Sunday, November 30, 2008

Universal Remotes Some Things To Consider

Writen by Bear Cahill

We probably all have about 8 "universal" remotes these days. Every new component you buy comes w/ one, but none of them are really "universal" because there's always some feature on one device that the other remotes don't have a button for. But wdn't it be nice to really be able to use one remote for all your devices? I do!

There are so many different universals on the market these days that it's impossible to go over them all here. So I'll hit the high points and let you decide. I'll pick a few popular types/models and go over a few points that helped me decided for or against them.

One thing you need to understand is what a 'learning' remote is. That means that you can set the remote to learn other remotes' signals: you set it to be ready, aim another remote at it, press a button on that remote and the learning remote stores that signal.

Now whatever button you set up on the learning remote sends that same signal. This way even if your univeral remote doesn't have a 'Eject' button, it can send that signal.

All of the remotes listed here are learning b/c that's the only way to be truly universal.

Most universal remotes these days also allow you to run macros. That way when you want to watch a movie, w/ just a couple button clicks, you can have it turn the TV on, the stereo to DVD player, etc.

Also, the usually have timers so you can turn the TV on and off while you're out of town for example.

Big LCD: Sony RM-AV3000

This remote was the 'big boy' on the block for a long time. It does it all and looks cool doing it. The two main draw backs to this model are size and buttons.

Because it's so big, it's hard to use w/ one hand - you can't reach across the remote to press some buttons or parts of the LCD. Next time you're watching TV, see how often you just use one hand on the remote and think about giving that up.

This model used to be pretty expensive, but it's getting better.

Internet: Harmony SST-659

I haven't actually tried this one, but I get the idea and I like it. You can program this remote to work w/ your devices and upload the configuration. That way others can use it. More directly, you can use other peoples' configurations!

The point of this one is ease of use so I'm assuming it wd be relatively straight forward to hook it up and program it. Maybe a little intimidating, but I bet most people cd do it and it wd be worth it.

I'd say the main drawback here is price. Once it's setup, you probably wdn't need to go online w/ it again for months (until you bought a new component to control) so the hassle is limited.

Finally, setting up any universal remote is going to involve some learning and this one is probably worth it as much or more than the others if you're willing to spend the money.

Basic: Sony RM-VL1000

This is the remote I have and I love it. It's learning so it's really universal. It's the right size, weight and shape for either hand. It's got all the normal buttons w/o being too crowded, but also 4 buttons beside the LCD. You can program these buttons to be whatever you want and lable them what you want too. You can scroll thru 3 "screens" for these buttons so each component can actually have 12 buttons programmed in the LCD buttons.

It's preprogrammed w/ most common components and those settings use the LCD buttons when necessary, but you can change any buttons programming as you wish.

It can control up to 12 components which is plenty for most people, but you can have the volume set to always control the same device. I have my volume buttons always control the stereo even if the rest of the buttons are working the TiVo. Similarly, I have my power button set for my TV even when I'm working the TiVo.

It has a built in 'power off' macro that turns all Sony components off. You can define the rest of the macros yourself and even run them on a timer (I have it set my TiVo to standby every night).

It's a bit of a pain to setup, but once it's done you're set and it's so worth it.

And it's so cheap!

Summary

Take all things into consideration when shopping for a universal remote: is it learning, macros, timer, size, shape, weight, cost, buttons, setup, etc. What's important to you?

Recommendation

If you're willing to spend the money, I wd get the Harmony. Otherwise, I wd get the Sony VL1000 - it's (probably) harder to setup, but so much cheaper and a great remote.

Bear Cahill is a software engineer in the Dallas, TX area and is the creator of Booples (www.theBooples.com) and the Video Exchange Community (VEC) (www.videoexchange.org)

Publish freely if this resource box is included and links maintained as links.

Saturday, November 29, 2008

Robots And Artificial Intelligence With A Sense Of Humor

Writen by Lance Winslow

Is it possible to make an artificial intelligent robotic android assistant with a sense of humor? How about one which could come up with an original joke on its own? Wow, that is certainly pushing the realm and current paradigm in artificial intelligence isn't it? One gentleman, Keith, recently stated in an online think tank that;

"Humor is a sophisticated human trait. I'm sure it could be mimicked to some small degree, but anyone could see through that."

Well, absolutely he is correct in every regard but I did not say it was going to be easy. And to that I certainly hope he is not bailing out on this ultimate challenge? Don't quit on me now my friend. You will need to program humor, perhaps thru a system which seeks out anomalies in data, ironic situations and points them out to the human is a start.

This should be possible considering the search and retrieval capabilities needed for operation of an artificial intelligent android. The artificial intelligent android robot must be convincible and treated as equal, respected and trusted, and therefore camaraderie is needed and advisable.

Perhaps it might be possible to program the artificial intelligent robotic android to continually search its memory during each task, like a human does, while thinking while doing something else. Perhaps when it finds an ironic situation it can apply this logic to some other set of events that made a human laugh previously and put together a couple of one liners? HA, can you just imagine the joke telling robots of the future. Now that is what I call artificial intelligence. Consider this in 2006.

Lance Winslow - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs/

Friday, November 28, 2008

Search Industry Makes Billions Off Risky Sites

Writen by Dennis Faas

Recent Studies have shown that the sponsored links of major search engines are more likely to have harmful downloads.

For example: web sites that "pay to have their links pop up on search engine result pages are nearly three times more likely to harbor Spyware or adware, or hassle users with spam than URLs generated by the engine's algorithms", research claims. It is estimated that the search industry made $1.1 billion from risky sponsored links last year. (Source: crn.com)

The study evaluated major search engines using 1,300 different keyword searches. It found that about 5 percent of links appearing in the first five pages can infect computers or plague users with spam.

The research concluded that MSN had the lowest percentage of risky sites compared to all five engines that were tested (at 3.9 percent). Ask.com's percentage, meanwhile, was almost double that at 6.1 percent. Google, Yahoo, and AOL fell in the middle, with 5.3, 4.3, and 5.3 percent, respectively. (Source: darkreading.com)

One of the most shocking conclusions learned from the study was that non-paid results are safer than the sponsored links paid for by advertisers. Only 3.1 percent of non-paid links were judged risky, compared to 8.5 percent of paid links. (Source: darkreading.com)

Keith Greenhalf is a columnist for infopackets.com. To read more quality articles like this one, be sure to surf over to infopackets.com, today! RSS Feeds are also available! Established in 2001 and enjoyed by over 250,000 readers worldwide, infopackets.com is a multi-authored web site that features daily tech tips related to MS Windows, Computing, The Internet, and Frequently Asked Questions. Best of all: subscription is free! So what are you waiting for? Visit infopackets.com, today!

Thursday, November 27, 2008

Microsoft Windows Ntfsf Or File System Integrity Security And File Sharing Features

Writen by Torre DeVito

NTFS is a Microsoft Windows file system that provides volume consistency by using transaction logging and recovery techniques. NTFS can use its log file and checkpoint information to restore the consistency of the file system.

In Windows 2000 and Windows XP, NTFS also provides advanced features such as file and folder permissions, encryption, disk quotas, and compression.

Unfortunately volumes are not always set up with NTFS as the file system. For instance the FAT file system, a file system that utilizes a data structure called a File Allocation Table (FAT) to organize and manage files, is often used as the default file system to ensure compatibility with older operating systems such as DOS; IBM OS2; and Microsoft Windows 3.1, 95, 98 and ME that may be on the network.

Another file system that might be installed on Windows 2000 or Windows XP is the FAT32 file system. The FAT32 file system is a derivative of the FAT file system. FAT32 supports smaller cluster sizes and larger volumes than FAT, which results in more efficient space allocation on FAT32 volumes.

Because of the consistency and security features of NTFS you may wish to convert from the FAT or FAT32 file system to NTFS. Microsoft provides a command line utility to do this, appropriately named "Convert". Be aware that "convert" is one-way only. You will not be able to restore your volume back to FAT or FAT32 without using a third-party utility or by reformatting the drive.

To convert FAT or FAT32 volumes to NTFS, type "convert DRIVE:/fs:ntfs /X" on the command line where "DRIVE" is the drive letter (e.g. convert C: /fs:ntfs /x).

"convert C:" tells the command to convert the volume present on the specified drive, in this case the C drive. "/fs:ntfs" tells the command to convert to the NTFS file system. The "/X" parameter" will force the volume to unmount first.

If you are trying to convert your primary volume within Windows, convert will not be able to obtain exclusive access to your hard drive. In other words, while XP is running some files on your primary volume are always "in use", so the conversion must be done the next time Windows starts to load.

On the next reboot the process will check the drive for errors before proceeding to convert the file system to NTFS.

If the above conversion is successful, or if you try the above instructions and get the message "Drive is already NTFS" but you still do not see the "advanced share" and the "security" tab in "folder properties", try the following:

Open Windows Explorer.
Select the Tools menu.
Select Folder Options.
Select the View tab.
Scroll the Advanced settings list to the very bottom.
At this point, you will see the "Use simple file sharing (Recommended)" option.
If enabled, remove the check from the checkbox.

You should now have an "advanced share" tab and a "security" tab in the " folder properties" window.

Please visit www.pagecandy.com for more information

Torre DeVito is a web designer and content provider.

Intelligences

Writen by Mary Anne Winslow

Nowadays we live in a world of modern technologies that are being developed and implemented into practice and everyday life each day, sometimes one cannot even track the newly invented technology because of the great speed they are being produced. This particular issue will be discussed in the following article.

"Intelligence" was traditionally defined as "the global capacity to act purposefully, to think rationally, and to deal effectively with his environment". However, Gardner defined it as "the capacity to solve problems or to fashion products that are valued in one or more cultural setting". More precisely, he used the method of factor analysis to term intelligence. There were multiple intelligences: verbal linguistic, mathematical/logical, visual/spatial, bodily/kinaesthetic, musical intelligence, interpersonal intelligence, and intrapersonal intelligence. This approach was widely accepted, though, is it a realistic and useful approach to the understanding of intelligence? Firstly, the role of some of these intelligences was obscured such as musical intelligence. Gardner termed musical intelligence as the ability to produce and appreciate rhythm, pitch and timbre; and appreciate the forms of musical expressiveness. It could be interpreted as a passive experience that requires no knowledge about music, or development of identifiable musical skills. The real meaning of musical intelligence was hard to be identified, so there would be difficulties in measuring and evaluating behaviour. It was also suspected that to what extent the musical intelligence could reflect the general intelligence. Although there were studies suggested that the importance of music in primary education as well as in musical education, the statistic that supported it was rare. Therefore, the validity of musical intelligence was unsure.

In addition, Gardner's approach of intelligence might not be completed. He ignored some factor such as memory ability which was important for academic achievement especially. In contrast, Thurstone included memory as one factor in his "primary mental abilities". Next, Colin Cooper raise a question in his book "intelligence and abilities": why sexual performance was not a factor of intelligence. Cooper found that sexual performance was highly regarded within some cultures. According to Gardner's principle, intelligence as a "capacity are valued in one or more culture setting", sexual performance could be a factor of measuring intelligence. Moreover, aptitude and optimism that suggested by Seligman were interested. The optimistic people were found to cope the pressure of working easier than less optimistic staff. The issue of intelligence might cover even more abilities except memory ability, sexual ability, and optimistic level.

Thirdly, the independence of each factor was obscured. It was proposed that there was a causal link between music and spatial intelligence. So the performance of musical intelligence and spatial intelligence were related. The statistic analyses of the self-report measure of the seven intelligences from the second year psychology student in JMU also supported this statement. The correlation coefficient between musical and spatial intelligences was 0.23, P<0.01, it was significant. Furthermore, the data analysing indicated there was not significant correlation between maths and three other factors (musical, interpersonal, and intrapersonal intelligence).

Intrapersonal intelligence did not correlate with kinaesthetic and interpersonal intelligence significantly either. The rest of correlations between two factors were significant. As the result, correlation coefficients between16 pairs of factors were significant and 5 sets were non-significant or non-correlation. Therefore, most of these factors were significantly correlation coefficient with each other. If each factor was not independent completely, there might be a general intelligence instead of seven intelligences. Spearman raised an idea of general intelligence. Spearman found that a child who performed well on one of tests tended to be good on other ability tests, and whose score was on an average level was unlikely to shine on any others. Consequently, Spearman concluded that there was a general factor influenced the intelligence.

Mary Anne Winslow is a member of Essay Writing Service counselling department team and a dissertation writing consultant. Contact her to get free counselling on custom essay writing.

Wednesday, November 26, 2008

When Amp What To Upgrade Existing Pc

Writen by Allen Brown

Many times people feel to smash a punch on their computer. Well, they have feel that their computer PC as a peace of junk. This happens when computer stop giving ultimate output to your hard-work on it.

The technology is currently at a rocket speed, you would probably find something more special - the more advanced technology on the second day of computer purchased. You may feel the computer you are using right now is little outdated, sorry if you are using new PC but then too. It is not possible for most of us to keep changing old PCs with new one.

You can upgrade your PC by adding new components. But, prior to making mind on whether to upgrade the system or to buy new one, it is recommended that you find out what exactly missing in your current system and what you are looking for in your system. Some of your wise decisions on upgrades could turn your PC into your desired feature machine. This might let you to avoid purchasing a new system for months or even for years.

You might come to conclusion that existing PC does not stand at your requirements. As a result you make mind to acquire new PC, even speedier that holds latest features and ocean of storage space. But before spending your hard earned money on this machine remember that most of us don't require too much advanced PCs.

When can you upgrade the system?

To upgrade the system, it is usually two years old to consider your PC old. If it is even older than two years, then avoid idea to upgrade it. PCs that are older than 2-3- years doesn't have even facilities to add the latest components. And if, in case you are successful in adding new component, than too it will be worthless because the new component wouldn't make you happy as they give poor outputs. However, there are no regulations whether to upgrade old PC or not.

Upgrading the old/existing PC:

Upgrading a computer is not a big deal. It needs some cautious steps and a systematic job done. However, it is suggested to get help of a computer savvy companion.

Adding CD-RW Drive:

CD-Drive facilitates you to add new software to your PC. If your PC doesn't have CD-RW drive, adding one is fair up-gradation that raises convenience to your computer. You can make backups of your significant data or share photos, images music and many more things with friends and family. And that's just the beginning.

Adding Graphics Card:

A graphics card could ease the task to appear images pop up on your screen quicker; it also makes images sharper and higher-resolution. Make sure that your system is appropriate to install a graphic card, as some cards require advanced systems with speedy processors. If you are games savvy then this installation would be a wise make out.

Adding Sound System:

A sound card facilitates you to hear much better music. If you are interested in PC music then a new sound card and latest-technology speakers make a lot of difference.

Upgrading Monitor:

As most of the time we have to keep eyes on the screen, buying a latest, big monitor could be a better option then investing in a new PC. Most of the latest monitors are developed to ease stress to your eyes.

Upgrading Memory:

This is the most important thing in your system up-gradation. Upgrading your PC's memory is the best way to make its performance climb. If your PC is two years old or more than probably it would only 64MB or 128MB of RAM. Upgrading your PC with 256MB of RAM would make increase in speed.

Upgrading Hard Drive:

Your existing old PC most likely came containing just 10GB / 20GB hard drive. Upgrading hard drive would definitely drive more convenience to your PC.

There are lot many things to upgrade your existing PC to raise its output, but before you upgrade make one list what to upgrade. Find out what it would benefit you and don't forget to estimate up-gradation price.

Buy new PC if up-gradation cost reaches similar to new one:

In case when you select to upgrade most of the components of the existing PC you should evaluate its cost, if the estimated cost reaches near to the new PC, and then should opt for a new computer, in which everything is integrated utilizing the most up-to-date technology.

About The Author
Allen Brown is a freelance writer for www.1888SoftwareDownloads.com, the premier website to find Free Software Downloads including free anti-virus software, free spyware detection software, free toolbars, free chat software and more. He also freelances for www.1888FreeOnlineGames.com.

Cisco Ccnp Bsci Certification Troubleshooting Route Redistribution Part I

Writen by Chris Bryant

If there's one CCNP / BSCI topic that looks so easy but can lead to a real headache, it's route redistribution. I'm not even talking about the routing loops and suboptimal routing that can result when route redistribution is done without proper planning - I'm talking about the basic commands themselves. Leaving out one single command option, or forgetting what else needs to be redistributed when redistributing dynamically discovered routes, can leave you with a routing table that looks complete but does not result in full IP connectivity.

In this free CCNP / BSCI tutorial series, we'll take a look at three common errors in route redistribution configurations, and how to fix them. We'll use three routers, R1, R3, and R5. R1 and R5 are in a RIPv2 domain and R1 and R3 are in an OSPF domain. R1 will be performing two-way route redistribution.

R5 is advertising its loopback, 5.5.5.5/24, into the RIPv2 domain. R1 sees this route in its RIP routing table:

R1#show ip route rip

5.0.0.0/24 is subnetted, 1 subnets

R 5.5.5.0 [120/1] via 100.1.1.5, 00:00:01, Ethernet0

For R3 to see this route, route redistribution must be configured on R1. We'll use the redistribute rip command to do so.

R1(config)#router ospf 1

R1(config-router)#redistribute rip

% Only classful networks will be redistributed

The router immediately gives us a message that "only classful networks will be redistributed". What does this mean? Let's go to R3 and see if that router is receiving this route.

R3#show ip route ospf

< no output >

When we get no result from a show command, that means there's nothing to show. The only routes that will be successfully redistributed with the current configuration on R1 are classful networks, and 5.5.5.0/24 is a subnet.

To further illustrate the point, a classful network has been added to R5. This network is 16.0.0.0 /8, and is now being advertised by RIP. R1 sees this network as classful...

R1#show ip route rip

R 16.0.0.0/8 [120/1] via 100.1.1.5, 00:00:00, Ethernet0

5.0.0.0/24 is subnetted, 1 subnets

R 5.5.5.0 [120/1] via 100.1.1.5, 00:00:00, Ethernet0

... and R3 is receiving the route through redistribution.

R3#show ip route ospf

O E2 16.0.0.0/8 [110/20] via 172.12.123.1, 00:00:08, Serial0.31

To redistribute both classful and classless networks, the option "subnets" must be added to the redistribute command on R1.

R1(config)#router ospf 1

R1(config-router)#no redistribute rip

R1(config-router)#redistribute rip subnets

R3 will now see both the classful and classless networks being redistributed into OSPF. (100.1.1.0 is the network connecting R1 and R5.)

R3#show ip route ospf

O E2 16.0.0.0/8 [110/20] via 172.12.123.1, 00:00:20, Serial0.31

100.0.0.0/24 is subnetted, 1 subnets

O E2 100.1.1.0 [110/20] via 172.12.123.1, 00:00:20, Serial0.31

5.0.0.0/24 is subnetted, 1 subnets

O E2 5.5.5.0 [110/20] via 172.12.123.1, 00:00:20, Serial0.31

This is one of the most common errors made during route redistribution, but now you know what to look out for! In the next part of this free CCNP / BSCI tutorial, we'll take a look at another such error.

Chris Bryant, CCIE #12933, is the owner of The Bryant Advantage, home of free CCNP and CCNA tutorials, The Ultimate CCNA Study Package, and Ultimate CCNP Study Packages. For a FREE copy of his latest e-books, "How To Pass The CCNA" and "How To Pass The CCNP", just visit the website! You can also get FREE CCNA and CCNP exam questions every day! Pass the CCNP exam with The Bryant Advantage!

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Going Wireless With Your Headphones

Writen by John Francis

If you're looking for the latest in wireless headphones for your enjoyment and private listening, whether to TV, stereo, home entertainment such as theater, iTunes or Ipod, you might do well to look at the highly recommended Sennheiser RS 130 wireless headphones.

These state of the art wireless headphones provide an advanced communication via FM radio frequency. The result is clear sound with no background noise or static and nearly 500 feet of free movement. The headphones have terrific surround sound effects and weigh less than ten ounces. They are ergonomically designed to provide hours of comfort.

The features of the Sennheiser RS130 wireless headphones include a base station for the headphones that is attractive and stores the headphones whre they are not in use and also charges the batteries. Batteries are NiMH type, and their single charge keeps them going for 22 hours of your listening enjoyment. The wireless headphones base station has a 900 MHz high performance transmission, also wireless, that delivers a playback that is very impressive in its high fidelity capability. Its transmitters use Sennheiser's customized system of intelligent automated tuning. This seeks and then chooses the best of three channels from base to headset that are available for delivery of sound to the wireless headphones.

A music professional and online consumer music advocate reviewed the Sennheiser wireless headphones. He noted the worldwide acclaim of all Sennheiser audio products as well as its firm's state of the art designs and manufacture. He said that the Sennheiser RS 130 wireless headphones lived up to the Sennheiser quality reputation by delivering a high performance sound, as well as top notch value and ergonomically designed comfort.

He said that he tested the Sennheiser wireless headphones both inside and outside, in conjunction with his speaker system - a ZVOX 315 - and his iPod. The ZVOX 315, by the way, is a surround sound single box speaker system that uses a single cable to connect to an mp3, an iPos, portable music instrument or equipment, or a computer, TV, CD player, DVD, satellite or clock radio, game console or any other device that has a jack for headphones or an audio output of some sort.

He also used his iTunes from his laptop. What he found was that the Sennheiser RS 130 wireless headphones gave him unparalleled listening without any disruptive noise. His recommendation was that anyone who was looking for a set of wireless headphones for less than $200 to be used with their iPod, their iTunes, their TV, stereo, or home theater, didn't need to look anywhere else.

http://wirelessheadsetshq.com Wireless Head Phones to use.

Monday, November 24, 2008

Fuel Cell Robots Are Here

Writen by Lance Winslow

Imagine going to a Wal-Mart and instead of a car or pickup with a rotating orange light on top a little robot scurries across he parking lot with an orange hat. As it moves it leaks water on the ground, not very much, but just enough to look like it is leaking a little. What is that water trail? It is vapor or exhaust, the exhaust of a fuel cell running an electric motor. The Robot video tapes the parking lot, patrols the red zones and attempts to save your brand new SUV from runaway shopping cart therapy?

It rolls by and says; "Thank you for shopping at Wal-mart" as it patrols. It looks for all kinds of stuff such as babies in cars with the windows rolled up or cars doing burnouts in the parking lot as it maneuvers to get it all on tape and send the video feed in real time to the local police department. The more energy it uses the more vapor water is left behind. The fuel cells generate electricity to power up an electric motor and the surveillance video cameras and of course the robots brains. A chemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen is making all this happen using the fuel cell technologies. Occasionally as the robot moves over a speed bump you might see a little vapor or fog poof out the back, but all in all this is an alternative fueled robot, which is environmentally friendly.

In fact this is not science fiction, as researchers in Tokyo have created such a robot and it is ready for sale now. Imagine Wal-Marts cost savings by letting go if its security guard contracts and greeters at its 8,000 outlets. Surely from an economies of scale scenario this is better than RFID tags on its pallets. One company; Sohgo Security Services Co. is working on a robot which can go one week without recharge and they are looking at more than just security. Receptionists, car wash personal, warehouse labor and mos manufacturing jobs will soon be things of the past. Robot gardeners, landscapers, pool cleaning, house maids are nearly all coming to market now and the mass marketing potential of a strong US based middle class has many a consumer willing to put their money where they desires are. Sohgo has a robot they call C-4, Guard Robo and today it goes 2.5 hours on a lead battery, similar to those ride on wheel chairs. It can work as a receptionist while charging and then do a perimeter sweep and go back and charge again.

The Robot is completely wire-less sending back a complete video and alarms signals. Robots, which often use ultrasound waves sensors, lidar and infrared to work, do not need actual light and if made quiet enough can scare the ever living bejesus out of an intruder. With all the work at the major robotic research Universities, robots can have faces, body parts and communicate as they patrol with the humans they interact with.

The future is here, you are just not paying attention to all the latest developments.

Lance Winslow - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs/

Sunday, November 23, 2008

Cd Duplication

Writen by Ben Shar

There are many ways to get quality CD duplication. In fact, you will find there are many methods of CD duplication that will fit with your needs. Choosing the right method will ultimately be your choice. Here are some ideas of ways you can safely, effectively duplicate CDs.

First of all, there are different types of CD duplication. Some of them are illegal. You will need to make sure that the CDs you are duplicating are legally allowable. CD duplication is the process of taking what is on one CD and making another copy. Or, many copies! CDs store information in many forms such as pictures, music, movies, and more. So, you will need to determine which type of CD duplication you are interested in. Also, are you making one copy or many? This is important as well because of costs and equipment. Let us say that you are trying to make a duplicated CD of the home video you took. That's great and completely legal! If you are just making one or a couple duplications, you may want to look for in home methods of CD duplication. You can purchase equipment rather inexpensively to do this for you. Many computers nowadays come with CD duplication software and equipment. This type of CD duplication is easy to find and use.

Now, let's say you are planning to record and produce your own music CD. In this case, CD duplication services are often needed. Not only will CD duplication companies duplicate your homemade CDs, but they will help design the labels and in some cases, help you market it as well. There are many more reasons and options for CD duplication. The fact of the matter is that CD duplication is easy to do. It is also easy to find locations that will do your CD duplications for you, at a cost, of course. To explore your options for CD duplication, use the internet as a guide full of research possibilities. The options are many! One such location to find CD duplication information is The CD Duplication Resource Site.

The CD Duplication Resource Site is an all in one resource for finding everything about CD Duplication.

Dealing With Technical Support 10 Useful Tips

Writen by Dennis DEntremont

Most people who work in an office environment, buy computer products, or have a computer at home have had the "fun" experience of dealing with technical support. It's not always the easiest, or most pleasant, experience but hopefully this article will help you make the best of the situation the next time you call. Below you will find a list of things to keep in mind the next time your computer breaks down.

1.Stay calm – Don't yell at the support person on the other end of the phone. He is there only to help and the more angry you are the less help you are going to get.

2.Get to the point – Ask your question or explain your situation right away. Don't beat around the bush.

3.Don't be arrogant – You are calling technical support because you need help. Don't try and be a smart guy.

4.Call for yourself – Don't call for a friend, relative, or coworker. It's very difficult, for the person trying to help you, when you are repeating information that you got from someone else.

5.Stay at the computer – Make sure you are at the computer with the problem when you call. It's hard for someone to help you through a problem if don't have access to the computer.

6.Record the error – If you are calling about an error you saw, make sure you write it down. It's hard for someone to help you if all you can say is "There was a box on my screen that had writing in it".

7.Find out how many people are affected – The priority of your call can be greatly influenced by the amount of people it is affecting. If the problem is affecting a number of people it will probably be escalated to a higher level.

8.Be patient – By default, technical support usually has certain questions they are required to ask. These are not meant to make you angry, they help in the process of solving your problem.

9.Know what kind of support is offered – Ask around the office before calling to see what kind of support is offered. Not all technical support centers offer "How to" help. If your support group does not offer this type of support you may have to get a coworker to help.

10.*The Golden Rule*: Technical support is trying to help - The reason you called, in the first place, is because you needed help with something. Try not to make it difficult for the person on the other end to help you.

These tips aren't just some random bunch of words I have put together. I am one of the people you get on the phone when you call technical support. I have been working in a Help Desk environment for almost two years and have heard almost every excuse, lie, and problem you can imagine. For me, it makes things much easier if the caller follows these simple rules. Technical support is made up of people too. Try and treat them as you would want to be treated and I guarantee your next experience will be much better.

Dennis d'Entremont is the operator of SaveLoad Video Game Directory and Computers-Made-Easy.com.

Saturday, November 22, 2008

The Removal Of Sin Postinfection Cleaning

Writen by James Monahan

Computers have become a central part of our daily lives since the first personal computer rolled of the assembly line. It has been doing most of our encoding and word processing chores since then on.

Schools, libraries and classrooms have deployed computers to be an aid in teaching children the basics of learning. And it has become one of the most powerful and irreplaceable piece of equipment for home, education, industry, government, commercial, media and even military use and it still does not stop there.

Computers have long surpassed the age when it was just a calculator for big number operations and a typewriter for memos and other short documents. Along with the upgrading of the computers, people also thought of a way that they could make the computers to communicate and share information.

The network was born out of the need to have communication in big companies to lessen the time that was spent by walking over to the person. And the Internet was born out of the need to communicate with all of the people that we know that we have been separated from by mountains, oceans, and even deserts.

With the introduction of the Information Superhighway, people became more dependent on computers. Computers have turned into some sort of a central equipment that is necessary for the society we live in to function.

But what happens when you cruising along the Information highway and you were struck by a worm. No problem right I'm protected by my Anti-Virus program. But what if you're not?

Early this year Microsoft released a software they call the Removal tool. The removal tool is a post infection removal tool. What that means is, if virus has struck your computer and you have no knowledge of it this removal tool will take care of that.

The Microsoft Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool scans your computer for a prevalent malicious software that has been running around your computer. Because most computers operate normally even after an infection this removal tool will help you save your computer future complications if the malicious software persists.

The removal tool works around the programs in your computer and finds malicious prevalent softwares like Blaster, Sasser and Mydoom.

The removal tool is not an anti-virus program so it does not have the capability of blocking viruses and infecting your system. But it does work with your anti-virus software program. It is strictly a post infection removal tool.

And installation of the removal tool is no problem because it does not contain any executory file that would be installed in the program files in your computer. The removal tool is activated online. But there are some requirements for you to download and run the removal tool in your computer.

For you to download the removal tool you must have Microsoft Update, Windows Update, Automatic Updates, The Microsoft Download Center, The Malicious Software Removal Tool Web site on Microsoft.com and for you to run it your computer must be on.

The computer must be running Windows Server 2003, Windows XP, or Windows 2000, You must log on to the computer by using an account that is a member of the Administrators group.

So there you go, all the things you need to know for you and your computer to stay connected and virus free.

James Monahan is the owner and Senior Editor of RemovalSite.com and writes expert articles about removals.

It Service Agreements The Offer Is About Timing

Writen by Joshua Feinberg

The best time to offer IT service agreements to clients is immediately following emergency service calls. Since you've just rescued a client, you are in their best graces, and they are at their highest point of liking you, knowing you and trusting you, three critical elements that make up a good client-IT professional relationship.

Damage Control For The Future

Right after you handle an emergency, a client is most interested in talking about how to prevent future panic, since the feeling of helplessness and frustration is fresh in his mind. Give them a proposal for ongoing maintenance from your firm under the protection of IT service agreements.

Audits And It Service Agreements

Right after IT audits, many customers will be thinking about the next step, so this is also a good opportunity to offer IT service contracts. Particularly if clients have agreed to the audits in the first place, they will be looking for someone to be regularly available to them. They want to find a consultant who can pay attention to their needs and approach them as long-term projects.

In order to sign IT service agreements, the party needs to be your paying customer. An IT service agreement will create a long-term client relationship because they have stepped beyond being a transaction-oriented customer.

Long Range Option

Another way to get clients to sign IT service agreements with IT audits might take somewhere between a couple weeks and a couple months. It involves helping your customer realize he is not happy with his current technology provider.

There could be a range of things wrong with the provider: it doesn't deliver the promised product; it has a bad response time; it's too expensive; or personalities don't match. A lot of different things can happen, but it will send them shopping for a new consulting firm. The thing to do if this happens is to take a lot of notes on the client's business and suggest an IT audit. The IT audit will give you an excellent "in" for IT service agreements.

Copyright MMI-MMVII, Computer Consulting Blog. All Worldwide Rights Reserved. {Attention Publishers: Live hyperlink in author resource box required for copyright compliance}

Joshua Feinberg can help you get more steady, high-paying computer consulting clients. You can learn how too. Sign-up now for Joshua's free audio training program on the Computer Consulting Blog.

Friday, November 21, 2008

Wimax And How It May Become One Of The Greatest Technology Breakthrough Of The Decade

Writen by Dave Perry

If you have a chance to read my other article about the money movement strategy you will learn some reasons why I think this decade closely resembles the last decade with regards to the interest rates and stock market trends and why I believe that we are going to see a strong rally in the stock market over the next 2 years.

But now I found another reason. This is what I will call the technological reason. Well let's see:

In the later part of the 1990's and beginning in 1995, we saw the beginning of the Internet as we know today. In 1995 Netscape introduced a tool which we call a browser and it became one of the most important inventions of the 90's today. While the internet itself had been around for many years before. Until 1995 it was only used in text only modes. But then in 1995 Netscape and MS Internet Explorer began to give us the internet in a new way. This not only enabled ecommerce in the way we know it today, but so many other things that we take advantage of each day, including high speed internet. And just as the Personal Computer was the great invention of the late 80's the internet browser became the greatest invention of the 90's.

And if it were not for this great browser technology, then we would never have had such a big stock market rally in the late 90's. This was one of the main reasons for all of those Dotcom's and then we even had Y2k to top it off!

So now something that I read in an article about 3 years ago is beginning to make sense. They have already predicted that the next great invention for this decade will be Full WIFI access from everybody. And guess what it is beginning to happen. You will now see the term WiMAX. This is that new technology that will help fuel the stock market in the same way that PC did in the 80's and the Internet Browser did in the 90's So for 2000 it will be WiMax. WiMax is like taking WIFI which is an the home or small business level and now the range goes form under 300 feet to over 75 miles! If I am correct you will see this technology popup in the news like crazy over the next 5 years. So while we do have some other Geo Political problems. Technology always seems to be able to drive the market in a much stronger ways. They also predicted that certain companies that make this technology possible will be the winner in the NASDAQ So I am wondering what will happen to the technology stocks of the companies which are already working with this new technology. At least you can be sure that they will be part of the next rally.

Thursday, November 20, 2008

Speeding Up Your Pc For Free

Writen by Jon Arking

My mother-in-law is not very good with technology. She understands that computers run the government and that the Internet is great for purchasing figurines on eBay, but that's about it. Like all tech-proficient son-in-laws before me, I am often my in-law's foil for computer questions and repair. So, when she came to me demanding that I make her 1996 PC run faster, I knew she wanted me to use all my skills and computer super-powers to forcefully evolve her computer into the new millennium. By taking some very simple, and no-so-well-known cleanup steps both my mother-in-law and I were pleasantly surprised to see the notable improvement in performance. Looking to do the same with your PC? Of course you are!

The first Three steps taken were simple:

1. Run the Disk Cleanup Utility
(Start-->Programs-->Accessories-->SystemTools)

2. Run the Defragmenter Tool
(Start-->Programs-->Accessories-->SystemTools)

3. Scan the main disks for errors
(My ComputerRight-click on C drive-->Properties-->Tools Tab-->"Check Now" button under Error Checking)

The Disk Cleanup Utility should be obvious in nature. Use it to remove pesky files that live in your seldom-to-never accessed portions of your hard drive. These files cause system overhead when performing searches or loading program data. The Defragmenter tool is actually quite old, dating back to the days of DOS when most of the "geeky" stuff was done using that unforgiving command line most home users have come to dread. Defragmenter sort of rearranges the files on your drive to remove gaps that occur naturally over time. Applications may seem to live in one spot conceptually. However the reality of it is that the OS takes portions of unused disk space that actually break up the continuity of the program. Even thought the OS knows where to find both parts of the program's code to make run without errors, it takes more time to read the instructions from all of the different regions. Finally, use the Disc Scanner/Error checker to find possible flaws in the hard drive that slow down the physical movement.

The next step required software to detect for spyware. After a long, hard search I came to find that three anti-spyware programs seemed to work above all. The first is a program known as Spyware Killer, or by its retail product name, Stopzilla. The programs costs about $20 (with rebate) and was the most comprehensive of all programs I used. Stopzilla found programs running in the background that I would have never spotted myself. The second program is called Spy Doctor. The initial scans are free, however I found that I had to purchase the whole program to make it as effective as Stopzilla, and the price was about $30 instead of $20. The final program I used was the Windows Anti-spyware suite (beta edition). The Windows program ran well, but the beta edition expires and there is no immediate renewal in sight.

The last step I needed to take was to run a Registry Cleaner utility. The registry is a large database used by the Windows operating system to hold information about how your machine should look, behave, and operate. Since my mother-in-law's computer was almost 10 years old, countless program installations left the registry bloated, and resource-consuming. We found that "Registry Mechanic", made by the same people who created the Spy Doctor program mentioned above, was the most popular application for the job. The program was simple to follow and the free trial edition was more than enough to smooth out the registry wrinkles. In the end, we were able to almost triple the performance of her PC for little more than $20.

More Information

Jon Arking is a software architect in the greater Philadelphia region. He maintains a website offering free, one-on-one computer and technical support at http://www.JustHelpMe.net

Virus Prevention And Removal

Writen by Ashish Jain

A virus is a piece of code that gets loaded onto your computer without your knowledge and runs against your wishes. The first known occurrence of viruses goes back to 1987 when the ARPANET was infected by one.

One common misnomer among people is that you can infect your computer just by opening an email and reading its text. That is not possible; it is usually the files attached to the email that contain the virus. The most common file types are ".SCR" ".VBS" ", ".PIF"

Prevention is better than a cure: Here are some tips to make sure that your computer does not get infected.

* Get a good Anti-Virus software like Norton Anti-Virus, MacAfee, PC Cillin etc.
* Keep your anti virus software updated by downloading new virus definitions regularly. Most Anti-Virus software comes with the feature of updating virus definitions.
* Keep your windows operating system updated by regularly downloading new updates from the Internet. Windows O/S's have a lot of security loopholes and bugs that can be easily exploited by worms and viruses.
* Make sure the anti virus scans the file each time before its opened.
* Floppy disks and removable media are a good source of viruses; always scan them before accessing files on them.
* Never open email attachments from sources that are unknown or suspicious.
* Do not open emails that have questionable subject lines.
* When in doubt about a file, don't open it.
* Even with the best of precautions bad things can still happen. Backup all your data and important files.

Even after taking all these precautions if your computer does get infected, then here are a few things that you can do:

Online clearing tools - are a good source of trying to clean out the virus, there are many Anti-Virus websites that offer free online virus detection and removal services.

Removal tools - If you have an Anti-Virus software then you can go to the website of that software and download removal tools designed specifically for the virus. However, you must find out the name of the virus that infects your PC beforehand.

If you have a backup of all your important files, you can also consider formatting your hard disk.

Ashish Jain
http://www.m6.net
Ashish is an integral member of the M6.Net Web Helpers team

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

Computer Projector Rentals In Florida

Writen by Eric Morris

Computer projector rentals in Florida provide all kinds of computer projectors for short and long term rental in the state. Florida is one of the prominent hubs for all major activities, business centers and educational institutions. Today, there are many rental companies in the state, specializing in computer projector rentals.

Computer projector rental is the most apt and economical way to possess expensive computer projectors for limited time duration. Today, the computer projector has become an indispensable part of digital presentation in almost all schools, colleges and companies. The enhanced qualities of computer projectors have imparted tremendous changes in the method and quality of presentations. These qualities have led to the popularity of computer projectors among people in all sections of society.

RUSH Computer Rentals Inc., Fort Lauderdale Computer Rental Service, and Saint Lucie Co. Civic Center are some of the major companies in the field of computer projector rentals in Florida. Most of the rental companies in Florida handle both corporate and personal orders. There are also online computer projector rental companies that provide services to people in and around Florida.

Depending on the need, one can avail computer projectors for rental in Florida on daily, weekly, monthly and yearly rentals. All types of computer projectors, ranging from mobile computer projectors to meeting room computer projectors, can be availed for rent. Almost all top brands of computer projectors including Infocus, Proxima, Mitsubishi and Toshiba are available in the state for rental. The rental rates are determined by the model and the duration of the rent. It will fluctuate from company to company and from city to city.

However, getting computer projectors for rental is a complex task, as most projectors are designed for different operating systems and even processors. Thus, it is always advisable to determine the type of the computer projector you need before renting it.

Computer Rentals provides detailed information on computer rentals, laptop computer rentals, computer projector rentals, desktop computer rentals and more. Computer Rentals is affiliated with Laptop Computer Sales.

How Data Is Lost

Writen by Harald Anderson

Over 95% of the people and businesses that I speak with have experienced data loss. However the sad fact is that the majority of businesses are woefully unprepared and do not understand the serious risk of data loss. Do you have a disaster recovery plan?

The data that you store on your computer can be lost in many ways. Many people are not aware of the various ways that their data can be placed in jeopardy.

First, there are the obvious ways:

Physical damage to the computer, such as fire or water damage, is one surefire way to lose all the data on your computer. Although insurance may cover the physical damage to your machine(s), and you may be able to replace the actual hardware, no insurance policy can resurrect your data.

Another common way that individuals lose the data they have worked so hard to build up is THEFT. Much like damage done to your computer via various natural disasters, insurance may cover the physical hardware, but no policy will be able to save the information stored on your hard drive and other physical media.

Without some form of backup solution, your data is at risk every day.

There are many other things that can happen that can cause partial or full data loss. Other common occurrences are:

Data corruption (failed CRC or MD5 checks),

Hard drive failure (the older a hard disk gets the closer you are getting to the MTBF, or "mean time between failure" that every disk is rated for at the factory),

OS failure (it is not uncommon for a machine to fail to reboot after having critical system files replaced, such as during the application of a Windows Service Pack or driver update).

Human error – simply accidentally deleting a file or directory happens more often than you would think. Not to mention the "not so accidental" deletion by a disgruntled employee.

Viruses and worms – even though protection for these digital pests is readily available and in general use, loss of data associated with them is still widespread.

These are just a few of the pitfalls that can plague the computer that has not had backups done in a timely manner.

Right about now, you may be asking yourself: "What can I do?" Actually, there is one simple solution to all your data integrity needs: offsite data backup.

Unlike backups you may be used to doing with tape drives or other removable media, offsite data backup provides a much more transparent, easy to use solution, as well as having the added security of storing your files in a secure location that is guaranteed to keep them safe (remember, if your office building catches fire, not only does your workstation lose it's data, but your tape backups will most likely be destroyed as well, barring the use of expensive fireproof storage.

Offsite data backup is easy to set up and protects your data in the most secure, economical way possible. If you are considering implementing a data backup for your company or personal computers do yourself a favor and consider using an offsite secure backup service. This is the simplest and most effective form of disaster recovery.

Your DATA is your LIFE. Protect it.

Harald Anderson is a freelance writer and webmaster for http://www.online-remote-data-backup.com an online backup service. Experience the Digital Peace of Mind that safe, secure, encrypted online data backups can offer. Online Backups

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Compact Flash Readers Considerations Before Purchasing

Writen by Helen Charleston

You may be on the market for a compact flash reader because you are a digital image editing hobbyist, a professional photographer, or simply are looking for an alternative to slower models of media storage.

Compact flash certainly fits the bill with many of your high end media needs. But here are some considerations before you go out and purchase a compact flash reader. You want make sure you have a clear idea of what you are looking for instead of saying "I want it all".

For example, does the reader work with all standards of compact flash or just for a few? You should anticipate whether or not you may be using a flash media standard now or in the future that may not be compatible with a flash reader you are looking at.

If you do not care too much about that, then just get a compact flash reader that works with the format you use the most for example some may work with SmartMedia flash, while others could read Microdrive flash standards, but not both. And ignore the other features.

If you are looking at a USB 2 reader, it should be reverse or backwards compatible with the 1.1 ports in both directions. The reader needs to automatically detect whether the card is a USB 2 or USB 1.1 port either by reviewing the built-in software in the card, or by checking the number of pins on the card.

That really is all there is to it. Make sure you get faster speeds, i.e. USB 2, with fast read and write speeds if you use larger more bandwidth heavy media such as high resolution film and photography. A good flash reader will last you at least a few years depending on your needs.

For more information on compact flash readers and general computer memory questions please go to http://www.computermemoryplus.com/

Monday, November 17, 2008

Electronics The Musthave Accessory

Writen by Chris Robertson

You might not see iPods on Paris runways, but electronics have undergone a transformation from a utilitarian necessity to a fashion accessory. While electronics aren't exactly replacing jewelry as a status symbol - bling is still the thing - the types of gadgets a person can't live without speaks volumes about his or her lifestyle.

Those in the halls of power can't live without a BlackBerry - nor can Hollywood celebrities, it seems. Keeping in touch - anywhere, anytime - makes everything from cell phones to Bluetooth to PDAs must-haves. The popularity of electronics hasn't escaped the notice of those in the automotive world, as microchips have migrated from those controlling the vehicle's on-board computer system to the automotive accessory of the year - the Global Positioning System (GPS).

There are, of course, the ubiquitous headsets, which are connected to cell phones, MP3 players, or - for the electronics fashionista - the iPod nano. On any give airline flight, passengers will have a mind-boggling array of electronics on board to entertain them or keep them otherwise occupied. Computers, music players, and portable gaming devices all appear once cruising altitude is reached. With the plethora of must-have electronics devices, it's a wonder that today's travelers have room to pack their clothes!

Electronics have also begun to accessorize the home. When the X-Box 360 sold out before Christmas 2005, eBay sellers raked in the cash for the must-have gaming console, which sold on the auction site for $1,000 or more. Plasma and LCD televisions are proudly displayed on walls, while microchips are finding their way into our kitchen appliances. While true wireless integration is still some time away, the stage is being set for complete interactivity among all our electronic devices.

Luckily for consumers, the cost of electronics goes down with the passage of time. The newest and greatest must-have is sure to be priced at a discount within eighteen months, and will grace the clearance aisle a year after that. In the meantime, those of us who don't have the cash or the desire to keep up with the trends on the fashion runways or the trends in the world of electronics can continue to observe how the other half lives.

Chris Robertson is an author of Majon International, one of the worlds MOST popular internet marketing companies on the web. Visit this Electronics Website and Majon's Electronics directory.

Rfid At90rf135602 Smallest Rfid Reader

Writen by Sally Bacchetta

The AT90RF135602 definitely needs a nickname. Even in 8-point type it's too big a title for the world's smallest RFID reader!

AT90RF135602 (see what I mean?) is the latest RFID collaboration of California-based Atmel and UK-based Innovision Research & Technology. This single chip RFID reader is a mere 12mm by 12mm by 2mm. (For those of you who like to travel ultra-light, check out the scaled down 6mm by 8mm by 1.5mm version).

The AT90RF135602 reads and writes to 13.56 MHz RFID tags and smart labels, is optimised for a 2.8V battery operation, and is compliant to ISO/IEC 14443-A parts 2 & 3, making it especially suited for small, battery-powered handheld devices.

I can see how this smaller-than-dime-sized RFID reader may be helpful for NAVI (Navigation Assistance for the Visually Impaired) and other handheld applications. Smaller readers make handheld devices less obtrusive and more comfortable to carry. Good news for those using NAVI or taking self-guided museum or walking tours.

I can see how the AT90RF135602, priced at a relatively low $3 per unit (in quantities of 10,000) may be attractive to RFID managers trying to achieve maximum efficiency at minimum expense. It's inexpensive to operate, field programmable and upgradeable, so it's an investment that will grow with your operation.

I also see that as RFID readers become smaller they become more difficult to see. Easier to forget. Or never become aware of.

RFID tags continue to shrink, and in some cases have disappeared altogether, replaced by smart labels and smart inks. Too many consumers aren't even aware of RFID tags yet, and it's becoming more and more difficult to see them.

Technology naturally trends toward more power in a smaller footprint. That's one of the ways we measure progress.

As we trend toward ever-more progress, let us also trend toward ever-more citizen awareness. Let's make sure that we can look back on the AT90RF135602 as a really cool RFID reader that advanced our culture and improved the quality of our lives. And had a great nickname.

Sally Bacchetta - Freelance Writer is an award-winning freelance writer and sales trainer. She has published articles on a variety of topics, including RFID, selling skills, motivation, and pharmaceutical sales.

Visit her RFID blog for an exploration of the ethical and social considerations of RFID.

Sunday, November 16, 2008

Is Technology Really Making Life Easier

Writen by Katharine Giovanni

I grew up in the 1960's and 70's when there were no computers, PDA's or cell phones. There were no microwaves, no DVD's, no MP3 players and there were only about 7 good stations on television. We didn't stay home and play video games all day because there were no video games to speak of back then. Instead we played outside, talked to our friends on the phone and listened to music.

I was telling this to my two sons the other day and they sat there stunned as they found this concept hard to wrap their brain around. I suspect that I did the same as a child when my own parents told me about their childhood and what the world was like.

Today we are told that technology is here to make our lives easier. The microwave helps us cook food faster. The internet helps us get information faster and allows us to stay connected with friends, family and business associates. We have more television stations to give us more choices, we have cell phones so that we can stay in touch with each other and we have laptop computers so that we can access the internet anywhere in the world.

Ok … let's look at that last paragraph again.

From where I'm sitting, it looks like all our sophisticated modern technology has done the opposite … it has made our lives crazier! It has given us less time instead of more.

If you are in your twenties and thirties, think about your parent's childhood and what life was like back then. If you are in your forties or older (like me … sigh) then think about your own childhood. What happened to everybody when office hours came to an end? What happened when people left work and went home?

What did they do?

They rested.

They had time to think and reflect and do something very few of us do in today's world … they relaxed!!!

When I was growing up, we didn't have cell phones and laptop computers so we relaxed, went out to dinner, took walks, watched television, listened to music and read a book. We turned our minds off for a while and allowed it to reboot itself.

Modern technology has taken this away from us. Instead of resting when we get home from work, we work on our laptops and constantly check our PDA's. We take our cell phones and answer them wherever we are … in restaurants, airplanes, movie theaters, soccer fields, in our car … everywhere!

When exactly do we rest and allow our minds to turn off for a little while?

Modern technology has made things harder. It has unleashed a monster called stress that is making our world sick and tired. It distracts us. It owns us!

Have you seen the Terminator movies? The one where machines rule the earth? Guess what? Machines rule our earth. Not in as nasty a way as the movie, but they rule the earth nevertheless. Technology rules.

Stress is a nasty thing that causes some even nastier diseases, and there are no antibiotics you can take for it. Stress kills and there is only one cure for it.

You need to rest.

Recently, Ron and I went to Disneyworld in Florida with our boys. We took our cell phones and the laptop because we wanted to check our email and voice mail while we were there. For some strange reason though, the cell phones mostly stayed in the room because we kept forgetting to bring them, and we never even turned on the laptop. Before we knew it, we went almost an entire week without checking any of our messages. I checked them about halfway through the week and returned a few calls, but for the most part everything stayed off.

Did the world end? Did we lose our company? Did clients walk away?

Nope.

We came home with our minds refreshed and returned the calls, answered the email and life rolled on. We were tired of course (have you ever done four theme parks in four days?) but nothing happened. Life as we know it didn't end!!! Instead we were able to focus on the job at hand because we were refreshed and relaxed.

Technology speeds up our ability to do things. We can research faster, cook faster, and be in contact with other people faster. However, it also causes us to feel the need that we have to be in contact all the time! We feel we have to check our email at 10:00 p.m. at night, we have to answer that telephone during dinner, and we have to check our PDA every hour no matter where we are.

When do you rest and turn your mind off?

I understand that everyone wants to move forward. I totally get that. However, in order to move forward, you have to occasionally take a few steps back so that you can get a better look at where you want to go.

So what can we do?

We can turn off the computer after dinner and not turn it back on until the morning. We can turn our cell phone off once in a while and let the voice mail answer it. We can take a walk. We can go on vacation without the laptop. We can even go on vacation and only check our voice mail once or twice! The world won't stop! People might think you've been abducted but so what? You'll get back in touch with them.

If you don't rest and let your body and brain reboot itself, then your body will break down. In the end, technology will deprive you of the true quality of life because it will be sick and you won't be able to do what you want to do.

So here's my challenge …

I challenge each and every one of you reading this article to lose your cell phone for a day or two and see what happens. I challenge you to turn off your computer at around 6 p.m. at night and not turn it back on under any circumstances until the next morning for one week. Then watch what happens!

Everyone tells you that you need to eat right and get plenty of exercise. Absolutely true! However, there is a third even more important key to life … you need to rest!!!

So turn your mind off for a while. Listen to some music. Read a book. Talk to your kids. Go shopping. Go to a comedy show and laugh.

Stop ignoring what your body is telling you! I know that it has been urging you to slow down and take a breath. Listen to it. It knows what it's doing.

Enough said.

Now let's see … I'm writing an article about the evils of technology on my computer, my phone is ringing next to me and an email just arrived.

Hmmm ... guess it might be time to take a break!

Katharine Giovanni has been a meeting/event planner and concierge for over 20 years and has set up five successful businesses: Meeting Planning Plus, Triangle Concierge, NewRoad Publishing, XPACS and Triangle International. She is Triangle Concierge's senior trainer and speaker and is the author of their best-selling book "The Concierge Manual" as well as the author of the "In-House Concierge Manual". She is also the Chairman of the Board of the International Concierge and Errand Association. A dynamic public speaker, Katharine has been a speaker at seminars and conferences around the country, and has appeared on both radio and television. She is the author of the acclaimed inspirational book "God, is that you?" Katharine can be reached through her websites at http://www.triangleconcierge.com; http://www.katharinegiovanni.com or http://www.triangleinternational.com

Real Estate Technology Making It A Profit Center For Your Business

Writen by Jason Leister

Despite the large amounts of time I spend surrounded by bits, bytes and other tech related objects, I am first and foremost a business person.

And while clients, vendors and revenues are important to running a business, PROFIT is king. After all, it hardly matters what you make. What really matters is what you keep.

To that end, I firmly believe that if technology is not making you money, then something needs to change.

It is time that real estate professionals stop shortchanging themselves by viewing technology as nothing more than a support staff for their business. Yes, computers are good at automating menial tasks, but they are even more effective at marketing, selling and generating profits for your real estate business.

In order to transform real estate technology from a cost center into a profit center, it needs to be promoted from the "administrative staff to the board room." Real estate technology needs to become a strategic partner in your business, working WITH you to achieve your CORE GOALS. If it can't do its job, then it needs to leave.

So how in the world do you do that?

The first step is to be absolutely clear about what your goals are. Goal setting can look very different from business to business, but the important thing is that your goals are SPECIFIC and MEASURABLE. What EXACTLY do you want to achieve? By when?

And how will you know if you are on the right track?

Goal setting can take a lot of time, but the payoff to having your target clearly defined will be huge!

Once your goals are set, you are ready to begin brainstorming about how to use technology, not to SUPPORT you in reaching those goals, but to PROPEL you to reach them faster, easier and with more certainty.

Of course the help of an expert won't hurt in making technology decisions for your real estate business, but the important thing is to make sure that EVERY decision you make has a clear connection to moving you closer to your goals. As a business owner, however, YOU have to lay the important groundwork by etching your goals clearly in your mind.

When technology is completely aligned with helping you reach your business goals, your real estate business will run more smoothly and create larger profits with less effort than ever before.

So is there room for improvement in your current real estate technology situation?

Here are some questions to consider:

1. If your current computer systems were an employee, would you fire him?

2. Which does your current technology setup create more of, clients or problems?

3. Is technology pushing you towards your goals or creating obstacles between you and your goals?

And the most important question of all...

4. At the end of the day, is all of your real estate technology costing you money or is it making you money?

NOW is the time to consider stepping onto a new path: the path where technology begins to put money in your pocket rather than take it out of your pocket. This new path is more fun and a whole lot more profitable.

Jason Leister, the Real Estate Technology Guru (tm), is owner of Computer Super Guy, LLC, a Chicago-based technology firm that helps real estate professionals profit with technology.

Visit the Real Estate Technology Guru to subscribe to our free monthly eZine, ProfIT, and receive a FREE copy of our special report "The Truth About Real Estate Websites and Search Engine Optimization."

Saturday, November 15, 2008

Saving On Cost Of Inks And Cartridges

Writen by Florie Lyn Masarate

There was a news report about a woman filing a lawsuit against a certain HP printer manufacturer because she said that the inks are programmed to expire on a certain date, whether the cartridges are empty or not. HP representative counters that the reason is because the inks are degrading over time and thus causes the expiration.

It is possible that the manufacturer of these inks are actually using some expertise to keep the profits up. With modern tools, who knows what these people are capable of? If these things are all true, saving costs on inks can be a challenge for the people especially those who do not have any knowledge about what profit makers are doing to their advantage.

How do they save ink and ink costs?

People who brought printers tend to buy the ink cartridges from the same manufacturers of these printers also. There are lots of independent sellers having selling the same kind of cartridges that works as well. Cheaper too. It does not make any difference where you buy the cartridges from as long as it works the same way and saves you more money.

Poorly made cartridges can result in poor quality prints and can even damage your printers. Checking about the ones you will use by asking the opinions of the experts would do the trick. Another option is the use of refillable inks. They can be a lot cheaper but also has the tendency for leaks as a downside. Fort hose who does not want to take the risk and regretting it in the end, the best way is to be careful and use highly recommended cartridges.

Sticking to black ink. Print in color when it is absolutely necessary, but if not, just use black ink. As you may already know, colored inks are much more expensive and some printing does not exactly require using them. For example, when printing something from the internet, do you have to use colors?

Buy in bulks. If a lot of printing is require and expected, you may want to try and buy inks in quantity. A lot of great deals are given for those who are buying more at once than those who buy a little every once in awhile.

Check the yield. Knowing the capacity of the cartridges you will be using is being prepared and ready beforehand. This will save you the trouble of being unprepared when the time for the inks to expire comes.

Printer inks can surely take a lot of money out of your pocket if you do not know some means of conserving them and making the most of what you have. The thing is, printers, inks and cartridges will really have problems in time. What you are doing is just prolonging what is expected. Better than nothing at all.

For comments and inquiries about the article visit http://www.losangelesprintingservice.com

About The Author
Florie Lyn Masarate got the flair for reading and writing when she got her first subscription of the school newsletter in kindergarten. She had her first article published on that same newsletter in the third grade.

Friday, November 14, 2008

Led Uv Light Running Off Biological Pulse

Writen by Lance Winslow

Can we run micro-electronics off a human pulse? Sure we can and it maybe easier than ever thought. In fact, I propose a .5 to .7 watt chip and LED light for battlefield communication, which would run off the biological pulse of the human being. Eventually moving the power down to .2 watts for energy savings. By using human energy, we will delete the need for batteries in communication. In fact it maybe possible to use the small vibrations of the inner ear to power up a chip which can assist in inter-human communication or brain to brain thru the ear. Without the need for higher volumes the energy will be low wattage and low need.

A special team could move under the same information and situational awareness in a completely net-centric group without a single word being uttered. The background sound and noise would run the tiny embedded unit in combination with the vibration in the inner ear and the pulse of the individual.

How can we be sure this will work? Well, because it is already being done and it is only a matter of miniaturizing the components. Miniaturization is nothing new to the hearing aide industry or the medical profession. We as consumers can buy flashlights that are powered up using electromagnetic induction technology to charge a capacitor instead of the headlights working off a battery. Currently there are some nifty micro-flashlights being used which you can buy which use a similar technique and are available thanks to the Everlite Flashlight technology research lab. These smaller flashlights work by shaking them for about thirty seconds and shine for about 6 minutes and they shine quite bright since they use a very bright LED light. Here is a link to this home use flashlight:

http://demo.physics.uiuc.edu/LectDemo/scripts/demo_descript.idc?DemoID=1138

http://www.modernoutpost.com/gear/details/ee_shakelight.html

Here is a quick movie you can watch online to see how this technology works.

http://www.modernoutpost.com/gear/movies/ee_forever.MPG

I propose we use the human pulse, inner ear vibrations, Earth's frequency, surrounding electromagnetic energy, heartbeat, background sound and the footsteps as the rumble powers up my concept. This does not mean that the unit would not have back-up batteries, only that you would not be asking for any juice or connect it to the battery unless it was totally necessary. Perhaps this is a good way to communicate during a time when you must remain silent? Think on this.

Lance Winslow - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs/

Thursday, November 13, 2008

What You Need To Know About Networking

Writen by Alex Lakatos

Because networking is a relatively young science, it borrows language from other disciplines. Many networking terms come from the realm of physical transportation—terms such as bridge, hub, port, routing, and switching. That borrowing is apt. Just as the transportation revolution, and especially the advent of the railroad, was an economic catalyst of the Industrial Age, networks are the economic catalysts of the information age. And just as railroads need a solid infrastructure, so do networks. The foundation technologies of networks are routing and switching.

The Basics

In its most basic form, a network consists of two pieces of electronic equipment that communicate data back and forth, connected by a third piece of equipment that enables that communication. A printer attached directly to a computer via a parallel or USB cable does not comprise a network; it becomes a network if the printer and computer are both attached to a switch or router. The Internet provided the impetus for most companies to adopt a network infrastructure. Even the smallest businesses need network-enabled Internet connections to send and receive e-mail, advertise and sell products and services online, interact with customers, and connect with suppliers. Moving to a networked environment opens new possibilities, including online business applications and collaboration opportunities. Data security also becomes a central consideration with a network. While switches and routers have evolved and the lines between them may seem blurred, one simple distinction remains: Switches reside within a local-area network (LAN), while routers are needed in a wide-area network (WAN) environment. It's analogous to an old-fashioned office phone: Switching is like dialing a four digit extension to reach someone in your building, while routing is like dialing 9 to get an outside line, and then dialing a seven- or ten-digit phone number.

Systems-Based Solutions

Growing companies, especially those opening new offices, can opt for integrated foundation solutions that are secure, solid, and compatible with future technologies. Rather than purchasing separate products for individual functions such as routing, switching, security, and Internet gateways, companies can choose a "systems-based" solution that provides everything a business unit needs to fully and securely connect to the Internet and the company as a whole. A systems-based approach to routing and switching lets all workers, even those at different sites, have the same access to business applications, Internet Protocol (IP) Communications, and videoconferencing as their colleagues at headquarters. Networking solutions for satellite offices tend to be modular in nature, allowing you to install just the features you need for a particular office. Modularity also enables you to upgrade equipment (rather than replace it altogether) when needs change or an office expands. An added benefit of this systems-based approach is that technical staff at headquarters can centrally manage the network, which keeps staffing counts low while providing reliable service to employees in all locations.

What to Watch For

Several trends in routing and switching are of particular interest to SMBs:

• Increasing need for Internet connections: Fully 70 percent of North American SMBs were planning to increase Internet connectivity and bandwidth during the next year, according to an April 2004 Forrester report.

• Improvements in routing and switching gear: For example, switches with in-line power, which allow placement of wireless LAN access points and IP phones anywhere there's a network jack, without external power.

• Managed networking technologies (especially switches): A managed switch allows the user or administrator can access it, usually via the network itself, to adjust or monitor its operation.

Bottom-Line Benefits

Routing and switching technologies can have a positive impact on your company's financial outlook. The Net Impact Study 2003, sponsored by Cisco Systems and conducted by Momentum Research Group found that companies that combined sophisticated network infrastructures with network-based business applications, and were willing to reengineer their business practices to take best advantage of the technology and actively measure the results, reduced their annual operating costs by more than 20 percent. What's more, they measured a 20 to 25 percent increase in customer satisfaction. Making informed purchase decisions about networking technologies can also save money in the long term. For example having a network that can support advanced technologies such as IP communications can deliver savings to SMBs in several areas:

• You can install a single network for both voice and data.

• You need to purchase and maintain only one set of equipment.

• You can reduce or eliminate toll charges between network sites

What To Do Next

Chances are good that you already have some networking technologies in place. The next step, then is to determine whether you have the right foundation for your company's needs, both today and in the future. What you plan to do with the your network should drive your equipment purchase decisions. For example if you intend to run IP telephony, you need to buy routing and switching equipment that can support it.

Copyright 2006 Warwick Data Systems,Inc.

Alex Lakatos is an expert on computer networking hardware, starting Warwick Data Systems in 1983 to buy/sell used networking equipment. He can be reached at (973)998-4918 and at http://www.warwickdata.com

Meta Tags

Writen by Patrick Spencer

META tags are located in a website's HTML code, and they contain descriptive phrases, keywords and other information. They are one of the ways that search engines determine the point of a particular page within a website.

Traditionally, search engines have displayed the META description as part of the search results as they provide the user information on what the site contains. Typically, Google does not use the META tags for this information and it formulates its own description based on the content within the website.

The predictable behavior and structure of early search engines enabled savvy web designers to manipulate the META tags to get their pages to appear at the top of search engine results. Often times this was achieved by filling up the META description and keywords tags with an abundant amount of words.

META Tags and Search Engines:

Although META tags continue to be useful for smaller search engines, the larger search engines, such as Google, have moved away from giving the META tag information as much importance and instead rely heavily on the content within website pages to determine the purpose and relevance of the site.

Though most of the major search engines no longer depend on the META tags to provide information on what the site is about, smaller search engines still utilize this information in determining the relevance of a website. Therefore, it's worth spending the time to optimize META tags.

Optimizing Meta Tags:

It is critical to keep the META tags relevant to the specific website pages that they are associated with. For example, if the page is about a specific brand of shoes, then you do not want to include words like purse or handbag in the keyword of description META tags. In addition, limit the META keywords to between 5 and 8 targeted and compelling phrases. Finally, it is important to ensure the keywords phrases are also incorporated into the description. For instance:

META NAME="Keywords" CONTENT="search engine optimization, website optimization services, seo, increase search engine ranking, top search results"

META NAME="Description" CONTENT="ITX provides search engine optimization, (SEO) services to increase search engine ranking and helps our clients achieve top search results."

The above example illustrates combining targeted keywords in both the keyword and description META tags. Additionally, placing the most important words at the start of a META tag description increases the likelihood of attaining a prominent search engine ranking for that particular keyword phrase.

Summary:

Today, search engine marketers have changed their strategies to coincide with search engines. Today Search Engine Optimization specialists focus heavily on pages dedicated to a specific topic, keyword research, keyword density, overall page content, and linking strategy. They still include optimizing META tags, but they no longer count on just this strategy to increase a websites ranking in search engines.

About Patrick A. Spencer:

Patrick A. Spencer is a Delivery Manager in the IT Solutions group at ITX Corp. Mr. Spencer plays a key role in the analysis, architecture, design and deployment of major applications for clients in a variety of industries.

About ITX Corp:

ITX Corp is a business consulting and technology solutions firm focused in nine practice areas including Business Performance, Internet Marketing, IT Staffing, IT Solution Strategies and Implementation, Technical Services, Internet Services, and Technology Research. To learn more about what ITX can do for you visit our website at http://www.itx.net or contact us at (800) 600-7785.

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

How To Choose A Printer That Will Do The Job For You

Writen by Gregg Hall

These days, the printer has evolved to a very noticeable extent. Printers started with the dot matrix type that was very hard to use. Dot matrix printers are the ones that print very loudly and it is difficult to feed the paper into them.

Now, laser printers and inkjet printers have replaced dot matrix printers. How do you choose the perfect printer for the job? Below are five of the most important qualities you should look for when choosing a printer.

The most important factor to be considered is the resolution. Resolution is the number of dots a printer prints in a square inch. Your old dot matrix printer could not print in a high resolution. Ink jet printers are perfect for this. A good quality printer with high resolution can produce 1440 by 720 dpi. The operating cost of the printer should also be considered. The speed of the printer is very important especially if you are using it in the office. Laser printers are perfect in this respect, 80 to 100 page documents can be printed in a very short time. Laser printers are also very cost effective to operate since their cartridges are not replaced very often.

Printers that have photo lab quality are essential if you are looking for a printer that can print high-resolution images in photo paper. Those who often use printers for printing pictures should get printers of the dye-sublimation type. With this type of printer, the dots are softer, thereby making the images appear sharper.

The volume of printout per minute is essential if you are printing large numbers of documents in black and white. There are printers with a lower resolution of about 400 by 400 dpi that can print about 70 pages in black and white within a minute.

The size of the printout is also to be considered. There are certain printers that can print all sizes of documents, big or small. The usual paper size is the 8.5 by 11 but for these types of printers, you can print enveloped size to tabloid-sized documents. To be able to select the perfect printer for your needs, you should first determine where the printer would be used. If you are keen on printing photos, then a photo printer is necessary, but if you are more interested in printing documents, then heavy duty printers with speed printing are appropriate to use. High resolution is important, however it should fit the speed, quality and price of the printout. Keeping the above specifications in mind, you will be able to purchase the right printer that would meet your requirements.

Gregg Hall is an author living in Navarre Florida. Find more about printers and get Canon Inkjet Cartridges at http://www.inkjetcartridgeplus.com

Tis The Season For Electronics Gifts For Everyones Budget

Writen by Chris Robertson

The holiday season is upon us, which can only mean one thing: electronics are at the top of everyone's wish list. Even if you can't snag a new PlayStation 3 or Nintendo Wii, there are still many electronics gifts that will delight your recipients. Here are just a few:

Cell Phones: Cell phone technology continues to improve, as do the features available on cell phones. A new cell phone, complete with a high-res camera, video functionality, and wireless adaptability, is certain to be a welcome gift. If that's beyond your budget, opt for any of the number of cool cell phone accessories that are available.

iPods: An Apple iPod makes the perfect gift for anyone who enjoys music or television, even if they're not tech-savvy. Not only can they download tunes, but increasingly, they can download television episodes that they may have missed. Again, if you can't afford an iPod, there are any number of accessories - from earbuds to "socks" that are adorable and affordable.

Home Theaters: This year, why not indulge the whole family with a home theater? Flat screen TVs have come so far down in price that they're more than worth the splurge. While you're at it, get a collection of DVDs that every family member can enjoy!

Car Audio and Video: Entertainment has most definitely moved out of the home and into transportation. High-quality car audio and video equipment make wonderful gifts for family members on the go. Everyone can enjoy the high-quality sound that great car audio produces, while the kids in the family will be entertained on road trips with car DVD players.

Computers: For many people, computers aren't a convenience - they're a necessity. Everyone from adults who bring work home with them to students who have to research school papers (and book some time on one or more of the social networking sites!) will treasure a new computer. Again, prices on electronics have come down so much that either a notebook computer or a desktop PC is affordable.

Games: If you're not able to nab one of the new gaming systems, don't worry about it. There are still great games that are made for the Sony PlayStation 2, the Nintendo GameCube, and the Microsoft Xbox and Xbox 360. Final Fantasy XII, Guitar Hero II, Okami, LEGO Star Wars II, Madden NFL 07, and Viva Pinata, are all highly rated games for a variety of interests and age levels.

The bottom line is that, whatever the gift-giving occasion, you can't go wrong with a gift of personal electronics. Your best bet is to find an online source that has deeply discounted electronics, continually adds new items to their inventory, and provides you with the perfect online shopping experience.

Chris Robertson is an author of Majon International, one of the worlds MOST popular internet marketing companies on the web. Learn more about The Season for Electronics or Majon's Electronics directory.