Five Reasons to Get New Hardware in 2010

The year may be wrapping up but computer sales are on the rise. People are looking for new, innovative technology for a number of reasons. If you have been thinking about buying a new computer or upgrading your old one, there is no better time than 2010! Whether you are looking to save money or for better quality, or anything in between, here are a few quick reasons why you should refresh your computer hardware in the new year:

• Make Life Easier - The newly released Windows 7 Professional has a number of features such as Quicklook 3 and Quickweb which allow you to access your personal information online or on your PC without even having to boot up!
• Save Time - Newer computers boasting Windows 7 and Intel Core 2 Duo processors run much faster than your old one. Some can run up to three times as fast! Even laptops have large increased power performances with new technology.
• Save Money - In an age where everyone is working to be "green" and save energy, many new computers operate using less power than the old ones. Hewlett Packard says their new desktops consume up to 55% more energy than the older ones! That means lot of savings on your power bill.
• Less Downtime - Everyone who owns an older computer knows they spend way too much time dealing with downtime. Whether you're having to call in a computer technician for repairs or rebooting or scanning files for problems, it seems like something goes wrong almost weekly. Newer computers have less problems and in turn, will allow you to be more productive.
• Special Offers - So many computer companies offer special deals when you buy a computer, you really have nothing to lose and this will only add to your new computer's value. For example, at Hewlett Packard, you receive over $1,000 in free offers when your purchase a new PC and if you trade in an old computer, you can get up to $100 in cash from the company's Trade-In Program.
  
  
  

  ---

  
  Looking for Computer / PC Rental information? Visit the www.rentacomputer.com PC Rental page for your short term business PC needs. Or see this link for a complete line of Personal Computer Rentals.

Read More

Apple's Mac Mini is the "Greenest" Computer

According to Sust-it.net, an energy website that ranks energy usage and cost for thousands of home appliances, entertainment devices, and computers, Apple's Mac mini is the most energy efficient of all the computers on the market.

With its 2.0 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo, the Mac mini uses .94W when powered off, just 1.71W when it's in sleep mode, and 12.6W when turned on but idle. According to the website, the energy cost per year (sans monitor) is $5.51 when calculated in accordance with the average United States electricity rates. While this particular model is no longer made by Apple, the new 2.26 GHz is and it's even more efficient. Apple's environmental report for the mini shows the revised model uses only .80W when powered off, 1.39W in sleep mode, and 13.4W when idle.

As far as other "green" computers on the list, Apple computers (both laptops and all-in-ones) were all ranked pretty high. The 1.86 GHz MacBook Air comes in at second place in the laptop category behind the HP Pavilion DM3. Both the laptops cost around $2.39 per year, but the HP had lower power consumption when powered off and in sleep mode.

As for the all-in-ones, eMachines, Acer, Asus, and MSI all came in the top five spots, followed by the iMac at number six.

If you're looking to make a smaller carbon footprint and buy a greener computer, the list at the sust-it website is a good place to do some comparison shopping. Though it's not apparent how often the list is updated, just make sure you know that the computer world is ever-changing and tomorrow, Apple or any other company could come out with an even greener PC.

Read More