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| Visitors Out: 991 |
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| Sex, Nazi, burrito and Viagra: Who Googles what? |
| 2007-10-19 00:36:00 |
Internet users in Egypt, India and Turkey are the world's most frequent searchers for Web sites using the keyword "sex" on Google search engines, according to statistics provided by Google. Germany, Mexico and Austria were world's top three searchers of the word "Hitler" while "Nazi" scored the most hits in Chile, Australia and the United Kingdom, data from 2004 to the present retrievable on the "Google Trends" Web site showed. Chile also came in first place searching for the word "gay", followed by Mexico and Colombia. The top searchers for other keywords were as follows (in order from first to third place): "Jihad"--Morocco, Indonesia, Pakistan "Terrorism"--Pakistan, Philippines, Australia "Hangover"--Ireland, United Kingdom, United States "Burrito"--United States, Argentina, Canada "Iraq"--United States, Australia, Canada "Taliban"--Pakistan, Australia, Canada "Tom Cruise"--Canada, United States, Australia "Britney Spears"--Mexico, Venezuela, Canada "Homosexual"--Philippines, Chile, Venezuela "Love"--Philippines, Australia, United States "Botox"--Australia, United States, United Kingdom "Viagra"--Italy, United Kingdom, Germany "David Beckham"--Venezuela, United Kingdom, Mexico "Kate Moss"--Ireland, United Kingdom, Sweden "Dolly Buster"--Czech Republic, Austria, Slovakia "Car bomb"--Australia, United States, Canada "Marijuana"--Canada, United States, Australia "IAEA"--Austria, Pakistan, Iran
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| Computer Networking Connectivity |
| 2007-08-09 20:42:00 |
Connectivity between two computersIn this article we will discuss the different methods of connectivity between two computers.USB cableUSB ports can power up certain devices and transfer the data at the same time. There are four cables inside the USB cable and two of them are used for power and two for data transfer. The USB standards use A and B connectors to avoid confusion and comparatively the connectivity between the computers through the USB cables doesn’t provide the fast speed. The speed also depends on the quality of the cable, operating system, protocols, network devices, CPU and other electronic components.Ethernet Straight & Crossover CablesThe most commonly used method of the connectivity between the LAN computers is through the Ethernet cables. Ethernet is a local area network communication standard. The common types of the Ethernet cables are straight cables, cross over cable and roll over cable. Straight cable is used to connect a computer with the hub or switch, cross over cable is used to connect two computers directly without hub or switch or cross over cable is used to connect two hubs or switches with each other. Roll over cable is used to connect a computer with a Router’s console port.Bluetooth Personal Area Network (PAN)Bluetooth Personal Area Network is a technology that is used to create an Ethernet network with wireless links between mobile computers. In a Personal Area network up to eight computers, mobile devices such as mobile phones and PDA etc can be connected. A notebook with built in Bluetooth radio can be connected with a desktop computer, which is equipped with an external Bluetooth dongle.Wireless (Wi-Fi) ad-hoc networkWireless network communication is possible through the IEEE Wireless 802.11b/g also called Wi-Fi or wireless Ethernet. The computers that are equipped with wireless LAN cards can send and receive the communication signals to and from the access points. The core components that are used in the wireless LAN are wireless routers, wireless LAN card and access points etc. For configuration the desktop computer plug the wireless access point into your desktop computer and follow the instructions.Fiber Optic CableA fiber optic cable is made up of strands of glass fibers, which allows the transmission of data at the speed of light. Fiber optic cables have large carrying capacity and provide speed in GB. The signals through the fiber optic cables are transmitted without needing to be refreshed. They have greater resistance to the electromagnetic signals, near by cables, motors, and noise. Fiber to the home FTTH is becoming a common standard because it provides very high speed internet connectivity up to 100 Mbps and higher to the home users.
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| The Exciting History Of Television |
| 2007-08-09 20:40:00 |
Television has a long and interesting history. In addition, it has undergone a great number of changes in order to become the type of entertainment we know it to be today. As such, there is no one inventor that can be credited for the development of modern day television. Rather, it is the result of new inventors continually improving on old ideas.In the BeginningThe beginning roots of television can be traced back to 1862, which is when the first still images were transmitted over wires. This early invention, which was developed by Abbe Giovanna Caselli, was called the Pantelegraph. It wasn't until 14 years later, however, that George Carey began to experiment with the idea of television. His invention was called a selenium camera and it made it possible for people to see with electricity. It was during this same timeframe that Eugen Goldstein came up with the term cathode rays, which described the process of light being emitted as the result of an electric current being forced through a vacuum tube.Inventors Find SuccessIn 1884, the first real successful transmission of images took place. At this time, Paul Nipkow was able to successfully send 18 lines of resolution with the help of his electric telescope. In 1900, the word "television" was used for the first time to describe this special new invention when it was demonstrated at the World's Fair in Paris. Afterward, the concept of television really took off as inventors explored different ways to develop the system.By 1906, the first mechanical television system was invented by Boris Rosing. A year later, Rosing and another inventor by the name of Campbell Swinton each developed their own method of electronic scanning in order to reproduce images. In 1923, Vladamir Zworkin patented Swinton's invention, which was called the iconscope or an electric eye. This later became the basis of the future of television.Television Finds its Way Into HouseholdsIn 1928, the first long distance usage of television took place when Bell Telephone and the U.S. Department of Commerce successfully transmitted from Washington D.C. to New York City. That same year, the Federal Radio Commission issued its first license for a television station to Charles Jenkins. The following year, the first television studio was opened by John Baird and Jenkins broadcast his first television commercial in 1930. Television got a slow start at first, finding its way into just 200 homes throughout the world in 1936. By 1948, however, this number jumped to one million in the United States alone. Today, one would be hard pressed to find a home without a television - the invention has certainly come a long way in a short period of time.
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| The Telecommunications World |
| 2007-08-09 20:35:00 |
Telecommunication is the technique of transmitting a message from one point or place to another with the typical additional attribute of being bi-directional. In practice it also recognizes that something may be lost in the process; hence the term telecommunication covers all forms of distance communications, including radio, telegraphy, television, telephony, data communication and computer networking. Telecommunication is the extension of communication over a distance. The elements of a telecommunication system are a transmitter, a medium (line) and possibly a channel imposed upon the medium and a receiver. The transmitter is a device that transforms or encodes the message into a physical phenomenon; the signal. The transmission medium, by its physical nature, is likely to modify or degrade the signal on its path from the transmitter to the receiver. The receiver has a decoding mechanism capable of recovering the message within certain limits of signal degradation. In some cases, the final "receiver" is the human eye and/or ear (or in some extreme cases other sense organs) and the recovery of the message is done by the brain. One of the roles of the telecommunications engineer is to analyse the physical properties of the line or transmission medium, and the statistical properties of the message in order to design the most effective encoding and decoding mechanisms. Telecommunication can be point-to-point, point-to-multipoint or broadcasting, which is a particular form of point-to-multipoint that goes only from the transmitter to the receivers. Accessing telecommunication technology and the broad range of services behind it has been an ongoing challenge for people with disabilities. With technology continually changing and mobile phones shrinking in size, the gap between people with disabilities and telecommunication technology has grown. But up to a great extent telecommunication inventions and technologies helped people with disabilities in an efficient manner and by the great inventions in telecommunication field people with disabilities overcome on their problems. Modern telecommunication systems are capable of transmitting telephone, fax, data, radio, or television signals.Telecommunication systems can transmit large volumes of information over long distances. Digital transmission is employed in order to achieve high reliability with minimal noise or interference and because it can transmit any signal type, digital or analog. For digital transmission, analog signals must be subjected to a process of analog-to-digital conversion. Most television, radio, and voice communications are analog and must be digitized before transmission. Transmission may occur over cables, wireless radio relay systems, or via satellite links.
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| Researching the Right Keyword to Promote |
| 2007-08-09 20:32:00 |
The first step to determining keywords is to do proper research, create a list of words that you think internet users will use when search for your site or products. Keywords are how search engines index and classify your website. A keyword can be defined as a word or phrase that can be utilized in searching for a website. Keywords can be placed in titles, body of text, or subject headings. You need to use the right keywords on your site, when using the right keywords and optimizing your site with these keywords will drive visitors to your site. When using keyword tools they will supply a list of the most relevant words and phrases that will rank well in the search engines. Using good keyword tools will help with finding good keywords that are relevant and will provide you with results. What can keyword tools do for you, they can suggest long lists of keywords that you would have never have thought of on your own. There are many keyword tools on the market today, find the one that will do searches from many different sources, give the proper statistics, and show the ppc campaigns for other sites.Getting the proper keyword tools will help greatly with searching for the proper keywords. The tools will help with finding the high searched low demand keywords and few tools out there will help with adwords statistics and adsense statistics. Using keyword analysis tools will help find the best keywords to promote for your site. These tools are good if you’re not sure of what you’re doing because the tools come with many help modules to explain the statistics. Remember that using a combination of several online keyword research tools will help, as getting a second or third opinion is always a good practice. You might research keywords and they may be popular, but if you’re competing with 1 million results in the search engines, the end result will not be beneficial to your site. Choosing keywords that are not as popular will still get you traffic, maybe not much as a very popular term but the one advantage is that you can rank for these keywords much more easily and get to the top of the search results.One of the most important requirements for a search engine are the number of sites it has in its index and to give the internet user with the best possible results for their searches, to do this the search engines look at many factors on your website, title, description, keywords and content. The ranking algorithms are how the search engines compete, these algorithms are a secret so everyone does not know how they do it but many webmaster have tested and re-tested to see how the search engines work. When you want to rank well in the search engines you need to find the keywords you are going to promote, so do your research and make sure you choose the right keyword.You will need to choose the keyword that is related to your site that has very little competition and many searches. These are the best keywords to go after. Finding the right tool that will give you this information is very important and will help with getting to the top of the search engine rankings.
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| Motorola Phone Charger: Unlimited Power Solution |
| 2007-08-09 20:30:00 |
The mobile phone you carry with you needs to be recharged from to time so that it can provide you with non-stop service. So, you need a charger that can give you quality service and it is well and good if it looks flashy too. Those who need to talk over the phone for long time are in greater need of a good charger. Of course, a fashion freak would look for more colourful chargers. The market of electronic goods has endless options on chargers. All the mobile phone manufacturers produce chargers and offer them free of cost along with every handset. Motorola phone chargers are also given to customers who buy new handsets of the company. Chargers of this company are durable, powerful, easily portable and flashy in design. The same charger fits in more than one phone of the company. Chargers for mobile phones come in a wide variety of connector-styles and voltages. Most of the times, they are not compatible to the phones of other manufacturers. Sometimes, the chargers do not work on different models of phones from the same manufacturer. This is true to Motorola also but not for all Motorola phone chargers. As mentioned above, most of the chargers of the company are compatible to more than one model of handsets. However, the trend of the mobile telephony market nowadays is to be as user friendly as possible. That is why there is no paucity of chargers which works not only on the same phones from a single brand, but also fits with devices from other brands as well. Some of the Motorola phone chargers also work on phones made by other companies. If you are a user of devices from Motorola then make sure that you buy the genuine product. You can get quality service from Motorola phone chargers only if you buy the original product.
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| Traditional Vs. Digital Photography: Array Which is Easiest? |
| 2007-08-09 20:28:00 |
If you were to have a discussion on any topic and invite a number of individuals, chances are that for each individual represented you would have the same number of varied opinions on that topic. For example, if you were to discuss the best place to live you would get a variety of answers and arguments as to why a person would select their particular choice. Their answer could be based on economic figures that reflect higher pay or a simple way of life which may appeal to their rearing of a family or they may choose a certain locale’s that is noted for its natural beauty.Other differences of opinion that may occur could surround discussions based on the best film ever produced, best actor or actress, best sport, best hobby, etc.One of the best hobbies that may be indicated is the hobby of photography and even in this category there may arise a difference in opinion regarding traditional vs. digital photography. One of the arguments between traditional vs. digital photography may include the ease of use and the ease of developing the picture.Ease Of UseWhen comparing traditional vs. digital photography one of the arguments may be the ease of use. In utilizing a digital camera it is simply a matter of pointing and shooting. The image is captured by the digital camera and imbedded on the memory stick contained within the digital camera. Also, using the easy viewing screen on the camera, the photographer can instantly see whether the picture is what they wanted or if it needs to be taken again. In fact if the picture has movement or does not capture the image that the photographer wants, it is easy to delete the picture from the memory stick.On the other hand the difference between traditional vs. digital photography makes the taking of pictures more difficult. One of those time consuming tasks is the changing of film and installing a new roll. Of course, the quality of the photo is greater than a digital camera.Ease Of The Development ProcessThe next comparison of ease between the traditional vs. digital photography is how the picture is developed. The image on the memory stick can be downloaded onto software for easy viewing. In addition, the digital photo can be printed out or saved in a file within the computer. With a traditional camera the film needs to be chemically developed in order for the image to be visualized. This process not only takes time, but requires the added expense of utilizing a film developing service or purchase the chemicals needed to develop the film in an individual’s own dark room.
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| Importance of Website Submission in Directories |
| 2007-08-09 20:25:00 |
To make website link popular and get top ranking in search engine result pages, submission of link in directories is very important. There are many directories on the net from general to specific with their own link submission processes. Before submitting website in directories, it is essential to have appropriate key phrases, rich text that accurately describes your website. Select most appropriate category for submitting website.Submitting to directories requires some extra work of optimizing page and also patience. Your search engine ranking will improve for this extra effort by search engine submission.The concept of directory submission has grown popularly and is very important in recent years. The person having website is constantly looking for increase in the amount of traffic directly received and their rank with search engines by website submission. Search engines use a formula to calculate where a website appears based on certain keywords that are searched. One of the factors in determining search engine marketing is the number of back links a website has.A back link is basically a link that a directory submission will give a website owner. A back link refers to any link coming from any other website to one's own website. Even small websites can have hundreds of back links coming into their site. Back links can be attained in many ways, but the easiest way to obtain quality back links is through directories.Back link help for driving traffic to the website and improving the web site status in search engines, it can also raise another score that has grown in important, in search engine’s PR scores. Google PR rankings are widely used by website owners when evaluating a website. A Google PR can translate into more advertisers being willing to advertise on a particular website, more websites being willing to offer links to the website, and more people visiting the website in general.Directory submission services is simple and free as well as paid options are available for submitting. Paid options allow benefits as better placement, allowing for more click-through visitors from the directory to your website.Both free web submission and paid web submission methods have their advantages and offer website owners the ability to increase their back link.Website Submission is a simple process, you need to fill some information and it will just take few minute depends on directory you are submitting in. By filling out a few forms, the directory owner will then accept it. Rejection only occurs if you have fill incomplete information in the form and, once accepted, that directory will provide a quality back link for website.Important Tips for submitting website to directoriesSubmit your link to the most appropriate category related to your website and nature of businessIt is very important when you submit your website in directories; you should select the category related to your business and industry. There are various directories available for different industries for example chemical, electrical, import and export, consumer durables and many more. Therefore first step is to find appropriate list of directories related to your business, and then category of your product. It is very essential to get more potential traffic to your site.The major online directories like alibaba, Industrial Product Finder have mostly all main categories like agriculture, Automobiles, Construction, Electronics, Energy, Food and Beverages, Health, Mineral, Packaging, Printing, Textiles, Transportation. You can also give details for your products. To submit in such directories and in appropriate category will give good result for getting natural and business oriented traffic to the website related to your product category.Free Submission in directories take time for listingIf you are not paying to be in the directory then your link listing has a less priority than paid listings. Directory owner give first preference to the paid member and as per data available for the particular search. The paid members listing come in first priority and then free members. In case of not availability of paid member’s data for particular search then there are chances of free members for good listing in search results. It can take several months after search engine submission to get into some directories and therefore need some patience.The time taken for directory for listing site depends on each search engine or directory. A few search engines index a site almost immediately. Some engines or directories take weeks or longer.Keep a log of Directory SubmissionIt is very useful to keep a log for submission details of your website in various directories. Write the name of the directory and the date of web submission into a log book. This prevents you from submitting in a same directory for more than once. When your link gets listed in the directory mark it off in your log.
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| The Importance Of Article Marketing In SEO |
| 2007-08-05 15:07:00 |
Author: Peter NisbetArticle marketing is an important component of external SEO, or search engine optimization. Irrespective of how much internal SEO is carried out on a web page, article marketing can make a massive difference, not only to the traffic to your site, but also your link density and search engine listing.The term 'web page' is used deliberately, since most search engines list individual pages and the Google PageRank applies to web pages rather than domains, or complete 'web sites'. Each page has to be optimized separately, and you can use article marketing to achieve that.This is done by means of your 'resource box' that some people called your 'bio'. Most article directories allow you to say a little about yourself and provide one or two URLs. This separate area can come in three different forms: either a separate resource box, that is generally included at the bottom of the article, a separate paragraph that you are allowed to add to the bottom of the article, or an author's 'bio' that can be read if the reader clicks on your name that is an active link to the bio.If none of these are allowed, then you are advised to give the directory a miss, since the whole purpose of article marketing has nothing to do with giving away free information, but with trying to persuade readers to click on your links and visit your site, and also have your link visible on the directory to provide you with a link back to your website, and so add to your page rank votes. The higher your page rank, the more relevant the search engines will calculate your page to be.Even the third type of link mentioned above is not really acceptable to most article marketers, since the best place for a link is at the end of the article when the reader is still in a state of anticipation of more information. For this to occur your article has to provide good information about the subject but not so much that the reader requires no further information and has therefore no need to click to visit your website for more.The wording of your resource box is also very important and there are a number of possibilities according to the type of article and the purpose of your website. You can simply state that 'More information on - - - - - can be found at http://xxxxx.com'. On the other hand, it is often better to say a bit more such as 'Peter has a vast knowledge of this subject and uses it to get quick listing on Google and Yahoo. Find our how he does it on http://yyyyy.com'.Use your imagination and you can increase the return of each of your articles in terms of clicks straight to your site or, if your article is good enough, the reader might even want to copy it as content on their own website, and this provides you with more back links. If you combine this with good on-site SEO and other methods of off-site search engine optimization, then article marketing can be a very powerful tool that can be used not only to attract direct clicks to your site but also to create valuable links back to selected pages on your website.About the Author:More information on how Pete gets his websites listed on Google within 2 days is available on SEOCIOUS where screenshots also show how he gets listed on the top 5 on Google, MSN and Yahoo in 2 weeks.
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| SEO Versus Paid Placements: Which Works Best? |
| 2007-08-05 15:05:00 |
Author: Jeev TrikaOnline shoppers might not be very aware of it, but a lot of research, planning and action go into the area of placements on the Internet. One does not need to say anything much about the amount of competition that exists online; all you have to do is take a look around. Type a word into the search bar of a search engine and the number of results you get would probably be much more than you can ever use. And taking that into consideration, it is not a surprise that site owners put so much into figuring out if search engine optimization or paid placements work best for their site.Over the years, as consumers are getting more comfortable with involving the Internet into their decision-making processes, they seem to be relying more heavily on the features that the Internet can offer. That is to say that the search feature on the Net is used a lot when online shoppers are looking for information. Previously, factors such as traditional advertising, catalogues and word of mouth all played important roles in consumers finding retailers. But the search option on the Internet has made finding new retailers and brands all the more easier. This increased use of the search function is a major factor is site owners deciding if paid placements or SEO is best for their site. Search marketing is an integral part of online marketing because that is one important way in which potential clients are directed towards your website.One thing to keep in mind when considering the benefits of SEO versus those of paid placements is to look at where your consumers are coming from. A large number of consumers are coming directly to the site because they know the address already or have book-marked it previously. Paid searches, SEO, affiliates and emails are all other ways in which consumes are directed to a retailer’s site.Paid placements are gaining popularity in the Internet world especially because of the return of investments that marketers are getting from it. The costs for paid placements are increasing but the majority of companies still prefer to adjust their budget so that they can include the costs of paid placements.In order to decide where marketers should invest their budget, it is important to know which search engine their consumers are using most. It would be futile to place a marketing message in a place where consumers are not looking. The Share of Search Activity (or SOSA) is the way researchers study if consumers use the same search engines for all their searches. This is, however, a very difficult thing to keep track of and there are a number of factors that influence the results.At one level search engine optimization has an advantage that paid placement does not have. SEO is often perceived as being impartial because the link has been placed there because of quality and relevance instead of payment. Research shows that 70% of consumers click first on natural listings and only 30% click on the paid listings. The flip side, however, is that getting a high ranking on a good search engine by natural listing can take a lot of time. Something that you can get done immediately via paid listings might take months, or in worse cases, years to materialize. In that way, the marketer has a lot more control over the ranking and placement of the link when it is paid for.One thing marketers need to keep in mind is how aware their consumers are of the Internet and the ways in which it works. Many searchers are not aware of the differences between paid listings and organic ones. But even those Internet users who are not aware of the difference between the two seem to click on the organic links to the sponsored ones.Keywords are extremely important regardless of if you are opting for paid or organic listings. Marketers need to understand the way in with keyword search works and which words are most relevant to their site. Relevance is key, because it is pointless to have consumers who are looking for something else, directed to your site.There is no one answer to the on-going debate about paid listings versus organic listings. Even though consumers tend to be skeptical about the validity of sponsored links, these links do give back as return of investments. Some marketers are of the belief that while SEO is best when someone is looking for information, paid listings work best if the Internet user is looking to buy something online.Both paid search and search engine optimization are wise choices as long as you understand the ways in which they work. Of course, you also have the option of mixing both these kinds of listings and reaping the best of both. The main point is that marketers themselves need to be aware of their goals and which method best works for them and their consumers.About the Author:Jeev Trika is a principal at azentec, Inc.,. an e-business consulting firm, based out of South Bend, Indiana. He possesses extensive experience in sales methodologies and holds over 9 years of experience in assisting organizations with their online experiences. His professional services have been garnered by organizations like IBM Global Services, Siebel, Jordan Industries, Cayman Islands Government, and more. Jeev holds a Bachelors in Computer Science and an MBA, both from Purdue University.
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| Search Engine Marketing Optimization Products Reviewed |
| 2007-07-27 00:27:00 |
By: Gilbert Traifalgar Most books and software ever sold online have-in one form or another-something to do with Search Engine Optimization. Why is this such a sought after service? Because... getting a good spot on major search engines can be the difference between $0 in profit per day versus $500 to $150,000 in profits per day (depending on the product you are promoting). Now there are many books and programs out there... and trust me, I've tried nearly all of them. Here are my personal recommendations:1 - The SEO Elite Software is by far the best of the best in software out there. It is a bit pricey to start off with, but it will literally save you thousands of dollars in promotions. The advantage you have is that you can create instant back-links to your site whenever you choose to, and on more sites then you could ever dream of. To have access to tools with a 1/4 of these abilities you would pay about $239 a year somewhere else. In short... you get more than you pay for. I'd rate it 10/102 - Search Engine Optimization is another great, great tool. The price is a fraction of what you would pay on the previous software, but you are also more limited as to what you can or cannot do with this system. Still a super program, but remember: You Get What You Pay For.3 - Links Master is a program different from the previous two in the sense that you get someone else to blast your text ads out onto hundreds of sites. Problem? You have limited control over the kind of sites and the amount of sites linking to your site. Again... a great service, but it does tend to go hard on the wallet of those starting out.Believe it or not-there is no secret to getting your site listed number 1 on major search engines. You read that right! Search Marketing">Engine Marketing is always spoken of as though it is hard to do. And gaining a number 1 spot on Google, well, that is just plain impossible. If done right, YOU can prove all those assumptions wrong.Using software number 1 it is easy and fast as lightning to get top ranking on major search engines and, as previously stated, it takes very little effort on your part. Go to the site, read the testimonials-and if you are serious about getting that number 1 spot... I trust you will purchase the software. The SEO software is to the online marketer today as a machine gun would have been to a warrior in medieval times: It literally blows all Search Engine Marketing competitors to pieces!Search engines can be an effective method of driving highly targeted visitors to a web site. Our search engine marketing page provides access to the collective wisdom of all the top search engine marketing experts with regularly updated articles, links to resources, and announcements of new tools and services available to the search engine marketing industry.Do you want your site to rank number 1 on Google?Then use the number 1 Search Engine Marketing tool, which is currently being used by thousands of search engine marketers around the world. Gain YOUR #1 spot on Google, Yahoo, and MSN in record time!
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| Search Engine Marketing Optimization Products Reviewed |
| 2007-07-27 00:27:00 |
By: Gilbert Traifalgar Most books and software ever sold online have-in one form or another-something to do with Search Engine Optimization. Why is this such a sought after service? Because... getting a good spot on major search engines can be the difference between $0 in profit per day versus $500 to $150,000 in profits per day (depending on the product you are promoting). Now there are many books and programs out there... and trust me, I've tried nearly all of them. Here are my personal recommendations:1 - The SEO Elite Software is by far the best of the best in software out there. It is a bit pricey to start off with, but it will literally save you thousands of dollars in p...
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| Google AdSense and AdWords - Like Yin and Yang |
| 2007-07-27 00:26:00 |
By: Nicholas LaPolla Many websites include a section or two with the "Ads by Google" above it or below it. These are ads displayed via Google's AdSense. When you do a search on Google and see ads in the search results pages, they are generally AdSense ads.AdSense - The Yin:Google's AdSense is programming that "senses" the content of a page or search. It finds keywords on a web page or in a search phrase to determine the subject of the content. It does this by either "reading" the page, or taking a look at the search term that was typed into Google Search. It can "Sense" which ads in the system are relevant to the content or search and display them - thus: "AdSense."Before ads on a page are displayed, AdSense searches its database of advertisers and finds ads that are associated with keywords on the page or in the search. Now AdSense needs to decide which of the thousands of ads vying for position are actually displayed. To make this decision, AsSense looks at the advertiser's bids for the relevant keywords. The advertisers that have a combination of the highest bid, keyword relevance and best click through get displayed first.Google tracks clicks on ads and advertisers pay Google the bid price for each click. When the AdSense ad is on someone's web page, Google pays the website owner a portion of the payment for each click. The term "monetizing" your site refers to taking your existing site and placing ads like AdSense on it to make money (or finding other way to make money with websites). If you get 10,000 visitors and 10% of them click an ad that pays you, theoretically, $0.75 per click, you just made $750! Not bad for just copying some AdSense code (which Google provides) into your popular website's HTML (if your site is not popular, learn about SEO - Search Engine Optimization - from sites like AcmeWebResources).AdWords - The Yang:The other side to AdSense is AdWords. AdSense ads have lists of relevant keywords associated with them. Each keyword is bid on by the advertisers for placement in the results pages and on web sites around the world. The words that will prompt a display of an advertiser's ad are bid on by the advertiser. When an ad matches the words on a page, the ads are displayed; thus: AdWords. AdWords is the system in Google that is used to place ads that display in AdSense.You can enroll in AdWords to pay for AdSense ads to drive traffic to your site. The first step is to sign up with Google. The next step is to associate keywords to associate with your site.The idea is to drive traffic to your site through the use of relevant ads. The more relevant the ad to your content, the more targeted your traffic will be. Compose your articles around your list of keywords. Next, write an ad based on the keywords and assign keywords to the ad. You will bid on the keywords at the time you associate keywords with the ad. If one of your keywords is searched for or relevant to a site, and you have a good bid and relevant ad, your AdWord ad will be displayed. Only when someone clicks your ad are you charged by Google.The more popular keywords are wanted by many competitors, so the prices per click can get pretty high. It is not uncommon for a click to cost $5 or even $10. If you have 10,000 ad clicks, after you account for your conversion rate (the rate that you convert visitors into buyers) you better be sure you are making more than the ad click costs! But it should never break your bank because you can set the bid limits and the monthly budget.What if you can't afford $5.00 per click? Since the more popular keywords are so expensive, it is best to bid on less popular keywords because the cost per click is lower. Google presently has a minimum bid of $0.05 per click. If you can get those, you can reduce your advertising budget.A popular site can make a lot of money, however, a lot of money and time can be wasted. To avoid waste, you have to learn as much as possible and get the right tools to do the research.
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| History of Domain Names |
| 2007-07-27 00:26:00 |
By: Nicholas LaPolla What is a domain name? A domain name is a unique name, kind of like an e-mail address is unique, which is registered in a database called WHOIS through an organization called Network Solutions, Inc. (NSI). The domain name corresponds to a unique set of numbers called an IP (Internet Protocol) address. The reason we use domain names instead of IP addresses is that they are closer to our language. It would be difficult to market a site like this: "Go to 64.233.167.99 or 216.109.112.135 to search the internet!" A much easier way to do this is to say "Go to www.Google.com or www.yahoo.com to search the internet!" (Both Google and Yahoo are trade marked by Google, Inc., and Yahoo, Inc., respectively).A domain name points to a computer called a "name server". The name server knows that your domain name corresponds to your web hosting server's IP address and it routes the person who typed in your domain name to your web hosting server - to your web site. That is how people anywhere in the world can see your web site by typing your domain name.In 1992, the National Science Foundation granted an exclusive contract to NSI to be the sole registrar of top level domain names. NSI also had a cooperative agreement with United States Department of Commerce ("DoC"). With no competition, consumers were at the mercy of NSI.In 1998, NSI and the DoC amended their cooperative agreement to allow for competing registrars. NSI was forced to provide domain name registration to the competing registrars at wholesale prices, rather than the standard $34.99 annual fee. NSI still charges $34.99 per year.In late 1998, the DoC assigned the responsibility of overseeing the transition to a competitive market for domain names and accreditation of new registrars to a new organization called the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN).In 1999, ICANN began taking applications from companies who wanted to become registrars - and then capitalism took over: companies had to compete for business. Prices came down and service improved, however some are better than others. For a more detailed history of this transition, visit www.icann.org/registrars/accreditation-history.htm.Even with the positive effects of competition in the domain name marketplace, the process of internet domain name registration remains a mystery for many.There are a lot of companies that want to charge you hundreds of dollars to do the simple task of domain name registration for you. There are some registration companies who will charge you $35 just to register a domain. And there are web site consultants who charge over $100 to do the work for you. But you can do it yourself in about 15 minutes and it can cost as little as $1.99 for a year. If you do some research, learn a little and work smart, you can save yourself some money - and some headaches.
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| Google AdSense and AdWords - Like Yin and Yang |
| 2007-07-27 00:26:00 |
By: Nicholas LaPolla Many websites include a section or two with the "Ads by Google" above it or below it. These are ads displayed via Google's AdSense. When you do a search on Google and see ads in the search results pages, they are generally AdSense ads.AdSense - The Yin:Google's AdSense is programming that "senses" the content of a page or search. It finds keywords on a web page or in a search phrase to determine the subject of the content. It does this by either "reading" the page, or taking a look at the search term that was typed into Google Search. It can "Sense" which ads in the system are relevant to the content or search and display them - thus: "AdSense."Before ads on a page are displayed, AdSense searches its ...
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| History of Domain Names |
| 2007-07-27 00:26:00 |
By: Nicholas LaPolla What is a domain name? A domain name is a unique name, kind of like an e-mail address is unique, which is registered in a database called WHOIS through an organization called Network Solutions, Inc. (NSI). The domain name corresponds to a unique set of numbers called an IP (Internet Protocol) address. The reason we use domain names instead of IP addresses is that they are closer to our language. It would be difficult to market a site like this: "Go to 64.233.167.99 or 216.109.112.135 to search the internet!" A much easier way to do this is to say "Go to www.Google.com or www.yahoo.com to search the internet!" (Both Google and Yahoo are trade marked by Google, Inc., and Yahoo, Inc., respectively)....
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| Four Critical Web Design Rules |
| 2007-07-27 00:24:00 |
By: Nicholas LaPolla "Content is King! If you want a website to generate back-links and have quality content the search engines love, be sure to make it readable by both people and search engines. Search engines are working to give people quality results. Thus, they are looking for sites with quality content. So - by building site content for people, not only are you getting back to basics (information dissemination to people via the Internet), you are creating a site search engines will love. So, build sites for people - and the search engines will come.When creating a new website or redesigning an existing site, there are four critical rules which should be followed to make the site effective, functional, loved by search engines - and successful.1. Easy to ReadWhen building a website, the first thing you need to be sure of is that your website is easy to read. When you write content, remember that most web site visitors don't read every word of a page - in fact, they only scan pages to find what they want.Break up Your ContentBreak up your pages and use headers between major ideas so people scanning your site can find what they want quickly. Use meaningful headers between each paragraph or major idea - this helps with SEO. Headers should be created with the H1 through H4 tags for SEO. Always use good writing structure. Additionally, avoid long paragraphs that run on. You should break up any long paragraphs.Color and FontsTo help readability, use high contrast colors between font and background. Black text against a white background may seem stark, but it is very readable. To make a website easy on the eyes, try an off-white background and a dark gray (almost black) text color.Things to avoid with content color: Avoid vibrant background colors like purple or yellow. Such back colors make text difficult to read. Avoid using an image behind your text. Avoid using bright text colors on bright backgrounds. Fonts MatterOne simple statement covers the font issue:Simple fonts are the best; the more fancy the font, the harder it is to read.Since many browsers only have the standard font set, use standard fonts. In reality, there is no "standard", but there are certain fonts that are installed on most browsers. These include Arial, Verdana, Tahoma and Times New Roman. Your readers will see something different than you see if you use other fonts.Standard Compliant Browser for DevelopmentWhen developing and testing your site, use a Standards compliant browser like FireFox. If you develop your site to be standards compliant, it will work in most browsers, including MS Internet Explorer (IE). It is recommended that you test your site using the latest and last browser versions of IE (IE6 and IE7). To run multiple versions of IE on the same machine, TredoSoft.com has a free installer that will install multiple versions of IE. It works great!Keywords in ContentOf course, when writing content, not only should it be formatted to be readable, but it must also be consumable by not only people, but by search engines. One way to make the subject of the content known to search engines is to use the keywords that people use to search for your site in your content. Be sure to use keywords in your header tags, your first paragraph and throughout your text. The keyword density should be between 4% and 7% - but any more than that could 1) be hard to read and still make sense and 2) be considered spam by search engines and banned. Keywords should also be used in your TITLE tags and your Meta description.2. Simplify NavigationThe menus and links make up the navigation that the visitor uses to get from page to page in a site. Always plan a site around how people will get from page to page. A visitor to your site should be able to get to what they want within three clicks of their mouse.Multiple navigation points makes it easy to find things. Repeat the top menu and at the bottom. Also create a left or right menu.Using links within your text to other areas on your site. You can create links so that they are good for search engine optimization (SEO). There are generally two ways to create links within your text: The wrong way: "For search engine optimization techniques, click here." The right way: "Good techniques for search engine optimization are important to use." Using link text (anchor text) that describes what the link is about is the best way. Search engine web crawlers (programs that automatically index the contents of websites) visit your site, they "read" links. Spiders can index descriptive links into a subject or keyword category. Spiders have nothing to work with when reading a "click here" until it reaches the linked page.This is Cross Linking - use it as much as possible when it makes sense to do so when writing your content.3. Consistent DesignAt most, one or two layouts should be used in your site design. As a reader browses your site, they should be able to get used to looking in the same place for your navigation, for your sub-navigation and for your content. That's all there is to say about that.4. Lower Page Weight is BetterPage weight is the total size of a page on your site in bytes - code, text and images. Your site's page weight makes a big difference to your viewers. Lighter page weight is better for your readers because the page will download faster. The faster a page downloads, the faster they will get to the content.What is Means to be Light No large images. Fewer images are better. Optimize images for the web at no more than 72 dpi Use as small an image dimension as possible for the given design. Use a table td bgcolor attribute or a background-color style attribute for solid color backgrounds. Make gradients horizontal or vertical (not diagonal) so that you can use a small image "strip" and repeat it. How "Heavy" Should a Web Page be? Certain studies show that 64K is a good maximum webpage size. 64K is a maximum, however it is still, in my opinion, really big! The smaller the page, the better. 25K is good, 15K is even better. There is a balance between design and function. It is a good idea to focus more on function.Try putting pages on your web host server as you build your site so you can test it as you go. For pages online, you can test the page weight at www.quasarcr.com/pageweight/ to be sure you are on track.Ways to make pages lighter: Use linked style sheets Use DIVs instead of TABLEs where possible Use simple repeating backgrounds for effect SummaryVisitors to your website should be able to find what they are looking for within about three clicks. Search engines should be able to navigate easily through your site. Making a site easy to read with consistent page design, and easy to navigate will make it easy to find information. When people can find information, they are more likely to refer your site or link to it - which is exactly what you want to encourage. You will be on the way to building a readable and hopefully successful website that is loved by search engines if you follow these principals.
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| Four Critical Web Design Rules |
| 2007-07-27 00:24:00 |
By: Nicholas LaPolla "Content is King! If you want a website to generate back-links and have quality content the search engines love, be sure to make it readable by both people and search engines. Search engines are working to give people quality results. Thus, they are looking for sites with quality content. So - by building site content for people, not only are you getting back to basics (information dissemination to people via the Internet), you are creating a site search engines will love. So, build sites for people - and the search engines will come.When creating a new website or redesigning an existing site, there are four critical rules which should be followed to make the site effective, functional, loved by search ...
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| Television - What To Do Before 2009 |
| 2007-07-25 22:37:00 |
By: Christine Peppler Changes are coming in the world of television. Traditional over-the-air television broadcasts will cease on February 18, 2009 and all stations will broadcast digitally. Although the majority of consumers already have the equipment and services necessary to continue to receive their television programming, there will still be an estimated 20 million who will need to take action if they want to continue viewing programming.The digital switch over will occur in order to free up those portions of the broadcast spectrum, which traditional analog broadcasts currently occupy, for use by wireless and broadband services. Improved communications for public and safety services and more affordable high speed internet are just two of the potential benefits of the switch.For most consumers who utilize cable or satellite TV services no action prior to the change over should be necessary as the set-top boxes or receivers they use will allow them to receive the digital signals. However, for those households who receive their television programming exclusively through over-the-air analog broadcasts, additional equipment will be needed in most instances.Consumers who have purchased a television set in the past year or two may already have a set with a digital tuner which will allow them to pick up the new signals. However, because not every television manufactured prior to March 1, 2007 was required to have a digital tuner having a newer television may not exempt consumers from needing to seek out additional equipment.For those households with a television that does not currently have a digital tuner and which receive programming over-the-air, one of three options are available.Purchase a digital ready televisionSubscribe to a cable or satellite TV serviceObtain a set top box to allow an existing television to receive digital television signalsPurchasing a new television of course carries a price tag. Depending upon the size and display type, a new television could run from a couple of hundred to a few thousand dollars. Subscribing to a cable or satellite TV service would provide additional programming options and would eliminate the need to purchase additional equipment but would involve adding another monthly bill onto the household budget for homes that don't currently subscribe to such services. The final option, which is probably the least expensive, is to purchase a set-top converter box; the cost of which is anticipated to be around $50 by the 2009 change over.To assist consumers who receive over-the-air television programming without cable or satellite TV services, the US Department of Commerce will be providing a coupon program beginning in 2008. The program will reportedly provide up to two $40 vouchers per household to help offset the cost of this change for such households.Certainly the change over to digital television should provide a needed boost for emergency services communications and wireless capabilities while improving television signal efficiency and quality for home viewers. Like most change however, it will not be completely without pain, as millions of home viewers on a budget may find they need to take action if they wish to keep their current television service.
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| Television - What To Do Before 2009 |
| 2007-07-25 22:37:00 |
By: Christine Peppler Changes are coming in the world of television. Traditional over-the-air television broadcasts will cease on February 18, 2009 and all stations will broadcast digitally. Although the majority of consumers already have the equipment and services necessary to continue to receive their television programming, there will still be an estimated 20 million who will need to take action if they want to continue viewing programming.The digital switch over will occur in order to free up those portions of the broadcast spectrum, which traditional analog broadcasts currently occupy, for use by wireless and broadband services. Improved communications for public and safety services and more affordable high speed internet are just two of the poten...
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| Anatomy of a Camcorder |
| 2007-07-25 22:36:00 |
By: Christine Peppler Camcorders are ingenious tools that allow us to record images of the events that make up our lives or to get creative and produce unique and interesting films that previously only professional videographers could craft. For beginners, it is important to understand a little bit about the basic anatomy of a camcorder in order to be better equipped to make a selection when shopping.Although every camcorder model is a bit different and may offer unique features there are basic components that are common to them all.The Image Sensor:A camcorder uses either a CCD, charge-coupled device, or CMOS, complimentary metal-oxide semiconductor, to convert light into electrical signals and record the resulting images. They basically perform the same function as film in a traditional camera or camcorder.A CCD consumes much more power than a CMOS chip but tends to produce a higher quality image. Images produced via a camcorder with CMOS tend to have more "noise" due to lower resolution and less light sensitivity. As with most technologies however, CMOS as the newer development is gradually gaining ground. The primary advantage of CMOS at this time is it's affordability versus the more expensive CCD sensors.The Lens:The lens of a camcorder provides the opening for light to pass through onto the CCD/CMOS and focuses it so that the image is sharp. By adjusting the lens users can alter what items within a scene are in focus as well as how much light is entering to control the look and quality of the resulting images. Lens controllers are sometimes purchased to allow a user to adjust the lens from the handle of the tripod.Add on lenses and filters can be used. For instance a telephoto lens allows subjects at a distance to be magnified, a wide angle lens broadens the horizontal field, and a fisheye lens allows for an extreme wide-angle view. Common filters include polarizing filters to reduce glare and UV filters to protect the lens from harmful rays.An important feature with camcorder lenses is optical zoom which allows the lens to magnify images; a function that allows users to obtain better pictures of subjects at a distance. Optical image stabilizers help to detect and reduce unwanted movement of the camcorder to produce a smoother, more stable film. Digital versions of zoom and stabilization are available on camcorders but do tend to produce a somewhat lower quality image. Digital stabilization however is sometimes preferred by some consumers as camcorders with optical stabilization are often larger.The Microphone:The average camcorder has a built-in multi-directional microphone. These microphones tend to pick up audio from any direction; from behind, in front of, and at the sides of the camcorder. Thus many home movies end up difficult to hear due to undesired "background noise".A camcorder also often has a microphone jack. If the camcorder has such a jack, purchasing an external microphone to attach to it can greatly improve the audio captured. External microphones can be moved closer to the sound source in some instances and in others they can focus on the sound that is desired versus any background noise. Wireless microphones and lapel microphones are useful when recording individual speakers. Shotgun microphones pick up sound from in front of the microphone at a distance while cardioid microphones pick up sound from in front which is nearby. Each option helps to reduce the intrusion of unwanted sound that distorts the audio desired.The View Finder and LCD Panels:The viewfinder on a camcorder allows users to see what they are filming. They can be black and white or color. Size varies as does resolution. Some users select a larger viewfinder with higher resolution to aid their visibility but others simply use the LCD screen for this purpose. LCD screen sizes vary as well, and are selected based on personal preference. Viewfinders can often provide greater visibility when filming in sunlight while use of an LCD screen that swivels allows greater visibility if filming overhead.Inputs and Outputs:A camcorder will have AV sockets and ports to allow connectivity to other devices such as a television or computer. These sockets allow film to be downloaded, played back, or copied. To allow the camcorder to hook up with a TV or other device it is important that the inputs and outputs coincide. These may be composite video or S-video for analog signals or DVI/HDMI for digital signals.Most camcorders will hook up with a PC via a USB 2 or FireWire port which allows much faster transfer than a USB 1.1 port. Again, the camcorder must be compatible with the computer to allow hook up.Although the construction of a camcorder can be much more complex and there is variability in features from device to device, if beginners understand these basic parts they will be well on their way to being able to make a knowledgeable selection when shopping.
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| Anatomy of a Camcorder |
| 2007-07-25 22:36:00 |
By: Christine Peppler Camcorders are ingenious tools that allow us to record images of the events that make up our lives or to get creative and produce unique and interesting films that previously only professional videographers could craft. For beginners, it is important to understand a little bit about the basic anatomy of a camcorder in order to be better equipped to make a selection when shopping.Although every camcorder model is a bit different and may offer unique features there are basic components that are common to them all.The Image Sensor:A camcorder uses either a CCD, charge-coupled device, or CMOS, complimentary metal-oxide semiconductor, to convert light into electrical signals and record the resulting im...
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| Camcorder Lens Filters |
| 2007-07-25 22:35:00 |
By: Christine Peppler After investing in a good camcorder, a sales person may suggest a lens filter for your new purchase. You wonder, are they just trying to make another sale or is there a justifiable reason for considering adding on a filter? Most of us aren't professional videographers and have no intention of producing a feature film with our camcorder, but lens filters do have a purpose even for those of us who use a camcorder only for recreational purposes.There are many types of filters for camcorder lenses, each with their own purpose but some of the most common may be of interest to the average consumer as a way of assuring better films and protecting their investment.Protective filters A clear filter can be used over the lens of the camcorder to protect it from dirt, fingerprints, and other debris which may scratch or otherwise damage the lens. Replacing a damaged filter is far less expensive than replacing the lens. Using a UV lens filters can also protect against damage from ultraviolet light. Protective lenses are often attached and remain on the camcorder throughout its lifetime.Polarizing filtersA polarizing filter can act to reduce glare caused by reflected light that bounces off of surfaces such as glass, snow, and water. These camcorder lens filters are particularly useful when filming outdoors where it can be particularly difficult to control reflective light or when shooting a film through a window.Neutral density filtersAttaching a neutral density filter on your camcorder can help to reduce over exposure in shots as they decrease the amount of light entering the lens. The darker grey the lens filter the more light they filter out and thus the darker the resulting images in the film.Color correction filtersThere are a variety of color correction or color compensating filters that can be used to create different effects. For instance, to make a sunset more red or an ocean more blue. As these tend to be used for more creative or artistic purposes these lens filters are used less frequently by the average consumer.Diffusion filtersBoth diffusion and fog filters on a camcorder can soften images. Diffusion filters in particular are used when filming up close shots of people to flatter their faces by softening any lines or imperfections on the skin.Although many consumers do not opt to purchase additional accessories for their camcorder, lens filters can be very useful. While some provide a very affordable alternative for protecting expensive camcorder equipment, others allow users to produce better films with less overexposure and more creative effects.
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| Cell Phone Plans That Make You Go Hmmm |
| 2007-07-25 22:35:00 |
By: Christine Peppler As most have heard, cell phone plans around the globe are not all the same. Some have even said that cell phone plans in the US are more costly than those in many other countries. The reasons provided are many but one of course is that nations such as Canada and the US are larger and many people live more remotely than in most European countries or Japan for instance, thus the costs for the infrastructure are greater.One of the common points made, is that in countries such as Japan, Russia, most of Europe, China, and Australia, cell phone plans do not charge customers for incoming calls where as the majority of US cellular providers appear to be double charging calls by billing for the outgoing call and an incoming call. Whether a caller and a receiver of the call pay in cash or in minutes, two charges for a single call seems unwarranted to many consumers in view of the long standing history of billing for landline calls in which only the calling party pays when per call charges apply.Of course, the angst over the topic is only intensified when not only wrong numbers can be dialed but even telemarketing calls could potentially sneak through with the customer being socked with the charge. Despite these concerns however, it is still unclear if indeed the cell phone plans in the US are actually more costly than their counterparts abroad.Cell phone plans which offer unlimited nights and weekends and free nationwide long distance are predominate in the US, although this is not so in many other countries which may help balance out the difference in how incoming calls are handled. In addition, more recent cell phone plan offerings are beginning to change the face of how services are billed in this country giving users more flexibility and greater use without increased cost.Two examples are cell phone plans which offer "free incoming" plans and those which offer unlimited calling to a user's circle of most commonly called numbers both of which offer greater savings. Free incoming plans offer exactly what their name implies, unlimited inbound calls from anywhere in the country, at any time in addition to nationwide long distance and unlimited nights and weekends. However, the plans generally restrict these free incoming calls from those within the same network. Sprint, for instance, allows free inbound calling from anyone in the Sprint PCS or Nextel Network.Nextel on the other hand provides similar plans with the addition of no roaming fees and unlimited direct connect for those who can use the walkie/talkie function with other Nextel users.Other fairly recent introductions in the US market are cell phone plans that provide unlimited calling to a list of "favorites" or most commonly called numbers. T-Mobile "MyFavs" plans allow users to create a list of their 5 "favorites". The most attractive part of these plans is that the favorites can be in any network, or even a landline, offering less restrictive guidelines and greater freedom in using free calling time. Users are even allowed to change their favorites list monthly and for those with a family plan, the various members of the family can have their own personal favorites list providing additional flexibility.Cell phone plans in the US often require commitments of two years and are a significant expense for users. However, with the proliferation of plans which offer unlimited nights and weekends, free nationwide long distance and now the introduction of plans with free incoming calls and unlimited calling to lists of frequent contacts, some cell phone plans in the US may offer more economical choices which their overseas cousins may envy.
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| Camcorder Lens Filters |
| 2007-07-25 22:35:00 |
By: Christine Peppler After investing in a good camcorder, a sales person may suggest a lens filter for your new purchase. You wonder, are they just trying to make another sale or is there a justifiable reason for considering adding on a filter? Most of us aren't professional videographers and have no intention of producing a feature film with our camcorder, but lens filters do have a purpose even for those of us who use a camcorder only for recreational purposes.There are many types of filters for camcorder lenses, each with their own purpose but some of the most common may be of interest to the average consumer as a way of assuring better films and protecting their investment.Protective filters A clear filter can be used over the lens of the camcorder...
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| Cell Phone Plans That Make You Go Hmmm |
| 2007-07-25 22:35:00 |
By: Christine Peppler As most have heard, cell phone plans around the globe are not all the same. Some have even said that cell phone plans in the US are more costly than those in many other countries. The reasons provided are many but one of course is that nations such as Canada and the US are larger and many people live more remotely than in most European countries or Japan for instance, thus the costs for the infrastructure are greater.One of the common points made, is that in countries such as Japan, Russia, most of Europe, China, and Australia, cell phone plans do not charge customers for incoming calls where as the majority of US cellular providers appear to be double charging calls...
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| Cell Phone Insurance - Look Before You Buy |
| 2007-07-25 22:34:00 |
By: Christine Peppler Our cell phones are a life line, a work tool, and in some cases, the tie that binds families. To be without a cell phone is unimaginable for many but it is a reality that they are faced with at some time as record numbers of handsets are lost, stolen, or rendered useless each year. However, in a nation that attempts to insure every possession, cell phone insurance is available.Numerous insurers have popped up in recent years promising to end the turmoil caused by the unexpected absence of these handy devices. These companies reassure us that we won't go more than a matter of hours when a cell phone is stolen as they strive to quickly resolve claims and replace our valuable goods. But is this insurance really cost effective? Does it provide the service that consumers anticipate? Potential buyers need to take the time to seek out the details of a policy before deciding that such insurance is a solution to the issue of a cell phone gone missing or bad.When reviewing a cell phone insurance policy, buyers should consider a few things:Consider the cost of the coverage.This includes the monthly payments times the number of months the owner anticipates having the phone. For instance, a $5/month policy held on a phone that is owned for 3 years would total $180. That is $5 x 36 months = $180. Now the potential buyer must also factor in any deductible. For our example lets say there is a $50 deductible. The new total of $230 represents what the buyer would actually be paying if indeed their phone had to be replaced. Consumers need to compare the cost of a new, equivalent cell phone compared to the cost of the coverage. If they can obtain a new phone on their own for nearly the same amount as the cost of the policy, they are better off forgoing the insurance.How are cell phones replaced?Is there a guarantee that the phone will be replaced with a model of equivalent or better value? A guarantee that the phone will be new rather than refurbished? Is there language assuring the time frame in which the phone will be replaced? These types of questions will help determine whether or not the service will meet the needs for immediacy in obtaining a replacement and if the replacement will be inferior or equivalent to the original equipment.What does the cell phone insurance policy cover?Does the policy apply to cell phone theft, cell phone loss, and significant damage? It is important to know which situations are covered and which are most likely to occur. If the policy does not cover the situations that a particular buyer is most concerned with, then the policy is useless to them. Many policies will differentiate between loss and theft; sometimes requiring a police report for thefts.Know what the cellular provider can do in these instancesSome cellular providers are willing to help replace a damaged or missing cell phone that a user has had for more than a year. In some cases, a replacement will be provided or discounted, minimizing the need for the additional protection of cell phone insurance.Like any type of insurance coverage, cell phone insurance could provide significant assistance in quickly replacing a vital device that an owner can not afford to replace in some circumstances. However, in many instances it is merely an added expense. Consumers need to carefully review the policy to determine whether or not it offers the type of protection they need for their cell phone.
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| Cell Phone Data Service Plans |
| 2007-07-25 22:34:00 |
By: Christine Peppler The history of the cell phone has seen an evolution from simple communication devices to the smartphones that are prevalent today. With these more advanced cousins of the original cell phone, internet capabilities such as text messaging and web browsing, audio and video playback, and the ability to sync up with a PC have been added to their work load. For busy consumers who want to increase their connectivity and productivity, a smartphone is an excellent option to provide the access and tools that are needed.Once the decision is made to move up to a smartphone however, purchasing a web enabled cell phone is only the first step in the process of getting started. Cell phones operate in conjunction with a voice plan from a cellular provider; when using such a device for internet related functions, the user must have a data plan to make the appropriate connection.When considering a data plan for a cell phone there are a number of details to consider:What functions will be used?Users need to carefully consider what functions they will be needing. Some data plans allow e-mail functions only, providing the benefit of a lower monthly cost. Other plans allow users to send and receive e-mail via their cell phone, access the internet, download games, music, video, sync with their PC to access various software applications, and perform a variety of other functions.Users also want to be sure they know what web access they will be allowed via their data plan. Some plans allow access to selected sites only while others provide unlimited access. Some data plans allow internet access via cell phone but not on a laptop when tethered to a cell phone acting as a modem. The data plan will need to match up with how the individual wishes to use the service.Is the coverage sufficient?Just as with a voice plan, users should check to assure that the coverage through the data plan will be sufficient for their location and in other locations where they will commonly need to access the service through their cell phone. In some instances, the quality or speed of the connection can vary from location to location.What is the cost of the data service plan?Cell phone owners are charged a monthly fee for their data plan. Users pay for data plans through either the amount of data used or the time spent on the service. Data use fees may be based on a predetermined amount of data transmitted and received over the course of a month or may be "unlimited".Plans which charge a set fee for a prescribed amount of data transfer may be economical if use of the service is very limited and consists primarily of e-mails and text documents. However, in many instances, unlimited plans that set no limit on the number of megabytes used in a month are often a safer option. As an example, a plan with limited data transfer may allow 5MB per month but receiving a single MP3 music file could consume 3-4MB alone. Just as with voice plans, it is expensive to exceed the data plan limits; average $.06 per kilobyte.As mentioned above, rather than charging for the amount of data transfer, some cellular providers draw from voice plan minutes to cover time spent on the web. Individual users would need to carefully assess whether or not the consumption of additional voice time would be the best option for them.As cell phones have matured into the smartphones of today, millions of busy, time limited people are finding them increasingly indispensable. However, new users will need to learn the details of the various data plans to assure that their new web enabled cell phone can meet their expectations.
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| Cell Phone Data Service Plans |
| 2007-07-25 22:34:00 |
By: Christine Peppler The history of the cell phone has seen an evolution from simple communication devices to the smartphones that are prevalent today. With these more advanced cousins of the original cell phone, internet capabilities such as text messaging and web browsing, audio and video playback, and the ability to sync up with a PC have been added to their work load. For busy consumers who want to increase their connectivity and productivity, a smartphone is an excellent option to provide the access and tools that are needed.Once the decision is made to move up to a smartphone however, purchasing a web enabled cell phone is only the first step in the process of getting started. Cell...
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| Cell Phone Insurance - Look Before You Buy |
| 2007-07-25 22:34:00 |
By: Christine Peppler Our cell phones are a life line, a work tool, and in some cases, the tie that binds families. To be without a cell phone is unimaginable for many but it is a reality that they are faced with at some time as record numbers of handsets are lost, stolen, or rendered useless each year. However, in a nation that attempts to insure every possession, cell phone insurance is available.Numerous insurers have popped up in recent years promising to end the turmoil caused by the unexpected absence of these handy devices. These companies reassure us that we won't go more than a matter of hours when a cell phone is stolen as they strive to quic...
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| Stop Unwanted Calls and Messages to Cell Phone |
| 2007-07-25 22:33:00 |
By: Christine Peppler Because our cell phone typically accompanies us everywhere, unwanted calls to them take on a particularly annoying and sometimes frightening tone. Errant telemarketing calls or spam in the form of text messages can interrupt at inopportune times and can carry a charge to the receiver either in the form of minutes or cash. On the other hand, harassing calls can be not only inconvenient but threatening as well. Questions regarding how to reduce or eliminate unwanted calls to a cell phone are one of the most frequent topics presented to customer support forums in the cellular industry.Certainly there are steps that all cell phone owners can take to combat the intrusion and expense of unwanted calls and text messages as well as additional safeguards that are specific to individual cell phone models. Becoming familiar with the protective features offered via the cellular provider is easy via their website in most cases. Reviewing the manual for a specific cell phone will also inform customers of any functions that may allow them to bar calls and messages or limit their intrusion.A few of the common precautions and suggestions include:Protect cell phone numbers from spam. Avoid giving out cell phone numbers but when it is necessary become aware of the privacy policy of the businesses to which such information is provided. Clearly it is best to avoid providing a cell phone number to a business that would possibly sell the information to potential spammers.Be aware when ordering or signing up for newsletters, downloads, and so forth that users may be agreeing to receive calls or messages from the company in the future; thus, be sure to uncheck any boxes indicating agreement to receive these intrusions if they are not wanted.Another important measure to avoid spam is to get on the "Do Not Call" list; register cell phone numbers at donotcall.gov. If a user is receiving excessive spam, they should contact their cellular provider to see how the company can assist. If the sender of unwanted text messages is known, in some instances they can be added to a "block list" for the user which is managed through the cellular providers' website. The cellular company should also reverse any charges for spam received.Many cell phones, particularly smartphones, allow users to block "private" or unknown callers which would encompass most spammers. Check the manual for instructions on how to program this feature. Another option is to program the phone to have all "private" or unknown callers assigned a silent ringtone that will not disturb the user, and thus the call will roll to voicemail from where it can later be deleted. Other cell phones allow users to program it to send all incoming calls to voicemail unless the caller is on their contact list. This final option can also be very useful if the user is receiving harassing phone calls.Various cell phones have filtering capabilities; users simply need to become acquainted with the options available for their phone. For instance, some can block international calls, or calls when roaming, to avoid excessive charges. Some smartphones allow users to block specific numbers which is particularly effective when receiving harassing phone calls.When steps have been taken to eliminate spam received on a cell phone but it persists, it is wise to contact the FCC. Although they cannot deal with individual consumer complaints, they can act to issue citations to violators of the "Do Not Call" list and other related legislation. In extreme cases, it is possible of course to disable the text message function altogether via the cellular provider.If harassing calls to a cell phone continue, both the police and the cellular provider should be contacted. Reports should be filed and information regarding the date, time, and content of the calls need to be kept. In extreme cases, changing the cell phone number is advisable.
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| Stop Unwanted Calls and Messages to Cell Phone |
| 2007-07-25 22:33:00 |
By: Christine Peppler Because our cell phone typically accompanies us everywhere, unwanted calls to them take on a particularly annoying and sometimes frightening tone. Errant telemarketing calls or spam in the form of text messages can interrupt at inopportune times and can carry a charge to the receiver either in the form of minutes or cash. On the other hand, harassing calls can be not only inconvenient but threatening as well. Questions regarding how to reduce or eliminate unwanted calls to a cell phone are one of the most frequent topics presented to customer support forums in the cellular industry.Certainly there are steps that all cell phone owners can take to combat the intrusion ...
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| Cell Phone Plans - When Minutes Count |
| 2007-07-25 22:32:00 |
By: Christine Peppler Whether a consumer is new to the world of cell phone plans or simply trying to select the best plan to control their costs, understanding the minutes involved is key. Matching the number of "free minutes" in a cell phone plan to an individual's usage is the primary factor in avoiding extra fees and in assuring that the monthly bill is not higher than necessary.If there are too few minutes in a given cell phone plan, the user may routinely exceed the plan limit and pay a high per minute rate for the extra talk time. If all of the available minutes are not used however, a plan with fewer minutes, and potentially a lower monthly charge, could save the user significantly.To be able to really understand cell phone plans and make comparisons, consumers need to understand the common terminology related to the all important minutes described in the plan.• Anytime Minutes: The anytime minutes in a cell phone plan cost nothing beyond the monthly fee. They include all calls received or placed Monday through Friday during the day time; generally considered peak times. The hours included in this time frame can vary somewhat by plan so reading the details of the plan can be important.Any minutes used which exceed the allotment of anytime minutes are generally significantly more expensive. For instance, given an allotment of 500 anytime minutes the monthly fee might be $39.99 which averages out to just under 8 cents per minute. Minutes which exceed the plan however could run as high as $0.35 or $0.40 per minute. In addition, some plans charge roaming and long distance fees on minutes which exceed the plan, which may not be charged on anytime minutes within the same plan.It is important to remember that the anytime minutes include minutes used to both place and receive calls in most cell phone plans in the US. There are some exceptions with specific plans which offer "free incoming" and free calling among a core group of frequently called numbers.• Night and Weekend Minutes: If a cell phone plan includes night and weekend minutes there is no additional cost for these minutes and they do not consume the anytime minutes. In many cell phone plans, these night and weekend minutes are unlimited while others offer a set amount of time. These minutes are used during off peak times; generally between 9 p.m. and 7 a.m. and all day Saturday and Sunday. Again, the specific hours included as night and weekend minutes are defined in the plan.• Shared Minutes: Many families share a cell phone plan. Shared minutes allow them to use a common pool of anytime minutes. In many instances, this is more economical and certainly more efficient than having and monitoring separate plans for each individual. Shared minutes are also used by businesses which can use a single plan for multiple employees.• Roll-Over Minutes: Cell phone use from month to month can vary somewhat of course. A cell phone plan that allows roll-over minutes offers the advantage of rolling over anytime minutes that are not used throughout the month. There are still limits however, as to how long the rolled over minutes will remain available so knowing the plan details is important to avoid losing unused minutes.• Mobile-to-Mobile Minutes: Mobile to mobile minutes include calls within the same network; for instance, a call from a Sprint customer to another Sprint customer. Although it is unlikely everyone a user calls will be within the same network, this can still be a significant cost savings when signing up with a cellular provider that offers a large customer base or includes many of the people an individual calls frequently.One twist on the mobile-to-mobile concept offers free calling to a select group of numbers identified by the user. Some T-Mobile plans for instance allow users to identify five frequently called numbers and provides free calling within that group. The five numbers can change monthly and can be different for the various members of a family that share minutes within a cell phone plan.Although there is quite a lot of detail related to minute charges within cell phone plans, knowing this information can do a lot to control the monthly cost of such services when the rules of the specific policy are followed to get the most out of "free" calling.
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| Cell Phone Plans - When Minutes Count |
| 2007-07-25 22:32:00 |
By: Christine Peppler Whether a consumer is new to the world of cell phone plans or simply trying to select the best plan to control their costs, understanding the minutes involved is key. Matching the number of "free minutes" in a cell phone plan to an individual's usage is the primary factor in avoiding extra fees and in assuring that the monthly bill is not higher than necessary.If there are too few minutes in a given cell phone plan, the user may routinely exceed the plan limit and pay a high per minute rate for the extra talk time. If all of the available minutes are not used however, a plan with fewer minutes, and potentially a lower monthly charge, could save the user significantly...
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| Camera Bags - Choosing the Right One |
| 2007-07-25 22:31:00 |
By: Christine Peppler In the quest to get great pictures, consumers invest significant sums of money in either a film or digital camera. After sifting through the options of lenses, zoom, resolution, and so forth, the right camera is chosen. Next, buyers need to turn their attention toward a selecting a camera bag to protect their new purchase and to make it convenient and comfortable to take along. Camera bag options are numerous but consumers can simplify the process by considering four things when making a choice.What needs to go in the camera bag?Think about what equipment will need to be toted around. For many people a bag that will accommodate their camera, a few rolls of film, and some batteries is enough. A small case with a couple of pouches may fit the bill.For those who also want to carry extra lenses, cleaning cloths, a small tripod, or memory cards a larger bag with more pockets and dividers will be necessary. A good bag must accommodate all of the equipment that will be used. Some bags offer moveable pouches and dividers that allow more flexibility in storing the various sizes and shapes of accessories that might potentially go in the bag.How well will the bag protect the camera and other contents?The bag needs to be well constructed. The stitching on the straps for instance should be reinforced/double stitched. The fabric should be suitable for the environments in which it will be carried. A simple vinyl bag won't offer much protection in wet, rugged conditions outdoors. Waterproof bags or covers are necessary in such environments. Durable cordura is one of several materials that are more suitable. Insulated bags that allow the user to insert solid freezer packs to keep the camera and film cool are good when toting a bag for any extended period of time in hot weather.Compartments are important to protect the contents of the camera bag. Contents should not be touching, rubbing, and hitting against each other while they are being transported; thus compartments for each item are important. Any bag selected should fit the camera well to limit its movement within the bag. Padding throughout the bag is critical as well.Zippers offer a more secure seal on the bag than most other closures and thus offer greater protection.Is the bag comfortable to carry?The purpose of a camera bag is to allow the owner to take it with them wherever they go. If the bag is uncomfortable or difficult to carry it doesn't serve its purpose. Belt pouches can be a handy, no hands, means of toting around a small camera, a battery, and a few rolls of film but if more equipment is needed, bags with a shoulder strap are more appropriate. Many people find that if a bag will be carried for a significant period of time a back pack style camera bag allows more comfort as the weight is not distributed to one side.Padding enters the picture again here with comfort. Padding wherever the bag touches the body can be beneficial; particularly on any straps. Shoulder straps generally offer the greatest comfort when they are not only padded but wide as well.Ease of use is also a "comfort" factor. Buyers should check how easy it is to retrieve equipment and materials from the bag. This includes the ease of operating clasps, zippers and other closures as well as the arrangement of compartments within the bag. All items should be accessible.Is the camera bag durable?From quality fabric to reinforced stitching, the construction will determine durability. Closures are also critical. Zippers should be large toothed, and if going into wet environments, they should be covered. Metal clasps are more durable than plastic ones and tend to reduce any issues with breakage.
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| Camera Bags - Choosing the Right One |
| 2007-07-25 22:31:00 |
By: Christine Peppler In the quest to get great pictures, consumers invest significant sums of money in either a film or digital camera. After sifting through the options of lenses, zoom, resolution, and so forth, the right camera is chosen. Next, buyers need to turn their attention toward a selecting a camera bag to protect their new purchase and to make it convenient and comfortable to take along. Camera bag options are numerous but consumers can simplify the process by considering four things when making a choice.What needs to go in the camera bag?Think about what equipment will need to be toted around. For many people a bag that will accommodate their camera, a few rolls of film, and some batteries is enough. A small case with a couple of pouches may f...
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| Quick Camera Tips for Better Pet Pictures |
| 2007-07-25 22:30:00 |
| By: Christine Peppler Pets, like any member of a family, have unique personalities, individual responses to situations, and ways of expressing themselves. From a dog that loves to play hide and seek, peering from around a corner, to a cat that triumphantly perches in its favorite spot after removing any who dares to trespass on its prized territory, these small events are among the memories of pet owning families. Capturing the nuance of these situations simply requires a camera and the use of a few techniques which make photographing a pet unique.Choosing the ShotThere are a number of ways to shoot great pictures of a pet with a camera. Portraits can be challenging with a pet, but the end results can be worth the extra effort. Using food, toys, or another person to direct a pet to look in a particular direction or to elicit a certain expression may be necessary. To obtain a more natural scene incorporating interaction with other animals or family members can help to create an image that better captures the true personality of the animal and a more typical atmosphere as attention is drawn away from the camera.Common settings for pet pictures are where ever the animal is comfortable, such as lying on a favorite chair or gazing out a window. Another ideal setting is where ever they can be engaged in a favorite or natural activity. This helps to reduce some of the difficulty in getting an acceptable pose in front of a camera and better reflects the behavior and personality of a pet.Setting Up the ShotAs is true when photographing other types of subjects, assuring that the background is free of clutter or distracting objects can help to focus attention in the shot on the pet. A plain background often creates the best backdrop. Wiping | | | |
