Acer Chromebook 15

Well my friends, it has been a long time since I blogged about anything. Now that I have some time to sit down and write again, I wanted to tell you all about my new laptop. It’s a Chromebook. As all of my previous laptop reviews, let me start off with what’s inside the notebook. Then I’ll write about why I love it.

Specs:

• Intel Celeron N2830 processor, 2.16 GHz speed
• 2 GB DDR3 system memory (RAM)
• 16 GB eMMC flash drive (instead of a traditional hard drive)
• 15.6 HD LED back-lit LCD screen
• Internal wireless card, WiFi standards B/G/N
• Bluetooth
• 6-cell lithium-ion battery
• HDMI port, 2 USB ports, headphone/speaker jack
• 1.3 MP webcam
• SD card reader
• Full size keyboard and trackpad
• Google Chrome operating system

First of all, let me explain what a Chromebook is. Quite simply, it’s a notebook with Chrome OS installed. For example, Acer built this notebook. Instead of installing Windows or Linux, they installed Chrome OS. What is Chrome OS? It’s a whole operating system built on a foundation of Linux and all of it runs inside the the Chrome browser. Just think of it like this, if you use Chrome for surfing the web imagine someone made a way for that browser to run a laptop. It’s fast, easy, secure. Most of all the apps you can download  for Chrome OS just run in a new tab in the browser. System settings are added to the settings menu in Chrome. Everything is really, really simple. Here, take a look at this YouTube video. It should explain what a Chromebook is in greater detail.

What Is A Chromebook – YouTube

Wanted to start off by telling you why I switched from Windows. You see I loved Windows 7. And I could tolerate Windows 8. I really didn’t mind the Metro interface since most of my programs were launched from the quick launch bar or the desktop. The issue I have is Windows 10. The privacy issues blow my mind. Windows 10 wants control of everything. And when you read the EULA, and read all about how much data Microsoft collects, it’s a real turn off. Of course I have nothing to hide, but on the other hand I value my privacy. And of course Windows 10 was slow. I don’t know if that was because of my hardware, but I would constantly wait for Windows 10 to do things. Took forever to boot, or update. Constantly lost the WiFi signal. So yeah, between all of these issues, I quickly lost interest in Windows 10.

So I started off looking for a replacement. I was thinking a flavor of Linux, but that never worked out the way I wanted. I could never find the right flavor to use, and when I did install a distro, it became confusing, and took hours on Google to figure simple stuff out. I also thought about switching to Apple, but the price to play is just way too high. So when the chance came up to trade my Windows 10 notebook for a Chromebook, I did it. And I’m pretty happy with my choice.

Talk about fast. This notebook goes from a cold powered off state to ready to use in SECONDS. Never seen anything like it before. Even Windows 10 needs a good 20 or more seconds to boot. I think this notebook boots in a mere 3 or 4 seconds. I’m very happy with that. Makes it much easier to start getting work done.

Now as far as storage goes, it only has a 16 GB eMMC flash drive built in to the motherboard. The drive has a much faster read and write time than a normal hard drive. I don’t see why many companies still make notebooks with the old school 5400 RPM hard drives. SSD and eMMC drives are so much faster. This notebook does not need much storage. You see Chrome OS holds all of your documents and photos in the cloud. Yes, you can hold them on the eMMC drive, or in a USB thumbdrive, but the OS is meant to be used in the cloud. So a big drive isn’t really necessary. I do occasionally worry about how long the eMMC drive will last before it fails, but I am confident I will be able to get a few years of service from the notebook.

The OS itself is a pleasure to use. The whole notebook is geared to be fast. No issues with connections or speed on the internet. Think of it like your just using Chrome, and nothing else. Pure simplicity. It has a taskbar on the bottom, much like Windows. You can pin your favorite apps or websites to the bar. However, everything launches inside the Chrome browser. I didn’t think I would like it at first, but after a few days use, I now love it. It is easy to learn and use. It has a small logo in the left hand bottom corner that acts like a “Start” button from Windows, bring up a list of all the apps installed. Just choose what one you wish to use, and off you go. The taskbar shows whats open, and multi-tasking is a breeze. Over by the clock it shows your user photo or whatever photo you choose when you set the computer up, and clicking in this area brings up the little menu to connect to WiFi, turn on/off Bluetooth, volume control, and settings for the computer. There is also a little bell icon that shows you notifications if you have it set up, for example it would show emails or when stuff is updated or installed. Nice and easy setup.

The keyboard is laid out just like a normal notebook keyboard expect the top row. There are no function keys. Instead you get keys for back in the browser, forward in the browser, reload a page, full screen mode on or off, a multiple work space key to switch between desktops, brightness up and down, and volume up and down. Also the caps lock key is replaced by a search key, it brings up a dialog box to search the web or computer for whatever you need. Good keyboard, works very well. The trackpad has a cool feature, if you want to scroll down a page, just put two fingers on it and go from the top towards the bottom. Acts just like a mouse wheel. It’s pretty nice and fluid. Sadly there is no keypad.

Speakers are located on each side of the keyboard. They are plenty loud, and have amazing sound for a notebook at this price point. I have NO trouble with them at all.

So let’s wrap this up. Here are my pros and cons on the Acer Chromebook 15.

Pros:

• 15.6″ screen
• Ease of use
• Fast boot times
• HDMI out
• Secure OS
• Google built in
• Flawless design
• Battery life
• Works with all Microsoft Office documents

Cons:

• Windows programs do not work on this OS
• 16 GB of storage, would like to see more
• Dual core CPU instead of a quad core
• 2 GB system memory, would love to see 4 GB

 

That’s about all. I will add pictures at some point, but I hope you enjoyed reading.

 

Lenovo G575 Notebook Review

I recently wrote a review on another notebook I owned earlier this year. The review was generally well received so I thought I would sit down and write about the notebook I currently own, the Lenovo G575 notebook. I will start by listing the hardware of this notebook:

• AMD E2 series E-450 CPU with integrated Radeon graphics processor, 1.6 GHz speed)
• 4 GB DDR3 PC-10700 memory (RAM) – expandable to 8 GB
• 320 Western Digital hard drive, with hidden Windows 7 restore partition
• DVD burner
• AMD Radeon 6320 HD graphics processor, built into the CPU
• 15.6 HD LED back-lit LCD screen
• Internal wireless card, WiFi B/G/N
• 6-cell lithium-ion battery
• VGA port, network RJ-45 port, 4 USB ports, microphone jack, headphone/speaker jack
• 1.3 MP webcam
• SDHC card reader
• Full size keyboard with keypad, standard 2-button trackpad
• Windows 7 Home Premium 64 bit operating system

Much like the Acer, this notebook looks compact in size as well while offering a 15.6 inch screen and full size keyboard and keypad. Like most notebooks, IO ports are similarly located in the same places. Along the left side of the notebook you will find the Kensington key lock, CPU exhaust, VGA output, RJ-45 network port, and 3 USB ports. Along the front edge of the notebook is a small switch to turn off the internal WiFi radio, as well as the SDHC card reader. The notebook comes with a plastic piece inserted in the card reader to prevent dust and dirt contamination I would assume. Along the right side of the notebook you will find the AC adapter input port, 1 USB port, DVD burner drive, microphone input port, and finally the headphone port.

The notebook is like many other in terms of what style of AC Adapter it comes with. The notebook has a female port, The adapter is male and plugs into the computer. I’m NOT a big fan of these types of setups. Over time they loosen up, after that happens it becomes difficult to charge the notebook. Beyond that, these types of interfaces are prone to accidents. The slightest over pulling of the power cable, like if someone tripped on the power cable, can damage the interface. inserting the plug to hard can cause damage. I wish notebook designers would look at the old school Apple Powerbooks with the RCA interface or the new Apple Macbook magnetic interface and design something better.

My uses for a notebook remain the same as my last review of the Acer notebook. I use the notebook for internet cruising including using Facebook, blogging, using forums, uploading pictures, email, and general internet activities. The rest of my usage includes using Word and Excel, playing music and videos, watching the occasional movie, and light gaming. I have noticed the system is a bit slow playing Flash games on Facebook. Not so slow that the game can’t be played, just slow enough that I hardly make a note of it. As for gaming, I play mostly old favorites such as Command & Conquer, Hoyle board and card games, Monopoly, and Fate. I have no issues playing these games thanks to the powerful Radeon video card. I am not sure if this notebook could play the bigger more intensive games out there, I am sure this notebook was not made for high-end gaming.

A few words about the AMD processor. Of course the AMD E-450 is a budget processor. It runs everything I need it to do just fine, however if you are a big PC power user that demands more power I think something with a Intel CORE i3/i5/i7 processor will serve you better. I also find that while running those Facebook Flash games the CPU runs pretty hot. The CPU does throttle down, offering good battery life. Here is a link to the specs on the processor if you care to read it:

http://www.notebookcheck.net/AMD-E-Series-E-450-Notebook-Processor.60138.0.html

The notebook comes with 4 GB of DDR3 10700 memory. This memory consists of just one 4 GB stick in the computer, as opposed to 2 sticks of 2 GB DDR3. This leaves an open slot for upgrading the memory. With DDR3 memory so cheap, I think I may upgrade to 8 GB of DDR3 memory. As usual, with Windows, more RAM is the better. I will say that I find it ironic that overall DDR3 memory hasn’t quite become mainstream.

The DVD burner is made by TST Corp. While running, no noise can be heard. The drive does not vibrate while in use. I have burned a few DVDs so far, and the drive operates silently while burning and even at high-speed the drive produces quality burns. The drive does spring open with some force, so watch those fingers after pushing the release button.

Battery life seems to be the normal 4 to 5 hours with moderate use. I would think if I watch a movie using the DVD drive that time would decrease. The notebook comes with a great program that lets you choose many options for battery consumption. I currently have that program set up to have the system minimally charge the battery as the system is plugged in most of the time.

The notebook comes with a neat program that takes many snapshots of your face and eyes and lets you log in using just your face via the camera instead of typing a password. I found this program to be highly useful.the system also has a small recessed button next to the power button. This button is called the One recovery button. If the system becomes so messed up that it will not boot, touching this button while the system is off with turn on the notebook and start the factory recovery process. Quite useful if a nasty virus attacks.

Any complaints? I would have designed to notebook with the headphone port on the left side instead of the right side. That’s about all.

Acer Aspire 5336-2615 Notebook Review

After a search I noticed there was not many reviews of the Acer Aspire 5336-2615 notebook. I current own this notebook so I thought I would write a short review to help those out there who might want to purchase this notebook. Overall I have found this notebook to be an excellent value for my uses. I shall start the review by listing the notebook’s specifications.

• Intel Celeron 925 single-core processor, 2.3 GHz speed
• 2 GB DDR3 PC-8500 memory (RAM) – expandable to 8 GB
• 250 GB hard drive, with hidden Windows 7 restore partition
• DVD Super Multi DL drive (DVD burner)
• Intel GMA 4500M HD graphics processor
• 15.6 HD LED backlit LCD screen
• Internal wireless card, WiFi B/G/N
• 6-cell lithium-ion battery
• VGA port, HDMI port, network RJ-45 port, 3 USB ports, microphone jack, headphone/speaker jack
• 1.3 MP webcam
• SD card reader
• Full size keyboard with keypad
• Windows 7 Home Premium 64 bit operating system

The notebook itself is really slim in appearance. Less than an inch thick when this display is folded down. Along the left side of the keyboard is the A/C adapter plug in port, processor fan exhaust, external VGA port, HDMI port, 2 USB ports, microphone jack, and the headphone/speaker out jack. Along the right side of the keyboard is the key-lock port, DVD burner, and two USB ports. The SD card reader is on the front, under and to the left of the touchpad.

A few words about the A/C adapter. It is a typical male/female arrangement with the cord being the male end and the female end built into the notebook. In the past I have found this simple connection to be flawed. It seems over time the connection becomes loose. I have learned that if the notebook is on a table and the stress from the cord pulling on the port from the weight of the cord is alleviated in some way, then the port seems to hold up longer. Personally I’m more in favor of the way apple has their notebooks setup with a magnetic connection. Just keep an eye on the port, avoid plugging in the adapter with force and the port should last the life of the notebook.

My needs for a notebook are really quite simple. I need a system that can handle word processing for college along with a few spreadsheets, internet access for the research of college work and attending college as I go to school online. Along with all of this the ability to play a game or two. So far this notebook has exceeded my expectations.

A few words about the processor. My previous notebook had the AMD Vision dual-core processor, running at 1.6 GHz. I have noticed that this single core Celeron processor runs my apps a bit faster and at lower temps. The average temp of the processor is around 100F. As for performance I have yet to see the processor slow down or get choked up. Keep in mind the worse thing I do processor wise is keep Firefox open with 10 or so tabs, iTunes running, Word open, and playing a game such as Monopoly. I am sure that if I was using Photoshop or AutoCAD then the processor might slow down and have a few issues.

The notebook comes with 2 GB of DDR3 memory. I thought at first that Windows 7 would not work as good as it could or as it should with this small amount of memory. So far this has not been the case. I think it may have to do with the fact that this notebook uses the faster DDR3 memory, as opposed to the DDR2 memory that much of the market, at the time I write this, is using. I think I would recommend buying and installing another 2 GB stick of memory for a total of 4 GB. With Windows, More is better.

I have used the DVD burner very little. When burning there is no noticeable vibration or noise. So far every disk I have burned came out with flying colors. Please note I have only used CD-R and DVD+R media in the burner. I have not tried DVD-R media or DVD DL media. I use InfraRecorder for my burning software.

The Intel graphics card handles everything I have thrown at. Keep in mind the most graphic intensive game I play is Command and Conquer. I haven’t tried the graphics with any current hardware intensive games. The screen is bright and well-lit. I am enjoying how large the screen is at 15.6 inches. Most of my previous notebooks had smaller screens.

A word about battery life. I’ve let the battery completely discharge a few times to condition the battery. After this I notice I’m getting about 3 to 4 hours on the 6 cell battery. Charging times take about 7 to 8 hours. This would be enough time to watch a movie and cruise the internet before needing a charge.

Overall I would recommend this notebook for the average college student or those home users who just need something that will work but isn’t really fancy. I paid around $300 for this notebook at Best Buy.

Windows scores:

How to Build a Computer Step by Step

Welcome to my instructions on how to build a PC from scratch. I hope this Blog helps you build your own computer and have some fun while doing it. You will find it is cheaper to build your own then buying a machine from Dell or HP.

Well first off we need a list of ingredients. I can’t help you choose what to use in your new computer. I can just tell you what you need then it’s up to you to choose the make and model of said part.

Make sure you do plenty of research about every part you buy. That way you can be assured the parts will hold up and are compatible.

You will need:

• Computer case
• Power Supply (650 watt or better)
• Motherboard
• Processor (CPU)
• CPU fan (May come with the CPU)
• Memory (RAM)
• DVD ROM or DVD Burner (I recommend a SATA model)
• Hard Drive (Again SATA)
• Video Card
• A copy of Windows  XP, Windows Vista or Windows 7 if you plan on using Windows
• A copy of your favorite Linux flavor such as Fedora, Ubuntu or SuSE if you will be using Linux

Some extras that come in handy:

• Card reader
• Floppy drive
• Extra case fans

Just make sure when you purchase your motherboard and CPU and memory that they were made for each other. In other words make sure they are compatible.  This is a MUST.

Let’s have a brief, oversimplified description of each of these items and what they do. Pictures are JUST examples.

The Case: This one’s simple. The case is the big metal and plastic box that holds everything. Once upon a time they were all beige. Now they’ve gotten all wild and crazy, and you can get cases that look like spaceships, or insects, or robots or whatever. But the function remains the same: all the other bits and pieces go into it.

Here is a look inside the same case:

The Power Supply, also known as the PSU. It’s not going to run without power. The power supply is a metal box with a fan in it, and a bunch of cables hanging out. The cables get plugged into the motherboard, and the drives, and the graphic card, and whatever else needs power. Don’t be cheap here, especially if you’re going high-end. Lots of clean, stable power will make your system happy. I recommend a power supply of 550 watt to 700 watt.

Make sure it has all to connectors you will need as well. I recommend a power supply with at least:

• 3 SATA connectors
• 4 MOLEX connectors
• 1 floppy connector
• 1 PCI Express video card connector

The CPU: The processor…the brain. Everything that’s going on is generated and calculated by this magical piece of engineering. It plugs into the motherboard. Both Intel and AMD make CPU chips.

Intel CPU:

AMD CPU:

The CPU cooler: CPU’s get hot. You want them to not get too hot, or bad things will happen. The cooler is usually a combination heat sink/fan apparatus that sits on top of the CPU and draws as much heat as possible away from it.

Motherboard: This is the big circuit-board looking thing with all the sockets on it. The CPU, the RAM, the drive cables, the graphics card and other stuff all plug into it. It looks very complicated and dangerous, but don’t let it scare you. It’s just a circuit board.

The RAM: This is the memory that your system will have. The bottom line is that the more you have the better (within reason). Keep in mind any 32 bit version of Windows can only use 3.5 GB of memory. If you use a 64 version of Windows it can use 4 GB of memory and more.

Plan on getting a minimum of two gigabytes. I recommend getting 2 one GB sticks so you can run them dual channel. Your motherboard manual will show yo where to put the sticks.  If you’re doing a lot of graphic work or want a good game system, get four gigabytes or more depending on your operating system.

The Graphics card: This is the thing that hooks up to your monitor so that you can see what’s going on. If you don’t play games or do heavy graphics work, you can probably get away with almost any recent (or near-recent) card. If you demand maximum gaming or pixel-pushing though, there are a lot of fast cards available made by nVidia or ATI. I prefer nVidia.

NOTE: Some motherboards come with video built in. Should the board you are considering have built in video there is really no need to get a video card.

However adding a video card to a system with on board video can increase system performance.

The Hard drives: You store everything on these guys…all your files, your data, your applications, your photos…you name it. In all reality most people will need just one hard drive. You can backup data to a USB stick or DVD R as well.

A look inside the Hard Drive for those who are curious. Please DO NOT TAKE YOUR HARD DRIVE APART. Doing so will make the drive unusable.

The CD/DVD drive: Once upon a time these were considered an “extra” but these days are essential. Most software ships on CD’s these days, with larger programs shipping on DVD’s. Prices have dropped like crazy on these, so there’s no excuse for not getting a good one. You should really get one that reads all current disc formats, and you might as well get one that burns both CD’s and DVD’s so you can back up and permanently store important files.

The Operating System: Windows. Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7. You can also choose a flavor of Linux. The operating system is the is an interface between hardware and user; an OS is responsible for the management and coordination of activities and the sharing of the resources of the computer. The operating system acts as a host for applications that are run on the machine. As a host, one of the purposes of an operating system is to handle the details of the operation of the hardware.

The Monitor: This is the TV thing that sits on your desk. You still have a choice of CRT (big, heavy old-school) vs. Flat-panel. I prefer using the old-school CRT for my main monitor, but flat panel for the secondary monitors. They plug into your graphics card.

The keyboard and mouse you’re already familiar with. They’re the input devices, and also the things you bang on when things aren’t working right.

A few other helpful items:

You can also use a floppy drive if you use the old 3.5 inch floppies.

I also highly recommend using a card reader. Card readers make using flash memory a breeze.

DO NOT connect the card reader to the motherboard until you have completely loaded your operating system.

Getting it together:

Once you have bought everything take a moment to look over the purchases to make sure you got everything. Once you are ready you will need the following tools:

• Phillips screwdriver
• Small Phillips screwdriver
• Pliers
• Nail clippers
• Zip ties

A NOTE ABOUT STATIC ELECTRITY!!

Static electricity can kill computer components. It’s takes only a small discharge to ruin the smallest part. Ground yourself before working on any of these parts we are discussing. If possible buy and use a static electricity strap so you will always be grounded.

Once you are ready let’s get that PC built! Let’s start with the case. Here is a shot of our case. You will need to remove the sides of the case. They are held in by screws in the rear. Just remove the screws and side the sides off. To prevent scratches you can lay down felt or a towel on the work surface.

A shot of the front of the new case:

First we will install the power supply. It is held in by 4 screws in the rear of the case. Fit the power supply in it’s place and secure it with the 4 bolts. For now move all the wires out of the way. Here is a picture of the power supply installed. Notice I keep the screws I need to assemble the computer in a small dish.

Notice how I have moved all the wires from the proceeding picture out of the case. The tend to get in the way till they are needed.Also take note of that 120mm fan. They are needed for system cooling. Most cases come with them. If your new case did not come with extra fans they can be purchased. Follow the fan’s instruction’s for installation instructions.

Next we will install the copper motherboard standoffs. They are small. The color can be gold or silver. They look like this:

You can also substitute these plastic standoffs on the corner of the motherboard for extra support:

Now we need to know how many bolts to use. To do this unpack your motherboard carefully after grounding yourself and count the number of holes they look like this:

Now carefully hold the motherboard over the case. By sight determine where the standoffs go. We will not be mounting the motherboard quite yet so set it aside carefully. Go ahead and screw the standoffs in and secure them with a pair of pliers. Here are some pictures to help you see how to install the standoffs.

You will want to install the rear IO Shield at this time. It should have come with your new motherboard. They snap into place. They look like this:

Here we are snapping the IO Shield into the case:

Time for some work installing parts on the motherboard before we actually put the motherboard in the case. Make sure the board is resting on a static free workspace. I usually put the board on top the box it came in while working on it. Here is our new board. Notice the anti-static bag protecting the bottom of the new board:

Read more on the next page.