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Parents used to threaten that your eyes would go square if you stared at your computer screen for too long. That, as we all know was a blatant and admittedly pathetic lie. They should’ve threatened that it could kill you, because not only is the death by computer threat more serious than the square eye syndrome, it’s also true, if a newly released research document is to be believed.

Heart attack and stroke risk up dramatically

A study released in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology [via Huffington Post] has found that if you spend four hours or more of your downtime staring at a screen every day, your risk of stroke and heart attack shoots up by 113 per cent.

Now, you’re thinking people survive strokes and heart attacks all the time, right, so it’s worth taking the death by computer chances? On the contrary, that same study found that your risk of dying from either condition increases by nearly 50 per cent!

We’re all walking dead, really

Before you point and laugh at us always connected, incessant computer users, you should note this risk applies to any kind of screen viewing. This means couch potatoes, internet addicts, and gamers alike are twice as likely to get a heart attack and die from it than people who do not.

The study was conducted over the course of four-years, and it involved 4,500 Scottish adults. The researchers first asked participants the amount of time they spent in front of a screen when they weren’t working, and then tracked the participants’ medical record over that period.

Get off your bum

In case it isn’t obvious, this all comes down to the corrosive effects inactivity has on the body. The lead author of the report, Emmanuel Stamatakis says that ‘our results lend support to the idea that prolonged sitting is linked to an increased risk for cardiovascular disease and premature mortality’. Don’t you love euphemisms, sometimes? ‘Premature mortality’ sure sounds a lot better than ‘dying young’.

Naturally, the way to curb some of this damage from lazing about is to work out more.

A compelling reason to get a faster computer

While couch potatoes and gamers simply need to turn off the idiot box and get outside, us computer users use our ‘leisurely’ computing time for important, productive purposes, yes? I think this study is a compelling reason to buy a very fast computer so you can still get your day’s load in, but in less time. Yes? Well, if you don’t want to suffer death by computer, then certainly yes.

Photo: jdlasica / Flickr

Well this came out of left field! HP CEO Mark Hurd resigned after a contract employee filed a claim of sexual harassment against him. CFO Cathie Lesjak has stepped up to fill his shoes in the interim while the company looks for a replacement CEO.

Jodie Fisher outs him

Though it was initially unclear who had accused Hurd of the harassment, actress Jodie Fisher from NBC’s Age of Love has since stepped forward to say it was she who blew the whistle on Hurd. She was quick to say that she never intended to see the HP CEO fired (forced to resign is the term), and that they never actually had sex.

What many have gathered is that they went out and shared a few meals together, but what Hurd actually did to warrant a sexual harassment charge – outside of too much direct contact with a contractor – is still vague.

Who’s next?

The big question, of course, is who will replace Mark Hurd as the chief at Hewlett Packard. A scout team has been assembled to look for a suitable replacement.

Many names have been thrown around both internally and externally. Our two notable longshots are Internet entrepreneur come venture capitalist Marc Andreessen, who happens to sit on HP’s board already, with the other notable candidate being John Rubenstein, CEO at Palm before HP acquired the company, as well as a notable former Apple executive. Regardless of who replaces Hurd seeing the HP CEO fired (sorry, forced to resign) for such irresponsible conduct is silly.

What of HP’s business

The company was quick to point out that the HP CEO departing would have no material effect on the business, so much so that they revised their forecasted earnings upwards for the quarter. While we think for HP’s core printer and computer business it should be business as usual, it’ll be interesting to see how this disruption affects the business as HP expands into tablet computing and mobile telephony, too, through its Palm acquisition.

Photo: Stock.Xchng

As social networking seems to be becoming a part of the lives of everyone who owns a computer or smartphone, a new kind of social network is making its appearance. While the appeal of Facebook and Twitter is that everyone can be a part of it, with ‘ordinary people’ following and interacting with their favourite celebrities, sites like aSmallWorld and BeautifulPeople.com are aimed at creating an exclusive environment for the rich to meet and get to know others like themselves.

It’s a small world, after all

Launched in 2004, aSmallWorld is a social network that aims to link people who are, well, already linked. It’s only possible to become a member of the site by invitation, as the aim is to create a network for people who already have ties to each other. As an additional privilege, members may be chosen to invite other members to join the site. Once you’re in, though, that’s not necessarily the end of the story: you can have your inviting privilege taken away, or you can be removed from the site completely.

Social networking for the beautiful

Photo: Stock.Xchng

For those looking for a social network that discriminates on different grounds, there’s plenty to choose from, but one that’s been in the news lately is BeautifulPeople.com. The site – in essence a dating site for attractive people who want to date similarly attractive people – recently conducted a poll in which its members voted Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg as the best-looking of the possible prime ministers.

Are you in?

While there’s no way of skipping the queue to invitation-only sites for the rich, others, like BeautifulPeople.com, have a selection process that allows users to upload a picture and wait to see if they make the grade. Anyone can try it out, but not everyone will make it in.

Photo: Unknown

Computer shopping comes down to what you will use the computer for, whether you are buying one for a family, or you’re a student looking for something lightweight that you can carry around in your backpack. Finding the best computer for you is a tricky balancing act of weighing aesthetics with capabilities and portability with functionality. This article will save you time, and might even save you money.

The Hipster

If you mostly use your computer for web browsing and media, then aesthetics and convenience should be your only concerns. You either want the latest computing trend or a timeless mainstay. For the former, the word netbook should pique your interest. For the latter, “Buy Mac” should be your mantra.

Netbooks are small computers that have just enough processing power to perform the day-to-day tasks you need them to. The Asus Eee PC 1005 is a candidate for the best computer in this category for both its visual appeal and impressive set of features.

As for Apple, all of their laptops could comfortably waltz into computing beauty pageants. The relentless focus on design has meant the Macbook Pro editions have always been seen as cutting edge. They even introduced a little product called the iPad that could very well revolutionize how we think about computing. Computer shopping is made easy when everything a manufacturer makes is both attractive and powerful as long as you don’t mind paying a premium.

The Worker

This is for the person who needs their computer to work. Long periods of use, coupled with multitasking and the odd resource-intensive application define your computing experience. Whether you go desktop or laptop depends entirely on preference, since the price difference has become mostly negligible. Computer buying then boils down to the most balanced offering. To this effect, the best computer would be any core release from the major makers. Dell’s Studio range of laptops fits this bill in that they are tailored for media but handle everyday home and office use with ease.

The “Power User”

Photoshop, Autocad, Maya, Pro Tools, Avid. If you know what these applications are, you’re likely a “power user”. Very careful computer shopping is critical for you: a netbook would self-destruct if you so much as brought an installation disc for these apps near it, and ‘regular computers’ would chug horribly, rendering them barely usable. What you need is a beast like the HP Pavillion Elite: massive hard drive space, cutting edge Nvidia graphics cards, and top-of-the-line Intel processors. It also helps that these computers can run any video game you can think of fresh out the box without the need for upgrades. The best computer for a “power user” is, without doubt, a powerful desktop.

Leaving You to Your Devices

Different people need different things out of computers. This list covers the full spectrum of computer users, and while some of you may fall between the categories, a good rule of thumb is to always get that little bit more than you think you’ll need. This way the computer does what it needs to, so you can focus on what you want to. Essentially, the best computer you can buy is the one that listens to its master.

Photo: Adspackman

Computer buying for the home means purchasing a computer that can deliver on every family member’s expectations. Your family will want access to a range of programmes, from games like The Sims, to the Internet, to business applications like Excel. Having a computer that only caters to one member of the family could well result in conflict. Below you’ll find some fail-proof rules on how to buy a computer for the family.

Rule #1: It Must be a Desktop PC

Buying a laptop, a computer that is inherently personal, is counterproductive in a family setting. Many years of going to Internet cafés, school computer labs and office use has conditioned us to think of a desktop PC as a social computer. A family is a society within itself (and some more so than others). This first rule must be adhered to if household anarchy is to be avoided.

Rule #2: Affordable with Great Support

A home computer needs to be affordable and have great technical support. While build-it-yourself project computers can be fun and cheap, the frugality stops being fun when you become the “fix the computer at home” guy. Buy a well-priced desktop PC that comes with some limited support and a flexible warranty priced into the cost so that everybody is easily able to come to grips with how to service it.

Rule #3: As Powerful as Necessary

A computer must be as powerful as its most demanding user needs it to be. In a household where complex computer games are not played, the computer usually needs to be able to run popular smaller games like The Sims well. Using this “Sims benchmark”, almost all office software suites will run well. Resource-intensive applications for technical work are best left on a private computer, but if you must use these on your home desktop PC, then use the specifications on these software applications as a guideline when you buy a computer for the family.

Rule #4: Anti-virus Protection

Antivirus software on the home computer is crucial. You have no idea what viruses your children (or parents!) could inadvertently transfer to your computer via memory sticks or negligent downloads, so it is best to be protected.

Rule #5: Aesthetics

Simply put, the computer you choose has to look good. It needs to fit in with your personal style, match your décor, and not take up more space than you can afford it to.

The Actual Purchase

Now that you know the elements to look for in a good home computer, let’s look for the computers that fit these criteria. Thankfully, most retailed computers come with anti-virus software built in, and if you buy from a big manufacturer, you’re invariably guaranteed some level of after-purchase support. Hewlett-Packard is the largest technology company in the world, and with good reason. It has managed to strike a perfect balance between product and price, as well as developing one of the biggest service networks in all of the computing industry. The Pavilion series of desktop computers is a reflection of this, in being tailor-made for the budgetary and functional needs of a family without compromising on looks.

The Packard Bell iXtreme X6620 UK is better suited for a family that has somebody who plays intensive games or runs resource-heavy applications. This unit, priced at £573, runs the gamut of everything a family will need in a computer while also being extremely attractive.

A computer buying family needs to do what families always do: figure out needs and wants and determine, as a team, what is best for everybody. Thankfully, modern day computing has eliminated the need for extensive know-how.

Stealth Computer, a leading manufacturer of specialized miniature PCs and computer peripherals, has recently unveiled its new mini PC called LPC-625F, which is ideal for use in mission critical operations. The Stealth LPC-625F boasts of its strength and fan-less assembly. You don’t have to worry about its maintenance too much as it can face bumpy roads and accidental drops, dust and moisture. The LPC-625F has got an aluminium rugged chassis that itself acts as a heat sink of the device, thus there is no need to install a dedicated noisy fan for cooling. The aluminium chassis also acts as the key factor behind the ultra-light form factor of the LPC-625F.

The LPC-625F is optimised for military computing, rugged operations and other mission critical solutions. It is basically meant for system integrators who crave a strong, durable and fanless computer. That’s right, the LPC-625F doesn’t need a fan, nor will need something like the CoolerMaster NotePal P1 laptop cooling fan either, as the Stealth mini PC can cool itself without making an noise or overheating. The LPC-625F is an ideal product for demanding applications used within various verticals such as Industrial, Commercial, Scientific Research, Military, Public Safety, Utility, Transportation, mining and Telecommunications markets. It assures unsurpassed performance, reliability and top notch durability every time you are set for work.

The LPC-625F is built around Intel’s Penryn family of Core 2 Duo Mobile processor technology with ample amount of main memory and performance boosters integrated within the circuit. It’s a very small sized PC and measures 7.9 by 7.9 by 2.4 inches only. For mobile workers it’s a boon as it offers myriad of connectivity ports and interfaces. These include Gigabit LAN, 8-USB 2.0, 1-Serial, 1-eSATA 1-DVI, 1-HDMI and Audio 7.1 ports and Wi-Fi 802.11g (optional). You can opt for up to 4GB of memory and 500GB 2.5-inch high-shock hard drive. The LPC-625F can be run on both Windows and Linux OSes.

Data security is the latest concern of all organisations that deploy lots of computing machines, both fixed and mobile, on a network. To make the stored information more secure, security experts are looking forward to upgrading from partial disk encryption to full disk encryption. The new technology is likely to be adopted this year. But is the full disk encryption alone enough to prevent an data breaches?

The definite answer is NO. Although a full disk encryption will offer tighter security but it has its own limits and to be purely effective this technology demands a few substantial changes in the company’s security management policies and user behaviour. After all what’s the use of encrypting all the folders on a PC if the user still pen down his passwords and other hard to remember yet sensitive information on a note pad or card and keeps it in his Belkin laptop sling bag! Some users also store their passwords in their mobile in the form of sticky notes that ca be captured accidentally (or deliberately) via electronic cameras and other surveillance devices.

Therefore it’s necessary to have a security management with high level credentials to match it with full disk encryption expectations. Right from a simple USB port blocking solution to sophisticated digital rights management, all is needed to compliment a full disk encryption deployment and once it’s done the full disk encryption will be the number one security solution of 2009.

International Business Machines (IBM) has announced that it is developing the world’s most powerful computer for the US government. The machine will be known as Sequoia and will have the power of two million laptops. That’s unbelievable but true. Sequoia is being developed to bolster the American nuclear capabilities. The US Department of Energy will receive it by 2011.

Sequoia system will be able to run the most complex computer simulations and will be of great help in nuclear research. 1.6 million microprocessors will be responsible for its super computing speed of 20 quadrillion calculations per second. According to IBM, more than $100 million will be spent on the development of the system. The size of the system will be gigantic and it will be kept in a very large sized building. The company also said that this will be most environment friendly system and will consume six megawatts of energy per year (the average power consumption of 500 US households). Sequoia will also be useful for research related to human genome, climate and astronomy.

The system will offer much more precise weather forecasts. The forecasters will be able to predict climatic conditions precisely for a small area (spread across 1km). The current weather forecasts are more localised as it targets areas measuring at least 10km in size. Currently the Sequoia possesses the same power as around 2 million Lenovo ThinkPad SL500 laptops. But given the rapidly advancing pace of computer technology, we are sure IBM will one day let organisations other than the US government make use of its groundbreaking technology

Consumers expect a lot from portable computing machines nowadays. The technology is growing at a fast pace and every company is focusing on enhancing its product line before its rivals do and to grab some more share of the market. Currently Panasonic is focusing on improving its two Toughbook laptops.

The company is going to revamp the Panasonic Toughbook 30 laptop and the Panasonic Toughbook 19 tablet notebook. These portable computing machines will now equip latest Intel processors, new management features and all the cutting edge technologies that are usually found in commercial offerings from Dell and Hewlett Packard. Panasonic will upgrade to newer Intel Centrino 2 mobile platform and will also incorporate the chip maker’s vPro management and security technology to offer unprecedented reliability and performance. Both the Panasonic ToughBook CF-30 and CF-19 will, however, retain many of their unique and desireable features. For instance, both laptops will keep all those rugged characteristics that make them ideal for use in strenous conditions

The Panasonic Toughbook 30 laptop is built around Intel Core 2 Duo SL9300 processor @ 1.6GHz. It can support up to 4GB of DDR II RAM and 160GB of shock resistant hard drive. It has also got touch-screen capabilities this time. The Panasonic Toughbook 19 tablet has got the same 4GB RAM. The upgraded feature in this model is the low-volt Intel Core 2 Duo SU9300 processor running at 1.2GHz.

Looking for a reliable Solid State Drive? Then look no further than the new Apex series SSDs. Developed by OCZ Technology, a leading provider of innovative, ultra-high performance and high reliability memory and computer components, the Apex series promises to deliver the most beneficial and reliable secondary storage upgrade to date.

The company has rolled out its new OCZ Apex SATA II 2.5” Solid State Drive (SSD) Series that offer the PC enthusiasts, system builders and mainstream computer users a cost-effective way of boosting their machine’s performance. Based on the flash technology, the Apex series SSDs are optimised to deliver mind blowing performance at less cost per gigabyte as compared to the traditional hard drives like the Western Digital Scorpio Black, for example. Apex series incorporates the latest storage technology and features internal RAID 0 architecture and enhanced controller. Apex SSDs are snappy devices and can speedily handle the data read/write operations. It can achieve a read speed of 230MB/sec and write speed of 160MB/sec.

Apex drives are ideal to use in laptops as it consume less power and like all the other SSDs it is completely shock and bump resistant. Available in storage capacities of 60GB, 120GB and 250GB these solid state drives comes with an affordable price tag and can be owned by a wide range of consumers.