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Computing Energy Usage…


…or should I say, reducing energy usage while computing…

Either way, I have been consciously been thinking about the energy usage of my computers recently. First, I have a lot of computers…too many actually. I only have two “recent” computers that get used the most, but there are other computers in the house. I used to just keep them all on, but recently I’ve changed my habits…and it made a difference!

First, a run down of what kind of computing power lives inside the Rowe household:

My Main PC:

Intel Core2Quad (Quad Core) 2.4GHz, 8GB Ram, 3HDD’s, decent mid-range video card

Downstairs PC:

Intel Core2Duo (Dual-Core) 2.4GHz, 4GB Ram, 2HDD’s

Mom’s Upstairs PC:

Intel P4 1.8GHz, 1GB Ram, 1 HDD

Server:

Sun UltraSPARC IIe 650MHz, 1GB Ram, 1HDD

Random old PC #1:

AMD Dual Opteron 2.4GHz (Dual CPU - not Dual Core), 4GB Ram, 4HDD’s (2 on a RAID-0 and 2 on a RAID-1)

Random old PC #2:

AMD Athlon XP 2400+, 1GB Ram, 1HDD

Random old PC #3:

Intel dual PIII Xeon 1GHz, 512MB RAMBUS Ram, 4HDD’s

Random old PC #4:

AMD Athlon 650MHz, 512MB Ram, 3 HDD’s

Random old Laptop:

HP w/ 1GHz AMD, 512 Ram

I used to keep all of these machines on 24/7. “Random old PC’s 1-4 were also connected to a KVM, which was attached to a mammoth 21″ CRT display which was also on 24/7 and served as my ‘test bed’ for quite a long time, and helped fuel my Linux distro-hopping frenzy - basically these were my “I’m bored and I wanna break something” PC’s. “Random old Laptop” usually stayed in sleep mode, but seldom get’s used, and I’ve since just powered it off and put it away for now.

The only PC’s that get regular usage are my “Main PC”, “Downstairs PC”, “Mom’s Upstairs PC”, and “Server”. These aren’t the real names, but here for description only. The real names of my PC’s are all based on Simpsons characters except for the server which i named ’sparticus’ since it’s a SPARC system, and it just seemed like a fitting name. You can actually visit ’sparticus’ here if you’d like. :-)

What I’ve done to change:

“Random old PC’s 1-4″ along w/ their 21″ CRT have been powered off…completely retired, and will either be listed on e-bay “whole” or in “pieces” soon (I can’t decided which way would be better for these old guys) or I might donate them. They are all four “cool” in their own quirky little ways, and I hate to see them go - each had been my main machine at some point in time (as was “Downstairs PC” and “Mom’s Upstairs PC”), but they served no “real” purpose any longer, other than sucking up electricity.

My “Main PC”, the “Downstairs PC” and “Mom’s Upstairs PC” now get suspended if they aren’t being used for 1 hour. I’ve actually managed to re-train Mom on doing this, which was an awesome feat in itself after years of telling her “just leave them on”. Her upstairs PC is actually on about 30 minutes every night, and she is the primary user of “Downstairs PC”, which is probably fully powered on a total of 2 hours a day (at the most). My “Main PC” is on for about hour after I get home from work, then about an hour (sometimes two) before I go to bed during the week. On the weekends (or when I’m off work), it could be going a lot more, depending on what’s going on, or how bored I am with “real life” at the moment. The SPARC system is the only one that is staying on 24/7. It’s actually in a desktop case, and runs headless tucked away in a cubby along with my modem and router.

I have also set up EIST and C1E CPU throttling on the Downstairs PC, which causes the 2.4GHz Core2Duo to run at 1.2GHz unless under heavy load (which I doubt it ever is, unless Pogo.com is more intensive than I realize ;-) ). I do not use those built-in throttling features on my Main PC as they seem to affect the performance of virtual machines - I prefer to have the stable 2.4GHz clock on this machine.

I’ve only done this for one month, but when my bill arrived it was $50 less than it had been running, and we also recently just saw a rate hike in my area, so I have to assume this was the difference. I can’t wait to see what next month’s light-bill brings! I also made the switch to Compact Florecent light-bulbs when we moved into this place back in Feburary ‘08, so since I never got a bill using all standard bulbs, I never got a benchmark, but I’m sure the CF bulbs help my energy bill a good bit as well.

Written by jaysonrowe on April 20th, 2009 with no comments.
Read more articles on energy use and otherSoftware and computers and Computing and Hardware.

Glacier W200 Computers

Get a computer that you can put on your wrist. Possible? Yes it is thanks to Glacier’s W200 wrist computers. This technology is not surprising. We are at a stage where computers are getting compact and smaller by the day and apparently Glacier is leading the pack as far as miniature size is concerned.

Features of this futuristic device include a 3.5-inch touchscreen, Wi-Fi, GPS, a backlit keyboard, Linux or Windows CE and more. This is essentially a low-powered computer that can be literally strapped to you at just about all times. It also includes a motion sensor and an electronic compass, making it the perfect choice for those that like to go backpacking, or what have you.

As most concept devices, this is still not officially underway. But you can be sure that once the developers find a way to fit in and find the periperhals needed to make it tick, this device is going to be a hot commodity in the market. That is if ever it does gets done.

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Written by PC Freak on April 3rd, 2009 with no comments.
Read more articles on glacier and wrist computer and Case Mods and otherSoftware and computers and Style and News.

RED FOX DAVION PC System

In an effort to provide better gaming PCs in demand today, Red Fox has unveiled a new desktop solution via its AMD technology, the Red Fox Davion PC System. There is no question that the demand for higher specs for gamers has become evident and with that in mind, a new market of high-end desktops has become a market opportunity for desktop manufacturers.

Supporting the latest AMD Phenom II X4 940 processor, ATI 4870 iCQGDDR5 1GB 256-Bit PCIe2 Video Card and 4GB DDRII Memory, Red Fox Davion unleashes the full potential of capability that brings spectacular gaming platform delivering the irrefutable performance to satisfy the gaming desire of extreme gamers.

Red Fox is a known name in the motherboard sector and has since ventured out in the world of desktop and mobile solutions. In an effort to push its brand as a complete desktop solution rather than a simple parts provider, the Red Fox Davion PC system may just achieve that niche thanks to the growing demand for efficient gaming systems in the market today.

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Written by PC Freak on January 20th, 2009 with no comments.
Read more articles on Chips and notebooks and motherobard and red fox and otherSoftware and Motherboards and computers and Gaming and Desktop and Desktops and News.

Hip Replacements via Computers

Computers have been known to play an important role in medical technology these days. We see computers being used in getting results from laboratory exams and digital imagery through radiological services. And it seems that medicine is making another statement as far as bone replacement is concerned as computers are once again called to aid doctors and physicians into making the proper assessments prior to actually making hip replacements to patients that require it.

Engineers from the Fraunhofer Institute for Machine Tools and Forming Technology IWU in Dresden and the University of Leipzig are trying to automate a computer to predict where best to place screws in a given patient’s bone tissue.

Hip replacements are not a simple measure and place methodology. Medical factors that include assessing and closer monitoring of where they can be safely placed is a need. Thanks to computers, this can be done with the close-ups and digital imaging, avoiding problems that can lead towards improper replacements and cause a lot of pain as far as medical attention to patients is concerned.

Medical technology has made it easier for all of us. Rather than purely a logical alternative, computers have lowered the issue of assessments and marginal room for errors. Though not 100% accurate, you can just imagine the breakthrough that people have done as far as aiding medical technology. However, rest assured that medicine can expect more technological assistance from computers in the following years.

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Written by PC Freak on January 7th, 2009 with no comments.
Read more articles on otherSoftware and Video Cards and hip replacements and Digital Imaging and Desktops and computers and Technology and Medicine and News.

PC Demands Bound to Soar Through Laid Off Workers

Out of a job? Laid off? A lot of people have lost jobs these days and if there is one worthy investment that they should consider, it would be perhaps through PCs or laptops. The best time to invest in these technological breakthroughs is now not only because they have been offered at great bargains but also because they can do a lot with them.

There are a lot of potential money-making schemes that anyone can do online and it does not need the immediate call to enroll in computer schools. In fact, the simplest way of making money on the web is to check out telecommute jobs.

There are a lot of jobs people can consider and these include:

1. Content writing or blogging
2. Data Entry
3. Social Media Marketing
4. Graphics Designing
5. Documentation and Reports

Now all of these would require a PC and a reliable Internet connection. While the latter is already a given, a computer can be used as a great source of income if you look in the right places. You can even use the web to get references as well. Some companies can even offer you a work from home job and all you would need is a device, a computer in this case, to conduct such an interface.

So if you are looking for a worthy investment, a computer is one of the wise decisions to go about it. You don’t even have to spend your entire final pay on it. This is a small investment that can perhaps help people who are direly looking for income these days.

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Written by PC Freak on December 29th, 2008 with no comments.
Read more articles on Desktops and laptops and otherSoftware and computers and Internet and News and Internet and Gadgets.

Are Computers in Classrooms Viable?

Students these days fail to realize how lucky they are. Today, we see most kids enjoying air-conditioned classrooms as well as the privilege of using computers to help them make their assignments and reports. Some can even gain access to the web, providing lesser excuses as far as enhancing their knowledge level to get good grades. But yet, a large number of students are failing to live up to the standards despite the presence of computers. With that in mind, are computers helping or totally defeating its purpose?

If you look at it, computers should be making studying easier. It is easier to do research and process the paperwork that they schooling require. Yet today, we see failing marks, much of which are surprising despite the ease brought about by computers. Could it be that kids have not been educated on how to use computers useful in line with their studies?

Perhaps so. Kids today see computers as a form of leisure and entertainment. They fail to realize the things they can do with them, in this case, research and use them to aid them in their studies. Games and using sites that provide other information that they are interested in are normally what grabs their attention. In short, the proper alignment on how to make use of a computer is an obvious need.

So to help computers serve their purpose, guidance and a better directional mode of teaching may be required. If this should be done, perhaps computers can help kids straighten their grades and also improve their educational development and evolvement.

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Written by PC Freak on December 19th, 2008 with no comments.
Read more articles on otherSoftware and classrooms and kids and Desktops and Education and Internet and Internet and computers and News.

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