Our New Computer

Before I tell you how the computer is working out, I wanted to show some before and after pictures of my desk:

Before:

After:

It's big, isn't it? LOL!

If you caught my last post about the new computer, Computer Anticipation, you know about my old computer and what I was looking forward to with this new one. It's been about a week and a half, now, since we got our new computer and here is a list of my 'new computer' discoveries so far:

• The new computer actually has 6 USB ports! My old computer had 1 USB port, so every time I went to do a video call with my parents in Germany, I had to unplug the printer and plug in the webcam. Not a big deal, but it tended to get annoying when I'd go to print something afterwards. I'd sit there waiting, wondering why it wasn't working and I had forgot to switch the cables back around. LOL! (By the way, I can actually talk through the webcam now too, since the computer runs faster. I used to have to type what I wanted to say, because my parents could never tell what I was saying.)
• The new computer has a CD burner! I used to take my memory sticks to my parents (when they were home) to have them put the pictures on CD's. Since they've been gone, Rich will stay after work and put my pictures to CD's on his computer there. Now I can do it right here at home. At least I will be able to when I figure it all out. LOL!
• The new computer has enough space to actually put my videos on it! I haven't figured out all the video stuff yet, but I was able to post a video to my blog last week! I'm hoping to put up more videos in the future and hopefully organize all my little discs and put them on big discs. I would really like them to play in the DVD player, so I can watch them on TV, but that hasn't worked yet. We'll figure it out sooner or later. (Hopefully we'll figure out why we can't get sound from our videos through the computer too?)
• The new computer has a program called Windows Movie Maker that I was able to play around with a little last night. I don't actually have a movie that I want to make right now, but it would be fun to figure it out if I ever do want to. It was very exciting last night! LOL!
• This new computer is fast! We've had a fairly high speed internet, but with the old computer we always had a bit of a wait. With this computer, I can jump from page to page almost instantly! Well, it seems like it's instantly compared to the old computer :-)
• Rich introduced me to Microsoft Outlook's calendar on this computer. I'm hoping to use it as a planner and get myself more organized, but I'm not sure that I'll be able to get away from paper for that. I'm sure it will just take some getting used to. :-)

I'm sure there is some stuff I forgot to mention and there is definitely a lot more to discover! It's been frustrating at times trying to figure everything out, but in the end it has been very fun and exciting! I can't wait to see what else this computer can do and what else I can do using it! :-)

Computer Anticipation

I received an e-mail on Wednesday from Dell saying that our computer we ordered had been shipped and is due to arrive today! I can't believe that we are actually going to have a new computer! I haven't had a new computer since I started college in August of 2000 and Rich has never had his own computer, so this is really exciting! (Yes, this little laptop I use is 9 years old! I am amazed each morning, when I start it up, that it is still running! LOL!)

We ordered the computer a few weeks ago when Dell was having a 2 day sale. I was mostly interested in getting another small computer. Not a laptop, but a desktop that didn't take up a lot of space. I thought Rich had the same ideas as I did on the computer, because he had never said otherwise, but it turns out that I was wrong! I really don't know the dimensions of it, but the monitor is 22 inches, which is nearly double the size of my laptop screen! (I really hope it fits on my already crowded little desk! LOL!)

So, not only is this computer going to be big, but it's going to have memory space! Memory space is something that I'm not used to with this little laptop. I haven't been able to get new programs, run the programs that are already on here or even upload pictures at times, because this computer is so full! This new computer is going to allow for me to actually store pictures, plus burn my pictures to CD's, use picture editing programs...the possibilities seem endless! Plus, since it is a small business computer, Rich will be able to use it if he decides to start his own surveying business. (That's if I ever let him on it-LOL!)

If you can't tell, I'm really looking forward to this computer. The UPS guy doesn't usually come until 4:00 pm, so I have a little while to wait. Then I'm going to have to wait until we can get it all set up and ready to roll, but it's almost here! The excitement and anticipation are definitely mounting! I'll have to do another post next week with some before and after pictures of my desk and let everyone know how the new computer is working for us. Now for something to keep me busy until this afternoon...LOL! :-)