InfoTechnology

Killer Apps for Mobile Phones

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 04 Oct 2007 00:38:00 +0000

In a recent column, cell phone guru Sascha Segan attacked the idea that cell phones are mere frivolous gadgets, maintaining these devices are indeed true portable PCs complete with processors, color displays, networking and audio subsystems. He went on further to argue that mobile phones are capable of running all sorts of extremely useful applications. It's true, your cell phone is not just a voice communicator, and it can do so much more than you may realize. We've reviewed many third-party mobile applications available for download, all of which serve to keep you connected, get work done, or entertain while you're on the go. Here's are some of our favorites.—next: Stay Connected >

Stay Connected

ChatterEmail 3.0+ Palm OS VersaMail is a solid e-mail client, but this workhorse really impressed us with reliable push e-mail, a clean interface, and support for IMAP, POP, Exchange, and webmail accounts.

DataViz Documents To Go 9 Professional As far as we're concerned, it's The solution for editing important Microsoft Office documents on Palm OS-equipped smartphones.

Google Maps for Mobile Get detailed road and satellite maps, directions, and even real-time traffic info with this killer app. It runs on Palm OS, Windows Mobile, and feature phones, and it can even track your location on screen if your handheld has a built-in GPS chip.

Handmark Pocket Express 3.2 Aggregates news, sports, weather, travel information, and more into an icon-driven interface and includes a travel concierge that works like GM's OnStar, but for pedestrians. The Palm OS version is sublime; the Windows Mobile version needs work.
Mundu IM V4 This inexpensive IM aggregator works with AIM, Google, ICQ, Jabber, MSN, and Yahoo! Messenger accounts. The Palm OS version rocks, but steer clear of the nowhere-near-finished Windows Mobile version.

Opera Mini 4.0 (beta) Chuck your cell phone's wimpy browser and replace it with this much faster one. It also features cool extras such as intelligent zoom and comprehensive bookmark management.

SimulSays (beta) Ditch your "stuck in the eighties" voicemail system and go visual with SimulSays, which lets you view and listen to messages in any order, delete them, and archive them indefinitely without dialing in. Available on BlackBerry OS and Windows Mo-bile.

WeatherBug for Windows Mobile Smartphone 1.3 If you don't mind paying the entry fee, WeatherBug is a useful way to view weather information on your phone.

next: Entertain Yourself >

Entertain Yourself

Resco Pocket Radio for Smartphone 1.7 Listen to hundreds of Internet stations on your smartphone for a one-time fee. This musical app also has nine customizable presets and built-in stereo recording.

SlingPlayer Mobile If you have a Slingbox, SlingPlayer Mobile lets you tap into it to watch TV from your cell phone. It even works with TiVo.

StyleTap Platform 1.0 Anyone moving from Palm OS to Windows Mobile might be a tough transition. But this powerful emulator eases the pain, letting you run your favorite Palm OS apps on your new phone. The best part? It runs smoothly and quickly, even with many games.

TCPMP 0.71M It's getting harder to find on the Web, but this free app, which is no longer supported gives Palm OS and Symbian handhelds a powerful, format-agnostic video player.

WebCamera Plus 1.05 It won't set the world on fire, but this little program turns your smartphone into a webcam for your laptop, with a surprisingly decent frame rate at lower resolutions (but no sound support).

Loopt Social butterflies obsessed with keeping track of their friends' whereabouts and those prone to arranging spontaneous meet-ups will demand this social-mapping mobile phone app.

Yahoo! Go for Mobile 2.0 With this latest version of Yahoo! Go, users have the easiest mobile access yet to a lot of their Yahoo! content.

Copyright © 2007 Ziff Davis Media Inc. All Rights Reserved. Originally appearing in PC Magazine.

Nokia Bets on Mobile Social Communities

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 04 Oct 2007 00:33:00 +0000

HELSINKI - Nokia plans to build social networking technology acquired with U.S. firm Twango into its key S60 software, enabling it to bring community features faster to a wide range of phones, a company official said.
The world's top cell phone maker, Nokia, announced in July the deal to buy Twango—a service which allows users to share photos, video or audio files—as it bets on a take-off of cell phone versions of hugely popular social networking sites.
"We are going to integrate it with our S60 platform," Stephen Johnston, senior business development manager at Nokia, said in a speech to a trade fair in Helsinki.

When asked about social networking and the role of communities in Nokia's future, he said: "It's really going to be the underlying layer, across everything."
Nokia hopes mobile social networking sites—which allow increasing swathes of the world's population to keep in touch with friends online—will eventually encourage people to use the Internet on their cell phones with as much enthusiasm as they do on computers.
"Its seems that for many, virtual communities are the closest ones," Jorma Ollila, Nokia's chairman, said at the fair.
Last week, Nokia unveiled a new music store and gaming service, and said it would wrap them with a navigation offering into an Internet service platform under the new brand "Ovi", a Finnish word for "door".
"In the future the services will certainly expand. It is open, so it offers opportunity also for other service developers," Ollila said.
Nokia's S60 software platform is used extensively in Nokia's line-up of mid- to high-end phones, but also in advanced handsets of LG Electronics and Samsung Electronics.
Its closest rival is Microsoft's Windows Mobile.
MARKET SURGE AHEAD
Revenues from running networking sites such as MySpace, Facebook and Bebo on cell phones are expected to rise sharply in coming years as so-called "user-generated content", once a niche concept, starts to win mass appeal.v
Juniper Research expects annual revenues from wireless social networking to increase to 2.86 billion euros in 2012, compared with just 190 million euros this year.
"It is very early days. Mass social networking is a very recent phenomenon. People haven't yet worked out how to monetize it in the fixed world," said Windsor Holden, principal analyst at Juniper.
Holden said smaller players or new companies have a window of opportunity of 18 to 24 months to build communities.
"In a couple of years this market place will be crowded by your MySpaces and Facebooks. The opportunity is there because people carry a phone around all the time," Holden said.
Vodafone, the world's largest cell phone company by revenue, in February clinched a deal with media group Myspace owner News Corp that allows customers to post profiles, videos and blogs on a cell phone version of MySpace.
But smaller companies like Munich-based Gofresh, which runs the itsmy.com mobile social networking site with 550,000 users, expects forays by Internet sites into the mobile space to fail.
"Can online companies move to mobile? We have learned—definitely not. There is no PC company which would be leading in the mobile space," said Antonio Vince Staybl, one of the co-heads of Gofresh. "People always look for new stuff and the new stuff is mobile."

Ensuring data protection on the path to Linux

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 04 Oct 2007 00:26:00 +0000

Open source technologies are gaining momentum as a viable backbone for core computing requirements, resulting in soaring popularity for Linux worldwide. In fact, 2006 was a banner year for Linux, powered by a record surge in enterprise deployments as well as broad-based validations from industry heavyweights, including Oracle and Microsoft.
As the fastest growing operating system and storage management software opportunity in the market today, Linux continues to gain substantial traction in companies of all types and sizes, from mid-range organizations to large-scale enterprises running mission-critical applications.
Perhaps the most valuable validation that Linux is ready for primetime in enterprise and data center environments is its ever-increasing application support. Beyond its distinguished trademark as a staple for use in web portals and web hosting as part of the LAMP stack (Linux, Apache, MySQL and PHP), Linux is winning broader acceptance as a platform for mission-critical databases, messaging, enterprise resource planning (ERP) and payroll. In response, enterprise software vendors are increasingly porting applications to Linux, resulting in wide-scale deployments across all industries, including finance, retail, government, manufacturing and education.

The ability to install more affordable hardware and take advantage of many more software choices results in higher-performance, lower-cost technology deployments. To that end, the long-term value proposition for migrating to Linux is a compelling incentive. Reducing costs has been a dominant driver for Linux adoption, especially at the expense of UNIX, because the tab for software and porting is low to non-existent.
The business case for Linux migrations, especially from a UNIX environment, is fairly straightforward and takes the following into consideration:
* Reduced capital expenditures
* Lowered administrative costs
* Decreased operating system license fees
* Minimal training requirements
* Greater flexibility and control in leveraging off-the-shelf and custom applications
Often, Linux gets its start supporting a specific application or workgroup and over time permeates the organization in growing numbers to take on larger and more critical roles in supporting corporate computing workloads. In addition to commingling with Windows, Linux also must coexist with legacy UNIX, as well as Apple Macintosh platforms in increasingly heterogeneous environments. While the business case to support Linux migration is a solid one, companies may find themselves on shaky ground when facing the realities of supporting a mix of different computing platforms.
The vital role Linux now plays in the enterprise has sparked a new debate about how to incorporate it into an overall strategy that safeguards all data, regardless of the platform and application within which it resides. The conundrum only becomes more complex when taking into account all the different Linux distributions gaining traction worldwide, including AsianUX, Debian, FreeBSD, Mandriva, Miracle, Red Hat, SGI, Novell SUSE SLES, Turbolinux, etc.
While the consensus seems to favor relying on a single cross-platform solution to manage and protect heterogeneous data, the reality is many organizations have yet- or do not know how-to accomplish this feat. To make matters more complicated, many of the larger data protection vendors have been slow to support Linux, forcing end-users to run Linux hardware as clients to a Windows backup server. This type of band-aid fix typically is only sufficient until the Linux system expands to support larger, more data-intensive applications and databases. Ultimately, this approach proves inadequate and makes it difficult to meet ever-increasing backup windows.
In order to make separate solutions work together, time-constrained IT staffers are forced to write additional and/or manual scripts to conduct Linux backup and recovery procedures for applications that are not being protected properly by older data protection solutions. While the result provides a certain level of data protection, it also creates an isolated "island," which requires its own administration and management nightmares and still has data loss exposure in real-time production environments.
The proliferation of separate solutions for different platforms ultimately is insufficient and costly. In addition, this practice cannot provide one unified picture that integrates status, functionality, administration and reporting of the separate platforms. Enterprises need centralized, integrated, OS-agnostic data protection to effectively safeguard mixed-platform environments.
Multi-platform backup and recovery is the first line of defense in ensuring the well-being of Linux environments. To that end, it's imperative to seek a platform-independent solution that works as well in backing up Linux, Solaris and Macintosh environments as it does with Windows. Once the backup and recovery bases are covered, it makes sense to seek advanced capabilities for heightened data protection. In this quest, savvy IT departments are evaluating a growing suite of solutions that go well beyond backup and recovery, including:
* Real-time replication
* Snapshots
* Centralized reporting and administration
* Continuous Data Protection (CDP)
* Disaster recovery
* Business continuity
Many industry analysts claim the days of backup and recovery alone are gone as companies demand additional and often more sophisticated capabilities to increase business resiliency while lowering risks. An emerging class of integrated, real-time, byte-level replication products delivers continuous, multi-platform protection to bolster business continuity strategies. Byte-based replication will yield more granular data protection while also providing both scalable performance and application relevance to support growing Linux environments.
Regardless of whether the priority is simple backup and recovery or far-reaching business continuity, it's important to find solutions that are platform independent so they work seamlessly across all platforms. The need to move and protect data regardless of its source is spawning a new breed of heterogeneous data protection products that are raising the bar in terms of flexibility, control and integration.
With an integrated data protection strategy, companies can manage a single set of resources across all platforms from a centralized console. A single point of control is essential for ensuring operational efficiencies while boosting staff productivity. In fact, centralized management of multi-platform data protection can result in a 10x reduction in administrative costs while yielding a 7x-to-9x overall cost savings. Additionally, streamlining implementation and ongoing administration will reduce future labor costs to lower total cost of ownership (TCO) while improving return on data protection investments.
Putting in place an integrated, holistic solution for cross-platform data protection sets the stage for the highest levels of business continuity. As Linux continues to pick up steam as a global phenomenon, it will become even more crucial to select data protection products that have consistent, cohesive capabilities across all platforms. Over time, the demand for multi-platform data protection will surge right along with rapidly rising Linux deployments. As a result, organizations of all sizes will be able to safeguard critical, mixed environments without giving up anything or sacrificing their budgets, resources or requirements for comprehensive, cross-platform business continuity.

Basic Linux Tips and Tricks, Part 1

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 04 Oct 2007 00:19:00 +0000

This article is intended for people who have some computer expertise, even if it's Windows-only. At a minimum, you should be comfortable with the MS-DOS command line in Windows and have done a bit of Windows Registry editing to give you some experience with configuration files.
If you're totally unfamiliar even with the MS-DOS command line, you need to find in-person help of the sort this article can't provide; I recommend finding a local Linux User Group by either posting on Craigslist or checking the bulletin boards at a local college in the Computer Science department to find people to walk you through the basics and provide in-person handholding if you need it.

You should also get a For Dummies book or similar novice-oriented information for your specific distribution.
This article is largely specific to Debian and it's derivative distributions (usually called "distros") like Ubuntu, though the principles should serve users of RPM-based distros (i.e., Fedora, Red Hat Enterprise Linux, openSUSE, or SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop/Server).
This article is not a full treatment of Linux troubleshooting. A full treatment of Linux troubleshooting would be a rather long book, even if it were distro-specific.
What's here are some notes on resources and methods I've found useful in the last three years in keeping my systems running, to give novices some idea what to do once one gets "under the hood" of one's computer at a application/OS level. I emphasize the information one generally needs immediately when something goes wrong that you don't want to spend hours looking for, assuming you know you need that specific information.
In most cases, the truth is out there, most often in a canned solution you can use and find via Web search. Less often, you'll have to ask via forum or via mailing list.
Sometimes, there is no good answer. For instance, if nobody has written a driver for a printer or scanner, for instance, you're outta luck and your option is to do without, find a peripheral that is supported, find somebody willing to write a driver, or write it yourself.
But even this can be an improvement on waiting for MS to come up with a solution for a Windows environment. You've heard of Vista?
In general, the best way to stay out of trouble in Linux is to research any hardware you were thinking of buying for a Linux box or the box itself to make sure somebody somewhere has a Linux driver for it before buying.
Though I regard running a Debian-based distro as helpful in staying out of trouble, apt-based packaging results in more reliable and easier to use program installation than rpm based packaging. The rpm-based installation package is something Red Hat has said it will fix so hopefully, this situation will change in future.

Auto Technology

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 03 Sep 2007 05:46:00 +0000

The drive is a long one. Or let's put it this way, it's a never-ending driveway. Since the invention of the wheel, man's quest for automotive mobility led him to experiment with various kinds of vehicles. Vehicles that have used diverse technologies to make them function. From the steam - driven engine to the jet propelled aircraft, we sure have come a long way....

And of course, besides the shapes, it is the technology behind them that has transformed the automotive landscape.

Different systems like the engine, electrical, cooling etc. combine to make up a vehicle. Each works on disparate principles, yet collectively, it is on them that the performance of the vehicle depends. It would need only one of the many subsystems to dysfunction for the entire automobile to come to a halt.

We drive our cars and our bikes, but seldom know the mechanics involved. Here, we give detailed explanations on the different systems and sub-systems that go in the making of an automobile. Read on about those that are being phased out like the carburetor, and those that are talking its place, the fuel injection system, for example.

Body

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 03 Sep 2007 05:36:00 +0000

Auto Body, auto body part, classic auto body, car body designThe body of an automobile is categorized according to the number of doors, the arrangement of seats, and the roof structure. Their roofs are conventionally supported by pillars on each side of the body in recent times, there are convertible models with retractable fabric tops that rely on the pillar at the side of the windshield for upper body strength, as convertible mechanisms and glass areas are essentially nonstructural. The glass areas have been increased for improved visibility and for aesthetic reasons. New designs are usually programmed on three- to six-year cycles with generally minor refinements appearing during the cycle.

Redesigning was a tough job in the past, when as much as four years of planning and new tool purchasing was needed for a completely new design. Computer-aided design (CAD) and computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) techniques may now be used to reduce this time requirement by 50 percent or more.

Sheet steel is generally used to make automotive bodies. Elements are added to the alloy to improve its ability to be formed into deeper depressions without wrinkling or tearing in manufacturing presses. Steel is used because of its general availability, low cost, and good workability. Other materials for certain other materials are also used. Other materials, such as aluminum, fiberglass, and carbon fiber reinforced plastic are used because of their special properties.

For more toughness and resistance to brittle deformation, Polyamide, polyester, polystyrene, polypropylene, and ethylene plastics have been formulated. Tooling for plastic components generally costs less and requires less time to develop than that for steel components.

Painting and priming processes are used to protect bodies from corrosive elements and to maintain their strength and appearance. Bodies are first dipped in cleaning baths to remove oil and other foreign matter and then they go through a succession of dip and spray cycles. Enamel and acrylic lacquer are both in common use.

Electrodeposition of the sprayed paint, a process in which the paint spray is given an electrostatic charge and then attracted to the surface by a high voltage, helps assure that an even coat is applied and that hard-to-reach areas are covered. To speed up the drying process in the factories, ovens with conveyer lines are used. In those body areas that are more susceptible to corrode, galvanized steel with a protective zinc coating and corrosion-resistant stainless steel are used.

Chassis

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 03 Sep 2007 05:31:00 +0000

The chassis forms the main structure of the modern automobile. A large number of designs in pressed-steel frame form a skeleton on which the engine, wheels, axle assemblies, transmission, steering mechanism, brakes, and suspension members are mounted. During the manufacturing process the body is flexibly bolted to the chasis.

This combination of the body and frame performs a variety of functions. It absorbs the reactions from the movements of the engine and axle, receives the reaction forces of the wheels in acceleration and braking, absorbs aerodynamic wind forces and road shocks through the suspension, and absorbs the major energy of impact in the event of an accident.

There has been a gradual shift in modern small car designs. There has been a trend toward combining the chasis frame and the body into a single structural element. In this grouping, the steel body shell is reinforced with braces that make it rigid enough to resist the forces that are applied to it. To achieve better noise-isolation characteristics, separate frames are used for other cars. The presence of heavier-gauge steel components in modern separate frame designs also tends to limit intrusion in accidents.

Fuel injection

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 03 Sep 2007 05:11:00 +0000

Fuel InjectionIn an internal combustion engine, the fuel injection system is that which delivers fuel or a fuel-air mixture to the cylinders by means of pressure from a pump. It was originally used in diesel engines because of diesel fuel's greater viscosity and the need to overcome the high pressure of the compressed air in the cylinders.

A diesel fuel injector sprays an intermittent, timed, metered quantity of fuel into a cylinder, distributing the fuel throughout the air within. Fuel injection is also now used in gasoline engines in place of a carburetor. In gasoline engines the fuel is first mixed with air, and the resulting mixture is delivered to the cylinder. Computers are used in modern fuel injection systems to regulate the process. The positive effects of fuel injection are that there is more efficient fuel combustion, better fuel economy and engine performance and reduced polluting exhaust emissions.

Carburetor

This is a device in a gasoline engine. It vaporizes the gas and mixes it with a regulated amount of air that aids in efficient combustion in the engine cylinders. Land vehicles, boats, and light aircraft have a float carburetor, in which a float regulates the fuel level in a reservoir from which the fuel is continuously sucked into the intake manifold at a restriction called a venturi. The carburetor has been replaced by the fuel injection system in many modern vehicles.

Engine

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 03 Sep 2007 05:10:00 +0000

Automotive production down the ages has required a wide range of Automobile Engine, how does an engine workenergy-conversion systems. These include electric, steam, solar, turbine, rotary, and different types of piston-type internal combustion engines. The reciprocating-piston internal -combustion system, operating on a four-stroke cycle, has been the most successful for automobiles, while diesel engines are widely used for trucks and buses.

The gasoline engine was originally selected for the automobile due to its flexibility over a wide range of speeds. Also, the power developed for a given weight engine was reasonable; it could be produced by economical mass-production methods; and it used a readily available, moderately priced fuel--gasoline. Reliability, compact size, and range of operation later became important factors.

In today’s world, there has been a growing emphasis on the pollution producing features of automotive power systems. This has created new interest in alternate power sources and internal-combustion engine refinements that were not economically feasible in prior years. Although a few limited-production battery-powered electric vehicles have appeared from time to time, they have not proved to be competitive owing to costs and operating characteristics. However, the gasoline engine, with its new emission-control devices to improve emission performance, has not yet been challenged significantly.

The first half of the twentieth century saw a trend to increase engine horsepower, particularly in the American models. Design changes incorporated all known methods of raising engine capacity, including increasing the pressure in the cylinders to improve efficiency, increasing the size of the engine, and increasing the speed at which power is generated. The higher forces and pressures created by these changes created engine vibration and size problems that led to stiffer, more compact engines with V and opposed cylinder layouts replacing longer straight-line arrangements. In passenger cars, V-8 layouts were adopted for all piston displacements greater than 250 cubic inches (4 litres).

Smaller cars brought about a return a to smaller engines, the four- and six-cylinder designs rated as low as 80 horsepower, compared with the standard-size V-8 of large cylinder bore and relatively short piston stroke with horsepower ratings in the range from 250 to 350.

The automobile engines from Europe had a bigger range, varying from 1to12 cylinders with corresponding differences in overall size, weight, piston displacement, and cylinder bores. Four cylinders and horsepower ratings from 19 to 120 was followed in a majority of the models. Several three-cylinder, two-stroke-cycle models were built while most engines had straight or in-line cylinders. There were several V-type models and horizontally opposed two- and four-cylinder makes too. Overhead camshafts were frequently employed. The smaller engines were commonly air-cooled and located at the rear of the vehicle; compression ratios were relatively low. The 1970s and '80s saw an increased interest in improved fuel economy which brought in a return to smaller V-6 and four-cylinder layouts, with as many as five valves per cylinder to improve efficiency.

Internal -Combustion engine

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 03 Sep 2007 05:10:00 +0000

Internal Combustion Engine, Diesel Engine, Combustion Engine, Internal CombustionFuel combustion takes place in a confined space, and produces expanding gases that are used to provide mechanical power. The four-stroke reciprocating engine that is used in automobiles is the most common internal-combustion engine.

In this mechanism, mechanical power is supplied by a piston that is fitted inside a cylinder. On a downstroke of the piston, the first stroke, fuel that has been mixed with air (by fuel injection or using a carburetor) enters the cylinder through an intake valve; the piston moves up to compress the mixture at the second stroke. At ignition, the third stroke, a spark from a spark plug ignites the mixture, forcing the piston down; in the exhaust stroke, an exhaust valve opens to vent the burned gas as the piston moves up. The piston is connected to a crankshaft by means of a rod. The reciprocating (up and down) movements of the piston rotate the crankshaft, which is connected by gearing to the drive wheels of the automobile. The ignition spark is provided by an electrical system whose power comes from a battery. This also supplies power to the starting system, which is a small electric motor that turns the crankshaft until the engine takes over. Water circulating around the cylinders cool the engine, and lubrication occurs motor oil that is driven around the moving engine parts by an oil pump. Small vehicles like lawn mowers and motorcycles use the two-stroke engine, which combines intake and compression in the first stroke and power and exhaust in the second.

Diesel engine

This type of internal combustion engine was patented in 1892 by the German engineer Rudolph Diesel. It burns fuel oil instead of gasoline and is heavier and more powerful than the gasoline engine. It differs from the gasoline engine in that the ignition of fuel is caused by compression of air in its cylinders instead of by a spark. By varying the amount of fuel injected in the cylinder, the speed and power of the diesel are controlled. Industrial and municipal electric generators, continuously operating pumps such as those used in oil pipelines, and ships, trucks, locomotives, and other such automobiles widely use diesel to power.

Electrical System

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 03 Sep 2007 04:50:00 +0000

Electrical System, Car Electrical System, Automotive Electrical SystemThe electrical system of the automobile was, at first limited to the ignition equipment. However, electric lights and horns began to replace the kerosene and acetylene lights and the bulb horns with the advent of the electric starter on a 1912 model. Electrification was rapid and complete, and, by 1930, six-volt systems were standard everywhere. The electrical system consists of a storage battery, generator, starting (cranking) motor, lighting system, ignition system, and various accessories and controls.

It was difficult to meet high ignition voltage requirements with the increased engine speeds and higher cylinder pressures of the post-World War II cars. The larger engines required higher cranking torque. Additional electrically operated features, such as radios, window regulators, and multispeed windshield wipers, also added to system requirements. 12-volt systems generally replaced the 6-volt systems in 1956 production to meet these needs.

The ignition system consists of the spark plugs, coil, distributor, and battery, and provides the spark to ignite the air-fuel mixture in the cylinders of the engine. In order to jump the gap between the electrodes of the spark plugs, the 12-volt potential of the electrical system must be stepped up to about 20,000 volts. This happens with the aid of a circuit that starts with the battery, one side of which is grounded on the chasis and leads through the ignition switch to the primary winding of the ignition coil and back to the ground through an interrupter switch. A high voltage id induced across the secondary of the coil by interrupting the primary circuit. The high-voltage secondary terminal of the coil leads to a distributor that acts as a rotary switch, alternately connecting the coil to each of the wires leading to the spark plugs.

It was in the 1970s that solid-state or transistorized ignition systems were introduced. Increased durability by eliminating the frictional contacts between breaker points and distributor cams was provided by these distributor systems. A revolving magnetic pulse generator in which alternating-current pulses trigger the high voltage needed for ignition by means of an amplifier electronic circuit replaced the breakerpoint. Changes in engine ignition timing are made by vacuum or electronic control unit (microprocessor) connections to the distributor.

The generator is the basic source of energy for the various electrical devices of the automobile. An alternator that is belt-driven from the engine crankshaft is also used at times. The design is usually an alternating-current type with built-in rectifiers and a voltage regulator to match the generator output to the electric load and also to the charging requirements of the battery, regardless of engine speed.

To store excess output of the generator, a lead-acid battery is used which serves as a reservoir. Energy for the starting motor is thus made available along with power for operating other electric devices when the engine is not running or when the generator speed is not sufficiently high to carry the load.

The starting motor then drives a small spur gear, which is so arranged that it automatically moves into mesh with gear teeth on the rim of the flywheel as the starting-motor armature begins to turn. As soon as the engine starts, the gear is disengaged, which prevents the starting motor from getting damaged due to overspeeding. The starting motor is designed for high current consumption and delivers considerable power for its size for a limited time.

Headlights

Night driving has long been dangerous due to the glare of headlights that blind drivers approaching from the opposite direction. Therefore, headlights that satisfactorily illuminate the highway ahead of the automobile for night driving without temporarily blinding approaching drivers have long been sought. To correct this problem resistance-type dimming circuits, which decreased the brightness of the headlights when meeting another car, were first introduced. This gave way to mechanical tilting reflectors and later to double-filament bulbs with a high and a low beam, called sealed-beam units.

There was only one filament at the focal point of the reflector in the double-filament headlight unit of necessity. Greater illumination required for high-speed driving with the high beam, consequently, the lower beam filament was placed off center, with a resulting decrease in lighting effectiveness. From the 1950s, manufacturers equipped their models with four headlights to improve illumination.

In some cars, dimming is automatically achieved. This happens by means of a photocell-controlled switch in the lamp circuit that is triggered by the lights of an oncoming car. Larger double-filament lamps and halogen-filled lamp bulbs with improved photometrics permitted a return to two-headlight systems on some cars. At many places the law limits the total intensity of forward lighting systems to 75,000 candlepower (800,000 lux).

In most new automobiles, lowering front hood heights for improved aerodynamic drag and driver visibility reduces the vertical height available for headlights. Due to this, lower-profile rectangular sealed-beam units and higher-intensity bulbs, in conjunction with partial parabolic reflectors with reduced vertical axis, were adopted in the 1970s. In some cases, models featured full-size concealed headlights that were not visible until turned on. An electric motor linkage was used to rotate the lamp housing or a housing cover into proper position to supply lighting. Aerodynamic benefits were provided by this system only when the headlights were concealed.

In the 1960s, signal lamps and other special-purpose lights were increased in usage. Amber-colored front and red rear signal lights are flashed as a turn indication; all these lights are flashed simultaneously in the "flasher" system for use when a car is parked along a roadway or is traveling at a low speed on a high-speed highway. The law requires that marker lights that are visible from the front, side, and rear be also present. Red-colored rear signals are used to denote braking, and, on some models, cornering lamps to provide extra illumination in the direction of an intended turn are available. These are actuated in conjunction with the turn signals. To provide illumination to the rear when backing up, backup lights are required.

Cooling System

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 03 Sep 2007 04:12:00 +0000

Cooling System, liquid coolants in engines, cooling system operations, engine cooling system, automotive cooling systemLiquid cooling systems are employed by most engines today. A typical automotive cooling system comprises

(1) a series of channels cast into the engine block and cylinder head, surrounding the combustion chambers with circulating water or other coolant to carry away excessive heat,
(2) a radiator, consisting of many small tubes equipped with a honeycomb of fins to radiate heat rapidly, that receives and cools hot liquid from the engine,
(3) a centrifugal-type water pump with which to circulate coolant,
(4) a thermostat, which maintains constant temperature by automatically varying the amount of coolant passing into the radiator, and
(5) a fan, which draws fresh air through the radiator.

For operation at temperatures below 32º F (0º C), it is necessary to prevent the coolant from freezing. This is usually done by adding some compound to depress the freezing point of the coolant. Alcohol formerly was commonly used, but it has a relatively low boiling point and evaporates quite easily, making it less desirable than organic compounds with a high boiling point, such as ethylene glycol. By varying the amount of additive, it is possible to protect against freezing of the coolant down to any minimum temperature normally encountered. Coolants contain corrosion inhibitors designed to make it necessary to drain and refill the cooling system only once a year.

Air-cooled cylinders operate at higher, more efficient temperatures, and air cooling offers the important advantage of eliminating not only freezing and boiling of the coolant at temperature extremes but also corrosion damage to the cooling system. Control of engine temperature is more difficult, however, and high-temperature-resistant ceramic parts are required when design operating temperatures are significantly increased.

Pressurized cooling systems with operating pressures up to 14 pounds per square inch (100 kilopascals) have been used to increase effective operating temperatures. Partially sealed systems using coolant reservoirs for coolant expansion if the engine overheats were introduced in 1970.

Fuel and lubrication

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 03 Sep 2007 04:08:00 +0000

The only fuel used for automobile operation is specially formulated gasoline, even though diesel fuels are used for many trucks and buses Fuel and Lubrication, auto fuels, specially formulated gasolineand a few automobiles. The things in a good fuel for automobile are proper volatility, sufficient antiknock quality, and freedom from polluting by-products of combustion

The volatility is reformulated seasonally by refiners so that sufficient gasoline vaporizes, even in extreme cold weather, to permit easy engine starting. Antiknock compounds, principally tetraethyl lead, were added to most gasolines to prevent knocking, a rapid, uncontrolled burning in the final stages of combustion that results in a characteristic "knock," or pinging noise, and may damage an engine or reduce its performance.

Small lead deposits on such places as engine-valve seats improve valve life. Antiknock quality is rated by the octane number of the gasoline and depends primarily on the compression ratio of the engine. However it is also affected by combustion-chamber design and chamber-wall deposits. In the early 1990s regular gasoline carried an octane rating of 87 and high-test in the neighborhood of 93.

Lubrication is an essential requirement for all vehicles. In its absence, friction would increase power consumption and damage the parts. The lubricant also serves as a coolant, a noise-reducing cushion, and a sealant between engine piston rings and cylinder walls. The engine lubrication system includes a gear-type pump that delivers filtered oil under pressure to a system of drilled passages leading to various bearings. Oil spray also lubricates the cams and valve lifters.

Fairly stiff grease is required by wheel bearings and universal joints. The other chasis joints require a soft grease that can be injected by pressure guns. A special grade of light hydraulic fluid is required by hydraulic transmissions. Manually shifted transmissions use a heavier gear oil similar to that for rear axles to resist heavy loads on the gear teeth. Gears and bearings in lightly loaded components, such as generators and window regulators, are fabricated from self-lubricating plastic materials.

Body

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 03 Sep 2007 02:52:00 +0000

Auto Body, auto body part, classic auto body, car body designThe body of an automobile is categorized according to the number of doors, the arrangement of seats, and the roof structure. Their roofs are conventionally supported by pillars on each side of the body in recent times, there are convertible models with retractable fabric tops that rely on the pillar at the side of the windshield for upper body strength, as convertible mechanisms and glass areas are essentially nonstructural. The glass areas have been increased for improved visibility and for aesthetic reasons. New designs are usually programmed on three- to six-year cycles with generally minor refinements appearing during the cycle....

Redesigning was a tough job in the past, when as much as four years of planning and new tool purchasing was needed for a completely new design. Computer-aided design (CAD) and computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) techniques may now be used to reduce this time requirement by 50 percent or more.

Sheet steel is generally used to make automotive bodies. Elements are added to the alloy to improve its ability to be formed into deeper depressions without wrinkling or tearing in manufacturing presses. Steel is used because of its general availability, low cost, and good workability. Other materials for certain other materials are also used. Other materials, such as aluminum, fiberglass, and carbon fiber reinforced plastic are used because of their special properties.

For more toughness and resistance to brittle deformation, Polyamide, polyester, polystyrene, polypropylene, and ethylene plastics have been formulated. Tooling for plastic components generally costs less and requires less time to develop than that for steel components.

Painting and priming processes are used to protect bodies from corrosive elements and to maintain their strength and appearance. Bodies are first dipped in cleaning baths to remove oil and other foreign matter and then they go through a succession of dip and spray cycles. Enamel and acrylic lacquer are both in common use.

Electrodeposition of the sprayed paint, a process in which the paint spray is given an electrostatic charge and then attracted to the surface by a high voltage, helps assure that an even coat is applied and that hard-to-reach areas are covered. To speed up the drying process in the factories, ovens with conveyer lines are used. In those body areas that are more susceptible to corrode, galvanized steel with a protective zinc coating and corrosion-resistant stainless steel are used.

TiVo Launches Remote Scheduling With Verizon Wireless

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 14 Aug 2007 05:50:00 +0000

iVo, the creator of television services for digital video recorders (DVRs), and Verizon Wireless announced the availability of TiVo Mobile scheduling, a downloadable application available only through Verizon Wireless.... TiVo Mobile scheduling allows subscribers to purchase the mobile service through select Verizon Wireless handsets and schedule recordings on their TiVo Series2T or Series3T TiVo boxes.

TiVo and Verizon Wireless bring consumers the convenience of scheduling television recordings while away from the living room. Whether you are away from home or discussing TV at the water cooler, all that is needed is a select Verizon Wireless Get It Now-enabled handset to schedule recordings on your TiVo box.

"TiVo continues to transform and revolutionize the way people control and watch television," said Jim Denney, vice president of product marketing at TiVo. "TiVo Mobile scheduling gives Verizon Wireless customers unprecedented control of their television experience and provides that control wherever they are."

Ryan Hughes, vice president of digital media for Verizon noted, "TiVo built its reputation by making television relevant to its customers, while Verizon Wireless built and maintains the nation's most reliable wireless network. This innovative service adds a new layer of relevance and immediacy, so even when they're thousands of miles away from their televisions, TiVo subscribers can program their favorite shows."

TiVo Mobile scheduling uses the award-winning TiVo interface to give subscribers the ability to easily search for and browse through listings to find shows that they want to record. Subscribers to the TiVo Mobile scheduling service will also have access to premium entertainment content that is updated daily, including a customizable channel lineup, the most popular and most recorded shows and a current list of recommendations from TiVo.

TiVo Mobile scheduling is available for $1.99 monthly access on select Get It Now-enabled phones, including the Samsung SCH-a950, Chocolate by LG and LG VX8300. For more information about Verizon Wireless products and services, visit a Verizon Wireless Communications Store, call 1-800-2 JOIN IN or go to www.verizonwireless.com.

TiVo selected Seattle-based Action Engine Corporation, a mobile software provider, to develop the TiVo Mobile scheduling service.

Google Phone Stories Won't Go Away

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 14 Aug 2007 05:44:00 +0000

Rumours of the new Google mobile phone are fast gaining credence. Google executive, Isabel Aguilera, recently dropped some rather heavy hints about a possible mobile move in an interview with Spanish language news-site Noticias.... During the interview, Aguilera let it slip that Google is definitely "investigating" a mobile phone. However, she stopped short of officially confirming it.

According to most rumours, the handset is likely to have a full-colour wide-screen design and will, of course, come Internet ready. Little else is known about the proposed device, indeed it t is still far from certain that Google will even get as far as launching a mobile phone at all, although the company is said to have been putting out feelers to several potential manufacturers.

Google recently confirmed that it had plans to expand into any territory, but the search engine giant has yet to comment specifically on the rumoured handset venture. According to a spokesperson for the company "Mobile is an important area for Google. We remain focused on creating applications and establishing and growing partnerships with industry leaders to develop innovative services for users worldwide. However, we have nothing further to announce."

Certainly, Google has already taken several important steps to position itself as a major player in the mobile market, but whether this will include actually selling its own-brand handsets, remains to be seen. The Google Maps system is even due to be integrated into Apple's iPhone.

For its part Nokia, the world's largest mobile phone maker, has already made its position clear. A spokesperson from the Finnish giant was quoted on the Daily Tech website as saying "It (the Google phone) will meet with limited success and lose money." Time will tell if the Finns are right.

HUAWEI TECHNOLOGIES SELECTS RADVISION MOBILE VIDEO TECHNOLOGY

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 14 Aug 2007 05:10:00 +0000

RADVISION, a provider of voice and video network infrastructure and developer tools for unified visual communications over IP, 3G, and emerging next-generation networks, today announced that.... Huawei Technologies, a provider of next generation telecommunications network solutions for operators, has selected the RADVISION SCOPIATM 3G Gateway, 3G Video Communication Solutions and Interactive Video Platform, to enhance their 3G products and solution offerings.

Huawei's selection of RADVISION 3G products, including SCOPIA Interactive Video Platform, 3G Video Communication Solutions and 3G Video Gateway, advances the adoption and widespread deployment of compelling new video-based interactive services in the 3G market. The IMS-ready Interactive Video Platform enables rapid development and deployment of multiple interactive and personalized video applications and services, allowing operators to increase network usage and Average Revenue Per User (ARPU), reduce churn and strengthen subscriber loyalty.

As the world's fastest-growing mainstream next generation network solutions supplier, Huawei serves 120 million global GSM subscribers and has established strategic partnerships with leading operators across the globe.

"As a leading 3G and digital media solution provider, Huawei offers an outstanding 3G Mobile solution for the global market", said Zhang Guoxing, President of Digital Media Product Line, Huawei "The integration with RADVISION's market proven, IMS ready SCOPIA Interactive Video Platform and 3G Video Gateway enables Huawei to enrich its 3G operator offering with advanced interactive video solutions."

"Huawei's selection underscores the added value RADVISION brings to the 3G arena," said Alon Barnea, General Manager of RADVISION Mobility & Service Provider Business Unit. "The industry is maturing and expects the availability of a broad variety of interactive multimedia services for the 3G market. We are confident that the availability of a variety of applications is the key to growing 3G use. We are very proud to partner with such a significant player in the market.

GSA expresses concern over Indonesia's 3G future

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 14 Aug 2007 05:06:00 +0000

GSA - the Global mobile Suppliers Association, has submitted its views on the frequency allocation for 3G/IMT-2000 services in Indonesia. GSA's main concern is for the successful development of the mobile communications industry, to benefit consumers, enterprises, teledensity and the economy as a whole.... The path to 3G would be severely compromised if existing limited-mobility WLL services, which utilize technology operating in the US PCS 1900 band, are not relocated outside of the internationally agreed 3G/IMT-2000 spectrum.

Alan Hadden, President, GSA said: "Any allocation of PCS 1900 spectrum would block the internationally-agreed 3G evolution path. The IMT-2000 core band uplink and the PCS 1900 band downlink are almost fully overlapping with each other. The interference issue cannot be managed. The PCS-1900 allocation should be avoided at any cost. The 3G evolution is a market reality for operators across the world today."

In its response to the Directorate General Post and Telecommunication (DGPT), Indonesia, consultation on the re-arrangement of the frequency allocation for 3G/IMT-2000 services, GSA urges the Indonesian authorities not to continue with a mixed band strategy, saying that the ITU core band plan will ensure the optimal and most efficient spectrum allocation for 3G services in Indonesia. WLL customers can migrate to full mobility services enabled by very cost-effective GSM networks. With the latest network solutions, it is possible to run a profitable operator business at ARPU levels of 3-5 USD.

Spectrum is identified by ITU for 3G systems within which a 'core band' for terrestrial services of 1920 - 1980 MHz paired with 2110 - 2170 MHz is allocated (i.e. 2 x 60 MHz). This band plan is adopted by virtually all countries of the world for the deployment of 3G/IMT-2000 systems. Any misalignment between Indonesia and other countries would make communication more difficult and costly. This would in the longer term have an adverse effect for all parties, as people would not in the future be able to access their 3G services while roaming. Better communication will bring all countries closer together, and facilitate investment, which is why it is in everyone's interest to adopt the same frequency allocation.

The latest survey by GSA confirms 82 WCDMA networks in commercial service in 37 countries (using IMT-2000 core band spectrum), and 186 WCDMA device models launched in the market by 26 suppliers. There are over 30 million UMTS/WCDMA subscribers globally, and this figure is growing rapidly. From 2005 onwards WCDMA operators can upgrade systems, with software only, to support HSDPA/HSUPA (High Speed Downlink/Uplink Packet Access). With these enhancements users can expect a true wireless broadband experience. In the first phase - the downlink direction, data speeds of 14.4 Mbps peak bit rates (typical user experience 1 - 4 Mbps) are expected to be achieved.

To upgrade GSM networks to 3G, most of the existing network assets can be reused and only a small number of additional sites may need to be deployed to achieve a good coverage. Also, the WCDMA supply market operates at high volumes and is extremely competitive, enabling low deployment cost. Further, WCDMA improves spectral efficiency and reduces the cost of capacity for both voice and data. These three factors ensure that 3G/WCDMA presents a sound business case for operators.

Learning Technology - A Brief Overview

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 14 Aug 2007 05:00:00 +0000

Classroom Teaching

Audio-visual Technology in the classroom has undergone little change over the last fifteen years. The main technologies used in the classroom are still overhead projectors, cassette player/recorders, video recorder/players, video cameras, slides, etc.... The main exceptions being CD players, frequently used for music (learning languages), and also video disk players. However, these new additions generally only fulfill a relatively minor role. The term Audio-visual is now increasingly becoming synonymous with multi-media (computers).
The New Learning Technologies

Most new learning technologies tend to follow the same path as their predecessors. Each one is seen as a brilliant new technological quick-fix to a learning/teaching issue that will make life easier for the teacher. This is the impression given (naturally) by those who have vested interests in the acceptance of the technology (the marketers). However, too often the reality is that teachers generally don't have the time nor the institutional support to master the technology. In the case of computers, beyond the mere word-processing programs, the technology is developing so fast that generally what you are learning today is old technology by the time you have learned it. How well have we managed to master the technologies so far?

The overhead projector has been with us and used in all sectors of education for over twenty five years, but how often is it used effectively? The next time that you are at a seminar or conference notice how often overhead transparencies are made directly from printed text which is barely readable and cluttered. Little or no planning has gone into the design of the transparency as a "learning aid". In fact poor overhead transparencies tend to distract or even de-motivate audiences. Notice also how well the overhead projector has been set-up. Often there is severe keystoning (distorting of the images) which can cause a misrepresentation, especially of diagrams. These problems can be addressed with a little planning and preparation (yes, even the keystoning). Overhead projectors are excellent educational tools if they are used correctly for the correct purpose. However, their use needs to be carefully planned and integrated into your presentation along with your other presentation strategies.

The new learning technologies are also excellent educational tools provided that they are reliable, used creatively, and used appropriately. However, unless we have the time and budget to use them effectively we sometimes have to question the benefits to our students. Unfortunately for many educators working in the higher education sector sometimes incursion into the new technologies is driven by peer pressure and career advantage. The only point that I am trying to make here is that we should be choosing the media or medium that we use to communicate our message for the maximum advantage of our learners.

The rapid increase in computer memory capacities, and the greatly increased access and processing speeds have certainly enabled modern computers to perform previously unimaginable functions at a relatively low cost. The multitude of applications of computers is now so widespread that computer literacy is now a prerequisite in most vocational areas.

Computers are increasingly being used to provide teachers with options for both task specific, and self-access extension learning applications. With the relatively low cost of full multimedia systems, and the wide range of software now available on CD ROMs, computers are certainly playing a role in assisting learning in many institutions. However, based upon my recent personal experience in two institutions, and some research I conducted in the use of technology in Australian universities in 1996, there certainly appears to be many issues which still need to be addressed from the educators perspective. The main three being inadequate; budgets, time for professional development and materials development, collegial collaboration on development issues. We must always consider the ramifications of introducing new technologies. As Rogers notes in his classic, Diffusion of Innovations, "A system is like a bowl of marbles: move any one of its elements and the positions of all the others are inevitably changed also" (Rogers, 1995, p. 419). When technology is introduced "in isolation" (as a piecemeal change), it disturbs the rest of the system. The resulting instability reduces the system's overall effectiveness."(James B. Ellsworth, http://horizon.unc.edu/projects/monograph/CD/Change_Innovation/Ellsworth.asp)
The Internet

"One of the most rapidly developing technological advancements in our society today is the use of electronic means of communication, e.g., the Internet. New communication technology is of prime interest to foreign language (FL) professionals because communication is the primary thrust and emphasis in FL teaching, and these technologies have the potential to put FL learners in direct contact with native speakers. The ramifications of this technology for us in the profession are far-reaching and exciting, but many FL practitioners have yet either to discover or venture into this new area. Thus, this vast and powerful new resource remains, at this writing, largely untapped by a particular group of educators who could benefit greatly from it. Given the fact that this technology is not a passing fancy, it behooves FL professionals to explore the endless possibilities available to them now through electronic airways that will enhance their knowledge, their professional development, their teaching, and consequently the learning of their students."(LeLoup, J. W. & Ponterio, R. (Winter, 1995). "Networking with foreign language colleagues: Professional development on the Internet." _Northeast Conference Newsletter_, 37: 6-10.)

By contrast if we consider that: "Information technology has infiltrated our lives at an unprecedented rate during the last half-century. Initially, in education, it took the form of "audiovisual aids." Ever since, much has been said about the potential for technology to "revolutionize" teaching and learning. It's ironic, then, that these same years have produced equally strident laments concerning the state to which American education has sunk." (James B. Ellsworth, ellsworthj@huachuca-emh1.army.mil)

These two quotations were chosen to introduce this topic only to illustrate that we must always be "consciously cautious" but not necessarily "cynical" about the enthusiastic rhetoric and anecdotal evidence that usually accompanies new technologies. The Internet, like all other technologies, is just a tool. I enjoy using the Internet and I spend at least two hours per day on "The Net". I have about 45 homepages and about the same number of e-mail addresses. The Internet, creating homepages, and helping other users is my primary hobby. It is an excellent research and communication tool.

As an independent language learner I can not say that I found the Internet particularly useful (my personal perspective). However, as a second language teacher I found the contrary to be true. There are many excellent language teaching/ learning sites on the Internet. You can find links to some of these sites from this page or by using one of the many "search engines" which can be found by clicking "Net Search" or "Search" on your Internet browser. The Internet provides a wealth of current and authentic teaching materials (newspapers are probably the most useful). There are many different types of communication games, quizzes, grammar exercises, etc. which can be accessed through the Internet and "downloaded" to your computer for student practice. There are also many sites which provide basic courses in foreign/ second languages. For language practice you can direct students to sites which are created in the target language, or to daily newspapers and magazines from around the world. The possibilities for using the medium as a teacher are only limited by your imagination.

What then are the factors that can render the use of the Internet so different from the perspectives of the independent learner as opposed to the teacher? Management. As an independent learner I was not focused upon specific objectives, the learning was very haphazard and I was frequently distracted by the diversity of options which are available on the medium. As a teacher I managed the use of the Internet, and I wa

Creating a Website

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 14 Aug 2007 04:54:00 +0000

Basics - Getting Started
There are a number of providers of free home page sites, see Free Byte - after you have read these first two paragraphs. I believe that creating your own homepage is the best way to learn about the Internet.... By clicking on one of the free homepage provider options, and following the fairly simple instructions, you will soon have your own home-site. Don't worry too much about the decisions you make regarding defining your first page, everything can be easily edited later. The main thing is that you have an e-mail address before you begin. You will need this to obtain your password (which you should change) and other information. You can open free e-mail accounts at Hotmail or Yahoo.

If you are primarily interested in getting started quickly on producing a Web page (or student pages), you are most welcome to download my sample page, by clicking "Right Mouse" - "View Source" - "File" - "Save As - (name) sample.html" and saving it to your computer or floppy disk. Click on the image and save it to the same folder or disk. Open the saved file in 'Notepad' and click on "Edit - Word Wrap". You will only need to replace the question marks (???) with your personal content, name, e-mail, personal information, etc. You may delete the link back to this site if you like, it's for my students, but it may be useful while you are constructing your page. The sample also contains information for searches on the Web (Meta) - at the top of the page. Add key words relating to your site so that your page can be more easily found by search engines. The pages will then be ready to upload to your site. You will need to re-name the files (either; index.html for uploading to a personal site, or anyname.html if you are a teacher planning to include it on your site). Geocities.Com - offers fairly good facilities.

You have probably heard of HyperText Markup Language, or HTML. You do not need to learn HTML immediately, although a little knowledge will make you feel more confident using the Web. It is fairly simple, and you will probably enjoy learning it because you can continually view your progress as you produce. It's sort of like watching your baby being born. However, you can create quite interesting pages using the 'editors' provided by the Website hosts.

Once you have your first Web page established (using the host's editor or my sample page above) you can then create extra pages, uploading them to your site following the instructions provided by your host. You can "link" (or connect) these pages by placing: Title of the target page on your page/s. I have used "special (unseen) code here". If I had used "ordinary code or tags" as appears on your screen, the code would disappear and you would only see 'Title of the target page' in 'coloured HyperText'. This "LINKING" allows you to move freely between your pages. You can also create a link to another 'homepage or site' on your pages by inserting: Site Name on your page.
EXAMPLES:
The link First Page would take you back to my first page. Here is the link (without the special code) - "try it" and use "Back" on your browser to return to this page.
First Page
Similarly a link to Go.Com Geocities.Com
Geocities.Com
Your first page is always called index.html. This is the file that will OPEN when people enter your homepage.

I don't intend to go into HTML here, but you can learn HTML through these interesting tutorials at Web Page 101 - Make Your Own Web Page. I just want to show you how simple it is to move around between pages. This feature gives the user considerable flexibility and control over the medium, and allows interactive responses and choices from the 'user' ('learner' when we use it as a teaching tool).

One of the best ways of learning about Web pages and how they are constructed is to view the actual HTML documents for the Web pages that you are browsing through and find interesting. You can do this by selecting 'View' near the top of your Web browser (Netscape or Internet Explorer), and clicking on 'View Source'. This will show all the HTML used to create that page, and this can be saved to your computer by selecting 'File - Save As' and sending it to a folder.Likewise, images can also be saved to your computer by placing your mouse prompt over the image and clicking the 'right button' and selecting 'Save As' with the 'left button' and sending it to a folder. Viewing the HTML in documents allows you to learn how other teachers are creating their materials. If you use these materials you should give credit to their originator, as with other forms of publication.

You can make your Web page more accessable by including it in the directory of various search engines (Yahoo (Entertainment), Lycos, AltaVista, Excite, GO.Net-Infoseek, HotBot, WebCrawler, Anzwers) 'click' and add the URL (URL - your page address) for your site.

Later you may be interested in including META information in your index.html page. This information is invisible when you are viewing your page, however, it provides information for searches which you may want your page to be found under.

There are a number of issues associated with using Free Websites & Hosting and you can read about some of them at "my info page". However, they are useful for the Internet learner or for providing "learning experiences" for our students.

Many language teachers are using 'creating a Web page' as a language learning exercise for their students. Enjoy creating your homepage, and happy net-surfing!
Phillip Rekdale

Education Websites Network

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 14 Aug 2007 04:23:00 +0000

Information Technology (IT): Because IT has become embedded into every aspect of our modern lifestyles, and even more importantly for learners, into every aspect of our professional lives, studying IT and developing our communication skills are now more important than ever.

The importance of communication skills is readily evidenced by glancing through the daily newspapers. Most job vacancies leading to positions with future career prospects require computer literacy and foreign language skills. This is even more important for Indonesian students currently because of the government's drive to increase foreign investment.

Creativity: IT and Communication Skills can enable us to enter into many professional and vocational areas, however these skills alone will not ensure good future prospects or personal development without the simultaneous development of our personal creativity.

A key issue here is that it is no use having the best website in the world if nobody visits it. Therefore, being part of a community like Pendidikan Network assists with that vital link to your information.

Throughout our network of sites (Pendidikan.Net) we have endeavored to open up communications within the Indonesian education community. We believe that the Internet can provide significant benefits for developing schools and therefore we have created this new resource (EducationWebsites.Net) to assist with both collaboration and information sharing.

Computers and IT are an excellent medium for developing our creativity and problem solving skills. Consistent with modern teaching practices, contextual learning (PAKEM in Indonesia) students can work on projects individually, in pairs, or in group activities. The process of sharing and receiving constructive feedback is an important part of our personal development.

Sharing and Communicating: The sharing of ideas and knowledge should not just be limited to the classroom. It is equally important in this "Global Community" that we share information with the broader communities, both within and beyond our native shores.

The more we participate in the process of exchanging information, the richer our learning experiences will be. For schools and campuses, establishing broad communication networks will enable them to share resources and developments within their school or institution. Sharing curriculum and concepts for school development are just two key benefits from broad communication networks.

The Internet: Through the Internet we can participate in this sharing process at all levels (see: Wide Area Networks).

Today, with the wide range of services available even in remote communities, there is no excuse for not participating in the Global Learning Community. In even the smallest of communities Internet Cafe's (WarNet) are now springing up and access through dialup is available throughout Indonesia. By efficient use of these facilities (see: Internet & Education), we can bring these benefits to both our school and our learners. An example of sharing information can be found at: MBEProject.Net.

School and Institution Websites: One role of a website can be to enable basic information about your school or institution, and contact information to be found (Globally). Example: Raffles International School, a very simple but effective website. Websites can be used as a medium for engaging in much broader community activities including forums and discussion groups. The scope of the website will depend upon your particular vision for the site and your resources.