Kindle Fire Screen Protectors - Find Out the Fashionable Kindle Cases And Covers

At present getting accessories for your mobile gadgets are common, specially the important protective gears just like Kindle Fire screen protectors, Kindle Fire cases and various kinds of pouches. Amazon's current release of the Kindle Fire is an impressive tablet that allows book lovers to have easy access to various reading materials. Users went so far as to refer to it as "revolutionary" highly praise indeed. Even better! This "easy-to-use, small-screen tablet" as well as reasonable cost is best technology innovation so far. Obviously, this very popular device gives added protection from the outside world. As pointed out above the two most vital must haves are Kindle Fire screen protectors and Kindle cases. Once you've got these two accessories you may readily use your Kindle Fire wherever you want. The Kindle is a widely used e-book reader by Amazon. The Kindle goes with a basic cover to protect the device away from damage each time stowed in a purse or even briefcase. A cover may provide extra protection and even reflect the individuality of the user through a creative covering. The very first accessory most people acquire for their new Kindle is often a cover, case, skin and also sleeve. Regardless of which you consider really depends on your character and also needs. Kindles are really tough, the screen is made from durable glass that can survive knocks and even scratches perfectly. While the back of the Fire is made of a somewhat bendable rubber material that also withstands knocks. If you're bringing your Kindle outside the house it may be much better to buy a robust case or sleeve is probably the good choice. The skins also called hard case features numerous style, designs and colours. The designs range from cute to fairly weird from plaid, pink and pretty, floral, wood effect, Temple of Doom, and matt black. Kindle Fire skins are a style statement yet they likewise serve a useful function. A Skin offers an inexpensive means by which to guard your device while additionally displaying a hint of your individuality. Skins can be bought for as much as half the price of the average leather cover, and merely a fraction of any designer cover. Next is the Kindle Fire folio cover is a good case protector and as well as being an official accessory, it includes a foldable soft fabric lid to function as a viewing stand. The elastic strap available supports the cover in an open or closed position, and with reinforced corner protection the super thin and really light weight and it would not pressure your bags by any means. It also also comes in four colours, black, white, pink and also graphite. Now, you could also acquire a non-Kindle brand case for just a less expensive cost. Kindle cover is yet another neoprene cover from Gizmo Dorks. The sleeve has a plastic zipper to securely and safely close the tote. Soft yet dense and pliable neoprene cushions the Kindle from bumps, scratches and scrapes. Remember to also get Kindle Fire screen protectors to safe guard your Kindle. The case, skin as well as sleeve can help prevent every damages to the body of your Kindle though it would not stop it from getting marked by a pen, your car keys or some other sharp personal things inside your handbag or computer bag.

Kindle Fire Screen Protector is a necessity for individuals who own a Kindle to protect it from damage, or breaks. Kindle Fire Screen Protectors are superb investment for making your Kindle Fire last much longer.

Save Thousands Using FREE Open Source Alternatives

Every year, commercial software companies come out with expensive upgrades or new software that they want people to buy. I believe that the majority of people and businesses do not need to spend the hundreds, if not thousands of dollars these companies are seeking. A great alternative to these expensive programs, that a lot of people and businesses are not aware of, is open source software.

  Dictionary.com does a good job of defining open source: pertaining to or denoting software whose source code is available free of charge to the public to use, copy, modify, sublicense, or distribute."

  There is a lot of FREE listed in that definition! The software is free of charge and we are free to make any changes to it that we see fit. Of course to make the changes; you either have to know programming or know somebody that does. A lot of people shy away from open source software; due to concerns about security and support. They think "if it is free, how stable and secure can it be compared to its several hundred dollar counterpart, and will I be able to get support". Most free software that is released has community support. If you have any questions or problems with the software that you can't find in the documentation all you have to do is hop on their forum and ask a question. You will usually get an answer the same day or next. I have even gotten answers on open source forums in less time than I have had to wait on hold for "Peggie". I believe that most open source software is very secure compared to their commercial counterparts. With commercial companies, the software code is locked so nobody other than the company that created it can look at it and modify it to correct any problems it may have in security. With open source software, the whole internet community can collaborate on the software and as soon as somebody finds a flaw or security risk they can submit a change that will be updated shortly. Companies and individuals are not the only ones that can benefit and save money with free software. Governments are currently saving millions of dollars by replacing their expensive commercial software with open source programs. The city of Munich, in Germany, is currently in the process of switching from Microsoft's Windows operating system to an open source version of SuSE Linux. Venezuela passed a law (Decree 3390) mandating a transition to open source in all public agencies. The government of Peru has voted to adopt open source software across all of its offices, the reason they gave for the switch was "to ensure that key pillars of democracy were safeguarded". The Commonwealth of Massachusetts adopted the OpenDocument standard for all of its offices. The United States White House moved its website to servers using the free operating system Linux and the free content management software Drupal in 2009. This is just a sample of the governments that have switched over to open source completely or partially to save money. The next time you go to lay down your hard earned cash for a piece of software that is going to be asking you for some more money in a year or so when it gets upgraded, remember open source software. Here is a small list of some of my favorite free programs next to their expensive counterpart. If you need these programs you could save $2,500 or more. Free Alternative / Expensive Commercial Version OpenOffice / Microsoft Office $119.99 to $499.99 starting at $349.99 if you want database functionality. GIMP / Adobe Photoshop $699 Scribus Adobe InDesign $699 Inkscape / Adobe Illustrator $599 Ubuntu / Windows 7 Ultimate $219.99 To read more about these FREE programs and to find more freebies, check out the BestFreeNet.com.

Save thousands of dollars by using the freebies we have found that are capable of replacing expensive commercial products. http://BestFreeNet.com

Some of the Disadvantages of Cloud Computing

Everything has its pros and cons. Similarly, cloud computing too along with the wide host of advantages, has a number of shortcomings. Some of them have been discussed below and will help you determine the extent to which cloud computing suits your needs. 1. Privacy Cloud computing makes all of your personal data present on servers. Not just emails, or social networking records but everything will be present on a server that belongs to a third party. The issue of privacy is the first one that pops up. What guarantee does the third party give users that their information will not be trespassed? 2. Security Powerful servers such as those of Hotmail, Yahoo and Picasa have ample security that protects not only their own information but also that of their users. However, cloud service vendors are relatively small and less immune to external attacks. This puts a question mark on the safety of the clients from malware such as viruses, worms, spyware and trojans as well as deliberate human attacks. 3. Control Don't you perform different maintenance routines such as Check Disk and Disk Defragmentation on your PC to keep it running efficiently? Such routines maintain your PC's health and give you a better user experience. Cloud computing on the other hand, doesn't permit you to run any such checks, making you heavily dependent on Cloud Service Providers (CPS). Moreover, a common user has very little insight of the contingency procedures that SCPs use such as those related to backup, recovery and restoration. 4. Transferability Once, a user begins cloud computing on a certain server, and finds that the Cloud Service Providers aren't good enough, he or she lands in a tight spot. It is very difficult to switch on to a different CSP. Hence, all one can do is bear with the flaws of the current CSP. 5. Downtime Imagine those few seconds when one the websites that you most visit shows a downtime error. The unpredictability of the situation makes you panic and leaves you no option. Imagining the downtime of a Cloud Service Provider is even more terrible because it stops you from accessing your computer at all. No matter how trusted a web server is, it can never be completely safe from downtime errors. Even some of the most famous and trusted websites have gone through downtime. For example Amazon's network experienced a downtime for four long days affecting millions of users starting on February 21, 2011. On February 2, 2011, Gmail and Google Plus had their servers facing the same problem that went on for two days severely affecting their users. Sony too had to shut down the website of the Playstation network for 25 days affecting seven million users on April 21, 2011 after an account of unauthorized intrusion. The disadvantages mentioned above must be considered before you make your decision to entire shift to cloud computing. It must however be noted that cloud computing is still evolving and will improve with time.

For more information about The Cloud visit Ancoris, who are a UK based Premier Enterprise Reseller of Google Apps, providing comprehensive deployment, migration, support and training services for Google Apps, Google Sites, Google Docs and everything related to Cloud Computing.

How To Make An App: Beginner's Tips

How do you know when you have a great idea? How rich would you be if you had a nickel for every single time you heard "I have a great idea for an application?" Well, creating an app can be difficult for some and maybe easier for others. Most applications are made for mobile phones so that users can organize and simplify their materials. This guide will walk you step-by-step to bringing your idea of an app to a reality. Your first step is to join an app development program. The majority of the time, this costs, and is rarely free. Owning a Mac Computer helps, also. You will need to make yourself a non-disclosure agreement. Contractors using your app will need to sign this agreement. This puts an official stamp on your idea for other individuals or companies to note that you are a professional, with an original idea that cannot be copy-righted. What creativity can you bring to the table? Designing an application is not similar to starting a business. You will play all roles for yourself: manager, developer, designer, and marketer. Taking time to check which skills are within your ability will save you a ton of time and energy in the initial process. Software development is not for certain people. A mental and physical checklist you should familiarize yourself with is: marketing research, outlining application functions, graphic design, promotion and marketing, and programming. For the areas you feel you will need a little extra help in, or that you may not have the adequate knowledge in, hire a professional. There is nothing wrong with being safe than sorry. What problem(s) does your application solve? Are there any products that work to serve as the same purpose yours does? What makes your app stand out from the others? What can you bring to the table with this feature? These are all questions you need to have answered for the user/reader of your creation. Make sure you determine who will use your app. Make it target-able to all ages and backgrounds as much as you can. As for design, you will need to sketch out your idea beforehand, obviously. Use easy internet or software tools for your concept. Try to get started with a simple program like Photoshop for the final design. If you are not good at this, hiring someone will be best. After programming the app, submit your idea to the app store on the network it is apart of (Android, Apple, etc.). Promote your application whole-heartedly to make sure all users have a chance to experience first-hand to see how amazing it is.

Find more information on how do you make an app or make an app.

Is Anybody Compliant With the EU Cookie Law Yet?

The pending deadline date for compliance with the now infamous EU Cookie Law has left many website owners in a state of confusion. Serious lack of official direction and implementation advice has already, even at this early stage, created a myriad of bewildered site owners wondering what to do and how do it. For all the fever surrounding the topic most of the questions people are asking are basically: - What is the EU Cookie Law - Do I need to comply? - How do I comply? - Who has complied so far? - How is the EU going to locate compliant and non-compliant sites? - What is actually going to happen if I don't comply? Much has been said already about the first 3 of these questions and there is plenty available online to digest. Our concern in this article is to consider the last 3 questions. So, who has complied so far? This is one of the most asked questions at this point, and is naturally being asked more and more as the official deadline approaches. There are two main reasons people are concerned with this. The first is because with the lack of official clarity about how to comply people are looking to other sites (preferably large high-profile ones) to show how they are complying and then copy that same process on their own site. After all, very few sites are armed with lawyers and deep programming resources so they will look toward the leaders and early implementers to show then the way to satisfactory compliance standards. The second reason people want to know who has complied is because many experts have speculated in other articles that the EU is [link]most likely to go after higher profile sites after the deadline. Therefore there is an unspoken expectation that larger traffic sites are going to implement compliance sooner rather than later because they are most immediate risk, and that until they do the medium and smaller sites probably have less to worry about. Whilst this is not necessarily true it is the case that often lawmakers will go after larger corporations at first to make an example and encourage others to fall in line quickly for fear of suffering the same fate. Given these facts one would probably expect that the top tier sites in the various EU countries are already well on their way to compliance by now. One would expect... Interested in discovering this we collected a cookie list of the top 25 UK sites and checked out what they were doing with cookies in the browser. Here is the compliance list: google.co.uk bbc.co.uk ebay.co.uk amazon.co.uk dailymail.co.uk guardian.co.uk telegraph.co.uk thesun.co.uk hsbc.co.uk rightmove.co.uk barclays.co.uk argos.co.uk independent.co.uk national-lottery.co.uk barefruit.co.uk lloydstsb.co.uk tripadvisor.co.uk autotrader.co.uk digitalspy.co.uk groupon.co.uk santander.co.uk orange.co.uk mirror.co.uk theregister.co.uk next.co.uk As it turns out not a single one of them is EU Compliant! Why not? Well, they all created permanent cookies, some of them third party cookies, and did not ask for consent. Even worse we only checked th e homepages! Now, This doesn't mean that these large site will not comply before the approaching deadline, but it does paint a fairly grim picture of the current state of things. If the top 25 sites are not yet there, what about the top 50, or 100, or 1000? After gathering more data it turns out that not a single site in the top 150 is compliant. In the end out of the total 17,904 audited UK sites in our research so far only 53 are compliant. That is a very low and pathetic statistic: 0.3%! What does all this mean? Well, first it means that if you are not compliant yet then it would seem you are in good company. If the previously stated premise that the lawmakers will go after larger sites before smaller ones is true then there is clearly going to be some time until they work their way down the list. On the down side, there is no large commercial site to look toward for answers about how to implement and get compliant. The facts are not very comforting for anybody trying to make sense out of the cookie law. All they do is highlight the current confusion and leave us with more new questions than answers. The most interesting thing we have to ask is whether these larger sites are going actually implement compliance at all? Are they all waiting for somebody else to make a move, or are they just going to play a waiting game with legislators? This brings us to our other earlier question: what are the law makers going to do when the deadline passes if 99% of the top 1000 EU sites have all not bothered to comply with their law? Whatever the answer to these questions one thing is for sure: the future days are going to be interesting to watch how the law is (or is not) implemented, and what the EU is going to do about it for those who do not comply.

Kindle Fire Screen Protectors - Find Out the Fashionable Kindle Cases And Covers

At present getting accessories for your mobile gadgets are common, specially the important protective gears just like Kindle Fire screen protectors, Kindle Fire cases and various kinds of pouches. Amazon's current release of the Kindle Fire is an impressive tablet that allows book lovers to have easy access to various reading materials. Users went so far as to refer to it as "revolutionary" highly praise indeed. Even better! This "easy-to-use, small-screen tablet" as well as reasonable cost is best technology innovation so far. Obviously, this very popular device gives added protection from the outside world. As pointed out above the two most vital must haves are Kindle Fire screen protectors and Kindle cases. Once you've got these two accessories you may readily use your Kindle Fire wherever you want. The Kindle is a widely used e-book reader by Amazon. The Kindle goes with a basic cover to protect the device away from damage each time stowed in a purse or even briefcase. A cover may provide extra protection and even reflect the individuality of the user through a creative covering. The very first accessory most people acquire for their new Kindle is often a cover, case, skin and also sleeve. Regardless of which you consider really depends on your character and also needs. Kindles are really tough, the screen is made from durable glass that can survive knocks and even scratches perfectly. While the back of the Fire is made of a somewhat bendable rubber material that also withstands knocks. If you're bringing your Kindle outside the house it may be much better to buy a robust case or sleeve is probably the good choice. The skins also called hard case features numerous style, designs and colours. The designs range from cute to fairly weird from plaid, pink and pretty, floral, wood effect, Temple of Doom, and matt black. Kindle Fire skins are a style statement yet they likewise serve a useful function. A Skin offers an inexpensive means by which to guard your device while additionally displaying a hint of your individuality. Skins can be bought for as much as half the price of the average leather cover, and merely a fraction of any designer cover. Next is the Kindle Fire folio cover is a good case protector and as well as being an official accessory, it includes a foldable soft fabric lid to function as a viewing stand. The elastic strap available supports the cover in an open or closed position, and with reinforced corner protection the super thin and really light weight and it would not pressure your bags by any means. It also also comes in four colours, black, white, pink and also graphite. Now, you could also acquire a non-Kindle brand case for just a less expensive cost. Kindle cover is yet another neoprene cover from Gizmo Dorks. The sleeve has a plastic zipper to securely and safely close the tote. Soft yet dense and pliable neoprene cushions the Kindle from bumps, scratches and scrapes. Remember to also get Kindle Fire screen protectors to safe guard your Kindle. The case, skin as well as sleeve can help prevent every damages to the body of your Kindle though it would not stop it from getting marked by a pen, your car keys or some other sharp personal things inside your handbag or computer bag.

Kindle Fire Screen Protector is a necessity for individuals who own a Kindle to protect it from damage, or breaks. Kindle Fire Screen Protectors are superb investment for making your Kindle Fire last much longer.

What Are The Selling Points Of Tablets On The Market Today?

There are many tablets available to the consumer today. It can be confusing deciding what to buy as there are many selling points of tablets on the market today. To understand the selling points, you should decide what you want to use it for, and then look for the features you want. The first consideration is the style of tablet. The slate is a basic touchscreen, without a keyboard. There are convertible tablet PC's; a slate with an attached keyboard. The slate can swivel independent of the keyboard. There are hybrids, with a detachable keyboard, and booklets, or two tablets which can be folded together like a book. Finally there are rugged tablets, made for tough conditions and very portable. One of the basic features of any tablet is the operating system (OS). These include Android, Android 2.2, Android 2.3, Android 3.0, Android 3.1, Android 3.2, HP webOS, Windows 7 Home Premium, Windows 7 Pro, Blackberry OS, iOS 4. The operating system will determine which applications are available on each tablet. Another basic feature is screen size. Screen size affects how easily some tasks can be accomplished. If you want to read, you may require a different size screen than if you want to work on databases or word processing. The screen sizes vary from 7" to 12", measure diagonally. Along with screen size, the resolution also varies, from 800 x 480 to 1024 x 600. This measures how many pixels fill the screen. The higher the number, the finer the image. Another consideration when choosing a tablet is the capacity of the hard drive. This determines how much information can be stored on the tablet. These range from 4 GB to 64 GB. Large storage means you can carry more music, photos, videos, books and applications in the tablet. Four gigabytes is plenty for text, books, and spreadsheets. If you plan on storing video, audio, or other large files, choose more storage capacity. Many tablets have a slot for memory cards, increasing the storage to 32 GB. CPU speed determines how fast the tablet starts up, processes information, and switches from one application to another. These range from 533 MHz to 1.88 GHz. The slower speeds are sufficient for reading and surfing the net. If you want to play games, go for higher CPU speeds. Battery life and weight are the last two considerations. Since they are portable devices, one would expect a reasonable time of use before the battery must be recharged. Again, they vary in battery life from five to ten hours. Weight is an important consideration, although they are all lighter than a laptop, and therefore more portable. The weights range from just under a pound to two-and-a-half pounds. All tablets are Wi-Fi enabled, meaning that you can access the Internet, download books, search the Web, send and receive emails. Many are equipped with cameras, some with both front and rear facing cameras, and many are able to record video. Some tablets are also able to access 3G or 4G cell networks. This means that, like a cell phone, you can access the web from anywhere that has cell coverage; almost everywhere. Those with 3G or 4G capability often include GPS in the package, making these tablets true traveling companions.

There are so many new tablets and tablet applications that can benefit your work and personal life. Check out the latest android tablet PC and find one that suits your needs.

Hacking - A Brief History

The emergence of the first computers meant, almost simultaneously, the appearance of the first hackers. Over the past 40 years, the attempts of evading computer systems, either in personal interest or as means of protest, have become a constant threat to the security of PCs, telephones and computer systems. Here are the most important moments in the history of hacking: The Beginnings - The 60s The first operating systems developed at the MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) unveiled the first vulnerabilities. In 1965, it a problem was discovered in the Multics CTSS system on an IBM 7094, through which the repeated opening of the text editor was offered the password to any user. Hacking History - The 70s The 70s are important in the history of hacking due to the emergence of phone hackers (phreaks). One of them, John Draper, discovered that a whistle distributed as toy in a cereal box needed the same frequency as the AT & T phone systems. Using the whistle, hackers managed to create a system that allows it to bypass the toll system of the operator for free calls to any destination. Apple founders Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniacki, were also involved in producing the "blue box", the hacking tool based on the whistle. Hacking History - The 80s In the 80s, most of the hackers have oriented toward the computer industry and began even to create the first online communication tools, the precursor of the Usenet network. The growing number of attacks led to the first U.S. law against hackers in 1986. The first international case of espionage was tried in 1989, and three German hackers were convicted for having stolen information of U.S. companies and authorities and selling it to the KGB. Hacking History - The 90s With the emergence of the Netscape Navigator browser in 1994, hackers started moving their information on the web. A year later, a few Russian hackers stole $ 10 million from Citibank. The 90s are important for AOHELL too, the program that allowed amateur hackers to disrupt the AOL services. In 1999, Microsoft released hundreds of patches for bugs in Windows 98, which could be exploited by hackers. Hacking History - The 2000s Since the attacks in 2000 against Yahoo!, Amazon and eBay, authorities became increasingly concerned about information security, sending more and more hackers to jail. In 2001, Microsoft was the victim of the first DNS attack. In 2007, the FBI arrested a group of hackers responsible for the infiltration of 1 million PCs and property damage worth $20 million. Hacking After 2010 Over the past two years, the most important group of hackers proved to be Anonymous, which has gathered many supporters through online attacks that many consider "on behalf of worthy causes." After the closing of the Megaupload website by the FBI, the Anonymous group organized one of the biggest attacks in hacking history with an offensive over multiple websites of U.S. authorities. Other important milestones in recent hacking history are Operation Aurora, through which the Chinese hackers stole sensitive information from Google, breaking the PlayStation network, through which have been exposed the accounts of 77 million users in 2011, as well as the instant breaking of 700,000 websites by a Bangladeshi hacker.

Jason Greenwell invites you to get the latest tech news, tips, and advice from his company My Tech Team - a leading provider of computer support - at http://www.mytechteam.net/blog

European Electronics Legislation in 2012 - What Are the Big News Stories?

Manufacturers, importers and distributors both based in and exporting to the EU must take the time to review all the legislative obligations placed upon them both from the point of protecting their customers and the environment from their products, as well as themselves from the potential legal and monetary issues if they are found to be non-compliant. RoHS 2 The recast of the RoHS directive was a huge story in 2011. The legislation severely limits the use of six hazardous substances (Mercury, Lead, Cadmium, Hexavalent Chromium, PBDE and PBB) in electrical and electronic equipment). The biggest changes were:  

• The introduction of an open scope. The new category 11 covers all products not captured in categories 1-10, unless they are specifically excluded.
• The definition of EEE. The original RoHS defined EEE as equipment which is dependent on electronic or electromagnetic fields to work properly. Now it specifies equipment which is dependent on electronic or electromagnetic fields to fulfil at least one of its intended functions.
• Four year exemption review periods have been replaced by automatic expiry of exemptions unless they are renewed. Categories 1-7 and 10 will be valid for a maximum of five year and 8,9 and 11 will be valid for seven years. Applications for renewal must be submitted at least 18 months before the expiry date.
• Equipment used solely for research and development purposes is out of scope.
• CE Mark obligations will apply to all products in the scope of RoHS when it enters force on the 2^ndJanuary 2013.
• Whilst no additional substances were added to the original six, four substances (HBCDD, BBP, DBP and DEHP) have been put forward for priority assessment with the view of adding them in the future.

  WEEE2 The second reading of the WEEE recast was voted through by the European Parliament in early 2012. Whilst the final text has not been available yet as the European Council need to finalise and publish in the Official Journal of the EU, the following details have been revealed by the European Parliament.  

• WEEE collection targets. By 2016 the majority of member states will have to collect 45 tonnes of e-waste for every 100 tonnes of EEE put on the market in the previous three years. By 2019 this will move to being 65% of EEE put on the market in the previous three years or 85% of WEEE generated (this is yet to be confirmed)
• Stepped collection targets are available for different member states. Ten member states which do not have sufficient waste infrastructures in place and need to improve will have a 40% target and may take until 2021 to reach their target.
• Small items of WEEE can be returned to larger electrical shops without the need to buy a new product to replace the one they are returning.
• Recycling rates of up to 80% will be required for some categories of EEE
• Illegal shipments will be made harder to achieve as the burden of proof moves from customs officials to those exporting and the requirements of proof are stricter.
• Registration and reporting requirements for producers will be simplified to make the process less onerous.

  So what will the future bring? It is inevitable that both RoHS and REACH will have their scopes extended, exemptions will be amended, the open scope will vastly increase the amount of products within scope and more and more substances will be added to both RoHS and REACH.

Victoria Jones is Legislation Marketing Manager at Farnell. http://www.element14.com/legislation

Technology Help Desk Problems

Working on a technology help desk is equal parts technical ability and equal parts customer service. The individuals that master both are going to be the top performers, every time. The main reason is when people have a technology problem they tend to get a little more freaked out than other types of issues. In addition, this is one of the few problems that will make some call a help line for answers. For example, when someone's car breaks down they usually have some indication as to the problem. If they have a flat tire, they know the issue and know exactly what it takes to solve the problem. Whether they do it themselves or not isn't relevant. They are not worked up as there is no fear of the unknown. They already realize that they are not going to spend an hour on hold followed by someone that is not there trying to walk them through a complicated issue. This at some level puts them at ease. For this reason, help desk employees should understand what the customer is going through and speak to them like they are human. Too often, large companies try to "dumb down" the help desk technician to a point that he is reading from a script. People pick up on this instantly and it makes them assume the employee is only capable of reading from the script. I had a very clear experience with a poorly managed help desk just last week. My cable Internet went down so I called the cable company for help. Here are the ways the cable company wasted my time and disappointed me. Customer Verification: This seems pretty reasonable; they should make sure I'm a customer before they spend any time working on my problem. However, I just called a support number because their service is having a problem. Should it really make a difference if I pay for the service or if I'm at a neighbor's house? Even beyond that, they asked me to verify my identity using my customer number (does anyone really know their customer number) or my email address (they issue you an email address when you first sign up, and I have never logged into it since). The point is, it took me a while to find this information and it was a complete waste of my time and theirs. Problem Description: They asked me what the problem is and gave me a speech about how sorry they are that I'm having issues. I explained that there are two PC's in my home, both are down, and the cable modem is flashing an amber light. Everyone that just read my problem description knows that the problem is either with the cable modem, or with the service itself. Since the modem is rented and supported by them, either way it is a problem on their end. However, the technology help desk technician would not break script for any reason. Troubleshooting: The troubleshooting was a complete waste of time for both of us. If the cable company really cared about wait times they would put an end to these pointless troubleshooting steps so the technician could get right to the issue. However, that is impossible so here we go... Reboot My PC: I already told the technician that multiple PCs are down. How could rebooting one machine possible fix the problem? We had to argue about this for a few minutes until I realized that it would be quicker to just reboot. Reboot the Router: Why? Just because that is the next item on the list. The cable modem is clearly the problem, but we have to reboot my router first. In addition, the individual started asking me questions about the router as if she was going to tell me it is not supported and end the call. I told her the router is whatever you support and I just rebooted it. This caused more arguing and more frustration. Eventually I got her to look at the service and sure enough, she did some type of reset on her end and everything was back to normal. People call the technology help desk because they want answers and solutions as quickly as possible. This entire process, including the hold time, took me over an hour to solve a problem with an obvious solution that could have been fixed within 2 minutes. If you manage a technology help desk, consider letting your technicians do their jobs instead of reading a speech to ever customer that calls. They will solve problems quicker and provide a much better customer experience overall. In addition, since they will spend less time on the phone per call, they can handle more calls. It's a win-win!

Kevin Cevich writes for a popular help desk website and focuses on help desk staffing issues. Visit the website to learn more about everything from creating the perfect help desk job description to building a better help desk resume.

The Growth of Internet Technology: Will the Trend Continue?

The world has become a 'global village'. This oxymoron is because of the immense contribution of the internet and the way it has been able to successfully bring the globe together in a village like community. The term 'Global Village' was coined in 1970s by the great visionary Marshall McLuhan. This has been converted into reality by the growth of the internet technology and its continuing trend. Before delving deep into the stats, one can easily count the benefits of the internet in the field of transportation, communication, entertainment, medical science, education, research and development, logistics and many more. The growth of internet has been exemplary over the last couple of decades. It is already documented and speaks volume about how this technology has penetrated into the lives of the masses all over the globe. It is unbelievable and surprising that the internet had just around 16 million users (about 0.4 percent of the global population) in 1995. Today, it has around 2,267 million users (December 2011). This is approximately 32.7 percent of the global population (source: IDC, International World Stats). In a span of 17 years the internet technology has grown by leaps and bounds. Off course, the credit for this impetus should also be given to the people and other emerging technologies that has consistently made internet more accessible, beneficial and omnipresent. In common parlance, Internet refers to a global interconnection of networks owned and operated by industries, academia, government and other private entities. It is meant for the transition of knowledge, information and a viable means of communication. While racing with time, it has so far achieved and surpassed all the objectives of its authors and concept builders. Even the flora and fauna has been impacted upon by the internet technology. If you are around 35 years of age then you can easily recollect the vintage years of this technology and the way by which it grew. The consolidation of the internet as a global platform has changed the way of communication and international and domestic business activities. Due to this technology, communication has no distance related barriers. It has integrated the whole world with a single thread and gave true meaning to the words 'global village'. It would not be an exaggeration if you call internet technology as the best and universal means of communication for billions of people. The credit for this rapid growth of the internet technology should also go to the development of different protocols such as http and https, TCP/IP and IPv4 that may become IPv6 very soon. Moreover, Ethernet, routers, routing protocols, the development of the document object model, domain name resolution (DNS) and security measures like firewalls and fiber optics are some of the technological aspects that you should include in the list of the factors that has played a pivotal role in making internet technology such a big success. One more thing that you can't afford to omit in this discussion is the role played by World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). W3C has delivered all important interoperable technologies in the form of tools, guidelines, specifications and software to help the Web grow to its full potential. As a forum for information, communication, commerce and collective learning, W3C has innumerable contributions to the growth of the internet technology. What is more intriguing and encouraging about the internet technology is its consistent growth over the years. Every day we come across about new products and services using this technology. It has given concrete platform for many industries to grow and benefit people. The latest buzz in the market related to the internet technology is the smartphone. Most recently, it has revitalized the complacent telecommunication and entertainment industry with fresh concepts and given vigor to achieve more and more in the coming years. So there is no harm in saying that the growing trend of internet technology that began a couple of decades ago is likely to continue and bring something new and improved.

Jennifer M Shields enjoys resolving tech issues that might take place with PCs, laptops, Macs and devices like iPhone, iPad, smartphones, digital camera etc. Being associated with Qresolve as a tech support engineer she carries experience of fixing more than thousand issues so far. As a part of professional computer support service provider she has been offering quick tech solutions to global customers through premium services like virus removal, PC optimization, PC security and support to emerging technologies. Her interest in disseminating awareness about technology has induced her to convey her skills into texts through articles, blogs and other online documents. She has got various documents published across the online platform and earned accolades from readers.

How Mobile Usage Brings Businesses and Consumers Together

When you walk down the street most of the time all you see is the tops of people's heads coming towards you. Why? Most of them are too engrossed in their iPods or cellphones to even bother to look up. They are sharing pictures, articles, opinions; just about anything that can be transferred over the web to their friends. Mobile devices have become a way of life for people today and they are becoming even more connected with each other over them. The use of mobile applications, and mobile usage in general, is something that should be considered by restaurants and businesses looking to upgrade their marketing strategy. This type of technology is growing and can be very useful. Today almost all of the country is connected by mobile devices. Users are more likely to use apps or texting rather than calling with their phones. These devices are always turned on and are generally by the person's side at all times. The Neilsen 2010 Media Industry Fact Sheet stated that there were 223 million users over the age of 13 in 2010 and that number has been steadily increasing. This is a wide group of potential customers that businesses can advertise to through mobile devices. It is very easy to market to people with mobile devices and give them advice and information almost instantly. With these devices, people are allowed to share their favorite pictures and videos to friends and even whole communities with one touch. Mobile usage is at an all time high with people using their mobile devices to search the web. More and more people are getting smartphones and iPods that allow to them surf the web and download apps with a few simple touches. Although only 15% of global mobile devices are smartphones, they represent over 78% of total global mobile traffic according to Emerson Network Power. Tablets, laptops, smartphones, and other mobile devices are all connecting people and are creating a global market for restaurants to advertise in. Overall mobile usage especially with regards to mobile applications are something that businesses should at least take a look at. They are becoming increasingly more efficient at reaching future customers and expanding already established businesses' reach. A few of the braver businesses have already created apps and are enjoying the attention from consumers. Hopefully more businesses will take a look at mobile devices and see the benefits that it could potentially give them.

Savanna Eckenrode MenuDrive http://www.menudrive.com http://www.facebook.com/Menudrive

The 7 Most Common Conversion Issues for Business Websites

The "conversions" on a website let the owner know what is effective, and what is dragging on their website. There are some common basic reasons why there may be a lack of viewers on the website, and these issues are rather easy to fix. Too Much Information One of the most important things any writer needs to know is how to put as much pertinent information into an article with the least amount of wordage. When customers or readers look for information online, they just browse. If the information isn't in small paragraphs, they move onto the next website. By using the proper article set-ups, writers can keep readers heavily engrossed in their work. Keep sentences short and sweet, with a lot of visual space on the page. Have the article broken up in a glance-able fashion, with the main words bolded in the proper font. An Unfocused USP If the Unique Selling Point, USP, is off -can be a gamechanger for customers buying from the website. Take the time to build the website around the USP so customers will have a better view of what they are looking for. Remember, customers can purchase the USP somewhere else, so wow them into wanting to buy yours. If the company is family based, or is known for being a vegan industry, build around that. Those are both great USP reasoning for customers to stay on the site. When update the website, or even before it is officially up and running, make it a point to let the customers know what the USP is for the site and company. Unwanted Buttons Customer loses interest in shopping or signing up for services if there are too many buttons. Not only do these buttons make web pages look unprofessional, they get in the way of the customer's time browsing the site. The last thing any website viewer wants are frustrating buttons that can clear their order, links that are incorrect, or buttons that erase their personal information. There is really only one way to clear a page of these troublesome buttons: browse through the site acting like a customer and experience their view of your site. If it doesn't make sense to the owner, how will it make sense to the customer? Another great way to test the web page is to run a trial test before making the website official. All the bugs should be ironed out before customers get to browse. Not Flexible in Payment Options As elementary as it may sound, there are many websites and companies that only accept payments through credit cards. While credit cards are popular, not a lot of customers own them. Some prefer to pay through Paypal, check, or money order. If there is more than one payment option available, the flow of customers will be larger, and the website will grow. The easier it is for a customer to pay, the happier they will be. A happy customer is a returning customer. Unforthcoming with Information There have been plenty of identity theft cases in the past few years; so many customers are still leery about shopping online. The more a potential customer can trust the company, the more traffic the website will get. Instead of using a P.O. Box at the Post Office, use an actual physical address. If a customer can find the address online, they will feel more relieved to know it's an honest business. Do not use an automatic answer machine; that is a huge turn off to new customers for being too impersonal. Make the effort to hire a few office assistants that are friendly and are experienced with answering phone calls. Try to be as professionally presentable as possible, and keep the website looking orderly. Proper spelling and grammar is professional, showing the company is serious about serving the best. Keep Customers Well Informed Whether this involves letting the customers know the websites USP, address, prices, or estimated delivery date; every customer likes to be in the loop. The more a customer knows about what is going on with the website and their products, the more they feel like part of the company in a sense in a hands-on way. If a customer is highly satisfied with the service, product, and options of the company they will advertise to their friends and business partners. If it means taking the next step up in providing tracking numbers for their purchases to them happy or accepting PayPal, then do it. The best way to get a site's conversion rate up is to please customers by giving them thoughtful options. Straight to the Point One thing that will throw customers off is too much confusion on the site map, and no goal for the page. Websites should be straight forward and to the point. Websites that are too complex tend to make the reader double check, get frustrated, and then move on to another website with fewer distractions. Research studies show it takes a viewer one full second for them to make up their mind. If the first paragraph cannot meet the reader's expectations, then they will move on. Another big tip for keeping customers on the page is keeping all important information within the first half of the web page. If they have to scroll, there is not enough information in the first paragraph. Action Says it All Design and graphics can only do so much. Without giving the customer a reason to bookmark the website and come back again and again, webmasters should just scrap the site and start over. Keep the main reason customers continue coming back as large and easily accessible as possible. If the site is a shopping based site, keep the "Check-out Now" button within view at all times. If customers have to search for the action spots, then there will usually be no purchases. With a couple of tweaks here, and some well thought out information there, any website can improve its conversion rate. The goal is finding the issues and fixing them as soon as possible. The better a website can talk to a customer, the better the rating will be for the owner. Having proper conversions on a website is the best way to increase a company's online effectiveness.

Dyann Callahan

What Does a CCNA Do?

Whenever I recommend the CCNA training to any IT person, this is inevitably the first question that I get asked. Many people get out of college with their CIS degree and really don't know what they want to get into. Some of the lucky ones get in an IT leadership program at a large company, but others still need direction to determine which side of the IT business they want to be on. As far as I'm concerned, those that have an interest in support and project based work may enjoy network support. However, the question always arising as to what exactly does that mean? What does a CCNA do when they get into the office in the morning? This article will address these questions so you can get a better feel if the CCNA certification is something you would be interested in. The last thing you want is to spend the time and money to become a CCNA and not enjoy the types of jobs you will be qualified for. There are many paths a CCNA can take and it is difficult to know which one you are interested in. For the most part, no matter what you do you will be responsible for Cisco equipment at some level. This could mean your job is to troubleshoot network problems, manage security for a corporate network, work in a large scale NOC, or even work on telephone systems. The common thread is all of the equipment you work on will be Cisco. My first job as a CCNA was basically a network administrator position. I already had a lot of experience with Microsoft products, but was hired to handle the network infrastructure and assist with General IT support. This is fairly common these days as companies like when employees can handle multiple functions. For my employer, they knew I could fill in for nearly anyone within IT and they would not skip a beat. Chances are your first job will be very similar regardless of which CCNA track you go after. My typical day had many parts and it was a very busy position. The first thing in the morning I would spend the first hour going through logs and making sure there were no errors or any issues overnight. Considering I was responsible for over 30 locations, this took a while. However, there were seldom errors so this was more of a "make sure" type of process. From there, I would generally go through email to see if anyone reported any trouble with the network overnight. These processes were first as my primary responsibility was the network itself. I was not responsible for security or I would have been checking firewall logs as well. Once my main functions were completed I would turn my attention to whichever projects the IT department had going on. I had a perpetual queue of projects that need to be completed and they were accomplished in a first in first out basis. The project would range from line upgrades, equipment upgrades, or projects to help make our current systems run more efficiently. This is a typical day for a CCNA and most IT departments always have projects going on so you will never be bored or have nothing to do. No matter what, there is always a problem to fix or a system to improve. This gives you a ton of experience quickly and keeps your day to day job interesting. Of course, there are other types of job ranging from consulting where you may be helping out on any number of different types of projects. Or with some larger companies your job may be task oriented and you only are responsible for a certain piece of an infrastructure.

Visit http://www.ciscocareers.org for more information and to determine what a typical CCNA salary is.

How To Find The Best Wireless Router Deals

Finding the best wireless router deals is not a simple matter of driving down to the local electronics store and picking up whatever is on sale. There are many things to consider and you don't want to make a hasty choice that you may regret later. Most people don't want to get into the details of making this decision because sorting through all the different wireless routers and their various features can be like trying to learn a new language. In this article I'm going to show you an easy way to choose which wireless router is best for you and provide a resource that makes the process even easier. There are two things you need to take into consideration when shopping for the best wireless router deals. They are: 1. What type of network user are you? Are you a Surfer? A Streamer? Or a Gamer? (More on these below.) 2. Future proofing. Sure any cheap run-of-the-mill router may do fine for just a computer or two and maybe a printer, but if you think there's a remote possibility you'll be adding more wireless devices to your network in the near future you'll probably need to upgrade sooner rather than later. When you look at it from this perspective you are actually saving money by getting a good wireless router to start off with instead of being forced to upgrade every time you buy new wireless devices. Types of Network Users I like to break these down into three groups: Surfers, Streamers and Gamers. Surfers Surfers are satisfied with checking their emails, shopping online, printing out documents and maybe downloading the occasional music or movie file. Network users like this don't spend a lot of time on their computer and only use it when they have to. Any run-of-the-mill Wireless N router is fine for Surfers because they don't put much load on a wireless network and probably never will. Streamers These are your movie and music lovers. They love to find large files online, download them to a central computer or media server, and then stream them out to all the other computers on their network. This requires a wireless router that has additional memory and processor power. A built-in USB drive port for sharing out files is also a good idea. Gamers Gamers usually put the same amount of demand on a wireless network as Streamers do, but with an important difference. Surfers and Streamers can ruin a wireless network for Gamers who, in turn, can make living in the same household miserable for everyone else. The slightest drop in connection won't really bother a surfer, but the same drop in connection is a cataclysmic event for a Gamer. Hours of progress spent on a role-playing game can be lost in a few seconds or the main character in a 1st person shooter can suddenly become an easy target. This is why it's important gamers have their own network to play on. It keeps everyone in the household sane. This can be done with a high performance wireless router similar to the one a Streamer would use except with dual-bands. Dual-bands allow you to run two networks in the house at the same time without the traffic on each "stepping on" each other and causing chaos.

So, if you're a Surfer just about any highly-rated Wireless-N Router will do. If you're a Streamer you'll want some high-performance features designed to handle High-Definition video. If you're a Gamer you need a high-performance router with dual-bands. Match your particular wireless network "user type" with top-rated wireless routers at Wireless Router Deals. If you're a gamer you may also be interested in the Best Router For Gaming.

How To Find The Best Wireless Router Deals

Finding the best wireless router deals is not a simple matter of driving down to the local electronics store and picking up whatever is on sale. There are many things to consider and you don't want to make a hasty choice that you may regret later. Most people don't want to get into the details of making this decision because sorting through all the different wireless routers and their various features can be like trying to learn a new language. In this article I'm going to show you an easy way to choose which wireless router is best for you and provide a resource that makes the process even easier. There are two things you need to take into consideration when shopping for the best wireless router deals. They are: 1. What type of network user are you? Are you a Surfer? A Streamer? Or a Gamer? (More on these below.) 2. Future proofing. Sure any cheap run-of-the-mill router may do fine for just a computer or two and maybe a printer, but if you think there's a remote possibility you'll be adding more wireless devices to your network in the near future you'll probably need to upgrade sooner rather than later. When you look at it from this perspective you are actually saving money by getting a good wireless router to start off with instead of being forced to upgrade every time you buy new wireless devices. Types of Network Users I like to break these down into three groups: Surfers, Streamers and Gamers. Surfers Surfers are satisfied with checking their emails, shopping online, printing out documents and maybe downloading the occasional music or movie file. Network users like this don't spend a lot of time on their computer and only use it when they have to. Any run-of-the-mill Wireless N router is fine for Surfers because they don't put much load on a wireless network and probably never will. Streamers These are your movie and music lovers. They love to find large files online, download them to a central computer or media server, and then stream them out to all the other computers on their network. This requires a wireless router that has additional memory and processor power. A built-in USB drive port for sharing out files is also a good idea. Gamers Gamers usually put the same amount of demand on a wireless network as Streamers do, but with an important difference. Surfers and Streamers can ruin a wireless network for Gamers who, in turn, can make living in the same household miserable for everyone else. The slightest drop in connection won't really bother a surfer, but the same drop in connection is a cataclysmic event for a Gamer. Hours of progress spent on a role-playing game can be lost in a few seconds or the main character in a 1st person shooter can suddenly become an easy target. This is why it's important gamers have their own network to play on. It keeps everyone in the household sane. This can be done with a high performance wireless router similar to the one a Streamer would use except with dual-bands. Dual-bands allow you to run two networks in the house at the same time without the traffic on each "stepping on" each other and causing chaos.

So, if you're a Surfer just about any highly-rated Wireless-N Router will do. If you're a Streamer you'll want some high-performance features designed to handle High-Definition video. If you're a Gamer you need a high-performance router with dual-bands. Match your particular wireless network "user type" with top-rated wireless routers at Wireless Router Deals. If you're a gamer you may also be interested in the Best Router For Gaming.

How To Reformat A Computer Without Losing Important Data

Most of the time you may need to reformat your computer's hard drive: if you have been a victim of a virus attack, your computer is running slower than usual or you are getting inexplicable error messages. To get rid of all of these issues reformatting your computers hard drive is very essential. By formatting your computer and installing a fresh version of the operating system you can get rid of these pesky problems that are caused by a fragmented hard disk. Formatting your computer means preparing a storage medium, usually hard disk or hard drive for reading or writing. When you format your hard disk the operating system erases all the important information or data stored on the disk. Later it tests the hard drive to see if all the sectors on the disk are reliable or damaged and it also creates internal addresses to locate useful information. When a person is performing the procedure of formatting the hard disk for the first time it is called formatting. If you take a hard drive which is previously formatted and then format the hard disk again, it is called reformatting. Before reformatting a computer it is very important to take a backup of any important files and especially the document folder. Taking a backup of the disk is very important, as once you format your computer you could lose any data stored on the hard drive. It is also recommended that before you start reformatting your computer, to have an antivirus software installed, device drivers and operating system installation disc with its CD key with you. This will help you to start a new system on your computer. The steps you need to follow: Start by inserting the boot CD in the CD drive and restart your computer. The screen will go black and you will find some instructions that will guide you through the process. It will instruct you to press any key to boot up from the CD. Follow the instructions and the operating system will load the files in to the computer. You will come across two options one is the upgrade option and the other is the custom option. If you want to format your computer, select the custom option. You will then be taken to a menu screen where it will ask you to install the operating system. Select the hard drive with your old version of the OS currently installed on it. If you are confused with which disk to select, it is usually the primary hard drive or the one with the most data on. Select the drive you want to format and then click on "drive properties" and then click "format". Wait for some time and the drive will be reformatted. Once your hard drive is reformatted, install the OS on the reformatted drive. Be sure to take out the boot CD once you are done with the OS installation, otherwise your computer may go through the process again. The time taken for this procedure depends on your computer. Sometimes it is quick, sometimes not. Once you have formatted your computer and have installed the OS, you can restore the backup files that you had taken earlier. However, there is one problem that you may face if you follow this method. In case your files contain a virus, the virus can be transferred to your computer even if it is formatted. So it is very important to run a full scan of your data or files before uploading your data back in to the computer. Windows repair system: This can be done without formatting your computer, you just require an installation CD to format your computer. This will get rid of all your problems with making your computer to work faster as a new one does.

Mehmet Onatli is an expert in computer optimization and runs the very successful and popular site about registry cleaner. He has helped thousands of people to fix computer errors. Visit his site right now for more information and help on fixing your windows errors.

Pros and Cons of the iPad - Unique Review

The Apple iPad is one of the greatest inventions of 2011 and there is no doubt about the unique beauty that the iPad has. The very creators of this great device describe it as "Something perfect, helpful and necessary." Apple has undeniably used all their resources, materials to the best of their ability to create such a unique product, but like every other electronic device, this one too has a few weaknesses but they are outweighed by the pluses. All in One. The regular everyday tasks that the user may perform are combined digitally and made simply accessible through an electronic device. From entertainment in the form of photos, videos and even accessing some of the major social networking sites which storm the internet today, the iPad can do it all. It has become the must have accessory because of its simplicity. It can be used for everything such as keeping up to date with your personal life, if you ever get lost Google Maps is just a button away! The very large and ever growing list of applications for the iPad grow on a daily basis as people find new and exciting ways to put the iPad to use. On the Go. If you have ever had the chance to see or even use an iPad the first thing you will notice is its size and how compact it is and on top on that its extremely light making it the perfect device to use on the go. However, this very sleek design has a few cons such as the lack of USB ports which is a common connection used today on most technology as it offers a quick way to move files from one device to another. Another drawback that the lack of USB ports brings is it does not allow the connection to external devices. Lack of Multi-tasking. The iPad being an entertainment device, it is quite reasonable to assume that the user would be able to browse the internet while listening to their favourite music at the same time, but you cannot. Multi-tasking is one of the key features that Apple have said they will be working on in the future and the lack of this ability is one of the major factors working against it. No Camera. I was quite shocked when Apple announced that the new iPad device would not have a built in camera but was quickly relieved with the arrival of the iPad 2 which comes with its own integrated camera. The Screen. The screen takes up a very small 9.7 inches of space making it small enough to fit into your bag but big enough to watch films/movies on. Unlike some of Apple's other products the touch sensitive screen is perfect, there is no delay between your command and the device just a simple smooth motion. The iPad also has a zooming and expansion property making the use of maps feel much more real. Flash Platform Incompatibility. As well as lacking USB ports another shock to its users was the lack of flash compatibility, which means that all web pages that include images, slogans and even videos will show up as a blank box because the iPad is unable to display them. iTunes. For those of us who are familiar with iTunes will find it easy to use on the iPad but for new users its quite a daunting task. Everything to do with the iPad such as applications and software needs to be bought at the iTunes store before it can be used. Due to this many customers may be turned away.

Enjoy reading about technology? Then please come and visit us at www.PCBanter.org

The Beginner's Guide to Computer Assisted Surgery

What Is Computer Assisted Surgery? CAS refers to a surgical concept that involves the use of computer technology. It is also referred to as computer aided surgery, computer assisted intervention, and surgical navigation. How Does It Work? CAS combines the precision of computer technology and the skill of a surgeon. The advances in health field have made it possible for medical professionals to use various technologies like 3D imaging and real-time sensing to plan and execute surgical procedures. In CAS, a virtual 3D model of the anatomical region of the patient to be operated is produced using specialized software. The surgeon examines the 3D model, assesses the case, and plans the surgery carefully. In many cases, specialized software programs are used to create a moving digital image of the patient's anatomical region as it is moved during the surgery. The image is processed in real time and it serves as a roadmap for the surgical procedure. It also guides the placement of surgical instrument during the surgery. The availability of such real-time data helps the surgeon enormously and allows him to complete the surgery successfully. What Are the Applications of Computer Assisted Surgery? Computer technology is used in a variety of standard as well as high precision surgical procedures including ENT surgery, orthopedic surgery, oral and facial surgery, visceral surgery, radiosurgery, and neurosurgery. What Are the Benefits of CAS? CAS is one of the important reasons behind the advances in health field, particularly in terms of surgical procedures, in the past few decades. There are a number of reasons why CAS is widely gaining recognition among medical professionals all over the world. * It creates a virtual three-dimensional model of the anatomical region that is about to be operated. It allows surgeons to plan and simulate the surgery in a virtual, preoperative environment. It reduces the difficulties and risks associated with the surgical procedure significantly. * It increases the accuracy of the surgical procedure considerably, which means smaller incisions, less pain, less scarring, shorter hospital stay, and shorter recovery time. * It plays a key role in joint replacement surgeries that require precise implant placement. In a non-CAS surgery, there is always a risk of incorrect prosthetic alignment due to human error. In a CAS surgery, there are no such risks as the surgeon can use real-time data to correct the procedure intra-operatively and make sure the prosthetic is positioned perfectly. * It increases the precision and accuracy of surgical cuts. It lowers blood loss and reduces the number of embolic occurrences. * It offers valuable real-time data to the surgeon during the planning, execution, and follow-up of the surgery. It reduces the risk of preoperative, intra-operative, and post-operative complications to a great extent. So, the patient is able to recover and return to his normal life quickly. Looking Beyond Computer Assisted Surgery CAS plays a key role in improving the precision and accuracy of surgical procedures and reducing the risks and difficulties associated with the same. It reduces the operating time and makes the job of the surgeon easier. One of the benefits of CAS is that it has led to other developments in the field of medical science. For example, it is one of the important factors that led to the development of robotic surgery, which is considered one of the incredible advances in health field.

Click on the hotlink to explore additional material related to Computer Assisted Surgery!

Is Open Source Driving the Cloud?

Cloud Computing is all the rage these days and after drilling into many of the different services and solutions I noticed that open source seems to prevail and propel the cloud. Before I go on my rant about open source and its relationship to the cloud let me define a few things. By now most people know what cloud computing is but I'd like to just point out the different models of deployment and services that are most talked about. There are three different types of deployments you'll face with cloud computing and that's Private, Public, and Hybrid. Then within one or all those deployment models will be models of service consisting of Software as a Service (SaaS), Platform as a Service (PaaS), and IT as a Service (ITaaS). Cloud computing is really making it easy for customers to setup and deploy open source platforms that consist Apache, MySQL, and PostgreSQL, software like WordPress, Joomla, and XWiki, OpenCRM and also varying versions of the Linux operating system. With this customers are able to quickly develop and implement systems that used to take weeks, if not longer, in as little as 30 minutes. It's almost like pulling into your nearest McDonalds where you'd order your favorite meal, hand them your credit card, then receive what you ordered in minutes ready to go. This can only increase the adoption of open source because in most cases it's cheaper to run, support and manage. Now I understand cloud computing is not solely confined to Linux and Open source software solutions but many customers did not and don't adopt open source software on Linux because of the inherent complexities when compared with Windows. This is changing though. While you don't need to virtualize servers, storage, and networking layers it kind of goes hand and hand with IaaS and cloud computing. Most people will actually think they're doing cloud computing just because they are virtualizing servers, which is not the case. Virtualizing the physical layers of most clouds today you have the hypervisor. The biggest and best hypervisor today, in my opinion, is vSphere (ESX) and the industry will probably agree with this. Hypervisors on the heels of vSphere are Xen, KVM, and Hyper-V. Back to the point about open source, Xen and KVM are big in cloud implementations. They are both freely available for all to use and you could also implement one of a few popular cloud stacks created for orchestrating virtualized resources on this hypervisors. Eucalytpus, Open stack, and Cloud.com are just a few of the top solutions that anyone can download for free for the purpose of creating their own cloud computing environment. I suggest anyone looking at cloud computing investigate one or all of these solutions. I hear it all the time about saving costs in IT and finding areas that can use or be converted to an open source solutions. While I know there's more to it, it's clear that customers want fast to deploy and/or low cost solutions and cloud computing can offer that. So, do you think Open source is driving the Cloud or is the Cloud driven Open source? Maybe it's both?

Antone Heyward is an IT Professional with years of experience working with Windows Server, Virtualization (VMware, HyperV and Citrix XenServer), shared storage environments and datacenter infrastructure. He is a bi-weekly guest contributor to the Tintri blog and also has his own virtualization-focused blog, theHyperadvisor. ( http://thehyperadvisor.com/ )

SDRAM Timings and CAS Latency Made Easy!

Ever wondered the way to increase your laptop or computer speed? The foremost point that comes for the mind is Pc RAM or Computer recollection. The Random access memory or the Arbitrary Access Memory can be simply referred to as 'data storage within the computer". It can also be called as a list of integrated circuits through which stored data can be found at random as well as in any get. The fastest approach to speed up your personal computer is through the pc RAM or Computer recollection. The speed as well as the amount of computer memory you are using, will definitely allow you to function your programs faster and more quickly. Personal computer memory may be the main storehouse for all your details when you are deploying it. More plans can be operate more effortlessly and proficiently when more memory is being used. Pc RAM is actually (in fact after the hard disk), the biggest storehouse associated with memory in the computer. It is a temporary storage facility for current things that are used on the computer. As a result information could be loaded in the computer more quickly. Computer would be very gradual if everything had to be study from the hard disk. However the Personal computer RAM is not a permanent storage space as in the event the power can be turned off, the information is dropped in the storage. CAS Latency The above depositing on timings may not be quite comprehensive if we didn't mention a couple of words upon CAS latency, especially if you have taken the plunge along with decided to purchase performance SODIMM as well as MicroDIMM's after all. With regards to RAM timings, CAS latency may be the one that gets the most efficiency impact. CAS is short for Column Access Strobe and represents the postpone that a SODIMM or even MicroDIMM module need to ensue before locating a offered area inside memory. The particular CAS latency is usually noticeable as for instance CAS 3, CL3, CL=3 or is hidden within the timings description while denoted above. By way of example, if you see any SODIMM or MicroDIMM having its timings written while 4-4-4-12 then the very first number from your left (4 in this case) could be the CAS latency. Similarly, if you find a DDR2 storage module of the frequency though timings of 3-4-4-10 than the means it is often certified to run at a CL=3 as opposed to CL=4. Conclusion If you possibly could muster the aforementioned then challenge we say this kind of outright yet you're already likely to find out about notebook RAM compared to most sales reps in huge computer chain stores. And they have a job their attempting to selling you amongst others storage upgrades? Anyhow, the focus can be on you and not them, in fact it's not also on you but alternatively on what you've just learned above. You possibly will not realise this but you really deserve the sincere jim on your back. To start with all the previously mentioned acronyms might appear as hogwash but is certainly not just delusional? Require a deep take in air, follow the assistance word for word as well as in spite of all things your anxieties might be telling you, buying a mobile computer memory update will be a good results!

Ever wondered the way to increase your laptop or computer speed? The foremost point that comes for the mind is Pc RAM or Computer recollection. The Random access memory or the Arbitrary Access Memory can be simply referred to as 'data storage within the computer". It can also be called as a list of integrated circuits through which stored data can be found at random as well as in any get.

Providing WiFi Services for An Event

Setting up WiFi services for a large event can be difficult. But for a lot of events WiFi is important or even essential. Often a venue will not be able to provide sufficient or reliable WiFi which will support a large number of users at a single time, or you may not even have this option if you are hosting a gig or outdoor event. And yet there are many purposes of providing WiFi services at your festival, performance, sporting event, conference or meeting. WiFi access, free or paid-for, is often a big draw for guests, and sometimes it is essential for attendees or hosts to work, blog, research and carry out presentations. Event WiFi may be necessary for promotional purposes; a press presence may require WiFi access for publication, and WiFi access can lead to promotion through your visitors' use of social networks. This is where temporary internet comes in. Supplied by IT systems companies, temporary Event WiFi will allow you to set up WiFi services wherever you are hosting your event, whether you are hosting 100 or 10,000 people. Planning a connection is difficult, and best left to the experts, but they may require your help to assess your needs. The following points are worth considering to help your temporary WiFi providers: Know your venue: Knowing your venue is essential to provide suitable WiFi. The size and shape of a venue is key and it is likely your providers will need to make a visit to understand the size and shape of the area. Consider where the access points could be set up; they are usually located as high as possible to provide wider coverage. Think about possible dead spots, and whether this might be an issue. In outdoor venues make sure that nothing could block signal from a transmitter by being based in front of it. Lorries can block a 13 or 14 foot access point. People, furniture and architecture can affect the strength of a WiFi signal, and microwaves can with it interfere too. Think about providing power sources for devices to be charged from; particularly important at conferences which are more than a few hours long. If your event relies upon internet access then tell your IT systems WiFi provider. Make sure that they have backup equipment such as multiple transit providers and DHCP servers. Failure to provide a promised or essential network will reflect on you badly as an event organiser and leave an unimpressed crowd. Understand your crowd: To work out the kind of bandwidth which you require you will need to predict your crowd's WiFi usage. Think about what kind of attendees you are expecting; are they tech-savvy, young or particularly likely to own portable devices? Then deduct what proportion of attendees to your event will bring a WiFi enabled device, how many of these will be using your WiFi services at a set time, and for what purpose. Consider your crowd's needs for downloading, streaming uploading. Safety: You will need to create a safe network environment. Think about sites which you may want to block, and take precautions to prevent people from uploading viruses. Managing the network during your event: Your event WiFi providers should be able to provide people to manage your bandwidth. Demand for your event WiFi services will rise and fall so technical staff should manage this. Considering these areas will give your event WiFi providers a good idea of what you require and how best to provide it to ensure you have a strong and reliable connection at your event.

Noba are an IT systems provider who specialise in providing internet anywhere, including WiFi for events. Their cost-effective WiFi services are tailored to your needs by expert engineers. For more information about Noba Temporary WiFi, visit: http://www.noba.co.uk

Microsoft Plans New Music Service for Xbox and Windows Phones

Microsoft is eyeing to provide music service in its Xbox Live platform. A report by CNET showed the technology giant is trying to find ways together with several major record labels to come up with an application that would offer similar service to Spotify, MOG, Pandora, Rdio and some other streaming music subscriptions. This new plan by Microsoft came after its initial failed bid to win customers who like music through Zune Music Pass. It is safe to bet Microsoft would provide an Xbox Live name to this planned new service instead of resurrecting the Zune brand. The new application would launch on the Xbox 360, upcoming revisions of the Windows operating system, and Windows smartphones. CNET's sources did not confirm the details how exactly the service will be delivered and how much the music industry would get paid from subscription fees of the service. Microsoft simply provided a rough outline of the service that includes streaming music and downloads. There was also a speculation that the company will team up with Nokia and HTC on proposed phones that can use the potential service. It is expected that the record labels would work hard to make this deal happen. After all, Microsoft's gigantic Xbox Live fan base is declared to be near 40 million worldwide. Record companies will definitely make more money by making higher profile in this huge market. The move is definitely a strategic one for Microsoft to better compete against Google's own with its Google Music and Android operating system. Many other major phone makers have also taken steps to strengthen their music features. A good example is HTC's acquisition of a majority stake in Dr. Dre's Beats to augment the company phones' capabilities. Last August of 2011, Research in Motion also announced its plan to upgrade its Blackberry Instant Message service. The current Microsoft's Zune Music Pass priced at $9.99 a month no longer allows 10 music downloads a month although subscribers can still opt to pay the more expensive $14.99/month that allows downloads of up to 10 songs. Using the Zune Music Pass on Xbox 360 also requires a Gold Xbox Live subscription. If Microsoft would hope to compete strongly against Apple's iTunes and Google Music, the new music service should be offered at a much more affordable price like its inclusion in Xbox Live Gold membership instead of customers paying for it separately. This way, Xbox live users will find this technology news more appealing than ever.

The author is an established writer for many years on a wide range of topics in many major article directories. He writes news in Australia from time to time.

Wireless Industrial Bulk Truck Theft Prevention System

The Wireless Industrial Bulk Truck Theft Prevention System is specially designed for using in commercial vehicles as well as machinery. The system is used in order to protect the vehicles from unauthorized use. The system can detect the unauthorized engine start of the commercial vehicles as well as gigantic machines. Depending on the customer's application or need, the wireless industrial Driver Authorization System can be designed in different way. Here are some popular variations of Truck Theft Prevention System: Model DASI000IGN: This is unique model prevents unauthorized engine start. The system is armed automatically each time whenever the system key is turned off. One can again disarm the system by inputting the correct user code and it allows the engine to be started. The main advantage of this system is that they are suitable for using all types of vehicles. Model DASI000AT: This is another model of Driver Authorization System that prevents unauthorized vehicle movement by using the automatic transmission process. In this case the system is armed automatically by shifting the transmission into park. Whenever any unauthorized person wants to drive the vehicle without entering a valid user ID code, the engine stalls automatically. One can again disarm the system by entering valid ID code and a result the engine also starts again. This system suits well for any of the vehicles that need to be left unattended with engine running. Model DASI000AB: This system is same as the above model. It is armed with the application of truck parking brake. This is ideal for using in those vehicles that are equipped with air brakes. The system stalls the engine each time when the parking brake is released without entering the valid code. Again, you can disarm the system by entering the valid ID code. This model is well suited for large trucks with air brakes as well as engines that need to be left running while vehicle is unattended. Model DASI00ABT: It is also similar to the above model. However, it is mainly designed for tractor or trailer units with a dedicated trailer parking brake. The system can be armed with application of tractor you can also arm the system with the trailer parking brake. This system is ideal to prevent deliberate bypass of authorization system by the drivers using trailer brakes to park vehicle. If any unauthorized person attempts to bypass, disable, or damage this Wireless Industrial Driver Authorization System, it will result ignition to lock out until repairs are made or a valid code is entered. User ID Codes: The term User Id Code refers to a three to nine digit ID code that is entered to disarm the Driver Authorization System. The truck owner can select this code and the code is programmed into the unit by using a 'master code' assigned to the truck owner. DAS systems are available with up to three levels of administrative master codes. When the truck owner wants to change the driver's authorization code, he/she should enter the master code. In case if an invalid master code is entered repeatedly for five times or more, the system will automatically 'lock out' for ten minutes.

BASE Engineering designs Wireless Industrial Driver Authorization System to prevent unauthorized movement of the vehicle. We offer a four year hassle free, replacement warranty with each of the products we design. Our wireless industrial remotes are well adopted by the sectors like industrial petroleum, bulk transport, and other petrochemical applications.

GPT Vs MBR When Setting Up a New Windows Server

GPT or MBR? BIOS or UEFI? What do I pick when setting up my server? This has probably come up quite a bit, especially for those of us in the consulting field installing Small Business Server 2008 or 2011. With large capacity drives (> 1TB) being the norm in server deployments these days, the decision to go with GPT or MBR partitioning comes into play. And with this decision, you must also decide on setting up your server with UEFI or traditional BIOS. Be aware that this decision should be made early in your server deployment planning stage. Your RAID array configuration, volume layouts, and backup strategies will all play a large part in your planning. Without going into too much detail, the maximum volume size that MBR can handle is 2TB. In theory a GPT partition can handle partitions of up to 18 exabytes in size. GPT and MBR partitions cannot reside on the same physical disk or logical array. Another detail to keep in mind with MBR partitioned disks is that while you can create partitions on disks larger than 2TB by creating multiple partitions, a physical disk with a boot partition will never be able to access more than 2TB of total space. This may sound confusing, but a good example would be a 3TB RAID5 array with a 300GB, bootable C: drive. In theory one would have approximately 2.5 TB of usable unallocated space, however, due to MBR limitations on a bootable drive, you would only be able to format 1.7TB, the rest of the space would always remain unallocated and unusable without reconfiguring the disk partitioning scheme. A solution to the above scenario would have been to set up the server as a UEFI based system (if supported), and to have formatted the above partitions using GPT. This would have allowed for splitting up the drive as desired, such as the 300GB bootable partition, and a 2.5 TB large data partition. Another solution would be to have installed the operating system on a RAID1 array comprised of a smaller MBR partition, and kept the data on an isolated RAID5 array for data storage purposes. As far as operating system support is concerned, GPT partitions can be used as data partitions under Server 2003 SP1 and higher, Windows XP x64, Vista, Windows 7, Server 2008 and Server 2008 R2. The 32 bit version of Windows XP cannot see GPT disk partitions. Booting from a GPT disk is only supported on a UEFI system with 64 bit versions of the above mentioned operating system (except Windows XP x64, which only supports GPT for data partitions). Earlier in this article I had written about planning around your backups as well. GPT partition support from popular image based backup products such as Symantec System Recovery and Acronis Backup and Restore are questionable at best. An article from Symantec regarding their System Recovery line of products states: "GPT Boot (uEFI enabled) is supported in BESR but only for non-bootable partition backup and restore only" it does not clarify whether the newer SSR version will work correctly or not. Infostream will be doing further testing at some point in a lab environment to confirm. Acronis's support page is rather vague as well, so at this time I cannot confirm whether it works or not; possible future testing will confirm this as well. As always, if you have any questions, please feel free to contact us here at InfoStream, we'll be glad to answer any questions. Javier Trilla, MCSA, MCTS Infostream Network Engineer http://www.infostream.cc

Javier Trilla, MCSA, MCTS Infostream Network Engineer http://www.infostream.cc

What Are The Storage And Connectivity Options With Current Tablets?

Storage is an important consideration when purchasing a tablet. How much will depend on your needs, and what you intend to do with the tablet. If you are gaming, shooting videos, downloading movies, you will require more storage than if you are primarily reading books and surfing the net. Tablets today come with storage capacity from 4 GB to 64 GB. Many tablets, however, also have a slot for a memory card, increasing the storage capacity to 32 GB in most cases. Tablets need to have some way to connect with the Internet to perform even the basic functions we expect; checking e-mail, surfing the web, streaming books and videos. Most tablets on the market now are Wi-Fi capable. This means that you must be within range of a wireless network for connection to the Internet, whether it is on a home wireless network, or public hot-spot; a cafe, library or other public access spot. There are several variations on Wi-Fi network infrastructure. Most tablets will connect with all the configurations, but it might be a good idea to check that the tablet you are considering has a "dual band antenna". This will ensure that your device will connect with any network, and is ready to move into the future. Some tablets are available with 3G or 4G network connectivity as well. There are advantages and drawbacks. What you choose will depend on your needs. The 3G and 4G networks are cell phone coverage. The cost of the tablet goes up with this added feature, as more hardware must be integrated. In order to connect to the cell phone networks, one also has to pay for a service plan from a mobile provider. Keep in mind that the cost of a plan goes up with the amount of data downloaded; most carriers offer a fixed amount of data, with charges for overage. The charges can mount quite rapidly. Connecting to a 3G or 4G network is handy, though, if you will be out of range of Wi-Fi when you need to use the tablet. It also means that features like GPS can be added, as the cell network will always know your location. Be aware when choosing a tablet of the level of coverage in your area; 3G has very wide coverage, but is being upgraded to the faster 4G. 4G, however, includes three different protocols, which are not necessarily compatible with all devices. Check out what is available in your area, and whether the tablet you have chosen will work where you live. Other connectivity included in some tablets is Bluetooth and mifi. Bluetooth technology is a way of connecting devices to each other; keyboard, mouse, speakers, "hands-free" mobile phone microphone and earpiece. Bluetooth could be used to connect your tablet with a wireless network through a laptop or cell phone. Mifi is another way to connect your tablet, but with a separate box, the mifi or mobile hotspot. The mobile hotspot connects to the network, and become a router for other devices to connect. Either way, these are options to buying a data plan for your tablet.

Get with the times and check out some of the latest tablets and tablet applications, as Windows tablet PC and android tablets continue to be increasingly popular options in the technology industry.