Technology Mania

Best Cloud Storage Service: Google Drive versus SkyDrive

2013-02-02T23:04:00.000+05:30

The days of cloud computing has come to stay and that is very much evident. With so many players around, including Dropbox, Amazon Cloud Drive, Google Docs and SkyDrive, users could not have asked for more. The advantages of using cloud drives are not difficult to see. You can access your files anytime you want, anywhere you want, keep it safe from your computer’s hard disk failure and collaborate with users over long distances. But not all these cloud services are equal and that is not what was intended either. Each had its own reasons to stay ahead of the crowd.

Google Drive was certainly among the best that you could have wanted in an iCloud environment, but Google choose to take the competition ahead against SkyDrive. They are not made equal and each has its own pros and cons, mostly pros. Here are some comparisons that you may want to consider before signing up for one or the other. That there are differences between the two services don’t necessarily mean that the other two from outside lack in features. In fact, besides the Google Drive and SkyDrive, Dropbox and Amazon Cloud Drive too seem to be performing well.

Here is how Google Drive and SkyDrive compare against each other.

Interface Differences Mean Lots to Users

At least on the interface front both don’t seem to have much differences, but then that they have a lot in common with Dropbox, is something to note. Both sync well and everything is plain and simple. If you still want a result for the competition, there is nothing to say what makes one better over the other.

Storage Space: Advantage SkyDrive

That SkyDrive gives 7GB free on sign up is something worth talking about, compared with the 2 less you get from Google Drive. That certainly is an advantage with SkyDrive, but what makes it a better choice is the upgrade offer. Microsoft has a 50GB plan but that is no comparison to the 100GB offer from SkyDrive which is many times better. That Google Drive allows uploads to 10GB is far better than SkyDrive’s measly 2GB though. However, what makes better on the whole is the bigger storage space, which is enough for most small users.

File Protection: Advantage Google Drive

Both have protection against someone deleting files accidentally. SkyDrive protects files at least for 25 versions and can be revived anytime, but that is not an insurance against someone deleting it for good. On the other hand, Google Drive maintains the deleted files at least for 30 days and that is real advantage. So, recovering is a simple process in Google Drive. All that one has to do is restore it back from the trash folder, very much like working on Windows, and it will be available again.

So, who wins finally?

You decide that as a user. SkyDrive is cheaper, has a larger storage space offer, but lacks a little in features. Google Drive on the other hand is a little mean in offering storage space, a little more expensive to buy but has better features.

This guest post has been brought to you by Robin Mckenzie of Centurylink, a site that offers savings and current information on consumers' broadband internet and cable.

What is the future of cloud computing in 2013 and beyond?

2013-02-02T22:51:00.000+05:30

Over the past several years, the introduction of cloud computing has made room for many advancements in computer technology and has changed the way many companies do their business. It has created opportunities for work to be done remotely with greater ease, has helped with sharing files, and has taken pressure off the finite memory of computers and smart devices by allowing information to be stored in servers elsewhere. The year 2013 is likely to see many advancements and opportunities as the technology continues to progress. Here are just a few predictions for the upcoming year.

It is likely that the different technologies and functions will consolidate

The quick rise and diversification of cloud technology has led to a wide range of types of cloud services and related platform as a service (PaaS) technology. The year 2013 and subsequent years are likely to see a convergence of the different technologies to a more user friendly system combined with a consolidation of various cloud technologies. This would enable users to use more of cloud technology brokerage models, which can serve for a variety of functions.

An example of these probably acquisitions can be found the recent purchase of ManagelQ by Red Hat at the very end of 2012. Those interested in this purchase say that it has already caused an 18 percent jump in revenue for Red Hat and shows promise of allowing users to access the benefits of both companies in one place. It is believed that ManagelQ’s services will help Red Hat create an even stronger hybrid cloud service offering for customers, as ManagelQ’s features include workflow capabilities, monitory capabilities, and even policy capabilities for interested clients.

This is just one example of a company that has begun to take the steps to expand their services so help clients receive all they need with one company and avoid requiring multiple service providers. It is likely that organizations will be selecting cloud service brokerages and other companies that offer a full range of services in the coming years. The definition and role that these brokerage services play within companies and organizations are also likely to continue to mature with the technology and availability.

The way the world uses data is likely to quickly morph and update

Although in years past there has actually been a push to build more data centers, it is likely in the coming years that many of them will end up closing. As the cloud technology matures and is able to offer a more complete package to customers, the technology is likely to develop from an option for companies and organizations to a necessity. Business of all sizes will discover the convenience of using such a program to handle daily tasks such as data and document management, accounting, online customer self scheduling, and more. The data centers that survive this shift are most likely to be the ones who are able to innovate and find ways to work with the cloud technology providers.

There will be a growth in the usage of private clouds as a means of privacy protection

There are many people who remain concerned about the security related to various public cloud applications, especially when it comes to storing highly sensitive company and personal information. CloudStack and OpenStack are just two groups who have released their open source cloud information, which will help companies to create more secure private clouds. It is likely that there will be more open source cloud platforms as this growth in interest for a private cloud option continues.

Cloud technology is projected to become a much bigger factor in the way individuals and organizations do business and interact with the world. Like the advent of the internet, it is likely to continue to break down geographical boundaries and connect the world on a much deeper scale. This upcoming year is likely to see much great efficiency and availability as the technology continues to improve.

HP Envy 23-d060qd TouchSmart Review

2013-01-20T22:25:00.001+05:30

While this all-in-one desktop model might not have the easiest name to memorize, it certainly makes up for it with cutting-edge features. The HP Envy 23-d060qd is the latest in touchscreen desktop exploration.

Coming with Windows 8, the touchscreen feature allows you to enjoy clicking on the tiles that the new OS has made so popular.

Here’s a quick rundown of why you should consider spending $1600+ on this desktop.

The Screen

The 23-inch touchscreen display is perfect for online browsing, Blu-Ray movies and gaming, as well. It’s not always that you get a screen that can handle all of the three with aplomb.

The 1080p full HD screen has a brilliant resolution of 1920x1080. This makes images and videos a joy to witness on this HP model. The screen is extremely responsive, thanks to the 10 finger capacitive feature.

To top it off, the edge to edge glass finish gives the desktop a classy look. With a firm stand, touchscreen activity doesn’t result in too much shaking of the display.

Performance

With a DDR3 RAM of 12 GB, which can be upgraded to 16 GB, this desktop should handle all your entertainment and work needs quite easily.

Storage isn’t a problem as you have tons of it with the 3TB SATA hard drive that runs at 7,200rpm. This is a huge boost and something heavy duty users will find reassuring.

The powerful Intel Core i7 -3770S processor ensures that machine sluggishness is a thing of the past. Smooth operation is all you will get while using the HP Envy 23-d060qd.

Let’s not forget the graphics card that is an NVIDIA GeForce GT 630M. This allows you to have a mind-blowing entertainment experience. Gamers too will find this card up their expectations when loading heavy duty titles.

Additions

The HP Envy 23-d060qd may look slender, but it packs a punch. On the right, you have a Blu-ray drive and the HDMI in-port. The latter will come in handy if you want to connect your Xbox 360 or PS3 to the screen.

On the left hand side, there are a couple of USB 3.0 ports, SD card reader slot and audio jacks. That’s not all; the back panel has four USB 2.0 ports along with the Ethernet and power line-outs.

If you’re an audio freak, then the Beats Audio speakers should satisfy your needs. Pick up the HP Pulse Subwoofer if you want to enhance the sound. That should see you spend an additional $130.

When you’re using the Windows 8 system, you will notice a few pre-loaded programs such as eBay and Snapfish. This makes the desktop look a little fuller as compared to the average bare Windows 8 interface. Tossing unnecessary icons into the Recycle Bin is a breeze, as well.

Tilting the screen back is easy and facilitates better use when you’re using the touchscreen continuously. The wireless mouse and keyboard are a great addition, too.

All in all, the HP Envy 23-d060qd is a masterpiece of a desktop. Great features and even better looks is why you should be investing in one. This guest post is brought to you by CHAD BAUER of Timewarnercable.wedocable.com, a site that offers savings and current information on time warner cable and time warner cable internet .

solr-vs-elasticsearch

2012-12-22T00:34:00.000+05:30

In this tutorial we will understand the difference between Apche Solr and Elastic search, Before going to actual post lets understand what is Apache Solr and what is Elastic search

Apache Solr Introduction:

Solr is an open source enterprise search server based on Lucene. Developing a high performance, feature rich application that uses Lucene directly is difficult and it’s limited to Java applications. Solr solves this by exposing the wealth of power in Lucene via configuration files and HTTP parameters, while adding some features of its own. Configuration files, most notably for the index’s schema, which defines the fields and configuration of their text analysis.

Elastic Search Introduction: ElasticSearch is a distributed, RESTful, free/open source search server based on Apache Lucene. It is developed by Shay Banon[1] and is released under the terms of the Apache License. ElasticSearch is developed in Java.

To Read complete post please refer http://solr-vs-elasticsearch.com/

Tips to Select a SaaS Vendor

2012-12-07T13:07:00.002+05:30

SaaS or software-as-a-service offers plenty of benefits to mid sized and small organizations. SaaS opens the door to everyone so that all the powerful technologies can be employed in small organizations with a minimum financial commitment. This has opened up new doors for small organizations that were far behind in using latest technologies. Though SaaS can boast of its many wonders, it does have some perils. More companies are used to handling outdated software and so, they have no experience in handling the all new SaaS solutions.

SaaS works in a new way and does not follow the traditional methods. Each business problem has a new SaaS solution and it is vital to learn the nook and corner of every criteria and feature related to SaaS. While choosing a SaaS vendor, you need to pay some extra attention to several factors like:

Free Trial

Check to see if they allow you to handle a free trial. The all new product in your hands does require some trial period so that you get to learn more about it. The trial has to be with a minimum commitment because all you have to do is plug the wires and play SaaS via the internet connection. A good SaaS vendor will definitely give you a free trial for a couple of months. Two important reasons for offering a free trial are:

· They are not paying attention to a quick sale

· They have no idea of retaining you for a short period of time

SaaS vendors are benefited only when you stay with them for a long time which is only possible when they please a customer.

Security

With SaaS, you need to have that extra eye on security. Why do you think your data will be safe in another party’s data center? Can you be sure that your data travels safe while going through the internet lines? These kinds of queries are sure to rise and so, you need to clear these with your vendor. Check with the company if they are having details about security protocols and infrastructure documented. If yes, check if they are willing to share it with you. As a buyer you need to pay attention to the following security alerts:

· If it meets the industry standard of .128 bit encryption

· Security records

· Arrangements for disaster management

· Physical measures like surveillance, facilities, guards and others

Password Protection

Your SaaS form has to be shared within the company premises, outside the company, with partners, multiple employees or even customers. Hence, it is important to check if the right details are accessed by the right people at the appropriate time. Permission and Password protection system is a wonderful solution to fix this issue. Take a look at some steps involved in password protection:

· The password and permission must be easy to remember and administer

· Administrative responsibility of delegating has to be allowed by the system

· You should have data of all who logged in, the login time and the information they accessed along with the changes they made

· Assigning jobs must be permitted. For example: write/read/delete

Backup

Mirror servers or backups - make sure that they have backup of all the data. In case the original one crashes or faces some other kind of technical difficulty the mirror server can be used. It is your duty to check with the vendor if they have a mirror server to which data gets automatically loaded. This will make sure that you and your business is not disturbed by any of the technical difficulties.

Service

Relationship with your SaaS vendor is an ongoing process which is related to something more than technology and its improvements. You will have to settle down with a vendor who maintains healthy relationships and helps you in solving problems related to SaaS. Check if your vendor does the following:

· A vendor must offer training for free or for a minimal rate. Double check on the cost of training and confirm with other vendors as well

· Similarly, they should extend their hand in documenting. Verify if they have a computerized engine which can provide resolutions to certain queries. SaaS is expected to have frequent updates, and so it is vital that the vendor is in par with the latest advancements

· Last but not the least; they should have a proper customer support center. Make a note of their timings, locations if any, chat support and others

Conclusion

When you are in the vendor selection process, clarify all your doubts, make comparisons and finally settle down for the best with confidence. SaaS is a groundbreaking solution which grows along with your business and makes you achieve new heights.

Author's Bio: Robin Mckenzie of www.buycenturylink.com, a site that offers savings and current information on consumers' broadband internet and cable.

Adobe Updates ‘Photoshop Touch’ for Android and iOS

2012-12-07T12:57:00.003+05:30

Adobe Photoshop is one of the most popular graphics and photo editing tools available on the Web. Launched in 1987, Photoshop till-date has been available in six versions, all of which are compatible on wired machines such as desktops and workstations. Rebranded as Creative Suite in 2003, Creative Suite 6 13.01 is the latest stable release of the software. With the rapid adoption of mobile devices becoming the trend globally, Adobe has been working on a replica version of Photoshop that will cater to the requirements of smartphone and tablet users. Finally, in August 2012, Adobe released the complete version of Photoshop’s replica version called Photoshop Touch.

Photoshop Touch is an application that will cater to mobile devices like smartphones and tablets with a touchscreen interface. The Photoshop Touch app will run on Android and iOS mobile operating systems. In terms of compatibility, the app will function on the iPad for iOS devices, whereas it will run on all Android devices that have Android 3.1 and higher versions. Available at an affordable price of $9.99, the app with its advanced features certainly justifies its price tag.

For iPad - To download the app from iTunes, click the following link: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/adobe-photoshop-touch/id495716481?ls=1&mt=8

For Android Devices - To download the app from Google Play, click the following link: http://market.android.com/details?id=air.com.adobe.pstouch

The Photoshop Touch app comprises of all the features and options that made the desktop version an instant hit. Some of the highlighting features of the Touch app: works on content with higher resolutions, works along with other core Photoshop tools, and embellishes content by applying professional effects. Furthermore, you can perform Google searches and share pictures via Facebook, while working on the app. The interesting part is that you can synchronize and store your files with Adobe Creative Cloud.

In order to cater to iOS devices like iPad that incorporate the revolutionary Retina display, there is a specific Retina display feature that embellishes your images and graphics. You can combine multiple images with layers, while modifying layer order and layer opacity. Facilitating seamless image browsing from sources like Facebook and Google Image Search, you can acquire images directly from these sources and start applying effects. In addition, the default selection and scribble selection tools facilitate easy extraction of image elements. If you are using a touch interface, you just have to slide your fingers to apply attractive special effects and additions to your images.

The first version of the Touch app was compatible only with tablets running on Android and iOS, but Adobe in November 2012 launched an updated version of the app that will be compatible with bigger and advanced devices. The updated Photoshop Touch 1.4 version has been optimized for devices with smaller displays that support image resolutions of up to 1024 x 600. Adobe this time around has worked on the support part of the app, which is evident in the fact that the app now supports pressure sensitive stylus on the iPad, and Pogo Connect, Jaja and Jot Touch on Android devices.

The new 1.4 version also has two new effects added to it, namely, the Lens Flare and Stamp Pattern effect. With a modified grid layout, more fluid brush strokes and social networking support, the updated Photoshop Touch app for Android and iOS devices delivers the mere flawless performance rendered by its bigger ascendant CS 6.

Author's Bio: Robin Mckenzie of BuyCenturylink, a site that offers savings and current information on centurylink phone and centurylink bundles.

Hbase at Facebook

2012-11-28T23:47:00.000+05:30

After understanding basics of HBase, let’s try to understand How Facebook uses HBase, I have got very good tutorial from Facebook, how they are using HBase for messeging. This tutorial includes Introduction to Hbase, Why Hbase, MySQL to HbaseMigration at Facebook

Facebook Messages & HBase from 强王

Hbase-A Soft Introduction & Quickstart

2012-11-27T00:12:00.001+05:30

After understanding whats is Hadoop, and after deploying hadoop , lets’ start understanding HBase. This tutorial explains basics of HBase, and its features. Here I tried to explain functionality HBase provides and a quick start about HBase, a Basic tutorial for beginners. You will get to know where to use HBase, in which situation HBase can be useful.

Source: Apache

Understanding What is HBase
HBase is an open source, distributed, versioned, column-oriented, No-SQL / Non-relational database management system that runs on the top of Hadoop. It adds transactional capability to hadoop, allowing users to update data records. Hadoop is designed for batch processing of large dataset, but with HBase on the top of Hadoop we can process real time dataset.

In HBase a master node manages the cluster and region servers store portions of the tables and perform the work on the data. An HBase system comprises a set of tables. Each table contains rows and columns, much like a traditional database. Each table must have an element defined as a Primary Key, and all access attempts to HBase tables must use this Primary Key. An HBase column represents an attribute of an object

List of the benefits / functionalities HBase offers:

· Open source project (Apache)

· A sparse , three-dimensional array of cells, indexed by: RowKey, ColumnKey, Timestamp/Version

· Distributed, Reliable, large-scale data store

· Efficient at random reads/writes

· Sharded into regions along an ordered RowKey space

· Within each region: Data is grouped into column families

· Sort order within each column family: Row Key (asc), Column Key (asc), Timestamp (desc)

· Store large amounts of data

· High write throughput

· Efficient random access within large data sets

· Scale gracefully with data

· For structured and semi-structured data

· Don’t provide full RDMS capabilities (cross table transactions, joins, etc.)

After understanding basics of HBase, let’s deploy HBase on a single Node (in pseudo distributed mode)

Pre-requisites:

· Install Hadoop on single machine, you can refer howto setup Hadoop on single Node

Install / Setup HBase on Ubuntu

1. Download HBase

Download a stable version of HBase either from Apache or Cloudera

2. Untar Tar Ball

tar xzf hbase-*.tar.gz

3. Set Java_Home in hbase-env.sh

pico conf/hbase-env.sh

4. Add following entries to conf/hbase-site.xml

<name>hbase.rootdir</name>

<value>hdfs://localhost:8020/hbase</value>

</property>

<name>hbase.master</name>

<value>localhost:60000</value>

</property>

</configuration>

5. Comment in /etc/hosts

#127.0.0.1 hostname

6. Start hbase

bin/start-hbase.sh

7. Start HBase Shell

bin/hbase shell

Congratulations HBase has been installed on your machine

Run jps command to check required daemons are running

3669 HMaster

Now let’s run some basic commands of HBase

1. Create table with name ‘test’ and column family ‘cf’

create 'test', 'cf'

2. List all the tables

list

3. Add data into ‘test’ table

put 'test', 'row1', 'cf:a', 'value_1'

put 'test', 'row2', 'cf:b', 'value_2'

4. Read the data from table ‘test’

scan ‘test’

This tutorial has been tested on
Hadoop 0.20.x
HBase 0.90.x
Ubuntu 12.04

Top 5 great merits and demerits using Cloud Computing

2012-11-25T21:25:00.000+05:30

Cloud computing has undergone a rapid transformation with companies of varied sizes and dimensions adapting this technology. Cloud computing has its distinct advantages for medium and big business operations but is not preferred when it comes to smaller business owners. Below are listed some of the distinct advantages and disadvantages of this technology. Take your pick and choose with vision.

The Advantages

1.) Cost effective: The technology is cost effective as it is easy to upgrade and maintain the same. If one intends to go for traditional desktop software, it will cost a lot in terms of finance. Cloud computing is relatively cheaper and saves a lot. A range of options also exist in cloud computing and one can choose from among pay as you go or one time pay options, thus making this a cost effective endeavor.

2.) Unlimited storage: Unlimited storage capacity is another distinct advantage of cloud computing. You will never run out of storage space and need not worry about storing important data.

3.) Backup and recovery issues: As the data is stored in the cloud, resorting the same is relatively easier. The cloud service providers are capable of handling data recovery issues. This makes cloud computing a foolproof method when it comes to recovering important data.

4.) Software integration: Automatic software integration is a distinct advantage of cloud computing. No additional efforts are required when it comes to integrating or customizing the data.

5.) Easy information access: Once registered in cloud, information can be accessed from anywhere. All you need is an internet connection. Tie zone and geographic location issues also get worked out through cloud computing.

The Disadvantages

Despite its imminent benefits, cloud computing has its disadvantages too. Some of these are listed as below.

1.) Technical problems: Small business owners cannot invest a fortune in maintaining a high speed internet connection. Cloud computing requires high speed internet connectivity at all times.Network and connectivity issues need to be tackled on an immediate basis and the same might prove difficult for small business owners.

2.) Safety issues: You will need to share all sensitive information related to the company with the cloud service provider. This may put your company’s stakes at a risk in case the information lands in your rival companies hands. Safety issues are a big deterrence, when it comes to cloud computing.

3.) Hacking issues: As you store your company’s vital information in the cloud, it becomes more prone to hacking. Nothing is safe enough on the internet and you could perhaps land in a big trouble, in case any of your company’s sensitive data gets hacked.

4.) Maintenance costs: Small businesses run on fixed budgets. They cannot afford to spend a lot on maintaining data. Cloud computing requires constant maintenance and your cloud service provider will be charging a comprehensive amount for the same.

5.) Additional work force: You will be required to depute a dedicated technical person in the office to deal with cloud computing. This will entail additional expenses, small business owners find hard to meet.

Cloud computing has its distinct advantages and disadvantages. Take your pick and choose wisely.

About the author: Brianne is a blogger by profession. She loves writing, reading and traveling. Beside this she is fond of luxury cars and wishes to own one day Saab 9-3 Griffin.

Onavo Extend App for iPhone Review

2012-11-22T00:30:00.000+05:30

In today’s world of technology, smartphones are more precisely Internet-centric with hundreds of internet connected apps like social networking apps. Many, if not most of us, have faced and are still facing hefty charges for surpassing the limited tariff available with our data plan. At times like these, we wish to monitor our data usage and utilize every byte frugally. With advancements in technology, there are several monitoring and data tracking apps available that can help you stay within your data cap and also monitor your data usage. If you are looking for the best app that monitors data usage and keeps your bills in check, then try out the Onavo Extend App for your iPhone.

Onavo Extend, from the time it made to the app store in 2011, is been touted as a must-have app. It is a free compression app that helps in minimizing your phone’s data consumption even while disconnected from Wi-Fi. This app, with its decent customization options, collects reports of all the data-intensive activities on your iPhone like Web browsing, email operations (send and receive), map directions, etc. and cut downs the data usage. This core money-saving feature and also the way Onavo Extend literally extends your data plan, makes it the perfect choice for your iPhone. The Onavo Extend supports - iPhone 3G, iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, iPhone 4S, iPad 1, iPad 2 and iPad 3. But there still remains a question – ‘Is it really possible?’

The answer seems very simple if you understand the working mechanism of Onavo Extend. Talking about how it works, the app works by routing all the web related activities of your iPhone through Onavo’s servers. The data will be compressed at the servers before you receive it on your iPhone. This is a similar mechanism that is used by RIM on its Blackberry devices and Opera Mini Web browser on its own apps. But, Onavo Extend app can work across several platforms that include Mail, Safari and so forth. And, there are three different menus in the user interface of the app such as Data Saver, Reports, and Settings.

Do you know that Onavo Extend can compress your data and increase the power of your data plan up to 500%? That’s with no additional charges, you can save around 80% of your data usage and get nearly five times more out of your current data plan. With this app, you can also reduce the roaming charges as it provides you with a leaner version of the Internet while you are roaming. Furthermore, the Reports menu available in this app provides you with a complete breakdown of your iPhone’s data usage in a graphical format so that you get to know the amount of data consumed by each app. However, the Onavo Extend app requires user’s approval to check Microsoft Exchange mail traffic.

While it’s true that the app has many useful benefits, many are extremely concerned about the security, privacy and scalability of data, since the data will be routed through the app’s servers. With the protective multiple layer security system of Onavo’s servers, your data is secure. What’s more is that your data is never stored in the app’s server, except for metadata. Is there anything else you are concerned about? Regardless of how you use your data plan, the Onavo Extend app helps you save your hard-earned money by monitoring your data usage and extending your data plan. Now what are you waiting for? Check out for Onavo in the app store and download it to your iPhone for free. It’s time to enjoy your extended data plan with Onavo Extend.

This guest post is brought to you by Lance Goodman of dishtvoffer.com, a site that offers savings and current information on Dish Hopper and Dish TV Packages .

Dropbox Hits 100 Million Mark

2012-11-22T00:22:00.001+05:30

Dropbox has doubled in size this year to 100 million accounts. That is a hefty 50% increase over what it was just a year back. What’s more, the number of accounts keep piling up at an enormous rate and the total number of files being saved everyday is one billion plus. It is estimated that the company’s revenue for this fiscal is close to $500 million, but, Dropbox’s co-founder Drew Houston is intriguingly not confirming it or denying it either. However, he accedes to the fact that the company’s conversion rates are moving at a steady pace. Notably, it may be remembered that Dropbox has raised $250 million from Index Ventures, Sequoia, Greylock, Benchmark and Accel collectively.

The rising level of users and their activity, according to Houston, will be the driving force in taking the company’s plans forward in the future. According to him, Dropbox will be more like a magic folder where users will benefit by keeping all their information like to-do lists, notes, user names, passwords or simply anything that they care about to make surfing the Web easier than ever before. There are other radical changes taking place at Dropbox too.

Even as the user base is burgeoning at an astonishing pace, Dropbox has announced easier ways for sharing photos, documents and media by creating links with families, colleagues and friends who are not registered with Dropbox. That means collaborators can use Dropbox without having to go through the sign up process, downloading anything or even opening folders and files separately. Another notable addition is doing away with the need to opening an email account and attaching files. The beta version of the addition has been undergoing tests for quite some time and is already fully operational.

Most new sign ups this summer have been coming from mobile users, according to the company, and are partly attributed to the agreement with Samsung and HTC wherein they are building the technology into the phone itself. It is expected that the partnership will eventually give Dropbox the much awaited push to improve upon the conversion ratio to a much higher level. For mobile users, it can mean features like automatic uploads with just a few strokes on the key.

However, not everything seems to be rosy for Dropbox, with news about the possibility of security breaches and the entry of established competitors like Apple with their iCloud and Google’s Google Drive. To counter the problem, Dropbox is expected to hire enough engineers to make it a 250-employee strong company. But it is still not known how much of the increase will be assigned to tackle security related issues. Surprising, the company is unfazed by the competitors trying to eat into each other’s business. In fact, it is believed that it is good for the company with the competitors’ engineers remaining busy on issues that don’t directly attack their future plans.

Even as the battle for supremacy over cloud storage rages, Dropbox has come out with a new interface which is a total revamp of the previous one. The most commendable are the action-bar, a light-box photo viewer, better search and many more.

This guest post is brought to you by Nicole Wilson of cabletimenyc.com, a site that offers savings and current information on time warner cable nyc.

Basic Considerations while Building Private Cloud Network

2012-11-11T19:41:00.000+05:30

The term ‘public’ always puts us on guard, whether it is the real world or the virtual world. What if someone accesses our account? What if there is a compromise on security? These are the first questions that pop-up. If you are apprehensive about running your business application in public, you can now have a private cloud. Here are a few steps to follow to convert your cloud network to private:

Standardization:

This is the basic step when you want to build a private cloud. This is the step where you have to choose the hardware and software features you are going to use. The more complex your environment is, the more cost you will incur. To avoid this, make your environment as simple as possible. This comes in use during the stages of automation and orchestration. When you simplify, custom integration gets easier and can be finished in no time.

It gets difficult to justify more than one product. For example, if you have an app shop, include just that to your cloud. Don’t take only capital cost to make the justification work better. Take the entire cost of ownership which includes the service costs of organizing several systems.

A common standardization method followed for building an infrastructure is the ‘pod design’ method. This enables standardization not only for single components, but also for components like connectivity, cabling, rack layout, etc.

Consolidating:

When you are sure about the systems you are going to use to create a private cloud, you have to start with consolidation. This is not something new as people have been consolidating their storage and servers for years. This step is all about bringing down the number of equipments that have to be managed. Exchange your low-performance equipments with hardware meeting your requirements. For example, if you require several storage protocols for your design, buy something that meets your expectations.

Simulation:

Virtualization depends on the design you have and the delivery model you are looking for. Virtualization is not required for all models. Certain models will be able to allocate the fundamental resources. If your design requires standardization, don’t overlook it and go to the next step.

Automation:

Automation is the step where you start modifying the IT process and is a simple step. All you have to do is change the manual process to automatic. By activating your automation, your IT professionals can concentrate on other important things. The automation process you choose is influenced by the consolidation and virtualization decisions you make.

This is the step which helps you see the importance of standardization. If you have a better integrated standardization, it will require fewer custom integration points.

Orchestration is the last step for setting up a private cloud. This offers the self-service feature required in a private cloud service. You have to expect two important features from this process. One is a service catalog and the other is a self-service one. Whatever product you choose, it should have the functionality to ‘charge back’ or ‘track back’.

The hardware and software are just a part of the private cloud building equation. Making use of a stage approach as stated above will make the task easy.

Author's Bio: Robin Mckenzie of Centurylink internet, a site that offers savings and current information on consumers' broadband internet and cable. Visit bundles.telcoservicesgroup.net to check for services in your area.

Computer Security: Tips for beginners to prevent security breaches

2012-11-09T13:10:00.000+05:30

The presence of computers in this world has simply revolutionized the way people work, pay bills, shop and keep a check over their accounts and communication part with others. Computers can be called as a new home for them since it carries a wide range of valuable and classified data. Hence it’s a cool idea to have things locked and remain alert all the time to secure it. The people like hackers simply look for a chance to access your computer simply to steal vital information like bank details, and other business related data for their own interest. Also, there are number of viruses that attack your computer, which simply need some costly computer repairs. If you are among the novices, the following basic security tips could help you in protecting your computer and avoid security breaches.

Choose a robust password

Passwords are the best ways to lock your computer system. They should be picked with utmost care simply to prevent the intruders to crack it using their knowledge or via some software programs. So, while choosing a password, make sure you use a combination of letters and numbers. You need to avoid things like your date of birth or writing anywhere where others could easily access. In any case, you shouldn’t be giving your passwords to anyone. Consider this as a basic rule to prevent security breaches.

Build a stiff Firewall

A firewall is simply like a fence which people build around their home. It makes the task of intruders difficult to enter inside your computer. This is more required when you use high speed internet via your local cable provider since the gateway from PC to the web is open the moment you start your PC despite doing nothing over your computer. You need to check whether your PC hardware or software has the built-in firewall or not. If your PC is not having a good firewall, consider downloading this software from web or simply purchase one. You can even customize the Firewall as per your requirements.

Shied your PC from viruses

Your PC could be infected from viruses coming via emails or via USB, from any software you download over your computer from the web or even by simply visiting any website. Your basic defense at this juncture is to arm your PC with a competent antivirus program. You can buy one and install it over your PC. Before buying any, make sure you get the one which updates automatically, competent to repair damages caused by any virus. Check for other things like spyware and adware before downloading anything, scans the emails before you check them and update you about the various online threats.

Update your antivirus and OS frequently

Hackers and virus makers often find new ways to attack your security you have kept inside your computer. In order to nullify their efforts, you need to update your antivirus programs, which the software producer offers you on a regular basis. Also, you are supposed to keep your firewall and operating system updated. The regular updates would simply make the security in your PC strong thus nullifying all the efforts of hackers.

Take a back up

As you often use safe deposit box to secure your priceless things, in the same you need to safeguard all your vital things which are found in your PC by having a proper backup. This will keep all your vital data intact hence in case if the hard drive of your PC is crashed due to some virus attack or from any other kind of disaster, then with a proper backup, you could have everything secured. Things like your financial records, original artwork, important write-ups, research work, and work files, which are difficult to reconstruct and these must be backed up on a regular basis. You can use CD’s and DVD’s to secure big size data.

Final word

If you in case encounter any security breach, don’t panic; instead report this to your ISP or hardware vendors. These people would guide you on this problem. However, if you follow the above security tips for protecting your PC, you are not supposed to encounter any security breaches in your computer.

About the author: Brianne is a blogger by profession. She loves writing, reading and travelling. She contributes to Engage BDR

A Cloud-based Device Security Solution

2012-11-09T13:06:00.001+05:30

Cloud computing is the futuristic home of all your digital assets. Why carry all our pen drives and other storage devices and fear losing them when you can store your assets in the cloud and access them from anywhere in the world? Kepplr is one of the best cloud-based security solutions and you can rely on it to carry all your digital belongings and use them yourself in a flash.

Here are some great features of the service

1) Data backup

Store all your content including videos, photos, spreadsheets, contacts, documents and many other things on the Kepplr cloud service. These content are accessible to you from anywhere, anytime and on any devices.

2) Synchronizing

Now access your favorite music, photos, videos and other content in the device of your choice. Contacts backed up on Kepplr service can be backed up in iPhone, other smartphones, PC, laptop, tablet and ultrabook with just the click of a button.

3) Sharing

Share contents with friends and family once you have signed up with Kepplr. You do not have to really depend on FTP, memory stick, emails and other sources any more. You can also share your snaps with pals on Flickr and Facebook thanks to your Kepplr account.

4) Secured lockr

Store your private photos and documents away from spying geeks by safely keeping them in secured password-protected Lockr folders on the device. This lockr folder is usually invisible to browsers and is backed up by the Kepplr server.

5) Protection

Safeguard your mobile device with Kepplr’s enhanced anti-theft protection. Set an alarm remotely, lock and wipe and also remotely setup messages on-screen. It has the ability to retrieve call history remotely.

6) Friends SMS alert

In case your phone is stolen and the SIM replaced, get the help of Buddy alert SMS from the new phone number.

The Kepplr application is available for your mobile devices as well. It is already available in the Android store and is expected soon in iOS and Windows mobile application stores as well. Kepplr encourages all its users to constantly give their valuable feedback. There are some goodies given away for valuable feedbacks.

Note

1) Few antitheft features are part of the secure feature of Kepplr but are not available for the basic package. Users will be offered cost-free subscriptions on advanced features.

2) Users have a chance to win Xolo X900 Android-based phones powered by Windows Intel.

3) Credits in Kepplr’s website.

Author’s Bio: Samantha Kirk of mytechhelp.com, a site that offers savings and current information on RemoteTech Support.

Colfax's New Intel-Certified HPC Cluster for CAD & CAE

2012-11-05T22:34:00.000+05:30

Colfax International on the 2nd of October unveiled its next-generation, ready to deploy HPC cluster which has an Intel Certification. The cluster which is the latest addition to the Colfax ClusterEdge series is based on Intel’s Xeon E5 processor family and was unveiled at the 2012 PBC Works User Group Conference, Sunnyvale, California.

The newly unveiled cluster is designed to meet the industry cluster architecture standards and is considered to be extremely easy to deploy and maintain. Also, this High Performance Computing Cluster from Colfax aims to speed up intense data oriented process and allows for a faster simulation and visualization processes. The cluster architecture is tested and verified for interoperability between the software, applications and the hardware components so that the cluster benefits can be achieved much faster. Furthermore, the cluster has a validation process, which ensures that the components in the cluster continue to work in harmony without any issues. This validation directly results in the increase in the uptime, productivity and reduction in total cost of ownership.

One of the spokesperson for Intel stated that this architecture has been designed and developed to offer end-to-end solution and the clients need not worry if the different components on the cluster architecture will function in coordination or not. Also, the spokesperson from Colfax pointed out the hurdles and challenges faced by the small scale and mid scale industries throughout the world in managing and operating a cluster. This Intel ready cluster has been designed keeping in mind such factors, where the clients can just plug their systems, setup their models and begin with the simulation process.

Developed in collaboration with Intel and Altair, these clusters are designed to run Altair’s solution applications such as OptiStruct, RADIOSS, AcuSolve and PBS Professional. Also, this cluster comes with pre-configured platforms for Computer Aided Engineering and Workload Management solutions from Altair. Since these platforms are designed to tackle real time challenges, the users can simply select a cluster architecture that fits into their requirements and begin their simulations instantly.

The company highly hopes that this cluster will prove to become one of the crucial technologies in the future for tasks involving advanced product designing, research and other vital sectors. The company also claims that such collaboration and a comprehensive package of solutions will help thrusting high performance computing to a further level.

The Configuration: The configuration of the Intel ready cluster from Colfax comprises of a head node and four compute nodes. The head node sports a dual core Intel Xeon Processor from the E5 series at 2GHz, a Random Access Memory of 128GB and dual SATA hard disk drives with 300 GB storage space each.

The compute nodes sport a dual core Intel Xeon E5 processor chipset at 2.8 GHz speed, a 128GB RAM, and a 500GB hard disk drive for each node. The applications that come along with the cluster include a 1.1.3 version of the Altair’s PBS Professional solution and Altair’s HyperWorks solutions.

The unveiling of such a product can very well revolutionize the realm of high performance computing. So, let’s hope the features indeed prove helpful to the modern day clients who face several untold consequences relating to simulation and computer aided engineering works.

This guest post is brought to you by Sandy Coops of cabletimenc.com, a site that offers savings and current information on cable time nc. Click here to learn more about savings on your internet.

Features of the Android 4.1 Jelly Bean OS

2012-11-04T19:06:00.003+05:30

The latest operating system from Android is 4.1 Jelly Bean. This is an open source operating system which also supports third party applications. Google however does the major development and research at the OS level. Jelly Bean helps to enhance the overall user experience in devices that use Android.

Android Jelly Bean 4.1 has new features such as offline voice typing. Here you can do voice transcriptions without an internet connection in flight mode. The phone processer does all the voice processing locally. Jelly Bean does not need to interact with the server for this. Android was far behind other operating systems when it came to buffering. This version assists in smooth notifications and visual display. This is because Jelly Bean makes use of triple buffering which provides high levels of smoothness because of buffering in three layers.

This new system also makes use of near field communication technology. It is an advanced version of Bluetooth and it offer faster and better machine to machine communication. Jelly Bean has also introduced an advanced search featured called Google Now. This is a smart application that quickly learns your search preferences and then does the best searches for you. Widgets in the home screen are automatically resized and so are the icons according to the space available in the home screen. The advanced notification panel ensures that the notification details are shown in the panel directly. For example, if you get a new mail then you can read the mail in the notification panel itself. Even clicking photos with your smartphone has become superfast because of Jelly Bean. You can simply swipe over the film strip in your phone to have a look at the photos that you clicked. Even the built in dictionaries are more accurate. The language model adapts quickly to your requirements and many times the keyboard guesses what the next work will be.

Other features include improved text to speech capabilities. You can even type whole words with your voice. Jelly Bean is user friendly for the blind people as well. There is the Gesture mode with which blind people can navigate the user interface using swipe and touch gestures. Speech output helps the blind people know where they are navigating. Jelly Bean has accessibility plugins for Braille input.

You can now easily share photos with your friends and loved ones with Android Beam. You can pair your Android phone with other devices by using the Simple Secure Pairing standard. The search feature has been the core of any Android device. Jelly Bean takes it one step further by introducing voice search. It can also talk back to you. Even your browsing experience is improved because of improved memory. It supports HTML 5 and also has an updated JavaScript Engine. There is now HTML 5 video support allowing for a smooth movie watching experience. The WebView feature also supports vertical text and vertical text glyphs.

There are smart Calendar features as well. The calendar displays new event colors so that you can easily distinguish between different events. It will also display notifications of upcoming events in the form of flash alert and email. You can view Calendar in portrait or landscape mode.

Conclusion – the new Android Jelly Bean 4.1 is laden with more advanced features than its predecessors. It makes optimum use of the CPU power in the device. It virtually has no flaws as you smoothly play around with applications.

Author: Daniel Petrovski likes to write articles related to Technology. Check out his blog for more good stuff or follow him on Google +.

Nokia Unveils Lumia 822

2012-11-04T14:19:00.000+05:30

The once popular Finish company, Nokia is suffering from a decline in the usage of its products, after the smartphones have invaded the market. The company which is well known for its mobile phone and portable IT devices has strong rivals who have a complete control over the market. Apple and Samsung compete tough with Nokia and the Finnish company is all set to face its rivals in the United States. As a result, it has joined hands with Verizon Wireless to introduce Nokia Lumia 822 in the country. When judged based on unit sales, Nokia stands the second largest mobile phone manufacturer in 2012.

This autumn is going to be a special season for Nokia fans because Lumia 822 is expected to be around. Many still love Nokia products because they are flexible and comfortable to use. They do not require the delicate touch and handling which is highly impossible in today’s competing world. Nokia phones generally deliver an unmatched performance in terms of battery life, software and hardware. Although, camera and other related features are not at its best, Nokia phones satisfy the basic requirements.

Nokia has announced that Lumia 822 will run on the latest operating system Windows 8 and includes an 8 megapixel camera which is featured with Carl Zeiss optics. The phone also has a front facing camera with 1.2 megapixels which is great for video conferencing. Nokia promises a unique design with enhanced camera, music streaming at no cost and world class maps. The 4.3 inch display as pronounced by the company might seem small when compared to other smartphone’s in the market. The company also announced that the phone is enabled with wireless charging. The exact price of this phone and the date when the sale begins remains a secret. The phone comes with exchangeable shells that can be customized. Lumia 822 is well equipped with Nokia Drive++ and voice navigation that guides at all times.

AT&T, one of the pioneers in telecommunication industry will start selling Nokia Lumia 820 and 920 phones by the first or second week of November. Keeping this in mind, is Verizon Wireless waiting for the holiday season to launch its new product? The secretive answer to this question is still unanswered by both Verizon Wireless and Nokia. But still, there are several talks rumored around the product.

Nokia Americas President, Olivier Puech mentioned that Verizon Wireless provides a wonderful opportunity to serve the customers in U.S with the award winning Lumia 822 phones. Fans of Nokia, first time smartphone customers and those who are ready to switch will definitely enjoy high quality performance because they can take advantage in the benefits of the super fast 4G LTE connection with Verizon Wireless.

Nokia phones initially ran on Symbian and only from 2011, Nokia has partnered with Microsoft Windows and incorporated Windows operating systems for all its phones. The first Windows phone handset was unveiled by Nokia in 2011 bearing the names Lumia 710 and Lumia 800. Both these phones performed fairly well at the market and the future holds the success to Lumia 822.

The Lumia series is the only hope that will bring Nokia back on track. Nokia is currently in a bad shape and experts suggest that Nokia has to show some mind-blowing turnover in the next few months to survive in this industry and to compete with the other giants. What do you like to say about Nokia Lumia 822? Feel free to leave yourcomments below.

This is a guest post by Nathan Brown of buyatt.com, a site that offers savings and current information on at&t Uverse, as well as att.com services.

Triple Showdown: New iPad VS Nexus 7 Vs Kindle Fire HD

2012-11-04T14:09:00.001+05:30

The market for tablet computers has become a lot more crowded these days. Apple, the tech world's de facto poster boy for ultra-mobile gadgets (think about iPods, iPhones and MacBooks for the smartphone, mp3 player and laptop markets) is also its reigning king when it comes to tablets. The Apple iPad enjoyed unprecedented popularity when it was first released on 2010; consequent generations of the gadget (iPad 2 and the "new iPad" - aka iPad 3, along with their Wi-Fi + 3G and Wi-Fi + cellular versions) were also met with more or less the same amount of fervor.

Recently, two more contenders have popped up that are both threatening to shake up the iPad's dominance over the tablet market. First off is the Amazon Kindle Fire HD, an upgraded version of the Kindle Fire (which is in itself a revamp of the original Kindle e-book reader, with added functionalities and features). Next up is Nexus 7, Google's first attempt to gain a foothold in the now competitive tablet market.

With all these choices, how can people choose which tablet is the right one for them? Let's take a look at some of the most important factors that can help them decide:

Form Factor, Build and Design

Obviously, the iPad is the giant in the group. Measuring in at a hefty 9.7" diagonally, it dwarfs the other two smaller tablets with their 7" screens (the Kindle fire has a 8.9" model though). The weight is proportional to the size - the new iPad weighs about 650g; Kindle Fire HD is at 395g for the 7" model and 567g for the 8.9" model; and the Nexus 7 is relatively the lightest at 340g. The two smaller tablets can be comfortably gripped with just one hand like a phone, but for the iPad, a two-handed grip is a must.

Display

Apple's patented Retina display looks stunning on the 3rd generation iPad's 2048 x 1536 screen. Colors are rendered nice and clear, perfectly saturated and sharp. The screen is great for reading e-books and watching movies.

While both the Nexus 7 and Kindle Fire HD have screen resolutions of 1280x800 pixels, there are some notable differences in the quality of their displays. The Fire HD's screen is better equipped to handle direct sunlight, which would let people comfortably read stuff on it when outdoors. The Nexus 7, on the other hand, displays crisp images and color but suffers from slight banding and can be difficult to view under sunlight. Its viewing angles are also not that great compared to the iPad's or Fire HD's.

Both the Nexus 7 and the Kindle Fire HD run on Google's insanely popular Android mobile operating system. The Kindle Fire HD has a very modified Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich that is optimized for use with most of Amazon's online services. Nexus 7, on the other hand, being Google's first "flagship" tablet, runs on the newest version of Android, the 4.1 Jelly Bean. The OS is free from any modification of any sort like skins and other manufacturer changes, and also has features that are not found on the Ice Cream Sandwich (like incorporating Google Chrome as its main browser). It is reportedly a lot faster and has less lag than its predecessor.

Like other mobile devices in Apple's line-up, the new iPad runs on the iOS 5.1. As the iOS 6 was recently released, 3rd generation iPad users can upgrade to this new OS to avail of new features such as the Siri, Apple's famous voice recognition software.

Pricing

Apple products are not known for their affordability. They can usually be found on the pricier end of the spectrum, and the new iPad is no exception. Debuting at $499 (for the 16GB and Wi-Fi only model), the price tag can go up to a high of $820 (64GB and Wi-Fi + cellular). Among the three choices, the iPad is the most expensive.

The Nexus 7 and the Kindle Fire HD are obviously a whole lot cheaper. Both have released models that are priced at $199 (16GB for the Kindle Fire, only 8GB for the Nexus 7) and $249 (32GB and 16GB respectively).

Apps

Though both devices run on the Android operating system, the Kindle Fire HD can only download apps from Amazon's own apps store. There are a limited number of apps that can run on the device (even famous apps like Instagram, Dropbox and Google Maps are not available) so app compatibility is the main problem here. With Google being its manufacturer, the Nexus 7 enjoys full access to Google Play.

The Apple iOS App Store is still an amazing marketplace for apps. Some are even already optimized for the Retina display.

Conclusion

It's a matter of balancing price and functionality. The new iPad is, undoubtedly, the most popular among the three tablet choices. It also performs best in most aspects; the drawback here is that it can be quite pricey. The two "lower end" tablets (the Google Nexus 7 and the Amazon Kindle Fire HD) are great devices by themselves with a few differences in between. These two are perfect for those who want to try the tablet experience without having to shell out a lot of money.

Bio

Jamie Cody is a writer for centernetworks and often writes about technology and reviews on various products and services like hosting. Checkout bluehost reviews from center networks.com where they have great reviews and informational articles.

Is Kouziro FT103 the Biggest Tablet Till Date?

2012-10-25T22:25:00.000+05:30

Of late, there has been unprecedented demand for portable devices such as smartphones, tablets and e-readers largely due to the development of top-notch communication technologies, easy access to high-speed Internet, development of 4G LTE technologies, and myriad resources available on the Internet. Consequently, there has been a call for the semiconductor and component manufacturers to ramp up their manufacturing process in order to meet the demand.

Of the portable device market, the tablet space has always garnered niche customers and is a space that is closely monitored by tech geeks. Large computer accessories and hardware manufacturers such as HP, Dell, Microsoft, and Lenovo have entered the tablet manufacturing space in order to grab a share of the teeming demand for tablets. These new entrants have to fend off competition from low-cost Japanese and Chinese tablet manufacturers.

One such Japanese tablet manufacturer is Frontier. It recently launched a groundbreaking Full HD 21.5-inch Android powered tablet named Kouziro FT103. The revolutionary tablet runs on the far-famed Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich operating system, which always has the option of extending the functionalities of the device by downloading apps from the Google Play app store. Weighing about 5 kilograms and with dimensions of 512.8 × 24.8 x 353 millimeters, the FT103 tablet is exclusively launched for the Japanese market.

The FT103 Kouziro is equipped with a 1 gigahertz dual core processor, 1 GB RAM, and 8GB flash storage, which can be extended with the help of a microSD card. There are also advanced connectivity options such as Wi-Fi, Ethernet, micro HDMI, USB 2.0 ports, micro USB ports, Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR, and wireless LAN. The colossal device has a 1.2 megapixel camera, along with integrated speakers, microphones, and headphone jacks. The tablet has no batteries hence has to be plugged in like traditional desktops for power requirements.

The Android-powered behemoth can also be used as a desktop by connecting it to a CPU with the help of the output HDMI. The Frontier team for certain should receive all the plaudits for designing, developing, and bringing together the pieces of this colossal device.

The features of the FT103 Kouziro tablet certainly look meretricious, but we have to test the performance of the device before delivering the verdict. If size is the theme of the competition, then the FT103 Kouziro tablet will be consentiently crowned the winner, as there are no competitors for this Android-powered colossus. As of now, let’s put our hands up and enthrone FT103 Kouziro as the ‘biggest tablet device’.

Author's Bio: Chad Bauer of Timewarnercable.wedocable.com, a site that offers savings and current information on timewarner cable promotions

Sling Media Slingbox 500 Review

2012-10-25T22:15:00.000+05:30

TV viewing has come a long way, from mile-long cords people are now switching onto cable and satellite connections. However, the problem is many providers have made it extremely difficult to watch TV on computer and mobile devices. Slingbox has made it extremely easy to transfer TV and recorded DVR programs across computer and mobile platforms. You can watch any program you wish when you are away from home.

Now with more than four years break Slingbox is back into action with its Slingbox 500. This is the first product to release since the Pro HD version. The 500 has included a number features that were lacking in the previous version. Some of them are Wi-Fi compatibility and 1080p streaming. Finally Slingbox feels dated with today’s age of direct Internet. If you wish to make the most of your TV subscription when you are on the go, 500 is great source to stream live TV and recorded DVR.

Design:

The design is definitely edgy and looks like a modern art. In the hope of giving a new twist, the design has been made edgy. The plastic used has a matt finish making it scratch-proof and sturdy. The design is no longer flat unlike its previous versions to ensure people don’t place things on top of the device that results in overheating. The package comes with a collection of add-ons including a remote control, an instruction manual, an AC adapter, HDMI cable, Ethernet cable, video cable (composite and component) and RCA audio cable.

Though the HDMI cable rises a lot of hopes, thanks to the restrictions placed by the TV providers the channels you get are only the regular channels and the cable passes only through the regular HD TV. To overcome this issue, the company suggests an alternative HDMI port or a different audio and video cable setup.

Performance:

With video streaming of up to 1080p, you have to ensure the home network is top notch. All the Slingbox versions are known to optimize video quality in synch with the available network. Wi-Fi is no exception. It offers a smooth TV experience with the audio perfectly synced to the end.

Pros:

The best advantage is the 1080p video streaming and the Wi-Fi compatibility. The opackage comes with enough add-ons and cables making it unnecessary to buy any new ones. It includes HDMI and a component video as well. The over set-up is simple and user-friendly.

Cons:

The apps on Sling Player will cost extra. Though HDMI port is provided, it does not serve its purpose as there are encryption issues. The channel changes are not smooth and get sluggish at times.

The verdict:

Though there are few disadvantages surrounding the 500 version, it is still one of the best sources to use for watching TV across computers and mobile devices. Though the device has been updated and it has been re-introduces after almost four years, the Slingbox concept has started taking its toll among the mass audience.

TV is now available online and websites are getting optimized so that they are more compatible on smart phone. With so many improvements, the concept of Slingbox just might diminish in the end.

Author's Bio: Nathan Brown of buyatt.com, a site that offers savings and current information on at&t uverse reviews, as well as att.com services.

Introduction to OpenNebula 3.6 Next Generation Cloud Platform

2012-10-25T22:08:00.000+05:30

Cloud platforms are where it’s at. It takes storage to a whole new level, integrating software and systems to store and protect content that companies and organizations create. Cloud platforms can be created on the premises of the enterprise or it can be rented from service providers. There’s great news in the form of OpenNebula 3.6, an open source cloud platform which is fasting becoming the industry standard.

OpenNebula 3.6 is crammed with features and offers a complete package for all your cloud needs. The great part of this is the system’s interoperability that allows you to bring together your existing IT systems into this cloud platform. There are many reasons to use the platform but at the heart of these reasons is the fact that is a tried and tested method for storage. Apart from this, it can be customized, is innovative and efficient and is great for enterprise cloud computing. A single install if enough for all its functionalities to come your way and this brings down costs to a large extent.

OpenNebula 3.6 is open-source and the contributors help build proprietary solutions for the platform. That means customers get the benefit of experts with a finger on the pulse of requirements.

Here’s what you can get with the platform-

Virtual Data Centers

The VDC can be custom made and is run capably by users, under the guidance of a supervisor to ensure your cloud system works smoothly. If you need more than one such center in the cluster, that is possible too with support being given by OpenNebula 3.6.

Safety and security

Whether it is authorization or authentication, the platform has great systems in place for both. This can be accessed by the group that works on the platform, be it administrators, regular or public users. Depending on what kind of user, the functionality access differs, where a public user may have access only to basic functions, the admin has a lot more power. If you use a general user interface on OpenNebula, that can be protected too. The platform uses passwords and x509 certificates, among a host of other tools to make the environment as safe and secure as possible. It has a host of configuration options and you can build the strongest firewall that your content might need.

Comprehensive Configuration

No matter what your virtual machine requires, OpenNebula 3.6 offers the best of configurations. It uses contextual mechanisms for automatic configurations and sets the ball rolling on administration scripts using the very helpful Hook Manager. It works well with both Linux and Windows and is a flexible system that aids customization even more.

Group requirements

While the administrator requires all privileges, the guest users and people non-essential to the cloud system do not need access to all areas. OpenNebula 3.6 can create access points for each group of users, creating separate systems in the same platform.

There are tons of other features the OpenNebula 3.6 comes with, including better resource management, support for enterprises and commodities, centralized point of control, ease of use, extension and integration etc. This is a cloud computing platform that gives data center a whole new meaning. Do check it out and enjoy the many benefits it has on offer.

Author's Bio: Robin Mckenzie of Buycenturylink, a site that offers savings and current information on consumers' broadband internet and cable. With a reliableinternet service provider, you get top-speed internet, excellent value, and award-winning security.

10 Tools to Best Use Google Analytics

2012-10-25T21:45:00.000+05:30

Here is a list of ten tools you should probably use if you are going to use Google Analytics on a regular basis. Many of them are plug-ins or extensions, but one or two are online tools.

HttpFox

This is a debugger. It will analyze the interactions between your site and your server. It is able to debug the information that is sent and received. It is able to check the information that is being sent over to Google Analytics. If you do not have access to the source code of your web item, such as with a Flash display, then this tool may help you.

Excellent Analytics

This “creatively” named tool is a plug-in for your Excel report sheet. It comes in handy when you export data from your Google Analytics reports. Create your dashboard on the back of your previous templates.

The plug-in will then issue you with automatic updates so that you need not keep downloading the pertinent data. You can just download once per week (to be on the safe side).

Raven GA Config Tool

If you are using Google Analytics, this tool may be used online to help you. You are able to better configure your tag tracking. Any information you need for tag tracking is actually available via Google, but this configuration tool just takes the fuss and reading out of the process. It simplifies the process for you, giving you a few basic settings.

Manage Profile Annotation

Any annotation you do on your script can be managed with this Firefox extension. It allows you to manage your profile annotations. It is an extension to the Greasemonkey plug-in for Firefox. You are able to copy, paste and export your annotations. You can import and export your annotations in Google Analytics.

Firecookie

This is an extension for the Firebug plug-in for Firefox. Firebug is covered in point seven below. With this extension you are able to manage your site cookies. You can also view your cookies analytics. You can ensure that any cookies on your computer were put there by Google Analytics. Any other cookies you can delete at your leisure (also very quickly too).

URL Builder - Google Analytics Campaign

You can build a URL for your Google Analytics Campaign using this tool. You can create custom campaigns online with their own URL, and then measure them with Google Analytics. The tool is available via the Google Analytics pages online.

Firebug

Firebug is well known by web developers because it allows for an analytics check with just one click. It is a Firefox extension that allows you to check the source code of an item with just one click. It is great for copying a little bit of source code for your own website.

It is good for things such as working out the source code for buttons and widgets. This may also be used when trying to create your Google Analytics campaigns.

Regular expression test

It allows you to test a few regular expressions. It is a Firefox extension, and is great for setting tunnels, goals and for setting custom segments.

Performance Dashboards Excel

With this tool you are able to set up your won Analytics dashboard using an Excel sheet. The numbers are still coming from Google Analytics, but you control how they are displayed.

Copy Goal

This is the only Google Chrome extension mentioned on this article, so it has been saved until last. You are able to copy filters with this extension. You can also copy analytics goals too. You can copy them from one of your accounts to another. There is a Firefox plug-in that does this too, but it is not yet compatible with version five of Google Analytics.

Author’s bio: Sonia Jackson. I represent the web-site http://www.custom-essay-writing.org. help you to solve all problems with writing different essays and research papers in a short time; and answer all your questions and give you useful advices.

Android 3.0 Tricks and Tips

2012-10-14T11:57:00.000+05:30

Got an Android 3.0 tablet, but not quite sure what all it can do? Mastering new technologies can take a lot of time and energy that frankly, many people just do not have. Yet, you certainly do not want to waste your hard earned cash on something that you barely know how to use. If you are looking for some simple tricks and tips to get a better user experience out of your Android 3.0, read on. Here are some excellent tidbits that will help you to learn more about your Android 3.0 than you ever could have unless you had plenty of extra time.

Browse Faster: Noticed that your Android 3.0 seems to run slow when you are on websites that feature a lot of interactive banners and other “stuff”? The great thing about your tablet is that it can run Flash Plug-Ins, but these can also make browsing the web slower. Head to Browser > Settings > Advanced. There you can change “Enable plug-ins” to “On-Demand.” This way, you can have a smoother browsing experience because you can opt skip the plug-ins on flash heavy sites.

Easily Sync Bookmarks with your Desktop: For those users who utilize Chrome as their desktop browser of choice, you can use Google’s sync tools to sync all of your desktop bookmarks to your tablet for easy browsing. Go to Preferences > Personal Stuff on your desktop Chrome. Next, head to Settings > General on your tablet browser to complete the process. It’s just that easy!

Voice Commands: Perhaps one of the coolest things about Android 3.0 is that you can search the net or navigate your tablet simply by saying what you want to do. Click the microphone icon next to the search bar on the homepage of your browser. This opens up a function called Google Voice Actions. You can then control your Android 3.0 without having to use your hands at all.

Get Rid of Unwanted Apps: It used to be a huge challenge to get rid of apps on other devices, by the Android 3.0 tablet is a breeze. Open up the full launcher where you will find a trash can icon. Select the apps that are no longer useful to you and then drag them and drop them into the trash can easily. Hopefully, the above tips will give you a richer, faster experience with your Android 3.0 tablet and will make your life that much simpler. Irene Perlog is a dedicated writer at VPNServices.net, where she is reviewing the best VPN providers. If interested you can check out a Hidemyass review (only original and objective reviews).

Reasons why you should get the new iPhone 5

2012-10-14T11:42:00.000+05:30

If you were to be told that I am using this medium to advertise the current smart phone, then I will tell you that you are being deceived. This is why because this product which you might think I am advertising for has already reached an amount of one million sales which is really remarkable and record breaking. Upon researches and current reviews, it is discovered that this gadget company has sold a record breaking amount of users and buyers just like the previous ones but with higher planning. This record however is not a small record and therefore there is something causing the high sales. Out of all these are reasons why you should get the new iPhone 5 for yourself.

Like I was said earlier, I would like to repeat to you that such an amount of product sales they made over such a short time is not a small sale and also that their cooperative effort brought about such a huge number of sale. In other words, with the help of combined cooperative systematic formulas, this company has been able to make a huge amount of sales. As a result of this cooperation and combination of ideas, the company brought together some specific apps and features for this smart phone which in an advanced method will suite its users in the easiest means and method. Out of some specific and important factors which projected the sale for the mobile gadget are the features. There are different features for everything and gadget which includes smart phones such as this iPhone 5. These features also happen to amount as a considerable factor and reason which you must thoroughly consider before getting or buying a smart phone of such a series.

Below here are listed specific and important reasons why you should get the new iPhone 5.

Internet Speed: With the present and current internet speed in the mobile gadget, I can say boldly and advice people to get this phone as it contains the LTE network which happens to be the present best internet problem solution. I can boldly say that because of the confirm speed it has, currently the LTE happens to have a ranging speed of 100 mega byte per second. However, with this speed, the LTE reaches up to times two of what the former was. In other words, with the current rate of review, it is discovered that this LTE technology meets up with the highest standard of browsing and that the technology comes up to be two times faster than the HSPA which happens to be the predecessor to this LTE.

Flexibility and Portability: This is a very important point is it will be considered by many buyers, and it should also be considered by you if you want to get a smart phone which will serve your purpose no matter what your thinking might resolve to. As at present, it is discovered and said that this iPhone is the thinnest of its kind and therefore becomes very portable to use. Considering flexibility, the operating system of this phone is the latest which happens to the iOS 6 and therefore the flexibility is guaranteed

Beauty and Attractiveness: It is widely know that everyone wants what is good and alongside what is good many want what is lovely. I am proud to say and tell you that many of those who bought this phone bought it for fashion sake and in this sense; the phone comes up to be the best as its beautiful and portable shape already proves that.

In conclusion, it is important for us to know reasons why we should do a lot of things because if something is done without careful thinking, the person will definitely end up regretting the action.

Author Bio

Safeer Ahmed is a blogger and guest poster who loves to write a lot about technology. However, he also writes for a site where you can get instant loans depending on the cometitive APR

Tips for Using Circles with Google+

2012-10-12T22:11:00.001+05:30

Have you been thinking about joining Google+ as a part of your company’s social media experience? You aren’t alone. Millions of personal users and businesses are making use of all of the wonderful features that the social network is offering. It’s still relatively young in the world of social networking, but it is gaining new users daily. One of the things that you are going to notice when you sign up is that it has some differences from the social sites that you usually use. One of those differences is the concept of Circles. However, they are easy to understand, and here are some tips for using them.

Getting the Most Out of Circles The name Circle is synonymous with group or list in this case. The Circles that you have are groupings or listings of your friends that you are going to be able to designate. This is going to provide you with far more control over the way that you manage your profile. You can have as many Circles as you want, but you are not going to want to have too many, as it can be difficult to keep track. Here’s an example of how it will work. Let’s say that you have four Circles. You have a Circle for your family members, for your friends, for your coworkers, and for your World of Warcraft companions. Some of those acquaintances might overlap, and that’s okay. You can have people in more than one Circle. If your best friend also happens to work with you, for example, you could put her in both Circles. If she also plays World of Warcraft, you could add her to a third Circle. You will also be able to name your Circles, and you can give them any name that you like. This is so that you can have something that is going to jog your memory when you are looking at the Circles and deciding whether to share certain information. Your Circle names are going to be private, so you never have to worry about anyone seeing what you name them.

Diving Into the Circles The best way for you to understand the Circles is to start using them. Once you have your personal page up on Google+, you will find that you are also going to be able to add a business page. You will be able to use Circles with the business page as well. Helene Lazarenco is a dedicated writer at Kepard.com. She is passionate by Technology, Security software and Blogging. Don’t forget to try out probably the best VPN when need a reliable UK VPN (warning: totally different.)