Since there is inherently nothing exciting about USB flash drives, some companies have devised ways to make them interesting. One such company is FlashDealer.com, a producer of custom USB drives.

Now, there are many companies out there who do custom flash drives. I’ve looked into them myself, in fact, with an idea of potentially selling PCMech branded USB drives to you, my readers. Logo-imprinted drives are easy to come by. What makes FlashDealer.com interesting is because they do completely custom drives. So custom, in fact, that they must have a little army of elves in the north pole producing these things by hand.

That picture to the right is actually a USB flash drive, configured to look like a fire extinguisher. If you look on their website, they have drives configured to look like Kit-Kat bars, UPS trucks, even beer bottles.

This kind of thing probably wouldn’t be worth it for a consumer, however business owners could potentially use this type of product for promotional reasons. Like I said, I’ve thought about doing it for PCMech (and still might at some point).

Kudos to companies who make a boring product creative.

NOTE: This writeup is a sponsored post.

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Flash Drives That Look Like Fire Extinguishers

From some quick research, there doesn’t appear to be a universal way to toggle this functionality, as it depends on your hardware and the respective configuration utilities. Our laptop at home uses a Synaptics mouse touchpad driver and the configuration utility has an option to disable the touchpad when the mouse is plugged in.

A quick Google search on your hardware should give you all the details you need on how to enable this if it supported.

If anyone takes advantage of this feature, please post your hardware specs to help others out.

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Disable The Touchpad When A Mouse Is Plugged In

Every time I use Dave’s computer box I have to deal with that stupid thing.

If you ever wanted a way to keep people from using your computer, use a trackball mouse. It’s a sure-fire way to say that if you’re not willing to "thumb it", you sir (or ma’am), won’t be able to use my computer.

It’s not like trackball mice are plentiful. NewEgg doesn’t have too many to choose from. But this probably makes users of this awful input device very smug, like it’s a secret society of annoying-mouse users or something.

Folks who use trackball mice are nice enough people. It’s just that I strongly disagree with their choice of mouse. It’s big; it’s ugly; it should be banned like asbestos.

One of these days I’m going to bring a scissors to Dave’s place, cut the wire, chuck the mouse in the garbage then blame it on the cat.

The only thing worse than a trackball mouse is a keyboard with blank keys.

Trackball people, I respect you as computer users, but your mouse sucks.

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Ode To Those Who Use Trackball Mice

For example, I don’t have to buy a new case, nor do I have to buy a new optical drive. I also don’t need new audio speakers, mouse, keyboard or monitor. In my current setup I could also transfer over my video card as well.

When you add these things up it shaves off a lot of cash you would otherwise have to spend.

Many PCMech readers have built PCs before, but if you’re someone who hasn’t yet, I can say without question that your most expensive build will probably be the first one. And this is because you have nothing to transfer from a previous build. Everything must be bought new and yes, it can get costly – but only for the first time around.

What you can do is think of the future when building your first box so it will cost less when you upgrade later. The checklist is short and easy to remember.

Future-use things to consider when PC building

Computer Case

Your case should be a full-sized tower. The reason is so you can use standard ATX or MicroATX motherboards. This gives you more choice of what motherboard you want to use now and in the future.

The case you buy should be above average. You want something built well that will withstand the test of time. Being that your intent is to use the same case over and over, build quality matters.

Motherboard

Use a motherboard that supports several different types of processors. The better ones support at least four. This Intel motherboard for example does just that. For now maybe you want a Core 2 Duo processor but later on want to upgrade to a Quad-core. Using a motherboard that supports multiple CPU types will save you cash because you don’t have to buy another board when ready to upgrade.

Also bear in mind the new board you buy should support (at the time of this writing) a minimum of 8GB of RAM which the one linked above does. If you buy a new board that only supports 4GB, that’s your limit – and that’s not good. 8GB should stay current for at least 5 years, and you can incrementally update as needed.

Optical Drive

This is something you don’t have to put a ton of cash into because more people are moving away from the optical format in favor of flash-based media.

Concerning this particular component, the key is to avoid things you don’t need that add extra cost, such as:

• LightScribe – This is more for "cool factor" than anything else. You’re better off just labeling your discs with a Sharpie marker. It’s cheaper and does the same job. True, it doesn’t look as professional, but nobody cares.
• Super fast DVD burning – Not necessary. Why? Because getting blank media that supports the higher speeds costs more and probably isn’t available on the shelf where you buy discs. Most of the time the blank media you buy will be 12x max write speed for DVD and 30x max for CD, so the fact your drive can burn faster means nothing unless you’re willing to custom order blank discs that support it – which you probably won’t.
• Blu-Ray compatible – Again, not necessary. The only people truly interested in this format are those who have Blu-ray players for their television. And yes, you will get a big-big 25GB of storage on one of these BD-R discs, but, each disc at present costs $5 – and that doesn’t include shipping. You’re better off using flash-based media, if only for the fact that write/rewrite is much easier and faster compared to optical.

Input Devices (Keyboard and Mouse)

Concerning the mouse, make sure it connects via USB. With wireless, go for RF and not Bluetooth. For example, a really kick-ass wireless mouse is the Logitech G7. It’s got a ridiculous price tag (but worth it to some) and is USB/RF-wireless based. And don’t worry, there are plenty of RF-wireless USB mice that are much lower in price, like this one.

Note that there’s nothing bad or wrong about Bluetooth wireless, but you get more choice with RF. A lot more.

Concerning the keyboard, you want something that will stand the test of time like your computer case. There are many keyboard makes to choose from, but typically the best for long-term use are made by Microsoft and Logitech. Sure, other keyboards have lots of whiz-bang features on it, but what matters most is comfort and longevity.

With Microsoft and Logitech it’s the simple things that make them better, such as not having the lettering literally wear off your keys in less than six months.

Of course, neither beat the best computer keyboard of all time, the IBM Model M. But that takes a little bit of doing (i.e. a USB converter) to make the older ones work. And lets not forget they’re frickin’ loud. A resounding CLICK-CLACK happens every time you press a key on one of those. But it’s a good sound. At least I think so.

Audio speakers

The only rule to follow here is to use an audio speaker setup that is not overly dependent on software. And what I mean by that is you should not buy speakers that require software just to hear sound come out of them.

Whatever you buy should work like this: Open the box, take the speakers out, plug the AC adapter into the wall, plug in the audio cable to the sound card, done.

Software that controls the sound card is fine (and necessary). Software that’s required just to make the speakers work is bad.

If you want an example of bad, Creative is notorious for having speaker setups that are too "attached" to software, so to speak. And without their proprietary software installed, the speakers either sound like crap or not work at all. Not good.

Final notes

Many people make the mistake of building a PC that only has "right-now" tech in it, meaning the end build will not stay current for more than 2 years at the most.

For example, let’s say you bought a brand new motherboard today but it can only use a Core 2 Duo processor as the fastest it will support. That’s a mistake. Yes, the Core 2 right now is fast – but it won’t be 2 years from now and you’ll be forced to buy another motherboard later when the time comes. What you should have done is bought a board that can support Core 2 or Quad-core. When the Core 2 becomes too slow, it’s not a problem because you can upgrade to a Quad-core and get another 2 or 3 years out of the same motherboard, thereby saving you money.

When building your first (or next) computer box, consider the future. Buying the right stuff the first time and spending a little extra means savings for the long-term.

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What’s The Best Advantage Of Building A PC?

ExtremeTech has two good articles which outline what model might be best suited for what purpose:

• The Best Keyboards for Every Occasion
• The Best Computer Mice in Every Category

Each article breaks down the respective device by several categories and gives a review of each. One thing to note is price doesn’t really seem to be a consideration. Depending on the use, however, sometimes the cost may well be worth the design.

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A Keyboard And Mouse For Every Purpose

If you stock your built PC with parts that are the right choice the first time, your Windows installation will run better and faster.

Please Login or Register to read the rest of this article. Gold/Silver Membership required.

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Building A “Perfect” Windows PC

The vast majority of laptops use Lithium Ion (abbreviated Li-ion) batteries. Before that was nickel-metal hydride (NiMH) and before that Nickel Cadmium (NiCd or NiCad).

For those wondering if NiCad batteries are still used in laptops, the answer is yes, but not as the primary power source. An example use of a NiCad would be used as the CMOS battery in a laptop.

Here are my tips for buying laptop batteries.

Tip 1. Never buy direct from the OEM.

If I were to buy a battery for my older Dell Inspiron 6000 direct from Dell, it would be easily over $100.

If I buy from eBay, it’s less than half the price.

In fact, I could get one for as low as $40 new.

Tip 2. If you can afford it, go for a 9-cell.

Most laptops have 6-cell and 9-cell types of batteries. The ones with more cells hold a longer charge. And yes, the 9’s are more expensive exactly for that reason.

Tip 3. Go for the lowest price possible.

There is absolutely no reason to spend any more than you have to on a replacement battery. As long as what you get comes from a reputable reseller and the battery is new on arrival, that’s all you should care about.

The only additional consideration is if the battery comes with a warranty. Most new ones carry a warranty of at least six months – and that’s more than enough time to find out whether or not it will hold a proper charge.

Need more juice?

If you need extra power beyond the battery, consider getting a universal notebook battery (external), such as the one made by APC.

Yes, it is universal and really works. If you’re mobile quite a bit, you’ll like it a lot.

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3 Tips On Buying Laptop Batteries

With that said, here’s how it’s fared out so far.

First I’ll note that I do a ton of writing (obviously) so I have put the keyboard thru its paces and no, I’m not a gamer.

Overall feel

The first thing I noticed in the negative respect is that the keys felt "spongey". What I can say now is that they don’t feel that way any longer. This is a keyboard that definitely has to be "broken in", so to speak. The feel of the keys is now better than it was two weeks ago.

Lighting

All the lights still work, but as some past reviewers of this keyboard have noticed (as do I), the topmost keys are a bit on the dim side. And when I say topmost I’m referring to the function keys, PrntScrn/Scroll Lock/Pause keys and so on. But being I don’t use those keys too often it’s not that big of a deal.

Ergonomics

The supplied keyboard wrist rest is more or less worthless for me for the fact it has a slope. I plan on getting a regular "ugly" soft-padded rest. What a keyboard wrist rest is supposed to do is keep your wrists level with your hands, and this one definitely does not do that whatsoever.

Cool looking? Yes. Functional? Yes. Ergo-friendly? No.

Noise

Only now do I realize how LOUD my previous keyboard was compared to the Saitek. I’m liking the fact I don’t hear constant click-clacking. Granted, yes it’s still there (you can’t completely eliminate it), but it’s almost as quiet as my laptop keyboard.

My only complaint is that I also realize I was going by sound when typing certain words and phrases on my previous keyboard, so I’ve had to re-learn how to type a few things. Not a big deal.

Proper height/spacing

Some keyboards try to do things differently by offering taller keys or having them spaced further apart, etc. The Saitek is just a standard layout and it’s very much appreciated.

Verdict

I don’t regret the purchase. At first I thought I might but now that’s it’s broken in I’m getting along with it nicely.

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Saitek Eclipse Keyboard, Two Weeks Later

Before continuing, I know someone is going to ask “What’s the pic of the keyboard in this article?” It’s a Luxeed. And no I don’t own one.

What changed the landscape of keyboard shapes, sizes and keys were three things (two of which due to Microsoft):

1. The addition of a “flag”, a.k.a. “win” key.
2. The “natural” shape.
3. The ability to add in multimedia functions (volume control, assignable keys, etc.)

Since the advent of these things we’ve seen tons of different styles of keyboards, and each year continue to see attempts by manufacturers to reinvent the wheel, so to speak.

The fact of the matter is that when you take away all the fluff and get to what really matters in a keyboard, it makes your purchasing decision much easier.

With that said, here’s what to look for when shopping for a keyboard:

Key placement

The first thing keyboard manufacturers mess with is:

1. The placement of the arrow keys
2. The placement of the Home / End / Insert / Delete / PgUp / PgDown cluster
3. The size of the backslash key (the slash above the Enter key)
4. The size of the Enter key itself

For some reason keyboard manufacturers take great liberties with the size and placement of the keys mentioned above. It is usually the last thing most people look to when purchasing a new keyboard. I say it should be the first thing to examine.

Could you deal with a keyboard that has all the arrow keys in a horizontal row? How about all vertical? Are you saying “They’re both wrong!” You’re right. Up and down should be vertical and left and right should be horizontal.

Extraneous keys

Many keyboards have a lot of useless crap on them that unfortunately do nothing but get in the way because you’re guaranteed to hit these keys by mistake from time to time.

An example is the RAZER Pro. There are added-in keys on the left and the right. Keys like this will drive you bonkers in short order.

Normal profile or short profile?

Short profile keys make a standard keyboard feel like a laptop keyboard.

I actually really like half-height keys, a.k.a. “short profile” keys.

If you are the touch-typist kind, you will like short profile keys. Otherwise stick to regular profile (which is everything else).

You will know instantly whether a keyboard is “short” or not just by using it for a few seconds.

Is there a delay when using wireless?

Always. Personally speaking I can’t stand wireless keyboards because a) I don’t like anything running on batteries that doesn’t have to be and b) the response is not as good as when it’s wired, be it via PS/2 connector or USB.

Does price matter?

This is something that confuses a lot of people. You would assume that because one keyboard costs more than the other that it’s better, right?

Wrong.

Ordinarily when you pay big bucks for a keyboard you’re not paying for a better unit but rather just for whiz-bang features. Extra keys, goodies and so on.

Here are two examples of good keyboards:

Expensive: Enermax KB007U-B. This is 75 bucks. Expensive? You betcha. Plain looking? You betcha. Solid as a rock? Absolutely – and has its key orientation exactly as it should be. No extraneous keys. This is a near-perfect keyboard. This is what you want one to look like.

Cheap: The LiteON SK-1788. Only 7 bucks. Has great customer ratings. If you buy it and like it, buy 2 more. Again this keyboard his a nice familiar standard layout with no fluff.

It is the key orientation and comfort that you want and not whiz-bang features. Always remember that. Comfort includes layout familiarity and both ‘boards above have that.

Trying the keyboard first is still your best bet

Better computer retailers have keyboards all set up ready for you to try out. These keyboards aren’t plugged into anything but that doesn’t matter because it’s the feel that matters. Try it out. Type a few words/phrases, make sure to use the number pad, mind the location of the arrow keys and so on.

It’s very annoying to buy a brand new keyboard, take it home and then realize some keys are not in familiar spots. Find this out before you take it home.

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Understanding The Differences Between Keyboards

Blatant Plug: We have just launched a brand new course at PCMech University which is designed to give you tactics you need to know on how to take professional photographs using any standard digital camera. No, you don’t need the expensive model to make good images. The secret is in the person holding the camera, not the equipment (in most cases). Come by PCMech University for more information.

But, that’s not the purpose of this article. I promise. Let’s say you are taking some cool shots with your camera. What can you do with them besides impress yourself?

Go Quasi-Pro Online

Anybody who is a hobbyist photographer would love to make some money doing what they love – namely taking pictures. The Internet makes it much easier to do.

In the old days, you would need to make the right contacts and even strike up a deal with an agency. You’d have to send in your negatives and get approved, yada yada. Today, stock photography sites are online. And with photography being mostly digital today, you can now simply upload your photos.

One such site is iStockPhoto. iStockPhoto is a large online marketplace for stock photography. Anybody looking to buy a photo for use on the web or in print advertising, for instance, can come to this site and buy rights to use a photo. That is what stock photography is all about. As a photographer, you can submit your photos to iStockPhoto and earn money if anybody purchases your work. Pay rates usually hover around 20% of the purchase price. You can set the purchase price yourself (ranging from $1 up to $40).

Now, to keep the quality of the collection up, yes you do need to get approval from Istockphoto before you can participate. They will check the quality of the work as well as any possible copyright issues and appropriate model releases (if there are people in your photo).

Other sites you can check out are ShutterStock (pays 25 cents per purchase, which can add up if you keep things fresh) ShutterPoint, Fotolia (between 30 cents and $1 per download) and Dreamstime (pays between 50% and 80% commission).

Some Tips

As I end off this article, here is some quick advice if you want to start making money doing this:

1. Takes LOTS of pictures. As any photographer will tell you, you snap snap snap to end up with a few good ones.
2. Pay attention to what sells and take those kinds of photos. Feed the demand.

If you take it seriously, then yes, you can make money with your digital camera. It doesn’t have to be a full-time job, either. It could be a spare time thing and still work out in your favor.

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Make Money With Your Digital Camera