Anyone into their technology has messed around with a computer at some stage. Desktop PCs, thanks to their size and design, are ideal for upgrading – new graphics boards, an upgraded motherboard or even something as simple as a flat screen rather than the traditional box. But laptops are a whole other story. Compact microcircuitry dissuades everyone but the most technologically savvy from undoing those screws and opening ‘Pandora’s Laptop’. Slotting in a new graphics or sound card into a laptop is not a simple matter of taking the case off and tricking up the insides of the computer. But there are things you can do to upgrade your laptop that don’t involve a degree in electronic engineering and a very steady hand with a soldering iron.

RAM – Giving your Laptop a Better Memory

Almost every laptop can be given a RAM upgrade, simply by opening a compartment on the bottom of the laptop and inserting a new memory stick. However, before buying a new stick of RAM, it is strongly advisable to check the manufacturer’s guidelines. Many manufacturers make RAM sticks for their own computers, but it is possible to buy ‘generic’ sticks that can fit a range of laptops. If you are unsure as to whether your memory stick is suitable for your laptop, check with the manufacturer.

Processor Power

Upgrading the processor is something that should be thought about carefully before you attempt it. Most modern laptops run dual-core processors, which have enough processing power to run almost any application, including processor-hungry ones like games and graphics programs. It is worth weighing up the cost and time involved in upgrading the processor against the net gain this would achieve. In most cases, the gain will be negligible, and as laptops use microcircuitry to cut down on weight and size, replacing the processor could be described as ‘fiddly’ at best!

Hard Disks

The internal hard disk of a computer is the beating heart of any machine, whether that’s a laptop or a desktop PC. While it is relatively easy to replace the hard disk on a PC, laptops are trickier. In laptops that do allow you to replace the hard disk, it is a relatively straightforward process, though again because of the constraints of size, a pretty fiddly job to do. A better option may be to go for an external hard drive to increase the capacity of your machine such as Firewire or USB drives. Although this might make your laptop bag bulge a little, it’s a cheaper and easier option.

That ‘b’ Word…

Batteries. The bane of all laptop owner’s lives. It is probably the one thing that everyone with a laptop will upgrade at some time, as batteries do have a finite lifespan (as in the number of times that they can be recharged and still hold enough charge to run your laptop for more than half an hour). The advice here is to ensure that any new battery you buy for your laptop is compatible with the manufacturer’s recommendations.

More of a Repair than an Upgrade

The other problem encountered by laptop owners on a regular basis is the ‘blank screen’. The laptop boots up but you’re left staring at a black screen. This usually means that the inverter has failed – one of laptops biggest generic weak spots. Inverters can be relatively easily replaced, but again, check with your manufacturer’s guidelines to ensure that you are buying the right inverter for your make and model.

Finally, consider that any upgrades you carry out on a new laptop may invalidate any manufacturer’s warranty, so check carefully before you start tricking up your laptop.

IT247.com has one of the UK’s largest catalogues of IT, consumer electronics and related accessories including laptop computers, at highly competitive prices and best availability. Alison Brundle Design Co-Ordinator IT247 http://www.it247.com

With the R4 DS Card you’re going to heighten your gaming experience on your Nintendo DS. And what does an R4 Card let you play? It grants you access to hundreds, if not thousands of games accessible for free online. Games by home based game developers have been around since the days of computer gaming. But it needed the R4 Card for the DSi to bring it home to the Nintendo DS. A lot of the games are remakes of retro classics we all recognize and know. The stunning thing is, they’re produced by homebrew / recreational computer programmers and are available to you with simply a click of your mouse and for free from the net. And all you have to have is your Nintendo DS or DSi and your R4 Card ready and waiting to download and make them available so you can enjoy them absolutely free.

One of my favorite R4 DS Card games is the very hot Lemmings DS. Made by an R4 Card owner and amateur coder. The quality of this game is easily at par with umpteen commerically published games for the DS and DSi. And that’s what makes it so astonishing. It is because these homebrew games are of such utmost quality that people are flocking to the R4 Card and taking advantage of what it has to offer in terms of homebrew play and likewise, developing your own Nintendo DS homebrew games.

This game was originally released for home computers back in the Amiga days. First for the Amiga 500 and then after it was ported over to the commodore 64 as well as the PC. Truly one of the best old school classic mind bender game to come along at that time. Popular enough that it was later ported to the SNES console as well. And thanks to the hard work of committed game creators, you’re able to play it on your Nintendo DS or DSi with an R4 DS Card.

In Lemmings, your job in each level is to maneuver your Lemmings to the exit with the least amount of casualties by accommodating them from their cave or cavern and bringing them to the exit. This is done by way of digging, blowing things up, climbing, and constructing bridges. There are loads of tools at your disposal, and in some super unusual cases, you may have to sacrifice a Lemming or two as you try to dig or climb your way to the exit on the screen.

Every level becomes increasingly tougher, with more Lemmings having to be protected in order to solve a particular level. While some of the Lemmings are disposable, most of your Lemmings have to make it out safely – and alive, in order for you to progress to the next level, which then gets harder to complete.

It’s a fun and funny game. With some of the skills of the Lemmings – all of them that you put them up to – having you laugh like crazy. The game is a mix between puzzle game – action game, and strategy game, because you must have an exact strategy how you’ll go past the roadblocks to get your lemmings to the exit – and saving plenty of them alive and well to guarantee that you ramp up to the succeeding level.

The R4 Card translation of Lemmings for the DS incorporates every one of the original stages from the very first episode of the game, as well as the stages from Christmas Lemmings and Oh NO! More Lemmings as well. Thanks to the R4 DS Card you can experience all of these levels in one easy to play game.

Find our more about this and other NDS Homebrew games and how to play them with your R4 DS Card or R4i SDHC for the Nintendo DSi. If you like unique games that you can’t find in stores, then Nintendo DS Homebrew is for you. Find out more at http://www.ModChipStore.com/

The original Wakhawk was first released on the Commodore 64, Atari 8bit and other 8-bit computers in the mid 1980’s. WarHawk was a vertical scrolling shoot ‘em up game, a genre that was very popular back in the mid 1980’s and 1990’s. What made WarHawk stand out from the rest of the games released in the genre was the depth of the levels and gameplay. Unlike many shoot em up games of the time – which progressed expectedly and offered little more than more bad guys on the screen as you beat each level, WarHawk changed the background, added bigger bosses and various other elements that made you actually WANT to play and more forward.

Thanks again to the fine developers at Headsoft and our trusty R4 DS Card homebrew scene, WarHawk is now available for YOU to play absolutely free on your Nintendo DS or DSi with the R4 DS Card (R4i SDHC for the DSi owners). The gameplay is true to the original, and while not an exact carbon copy remake or update, it does retain the same graphical feel and the gameplay mechanics themselves are true to the original.

WarHawk was remade and released as an NDS Homebrew Game. Which means that if you own and R4 DS card, it is free to download and play – made that way by the developers, though I would think donations may be an option if you so choose.

One of the things that the homebrew developers at HeadSoft wanted to ensure was that they retained the same “retro” or “old school” feel to the game itself. I think they succeeded in every way. And to put all of this work into a game, for the sheer love and joy of creating (or in this case – recreating) a game and then giving it out to homebrew games at no cost is really something to be applauded.

As for the levels and difficulty in the game, the game has 16 normal levels and once you complete the 16 normal levels, another 16 “mental” levels become available. The developers have said that it is definitely worth it to finish all of the levels – especially the “mental” levels for the true end and credit sequence that they have created.

From the developers website – below are the game controls for Warhawk DS on the R4 DS card. Playing it is just like playing any NDS game you would buy in the store, but there are some really cool and neat firing modes.

‘Start’ is used from the title screen to start the game and also within the game to pause. During play, the D-Pad is used for movement and the ‘A’ button for firing. Firing has 3 modes. A single press will release 2 shots. Press and hold will fire a power shot (12 times the damage and destroys all bases in it’s line of fire) and during “power-up” mode, holding fire will shoot a continuous stream of 16 bullets. Power-up mode can be enabled after level 2. During these levels a small ship will drift down the screen, shooting this will release a power orb that when collected will enable power-up mode for a limited time. Crashing into the drop ship will have the same effect but lose a small amount of energy. Energy can be regained during a level only by destroying a meteor. These take 2 powered shots to kill. Pressing start during game play also offers the option to quit and return to the title screen.

All in all, Warhawk DS is a perfect example of the professional / commercial quality homebrew games you can download and have absolutely free. While I personally suggest some type of donations – give these game creators some form of thanks – so they’ll continue to make more of these great games – it is not in any way a requirement to download and play these games. All you really have to do is spend under $20.00 for an R4 DS Card and you are on the way to NDS homebrew heaven!

Find out more about the R4 DS Card, the R4i SDHC Card and other great nds homebrew games, and take advantage of everything your R4 DS Card can do to enable you to watch movies, listen to MP3, play amazing Homebrew games and more. Visit http://www.ModChipStore.com for more information.