Pinoy Digital Life

Embarking on a digital lifestyle in the Philippines can be a daunting task.

The very first thing you need is, of course, your own computer. Now, a PC can be as simple as the lightest laptop or notebook (I'll refer to these as mobile) computer you can find or as complex as the most powerful desktop server replacement available. There's a whole range of choices available to the average Pinoy consumer however here are some tips that could point you in the right direction.

1. Think about connectivity. Your PC is nothing nowadays without the internet. An unconnected PC is nothing but a glorified typewriter and calculator and any PC's full potential can only be used once it's linked to the internet. How you're going to be linked will determine what type of PC you'll be getting. If you've got a broadband connection at home (either via PLDT myDSL or GlobeQUEST DSL) then your best bet will likely be a desktop PC since you likely won't be moving around much. Mobility options would waste the monthly fee you're paying these telcos to maintain your internet connection. If you've got a dial-up connection at home (either via i-Manila or Pacific Internet or some such) then you'll want the flexibility afforded by a mobile PC. This way, you can take advantage of available wi-fi networks outside the home while using your home dial-up when you're home. If you're not living at home (dorm, rental condo, etc), then a mobile PC is your best bet since you never know when you'll be moving.

2. Think about requirement. The power in your PC defines how much you can do with it. Of course, we'd all like a massive amount of power "under the hood", so to speak. Unfortunately, this power comes at a cost and not all of us are willing to pay for it. Thus, we come back to requirement. If, after thinking about connectivity, you've decided that you need a desktop PC, then your power choices are more diverse. Desktop PC's run the gamut from low-powered versions that a notebook PC could beat with one cooling fan shut off to high-powered behemoths that could pitch in as servers if the need arose. My personal feel is that if you're getting a desktop anyway, go for the high-end processors. These will give you the greatest functionality while lasting longer (i.e. not being left behind by new technology and applications). The usual Pentium 4 2.0 GHz would be a minimum in this case. If you've decided on a mobile PC, then the choice comes down to light and portable (notebook PC) vs heavy and powerful (desktop replacement PC). Gamers will of course want the most powerful desktop replacement PC available since games use tons of computing resources. The same goes for graphic designers and architects who use these monsters for work. If you're not sure, think of what you value more: mobility or flexibility (they're not the same). Mobility refers to how important is it that your computer can go wherever you go. If you do lots of traveling, then your chief concern could be mobility, in which case you can't really be a stickler for power options. Flexibility refers to how much stuff you can do on your machine. If you want to use it for surfing, doing your taxes, typing out letters and papers, making presentations, doing a bit of gaming here and there, then you'll want flexibility which means lugging your machine around will be that much harder. Final result: make your choice and stick to it.

3. Think about peripherals. Remember that your computer is not limited to just the processor. One of the most important things that new PC buyers neglect is RAM (random access memory) which is basically your computer's erasable scratch pad. The bigger your RAM, the faster your computer can make calculations and perform actions that you want it to do. Rule of thumb for RAM is get the most RAM that you can afford, then add more once you can afford more. There is no upper limit as far as RAM is concerned except for the capacity of your motherboard. In today's terms, 1GB of RAM would be minimum for running your computer efficiently. 2GB of RAM would be preferred.

USB ports are the gateways to your system. Basically, if you're anticipating using lots of gadgets with your computer (i.e. mp3 player, PDA, mobile phone, thumb drive, etc), you're going to need as many USB ports as you can get your hands on. 4 USB ports would be ideal. Most PC's provide 2-3 ports. All's not lost, however, as you can purchase a USB hub that turns a single port into 3 ports.

What optical drive will you be needing? Nowadays, the standard CD-R/W drive is just not enough. The minimum would be a DVD-ROM drive that could burn CDs and read DVDs. The limitation, of course, is that your drive won't be able to burn DVDs. Even then, new formats of DVDs are coming out in the market (i.e. Blu-Ray, HD-DVD) however, as the preferred format has not yet been determined, I'd hold off on making that high-end new format purchase. If you're going to use your PC for multimedia, a DVD-R/W drive is a definite must since you'll be burning DVDs till the wee hours of the morning anyway.

4. Think about software. There was a time when this wasn't really something that needed any thought at all. Windows dominated the scene and Macs couldn't run Windows programs so the obvious choice for software (at least in terms of volume and flexibility) would be Windows. The field has now changed with Apple coming out with Boot Camp. This nifty piece of software allows a Mac to boot in Windows XP which allows the Mac to run Windows programs without any noticeable differences. Neat, huh? Suddenly, you've got Macs that can run both Mac OS X and Windows XP, the ultimate in computer software flexibility because, let's face it, Mac software is pretty darn good. I won't go into the whole Apple vs Microsoft thing right now. Instead, I'll leave this point for another post.

Well, this turned out to be a pretty long post but hopefully it'll give you some idea on what kind of PC to buy which will make your online searches more productive.