Chapter 2. Additional Toys Your PC Will Enjoy
In This Chapter
Comparing printers
Adding a scanner to your system
Upgrading your input devices
Adding a game controller
Introducing digital cameras and digital video (DV) camcorders
Adding new storage to your system
Protecting your PC with a surge protector or an uninterruptible power supply (UPS)
You bought a PC — congratulations! — or you decided to finally turn on that totem pole of a desktop computer that you've been looking at for the past six months. Here's a friendly warning for you in the form of a Mark's Maxim:
Note
Serious computing requires serious peripherals.™
In other words, PC owners who are hoping to get the maximum return and explore the maximum power of their computers need additional stuff (peripherals, as you can read in Chapter 1 of this minibook) that connects to your PC to take care of specific jobs. Printers are a good example; a PC certainly doesn't produce hard copy without one.
In Chapter 1 of this minibook, I discuss hardware and software. This chapter is designed as both a showcase and an introduction to PC peripherals that will familiarize you with the most popular additional toys for your computer. Some of these devices are covered in great detail later on (for example, scanners have Book VI, Chapter 1 to themselves), and others are covered primarily right here.
Warning
This chapter can be hazardous to your wallet or purse.
Printers
The first stop in the world of peripherals is the most common (and most folks would say ...
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