Reviews Of New Internet Security Tools

Author Bio: This review of new Internet security tools is brought to you by Helen Wallis on behalf of London based IT Support firm Cheeky Munkey, who provide IT services including IT outsourcing, hosting, cloud services, VoIP or Web filtering.

It is beneficial to have an internet security tool that prevents keyloggers from being able to see what you are typing.

If it is coming up to the expiry date of your current internet security tool(s), then you have one of two choices, renew or replace. If you are not satisfied with your current internet security tool(s), then you may want to consider trying out one of the three security suites we have reviewed below.

Panda Internet Security 2013:

Panda Internet Security 2013 claims to offer protection against internet threats, giving you and your family peace of mind when using the internet to browse, shop and interact. The security suite provides protection against viruses, online fraud, identify theft and spam.

Pros:
The best feature of the 2013 security package is its private data protection browser. You can use it with either Internet Explorer or Firefox. This browser tool runs on a separate network to your PC and is free from website history so that you can enjoy private browsing. This is particularly useful for those who regularly use their credit or debit cards to shop online.

Panda Internet Security 2013 is also fantastic for cleaning up malware, blocking unsafe URLS and preventing USB-based spyware attacks.

Cons:
This internet security tool is let down by the fact it fails to offer encryption and shredding features. In order to obtain these features you have to upgrade to the global package. The software is also missing a tool for vetting social media websites, which is something expected from most modern day internet security tools.

Final thoughts…
Panda Internet Security 2013 offers a light, fast and complete security solution, however it is still considered to be fairly basic. Although it offers a wide range of features and uses modern cloud based technology to offer extensive protection, there are still necessary features missing which prevent it from being a high ranking security package.

Kaspersky Internet Security 2013:

Kaspersky have been producing security software since the nineties. Kaspersky Internet Security 2013 is a mid-level product that covers all of the key bases well. It has a wide range of features including anti-virus, anti-spam and anti-phishing tools as well as extensive parental control and an intelligent firewall.



Pros:
This internet security tool has the added benefit of the ‘Safe Money’ feature. This enforces a secure browser when you are online banking or using your card details to make a purchase. It uses a virtual keyboard to encrypt the keys you press so that people trying to key log cannot record your actions.

Kaspersky 2013 also provides better parental control than most other suites on the market today. Parents can easily set up restrictions and block websites giving them the peace of mind that their children are safe whilst browsing the internet.

Cons:
Although Kaspersky’s malware clean-up is very effective, the process does take a long time. Many people have also found that the tool slightly slows down the overall performance of their computer systems.

Final thoughts…
Kaspersky Internet Security 2013 is a brilliant package to own. It has everything you need and is competent across all areas including phishing and spam protection. The new ‘Safe Money’ feature is a fantastic addition and perfect for protecting your details whilst you complete online financial transactions.

AVG Internet Security 2013:

The AVG Internet Security suite for 2013 provides all of the features you would expect from an average security package. From the looks of things it has had a makeover and is now adorned with pretty colourful tiles which have been optimised for touch screen operation. The question is whether or not the company has channelled all of their efforts into the security tool’s aesthetics, rather than its features?

Pros:
AVG Internet Security is a fantastic anti-virus tool and has the added benefit of a do not track feature, which is great for private browsing. The spam filter is exceptionally effective and the online shield is competent at blocking dangerous websites. Overall it is a great all-rounder.

Cons:
If you are looking to install security software on a device that is already affected by malware, then the AVG Internet Security 2013 tool probably isn’t your best choice. Many people have found installation to be tricky on infected devices.

Another issue is the software’s firewall. Although it is competent at doing its job, it can be easily disabled. This is a re-occurring mistake of many internet security tools.

Final thoughts:

The AVG Internet Security suite provides a fantastic antivirus tool, but you could also argue that the free version of the software does too. The standout feature is definitely the spam filter, which out performs many other versions.

Conclusion:

The three internet security tools we have reviewed are great all-rounders, each with strengths in different areas. If you have had a good experience using one brand over another, then it is likely you will stick to what you know. However if you are looking to try one of these three internet security packages for the first time then we would recommend Kaspersky Internet Security 2013 over the other two tools. It benefits from having the stand out ‘virtual keyboard’ feature which is very beneficial to those who shop or bank online. 


Image credits: Robbert van der Steeg&david.orban.

Surprising News On What People Do With Their Mobile Phones

One of the biggest ways that you can tell what year a movie or TV show is from is by noticing what telephones people are talking on. If it’s an old rotary phone, it’s generally prior to the 1970s. The same goes when it comes to what mobile phone device they are using. Remember those huge car phones that became popular in the 1980s as a status symbol among the rich? The phones, which recently seen in the National Geographic Channel miniseries on “The 80s,” were big and unwieldy and literally cost as much as a car did back then.

Mobile phones have changed over time:

Even 15 years ago, just having a cell phone was still seen as an expensive luxury, although the size of the phone was smaller than the 1980s. How the world has changed since then. Now mobile phones are ubiquitous these days – a recent Pew Internet Survey found that an incredible 91 percent of people now have mobile phones, with 56 percent of them having smartphones. So if you are interested in reaching people for your business, you should consider mobile advertising campaigns.

So what do you think people do with their mobile phones? Here are some surprising facts about mobile phone usage:

1. After text messaging, checking email is the most popular non-calling activity with smartphone users, with 75% of the American users using the phone to check their email, according to a recent survey.
2. According to a recent study, participants checked their mobile phones an average of 34 times a day, usually checking their email and Facebook accounts.
3. Here is a rather disturbing statistic – some people use their phones everywhere they go, including the restroom. Yes, an incredible 75 percent of people have used their phones in the restroom.
4. According to the Daily Mail, a new poll has discovered that the most common way a person finds out his or her spouse has been cheating is by going through their mobile phone.
5. Emails devoted to shopping during the holiday season are increasingly popular, and 45% of people check such emails on their mobile phones.

Interesting statistics, to be sure. If you are interested in mobile advertising campaigns, you need to pay attention to such things. After all, it is important to find out where people are using mobile phones, who is using them, and what they are using them for, in order to best reach your market.

One way to do so is to use an email marketing and advertisement company like LiveIntent. Companies who run email marketing platforms like them can help your advertising efforts. Since email is something that your target audience will check on various platforms, this is a good way to reach customers on their desktop computer, or their mobile phones. And the ads can show up just in emails where the readers are more likely to buy your products, thereby helping your marketing impact and increasing the chances people will be interested in your product. Good luck.

Author Bio:

Lisa Swan writes for a variety of computing sites. She lives in New York City.

How To Optimize Your WordPress Blog For Speed?

There are over 60million websites currently using the WordPress platform and content management system (CMS). This number includes sites hosted on the actual WordPress site, as well as those that use external web hosting but continue to use the WordPress CMS.

Despite there being hundreds of custom WordPress themes, plug-ins, applications, and various other features that users can take advantage of to make their site unique, the fact remains that most of the time, it is extremely easy to tell if as site is a WordPress site or not. If it is, then there is nothing wrong with that. However, all site owners, not just WordPress customers, are always looking to have the quickest, best performing site possible.

The Power of Speed:

Various pieces of research suggest that three seconds is how long your site and its pages should be taking to load. Given that different research has shown top sites like Amazon and eBay to fall well outside that, we’ll take that with a pinch of salt. At the same time, you have to know that big brands are going to be given more slack by browsers. If your small business WordPress site is slow, there’ll be no sympathy.

Here are some tips for speeding it up.

Look at Your Server:

Is your site on a U.S. based server, but you’re actually targeting browsers in the UK? If so, you’re experiencing a familiar problem, one that is slowing down your site and undermining your objectives massively.

Ensure your server is based where the majority of your customers are, so that they’re getting the experience they should be whenever they head to your site.

Compress All Images:

Some guides such as this one are saying, “Remove your images,” but where would the sense in that be when web design is focused on visuals more than ever?

If you’re using your website for blogging, images will make it more engaging and attractive, too.

The answer is simple: keep the images, but compress them, before you upload them. You do this because even if your site automatically reduces the actual size, the file size remains the same. Image Optimizer is a great tool for doing this, and can reduce file size by up to 80%.

Minify:

Using Minify in addition to compressing images yourself will make your site even quicker, as it streamlines everything so your server can load it quicker.

A note of caution, however; don’t believe that, because you’re using Minify, that it is okay to load up your site with heavy functions and applications. All that will do is give back the performance gains you’ve earned, and possibly make your site even more of an ordeal for browsers. Rather than seeing Minify as an opportunity to make your site more complex, see it as your chance to make a simple site even better.

Take Advantage of the Cache:

You’ll need to use a WordPress caching plug-in for this feature, but it’ll take a significant chunk of time off your page loading times. Caching works by storing your data externally, so that repeat users can get data from there rather than having to put pressure on your server each time they land on your site. If you have static web content, this will massively reduce loading times of pages, and your servers’ workload, as browsers will just get the same data repeatedly from the cache.

The Big Impact:

If you put all of these ideas into practice together, you can expect to see an improvement in page loading times of up to 65%. In a world where time really is money and people want data immediately, can you afford not to be doing more to get your important information in front of your customers’ eyes quicker?

Author Bio:

Robert McKinley is a technology expert who regularly blogs on the impact a VPS host can have on website speeds in comparison to a shared hosting platform. Robert also specializes in areas associated with CMS-based websites, taking a particular interest in WordPress and Joomla.

Why Recycling Your Old Laptop Is Important?

In a fast-moving world such as technology, computers become outdated quickly and the need to dispose of them properly becomes more and more important. Figures from United Nations show that around 50 million metric tonnes of electrical waste is accumulated around the world every year.

Regardless of how much landfill space they can take up, computers contain hazardous chemicals such as lead oxide, mercury, nickel, zinc and cadmium. If these toxins and other heavy metals end up in landfill rather than a recycling centre, they can cause soil and water pollution and endanger wildlife. For example, cadmium can damage organisms in the soil which then affects the breakdown of organic matter. The substance has also been known to kill fish, which reduces their numbers.

At the same time as being a reason to produce laptops using less hazardous materials, it is a big reason to make sure your laptop is disposed of correctly when no longer needed.

What is computer recycling?

Laptop recycling is the process of either refurbishing a unwanted device or harvesting it for parts that can be of use elsewhere. Unwanted items can either be sent to a refurbishing business, a specialist recycling service or, if still in good working order, donated to schools and clubs in your area. Recycling can be as simple as donating to friends and family.

If the laptop is nearing the end of its life, be careful when donating to charity – it can prove a headache if they are left with, and have to dispose of, a non-functioning laptop.

At a recycling facility, the computer will be taken apart and its metals and plastics recycled where possible. Harmful materials will then be disposed of in the correct manner.

Recommended for you: Why Computers Recycling In Areas Should Be Done?

What are the benefits of recycling?

As mentioned earlier, proper disposal of unwanted electrical items avoids them unnecessarily clogging up landfill space and protects the environment. If you are donating you can also allow other people to buy laptops at an affordable price.

Many refurbishing companies give their revamped computers to school systems, correctional facilities and charity programs which allows the less fortunate to learn how to use them to prepare for their future.

What’s in my laptop?

There are some very valuable things that go into making a laptop; engineered plastics, steel, copper, aluminium and precious metals like gold, platinum and palladium. The recycling process attempts to recover these for use elsewhere once the device has reached the end of its life. In 2009, only an estimated 38 per cent of computers thrown away were recycled properly. The remainder end up in landfills where these materials are no longer available for reuse in the manufacturing of new products.

Often, the company you buy your laptop from will offer a free return service – ask before you buy. If this is not an option, your local council may run a scheme. For more details, go to the Environment Agency Website or contact your local authority. Whichever method you choose, make sure all of your personal data has been wiped from the machine before you give it away.

Image Credit: Flickr.

Author Bio:

Guest post contributed by Simon Jones. A technology geek who loves to give hints & tips when it comes to technology, not just using it, but also how to dispose of it correctly when the time comes, to help the environment. Simon also has a large knowledge of Business Software - BT Business Direct and helps people in business find the right software for their needs.

The Most Important Phonecalls Of All Time

Imagine a world without telephones, it’s pretty inconceivable. In a time when near enough everyone is little more than a punch of a few digits away, the youngest among us may struggle to think of a time when letters were the modus operandi.

Once, if you wanted to talk to someone you had to meet them face-to-face. The idea of which will surely send a shiver down the spine of many a tech-savvy, textaholic pre-teen.

So, what have been the most technologically significant phone calls in history? Perhaps these:

1867 – The beginning:

The first telephone call ever made. There is some question over whether Alexander Graham Bell or Elisha Gray should be fully credited with the invention of the telephone. It was, though, Bell who made the first telephone call in history in Boston on March 10, 1867.

The phone call, to his research assistant Thomas Watson – who was only in the next room – was as simple as: “Mr Watson, come here. I want to see you.”

1926 – The first transatlantic conversation:

After calling people within the same city, and then people within the same country, had been mastered the time came for overseas correspondence.

By 1926, making a call across a vast ocean was not a new idea. As early as 1915, short transmissions had been demonstrated as viable and calls had been made to ships for some time. A full conversation across an ocean as big as the Atlantic had not been a reality until the first call from London to New York was made. The first telephone cable between the UK and the US was laid underwater in 1956.

1946 – The first mobile telephone call:

Obviously a world away from the tiny, smooth handsets we have today, mobile phones have been about in some form or another for over 60 years. In the US, engineers from Bell Labs began work on a system to allow telephone calls to and from automobiles – this first of which was on June 17, 1946 in St Louis. Shortly after, AT&T offered Mobile Telephone Service. A range of unreliable, rudimentary mobile phones that offered limited coverage. Reporters and truck fleets were among the first to use the early mobile phones, which were very expensive and equally cumbersome.

1973 – The first hand-held call:

On April 3, 1973, Motorola employee Martin Cooper made the first ever hand-held mobile phone call to Joel Engel, head of research at AT&T's Bell Labs. The device was the huge – to today’s eyes at least – Motorola DynaTAC prototype. It weighed 2.5 pounds and measured 9 inches long, it offered a talk time of just 30 minutes and took ten hours to re-charge.

Prior to 1973, mobile telephony was limited to phones installed in cars and other vehicles.

1992 – The first text:

Not really classed as a ‘telephone call’ but important all the same. Short message service (SMS) was born on December 3, 1992. British engineer Neil Papworth, 22 at the time, used his computer to wish a "Merry Christmas" to Richard Jarvis, of Vodafone. He didn't get a reply because there was no way to send a text from a phone in those days.

That had to wait for Nokia's first mobile phone in 1993.

Image Credit: Flickr.

Author Bio:

Guest post contributed by Lauren Jones, an expert in the telephone system business, helping people & business to see the benefits of call handling services.

Do Password Strength Meters Actually Work?

Password strength meters are helpful in some cases, but are not always used effectively.

Consumers who frequently access websites are sometimes prompted by strength meters to improve their password security. A new study conducted by the University of California at Berkeley, Microsoft and the University of British Columbia indicated that these systems can be effective if they are established properly.

Serge Egelman, a research scientist at UC Berkeley, told ArsTechnica that people are more likely to enter passwords they have previously used when asked by strength meters to change their credentials. This is often the case for new accounts or ones that are not of great importance to consumers.

"Whereas we show that in a different context - when changing passwords for high-value accounts - then the meters actually do have an observable effect on behavior in that people do choose stronger passwords," Egelman told the news source. "And ironically that's the context where we're least likely to see real meters in real life."

Password strength meters are a good reminder that online security is necessary for anyone accessing important accounts through the Internet. Consumers who neglect such protection may experience major problems such as identity theft if hackers obtain this valuable information.

Rather than only generating strong passwords when reminded, people can use effective tools like a password manager to keep all of their accounts protected with complex and hard-to-crack passwords. These solutions constantly generate new credentials so users always have the latest safeguards for their websites.

Another great aspect of password managers is that they remove the burden from consumers who are constantly tasked with remembering a dozen or more unique credentials. Sometimes people decide to use the same passwords for all of their accounts because it is easy to do so, but this approach invites trouble if hackers know this particular phrase.

Password strength meters are helpful in some cases, but are not always used effectively.

Best Picture Sharing Apps of iPhone And Android

Nowadays image Sharing is kind of Common. There was a time when Digital Cameras were used for this purpose however now most of Smartphones features a nice camera to capture a stunning image.. However simply taking photos isn't enough, everybody desires to Share their photos with their friends and family, therefore here are some applications that can be used to share photos from your Smartphone. Whether it’s a iPhone iPod or iPad or an android Smartphone.

Flickr:

Flickr is a picture sharing and video Sharing App, it's a cross platform app that can be used from Windows also as From Smartphones, it has been taken by Yahoo In 2005. Its network has countless photos which you can like or share.

Wink:

You have Personal photos and you only wish to share with somebody special in your contacts. Here let me present you the right app. As it’s a personal image sharing application. From this app you'll be able to directly share photos along with your specified contacts. It conjointly syncs your contacts from your phone memory therefore you don’t need to Add individuals on your own.

Instagram:

Instagram is a image sharing, video sharing and a social Application, from this photos may also be shared to other social networks sites like Facebook, twitter, Google+ and tumbler. it had been created in October 2010 and its one of the foremost quick growing application; In august 2011 instagram proclaimed that a hundred and fifty million photos were shared through instagram. You can also edit your photos and apply numerous different filters to your photos before uploading or sharing them. Photos can be liked and commented upon; its platform it very tempting and this application is used from Windows and Android and iOSSmartphones.

It’s a free app,In both PlayStore and iStore.

Photobucket:

It’s a image sharing application only for android users and it's expected that its IOS version is going to be released shortly; as it’s a really far-famed and quick growing application for videos and image sharing, its one among the numerous advantage is that you can link the uploaded photos to Numerous other websites, it’s a cross platformapplication; you can use it on windows and your smartphone or tablet, image can be edited with a lot of filters present in the tools and another awesome feature is that the you can combine your different pictures to create a combo image. It’san extremely nice application that can be used for sharing photos along with your friends and family.

SphereShare:

Sphereshare is presently an android application however it'll be shortly launched for IOS.. Its speciality is that you just can upload panorama photos from your android smartphone or tablet and share them along with your friends and family. Photos of 360 degrees can also be uploaded and there is a option to see them in 3D, which make them look real. Photos can be liked andyou can comment on them and you can upload and download the images and share them on social networks sites like Facebook, twitter, tumbler and Google plus. And you'll be able to also check in at some city or area through this app with yourGoogle account

Simple Solution for Wordpress Contact Form Problem

Every business knows the importance of good communication with their customers. That's why the Wordpress contact form plugin is one of the simplest, yet most valuable enhancements you could make to a company's website. Having a form that allows you to receive submissions via email allows a business to capture leads, generate revenue, and receive customer feedback. If this form is not configured properly, and you aren't receiving these emails, your company could be losing out on valuable business and creating a negative customer service experience for visitors to the site. Let's examine a common problem involving the Wordpress contact form, and walk through the steps of the solution.

When form submissions are sent to you through your business's website, the emails are usually sent through the server on which the website is hosted. If the IP address for this server has been associated with spam-related activity in the past, it might be automatically blacklisted by your email server. Therefore, the form submissions would go straight to your spam folder, and you would never see them.

Fortunately, this situation doesn't require you to change your hosting provider. Switching to another provider isn't a guaranteed solution anyway, as a new provider's IP address could easily be blacklisted in the future, causing the same problems to occur with your form. Instead, Wordpress can be configured to send your email out via a different, trusted IP address.

The first step in doing this involves downloading and installing the WP Mail SMTP plugin on your website. This plugin reconfigures Wordpress's mail function to using the SMTP protocol instead of mail(), and provides the website owner with more options for specifying an alternate host for sending mail.

Before selecting an alternate host, you must first confirm that this new IP address is trusted. To accomplish this, you can use a domain's Sender Policy Framework (SPF) record. The SPF record is a published list of IP addresses for a particular domain that are authorized to send email. A couple of recommendations for trusted hosts include AuthSMTP and Amazon SES.

Once you've configured the mail plugin and set up a trusted SMTP host, the final step is to test the form. Send test messages to yourself in the same way that a customer would, and verify that you receive the emails. If the emails arrive successfully, the solution has worked and you should see increased customer communication immediately!

Factors That Affect Your Broadband Speed

The speed of broadband delivered to us is measured in megabytes per second (Mbps). Various websites offer free speed checks for your system. The Mbps you receive depends on the area where you live, and on what your internet service provider (isp) can deliver.

Broadband Types:

If your broadband signal is carried over a standard telephone line using copper wire – ADSL broadband – its speed depends on the distance you are from the nearest telephone exchange. The shorter the distance, the faster the Mbps you can receive. If your isp delivers broadband carried over high quality fibre wires – Fibre broadband – it will not be affected by the distance from the telephone exchange.

Fibre broadband therefore offers higher speeds, so of course, it costs more than ADSL broadband. In the UK is offered by several isps, such as Virgin Media, Everything Everywhere, and BT, although the latter still uses copper wire locally, which can reduce the Mbps.

Satellite broadband is only normally used where the other options are not available, such as some areas Wales. This is complicated and expensive to set up: you need to buy a satellite dish and a satmodem to receive the signal. Monthly costs are also relatively high.

Recommended: Free Softwares To Increase Your Internet Speed!

The UK’s Code of Practice:

Most isps in the UK follow a voluntary Code of Practice, under which they give you an estimate of the maximum broadband speed they can offer for the package you are thinking of buying. If they have another package that should help, they should offer it to you if you find that the Mbps you actually get is much slower than their original estimate. The code also stipulates that they must explain the factors that affect speed and give advice where needed.

What Makes a Difference:

Apart from the distance from the exchange, for ADSL broadband, most will mention the complexity of your telephone wiring system and whether you have installed your broadband microfilters correctly.

For all types of broadband, the Mbps you experience can be reduced by:

1. Using it in peak time when there is more traffic on it.
2. The speed of the websites you visit.
3. Running spyware, anti malware or some virus protection systems.
4. The processing speed of your computer and router, and their connection.
5. Running more than one computer or mobile devices that must share the connection.

ADSL broadband is likely to be slower in rural areas which are probably further from telephone exchanges than towns. Because they are more sparsely populated though, they might have the advantage of coping with less broadband traffic.

Broadband speed is never consistent. The factors mentioned above will affect it at different times of the day, so if you check the Mbps first thing or mid-morning, it’s not likely to be the same in the evening when many home users are going online after work.

If you are not happy with your broadband speed you may be able to change to a faster supplier. Just time it right so that you don’t incur penalties for leaving your current isp before the end of a contract.

Author Bio:

The author of this article Jane Richards believes that broadband speed issues can best be solved by approaching the broadband providers.

What? You Actually Call People On Your Phone?

According to the Office of National Statistics, over 17.5 million people use their mobile phones to browse the internet. Around 45% of those using the internet use their phone. Around 6 million people used their phone to access the internet for the first time in 2011. Back in 2009, only around 8.5 million people in the UK used their phones to browse the internet.

So what is behind this trend for increasing mobile phone usage?

The Smartphone Revolution:

Smartphones have certainly impacted on these trends. Since the advent of the iPhone series in 2007, phones have become better and better and have captured the imagination of the public.

The smartphone sector grew through recession and has been extremely buoyant despite the expensive contracts and expensive premium end phones. We’ve now seen new phones come on to the market that provide superb functionality, excellent screens, and 3G connectivity at budget prices. This has driven consumers to increasingly enjoy their mobile phone browsing experience.

Network Development:

Alongside the development in the smartphone market, the mobile phone networks have increased apace. We now have 4G connectivity with theoretical speeds of 14.4MBps and 3G connectivity is able to do around a tenth of that. Therefore we can get decent connectivity through 3G and excellent connectivity through 4G. With LTE and further advancements, we are going to be looking at even faster mobile broadband- mega fast.

It Depends Where You Are:

Only around 13% of rural mobile broadband users say that they have decent 3G connectivity consistently. Compare that to mobile broadband in London where you have well over 90% of users with good 3G activity.

According to the Office of National Statistics, 38% of people now use their mobile phones to surf while outside their homes and the rest jump on Wi-Fi.

Increasing Use of Wi-Fi Hotspots:

Over 5 million people now use Wi-Fi hotspots. This is a figure that is increasing fast and the variety of options to get on Wi-Fi hotspots is increasing. BT provides Wi-Fi hotspots, Sky offers them as well. There are even special cloud based Wi-Fi networks that you can get on in public places, paying a small fee.

Social Media:

The integration of social media into our phones has certainly been a major contributor to us getting online with them. As people have browsed Facebook, many have realised the speed and capacity of their phones to do more than just phone, text, and e-mail.

In addition, people have realised the benefits of being in touch on the go, especially with services such as eBay, where time really matters. You no longer have to sit in front of your computer to stay online.

Advertising Revenue Potential:

Companies like Facebook and Twitter are looking to increase their revenues from mobile phone markets. Increasingly, they are understanding that the potential of smartphones is so great, and that revenues from mobile broadband could end up surpassing their other revenue streams. They are drastically innovating and testing to find ways to generate the maximum that they can from this new and exciting revolution in technology.

Top Tip:

If you have a decent allowance of data on your phone, you can set it up as a wireless hotspot so you can jump online on your tablet or your laptop. There are many applications that can be downloaded through IOS, Windows, and Android. It really can be very simple to make your phone a mobile modem.

Author Bio:

Phil Turner bought his first smartphone recently, tempted by Sky offers he had received in the post about free wifi hotspots for Sky subscribers.

Coolest Online Learning Technologies

A Weapon for Knowledge:

Many educators are taking advantage of advances in online learning technology. This includes accessing teaching activities and resources online. At the same time, it utilizes different forms of communication, multimedia tools and online assessment.

An online assessment is use to gauge what the students have learned. Additionally, it employs Classroom technologies such as interactive whiteboards and personal response systems. One of the benefits of this program is that it provides an increased chance for dialogue between teachers and students. This in turn enhances the learning experience. Choosing the right online learning technology can be a daunting task. However, there are several online learning technologies that are worth checking out.

Webcams:

The use of webcams as a learning and teaching tool is gradually increasing. It also offers teachers an effective means to enable their students to see real time events. At the same time, it brings to life far off places. These two features alone can inspire imagination and curiosity. Teachers also employ webcams to provide lessons on a wide variety of topics. This includes live music lessons and online English language courses. They can be used for collaboration between schools and video conferencing as well.

Video:

This online learning technology helps teachers reach visual learners. These pupils have a tendency to learn effectively by viewing the material rather that reading it. Teachers can gain access to a wide range of video clips using the Internet instead of VHS tapes or DVDs.

Teachers can employ messaging programs as video e-learning tools. These messaging programs include Adobe Connect and Skype. They are also used to interact with experts and guest speakers on a particular topic. At the same time, interactive games are steadily being included in many higher education and K-12 institution curriculums.

Although research on utilizing video as an online learning tool is preliminary, early research shows great results and increased retention when it is employed in a lesson. Utilizing a systematic video development approach holds a lot of promise for making video models that have a positive impact on student learning.

Audio:

Lessons on tape have been around for a long time. They have been used in classrooms around the world long before the advent of computers and video. Learning using audio has been fully implemented thanks to advancements in technology. This has allowed teachers to stream audio from the Internet. At the same time, there are many podcasts and webcasts available online for teachers and students to download.

At the same time, audio is often employed to effectively explain visuals. Examples of visual learning tools may include maps and flow charts. This is because teachers are directing data to both the visual and auditory channels to effectively distribute the mental workload. Using snippets of audio about a subject being discussed also adds authenticity to the content.

Blogging:

Many online users consider blogs to be a platform for communication. However, they have recently started to be used as an online learning tool. This allows pupils to ask questions, respond and interact with other students both outside and inside the classroom.

Students can also utilize a blog to do everything that they usually do on paper. Some of these things include answering homework questions, receiving feedback on project drafts and reflecting on reading assignments. At the same time, teachers can use them to provide feedback using comments. Other students may also utilize them to provide qualitative feedback.

Screencasting:

This is a recent trend in online learning. There are a lot of screencasting tools that are available today that provide users with numerous benefits. One benefit is the ability to share their computer screens directly from their browsers. This allows people to create videos that are available online. Viewers can stream these videos directly.

Another advantage is that it gives the presenter the capability to show their flow of thoughts and ideas rather than simply explaining them. This enables them to mimic one on one experience between the student and teacher. Mimicking this experience enables teachers to deliver complete and clear instruction.

From the learner’s point of view, it provides the capability to rewind and pause the lesson. This allows them to learn at their own pace.

Author Bio:

Alex Faubel enjoys writing about topics related to business and the intersection of technology in career focused education programs.

How Scientists are Using the Internet?

Over time, the way to disseminate news to the masses has gone from traditional print media to broadcast stations to the Internet. For scientists and others at the forefront of the technological boom, this has come as a welcomed development, as the Internet allows for research to be done more efficiently and news and reports to be published immediately.

It is only natural then that during the social media boom 85% of scientists reported that social media had an effect on their decision-making, and 77% of life scientists found themselves participating in some form of social media. Twitter, for example, allows scientists to collect data, share resources, deliver news and build relationships within the industry. Where will the technology go from here? To start, we must first look back at the developments of social media and science reporting over time.

Take a look at this infographic to learn more about the changing landscape of science and social media.

Protecting Your Data Before It’s Too Late

Some data is particularly sensitive and if it gets into the wrong hands, the consequences can be dire. However, even if data doesn’t fall under prying eyes, the results can be troubling nonetheless if you need to keep hold of the data for any reason. Fortunately, there are many things that you can do to ensure that your data doesn’t get lost forever and to prevent it being accessed by the wrong people.

Back Up Repeatedly:

One of the best ways to ensure that you don’t lose your data forever is to Back It up. Backing up your data is now arguably easier than ever, and today’s external hard drives can enable you to send vast swathes of content from your computer to another device in no time at all. Backing up your data regularly is a must – especially if you are constantly creating new content.

It’s also wise to store your backed-up data on another site if possible, should an event such as a fire or a break-in occur at your property. Today, the easiest way to do this is through Cloud Computing. There are many services offering you the chance to save your data to the cloud – though it’s a good idea to ensure that you choose a well-known service that you feel you can trust.

If your backed-up data is kept on the same site as your main computer, that could disappear too. Cloud computing services are now allowing you to store more in the cloud for less money, meaning that you can protect vast amounts of data for a modest fee.

Fight Off Viruses:

Data security can be compromised by viruses, which makes it extremely important to be vigilant when opening e-mail attachments. You should therefore ensure that all e-mail attachments are scanned by anti-virus services before you open them.

Meanwhile, if you do decide to back up your data to an external physical hard drive for document storage, whetheras well as or instead of using cloud computing, you should always look for a much bigger capacity than you currently need. For instance, if you have 500GB of data to back up, it’s a wise move to invest in a 1TB drive – or an even bigger external option – to cater for any more data that you may need to store in the future. If your computer supports USB 3.0 transfers, you should be able to send a huge amount of data to a USB 3.0 hard drive in no time.

A Tougher Document Management Service:

As many security breaches can occur when security levels are not tight enough, it’s essential that you take advantage of any anti-virus software updates that may be available. If possible, you should ensure that these are downloaded automatically as soon as they are offered to you. Meanwhile, you should also change your passwords regularly and partake in document shredding from your local document management service in order to stay one step ahead of the data thieves.

10 Easy Steps To Configuring An Internet Answering Machine

An online answering machine works just like a regular answering device. The only divergence is that you have to connect your phone to the computer instead of a traditional answering device. The online answering works on both dial-up and broadband connections and ensures that you do not miss any call. The answering software allows you to listen to messages as and when they are being recorded, and also download other messages and listen to them much later.

Here are step-by-step instructions that will help you install and setup online answering software:

1. Before downloading and installing the software, do check if your computer has the necessary space and memory, and the appropriate modem. You will need a voice modem – space and memory should not be a constraint.
2. Before buying any software, download the trial version and test it. It must be easy to use and you should take a liking to it before buying it. Most answering software companies offer a free trial, and you should try 3-4 different software before zeroing on to one.
3. After choosing convenient answering software, you should buy and download it. Save the exe file in a folder of your choice.
4. Remove the line cord from your telephone and connect it to the modem port in your computer. The other end should be plugged into the wall jack. Connect the telephone line to your modem. If you need clarity on this step, talk to customer support of the online answering software vendor.
5. Now, install the answering software. Install it as recommended in its manual or as per directions printed on the installation screens.
6. You have to now configure the software based on your preferences – For example: set the number of rings that should be allowed before the software answers the phone, set the silence detector and the toll saver features. You also should configure the recording time limit for messages. Check all the other features in the software and set them up as per your requirements.
7. Next, set up one or many mailboxes to record a greeting message. You can record multiple messages – one each for every mailbox. Many software tools have a feature that allows you to record a special greeting for a few phone numbers of your choice.
8. To stop unauthorized people from accessing your messages, you must setup a password. Note down the password in your diary. Remember, you can even access your messages remotely.
9. If you are the type of guy who gets very important messages all the time, then you should enable email forwarding of messages. That way every message will be forwarded to your email inbox.
10. If you want to be alerted every time a new message rolls in, then you have to configure the appropriate alert option.

Finally, do not install an Internet answering machine without equipping your computer with a robust firewall and antivirus programs. You don’t want people hacking into your computer and stealing your precious data, including the important messages in your mailboxes.

Author Bio:

Roger A. Delatorre is a blogger from Minneapolis, MN who recommends checking out MaxEmail for a simple solution for an internet answering machine.

How To Buy An Unavailable Domain?

What is an unavailable domain and how do you buy one? Very often, when you search for a domain name that you want you will find that someone already owns it. This is a very common occurrence, especially if you are looking for a .com domain name. Not only are many of these bought up for websites, many domain investors have gobbled up desirable .com domain names.

Just because a domain name is not immediately available, however, doesn't necessarily mean you cannot buy it. There are other ways to obtain it. Most domain registrars have a service where they help you obtain a domain name that's already owned. There is no guarantee that this will work, but if you really want a domain it's worth trying.

Domain Buy Service:

If you go to GoDaddy.com, for example, and search for a domain name you may find that it's already registered. In this case, GoDaddy will show you other options that may not be registered. They will also offer to help you obtain the domain for which you originally searched.

If you click on this option, you will see that they have a Domain Buy Service that currently costs $69.99 per domain plus commission. In exchange for this fee, GoDaddy will contact the domain's current owner and negotiate on your behalf. Naturally, it's in the domain registrar's interest to get the domain for you, as they will earn a commission on the sale (read this Namecheap review by Domain Raccoon for more services).

You should, however, only do this for a domain you really want and that has good earning potential. The cost of getting a domain in this manner can be substantial. You are not only paying the registrar for the service, but you don't know how much the current owner may want for the domain -- if he or she is even willing to sell it at all.

Domain Back Orders:

Another option is to back order the domain you want. In this case, you only have a chance to get this domain if the current owner does not renew it. Even then, you may have competition if other people have also back ordered it. In this case, it goes to auction and you will be able to bid against others.

When it comes to expired domains, you should also know that domains don't become available immediately after the expiration date. The current owner has a grace period of 40 days. During this time the owner can still renew it. This means that even if a domain is about to expire immediately, you will still have to wait more than a month before you have a chance to buy it.

Another way to get a domain that will soon expire is to register for a service such as Snapnames.com. This company and a few others like it will buy a name on your behalf as soon as it becomes available. You will have to pay them a fee, currently $69, and they will try to secure it for you. If others also want it, however, it will go to auction.

Using a service like Snapnames gives you a better chance of getting an expired domain than if you tried to register it yourself after it expires. Still, there is never a guarantee.

Contacting Domain Owners Directly:

Another way to get an unavailable domain name is to contact the owner directly. The owner may not respond to you at all. He or she may quote you a price higher than you're willing to pay. On the other hand, there's always a chance you will be lucky and find that the owner is willing to sell at a price you can afford.
If the domain has a website associated with it, you can often find the owner's contact information on the site. Keep in mind that if the site is well developed, this will probably drive up the domain's value. If there is no website, you can find contact info for the owner at Whois, unless the owner opted for domain privacy.

Author Bio:

Greg has been active in the domain registrar industry for almost a decade. He has bought and sold thousands of domains in various industries and frequently blogs about his experiences on registrars at domainraccoon.com .

Slow Computer? Learn How to Speed Up Your PC

Does your computer seem to be slower than normal? Has your PC crashed recently? Have you had the misfortune of experiencing the blue screen of death or a similar error?

There are a plethora of things that can cause your computer to crash or perform at an unreasonably slow level. You might have too many programs loading at startup.

The general rule is this: If you don't need it and it isn't vital to your computer, delete it. By following this rule, you will enable your computer to boot up faster and perform better.

Another thing that can cause your computer to run slower is a corrupted or bloated registry. If you have a Windows computer, then you have a registry.

The registry, like a meticulous bookkeeper, stores a record of everything you do on your computer. It keeps tabs on what programs you use on your computer, what websites you look at, what you download from the Internet. It stores all of this info on your computer’s hard drive and is notorious for producing corrupted or fragmented files.

Cleaning out your registry every now and then will help speed up your PC.

Author Bio:

Erin Walsh is a technology junky and the Director of Public Relations at Boost Software. She enjoys blogging about topics in technology and occasionally guest posts on popular blogs about some of the most recent tech gadgets, windows installer errors, and other slow computer issues.

Interesting Facts That You Didn't Know About Your Smartphone

Creative Commons img source.

Smartphones are amazing devices that have greater capabilities than supercomputers used to twenty to thirty years ago. Technology moves fast and technology that once needed to be housed in a large room now fits in your pocket. The amazing features of smartphones have become commonplace however and what once amazed us now just seems commonplace. Here are six facts that you didn't know about your smartphone that you may find amazing and compelling.

Usage Amongst Smartphone Owners:

Smartphones have been growing in popularity steadily ever since they were first introduced in 2001. It is estimated that the number of smartphones in existence by 2015 will be approximately 1.5 to 2 billion. That means that there is likely to be one smartphone for every six to seven people alive, which is quite amazing. In the United States, current smartphone usage equates to 35% of adults having a smartphone. People are also spending tons of time using their smartphones. On average, people check their smartphones 150 times per day which equates to once every six to seven minutes. What are people primary using smartphones for? That depends on the country that the user is living in. Usage tends to fluctuate widely from country to country though with social media being less popular in Japan and restaurant apps being more popular in the United States.

Apps have grown in popularity in recent years as well due to improved download speeds and an increase in the number of computer programmers designing new applications. Having said that, approximately 90% of apps that are downloaded are only used ten times or less once they are downloaded. What types of apps are being used by individuals? Approximately 60% of smartphones are used to play games though health apps are also prominently featured on many cell phones with approximately 90% of smartphones having a health or fitness app on it.

Cell Phone Costs:

Those text messages that you send do not cost your cell phone provider a thing. That is because the size of text messages are small enough to be inserted in data transfers by your cell phone provider that fit neatly into the spectrum that cell phone companies rent from the government. The space a text message uses is less than the space used to set up the transmittal of information between a call tower and a phone. As a result, the cost to a provider is zero and the amount you pay is all profit to a cell phone provider. The most expensive part of a smartphone is the screen. Touchscreens have grown in complexity and sensitivity and the cost of these screens have grown in accordance with these technologies. Gorilla glass, commonly used on iPhones and other smartphones are durable and sensitive to touch and have led to new functionality for smartphones. The presence of these sensitive touchscreens have led to a decrease in popularity of other input devices for smartphones including pens, points, physical keyboards, and scroll wheels, all of which were used when smartphones were first introduced to consumers.

Conclusion:

Smartphones are continuing to revolutionize the cell phone world and have become ever more popular in recent years. While it is difficult to predict what direction smartphones will head, they are bound to become more powerful and add new functionality for users. As this occurs, expect smartphones to become even more common amongst users.

Author Bio:

Today's guest post was contributed by Brian S., article writer for i-Adapters.com. When Brian isn't busy blogging he likes enjoying the finer things in life.

Google Glass - The Future Of Eyewear

Touted by some as the next iPhone, people are excited and gearing up for Google Glass to be the best thing since sliced bread. While a laptop, iPhone or tablet brings you the world at your fingertips, Google Glass makes staying connected completely hands free. You can see the world and let the world see you. This lightweight, wearable device brings the world into your field of vision and allows you to share what you see as it happens.

What is Google Glass?

Google Glass a computer that you can wear. The small, lightweight device encompasses a camera, display screen, battery, microphone and touchpad and has 16GB of flash memory, built-in Bluetooth and WiFi. Like a futuristic pair of glasses, this device is sleek and comes in blue, red, white, grey and black. It is sturdy, yet flexible so it can stand up to everyday wear and still be comfortable. The device uses technology like a smartphone to perform voice commands allowing wearers to perform a variety of functions completely hands free.

What Can Google Glass Do?

Google Glass is equipped to perform a variety of functions. Being a Google product, it can run an internet search and find any topic that is on your mind, but it can also do so much more. Do you need directions? Ask Google Glass and you will see the map right in front of your eyes. Hopping a plane to another country? Google has you covered. Not only can you get flight times and be notified of boarding and delays as you dash through the airport, once you arrive the device can help you with translations. You will never miss another special moment either! With hands free pictures and video you can record the moment and share it live, all hands free. Sending messages is easy as well, with simple voice commands you can instantly message friends and family.

Who Wants Google Glass?

Google glass is specifically designed for those who love technology and want to stay connected. Google expects that the main demographic will be young people and business professionals because the technology can bring to these groups Google search, texting capabilities, photo and video, maps and directions, translations, flight arrival and departure times and even video conferencing all hands-free and on the go. Google is targeting both men and women in this demographic. Google is even working on versions of this technology that incorporate prescription lenses.

What's Next?

Right now, Google Glass is only available to a small number of testers at $1500 per pair, but this feature loaded wearable computer may just be the future of technology. It has been suggested that this device might be ready for the open market in late 2013 or early 2014, but development continues. By bringing consumers features such as Google search, messaging, photo, video, maps, translations, airport information and video conferencing right into the user's field of vision, Google hopes to free users from their desks and revolutionize the way we use technology.

Author Bio:

This post was provided by Alex L. from the SQL Solutions blogging team. Alex is a web developer by day and avid blogger by night. He has earned two degrees from Full Sail University and plans to continue furthering his education.