Computer Basics: Inside a Desktop computer

Everyone knows how to use a computer, even the people who thought using a computer was a stupid idea and computers would never hit the mainstream market back in the '80s and '90s have to use a computer now because everything is digitalized.

Although everyone can use a computer they don't know the basic components that are in a computer.
Today I'm going to explain the basic components inside a computer case.

A computer on a whole is a Big box with the power button and the connected items like a monitor, speakers, and other peripherals like a keyboard and a mouse.
Yeah, that's what comes to everyone's mind when you say the word computer, but these are all different devices & peripherals attached to the computer.

Components inside a Computer

Motherboard

The motherboard is the main circuit board that holds and allows the connection between many of the crucial electronic components of the computer. Such as CPU, Memory, connections for the hard drive, and optical drives, expansion cards to control the video, and audio, and connections of the computer's ports (such as USB ports). The motherboard connects directly or indirectly to every part of the computer.

CPU/Processor

The central processing unit(CPU), also called a processor, is located inside the computer on top of the motherboard. It is the brain of the computer, and its job is to carry out commands. Every keystroke, mouse click, or instruction to open an application is sent to the CPU.

The CPU is usually a two-inch ceramic square with a silicon chip located inside. The silicon chip is usually about the size of a thumbnail. The CPU fits into the motherboard's CPU socket, on top of that the thermal paste is applied in between CPU and the heat sink for the elimination of gaps and spaces and the heat dissipation, and then heat sink which goes on top of CPU for absorption of heat from the CPU.

A processor's speed is measured by megahertz (MHz), or millions per second; and gigahertz (GHz), or billions of instructions per second. A faster processor can execute instructions quickly. However, the speed of the computer depends on the speed of many different components, not just the processor.

RAM (Random access memory)

RAM is the short term memory of the computer, RAM only stores the data temporarily, RAM kicks in just when the currently running program needs temporary storage.

This short-term memory is turned off. if you're working on a document, spreadsheet or other types of file, you'll need to save it to avoid losing data. When you save a file, the data is written to the SSD or a hard drive, which acts as long-term storage.

RAM is measured in megabytes (MB)  or gigabytes (GB). The more RAM you have, the more things your computer can do simultaneously. If your RAM is insufficient you may experience slow down of the PC when you work on multiple programs at once. The inclusion of extra RAM in the extra RAM slots available on your motherboard is a common practice, to improve the performance.

Storage drives (SSD/Hard drive)

These days it is common to see people using two drives as their long-term storage option in their computer, A Solid state drive (SSD) and a mechanical hard drive. An SSD is a faster drive but expensive, which is normally used as a Boot Drive and a hard drive is used for the large storage and due to the availability in cheaper options, people opt hard drives to store large files which are used less frequently. 

When you run a program or open a file, the computer copies some of the data from the Hard drive onto the RAM. When you save a file, the data is copied back to the hard drive. The faster the hard drive/SSD the faster the computer can start up and load programs

Storage drives are where your software, documents, and other files are stored. These drives are long term storage, which means the data is still saved even if the computer is turned off abruptly; probably when there is a power cut.

Power supply unit (SMPS)

The power supply unit in a computer converts the power from the wall outlet to the type of power needed by the computer. It sends power through cables to the motherboard and other components.

Expansion Cards

Most computers have expansion slots on the motherboard that allows you to add various types of expansion cards. These are sometimes called PCI (peripheral component interconnect) cards. You may never need to add any PCI cards because most motherboards have built-in video, sound, network, and other capabilities,

However, if you want to boost the performance of your computer or update the capabilities of an older computer, you can always add one or more cards. Below are some of the most common types of expansion cards.

Video card(Graphics card)

The video card also known as a Graphics card is responsible for what you see in the monitor, as mentioned above There will be a built-in integrated video capability in the CPU and it can be accessed through the motherboard's output, in case you wanna do some basic work which doesn't demand that much video or graphics intensive workload this would be sufficient. But if you're planning to do a lot of graphics intensive work which demands an external Graphics card you may consider one. If you're a gamer, a graphics card is necessary since the onboard graphics can't handle the Graphics intensive latest AAA Gaming titles. Adding a faster and higher-end graphics card can elevate the performance of your productivity as well as gaming performance.

Network card

The network card allows your computer to communicate over a network and access the Internet. It can connect with Ethernet or through a wireless connection(often called Wi-Fi). Many motherboards have built-in network connections, and a network card can also be added to an expansion slot.

USB adapters

USB (Universal serial bus) port is not just for connecting your thumb drive or your external storage device, a USB port can also be used as an expansion slot to increase your wireless capabilities, there are Wi-Fi & Bluetooth USB adaptors which is normally plug & play it's really easy to use and convenient. A Bluetooth adaptor helps you connect and communicate with your wireless peripherals which use Bluetooth technology, Often these adapters are called as a dongle.

Input/output

Input/output normally called in short as I/O is what connects all other devices to your computer; like your monitor, speakers, printers & peripherals like keyboard and mouse. The I/O is protected by the I/O shield which is included with every motherboard. In some of the new and higher-end motherboards, I/O shield is already attached to the I/O. There are In modern computers there are also I/O ports in the front of the case like; audio and USB ports.

Razer's new Raptor monitor and Tomahawk case

Razer Raptor

The Raptor is Razer's first monitor and its packed with clever features and cutting-edge tech. Raptor is a great looking display with 27-inch display resolution of 1440p with a 144Hz refresh rate. It also has HDR and AMD free sync support. Nvidia G-sync hopefully to come.

The cables are routed down through the front of the monitor stand and slotted into neat discrete rows in the rear. This makes for organized and attractive cable management. Additionally, the monitor reclines horizontally so you can access the cable connections right up front.

The raptor comes with the green cables which are power, HDMI, display port and USB-C.
A fabric back panel finish gives raptor a more premium look rather than standard plastic.

Finally, to the point which concerns every buyer, Price, Razer Raptor is priced at $699.99 which is pretty expensive, but it depends on who you ask.

Razer Tomahawk Elite & Tomahawk

Razer Tomahawk Elite

Razer Tomahawk is the first PC case designed by Razer, up until now they used to collaborate with other case manufacturers like NZXT when closely observed this even looks like NZXT H700, hoping to see some unique elements in terms of design in the final version.

What so special about this Razer Tomahawk elite is the mechanized side panels, both the tempered glass sides are supposed to rise up in a button press. The prototype is a handmade sample that has been displayed in CES 2019.

The final version is supposed to arrive with the working mechanized side panel, the top panel is a tempered glass too so that makes this case a three side tempered glass case, Letting the top side tempered glass section to raise a little bit for airflow purpose.

What they've done for the cable management is pretty neat with the motherboard cover with a little transparent section in the rear for the visibility of motherboard cutout. this cover also helps a little bit for covering up the 24pin and 8pin connectors. Since the case is tempered glass design in both sides this will look really cool.

A type-c connector is provided in the front of the case which is a win according to me since many of the case manufacturers still don't implement this practice. This is still a prototype showcased in CES 2019. But I'm really looking forward to the final product which is expected in Q3 2019

Razer Tomahawk

Razer also showcased the lower end Tomahawks which looks pretty much like a gaming case, Unlike Tomahawk elite this case doesn't have the mechanized side panels. With a tempered glass side panel, this case pretty much looks like a modern gaming case in 2019.

For cooling, a 360  radiator can be installed, on top of power supply shroud, you can either install an SSD or a case fan depending on your build. The bottom is illuminated with LED that really looks cool in my opinion and in the front there is an illuminated Razer logo.

I am really excited to see Razer launching these new line of products.

Why you Should use a Password Manager

Apart from email and social network websites, there are so many online accounts like Banking sites, shopping sites, cloud storage, product websites and more.

An easy way is to set and remember an easy password to all your accounts. Right?
NO! WRONG!
Say for instance you set a password like 1234, Your name, Your Spouse's name, Your Kid's name or your date of birth.
This is what will happen, Hacker's first step is PREDICTING, Before trying the actual hacking with coding and stuff, they'll predict. If you keep easily predictable passwords like the ones mentioned above, Its a piece of cake they'll crack open your online account within a minute. Or worse if you have set the same password to all your other online accounts. All your data is out in the open in the hands of a Hacker who might sell it for money, extract your money if your online data contains sensitive data like BANKING & CREDIT CARD details. or ask you for a large amount of ransom. Even if you opt to pay and get back your data. How can you trust a hacker that he/she will give back your data?

The best way is to set a difficult and complex password with Different characters like; Uppercase, lowercase, numbers, and special characters.

Using a Password manager makes your life easier Where you don't have to remember all the passwords of all your online accounts. Your passwords are safely stored in a secured encrypted vault.

A password manager contains a lot of useful features like;

• Automatically promoting you to save username and passwords of your online accounts when the website/app is opened for the first time.
• Autofill feature will automatically fill in for you as you visit website/apps so you never need to enter your password manually.
• The free syncing feature will sync all your login credentials, anything saved on one device is available across the board to all your devices.
• Logging into your Password manager app can be authenticated with your fingerprint.
• Sharing your passwords safely and securely, such as cable login or WiFi password.
• With the built-in password generator, you can generate strong, long complex passwords with uppercase, lowercase, numbers, and special characters.
• Multifactor authentication secures your password vault to add a second layer of protection on your account.

There are two types of password manager.

An Offline Password Manager(Locally installed password manager) is an application installed on your computer or your smartphone. These applications are offline and don't need internet connectivity, but the downside of using an offline password manager is if something happens to your computer or your smartphone, like, if you had to reinstall the firmware in critical conditions where you can't even back up any of your data, your passwords are gone and you can't retrieve your passwords.

An Online Password Manager (Web-based password manager) is a website on an application where you can store all your passwords which will be stored in an encrypted vault.

The advantage of an online password manager is all your passwords will be available across the board in all your devices and if something happens to your device when the data is irrecoverable your passwords won't be lost.

BONUS TIP:

This is my personal tip and how I use Password managers,

Don't save your e-mail login credentials in your password manager. Since a password manager is created by a guy and his company is run by a lot of employees the chances of security is still in their hands. Yeah it is stored in an encrypted vault and chances of compromising is very slim, but still, there are chances of the data breach, and this encryption is created by the guy running a company or his employee if he created the encryption he'd be having the decryption code.

So my reason to not to save the email credentials is simple if you forget or you're locked out of your online account the email acts as the host where you get the links to recover your passwords. So that way even if any of my accounts are compromised or worst case scenario my password manager is hacked or there is a data breach in the password manager company. I can always reset all my password with the host e-mail account.

Normally A password manager's marketing is done with quotes like "forget all other passwords" or "remember just the one password'

My tip is to remember two passwords, Your E-mail, and your Password Manager's passwords.

Black Mirror Bandersnatch in a gamer's point of view

NO SPOILERS!
What can I say? Watching Black Mirror: Bandersnatch has been an amazing experience.

Instead of referring this as watching I'm gonna refer this experience as modern day content consumption.
Rather than a movie I really felt like playing one of the Telltale's Videogames. which is not a bad thing, I really loved this concept, and I'm sure this is the future,

It's not that I love this movie because it's interactive, The story, acting and the screenplay is amazing. The one thing which I observed and loved is after you select from one of the two options provided the response is flawless, It never feels like you're making Stefan's choices for him, the editing is so fluid. This is coming from the guy who watched all the alternate endings.

Yeah! the reviews are mixed! depends on which ending you get! I'm not gonna review the movie, as the title suggests I'm gonna share my thoughts as a gamer.
As a single player gamer in 2019, Where the gaming industry is pretty saturated with multiplayer games with no storyline like PUBG and FORTNITE. This pretty much feels like a game, because up until now, you had to make life or death decisions in real life or video games, but movies were supposed to be watched laying lethargically on your couch(That's how I watch). Anyhow getting back to the point, This movie has changed the game, This movie changed the way we watch movies, I really hope more content like this is made in all platforms. Believe me, it's a good thing.

Unlimited Cloud storage for Photos!

Losing your data is bad, and recovering them is such a pain, but you can recover it though, almost but what if you can't?
Work files can be restored from your work computer if you had made a backup or Some entertainment data like music or movies can be downloaded again, but if you lose something personal and something memorable like photos and you can't recover them, how would you feel? Trust me it sucks.

So Backing up your data, especially your personal photos is very important. Today I'm going to be showing one of the ways to back up your photos by uploading your photos to the unlimited cloud storage space available.

As many of you'll know, Google Photos is a photo gallery app with built-in editing features, the editing features are pretty basic for a quick fix of your photo, which includes Auto correction, Filters, and adjustment of light and color.

But that's not it! Google photos is not just a photo gallery app with basic editing features.
Google Photos is a service provided by Google to upload unlimited photos to the cloud.
Well, lemme explain how it works.
Google Photos comes preinstalled in some phones if not install it, Android users from Play Store & iOS users from the App Store.
After installing and logging into your Google account, Google Photos prompts to opt to turn On/Off backup & sync.
Below that, you get two upload options:

High quality(Free unlimited storage)

Opting High-quality uploads will let you upload unlimited photos, but the photos are compressed, if the photos are larger than 16MP it will be resized to 16MP.

Original quality(15GB Storage)

Opting original quality uploads will upload your image in Orignal quality Straight from the camera but storage is limited to 15GB(Uses Google account) If you want to upload unlimited Original quality photos it's reserved for either paid subscriptions or Google Pixel owners. If you're uploading Orignal quality exceeding 16MP, Original quality would be an excellent option.

Accessing google photos is so easy, photos can be accessed even from a desktop computer browser and it works flawlessly!

There are a few other things I really like about Google Photos.
Searching for images is really easy, you can search by keywords and that works with google assistant too.
You can say show wedding photos or show selfies, it works!
Google makes this work with its advanced algorithm.
Pretty awesome right?

Try out Google photos now from the links below.
Android users: Google Photos
iOS users: Google Photos

3 Cool hidden controls of your earphones button

Earphones are a very personal thing in today's day to day life, someone like me uses earphones just when its necessary, but some people can't live without em! So here are 3 cool hidden useful controls to make your life easier.

Music controls.
Its Obvious and I guess everyone knows this. Pressing the button on your earphone once will Start/Pause your music/media playback.
But did you know that you can skip Next/Previous track using earphones?
Yes, by pressing the button twice you can skip to the next track And by pressing thrice you can go back to the previous track.
Now you don't have to take out your phone every time you have to change a track.

Summoning virtual assistant.
Did you know you can summon your virtual assistant just by a button press without even unlocking your phone?
Yeah! Say, for instance, you're driving and you wanna call someone, all you have to do is long press the button on your earphones, that's it, it's that simple! now you can tell your Google assistant or Siri(depends on iOS/Android) to call someone on your contact list. You can do many things, you can add reminders, send texts and more.

Call functions.
Let's get another obvious one outta the way, by pressing the button once you answer an incoming call. Now that's outta the way.
You can also Mute/Disconnect the call.
Pressing once will mute your microphone and the opposite party won't hear anything in an ongoing call. Long pressing the button will hang up the ongoing call.

Best Mobile Games of 2018

Best Mobile Games of 2018

The mobile gaming industry has been growing rapidly, especially 2018 has been one of the best years for the growth of mobile gaming, The number of gamers in 2018 is more than 2000 million approximately. the increase in the numbers is more than 200 million and it keeps increasing every day!

So this is the right time to write this blog categorizing best games of 2018.

PUBG MOBILE

Unless you were in some kind of place with no human contact, smartphone access or internet connectivity for the past year, you definitely should have heard about PUBG MOBILE.
PUBG was initially released for Windows on December 2017, with a lot of bugs. But that didn't stop gamers from playing the game. Gaining a lot of popularity in the US and other western countries, PUBG MOBILE was released on Android and iOS in February and March of 2018 The popularity of this game reached a new level. PUBG is one of the most played android game in 2018. Some Indian gamers went crazy taking it to another level by installing emulators on PC for better-aiming controls.
PUBG is an online multiplayer battle royale game where the players have to dive from an airplane parachuting onto a map area and scavenging cloths, weapons and equipment. Surviving by killing the other players and the last man, duo or team standing wins and awarded with "winner winner chicken dinner"

FORTNITE

In terms of the core concept, PUBG and FORTNITE are one and the same, Fortnite was also initially released for the PC Then Ported to iOS and Android, Fortnite is an online multiplayer battle royale game. Jumping from a battle bus that crosses the game's map concept is similar to PUBG Scavenging weapons and resources, killing other players and last man standing wins the game. But what differentiates FORTNITE from PUBG is the fun cartoon-like graphics and characters wearing colorful dresses.

And the unique feature where the player gets to build stuff with the resources he collects, like, wall, floor, stairs, pyramids and more. The reason to build these things is to dodge and avoid bullets from the opponents. The last man, duo or team standing gets to do the FORTNITE dance.

Asphalt 9: Legends

If you are a guy like me who loves racing games and have been a fan of Asphalt series for a long time, You wouldn't be disappointed!
In fact, You'll freaking love this game, Released in July 2018, this game is the best-looking racing game with great graphics for iOS and Android platforms. The game has a collection of great high-end cars with nitro shockwave where the player has to push the nitro button twice to activate it.
Playing Asphalt 9 gives the player an adrenaline rush that gives the player a feeling like he's literally driving the car.
Asphalt series is known for the stunts like rotating and rolling the cars in the air

If you're a gamer who loves racing games, this is the game you should try out, I'm sure you'll love this game.

Alto's Odyssey

This is one of my favorite and best endless runner, Instead of running the game character snowboards. The player character automatically moves to the right of the screen through procedurally generated landscapes. The player has to tap the screen to perform stunts like backflips. The player has to complete the goals, beat the high scores and upgrade.
Alto's Odyssey is the sequel of Alto's Adventure which was my favorite game when it was released in 2015 with similar gameplay style. In Alto's Adventure, the player travels through the snowy locations, whereas in Alto's Odyssey we get to journey through the horizon of a majestic desert and sand dunes.

The reason I love this game is the relaxing soundtrack and the smooth gameplay which makes a great relaxing and soothing gameplay.