PCinfospace

Bluetooth is a short-range wireless technology designed to connect devices to each other without the use of a cables or a wireless access point.  It is one way to create a network of computers.
Uses of this technology include but are not limited to:
§    Keyboards
§    Mice
§    Phones
§    PDAs
§    Cord free headsets
§    Global Positioning Systems

The list above keeps growing and the devices keep getting better and cheaper.

Here is some general information that may interest you.

§    This technology was turned into a standard known as 802.15 in 1998 by a consortium of companies.
§    Bluetooth operates at 2.4GHz.  This is the same frequency as some cell phones and WI-FI networks.  This has caused some interference problems.  This is the reason wireless phone started to be manufactured that were over 5GHz.
§    Bluetooth operates at 721Kbps which is slower than WI-FI. It is not designed to carry large amounts of data.  WI-FI is used for that purpose.
§    Because Bluetooth operates at low power it is ideal for cell phones, PDAs and other devices.
§    Bluetooth come in three classes.  Class I is one hundred Megawatts and its range is 300 feet, Class II is ten Megawatts, and has a range of 30 feet and Class III which is only one Megawatt and has a range of less than 30 feet.

How do you add Bluetooth to your computer?

Many computers (especially laptops) now come with this technology.  If not, you only need to purchase a USB Bluetooth adapter.  If your computer has Windows XP with Service Pack 2 operating system or above it should install automatically. If it doesn’t install by itself a driver disk may be included or you may be sent to a web site to download a drive.  It will attempt to connect to any Bluetooth device within range.  Prices vary and change rapidly.

Types of printers

The first thing you need to know is what types of printers you have to choose from.

Dot matrix printer – This type of printer is no longer sold to the public. It is used by some banks and for specific applications. It used fan fold paper with holes in it that were fed through the printer with a wheel with prongs on it. It also is impact technology. That is to say a letter contained on small wires or pins physically hits an ink ribbon which in turn hits the paper. These printers are noisy also. Print quality was poor compared to today’s printers.

Ink jet printers – These printers have become a standard and are used by the average homeowner and even some businesses. These machines have ink cartridges that spray ink on paper. They are not very good for permanent copies since the ink will smear if it gets wet or damp. These printers have become so inexpensive some people throw them away and buy a new one because the ink cartridges are more expensive than the printer itself.

Laser jet printer – These printers use an ink drum that contains a fine powder that is heated on the paper. They are extremely good for permanent copies and are very economical. For several years only businesses used them because they were very expensive. Color laser printers soon became available and were very expensive. THINGS HAVE CHANGED!! The prices of laser jet printer have dropped drastically and are now sold to the average public. You can buy certain printer for less than $100 and even colored laser jet printers are far cheaper than they used to be.

How to pick what you need

1. Do you need permanent copy?
2. If you need permanent copy you need to buy a laser jet printer.
3. Does it need to be color?
4. If you need permanent copies that are color buy a laser jet color print.
5. If you just want to print a web page or a simple printed page buy an ink jet printer. They are much cheaper. The price of a simple ink let printer (at this writing) can be as low as $30.

Another alternative that has become very popular is multi-function machines. These are normally ink jet. They scan, copy and print. You can get some with fax capability also.
The big advantage of these machines is that they take far less desk space. In the past you would have needed separate machines for each function. If you do all of these it is the only way to go. They are very cost effective because you are only paying for one item.

You can get printers that are called photo printers. They are usually more expensive and take an extra ink cartridge. I feel that they are too expensive. You can use a ton of ink for one picture although they are very high quality. It would be cheaper to have your pictures made at a retail store at very cheap prices. At last check you could get a 4×6 picture for 26 cents or less. With the special photo paper and the ink you would use it would cost at least one dollar per photo.

If you have spilled any kind of liquid, such as coffee or soda, on your laptop computer you need to take action immediately. Do not wait for the next day. Waiting may allow liquid to get into the very delicate motherboard circuits. If that happens, it could short out the Mother board or even blow a circuit breaker if you have the power supply cord plugged in.  Water and electricity do not mix. You could even get an electric shock in some cases.

Before you give up hope, here are some steps to take to salvage your laptop from the perils of a liquid spill.

1. If you have never taken a laptop apart don’t even try the following step. Laptop parts are very small and a lot of them are plastic.  If you break something it could be very expensive to replace.  You also need special tools to take it apart. It also requires a lot of patience. Take it to a professional as soon as possible.

2. Unplug the power cord as soon as possible and remove the battery.  DO NOT WAIT! It could short out and destroy the motherboard or other components.

3. Gently incline one side of the laptop and try to get out as much liquid as you can.

3. Clean up as much of the liquid on the outer case as you can. If you are uneasy about taking apart your laptop, get it to a repair shop nearby as soon as possible.

If you can do the cleaning yourself, follow these steps. DO NOT attempt this if you have never done it.

1. Remove PC cards USB devices or anything attached to the computer.

2. Remove the battery and disconnect the power supply cord.  This will also keep you from accidentally bending and maybe breaking the connection.

2. Carefully take apart as much of the outer casing as you can.

3. Remove the keyboard, swab as much of the affected areas with rubbing alcohol, and spray it with compressed area. You can use a static free towel to soak up large quantities of liquid but never rub any surfaces with a towel of any kind. A swab will allow you to get smaller areas also.

4. Let it air dry for a day and then reassemble your laptop. If you think your hard drive or other circuitry was affected by your spill, you should get some electronics circuit cleaner to clean contacts if neccessary.

5. Power it up and see if your handy work has helped.

If the laptop does not start, your hard drive may still be able to be saved. It could be transferred to another laptop. You may want a professional to look at it before you make a drastic decision.

It is an unfortunate accident to knock a cup of liquid onto your computer.  The best tip for a laptop spill fix is prevention. If you are going to drink while working on your computer, keep liquids away from the spill zone. It is better to have them on a different table or just wait until you’re done with working on the laptop.  I normally just take a break an go to a different area of the office or home.