Sunday, August 10, 2008

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One of the main concerns portable video player enthusiasts lies in the fact that not every good looking player will in fact support the video formats they use the most. For instance some people love the AVI container, other simply like WMV better and others just use a specific format because their favorite media is encoded using such codec.

For many of us, buying an expensive MP3-video player which doesn't play the desired format is a total pain and things get even worse when we have to use brute PC power to re-encode the media we want to watch on our players, this is why it is very important that the player we are buying supports the container we use the most.

It would be safe to say that AVI is one of the most popular video containers used to share video files on the internet, this container can be H.264, DivX or Xvid compressed these are all video codecs which may be used to produce videos. Another popular format is the MPG container which is one of the older formats around, they may be found in MPG-1 and MPG-2 for DVDs; yet another container which is mostly used by Japanese fan-sub animation fans is the MKV container which can have several audio and subtitle streams all in one file.

The formats supported by the Zen vision W are: MPG1, AVI (Divx, Xvid) and WMV at a maximum resolution of 720X640 which is really good for a portable player which can be connected to a TV in order to watch the movie at full resolution on a bigger screen. At 30GB the amount of movies which can be stored using any of the codecs mentioned can be of up to 42 - 700MB movies, this number may vary according to the bit-rate used to encode each video.

The MKV container is not yet supported but there are other devices which do, however some people don't want to sacrifice the player aesthetics and price in order to get an extra format. An good feature anime lovers will find useful is the picture display capabilities which can be used to read mangas, all others will find the space and compatibility features just perfect.

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When's the last time you've been truly excited over your mobile phone bill? Odds are, it's been a while- if at all! But what better way to get excited over a cell phone plan if it costs next to nothing for all of the latest features? If you aren't already up in arms, ready for the new (free) technology, prepared to get excited

Free Text Messaging

Every second there are thousands of tiny packets of information being shot into space, where it hits satellites only to be shot back down to different locations. We call this process text messaging- perhaps the world's most popular form of communication when a full-blown conversation isn't possible.

But we can bypass the satellite altogether, as well as the fees associated with text messaging, by using the Internet. We can take advantage of a server's power to send and receive packets of information to route our text message to its destination.

Not all cell phone carriers allow their users to use free services via the Internet. Other providers only allow free text messages to be sent to other users of the specific carrier. Either way, using the internet can drastically cut down on the number of text messages being used- which can likewise cut a bill exponentially.

Free Ringtones

In the old days, every single ringtone cost money. Long gone are the days when just one song cost enough money to make cell phone users do a double take before purchasing anything. Now with the advent of new technology, ringtones and other media can be had for free.

Sharing technology such as Bluetooth allows devices to connect without wires. Files and information, such as ringtones, can be shared via this connection. Other phones have ports that can connect to other devices such as a computer- where the same effect can be achieved.

Not every mobile carrier allows for this operation- as they are closed to third party applications and services. Nevertheless, most carriers allow for this functionality. The free ringtones are nice to have around to help liven up a boring mobile phone, not to mention they are great to socialize and share with friends.

Other Free Goods for Mobile Phones

In the majority of mobile phone sales, there is an option to sign a contract. Without a contract mobile phones can easily reach a couple hundred dollars. But by agreeing to a service agreement, users can get some of the latest phones extremely cheap: even free.

The only problem here is that a minimum time span of service agreement must be observed. If a phone breaks during this period, the user must have insurance (and pay a deductible), or buy a completely new phone. Opting out of the service instead warrants a fee, which is usually just as expensive as a new phone would cost.

Other benefits can come as a direct result of service agreements. Everything from reduced prices to increased text messaging and minute plans can be benefited from. If one's cards are played right, mobile phones don't have to be near as expensive as they are usually. The ringtones, media, text messaging, and even the phone itself can be had free if the right strings are pulled.

The next time you pull out your mobile phone bill and you exhibit a frown, perhaps it's time to start engaging in the fore mentioned plans of free mobile phone goods!

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Owning a computer and keeping it in good shape involves more than just dusting off the outside of it, it requires regular maintenance, just like a car. Inexpert users may occasionally de-fragment the hard disk, clean up old archived and downloaded internet files and run the occasional virus check, however things don't end there, this is just the beginning of tasks which should be performed on a regular basis (at least once a month).

If you love to browse the web then you have certainly come across web sites which resize your window, send you hellish pop-up screens and take advantage or your browser script vulnerabilities, if this is the case you might want to do some research about spyware, viruses and malware which can hurt your PC performance and compromise your data.

Today there is a wide range of PC "diseases" sort to speak, they are transmitted through P2P file shares, they may also be embedded on web sites or offered through software sharing networks as exploits. Lets take a look at one of these "evil applications" - spyware.

Spyware:

As the word implies, spyware software is designed to spy on you. These applications are usually "bundled" with free software which is being given away. If you love to chat with friends through MSN messenger, ICQ, Yahoo messenger then you have seen those ads which offer free smileys and cute "plug-ins" these are basically the root of all evil when it comes to computer problems. When you see these smileys you are thinking about how cute they are and how they would make your online conversations look cool, and if you are like most of us you don't care about reading the installation agreement which is 15 miles long, hey who would? This is strike one.

Once the spyware application is installed it runs on the background gathering and sending information about the places you visit the most in order to show you pop ups related to what you are seeing, in some cases the advertisement may not be related at all, which is why some spyware companies (yes, they are actually established businesses) have been sued for showing inappropriate advertising to children who are attracted to these freebies. This is strike two.

In most cases, when you realize you have spyware the first logical thing you would do is search for an application to remove this unwanted program. The best ones out there are Spybot, AVG Anti-Spyware, PC Tools software and utilities bundled with reputable antivirus programs. Now that you have one of these removal tools you might run into serious problems after removing the spyware modules, why? - because some of them will completely disable your internet connection and will not let you go back online, this might be a step to get you to restore the removed application but in many cases this is impossible, if you use the spyware-recommended removal tool there always will be unwanted spying modules left in your computer. Strike three.

Having a computer which can not access the web because of spyware removal is reason enough to go mad, especially if you have bills to pay, homework to research or important emails to send. In order to avoid all of these spyware related complications it is recommended you install an anti-spyware application which can also have modules to protect you from adware, malware and all sorts of "ware" you can think of. Do not confuse the purpose of a virus scanner or firewall with an anti-spyware application, they are completely different animals and should be treated like so.

Avoiding such "free downloads" can save keep you trouble free, can protect your sensitive information and save you money on repairs which are necessary after a spyware removal problem.

http://williamcooleyblogs.blogspot.com/

Owning a computer and keeping it in good shape involves more than just dusting off the outside of it, it requires regular maintenance, just like a car. Inexpert users may occasionally de-fragment the hard disk, clean up old archived and downloaded internet files and run the occasional virus check, however things don't end there, this is just the beginning of tasks which should be performed on a regular basis (at least once a month).

If you love to browse the web then you have certainly come across web sites which resize your window, send you hellish pop-up screens and take advantage or your browser script vulnerabilities, if this is the case you might want to do some research about spyware, viruses and malware which can hurt your PC performance and compromise your data.

Today there is a wide range of PC "diseases" sort to speak, they are transmitted through P2P file shares, they may also be embedded on web sites or offered through software sharing networks as exploits. Lets take a look at one of these "evil applications" - spyware.

Spyware:

As the word implies, spyware software is designed to spy on you. These applications are usually "bundled" with free software which is being given away. If you love to chat with friends through MSN messenger, ICQ, Yahoo messenger then you have seen those ads which offer free smileys and cute "plug-ins" these are basically the root of all evil when it comes to computer problems. When you see these smileys you are thinking about how cute they are and how they would make your online conversations look cool, and if you are like most of us you don't care about reading the installation agreement which is 15 miles long, hey who would? This is strike one.

Once the spyware application is installed it runs on the background gathering and sending information about the places you visit the most in order to show you pop ups related to what you are seeing, in some cases the advertisement may not be related at all, which is why some spyware companies (yes, they are actually established businesses) have been sued for showing inappropriate advertising to children who are attracted to these freebies. This is strike two.

In most cases, when you realize you have spyware the first logical thing you would do is search for an application to remove this unwanted program. The best ones out there are Spybot, AVG Anti-Spyware, PC Tools software and utilities bundled with reputable antivirus programs. Now that you have one of these removal tools you might run into serious problems after removing the spyware modules, why? - because some of them will completely disable your internet connection and will not let you go back online, this might be a step to get you to restore the removed application but in many cases this is impossible, if you use the spyware-recommended removal tool there always will be unwanted spying modules left in your computer. Strike three.

Having a computer which can not access the web because of spyware removal is reason enough to go mad, especially if you have bills to pay, homework to research or important emails to send. In order to avoid all of these spyware related complications it is recommended you install an anti-spyware application which can also have modules to protect you from adware, malware and all sorts of "ware" you can think of. Do not confuse the purpose of a virus scanner or firewall with an anti-spyware application, they are completely different animals and should be treated like so.

Avoiding such "free downloads" can save keep you trouble free, can protect your sensitive information and save you money on repairs which are necessary after a spyware removal problem.

http://williamcooleyblogs.blogspot.com/

I recently watched an interview on cable television on one of those financial networks. The gentleman was interviewing billionaire Donald Trump.

I am sure you have heard of "The Donald". He is a very successful real estate mogul and businessman. Throw in the television show, "The Apprentice", and he encompasses what seems to be every aspect of business.

However did you know he didn`t do it alone? Sure he made some excellent decisions, but without help from others there is no way he could be where he is. He doesn`t drive the cranes that lift the steel girders into place in the high rise apartment complexes he builds, nor does he operate the cement trucks to poor the concrete for the foundations either.

But what he does do well is socialize and network. He meets the right people, gets to the know them, and fits them in to his plans to help make his company even more successful.

It takes years of excellent planning, maybe a little luck, definitely hard work and just importantly, the ability to socialize to get to Trump`s level. Whatever your business dreams and ambitions are, by socializing and networking, you can meet the right people to accelerate them faster.

In this article I want to concentrate on how to properly socialize online to help your business, and give you some examples of what you should do to build your "popularity" so to speak.

A friend of mine owns a rental property repair business. Most of his business comes from his local area, but that does not stop him from socializing online. One way he does it is to find chat rooms and social network sites that cater to his type of business.

In his downtime he heads online and answers questions people may have that he is an expert at. Because of the sites he is on allows automatic signatures, he has set that up to show his contact information. He says it has been a great way to get to know people and once and a while he will pull a customer from there. He says more importantly each customer he lands could grow into more customers through word of mouth advertising. The best part of this socialization technique is that it only cost him some of his time. Whatever your business is or whatever products your sell, get involved in a forum where you can share your expertise.

Next up are the social networking sites such as MySpace, Facebook, Furl and Stumble. These sites allow you to post information about yourself, your business, and hobbies and so on. You also build a friend`s list. This list could potentially be your customer base.

Here on our website we participate in all of those social networking sites. We have built up a huge following because we contribute useful information to the business community. You need to do the same. Those sites are free to join and very popular.

So there are two great ways to increase your exposure for your business online. I can not guarantee that it will make you as successful as Donald Trump, but I can tell you with a consistent approach to building your following, you will be well on your way to finding new customers.

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How are you feeling today? Are you channeling Rhianna’s Shut Up and Drive, or perhaps Timbaland…Apologize? And of course there’s always the oldie but goodie I Just Called to Say I Love You by Stevie Wonder. What do these songs have in common? They could be your ringtone! With the newest phones available (and even some of the old ones, to be honest) you can set your ringtone to anything you can imagine. So how do you choose?

First, start by going through the music you listen to daily. Is there a song you listen to every time you get in the car? What’s at the top of your most-played list? This might be your best bet for expressing your personality through your ringtone. Pick a few of your favorites from artists and see what they have to offer.

Second, look at a few websites. ITunes music store, MTV.com, wherever you get your music from- check out what’s new and exciting right now. Be the first to download the ringtone- your claim to fame in a couple months when the song hits #1 on the charts.

Finally- listen up. Have you ever been in the mall or in a restaurant when someone’s phone rang- and although annoying, you thought, “That is a cool ringtone?” Emulation is the highest form of respect. Don’t be afraid to ask, “What’s your ringtone?” If he or she didn’t want attention, she would have left her ring on “Classic Nokia.”

A few words of caution: Don’t forget to consider what you want others to hear. If you love Got Your Money by Ol’ Dirty Bastard (who doesn’t?) you might want to think about how you would play that off if your phone accidentally rang in a job interview.

Also, do you have a song that’s important enough to warrant special occasions only? Do you really want the song you danced to at your wedding play when your grandmother calls you? Sometimes hearing something all day, every day can kill your passion for it. Don’t make your favorite, memorable songs tortuous to listen to.

Many cell phones will actually allow you to choose ringtones for different people. This is incredibly beneficial in a variety of ways. For example, you can know that your roommate is calling without bothering to look. The only reason he calls is to ask if he can eat your food. Better left unanswered. Choose tones specifically for family (Sister Sledge, perhaps?), for your girlfriend or boyfriend, for your best friend, and of course- undesirables. That way you’re not only expressing yourself, you’re expressing how you feel about others.

As with everything- you get points for variety! Change your ringtone often to match the changing seasons, holidays, moods, or trends. You can download them from the web, or use software designed for your phone, usually available through your provider, to make your own ringtones straight from your music library. Daily routines can become monotonous- why not create your own, personalized soundtrack?

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Please be aware, these instructions are for Microsoft's Windows XP (maybe Vista, too) users. Linux (Ubuntu, Fedora, etc) users will need to find another solution (I suggest reading up on hosts.deny).

One of the most distracting and often frustrating issues most web surfers deal with are web page advertisements. Pop ups, flashing banners, unusually loud audio commercials, all sorts of trickery and tactics go into web based advertising, but there is a highly effective, yet simple, solution to end all the madness.

The title isn't lying, there's absolutely no need to download any type of software - no tools, no utilities, no scanners, no watchers, no monitors, no toolbars, they're all junk! This process should take a novice user less than five minutes to implement. This little tip is so easy; you'll end up applying the technique to any computer you use frequently. Not only that, there's an excellent chance your friends and family will want to know why your Internet is so fast, clean, and enjoyable! With that said, let's get started.

First, open the Windows' hosts file, which is typically stored here, "C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts" in your favorite text editor. Notepad will probably work best if you're unsure. Try and avoid using Microsoft's Word or WordPad, a clear and simple Notepad usually does the trick.

With the hosts file open, open the link to the text file below in your web browser (typically Internet Explorer or Firefox): http://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/hosts.txt

Copy the entire contents of that list into your hosts file, save the changes, and close the text editor. Restart your browser and visit some of your favorite web sites; you should notice several dramatic differences in a number of areas.

With your new hosts file configuration, you'll never see contextual ads, pop up ads, malware, spyware, adware, flash banners, audio ads, web site statistical software (you're invisible!), and just about anything else with potential to take away from the pleasures of surfing the Internet. Web pages often pull information from external sources (advertising servers), which can slow down a page's loading time. Well not anymore. Since your computer won't respond to over 16,000 advertising, malware, and spyware companies, you're free to surf the web worry free. Surfing the Internet will become quick, fun, and reliable again.

If there's a particular company or companies you'd like to see ads from, just open your hosts file and add a # sign at the beginning of the company's line. Save the changes and reload the page.