HP Teams Up with ExpressVPN for the Best Computer Hardware of the Year

Cybercrime continues to go up, with new threats coming up every year. It is a good idea to find ways to protect yourself so that you don’t fall victim to any cybercriminal activity. One of the ways in which you can protect yourself is through the use of a VPN. A VPN will conceal all traffic leaving your PC/phone until it reaches its destination. In case you get hacked, the cybercriminals will not seize anything but encrypted data. It is advisable to always use a VPN when on public Wi-Fi networks such as those in restaurants, hotels, and airports.

1. ExpressVPN and HP Partnership

The giant VPN provider, ExpressVPN recently recorded a major victory thanks to its partnership with the PC mogul HP. In this partnership, selected HP machines will come pre-installed with ExpressVPN’s best computer hardware this year 2019 to help protect consumer privacy and security while on public Wi-Fi networks. Users will be given an exclusive 30 days free trial period before opting for a full plan to see if the VPN is a good fit for them HP’s new Spectre x360 13 model will be the first device to have the VPN installed, though this is bound to change as other models get introduced in the near future.  

The ExpressVPN and HP partnership is not your typical “load-and-forget” OEM software settlement that is often understood as being bloatware. This is deep product assimilation that took months of hard work from both teams to finalize, including a thorough security review process. Indeed, this shows great progress in the tech industry, which has been tormented by cybersecurity problems for a long time now.  

To show their enormous faith and trust in the VPN, especially their Windows app, HP will have the hardware pinned to the taskbar of the new Spectre x360 13. 

2. About the New HP Spectre x360 13

In a press release dated September 30, 2019, HP announced the release of a new model of the HP Spectre x360 13. Unlike its predecessors, this laptop is a real sight to behold, with a whopping 90% body-to-screen ratio. It has a long battery life of up to 22 hours enough to take you through the day, CPU/GPU upgrades, and different privacy features. Among the privacy features is a dedicated mute key, fingerprint and face recognition scanners, HP webcam kill switch, extra HP sure view display, and of course, ExpressVPN’s hardware. With all these security features, users will not have to worry about their privacy being compromised.

The new Spectre x360 13 offers twice the performance of the previous generation, while still weighing a mere 2.8 lbs for easy portability. With its head-turning sophisticated design, security, and mobility, you will have peace of mind going with this device anywhere, anytime. 

3. About ExpressVPN 

ExpressVPN is a VPN service provider that protects your security and privacy online. You will be able to go online securely and anonymously in a few, simple steps. The best part is that you are given a 7-day free trial period, where you can download it for free and try it on all your devices.  

This company offers an extensive network of over 3,000 servers outspread in 94 countries and 160 cities, with the US and Europe having the best coverage. It provides apps for Android, iOS, Windows, Mac, Linux, and routers among other devices. It also offers detailed manual setup guides for Playstation, Fire TV, Apple TV, Kindle Fire, and Chromebooks.  

If you are looking for a VPN that will protect your privacy and allow you to access any content, anywhere on earth, anonymously and securely, then look no further than ExpressVPN. 

4. ExpressVPN’s TrustedServer Technology  

ExpressVPN’s TrustedServer Technology has been topping the list of the best computer hardware this year 2019 and for a good reason. This is the industry’s most ingenious VPN server technology. Here are some of the reasons why:

Servers are typically run on hard drives, which means all data is retained until it is deleted and written over. This increases the risk of sensitive information in case the server gets hacked or seized. Worse still, hackers who overcome the security of the server might end up installing a backdoor that will remain indefinitely.  

ExpressVPN’s TrustedServer Technology has its server running only on RAM, which means that both the apps and operating system cannot write to the hard drive. Since RAM needs the power to store information, all the data on the server is erased every time it is rebooted—preventing both data and possible hackers from staying on the machine.  

One more reason why ExpressVPN’s TrustedServer Technology is one of the best computer hardware this coming 2020 is that unlike other server administrators who install the software and operating system during the server’s initial set up, then perform updates over time (which means every change brings in differences among servers, reducing the probability of each one of them using a similar code), the TrustedServer ensures it loads the most up-to-date read-only picture, carrying the whole software stack, every time a server restarts. This way, the administrators know exactly what’s happening on each of their 3,000+ VPN servers. This minimizes the possibility of exposure or misconfiguration and noticeably increases VPN security. 

5. About HP Inc

Founded by two Stanford University electrical-engineering graduates, William Hewlett and David Packard, HP Inc. specialized in manufacturing computing, data storage, and networking hardware, and designing software for different enterprises. Its product range includes personal computers, workstations, scanners, copiers and faxes, laser and inkjet printers, and other printing and computing devices and services.

Not only is HP’s new Spectre x360 13 is a reviewers’ choice, but the addition of ExpressVPN’s hardware to this model makes it even more appealing to the modern tech-lover who appreciates security and privacy. As the partnership between HP and ExpressVPN continues to make rounds on social media, we hope that more companies will see the advantages that such a relationship could bring and try and look for one of their own. That is the only way we will start feeling truly secure on the internet. 

Major Parts and Functions of Computer Hard Disk Drives

Computer hard disk drives or HDD is the primary drive and the oldest main storage drive of the computer. This type of drive came in two types of sizes. They are 3.5" in size as commonly of the desktop or servers of a computer. And the smallest that have a size of 2.5" inches is the common use of the laptop or a portable computer. This time they are two types of connection interfaces, the oldest one is the IDE or Intelligent Device Electronics. And the new type is the SATA or Serial Advanced Technology Attachment. This two-drive is made of a platter which can be seen only once you open the HDD inside the cleanroom. This platter is used to store an instruction or data using a bit or bytes every read and write on a computer.

Learn as you're reading below the different parts and functions.

Take notes on this dismantled HDD the remaining parts are pointed using the callout with the name inside.

1. Metal Casing- This serves as the housing of all parts of this HDD.
2. Spindle Motor- This is a high-speed motor that use to rotate the hard disk drive platter to store logically an instruction or data of a computer, example the old model uses the 7200 RPM of rotation.
3. Read/ Write Head- It's a tiny magnetic part attached to the actuator arm that reads and writes the data stored inside the platter.
4. Read/ Write Parking- This is a plastic part that use to park the read/write when upon turning off the computer. Or in the external USB drive HDD after ejecting using the Windows operating system or in any other OS.
5.Actuator Axis- This is a metal pole where the actuator arm is hookup, it's a pole that holds the actuator arm when moving to the platter and back to the parking parts.
6. Logical Interface Connector- It's a part that used to connect the interface signal of the HDD mainboard to the actuator assembly. Whenever the computer is turned on or a user opens the drive, a computer mainboard (MOBO) will address an instruction through the logical mainboard of HDD that connects to the actuator read/ write head.
7. Stopper- It's a plastic part that used to limit the movement of the actuator assembly to the platter and back to the parking part.
8. Actuator Arm- It's the whole assembly of the actuator, from the coil magnets to the read/write head.

9. HDD PLATTER

This part is the type made of aluminum and a substrate with the magnetic medium that low data to store in a magnetic pattern with its per platter capable of storing logical data in a million or billion of bytes or BITS on the surface of the platter.

10. PLATTER DUST FILTER

This is a dust filter of HDD platter, during the high-speed rotation it will collect the dust particle on the surface of the platter.

11. HDD Mainboard

It's a printed circuit board (PCB) that composed of a variety of chips like the ROM and the memory module. There are two types of data interface connectors, the IDE and the latest is the SATA. This mainboard is tasked to manage the storage of logical data according to the specified total size of the drive.

3.5" MAXTOR HDD IDE type 

2.5" HITACHI HDD SATA Type

SAMSUNG SSD mSATA Type

CONCLUSION

Drive of computer or main storage of a computer, composed of a variety of types like the IDE and SATA. As of now with the new technology of SATA here comes the SSD type or the solid-state drive that many users told that it's the fastest drive compare to the old SATA type or the platter type. This SSD uses a NAND microchip to store data. And capable also to store data in a million bytes. Data stored here is a precious thing it needs to maintain and take care of your drive. If else your drive will go to expensive service of the data recovery center.

9 Ways the New HP Spectre x360 13 Will Impress You

HP will always try to outdo itself with every product launch. While we can all agree that they have stalled a bit in the place of innovations for a whole now, the company seems to be back to pace-setting ways with some recent additions to their line-up.

The launch of a Spectre x360 13 brought that to the fore, and we believe there are a lot of reasons to love this unit for what it is, and what it offers.

How about we let the points do all the talking?

1.  Size

There was a time when size was everything for those looking to get a laptop. At this time and age where less is more, HP got it right with the size on the Spectre x360 13.

For those who know the predecessor of this unit, HP achieved a decent 13% shaving in size with a gem-cut edge design and other ergonomic improvements in other places. To buttress that, the laptop comes in at just 2.8lbs with its 13-inch frame.

Speaking of the 13 inches, HP made sure they would not be sacrificing on functionality for aesthetics by going for an almost edgeless screen. Thus, you get all the screen real estate you want.

2.  Screen

Besides the almost edgeless screen technology, HP worked wonders with the Iris Graphics display capability which makes this screen as clear as can be. With brightness levels ranging from 400 nits to 1000 nits, this is as bright as a screen can get – and you wouldn’t even see the least hint of image pixilation on it.

Before we wrap up here, we should probably mention that the screen can be picked up in as high as a 4K OLED panel.

3. Privacy Screen

When using your laptop in public spaces, you have no control over who peeps into what you are doing. In fact, someone could be looking over your shoulder and reading all your sensitive files without your permission.

HP recognizes this to be an issue, so they bring a privacy screen feature with the Spectre x360 13.

You can turn on this feature with the click of a button, instantly whitening out the screen. That way, the contents of the screen are only accessible to the person directly in front (which is you) and obscured to everyone else.

4.  Password management

Good passwords habits are going down thedrain on a daily basis. From using the same password for multiple accounts to setting weak passwords in the first place, hackers are almost never having to work for data breaching tasks anymore.

HP will have none of that, so they bring LastPass on board for their users.

With this software, you get to create strong passwords with the in-built password generating software. These are passwords that will literally take several years to crack, so you know you are secure.

Since you can’t always remember such complex passwords, you also get to store them all in this highly secure app. In fact, you get to log in faster to your accounts with an integration feature you can take advantage of from within the app.

Finally, the app lets you securely enter your payment details onto eCommerce websites whenever you are purchasing anything online.

5.  Online privacy

The fact that HP worked extensively with ExpressVPN to bring the latter company’s software onto the Spectre x360 13 tells a lot about the importance of VPNs in consumer privacy space. HP admits that this will help boost protection against online dangers such as the ones faced by using public Wi-Fi networks. What they didn’t mention is how this is important in kicking against all of the data sniffing and internet traffic monitoring too.

All that, and we still have the obvious advantages of owning a VPN: bypassing geoblocks and circumventing censorships of any kind, among others,

6.  Microphone Privacy

In addition to the privacy screen, HP also introduces an LED button aimed at muting the microphone port of the laptop whenever activated. This tackles consumer concern about their devices being used to remotely listen in on them.

These allegations are not baseless either. The very fact that HP is doing something to fix it shows that there is an element of truth behind microphones being hacked to gain access to private conversations.

Speaking of snooping hacks…

7.  Webcam Kill Switch

It has long been known that webcams can be remotely taken access of. It doesn’t even matter if the webcam app is on at the moment before the hacker takes control. Again, HP dedicates a physical button to toggle the webcam functionality totally off.

Rather than just exiting the webcam app, the kill switch detaches the webcam from the system itself. That way, even the consumer cannot access the webcam unless they toggle it off, talkless of a hacker gaining remote access.

8.  Battery

Lest we forget, the battery on this device is as beastly as the specs that it carries. Power is not an issue in many parts of the world anymore, but what happens when you find yourself stranded without your charger? Or, maybe, you are on the go and have no outlets to connect to? You don’t have to worry about the HP Spectre x360 13, seeing as it offers up to 22 hours of battery life. That is just a couple hours shy of a day, literally!

9.  Specs

I have tried so hard to make this a non-technical piece, and I will continue here.Looking at the spec sheet, though, a unit offering anywhere between 8GB and 16GB of RAM on as much as 512GB SSD or a 1TB HDD is as impressive as they come. Add the battery, 10^th gen Intel CPU under the board, screen, body dimensions, the convertibility and more, and we have a winner in this laptop.

Conclusion

As promised, the HP Spectre x360 13 fascinates with its consumer-centric approach to design and features. When the device starts selling, will you also consider adding it to your shopping list?