BN2012

An all around home PC is a computer built to address all your home computing needs. Though buying an average PC set will probably cost you a little less, you can be pretty sure that building a unit like this has far more better rewards in terms of overall performance.

An all around PC will be able to do all these tasks:

1. Connect and browse the Internet
2. Create and edit documents
3. Act as a Home Stereo by playing MP3s and other music file formats
4. Act as a mini Home Theater where you can watch DVDs and other video file formats
5. Play most of the recent PC games available
6. Basic and intermediate photo and graphic editing
7. Scan and print photos and documents
8. Video chat with friends and relatives from virtually anywhere through YM or Skype
9. Synchronize with your mobile gadgets like cellphones, PDAs, PSPs, and more
10. Transfer video files from your DV Cam and edit the video as well
11. With the proper software and hosting services, you could even create and edit a website just like BN2012.com or at least a family website of your own

And here’s the list of what you should buy:

1. A motherboard that supports Intel Core 2 Duo processors and has a 4 gigabyte or more of RAM support. This motherboard should also have an onboard LAN, sound or audio, USB ports, and a multiple card reader.
2. An Intel Core 2 Duo processor that at least has a minimum of 2 Gigahertz processing power.
3. A hard disk that has a 250 Gigabyte worth of storage. 1 terrabyte is strongly recommended if you plan to store thousands of Mp3s, photos, and videos.
4. 2 x 2 Gigabyte RAM sticks (a combined 4 Gigabyte of computer memory) but go for 3 x 2 or 4 x 2 Gigabyte of RAM sticks for more computing power if you can afford it.
5. A 128 or 256 bit video card that has 512Mb memory. Make sure that it is DirectX 10 / HD compatible. A 1Gb of memory is much better also if you can afford it.
6. A DVD Writer that supports all of the DVD formats including Dual Layered discs.
7. A PC case that matches your motherboard’s size and has a minimum of 500 watts power supply.
8. A 22 inches LCD monitor for a bigger desktop workspace and for better viewing pleasure when watching videos.
9. A 3 in 1 Printer, Scanner, Copier machine.
10. A 2.1 stereo speaker system (2.1 means 2 satellite speakers plus a sub-woofer)

Note that it is much better to buy all your parts from just a single PC store as this will always come with a free keyboard, mouse and an Auto Voltage Regulator. You might also get a free USB flash memory stick or something else as a promo give away from the store.  Plus, you will have the convenience of having them assembled all the parts so that you’ll never have to pay someone else to do it for you. Once the PC is assembled, you can also have the privilege of testing the unit to see if there’s any bad part in it.

For Philippine shoppers, a setup like this will cost you around Php35,000 on various PC stores such as PC Corner and PC Gilmore. If you’ll change the motherboard to adopt an AMD Athlon 64 X2 5200 processor, then the cost will go down to approximately Php30,000.

Without the 2.1 speaker and the 3 in 1 printer, scanner, and copier, the Intel Core 2 Duo setup will only cost you around Php30,000 and Php25,000 for the AMD Athlon 64 set up. You could always buy the speakers, printer, and scanner later on if you first chose to build your PC set without them.

And the top 5 nations in average Internet speed are:

1. Japan – 61mbps
2. Korea – 46mbps
3. Finland – 22mbps
4. Sweden – 18.2mbps
5. France – 17.6mbps

Turns out the Japanese people pay for only $0.27 per month for 1mbps…

Hey, where’s my country the Philippines? Just when I thought broadband services here in the Philippines are improving, along comes this…

Honey, pack up all our belongings. We’re moving to Japan!

(Via Gizmodo)

Three days ago, on the occasion of his family’s 30th year of immigration from Russia to the United States because of Jewish persecution in that country, Sergey Brin donated $1,000,000 to the  society, widely known as HIAS, which helped his family escape Antisemitism in the Soviet Union and establish themselves in their new country.

“I would have never had the kinds of opportunities I’ve had here in the Soviet Union, or even in Russia today,” Mr. Brin said in an interview. “I would like to see anyone be able to achieve their dreams, and that’s what this organization does.”

The gift is small, given Mr. Brin’s estimated $16 billion in personal wealth, but he said it signaled a growing commitment by him and his wife, Anne Wojcicki, to engage more substantially in philanthropy.

While the act in itself seemed to be just an expression of gratitude on Sergey’s part, readers of the TechCrunch blog, a site that did quoted an original NY Times report of the event, quickly filled the comment box with minor heated arguments on the issues of Zionism and antisemitism…

While searching for a picture of Sergey on Creative Commons where BN2012 usually get free licensed photos for blog use, I found this web blog entry about the Brin couple donating another $500,000 to Creative Commons itself.

(Via TechCruch)

Ever wonder as to what the Internet has done for us humanity? Here’s a very thought provoking video that might answer your question…

Some of the facts/predictions presented here are these:

1. That Mobile Devices will be the world’s primary connection tool to the Internet in 2020.
2. A lot of people has access to 1,000,000,000,000 webpages today (That’s 1 trillion webpages, mind you…)
3. 95% of all songs downloaded from the Internet weren’t paid for… (That means it was downloaded illegally.)
4. Wikipedia launched in 2001. It now features over 13 million articles in more than 200 languages.
5. 90% of the 200 billion emails sent everyday are spam.
6. And this one i love the most – There are over 240,000,000 TVs in the US, and 2,000,000 of those are in the bathroom!

To know more about the makers of this video, jump here…

The Internet has revolutionized how we communicate, learn, and work. With so much information available, how much is too much Internet use? When you feel more comfortable with your online friends than your real ones, or you can’t stop yourself from playing games, gambling, or compulsively surfing, than you may be using the Internet too much. Learn about the signs and symptoms of Internet addiction and how you can get balance back in your online life.

What Is Internet Addiction?

Internet use has exploded in recent years, providing a constant, ever-changing source of information and entertainment. News headlines are updated by the minute, not just daily. You can connect with literally hundreds of people on social networking sites like MySpace, Facebook, or Twitter. Email, online chat and message boards allow for both public and anonymous communication about almost any topic imaginable, down to the smallest detail. We all enjoy the benefits of the Internet, and for many it is an indispensable tool for work as well.  So how much is too much Internet usage? Read the rest of this entry »

Others called it the CPU. But its actually more than that. The tall tower case beside your monitor, or under your computer table, might look just like an ordinary PC case. But what it really is can be much like the hood of a car. And however the hood looks, what really matters is what is under it.

A PC user should be somehow knowledgeable of what’s inside the case. It will help him a lot to know the basic components of his machine especially when he’s upgrading. So let us pop up the hood and let us take a closer look on the parts in which your system is made of… Read the rest of this entry »

If there is one thing people love, it’s personal mobility. After all, what other species regularly harness other creatures for the sole purpose of getting around. The auto industry is all about personal mobility. Since the dawn of the car in the late 19th century, it has been adopted world-wide as one of the preferred means of getting around. Read the rest of this entry »

Espoo, Finland – Nokia announced that it has today filed a complaint against Apple with the Federal District Court in Delaware, alleging that Apple’s iPhone infringes Nokia patents for GSM, UMTS and wireless LAN (WLAN) standards.

As a leading innovator in wireless communications, Nokia has created one of the strongest and broadest patent portfolios in the industry, investing more than EUR 40 billion in R&D during the last two decades. Much of this intellectual property, including the patents in suit, has been declared essential to industry standards.  Nokia has already successfully entered into license agreements including these patents with approximately 40 companies, including virtually all the leading mobile device vendors, allowing the industry to benefit from Nokia’s innovation. Read the rest of this entry »

December is fast approaching and the shopping spree season is soon to start. You might not want to be left out with those people who’s not planning to reward themselves for a year’s worth of hard work and you’re probably eyeing on that new laptop that is being displayed on your favorite computer store.  Here are  four sure tips for you to get the most of what you’re paying for when buying a new computer.

1. Buy a little more than what you need.

One of the most important things you can do when buying a new computer is make a list of the things that you will be using it for. There are so many different models – with different capabilities – that you can easily buy more, or less, than you really need if you don’t. Read the rest of this entry »

A netbook and eReader in one, Entourage eDGe might capture your attention because of its dual screen. On the left side of this dual-function hybrid, where ePub and PDF files are said to open by default, we’ve got a 9.7-inch e-paper display with 16 shades of gray. On the right, a 10.1-inch, 1024 x 600 resolution screen with Android. Both sides are stylus-centric touchscreen — scribbling and note-taking is encouraged here — and other amenities include 3GB memory, 802.11 b/g, Bluetooth, SD slot, two USB ports, 3.5mm headphone jack, a Li-ion battery for up to six hours, and support for EVDO / HSDPA via external modem. Read the rest of this entry »