Categories
Apps And Gadgets

Simplify Your Life With New Windows 7 Gadgets

If you’ve ever used one of the modern smartphones, you will know that the programs used on them are known as apps. There are, however, similar programs you can get for your computer, and for the latest Microsoft operating system; these are known as the Windows 7 Gadgets.

Some of these gadgets are simply designed to be fun little programs, while others can be very useful and cut out a lot of work with a very simple solution. So in this article, we’ll have another look at what you can do with Windows 7 Gadgets.

Organizer Gadgets

Many of the gadgets that you can look at will be little programs that help you to organize things, such as a calendar or a program that will allow you to see upcoming meetings which is synchronized from your diary organizer program.

Weather Gadgets

One of the most popular areas of windows 7 gadgets that are available are those that can give you up-to-date information about the weather in your location, and for the forecast over the coming hours or days.
These gadgets are among the ones that you need to be connected to the internet in order to use them, as they are reliant on online feeds to supply the information that is used in the display.

Facebook and Twitter Gadgets

Some of the most numerous gadgets available for your computer are those that will automatically connect to your Facebook and twitter accounts, and will then display some of the information in a small display on your desktop.

The obvious benefits of not having to open up a browser window in order to see any updates from these feeds mean you can continue working while still being able to see any new updates on these windows 7 gadgets.

Computer Monitoring Gadgets

One of the areas where you have almost limitless options in terms of the windows 7 gadgets you can use is those that actively monitor the performance of your computer. These will be particularly of interest to you if you are a gamer or run system-intensive programs, and like to keep an eye on the performance of your computer.

The information that these gadgets display can vary from the temperature of certain parts of your computer going to the percentage of capacity that various areas of your computer, such as the CPU and the RAM that the computer, is using at the time. Some of these windows 7 gadgets will also be able to be set so that they can display a log of the recent usage of these areas of your computer.

Fun Gadgets

Although many of the windows 7 gadgets which are available are serious or useful in their application, there are also plenty of fun gadgets which can be an interesting distraction from whatever you’re doing.

From the slideshow and picture puzzle which are included with the OS, there are plenty of other windows 7 gadgets that you can use to kill time, such as those that include a sudoku puzzle or a small skill game.

Categories
Internet

How to Learn More About Internet Home Business Success Stories

Internet home businesses are extremely popular these days and their popularity continues to grow. Individuals are expressing an interest in this type of home based work as it provides them with a certain level of freedom that a normal 9 to 5 job may not provide them. They can work from home, stay home with their children, avoid long commutes and be their own boss. When considering these aspects, it is easy to see why this type of work is such a popular choice. For those who wish to learn more about internet home business success stories as they contemplate getting involved in this line of work, there are a few places where such stories can be found.

Read Internet Home Business Success Stories on the Internet

The Internet is a wealth of knowledge just waiting for interested parties to take advantage thereof. There are many websites, forums and chat rooms which detail this type of home based business and provide an avenue in which internet home business owners can chat with one another and perhaps pick up good tips as well. Internet home business success stories are also readily available on websites relating to this topic and one is sure to find a number of stories to bide their time with.

Purchase Internet Home Business Books

Books which relate to internet home businesses are also continuing to grow in number. Since more and more individuals are starting their own home businesses online, there are more individuals who are writing books about the subject and detailing their success stories relating to such. Internet home business books are beneficial for a few different reasons.

One who reads internet home business books will find that these books describe the home based business for the reader. This will provide the reader with valuable information as to running an internet home business. Also, online home business books are beneficial as they provide success stories for the reader. These types of success stories are ones which will provide the reader with the confidence that they too can start up and run a successful internet home business. One will find a large variety of books which detail home businesses online as well as internet home business success stories.

Friends and Family Members

Lastly, internet home business success stories can be gained from friends and family members as well. Since home businesses online are so popular, one may know someone close to them who runs an internet home business and they can listen to the success stories told by these individuals. Internet home business success stories provided by friends and family members are quite valuable as they are coming from a trusted source and many times the individual inquiring about such stories have seen the success stories personally.

Categories
Software

What Is Open Source Software and What Are Its Advantages?

Open source software is available under a software license that allows users to access the source code and edit it according to their requirements thus offering the ability to customize the software for different purposes. The software license protects the right of the user to edit and modify it in any way he wants. This characteristic is the prominent difference between open source software and closed source software model. The closed source model allows only the creator of the application to access and modify the software in any way.

Some of the advantages of open source software are mentioned below:

Customization: As discussed above, the ability to customize the software according to the requirements is the prime difference between open source and closed source model. The option of customizing the software allows developers to create a solution that specifically targets the requirements of their clients. Organizations and enterprises can extract the maximum benefits from this feature as they can get customized solutions for managing their day to day activities.

Freely Available: One of the other great advantages of using this technology is that it is usually available for free. Users just need to download the software from internet and start using it. This allows the user to utilize the saved resources for software enhancement and other activities. This also helps in reducing the overall cost of the project.

Support: Usually such popular software are supported by a large community of software developers who are always available online and help out developers who face problems while developing solutions. These software usually come along with a well formulated documentation that is very helpful while setting up and working on the software.

Availability of Resources: A successful software is always in demand therefore almost all the software development companies offer skilled resources who can utilize these software for creating a meaningful and useful solution for client. The developers also need to keep themselves informed and updated with latest and popular technologies if they want to survive in the tough job environment.

Enterprise Management Solutions: Each and every business is different with other businesses in some or the other way. This also implies that their problems and requirements are different just like the solutions required for them. It is almost impossible to make a software that will completely fulfill the requirements of any one type of business. However, open source software can be customized according to the business specific requirements of the client to create a solution that can fulfill the requirements of a particular business organization.

Currently there are numerous open source softwares available over the internet and can be freely downloaded. Some of the famous Open Source web technologies are Joomla, WordPress, Magento, Ruby on Rails, PHP, Java etc. These technologies along with numerous other OS technologies allow the developers all over the world to create client oriented solutions that are flexible and reliable. The OS technology is a boon for web developers who are usually working on stringent budgets and need cost effective platforms for developing and delivering quick and useful solutions to their clients.

Categories
Software

Make Hip Hop Beats With Today’s Music Software

Just about every hip hop artist makes their beats using music software these days and with good reason – it’s dead easy and super fast. You can make full tracks with good software from just a few clicks of your mouse button. Now everyone can easily make their own music and unleash their inner talents.

It’s all to common to see and hear young teens and even kids as young as 8 years old making very good music using software right from their home computer. Now days, there is no need to spend thousands of dollars on studio gear, expensive instruments and hardware to make a good tune. Software is the way to go and it’s only getting better.

What To Look For When Buying Music Software

If you’re making hip hop, techno, dance, reggae or rap beats you’re going to need some beat making software that comes with a sequencer, a drum machine panel, a 4 octave keyboard and a bunch of sound kits and effects.Good software will have all this already built-in.

You should be able to also install the software locally on your computer or mac. Don’t use online beat making software because there is just way to many things that can go wrong. Make sure you can download the actual software then install it on your machine.

Another thing to look for when buying music software is to make sure there is some good tutorials or a manual on how to use it. There is nothing worse than trying to figure out everything by yourself because chances are you will just give up or get frustrated.

If you’re buying the software online, be sure the company or site offers a money back guarantee. Most sites do, however there are some sites that don’t. If you do not like the software or if it just does not suit your needs – ask for a refund.

Do I Need A Super Computer To Use Music Software?

No, well it all depends on the software you buy but most computers these days will run music software with ease. Even cheap notebooks and laptops will run software with no problems. Of course the faster your computer, the faster the software will run but you won’t need a super computer.

Always be sure to check the system requirements of the software to avoid buying something that is not compatible with your computer. Most of the time you can download any plugins that are needed for free and most computers these days have everything you need installed.

What Are Some Good Beat Beat Making Software?

Check out Beat Maker Software for a list of the best beat making software. They list and review all the popular beat makers. That way you can read what others say about the software before buying anything.

Categories
Computer

Save Money With Preventive Computer Care

In the modern world, computers are an everyday part and parcel of life. Computers need special care and attention in order for them to operate efficiently and function much safely. You need to follow some basic guidelines for maintaining your computer tools and keep them perfect for performing better. This in turn will save you money and you needn’t hire a computer expert to fix the issues.

Always keep your computer equipment far from direct sunlight in order to prevent overheating. Even direct exposure to humidity or water can damage the system. Do clean and dust your computer equipment periodically. Electrical surge damage to your computer can be prevented by using surge protectors. In order to prevent anti-static damage to your computer, do keep an anti-static mat in the place where you are operating it. For saving your investment and keep your computer running smoothly, do clean the system’s interior twice in a year.

On the other hand, never have the habit of drinking or eating while operating your system. It is to be noted that food crumbs can easily cause damage to your keyboard. You shouldn’t keep an open container containing water or cool drinks on the computer desk. Any spillage by accident can cause an electrical shock. Do have the habit of washing your hands before using your system as sticky or dirty hand

If you wish your computer to give years of reliable function then regular basic computer maintenance should be done. Do take the help of an authorized technician or a certified technician for doing this particular task. In case of any doubt, take the help of user guide. You can use specific chemicals to clean system monitors. It helps in removing the smudges and finger prints from the system. A clear and clean screen monitor is better for your eyes. It is better to use a vacuum cleaner specifically a computer based small one for removing dirt and debris from the keyboard. It is highly advised not to use any liquid for cleaning the keyboard. You should also regularly remove the grime and dust from the computer’s case and computer’s case vents.

In the open market, there are fresher and experienced computer technicians who charge moderate to high rate per visit to repair computers at home and office. On the other hand, there are quite a few so-called computer technicians who further spoil the computer or remove the original spare parts from the computer in the name of repair. So do take care of your computer by following the basic maintenance tips.

Categories
Computer

How Computers Have Changed Our Lives

Thinking about life without computers seems simply impossible now. They have invaded our lives, be it on social or business scale. From the time they were invented to now, computers have given the world a great boost in advancements of technologies and businesses. Imagine if we did not have computers, you wouldn’t even be reading this article now. Along with computers, internet has aided to the developments in technology. From the vending machine that served you your coffee this morning to the elevator you took to the office level just now, they all make use of some computer technology. You probably cannot think of a day when you did not make use of some form of computer technology.

Not only can modern computers process data in a fraction of a second but also store great amounts of data in a very small space. Many people may argue that computers have killed physical interaction between people but this may not be totally true. Although to a certain extent, with the internet aiding computers, it may be true but the advantages that computers offer far outweigh the disadvantages. The internet allows a user to access information from anywhere in the world, which gave birth the world as we know it today. Half a century ago a person would not know much about the other cultures besides those in their country or vicinity. But with the internet and computers, we can attain any form of information from any part of the world. The world seems like a much smaller place with the internet and computers.

Computers are used in businesses worldwide from doing tasks such as simple calculations to interaction between workers. Business would never have been this advanced if computers had not been invented. The world would have been a much less developed place without computers. Companies worldwide can interact and do business with other companies as well as customers from any part of the world by simply sitting in front of their computer. Company data can be stored in computers; information can be transferred easily and files can be shared instantaneously between people who can be sitting miles apart.

As the internet came about, so did social networking websites. These sites such as Facebook help you keep in contact with your friends whom you might not be able to see that often or those who live in another country. Before the computer or internet, one could only interact with people who were physically around him or her and their knowledge about the world was limited. Computers have opened resources that allow you to attain never-ending flow of information. You can learn about other cultures from social networking sites, make friends from countries you might never have known existed and even share files with each other.

Computer systems have been modified and can now be found even in mobile phones which make connecting with the world a lot easier. Also the amount of paper used in the world has been reduced due to the fact that most work can be done in documents in computers and shared via email or other means. The number of advantages that computers offer is unlimited. It’s no doubt that computers have become an important part of our lives.

Categories
Computer

How Can You Tell You Have a Computer Virus?

First thing to do is check for common problems associated with a virus infection

Go to Start > Settings > Control Panel > Security Center or Start > Control Panel > Security Center (for users not using the classic start menu). You can alternatively click on the Start button and type in “check security status”. The security Action Center will appear. Under the “Security” section make sure all options are turned ON and that Internet Security Settings is “OK”. If these settings are not On or OK that’s your first indication your computer could be infected. Next, check to see if you are currently running or already have a virus protection software package installed on your computer. Click the Start Menu and in the Search box start typing in names of common antivirus software programs.

Next, Go to Start and in the Search box type in “MRT”. A box will launch labeled “Microsoft Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool”. Perform a scan with this Windows utility to determine whether you have a computer virus of not. However, this tool is not 100% accurate. There are some viruses that are savy enough to avoid Windows detection and after a Windows scan you will get a result of “No maclicious software was detected” instead of the name of the virus.

Computer Symptoms: TellTale Signs Your Computer is Infected

Since not every Windows virus detection tool can spot an active virus on your machine, the best way to tell if you have a virus is to look for telltale signs you are infected. One such way is by testing your computer’s speed. Many viruses will attempt to slow down your software and the hardware itself. Is your PC slower than usual? Do applications take a long time to load or respond? Does your system take a long time booting up?

Does your computer reboot or shut down without warning? Does it crash often? Then you could have a virus. Do you try to launch software only to have it fail to open or crash unexpectedly? Do you get strange error messages on your PC. Does your browser fail to open or all of a sudden goes to a website upon launch you have never seen or been to before? If you try to type on your keyboard, does it type what you input correctly? Does your cursor jump to different parts of the screen unexpectedly?

What Is The Nature of a Computer Virus?

People build computer viruses typically for a couple of reasons.

1. 1st, is to slow down your PC or make it as unusable as possible. This is accompanied by what would appear to be notification from some software you don’t remember you installed, explaining that you have a virus and you must pay (typically a very large amount of money) in order to have it removed This “Software” is part of the virus and is designed to allow you to believe that it is a tool that will cure your computer. It is designed so you pay the money to “download” the antivirus software and then the software will fix your computer. This usually does not get rid of the software and the computer owner is usually out a hundred dollars or more.

2. Secondly, a lot of computer viruses are designed for the developer to be able to remotely control your computer or search out and report back valuable information. There exists a number of different types of viruses which search out credit card and bank account information and report that information back to the virus developers. Some viruses also allow virus makers to actually remote into a computer so they can snoop around or watch all of the moves a computer owner is making. This gives the virus makers the ability to get as much valuable information about you as possible to assist in blackmailing or simply stealing your money or assets.

Do You Think Your Computer Might Be Infected?

If you think your computer might be infected, it’s best to go to a reputable website, if your browser works, and run a free virus scan. We recommend using the free virus scanner. In our tests scanners had the highest success rate at identifying rogues, viruses, trojan horses, worms and all other malicious types of infections. If your internet browser is not working, then it is best to try to do a system restore. Pop in your Windows Install DVD and attempt to reinstall your operating. Be careful not to overwrite all your important files and applications. From the Windows DVD it is possible to choose to simply reinstall all system files and the Windows OS. You may lose some of your settings but this is a much better option than losing all your files.

We do not recommend trying to fix your computer yourself. The best way to get rid of computer viruses is to go to a website designed to professionally scan your PC or call a service which can remote into your machine and check your system for viruses for you. Expert techs will assess exactly what infection a computer has and they are professionals at eliminating all traces of the virus without having to resort to reinstalling your operating system.

Whatever action you end up doing it is extremely important to get rid of that nasty computer virus as soon as you can. Each day that passes makes you more and more susceptible to have your and your loved one’s personal and financial information stolen. Good luck.

Categories
Cell Phones

Five Reasons to Have Your Cell Phone Repaired

In today’s world people tend to throw away items that have become broken than to fix them. We seem to think that replacing this item will somehow be cheaper, and easier than fixing it. The truth is replacing your device is a lot more expensive than having it repaired. In this article I may refer to the iPhone in my top five reasons only because it is one of the most popular cell phones on the market today. So why should you get your cell phone repaired instead of tossing it in the trash?

Cost: When you look at the cost of buying a new cell phone out of contract, this may cost you more than $500 dollars. When you look at iPhone screen replacement you may be looking to spend $30 to $130 depending on the solution you choose. If you choose to replace your screen yourself, you can purchase them off of the internet for around $30. If you choose to have a cell phone repair professional replace your iPhone screen, then you could spend $130 dollars or less depending upon the company. Taking this route could save you $400 dollars!

The Environment: Cell phones in general are not bio-degradable. This isn’t good for the environment or the animals that live in the landfills. Lithium ion batteries can explode causing fires, and cause even more damage to our environment. It is always a good idea to take your unwanted cell phone to someone who recycles them, or will re purpose your cell phone. I took an old Motorola Droid X and installed forensics software on it so I could have a mobile cyber forensics device.

Helping the Economy: Most cell phone repair shops are small businesses, and employ local people. If you choose to have your iPhone serviced by a professional then you could be helping put money back in your local economy. You local Sprint store may be local, but they are a corporation and a smaller percentage of the money you spend with them is kept in your local area. Your also helping a local business keep it’s doors open which is another reason to choose this option.

Speed: If your in a hurry to have that hand-held device of yours repaired most local shops can have your phone back to you within an hour. This is great for those of us who are always in a rush to get things done. Even if there is no repair shop in your area, most of these hand held device specialist can have your phone phone repaired within 24 hours. Being without your phone is no fun, but it will still save you money in the long run.

Security: Since you will be keeping your device by having it repaired, you won’t have to worry about losing data or having to erase data off of your device. A lot of people don’t realize that when you erase your data by resetting your phone the information is still there. You would need to purchase a special program that will erase all of that data off of your phone in order for it to permanently be erased from the phones memory.

All of these reasons tie together and really open your eyes on the importance of repairing you hand held devices. I’m not saying that you should keep them forever, but technology isn’t moving that fast in the cell phone market. Your camera, speed, and software on your device is not going to change much over the next year or two. Upgrading your cell phone whenever the newest and greatest model comes out will leave your pockets empty. Repairing your device is great for so many reasons besides saving you money. Think about this the next time you break your cell phone!

Categories
Cell Phones

Deciding Which Cell Phone Is Right for You

It is very important to carefully research cell phones before signing an agreement with a cell phone company. Generally companies require a two year agreement, and you will be unable to change phones without paying an exorbitant price during that time period. There are several things you should consider before making your decision.

One important feature for many people is the on-board camera. In recent years, the cameras in cell phones have greatly improved and take excellent pictures, often as good as stand-alone cameras.

If the ability to take quality photos with your phone is important to you then it is imperative to do research on the cell phone cameras in your price range. Storage space for your photos is also a factor that you should consider, though you can usually add a mini-SD card for expanded storage or send your photos to a cloud application.

One of the most important things to consider is whether or not the device you’ll get with your plan has a warranty. Depending on your lifestyle and the durability of the device you’re looking at, this can actually be a very important thing to consider.

People who are very active and spend a lot of time outdoors tend to be rougher on their telephone equipment, and failing to have an insurance plan can be a costly mistake. It is very easy to get caught in the rain and ruin your cell phone. Dropping your phone can also damage it, or at the very least result in a cracked screen which can be a costly repair

A very important feature to look at is the keyboard. You will want to take into consideration how much typing you do on your phone. Do you answer a large quantity of emails on your phone? Do you text a lot?

If you answered yes to those two questions, you may want to purchase a cell phone with a QWERTY keyboard that slides out or a BlackBerry style phone with the full keyboard below the screen. If you use your phone strictly for spoken calls then you will probably be happy with a standard keyboard or an on-screen touch keyboard.

Battery life varies greatly among devices. You will need to decide how much you will be using your phone and how much battery life you will need. The last thing anyone wants is to have their battery go dead during an important call or in the middle of the day when they need it the most.

Most phones have a long battery life in standby mode, but quickly use battery power when making calls or surfing the internet, which is referred to as talk time. If you will not be able to charge the battery often you will need a phone with a long talk time. Some people even buy an extra battery for their phones if they routinely find themselves unable to charge their phone. You will also need to consider buying charging accessories such as a car charger or backup battery device.

You will also need to decide how important it will be for you to access the internet on your cell phone. If you will be using your phone to surf the internet, you will want to choose a smart phone and will have to consider such features as the ability to talk on the phone at the same time you are surfing. Such devices tend to be more expensive than a basic cell phone and the smart phone plans also have additional fees.

Signing a cell phone contract is a major commitment and it is crucial that you have done your homework and chosen the best phone and service plan for your needs. Now that you are familiar with the basics, you are ready to begin researching phones.

At the end of the day it’s all about what you need your phone to do and what you need to protect it from. Check out all the options available, do your research, and choose based on what you need rather than what looks the prettiest.

Categories
Apps And Gadgets

The Best iPhone Apps to Keep You Healthy

Tech experts have declared the iPhone as a gadget that revolutionized the way we use our mobile phones. For although this device is basically a cellphone, its apps have made it go beyond that. The best iPhone apps do not just amuse us the way we used to be with the built-in games that came with our old cellphones, but also help us do our tasks more efficiently.

There are even iPhone apps that can keep us healthy. Here are some of the best iPhone apps that users who are also health buffs must have.

Absolute Fitness

Absolute Fitness is an iPhone app that can help you keep track of your daily diet and exercise routines in your attempt to keep fit and healthy. The way it works is that you put in the food you ate in a day, as well as the amount and type of exercise that you did for that day.

After supplying this iPhone app with the required data, including personal data such as height, weight and age, Absolute Fitness will then generate figures that reflect your nutritional intake and the calories you have burned. All in all, Absolute Fitness is a good iPhone app that will help you become aware of your personal habits that will keep you healthy.

Brain Challenge

Exercise should not just involve the body but also the brain. In short, our brain also needs to be jogged every day. The best iPhone app for this purpose is Brain Challenge.

Brain Challenge is a set of games that present mathematical, visual, logical, and memory puzzles. They are easy to play, educational, and features a progression in difficulty that will keep you entertained as well.

Epocrates

Although Epocrates is mainly geared for the use of physicians, it is a nifty iPhone app for finding information about a certain drug. At a single glance, Epocrates tells the physician using it concise data about the drug they are looking at, the proper dosage by which it should be given to patients, side effects of the drug, any other allergic reactions that a patient might have in taking that drug, and other data.

Pedometer

Moving around, even with just walking, helps a lot in promoting health. Medical experts claim that we should take around 10,000 steps every day to keep healthy. Because we definitely cannot count our steps without stumbling over the numbers or simply losing track, Pedometer is an iPhone app that can count our steps for us.

Restaurant Nutrition

For many people, eating out is the only option to get a bite to eat, especially when they are on the go. Restaurant Nutrition is an iPhone app that serves as a restaurant locator as well as a measure of how nutritious the food you will be ordering is, whether it is for dine-in or for takeout. You can also keep track of the food you have eaten through the course of the day and keep track of your eating habits when you are not at home.

The apps that you will find on the iPhone are not just the usual software that you will find on a mobile phone. They serve many purposes; including helping us take care of ourselves.