Phrashy’s Blog

November 13, 2007

Craigslist and Gumtree

Filed under: IT Technology — phrashy @ 1:44 pm

Everyone wants to sell something or another. With the Internet it has become much easier to find places that you can sell a product and not have to pay to advertise it locally in a newspaper.

With sites like Craigslist and Gumtree you can now post your ad for free and sell whatever you want. Those sites make it easy for you to select a location and put your ad and then sit back and wait for someone to email you or call you. Millions of people visit those ads on a monthly basis and are becoming every more popular. So if you have items that have been laying around forever and you just don’t know what to do with them now you have a place to sell them.

Also, if you are a small business and hampered with advertising rates you need to also utilize Craiglslist and Gumtree to post about your business services and what you can provide for others. Posting is still free and still seen by millions.

Of course there are ways to make all of these postings even easier now with posting programs that you can purchase in order to do the work for you. If you do searches for these posting programs I’m sure you will find quite a few.

Don’t miss out on the free ways to sell items and to advertise your services on the Internet. They are out there and it’s just a matter of utilizing them.

HD DVD vs Blu-Ray Disc

Filed under: IT Technology — phrashy @ 1:42 pm

DVD is very successful, and would definitely be around for quite sometime. However, as implemented. It is not a high definition format instead its just a typical output video. With the new technology it is now being enhanced to provide people the best quality of entertainment they ever wanted.

All the actions, all the adventures that we have right now can definitely make you say I’ve got everything I want in an entertainment. But what if there is something your eyes is missing, something perfect, with 6 times resolution of standard dvd. You are about to enter to entire the new world. Collect clips of your favorite scene while the movie is playing. Go behind the scene. Change camera angle High def and fully connected online that allows you to download contents. The future of high definition is here. Everything yow want just got a whole lot better, spectacular high definition feature. You can now own the movies you want with the entire new level of interactivity. Below are the difference between Blu ray disc and HD DVD,

Blu-ray Disc
It is the next generation optical packaged media disc format. It was named as Blu-ray for the reasons that the laser beam which reads the data from the new discs is blue violet instead of red. This so called blue laser disc technology has a shorter wave length than a red laser, that makes it possible to read data with greater precision. The format was developed to enable recording, rewriting and playback of high-definition video, as well as storing large amounts of data. Great privilege of watching

HD DVD

The HD (High-Definition) DVD standard is designed to be the successor to the standard DVD format, and is derived from the same underlying technologies. It is a next-generation optical disc format, featuring a significant increase in storage capacity facilitating support for high definition (HD) video and audio. The HD DVD name is derived from its origination as a high-definition extension of the DVD optical disc format.

Technical Specification

Storage capacity

Blu Ray Disc
25GB single layer
50GB double layer

HD DVD
15GB single layer
30GB double layer

Laser wavelength
Blu Ray Disc – 405nm (blue laser) HD DVD – 405nm (blue laser)

diameter
Blu Ray Disc – 120mm
HD DVD – 120mm

Disc thickness
Blu Ray Disc – 1.2mm
HD DVD – 1.2mm

Protection layer
Blu Ray Disc – 0.1mm
HD DVD – 0.6mm

Hard coating
Blu Ray Disc – Yes
HD DVD – No

Data transfer rate (data)
Blu Ray Disc – 36.0Mbps (1x)
HD DVD – 36.55Mbps (1x)

Data transfer rate (video/audio)
Blu Ray Disc – 54.0Mbps (1.5x)
HD DVD – 36.55Mbps (1x)

Video resolution (max)
Blu Ray Disc – 1920 x 1080 (1080p)
HD DVD – 1920 x 1080 (1080p)

Video bit rate (max)
Blu Ray Disc – 40.0Mbps
HD DVD – 28.0Mbps

High-Def Market share

From the average consumer’s stand-point, there is little difference between the two technologies. Both formats offer support for HD audio and video and they both have the potential to emerge as the sole successor to DVD. Some of the major differences are BD’s higher production costs and superior storage capacity of 23.3GB per layer vs HD’s 15GB.

Other Interesting facts:

* The Nichi Corporation, who holds the design patents to the Blu-ray’s laser system, sits as an associate member of the HD DVD Promotion Group.

* Even though Apple sits on the Blu-ray Board of Directors, its DVD Studio Pro software supports authoring HD DVD media.

* Blu-ray, unlike HD DVD, requires a hard coating on its discs because it’s 0.5m closer to the surface. The polymer coating it uses, called Durabis, was developed by TDK and is supposedly extremely resilient and fingerprint resistant.

* The Java platform is mandatory on Blu-ray as it’s the standard for menus/multimedia (i.e. all Blu-ray systems must support JVM)

* DVD version of the Xbox 360 is rumored for the future.

* The first consumer Blu-ray device in the US market is expected to be the PlayStation 3.

How to Remove Viruses

Filed under: IT Technology — phrashy @ 1:40 pm

So you think you’ve got a computer virus.

Well, if your computer’s acting funny all of the sudden, chances are pretty good you’ve got a virus or some other malware causing the trouble. This can be a very disturbing feeling and if you’re like me, you’ll want to do whatever it takes to get your computer back to normal again.

Luckily, in almost all cases, dealing with a virus situation is pretty straight forward. In fact, there are really only three steps:

1. Detect the virus
2. Remove the virus
3. Prevent future viruses

There are lots of free online virus scan tools that can help you detect viruses which is the first thing you need to do. Two that I can recommend are the McAfee Stinger tool and the Panda ActiveScan online tool. Both of these tools are very effective at detecting viruses and the Panda ActiveScan tool is also good at detecting spyware.

I recently ran the Panda ActiveScan tool on my laptop. Installing the tool takes several minutes but it’s pretty painless. It ran for about 5 minutes and luckily my laptop is virus free! However, it did detect 45 cases of spyware. The spyware all looked like harmless cookies from various websites so I left them alone.

Now that you’ve detected the viruses, you need to go to step #2, removing the viruses. The good news is, the McAfee Stinger download will not only detect the virus, it will often be able to remove the virus, too. The Panda online scan tool will only detect the virus but will only remove any viruses found for a small fee.

You’ve found and removed the virus from your computer. The final step is to keep your computer from getting infected again. There are two very important things you need to do to prevent future viruses. First, you need to make sure your computer always has the most current updates and patches. If it’s a Windows computer, click here to make sure it’s up-to-date: http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com, then follow the instructions.

The other thing you need to do is make sure you have good antivirus and antispyware software running on your computer at all times. My personal recommendation is to use the Panda Security Anti-Virus Products. They’ve been in business since 1990 and their antivirus applications are top notch. There are lots of great antivirus applications, though.

The key is to make sure you’ve got the antivirus software running and it has the most up-to-date virus definition files (also called DAT files). You could have the greatest antivirus software in the world but if the virus definitions are even a little bit out of date you’ve increased your chances of getting reinfected.

Even though you got hit with a virus, if you follow the three steps I outlined here, you’ll have a clean system and be more protected from viruses and other malware in the future.

How To Download Movies To My iPod

Filed under: IT Technology — phrashy @ 1:37 pm

One way of getting movies on to your ipod, is purchasing the movies you want, then ripping them onto your computer (which requires a DVD drive + Time), then you have to convert the movies to the format that your ipod can read (takes more time), and then finally transfer it onto your ipod (Takes even more time). There is an alternative solution to all this difficulty/waste of money and time. If you are wondering, How to download movies to my ipod? , please read on. I have answered the most commonly asked questions about this topic below.

1.) How is this method easier?

This method is easier because it saves you the time of going out and buying the movie,then getting it onto your computer, then converting and transferring it onto your ipod. When just downloading the movies in the ipod format and putting it your ipod is a lot more easier and cheaper.

2.) Are the programs used for Downloading the movies legal?

The programs listed below are legal and Authorized programs, and many people around the world subscribe to use their ipod to their full potential.

Here is a little hint: Anything that you pay for in the computer world is always legal

3.) What do I need to use these programs?

well, you need a ipod and a computer with an internet connection of course. Besides that just a good taste in movies

4.) Do the math/ is this method cheaper?

You will saves tons of money this way, because you wont be paying 30 dollars for a brand new release ,and you do not need to invest in any DVD ripping hardware or software ($100 – $200). All your paying for is one payment and u can download any movie on to your ipod.

5.) What else is offered with these programs?

There are many other things offered with this program. Not only movies are offered, you can also download , TV shows, seasons, Pre-recorded sports games/events, Music, Photos, Albums ..etc

6.) Do I need any extra software after i purchase the program?

Not at all. You will receive everything that you need in your member’s area.

7.) How long will I have to wait to gain access to the program website?

instant access! After you join, your email-address will be instantly added to our database. You will then get an email which shows you how to access the members area.

8.)Are your services compatible with older iPods?

Yes! The only limitation is what your ipod is designed for. For example: if you have a ipod shuffle all you can download is music but if you have an ipod Video that you can download Videos.

9.) Okay, My question (How to download movies on to my ipod) is answered, now what do I do? you can start by clicking any of the links below and subscribe for the program that suits your ipod needs.

Why To Know About The Computer Parts

Filed under: IT Technology — phrashy @ 1:33 pm

We all know about computers. The computer consists of multitude of large to minute parts. As much as the knowledge abut the computers is necessary, so as it is essential to know about the various computer parts too. It is because, your whole computer may crash sometime due to not knowing properly about the different computer parts and its functions resulting in its mishandling. That is why, a general idea on the various computer parts is necessary. Your knowledge on the computer parts will help you to gain knowledge on the functioning of the computer system and thus will help you in its operability. In other words, it will help you to work on your computer more efficiently while deriving the best out of your system.

To know about the computer parts, you need not open your whole system apart and start doing the anatomical study on it. I am going to suggest and easy way out to do the same. This article will give you a brief idea on the various parts of the computer system that you can identify with easily. You might already know the names of these computer parts then you can look out what purpose they serve in your system. So, let us get a holistic view of the various parts of a computer.

To tell you in very few and concise words, the computer system has basically two parts, the hardware and the software. Software is the programming part which is fed on the computer to operate different functions. Anything that makes a physically appearance in the system and consists of the bulk of it is the hardware. The hardware is the one which contains the A to Z of the computer parts. The first to name is the Central Processing Unit (CPU) which in itself is a composition of certain parts which I will mention at a later stage of this article. Then there are the output and the input devices. The numbers of output and input devices are quite large. The common input devices range from the keyboard to joystick, scanner and to the graphic tablets and many more. Similarly, in the output devices we can name the monitor, the projector and the printer are of common use.

As I have mentioned earlier in this article that the CPU itself is an integration of several parts. So let us have a look on these too. Processor, PCB, Motherboard and the CPU fans are the things that the CPU consists of. It consists of the hard disk, and the Random Access Memory (RAM). The CPU is the one which processes all the signals given to the computer through the input devices and gives out the result through the output devices. Also it stores the data in its memory and allows the user to access it when required. The CPU stores documents as well as media files.

the other parts are mouse, the UPS, the web camera, speakers, headphones etc. Although these are accessories of the computer, but are essential parts of it.

Did You Leave the Back Door to Your Business Open? Remote Access and Network Security

Filed under: IT Technology — phrashy @ 1:29 pm

In these days of frequent business travel, working from home, and outsourcing work to independent contractors, you probably have some sort of remote access to your business networks. If your network is not properly secured and you do not implement appropriate remote access controls, you could discover that you have left the back door to your business open and allowed the wrong people to walk in.

Remote network access can be a wonderful thing. No matter where you are, you can log onto your network and access all the information stored there. It gives a great sense of freedom to know that by installing some remote access software and having access to the internet, you can manage your business at any time from any place. Remote network access also gives you the freedom to provide telecommuters and independent contractors access to your business information, enabling them to work for you from a remote location. Doing this is probably both efficient and economical for your business.

Stop for a moment, and think about the number of people who have remote access to your network:
” Employees using laptops and other devices when traveling
” Employees using home computers
” People in branch offices or retail locations
” Sales representatives
” Telecommuting employees
” Independent contractors to whom you outsource work
” Suppliers or vendors
” Business partners
” Customers or clients

To be sure, you almost certainly grant some groups of people only limited access to your network or access to only certain data. But, let’s face it, you could be opening hundreds or even thousands of doors to your business.

Now consider that many of your most valuable company assets are probably stored on your network:
” Product information
” Legal and financial information
” Competitive analysis
” Customer profiles and sales history
” Research and development data
” Employee data

Inadequate remote access security can leave your business and the personal information of hundreds of individuals and companies at risk.

Every person who has remote access to your network has the ability to open the door to your business using some device. Whether that device is a home computer accessing your network through a phone line, cable or DSL, the device can be used to open a door. If you don’t know how secure the device and the connection are, you are essentially leaving that door to your business unlocked. Once you leave a door unlocked, you no longer have control of who walks in or of what they can see or take without adequate security.

Consider the possibilities:
” An employee’s child downloads a game to her home computer without realizing spyware has also been installed. When your employee downloads a file on your new product to that same home computer, your competitive advantage could be gone.
” You, the chief executive of your company, often work from home early in the morning. To save time, you tell your computer to “remember” your log-on and password. Your house is robbed and your home computer is stolen. The thief has full access to both your personal information and your business.
” The head of R&D for your company regularly takes a company laptop home in order to work on weekends. Without his knowledge, his son has downloaded a game, complete with a worm. When the head of R&D logs on to work, he introduces the worm and all those critical research files disappear.

How do you protect your business? You protect your business by closing and locking all of the doors. You establish policies and procedures about use of company equipment and about remote access to files. You build security for your network, and you build additional security for sensitive data. You restrict access by employees to certain websites from company equipment, and you prohibit placement of cookies and spyware on your system or your equipment. Then you layer the protection provided by your security system. Finally, you engage IT people to constantly monitor and update the security of your network.

The bottom line is this: Remote Access can open a back door to your network, putting your business at risk. You can, however, give people remote access to business data they need, and, at the same time, protect your business and your business data.

When And How To Fix Your Computer’s Registry Problems

Filed under: IT Technology — phrashy @ 1:24 pm

It’s time for you to fix registry problems if you find that your computer is becoming increasingly slow and unstable for no apparent reason. The registry of your computer is an enormous database that ensures the smooth and efficient operation of your computer. Conducting regular maintenance and keeping it in a good state of repair is critical to the performance of your computer.

When and Why Do Registry Problems Occur

Depending on how much and how often you use your computer, the registry is likely to grow rapidly as you go on installing and uninstalling software and hardware. Typically, within a period of six months of regular use, the registry of a computer will have become highly fragmented. With frequent adding and removing of software and hardware your registry tends to get full of errors and becomes corrupt. This happens because the registry gets used by certain processes, and these changes alter the size of the files in the registry hive where the information is stored. Eventually, the file sizes could exceed the imposed registry size limits causing a failure within the registry.

Some of the errors that are likely to occur include:

• Start Menu items that are unused or obsolete

• Unused and residual files

• Broken , bad application or missing Windows paths, links and shortcuts

• Unwanted and unused drivers

• Corrupt and missing application IDs

How to Fix Registry Problems

For the smooth and efficient operation of any computer it is critical that the registry be kept clean and error-free and that you fix registry problems as soon as possible. Registries can be extremely complex and trying to keep a record of all the changes can well prove to be impossible. What’s more, editing the registry incorrectly could cause severe and irreparable damage to your system. Far better to use registry repair software, which often does all the necessary work at the click of a button.

How Repair Software works

Registry repair software works by scanning various areas of your computer’s registry and searching for invalid entries. Several repair software programs offer you the convenience of regular automatic screening, which takes away the worry of when next you need to clean or fix registry problems.

Besides repairing the registry and keeping it error-free, it also offers your system some degree of protection. It helps remove harmful viruses, including Trojans, which can spread and cause damage to your PC via the registry and also sets system restore points, which returns your system to a point before the changes or the damage occurred.

Some of the areas that cleaners scan include:

• File list

• Software section

• Classes section

• Shared DLLs

• Windows start-up run

• Invalid file association

• Sounds

• Fonts

• Application paths

Computer repair software allows you to fix registry problems with a few clicks of a mouse, making your computer more stable and helping your software to run faster and more efficiently.

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