Friday, June 12, 2009

SETTING UP SKYPE

Setting up Skype is one of the easiest tasks that anyone with a computer can do. There is basically zero technical knowledge required, aside from the basic understanding of how to download and install a computer application.

Skype is used around the world to connect different people together without having to make expensive international phone calls through a landline or mobile phone. The way that Skype operates is through a system called VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) that allows a cheap and convenient method by transmitting over the Internet. This saves money for communications companies, and therefore Skype can be offered free of charge as a means of global communication.

Skype is extremely simple to set up at home. Whether it is for work or to keep in touch with friends or relatives, Skype can be set up as quickly as 1-2-3. All that is required is that you have a working Internet connection – and the rest is simple.

For those that don’t know how to set it up, here’s how to go about it:

1. Download and install the application from Skype.com. This will install all the core functions into the computer and you won’t need to worry about configuring it.

2. Obtain a microphone and some speakers. This will allow you to talk as if having a normal conversation over the Internet.

3. If you want to be seen, use a webcam. Having a webcam will allow you to communicate both verbally and visually to a recipient on the other side.

Frequently asked questions about Skype:

Q. Why do so many people use Skype?

A. Skype is a free program. There are no costs involved when making calls to other Skype users through the program, because Skype uses a VoIP to allow individuals to communicate through the Internet.

Q. Is Skype safe to use?

A. Yes. Skype is used by company associates every day to

Communicate with each other. With the use of webcams, Skype can be used as a means of video conferencing.

Q. How long will I be able to use Skype?

A. Skype is free to use forever. That’s why it has been so highly regarded by companies and individuals alike. There is no better way to communicate free through the Internet – Skype even offers its own unique IM system, meaning that as long as another user is online, you can still communicate important information.

Q. Can Skype be used on mobile?

A. Skype is an extremely flexible program. Due to the popularity o the service and the accessibility of the program, the Skype network has extended to more than just computers. You can purchase readymade Skype phones which work in exactly the same way as any other phone. Mobile phones can also be configured to receive Skype calls, but it takes a little more configuration

Q. Is there anything else that Skype users should know?

A. Skype also offers a business version which focuses on users who would use Skype as a means of communication for business purposes. This client is also free to download and can be used just as the original Skype client.





The terms '4G' and 'WiMax' have been thrown around quite a lot over the past several years. 4th Generation broadband access has been often seen as the futuristic offspring of the current 3G network technology. The outlook for 4G was optimistic- upload and download speeds nearly identical to anchored cable connections but effortlessly available on-the-move across the country. Disappointingly, a number of legal, economic, and political hurdles have slowed a nation-wide release of WiMax. Currently it has only been deployed in Baltimore and Portland, with limited access.
It's a relief that Clearwire, the primary mover of 4G WiMax technology, has announced a partnership with Cisco Systems. Cisco has been known to be a company that puts it's money where it's mouth is and delivers products in a timely and efficient manner. The addition of Cisco as a partner to create WiMax equipment should speed up the initiative as a whole. Cisco will be charged with building new mobile WiMax devices for CLEAR 4G consumers, small offices as well as the small and medium-sized business arenas.
From Cisco's Newsroom:
"By teaming with Cisco, one of the world's most forward-looking IP network infrastructure providers, we're building a robust and cost-efficient next-generation network that's designed specifically for delivering rich broadband services," said Scott Richardson, Chief Strategy Officer of Clearwire. "In addition, Cisco plans to develop WiMAX technology for end-user devices, which will give consumers and businesses more compelling ways to stay connected through our CLEAR 4G service."
Just to recap for those who have been missing for the past two years: 3G is the network technology that is touted every five minutes on a cell phone commercial for Sprint, Verizon, AT&T, and every other carrier with the capital for a 30 second spot. The big carriers try to one up each other with claims of the most far reaching network or the largest capacity for data transfer. In reality, 3G networks still have quite a few holes in their nationwide plans and the data transfer almost never actually reaches the touted 1-2 mbps downstream speeds.
3G networks have never truly been an end-goal, but rather an in-between state between anchored broadband and next generation technologies like WiMax. Sure - you can check your email, get directions and even watch a video or two on your iPhone or via your cellular broadband card. Utilizing the 3G networks has always been a compromise though, it's never quite as fast or reliable as a land connection. There is always the sigh of relief when you connect to your home or office's wireless network.
We've been in limbo; to be fully productive citizens of the Internet, we need our 4G technologies. Nationwide WiMax will open up the doors to overdue features like full-fledged cell phone video conferencing capabilities. Cisco is the perfect partner to manufacture the networking hardware necessary for this next leap in human connectivity. They already have the record of success for developing the routers and switches for our prior generation of networking needs. Used Cisco hardware has proliferated the market for a reason- it is well built and made to work efficiently.
"Around the globe, mobile WiMAX providers continue to make great strides bringing 4G mobile Internet services to market, and we are pleased that Clearwire has selected Cisco to help un-tether its Internet customers across the United States while delivering high performance," said Brett Galloway, senior vice president, wireless and security technology group of Cisco.

Tuesday, January 27, 2009


There are many types of servers; everything from email servers, web servers and proxy servers to wow private server and backup servers. Virtual Servers are a hybrid of a dedicated server; one that is stand-alone and is usually used for one high traffic website, and a shared hosting type where many websites are hosted on one platform. In essence it is a single machine or server that pretends to be many by having the ability to run various operating systems and separate server software and configurations for each of many different sites but sharing the hardware resources such as processor, memory and hard drives.

There are many advantages to using virtual servers vs. shared hosting or dedicated servers. In a shared hosting setup, if the server software becomes corrupt or if one particular host site becomes corrupt it can knock all of the other hosted sites offline ..thus it is not as reliable as if you have a single dedicated server hosting your site. One advantage, however, is that it is the most cost effective of the server setups due to the shared hardware resources.

On the other hand, the scalability of a dedicated server can cause problems if expansion is necessary. In this case the site would need to be offline unless it were ported to a completely different server and while more reliable than a shared hosting setup it is also considerably more expensive.

A virtual private server (VPS) is a mix between a dedicated server and a shared hosting account. The physical server is divided into many virtual servers each running completely independent from one another. If one of the virtual servers goes down, the others on the physical server are not affected.

The VPS concept allows the client to run a complete server installation with guaranteed resources (RAM, memory, disk space, etc.) while at the same time sharing the physical server. This reduces the cost for the client. If you need a complete server installation with the option to "scale", a VPS account is for you.

A Virtual Dedicated Server (VDS) is a mix between a dedicated server and a virtual private server. It is designed with one physical server, and one virtual private server only. This means you get the advantages of a VPS (scalability) with the advantages of a dedicated server (100% resource usage). If you need a complete server installation with the option to scale and have heavy resource requirements then a VDS account is appropriate. Read more about virtual servers and all different types of servers at www.topvirtualserver.com


Flash drives with USB encryption offered by SanDisk Enterprises recently received the Common Criteria certification. The certification is a standard ISO with international recognition and is critical for government and military applications. Security issues such as password access, performance, encryption, attacks and usability are considered during the certification process. Flash drives utilizing USB encryption must meet security protocols to be considered for use by governmental or military organizations. These entities are very interested in using flash drives with USB encryption because without it their operating systems are vulnerable to many levels of attacks and ultimately the compromising of critical data.

USB Encryption Meets Security Needs

Corporate, government or military personnel using the flash drives with USB encryption want a unit that is both secure on both ends. Flash drives must also have a high degree of usability to remain an effective tool for those depending on them. SanDisk Enterprise produces a flash drive with ultra-fast transfer rates making their use for reading and writing data efficient. USB encryption offers added access and control for all transferred files by securely partitioning the files in the flash drive. A central management and control software program controls flash drives with USB encryption where they can be audited or terminated from the central control center.
An advantage for using a flash drive with USB encryption is that sometimes attacks on data are not to exploit the data but to corrupt it. This is attempted by uploading a virus through the flash drive with the intent of corrupting the host operating system. SanDisk Enterprises partners with McAfee a global security company which scans their flash drives with USB encryption for viruses with anti-malware software. It is known that sometimes flash drives are used to get the virus into the operating system and cause all kinds of corruption problems. A secure flash drive with USB encryption and virus protection will eliminate this kind of threat to the host operating system.

USB Encryption Hardware and Software

USB encryption system’s access and control are either hardware or software based. A major concern for the ongoing security of flash drives using USB encryption is maintaining the most secure access and control system. USB encryption is the first issue to consider; encryption is only as strong as the algorithm's ability to produce random keys. The 256-bit AES algorithm is the best encryption available today for either hardware or software encryption applications. Those attempting to access confidential information should only be decrypted after they have been authenticated as authorized users. Sufficiently complex passwords will prevent many attempts to gain access to decryption.

USB encryption that is hardware based has proven itself to be the method of choice and the most secure. Hardware based encryption is most effective because the access keys are self contained in the secure flash drive. Software based encryption keys are often stored in temporary files on the hard drive and this makes them vulnerable and open to attack from inside the operating system. Those gaining access to the operating system may obtain passwords. Hardware based flash drives using USB encryption will also block the transferring or copying of data to an outside host, a technique commonly used when attempting to gain access to encryption keys illegally as well.

Wednesday, October 29, 2008


Let's face it: PC runs slow and many believe that it's a normal thing to see your computer displaying an hourglass for as long as minutes, and a lot more believe it's too complicated to find out why. Believe it or not, you don't have to be a techie or a geek to figure this out. You can fix it yourself right now without even wasting any money, because the solution is right in front of your screen: your big buddy the Windows, and some of its helpful services. That's who, and here's how:

First, get rid of spam. Oftentimes, PC runs slow because there is too much junk in your computer. Do these little errands from now on to save up some disk space: Empty the recycle bin, delete temporary Internet files and cookies, delete page history, and clear the cache. Refrain from storing garbage inside, and always keep things clean. Getting extra disk space optimizes computer efficiency and prevents system errors that are due to disorganized or full hard disk.

Second, remove the unwanted. Review your long list of installed programs regularly, because PC runs slow due to unnecessary applications that you might still be keeping. If you don't need them anymore, don't let them congest your disk. Uninstall these unimportant services right away. You will see a complete list of these in the 'Add or Remove Programs' icon in your Control Panel. Simply click on the unwanted program, and hit the 'Remove' button. You will notice that the uninstalled file is removed from the list. Also check the 'Program Files' in your local disk if the corresponding folder name is deleted, too. Optimizing your disk space gives your computer a fairer chance to run faster again.

Next, eliminate the redundant. If you have plenty of antivirus-all of them running in the background at the same time, don't be surprised that your PC runs slow even after how many times you reboot your system. Same thing applies to sound drivers, media players and photo applications. If they all sound the same, and for sure they function the same-one way or another-delete the unused ones and save disk space.

Then, reorganize your disk. After deleting the unnecessary files, it's time to give your computer a quick refresh. Let your big buddy, the Windows, do the rest of the job. Go to 'System Tools' and choose 'Disk Defragmenter'. Defragging your system allows you to reorganize scattered files that account for the slow performance of your computer. PC runs slow and you need to reassemble disorganized disk space in order to gain a little more speed and keep your hard disk neat-looking.

Finally, keep your PC in good shape. Always check heat sink, CPU fan, motherboard, RAM and video cards regularly. Your PC runs slow and you think it's the software issue, but it could also be due to overheating or bad hard disk. The problem might be with the hardware after all. Remove dust and dirt and always keep your computer in a clean, dry and well-ventilated area. That is, free from pets or pests. Keeping a regular checkup in both the software and the hardware makes troubleshooting easier, and a guaranteed fairer, faster computer like never before.
Author: Kelly Purden

Thursday, October 23, 2008


Gone are the days when you had to sit in one place before a boring computer to do your work. It had a dull design which made working before the same a tiresome job. As a result, at the end of the day you felt sapped of all energy. To get back that lost enthusiasm, you need to get hold of a laptop that encompasses latest technology. With more and more companies producing good quality laptops, the price that you need to pay to own one is going down day by day.

As a result, laptops have no more remained 'a luxurious possession'. They have become the need of the day. Since they are portable, you can easily carry them to any place without any hassle. To add to it, laptops come enabled with latest technology which makes them up to date in the long run.

Key Features

Sony CR 35 is enabled with Intel Core2 Duo T8100. Hence, your Laptop ensures you do more work in less time and it proves to be an interesting experience. It has a 3072 KB Cache memory. It has 800 front side buses that connect the processor, chip set, DRAM and AGP socket. It is the main highway for data in a PC. It has an inbuilt hard disk drive capacity of 200 GB. All these features come up to deliver a high end performance that makes life easier for you.

Design

Sony CR 35 has a display screen of 14.1 inches. It has a maximum display resolution of 1280 x 800. It has a clear bright screen. As a result, using Sony CR 35 for long hours is an enthralling experience. It also has a sound card, a microphone and a speaker. You can enjoy amazing sound with Intel High Definition Audio.

Core Information

Sony CR 35 is enabled with Windows Vista Home Premium. It enhances the quality of your work. As a result, you are engaged in smart work instead of hard work.

Cutting Edge Technology

Sony CR 35 has a built in camera that has a 1.3 megapixel resolution. As a result, you get to chat live and freeze each and every special moment when speaking to a dear one from far across the seas.

Conclusion

Sony CR 35 is designed keeping in mind the comfort level that needs to be delivered. Its ergonomic design and upgraded technology with definitely steal your heart away.

Wednesday, October 22, 2008

It is always very useful to gather all the required information about the latest appliances and then develop the skill of using them. Every division of knowledge or the field of human activity has its own specific conditions. Today there are several appliances which we do not know exactly because we do not come across them very often or because we hardly ever use them in our daily lives. But we have to understand the benefits of the concealed cameras, the hidden cameras, the spy cams and many more cameras. These equipments not only give us pleasure in suing them but also help us to protect our possessions and environments with an encouraging mind-set. Once we start using these cameras, then we will always want to gather more information about them so that we can make good use of them whenever we want to.

The foundation of all the works are laid with the motive that people can make use of the equipments for comforts and with a good approach. Surveillance is such an activity which is made of several actions which are put together in particular equipment and that equipment is called the spy cam or the hidden camera. Every camera which can be used for surveillance purpose or any other good reason has a special arrangement for capturing clear images. It means that all the actions and images are assembled and put together in this unique camera. The progress of every work or organization has to be given extra importance. Making use of the hidden cameras or the CCTV cameras and the spy cameras can reduce our work load to some extent.

In our day to day life we attend functions, ceremonies and meetings. On such occasions we meet many people whom we know but who do not know each other. Nowadays when such gatherings are planned, then safe and secure and quite suitable environments are also taken into consideration. The host tries to create a wonderful atmosphere for the guests and keeps into acquaintance that the whole thing is arranged properly for the comforts of the guests. In such environments usually the hidden cameras or the CCTV cameras can be arranged to keep a cautious watch on every act of our guests and the offenders if any so that preventative measures can be taken if anything wrong goes in the party. This way, the guests as well as the host can enjoy the party together without any distractions and even the evil deeds of any one else will be at whey. Moreover the host can even put a lot of focus on his guests and enjoy the party with them with an open mind. He has to promote new ideas when he is arranging for a big party and even he can walk around, look into and analysis everything every easily. The host will be in an energetic mood and he will be confident about what he has done for the safety of his guests. This can be an inventory experiment for all the others.