Geek Junk – The musings of just another Geek and his Junk

Voice over IP technology continues to gain ground over traditional technology everyday and will eventually replace it entirely. To meet this growing technological need Cisco offers up a wide variety of IP phones that are both technologically advanced as well as durable replacements for existing phones. The 7940G, is a well built functional VoIP phone perfect for the average employee. A perfect complement to a Cisco Call Manager installation, this phone preforms well and is ideally suited to modern day offices. more »

In recent years Dell has emerged as the king of the personal computer realm. Walk into any home or business and quite often you will see at least something made by Dell. However, having a popular brand and a large presence in the market, should not be the sole deciding factor when looking to purchase a new computer. Lets take a look at one of Dell’s newer home computing systems, the Inspiron E7400 and see if it lives up to the branding that Dell has garnered over the past few years. more »

With widescreen, flat panel monitors becoming increasingly common, it becomes more difficult to make a solid decision as to which to purchase, and what to look for. While ultimately it comes down to personal preference, the Samsung 2243BWX offers up some nice features and superior performance that combined with an affordable price make it worth taking a good look at. more »

There is a new technology when it comes to our energy systems; it is called The Greenbox Technology. What the company is doing is creating a one of a kind interactive energy management system that will allow all homes to be able to save money as well as lower their carbon footprint. With energy costs rising and global warming a reality, we need to do out part to help ensure the energy needs of the people in the world. more »

Ever wondered if you could take all the best features of your cell phone, and the reliable low cost benefits of a landline and roll them all into one? Wonder no longer, Verizon’s new Hub Phone is finally going to be seeing the light of day and will soon find itself integrated into home networks and communications systems. more »

Times are tough and our electric bills are outstanding. What can we do to lower the monthly cost of the electric bill? Some people turn off everything they can in hopes of seeing just a small drop in their electric bills the following month. We never really take into account how much each electrical product in out home gives off.

For example, electric companies base their calculation on wattage and price of per kilowatt. So why not test the items in your home and see how much your bills may be. In order to do this you will need a P3 Kill A Watt Electricity Load Meter and Monitor. more »

HP Deskjet D1530

Hewlett-Packard’s Deskjet D1530, is a low end personal printer that often gets bundled with their Slimline series of products. Despite being on the lower scale of home printers currently available for people who do not print too often and need a quick easy solution the D1530 is a decent fit. This would not however be a good printer for either someone who prints a lot, or needs a rich set of features. more »

Linksys WMP300N Wireless Adapter

The Linksys WMP300N is an internal PCI wireless card for a desktop computer. Designed to provide high speed wireless access to your desktop, this card boasts an external antenna that can be placed anywhere around your computer to help maximize the signal reception to your computer. As part of the current draft Wireless N standard, this card takes advantage of the latest wireless technology, Multiple Input Multiple Output or MIMO. With the MIMO technology, this generation of wireless can achieve speeds more than doubling the current rates found with Wireless G. However, it is also backwards compatible with Wireless G allowing you to receive and maximize on connections from an older router better than with a Wireless G alternative. more »

Linksys WRT110 RangePlus Wireless Router

Linksys’ WRT110 Router, is their entry level addition to the Wireless N market. While not technically part of the Wireless N draft standard, it does use the technology behind Wireless N to provide some very solid performance well over what Wireless G is capable of. Capitalizing on the new Multiple Input Multiple Output functionality of Wireless N, this router seeks to provide home users a gateway into better connections and faster data rates. Combine that with the latest security features, interoperability with Wireless B and G, and a slick new look and you have yourself a nice starter router in the Wireless N realm. more »

The Intel Core 2 Quad, is as the name implies a Quad Core processor produced as part of the Core 2 family of processors from Intel. The Q9550 presents itself as a mid to high level processor and does not disappoint. Offering a 2.83 GHz clock rate over each core, this processor is a true powerhouse right out of the box. Combine this processor with an operating system and application suite that is optimized for a four core system and your computer will be waiting for you to do something rather than the other way around. more »