Nerd News

• HP has completed its $2.7 billion deal for 3Com
• Palm for sale.
• Microsoft and Verizon reveal Pink Phone, a kid-targetted not quite Windows 7 Phone OS.
• Testing the law for too-short yellow lights and traffic cameras.
• Where do you find descriptions of both DiLithium and Kryptonite? On a periodic table of imaginary elements, of course.

Feature Story: Printers

• Printer types: all-in-one, photo, laser, ink, etc
• Ads from Lexmark about ‘Evil Ink’. Some printers with free black ink for life. Power-hungry Laser printers in an EnergyStar world.
• Multi-function to take media cards and print without a computer
• Print from iPhone, iPad, Blackberry
• Duplexing !
• O/S compatibility. Do some research. We’ve got tips.
• PCMag’s Buying Guide

Nerd History

• April 12, 1981 – The first launch of a Space Shuttle: Columbia launches on the STS-1 mission.
• April 12, 1992 – The Euro Disney Resort officially opens with its theme park Euro Disneyland. The resort and its park’s name were subsequently changed to Disneyland Paris.
• April 12, 1994 – Canter & Siegel post the first commercial mass Usenet spam.

Printer Toner

• factory vs. recycled toner (inksell.com, many others out there)

Main Topic: Computer upgrades

• Upgrading your existing computer
  • RAM: Several options. Two that are well-known are crucial.com and kingston.com
  • Manufacturers:  Dell, Sony, and HP, for example
  • Macintosh: Apple, plus third party solutions like MacService.com, MacSales.com
• OS upgrade – is it worth the cost?
• OLED tvs – less power, better blacks and colors, super thin, wow.
• When disposing of a hard drive, make sure you erase your data. Don’t rely on a quick format. There are tools that will do a secure erasure (Department of Defense kind of stuff). Boot And Nuke is one that’s free.

Nerd word of the week

• picolitre