Russian Search Giant Acquires Apple Maps API

Like a slowly deteriorating relationship, Apple is slowly severing its ties with Google's mobile apps by building new relationships with other third-party app developers around the globe. Lately, Apple has particularly warmed up to Russia's major search engine, Yandex, and the two companies are now working together to bring forth an even more major change: replacing Google as the default search engine in mobile Safari with Yandex on Russian iPhones.

iMessage Service Goes Down

Did you experience any iMessage outages this weekend? Apparently it's been widespread. The Next Web reports that hundreds of disgruntled users have complained on Twitter that iMessage has not been sending messages. While Apple's mentioned no problems so far, Next Web staffers have noticed some interruption of service on their own iPhones, and even I had trouble sending a text message this morning from my iPhone 4S, via Verizon Wireless.

Apple's Stock Prices Shoot Through the Roof

Hot off the coat tails of 2 Million iPhone 5 pre-orders, Apple's stock price broke the $700 barrier for the first time today in after-hours trading. MacRumors reports that Apple's stock has risen a meteoric 65% in the last nine months, rising more than $270 a share. This is the biggest increase Apple has seen, and now the company is worth a whopping $650 billion, beating out Google and ExxonMobil to the punch.

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CD ripper software

What it is CD ripper?

CD ripper software opens up a whole new world of opportunities in how you listen to music. With CD ripper software, you can take audio CD tracks and place them into audio files on your computer. These audio tracks can be saved as WAV, MP3, OGG, or WMA audio files. The term “ripping” is used to describe this process.

Newer, more advanced CD ripper software is also available that allows you to convert back and forth between these formats. In fact, some CD ripper software is now available that can record vinyl LP’s and cassettes to create WAV, MP3, OGG, or WMA audio files.

Where to get it.

A variety of CD ripper software is available online. Simply typing “CD ripper” into any search engine will bring up a wide variety of available CD ripper software. Most CD ripper software is extremely user friendly and offers a variety of options, but you should do some searching and comparing before deciding which CD ripper software is best for you.

What to look for.

Every type of CD ripper software had its own style and interface. Make sure the CD ripper software you choose is easy to use and to understand. It doesn’t matter how great the software is if you can’t utilize it to its fullest!

When exploring CD ripper software options, be sure to also check out the software’s editing abilities. With most CD ripper software programs, you can select the output format for you music. This includes the bitrate, channels, and frequency. The best CD ripper software will create high quality files by digitally matching the audio bit for bit.

Quality CD ripper software will also tag the encoded audio files with metadata. The metadata contains information about the artist, track number, song title, and album title. This will automatically be input into the WAV, MP3, OGG, or WMA audio file. Some CD ripper software programs will even search online for pictures of album covers and insert this as a thumbnail image next to the file.

Another perk to some CD ripper software is the ability to delete the silence at the beginning or end of tracks. Yet other CD ripper software programs will allow you to edit the songs themselves, giving you full control of the sound provided by your WAV, MP3, OGG, or WMA audio file.

For those traditionalists who still enjoy listening to their music from a CD, a CD ripper can be used to select your favorite songs to create a mixed CD. In fact, some CD rippers will allow you to rip audio tracks directly from a CD and burn them to a new CD, without ever having to save them as a new audio file.

With thousands of people ripping CD’s every day, CD ripping is definitely the wave of the future, and the best choice for music lovers everywhere. Why keep your music stationary on older format CDROMS, when you can rip the music, put it into your favorite mp3 player, and listen on the go?

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Windows XP System Tools

Well, we all have been there. We turn on our computer (boot up) getting ready to type that school report, or business presentation and guess what, our computer just does not want to work today. Whether it's the word processor, spreadsheet, or financial package that isn't working, most people do not know that Microsoft Windows XP has a built in feature that just may come and save the day. That feature is called "System Restore."

Basically, System Restore is like a little hound that runs behind the scenes taking "snapshots" of various parts of the Microsoft Windows XP operating system. So, if a part of Microsoft Windows XP stops working one day, the System Restore utility is able to reference one of the "snapshots" it took and restore your system from a previous day (a day when your computer worked). It's kind of like going back in time to a day when your computer worked. All your current data (Microsoft Word files, etc.) are still retained, so you don't have to worry about losing any present day files.

In order to restore your computer just follow these simple steps:

1. Close any open programs.
2. Click on the Windows "Start" button (normally located on the bottom of your computer desktop)
3. Click on "All Programs"
4. Click on "Accessories"
5. Click on "System Tools"
6. Then click on "System Restore"
7. At this point the System Restore wizard will launch. You will have two options:

          a. "Restore my system from an earlier date"
          b. "Create a system restore point"

If you just need to restore your system and get it working correctly again, just select option "a" and click "Next."

8. On this screen you can select a date from the calendar that you would like to try and restore from. So, if you knew that your computer worked fine two days ago, just pick that date on the calendar and click "Next."
9. The next screen is the confirmation window. Just verify the information on the screen and click "Next." Windows XP will then reboot and try to restore your system with the settings from the date you selected.

The System Restore process can take anywhere from 10 to 30 minutes depending on how much reconfiguration Windows XP needs to do and how fast of a PC you have. When System Restore is done, a screen will popup with the results of the restore. If it was successful, you can then log into the system and start using the computer again. Any quirky issues that you were having are now hopefully gone.

Now, on step 7b above, I mentioned the "Create a system restore point" option. This option is for when you want to force Windows XP to take a snapshot of your system just before you install a program or alter any system settings that you are not sure of. It is like a safety net for when you install any internet programs (sometimes riddled with spyware) or system drivers (video, audio, etc). If you want to revert back to a virgin state just create a restore point "before" installing any software. This way, if your machine starts acting weird, you can just restore your settings from the selected point.

With a little practice, the System Restore utility is easy to use and a great way to help ensure the safety of your computer.

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MPEG encoder for burning DVDs

MPEG, or Moving Picture Experts Group, is a jointly working group comprised of the International Standards Organization and International Electro-Technical Commission (ISO/IEC) to standardize the coding of moving pictures and the associated audio in a digital compressed format.
MPEG-2 uses very sophisticated compression techniques to compress audio and video in order for it to be burned on a DVD. You can purchase and download hardware and software MPEG Encoders to burn a DVD. 

MPEG-2 is the process needed to encode video and audio information for a DVD burner, by burning the information onto a DVD disc with time stamps. The process of an MPEG encoder for burning DVDs is done using codec’s to encode the video and audio and save it in smaller pieces to be transformed into a frequency space and then quantized. 

MPEG-3 is one of the discontinued encoding processes for digital media, and is often confused for MPEG-1 (what we know as MP3). MP3 encoding has quickly become the standard for digitizing music around the world, and listening to it on your computer, laptop or personal MP3 Player. Most people burn mp3 songs to CDROMS, however for digital archiving, some people burn the files to DVD as well.
To burn a DVD, you need a DVD burner, an MPEG Encoder, a blank DVD-R (recordable) disc and the audio and video that you wish to burn onto the DVD-R. 

MPEG Encoders can be bought as hardware or software and downloaded to transform and compress your audio and video file into MPEG format so that it can be burned onto a DVD using a DVD Burner. The process itself is quite complex and took a team of specialists to perfect. However, the process is streamlined where you as the end user are only expected to follow short, simple commands by the software to burn your encoded data. You can search the internet for a suitable MPEG encoder and also for a DVD burner that will best suit your needs. Your local computer shopping store will also have a variety of DVD burners with some expert advice on which products will best work for what information you are looking to encode and burn.
And lastly, when in doubt about which MPEG compression algorithm to use to encode your data, “google” it. Chances are that you are not the only person who has had a question regarding MPEG encoding and DVD Burning. By doing your research early, you can ensure your next burn will go smoothly!

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what is Spyware

Spyware is a "malware" or malicious software that is placed on your computer without your knowledge. This can happen when you visit online web sites offering free downloads of games, when you download videos or music, or any share files, such as when you download that comic e mail from your friend. Spyware programs are piggybacked into your machine at the same time you download a file. Spyware is infecting millions of home computers today.

Spyware tracks your on line computer habits. It knows each site you visit and what you have looked up on that site. Some spyware even tracks each keystroke you make, including every bit of information you fill out on a form, such as name and address, and credit card information when you make a purchase. This has some in the online world worried that this can lead to identity theft and stealing of credit card numbers. Your computer surfing habits and personal information is then sold to businesses. The spyware business is a billion dollar industry, with lots of people getting rich selling your information without your knowledge.

Another problem with spyware is that unless you run anti spyware software often, you don't know that spyware been installed until your computer starts to slow down. By the time your computer slows down due to spyware you could have as many as six or seven different spyware programs running in the background.

You can get rid of spyware by running any of the number of anti-spyware programs available on the market today. Run these programs often. Some suggest that after you run an anti spyware program that you re-boot your computer and run the software again to make sure there are no "ticklers". Ticklers are designed to reinstall spyware.

The best way to avoid spyware is to stay away from downloading freebies. Don't open unsolicited e-mail, delete it before you open it. When downloading any software, even legitimate software programs from the internet read the end users agreement thoroughly. Some of these agreements will state that they are installing spyware type software, and by you downloading their program you are agreeing to let them put spyware on your computer. If you know this then you have the ability to say yes, or no and protect your personal information.

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How Video can be used Effectively Online

A powerful way to convey your communication messages to your audience is to be able to have your promotional video available on your website.
Yet, we have probably all experienced visiting a website and clicking on a video only to have to been irritated that the content is not viewable or that the sound is inaudible. The result is we leave the website in frustration.
So how do you make sure the video content on your website can be watched by your audience? It all boils down to how you want your viewers to access your video file and the level of video quality you want your movie to be played at.
There are two different ways of sharing your video file on the web:

1. Streamable Video

This is where the viewer is able to download sections of your video (otherwise known as "streaming"), while the video is playing. The main benefit of this method is that the user does not have to spend time downloading the complete video before viewing.
There are three major streaming video formats ? RealVideo (RM), QuickTime (MOV) and Windows Media (WMV). These are playable on Real Player, QuickTime Player and Windows Media Player respectively. Windows Media Player is widely available on most PC's, as it is part of Windows Operating System. The other players need to be installed.
The only negative with streamable video is that the quality of the video is dependent upon Internet connection. In addition, it has the annoying habit of dropping video frames because the streaming software has to adjust the data rate based on the speed of your Internet connection, in order to keep playing the video.

2. Download and Play

This is where the viewer needs to download the entire video first, then play it on their video player application. The main advantage is that the video quality is not affected by Internet connection speed.
However, it can take some time for the video to download if the file is large.
So which format do you choose?
In a world where first impressions always count, it is extremely important for companies to appear professional and trustworthy at all times. Marketing videos with poor picture quality are likely to reflect a poor quality company in the mind of the viewer. Consequently, we always recommend the download and play option. This is because it allows for high quality video content to be viewed.
However, as you don't want viewers to give up on downloading your video, we only recommend that short video clips are inserted onto your website.
This means your website users will be able to download a short video at a high quality picture resolution that will portray your company in the best possible way.

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How to Tap Your Own Phone Line

It may seem kind of strange that you would want to know how to tap your own phone line. After all, aren’t phone taps meant to be used on other people? However, there is a definite advantage to having a tap on your own line, as long as you are the one doing the tapping. The best thing you can do, especially if you are fielding some pretty important or incriminating phone calls, is to record them. You can use them for bargaining, or you can use them as evidence that someone is behaving inappropriately.
It is not too hard to learn how to tap your own phone line using simple and relatively inexpensive items that can be picked up from your local electronics store. You will need one Ferrite split core assembly, 75 feet of 28 AWG magnetic coil wire (enameled), one 1/8th inch mini-lug cable (should have tinned ends), and make sure have heat shrink tubing, tie wraps, and electrical tape.
One you have all of these items, it is time to begin learning how to tap your own phone line. Open the core assembly and wind the coil around the end that does not open. There should be roughly 100 turns of coil. You should leave a six inch tail sticking out before you start winding, and then at the end, create a second six inch tail when you clip the wire.
Use fine grit sand paper on the last half inch of the coil wire to remove the enamel. You have to be careful not to break the wire. Slip the tubing over each end of the wire for insulation purposes. Then, solder the ends of the mini phone plug to the coil wire. Use tie wraps to secure the cable to the tap, and insulate solder joints with electrical tape. Slip one (and one only) of the phone conductor circuit through the split core. You can then attach the core to a tape recorder to record all conversations that you wish.
This is a very simple way that you can create your own effective phone tap quickly and inexpensively. Additionally, you have the peace of mind that comes with being able to record conversations because you know how to tap your own phone line.

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How To Install Cable,Dls,And Dialup Modems Fast

When you want to access the Internet,you want to have the fastest Modem connection possible.And  the dialup modem will do if you want just email basic surfing. The faster cable or dsl are a must have for such
internet downloads of large files,super faster web page access,and viewing videos online. Installing your new modem,whether its dialup,dsl, or cable,it can be a breeze when you both make the installation an education experience as well as having fun in the process. For this to happen,you must be prepared with the right equipment.This article has links to videos and photos to help do just that.High speed modems will need an ethernet card in most cases,for example. Let's take a deep down look at what it will take to get a new Internal or External modem up and running in your computer. While we're at it,we will see what it takes to install
a cable or dsl modem as well.These modems are always external but will need a couple for parts in order to get that fast internet speed. 

CONNECT THE MODEM TO THE COMPUTER

When installing your Modem,first right down the serial number for use should you need to contact technical support. External modems are connected to the computer with the RS232 cable.This cable is connected to
the rear of the system at the serial port and the modem itself.Some modems will have this cable as a part of the modem. Internal modems are inserted in an expansion slot on the motherboard,unless its intergrated with the motherboard. Provide power to the external modem with the use of the adapter that with the modem.Internal modems get their power from the expansion slot right on the motherboard. After the modem has been installed,both the external and internal modem must be connected to the analog phone line.Plug one end of the phone cord to the jack labeled Line on the modem and the other into the phone jack.You can then connect your telephone to the phone jack on the modem. 

INSTALL MODEM SOFTWARE

Now you can replace the system unit cover if you are installing an internal modem.And after all peripherals are re-connected to the computer, boot the computer. With external modems,simply turn the computer and modem on.See if the power indicator is on. If you have Windows 98 installed,insert the floppy disk or cdrom containing the device driver into the appropriate drive when the "add new hardware" screen appears.Follow the instructions on the disk to install the device driver. Be sure to read the modem install manual carefully
to be sure all installation procedures were followed. Click on fininsh once Windows find and install the
device driver. Users of Windows XP have an updated list of device drivers which may be present.Its best to use the disk when installing the software.

TEST YOUR NEW MODEM

The device driver allow your modem to talk to your computer.To see if the modem is working,click on
Start,Settings,Control Panel,and click the Modems icon. Read the description of the modem to be sure it
is the one you have. Windows XP users should click on Start,Control Panel,and click the Phone and Modems icon. Then click Modem,Properties,and Diagnostics. Run a Query Modem check to verify your modem
is up and running.

INSTALLING A CABLE OR DSL MODEM

Cable Modems are external and are connected to the computer by a Cat5 Cable.This cables looks like a regular modem data cable but is larger. One end of the Cat5 Cable is inserted into the  rear of the cable modem while the other end is inserted into a Network Interface Card. This NIC card must be installed in an empty adapter slot in the system unit and transfer data between  the computer and modem. With the Cat5 cable connecting the modem and PC together,you must provide the Internet signal to the modem by connecting a coail cable to the modem. This cable provides high speed internet access and may use the same connection as your television. One end of the coaxial cable connects to the modem and the other is connected the cable TV connector. If the connection is being used by the TV,a cable adapter will split the signals and you can use one connector for both your TV and the Internet. DSL Modems also use the NIC card and Cat5 cable. Some DSL modem require device drivers and either a cdrom or diskette should come with the modem. Once you connect to the Internet with a cable or dsl modem,you'll most likely never go back to the slower dialup version. Onthe other hand,you just may want to keep your dialup modem once you realize just how much more you're going to invest when it comes to broadband Internet. Since the choice is yours,learn all you can about all modems,how they work,and how they connect to the world wide web.Your internet experience will grow by leaps and bounds if you do.

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DirecTV and DISH Network - How Do The Two Leading Satellite

DirecTV and DISH Network - How Do The Two Leading Satellite TV Providers Stack Up?

If you live in the U.S. and want satellite TV systems, you have basically two choices.  Yes, there are other providers out there, but for most viewers, DirecTV and DISH Network offer the most choices for the least money, although Pegasus and Voom are fast becoming major contenders in the satellite television industry.  Competition being what it is, both DirecTV and DISH Network offer similar services and constantly adjust to add features and outdo their rivals.  So how do you choose between the two?  A side-by-side comparison of the services and prices shows some differences that help customers decide which service best fits their viewing needs.  But first, a little background on each provider might be helpful.

DirecTV

The company known as The DirecTV Group is made up of four main units, which include DirecTV U.S., DirecTV Latin America, PanAmSat, and Hughes Network Systems (HNS).  As a group, the organization serves over 12 million U.S. satellite TV customers and another 1.5 million subscribers in Latin countries.  Through PanAmSat, they operate a fleet of 25 satellites capable of providing satellite transmissions to 98% of the world.  And Hughes Network Systems operates a satellite-based consumer broadband Internet access service known as DirecWay.  This component of Hughes has over 180,000 subscribers.  HNS is also one of the largest manufacturers of DirecTV set-top receivers.  The four different aspects of The DirecTV Group give the company a large, comprehensive base of direct and indirect satellite customers.  Their partnerships with technology leaders such as AOL, Microsoft, and TiVo also add to their customer base.

There are plans for improving and expanding services in efforts to attract more customers.  Hughes Network Services is developing SPACEWAY, a more advanced satellite broadband communications package that is expected to provide customers with more affordable high-speed, two-way data communications. SPACEWAY is expected to be introduced in 2005.

DirecTV has been actively working to increase the number of markets where they offer local programming.  In January of this year, the company added 18 new markets that will receive local channels via the DirecTV(R) programming service.  By year-end, the company plans to offer local channels in a minimum of 130 markets, representing 92% of U.S. television households.  Continued marketing and development of their HDTV and DVR products will also be a part of their plans to expand their customer base.  Two different basic dish designs and several different manufacturers provide DirecTV consumers with a number of dish options.

DirecTV subscribers have a choice of two basic dish designs for their satellite service.  The round dish is the more common 18" design that has been popular across the country.  The oval dish or low noise blockdown (LNB) dish is able to receive information from more than one satellite and is required for those who want to receive local channels, HDTV, or Spanish language programming.

Popular manufacturers of DirecTV compatible dishes include Hughes, Sony, Phillips, and RCA.  Current DirecTV sales and deals offer the satellite dish and other equipment for free with a one-year commitment.  It could cost anywhere from $50 to over $200 to purchase the DirecTV compatible dish separately.

DISH Network

EchoStar Communications Corporation and their DISH Network service are Hughes Network's top competitors.  Headquartered in Englewood Colorado, EchoStar has been a leader in the satellite TV industry for over 20 years.  The company, founded by Charlie Ergen, began as a distributor of C-band cable television systems and filed for a Direct Broadcast Satellite (DBS) license in 1987.  The company received broadcast access in 1992, launched its own satellite, EchoStar I, in 1995, and introduced DISH Network in 1996.

Today, the company has 9 satellites, and through DISH Network, provides over 500 channels of video, audio, and data satellite services to over 8.5 million customers in the U.S.  In addition to satellite television services, DISH Network customers can also receive high speed Internet, Interactive TV (on demand programming), and High Definition TV (HDTV).

HDTV is EchoStar's latest innovation, which reportedly delivers extraordinarily sharp pictures and integrated sound by digitizing television programming.  Broadcasting all DISH Network programming in wide-screen format and transmitting up to 10 percent more pixels, HDTV provides a clearer more proportionate picture.

In August of 2003, EchoStar was the first company to offer a satellite receiver with a built-in digital video recorder (DVR).  A DISH Network standard DVR receiver allows viewers to stop, rewind, fast forward and record up to 60 hours of live TV programming.  More advanced receivers provide enhanced services.

DISH Network services can be purchased on-line or through a local retailer.  Unlike its competitor, DirecTV, DISH Network offers equipment installation.  This service usually involves a fee, but often is offered at free or reduced rates through special sales promotions.

The equipment needed for DISH Network satellite TV is basically the same as for DirecTV service.  You need a dish, a satellite receiver, and the access cards.  Depending on the type of satellite TV you want, you have several choices for equipment.  Whether you want standard satellite TV or Digital Video Recording (DVR), or High Definition (HD) options, you will need a dish.  Each type of service requires a different dish, but that is determined for you when you choose your package.

A Comparison

So how do the two leading satellite television services compare?  Both offer over 200 channels and Pay Per View selections, DVD recorders, HDTV and seven HD channels each.  But from there, things differ somewhat.  Here's a side-by-side listing of the different packages and the services provided.  Look them over and decide which satellite TV service is best for your budget and viewing needs.

 

>

DIRECTV

>

Dish Network

>

Receiver

>

Included with price plan

>

Free to $149 depending on selection

>

HDTV Receiver

>

$399

>

$449

>

Dish

>

Included

>

Included

>

Lowest price plan

>

$36.99 per month

>

$24.99 per month

>

Highest price plan

>

$87.99 per month

>

$77.99 per month

>

Satellite Internet

>

Yes

>

No

>

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International Telephone Calling Tips

If your business requires overseas communications with suppliers or customers; or if you have a loved one living or traveling abroad; you know that the cost for overseas calls can come as a shock to your budget and cause you heartburn if you think what the future may have in store. Calling rates vary from country to country, so the impact on your telephone bill could be dramatic, but there are a few things that you can do to help lessen the costs in the future.
. Calling Overseas Mobile Devices:
Be very careful when placing telephone calls to mobile devices overseas. There are many overseas carriers that use a "calling party pays" system when calling mobile devices (cell phone, pager, etc.) originating from within the United States. It is entirely possible that the tariff rate for an overseas wireless phone might be considerably higher compared to a call placed to a land-line in the same country. This surcharge is referred to as an "International / Special Services Termination Rate". It should be listed on your carrier's International calling plan rate schedule. U.S. carriers do not have a choice in this matter and it does you no good to complain to your local provider regarding what you may perceive as excessive charges that appear on your telephone bill.
. Direct Dialing or Dialaround:
Depending upon the country you are calling, you may get an overall attractive calling rate by dialing direct; accessing the network by dialing 011 + country code + city code plus the local number. However, you may want to consider using a dialaround service if your local plan charges a high tariff for a country you intend to call regularly. These services are also referred to as a 10-10 number. You do not need to switch long distance carriers to use a dialaround number and it can be used in many foreign countries as well to call home. These services usually have very competitive International rates and can save you considerable sums. Be advised, however, that you will not be able to use a dialaround service if you must dial 8 or 9 to access your dial tone, such as from an office or hotel.
. Operator Assistance To Place Calls:
Never, ever, use an operator to place an International call unless it is an absolute emergency. Obviously for every rule there are exceptions, collect calls, person-to-person and third party billing are examples, but whenever possible dial direct or use a dialaround service. When I first moved to Indonesia several years ago I called my son on his birthday using the local operator and we talked for about an hour. This was before I got into this business. My phone bill was in excess of $100. A dialaround service, which was not available at the time, would have cost me about $15.00 or less.
When using the operator to place your call here are some helpful hints.
The best way to place your call is to dial "0" followed by the number you wish to call, such as 0-123-456-7890. This will help make the connection faster. This method could be less expensive depending upon the carrier.
The standard way is to dial "0" or "00" for International calls and tell the operator the number you wish to call and any special instructions such as collect or person-to-person.
. Prepaid Calling Cards:
Using a prepaid card is yet another way to save money on International calls. Prepaid calling cards are portable and provide some protection against unseemly practices by the telecoms. You need to consider if there are any extra charges for the time and place of your call such as connection fees, maintenance or monthly fee, the billing increment of your call, and expiration date of the card. If you intend to use calling cards on a regular basis then consider a rechargeable card that will not expire.
. Calling FROM a U.S. Based Cell Phone:
There are countless horror stories on the Internet about how much some consumers have been "charged" (ripped off) by cellular providers for International calls. Fortunately, you can save substantial sums of money on these types of calls by planning ahead. You need to look for "stand alone" International calling plans that allow you to dialaround your cellular carrier, essentially bypassing their network for the International part of the call. The stand alone plan provides a substantial discount off the cellular provider's rates for International calls. The best part is that you do not need to change your cellular carrier to use the system. Simply register your cell phone number with the system provider and dial their U.S. access number provided to you before making your International call.
. Placing Your Call:
As mentioned above, if you are dialing direct you would dial: 011 + country code + city code + number. On the other hand, if you are using a dialaround provider, you would dial: 10-1x-xxx + 011 + country code + city code + number. In addition, keep in mind that there are about 20-countries outside of the U.S. where you would just dial 1+ without dialing the 011.
The "10-1x-xxx" represents the specific dialing code for the provider that you have selected. Contact your selected dialaround provider for the exact dialing requirements to access their system.
. Voice over IP (VoIP):
Voice over IP (VoIP) stand for Voice over Internet Protocol and can be a very inexpensive way to handle International calls. You need to have a broadband Internet connection available, such as a DSL or cable connection, and a touch tone phone. Using VoIP can also provide unlimited long distance service as well. Plans can be obtained for about $50.00 or less per month. For more information about VoIP, go to http://www.globalvalueconnect.com/VoIP.htm

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UK Broadband

Ever since August 2000 when BT first launched their broadband internet package, speeds have been increasing and prices have been dropping. The end aim of the UK government and all broadband providers is high-speed internet in every home in Britain.

Broadband is the name given to always-on, high-speed internet. High-speed internet is a connection that runs at 512Kbps or faster. Currently 6 million homes in the UK have a broadband connection, either through ADSL, Cable or LLU, of which 4 million are connected by ADSL.

The fastest commercially available internet connection out there is 8Mbps. With such a fast speed users can download music in seconds, stream live television and be shared between a household of computers so all the family can have a decent internet connection.

Wanadoo Broadband, the main competitor to BT broadband is running a LLU trial over summer 2005. Local Loop Unbundling is currently only used by 1% of households but if trials prove successful Wanadoo could be switching to this instead of BT's ADSL which is really what all other ADSL providers use. LLU is only possible now BT have been forced to surrender their open loop (their network of telephone lines over the country) and will involve Wanadoo installing their own equipment at BT telephone exchanges to by-pass BT's network and onto their own. For the customer this means Wanadoo internet will be cheaper and faster in the not-so-distant future.

BT have 1.7 million people subscribed onto their broadband where Wanadoo have 0.7 million. Other main contenders in the broadband war are Tiscali, Homecall, Pipex and AOL. All offer their own competitive prices. The main Cable provider in the UK is NTL.

Recently many ISP's have been increasing their internet speeds to fight off the competition. The standard ADSL connection at the moment is 2Mbps, with 8Mbps at the high end and 512Kbps at the low. As well as increasing the speed and price ISP's have also been putting up the bandwidth allowances for their customers. Typically your bandwidth allowance may be 3 GB, with 1 GB at the low end and unlimited at the high end.

ISP's implement bandwidth allowances with the increasing popularity of downloading music, TV shows and films from the internet. 1-2 GB is more than enough for normal WebPages and chat room access but limited if you wish to download a lot of music and video files. Since most people download such files illegally it isn't a large problem, but if you accidentally go over your monthly limit you could spend the rest of the month with a limited internet speed or no access at all.

The main complaint of users in the early days of Broadband Britain was accessibility. Many BT exchanges were simply out of date and the phone lines incapable of handling such fast data streams. Today 96.6% of all UK households are within a broadband area and BT is constantly upgrading their existing network, aiming to cover the entire country as soon as possible.

Broadband in the United Kingdom is expanding faster and faster. Package prices are decreasing and speeds are increasing with heavy competition on all sides. The future sees Internet becoming an ever increasing presence in each UK household, replacing televisions, radios and telephones.

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Cheetah Robot's Record

A robot called Cheetah has set a new world speed record for legged robots, running faster than the fastest human.

The headless machine, funded by the Pentagon, reached 28.3mph (45.5km/h) when tested on a treadmill.
Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt's top speed is 27.78mph (44.7km/h). The project is part of efforts to develop robots for military use. One robotics expert told the BBC that it was "unfortunate" the Cheetah was made primarily "to kill people". It has been created by the Massachusetts robotics company Boston Dynamics and backed by the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (Darpa).
According to Darpa, the aim is to "more effectively assist war fighters across a greater range of missions".
The Cheetah, which is powered by a hydraulic pump, broke its own record of 18mph (29km/h), recorded in February. "The Cheetah had a slight advantage over Bolt as it ran on a treadmill," Darpa said in a statement, "but most of the power Cheetah used was to swing and lift its legs fast enough, not to propel itself forward."
The agency plans to test the robot in the field in 2013.

Killing civilians? : The machine's design has been inspired by the real cheetah, the fastest land animal, which can reach speeds of 75mph (121km/h). "Cheetahs happen to be beautiful examples of how natural engineering has created speed and agility across rough terrain," said Gill Pratt, Darpa programme manager.  "Our Cheetah bot borrows ideas from nature's design to inform stride patterns, flexing and unflexing of parts like the back, placement of limbs and stability."
"What we gain through Cheetah and related research efforts are technological building blocks that create possibilities for a whole range of robots suited to future Department of Defense missions."
Noel Sharkey, professor of artificial intelligence and robotics at the University of Sheffield, has mixed feelings about the development. "It's an incredible technical achievement, but it's unfortunate that it's going to be used to kill people," he suggested.
"It's going to be used for chasing people across the desert, I would imagine. I can't think of many civilian applications - maybe for hunting, or farming, for rounding up sheep.

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IBM : Supply chain tool

IBM introduced new cloud-based software and services designed to allow companies to build personalized shopping experiences for customers, as well as tools for optimizing supply chain management.
The services are the latest step in a multi-year push by IBM to provide improved automation to external systems that engage with customers and suppliers, said Craig Hayman, general manager of industry solutions at IBM Software Group, at a press conference Wednesday.
Traditionally, that kind of automation has been provided for internal systems, such as finances and operations, but the balance is shifting. The analysis firm Gartner predicts that, in five years, CMOs will spend more on technology than CIOs.
New services introduced at the IBM Smarter Commerce Global Summit include the IBM Marketing Center, which allows companies to provide personalized offers to customers based on analysis of their shopping patterns. For example, a customer who frequently visits a retailer's mobile Website and selects items of interest, but doesn't follow through with a purchase, might be offered a coupon for 10 percent off specific items and be presented with a personalized Website reflecting their unique interest. A bank CMO might analyze two campaigns simultaneously to determine the effectiveness of each, with a focus on specific groups and customer segments.
IBM's new Smarter Commerce Managed Services are designed to allow companies to combine multiple commerce channels, mixing automated processes with the human touch -- for example, chat support or live assistance. RadioShack, IBM announcend, is working with IBM's cloud-based merchandising analytics solutions to help improve pricing over a product's entire lifecycle.
IBM also introduced new supply chain management tools. The new Emptoris Strategic Supply Management service is designed to give Chief Purchasing Officers control over spending, contracts, service providers, and supplier intelligence and processes.
Anheuser-Busch InBev (AB InBev) uses IBM's cloud-based supply chain management capabilities, and according to IBM, signed a new five-year contract to extend its use of IBM Emptoris solutions in the cloud. The company has more than 200 beer brands, with the first or second market position in 19 countries. It needs to strategically manage its suppliers while also recognizing geographic differences.
Additionally, IBM introduced a new set of services designed to help businesses expand digital marketing. The services target CMOs and CIOs, and will assess a business's marketing needs by figuring out which future capabilities are currently supported, and then determine which processes and technology need to change to achieve marketing goals.
Using analytics to drive customer engagement, IBM will also apply social marketing, collaboration and marketing performance optimization. For example, IBM could help businesses, including retailers, banks, insurance companies, and communications providers set up product and service offers using real-time predictive analytics on structured and unstructured customer data. This would provide insights into customer preferences, and knowledge of what offers and actions have proven successful with other companies in similar situations.
According to a late 2011 IBM study of more than 1,700 chief marketing executives, most of them feel underprepared to manage the change in customer demands. While 82 percent said they plan to increase use of social media over the next three to five years, only 26 percent were currently tracking blogs. Fourty-two percent were tracking third-party reviews, and 48 percent were tracking customer reviews to help shape their marketing strategies.
The initiative includes IBM Interactive, the company's digital marketing agency.

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Money : Avoid wasting

 

Don't roll over your credit card balance 

Debt qualifies as one of the biggest money wasters. While good debt, such as a home loan, can help you build an asset, a bad debt like rolling over credit card balance can deplete your savings. In fact, it's one of the worst types of debt because of the high interest rate (typically 12-42 % per annum) that credit card companies charge. So, if you have a 15,000 balance on a card that charges 3% interest every month, you will have to pay 450 a month. Over the year, it will add to a sizeable 6,386 (if the interest is compounded), which translates to an effective interest of 42.58% per annum. So, pay your bill in full every month. However, credit cards can also be beneficial if you always pay your bills on time and in full, since you can build a good credit history. Besides, most cards come with enticing offers, such as cash back and reward points. Take ICICI Bank's Platinum credit card, which offers three points for every 100 spent. On collecting 2,000 points, you get a gift voucher of 500 of a popular retail store.
  
Keep vices at bay  

An addiction can become a money-sucking black hole. If you smoke five cigarettes a day, more than 10,000 of your wealth goes up in smoke every year. The gutka users, who consume five pouches a day, are chewing up almost 7,000 in a year. These vices don't just affect your health and eat into your annual expenses, but also result in a higher premium when it comes to buying health or life insurance. For instance, a 30-year-old nonsmoker will pay nearly 4,100 a year for an online insurance cover of 50 lakh for 30 years, but if he smokes, the premium will jump 40% to 5,800. To find out how indulging in vices can leave you poorer in the long run, read our story 'Can you afford to see 52 lakh go up in smoke?' (March 5-11 , 2012).

Don't keep gadgets on standby 

Of the total electricity consumed in an Indian house every year, nearly 5% is used by gadgets on standby mode, according to the data released by the Bureau of Energy Efficiency in its report, Standby Basket of Products, in 2010. The electronic items that display a clock or those that operate through a remote, such as DVD players and air conditioners, are typical culprits. For instance, an air conditioner consumes 40 watts an hour on a standby mode. This means that you are adding about 75 to your monthly electricity bill for no reason. The obvious way to lower your electricity bill is to pull the plug on these gadgets, literally . If you are too lazy to turn off each power point individually, get a power strip where you can plug in all your gadgets. Switching off the smart strip will cut the power supply to all gadgets.

Banking transactions 

In the past few months, banks have revised fees for various services that were free till now. So, if you don't keep track of these revisions, you are likely to see your money trickle out as penalty. For instance, several banks have made the maintenance of minimum balance in a savings account mandatory for each month instead of a quarter, and the penalty for non-compliance has also been raised. Similarly, the 12 free branch transactions in a quarter have been reduced to four in a month, again with a rise in penalty. Phone and Net banking are a good way to avoid some transaction fees.

  Discounts 

Bargaining is your birthright, so never be embarrassed to ask for a discount. Usually, you can have the price lowered by 5-10 %. Check online stores and visit a few brick-and mortar shops to check the variation in prices. You should also ask for coupons at various eateries, mostly fast food joints, and supermarkets if you've spent a sizeable amount while shopping. These coupons can help you save money the next time you shop. While dining out or booking a movie, check which credit/debit card offers a good deal. For instance, if you book a movie on Bookmyshow.com using a Visa card, you could currently get 25% off on the price.  

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Service Terms : Microsofts

Microsoft has updated its services agreement to include minor changes to its terms of usage for its online services, including a clause that may allow Google-like data sharing across its cloud and desktop services.
The agreement, which governs Windows Live products -- now dubbed Microsoft "branded services" -- and other online services such as Office.com, MSN, and Bing, also includes a clause that requires U.S. users to settle disputes through arbitration rather than litigation.
The new agreement, set to go into force on October 19, 2012, changes the language to allow Microsoft to use customer content to "provide, protect and improve Microsoft products and services" where previously it was "solely to the extent necessary to provide the service."
There are, however, a couple of distinct changes that may ruffle some feathers in Brussels, only a few months after Google updated and consolidated its privacy that sparked an in-depth EU investigation.
Microsoft's new terms state at point 3.3

When you upload your content to the services, you agree that it may be used, modified, adapted, saved, reproduced, distributed, and displayed to the extent necessary to protect you and to provide, protect and improve Microsoft products and services.

This could mean anything.
Microsoft gives two examples, such as a scenario in which it "may occasionally use automated means to isolate information from email, chats, or photos in order to help detect and protect against spam and malware," or "to improve the services with new features that makes them easier to use."
But examples are not use-cases. Examples are not what the company will do under a circumstance, more like guidance for the user in easy-to-read plain text. Questions have been put in to Microsoft's U.K. team outside of U.S. business hours and we'll update if we hear back. 
In an email acquired by ZDNet, sent to customers informing them of the changes, it states (emphasis mine):

We also clarified how Microsoft uses your content to better protect consumers and improve our products, including aligning our usage to the way we're designing our cloud services to be highly integrated across many Microsoft products. We realize you may have personal conversations and store personal files using our products, and we want you to know that we prioritize your privacy.

One of the concerns with this would be as Microsoft increases its cloud offering in the run-up to Windows 8's release, which has a bevy of cloud-supported features, is that user data could be shared across Microsoft's services to personalize other results, or take user content from Hotmail, Office.com or its SkyDrive cloud-storage service to make its other services better.
It's not quite "doing a Google," but it certainly skirts around the edges. 
Earlier this year, Google consolidated its 70-odd privacy policies into one super-policy, and came into effect on March 1. Users couldn't opt out of the changes, meaning though users were notified on Google's front page and through its services -- such as Gmail and Google+ -- users would be forced to stop using the service if they declined to abide by the new policy.
Google claimed the new policy would allow better search results and more accurate, targeted advertising -- the forefront of its business -- while critics argued it would allow advertisers and third-parties to build up greater, more detailed pictures of Google's users.
EU regulators asked for Google to put the changes on ice until it determines whether or not the policy changes would fall foul of European privacy and data protection law.
A delayed decision on the final outcome to the EU investigation into Google's privacy policy will be revealed later this month.

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