Battle of the HD Formats

We are all asking the same question who will win the HD format war, will it be the HD DVD which is cheaper to produce but lacks the capacity of the more expensive but larger Blu Ray Disks.

Blu-ray was created by the Blu ray Disc Association, an association of major electronic companies including , Panasonic as well as Sony, the intention was to produce a high capacity alternative to DVD's

HD DVD was developed along similar lines by the DVD forum, another association of high level electronic manufacturing companies in the opposing camp we have companies including Toshiba and NEC, HD DVD is there replacement for standard DVD's.

If cost was not a factor in the equation Blu Ray would win hands down due to its lager size, a Blue ray Disc can store up to 50 GB of data where a HD DVD can store up to 30 GB of data this gives the Blu Ray an approximate 40% capacity advantage over the HD DVD

Unfortunately, cost is included in the equation and the HD DVD is Cheaper to produce then its lager counterpart, latest information hints that the cost of production of a Blu Ray disk is approximately double that of a HD DVD disk. As with any new technologies, the cost normally start out expensive and come down in price as the manufacturing process becomes streamlined. This I would imagine happening with both HD DVD and Blu Ray

Ultimately it is the consumer that will decide the fate of these two new technologies as they did in the VHS and Betamax wars with VHS coming out as the victor ( Sony also developed the Betamax format). Sony may have leaned a lesson from that time as the betamax tapes did not have the storage capacity but supposedly produced a better quality recording then the VHS Tapes. At the time it wasn't the quality that mattered to the public they wanted to store as much as they could on one tape. Now Sony is backing the larger capacity storage medium.

The Sony Playstation 3 comes with a built in Blu Ray player with the ability to go right up to 1080p resolution, having this inbuilt in its next generation Games console is a great way of getting the format accepted by the general public. The PS3 is not only a great games machine it's also a great Blu Ray player with outstanding picture quality. Microsoft who is batting for the HD DVD format has released an add on HD DVD drive for the Xbox 360 to try to even the score.

I do have a thought on whose going to win and I believe that to be Blu Ray ,in time the manufacturing costs will come down and then you are left with the choice of a big capacity disk or a small capacity disk which one you going to choose? With the cost of both the HD DVD players and the Blu Ray Players coming down in price I personally would go for the more is more adage a lager capacity equals more content better picture longer running time. I have listened to a few discussions and the word is that we have engineers from both camps working on multilayered disks where you may be able to fit up to 100 hours of video on a Blu ray disk and approx 60 hours on a HD DVD disk, whole seasons of the sopranos on one disk. With this amount of viewing, I will be putting my feet up dimming the lights and slipping a Blu Ray disk into my PS3 and looking forward to my High Definition future.

PS3 Xbox 360 Or Wii

Do you own a Ps3, Xbox 360 or a WII, what made you buy your console? Was it the technical specifications or did someone tell you theirs was so fantastic that you just had to join in the fun.

Now I am going to be honest with you, I own a Playstation 3 and I love it. So please excuse me if I'm ever so slightly biased but I will do my best to be fair. I have friends with the Xbox 360 and the Wii and they equally like there consoles but we all buy for different reasons.

As I just said I love my PS3 I love the way it looks, the way it handles music and movies and the way I can have a picture of my dog as my wallpaper on the screen. I am not an addicted gamer type, who cannot go a moment without playing. The reason I opted for the PS3 was more for its media capabilities and the upgradeability of the hard drive. The PS3 seemed more for the mature Gamer, who may have a family and want a multifunctional machine. I also liked the fact that right out the box the PS3 supported mouse and keyboard, this to me indicates that in the future the PS3 may be able to run my all time favourite RTS games with game play like its supposed to be played with a mouse and keyboard

With regard to the games I think They are fantastic , I'm currently playing through Ghost recon 2 Advanced war fighter the graphics are great the sound superb; but not that different from my friends Xbox 360 version. There has been a lot of hype about which console is the best for games and seeing both the PS3 and the 360 side by side at this point in time there's not a lot in the mix to discriminate between them.

The 360 has just had an update that allows Xbox uses to use the windows live messenger network to communicate with friends and family on PC, Xbox 360 and via windows mobile devices. This can only be a good thing for the Xbox 360 community with its ability to connect the console to Windows media edition to share your movie , music and picture files also brings the Xbox 360 into the media centre for the home domain. I do feel that this is a good console but there have been many reports of the red ring of death and that they do suffer greatly from overheating problems.

Up to now, we have not mentioned the Wii, now this is a completely new breed of games machine, not focused on great graphics but on superb game play instead. Having owned a Game cube in the past, which was designed to be just a games console and nothing more Nintendo lost out in the first gen race. Now we have a new runner in the race called the Wii and boy its storming a head in the sales race. This little gem came from nowhere to be the top seller out of the next gen consoles but what has made in so popular? Interaction's the key to the success of the Wii with its superb motion sensing capabilities , interactive game play and a control system that is a master piece of inspired thinking. The Wii is just Fun in a box and great for all members of the family from your toddler to your gran I defy anyone not to be impressed by the Wii

I had my reasons to buy the PS3, it matched what I wanted in a game console, cost wise it was the most expensive. If I wanted a console just for gaming, I would have bought a Xbox 360 because of the price. I did consider the Wii before I purchased the PS3 I liked the interactivity a lot and thought my children would love it too. All in all I'm feeling no buyers regret in buying the PS3 but I must admit I am very tempted to buy A Wii to go with my PS3 I think they would look great side by side. Now to convince the wife of the benefits of yet another games machine in the house.

Buying a High Definition Television

If you have a cash tree in your back garden choosing a HD TV is easy pick the biggest and most expensive and your bound to be on to a winner right. Well I don't know about you, but my money tree got lost in the post. For those of us that have to get the best value deals choosing the right TV can be a daunting task with so many options around you can easily find yourself bewildered by the waffle in the technical specifications.

LCD or Plasma High definition screens come in two flavours plasma and LCD the similarities in the technologies end there. Plasma uses tiny gas plasma cells charged by electrical voltages to create a picture. LCD standing for liquid crystal display, the pictures on the screen are formed by the liquid crystal that has been pushed in the space between two glass plates having varying electrical charges applied to it. Both of these technologies have there strengths and weaknesses.

Just the Facts

Plasma screens have clearer black representation then its LCD counter part due to LCD backlight leakage but this is getting better with each new generation of LCD display Plasmas have a wider viewing angle then LCD. Older LCD screens tended to blur fast moving images newer LCD do not suffer so much with this problem. LCD screens traditionally lasted longer then there plasma counterparts but this seems to be getting better, a plasma screen in the past would have lost half its bright ness after 20,000 hours or more of use. If you use the TV for 24 hours a day, we are talking a lifespan of 2.2 years, modern plasmas screens can last up to 60,000 hours. LCD screens are guaranteed to last more then 60,000 hours or 6.6 years (24 hours a day use)

Size Is bigger better, well if you are a man like me, yes. I wanted the 60 inch screen to go into my minimal sized living space but my wife soon gave me a reality check. In hindsight, I can see she was right. If you have a limited space, a large screen can totally dominate a living area. if I had that bachelor pad I so often dream about I don't see it as a problem. if you have family get a screen to complement the size of the room not dominate it a screen size of 38- 42 inches is adequate for most sized rooms if you have a larger room then look at the 50 inch + models.

Screen resolution Screen resolution is defined by the number of pixels, the more pixels the better the picture

You normal non HD Television = 480 lines this is normal terrestrial television 480p = 852 x 480 giving you 408960 pixels 720p =1,280x720 giving you 921600 pixels 1080i = 1,920x1,080 giving you 2073600 pixels 1080p =1,920x1,080 giving you 2073600 pixels with progressive scan

What Manufacture Now that's a loaded question that I would be hesitant to answer. I have my favourites because of there reputation for quality which include the likes of Sony and Toshiba. Even the top end manufactures can produce a bum model now and again, as a budget manufactures can produce a technological masterpiece. What I would do is, once I've found a model that I like the look of, get all the details, including model number and do a search via Google for something like "Sony -model number here- review". I would then be in a position to make an informed decision about purchasing that particular model. When spending large amounts of cash you should research your product because when you make that purchase you will know that you got the best product for you. More importantly you will not suffer from buyers regret after the purchase.

Questions to ask when buying

Screen size Get a screen to fit with the size of your room I would go for a 42 inch for most people unless you have an extremely small living space

Resolution I would choose a model with the best definition so we are talking a 1080i or 1080p model to get the best from Blu Ray or HD DVD go for 1080p

Connections How many devices can you connect to it? You must have room for a HDMI connection and a PC connection plus several AV connections more is better

Tuner Make sure you have a built in digital tuner a few models still only come with an analogue tuner.

Making the purchase Do not be afraid to haggle even in the big chains; sometimes this can pay off. if they will not comedown on price get them to print the details of the model and go to another store and find the model you want and show them the print out and ask them to beat that price . Get them to give you there best price and if the company have a web site before you make the purchase check the web price it is often cheaper on the web site then in the store. Return to the shop and ask them to at least match the web price, again take a printout of the companies online store price. Some stores will match without much hassle others will give you the web price but only if you take the difference between store and web price in vouchers to be used in that chain only. Others will just say no . it's a buyers market and as consumers we have the power not to spend money with companies who take a non flexible attitude with the customer.

Free Complete Satellite Systems from DirecTV and Dish Network

If you are at all under the impression that you have to buy even one tiny piece of hardware to start to receive satellite TV programming from either of the two leaders in TV programming, you couldn't be more mistaken. DirecTV and Dish Network both give you a complete satellite system when you join either one of their families of TV viewers.

You also pay nothing for installation because this also is done free of charge. It's always a clean professional job because both DirecTV and Dish Network use their own in house teams of installation experts to do all the work on your home or business. Both of them also provide free installation in up to four rooms in your home or business and they supply virtually all of the hardware that is needed for the job.

If you want to have satellite service on several TVs, that's no problem either with these to industry leaders, because both of them will give you all the receivers that you need to connect up to four separate TVs and still at no cost to you. Both of these giants of the industry are running neck and neck in their contest to see who can provide the most service to their customers and it doesn't look like anything is going to change soon in this area.

Both DirecTV and Dish Network have received high rankings for their levels of overall customer satisfaction from J.D. Power and associates for the last five years in row and they both also have toll free twenty-four hour a day customer service numbers that you can call if you ever need to speak with a customer service representative.

They do differ in the kind of programming that they specialize in however. Dish Network is the all time leader in movie programming and they carry virtually every premium movie channel that is available. Starz Superpak, Cinimax, HBO, Turner Classics and the list just goes on and on.

Dish network is also the home of Mobile Dish, the revolutionary new technology in satellite service for recreational vehicles that allows users to access one-hundred channels of greet programming while they are traveling down the highway. It has done away with the standard satellite dish on RVs and replaced it with new, state of the art low profile receptive antenna that looks great on top of an RV.

DirecTV is the all time leader in sports programming and no other TV programming service has ever provided more premium sports viewing choices to their viewers in the history of television. They have a full twenty-five channels of sports for their viewing family to select from and they even have some channels that you can only get from them.

They are NFL Sunday Ticket and NCAA Mega March madness and they can be added to any of DirecTV's programming packages. When you are ready to come up to the higher level of service and programming that satellite service provides, take a good look at what these two leading competitors in the programming industry have to offer and then decide which one is best for you.

VOIP vs Every Day Phone Service - Free Trial VOIP Solutions

For quite some time ever since its creation, the world wide web was no more than a virtual network for people to chat, communicate and meet each other all as through computer exchanged data. Besides bringing everyone together through message boards, emails and chat rooms, the internet just didn't offer a clear solution to connect users verbally. This entire situation changed ever since the VoIP technology was introduced and gave users a wa to communicate not only through text but verbally as well.

In earlier days, the web was known to bring excellent offers from companies who started to explore their possibilities by extending their business to virtual locations on web servers. A few years later, the Internet would be used more and more not only to purchase goods but to exchange information, this is why when many hear the word "internet" they are immediately reminded of "chat rooms". That is actually how the internet started to gain ground and popularity. People liked the way this emerging a new technology let them connect with they didn't know, with friends, family, etc.

Most web users at some point or another thought "Posting thoughts in a message board is OK but it doesn't beat verbal communication". This fact remained true for quite some time until software developers created software applications which allowed users to communicate verbally with each other through the internet just like if they were sending data packets. In reality, voice as well as text can be converted into computer data and sent over telephone lines. This is how most people think of VOIP, and that's in-fact very close to the way VOIP enabled devices work.

The only problem at the time was that such software applications were not able to place actual phone calls but rather all communication was conducted through a PC to PC interface which is still used today by may applications. Phone companies became aware of the possibility clients would turn their backs on their service and started offering Voice Over IP communications as an alternative choice.

Other companies emerged such as BBtelsys, Packet8, etc. These companies used this technology to more choices to clients. Many people have decided to use their Voice over IP solutions because their service fees are cheaper when compared to conventional services, which sounds good but since it is a new concept many people are not sure if this kind of technology is for them.

That's why finding VOIP companies which offer free trials is very useful. Some of them provide the service for free, as a second line which can be tested side by sides against the user's existing phone service and after thirty days the user can decide which way he/she wants to go. As you can see this is very convenient because if the service turns out to be not what you expected, you can just cancel and owe nothing.

VOIP is also used by businesses because it cuts their communication expenses a lot. But aside from being a financially smart decision, voice over IP solutions have all the features we use every day such as: caller ID, call waiting, conference calling, call forwarding, redial, call transfer and logs, message waiting, hold and speed dial. So as you see it is not that different from our current service which makes voice over IP easy to understand and use.

Get a Satellite TV system including Receivers For up to Four TVs Free from Dish Network

If you are under the impression that you have to buy anything in the way of a satellite system, its components, or any type of hardware to begin receiving satellite TV programming, than you haven't taken a good look at the swinging deal that the good folks at Dish Network have waiting for you. Its not even a special promotional offer, because they have it there all the time for each and every one of their new viewing family members that want to step up to satellite TV programming.

After you make your selection from their Americas Top series of stellar programming packages, then the work is done for you and they take over from there. To start with they deliver to your home or business a free top of the line Dish Network satellite TV system and install it free of charge. They only use their own in house team of installation experts, so the work is always done to perfection. They are experts at locating the absolute best place to install your dish, so you are guaranteed to always have flawless reception and of course their work is always guaranteed.

You get free installation in up to four rooms and this also includes enough top of the line Dish Network VIP receivers to connect up to four TV sets if you need them and these are also free of charge. You get your choice from the several models of attractive and durably built receivers that they carry and they all come with excellent features such as custom menu, caller ID, parental control, and programming search function just to name a few. Their VIP receivers with digital video recording capabilities come with one-hundred hours of recording memory in them and that's over four solid days of recording time.

Their VIP high definition receivers have even more memory in them and you can record over five solid days of fantastic Dish Network programming on them. Dish Network even throws in free Sirius satellite radio programming for you home and car or truck now, so don't bother subscribing to it because they have you covered there also. These VIP receivers are child's play to operate and all of their features and functions are user friendly and operate with the simple touch of a button.

The programming search function and the DVR are a marriage made in heaven and with them you can't help but get started compiling your own personal film and programming archive. To find any program or movie you just enter it into the function by its name or even the name of an actor you are looking for and give the button on the TV remote a click and it instantly appears on your screen with the date and time it is playing. Simply give the DVR button a click and its set to record when it comes on and it's as simple as that.

With the VIP622 receiver you can even record two movies or programs at the same time while you are watching something on a third channel. Programming it to record a series of programs is just as easy, so you don't have to worry about missing a single movie, program or game with this state of the art unit. You can find out more details about all of DirecTV's VIP receivers and affordable programming packages by contacting them online.

Dish network Offer Consumer Awareness

Television is a mainstay in our society and for a lot of people, the source of daily education. Each day, television provides us with more than just entertainment--we are wizened to the ways of the world, news that is happening around the globe and locally as well as a variety of educational materials.

For the television connoisseur, cable often isn't enough and they look for more options in television. The Dish Network has many offers that can suit even the most strict of television tastes. A Dish Network offer can reflect your personal needs, wants and tastes in television programming, where cable doesn't often offer you many choices.

With a Dish Network offer, you can choose packages within packages. Essentially, you pay to receive a certain number of television station packages then choose which ones you want to subscribe to. Of course, there are also basic packages that you can subscribe to with a Dish Network offer that have set television station packages that come with them.

Of course, the Dish Network also offers you to pick and choose single television station packages for a lesser price or as an addition to other Dish Network offers. There are also Dish Network offers that include the hardware you need to get set up with the program, including a dish and receiver.

Every so often, the Dish Network puts out new offers that run for a limited time. Especially close to holidays, Dish Network offers can vary from a sale price on a complete package to reduced pricing on television station packages for a set amount of time. Throughout all the Dish Network offers, there is sure to be something that is right for you.

Consider changing your television habits--imagine a world where you can choose the stations you want to subscribe to without having to pay for stations you don't ever watch. For example, if you are not a sports fan and no one in your house watches sports--why should you or would you pay for a sports television station package on your cable or satellite? You shouldn't have to, and the Dish Network knows that and gives you the opportunity to change your programming to meet your needs and take out the stations or packages that you don't need or want on your television.

The shoe also goes on the other foot--there are some specialty channels, such as adult channels and adult packages that aren't for everyone. On occasion, the Dish Network will offer a deal on specialized package additions, such as kids cartoons, news networks or adult channels. You can select what you want, when you want it and get it for a decent price with Dish Network offers.

The Dish Network offers a lot of options--more so than other satellite and cable television providers do. With the Dish Network you get 100 per cent all-digital packages for a great price. You also have access to twice the number of high definition (HD) channels than provided by any other television provider. The Dish Network offers you more packages and more ways to save as well as more Latino and International programming than the competition. On top of that, Dish Network will allow you to choose the system configuration that will best suit your needs and help you figure out just what that is.

Owning a satellite dish and having access to satellite television stations doesn't have to be a daunting task as it once was. There is no fine tuning the signal on a cumbersome 10-foot dish to access a station, only to wait two minutes while the dish adjusts its position to go to another station. Dish Network offers you compact and easy to use satellite television that can be installed professionally into your home with no fuss and no muss

Five Things to Think about Before Buying a Laptop Computer

Whether you have a vintage laptop already and are looking to upgrade, have been using a desktop computer for the past few years or have never owned one of these 'new fangled' machines you may be looking for the most informative and useful guide to help teach you how to buy a laptop- well you've found it! Below is a useful guide to buying a laptop and figuring out exactly what is right for you:

Let's break it down:

1. Decide whether a laptop is correct for you or not. Many people head out searching for a laptop when what they really should be looking or is a desktop. Why does it matter that much? Laptops tend to be much pricier then desktops and they don't usually have as many features/ benefits. Laptops are great for the student or the business person who needs portability and wireless connections in several different places (school, the office, coffee shops, ECT). Before you continue, decide whether you need a laptop or a desktop because if you need a desktop you'll end up spending far less money! 2. What size is right for you? Size is the number one consideration for many consumers, even more so then features. Computers come in various sizes, just like anything else. Many people like smaller computers because they allow for increased portability while others like the bigger screens or widescreens for watching DVD's or surfing the net. Figure out what size you are looking for. 3. How much ram and memory do you need? Depending on what you're doing with your laptop you will need a certain amount of memory/ ram. Each computer comes with a certain amount of memory on their hard drive. Most laptops come with around 60-80 GB of hard drive room, which should be more than enough for just a casual internet user. The more programs and software you plan on having on your device the more hard drive you should seek out. 4. Develop a budget. This is step number four on this list but it might as well be number one because price is often the deal breaker for many laptop shoppers. Laptops can run anywhere from a couple hundred to several thousand so you'll have to have a set budget before you set out to buy one. You can buy refurbished computers for quite a bit less then new (refurbished are computers that are built from parts of various makes and models) but it is advised to buy a new laptop for quality and warranty reasons. 5. Go out and buy it! There are many different places you can purchases a laptop from, including popular retailers such as Best Buy, Wal-Mart and Circuit City. One place you should avoid shopping is on the internet. Many consumer sites, such as EBay and Amazon sell laptops but once again, when you buy used or online computers you can never be absolutely sure of what you're getting.

Now you have just learned how to buy a laptop- happy shopping!

Make Your PC Bluetooth Compatible with Bluetooth Dongle

Technology is developing at an alarming rate each day. It constantly keeps throwing up unexpected but pleasant surprises for the increasing group of technology savvy people the world over. Users hardly get used to one innovation that they are presented with the exciting opportunity to explore the wonders of another. The basic premise, nevertheless, behind all these engineering marvels is the simple aim to make everyday living simpler and easier. The Bluetooth Dongle is another step towards fulfilling this aim.

In a world that is loaded with information, it becomes increasingly difficult for people to manage their data effectively and in a systematic manner. The most notable aspect of all devices that are in use today is that they double up as data storage devices. Besides storage, the accessories that come along with these devices assist in data transfer, making information manageable. Carrying forward this trend, the Bluetooth dongle is a USB device that equips your personal computer with Bluetooth technology, thereby facilitating sharing of data and information.

The USB Bluetooth Dongle is simple to use. It just requires plugging in the dongle in the computer's USB port and it transforms into a Bluetooth wireless communication device. The Bluetooth dongle can now communicate with any Bluetooth peripheral device. At the same time, data from your mobile phone can be transferred into your computer without the help of a pen drive or even a data cable.

The Bluetooth dongle has a built-in antenna that provides it a wireless range from 2 metres to 100 metres. Any Bluetooth device within this range can instantly connect with your local computer with the help of the dongle. In cases where data has to be transferred from one device to another, like from a computer to a Bluetooth mobile, but the software in the phone does not support the software in the PC, the Bluetooth dongle helps in transferring data easily. It is an extremely useful device for people who are constantly on the move.

The Bluetooth dongle has made transfer and sharing of information a much easier and smoother task by removing a lot of hassles that are associated with data management.

Offshore Software Outsourcing

Offshore Software Outsourcing has led to vegetative industry growth around the globe. Software needs to undergo a step-by-step process before it is available for general use to leverage best industry practices at minimum cost, meeting international standards and industry norms. Nowadays, every one of us, an individual or an enterprise wants to be at the top, but just gaining the top positioning won't do; retaining and maintaining that position is of utmost consideration. Outsourcing software to offshore companies has strong impulse to monetize spending of business players.

Offshore software outsourcing gathered strength with increasing number of sources available in present IT-edge, requirements delivery in possible least time, less skilled personnel available, discrete communication and inefficient management of various modules within a large enterprise. These corporate players started looking and relying on third party for better management at lesser cost and remain competitive in the global marketplace. These are the few factors that led big companies to outsource their software application development to offshore companies where they find time zone difference from eastern countries most attractive, cheaper human capital, rich resources, and skilled professional and low processes cost. Market analysis shows gradual penetration of offshore software development companies and investors in Indian market and other offshore countries and this is seeing a step rise. We find more productive, managed easy solutions where full control remains in the hand of outsourcing company.

40% of the Fortune 500 companies including GE, Lucent, Oracle, Microsoft, Motorola are leveraging the outsourcing model. The list is growing depending upon the onsite and the outsource resources available. Offshore Software Outsourcing is the most leading area of outsourcing. Cost saving by adopting this model can vary from 40% to 70%.

Manipulating overall strategy (considering failure and success from offshore software outsourcing) we find the offshore outsourcing campaign is a success. Objective is to maximize the ROI, remain competitive and reduce upbringing cost.

Remember offshore software outsourcing is not always the solution, so before moving to it, the best approach is to find the niche requirement and then find solution to the root problem. Proper synchronization between onshore and offshore team members, improved processes, and better time management and growth opportunities for both developed and developing countries are among few benefits that offshore software outsourcing companies are enjoying.

Television Exciting New Technology

If you want to watch the satellite TV on your regular television set, then get a graphics card with at least an S-video output and connect it to your television video port. The earliest renditions of Tetris and Snake are now like the video game Pong your parents may have played on the earliest television video game systems. Total Choice Plus will bring you a variety of children's programming, educational programming, even more music video television, and sports.

This exciting new technology allows for more picture frames or pixels on your viewing screen when compared to the more common and traditional television video broadcasting streams.

Programming Television How does Dish Network make television programming so realistic in image and sound. Standard definition television programming is also compressed, but it's mostly compressed using the less sophisticated and less compact MPEG-2 data compression format. This no frills system will deliver hundreds of channels of standard definition television programming straight to your living room and up to three other rooms.

The reasoning is that there are basically three major sources of high definition television programming. He has barred state-run radio and television stations from playing Western music and offered 23 strategies to 'improve' Iranian television programming. That's right, in addition to providing an incredibly diverse range of television programming, Directv Satellite has been working hard to develop the most advanced components for home use, including cutting edge receivers and Digital Video Recorders (DVRs) with all the exciting features viewers want.

Cable television as an upgrade on the traditional terrestrial television stations brought with it more stations, sound and picture quality, was about 1962 upstaged by satellite television which was transmitted across a wide expanse of earth because geostationary satellites beamed signals from space, about 22,300 miles over the earth's equator enabling people to watch satellite television even in very remote places. Now cable television is booming in a rapid way. Though Dish Network and Directv in are both known for their values and have lower prices than cable television companies, there are major differences between the prices that the two companies charge for their programming.

Comcast has expanded beyond offering just cable television service and now also offers high speed Internet and digital telephone service. Viewers who liked a specific type of adult programming could now view this without being held to the small choice offered by cable television. Local Cable television is also a low-cost alternative that gives you access to a wide audience; rates are similar to radio advertising.

It is different from Internet access that is provided through cable television lines. These Direct TV offers are superior to Dish Network, Charter Communications, Cable Vision, Time Warner, ComCast, and all other cable television providers.

Learn how you can start enjoying the best in digital television programming for LESS than cable TV with a FREE satellite TV system from Direct TV or Dish Network. Because satellite television programming is so comprehensive, you will not have any trouble finding basic programming through either company.

How To Speed Up Windows XP

The default install of Windows XP includes features and processes most users don't need. If you're involved in gaming or multimedia, and you can't afford a top-of-the-range PC, here are a few tips to get the most out of your machine.

For beginner users:

1. Go to: Start > Control Panel > Display > Settings.
Select: Resolution 800 x 600 pixels and Colour Quality Medium (16 bit).
Click: Apply.
What it does: Reduces system overhead. Less work for your CPU.

2. Go to: Start.
Right click: My Computer.
Select: Properties > 'Advanced' tab > Performance > 'Settings' button > 'Visual effects' tab.
Select: Adjust for best performance.
Click: Apply.
What it does: Removes unimportant cosmetic effects, thereby reducing system overhead.

3. Go to: Start.
Right click: My Computer.
Select: Properties > 'Advanced' tab > Performance > 'Settings' button > 'Advanced' tab.
Select: Processor scheduling > Programs.
Select: Memory usage > Programs.
Click: Apply.
What it does: Prioritises _your_ programs over those that XP _thinks_ are important.

4. Go to: Start > Control Panel > Display > Themes.
Select: Windows Classic.
Click: Apply.
What it does: Cleans up the desktop.

5. Go to: Start > Control Panel > Display > Desktop.
Select: Background - None.
Click: Apply.
What it does: Cleans up the desktop.

6. Go to: Start > Control Panel > Display > Appearance.
Select: Windows Classic Style.
Click: Apply.
What it does: Cleans up the desktop.

For Medium Users:

7. Go to: Start
Right click: My Computer.
Select: Properties > 'Automatic Updates' tab.
Select: Turn off automatic updates.
Click: Apply.
What it does: Stops Microsoft messing with your computer at inconvenient times. You can re-enable this when _you_ feel like an update.

8. Go to: Start > Run.
Type: msconfig
Select: 'Startup' tab.
Action: Untick all boxes, except those you are certain you need to start when XP boots up.
Click: Apply.
What it does: Stops programs starting when XP does. Frees up system resources.

For Advanced users:

9. Run your favourite program.
Click these buttons on your keyboard simultaneously: ctrl + alt + del (Control + Alt + Delete).
Click: 'Processes' tab.
Right click: The process of your favourite program.
Select: Set priority > Realtime.
What it does: Diverts CPU resources to the selected program.

10. Go to: Start > Run.
Type: services.msc
Right click: Any service you are sure you won't need, like 'Automatic Updates', 'Help and Support' or 'Indexing Services'.
Select: Properties > 'General' tab > Startup type > 'Manual' or 'Disabled'.
Click: Apply.
What it does: Stops processes starting when XP does. Frees up system resources.
Warning: Change one setting here a day. Reboot your system after each one. Run your most popular programs. If they're running normally, try disabling another service the next day. This is to make sure you don't turn off something important. If you're not sure, leave them alone.

Related programs:

Tune XP http://www.driverheaven.net/dforce/ This is freeware and simple to use.

X-Setup Pro http://www.x-setup.net/ This has a 30 day trial, and is for more advanced users.

Enjoy!

author :

T. O' Donnell is an author running web sites about offshore banking and blogging in London, UK.

Behind The Fine Print Of VoIP Companies

We've all heard about how much we can save with VoIP, but which is the best voice over VoIP company in terms of overall value? With a newer technology such as VoIP that many are trying for the first time, it can be difficult even to know what points to compare. In this article, we'll dig beyond the marketing messages and compare VoIP companies Vonage and Sunrocket on several different critical points.

Compare VoIP Companies: Cost

Sunrocket named itself the "the economical VoIP" in its marketing messages. It's true; their base service costs only $9.99 per month, nearly $10 less per month than that of Vonage. However, that base service is quite bare and lacks many of the features to which most of us have become accustom. When you begin adding services and making calls overseas, you may find that you're not saving that much after all with Sunrocket.

Compare VoIP Companies: Features

Vonage's marketing messages highlight their rich selection of features in comparison to its rival Sunrocket. Vonage features like caller ID, click to call computer calling, and call transfer may be important enough to spend the extra $8 or $9 bucks per month on Vonage as opposed to Sunrocket. Unlike some of the marketing messages imply, Sunrocket does offer add-ons. However, once you begin adding them to your package, the Sunrocket price becomes much less competitive to that of Vonage.

Compare VoIP Companies: International Calling

Where these two VoIP companies really differ from each other is the cost of international calling. While much of the marketing material that compare VoIP companies state that Sunrocket does not offer calling to Eastern Europe, this is no longer true. Sunrocket does offer calling to Eastern Europe, though at a higher rate than with Vonage.

Sunrocket offers international calling "sunspots." These are predefined areas to which calling rates can be as a low as $0.03 per minute. While that is an outstanding rate compared a landline, it is tough for Sunrocket to compete with Vonage who charges $0.00 per minute to call many countries overseas.

If you call one particular country quite often, the cost of calls to that country will most likely sway your decision. Before making a purchase, check the rates to the countries you call most and compare VoIP companies on that measure. Regardless of which VoIP company you choose, you'll still pay hundreds of dollars less than what you're paying with your landline.

Shopping for Your Digital SLRs Camera

Sorting through the wide range of digital SLRs that are currently on the market can be a bit confusing. If you aren't sure which options you really need and which options are best left to the pros, then you may end up buying a lot more camera than you actually need.

Worse yet, you may not buy a camera that does as much as you would like. The best place to start your search is by reading some ratings and reviews in a magazine such as PC World.

For those of us who aren't quite sure, however, the amount of technical information on the topic can be confusing and alarming. Many people feel overwhelmed at the amount of information there is on digital SLRs and other cameras. These people often end up buying a lot of software or hardware that they don't need and pay far too much for their package.

The first thing you'll need to know is what you plan on taking pictures of. This will help you decide which of the digital SLRs is right for the job and narrow down your choice.

Read reviews available in camera magazines or look through online websites like PC World at www.pcworld.com to understand your own needs. This comes before you understand the technical jargon. If you do a lot of night shooting, for example, you'll want a camera that does dark shooting well.

The truth about most of the digital SLRs on the market that the different companies won't tell you is that they are all essentially the same. All digital SLRs are capable of taking great pictures and giving you what you're looking for.

However, there are minor details with each one that can make a difference in the types of pictures you choose to take. Some SLRs are better suited to action shots while others are perfect for shooting landscapes.

An abbreviation for single lens reflex, SLR offers the photographer the ability to capture exactly what he sees. Since there is only one lens involved, the image on the screen or in the optical viewer is exactly what will be captured in the digital format.

Often with film cameras, heads get chopped off or people are squeezed out of the side of the picture because the film can't capture the entire image.

As you sort through the various digital SLRs on the market, keep your focus in mind and look for a digital camera that you like. Make sure the camera feels right in your hands, and look through the viewer screen and see if you can understand the interface.

Whether you buy the new Nikon digital SLR or something from another company, you have to ensure that you are comfortable with the product before you take it home.

Finding Your SLR Digital Camera Kit

Buying an SLR digital camera kit is almost always advisable over buying the camera and then all of the necessary amenities separately. Not only will you save money by purchasing a full kit with photo printers, you will not have to expend any energy worrying about whether or not all the components that you have purchased are compatible with each other.

There are several manufacturers who offer such packages, and Canon Digital cameras are one of the best brands to look into.

There are a number of different types of SLR digital camera kits on the market, and some of them are put together by individual sellers or retailers. A scan through eBay, for example, has a number of digital camera kits with all sorts of goodies combined into the packages. Some people include software for running the camera, photo editing software, and other pieces of software for your computer.

Other sets include photo printers and photo paper, allowing you to take the digital photographs to the next level and print them out. Software is included in these kits as well, allowing you to set up your photo printer and digital camera as a compatible piece of equipment.

A SLR digital camera kit can be great because it gives you a chance to explore the broad possibilities that your digital camera has to offer.

The number one reason why most photographers are interested in a digital SLR camera is the fact that you can use different lenses and lighting components, just as you would with a 35mm or other conventional film camera.

This flexibility allows users to create unique, high-quality photographs in a digital format. While the point-and-click variety of digital cameras are phenomenal in their quality, the opportunity to use a digital SLR usually sways most photographers away from their conventional film cameras all together. The versatility and the lack of sensitive film makes the old way obsolete.

A number of major brand name companies offer a SLR digital camera kit as a part of their inventory, allowing users to have the company's software for the whole experience. Canon digital cameras typically come with a complete package of software that will help make the Canon digital camera compatible with most computers and allow for instant photo editing on screen.

Regardless of what type of SLR digital camera kit you pick, it is a good idea to purchase your software and hardware in a package. Not only will you be guaranteed to have all software be directly compatible with your hardware, but you'll have an easier time with the overall operation of your digital camera and any other piece of equipment that comes with it.

Tips When Buying Your Megapixel SLR Digital Camera

The specifications and technical details that are included in the write-ups on a megapixel SLR digital camera can be staggering. As you read through the plethora of ratings and reviews about digital cameras, you may find that you are more confused than you were when you started. Don't get discouraged.

You just need to spend a little time learning what to look for, and you'll soon be on your way to taking great digital pictures.

What Is It?

So just what is a megapixel SLR digital camera? How does the camera stack up against other types of digital cameras? Why you would want to purchase this particular type of digital camera over any other type. Those are all important questions to ask yourself.

In order to buy a megapixel SLR digital camera, it might be helpful if you had a working definition of a megapixel. The megapixel is the resolution of the camera or how may pixels of light are in a given space.

The more pixels there are, the sharper and clearer the image. Having said that, you want to find a balance between a camera that has enough pixels to provide you with a quality image and a camera that you can afford.

The pixels on their own aren't really a good indicator of how good your camera could end up being. You don't want to overdo the pixel count because too much picture quality could make your photos appear to be unnatural and over-pixelated.

Shadows, for example, could end up being more detailed than you intended because of a higher pixel rate. When you read ratings and reviews of cameras, look for sections on camera resolution and pixel rates.

Another question about the megapixel SLR digital camera is "what does the SLR stand for?" SLR simply stands for "single-lens reflex". It is a type of camera that uses a movable mirror between the lens and the film, projecting the image through the lens on a focusing screen. Many cameras feature SLR, including the popular Nikon D70 digital SLR camera and most Canon digital cameras.

Buying the Best

Now that you know a little bit about the megapixel SLR digital camera, you can set out to buy one. A good idea is to check out some ratings and reviews of the more popular cameras online.

Compare megapixels and resolutions between several cameras and make an informed choice before you go into the store. Buying a megapixel SLR digital camera is a good investment, but you need to be prepared before you leave home.

LCD TV and HDTV Combination

Plasma and LCD TV panels may look very similar, but the flat screen and thin profile is where the similarities end. Plasma TV screens as the name suggests, uses a web of tiny gas plasma cells charged by exact electrical voltages to create a picture. LCD TV screens (liquid crystal display) are like liquid crystal pushed in the space between two close glass plates. Images are created by varying the amount of electrical charge applied to the crystals.

Apart from offering the best value for money, LCD has the edge over plasma in several other key areas. LCDs tend to have higher resolution than plasmas of similar size, which means more pixels on the screen. If you are a true high-definition referrer who is keen to see every pixel of a high-definition image reproduced pixel-by-pixel then LCDs are always the way to go. However, top-of-the line plasmas will also display good pixel quality and content, so the choice isn't now as easy as it once was. LCDs also use less power than plasma screens, generally saving around the 30% mark. LCDs are also generally lighter than similar sized plasmas, making them easier to move around or mount on the wall.

LCDs generally have a longer lifespan than plasma screens. This was true of earlier plasma models, that would lose half of their brightness after around 20,000 hours of viewing. Later plasma TVs have upped that up to anything between 30,000 and 60,000 hours. LCDs, on the other hand, are guaranteed for 60,000 hours from the start.

If you're in the market for a big screen television, the way to go would appear to be a plasma television. At the moment they are still the best for picture quality. Really though it depends on your budget and with LCD TV 's being less expensive it's your preference, with these small differences to consider, choose one that suits your individual needs.

Computer Network Overview

Computer networking or data communication is a most important part of the information technology. Today every business in the world needs a computer network for smooth operations, flexibly, instant communication and data access. Just imagine if there is no network communication in the university campuses, hospitals, multinational organizations and educational institutes then how difficult are to communicate with each other. In this article you will learn the basic overview of a computer network. The targeted audience of this article is the people who want to know about the network communication system, network standards and types.

A computer network is comprised of connectivity devices and components. To share data and resources between two or more computers is known as networking. There are different types of a computer network such as LAN, MAN, WAN and wireless network. The key devices involved that make the infrastructure of a computer network are Hub, Switch, Router, Modem, Access point, LAN card and network cables.

LAN stands for local area network and a network in a room, in a building or a network over small distance is known as a LAN. MAN stands for Metropolitan area network and it covers the networking between two offices within the city. WAN stands for wide area network and it cover the networking between two or more computers between two cities, two countries or two continents.

There are different topologies of a computer network. A topology defines the physical layout or a design of a network. These topologies are star topology, bus topology, mesh topology, star bus topology etc. In a star topology each computer in a network is directly connected with a centralized device known as hub or switch. If any computer gets problematic in star topology then it does not affect the other computers in a network.

There are different standards and devices in computer network. The most commonly used standard for a local area network is Ethernet. Key devices in a computer network are hub, switch, router, modem and access point etc. A router is used to connect two logically and physical different networks. All the communication on the internet is based on the router. Hub/Switch is used to connect the computers in local area network.

Hopefully, in this article you may have learnt that what a computer network is, how important it is in our lives, what are different network devices, standards, topologies and communication types.

Free Tv on PC- How to get Free Satellite/Digital TV on PC

TV on PC softwares are now in the market and have become a big hit with people who find monthly fees of digital TV to be restrictive. New technology has enbled us to watch TV right from our PCs as we work. Now you can watch sat tv from your pc or laptop with the PCTV software and an internet connection. Popularly known as the internet tv on PC, this technology makes you access over 3000 movie channels and 1500 radio stations right from your computer.

TV on The PC software reviews

TV on PC is the new fad in home and ofice entertainment where you can work while browsing through TV channels on your computer. This cheap option of internet TV is surprisingly affordable when you compare ith the cumulative cost of conventional Satellite and Cable TV.

TV on PC is also accessible all over the world on broadband internet connection. World TV channels from over 70 countries are available on these softwares. It still beats me how they manage to keep this legal. Some of the satellite tv on PC software give you so much choice of channels that it becomes confusing on what you want to watch on your computer.

TV on PC software that I have personally found to be very versatile and of quality High Defination is the PC 2007 Elite Edition. The software retails at $49.95. I had finally decided the cost of the PCTV software was worth a try. If only to test whether it works. I was thouroughly surprised at the ease of its installation and manouverebility across channels.

Within minutes I was watching Cable TV programs from satellite and cable companies like DirecTV and Dish Network. What is more fancy is that I am able to watch the news on my PC in a separate window as I write more articles. Try that for worktainment! It just rocks.

The PC 2007 Sat TV software also comes with several advantages including: The PC on satellite TV software is an easy to use software and takes afew minutes to install

You only pay one time set up fee of $49.95 for the Cheap and Good Internet TV software and that's all you'll pay after that.

There is no extra hardware or TV card required to install the TV on your PC sftware

There are no satellite or Cable TV subscription or recurring charges after the initial set up fee.

The TV on your computer software works with all versions of windows.

There are no ads or the annoying spyware pop ups in the PCTV software.

More conviniently, its works well anywhere in the World. A long as you have internet connection for TV.

It is a very easy to use PCTV software and you are ready to watch live football in minutes

It is a completely and absolutely legal satellite TV software for Computers.

Enjoy your download of the TV on PC 2007 Elite Edition software!

Sony Ericsson Z610i: Impressive Handset, Advanced Functionalities

Sony Ericsson is making its presence felt with latest models with superb functionalities. Whether you are looking for looks, features or usability, Sony Ericsson mobile phones are just perfect for you. Targeted towards the fashion and style conscious consumers, Sony Ericsson phones carry some mind blowing features.

The most appealing features of Sony Ericsson Z610i is its external OLED display, impressive keypad, 2 megapixel camera and VGA camera for video calling. This 3G device comes with a surprisingly compact size. The handset is loaded with a host of impressive features.

Other features include decent PIM features, PC Suite software, 16MB of internal memory, connectivity options like Bluetooth and USB. This elegantly designed model boasts a stylish clamshell design and sophisticated imaging capabilities. The handset is capable of producing more than 262k vibrant colours. The display doubles up as a viewfinder while on camera mode. The internal screen with all is bright and clear. This 'in-demand' handset is empowered by 3G power, and is for people who have a passion for the latest and the best in technology.

The camera is just perfect for capturing the best moments of daily life. There is an intuitive music player interface that allows you to listen to music in AAC, AAC+, eAAC+, AMR, M4A, WAV, and WMA file formats. The innovative applications of the music player include Video DJ, Photo DJ, and Music DJ. The handset comes with stunning looks offering versatile performance. The Sony Ericsson Z610i reveals a 262k colour screen and a stylish keypad for easy text input. This Sony Ericsson Z610i latest 3G clamshell has some really impressive features to make personal and professional life convenient. The elegant design of the handset blends with advance functionalities and ensures to give a tough competition to its competitors.

So grab this small and slim 3G phone that is attractive and easy to use which is available with othe different colours as Sony Ericsson Z610i Blue and Sony Ericsson Z610i Pink.

Car dealership uses Asterisk VoIP to stay on "cutting edge"

O'Brien Automotive Team is a large car dealership conglomerate based in Peoria, Ill. When the company built new headquarters recently, it needed a phone system flexible and cost-effective enough to satisfy the needs of 200 employees at the home office, and hundreds more staff at nine local dealerships in four states. After evaluating options and wrangling with incompetent vendors, O'Brien went with an open source Asterisk solution.
Click here!

Dave Stear, IT director for O'Brien, says he knew the archaic phone system the company had in place at the old facility would have to go. "When we were thinking about where technology is going and how we might be able to utilize that in our industry, we realized a traditional phone system wouldn't be able to provide the functionality we needed in a cost-effective way," Stear says. Simply going with the latest system from the phone company wasn't going to cut it. "We're at 40 acres, with five buildings that are kind of spread out. With a traditional PBX, once it was set up we couldn't change anything; at least not without a lot of time and expense. Every time, we'd have to have a technician come out. It's cumbersome."

One of Stear's network managers mentioned Asterisk, an open source PBX that works on Unix or Unix-like operating systems. It is compatible with traditional standards-based telephony equipment, and uses commodity computer hardware. Stear ran a test implementation of Asterisk at the old facility and liked what he saw. "The ability to customize it to our needs and wants really is what convinced us," he says. "It can be customized and changed on the fly. We understood that technology was changing rapidly and we needed to be on the cutting edge or we were going to be left behind."

Next, Stear needed to find a consultant to handle installation. He experienced some challenges that almost changed his mind about going with an open source solution. "I have found that with open source there doesn't seem to be any kind of standard for a vendor. They don't have to be certified or pass any tests to come at you and say, 'We can do this for you.' You're kind of on your own to guess if they can do what they say they can do. I went through three vendors before I found one that was able to work with us. It was very frustrating." Stear couldn't find a company able to modify the system the way he needed. "It came down more than once to 'we're about done with this.' But we stuck it out." Eventually, Stear found NeoPhonetics, formerly SIPBox, and he's happy with the installation of the servers, 170 phones, and a system that includes voicemail, call forwarding, unified messaging, and VoIP ( http://about-asterisk-voip.info/ ). Working together, NeoPhonetics and O'Brien got the system deployed in only two weeks.

But just because the system was deployed didn't mean that it was nailed down. Stear needed customized call routing and call groups, which are like mini call centers for different departments. With hundreds of employees, the needs for routing and groups are constantly changing, but tweaks to the system happen lightning fast via NeoPhonetics remote network support. Even when Stear hit some snags with phone company procedures, the consultant was able to provide quick workarounds. "We had a lot of trouble with the phone company and moving our numbers over," Stear says. "For example, we put in some long distance VoIP, and the phone company was requiring an accounting code to be entered for every long-distance call." With O'Brien's old, traditional phone system, the accounting codes were a good way to track long distance expenses. With VoIP, expense tracking wasn't needed -- but the phone company couldn't move fast enough to remove the code requirement. "With the Asterisk system, we were able to put a fix in place [for a few weeks] until the phone company was able to remove the requirement."

Now that Stear's having a good experience with open source, he's considering adding more to the IT mix at O'Brien. "I'd like to put some file servers on the network without paying Microsoft all that licensing money," he says. He's already got Red Hat Linux on the two servers running Asterisk, and several traditional open source tools for network monitoring and administration, including MRTG and OpenNMS.

Stears says when it comes to using open source solutions like Asterisk, it's important for IT managers to find the right vendor, right away, and avoid the challenges he faced. "I would advise them to make sure they have someone on staff who knows everything they need to know about open source, or be certain to check the vendor's references so you've got someone who has a complete understanding of how to launch and maintain what they're trying to accomplish."

Compare Mobile Phones: A Must Before Purchase!

Mobile phones can be termed as the greatest inventions of modern times. It wouldn't be a misnomer to state that they have ushered a revolution in the way communication was carried out on phone. Gone are the days when one had to stick to telephones to continue with their conversation, now they move with the mobiles in their pockets. Indeed mobiles have transformed the single use object like phone into a multi-utility phenomenon.

These days one come across scores of mobiles flooding the mobile market and it would not be a bad idea to compare these mobile phones to figure out what are the different types of mobiles which are floating in the market.

For starters there are some super hi-tech mobiles doing rounds in the market. These mobiles include all types of facilities that one can think of. It would be better to address them as mini computers. Armed with such fantastic features like QWERTY key board which really makes them the best business phones, they have plenty of other features as well. For example they have highly advanced cameras which enable the users to take some high quality snaps as well as video.

Such hi-tech mobiles also include video conferencing facility. These phones also include music system and as such can prove to be of immense value to music lovers. They can now listen to music of their choice.

These phones have down loading facility as well which allows the user to down load the music of his choice. Similarly these handsets have games programmed in them and in addition to it they also allow the user the freedom to down load the games of his choice. In addition to it these mobiles also extend the facility of down loading the ring tones apart from different ring tones programmed in the mobiles.

Most of these mobiles belong to the slider variety which means they can be slided open or close. Also they come in attractive casing which add tremendous glamour to these wonderful handsets.

The other variety can be termed as simple. Mobiles which are specially suited to people who believe that mobiles are primarily meant for making and receiving calls. In such types every step is taken to ensure that communication is at its smoothest. Its not that no other feature is provided in these mobiles as they also possess some interesting set of games but their main focus is on making and receiving calls.

Mobiles can roughly be classified into these two major categories and it really depends on the individual concerned to understand what he wants from his mobile and then purchase accordingly.

Installing a GPS Tracking System on Your Teenagers Car

Learning to drive in American society for a teenager is like a rite of passage. While it is an exciting event for the teenager, it is typically either a stressful or horrible event for the teenager's parents.

Because teenagers are young and have the least experience in terms of driving an automobile it makes them more prone to mistakes. Piece of the mistakes that their parents are hoping they can stop from happening.

Going beyond the safety issue, parents also have concerns about the destinations that there kids are really going when driving their car. Parents have heard many stories from other parents or they still can recall their own days as a teenager and make the decision to keep close watch on their teenagers locations. One method to get an accurate location on where your teenager is driving is to have a GPS tracking system installed on his or her vehicle.

Addressing Safety

It is likely that younger drivers take more driving risks than drivers who are more experienced. Monitoring the vehicles speed is one feature among many of GPS tracking systems. With that supplied information, parents can make a decision whether to deny driving privileges or take any other corrective measure.

Additionally, in the event of a breakdown or an accident, the parents can be notified immediately through the GPS tracking system. This is especially helpful due to the fact that younger drivers may not have much of an idea of their street locations or any other geography they may be on. However, the GPS system pinpoints the location on a map very accurately.

Tracking Features

However, the majority of parents that have a GPS tracking system installed in their teenagers automobile is doing it to ensure their child follows the rules set down by their parents in regards to where they can go and where they cannot go. For instance, some parents deny their teenagers from driving on the freeway. Some other parents may not want their teens going to a certain house.

Some may be just concerned that the teenager may not really be going to soccer practice or the library, but to somewhere else that may be undesirable. In short, some parents utilize GPS tracking systems to try and keep their kids honest.

Some manufacturers of these GPS system tracking units advertise that they are very simple and easy to install, that your teenager does not need to know where it is located on the car. Simply put, parents have the options to do this in secret, and have the location data sent to their phone or computer. This is very effective for teenagers that have a tendency to drive recklessly or break the rules. However it may be best utilized as a last resort, and always with the driver's knowledge.

If your child learns that he or she has been tracked without their knowledge, it will only cause greater hostility and distrust in the household. To confront your child with any type of wrongdoing, it would be necessary to admit that they had a installed a GPS tracking system in the vehicle.

Apple iPod Shuffle: A real treat for your music quotient

When it comes to portable media players, no one can ignore the gigantic presence of Apple, who has been consistently setting the standards for others. Apple is literally on the top with its superb iPod offerings and you would certainly find your favourite one among such a comprehensive range of options. Apple's newest and the most refined iPod has just hit the music market with a sheer promise to live up to the ever-growing expectations of music lovers. Well, this new performer is the Apple iPod Shuffle, which is endowed with all those dream functionalities, which you would surely love to have.

The most striking thing about this gadget is that it is the slimmest iPod and it does not come with any real display. Yes, there is a small tri-colour led to indicate its basic functionalities. Currently, this powerhouse of music is available in five different colours, but you can expect some more colours in future. The most important aspect of any iPod is its memory and this superb gizmo is endowed with 1GB of space -the best you can expect from such a slim device. This iPod is not only shortened on its size, but it also comes with a reasonable price -well within the reach of innumerable users all across the globe.

When it comes to looks, the Apple iPod Shuffle looks like a small matchbox. Actually, it is a small media player. And, when you compare this tiny thing with others, you would find that it is a bit larger than the popular nano's screen. In music controls, you get a common ''scroll wheel'', which does not offer any scrolling functionalities. Actually, you have to press down either on the top or bottom to adjust the volume - the way you want. On the other hand, you have to press it on the right or left to move forward of backward with your tracks. If you press in the middle this will enforce pause. Its new docking mechanism allows you to plug in a USB dock to transfer all your favourite music. Enjoying all your favourite music, just cannot get easier than this.

VoIP Calling Cards for Low Cost International Calls

VoIP technology converts analog signals which exist in the form of our voice into small digital IP packets, compress it and send it over the bandwidth through the Internet. It reaches the receiver in the form of decompressed analog signals.

It not only provides a cost-effective solution to their communication needs, but, with constant improvement, has managed to achieve the same quality as is provided by public switch telephony network and PBX. Business houses and residential homes both have started utilizing voice over IP technology for their communication needs. Voice over Internet protocol is also available in the form of calling cards. By using the Internet to route your calls, long-distance charges imposed upon by the telecommunication companies are eliminated. Furthermore, many of the governmental taxes and fees associated with using the highly regulated telephone networks are also avoided. This results in extremely cheap, long distance calling to conventional telephones around the world.

Many long-distance callers around the world pay high rates for long-distance calls, VoIP calling cards offer these callers lower cost international calling.

You must be wondering "how do you actually make phone calls from your PC?" It may seem a very difficult task at first but you can actually make low cost international calls from your PC to any phone in this world. All you need is a computer connected to the internet, a headset, and VoIP calling cards, to make phone calls from your PC to anyone in the world!

There are some VoIP calling card providers that offer highly customised and scalable software capable of Voice over IP Internet calls (VoIP calling) from a personal computer to PSTN Network, allowing calls to anywhere in the world at highly competitive rates.

But how can you buy VoIP calling cards. This is where Fone2Talk can help you; Fone2Talk is the leading online provider of VoIP calling cards and international phone calling cards used for making low cost international calls.