Personal audio

As mentioned earlier, the Sonic Gear Evo 5 Pro comes with a free calendar and also a Sonic Gear headset. This is the picture on how the headset looks like together with its specifications. The market price in the year 2007 is RM15.

HS 405Stereo Multimedia Headset 405

Specification
Microphone: 6 x 5 - 58 +- 3dB
Frequency Response: 20 Hz-20 kHz
Speaker Dimension: 27 mm
Sensitivity: 105dB/mW
Impedance: 32 ohms (Ω)
Cord Length: 2.5 m

Features
PC Headset with microphone
Volume Control
Gold Plate Audiojack
Lightweight
Ideal for Video Chat
Ideal for Multi-player gaming
Ideal for Music listening
Ideal for Speech recognition


*Specifications adapted from: http://www.sonicgear.com.sg/?id=2&pcid=29&pid=110&iid=1226

Massive storage

Pendrives after pendrives, still their capacity is limited. As files are getting bigger and bigger, it definately would not be able to fit in a floppy disk. I decided to invest in a bigger external storage - an external 2.5" Hard Disk. At that point, the biggest 320GB storage was not that popular and is very costly. Therefore, I opt for the 250GB which cost almost RM300 (If I'm not mistaken, it is around RM289 or so). The cheapest price I could get during the 2008 PC fair was the Samsung. All HDD comes with a cheap normal casing and I wanted something that looks better. That particular booth which I bought my HDD has only a limited selection of external HDD enclosures. One of them, the Nexstar Lite caught my attention. It has 2 different colours available - Onyx Black and Metallic Silver. Unfortunately, only the Onyx Black is available. Without any choice, I replaced the normal enclosure and bought the Nexstar Lite for an additional RM40 or so. That sums up the cost of my new external HDD for approximately RM320+.

Introduction

Vantec Nexstar Lite, 2.5" SATA External HDD Enclosure, USB2.0 - Black ( NST-285S2BK ) Form and functionality collide with style in the NexStar-Lite 2.5” External Hard Drive Enclosure from Vantec. With its mirror Finish in two classic colors-Onyx Black and Metallic Silver, the Vantec NexStar-Lite stands out from the crowd. The sturdy drive cage protects your hard drive while the aluminum case effectively draws away the heat, protecting your drive from overheating. The NexStar-Lite also utilizes USB 2.0, offering speeds up to 480Mbps, 40 times the speed of USB1.1

Specification
The Vantec NexStar-Lite is a high performance, Lightweight, and durable portable storage solution and lets you store your personal data in an enclosure with style
Compatible With 2.5" SATA Hard Drives
Supports High Speed USB 2.0 & 1.1
Easy Installation without screws
Powered by USB Hot-Swappable & Plug-n-Play
Aluminum Casing Cools Down Your Hard Drive

Interface: SATA to USB 2.0
Dimension: 128mm x 73mm x 12mm
Material: Aluminum Alloy
Supports: Window 98SE / ME / 2000 / XP / VISTA Mac OS 8.6 & Above



*Specifications adapted from: http://www.advantionline.com/vantec-nexstar-lite-25-sata-external-hdd-enclosure-usb20--pr-16233.html

*Note: The above information might not be correct. Another similar model's specifications could be found at the manufacturer's website: http://www.vantecusa.com/front/product/view_detail/229

Hidden wires

Watch Product Tour

Frustrated with wires, I was longing for a wireless mouse or Bluetooth mouse. As the Toshiba does not have built in Bluetooth and the price of a Bluetooth mouse is way more expensive than a wireless mouse, I opt for the one without Bluetooth. To my surprise, I got the Kensington Ci75m for my 2007 birthday and the best thing is that I think it is the only wireless mouse with wired backup. Therefore, if the batteries goes dead, I still could use it like an ordinary mouse. Moreover, it is flat, slim and lightweight and good for carrying it around. The price for the Kensington mouse is RM95.

The first one was black with orange finishing. But the scroll has some problems and I went for the warranty claim. Unfortunately, they do not have the same colour at the moment and would require me to wait for few weeks. I couldn't wait at that moment and got the silver one with orange finishing. The black one was more plasticky feel while the silver one is more towards aluminium look and feel.

Introduction
The sleek, stylish Ci75m is more than just a pretty face. The low profile design saves space on your desk and travels easily. Plus there’s the versatility of power back-up for use in wireless restricted areas and an automatic sleep state for power conservation.

Features
Up to 30% thinner than a standard notebook mouse to eliminate bulk from your travel bag
Back-up power for wireless or USB powered operation
Automatic sleep state conserves power and protects the optical sensor
Sleek, ergonomic design provides comfort and mobility
Performance Optical Sensor

Specifications
PC and Mac® compatible
27 MHz wireless
Performance Optical™ sensor (1000 dpi)
Low battery indicator on scroll wheel

Dimensions
mouse dimensions 4.25"
cord length 25.5"L
usb receiver dimensions 2.75"L X 0.25"H X 0.75"W

Warranty
Ci75m Wireless Notebook Mouse is backed by the Kensington 5-Year Warranty and free technical support.



*Specifications adapted from:http://us.kensington.com/html/13314.html

Cooling Solution

As electronic things get older, it tends to produce more heat. The Toshiba Satellite A80 is getting older and it is time to get some cooling solution for it. My aunt also was searching for some cooling fans and shopped around when she was in Malaysia. In the end, she decided to buy a Cooler Master laptop cooling solution, the Note Pal P1. With surprise, she offered to buy one for me as well and it cost RM99. I got it not long after I bought the Toshiba.

Introduction

Good things come in small packages.Note Pal P1 is a lightweight portable note book cooler crafted from aluminum. Note Pal P1 has a no-skid surface with rubber rings on top, which holds your notebook in place. The curvy design is for easy handle and there is a compartment on the bottom for USB cable storage.

Features

- Lightweight and portable design for convenient usage

- Accommodate most notebook dimensions and wide screen

- Multi-air inlet design and ultra silent fan provides super airflow for best cooling performance

- Ergonomic design for great comfort

- Directly consume power from notebook with On/ Off power button

- Provide 2 USB ports

Specifications
Material: Aluminum
Dimension (W / H / D): 330x160.5x42 mm
Fan Dimension (W / H / D): 70x70x15 mm
Fan Speed: 1500 R.P.M.± 10%
Fan Airflow: 9.5 CFM± 10%
Bearing Type: Sleeve bearing
Fan Life Expectancy: 30,000 hours
Fan Noise Level (dB-A): 21 dBA
Rated Voltage: 5 VDC
USB Port: USB 2.0 x 2

*Specifications adapted from: http://www.coolermaster.com/products/product.php?language=en&act=detail&tbcate=1&id=124

In-fashion

Time goes by, age increases, and so does the required storage capacity for pendrives. While shopping for one that is sleek, tiny and has good appearance, I stumbled across the pendrive which I was searching while I bought the Kingston Mini Migo. It is the Pendrive Envo. From 1GB to 2GB, this time it is 4GB. The Pendrive Envo measures slightly small in certain dimension as compared to the Kingston Mini Migo. Longing to get my hands on it, I decided to buy it eventhough the price is higher as compared to other 4GB pendrives. This time, it cost me RM53. (Cheapest 4GB pendrive cost around RM35)

“Envo” which derives from the word “En-vogue” means in-fashion. The roundish back loop has a light that luminates when data is being transferred. A very special thing is that it comes with a unique packaging, allowing it to be re-usable in many ways. (I didn't expect it to have a nice casing, and it is the first pendrive I've ever come across which has a casing!)

Specifications
Capacity: 4GB
Dimensions: 40mm x 20mm x 8mm (L x W x D)
Compatible with USB specification 2.0 and 1.1
Hot plug & play
No external power is required - DC 4.5V ~ 5.5V from USB port
Durable solid-state data retention for at least 10 years
Shock resistance：1000G (maximum)
Read Speed: 6.0 MB/sec
Write Speed: 4.0 MB/sec

System Requirements
Support of Windows Vista / XP / 2000 / ME without device driver
Support of Linux Kernel 2.4.10 and higher without device driver
Support of Mac OS 8.6 and higher without device driver
Support of Windows 98 / SE with device driver needed

5 years warranty

Package Contents
PenDrive Envo 2.0
Retractable String

*Specifications adapted from: http://www.pendrive.com.my/usb-envo.htm

Evolution Lifestyle

The Sonic Gear Morro 200 is not giving enough power and the maximum volume is still considered soft. Its time to move on from a 2.0 speaker to a slightly better 2.1.

Appearance is the primary consideration for me. Therefore, I am particularly interested in the Sonic Gear lifestyle speaker, Evo 5 Pro. This is because of the EQ (well, it is not exactly EQ but mainly based on the base amplitud only) and its beautiful blue lights. There are 2 colours available, glossy black and glossy white. I chosed the latter. The Evo 5 Pro cost me RM129 during the 2007 year end PC fair (December). It is bundled with a free Sonic Gear 2008 Calendar and a Sonic Gear multimedia headset HS405 which cost about RM15.

EVO 5 PRO Multimedia Speakers

Specification
Pro-designed 3-way System using 3 different drivers for greater punch and clarity

1" Tweeter, 3" Full Range Driver and 4" Bass driver (enclosed)

Solid wooden woofer and satellite enclosure projects natural sonics

Animated EQ Graphic Display

Volume, Bass and Treble Control

Woofer: 18 Watts

Satellite: 2 x 8 Watts

Description

Lifestyle Audio System with drivers for individual audio spectrum and animated EQ graphics

*Specifications adapted from http://www.sonicgear.com.sg/?id=2&pcid=19&pid=60&iid=968

Getting smaller in size

Only around 2 years of use, the USB connector of the Pendrive Mini started to show signs of defects, probably due to the frequent action of plugging in and out from USB ports. With that, it is time to change.

This time, I opt for a smaller pendrive, the smallest I can obtain in the market. Well, there is another that is smaller, just like a size of 2 SIM card side by side. Unfortunately, I feel that it is too fragile. Moreover, there is no read/write indicator.


In the end, I landed up with the Kingston Mini Migo Edition 2GB for RM75.


Features/Benefits:
Convenient— mini-sized for easy portability
Simple — just plug and play into a USB port
Functional —preloaded with Migo software for Windows-based systems
Guaranteed — five-year warranty


Specifications:
Capacities* — 1GB
Dimensions — 0.70 x 1.42 x 0.40 (17.85mm x 36.0mm x 10.24mm)
Operating Temp — 0o C to 60o C (32o F to 140o F)
Storage Temp — -20o C to 85o C (-4o F to 185o F)
Compliant — designed to Hi-Speed USB 2.0 specifications
Multilingual — Migo Operating Language support in English, Spanish, French, Italian, German, Simplified and Traditional Chinese
Supported Email Clients — Microsoft Outlook Express® 5.0 and above, and Mozilla Thunderbird® 1.5.0.5 and above
Supported Browsers — Microsoft Internet Explorer® version 5.0 and above, and Mozilla Firefox® 1.5 and above

Migo Software Supports:

Windows Vista**
Windows XP (SP1 and above)
Windows 2000 (SP3 and above)





*Specifications adapted from: http://www.kingston.com/flash/dtmini_migo.asp?id=2

The REAL "pendrive"

As time goes by, the requirement for higher capicity storage increases. With that, it is time to move on and get myself a better pendrive. In the end, I landed up with the Pendrive Mini which cost RM95 (April 2006).

Specifications
Capacity: 1GB
Dimensions: 53mm x 18mm x 8mm (L x W x D)
Compatible with USB specification 2.0 and 1.1
Hot plug & play
No external power is required - DC 4.5V ~ 5.5V from USB port
Durable solid-state data retention for at least 10 years
Shock resistance：1000G (maximum)
Read Speed: 6.0 MB/sec
Write Speed: 4.0 MB/sec

System Requirements
Support of Windows XP / 2000 / ME without device driver
Support of Linux Kernel 2.4.10 and higher without device driver
Support of Mac OS 8.6 and higher without device driver
Support of Windows 98 / SE with device driver needed

Service
5 years warranty

Package Contents
PenDrive Mini 2.0
Lanyard



*Specifications adapted from: http://www.pendrive.com.my/usb-mini.htm

First light weight removable storage

One of the most popular piece of computing hardware these few years is the pendrive. Also known as thumb drive or flash drive, this little piece of hardware has the capability of storaging huge amount of data. Its main advantage is its portability.

With the purchase of the Toshiba Satellite A80, several accessories were bundled with it. Among it is a mini optical mouse and a pendrive.

Well, a pendrive has not much specifications and its read/write speed is unknown (Probably should be 6Mbps read and 4Mbps write, most kingston pendrives are with that specs).

Features
Type : USB Flash Drive
Capacity : 256 MB
Interface : Hi Speed USB
Warranty : 5 year warranty

Sound wave origin

With the purchase of the Toshiba Satellite A80 during PC fair, there is a lucky draw which you could get several things such as a printer, speaker, etc.

My lucky draw gift was the speaker, and it was only 2.0, the Sonic Gear Morro 200.

Specification
Satellites: 2 x 3” driver per channel
Freq. Response: 150 Hz - 18 KHz
Input Sensitivity: 300 mV S/N
Ratio: > 60dB
Separation : 45dB
T.H.D. : <> Control : Power / Master Volume

Features
Powered by USB port, no mains power needed
Ultra slim design with Blue LED power indicator
2 x 3” Full Freq range driver - no compromise on audio
Portable and compatible with all Desktop and Notebook
3.5 mm earphone plug included





*Specifications adapted from: http://www.sonicgear.com.sg/?id=2&pcid=15&pid=47

Going mobile

After around 8 years of using the HP Pavilion 6326, it is time to move on and go mobile. This is my Toshiba Satellite A80, bought in the mid of year 2005 (cost around RM4500).

Product Specifications (not 100% accurate because the exact specifications could not be found):

Manufacturer's product description
The Satellite A80 series is a real computing powerhouse featuring the latest Intel Centrino Mobile Technology, and builds on the popularity of the Satellite family. Style needs not always come at a high price. The lightweight and sleek Satellite A80 offers end-users affordable mobile productivity with its higher performance and enhanced graphics quality deliver diverse multimedia functions with convincing picture and excellent sound quality making multimedia more enjoyable than ever.

General
MPN: PSA80E-03R010G3
Platform Technology: Intel Centrino
System Type: Notebook
Built-in Devices: Stereo speakers, wireless LAN aerial
Width: 33.8 cm
Depth: 27.8 cm
Height: 3.7 cm
Weight: 2.7 kg

Processor
Processor: Intel Pentium M 730 / 1.6 GHz
Data Bus Speed: 533 MHz
Features: Enhanced SpeedStep technology, power-optimized processor system bus, Execute Disable Bit capability
Chipset Type: Mobile Intel 915GM Express

Cache memory
Type: L2 Cache
Installed Size: 2 MB

Ram
Installed Size: 512 MB / 2 GB (max)
Technology: DDR SDRAM

Storage controller
Type: IDE

Storage
Hard Drive: 40 GB

Optical storage
Type: CD-RW / DVD-ROM combo - integrated
Read Speed: 24x (CD) / 8x (DVD)
Write Speed: 24x
CD / DVD Rewrite Speed: 24x

Display
Display Type: 15" TFT
Max Resolution: 1024 x 768 ( XGA )
Widescreen Display: No
Colour support: 24-bit (16.7 million colours)

Video
Graphics Processor / Vendor: Intel GMA 900
Video Memory: Dynamic Video Memory Technology 3.0

Audio
Audio Output: Sound card
Compliant Standards: General MIDI

Input device(s)
Type: Keyboard, touchpad

Telecom
Modem: Fax / Modem
Max Transfer Rate: 56 Kbps
Protocols & Specifications: ITU V.90, ITU V.17
Features: V.92 upgradable

Networking
Networking: Network adapter
Wireless LAN Supported: Yes
Wireless NIC: Intel PRO/Wireless 2200BG
Data Link Protocol: Ethernet, Fast Ethernet, IEEE 802.11b, IEEE 802.11g
Compliant Standards: IEEE 802.11b, IEEE 802.11g, Wi-Fi CERTIFIED

Expansion / connectivity
Expansion Slots Total (Free):
1 ( 1 ) x PC Card - type II
2 ( 1 ) x memory

Interfaces:
1 x display / video - VGA - 15 pin HD D-Sub (HD-15)
1 x display / video - S-video output - 4 PIN mini-DIN
1 x modem - phone line - RJ-11
1 x network - Ethernet 10Base-T/100Base-TX - RJ-45
1 x headphones - output - mini-phone stereo 3.5 mm
3 x Hi-Speed USB - 3 PIN USB Type A
1 x IEEE 1394 (FireWire) - 4 PIN FireWire

Miscellaneous
Features: Security lock slot (cable lock sold separately), administrator password, system password, hard drive password, keyboard lock
Compliant Standards: ACPI 1.0b

Power
Power Device: External
Voltage Required: AC 120/230 V

Battery
Technology: Lithium Ion
Installed Qty: 1
Run Time (Up To): 3.77 hour(s)

Operating system / software
OS Provided: Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition
Software: Drivers & Utilities, WinDVD, Toshiba Management Console, Sonic RecordNow, Toshiba ConfigFree, Microsoft Office OneNote 2003, Connectivity Doctor, Norton Internet


*Specification source adapted from: http://www.ciao.co.uk/Toshiba_Satellite_A80_127__6480071#productdetail

In the beginning...

This was how it all began...

My very first piece of technology related hardware:

A Hewlett-Packard HP Pavilion 6326 PC bundled with considerably good specifications at that point of time, year 1998.

I found out that I was cheated because the casing is labelled with a Pentium II processor and the Windows 98 operating system also shows that it is a Pentium II as well.

Due to the lack of knowledge in computing during that time, I thought it was Pentium II all the time until when I entered the BIOS a few years later. Till then I noticed that it was a Celeron.

Few years later, I installed Windows XP professional as the computer monitor spoilt and I am forced to remote into it. At that point, Windows XP shows that it is a Celeron processor.


Product specifications:

Base processor
333 MHz Intel Celeron microprocessor

Chipset
Intel 440EX

Supported operation systems (OS/NOS)
Microsoft (R) Windows 98

Memory
Standard: 48 MB (SDRAM)
Maximum: 256 MB
Speed: 66 MHz/10 ns SDRAM only
Sockets: 2 - 168 pin
Size: 16, 32, 64, or 128 MB DIMMs
Type Supported: Intel 1.0 compliant

Cache memory
Primary 32 KB
Secondary Level (Max.) 128 KB Standard
Upgrade Sockets None

Video memory
Video Memory: 2 MB Standard
Video Memory Type: ATI VT4 SW 3D SGRAM
Resolutions 2 MB Video RAM: Video resolutions dependent upon specific display used
640 x 480 16 / 256 / 32K / 64K / 16.7M colors
800 x 600 16 / 256 / 32K / 64K colors
1024 x 768 16 / 256 / 32K / 64K colors
1280 x 1024 256 colors

Hard drive
Enhanced IDE: 4.0 GB

CD-ROM drive
Speed: 32x speed (maximum)
Access Speed: 90ms
Transfer Rate: 4800Kbps

Fax data modem
Fax Speed: 14.4 Kbps (v. 17 bis)
Data Speed: 56 Kbps
Plug and Play: Yes
Hayes Compatible: Yes
Data Compression: V.42 bis
Error Correction: V.42
COM Port (default) 2
IRQ (default) 3
EIA Fax Commands Class 1
Answering Machine No
Video Phone Receive No

Sound/Audio
Full Duplex Speaker Phone: No
Noise Cancellation: Yes
Microphone: Included with some HP Pavilion Multimedia Displays
Compatibility: 16-bit stereo industry standard compatible
Controller: Crystal Audio Chipset
Location: On Motherboard
Line Out: Yes
3-D Spatializer: Yes
Wavetable: Yes
Tone Control: No

Keyboard
3-Button Enhanced Keyboard
External ports
Serial: 1 DB9 connector (16C550 compatible)
Parallel: Standard bidirectional / Enhanced Capability Parallel
USB: 1 Standard Universal Serial Bus (2 ports)
Joystick: 1 Standard 15 pin Serial Joystick port

Expansion slots
ISA 2
PCI 2
Shared ISA/PCI 0

Device bays available for expansion
3.5-inch, full height: 1
5.25-inch, half height: 2

Complete software package
Operating System: Windows 98
Personal Guide
Productivity and Finance: Microsoft Works
Smith / Micro QuickLink lll FAX software
Microsoft Money ‘98
Quicken (R) by Intuit
HP Financial Calculator
Fun with Photos: EasyPhoto by Storm Software
Education and Reference: Microsoft Encarta 98 Encyclopedia
Entertainment: HP Pavilion Media Rack by Willow Pond
VCD Player by Mediamatics
Internet and Online Services: Internet Service Providers
Service and Support: HP Support Center
HP Pavilion Recovery Kit
VirusScan by McAfee
Electronic Documentation by Modern Age Books



*Note: Please bare with the formatting as I can't get the table format to display properly.
**Information adapted from http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?docname=bph04356&lc=en&cc=ru&dlc=ru&product=61096&lang=ru