I have discovered this video collection from youtube uploaded by RunzWithScissorz.
This is very informative, the analysis based on scientific facts as described by guest scientists (I am not sure though if they are really scientists but why spoil all the fun).
Here is the first installment:
Showing posts with label technology. Show all posts
Showing posts with label technology. Show all posts
Sunday, February 17, 2008
Sunday, December 2, 2007
Low cost computing
My uncle once offered to by me a laptop. It is a Pentium IV gateway laptop that will cost him $600. He told me that he will donate $100 for my cause and just ask me to pay him $500. Based on the exchange rate at that time, it will cost me about 35,000 pesos to pay him back. And I do not have that kind of money at that time.
In the last 10 years, the best pre-Pentium personal computers cost as much as thirty thousand pesos (P30,000) and this is too much for middle class families like ours. Right now, those pre-Pentium PCs are considered obsolete. You can't even buy one for just P500. Some one would probably give it to you with all their heart.
When I bought my AMD Athlon 1800 powered PC, it cost me P17,000. Five years later, a PC with the same processor speed costs only P9,000-P10,000.
A lot of low cost computer stores have been coming out. They sell complete PCs (with monitor, keyboard, mouse and speakers) for as low as P3,000.
We would probably think that this is some kind of a gimmick. These PCs must be second hand from other countries. And most indeed are. Some products still have stickers from Japan or Taiwan. But the stores can give you a warranty from 3 months to a year for each product. The one year warranty is the same thing offered by vendors of first hand, first rate, high quality desktops.
Unless you want to show off to your neighbors your cool new branded PC, you can settle for the low cost alternatives they offer.
With a certain degree of discipline even families from the slums can purchase a P-III 500 MHz desktop for this kids. Hell, they can buy a television and cases of beer, why could they not afford a PC?
If only those low income families discipline themselves, we can claim to the world that in the Philippines, we have one PC per family. :)
And we will become the country with the most computer literate people.
In the last 10 years, the best pre-Pentium personal computers cost as much as thirty thousand pesos (P30,000) and this is too much for middle class families like ours. Right now, those pre-Pentium PCs are considered obsolete. You can't even buy one for just P500. Some one would probably give it to you with all their heart.
When I bought my AMD Athlon 1800 powered PC, it cost me P17,000. Five years later, a PC with the same processor speed costs only P9,000-P10,000.
A lot of low cost computer stores have been coming out. They sell complete PCs (with monitor, keyboard, mouse and speakers) for as low as P3,000.
We would probably think that this is some kind of a gimmick. These PCs must be second hand from other countries. And most indeed are. Some products still have stickers from Japan or Taiwan. But the stores can give you a warranty from 3 months to a year for each product. The one year warranty is the same thing offered by vendors of first hand, first rate, high quality desktops.
Unless you want to show off to your neighbors your cool new branded PC, you can settle for the low cost alternatives they offer.
With a certain degree of discipline even families from the slums can purchase a P-III 500 MHz desktop for this kids. Hell, they can buy a television and cases of beer, why could they not afford a PC?
If only those low income families discipline themselves, we can claim to the world that in the Philippines, we have one PC per family. :)
And we will become the country with the most computer literate people.
Laptop Maintenance and Repair
Why is it that manufacturers of electronic equipment want clients to keep on purchasing new parts rather than go out of their way and remedy malfunctions through repair? I read from a website (I forgot the site address) that Elitegroup Computer Systems of Taiwan designed their laptops with so many hidden screws that it will discourage an owner from doing repairs himself. This is another vote for the one China policy. I was so pissed off that I told myself not to buy another Taiwan made product in the future.
About four months ago, my laptop croaked on me. Well, it actually beeped on me. I turned it on and it made three long beeps with no screen. This prompted me to visit the authorized repair center to have it checked even though it is four months beyond is warranty.
Three beeps from the BIOS of my ECS laptop means base memory error.
Before taking the laptop to the authorize technicians, I consulted our office technicians first. I was advised to try to remove the memory module, use a soft eraser to clean the gold contact, re-seat the module firmly and try it again. The beeping is still there.
Unfortunately, when I brought the laptop to the authorized service center, I was told the problem with the beeping sound can only be remedied by purchasing a new mainboard since the problem was not the memory module but the DIMM receptacle. A new mainboard or shipping the laptop to Taiwan for repairs will cost me half the price of the laptop.
Disappointed, I went home. There, I tried to open the laptop by myself. I did not have a digital camera at that time so I was not able to document it for you. Alas, I cannot solve the problem.
I turned to our office technicians for help and they obliged me. Sadly, they too cannot repair the mainboard.
A few days ago, I chanced upon an advertisement of a repair center. The ad says that they can repair mainboard problems that the machine's own authorized repair center cannot. They say that since the manufacturers of the laptop is a business establishment, they prefer the clients to buy at a larger sum rather than providing affordable repair solutions.
So I tried this one. I will find out soon enough if their batting average on repairs is good. :)
About four months ago, my laptop croaked on me. Well, it actually beeped on me. I turned it on and it made three long beeps with no screen. This prompted me to visit the authorized repair center to have it checked even though it is four months beyond is warranty.
Three beeps from the BIOS of my ECS laptop means base memory error.
Before taking the laptop to the authorize technicians, I consulted our office technicians first. I was advised to try to remove the memory module, use a soft eraser to clean the gold contact, re-seat the module firmly and try it again. The beeping is still there.
Unfortunately, when I brought the laptop to the authorized service center, I was told the problem with the beeping sound can only be remedied by purchasing a new mainboard since the problem was not the memory module but the DIMM receptacle. A new mainboard or shipping the laptop to Taiwan for repairs will cost me half the price of the laptop.
Disappointed, I went home. There, I tried to open the laptop by myself. I did not have a digital camera at that time so I was not able to document it for you. Alas, I cannot solve the problem.
I turned to our office technicians for help and they obliged me. Sadly, they too cannot repair the mainboard.
A few days ago, I chanced upon an advertisement of a repair center. The ad says that they can repair mainboard problems that the machine's own authorized repair center cannot. They say that since the manufacturers of the laptop is a business establishment, they prefer the clients to buy at a larger sum rather than providing affordable repair solutions.
So I tried this one. I will find out soon enough if their batting average on repairs is good. :)
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