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Hardware Considerations by Allen Sonntag.

Some new things for your consideration with links.

COMPUTERS AND OPERATING SYSTEMS:

The latest issue is MS Vista when you are purchasing a new computer. You should do your homework and check out the various websites that test hardware/software and see what they say. Just be aware that many of your peripherals from XP will not work with Vista unless there are updated drivers available. A word to the wise. <G>

A reporter I talked to has Vista OS on her latest desktop and she says it plays great games. <G> Another said the media center made photos and music much easier to handle.

My personal experience is Vista is great but there is a learning curve. It's different and in many way quite a bit better. You'll need to check it out for yourselves.

One nice thing is you can still order XP -- but not for long -- on your new system from the Dell's and HP's of the world. You can't just walk into a store and get XP but you can custom order online and get it any way you want it. Check out the links!

WRITERS, WIRELESS STUFF and OTHER GOODIES:

The Mira from Stenograph, paperless, wireless. Allen says "I think it is easier and that I write faster". See Mira here.

Or the new Stylus from ProCAT, the successor to the Flash; and many of us used the Flash for years and years. My comment to Bob from ProCAT was, "It's a Flash on steroids."

A wireless realtime connection provider is StenoCast. They go a step further than just your writer to your computer but allow connection to attorneys wirelessly. Check it out. Click here for StenoCAST.

At the seminar in San Francisco I saw the demonstration of the StenoCAST X7 product which is the connection from your notebook to the attorneys. It was so impressive that I talked the StenoCAST rep out of his backup package. I've used it with the new Bridge product free from Eclipse and I've got to tell you: You need to see it to believe it. I'm sure it will be demonstrated at the Dallas meeting in September. Meantime, check out their site. See the link above.

You can get the free Bridge here. Bridge Realtime Viewer

How to get the best prices on the web? Try Pricegrabber. It will go out and search all over the net and bring you back the best prices. Try it, you’ll like it.

Another good-looking product that was donated and given away as a door prize was from SoundProfessionals.com. This is a USB microphone to use with InSync. It also allows you to monitor the microphone pickup with your favorite headphones. If you order one of these, mention StenoCAT Users Group and you will receive a discount, or so we have been told. Reporters using the product give it a thumbs up.

Microsoft Ends Support for Win98 and WinME

Click on the link below to read the full article from the July 12, 2006, Phoenix Daily Star. If you have an older computer running one of these operating systems, you are long past time to update and buy something new with the WinXP operating system and now in 2007 the new Vista operating system.

The XP operating system will cease new installs later in 2008. We'll all be left with just Vista.

Click here to read full text of article, using MS Word.

Click here to read full text of article, in PDF format.