• You won’t make any money of you spend your time reading blogs, forums, articles, books, etc.
• You won’t make any money by simply blogging, without a purpose
• You won’t make any money by being active on twitter, facebook, stumbleupon and other similar websites
• You won’t make any money if you don’t have a plan

hard work is the most important ingredient

And I for one have one, thus I’m currently focusing most of my spare time (because i also have a 9 to 5 job, but hopefully not for long) on different sites and projects. The plan is simple: find a niche, write the proper content, get the visitors from search engines (luckily for me, that’s what i do best ), offer them products they would need and love to buy. And then copy this tactic again and again and again. Does it work? Definitely!

I’m not saying you don’t have to read stuff, especially if you’re a beginner. However, as a friend of mine told me a couple of years ago, everyone can learn the theory, but only practice can make the difference.

So, my advice is pretty simple. Get to work. If you want to know how, what Ben, Court or Griz have to say would really help (these are blogs I recommend, because they offer real useful ideas and practices, and not the ordinary crap you’ll get on 90%+of the blogs available online). Just remember to put the things you’ll learn there in practice !

©2009 Mike's Quarter - the internet blog. All Rights Reserved.

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Mini netbooks are growing wild

In these last years, there’s a real tendency towards smaller and more portable netbook computers all around the world. A couple of years ago people gave up desktops for laptops, not they are giving those up for what are now called netbooks.

What are these? Well, mini notebook computers, usually with screens between 7 to 13 inch, good battery life, low size and weight and affordable price tags. Here you can find more specific details on what a netbook is. In fact, these are out-of-the box ready to use sub-laptops, less powerful, but still good enough for standard everyday activities (web-surfing, chatting, watching movies, listening to music, etc ). And since most people don’t do complicated stuff with their laptops, no wonder these types of machines have seen quite a boom in the last couple of years.

I for one have been an IT editor for some time and had the chance to seen many such sub-notebooks in action. That’s way I was able to understand them at their full potential and, even though I was very reticent at first, I currently own such a Toshiba mini notebook PC.

In the next paragraphs I’ll try to share with you some of my experiences with mini laptops and offer you a list with what I consider to be the best mini netbooks on the market at the moment (late 2009). I won’t make a top, because I’ll include devices for different types of users and it would be quite unfair to say that a 2000 bucks laptop is better than a $300 one. Still, remember that these are only my recommendation, based on:

• my previous personal experience with these portable laptops
• features/price rapport
• reviews received by these products from their owners on forums and shops

Of course, some statements could be considered subjective, but I will still try to keep the list as objective as possible in order to make it really useful for you folks reading it. I musty add that I mostly chose gadgets with 13 inch screen sizes, because I for one find anything below that very hard to use for a longer period of time. But enough with the yabady yabada, let’s get to business.

Small and affordable mini notebooks

Asus 1005HA – probably the best 10 inch netbook

Asus 1005HA

The Asus 1005HA is one of the most popular 10″ netbooks on the market right now. I for one like it a lot, because:

• it houses standard netbook hardware (1.66 GHz Atom CPU, 1 GB of RAM, 160 GB hard-drive)
• is well built and good looking, comes in different colored versions
• brings Wi-fi n, Bluetooth and even 3G on some versions
• is small and light (around 2.8 pounds) enough to carry around, but still big and powerful enough for you to do your job with it
• is cheap, as it costs somewhere between $350 to $380, according to features and shops.

And of course, there would be many things to add but you’d better read this detailed review of the Asus 1005HA for more info.

Dell Inspiron 11Z – 11.6″ inch mini laptop and a little bit more power

Dell Inspiron 11z

Small netbooks are usually quite sluggish from time to time, that’s why many will enjoy the better hardware on the 11.6 inch Dell Inspiron 11Z mini notebook. A device that also looks quite good, as you can see from the picture, being available in many different colors.

There are lots of customization options offered by Dell for this laptop, and even if the base model starts from $399, by adding a dual core CPU, 4 GB of RAM and Wi-Fi n/Bluetooth can easily take you to around $700.

Of course, the extra performance is greatly appreciated, by I for one am not that sure I’m willing to pay that much for a netbook, especially since, for a somewhat similar price, I can choose a laptop from the next class.

But, if you want a smaller laptop capable of running well Windows 7 and almost any standard application, without that awkward lag seen on Atom powered devices, than this Dell Inspiron 11Z is surely one of your best choices.

Portable mini laptops for regular buyers

Asus UL30A – my favorite 13.3″ notebook under 1000 bucks

Asus UL30A

I had the chance to test the UL30A for a couple of days and I’m almost 90% sure this will be my next portable mini notebook PC. And that’s something, because I for one am extremely picky and rarely like a product as a whole without finding some negative aspects. Of course, the UL30A for Asus is not perfect, it heats a little bit, screen is quite glossy and the 0.3 MPx webcam is very poor. But, these are down-points I can live with.

Cause there are also lots of strong points:

• high end hardware for a portable device: dual core CULV processor, 4 GB of RAM, 500 GB hard-drive
• slick looking with a nice brushed aluminum cover, while being also pretty slim
• top notch connectivity: Wi-fi n, Bluetooth, 3G modem
• up to 12 hours battery life
• good keyboard, decent keypad, good sound system

Prices are somewhere between $599 to around $899 . This laptop is fresh on the market and there aren’t many versions available yet, and especially not the high end ones. More details you can read in my thorough mini notebook review of the Asus UL30A .

And like I said, I’m just waiting for the winter sales period and hopefully I might get a Cyber Monday Deal and chip one or two hundreds of bucks from the current price.

Acer Aspire 3810T – almost everything you’d want in a mini notebook laptop

Acer Aspire 3810T

If I didn’t had a fixed (and nowadays wrong) idea about Acer laptops (because of some experiences with Acer devices 5 or 6 years ago), I could say the Acer Aspire 3810T is as good as the Asus above. They are acutally like twins: similar size and weight, similar screen size, similar hardware.

In fact, the Aspire 3810T has a keyboard I find a little bit more comfortable than the one on the UL30A with independent metallic feel keys . But, battery life is poorer and I can even say the speakers on the Acer are not a match for those on the Asus.

However, the Aspire 3810T is fierce in terms of prices, being cheaper than the UL30A, but not by much. It had the advantage of being one of the first in his class of affordable and performance 13.3″ inch ultra-portable mini notebooks and customers received it very well.

The high end version of this Acer mini netbook, the Aspire 3810T, a model that brings the U9400 dual core CPU and only lacks 3G, retails right now for $799 on Amazon and has a 5 out of 5 mark from previous buyers. What else can I say… ?

Upper class devices for upper prices

Macbook Air – Steve’s thin ace

Apple Macbook Air

If you’re an Apple fan or if you just want a stylish and very thin portable 13.3 inch laptop, than you should take a look at the Macbook Air. In terms of aspect and build quality, there’s not much you could not like on this Apple toy. However, in terms of features and price…

Hardware specs are pretty good, at least those of the top version: an Intel Core 2 Duo 2.13 GHz processor, 2 GB of RAM, Nvidia GeForce 9400M graphics and a 128GB SSD storage drive. Wi-Fi n and Bluetooth 2.1 are present, while the entire system uses the Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard operating system.

However, I for one am not satisfied at all with battery life, that runs around 4.5 hours. And also, available output options are rubbish: only one USB port and a mini Display port . That’s just not enough for me, as I use a mouse most of the time and an external hard-drive, plus the VGA output to connect the mini notebook to a projector in the conference room.

In terms of price, the high end version with the above features starts from $1799 on Apple store (but costs only $1700 on Amazon), while there is also a cheaper model from $1499 . Still, quite expensive for what is has to offer, especially considering that even though the device is very slim (0.76 inches on its thickest point), it’s not at all low-profile but actually quite as big as an ordinary 15 inch laptop. But hey, this Air is just a classic Apple product, so if you’re a fan, go for it.

Sony Vaio Z – my portable dream

Sony Vaio Z

Like the Macbook Air above, the Sony Vaio Z is no ordinary mini netbook computer for ordinary people. But unlike Steve’s product, this Vaio really brings the best you can get on such a device, but of course, with a price. You’ll just see in the rows bellow these are not just plain words, because here’s what the Vaio Z has to offer:

• Intel P9600 2.66 GHz CPU, which is in fact one of the most powerful CPUs available for portable devices at the moment. This is not a Low voltage processor from the SU series, but a high performance P one.
• 4 GB of RAM, 320 GB hard-drive or 256 SSD storage drive
• hybrid graphics: integrated Intel GMA 4500MHD and Nvidia 9300M GS
• internal Blu-ray optical drive
• 13.1 inch screen LED lit (with XBRITE-DuraView technology) – and there’s no point in talking about how good this screen is. You just have to see it live and you’ll surely love it.
• Bluetooth, Wi-fi n, 3G, they are all here.
• brings one of the best chiclet style keyboards on a portable device

You might wonder if you would need such power on a portable device. I wonder that too, especially since the high end version of the Sony Vaio Z retails for a whopping 2800 bucks. There are some cheaper versions of course, but they still start from around $1700.

But, if money are not a problem and you want perhaps the most powerful portable device on the market right now and not an ordinary device, but a Vaio, then the Z is definitely a choice. For me (and perhaps many others), it’s just a dream, as its predecessor Sony Vaio SZ was and its follower will probably will still be.

And the final words

And that’s about it. Of course, there are some other mini notebook computers that could make it in this top also. The low priced Acer Aspire One AOD150 , the high tech Nokia Booklet 3G or the stylish Dell Adamo are just some of them. In the end, it’s hard to say what’s the best mini netbook because there’s no such thing, there are just mini laptops that better or worse fit your needs, tastes and budget. So, when shopping for such devices, just make a list with must haves and optional features you would like and then, according to your budget, choose one from the mini notebooks that met the requirements.

Don’t forget to check reviews on forums and even shops (Amazon or Newegg have customers reviews on products, and those are very helpful).

And of course, you can always ask for any advices regarding these mini notebook PCs here, by leaving a comment bellow. I and maybe some of the other readers will gladly give you a helping hand.

©2009 Mike's Quarter - the internet blog. All Rights Reserved.

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It’s very important to focus and try to organize your time when working online. You should make yourself a schedule, a daily schedule, where you should write the things you plan doing that particular day. Try to pick realistic time plans for those things and live an extra error margin, just not too big.

You’ll understand more from the example: let’s say you plan to set up a new site today on a niche you already studied. You have to buy a domain, set up a CMS (Wordpress rules here), add a theme and the plugins, write at least 5 posts on previous researched keywords and also write another 3 to 5 posts for directory submissions (like ezine or goarticles) . All these should not take you more than half a day:

• 30 minutes to find the domain and register it
• another 30 minutes to install Wordpress + themes +plugins (i advice you to have a premade folder with all the things needed so you just copy that one and start the other things).
• 1 hour for setting the blog and making minor modification on the theme and plugins (you’d actually require a lot less then this) .
• 3 hours for writing the content – you should write informative 500+ words posts that provide value for your readers. 3 hours means ~40 minutes per article, but if you’re familiar with the topic you will be able to write those a lot faster.
• 1.5 hours to rewrite the previous articles so they will be unique for the submissions.
• All these total around 6 hours, so there’s enough time left in your day for other things also. I for one do this a lot faster, as i can set up everything in just 3-4 hours if i know the niche.

It’s important that during all this time you focus on the job and give up distractions like:

• messaging programs, twitter, etc (especially if you use popups these will cut down productivity a lot as you will always get distracted by some things your friends say to you via these programs)
• socializing programs (facebook, myspace, hi5) – these are the biggest time consuming aps online and they won’t pay the bills (except some cases, but that’s another story)
• e-mails (if possible, turn your outlook off when working and only check it once every couple of hours)
• don’t and i repeat DON’T check your stats and your earnings more than once a DAY . I would even advice you not to check them more than once a week for the new sites. Just make a strategy for your content and link building activities and stick to it. You should start checking stats only when you already have traffic in order to see if you can optimize some posts to rank better for some particular keywords (so only a couple fo moths or so).

There would be many things to add here. The important part to remember is that everyone should make their own schedule but should try to divide time between work and other kind of activities as best as possible. When it’s time to work, we work as hard as we can, when it’s time to have fun we enjoy it as much as possible and so on. Am i right or what? I’m looking for your feedback in this matter .

©2009 Mike's Quarter - the internet blog. All Rights Reserved.

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Bluetooth headset - a much needed phone accessory

I consider my mobile phone just a normal everyday gadget i have to carry around with me, along with my Mp3 player and sometimes my laptop. I’m not a savvy talker and i don’t even get on the web from the phone that much. But, i do consider one accessory a must: a Bluetooth headset, especially when driving or when i have to use two similar phones in the same time (like when you have an personal and a work phone).

Thus, in the last days I’ve looked for such a device, a standard Bluetooth headset that could satisfy my needs. I’m quite picky and also have some experience with electronic devices (have a couple of IT related sites, i just finished an IT related college and i even used to work as an IT editor a couple of years ago) so I believe i can share an objective view on these gadgets and I can really pick the best of the best. Anyway, I gathered the interesting options i could find online (i always shop online) in a list, with pros and cons. And since I’ve made this list I decided I’d also share it with you, in case anyone needs an advice for buying such a Bluetooth headset in the near future.

And what better way to share the list then a top, ay?

Number 6 – Motorola H710 Mono headset

Motorola H710

We have here a Mono Bluetooth headset from Motorola, the H710 model. It’s a pretty basic mono headset, but excellent at its job.

It’s universal so it works with almost every Bluetooth compatible phone on the market and has a fast pairing technology. Of course it can pair with multiple devices simultaneously so it can connect to your business and personal phone in the same time. Other basic functions like remaining talk time indicator and easy On/Off are available too. But it lacks features like a noise canceling mic for example.

Unfortunately if you look for looks or somekind of special design, you won’t find that in the Motorola H710. Because we have just a basic Bluetooth headphone for the regular customer. Price is OK (around $30 bucks on Amazon, although the normal retail price is $100) considering it’s a Motorola device and not a no-name. And the fact that it has a 4.3 out of 5 mark on Amazon from real customers speak a lot of it’s overall quality. But there are better Bluetooth options on the market though, with better prices also.

Number 5 – Jabra BT125 black headset

Jabra BT125

This is definitelly one of the best priced brand named headsets out there. Jabra is a famous name in this domain and they make durable well built accessories.

This Jabra BT125 has most of the features a basic Bluetooth headset would need except noise canceling and automatic volume adaption according to the external conditions . Has a talk time of up to 8 hours and a stanby-time of more than 150 . Except that, it’s basic, built out of normal plastic, but still comfortable and easy enough for everyday usage.

The best part is that this jabra BT125 is cheap: you can get it online for just $12 bucks at the moment . Of course, it’s not the best equiped or the best looking, but for this price, you couldn’t ask more.

Number 4 – Aliph Jawbone II Bluetooth Headset

Aliph Jawbone 2

Unlike the previous headsets in this top , the Aliph Jawbone II is from an entire different class. First of all, it comes with features you won’t find on most such devices: military-grade noise elimination technology, multi devices pairing and a patented Voice Activity Sensor for your mic . All these translate in an easier usage and better sound quality.

Besides features, the Aliph Jawbone also looks very good, perhaps the best of all the other headsets in this list. Producers payed such attention to details that they even concealed the commands so they won’t disturb the artistic harmony of the whole product. And what’s also great about this headset is that it comes with a couple extra ear loops and earbuds, so you can replace the old ones in time .

So, if this headset is so great, why isn’t it higher in the tops? Well, because it has a couple of minor faults. And all starts from the difficulty of making this Jawbone II  fit the ear and stay there comfortable, even if you are provided with different size ear loops. And, if you won’t get it to fit tightly, the noise cancellation technology won’t work that well and you’ll also end up with a low sound volume in your headset, making it hard to use in noisy exterior conditions. But if you’re lucky enough to make it fit, all these problems shouldn’t bother you.

Of course there’s also the price matter, as this Aliph Jawbone II is the most expensive headset in this list, with a regular price tag of $129.99 . Of course you can get it online cheaper, for around 90 bucks, but that’s still a big price for a Bluetooth headset, a price that most of us (and i Included) might not be willing to pay.

Number 3 – Motorola S805 stereo headset

Motorola S805

Unlike the regular mono Bluetooth headsets in this list, the Motorole S805 are stereo headsets. So, as you can see in the picture, they look like ordinary headphones, but they connect to your phone via Bluetooth and have a mic included also. So, they can be used for wireless conversations, but this is not really their main purpose.

Because these stereo headset is meant for multimedia usage: listening to music, radio, etc. They do require a phone or Mp3 player with a Bluetooth AD2P profile (most of the modern ones have something like this, except the iPods or the iPhone) and they have an autonomy up to 17 hours. And that’s good, considering a have a pair of Logitech Freepulse headphones that can only allows me 5-6 hours of continously usage.

So you get all these features for a very good price: just around 35 bucks if you get them online. And that’s great considering this product has good reviews from customers on Amazon andother regular stereo headphones would cost you at least twice as much.

Number 2 – Samsung WEP200 black

Samsung WEP200

This Bluetooth headset is the one with the best price/performances mark in this list, considering it has almost everyhting you would need, looks great, a good brand in the back and a price tag below $20 . What much could you want? But let’s see a little bit more details about this device.

This Samsung WEP200 is first of all light and good looking. Then, it can fit both the left or the right ear, and that’s a big plus. As for functions, you have almost anything you need via the multi-function control on the side (volume, call waiting and holding, mic muting, voice calling, etc). Some of this functions depend on the phone though: if the phone don’t support them, they won’t be accessible via the Bluetooth headset.

The single down point would be the lack of a noise canceling mic technology, but Samsung implemented and omnidirectional mic that does a really good job at recording your voice, so the noise cancelling part might be compensated somehow by this feature.

And like I told you in the beginning, the Samsung WEP200 is not only good, but affordable also, with a price tag of just $17.99 if you buy it online from here, via Amazon . You’ll also get a travel charger and a travel chase in the package too. So, if you’re looking for a device with a great price and very good capabilities, this Samsung is just the one for you. But if you’d be willing to pay a little more for some extra features, take a look at out top winner below.

The winner – Plantronics Voyager 510

If you were wondering why there was no Plantronics headset in this top before, well, it simple: because we have it here, on the first position: The Plantronics Voyager 510 is the winner of our top. Because it simply is the best out there.

It combines a classic yet stylish look (see the picture for details) with an exceptional build quality and with great features. In fact, this one has everything you would want from a Bluetooth Stereo, from pairing with multiple devices and switching between them automatically to easy access to all the main features and to a mic with noise canceling technology. In fact, it’s similar to the Aliphs Jawbone in terms of specs, but lacks the faults that model has.

And also is wayt cheaper, cause the Plantronic Voyager 510 will cost you just $37.99 .

Plantronics Voyager 510

Besides that, there’s not much we can say. After all, we have here a Plantronics with tons of positive reviews on Amazon and a 4/5 mark there. And it’s also the best sold Bluetooth headset on this particular famous site, with tens of thousands of buyers. All these speak for themselves, so there’s no wonder the Plantronics Voyager 510 is our recommendation for such a device.

What do you guys think about our top with the best 6 Bluetooth headsets on the market? Do you agree with what we’ve said before or do you believe there are better versions we should have included here? Please don’t hesitate to leave your comments below.

©2009 Mike's Quarter - the internet blog. All Rights Reserved.

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Top 7 best computer chairs

I’m sure most of you reading this article right now spend lots of hours sitting in a chair, in front of the computer. Either at home or at the office. Since i work in the online business, i have a similar problem, as i spend from 8 to 12 hours in such a chair every work day. And i started having back problems, although i’m just 24 years old. I don’t even want to thing how I’ll feel in ten years time.  And I’m sure I’m only one of the many with similar symptoms.

So, since these days I’ve spent some time online trying to find a replacement for my home computer chair, I’ll share with you my list of findings in a top 7 with the best computer chairs on the market. Chairs that you can use both at home, while working or gaming, and in the everyday office.

I tried to pick only the more or less ergonomic and adjustable chairs that can ensure a good healthy position while working on the computer, but also i looked for quality, design and aspect. Thus, the prices are not very low, but most still affordable considering that such a chair can easily last for 3-4 years in normal conditions (and some come with 10-12 years warranty).

Number 7 – the standard leather chair ( $55 – discounted price )

This one is the standard leather chair you’ll find in most offices and is similar to the one I’m sitting on right now. They’re not bad. Actually, they’re quite comfortable and pretty OK built, although the materials quality is only medium. They have a high back with passive lumbar support and can be adjusted by height. But you can only adjust that much.

The standard adjustable leather chair

These chair are OK for a standard person, not too tall and not to heavy. I for one am kind of tall though and this chair won’t give me any kind of head rest support, thus my neck always strays in an uncomfortable position.

Still, i recommend this standard leather chair for those not willing to spend much money (it’s very cheap here, only $55, although the original retail price is around $200) and for those planning to replace their standard chair with an adjustable one. But still, this chair ain’t enough for me.

Number 6 – Ergonomic kneeling chair with high back ( $130 – discounted price )

Kneeling chair

I’m not really a fan kneeling chairs as i consider the position they provide at least strange. It’s not uncomfortable, but… not that comfortable either. At least in my case. But i still included an ergonomic kneeling chair in this list, just in case I couldn’t find anything better.

This ergonomic kneeling chair comes with wheels and is made of stainless steel and black fabric. Has a high back, height and angle adjustable and also a height adjustable seat . It is ergonomic (ANSI/BIFMA standards compliant) and provides a correct position if adjusted properly, but as i said, it’s weird and i don’t see myself spending 10 hours a day kneeling in front of my desk

Price and overall quality are good though, so if you’re into such types of chairs, you should give this one a try.

Number 5 – Pyramat Wireless Gaming Chair ( $179 – price cut )

Pyramat gaming chair

This chair is a little more out of the ordinary, as it focuses on providing a good gaming experience. It’s an office chair with a 2.1 integrated sound system (2 full range speakers+subwoofer). It has a wireless transmitter that connects to the PC and sends the sound to the chair and is fully compatible with PCs, iPods and other Mp3 players, all the known gaming consoles and TVs or DVD players. There’s also a wireless controller on the left armrest so you can adjust the audio experience very easily.

The Pyramat requires to be connected to the power line but also has a rechargeable battery that can provide up to 5 hours of juice.

So, everything sounds good, even the price of $179 ain’t that high. Sound quality and power is OK and the chair is pretty comfortable. But i can’t say it’s an ergonomic chair as it provides no adjustments for its parts (except seat hight). And also, i for one am not such a big fan of such combos and don’t even see their purpose: I’d better have a good chair and a good sound system than something that combines the two. But if you want a computer chair that could enhance your gaming experience, this Pyramat Wireless Gaming Chair is surely worth taking a look at.

Number 4 – the adjustable ergonomic chair ( $111 – 55% price cut )

The adjustable ergonomic chair

As we reach the middle of our list we find the computer chair with the best price/performances rapport. Because what we have here is a fully adjustable ergonomic chair that allows you to change the height of the seat and the back. It has a system with 3 paddles that would also allow you to adjust the tilt and the angle of the back seat, plus a tilt tension control mechanism . Even the Polyurethane Padded arm rests are adjustable too.

So, this chair will allow you to configure it almost as much as you want to. Especially if you consider that the price tag of just around $120 won’t put it in the higher league of sophisticated ergonomic chairs you’ll see in this list below. And that’s because this chair doesn’t use fancy materials, it has a steel frame and a black and white upholstery .

So, there’s no leather on this one and no fancy looks. So it might not fit all the modernist offices, but with a price that good and so many adjustable parts, I’d love to have one of those in my office. Still, not sure if I’d pick it for back home though, as there are better options (but with a higher price tag).

Number 3 - Ergo Star Saturn ergonomic chair ( $289.95 )

Ergo Star Saturn

With this one we enter the higher league of chairs that meet almost all the requirements: style, comfort and ergonomics , all with a proper price tag.

So, on the last step of the podium we have this Ergo Star Saturn chair . Like the one above, this one is fully adjustable and offers also adjustable lumbar support and adjustable head rest.

The quality of the materials used is way better though, the frame and base seat being made of aluminum and breathable mash fabric. And this last one is a great plus over the chairs made of leather or standard fabric, because it allows the skin to breath and you won’t sweat that much when using the chair in hotter conditions.

Of course all these come with a higher price tag, but one affordable enough for everyone: $289 .  There’s no price cut for this version and you should hurry up, cause they sell so fast as the stock is now quite low on Amazon (only a couple of pieces left for now). So, if you want a good ergonomic chair for still a decent price, this Ergo Star Saturn is the one for you.

Number 2 – the Steelcase Leap Chair ( $849 – discounted price – 10 years warranty )

This chair is something everyone one of us would want to have at the office or back home. The “Leap chairs” are well known in the US as they received the Best Overall ERGONOMIC CHAIR distinction from Wall Street Journal . And this says something.

The entire chair is built to follow the curvature of your spine a provide natural and comfortable support. Of course everything is adjustable, but this chair can emulate itself on your body, the back and the seat changing form to adapt to your spine. Studies made by American scientists show that offices using such chairs saw an increase in productivity of up to %18 percents. And that’s something also.And ir oder to fit the design of every office, you can order these chairs in up to 12 different colors.

The producers of the Leap Chairs have such confidence in these products that they offer you 10 years full warranty for them. Also, there’s a 30 days money back guarantee refund policy. So, you can order and test the chair, and if you won’t like it, you can return it in 30 days and you’ll get a full refund, no questions asked.

The Steelcase Leap Chair

Of course, all these advantages bring the retail price for the leap Chair to about 1100 bucks. On this site you have the chance to buy them online via Amazon for just $849 . Of course, that’s still a high price tag, very high actually. But you can think of such chairs as an investment in your health: a 10 yeas investment actually.

And the winner – the Herman Miller Aeron Chair ( $879 – 300 buck price cut – 12 years warranty )

Herman Miller Aeron

I’m sure you’ve all heard of Herman Miller, the famous exclusive furniture producer. Its products are renowned all over the world for their quality, design , features and durability, and that’s why my best choice computer chair would be the Herman Miller Aeron Chair.

This one is the best ergonomic chair you can buy at the moment, everything being built to provide comfort and relieve pain you would get in ordinary chairs if sitting for hours in them. Of course everything is adjustable on this chair, and the producer makes it in 3 different size options so it can fit the needs of each and every customer.

Unlike the SteelCase Leap chair above, this one uses a mesh fabric for its back and seat. Thus, skins breathes easier and it’s better during the summer season. Also, the technology behind this mesh fabric allows it to distribute presure widely over a larger area, thus being less stressing on some particular parts of your body (like the lower back). So, all these make the Aeron “the most comfortable office chair” in the world, according to a recent survey in the US.

We don’t even have to mention how good are the materials used for this chair and the overall finishes standard. Because they are impeccable. Also, the Aeron uses environmental friendly materials, and we’re glad they care about our future.

Herman Miller Aeron chiar- perhaps the best computer chair money can buy

Of course, the best ergonomic computer chair in the world must come with an appropriate price tag: retail prices are around 1200 bucks in stores, but you can get it online from here, via Amazon, for $879 . That’s still a lot of money, but we also have to mention that Herman Miller offer a 12 years full warranty for this product. So if they trust it enough to do that, this chair must really be something.

Final Words on these top with computer chairs

All these being said, i still haven’t decided what to buy yet. But i think i will go for one the Aeron (if they’ll deliver it to my country of course). It’s expensive i know, but it provides anything i need. And I’d rather pay more for a good durable product (remember it has 12 years warranty this one) than buy a cheaper chair each 2-3 years that won’t be neither as good or as comfortable.

What do you folks think? Si the Herman Miller Aeron worth it’s money? Or would you choose a different computer chair (not necessary from the ones above) ?

©2009 Mike's Quarter - the internet blog. All Rights Reserved.

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Now, after a couple of years, i believe i’ve learn my lesson: read less and practice more . I do agree you have to try to accumulate information at the beginning, but try to keep your suorces number low and try to pick only the credible ones. And then, go practice what you’ve read about. Cause that’s the only real way you can learn things.

And one more thing. You won’t find those information that will allow you to earn good money online from others, unless you’re a friend of them or something. Because they’re not going to show you their money making schemes, at least not for free. Thus, you have to practice and fail, and then start again and maybe fail again. Cause in the end you’re learn and you’ll prevail. Just my humble opinion.

©2009 Mike's Quarter - the internet blog. All Rights Reserved.

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iPod Touch 2G - accessories make it even better

The iPod Touch is a great device, that’s for sure. Whenever i get my hand on either the first or the second generation of iPod Touch I enjoy browsing with the help of that great touchscreen, play some of those games specially built for it or enjoy the audio quality it provides.

But, even if we’re talking about a good gadget, there are quite a bunch of accessories that will make it even better. That’s why i thought I’d write this little post where I’ll show you what i consider to be some of the best accessories for the iPod Touch 2G and actually the ones i’d want for my gadget.

The Altec Lansing T612 Digital Speaker set – usually $200, now only $115

Sound quality is very good on the iPod Touch, so good that if you combine it with a proper set of speakers, it can become the best road trip music source. That way, when you go on holidays, you can bring your music with you a get the party ready asap.

So, as I consider this accessory a must for every iPod Touch owner, i’m going to present you two options in this top. First of all we have the best price/performances solution: The Altec Lansing T612 . First of all, this device is compatible with nearly all the iPods on the market and the iPhone. It’s made by Altec Lansing, and that’s a big name in this industry. The 4 speakers (2 full-range drivers and 2 tweeters) provide the perfect balance between acustic performance and volume. Also, the device is pretty compact and good looking, as you can see in the picture bellow.

The Altec Lansing Speakers set for iPod Touch 2G

For more details just check out this page.

iTrip cor iPod Touch

The Griffin iTrip FM Transmitter - now only $9 (usually retails for $49)

This is an FM modulator for your iPod Touch, that can easily broadcast the music on your ipod to you car’s radio, so it can be played via your vehicle’s audio system. It a very cheap and useful accessory. Also, is very use to set up and use and it drains the power needed from the gadget. You might need a car charger for your iPod Touch 2G too if you plan to use it for a longer period of time, but that won;t cost you more than a couple of bucks either.

Apple USB power adapter + USB cable

This set that cotains a standard power adapter + an USB 2.0 cable for your iPod Touch comes in handy when you must charge your gadget but you have no computer around. Thus, you will have to use a standard power outlet. Both things won’t cost you more than 3-4 bucks. Here you can find more details about these things.

Harman Kardon Go + Play – great ultra-portable speakers

This one is the second speakers set in this top. Also made by a very big name in the industry, Harman Kardon, the Go+Play model has the advantage of being durable and portable ( 20 x 9 x 9.5 inches and 4 pounds). Looks like in the picture below and comes with lots of settings and tunnings. Also has a remote so you can control the music easier. Sound quality is incredible and i believe this Harman Kardon piece can even replace your home stereo system if needed.

Harman Kardon Go+Play - my favourite speakers set for the iPod Touch 2G

The price tag on the Go+Play is a little high though, around $400. You can get it on Amazon for around $265 now. You can read more about the specs and about what can this device do here, and you can even see the buying conditions.

The 14 piece accessories set

Last but not least, you can find an accessories set with no less than 14 pieces, that include a leather case, a silicone case, a couple of protective screens, a tiny speaker, an audio kit, etc. All these for just $19.99 . I can’t say I’m a very big fan of sets, but this one provides good value for the money and might be the good and cheap way to get a bunch of useful things for your iPod. Here you can read more about this pack .

Of course, there are surely other accessories for the iPod Touch 2G on the market, and lots of them. The above are only the ones i like , so, if you have something you consider mentioning, please leave a comment.

©2009 Mike's Quarter - the internet blog. All Rights Reserved.

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The smart way to read books

I used to be a fierce reader when i was younger. Things changed now as i don’t have the time to read as much. But I still enjoy books when commuting or when in vacations (especially during summer, when I’m a beach worm: books and beers ) ) .

But, there are a couple of problems when trying to read on the road, far away from the comfort of your couch: ordinary books are heavy and big. And also expensive and non ecological (they have to cut down trees for them, you know). These things always bothered me until i discovered there’s a way to go around them: a device called ebook reader.

Actually this one has been around for quite a couple of years now and is a device that loads electronic documents and tries to give you a reading experience as similar as possible to that of reading a normal paper book.

The technology behind ebook readers

Ebook readers have screens, but not like the LCD displays. These screens are made with a technology called e-ink (electronic ink). To explain it simply, this technology uses micro-capsules suspended in a fluid between sheets of glass (or something similar). Each micro-capsule has a positive charged part (white) and a negative one (black). According to the image that needs to be displayed, an electric charge is used to arrange the capsules as needed. Thus, the technology uses very little power and only when you have to change the content displayed .

This way, ebook readers don’t have any negative effects on your eyes and can be easily used in direct sun light. They are not self lit though, so if you want to read at night, you’ll have to use a different light source. Like i said, the technology tries to simulate a book.

The advantages of ebook readers

There are many actually:

• they are compact and easy
• they can store many books
• they have good autonomy (can be used for days or even weeks between recharges)
• they can store other kind of materials: pictures, audio, etc
• they provide the user a easy way to access new materials, as some of them have Wi-fi And 3G connectivity so you can buy content directly from the device

And there are two main disadvantages too. First of all, the price, which is pretty high. You then still have to buy the electronic books, but those are usually 3-4 times cheaper than the usual books. So, if you’re a ferocious reader, you can deduct the price of the reader from the ones of the books you’ll buy.

The second one is more a mental problem: an ebook won’t give you the same psychological experience you get when browsing a paper book and you won’t be able to build a physical library back home with electronic books. But you can live with that .

The best ebook readers offer on the market right now

There aren’t many actually and i decided it would be easier to put the most important ones in a table. You can see it below, with the main specs for each of them.

Of course there are other ebook readers on the market too. Unfortunately, they are either to poor equiped or too expensive. I could enumerate the following: The Sony ebook reader PRS-700 (similar in specs to the 505, but more extensive and with a new look) , th Franklin EBM-900 eBookman (decent reader that works with AAA beteries and cost around $280) or the iRex Digital Reader 1000S (this one has 10″ screen an anything you would ever want from a e-reader, bust costs around $750 ?!? )

Ebook readers are the best travel partners

I for one am a big fan of the Amazon Kindle’s, especially of the bigger Kindle DX. It has lots of extra features other readers lack. And especially if you live in the US they are the best, cause offer access pretty easy (via the 3G Whispernet AT&T network) to the biggest collection of electronic books and materials (magazines, papers, etc). Also, they have a good price tag and are made by Amazon, an this alone should inspire you a great deal of trust in the product.

Of course, the other options are OK too, each of these ebook readers having their own pros and cons after all. So, if you’re into acquiring such a device, i hope I’ve provided a helping hand with this article. If you have any other questions regarding these devices, reviews or comparisons between them, don’t hesitate to ask and I’ll try to help you.

If not, happy ebook readers hunting and remember: reading must be a part of your everyday life.

©2009 Mike's Quarter - the internet blog. All Rights Reserved.

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I needed something that would provide me decent performances and good autonomy, would have as sturdy construction but would look OK (not something made of cheap plastic) and won’t be either heavy, nor expensive.

Netbooks - best summer 2009 offers

I know, I have high expectations But believing such devices exist on the market, is started looking for reviews and offers for the best netbooks at this moment (July 2009). And in the following lines I’m going to tell you what I’ve found.

Actually, I’ve been following the netbooks subject for quite a while now. I tried quite some of them, including several Asus EEE PCs, the Aspire One and the Dell Mini, but all of them had something wrong: poor display, resolution, construction, keyboard or extremely high prices. But now there are so many offers of netbooks on the market that i believe i can find something suitable for me.

The 10″ models – 2009th mainstream netbooks

I didn’t even considered laptops with a smaller screen, because they have lots of  problems (tiny screen and resolution, jammed keyboards, etc). So i first stated looking at the 10 inch display devices. And there are quite a few now, as this size has become mainstream in the netbook class.

Asus 1000H (and 1000HG) line + Asus S101H

They are the best Asus has to offer at the moment in this class. In terms of specs, there’s nothing missing: Intel Atom N270 CPU, 1Gb of RAM, 160 GB storage drive, Wi-fi, Bluetooth, 10.1″ screen (1024 x 600 px resolution), Windows XP OS, etc . THe 1000HG version even has an intergated 3G modem . You can read more about the Asus EEE 1000HG here, actually.

Asus 1000h - great price/quality raport

This line looks decent enough, but nothing out of ordinary. They come with an almost normal sized keyboad that won’t bother you even if used for a longer time. And they have great autonomy: the standard model has a 6 cell battery – up to 6 hours of life , but there are also versions with a 9 cell heart (beyond 10 hours of life). There’s also a more stylish version, slimmer, better looking and made of better materials, the Asus EEE PC S101H.

The prices for these devices are quite good. You can get the ordinary 1000H for around $400 and the 1000HG for around $450. The S101H hasn’t reached stores yet, but it’s reckon to have a price tag around $600 . There are other 10″ Asus netbooks too, you can check them out right here, on Amazon .

MSI Wind U100

There are many versions of the MSI Wind 100. They have the same specs as the Asus devices above. I can’t say they’re better, they’re the same. I had one for about 2 weeks when my laptop had a trip to the service and there’s nothing i can say wrong about them. The standard Wind with a 6 cell battery and up to 6 hours autonomy will cost you around $400, but you can find it here for just $369 .

MSI Wind U200 - perhaps one of the best 12" netbooks to come

Acer Aspire One

This one is the same as the EEE PC’s and the Wind above. Same specs, same construction, same screen. Just a different exterior and a better price. Cause the 10.1″ Acer Aspire One can be found for as low as $329 .

These are perhaps the best such models on the market. There are others too, like the Dell Mini (i won’t recommend this one, it has a horrible keyboard and looks like a piece of junky plastic) , the Toshiba Mini or the Samsnugn NC10. And also the soon to come Vaio W, the first true netbook from Sony, and the first high class name to enter this competition. More About the Sony Vaio W you can find here.

The 12″ models – the perfect compromise

Asus S121 - the 12'er from Asus EEE Series

There aren’t a lot of 12″ netbooks on the market yet. Actually, there are only two models available on Amazon, the Samsung N120 and the Dell Mini 12M. They have similar specs as the 10″-ers above: Intel Atom CPU, 1GB RAM, decent storage space, etc, but bring up a bigger screen with better resolution, thus a bigger work space. And that’s a great ad-don. The two models from above are not so expensive either: around $400 for the Samsung N120 and around $330 for the Dell Mini (only some colors) .

But, there are lots of ther models soon to reach the stores in this class, during this summer or this fall. The noticeable names will be the MSI Wind U200 , the Acer Aspire Timeline 1810T or the Asus S121 . They will have 12″ screens, resolutions of (1280 x 800px or 1366 x 768px resolutions), perhaps newer and more powerful Intel ATOM CPUs, 2 Gb of RAM, etc . They will boost autonomy to around 8-10 hours and will cost 500-700 bucks.

I for one believe these 12″ netbooks are the best compromise for now between power and portability. But, as this segment is evolving so fast, I’m not really convinced i should buy one in the next 2-3 months or wait too see what else is going to reach the stores during the Winter sales period (especially on Black Friday).

Anyway, i presented you the best netbooks at the moment. I couldn’t quite review them in this article, but if you need more info on a particular model, don’t hesitate to post a comment and I’ll try to help you.

©2009 Mike's Quarter - the internet blog. All Rights Reserved.

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Anyway, you should do that in order to protect your work. Because nowadays the number of attacks on sites is increasing exponentially. Especially if your project becomes big, there will be many trying to hurt it. And there’s a big chance they will succeed eventually, no matter how secure your server/code is. Thus, backup as often as you can. By doing a full backup, whenever something happens, you can just put the backup up and restore everything in just minutes.

I’m writing this because this site got hacked and injected with a JS in May. I used the .snapshot facility from my hosting (details about .snapshot) and restored everything. Unfortunately, i didn’t notice at the time that not all of my pictures we’re backed up. But I just found out today that most of the pictures from 2008 and part of 2007 are missing. And, since i have the very bad habit of forgetting to backup everything (i backup the files, but not the pictures), i might have lost them for good. Hopefully i do have something on my other computer. Hopefully. Still, stupid stupid me.

That’s why be careful and backup everything, or else… you might end up like me. Epic fail

Photo source

©2009 Mike's Quarter - the internet blog. All Rights Reserved.

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