Gadget Reviews: Using Readyboost in the SD Flash card reader on an Acer 3690

I recently purchased a refurbished Acer 3690. This computer is a simple, low-end workstation, meant mainly as a budget laptop. It can perform very simple tasks: web-surfing, word-processing, and music.

The machine sports a 1.6 MHz Celeron M processor, a wimpy 512 Mb of RAM, the Intel 945 GM graphics chipset, and a 60 Gig hard drive. For media, it has a DVD/CD-RW drive, three USB 2.0 ports, and a 5-in-1 flash memory card reader.

The version I purchased came pre-installed with Windows Vista (I know, 512 Mb of RAM really makes Vista sluggish). Prior to purchasing additional RAM, I decided to opt to try the Readyboost feature of Windows Vista.

If you haven't already heard about the new features on Vista, essentially (this is a disposable definition of Readyboost, but here goes) Readyboost creates a something like a paging file on a USB flash drive. So, if you have a thumb drive at your disposal, you can simply plug it in, and you have a small performance increase.

Microsoft recommends between one and three times the amount of memory of your on-board RAM. If you have a 1 Gb of RAM, and you have a USB drive of 4 Gb capacity, and you should set the Readyboost between 1 Gb and 3 Gb.

Here's a handy rhyme: 1 Gig RAM for 3 Gig flash, Readyboost will make you fast!

Readyboost works because USB 2.0 can transfer information quickly to the motherboard, in a different way than the actual paging file located on the hard drive. Forgive me, I'm not a techie; that's the way I understand it.

How much extra speed does Readyboost provide? Well, from my own experience, the time that it takes for programs to load (iTunes, Firefox, and MS Office) has almost halved. I have not yet tried to press the issue with this small increase in performance, but I'm glad that it takes 5 seconds to load iTunes, rather than 12 seconds.

OK, it's not much of a benefit, but it is nice that my programs load just a tiny bit faster. Think of how much time this saves in the long-run.

Here's the setup: I utilized the 5-in-1 card reader included with the computer. For memory, I used a 1 Gig PNY Polaroid SD card (about $19 at your local computer store).

INSTRUCTIONS

1. FORMAT the SD card to NTFS instead of FAT.

2. De-select INDEXING.

Your flash drive might not work without these two steps. Readyboost (on my machine at least) can only use the flash card if it's formatted to NTFS. Secondly, the indexing feature (should be in the "general" list after left-clicking "properties") must be turned off.

Got it? NTFS and Indexing off.

(AUTHOR'S NOTE: People have told me that you don't necessarily need to format the drive to NTFS, however, for this particular smartcard, it only worked after formatting to NTFS.)

Next, I selected 870 Mb to be used for Readyboost (recommended by Windows), clicked OK, and the drive worked.

Summary

Now, I realize that an extra five or six seconds isn't going to change your life dramatically, and it certainly won't allow me to play the latest games - I'll avoid Bioshock after that DRM issue...can't play that on this budget laptop, anyway - but the system has considerably improved its stability. (Vista now only crashes twice a day! Excellent work, Readyboost!)

The main benefit is that I have more time to find a deal on some decent RAM for this laptop, saving me a few dollars. Also, it was a fun experiment on an otherwise boring Thursday evening.

I did notice that the start-up time has slightly decreased with the SD card in the slot. This may be my imagination, however, I'm making a colloquial observation, not an empirical one.

In the long run, wonder what benefit Readyboost will bring, or what would happen if I use a larger SD card. And, when I finally decide to upgrade the RAM, perhaps this meager laptop will have loftier goals.

Good luck with your own Readyboost experiment; don't be ashamed of your geekiness, live it and love it.

FREE mp3s of classical songs - Rimsky-Korsakov, Beethoven, Stravinsky, etc

Peabody Institute provides many free mp3s of their recorded classical songs, including: Rimsky-Korsakov's Scheherezade, Mozart's 34th, Beethoven's 5th, and a whole lot of others. Check it out if you like classical music.

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Three tips for raising assertive children

Three simple ideas for raising assertive children.

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Golf tips: The importance of looking at the hole during golf putts

An article regarding a simple golf exercise for better putting. Look at the hole when you putt, buddy!

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What happens if you give drugs to spiders

Many people are familiar with the effects of LSD and psychotropic drugs on spiders. What many people are NOT familiar with is the effect of caffeine on spiders.

Caffeine theoretically was evolved for use as an insecticide.

Normal Spider, no caffeine

Spider exposed to LSD

Spider exposed to marijuana

Spider exposed to Caffeine

As you can see, the spiders reacted similarly to the drugs given. One of the most startling effect was caffeine. Given a completely colloquial assertion, I'd say that the spider looks incredibly tired and disoriented in the caffeine web.

(Please see Spider Communication: Mechanisms and Ecological Significance
Edited by Peter N.Witt & Jerome S. Rovner - Princeton University Press -1982)

From "The Cynic's Guide To Being A Teacher"

When examining extra-curricular activities, we must ask one basic question: where do people FAIL?

As educators, we only exert a small influence over children. In fact, most kids would rather be watching television than attending a class.

Over the course of their academic lives, kids learn and unlearn many skills. Math, science, art - it all goes through one ear and out the other. When it comes to college, and a career, most academic study was preparation for the world of mind-numbing, 50 hour work weeks.

Those lucky few individuals who manage to earn a graduate degree or a Doctorate, usually take on the burden of many thousands of dollars in debt.

The rest of the populace ends up in a life of servitude in a cutthroat job market.

If we are truly preparing children for an adult life in the "real world", we may want to focus on a few areas that cause many people undue suffering.

What causes suffering in today's world?

1. Divorce
2. Bankruptcy
3. Debt
4. Job Stress
5. Alcoholism

Perhaps the most effect lesson we can teach children is the ability to be persistent, tenacious, and resilient.

New The Go Team! Album

In music news, to make you happy, The Go Team! (Memphis Industries) has released a new single for an upcoming album, it's called "Grip Like A Vice" and features the catchy rapping of "Ninja".

Her name is Ninja! She's a pretty decent rapper.

You can listen to "Grip Like a Vice" at Pitchfork's Forkcast Media player the-go-team-grip-like-a-vice-stream or visit the official The Go Team! website: http://www.thegoteam.co.uk/flash/GoKids.html

Here is a video of the Go Team in action:

The first post, ever.

Enclosed find Depressionario: Reasons To Be Happy. The purpose of this blog is to provide a reason why you shouldn't be depressed. Each post will contain a genuine and uplifting story or article to make you, the reader, feel a better about your life.

This page is a grim celebration of life: music, movies, technology, and existential inspiration.

For the first post, I thought I'd give you something that has uplifted my spirits recently:



This is my new current favorite band. They're called Lightning Bolt. It's Brian Gibson (guitar/bass), and Brian Chippendale (explosive drum attack!). They're signed to Load Records.

The official website: http://laserbeast.com/

Purchase their mp3's online at: AudioLunchbox

The part that makes me happiest is the guy jumping off the lights in an attempt to crowdsurf.

If you ever have a chance to see them live, grab a pair of earplugs and do it. They're notorious for playing in people's kitchens, outside movie theaters, and generally in random places.