How To Make Karaoke CDs

Karaoke is a growing past time and if you haven't tried it you really should. You'll quickly understand what the rage is! Why not begin by learning how to make your own karaoke CDs.

Most CD RW drives are not able to burn CD+G discs due to missing internal firmware. This firmware recognizes files that contain the graphic extensions of the Red Book. Some of the older CD RW drives that were able to write CD+G files are not compatible with the newer software so you might need to upgrade your drive.

Drives by Plextor are the only ones that seam to be working with the new burn software packages. Plextor drives support CD+G read write capabilities as well as the technology to prevent buffer overruns. They also have the capability of choosing optimum recording speed.

Not all discs are equal. Although Plextor drive can burn almost all brands but there are always a few brands that can give grief so test your discs. CDs used to burn Karaoke should be no more than 6x and 4x is actually best.

Now that we've got the hardware covered it's time to look at the software that's needed to make those karaoke CDs.

1. Video Karaoke Studio

It has all the tools you need to create a professional karaoke video. It's quick and easy to use. In fact it's never been easier. You can create your own video karaoke files using different multimedia sources. When you're done you can take your files from VKStudio to Video-CD, DVD and SVideo-CD. Synchronized lyrics, video, and picture files have never been easier.

2. Karaoke-to-Text

Can automate the process of extracting song text from karaoke files and then determine the right cords. It has Midi file processing and a key signature finder. It's convenient to use and helps with transpositions.

3. Dart Karaoke Studio CD+G 1.49 CDGP

Not only can you make your own Karaoke on your computer you can also play it. This software turns your computer into a player.

The CD recorder makes capturing both digital and analogue music easy. You can rip and burn CD+G tracks from playlists. The Dart DeVocalizer removes the vocals from commercial recordings during playback.

The Dart Karaoke Author is used to edit, import, and synchronize the lyrics to your music. Just flag the word or phrases you want to synchronize along the waveform.

The CD+G Track Generator lets you customize your graphics, choose your fonts, number your verses, work out your presentation style and so much more. The wizard has an onscreen guide that will walk you through the entire process.

The Karaoke Player is where you get to have some fun with that creation. You've made your Karaoke cd now you get to use it. Select your tack, use the controls and as the lyrics appear it's sing along time.

4. Karaoke Song List Creator 2005

Lets you sort by title, artist, track number, and even producer. The toolbar provides a quick and easy way to catalogue all of your Karaoke disks. You can create lists buttons and track all your songs. You can even print your songbook.

5. Power CD+G Pro

This is a software package that supports BIN, CDG, MP3+G file formats converting your PC into an easy to use karaoke machine. Make your disk using this easy to use software which includes key transposer so you can adjust the songs to your own voice, seekbar, and playlist management. Then play back in full screen mode.

After you've chosen your software you can search online to find many different sites that provide Karaoke tunes for you to download. Some are even free, others charge a nominal fee. Be sure to check them all out.

If you love music and you love karaoke making your own Karaoke CDs and have a great time with your friends.

Nan Edemann worked in a karaoke bar for 9 years before starting his own audio electronics store. His store specializes in karaoke machines and accessories and has a much larger variety of items than almost all large department stores. At http://www.karaokeadvisor.com, he shares his experience with you by listing out the top karaoke essentials with buying advice on various products.Kelli Blog91659
Kaja Blog49657

How Phone Verification Fights Identity Theft

Just like anything on Earth modern society has some kind of balance. So on one hand we have a progressive electronic community and on the other hand we have army of internet criminals whose both work and fun consists of so called identity theft.

As the main weapon of a scammer is his anonymity the main purpose of a Site Owner consists in confirmation of Users identity.

There are some methods to verify website user's identity. Confirmation by email is used when it concerns password reminder service; e-merchants use AVS checking to authorize their customers as true cardholders while processing credit cards in e-shops and so on.

But it's not enough. Passwords can be stolen through so called phishing. And Address Verification System is used in US and Canada only and moreover its scheme is rather imperfect.

There should be another solution.

And it does exist.

Telephone verification is a kind of universal method to verify user's identity. It works as follows:

A. A user enters his personal data including phone number at a certain site and presses "submit" button.

B. Phone verification system initiates a call to this number.

C. After greeting a system asks to enter pin-code that a user sees on the screen using a phone keypad.

D. A user enters pin-code and hangs up.

After a call is done system passes a merchant user's country and city by phone number area code, phone number type and matching of pin-code entered and pin-code shown on site. Some companies e.g. Proveout.com provides Geo IP research in addition to telephone verification. This allows to compare IP address data with phone number data (whether country and city identified by IP address matches the ones identified by phone area code).

It is a lot. It is surely enough to define whether a Customer is a person he seems to be - a real website user and a real cardholder.

Optionally system can ask a person to confirm his identity/order by saying something like his name or any other information that is recorded. Afterwards, such recordings can prove that a person had indeed used certain service (ordered certain goods). A Site Owner can download a wav-file with a recorded voice message of a customer at any time as it is saved on server of telephone authorization service provider.

This is telephone verification and how it works.

Where telephone verification is used

1. E-commerce. Identity theft is a serious problem for plenty of merchants. Telephone verification helps to reduce fraudulent transactions. Customer just passes the standard procedure of authorization and proves that he is a true cardholder. Recorded message with Customers voice can afterwards become a proof of ordering a good/service by a certain person.

2. Any website where registration/authorization is required. VoIP telephone verification can be used at the registration stage in order to confirm users' identity (e.g. it's of high importance at different forums, online communities, online financial services etc). Also it can be used in case a user has lost his password. Sending it to a specific email address doesn't guarantee Site Owner cannot be completely sure that password reminder procedure isn't initiated by a scammer with an idea to manage somebody's personal data. Passing telephone verification by user can prove his identity.

3. Sites with free content limiting. Very often different companies carry on advertising campaigns that permit using their online services for free for certain time (trial periods). In order to anticipate multiple signing up (which is a bad experience for a marketing report) each new registration can be verified in order to prove that use hasn't signed up before.

4. Sites offering region limiting services. In some countries it is prohibited to distribute security software to certain countries. Using telephone verification service Site Owner can be sure that his new registered user doesn't live in one of these countries. Phone number area code helps to reveal user's location. This service is even more effective when it is used together with Geo IP research.

VoIP telephone service can be used for automation of webmaster's work by programming scheduled phone calls with a request of certain info or a confirmation of certain info. E.g. you can automatically initiate a call when a new order with shipment requirement is submitted in order to confirm shipment details. In case you're an owner of an internet-catalogue you can initiate a call e.g. once a month to the members of your catalogue in order to confirm that their sites still exist with the same domain names, so to confirm their membership.

You can use VoIP telephone verification as a perfect marketing tool. For example you can supply your Clients with information concerning some changes in their maintenance by phone or automatically play them greeting messages on specific dates.

To sum it up, I'm to say that there is a great variety of variants on how VoIP telephone verification can be used in internet space. You can offer another ways according to your e-business. It gives great opportunities to communicate with your Clients without being bounded by electronic means (email, ICQ).

Alexa Foster is a specialist in web development and internet marketing. Visit - http://www.lommeks.co.ukKyla Blog13528
Keri Blog54247

Rapid Authoring Of E-Learning

So you think e-learning is the solution to your training needs but dont have the time or budget to commission material from specialist developers? Many trainers are finding the solution is at hand with rapid authoring tools which allow non IT specialists to write their own, high quality, e-learning in record time.

Why Rapid Authoring

The real excitement of rapid authoring is the way it promises to enable trainers to take control of their own e-learning agendas. Good rapid e-learning authoring is not only quick but it is intuitive and shouldnt require more than usual IT literacy to be able to master it. In short, rapid authoring allows non technical trainers to produce their own highly professional e-learning in times that even the best authoring houses couldnt have dreamed of even three years ago.

How Rapid is Rapid?

A recent assessment by e-learning consultancy Kineo identified 21 days as being the magic number for the creation of new e-learning, design, development and deployment included. In the fast paced business world, any slower and deadlines wouldnt be met and the window of opportunity would have been lost. The good news is that this target isnt very difficult with the new software available. Indeed, within the latest version of our own software, a quick start wizard allows highly graphical and interactive e-learning course structures to be authored in under a minute; yes this is an extreme, but it shows just how easy the process can be. We would expect a relatively inexperienced user to be able to produce 50 screens of learning a day while an experienced user could produce 100 without difficulty.

The glass ceiling on authoring speeds has been broken but dont buy without trying. Some fairly aging pieces of software are being re-badged as rapid but you should always ask for a demonstration.

What to look for in a Rapid Authoring Tool.

The features that now allow authoring tools to be used by the typical IT literate trainer include:

1. Ease of use

Authoring tools will have easy to manage Graphical User Interfaces which allow users to manipulate e-learning screens easily and intuitively. This will allow them to add to and edit existing courses and, if they wish, to author entirely new courses from scratch in minutes.

Tools will be expected to have easy interactivity with common software, particularly Microsoft office products. Automated output engines (Flash etc) will allow sophisticated effects and solutions without programming knowledge.

Speed of development will be a key feature enabling sophisticated learning courses to be available rapidly and be amended quickly and easily.User licensing will be simple and not restrictive giving companies internal flexibility to develop courses as they desire.

2. Collaborative Development Environment

Remote authoring will be the norm particularly server side using smart Windows clients which will allow all users to see amendments as they are made, so changes and additions can be easily facilitated. Remote manipulation through browser only interfaces will allow unrestricted collaboration with colleagues across the globe. Workflow based development and multi-stage publishing will allow rapid implementation of ongoing projects.

3. Quality features

Integrated Learning Management Systems will ensure that learning can be fully monitored while easy and effective screen and audio capture will ensure that learning environments replicate real environments with absolute accuracy. Mode switching between self learning and classroom delivery will ensure that the learning tool is flexible to meet training needs. Add to that web-based content management, LCMS functionality, SCORM compliance and integrated Learning Management Systems and you can see why these DIY authoring tools are turning traditional authoring on its head.

Conclusions

Rapid authoring of e-learning is here to stay. Be careful to try before you buy as some products out there are dinosaurs dressed up as the latest thing and the cheapest will certainly not have the range of features to allow truly rapid creation of e-learning. I do believe the industry has turned the corner in e-learning, the authoring tools now available mean that all courses should be quick to create, easy to amend, and above all enormously cost effective. This, in turn, will allow trainers to grab hold of the e-learning agenda and incorporate ever more effective small and large pieces of e-learning into their blended learning projects, saving money and improving knowledge retention.

Mike Alcock is MD of Atlantic Link Ltd http://www.atlantic-link.co.uk/.Krysta Blog52764
Kimmy Blog31761

Data and MP3 Compression: Understanding "Digital"

The MP3 and MP4 generation was generated mostly due to advances in data compression. Let us first take a step back and focus on digital music. There are two types of data in the world: Analog and Digital data. Analog data is real time data, and it is essentially how we perceive the world. As you listen to any music, you are listening to an analog signal. Everything we see and hear is analog. So what is the significance of digital? Digital is a way of storing and transferring this data. Think of a twelve inch ruler. With this ruler, you can measure any distance between between 0 and 12 inches. Depending on how good you are at reading the ruler, you can probably measure to a resolution of 1/16 of an inch. Even though there is measurable distance between these 1/16 inch marks, the distance is rather insignificant to you. At this point, you can record the distance two ways:

1) You can mark the ruler with a pencil and store it in its true "analog" value

2) You can round the value to the nearest 1/16th and record it. This could be referred to as a "digital" value.

Digital is a collection of zeros and ones that represent a number. Because there are two values, the system is base 2. Our normal system is a base 10 system. For example:

The number 1456 is really:

6x(1) + 5x(10) + 4x(100) + 1x(1000) = 1456

Where the number in parentheses are 10^x power.

Let's try a base 2 number of 100110:

0x(1) + 1x(2) + 1x(4) + 0x(8) + 0x(16) + 1x(32) = 38 (decimal)

Where the number in parentheses are 2^x power.

In this base-2 example, the number is referred to as "6-bits". A typical "byte" is normally "8-bits". So instead of storing the number 38, computers would store the number 100110.

So why would you want to do that? There are 6 digitals in base-2 versus two digitals in base-10. The answer is simple! Ones and zeros are much easier to store (It is like a light switch, either ON or OFF). Further, in a base-2 system, there are only 2 possible solutions. In a base-10 solution, there are 10 solutions per digit. The more solutions you have, the more chance to make errors.

Now let's revisit the the analog signal. In this type of data, there are an infinite number of solutions. Mind you, the error won't be great, but you ARE guaranteed some error every time. Every time you recall a analog signal, the results will be varied to some degree.

Think about your cell phone. About 5 years ago, all cell phones were analog. When you entered areas of poor reception, you received static, distortion and noise. Now, most cells phones are digital. As long as a portion of the ones and zeros are transmitted, you will receive a perfect signal every time. (If you transmit the number 1.2 or 1.5 or 0.8, it will always be read a one! i.e., the signal is immune to noise!) If you cannot even read these simple ones and zeros, you drop off completely. The clarity of the signal is perfect and repeatable, as long as the data is present.

Music works in the same manner. Old-school records and cassette tapes are analog signals. These media will product static and noise and will degrade over time. CDs are digital signals. As long as the compact is readable, the CD player will provide you with the exact sound as it was recorded. The CD itself might degrade over time, but the data will always be stored in its original form.

Since the inception of digitally stored music, the quality of music has remained high and to the same standard as it is today. Compact discs still offer the highest form of music available. The problem with compact discs is that the amount of bits required to store a song is high. That leads us to the modern use of data compression and MP3. (And another article for another day!)

Matthew Bredel is a 31 year old online entrepreneur and engineer currently living in San Diego, CA.Kai Blog33189
Kenna Blog89806

7 High Effective Method for Internet Marketing

We all know that traffic is the most essential thing for a successful Internet business company. There are a lot of reliable ways to jumpstart your traffic flows, though most of them would cost some money. In this article I'd like to tell you about my favorite web promotion tactics, which wouldn't cost you a single cent. Moreover, some of them will save you hundreds or even thousands of dollars. The first tactic alone can generate you over $2,000 equivalent of free targeted traffic.

Well, here are the seven surefire technics capable of skyrocketing your traffic starting from today.

1) Free Pay Per Click (PPC) Advertising That Works

The Adwords by Google, Yahoo's Overture and many other PPC search engines provide great sources of targeted Internet. They are very truly popular among web marketers. However, as the PPC search engine managers wish to expand their customer base so they need to convince people like you that pay per click advertising really works.

Here are the good news, there are dozens of PPC search engines who will give you up to $100 in free credits to prove that pay per click advertising will work for you. To claim your credits all you need do is visit the various engines and web directories and sign-up. There are no catches and it won't cost you anything except your time.

It couldn't be simpler to obtain such free PPC advertising. The table at this page: http://www.affiliated-business.com/promotion/Pay-Per-Click5.html lists over 60 Pay Per Click Search Engines offering in excess of $2,000 of free web promotion credits. One after another select the PPC search engines form the list, click on the links to open the corresponding sign-up pages and sign up for your free adverising accounts.

2) Use Profitable Keywords Or Keyword Niches For Your Site's Content

Generally, internet users use search engines to find what they are looking for. Search engines in return use keyword rankings to give away relevant search results. If you'd like your site to appear at the top lines of search engine results, you must use proper keywords and keyword phrases.

Try to employ the most profitable (of higher demand) keywords at your site content. You could write your own content or you could hire someone to do it for you. If you're writing content on yourself you have to make it more entertaining as well as informative.

In doing so, you can get high rankings in search engine results and strong incoming traffic without any costs.

3) Exchange Links With Partner Sites

Another great idea is trading links with partner (or even competitor) sites. This works well especially when both sites feature the same niche.

Exchanging or trading links with other sites, both of them could benefit. When one site features another sites link, they will provide one another with the traffic they both generate.

The efforts are doubly beneficial because it seems like both sides are working to generate doubly enhanced traffic. The more links exchanged with more sites the more traffic could be expected.

And again, you don't have to spend a cent. All you have to do is to communicate to another webmaster and to reach with him an agreement.

4) Write Articles And Publish Them Across The Internet

There are a lot of sites that offer free submission and posting of your articles. You'd better to s ubmit articles to sites containing the same subject that your site deals in. If you sell computers write press releases and articles about computers and computer parts. Try to provide helpful tips guides and good advice. Writing articles that contain good service and knowledge would bring the necessary mileage your traffic flow needs.

When people find in your article something of interest, you have good chances of following the track by finding out where the article originated. It lasts for you just to a ttach a brief description of your site or service at the end of the article and to include a link.

5) Join Forums, Blogs And Other Online Communities

You can take advantage of online forums, blogs and web communities. The great thing about forums and online communities is that you can target a certain group that fits the certain demographic that you are looking for. You can discuss about lots of things about the goodsor services that you represent or offer.

With online communities and forums you can build a reputation for your company. You must capture the market niche you represent and show your expertise and credibility. When you created a good foundation for your site, people will trust you and your web business. Your customers will pass on their trust and credibility to many people all over the Internet. Traffic will certainly increase because they know that you can provide what they need.

6) Offer Newsletters Or eZines

You can also make use of newsletters. Provide people with a catalog of your products and interesting useful articles. If your texts are really interesting and entertaining, more people will sign up for your newsletter and recommend it to other people. The more people who signs up for your newsletter, the more people there will be willing to visit your site. So, if you arouse the curiosity of your customers they would be pushed to help you growing your traffic.

7) Use Advantages Of Viral Marketing

Viral marketing is a promotional method that allows you to spread the word about your company and product without any costs. All it takes is to bring a great idea, a good addicting game, a funny story; many ideas are still out there. Create a gossip or a buzz, many web projects are advertised by using scandals and rumors to make them more popular.

Also you can provide your web site visitors with content they wouldn't read anywhere else. People will stay longer at your web site to read the original content. With this method, people get infected with the creativity and entertainment of the website content and they will pass it on to many people.

Each of the above mentioned methods can drive streams of free traffic to your website. All it takes is a bit of effort and extended man hours. Learn all you can about the techniques depicted here and you will soon have a site with a great traffic flow without the usual costs that come with it.

Kitty Chuk is a Internet marketing expert. She is an chief online marketing consultants in ad1945.com. AD1945.com provides web hosting, 3 step site builder. Ad1945.com is focus on Internet marketing integration service. Kirby Blog29992
Kendre Blog61235

The Evolution of the PDA

In the past few years, a great number of businesspeople, professionals, and ordinary consumers have been purchasing Personal Digital Assistants, electronic devices designed to organize and simplify ones life.

The first PDAs, which hit the market in the mid 1990s, were little more than glorified notepads, making it possible to store a record of notes, phone numbers, calendars, and day-to-day appointments on an electronic device. These devices gradually evolved over the years, and Palm Inc.s popular Palm Pilot devices gained a loyal following of both consumers and enterprise-level users.

New features, including 3D games, multimedia applications, and even Wi-Fi internet access have become commonplace on modern day PDAs, making them both practical and entertaining.

As time goes by, however, the functions performed by PDAs are being slowly but surely integrated into the many advanced cellular phones and mobile email devices now on the market.

This has led to a significant decline in demand for standalone Palm Pilots and Pocket PCs, which are increasingly being replaced by smartphones, converged devices which integrate mobile computing with wireless communication.

Most new smartphones serve as fully functional cellular phones, while integrating many of the features of a laptop computer. Each device comes equipped with its own operating system, along with a wide range of software applications specially designed for mobile devices. They are also capable of accessing the internet, usually over a cellular broadband connection, and can be used to check ones email when on the go.

Although the cost is somewhat prohibitive for the majority of consumers, smartphone PDAs have become an institution among enterprise users, and are now a necessity for many mobile businesspeople.

All in all, PDA manufacturers are doing a good job of evolving with new technology, and providing users with an increasingly efficient and functional experience.

Jeremy Maddock is a well-known technology blogger, and owner of http://www.pdareviews.ca/.Kassi Blog83757
Kittie Blog61121

Are You Making this Mistake?

I have a confession to make...I am a recovering "Do-It-Your-Selfer". Yes, it's true, I used to try to be "Super Woman" and do everything myself. I had big dreams and lots of goals but the harder I worked, the more frazzled I felt. Many times I did achieve my goals, but at a very high price!

A major reason that you aren't achieving your goals as quickly as you'd like is due to the perception that you just don't have time to do it all. Yet, sadly, you continue to try to do it all yourself! This deadly-to-your-dreams philosophy is softly killing your big dreams of success and fulfillment. The truth is you simply can't do it all yourself. Period. You cannot create blockbuster results (personally or professionally) if you are doing all the work.

You can try.

Most people do.

But there is a high price to pay. Your health, your sanity, and your happiness.

Pretty important stuff.

Have you ever considered what your time is actually worth? You decide this. What is your hourly rate? Whether it's 50 dollars or 500.00 dollars an hour. The fact is that your time is valuable. Very valuable.

Now take an HONEST look at your to-do-list. Does your list reflect items that could be outsourced to someone who you could pay a fraction of your own hourly rate?

One of the smartest things I ever did (besides marrying my husband) was hiring my bright, young assistant. Sarah is still in high school and works for me part-time. Her work list looked somthing like this last week: mail packages to UPS, purchase computer ink, add new contacts into my data base, download mp3's onto my ipod, fill out an insurance claim form etc. etc. etc.

Could I have done all these tasks myself? Of course.

Is it the best use of my talents, time and legacy? Of course not!

Be smart. Achieve your goals. Learn to outsource!

Success Coach and Speaker, Diana Long, is the Founder of the Life Design Institute. Diana can help you transform your dreams into reality and give you the shortcuts to success with her variety of life-changing programs and products.Kyla Blog24442
Karoly Blog72383

Smart Boards In The Classroom

The last couple of years have seen the introduction of (almost) affordable LCD projectors and interactive white boards, namely smart boards, into schools and colleges throughout the United States. While most schools have embraced this technology and the new teaching opportunities it affords, some, especially special schools have had difficulty coming up with ways to use it with their students. This article describes some of the ways we have used our smart board and LCD projector with our SLD and PMLD students.

Smart boards can be used anywhere with video cameras or players and will happily connect to any computer providing the software has been installed. Most smart boards can be fitted to a moveable stand enabling you to push it wherever it is needed in school (and allowing access to kids in wheel chairs!). Tape the cables to the floor using gaffer tape so no one can trip over them and teach the kids how to load the software and calibrate the screen getting them to count the points as they touch them.

Interactive whiteboards add a whole new dimension to the use of art software. Freed from the cognitive load of having to use the mouse, kids creativity runs wild. Children who would struggle to make even the simplest of pictures with a mouse, confidently choose colors and tools and produce quite complex patterns and pictures with hands and fingers.

A smart board and LDC projector provide opportunities for students to access technology in a highly motivating way. It is our experience after using the equipment for over a year that kids learn quicker and retain more of the lesson when they have used the whiteboard. Start your lesson with a turn taking session on the board then let them loose on the computer and see for yourself how much they have remembered!

Hamzah Tariq is Business Analyst at http://www.electronicwhiteboardswarehouse.com specializing in interactive whiteboard technology.Kimberley Blog24327
Kizzee Blog56502

What Exactly Is MP4?

You know most of the time you find yourself downloading all kinds of stuff, including mp4s, mp3s and the like, but what about the technical end of it. What is MP4?

Mp4s or rather the term mpeg-4 was developed by ISO (International Organization for Standardization). It is a format specific for multimedia, the most common uses are for digital audio and video, and it is a certain type of container that holds all this information. It can contain other data as well such as subtitles and still images. You should also note that mpeg-4 is identical to QuickTime MOV format. In fact any kind of data can be inserted into MP4.

MP4 is getting more and more popular. In fact, it is now very popular to people who use the latest iPod players and PSP owners. This type of file compression is now providing a way to store DVD quality movies at a very small size. This type of file compression is known as the MPEG4 format.

Because most users may get confused at the initial concept of what MP4 is, it is what is in the MP4 that is even more confusing since the extension has been used primarily for music tunes and not movies. Therefore, what is stored in an MP4 is more than you can imagine for the most part. In addition, those other extensions have been used for MP4s, (which is audio from an iTunes store), to m4a (which includes such things as chapter markers, images, and hyperlinks). In addition, of course m4b (which has the ability to work with IPODs, where m4a files cannot. So most of the time when you find a file with the extension of mp4 or m4v, then they have both the audio and video aspects.

Let us not forget of course that they can contain codecs as well. Therefore, as you can see there is much to learn about what MP4 is, so let's summarize;

MP4 Can include and contain audio, video and also still images (like pictures), and all kinds of other data, making it a diverse file to use.

MP4 can contain other types of competing technology e.g. ogg, vob, ratdvd, divx media format, Matroska (mkv) and others to name a few.

In addition, how about some of the compatible hardware or software that mp4s can work with? Such as in software: Amarok, Banshee music player, 3ivx, foobar2000, GOM player, iTunes, Media player classic, QuickTime player, Realplayer, VLC media player, and so forth, as for hardware: Kiss 1600, Apple iPod, PSP (playstation portable), Playstation 3, Xbox 360, Nokia.

Therefore, to answer the question what MP4 is, well, it is technology at its best!

Indeed, the MP4 technology can now make entertainment much more convenient than ever before. So, next time you think of downloading your favorite movies to your computer to transfer to your portable multimedia device, try thinking of MP4. Just make sure that your multimedia devices are capable of reading the MP4 format.

Sandra Stammberger owns and operates http://www.mp4pros.com MP4Kacie Blog51829
Kathryn Blog78511

Who Are Prepaid Cell Phones Good For?

Prepaid cell phones are an available option for anyone, and definitely an option that you should consider when deciding what type of cell phone plan you want. There are many benefits to prepaid cell phones, but they are not right for everyone because everyone has different needs. You should investigate both sides of the prepaid cell phone coin in order to determine whether or not is will meet your particular needs.

Plus Side There are some great benefits to prepaid cell phones and here are a few.

o If cell phones are up until this point a foreign object to you, prepaid phones are a great way to manage the amount of minutes you use, and the amount of money you are spending on cell service. Prepaid cell phones come from the basics with little frills to the exceptionally optimized with many frills; it is all dependent on your personal style.

o Prepaid cell phones can be perfect for senior citizens and young adults. It allows them the ability to contact someone in an emergency, or to inform a parent where they will be going, without paying extremely expensive cell phone bills.

o You can save a lot of money with prepaid cell phones, especially if you do not use your cell phone that much. With standard cell phone service you may be paying for minutes and features that you will never use, whereas with prepaid minutes you only purchase as many minutes as you are planning on using.

o If you are one of those anti-contract signing people, then prepaid is the way for you. Standard cell phone plans include typically a two year contract, with extremely high charges for ending a contract early. With prepaid there is no contract.

Con Side Here are some reasons why a prepaid cell phone may not be right for you.

o If you have a high call volume and are using vast amounts of minutes per month you can oftentimes find better rate plans with standard phone plans.

o Prepaid phones do not typically have the latest and greatest technology, so if technology is a priority for you then you may also want to consider a standard cell phone plan.

o If you are looking for the lowest possible price per minute rate then you may want to investigate other cell phone options.

With this guide you can begin to understand whether or not prepaid may be right for you. Do not count this completely though, you may want to investigate individual carriers and see what they can offer you.

Shelly Walther has written several articles on prepaid cell phones. She has researched many different options and understands how prepaid can benefit users. You can see more of her work, including more articles on prepaid cell phones, at http://www.ResourceHog.com and http://www.ForosWireless.com.Kiri Blog50034
Kathlin Blog74503

Find Top Quality FREE Audiobooks

Audiobooks have, over the past few years, become an amazing success story, even though the recording of the spoken word, as opposed to music, has been around for over 100 years.

Indeed, it is fair to say that audiobooks have really brought the recorded spoken word into the public consciousness, even though a substantial portion of our cultural heritage from the last century is already recorded in enormous collections of spoken word materials.

Unfortunately, a large percentage of these historical audio tracts are hidden away in private collections, museums and so on, representing huge quantities of priceless historical artifacts that are currently unavailable to academics, scholars and the like.

Nevertheless, audiobooks have brought spoken word recordings to the attention of the audio loving public over the past few years, so, why have they become so popular, and why now?

Answering that, the wrong way around, 'why now' can be answered with two simple words - mp3s and the internet.

Mp3 recording technology is only 30 years old, but it began to revolutionize worldwide listening practices almost as soon as it was invented, simply because it reduced massive digital sound files down to manageable levels.

Generally, mp3 files are twelve times smaller than other audio and video file types, because they get rid of all the sounds from the original recording that are beyond human hearing.

The internet is a perfect tool for working with these mp3s, allowing anyone with a connection to instantly download mp3 files, and then play them back on their PC, on a mobile mp3 player or on a standard CD, after the mp3 is burned on to it.

Of course, all of the above applies equally well to music or to audiobooks, so why the current boom in audiobooks?

Well, audiobooks have many in-built advantages over their written page counterparts. Some of these advantages are:

They take up no space on your shelves or in your home. Perhaps an important factor at a time when average living spaces are gradually becoming smaller.

They have no weight or bulk. An audiobook is nothing more than a digital file, so that you can conveniently carry it around with you on a mobile mp3 or CD player.

They are not easily damaged. There are no pages to be ripped or worn out.

They allow you to 'multi-task', which is becoming an ever more important requirement of every day life. You can dig the garden, walk the dog, and go to the mall, all whilst listening to an audiobook.

Effectively, an audiobook offers all of the advantages and benefits of a written word book such as being able to improve oneself through further education, or to catch up with literary classics that you somehow missed, all without the downsides of a large, bulky book

Another great advantage of audiobooks, and perhaps the best reason for the current audiobook explosion, is that there are lots of sources to find completely free books all over the internet.

Compare that to your local book store. When was the last time they gave you something for free?

By simply running a search through any of the major search engines, you would be able to turn up many, many sites giving away free audiobooks. Obviously, this ability to get free samples before deciding whether to invest youre hard earned cash in audiobooks is a major plus point.

There are, however, two points to draw to your attention about many of the free audiobook download sites.

First, many of the sites offer the audiobooks for free for one reason. The quality of the recording and (often) the reading is so poor that no-one would ever consider paying for it!

Second, many of the texts that are read to create these audiobooks are open source works, meaning that there either never was a copyright on the title, or that it has expired. In either case, we are talking about a very old works that are usually very average indeed (otherwise, they would have a value, and still be copyrighted!)!

Audiobooks are definitely something that you should try if you have not already done so, especially as you can get great quality titles for free.

But, just make sure to look for good quality audiobooks for your first taster of exactly what they have to offer, and you cannot go far wrong.

Steve J Cowan is a great fan of both music and spoken word mp3's. Download his 30 free audiobook titles at http://www.TalkAlive.com then his unique free report Top 99 Free mp3 sites at http://www.BuyCheapMp3Player.info.Kippy Blog60756
Kailey Blog21542

Google Site Maps - Does Your Site Need One?

If you are involved in the marketing of your company website then you may well have received a call at some point from businesses offering to create and submit a Google site map on your behalf.

The caller stresses the importance of a Google site map and the positive benefit to your site's positioning in Google. But just how necessary is it for your website to have a Google site map? The answer is "it depends".

A Google site map is a highly useful tool as it allows a website owner to 'tell' Google which pages it should index, and in which order of priority. However, if your site is already well positioned in Google then there may be little if any benefit to submitting a Google Site Map, and it is unlikely to have any impact on your existing rankings.

The real value of a Google Site Map is if your site uses complex technology, has poor internal navigation or delivers dynamic content and you are having problems in getting your content successfully spidered. On bigger and more complex sites using a Site Map could help encourage a deeper crawl and ensure that constantly changing URL's are indexed. It's also a useful exercise when you launch a new website as it puts it firmly on Google's radar.

If your site would benefit from a Google Site Map it's relatively simple and quick to put in place. If you have a small and uncomplicated site then you can do it yourself using one of the many third party site map generator tools that are now available(http://code.google.com/sm_thirdparty.html). For larger and more complex sites this is something that your IT or development department should already have put in place. More information on Google Site Maps can be found here https://www.google.com/webmasters/tools/docs/en/about.html

Mark Scriven is the M.D of Turismotec Ltd (http://www.turismotec.com), a UK based search marketing agency that specialises in the travel sector. Turismotec publish a bi-monthly search marketing newsletter called etravel.success. Subscribe here - http://www.turismotec.com/news_letter.html.Kym Blog69248
Karin Blog66248

Choosing An Effective Web Design Company

Here's the scenario...

..You're a business person, you know all there is to know about your industry and your products. You felt the time was right to expand your business by harnessing the power of the internet. You know that with the tools available today, just about anyone can throw together a website, however, you also know that there are many issues and pitfalls that can turn a good idea into a complete disaster... time to call in the professionals.

Good plan!

But here's the problem...

There are hundreds of them!!! Prices range from 50 to 5000 for seemingly the same product, there are big companies, small companies and freelancers all selling web design services. Your friends grandson who just left kindergarten can do you a good deal if you're prepared to pay in cash.

In my opinion, if you are going to buy something...anything...you need to have a basic understanding of the issues surrounding it: The good points, the bad points. Acceptable and unacceptable concessions. Consequences and benefits. In this article, we are going to attempt to show you how to avoid getting ripped off by providing you with the necessary understanding required when choosing a web designer. Once you have read and inwardly digested the contents of this article, you should be confident that the web design company you choose will build you a web site that will fulfil the vision that you have for it.

Step 1: Choose a Few Reputable Web Design Firms

The first step when choosing a web design company is to shortlist a number of prospects. The best method possible is to choose a selection of companies based on personal recommendation. Many business people know other business people who can supply referrals. Given the benefit a well developed web site can have on your business, it is well worth taking the time to tap into your network of contacts to get the name of 3 or 4 satisfactory web design companies to choose from.

In the event that this doesn't work for you, use a local directory, the internet or a newspaper to make a list of potential web designers. (Remember that anyone can pay an internet marketing firm to get them at the top of a search engine such as Google so a company's ranking does not mean that they are capable of delivering a good solution.)

Step 2: Check Out the Web Design Companies Own Web Site

It stands to reason that if a company is capable of creating workable web sites or solutions then its own site should be beyond reproach, so take a look at their own web site as well as a couple of sites from their portfolio, if portfolio items are not available, simply e-mail them and ask.

The Design of the Web Site

The following are a number of things to look for when choosing a web design company from your shortlist:-

Are there apparent errors (spelling errors, missing pictures, broken links etc.)?

Attention to detail is vital in web design. What you see on a web page is the result of a great deal of complex interaction beneath the surface. If that which is visible is full of errors, it stands to reason that the same level of care has been taken over the code which makes the site function. Spelling and grammatical errors will harm your credibility and a dysfunctional web site will frustrate your audience.

Can You Easily Find the Information You Are Looking For?

This is critical. If you find yourself on a web site, the chances are you were looking for something in particular. Ensure that the elements of the designer's web site are easy to find. Check that you are able to quickly and easily spot the contents of the pages and move freely between pages.

Other design considerations are as follows:-

- Is the text clear and easy to read?

- Are the pages uncluttered and easy on the eye?

- Are there elements such as excessive animation distracting the user from the main text?

- Does the site appear quickly?

- Does the colour scheme and design fit in with the brand of the company (take the logo as a benchmark)?

The Technical Bits

Now this is important! Why?

First, because there is legislation in both the UK, the US and a variety of European countries that requires your site be accessible to disabled users. Failure to adhere to this will result in your having to hire a third party company to re-code and possibly redesign your entire web site.

Secondly, if your web site is not coded using standards (set by the www council) it may not function correctly when viewed by different people using different equipment.

Finally, it is a well known time-proven fact that if your visitor is kept waiting more than 10 seconds for a web page to appear, they will move on.

SO HOW DO I TELL ?!

I hear you cry in desperation! Well, you don't need to be a geek or even know the first thing about web design, html or programming. All you need are the addresses of a couple of useful websites and an explanation of how to use the tools found there. A web page has been created for your convenience that contains links to these sites and detailed instructions on how to use the tools provided and evaluate the results. The link appears at the foot of this page.

It should be noted that evaluating these elements will give you some idea of the technical ability of your chosen web site design companies. There are many many more issues that a web site designer should be aware of, and in fact should take care of without you even knowing about it. The points listed here are, in our opinion, those that will have the greatest impact on your business and are so often ignored by less scrupulous web design companies.

Step 3: Contact the Web Design Firms

Now you should have pretty much narrowed down the possibilities you can go ahead and get in touch. Most companies will jump at the chance to talk to you and convince you of their product offerings. However, what you are interested in are the facts, not the sales pitch.

You have already established their design and technical capabilities, now you are interested in their ability to fulfil your needs and provide you with efficient service. Ask for some references from their most recent projects. Ask for the web addresses, contact names, details and completion dates. In approaching them in this way you ensure that you're not getting the one or two satisfied clients that they have serviced in the past, you are getting up to date clients and up to date projects.

Once you have their details, call the referees. The following are some idea's of the kind of information you might want to extract from these people:-

Verify the details you have been given in respect to project completion dates.

Find out about the quality of service the client received

Ask how able the web design company was in establishing and anticipating the needs of their client.

Discuss deadlines and timely delivery

Try to establish how effective the site has been in achieving the original goals of the client

Ask if the client has any complaints

Don't be afraid to speak frankly, whether satisfied with the service or not, most people are happy to be given the opportunity to sing praises or vent frustrations.

Step 4: The End

Well, having done all of this you should have a pretty good idea which company is going to provide a solution that's going to work for you. It may seem like a lot of work, but not only are you about to part with a substantial sum of money, but if the web site you receive doesn't do its job properly, you could well be missing out on new business or worse still convincing potential clients to go elsewhere.

Phill Bernier is the owner of Adira Limited, (http://www.adira.co.uk) a web design company based in Winchester, Hampshire, UK. Phill has a degree in Business IT and 5 years experience of running his own company. Phill has given talks at a number of events and has published a number of related articles.Karna Blog32886
Kendre Blog61235

Hidden Gifts: What To Know So Your Child Isn't Overlooked

Schools in session and although most of their parents dont realize it, millions of early elementary age kids are being screened, tested, and sorted in an attempt to find those who need gifted education support services to flourish.

While it may seem that gifted kids should be able to do well in any setting, parents, researchers, and specialists who advocate for this sometimes overlooked group point out that many of our brightest child minds become bored, frustrated, and tuned out - both socially and academically - without placement in a gifted program that allows them to move through the curriculum at their own pace and connect with mental mates who may hold similar interests.

While many schools do an excellent job of finding these kids using screening methods like teacher recommendations and group IQ testing, parents shouldn't be entirely dependent on the schools when it comes to identification. Keep in mind that many teacher training programs require little, if any, course work in giftedness, so some teachers and school administrators may not have all the information they need to recognize gifted children. There are also gifted kids who are not particularly high achievers in the classroom or who dont do well on group tests. These kids may have problems with attention, have poor organizational skills, or simply not mesh with the teaching style in the classroom, and therefore may be overlooked when it comes to selection of gifted program candidates.

These types of scenarios are not unusual. In fact, some estimate that the majority of gifted children in the schools are never identified. That may not be a tragedy for some, but it very well could be for others who truly need special programming and support to get through school successfully.

I recall one boy he tested privately at the request of his mother who was concerned because her son was getting poor grades, having conflicts with the teacher, and becoming more and more disinterested in school. He was having social conflicts too, being teased and picked on by other students who liked to see his overreactions when they provoked him. It had gotten to the point where home schooling was being considered since it was getting harder to even get him out the door to go to school, which he considered torture. The school had never tested her son for giftedness. Whatever screening process was in place had missed him. Possibly because he didn't fit the high-achieving, cooperative, wunderkind image that some teachers look for when making recommendations for gifted screening. Yet it turned out that his IQ measured in the 160's - in the exceptionally gifted range.

This boys problems at school are not unusual for unidentified gifted kids. Had he been properly tested and placed in an alternative program, many of his academic and social problems might have been avoided. At the very least, the boys parents and teachers would have had a better understanding of his problems and been able to collaborate from a more informed perspective to come up with solutions.

Because schools can sometimes look over gifted kids who may need special programming, your insights as a parent are important. The more knowledge you have, the better position youll be in to collaborate with the school to help assure that your child's potential and learning needs are not overlooked.

SO HOW DO YOU TELL IF YOUR CHILD IS GIFTED?

As you've probably guessed, without proper assessment, which involves a professionally administered IQ test, there is no easy answer. There are no universally accepted traits that you can look for and no definitive signs that will tell you for sure whether your child is gifted. However, many gifted children share some common characteristics, and knowing these is a good place to start.

Language Skills

While most children are able to form recognizable sentences and understand complex language by about two years of age, gifted children often reach these milestones earlier. As they approach school age, other language skills may appear advanced or sophisticated.

Learning Abilities

All children (all people really, big and small) have an inborn desire to learn about the world around them - to seek out new experiences, figure out the relationship between themselves and their surroundings, to discover, and to learn. What distinguishes gifted children from others is the apparent natural ease and joy with which they go about doing this. Their brains appear to be mental sponges, effortlessly absorbing and incorporating new information and ideas.

Emotional and Behavioral Traits

Gifted children are often more emotionally intense than others. They can also be more sensitive to others' feelings and circumstances and may display a great deal of empathy in situations where others their age appear indifferent.

Motor Skills

Gifted children may also be advanced in skills involving balance, coordination, and movement and in some purposeful fine-motor activities such as assembling small objects (e.g., legos, transforming toys, blocks) or putting puzzles together.

WHAT TO DO IF YOU THINK YOUR CHILD HAS BEEN OVERLOOKED

So what should you do if your child has shown many of the above traits, and you feel that he has been overlooked by the schools gifted screening process? While you don't want to be perceived as overly protective or pushy, you also want to make sure that those making the decisions have all the information they need to truly understand your child.

Start by talking with your childs teacher and sharing your thoughts. Parents and teachers are a child's most important allies and they need to keep each other informed and up to date. Each sees the child from a different perspective and each has a particular insight into a childs learning needs. As a parent, you've watched your child's development since birth. You've seen him at home, at play, with friends, and with family. You're in a good position to truly understand his specific interests, temperament, unique gifts, strengths, and limitations. The teacher, on the other hand, has had an opportunity to evaluate your childs learning style, academic skills, and social and cognitive development in comparison to a large number of other children of the same age. It doesn't take long for most experienced teachers to develop an intuitive sense of their students strengths and needs - to evaluate how quickly they learn, the type of instruction they respond to best, and t heir attitudes toward school. The teacher may also help you to better understand the districts gifted education program and how it is different than what your child is already receiving.

Together, you should be able to get a more complete, objective view than either of you had on your own. Maybe you'll come to realize that your child would be better off in a general education program since his learning style would not mesh with the type of curriculum being used in the districts gifted program. On the other hand, in light of the extra information you have given her the teacher may recommend to the district administrator in charge of gifted placement that your child be tested further, maybe with an individually administered IQ test.

If youve already talked with the teacher and you still feel that your childs needs are not being met, then consider following up on your request with an administrator. Find out through conversations with other parents, or by a phone call to the district office, who is in charge of the gifted program selection process at your childs school. Then write a politely worded letter stating your concerns. Also consider sending a copy to the district's coordinator of gifted education, the school principal, and the teacher.

Now all you need to do is allow those involved to respond and let the districts screening process take over. Districts generally want to work with parents and will follow up on most reasonable requests.

Editors Note: David Palmers Book, Parents Guide to IQ Testing and Gifted Education: All You Need to Know to Make the Right Decisions for Your Child (2006) is available online and through Barnes and Noble and other fine book sellers.

SIDE BAR MATERIAL: Remember, IQ tests are best seen as predictors of academic achievement. An IQ score only tells us how a certain child has performed on a certain test at a certain time, and says little about that childs true potential. Children can be gifted in many ways that are not measured on an IQ test.

David Palmer is an educational psychologist and author of the newly released book, Parents Guide to IQ Testing and Gifted Education: All You Need to Know to Make the Right Decisions for Your Child - available online and through fine book sellers. Read more at http://www.parentguidebooks.com.Karin Blog16241
Karla Blog118

Make a Living in your Underwear

Bill finished college in May, it was a beautiful ceremony, and was the culmination of many hard years of study. So what are you going to do now? I asked him, as we were having a cup of coffee in a local cafe. Get a resume together and start looking for jobs was his reply. And that is the reply of about 99% of the people getting out of college. Its the way we are socially programmed to think, its the same thing that everybody else does. Now just because everybody else does it, doesnt necessarily make it the right thing to do. I believe that if you have a reasonable amount of intelligence and an entrepreneur spirit there are many other far better ways to make a living. People have the attitude that I need to work hard to support my family, but in my opinion its all for nothing if you only get to enjoy time with your family a small portion of your life. I dont know about you but when I am gone I dont want my kids to know me as a good provider, I want to be remembered as a good father, and I cannot be a good father when I am a serving and making another person wealthy and I am never around.

Goals

The first thing that you need to accomplish is set some goals for yourself, I cannot stress to you enough how important goals are in your life, set personal goals and spiritual goals. Goals will give you something to shoot for, write them down and read them everyday. Now dont set your goals unrealistically (ie. I want to make 20,000 a month in three months) start small young man and meet the reachable goal then set another one and meet that. Be specific in your goals and structure the steps to meet them, dont write a goal like I want to be a millionaire. We all want to be millionaires but we have to be a thousandaires first. There are plenty of books and articles on writing goals, so your first assignment or goal will be to write down a set of goals and the steps to reach them, and read them everyday, it will be your motivation to keep you on track.

Your Passion

What is your passion? What do you have or what can you create that others will pay you for? Can you create art that people would love to have hanging in their home? Can you create music that others would love to listen to? Can you write computer programs that others just cant live without? Can you make beautiful websites? Can you write informational articles? There are no limits, choose something that you are very passionate about that others will pay you for, then monetize it. At first you might have to get a job while you monetize your passion, take baby steps, start a goal to make an additional $10.00 a month with your passion, and once you meet that, bump it up to $50.00, keep this momentum going until you are able to quit your regular job and do your passion full-time, then you will be successful.

Obstacles

I want you all to ponder these next seven words that I am going to say. As you think, so shall you be Thoughts are things, if you think you can then you will, If you think you cant, then you wont. Get rid of your obstacles that you have conditioned yourself to believe. It drives me crazy when you hear people sabotage themselves by blaming things that have happened in the past for the reason they cannot succeed in the future. Im not smart enough, I never had a chance, I was raised in the ghetto, Im too poor, Im too short, too old, too young, enough with the excuses, quit using other people and other events for excuses why you cant do something or are unable to succeed. It is all too easy to do this, because the other choice takes a little effort and in reality the person down deep inside really doesnt want to change or improve themselves, they just want to use excuses. Think about this parable, Imagine yourself in the back of a truck riding down a dirt road. Now you are standing in the bed of this truck looking out the back and seeing the trail in the dirt from the tires, these tracks in the dirt is your past. Now think about what is moving the truck forward, it is the engine, consider the engine as the drive of yourself to improve your life or become successful. Now ask yourself does the tracks that the tires are leaving in the dirt make the truck go forward? The answer of course is NO. So enough with the excuses of things that have happened in the past, and it is now time to start moving forward.

Residual or Passive Income

When you are owned by another company, in other words trading your time for money, you only get paid while you are working. Wouldnt it be nice to make money all the time? This is the definition of passive or residual income. The simplest example of this is having money in a mutual fund drawing interest, it doesnt matter if your sleeping, eating, playing with your kids or whatever, you are always making money. This is what you must set in place to make a living and also do whatever else it is that you enjoy doing. Again going back to your passion, write a software program and put it on a web site, where people can pay for it and download it, and you will make money at all times, put some photographs on a site that people can buy, create a web site that generates a massive amount of visitors and sell your ad space. There are thousands of ways to create residual income, try them out see which one works for you. Generate multiple sites and put different items on them, get rid of the ones that dont work and keep and duplicate the ones that do.

Success and Failure

Before success comes in any mans life he is sure to meet with much temporary defeat and, perhaps, some failures. When defeat overtakes a man, the easiest and most logical thing to do is quit. That is exactly what the majority of men do. Napoleon Hill

Being challenged in life is inevitable, being defeated is optional. Roger Crawford

Defeat never comes to anyone until they admit it. Josephus Daniels

Develop success from failures. Discouragement and failure are two of the surest stepping stones to success. Dale Carnegie

Keep in mind if you are not failing, then you are not moving forward, so dont get discouraged, keep the strong will going and you are destined to succeed. One of the biggest fears that you will go through in your mind is I dont have anything to offer others, maybe getting a job is the best option for me. Dont fall in to this line of thinking, it is just part of the social programming that you are accustomed to. You already know that getting a job is not the option that you want to take, so dont listen to others that try and discourage you. That is crazy talk, that wont work, just get you a job. The reason there are so many people including family members that try to discourage you, is that when you try and do something different to better yourself, it makes others feel guilty, and well you have heard the old saying Misery loves Company, they try and discourage you. Learn to trust your Intuition, even if the whole world is telling you it cant be done. Years from now when you look back as a successful Work at Home entrepreneur you will thank heavens you had the intestinal fortitude to stay on the straight and narrow and become a success.

Angela Bailey lives in Houston, TX with her 4 year old son. She does freelance writing and Internet Marketing for a living. Her hobbies include Yoga, Meditation, and Cooking. Angela's Blog lists legitimate work from home opportunities go to http://findworkfromhome.com.Karna Blog96614
Karola Blog85972

How To Select The Notebook That Meets Your Requirements?

For the past ten years there has been a tremendous growth in the usage of notebook or laptop computers. The impact is that the notebooks are slowly replacing the traditional desktop computers from home as well as from office. There are so many varieties, technologies and brands of notebooks available in the market that it has become very difficult for a regular user to identify the best fit for his or her needs. This article will help you in getting a few tips on how to select the right notebook and make the most out of your investment.

A notebook offers several advantages. The most important being the trouble-free mobility. This is enhanced by the easily available wireless internet connections all over the world. It is very convenient to carry all your work with you anywhere you go. Advancement in technology has brought down the weight and size of the notebooks significantly, making it even more comfortable for a regular user.

What are the things that you should consider before purchasing your notebook? Start with doing an analysis of your needs. Ask questions like: For what purpose will I use this notebook? The answers could include -- for internet browsing, chatting, high-end graphic designing, gaming, business or official work, programming, application development, etc. The type of notebook you choose will depend on what you need it for.

When you do your research, make notes on the prices, technical features, configuration, guarantees, and performance that each notebook has to offer. You would need to decide whether you want a notebook from an Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) or from a brand. It is believed that brand notebooks offer better post-sales service, and guarantee, while OEM notebooks are cheaper and offer the same hardware quality as the brand ones.

If you need a notebook that is small and light and should be carried around easily while you are traveling, go for the ultra-portable range models. These notebooks have screens smaller than 12 inches and weigh up to 5 pounds. Some models of such notebooks include Sony Vaio PCG-U3, Fujitsu Lifebook P1510, Toshiba Libretto U100, Panasonic R4, Dell Latitude X1 and many more.

If you are a business professional looking for a thin and light notebook that offers durability, security and all important features necessary for your office, then you can select from a wide range of business notebooks. These include Apple MacBook, Dell XPS M1210, Sony VAIO FJ, and Dell Latitude and etc.

If you are addicted to gaming you would need a notebook that has the capability to present high-end graphics performance. These would include notebooks with the latest processors, increased RAM and hard disk storage space, faster CPUs, top-of-the line graphic display capability, great wireless connectivity and a host of other compatibility features. Some of the best gaming notebooks include Alienware Aurora, Dell XPS M170, and Rock Xtreme CTX PRO and etc.

If you are looking for just an economic replacement for your desktop and you do not want to spend on a high-end notebook, then you can select from a variety of models offered by Acer, Apple, Dell, Fujitsu, HP, Samsung, Sony and Toshiba. These notebooks are fashioned to be used at a fixed location and weigh up to 13 pounds, so they are not very convenient if you have to travel a lot. They generally have bigger screen sizes and lower battery life.

Apart from the notebooks mentioned above you can also pick tablet PCs, transportables, high-end personal digital assistants (PDAs), handheld computers, or smart phones. These are mobile devices that you can carry with you wherever you go, if mobility is all you are looking for.

This article is under GNU FDL license and can be distributed without any previous authorization from the author. However the author's name and all the URLs (links) mentioned in the article and biography must be kept.

Roberto Sedycias works as IT consultant for http://www.polomercantil.com.brKatharine Blog4666
Kellina Blog18052

Webcam Basics

Instead of just communicating over the internet with text and emoticons, people are beginning to realize just how easy and fun it is to send video clips through cyberspace. Webcam setups range from simple to complex, and increasing the complexity is only a matter of adding functionality through software, custom code and/or equipment connections.

A simple Webcam setup consists of a Digital Camera attached to your computer, usually through the USB port. The camera part of the Webcam setup is just a digital camera -- nothing out of the ordinary so far. The "Webcam" functions of the camera originate from the software. Webcam software takes a frame from the digital camera at a preset interval (for example, the software might grab a still image from the camera once every 30 seconds) and transfers it to another location for viewing.

If you're interested in using your Webcam for streaming video, you'll want a Webcam system with a high frame rate. The frame rate indicates the number of pictures the software can grab and transfer in one second. For streaming video, you need a minimum rate of at least 15 frames per second (fps), and 30 fps is optimal. To achieve high frame rates, you must necessarily have a high-speed internet connection.

Once it captures a frame, the software broadcasts the image over your Internet connection. There are several broadcast methods. Using the most common method, the software turns that image into a JPEG (compressed) file and uploads it to a web server using File Transfer Protocol (FTP). You can easily place a JPEG image onto any web page in this manner and post your webcam images on the internet.

If you don't have your own Web server or web site, you can also use your web cam to send a video email. First, launch the software that comes with the camera. Depending on the model, the process of e-mailing and recording your video messages may vary. Press Start or Record to begin the video message. Click Stop and then preview the video. You can then click E-mail or Send, which automatically opens your default e-mail program.

When sending a video e-mail, the longer the video message recorded, the bigger the attachment will be, so make sure the recipient's computer can handle the size. The recipient of the e-mail does not need special software to see your video message; they simply choose to open the attachment and the mini movie will play.

Another increasingly popular way to use your web cam is a chat session with webcams in "real time" with instant messaging (IM) programs. During an IM chat, there will be an option to start the webcam right on the screen, or under the Options or Tools menu. In Windows Messenger, for example, the words Start Camera are on the right-hand side of the screen. It is also possible to adjust the volume, window size, and video resolution with IM options. The person on the other end also needs a webcam to visually chat.

Adjust your camera's focus, point it toward your face, and most importantly, look right into the "eye" of the webcam so your friends on the other end see more than just your forehead. Keep in mind that some webcams require an additional microphone to record audio.

Don't expect terrific video quality. It's often possible to adjust the video resolution by toying with the webcam's software settings, but the higher the quality, the choppier the video frame rates will be. Webcams can also be used for remote security monitoring, but beware of hackers who could intercept your video feed and then spy on YOU. Make full use of passwords and encryption.

Brian Lee
http://www.WorldCameraVideo.com

The World's Best Brands of digital cameras, camcorders, webcams, security cameras, camera phones, photo printers, and accessories. Get yours now.

Brian Lee is co-owner of http://www.WorldCameraVideo.com. 100% Customer Satisfaction Guarantee on entire line of digital cameras, camcorders, webcams, security cameras, camera phones, photo printers, & accessories. Kyla Blog24442
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That 'Talking Thing' Will Either Make or Break a Relationship!

Paul Sterling is the creator of The Language of Peace, a new communication paradigm that puts an end to manipulation, mind games and martyrdom. It replaces these with compassion, understanding and peaceful interactions.

Sterling, once a commercial fisherman in Alaska, spent years studying with all of the great masters of motivation and change, from Anthony Robbins to Marshall Thurber. He studied and taught Dr. Demming's Systems Theory in government and business. Later he became certified in Eriksonian hypnosis, neuro-linguistic programming, and neuro-associative response. Then he discovered in his studies the magical work of Dr. Marshall Rosenberg, Nonviolent Communication. He felt it really gave him the tools to make all of the other things he'd learn possible. It was one thing to know that he should discuss an issue with a mate or employee. It was a totally different thing to actually have the outline and words for conducting that conversation.

And so this all led to the creation of The Language of Peace. Paul combined his knowledge and skills from all of these sources to create a system of relating to our loved ones that creates intimacy, understanding and compassion beyond what is possible using any other system.

What do you do when...

- You marry with the understanding that you and your mate would live in the town where your parents live. But after marriage he announces that there's no possible way he can live there?

- You move in with your beloved to live happily ever after in the little nest you would make. But after you move in you find out that her idea of a happy nest is one with stuff piled everywhere and dirty dishes?

- Your beloved says that he'd love to support you in changing careers, just as soon as you have about $10,000 in the bank. Of course the guy spends money like nobody's business, so that effectively eliminates your dream of changing careers?

- Your beloved moved in with you and you were going to create this fun little life of work, dinner parties and travel. Then you find out, once she's moved in, that her asthma prevents her from doing much of these things. Plus, you suspect the asthma is really a means of manipulation, not a truly physiological issue?

...What to do?! Run and hide? Stay and fight? Stay and check out of the relationship?

Look at the four problems above. All four have one thing in common -- they all require clear communication to get out of the situation. You could run and hide, but that wouldn't help anything. The issues would still be there. You could stay and fight about who's right and who's wrong and call each other 'idiots', but that wouldn't help much either. You could stay and just keep your mouth shut, figuring that fighting or running wouldn't help. Or, you can learn away of communicating with your beloved so that you can connect deeply and compassionately about even the most mundane issues of every day life.

Learn the words to use to convey what you really need and what you're really feeling without pissing the other person off or driving them away. And learn it in a way that you can call it to mind in even the hairiest of fights with your family.

This compassion-building communication method is The Language of Peace. Its four easy steps of stating an observation, your feelings around this observation, your needs in the situation, and making a clear and present request.

Okay, I said 'easy', but what I meant by that is that it's only four steps and doesn't take a master's degree in communication to figure it out. The hard part is in using it and sticking with it because it requires a change of all of your old paradigms about how to get what you want in a relationship.

We were all brought up with various strategies for getting what we want in any relationship. And sometimes those strategies aren't too successful. It would seem to be easy to change those once you made up your mind to do it and knew how to do is, but it's not. When you're under stress you'll always want to revert to the ways you know the best -- the ways you learned in your natural family -- the ways that may not be working too well.

For one, we all want to build cases against our loved ones and prove to them how wrong they are about whatever the issue is. Um... excuse me? Since when did having somebody tell you you're an idiot ever make you feel closer to them? That's probably the biggest skill we work on in our materials -- helping you to build a connection with your loved ones instead of building a case against them.

Another thing we as humans always tend to want to do is assume that the person we're talking to is hearing what we intended to say. Nope. In fact, they'll watch our behavior and listen to our words and STILL decide that what we meant was something completely different. So we teach people an effective way to check in with their beloved before things get out of hand.

And again, it would seem that that should be fairly simple. But it's not. Any time you start learning a new language, it's going to take some time and practice to become fluent. Did you ever study French or Spanish or German in school? Do you remember just how much time it took, repeating, "The fruit is in the bowl at the bottom of the stairs" just to remember the phrase? That's what learning The Language of Peace is going to be like. You're going to need to listen to MP3s and get on teleconference calls and attend a seminar (if you can) to really become fluent in this new way of speaking.

It's not that we teach you a whole new language, but we will be teaching you a new vocabulary of feelings and needs -- common English words that we just never really think to use. And we'll teach you a new grammar -- a new way of putting together your new vocabulary so that other people will want to listen to you.

If you're ready to commit yourself to learning a new way of communicating with your loved ones, we invite you to sign up for our Special Report on the 5 Most Common Relationship Wrecking Communication Mistakes to start reading about ways that you can modify your communication style.

The next thing to do will be to order our beginners package of MP3 recordings and reports about the 4 steps of the Language of Peace. This is the tool for really changing your life around.

Following that, we offer teleseminars and seminars where you can ask your questions and practice your new skills in role plays and challenges to really hone your new skills and make them work for you.

To read more and to sign up for our free Special Report on the 5 Mistakes of Relationship communication, go to the Magic Relationship web-site.

Paul & Kristin teach The Relationship Magic Series including The 4 Simple Steps To Heart-Opening- Intimacy and Understanding The 5 Relationship-Wrecking Communication Mistakes The Seven Secret Keys To Creating a Relationship Oasis - To get your own free copy of their special report 'The 5 Mistakes' go to http://www.magicRelationship.com/freeaccessKarlen Blog5677
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The Benefits Of Auto Wraps

When it comes to making a positive and effective marketing campaign, a number of different techniques and mediums can be applied. One of the growing trends in marketing is the premise of using a mobile vehicle in order to carry the message of a product, service or concept. This is not a new idea, since planes have been used to fly banners over areas and bumper stickers have been utilized for a long time. However, one of the main methods in which we are able to perform this process is beginning to evolve into something even more advantageous, effective and beneficial. Auto wraps are one of the most popular ways in which companies or individuals can advertise without spending too much money.

Auto wraps are cost effective

The truth is that they are able to affect a great deal of individuals in an easy manner. No longer do customers need to spend big allotments of cash for their advertising campaign in order to purchase billboard space that many people may end up ignoring and driving by without a second thought.

Auto wraps do the hard part

Now, we have auto wraps, which are advertisements that are placed onto a vehicle in order to have the message of the specific company easily transported for residents of many different areas to observe and take notice of while the vehicle simply goes about its way. It is not necessary for vehicles with auto wraps to stop or do anything out of the ordinary. All that needs to occur is that the vehicle will drive about where the vehicle was, or is, needed to. By just going about the daily routine, the auto wraps do the hard part the advertising for the company. At a fraction of the price as to what it would cost companies to invest in alternative methods of marketing and advertisement, auto wraps help companies to make smart and equitable decisions regardless of where they are located and what tasks or duties they perform.

Auto wraps are beneficial to virtually all types of companies

For many people, getting involved with auto wraps is not only a good idea, but it is sometimes vital to the company being able to get the attention and the business that it needs to grow and prosper as a place of business or operations. As a result, auto wraps are getting more and more popular - and printing companies, especially superior ones such as our company, have the knowledge and expertise to back up the processes that we promise our customers.

SignZoo's award winning auto wraps, and national network of certified installers installs your auto wrap at your convenience. Our in-house creative team will create custom fleet wraps that gets you noticed.Katleen Blog7686
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Creating Sitemaps, The Proper Path For Search Engine Optimization

In order to have a successful website, it is very important to possess all the different and important factors for web promotion, and a sitemap is one of them. If you decide to take your website to the next level it is imperative to include a sitemap in it.

By now you may be wondering, what is a sitemap? The answer is quite simple, a sitemap is an aid which is used for accomplishing an easier navigation of a given site. Inside it you will find the whole structure of a website and also the most important links and sections that it has, basically it will ensure that your visitors will know exactly where to go when looking for certain information within your site, otherwise they might get bored and try with the next similar website. But the main reason why a sitemap is so important for your website is because it will help you raise your ranking within search engines, and that means, more visitors, more exposure and overall, a higher Internet success.

There are different types of sitemaps: there is the Google sitemap, the simple .html sitemap, the .txt sitemaps, and others which are mainly used by search engines to locate your site and to help you visitors during their surfing.

First of all let us discuss the Google sitemap, if you have a Google sitemap your site will be benefited in many ways, first of all, the speed in which your website and its sections are added to the Google index will significantly increase. Also, Google will be quickly aware of any changes or updates that you do on your site. There is also the very convenient fact that your website will be listed in Google and many people will find it without any problem, but more importantly, with a Google sitemap you will be capable of providing your visitors with fresh new content and all the information they require within your site in a matter of minutes.

In order to create a Google sitemap you will need to code it in a programming language known as Extensible Markup Language, otherwise referred as XML; the process is tedious and it can be quite time-consuming, especially if your website contains hundreds of sections. The fact that sitemaps are so difficult to code is the reason why many people have opted for another option, using a sitemap generator. A sitemap generator is a simple program that will let you create your own personalized sitemap in a matter of minutes.

If you are ready to create a sitemap, possibly the easiest option for you is to start with a simple .html sitemap, these popular sitemaps which have been used for years will help your visitors find their way around your site. To create a simple .html sitemap is easy, just do a new page and put in it links to all the other pages of your site. Having a simple .html sitemap will not only help your visitors, but it is also extremely helpful for search engines spiders when trying to locate specific content within your site.

If you want to create a simple .txt sitemap just type a list of the different URLs available in your website, save them in a text file and you will be then capable of submitting the list to the search engines.

Razvan Marian Jr is a SEO specialist with more years of experience in the field. He is also the leading manager of http://www.cheapsubmissions.eu , developing services such as cheap web site submissions and cheap articles submissions.Karie Blog31007
Karena Blog74650

Keeping The Registry Clean With A Registry Cleaner

The registry is the backbone of the operating system. It is the record keeper of all that is stored and where it is stored on the system. Keeping the registry clean will keep your computer running smoothly.

Windows uses a system called the system registry. This is a central database that is used by all modern Windows platforms. This registry or central hierarchal database contains all the information that is required by the operating system to configure the system and make it operate efficiently. The operating system constantly refers to the registry for information. This may be several times a minute and the information sought may range from user profiles, which applications are installed on the machine, to what hardware is installed and which ports are registered and used for what service. The system registry was introduced in the late 1990's along with Windows ninety-five and replaced the older version of recording data in .INI files. The entire registry is composed of binary code and keeps on growing as the operating system adds entries to it. This slows down the system and it needs a registry cleaner to erase all the useless sentries to make the system more efficient.

What is the Registry?

As we use the computer the operating system keeps updating the registry with the new data it has to refer to for smooth operation. Let us take for example the simple file saving information, when we save a document the system has to record where the document has been saved and when it was saved also by which user. All this information is entered in the system registry. No consider how many times you save a document on the system. In addition to this consider how many sites you access on the Internet. Each time you open a site entries are made in the system registry. This makes the registry grow and slow down. Registry cleaners are programs that scan the registry and remove all the redundant entries. Registry Cleaners such as Windows registry cleaner is programmed to identify redundant entries and remove them. This makes the system faster.

So How Does The Registry Slow The System?

As the programs refer to the registry for information such as the location of a particular file or folder it has to start rummaging through the file from the beginning until it comes to the file entry it is looking for. All the entries are entered in hierarchical order so every time the programs refer to the registry they have to start from the beginning. They will also have to go through the broken links and useless entries, which number many thousands. This is why the registry slows the system. A registry cleaner like Win XP registry Cleaner scans the registry and identifies all the broken links and redundant entries that are entries not associated with any application, and removes them. This speeds the system up greatly.

Arvind Singh is admin and technical expert associated with development of computer security and performance enhancing software like Registry Cleaner, Window Cleaner, Anti Spam Filter etc. More information can be found at http://www.pcmantra.comLainey Blog57886
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Windows XP Tips for Computer Security

Here are a couple of tips to speed up your Windows XP computer and help keep you protected and secure online. First you need to control which programs load on startup: Many of the programs you install on your computer automatically configure themselves to launch at startup, usually invisibly. The truly essential ones, such as anti-virus and firewall products, generally run as services and run fine in the background. Other less important software like media players don't need to be running continually.

These extra programs slow the boot process and then severely suck up resources like memory and CPU cycles. It is pretty easy to control which applications launch on startup. The System Configuration Utility lists all these applications in one place:

1) To get there: Click the Start' button then choose the Run' command.

2) In the text box type "msconfig". - Across the top of the dialog box select the Startup' tab.

3) The Startup Tab lists all the programs that launch at start-up. To disable any of these simply un-check the box on the left. Only non-essential programs are listed here it should be safe to un-check pretty much anything. If it turns out you needed it just go back and re-check it.

4) Once you are done re-boot the machine. 5) When the Desktop returns you will be presented with a window that says you have chosen Selective Startup. Just Check "Do not show this window again" and click OK.

To keep your computer secure, turn on automatic updates. Seems like every virus writer has nothing better to do then attack Windows operating systems. Keeping the system patches and security fixes is critical. During the setup of XP Service Pack 2 with a new computer or an up-grade you are asked whether or not to turn on automatic updates, if you made the mistake of checking no you can find this option in the Windows Security Center (Start / Control Panel) and change it back. Even with all its faults, XP is a powerful operating system that has many good security features.

Here are some more tips to help you get the most out of your operating system. Remove Windows components not found in ADD / REMOVE. Many Windows components, things like Network Services or Solitaire are easy to remove through the Add or Remove programs configuration window (Start / ControlPanel / Add and Remove Programs / Windows Components). Simply un-check them, but some things are deliberately hidden.

A good example would be MSN Messenger. To remove this from startup follow these steps:

1) In Windows Explorer (right click Start / Explore), navigate to C:WindowsInf and make a copy of Sysoc.inf.

2) Double click on Sysoc.inf and it will open in Notepad.

3) Press Ctrl H (opens Find and Replace) and replace the string ,hide, with ,, then save and replace the file. Now all the hidden components will appear.

4) Then follow the steps above for removing programs from the startup menu.

To restore a corrupted system file: If a necessary system file should become missing or corrupted by a virus you can replace it from your Windows CD.

1) Go to Start / Search and type in the file name replacing the last letter with an underscore (ex. Filename.ex_).

2) If the file is found, open a command prompt (Start / Run, type CMD in the textbox).

3) At the prompt type expand followed by the full pathname of the file and destination (expand D:Windowsfilename.ex_ C:Windowsfilename.exe) where D: is the letter of your disc drive. If either pathname contains spaces surround the entire pathname with double quotes. If the file isn't found search again using the un-modified file name, it is probably in a CAB file, Windows treats these as folders, simply drag the new folder to the destination while holding down the right mouse button then select Copy Here.

Chris Kaminski has been working in computer repair and web development for the last 20 years. Kaminski is CEO and head technician for Computerguyslive.com, an online computer repair company based in Asheville, NC. Visit Computer Guys Live online at http://www.computerguyslive.com for computer repair and check out the invaluable Wireless Connection Guide at http://computerguyslive.com/content/wireless/wirelessindex.asp.Karrie Blog90474
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