casio indonesia product

Create an Effective Trade Show Display

2011-10-16T10:56:00.000-07:00

With all the trade show display options available today, it’s easy to lose sight of the basics. When it comes to creating a trade show display, your images and messages should be simple and your layouts clean. There are many things to consider when designing a good display. Relying on the expertise of a professional graphic designer is your best bet. However, here are 5 basic tips on creating a display that is effective and eye-catching.
Below are five basic elements that every trade show display should include and tips for using each of these elements to create an effective trade show display.

Visual
Headline
Description
Company name & Logo
Website

1. VISUAL – Select your photos and images carefully.
Simple, bold and clear images are the most effective in creating a memorable canvas for your selling story. Ornate, involved, mysterious and confusing art and graphics may be great to look at but can be distracting and much less effective as a backdrop for your trade show message.
Tip: If possible, select simple single images. You may want to use many images to tell a complicated story, but often, a single simple image will serve you just as well. Your graphic designer can help locate the right photography to convey your message.
2. HEADLINE – Make it simple & easy to remember.
Choose your words carefully, and keep the headline for your trade show display simple, clear and short!
Most people that did not plan to visit you at the show will simply walk past your booth. They may, at best, give your display a passing glance. This, believe it or not, is often your only chance to grab them. If your trade show display has a carefully thought out and compelling headline, they may choose to take an extra moment and learn a little more about your company.
The shorter your headline the larger it can appear on your trade show display. The larger it is on your trade show display the further your display can reach into the trade show traffic. Even a small table top display with a short bold message can be seen from several yards away.
Your choice of typeface is also important. With thousands to choose from, the task of selecting the right one can seem daunting. Your graphic designer can help you choose the right font for your message.
Tip: Choose a simple and easy to read typeface. Next time you’re at a trade show, take notice of the displays produced by large companies. Not necessarily large booths, but even table top displays produced by large and successful companies consistently use simple bold graphics. You can and should do the same.
3. DESCRIPTION – Keep it short and sweet.
We know it’s tempting to write a description for your trade show display that explains everything you want your customer to know about your product or service, but don’t!
As much as you would like them to, most trade show attendees will not want to spend much time reading about your company. If the headline and graphic of your trade show display captured their attention, they may want to read a sentence or two at most. Keep your sentences short and choppy. Make each word count.
Tip:

Use bullet points
Keep your messages short
Don’t get too technical
Less is more

If you have access to a copywriter, use one. If not, ask a friend, a school teacher, and/or someone not connected to your business to review your trade show display description. You will be amazed how at how much you can learn.
4. COMPANY NAME & LOGO – Make it prominent.
It’s amazing how many trade show displays seem to hide their company name. You pay a lot of money to exhibit. Take a little extra effort and make certain your company’s name is easy for all to see!
Tip: Have the company name placed in the header portion of your trade show display, as most trade show visitors will expect to find it there.
As for a company logo, if you don’t have one, we suggest you hire a graphic designer to create one. It is your opportunity to make an impression. It makes you look established and professional.
5. WEBSITE – Feature the address.
Probably the single most important message in your whole trade show display is your website address. This is because if the show attendee saw something at your booth that interests them, they can copy your website address, even at a distance, and visit it at their leisure. If you don’t already have a website, get one!
Tip: Try to select a website name that is both meaningful to your business and one that is easy to remember.
Follow the five basic elements outlined above to make any table top display or floor display more effective at your next trade show.

Get your logo WORKING for you

2011-10-15T10:50:00.000-07:00

Business logos aren’t just for multi-national corporations! They’re for any business that wants to present a professional image and work on establishing customer recognition (otherwise known as branding).

How Does A Logo “Work” for You?
Your logo works for you on your business cards, your business stationery, your invoices and receipts, your business’ publications, and, of course, your advertising. Put it on your business’ signage, on your yellow pages ad, and on the side of your business’ vehicle.
If you have a web site, your business logo should be on every page of your site. Many business people also feature their business logos on any promotional materials they hand out, such as mugs, calendars, and key chains.

Why You Need A Good Logo
The purpose of all this business logo reproduction is to separate your business from the common herd of competitors and build brand recognition and preference. (Think of the golden arches.) A good business logo helps your customers remember your business and many people remember images better than they remember words.
Where To Start…
Would you give yourself a haircut or leave it to a professional? The same goes for your logo. For a truly professional look, it’s best to hire someone who knows the software and can guide you through the steps to a polished and effective logo design. If you’re in the process of designing a logo or having one designed remember:

1. KEEP IT SIMPLE. A business logo has to be simple. Simplicity of business logo design makes a logo easy to reproduce and makes it easier for customers to remember and recognize. Limit the number of colours in your business logo, and stay away from muddy colours or tone on tone designs. Think clear contrast and simple shapes when thinking of business logo design.

2. RELEVANCE. Your business logo has to have some relevance to your business. For instance, a Christmas tree shape with a bolt of lightning striking it won’t be an effective business logo for a computer consulting business. The “picture” the logo represents just doesn’t have any association with computers.

3. SYMBOL vs INITIALS. It’s no coincidence that so many business logos are the initials of the business’ name encased in a simple shape; relevant pictorial associations are hard to come by for many businesses, and a symbol that misleads will do more harm than good.

4. COLOR. Colors are powerful. Different colors have different associations and can present powerful messages in themselves. Red, as we all know, is seen as fiery and energetic. But what about brown? No matter how much you like a particular shade, it may not be a good choice for your business logo design.

5. SCALEABLE. Your business logo has to be scaleable to suit all your promotional needs. The logo you choose has to look good on a business card, on a brochure, and on the side of a bus, for instance, if that’s how you choose to advertise. Complicated business logo designs don’t scale well. This is another example of why you should hire a professional to design your logo. A graphic designer has the software needed to create a scaleable (or “vector”) logo that can be scaled to any size without looking fuzzy or pixelated.

Create A Great Business Name

2011-10-14T10:44:00.000-07:00

A great name is the beginning of a great brand. It should be memorable and create a certain feeling when heard. Here’s a quick how-to on creating one and making sure it’s not already used.

Here’s How:

Brainstorm. Think about how you want people to feel when they hear the name. Write down the words on paper and then categorize them by primary meaning.
Relate. Think about related words and phrases that evoke the feelings you want. Hit the thesaurus and find all the synonyms for your words and phrases.
Relate more. Find out the Greek and Latin translations of your words. Figure out what colors, gemstones, plants, animals, etc., relate to your words.
Experiment. Start playing with combinations of your various words and partial words. Don’t be judgmental now – just make a list.
Reflect. Review your list and just give some thought to each name. How does it make you feel when you hear it?
Communicate. Go over the list with someone you trust. Have them tell you how each name makes them feel, and how memorable they think it is.
Prioritize. Throw out any that just don’t fit and make a prioritized list of the rest.
Check trademarks. Make sure no one is using that name in your line of business. You may be able to use the name in a completely different business, but be aware that it may create confusion for both you and them.
Check domain names. You want to make sure that an appropriate domain name is available. You want YourCompanyName.com, of course. If that’s not available, you may want to reconsider.
Search the internet. Even if someone doesn’t have the domain, you still want to see what else is out there that has the same name. That doesn’t mean you don’t use it if you find something, but you need to know.
Check company names. If you’re planning to incorporate, check with the Secretary of State (or other appropriate office outside the U.S.) of the state you’re planning to incorporate in.
Check assumed names. For sole proprietors, check for local assumed names (also known as DBA). In the U.S., you check this with the County Clerk.
Stake your claim! Register your assumed name or file your incorporation papers right away. Also, start using either TM (trademark) or SM (service mark). You do NOT have to register them to use them.
Get the domain(s). Find an inexpensive registrar and register your domain and any obvious variations on it. You shouldn’t be paying more than $10 a year for each, and at that, it pays to prevent poachers.
Protect your brand. A U.S. trademark or service mark costs $325. It’s a drop in the bucket compared to trying to defend it later. It’s not really necessary, though, for a small local business.

Tips:

Avoid generic names based on names, such as Joe’s Bar, Sam’s Hardware, etc. They’re not memorable and are nearly impossible to trademark.
Avoid generic names that literally describe the product or service, like Computer Consulting Company, Appliance Sales and Service, Inc., etc.
Generally, avoid geographical names. Besides not generally being very memorable, what happens if you decide to move or expand? The exception is if you’re trying to create a strong local affinity like, say, a neighborhood bar.
Preferably, don’t restrict future product or service lines. Be broad enough to include your wildest long-term vision for the business.
Try to keep the name short and easy to pronounce

Tips to Creating SPEC ADS

2011-10-13T18:41:00.000-07:00

Find any ad you feel is missing something. Are the words not packing a punch? Does the headline fizzle? Is the call to action weak? Not motivated to buy the product after you finish the ad? Choose an ad that is missing the key elements all copywriting projects need.

You're going to use this original ad to create your own version. This is called a SPEC AD.

In the advertising industry, a SPEC AD (for speculative ad) is an ad you created on your own. You didn't work with the ad agency or client to create the ad. You are simply using a SPEC AD to show your own take on how you would write the ad.

SPEC ADS are very common for budding copywriters who have little to no experience under their belt. They are a great way for you to display your copywriting talent to a potential client or employer. Most copywriters who use SPEC ADS in their portfolio have limited or no copywriting samples to show in the interview process.

For our example, we've selected a print ad in a magazine.

Manage Your Customer Relationships or Perish

2011-10-12T18:35:00.000-07:00

With an explosion of choice in product and service selection winning more business is getting tougher each year. Reaching and nurturing customer relations are essential for a small business to survival. Central to managing any customer relationship is CRM or customer relationship management software. Discover the necessary survival strategy of managing customer relations with the technology of today.

Gone are the days of marketing to your potential customer base and sitting back to reap the rewards of a great ad campaign. Gone are the days of grabbing the hottest leads and forgetting about the warmer less inclined to buy now clients. Gone are the days of using a simple notebook or excel spreadsheet to collect your lead list.

Customer Relationship Management: Share of Wallet.

The late father of management Peter Drucker, simply stated, “Shares in disposable income are the foundation of all economic information. Businesses keep figures on sales and know whether they go up or down. But practically none knows the truly important figure: the share of the disposable income of their customers that is being spent on the products or services that they produce and sell.”

The battle for customers is a zero sum game. No matter how wonderful your product or service, your potential customers have a limited disposable income. Their disposable income is in a state of change with rising and fall incomes and living expenses. How can you get your share of their wallet?

Companies poised to win their share of the wallet know customer relationship management is not a luxury but an essential to being in business. According to Forrester Research, businesses under 100 employees will account for more than 30% the CRM market reach in 2007. Is your small business CRM ready?

Overcoming the Hurdles to Successful CRM Implementation.

Customer relationship management or CRM is the methodology and tools of finding, communicating, and retaining your best customers. Software programs such as GoldMine or ACT! or subscription services like Salesforce.com help you build lead lists, merge mail, handle contacts, and assess the results of your marketing campaigns.

Many larger corporations have failed at successful implementation of CRM. While it’s easy to blame the software or incompetent staff, the real issue lies with employee motives, time, and training. Use these success tactics for overcoming the hurdles you will encounter with CRM.

Spot Check: My own experiences with customer relationship management tools found employees aren't only reluctant to adapt a new technology but outright resist the sales lead component of CRM software. For under performers, tracking leads reveals their true incompetence. I have witnessed sales personal enter in fake names and numbers to avoid the scrutiny of a sales manager. Successful implementation of CRM requires periodic spot checking of lead entries and even calling leads to see if they exist.

Make Time: Whether you are the only user of CRM software or have a staff, it’s critical to set aside time each week for using the technology. Like any new business application, regular use will reduce time and help you see the rewards of CRM.

Get Trained: A large part of setting aside time is learning the new tools of CRM. Learning typically follows a U-shaped curve with the initial phase being difficult till it peaks and learning accelerates. Be patient and in no time you will master the must have tools of CRM.

Winning the customer game with customer relationship management tools is a necessary for any small business today. The more you know your customers and build a strong relationship, the greater your odds at winning the minds and wallets of your customers in the competitive market.

Ways to Make Money Online

2011-10-11T10:32:00.000-07:00

It might surprise you to hear that there are only two ways to make money online, but, its true. No matter how many methods of making money online there are, they all come down to 2 basic methods. The reason so many people fail to make money online, is simply because they fail to understand this concept. They waist their time and money, and never make a dime. If you want to succeed in making a living online, you need to understand that when it comes down to it, there are only two ways to make money online, and those two methods are:

Trading one’s time for money

This is the first and I believe the easiest way for making money online. Online money making methods like, paid surveys, freelancing, GPT, writing for websites and blogs, designing themes and etc fall under this category. Of course, you could argue that you need some knowledge and know how to make money with most of these methods, which is true, but, all of these methods require you to spend time. So, when it comes down to it, you are trading your time for money. Simple as that!

Trading online traffic for money

Another basic thing you need to make money online, is simply trading traffic for money. The goal is simple, drive traffic to a website, blog or what have you, and try to convert that traffic into sales. A lot of great online money making methods fall under this category, such as blogging, CPA marketing, affiliate marketing, ad sense revenue sharing and any other method that realize on traffic for making money.

Yes, there are many ways to make money online, some can make you thousands of dollars, and some are only good for making a little extra cash. But, when you think about it, all of them come down to these 2 methods. Any online money making method that you can think of, that you or someone else is using to make money online, is possible either by trading time for money or trading traffic for money, and in some case both. So, if you can do either or both, congratulations! you have hunderds of possible ways to make money online.

Get Customers to Buy Now

2011-10-03T11:55:00.000-07:00

You sent out the best direct mail piece you've ever seen. Your catalog belongs in the Smithsonian. Your brochure is so great you framed it and put it next to the pictures of your kids.

So why aren't you getting sales?

Take a look at your call to action. With any advertising materials, it's crucial that you get potential customers to act. Now!

Use the following techniques to create a call to action that will have your phones ringing off the hook and your profits reinventing your sales graphs:

Give a Deadline for Ordering
We've all received some sort of promotional material that has a deadline for ordering. The offer could end on that date.

Or you could use the deadline in conjunction with an upgrade or free gift. For example, order by the 15th and receive....

Also, try to make the cut off date in the same month as your materials will be received. That way, your potential customers know they only have a limited time to respond and they won't fall victim to the "I'll do it later" syndrome.

Advise of a Price Increase
People want to get in on a good deal. If your price is going up on a specific date, let your customers know. They'll want to buy before your product's price increases.

Establish a Trial/Introductory Period
Trial periods are a great way to get new customers. Offer a special deal, extra service or a lower price during your trial/introductory period.

Free Gift
Nothing attracts new customers like free gifts. As an added incentive for ordering, offer your free gift to the first 100 or 1000 people that respond.

"No Risk" Trial
People want to know there's no risk involved if they're not satisfied with the product/service. Let new customers know they can cancel for any reason before the trial period expires.

"Not Available in Stores"
Is your product exclusive to mail order? If your product's not available in stores, be sure to tell your customers. They'll know they can only order your product from you instead of visiting the local stores.

Offer an Upgrade
One simple line can boost your sales. "Order within 10 days and we'll upgrade you to the deluxe model."

Free Supplies/Accessories
You've seen this technique used with computer sales. Buy a computer and receive a free printer. This works with a whole range of products. But be sure to include a date on your offer. This politely urges people to take advantage of your offer before time runs out.

Use Action Phrases
No matter how you approach your own call to action, be sure to include action phrases:

Call Now. Toll Free. 24 Hours a Day. Mail this coupon today in the postage-paid envelope. Fax your response card.

Avoid Passive Phrases
Be sure to avoid passive phrases like:

You know how to reach us. Call when you're ready to order.

Give your customers the perks of responding immediately. They'll grab their wallets. You'll see an increase in profits.

Phone Answering Tips to Win Business

2011-10-03T11:47:00.000-07:00

Phone answering skills are critical for businesses. The telephone is still most business's primary point of contact with customers. And the way you answer your company's phone will form your customer's first impression of your business. These phone answering tips will ensure that callers know they're dealing with a winning business:

Answer all incoming phone calls before the third ring.

When you answer the phone, be warm and enthusiastic. Your voice at the end of the telephone line is sometimes the only impression of your company a caller will get.

When answering the phone, welcome callers courteously and identify yourself and your organization. Say, for instance, "Good morning. Cypress Technologies. Susan speaking. How may I help you?" No one should ever have to ask if they've reached such and such a business.

Enunciate clearly, keep your voice volume moderate, and speak slowly and clearly when answering the phone, so your caller can understand you easily.

Control your language when answering the phone. Don't use slang or jargon. Instead of saying, "OK", or "No problem", for instance, say "Certainly", "Very well", or "All right". If you're a person who uses fillers when you speak, such as "uh huh", "um", or phrases such as "like" or "you know", train yourself carefully not to use these when you speak on the phone.

Train your voice and vocabulary to be positive when phone answering, even on a "down" day. For example, rather than saying, "I don't know", say, "Let me find out about that for you."

Take telephone messages completely and accurately. If there's something you don't understand or can't spell, such as a person's surname, ask the caller to repeat it or spell it for you. Then make sure the message gets to the intended recipient.

Answer all your calls within one business day. I can't emphasize this one enough. Remember the early bird? The early caller can get the contract, the sale, the problem solved... and reinforce the favorable impression of your business that you want to circulate.

Always ask the caller if it's all right to put her on hold when answering the phone, and don't leave people on hold. Provide callers on hold with progress reports every 30 to 45 seconds. Offer them choices if possible, such as "That line is still busy. Will you continue to hold or should I have ________ call you back?"

Don't use a speaker phone unless absolutely necessary. Speaker phones give the caller the impression that you're not fully concentrating on his call, and make him think that his call isn't private. The only time to use a speaker phone is when you need more than one person to be in on the conversation at your end.

If you use an answering machine to answer calls when you can't, make sure that you have a professional message recorded, that does the same thing as tip # 3, and gives callers any other pertinent information before it records their messages. Update your answering machine message as needed. For instance, if your business is going to be closed for a holiday, update your recorded answering machine message to say so and to say when your business will reopen.

Train everyone else who answers the phone to answer the same way, including other family members if you're running a home-based business. Check on how your business's phone is being answered by calling in and seeing if the phone is being answered in a professional manner. If they don't pass the test, go over this telephone answering tips list with them.

Make Easy Money On The Internet with Writing

2011-10-03T11:08:00.000-07:00

Here are some easy ways to make money, if you like writing.
Probably should have said simple ways to make money, rather than easy ways to make money, because there is a difference between simple and easy. But who cares, this is about how to make easy moneyquickly.

1. Make easy money online naming domains. The original idea comes from Dane Carson’s blog. While you can earn money as a contributor for services such as PickyDomains.Com, here is a better idea. Go to Google or any other search engine, find sucky domain names and contact their owners directly, offering them your services. The key to success is to make it 100% risk free. Inform your prospective clients that you’ll accept money only if they like your domain name. If you come up with one approved domain name a day and charge what PickyDomain charges, you can make $1500 a month. Another twist – come up with cool domain names, like SiteToRemember.Com or ItsMe.Com, register them yourself and sell them on the aftermarket.

2. eBay arbitrage. A lot of people like buying stuff on eBay, because it’s cheap. And some people never buy on eBay, because they are afraid of being ripped off. Here is your solution to making easy money on eBay. Go to Craigslist.Com and see what items people buy and sell most often. Look at prices. Then go to eBay and see, if you can get it cheaper. Once you find your niche, you can buy things on eBay (or better yet, act as a representative for an eBay powerseller) and sell them for a profit using local classifieds and Craigslist. You can do this online as well. Set up a proxy store, and when you get an order, simply buy the same item on eBay for less, substituting shipping address from your own to that of your buyer.

3. eBay copywriting. If you are good at copywriting, go to eBay and look for highticket items, like boats. Find auctions with totally sucky descriptions. Contact an owner and inform him or her that good description of his or her item is likely to increase the chances of that item being sold. Then offer your services for a 1% of the selling price. You can use free eBay software

4. Get Paid Writing Reviews. This idea comes from a blog called Business Ideas That Work. A site called SoftwareJudge.Com pays up to 50 dollars per good review. However, if you are good at reviewing software, you can do this on your own. Go to CNET or any other site that lists software. Find sites that don’t have any reviews or testimonials. Contact developers directly, offering them your review services. Good reviews and testimonials increases sales, so you shouldn’t have any difficulties convincing developers that they need your services. And you get free software and games too! Oh, and you don't have to limit yourself to software alone.

5. Social Bookmark Whoring (oops, I meant to say PR). This is really easy money online. RedDit and Digg can bring a crapload of traffic. And traffic means money. If you have experience creating linkbate titles and getting to the top, why not offer your services? Say, you charge 10 dollars for submitting news to RedDit, Digg, StumbleUpon, Furl, NewsVine, Fark and all the other social bookmarting sites. The key is to work only with interesting stories, so you don’t become a spammer. 10 news a day and you are 100 dollars richer. You can probably work out a deal with online PR agencies, because they are totally clueless about this.

6. Writing Google AdWords Ads. Every time I see “Cake Icing. Used And New. eBay.Com” type ads or “Four best sites on killing your wife”, it makes me wonder. Aren’t there any GOOD AdWords ads copywriters? Look’s like a great job to me. The ads are only three lines long and if you charge 10 bucks per ad, you can make a lot of money. And the customers are easy to find, too. Just look at all these terrible ads that Google displays on their search engine and contextual network.

7. Wacky blogs. Steve Pavlina gets over 300 dollars a day from AdSense alone, writing on wacky topics, like polyphasic sleep, astral projection and psychic development. Or take David Icke, who claims that president Bush in an alien and a reptilian. Your blog doesn’t have to be true, it just has to be interesting.

8. Blog whoring. There are a number of services, like PayPerPost.Com, that pay for promotional blogposts. Once again, you can do the same thing, cutting the middleman out.

9. Unique Personal Ads. Write memorable personal ads for online daters. Most personal ads suck. “Hi, my name is Bambie, I’m a Vergo, I’m 19 and I love dogs.” Here is my favorite personal ad. If people pay for resume writing, they might pay for a great personal ad.

10. Poet For Hire. This is nothing new. Still, if you love writing poetry, why not make some money with your rhymes.

11. Don’t EVEN THINK about majoring in English, Medieval Literature, Journalism or GET A REAL JOB, IF YOU WERE DUMB ENOUGH TO DO SO. Just kidding. If you love writing, just write, and the money will follow.

Create Your Own Pedicure Design

2011-10-03T10:47:00.000-07:00

Plunge into the fun world of nail art and demonstrate your skills by creating fabulous pedicure designs which will contribute greatly to the stylish appearance of your feet. Inspire yourself from the following pedicure designs and your feet will most definitely look all styled-up!

Summer is right around the corner and your feet have to be all prepped and ready for those killer sandals you've been yearning to wear. An easy to do pedicure design can most definitely add more fun and beauty to your toenails, making them stand out and enhance the style of your flirty shoes, so gather all your tools and get ready to be creative.

Open toe shoes and sandals are a definite must this spring summer season, so grab your favorite shoe styles and match your pedicure design to the shoe style and its coloration. You'll be amazed of the impact nail polish can have over the aspect of your toenails, so use your skills to create various pedicure nail art designs that suit your style and personality. Go for summery nail polish hues that brighten up your feet, as your options are vast, thanks to the myriad on nail polish hues developed.

Home Pedicure Tips

Simple is definitely the easiest and most popular way to go as far as any nail art design goes, and this means you can have a lovely pedicure without spending a dime. You can do your own pedicure and put on your favorite nail polish, and you'll definitely look hot and stylish. Use hues which suit your personality and contrast the color of your shoes for best results.
Apply one or two coats of your fav nail polish and seal it with a top coat for a glossy, long lasting finish. Orange tones are highly popular this spring summer season, so give these hues a try to add a splash of color to your nails. Add more fun to your nails by turning towards nail art stickers, as they can be easily applied and come in a variety of styles.

A French pedicure is definitely suitable for all occasions, so if simplicity and elegance is your style, this type of pedicure design will suit you like a glove. Creating a French style pedicure is quite easy; you can use special guiding strips or you can use your skill to trace out the French tip. Use a cotton swab dipped in nail polish remover to repair any mistakes and adjust the design, making it look perfect. Keep things simple or use glitter or rhinestones to give the nail a more glamorous allure.

If you're looking for a more sophisticated nail art design, which will have a little bit of edgy-vibe attached, you should be directing your attention towards designs which feature multiple hues, glitter, rhinestones, stickers, hand painted details, etc.
Animal prints, floral designs, glitter applications, color mixes are only a few of the options you have as far as your pedicure design goes, so experiment and go wild for a statement look. Don't hold back your artistic side and experiment to create your own personalized design that will make your nails look incredibly fashionable!

source: bodycare

Microsoft Bug Removes Google Chrome

2011-10-02T20:29:00.000-07:00

Hundreds of Google Chrome users (at least) have found their internet browser of choice removed from their Windows PCs after Microsoft deleted the web-surfing app.
And no, Microsoft didn't start pushing out Chrome because it's gaining market share and posing a threat to Internet Explorer. Microsoft said in an emailed statement that the Chrome removals took place due to a mistake on the part of its Microsoft Security Essentials software for Windows.
Microsoft Security Essentials and also Microsoft's Forefront Endpoint Protection software can remove Google Chrome as a malware threat. This matches up with reporting from the website ZDnet, which broke news of the Chrome problems on Friday morning in the US.
The software errors wrongly spot Chrome as malware to be removed from PCs. For affected users, simply trying to reinstall Chrome doesn't solve the problem. Instead, Microsoft's software removes the browser again.

The Windows-maker, however, said that an update to Microsoft Security Essentials' software has been pushed out to the web and it's working on making everything well again.
Here's the explanation from Microsoft:
"On September 30th, 2011, an incorrect detection for PWS:Win32/Zbot was identified and as a result, Google Chrome was inadvertently blocked and in some cases removed from customers PCs. We worked quickly to provide an updated signature (1.113.672.0) at 9:57am PDT to fix this issue. Affected customers should manually update Microsoft Security Essentials (MSE) with the latest signatures. To do this, simply launch MSE, go to the update tab and click the Update button, and then reinstall Google Chrome. We apologise for the inconvenience this may have caused our customers."
Google, for its part, published a blog post on the matter, explaining to Chrome users in a series of steps how to reinstall the browser after Microsoft's mistake.
It's also working on releasing an update to Chrome to help protect the browser from the buggy version of Microsoft Security Essentials.

From Google's blog post:
"Earlier today, we learned that the Microsoft Security Essentials tool began falsely identifying Google Chrome as a piece of malware ("PWS:Win32/Zbot") and removing it from people's computers. If Chrome is working correctly for you, then there's no need to take any action. We are releasing an update that will automatically repair Chrome for affected users over the course of the next 24 hours."
So were you affected? If so, did you see the problem with Microsoft Security Essentials or Microsoft Forefront Endpoint Protection? If Chrome was removed, but you're back up and running in Chrome now, are your bookmarks and other data still around or wiped out?

source: kompas

Casio's Bluetooth 4.0 G-Shock

2011-09-27T08:53:00.000-07:00

The latest G-Shock watch from Casio boasts the usual array of shock and water-resistant claims, and now it can add FCC acceptance to the list, having passed through that government agency's approval process. So, why did this wristwatch hit the FCC in the first place? Well, the rugged little timekeeper is packing Bluetooth 4.0 in its bag of tricks, which lets the wearable gadget communicate with your smartphone. No word on a release date, but Casio did mention a fairly broad "some time in 2011" window when it was first announced back in March. Here's hoping that its FCC debut will speed the shock-filled process along.

Casio's solar-powered Pathfinder watch

2011-09-27T08:38:00.000-07:00

Plotting their latest spread of watches this spring, Casio executives decided it was time to "go green." Some poor schmuck in R&D took them at their word. Thankfully for mother nature, the Casio Pathfinder PRG110C-3 is more than meets the eye; the watch -- suited for argonauts needing an altimeter, barometer, thermometer and digital compass -- also has a miniature solar cell built into its face to automatically recharge the battery. Though Casio's claim that this last will cut down on the three billion batteries Americans trash each year seems a little reaching -- watch batteries last a lot longer than a AA -- the timepiece does help the planet some merely by being packaged in recyclables. The $250 device will be available exclusively from Amazon, and yeah, the color you see here is the color you'll get.

Casio, Casio Tough Solar

Casio's Poptone Cubic Puzzle watch

2011-09-27T08:29:00.000-07:00

Alright, so Casio's new Poptone Cubic Puzzle watch may not actually contain any puzzles (or games of any sort, for that matter), but it does boasts some buttons that kind of, sort of resemble Tetris pieces, and it in comes in blue, which is good enough for us. Otherwise, it looks like you'll get all the usual watch functions you'd expect from a watch, including 12 or 24 hour time settings, a stopwatch, an alarm clock, and a backlight -- not to mention an "animated display," which remains something of a puzzle. Sold? Then you can grab one right now in your choice of black or blue for just under $90.

Magic Watch Casio

2011-09-27T08:26:00.000-07:00

Just when we were beginning to think that the well of watch innovation had run dry, Casio comes along and renews our faith in multi-use timepieces, with a watch that not only tells time, but does magic! The appropriately-named Casio Magic Watch was created with the assistance of close-up magician Tomohiro Maeda, who may or may not be responsible for the totally 80s-inspired design, but most definitely is the man behind the five tricks the watch can help you perform, including guessing the number or card that a person is thinking of or roping your friends into a little con game. For some old school magic, each watch also comes bundled with an exclusive set of Tomohiro Maeda playing cards from Tally-Ho, though you'll have to decide if that's enough to justify the $80 price tag.

source:engadget.com

Casio debuts Prizm graphing calculator

2011-09-27T08:22:00.000-07:00

Texas Instruments recently rocked the graphing calculator world by adding a touchpad to its TI-Nspire calculator, and Casio has now come back with a technological revolution of its own: a high-res color screen. Of course, a 3.7-inch, 384 X 216 display may not be much by smartphone standards, but Casio insists that the "Blanview" LCD will let equations and text be "displayed just like they appear in textbooks." The rest of the calculator's specs aren't too shabby either, and include USB connectivity, 16MB of flash memory, and a promised 140 hours of battery life. You'll still have to stick to your cold, hard black-and-white world for a while longer, however, as the Prizm won't be available until sometime in January, when it'll set you back $129.99.

Casio Education

Casio Tryx (EX-TR100)

2011-09-27T07:49:00.000-07:00

Given the sheer quantity of marketing muscle that Casio put behind the Tryx, you'd think the company was gearing up to rival Nikon and Canon in the DSLR space. Instead, out popped the outre device you see above. Without qualification, this is one of the strangest, most bizarrely designed cameras we've ever seen, featuring a pop-out display and a grand total of two buttons for operation. At 4.8- x 2.3- x 0.6-inches, it's certainly one of the slimmest, easy-to-carry point-and-shoots on the market, but is the absence of an optical zoom and a removable battery enough to tank an otherwise radical idea? Head on past the break for our two pennies.

Design

Let's be crystal clear here -- Casio's playing up the design angle hard on the Tryx. And unsurprisingly so, might we add. The chassis is undoubtedly the differentiating factor that separates this shooter from a myriad others that are currently cluttering store shelves, but the real question is this: does it matter? We've seen pop-out displays emerge on DSLRs -- where they're seen as helpful for budding video makers who need to shoot low-angle clips -- but Casio's taking a leap of faith by assuming the same theory will translate in the compact realm.

The outer "rim" that surrounds the optics and the 3-inch touchpanel is constructed of a markedly robust metal. We did our best can-crunching pose, and the frame barely flexed. All that's needed to separate the LCD from the frame is a solid shove, and things click back into place automatically once swung back around. Once exposed, the LCD is surrounded by an SDXC / SDHC / SD card slot, a mini HDMI output and a USB charging port. Each of those are covered by flimsy plastic clips, which we're guessing won't last a year given the assumption of normal wear and tear. The bezel is home to just two physical buttons: an on / off switch and a shutter trigger.

After you've moved the LCD out into the open, you can swivel it 360 degrees -- perfect for shooting low-angle video and self-portraits. The hinge does an excellent job of holding the LCD where you put it, yet it's smooth enough that it doesn't require the assistance of the Old Spice Guy to return it to its default position. The 12.1 megapixel CMOS sensor that dominates the face of the device is encased in a protective layer, and while we weren't able to scratch it during our recent jaunt to Grand Canyon, Petrified Forest and Joshua Tree National Parks, we're still leery that one or two tumbles could render all of your future photos a bit less idyllic.

As clever as the design is, we found ourselves struggling to unearth a purpose even after using it for a week. If you attempt to pop the LCD out and set it on a table for a timed group shot, you're foiled by the fact that it'll sit cockeyed on whatever surface you place it on. If you consistently shoot low-level video, the swiveling LCD is an obvious boon, and if you're a fan of filming your rollercoaster escapades, the handle (read: exposed rim) will certainly come in handy. Outside of that, though, we found no compelling reason to handle this thing unlike any other point-and-shoot. Compounding the problem is the fact that the entire rim is slick as glass, so you're taking quite the risk by holding the device in a closed fashion.

We also found the inability to zoom (optically, anyway) to be a huge downer. Sure, there's a digital zoom, but considering that you aren't a fan of heavily pixelated images, you might as well consider the EX-TR100 to be zoomless.

Software and user experience

The user interface that Casio has loaded onto the Tryx is certainly sufficient. It's intuitive enough to navigate sans a trip through the dreaded user guide, and changing between modes rarely required more than two or three taps on the panel. Thankfully, the touchscreen is superbly responsive, and we never once had an issue with the camera recognizing our commands. We still prefer manual control dials and physical buttons when it comes to navigating through camera menus, but Casio does an admirable job of creating a touch-based UI that simply works.

As is common on point-and-shoots these days, the Tryx is home to quite a few shooting modes: Full Auto, Premium Auto, Best Shot, HDR Art, Slide Panorama and Motion Shutter (just to name a few). In our experience, Premium Auto seemed to render the best results for beginners who have no desire whatsoever to tinker with settings, while HDR Art was stunningly disastrous. If you're hoping to fiddle with ISO, aperture or any other number of manual settings, you're barking up the wrong tree. Impressively enough, the screen automatically rotates as you spin it around, and there's next to no lag in the changeovers. Also interesting is the fact that any video started while the camera is positioned in a vertical manner will result in a vertical video. Shocking, we know, but gnarly nonetheless. (Given just awkward it is to embed such a tall video, we'll point you to the YouTube sample here for external viewing.) Below, you'll find a few videos shot in NYC -- two in the day, one in a dimly lit eatery.

While we're on the topic, it's worth pointing out that this camera is capable of logging clips at 1080p, which is -- in our humble opinion -- the single most understated standout feature of the Tryx. A video can be started by tapping a small red record button in the lower right corner of the LCD, and we had no stuttering issues whatsoever using an off-the-shelf SDHC card. Unfortunately, it's impossible to start a video while shooting in panorama mode -- you'll need to switch into a standard automatic mode first, which seems like a ridiculous and unnecessary complication given just how terrific the panoramic mode truly is. In other words, we found ourselves glued to the panorama mode, but had to switch back and forth just to start videos.

Snapping photos was easy enough, but the sliver-of-a-shutter-button won't be pleasing to all. That said, we're thrilled to have a physical button given the dearth of other keys, so we aren't going to harp too boisterously on that point. Casio goes out of its way to keep things dead-simple from a photo snapping standpoint, and we have to confess -- the Tryx does an admirable job of capturing the moment in broad daylight. It automatically flops over to Macro mode if it senses that you're too tight on a subject, and it did a laudable job of capturing hues and tone on challenging scenery at some of America's most stunning National Parks. Are we talking DSLR-quality? Hardly, but remember that the MSRP on this is but $250, and it's already selling for $229 at a smattering of reputable e-tailers.

The panorama mode, however, deserves a round of golf claps all its own. We adored the feature on the company's Exilim EX-H20G, and we found it even easier to use on this guy. The results are nothing short of spectacular, and the automatic stitching job is downright impressive.

Image quality

The 12.1 megapixel CMOS sensor does predictably well in broad daylight. Colors were generally sharp and crisp, and for a sub-$250 point-and-shoot, we really had no qualms with our results. Once the light starts fading, however, it has a difficult time snapping a usable image free of blur. Expected, sure, but having full manual control access would've come in handy here. Considering that there's no optical zoom, you'll be forced to move forward and back to change what's in the frame. It's pretty obvious that still images aren't this camera's forte, but it certainly does a better job with 'em while also handling 1080p video than any of Flip Video's (now-defunct) camcorders ever did. Have a gander in the gallery below to get a feel for the image quality -- just so you know, these are completely untouched aside from a resize.

Casio Tryx sample shots

Battery life

You're probably wondering why an atypical point-and-shoot deserves a battery section, so we'll just cut to the chase: the longevity of the Tryx is startlingly poor. 50 still images and 20 minutes of capturing 1080p footage had our review unit hanging on for dear life, and we aren't confident that a full charge is capable of lasting through a solid hour of filming. That may be forgivable if a few other things were true, but they aren't.

Those "other things" include a removable battery and a conventional micro-USB port. For whatever reason, Casio decided to completely encase the Li-ion here, making it impossible to access, remove or replace. We couldn't rely on this guy to carry us through the daytime hours at a National Park, which led to us carry yet another camera as a backup -- there goes the advantage of being mobile, eh? To make matters worse, Casio threw a proprietary USB charging port on here, which makes absolutely zero sense to us.

What's so irritating about this decision isn't the requirement to carry around yet another cable in your pack; it's that Casio came so close to including a feature that we'd love to see on every single point-and-shoot from here on out. Had this camera been able to recharge via a standard micro-USB port (you know, like your Android smartphone, PND, portable media player, and 14 other gadgets you've got sitting around), it would have instantly become one of the most stress-free charging experiences to ever hit the P&S world. As it stands, we're flabbergasted with the design choice to select something other than a standard port -- there may be an awesome reason from an engineering standpoint, but if we can charge a Nexus One and a Columbia heated jacket through the aforesaid port, why not this?

Update: Casio reported 50 still shots with just over an hour of Full HD video, but it's hard to say how much time they spent simply toting the camera around with the LCD on -- you know, as a real-world user would. As always, battery life is full of YMMV, but now you've got an ideal look at what you could possibly squeeze out, too.

Wrap-up

Casio's Tryx (EX-TR100) is far and away the most interestingly designed point-and-shoot that we've seen in years, but the compromises made to end up with a needlessly unique design continues to haunt it. The only logical benefit to the swivel-based form factor is to assist with low-level video shooting, and while the 1080p content that it logs is admittedly impressive, the paltry battery life means that you won't be shooting that way for long. If you're looking for a so-called Flip substitute now that Cisco's consumer dream has died, this would be an amazing option for $229... if it'd last for more than a couple of hours. We'd also have a far greater sense of appreciation for the design decisions if this were rechargeable via a traditional micro-USB cable, but alas, we're left with an even inferior solution: a proprietary cable and the inability to insert a secondary battery.

There's no question that the Tryx is snappy, produces reasonably great images in daylight and handles Full HD video like a champ, but until a version ships with a far more robust battery and an optical zoom, it's tough to recommend without reservations.

source:engadget.com

Casio TRYX Earns Guinness World Records Accolade

2011-09-27T03:55:00.000-07:00

Casio America, Inc. and its parent company, Casio Computer Co., Ltd., proudly announce that TRYX™ has been named the “World’s Most Adjustable Digital Camera” by Guinness World Records. The 12.1 megapixel camera, which appears in the 2012 edition of the legendary reference book, can capture images from virtually any angle and can be adapted to fit a user’s preferred shooting style. The frame rotates 360-degrees and can be adjusted so that the body acts as a tripod, allowing TRYX to stand on its own. Simultaneously, the LCD screen can be rotated up to 270-degrees so that users can perfect their own self portrait and see themselves in the frame. With TRYX, consumers can do more and be prepared to capture their photographic lives in ways they were never able to before.
“We’re honored to have TRYX included among such a celebrated collection of world records,” said Toshi Iguchi, Senior General Manager, Digital Imaging Division, Casio America, Inc. “Guinness World Records is an iconic brand that for decades has been synonymous with pushing the boundaries of human achievement, and we’re thrilled to be a part of it with a product that has redefined the digital imaging category.”
The 3-inch touch-screen LCD on TRYX is swivel-mounted inside a frame, on which the camera’s ultra-wide-angle lens and flash are affixed. As such, users can even flip out and rotate the body so that the camera can hang from a hook, doorknob or other surface. TRYX’s body can also be adjusted so that users can record full-HD, 1080 video (30fps) using either a left- or right-handed grip.
TRYX is also fully-loaded with a full range of fun and creative functions, such as Slide Panorama, slow-motion video recording and Casio’s revolutionary HDR-Art technology, which gives users the ability to effortlessly transform any photo from ordinary to extraordinary, all with just the touch of a button. HDR-Art works by combining continuous shots with differing exposures and performing highly-precise image analysis to locally change the contrast and level of color saturation. Users can select from three different processing levels to suit their artistic tastes and produce results that are guaranteed to impress.
The TRYX appears in the Science and Engineering section of the Guinness World Records 2012 edition under the “Consumer Tech” category. This digital camera launched in North America in April 2011 and it retails for $249.99.

Casio G'zOne Commando

2011-09-27T03:44:00.000-07:00

For years, construction workers, thrill-seekers, and everyone else unfettered by cubicle walls have had rubberized, rugged handsets to keep them company on the road. Until fairly recently, though, the price of durability has been settling for a dumbphone. And frankly, the selection of toughened-up smartphones remains pretty sparse today. Casio's G'zOne Commando ($199 on contract) isn't the first quasi-invincible Android device, but it is the first to be sold on Verizon's network. As expensive as a flagship handset, the Commando offers military-grade resilience against drops, water, extreme cold, and other elements. But is it capable enough for everything else? Let's find out.

Casio G'zOne Commando review

Hardware

With a name like "Commando," would it really surprise you to learn this is one macho handset? Particularly compared to the Motorola Defy, a phone compact enough that you could mistake it for a garden-variety Android device, the Commando has an aggressively industrial aesthetic that combines rubberized surfaces, red accents, and loads of exposed screws. And yet, for such a tough device, there's something oddly toy-like about it. That's mostly because its sides are lined in plastic -- a material that also makes this handset lighter than you'd expect.

In part, though, it's the small screen that makes the Commando look like a less-than-serious phone. Given its heft (5.1 x 2.6 x 0.6 inches), it's hard not to feel that Casio squandered some precious space. For a phone this imposing, the capacitive screen is surprisingly modest at 3.6 inches, and it's more cumbersome to hold than, say, Samsung's Infuse 4G, which boasts a whopping 4.5-inch display. Next to our Motorola Droid's screen, the Commando's 480 x 800 screen is brighter and more vibrant, though at times the touchscreen -- encased in 1-mm-thick Gorilla Glass -- can be vexing to use. After about a week of testing, we realized that we had subtly adapted our behavior, and learned to apply extra pressure while swiping and tapping objects. As it turns out, without that extra pressure you'll have some irritating (and fairly frequent) moments where you flick the screen and nothing happens.

Taking a tour around the body, you'll find a covered 3.5mm headphone jack and a MicroUSB port, along with a volume rocker, programmable key, camera launcher, and power button. The port covers are easy to lift, particularly if you can wedge a fingernail under there. And though they stay put, these details, too, also make the phone feel deceptively less solid than it is. Removing the back cover, is also easy: just flip a lever to the unlock position and scrape the lid off. To re-secure it, just press the seven dots printed on the battery cover and slide the lever back into the lock position. Pressing those spots and hearing the lid make a satisfying click is one of the high points in the user experience, at least where tactility is concerned.

Although sound from the two front-facing speakers was loud, phone calls sounded weak on our end. Ironically, we had a difficult time hearing our callers while chatting outdoors. Even when we retreated inside, though, we still had to crank the volume to make out what our friends were saying. But while the call quality isn't exactly befitting of an outdoorsy phone, the 1460mAH battery is well-suited to the challenge of lasting through a day in the rough. The phone's rated for 7.5 hours of use, and actually, we still had juice to spare after a full business day of obsessively checking email and Twitter, looking up directions in Google Maps, and playing Angry Birds during our commute and long wait at the doctor's office. If you were already in the market for a durable phone, this is the single best reason to consider the Commando. Sure, the Defy has stellar longevity, too, but with the Commando you won't have to wait long to start using it after you start recharging your dead battery.

Ruggedness

The Commando meets the military's 801G specifications for water, dust, shock, salt fog, vibration, solar radiation, and temperature extremes. If you were expecting to see a stunt video of us running the phone over with a cement truck, well, we hate to disappoint you, but the phone's durability is more appropriate for protecting it from mundane clumsiness. As an 810G-certified handset, the Commando can survive immersion in meter-deep (3.3-foot) water for up to 30 minutes, a series of 26 four-foot drops, and temperatures between -25 and 85 degrees Celcius (-13 to 185 degrees Farenheit).

In short, it works as advertised. The phone's performance remained unchanged after we left it in our freezer for half an hour and left it submerged in water for the same period of time. And though we stopped short of throwing it out of our fifth-floor office window, we weren't able to scratch the display during our week with it.

Software

The Commando runs Android 2.2. (Froyo), though out of the box, at least, it feels like a crippled version of the OS. Verizon made Bing the default search engine, though you can always add a Google search widget to one of the five home screens (and, you know, trash the Bing one if you so choose). It also replaced the stock Gmail app with a proprietary mail application that syncs with Gmail accounts, along with Yahoo Mail, Hotmail, AOL, Exchange, and Verizon.net addresses. That variety's nice, but the app just isn't as well designed as the standard one -- it doesn't group messages in conversations, and you have to press a soft key to get to any reply or forwarding options.

Fortunately, you can add your Google account through Android Market, at which point the phone will download the Gmail and YouTube apps, as well as copy the contact list from any previous Android handset you've owned. Alas, Google Maps doesn't come preinstalled, and you'll have to download it manually.

One thing you can't recover is the stock Android keyboard. Unlike other Android handsets, which list it as an option even if Swype or another third-party option is the default, the Commando gives you one choice: the XT9 / T9 Trace. Fortunately, it's a pretty darn good one. Essentially, it does the same thing as Swype, letting you trace out the word on the virtual keyboard without taking your finger off. (Of course, you can peck at each letter, too, which works smoothly.) The traceable keyboard is accurate, though be warned that there is a learning curve. You have to be precise about where you put your finger, and make sure you linger on a letter before gliding on to the next. As with Swype though, the word prediction isn't all that smart. For instance, in the photo above you can see that when we typed "helo" by mistake, "hello" wasn't among the top suggestions. Similarly, if you get the first letter of a word wrong (say, "b" instead of "v"), spellcheck won't offer words starting with "v," even if you spell the rest of the word correctly. With this keyboard, at least, the suggestions are listed in a horizontal panel sitting just above the keyboard -- a much less intrusive approach than Swype's predictive spelling, which pops up in the center of the screen.

The Commando also takes liberties with the home screen (the default of five, that is), adding a flip-out menu of shortcuts for contacts, email, messaging, voice control, and the calendar app. To be honest, we didn't find much use for this, since we're fans of loading our primary home screen with shortcuts for the apps we use the most.

Being a rugged phone and all, Casio also bundled a handful of home-brewed apps geared toward outdoorsy type, including a compass, pedometer, star gazer, runner's training companion, thermometer, so-called Trip Memory, sunrise / sunset tracker, and another that keeps tabs on the tides. Although you can install widgets for these, you can also find them inside the main G'zgear app. Of the bunch, the only one we found ourselves using repeatedly was the thermometer, which reports both city and room temperatures. All in all, the suite is gimmicky in the way Puma phone was, but at least it's easy to ignore these extraneous applications if you're so inclined.

More egregiously, Verizon also bundled its share of apps you didn't ask for, with a bloatware list that includes City ID, Guided Tours, InnoPath Active Care, Verizon's mobile IM app, My Verizon Mobile, NFL Mobile, VZ Navigator, and a quartet of V Cast applications (music, tones, videos, and a store).

Camera

The ironic thing about the Commando's 5 megapixel camera is that the only way to get decent shots is to call a time-out in your active lifestyle. It's not enough to stop walking and try your darndest to keep your hands still -- you also have to stay frozen for a few seconds after you tap the shutter button. In the case of the below photo, for instance, we paused briefly to snap some foliage, and continued on our merry way. Only later did we realize we hadn't lingered long enough to get a clean shot of the greenery.

Occasionally, when we concentrated hard enough, we walked away with a crisp picture.

As for quality, the color reproduction is fairly accurate, though the camera still stumbles in a wide range of shooting scenarios, from harsh backlighting to close-up photography. Meanwhile, our video looks like a stop-motion movie, with people and cars chugging along at a far more sluggish speed than in real life.

Casio G'zOne Commando test shots

Wrap-up

Casio's G'zOne Commando earns its stripes with its brawny design, which resists scratches, falls, spills, and stints in the freezer as promised. But what it boasts in battery life and sheer fortitude, it lacks in call quality, core Google apps, and a responsive touch experience. In a sense, we can't knock the slightly poky display too much. The Commando is a fine, if not good, phone for what it is. After all, if you're buying this, it's because you crave durability first, and not because you're a benchmark junkie. Still, we'd be remiss if we didn't point out that the Motorola Defy also offers impressive battery life -- along with a more discreet design (and, to be fair... Motoblur). If you can tolerate -- or even learn to love -- the Commando's cheesy man's man design and are willing to download core Google apps manually, you shouldn't get too hung up on the rest of those niggles in our cons list.

source:engadget.com

Microsoft and Casio enter cross licensing agreement

2011-09-27T03:37:00.000-07:00

World wonders if Casio actually makes Linux-based devices.
If you happen to be making devices that run on Linux -- of which Android is a subset -- odds are pretty good that you'll be getting a phone call from Redmond at some point. And that's just what happened to Casio, who's joining existing licensees TomTom and Amazon in signing a cross license agreement with Microsoft for patents pertaining to the Tux-approved OS. Covering Linux on "certain Casio devices," the joint statement was equally vague about how many greenbacks exchanged hands, simply stating: "[both] parties acknowledge that Microsoft is being compensated by Casio." There ain't much more to it, but folks looking to humor themselves can do so after the break.

source:engadget.com

How To Make A Website

2011-09-22T17:39:00.000-07:00

Are you a beginner looking to learn how to make a website?
This free tutorial shows you how to build a website in as little as 5 easy steps.
Everything is laid out for you in a step-by-step way so you can have your website up and running in 60 minutes or less.
Before you can create a website you have to make sure you find an appropriate domain name and a reliable web hosting service. You have to be very careful when deciding what services to choose, as this can play a big role on the overall performance of your website (stability, speed, up-time…). We will show you exactly where to find the best deals as we go along.
After you’ve successfully set up your domain name and web hosting service (which are both required for ANY website), it all comes down to configuring your new site. We will be using a free Content Management System called WordPress. It is a very simple platform that enables users to build professional looking blogs or websites within minutes!
Are you ready? Alright – let’s get started!

Step 1 – Register Your Domain Name

Your domain name is one of the most important parts of your site, most visitors get their first impression about your website based on your domain name. So it’s a good idea to make sure your domain name:
a) Is relevant to the content of your website or business
b) Is simple & easy to remember (preferably a catchy phrase)
c) Is short and descriptive
d) Has the right extension (.com, .org, or .net)
Your domain name also plays a role in the search engines. For example, when someone uses Google to search for ‘dog training tips’, a website whose domain contains these exact words has a much bigger chance of appearing in the search results for that particular term than if your domain doesn’t include those words.
I hope that makes sense, now let’s get started!
The first thing you will need to do is to decide who to use as your domain registrar. Personally I use and recommend Godaddy.com the worlds #1 domain registrar. So to get started, click on this link: http://www.godaddy.com (it should open on a new page and leave this page behind it)
You should land at a page offering you to search for available domains and purchase them. That’s exactly what we’re here to do.
The domain name search box should look something like this:

Type in your desired URL and hit GO to check if it is available! If it is, you will see a green tick like this one:

If the domain you have chosen is not available you will see something like this:

If your first choice for a domain is not available, then just keep trying other variations of it until you find one you are happy with.
If your domain is available, click ‘Continue to Registration’. You will be asked if you wish to purchase additional extensions for your domain, just click – No, Thanks! (Domain Registrars often try to upsell you on more products, but for this example we will just ignore everything else, and just register our domain.
You will then be taken through a registration process that is quite simple to follow. You’ll be offered few different payment methods, as well as an option to choose how long you wish to purchase the domain for.
You can select 1 to 5 years registration length, it’s up to you, and doesn’t make much difference to your site.
Important: You will also be offered to choose between multiple privacy protection services, as well as web hosting services – we suggest you decline all of these for now, especially the web hosting option!
Godaddy is a powerful domain register, and although they do offer web hosting, I prefer to use a separate company for hosting. (explained in the next step).
Once you’re done purchasing, you will be sent a receipt with all the important information in it. It is a good idea to save this receipt, you might need it later.
Your domain will be ready for use within 24 hours, usually much sooner. (sometimes immediately)
You are now a proud owner of your brand new domain! Congratulations!

Step 2 – Set Up A Web Host Account

Alright, now that you have your domain ready, it is time to put it in use!
How to choose the best hosting provider? There are two simple rules you want follow when making this decision:
1) Avoid cheap offers,
2) Choose an established host!
If you look around a little, you will find tons of hosts offering incredibly low pricing, but is it really worth it? Simply put – if you want your website to run smoothly and not to have large periods of down-times, then no – it’s definitely not worth it.
We would like to suggest a reasonably priced, well established hosting service called Hostgator.
Hostgator has been around for quite some time now and has a reputation of being fast, reliant and a very customer-friendly host. It also offers unlimited bandwidth (very large traffic support) and unlimited disk space (no limit on the upload capacity).

- Here’s how to set up a web hosting account with Hostgator:
1) First you need to visit the hostgator website by clicking this link: http://www.hostgator.com
When you land at their site, you will notice a big ‘View Web Hosting Plans’ button right in front of you. See it? Go ahead and click that.
Since you only have 1 domain you wish to host, select a ‘Hatchling plan’

Choose how long you wish to use their service for, and then hit Order Now!
2) You will be asked if you wish to register a new domain name, or use an existing one. Since we have already registered a domain name, choose an existing one:

Enter the domain name you’ve purchased and press Continue to Step 2
3) Fill in the account and billing information, and hit Create Account!
Your hosting plan will become active and ready for use as soon as it is processed and configured (this usually takes up to 1 hour).
You will also be sent an e-mail containing vital information such as your login info and name servers (which you will need later to link up your domain), so remember to store it somewhere safe.
It’s as simple as that! Was this hard? It literally took you 5 minutes to do it…

Now that you have these two pieces of the puzzle (the domain name and the hosting service), it is time to link them together!

Step 3 – Point Your Domain To Your Web Host

his is a really simple thing to do, but most people freak out when they hear about messing around with their domain, changing stuff like DNS, name servers, etc.
Don’t worry – it is easier than you think. We will guide you every step of the way!
1) Go back to your domain provider, type in: http://www.godaddy.com
If you are not already logged in, go ahead and do it at the top of the site:

2) Put your mouse over the Domains tab and select GO TO… My account… Domain Management:

3) Click on your domain name and you will be taken to a new page where you can configure everything about your domain, including the scary name servers!
Look for something like this:

4) Click on Set NameServers and this little window should pop up:

Select ‘I have specific nameservers for my domains’ and type in the information you were given upon registering your web hosting plan for both Nameserver1 and Nameserver2. Leave the other two blank.
You can find this information enclosed in the e-mail you received from Hostgator when you ordered the hosting service.
Click OK to confirm. Changes will usually take 2 hours to take effect.
5) You’re done!
Congratulations – you have just successfully linked a GoDaddy domain to a Hostgator hosting account! Note that the change might take some time to become effective.
If you experience any further problems regarding this issue, feel free to contact the Godaddy help staff and ask for assistance. They will be glad to help you out.

Step 4 – Install WordPress On Your Site

First of all, what is WordPress and why should you install it on your website?
WordPress is a free platform that has been commonly used by bloggers for many years. It basically allows you to build websites with very little effort on your side. It is a highly customizable, user-friendly and above all – very powerful tool when it comes to the website creation process.
WordPress allows you to use free pre-designed themes so you don’t have to spend a nickel on hiring expensive web designers to make your site look professional. It is also very friendly in terms of search engine optimization. You can install various 3rd party plugins such as the famous ‘All in one SEO’, which greatly increases the search visibility of your website, and so forth.
However, manually installing WordPress can be a hard and time-consuming work, especially if you’re new to this concept…
This is one more reason why we recommend Hostgator!
Hostgator has a built-in, automatic WordPress installer. All it takes is one click, and it is set and ready for use! It’s really that simple.
This is a free feature that comes included with every Hostgator hosting plan.
Steps for installing WordPress via Hostgator auto-installer:
1) Assuming your Godaddy domain is already pointing to the Hostgator nameservers (as covered in the step 3 of this tutorial), go and type in this URL:
www.yourwebsite.com/cpanel
2) Use the login information for Hostgator cpanel provided in the e-mail received upon purchasing the Hostgator web hosting plan.
Once you’re successfully logged in, you should be able to see the Hostgator cpanel. This is definitely a place worth exploring, as it offers tons of great features…
3) Scroll down, under the Software/Services category, click on Fantastico De Luxe (the blue smiley guy).

4) Pay attention to the left sidebar, under the Blogs column, there should be a WordPress link:

5) Click on New Installation and follow the instructions provided.
You will be asked to fill in certain information such as your e-mail address, desired wordpress username & password, and some other base configuration stuff.
Warning! – There will also be a field called Install in Directory – Make sure you leave this field blank!
Once you’re done, click Install WordPress!
On the next page, you will provided with the Mysql user name and an access URL. You typically won’t need this stuff at the moment, but you can save it for future reference if you wish.
Click Finish Installation
6) Voilà – You’re done!
WordPress is now successfully installed on your website, along with the default ‘twenty-ten’ theme which you’ll be able change easily, as soon as you regain access to the site (due to the WP installation process).

Step 5 – Configuring Your Website

Once you can access your site and you can see the default theme, just add /wp-login to your main URL and log in using the information you’ve just set up. Another option is to simply follow the login link located in the right sidebar of your homepage.

www.yourwebsite.com/wp-login

You should come up with a page that looks like this:

This page is called the WordPress (WP) Dashboard.
Get familiar with this interface – you will be using it a lot. It is the matrix of your website. Every single change on your website will be made using this dashboard.

The first thing you will notice are the quick-links to posts, pages, category, tags and comments, as well as a quick link that you can use to change your WP theme.
On the left hand side, you can see a lot of sub-menus that all serve their purpose, but for now let’s only focus on the most important ones:
1) Posts – These most commonly used when you are running your website as a blog. When you create posts within WP, you can decide what page they will show up on, along with the exact date of publishing, the publishers name and an option for visitors to comment on each post. You can also set up different post categories.
2) Media – This menu is used for managing pictures and videos you add to your website.
3) Links – Here you can create different links and link categories that you can later use to form customized sidebar widgets!
4) Pages – Used for adding new, fresh pages to your website. You can also browse the options for choosing the page slug, enabling/disabling comments, changing the page order, modifying the page template, etc.
5) Appearance – Allows you to completely customize your website’s appearance, starting from the theme you’re using, all the way to sidebar widgets and menus. There are a million ways to customize your website. Knock yourself out!
6) Plugins – These can be a very useful tool if applied properly. There are tons of 3rd party plugins that enable you to speed up your website’s performance, enhance the search engine visibility, improve visual styling & appearance and much more!
7) Users – This section is for adding new or modifying existing user settings, such as user passwords, profiles, e-mails, etc.
Settings – A place where you can set up stuff like your blog’s name, description, date format, front page display, monitor comments and media settings, etc. You will also be able to access and re-configure your 3rd party plugins from this menu.

source : makeawebsiteguide.com

G-Shock Launches a New Collaborative Globe Timepiece

2011-09-08T02:45:00.000-07:00

United By Fate once again, G-Shock and GLOBE join forces for the second installment of their collaborative timepiece, and skate lifestyle products, consisting of a dual branded Cruiserboard and boot.

download image

Inspired by military night operatives, the uniform matte black, GRX5600GE-1 timepiece features a contrasting red LCD display with a subtle integration of the GLOBE logo on the face and band along with a fabric band keeper. Staying true to G-Shock’s toughness and technology, the GRX5600GE-1 features, Shock Resistance, 200M Water Resistance, Tough Solar power and tide/moon graphs making it the perfect accessory for any action sport enthusiast. To compliment the design of the watch, the boardsports products are also produced in a sleek black with red accents.

“Having been an admirer of G-Shock for as long as I can remember, and having had such a good time working on our first shoe and watch collaboration with them, I was stoked when G-Shock asked us about a follow-up project.” said Matt Wong, GLOBE President - Global Product

“Our partnership with GLOBE has been very successful,” said Shigenori Itoh, CEO of Casio America. “We share the same interest and lifestyle and we want to continue this type of ongoing relationship with like-minded brands such as GLOBE.”

In addition, the timepiece is outfitted with; 48-City World Time, dual countdown timer, 1/100th Sec. Stopwatch, 4 Multi-Function Alarms & 1 Snooze, 24-Hr military format and a mute function for those stealth missions.

The Cruiserboard is 8.5” x 32” and is constructed of 7-ply hardrock maple with custom Globe EVA traction foam grip that’s easy on the feet. Premium 58mm/78A urethane wheels and Slant trucks with GLOBE first bushings provide a smooth and nimble ride.

GLOBE's all new Comanche Boot is made from irregular leather, canvas and shaved suede for a vintage military look, has a rear zip entry, waxed rope laces and a metal speed lace collar to tie things up. It also comes with a custom vintage dog tag.

The limited edition G-Shock x GLOBE timepiece will be available for purchase in November for $140 at select Fashion and action sport retailers. G-Shock x GLOBE Comanche boot will be available for $89.95 and the cruiser board for $179.95.

For other mens digital and analog watches check out www.gshock.com.

How to make your blog popular using SEO

2011-09-02T05:05:00.000-07:00

For the popular Google search engine actually no specific requirements that must be passed through the owner of the web / blog. Because google myself working with a robot system that will track all the articles that appeared on the Internet. Under the robot, there baruah index machine, which works to select all the documents that will be adjusted with the search keyword with a complex algorithm language.

Web / blog that contains a lot of content would have the opportunity to have a lot of information in search engines. Even better if all the material that emerges is that the focus of discussing a problem. The selection of more specific themes are the most easily become popular and more friendly in the eyes of search engines. How to determine the strategy other than this article?

If roughly analogous, bags are a common object, while the mountain bag, backpack, is a special thing. According to science the term SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is called ‘niche’ (a French term which means ‘Building Nest’). And the majority of SEO experts agree that this is the best way possible for the giants against the web / blog that first existed.
Please subscribe, leave a comment, follow this blog and share this article with your friends and colleagues.

7 Blogging Tips for Increased Traffic

2011-09-02T05:04:00.000-07:00

Whether you are just creating a blog or wanting to improve upon a site you have already launched there are certain blogging tips that will help you do both. In either case the ultimate goal is to establish and maintain a steady flow of blog traffic. As business blogs have grown in popularity so have the number of techniques used to attract site visitors. The push for new ways to increase blog traffic generally almost always lead back to the tried and true methods that have stood the test of time.

In the spirit of the old saying ‘if it ain’t broke don’t fix it’ here are 7 blogs tips you can use immediately to attract and maintain a flow of traffic to your site.

Prepare a Series of Posts for Launch

When initially launching your blog have a series of post containing great information prepared in advance. Being your blog is new and with no traffic you want to post these articles you have prepared right away. This will give your site a greater online presence on the basis of more content being located on your site along with capturing the attention of search engines.

Post Regularly

In the early stages of your blog you will want to post as frequently as possible because you are trying to attract as much attention (generate traffic) as possible. As your traffic increases it will in turn attract even more site visitors as ‘word’ gets out. You are trying to build and establish some momentum here therefore it is important to maintain a frequent schedule of posting to do this.

Once you have established a flow of blog traffic continue to post regularly so your readers will know they can expect updates from you. The frequency of your posting can be decreased at this stage but do remain on a regular schedule with your updates.

Use Relevant Domain Name

When selecting your domain name be sure that the name you pick is relevant to the theme of your blog. If your domain name is unrelated to what you are blogging about it will make it harder for search engines to find you and to establish a good flow of traffic.

Leave Comments on Other Blogs

Go out within your niche and visit other business blogs with similar or related theme to yours. Get involved in their ‘discussions’ when appropriate and leave comments. By maintaining a link back to your site others will be able to see what you blog about. Of course the only way you will capture anybody’s attention will be with good quality comments.

On the other hand by visiting other sites you can also expect to increase your own knowledge on the subject matter along with new ideas for setting up your site.

Encourage Reader Interaction

Always encourage your own readers to leave comments or share their input. The more interaction you can generate the more inviting it will be for other readers to join in. This type of interactivity leads to a more popular site and an increase in blog traffic.

Submit Articles

Write and submit articles to directories to increase your exposure online. Article submissions are a very good way to establish your credibility and create curiosity about your blog.

Maintain Quality Content

Do not slacken off with the quality of the post you put up on your blog. You may have established a good flow of traffic but one sure way to diminish this flow is by consistently posting useless content. By maintaining your level of quality you will maintain the readers’ loyalty while continuing to attract even more traffic.

For those just creating a blog or those wanting to improve upon an existing site there are certain blogging tips that will greatly benefit both scenarios. As business blogs have grown in popularity so has the competition within the blogging community to attract site visitors. This has resulted in numerous new traffic generation techniques or software being introduced in an effort to meet the heavy demand for this blog traffic. Some have work while others proved to be more effort than they are worth. The blog tips we discussed here today however have proven over time to deliver the traffic you need. At a cost of little more than your own effort you can capture your share of traffic to suit any purposes you may have.
Please subscribe, leave a comment, follow this blog and share this article with your friends and colleagues.

Tips success Internet Business

2011-09-02T05:03:00.000-07:00

Many successful Internet business is readers like you. They only have one idea about Internet Marketing and Affiliate Marketing: Money! With a capital idea, people have been able to use the Internet as a resource, reading shaped ebooks, videos and articles about how other people have done the right way.

Do you feel tired after browsing here and there? Internet Marketing is not your soul mate is! You must have a thick skin, kesabran and the power to make a new breakthrough. You also have an innovative, you need to innovate even remarkable, though not to have extraordinary intelligence. Successful marketers are simple people, they just think of how other people do it, change it slightly, add something new, something old is removed and copied, and finally …. they soared.

Want to know a simple recipe?
The first rule: READ.
Rule two: TAKE ACTION.
The third rule: Keep RHYTHM.

These rules for you who want to do something new. The first rule consists in reading. Documentation and knowledge is essential, in every way will the marketing world.

Reading the experiences of others is very important, namely, learning from people who took the long road and fell into various errors and made many mistakes will help you avoid it from your path. The best place to read is through forums, blogs, newspapers or books. The book is a very general talk about the many theories. Blogs also, but in certain discussions and sometimes provides many useful solutions, while the paper discusses the daily realities, solutions and experiences. Forum to discuss issues more real.

Forum is the last point and that is the starting point from which you will start and take action to your plan. You have to wisely choose the forum. Members of the forum are people who are generously giving you a solution. Despite the fact that nobody really wants to share experiences with others; most are people who want to get something without giving. Find a community where members exchange information and provide enlightenment.

Taking action requires a plan, and guts. If you decide to do something, then decided to run, try to do as much as you can. Taking action is like building a building and is the first step that will track what you will achieve in your building. Believe me, you will be able to, change, delete or add something to increase conversions and sales.
Please subscribe, leave a comment, follow this blog and share this article with your friends and colleagues.