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16Apr2011

GPT vs MBR - GPT Explained

Submitted by Matt Page on Sat, 04/16/2011 - 08:59

hddYou may have noticed a new GPT (GUID Partition Table) formatting option on your new system. Maybe you've heard some buzz about how GPT is replacing the old school MBR option. Or maybe your geek friends at work are talking about GPT at the water cooler and you have no idea what they're rambling on about. Well, what the heck is this GPT thingy? We'll explain it here without being ridiculously technical. Read More

 

 

 

8Apr2011

UEFI Explained - BIOS vs EFI/UEFI

Submitted by Matt Page on Fri, 04/08/2011 - 07:16

In with the new, out with the old. UEFI not only looks snazzier but is replacing the old school BIOS on modern motherboards.

 

For the most part, this isn't very technical. There is really no magic to it; Nor smoke and mirrors. For decades computer systems have had a simple, keyboard-only BIOS. This BIOS always runs prior to booting in to your operating system. Basically, what the BIOS has always done is allow all the computer parts (hardware) to "check-in" so that all the parts can talk to one-another once the user boots in to the operating system. So, what is this new UEFI that is replacing the BIOS in modern systems? READ MORE

 

UEFI vs BIOS

 

14Mar2011

Behind the Scenes- How We do Our Pictures

Submitted by Franco Santa-Maria on Mon, 03/14/2011 - 06:29

As all of you know, BURNED iN is a tech site. Now, as any tech site, we aspire to grow and gain readers. Some of the ways that is done is through clever, well-written and in-depth reviews (I don't mean to brag, but, well... whatever). Oh, but we all know that mere mortal humans are filled with vanity for the superficial looks. So aside from designing a good looking website (which we were, I think, pretty successful at), what else can we do to look good? Oh, I know! Of course, professional-quality product pictures for our reviews! In fact, something like, well, this:

 

NZXT Tempest EVO

25Nov2010

Thanks and Thank-Nots for the Tech Geeks of 2010

Submitted by Matt Page on Thu, 11/25/2010 - 13:42

It's that time of year again. Some of us can't wait to stuff our gourd, unbutton the pants and watch some football (or at least play some Madden). It is Thanksgiving Day after all. Mixed in there, we are bound to actually think about those things in our life we are truly thankful for, even if just for a few seconds. Yeah, yeah, we always hear the basics: life, good health, family, blah blah blah,  but let's be a little more specific. For those of us that follow tech trends and products, a lot has been dumped on our plates this year. And so many more things are planned for 2011. But which ones are we truly thankful for? And which ones would we like to wipe from our memory like that annoying ex-(gf,bf,etc)? We'll start by touching on a few of our thanks and thank-nots, then feel free to add some of your own.

 

 

scared-turkey

10Sep2010

How To: Flush the Crap from Your Brand New Computer with PC DeCrapifier

Submitted by Bill Gilbert on Fri, 09/10/2010 - 08:48

 

 

Overloaded Desktop

 

Many of us here at BURNEDiN build our own desktop computers (it's what separates us from the chumps), but we mostly just scoot over to our favorite store or website to buy a laptop. And we put up with all of the crapware and trial versions of software we never, ever use. So why let your brand new laptop run sluggishly with stuff you could care less about when you can make it a lean, mean, mobile computing machine? One way is to go through the Add/Remove Programs, but this takes forever to uninstall all of the stuff. Hardcore power users have been using PC-Decrapifier for a few years to clear the junk off semi-automatically. Now, we'll show you just how essential this free tool is.

 

13Jul2010

9 Steps to Purge Your PC of Malware

Submitted by Franco Santa-Maria on Tue, 07/13/2010 - 09:08

Malware

 

So your Windows PC is running slow, crashing, or acting funny. You're sure there's no hardware issues. This leaves one big suspect: malware. When XP was ruling the roost, reinstalling operating systems once or twice a year was the norm for a lot of users. However, installing a fresh version of Windows is not always practical or possible. So what do you do? Put on your geek cap, be ready to bring a bevy of anti-virus hammers on the malware infecting your system, and read on!

28Jun2010

Printer Comparison #2 - Make an Informed Printer Purchase

Submitted by Bill Gilbert on Mon, 06/28/2010 - 09:03

If you missed the first part of this series on making an informed printer purchase, don't fret, zip on over here and check it out. Once you're all caught up you can follow along here with everyone else as our own in-house printer expert helps you compare a Photo All-In-One printer with a Business All-In-One.

 

 

hp-c4780

26Jun2010

How To: Destroy Your PC in 5 Easy Steps!

Submitted by Paul Lilly on Sat, 06/26/2010 - 01:22

The Internet is littered with tips and tricks on how to keep your rig safe from certain calamities, so with all the information that's out there, why then are PC repair shops busier than ever fixing busted systems? Maybe the answer lies in how the information is presented. We don't claim to be experts in psychology, but just from our own personal observations, it would seem that people are contrary by nature. Telling a child not to touch an object is a surefire way of making sure it will soon have their fingerprints all over it, and in that same vein, perhaps instructing PC users how to avoid falling prey to common computing pitfalls has the exact opposite effect we're shooting for.

 

To put our theory to the test, we're posting this guide that doesn't tell you how to surf safely or otherwise keep your PC in pristine shape, but outlines exactly what you should do if you want to push your system to the brink of failure, and beyond. Let the fun begin.

 

smashed

 

16Jun2010

Self Help Series: Make an Informed Printer Purchase

Submitted by Bill Gilbert on Wed, 06/16/2010 - 09:59

 

HP-DeskJet-F4480So, you need a printer? Over the nearly 30 years of working in the computer field (and about 10 years in retail computer sales and service), I can honestly say that I’ve seen just about all of it. Examples like “Wow, that $39 special at Wal-Mart looks good.” or “I need a high-quality photo printer, so I’ll just spend $300 – it says ‘Photo Printer’ on the box.” How about “Well, I’ve got kids who print…” The bridge between office printer, home-office printer, and personal printers is long gone; Now it all depends on your needs. Get ready to put your thinking cap on as we dig deeper and really think about all this, you may be surprised by the facts.

14Jun2010

Welcome to BURNED iN's Inauguration to the Web!

Submitted by BURNEDiN on Mon, 06/14/2010 - 07:08

WTF is this, another tech website? Well yes, but here's the deal. After years of planning, months of content preparation, several fist fights, and even a name change, we've finally put together and launched a website like no other. That's not entirely true -- we'll have words accompanying fancy pictures, a forum, and other staples of a technology site, but sprinkled in with our news, reviews, and how-to guides will be a lot of wacky coverage you're not likely to encounter anywhere else. Ever wonder how well peanut butter works as a thermal grease? Prepare to find out anyway. Do you hate it when hardware reviews focus on the packaging? So do we, so we're not entirely sure why we have a mega-packaging roundup in the pipeline, but it's coming, and we promise it's the only time you'll read about a product's box on BURNED iN.

 

Not everything will be off the wall. At the risk of tooting our own horns -- which you should never do in public, btw, trust us on this one -- we know our stuff, and we want to pay that knowledge forward. We'll be covering everything from computer hardware to video games, as well as smartphones, HDTVs, and yes even Apple products. If it can be fried, it qualifies as BURNED iN fodder. It doesn't matter where your allegiances lie, we welcome all facets of technology, and most of all, we welcome you to BURNED iN.

 

Look around (shouldn't take you long, homeslice, we just launched) and, if you're so inclined, register an account, post in our forum, and by all means, spread the burn! If you don't, we'll kick you in the nuts.

 

Paul Lilly and Matt Page
BURNED iN Founders & Owners

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