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Webmaster Pride

noreply@blogger.com (Your Tech Guide) — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 08:57:00 +0000

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Cewek

noreply@blogger.com (Your Tech Guide) — Sun, 04 Jul 2010 13:57:00 +0000

MyBlogLog

noreply@blogger.com (Your Tech Guide) — Sun, 27 Jun 2010 06:31:00 +0000

How To Promote Your Blog Using Facebook

noreply@blogger.com (Your Tech Guide) — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 10:15:00 +0000

One of the more effective ways of promoting your blog is to use a site everyone either loves or hates – Facebook. The social networking site allows you to create a page to promote your blog or business – and it’s completely free.

By having a Facebook page for your blog, you can set up your RSS feed so your new posts appear on your fan page. Facebook members can then become a “fan” of your posts and comment on your posts inside Facebook.

In short, you can:

create a mini community of loyal blog readers inside Facebook.
encourage them to click through to your blog and sign up for the proper RSS feed.

So, are you interested in getting your page set up? If so, here’s how to get it set up quickly.

1. Sign up on Facebook

First you have to have a free Facebook account. If not then go here and set one up.

2. Click zee link

Then click on this link to get your fan page going. Here is the page that will then appear :

If you are creating a page for a blog/website, you will need to choose “Brand, Product or Organization”. Then from the drop-down list, select “website”.

Enter the name of your site (or whatever you want your page to be called) in “Name Of Other Business”, tick “I am authorized to create this page” (assuming of course you ARE authorized), enter your name under “Electronic Signature” and then click “Create Page”.

3. Customize Your Page

Your page will now be set up and you will be taken straight there.

Here are some of the things you can do to customize your page :

Customize your image :

The first thing your page obviously needs is an image. For blogs, the obvious image to first consider is your logo.

To upload an image, just point your mouse to the image area and a menu will pop up with various options.

You can either upload a photo, take a picture with your webcam or choose from a Facebook album.

Customize your site information :

In the “Info” tab, you can type detailed information about your site such as the URL, the “overview” (so this would be a good place to enter any tagline or motto that your site has. Your IT Zone is (“Computer News, Tutorials, Tips and Tricks”).

You can also enter information such as when you started the site and if you have any “products” you’d like to talk about.

In short, use this section to blab away about your site.

Set up your blog RSS feed to show your new posts in Facebook

This is, I think, one of the most important aspects of a blog fan page. If you are unable to show your new posts, how can you possibly persuade people to come to your site and sign up for the RSS feed?

First, click on the “notes” tab at the top of the page.
Select “Import A Blog” in the Notes Setting section. You can only import from 1 RSS feed at a time. Simply “Stop Importing” if you want to change the RSS feed.
Enter the RSS URL in the box provided. Check the box next to the statement that you actually own the content. You cannot import RSS feeds from websites that are not your own or that you do not have permission to reproduce.
Click the “Start Importing” button. Facebook will import the content of the RSS feed for you to preview. If everything looks OK, then go ahead and press the “Continue” button. Your RSS feed will now be automatically imported into your “Notes” section.
After that, everytime you publish a post on your blog, a summary of the post along with a link will appear on your Facebook page.

4. Publicize Your Page

Now that your Facebook page is all set up, all that remains to be done is to publicize it to your readers so they can “fan” you. Some methods to get the word out there include :

Writing a blog post about your new Facebook page (don’t forget to link to it).
Putting a prominent link at the top of your blog or in the sidebar. Just grab a Facebook logo from Google Images and then link it to your page.
Sending out an email to all your Facebook friends and telling them about your new fan page. If they were interested enough to become Facebook friends with you, I’m sure they will be interested in your blog too.

Do you have a Facebook fan page for your blog? If so, how successful is it in getting new RSS subscribers for your site?

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Things to Consider When Buying a Laptop Computer

noreply@blogger.com (Your Tech Guide) — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 10:39:00 +0000

Purchasing a laptop is a large investment, and one that can be complicated by all of the options, manufacturers, and technical mumbo-jumbo that needs to be sifted through. Before you spend a lot of money on a laptop, it is important to spend a little time considering some basics that may affect the decision-making process. This Tech Tip will take a look at five of the innumerous things worth considering when buying a laptop computer.

Ergonomics

If you are going to be spending any significant amount of time working on this laptop computer, you’re going to want to be comfortable. A well-designed interface is essential for comfort, as well as good health. Carpal tunnel syndrome or tendonitis may be some of the more common conditions associated with extended computer usage, and selecting the most comfortable laptop may help avoid them all together.

The keyboards on laptops generally feature compressed layouts with smaller keys, which may place a strain on hands and wrists as users try to adapt to these miniature arrangements. Generally speaking, the larger the laptop, the larger the keyboard, as they are usually designed to span the entire width of the unit.

Most laptops use either a touchpad or tracking pointer (knob) as a replacement for a mouse. These may be adequate for occasional use, but even the best designs can become frustrating and uncomfortable when used extensively. Plus, when used for game play or other applications where precise motion is critical, they just don’t cut it.

Purchasing a separate mouse may be the best bet, as it allows you to place your arm in a more familiar (and comfortable) position, as well as providing something that may fit your hand much better. Notebook mice are available in a wired or wireless version, and generally feature a slightly smaller footprint than your typical mouse.

Connectivity

Being able to connect to common devices is just as important on laptops as it is on desktops, but being able to add these connections down the road is not as easy on a laptop. Upgrades aren’t as easy on laptops due to the basic design, so make sure what you need is included up front.

Wireless networking is almost a must-have feature on laptops now. The cord has been severed to every other shackle confining you to your desk; don’t let network connectivity hold you back. Wireless networking adapters are available as upgrades via either PCMCIA cards or USB adapters, but many now offer it onboard, hidden inside the system’s housing. Integrated wireless is the best option if available, as it requires fewer accessories to carry and to configure, and leaves those expansion ports open for other uses.

USB 2.0 may be the most common peripheral connection, and many laptops may still come with just one port. That’s fine if you don’t mind carrying around a USB hub, but the more you have to carry, the less mobile you are. A good example of the importance of USB is that many people decide they want to use a separate mouse for ergonomic reasons, and generally it will connect via USB. On a laptop with just one port, you now have to juggle the use of the mouse with connecting anything else, like a digital camera, MP3 player, or an external hard drive.

Firewire may not be as popular as USB, and as such, it doesn’t show up at all on many computer systems, regardless of whether they are desktops or laptops. Having this connection may not be necessary for everyone, but for those who want it, keep in mind that its inclusion on any particular laptop is not a given.

Bluetooth is another type of connectivity you may want in a laptop, but its popularity has yet to really catch up to its hype. More and more consumer electronics devices are starting feature Bluetooth technology, but for general computer applications, it may be more trouble than it is worth.

Power Management

If you are going to use a laptop as it was intended, away from your desk, you’re going to want it to provide as much battery life as possible. The first step is to shop around for a unit that offers the best battery life possible, and then seek out independent reviews to verify this performance. A good laptop should be able to run for four hours or more on a full charge, and as the technology advances, finding units that can double this time isn’t unrealistic.

The operating system on most laptops will allow for the hardware to be configured to utilize the battery as efficiently as possible. It is just up to the user to navigate their way to these tabs and set things like the display to turn off, hard drives to power down, or even the processor to slow down when it isn’t needed to run full speed. Not all processors can provide this speed throttling, but finding a system with a Mobile Pentium/Celeron or Centrino processor may be your best bet to ensure this capability.

Another way to ensure extended life away from a power outlet is to just add a second battery. Although you can obviously carry a charged spare in your bag, some laptops allow for two batteries to be installed at once, with one generally replacing the optical disk drive.

Size / Weight

All laptop computers are not created equal, and the size and weight of the various models reflect that. Some may weigh more than others due to the quantity of components included, but it may also be due to the quality of the components. Larger displays, multiple hard drives, and other integrated components will all contribute to the weight of a laptop. The largest single source of weight in a laptop may be the battery, and systems with two batteries as described above, should be expected to be much heavier.

No laptop may be considered heavy in the grand scheme of things, but just a few pounds more may be noticeable if you regularly have to lug it through a busy airport or across a large college campus. Geeks.com may not provided the exact weight of each laptop they carry, but they do provide a shipping weight for each, which is a good approximation of what the laptop and various accessories will weigh when loaded into your carrying bag.

The overall size of a laptop is generally governed by the size of the display included. You may have seen the commercial where Yao Ming (7’5” basketball player) and Verne Troyer (Mini-Me) compare their laptops with 12 inch and 17 inch monitors. It is an excellent demonstration of the range of sizes available in laptop computers, and how the various sizes may be appropriate for different users. Those seeking a replacement for their desktop computer may insist on a 17” display, while those seeking to minimize size and weight in the name of portability may be willing to select a laptop with a smaller display.

Future Proof

Basically, purchase as much laptop as you can afford, so that a year or two down the road you may be less likely to need a replacement.
Processors in a laptop are generally not upgradeable, or at least quite difficult to upgrade, so picking something with marginally adequate speed for today’s needs will no doubt be obsolete sooner than you might expect. Desktop computers generally offer the convenience of having their processors (and other components) upgraded, making it less of an issue, but it is important to plan ahead with laptops, or to plan on buying another one in a few years.

The graphics processor is another integrated feature that should be considered before making a purchase, as there is no upgrading. Many laptops may offer somewhat basic graphics intended for good 2D display and 3D displays that may be hit or miss as far as the quality is concerned. In general, laptops were never intended for 3D gaming, but things are changing and many manufacturers now offer higher performance graphics solutions that can rival many desktop computers. ATI is well known for their high performance graphics products, and offer the Mobility Radeon X series of graphics processors based on their popular desktop solutions.

Laptop memory is less of a bottleneck, as it is readily available and can be upgraded rather easily. That said, many notebooks offer a base configuration of memory that may not be adequate for your particular needs. It is suggested that a Windows XP system have a minimum of 256MB of memory, and you may find that this is what is offered on many systems. 512MB is the recommended amount of memory for smooth operation on Windows XP, and many users with more intensive applications to run may insist on 1024MB. If you intend to run serious business applications or want to play some modern 3D games, it may be worth having that base 256MB upgraded before the laptop ships to you.

Final Words

Picking a laptop computer will probably be more involved than reviewing five simple steps, but you have to start somewhere! Each of these steps will hopefully guide other decisions and make the process less frustrating, while also leading to the selection of the best laptop possible.

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noreply@blogger.com (Your Tech Guide) — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 14:57:00 +0000

Nice Article...

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Thanks!

Follow My Blog

noreply@blogger.com (Your Tech Guide) — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 03:11:00 +0000

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How to Avoid Mistakes in SEO

noreply@blogger.com (Your Tech Guide) — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 10:52:00 +0000

There are lots of guides out there which will help you improve your SEO skills, but,they also help you understand what you should avoid doing. Here, in this article, we will find out some of the top search engine optimization mistakes.

1. Ignoring the Keywords: This is one of the most common mistakes most people do when building a website/blog. What this will do is..to end you up creating a site with keywords that nobody searches on the web or you could create a site with most searched (competitive) keywords on the net which will make you wait forever to see any results. So, you should do a quick research on the keywords that most people search...You can use the Google Adwords tool to check whether the keywords you choose have a good amount of searches per month.Also, type your keywords in google search and make sure that you feel confident reaching the first page.

2. Spamming the Keywords: Some people create web pages just repeating the keywords hundreds of times or blending the font text color with the background color (hidden text)..but, this won't help you increase your search engine rankings. Also, remember that you are making the content for your visitors, not just for the search engines. Don't repeat the keyword too many times in the article...it doesn't sound right when you read it back.

3. Javascript Menus: Now a days, lot of people are using Javascript menus for navigation,but search engines can't read javascript.So, you have to build your site accordingly and make sure that the search engines and visitors to your site can quickly navigate the pages. You should consider building an xml/html sitemap, so that all your links are easily crawl-able by the search engines.

4. Bad Linking: You have to be careful on the outgoing links. Linking to irrelevant sites (bad neighborhoods),and sites that have been penalized by Google can seriously effect your own rankings. Also, make sure that you don't have too many outgoing links on a single page. According to Google Webmaster tools, you shouldn't have more than 100 outgoing links on a single web page.

5. Forgetting about Off site optimization: Lot of people optimize their site well, but they forget about off site optimization...ie, building good and quality back-links from relevant sites. It is a good way to increase your search engine rankings quickly... Get links from strong sites with your main keywords in the anchor text. Build back-links by submitting articles, participating in related forums,etc.

Computer Blogs:

Alternatives to Google Adsense

noreply@blogger.com (Your Tech Guide) — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 10:49:00 +0000

Google AdSense is the current leader in content-sensitive web-based marketing. Webmasters can place Google AdSense JavaScript code on their web pages in order to allow Google's servers to show context sensitive advertisements (Google Adwords). The left hand side of this page shows an example of a Google AdSense skyscraper displaying a text or image ad.

Google's terms and conditions are very strict such that many web publishers cannot use Adsense adverts on their sites. They are either denied from joining the Google AdSense program, or in a situation that is becoming more and more common do not wish to do business with Google. A number of publishers are also finding their Adsense accounts are being disabled for reasons that are completely beyond their control. The problem is that most of the alternatives to Google's Adsense are pretty useless. Most of the good ones (such as doubleclick) are only interested in very large volume customers and so are not interested in the little guy with his blog who wants to earn a small income on the side. For this reason I have compiled my Top 10 alternatives to Google's Adsense that are ideal for the small time publisher. If you are a advertiser then you may be interested in these best alternatives to adwords.

Has your adsense account been disabled? Then try these top 10 alternatives:

AdBrite
Clicksor
Bidvertiser
Chitika
AdToll
Exit Junction
Yahoo Publisher Network
Target Point
Fastclick
ClickThruTraffic

Computer Blogs:

Knowing Who Was Cheated Your Articles

noreply@blogger.com (Your Tech Guide) — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 20:56:00 +0000

Sometimes we make grumble to our self, angry because our article was cheated by someone. To know that, I found the address who tells it. It’s quite easy to do, you don’t need to sign up, just click the "GO" button, waiting for a moments and the address who was cheated your article is appeared.

But unfortunately for the free version we can only know just for a few, so we can not find out all the cheater who was cheat our blog. To check it here are the address http://www.copyscape.com

Lets find out who was cheated your blog!

Computer Blogs:

How to Submit Blog URL to Search Engine

noreply@blogger.com (Your Tech Guide) — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 11:01:00 +0000

How do you get incoming Traffic?

Well, this is a vast topic which I won't be discussing now, but if you want to get a good traffic quickly, Submitting your blogs to search engine is the good point. For submitting your blog to search engine just follow these link below. It will submit your blog URL to more 40 Major Search Engines automatically and free.

1. http://www.submitexpress.com

2. http://mypagerank.net

3. http://freewebsubmission.com

4. http://www.sitesubmiturl.com

Computer Blogs:

Adsense’s Do and Don’ts

noreply@blogger.com (Your Tech Guide) — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 21:33:00 +0000

Adsense Don'ts

While Google is a nice partner to work with, they are strict on a number of issues.

Once you implement the code, do not click on the ads yourself. Given the amount that some advertisers are willing to pay, Google is very, very sensitive to click fraud.
Tell anyone else using a computer from your home not to click on the AdSense ads, just to be safe.
Do not ever, ever try to "game" the system. Google is well aware of most of the tricks people use to engage in click fraud and pursues those people vigorously

Don't implement AdSense code where no-one will see it.
Don't incentive AdSense ads by offering rewards to visitors for clicking on ads.
Don't beg for clicks e.g. "help support this site, click on this ad"
Don't place AdSense ads on an empty page.

Any of the above can result in your AdSense account being suspended.

AdSense Do's

Customize your AdSense ads, don't just use the default settings.
Write your content with not only the reader in mind, but with Adsense considerations as an issue.
Don't be too concerned with AdSense ads taking away from other offers on your site. It's been my experience that if people are interested in your content, and in the AdSense ads, they'll finish reading your copy first, then come back to the ad if that's of interest to them.
See AdSense as a partner, not a competitor. If you don't have what your visitor is wanting, while you may not get a sale, you may still generate revenue from that visitor by using AdSense.
Positioning is important, place the ads where they are most likely to be seen.

Google allows you to place up to three instances of AdSense code on each page - use them if you can, but vary the type of implementation.

Computer Blogs:

How to Avoid Mistakes in SEO

noreply@blogger.com (Your Tech Guide) — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 20:39:00 +0000

Computer Blogs:

How to Start Adsense at your Blog

noreply@blogger.com (Your Tech Guide) — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 10:18:00 +0000

AdSense is an advertising program run by Google. Webmasters who decide to take part in it add a special Java script to their blogs that allows AdSense to display ads on the blog it is installed in. The ads come from advertisers who have subscribed to the AdWords program and placed there their own ads. Then AdSense program places them at the AdSense blog that seem to be the most appropriate. The advertisers pay either per each click on their ad or per thousand impressions (thousand people who have opened your website with the ad on it). A fraction of the price they pay goes to you - the website/blog owner. Google acts only as an intermediary and editor, it is neither the source nor the real provider of any ads. How Google knows what adverts to display on your site? Everything begins within the AdWords program. When advertisers create their ads, they also choose key phrases that are relevant to their ads. Build a Blog: while you can put AdSense ads on virtually any blog, in 99% of cases you won’t make any real money out of it. In order to start a real AdSense that will become a steady income stream, you have to remember about:

Popularity - check what people look for on the Internet and build your site around one of the most popular topics. Use Wordtracker or Nichebot and take a look at the most often searched keywords to get some ideas.

Relevant content - AdSense is not an artificial intelligence and certainly not a mind reader. You have to put a lot of content that speaks about the blogs topic AND USE THE KEY PHRASES! Otherwise you risk that some ads may miss your website and you get others that are irrelevant to your blog. This may greatly decrease the click-through ratio. A tip: do not use the content you can find on the Internet, even if it is marked public domain - Google loves fresh unpublished articles.

Proper ad placement - most people who browse the website look at the upper left corner of screen first, then at the mid-upper part and lower left and only lastly at the lower right part of screen. Make sure that you can place your ads where people look first - this increases the chance they click on them.

Registration process: registration process is very simple and, what’s even more important, free. Go to www.google.com/adsense and complete the registration form. Just remember that you have to add the provided script to your website before you get any ads displayed!

Computer Blogs:

5 Must Have Add-Ons for a Blogger Blog

noreply@blogger.com (Your Tech Guide) — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 10:21:00 +0000

When you first sign up for a blog on a site like Blogger, there is a wide variety of options made available that allow you to reach out to your readers. From customizable templates to imbedded videos, audio and advertising, the new blogger seemingly has the world at his or her fingertips. That warm and fuzzy feeling eventually starts to wear off though as new ideas pop up that may not be immediately covered by Blogger's built-in features.

Luckily, Blogger and essentially any other blogging platform allows its writers to add any number of open source add-ons to their blogs for enhanced features and interaction with readers.

AdSense

The single greatest thing you can do for your blog is turn it into a profitable outlet for your daily writing. Google's very own AdSense add-on is one of the easiest and most effective ways to do this. The best part is that it is incredibly easy to add AdSense to your blog through the interface provided by Google in Blogger.

All you need to do is sign up for an AdSense account using the same login ID you currently use for Blogger. Go to the template page of Blogger where you will find a visual layout of your site. Click on any of the "Add a Page Element" links on the page and you will be asked how big you would like your ads to be, how many to place, and what background colors they will have. It is quick and easy and integrates directly into your account.

Templates

The templates page is a great place to find and make a great deal of changes to your blog, the best and most visible impressive add-on being a new template. The code for your template can be located here, within the Template tag of your blog settings. To change your template, all you need to do is find a new one that you like and copy the code.

While Blogger comes with a couple dozens templates already installed, there are thousands more options available almost anywhere you look on the Internet. So, despite what Blogger may want your site to look like, you can make almost any changes you want, assuming you can find someone who has built a template to match your desired look.

Subscribe to Comments - by email

This simple add-on can be found within Blogger's own Buzz page, the company blog that announces new changes and updates to their website and services. To find it, look for it just below your list of blogs on your dashboard.

This new add-on makes it easy for you to stay in the conversation loop after you comment on a post. Blogger now gives you the opportunity to receive an email every time someone comments on the same post. This way, if you ask a question of the post author, you will get instant notification of their response without having to check back on their blog. To use this feature you will need to have a Google account which will insure that someone else can't provide your email causing your to receive email that you didn't request.
Amazon Widgets

Another great way to make a few dollars from your writing, Amazon widgets allow you install links to products on Amazon that your readers may be interested in buying. Sign up for a free Associates account with Amazon and you can then install these widgets with your own Associate ID number and get commission for any sales made through your site. It is a great way to make relevant ads on your site linked to posts you have written.

Bookmarking Buttons (Digg, Delicious, Facebook, etc)

These are almost required in today's age of social bookmarking and networking. By default, the only way a reader can interact with you on your blog is through the commenting feature. However, you can install simple button links on your site to services like Digg and Delicious where they can bookmark your posts and share them with millions of other social bookmarkers. To add these buttons to your page, visit the websites for Digg or Delicious and search for buttons and links after signing up for a new account. They install easily within the code of your template (which these sites will guide you through doing).

There are countless additions you can make to your Blogger blog through widgets and third party applications. When someone has an idea, someone else has probably already created an application to serve that idea. The best way to find new widgets is to search Google for "Blogger Widgets" or "Blogger addons" and search through the listings provided. You can do wonders with your blog with the right resources.

One Simple Tech’s Favorite Links

noreply@blogger.com (Your Tech Guide) — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 23:35:00 +0000

Blogs:

MagicStix - Personal Blog of MagicStix

One Simple Tech - Computer News, Reviews and Guides

The Forex Site - The Foreign Exchange

Your IT Zone - Information Technology News, Tutorials, Tips and Tricks

One Tech Site - Technology News, Reviews and Guides

Your Tech Spot - Computer News, Reviews and Guides

Your Tech Guide - Technology News, Reviews and Guides

The Computer Sight - Networking Technology

Myspace:

MagicStix – Personal Page of MagicStix

Indonesia Network – Indonesian Online

Guam Network – People From Guam

Japan Network – Japanese Directory

NCL America – Norwegian Cruise Lines Crews

Why E-mail Bounces Back

noreply@blogger.com (Your Tech Guide) — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 10:35:00 +0000

According to a remarkably well-named Web site I found called undeliverablemail.com, about 32 percent of all people change their e-mail address every year. And of course you could have made a typo, although that’s unlikely when you’re simply replying to somebody’s known address. Other reasons:

• Your recipient may have checked the "leave mail on server" option (many check this box) but haven’t checked their e-mail in awhile. In that case, their e-mail server capacity may actually be filled, and your e-mail could bounce back.

• While it’s rare, sometimes your ISP’s sending e-mail server is busy at the same time your friend’s receiving e-mail server is also busy. You’ll get a “timeout” or “undeliverable” message if that happens.

• Even more rare, sometimes your ISP’s e-mail server can get blacklisted because it was unintentionally involved in a recent spam attack. Until that gets cleared up, your e-mail could have a higher likelihood of getting bounced.

Here’s one of the most comprehensive translations I’ve seen of the mystifying error codes that come back with those annoying returns, courtesy of www.businessemailetiquette.com:

    251 User not local; will forward to 421: Service not available, closing transmission channel
    450 Requested mail action not taken: mailbox unavailable (e.g., mailbox busy)
    451 Requested action aborted: local error in processing
    452 Requested action not taken: insufficient system storage
    500 Syntax error, command unrecognized
    501 Syntax error in parameters or arguments
    502 Command not implemented
    503 Bad sequence of commands
    504 Command parameter not implemented
    550 Requested action not taken: mailbox unavailable (e.g., mailbox not found, no access)
    551 User not local
    552 Requested mail action aborted: exceeded storage allocation (mailbox filled)
    553 Requested action not taken: mailbox name not allowed (e.g., mailbox syntax incorrect)
    554 Transaction failed ( Example: 554 5.7.1 Forbidden for policy reasons — Your e-mail was identified as spammy.)

I hope that helps!

Computer Blogs:

Information on Installing Windows XP

noreply@blogger.com (Your Tech Guide) — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 10:45:00 +0000

In this Tech Tip, I will give you some information about installing Microsoft Windows XP on your computer. Most Windows XP products including Windows XP Professional and Windows XP Home Edition install the same way. If you are using an older version of Windows, or even one of the other versions of Windows XP, the steps will probably be a bit different.

If you are currently using an older version of Windows, such as Windows 98, we highly recommend that you back up all your files to another drive and do a clean install by reformatting your hard drive and installing Windows XP as a full install rather than as an upgrade. Often, upgrade installations don’t run as well as full, “clean” installations. For this Tech Tip, we will assume that you are installing Windows XP on a new computer that has never had Windows on it.

Before you start, ensure that your hardware is correctly installed, then place your Windows CD into the CD or DVD drive on your computer and reboot your system. If you don’t have your BIOS set to boot from CD before your hard drive, you will likely encounter problems. However you can go into the BIOS by pressing the appropriate key when prompted during the POST (Power On Self Test). Typically, you will press the “delete” key, but this can vary from one motherboard and BIOS to another.

Once you are in the BIOS settings, look for the boot sequence tabs. Each motherboard vendor usually has a different BIOS set up. Check your motherboard owner’s manual for more information if you can’t find the boot settings menu. Once you have modified the BIOS settings, save them, exit the BIOS and reboot. If the boot sequence is correct, you should see the screen reading “Windows is preparing for installation”.

After the software has copied the required files to your computer, you will be asked if you want to install Windows -- click “enter” to begin the actual install process. The next screen you see will be the End-User License Agreement (EULA). You can’t begin the installation without accepting the EULA. Follow the prompts to either accept or decline.

As you will see, the EULA is quite long and most likely hasn’t been read since the Microsoft attorneys drafted it. In a nutshell, it says you won’t pirate the operating system (OS). If you decline, you will not be able to continue with the installation.

After you accept the EULA, you will be taken to a screen that asks you to choose your file system. Your options are NTFS (New Technology File System) or FAT32 (File Allocation Table 32). FAT32 is the older file system used with Windows 98. NTFS is the preferred choice for a Windows XP installation and our recommendation. The NTFS file system has improved functionality for security and data integrity and was first introduced in the Windows NT operating system. Choose the file system for your installation and press “F” to begin the formatting and installation. If you had any data on the hard drive you are using, it will be lost at this point. However, if you took our advice earlier and backed up your files, you should be okay.

If you are using a SATA (Serial ATA) hard drive, you will get an error message and will need to start the install process over. Keep an eye out for the message at the bottom of the screen that prompts you to “press F6 to install a third-party driver”. At that time, go ahead and press F6 and follow the prompts to install the SATA (or RAID) driver. This is the point where that “optional” floppy drive comes in handy since the only way to install drivers in this screen is via floppy disk. Place the floppy with the correct drivers for your SATA or RAID array into your floppy drive to install the drivers. After the drivers are installed, you are ready to move on.

Once the format is successful, the Windows installation process automatically installs the required files and reboots when needed. After a couple of reboots you will be asked to activate Windows by choosing a user name and a password. Windows activation is the process of enabling unrestricted use of Windows via your Internet connection with the Microsoft servers. If you don’t complete activation during the initial loading, Windows will shut down after 30 days and you won’t be able to use it. But don’t worry -- you do have 30 days to activate it after the first time it runs.

There are very few motherboards utilizing a network (RJ45) jack for broadband connection that do not require drivers to operate. If the network jack on your motherboard requires drivers and you use a broadband connection to access the internet, you won’t be able to use the internet to activate Windows until you install the drivers on your hard drive. If you are connecting via dial-up, you will need to make sure the drivers for your modem are installed before activating. If you don’t have an internet connection just yet, your Windows software paperwork should have come with a number you can call to activate. Once the drivers are installed, you will be able to select “Activate Windows” in the Start menu to complete with Windows activation process.

After a fresh install, the icons for some of the familiar Windows components like “My Computer”, “My Documents” and others will not be on your desktop. If you want to add them, simply right click your mouse in a vacant space on the Windows desktop. Select “properties”, then “desktop”, then choose “customize desktop” at the bottom of that window. You will see check boxes for the common desktop icons there as well as the checkbox for the clean desktop wizard. Once you choose the icons you want on the desktop, select “apply” and close the window. Your icons should now be on your desktop.

After you have activated Windows, you will be ready to begin installing other programs. Installing Windows XP isn’t as daunting as it seems to be at first glance. Simply follow these instructions and the onscreen prompts and you will be fine. If at any point you get stuck on the install process, you can refer back to this tip, or the myriad of other online resources for installing Windows XP. Happy computing!

Computer Blogs:

6 Easy Ways to Increase your Adsense Revenue

noreply@blogger.com (Your Tech Guide) — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 10:09:00 +0000

How much revenue do you generate from Google Adsense?

Recently there has been a lot of discussion about people who earn over $10,000 a month just from Adsense. Furthermore, there are rumors of a few individuals who earn over $1 million a year just from using the power of Google advertisements.

So what is Google Adsense and how can you use this program to earn a six-figure income?

About two years ago, Google created this program to help websites to monetize their web-traffic.

Here's how it works:

Webmasters obtain a special code from Google which then displays targeted ads on their website. Whenever a visitor clicks on one of these ads, the webmaster earns a commission. Unlike other online businesses, there is no selling involved. All you need to do is get people to click on the ads.

Although this is an excellent way to generate an income, many websites are not effectively maximizing their Adsense potential. As a result, they are leaving a lot of cash on the table.

The question is how can you increase your Adsense revenue without increasing the number of web visitors?

The key to earning an income with Google Adsense is to have your ads match the rest of the site, making them look like part of your content. Your focus is to avoid having the Adsense blocks look like blatant advertisements.

The following are six ways that you can do this and increase your revenue at the same time:

1. Find the right place- Most website visitors read content that is in the middle of a webpage. As a result, the best place to put your Adsense block is in the top part of the page, at the beginning of your web content. You want to weave the Google Ads into your web content to give the appearance that they are extra links which expand on the information of the page.

2. Use the Large Rectangle-With Google Adsense, you have the option of picking different ad formats. Most of the time people opt to use the Leaderboard (728x90) or Wide Skyscraper (160x600) style ads. Unfortunately, this is the wrong choice, because both look like blatant advertisements. Instead smart webmasters have found that using the Large Rectangle (336x280) yields the best amount of click-thrus.

3. Ditch the border- Many people experience a sharp increase in Adsense revenue when they changing their border. What they change is very simple…they get rid of the border on their Adsense blocks. This is another way to make the advertisements look like useful web content.

4. Adapt the font- Whenever you write content, it should be the same font size and style as your Google Adsense block. This will help make it appear that the advertisements are a natural part of your website.

5. Match the colors- In addition to changing the fonts, you also should match the colors of your website. For instance, if your content is written in black, and your hyperlinks are blue, then the Adsense blocks should also be the same color. Again, this helps the advertisements appear to be normal web content.

6. Don't have too many distractions - On a webpage, it is important to give web visitor a limited number of options. By having too many links and graphics, the web visitor might go to a section that doesn't help increase your profits. While it is important to inform and entertain your web visitor, it is also vital that you monetize your site. So if the main focus of your site is to earn an income through Google Adsense, then get rid of all non-essential links and graphics.

By taking the time to implement these six simple steps, you'll see a dramatic increase in the click-thru ratio of your ads. If added to all of the content of your site, your Adsense income will skyrocket!

Computer Blogs:
http://youritzone.blogspot.com - Information Technology News, Tutorials, Tips and Tricks
http://onetechspot.blogspot.com - Technology News, Reviews and Guides

Securing Your Wireless Network

noreply@blogger.com (Your Tech Guide) — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 22:10:00 +0000

A home wireless network is an easy and convenient way to share an Internet connection and other resources among the computers in your home. While a couple of people that I know leave their wireless networks available to anyone and everyone, most of us want to keep our home wireless networks private. If you're looking at wireless home networking for the first time, you may want to review these previous Tech Tips on wireless networking.

The core of your wireless network is the router. By carrying out some easy-to-do configuration on your router, you can ensure that only the people who you want to have access to your network will be able to.

Note: The procedures in this Tech Tip for configuring a router are for a Linksys WRT54GS router. You'll probably have to modify the specific instructions if you're using a router from another vendor, but the concepts are the same.

Passwords on Your Router

You configure most routers using a Web browser. When connect to the router, you need to log in. Every router has a default password, like admin. As this article points out, most people don't bother to change that password. Doing that is simple, though.

Log into your router. Then, click Administration > Management. Enter a password in the Router Password and Re-enter to confirm fields. You should rotate this password regularly. I generally do it every two weeks to a month. If you need to create a strong and secure password, then check out the Strong Password Generator Web site.

Locking Down MAC Addresses

All ethernet adapters, which enable users to access a network, each have a unique 12-digit identifier called a MAC address. MAC is short for Media Access Control, and it's a way for the network to ensure that a computer is allowed to access a network. Most routers allow you to specify which MAC addresses are allowed to connect to your network.

How do you find a MAC address? If you're using a computer with a wireless card, you can find the MAC address by flipping the card over and looking for a block of characters like this: 00:A0:C9:14:C8:29.

If, on the other hand, your computer has a built-in wireless card, and the MAC address isn't on the sticker on the bottom, you can use the tools on the system to find the MAC address. In Windows, click Start > Run. In the Run dialog box, type cmd and then click OK. This opens a command prompt. At the command prompt, type ipconfig /all. Look for the section Ethernet Adapter Wireless Network Connection. Your MAC address is the third entry, beside the heading Physical Address.

On a Mac running OS X, do this: select About this Mac from the Apple menu. On the dialog box that appears, click More Info. Then, select Network from the menu on the side of the dialog box. Look for the Wireless Address setting.

Now that you have the MAC address, you can enter it into your router. Select Wireless > MAC Address > Wireless Mac Filter. Then, click Enable. Click the Permit only PCs listed to access the wireless network option, and then click the Edit MAC Filter List button.

Type the MAC addresses, one to a field, in this dialog box. Then, click Save Settings.

The beauty of using this method is that you can give friends or guests access to your network and then easily remove their access privileges later on.

Encryption

If you want to keep your data safe, encryption is a must. Encryption not only enables authorized users to securely access your network, but it also ensures that their data is kept safe from prying eyes. Most routers give you a choice of two encryption schemes: Wireless Protected Access (WPA) and Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP). Of the two, WPA is the more secure option.

WPA uses a password to encrypt data and to restrict access to your network. When someone tries to access your network for the first time, they'll have to enter the password.

Add or change the password by selecting Wireless > Wireless Security. Select Pre-Shared Key from the Security Mode dropdown list. Then, enter your passphrase in the WPA Shared Key field and click Save Settings.

As with the router password, it's a good idea to rotate your password frequently. Once again, the Strong Password Generator Web site comes in handy.

Enabling the Firewall

A firewall on your computer can help keep unwanted visitors out. The same applies to the firewall on a wireless router. And a router firewall is easy to set up. To do so, click Security >Firewall. Then, click the Firewall Protection: Enable option. Also, click the Block Anonymous Internet Requests option. This will ensure that any unsolicited attempts to access your router will be denied.

Keep in mind, though, that some cable Internet providers (like mine) don't play nicely with router firewalls. You might find that your connection gets intermittently dropped or you lose it all together.

Other Things You Can Do

All routers are identified by a Service Set Identifier (SSID). This is just the name of your network. Every router comes with a default SSID (mine was ÒlinksysÓ). People use the SSID to identify your network. And malicious users can use the SSID to break into your wireless network. So, you should change your router's SSID. Do this by selecting Wireless > Basic Wireless Settings. Enter a unique name in the Wireless Network Name (SSID) field.

To make it easy for others to jump aboard your wireless network, routers by default broadcast their SSIDs to the world. Once again, malicious users can take advantage of this information to jump on or take control of your wireless network. You can do this by clicking the Wireless SSID Broadcast: Disable option on the Basic Wireless Settings screen.

As I mentioned earlier, you log into your router using a Web browser. You can do this either from the computer directly connected to the router, or from anywhere on the Web. Being able to remotely administer your router can be useful, but it also opens the door to someone else logging on and gaining control of your router. You can disable remote administration by selecting Administration > Management and then selecting the Remote Administration: Disable option.

If, on the other hand, you really want to enable secure remote administration of your router click Administration > Management. Then, select the Remote Administration: Enable and Use https options. Selecting the Use https option creates a secure connection to your router from a browser.

Conclusion

Adding a bit of security to your wireless network is easy and doesn't take a lot of time. That said, one of the people who I talked to while researching this TechTip commented that no matter how well you secure your wireless network, there will always be someone who can break in. But, that's true for any other kinds of security, too. If someone is determined enough, a deadbolt on your door won't stop them from entering your home. However, the fact that you've put some security in place will put off most people trying to illegally use or hijack your wireless network, and that alone is worth the effort.

How to Start a Blog - Easy Tips

noreply@blogger.com (Your Tech Guide) — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 04:03:00 +0000

Pick A Niche

What are you going to write about? Well, what are you good in? Now, if this subject is one that you have a good amount of knowledge about and is an area of interest to lots of people (find out by going to Google's keyword external tool and entering the keyword or phrase-over 15,000 searches/month minimum is a good area of interest), then you've found your niche (pronounced neesh).

Blog Platform

Do you want a free or paid blog? Decide soon, because you have a group of hungry people waiting for information on their favorite subject from a fresh source-why can't it be you?

A free blog is hosted for free by it's host, like blogspot and wordpress. They own the blog that you start with them, so if you violate any of their rules, then they can shut you down for whatever reason. Be careful avout what you write!

A paid blog is hosted by a host you select and pay, usually monthly. It's not too expensive, usually around $10/month. However, you've got the freedom to put what you want on it, including different types of content, such as videos, podcasts along with articles.

Write Often

Google, the search engine king, will list your blog and make it easier to find if you submit posts at least 2-3 times a week.

Write articles, post videos or audio podcasts to your blog on a regular basis in order to get repeat visitors who can develop a loyal following and refer it to others, thereby growing the number of daily visitors to your blog.

Stay Current

Spice up your blog and really attract visitors and business prospects by keeping up with and reporting the most current news in your niche.

Visitors will realize that you're the go-to place for news about that niche. This will attract more visitors to your blog like bees to honey.

Answer Comments

Let visitors who comment realize that your blog is a living breathing thing by responding often to their comments.

This energizes them and encourages them to return, for you're giving them helpful feedback and making them feel special-because they are.

Conclusion

Starting a blog is a wise decision. As your business' hub, prospects can connect with you easier and may become followers as well as customers.

Just make sure that you pick a niche you're knowledgeable in and is either free or paid,depending on your level of flexibility. Make sure to: write often to get indexed and noticed by Google, stay current to establish your blog as the go-to blog; and finally, keep open the lines of communication by replying to readers' comments.

There you have it: an easy 5 tips on how to start a blog. Now, get started!

Ways to Back Up Your Data

noreply@blogger.com (Your Tech Guide) — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 23:40:00 +0000

The data on your hard drive is the most critical item inside your computer, and the only item which can not be replaced. It may be an unwanted hassle and expense to replace a defective memory module, monitor, or processor, but there is no replacing data once lost.

In addition to the possibility of a simple hard drive failure, the threat of internet borne worms and viruses has become an increasing risk to data loss or corruption. Although you may not be able to provide absolute protection to your hard drive, there are various ways that you can ensure that the data on your hard drive is protected. Five methods of backing up your data are summarized below.

1. USB Flash Drives

Although I am not recommending that flash drives be used for the actual data storage, they are a convenient means of transferring data from one computer to another. Important files can be quickly loaded onto a device such as the MINIDISK-512-DGRY-CS USB 2.0 Flash Drive, and transported to another computer for safe keeping. Installation and operation is extremely simple, and other than perhaps having to install a software driver, the use of a USB flash drive is a matter of having an available USB port on your computer. Just about every computer produced over the last several years has USB ports included, with more modern systems supporting the USB 2.0 standard. USB 2.0 allows for data transfer rates of up to 480 MB/s, which is a tremendous improvement over the original USB speed limit of 12 MB/s, and allows a user to fill their drives with data in a relatively short period of time.

Although the storage capacity of flash drives has increased greatly over the last year or so, users are still limited to common sizes of 512MB and 1GB. Mass storage is obviously not an option, but even 512MB may be enough to backup your "My Documents" folder, several albums of MP3s, or other important files to be stored elsewhere.

2. CD and DVD Writers/Re-Writers

The falling prices of CD and DVD writers/re-writers have made them a staple of just about every modern computer. These devices can typically be found installed in a computer case, but external devices supporting USB 2.0 or Firewire are available for greater flexibility and ease of installation.

A combination drive, such as the NU Technology DBW-521, will provide the user a high speed CD reader/writer, as well as a DVD reader, for under $40. The extremely low price of the drive (and the blank media) makes for an inexpensive means of creating data backups, and the re-writable media increases the convenience by allowing the same disc to be erased and reused many times. The main limitation of using a CD writer for data backups is that the discs are generally limited to a capacity of 700MB per disc. Not nearly enough for a full backup, but adequate for archiving key files.

The popularity of DVD writers/re-writers has surged thanks to dropping prices, and they are pushing the stand alone CD burner towards extinction. DVD media affords the user far more storage capacity than a CD, and DVD burners can generally burn CDs as wells as DVDs. The recent availability of double layer DVD burners, such as the Sony DW-D22A-DO-N, represents a large boost in the capacity of writable DVDs, taking the previous limit of 4.7GB per disc and nearly doubling it to 8.5GB.

With proper storage, CD/DVD media can provide long term storage that can not be jeopardized by hardware failure. The data on a CD or DVD can easily be read by just about any computer, making it a good choice for archiving files that aren't excessively large.

3. External Hard Drives

As the name might imply, external hard drives are generally the same type of drive you might find inside your system, but housed in a smaller, external enclosure of its own. The enclosure will feature at least one data interface (such as Firewire, USB, or Ethernet), and the capacity is only limited by the size of hard drives presently available and the user's budget.

The Ximeta NetDisk is an example of an external hard drive that provides a user the option of connecting an additional 80GB, 120GB, or 160GB of storage to their system by using either a USB 2.0 or Ethernet connection. Installation for such a device is rather simple, and may involve the installation of some basic software, as well as making the necessary connections between the computer and the external enclosure.

The capacity of external hard drives makes them ideal for backing up large volumes of data, and many of these devices simplify the process by including software (or hardware) features to automate the backup.

For example, some Seagate External drives feature a "one-button" backup option right on the case.In addition to being a convenient method of backing up large volumes of files locally, most external hard drives are compact enough to be portable. The inclusion of a common data transfer interface, such as USB, allows an external hard drive to be connected to just about any modern computer for data transfer, or for more than one computer to share the external hard drive as a back up.

4. Additional Hard Drives

By simply adding an additional hard drive to you system, you can protect yourself from data loss by copying it from your primary drive to your secondary drive. The installation of a second hard drive isn't difficult, but does require a basic understanding of the inner working of a computer, which may scare off some users. We do offer a "how-to" section on our site for many tasks such as installing a hard drive into a computer system.

To take the installation of a second hard drive to another level of security and reliability, the hard drives may be installed in a RAID array. RAID stands for a Redundant Array of Independent (or Inexpensive) Disks, and can be configured in several manners. A thorough discussion of RAID and all of its variations would be an article all by itself, but what may be of interest to this discussion is what is known as RAID 1. A RAID 1 array requires two hard drives of equal size to be installed on a RAID controller, which will then mirror one drive to the other in real time. Many motherboards now come with RAID controllers onboard, but the addition of a PCI slot controller card, such as the Silicon Image Sil0680, is an inexpensive purchase that will add RAID to any system. With a RAID 1 array in place, if one hard drive should ever fail, the system won't miss a best by continuing to run on the remaining good drive, and alert the user that one drive may need to be replaced.

5. Online Storage

Online services, such as Xdrive and Windows Live’s Skydrive, allow users to upload their files to a server for safe keeping. Although it may be convenient to have the data available wherever an internet connection is available, there are a few limitations.

The services generally charge a monthly fee relative to the amount of storage space required. At Xdrive, for example, 5GB of storage costs $9.95 per month, which can quickly add up to more than one would spend on any of the other options discussed. While Skydrive offers 25GB of free online space.

Security is supposed to be very tight on these services, but no matter how secure it may seem, it is still just a password keeping prying eyes from your potentially sensitive documents.

The speed of your internet connection will also weigh heavily on the convenience of your backup, and no matter what type of connection you have; it can't compete with local data transfer rates.

Final Words

Although not a comprehensive list of options available for backing up your data, the five items listed provide some simple and relatively affordable means to ensure that your data is not lost. Data loss is an extremely frustrating and potentially costly situation, but one that can be avoided.

Ways to Block Pop Up Ads

noreply@blogger.com (Your Tech Guide) — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 23:15:00 +0000

Advertisers are constantly looking for any way to draw attention to their products. Although typical banner ads are still used heavily, they now seem to be almost invisible to the average web surfer. Pop ups and other intrusive types of advertising are now used to thrust an ad in your face that you have no choice but to at least acknowledge. Regardless of the nature of the ad, pop ups are a nuisance, and there are now many options available for keeping them off of your computer screen all together.

1. Internet Explorer on Windows XP with SP2

The release of Service Pack 2 for Windows XP brought about a few significant changes to the operating system. One of the most noticeable was the addition of a pop up blocker to Internet Explorer. The pop up blocker is integrated into the browser and can be customized by browsing to the “Tools” tab at the top of the program. Like many pop up blocker applications, personal preferences can be set to allow/block pop ups from certain sites, as well as providing customization for how the user is alerted to the fact that a pop up has been blocked. For those using Windows XP, upgrading to Service Pack 2 is an excellent idea for your system’s security as a whole, but specifically for the additional convenience of an integrated pop up blocker. For those with a Microsoft operating system other than XP, sorry, this is not available for you.

2. Alternative Web Browsers

There are other choices for web browsers available, and many have included a pop up blocker long before Microsoft decided to include one with Internet Explorer. The Mozilla Firefox browser version 1.0 was officially released on November 9th. This browser has already received a great deal of acclaim and has become quite popular as an alternative to Internet Explorer.

Firefox is a highly customizable web browsing application that includes an effective pop up blocker, tabbed browsing, and many other features not found in Internet Explorer. Crazy Browser is another option that was released in 2002, which is not as much an alternative browser, as it is a skin for Internet Explorer. In order for Crazy Browser to run, a system must have Internet Explorer 5 (or greater) installed, as well as Windows 95 (or greater) installed as the operating system. The Crazy Browser application then takes the base functionality of Internet Explorer and adds features similar to Firefox, such as the pop up blocker and tabbed browsing.

3. Browser Tool Bars

A growing trend is for websites to offer a downloadable toolbar for use with Internet Explorer. Many of these toolbars offer unique features intended to enhance the user’s web browsing experience in different ways, but they generally also include a pop up blocker. Although there are toolbars available from dozens of websites, Google, MSN, and Yahoo are some of the more reputable names with one available. The installation of these toolbars is quick and easy, and the most difficult part may be reading the fine print in the license agreements. Although these toolbars may do an excellent job blocking pop ups, they may also be retrieving data on your web surfing / search habits. If you feel a toolbar may be the right solution for you, stick with one from a trusted name, and just be sure to read the fine print.

4. Pop Up Blocker Software

Stand alone pop up blocking software is available from dozens, if not hundreds, of different sources. With various interfaces, and prices ranging from free to $30 (and higher), choosing one can be a difficult task. Many of the programs that are not available for free do come with a free trial download, so you can at least get a sense of whether the program is right for you before committing. Some of the options in this category include STOPzilla, Secure IE, Zero Popup and Pop Swatter, to name a few. The main drawback to this type of pop up blocking solution is that you now have another independent application running on your computer. Although they are generally not resource intensive, why run a program to do something that can be handled by one that is already running anyway? Additionally, with so many reliable solutions available to eliminate pop ups for free, spending money on one is hard to justify. Along with a dedicated pop up blocker, another recommended tact for eliminating pop-ups is eliminating spyware on your computer system. Some pop-up programs use accompanying spyware to target pop ups specifically to you and your web surfing habits. Excellent, free programs for eliminating spyware of all type is Ad-Aware and Spybot Search & Destroy.

5. Internet Access Software from Select ISPs

Some ISPs (Internet Service Providers) now incorporate a pop up blocker with the software they provide to subscribers for accessing the internet. Earthlink, Optimum Online, and AOL are just a few of the larger providers that add value to their packages by adding a pop up blocker. Bundling this functionality with the ISPs base software definitely makes things easy for the subscriber, as there may be no need to find one elsewhere. In general, these blockers are effective, but are not the most feature rich and may have limited options for customization by the end user. One draw back with ISP provided pop up blockers is that some only work with their service. So, if you ever switch to a new provider, you’ll need to be prepared to switch to a new pop up blocker as well.

Final Words

Pop ups are a fact of life on the internet, but that does not mean you need to put up with them. Among the five general solutions presented above, there are literally hundreds of options available for eliminating the clutter of pop up ads, allowing you to enjoy only the content you intended to see.

Fantastic “How-to” Sites

noreply@blogger.com (Your Tech Guide) — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 21:07:00 +0000

Introduction

There's always something that you need to know how-to do. And need to know in a hurry. Things like replacing an oil filter, making the perfect turkey, planting an exotic plant, or replacing the hard drive on your desktop computer.

It used to be that if you wanted to learn how-to do something, you either needed to check a book or a videotape, or begged a friend or a family member for help. Not any more. You can, at a basic level (and sometimes beyond), get a grasp of a subject using the Web. And I'm not talking about random blog posts or Wikipedia, either.

There are a number of dedicated how-to Web sites that will tell and show you just about everything you need to know. Sometimes even more than that. A word of caution: these sites can be addictive. Use them wisely.

eHow.com The site bills itself as teaching you "How-to Do Just About Anything". And that's not too far from the truth. The site contains dozens of categories, and within each one are subcategories that have hundreds to thousands of articles in them. Like what? The computer electronics section covers topics like cheap digital cameras, GPS, satellite radio, and televisions. That section alone has close to 8,500 how-to articles!

The articles at eHow are short. I glanced through a few dozen of them, and the longest procedure was 11 steps. Each step only contained a short sentence or two. Talk about a quick hit of information.

How to Do Things.com Like eHow, How to Do Things.com contains a number of categories, each with several subcategories. Although it's not as comprehensive as eHow, this site does have a lot to offer on a variety of topics.

The articles at How to Do Things.com are more like entries in a traditional user guide or article. Instead of eHow's quick points, you get longer descriptions and a bit more narrative. You also get a few more photos and illustrations as well. Because of this, it'll take you a little longer to get the information that you need, but you might just get a slightly better grounding in a topic.

FindHow.com isn't a a how-to Web site in the strictest sense. It calls itself the "How-To Search Engine"; but it's more of a meta site. FindHow is a collection of links to how-to information all around the Web. For example, if you're looking for information on how-to study more effectively, you can find a link to the CliffsNotes Web site here. Or, if you want to learn how-to make a pinwheel, you'll find links to articles at Canadian Living magazine, Martha Stewart's Web site, and the Federal Aviation Administration.

If you can't find it anywhere else, then you can probably find it at FindHow.

WikiHow.com combines the short instructions that you find at eHow with photos that illustrate some or all of the steps in a procedure. Note that not all task have photos, at least not yet. Each step in the procedure is brief, and you can click the photos to get a larger, clearer version. Many of the articles include additional tips and cautions as well.

Some of the articles on the site (like the one on tying a slip knot) also include short videos. The number of videos are limited, but they are useful.

Going back to eHow for a moment, the site has a small but growing section of how-to videos. You can also request a video, and it might just get made. It might take a while, though.

Instructables The site has an interesting mix of content that has a heavy DIY and geeky edge to it. But the content rarely talks down to you or goes over your head. Everything is clearly explained in words, pictures, and video. And you can download a lot of the content -- both as a video and as a PDF file that you can read on your computer or print.

And Instructables doesn't take itself too seriously. In addition to sections like Tech and Green, it has one called Offbeat. What's in there? Instructions on how-to make a spinning bow tie, how-to do guerilla gardening, and (my favorite) how-to build a soda bottle rocket.

Wonder How-to on the other hand, is completely video. This site is both a repository of how-to videos and a collection of links to videos on the wider Web. There are literally tens of thousands of videos available through Wonder How-to on topics ranging from sports to foreign languages to personal finance to magic and parlour tricks.

The videos at Wonder How-to are quite good quality, and range in length from a few seconds to several minutes. Users can grade the videos from an A+ to an F. While I usually don't pay much attention to ratings on Web sites, the ones here are generally fair and accurate.

MAKE Magazine is a print publication that's devoted to do-it-yourself technology projects. The magazine's Web presence is nothing to sneeze at either. The Web site contains a number of video podcasts that take you step by step through projects in the magazine. Some of the projects are interesting, like making a speaker out of a styrofoam picnic plate.

The site also has a blog, which posts interesting videos and links to projects that technology DIY enthusiasts have come up with. Even if you're not into building wild gadgets on your own, you should check out the site for the novelty factor.

Wirewize Even techies sometimes have a hard time setting up home entertainment systems. That’s where Wirewize comes to the rescue. As you've probably guessed, the site helps you not only figure out how to connect your home entertainment devices, but also helps you choose the best cables to do the job.

All you need to do is tell the site what components you have, and it will return a list of the proper cables and guide you through the connection process with clear photos. Wirewize also includes a good generic support section that educates you about consumer electronics and jacks and plugs, as well as offering you guides that will help you set up various types of speakers. The site also offers live support. But to access that support, and the bulk of the information on the site you have to register.

Conclusion

No matter what you need to learn how-to do, there's a Web site out there with information that can help you. You don't have to be an expert to learn from these sites, either. And if you are, there's a chance that you'll learn even more from them.

Five Reasons Why Microsoft’s BING Outshines Google

noreply@blogger.com (Your Tech Guide) — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 20:42:00 +0000

On June 3, 2009 Microsoft officially unveiled its latest incarnation of the search engine: Bing! Yes, Bing, as in cherry, as in Crosby as in BING! I found it! Bing is not so much a search engine as it is a “decision engine”. Bing is what Google was 10 years ago, fresh, innovative, and (dare I say it) cool. But how does it stack up to the behemoth of the search engine world? Pretty well actually, and with this Tech Tip I’ll give you FIVE reasons why Bing outshines Google!

ONE - It’s all about the results baby!

Face it, why do more people today use Google than any other search engine out there? In a word, results – pertinent results to what you’re looking for. However, sometimes to get the results you want, you have to wade through a lot of chaff. It's analogous to dumping a waste can of papers onto the floor and searching for one tiny scrap. With Bing, you get “enhanced results” – what I mean by that is that you get intelligently organized results quickly and efficiently. With many of the search results, you can hover over the right-hand side and get a pop-up window with more information on that particular result. However, along with these results you also will find that you have a plethora of refinement tools to drill down to exactly what you’re looking for. These refinement tools brings us to reason Two.

TWO – The silver platter – that cool left-hand navigation pane

Under the heading of “how could something so simple and elegant be so powerful,” you can now add Bing’s left-hand navigation pane. This pane saves you so many steps in searches that in a short time you’ll wonder how you lived without it. With it, you get your search results categorized, possible related searches, a “reference” pulled from Wikipedia (if one exists), a quick link to images and videos as well your search history - all in one convenient package. Speaking of images and videos, let’s take a look at reasons Three and Four.

THREE and FOUR – Images and Videos done right

Every search engine can search images and videos, and they can mostly come up with what you want – but many times the presentation leaves a lot to be desired. With Bing you get image and video results on steroids. For instance, with the image results it is actually possible to just continually scroll down (instead of hitting next, next, next), and the next set of images are dynamically loaded (they call this the “infinite scroll” feature). Also, with the image results you get some really cool filters (in that nifty left-hand navigation pane) that filter not just by size, but by layout, color, type and “people” (very cool). Hover over an image, and you can also get an option to “show similar images.”

The videos are cool in that if you hover over the video, it starts playing a snippet of it right in the search result box (some have complained about this, but the content filter is set to “moderate safe” by default – turn it off and you see that same kind of “results” you’d see on any other video search engine (just without the auto-playing snippet part)). The videos too have easy to use filters in the left-hand navigation pane such as length, screen size, resolution and source just as the images have. Click on a video and a larger version of it pops to the top of the results page giving you the option to watch it right there, or go to the actual website. It is actually this and other little things that really make Bing shine. Speaking of little things, this brings us to reason Five.

FIVE – The little things

There are so many little cool things that come along with Bing that it is hard to know where to start. From “instant answers” where you can literally type in “traffic” and get your local traffic, to its Local Search (which runs circles around other local search features I’ve seen on other search engines), you'll be amazed at the usefulness of the Local Search features where you can not only find what you’re looking for, but can get one-click directions and a bird's eye view. It seems the folks at Microsoft sat down and decided to do the search engine right – or rather decided to bring the search engine, rather, decision engine into the 21st century. All this and I haven’t even touched on the travel or shopping features of Bing. For more information, I’d really recommend checking out Bing’s product guide at http://www.discoverbing.com/.

Final Words

Really, the more you play around with Bing, the more you’ll love it. Now, I know that some of you are thinking that Google fulfills all your search needs and that “Bing is just there to be there” so why bother checking it out. To this I say, “give it a try” (or as Microsoft would say, “Bing and decide”), and you too will find out why Microsoft’s Bing will outshine Google.

Your Tech Guide

Webmaster Pride

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MyBlogLog

How To Promote Your Blog Using Facebook

1. Sign up on Facebook

2. Click zee link

3. Customize Your Page

Customize your image :

Customize your site information :

Set up your blog RSS feed to show your new posts in Facebook

4. Publicize Your Page

Partners:

Things to Consider When Buying a Laptop Computer

Ergonomics

Connectivity

Power Management

Size / Weight

Future Proof

Final Words

Computer Blogs

Follow My Blog

How to Avoid Mistakes in SEO

Alternatives to Google Adsense

Knowing Who Was Cheated Your Articles

How to Submit Blog URL to Search Engine

Adsense’s Do and Don’ts

Adsense Don'ts

AdSense Do's

How to Avoid Mistakes in SEO

How to Start Adsense at your Blog

5 Must Have Add-Ons for a Blogger Blog

AdSense

Templates

Subscribe to Comments - by email

Bookmarking Buttons (Digg, Delicious, Facebook, etc)

One Simple Tech’s Favorite Links

Blogs:

Myspace:

Why E-mail Bounces Back

Information on Installing Windows XP

6 Easy Ways to Increase your Adsense Revenue

Securing Your Wireless Network

Passwords on Your Router

Locking Down MAC Addresses

Encryption

Enabling the Firewall

Other Things You Can Do

Conclusion

How to Start a Blog - Easy Tips

Ways to Back Up Your Data

1. USB Flash Drives

2. CD and DVD Writers/Re-Writers

3. External Hard Drives

4. Additional Hard Drives

5. Online Storage

Final Words

Ways to Block Pop Up Ads

1. Internet Explorer on Windows XP with SP2

2. Alternative Web Browsers

3. Browser Tool Bars

4. Pop Up Blocker Software

5. Internet Access Software from Select ISPs

Final Words

Fantastic “How-to” Sites

Introduction

Conclusion

Five Reasons Why Microsoft’s BING Outshines Google

ONE - It’s all about the results baby!

TWO – The silver platter – that cool left-hand navigation pane

THREE and FOUR – Images and Videos done right

FIVE – The little things

Final Words