Without a doubt, the big buzz since the weekend has been over the "Google Phone," an HTC-built device called the Nexus One handed out to Google employees last week in what Google describes as a "mobile lab." Confirmed to be running Android 2.1, the Nexus One has once again raised the idea of Google selling unlocked devices directly to consumers. (Google has been selling unlocked HTC Android phones for some time, but only to developers.)
It would be a strange turnabout if Mountain View made this move, directly going in the face of previous assurances that Google had no plans to compete directly with Android hardware manufacturers. What's more, there are a lot of unanswered questions here.
Optimizing HDTV
You've bought the HDTV. You've set it up, plugged everything into it. Maybe you've even calibrated it for the best possible picture. (If you need advice on handling those chores, see "How to Install Your HDTV" and "Calibrate My HDTV".) But you're not done yet: Fiddling with a few more settings can further complement your viewing experience.
Here are five settings that you may want to change on your HDTV itself or on devices plugged into it. I won't be able to give you exact directions, because the steps differ from one manufacturer and model to the next. But I will tell you where you can typically find these options, and what they're usually called.
Here are five settings that you may want to change on your HDTV itself or on devices plugged into it. I won't be able to give you exact directions, because the steps differ from one manufacturer and model to the next. But I will tell you where you can typically find these options, and what they're usually called.
Picture Size for Broadcast or Cable
Your HDTV receives both standard- and high-definition TV channels, and automatically upscales standard-def video. The question you need to address is how the set should handle the aspect-ratio[Free] Antivirus and Antispyware
The Internet is full of brilliant ideas, marvelous software…and danger. You absolutely must use antivirus and antispyware protection if you connect to the Internet. Even if your computer is locked in a WiFi-proof Faraday cage with no connection to the outside world, threats like the Conficker worm can slip in via removable drives. Going without security software is simply not an option. But what if this year's economy has left a big fat zero in your budget's security column? Never fear—you can still get reasonable protection without paying a cent.
If you decide to shell out for security, Spyware Doctor with AntiVirus 2010 is our Editors' Choice for standalone malware protection; Prevx 3.0 is another good choice with an innovative approach. You'll pay a bit more for a full suite, but you'll also get more comprehensive protection. Norton Internet Security 2010 is our Editor's Choice for security suite; it's what I use myself. BitDefender Internet Security 2010 and
If you decide to shell out for security, Spyware Doctor with AntiVirus 2010 is our Editors' Choice for standalone malware protection; Prevx 3.0 is another good choice with an innovative approach. You'll pay a bit more for a full suite, but you'll also get more comprehensive protection. Norton Internet Security 2010 is our Editor's Choice for security suite; it's what I use myself. BitDefender Internet Security 2010 and
Telegraph launches free Apple iPhone app
The Telegraph has launched a new and improved version of its news application to help Apple iPhone users keep up with the latest headlines on the go.
The Telegraph app is available free of charge, unlike some other news applications.
The application – a small piece of software installed on a mobile device – automatically pulls in the latest news headlines and weather forecasts from the Telegraph website, making it quicker and easier to see top stories and sports results.
The Telegraph App works with Apple's iPhone, and can either be downloaded directly on to the device through the iTunes App Store, or copied across to the phone using a computer.
New features include the ability to instantly share interesting stories or pictures via email, Twitter or Facebook at the touch of a button, and access to video reports and picture galleries.
Users can also use the application to alert the Telegraph to a breaking news story. By clicking on the "Report" button, users can upload a photo and give a brief eyewitness account of breaking news.
"This new, improved app provides a really rich, multimedia news experience," said Maani Safa, head of mobile at Telegraph Media Group. "We've made the software as easy to use as possible, and there are lots of features that readers will love.
"We can provide you with up-to-the-minute weather forecasts based on your current location, or show you a list of the day's hottest news stories. And if you're catching a flight or taking the Tube, all of the stories and photos are still available, even if you don't have a mobile phone signal."
The Telegraph launched its first iPhone application earlier this year, and also makes a variety of apps for the BlackBerry and handsets running Google's Android operating system.
Solar-powered plane makes successful first flight
Bertrand Piccard, the Swiss adventurer who designed the Solar Impulse, said he hoped one day to fly nonstop around the world in the giant aeroplane.
The short, low altitude flight at a Swiss airfield on Thursday proved the prototype can fly, said Mr Piccard, who was the pilot of the first hot-air balloon to fly nonstop around the world. Several aircraft have flown with pilots using solar power before, but Solar Impulse is the first designed to fly indefinitely, staying aloft at night using batteries charged by the sun during the day.
"It was absolutely great to see this plane in the air," Mr Piccard told The Associated Press. "It's a completely new flight domain. There has never been an aeroplane so big and so light flying with so little energy."
The Solar Impulse, which has a wingspan of a Boeing 747 but weighs less than a small car, flew 1,150 feet at just one meter above the ground, Mr Piccard said.
"The goal was not to make a big flight, but to see if this aeroplane is behaving the way the engineers designed it," he said. "And the result was excellent.
"On the other hand, we see how long the road is still before we fly around the world with it," Mr Piccard said.
Solar panels will be attached next year for the first flight at night powered by solar energy, followed by a series of other tests, he said.
Mr Piccard and his co-pilot Andre Borschberg will alternate in the cockpit when they try to take the aeroplane around the world in 2012.
Mr Piccard set a world record in 1999 when he and Brian Jones, a Briton, took their balloon, Breitling Orbiter III, on a 20-day circumnavigation of the globe - an achievement that had eluded many before them, including Steve Fossett and Richard Branson.
Windows Live: Couldn't Install Programs
- Remove all older versions of Windows Live Services (if you have previously installed or attempted to install any Windows Live Services). Clear the entries your computer by following the steps below.
- Click Start, click Run, type appwiz.cpl and then click OK.
- In the list of currently installed programs, select any Windows Live (you may see more than one program with the Windows Live name) and then click Change / Remove.
- If you are prompted to confirm, click Yes.
- Do this until all Windows Live programs (except Windows Live OneCare) are uninstalled.b. In the list of currently installed programs, select any Windows Live (you may see more than one program with the Windows Live name) and then click Change / Remove.
- Restart your computer. This is important.
- Once you have all the above dependencies installed, then download and install the appropriate software from the links below based on your language requirements. To perform this installation, follow these steps:
- Visit this link: http://g.live.com/1rewlive3/en/wlsetup-all.exe
- Save the file to your desktop
- Then Select Run
Note: If you are prompted for confirmation to run the program, select Run - Confirm your acceptance of the Terms of Use and the installation will begin
- Once the install is complete, drag the WLSetup.exe file to the Recycle Bin (this file is no longer needed)
Most Rugged Handsets: Tough Cell Phone
There are quite a few phones built for people who work in extreme environments, love adventure sports, or are just plain clumsy. Nextel and Motorola have long had a hold on the rugged market, with handsets like the Motorola Clutch i465. Verizon offers two rugged handsets: the Motorola Barrage and the Samsung Convoy. Multimedia performance and 3G data speeds on both phones weren't the best, but call quality was respectable. AT&T went a long time without offering rugged models, but it now has the Motorola Tundra and the Samsung Rugby. Finally, for real durability you should consider the unlocked Sonim XP3 Quest. Not only can it survive a full dunking in water, you can also use the XP3 to hammer a nail. (Kent German - Cnet)
- Motorola Clutch i465 | $39.99
- Motorola Barrage (Verizon Wireless) | $129.99
- Samsung Convoy SCH-U640 (Verizon Wireless) | $49.99
- Motorola Tundra VA76r (AT&T) | $179.99
- Samsung Rugby SGH-A837 Black (AT&T) | $129.99
- Sonim XP3 Quest (unlocked)
Assassin’s Creed II video game review
Format: Xbox 360 (tested), PS3 and PC
Developer: Ubisoft Montreal
Publisher: Ubisoft
Released: Out now
Score: 8/10
The first few hours spent with Ezio Auditore da Firenze will be measured ones. Far from landing in Renaissance Italy as a deadly assassin from the outset, you find yourself transported into the body of the newborn Ezio, tapping buttons to wriggle his tiny limbs in a cute introduction to Assassin’s Creed’s control scheme. Fast-forward to his teenage years, and the handsome, roguish Ezio is scrapping on the Florence riverside with a rival family, skipping across the cities’ rooftops with his beloved older brother, beating up promiscuous fellows who have scorned his sister, and running errands for his noble parents.
Full Article: Telegraph
Developer: Ubisoft Montreal
Publisher: Ubisoft
Released: Out now
Score: 8/10
The first few hours spent with Ezio Auditore da Firenze will be measured ones. Far from landing in Renaissance Italy as a deadly assassin from the outset, you find yourself transported into the body of the newborn Ezio, tapping buttons to wriggle his tiny limbs in a cute introduction to Assassin’s Creed’s control scheme. Fast-forward to his teenage years, and the handsome, roguish Ezio is scrapping on the Florence riverside with a rival family, skipping across the cities’ rooftops with his beloved older brother, beating up promiscuous fellows who have scorned his sister, and running errands for his noble parents.
Full Article: Telegraph
How to Install HDTV
Bringing home your shiny new HDTV is just the beginning of your home theater adventure. But don't settle, as many HDTV buyers do, for just plugging your new set into your existing setup. The next steps you need to take after bringing your HDTV home are crucial to both your enjoyment of the set and getting the most out of your investment.
Computer won't boot, needs a re-install
The problem: Turning on the computer results in a message that states Windows can't boot because something is missing (a boot loader, an important file, etc.) or something is wrong. There are many variations on this message, but they all say basically the same thing: You will not be getting into Windows.
Quick-fix triage: Load the original XP, Vista, or Windows 7 (Really? Broken already?) CD or DVD in the system and boot the system from there, which might require hitting a key to bring up "boot options" or pressing a key when asked to "Press any key to boot from CD." Wait for the CD to load—it may seem like it's installing, but it's just loading a mini-system for installation and, in this case, repair. Follow the prompts to repair an existing installation, or, in the case of Vista or 7, ask it to repair the startup process.
What you'll need:- XP, Vista, or Windows 7 installation CD/DVD: It may be from a computer manufacturer and not look like a Microsoft-obtained, holograph-packed disc, so look around a bit. If it's a "System Restoration" disc, be sure that you can boot from it and install a full copy of Windows from it.
- USB thumb drive: At least 1GB in size.
- External USB drive or blank DVDs: For backing up important files.
- Ubuntu Live CD or Knoppix Live CD: Both are Linux distributions, but we're just using them because they run on most kinds of hardware without installing, and can transfer the files you need to your backup media. Ubuntu should work; if it doesn't, give Knoppix a go. You can use the free tool UNetBootin to transfer the ISO you downloaded to a thumb drive, which is necessary if you're backing up to DVDs, and recommended in any case to speed things up.
If that doesn't work, and you really feel this system can boot again except for some silly error, try creating an Ultimate Recovery CD, as detailed at the How-To Geek's home away from Lifehacker.
If that worked, hooray! If not, soldier on to the next step.
Back up the files: Have your USB hard drive or blank DVDs handy, and remove the Windows CD/DVD from the computer if you tried to use that for a fix. Stick your thumb drive with the Ubuntu (or Knoppix) image into a USB slot, then boot up the computer. You may have to hit F12 or another key to boot from USB, or change a setting in the BIOS (which you can access by hitting a key—written in that fast-disappearing text—at boot-up). You'll be asked to choose a language, then hit the option to "Try Ubuntu without any changes." After some loading, you'll arrive at an Ubuntu desktop.
Move your cursor to the "Places" menu, and check to see that your USB drive (MyBook, in my case) or blank DVD is showing up. You should also see the hard drive Windows is running from. On an XP or Vista system, there's usually just one, but on Windows 7, there are two—a "System Reserved" (fairly small) and a larger, main drive. Check to see that you can open and access those files as well.Ask your relatives which files and documents are important to them. When doing my own tech support work, I usually back up the entire "My Documents" folder (with "My Music" and "My Pictures" included), their Outlook or (yes, sometimes) Outlook Express email data (explained here), and their Firefox profile or, more likely, their "Favorites" folder for Internet Explorer (
C:\Documents and Settings\Username\Favorites in XP, or C:\Users\Username\Favorites in Vista or 7). In any case, always ask, and make sure there isn't any software they can't locate a license for.
If you're burning to DVD, head to the Applications menu in your temporary Ubuntu system, mouse over the Accessories sub-menu, and select "CD/DVD Creator" when it pops up. You'll get a folder you can drag files you want to burn into, then hit "Write to Disc" to burn them.
ChristmasLighting Wine Bottle
Two things that always seem to be in surplus around the holidays are empty wine bottles and strands of Christmas lights. Turn the two into a novel lamp with this simple hack.
You'll need a wine bottle, a short strand of Christmas lights—they used a 50 bulb strand for the bottle pictured above—and some basic shop tools like a a drill with a glass drill bit, masking tape, and safety goggles and gloves.You drill a hole in the side of the bottle near the bottom and feed your lights in through the hole. Plug it in and you've got yourself a rather novel little bit of mood lighting. Check out the full tutorial at the link below for tips and tricks on drilling glass. (Lifehacker)
Thought it's time for something Else - meet the First ELSE to come
Today Emblaze Mobile announced their new smartphone running on the relatively unknown Access Linux Platform (ALP). Developed from scratch in close cooperation with OS developers, the First ELSE have taken them two years to develop but the end result has turned out quite attractive.
Powered by the TI OMAP 3430 platform the First Else will share the same CPU and graphics accelerator with devices such as the iPhone 3GS, Nokia N900 and Samsung i8910 Omnia HD. The handset packs an impressive 3.5" capacitive LCD touchscreen display with a resolution of 854 x 480 pixels.
How to Install Chrome OS From A USB Drive
If you're ready to get your hands dirty and try out the new OS, here's what you need to know:
Get the Torrent
Before you do anything, you're going to need to download the Hexxeh's Chromium OS build. You can find a torrent link on Hexxeh's Website or you can use the mirror links found here and here courtesy of Engadget.Set Up Your USB Stick
Hexxeh has some easy instructions for writing your Chromium OS image onto a USB stick. The instructions for Windows and Linux look pretty straightforward, but Mac users are going to have a slightly more complicated time.Pick Your Machine
A major problem with Chromium OS right now is that its device drivers are in the very early stages of development. That means some parts of your computer may not respond when using Chromium OS. One of the most common problems being reported is the lack of Wi-Fi functionality. So you may have to use an Ethernet connection instead. You should also know there's no guarantee the OS will boot up at all.If you're in the market for a netbook or laptop, and you plan on experimenting with Chromium, check out Google's list of devices that are known to work with the latest version of Chromium OS. The list is primarily for developers who want to work with the new OS, but there's no reason you can't use it as a buying guide. The device index features a sortable checklist that lets you know if the Wi-Fi and trackpad functions are working, as well as general comments and warnings specific to each device.
For example, you might want to stay away from the Asus Eee PC 900 if you plan to run Chrome right now. The netbook's Wi-Fi is supposed to work, but the device's fans may not run, which could cause your system to overheat. Other Wi-Fi-ready devices, according to Google's list, are the Toshiba mini NB205, and the Asus Eee PC 1008HA. The Lenovo ThinkPad T400 may also work after upgrading the Wi-Fi firmware. But before you go out and spend money on a new computer, read over Google's hardware list to make sure you are fully aware of the functionality and problems for the device you have in mind.
Booting From the USB
Once you've got your computer, and have gone through the steps of writing your bootable disc, you may find you can't get Chromium OS to boot on your Windows-based machine. If this happens, you may have to change the settings for how your machine boots up.You can learn how to change the settings by checking out PC World's guide to installing Windows 7 on a netbook using a USB drive. The instructions are not Chromium-specific, but you should be able to figure out how to adapt this method for your purposes.
A word of warning: Changing the boot order means messing with your system's command prompt and BIOS. If that sounds scary, you might be better off picking up an official Chrome OS machine later next year. For the rest of you, let us know in the comments how Chromium is running on your netbook.
From PCW: http://www.pcworld.com/article/183136/how_to_install_chrome_os_from_a_usb_drive.html
A Laptop That Makes Sweet Beats
Computers are to music today what a hi-fi stereo system was in the '70s and '80s, but you never would have dreamed of keeping your entire music collection inside a device that's smaller than a turntable. But the downside is that most consumer-friendly computers are designed to crunch data, not re-create music.
Read full article: A Laptop That Makes Sweet Beats
Read full article: A Laptop That Makes Sweet Beats
Nokia to release x6 this friday - The Inquirer
The firm said that on release the handset, which boasts the firm's Comes with Music service, will be sold exclusively through Phones4U, and will also be available at Orange with mobile tariffs ranging from £25 per month - if you trade in an old N-series handset - to £35 per month. If you really can't wait for your current mobile contract to run out, you alternatively will be able to pay £449 for a SIM free version.
Nokia to release x6 this friday - The Inquirer
Pitched at the sort of people that ruin train journeys, the X6 has the ability to play up to 35 hours of music, and can take on up to 32GB of memory, enough to hold too many Celion Dion or Coldplay tunes for anyone.
Nokia to release x6 this friday - The Inquirer
Productivity - iPhone Starter Kit - Download.com - Download.com
If you've recently purchased an iPhone or plan to give one as a gift, check out our starter kit, with apps for everything from productivity to social networking, and more.
Productivity - iPhone Starter Kit - Download.com - Download.com
Productivity - iPhone Starter Kit - Download.com - Download.com
Advanced Antivirus - PC World
Hackers have shown that they can plant their malware even on mainstream sites--proving that you need antivirus protection now more than ever. We lab-tested eleven top security programs to find the best guardians for your PC.
Advanced Antivirus - PC WorldSony Ericsson already working on second version of Xperia Pureness, possibly Xperia Pureness 2?
Electric Pig is reporting that Sony Ericsson's already working on a followup to the Xperia Pureness. The designer of the original handset, Daniel Mauritzson, says that the second version of the Pureness will pack even fewer "features" than its predecessor, to hone in even further on the contrast between the handset and available smartphones. There's also been some murmuring of removing the buttons, apparently -- which makes us wonder if the next Pureness might not just be a four-inch long piece of black plastic we'll only be able to pretend to make calls on. Regardless, it sounds like the next Pureness is only in the very earliest stages of design, so don't get too excited yet -- it'll be a while. (engadget)
Opera 10.10 Released!
Unite is an intriguing step forward for Opera, bringing an entirely new sub-set of powers to a platform that's already known for its built-in email client and FTP package. While some may question why you'd use a browser-to-browser connection to share pictures, videos, documents, or chat in the age of ubiquitous web services that do the same or similar things, Opera's always been about doing things a bit differently. And if you want a better sense of security, it's best to let your own system do the sharing, rather than another firm's servers.
Opera 10.10 is a free download for Windows, Mac, and Linux systems.
Just go check www.opera.com for it.
Speed Up Everything
Is your PC dragging? Does your broadband network creep along at dial-up speeds? Do Web pages take forever to load on your smartphone? Don't wait! These fixes will get you back into the fast lane.
Has your PC lost its pep? How about your network connection, your printer, or even your phone? Here's our guide to giving your gear new life. Follow our tips, and you can fire up your system and your other tech essentials.
WARNING: Before you attempt any of these upgrades, take precautions against static electricity by moving your PC to a clean, uncarpeted workspace and using an antistatic wrist strap to discharge any static electricity from your body.
Upgrade Your RAM
Adding RAM is often the most cost-effective upgrade you can make to speed up a sluggish computer. When a system runs short of RAM, it must swap the overflow data to the hard drive, which can significantly slow performance. Here's how to add more memory to your desktop, laptop, or netbook.
RAM comes in many flavors, such as DDR2 and DDR3. Newer technologies offer faster performance, but most motherboards accept only one type of RAM. Check your PC's manual to find out what type of RAM modules you need and how you have to install them. RAM dealers such as Crucial and Kingston offer handy online tools that identify the appropriate RAM for many PCs and motherboards. Also, to take advantage of more than 4GB of RAM, your PC needs to run a 64-bit operating system; Windows 7 is available in a 64-bit version, and we highly recommend it.To begin, open your PC's case and look for the memory slots. In laptops and netbooks the RAM slots are usually under a removable panel on the bottom of the machine. To remove existing RAM, release the clips at each end of the module so that it pops loose. With the slots clear, gently but firmly insert the new module.
On a desktop machine, it's often best to seat one corner of the module first and then press the other end into place. Once you've fully inserted the module, the clips should close to hold the memory securely. On a laptop or netbook, press the end with the metal leads into place first, and then press down until the clips snap tightly around the ends.
Replace Your Graphics Board
Even if you're not a gamer, upgrading your graphics board can give your PC a serious boost, since Windows 7 and Windows Vista both feature fancy effects in their user interface. Though you can upgrade the graphics on some laptops, in this article we'll focus on desktop PCs. When shopping for a new graphics board, select one that fits the slot on your PC. In most newer systems, it will be a PCI-Express slot; some older systems may have only PCI or AGP slots. Fortunately, graphics card makers still sell products to fit older slots, so an outdated motherboard need not be a total obstacle.With your new board at the ready, open the PC's case and locate the existing graphics card. Before attempting to pull it loose, remove the screw holding it down and release any plastic clips on the motherboard that may be securing it. Once the old card is out of the way, slide the new board straight down into the slot until it is firmly seated and the plastic clip on the motherboard has snapped tightly around it.
Newer PCI-Express graphics boards often use so much juice that they require a special PCI-E power line from the computer's power supply. If you've installed such a card, connect this power line (the board may have two) before closing up the case. Then boot the PC and install the drivers from the disc the manufacturer provided.
Streamline Windows
Whether you run Windows XP, Vista, or 7, you have a few really good ways to cut out the fluff and make your OS run more smoothly, quickly, and efficiently. By turning off unnecessary features and disabling unwanted startup programs, you can get an instant speed boost.
Knock Out the Fat
Windows--yes, even Windows XP--is loaded with effects that take up system resources without delivering meaningful user benefits. If you turn some of these items off, Windows can divert the resources to more useful activities, such as running your programs.In Windows XP, open the System control panel and click the Advanced tab. Click Settings and then select the radio button marked Adjust for best performance. This will turn off some of the frilly effects, such as drop shadows under your menus, and make Windows a little snappier.
In Vista, start by disabling the resource hog known as the Sidebar. In both Vista and Windows 7, turn off the Aero environment to reclaim some of your PC's lost memory and processor power. To do this, right-click the desktop and choose Personalize from the context menu. In Vista, click Window color and appearance, and then uncheck the box for Enable Transparency. In Windows 7, select the theme labeled Windows 7 Basic.
Shut Down Memory-Hogging Apps
Once you've installed a fair amount of programs on your PC--your "core base" of apps, as it were--you'll want to check that you don't have any unwanted applications running in the background that could slow down your PC. Such programs may be designed to launch when Windows starts up so that you can load their corresponding applications faster. The problem is that they run all the time, regardless of whether you intend to use the parent application.In Windows 7 or Vista, click Start and type msconfig in the 'Search programs and files' field. Press Enter. In the System Configuration window, select the Startup tab. In the Command column, look for any programs that you don't want to wait for at boot-up time. For example, take iTunes: If you've installed this application, you'll find both iTunesHelper.exe and QTTask.exe. They're unnecessary additions--the former launches when you start iTunes anyway, and the latter merely places a QuickTime icon in the corner of your screen for easy program launching. Uncheck both. Once you've checked all of the programs you want to launch at startup and unchecked the programs you don't, click OK.
In addition to startup programs, you can find services on your PC; Microsoft recommends trimming them as well. Click Start, type services.msc into the search field, and press Enter. Up pops the Services window, a list of options and executables that's even more confusing than the Startup window.
To identify which services to turn off (and which to leave on), check out Black Viper's exhaustive list of Windows 7's services across all of its various editions, along with a list of which services you should modify and how you should set their parameters. Armed with this advice, just double-click on any listed service. You need concern yourself only with the 'Startup type' listing in the screen that appears next. By switching among the Automatic, Manual, and Disabled modes, depending on Black Viper's recommendations, you'll be able to control exactly how services launch--if at all--during the Windows startup process and during your general use of the operating system. Every little bit helps.
Maintain Top Performance
If you want to keep your system fast, clear out your C:\Windows\Temp folder on occasion. Do it as soon as you boot into the OS, or even through Safe Mode, to ensure that you wipe every last unused file from your drive. In the same vein, don't use Windows 7's uninstall function or a program's default uninstall executable to remove an application from your drive. Instead, use the free Revo Uninstaller utility; this awesome application removes programs using their default uninstall routines, but it also goes one step further by scanning your system and Registry to clean away all traces of the program from your hard drive.
Accelerate Your Network
Network slowdowns can be tricky to troubleshoot. Much depends on what you're actually doing across your network--copying files to another system, for example, might slow to a crawl if you're writing to a NAS device attached to a poky PC in the next room. But a few general tweaks and tricks can still boost your network performance in Windows.Update Firmware and Drivers
The first step in getting your network up to speed is to install the latest Windows updates and to download the newest drivers for your PC's network cards. Second, install the current firmware for your router. All of these items are essential to optimal network speeds, and you can usually locate them on the manufacturer's Web sites. If the release date for a given driver is more recent than the last time you can remember updating, you should probably update again. Most new routers make updating easy if you log in to the Web administration panel; typically it will have an option for you to download and install the latest firmware with just a click or two.Adjust Network Card Settings
Once you have the latest software and firmware installed, try adjusting your network card's auto-negotiating setting. In the Control Panel, click Network and Sharing Center. From there, click Change Adapter Settings, and then right-click on your Local Area Connection and select Properties. In the screen that appears, click the Configure button under the Connect Using field. Select the Advanced tab. Set 'Link Speed & Duplex' to its highest available setting, such as 100 Mbps Full Duplex or 1000 Mbps Full Duplex.
Make Windows Set You Free
Windows Vista has a wonderful habit of throttling down your network connection when you're playing multimedia files, to prevent movies from skipping during playback. You can adjust this throttling by editing the decimal value of the 'NetworkThrottlingIndex' key.Press Windows-R, type regedit, and press Enter. In the Registry Editor, navigate to the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Multimedia\SystemProfile key. Raise the decimal value of the 'NetworkThrottlingIndex' key to a higher number. Setting it to 100 disables the service; Microsoft recommends that you go no higher than 70, but there's no harm in testing settings to see what works for you.
Route Traffic Intelligently
Online games, streaming-media programs, Internet phone services, and peer-to-peer applications such as BitTorrent consume a lot of network bandwidth due to the massive amounts data they transmit. To reduce the amount of strain such apps put on your router and to improve your overall network performance, manage them more efficiently with your router's port-forwarding feature.Log in to your router's configuration screen. Search for an option that lets you specify port forwarding; it will be labeled slightly differently from one router to another. Once you've found it, type in your system's internal IP address (usually in the form of 192.*.*.*), and then input the preferred port found in your application's configuration screen (for instance, in Skype it's located under Tools, Options, Advanced, Connection). Pick both TCP and UDP protocols for forwarding, and save your settings.
To see if your chosen port actually has a clear tunnel through your network to the Internet, fire up the application and visit CanYouSeeMe.org. Input your port number and click the Check button--if you get a 'success' response, you're all set.
More: http://www.pcworld.com/article/181579-3/speed_up_everything.html
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