View Full Version : Questions from a technophobe
Domestic Goddess
02-05-07, 10:16 AM
Greeting Tech Shed dwellers!
May I ask a few questions????
1 What does wi-fi mean???
2 If I buy a laptop, how can I get it to get my Virgin broadband connection? Will I only be able to get internet access in my house or can I take it out in the car with me?
3 When using a laptop to you need to be connected by wire to a printer or scanner to be able to use them?
4 What does a blackberry do and is it worth investing in one?
Many thanks!!
StoneHenge
02-05-07, 10:40 AM
My boss has a blackberry, they are becoming the company standard. He uses his as a mobile and to access his e-mail. Might be worth the investment if you think you will use it a lot.
I have a laptop and because I am on the water I can't have a landline, so I have a wireless card in my laptop so I can use a wireless internet connection. I have mine through T-mobile. I would imagine if you are landbased you may be able to have a connection through Virgin. Do they do a wireless service? I'd ask, as before you buy a laptop you will need a wireless card fitted.
Wif-fi is wireless technology, although I don't know the exact wording.
There are plenty of clever tech bods on here though, so sure they will give the proper answers!! I'm just going from personal experience!
Domestic Goddess
02-05-07, 10:55 AM
Another question
On my current computer I access my email account through Outlook Express. Is it easy to set my account up on a new computer?
The reason that I'm asking all this is that my current computer is 6 years old and sometimes conks out on me. It also takes up a fair bit of space in our dining room, so I am considering investing in a laptop.
Crazy Dog
02-05-07, 02:44 PM
All sorts of different ways to connect your laptop to the internet, printers etc. You need to be quite specific about what you want to do before any meaningful recommendations can be made.
Do you want to be able to use your laptop just about anywhere (sat in front of the TV, at the dining room table, in bed, as a direct replacement for the PC), or is it only a direct replacement for the PC?
Outlook Express is easy to set up - and all your existing eMails can be transferred from the PC to the laptop. Better than Outlook Express I suggest you take a look at ThunderBird which is far safer.
I took some persuading to go for a laptop instead of our old desk top, but now I am so glad I did :)
I would def recommend the laptop idea
sesentayuno
02-05-07, 11:09 PM
Greeting Tech Shed dwellers!
May I ask a few questions????
1 What does wi-fi mean???
2 If I buy a laptop, how can I get it to get my Virgin broadband connection? Will I only be able to get internet access in my house or can I take it out in the car with me?
3 When using a laptop to you need to be connected by wire to a printer or scanner to be able to use them?
4 What does a blackberry do and is it worth investing in one?
Many thanks!!
Hi DG,
I hope the following answers will not confuse you further :)
1) Wi-Fi is originally a brand name, but it is now used to describe wireless LAN (local area network), in simple terms a LAN is a network of connected servers, routers and switches, which then enables you to connect to the Internet if it is configured to do so.
2) When you get a laptop and want to connect to your Virgin Broadband wireless (assuming it is through an ADSL line, part of your normal phone line), you would need a wireless router, the router then connects to your modem which then connects to your Virgin Broadband, in other words, your laptop will "talk" to the wireless router and that in turn "talks" to your modem. You can also get a wireless router with built in ADSL modem and you have one less adaptor. The range of wireless router is very limited, I don't think you can take it to your car. However, there are cafes, airport etc. that has "wi-fi hotspot" where you can connect to it either free of charge or for a small fee.
3) If you wish to do it wireless, there are various options and the easiest to set up is using bluetooth, you need to buy a bluetooth "dongle" that plugs to the back of your printer (some printer already has wireless features built in, then in which case you don't need to do this), you then turn on the bluetooth on your laptop and "find" the printer/scanner, it is fairly straight forward and the instructions should explain how it can be done. However, some very old printer might not be able support this.
4) Blackberry is a PDA (personal d1g1tal assistant) developed by a company call Research In Motion, they have an edge over other PDAs in that they have the technology that makes emailing with your PDA a doddle and is a favourite among cooporate users.
Hope the above helps :)
PS: have to use 1 for d1g1tal or it will be censored :blink:
Ses
Domestic Goddess
03-05-07, 11:11 AM
Thanks guys!
I want to be able to take a laptop all around the house and access the internet. I also want to be able to take it in my car and watch dvds or write documents etc but not have internet access whilst out of the house.
I don't mind having to plug it in to use the printer or scanner.
Having looked at Blackberries I don't think I really need one.
Noise Stopper
03-05-07, 08:12 PM
Having looked at Blackberries I don't think I really need one.
You need something that is more "pay as you go" than "pick your own" perhaps? :hihi:
Ian :nfh1:
Domestic Goddess
12-05-07, 02:44 PM
:lol: @ Noisestopper!
I've been browsing around and have found a notebook (is that the same as a laptop??) on Dell that looks good for £329.00 all I want it is for emailing, surfing the net, playing kids games, watching DVDs, word processing, playing and burning cds etc http://www1.euro.dell.com/content/products/category.aspx/notebooks?c=uk&cs=ukdhs1&l=en&s=dhs
Do notebooks have cd / DVD rewriters? I can't see any mention of them. If they don't can I add one?? Mr DG and I prefer to carry copies in our cars in case they are stolen.
Are Dell reliable?
Can I download the files from my current computer to a laptop? If so, how?
Do I need to get a man who can in to do it for me??? Mr DG is utterly useless in this department!
Many thanks!!
sesentayuno
13-05-07, 12:43 PM
Do notebooks have cd / DVD rewriters? I can't see any mention of them. If they don't can I add one??
They should have at the very least a CD rewriters, but most if not all comes with a DVD writer, check with the sales people before buying. If they don't you can always add one, or you can ask them to upgrade it with a bit of extra.
Are Dell reliable?
Fairly...personally I don't feel that they are, we use it in our company and the feedback I've heard aren't the best. They have a problem not so long ago where their battery will explode under long use :o
Can I download the files from my current computer to a laptop? If so, how?
Without a network set up that enables the PC and the laptop to communitcate with each other, your next best bet is
- burn all your current Data onto a CD/DVD (provided they both use the same media) and transfer it across
- Use a USB external media (either a memory stick or an external harddrive), transfer your files from the PC to the external media then from the external media to the laptop. (you can transfer a lot more at one go with an external hard drive)
Do I need to get a man who can in to do it for me??? Mr DG is utterly useless in this department!
Many thanks!!
You could, but for the price you might pay, I would suggest you follow the option of using an external Hard drive, it is really quite straight forward if your current computer has USB connectors, all you need to do is plug the drive in and it will appear as another drive in windows explorer, you can then easily copy the files you want across, then take the drive and connect it to your laptop and copy it from the drive to the laptop. The drives aren't that expensive these days and you get to keep the drive as an emergency back up for your data.
I hope the above helps :)
SEs
Enterian
13-05-07, 03:53 PM
If you do go for a wireless network, then please please talk to someone about how to set it up securely.
I see soooo many unsecured networks!
Enterian
Take a look at this DG is this the sort of thing you are after?
http://www.currys.co.uk/martprd/store/cur_page.jsp?BV_SessionID=@@@@1669912236.117908528 3@@@@&BV_EngineID=ccfkaddklkdjdjjcflgceggdhhmdgml.0&page=Product&sku=174887&fm=1&sm=0&tm=4&tabIndex=1
magpie
tortoise
14-05-07, 10:10 AM
Always secure your network. Not only could people use your internet, they could also access files too.
:(
Domestic Goddess
14-05-07, 10:48 AM
Thanks for the link Magpie! That one looks realy good!
As for secureing my network - is this hard to do? I DO no a chap who does computing so I'll ask him to do this for me!
Thanks for all your kind help.
No doubt, I'll be back with more questions soon!!
Groundhopper
27-01-08, 10:35 PM
I hate computers but I need some help.
How do I change the picture by the side of my name. I asked my OH but was told You have to learn to do things yourself, only I cant.
It has taken me ages to get this far tonight.
Hi groundhopper
Go to the top of the main page click on user cp
on the left hand side of the new page look down the list and click on edit avatar
If you want to add a picture from your own computer click the browse button
click on the picture you want to select
and then on save changes at the bottom :)
if it doesnt work ask your other half very nicely again :lol:
Hi Groundhopper :D
Well, I think you are doing really well :) It took a very patient TL several PM's to help me sort out my picture so you are not alone there! :lol:
First of all, go to the top of the page and click on 'User CP'
This takes you to your personal control panel.
On the left hand side are some more options - the top few are edit options. Click on 'Edit avatar' [the techie name for the picture by your name :rolleyes:]
This brings you to the edit avatar page and you can use a picture from your own images on your pc or download one from a website.
If you are looking for ideas, try this avatar website. They have a whole large section of sports related avatars, so you may find a few footie ones there ;)
http://www.avatarist.com/
Sorry, er, posts crossed !!!!
looks like you have done it :D
Groundhopper
28-01-08, 01:44 AM
Thanks very much. I got there eventually.
PS. There is no way I am asking the OH anything else tonight.