Leadpile's Blog» computers

Getting Rid of an Old PC

Nicky — Tue, 23 Nov 2010 16:53:19 +0000

With so many advances in technology, people are constantly buying new computers and updating to the latest models. This leaves the older model PCs in many people’s storage areas or eventually even thrown away. Thankfully, there are other options. A recent article explains different ways to recycle your PC so they aren’t wasted space any longer and you are being green at the same time. Check out some options to give back or clear some space for the Holidays below.

-The National Christina Foundation donates your old PC or parts of equipment to schools or other non-profit organizations.

-Without a fee, you can drop of your old PC at a Dell location and they will find a Goodwill that is in need of the computer or recycle parts that would otherwise be garbage.

-Your local Best Buy will recycle your old PC for a $10 fee, but this is returned to you in the form of a $10 Best Buy gift card.

Google Creates Self-Driving Car

Nicky — Tue, 12 Oct 2010 20:20:20 +0000

Google has recently created a car that can automatically drive itself. Although some of the speculation from the public has been over concerns with safety, Google claims they could actually be safer than a normal vehicle because it eliminates humor error. In fact, the automatic driving cars have already been tested in California on 140,000 miles of road stretched from Silicon Valley to Santa Monica, with only one accident that was caused and faulted by another driver.

The cars are run by a computer system that takes control but allows the driver to take over when desired or necessary. This gives the driver the opportunity to have time to do other tasks aside from driving while getting to their destination.

To come up with the self-driving car, Google hired professional engineers who had previously worked on automated car races. With safety in mind, they made the vehicle with instant reaction time and even a gas operation system to help reduce gasoline usage.

Although the testing has proved to be positive so far, the car is not expected to be something that would be available to the public for at least another 8 years. In the meantime, Leadpile is still working with the regular auto finance leads!

Microsoft Trying To Keep Up With iPhone

Nicky — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 14:59:29 +0000

Microsoft is stepping up to the plate and creating a market for their new phone, the Microsoft Windows 7 Phone.

Although the last attempt to compete with the iphone failed when creating the KIN phone, senior vice president of mobile Andy Lee says,

“…We’re back with something very different and innovative.”.

The new Microsoft phone will feature a Find My Phone service that offers people a way to look on their computer and trace where their phone is if it becomes lost. It will also have a companion site for storing photos, contacts, etc.

As part of a plan for publicity, they will be distributing the new phone to their 87,000 workers for Microsoft. The new phone is set to launch around October or for the Holiday season. Leadpile

Issue: Social Media & Company’s IT Managers?

Mari Woods Holt — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 04:14:53 +0000

Many of us can’t wait to put our next Twitter update, Facebook status change, or access our email outside/inside of work. However, with this accessibility to our personal internet “pleasures”, IT managers are looking at potential problems with how our nation’s employees are creating “issues” with the company’s security. Does accessing our Facebook accounts and other social media put the company you are working for at jeopardy of bugs and viruses? Its seems the answer is yes.
Internetnews.com is reporting, “The security implications of these devices cannot be overstated. Between bugs in the operating system software for smartphones to complex phishing and malware scams birthed and proliferated on Facebook and Twitter, CIOs are constantly playing catch up as employees continue to bring more and more devices and risk into the enterprise. ”

So how does our IT departments manage all of their employees desire to “stay connected”? Sounds like a new project our IT managers might want to consider because it does not seem that this sort of thing is going to go away anytime soon.

Smaller is really better…and cheaper

Andy J. — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 18:09:12 +0000

Ladies and gentlemen, your current laptop computers will become worthless in 12 months. Say hello to the era of “Ultra small laptop computers”. And I mean Small! Did I also say cheap? Oh yes, that too. They will be dirt-cheap. Can you say Small and Cheap 200 times? So how small and how cheap you ask?

I guarantee you will see the smallest laptop you have ever seen on the shelves by this Christmas, and the price point will be under $200 bucks. That’s right, by this Christmas; you will be able to own a laptop that is half the size of your current laptop for under $200 Bucks. So what can you expect next? Work PC’s are next (led by Apple). Within 18 months, work PC’s will consist of a screen, a keyboard, and a mouse. No wires, no box, nothing. And the price point will decease to under $200-$300 with all the bells and whistles.

And what about your Phone? Getting smaller and cheaper too! I expect to see I-phones to go down to $99 bucks, and all other copycats will go for $49 in the next 18 months.So where will all the money be made? The money is made on delivering messages to the users, not on the devices themselves. The money is in the message and the content!