 SSD hard Drives The existence of this website is proof that most people know the best way to to extend the life of an older PC or notebook is a memory upgrade.
But what’s the 2nd best way?
In my opinion, it is the Solid State Hard Drive (SSD). SSD’s have been on the market for a year or two now and have had their fair share of teething problems relating to both reliability and technical issues such as TRIM. However, the latest generation of SSD’s have solved these issues along with substantially improved performance and more affordable pricing.
But what benefits do SSD’s offer?
Solid State Hard Drives are a great option for owners of any notebook or desktop machine looking for a performance boost without spending a fortune. The reason SSD’s make such a difference is down to a few reasons:
- No Moving Parts: Mechanical hard drives have a physical metal arm which must move across the face of the spinning magnetic disk to find the data you are requesting. SSD’s however, have no moving parts which means their “seek time” is far less than a conventional hard disk.
- Flash is Faster: Once your data has been found on a conventional hard drive it must be read off the disk. The best desktop hard drives can manage around 80Mb/s. The best SSD’s can achieve 250Mb/s - 3 times faster than the best desktop drives.
When comparing SSD’s to notebook drives the differences are even greater, more like 4 times faster!! The story is very similar when it comes to copying data back to the disk “writing” with SSD’s comfortably beating the best magnetic hard drives.
Apart from performance Solid State Drives are also touted as using far less power than a conventional hard drive. This is only true for some drives (OCZ being the best at this time) as most operating systems do not how to get the best out of SSD technology yet. I am sure this aspect of SSD performance will go ahead in leaps and bounds over the next couple of years. Most of us however will happily trade a few minutes battery life for triple the hard drive performance.
What does it all mean in “real world” computing?
Numbers are great, but the real test of any new hardware is how it feels to use everyday. From personal experience I can tell you the feeling is good! I recently installed a 120GB OCZ Vertex II SSD into my 4 year old laptop. I have not done the exact numbers yet but I can say without doubt:
- The laptop boots much faster. My best guess is at least twice as fast.
- Applications load faster. Photoshop starts within a couple of seconds whereas it used to take at least 20.
- Everything is more responsive. Once you have an SSD you suddenly realise how much time you used to spend waiting for things to happen; opening files, saving files, switching applications, sleeping, resuming etc all happens quicker.
In fact, I was so impressed that I created a new website; www.ssdharddrives.com.au.
SSD Buyers Guide:
Best value/performance SSD range at the moment is in the 64GB size range with kits starting at $227 inc GST
Ultimate Performance winners are currently the OCZ range of SSD drives. The Vertex II models can average more than 250MB/s!
 Linux Mint If you are anything like many of our clients you have an older PC or laptop that has been semi retired due to variety of reasons.
These are the PC’s that end up in the hands of our children.
Most do not have the latest Windows updates and many have expired or outdated antivirus software as well.
Children + PC + poor security = Hackers Dream!
Children are prime targets for spammers, hackers and general internet low-lifers as they are far more trusting and more easily duped into installing malicious software.
I fix at least one PC infected with viruses or malware due to children every week!
The easiest and cheapest way to solve this issue I have found is to install a Linux operating system. My personal favourite Linux Mint 9 as it offers one of the most Windowsesque experiences with a nice interface, great support of common Windows/Apple music and video formats and pretty much every piece of software your kids will need. Couple that with the fact it is free and secure and it makes a great option, particularly for younger pre-teen kids
From the parental perspective the key feature is that it is far more secure out of the box than Windows due both it’s inherent design and the fact that the vast majority of hackers target the Windows platform.
Here are a few more reasons you may want to try Linux Mint for your kids:
- Fast and easy to install:
Installing Linux Mint on a 6yr old laptop with 1GB of ram took around 15 minutes including a complete drive reformat. The installation instructions were clear and easy to follow for anyone with minimal tech savvy.
If your kids somehow manage to break it, forget trying to fix it, just reinstall it (after backing up their files).
- User account control:
- Most required software is installed automatically:
One of the most painful parts of Windows is installing all the new software you need to get going like MS Office, Photoshop, Acrobat reader etc. Most Linux installation CD’s come with all the basics school age kids need including:
- Web browser – Firefox
- Open office suite including word, excel and power point equivalents.
- Photoshop equivalent – “The Gimp”
- CD/DVD Burning Software – Brasero
- Video editing software – Openshot
- Media Player supporting all windows/mac formats – VLC
- Live chat support for chat networks including MSN/Live and Yahoo.
- Skype support
- Virtually all hardware supported:
- Hardware has traditionally been Linux’s major downfall as a lot of devices like printers, digital cameras usb phones etc would not be recognised unless a Linux geek got down and dirty on the “command line”. I would hesitate to say that everything will work these days, however, I was blown away recently when things like a new epson wireless printer, Three network USB modem and Samsung bluetooth phone all connected and worked immediately with Linux Mint.
-
 Tux Paint
If you are unsure if Linux will work for your kids the Linux Mint Installation CD allows you to partition off some space on your hard disk to allow “dual booting”. This means that when your PC starts you will be prompted to choose between your Windows or Linux partition. This is a great solution for shared computers as any potential damage the kids can do is isolated from your own files.
- Games Support:
One of the biggest gripes your children may have is about games. Windows games will not work. However, the Mint install utility (just like windows add/remove programs) allows you to download and install hundreds of free family friendly games for kids. There is also a range of kids educational software like Tux Paint which your kids may have used in the public school system.
- Low System Requirements
Linux Mint uses far less resources than Windows. It will run fine on most older system hardware where Windows crawls.
Summary:
Linux is a great option for parents of younger children who want to minimise the risk of viruses and malware entering their PC. However, some awareness and vigilance may still be required by adults to keep an eye on where your kids visit on the internet and how they commincate with others (live chat, chatrooms etc). This area is important and I think best addressed in a separate blog.
PS: I still have 4 desktop machines left and am happy to setup Linux Mint 9 on any of them upon purchase.
 AMD Home PC System Hi All,
We do not normally sell desktop PC systems, however, whilst out shopping for some new office PC’s I was offered a bulk lot at the right price.
I now have around 6 more PC’s than I actually need.
We are asking $805 + GST each.
If interested you can review the specifications below or go to the purchase page here:
AMD Desktop PC special
Complete Windows 7 Home Premium PC system ideal for
- students
- small business
- home office
This PC has ample power for most computing requirements from:
- general office duties
- home photo/video editing,
- games and more.
Features:
- All required hardware included: PC mini tower, 18.5″ wide screen, keyboard/mouse and speakers.
- Large 1TB hard drive for storing family pictures, video etc
- Included webcam is suitable with Skype and most other live chat/video platforms.
- Latest Windows 7 operating system
| Motherboard |
ASUS M4A78LT-M-LE DDR3 |
| Processor |
Genuine AMD X2 Dula COre 245 2.9Ghz with AMD Cooling Fan |
| Chipsets |
AMD 760G Chipset |
| Video Card |
512MB ATI 4350 PCI-Express 2D/3D Video Card |
| Memory |
Patriot 2GB DDR3 1333 Memory |
| Hard Disk |
Hitachi 1TB SATA 2 Hard Disk |
| ATX CASE |
Quality USB2.0 Front Medium Tower Case |
| Monitor |
18.5” Asus VH192C 5ms HD DVI LCD Monitor |
| Web-Camera |
Microsoft VX-1000 Web Camera |
| Keyboard/Mouse |
LG PS2 Keyboard + Asus USB Mouse |
| Sound Card |
High Definition Audio CODEC 6 Channel Sound Integrated) |
| Network Card |
10/100/1000 Gigabit Fast Network Card (Integrated) |
| DVD RW |
LG 22x DVD Writer |
| Speaker |
LG LS-300 USB 2.0 Speaker |
| Operating Sys |
Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium |
| Software |
ANTI-VIRUS-Trial Version |
| Testing |
All systems started and Windows loaded |
| Warranty |
1 year Return To Base Parts, 5 Year Labour |
| Shipping |
A standard cost of $11.00 applies for local Gold Coast delivery.
For interstate deliveries please request a quotation. |
 Hello all,
Our factory has has a whole bunch of server memory to clear and are offering it to me in lots of 4 modules. To purchase these kits, ask questions or make sure these modules are compatible with your hardware please contact us here.
DDR2667 ECC 4GB Kit (4 x 1Gb) Modules $280 + GST
DDR2667 ECC 8GB Kit (4 x 2Gb) Modules $430 + GST
These kits suit high end workstations and servers including
- Dell Precision Workstation 380,390
- Dell PowerEdge 830, 840,850, 860,R200,SC440,T100,T105,T3400
- Some HP Proliant series Servers & HP Workstations
- Some IBM workstations
DDR2800 ECC 4GB Kit (4 x 1Gb) Modules $288 + GST
DDR2800 ECC 8GB Kit (4 x 2Gb) Modules $435 + GST
- Some late model Hp Proliant ML series servers
- Some late model IBM eServer X series servers
DDR2667 Registered ECC 4GB Kit (4 x 1Gb) Modules $424 + GST
DDR2667 Registered ECC 8GB Kit (4 x 2Gb) Modules $600 + GST
These kits suit a range of late model servers including most
- Dell Poweredge series servers
- IBM eServers series servers
- HP Proliant series Servers
- Intel motherboards
DDR2800 Registered ECC 4GB Kit (4 x 1Gb) Modules $288 + GST
- Some late model Hp Proliant ML series servers
- Some late model IBM eServer X series servers
A couple of years ago I learnt the hard way about the value of digital data. Although I had always reguarly backed up all our data onto an external USB drive I never bothered to keep a copy anywhere else.
Then, one morning it happened.
My wife and I were about to leave for the day so I plugged my backup drive into my PC and started the backup software. It usually took 2-3 hours so I figured I would leave it on till I came home at lunchtime.
Unknown to us that morning we had been targeted by a professional team of theives.
Only minutes after we had left both our dead bolted doors and security screens had been smashed out of their frames. A truck was reversed into our driveway and virtually everything of any value loaded into it – and I mean everything! Computers, printers, TV’s stereo equipment, video camera, still camera, jewelery, clothes, coffee machine, DVD & CD collections etc.
Upon arriving home it took a while to consider all that we had lost. Upon walking into my office it suddenly struck me. My entire digital family history was gone. Everything was on our PC’s and the backup drive. From photos of family & friends, home video of my only son from baby till 6yrs old, scans of old irreplacable analogue photos from grandparents….all gone! Add to that all our business & tax records, email history etc and I realised that the physical losses were the least of my worries.
Needless to say, this could happen to you. Whether it is fire, flood or theft, a lifetime of precious digital memories can be destoryed in seconds. Here are a few of the things you might want to think about doing to protect your information:
So what is the easiest fastest & safest way to backup your data?
While there is no perfect solution here are a few ideas which may help you:
1, Burn, Burn, Burn
If you are not flush with cash DVD’s are the answer. As long as you have a DVD burner (they cost around $40 these days) you can backup 4.7GB data chunks for less than 50 cents each. Most thieves won’t steal them if you leave them lying around and they can easily be mailed to friends and family for safe keeping. In fact, you may find that friends or family will want to reciprocate asking you to store their precious information.
Personally, I put all our family videos & photos together every few months and send them off to my parents & inlaws who live interstate as a gift.
The Good:
- Cheap, simple and fairly reliable.
The Bad:
- You have to do it manually.
- It can be slow and time consuming.
- It costs money & time to send off a DVD every month.
- Your friends/family may not look after your memories as well as you had hoped.
2. Use some stealth
Laptops, desktop pcs, media centers, game consoles etc are all capable of storing your personal data, but there are two main problems:
- They are easy to find & steal from your home.
- They generally only have one hard drive which leaves your memories exposed to hardware failure.
Using a smart new product like the Apple Time Capsule is a great way to backup your data in a stealthy way. The Time capsule combines a Wireless Router with a 1TB backup device that works for both PC & MAC. It looks just like most other routers, however, it has a 1TB hard drive lurking inside. Being relatively small it can even be hidden under a desk or in a corner where theives are unlikely to look. Also, being “always on” backup is always easy and convenient.
If you don’t want to buy from Apple there are a plethora of NAS (Network Attached Storage) products on the market these days which work in a similar way and can easily hidden. They range in price from $300 – $2000 so you will need to do some research to find the right unit for you.
The Good:
- It is still fairly cheap,
- Your data is accesible 24/7, even remotely if configured correctly.
- It can be easily hidden from the bad guys.
- If you have a MAC it works beaifully with time machine
The Bad:
- The Apple Time capsule has only one hard drive so it is still possible to suffer a hardware failure. Some more expensive NAS systems have multiple drives for redundancy.
- Fires and flood can still destroy your data.
3. Move to the Cloud
You may or may not have heard of “the cloud” but it is all the buzz in Geektown. In simple terms a computing cloud is a whole bunch of computers joined together to share data. They could be in the same room or spread all over the world. When you choose to store your data in the cloud the theory is that it will be extremely safe due to the fact it is shared amongst many machines. The number of cloud services is growing everyday so which should you choose? As usual, there is no perfect solution. Here are my favourite cloud services:
1. Facebook
Facebook is one of the most successful clouds out there. As a place to store photo’s it is hard to beat. It’s free, you can choose your own level privacy and all your friends can share your life. On the downside, Facebook could choose to make you pay in the future, not to mention the many privacy concerns associated with the social network.
2. Google Picasa
Another free photo storage alternative is Googles Picasa software. Not only do you get a great photo manager, but also some free online storage for your photo albums (if you get a google account). I should note here that Google limits the amount of space you can use (2GB). At some point you will need to pay them to upgrade your webspace to allow more storage. If you want a more upmraket alternative to Google you could consider Adobe Photoshop Elements . The basic version costs AUD$137.50 and has 2GB onilne storage. The plus version offers 20GB.
3. Youtube
If face book & Picasa are for photo’s then Youtube is for movies. Once again it is free, you can control who sees your movies and possibly even make money from them!
4. Elephant Drive
If you are looking for just one place you can put everything than these guys might be for you. There are a lot of online storage services springing up in the cloud at the moment; Carbonite, Dropbox, Mozy and even Telstra Bigpond are offering a storage service at their usual ludicrously expensive rates! I had been using dropbox until I recently discovered ElephantDrive .
For US$49.95 per year I get unlimited storage!
For now, I just store everything here. The only gotcha you need to be aware of relates to your internet data usage. If you are unlucky enough to have a bigpond account which counts both inbound and outbound data usage, you will need to carefully monitor how much backing up is taking place to ensure you do not exceed your data limits.
For those of you including myself concerned about uploading private documents or other sensitive information I have a solution. I downloaded Axcrypt, a free open source encryption tool which I use to encode all my personal documents at home and online. In the event that Elepant Drive was compromised or my computer stolen the would be identity thief would need a lifetime to crack the content.
The Good:
- Your data is in the care of IT professionals who have a vested interest in keeping it safe.
- There are plenty of free options
The Bad:
- You need a fast internet connection with a good data policy.
- Privacy concerns may be an issue.
- Your information is slower to access over the internet than if it were stored on a local drive.
I hope some of you can find a use for this information and that it may prevent someone else losing some or all of their precious memories!
 Memristor Technology I have blogged about memory technology before, however, an article I stumbled over a few days ago got my attention more than any other in recent years!
When you look inside a computer today there are a whole bunch of components that need to communicate with each other in order for the computer to work. The CPU is arguably the most important component as it controls the show and distributes information to the various components as required.
The problem with this system is that distributing information to various components takes both time and power.
The only reason we have separate ram modules is because it’s too expensive to put it all on the CPU – even the most powerful and expensive CPUs today have a max of around 8Mb of “on chip” cache. Further more, the only reason we have hard drives is that that ram is too expensive to store large amounts of data, not to mention all data is lost if the power fails.
In a perfect world your processor, ram and hard drive would come together as one offering both amazing speed and frugal power usage. Some of the worlds smartest minds have been chasing this holy grail for many years and just recently HP’s Quantum science research facility believe they have it; the Memristor.
Believed possible in theory since 1971 it took until 2008 for a prototype to be produced. Now Stan Williams, senior fellow at Hewlett-Packard and director of Quantum Science Research believes Memristors will come to market in the next 3 years.
For the non-geeks out there reading this saying “whatever…it’s just another new memory type“. Think again, think Minority report, I Robot, Terminator etc…Memristors could make it possible to create the first computers capable of truly learning!!
Here is a summary of the Memristor features:
- Memristors can work as DRAM with the added benefit of not requiring power to retain data.
- Memristors will be cheap enough to also act as a hard drive.
- And the big one -Memristors can act as a processor! However, unlike conventional transistors which are either on or off Memristors can represent may states which opens up a new world of possibilities including artificial intelligence.
The combined benefits of these features has the potential at a minimum to give us computers that turn on and off instantly, run quickly and consume little power. At it’s best it could mean humanoid assistants in our home which can think and act by themselves.
Depending on which movies you watch this could either be terrifying or extremely exciting.
Here are a couple of articles you may read if you want to know more:
 Taiwan Ram Factory Before I start writing this, I know what you are going to say. “Your just sending this post out to drum up business“. Well, I wish you were right, but unfortunately, any sales rally we experience in the near future will be short lived.
The big players in the memory market are shaking things up, dropping production of unprofitable ram types and limiting supply in general. In simple terms the major memory component manufacturers feel they have overproduced DDR2 memory. This has kept DDR2 prices low and delaying the uptake of DDR3 memory in which they have all invested heavily. To solve their problem they are cutting production levels of DDR2 and considering dropping the DDR1 memory lines. The worlds largest independent manufacturer Kingston Memory is rumoured to be preparing to drop all DDR1 memory lines already.
This state of affairs suits both the ram chip and computer manufacturers as chip manufacturers want to minimise the number of memory types they produce whilst PC manufacturers want more people to upgrade.
What this will mean to the consumer:
In a nutshell, if you have an older DDR1 laptop, desktop or server you will find that memory for these machines will soon dry up. Prices will escalate based on demand to a point where memory upgrades will become a far less viable option to extend the life of a machine.
For owners of newer DDR2 and DDR3 machines you can just expect to pay more for at least the next 6 months.
What we are doing at CMU?
We have decided to throw a little goodbye party for our old reliable DDR1 friend. We should call it something like “The END of DDR1…maybe?” promotion. Look out for our special Good Bye DDR1 email in the next few days.
Fact: Fixed Phone lines are doomed.
And good riddance I say. Phone lines are expensive to run & maintain, ugly when hoisted into the air above our streets and susceptible to damage from lightning, wind, rain and fire.
Mobile networks are far better in that mobile towers are less susceptible to damage and cheaper to maintain.
From the users perspective mobile phones offer other great benefits like:
- your number travels with you wherever you go.
- Your contacts are stored on your phone so you always have them at your fingertips.
- Most mobile phone service providers offer extra services like voice mail, call forwarding etc – albeit for a price.
However, there are still a few issues with mobile networks:
- mobile phone handsets are expensive
- you cannot transfer mobile calls to a standard handset or your PC without cost.
- calls from mobiles are very expensive compared to land line alternatives
- most useful features are limited to more expensive monthly plans
Mobile phones as we know them are set to change. As the performance of 3G and NextG data networks improve and data costs drop VOIP is becoming a real option for mobile users. Most mobile carriers consider VOIP as bad news as it would negate the need for there costly monthly plans.
Rather, we could all purchase a cheap data plan and a VOIP subscription enabling us to make virtually unlimited calls for around $ 20 per month. For light phone users $10/month would be quite achievable.
At this time, the only carrier in Australia offering a VOIP service is the “Three” network who have partnered with Skype to allow Skype to Skype VOIP calls. However, Three have disabled the Skype In and Skype Out features which would allow Skype subscribers to make far cheaper calls to landlines and mobiles than over the Three network.
This will inevitably change in the near future opening up a wide range of services to the enduser including:
- Multiple inbound numbers associated with one phone account. i.e You could have a local call in Sydney, Melbourne and Perth all directed to your VOIP account setup on your mobile phone, PC or WiFi handset.
- the ability to change your identity on your mobile handset by logging into different VOIP accounts. e.eg You could choose whether to make calls using your home or business number from your mobile handset.
- the ability to use your phone wherever you find a WiFi network. i.e. If your data provider is out of range you could pick up a WiFi signal in a building, airport or shopping centre and make calls as per normal anywhere in the world.
- No international area codes required. No matter where you travel your number will always work without a country code prefix.
VOIP for Business:
Just because VOIP is not available on mobile yet does not mean you cannot start making savings in your business today.
My personal business journey to VOIP was accelerated by the incompetence of some Telstra staff.
Here is a story some of you may be familiar with:
- You are a small business with 6 staff looking to move to new larger premises.
- You have 4 phone lines on a PABX, a fax line and an internet connection all with Telstra
- You diligently notify Telstra of the move in 4 weeks time.
- 10 minutes later your phones are disconnected and you then spend an hour on your mobile getting them re-connected. Not Happy!
- After the first debacle you follow up Telstra 5 days before the move to confirm all is OK.
- The day of the big move arrives. You co-ordinate staff, furniture and transfer/re-installation of the PABX. Strangely, no one from Telstra turns up.
- You call Telstra and are told that they have no transfer request for you in their system and that it will take approximately 2 weeks to action…
- At first you cannot believe it. Then after a lot of swearing, cursing and having your call elevated to various managers you swear never to deal with Helstra again.
- Looking at the 6 staff sitting outside the office you start to panic. You cannot afford this nightmare!
From here most of you would have either waited for Telstra or tried your luck with Optus, iPrimus etc.
In my case, a miracle occurred! As my business partner and I stood discussing the possibility of withdrawing money from our home loans to pay wages a man in a red T shirt entered the office. He introduced himself and asked if we would like to trial the “Allegro wireless Voip and internet service” in our area. My business partner & I spontaneously dropped our jaws. We dared to ask how long it would take. He said ” Aw, you will probably need to allow 2-3 hours before we can connect you.” A few hours later we were running our business phones completely on VOIP and saving at least $1000/month off our phone bill.
If only Telstra had screwed us sooner!
We were happy already, but as we learn’t more about VOIP it just kept getting better. With a VOIP phone you can:
- move office anywhere in the world without changing a phone number or even notifying your provider. As long as you have a good internet connection you have a business.
- Choose phone numbers from anywhere in the world. With Voip providers like Skype you can register multiple numbers from anywhere in the world on the same account or run them separately. e.g. You could register a US, UK, NZ and AU number on one business account for around AUD$15 each annually. All calls made to those numbers could ring attached to a PC, wireless network or even a Skype enabled mobile phone. Your international office expenses just went down dramatically!
- Add or remove lines, forward calls, change numbers and manage your PABX through an internet account with your VOIP provider.
- make calls between local, national or international offices for free.
- Access missed calls from anywhere that has an internet connection.
- Access your entire fax history online in digital formatting.
If you have not tried it already I urge all small business & large business owners to look at the VOIP options available to them.
Here is a list of some of the bigger VOIP players in Australia:
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Related Blogs
 When people call us here at Computer Memory Upgrades it is almost always because their computer is causing problems. It is running slow, won’t play a game or run a program etc. Most of the time a memory upgrade is the perfect solution, however, there is also a percentage of our customers who have other hardware or software related issues. Up until now we have had to leave you to fend for yourselves.
With the introduction of Gizmo to our team we can finally say “fend no more!. As long as you are in a Gizmo Service Area a qualified technician will go direct to your door to:
- install your memory or other hardware. Gizmo technicians also carry a range of spare components should you wish to upgrade other parts of your machine.
- Install and troubleshoot a range Windows or Mac OSX software.
- Offer advice on how to better manage your technology.
Gizmo already work with many big name retailers like Harvey Norman, JB HiFi, Clive Peters and Bigpond so you can be sure that you will get professional and reliable service.
We have integrated Gizmo service requests into the checkout page of our shopping cart. If interested in obtaining a quote, follow the simple instructions and check out normally.
Related Blogs
Twice this week I have run into small business people who are being ripped off when purchasing domain names and web hosting. Most business owners do not have the time or knowledge to investigate cheaper/better alternatives to their current solutions. For any of you taking the time to read this post you most likely find you can cut your costs by 50-80%.
Domain Names:
The first domain name registrar in Australia was MelbourneIT. Being first, they cornered the market and are now the largest holder of domain names in Australia today.
However, in recent years the market has changed vastly with a multitude of new cheaper competition. To give you an idea of how much cheaper, a .com.au domain from MelbourneIT will cost you $70 per year whilst a .com.au domain from Crazy Domains will cost you $12 per year. If you are a customer of Melbourne IT I strongly suggest you look at some cheaper options.
Personally, I have accounts with Crazy Domains, Planet Domain and Godaddy. All are cheaper than MelbourneIT and I have never had problems with any of them.
Domain Name Scams:
Also of note is a Domain Name scam still in strong circulation today. As the holder of many domains I regularly receive letters of an official nature saying that I need to renew a domain for the bargain sum of $220.00. Some even offer a free Ipod if I order immediately. DO NOT DO IT. This scam is well known and documented by ScamWatch
Web Hosting:
Web hosting is a tougher area to make recommendations because there are numerous technical considerations relating to your business needs. However, I can offer some general guidelines which could save you some substantial money.
Basic Business & Personal Sites
If you want the best bang for buck you need to host in the USA. Australian Web hosts just cannot compete on price and features, especially now our dollar is so strong. The only down side can be communication., however, most hosts offer 24/7 live chat. I personally use a several US web hosts, but my favourite budget host of the moment is Arvixe. They do a US$7/month deal with unlimited space and domains. They top this off with a comprehensive set of software available for easy installation through Scriptaculous in the Cpanel.
This hosting package is ideal for any small business with multiple domains, wordpress blogs or even home users.
Business Grade Hosting:
For commercial sites like this one it is most often worth paying extra to get a hosting package that:
- minimises site downtime
- can handle larger volumes of traffic without slowing down.
- opens faster for potential visitors in your geographical target area.
- ensures you can maximise search engine performance.
- allows you more detailed configuration of the server to suit your needs.
All these features come at a price starting at around AUD$70/month for Virtual Private Servers up to $600/month for a high spec dedicated server of your own. Choosing the right solution for your business is best done by either educating yourself or hiring an independent IT professional.
Speaking personally again I can say I have had good experiences with the following Australian business webhosts:
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