SweetPea3 MP3 Music Players for Tots

Now I have seen everything. It was just a matter of time before the gadgetries would develop something for the toddlers of today. And you would think they would appreciate them but perhaps in a way they would.

With the right shape and the right entertainment that captures the attention of most infants today, the SweetPea3 MP3 Digital Music Player is a multifunctional gadget that toy and a music player rolled into one. Kids are soothed by the sound of music, especially baby tunes and apparently this is something that kids should have to get in with the groove of the gadget frenzy we are all in.

The SweetPea3 MP3 digital music player, a Canadian-designed toy for children from infants to age six, was chosen as the battery-operated toy of the year. The handheld player plays music from a speaker and has no headphone jack to damage little ears. It comes programmed with music and stories for little ones and has a USB jack that older children can use to upload their own picks to the device. The toy, which is coated in a durable and baby-safe rubber and has a volume control that only adults can access, is a hit with parents.

(Source) Canada.com

People Powered Gadgets of 2008

Everyone is being egged on today to be more sensitive as far as turning to gadgets but if there is something to look back on as far as this year is concerned, it would be perhaps about these gadgets that came out using nothing more than people-power to make them work.



Crank N’ Capture Video Camera
As the name connotes, you just crank side of the device by turning the crank on the side for shooting and playback. Unlike a regular video camera, images are not smooth but intentionally choppy, as if animated by flipping pages.



Juice Box / solar battery
Just stick it to a window and let the sun come shining through. Thanks to the suction cups that are attached, you can have recharged batteries in no time.

Source

How to Install Windows XP and Remove Windows Vista

Windows Vista is not yet perfected and chances are you will reach the point where you want to revert to Windows XP. But the task is easier said than done especially if you want a clean copy of Windows XP on your PC. With that in mind, what can you do to uninstall Windows Vista and install Windows XP on your computer?

Well, I had that problem last week and much as I looked for solutions on the web, I discovered a different way to remove Windows Vista and install a fresh Windows XP operating system. How? Follow these steps.

1. Grab a hold of the usual bootable DOS disk. Some peripherals (particularly laptops) no longer come with the traditional floppy drives but not to worry. You can still download the DOS system from sites and burn them on a CD which you can use to boot. You can get a copy of DOS here.
2. Boot up your PC using the CD ROM as your first boot device. Allow it to load and then run the handy FDISK like before.
3. View the partitions on your hard drive and delete them one by one. Make sure you don’t leave any drive intact to make sure you get a RAW drive ready for formatting.

NOTE: As far as backups are concerned, this guide assumes that they have been already backed up or that the user wants to completely erase the Windows Vista OS.

4. After all partitions have been deleted or removed, place your Windows XP setup disk and restart the computer. Now you can install the Windows XP OS as you would in any first time setup.

Some people have tried to use the dual boot which is really ridiculous. For one, it eats up space and second why would you leave an operating system when you have no plans of using it. Some have even said that it causes problems so why leave it there in the first place?

Also, if at times you are attempting to overwrite Windows Vista, chances are your Windows XP setup will not even reach the first screen setup (blue screen). Such is the problem I had experienced that led me to find an alternative to which is itemized above.

These steps are guaranteed. Don’t let Windows Vista be a pain. You can outthink Windows Vista using the traditional way of formatting a computer, similar to the first time you install Windows XP.

Microsoft Surface Parody

For sure, most of us are looking forward to further enhancements of technology. This includes easier interface and better use of computers. One such thing would be the use of touch screen technology to which most of us are awaiting what Bill Gates and company are cooking up.

While we can only imagine, there are people who put them into perspective. A great way to prep up people on the future of technology with endless possibilities.

Hopefully, Bill Gates can pick up a thing or two. It is indeed something astounding and worthy to look forward to!

Dell Launches Small Form Factor PC

For the people who are looking for something new like a branded desktop computer, check out this new offering from Dell. The Small Form Factor PC is scheduled to be launched on July 29 and for sure a lot of the people looking for a new PC that adheres as well to the eco-friendly standards set forth today will have a great time in possibly buying this device.

Source

iPhone: New Phone, New Problems

If you think the iPhone is the hit gadget of the year, look a little bit further. It is true that the advertising and marketing that his gadget has is surely something that can be commended but seriously, look at the long term use.

There are still a lot of bugs surrounding this gadget and if you are wise, you would want to do some research on potential issues so that your expectations will not fall short.



(Source) Yahoo Tech

Budget Servers Introduced by Dell Computers

Dell Computers is a known brand in the computer industry and just recently, they announced the unveiling of an entry-level server suitable for new businesses that are planning to implement technology in their everyday operations.

This will surely be welcome news to companies that are looking for budget-friendly solutions in the area of advanced systems and software solutions.

Dell on Monday launched single-socket servers for small and medium-size businesses, replenishing its overhauled PowerEdge line of servers.

The PowerEdge T300, with a tower chassis, and PowerEdge R300, a rack server, are designed to consume less power and include system management tools to better manage IT tasks, Dell said. The servers have quad-core Xeon processors and provide memory expandability and redundancy features, the company said.

Source

Dual Core Processors and CPU Upgrade

photo taken from Custom PC

They say they are the new kids on the block as far as new Pentium chip technology is concerned but my real question is up to when? I have been using my Pentium IV 2.0 for almost 5 years now and am pretty much satisfied. Aside from speed, can it handle my video editing software this time around?

These are questions in mind. I have been thinking of upgrading my computer and giving this PC to my wife’s cousin since he is taking up computer science today. While that would all depend on me, I guess I will pretty much buy the package I had made.

All I need are central processing unit (CPU) parts such as the processor, memory and motherboard if you think about it. Although being the computer geek I am, I put in a higher video card (1 gig I think!) and a 160 gigabyte hard drive as well as a brand new DVD writer to go. It is going to cost somewhere around the price of $300.00 just for those specs. I don't need a monitor since I still have my ACER AL1706 LCD monitor to use.

I think it is a wise investment considering online and telecommute work is now my main cup of tea. So if you want to get better results, chances are you have to be equipped with good equipment to support your work.

What I hate really is having to re-install everything. From the operating system to the other applications I need, its going to be a long day for me to get everything back together. This also includes transferring my thousands of files to it.

The OS? I think I will stick it out with Windows XP for now. While it can support the new Windows Vista operating system, I will cross the bridge when I get there.

Beware of Identity Thieves Online!

photo taken from Earthlink Protection Control Center Blog

Have you ever received any email telling you that you won $1Million or Pounds? How about a certain email saying that he or she inherited some money from a deceased military relative to which he will need to divert the money through you just to be able to get the funds of which he would give you a certain percentage like 20%?

We get this a lot and they do sound too good to be true. Apparently they ask for your personal information such as your name, address, phone number and bank account number. If you want some clean advice on this, it is quite simple…DON’T!

Your information is valuable and perhaps just a means to be used for mischief and no good. Based on what I have read on these emails, here are some things to consider to which you can just delete that message or trash it. Don’t waste your time!

1. Check for Grammar. Normally they are poor at this. Don’t know though if they are really from where they are but it seems like it.
2. You don’t win anything if you don’t enter any contest
3. There is no such thing as Instant Millionaires
4. Be wary of questionable origins of email
5. Be wary of links. Do not click on it.
6. People asking for your personal information
7. Check out the Subject. Normally it is something too good to be true

(Source) Yahoo Finance

Are you among the Gadget Freaks Today?

One thing you will notice today is that more and more people are getting attached towards the new technology gadgets released in the markets. Mobile computing is the popular by-word for most computer geeks and often you would see most of them held by people even if they have not yet been fully introduced in the market.

Ranging from the usual smaller notebooks towards the mobile phones today, people seem to be infatuated with these breakthroughs. But the thing is, are they using it to their full potential?

One thing you have to consider when you buy one of these mobile gadgets is on whether you can use them? Some buy them for the purpose of immature satisfaction. They are not direct needs. People just want these gadgets because they want their techie urge to be scratched.

When is the time to Upgrade your PC?

I have been using my Pentium 4 2.0 PC for over 5 years now and it makes me wonder, is it time to upgrade it? I have been seeing various new computers in the market today like the dual core Pentium processors and new memory chip modules. But while I am a real sucker for gadgets and computer stuff, the thought crossed my mind.

Performance wise, I am content with my computer as of to date. It helps me do the necessary things such as the usual word processing and spreadsheet things and some minor graphic designing details for offline everyday work. But when it comes to software requirements, sooner or later the hardware will need to be changed.

Price-wise, it seems reasonable to upgrade to a new one today. But one thing I am likewise considering is only getting a new CPU because my 15" Acer AL1706 LCD monitor can still be used.

Perhaps a little bit more of waiting. Technology changes fast and of all things I would hate is seeing new specifications after buying a new one just now. Well that’s technology for you!

How to Conceptualize a Good Website

One thing that most people think of today is on how to be able to build a good website. Well, signing up for a domain name should be your first priority. With practically all people having the same thing in mind, do not be surprised to have a hard time finding your desired domain name. There will be other domain name extensions such as .net or .org but nothing beats the domain that ends with a .com.

Domain Name
Most people fail to realize the impact that this has. For one, we are all accustomed to the usual .com extension every time that we are asked for the URL of our site. This is not to downplay the chances of the other domain name extensions. They will eventually be recognized over time. But the thing is, if you want immediate impact, brainstorm a catchy .com name and try to check its availability.

Purpose of the Website
Is your website for presence, information, or simply for the sake of having a website up? These are the points to consider before you decide on finally putting up a site. To most businessmen, this may sound like a familiar approach towards putting up a business. In essence, it really is. You have to do the proper planning and determine to what extent you want your website to cover. Some use a one page website simply to store contact details and the company images and summary for the sake of letting the world know that they do exist in fact and not in fiction.

Design and Layout
This is really the meat of it all. When you talk about websites, the first thing that comes into the mind of a person is design and representation. Indeed, design is the gauge to which people would normally expect from websites. Using fancy graphics and advanced scripting for interactivity seems to be the talk of the town when website designs are placed into discussion. While this is true, a website without logical content is totally useless. Some people may appreciate your site on their first visit but do remember, it is the matter of bringing them back that is essentially important. You do not establish consistent web presence with just one visit from your target customers.

Content Management
The Internet is the information highway that anyone will always look up to these days. With that in mind, compositions and content is pretty important, probably more than impressive graphics and scripts. A plain website will bring you customers and targeted hits each time a search query string is entered in the search engines. Hence, good content together with proper grammar and use of keywords demanded today should be given weight above all.

Overall, many would say that the approach seems to be like putting up an individual business of their own. Again, website development is a business. The website will bring in the profits and the needed information for people to appreciate the whole efforts invested in websites.

At this point of planning, it would be best to ask yourself, just what do you want to accomplish as far as website management is concerned? Identity? Awareness? Profits? Answer that question and you will find the real reason on why you are building a website in the first place.

TV Shows Invades the Gaming World

For the people who will remember the popular TV games such as Family Feud and Jeopardy, a lot of them may be surprised at how technology has evolved their premier existence into addicting games, both online and for the PC only, today. It is evident that these games are easier to program since they are both educational and entertaining.

Not only do they brush up the overall relevance of common knowledge and current events, the excitement generated in having to recall and guess puzzles and terms associated with them is really the main point for these games. Online games have offered them as well, making it a more enjoyable time rather than purely for personal use once installed in their local desktops or laptops at home.

The concepts of these games have been something that has inspired other game shows as well. But being among the pioneers of these TV game shows, it is best to see them first since they have an established following as early as the 1980’s.

The Importance of Warranty

Many gadget users put premium towards the warranty that comes along with their laptop, mobile phone or PDA since no one will know when they would suddenly breakdown. Warranty provides a sense of security for gadget purchasers for the reason that they only want to be assured that they have a means of being able to exchange defective units in cases where faulty production and manufacturing may suddenly fall into their hands.

Electronics are risky merchandise to purchase without any means of replacement within a given warranty period. The chances of landing defective units may not be that high, but just the same, people would do well to be sure about their purchases for value of money. With a vast production line to satisfy the demands for technological enhanced gizmos and gadgets, probabilities of defective merchandise will always be a possibility in any manufacturing concern.

The list goes on as to what categories would fall under this area. Portable media, mobile computers, plasma television, LCD television, home theaters and other forms of technology breakthroughs are sure buys for the people who put premium in technology advancements. Hence the need to safeguard the vested interest of most consumers is a must if reliability is something to be measured for brand loyalty and awareness later on.

Switching from CRT to LCD Monitors

It is obvious that people would want to get in the times and switch to the vast available LCD monitors today that not only emphasizes on screen resolution but space management as well. Seeing that these products are selling just like pieces of cigarettes in Taiwan in my last trip to Taiwan last December, it was obvious that seeing them had a reason. The time to get myself an LCD monitor of my own!

I will forever regret of not buying one when I was in Taiwan. The priced has a difference of around $40 compared to the local retailers. The brands available there included Asus, Samsung, Pioneer and AOC. Pressed for time and with my mind spinning from the available products there, I chose not to get one and postpone my purchase through my friend and associate who could send the monitor to me at any time I would wish.

But once I got back home, it took me only 24 hours to use my old AOC CRT monitor and it got busted as quickly as I used it. While I remember what my friend told me, I needed a monitor badly since I had a lot of pending jobs in the form of article writing and blog entries to catch up on. My solution? What else but to buy a new monitor. Apparently, it was the Christmas Rush so I really had problems of transporting a large CRT monitor to my car as parking was really a drag.

I came across this Samsung SyncMaster 740N LCD monitor which I bargained until I could afford it. I ended up getting one for $200.00. If I got one in Taiwan, I would have gotten it for $150.00! Nevertheless I just considered it as a Christmas gift for myself. Besides, its been a while since I bought something worthwhile, and being able to buy my very own LCD monitor has its fulfillment in a way.

Upgrading your Video Graphics Card

To date, there has been a rigid outset of new and highly featured video graphics card spread over the market. A lot of this has to do with the new wave of games being offered over the personal computer genre and the response to the demands of higher capable graphics cards is becoming rampant as each year progresses.

Games and graphics applications have constantly demanded for higher specifications, a trend that has been normal for some time now. For some, upgrading their graphics cards has not been an option. But for computers that have been in use for more than 2 to 3 years, total revamp of their computers have become automatic to keep in step with the ever changing requirements based on the computer aspect of technology.

The choice lies on whether the need to upgrade the entire set or just the graphics display of a computer must be considered. For what it’s worth, it would depend on the purpose of the upgrade and the requirements of new programs installed in them. If they are merely after improving the current setup, perhaps only one aspect of the entire setup must be considered which can be the graphics card adaptor, memory or hard disk capacity and speed in all.

Inconveniences Caused by the Taiwan Earthquake

Many of you may have heard of the 7.2 scale earthquake that shook Taiwan some days back. While natural disasters have become common today, normal consumers who use the Internet medium may have noticed some connection problems, particularly that of Asia. While people may ask why in the world they would be affected, this is because of connections.

The Internet covers a wide network, and hence, if one point of the network would have problems, the result is an overall affect with regards to connection speed. There are usually pointed out as gateways or slingshot points where connections travel at any part of the world. And thanks to the earthquake a lot of underground cables as the undersea earthquake off the coast of Taiwan disrupted most communications, including mobile networks.

For the past days prior to the entry of the 2007 New Year, connections have been slowly restored and going back to normal. For people who love to download and access the web, such would be noticeable. Hence, the next time you see on the news why most Internet connections are lousy, thank natural phenomenon as the earthquake that shook Taiwan for it.

Taiwan Earthquake 2006

The Blog Adviser Officially Opens!

Blogs are alternative methods of writing wherein most people can compose anything they want and in the manner they would want the mood to be set. A combination of a website with rich content in the manner and design that any person would want to be known, blogs have become a good source of therapy and income for the chosen. The latter of which may draw conflicting inputs since focusing on income generating content would sometime take out the true essence and meaning of the entire post. Notable here is the focus of people on the use of keywords, repeating them at will so that search engines can easily find them once queries for particular words are being sought.

Blogs are familiarly known as online diaries where people share their experiences and stored knowledge in the manner they want to express them. Nobody knew that blogs would eventually become a money-making practice for sites which want to expound on various topics and genres that their website is to be known for. Today, social networking services such as Friendster, Multiply, Hi5 and MySpace, have not only offered a chance for people to expand their network of contacts but also to hold online diaries for their colleagues and friends to see. Usually, life experiences, business knowledge, setbacks, accomplishments and photo images are the main contents of the blogs that these people make. Such a practice also allows people to hone their grammar and typing skills and further enrich their vocabulary.

The Blog Adviser, created in November 30, 2006 is a project that Orble made possible. The site is hosted by the Orble Network and its main purpose is to be able to provide information, actual experiences and business related content to share with Orble bloggers and other people seeking rich content information. Unlike most blog marketing sites, the purpose is to provide useful and colorful insights and expound them in the best possible way, not only through properly termed topics but also through actual experiences as witnessed and dealt with by the person who will be handling all the posts on a daily basis.

The Blog Adviser aims to focus on business related issues and information based on actual research work and strategic management practices from real life business management issues. With the actual hands-on experience of handling a local trading company and business consultation services to various local and foreign companies, the Blog Adviser is expected to be among the top sought after sites for information and explanations with regards to varying issues on the business and management side for professionals of today and tomorrow. Links and images will be used to coincide with the posts, not just to optimize the site but also to serve as supporting proofs with regards to the validity of the posts to be made.

On the side, The Blog Adviser will also provide some freestyle writing content from personal experiences that combine poetry and stories into one. While these posts are mainly for adding some counseling and advise to online people who want some pastime reading, especially the romantically inclined individuals, the freestyle writing section promises to give worthy and reliable actual experiences for people who seek answers from life.

Hence the Blog Adviser has commenced and started its part in contributing towards the blogging era and each visitor is expected to be satisfied in both the business and personal aspect. For more information, the Blog Adviser can be visited today at http://www.blogadviser.com .

Celeron Processors: Cost Effective Processors for Start Ups

With the entry of other processors, this has widened the possibilities of being able to secure a computer with minimal costs. The introduction of Celeron processors in lieu of the usual Pentium IV processors may sacrifice in terms of processing speed and storage capacity, but it depends on where you are going to use the whole unit itself.

For word processing and spreadsheet programs like Word and Excel, this will do. Besides, with the high costs today, looking for the efficient and cost effective tools to be able to carry out business operations will eventually lead anyone to upgrade to higher capable processors and peripherals. It just needs a touch of feasibility with regards to the purpose of using your desktop or laptop, whichever you would prefer.

The Filipino Ignorance of Home Grown Talent

The Philippines is truly rich and talented with regards to Filipinos who have the unique talent and skills that most countries would die to have. It is very common to this day that graduates and successful career enhanced individuals would go for work abroad rather than staying here to get their feet of the ground. After some time, it is quite funny how local companies and people would look for them and finally realize what a Filipino can truly do.

This is really more focused on local newspapers and magazines who still follow the old recruitment ways of filling up their personnel requirements. Writing for example will not be entertained if they do not have degrees in Journalism or Education. These requirements are truly something that most companies use as their basis for selecting people rather than the actual work output that most people would have. It did not even occur to them that talented writers and composers may have opted to choose another course in college or MBA but really have to natural capabilities of becoming good writers today. Writing may be a past time for them, and being good with a bunch of words and writing unique content as based on opinions and supported by minimal research, most writers originate and grow from such tactics. Truth of the matter is, a lot of Filipinos can be traced working online abroad, doing article writing work, blogs, and unique compositions, each earning in foreign currency rather than to the peso value which is surely low and unacceptable.

Just a few months ago, people were asking me why I chose to write for the foreign countries like the United States and the United Kingdom. My straight answer was that these companies appreciate and provide better opportunities rather than the local newspapers that include Inquirer and Manila Bulletin. Locally, they still follow the old schematics of hiring personnel so is it surprising why most writers would rather bring their gear and serve other countries as well?

It is only typical and natural for home based organizations to overlook people. They are still stuck in the ancient realms of tradition to which has contributed into holding back evolution of the country in all aspects of development. People are getting wiser nowadays and following the lead of old fuddy duddies is something that will also hinder career growth as well. Why write for companies that opt to recruit well-known personalities for the sake of marketing their publications over unique and quality writers that offer a lot of things in their minds? It is purely becoming a marketing effort to promote the name of publications rather than what they really contain. To cut a long story short, the important thing of gaining impact towards the consumers as far as seeing and reading what can easily be understood rather than sticking to traditional ways of management and writing.

My parting message?

Just don’t be surprised why one day you will run out of good writers who would
want to work and contribute to you…they may have grown out of their shell
already and may be building on personal branding and career development,
something that takes ages for local bred talent to realize that opportunity
knocks and the doors and minds need to be opened.