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New Windows notebook to compete with Chromebooks?

It’s being reported that specifications for a Windows competitor to Chromebooks, for around $200, have been found…

I feel a strong need to comment on this issue. I’ve owned a Chromebook. And many “low-end” notebook computers. And have tried to use outdated computer hardware (notebooks and desktops) with various operating systems. Before you spend your money, I want to try to help you with your decisions about what to buy…and what not to buy.

The information about the possible upcoming HP Stream Notebook PC was publicized by http://www.mobilegeeks.de/hp-stream-199-dollar-notebook-kommt-mit-14-inch-display-amd-plattform-100-gb-onedrive-alle-details/

It should have a 14-inch screen. Anything less, and I have felt a bit cramped…as I do when using a netbook, or a large (10-inch) tablet with a keyboard. The keyboard on my Asus C7 Chromebook was smaller than a standard one. I was not comfortable using it over long periods of time.

The processor in the HP Stream is expected to be a quad-core AMD A4 Micro-6400T. When using Chrome OS, AND Windows, I have no complaints about the performance of dual-core processors…UNTIL:

I am trying to watch video, or stream something from the internet (including YouTube)…
I use multiple applications/programs and browsers…
I have multiple tabs open in a browser…
and I try to use some websites where they are heavy with whatever it is they feel the need to bombard me with (video/graphics, “dancing baloney”, etcetera).

I will never invest my money in any computer (or tablet) with less than a quad-core processor, and expect it to be able to reasonably render multimedia content. I’ve been very, very disappointed. (I have a notebook computer with Windows 7, 8 GB RAM, and it has a quad-core processor which I have no complaints about. I don’t like using my other computers that have Windows 7 and 8, 8 GB RAM, and dual-core processors in them: they lag and drag when I am using them with the internet.)

The HP Stream will probably come with only 2 GB RAM, that cannot be upgraded. We will all need to wait to find how this configuration might perform. There are Chromebooks available with 4 GB RAM, but none I’m aware of with quad-core processors.

If, as expected, it has at least a 32 GB drive…this will be a great incentive. I read a report from someone who was trying to download content from Google Play Movies & TV to his Chromebook ( https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/google-play-movies-tv/gdijeikdkaembjbdobgfkoidjkpbmlkd?hl=en ) but could not, because it had only a 16 GB storage drive.

A screen-shot of the specifications that were found is at http://1-ps.googleusercontent.com/h/www.mobilegeeks.de/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/605x1165xhp-stream-specs.gif.pagespeed.ic.YcCSaefr99.png

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I found a review that gave me answers to some questions I have about the more “powerful” Chromebooks…and I want to warn you about them:

“…Samsung…Chromebook 2 uses Samsung’s latest Exynos 5 chip…along with 4GB of RAM…It does fine as long as I’m only doing one thing at a time, but as soon as I open a bunch of tabs in rapid succession or try to stream music while I power through my RSS feeds, the Chromebook 2 starts to chug…

“…A number of manufacturers are working to put Intel’s latest chips into similarly priced Chromebooks, and every one I’ve tried works faster than this one. These devices don’t need to be exceptional, but before we’ll ever get any work done on Chrome OS they must keep up; the Chromebook 2 feels like it was running two steps behind me all the time, red-faced and breathing heavily.

“…I can’t imagine ever recommending a Chromebook without an Intel processor…

“…I can’t work on a laptop that can’t keep up with me — and I wouldn’t recommend anyone else do so either…”

http://www.theverge.com/2014/6/10/5788934/samsung-chromebook-2-review

 

 

S!ickLeave a commentTTR Website, , , , , , ,

No internet July 9…for some…

(I apologize: this post is LONG overdue. I have been actively battling other malware, which kept me too busy to warn you earlier about this one…)

July 9, if you have trouble with the internet…don’t be surprised:

Lots of computers, “servers”, that help to make the internet work were infected.

“The clean DNS servers will be turned off on July 9, 2012, and computers still impacted by DNSChanger may lose Internet connectivity at that time.”

From as many computers as you can, I want you to do some things:

Go to the “DNS Changer Check-Up” website at http://dns-ok.us/ . If the computer is infected with DNS changer malware, you might see a red background…

Next, consider going to http://www.dcwg.org/detect/ and read the section “Manually Checking if your DNS server have been Changed”.

Facebook and Google are trying to help with this problem. You can read more about it at these webpages:

https://www.facebook.com/notes/facebook-security/notifying-dnschanger-victims/10150833689760766

http://googleonlinesecurity.blogspot.com/2012/05/notifying-users-affected-by-dnschanger.html

To try to help you not become infected in the future, take a look at http://www.stopbadware.org/home/badware_prevent

It’s best to use the latest and greatest operating systems (Windows, Mac, Linux, etcetera), and keep all of your software (and hardware) updated. But you also need to be careful when using technology, and the internet and other services you connect to.

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Plan for the worst with MySpace

During our latest show, we had been asked about the status of Myspace. The parent company of MySpace is News Corporation.  AllThingsD.com is reporting that News Corp. might be seeking to sell MySpace…During a conference call with the Deputy Chairman, President, and Chief Operating Officer of News Corp. (Chase Carey) about earnings…
QUESTION:
How much time do you give the relaunch to figure out if it’s successful. And what if it’s not?
Carey:
We judge in quarters, not in years. Goal is to get to a place where top-line revenue is going in the right direction and “a clear path to profitability.” We feel good about the relaunch. But “our traffic numbers are still not going in the right direction” and we have to stabilize that.
(Cue the dramatic “dun-dun-DUN!” music…)
Rayven5 CommentsComputers, Entertainment, Online Safety, TechtalkRadio, TTR Website, , ,

I Spy Something That Begins With “W”

Unlike many of my Disneyland Blogs, this is NOT one of them . BUT, read on and find out what I have been pondering….

So, I was searching the Internet reading Disney Blogs, Disneyland Twitter, looking for TRON exclusive updates  and playing with my boyfriend’s new Daft Punk  inspired Android App when I came across something interesting. A website proclaiming it can track and monitor your child’s internet use including screen caps of their web pages, content filters, keystroke loggers  records of IM conversations and even live viewing of their current business on the Internet.  This website sounds pretty user friendly and parent kind.  So I begin to think to myself, ” Self,” I ask ” What would keep a spouse from using the software for purposes of catching a cheater in the relationship?” And this is when I visited the website.

I’d like to start by adding a disclaimer: I have not experienced this web program which proclaims the services to be top notch and  have viewed only the content on the website for the product.

Upon clicking the link to the site, I noticed that it proposes many uses other than the advertised version I previously explained. In fact, it seems more like a “spying” software program which is being marketed to government agencies to record and log information from workers, at Schools to record information about teachers and student’s use of the Internet, and low and behold ” Catch a Cheating Spouse” software. Now, I am sure all of these uses  are part of the same program, but how funny was it that I thought of this after looking into the program that was being marketed to parents to spy on their kids? HA!

So, the reason I chose to write this blog was simple. I , like many  in my close inner circle of Geeks and Freaks, have a moral dilemma on my hands. IF I had children, which “technically” I do not, and IF they were using the Internet would I choose to monitor them digitally without their knowledge using this program? Likewise, IF you thought you had a cheating significant other, would you do the same? I don’t think I would. So I leave you with this to ponder and respond as you have free will. Maybe someone is watching you? Makes you wonder doesn’t it?

IF you want to check out the site or test the software out for yourself the Program is called Web Watcher and it’s located at