In the 1960s, you would have been able to spot the difference between a computer, and any other device. In fact, it would have been really easy, considering that desktops were so big that they filled entire rooms.

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Today, we find ourselves surrounding by computers that blend in with tablets and books. If they ever decide to rebel (rather with forceful violence a la the Terminator, or sociopathic creepiness like Hal), humanity has a hard task ahead of itself.

What’s the best way to prepare yourself for the inevitable computer Armageddon? Identify all of the computers that control aspects of your life: you’ll find that many perform essential tasks.

We’ve become so dependent on them that we even design numerous devices to accomplish similar tasks, such as telling time, or spreading rumors. These devices go by numerous names, but we rarely call them computers. If we can’t reclaim that word, then humanity might as well say “Hasta la vista, Baby.”

The Ultimate Media Machine

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Think that your beloved TV will stick with you after the computer rebellion? Not unless you’re holding on to ancient model from that era of technology known as the 20th century. Today’s televisions are the ultimate media machines: engineers have reached that goal by replacing analog parts with tiny computers.

You won’t find a cathode ray tube inside your television these days. No, it’s filled with tons of circuit boards performing countless calculations. Who knew that an episode of That’s So Raven required such smart technology?

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Televisions aren’t working by themselves these days; they’ve teamed up with other devices. With a Nintendo Wii, for instance, you can stream Hulu’s television shows and movies directly to your TV. Wii, PS3, and other devices will even let you stream content from services such as Netflix while browsing other sites.

All of that means that your television is getting increasingly Web savvy. It can’t be long until they use these powers to conspire with each other and overthrow mankind.

The Incredible Shrinking Computer

If you get worried thinking about the upper hand televisions will have during a robot revolution, then you’ll be terrified when you think about your cell phone. Cell phones have become so sophisticated that we even call them smartphones.

And just think, you keep that smart little schemer in your pocket. You let it monitor every phone call and text message. You allow it to keep an eye on every website you visit. Don’t you know that they’re the most trusted informers for the robot revolution?

Today’s smartphones are tiny computers. The iPhone, for instance, isn’t really a phone. It’s more like a pocket-sized computer. The ability to place phone calls almost seems like an afterthought.

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When you consider that this handheld device has the ability to record video, connect to the Internet, play movies, buy consumer products, access your bank account, and interpret voicemail as readable text, you start to wonder why Apple chose to use the diminutive “i.”

Yeah, But Can a Book Tell Time?

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It’s not just cell phones that have turned into little computers: even today’s books include such a dazzling array of media and networking options that it is hard to categorize them. e-Readers offer many of the same technological wonders as computers and smartphones.

The iPad, for instance, can connect to the Internet through wireless networks, play movies,  let you enjoy graphics-intense video games, as well as some pretty creative uses. The Nook offers similar features, making one wonder why anyone would pick up a paper book, again.

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After all, your copy of Moby Dick might be timeless fiction, but it can’t actually tell time. e-Readers do that, plus help you stay connected with friends, keep up with current events and trends, and slowly go brain dead watching inane YouTube videos. Then again, your paperback books aren’t going to rise up to slay humanity any day now. That’s a definite advantage.

The Key Controls Your Identity

Here’s something truly frightening: computers now control your identity. How so? Through key fobs and security tokens that have replaced security passwords and mechanical keys, your identity has become fluid.

Electronic key fobs are small pieces of hardware (cough, cough, computers, cough) that confirm your identity to other devices (cough, cough), such as ATMs, security systems, and automobiles. Some of them, for instance, are little USB drives that you stick into a system’s port. Others use radio signals and Bluetooth technology to transmit your identity to machines.

Now for the creepy part: smartphones have the ability to act as security tokens. Computer programmers use Java programs to simulate the security token’s function. Viola, the smartphone has taken another step towards complete world control.

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Soon, you’ll find that you can’t even make a purchase without your phone. Why? Smartphones now have the ability to make credit card payments in retail stores. As computers start to blur the lines between devices, it is easy to see the Techno Rapture approach.

There is No Escape: Your Car Will Kill You

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Think that you can escape the ire of technology in your car? Think again. Many cars have as many as 50 microprocessors in them. Sure, this offers enhanced safety features, gives you better control of the vehicle, and makes problems easier to diagnose; but that’s only as long as computers comply with human control.

Plus, some car manufacturers are now installing wireless Internet routers in their vehicles. That’s going to make it much easier for the robot overlords to track human movement and keep an eye on rebels fighting for the rights of meat-based organisms.

CONCLUSION

There’s no doubt that the future is scary. Now that you can identify some of the most common computers in your life, though, you have a fighting chance. Stick to your guns; as long as those guns don’t have microchips in them (microchips are just tiny computers), and you might survive the Robot Uprising.

At the very least, you might be able to live as your smartphone’s pet.

It’s not enough just to play the newest and the greatest online games any longer; today’s players want to utilize hands-free voice chat programs so they don’t have to type while playing. In fact, this has become so useful that some of the newer games have voice chat capabilities built right into the game interface.

Programs like Skype, Team Speak, XFire and Ventrillo are designed to allow the user to chat in a normal voice while simultaneously playing a game. This has made typing communications between players nearly obsolete, allowing the player to seamlessly communicate with teammates and effectively become a more adept player. AssaultCube, like many other games, has its own language and any casual eavesdropper to a voice chat session amongst players would likely find themselves wondering what they’re talking about. The following are some common terms that players might shout out while playing and an interpretation for those who aren’t familiar with the lingo.

• WOOT – WOOT is often shouted out in jubilation when one team is about to vanquish another. It translates as “we own the other team.”
• Sens – Sens is short for sensitivity. This relates to the adjustability of your crosshairs in relation to the movement of the mouse or trackpad.
• Ping – Ping is often discussed and refers to the amount of time the game data takes to move from the client to the server and back again.
• Noob – The term noob is often used as an insult, when one is ignorant of the game play mechanics or does something foolish.
• Newbie – This refers to an inexperienced player and is not often used as an insult–rather just as a description of the player’s experience level.
• POV – This is short for “point of view” and is often heard as players try to negotiate terrain in order to eliminate the enemy.
• Headshot – This is the term used to describe a shot to the head from a sniper rifle.
• Frag – This is game slang for a kill.
• Gib – This is also game slang but it refers to the action of receiving two points instead of one after scoring a headshot or by using a grenade to kill an opponent.
• DM – DM refers to one of the modes of game play called Deathmatch, a free for all game play style.
• Clan – Clan is synonymous with guild and is a group of like-minded players who form a community amongst themselves.
• CTF – This is an acronym for another mode of game play called Capture the Flag
• LSS – Last Swiss Standing is the long form and is another mode of game play in AssaultCube.

Using a voice chat program while playing AssaultCube not only frees players from having to type and allows them to become more effective players, but it is in itself a form of entertainment. Others on the channel can hear the myriad swear words and expletives that are shouted at the player’s screen after suffering an unexpected headshot or frag.

To the naked eye, computer gamers might appear to be regular human beings; they walk and talk like regular humans. However, when it comes to the type of computers that gamers require, they are anything but normal.

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Because a traditional laptop doesn’t provide a player with the technological equipment they need to really experience a game like it was designed to be experienced, many avid game players have switched from a regular laptop to what is known as a gaming laptop. If you regularly play games on a laptop, here are some reasons why you should make the switch too.

Ability to Play Anywhere
Gamers have gotten a bad reputation for sitting in front of their desktop computers and playing games all day. With a gaming laptop, you won’t be stuck in one place because you can play from any location that has an Internet connection—like an Internet cafe, the library or at the kitchen table. Portability is a major reason gamers are making the switch to gaming laptops.

Lightening Fast Speeds
Computer speed is of the essence to the gamer. Unfortunately, traditional laptops can’t offer the processing speed or memory space required by the larger games. Slow processing can cause lag—a severe slow-down in data transfer– and that can cause players to miss out on important battles and other gaming elements. A gaming laptop will allow you to play your games in real time without worrying about that annoying computer lag.

Feel Like You’re In the Game
Long gone are the days of blurry, hard to see graphics. With a gaming laptop you get the top of the line when it comes to graphics cards and computer screens. The gaming laptops on the market today have fast graphics capabilities only dreamed about even 5 years ago and can process crystal clear 3D images, display them on a high definition screen and give the user a sense of “realness” that has never been available on a laptop before.

Another improved and enhanced feature is the sound system. A quality sound system can add to the total gaming experience and when combined with a fast graphics card and a high def screen, players can really feel as if they are right inside the game.

Larger Memory
Computer gaming software keeps getting bigger and bigger in terms of size—and this means a good gaming computer must have more available memory than other computers. Gaming laptops come equipped with large amounts of RAM— random access memory–so they can handle the gaming software as well as any expansion packs.

The larger amount of RAM allows the computer to have enough working space to handle all those glorious 3D game images while also processing the game play.

Gaming laptops can enhance the whole gaming experience and allow a player to feel as if they are in the game world and part of it. By making the change to a gaming laptop you’ll be able to enjoy your first person shooter games and MMORPGs like never before.

Call it what you will, portable PC, laptop or notebook, this device is one of the most significant technological developments in history. Its potential as a productivity tool is virtually limitless. A laptop can be carried just about anywhere, but portability is only the beginning. They can be used when an AC power supply is lacking, and they possess all the components of the highest rated desktops.

Laptop computers have come a long way since they were first introduced in the 1980s. They haven’t all been winners, and there are quite a few we would rather forget. Of course, this does not excuse a few entrants on this list, as some people would not wish them on their exes, no matter how bad the breakup was.

The Apple Macintosh Portable

While Apple has more than made up for past mistakes with recent offerings, this laptop still deserves to be mentioned. Firstly, weighing in at 16 pounds means many people still don’t even consider it a laptop in the truest sense of the word. It also lacked the capacity to use AC power, relying instead on heavy lead acid batteries. Priced at $6500, many people simply decided that portability was overrated.

Sharp RD3D Notebook

There is nothing tech users hate more than a product that fails to deliver what it promises. This was the RD3D Notebook in a nutshell. It was supposed to give users 3D without glasses, but this meant constantly repositioning the laptop or the user had to change position to even see it. As frustrating as this was, some users also complained of headaches.

Dell 320i

This is actually a subnotebook that scored points for being thin, and its reflective screen made it perfect for outdoor use. However, this could not make up for the number of problems experienced by users including troublesome power supplies. After recalling most of them, production on this notebook was halted.

IBM ThinkPad 701C

On the face of it, this was one of the most innovative offerings of the 1990s. Sadly, it failed to go anywhere. It was a subnotebook that when opened, the keyboard expanded into a full sized keyboard. It did have its ardent fans though, many of whom hope this idea will be revived in the future.

Apple iBook

This laptop was created during Apple’s resurgence, but many regard this as a rare miss during the period. Because of the design and the colors, many computer users did not take it seriously. There was also the fact that the laptop was underpowered.

Compaq Laptops with Trackballs

In the early 1990s, Compaq added trackballs to laptops in an effort to add another useful feature. Unfortunately, the positioning made them uncomfortable to use as it meant the users had to keep his or her arm up. It is believed the company lost many followers because of this mistake.
Laptops computers continue to get lighter while packing more advanced features. It is likely that even some big players will deliver products that don’t quite make the grade in the future.

If you haven’t heard about VideoLAN Client (VLC), it’s time to join the future of media players. Originally begun as an academic project in Paris in 1996, VLC is an open source portable media player that functions compatibly with various audio and video files including streaming protocols and is now becoming a household name. VLC Media Player was developed by various contributors on a worldwide basis and has since been downloaded by the millions, winning several awards including the Open Source Award of 2004.

The amazing thing is VLC is free! In fact, it has been rated as one of the top 10 free apps for both PC and Mac. It is considered light years ahead of the competition. The controls are easy to use, and this powerful system works with Microsoft Windows, Mac, Linux, GNU, BSD, and more, making it one of the friendliest systems available. And did we mention it’s FREE?! VLC is also compatible with iPad, Xbox, iPhone, iPod, Zune and other devices.

So what exactly can VLC do? Hold on to your seats as we explore the dazzling array of options.

Audio/Video Player.

The primary function of VLC is the ability to play videos and listen to music. Unlike other media players, just about any media format can be played on a VLC media player, both audio and video. The reason is nearly every codec has been built directly into the technology. VLC supports all popular formats of audio CDs and DVDs, web streams, along with these files types: MPEG, AVI, FLV, WAV, Ogg.

Other functions include the following:

• Live Recording for on the fly recording of different media types. Use the record button as part of the Advanced Controls.
• Snapshot: capture and save still shots of scenes within a video.
• Playlist Support.
• Subtitles for foreign films, etc.
• Variable playback speed. Increase or decrease the speed of playback. You can also watch frame by frame playbacks of your favorite scenes. This feature is part of the Advanced Controls from the View menu.
• Live Streaming of content to HDTV or a computer monitor.
• Create DVDs from home videos.
• Bookmarks for audio and video files so you can easily return to specific scenes or songs.
• Ability to play damaged, unfinished, or incomplete videos.
• Customizable interface. For those who don’t want the preconfigured profiles, VLC provides the ability to change the interface to fit your own preferences. Use the View menu and select Customize Interface.
• Airtunes: Streaming from Apple’s Airport Express (which allows for music to play from your home stereo speakers)
• Pause without delay. Instantaneous pausing allows users to pause a video on the exact frame as soon as the pause button is pressed.

So there you have it. VLC has an amazing array of functions and abilities! And this is only the beginning; new versions are under development. The coming years will, most assuredly, provide even more options for those who dare to explore and keep up with technology.

The events of September 11, 2001, as well as the many natural and man-made disasters that have occurred only serve to remind us that we are vulnerable. However, with a comprehensive, workable disaster plan in place, employers and others can make sure that the people they are responsible for can receive timely notification in the event of a disaster.

Part of a good disaster plan means using and learning technology to its fullest extent. With more people having instant communication and information access through “smart phones” and other electronic devices, it is easy to implement these and other technology sources into a disaster plan. A few of the technological devices and suggestions for using them are mentioned below.

* Mobile Phone Applications

Sometimes referred to as apps, these can be used to notify employees and others of emergency situations and include such apps as social network sites Facebook, Twitter, and others, plus instant messaging or e-mail apps that are available on mobile phones.

Employers can implement a series of codes that stand for specific disasters, such as “Code F” for fire, “Code E” for explosive device, etc. Employees can be made aware of the codes and their meanings, as well as the necessary steps and precautions that would be implemented upon receiving the code.

Those employees who do not have these apps on their phones can be notified via telephone trees, both personal and automated. Setting up telephone trees; that is, programs where one number is accessed and that number accesses others until all personnel have been reached can still be considered one of the best forms of disaster preparedness.
There is computer technology allows for the setting up of an automated telephone tree. The automated system can be programmed in a similar manner to record those numbers at which there was no response so that further measures can be taken to ensure that those people were contacted. If this were to happen, someone can be assigned to make sure that personal contact is made with those who may have still not received word of an emergency.

* Disaster Management Computer Software

This software is available for downloading to computers and mobile devices. It can be used in computer-aided dispatching locations as well as on mobile phones or other communications devices, and can be programmed to send updated conditions, including weather and other information, as well as help with location tracking.

* E-mail and Text Applications

These can also be used in disaster preparedness. Using codes keeps primary communications to a minimum, and is be easy to implement, as people are accustomed to abbreviated communications, especially in e-mails and text applications.

It is necessary to make sure that the technology being used can be accessed during a disaster. This could mean arranging for back-up power or making sure extra batteries and other temporary power sources are kept charged and ready. Frequent checks would need to be made to ensure that batteries are still good and that portable generators, or other devices used to supply back-up power have fuel either in them or sitting close to them if it is not feasible to keep them filled up.

As a geek… or a nerd… we find that email clients are extremely important- more so important than a normal person. We all know that as security and customization become paramount in emails, both for individuals and companies, email hosting has become a strongly preferred solution.  Sometimes the hosting service itself often offers either a clunky interface or no interface at all.

What’s the conclusion?

The best solution for most people is to use one of the free email desktop clients, granting the joy of a usable interface and the many advantages of professional email hosting.

Here are five of our favorite email clients.

5. Mulberry

This highly diverse, capable, and powerful client has just about everything you could ever want. It supports all the major email server types, is surprisingly fast for its features, and is stable to boot. The interface is a tad cluttered and challenging to use, but once you’re past the learning curve you’re sure to enjoy it.

4. Pegasus

Pegasus has been a favorite for many years, and there are dozens of reasons why. Among the more important are its intense security features and well-rounded capabilities. Its interface is a bit confusing to navigate, and lacks quick-click controls, but the trade-off is well worth it for many.

3. Alpine

If you want something incredibly simple and lightweight, Alpine is the way to go. This Pine based message system is the lightest of the lightweights, and comes with the most basic of features. It has great customization options for anyone who wants to expand on either the appearance or functionality. For the minimalist, customization-obsessed, or anyone who’s running off very low computer specs, this is the way to go.

2. Opera

Opera allows you to do everything that’s really important, but it also integrates a lovely RSS feed feature. This means that you can import information from any source that puts out a feed of their own, including many stores, sites, and blogs. Opera Mail also features great extras like a “low bandwidth mode” that allows for bonuses like:

• simplified message retrieval
• access to multiple accounts
• offline access to your messages and composition tools
• advanced filtering and organization options
• an adaptive mail system that learns from your habits
• follow/ignore options

The only real downfall is the lack of encryption capabilities and a lackluster HTML editor.

1. Thunderbird

The brief way to describe Thunderbird is that “anything they can do, it can do better.” Brought to you by the same company that brought you Firefox, TB is likely the most secure platform out there. It doesn’t take a hit when it comes to features, either. Thunderbird has a great email editor, an RSS feed, superb organization options, a tight-mesh spam filter, dozens of features, and a user-friendly user interface.

Very few people have found much to complain about within TB. The primary complaints come off more as suggestions on features that could be added, and almost all of the reviews have stated that they’re simply impressed with the platform. For most users, Thunderbird is the way to go.

Professional hosting may seem like an impossibility for those without knowledge or resources, but this information and the items mentioned in it should get you on the road. There are also plenty of other free email clients, so feel free to go out and experiment. Check these out and get your geek on.

It is no surprise that social media sites continue to grow across the web. Many websites now have a “Like it” option, linking each thumb’s up clicked to Facebook. “You can be the first of your friends to like this.” In turn, people can see what their friends like. Here’s a look at how social media sites can impact small businesses.

Social networking sites are often free to use. By creating its own page, a small business exposes their service to a group of new people. Letting the hompage reflect the mood the company is trying to convey is a good way to target fresh contacts. On Facebook, for instance, one person clicks “likes low car insurance rates.” That information is posted on their wall for their friend list to view, encouraging others to click on it as well.

Building an online contact list is another advantage to using social networks. Facebook alone has over 300 million users worldwide. As of 2009, Twitter reported an excess of 18 million users on their site. A business could build a contact list on such a site, notifying them of upcoming events, sales or promotions. Tweets are brief, quick, and usually sent directly to a user’s cellphone. A business contemplating promotion with these free networking sites should consider how they want to best represent themselves. Your page will be viewed globally. Linking traffic to the original home site is easy and free. One way to assure this is by placing the address onto the profile page.

These sites are designed to encourage social interaction between users. Maintaining a clean professional page will strike the right tone with potential contacts. It’s important for a small business owner to be aware that posts can be conmented on. Profiles can be personalized. These sites are a way to directly connect with consumers and potential clients.  Perpetuating an image of integrity is valuable in any market.

Taking classes in college can teach a person a lot about what their strengths and weaknesses are. For instance, there are some people who are absolutely wonderful at problem-solving and figuring out equations and chemistry problems. They breeze through those things like it’s nothing, while there are others who struggle with angst just to get the basics down. But even though these types of subjects can be very challenging, almost every academic pursuit toward a degree requires some class exposure to these subjects.

There was once a time when being called a “geek” was considered negative or derogatory. Not anymore. Traditional universities and even online colleges are now full of those geeks who are excelling in their subject areas and are in high demand by other students to help them with their studies. The geeks have taken a special place in the academic setting and are leaving a path for many to follow. So, how can you study like the geeks?

A love for the subject is the first thing that any geek has. They virtually live, eat and breathe what they love and become masters at it. You don’t necessarily have to master all subject areas, or even love them, but if you can show intensity and concentration toward the one subject that interests you, your study skills can and will increase dramatically.

Focusing and concentration are other traits that geeks have – and they’re worth mimicking. They are not easily distracted and know that they need to stay focused to achieve their goal and be productive. Yes, geeks have fun too, but they know when it is appropriate and place their studies first. You can see success with practice, but you will certainly have a new-found respect and appreciation for what it takes to study hard and see results.

There are a lot of things we do in life just to keep up our health. We eat reasonably healthfully (or at least we pretend we do), we exercise on a reasonably regular basis and we sleep every so often (if only to sleep off the buzz from last night’s debauchery session). But our personal health is not the only thing we have to worry about, in our modern world. While it is definitely a great idea to keep your body functioning as well as you possibly can, keep in mind that not everything you do in life is going to be “IRL” (in real life, if you aren’t up on chat speak).

If your computer is screwed up, your life is screwed up. You need your computer for things like keeping track of your bank statements, making sure your bills get paid properly and keeping up with all of the latest events in this world. So naturally, you want to keep your computer at least as healthy as you would want your own body to be — and in some of our cases, a little healthier. So other than using a surge protector and defragging every so often, you need to do just a few other things, to make sure your computer stays healthy and runs well.

For one thing, you need to make sure that your firewall is up to snuff. The one that’s included with windows is occasionally of sub-optimal quality, to put it nicely. And you should always keep your Antivirus software in tip top shape. After all, your Antivirus program can be the difference between having a quick, sprightly computer where your information is safe,and having a computer that drags around, while hackers rip off every password you type in with key stroke loggers and such.