Laptop on the Top

Laptop On The Top

In the corporate world, to get to the top, one must have the best laptop

Let's talk about laptops. Aside from mobile phones, laptops are the next best thing when it comes to businesses on the go. It's  portability and sleek design make it convenient to pack this mobile work-station everywhere you go. When it comes to business, efficiency and work-power is important that is why we're here to compare the specs of the 2 best laptops 2016 had to offer.

First one is the HP 255 G5. This is a reliable workhorse that won't break the bank. The 255 G5 is HP's entry-level business laptop and is a solid candidate should you be looking for a straightforward, reliable, workhorse at a bargain price. Don't expect any fireworks as it is a basic model; it just does the job without much ado. One thing that works for this machine though is its price – the G5 battles with Lenovo for the best-value business laptop on the market.
In terms of build and design, there is nothing significant to separate the HP 255 G5 from its 250 G5 cousin. The thickness and weight of both are similar at about 24 mm and 1.9 kg respectively.

Under the hood is where the main difference between the HP 255 G5 and 250 G5 can be noticed. This notebook is powered by A or E series Accelerated Processing Units (APUs) from AMD. The processors on offer are AMD A6-7410, A6-7310, and E2-7110 APUs. These are paired with AMD Radeon R5 Graphics, Radeon R4 Graphics, or Radeon R2 Graphics. You should experience enjoyable performance with these configurations, although you need to note this may not be the kind of laptop to push too hard. In terms of system memory, the HP 255 G5 comes with DDR3 RAM. It offers support for up to 8 GB, but it appears the memory won’t be upgradable by customers. For storage, the notebook can be configured with either a hard drive or a solid-state drive. Storage capacity goes up to 1 TB. The HP 255 G5 comes pre-installed with Windows 10 Home (64-bit), Windows 10 Pro (64-bit), Windows 7 Professional (64-bit), or FreeDOS 2.0. It features similar ports and slots as the HP 250 G5, including three USB ports. The HDMI v1.4b port supports up to Full HD (1080p) resolutions on external displays, while the VGA port supports up to 2,560 x 1,200 resolution. The affordable business laptop comes with HP Touchpoint Manager, firmware Trusted Platform Module and Intel Wireless Display support, amongst other features that would appeal to corporate users. Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac and Bluetooth 4.0/4.2 are available for network connectivity. Entertainment is not left out of the package with the provision of HD Audio with DTS Studio Sound. The 255 G5 features HP TrueVision HD camera with HP Noise Cancellation. HP 255 G5 affordable laptops are not available on in Nigeria, Kenya, or Ghana. The HP 255 G5 price in Nigeria is expected to start at around 90,000 Naira, depending on your location and the configuration of the laptop.Price in Ghana is expected to start at around GH₵ 1100. HP 255 G5 price in Kenya starts at 25,999 KSh.

And on the other side we have the Dell XPS 13 Kaby Lake, a business ultraportable that punches above its weight.Believe it or not, Dell classifies the XPS 13 as a business laptop, albeit one that is geared towards a home office environment but businessmen (and women) will love the design. This ultraportable laptop – as Dell puts it – punches above its weight with Windows 10 Pro across the entire range as well as rather attractive pricing. This award winning laptop (it won best laptop of the year from us and many others) manages to pack a 13.3-inch display into the chassis of an average 11.6-inch model. The laptop can be upgraded to 16GB of RAM and a 1TB M2 SSD drive. Battery life is exceptional as well with almost 22 hours of continual use when using productivity applications.The screen is superb, although it's reflective, which is a bit of an annoyance. However, the tiny bezel somehow makes it feel more pleasant to work on than screens that sit inside a wide, dark frame. My review unit had a resolution of 3,200 by 1,800 pixels (276ppi) and delivered fantastic detailing. Lower-resolution FHD (1,920 x 1,080, 166ppi) screens are also available. The narrow upper bezel means the webcam has been relocated from the middle of the upper bezel to the bottom left corner of the screen, which has some usability consequences. When positioned in my normal typing position, in the middle of the laptop, I found my head sat slightly right of centre in the webcam image. It didn't take much manoeuvring to get my head central -- I just had to learn to sit off-centre when using the camera. The trackpad is wide enough to take the cursor right across the width of the screen in one sweep, and was nicely responsive. One of the star attractions of the 2016 Dell XPS 13 is Intel's 7th generation (Kaby Lake) processor, which should contribute towards battery life (see below). But don't expect to use this laptop for intensive graphics work: the GPU is upgraded to Intel HD Graphics 620, but, like other CPU-integrated graphics, it's no substitute for a dedicated graphics chipset. Our review sample ran a 2.7-3.5GHz Core i7-7500U with 8GB of RAM, and there are also Core i5 options in the lineup. Indeed, there are no fewer than 11 different configurations of the new XPS 13 available on Dell's UK website. One of the reasons for this is the option for a rose gold chassis. For example, my review unit most closely matched the model retailing for £1,329 (inc. VAT, or £1,107 ex. VAT). That model is identical to the £1,299 (inc. VAT, or £1,082 ex. VAT) version apart from its rose gold chassis colour -- it looks great, but does add a fair bit to the price. Compared to the £1,329 model, our review unit had the benefit of an upgrade from the Windows 10 Home to Windows 10 Pro. In fact, there are no Windows 10 Pro versions available off the page, although you can opt for Ubuntu Linux. SSD storage capacity across the 11 off-the-page configurations ranges from 128GB to 1TB; our review sample had 256GB.

Now that we had discuss a brief information about the specs, what's your opinion about it?

Sources: http://www.zdnet.com/product/dell-xps-13-2016-gold-edition/

                http://www.techradar.com/news/mobile-computing/laptops/the-top-10-laptops-for-business-1090928

               https://www.naijatechguide.com/2016/10/hp-255-g5-specs-price.html

Browse Through The Browsers

What browser do you use? Is it better than the others? Have you tried other browsers?

As a frequent Internet browser, whether you use Desktop or mobile phone, one is always bound to use a specific browser. Everyone has certain opinions about their own preference. On this blog, I will not state which browser is the best because I don't want to start an arguement, but rather compare the interfaces of popular browser. So please, don't be offended. In this list, I will only mention the browsers I personally use, so I could not include the others.

Let us start the list with my favorite, Google Chrome. When Chrome debuted in 2008, its clean interface was one of its biggest selling points (in addition to performance and extensions, which we’ll cover below). Not much has changed in all the years since then. As far as look and feel is concerned, Chrome is as Chrome always was.

Chrome’s most notable differences include a User button along the top (which only shows if you’re logged into a Google account) and the hamburger icon (three horizontal lines) which opens an actions menu that feels like a simplified File menu. The tabs meld into the title bar only when the browser in maximized.

Overall, a very clean experience. Unfortunately, like Edge, there isn’t much you can customize about Chrome’s appearance. You can install themes, but they change so little that they’re more like wallpapers than actual themes.

The

           The next one would be the browser I used before the Chrome. On the whole, Firefox has a softer aesthetic than the other browsers. That could be due to the default icon theme and/or the curvy-but-flat design of the tabs, but regardless, Firefox feels the most pleasant and comfortable to use right out of the box (at least for me).

But if you don’t like it, you can change it. Unlike the other browsers, Firefox supports two kinds of appearance customization: Themes, which are akin to basic wallpaper changes, and Complete Themes, which can change how the whole browser looks (e.g. tabs, colors, padding, positions of elements, etc).

In fact, there are Complete Themes that faithfully replicate the looks of browsers like Chrome and Opera, so if the interface is the only thing keeping you from using Firefox, you may want to reconsider.

We continue this list with the browser I grew up with, Opera. Opera’s interface is closest to Edge: it’s tight, compact, with simple icons, not much wasted space, and lots of sharp, flat lines that make it feel clean and minimal. That being said, Opera is based on Chromium so Chrome users will find Opera to feel quite familiar.

Like Chrome, Opera has a single menu that acts like a simplified File menu, except instead of a hamburger icon, there’s a Menu button at the top left. It melds with the title bar when maximized, but otherwise takes up unnecessary space. This menu has everything you need to navigate the browser.

Theme-wise, Opera is severely lacking. You can install Themes, but these are literally nothing more than wallpapers for the Speed Dial page, so it’s possible that you’ll never even see them.

We will end this list with Microsoft Edge, the replacement of the of the internet Explorer. Sadly I never used Internet explorer because I grew up with Opera. So instead I replaced it with Microsoft Edge. Its interface is impressively slick and minimal, borrowing from the flat aesthetic guidelines that make Windows 10 so easily recognizable. There’s no menu bar or status bar. Only the bare essentials are shown and tabs are integrated into the title bar, maximizing screen space while browsing.

There aren’t any popup windows or dialogs either. Features and settings are accessed through sidebars that slide in and out from the right, a design decision that was likely influenced by the fact that many Edge users are on a tablet. That’s also probably why there aren’t any right-clicks in Edge.

Sources:http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/which-browser-is-best-edge-vs-chrome-vs-opera-vs-firefox/

Computer Replacement

Computer Replacement 

Your parents told you that you will be receiving a new computer within the next week as a reward for doing well in school in the last semester. They also told you that they will give your old computer to your younger sibling. Before they will replace your computer, they told you to back up anything that is important. What types of file do you feel are important to back up?

And while the answer entirely depends on what files you have on your computer and which ones you can t live without, here s a list of the most common files you ll definitely want to consider (including a few that are commonly forgotten).

10) Pictures- When people are asked what they would grab from their home in the event of a fire, one of the most common responses is the family photo album. Think about how many digital photos you have uploaded from your camera and don t have anywhere else but on your computer.

9) Music- Let s face it, your extensive music collection would take forever to try and recreate. You ll never find that random copy of the  88 Oldsmobile jingle, let alone find time to reorganize your library.

8) Videos- Whether they re  backup  copies of your video collection, home videos or just uploaded video camera footage, you re  reel y not going to want to lose it.

7) Documents- Between thesis papers, business documents, and maybe even a copy of your will or a personal journal, you don t want to lose your documents. Allow me to share three documents I m glad I had another copy of: my journal, a spreadsheet with a list of wedding invitees and my sister s Senior year English papers.

7b) Templates- Especially don t forget to backup any custom document templates you ve downloaded or macros you ve created.

6) Health and Financial Records- If you keep a budget, your financial documents or important health records on your computer, don t forget to back them up.

5) Email addresses, folders, and even emails- Unless they re all hosted online, it s a pain to try and track them all down again. Same goes for your cellphone; if you can backup your contacts, you should.

4) Internet bookmarks, shortcuts, etc.- You ve spent a good deal of time customizing your browser experience and saving your favorites/bookmarks/shortcuts. To make recovering that info a cinch, back it up.

3) Downloaded software- So many programs and applications are downloaded online. If you ve obtained software online (and especially if you paid for it), don t forget to save a backup copy.

2) Drivers- They may come in small installments, but chances are that you ve got a ton of drivers, updates and patches for software/hardware/applications that you d be hard pressed to have time to find again.

1) Game Saves- Playing the game was a blast, but playing it AGAIN just to get back to the point that you were at?; Worthy of controller throwing.

Sources Retrieved from: http://www.toptenreviews.com/services/articles/top-10-files-to-backup/

Insufficient Disk Space

Insufficient Disk Space

Recently, you purchased a USB flash drive that you plan to use to store personal files. When you attempt to store a file on the USB flash drive, the computer displays an error message indicating that the file will not fit. How could a brand new USB flash drive not have enough room to store the first file you attempted to store on it?

Just like a normal hard disk drive, when you delete a file on a flash drive it isn’t automatically deleted out of the flash storage. On a hard disk drive, when files are deleted they go to a waiting area from which they can be retrieved. When you empty the recycle bin or trash, it will delete the data from the drive to be written over later. 

It’s the same way with a flash drive. When you delete something from the flash drive, it goes to the “.Trashes” folder to sit there until it is permanently deleted. They aren’t completely deleted initially, just in case the user deleted them by mistake. 

So, if your flash drive is full of data and you delete most of it, it will still be on there in the “.Trashes” folder. No space will have been recovered. If you access that folder, you can restore your files but you can't delete them. They have already been trashed and can’t be trashed again. 

The only way to free up space on your flash drive is to empty the recycling bin or trash on the host computer. When the host computer empties its files it will also empty the files on the USB drive.

Sources Retrieved from:

https://www.angieslist.com/articles/why-doesnt-my-flash-drive-have-any-free-space.htm

Software Installation Trouble

Software Installation Trouble. 

You have purchased a new video game for your home computer. Upon inserting the installation disc, however nothing appears to happen on your computer. What is your next step?

As of now "Fix problems that programs cannot be installed or uninstalled" is applicable only for win 7 and 8/8.1.

Since 'Fix problems that programs cannot be installed or uninstalled' does not apply to Windows 10, you may want to install the program in compatibility mode and check if that installs.

a. Right click the driver installation file and select Properties then tap or click the Compatibility tab.

b. Place a check in the Run this program in compatibility mode for: box.

c. Tap or click the drop down box and select a previous operating system, then tap or click OK.

d. Try installing the driver and check.

Initially, it may be suggested to Disable Anti-virus software and check.

The issue may also arise due to the security software installed in your system. So, I would suggest you to disable the anti-virus installed on your system and check if the issue persists.

Disclaimer: Antivirus software can help protect your computer against viruses and other security threats. In most cases, you shouldn't disable your antivirus software. If you have to temporarily disable it to install other software, you should re-enable it as soon as you're done. If you're connected to the Internet or a network while your antivirus software is disabled, your computer is vulnerable to attacks.

Sources Retrieved from:

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_10-windows_install/fix-problems-that-programs-cannot-be-installed-or/9f44f5e5-db6c-46a0-bffc-2016177b78dc

Suspicious Charges

Suspicious Charges

 You opened a PayMaya account so you could purchase paid apps on your iPhone. You loaded your account with one thousand pesos. Upon checking with you Pay Maya app, you notice that your account has a suspicious charge. Upon further investigation, you realized that the charge does not belong to you. What will you do?

If you ever encounter this problem, remember to follow the steps below in order to find a solution to the problem.

Step 1. Call the Credit Card Company

This is the very first step to take (so kudos on acting quickly). In some cases, your liability for fraudulent charges depends on how soon you report them to the bank. Besides that, the sooner you notify the bank, the quicker they can start working on your case and getting this resolved.

Step 2. Monitor Your Credit Card Accounts

In most cases, putting a stop to the charges and getting a new account number are all you need to do, but you should also monitor all your credit card accounts just in case this is more than just a singular event or a sign of even more damaging identity theft.

To monitor your accounts, you just need to keep an eye on your statements or regularly check recent activity. Be especially on the lookout for even small charges. Fraudsters know that amounts under $10—like the recent $9.84 scam—often go unnoticed.

Step 3. Know the Signs of Bigger Identity Theft—and What to Do If Someone's Stolen Your Identity

Fraudulent charges on your credit card don't necessarily mean a data thief also has access to other personal information that could do more damage, like drawing down your bank account or social security fraud, but it still pays to know how identity theft works so you don't end up with even bigger issues.

Step 4. Stay Safe Going Forward

Most people never find out exactly how their credit card numbers (or other personal information) got into the wrong hands. While some things, like data breaches, are beyond your control, there are several things you can do to minimize your security risks.

Sources Retrieved from:

http://lifehacker.com/what-should-i-do-if-my-credit-card-gets-hacked-1552850022

Incorrect Grade Report

Incorrect Grade Report.

 Your grade report is posted in the CRSIS today. On the grade report, your general weighted grade (GWA) is not what you expect. After computing it manually, you discover that the GWA on your grade report is incorrect. What might be causing the error?

There may be a few probable causes for the error. One mistake may be that the person who input the data, may have looked over a number or didn't round a number, or , maybe their grading scale or calculation differ from the student's method of calculating the grade point average. If those aren't the causes, it's probable that the person who calculated the grade point average dislikes the student.

To solve this problem you should (I would) take my report that came in the mail to the academic adviser at my school and explain to that person my problem and see what has to be done to get my GPA report changed. If that does not change things then I would take it to my counciler and get that person opinion on what the best solution to my problem is.

Sources Retrieved from:

http://gmo3jr.blogspot.com/2012/01/your-grade-report-came-in-mail-today.html

http://problemsolvingwithvette.blogspot.com/2011/09/incorrect-grade-report.html