The Death Of The Wrist Watch

Writen by Lance Winslow

Fewer and fewer people are wearing wristwatches these days, but why? Well it is simple really because all the PDAs, iPods, Cell Phones and electronic gadgets like GPS, Digital Cameras and laptops all have clock features in them already and therefore a time peace is no longer needed. Why wear something on your wrist that tells time when you already know what time it is when you use one of your electronic devices, turn on your car or go into a building or even cook something in your microwave?

What does this all mean? Well it has some people scared. Who you ask? Well the Swiss People for one or anyone else who makes watches for the wrist, as they simply are no longer needed and the trend naked wrists is growing and that means change in future purchases and signals a change in consumer buying behavior.

The possible future revival of the wristwatch could an all in one combination like Bill Gates demonstrated at the CES and Comdex. A wristwatch, which was also a PDA, Cell Phone with video and music, as well as a GPS and a full enabled email and wireless web device? All on the wrist, could this be something that you might buy? Some personal tech people believe it is and it might all becoming sooner than you think. So, consider all this in 2006.

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

Security For Your Computer

Writen by Jordi Shoman

With the uncertainty that exists in the World Wide Web at the present time, every computer must have some security device in place. Viruses and other such software can be detrimental to the life of your computer and can be contracted from virtually anywhere on the Internet. Since these elements are very difficult to immunize once they have infiltrated the surface of your hard drive, it is imperative that they be stopped before they have the chance to do so. Hence having security devices and software in place on your computer is a must, as it can easily detect threats allow you to deal with any problems that may arise with relative ease.

Of particular threat to your computer is spyware. It is basically like a virus in that is spreads throughout your computer however, spyware, as its name suggests, invades the privacy of the personal computer. Thus, the purchase antispyware software is essential in securing your computer from potential threats. Some operating systems are actually equipped with a security center built-in already. This means that when you purchase the computer and operating system software you already have the services of the security center at your disposal. Such services commonly include the ability of an administrator to monitor activity throughout the system as well as potentially block hazardous material on the internet from being viewed by other users, the ability to manage automatic updates and what's more the ability to enquire about the status of antivirus software.

Many of these pre-installed security mechanisms also come equipped with a firewall. A firewall is essentially a , which protects against incoming threats whether they are in the form of infections or hijackers. Without the aid of a firewall an automated hijacker could hack into your system in a matter of minutes while you are connected to the Internet, completely unaware of what is happening to your computer.

Interested in Computer Security? Do you have articles to distribute about Computer Security? We provide in depth Free Computer Security resources. Free article distribution service

2 Pc Annoyances And How To Solve Them

Writen by Jim Edwards

I have a love-hate relationship with my computer.

In fact, often I love to hate my computer!

It will do things I know even the great Mr. Gates didn't intend, and it usually does them at the least convenient time (like when I'm on a deadline or in a hurry).

Rather than the usual whining and doing nothing about it, I've decided to share a couple of things that previously annoyed the heck out of me and the solutions I found to help you avoid these same problems.

*Disappearing Internet Explorer Status Bar*

The status bar at the bottom of the Internet Explorer web browser serves many purposes.

It allows you to hold your mouse over a link to see where the link will take you.

It enables you to see a page's loading progress as you wait for it to download.

Most importantly, the status bar allows you to see the little gold "lock" symbol that lets you know you've made a connection to a secure server (very important to know before you input credit card data).

For some inexplicable reason, from time to time, this status bar disappears from my browser.

Also, the toolbars at the top tend to move periodically and mess up my "system" for surfing the Internet.

Now, it's not the end of the world, but it really ticks me off when things change and I didn't change them! If this ever happens to you, here's how to literally "lock" the toolbars and status bar in place so they don't disappear or move again.

First, close all your Internet Explorer web browser windows except for one. If the status bar doesn't already appear in the window, go to "View" and then click "status bar."

Also, make sure you have all the toolbars arranged the way you want them.

Next, place your mouse over a blank spot on one of the tool bars at the top of the Internet Explorer browser window.

Right-mouse-click and a menu will appear where you should check the option "Lock the Toolbars."

Then, while holding down the key, click the "X" in the upper right corner of the window to close it. This will set your selection.

If you ever need to change your toolbars in the future, simply right-mouse-click on the toolbar and uncheck the "Lock the Toolbars" option, make the changes, and then re- lock the toolbars to keep them from moving or disappearing.

*Missing File Extensions*

One of the biggest pains in the neck involves opening Windows Explorer, viewing a list of files, and not being able to see the file extension (.doc, .txt, .html, etc.) for each file.

For some reason, Windows considers this classified information!

To make the file extensions show up, click "Start" then "Control Panel." Double-click "Folder Options" then click the "View" tab. Scroll down the list and uncheck the box that says "Hide extensions for known file types."

You will now see the file extensions any time you open up Windows Explorer.

(c) Jim Edwards - All Rights reserved
http://www.thenetreporter.com

Jim Edwards, a.k.a. TheNetReporter.com, is a syndicated newspaper columnist, nationally recognized speaker, author, and web developer. Owner of nine (9) successful e-businesses as well as a professional consulting firm, Jim's writing comes straight off the front lines of the Internet and e-commerce.

Simple "Traffic Machine" brings Thousands of NEW visitors to your website for weeks, even months... without spending a dime on advertising! ==> "Turn Words Into Traffic"

Cartoon Calendars

Writen by Richard Romando

Cartoon calendars are available in various designs, styles, sizes, and shapes. They can have romance, humor, scenery or sports as a theme. Some calendars include comics. Some other calendars have cartoons relating to animals, birds and political leaders. There are calendars created using cartoon artrwork, and others come with original hand drawn work by cartoonists. Calendars can have funny or humorous wording along with the images. They come with different titles, such as Crazy Frog, Highlander and Brittany.

Cartoon calendars can be custom made with images specified by customers. These images can be printed on heavy duty cards or paper. Big companies create cartoon calendars to poke fun at the company and company personnel. They try to match the company?s products and promote business at the same time. They are meant to inform their customers about the services and products theat they provide, while adding a sense of humor at the same time.

One of the easiest and convenient ways to buy cartoon calendars is online. Through online sites, you can select calendars in a wide variety of styles and designs. If the calendar of your choice is not currently available, you can enquire with the store thru e-mail or thru the other options provided in the site. Most online stores have facilities to ship calendars directly to individuals as specified by the customer. Cartoon calendars can be bought from various cartoon gift shop as wells, and many renowned cartoonists also sell calendars directly to customers. Some of these artists include Peter Wingfield, Jim Byrnes, Adrian Paul, Michael Shanks and designs by Startoon Cartoons and Jack/Daniel Cartoon cartoons.

Calendars provides detailed information on Calendars, Free Calendars, Printable Calendars, Custom Calendars and more. Calendars is affiliated with Atomic Alarm Clocks.

Comparing Camcorder Specifications

Writen by Mike Jerry

Comparing camcorder specifications before you make a purchase is a good idea. With a little time investment you can make sure that you make a good money investment. For example there are many hi definition camcorders available, but not all of them are created equal. The same goes for analog camcorders, hi-Res camcorders, digital video cameras, and handy cams. You cannot just assume that all hi def camcorders will provide the same quality picture.

Comparing specifications of each camera will insure that you get the best quality camera for your money. You also need to keep in mind which specifications are most important to you. This will all depend on what you intend on using your camera for.

One specification you may want to look at is the zoom. Make sure you look at the digital and optical zoom. The amount of zoom a camera has can vary greatly. If you are just going to be using your camera for recording special occasions and family events you will probably not need a camera with a huge zoom. Many times you will be close enough that you do not need to use all the zoom that the camera is capable of. If you are more of a professional you may need a camera that is a little more sophisticated.

Size of the camera is another concern for some people. Size used to reflect the quality of the picture that was recorded, but not anymore. Thanks to companies like Sony, Panasonic, and Canon, to name a few, size does not affect quality. Mini cameras can now take just as high-quality pictures as the bigger ones. Once again what you will be using your camera for will help you determine how much size will affect your decision.

Another specification that you might want to look at is what you will be recording on. You can now buy HD camcorders, and digital camcorders that record on tapes, or DVD's, or right onto a hard drive. If you are recording onto a hard drive you will want to know how much memory you have available. You can get many hours of recording on a hard drive. With a hard drive you don't have to worry about carrying extra tapes around with you. You also don't have to worry about running out of tape in the middle of your special occasion. Your hard drive will insure that you get the whole event on one tape without interruptions.

Battery life is another specification that may be important. Some batteries will record more hours than others. If you plan on needing your camera for long periods of time you will want to make sure you have a battery with a long life. The fewer times you have to change the battery or the tape the easier your recording will be.

There are many specifications for you to compare when purchasing your camcorder. Make sure you do a little research so that you know what you are looking at when you get to the store.

High definition camcorder shopping can make your head swim. Too many models, brands and options to keep track of! Come visit us for loads of information and tips to help you sort through it all: http://www.highdefinitioncamcorderguide.com/

Surfboard Lighting Concept

Writen by Lance Winslow

There is just not enough time during the day to surf. Many times the best surf is at night, how often do you challenge a sunset to catch that last wave? Well thin you are a surf-aholic and as you have seen out there you are not alone. There is some new killer technology on the horizon for the dedicated surfer.

Recently we have seen WiFi surf boards so you can do your email between sets. This works pretty good and I was jazzed when I first heard of it. Surfing while surfing makes a lot of sense. Still waiting on the mail order as this article is finished, but here is some more information on that.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/3812357.stm

If your ocean becomes your office and your surfboard becomes your desk, what if you decide to work late or early? Well this is why I am going to figure out how to run my surfboard laptop, WiFi and headlight on electromagnetic energy? As you know batteries and water do not mix all that well. You say headlight; on a surfboard; come again? Yes, that is what I said; now then I have tried this already via a battery-less flashlight and duct tape.

The waves provide a good amount of movement. Which is need to power up the new electromagnetic induction technology flashlights, which charge a capacitor instead of the 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://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 get a really smart Surfboard making entrepreneur with some balls to put on of these flashlights inside the surfboard rather than having to duct tape it on top. We can test it for them and get some free surfboards. I propose that the front of the surfboard have an automotive style headlight lens with the LED light inside. Think on this now, surf on it later.

Lance Winslow

The Ten Most Common Mistakes When Buying An Mp3 Player And How To Avoid Them

Writen by Hans Dekker

One of the most common reactions after buying a new MP3 player is "GEE! My player doesn't have X!" Substitute "X" for FM radio, microphone, or enough memory and you get an idea of some of the options which are available on MP3 players. Everybody has different requirements for an MP3 player, so avoid the first common mistake --

1. Not considering how the MP3 player will be used.

Sure, everybody (or almost everybody) wants a portable player to listen to music. Every MP3 player does that! What else do you need it for? Do you need a microphone for recording lectures or business meetings? Do you need an FM radio for keeping up-to-date on the weather reports or traffic conditions?

2. Not getting enough memory.

You can pick up an MP3 player for less than $50. What a bargain! The trouble is, you don't get very much memory for $50, and if you have a sizable music collection you will need to transfer music to the player almost every day.

3. Not getting a powerful battery.

Check out the battery life when you buy a new player. Flash based devices should last for more than 20 hours on a single charge, and hard drive based players should run for at least 15 hours. This is enough power to keep you in music for several days before recharging.

4. The player doesn't handle "X" format.

What kind of files can be played? If you have a sizeable MP3 collection and discover that your new player only plays WMA files you will have to convert all your music to that format.

5. The sound is not great.

Some players have less-than-ideal sound for music. Look for a signal to noise ratio of at least 90dB.

6. Low (or high) bitrates are not supported.

If you want to use the player to record voice, look for a player that supports a range of bitrates. Voice recordings do not need a high bitrate and lower bitrates will give you more storage capacity.

7. There isn't an equalizer.

If you wish to customize the sound of your music you need to have an equalizer which allows you to adjust individual sound spectrums.

8. Not getting a line input.

If you wish to record sources like cassette decks or TV shows you should get a player that allows you to connect these devices with a line input.

9. Not getting a big enough display screen.

Some players come with tiny or non-existent screens. It's hard to see what song is being played or to change the settings.

10. Not being firmware upgradeable.

MP3 players are driven by software and this software can have bugs – especially if the player was rushed to market. There should be a way to upgrade the player's operating system.

Hans is an audio enthusiast and author of the Audio How To Section of the http://www.selected-audio-reviews.com

Can Movie Theatres Compete With Home Hd Tv In The Future

Writen by Lance Winslow

The battle is heating up for market share, home movie theatre, X-Box, Playstations and virtual reality take on the big screen and theme parks. You might be surprised to learn that the war is just beginning. You won't believe how high the stakes are now and what lengths they are willing to go to get your dollar.

With High Definition TV on large screen plasma TV it will be so real, you will literally feel as if you are there. As price comes down due to overseas manufacturing and supply and demand, we will see more and more families charging the remaining balance on their credit cards for these systems, they will connect them to DVDs and it will literally be like virtual reality in your own living room. Recently video gaming companies took a stock price hit waiting for the hardware such as the X-Box II and newest Playstation to catch up enabling them to run the latest versions of the most popular games.

As these technologies continue to enter our home as we know they will, is there still going to be a place in our lives for our present day big screen Movie Theatres with $12.00 per person costs with the inclusion the impulse purchase of soda and popcorn value pack? The movie theatres will have to come up with a greater and greater entertainment value to get people to continue to patronize them and that is exactly what is on the minds of the boardmembers of Hollywoods biggest studios.

Sure people will be more than interested in a Friday or Saturday evening at the Movies, but what about during the week competing against the comforts of our own homes, coupled with the price of gasoline to drive there and the inflation Greenspan has warned us of? Will movie theatres need to upgrade to 3D movies or IMAX type movies? Will they have to for survival? After all movie theatres are a business, buildings and property are expensive and ROI is the goal and it must be achieved. We have seen in the last two decades the closing of thousands and thousands family and locally owned theatres for the larger Multiplex Corporate theatres.

One way for movie go'ers to feel a greater entertainment value and enhanced experience is in the adding of brain wave enhancement. That's right and the plans on the table now are absolutely cutting edge technologies. For instance brain wave manipulation inside the theatre for the viewers will send out frequency impulses of Delta, Alpha, Beta, and Theta Brain wave frequency. In large multiplex Theatres certain rooms will contain such a system, which would have sound devices in the walls, which were broadcasts into the theatre. Imagine a seen where the actors were tired after fighting a storm all night in a boat. You would feel tired, then as a big wave crashed over the bow, you would feel anxiety. In a love seen you would feel very peaceful and content, even somewhat aroused? Imagine the enhanced experience you would feel? The studios are and they are betting on it.

Since the technology is now available it could be deployed anytime now. Of course for scary movies where your heart would race wildly out of control, perhaps grandma might not wish to attend. Movies would have to be not only labeled; "G", "PG-13", "R" there might also be intensity ratings on 1-5. Meaning you would have to sign a waiver to see the movie and also submit that you are in good physical shape similar to that form they have when you enter a 10K running race.

Even as the movie industry plots the future successes and legal ramifications and potential lawsuits of these technologies, the home entertainment living room virtual reality will surely follow along with the holographic projections and surround a sound ambience.

The entertainment industry is about ready to face off as this technology is deployed. Which one will you choose?

Lance Winslow

How The Heck Do Cds Actually Work

Writen by Adam Platzer

Most of us use CDs and DVDs almost every day, yet few people have any idea at all how they work. To make matters worse even less is known about the difference between a CD-ROM and CD-R. Understanding how different types of media work, what they cost and the advantages of each can be very valuable when deciding how to proceed with your next project. Asking for only what you're familiar with may be comfortable, but isn't necessarily the best use of the technology or your budget.

First we will explain the difference between a CD-ROM and a CD-R. CD-ROMs are manufactured through the process of injection molding to form data with a plastic polycarbonate and is referred to as replication. CD Replication is more economical to use on larger run jobs above 500 pieces. CD-Rs are made by using a laser to burn marks in a special dye on a recordable disc and is referred to as duplication. The laser changes the form of the dye, encoding the information into it. CD Duplication is typically used on smaller job below 500 pieces.

Now we will get into how both forms of media actually work. What must first be known is that all CDs store information on them in a digital format, meaning data is read off the media as ones and zeros. On a CD-ROM there are millions of "lands" and "pits" representing the data that span in a spiral path starting from the center going out. Because the spiral starts in the center, CDs can be made into smaller versions like business cards and mini rounds. It is best to imagine this as a road with hills and valleys. The valleys are the pits and the hills are the lands. When the CD laser passes over a land (hill), the red light reflects back to a sensor and is interpreted as a one. If the laser passes over a pit (valley), the laser reflects away from the sensor representing a zero. The incredibly small dimensions of the lands and pits make the spiral track on a CD extremely long. If you could lift the data track off a CD and stretch it out into a straight line, it would be 0.5 microns wide and almost 3.5 miles (5 km) long.

CD-Rs do not have lands and pits like a ROM, but have a reflective metal layer that is on top of a special dye. When there is no information on the disc, this dye allows light to shine through and reflect back off the metal. But when heated, this dye layer becomes dark and does not allow a reflection. So when a CD is burned it is actually burning this dye layer in the form of ones and zeros, putting the data on the disc. When the disc is playing and the red laser is able to shine through reflect back, it is interpreted as a one. If the red laser is unable to reflect back due to a darkened area, it is interpreted as a zero. So even though a CD-R does not have "lands" and "pits" it still performs like a regular disc because of the special dye layer.

DVD-ROMs and DVD-Rs function similarly to their CD cousins, but DVDs get more complicated in that they can have multiple layers as well as data on both sides of the disc.

For more information on how CDs and DVDs work go to:

http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/cd.htm
http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/dvd.htm

Article by:
Adam Platzer
Spinergy
CD Replication, CD Duplication, DVD Replication, DVD Duplication, CD Screen
Printing
Phone: 800-333-1428
http://www.spinergymedia.com
adam.platzer@spinergymedia.com

How To Reduce Computer Problems

Writen by Uthkusa Gamanayake

How can I prevent Computer problems? This is a question that people have asked me many times. The entire process of reducing Computer problems can be bundled under the banner of Computer Preventive Maintenance.

It is not rocket science and you don't have to be an IT professional to keep your PC in a good shape. Any computer user can follow guidelines I have mentioned below and can reduce their PC problems dramatically.

Use this article as a computer maintenance tutorial.

So what you should do as part of preventive maintenance?

1. Use a good anti virus program. This is the most important piece of work in preventive maintenance. Installing the anti virus program is not good enough. You should do following as well.

- Set-up the program to download and install updates automatically.

- Schedule periodic full system scans.

- Check the virus definitions date regularly and see whether it is up to date.

2. Set-up your PC to Download and install "Windows Updates" automatically.

Windows updates include Operating System patches for bugs and PC security related issues. These patches can reduce many unknown computer problems.

3. Install anti Spyware program to detect Spyware tools.

4. Install a Personal Firewall. Most of the anti virus programs are bundled with a Personal Firewalls these days. Personal firewall is a barrier between your PC and the outside world. This can prevent your PC from hackers and Spyware tools.

5. Do not download and install unknown software from Internet. This is the biggest mistake most of the PC users are doing. Some of this software can damage the Windows registry, which cause lot of errors.

6. Uninstall unnecessary programs installed in your PC.

7. Be very careful when you download music from the Internet. Always stick to one trustworthy web site.

8. Perform Scandisk periodically to check the Hard Drive.

9. Delete temporary Internet files.

Readers can find detailed information FREE on Computer maintenance and troubleshooting at http://www.preventiveguru.com

Most of above tasks can be done while you are reading this article. So what are you waiting for? Start now.

The author is the Webmaster of http://www.preventiveguru.com who has over 12 years of experience in computer maintenance and eBusiness solutions. This web site contains Free DIY information on Computer troubleshooting, maintenance and ebusiness solutions. A self-help guide for non technical PC users. Anybody can use this article for commercial or non-commercial purposes as long as the content of the article is not amended and keep a hyperlink to http://www.preventiveguru.com

Psp Umd Movies Not Worth Your Money

Writen by Nash Burns

The Sony PSP utilizes the so called UMD disc for gaming and for watching movies. UMD stands for Universal Media Disc that is the media format for PSP (apart from its memory stick). A PSP UMD Movie will typically set you back between $18 to $30 USD which is quite hefty especially for student and teenagers. Nowadays, the demography of people using PSP includes young professional where money is not so much an issue. But for teenager, it is a big deal to fork out $30 for a movie you only watch once in a while.

The UMD is similar in construction to your typical Compact Disc (CD) with the difference in the size of the disc. The maximum data that a UMD can hold is 1.8GB which is more than enough to hold a whole movie at a lower resolution than your typical DVD. Due to the capacity of the disc, bonus feature that you can get from normal DVD are sometime remove and like the normal DVD, it is prone to scratches.

The sale of PSP UMD Movies has also started to dwindle mainly due to lack of interest from customers. Big names movie companies such as Paramount, Warner and Sony Picture are cutting back releases due to lack of sales. Things are not looking so hot for PSP UMD Movies. Some of the contributions to this lack of sales are due to the price of the UMD Movies. Frankly speaking, they are highly overpriced and sometimes more expensive than DVD.

If you are like me, you would start looking for alternatives. All of us (well, most of us anyway) love to watch movies on our PSP but with the high UMD movies pricing and the limited number of movies available, the future of watching movie on our PSP is started to look bleak. Or is it?

If you like to watch movies on your PSP there are two alternatives. 1) You buy an original DVD and you ripped the DVD into your computer and download it into your memory stick 2) You become a member of PSP downloading site and download directly from that site.

DVD ripping software is provided by Sony. It enables you to extract DVD movies into your PC (or Mac) into a much more compact format. Of course you would loose a small bit of quality but since your PSP screen is small, there are no noticeable difference. The drawback to either of the method is that you would require significant amount of memory in your memory stick (at least 512MB)

The second method is by joining the numerous PSP download site available in the internet nowadays. Finding a download site is the easy part. Finding a good site is the tricky bit. The good thing about downloading from these membership site is that you don't have to do any DVD ripping which is in itself can be time consuming at the very best and downright frustrating if you don't get it right. You just download and watch the movies. The only thing that will cost you is the lifetime membership charges. Look at it this way, by the time you download a full movie, you'll already cover the membership charges and you can download unlimited number of files and have access to games cheat, review and get free PSP tools too. You can always store your movie files on your PC and download the movie onto your memory stick if you want to watch them

The PSP UMD movies are fast becoming scarce but they are still there in the market. However, things are not looking so bright for them. PSP download sites offers a great alternative for PSP movie lovers but the drawback is the amount memory you would require if you want to watch more than one movie at a time. In the end it always comes to what your needs or wants are.

Learn how you can get unlimited MP3, Games & Movies within the next 5 minutes.Visit the PSP Download Center Review for free review of PSP Download Center site

Atomic Clock Times

Writen by Richard Romando

Time measured by rotation of Earth is not uniform when compared with time kept by atomic clocks. It was not always so, and atomic clocks underwent changes before giving us accurate time. The first atomic clock, built at the U.S. National Bureau of Standards in 1949, was a maser with attached equipment. It was followed by advanced atomic clocks that provide high accuracy by allowing for microwave interrogation of atoms isolated from each other and from any exterior disturbance.

Atomic clocks are used as time standards for counting the passing seconds. In 1884, the Greenwich Mean Time or GMT was established as first global time scale and UTC, its atomic equivalent, was established as the official time for the world in January, 1972. The International Bureau of Weights and Measures, or BIPM, is the official keeper of atomic time for the world. In the U.S., the National Institute of Standards and Technology's NIST-F1 is an example of accuracy with neither gaining nor loosing a second. Atomic clock time is important for global positioning of satellites, various missiles, rocket programs, aviation programs, navy, power distribution, mobile and landline telephone systems, the Internet, GPS, and digital television. The movement of the earth causes random fluctuations in length of days and years, and the atomic clock has been able to manage the anomalies of time differences. A recent example is the leap second added due to slowing of the earth's rotation on December 31, 2005.

The unique measurement capability and success of atomic clocks is such that time and frequency have far higher accuracy than any other physical quantity. NASA uses atomic clocks to provide reliable and consistent navigation for interplanetary space travel, where fractional disparities in clock tick rates can dramatically affect the navigation of spacecraft. Similarly, computers are coordinated with atomic clock time and sitting anywhere in the U.S., we can have access to precise minutes and seconds.

Atomic Clocks provides detailed information on Atomic Clocks, Atomic Clock Times, Atomic Alarm Clocks, Atomic Wall Clocks and more. Atomic Clocks is affiliated with Printable Calendars.

5 Steps To Remove Spyware For Free

Writen by Ron Isaiah

Have you ever tried to remove Spyware off your PC only to find out it never left or it came back? Tired of all those annoying Popups, Viruses, and Ads on your system day in and day out? Well, listen closely because the day has come to remove Spyware programs and Viruses - forever!

I will give you some very useful tricks and tips to remove Spyware and Viruses for good! Follow closely:

Steps to Remove Spyware, Viruses, and Adware

1. There are many types of software available today that claim to remove spyware off our system, but which one REALLY does the job? What you need is software that not only will remove spyware, but TOTALLY removes it for good and keeps it off. After searching for the best of the best, here is THE BEST: Panda Online Scan. Why? It does not constantly run on your system, slowing it down and using bunches of memory! In other words, it runs from Panda on the web, then searches your whole system, will remove spyware and other bugs, then gives detailed info on the bug and tells you how to keep it off your system! Here is the address to get started:

http://www.stopspywareforfree.com/scan.html

It only installs a few plug-ins to run on your system, and no full installation!

2. Check your system services and systray items! The biggest mistake people make is never checking what programs are running in the background or memory of the system. A key step to remove spyware from your system is knowing this. Without knowing these things, you probably have bugs running on your system, and never know it! Why? They like to hide! Download and install a program called HIJACK THIS. It tells you exactly what is running and what is not running so you know exactly what might be hiding behind closed doors! Here is the address for this:

http://www.stopspywareforfree.com/hijackthis.html

3. Shutdown the SYSTEM RESTORE! (Windows XP)

Spyware and Viruses attach themselves to your system's restore files. This is an easy way for them to hide, even after you reinstall Windows! Right click on 'MY COMPUTER', then click on 'Properties'. Look for a tab on top called 'System Restore', and click there. Check the box that says 'Turn off system restore on all drives'. Click 'APPLY', then 'OK'. That's it!

4. Use an Anonymous IP address when surfing the web!

This is a huge step in keeping bugs off your system forever! Bugs get onto your system and retrieve info about you by capturing your IP address. Your IP address tells everyone who you are, where you're located, your system info, what kind of Windows you use, your browser, etc. An anonymous IP hides your IP by using an Anonymous address and makes you invisible to everyone, including Spyware and Ads! Here is an address to a good proxy list:

http://www.stopspywareforfree.com/proxylist.html

Please follow these instructions carefully for Microsoft Internet Explorer:

a) Scroll down on the page from the above link. On the list, look at the numbers listed under IP:Port Host name. Make sure the uptime on the right is at least 97 to 99 %.

b) Go to the Control Panel in Windows.

c) Open up ' Internet Options'.

d) Click on the 'Connections' tab on top.

e) Click on 'LAN Settings'.

f) Put a check-mark where it says PROXY SERVER.

g) In the Address box, copy and paste the IP address listed on the proxy list (for example: 148.244.150.58 - These are the numbers shown BEFORE the ':' (semi-colon).

h) Copy and paste the port number into the PORT box (for example: '80' - the number immediately after the semi-colon).

i) Click OK, and OK again to close, and close everything.

j) Go ahead and open up your browser and try surfing the internet to test.

Thats it! You are now surfing invisibly!

For the Firefox browser:

a) Open up the browser and go to 'TOOLS' then 'OPTIONS'.

b) Go to 'GENERAL' on the left, then click the 'Connection Settings' button below.

c) Choose 'Manual' proxy config from the choices.

d) Check the 'use the same proxy' checkbox.

e) In the 'HTTP Proxy' box, copy and paste the anonymous IP, and the PORT number in the PORT box (remove the zero first).

f) Click OK, then OK again to close.

g) Now test your browser by surfing the web.

You are now invisible.

**note - if your browsing gets super slow or has a problem, look for another IP and Port number on the list and try again. Most of the time the proxies from Mexico work best. Happy surfing! The free proxy list can be found here:

http://www.stopspywareforfree.com/proxylist.html

5. Download and install the new FIREFOX browser!

Please get rid of Microsoft Internet Explorer on your system! It is like a pipe that feeds Spyware, Ads and Viruses onto your system. There are just too many holes there letting everything in. Mozilla is a fairly new company that introduced a new breed of browser that blocks popups, and tries hard to keep these bugs off your system. It has very few or even NO holes or pipes to let the bugs in! Many people use it for this very reason, and it has a great look, better speed, and lets you change the theme of it! Awesome! Here is the address:

http://www.stopspywareforfree.com/firefox.html

Well that about sums up how to remove spyware in 5 steps. Follow them CLOSELY and you will see how great it is to surf virus free Forever! Guaranteed!

For more tips, tricks, and secrets on protecting your PC and making it run faster and without problems, sign up on our mailing list at: remove spyware

Digital Camera Storage Media

Writen by Charlie Vuong

When someone buys a new digital camera for recreational purposes, they rarely look at the type of storage media the camera supports. How important is the storage media, exactly? Well, it's where your pictures are stored, so it must be pretty important! Someone doesn't want to be in a another country before they figure out the camera blinks "Memory Low" in red. A new digital camera usually comes with a means of storage, but the storage media is, most of the time, not sufficient enough to hold the slighest amount of pictures. The average stock digital camera may come with 16MB, 32MB, and maybe even 64MB worth of memory media. A memory card with at least 512MB-1GB storage is highly recommended to replace the stock memory card the camera packaging includes. The most common types of digital camera storage media are CompactFlash, Secure Digital, xD Picture, Memory Stick, MicroDrive, and SmartMedia.

Most of the current digital cameras use CompactFlash cards. The two types of CF cards are Type I and Type II(slightly thicker). The Type II CompactFlash card is also known as MicroDrive, which will be discussed further down this storage media list. SanDisk describes their CF cards as "size of a matchbook and only weighs half an ounce". There is a controller card that allows for faster transfers. These cards are the most popular because of the decent price and the support throughout many digital cameras.

Secure Digital Cards are the smallest digital camera media cards in the storage media market. The cards can store up to 4GB of memory as of now, but new technology will soon increase the max size to 8GB. A high level of protection is guaranteed against illegal copying. This means that Secure Digital Cards offer more data security.

xD Picture Cards can be used in CompactFlash supported cameras with a CompactFlash adapter. The maximum capacity of xD Picture Cards is a gigabyte of space. The cards offer fast read and write capabilities for digital cameras.

Memory Sticks were created by Sony for their Cybershot line of digital cameras. They aren't supported by brands of digital cameras other than Sony which decreases their digital camera's support of Memory Sticks severely. Many of Sony's other products, besides digital cameras, support Memory Sticks. The Playstation Portable(PSP) uses Sony's Memory Sticks as well as Sony's Vaio line.

MicroDrives are the hard drives inside of Type II CompactFlash Cards. They have better value and are better priced than flash memory, but flash memory has more space and storage. You may have heard that hard drive MP3 players fail over time due to their moving parts. The same concept can be applied to these cards because they have moving parts as well. This is why you may have heard that MicroDrives are unreliable and low in quality. Many of them would break due to the mishandling of the card.

SmartMedia cards are being replaced by the new flash card technology. The cards are still available, but the modern digital cameras usually don't support this type of storage media anymore. The card is cheaper than all the other types of storage media mentioned above.

Storage Media for digital cameras is constantly evolving and improving in quality and capacity. Years ago, the maximum storage capacity for an average memory card was 128MB or 256MB at max. They cost way too much, probably 300% more than they cost right now. The prices of digital camera storage media gets lower every year as the technology gets better. The types of storage media provides diversity and choice for the average consumer with a digital camera.

Charlie Vuong is the webmaster of DealOverflow, http://www.dealoverflow.com/ which is a site that offers deals on technology. Features computer deals, pda deals, laptop deals, digital camera deals, and coupons.

What Is Ftp And How It Works

Writen by Vladimir Ghetau

FTP is a method to manage files over the Internet or a network: meet the File Transfer Protocol!

People are generally using the FTP for transfering the files uploaded on their web hosting server. We already talking about files... trasfer, and most important... protocols.

A protocol is a method which informs your computer about the connection to a server or client (in a nut shell, tells the browser how to get the file, how to read the informations about it, etc).

The FTP is a common process used in file trasfers from one computer to another: one computer is the server and the other one is being called - the client (because it connects to the server).

A server is uploading when sending files, and the client is downloading them. These are commonly used terms and I believe you have heard about them before.

To access a FTP server you need an internet or network connection, a FTP address, a username and a password.

The FTP address of the server is the main thing you must know before accessing a server. Here is an example: a friend of mine put some files on his computer and gave me the adress which looks like this: ftp.myfriendsdomain.com

To access this address, i can use my browser (e.g. Firefox, Internet Explorer, etc), or a FTP Client (a software for connecting to FTP servers).

It's possible the server to be password protected, or I will connect anonymously using my email address as a password.

Connecting anonymously?

That's right! If the server is granting acess to everybody, you will connect anonymously - using anonymous word as username and your email address as password. But this happens only when you are allowed to connect anonymously.

In many cases privacy is king. For this reason, the anonymous connection mode is disabled. You will need a username and password to establish a connection to that server. The method is used for protecting different areas on the server.

Clients and browsers?

There is a big difference from connecting to a FTP server using a browser or a client. In most cases the browser will allow to connect and download files from a server.

On the other hand, if you are using a FTP client you can: download, upload, delete files, etc.

FTP vs. HTTP

Accessing a server using the HTTP (Hyper Text Trasfer Protocol) is commonly used for websites. If you will access cnn.com with your browser, you got yourself a quick HTTP connection.

Let me show you two major differences between FTP and HTTP:

1) When connecting to a FTP server you are using a FILE server (that means you can't see anything but files there), but if you connect to a HTTP server you access a WEB server, which means you can load web pages into a browser.

2) Using a FTP connection you can download and upload files to the server, but when you use the HTTP connection you can only download content from the Internet for viewing, is a "read only" method.

Another thing you can do with the FTP method is to change mode of the files. Why? Because you might use certain files that need different permissions.

For example I have a small web application which stores your name and email address inside a file on the server. If that file is write protected, I can't store any information. I need to change it's writing permission. This step is also called chmod-ing a file.

What is CHMOD?

The chmod command is used to change permissions of a file using the File Trasfer Protocol.

After you've uploaded something on a server you might want to set up the file permissions. For example: the owner can change the file's content, but any visitor comming here can only read it.

This is done using 3 simple commands: write, read, execute.

Every command can be assigned (in the same time or dispersed) for owner, groups and anyone else.

Sometimes the chmod commands are hard to use and understand, but now it's easier, thanks to the three digit numbers!

Here are the most used commands for chmod-ing a file:

- CHMOD 644 The file can be read by: owner, groups and everyone else, but can't be changed, or executed but other people excepting the owner.
- CHMOD 700 The file can be read, written and excuted by the owner (user). The groups and everyone else can't read, write or execute it.
- CHMOD 755 The owner, the group and everyone else can read and execute the file, but only the owner can write it. (this is a very common option for chmoding a file because allows the execution of a file - it's valuable for web applications).
- CHMOD 777 Full access to everyone for reading, executing or writing the data.

Fact: FTP is used mostly for uploading files to a web hosting server! Webmasters are using this procedure to put websites online for their visitors.

Free FTP Clients (some of them are free only for personal use):

* http://www.ipswitch.com/ - WS_FTP
* http://www.primasoft.com/ftp.htm - AutoFTP
* http://www.ftpx.com/ - FTP Explorer
* http://www.corbanware.com/ftpworks.html - FTP Works

Best Regards!
Vladimir Ghetau

About the author: Vladimir Ghetau is specialized in professional Web Designing. He wrote the book "How To Advertise Your Business Like A PRO" which helps improving your web site traffic up to 378%. You can see work results on his web design and development website http://www.PixelTomorrow.com/

Virus Or Spyware Whats The Difference

Writen by Dave Fraser

This month's article is one of the things I still find comes up as a frequent question, "what's the difference between Viruses and Spyware"? so I will try and answer that here.

One of the biggest slowdowns of a PC is caused by viruses, adware or spyware as it's often called. Before you can benefit from any other optimisation tips or improvements you really need a system relatively free from those pests.

A virus is a piece of malicious software code written to cause some kind of damage to a computer system or network or even the Internet itself. Viruses spread, similar to their biological namesake, from one machine to another and can spread havoc wherever they go. They are most commonly spread by sharing files with others or through email attachments where they can be set up to send themselves to all the addresses in your email address book.

Adware is usually dowloaded and installed along with some other program without your knowledge and unlike a virus doesn't spread by itself. Very often you click "OK" without reading the terms and conditions and by doing so you agree to have the files installed. An example is, you see a "free" program on offer that you think might be useful and download it without thinking. Even some anti-spyware programs install adware and the website earns money from the ads that are clicked on.

The catch is that the extra files introduced are used to determine things like your surfing habits and the data is used to serve up popup ads or redirect your browser to a page other than the one you wanted. Some of the programs can be used to install keyloggers which can send back information about passwords and bank details etc. Adware is not a security problem it is more an annoyance especially when you have ten different programs trying show ads. The amount of computer resources it uses up slows your system to a crawl.

Spyware is more malicious and evil intentioned and is designed to steal something from you. It can be downloaded by visiting the wrong types of websites or on the back of other files the same way as adware. Spyware can often be hard to remove as it can continually recreate itself and hide somewhere on your hard drive.

Programs such as trojans can be downloaded without you knowing about it and then used by hackers to gain access to your computer at a later date. The name comes from the story of the Trojan horse where the Greeks hid inside the wooden horse left as a peace offering and were wheeled in to the fort by the Trojans themselves. Then at night the Greeks crept out of the horse and opened the gates to let the enemy in. Trojans and adware unlike viruses don't spread themselves.

It is wise to run more than one spyware checker as no one system gets rid of them all. You can never be certain you have every one removed because new ones may not have been discovered and the Spyware program doesn't recognise it yet. I use the two free ones "Spybot - Search and Destroy" and "Adaware 6.0" both easily found on google and I also use this one available at

http://www.pcsandthings.com/c-spy.htm

which comes from a reputable company that specialises in removing spyware.

Sometimes people say to me "doesn't my anti-virus software remove spyware"? Well the answer is most don't and even if it does I always find a specialist product works best. Beware also of bogus spyware scanners available on-line which actually install their own spyware once they have removed their competitors. Sometimes you run a free scan and it finds all sorts of nasties but you will have to sign up and pay to remove them. I have even seen it that they find things that don't exist or try to frighten people into believing they have lots of spyware when all they have are advertising cookies.

Cookies are small text files that websites leave on your system so that when you return they can customise the page that loads or they can count you as a returning visitor. They are harmless and most of them are useful. They can be easily removed by deleting them in your browser settings.

So you need to be running a suitable and up to date antivirus program and one or more Spyware checkers.

Make your computing experience a bit less stressful and help speed up your computer at http://www.pcsandthings.com

What You Should Really Know About The Sony Mp3 Players

Writen by Peter Lenkefi

The Sony NW-HD5 20GB hard drive audio player is a solid competitor: It certainly has a leg up on its wheel-sporting white rival in the battery life department, and it has a couple of navigation features that should make Apple take note.

Sony has been struggling to keep pace with Apple's hugely successful iPod and iTunes, but it's been a losing battle.It lacks extras like an FM tuner or recording, but so does the iPod, and the lack of frills makes it very simple to use.

But despite the player's ease of use, very good sound quality, and (finally) native MP3 support, Sony's MP3 player is still held back by the required software and overzealous DRM.

The stylish-looking anodized-aluminum NW-HD5, available in red, silver, or black, measures 2.4 by 3.5 by 0.6 inches and weighs 4.8 ounces—significantly smaller and lighter than the fourth-generation 20GB iPod. It has a very simple button layout on the front, below the 1.7-inch monochrome LCD, and a hold switch on top next to the headphone jack. The removable lithium ion rechargeable battery is rated for 30 hours of continuous MP3 audio playback at 128 Kbps (or 40 hours for Sony's proprietary ATRAC3/ATRAC3plus formats).

When tested with a real-world mix of MP3 files encoded at 128 Kbps to 320 Kbps, the battery was found to last for nearly 24.5 hours—roughly twice the iPod's battery life. It also has adjustable screen orientation and shock protection, which senses when the player is dropped and releases the recording head to protect the hard disk.

The menus look very low-budget, but they are quite easy to navigate. Initials Search lets you jump to songs that begin with a specific letter—a handy feature that other vendors should consider implementing.

You can create standard playlists—Sony calls them Bookmarks—directly on the player, but they can't be edited in the bundled SonicStage software. Likewise, playlists created in SonicStage cannot be edited on the player. And the Bookmarks have nothing to do with audiobooks, which aren't supported. The NW-HD5's biggest drawbacks are the Windows-only SonicStage software and the strict DRM. You can transfer tracks to the player only via SonicStage, much like with Apple's iPod and iTunes combination. The installation is a fairly long process and requires a restart, and the software isn't nearly as polished as iTunes. But you also have to "authorize" the player via the Internet, which involves creating a Sony Connect account, letting you use the player with up to five computers—otherwise, the player is tied to a single computer. SonicStage supports unprotected WMA files, but when transferred the same to the NW-HD5, they were automatically transcoded to Sony's proprietary ATRAC3 format. For online music services, you're limited to the mediocre Sony Connect. Sony has taken a big step forward with native MP3 support, and the player looks and sounds very good. Its ease of use rivals even that of the iPod. But we feel that the software and DRM present too many difficulties, and Sony still needs to figure out a better strategy to protect its vast catalog of music copyrights. If you can live with the NW-HD5's DRM and software limitations, you'll find the player itself provides a very good combination of ease of use, sound quality, and battery life for the price.

For more more information about mp3 players please visit http://www.i-pod-mp3-player.com

404 Page Not Found A Marketing Secret

Writen by Andrei Smith

Here's a cheap magic trick for you - I bet you I can guess the answer you will give to the following question:

What do you usually do when you click on a link or button and get the classic "404 File Not Found" page?

1. You click on the "Back" button of your browser (with disgust) and go somewhere else?

2. You look at the address field and erase the text right until the next "slash" and try again?

3. You look at the address field and try the domain name, hoping to get to a home page and navigate your way to the right place?

4. You try to figure out if something is misspelled or if the link is just broken and try to type what you think to be the correct address?

5. You call Mel, your tech support guy and yell "my internet is not working again"?

6. You immediately find the contact information for the webmaster of the site and inform them of the situation?

7. You hack into the server hosting the site and fix the broken link yourself, leaving a "Ralph was here" message?

Let me guess, if you are like most "normal" citizens, always rushing somewhere, with a cup of bad tasting and very hot cofee in one hand and nervously moving the mouse with the other hand, annoyed that you threw away that mouse pad and now your "optical" mouse is all jittery - then.... the answer is no. 1.

You will simply click back and try another place. In fact, the vast majority of people will not even think about the fact that there just might be other alternatives.

Bottom line is - if you have a website and you care about attracting visitors, you must do something so that you do not lose that group of people who come to your site by following an old link or by typing your URL incorrectly.

For some starnge reason, it became embedded into our minds that the "404 File Not Found" page is the equivalent of rejection, dispair, negative energy, in other words, it's just bad karma. If you get a "404 File Not Found" you just have to turn around, run as fast as you can and never look back.

This is one of those ubiquitous anomalies that people stop questioning - but of course, that's how it is. I don't believe that. I thing everything can be changed, habits can be altered, ultimately it's all about perception, it's about that image that we create in our mind and store somewhere into a memory cell.

So what can be done to a "404 File Not Found"? Is this article actually going to talk about anything useful?

Well, since the perception we all have about the "404 File Not Found" is that all things are broken, and since we can't change the actual fact that browsers display that page when things are bad, then why not change the image of that page? Why not put a more humane face there?

Those error messages were designed many years ago to be simple, cryptical and easily interpreted by machines. Everything else evolved, except that.

Did you know that it is possible to add HTML to a 404 page? How about a nice message saying "sorry buddy, our link is probably bad but we're still here, the rest of our site is up, we want you, we'll help you get through this!!"

The subliminal message I'm trying to pass to you here is that there are so many simple yet not tapped into methods to run a successful online business, by simply making sure you are not losing your potential visitors.

So go ahead and change your error pages.

It is not possible to customize your 404 error page if your web host has not enabled this facility for your website. For example, at the time of this writing, if you host at Geocities or Tripod, you would not be able to customize your 404 Error Page.

Most reputable web hosts, however, will allow you to do so.

If your web host has this facility, you will usually find mention of this somewhere in their documentation. In fact, if they mention somewhere that you can customize a file named ".htaccess", it probably means that you can also customize your 404 File Not Found error page. Some hosts will offer the feature through their "Control Panel", some will let you paste HTML code, etc.

Bottom line, just remember this very simple, common sense technique:

A custom 404 error page is really important to the success of your web site. Customize your site's error messages and you will keep your visitors.

For your reference, here are the most used error codes and their meaning:

400 - This will be reached when the user enters a url that refers to a page that does not exist on your site.

401 - This will be reached when the user has failed to authenticate their self properly when trying to access a restricted page.

403 - This will be reached when access is forbidden to the page the user to trying to access.

404 - This will be reached when a user misspells a url to a page they are trying to access. It is important to be helpful with your 404 error page or the user may decide to leave your site.

500 - This will be reached when the page cannot be displayed. This can occur when a script fails to run, or under other circumstances. You should have the user contact the site administrator when this page is shown.

---
Andrei co-owns Bsleek - a company that specializes in web design, hosting, promotional items, printing, tradeshow displays, logos, CD presentations, SEO and more. Andrei has amassed an extensive technical knowledge and experience through his career as the CIO for a major travel management company and through his past careers in military research, data acquisition and airspace engineering. He also consults for Trinity Investigations, a New York based PI firm.

---
Bsleek - Redefining cheap web hosting

The Xbox 360 A Parental Guide To This Game Console

Writen by Simon Goodman

Xbox 360 is the next generation of the Microsoft Xbox. The Xbox 360 can easily be compared to a computer designed for gamming. Most of the games available work on most of the newer Microsoft platforms, (windows).

XBOX 360

There are two versions of the Xbox 360, the "Xbox 360" and the "Xbox 360 Core System".

The most important difference between the two is the detachable 20 Gb hard drive. This makes the use of previous Xbox games possible.
As well as to play original Xbox game, the Xbox 360 enable you to play online.
The new Xbox 360 offers very attractive incentives for game developers to release new titles.

Technical background

The Xbox 360 can easily be compared to a media computer. The graphic card is a powerful ATI 500 MHz chip with 10MB of memory built on the chip.

The CPU itself, (actually 3 processors), is a 3.2GHz liquid cooled IBM using 512MB of memory, (shared between the graphics and the CPU).

The more expensive Xbox 360 has a removable 20GB hard drive and both system use a 12x DVD-ROM unit. Up to four controllers can be connected to the machine, all wirelessly, and there are three standard USB 2.0 port too.

As a rule of thumb, what ever you can plug in your Windows XP machine USB port can be plugged into the Xbox 360. That includes MP3 players, (like the iPod), digital cameras and so on.
This makes the Xbox 360 a very powerful tool to add.

How many games are really available?

The Xbox 360 was launched late 2005, (Xbox was discontinued in august that year), and there are well over 200 games available from the previous version.
As mentioned above only the version with the detachable hard-drive allows you to use the previous games created for Xbox.
Otherwise the current Xbox 360 only has about 15 games solely developed for the Xbox 360. But with the Microsoft muscle behind it, game developers are likely to rapidly develop new games for it.

Get a more detailed info on the Xbox 360.

Ever wanted to learn more about your computer? http://www.myoddpc.com gives you information from the history of computer to what computer memory to get. Computer software as well as everything you need to know about computer hardware. All in simple terms for the non-technical amongst us.

Learning To Navigate Ciscos Online Documentation

Writen by Chris Bryant

When studying for your Cisco CCNA, CCNP, or CCIE exam, you've got a powerful online weapon at your disposal. It's Cisco Connection Documentation, found at www.cisco.com/univercd. This site contains product, code, and protocol documentation for all Cisco products.

Many exam candidates really don't start using this powerful tool until they're studying for their more advanced exams. However, it's important for CCNAs, CCNPs, and candidates for these certifications to learn their way around this site. It comes in handy for finding default values that Cisco really enjoys asking about on exams, and the protocol documentation found there can help you study as well.

The site can be a little overwhelming for newcomers, but it's actually easy to navigate. On the site's homepage, you're presented with a list of products and several drop-down menus. To get started, I suggest you choose Cisco IOS Software in the top-right drop-down menu, and select a code version. 12.2 is a good one to start with. From there, select the IOS Release 12.2 Configuration Guide and Command References.

You're then presented with a list of technologies, and each has a Configuration Guide and a Command Reference. If you're studying Interior Gateway Protocols at this point (such as OSPF, RIP, and EIGRP), select -IP Configuration Guide and then -IP Routing Protocols-.

You then have the official Cisco documentation on how to configure RIP, IGRP, OSPF, EIGRP, ISIS, and BGP. Reading this documentation is invaluable. Many study guides skip the details to give you an overview of the protocol. This documentation doesn't skip anything. The documentation shows how and when to use any command for that protocol. There are also real-world examples and notes on when to use each command. I've always learned something new when reading the online Cisco documentation.

You can then back out and go through the same steps for the Command Reference. For those studying for Cisco exams, this section will quickly answer any question you have about a command's syntax or default values. Instead of trying to remember which book you saw a value in, just zoom out to this site and you'll have your answer in seconds. Real-world examples of command usage are prevalent as well.

As with anything, the more you use the online Cisco documentation, the better you get at it. The Configuration Guide for the various Cisco switches give you a great picture of how switches work. I highly recommend reading at least one of their switches' config guides.

Beyond any exam value the online Cisco documentation gives you, it serves another valuable purpose. The more you use it now, and the more comfortable you get with it, the better you'll be with it when the day comes that you need it on the job. And trust me - that day will come!

Chris Bryant, CCIE #12933, is the owner of The Bryant Advantage, home of free CCNA and CCNP 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", visit the website and download your free copies. You can also get FREE CCNA and CCNP exam questions every day! Pass the CCNA exam with The Bryant Advantage!

Safe Computers For Teens Linux Might Be The Answer

Writen by Aaron Davis

Recently my daughter's old Pentium III Compaq laptop completely died. This happened near Christmas so her gift list was an easy one. The problem was that I did not want to spend a lot of money. The other problem was that I hated her having a computer.

I hated it because I constantly had to work on it. She used the computer for homework, instant messaging, and browsing. Every couple of months, I found myself removing spyware and other junk from the computer. Occasionally it was easier just to re-build the computer by re-installing ALL the software, including the operating system. I track her internet usage through my router so I know that she has not been to "questionable" sites but these things continue to work their way into her computer.

I decided to consider something that I had never before considered. LINUX! I picked up another Pentium III (this one was a bit more powerful than her old laptop) desktop for under $100.00. I added some old memory that I had sitting on a shelf. I downloaded SUSE Linux and went to work.

I was pleasantly surprised at how easy the installation was! There was very little interaction and my choices were very simple. In about 30 minutes, I had a working computer connected to the internet.

There are a few things with which I was very pleased. It was running very well with the old hardware. If I had used Windows XP I would have been forced to get a newer computer and spend hundreds of dollars. The operating system came with a browser (Firefox) and complete office software (OpenOffice – which is compatible with Microsoft Office products). There was also a very nice instant messaging tool that allows her to use many different IM clients in one piece of software. It had CD ripping and burning software as well as several audio programs. On top of that, the operating system and all the software were FREE!

Now I know most of the people reading this are thinking, "Ok, we have another anti Microsoft guy here". That is absolutely not true. I am a Windows and web developer by trade and use Microsoft products exclusively (except for using Firefox as a browser when testing). I am a huge believer in the products that Microsoft produces simply because they work and in most cases work VERY well together.

The best thing about this change of operating system is that my daughter's computer is now free of spyware and is not targeted by most viruses. The fact is that most viruses and spyware target Microsoft Windows only. Now I can rest easy knowing that I won't be rebuilding a computer every few months.

Aaron Davis is a freelance web/application developer. He has been a web/application developer for more than 12 years. His specialty is .NET development with C# and SQL Server.

http://www.davis-webs.com

Ipod Nano Good Things Do Come In Small Packages

Writen by Lance Winslow

Have you seen the new ultra slim iPod Nano; this little cool gadget is a must have and it is not much bigger than a couple of business cards set end to end. When we all saw the first ads on the Intenet for the Innovative and High Tech iPod Nano on the various high tech gadget website, it was hard to believe, some thought is was not real at all, how could it be, where was the battery, where was the hard drive; how could this little contraption have that many songs? It seems now that most editors and personal tech writers are giving the iPod Nano the first prize for the 2005 greatest and most innovative gadgets.

The iPod Nano comes with two different options; the 2 GB version which holds about 500 songs and the 4 GB, which can hold about 1,000 songs. Of course it is not cheap, but some say it is less expensive than they thought it would be starting at $199.00 and the prices go up from there. How thin is The iPod Nano? Well it is about a thin as a number 2 pencil and as powerful as floor size juke box and then some.

It is three and a half inches by an inch and a half and weighs less than 2 ounces. The LCD screen is cool too, as it is very bright and about one and a half inches. Twelve solid hours of play for its battery life and it does have the new cool click wheel, which users love too, making it extremely easy to use. The iPod Nano has all the same ports and docking connectors like all the other iPods. And you know what? You need this in 2006.

Lance Winslow

How To Buy A Printer

Writen by Gregg Hall

A Lot of people tend to just go cheap when buying a printer, but in the long run it can end up costing you more. Even though Ink jet printers might be inexpensive up front the cost of replacement ink can drive up the overall cost over the time of ownership. You know what I am talking about, some times the ink is more than the printer was.

Check the prices of the ink cartridges of the printer you are considering and find out how many pages each cartridge will print. Once you figure out approximately how many pages you will print per month, you can determine the cost of the printer plus ink over the course of a year. Consider getting individual cartridges if you know you'll need one color more than others--for instance, if many of your documents have a red logo or if you print mainly black and white.

Manufacturers very often list faster print speed specifications on their packaging than we see when testing performance. A typical ink jet printer can produce two to four pages per minute of text and one full-page, 8.5-by-11-inch photo or graphic in two to three minutes.

Some color ink jets can print photos at a level that approaches the quality of a professional photofinisher. If you plan to use your printer primarily for photos or graphics, look for models that are built for that. If you plan to print mostly photos, look for photo printers with features such as a built-in PC Card slot, an LCD panel that allows you to view and print an image without using your PC, and bundled image-editing software.

If you print mainly text documents, consider buying an inexpensive black & white laser printer. These printers provide superior text quality compared with high-end ink jet printers. Some monochrome lasers cost as little as $200, making them a good deal for home users. If you need to print a lot of text and high-quality graphics, buying a good photo ink jet printer in addition to an inexpensive monochrome laser printer could save you money on ink and maintenance costs in the long run as opposed to buying an ink jet to do it all.

Many monochrome lasers come with optional ethernet ports for networks. If you plan to use the printer with one PC, don't pay the extra money for an ethernet card.

Color laser printer toner cartridges are the most expensive consumable you can buy for a printer, but their yield is so much higher than an ink jet cartridge that, in the long run, color laser toner is less expensive on a per page basis.

If you're not running a graphics department but still want to print color, you'll most likely choose an ink jet printer, which can create beautiful graphics at a tenth of the cost of a color laser. However, keep in mind that the inexpensive price of an ink jet is quickly surpassed by the cost of replacement ink.

Gregg Hall is a marketing consultant for many online businesses. See who he recommends for printer supplies

Windows Networking

Writen by Justin Oswald

Windows Networking at Home
You've set up a home network and all your computers share the same internet connection. That's great, but now lets get everything else sharing. Modern versions of Windows are shipped with an easy to setup and use method for sharing printers and files.

You may have experience with networks from school or the office. A network can make a big difference around the house, and can save you money on peripherals. For example, you no longer need to buy a printer for each PC in the house. They can all print to the same one. You can also share files and documents between computers. No more burning a file to CD when you want to move it around to other computers.

Prepare the Network
In preparation of setting up the rest of the network, I highly recommend that you choose unique and meaningful names for every computer on the network and put them all in the same workgroup. These simple steps will help you identify and find each computer on your network. Open up System in the Control Panel. Switch to the Computer Name tab. Your computer's name and workgroup are listed below. Click the Change… button to give it a new name. Give each computer a short unique name like "upstairs" or "den", and place them in same workgroup. The Windows default workgroup is HOME which is just fine. Put HOME in the Workgroup box and click OK. Repeat this for all the computers on your network.

Printer Sharing
Usually the most helpful and timesaving feature of a home network is the ability to share printers. This is pretty easy to setup, but unfortunately some printers simply won't work over a network. I've seen some Dell and some Hewlett Packard printers that for some reason or other could not be made to share. The majority of printers are happy to share over a network.

The first step is to install the printer correctly on the "server" PC. This computer has to be on to receive instructions from the other computers on the network in order to print. After printing a test page to ensure correct installation, open the Printers and Faxes section of the Control Panel. Right-click the printer you wish to share, and select the Sharing… option. Simply click the box next to Share this printer and type a name in for the printer. If your home network has computers using older versions of Windows click the Additional Drivers button. Put checks next to the versions you wish to enable. You may have to install additional drivers from the CD that came with your printer, or drivers may not be available for these older versions to use this printer. Click OK and the printer will be ready for sharing.

Now we need to get the other computers to use the shared printer. Get on a computer you wish to use the shared printer. We now need to connect to the other computer. There are several ways to do this, the easiest of which is to type the name of the sharing computer into Internet Explorer. Open IE and type the name of the computer preceded by two back slashes into the Address bar and hit enter. For example, enter "den" or "upstairs". You can also browse through My Network Places to find it. Open My Network Places then click View workgroup computers. Double click the computer sharing the printer. If you see a message saying you were unable to connect then you most likely have a firewall blocking your attempts. Disable any third party firewalls and try again.

Now right-click the printer and select Connect… A warning will appear, click Yes. At this point the drivers will be downloaded and installed. The printer is now installed on this PC. Close these windows and open the Printers and Faxes icon in the Control Panel. The printer should be listed there. You can make it your default printer by right-clicking and selecting Set as Default Printer. Print a test page. Repeat this for all the computers on your network.

File Sharing
Sharing files can also be quite helpful. Sometimes we need to have access to a document from anywhere in the house. Sharing a large file like a video over the network can save a lot of time and the effort of burning it to a CD. Some programs can even be run from another computer over the network.

Sharing a file is as simple as right-clicking the drive or folder in My Computer that you wish to share and selecting Sharing and Security… You can even share your entire hard drive by right-clicking your C drive. If this is your first shared folder or you are sharing a sensitive area you will be presented with a warning. Click when you are ready to continue. Then click the check box next to Share this folder on the network. Choose an appropriate name. The next check box decides if users will be able to change files in your shared folder. This has to be checked if you want users to be able to save files in this folder or edit files already listed. If this box is checked then anyone can delete the files in this folder as well. As an additional caution, if you have an unsecured wireless network anyone on the street can read your files and if this second box is checked, delete them all. If you are on a wireless network be sure you have tight security setup and don't share your most sensitive files.

For other users to access these files they will need to connect to the sharing PC the same way listed in the section on printers. Either type the name preceded by two back slashes, or browse My Network Places to the computer. The shared folder should appear under the name chosen during the sharing setup. To make this shared folder more accessible you can create a shortcut to the folder, or you can make a network drive. A shortcut can be created by simply right-clicking the shared folder and selecting Create Shortcut.

Network Drives
A network drive makes the shared folder available as though it was a hard rive installed on the local computer. Right-click the shared folder and select Map Network Drive… Choose a drive letter. The checkbox, Reconnect at logon, will make this drive permanent. Otherwise the drive will disappear when the computer is rebooted. Clicking Finish will complete the setup. You should now have a drive which can be accessed like any other, but which shows the files from a different computer.

This article is from http://www.home-help-desk.com where articles, howtos, and faqs are posted to assist the everyday PC user. Topics include spyware, security, hardware upgrades, tweaks, and general computer usage tips. All advice is given in a step-by-step manner so almost anyone can have their computer running in top form.

How To Choose Your Next Mp3 Player

Writen by T Potter

Did you get the MP3 players that you wanted for the holidays? Are you searching for a new model? There are hundreds of them on the market ranging from the highly loved IPods to the $20 discount department store models. Which do you choose and what will they offer you? With so many options out there, it is easy to see just what you need in a few tips. Here are some to help you to purchase the best MP3 players from now on.

• What storage do you need or want? The size of the memory on the MP3 player has a lot to do with how many songs you plan to download to it. The more memory, the more songs you'll have. You'll need to choose between the flash memory players (which are able to offer a few hours of music), expandable memory players (which you can add more memory to later on) and hard drive players (for a huge amount of file storage.)

• What features are a must have? For each person there is a different need in features. Some want all of them while others just want the basics. Some features to consider include color screens with image display so that you can view photos, video capability which allows you to see movies and TV shows on your MP3 players, sports features that will do such things as monitor your running, entertainment features that will let you play games on your player as well. Still others will remind you when you need to do things, allow you to tune into the radio and others will allow you to use voice recording features too.

• Now, let's look at accessories. There are many accessories you can pack onto your MP3 players. They can be such things as music services where you can purchase and download your songs from or cables that allow you to transfer files faster and easier. You can also check out headphones that are just the right fit. You can choose a radio transmitter which allows you to play your music through the radio in your car, cassette adapters, docks, stereo connector…there are many options to choose from.

So, now that you know what to look for in the MP3 players that you can purchase you'll just need to make up your mind. That may actually be the hard part.

This article was written by T.Potter. You can visit Cool MP3 Players for further information and MP3 player resources.

Save Hundreds On Your Next Dell Purchase Amazing Secrets Revealed

Writen by Michael Glozman

Getting ready to buy a Dell computer? Before you do so, you had better read the following tips, because they can save you big on your next computer purchase. Before you get started, I would like to give you some background on Dell and their marketing/pricing strategy. Dell Computers is the largest manufacturer and retailer of computers in the world. They have about a 15% market share of all computers sold in America. Because Dell only builds a computer when it is sold, it enables Dell to keep very low inventories, and therefore, a very low price. Moreover, you can only buy a Dell at Dell. They have no retail presence. No middlemen!

Dell utilizes many channels of advertising to get the word out about their low prices. You have probably seen their ads on TV or their full page print ads in the newspaper. You may have even received a Dell catalog if you have purchased from them before. What you probably haven't noticed is that the price of these seemingly equivalent systems vary greatly depending on where you saw the ad. This is the very first lesson on being "Dell smart." Dell is NOT transparent in their system pricing. This means, depending on where you learned about the computer deal can greatly impact the price you pay.

Okay, so if Dell does not consistently price computer system ads, where should you go to get the best deal? That's simple -- the internet. And by internet, I do not mean going straight to Dell.com! To become "Dell smart," you need to choose a Dell computer that is right for you, one that suits your needs. Computer shoppers often overspend on options they will never use. Go to your favorite search engine and look for a buying guide. After you narrow your search, go back to your search engine (I use Google) and enter "model name + review." Read a few independent reviews about the model you've selected and find out what other people are saying. What are the system's pros and cons?

Now that you know what you are looking for, let the real money saving begin! Go back to your favorite search engine and enter the words "Dell Coupon Codes." What you should get in return is a list of Dell affiliate web sites that supply FREE coupons from Dell. These coupons are not advertised, as Dell tries to keep these for the savviest shoppers. More often than not, Dell has a $750 off coupon that can be applied at checkout allowing you to save big! Sometimes, these coupons can even be stacked, meaning you can apply more than one coupon towards your purchase, or they can be used in combination with rebates or other instant savings. Check several coupon sites until you find a coupon that works for your model. Make sure you read the fine print, and verify that the coupon is not expired. Some coupon sites give step-by-step instructions on applying coupons so make sure to do your research!

Once you have found the relevant coupons for the system you want to buy, you are ready to go to Dell to make your purchase. Purchasing a computer from Dell requires that you go through several pages of options and add-ons. This is where buyers typically get bogged down as they are overwhelmed by a number of options and upgrades. Be sure to use the buying guides you came across to identify which features and upgrades are right for you. And be aware that you can often down-grade from many of the default Dell options. For example, Windows Media Center and Windows XP Pro are practically the same operating system. However, Dell sometimes defaults to XP Pro in their options which costs significantly more than Media Center. So, downgrade whenever it makes sense for you and your needs. Once you have gone through the pages of options, you will be at checkout. This is where you will apply your coupons, select the cheapest shipping and pay tax. If you followed these steps, you should be saving hundreds of dollars for the computing system that exactly meets your needs.

Let's recap:

1. Dell prices are not transparent, always search the internet.
2. Research the right model for YOUR needs. Use a buying guide.
3. Search for a review of the model you selected on a search engine. Use "model name" + "review"
4. Go back to your favorite search engine and enter "dell coupon codes." Find a good coupon site with current coupons and good instructions.
5. Go to Dell, select your model, and DOWNGRADE unnecessary options and add-ons.
6. Apply your coupon at checkout (stack whenever possible)!
7. Use the lowest priced shipping.

Pat yourself on the back, because you have now saved BIG!

Looking for Dell Coupons and Dell Coupon Codes? Visit Cheapstingybargains.com.

Pc Performance 5 Steps To Make Your Pc Perform Better

Writen by Aaron Davis

I can't begin to count the number of times that I have gone to my mother-in-law's house only to find myself cleaning up their PC. Every few months it's the same old thing. The pc is loaded with spyware and is running unbearably slow. Finally I decided to take it home and solve the problem for good. Here is what I did:

1. I purchased Registry Mechanic from PC Tools. I was able to download the application immediately after purchasing. I followed the VERY simple installation instructions.

2. I downloaded Ad-Aware SE Personal Edition (free) and installed it. Again, a very simple installation just following the instructions.

3. I purchased and downloaded McAfee's Internet Security Suite. I installed the entire suite accepting the defaults for everything. It was also a very simple installation when following the instructions.

4. I ran Ad Aware and Registry Mechanic making all recommended changes.

5. I ran Windows built-in defrag tool and restarted.

After performing these 5 simple steps it was like a new computer. There is one additional step that I performed to protect their PC. I created a new account giving it administrator access and then changed their existing account to have limited access. This will limit what can be installed on the PC. This might not be practical for some, that's up to you.

You can find the software listed above by just doing a Google search. Each site has very nice installation instructions and makes the online purchase very simple.

Aaron Davis is a freelance web/application developer. He has been a web/application developer for more than 12 years. His specialty is .NET development with C# and SQL Server.

http://www.davis-webs.com

Freezing Time To Warm Up Your Pc

Writen by Deborah Anderson

Freezing is also known as crashing or hanging. It's frustrating. The computer locks up and the mouse and keyboard do not respond. You may lose data and you certainly lose time and patience. Typically, you need to press Ctrl+Alt+Del to see the programs that are running and to try to close the program that is not responding, or you need to force a restart. So why does your computer freeze up?

Common causes of freezing:

• Low memory

• Low disk space

• Fragmented disk

• Too many programs open simultaneously

• Low CPU speed

• Corrupt files

• Software bugs

• Overheating - random lockups that start several minutes after you start up the PC are often the result of the processor cooling fan not working properly

• Some non-standard applications are suspect with freezing problems

• Memory chip problems

• Virus infection

Steps you can take to minimize freezing:

There are many things that you can do to help your computer do what you want without testing your patience...

• Do a disk cleanup (cache, temp files, old or unused files, recycle bin) .. click here for instructions.

• Do not run any more applications at one time than you need to.

• If the freezing happens consistently with one application, uninstall and reinstall it - files associated with the application may have become corrupted. Always use Control Panel/ Add Remove programs, or the uninstall program belonging to the program to uninstall a program.

• If the freezing has been occurring since you installed a new program, uninstall it.

• Uninstall any programs that you may have downloaded and installed in the past, but no longer use.

• Get the latest Windows update at http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com

• Get any available patches for your software - go to the manufacturer's websites to check for patches or updates to your programs.

• Free up resources - click on Run and type "msconfig" in the dialog box. Next, click on the "Startup" tab. All the programs listed here with check marks are running in the system memory. To free resources Windows 98 users may uncheck everything except "System Tray" . Windows ME users can uncheck everything except ScanRegistry, PCHealth, *StateMgr and System Tray. Leave your anti-virus software in the startup as well. You must restart the computer for these changes to take effect.

• Run ScanDisk (or Check Disk in Windows XP)

• Defragment your disk. Click here for instructions.

• If you have an older computer and are trying to run multiple applications, you may need to upgrade your computer... check the system specifications recommended for the applications you are running to see if your system is capable of doing what you are asking.

• Obtain the latest drivers for your hardware - go to the web sites of the hardware manufacturers and get the latest drivers for your video card, sound card etc

• Redetect your devices - remove the components from the Control Panel, System, Device Management screen. Reboot the system and let Windows redetect and add only those devices which are actually on your system.

• Make sure that you have anti-virus software installed. Set it to automatically update virus definitions, to scan all incoming files, and to do a full system check at regular intervals.

Disk Cleanup :

For Windows 98 & 2000

You have probably been downloading programs, creating and deleting files, and installing new software without thinking about the effect this has on your disk space. It's probably time to have a clean-up. Windows 98 and 2000 have a feature that cleans up your disks for you. It removes temporary files, the recycle bin and other files - giving you the option to delete or not to delete. It is simple to run.

Do this clean-up as follows:

Start: Programs: Accessories: System Tools: Disk Clean Up

When it opens up, select the C: Drive and start it. It will pop up and show you about four types of files, each with a check box. Check the boxes for files you would like deleted and proceed. It should run through pretty quickly and then you will have more space on your computer.

For Win 95

Windows Temporary Files

Firstly, get rid of your Windows Temporary files.

Go to Start> Find> Files & Folders. Then search for "*.tmp" (minus the quotes). The * allows you to look for any file that has a temporary file type. If you have done it right, only files that have a .tmp after them should appear in the search results. Now just click on the first one, hold shift, use the scroll bar to go all the way to the bottom, then click on the last one, and press delete.

Secondly, get rid of your Temporary Internet files

Go to the Temporary Internet Files folder in the Windows directory. It should be next to the Temp folder. There shouldn't be anything in here that can't be deleted, so you can go ahead and delete the files in this folder.

Thirdly, empty your recycle bin. Right click on the Recycle Bin icon, select Empty Recycle Bin. Many people have hundreds of files they "deleted" but they are still taking up space in the Recycle Bin.

Run the Disk Defragmenter

Editing and deleting files as you work leaves gaps on data storage media. Instead of each file being stored in one continuous block, it ends up in several locations, resulting in inefficient retrieval of your data. As you add more data to your hard drive, the gaps left by previous deletions are filled. Your file becomes split, or fragmented. This will slow down your system – when you try to retrieve a file, the process is slower than if it was stored in one block. To make your disk storage more efficient, a process called "defragmenting" is used.

Windows has a built in defragmenter, which is located at:

Start > Programs > Accessories > System Tools > Disk Defragmenter

It is a good idea to run this program once a month. When you run the defragmenter, close all programs including your screensaver. If programs are running it can cause data on your hard drive to be changed which makes the defragmenter start from the beginning... and never finish!

The more frequently you use defrag, the faster it will become.

About The Author

Deborah Anderson is a computer consultant who offers free email based computer troubleshooting through her website at http://www.it-solve.com. To benefit from information, advice and tips on using your computer, get a free subscription to SolveIT's newsletter today. To subscribe, send a blank email to subscribe@it-solve.com.

SolveIT - Solving Your Computer Problems

deborah@it-solve.com