Rick is Back!

Believe it or not, after 3 long months of absence, I'm back.

I used these three months to gather information for my new website!

It is called "Ricks Review" and can be found at

» www.Ricks-Reviews.com !

Ricks-Review.com is about making money online, and i cover every aspect you might imagine. I have testet a whole lot of products, including

- Get Rich Quick Programs , such as " The Rick Jerk " and " ForEx "
- Online Paid Surveys , like " Paid Surveys Online ", " SirLook " and " SurveyScout "
- Drop Shipping companies like " SaleHoo ", " World Wide Brands " and " Doba "
- Mystery Shopping
- Real Estate Investing big players like " Jeffrey Ringold "
- Google Adsense related products, such as " Adsense Videos " or " Keyword Explosion "
- Google Adwords, all you need to know about " The Definite Guide To Google Adwords ", " Beating Adwords " and " Google Cash "

and a Free Report on Affiliate Marketing!

Expect much more to come, I hope to see you soon on www.Ricks-Reviews.com


All the best,
Rick

What A Students Laptop Should Be Like

If you are like most student's, money isn’t exactly growing on trees. Choosing the right laptop can be a matter of saving yourself a lot of heartache and money at the same time.

In this article I am going to over the most common uses that a student has for a notebook as well as talk about the most important components you should have for these uses.

Most student's will list the obvious things that a laptop is needed for; stuff like word processing, e-mail etc. The reality is that today’s student's are using computers more than ever for a lot more. The average student's list may look something like this:

- Word Processing
- E-mail
- Internet
- Music Downloads
- Possible Video Editing
- And More…

Every one of the above can now be part of the student’s functions when using a notebook. You may or may not need some of the above, so I will also go over that below.

Let’s go over the 5 most important notebook components for today’s student.

CPU – In short, the CPU basically evaluates and executes commands given to it. So a faster CPU will be able to execute commands quicker, right? Yes, but having the latest Intel or AMD chip is definitely not needed. Depending on your memory and operating system you can get by just fine on a 1.0GHZ processor, or even less. Most of the newer systems come with more than 2.0GHZ, and you may want this if you are doing any video editing or something that requires faster processor speeds.

Memory – The amount of memory that your prospective notebook features has a big impact on how fast applications will load, and generally how fast your computer will run. For this reason, memory is one of the most popular computer upgrades available. Newer machines will come with at least 256mb of RAM (memory), but if you are going to be using Windows XP I highly recommend getting more. You can get by running 256mb of memory while using Windows XP, but it will slow.

I remember when I replaced my 256mb stick of RAM for 512 megabytes –- It felt like a totally new computer. If you are on a very strict budget stick with 256mb. If you need more, either find a laptop that already carries 512+ megabytes of RAM or get a RAM upgrade. Getting a memory upgrade actually isn’t that expensive.

Hard Drive – If you are the type of student that loves having a lot of music files or videos, you are going to want a bigger hard drive. Getting at least a 60 gigabyte hard drive would be the perfect solution in this case. If you aren’t going to be downloading music all the time or putting big files on your notebook, than 40 gigabytes or lower will work fine. Most new laptops come with at least a 40 gigabyte hard drive.

CD-RW – This is probably one of the most used parts on a student’s notebook, hands down. If you download music and want to transfer it to a CD, you are going to need a CD burner. If you want to burn DVD’s you are going to have to go one step further and get a DVD-RW drive. If you don’t need any of these functions, having a normal CD or DVD reader drive will work great.

Internet – Pretty much every student needs to connect to the internet. With such a wealth of knowledge available online, virtually every student is connected now a days. Pretty much every laptop you find will be able to connect to the internet in some way, but you most likely want something that will work on your campus. For this, you want your potential notebook to have a wireless internet card.

Ok, those 5 parts can’t be everything to look out for, right? You are right; there are a few more things that can actually be quite important to some students.

Weight – If you are constantly carrying your laptop around campus you don’t want something that will break your shoulder. If weight is important to you, look for something in the 6-7 pounds range.

Display – If you don’t need something ultra big, look for a screen size of around 15 inches. Most people agree that 12-14 inch screens do not provide comfortable viewing. Bigger than 15 inch screens are nice, but also add more weight to the laptop.

One last important note before you head out and get your baby… Plug in to an outlet as much as possible. Laptops do not run on batteries forever, and you are wise to save your batteries power for when you really need it.

Taking the time to really go over what you need a notebook for and then finding something that will meet those needs will save you where it matters most –- The pocketbook.

All About Hard Drives

How A Hard Drive Works

Your hard drive has a number of magnetized platters connected to a spindle. The spindle spins the platters at a very fast speed while a series of read/write heads scan over them both looking for and writing information. This information is transferred via a cable system, or through a wireless connection to a hard disk controller, which in most systems is built into the motherboard, or in some systems installed as an add-in card. The information that comes from your hard drive through its controller is then made available to the components of your computer. The effectiveness of your hard drive (its performance) depends on how much of its capacity remains unused, how well organised the data is (known as fragmentation) and its data transfer rate, which in turn is dependent on its connection type and the drive's spin rate.

Internal Hard Drives

Most computers from, the most basic home models up to the most powerful servers, have an internally installed hard drive. Technology today ensures that they are all generally fast, reliable, and offer dependable storage ability. Most modern computers have installation slots and cabling to enable you to install additional hard drive. This allows you to increase your storage capacity without giving up your existing hard drive.


External Hard Drives

These drives are essentially the same drives as ones installed inside computers, but cased inside a protective, portable case. This is a good solution for people who work remotely and need to transport large amounts of data. If an external hard drive is your choice, make sure your computer is compatible with the interface that the hard drive uses. An add-in card, such as a FireWire card can help to increase your computer's capabilities. You can compare different brands of external hard drives simply at Myshopping.com.au and search on the connection type, or other specifications.


Laptop Hard Drives

There have been many advances in miniaturization of hardware components for laptop computing, and hard drive technology is not left out of this loop. Laptop hard drives function in exactly the same way as internal hard drives on other computers, only they are designed to provide maximum storage and efficiency in the smallest possible package. For added flexibility, some laptop computers come with removable hard drives that can be easily installed and removed. However, before you buy a hard drive for your portable computer, check that the hard drive's specifications will meet the standards of your computer, as many laptop hard drives are proprietary, and are not compatible with other brands and models.

It's easy!

Is your computer running a bit slower than usual? Have you recently installed a few programs and now everything seems a little slowed? If this sounds like the problems that you are currently experiencing, then your computer probably just needs a tune up! Running a tune up on your computer can be a relatively routine task that most people can perform from the comforts of their own home.

If you think about it, computer technology has become so much more advanced, since the introduction of the first dinosaur models! In "the old days", it was not uncommon for a computer to be so large that it actually took up an entire room. Now, in the 21st century, a computer can be small enough to fit into the palm of your hand!

Whether you own a laptop or a desktop, there are certain features that need to be maintained on a regular basis, to ensure that larger problems don't creep up on you. Everyone knows that when you have a car, you have to perform maintenance checks, such as airing up tires, changing the oil and filling it with gas. What a lot of beginner and even experienced computer users don't know, however, is that the computer also needs to have regular maintenance to perform optimally.

Computers can do a lot of amazing things, but the most important task is something that they need our help with; they cannot take care of themselves! (This is the one key factor that keeps a lot of people employed these days.) No matter how advanced your computer is, it will take a little T.L.C. to make sure things are running smoothly on a daily basis.

If proper maintenance is not performed on a computer, then some pretty bad things will most likely happen. If you use your computer to work, you cannot afford to have your computer run slow or even worse, breakdown. A computer breakdown can cost a lot of money to correct, if the problem can be fixed at all! The best way to avoid spending more money than you would care to on a broken computer is to just make sure that the regular basic maintenance tasks are taken care of.

A PC Tune Up can consist of many things, depending on how much it is used and how old the computer is. Some of the basic tasks that should be performed on a PC Tune Up include: virus removal, hard disk scanning, security updates, program updates, program removals, driver updates, data backup, Malware removal, update anti-virus protection, defragmentation, spyware removal, hardware upgrades and basic cleaning.

Any computer user can easily perform most of the maintenance checks. It is actually better for you to take care of the tune up yourself, because it is a great way to learn how your computer really works. It might be a little overwhelming at first, but the first time that you successfully add a new keyboard or open up the hood and clean out the dust, you will really be feeling a great sense of accomplishment!

Chances are that you have spent a pretty fair amount on the setup of your dreams, so the last thing you want is to be in the middle of writing your thesis or final page top your novel and loose it all! (Which can very well happen if you do not take the time to tune up your computer on a regular basis.) You can easily protect yourself, and your investment, by performing simple maintenance checks.

When you are ready to tackle the tune up on your PC, there are many resources available to make the job a little easier for you. There is a lot of available software that can be installed that will quickly search for and remove spyware and viruses, some software will upgrade current programs and other software can help to install new hardware. The best part of it all is that you can download the programs right off the Internet or find most of it at your local discount store!

For the most part, you will never have to open the hood of your tower. You will not have to purchase special tools and you won't have to ruin your favourite shirt by even getting it dirty! The beginner computer user, or the novice can perform this simple tune up tasks. Of course, if you don't want to do it yourself, there are always businesses and individuals that will do it for a fee, small or not! Unless you just don't have the time or desire, though, it is recommended that you at least give it a try before handing it over to a professional.

Gaming Computers #2

How Can Custom Gaming Computers Meet your Needs?

Pre-made computer gaming systems are a dime a dozen; walk into your local Best Buy or Circuit City, and you're likely to see dozens of computer configuration options ready to be rung up and carried out the front door. Many of these assembly line computers carry impressive specifications, including the latest processors and video card combinations. However, at a certain point these big box computers show their limitations. They generally carry with them proprietary BIOS systems that are difficult or impossible to alter or update, making it difficult to make your gaming system compatible with the latest generations of processors and video cards. Additionally, the prefabricated computer options generally give you only one option in terms of hardware configuration. If you prefer to drop the multi-card reader, you are responsible for removing it yourself. More pressingly, if you desire to run two nVidia graphics cards simultaneously in an SLI configuration, you may not be able to; not every motherboard can support SLI, and there is no guarantee that the computer you just left Wal-Mart with will allow you the freedom to upgrade at your discretion. For serious gamers, increased configuration flexibility is a must. No two gamers are alike, after all, and each particular gaming predilection carries with it a necessary hardware solution.

One possible answer for these gaming requirements is custom computers. Primarily sold by companies online, custom computers start with impressive base configurations that consist of several of the top few processors and video cards and a hefty amount of system memory. Where these gaming computers differentiate themselves from their big box brethren, however, is in their ability to be customized in a multitude of areas. Avid gamers can elect to upgrade everything from the processor to the hard drive array, thus ensuring that any conceivable gaming need will be met by their new system. Many of the custom gaming computer providers also allow their customers to design or select a unique PC case, ensuring that their purchase is truly an individual one. Cooling systems and power supplies are also ripe for customization, and in most cases they need to be in order to accommodate the more powerful hardware that is added to the configuration. Though many companies offer custom gaming computer options, some of the more reliable ones and their respective products are listed below.

What are Some Winning Custom Options?

- Alienware Aurora ALX - Alienware has long been known among the computing and gaming community as one of the industry leaders in custom computer systems. Alienware's computers are as or more powerful than anything else in the market, and they often compliment this technological superiority with unique styling, cooling, and sound dampening options. The Aurora ALX is no exception. The base price includes the top-of-the-line AMD processor, the dual-core Athlon 64 FX-60. The heat generated by this powerful CPU is dissipated through Alienware's custom liquid cooling system. As anyone who has dabbled in liquid cooling can attest, creating a successful and unobtrusive liquid cooling system is a daunting task, so having a company provide one for you is a marked benefit. In addition to the processing and cooling, the Aurora ALX sports two top-end, 512MB ATi video cards running in conjunction via ATi's Crossfire technology, resulting in amazingly powerful graphics processing capabilities. Where the Aurora ALX shines, however, is in its customization. The processor and video card array are capped out, but nearly everything else can be bumped up. If you so desire, you can even opt for such obscenely powerful options as 4GB of DDR RAM and a full terabyte (2 x 500GB) of hard disk storage. Don't expect this massive power to come cheaply, however; fully upgraded, the ALX can run upwards of $7000.

- Overdrive PC Torque SLI - Earning a lofty 8.4 from CNET.com's well-respected review staff, the Overdrive PC Torque SLI is another system that can run any piece of software that you throw at it, but it comes in at a much lower price than the Alienware offering. The Torque SLI sports a powerful AMD Athlon 64 FX-57 processor, 2GB of DDR RAM, and two top-end nVidia video cards running together in an SLI configuration. As you might surmise, the polygon-crunching power of this setup is quite impressive. Where the Overdrive really shines, however, is in its overclocked specifications. Overdrive calls their method of overclocking--pushing components to run faster than their rated speeds--Hyperclocking, and it entails bumping up the speed of the CPU, memory, and video cards together. The result is a configuration that easily topped CNET's different computing power tests. And while overclocking often results in system instability, Overdrive has created a combination that runs as stably and reliably as any non-overclocked configuration. Moreover, Overdrive employs a custom sound dampening system and whisper quiet fans--so quiet, in fact, that the reviewer claimed to be able to hear the hard drive heads. Though the case is fairly plain and no-frills, the system inside sports ample power to drive any game on the market at its maximum graphic potential. It's still pricey at over $4000, but it represents a substantial savings over the Alienware model.

So What's the Catch with Custom Systems?

The two above options illustrate the unparalleled power of custom gaming computer systems, but they also indicate their major (and, one could say, only) downfall: their massive price tags. While computer technology often falls in price rapidly, the newest components invariably carry exorbitant price tags. When you construct an entire system based off of these technologies, then, it's easy to see how their costs can soar through the stratosphere. There are other, less expensive options. The ABS Ultimate M6 Sniper, for example, has a base price of roughly $1600, and configured as it was for its 7.5-worthy CNET review it still is priced almost $2000 less than the Overdrive Torque. However, you can't expect the same level of performance from this non-overclocked model. Regardless of where you look, the same basic principal applies: you have to pay for the best performance and the best components. If the idea of forking out that kind of cash makes you cringe, building your own custom gaming rig might be a more feasible solution.

Customize Yur Own Gaming Coumputer?

The best way to get the gaming computer that you want, that will provide optimum performance is to build your own computer. If you think you do not have the technical knowledge or are not capable of building a computer you are wrong. I'm pretty certain that I could teach my mother (who has a hard time working a VCR) how to build a computer. If you can plug a sweeper into a wall outlet and use a screw driver, you too can build a computer.

What The Computer Manufacturers Don't Want You to Know!

Manufacturers don't want you to know how easy it is to build a computer because they make their living selling complete computers. The truth is that manufacturers focus on selling a computer with an overall low price tag to entice people to buy. They use the processor and software as the primary selling point. In most cases other than the processor and maybe the graphics card you have no idea what components they actually use. Alienware is one of the rare exceptions. They tell you for the most, part what components they are using. However, this doesn't mean that these are the best components on the market. Every manufacturer gets regular visits from sales people convincing them that they should use their products. Just because a company gives them the best deal on a power supply that allows them to increase their profit margin on the computers they sell doesn't make it the best power supply. This often leads to the use of inferior products for the sake of profit.

The Advantages To Building Your Own Computer

By building your own computer you are assured of getting the highest quality because you have painstakingly researched every component. If you've ever wondered why your store bought gaming computer with the top of the line graphics card and ultra fast CPU is still having trouble running newer games, it is likely because they stuck you with an inferior power supply, cheap motherboard, inadequate RAM, and the list goes on. In my mind it makes sense to build your own computer.

Warranties and Technical Support

If you are worried about warranties, you need not be. In most cases you can get a manufacturers warranty on every component you buy. As for technical support, I've had much better luck with getting questions answered through friendly helpful forums on the internet than I ever have from technical support lines. Not to mention you don't have to pay to sit on hold.

Upgrades Are Painless And Fast

When you build your own computer upgrades are a snap. You've already put it together so switching a hard drive or changing the graphics card is extremely easy. For instance I just upgraded my graphics card. It took me longer to unplug everything from the back of my tower than it did to swap the graphics card. All in all I was up and running with the new drivers installed in about 10 minutes. If you are impatient like I am taking your machine to a store to have it upgraded just isn't worth the wait.

Computer Memory

When you first purchase a computer, it may possess limited memory. Nevertheless, if you so choose, you can upgrade your computer memory later on down the road. The reasons for upgrading your computer memory may vary, but with the purchase of additional hardware, you can easily upgrade your computer memory when it becomes necessary to do so. Upgrading your memory will help increase the efficiency of your machine and your computer will be able to handle more software applications with greater ease. How can you upgrade your computer memory? Where can you get more memory so that you can have it installed?

You can upgrade your computer memory by purchasing additional memory and then having it installed into your computer tower. You will need to know who manufactured your computer, the precise product line and the model so that you get the correct memory for your computer. There are system scanners available online that can advise you about what kind of model computer you have, who manufactured it and the product line so that you can order the correct memory from a dealer online. Moreover, such scanners can advise of the memory configuration of your computer so that you can easily purchase the correct amount of memory you need.

Once you have determined the type of memory you require you can order a small chip-like device that, once installed, will add more memory to your computer. For example, if you currently have 256 Megabytes of RAM (Random Access Memory) and you want your home computer to run more efficiently, you may want to purchase an additional 256 Megabytes of RAM, which will bring your computer up to 512 Megabytes of RAM. With that amount your computer will work a lot faster, you will be able to manipulate graphics quicker and all of your software applications will work with increased speed.

With an online computer scanner, you can receive recommendations pertaining to the best upgrade for your computer. You may not require the amount of memory you think you need and a scanner can advise you about what is on your system now, and what can be on your system in the future. Further, if you purchase your memory online, you will get a guide that advises you about the proper installation of your new memory.

So, if you can't immediately afford the computer with the amount of memory you may want in the future, there is no need to worry. You can purchase additional memory when you have the funds to do so and install it when you receive your new memory in the mail. Or, if you prefer, you can bring your computer to a knowledgeable professional and have them install the newly ordered memory for you. Computer technicians are skilled at performing computer upgrades, and if your computer doesn't have any existing problems and you have purchased the right type of memory, you should have your computer out of the shop in no time whatsoever.

Upgrading your Computer - When and Why?

What if you found that your computer is out of date? You probably want to upgrade your computer since you have no choice to do so. Your works depend on your hardware computer upgrade. That’s how you going to have a good result.

But before you make any further step, try to learn about your computer. Search all options and ask for advice. Only after this you can go and buy a new component. It’s also useful to check if you really need an upgrade.

Sure, it’s not funny if you keep your old computer but you still loose data when you do your works. Its just a matter of time before you experience a hard drive problem when you still using your old computer. You dont want to loose your data, right? Of course most people only think of backing up their data after they experience a problem. Don't set yourself up for a data loss disaster. Check what hardware you need for your computer.

If you have problem with your hard disk, such as crash when you do your work, better you have it renewed. Most people upgrade their hard disk to increase the size so that they can use it for games, movies and playing a lot of music. A 20 GB hard drive is sufficient to keep new office and internet applications, and all your files and data. A medium sized hard drive would be around 80 GB and the maximum would be around 100 - 160GB.

You can choose which perfect for your work. Of course the price is also depending on the capacity of your hard disk. If you are a gamer, you may want to have high capacity hard disk such as that 100 - 160 GB. But if you just used it for your writing, a 20 GB is more than enough.

Another hardware you may need to upgrade is the RAM or Random Access Memory. This memory keeps data that is being worked on now and may or may not be transferred to the hard drive that represents the long-term memory of the computer. Current processors can perform an enormous number of operations per second. Almost all computer have 256 MB RAM and often 512 MB. If you want to run newer applications on your PC then you must upgrade to 512/1024 MB RAM. A lot of people who upgrade from Win 2000 to Win XP discover that their computers lock up very often. This is because they don't have enough RAM.

So, those are only some part of hardware you might want to upgrade. There are others such as motherboard, CPU or port which you can upgrade. Your action depend on your need.