steve answers:

Netbooks have the advantage of mobility and longer battery life, but isn’t really good for anything more than browsing the internet or reading mail.

Laptops on the other hand are quite powerful and can do just about anything that a desktop can

For more details : http://www.differencebetween.net/technology/difference-between-laptop-and-netbook/

steve answers:

The 8GB allows the computer to handle more programs running concurrently. 4GB in reality is very good too but more and more programs are using more. As far as upgrading the video card there is ways to do so but that requires a bit about electronics and soldering. In the long run it’s not really worth even attempting. The simple answer is no. Laptop, with the exception of a rare few, do not have the ability to change video cards.

steve answers:

Netbooks are basically mini notebooks. A netbook is small laptop with cheap, low end parts inside. They’re meant for basic tasks like Web browsing and document editing while being inexpensive and having long battery life. The differences in performance are pretty big so you have to decide if the savings are worth it. Other than that you get used to the size.

steve answers:

If all you are doing is browsing and some word processing any modern processor will be sufficient. Memory is where you should probably focus. Windows doesn’t have the best memory management so you can never really have too much (weigh it with cost of course).

The SU4100 uses less power so that’s why they use it in netbooks (which are really just for browsing and light computer use). The Core 2 will be more powerful but will use more power.

Here is a good discussion about it:
http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/271990-28-pentium-su4100-core-t6600

steve answers:

A laptop has a disk drive and a netbook doesnt. Netbooks are cute and easy to carry but not if you want to play dvds or CDs.

steve answers:

Im not sure what the phone number is, but you dont have many options.
You need the OLD license key in order to get anywhere. If you dont have this, your out of luck. If you did have this, then you could call microsoft, say you bought a new hard drive, then what they will do is disable the old key and give YOU a new one. This cant prevent the stolen laptop from working, because it will still work. They will just be unable to download updates and any other microsoft downloads that require mandatory windows validation. If the thiefs attempt to download any of the above stated, they will receive a message stating “You may be a victim of software counterfeiting” because microsoft marked your old license key as illegal, or invalid so that they dont give you a new license key and have you keep using your old one at the samew time – - that would be a crime because you would then have 2 license keys–you only paid for one–with the laptop you purchased.
Microsoft also released an update to Windows Systems called WIndows Genuine advantage notification. What this does is give a bunch of annoying popups and black screens to “annoy” you into purchasing a valid license. If this was already downloaded automatically to your laptop when you had it, it would have been valid at the time and then you wouldnt have gotten those popups. Then microsoft would have made it invalid (at your request) then they would get all the popups, get very pissed, and just get rid of your computer. Microsoft at its best…just kidding, actually not.

If you purchased the license online, you should be able to login to your Microsoft/Windows Live account and retrieve it then do the above to make it invalid then tell microosft you bought a new hard drive..etc. Its all stated above.
If the license was preinstalled on a system that you purchased, then you need to get a new license. Because you dont have the old licensing information, Microsoft cant just “poof” and give you a new key and disable the old one. It doesnt work that way. (legal reasons…:( ) You would probably be better off just buying a new laptop with windows preinstalled with a license. Then write that license key down in a secret place and keep it for future use of cases like this. Then you get to do this whole process ALL OVER AGAIN! Doesnt that sound fun? Well then i suggest you 2 things:

buy a laptop lock. They sell them at most office stores and places like best buy, radioshack, etc.

Http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=3738245&st=laptop+lock&lp=1&type=product&cp=1&id=1051384145329

buy a subscription for laptop theft protection. A popular brand is LoJACK. You then install it then if its stolen whenever the thief connects it to the internet your computer will automatically ping to their servers and send you an email or phone call or somehow contact you and give you the location information and help you get your computer back.

Http://www.lojackforlaptops.com/products/

I hope this is helpful to you and good luck at retrieving your laptop, although its not very likely.

Good Luck. Hope this helps. Email me for more assistance.

steve answers:

As far as radiation and laptops are concerned, most of the radiation is coming from the inner workings of the laptop, in other words where the hard disc and memory chips are located. There is also less radiation from a laptop screen than from a standard computer monitor, however, according to reports, wireless radiation is considered to be much more hazardous than what comes from the laptop itself and therefore wireless technology is causing more concern for many people.

I think it is a lot like global warming and other controversial subjects. You can find “experts” claiming both sides.

steve answers:

By default and out of the box, it won’t work on newer Windows systems.

Try installing this on both machines, maybe when she’s not around:

http://www.cezeo.com/products/lantalk-xp/

Then send her a funny hello message like:

“I’m coming to murder you…
(pause for dramatic effect)
Just kidding, it’s me Mom.
But seriously, MURDER!”

steve answers:

Well why don’t you just use a USB cord to hook the too up or get the wires at Circut City or something. As for how it would work for the programs I only have XP on both of mine and well I also have a wireless card for both. It would also be great to get a portable drive for really cheap I have one I keep with me and it has pics, music, games, and much more on them and they are like 20 dollars and higher depending on how much you want on one and I got over 10 of the darn things to take with me to family and friends houses to show off my family or have the kids play there games and one is for just our medical information so I don’t have to remember every little thing for all of us.

steve answers:

Well i have been repairing pc/laptops for over 15 yrs. Im a webmaster, also. To start off. You need basic skills in computer hardware/software, what controls the system, (ram,hard drive, fan, ) along with electrical background. As putting in a wrong power supply can burn out the whole system.
As stated above im a webmaster, here is one page i created for my club to help them with pc repairs as far as virus removal. Pc tweeks. Its a good read, and you will learn a lot from it, nothing to download. As its plain text, im with a law enforcement motorcycle club .http://leecounty.defenderslemc.org/node/40
Glad you have taken a step into learning, as most kids, adults have taken to drugs, violence.
On this page is list of programs on how to use them , best way to remove virus/trojans, an at bottom is a link to my email. So if you have any other questions you can ask. I be willing to assit you in getting started in life/world of computers.
Ps. Let me know what ya think of it. Take care.

steve answers:

Both of the previous two are wrong..the macbooks are not made for college students. Most coleges run windows and 90% of the world runs windows it is not yet safe to spend $2000 on a mac. The hp dv900t is a very good computer but it is too much for a college student. It is very powerful but it is also a desktop replacement and that is not what you want..you want a laptop that is very mobile, powerful, easy to use, and affordable. I think the HP Pavilion dv6000z series is the best. It is the most affordable and it comes with an AMD processor which was proven by cnet ( http://reviews.cnet.com/4520-10442_7-6389077-1.html?tag=lnav ) to be better than intel. It includes all of teh security that you want and it come with the option of a built in webcam and microphone

steve answers:

The Dell E1505…its a great laptop at an affordable price. You can get a 120GB hard drive in it which is all the memory you need. It has been the most picked laptop by students and is an editor’s choice laptop by pcmag.com
I have one and absolutely love it…it hasn’t crashed on me once, and i use it for everything from playing all my music, to video editing, to photoshop, and schoolwork. All-around a great notebook.

steve answers:

The fact of the matter is that no matter when you buy a computer (laptop or desktop) it will be largely obsolete in two to three years. So the real question is really “do you want this laptop now?”

Another question you didn’t address in your original question is your price range. If you are looking to get a Windows-based laptop, your options for an affordable computer are greatly increased, as even the most bone-stock MacBook will start at a thousand dollars.

You say that you enjoy playing guitar and singing. While this is all well and good, the MacBook would only benefit you if you plan on doing some recording and editing in the near future. Also, there are a number of programs for Windows that are as good as or better than GarageBand. I just bought myself a relatively powerful Toshiba for under five hundred dollars, and I have not had a single problem with it yet.

If you decide to go Windows-based, it is really a crap-shoot which brand you go with (for the most part.) Having owned several computers as well as having worked at a PC repair store for a while, I have seen laptops from all the major brands crash and burn, as well as seen people have absolutely no problems over the course of their computer’s life. I had a Gateway for two years and had neigh a problem with it, but my mom has a two-year-old Dell and she is on her fifth motherboard, due to both technician incompetence and faulty parts.

In summation, if you decide to go PC, get a Dell, a Gateway, a Toshiba, or have a local PC store custom build you one.

If you decide to go Mac, you’ll get a less powerful computer for more than you would have paid for it’s PC counterpart, and you will have compatibility issues with various and sundry things till the day it dies.

steve answers:

Dont buy apple. In college you will need a windows based laptop to run certain programs,in addition,apple is having difficulty dealing with new viral outbreaks on apples. Among many other issues with apples.there is a reason they are still only a fraction of the market place after almost forty years.i would suggest an amd a10, and i would look at clearance deals at places such as best buy and fry’s electronics. Contact me if you need more help. Jdbj32m@yahoo.com

steve answers:

The Dell Inspiron line should be familiar to anyone who has shopped for an affordable laptop in the past decade or so. The 15R is another serviceable configuration in a long line of serviceable configurations. It packs an Intel Core i3 processor and 4GB RAM, so it’ll handle just about any task you throw at it, including some photo or video editing. The 15.6-inch LED screen is big enough for watching movies, but small enough to move around. For students and casual users, this is a great middle-of-the-road option.

steve answers:

THIS ONE IS BEST ACCORDING TO YOUR REQUIREMENT

Toshiba Satellite C655-S5118 15.6-Inch Laptop (Black)
*Intel Core i3-370M Processor 2.40 GHz, 3MB Cache
*Configured with 3GB DDR3 (max 8GB)
*320GB (5400 RPM) Serial ATA hard disk drive
*15.6″ diagonal widescreen TruBrite TFT display at 1366 x 768 native resolution (HD) with native support for 720p content
*Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit with a 6 cell/48Wh Lithium Ion battery pack; Battery Life (measured by MobileMark 2007): 3 hours, 51 minutes

steve answers:

Look on your power supply to the laptop. Most are able to work on several voltage ranges. If it says something like “input 110-220 (or240) you will be fine with the basic adaptor

steve answers:

First of all lets come to sony, it is a very reliable brand and of course very durable, now lets come to mac, macs are different but highly incompatible with every day usage softwares and also its gui is very complex, and thirdly dell. It is a middle class brand with though high customisability but they lack durability

So i will suggest you to get sony and if you are looking for a highly affordable model then i will suggest you to buy Sony VAIO VPC-EB42FX/BJ 15.5-Inch laptop, with its sleek design , high compatibility extreme performance and high affordability it is best of the best laptops i have used so far, look at it here:

http://amzn.to/hH2SlN

Here are its specifications:

Intel Core i3 processor (2.53GHz)
Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit
15.5″ LED (1366×768) widescreen display
4GB of RAM & 500GB Serial ATA HDD
Intel wireless display technology

steve answers:

If you want a personalized, reliable and quick advice, you should check out ProCompare.com (http://procompare.com/top/notebooks). They have a recommendation engine that ranks laptops and other tech products based on ratings and reviews from a community of trusted IT professionals. They also have a cool personalization slider that lets you personalize the results based on the criteria that are most important to YOU.

Hope you’ll find this answer useful…

steve answers:

Press “shift” + “3″

steve answers:

How to use Remote Desktop Connection (RDC)
I travel about once every month and my primary computer is a tower sitting under my desk. For the longest time, I accessed my email directly from my laptop on the road and tried to make sure I copied every file I might need from my home network to my laptop. The rub in this system is many hotels and WiFi networks block the port for sending email, making communication a hassle. At home, I connect to the three other machines on my local network using Remote Desktop Connection, because I have more computers than I do monitors, but I never bothered to try it from outside.

If your home computer has Windows XP Pro (or Media Center Edition) installed, you can access it from any other computer running Windows from anywhere in the world using Remote Desktop Connection. Some versions of Windows, like 98, Me, 2000 and require software available from Microsoft.com:

steve answers:

I’ve noticed no slowdown whatsoever, on either my older PC with XP or my current beast of a machine with Windows Vista. However, note that with the expansion pack Bon Voyage,* you will want to download the Patch because there is a glitch that spawns extra NPCs on vacation lots every time you visit one and then leave, and that will lag a machine after a time without the patch that corrects it.

I don’t have a Mac, or a laptop, so honestly I cannot say if what works for my PC would be the same for you. It *shouldn’t* worsen the graphics; that’s up to your graphics card.

The stuff packs aren’t full expansion packs, so all they add are new hairstyles (not too many good ones, IMO), furniture, clothing, and build stuff. If you love decorating, by all means get stuff packs! If you prefer gameplay to decorating and building, you would likely prefer University or a similar expansion pack.

University adds musical instruments: guitar, bass, and drums. It also provides university lots (3 varieties, plus the ability to make your own) with all sorts of interactions available. I did find that after playing through the whole “college experience” once or twice, it became more tedious. The semesters are all the same year to year … BUT … You do end up with perks from graduating: more Want slots and an extra Want lock, the opportunity to change your aspiration, and a big boost to whatever career is complimented by the major you chose. Plus you can hang a degree on your Sim’s wall at home. The dorm experience is kinda fun, especially when first playing. (I get bored kinda easy!)

I believe University also introduced new TV channels (like Sports) and new kinds of parties to throw, plus (my favorite part) new career paths! Art, Paranormal, Natural Science, and 2 others that I will leave for you to discover if you get the expansion pack.

For all the new interactions and objects, I really do believe University is worth it. It’s not that much more expensive than a stuff pack anyway.

Oh yes, new Career Reward objects that are rather cool, like the camera and the carnivorous cow plant and the resurrection phone. I believe (?) that University’s supernatural addition to the Sims 2 world is ZOMBIE.

*EDITED. I had that wrong when I typed Open for Business. It’s Bon Voyage that has the spawning glitch.

steve answers:

Try safe mode
—————————————————————————————————
f 8

computers what a world
i would try
1 – turn on monitor
2 – turn on computer
3 – constantly tap f8 – located at top of your key board
4 – when new screen comes up – use up and down arrows on your key board
to high light safe mode last know good configuration etc
5 hit enter on key board
5 – windows should start or it will give options on how to start windows

do this last

system restore

1- click start at bottom of screen
2 – then click choose all programs
3 – then click pc help tools or could be in accessorys
4 – then click on system restore
5 – then click on restore to an earlier date or factory settings
6 – choose a date when it was working – or factory settings
7 – let it run it may take a while – follow directions – if any
8 – if does not work – restart THEN CHECK STATUS
choose destructive recovery as last resort you will have to look hard to find this option
BUT thats what it took to restore mine to get settings i wanted etc
BACK UP IMPORTANT THINGS TO CD NO MATTER WHAT OPTION(S) YOU CHOOSE

User accounts and screen saver password

start
control panel
user accounts
do settings your way
you can set up so they can not view your info
create them pass words
you can delete or change passwords at any time you want to

password protected screen saver is good

i use it my self

do this by

close all windows
right click on open area of desk top
choose properties
choose screen saver
choose password protect on resume
this will be your password as you are the administrator
be sure to set the time for screen saver to come on

steve answers:

Just for future reference, you should always back up anything you need. This is a device that allows you to do so:

http://www.topmicrousa.com/bt-300.html

You connect the old hard drive to this device, and then the device to a another computer or laptop via USB. You would then be able to access all the files on it.
I got the device off a PC World Magazine Article.
Best of luck!

steve answers:

Well first of all the Mac is equipped with about $200 of free software called iLife that PCs don’t have and it’s fully integrated with its OS-starting out the Mac has Video Photo, music, DVD creation. It automatically organizes your library by events. If you want to make web pages, iWeb, is incredible. You can make professional looking web pages in a matter of minutes in a way that people using windows would take days and weeks to do or may never be able to achieve. IPhoto enable you to make book, calenders and cards way better than PCs -totally neat. All fulling integrated and will enable you to mix it all. Just the process of sorting through your photos, music and movies is so less difficult than with anything on a PC. I you buy a PC, you will have to buy all the different card readers for all your devices. With a Mac, you use firewire for everything and you are moving at warp speed as your Mac recognizes the media you have and organized it in a time less that it takes to use you are. IChat and garage band are fantastic

The Macs also have a Matte screen that I prefer over the glossy and reflective screens of PCs that are easily thumbed. It provides crystal clear colors that are real. If you have an iPod or other apple products-no problem in using them on your apple.

In my case, I was a life time PC user, but because Vista sucks, I returned 3 high powered PC and decided to try a MacBook Pro. I had XP and because the Macs now all come with the intel processors was able to load XP, using bootcamp in the Mac OS. So I now have the best of both worlds with awesome OS and don’t have to deal with the nightmares of Vista. By 6/30/08 (a few days from now), Microsoft will stop allowing sales of XP over the counter. If that is the route you want to take, you may need to buy that software now and you Mac later. Education discounts should enable you to still get it at $80 and under.

The Apple computer is quiet and I have not heard my fan. They are far lighter and have state of the art technology that is fully integrated with its software. OSX is already 64 bit OS that works with 32 bit applications. With drivers that have already been tested and works perfectly with all platforms in OSX-unlike Vista.

If you buy a MacBook Pro or MacBook and are a student, in addition to the student discount, Apple will give you a free iPod Touch (valued at $299).

Apple Laptops are lighter than virtually all PCs, and always have stronger processors and graphics cards.

In my view if you are getting a computer and thinking about using Vista, it is a mistake because Vista gives you no reason to upgrade at all. A brand new computer with Vista with 2 GB RAM still cannot run any applications better than currently runs on a 5 year old PC running XP any faster. In all testing Vista cannot out perform its older version XP on any level except security.

Of lesser concern to me because I’m strong on PCs is that there are no serious virus for Macs so far You will not require any anti virus or spyware or see many, if any pop-up.
There are also other things you can do like split your screen and work and see both applications at the same time without going back and fourth. There are features that also allow you to customize and personalize your Mac to you so easily. The options with e-mail are very nice and I’ve posing a link below. The e-mail also allows you to get definitions from the New Oxford American Dictionary

In addition, you can get to the exact place in whatever application you want to go with just 3 executions as oppose to 5-6 with a PC. The software is simply more efficient and integrated. I believe its because Jobs use to be with a software company and brought those skills to improving the OS and avoid the Vista debacle
I am spending more and more time on the Mac OS than on XP. I hope this helps you.