Category: Hardware

Hardware Category

11 Ergonomic Gadgets Your Body Will Love

If you spend most of your day at a desk, any one of these tech tools will make your work station more comfortable and give your body some much-needed relief.

Ergonomics – they do a body good

Do you work long hours on your computer? If so, we know the feeling and have identified a list of gadgets that you can use at your workstation, and which offer the necessary support and comfort as you work. While some may require making some adjustments or take some getting used to, your body will grow to love any of these devices — in the form of reduced aches and pain.

Kensington SmartFit Conform Back Rest

If you don’t have an ergonomic chair, the Kensington SmartFit Conform Back Rest lets you convert a plain office chair into one. The attachment fits onto most chairs with a back, and delivers support for your spine and lumbar using two ventilated back panels resting on four independent springs. The fit can be slightly adjusted for support that is highly comfortable, while the fabric itself can be removed for washing.

Price: $60

[ Find it on Amazon ]

Microsoft Sculpt Ergonomic Keyboard

The Microsoft Sculpt Ergonomic Keyboard sets a new standard for the support and comfort of your wrist for those who type a lot at work. The split keyboard layout and arc shape of this wireless keyboard helps keep hands and arms in a relaxed position to significantly reduce the risk of repetitive stress injuries. The numeric keypad comes as a separate device so right-handers can hold their mouse at a more accessible angle. Though the keyboard does take some getting used to, you’re soon be wondering why you ever settled for the cramped layout of a normal keyboard.

Price: $81

[ Find it on Amazon ]

Microsoft Natural Ergonomic Keyboard 4000

The Microsoft Natural Ergonomic Keyboard 4000 adopts a similar split keyboard layout and arc shape of the Sculpt Ergonomic keyboard, though in a more conventional wired keyboard design. In addition, it comes with additional multimedia buttons that can be customized to quickly access files, launch web pages and create hot keys shortcuts to get things done faster. A dedicated slider located in the middle of the Natural Ergonomic Keyboard 4000 also makes it easy to zoom in and out.

Price: $50

[ Find it on Amazon ]

Logitech MX Master

The Logitech MX Master is a wireless desktop mouse that offers a sculpted design meant to support your hand and wrist in a comfortable and natural position. Aside from the usual plethora of technologies such as dual Bluetooth and RF wireless modes and support for pairing with up to three devices, the MX Master also comes with a couple of additional capabilities that should reduce wrist fatigue. For example, a speed-adaptive scroll wheel makes scrolling through long documents easier than ever with its ability to automatically shift between normal “click-to-click” scrolling to hyper fast scroll, while a thumb wheel offers side-to-side scrolling.

Price: $100

[ Find it on Amazon ]

Kensington Expert Mouse Wireless Trackball

Users who find that a normal mouse just doesn’t cut it for them will appreciate the use of a trackball-based solution such as the Kensington Expert Mouse Wireless Trackball. The giant trackball help keeps wrist and hand movement is kept to a minimum, and uses optical tracking technology for smooth control. Notably, the Expert Mouse Wireless Trackball works just as well for right-handed and left-handed users, while a scroll ring positioned around the trackball also makes it easy to scroll up and down lengthy documents or Web pages.

Price: $100

[ Find it on Amazon ]

Microsoft Sculpt Ergonomic Mouse

Shaped almost like a slightly squashed softball, the Microsoft Sculpt Ergonomic Mousewas created to offer a more natural hand, wrist and forearm posture. While its ergonomic design may take get some getting used to, the Sculpt Ergonomic Mouse is arguably more like a normal mouse than some of the other vertical mouse designs on the market. A thumb scoop is positioned to help maintain the correct hand and wrist position, while the scroll wheel supports four ways scrolling: Left, right, front and back.

Price: $60

[ Find it on Amazon ]

Swiftpoint GT Mouse

The Swiftpoint GT mouse is a compact, travel-friendly mouse designed to reduce fatigue caused by your normal portable mouse. The Swiftpoint GT’s pen-like grip is more natural than the claw grip that is necessary for many of the travel mouse out there, yet is small enough to be used on your laptop next to the touchpad. Moreover, it has a touch surface that enables a full range of touch gestures such as swiping, flicking and zooming. You can also easily “park” the Swiftpoint GT on your laptop when moving between meetings with its included magnetic clip.

Price: $149

[ Find it on Amazon ]

Kensington SmartFit Mouse Pad

The Kensington SmartFit Mouse Pad is created to combat improper positioning of one’s wrist when using a mouse. It comes with a soft gel support to relief pressure points on the wrist, and stands out from your run-of-the-mill mousepad by how its height can be adjusted with the use of removable inserts. A nonskid base adds stability, while an anti-microbial surface to resist strains and odors to set the SmartFit Mouse Pad further apart from the rest.

Price: $20

[ Find it on Amazon ]

Ergotron WorkFit-P, Sit-Stand Workstation

Laptop users looking to get off their butts in the office can consider the Ergotron WorkFit-P, Sit-Stand Workstation, an elegant height-adjustable laptop stand. Made of solid-aluminum construction, the WorkFit-P works like a standard monitor arm in how it can be quickly adjusted various positions – including for use while standing. The large surface has more than adequate space for a laptop and external mouse, and can also serve as an adjustable tray for writing or drawing with a graphics tablet.

Price: $299

[ Find it on Amazon ]

HiRise for MacBook

While its name suggests that it can only be used for a MacBook, the HiRise for MacBook is a height-adjustable stand that works just as well for other laptops. The beautiful brushed metal design aside, the stand lifts your laptop up to a half foot off the desk, bringing it to a more optimal height for your overstrained eyes. You will need a separate keyboard and mouse to work with your machine, but laptop’ keyboard and trackpad were never great for ergonomics anyway.

Price: $70

[ Find it on Amazon ]

Ergotron MX Mini Desk Mount Arm

The Ergotron MX Mini Desk Mount Arm is a monitor arm that offers a slim profile without giving up on the expansive height adjustment range of full-fledged monitor arms, including full tilt, pan and rotation capability. This means you can set the ideal height and angle for optimal individual comfort, and adjust it as necessary to avoid the morning or mid-afternoon glare. The MX Mini Desk Mount Arm works with lightweight LCD monitors of up to 24-inches, as well as tablets such as the Apple’s iPad and Microsoft’s Surface.

Price: $315

[ Find it on Amazon ]

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10+ Windows 7 services you may not need

If you evaluate your organization’s need for certain Windows 7 services, you may find that a number of them can be safely disabled.

Every version of Windows has shipped with a core set of system services that must run so that the system can perform basic operations. However, your organization may not necessarily need to have all the services running, and disabling unnecessary services can enhance performance and security. We’ve put together a list of 13 services you can disable on your Windows 7 systems that will probably not negatively affect your business operations at all.

Before you take drastic action, such as disabling a service on every PC in your organization, make sure that the service you’re disabling is not actually in use. This article makes a couple of broad assumptions: that your company doesn’t need to share Windows Media files and doesn’t use Windows 7’s HomeGroup features.

This is not a definitive list of services that can be disabled; these are just some obvious ones. Read carefully and make sure you test changes before deploying them across your organization.

1: IP Helper

Windows description: Provides tunnel connectivity using IPv6 transition technologies (6to4, ISATAP, Port Proxy, and Teredo) and IP-HTTPS. If this service is stopped, the computer will not have the enhanced connectivity benefits that these technologies offer. Why this can be disabled:Many organizations haven’t even started testing IPv6, much less fully deployed it. As indicated in the service description, the IP Helper service is leveraged in IPv4-to-IPv6 transitions.

2: Offline Files

Windows description: The Offline Files service performs maintenance activities on the Offline Files cache, responds to user logon and logoff events, implements the internals of the public API, and dispatches interesting events to those interested in Offline Files activities and changes in cache state. Why this can be disabled: If your organization doesn’t use the Offline Files feature found in both Windows client and server products, this service can be safely disabled. Obviously, if you are synchronizing files across the network, you shouldn’t disable this service.

3: Network Access Protection Agent

Windows description: The Network Access Protection (NAP) agent service collects and manages health information for client computers on a network. Information collected by the NAP agent is used to make sure that the client computer has the required software and settings. If a client computer is not compliant with health policy, it can be provided with restricted network access until its configuration is updated. Depending on the configuration of health policy, client computers might be automatically updated so that users quickly regain full network access without having to manually update their computer. Why this can be disabled: If you’re not doing network-based remediation or if you’re doing remediation with a third-party tool that doesn’t leverage the NAP client, this service can be disabled.

4: Parental Controls

Windows description: This service is a stub for Windows Parental Control functionality that existed in Vista. It is provided for backward compatibility only. Why this can be disabled:Corporate networks rarely used Vista’s Parental Control functionality. Further, this is a legacy service from Windows Vista.

5: Smart Card

Windows description: Manages access to smart cards read by this computer. If this service is stopped, this computer will be unable to read smart cards. If this service is disabled, any services that explicitly depend on it will fail to start. Why this can be disabled: If your organization does not use smart cards for authentication purposes, you can safely disable this service.

6: Smart Card Removal Policy

Windows description: Allows the system to be configured to lock the user desktop upon smart card removal. Why this can be disabled: If your organization does not use smart cards for authentication purposes, you can safely disable this service.

7: Windows Media Center Receiver Service

Windows description: Windows Media Center Service for TV and FM broadcast reception. Why this can be disabled: In most corporate environments, TV and FM broadcast reception on desktop computers is not considered a “business critical” item that needs support, and it’s often not allowed anyway. You can disable this service to save some resources.

8: Windows Media Center Scheduler Service

Windows description: Starts and stops recording of TV programs within Windows Media Center.Why this can be disabled: Likewise, there’s no need to record TV programs in a corporate environment.

9: Windows Media Player Network Sharing Service

Windows description: Shares Windows Media Player libraries to other networked players and media devices using Universal Plug and Play. Why this can be disabled: On a corporate network, Windows Media Player doesn’t have nearly the place it might have on a home network. Disabling this service will have no impact on business activities.

10: Fax

Windows description: Enables you to send and receive faxes, utilizing fax resources available on this computer or on the network. Why this can be disabled: If your organization is not using a network-based faxing service, disabling this service will have no business impact.

11: HomeGroup Listener

Windows description: Makes local computer changes associated with configuration and maintenance of the homegroup-joined computer. If this service is stopped or disabled, your computer will not work properly in a homegroup and your homegroup might not work properly. It is recommended that you keep this service running. Why this can be disabled: It’s highly unlikely that a business organization — except a very small one — is using HomeGroups as a way to share resources on a network. It’s almost always safe to disable this service in a business setting.

12: HomeGroup Provider

Windows description: Performs networking tasks associated with configuration and maintenance of homegroups. If this service is stopped or disabled, your computer will be unable to detect other homegroups and your homegroup might not work properly. It is recommended that you keep this service running. Why this can be disabled: As noted above: Only very small organizations are likely to use HomeGroups to share resources on a network, so it’s almost always safe to disable this service in a business setting.

13: Tablet PC Input Service

Windows description: Enables Tablet PC pen and ink functionality. Why this can be disabled: The vast majority of PCs that are deployed to users do not have hardware that can leverage tablet-like capability. This service simply uses system resources with no possible benefit.

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10 ways to speed up Windows 7

You don’t have to live with a Windows 7 machine that’s becoming unbearably slow. Here are 10 basic steps that will optimize system performance.

With Windows 7, Microsoft did a really good job making the system perform well. However, over time, Windows 7 systems can slow down and need some care and feeding to regain their former glory. Further, some Windows 7 features can be leveraged to improve overall system performance. In this article, we will outline 10 steps you can take to boost the performance of your Windows 7 systems.

1: Disable unnecessary services

Not every system service that is running on a stock Windows 7 machine is necessary. A number of services can either be disabled or modified to run only when needed. Once you make these changes, the service no longer has to consume system resources and the system no longer has to spend time starting the service.

2: Reduce the number of startup items

Windows 7 systems eventually begin to suffer under the weight of software that is installed in the normal course of business. Many software titles install more than is necessary and include helper applications designed solely to make the software start up more quickly or facilitate other communication (e.g., iTunes helper). And new software installations might add a permanent presence to the system tray, even if it’s not absolutely necessary for the system to function (Steam games, for example).

You could go through your system tool by tool and remove the offending software, but you might want to keep the underlying tool around and just prevent the helper from loading. This and more can be accomplished through the use of MSconfig, a tool that has long been a part of Windows. MSconfig allows you to selectively disable startup items and take other steps toward improving overall system performance.

To use MSconfig, go to Start and in the search box, type MSconfig. From the Startup tab (Figure A), you can disable items. Just be careful about what you choose.

Figure A

Disable items to improve overall system performance.

3: Remove the bloatware installed by vendors

Microsoft’s OEMs sometimes actively work against the Redmond behemoth and sully the company’s name. Nowhere is this more evident than in the case of what has become known as “bloatware.” In the never-ending race to the bottom of the PC market, lower cost PCs have had their profit margins bolstered by OEMs through the inclusion of mostly junk software – short-term trials and the like — that does nothing but add a few dollars of profit while bringing performance to a crawl. Frankly, this is one of the reasons that I believe that Microsoft’s Surface announcement, in which Microsoft noted that it would make its own device, is brilliant. The company needs to start with a clean slate in some ways (no pun intended).

If your PC shipped with a bunch of stuff you’ll never use, get rid of that software. Generally, you can go to Start | Control Panel | Programs And Features (Figure B) and remove software you no longer plan to use. If the software adds items to the startup process, getting rid of it will make the PC start faster and, ultimately, perform better overall.

Figure B

Use Programs And Features to remove unwanted software.

4: Keep viruses and spyware off your system

If you’re running Windows, you need to be running an anti-malware program to keep viruses and spyware off your system. Nothing will ruin good performance like a boatload of spyware. Our personal favorite (and free!) tool for combating malware is Microsoft Security Essentials. In my experience, it’s been successful in catching bad stuff while not significantly degrading system performance itself.

5: Check your memory

How much RAM do you have? Is your system consuming all or most of your RAM? Does the system page out to disk? If so, you’re suffering a massive performance hit, which can be solved by adding more memory to your PC.

6: Go solid state

Solid state is all the rage these days, and with good reason. It’s fast! More and more laptops and even desktops are moving to the technology because of the performance benefits. Solid state disks use memory cells from which data can be read very quickly, as opposed to the relatively plodding nature of rotational storage. By moving to SSD, you can give your Windows 7 system renewed life — and give yourself a whole new user experience.

7: Ensure that power settings favor performance

This one is easy! When you’re plugged in, configure Windows 7’s power plans to favor performance over power savings. When you choose to use Windows 7′ high performance power plan, you might increase the computer’s performance in some (but not all) circumstances. It really depends on the kind of work you’re doing and how often you allow the computer to sit idle.

To change power plans, go to Start | Control Panel | Power Options and choose your power plan settings (Figure C).

Figure C

Go to Power Options to choose Windows 7 power plan settings.

8: Keep your system defragmented (unless you’ve followed item 6)

If you’re using a traditional spinning disk in your Windows 7 system, you can keep your system operating at peak efficiency by periodically defragmenting the hard drive. If, however, you’ve opted to go with SSD-based storage, don’t do this. First, you won’t get any performance benefit and second, you’ll significantly reduce the life of that expensive SSD.

Disk defragmentation is scheduled to take place once per week, but you can change this by going to Start | Accessories | System Tools | Disk Defragmenter (Figure D). In addition to changing the schedule, you can run an on-demand defrag from here. You can also run a defrag from the command line instead of from a GUI.

Figure D

You can schedule a defrag in the Disk Defragmenter dialog box.

9: Disable or tune search indexing

Windows 7’s search is good, but it can also affect system performance. If you really need to run a tool at full tilt, you can disable indexing altogether. Or you can tune the indexer to meet your specific needs, possibly reducing its overall impact on system performance.

10: Use ReadyBoost

Perhaps you don’t want to jump into the solid-state game right away but would like some of the benefit that can be had from flash-based storage. Using nothing more than a USB stick, you can do so through a Windows 7 feature known as ReadyBoost. (Note that if you’re already using an SSD as your system drive, ReadyBoost won’t be available, since there would be no performance gain.)

ReadyBoost allows the system to make use of one of these speedy storage devices as a cache, improving overall performance of the system. The flash storage device that you choose to use for ReadyBoost should meet the following specifications set by Microsoft:

Capacity of at least 256 MB, with at least 64 kilobytes (KB) of free space
At least a 2.5 MB/sec throughput for 4-KB random reads
At least a 1.75 MB/sec throughput for 1MB random writes

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10 Windows 7 Commands Admins Need

The command line is often the best place to resolve Windows 7 desktop problems. These basic commands will help speed your troubleshooting tasks.

PC troubleshooting is becoming less common in larger organizations, but consultants and techs in smaller shops still have to get their hands dirty identifying and fixing desktop problems. Oftentimes, troubleshooting Windows 7 means delving into the command line. Here are 10 fundamental Windows 7 commands you might find helpful.

1: System File Checker

Malicious software will often attempt to replace core system files with modified versions in an effort to take control of the system. The System File Checker can be used to verify the integrity of the Windows system files. If any of the files are found to be missing or corrupt, they will be replaced. You can run the System File Checker by using this command:

sfc /scannow

2: File Signature Verification

One way to verify the integrity of a system is to make sure that all the system files are digitally signed. You can accomplish this with the File Signature Verification tool. This tool is launched from the command line but uses a GUI interface. It will tell you which system files are signed and which aren’t. As a rule, all the system files should be digitally signed, although some hardware vendors don’t sign driver files. The command used to launch the File Signature Verification tool is:

sigverif

3: Driverquery

Incorrect device drivers can lead to any number of system problems. If you want to see which drivers are installed on a Windows 7 system, you can do so by running the driverquery tool. This simple command-line tool provides information about each driver that is being used. The command is:

driverquery

If you need a bit more information, you can append the -v switch. Another option is to append the -si switch, which causes the tool to display signature information for the drivers. Here’s how they look:

driverquery -v

driverquery -si

4: Nslookup

The nslookup tool can help you to verify that DNS name resolution is working correctly. When you run nslookup against a host name, the tool will show you how the name was resolved, as well as which DNS server was used during the lookup. This tool can be extremely helpful when troubleshooting problems related to legacy DNS records that still exist but that are no longer correct.

To use this tool, just enter the nslookup command, followed by the name of the host you want to resolve. For example:

nslookup dc1.contoso.com

5: Ping

Ping is probably the simplest of all diagnostic commands. It’s used to verify basic TCP/IP connectivity to a network host. To use it, simply enter the command, followed by the name or IP address of the host you want to test. For example:

ping 192.168.1.1

Keep in mind that this command will work only if Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP) traffic is allowed to pass between the two machines. If at any point a firewall is blocking ICMP traffic, the ping will fail.

6: Pathping

Ping does a good job of telling you whether two machines can communicate with one another over TCP/IP, but if a ping does fail, you won’t receive any information regarding the nature of the failure. This is where the pathping utility comes in.

Pathping is designed for environments in which one or more routers exist between hosts. It sends a series of packets to each router that’s in the path to the destination host in an effort to determine whether the router is performing slowly or dropping packets. At its simplest, the syntax for pathping is identical to that of the ping command (although there are some optional switches you can use). The command looks like this:

pathping 192.168.1.1

7: Ipconfig

The ipconfig command is used to view or modify a computer’s IP addresses. For example, if you wanted to view a Windows 7 system’s full IP configuration, you could use the following command:

ipconfig /all

Assuming that the system has acquired its IP address from a DHCP server, you can use the ipconfig command to release and then renew the IP address. Doing so involves using the following commands:

ipconfig /release

ipconfig /renew

Another handy thing you can do with ipconfig is flush the DNS resolver cache. This can be helpful when a system is resolving DNS addresses incorrectly. You can flush the DNS cache by using this command:

ipconfig /flushdns

8: Repair-bde

If a drive that is encrypted with BitLocker has problems, you can sometimes recover the data using a utility called repair-bde. To use this command, you will need a destination drive to which the recovered data can be written, as well as your BitLocker recovery key or recovery password. The basic syntax for this command is:

repair-bde <source> <destination> -rk | rp <source>

You must specify the source drive, the destination drive, and either the rk (recovery key) or the rp (recovery password) switch, along with the path to the recovery key or the recovery password. Here are two examples of how to use this utility:

repair-bde c: d: -rk e:\recovery.bek

repair-bde c: d: -rp 111111-111111-111111-111111-111111-111111

9: Tasklist

The tasklist command is designed to provide information about the tasks that are running on a Windows 7 system. At its most basic, you can enter the following command:

tasklist

The tasklist command has numerous optional switches, but there are a couple I want to mention. One is the -m switch, which causes tasklist to display all the DLL modules associated with a task. The other is the -svc switch, which lists the services that support each task. Here’s how they look:

tasklist -m

tasklist -svc

10: Taskkill

The taskkill command terminates a task, either by name (which is referred to as the image name) or by process ID. The syntax for this command is simple. You must follow the taskkill command with -pid (process ID) or -im (image name) and the name or process ID of the task that you want to terminate. Here are two examples of how this command works:

taskkill -pid 4104

taskkill -im iexplore.exe

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10 Reasons Windows 10 May Not Be Right

The end of Microsoft’s free Windows 10 upgrade offer is right around the corner. But while Windows 10 is great, there are valid reasons to reject it.

windows-7-to-windows-10

An offer you can refuse

The clock is ticking, folks. If you want to upgrade to Windows 10 for free, you only have until July 29, 2016 to do so. And most people should! Windows 10 is the best Windows yet, chock full of handy new features, sleek under-the-hood improvements, andheadache-killing extras.

But it’s not for everybody. There are some very real, very valid reasons not to upgrade to Windows 10.

If you’re on the fence about whether to accept or reject Microsoft’s freebie, read on for some concrete justifications for staying put.

No Windows Media Center or DVD support

Before we dig into the meatier stuff, let’s take a look at what you’ll potentially give up if you upgrade to Windows 10, starting with some robust media playback options.

Windows 10 kills Windows Media Center off completely, after Windows 8 pushed it into a dark corner. There’s a reason for that: Windows Media Center is fairly niche, and not a lot of people use it. But if you do, you won’t want to upgrade to Windows 10 unless you’re prepared to dive into alternatives like Kodi, Plex, and DVR workarounds.

Oh, and if you’re on Windows 7, be aware that Windows 10 doesn’t offer native DVD playback, though there are no-cost alternatives you can use.

No desktop gadgets or widgets

Likewise, if you’re a big fan of Windows 7’s gadgets and widgets for the desktop, they aren’t available in Windows 10. Which is good, because they’re horribly insecure. Whether you choose to stay on Windows 7 or upgrade to Windows 10, you’d probably be better off using Rainmeter’s seriously slick interactive desktop software.

No OneDrive placeholders

Windows 8.1 offered a handy feature for hardcore OneDrive users: placeholders. Placeholders showed everything stored in your OneDrive account in the Windows 8.1 file system, but only downloaded files to your PC when you opened them. It was a wonderful way to stay on top of your cloud-stored files without downloading all of them to every Windows device you logged into with your Microsoft account, especially if you’ve stashed dozens of gigabytes’ worth of stuff into OneDrive.

Unfortunately, users found it confusing, and Microsoft ripped placeholders out of Windows 10. There are hints that a similar feature may make an appearance someday, but it hasn’t yet, so if placeholders are a must-have feature for you, you’ll want to avoid upgrading to Windows 10. The new operating system’s less granular selective sync options just aren’t the same.

No control over Windows Updates

Aaaaaand here’s the biggie. Windows 10 utterly eradicates the ability to manually control your system updates. Windows 10 Pro will let you defer updates for a few months, but that’s the extent of it. If Microsoft pushes out an update, your system willinstall it eventually (though identifying your Wi-Fi connection as “metered” lets youchoose when updates download, at least).

This isn’t a big deal for people who stuck with Windows 7 and 8’s default Windows Update options, which downloaded patches automatically. But if you like to control your own update destiny, this could be a showstopper.

Privacy concerns

That segues nicely into another controversial Windows 10 “feature.” Microsoft’s new operating system tracks you far more closely than previous versions of Windows, especially if you use the express settings during the initial setup. The search bar utilizes Cortana, Windows 10’s digital assistant, and sends all your queries to Microsoft servers. Your Windows Store app usage is tracked for ad targeting. Windows 10 tracks your typing, location, Edge browser behavior, program installations and more.

It’s a lot. To be fair, a lot of the concern roaring around this is overblown; most of Windows 10’s potential privacy concerns can be disabled. But there’s no way to turn off some of the telemetry data Windows 10 collects about your system and beams back to the mothership. Microsoft executives don’t consider this a privacy issue. If you do, Windows 10 isn’t for you.

Ads and more ads

Windows 10 doesn’t only track your Windows Store app usage for improved ad targeting; it frequently pushes ads of its own at you. By default, you’ll see pop-up notification ads imploring you to get Skype or Office (even if you have Office), ads for suggested Windows Store apps slipped into your Start menu, and even occasional full-screen lockscreen ads for high-profile Windows Store releases.

I loathe the idea that my paid-for operating system—and yes, Windows 10 isn’t truly free—is pushing ads in my face. Fortunately, all of the offenders can be disabled. But doing so requires diving into arcane system settings located in different far-flung corners of the operating system.

Microsoft’s aggressive upgrade tactics

Microsoft’s been acting pretty shady in its aggressive quest to push Windows 7 and 8 users to Windows 10, employing unstoppable pop-ups, malware-like tactics, forced upgrades, intrusive full-screen takeovers, and nasty tricks to coax—and sometimes outright deceive—people into adopting the new OS. It eventually became so heavy-handed that some users have disabled Windows Updates entirely rather than suffer the barrage.

But you know that. If you’re still considering upgrading to Windows 10, you’ve lived through it.

None of that detracts from Windows 10’s underlying awesomeness. But it may have detracted from your desire to upgrade to Windows 10—and rightfully so. If you’re unhappy with Microsoft’s ethics and tactics in handling Windows 10 upgrades, you’re well within your rights to stay put where you’re at.

Software compatibility

In the wake of those forced upgrades, dozens and dozens of readers reached out to me with tales of woe, many revolving around software that simply doesn’t work with Windows 10. As my colleague Glenn Fleishman recently pointed out at Macworld, old software isn’t inherently bad software—but some of it won’t work in Windows 10.

If you rely on particular pieces of software, do a quick Google search to make sure they’ll work in Windows 10 before you upgrade. Office 2003—the last pre-Ribbon UI Office—isn’t compatible, for instance, nor is software that requires the use of Windows 7’s “XP Mode” compatibility, which isn’t available in Windows 10. Microsoft’s upgrade advisor is supposed to let you know if any software won’t work with Windows 10, but users report that it isn’t very reliable. Doing some homework now could save you some big headaches in the future.

Hardware compatibility

Similarly, you’ll want to make sure Windows 10 works with your PC, too. No matter whether you’re running Windows 7 or Windows 8.1, I’d recommend running Microsoft’s hardware compatibility tool to scan your system. To do so, open the Get Windows 10 app—the taskbar icon that’s been tossing out all the upgrade pop-ups—and click on the compatibility report option.

But wait! That’s not all. The tool only checks your core PC reliably. Some people who upgrade to Windows 10 discover that their hardware peripherals won’t work, particularly older printers and scanners. If you have any aging peripherals connected to your PC, be it a printer or a beloved keyboard, I’d again suggest conducting some quick Google searches to ensure your gear won’t become paperweights if you decide to upgrade.

Ain’t broke, don’t fix it

This final reason applies more to people who resist change or aren’t very technically savvy. Yes, Windows 10 is stellar and absolved Windows 8’s worst sins. Getting used to the new operating system shouldn’t be too difficult for many PC users—but the transition isn’t entirely seamless. From Cortana to the introduction of the Edge browser to the radically new-look Start menu, and Windows 10’s evolution into being a more cloud-centric operating system, there are some big changes you’ll need to wrap your head around.

Do Windows 10’s new features and under-the-hood improvements make upgrading worthwhile? I think so. But if you aren’t comfortable dealing with changes on your computer, you might want to stay put. I know several less technically inclined people who paid technicians to revert their PCs to Windows 7 after they couldn’t wrap their heads around Windows 10.

Conversely, if you’ve perfected your workflow on your current operating system and don’t see much benefit in marquee Windows 10 features such as Cortana, the Windows Store, DirectX 12, and virtual desktops, it may not be worth the hassle to switch over to Windows 10.

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10 Must-Have Purchases for SMBs

Small and Medium-Size Businesses (SMBs) will often take shortcuts to cut costs when purchasing. To avoid disasters such as a loss of data or work, SMBs are strongly suggested to focus on the ten points below.

Hardware

Considering the rapid change of technology requirements, a pro-active approach for replacing desktops, laptops, servers, and networking hardware is to look five years into the future.

Backup Software

Although built-in backup software and Windows Server backup are adequate, purchasing a third-party backup solution will have the ability to recover from an image.

Internet Connection

Providing your SMB with a consumer-grade DSL line would not be an efficient business plan. Setting up a network that provides your business with more bandwidth than required will prevent a network bottleneck from occuring.

Firewall

Securing your business with only Windows built-in firewall is not ideal. Configuring a Cisco, Fortinet, or Sonicwall is more secure, reliable and flexible in a SMB environment.

Cloud Storage

Cloud storage provides scalability, reliability and portability. Cloud storage is divided into three categories: Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS), Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) and Software-as-a-Service (SaaS). Many companies are transferring to Cloud services for access to data outside the network.

Website

Online presence has become an important key for all businesses. A solid solution is to have a strong website, blogging and effectively using social media.

Redundancy

Redundancy is an appropriate investment towards ensuring that your SMBs network does not go down. Similar to backups, redundancy does not affect everyday business but should an incident arise, you’ll be glad it’s there.

Support

IT Support is a necessity, whether it’s an in-house department, third-party service provider, or support for software.

Mobile Devices

The ability to work from outside the office and accessing data from anywhere is now an important key for businesses. Setting up a virtual private network enables laptops, tablets and smartphones to connect and work from anywhere.

Printers

Supply your SMB with a printer that has the sustainability and features required for business use.

10 New Security Products to Check Out

1. IBM z13s mainframe

Image: IBM

Security standards are constantly changing. Here are some of the latest software and hardware products to help keep your organization secure.

In February 2016, IBM announced the IBM z13s, a mainframe with cryptographic features built directly into the hardware. According to IBM it can decrypt at twice the speed of the generations before it.

2. Cisco Firepower NGFW

Cisco Firepower NGFW

Image: Cisco

Cisco recently announced its Firepower series appliances with its next-generation firewall (NGFW) technology. There are 16 models in the series that include integrated NGIPS and advanced malware protection.

3. Illumio

Illumio

Image: Illumio

Illumio is a startup that provides adaptive security for the data center and cloud environments. The company recently achieved unicorn status as its value topped $1 billion, and it is consistently named a top enterprise security provider.

4. GOTPass

GOTPass

Image: University of Plymouth, H. Alsaiari, M. Papadaki, P. Dowland, and S. Furnell

GOTPass is a graphical authentication system developed by researchers at the University of Plymouth. It uses images to authenticate instead of traditional passwords.

5. Skyport Systems SkySecure

Skyport Systems SkySecure

Image: Skyport Systems

SkySecure is an out-of-the-box enterprise security solution to protect application workloads. The systems includes hardware, software, and management tools.

6. Spikes Security Isla

Spikes Security Isla

Image: Spikes Security

The Isla is an enterprise appliance that “isolates and eliminates all browser-borne malware.” It was launched in mid-2015, but it was independently certified as invulnerable to web malware exploits in early 2016.

7. Blackphone 2

Blackphone 2

Image: Zack Whittaker/CNET

The Blackphone by Silent Circle is an Android-powered smartphone with a built-in security center to lock down your data. The most recent iteration, the Blackphone 2, released late last year.

8. Imation IronKey Enterprise H350

Imation IronKey Enterprise H350

Image: Imation

The IronKey Enterprise H350 is a rugged, military-grade encrypted hard drive. It is available in multiple capacities and is FIPS 140-2 Level 3 certified.

9. Bitdefender Total Security 2016

Bitdefender Total Security 2016

Image: Bitdefender

For home users and small businesses, the Total Security 2016 by Bitdefender is a great option. It stacks up well against key competitors and includes device anti-theft features.

10. Qubes OS 3.1 rc2

Qubes OS 3.1 rc2

Image: Qubes

Qubes OS is a Linux-based, security-oriented OS that is focused on compartmentalization using VMs. It’s been around for a few years, but the latest version released in January 2016.

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Top 10 Mechanical Keyboards for Work

1. Unicomp Ultra Classic

unicomp-SJTechies

Mechanical keyboards started as a trend among PC gamers but have crossed over into the realm of developers and IT pros. Here are 10 models worth checking out.

Modeled after the grandaddy of all mechanical keyboards, the IBM Model M, the Unicomp Ultra Classic offers the same buckling spring design and a similar aesthetic (which makes sense because Unicomp bought the technology behind the Model M in the 1990s). If you want the reliability of a classic Model M, but don’t want to deal with decades of keyboard funk on a vintage model, go with the Unicomp. But, if you want the nostalgia factor, you can probably find an old Model M on eBay.

2. Das Keyboard 4 Professional

das-SJTechies

Known for its sleek designs and strong build quality, Das is one of the biggest names in mechanical keyboards. The Das Keyboard 4 Professional uses cherry MX switches with gold contacts, and has a design that would fit well in an office environment.

3. Ducky Legend

duckylegend-SJTechies

Ducky is better known for its Shine series of keyboards, but the aluminum case Legend would be more at home in an office setting. The keys are backlit by LEDs and users can choose which switches they want to use.

4. Logitech G710

logitech710-SJTechies

The G710 is a good middle-of-the-road selection from Logitech’s G series keyboards. The G710 uses Cherry MX blue switches for a good mechanical feel, but operates quietly so you won’t disturb your coworkers.

5. Kinesis Advantage

advantagekinesis-SJTechies

The Kinesis Advantage combines the tactile comfort of Cherry MX brown switches with the support of an ergonomic design. It’s a little on the pricey side, but it comes with a 60 day guarantee.

6. Ultimate Hacking Keyboard

uhk-SJTechies

The Ultimate Hacking Keyboard bills itself as a split design mechanical keyboard for professionals. This keyboard uses Cherry MX switches and has additional modules that can be snapped into place to customize it.

7. Cooler Master MasterKeys Pro L

coolermaster-SJTechies

If you’re after cool lighting options and good performance, consider the Cooler Master MasterKeys Pro L. This keyboard is powered by a ARM Cortex M3 processor and brings a minimal design.

8. Razer BlackWidow

razerwidow-SJTechies

Razer is a big name in the gaming world and their BlackWidow is a mechanical keyboard built for gaming. It uses proprietary Razer switches and gold contact points, and offers lots of lighting options.

9. ErgoDox EZ

ergodox-SJTechies

ErgoDox initially made noise in the keyboard market with its ErgoDox kit that required a lot of assembly, including soldering all the points by hand. The ErgoDox EZ, however, is a ready-made kit based on an open source design that is a nice split design option.

10. CODE Mechanical Keyboard

code-SJTechies

The CODE mechanical keyboard was designed with developers in mind. Using 6-Key USB rollover, it opens up many options for shortcuts.

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10 Compelling Windows 10 Upgrade Reasons

The deadline for Microsoft’s free Windows 10 upgrade looms. Here’s why you don’t want to let it pass by.

windows-7-to-windows-10

An offer you shouldn’t refuse

The deadline cometh. July 29 looms, and after that, Windows 7 and 8 users will no longer be able to upgrade to Windows 10 for free. If you’ve been waiting for Microsoft to polish out the operating system’s initial bugs, it’s time to make the leap.

This article’s more for the fence-sitters—the folks who haven’t decided whether to stick with what they know or embrace Microsoft’s new-school operating system. There are some very valid reasons not to upgrade to Windows 10, to be honest. But Windows 10 is the best Windows yet, and most people should claim the free upgrade while there’s still time.

Here’s why.

Improved desktop experience

Let’s be frank: Windows 8’s fugly, unfunctional, and obnoxiously colored Start screen sucked. So did the way Windows 8 hid crucial information behind hidden “charms,” which had no on-screen hints for how to access them. It scared a lot of people away from upgrading, and rightfully so.

You don’t have to worry about that with Windows 10.

Windows 10 takes the same core ideas behind Windows 8, but makes them palatable for the desktop audience. Windows Store apps are still present, but they’re in desktop windows that can be resized and used like any other. The Start menu’s back, with a pop-out section that puts information-delivering Live Tiles to better use—and yes, they can all be deleted if you want.

True, there are some changes to wrap your head around if you upgrade from Windows 7 to Windows 10. But the basic building blocks of the operating system will be largely familiar.

Enthusiast-friendly additions

More than simply being familiar, Windows 10 is superior to Windows 7 for PC enthusiasts, because Microsoft made an active effort to woo desktop diehards.

Windows 10’s hardcore tools range from virtual desktops (pictured) to improved high-DPI monitor support to pasting text inside the command prompt. Easy file version recovery? Better storage management tools? Windows 10 has it all.

The operating system even provides power-user tools for Windows Updates, letting you schedule updates to run at a specific time or distribute patches across your local network using peer-to-peer technology. It’s great.

Under-the-hood improvements

If you’re upgrading from Windows 7, you’ll be amazed at just how quick and modern Windows 10 feels. Microsoft optimized Windows’ underlying code in Windows 8, resulting in an operating system that boots like greased lightning—especially if you have an SSD—and just plain feels faster.

It’s just one of the many Windows 8 improvements that Windows 7 holdouts will enjoy in Windows 10.

Native security protection

This appeals more to everyday PC users than hardcore enthusiasts, but Windows 10 is inherently much more secure than Windows 7. The operating system ships with Microsoft’s Windows Defender antivirus software and the Windows Firewall installed and enabled by default, which provides many PCs with a huge security uplift. (You’d be amazed how many people never bother to install new security software after their free Norton or McAfee trial runs out.)

But Microsoft didn’t stop there. Windows 10’s UEFI Secure Boot requirement protects against low-level rootkits that could infect your PC, the SmartScreen filter guards against malicious websites, and Windows Hello makes biometric-based authentication easy-peasy.

Better security is always a good thing.

Cortana

Cortana, Microsoft’s answer to Apple’s Siri and Google Now replaces Windows 10’s basic search functionality, and I couldn’t be happier. Cortana mixes good humor with web-based smarts that can help you set reminders and alarms, stay on top of sports scores and news, navigate and operate your operating system, track packages, plan trips, and more. Even better: Cortana’s going to become more proactive and usefulwhen the Windows 10 Anniversary Update rolls around August 2.

DirectX 12

Microsoft’s powerful, next-generation DirectX 12 graphics technology is exclusive to Windows 10 devices. If you’re a PC gamer, this feature alone is worth the upgrade.

We’re still in the early days of DirectX 12 adoption. Most PC games still release in DirectX 11. We’re not really sure of the graphics API’s full potential, but early DX12 implementations in games tend to result in smoother experiences and higher overall frame rates. That’s especially so on PCs with AMD Radeon graphics cards, thus far—check out our Radeon RX 480 review for hard benchmarks—but Nvidia’s GeForce cards enjoy DX12 benefits, too.

More and more games are starting to embrace DirectX 12. Seriously: If you’re a gamer, upgrade now. This isn’t coming to Windows 7 or 8.

Universal Windows apps

But DirectX 12 has come to the Xbox One. That’s because Microsoft’s console runs Windows 10 under the hood, and Windows 10 devices can all run universal Windows apps. One tangible benefit of the cross-device compatibility is the forthcoming Xbox Play Anywhere feature, which lets you buy a game once and play it on both Windows 10 and the Xbox One, as well as transfer saves and play multiplayer games across the two platforms. Nifty!

Play Anywhere is definitely the highlight so far, but universal Windows apps likewise morph to fit the screens of tablets, phones, and even Microsoft’s HoloLens augmented reality headset. The one caveat: Microsoft hasn’t yet convinced developers to embrace the Windows Store en masse.

The little extras

Windows 10 quietly eliminates many of the biggest little irritations present in previous versions of Windows. You can finally print to PDF natively now, and hovering your mouse over a background window lets you scroll that, rather than the in-focus program. Per-monitor display scaling eliminates visual oddities with multi-monitor setups. Cortana’s natural language search—“Hey Cortana, show my pictures from last Christmas”—can be a serious time-saver when used correctly.

All in all, these little touches add up to a big usability difference. Check out PCWorld’s story on the 12 obscure new Windows 10 features that eliminate everyday hassles for all the details.

It’s free!

C’mon. It’s a free upgrade until July 29. If you’re considering upgrading to Windows 10 at any point in the future, now’s the time to do it. Just be aware of what you’re giving in return.

It’ll keep getting better

Microsoft isn’t resting on its laurels now that Windows 10 is out in the wild. A majorWindows 10 Anniversary Update is due to land on August 2, stuffed with new features and bug fixes, and Microsoft’s continually updating the operating system with the help of its legion of Windows Insider preview testers.

Windows 7, meanwhile, is solidly past the new-feature phase of life, though security updates will keep on a-rolling until 2020. Windows 8 is still ostensibly in its mainstream support phase through the beginning of 2018, but don’t expect to see any new goodies added there.

Counterpoint

That’s a pretty compelling list of reasons to upgrade to Windows 10—and the security boost might even push you into encouraging your non-geeky friends (you know, the ones always asking you for unofficial tech support) into accepting the upgrade, too. A safer environment for normal people is a safer world for everybody.

But again, there are some valid justifications for rejecting Microsoft’s offer. Most people should embrace the new operating system with open arms, but before you make the leap, be sure to read PCWorld’s list of the 10 reasons why you shouldn’t upgrade to Windows 10—especially if you’re using older hardware or software.

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10 Cool Tech Features for Your Next PC

Takeaway: Impressive new technologies are revolutionizing PC performance, but should you buy now or wait for more improvements? These details will help you decide.

It’s an exciting time for PC enthusiasts. I can’t remember a period when so many existing technologies were being upgraded to the next generation and new technologies were being introduced. Even non-enthusiasts need to know about the changes that are happening to the desktop PC.

But knowing when to upgrade your PC to the latest and greatest can be a difficult decision. Should you buy now or wait for the even more advanced technology that has been promised by the likes of Intel, AMD, and others? For power users, and a lot of IT professionals fall into this category, waiting for a specific technology can have a huge impact on their future productivity and ultimate success. I will list 10 PC-based technologies that are either new or soon to be released and leave it to you whether it is “got to have” or “can do without” technology.

Note: Release schedules, specifications, and prices are subject to change prior to formal release. Use this information as a guideline only.

Extra info: This article is available as a PDF download that includes 11 tables containing additional details on availability, configuration, and technical specifications.

1: USB 3.0

USB devices are ubiquitous, so it’s only natural to want to know more about the successor to USB 2.0. USB 3.0 increases the effective data transfer rate by a factor of more than six — a huge improvement over USB 2.0. It also provides more power than USB 2.0 when devices need it, 4.5 Watts versus 2.5 Watts, respectively, and less when they don’t. USB 3.0 is available now as a chip added to the motherboard or via an add-in card. AMD supports USB 3.0 natively and Intel has announced plans to support USB 3.0 in its 7-series Panther Point chipsets.

Additional resources

10 things you should know about USB 2.0 and 3.0 (TechRepublic)
USB 3.0 (Wikipedia)

2: Intel Thunderbolt

Intel, along with Apple, has developed a technology to compete with USB called Thunderbolt — although Intel prefers to think of Thunderbolt as coexisting with USB. Originally codenamed “Light Peak” and making use of optical cables, Thunderbolt is copper-based, allowing for 10 watts of power over the copper. Thunderbolt combines PCI Express and DisplayPort protocols into one shared interface.

There is quite a bit of confusion about the total bandwidth of a Thunderbolt port. According to this Intel Technology Brief, “A Thunderbolt connector is capable of providing two full-duplex channels. Each channel provides bi-directional 10Gbps of bandwidth.” That is 20Gb/s upstream and 20Gb/s downstream. So why is Thunderbolt advertised at 10Gb/s or “only” twice the speed of USB 3.0? An Intel spokesman explained it this way in PC Magazine: “So in summation you have potential for up to 20Gb/s upstream AND 20Gb/s downstream, but any single device maxes out at 10Gb/s (you don’t ‘combine’ the two channels).”

Of course, most consumer storage devices don’t come anywhere near the 10Gb/s data rate, but that is changing with the faster SSDs and flash drives now being produced. Also, up to seven total devices can be daisy-chained to use the remaining 20Gb/s per direction total bandwidth. One or two of these can be high resolution DisplayPort v1.1a displays.

This speed comes at a price, though. A 2.0 meter copper-based Thunderbolt cable costs $49.00 USD, the cost due primarily to the Gennum GN2033 controllers and other electronics built into each end of the cable that performs the data moving and multiplexing magic. You also have to add the cost of the Thunderbolt controllers needed on both the host and peripheral device.

Expect Thunderbolt to be supported on Intel’s Ivy Bridge processors but don’t count on it being available on the 7-series Panther Point chipsets due out in March of 2012. There are limitations I won’t bore you with here, but they are listed in this article, along with other Thunderbolt details.

Thunderbolt using optical cable, also known as 50G Silicon Photonics Link (PDF), continues to be in the works and may appear as early as 2012. According to Dave Salvator of Intel, “Current supported data rate is two channels at 10Gbps bi-directional each.” Thunderbolt ports accept either copper or optical cables.

Additional resources

Thunderbolt Technology: The Transformational PC I/O (Intel)
Thunderbolt Web site (Intel)
Thunderbolt (interface) (Wikipedia)
Introducing Thunderbolt (Apple)

3: Serial ATA International Organization: Serial ATA Revision 3.0

That long name is the formal specification name of the follow-on to SATA Revision 2.0. SATA Revision 3.0 or SATA 6Gb/s doubles the effective data transfer rate of SATA Revision 2.0. Looking further out, the SATA Revision 3.2 specification is due by the end of 2011 that creates the SATA Express standard. SATA Express combines SATA software infrastructure and PCI Express to enable 8Gb/s using PCIe 2.0 or 16Gb/s using PCIe 3.0. Both SATA Revision 3.0 and SATA Express are intended to accommodate the increasing data speeds of sold-state and hybrid drives.

Except for Queued TRIM Command, SATA Revision 3.1 includes features primarily for non-PC devices.

Additional resources

Fast Just Got Faster: SATA 6Gb/s (The Serial ATA International Organization [PDF])
SATA-IO Releases Revision 3.1 Specification (The Serial ATA International Organization [PDF])
SATA revision 3.0 (SATA 6 Gbit/s) (Wikipedia)

4: PCI Express 3.0

PCI Express 3.0 is the next generation standard for the Peripheral Component Interconnect Express, or PCIe. For average PC users, this means that their graphics cards and other extreme I/O add-in cards will be able to transfer data at twice the rate of PCIe 2.0.

PCI Express 3.0 uses a more efficient method of data encoding, 128b/130b, with a 1.5385% overhead versus the 20% overhead of 8b/10b used in the PCIe 2.0 specification. This allows for a doubling of the effective transfer rate even though the total bandwidth increases only 60% from 5GT/s to 8GT/s. Tom’s Hardware is reporting that the first three Sandy Bridge-E processors scheduled for release in November 2011 will have PCIe 3.0 capability but without the PCIe 3.0 certification.

Additional resources

PCI Express 3.0 (Wikipedia)
PCI Express 3.0 Frequently Asked Questions (PCI-SIG)

5: SSDs & SSD Toolbox

SSDs promise huge increases in performance over the most common bottleneck in a personal computer system, data access to and from hard drives. SSDs are approaching and even exceeding 500MB/s sequential read and write rates. But there are plenty of cons that come with that speedy SSD. SSDs have small capacities and are still expensive compared to hard disk drives. While they are available and have been for quite a while now, the technology is going through birthing pains, as exemplified by the continued compatibility issues with the SandForce SF-2200 series of controllers (see below).

Firmware issues continue to appear, though as in the case of the Intel “Addresses Bad Context 13x Error,” firmware updates to remediate the issue are available. SSDs require a different mindset than with traditional hard disk drives. To maximize life and performance, users need to be educated about defragmentation, Hibernation, AHCI and TRIM and Page File.

The Intel Solid-State Drive Toolbox (PDF) monitors and manages Intel’s SSDs and adds new features. These features include the Intel SSD Optimizer TRIM function, System Configuration Tuner, Secure Erase, access to the SMART data, and running diagnostics to check for read or write errors. OCZ offers a toolbox for their SSDs, and Samsung provides the SSD Magician Tool. SSD Tweaker optimizes Windows for your SSD, and a free version is available.

Additional resources

Solid-state drive (Wikipedia)
Intel SSD Toolbox Questions and Answers (Intel [PDF])

6: SandForce DuraClass SSD controllers

SandForce has developed a controller for SSDs that adds these DuraClass technology features to the base SSD drive:

Five-year expected life using inexpensive MLC flash memory
SATA 6Gb/s Interface
DuraWrite — Reduces write amplification to 0.5 (typical)
SandForce RAISE technology
(Redundant Array of Independent Silicon Elements) – Provides RAID-like redundant protection for single SSD computers
Automatic AES-128 encryption (SF-1000)
Automatic AES-256 encryption (SF-2000)
Currently available

Look for the SandForce DRIVEN logo when specing out an SSD or check out this list of SSDs that use the SandForce DuraClass Controllers. Before purchase, be aware that some users have reported problems (including some BSODs) with the SF-2200 controllers. SandForce continues to look into the issue and new firmware updates are in test now.

Additional resources

SandForce (Home page)
SandForce (Wikipedia)

7: AMD Bulldozer

Power users have been anxiously awaiting the details of AMD’s Bulldozer processors. The desktop processor models are called AMD FX and were officially launched on October 12, 2011. This is not your secretary’s processor — the full AMD FX lineup of CPUs is unlocked. Four models are available at the initial launch, one 4-core model, one 6-core model, and two 8-core models. The processors, codenamed Zambezi, have a 32nm die size. High-end FX models will ship with a sealed liquid cooling system made by Asetek, pictured here, though they will initially be limited to specific markets and not available at launch. Availability of the liquid cooling system in the U.S. is still to be determined.

Before you get too excited, you need to fully understand the exact meaning of a Bulldozer “core.” The Bulldozer microarchitecture employs one module with “two tightly-linked processor cores” that share a fetch, decode, and 256-bit floating-point units and 2MB of L2 memory cache. For example, four Bulldozer modules provide the eight “cores” of the FX-8000 series processors. Testing by AnandTech and Tom’s Hardware of an FX-8150 processor shows that single-threaded performance is similar to that of the Intel Core i5-2500K. Performance is better with higher workloads and multi-threaded applications that can utilize more of its eight “cores.”

Additional resources

AMD FX Processors (AMD)
AMD Hot Chips Bulldozer & Bobcat Presentation (SlideShare)
AMD “Bulldozer” Interactive Series – Introduction (YouTube)
Bulldozer (processor) (Wikipedia)

8: Intel Sandy Bridge-E

The next generation of Sandy Bridge processors is dubbed Sandy Bridge-E, with the E meaning Enthusiast. Unlike AMD, which delayed the release of its nex- generation processors, rumors are that the release date of three of the Sandy Bridge-E processors has been pushed up to November 2011. Performance increases of 12% to 65% are expected, compared to similar processors. While the Sandy Bridge-E processors will be built using the 32nm production process, the follow-on processor series, codenamed Ivy Bridge, which is expected in March 2012, will use the 22nm process.

It’s a little confusing, but the Sandy Bridge-E processers will use the new LGA 2011 socket and the X79 Patsburg chipset. The Ivy Bridge processors will use the existing LGA 1155 socket plus the existing 6-series Cougar Point chipset or the yet-to-be-released 7-series Panther Point chipset. As mentioned above, one advantage of the 7-series Panther Point chipset is that it will have native USB 3.0 support.

Like AMD, X-bit labs is reporting that top Sandy Bridge-E models will ship with a new liquid cooling system. The RTS2011C liquid-cooling system looks remarkably like the AMD cooler, which may be more than coincidental, since both are supposedly built by Asetek. This cooling solution will also be sold separately, which is of note since Sandy Bridge-E processors may ship without a cooler.

You will want to wait before purchasing a Sandy Bridge-E processor if you are interested in using hardware accelerated virtualization. Rumors are that the C1 stepping revision has a problem with VT-d, Virtualization Technology for Directed I/O, which will be fixed in the C2 stepping.

Additional resources

Intel Core i7-3960X (Sandy Bridge-E) And X79 Platform Preview (Tom’s Hardware)
LGA 2011 and Sandy Bridge-E News from IDF 2011 (X-bit labs)

9: DDR4 SDRAM

With publication of the DDR4 SDRAM standard not expected until mid-2012, don’t expect to see DDR4 memory in desktops anytime soon. Availability is confusing since a presentation by the JEDEC director at MemCon 2010 suggested 2015. But BeHardware.com claims that Hynix plans to begin mass production of DDR4 SDRAM in the second half of 2102. Regardless of DDR4 memory module production dates, supporting processors and chipsets may lag well behind — late 2013 is projected for AMD. Unless you are willing to wait until then, your next PC will contain DDR3 SDRAM memory. There is some good news for those wanting faster SDRAM in the near future. The FlyingSuicide Web site is reporting that Sandy Bridge-E processors will officially support DDR3 speeds up to 2133MHz. X-bit labs is reporting that Ivy Bridge processors will support DDR3 memory operating at 2800MHz, even though DDR3 memory at these speeds is not yet available. Either of these would be a great interim solution while waiting for DDR4, assuming of course that the rumors turn out to be accurate.

DDR4 is expected to use a point-to-point approach instead of dual- and triple-channel architecture, though JEDEC has not formally announced that it will be in the final spec. According to JDEC, “The DDR4 standard will be implemented with 3D support from the start.” This means that memory can be stacked using technologies like Through-Silicon Via (TSV). The voltage is expected to eventually decrease from 1.2V to 1.05V.

Additional resources

DDR4 SDRAM (Wikipedia)
JEDEC Announces Key Attributes of Upcoming DDR4 Standard (JEDEC)
DDR4: What we can Expect (bit-tech)

10: Microsoft Windows 8

The major change in Windows 8 begins with the UI, called the Metro UI. A new start screen with Live Tiles replaces shortcut icons. A touch screen monitor will obviously be required if you want to use the new interface with your fingers instead of a mouse. The hints so far are of a UI more befitting a tablet than a personal computer. Yes, you almost certainly will be able to turn off the Metro UI in the final release, but why upgrade to Windows 8 just to turn off its biggest selling feature? It is still too early to tell what other new features will be available that will increase productivity and make for a better user experience on a PC. Windows 8 is expected to support USB 3.0, but as of this time there is no definite news whether Thunderbolt will also be supported. With Thunderbolt coming to the PC in 2012, Microsoft would be remiss to overlook it.

Many questions remain as to whether Windows 8 will be a success on a desktop PC in the workplace:

Will users adopt the new interface — with or without a touch screen monitor?
Will employers invest in more expensive touch screen monitors?
Will Windows 8 be more productive?
Will reaching out to touch a monitor eight hours a day cause physiological pain or even harm?

Until more is known, expect businesses to take a cautious, even skeptical approach to Windows 8. Decide for yourself if you like the new interface- – preview Windows 8 by downloading the Windows Developer Preview, a pre-beta version for developers but available to everyone.

Additional resources

Windows 8 (Wikipedia)
Previewing “Windows 8? (Microsoft)
Windows 8 features explained: What’s new and how it works (Digital Trends)
Windows 8 features we know about so far (TechRepublic)
Building robust USB 3.0 support (Microsoft)

The bottom line

It’s taken 30 years, but I finally have a system that is fast enough for my needs. My Foxconn BlackOps, Intel Core 2 Quad Q9650 with RAID 10 system will more than suffice. Which leads to the obvious question: How much of this technology do you really need? The core wars between AMD and Intel continue, but realistically, how many of those Bulldozer “cores” can you keep busy in a world of single-threaded apps? Other technologies, like USB 3.0, Thunderbolt, SATA Revision 3.0, PCIe 3.0, SSDs, and SandForce promise immediate performance gains. Of course, needs vary, and whatever new technology you include in that next PC should be based on your individual needs.

With all of the buzz about the latest tablet or smart phone, the PC is still the workhorse for most cubicle residents. No matter how careful you are future-proofing your next personal computer, there will always be newer technologies on the horizon. But the next six months look like a great time to upgrade that relic sitting on your desktop you used to call a PC and get the bulk of the new technologies. Happy shopping!

Author’s note: I would like to thank SandForce, Intel, and AMD for their help with this article.