The Information Security Management System

Information security is now too important to be left to the IT department. This is because information security is now a business-level issue:

Information is the lifeblood of any business today. Anything that is of value inside the organization will be of value to someone outside it. The board is responsible for ensuring that critical information, and the technology that houses and process it, are secure.

Legislation and regulation is a governance issue. In the UK, the TurnBull Report clearly identifies the need for boards to control risk to information and information systems. Data protection, privacy, computer misuse and other regulations, different in different jurisdictions, are a boardroom issue. Banks and financial sector organizations are subject to the requirements of the Bank of International Settlements ( BIS ) and the Basle 2 framework, which includes information and IT risk.

As the intellectual capital value of "information economy" organizations increases, their commercial viability and profitability, as well as their share, increasingly depend on the security, confidentiality and integrity of their information and information assets.

Threats and Consequences

The one area in which businesses of all sizes today enjoy a level playing field is in information security: all businesses are subject to the world-class threats, all of them are potentially betrayed by world-class software vulnerabilities and all of them are subject to an increasingly complex set of computer and privacy related regulations around the world.

While most organizations believe that their information systems are safe, the brutal reality is that they are not. Individual hardware, software, and vendor driven solutions are not information security systems. Not only is it extremely dangerous for an organization to operate in today's world without a systematic, strategic approach to information security, such organizations have become threats to their more responsible brethren.

The extent and value of electronic data are continuing to grow exponentially. The exposure of businesses and individuals to its misappropriation or destruction is growing equally quickly. The growth in computer and information related compliance and regulatory requirements reflects the threats associated with digital data. Directories have clear compliance responsibilities that cannot be met by saying " The head of IT was supposed to have dealt with that".

Ultimately, consumer confidence in dealing across the web depends on how secure people believe their personal data to be. Data security, for this reason, matters to any business with any form of web strategy, from simple business t consumer or business to business propositions through Enterprise Resource Planning ( ERP ) systems to the use of extranets and e-mail. It matters, too any organization that depends on computers for its day-to-day existence or that may be subject to the provisions of Data Protection Act. Even the freedom of Information Act which ostensibly applies only to public sector organizations, raises confidentiality issue for any business that contracts with the public sector.

Newspapers and business magazines are full of stories about hackers, viruses and online fraud. These are just the public tip of the data insecurity iceberg. Little tends to be heard about businesses that suffer profit fluctuations through computer failure, or businesses that fail to survive a major interruption to their data and operating systems. Even less is heard about organizations whose core operations are compromised by the theft or loss of key business data; usually they just disappear quietly.

This article was written by Stefan D. The owner of Ready Business and Free Games

You can republish or (re)print this article as long as you keep live the links above.

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iPod Has Taken Over The World

iPod is one of the best selling products and has been awarded for being the most innovative audio product with excellent engineering. It has also been the fourth best computer product in 2006. With so many achievements under its belt the iPod has to be one of the most wanted products and has scored high points on looks, design, user friendly and is indeed the coolest and the trendiest gismo today.

Now iPod are no longer just meant for entertainment but are also contributing in education. Apple is offering a collection of lesson plan and is doing academic research in the area of nursing and general K-16 education.

Each model of iPod is smaller and lighter with better features than its predecessor. To stay with the trend of iPods, the car manufacturers like Mercedes-Benz, Volvo, Nissan, Ferrari, Honda and Volkswagen have made modifications in their vehicles so that the iPods can be connected to the cars audio system easily. The manufacturers have built in steering wheel controls or radio head unit buttons and some cars offer standard iPod connectors or audio input jacks. This slight change in the car has enables the people to carry their iPods instead of bulks of CDs, DVDs or cassettes.

Some of the stereo manufacturing companies like JVC, Pioneer, Kenwood and Sony have iPod specific integration solutions while the other methods to connect is to through adaptor kits, audio input jacks and FM transmitters like iTrip. iPod has become an addiction in such a way that the airlines have also taken to the fancy and have become a small part of the iPod world. Airlines like United, Continental, Delta and Emirates have agreed to install iPod seat connection which would allow the passengers to charge their iPods and use the video and music libraries free of cost from their individual back seat displays.

iPod has no doubt taken over the market by storm and today everyone wants to own and be a part of the iPod family. You can buy any model of iPod since the price range also differs from one model to the other. Depending on your need you can buy any iPod; it will be worth to have any model for sure.

iPod Accessories online store. Accessories for iPod Touch, iPod Classic, iPod Shuffle, iPod Nano, iPhone and older iPods

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Very Cool Gadgets

Gadgets come in all different shapes and sizes. Some gadgets are used for recreational purposes while others are considered tools and necessities. A good example of a recreational gadget is the 16 bit plug and play table tennis game console from Dreamgear. This fun little unit allows you to play table tennis on a gaming system while using real table tennis paddles. It also includes 16 other different kinds of games and it connects directly to your TV.

Gadgets that are considered tools and necessities are not uncommon. In fact, most gadgets can be very useful in everyday living. Some examples of gadgets that are considered tools and necessities are things like multi-functional watches, binoculars, two-way radios, Swisscards, the safe top can opener, LED flashlights, GPS units and so forth. There are too many to count and more are invented every day.
When some people hear the word gadget, they think of something that can accomplish a task in an unnecessary way. The fact is that most gadgets are absolutely necessary and relevant to accomplishing certain objectives. In fact, there are some gadgets that many people cannot live without in our world today. The cell phone, for example, is an electronic gadget that millions of people need to function in their day-to-day lives. Some people are also very dependent on their handheld PDAs like the TX Handheld or the TungstenE2 Handheld. These little devices help people organize their schedules, check their email, browse the internet, review documents etc on the go.

LED flashlights are becoming a popular gadget because of their abilities to illuminate so well with such minimal power consumption, while at the same time maintaining a compact design. Some gadgets, like LED flashlights, are not necessarily gadgets you would use every day or for recreational purposes; instead these are considered gadget tools that are always good to have on hand. Some other kinds of gadget tools that are good to have on hand are things like Leathermans, or a compact highway emergency kit in your car. You never know what could happen and some gadgets like these could save your life.

Whether you consider yourself as a gadget lover or not, chances are you have some kind of modern gadget in your home right now. This just goes to show anyone that these nifty little inventions are a major part of our world and should be looked upon as improvements to our way of life.

Mike Hasson is an online store owner who teaches people about the products he sells. Greenmonsterdeals.com sells electronics, tools, gadgets, and airsoft guns at very competitive prices. Visit my website Greenmonsterdeals.com today to buy cool stuff at a great price!

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Getting an Understanding Between 2D and 3D Animation

Do you remember when computers first came out? It was truly a momentous occasion that will be hard to top. If you are old enough to remember the early days of computers, then you are probably pretty impressed with all of the technological advances that have been made within the industry. One of the biggest advances is in the form of animation; computer animation to be specific. The improvements made within a relatively short span of time are incredibly awesome.

Animation actually refers to any kind of animated graphic, not just the 3D animations. Animation has historically been produced in two ways. The first is by artists creating a succession of cartoon animations frames, which are then combined into a film. A second method is using physical models, such as in King Kong.

The model is positioned, the image is recorded, then the model is moved, the next image is recorded, and the process continues. At times a simple rendering machine is used to produce successive frames to create animations, where the image is slightly changed in each one. It is hard to believe that it all started as basic cartoon figures in a book and flipping the pages over.

All types of animations, including computer animation, depend heavily on motion control. Naturally, many of the earlier animators were actually scientists rather than artists and as such, scripting systems were developed and this resulted in the animator actually writing a program, or script to control the animation. Most of the earlier systems did not have the computer power needed for optimum results.

In the early days of animations cartoons, expert animators such as Walt Disney, would design (choreograph) an animation by drawing certain intermediate frames called keyframes. Then the other, less experienced animators would draw the in-between frames. The sequence of steps to produce a full design computer animation would include developing a story (or script), and laying it out on what is known as a storyboard.

This is a sequence of drawings showing the form, structure and story of the animation. Once a detailed layout of the action scenes is produced, it is correlated with a soundtrack. They would then transfer the frames to sheets of acetate film, called "cels". The cels were then assembled into a sequence and filmed.

You have more than likely dealt with animations and may not have even known it. For example, if you have ever created a project using PowerPoint or a similar application, then you have created a project using 2D animations. Using the computer to create these animations is a much faster method than the original method of hand-painting cels.

Considering the fact that it is close to impossible to produce the thousands of drawings that would be needed for creating the animation by hand, the superiority of computer animation can be seen when creating 3D animation versus hand-drawn methods, as most people are pretty inefficient at drawing three-dimensional objects.

A whole world of information about computer animation eagerly awaits you from Mike Selvon portal. We appreciate your feedback at our computer animation design and production blog.

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Computer Problems - Tips For Online Technical Support

When your computer is creating problems and you cannot find the solution, you want someone to do it for you but then you notice that your warranty with the manufacturer has expired and you cannot get technical support from them. In such case the best thing you can do is search for online technical support.

Some tips which can help you with the selection of an appropriate online technical support services are:

1. Check different kind of technical support companies and go ahead with the one which has a better service at appropriate charges. It is useless to pay a lot of money for something which you will use just once or twice.

2. Get the proper support from proper people, do not sign up for software support if you are facing the problem with the hardware. If you are facing a software issue it will be more advisable to contact the hardware service companies instead of software solution providers.

3. Sign up for trial plans first to check the quality of support provided to you. Do not end up paying too much for something which was least useful. Do make sure about the terms and conditions with the technical service provider

4. Ask questions if the technical expert knows about your issue. Do not let them experiment with your computer, it can lead to more loss than the actual problem.

5. Do explain what is wrong with your computer. Do not expect the experts to guess everything happening on your computer.

6. The technical expert may ask for a remote administration of your computer. If you are sure of safety and security of your personal data, do allow the expert to handle the computer remotely as that reduces the time and effort on both the sides. Make sure you do not keep your personal information open at the time of remote connection has been established.

7. Check for different packages on different websites if you are taking online support. If you have been facing regular problems with your computer it will be better to sign up with the long term plans and if you have been facing least problems or it is the first time you are into trouble, it is more advisable to sign up with the small term or one time plans.

8. Do check the cancellation of membership and recurring charges policy if any. These can be quite useful when you are not satisfied with your present technical support company.

9. Online services are mostly available at all times and beneficial in terms of cost. These services cost less than asking a technician to visit at your place or taking your computer to some technician.

10. Try to find support from individuals or a direct expert if you are happy with their services. This provides a goodwill for you as well as the expert, they will remember your issues from the past and also provide the relevant solution relating to whatever trouble you are facing.

11. Do not swipe your card online or pay the companies without knowing what you are paying for and what are the exact charges in total. Be careful of the fine prints.

Victor Robinson is a technical expert with http://pro-versions.com and provides technical support along with many other individuals who have joined hands and come under one roof to start a new trend of technical support for Software and Operating System problems by their vast experience.

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Update Your Network With Data Center Automation Solutions

If you've ever worked as part of an IT team or been the brains behind such an operation then surely you're aware of data center automation. Unless you've been isolated in the same server room for the last decade you know that automation has changed how IT departments are run, helped to make them more productive and have helped make business application and their servers more reliable. However as most of us stay with one company for years at a time it can be easy to get pigeon holed and what you may not know is that many of the companies that do automate often do so improperly or operate on such a grand scale that they often end up with to much, not enough, or the wrong tools.

All too often when a company makes the decision to automate or further automate their networks and systems they form ostentatious plans without ever considering just how much automation they actually need. These businesses often end up spending a great deal of money on tools that either won't be compatible with their networks or tools that simply won't deliver the goods. It has become common for businesses that decide to automate to try and do so on the cheap. Both those that try and cut corners and those that go to far always have two things in common in that they both spend an exorbitant amount of money and almost always must restart the process.

Performing analysis and research on both an IT department and a network is where the process should start once the decision to automate has been made. From here smart IT professionals and business owners will spend time looking over various vendors and automation solutions. This process can take several months and should be a lengthy process if an individual wants the automation process to work for their business. Those interested in pursuing automation need to wary of vendors that will try to oversell their services and products as well. With all of the benefits that automation brings with it, it's not hard to fall prey to an overzealous sales person.
Once the proper tools and a trusted vendor have been chosen an IT department should be dissected to determine if they are capable of handling the implementation process. Reason being, many companies mistakenly purchase the tools needed for automation only to find that their team of IT professionals is to inexperienced to complete the project or will improperly complete the task. This leads to more spending, more time, and if a business is not careful, a loss of clientele. A majority of companies that offer automation solutions also make available, things like consulting services and in some cases send out their teams to assist yours during and after the implementation process.

Data Center Automation is a process designed to streamline IT departments, make them more productive, and help trim IT budgets. The process rarely fails for businesses that put automation into practice though when it does, it can almost always be attributed to overeager executives most of whom lack knowledge of the process and see only dollar signs at the end of the automated tunnel. Taking the time to break down and acknowledge what your business and its network really needs can determine whether or not automation will work for you. As they say, Rome wasn't built in a day and neither is an automated network.

Kimberly Green Provides Insight to the ever evolving world of data center automation solutions. Suggesting you find out your options before selecting an automation solution for your data center.

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10 Free Programs That Should Be on Every Presentation System

Over the past few years the quality of open source software has exploded. Some of the most useful programs that I use daily didn't cost me anything. I could live without Microsoft Office, but you'd have a fight on your hands if you took Wordpress or any of my Google apps. Anyway, here is a list of the top 10 free and open source programs that should be a part of every presentation system. Oh, by the way, I know that this list is all Windows software.

Here we go, in no particular order...

1. Google Picassa

This program is as handy as a pocket on a shirt. Besides reading just about every type of file known to man, (Even RAW images from my Cannon Digital SLR!) it organizes everything quickly and easily. Can't find that announcement graphic or background that you know was there last week? Open Picassa and all of the graphics on your system will fly by at the scroll of a mouse.

In addition to it's ability to read, organize and find video and graphic files on your system. It will convert, resize, crop, rotate and color balance quickly and easily. I can't count how many times I've been given a picture for a wedding or a graphic that needs the contrast or brightness tweaked for the projector. Two clicks in Picassa and you're gold.

2. VLC Media Player

If there is a better video player out there, I don't know what it is. This thing plays everything. If VLC doesn't play it, it probably can't be played. Most presentation programs have a limited amount of videos that they can play. That awesome divx or mpg4 video you really want to use will probably not be accessible to your presentation system anytime soon. Enter VLC. Not only will this play just about every video you throw at it, but it will, more than likely, play it better than your presentation program. It will even play files without installing codecs. It even has a mac version.

Open the video in VLC, drag it to the presentation screen, click "view>full screen", open an external console, pause the video where you want it to start, voila. Media Shout will take control of the presentation screen and then when you need the video, minimize Media Shout so that it will give up control of the second monitor, play your video, then maximize Media Shout for your return trip.

Is this a bit of a kluge? Yes. Does it work? Absolutely. Is it much better than spending an entire day trying to convert the mp4 into something that might or might not play in your presentation program? Indubitably.

3. Audacity

Audacity is still one of my favorite quick and easy audio editing and recording programs. Does the wedding coordinator want the first part of this song, then the chorus of this song and then the ending of still another song? Does the music director for the children's production want to end the song before the chorus repeat? Do you have a 30 second rain loop that you need to loop for 10 minutes? Enter Audacity. It is quick, easy and does a great job. You'll need to download the LAME mp3 converter for it to fully function but, since LAME is open source as well, we'll just put them in the same category.

I wouldn't use it to master an album, but for a podcast, mp3 edit or basic file conversion. It's "audtastic" (I'm sorry, that was LAME)

4. Winamp

Ok, this may make me old school but I still haven't found a better program for playing music and making nice, matched cross fades between the songs. (Winamp with a cross fade plug in) will do a great job with your pre show music. There is nothing worse than dead air between songs during pre show background music. (Ok, something might be worse, but it is pretty annoying). Now, I'm sure I'm going to start a flame war about what is better. I'm open to suggestions but, for now, winamp still rocks.

5. Virtualdub Mod

VirtualDubMod is based on the famous video editing software VirtualDub by Avery Lee. Born as a unification of several existing modifications, a lot of new features have been added, including support for the matroska container format. What audacity is to audio files, Virtualdub is to video files. While I wouldn't use it to edit a movie, it's perfect for quick fixes and touch ups. Plus, it's free.

6. GSpot

Great, we just lost our "clean" status. I'm going to try and resist making some Jr. High level joke about searching...(I already blew it). I didn't name the program, but it has saved my bacon more than once. GSpot is a small program (about 1MB) that doesn't even need to be installed. When you run it, it will load it's list of codecs (currently over 250) and when you open a video or audio file with it, it will tell you everything there is to know about the file. Resolution, audio codec, bitrate, video codec, virtually everything you need to know about the video or audio file is there. Want to know the native resolution of that video? Want to know if that file is Cinipak or Sorrenson compression? GSpot to the rescue. Since it's so small it will easily fit on a thumb drive.

I think I got through that nicely.

7. Logmein

Ok, this isn't really a program, it's an online service but it is free. Logmein is an awesome internet computer access program that might just become your favorite utility. If you need to have access to your presentation computer from across the internet, Logmein is your friend. There is a free version and a professional version. The free version basically gives you the ability to remotely take over the target computer and operate as if you are sitting at the system. The Professional version adds many IT Manger utilities.

If you manage or support presentation systems in multiple locations, use Logmein to either save you the trip or save you from the "help desk by braille" blues. You know help desk by braille..."Ok what do you see now? Right, click on File...it's in the upper left corner...yes it is...sorry, next to Edit...there now..." We've all had to do it. Now, just tell them to load logmein and you take control of the system and troubleshoot, configure and edit all from your own computer.

The only thing that the free version of remote control lacks is file transfer. Which brings me to the next program.

8. Orb

Ok, Orb rocks. I'm an evangelist for Orb. It does so many cool things that I don't have time to get into all of them (think slingbox, only better, only free). I love Orb so much, it's my browser homepage. If that's not a loving commitment, I don't know what is. While Orb is supercoolawesome, it doesn't seem to offer your presentation system anything. Sure it will stream divx movies to your XBOX 360 (I know right?) and change the channel on your DirecTV and stream the feed to your phone (seriously!) but what is it doing on this list?

Orb will also allow you to browse your remote system drives and transfer files between computers. This fills in the gap that the free version of Logmin leaves open. Forget that graphic in your office? Need to push a video to multiple computers in multiple locations and it's too big for email? Orb is my solution.

Now, there might be 10 different ways to transfer the files easily, but none of them come with orb.

9. Zambar

Ok, it's a website and not a program. But I was short one. So sue me. (No, really don't sue me I have enough troubles) Zamzar takes the place of a video conversion program that normally would be in the ninth spot on the list. There, I justified it. There's a whole discussion on zamzar in another post so I won't get too far into the discussion but, zamzar is an online service that will convert anything to anything. Even online video feeds from youtube, revver or daily motion will convert to avi or mpg. There are two immediate advantages to it being online, you don't need a big fast computer to do the conversion and it is platform independent. I've used the browser on my phone (which I'm sure isn't fast enough to perform the conversion in our lifetime) to upload and convert files. Check it out.

10. Windows Defender

While I wouldn't recommend any free anti virus programs, I do think that windows defender does a great job. I haven't run any tests or system comparisons but, WD seems to catch what it is supposed to catch while at the same time (and this is the important thing) not taking up too much of my system resources. The newest version has won me over and is back installed on all of my windows systems. There might be better antispyware software, but not better FREE anitspyware.

Well, that's my list, let the flame wars begin.

http://www.techgeeklibrary.com Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Brent_Young

Information Technology Enhances Productivity

he world is so dependent on technology today that it has become an expected component in our daily lives. We depend on it at home, in school and at work. The use of technology in the office has become commonplace.

From the fax machine, to the telephone, the printer, the copier machine, the computer and the internet, technology is enhancing the productivity of professionals, educators, and students everywhere. It has become so commonplace that most offices today would cease to operate effectively without it.

The most used forms of technology are the computer and the internet. We use them in place of the telephone to send email. They're used to quickly send copies of documents instead of the using a fax machine or copier and hand carrying them to our co-workers. The combination of the computer and the internet enables individuals to fax documents and even make telephone calls. Skype is a perfect example of this technology.

Access to information technology has turned into a necessity for prosperity and economic development worldwide. Underdeveloped countries are increasingly becoming equipped with computers and access to the internet, allowing them to communicate with the rest of the world and strengthen their economies.

Many years ago when computers were being introduced to society, people were concerned that they would have a dehumanizing effect. To a certain extent that might be true because we often use email to communicate in the office rather than calling or visiting our co-worker on the next floor or even down the hall, but the positives outweigh the negatives. With the ability to quickly share and process information, and effectively perform in-depth research, most of us might wonder how businesses ever managed without the existence of the computer and the internet.

The Blackberry and other hand-held time-saving devices bring added convenience and increased productivity to professionals whose work extends beyond the office.

So many other forms of technology exist that enable professionals of all educational and skilled backgrounds to produce products and services that it would otherwise be impossible.

It has been stated that an estimated 40 percent of U.S. productivity growth between 1995 and 2002 has been credited to the existence of information technology. Computers and the internet give a voice to all who has access to them and the numbers are growing by leaps and bounds.

Monica Davis is Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Exceptional Magazine (http://www.exceptionalmag.com). She has over 20 years of stellar and award-winning performance serving the federal government and private sector. She is also the creator and former executive producer and host of the award-winning Extraordinary Everyday People television talk show.

Exceptional Magazine is a self-improvement publication that recognizes people for their extraordinary accomplishments, contributions to society and their courage to overcome adversity. It also provides informative and articles that help people of all backgrounds change their lives both personally and professionally.

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How to Print Money With Your Scanner

Ok, scanners don't technically print. You aren't technically getting the most out of your scanner right now, so I guess you will have to forgive me. Think about it, what do you actually do with your scanner?

I will give you 10-1 odds it's just a one-trick pony for you. You use it to capture images, don't you? You've captured Fluffy at the local dog park, Jimmy's picture with great-aunt whatshername, the trip to Sea World in '81. What if there's more? What if you could harness the power of your scanner to save you huge amounts of time and money at home and work?

You can, because I've done it. In fact, last week, I saved my company 200 hours of labor. Even paying minimum wage(which we weren't), that brings the total saved to over $3000. At first glance, this figure doesn't line up with basic math. $7 x 200 = $1400, not $3000. How did I do it? The answer lies in economic theory, and a really old technology.

Opportunity cost(or total cost) is a basic economic theory which calculates not only how much the visible costs are, but what it costs you not to do something else. The most common illustration is a college education. If you pay $20,000 a year in visible costs, the cost of not working a full time job could be running you $18,000 in hidden costs. Thus, the total cost of a college education is actually $38,000 a year. The same goes for saving money. Not would you save your company $1500 in visible costs, by implementing the strategy I did, you may have made them an additional $1500 by using that time in a more productive manner. Now you see why I call it printing money.

The technology I used to get these results is called OCR or Optical Character Recognition. OCR is not a new at all. The first patent for the technology was filed back in the '20s In fact, it has been around in machine form since 1955. The US Postal Service has been using it since the '60's. Essentially, it converts printed text or writing on a page into digital form. That was the extent of the technology's abilities for a great deal of it's lifespan. The field has seen some great strides since then, including automatically formatting email addresses into hyperlinks, duplicating exact replicas of page structure(including columns and breaks), and PDF support.

Maybe you don't see how this could benefit you. Okay, I'll run you through a few scenarios, and show you how you'd save that time and money:

Uses for a Business:

• Invoices sent as pictures: I cannot stand it when someone sends me a bill of lading or a packing list, and I can't select the text. Just run one of these images through OCR software, and you automagically have text you can copy, paste, or otherwise manipulate for another document.
• The Trade Show Directory: Have you ever gone to a trade show, and received that massive directory of attendees? Maybe you wanted to get their names and addresses into your mailing system, or you just want their email addresses for your contact list. What if I told you that you could scan and digitize that 1200 page document in as little as 3 hours? At our company we did. We now have a digital directory of all suppliers and buyers in our industry, for the entire continent of North America, and we did it in just 3 hours.
• That Old Rolodex: Ah, yes. The trusty Rolodex. You may have replaced yours with an email contact list, or maybe you still keep it closely by your side, in case a natural disaster strikes. You can put 6-8 of these cards on the scanner at the time. In a little while, you will have a fireproof version of your contact list. You could even sync it to your email contacts.
• Business Cards: These things are the hardest in the world to keep up with. They are easy to lose, and they make a mess on your desk. OCR is able to accurately recognize the itty-bitty type, and turn it into something legible and usable. You can throw 8-10 on your scanner at any given time, and go to town.

There are a ton of other uses for business, but I can't go through all of them here. Let's turn our eyes toward uses for school and home.Uses for School and Home:

• The Book Report: Don't you dislike typing in long passages for book reports? I know I do. A quick run through the scanner, and you'll have a ready-made quote to plunk down in the middle of your paper
• Lost Papers: How many times have you printed out a paper, and accidentally deleted the original on your hard drive? Once again, run it through, and you will have an editable copy in minutes.
• Contracts and Legal Documents: OCR makes it easy to modify a buyer or seller's agreement before sending it back to your realtor or lawyer, even if has just been sent as an image or hard copy.
• Digitize your signature: This is not technically an OCR feature, but I will throw it in as a freebie: Put your signature on a white sheet of paper using black ink. Scan the paper. Using GIMP or Photoshop, remove the white background. Save as a .png to preserve the transparency. The next time you need to sign a document you are typing, insert this image into OpenOffice or MS Word. Email the doc, knowing you never had to waste the paper to print it.

Are you convinced now? If so, let me tell you what you will need to make sure you can convert your text:

1. You need a TWAIN compliant scanner. Most scanners released within the past 8 years or so follow this specification. Unless your scanner is really ancient, you shouldn't have a problem with this
2. OCR Software: Most of the time, the software is installed along with the drivers for your scanner, and is completely free. Manufacturer versions are not often as full-featured as If you want a cheap solution, and are willing to settle for 97% or so accuracy vs. 99% percent, you can go with a free, open source option like GOCR. While I am not usually a big fan of commercial software, I will pay for a great package. If you are looking for software for your company, I recommend Omnipage Pro. You can pay 500 bucks for their current version, or pick up an earlier release for on Ebay like I did. It's easy to use, and super fast.
3. While not necessary, I highly recommend a scanner with an automatic document feeder, or ADF. This will make scanning large books a breeze, along with freeing you to do other things while the software does it's magic.
4. I would also recommend a larger amount of RAM, as images can be quite memory intensive. The less time the application spends accessing your hard drive, the faster the processing will go.

Now that I've given you some ways to save time and money, go invent some ways to do even more. If you find a way to print money, do me a favor, and make an anonymous deposit to my account.

Kurt Hartman is out to save you time and money. While he is no Clark Howard, he has a few tricks up his sleeve. He currently is Head of Employee Training at BuyBigTires.com.
BuyBigTires.com is a leader in selling off the road tires They also use a scanner quite a bit. Go figure.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kurt_Hartman

The Big Three For Compact Flash 300x Cards

High speed flash cards, high capacities and only three major companies have them. 300x compact flash cards are the fastest in the market but there are not many who make them. The cream of the crop can be found in this article.

The Transcend Extreme Speed 300x CompactFlash card is one of the fastest available in the market. It is designed specifically for professional photographers but the CF card can be used with anything that is compatible with it. Since it supports Ultra DMA mode operation, it can support very fast transfer speeds of up to 45MB/s. DMA stands for Direct Memory Access which allows the CPU to operate more than one function at a time during data transferring. In a sense, having Ultra DMA would speed up the flash drive because the CPU doesn't have to copy each piece of data from the source to the destination.

So far, there are only 3 major companies that have released these high speed flash cards which are Lexar, Transcend, and Sony where Transcend is the only one that offers a 16GB capacity. Supposedly, all of them can transfer as fast as 45MB/s which are why these CF cards are so expensive. Transcend's flash card sticks out mostly due to the fact that it has an advanced Error Correction Code which correct errors during data transfer automatically. With that function in place, you don't have to worry about the integrity of the pictures that you take. However, you may have to use a third party image recovery software if your card happens to stop functioning.

Lexar's compact flash card includes Lexar Image Rescue 3, which is an image recovery software, when you purchase it from them. I don't know how well it performs but to have this is a short sigh of relief for most consumers because sometimes they might forget to back up their images and lose all their data. Although it includes the software, it shouldn't mean that you should not back your files but it provides a mean of recovery just in case something does happen. Sony also provides support when it comes to image recovery; however, you have to send it back to them to recover the images for you.

Overall, the performance of the compact flash cards is very similar to each other. What make these different from each other are the services that come with the product. I still think Transcend's 300x CF card would be a great choice because of the price. Currently, Lexar is selling the 8GB for $199 but Transcend sells their 16GB for $218.99. You can find it at shop.transcendusa.com for that low price. Each of these companies have been established long enough to have credibility so, you should not worry about the quality of the product. It is entirely up to you to see which one is the best option.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Nick_Nguyen

Maximize Your Bandwidth - Get Your Money's Worth!

By default windows XP and Vista will actually limit how many half open connections your computer can have open at a time. A half open connection refers to when you are trying to connect to a network but you need to wait for that network to respond giving you the go ahead. This can become a problem when you want to open multiple connections at the same time. If you want to run any sort of Peer 2 Peer file sharing applications this can drastically affect your transfer rates and the speed at which your are able to connect to peers.

Lets say your computer is still set up in the default settings. When you try and transfer a file in the P2P program you will have a maximum of 10 half open connections at a time. So when your program returns to you a list of 50 peers, you can only try to connect to 10 of them at a time. This means that before you can connect to all 50 peers you have to wait for the first 10 to respond then the next ten, and so on. Where as if you were able to attempt all 50 at once you would automatically connect and start downloading to the peers that respond quickly while still waiting for the rest to respond. With a limitation of only 10 half open connections you might be waiting for slow servers to respond for a while before even trying to connect to the faster servers or users.

In this article I will show you how to open up more of these connections on your computer enabling faster transfer rates and teach you how to optimize this number for your computer. You may think that if I set this number to infinity then you will get unlimited transfer rates, but this is not true. The reality is that more connections after a certain point can actually reduce the speed of your computer as it will get bogged down with too much information all at once.

Although if your really know what you are doing you can adjust the number manually yourself, but the easiest way to adjust it is with a patch. The patch is found here:

http://www.lvllord.de/?lang=en&url=downloads

It's a simple DOS based program that will write to your TCPIP.sys file. If you are at all apprehensive about messing anything up then copy and back up this file first It's really easy to use, just download it, run it then set the number of half-open connections you will allow. That's it. Simple right?

By default the program is set to adjust your new limit to 50, this is probably okay for most people. For those of you really looking to get the most out of this adjustment then you can increase this number a bit but there are a few things to consider.

1) How fast is your computer? The higher the number of half-open connections you allow, the more resources your computer will need to handle them, cranking this number up a couple hundred will require more from all parts of your computer and will actually slow it and your transfer rates down. Instead of devoting the most resources to your full connections and downloading the new file they are spent on opening new connections. With a fast computer your can stretch this number up a bit (maybe another 100). Trial and error will dictate if your computer can handle it.

2) Are you on a router? Chances are your router can only hold so many full connections and half open connections at a time. When you reach your max your router will likely crap out and disable or reset all your connections on the network. This value for the routers can vary depending on the quality of your router. For your average cheap home router you can probably handle a combined total of about 250 connections for everyone on your network at a given time. If for instance you have 4 or 5 computers doing P2P on your router 50 half open connection is probably about all it can handle after you factor in the actual number of full connections each computer might have(this can be a lot too).

3) Your internet connection isn't likely a large factor in this but if you have a super fast computer with no router you still might see some limitations with your internet connection as either the company you are with will not allow that many open connections or they can't handle it. All that is likely to happen in this case is your connection disconnects then attempts to reconnect.

Happy surfing!

Geoffrey Vaughan - High School Teacher and Web Developer. Owner and operator of http://www.MrVaughan.com - Resources for for High School students and teachers in the area's of Computers and Technology.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Geoffrey_Vaughan

How to Make Your Computer Run Faster - Find and Repair Disk Errors

You can check the integrity of the files stored on your hard disk by running the Error Checking utility.

As you use your hard drive, it can develop bad sectors. Bad sectors slow down hard disk performance and sometimes make data writing (such as file saving) difficult, or even impossible. The Error Checking utility scans the hard drive for bad sectors, and scans for file system errors to see whether certain files or folders are misplaced. If they are misplaced or have gone bad this tool will fix these errors. This tool can dramatically help increase your computers performance.

If you use your computer daily, you should try to run this utility weekly to help prevent data loss. It will also aid in your attempt to make a computer run faster! Depending on how often you use your computer you might even want to use this tool twice a week. If you work on it all day for school or work you will definitely want to consider doing it up to three times a week.

To run the Error Checking utility:

Important: Be sure to close all files before running the Error-Checking utility. It can also make a computer run faster!

1. Click Start, and then click My Computer.

2. In the My Computer window, right-click the hard disk you want to search for bad sectors, and then click Properties.

3. In the Properties dialog box, click the Tools tab.

So go ahead and do this now, its a sure fire way to make your computer run faster almost immediately!

Use this method and my ten ways on how to make your computer run faster
You will find videos, screen shots and step by step instructions for even the most novice computer users. Also visit my homepage at computerht.com for my computer how to tutorials and guides. My other computer how to's include videos, screen shots and step by step instructions as well.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Brooks_Carver

Buying a New Computer - What's the Big Deal!

Asking for the price of a new computer is like asking the price of a car. Although all cars
have four wheels, a roof and an engine, the similarities stop there. With computers, as
well as different brand names available, there are many combinations of different
component specifications (e.g. processor speed, amount of memory). Professionals can help you translate the technical jargon, but there is a large non-computing side of the equation to ensure that you are getting the best value for your money. So how do you know if the money you are spending on technology is a wise investment? We look at some of the questions that drive the IT recommendations that as experts make to our customers.

The current picture

We start by getting an understanding of the way your business currently runs. This includes factors like how many staff you have and what percentage of them rely heavily on a computer to perform their daily tasks. How many locations you have and how transient are your staff between locations or 'on the road'? How is information currently stored and shared between people, considering both internal staff and the interaction between your customers and your business? Do your business processes rely on faxes or duplicate forms? How are your supply-chain relationships managed?

Any challenges

What frustrates your staff the most about their work? What do you feel is the biggest challenge holding your company back? It's important to get a clear picture of any issues so we can determine if a technology solution can help, or if it's really an underlying business process problem. New technology won't necessarily help if it's not supported by a strong business driver, processes and staff education.

Your future plans

What is on the horizon for the next 12 months? 2 years? 5 years? Are you looking to significantly expand or decrease your operations? Are you thinking of selling your products on the Internet? Are there any major changes in your industry that you need to take into account (such as the impact of digital technology on businesses like camera film processing and traditional printing presses)?At home.

A similar process can be undertaken if you are looking at technology for your home. What do you use your computer for now? Would you be happy with email and word processing, or do you have a teenager who would like to play the latest computer games?

This is a very brief overview of some of the puzzle pieces that we take into account when we make a technology recommendation. Once we have a clear picture of your needs, we can sift through the many options available and confidently recommend a solution that will fit your unique situation. Think about the questions we have raised and if you can't find the answers talk to an expert it may save you time and money.

Nick Roche is the National Director of Computer Troubleshooters Australia, part of the worlds Largest IT Service Franchise with over 450 location in 25 countries across the Globe. Specialising in supporting IT for Small Business & Home Offces. For your local Computer Troubleshooter see your country website;

Australia - http://www.comptroub.com.au

For all other countries visit - http://www.comptroub.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Nick_Roche

Round Up Your Files So Your Computer Can Access Them Faster

You've more than likely heard the word "defrag". But what does it mean and should you pay any attention to it. It's hard to pay any attention to it if you have no idea what it is, why you should do it and what benefits are involved. Let's have a look.

"defragmentation (or defragging) is a process that reduces the amount of fragmentation in file systems. It does this by physically reorganizing the contents of the disk in order to store the pieces of each file close together and in order (contiguously)."

"Reading and writing data on a heavily fragmented file system is slowed down as the time needed for the disk heads to move between fragments, and waiting for the disk platter to rotate into position, is increased. For many common operations, the performance bottleneck of the entire computer is the hard disk; thus the desire to process more efficiently encourages defragmentation. Operating system vendors often recommend periodic defragmentation in order to keep disk access speed from degrading over time." - source wikipedia

So it's obvious that regular defragmentation of your hard drive is desirable. You should aim to do this every couple of months, depending on the amount computer usage. Follow the steps below to defrag your hard drive.

1. From your desktop click on the Start button and select Run

2. Type dfrg.msc in the blank field. This will open the Disk Defragmenter window.

3. On the bottom left side of this screen is a button called Defragment. Click on it. The first phase Disk Defragmenter performs is analysing your hard drive to determine whether or not your hard drive needs to be defragmented. If it does it will start the second phase automatically which is to defrag your hard drive. If your hard drive does not need defraging then a message will display so. Try again in a couple of months.

4. When defragmentation has completed put the next run in your calendar so you do not forget.

Well I hope this has increased your knowledge Disk Defragmentation and maintaining your computer in a optimum state.

http://www.elscomm.com.au Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Rene_Els

Unlimited Local and Long Distance Calling For Less Than $2/month!

No that's not a typo, Its real. A new gadget now allows you to make unlimited calling to anywhere in the US and Canada for $20 a year, That's about a buck and a half per month. That's incredible. This revolutionary piece of equipment allows this, It's called the MagicJack. It's really simple. Their are only 3 things required. A home phone, The MagicJack and broadband internet service.

MagicJack

How this works:

This thing couldn't be easier to use, You plug it into your windows computer USB port. The software takes about 30 seconds to load (First time use requires brief account activation). Plug your homephone line into the MagicJack and your ready to go. The call quality is good, It's not as good as a regular landline but for the price you really cant go wrong. Think about it, For what your probably paying for a month's worth of service you could use that for a whole year using this. The only downside I can see for this is that you must have your computer plugged in and running to be able to make and receive calls. This is a small price to pay though for UNLIMITED local and long distance calling.

I am in no way affiliated with this product, I own one myself though and it's amazing. I recommend everyone picking one of these up, It costs $40 and the first year of service is free. ($20 after that)

Check out the MagicJack official website by clicking the following link.
http://www.magicjack.com/6/index.asp

Be sure to check out my tech blog for more articles like this. Tips and tricks, Info on the latest gadgets.
http://www.sexyclan.net/tech

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jake_B

Some Basic Concepts of Fiber Optic Loss Testing

When testing loss in a fiber optic link, some basic principles must be kept in mind all the time.

1.The testing wavelength should always be the same as the working wavelength. Because optical fiber loss varies with light wavelength, you will get incorrect result if your measuring wavelength is different from the actual working wavelength. For example, if a system is designed for 1550nm but you test it with 1310nm light source and power meter, the result will not be correct.

2.The testing light source should be the same as the intended working lightwave equipment light source. If the system is designed for a LED source, you should test it with a LED source. If the system is designed for multimode laser light, you should use a multimode laser light source for testing. This is also true for single mode laser light source.

Fiber optic equipment used in a loss testing

In a basic loss testing setup, four types of test equipment are needed. They are the light source, the power meter, the reference patch cables and the adapter (mating sleeve).

Here are some considerations when choosing your equipment.

The light source should have the same wavelength as the operating equipment, proper mode (multimode or single mode, should be same as the operating equipment), type (LED or laser, same as the operating equipment) and proper connector.

The power meter should have the same wavelength as the light source, proper connector and calibrated.

The reference patch cables should be high quality with know loss, proper connectors and be the same type as the fiber plant being tested.

The adapter (mating sleeve) should be with high quality ceramic sleeves and be proper type (FC, SC, LC, etc).

Understanding dB (decibel) in fiber optic loss testing

As in any power measurement, fiber optic light power measurement unit can be expressed in milliwatt (mW), but a more convenient unit is dB(decibel).

Decibel (dB) is most often used in electronics testing. It is the ratio between two levels. One level is the input and the other level is the output. The ratio is calculated in logarithmic as explained below.

For power measurement, dB is defined as: dB = 10 x log(output power/input power)

So for example, after a fiber link, the output light power level becomes 50% of its input, the loss of the link will be 10log(0.5)= -3 dB.

Since dB is actually a ratio, it has no absolute units. So from above measurement sample, we have no idea of the actual power, may it be 0.1 mW or 1 mW.

That is why we have another unit dBm. It is the ratio of the measured power to 1mW of reference power. It is defined as: dBm = 10xlog(measured power/1mW)

So for example, a 0.1mW light power expressed in dBm will be 10xlog(0.1mW/1mW)=-10 dBm.

From above we know that dBm is a absolute unit, we know exactly how many mW it is.

For fiber optic loss testing, decibel is the most often used unit since it is much easier to work with. Why? Because two dB values can be simply added or subtracted. For example, a total fiber link may have three sections, each has loss of 0.5dB, 5dB and 0.5dB. The total loss can then be easily concluded as 0.5dB + 5dB + 0.5dB = 6 dB. You can try to convert it to actual milliwatt and you will see that I am right!

Colin Yao is an expert on fiber optic communication technologies and products. Learn more about innerduct coupler, innerduct for fiber, plenum inner duct on Fiber Optics For Sale Co. web site.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Colin_Yao

Screensavers - What They Can Do For You

Most people might think of screensavers as just a bunch of animated scenes or beautiful pictures sitting on their PC desktop. A screen saver is far more however. You may be surprised to learn that behind the scenes a screensaver is helping you in more ways than one, such as:

Stress Buster

With many of the relaxing screensaver themes available today, simply watching can reduce your stress levels significantly. In particular, many of the nature screen savers which include sounds can be an escape from today's hectic pace and noise.

Monitor Protection

Screensavers help protect your computer screen from image burn. When the same image is displayed on the screen for a long period it can burn permanently into the screen. This was the original reason for screensaver development. Although screen burn is not as much of a problem these days, some of the new LCD screens can still be affected by it. Having a nice screen saver will give you added protection just to make sure.

You may realize by now that downloading a screensaver for your desktop is a good idea; which it is. However, there are a few things to consider. Because a screensaver is typically an executable file, there are risks you should be aware of, namely spyware, viruses and trojans. All these little nasties can be packaged into the screen saver file and infect your computer when you install it.

Choosing a Safe Screensaver

The best way to protect your PC from spyware and viruses is to follow these simple steps:

1) Image Quality

Does the preview screensaver have high quality images or animations? While this is not always true, in general high quality animations or images are more likely to be produced by a genuine business.

2) Website Address

You may find screensaver download banners and links on a wide variety of websites. However, take note of the website where you are taken to for the download. For instance you may click on a banner on a web page which takes you to the main screensaver download site. If the download site looks unprofessional or has a dodgy web address then it could be risky to download any of their files.

3) Guarantees

Most of the better quality screensaver download sites will prominently display some sort of virus and spyware guarantee. While you can't solely rely on this it is a good general guide when choosing a screensaver download site.

By using the three points above together you stand the best chance of protecting your system from viruses and spyware when downloading screensavers. The reason that screensavers where originally developed is not as much of a problem today as it was. However, as with many things, they have evolved to have other purposes. Grab yourself a nice screensaver today and de-stress, enjoy the show, and be happy.

For top quality, safe screensavers visit free screensavers Many popular themes to choose from.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Colin_Wolfenden

10 Ways To Kill A Computer

Computers are very similar to people in that they have a finite lifespan and like us, there are a number of afflictions that can cause a computer's digital existence to cease. Most of these problems stem from careless handling, neglect, unhealthy environments and old age, leaving the average computer system's longevity no more than ten years.

However, careless handling, maintenance and badly trained users can shorten a computer's lifespan just as a careless lifestyle can cut shorten ours. Here is a list of the ten most common causes of catastrophic computer failure.

10. User errors - From not powering down properly to skipping scan disks, a user can seriously damage a computer's hardware, particularly drives and processors by not following correct guidance in using their machine.

9. Faulty manufacture - years ago there were only a handful of companies producing PCs now it seems there are an almost infinite number of manufacturers and assemblers, some have vast experience and resources, others are no more than two guys in a garage so it is not surprising that an increasing number of computer systems are faulty when bought new.

8. Bad upgrades. It is not just computers themselves that are victims of bad workmanship, upgrades by inexperienced computer fitters can cause horrendous problems and faulty add-ons such as RAM can kill a processor instantly. Also attempting to 'overclock' a processor can often lead to a fatal melt-down.

7. USB Device Mishaps. It seems everything can be plugged into a USB these days. However, it maybe that your USB device is not suited to the operating system you use or it may be faulty leading to a fatal short circuit.

6. Power surge/cut. Power surges or unexpected power cuts can not only cause instant loss of data but can also fry a processor rendering it useless. It is not just power from the grid that causes problems either, lightning can surge through cables (even phone wires) frazzling your system and a build up of static can cause similar results.

5. Dust. A dusty environment will clog a computer and block cooling vents causing a computer to overheat. Dust can also contain conductive material and particles can stick to circuit boards and cause a short circuit. Even home computers if not properly cleaned can succumb to problems caused by too much dust.

4. Water/fluids. Of course computers are electrical and with all electrical equipment, computers and water do not mix, just one spilt cup of coffee could see the end of your PC.

3. Heat. Processors can run exceptionally hot and if a computers cooling system is inadequate (because the machine has been upgraded, overclocked or just clogged up with dust and grime) it will only be a matter of time before it packs up for good.

2. Cold. Just as with heat, computers don't enjoy the cold too much either. Processors will not operate at all if the operating temperature is too cold and Processors can permanently freeze up if the temperature drops too much.

1. Knocks/bangs. Computers are sensitive machines, simply moving a PC to another room can cause havoc, disrupting the delicate circuitry and hard drives. Dropping a computer or severe knocks and bangs will permanently damage the circuits and processors or dislodge wiring.

There are of course measures that can be taken to protect a PC such as always ensuring any computer has been assembled correctly and any upgrades are done carefully by a fully trained professional. Making sure a decent power supply with surge suppressor is fitted is also important (many computer experts will tell you that a power supply is the most important component in a PC, and I can't argue with that) and that any peripherals are checked to be working correctly before you plug them in (ask to see them work in the shop) and will run correctly on your operating system.

Finally there is a low cost ways of adding extra protection to a PC, in the shape of a computer enclosure, particularly worthwhile if your PC has to operate in a dusty or moist environment, under varying temperatures and prone to knocks and bangs.

These industrial computer enclosures are relatively low cost and can house virtually any PC, monitor or printer. They often contain air conditioners and heaters to control temperature and can protect from extremely severe knocks and bangs (some even claim to be bomb proof). These enclosures also prevent dust and fluids from entering (some can even be hosed down in industrial environments without fear of damage) and allow a conventional PC to be used in the most hostile environments from ovens, freezers, dusty shop-floors and even explosive environments.

Copyright 2008 © Richard N Williams
Richard N Williams is a technical author and a specialist in the industrial computer industry helping to develop industrial computer enclosures and protection for all environments. Please visit us for more information about industrial pc solutions.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Richard_N_Williams

Electronic Data Interchange

EDI (Electronic Data Interchange) is the interchange of structured data by agreed message standards, from one computer system to another, by electronic means. It allows electronic exchange of routine business transactions between computers. EDI was first used in transportation industry. The first set of EDI standards were developed by the transportation data coordinating committee (TDCC).

EDI can bring strategic, operational and opportunity benefits to organizations. Strategic benefits brings faster trading cycle, ability to adopt new business processes,ability to win new business and ability to respond to highly competitive new market entrants. Operational benefits brings reduced costs,improved cash flow, security and error reduction and acknowledged receipt. Opportunity benefits brings Enhanced image, competitive edge and improved corporate trading relationships.

A request is placed for analysis process during the initial stage of establishing the EDI message interchange process. Business requirements and technical details are passed on to the EDI analyst for analyzing and designing the EDI specifications. These specifications are used by EDI developers to define and develop EDI message prototypes. EDI testers test the new EDI connection to validate this information.

Once a new connection tested, it's deployed in the production system. EDI is widely used in manufacturing, shipping, warehousing,utilities, pharmaceuticals, construction, petroleum, food processing, and health care industries. EDI can bring benefits to business's by improving overall business quality through better record-keeping, fewer errors in data, reduced processing time, less reliance on human interpretation of data, and minimized unproductive time. Reduce order time since EDI allows businesses to process orders much faster etc.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Juny_Kallukalam

5 Awesome Innovations That Bring Sexy Back To The Future

There's something to be said about Timberlake's "Sexy Back" from two years ago - when half the people were trying to mesh noir and technology together to form some steampunk-ish child, the song (and mostly the video) evokes a wanting for bringing sexy back to technology.

That gives everyone a bit of re-decorating to look forward to - throw out the wires, the dials and the big, clunky forms - leave in the sleek, shiny plastic, brushed metal and the slimmest possible sizes.

This is, to say, in the future, clutter is a no-no, and using walls, tables and other fixtures will act as screens and input devices.

For those planning the transition as early as today, here are a few gadgets, concepts and innovations you have to look forward to, and make space for.
(Most of these are concepts and do not exist yet in reality. It's a wonder how other people's imaginations overlap our own desires for the future.)

Multi-Touch Technology - 6 years after Minority Report and we're still obsessing about re-creating the futuristic interface that Anderton used in the movie - case in point? That video for "Ayo Technology." (Which, surprisingly, also stars Timberlake.)

The difference of Multi-Touch Technology with similar touch-screen interfaces is that it can accept multiple inputs at the same time. This means multiple fingers = multiple inputs, and it also means that multi-user applications is possible. This is already widely used and may come in a photosensor/screen wall near you. Apple's iPhone is one example of this - the iPhone uses Multi-Touch scrolling and picture manipulation technology.

Vaio Zoom - While not designed by Sony, this Yanko Design Concept is an interesting piece. What started out as "showing what's behind the screen" wallpaper series, this concept takes it a lot further by implementing holographic displays over a transparent screen.

Nonobject Behind the Scenes Camera - To help shape what the future will become, Nonobject has dedicated their time to creating fully plausible (and yet currently unbuildable) designs that are created to inspire future tinkerers.
The idea behind the Nonobject Behind the Scenes Camera is being able to take photos from scenes that are both in front of you and behind you. Thing is, how would you take a photo without getting your face, body and hands in the way? I have no clue either.

Proclaim Speaker DMT-100 - These futuristic eyeball speakers just look amazing. With pivoting arms, the "eyes" can be positioned so that the sound waves can travel in different directions, plus, it also helps if you have a space problem and need something that can be neatly tucked into place.

Printer Table - Again, from Yanko Design, this sleek device marries a furniture into something a little more useful. Want that report printed out while you have coffee? No sweat - using this device, one doesn't need to run to the office printer while enjoying coffee with clients, just load in a fresh ream of paper in the faux drawers ... and you're good to go!

Andy Biggins knows that life isn't a box of chocolates but he loves it as sweetly as if it were! Travelling and Gadgets rule his world, and if you want to know more about his thoughts on just about those 2 topics, swing by his site The Big Life

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Andrew_Biggins

Why Is My PC Slow? Answering The Question

Are you one of the many people who are complaining, "Why is my PC slow?" Unfortunately, many people share this predicament. Many people have probably cursed or shouted a curse or two directed at their computer. It can be frustrating especially if you are on a rush and your computer takes forever to loads or to process. You're probably wondering, "Why is my computer not as fast as it was when I first bought it?" Those are the good old days. So, why is your computer slow?

Packed Computer Registry

This is the most typical reason for a slow computer. Not all people who use a computer what a computer registry is, how to find and how to clear them up. Before they could even get around to clearing their registry, they probably have suffered slow processing computer for a significant length of time.

Basically, your computer's registry is that area where most of your files, programs and software are stored. It is important that you regularly clean and maintain this section of your Windows XP in order to ensure faster operation and processing. If you keep storing and storing files into your registry without cleaning it every now and then, your computer may likely crash from storing too many data. People may also hear you complaining, "Why is my PC slow?" when you store too many data in your registry because this makes it difficult for your computer to easily locate entries. So, it takes the computer quite a while to respond to your commands.

Spyware and Virus Attacks

Spyware and viruses are not only pests; they are also resource thieves! Although these malicious programs are not designed for Windows XP slow down, they can still cause your computer to lag or to even come to a screeching halt. This is why it can never be too emphasized that you need a good anti-spyware or anti-virus programs to clean your computer off of these pests. If you can afford buying the good ones, do so. Although there are software that are available for free, they do not really give the same protection that paid programs do. Also, make sure that you keep your anti-virus and anti-spyware programs updated. If you have to update every minute, do so. Set up the programs to regularly run automatically. Otherwise, you'd have a computer packed with spyware and adware; and you'd be complaining, "Why is my PC slow?!"

Constantly Running Background Operations

There are instances when your Windows XP slow processing can be blame to your background programs. You might be unconsciously running these programs. A good way to check on background operations is by looking at the bottom tray at the right side of your computer. You might have operations and programs running. They take up resources; although you are not actually using them. So, make sure that you close all these programs so they will not interfere with the speed of your computer. Change the settings of these programs if possible so they will not automatically run without you knowing.

Don't let you PC slow to a crawl check out http://www.kmainieri.com for more Windows XP Tweaks that will have your PC running on steroids!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kris_Mainieri

Computer Problem Tips - 10 Spyware Warning Signs - Are You Infected?

It's been estimated that over 60% of all computers have some kind of spyware installed and most of their owners are unaware! If you are tired of your PC running slow and filling your screen with those nasty pop-up then you will want to read the 10 warning signs listed below. Afterwards check out my "action plan" and what you can do to rid yourself of your spyware infestation.

1. Browser Hijacks - When I used to get a call from a customer saying that their homepage had suddenly changed, without them doing anything, I knew to bring my anti-spyware fighting software. Malicious programmers love to change your browser settings to transfer your homepage to their "client's" websites.

2. PC is Crashing - Without warning, your PC starts crashing, freezing or locking up, but you haven't added any new software or updated anything recently.

3. Pop-Ups - You open your browser to visit your favorite blog site then "WHAM!" You are suddenly drowning in pop-ups! Your screen is full of brightly colored lures to porn, gambling or gaming websites. You click on the "Close" or the "X" to shut it down...uh, oh something is downloading to your machine!

4. Strange Favorites - You notice that there is a strange looking icon in your favorites. You click on it out of curiosity. You are caught in a webring of girly webpages...drat it, you're at work!

5. Strange Icon on Desktop or in Systray - You know notice a "winking" red light on the bottom-right in your Systray display. It says you have been infected. You hurriedly click on it to see what is wrong. Then a pop-up appears that says it is downloading an "anti-virus killer"...uh, oh.

6. Strange New Files Appear - You are poking about in your files and you notice that some odd, spyware-killer software has a folder on your hard drive. Where did that one come from?

7. Strange Emails - While searching for a note you dropped to the boss, you notice that you have lots of strange emails in your "Send" folder. You didn't send them, especially the ones in a foreign language.

8. Strange Toolbars - You open up your browser and now you have 3 toolbars instead of just one. What gives? When you try to remove, or change the settings, they keep coming back no matter what you do.

9. PC runs sluggish or slow - Granted your computer may not be the newest kid on the block but lately it has been moving slower than the Street Dept fixing a pothole. It takes several minutes for it logon and go out on the web. And it takes forever for you do to the simplest things anymore.

10. Hard Drive is running all the time - You have noticed that your hard drive is running all the time now. Even when nobody is on the machine! You can see the activity light blinking away and you can also hear the drive being accessed. Huh?

Action Plan - What to do next...

Download from the Net or buy a good anti-spyware software package. For free try Ad-Aware or SpyBot's S&D. Or use SpySweeper if you need an industrial strength cleaner.

Scan your hard drive and follow any instructions on removing items.

Install a good personal firewall program to slow down pop-ups and other nastiness.

Copyright 2008 by Chancer Reese

For more free tips see http://www.fixcomputerproblemsguide.com
Hard Drive Crashed? Repair or Rescue Any Hard Drive... visit http://www.fixcomputerproblemsguide.com/Hard-Drive-Crashed.html
From Chancer Reese, your Small Office Tech Diva.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Chancer_Reese

Computer Problems Tips - The 3 Levels of Spyware - Do You Still Control Your Computer?

"The only difference between the fool, and the criminal who attacks a system is that the fool attacks unpredictably and on a broader front." (Tom Gilb)

It doesn't matter if your computer is compromised by professional villains or just by the geeky kid across the street, once your sensitive files have been broken into your life may never be the same. Spyware is one of the most unrated forms of "espionage" occurring in the world today.

Most computer users think of this kind of program as a being just as an annoying or embarrassing kind of prank. But criminal-minded programmers know better.

In the past, spyware and its close cousin adware were simply wicked bits of "paid advertisements" for shady website publishers to attract customers. But soon, more malicious coders determined to use these programs to really "spy" on innocent people and dig out as many of their victim's secrets to use or sell on the black market as possible.

These new programs are being crafted by "professional" development teams just like a "real" software company. The programs are sophisticated and slick.

At its most innocent level, these spy packages just track your browsing habits (where you go and what you do on the web). Your email addresses are also raided. This information is then sold to websites for advertising.

At an intermediate level, a "keystroke" logger (a program that observes and records what you type on your keyboard) can be used in combination with web-tracking software to dig out the keywords, passwords and usernames you use when visiting sites such as eBay, PayPal and your bank.

The final level is in which spyware has completely overwhelmed your computer and all your sensitive information is laid-bare to any prying eyes that want to view it. Your ID/SSN numbers, your home address, personal photographs, your banking or other financial information is dug out and sold to the highest bidder.

This is then used to create everything from fake driver's licenses for teenagers, terrorists, and illegals to making dupe credit cards used to run up charges under your name. Your "identity" has been stolen and compromised for years to come.

Your computer can be turned into a "zombie" and thousands and thousands of fake emails could be sent through your connection to the Internet. This will result in your ISP (Internet Service Provider) taking action and limiting or shutting down your account. And with unpaid charges bouncing about your credit card report will soon be in a shambles as well.

What you should do now to lock down your PC...

Download from the Net or buy a good anti-spyware software package. For free try Ad-Aware or SpyBot's S&D. Or use SpySweeper if you need an industrial strength cleaner.

Scan your hard drive and follow any instructions on removing items.

Install a good personal firewall program to slow down pop-ups and other nastiness.

Password protect any personal folders where sensitive documents, photos, etc are stored.

Download and install a password storage program like "Password Safe" to securely store your usernames and passcodes.

Use strong passwords.

Change passwords every 6 months for your bank, eBay, PayPal and other financial institutions.

For more free tips see http://www.fixcomputerproblemsguide.com
Hard Drive Crashed? Repair or Rescue Any Hard Drive... visit http://www.fixcomputerproblemsguide.com/Hard-Drive-Crashed.html
From Chancer Reese, your Small Office Tech Diva.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Chancer_Reese

How A Web Notification Service Can Help Your Business

A web notification service is a necessity in today's world. Events happen quickly, and managers and administrators must be able to respond immediately. When an unforeseen event occurs, a web notification service is essential.

Communications and technology today allow instantaneous transmission of information among people. Mass notification software has revolutionized the way that administrators take action when an incident takes place. With mass notification services, thousands of people can be reached across multiple modalities, including SMS text message, voice messages to cell phones, work phones, home phones, and email. The ability to send BlackBerry PIN blasts is also very helpful in the event that other communications systems are down.

A web notification service that is hosted on external computer services is desirable because in the event of an emergency, your on-premise notification service could be unavailable! With a hosted web notification service, that is co-located in a secure location and backed up at redundant hosting sites, you are guaranteed to be able to send out critical messages to your peers even though your organization's building might be flooded, on fire, destroyed, or without power. A web notification service is infinitely more reliable than on-premise notification software, and because of the benefits that come with a large, time-tested notification company, the hosted service is probably a lot faster as well.

If your company has its own software or system that can generate alerts or events that you desire to send out to groups of people, a web notification service that has reliable web services that you can connect your system to is a must. Web services support easy integration with any existing customer applications so that you don't need to change your existing business processes. There are many examples of companies using web notification services in this manner, including:

1. Utilities or cable television companies that receive notifications from customers about service outages. These companies then automatically relay messages to their service repair teams in the vicinity so that they can quickly locate and fix the problem.

2. Financial trading companies that receive notices about critical events in the marketplace that will affect their investing decisions. These messages can be routed to the appropriate people immediately so that everyone is up to speed.

3. Many companies receive severe weather alerts through mass notification systems. Instead of manually informing individual managers or stores of impending severe weather, weather alerts are automatically sent out from a weather service company using a mass notification system.

4. IT departments might receive automatic alerts to their team when a server goes down or there is some other type of overload or incident.

The possibilities are really endless when it comes to web notification services. Most likely, YOUR existing business processes can be enhanced by choosing a notification robust notification service.

Learn more about Web Notification Services Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michael_Gambacorta

XP Fixes For Basic Screen Freezes And Problems

You have been very excited when you first bought your computer. You made sure that you bought the best that your money can buy. So, you got the latest and most expensive computer and you installed Windows XP in it.

For the first few months, you were quiet happy with its performance. Until suddenly, you begin to notice that it's taking a significant amount of time to open programs or files. You begin to notice that a click on the mouse could trigger a freeze. There are times when your computer would even freeze without any reason. This can be really frustrating especially if the computer tends to freeze and shut down while you're at the middle of your work. You need to know basic XP fixes to help you deal with the common computer problems.

Causes of Window XP Slow Performance and Freezes

One minute you're busily typing reports, the next you're staring at a blue screen. Often, you'd find yourself cursing your computer. The blue screen is often called the Blue Screen of Death. This happens when Windows XP meets up with a system error. This also happens when the computer needs to recover from a serious system error. You could also have the Blue Screen or Death in cases where the operating system fails to recover from a huge error.

Another possible problem that people encounters when using the Internet is the Screen Freeze. The difference between a Screen Freeze and the Blue Screen of Death is that the computer freezes on the page where you're working. There is no change of solid color to indicate system error. The cause of Screen Freeze is unavailability of RAM. This means that you'd used up your computer's entire RAM so it has no space left to function.

Everyone also experiences lack of program response. This happens when only one program or two fail to respond to your command but if you click on other programs, the latter would work just fine. This is its difference from Screen Freeze. In Screen Freeze, the entire computer is frozen. It is not in blank blue but it does not respond. All these things require that you know XP fixes to help you deal with the problem without needing to send your computer to professional computer technicians.

Basic XP Fixes for Basic Problems

The Blue Screen of Death is easily solved by some online software. In fact, there are widely known Internet users' tools for this kind of problem. You can go online and download, make your research. Once you're satisfied, you can then proceed to downloading the software directly to your computer so you can use it the next time you're computer attempts a Blue Screen of Death

XP fixes for frozen screens or programs are quite simple. Often, you just need to wait for the computer to recover and to resume its operations. If the computer freeze is mainly limited to a particular program or a couple of programs, you can press Control plus ALT plus Delete so you could cancel the programs running that have gone frozen.

Don't let you PC slow to a crawl check out http://www.kmainieri.com for more Windows XP Tweaks that will have your pc running on steroids!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kris_Mainieri

Throw a Rugged PDA in the Water...

Rugged handheld personal digital assistants or PDA's or as they are sometimes called, electronic handheld information devices are great for harsh environments and the rigors of everyday use. Most Rugged handhelds can be used virtually anywhere meaning they can handle the bumps and bruises.

The rugged handheld PDA's can help with tracking orders, log information, keep track and run proprietary software programs. Everything is contained within the small handheld personal digital assistant - PDA and will help in time and productivity as the rugged PDA is simply another tool allowing you too perform your job quickly and efficiently.

The rugged handheld PDA's will also help the salespeople in the field for they can see via Bluetooth or wireless connection, immediately if there's any of what they are selling left instead of having to make a phone call to the warehouse and wait for someone to check the shelves. That is because everything is downloaded into the PDA's informational mainframe and able to share it with many users via the wireless connectivity most handhelds feature.

Rugged computers and rugged handheld PDA's are covered in a hard plastic that will withstand many of the normal elements found in nature and warehouses such as wind, dirt, water and rain, dropping and general 'banging around.'

Rugged computers can be found in warehouses, used by our troops, or deep in the rain forest to name a few. The protective coating on the rugged computer helps to protect them from whatever you and your crews can do to it. Drop it, dip it, throw it, almost anything...

Many of the rugged handheld PDA's and rugged computers have removable shock mounted hard drives in them so that you can replace the hard drive if things get too rough and rugged. (In a semi rugged computer there is s shock mounted hard drive that is non removable and this will keep the hard drive in place and safe if it is dropped from low levels.)

With the rugged hand held PDA, you might consider getting a smart card reader attachment which allows you to read credit cards, employee Id badges or any other type of card you pre-designate when you set up your rugged hand held PDA system. This way, your workers can use the smart card reader to scan customers accounts with just one swipe of a card and know immediately if they have the buying power needed to purchase the big screen television or they need to stick to the smaller version. This will save time and money at the counter when the cashiers have rung up the big ticket item and then they find out the customer does not have the funds to pay for it or something else in their account is preventing them from purchasing this item.

Now that you know what to do with a Rugged PDA -most Rugged PDAs come with a slower processor than a rugged laptop but still VERY fast for a PDA considering the size and room within the device. Compact Flash drives and USB and/or RS232 serial ports. The screens are no bigger than a normal PDA but, throw your normal PDA in the water and see what happens. Rugged PDAs can sink AND swim up to 3 meters. The PDA will work with no problem while under water.

Visit http://www.OCRuggedLaptops.com for more information about the rugged computing industry.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mack_Harris

Taking a Look at the Camcorder World

The world of videos was forever changed when the first camcorder came along. These small devices offered those who wanted to take home videos with sound a chance to make their own movies, which can watch and relish the memories for years to come. A video recorder that also had sound incorporated was something that previously had only been available for broadcasters. With this invention, the world of memory-keeping was changed forever.

The world of the camcorder became known in 1980 when the inventor, known as Jerome Lemelson, patented his idea. He had tried before to receive a patent on this hand held recorder, but the office of patents claimed that it would never work.

Lemelson also had a hand in inventing crucial components for machines, such as the ATM, the Walkman and the barcode scanner seen in almost every retail store. Lemelson changed the way that technology fits into our everyday lives with his ideas for the advancement of technology.

When a person thinks of camcorders, they most likely do not consider the internal components. Inside those small digital handycam recorders are many components, including a mini VCR.

The handy cams are so tiny that one may have a hard time believing this, but in every type of camcorder, this crucial component exists. Also included inside is a CCD, which helps measure the light used to show the images, as well as lens and motors that deal with zoom, focus and aperture.

The camcorder offers a person the chance to record memories that they would not have been able to do fifty years ago. Not only can a person record the still pictures of an event, but now, thanks to the video recorder known as the camcorder, people can also capture the voices.

Technology has advanced to levels unseen by many of our predecessors; however, if a person only learns about how to operate one of these high tech devices, then they can take advantage of this world of the video recorder and save memories for a day when they will slowly begin to forget them. Memories are the cornerstones of the past.

Mike Selvon has a passion for digital videography, and his portal answers your common questions about the camcorder. Visit his portal for your free gift and leave a comment at his digital camcorder blog.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mike_Selvon