Jan 29, 2006, 20:32 GMT
The 802.11n wireless transmission standard was ratified this week by the IEEE, an international standards body that oversees wireless data transmission standards. 802.11n is expected quickly to supplant the current 802.11g standard, on which most wireless components are built. The new 802.11n standard can send data up to 10 times faster than current technologies, thanks to the standard's adoption of Multiple Input/Multiple Output (MIMO) technology, and it boosts the distance over which wireless signals can be transmitted.
Don't be caught wanting to watch a video clip online and not having the necessary video player already installed. Video clips on the Internet today typically require one of three video players, and all are free. Install them when you set up your computer, and you'll be ready to go. RealNetworks's RealPlayer (http://www.real.com/player), along with Microsoft's own MediaPlayer, which comes with Windows, are the two most common formats. You'll also occasionally need Apple's QuickTime (http://www.apple.com/quicktime).
Some of today's smallest notebook computers boast battery life of six hours or more. But that extra battery life often comes only when using an optional battery that protrudes slightly from the perimeter of the notebook. So if the advertised dimensions of a notebook computer are a key selling point, bear in mind that you may need to use the stock battery to retain those dimensions. The normal battery typically offers battery life that is half that of the larger, optional battery.
The trouble with Internet sites is that they change almost daily - and there's no way to get a copy of yesterday's pages. Or is there? The WayBackMachine (http://www.archive.org/web/web.php) is to Internet surfers what old newspapers are to readers in the non-virtual world. The WayBackMachine catalogues old versions of popular web pages - 40 billion in all - and allows you to search through its catalog to find pages that you thought were lost forever. Not every day of every web site is catalogued, but the site offers a fascinating way to take a stroll down the Internet's own memory lane.
Everyone turns to the Internet these days for information, but few know that they can save web pages with ease for future reference. Saving the contents of a web page is as easy as saving a file in your word processor. In Internet explorer, for example, just surf to the page you'd like to save, open the File menu, and click Save As. In the resulting Save Web Page dialog box, make sure that the 'Save as Type' option is set to 'complete,' and then click Save. The page will be saved to your hard drive, where you can double-click it later to open it.
Your Talkback on this Story