indication for future upgrade space. Once you are using the laptop, always ensure to update the software and drivers. This will also keep your laptop in good shape and give your gaming a healthy speed boost. What you can also do, is lower the resolution of the game in its options menu. It might not look as pretty but your game should run much faster.

And the best idea is to 'try before you buy'. Download the demo of the game you want to play on your laptop. If it runs nicely, then purchase the game. If not, then don't waste your hard earned money. Our Pavilion range of laptops are great for gaming and home entertainment. Lastly, always ensure to check the required specs of the game to the specs of your laptop.

Microsoft Office 2010 Comparison Chart

The below chart will help you compare the various options of Microsoft Office 2010.

HP Fast Charge

When you don't have to worry about how your laptop works, you can shift your focus to how you work. Ease-of-Use Innovations from HP help you complete your day-to-day tasks with more simplicity and less effort.

Picture the situation. You are doing a presentation outside in 2 hours time but you forgot to charge your laptop, and you have been using it all morning. The charge is sitting at 15% and you need at least 90% charge for your presentation. What do you do?

This is where HP Fast Charge comes to the rescue. With this technology that is built into most HP laptops, you will be able to charge your laptop to up to 90% charge in about 90 minutes when charging with your laptop off.

HP Pavilion DM3 Series

Below is an introduction video to the HP Pavilion DM3 Series of home entertainment notebooks. Take a look at the HP Pavilion dm3-1040ei Entertainment Notebook PC (VJ275EA)

Please note: Not all the features in the video are available in every model of the DM3 Series. Please check the specs of the model you are interested in.

The support you need to stay up and running.

Did you know that you can lengthen the warranty on various HP products? By simply purchasing a care pack you can upgrade or extend the warranty of certain HP products.

These HP care packs reduce downtime risks with support levels from basic to mission critical. They also cover all the IT products your business relies on such as desktops, mobile computing, printing and imaging.

There are many different variations of these care packs so visit this page for more info.

HP 3D DriveGuard

When your notebook computer gets bumped against a doorway or dropped a short distance, there’s a lot more at stake than the hardware itself. If the computer is running, an everyday incident like this could damage your hard drive and cause you to lose the data on it. When a hard drive fails, everything stops. You could potentially lose thousands of rands to downtime, lost productivity and data recovery efforts. That’s why you need HP 3D DriveGuard, available on most Standard, Business, Professional, workstation and mini-note series HP Business notebooks.

HP 3D DriveGuard mitigates the risk of hard drive failure by protecting against short drops, rough handling, excessive vibration and other everyday wear and tear. With this HP Professional innovation, your critical information is not only better protected, but is more easily protected, whenever you’re on the move.

HP 3D DriveGuard’s protection policies provide an enhanced level of protection at all times:
- Ready state for stationary protection your HP business notebook is routinely in a ready state of protection when the lid is open and you are working on a plane, train or some other place. In this state, HP 3D DriveGuard will automatically park the hard drive head if the notebook experiences a sudden movement, a drop or some other significant change in its physical state.
- Enhanced state for moving about when you’re on the move with the lid closed on your business notebook, HP 3D DriveGuard shifts into an enhanced state of protection that is sensitive to very small movements. The enhanced state is applied because this is the mostly likely time for the notebook to be bumped, banged or dropped.

HP Original Toner Cartridges

To buy original or not original that is the question? Although the "no name" brand cartridges may work with HP printers, you should be very aware of the below information:

• According to a study conducted by QualityLogic, Original HP monochrome Toner cartridges outperformed remanufactured cartridges in reliability and print quality.
• Non-original toner cartridges do not perform to the same levels as HP original cartridges.
• Remanufactured or "no name" Toner cartridges can fail prematurely and drive up the cost per page and reduce productivity.
• With Original HP print toner cartridges you get greater reliability, higher quality and therefore lower costs!
• 70% of a LaserJet printer's imaging system comes from our HP LaserJet print cartridges.
• The new generation HP ColorSphere toner uses new technology to optimise system performance for a reliable, smooth flow of toner onto the page.

HP History - Part 1

They say that most IT companies start out of a garage. HP is no exception. In 1939 Bill Hewlett and Dave Packard established Hewlett-Packard in Dave's garage with a capital of US$538. To decide on the companies name, the two of them flipped a coin and chose Hewlett-Packard as the name of the company. HP's first product, a precision audio oscillator, was made for the Walt Disney Company, and was used for the sound in the movie Fantasia. In 1940 HP moved out of the garage and into a rented building in Palo Alto.

Speed up with your typing

Bookmark these sites below and practice your typing skills to enhance your PC/Laptop productivity.

1. TypingMaster’s Typing Test
2. TypingWeb’s Free Tutorials
3. Rapid Typing Zone’s TypeDown

Backup your data

This is an excellent tool for keeping your data safe and in reach, anywhere there is an Internet connection. It will allow you to store files and folders online where you can reach them from anywhere and much more!

What is Windows Live Mesh?

In Windows Live Mesh 2011, you can:

Keep your documents, photos, and other files up to date on all your computers

Connect to your computers remotely. Leave your PC online and run its programs or get to all its files from another computer. This is handy for "emergencies" when you might be at work and need a file from home.

Sync your program settings between computers. Keep your Internet Explorer favorites and Microsoft Office settings up to date on all your PCs.