| Archive FE Newsletter April 2008 |
to main Archive page FE Newsletter 30 April 2008 And yet, here we are
Bet you did not expect we’ll be sending a Newsletter this week. You probably did not even expect Frontier Electronics and Scraptronics to open - seeing how, out of the whole week, only two days are officially working days.
Well, we aim to exceed expectations. Read on to find more pleasant surprises! Not this Saturday
No, the surprise is not that we’ll be open on Saturday 3rd May. We shan’t. (Give us a break – we are only human, after all). Step one: print it out
To enjoy the pleasant surprise we have in store for you, print this Newsletter and keep the hard copy in a safe place. Step two: bring it with
When – after the long and painful separation - you come to buy from Frontier Electronics on Monday 5th May, Tuesday 6th May and Wednesday 7th May, bring the copy of this Newsletter with you, present it to one of the sales consultants, and get: Step three: the discounts
Canon iP1800 for R350 (normal price: R389)
Make your own long-lasting photos with borderless edges, from credit-card size to 8.5" x 11", with this colour printer.
http://www.frontier-electronics.co.za/pri045.htm
Tripp Lite 550VA UPS for R629 (normal price: R699)
This certificate-studded, extremely robust and reliable UPS will not let you down. The 550VA Tripp Lite will provide clean power during fluctuations to extend the life of your equipment and secure data in the event of power failure.
http://www.frontier-electronics.co.za/ups022.htm
X-Rev external enclosure for R350 (normal price: R389)
This external enclosure for 3.5” SATA hard disk drives (available separately) has two extra USB ports and four slots for reading digital memory cards. All that is neatly packed in a beautifully designed housing.
http://www.frontier-electronics.co.za/stor_sdx038.htm
Genius wireless mouse for R129 (normal price R149).
See it and you’ll want it:
http://www.frontier-electronics.co.za/input_mouse.htm Who took your gigabytes
You may have noticed that your hard disk drive mysteriously looses several gigabytes the moment you put it into your PC.
Do not worry. You're not missing any gigabytes—it's just a mix-up in units of measurement. The HDD manufactures use decimal gigabytes, while your Windows system is calibrated to show binary gigabytes.
Read the whole explanation at
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1895,2250639,00.asp Profit = praise
At least as far as our brain is concerned, it’s the same whether we receive money or a pat on the shoulder. Presumably, until it’s time to pay the rent.
http://www.newscientist.com/channel/being-human/dn13764?DCMP=NLC-nletter&nsref=dn13764 Are you a backseat surfer?
In Geek Speak, “backseat surfer” is that annoying person who stands over your shoulder as you use the Internet, trying to direct your navigation choices.
Don’t be one of those irksome individuals during the coming looooong weekend. Instead, find other ways to annoy your fellow humans, preferably in the open air. If you absolutely have no idea how it is done, visit
http://www.getannoyed.com/amusementpark.htm to learn how to annoy people in an amusement park, or http://www.geocities.com/skrelborn/annoypark.html to learn how to annoy people in a theme park.
Alternatively, you may opt to annoy people at the movies:
http://www.vincentchow.net/551/50-ways-to-annoy-people-at-movies
or to just annoy them – anywhere, anytime:
http://www.docstoc.com/docs/275453/101-Ways-To-Annoy-People
Disclaimer: Frontier Electronics in general and FE Newsletter in particular do not accept responsibility for any consequences you may suffer while trying to implement the suggestions contained in the links above. FE Newsletter 23 April 2008 Lost?
You already know that the first thing to do with a new laptop is to note down its serial number. That way, if you happen to loose it, you stand a better chance of retrieving it: however much we like to moan about the decline of morality in modern times, most people are honest and will try to return a found item to its rightful owner. To make their life easier, you may want to consider subscribing to one of the online lost-and-found services. They do come with a reasonable fee. Here are a few, chosen randomly, to take a look at:
http://www.zreturn.com/
http://armortag.com/
http://www.boomerangit.com/ Stolen?
To protect your valuable laptop from the less-than-honest individuals (for short: thieves), install on it a tracking software that periodically reports back to the central server. Just do a quick search for “tracking and recovery software” in your favourite search engine and select the option that suits you; prices range from about R230 for lifetime tracking to about R400 a year. Some tracking products have the ability to wipe out key data if a laptop is stolen, or to take a photo of the thief (that way, you’ll at least have a memento for your scrap book). Backed-up?
Regardless of whether you decide to use any of the above online services, you will want to always keep an eye on your laptop when on the move and never place it on a car seat.
You will also want to back-up the data regularly. You doubtlessly already do that when you are in the office or at home, using blank CD or DVD discs, a flash drive, or an external hard disk drive - all of which you can get from Frontier Electronics at very good prices. Find your favourite back-up solution by examining Frontier’s storage section at
http://www.frontier-electronics.co.za/storage.htm
But what do you do for back-ups when you find yourself stranded in this combination of circumstances: a) you are travelling;
b) you forgot to bring your flash drive;
c) your favourite computer shop (Frontier Electronics) is nowhere near?
That’s easy. You go online and select a backup service. This PC World article will help you:
http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,140026/article.html Encrypted?
Does your laptop contain very important information, of the type that must never-ever fall into wrong hands? If yes, make sure the data is protected by military-grade encryption. Learn about various options available online by reading
http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,139790/article.html Make your choice
Now that you know how to protect it, you are ready to consider the object of all that vigilance: the laptop itself.
You may choose to acquire your new laptop: 1) From Frontier Electronics
Acer Extensa 5220 carries the price tag of R4899 (R5584.86 with the tax). It features Intel Celeron M 530 processor and a large 15.4” CrystalBrite widescreen display. Read more at:
http://www.frontier-electronics.co.za/notebooks.htm 2) From Scraptronics
A second-hand, well-preserved, high-specs laptop will cost you R3250 (R3705 with tax) when you buy it from Scraptronics. It is an IBM T42 ThinkPad with 1.7GHz CPU and 1GB of memory, plus some other nifty features shown on
http://www.scraptronics.co.za/ntb004.htm
Several varieties of Dell laptops are also available. The pricing starts from as little as R2250 (R2565 with tax).
http://www.scraptronics.co.za/ntb009.htm Feeling peckish?
You should be, at this time of the day.
However, there’s no need to leave your keyboard. Just point your browser in the right direction and enjoy a virtual feast at Recipezaar, a delicious website filled to the brim with thousands of recipes. http://www.recipezaar.com/Take a breather
After virtually sampling all that food, you need a breather
So does your planet, which is literally suffocating under the weight of the carbon dioxide emissions even as you read this. Watch the disaster as it unfolds on Breathing Earth website:
http://www.breathingearth.net/Your personal footprint
What is your effect on the environment as an individual?
Complete the questionnaire to find out, and remember to take action too!
http://www.ecofoot.org/FE Newsletter 16 April 2008 Cooler cases
Cooler Master's cases have a reputation for being visually pleasing. Even their lower-cost lines, like Cavalier and Centurion, possess both good looks and functionality.
While the Cooler Master higher-end cases are made of aluminium, the more budget-friendly ones are mainly steel. Thus the Cavalier 3 has the front panel made out of plastic and anodized black aluminium. The rest is steel.
What makes this case stand out at first sight is the curved front, featuring a purple-blue stripe down the right and a thin mirrored accent strip down the left. In order not to disrupt that clean, sophisticated look, the manufacturer has placed the two USB ports and a FireWire port on the left side of the case, and jacks on the right side. This could be bothersome if you keep the case under your desk – but that is a no-no anyway. The Cavalier 3 simply deserves a place on top of your desk, where it can be seen and admired.
Cavalier 3 is now available from Frontier Electronics at R550.
Only slightly more expensive at R595, Cooler Master Centurion 590 will appeal to those who have more classic tastes when it comes to their computer case. Sleek, black and simple, it is no stunner like the more exotic Cavalier 3. Still, it is beautiful, in an understated way. Plus, it’s got some cool features of its own, like a fully meshed front panel for maximum cooling. By the way, a lot of thought has gone into providing this case with extra fine cooling, making it suitable for most demanding tasks.
Read more about the roomy interiors both Cavalier 3 and Centurion 590 provide for all the gear you want to put into your case at
http://www.frontier-electronics.co.za/cas112_113.htm
PS: When buying a Cooler Master case, do budget for the PSU – it comes extra. There’s also Lian Li
What if you simply must have a high-end aluminium computer case?
Turn to Lian Li. The prices range R799 to R2450, and the PSU is not included.
http://www.frontier-electronics.co.za/case_lian_li.htm Back in stock: X-Rev
It is both a 3.5” SATA HDD external enclosure and a card reader. Plus, it provides you with two extra USB ports. Plus, it is beautiful.
X-Rev is back on Frontier’s shelves and can be yours for R389.
http://www.frontier-electronics.co.za/stor_sdx038.htm Neanderthals speak out
Anthropologists are trying to simulate the way Neanderthals spoke by reconstructing their vocal tracts. It seems those relatives of ours lacked the "quantal vowel" sounds that allow us to differentiate between “sheep” and “ship”, for example.
It is believed that modern man and Neanderthals shared a common ancestor 500,000 years ago. Neanderthals roamed Asia and Europe during the Ice Age, but then disappeared; the last time they were seen in Europe was 30,000 years ago. They probably became extinct due to climate changes and the arrival of the more advances species of Homo sapiens (us). The jury is still out on whether there had been inbreeding between the two species before one was wiped out.
http://www.newscientist.com/channel/being-human/dn13672 Where do the bad gifts go
Ever received a bad gift?
Donate it to the Bad Gift Museum.
Ever wondered where that awful gift you presented to (fill the name here) went to?
Look for it in the Bad Gift Museum.
http://badgiftemporium.com/Who, me?
The good thing about being an idealist is that you do not care about such mundane stuff as gifts. It follows that you are allowed to forget everyone’s birthdays and anniversaries.
The bad thing is, you are expected to help others all the time.
If the latter does not seem like an exertion to you, you’ve got what it takes to join the
http://www.idealist.org/ FE Newsletter 9 April 2008 Home video truths
Usually, it is not enough just to shoot it. Most of us will want to cut out all the boring and embarrassing bits and pieces before we present our home videos to a wider audience.
That’s where Frontier’s VideoHome DV/AV Twins PCI card comes in.
With DV/AV Twins, it is easy to capture footage from a digital camcorder onto the computer’s hard drive and edit it into a presentable end product.
DV/AV Twins also works in a conjunction with a VCR, enabling you to capture analogue video signal from a VHS and turn it into a digital file.
The card is available from Frontier Electronics at R499.
http://www.frontier-electronics.co.za/mul001.htm What to do next
Burn your footage on a DVD, of course. Then play yours masterpieces to your friends whenever they come (the free bonus being, you may end up with much less visitors than you used to have).
If you feel extra generous, you may burn several DVDs and give them to your friends and extended family members as a gift on each and every suitable occasion.
And where do all the blank DVDs come from?
From Frontier Electronics, naturally. The prices are between R1.35 and R2.90 (we do give a discount on bulk purchases).
http://www.frontier-electronics.co.za/CDandDVDmedia.htm In lieu of an aside:
If any of your friends notice a difference between a professionally made DVD and the one you created with the help of Frontier’s DV/AV Twins card, you might consider reading a few tips on filming technique before blaming it on the card:
http://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Movie What else to do with it
Do what everybody else is doing: broadcast your video to the world. You may post it on one of social video sites. Or you can put it on your commercial web site: videos are so in as selling aides.
A good way to include your video clip into your web site is with Flash software. Here is a step-by-step tutorial on how to convert an MPEG file into a Flash video: http://blogs.techrepublic.com.com/howdoi/?p=141&tag=nl.e101
PS: In case you don’t possess Adobe’s Flash, download the free trial version. Before that, accumulate all the videos you estimate you’ll need in short to medium term.
https://www.adobe.com/cfusion/tdrc/index.cfm?product=flash Boys- toys for monkeys
We used to think that we perpetuated stereotyped gender roles by forcing toy cars on boys and dolls on girls. But perhaps the choice of toys goes deeper than social conditioning – otherwise, why would boy rhesus monkeys prefer boys’ toys?
And what about the girl monkeys? They like boys’ toys and girls’ toys equally. Would that indicate that there are biological roots to human female’s multitasking talents?
http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn13596 Tricycling around
Tricycles are by definition unusual, and this online museum displays some really unusual ones.
http://www.dself.dsl.pipex.com/MUSEUM/TRANSPORT/tricycle/tricycle.htm Hum a tune to your computer…
…and the new search engine, Midomi, will tell you the name of the song.
Even if you do not get the results you expected, the tool is great for a few amusing moments as you try to persuade everyone to sing into the microphone.
http://www.midomi.com/
PS: Tone-deaf individuals need not participate. FE Newsletter 2 April 2008 Nice viewing
LG’s 17” LCD monitor is just what your desk needs these days. It is so light and compact that it’ll never get in your way. All it will do is let you enjoy premium picture quality: clear, crisp and bright.
PS: LG 17” LCD is especially suitable for viewing moving pictures.
PPS: LG 17” LCD monitor is priced at R1599.
http://www.frontier-electronics.co.za/mon020.htm Cool and masterful
Cooler Master external enclosures are receiving accolades from all the four corners of the world for their stylish design, smooth operation, good heat dissipation and very low noise levels.
Now you can Cooler Master enclosures from your favourite computer store, Frontier Electronics. Choose between 2.5” IDE or SATA, and 3.5” IDE or SATA. Except for the physical size and the connections in the rear, the pairs look like twins.
Check out Cooler Master X Craft 250 at
http://www.frontier-electronics.co.za/stro_sdx049_sdx050.htm
and Cooler Master X Craft 350 at
http://www.frontier-electronics.co.za/stor_sdx051_sdx052.htm Ready … steady…
Cooler Master enclosures have more than smooth operation going for them. They also have a beautiful glossy exterior (in this case, black).
The downside being: you do need to polish that beauty sometimes.
However, the tiresome task becomes a song with Frontier’s hi-tech cleaning cloth. In fact, we were so impressed with the performance of this cloth that we decided to give it for free to the first twenty customers who buy any of Frontier’s Cooler Master enclosures.
Therefore, there is one only thing left for you to do:
…GO!
Dial 011-608-1809 or email info@frontier-electronics.co.za with your order.
By the way, the prices of Cooler Master external enclosures are as follows: R99 for 2.5’’ IDE; R120 for 2.5” SATA; R199 for 3.5” IDE; and R250 for 3.5” SATA. Everyone’s an expert (?)
Is there something you know or care about? Post it on Squidoo and earn a little something for your trouble too: as a “lensmaster” (creator of pages, or “lenses”), you qualify to participate in Squidoo’s advertising revenue.
And where does the name come from? As one of the company’s founders explains, squid have large eyes, and each lens on Squidoo aims to provide a comprehensive view of one aspect of the world.
http://www.squidoo.com/ They really are big!
To substantiate the claim stated above about the size of squid’s eyes and to learn more about this ocean dweller, visit
http://www.can-do.com/uci/lessons98/Squid.html
(They will also tell you why squids are known as “the ice cream cone of the sea”.) And the award goes to…
Let’s remain in the animal world a while longer. Visit Neatorama and find out which mammal is the biggest, the smallest, the fastest, the slowest, and the thickest.
NB: The most evolved species on planet Earth, humans, are nowhere to be found among the record-holders.
http://www.neatorama.com/2007/11/16/5-extreme-mammals/ Learn how to...
...get promoted:
http://www.ehow.com/how_2112742_job-promotion.html
Failing which, learn how to get fired:
http://www.howtodothings.com/careers/how-to-get-fired-from-your-job
Then learn to dress chick in thrift…
http://www.ehow.com/how_2129464_dress-thrift-shop-chic.html
…and to cut your own hair while you are without a steady income:
http://www.howtodothings.com/fashion-and-personal-care/a2795-how-to-cut-your-own-hair.html | 
