Category Archives: Notebook

Improving your Skype audio

I use Skype a lot these days for keeping in touch with family and friends around the world. Computer to Computer calls are free so it makes a lot of sense to use it

However are you getting the best from your Skype set-up?

Because of the small delays in transmission across the internet it is possible that you might get an ‘echo’ coming back to you, which can be quite distracting.

Whilst Skype works with nearly all computer set ups. I don’t recommend using the built in microphone and speakers on your laptop.  You can improve the performance of your set-up by just plugging in some earphones/headphones in to the speaker out socket (normally the green socket) on your laptop or computer. This will isolate the incoming audio from your outgoing audio via the microphone.

Continue reading

£200 Laptop

So can a £200 laptop cut the mustard…

http://www.pocket-lint.co.uk/reviews/review.phtml/2731/3755/Asus-eee-701-pc-laptop.phtml
http://www.tech.co.uk/computing/mobile-computing/notebooks-and-tablet-pcs/news/dirt-cheap-sub-notebooks-soon-to-be-the-norm?articleid=876125417
http://www.tech.co.uk/computing/mobile-computing/notebooks-and-tablet-pcs/news/asus-eee-good-things-come-in-small-packages?articleid=2131952546
http://www.tech.co.uk/computing/mobile-computing/notebooks-and-tablet-pcs/review/asus-eee-pc-4g

It comes with Linux pre-installed… you can use an external USB drive for storage, or use on line storage of course… great for emails and a bit of surfing the net.. looking on the forum etc….what else do you need?

I think of it as a Psion 5mx replacement… it’s quite small… about the size of a hardback book…

Or there is the Nokia N810… although a friend was saying last night that it’s not that brilliant…

http://www.tech.co.uk/computing/internet-and-broadband/news/nokia-n810-who-needs-an-iphone?articleid=843338695
This one is a bit more portable.

Or there is the iPhone… very nice, but you would be tied to a mobile phone contract…. may be not, I think I would prefer to stick to a 2/3 box solution…

1. Mobile phone
2. Ipod
3. Laptop/small notebook pc/PDA of some kind.

Palm where about to bring out the Folieo
http://www.tech.co.uk/computing/mobile-computing/news/palm-cancels-foleo-mobile-companion?articleid=834975120
but for various reasons the product was cancelled…

Apple are rumoured to be bringing out a flash based MacBook in the new year… but that will not be in the below £500 bracket…