Educating through video

Video streaming technology by websites has ballooned significantly. Websites designed by amateurs and those people who have their own blog sites are starting to use videos. Video streaming is starting to grow. You might want to grow with it.

Many people from developing countries and the third-world who want to get updated or advanced education from industrialized nations are having a hard time, because of immigration or visa requirements. This much is true in countries like Japan, the United States and the United Kingdom, whose immigration qualifications are very stringent. And some countries, like the United States requires that an amount of money be placed in trust as a bond to ensure that visitors do return to their countries of origin.

To avail themselves of superior standards in education educators in these developed countries recognize the desire of foreign students. This is where the internet becomes a central tool in global, quality education.

Today, you will find plenty of colleges, universities and even Ivy League institutions offering online education ranging from certification, degree, post graduate and doctorate level courses. These online schools and universities are certainly convenient for those who cannot enter developed countries due to lack of qualifications for visa approval requirements.

Often these online schools also become an alternative to the mentally ill or physically handicapped. For people with motor dysfunctions such as Parkinson’s disease, online education becomes a saving grace in their lives. Not only is it convenient, but it also provides these people with a connection to the world right in their own homes. Having the problems of education addressed by the internet is a convenience for the operators of care facilities too as they can exclusively use these online schools for the education of their patients or as extra sources and materials used in their curriculum.

With all of this in mind, new materials and tools for online instruction need to be developed. Among these necessary tools foremost is audio and video streaming through the internet. Audio-video streaming allows for two people to instantly communicate from distinctly separate locations. An instructor can use the internet to talk to his or her student face to face, so to speak.

There is no better teacher than experience that is one thing our educators agree upon. In recent years, companies have started manufacturing educational videos for use by infants. By using these video, infants are projected to start learning at an earlier age than before. Because of the audio-video experience, the attention given to these videos by an infant is considerably more than they would give to a children’s book., the video succeeds in educating the mind of the child. by being able to grab their attention and interest By the same manner, the use of audio and video in educating older children, juveniles and adults is a more entertaining and interesting experience than a plain chemistry book. With a person actually able to see the animated structure of an atom for instance, the curiosity of that individual is stimulated. When people become curious, their imagination becomes active and they strive to gather more information about the subject.

The content (assuming that it is interesting) grabs the viewers’ attention and stirs their curiosity, thereby stimulating a thirst for knowledge. This is where the importance of education through video lies.

People who have knowledge of how to install and use these utilities are quickly becoming assets to many entrepreneurs, especially those businesses that are situated in the internet. As internet audio-video streaming technology improves, the more use they will become to online educational institutions.

Hands-free conversations through the cell phone

It is always a great advantage if you can carry on a conversation through your cell phone without hampering the use of both hands. The cell phone, even with its multi-faceted functions in your everyday life also has the distinct disadvantage of being a device which should constantly be held with one hand and should be held near your ear when you talk to somebody through it.

The Enhancement in Cell Phones:

Although some cell phones feature speakers for a hands free option when talking, this is generally unwise since users rarely want their neighbors to hear bits and pieces of their conversation, right? Loudspeaker options in some cell phones are commonly used for playing music and videos on a cell phone and it is imprudent and irresponsible for cell phone users to use this feature when talking to somebody else on the phone.

Technological advances have been made to remedy this and one such advance is the use of headsets and headphones that enable you to talk to somebody without the inconvenience of holding the cell phone to your ear. Headphones for the cell phone function more like a normal earphone but with an enhancement of a microphone in it to enable the user to listen and talk to the recipient of the call at the same time. This enhancement is great but long wires trail from your cellular phone to your ear every time you use them. Dangling wires are also irritating and a bit frustrating for some users. This may be the reason why the manufacturers of such headsets moved on to introduce the Bluetooth enhanced headphones for a more convenient use.

The Bluetooth Enhanced Headphones:

The innovation of Bluetooth enhanced headphones for cellular use rapidly provided a solution for the constant hassle of dangling wires. It promptly brought users to the latest breakthrough in technology for cellular phones. Linking your cell phone to a Bluetooth headphone is not a problem since most cell phones offered in the market today also include Bluetooth connective features. Computers also offer the same Bluetooth features, making this enhancement device not just compatible with the cell phone but with the computer as well. Pairing passwords are needed to connect to your cell phone or PC though. What’s great about the Bluetooth headset is that when you carry a conversation with someone through your cell phone, you do not need to carry your cell phone with you when you are within the range or distance that the Bluetooth covers. Simply carry the Bluetooth headset with you and you can easily answer a call. The ease and convenience of not having to hold your cell phone, not dealing with dangling wires and having a multi-functioning headphone is indeed tempting, right?

One downside to a Bluetooth Enhanced headphone though is that it is quite bulky. Extensive technological innovations have been added to make this headset function and a battery is added for its power source so you have to be prepared for this headset to be a bit uncomfortable when first used. But when compared to the benefits of having one, mere discomfort may not be bothersome, right?

Enhancing photos in photoshop

Have you ever wondered why the Hollywood stars always look so perfect in the magazine photographs? Why is it they consistently look so good?

Their hair, teeth and skin always seem to be perfect and so beautiful. Is this the magic of stardom or Hollywood? No, this isn’t magic. It’s just Photoshop.

Photoshop is the same photo editing software program being used by professionals in the entertainment industry to make movie stars look younger, slimmer and better.

They have been doing it for years and now you can achieve the same results with a little training and practice using Photoshop for some of these same photo enhancements.

You can learn to make amazing enhancements to any photograph using the tools and functions available in Photoshop.

The following are just a few of the improvements you can make to people pictures.

Whiten stained teeth

Remove unsightly scars

Smooth age wrinkles

Clear up acne

Remove blemishes

Double chin removal

Fill in bald spots by adding hair

Open closed eyes

Remove tattoos

Hide body piercings

Change eye color

With Photoshop you can easily make yourself or anyone look better. You can even change the colors of the clothing people are wearing.

You will be amazed by the results you can achieve with Photoshop. You will not only be able to improve the appearance of people but you will be able to completely remove people from the photograph, add people from other photos or change the background.

Master these Photoshop techniques and you will be in demand for photo editing and graphic design projects.

People with these types of skills are in needed for photo retouching, web design work, logo design, advertising, and more. Not only can you have fun touching up your own photos but you could start a business doing photo enhancements.

Photoshop Fast Track makes it easy to learn how to find, install and use Photoshop plug-ins. Master The Basics Of Adobe Photoshop With My 2 Hour Easy To Use Photoshop Video Tutorial.

When pictures paint a thousand words

Portrait photography is probably the best kind of photography that defines human interest. Although it is considered as the easiest area of photography compared to others, portrait photography appeals to many people and photographers alike because it is quite interesting and challenging.

Since it’s all about taking people’s photos, a portrait photographer should possess a genuine interest in people that would eventually become their subjects. They should care about people and are natural conversationalists to break the ice.

Above all else, portrait photographers should also possess the skill to observe their subjects’ characteristic gestures and expressions and can easily identify a person’s best side and angle.

GETTING STARTED

If you think you have what it takes to be a portrait photographer, then you should familiarize yourself with the different areas of portraiture. Basically, there are different types of portrait depending on the usage or purpose.

Some of the common categories in which portrait photography falls into include amateur portraits of friends and family, photos of people in a social gathering, editorial portraiture where pictures are taken by photographers for newspapers, magazines and other publications’ use, fine art portraiture where photos are taken specifically for display in museums and galleries, formal portraits where subjects pose for the purpose of a photograph and informal portraits or ‘action shots’ where the subjects do not intentionally pose for the camera.

THINGS TO CONSIDER AND RECONSIDER

Many photographers would agree that the intention of the photographer is what sets a photograph apart from a portrait. If you would want to try portrait photography, here are some of the things you might want to consider:

1. Camera. In portraiture, any 35mm SLR (single-lens-reflex) are fine. If you can afford a Digital SLR, it’s better because you can save on film and processing. Never opt for a zoom point and shoot because it can’t provide sharp outline and accurate results.

2. Lenses. There will be times that you need to emphasize or de-emphasize a specific feature of your subject at a certain distance. These are what the different kinds of lenses are for—to highlight or conceal any good or bad feature of the subject.

Many professional photographers suggest 300mm or 600mm lenses but for starters, typical portrait lenses that are between 90 and 135 millimeters long for 35mm cameras are okay. Nikon 105/1.8 (MF only), Canon 100/2 USM, and Canon 135/2 USM are some of the recommended portrait lenses available in the market.

3. Film. Since digital cameras no longer require the use of rolls of film, this should not be a big trouble for you. All you need is to look for a good compact flash that has high memory to produce high-resolution photos. But if you have a manual or SLR camera, purchase black and white and color films to provide choices to your clients.

4. Location. An ideal location for any portrait photography shoot is a studio. Aside from providing enough working space to work at, having a photo studio also ensures the safety of your equipment. But if you can’t set up a studio yet, it is advisable to find a space that can provide you a working area.

In setting up a studio, consider the rental cost, size, accessibility to target market and the facilities offered. If you take environmental portraits, you wouldn’t need a studio that much because your shoots will depend on the surroundings that create great impacts on your subject.

5. Lighting. If you have a portrait studio, consider the sources of light that would flatter your subjects. If your shoot is outdoors, it is advisable to choose an overcast day to avoid shadows in your photos.

Sony ericsson k510i - fortus mobile phone review

Mobile Simplicity

Simple and functional, with a stylish design and affordable price tag, the Sony Ericsson K510i is the ideal phone for budget mobile users who need an affordable handset with all the basic features. The K510i is a great looking mobile phone with a little of everything. Unfortunately, this handset doesn’t really excel in any area.

At first glance, the K510i could easily be mistaken for a high end mobile phone. The handset is available in two colours, a sophisticated and sleek midnight black or a trendsetting, stylish polished purple. The K510i is a compact candybar phone that is lightweight and quite comfortable to use. The large TFT display screen provides full colour resolution and the keypad is evenly spaced and easily distinguishable. The keys are somewhat small, which could be troublesome for users with large fingers and Sony has continued to use the fidgety joystick navigation found in earlier Ericsson handsets.

The Sony Ericsson K510i may look like a cutting edge mobile phone and it is loaded with features, but the feature line up is extremely basic. The camera, a 1.3 megapixel, is great for photo caller ID and capturing images and video for multimedia messaging, but there is no flash so photos in low light are useless. The camera does include a variety of fun imaging functions, including image warp and a picture editor.

The music player built into the K510i is typical of Sony Ericsson mobiles. It supports most common file types and sounds terrific. The K510i is not going to take the place of a dedicated mp3 player, however, because of the unfortunate lack of expandable memory. With only 28 Mb of internal memory and no card slots, you will be lucky to store more than 5 or 6 songs on the phone.

All the common productivity and personal organization tools are included on the K510i. A calendar, alarm clock with snooze, support for conference calling and email, and java games are all part of the feature line up. The K510i also features a wide range of connectivity options, including Bluetooth, USB, infrared, and fast port. Battery life is average and call clarity is quite clear.

It's quite clear that Sony Ericsson did not go all out with this model, but they have reached a level of comfort with their handset production where they can quickly produce a quality phone without too much sweat expended. In this case good enough is still good enough, but the competition is getting stiffer and Sony needs to look out.

Those looking for a superb camera phone or searching for a mobile with extended media capabilities should probably look elsewhere. If you want a great looking handset that is fun and easy to use, the K510i could be the phone for you. The Sony Ericsson K510i is stylish and compact and it is quite affordable. It may not have the best camera, memory is too limited for the K510i to be a very useful music player, but it is a terrific handset for those in need of the basics in a durable, quality mobile phone.

Why use registry cleaners

Get yourself a registry cleaner and scan your system for broken links, CLSID or DLL's. These redundant files are just clogging up your system and slowing it down. A registry clean up will do your computer loads of good.

Over time your system will become slow and sluggish. This may be because of all your activity on the Internet. You will have through the years or months depending on your Internet activity, downloaded tons of stuff from the Internet. Most of the stuff you download you will forget about. These downloads, be it music, programs, pictures, or links will all be stored in the system registry and this registry keeps on growing. You will need to clean the registry of your system in order to make your system run more efficiently. A registry cleaner can repair and clean your registry on the computer. A free registry cleaner, such as the windows XP registry cleaner or the Eusing Registry cleaner can organize and streamline your computer registry by unclogging all the junk that has been downloaded onto the hard drives and are no longer of any use but are there and slowing down the system.

Regular registry cleaning and tuning is very necessary. Without this the system is definitely going to crash attracting a very high bill from the technician not to mention the data that could be lost in the bargain. You can take the cheaper way out by downloading one of the free registry cleaner software from the Internet. There are loads of windows XP registry cleaner software or just registry cleaner software that are compatible with whatever operating system you are using.

Analyze The Registry Cleaner Before Using It

A good registry repair software will have the following features:

Registry cleaners scan all types of problems such as invalid paths, file types, CLSID's DLL's Sound files, Fonts, extensions and class keys. The registry cleaner will have these features in a place where they are easy to access and well organized. The registry Cleaner will be easy to use. It should be user-friendly software and not require complicated steps to setup and use.

In addition the registry cleaner software that you download free or purchase, should have very good customer support. Many downloadable registry cleaner software can create backups of the registry. So if something goes wrong during the cleaning process it is important that you can restore the registry to its original state. Restoring the registry may not be as simple as cleaning up the registry with the help of the software and so it is important for the company that supplied you with the registry cleaner software to have a customer support to help you restore your registry to a working state.

Safety Is Paramount

Safety is also a prime concern while deciding which registry cleaner to download or purchase. Some good registry cleaner or repair software can help you get the computer back to running condition with the documentation and online tools. So, even though there are risks involved in cleaning up the registry, the rewards of having a fine tuned and cleaned registry are many.

The reason why satellite tv costs less than cable

Satellite TV has become a very popular choice in comparison to cable TV because it’s more reliable, less expensive and provides you with an abundance of channels and networks including national and international, specially-broadcasted sporting events, satellite music stations and more. But did you ever wonder, with all its added benefits, why satellite TV is cheaper than cable?

Well, to start with, there’s the competition factor. For many years, cable was the only way to get clear reception and access local programming channels without the use of ‘rabbit ears’. And then of course, with the addition of the increasing number of broadcasting networks made available through cable, it gave the public an abundance of choices for both TV and movie viewing. But along comes satellite and it has to compete with something that has built up a reliable and trustworthy position in the public’s eye. So in an effort to grow their business and customer base, and not only compete with, but lure people away from the cable companies and retain those customers as well, the satellite service providers offered lower monthly pricing options as well as free installation in many instances.

So, with lower monthly payments, an increased amount of channels, special event broadcasts not available through the cable networks, music stations, movie channels and other unique features that cable doesn’t or didn’t, at the time, offer, many people began switching over from their cable TV companies to satellite service.

Another appealing feature with satellite TV in comparison to cable TV, is that the satellite TV companies’ customer service representatives are available 24-hours a day, 7 days a week, unlike the cable companies who only work the regular Monday through Friday, 9-5 work week - and sometimes a half-a-day on Saturday. That can be incredibly frustrating when someone needs assistance with set-up or has general questions after regular business hours and/or on the weekend which is when most people actually have the time to contact customer service.

Of course, satellite TV reception is also much clearer and more reliable than cable TV which has greatly helped in maintaining its popularity and growth amongst the viewing public. And then there’s also the reduced expense on behalf of the satellite provider companies in regard to maintenance and service costs. There’s no need to send out a technician because there are no poles to climb, etc. If satellite service were be interrupted in an entire neighborhood – which is very rare and might only occur in cases of severe weather – everything can be ‘fixed’ either on the part of the customer adjusting the dish themselves, or through a computerized network at the satellite company’s office that accesses the actual satellite in space and adjusts/addresses any signal issues.

The bottom line is that the satellite TV service providers are well aware of all of this and additionally realize that they rank higher in customer service than the cable companies do. So, overall, from its inception through present, they’ve acknowledged that there’s no need to charge or increase their prices in order to compete with the cable companies.

What you should know about the new amazon kindle wireless ebook reader

IS THE KINDLE READER AS GOOD AS AMAZON SAYS IT IS? - AND WHAT ABOUT THE COMPETITION?

With the recent release of the Amazon Kindle ebook reader the Sony ebook reader range face some competition in this new and getting hotter market. Interestingly enough, most reviewers either love it or hate it - there doesn't seem to be any middle ground, despite it having some really neat features. Admittedly, a lot of the complaints seem to be where buyers have a specific requirement and the Kindle doesn't offer that function.

In all fairness, if you need it for something specific then make sure that it can do it!. Users, whilst generally hating the design, really love the functionality of the Kindle reader in that the navigation buttons are on either side so left or right handed people can use it with ease. The display, a 6" diagonal E-Ink® electronic paper display, 600 x 800 pixel resolution at 167 ppi, 4-level gray scale which uses e ink {although converted electronically} tries to emulate newsprint and as such can be read easily in sunlight without the normal glare associated with PC screens. The Qwerty keyboard is used to control and take advantage of the Whispernet technology for downloading and surfing - it's a direct connection and doesn't need Wifi hotspots or ISP's. The battery, which takes about two hours to charge will give you one week of reading but much less if you're downloading but should last about 2 days.

You have access to Wikipedia, about 250 top blogs and a whole host of Newspapers. The fact that it is only the size of a paperback and weighs just 10.3 ounces with a capacity of 200 books means you'll never be short of reading material and the easily adjustable font size allows you to find a comfortable reading level according to the ambience around you. It doesn't incorporate a backlit screen though so, if like me, you like reading in bed you'll still be juggling about with the torch!

If you're expecting an all singin' dancin' piece of technology in this ebook reader you'll probably be disappointed since it doesn't fully support PDF {The Kindle can read unsecured Mobipocket books, and Amazon has provided a still experimental converter for unsecured PDFs}. There is, however, no way to read encrypted versions of either format - annotating articles isn't possible - you're limited to the Kindle ebooks available and their pricing structure, also remember that the screen is black and white so magazine articles and pics will take some adjusting to.

The MP3 player seems to be causing some problems as it will only random play and the user has little control over this aspect and users think that Amazon, with its own encrypted books, are trying to ensure that all content comes from them and are just trying to exercise too much control. You can transfer over unencrypted ebooks via SD card or even email them to yourself but the latter choice incurs a 10c fee. There are a few options for storage if you exceed the Kindles memory - you can store them onto a SD card and then transfer them to your PC via USB or Amazon can store them online for you and it does seem possible that you can access Streamload's site via the Whispernet facility to up and download as you wish.

The main controversy that the Kindle reader opens up is that of pricing, not only of the reader itself but of ebooks in general. Many users of the reader are complaining about the price of some of the ebooks where there is only a small reduction in price compared to the hard back copy. Ebooks are growing in popularity all the time and it is going to be a while though before all publishers and retailers will get their heads together and sort out some commonalities. In comparison the Sony ebook readers don't have the advantage of the e-ink screen and may be more difficult to read in certain lighting conditions but it does give you easier access to a wider and cheaper range of ebooks.

So should you buy one? - if the higher price tag doesn't concern you and you're one of the "gotta have's" then you've probably already decided it should be on your list - personally I'd look at some of the alternatives and wait for not only a later version, which will probably be significantly cheaper anyway, but some of the niggling problem areas may well have been sorted.

For those of you that want more info go to ebookerstore. com/kindle/kindle_ebook_reader. html

Discrete vs. process in erp

One of the saddest things is a manufacturer who chooses an ERP software system that does not a fit with what they do. For example, a chemical producer who selects and implements software designed for a type of company which manufactures solid objects such as furniture. There once was a company that provided consumer packaged goods to the convenience marketplace who selected fish disassembly software. These are obvious mismatches. But the specifics may not be clear.

There are two types of manufacturing. There is discrete manufacturing, or a company that assembles products from widgets. There is also process manufacturing, or companies that blend liquids. Process manufacturing companies process formulas or recipes. While the majority of manufacturing is discrete (automotive, aerospace, or anyone else who builds component parts), there are a select group of manufacturers who are process manufacturers. These include food processors, cosmetics, chemical producers, paints and coatings manufacturers, and anyone else who deal with liquid or batch produced products.

What makes process manufacturing different from discrete? Process manufacturing uses formulations or recipes. A discrete manufacturer uses Bills of Materials (BOMs). A discrete manufacturer assembles along a routing, whereas a process manufacturer blends in a batch.

There are companies who operate in both environments and are often called mixed mode manufacturers. These manufacturers need both a process and discrete manufacturing system.

So what sort of ERP system works with these types of manufacturing modes? This can only be answered by looking at the markets these software companies serve. There are certain products which are clearly process, such as BatchMaster Software or Ross Software. These software deal with formulations, batching, and the other specific issues around process manufacturing. There are other software systems that are clearly discrete such as DBA Software, Intuitive, or Made2manage. These handle Bills of Materials, Routings, and specific discrete requirements. These are all systems that serve their niche.

When you get into larger systems, there is not a clear cut solution as they operate in Mixed-Mode. For example QAD software can handle both discrete and process requirements. Others that can do the same are MS Dynamics AX, Deacom, Ramco, and of course the Tier 1 players SAP and Oracle.

So the real lesson is to understand what you do first before looking at software. Are you a processor of liquids, or do you assemble individual items to create an assembled product? Knowing this will go a long way to help you properly choose software that fits you like a glove.

Registry cleaner concerns

Specific Registry Cleaner Concerns:

A Centralized Registry:

The Windows Registry System has some advantages and benefits which include: The configuration of your PC is kept separate from the user configuration. Setting policies for a group is much more simple for management by administrators. Over a network, the registry can be accessed and managed as one item, and backed up quickly because of the location and size of the specific registry files.

With a centralized registry, there exist some problems also: The Windows system registry can be considered a "single point of failure" - which means modifying the registry can lead to a variety of problems...from poor system performance to your computer not even booting up correctly!

Data could even be rendered unrecoverable in extreme circumstances, and you would have to do a full re-installation of your Windows operating system.

Sometimes computer applications do not uninstall correctly, and this will residual "junk" files in your computer registry...this in-turn will increase your registry size. When the registry grows very large, your PC performance will almost always decrease and cause your system to become unstable.

Some experienced users will actually spend hours going through the Windows registry and editing it manually. This is a very time consuming and "risky" task for even the most experienced computer users...as deleting one wrong registry entry can damage your operating system and endanger your valuable data!

You should always backup your registry before ever making any modifications. This enables you to go back to the previously working state before any problems may have occurred when making registry changes.

Even restoring specific parts of the registry can be a difficult and time consuming task.

RegCure Registry cleaner, provides you with many safeguards and features that will assure you that your registry has been safely backed up and any modified files can easily be restored to your system registry.

RegCure will allow you to remove the registry items that are not needed and unused, thus increasing the performance speed and efficiency of your computer (sometimes dramatically)!

Web design and development tips to maximize your site part 1

Web design is a very important part of operating your online business. Since there is not an actual store for people to walk into, the set up of your website will determine if they stay long enough to make a purchase or if they will got to another website. With so much competition in the e-commerce world, the consumer has the upper hand.

Getting people to your website is the easy part. Making it attracting and easy to navigate is much harder. The connection speed for your website will make or break the deal. Most internet users are not very patient when it comes to waiting for pages to open. On average you have six seconds before they decide to go somewhere else. If cool graphics on your website take time to open, you are better off without them.

The website should be appealing, but not overwhelming. The layout should have tabs to make the website easy to navigate. Some good tabs to include are products, shopping cart, about the company, contact information, and frequently asked questions. You can design your tabs to fit the product or service you are offering.

Customers generally don’t make a purchase on their first visit to a website. They often like to think about it as well as do some comparing. Offering a wish list is a great way for a consumer to save what they want to come back to finish the purchase at a later time. Sending an email to the customer at that time thanking them for coming to your website is a great way to keep your product fresh in their mind.

The checkout process needs to be very simple as well. Consumers don’t want to have to click many places to make a purchase. At the most it should involve three clicks. Set it up so that many payment options are possible to meet the needs of various consumers. It is good customer service to provide a confirmation number so that the consumer knows their purchase has been made.

Niche browser review

Jason Moffatt's new Niche Browser program is an absolutely amazing program. There are so many ways for you to find niche markets with the program that it would be almost impossible for you not to make money with it. Not only will it help you discover markets but you can also find things to give away as bonuses such as audio content, articles, videos, and more - this feature alone is worth having the program for me.

Here is a list of some of the things that you can do with Niche Browser:

1. Generalized Keyword Search and Query Tools – This part of the program contains a textbox called "Main Search Text Box" where most of your searches and queries begin. Entering your keyword(s) into this box and clicking the Search button will bring up Google Search Results in the main browser window.

2. Categorized Keyword Search – Here you will find a plethora of search tools. The features included for searching are web search, news, audio, video, entertainment, shopping, and RSS & Blog search engines.

3. Main Browser Window – This is just the main browser window where everything happens. Just like a normal browser with forward, back, refresh, and stop buttons.

4. Side Panel – For each type of search there is a category to help you narrow down what you are looking for.

5. Related Searches – This area contains shortcuts to various tools, such as Overture and Google Sets. This helps you discover more topics and keywords related to your current niche market.

6. URL Tools – These are site-related tools that give you information on the current page or entire domain.

Now, I do not think that Jason Moffatt's Niche Browser will make-or-break your internet marketing ventures, but I do know that it will save you a heck of a lot of time. The time I use to spend finding audio, video, and article content for autoresponders or blogs has been more than cut in half.

The great portable storage dilemma for pc

In ancient times, a few megabytes were considered to be a considerable amount of storage. Transferring data between computers meant carrying around big, goofy floppy disks that weren’t very reliable compared to today’s storage standards. Next the 1.44 megabyte diskettes became the norm for portable storage, their hard plastic casing mocking the bendable floppy’s soft and dainty exterior.

Time marches on. Programs and files begin to demand more storage real estate. Burning CD’s get you a nice 650-700 megabytes of space, but CDR burning is cumbersome; it’s not like saving or manipulating files on a hard drive, as the flexibility just isn’t there, and it’s certainly not as fast.

Today we have USB hard drives and flash memory-based thumb drives. These portable drives pack gigs upon gigs of space and can fit comfortably in your pocket or on a key chain. IT department types have even been spotted wearing their USB storage devices around their necks as an elite badge of some sort; portable storage has never looked this good. Visit waterwheel. com to learn more about PC hardware.

USB Thumb Drives

USB thumb drives are an amazing piece of hardware. Shuttling large files to and fro has never been easier. USB ports are like Starbucks; they’re everywhere, and as long as your computer has one, you can interface it with a USB thumb drive.

One of the cool things about a thumb drive is its durability. They’re like a little army tank for your data. Your computer’s internal hard drive is one of the last components that has actual moving parts—the read/write head; giving your hard drive a good clout when the read/write head is in operation isn’t recommended if you care about your data’s integrity. Thumb drives don’t have this problem, as they use solid-state technology to store your precious data—no moving parts. This amounts to a durable little storage device that can take a trashing and still keep your treasured mp3s safe from demise.

For a large amount of storage on an itty bitty thumb drive, Kanguru offers a 16 GB flash drive for around $800.

USB Hard Drives

USB Hard Drives are a popular choice when you need portable storage. Like thumb drives, USB hard drives can be easily plugged into a USB port. USB hard drives differ from their thumb rivals in a few ways: they don’t employ the same sold-state technology as flash drives—which means you can treat them with utter disrespect like you would a flash drive—and they are a little too large to fit comfortably on a keychain.

A major plus with USB hard drives is that they provide a significant capacity advantage over thumb drives, and for less money; this is a compelling reason to opt for a USB hard drive if your storage capacity needs are massive.

Thumb drives appear to be faster than USB hard drives up to a certain capacity. When a thumb drive’s capacity grows over the 2 GB mark, USB hard drives pull ahead in sheer file transfer speed.

When drive capacity is paramount, USB hard drives may be the perfect solution, but when you want to transfer data on the ring of your keychain, a flash memory-based thumb drive is a great choice.

Enjoy the technology of a voip usb phone

The advent of the Internet made communicating with the rest of the world extremely easy. Instead of having to pay through the nose for a long distance phone call that lasts five minutes, an individual could simply type out an email message and send it to his or her friend’s inbox in an instant. However, that technology has now gone one step further. You can now make actual voice calls over the Internet using a VOIP USB phone or headset. VOIP stands for Voice Over Internet Protocol and is one of the newer mediums of communication that involves opening a connection and dialling another VOIP user in order to have a conversation. It has revolutionized the way in which we communicate today and has made life easier for many businesses.

In terms of being able to make VOIP calls, you only need four pieces of equipment to get starter – a computer, VOIP software, the capability to connect to the Internet and a USB headset or phone. The latter is very important if you want to be able to talk to people on the other end! The majority of new computer operating systems have the ability to accept USB connectivity, thus making the USB device the device of choice.

A USB handset seems to be the choice of many a user for a number of reasons, including the following:

• They are relatively cheap – USB headsets and VOIP headsets can be relatively expensive when it comes to purchasing a way and means of talking over the Internet. They are extremely fashionable and extremely desirable for business owners because they promote efficiency. As a result, USB phones happen to be a lot cheaper. They can be purchased for next to nothing in various stores. They do not have the operating system attached to the phone like a landline does, and that is what pushes up the overall cost. A USB phone therefore is less in terms of cost but you can get just as much out of it!

• Tried and tested method of calling – Everyone knows how to use a phone. It is not difficult because the mechanism on every single phone is roughly the same. Sure, they have different features and can take a little figuring out as a result, but they are all basically the same. This makes the transition that little bit easier.

• Ease of connection and use – With a VOIP phone, you just plug it in to the computer’s USB drive, place the appropriate installation disk into the disk drive, follow the instructions and away you go! It really is that simple. If problems do occur, they can usually be solved b reading the troubleshooting section of the manual.

• Personal comfort – The majority of people prefer to have a phone than a headset at their disposal. As we actively rebel against change, the phone is the best VOIP option because it will make the process of Internet calling much simpler an easier to get used to as a result of the familiarity.

VOIP is definitely the new trend in terms of easy communication and the VOIP USB phone definitely has its advantages and benefits, but how do you decide between those available for purchase on the market? If USB phones are associated with all of the benefits above then surely the brand and model you choose cannot make that much difference to you calling experience? Believe it or not, they can!

There are a number of things that separate the individual USB phones from each other and make it that little bit easier to choose between them, including:

• The features – As with every technological innovation, some phones are better than others in terms of features. Some have the same functionality and capabilities as more advances telephones in that they have inbuilt volume controls, mute functionality, address book and so on. However, the majority of them do not have features quite this advanced yet and are simple to operate. Your choice would depend on how comfortable you are using a more complex USB phone. Consumer reviews may help you to decide what you do need and what you do not need, as well as how much you are willing to give up in terms of convenience and ease of use for features.

• The system requirements – Some USB phones have certain system requirements. The general rule is that older systems cannot sustain the new phone systems, but newer computer packages should give you access to the whole range.

• Visual appeal – Of course, the visual appeal of a VOIP phone always plays a part! If you like the look of a phone then you will be more likely to use it! As a race, humans are shallow so of course this will affect your choice.

• Pricing – Some USB phones are much more expensive than others. This may play a part in your decision if you happen to be on a tight budget. Always compare pricing before you choose your phone because the difference between the cheapest and the most expensive is vast!

Deciding on a VOIP USB phone may not be easy but making the right decision can make the difference between enjoying the experience and truly hating it. Of course, this could then be the difference between using VOIP and returning to your regular landline connection!

How to stop spyware

This is an additional method that should be used in conjunction with an anti-spyware product.

How can this method prevent spyware from "calling home" with your personal information? It works by letting Windows filter the IP addresses that you place in the hosts file.

What is the host file and how does it work?

The host file resides in the Windows folder on your hard drive and it loads into system memory each time the computer is turned on. For each IP address that is placed in the hosts file, it is cross-referenced with a saved domain name.

Siince the Internet only understands numeric IP addesses, this cross-referencing with domain names is required. These translations between IP addresses and domain names reside on various Domain Name Servers (DNS) that are distributed around the Internet.

IP addresses are in the form of a block of numbers arranged in quartets as in the following example: 125.0.48.220.

They way it works is, as you enter a domain name (URL) in your browser, the first thing that happens is that your computer will check for any IP addresses that are in your hosts file. If it finds the relevant domain name, it will not bother searching the external DNS servers on the Internet.

Before there was the current high-speed connections that we use everyday to connect to the Internet with, it was quicker to find an IP address that was stored on the local computer.

Once you activate a link that is associated with Spyware, by clicking on it, or sometimes just moving the mouse over it, the Spyware in most cases attempts to "call home" back to its server somewhere on the Internet. It can then create an ad server, scrape your personal data and send it back to its server.

Since we now have faster Internet connections, the need for hosts files have just about been eliminated.

Whenever you run into a malicious domain, just add it to your hosts file, and instead of cross-referencing it to a valid IP address, translate it to a fake IP address that connects to a void inside your computer. Then the Spyware thinks it is calling home to its servers, however the call goes nowhere.

The hosts file has entries in it with the following format:

#hosts file from windows directory

127.0.0.1 localhost

123.45.67.89 testsite1.com

51.126.0.189 testsite2.com

The # sign indicates comment lines that the computer will ignore.

In using the hosts file as a Spyware or adware blocker, you will always see the localhost setting in the first line of the file.

Notice that these IP addresses are all the same: 127.0.0.1 - this points only to your own local computer.

You will also see the all of the other IP entries will have the same address as the localhost, as in the following example:

# host file from windows directory

127.0.0.1 localhost

127.0.0.1 testsite1.com

127.0.0.1 testsite2.com

When an infected webpage tries to connect your computer to testsite1.com, the browser looks up the IP address for testsite1.com, and in this situation will find it in the hosts file. Since the IP address translates to 127.0.0.1, the call cannot go out back to its server out on the Internet.

This works simply because the domain is stored on the local computer in the hosts file and Windows will not try to resolve it on the external DNS servers.

Using this methodology will also reduce the time is takes to access normal web pages since it does not have to wait for all of the ads and images to download.

This should not be used as the only solution for Spyware. It should only be used with another proven Spyware product.

The steps with this procedure are not straight-forward as one might think. You have to:

a) detect each bit of Spyware

b) look up the domain name

c) modify the hosts file for each event

It is a constant struggle because not only are companies who produce Spyware and spam are always adding new domain names.

You should not be discouraged however, since you can download very detailed hosts files from the Internet that do not have any costs associated with them. You can visit specific sites that offer this service and download their files. Just remember to constantly check and download the latest updates to these files.

You can also let an anti-spyware program do it for you, such as SpyBot. It will automatically include these problem sites in your hosts file.

For more information on hosts files, simply search on the term in Google

Need to install a modem follow these procedures

When you want to access the Internet, you want to have the fastest Modem connection possible. And the dialup modem will do if you want just email basic surfing.

The faster cable or dsl are a must have for such internet downloads of large files, super faster web page access, and viewing videos online.

Installing your new modem, whether its dialup, dsl, or cable, it can be a breeze when you both make the installation an education experience as well as having fun in the process.

For this to happen, you must be prepared with the right equipment. High speed modems will need an ethernet card in most cases, for example.

Let's take a deep down look at what it will take to get a new Internal or External modem up and running in your computer.

While we're at it, we will see what it takes to install a cable or dsl modem as well. These modems are always external but will need a couple for parts in order to get that fast internet speed.

Connecting Modems To The Computer

When installing your Modem, first right down the serial number for use should you need to contact technical support.

External modems are connected to the computer with the RS232 cable. This cable is connected to the rear of the system at the serial port and the modem itself. Some modems will have this cable as a part of the modem.

Internal modems are inserted in an expansion slot on the motherboard, unless its integrated with the motherboard.

Provide power to the external modem with the use of the adapter that with the modem. Internal modems get their power from the expansion slot right on the motherboard.

After the modem has been installed, both the external and internal modem must be connected to the analog phone line. Plug one end of the phone cord to the jack labeled Line on the modem and the other into the phone jack. You can then connect your telephone to the phone jack on the modem.

Installing Moem Software

Now you can replace the system unit cover if you are installing an internal modem. And after all peripherals are re-connected to the computer, boot the computer.

With external modems, simply turn the computer and modem on. See if the power indicator is on.

If you have Windows 98 installed, insert the floppy disk or cdrom containing the device driver into the appropriate drive when the "add new hardware" screen appears. Follow the instructions on the disk to install the device driver.

Be sure to read the modem install manual carefully to be sure all installation procedures were followed. Click on finish once Windows find and install the device driver. Users of Windows XP have an updated list of device drivers which may be present. Its best to use the disk when installing the software.

Testing YOUR NEW MODEM

The device driver allow your modem to talk to your computer. To see if the modem is working, click on Start, Settings, Control Panel, and click the Modems icon.

Read the description of the modem to be sure it is the one you have.

Windows XP users should click on Start, Control Panel, and click the Phone and Modems icon. Then click Modem, Properties, and Diagnostics. Run a Query Modem check to verify your modem is up and running.

Installing The Cable Or DSL Modem

Cable Modems are external and are connected to the computer by a Cat5 Cable. This cables looks like a regular modem data cable but is larger.

One end of the Cat5 Cable is inserted into the rear of the cable modem while the other end is inserted into a Network Interface Card.

This NIC card must be installed in an empty adapter slot in the system unit and transfer data between the computer and modem.

With the Cat5 cable connecting the modem and PC together, you must provide the Internet signal to the modem by connecting a coaxial cable to the modem.

This cable provides high speed internet access and may use the same connection as your television. One end of the coaxial cable connects to the modem and the other is connected the cable TV connector.

If the connection is being used by the TV, a cable adapter will split the signals and you can use one connector for both your TV and the Internet.

DSL Modems also use the NIC card and Cat5 cable. Some DSL modem require device drivers and either a cdrom or diskette should come with the modem.

Once you connect to the Internet with a cable or dsl modem, you'll most likely never go back to the slower dialup version.

On the other hand, you just may want to keep your dialup modem once you realize just how much more you're going to invest when it comes to broadband Internet.

Since the choice is yours, learn all you can about all modems, how they work, and how they connect to the world wide web. Your internet experience will grow by leaps and bounds if you do.