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Has computer hardware lost its glitter? [Jordan Times, The](Jordan Times, The Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) Jean - Claude Elias By With everyone focused on the Internet and its by-products like social networking, online shopping and e-mail, not to mention the heavily promoted not to say pushed cloud computing concept, traditional computer hardware may have lost its glitter. The beauty of the machine was what used to attract us until a few years ago, but now the vast majority of users just want a working computer that is good enough to get them to the web. Only an odd category of hardcore gamers and professional audiovisual producers still lose sleep over shape and looks, or characteristics like megahertz and gigabytes - or terabytes for that matter. There is a number of good reasons why computers have been relegated to the role of mere accessories, which is what they should be in the first place, simple tools that we operate to accomplish something. Any computer today, be it laptop or desktop, is powerful enough and comes with data storage capacity large enough to satisfy the computing needs of virtually each and everyone. Usually external looks are not bad either. Great features abound too: USB ports, HDMI, wireless networking, Bluetooth, superb LCD or LED screens, high definition sound, and so forth. Typically all this is available on a machine that would sell for less than JD800 in Jordan. When the choice is that easy and affordable, hardware stops being the magical, glamorous object it used to be, one we used to put on a pedestal and admire per se. More flashy, younger devices like the tablets, netbooks and smartphones are stealing the show from mainstream laptop and desktop computers. The latter have become too common, somewhat dull. Besides, for being truly portable tablets and smartphones are easier to show around and brag about. The younger you are and the truer this is. The industry, however, is not completely giving up on conventional computers in any way. A number of very interesting features are here to help the machine to remain attractive and to keep some form of youth. However limited their number is, the features nevertheless can be very important. Ultra fast Solid State Drives, USB3 connectivity, BluRay DVD playback capability and Intel i7 powerful processors are four of the main features that come like from a fountain of youth to bring some renewed appeal to mainstream computers. Sometimes even the name given to the machine helps. Take for instance Dell's AlienWare series of laptops. Doesn't the name alone make you feel like owning such beauty? The model is the company's flagship laptop and comes with killer graphics and high definition audio provided by Klipsch, a designer of premium sound systems that audiophiles dream of having in their living room. Looking for other ways to impress, or at least to feel that there is still some sense of fashion and trend-setting in computers? Try the water-cooled cases for desktops - very impressive though somewhat odd-looking little boxes. Ikonik and Xoxide (more sexy names') are among the top rated manufacturers of liquid-cooled computer cases. Moreover, for the macho minded, the very thought of water-cooled equipment will conjure up visions of muscular automotive engines, significantly adding to the attraction. Or perhaps you can get one of these external 2TB (terabytes) hard disks goodies. You probably won't use or need but a little fraction of the huge storage space they provide but they will make you feel 'in', and anyway they come very affordable. Western Digital and Seagate sell them for less than JD100 a piece. Whether they are truly useful devices or mere gadgets, none of the above will change the fact that laptop and desktop computers have lost if not all at least a good part of their initial dazzle. On the other hand their being now common but efficient and practical tools is not a bad thing at all. There's enough glitter on the web to enjoy. (c) 2011 The Jordan Times. All rights reserved. Provided by Syndigate.info an Albawaba.com company |