The BMW M1 Bootskin for Windows XP.

If you are a BMW freak, here is another way to express your fanaticism.
Tech TuRBine brings you the BMW M1 Bootskin for Windows XP users. All you have to do is download the bootskin software and apply the M1 bootskin.

Download

Download other Bootskins from Tech TuRBine - click here.

( Pl Note that Bootskins are 16 color, 4 bit dithered bitmap images. While we try to bring you the best, it is impossible to bring you high quality images. Nevertheless they will look cool on your XP . )

Buying a new PC this Christmas?

Christmas offers have started showing up this year. Choosing a configuration is not easy for everybody. While shops have a pile of cute and portable laptops, we will be talking about desktops. My previous post would have introduced you to Intel’s new plans for this Christmas. I would be splitting buyers into separate categories, so you could choose what you want to buy yourself. As of Yesterday, Intel did not reduce any of its processor prices in its Price list.

Home and Office User: One who does Internet, MS Office and Home Entertainment will fall under this category. I would encourage people belonging to this category to buy a PC now because prices are dropping due to recession and you don’t care much about your PC hardware. I would recommend a Core 2 Duo Processor, G31 based board, 2GB of RAM along with 250 GB of Storage. A 19” TFT would provide ample screen space. Find a cool looking Cabinet and a Wireless Keyboard mouse combo.



Enthusiast: One who does a little of everything - Gaming, HD Media, Heavy Apps and Edting stuff. This truly depends on how willing you are to spend. If you have a good budget, I would recommend you to upgrade to the Core i7 processors with a x58 based board. Though there are not many products to choose from your system is future proof and offers reliable performance. You will have DDR3 and can go for good graphics like the ATI HD4870 or Nvidia GTX cards. If you have a tight budget, I would recommend you wait for some time expecting price drops due to the new i7 processor. If it happens, You can get a good C2Q with ample ram as both will be old by next year. I would recommend a 2.66Ghz Processor, 4GB Ram kit and an 22” TFT for both.

Hard Core Gamers: If I have a million, I would go for a Core i7-965, Asus Rampage II Extreme, Corsair Dominator or Kingston HyperX T1, GTX 280 in SLI. Yes, most gamers don’t have a million. Well for mid range Gamers I would suggest they get their hands on fastest clocking C2D Processor they can get with their favorite platform and graphics. High end serious gamers can go for a Quad Core Core 2 Extreme with the fastest memory kit you can afford. I would not recommend DDR3 for present Core 2 Platforms as they offer meager rise in performance. Graphics for both Enthusiasts and Gamers graphics - mid rangers can choose 9800GT, HD4830 and Heavy users can choose GTX280 or the HD4870. SLI systems are also an option to consider. Many 24” Monitors are there to choose from.

For those who want to have a powerful system at considerable rates can wait till summer as Core 2 series prices will drop when Intel promotes their Nehalem based processors. You can buy a powerful C2Q or even a C2E processor with your limited resources. Things to watch for are DDR3, PCI x16 2.0, Better IGP and larger,cheaper & faster storage.

6 Areas of Concern in Chrome

My Google chrome Beta has been updated to Version 0.4.154.29 and i didn't know until i visited this link.

Unlike Firefox, there is no update intimation of any sort in Chrome. If you can't wait for Chrome to get updated automatically, you have to click on the ' About Google Chrome' option in the wrench menu, to check for updates. Well that is not why i am saying Chrome isn't the best, there are a lot more issues which are yet to be addressed.


1 . Inadequate Privacy Settings:
When was the last time, you went incognito to secure your privacy ? Though the incognito feature gives you a history free browsing experience, people invariably forget to go incognito. Also when it comes to clearing browsing data, it has to been done manually each time. There is no such option as ' Clear Browsing data on Exit'. Leave alone the above mentioned FF feature, Chrome could have atleast incorporated the IE feature of Clearing History beyond 'n' number of days. Such options could have complemented the Incognito mode very well.

2. No Add ons or Themes:
If Chrome could support Add-ons, i definitely would not have been writing this review. I would have been downloading my favorite video streams from Video Portals, using the Realplayer 11 Video recorder Add-on. Also disappointing is the absence of support for plugins and Themes.
How long can we be looking at Chrome's plain design ? In the absence of the title bar, even a change in your OS theme doesn't affect Chrome.

3.Autocomplete option cannot be disabled:
I would call this the most irksome factor in Chrome. It combines the Search and Address Bar Functions into one bar, named the ' Omnibox'. And whenever you attempt to go to a url or try to search, lot of suggestions are thrown at you. These suggestions are both from your history and the web. Many would shrug at this option, because a combined autocomplete doesn't fit the bill.

4.Download blues:
The download tab is intergrated with the main browser window and is closed without intimation when the browser is closed. In FF the separate window for downloads, remains intact even when the browser is closed, so the need for an intimation doesn't arise. This is a major drawback in Chrome.

5.Forget Feed Preview:
In the first place there is nothing like 'Live Bookmarks', which is disappointing. Next is Feed previews. XML Site feeds are ridiculously displayed this way.


6.'Find in page' Flaws:
The 'Find in Page' option has serious flaws to it. It doesn't take text-boxes into account, while scouting for data. This will be a very big setback for bloggers in blogspot platform. They can never imagine editing their template with Google Chrome.

If all the above issues could be resolved, Chrome could be the best.

Our Earlier Takes: Google Chrome Review

WORLD AIDS DAY

December 1 is Worlds AIDS day, I recommend you to read the Fast facts and browse through the given links for a better world and peaceful state of mind.

AIDS and its History in India

AIDS Statistics in India

Preventing AIDS

AIDS Symptoms

World AIDS Day on WIKIPEDIA



AIDS FAST FACTS:

* HIV is short for human immunodeficiency virus and AIDS stands for acquired immune deficiency syndrome.

* HIV and AIDS are names for different stages of the same viral infection that impairs your immune system.

* This infection attacks the cells that coordinate your immune response to foreign invaders.

* This attack prevents your body from fighting off viruses, bacteria, fungi, parasites.

* Because of this failure of the immune system, there is an increased risk of developing certain forms of cancer, including cervical cancer.

* You become infected with the HIV virus through contact with the infected body fluids of another person.

* Body fluids that can transmit the HIV virus include blood, semen, vaginal fluids and breast milk.

* Once infected, the virus begins to quietly damage the immune system by invading helper T cells, or CD4 lymphocytes.

* CD4 lymphocytes are the white blood cells that coordinate the immune system.

* Eventually all people with HIV will go on to develop AIDS.

* It can take a decade or more before HIV develops into full blown AIDS.

* Many of the available treatments, if initiated early enough, can help delay the progression of HIV into AIDS.

* The rate of HIV infection among women in the United States has increased in recent years, particularly among women of color.

* Most cases of HIV infection in women are the result of sexual contact with infected men, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

* Pregnant or breastfeeding women infected with HIV are at risk of passing the disease on to their children.

* Though there is no cure for HIV and AIDS, treatments have become much more effective in recent years.

* Today, people with AIDS can lengthen their lifespan and enhance their quality of life through a variety of medications.

* Most people in the United States and other developed nations have access to HIV and AIDS drugs.

* In developing parts of the world, access to medications is limited and AIDS mortality rates remain high.

* Safe sex methods such as rigorous condom use during sex can minimize the risk of contracting the HIV virus.

* Pregnant women can minimize transmitting the virus to their babies by taking certain HIV medications.