If anybody doesn't know what UseNext is, it is basically a piece of download software.. The difference between UseNext and common sites such as RapidShare is that UseNext will allow you to download files from its database at a stupidly fast speed, at least as fast as your own Internet connection allows. They have thousands of movies, music albums, software packages, and almost every digital product you can think of; I myself managed to download an entire movie in around 6 minutes. Anybody with experience or knowledge of downloading movies will know that this is extremely fast!
Now, UseNext is NOT a free site but they do offer a 14 day trial, before asking you to pay an astonishing 80 Euros per month to use their highest spec service. The thing is, they actually want to charge you for the trial! This may only be a few euros, but surely a trial should be free? Thanks to me, and this article, you will be shown how you can get this 14 day trial for no charge whatsoever......... The ONLY way that you will get a free UseNext account.
The Free UseNext Account Trick.....
Follow these simple steps to get your free UseNet account.......
1. Go to UseNext.com and click on the banner which says "Get Your Risk Free 14 Day Trial".
2. Clicking on this link brings you to a long form for you to enter your details. This is where you are expected to enter your personal information, entering fake information works perfectly fine, meaning that you can happily avoid the inevitable spam that these programmes will bring. The only bit that you must enter correctly is an email address which you can access. Just click on 'Next'
3. You will now be taken to a payment screen. Make sure that you select 'Paypal' as your payment option, they state that this entails a 1 euro processing fee. Accept the terms and conditions at this point and press 'Complete Order' at the bottom of the page. Don't worry, they can't take money from your paypal account at this stage!
4. You will now be taken to the paypal payment screen. Enter your real life paypal email address, but get your password incorrect intentionally on three consecutive occasions. You will be informed by paypal that you have entered your password(s) incorrectly. Believe it or not, this will trick the UseNext payment system into believing that you have paid.
5. You should receive an email confirmation from UseNext shortly after this, giving you your username and password for the UseNext.com website. You can change account setting etc. if you wish. You will be presented with the option of downloading the UseNext software, which you should subsequently download.
6. When you open the software you are asked to provide your username and password, which you were given in the confirmation email. DO NOT enter these details, as UseNext will subsequently send you an email asking for payment. Instead, just leave these details blank and close the software.
7. UseNext will subsequently send you a new username and password within a few days (yes they are that stupid!) and you can use these to login with these without paying a single penny.
And hey presto! You now have a free UseNet account trial and haven't given them any of your personal details.
Sound Like A Lot Of Work For 1 Euro?
You can use this trick multiple times, an infinite amount of times in fact, saving yourself about 80 euros a month. That's over 1,000 euros per year for this fantastic piece of software, which you are getting completely free..... and because of their own system faults. UseNext completely and utterly pisses all over standard p2p or torrent programmes, as it is about 25 times quicker and without the spyware/malware issues.
Mobile Games Developers worldwide are gearing up for the full launch of Djuzz (m.djuzz.com), BuzzCity's new games and entertainment portal. The portal, which provides free downloads of mobile games and applications to users, is set to become an important tool for mobile developers to test new products and gain traction in key markets. Hosting games and applications within the portal is free for ...
How do I make my own blog? Is it difficult to do? Can I make money doing it? All good questions. And the answers? Yes, you can make your own blog. No, it's not difficult once you know how. Yes, you can make some money doing it. And so, this article will tell you how to make your own blog, and it just might be of use to the many who already have done so.
Starting your own blog sounds like a really cool thing, but there is much to consider before doing so. The very first question you have to ask yourself is this ... do I want to make money from my blog? If not, then there are many ready-made free ones on the internet. Here's a few free blog pages I have come across in my many travels:
blogger.com
wordpress.com
livejournal.com
Well, you get the idea. You need not own your website to have a blog, but doing so does offer some advantages:
You maintain total control over your site
The only advertising on the site belongs to you
All the traffic is yours and yours only
Now, if you are going to blog to express yourself or to keep a personal journal I recommend a free blogging site. However, if you are looking to make money while blogging I highly recommend paying for your own site. Ah yes, you need to invest to make money - and we all know that investments are risky business. That's why we'll look into this a bit deeper before pressing on.
How Much Does It Cost To Have My Own Blog?
Provided you are just looking to do it for kicks ... nothing ... zilch ... nada ... just as I said above. Ya didn't expect me to change my tune midcourse, did ya?
But if you are looking to profit from your writing you will definitely need a site you own yourself. Why? Because affiliate marketers like Google Adsense, Amazon, and Ebay offer a lot of great advertising devices, but they only give out the best of toys to those who own their own site. As such, if you want to make money that's what you'll need - a site of your own - and that's what we will go over here.
To start, you will need your own domain. Two great places to buy a domain are:
godaddy.com
hostgator.com
Yes, they look immature and gimmicky in their ads, but make no mistake, both are top-notch domain providers. As for me, I went with godaddy.com, but I could have went with hostgator just as easily. Once I explain the full path I took I think you'll understand why I chose as I did. As for the cost of a domain, I went with a package deal, which I will explain.
Godaddy.com offers wordpress hosting for as low as 4.49/mo for 24 months. This intrigued me, as websites with less than a 1 year domain license are given less respect on the search engines, as they look at you as if you are a flash in the pan, looking to get rich quick and head out of dodge. This plan also allowed me to secure a domain (the place where I place my site) for an extra $1.99/yr. Total cost for a two year site: $110. And that's where the question came in my mind ... can I feasibly make $110 of my blog in two years time? Because if the answer is no I'm better off slogging it through with a free blog and looking at limited income opportunities.
Adding up the dollars and cents, this came up to slightly less than $5/mo. And so, I thought to myself, that's two and a half large sodas at Burger King, so if it don't work out I'll drink less 72 less large sodas over the next two years, which would actually benefit me. haha!
And so, that was my initial investment, though the place you choose for your hosting and the package you chose could drastically change your own experience. Just remember ... To own your own blog you will need a domain to host it (that's the www.mysite.com part) and webspace to hold the data (10Gb should be enough for many, but others might need more). It also doesn't hurt to spend the extra for your own email address. This mailbox can then be used to help your blog readers communicate with you and to keep track of the many communications involved with setting up a blog. Ah yes, we are going to get our hands dirty up to the elbows as we get unfer the hood to set everything up - read on!
Setting Up A Wordpress Blog
As I chose Wordpress for my blogging, all of the information from here on out will be specific to Wordpress blogs. And why did I chose the Wordpress format? It's a trusted format, it's been around for a long time, and there are tons of free plugins for it!
Now, provided you signed up with godaddy.com they walked you through the setup. Of course, you might have went elsewhere and they (typically) will also walk you through the setup. Of course, if you went the free route you will need to go to wordpress.com and setup your account.
Regardless of how you do it, Wordpress is *not* difficult to install. The work is in maintaining it and making it work for you. As such, we won't go into a detailed description of how to give someone your name and other pertinent info, as such info varies anyway by how you sign up for Wordpress. Just know that there's a huge Wordpress community out there to tag for support and they will see to it that you get up and running with minimal pain, and that allows us to focus on what's really important - desinging your site!
Designing Your Wordpress Site
The first thing you will see when you log into Wordpress is the Dashboard. This is where you, the admin, become a demigod of your own little world. Learn to like this screen, as you will be seeing a lot of it over the next two years, and perhaps many more to come:
A Typical Wordpress 2.9 dashboard
Your dashboard will differ from mine as I have added things that you haven't added yet, and because you will eventually add things that I didn't. That's okay. For now, it's important to get a feel for what you are (or will be) looking at.
What Are All Of Those Gizmos on your dashboard?
Good question! As much as I would like to go into a detailed explanation of each one, I think we need at this level to just understand what they are. As this series of articles grows (you saw that this was part I, right?) we'll go deeper through each one. For now, we will start our path down the left side and move on from there with the basic explanations:
Dashboard: This button is like a homing button to get you back to your dashboard after you have opened something else. Consider it your panic button, and expect to use it often when starting out.
There's also a down arrow that leads to other options. For my Wordpress blog it leads to several plugins, but we aren't there yet, so no need to confuse ya just yet!
Posts: This button leads you to the posting interface where you will add new posts to your blog. Something to note: Your posts are displayed on your blog in a first in - first out fashion, meaning the newest stuff stays on the front page, while the oldest works its way down and finally disappears. Of course, you can make a post stay on the front page, but you want to do this minimally, as each sticky post takes up room on the front page for another new post.
And what are posts? These are the daily updates you make to your blog. Simple, eh?
Media: I never use this button, but it's designed for you to store data locally. So, if you snapped a photo of something and wanted to display it on your site, you would go here to place it on the site and then link to it in one of your posts or pages. And why don't I use the media button? Once you understand my philosophy in my design, you'll understand the method to my madness. But alas, my young Padawan, you can only absorb so much at one time.
Links: This button is kinda useful. Here, you can store outgoing links that you want to appear on each blog page. By placing all of your important links here you can get them on every page without having ti manually reenter them 500 times. Useful? Yes. Do I use it a lot? No.
Pages: This button is one I almost snubbed, until I learned what it can do. While posts are useful for sharing info that will be forgotten in days, pages are great for creating static info you want to keep in the public eye. So, if you wanted to announce to everyone that you are hosting a contest, you would use a page to do so. However, know this ... pages appear in your margins and posts appear in-between them. By this I mean that pages typically are made to set aside of your main content, so you need to use them wisely to keep them visible.
Comments: This button allows you to hear what others are saying about your articles. Don't expect tons of get ones right away, unless you are tickled by spam (which we will tell you how to combat later on). Fact is, no one will comment until they trust you, and once you earn their trust you'll never be able to silence them ... it just takes time. And of course, this button also allows you to manage said comments, allowing you to drop those that are spam or injurious to your blog.
Rating: This button is an add-on I will explain in Part II
Polls: This is another addon I will explain in Part II
Appearance: This button allows you to pick a theme (the outward appearance of your blog) and widgets (those little doodads that make your blog (for lack of a better expression) more than just a blog.
Plugins: This button is where you go to get new plugins and manage them. As much as words determine the worth of your blog, plugins determine how well you will be able to control your blog. There's a plugin for everything imaginable, and we will go into some of the best in Part II.
Users: This button is the heartbeat to your users. Here, you can promote users, demote users, and do all of the other stuff a demigod can do on their own blog.
Tools: This is another seldom used button, but an *extremely* useful one. Here, you can export your site to your PC any time. And why would you want to do this? Because you are preparing to make a big change and your uncertain of the consequence. It might be installing a new theme, adding a new plug-in, etc. I highly recommend exporting your site before any large change, so if anything goes terribly wrong you can import the old stuff back in before the readers come at you with their pitchforks - and they will ...
Settings: This is the final button, and one you will use often. This button control many of the technical aspects of the site, allowing you to reshape the mechanisms behind how your new world works.
And what is the rest, you might ask? Well, there's my spam filter (and I highly recommend one), the quickpress for creating articles on the fly, and various items from Wordpress attempting to catch your eye. In particular, the most popular plugins section is the best. After all, things get popular for a reason - they typically do something useful and do it well. As such, they could prove popular with you as well.
Picking A Theme
There are so many themes to chose from ... You don't believe me? Click Appearance -> Themes -> Add New -> Featured.
What you are looking at are the ones considered to currently be the most popular themes on wordpress. And as said before, things get popular for a reason. You can preview each one by clicking on them, but that doesn't tell you how well they will work on your site. However, you can click install on them to your own site (by clicking install) and preview them with your own data by clicking Appearance -> Themes -> and clicking preview on the one you want to try out.
It's all a matter of taste - trust me! However, if you want to know my favorites, here they are in order:
Atahualpa (my current theme)
Arjuna X (a really close second place)
Pixel
Coffee Desk
Each theme has its pluses and minuses, and my reasoning for choosing Atahualpa was all of the customizations available. In fact, most themes have customizable options which allow you to modify them to fit your needs - and Atahualpa is one of the most customizable ones I know of - and it's free. :)
I Picked A Theme - What's Next?
Well, provided you are serious about your blog you will want to create categories to sort things out for readers. After all, wouldn't it be nice to write about several topics at once and give each equal weight? Well, you can - and that's why you use categories.
To get started, click Posts -> Categories then choose some unique things you want to write about. For example, I chose Computers, Science, and Technology. All very basic, but each deserving a category of its own. I also added Blog Info as a category, to allow readers to refresh on changes I post about in the blog.
And why are categories important? Well, maybe someone enjoys reading about science, but hates computers. So, if I write several blogs about computers that person might think I stopped writing about computers altogether, and might stop coming around. Plain and simple, categories create focused user groups - that's why they are so important.
Adding Posts To Your Blog
Posts can be added through the quickpress area on your dashboard or by clicking Posts -> Add New. Then you use the latter method you will find yourself on this screen:
The Wordpress 'add new' post screen
This is the screen you will use to create most of your posts. And as you can see, there are plenty of option buttons. You can change the text to bold, italic, underlined, or strike-through; you can create lists and block quotes; you can left-justify, center, or right justify the text; you can perform a spell check; you can change your text color, size and font; you can import text from word or other programs; you can insert media (such as videos) and special characters; you can indent and outdent; you can create hyperlinks; and you can even undo and redo your changes on the fly.
Now that is what I call a text editor! There's even options above for adding pictures, video, audio, and other media - and I also have one for adding polls, which I will get into in Part II.
So, type your little fingers off and make that first post!
Done with it yet? Good! Now we need to add some tags. And what are tags you might ask? Well, tags are words and phrases used to internally link documents. Much like categories link the types of posts, tags can link them according to content.
For example, if I wrote an article about nuclear starships I might categorize it under space, with the thought that it goes along with space exploration. Next, I might write an article about new forms of nuclear energy in development (which I have, by the way). This article gets categorized under a different category, technology, as it's about new technological breakthroughs.
Now, both articles are in different categories, but a tag with the name 'nuclear' could link them both together. In doing so, every article tagged with the word 'nuclear' now has a category of its own, without ever breaking the original category structure I created for my blog. And that's the fine distinction between tags and meta keywords, as meta keywords bring in outside search traffic using phrases and tags organize the throughput of that traffic once it arrives to your site.
Never think of tags as keyword phrases ... think of them as links to other related articles, as that's what they truly are. And when you are done with your post, click the appropriate category to place it in, as this categorizes the post.
What? You can't find a proper category? Well, then add a new one, as it's obvious your thoughts have diversified elsewhere and there's no need to scrap a good post to save yourself from adding another category (which is a very simple process). Of course, you also should try to make articles fit when you can, as a blog with fifty categories is far too complex a maze for any human mind to master. I recommend no more than 10 categories, and even less if you can get away with it. Become a specialist - focus your writings as much as you can and your readers will love you for it.
That's All For Part I
Part I got you on your feet. As for Part II, I intend to show you a lot of really useful plugins. So, stay tuned for more as it's quickly on its way!
By now, you should know if you want to own your blog or get a freebie from someone else. You should also have your heart set on whether you are doing this for the money, the love - or both (and you can definitely do both by writing about what you love and monetizing it). Just remember ... This is something very new to many of you, so don't expect it to come easy - nothing worthwhile ever does.
I can give you all of the building blocks in the world, but in the end, for this to be your blog you'll need to become brave and get in there with your own hands to make it work. Trust me, there is no better feeling in the world than seeing your creation slowly come to life. Yes, there will be frustrations along the way, but those first 10 visitors will erase them all - I know this as I have experienced it myself.
How to Register a Domain Name is very important because you will need a website with a registered domain name before you can start to sell your product online. In order to make money online, you will need to get lots of traffic to your website and therefore, for the search engine optimization purpose, it is very important to choose the right set of long tail keywords as the URL for your website so you can get lots of free traffic for your website in the future.
The steps for Choosing the Domain Name
1) The first step to choose the right set of long tail keywords is always to use the Google Adwords Keyword Tool as your keyword's research tool, you can find more information about this tool from my previous Hub, Make-Money-Online-with-Google-AdWords-Keyword-Tool. With this tool, you will be able to find the best keyword combination by looking at the traffic volume of each keyword from the table. After you have done with your keyword research, start to choose the top level domain (TLD) for your website, the top level domain is the final part of the website address such as ".com", ".net" or ".org". Then, combine your long tail keywords with the top level domain to get your website address, for example, if you combine the long tail keywords "Learn Java Window Apple iPhone" with the top level domain ".com", you will get "LearnJavaWindowAppleiPhone.com". Now wait a minute! Can you spot what is wrong with this domain name? Due to no spacing is allowed in between the words of the domain name, you will need to use the (-) to separate those keywords or else you will get the word like LearnJavaWindowAppleiPhone instead of Learn-Java-Window-Apple-iPhone. What will happen next is that when the Google bot indexes your site, it will read your domain name word by word and LearnJavaWindowAppleiPhone will be interpreted as one word instead of five ( Learn Java Window Apple iPhone). LearnJavaWindowAppleiPhone will not bring you any traffic although it is so unique and you can easily get to the top spot in Google SERP as compared to Learn-Java-Window-Apple-iPhone which will take sometime for you to get there. Anyway, after you have done with all the hard work, it is time to go to the second step.
2) Type in your domain name which is now Learn-Java-Window-Apple-iPhone.com into the Google search box to find out whether that domain name is still available or not. If the domain name is still available, then all you need to do is just to register it at those online domain name registration sites. But how about if that domain name has already been taken by other? Then you will need to go through the step one process all over again. Or, you can check out those online buy domain name site and try to buy the domain name from the domain's owner. After you have filled up the Domain Buy Service Agreement form from the online buy domain name site, you will get your Certified Appraisal within 2 business days. After that, the domain buy agent will negotiate with the owner of that domain name for the lowest possible price and if the owner accepts your offer, then the deal is closed.
As we all can see, a good web domain names has become increasingly important to most of the website owners nowadays because we know that we all will need lots of traffic before we can start to make money online.
Drupal's system for themes is flexible and makes sharing themes particularly easy, allowing even beginner Drupal webmasters to present sophisticated user interfaces. Best of all, they are so simple to install and to activate - literally a 3-step process.
Steps
Download your new theme.
There are many Drupal theme sites which display themes to select from:
Uncompress your new theme to your website's themes/ folder.
If you are on a linux server and have the necessary permissions, upload the archive to the server, then - tar -zxvf /path/to/theme_archive_file /path/to/Drupal/themes/
If you do not have such access, you'll most likely need to uncompress the theme and upload the folder to the themes/ folder on the server.
Select the enabled box to allow your site's users to use this theme.
Select the default radio button to make this theme your site's default theme.
Most Drupal themes allow further refinement and customization, and a configure link will show up next to your current default theme.
Unselect all other enabled themes to require users to use this theme.
Tips
Take your time and experiment. Don't get flustered or worried if things don't work right immediately; Drupal's themes are wonderfully flexible, and it may take you a bit to get the most out of them.
The theme directory is not '\themes' as it would seem but either '\sites\all\themes', '\sites\all\themes\contrib', or '\sites\all\themes\custom'.
The '\theme' directory is for built in themes and may be overwritten when you update.
Any directory under '\sites\all\themes' will work but it is common for the themes to be separated into themes written by others (contributed) and themes written by you (custom).
The backslashes (\) that I use are for a Windows machine but they would be forward slashes (/) on a Linux machine.
Warnings
Each theme can have different names or different priorities for the different sections of the screen. Often this means a new theme will have blocks rearranged and showing up where you didn't expect them to. RELAX! Navigate your browser, as a logged in administrator account, to http://your.domain.tld/?q=admin/build/block, and move the blocks to where you want them to appear. There, that wasn't so hard, was it?
This is a simple guide for getting the best price on computer parts and consumer electronics.
Make a habit of continuously visiting the websites listed below and try to keep from buying an item at the first advertised bargain. Do this for about 1-2 months; this will accustom you to the types of items they usually have listed and the prices they are listed at. This way you'll know if you're getting a good deal.
Read the comments and forums on Slickdeals. The feedback from users will usually confirm a truly "slickdeal".
Research product reviews on Google to see if a product is actually worth buying.
When a product goes on sale for the 2nd or 3rd time, and all the research points to buying it... go for it!
Tips
Dell products are always on sale. So if you're looking at a Dell computer, keep track of what computers go on sale until you find one you actually need.
Rebates take a long time to come in.
Remember "Cheap is not always Good" and some brands like Gateway and Compaq offer you a low budget cost, but a high cost on hassles.
Acer offers you a great product too, with a low price guaranteed.
If is a laptop you need to buy, nothing gives you better performance for the price than Toshiba, in other words is the best option for Laptops.
Get accustomed to the terms: i.e. YMMV= Your mileage may vary, B&M = Brick and Mortar (meaning at the store only), PM = price match, BB= Best Buy, OD= Office Depot, BYOKAD (Bring Your Own Keyboard And Mouse)
If you live near/in Portland, OR; consider FreeGeek, or their thrift store.
Try online stores such as Newegg.com, Geeks.com, or other online stores. The prices there are usually much cheaper than in physical stores.
If you really want a great computer with only what you need or simply the best you can get, just Do It Your Self, is not as cheap as it could be but as an IT let me tell you, it could be your best option.
Audio cassettes opened up a world of portability unimaginable in the days when LPs ruled the roost. Now, however, cassette tapes have fallen by the wayside (or, in many cases, have been thrown to the wayside from moving vehicles), and, unlike LPs, they don’t look like making a comeback anytime soon. This poses a problem for those of us who would like to preserve important conversations or good songs that are currently stored on cassettes, not only because audio cassettes eventually deteriorate or get “eaten” by your tape player, but also because cassette players are becoming increasingly rare. Fortunately, you can easily transfer audio from cassettes to your computer, where it can be stored in formats such as WAV and MP3 or can be burned to CDs. In fact, $6 could get you everything you need.
Get your supplies together. You have several options. See the “Supplies You'll Need” section below for a list of these.
Rewind or fast-forward your cassette to the desired spot.
Connect the red and white RCA plugs to the appropriate, color-coded output jacks (line-out) on your cassette player or stereo receiver. Or connect one end of a double-ended 3.5mm stereo cable into the headphone output of your tape player.
Cable Converter
Connect the other end of your chosen cable to the “line-in" of your computer sound card. The 3.5mm Stereo plug is just like the plug of an earphone that you use in your Walkman or iPod. Adaptors are also available which allow you to use your computer’s USB port. For more details on the options see the “Things You’ll Need” section.
Turn on your computer and cassette player.
MS Sound Recorder
Open the sound-recording software you want to use. You can use just about any sound recording software. Microsoft Sound Recorder, which is standard in Microsoft Windows, will work for brief snippets, but it can be quite tedious to adjust the amount of time it will record (the default is only 60 seconds; you have to prepare your file beforehand by hitting the Record button each time it reaches the end, until you get a file large enough to hold the audio you'll be recording; then hit Rewind before recording), and it may not serve you well if you need to do extensive editing. If you do want to use Sound Recorder follow these instructions: click “Start” - “Programs” - scroll to and click on “Accessories” – scroll to and click on “Entertainment” – select “Sound Recorder”. You could also use a free sound recording like Audacity (http://audacity.sourceforge.net). If you use this sound recording software, you can touch up the audio (raise volume, clear some static areas) and even export to mp3.
Click the record button in your sound recording software. (In Sound Recorder and many other programs, this is the button with the red dot.) Start recording before you hit “play” on your cassette player so you make sure you don’t miss anything at the beginning.
Press “play” on your cassette deck. The computer will record the audio coming from your cassette player.
Click the “stop” button (typically a black square) when you are finished. If you want to record for a long time (a whole cassette, for example), you don’t have to sit around and wait for the recording to finish. Your recorder will continue recording after the tape stops, and you can just cut the silent portion when you edit the recording. You do, however, want to make sure your recorder will record for long enough to capture all the audio you want. If it doesn’t, simply record each track one at a time.
Save the audio file by clicking “File” – “Save”. A new window will open and you can give the file a name and choose a location on your hard drive to save to.
Edit your recording. You may not need to do any editing, but if you want to cut out silences, erase some tracks, or change the volume, for example, most sound-recording programs will allow you to do so. When editing, it is a good idea to keep the original file as a backup and change the names of edited files when you save them in case you find you made a mistake. When you’re sure you like the edited file, you can delete the original to save memory space on your computer.
These instructions provide general installation and handling information for 144-pin SODIMM memory. These instructions are intended to be used in conjunction with your model-specific owner's manual.
INSTALLATION PROCEDURE
NOTE: Before touching any electronic components, make sure you are properly grounded. By wearing a wrist strap (or using some other type of static control device), you can prevent static electricity stored on your body or clothing from damaging your installation.
Always turn off your computer and remove the rechargeable battery pack before installing your Kingston memory.
Insert the module into the socket at a slight angle (approximately 30 degrees). Note that the socket and module are both keyed, which means the module can be installed one way only.
To seat the module into the socket, apply firm, even pressure to each end of the module (see the arrows) until you feel it slip down into the socket. If you are having problems getting the module to seat properly, try rocking the module up and down slightly, while continuing to apply pressure.
? When properly seated, the contact fingers on the edge of the module will almost completely disappear inside the socket.
With the module properly seated in the socket, rotate the module downward, as indicated in the illustration. Continue pressing downward until the clips at each end of the socket lock into position. With most sockets, you will hear a distinctive CLICK, indicating the module is correctly locked into position.
Once the module or modules have been installed, the computer?s cover can be reinstalled.
Reinstall the rechargeable battery pack and any cables disconnected during the installation process.
Turn on the computer and follow the instructions in your computer owner?s manual that describe the steps necessary to allow your computer to recognize the newly installed memory.
These instructions provide general installation and handling information for 168-pin DIMMs. These instructions are intended to be used in conjunction with your model-specific owner's manual.
INSTALLATION PROCEDURE
Place the computer?s power switch in the "off " position and disconnect the AC power cord.
Remove the computer?s top cover following the instructions in the model-specific owner?s manual.
Before touching any electronic components, make sure you first touch an unpainted, grounded metal object to discharge any static electricity stored on your clothing or body.
Locate the memory expansion sockets on the computer?s motherboard. If all the sockets are full, remove smaller capacity modules to allow room for higher capacity modules.
Handle your new module(s) carefully; do not flex or bend the module(s). Always grasp the module by its edges.
For some installations, DIMM memory can be installed in any available expansion slot. Other installations may require the memory to be installed in a particular sequence based on the modules capacity. Check your owner?s manual to determine the correct installation sequence for your configuration.
Insert the module into an available expansion socket. Note how the module is keyed to the socket. This ensures the module can be plugged into the socket one way only. Firmly press the module into position, making certain the module is completely seated in the socket. Repeat this procedure for any additional modules you are installing.
Most 168-pin DIMM modules have ejector tabs. The ejector tabs are used only when you need to remove a module. By pressing down on the ejector tabs, the module will pop-up from the socket and it can be removed.
Once the module(s) have been installed, the computer?s top cover can be reinstalled.
Plug in the AC power cord and reinstall any cables disconnected during the installation process.
Turn on the computer and follow the instructions in your computer owner?s manual that describe the steps necessary to allow your computer to recognize the newly installed memory.
What would you do if your cell phone is running out of power. You need it on, but there’s not a power outlet in sight. The answer is simple, If you’ve got a charger and USB cable to spare, you can make your own cell phone charger in 15 minutes! The method works with most phones that have a 3.6 Volt Li-ion battery (this is usually mentioned on the battery itself), but still may not work with some, so make sure it’s a spare charger you’re using.
Most phones will work for this trick but there are supposedly cell phones out there that wouldn’t work— requiring greater current than the USB port can deliver—but these should be very few, and you’d be really unlucky to have ended up with one.
know the USB
The two extremes (pins 4 and 1from left to right) are the ones I am after—they’re the negative and positive terminals for USB power respectively. Pins 2 and 3 are for data.
Hack ‘Em Up
Use a wire cutter or just a blade to cut and open up both the charger and USB cable. The red and black wires in the USB cable are what we’re concerned with—the white and green are for data, so don’t bother with those. Your charger should have red and black wires too—I know of none that wouldn’t have the colour-coding, but you never know.
Making Ends Meet
You’ve probably guessed this now—join the two red wires and the two black wires. If you have access to one, use a soldering iron and secure the connections using solder. This will keep it intact even if you use it a bit roughly. Insulate them from each other using electrical tape (extremely important), and you’re done!
Testing..
Voila! It works! The next time you have a battery emergency, just leech power off your laptop and make that all important call!
There are many formats or file extensions which require only a particular software to use them. One such extension is .daa( Direct Access Archives ). It is a default format for PowerISO. This software is mainly used to compress large ISO files. The speciality of .DAA file format are compression, password protection, and splitting to multiple volumes.
Many files on the Internet are available in DAA format. We can’t use Power ISO for every one of them. So here is a way to open or extract them for free.Extracting DAA files require two steps
Converting the DAA file to an ISO file, and then
Burning the ISO file to a disc or extracting the ISO to get the required files.
In order to extract DAA files you will need two softwares :
Once you’ve downloaded and installed them, follow these easy steps:
Open DAA2ISO, and in the first box, point to the DAA file. In the second box, select the place where you want to extract the ISO, and also the filename for it.
Open IZArc, and point to the ISO file and fill in the details like where you want it to be extracted to.
In this way you get the original encrypted files. This will be in .ISO format. You can burn them on a disk by using any burning software like NERO or ImgBurn (freeware). Open the software and burn the ISO file to a disc to get a disc with all the contents of the original DAA file. Using Power ISO or ISO buster you can view the files directly with out burning them on a disk. You can even use softwares like Virtual Drive or Alcohol to mount the ISO files on a virtual disk drive to explore the files.
Creating personalized post cards or photo gift cards has become the flavor of the season. Most of the popular e-cards site provide you with an option to customize your own holiday postcards. But all you can do on the websites is add your images. With the help of this mini work shop, you can learn to personalize your photo card for every occasion, along with the perfect text. In order to make orcreate your own photo gift cards..
Download Photo-Card-Maker from this link. by Clicking on “Save File”. After downloading, Double-click on “PhotoCardMaker.exe” to install.
Start the application. Click on “Select Template”. Select a template through the “Category” drop-down menu. Click on a template in the main window. Click “OK
To change text on the card, click on “Text”. You can add new text, change the font face, size and color on your card. You can clear out the text by clicking on “Delete”
You can place personalized images on every template. Click on “Photo”. Browse and open the image. Scale it according to your requirement. Click outside the image.
To make changes in the future, click on “Template” and click on “Save Template”. Your text elements will be preserved, but your image will be discarded.
To save the card as a *.jpg image, click on the “Save” button. Browse for the location, and type an appropriate file name. Your card is ready to be mailed.
[PREMIUM]- So you’ve got a laptop, really love it and don’t want to let it go. It’s still fairly new but just out of warranty and the LCD monitor on the monitor is busted. You’ve either got a flickering screen, solid-colored horizontal or vertical lines or “blocks” of colors, however when you output the laptop to a regular monitor you know the computer is still working.
Can you fix this yourself?
Yes.
You can order a replacement monitor and do the work yourself by ordering just the screen (and not the bezel), however this is a very tricky job. This tutorial will instruct you how to replace one of these screens properly. We’ve even got pictures to help you see what we’re doing.
When you think about it, it's amazing how many different types of electronic memory you encounter in daily life. Many of them have become an integral part of our vocabulary:
You already know that the computer in front of you has memory. What you may not know is that most of the electronic items you use every day have some form of memory also. Here are just a few examples of the many items that use memory:
In this article, you'll learn why there are so many different types of memory and what all of the terms mean. On the next page, let's start with the basics: What exactly does computer memory do?
Computer Memory Basics
Although memory is technically any form of electronic storage, it is used most often to identify fast, temporary forms of storage. If your computer's CPU had to constantly access the hard drive to retrieve every piece of data it needs, it would operate very slowly. When the information is kept in memory, the CPU can access it much more quickly. Most forms of memory are intended to store data temporarily.
As you can see in the diagram above, the CPU accesses memory according to a distinct hierarchy. Whether it comes from permanent storage (the hard drive) or input (the keyboard), most data goes in random access memory (RAM) first. The CPU then stores pieces of data it will need to access, often in a cache, and maintains certain special instructions in the register. We'll talk about cache and registers later.
All of the components in your computer, such as the CPU, the hard drive and the operating system, work together as a team, and memory is one of the most essential parts of this team. From the moment you turn your computer on until the time you shut it down, your CPU is constantly using memory. Let's take a look at a typical scenario:
You turn the computer on.
The computer loads data from read-only memory (ROM) and performs a power-on self-test (POST) to make sure all the major components are functioning properly. As part of this test, the memory controller checks all of the memory addresses with a quick read/write operation to ensure that there are no errors in the memory chips. Read/write means that data is written to a bit and then read from that bit.
The computer loads the basic input/output system (BIOS) from ROM. The BIOS provides the most basic information about storage devices, boot sequence, security, Plug and Play (auto device recognition) capability and a few other items.
The computer loads the operating system (OS) from the hard drive into the system's RAM. Generally, the critical parts of the operating system are maintained in RAM as long as the computer is on. This allows the CPU to have immediate access to the operating system, which enhances the performance and functionality of the overall system.
When you open an application, it is loaded into RAM. To conserve RAM usage, many applications load only the essential parts of the program initially and then load other pieces as needed.
After an application is loaded, any files that are opened for use in that application are loaded into RAM.
When you save a file and close the application, the file is written to the specified storage device, and then it and the application are purged from RAM.
In the list above, every time something is loaded or opened, it is placed into RAM. This simply means that it has been put in the computer's temporary storage area so that the CPU can access that information more easily. The CPU requests the data it needs from RAM, processes it and writes new data back to RAM in a continuous cycle. In most computers, this shuffling of data between the CPU and RAM happens millions of times every second. When an application is closed, it and any accompanying files are usually purged (deleted) from RAM to make room for new data. If the changed files are not saved to a permanent storage device before being purged, they are lost.
One common question about desktop computers that comes up all the time is, "Why does a computer need so many memory systems?"
Why so many? The answer to this question can teach you a lot about memory!
Fast, powerful CPUs need quick and easy access to large amounts of data in order to maximize their performance. If the CPU cannot get to the data it needs, it literally stops and waits for it. Modern CPUs running at speeds of about 1 gigahertz can consume massive amounts of data -- potentially billions of bytes per second. The problem that computer designers face is that memory that can keep up with a 1-gigahertz CPU is extremely expensive -- much more expensive than anyone can afford in large quantities.
Computer designers have solved the cost problem by "tiering" memory -- using expensive memory in small quantities and then backing it up with larger quantities of less expensive memory.
The cheapest form of read/write memory in wide use today is the hard disk. Hard disks provide large quantities of inexpensive, permanent storage. You can buy hard disk space for pennies per megabyte, but it can take a good bit of time (approaching a second) to read a megabyte off a hard disk. Because storage space on a hard disk is so cheap and plentiful, it forms the final stage of a CPUs memory hierarchy, called virtual memory.
The next level of the hierarchy is RAM. We discuss RAM in detail in How RAM Works, but several points about RAM are important here.
The bit size of a CPU tells you how many bytes of information it can access from RAM at the same time. For example, a 16-bit CPU can process 2 bytes at a time (1 byte = 8 bits, so 16 bits = 2 bytes), and a 64-bit CPU can process 8 bytes at a time.
Megahertz (MHz) is a measure of a CPU's processing speed, or clock cycle, in millions per second. So, a 32-bit 800-MHz Pentium III can potentially process 4 bytes simultaneously, 800 million times per second (possibly more based on pipelining)! The goal of the memory system is to meet those requirements.
A computer's system RAM alone is not fast enough to match the speed of the CPU. That is why you need a cache (discussed later). However, the faster RAM is, the better. Most chips today operate with a cycle rate of 50 to 70 nanoseconds. The read/write speed is typically a function of the type of RAM used, such as DRAM, SDRAM, RAMBUS. We will talk about these various types of memory later.
First, let's talk about system RAM.
System RAM
System RAM speed is controlled by bus width and bus speed. Bus width refers to the number of bits that can be sent to the CPU simultaneously, and bus speed refers to the number of times a group of bits can be sent each second. A bus cycle occurs every time data travels from memory to the CPU. For example, a 100-MHz 32-bit bus is theoretically capable of sending 4 bytes (32 bits divided by 8 = 4 bytes) of data to the CPU 100 million times per second, while a 66-MHz 16-bit bus can send 2 bytes of data 66 million times per second. If you do the math, you'll find that simply changing the bus width from 16 bits to 32 bits and the speed from 66 MHz to 100 MHz in our example allows for three times as much data (400 million bytes versus 132 million bytes) to pass through to the CPU every second.
In reality, RAM doesn't usually operate at optimum speed. Latency changes the equation radically. Latency refers to the number of clock cycles needed to read a bit of information. For example, RAM rated at 100 MHz is capable of sending a bit in 0.00000001 seconds, but may take 0.00000005 seconds to start the read process for the first bit. To compensate for latency, CPUs uses a special technique called burst mode.
Burst mode depends on the expectation that data requested by the CPU will be stored in sequential memory cells. The memory controller anticipates that whatever the CPU is working on will continue to come from this same series of memory addresses, so it reads several consecutive bits of data together. This means that only the first bit is subject to the full effect of latency; reading successive bits takes significantly less time. The rated burst mode of memory is normally expressed as four numbers separated by dashes. The first number tells you the number of clock cycles needed to begin a read operation; the second, third and fourth numbers tell you how many cycles are needed to read each consecutive bit in the row, also known as the wordline. For example: 5-1-1-1 tells you that it takes five cycles to read the first bit and one cycle for each bit after that. Obviously, the lower these numbers are, the better the performance of the memory.
Burst mode is often used in conjunction with pipelining, another means of minimizing the effects of latency. Pipelining organizes data retrieval into a sort of assembly-line process. The memory controller simultaneously reads one or more words from memory, sends the current word or words to the CPU and writes one or more words to memory cells. Used together, burst mode and pipelining can dramatically reduce the lag caused by latency.
So why wouldn't you buy the fastest, widest memory you can get? The speed and width of the memory's bus should match the system's bus. You can use memory designed to work at 100 MHz in a 66-MHz system, but it will run at the 66-MHz speed of the bus so there is no advantage, and 32-bit memory won't fit on a 16-bit bus.
Even with a wide and fast bus, it still takes longer for data to get from the memory card to the CPU than it takes for the CPU to actually process the data. That's where caches come in.
Cache and Registers
Caches are designed to alleviate this bottleneck by making the data used most often by the CPU instantly available. This is accomplished by building a small amount of memory, known as primary or level 1 cache, right into the CPU. Level 1 cache is very small, normally ranging between 2 kilobytes (KB) and 64 KB.
The secondary or level 2 cache typically resides on a memory card located near the CPU. The level 2 cache has a direct connection to the CPU. A dedicated integrated circuit on the motherboard, the L2 controller, regulates the use of the level 2 cache by the CPU. Depending on the CPU, the size of the level 2 cache ranges from 256 KB to 2 megabytes (MB). In most systems, data needed by the CPU is accessed from the cache approximately 95 percent of the time, greatly reducing the overhead needed when the CPU has to wait for data from the main memory.
A particular type of RAM, static random access memory (SRAM), is used primarily for cache. SRAM uses multiple transistors, typically four to six, for each memory cell. It has an external gate array known as a bistable multivibrator that switches, or flip-flops, between two states. This means that it does not have to be continually refreshed like DRAM. Each cell will maintain its data as long as it has power. Without the need for constant refreshing, SRAM can operate extremely quickly. But the complexity of each cell make it prohibitively expensive for use as standard RAM.
The SRAM in the cache can be asynchronous or synchronous. Synchronous SRAM is designed to exactly match the speed of the CPU, while asynchronous is not. That little bit of timing makes a difference in performance. Matching the CPU's clock speed is a good thing, so always look for synchronized SRAM. (For more information on the various types of RAM, see How RAM Works.)
The final step in memory is the registers. These are memory cells built right into the CPU that contain specific data needed by the CPU, particularly the arithmetic and logic unit (ALU). An integral part of the CPU itself, they are controlled directly by the compiler that sends information for the CPU to process. See How Microprocessors Work for details on registers.
Overheating laptops have gotten a lot of press over the last few years. The problem first gained popular attention around 2006, when reports of laptops actually catching fire started trickling in around the globe. The problem there was faulty batteries, and companies like Dell, Sony and Acer had to initiate major recalls.
The general issue of hot laptops is separate from those bad batteries, but laptop "explosions" certainly brought attention to the basic cause: Scorching heat is a bad trait for something that sits on your lap. People have actually gotten burned [source: BBC]. Short of that, hard drives are damaged by excessive heat.
But if the problem isn't a bad battery, what's making these laptops so hot?
You've probably noticed that all of your electronics get hot when they run for a while -- try putting your hand on the DVD player after you play a movie. Electronic components generate heat when they're working, and your laptop is no different.
In this article, we'll find out why laptops get so hot and see what you can do -- in terms of both maintenance and add-ons -- to keep yours cool. You don't even have to spend any money to do it.
There are two major reasons why laptops have more of an overheating problem than desktops. First, since laptops are smaller than desktops, those electronic components are crammed in there more tightly. Since they're closer together, and since the casing of a laptop is so narrow, there's not much room for the heat to dissipate.
The other issue is power. As laptops get more powerful processors, and as operating systems require more of that processing power to run, more heat is being generated inside the case.
Of course, laptop manufacturers know about this, and there's lot of stuff inside the unit that's supposed to remove this heat. Fans, heat sinks and air vents all work to cool down a laptop while it's running. Sometimes, though, it's just not enough. Overheating can happen when a fan isn't working properly or there's some other malfunction. But sometimes, it's more the user's fault than the machine's.
So before we go discuss an external cooling setup, let's find out how we can help our laptops stay cool on their own.
Laptop Cooling: Stuff You Can Do
Making sure your laptop's cooling abilities are working well can go a long way toward avoiding or fixing a problem. So one of the best ways to keep your laptop from overheating is simply to take care of it.
If you notice that your laptop is generating a lot of heat, and if the fans start kicking on at shorter intervals, the first thing to do is some basic maintenance:
Check your fans: The best way to make sure your fans are working properly is to use diagnostic software, since the fans are inside the case, and sometimes opening a laptop case can void the warranty. Go to the Web site of your laptop maker and see if there's a fan-diagnosing tool you can download. If not, you can download one from another reliable vendor online.
Clean the air vents: Most laptops use airflow to aid with cooling. They have intake vents near the front of the case, and exhaust vents at the back. Dust and debris can block these vents and impede airflow. Probably the easiest way to clean the vents is to blast them with compressed air. You can find compressed air products at any office supply store. You can also go over the vents them with a slightly damp (not wet) cloth.
Check your BIOS settings: There are software settings that tell your computer how hot is too hot and at what temperature the fans should kick in. Sometimes, BIOS updates implement revised temperature settings, which can help you optimize cooling. Check your laptop manufacturer's Web site for a BIOS update, but be careful -- BIOS is a trickier software system to update than the usual operating system stuff. You may want to request some experienced backup.
Once you've got your computer's cooling system on track, you can work on your laptop habits to keep it that way. It's mostly just common sense stuff: Don't use your laptop in the sun, keep it away from radiators and heat vents, and never let it sit in a hot car. One habit that can really help, though, is a bit counterintuitive: Keep your laptop off your lap.
Even if your laptop's cooling system is working as efficiently as possible, you can still do more. The strange fact is, when you use a laptop on your lap, you're just asking for it to overheat. Any soft surface impedes airflow into and out of the cooling vents. It also can cause heat to get caught underneath the unit. This is how people's laps get burnt.
However, heat buildup can even happen when the laptop sits directly on a desk.
There are a few different approaches to avoiding this type of heat trap. One is the laptop stand, which puts some distance between the bottom of the laptop and the surface you're using it on. It basically creates a space where heat can dissipate. A stand is usually some type of flat, thin surface with short legs, and you can lay it across your lap or on a desk. With an inch or two of air underneath the laptop, heat can escape easily, and airflow through the vents is totally open.
Sometimes, a stand might be made of a special material like aluminum that acts as a heat sink. This device would actively draw heat out of the laptop to further aid in cooling.
Another way to go is a laptop pad or mat. In this approach, like with the aluminum heat sink, you're putting the device on an actively heat-managing surface. This might mean an insulating mat that traps the heat coming out of the laptop to protect your lap. It could also mean a thick pad with fans built in to actively draw out and dissipate heat.
While you can buy one of these cooling tools in any electronics store or from dozens of retailers online, you might have something in your home right now you can use. A little slatted camping table can work as a laptop stand. So can a large baking rack (that you use to cool cookies on).
One thing to remember is that the heat characteristics of your laptop are always changing, depending on age, environment and power usage. So even if you get yourself the perfect cooling setup, you might want to install some sort of heat-monitoring software. It'll help you be more aware of your laptop's fluctuating temperatures and learn how different situations can increase the heat.
For more information on laptop cooling tools, laptop maintenance and related products, look over the links on the next page.
Martin, James A. "Mobile Computing: Overheated Notebooks." March 25, 2004. http://www.pcworld.com/article/115158/mobile_computing_overheated_notebooks.html
Moore, Charles. "7 Tools for Keeping Your Laptop Cool." Low End Mac. July 24, 2006. http://lowendmac.com/misc/06/0724.html
Read, Paul. "How to Keep Your Laptop Cool." Suite101. July 15, 2007. http://computeraccessories.suite101.com/article.cfm/how_to_keep_your_laptop_cool
With the imminent launch of Microsoft Windows Server 2008 coming on February 27, 2008, I want to show you a feature I am fond of in this new operating system. With Windows Server 2008, you have the option of performing a Windows Server Core installation, which provides you with the minimum set of tools to run Windows.
You are provided with a kernel and a command line to manage the server. It is slim and bare bones and allows you to configure Windows concisely. This type of installation is perfect for a datacenter. I am really excited about this feature.
When you first run through the installation of Windows Server 2008, you have two options for installation. They are:
Windows Server 2008 Enterprise (Full Installation)
Windows Server 2008 Enterprise (Server Core Installation)
The following eight screen shots (Figures A-H) walk you through the installation of Windows Server Core which took approximately ten minutes to install.
Figure A
Figure B
Figure C
Figure D
Figure E
Figure F
Figure G
Figure H
After the installation, the main window for your new installation appears and you are ready to login as shown in Figure I. The initial login is Administrator and blank password (Figure J). You are required to change the password and set an Administrator password on initial login.
Figure I
Figure J
Now that you are logged in (Figure K), you are ready to configure the date, time, and time zone. In the command line type the following: controltimedate.cpl and set the options accordingly (Figure L).
Figure K
Figure L
If you need to configure and change the keyboard layout and settings, type the following in the command window: control intl.cpl (Figure M).
Figure M
Let’s move on and change the server name. The default name is a bunch of random letters and numbers and I would like to change the name to a local standard. You can view the current hostname by typing the following:
c:windowssystem32hostname
Now let’s use the name ssw-svr15. We will perform this option in the command line (Figure O) by typing the following:
After choosing to proceed, the task completes successfully. You now need to reboot the server using the shutdown command. For the proper syntax, type:
shutdown /?
After reviewing the syntax, (Figure N) I will type the following: shutdown /r (switch for shutting down and restarting the computer) /t 10 (wait 10 seconds to shutdown and restart) /c “Changed Server Name” (add comment of max 512 characters). They total syntax will look as follows:
shutdown /r /T 10 /C "Changed Server Name"
Figure O
Let’s now configure our networking so we can join this server to a domain. In order to see what interface you have to configure, (Figure P) type
netsh interface ipv4 show interface
Figure P
The Local Area Connection that we are going to configure has an index value of two. Let’s proceed and configure TCP/IP for this connection. (Figure Q) Type the following command to set the TCP/IP information:
netsh interface ipv4 set address name="2" source=static address=192.168.1.199 mask=255.255.255.0 gateway=192.168.1.1
Figure Q
Follow the same example to configure DNS (Figure R):
Note: Do not forget to reboot the server using the following command:
shutdown /r /T 10 /C "Added to domain"
Figure T
As a final step, we should not forget to activate the server (Figure U) by typing the following:
slmgr.vbs -ato
Figure U
This doesn’t even scratch the surface of what you can do with a Windows Server Core installation but it begins to show you how powerful command line is with a small Windows kernel. With the popularity of virtualization and server consolidation, having the ability to virtualize a server core installation and attach a single role will become very popular with the datacenter. My next test will be to try to install Virtual Server on my server core installation. Wish me luck!
This allows you to burn files larger than 700mb to CD, Be Careful though adding to much can cause errors, try not to burn more than 800mb to a 700mb cd
Step 1: Open Nero Burning Rom (Not Nero Express) and goto File>Preferences
Step 2:Select Expert Features
Step 3:Tick the Enable Disk-at-once CD Overburning and set to 99 min,then tick the Enable generation of a short leadout
now select apply and ok
For more details, Register at http://DarksideRG.com and see this thread:
UKB-KVCD Release Group " The Files To Big Wtf !! ", Overburning with Nero Burning Rom
Respect to UKB-KVCD for this Tutorial
BugZ is in no way associated with UKB-KVCD Release Group
