Software industry Consolidating

This week ITvoir editorial team brings you an overview of the broad
trends that is observable in the worldwide software industry. In the
last some months suddenly mergers and acquisition in the software
industry are filling up newspaper.

Look at some of the recent examples. Microsoft trying to buy out Yahoo.
Google tying up with Yahoo for advertisement. Even newscorp a
traditional media company tying up with Microsoft.BBC bringing out
video features. Google buying orkut, you tube and the list is
unmistakingly very long. But the key word is simple. Software and IT
companies are going gung-ho over these mergers and acquisitions.

The software industry was all out for innovation and bringing new lines
of products in the beginning years of the internet boom observed during
initial years of this century. Then what has happened that focus has
shifted to mergers and acquisitions?

Every player in this field knows that Success in the software industry
for all times to come will be driven by discrete product innovations
and winners in software excel at building and extending platforms to
achieve scale in customer relationships. But at stake now is the future
control of installed bases. With growing competition only those
companies which have a clear category lead over others will survive or
otherwise those having the scale and scope will survive. According to
some surveys two of every three software companies didn't show profits
in 2006, making them more vulnerable as acquisition targets. With their
stock valuations rising, the larger players have amassed war chests.
Meanwhile, new license sales are no longer generating sizable growth-so
many software companies have concluded that they must pursue others'
installed bases and thus consolidate.

Further market worldwide is undergoing a fundamental shift. IT spending
growth has slowed and the industry's landscape is shifting away from a
helter skelter type of format to a more organized open standards or
those set by consortia of big vendors. Customers want reliability and
simplicity. Thus the final result is only few but strong players.

Thus at a time when product development is not giving benefits M&A
is the preferred choice to grow. Thus smaller r players have some of
these choices merge with another player, try to become a platform, or
fail. But some can expand into related services, as many are doing as
licensing revenue declines.

Indian scenario

Indian companies are not divorced from this global trend. According to
some surveys they are sitting over huge funds amounting to 1 to 2
billions and also the valuations of the Indian companies are high
compared to their US counterparts and thus this seem to be the right
time to enter into these large deals. At the beginning of 2008, Infosys
Technologies Ltd. forged a strategic alliance with Nihon Unisys Ltd. of
Japan in order to develop new software based products and market those
products. With the mergers and acquisitions, Wipro Ltd. would be in a
position to compete in the bid of the government projects. The company
is expecting a substantial increase the total revenue earned from the
Japanese market through the mergers and acquisitions. During January
and February of 2008, software companies stitched 18 M&A deals in
the cross-border category, where Indian IT/BPO companies acquired
overseas firms or vice versa, of which 14 were outbound transactions.
Similarly HCL Technologies Ltd acquired US-based Capital Stream Inc, in
an all-cash deal of about $40 million.

NIIT Technologies announced the acquisition of Germany-based SofTec
GmbH, a specialist in IT solutions and services in the airline revenue
accounting and operations space.Satyam Computer Services also announced
the acquisition of a Chicago-based management and consulting firm
Bridge Strategy Group, for $35 million, in an all-cash deal. Similarly
Mindtech (India) Ltd. acquired Infotech Consulting, a
Pennsylvania-based multi-disciplined technology services firm for $21
million.

Thus the trend is unmistakingly towards consolidation and US recession
is sure to spur this process as smaller players are already stressed
over their margin profits and finally may decide to give in before
further erosion in their net worth takes place.

Internet World opens its doors for the 17th year

UK's largest Internet Business show expects 14,000 attendees over 3 day period

29th April 2008: Internet World, the UK's largest digital business
show, today opens its doors for the 17th time, since first opening in
1992. The show features BBC Worldwide and Google amongst its speaker
and is set to raise the bar once more, with it's biggest event yet.
This builds upon last year's accolades, including Best Business
Exhibition. As the fastest growing event in its industry, Internet
World has been able to attract keynote speakers from industry leaders
including ITV, MySpace and Nokia.

Internet World is a digital marketing forum that attracts a serious
business audience. It is the only show that covers all the key issues
relating to online strategy; all addressed under one roof, it provides
an end-to-end solution for visitors. This is why 89% of attendees are
involved in purchasing, with 20% of those companies having over 1000
employees. Although primarily a UK event, an increased number of
worldwide exhibitors and delegates will be attending.

"With over 300 exhibitors and some of the best speakers we've ever had,
this year's event maintains our incredible progress. By remaining
focused on what is important to our industry our appeal will only
increase," commented James Drake-Brockman, Event Director of Internet
World.

"We have continued to adapt our approach to the event and evolved where
the market has. We are taking advantage of all multimedia
opportunities, through our website, blog and chart-topping viral game.
The buzz around the event is immense and anyone involved in the
internet world needs to be here."

The latest cutting edge topics covered at the event include IPTV,
mobile and behavioural targeting. They will complement other areas such
as e-commerce, digital marketing and content management to form a
well-balanced exhibition.

Internet World 2008 runs from 29th April - 1st May at Earls Court.

Digital Photography Basics

What are the basics of digital photography? I grabbed my digital camera ($200 bought at Best Buy) and my laptop to figure it out. First, I did a little research online. I read several pages of information. Most pages talked about shutter speed, aperture, digital sensors and such. I thought to myself wow, this is going to be complicated. So I pulled my camera out of its case to see where in the world all these settings are located at. Guess what? I have no settings like that on my camera. So I figure since I am probably an average user like most of you out there reading this article, your camera is probably similar to mine. So I am not going to bore you with technical mumbo jumbo. We are going to keep it simple here.

I am sure you know to put batteries in the camera, power it on and then point and click to take your picture. I would definitely recommend before you take any pictures to look over your user manual and check out the features you have on your camera. For example, I have a night, landscape, sport, and portrait setting for taking pictures. If I want to take a picture of my cute dogs snuggling together on the couch, I put it on the portrait setting and snap away. If I want to take an action shot of my son skate boarding down the road, I put it on the sport setting. You also need to set the quality of the shots on your camera. The higher quality the picture, the more memory it takes, so less pictures can be stored in your camera. And of course vice versa, the lower the quality more can be stored. I personally don't see a problem with high quality shots. If you download them regularly to your pc, you won't have a storage problem.

Don't forget about holding the camera correctly and making sure the optics are clean. Digital cameras are getting smaller by the day. You don't want to take shots of your cousins wedding and then realize you have several pictures of your finger. Make sure you keep your fingers away from the lens with your index finger on the shutter button and your thumb on the back to hold the camera steady. Also, it is really easy to get finger prints on your camera lens. This makes your pictures come out fuzzy. Make sure you clean your lens regularly with the correct cloth and solution.

How I use ISO images

What is ISO?

An ISO image is an archive file of an optical disc using a conventional ISO format that is supported by many software vendors. ISO image files typically have a file extension of .ISO but Mac OS X ISO images often have the extension .CDR. The name ISO is taken from the ISO 9660 file system used with CD-ROM media but the term ISO image can refer to any optical disc image.

- Wikipedia

Usage

The usage of ISO extension file is wide but the main purpose of me creating images is to backup the files. I find that it is quite easy to organize files and folders by ISO images.

For example, if you have tons of photos from your previous trips to various places such as Paris, Japan, US and Malaysia, then you can create different images to identify the photos or even group them altogether into one ISO image but different folders.

Example 1 - Different image to categorize

In this case, you will have Paris.ISO, Japan.ISO, US.ISO and Malaysia.ISO. What you will see from your hard drive is only four ISO files and all the photos are stores inside.

Example 2 - Only one image file

Create only Photo.ISO but have four different folders as Paris, Japan, US and Malaysia

My article about Backup and Restore Your Hard Drive Using ISO has described that you do not have to go through the installation process if you compile an ISO image of your hard drive.

For your information - PSP

ISO images are also used in PSP. The games are extracted from UMD disc and compiled into ISO or CSO files. CSO is a compressed format of ISO. Playing games from ISO is much faster than playing from the UMD drive.

Purpose

Having one ISO file is like having a mini hard drive. You cannot read ISO files just by double-clicking it. Daemon Tools is a popular tool where you can mount the ISO files as another drive.

For example, if your C and D drive are hard disk drive and E drive is you DVD-ROM, then you can mount your ISO file as F drive or G drive and so on. Once mounted, you can view your files in the ISO file through the drive you have assigned to.

ImageBurner

ImgBurn is a freeware that allows you to burn ISO images into CDs or DVDs. You can also create ISO images using the software. Do not worry. If you use the image burn function, the software will extract all the files in your ISO images and burn the files into the CDs or DVDs. However, if you use the normal copy function, the CDs or DVDs will only show your .ISO extension files.

Nero does the same but I find that it installs quite a lot of craps.

Pros

* Files store in ISO files cannot be deleted or moved easily like your files in your hard drive * Once you mount the image drive, you can drag the files to your hard drive

Some little problems

* To add files into your ISO images, you need to re-compile * If you delete the ISO file and remove from recycle bin, that's it

GPS Tracking Using A CellPhone

The GPS-enabled cellphone market is forecast to more than double by 2012, hitting 550 million units. Put it all

together and GPS chipset revenue is expected to more than double to $1.3 billion in just three years time,

according to In-Stat. The GPS-based NextGen system, slated for completion by 2025, will straighten routes (blue)

and allow more planes to safely share the skies. Currently, Air Traffic Control Towers (ATCT) guide planes through

takeoff, then hand them over to a Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON) facility that keeps approach and

departure corridors orderly over the next 50 miles. The GPS system has been designed to be as nearly accurate as

possible. However, there are still errors.

Cell phone GPS tracking can also be a useful feature to the emergency services or police when responding to a 911

call from a GPS cell phone. For this reason, the FCC has legislated that wireless networks provide location

information for 911 calls made from cell phones. Cell phone GPS tracking systems is touted as one of the most

advanced technological milestones in the history of mobile communication systems. Global Positioning Systems (GPS)

enables the users to trail his own location through the analysis of satellite signals beamed down from many

satellites. Cell phone GPS website Mandated in the aftermath of September 11th, the Federal Communication

Commission (FCC) required cell service providers to make GPS tracking of cell phone calls possible. All phones made

since 2005 are GPS-trackable.

Cell phone GPS tracking is one of those advances. Cell Phone GPS tracking can prove useful in many walks of life

and especially when any emergency arises. Picture the scene of a road accident where injuries have occurred.
Update: Nokia intend the N95 to be a powerful one for all replacement for a media player, digital camera, digital

camera, PDA and now a GPS navigation device. It features a 2-way slide concept to simplify switching between

different functionalities. Nokia, Motorola and Beneflon are just a few of the companies now providing GPS-enabled

phones. This will change as the other manufacturers catch up, then we will see this technology being installed as a

default inclusion.

Digital Photos Stuck on your Computer?

Now that digital cameras have replaced the
film camera as the number one way that people capture their photos, you
need new and unique ways to display all your digital photos.

Does this sound like you?: Bought a digital camera, took thousands of
photos, loaded all of them onto your computer, since then nobody has
seen any of them. Well you are not alone.

There are a lot of unique products on the market today that allow you
to display your photos statically (one photo at a time). These products
range from coffee mugs, mouse pads, and calendars, to coasters,
puzzles, and playing cards. However, if you are like me and have
hundreds of digital photos you want to display, buying enough product
to display all my images would make me go broke, let alone clutter my
house. So if you want to display multiple images with a single product,
then digital picture frames, digital key chains, digital photo
ornaments, digital photo pen sets, digital photo jewelry boxes, or
digital photo snow globes are the way to go.

All of the above mentioned devices can display a single photo or a
slide show of hundreds of photos depending on the size of their
internal memory. Some on these devices can also store video and sound.
These devices are usually easy to setup. Some come with their own
software you have to load onto your computer and some are plug and
play. Just load the software, plug the display into you computer using
a USB cable, and load your images onto the device. After that, all you
will need to do is to set the slide show parameters (duration to
display each photo) and your done. Some of these devices are battery
operated, but the best ones come with both an a/c adapter and a powered
USB cable.

Now all you need to do is determine how you want to utilize these
digital photo products. You can give them as gifts, use them as
promotional products, or just use them for displaying your images at
your home or office.

Below are some very creative ways to use these digital photo devices:

1.Give them as a gift to a grandparent. Just preload them with pictures
of yourself and your children. You can update their displays every time
you visit them. What a great way to keep the grandparents updated on
your growing family!

2.Give them as an anniversary gift to your parents. Just preload the
display with family photos that span across several decades. This will
definitely be a gift they will cherish forever.

3.Use the display as a soothing night light for you baby. Most displays
can play sound along with the photos. Load the display with photos of
Mom, Dad, grandparents, other siblings and some lullabies. Your baby
will be comforted and sleep like an angel.

4.Give the displays away as promotional products. Preload the digital
photo ornament, frame, keychain, pen set, or snow globe with photos of
your company products and specials and give them away to potential
customers. Your customers will definitely remember your company after
receiving on of these unique gifts.

5.Businesses can also use any of these devices on their retail counters
or office desks to display current specials or new products. Real
Estate agents could display photos of their current listings. A retail
store could display photos of their current sale items. The
possibilities are endless.

I hope this gives you some ideas of what you can do with all those digital photos that are currently stuck on your computer.

If you can think of other unique ways to use these digital devices, feel free to add a comment to this article.

How to Repair xBox 360 Problem, the Red Ring of Death

SquareTrade, a web site responsible for managing warrantees for xBox
360, reported that the failure rate for xBox 360 game consoles are well
over 16 percent. This is an alarming amount of failure for a game
system, especially coming from Microsoft. The xBox 360 crashing and
other problems are widely, known among gamers, but I didn't realize the
problem was this rampant.

Among the biggest problem gamers face is overheating of xBox 360 game
consoles causing flashing 3 red lights called "Red Ring of Death." I
have experienced similar problem in the past and there's a simple
solution to repair this xBox 360 problem by using the famous 3 towel
trick.

Three towel trick is a temporary repair that may last for a few days or
even several weeks, nobody really has any idea how long this temporary
fix will last. However, if you are desperate to repair your xBox 360
from red ring of death problem, following procedure is how you fix your
infamous xBox 360 "Red Ring of Death."

The reasoning behind the 3 towel trick is to get your xBox game console
very hot thereby reconnecting the possible loose connection on the game
board. And if all goes according to plan, after using the towel trick,
hopefully the game console will function normally again.

Repair xBox 360 Red Ring of Death Problem with Towel Trick

First thing you should do is turn the main power to your system off and
disconnect all network cables, leaving only the power supply. Then turn
on the power back on and with 3 or 4 thick towels, wrap the game
console loosely. Turn the power back on. If you can't locate the power
button with wrapped towels, you can turn the power on before you wrap
your towel. Let the game console heat up for about 25 to 30 minutes.
After heating it up for 25 to 30 minutes, take away the towels from the
game console. Be extra careful not to burn yourself, because the
console will be extremely hot at this point. Let the game console cool
down for about 15~20 minutes and reboot your xBox. Do not connect your
network cables at this point.

After applying the towel trick, your xBox 360 still flashes "Red Ring
of Death," you're out of luck. You need to have it fixed by a repair
personnel. However, if you find that the flashing red lights are gone,
then your xBox is good to go again. Reconnect all your network cables
and play your favorite game. Your xBox may operate without any problems
for few hours, few days or even weeks or months without a hitch until
you run into same problem again.

Remember, the towel trick is a temporary fix for your xBox 360 problems
and you should seek a long-term solution. The reason for the dreaded
three "Red Rings of Death" is because of the overheating of the game
console. You can apply some of the tips below to keep your xBox from
overheating.

Keep the xBox 360 game console in an open space. Keeping the game
console in a tight space prevents the vent on the side to get clogged,
causing it to get hot. You might also try to keep the main power supply
from overheating by keeping it off of the floor. Some gamers use a tiny
fan on the game console and/or power supply to keep the xBox 360 from
overheating.

There is a product called Niko Intercooler, which has a 3 built-in fans
that attaches directly to your xBox game console. Having this useful
add-on for your xBox will keep your game console relatively cool while
playing the game. It is a handy add-on that every gamer should have to
avoid the ring of death and overheating. Intercooler is available for
about $15 to $20 at most of major retailers and Amazon.com

You can avoid many of your xBox 360 problems simply by using these
common sense tips. However, if these tips do not fix your xBox
problems, you'll need to send it out for a repair to Microsoft or other
third party repair center. If you are under warranty, Microsoft if your
best option, but the repair may take up to 4 to 6 weeks plus shipping
time and cost. And if your warranty has expired, you should consider
other repair center for quick service. Most third party repair centers
charge anywhere from $140 to $200 depending on the severity of your
problem.

Many smart gamers choose another option to repair their xBox 360, which
is using a self repair guide. There are number of xBox 360 repair
guides that are available online which can help you repair xBox 360
yourself. Just remember, if you try to fix it yourself and break the
game box for good, you may not be entitled to warranty coverage. So,
decide wisely if doing a self repair is a good option for you.

Next incoming iPhone 3G features

What will the new iPhone 3G bring new comparing to the actual iPhone ? in a previous post about the upcoming iPhone 3G
i say that it will come in 60 days but this is just a rumor and several
web site speak about that. However, not until Steve Jobs pulls out the
next-gen iPhone from his pocket at his keynote at Apple's June World
Wide Developers Conference will we really know what's new for the
Apple's next iPhone.

Talking about new features here is what is expected so far:

3G iPhone: it will be equipped with the "SGOLD3″ chipset made by
Infineon that supports 3.5G - doubling current iPhone mobile data rates
of to 7.2MBps. reference to that was found in the apple software
version 2.0.

Capacity & Price: 32GB 599$ , 16GB 499$, and perhaps 8GB 399$.

Dimension: the new 3G iPhone will be slimmed down 2.5 millimeters .

Camera: the iPhone 3G will have a 5 megapixel camera.

Push Email: the next generation iPhone will support Microsoft's
business e-mail server software Microsoft Exchange and a "push" email
functionality similar to BlackBerry.

Software: contact search, meeting invitations, and an advanced calculator.

Nike iPhone : Stuff.tv is kicking back in Nike's HQ at the moment and
claims to have official word about Nike's future plans with Apple. They
say that the Nike+ system will "definitely" extend beyond the iPod nano
to support the relatively bulky iPhone and iPod touch.

GPS iPhone: According to iPhone Hellas: "secret" documents reveal the
next iPhone will have built in support for Bluetooth headsets and
possibly even GPS navigation.

Some of this are just rumor and other are confirmed so keep an eye on my iPhone 3G articles series, i'll keep you informed.

GPS Systems

A GPS (Global Positioning System) unit has
the primary function of calculating its own location on land or water
by using satellite signals. Once the GPS unit knows its own location,
it can help the user determine direction and distance to other known
locations.

For instance, a GPS on a boat can tell the captain how far
it is to the shoreline or how far it is to a favorite fishing spot. For
the outdoor sportsman a GPS can help with finding your campsite, your
vehicle or your next geocache. Popular outdoor activities such as
hiking, hunting, fishing, trail running, backpacking, rock climbing,
canyoneering and canoeing are all made more enjoyable and safer when
you take along your GPS.


The advantage to a portable GPS, besides actually helping you find your
location, is that it is small enough to not be a bothersome bit of
luggage when you leave for camping trips. Instead of worrying about
finding extra cargo space for your enormous GPS contraption, you simply
slip the GPS in your pocket until it is needed. When buying a GPS
system the first thing to consider is how you intend to use it. If you
plan on using it while on foot, you'll want a GPS that is lightweight,
compact, weather resistant and that is equipped with features important
to foot travel. WAAS (Wide Area Augmentation System) is one such
feature. WAAS greatly increases the accuracy of your GPS, in most cases
to within 10 feet.

Accuracy within a few meters is important for the
outdoor enthusiast but not nearly as important for navigating through
town in your rental car. Next, be sure your GPS has at least 12
channels of reception too. Since your GPS will only work when it
receives signals from satellites orbiting the Earth, less than 12
receiving channels will not get the job done in wooded areas or in
steep terrain. If you plan on using your GPS to navigate while driving
in your car, its weight is not nearly as important as its ability to
display street maps. The GPS mounted to the dash of your truck probably
doesn't need to be weatherproof, but the one on your boat better be.


Prices for GPS units vary a great deal and in general, you get what you
pay for. While some units cost around $100 and offer relatively few
features, others may cost as much as $1000 or even more and are loaded
with dozens of features.

Here is a good rule of thumb for determining
how much money to spend on your next GPS. You should expect to pay
between $200 and $300 to get a decent GPS Unit. I own a Garmin eTrex
Vista. I believe it is the best GPS available for under $300. There are
various brands, features and types of GPS navigation systems to choose
from. More sophisticated systems obviously will cost more than simpler
models. Some units are portable and can plug into the cigarette
lighter. Others require technical installation.

Keep in mind that some
manufacturers will void the warranty unless the unit is installed by a
certified dealer. As technology is constantly evolving, you should
purchase a GPS navigation device that is upgradeable. These devices
communicate with geostationary satellites, which tell the device,
exactly where on Earth it is. The potential applications for this
knowledge are endless. If you know where you are, where you were and
the time in between then you know your speed exactly. If you know where
you are then others do too. Many people out there do want to own one
but have no idea which one to choose.

There are so many models to
choose from, and with most GPS systems costing hundreds of dollars,
it's not entirely unreasonable to be scared to make a decision. This is
the reason why this list of some of the better systems out there has
been compiled to help you come up with an informed choice on which is
the best GPS system for you and your money.

There many different types
of GPS, which one is right for you. GPS parts and accessories
http://www.gpsshopsite.com

Tiscali International Network Scales High-Performance Infrastructure with Juniper Networks T1600 Core Router

Company to Deploy T1600 in European Points of Presence for Performance,Scale and Service Control

MILAN, Italy & SUNNYVALE, Calif., April 14, 2008 " Tiscali
International Network (TINet), the wholesale carrier division of the
Tiscali Group, and Juniper Networks, Inc. (NASDAQ: JNPR), the leader in
high-performance networking, today announced that TINet is scaling its
core infrastructure to support the growing demand for multiplay
services with the Juniper Networks T1600 multi-terabit core router.

As a major independent global carrier, TINet has one of the largest and
most interconnected IP networks in the world. The company exclusively
focuses on serving wholesale customers with high capacity IPv4 and IPv6
Transit, layer 2 MPLS services for IPTV and data transport and with its
global Ethernet private lines service. TINet currently serves a large
number of leading Telcos, ISPs and Content Providers in four
continents. TINet will deploy the T1600s in several Points of Presence
throughout Europe and America, to accommodate its fast traffic growth
and to support the latest 40 Gbps technologies. Capable of delivering
an industry-leading 1.6 Tbps (Tera bytes per second) of throughput in a
single half-rack chassis, the service-aware T1600 core router will
enable TINet to scale-up the delivery of multiple high capacity
services over its global MPLS infrastructure.

Our commitment is to anticipate and satisfy our wholesale customers
for whom a scalable and reliable IP Transit solution is a critical
building block for their service to end users, said Maurizio
Binello, COO, TINet. Our innovative business model relies on highly
scalable and highly flexible multi service infrastructure and
Juniper's equipment has played a paramount role. It is for this
reason that we operate a network exclusively based on Juniper
routing equipment.

Our advanced services are simple and fast to deploy. Our clients
have come to expect a reliable service that is backed up with expert
support made available right throughout the entire network. With the
addition of the T1600, we can increase network capacity in line with
our escalating service demands around the world, whilst maintaining our
value proposition of high quality service on streamlined costs.

As a leading IP/MPLS carrier who differentiates from its competition
with innovative services, the service-aware T1600 will deliver
high-performance at scale with the reliability that TINet requires to
help accelerate service revenue opportunities, said Kim Perdikou,
executive vice president and general manager, Infrastructure Products
Group, Juniper Networks. TINet's decision to upgrade to T1600s
with JUNOS software underscores Juniper's commitment to technology
excellence and innovation that protects customers investments as
they scale their networks to support the demands of high-performance
services and applications.

The Juniper Networks T1600 Multi-terabit Core Router The T1600 features
the JUNOS operating system, Juniper's single-source core operating
software, which helps to ease the ongoing burden on network
administrators, can lower operating costs and enables consistent
operations throughout the network, offering scale without disruption.
All JUNOS routing features are supported on the T1600, including
point-to-multipoint (P2MP) MPLS that delivers efficient core video
distribution. The T-series routers also include optical network
integration via10GE optical interfaces and 40 Gbps interface cards that
deliver exceptional interoperability and service agility over optical
transport and IP infrastructures.

Best of British: NSSA makes Viglen only UK company on storage and servers contract

Viglen appointed to prestigious education supplier lists

Viglen, a leading British manufacturer and provider of IT solutions,
has become the first UK-based company to be appointed to a national
storage and servers framework suppliers contract.

The National Server and Storage Framework Agreement (NSSA) has
announced that the firm, chaired by Apprentice star Sir Alan Sugar, is
among its list of companies which have been recommended to provide
Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) with a range of server and storage
products. Viglen was awarded two framework supply positions.

Viglen's place on the NSSA, which facilitates contracts worth around
£14m annually, takes immediate effect with the company having made both
the "Server Providers and Resellers" and the "Storage Providers and
Resellers" lists.

Viglen, which is based in Colney Street, St Albans, Hertfordshire, now
becomes the first indigenous UK company to appear on both lists. Its
inclusion on the register was confirmed following a rigorous six month
evaluation for this national agreement.

Viglen's underlying value proposition - 'It's personal' - was thought
key to the success, with Intel, Hitachi Data Systems and Dot Hill all
nominating Viglen as their reseller for inclusion on the lists - so
much so that Viglen is the only company allowed to sell Hitachi
products to HEIs via the agreement.

Hitachi Data Systems, Managing Director, Steve Murphy, said: "Having
worked with Viglen for some time, we know that they share the same
values as us, in particular that of delivering customer satisfaction.
We were happy to recommend Viglen for the list and are delighted to see
their inclusion confirmed."

Intel UK and Ireland Country Manager, Graham Palmer, said: "Viglen is a
leading UK vendor for server and storage solutions, and their
successful appointment as a NSSA supplier should be seen as a vote of
confidence in those products."

Viglen Chief Executive, Bordan Tkachuk said: "Viglen shares a real
desire for excellence and in tailoring our technology to deliver
end-user ready equipment and we are delighted to be included on the
NSSA list. I am also pleased that, in addition to Viglen being selected
in its own right, Viglen was also chosen by three of its major vendors,
Intel, Hitachi Data Systems and Dot Hill, to represent their storage
products in the education market.

"It is a real endorsement of Viglen's strength and presence in this
education market, to be the only indigenous company to be awarded under
this framework contract. As a result, we have already started engaging
with new clients in higher education and providing them with server and
storage solutions that respond to their needs."

Video Conferencing and What it has to Offer

Video conferencing is a new and better way to gather people for a
meeting or talk while making sure all that is discussed would be
readily understood. Better than other forms of communication, video
conferencing offers audio-visual connection with the other attendees.

There are two ways to outsource video conferencing. One would be using
a third party as an inside service provider with the use of your own
equipment while the other way is to work with an outside service
provider that hosts the conference call from an external network.

For both means there are advantages and disadvantages. Lets us take a look at the first way to outsource a video conference.

The advantages of using a third party as an inside service provider is
the assurance of encountering less technical problems. Most big
companies have their own set of technicians that keep an eye on the
video conferencing. However, not even the most skilled of workers can
beat a well trained professional group so they hire such people to
operate the equipment needed and avoid technical hassles. Also, the
costs for using a third party as an inside service provider tends to be
more constant in terms of billing and produces less surprise charges.

The disadvantage, though, is that it may take longer time for a big
company to set up its video conferencing. Since companies would hire
outside staff to oversee the video conferencing especially when it is
done in conference rooms and/or big offices, it may take some time for
the setup to be finished. This is because though trained professionals
are hired for the job, they still need to familiarize themselves with
the equipment.

As for working with an outside service provider, the main advantage is
that a company can rent and use a maintained facility that is already
equipped and ready to go. Additional materials that will be needed for
the video conferencing will take just a little time to add.

Its disadvantages, however, would be the inconvenience of having to
relocate to the place where the equipment is already set up.

Video conferencing is not only used for businesses. It may also be used
for personal and other purposes like education, security surveillance
and emergency response. But if you wish to use if for personal use you
may need to purchase additional hardware and software to equip your
computer and enable it for video conferencing.

Video conferencing is such a big convenience that anyone, regardless of
age, may benefit from. You don't even have to be computer savvy to
enjoy video conferencing.

The Advantages and Disadvantages of Audio Conference Calls

Audio conferencing is one of the easy ways to
communicate with a group of people at the same time. Being able to
balance talk time in a day would be such a great help for busy people
who value every second of their waking hours.

But just like any other product or service, there are pros and cons in using audio conferencing.

Let us first take a look at the different advantages that you can get
from it. Audio conferencing is a whole lot cheaper than other means of
conferencing. It can reach more people since it relies mostly on
telephone lines. It is easier to use since it takes advantage of a
technology that is relatively familiar to all of us. Furthermore, we
can enhance it by combining communication lines with other mediums such
as computers. Audio conferencing has a great potential for larger
groups to conference in and the technology used is fairly reliable.
Audio conferencing is also very accessible and consumes lesser time to
set up.

On the down side, Audio conferencing transmission may be of poor
quality at times since it relies on phone lines. Noise can affect the
conversation and may even cut the host out. Also, the presence of a
facilitator is needed especially when a conference consists of a large
number of people.

We all know that communication is not only verbal and this may also
pose as a problem with the audio conferencing. This communication
medium does not support visual images so the participants of the
conference do not actually see each other. This kind of setting may be
a little impersonal since you can not see and understand the body
language and cues of the people you are talking to.

The mentioned disadvantages, only apply if such communication means is
used in professional transactions or meetings. For businesses these
disadvantages could make or break a deal, thus other means of
conferencing would be advised. But if the nature of the conference
involves people who just want to get in touch with each other and catch
up, the down side of audio conferencing should not be a big problem.
Especially if the people conversing are family members and friends that
have a good understanding of each other since knowing someone
personally means you could easily get the idea of what they are trying
to say.

The visual downside of audio conferencing may be hard to solve but the
quality of voice transmission is not really that much of a problem
nowadays. There are tons of providers that offer high quality services
and for cheaper prices too. One just needs to carefully think over
which provider to choose to get the best value.

Installing CCTV Cameras in Car Dealerships

The increase in number of organized auto thefts has been a cause of
concern for dealerships. To prevent such incidents, they have started
investing in surveillance equipment increasingly so that they don't end
up on the receiving end. A theft in a car dealership results in major
losses in the income of the owner, because most often it's more than
one vehicle that is stolen from a dealership. It's not only the cars
but the spare parts and accessories are targeted too. There are many
organized groups involved in auto thefts, and these cars are later used
for narcotics trade, robberies, and burglaries. CCTV cameras have
become instrumental in reducing auto theft crimes.


Reasons for getting CCTV installed in your dealership


The primary function of CCTV camera is surveillance of the dealership
to prevent theft, and to deter opportunist robbers. It is always
beneficial to have CCTV cameras installed in such a way that people
know that they are under the electronic eye. In case of a theft, the
investigators will be able to help you in a better way if the identity
of the criminals is known to them.


When we talk about theft, we can not rule out the possibility of
internal theft. Besides, when the employees know that they are being
constantly monitored they will perform better. They will also feel that
they are working in a safe environment and will be less bothered about
heist or armed robberies. The CCTV cameras will help the security staff
you have employed in keeping a check on the activities going on your
dealership in a more efficient manner.


Buy good quality CCTV cameras and install them at right spots


There are numerous online stores selling surveillance products, choose
the one that gives you the best quality at affordable price. Some
stores do more than just selling you the product; they guide you as per
your security needs, give you products that are covered under a
warranty and also give you a free tech support. Closeoutcctv.com is one such complete surveillance equipment store.


Cameras installation is another important aspect to be kept in mind for
maximum security in and outside your car dealership premises. Placement
of cameras at the right spots is needed for maximum coverage. Remember
to use weather proof and vandal proof cameras for outside areas like
parking of your dealership. Some customer friendly online stores will
take into account your requirements and suggest the best CCTV camera
models and where they should be placed, so that your dealership is
secure 24X7. To know more about a wide range of surveillance equipment,
and to avail special surveillance packages, please visit www.closeoutcctv.com.

Apple Tops Brand Survey But Consumers Say Sony's A Peach

Apple scored top marks in the 2008 Brandjunkie survey last week but shoppers' reviews from the online consumer review site www.reevoo.com tell a different story. Apple's popular iPod range didn't make the top three in a poll of 293 MP3 players, as rated by genuine purchasers on independent review website, Reevoo, who analysed over 4,000 MP3 player customer reviews.

Unfortunately for Apple, this MP3 player race was dominated by Sony with the Sony NWE016BC just nudging the Sony NWZA816 into second place. Third was the Hitachi DMP20 2GB, followed by the New Green iPod Nano 8GB in fourth and the Black Samsung YP-P2JCB 8GB in fifth.

Apple's position in the market for superior design was challenged by shoppers who gave the Sony NWE016BC a perfect 10/10 for design, compared to a relatively disappointing 9.3/10 for the iPod.

Overall, the Sony NWE016BC was rated 9.8/10 while the iPod lagged behind with 9.2/10. One customer nicely summed up the Sony player as "very easy to use, excellent sound quality, very quick battery charge-up, lightweight & attractive to look at".

Poor battery life is a constant disappointment in Apple products and the Nano was no exception. Reviewers were given eight categories in which to rate their MP3 players and it was no surprise that battery life was the most poorly rated category for the iPod.

Shoppers also complained that the iPod was only compatible with iTunes and Glen from Kent felt that "a protective cover ... should come as standard rather than being an expensive accessory".

When shoppers buy goods online from any of Reevoo's 52 retail partners, including Woolworths, Currys, Dixons and the Carphone Warehouse, they are asked to rate their purchases. Their comments - good, bad or indifferent - are then published on both the e-tailers' websites and on www.reevoo.com.

Shoppers can also keep up-to-date on the latest consumer news and reviews on Reevoo's blog at www.decidewhattobuy.com.

Top Five MP3 Players

1. Sony NWE016BC - 9.8/10

2. Sony NWZA816 - 9.7/10

3. Hitachi DMP20 2GB Black - 9.4/10

4. New Apple iPod Nano 8GB Green - 9.2/10

5. Samsung YP-P2JCB 8GB Black - 9.2/10

Switching from MCSE on 2003 to Server 2008

This month, Microsoft will officially launch its eagerly awaited Server 2008 platform. But what is it #34; and what does this mean for IT, HR and businesses as a whole?

Server 2008 will be introduced as a replacement for Server 2003 and is essentially a more stripped-back version of its predecessor. Designed to increase business functionality, Server 2008 will work best with the Microsoft Vista operating system.

So what has changed? Following user demand for increased functionality, Server 2008 will offer improved security and fewer pre-installed applications. Ultimately, this creates a more stable platform that allows companies to use only the relevant elements, rather than being burdened by running useless applications.

IT leads the way

The switch to Server 2008 is likely to be a gradual one that will take place over the next two or three years. But in order to take advantage of the new platform fully, the IT department must lead the way and pre-empt the changes by ensuring their MCSE and MCSA skills and qualifications are fully up-to-date.

Firstly, IT professionals will need to upgrade their existing Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer (MCSE) qualification to the MCTS (Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist) certification. This upgrade involves an exam and is the most basic-level qualification to demonstrate expertise in core areas of Microsoft technology.

Existing MCSE training courses will still be available for IT professionals wishing to work with Server 2003. However, the MCIPT (Microsoft Certified IT Professional) qualification will eventually replace the MCSE altogether. The MCITP will reflect the move towards Server 2008 and will disregard Server 2003 completely, and with it, the MCSE.

The MCITP (replacing the MCSE) will be more closely linked to specific job roles and will cover operational processes, operational procedures and the analysis of business problems. The next (and highest) step is the MCA (Microsoft Certified Architect) qualification, which covers technical breadth and depth, communication, strategy, organisational politics, progress and leadership.

Keeping IT up to speed

The biggest change for the IT department in terms of training, however, will be the introduction of a certification lifecycle policy. Like other software providers including Cisco, Microsoft will now require its users to update their qualifications (i.e. the MCP, MCSP, MCSA, or MCSE) every three years. However, this rule will only affect the new generation of trainees and not those who are already qualified.

The lifecycle policy will be advantageous for both IT professionals and business. IT staff will be able to prove they have relevant, up-to-date skills for the future, both in their current position and as their career progresses. Simultaneously, employers can be confident that their IT staff are up-to-speed with technological developments.

The MCTS qualification will open up a world of new opportunities for IT workers as companies move towards Server 2008. While the new qualifications will not change the way Microsoft integrates with other systems, they will provide a certain amount of regulation within the IT industry 34; and currently, an MCSE-qualified IT professional earns an average of £39,000 a year.

What does this mean for HR and business?

The new platform and its associated training requirements will also impact on the HR department. The HR team will need to understand how to maximise the potential of existing staff and employing fully qualified Server 2008 professionals in the future. This will then have a knock-on effect on training budgets.

The HR department will need to ensure that all applicants for IT jobs possess the up-to-date qualifications necessitated by Server 2008. Certifications like the MCTS, MCIPT and MCA (replacing the MCP, MCSA, and MCSE) will provide essential indicators that both current staff and future applicants can cope with the requirements of the new platform.

But as ever, companies will need to assess what kind of qualifications their staff need according to the size, sector and projected growth of the business. And as new qualifications become more and more specialised, bosses will need to provide relevant training for their staff.

Ultimately, IT is constantly evolving. In order to compete in tough markets, businesses cannot afford to stand still for long #34; particularly when it comes to training. Replacing MCP, MCSA and MCSE skills needs to be top priority for companies this year, regardless of their size. For developments like Server 2008, it’s wise to act sooner rather than later.

(713 words)

About the MCSE/MCSA/MCP Program:

Every day, IT professionals are asked to make network infrastructures more efficient, keep everyone productive, and deliver more applications. Firebrand Training's Microsoft MCSE 2003 Training Course for Microsoft Windows Server? 2003 validates your ability to perform these tasks on Microsoft's latest server operating system and identifies your expertise to employers, clients, and peers.

Our 14 day accelerated Microsoft MCSE 2003 Training Course provides information technology professionals with the knowledge and skills necessary to install, configure, support, and troubleshoot Microsoft® Windows 2000- and 2003-based networks with a focus on information security in the enterprise. This is an accelerated, residential, fully-immersed MCSE course, designed for computer professionals that require effective, real-world skill-building and timely certification.

You will live, learn, and test on-site to become an MCSE.

Our Microsoft MCSE 2003 Training Course delivers the greatest value on the market for Windows 2003 Certification Training.

During the MCSE program, students will achieve the following certifications Microsoft Certified Professional (MCP) Microsoft Certified Systems Administrator (MCSA) CompTIA Security+ Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer (MCSE)

The Quest For The Best VOIP Provider

If you have been looking for VOIP service for any amount of time, you are probably totally confused about how to select the best VOIP provider. Residential and small business consumers are attracted to VOIP because it is a great way to avoid long distance fees. The price point at which VOIP service is offered is typically much lower for more features than what your traditional phone line would cost from the phone company.

For example, a traditional phone line from the phone company costs about $25 per month for just basic service and dial tone, which might include unlimited local calling but really not much of anything else. Now compare that to the service that a VOIP provider can offer, which includes unlimited local calling, unlimited long distance in the continental US (sometimes also Canada and Puerto Rico), voice mail, call waiting, caller ID as standard features, and a traditional phone line cannot even begin to compare. Getting all those features on a regular phone line would easily cost three or more times more than what VOIP service would cost you.

In addition, two callers using the same service could talk to each other for free anywhere in the world as long as they both had a good high-speed Internet connection. It is also a great way to keep in touch when on the road. Take your VOIP phone with you, and then plug into the high-speed Internet connection at your hotel or your brother's house in Denver or your aunt's house in Chicago. Even though you might live in Houston, you will still receive calls on your VOIP phone wherever you are.

But how do you find the best VOIP provider? According to the marketing literature that each of them puts out, you would think there was a 100-way tie for the best one.

Before selecting your VOIP service, the very first thing you need to do is take a good hard look at your high-speed Internet connection. How reliable and stable is it? You need to understand that your VOIP provider is going to assume that your high-speed Internet connection is rock solid, stable, and reliable. If it's not, it's not their problem and you will not be happy with your VOIP service.

As far as finding the right VOIP service, definitely choose one that has implemented the E911 service. This is now required by the FCC. This allows you to call 911 in case of an emergency and for them to be able to find you. If the VOIP provider has not implemented this for their service, you need to run in the opposite direction.

Beyond that, you need to compare the overall value. Do not include the cost of your high-speed Internet connection in your evaluation because chances are high that you would have that anyway for surfing and email. How much long distance calling do you do each month? How much do you spend on long distance calling with your traditional phone? Could your calling needs be just as adequately handled by your cell phone, or do you need to talk more than your affordable cell phone plans permit?

VOIP services can be incredibly cost effective, but if you decide to implement it from a reliable VOIP provider, make sure you are doing it for the right reasons and not just for the sake of technology.

Guides to buying Plasma and LCD TVs

You want a flat screen TV that's HD ready and you've heard about digital television but you don't know if you can receive either of these. Also you're not sure which is better LCD or Plasma. Well hopefully, I'll try to break it down into very simple points, so you know you are getting the right product for you.

High Definition (HD) basically improves the quality of the picture (approx. 4x better) and manufacturers are continuously trying to improve the picture quality. You may say "I'm happy with the image I have already" but wait till you see anything in HD then you will not want to go back to Standard Definition. Films and documentaries come to life when you have your television set up properly.

Reasons to buy an LCD or Plasma:

If you want to watch HD content

If you think they look nice in your living room and want to save space.

Do not buy one if you think that because LCDs and Plasmas are newer technology the picture will automatically look better. In fact, if you are only going to be watching normal TV then in most cases the old fashioned CRT TVs will still be your best choice for picture quality. However, if you want to watch HD then you need an LCD or Plasma.

HD LCDs and Plasmas have a higher number of pixel lines of resolution, hence the name High Definition. Full HD is currently 1920x1080 lines. If you are only going to be watching normal Pal tv (Terrestrial, Freeview, non-HD Sky/Virginmedia) then this resolution is 720x576. Therefore this image resolution has to be 'uprezzed' to fit on the HDTV - i.e. pixel lines will have to be duplicated. Imagine you have a photo that looks fine small but if you want to blow it up to poster size, the quality will reduce. Obviously, good quality TVs such as Sony and Samsung have invested in good 'uprezzing' technology therefore the picture still looks very good but you pay more for this.

Once you've decided that flat screen TVs are for you then which type do you get?

Quick Answers:

Get an LCD for HD through Sky or Virginmedia on 42" or less.

Get a full HD Plasma TV for Blu-ray or HD-DVD 42" or more, if you can afford it.

There will be exceptions to these rules - the main one being this: Some Plasma TVs that offer smaller resolutions have such a great contrast ratio that the picture quality is still good. But in general my rule sticks - High Definition means higher resolution and if the TV doesn't have it then you're not getting true HD, no matter how good the 'uprezzing' is in the TV.

Size of Screen: If you want a big screen (i.e. 42'' or more) then I would go for Plasmas. Bear in mind though you also need a big room to appreciate that size. Anything less than 42'' then something called bleeding can occur in Plasmas. That is when the image colours start to mix in with adjacent colours. Finally, if you want to enjoy HD don't get a TV less than 32 inches as you are not really enjoying the benefit of HD.

Contrast Ratio: Well Plasmas in general are better for contrast ratios (5,000:1 is a good ratio). This is often thought as being the crucial aspect in picture quality. However, there is another aspect that is of importance.....pixel resolution.

Pixel Resolution: Basically the higher the number of pixels the better picture you get. However, you may be paying unnecessary amounts of money for bigger resolutions when the picture being broadcast is smaller, as mentioned earlier. Out of interest I believe at present Sky and Virgin broadcast HD at 1440 x 1080 (this is to save on bandwidth). Therefore the only way to see full HD at 1920 x 1080 is via a Blu-ray or HD-DVD player or PS3. These all output at 1920 x 1080.

Refresh Rate: This is only important if you like watching fast moving images on your television, like Formula 1 etc. If you do, then get a 100Hz TV. Otherwise I personally wouldn't worry too much about this.

Progressive or Interlace: This describes how a picture is filmed and displayed on your television. Normal home video cameras (i.e. DV cameras etc.) shoot interlace. Old TVs (CRTs or Cathode Ray Tubes) display the image interlaced.

EXPLANATION:

CRTs have 720 lines of vertical pixels and 576 lines of horizontal pixels. In the UK (i.e. Pal) it takes 1/25th of a second to display all 576 lines. It does this by displaying 288 alternate lines in the first 1/50th of a second and the other 288 lines in the second 1/50th of a second, therefore taking 1/25th to display all the lines. LCDs, Plasmas and film are inherently progressive. This means that the image is captured and displayed in one pass. Each line is displayed at the same time. Most people (including the sales advisors in the shops) are unaware that LCDs and Plasmas do not display interlaced images. If something is shot interlaced and is shown on an LCD or Plasma, the TV will de-interlace it and display all the lines in one pass (1/25th of a second).

THEREFORE, PROGRESSIVE OFTEN MEANS BETTER PICTURE QUALITY, as progressive gives a higher resolution at any one moment in time. However, at present all broadcasts are interlaced (to save on bandwidth.) Therefore the only way to benefit from an HD progressive TV is by watching a Blu-ray disc.

Summary

1. Get a plasma for large screens (42'' or more) with a good contrast ratio.

2. If you don't have Sky HD, Virginmedia HD or a Blu-ray/HD DVD player then there is little point spending extra money on a television that has full 1920 x 1080 resolution when you will not see the benefits.

3. Don't worry too much about refresh rate if you are not watching many fast moving pictures (i.e. if you mainly watch dramas, I wouldn't spend an extra £100 for a higher refresh rate.

QC Software WCS New Version Includes Barcode Routing

Rich Hite, President of QC Software, (www.qcsoftware.com) suggests, "QC Enterprise Warehouse Control System new version, 5.1, provides Barcode Routing which allows distributors to define a fixed routing path for non-variable barcode IDs (SKU ID, fixed tote ID, etc.). Typical uses for this feature include easily defining the routing of full case product to a replenishment drop point based on SKU ID. Another use would be to assign a specific tote ID for two destinations; one a specific pick zone and the other the quality control area. Overage or incorrect product that is collected as part of an auditing process at the QC stations would be placed into totes by pick zone. When the tote is full it is placed on the conveyor and routed to the designated pick zone. After the product is returned to stock, the empty tote is placed back on the conveyor to return back to QC."

The most important aspects of WCS for major distributors include dependability, modular functionality, configurable flexibility, and reliability. WCS is more dependable because...it uses standardized modules that are field proven, versus customized software. Many of the WCS modules have been running for over more than six years.

Hite goes on to say, "WCS modular functionality is important because additional functionality can be added as required. The system can grow as the customers need to grow. You don't lose your initial investment when new functionality is needed."

If a large company wants to know the cost to install at multiple sites as well as the stability, financial status and size of the WCS company, it is quickly addressed by establishing referrals and a strong industry reputation. Depending on the organization's objectives, source code availability may also be a concern. The cost of doing nothing may be most expensive.

WCS reliability is not a 'buzz word', it provides a specific benefit according to Hite, "When a WCS goes down, the lost man hours, late shipments and cost to the warehouse, can be tremendous - add diminished customer satisfaction, and it can literally cost the client significantly more money. The WCS market has grown because it has taken on the traditional 'transactional' processes that the warehouse management system (WMS) historically provided, such as order fulfillment, shipping and localized inventory control.

Other new features of Version 5.1 of QC Software's Warehouse Control System include:

* Notification Manager

* Scanner Log

* Event Manager

* Weight Verification

* Java 1.6

* Enhanced GUI

* FLEX Screens and FLEX Reports

* No Read Detection

* Security Updates

QC Software is the leading provider of Tier 1 warehouse control systems to the warehousing and distribution industries. Since 1996, QC Software, utilizing state of the art technology combined with extensive research, development, and rigorous testing, has developed the QC Enterprise suite of products. Designed to be modular in nature, easily configurable, and platform independent, this highly scalable solution satisfies the needs of any size warehouse.

QC Software, Inc. www.qcsoftware.com Jerry List JerryList@qcsoftware.com (513) 469-1424

Six Sigma Data Analysis

Crystal Ball 7 Standard is an easy-to-use simulation program that helps you analyze the risks and uncertainties associated with your Microsoft Excel spreadsheet models. As a fully integrated Excel add-in program with its own toolbar and menus, Crystal Ball picks up where spreadsheets end by letting you perform Monte Carlo analysis (a standard technique for simulating real-world situations involving elements of uncertainty). The Crystal Ball 7 upgrade incorporates a number of enhancing features, boosting Crystal Ball's capabilities, but at the same time, making it easier to use (see below for details). Furthermore, a new licensing system has been developed, making activating, upgrading, updating and registering your Crystal Ball product a much more pleasant experience. Streamline risk and uncertainty analysis in your spreadsheets with this integrated toolset. Crystal Ball 7 Standard Edition is the easiest way to perform Monte Carlo simulations in your own spreadsheets. Crystal Ball automatically calculates thousands of different "what if" cases, saving the inputs and results of each calculation as individual scenarios. Analysis of these scenarios reveals to you the range of possible outcomes, their probability of occurring, which input has the most effect on your model and where you should focus your efforts. For Six Sigma applications, capabilities metrics calculated with the simulation results let you better integrate simulation into your methodology.

With Crystal Ball 7.3 you can:

Add scalable methods for collaborating: Get your work done faster. Work as a team sharing standardized uncertainty distributions with publish and subscribe features. Communicate and persuade: Share your findings. Graphs, charts and reports let you vividly present and communicate the results of your analysis. Get a credible picture of risk: The future holds uncertainty and risk and so should your models. Get the information you need from detailed statistics to summarized reports, to understand where to focus your efforts next.

Crystal Ball 7.3 Features

Charting: A new charting engine delivers amazing presentation-quality charts and reports. Charts also support 3D views and right-click menus. Assumptions: The new assumption chart interface allows you to add marker lines to track specific values or statistics, and graphically view the generated random numbers. The randomly generated assumption values are now saved automatically as a run preference. Forecasts: Add the ability to fit distributions to forecasts during simulation, Include many different custom marker lines on forecasts (mean, median, standard deviations, base case, percentiles, etc.) Preferences: Chart preferences are now in their own, independent dialog. Expanded forecast preferences include preferences for the forecast window, precision, filter and auto-extract. New assumption preferences. Distribution Gallery: Distribution Gallery dialog, which now sports an Outlook-like interface, groups the distributions into folders called Categories. Categories are libraries of distributions. Publish and Subscribe: Expanding on the concept of one person defining a distribution once and using it many times, Crystal Ball 7 introduces the ability to publish many categories and subscribe to categories. Define a distribution once, publish it, and allow multiple people to subscribe and use it many times. Auto Extract: Crystal Ball 7 now includes an auto-extract feature that writes selected forecast information and statistics to an Excel worksheet after simulation. Extract Data: You can extract data from both forecasts and assumptions and extract multiple types of data. Correlated Assumptions: Correlations have an enhanced data picker for adding assumptions. In addition, correlated assumptions can now span worksheets. Sensitivity Analysis (sensitivity chart) : New charting capabilities and an enhanced data view. Reports: Select a pre-defined report or create your own custom report. Reports now include new statistics and more control over data and charts. Distribution Fitting: It is now possible to show distribution fitting while running a simulation. There is also an enhanced data view for quick access to fit statistics. Overlay Chart: Fit distributions to all forecasts. View stats and percentiles for all forecasts. New charting including transparent and 3D viewing plus rotation. Custom Distribution: It is now possible to link directly to data in the spreadsheet. There is also a new data grid to manipulate data from within the assumption editor. Choosing Objects: A new chooser allows you to easily pick which charts to show (assumptions, forecasts, overlay, trend and sensitivity), as well as select some or all of your assumption, forecast and decision variable cells from your spreadsheet. You can change the display from a Tree view to a List view. User Macros : The macro scheme is different in Crystal Ball 7. There is no longer a Macro "Preference tab". Rather, Crystal Ball 7 searches for macros of a certain name and executes them accordingly. This new scheme gives users more flexibility in testing and maintaining run-time macros. You can also run Crystal Ball macros in protected spreadsheets by unlocking them via an encrypted Dev Kit call. Save/Restore Results: Save/Restore enables users to save parts of the simulation data for later retrieval. Results are no longer "attached" to the spreadsheet so it is possible to restore multiple results at the same time. This also makes it possible to share the results without having to share the underlying model. Control Panel: The Control Panel is a new feature in Crystal Ball 7. It gives the user a direct interface to control simulations, instead of using the menu or toolbar. Online Help documentation: Online help is enabled via the F1 key, Help buttons, and Help menus in charts. You can also access online help by choosing Help > Crystal Ball > Crystal Ball Help in the main menu bar in Excel. Crystal Ball 7 introduces new probability distributions: Student's, Discrete Uniform, Maximum and Minimum Extreme (created by splitting the Extreme distribution), Yes-No. The Beta and Hyper geometric distributions have parameter changes. Some custom distribution formats, such as five-column single values, are no longer supported. Distribution Parameters: Enter cell references for parameters by directly clicking on the spreadsheet cell, Enter complete formulas for parameters in place of simple values, Change the shapes of probability distribution easily by using spinner controls to tweak the parameters.

Access control based on Bluetooth technology

Nowadays on the market there are products that offer wireless PC lock solutions - the idea is that you have a small “e-tablet” dongle in your hands and a wireless stick-receiver connected to USB port. It works like a car key. By using your Bluetooth compatible mobile could do the same - just come in and Windows gets logged on - just step out - and it gets locked/hibernated. There are a few products that provide such solution: GoldLantern, FrozenCPU, TrippLite - they are hardware and software in a box.

The products like AccessAngel, BlueGuardian and Rohos Logon Key they are software only that uses Bluetooth technology.

All of them (except Rohos Logon Key) are primitive desktop lockers; it means you start your Windows session by entering your user name and password (or without a password if you don’t have it). The PC Lock program may or may not start up immediately and lock the screen before you've had a few seconds to look at the desktop and do things. Then you can lock your computer by stepping away from your PC (wireless adapter detects absence of Bluetooth device or a wireless dongle). When you come back to your PC it automatically unlocks your desktop. The most PC lockers are compromised by default if you start your Windows in Safe Mode login.

The Rohos Logon Key enables to use wireless devices equipped with BlueTooth for authentication purposes, it means your computer is protected by a password but you don’t need to enter it manually, the program does it by itself. This is more secure and user convenient because having a password protected user account in Windows is a good pattern of data security. Your mobile phone or pocket PC, Palm, Nokia plays the role of your wireless hardware key from your computer. It provides automatic Windows access approaching the computer with mobile phone. Computer will be protected with password, but you don't have to enter it manually, thus making life easier for lazybones J When you step away from computer - Rohos Logon automatically locks the Windows.

Using a generous 15-day trial period I was able to work out how the program works and I’m happy to share about it with you.

How it works: Computer should have BlueTooth adapter (MS, BlueSoleil are supported). The Rohos Logon saves your phone ID wirelessly When the phone is near your computer, the access to it is open: automatic Windows logon or it Windows gets unlocked. Also if you step away from computer, it will automatically be locked within 5-10 seconds.

Here are some tips how to set up mobile or Pocket PC for Windows logon by Rohos:

First step: First, you should install on you computer the Rohos Logon Key In the main window screen open dialog box "Rohos Options" In this dialog box for the type of device used as a USB key choose: BlueTooth Phone/Pocket PC.

Second step: · Install BlueTooth adapter that is compatible with Windows or BlueSoleil. · In the main window screen click "Set up USB flash drive". In the dialog box should appear the name of BlueTooth device that was detected within the radius of coverage. Please note that it takes 10-15 seconds to detect your phone. · In the dialog box enter your Windows login password. If you haven’t used a password so far, it’s time to create one :0) · Press OK, the program now remembers your password and mobile phone ID. · Now you can restart your windows to try new logon way by using mobile phone.

! If you your phone gets unavailable or battery low and thus Bluetooth is OFF you might use usual password or emergency logon (that's offered by Rohos Logon).

Verdict for Rohos: · Better security because of complete password replacement solution. · Supports Windows Vista with a beautiful credential icon on a logon window. · Supports MS Bluetooth stack and BlueSoleil, maybe others in future. · Support USB flash drives, Biometric sticks and corporate USB tokens for authentication. · Also protect computer in Safe Mode. · Announced MAC OS X support.

The point is that wouldn’t it make more sense to use the software solution that daily helps you rather than the ones that do not meet all your needs for easy access and PC security!?

Verdict for Wireless PC lockers such as software + hardware solutions in a box: · They are primitive desktop lockers : http://www.dansdata.com/pclock.htm · For Windows login you have to enter the password manually anyway. · The cost from 13$ (better no PC lock than such one) up to 141$ (pretty expensive). · Some of them don’t work in Vista.

Verdict for AccessAngel: · Its also a primitive desktop locker implemented in Java, · Requires Java 1.4 RTE , · For Windows login you have to enter the password manually anyway. · No trial version, · Costs 69 euro (private edition) is quiet high for a mere user, · Doesn’t support Windows Vista (though supports 95,98,ME,2000, XP SP1+SP2).

Verdict for BlueGuardian: · Its also desktop locker application with additional features. · For Windows login or Screensaver unlock you have to enter the password manually anyway. · Supports Bluetooth enabled mobile device and USB flash drive as unlock key. · Works only with MS enabled Bluetooth adapters. · Has a guide about how to Install it in Safe Mode so that Safe Mode will be also protected by this program (replaces some system drivers, that is not good, I think).

Xbox 360 - Gaming Redefined

The concept of xbox 360 was conceived by Microsoft in early 2003 and conceptualized in co-operation with IBM, ATI and SIS. This is a second video game console and the system allows the players to download Arcade games, demos, trailers, TV shows and movies.

The system was launched in Nov 2005 in three major regions - Europe, Japan and USA. The demand was stupendous and was sold out completely within a short span of its release. The gaming console competes with Sony Playstation 3 and Nintendo`s WII as part of seventh generation video game console.

There are three versions of Xbox 360: Arcade, Premium and Elite. Each version is backed by its own set of features, accessories and technology like wireless controller, re-chargeable battery case, snazzy face plates incase the standard plain surface becomes too boring. Generally all three include hybrid, composite and component cable, a detachable 20GB hard disc drive which comes with game demos, video clips, and a free Live Arcade game.

Initially it started with the code name Xenon motherboard and subsequently re-engineered to Zephyr.The latest upgradation is a Falcon motherboard with an improved GPU heat sink. Right now the production unit is working on the next hardware refresh - GPU + CPU on the same BGA package.

The Xbox live arcade is a service that offers much more than simply downloading video games! The console actually throws up new original games, such as Assault Heroes other than the previous ones like MS Pac-Man.The Xbox video market place is an exclusive video store which can be assessed through the console. It allows the users to view HD TV Shows and Movies.The system also supports audio playback where the users may play back their own music with an interactive visual synthesizer. Pictures and slideshows can also be displayed with various transition effects by this system. These features make the Xbox a favorite of adults too along with the kids!

It is also interesting to note in this context that for a new game designer it is highly recommended that you download XNA Game Studio Express; it is an exclusive game which has been designed for easy creation of games for both Xbox 360 and windows. For developing Xbox 360 game you have to subscribe to the Creators Club apart from having Xbox 360 which has a hard drive.

In UK, the gaming console has been enabled to display BT vision, video content.The lastest video game Burnout 3 is available and till date Halo 3 is Xbox`s latest best selling game.

Xbox 360 was launched to capture the market before the arrival of Sony Playstation 3. This premature market entry had left some flaws in the hardware system undetected thereby earning itself negative publicity. However, newer designs have been introduced, and Microsoft has installed new heat sink to reduce overheating which ensures that the game console unit will last many years. Technically speaking, keeping the gaming system cool may lead to a longer lifespan of the gadget. Along with this, Microsoft has also extended the warranty period to three years in the Xbox gaming console.

What Most People Wanted to Know about Disc Repair Services

Disc Repair Services can fix scratched CD or DVD of most gaming consoles such as GameCube, PlayStation, PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, Xbox, Xbox 360, and Wii. Audio and video CDs and DVDs, Blu-Ray discs, and HD-DVD can also be repaired by Disc Repair Services.

In order to understand how Disc Repair Services repairs the discs, you need to know about the disc. Discs are composed of different layers. The exposed layer at the bottom of the disc where most scratches occur is a clear plastic layer that protects the soft upper layer. This soft layer is called the dye layer that is. Above the dye layer is the print and lacquer layer where you can make disc cover designs.

The disc can still be repaired if the dye layer is not damaged. Disc Repair Services uses state-of-the-art technology to polish the scratched layer without damaging the sensitive information in the dye layer in the disc. You may be able to remove the scratches using a soft abrasive such as Brasso or toothpaste. But this method is not as effective as what Disc Repair Services can do. It might even do more damage than necessary.

There are certain damages that Disc Repair Services will not be able to repair. Discs that have their foil or plastic layer peeled off, melted discs, warped discs, and cracked discs are some of the difficult damages to perform a disc repair. Nevertheless, information on the dye layer of any irreparable discs with minimal damage can still be retrieved using the latest technology in disc repair and recovery processes.

Disc Repair Services has a 95 percent success rate. After the recovery process, the company will inform you of any errors that are present in the disc. If the team finds that the disc is beyond repair and recovery, the company will be willing to give you a full refund as well as return your disc.

In order for the company to perform a disc repair on your damaged disc, you need to fill out their online form at their website, pay through credit card or PayPal, they will send you a postage paid envelope that you will use to mail your disc. Depending on how severe the damage is, you will receive your shiny scratch-free disc usually in five business days.

You can also send the disc without the need for the postage paid envelope. You need to make sure that you include your full name, return address, and email address. You can also include a check payable to Kendra Sullivan if you are not able to pay through PayPal or credit card. Disc Repair Services can also do a rush job. You only need to mail your discs to their corporate address including your payment.

You need to make sure that you have read the User Agreement before deciding to get their services. Disc Repair Services cannot be held liable for any damage or loss due to the disc repair.

About The Author

vikram kumar

You can perform disc repair on scratches and minor damages to your CDs and DVDs. But these can be easily repaired using state-of-the-art disk repair of Disc Repair Services.

Getting Behind the Wheel of Your TV

Video games have come a long way in the past 25 years. What were once digital squares on the screen have become fully formed human characters with natural movements and detailed facial features. Now that the visual quality of games has been improved, the gaming industry is shifting its focus to finding new and more effective ways to immerse players in the gaming experience.

Enter the Logitech Driving Force GT racing wheel, expected to be released in the U.S. in early May with a retail price of $149.99. This innovative controller is designed specifically for use with the PlayStation 3 "Gran Turismo" game series. One of the bestselling franchises of all time, the "Gran Turismo" games are known for their high level of vehicle detail and realistic driving simulation. Now, Logitech is making the experience even more realistic with the Driving Force GT racing wheel. Though the company has produced racing wheels for "Gran Turismo" in the past, the Driving Force GT promises to give players the most accurate and authentic racing experience yet.

The Driving Force GT was created with help from Polyphony Digital, Inc., the developer of the "Gran Turismo" series, and it probably has more features than most real automobiles. The new force feedback wheel simulates understeer, oversteer and traction loss with frightening accuracy. The wheel itself has a diameter of 11 inches, a horn in the center and is coated in rubber molding for greater comfort and handling. The Driving Force GT turns 900 degrees lock-to-lock so drivers can navigate hairpin turns, while anti-backlash gearing makes racing smoother and more realistic. Racers can use either a stick shift or pads on the wheel to quickly move through the gears, and separate full-size gas and brake pedals deliver precise throttle and brake response. In addition, users can employ the GT's unique real-time adjustment dial to fine tune the car’s balance.

Logitech’s new steering wheel is just the latest example in the emerging new wave of video game controllers. Recent entries have included wireless faux-guitar controllers for the "Guitar Hero" games, the motion controllers for the wildly popular Wii system and the Emotiv EPOC, an upcoming device that enables players to control games with their minds. The Driving Force GT functions to make gamers feel as though they are actually sitting in a real race car. Players shift, steer and brake just like real race car drivers (though with slightly less dire consequences). The idea behind the Driving Force GT - and all the new controllers really - is to get gamers so engrossed in the gaming experience that they actually forget they are even playing a video game. And, fact of the matter is, no real driver ever crossed the finish line in a BMW Z4 by wiggling a joystick and tapping on a couple of buttons.

The Logitech Driving Force GT racing wheel is expected to be available in game stores nationwide in early May - though, curiously, not the same day "Gran Turismo 5" is being released (April 17th).

How VoIP is Revolutionising Business Communication

The Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) services in use today leave the old generic telephone standing in the race for supremacy. The year is 2008 and counting. The first communication device was invented way back in 1857. 151 years later, the world has advanced to an enormous technological lever of greatness, yet some still struggle with the costly and high maintenance associated with the generic telephone.

A household can be seen as a little different to offices in terms of demand, as a family use one telephone line and that line is only used a few times per day. Offices are not so lucky. This is especially taxing on businesses, large or small when functionality, performance, cost and reliability are concerned. An office with say ten telephone lines which are in use 90% of office hours can build up a very high cost bill for the company paying for the costs. And the maintenance and damaging of cables affects reliability and functionality. So now that the world is living in the 21st Century and everything is progressing at break neck speed, what can a business and VoIP do to avoid the inevitable bankruptcy at the hands of their phone bill?

There is a solution available and it is not going to break a companies’ budget. Great technology usually comes with a hefty price but telecommunications providers have answers for businesses in the form of voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP). This is simply the transferring of telephony signals as digital audio, using data compression to transmit the digital audio in a data packet over Internet Protocol. Put simply, VoIP converts a voice into a medium which is transferable over an internet line.

VoIP has many features which benefit businesses and homes alike but with the large amount of telephone lines, extensions and connections to cope with, businesses have been benefitting greatly. Instead of the usual switchboard and hundreds of lines, VoIP services help to reduce these problems as VoIP is able to transmit more than one call over the same connection and phone line. The single line of a VoIP system also enables offices to add or subtract lines at will and with such ease that no technicians need to be brought in to solve the problem. However, should a subscriber need any maintenance, the costs concerning VoIP are free.

Another reason VoIP telephony has extremely low costs is because VoIP to VoIP phone calls are free. So calls to other office parties, departments and individuals are at no cost. There are handsets available which are portable, enabling businesses to make free calls to employees who are away from the office or vice versa and calls from a VoIP phone to a normal phone has reduced rates. So the VoIP service literally follows you wherever you go.

VoIP phones and services allow you to make adjustments and configure them in real time using the internet. Extensions are controllable and detailed online billing and report costs are available for subscribers. Plus updates of software and technology are available without having to pay a large sum of money. Inclarity also has a 24 hours a day, 365 days a year technical and customer support service which comes at no cost.

So instead of dealing with annoying phone lines, a clogged switchboard, soaring bills and maintenance fees, businesses using VoIP have been enjoying the low-costs of a communication which is portable, scalable, updateable and easy to use, requiring only one telephone line. The benefits of using a VoIP system in your business or home are so many that the Internet Protocol will revolutionise your home and business.

Emote Games Partner With Avalanche Studios To Develop A Social Hunting Game

Emote Games social gaming platform and Avalanche Studios award winning landscape engine join forces to create a unique cross format socially enabled game

London, UK, 8 April 2008, Emote Games a UK based Production Company has partnered with leading development studio Avalanche to create a social game built on Emotes cutting edge social gaming platform PARTICIPATE.

The Partnership which boasts the use of the Avalanche 2.0 engine: an unparalleled real life landscape technology will provide the backdrop for Emotes initial social gaming title.

The forthcoming game will be the first to be launched on Emotes PARTICIPATE platform. Developed internally, PARTICIPATE promises to introduce a new style of socially enabled game, delivering high production value and game play that is both fully immersive as well as character and community based . All games built on the PARTICIPATE platform benefit from an exclusive suite of social features designed to integrate game and community, and to broaden and enhance a game experience creating what Emote term as ‘participative gaming’

The partnership between Emote Games and Avalanche has been formed as a joint venture creating a direct link between the Developer and Production, in doing so Emote games aims to ensure the highest product quality is driven at all times and the distribution of revenues and profits are more transparent than compared with traditional Publisher/Developer models.

“Were very excited about this partnership with Emote Games.” said Christofer Sundberg, Avalanche Founder & Creative Director . “The PARTICIPATE platform opens the door to a new level of gaming which offers a deeper and more enhanced game experience. The Avalanche technology complements this new genre of gaming by combining the social gaming attributes of PARTICIPATE with our real world landscape architecture to create an amazing life like social gaming experience”.

Emote expects to launch its first social gaming title in Q3 with further games both branded and propriety expected towards the end of 2008.

Fox Electronics' New TCXO/VCTCXO Series Offers Stratum III Stability Performance Ideal for Telecom Network Applications

Fort Myers, Fla. April 7, 2008 - Fox Electronics, America's leading supplier of frequency control solutions, has recently developed the new FOX331, HCMOS, TCXO/VCTCXO series featuring Stratum III stability. The series is designed to comply with the Telcordia GR 1244 specification, requiring a daily stability of 0.37 PPM and a frequency stability of less than 4.6 PPM for 20 years.

Featuring a small profile of 7.0 mm L x 5.0 mm H x 2.0 mm W as well as 3.3 V operation, this oscillator family is ideal for telecom network applications including data and voice transfer, base stations, telecom infrastructure and network synchronization.

Fox's new oscillator series is available in frequencies of 10 MHz to 20 MHz and offers an overall frequency stability of ±4.6 PPM as well as ±0.28 PPM over a temperature range of -20ºC to +70ºC and ±0.37 PPM over a temperature range of -40ºC to +85ºC. These TXCO/VCTCXOs feature a storage temperature range of -55°C to +125°C.

In addition, the oscillators offer a phase noise of -120 dBc/Hz at an offset of 100 Hz, -140 dBc/Hz at an offset of 1 kHz and of -148 dBc/Hz at an offset of 10 kHz. The series has a source current (IOH) and a sink current (IOL) of 6 mA. Input current (IDD) is 6 mA.

The RoHS-compliant FOX311 TCXO/VCTCXOs are packaged on tape and reel and are available for low volume programs.

Pricing for a FOX331E-19.44MHz is $19.95 in quantities of 10Kpcs. Delivery is 8 weeks ARO.

For more information, please visit (http://www.foxonline.com/tcxoindx.htm ) or contact Customer Service, Fox Electronics, 5570 Enterprise Parkway, Fort Myers, Fla. 33905. Tel: 888-GET-2-FOX; Fax: 239-693-1554; E-mail: www.foxonline.com/email.htm ; Web: www.foxonline.com.

For an electronic copy, please visit http://www.simongroup.com/PressRoom/WordDocs/fox/FOX-A-3599.doc

For high res photo, please visit http://www.simongroup.com/PressRoom/Images/fox/FOX-A-3599.jpg

For additional news releases from Fox Electronics, please visit http://www.simongroup.com/PressRoom/fox.html

READER SERVICE INQUIRIES: Please forward all reader service inquiries to Customer Service, Fox Electronics, 5570 Enterprise Parkway, Fort Myers, Fla. 33905

ABOUT THEAUTHOR

Fox Electronics is America's leading supplier of standard and custom frequency control products, including the industry's broadest line of crystals, oscillators, VCXOs, TCXOs, OCXOs and crystal filters. The company, headquartered in Fort Myers, Fla., has facilities, representatives and distributors throughout the world.

Benefits and Disadvantages of Windows Vista 64-bit

In my last few articles about Microsoft Windows Vista and XP in 32-bit and 64-bit version, I analyzed what are the differences between Vista 64-bit and all other Windows operation systems in 32-bit extension. Now I like to write a complete review about Windows Vista 64-bit and its Benefits and Disadvantages.

I was writing about system administration in Windows Vista 64-bit and I thought I should write a review about Windows Vista x64. It is very important for everyone who would like to switch from Windows 32-bit to a Vista 64-bit. It is very confusing because people are talking different about their experiences with Vista and especially Windows Vista 64 bit.

Since Vista 64-bit launched in January 2007, I took advantage of Windows Vista Ultimate in 32-bit version. In November 2007 I was able to buy a new computer with the newest hardware what support 64-bit extension and after that I climbed to the Windows Vista Ultimate 64-bit.

It was very interesting that I could get my Vista 64-bit Ultimate for just $15. Microsoft has published a websites for Windows Vista 64-bit. If you own a Microsoft Windows Vista 32-bit then you can order your Vista Ultimate for free. It costs only few dollars for shipping and I tell you, if you have a Vista 32-bit license then you should do that, because Microsoft won't do that for ever.

Ok I was talking about my Windows Vista 64-bit. Everything is better and faster since I am using Vista 64-bit. Before I get my own Vista 64-bit, I had heard and read that there are 64-bit operation systems and in the future we will have more and more. If you have a 64er AMD Athlon processor family then everything will goes rapidly faster with Vista 64-bit. Even with the reliability, it is much better than Vista 32-bit. Previously, my Vista 32-bit obtained only 6.58 points in the reliability monitoring. Since I use my Vista 64-bit version the reliability has increased to 9.83 and I get less error than ever before.

Also the most 32-bit software and applications run under Vista 64-bit. And right now we are going to get more and more applications in 64 bit version. Adobe is going to publish all its products in 64-bit too. It may come in this year but latest in the next year we will have all Adobe products in 64-bit. Actually all 32-bit Adobe applications like Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Acrobat, Adobe Flash Pro, Adobe Dreamweaver and etc. are running under Vista 64-bit without any issues.

But first and foremost is to see that a 64bit operating system like Vista 64-bit is stable and works reliable because of the 64bit architecture. I still can remember I could make many problems with my Windows XP and Vista 32bit after I accidentally clicked on OK in an error or installation message. It is not anymore the same process with Windows Vista 64-bit. You could click on OK accidentally but if that running application could make problems for your Vista 64-bit, then Vista 64-bit blocks and stops it automatically without any problems and crashes.

All these security and reliability come because of the digital signature. Every single hardware and software developer and producer has to send application to get the digital certificate by Microsoft. If your application has that certificate then you can install it and if not you can forget it because Windows Vista 64-bit doesn't install applications, drivers, and software without digital signature. If you own any exotic hardware you cannot use it any more when you cannot find any 64-bit driver for your exotic hardware.

But I can tell you it is worth it. Almost 32-bit applications are running with Windows Vista 64-bit because of integrated 32-bit emulator in Vista 64bit. It maybe doesn't bring %100 performance but it will bring you more security and stability.

I have tested Service Pack 1 (SP1) for Windows Vista 64-bit. It doesn't bring more performance but Microsoft has fix many issues, bugs and problems. And it is brings more compatibility with hardware and software. If you are a Vista 64-bit user then you should install SP1 after Microsoft publishes the final release in the next few weeks.

In last 15-20 years we have had only operation systems with 32-bit extension. In these years all hardware and software developers have been concentrating on 32-bit systems. That is the reason what Vista 32-bit is more compatible with hardware and software than Vista 64-bit. Because of that reason you may believe that Windows Vista 32-bit is better than Vista 64-bit. Yes I can say you are right but Microsoft Windows Vista 64-bit and any other operation system in 64-bit version will be the future. It is better to change sooner than later.

At the end of my article I would say that you cannot make your old car faster with ultimate gas. It may be good for your engine and you will maybe drive your car few more years because the ultimate gas is more reliable but it doesn't give you any performance. If you are looking for the ultimate performance with Vista 64-bit then you should upgrade your hardware.

Conclusion:

1-Conversion worthwhile only with real 64bit hardware. 2-Benefits of Vista 64-bit: Faster than Vista 32bit, more security, more stable, more reliability 3-Disadvantages of Vista 64-bit: Hardware and Software compatibility