PC failures

Back in the 80's, IBM engineers were ahead of their time with the concept of a "convertible" style computer.  The monitor could actually detach from the main body of the computer, which is probably where the ideal of tablets originated from.  The convertible was the first laptop style computer because it ran off of a battery and it was IBM's first computer to support a 3.5 floppy disk.  The the concept was revolutionary, the con's of this computer outweighed the positive.  The computer at the time was ridiculously priced.  The unit itself was bulky and heavy.  The computer didn't have any expansion ports installed on it, so any additions to the computer such as a printer had to be added at the end, making this device unmanageable. The average weight with all the expansion devices attached was around 20 pounds! Imagine trying to tote around a laptop that weighed that much today.

http://oldcomputers.net/ibm5140.html

The visionaries of the Coleco Adam computer envisioned a computer system that could function as a gaming system, music system and printer outlet.  The Adam provided built in storage and a high quality printer.  The cassette tapes provide by the company produced high quality audio and it produced one of the best user friendly keyboards around.  The Coleco was also price efficient, making it affordable to customers to buy.  The downsize to Coleco is that the power supply was housed inside the printer.  Without attaching the printer, the unit could not work.  The printer provided to be loud, noisy and slow, making consumers reluctant to buy it.  Another drawback was the system did not have a operating system, instead it only provided a word processor.  The cassette tapes that came along with the system produced electrical current, which is stored in certain areas could cause data loss and failure.


 http://oldcomputers.net/adam.html

Trouble shooting techniques (Chapter 13)

If you are a owner of a computer or laptop you can perform simple techniques to ensure the longevity of your computer.You don't have to be a PC technician to take ownership of your computer and ensure its well being. Computers are a lot like cars being that they require routine maintenance such to function properly.  If you have a desktop, cleaning the dust off the CPU fans can prevent over heating of the processor.  If you experience computer lag, it could be the result of many things.   One reason could be you have to many programs that start up when you first boot up your computer.  In Windows, the Msconfig option allows you to control which apps start up when your computer is first turned on. Schedule regular updates so that software and drivers are up to date.  The BIOS setup option entails useful information that tells you the ins and outs about your computer.  Through BIOS  you can monitor the temperature, you can find out the standard temperature for your computer by visiting the processor manufacturers website.


http://www.gcflearnfree.org/computerbasics/15.2

Big brothers watching you (chapter 8)

Technology is ever evolving.  Who would of thought that you can tell your TV to turn to a channel and it will understand and recognize your voice.  Who ever thought you could stream movies and data from your computer onto your TV screen or browse the internet.   Smart TV's run on complete operating systems and have software that support it.  Gaming systems like the PlayStation or Xbox have the same face and motion sensor technology that Smart TV's use. Although the concept of a TV being able to perform all these functions is ground breaking, it also has it draw backs.  Just like the internet can be used for positive things, it can also be used for negative things.  The problem with having this kind of technology is that hackers can hack into these devices and spy on you.  Factory installed cameras that come with TV's, labtops and phones could possibly accessible by a third party.  It is important to research the pro's and con's of a Smart TV before you go out and get one.   Just because something glitters doesn't mean its gold.

http://www.tvtechnology.com/opinions/0087/not-so-smart-tv/220884

Storage wars (chapter 6)

In the world of computers, its all about the storage. HDD's and SSD's provide different storage outlets when it comes to how your computer stashes its information.  Hard disk drives are cheaper and can store large amounts of information at a lower rate.  HDD's use a read and write method to store information unlike its counterpart which has unmovable parts.  Solid state drives are more expensive but provide better performance and speed.  SSD technology allows for the storage to remain on the device, even after the computer has been shutdown; this type of memory is called Nand-based flash memory.  The typical size of a SSD card is 2.5, while in desktops it comes in at 3.5. When shopping for a laptop, keep in mind the price differences and the amount of memory that each drive can hold.  If you are a gamer you may need something that boots fast and has better quality graphics; a SSD may be more suitable for you.  If you are looking for something for school and more price friendly, then a Hard Disk Drive would be ideal for you. 

http://www.storagereview.com/ssd_vs_hdd