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Hardware Considerations by Allen Sonntag.

Some new things for your consideration with links.

COMPUTERS AND OPERATING SYSTEMS:

The latest issue is not MS Vista when you are purchasing a new computer, it's Windows 7. Should you buy XP or go with Win 7? You should do your homework and check out the various websites that test hardware/software and see what they say. Just be aware that many of your peripherals from XP will only work with Win 7 if you update those drivers indicated.

If you are upgrading, please run the MS upgrade advisor. I have personal experience with this tool and it works quite well. I upgraded a V2000 HP Presario notebook, circa 2005, to Win 7. This upgrade from XP to Win 7 requires a clean install, so you will have to reinstall your favorite programs, but it's certainly an easy task, in my experience. Win 7 is everything Vista was not according to the experts on the Web. Do some research and decide for yourselves. I personally like the look and feel of Win 7 and it appears... at least subjectively... to boot and run faster than XP did on the same hardware.

One nice thing is you can still order XP -- but not for long -- on your new system from the Dell's and HP's of the world and, yes, at other manufacturers, too. You can't just walk into a store and get XP but you can custom order online and get it any way you want it. Just be aware that support for XP goes away in the near future.

WRITERS, WIRELESS STUFF and OTHER GOODIES:

The Diamonte, the new writer from Stenograph, introduced at the NCRA annual in Washington, D.C., in August, 2009, is a great piece of hardware. It's paperless, wireless and uses flash memory to store the files and to back them up. It also connects with StenoCAT using the USB cable. Allen says "I think it is easier to use, certainly is lighter and that I write faster". See Diamonte here.

Or the new Stylus from ProCAT, the successor to the Flash; and many of us used the Flash for years and years. My comment to Bob from ProCAT was, "It's a Flash on steroids."

A wireless realtime connection provider is StenoCast. They go a step further than just your writer to your computer but allow connections to attorneys wirelessly, backup .wav files, etc. Check it out. Click here for StenoCAST.

At the seminar in San Francisco several years ago I saw the demonstration of the StenoCAST X7 product, which is the connection from your notebook to the attorneys. It was so impressive that I talked the StenoCAST rep out of his backup package. I've used it with the new Bridge product that is free from Eclipse and I've got to tell you: You need to see it to believe it. I'm sure many of these new products will be demonstrated at the Las Vegas meeting in March, 2010, by Sue Terry. Her realtime seminar is on Thursday, so mark your calendars. Meantime, check out their site. See the link above.

You can get the free Bridge here. Bridge Realtime Viewer

How to get the best prices on the web? Try Pricegrabber. It will go out and search all over the net and bring you back the best prices. Try it, you’ll like it. Other places I shop include Amazon.com, Buy.com, NewEgg.com and many others.

Another good-looking product that was donated and given away as a door prize was from SoundProfessionals.com. This is a USB microphone to use with InSync. It also allows you to monitor the microphone pickup with your favorite headphones. If you order one of these, mention StenoCAT Users Group and you will receive a discount, or so we have been told. Reporters using the product give it a thumbs up.

HARDWARE, CPUs, RAM, GRAPHICS:

2010 will bring some new notebook, mobile processors from Intel, the i3 mobile and the i5 mobile. Their bigger brothers, i5, i7 and i8, have already been released for desktop systems. One of my friends has the i5 processor in a Dell and swears it's faster than.... well, you get the message.

Why do I preach speed? Question: Isn't time equal to money, that is when you save time on transcripts? Get the biggest bang for your buck, buy the fastest speed you can afford and you'll buy a system that lasts you for years and years. Just think of how much time you will save waiting for the boot process.

I just retired in 2009 a Gateway desktop unit that I purchased in 2002, July. It came with XP Pro and 256 RAM, a fast CPU, a graphics card, a flat screen 19 inch monitor and was great and fast until Service Pack 1 arrived and slowed it down. So I upgraded the memory by adding 512 megabytes more of RAM. It was quick and fast again, until along came Service Pack 2, so I upgraded to 2 gigabytes of RAM. This let it survive Service Pack 3 with no particular slowdown. I retired this system in August of 2009 after a full seven years of life. Careful upgrading of a desktop computer will allow for many years of useful life.

Come to the seminars in March, 2010, in Las Vegas and pick up many more tips and tricks for your technology life. See ya there!