How to Repair an Xbox 360 - A Rising Question Amongst Avid Gamers

A large portion of the owners of one of the most popular game consoles of all time are finding themselves asking this very question.

In a recent press release, microsoft announced that it would be spending up to $1.15 billion to repair Xbox 360 game consoles. A dollar amount of that significance could mean that one third, and up to as many as half, of the machines are in some way flawed.

On the upside, microsoft also announced that they are increasing the original one-year warranty to a full three years. Unfortunately, with a turn-around time of up to six weeks to return and receive your broken Xbox 360, that warranty doesnt cover inconvenience. What many consider to be too much of an inconvenience after shelling out the three to four hundred dollars it can cost for this premium console. Let alone the fact that there are a large number of consumers whose warranties have already expired, leaving another rather hefty price tag to have them repaired (typically $100 to $140). However, where any problem exists, there is normally more than one solution.

One of the solutions proving to be quite prominent is the suggestion of repairing the xbox 360 yourself. This can prove to be quite a difficult task, seeing as how microsoft stated the Xbox console contains 1,700 components and upwards of 500 million transistors, leaving even an intelligent consumer tracking their xbox on the UPS website (Microsofts preferred shipping method). But again, opportunists and consumers prevail...

Manuals...lots of them...have been written instructing individuals on how to fix the xbox 360 themselves, after seeing what is referred to as "The Red Ring of Death". In fact, some people are even making a secondary income repairing the consoles for friends, family and even people they dont know through referral business after reading one of these manuals. The tough part is finding a manual that doesnt leave you lost in a sea of words and diagrams thinking that only an engineer can save you.

When looking for a manual with instructions on how to fix your xbox, there are a couple of things that you should consider absolutely mandatory. These are full color pictures, simple step-by-step instructions, offers both a simple quick fix, as well as a permanent one, and lastly, one that does not require you to go out and buy expensive equipment and tools. The ideal manual will also give you an estimate of about how long it will take an individual with no technical knowledge to finish the fix. That time frame should be at or around an hour.

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Multi-Line Small Business Phones

Multi-line small business phones are ideal for upcoming small businesses. With multi-line operations, one can put the current call on hold to make another call. It becomes possible to use two phone lines with just one phone. This makes the multi line phone an efficient and convenient device to manage business calls. Multi-line small business phones are mainly available in markets as corded business phones and non coded business phones.

Most multi-line small business corded phones have a digital answering system, call waiting caller ID, caller ID memory, three-way conferencing and speed dial system.

Multi-line speakerphone is another type of corded multi line business phone. Many of these phones have a speakerphone, hold, flash and auto redial, mute keys, 32-number memory and handset volume controller. A two line professional conference phone with two microphone system has 360 degree coverage. The multi-line speaker phone is a full duplex conference phone.

A variety of multi-line cordless phones are available in the market. The multi-line 2.4GHz cordless phone with speakerphone is one such model. It features a dual keypad, 50 names and number phone directory, handset locator and 4 party conferencing. Multi line 5.8GHz range expandable cordless phone with digital answering system is another type. The key features include digital duplex speakerphone on handset and base, hold and mute on handset and base and short light-up antenna with message alert. The phone is wall mountable. The 5.8GHz multi line cordless phone is made on the basis of 5.8 GHz DSS (Digital Spread Spectrum) technology.

Multi-line digital cordless phone system is another type of small business phone. It has long range, digital cordless and wireless network friendly phone systems. This takes communication to a higher level with incredible sound clarity, providing enhanced reception and features including talking caller ID.

Most of the small business phones fall into the multi line phone system category. Two to four phone lines will be plugged into one telephone. Multi line phone systems are affordable, full-featured and highly functional for a typical business office.

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Desktop or Laptop? Choose the Right Computer For You!

When considering the purchase of a new computer, many people find themselves asking - should I buy a desktop or laptop computer? I buy over one hundred computers a year for my clients, and am often asked this same question. In this article I will share with you the same advice I give my clients.

Cost Considerations

laptops are generally speaking, more expensive than desktops. A similarly equipped laptop going to cost at least 25% more initially, but the lifetime of the average laptop is generally shorter than than the lifetime of the average desktop. Face it - laptops are fragile, and the inevitible bumps and bruises eventually take their toll. The bottom line is, the portability of a laptop comes at a premium price.

Some people create a "home space" for their laptops, with include such accessories and peripherals as an external monitor, keyboard, mouse, scanner, and/or printer. If you can afford it, this scenario gives you the best of both worlds.

Speed

laptops, generally speaking, are slower than desktops. There are many factors that go into the speed of a computer, and obviously some laptops are faster than some desktops. However, generally speaking:

-- laptops are designed to run on battery power. Their components begin to power down after brief periods of non-use, and it takes time for them to come back to life.

-- All but the high end laptop hard drives are 5400rpm, whereas entry level desktop hard drives are 7200rpm. More RPMS means more speed, but also requires more power.

-- laptop processors use much less energy...and therefore can't perform as many operations in the same amount of time as a desktop processor.

Do you NEED Portability?

If you don't need the portability, get a desktop. I have clients who paid big money for a high dollar laptop, docking station, separate keyboard, mouse, and monitor...only to have it sit on their desk. Maybe portability to you means you like to sit on the couch at night and surf the web - fine. (I do that myself!) but if your computer is not going to move, save the money and get a faster computer - buy a desktop.

Ergonomics

Due to the very nature of laptops, they do not typically provide as good of ergonomics as desktop machines. If you spend a lot of time on your computer, and plan to buy a laptop, you may need to create a space with good ergonomics to work. There are many resources on the web to help you do this - just Google ergonomics.

Theft

Another consideration is the possibility of theft. laptops are at the top of the list for petty thieves, and you must guard them carefully when you are out and about. There are theft recovery systems such as Lojack available to help you recover your computer if stolen, for a price.

summary

The decision of whether to buy a laptop or a desktop is an important one. Carefully consider your budget and the other points discussed above, and then make the right decision for you. Once you have your new computer, visit my website for plenty of other great information on keeping it running fast and smoothly.

Rich Pryor has been an I.T. Consultant for nearly 20 years, and is the author of numerous articles and books, including Computer Secrets Unleashed! For tips, tricks, and a free download of "The Top 15 Computer Mistakes", visit SelfGeek.com

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