Latest in Hardware Tips

I built a new computer a few years ago. I’ve always considered myself above average in the tech field, but looking back, I have a few regrets with the system I built - some of my decisions could’ve been much better. Even if you’re thinking of buying a computer, not building one, you could be making the same mistakes as I did. Most of these mistakes come down to a lack of knowledge.
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Smartphones are rapidly changing the world, bringing the once-humble mobile phone kicking and screaming into the 21st century. While feature phones (as the mobiles of old are now named) were great for opening up new lines of communication, smartphones go way beyond that. The simple connection to the Internet they offer means a wealth of new features and opportunities have been opened up to us as we go about our daily lives.
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2013 will be the year of the Smart TV, they say - a new paradigm for interacting with your TV. The TV gets intelligent, with gesture and voice controls, downloadable apps, and can even make you a coffee. OK, I lied about making a coffee - but what exactly is a Smart TV, and should you buy one?
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Are you out of contract with your cellular provider? Rather than upgrading your phone, and signing a new contract, consider switching to a mobile virtual network operator, or MVNO. You can save hundreds, even thousands, each year in cellular costs, without signing a contract. MVNOs offer cheaper rates to consumers by renting spectrum from one of the four major carriers.
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Modern smartphones and tablets have big, beautiful displays. They look great when they come out of the box but they leave a device more vulnerable to both major and minor damage. A drop can shatter the display, though that’s rare. Small scratches are a more common problem. So how do you protect your device from scratches? And do those dang screen protectors really work?
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A couple of weeks ago, I reviewed the minimalist designer watch ZIIIRO Celeste and I absolutely fell in love with its geeky, quirky take on time. Today, I'll be looking at something similar from the renowned geeky watchmaker, Toykoflash -- the Kisai Online LCD watch, a $169 watch with an emphasis on design. Does this futuristic watch deserve a spot in your watch box? Does it look as good in person as it does online? Is the design practical and suitable for everyday use? If you're aching to find out if you should spend $169 on this watch, find out in the details in my review. Plus, we're also giving this Tokyoflash Kisai Online LCD watch away!
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It's time to find out which gadget made the most impact in 2012. Many new gadgets were introduced in the past year, and natrually, the poll can’t include them all. To make out lives simpler, I focused the poll on the most discussed gadgets on MakeUseOf, which are smartphones, tablets, game consoles. As usual, if you don’t see your favorite gadget in the list, you can always choose "other". So which awesome new gadget made your year?
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Ironically, while printer ink costs more than champagne, cost-savvy consumers can actually make money using their inkjet. It just takes three simple steps—none of which lead to jail. In addition to saving consumers' money, selling or donating rebuilt ink cartridges offers an environmentally friendly alternative to the rubbish bin. Also, aside from being inexpensive and eco-friendly, it can be profitable.
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It’s been ten years since I took my first IT job, and in that time I’ve collected a bunch of tools that have proved invaluable to me in resolving issues with computers, hard disk drives, printers and other corporate hardware. While I work purely freelance these days, I still maintain a collection of devices and gadgets that can be used to assist with quickly resolving problems that might arise.
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Putting together a computer is a special experience that every geek needs to do at some point in their career. Underloved and overlooked, the decision of which case to choose is such a fundamentally important choice that I absolutely cannot stress enough that a good one will last you 10 years or more. Today therefore, we present a mini-guide to choosing exactly the right case.
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At one time, landlines and payphones were all we had--and we survived just fine, thank you very much. But now, it’s almost laughable if you don’t own an iPhone or Android, and for some of us, we can’t even go a day without them. Smartphone addiction is a real issue for modern society and, like most addictions, people who are addicted don’t truly realize how addicted they are. And even if you aren’t addicted yourself, chances are good that you know someone who is.
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Today’s post comes from Shira Z. Carmel, a musician, teacher, and designer from Jerusalem, Israel. I met Shira a couple of weeks ago and was quite impressed with her custom phone cover. When she told me she made it herself, I had to know how. Shira was kind enough to repeat the process, and take a photo of each and every step. This process works with any phone – in fact, it works with any plastic surface, really. If you want to customize your phone’s case for a completely unique, handmade look, read on.
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One of the best ways to reduce the cost of upgrading your PC is to simply re-use the components which don’t need to be upgraded. Yea, you’ll have to replace the graphics card or processor. But other parts can be salvaged. An old power supply is often on the list of potentially reusable components. Many geeks worry, however, about the reliability of the old unit. Will it have the power required? Can it be trusted to last? Here’s how to find out.
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SD cards aren't all about storage! In fact, there are several other factors to consider, and when purchasing your cards, you should make yourself aware of them. That said, SD cards aren't all created equal, and it's important to be educated as to what separates each one from the rest. As a given, all types of data are different. Since I don't know your device, I can supply you with the proper information to make that decision on your own.
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For the last few weeks, I handed over control of the mood lighting in my studio to viewers during the live broadcast of Technophilia Podcast - you can see the results of that in the recorded episode here. Today, I thought I will explain exactly how I accomplished that using a little JavaScript, Processing and an Arduino. The method I’ll outline does not require an Ethernet shield for your Arduino, and I’ll provide full code samples for you to also use.
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