The Difference Between the iPhone 3G and the 2nd Generation iPod Touch

To the untrained eyes, Apple's recent iPhone 3G and the 2nd Generation iPod Touch seem to be one and the same - at least by their appearances. They both feature a high resolution, 3.5 inch screen that blends flawlessly into the sleek, smooth frame it's fastened to.

Both have tapered edges that make the gadget feel much smaller than it actually is and allow for a comfortable grip by anyone's standards. The plastic exterior is debatable - slightly fragile in comparison to both devices' original aluminum frame. The iPod Touch, however, is arguably more durable than the iPhone 3G - however, they both share a susceptibility to fingerprints or smudges.

There have been quite a few new (and original) implementations for both devices, however. The iPhone 3G, for example, has an interesting sensor able to detect the proximity of the device to your ear. It also comes equipped with a battery that allows for up to 5 hours of talk time (25 hours of music, if you so prefer).

The iPod Touch has an interesting "Genius" feature that enables the user to create an instant 25-song playlist comprised of the same musical attributes. That is, 25 songs immediately labeled as being similar in sound by the computer. It won't work if the "Genius" feature is disabled on your iTunes account, however. For those users that prefer their privacy, this can be a hassle because of the way iTunes monitors the playlists.

Apple has seen fit to introduce a higher speaker volume for their iPhone 3G, but - unfortunately - has kept things respectively the same for their iPod Touch. Performance in both devices is doubtlessly superior to other brands on the market. The iPhone has an average speed of 300 to 500 Kbps but, in comparison to networks abroad it can reach speeds of 700 to 800 Kbps.

The iPod Touch matches its iPhone counterpart in the smaller details of performance. Things like the album covers and scrolling menus are glitchless and remarkable smooth. You can resize photos or flip images in the same flawless rhythm that you've always dreamt about.

The iPhone has one up on the iPod Touch, however, when it comes to software. Because of Apple's implementation of the Skyhook WiFi-based GPS system, a user will always know exactly where they are. It's superior to anything else found in the market and incorporates the kind of technology that we believed only to be found in Sci-Fi novels.

Frederick B Johnson is a writer for Milliamp LTD, a company that can repair an iPhone for anyone on the planet

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Frederick_B_Johnson

Various Types of Apple iPod

If there is one thing Apple is known for, it is constant product releases. Each of their products has several different sub-types, and the iPod is a prime example of this practice. The various types of Apple iPod can be hard to keep straight for someone who doesn't read multiple technical blogs every single day. Let's take a look at some of the different types in more detail.

The iPod Touch

This is Apple's latest version of the iPod, and it is basically the iPhone without the cellular and camera capabilities. It also comes with more memory standard than the iPhone, with 8GB, 16GB and 32GB models to choose from. Going beyond the capabilities of a normal MP3 player, the iPod touch has full internet access through its wi-fi connection, a completely touchscreen interface, and allows you to play games, movies, and TV shows as well as listen to MP3's.

The iPod Classic

Of the various types of Apple iPod, this is perhaps the most recognizable. This is the signature style that has been around for years. The features are nowhere near those of the iPod touch, but for what it lacks in "wow factor", it makes up for with storage. Up to 120GB of songs, audio books, pictures, movies, and music videos can be stored right on its hard drive.

The iPod Nano

This slim MP3 player is called the Nano for a reason. It weighs around an ounce and a half, and is only 1/4 inch thick and 1 1/2 inches wide. It doesn't have near the memory of the classic iPod, but its small form factor makes up for it.

The iPod Shuffle

The iPod Shuffle is by far the most inexpensive of all the options. It doesn't offer a ton of storage or a flashy screen, but it is a small, practical MP3 player that can suite the basic user's needs just fine.

Read iPod Nano Reviews, shuffle, Classic, iPod Touch Reviews from some exclusvie website for Apple iPod products. You can read reviews, compare cheapest prices

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Victor_Thomas

Email Archiving and Mailbox Size - Best Practice Recommendations Under Microsoft's Exchange Server

Background

Today's businesses, large and small, depend on their email systems for a significant majority of their communication needs. Email has developed from a rudimentary, inaccessible technology used only by the tech-savvy to its current role as a rapid, reliable communications tool for just about everyone. Along the way, as user needs and data storage have evolved - remember when 1 Mb of storage was a big deal? - the use of email systems has increased well beyond their original scope of sending and receiving short messages. Today's email systems provide calendaring, group collaboration, task management, workflow and, ever-increasingly, file and data storage. Users now store many years worth of email and attachments, and refer back to them on a frequent basis for important historical information.

This increasing document retention, along with the ever-increasing size of attachments, has caused email systems to dramatically increase in size and therefore demand higher technical capacity and management. Meanwhile, the email content itself has increased in value - often being sensitive, proprietary or even mission-critical in nature. It is essential that today's business protects its email investment and associated systems with document retention and archiving policies. An effective policy will balance system needs for security & stability with user needs that include rapid access.

Over the years of working with our clients, Seitel Systems has developed a set of best practices for dealing with these complex needs. Outlined below are our recommendations for retention and archiving under Microsoft's Exchange Server.

Group Policy Templates

Regardless of whether Outlook Auto Archive is used to manage mailboxes, the Outlook Group Policy Template should be used to centrally control settings (including whether or not archiving is allowed). Configuration information is available below.

Outlook 2007: Outlk12.adm Outlook 2003: Outlk11.adm

Exchange 2000 Environments Exchange 2000 is limited in the amount of available storage to 16 GB (17 GB for short term repairs). As a result, SSL recommends that these organizations implement mailbox management policies as follows:

1. Mailbox Size Limits: to 500 MB or smaller depending on the overall size of the organization. Smaller organizations can have larger mailbox limits. This should be managed through mailbox quotas enforced by Exchange Server. As users approach their assigned quota they'll receive warning messages to that effect. Once they reach the quota they'll be restricted from sending and receiving emails.

2. Outlook Email Auto Archive should be configured for all users to run with the following settings:

Turn On Auto Archive: Yes

Run AutoArchive every days: 7

Prompt before AutoArchive runs: No

Delete Expired Items: No

Archive or delete old items: No

(note: this is a setting relevant to email retention policies and expiration dates, not the deleted items folder)

Show archive folder in folder list: Yes

Clean out items older than: Never

Permanently delete old items: No

(note: this is a setting relevant to email retention policies and expiration dates, not the deleted items folder)

3. Archive folders should be stored in the following locations:

· Workstation users should archive to a pst file located on the network. This runs the risk of file corruption as MSFT recommends against using a network share for email auto archiving but alternative solutions (such as archiving locally) entail greater risk of data loss due to disk or backup issues.Search the Microsoft support site for kb/297019 to find the supporting article.

· Laptop users should archive to a pst file located on their local hard drive. A manual process will be required to copy these psts to the network on a regular basis (minimum weekly) to ensure that they are backed up. SSL recommends placing a recurring appointment on the user's calendar.

· A manual process will be required for all users to ensure that individual pst files do not exceed 2 GB in size. The frequency of this process will depend on the rate of email sending & receiving, but should be checked on at least an annual basis. SSL recommends placing a recurring appointment on the user's calendar.

Exchange 2003 Environments Exchange 2003 is limited in the amount of available storage to 75 GB. This is likely more storage space than will be consumed by the average small business, but for those businesses that approach this limit SSL recommends one of the following solutions:

· Upgrade to Exchange Server 2007 with its near-unlimited storage space. This is the likely solution for businesses on older hardware or simply wanting to take advantage of the features of 2007.

· Add in a second mailbox store on the existing Exchange Server and migrate mailboxes to balance the storage load. This solution assumes available disk space and remaining useful life of the server hardware.

Due to the large available storage space and the inherent complexities of archive files SSL does not recommend implementing mailbox size limits or email auto-archiving policies except for laptop (mobile) users. Prudent user management of their mailboxes is encouraged through deletion of non-essential emails especially those with large attachments that do not need to be archived. The Outlook Group Policy Template should be used to prevent users from enabling Auto Archive on their mailbox.

Mobile users with large mailboxes will experience significant performance degradation when operating outside of the office LAN. Cached exchange mode or offline storage files are not recommended as they are both limited to 2 GB file sizes, plus their required synchronization time can be painful when done over a WAN connection (broadband or otherwise). For mobile users SSL recommends the following:

1. Outlook should be configured to use RPC over HTTPS to allow secure access to the Exchange Server whenever the laptop is connected to the internet

2. To keep performance at an acceptable level it is recommended that mobile users need to keep their mailboxes below 500 MB in size. This could be managed through mailbox quotas enforced by Exchange Server.

3. Auto Archive should be enabled for mobile users to run quietly every 7 days and archive information to a pst file located on their local hard drive. A manual process will be required to copy these psts to the network on a regular basis (minimum weekly) to ensure that they are backed up. SSL recommends placing a recurring appointment on the user's calendar.

4. A manual process will be required for mobile users to ensure that individual pst files do not exceed 2 GB in size. The frequency of this process will depend on the rate of email sending & receiving, but should be checked on at least an annual basis. SSL recommends placing a recurring appointment on the user's calendar.

Exchange 2007 Environments Exchange 2007 offers near unlimited storage limited only by the available hard drive space. As a result, SSL does not recommend implementing mailbox size limits or email auto-archiving policies except for laptop (mobile) users. Prudent user management of their mailboxes is encouraged through deletion of non-essential emails especially those with large attachments that do not need to be archived. The Outlook Group Policy Template should be used to prevent users from enabling Auto Archive on their mailbox.

Mobile users with large mailboxes will experience significant performance degradation when operating outside of the office LAN. Cached exchange mode or offline storage files are not recommended as they are both limited to 2 GB file sizes, plus their required synchronization time can be painful when done over a WAN connection (broadband or otherwise). For mobile users SSL recommends the following:

1. Outlook should be configured to use RPC over HTTPS to allow secure access to the Exchange Server whenever the laptop is connected to the internet

2. To keep performance at an acceptable level it is recommended that mobile users need to keep their mailboxes below 500 MB in size. This could be managed through mailbox quotas enforced by Exchange Server.

3. Auto Archive should be enabled for mobile users to run quietly every 7 days and archive information to a pst file located on their local hard drive. A manual process will be required to copy these psts to the network on a regular basis (minimum weekly) to ensure that they are backed up. SSL recommends placing a recurring appointment on the user's calendar.

4. A manual process will be required for mobile users to ensure that individual pst files do not exceed 2 GB in size. The frequency of this process will depend on the rate of email sending & receiving, but should be checked on at least an annual basis. SSL recommends placing a recurring appointment on the user's calendar.

Links:

Configuration information for retention settings is available at: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc303413.aspx (Click on "configure retention settings).

The Outlook Administrative template is located in the Office Resource Kit which can be downloaded from: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/office/desktop/default.aspx. Different versions are available via the Home->Versions link.

Seitel Systems provides network, server, telecommunications, and desktop services that include system design, implementation and support. Seitel Systems has been serving Puget Sound businesses, government agencies, and non-profit organizations since 1990. Contact us at http://www.seitelsystems.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=David_C_Leonhardt

How to Change Windows XP Startup Screen With Ease

If yoy are hungry for ready made splash screen then hop to www.themexp.org and click on Boot Screens. You will see tons of them organized in various categories. Once you find startup screen of your choice, download it and save it in specific folder on your hard disk. One suggestion; create sub folders as per the categories of startup screens

Unzip the contents of the .zip file into the folder. You will observe read me file with one or two files. Filename with ntoskrnl.exe is bootscreen itself. If you have XP Service Pack 1 installed, you may have to use a different file, named ntoskrnlSP1.exe. To know whether service packs is installed, you need to right-click on My Computer, and choose Properties, general. Your version of the operating system will be displayed. If you have Service Pack 1, same will be displayed.

The ntoskrnl.exe file is an executable file which contains the XP bootscreen. During the boot process period, XP executes this file, which is found in C:WindowsSystem32, which in turn displays the bootscreen graphic. So, to modify your bootscreen, replace your existing ntoskrnl.exe file with the one you just downloaded

In order to ensure that the downloaded bootscreen file is properly copied you need to do this activity in safe mode as overwriting system files may no work in normal windows XP login. If you are in Safe Mode Windows File Protection will not be a headache for you.

Once you completed the file copying task in safe mode, reboot you system. You should see the changes in effect the after. One word of caution, always create system restore pint before you copy the downloaded file. If any thing goes wrong , you can always revert back. To do so, go to control panel, performance and maintenance, system restore and follow rest of the instruction. Your computer is safe if in case any mishap happens.

More On Windows XP at http://www.OnlineTechHub.info Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Animesh_K

Basic Configuration Tutorial For the Cisco ASA 5510 Firewall

Continuing our series of articles about Cisco ASA 5500 firewalls, I'm offering you here a basic configuration tutorial for the Cisco ASA 5510 security appliance. This device is the second model in the ASA series (ASA 5505, 5510, 5520 etc) and is fairly popular since is intended for small to medium enterprises. Like the smallest ASA 5505 model, the 5510 comes with two license options: The Base license and the Security Plus license. The second one (security plus) provides some performance and hardware enhancements over the base license, such as 130,000 Maximum firewall connections (instead of 50,000), 100 Maximum VLANs (instead of 50), Failover Redundancy, etc. Also, the security plus license enables two of the five firewall network ports to work as 10/100/1000 instead of only 10/100.

Next we will see a simple Internet Access scenario which will help us understand the basic steps needed to setup an ASA 5510. Assume that we are assigned a static public IP address 100.100.100.1 from our ISP. Also, the internal LAN network belongs to subnet 192.168.10.0/24. Interface Ethernet0/0 will be connected on the outside (towards the ISP), and Ethernet0/1 will be connected to the Inside LAN switch.

The firewall will be configured to supply IP addresses dynamically (using DHCP) to the internal hosts. All outbound communication (from inside to outside) will be translated using Port Address Translation (PAT) on the outside public interface. Let's see a snippet of the required configuration steps for this basic scenario:

Step1: Configure a privileged level password (enable password)

By default there is no password for accessing the ASA firewall, so the first step before doing anything else is to configure a privileged level password, which will be needed to allow subsequent access to the appliance. Configure this under Configuration Mode:

ASA5510(config)# enable password mysecretpassword

Step2: Configure the public outside interface

ASA5510(config)# interface Ethernet0/0

ASA5510(config-if)# nameif outside

ASA5510(config-if)# security-level 0

ASA5510(config-if)# ip address 100.100.100.1 255.255.255.252

ASA5510(config-if)# no shut

Step3: Configure the trusted internal interface

ASA5510(config)# interface Ethernet0/1

ASA5510(config-if)# nameif inside

ASA5510(config-if)# security-level 100

ASA5510(config-if)# ip address 192.168.10.1 255.255.255.0

ASA5510(config-if)# no shut

Step 4: Configure PAT on the outside interface

ASA5510(config)# global (outside) 1 interface

ASA5510(config)# nat (inside) 1 0.0.0.0 0.0.0.0

Step 5: Configure Default Route towards the ISP (assume default gateway is 100.100.100.2)

ASA5510(config)# route outside 0.0.0.0 0.0.0.0 100.100.100.2 1

Step 6: Configure the firewall to assign internal IP and DNS address to hosts using DHCP

ASA5510(config)# dhcpd dns 200.200.200.10

ASA5510(config)# dhcpd address 192.168.10.10-192.168.10.200 inside

ASA5510(config)# dhcpd enable inside

The above basic configuration is just the beginning for making the appliance operational. There are many more configuration features that you need to implement to increase the security of your network, such as Static and Dynamic NAT, Access Control Lists to control traffic flow, DMZ zones, VPN etc.

Visit my website in my resource box below for more information about Cisco products and solutions. You can also learn how to configure any Cisco ASA 5500 Firewall Here

(applicable for ALL ASA models running software versions 7.x and 8.x).

You can check out my website for more Cisco configuration examples and other related details about designing and implementing Cisco solutions: Cisco Tips and Tutorials

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Harris_Andrea

System Guard 2009 - Remove System Guard Easily in Under 15 Minutes!

Infected with System Guard 2009? If so, you are probably now aware that it is a rogue antispyware program that will do nothing to actually help you remove spyware from your computer and instead will actually install more spyware and adware on your computer. Luckily, there is a very easy way to remove System Guard 2009 and it can be accomplished in under 15 minutes.

First of all, you should know that even if you did not actually click on the fake spyware infection advertisement stating that you needed to install System Guard 2009, even the mere fact that you are seeing the popup means that you are already infected by a Trojan.

If you do end up clicking on the advertisement and installing System Guard 2009, then the program will then place fake malware files onto your computer and also configure itself to automatically run when your computer starts up - the result is that you'll see fake spyware scans that come back showing fake spyware infections.

No big deal right?

Wrong.

System Guard 2009, because it constantly runs in the background and also attempts to hijack your browser and internet connection, will cause your computer to slow down significantly and also can cause internet connection issues as well and don't forget that you were already infected with a Trojan in the first place as that was the reason you saw the fake spyware popups at all.

Also, it will attempt to obtain sensitive data from your computer such as passwords and credit card information as all spyware does. So don't be fooled into thinking that having a rogue antispyware program such as System Guard 2009 is no big deal because it is and it can end up costing you your identity and thousands of dollars in the process.

In spite of all of this, there is a rather simple solution - get your hands on top of the line spyware removal software that includes real time proactive protection.

The key is to find reputable software that has earned the right to be called a top spyware remover through the various awards given out by industry leading publications and websites so that you'll not only be able to remove System Guard 2009 literally in under 15 minutes - but also so that you'll be protected from spyware for years to come.

Discover what the absolute best spyware remover is that will get rid of System Guard 2009 for good.

Visit Paul's info packed website http://www.TheBestSpywareRemovers.com and get your free spyware scan today!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Paul_McDonald

7 Ways to Speed Up Windows Vista

There are many ways to speed up Windows Vista. Some methods are more straight forward than the other and some will help you see huge improvements to the performance of Windows while others offer less noticeable results. Here we will look at 7 most effective ways to speed up Windows Vista from my personal experience.

Turn off unnecessary Windows features.

By default, Vista comes with tons of features that are enabled based on assumptions which may or may not apply to you. Hence you get a system that is running lots of background processes, most of which you do not need at all. So one of the great ways to speed up Windows Vista is to disable them. To see the list of Windows features and turn them on or off, go to Control Panel, change to "Classic View", click on "Program Features" and then select "Turn Windows Features On And Off". Some examples of features you may want to disable are:

- Remote Differential Compression

- Windows Meeting Space

- Tablet PC optional components

- And so on.

Graphical features.

One of the better ways to speed up Windows Vista is to turn off fanciful graphical features if you are not too much into aesthetics. One example is the Aero feature. Open your start menu, go to run, and type in 'systempropertiesperformance'. At the Visual Effects tab, uncheck 'Animate windows when minimizing and maximizing'. This will do the job. There are many graphical features that you can take out from here. This can give you more immediate results as compared to other ways to speed up Windows Vista.

Turn off Windows Indexing.

The Windows Indexing service was initially designed to be one of the ways to speed up Windows Vista by shortening the search time for files. However, as the volume of hard disk increases exponentially, the service has proven to be a resource intensive program causing massive slowdowns when Windows start to index the millions of files in the system. Select Start then choose Computer, right click on your C Drive and select properties. Under the General Tab, uncheck "Index this drive for faster searching". On the next dialog box, choose "Include subfolders and files". Do the same for the other Drives.

Remove Spyware and Trojans and protect your system against future attacks.

Out of the many ways to speed up Windows Vista, this has to be one of the most crucial things you need to do. This is because not only your system performance is at stake, the security and confidentiality of your data is too. Use free tools such as Avast for anti-virus protection, Spybot for spyware removal and protection as well as Zonealarm for firewall protection. There are other good tools around but make sure they are not spywares themselves!

Remove unnecessary start up programs.

When Vista boots up, many programs run at the start up either in the background or as pop up Windows. Many of these you do not need. You need to take control and eliminate these memory suckers that are lurking in the background. Open your start menu, go to run, and type in 'msconfig', choose the Startup tab and uncheck any items that you do not want to auto-load and click OK.

Defrag your hard disk.

This may not be new to you but if you are thinking of using the Windows Defragmentation Tool in Vista, you can forget about it. Instead, use a free 3rd party tool known as Defraggler (Google it for the download link). It is still quite effective in comparison to other ways to speed up Windows Vista.

Clean your registry.

One of the often neglected portions of Windows is the registry itself. Many do not realized that one of the best ways to speed up Windows Vista is to make sure the registry is clear of invalid entries that causes Windows to perform unnecessary tasks. Cleaning the registry has other advantages too. In certain cases you can remove Windows errors that pop up during boot up.

George Tho is an IT support specialist. One of the best ways to speed up Windows Vista is using registry cleaners. Read his review on the top 3 Registry Cleaners that come with free scanning features to help you improve your system's performance and remove errors.

Author's review website on clickbank products: http://www.clickbankproductreview.com

Disclaimer: The content of this article is provided for the purpose of education and illustration only. This article may be freely reprinted or distributed in its entirety in any ezine, newsletter, blog or website. The author's name, bio and website links must remain intact and be included with every reproduction.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=George_Tho

Windows XP Registry Power Policies - How to Manipulate Power Policies in Windows XP Registry

Want to manipulate your PC or laptop's power policies using Windows XP registry? The steps are simple and enable you to quickly modify the power policy of your PC or laptop with a double click. Of course you need to know what you are doing to your registry which is what this article is about.

Before we go on to talk about modifying Windows XP registry power policies, please note that you need to make sure that the power schemes are set according your preferences. To do so, right click on your desktop and click on "Properties". Go to the "Screen Saver" tab and click on "Power" button. Then you can start to modify the power schemes to suit your preference. The steps are particular to XP but Vista should have similar interface though I am not absolutely sure. After you have done so, then you can now choose which power scheme you want using Windows XP registry power policies setting which is much faster than going through the steps above. You just need to prepare one registry file for each scheme and double click on the one you want to set subsequently. It is fast and convenient.

I mentioned that in order to modify Windows XP registry power policies, you need one registry file for each scheme. There are 6 power schemes in XP so you will need 6 registry files. Launch notepad and paste the following content removing texts in brackets:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
(blank line)

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER/Control Panel/PowerCfg] (replace the forward slashes with black slashes)

"CurrentPowerPolicy"="0"

And then save the file as "scheme1.reg". You can choose any name you want but the file must have the extension .reg. You should have noticed that the "CurrentPowerPolicy" is set to 0 which refers to scheme 1 which is "Home/Office Desk" scheme in XP. You can now proceed to create 5 more registry files for the rest of the schemes.

What you need to do to apply the Windows XP registry power policies setting is simply to double click on the registry file that you want to set the scheme for. When prompted on whether you are sure you want to add the information to the registry, just click Yes. If you see any error, chances are you have not created the registry file properly. Make sure there is no space before or on top of the sentence "Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00" and make sure you replaced the forward slashes with back slashes. Manipulating Windows XP registry power policies will be a breeze from now on.

George Tho is an IT support specialist. Read his review on the top 3 Registry Cleaners that come with free scanning features for you to improve performance of Windows on your system and remove errors caused by registry.

Author's review website on Clickbank products: http://www.clickbankproductreview.com.

Disclaimer: The content of this article is provided for the purpose of education and illustration only. This article may be freely reprinted or distributed in its entirety in any ezine, newsletter, blog or website. The author's name, bio and website links must remain intact and be included with every reproduction.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=George_Tho

Windows Background Wallpaper Registry Settings - Tweak Windows Background Wallpaper With Registry

Windows background wallpaper registry settings enables users not just to change the wallpaper itself but users can also choose to restrict or allow the change of wallpapers. Such a feature may be applicable for companies who do not want their employees or public users to modify the wallpaper of their desktop PCs or laptops. On the other hand, if you find that you are not able to change the wallpaper of your personal computer, you may want to look at the registry settings to see if the change of wallpaper has been restricted and thus undo it. Let's look at how to modify Windows background wallpaper registry settings.

Let's look at how you can restrict or enable the change wallpaper feature. You will need to prepare a registry file with the following content:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
(blank line)

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/SOFTWARE/Microsoft/Windows/policies/ActiveDesktop] (please replace the forward slashes with backslash)

"NoChangingWallPaper"=dword:00000001

Save the file as "XXXX.reg" and double click on it. Select Yes when prompted and the Windows background wallpaper registry setting should have been applied. However, if your PC is affected by a group policy which may be the case for company desktops, then this method may not work.

If you would like to change the wallpaper using registry, go to Start --> Run and type in regedit. Go to folder HKEY_CURRENT_USERControl PanelDesktop and look for Wallpaper, double click on it and change the path to point to your desired wallpaper.

If the above steps to tweak Windows background wallpaper registry settings are just too much hassle for you, you can download a free tool known as Tweak UI (Just do a search on Google). This freeware not only allow you to play with Windows background wallpaper registry settings, but also other aspect of Windows UI such as the taskbar. Users of slower computers can use it to improve performance of Windows by turning off fanciful graphical features on the operating system.

George Tho is an IT support specialist. Read his review on the top 3 Registry Cleaners that come with free scanning features for you to improve performance of Windows on your system and remove errors caused by registry.

Author's review website on Clickbank products: http://www.clickbankproductreview.com.

Disclaimer: The content of this article is provided for the purpose of education and illustration only. This article may be freely reprinted or distributed in its entirety in any ezine, newsletter, blog or website. The author's name, bio and website links must remain intact and be included with every reproduction.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=George_Tho

How to Re-Calibrate Your Laptop Battery?

It is difficult to predict how long a laptop battery charge will last because each computer user has different habits and needs. The rate at which you use laptop battery power will determine how long you can use the battery of your laptop. You can re-calibrate your laptop battery if the battery's life has gotten shorter over time. Your laptop battery might need a good calibration if it doesn't seem to be getting the mileage that it should. How to re-calibrate laptop battery? The following paragraphs will give you the answer.

First put the laptop computer to sleep by turning off the screensaver and other power management settings of the computer. Then fully charge the computer and allow it to run all the way down until the computer shuts off automatically. Once the laptop battery has fully drained, charge it back up again and restore the screensaver and power management settings.

Re-calibrate your battery every month or so by fully charging, fully discharging, and then fully charging again. Basically to have a chance to re-calibrate your laptop battery is to turn off all power-saving features completely and then fully recharge them. If it doesn't work for the first time then try two more full discharges and recharges.

The above way of re-calibrating the laptop batteries works well with laptops using Ni-MH cells. But not with laptops using Li-Ion batteries because deep discharges will actually decrease the charge capacity and lifespan of Li-Ion cells. Moreover Li-ion batteries irreversibly lose approximately 20% capacity per year from the time of manufacture at a typical 100% charge level at 25deg.C, even when unused. Li-ion batteries irreversibly lose approximately 2%, 4%, 15% at 0deg.C, 25deg.C and 40deg.C respectively, when stored at 40% charge level. That is every deep discharge cycle decreases the capacity of the Li-ion batteries. As the Li-Ion batteries are chemical in nature, charging and recharging is not going to fix the problem once the chemical reactions stop happening. Therefore the best advice for re-calibrating the Li-Ion batteries is to store the battery at 40% charge if it kept unused for any unlimited period of time. Also don't leave the battery in the laptop if you don't use the battery or if you plug the laptop into outlet power.

You can also re-calibrate your laptop battery using IBM Thinkpad Battery Maximizer in order to maximize your laptop battery's life. If your laptop has IBM ThinkPad Battery MaxiMiser and Power Management features installed, you can verify the condition of the laptop battery. You can check the status of your battery using the Battery MaxiMiser Gauge in the taskbar tray. The ThinkPad's Lithium Ion battery pack that seems to be an intelligent battery uses a microprocessor to monitor its capacity. Then the microprocessor of the battery pack passes the information about the remaining battery capacity to the laptop. The laptop indicates the capacity with high accuracy.

Using the HP Laptop Battery Learning Utility, a modified version of a Win98 boot floppy, can also help you. Just place it in the floppy drive, and then turn on the computer. The re-calibration process is automated and takes about six hours to finish. This utility is available in different versions for different models. You can run the utility every two months.

If the laptop battery is still bad then it must have developed a memory that cannot be erased easily. If calibration doesn't help, then it is the right time to purchase another battery.

Kevin moshayedi is an expert author, who is presently working on the site about Cellular Phone battery. He has written many articles in various topics like Cordless Phone battery and Digital Camera battery, Visit our site needbattery.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Oz_Zeldom

What Some People Have to Say About XoftSpySE

My computer was in shambles. I could not get anything done anymore. Everything was so slow; I did not know what the problem was at first. And then a friend suggested that I install XoftSpySE because he said there is probably some software that I got over the Internet that slowed down my computer, as this was the case with his before. So, I tried it out and found that I had a lot of spyware and adware in there that I never knew existed! Thanks to this wonderful product, my computer now works like new.

I used to have trouble surfing the Internet before. Each time I would go into some sites to learn about a certain product or their features, this pesky pop-up window would not let me read anything anymore. It made me think they were made by rival companies or something. Every few seconds, it came around like a mosquito and it just made me so tired of the whole idea, so I end up just closing the window without getting anything done at all. After installing XoftSpySE, I read that it could stop these windows from popping up out of nowhere. True enough, they did. I am ever so grateful that there are programs like these just to help people like us. Keep up the good work!

For me, the worst things you can have are Trojans and viruses in your computer. You never get to notice them at first until you have problems with your operating system. They keep mentioning a missing file and it cannot do certain things anymore and it has to close. After knowing I had these things in my computer, I went ballistic. I tried other products first before trying the XoftSpySE. All the other ones just recognized it was there but it still kept coming up. They did not do anything about it but just let me know it was there. That was so frustrating. I was considering having my computer cleaned out and formatted at that point.

But I gave it a last chance and tried the software. I was getting really, really desperate. Had I known that the software worked the way it did and the ease of going about it, I never should have looked elsewhere for other solutions. I have recommended this truly wonderful product XoftSpySE to all my friends because it has helped me immensely.

PC infested with stubborn spyware and adware? Read this detailed anti-spyware software review and discover which is the most highly-rated spyware remover in the market.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mike_Darwin

NoAdware Review - Get Protected With NoAdware

Do you ever get popups of uncalled-for advertising on your computer display that basically comes out of nowhere? When this happens, it does not take too long for you to notice how your computer becomes significantly slower as far as web browsing goes. This is only when you truly appreciate the beauty and effectivity of spyware deleting software.

NoAdware 5.0 is perpetually updated to distinguish the most recent menaces to your privacy. The software system will scan your personal computer for different types of spyware, adware, dialers, and web bug traces. These particulars not only make problems in the form of popups and system deceleration, but more importantly, your very own private information is at risk.

The installation of spyware onto your system allows a breach of your privacy and you then unknowingly release significant information and data. These applications keep track of the typing strokes that you make on the keyboard. With those key strokes taken in, sneaking in and getting private data, like passwords and credit card information, become a breeze. In essence, spyware can drive both you and your computers crazy, which is why it is highly recommended that you get an efficient spyware removed application for your own system.

NoAdware is the answer to spyware-associated troubles. This is a free software protection, a dispatching program that effectively blocks off terrors stimulated by these spywares. This program executes efficient scanning of the personal computers and furnishes the outcomes of an individual application for the client's comfort. The software has the alternative to set the date for the scans at your very own convenience. This is an added valuable feature that is established into the application. With this, you are able to schedule when it should automatically scan spur computer for spyware percolations. This protects your computer in the event that you forget to do this manually.

It is highly recommended that scans be made at least twice a week. NoAdware also offers the services of their very dependable technical support team, and your own needs are attended to on actual time basis.

This software program is accessible in free demo and licensed editions. It comes with secure antispyware capacities that ceaselessly screen your personal computer for spyware intrusions. It is definitely the secure way to keep private information intact so as to avoid having your information used in fraudulent activities that would threaten your own safety.

Why should anyone be using this software when there are free spyware removers that can be downloaded from places like TUCOWS? Well, we have tested many of these so-called free versions. They are either demo copies which are only capable of scanning and detecting malware but incapable of removing them, or less-powerful software that are only able to detect and remove basic malware partially.

So, go ahead and sample the free demo of NoAdware's latest version now!

PC infested with stubborn spyware and adware? Read this detailed anti-spyware software review and discover which is the most highly-rated spyware remover in the market.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mike_Darwin

How to Boot a USB Flash Drive in Floppy Mode

USB flash drive has become a commonly used device that acts as a "travel filing cabinet". In replacing the bulky stacks of CDs, this compact device makes it easier for everyone to have their important files and documents on the go. And since this device has replaced whatever we used to place in our "once floppy disks", perhaps it is the best time to transfer all files into this innovative data storage device. This usually calls for the need to boot USB flash drive in floppy mode.

When we say boot, it basically means manipulating the features and settings of computer hardware and software to serve our purpose. This is also applicable to external hard drives such as USB flash drives. In successfully booting the flash drive in floppy mode, you get to access a:drive and get the images from your floppy disc. In this manner, you can make use of the image to make a bootable CD. The other great thing that you get out of this is the use of "raw write". This is a utility for windows that allows the computer to write the floppy image to the USB flash drive. Even without the hard disk utility, making the USB thumb drive bootable can do just the trick.

Here are some of the things that you need in doing this project:

• A PC that supports booting from USB flash drive. Check the BIOS for details. No problem for newly bought computers for recently manufactured units supports this functionality.
• A flash drive that supports booting applications in general; contains boot/system files and bootsector area.
• References to A: drive lines.
• A formatted floppy disk in WinXP when using XP as bootdisk.

To actually boot a USB flash disk into Floppy mode, it needs to be made bootable first.

Here is how to manually make your USB flash disk bootable:

• Make the USB drive lead the drive sequence. The flash disk will not allow any of the partition to be active or bootable in any other way. To do this, simply plug the drive in, power the computer and go to the BIOS and initiate boot sequence. If this did not work, disable or unplug the other drives in the system.
• Boot your computer to a DOS shell from the bootable floppy disk or CD and make sure that the USB flash drive is already plugged in.
• Run the flash disk.
• Initiate setting of primary partition on the USB drive by click on the "set active partition" option in flash disk. If your USB flash disk does not have a primary partition, then use the flash disk to create one.
• Exit flash disk.
• Reboot the computer this time with a DOS shell from a bootable floppy disk or CD with the USB already plugged in.
• Verify the contents of the primary partition of the USB drive, you can use of the DOS command "dir c:"
• Format and copy the boot file to the primary partition of the USB flash drive, you can use the DOS "format /s c:" command.

Write the master boot record to the USB drive by running "fdisk /mbr", do this without altering the partition table.

• Restart the computer after booting the USB drive. If everything went well, the c:> command prompt will appear.

These tips may or may not be effective, even when done correctly. In any problem regarding your USB flash drive booting problems, you may consult a qualified technician.

Derek Rogers is a freelance writer who writes for a number of UK businesses. For logo branded USB Flash Drives, he recommends Flashbay.com.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Derek_Rogers

Audio Tape Transfer - How to Transfer Cassette Tapes to Computer, CD and MP3 Using Audacity

To transfer a cassette tape to computer you will need the following:

• Working Cassette Deck
• Cable to connect the cassette deck to your computer
• Computer with a sound card
• Software application that lets you record stereo audio

The most important factor in a good transfer is the quality of the analogue playback machine, i.e. the tape deck you're using. Try to find or use the best quality and best sounding one to your ears that you can. If you have or can borrow a 3 head machine especially a Nakamichi and it's working well that should give you excellent sound on playback. It's a good idea to clean the heads, capstans and pinch rollers with isopropyl alcohol (IPA) and a q-tip.

They often become dirty with tape oxide that can muffle the high frequencies and give you a dull sounding recording. Gently rub the heads with the wetted cotton bud until no more brown gunk comes off. Most computers and laptops have sound cards with 3.5mm, minijack connectors on them.

If you have a more specialised sound card it may have larger 1/4" jacks or even XLR connectors but you probably won't need this article if you have one of those! You will need a cable with two phono connectors at one end, for the tape deck, and a single 3.5mm mini stereo jack and the other. These cables can be bought very cheaply and are often used to connect media players to stereos. Plug you cable in and get ready to record! There is a wealth of recording software for Windows, Macintosh and GNU/Linux to choose from, some of it expensive, some cheap and some free!

We're going to use the free software, which is actually very good. Point your web browser to the Audacity website and download and install the version suitable for your operating system. Once you've got Audacity installed and working you'll need to check in the Preferences Audio I/O menu that you have the correct playback and recording inputs selected. If that's ok then press the big round, red record button and then start your tape running. If you see the meters moving up and down and a waveform being drawn across the screen, well done it's recording your tape! It might be a good idea though to stop and check it sounds ok as very low or very loud recordings will not sound good. You will need to be very careful of what's called clipping. Digital recorders can't record 'into the red' like your old tape deck could.

Once they go over 0dB you'll get clipping. This sounds terrible so it's best to check your levels and give yourself a bit of breathing space and record lower. This breathing space is called headroom. If the recording has gone ok, it's safest to save the file first before you do anything to it, using the File Save As menu. Now you can play it back, edit it, burn it to a CD or convert it to an OGG or MP3 file for your media player. If you've any large gaps at the beginning or end, it's a good idea to trim these. Just use the 'I' beam tool and select the flat looking bits of waveform at the start and end of your recording, then press backspace just like you would to delete a word or paragraph in a wordprocessor.

If your recording is over 80 minutes and is destined for a CD you will have to split the file by cutting the section for side 2 maybe and pasting this into a new stereo Audacity document as 80 minutes is the most you can burn on a CD. If you want a CD with track points you will need to create 'markers' in Audacity speak at each gap between tracks. If your recording has neat gaps between the tracks then it's pretty easy as your can use Audacity's Find Silence command which will place a marker at every point in the file that the volume falls to a certain level for a certain length of time. This may need a bit of trial and error to get right but it's worth persevering as it saves much time over the manual method of listening to the whole recording an inserting markers at the point between songs or tracks. If everything's fine, you're almost there.

The last stage before putting your recording on CD or converting it to a compressed format for your media player is to Normalize the file. This looks at the whole file, finds the loudest section and then increased the volume of everything in proportion until the loudest part is just as loud as it can be before it clips. I usually Normalize to 98% or -0.3 dB. Now it's time to make a CD or file. From the File Export menu choose the type of destination file you need. For CD choose, WAV, AIFF and for your media player choose Ogg Vorbis, FLAC or MP3. Now sit back and let it create the final file.. If you have created markers for track points in your CD, you'll need to use the File Export Multiple command which will export each track as a separate file. If you need to make a CD use the WAV file or files in your favourite CD burning application and it should burn one perfectly and you can sit and listen to your recording safe in the knowledge you can make as many digital copies now and play it back forever with no fear of the tape wearing out or getting 'chewed'!Auda

Adrian Finn is the founder and proprietor of greatbear, a UK business that specialises in helping individuals and organisations adapt and make the best use of the Digital Age. This includes web design and development, computer support and audio and video transfer services to CD and DVD.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Adrian_Finn

Friendster Login Problems and Friendster Proxies

Friendster login problems are common and Friendster proxies are not an uncommon solution. I am sure that many of you reading this have experienced that awful moment when your login has failed, or you can't access the site, and you have tried again with the same result. Here are the three major reasons for this, and what to do overcome the problem.

1. Wrong Friendster Login Used

In today's world when you have dozens or more user names and passwords to remember, it is easy to forget your login, or to confuse one with another. It is stupid to use the same logins for all your password protected websites and pages, and occasionally you get it wrong.

This is the simplest of the login problems to resolve: click on the 'forgot password' link under the login box, and Friendster will email you your password. If you have lost your email address, then you have problems! You will have to re-register with a new email address and then invest in password security software that stores your login details and auto-fills login boxes for you.

2. Breaking Friendster's Terms of Service

If you seriously breach Friendster's Terms of Service, such as any of the list of prohibitions, you can have your subscription cancelled. You could appeal against this if you feel it is an error, but you will generally be unsuccessful. Social networks operate on trust, and any breach of that is unacceptable. Learn the TOS and stick to them - ignorance is no excuse. You will find the TOS in the navigation at the very bottom of each page.

3. Access Denied

Many employers and educational establishments such as schools and universities prevent Friendster access by denying access to the Friendster website. A Friendster login is impossible when the computer you are using identifies Friendster, or a specific IP address, as the target site. However, there is a way to overcome that: by using a Friendster proxy.

FRIENDSTER PROXIES

The way a Friendster proxy works is easiest explained thus:

The computer you are using is A. Friendster is B, with an IP address of IPB. You find a proxy site C with IP address IPC, and access it. Your computer recognizes that you are accessing site C with IP address IPC.

Site C offers you a search box into which you type the URL of Friendster. Site C then accesses Friendster and allows you to view it and also to log on to Friendster using your own Friendster login details. You can now view and use your Friendster pages as normal. Computer A is still seeing you as being connected to C IP address IPC, and not Facebook with IPB, so allows the connection to continue.

Such proxies can be used to bypass any block placed on any site from any computer, so Friendster proxies can also be used as MySpace proxies and Facebook proxies. If the proxy site is headed as a specific proxy site, you will likely be able to use for any other social website as long as it offers a search box and not a fixed link. You can connect to any site using the search box, but a fixed link is restricted to the one URL.

Therefore, if you find difficulty with your Friendster login, make sure that the first two reasons above do not apply, and then find a proxy. Your school or college can do nothing about it other than find the proxy site URL and then ban that. Then you find another proxy site - it's great fun!

For more information on Friendster login problems and proxy sites visit Pete's site at Friendster Login where you will also find a link to free software that will store and enter your logins automatically.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Peter_Nisbet

Must Know Facts About Trojan Vundo Removal

One of the most difficult scenarios that a PC owner might be confronted with is having the need to find an effective Trojan Vundo Removal solution. When surfing online, you would probably find many suggestions telling you to download VundoFix to address the problem. What you probably do not know is that you might be causing more damage to your PC if you download such program.

The general advice given to those who want to remove spyware is to install and run a Search and Destroy program or Ad-ware and if this does not work, VundoFix is supposed to accomplish the feat. While this advice might seem to be heaven sent initially, it could ultimately cause PC owners to be disappointed. Fact is, VundoFix almost always does not work as effectively as hyped.

Vundo is one the most commonly downloaded spyware infections worldwide. This troublesome program also happens to be one of the most challenging to be rid of. A PC owner might have his computer infected by this upon downloading a seemingly harmless Trojan downloader that comes with popup advertisements. Worse, when this gets downloaded, more malicious files might also find their way to your system. Because of the dynamic feature of the Trojan downloader, it becomes even more difficult to eliminate - inconveniently rendering simple spyware removers totally useless.

When looking for an effective solution to spyware problems, it is wise to take the advice of only those qualified individuals. Checking forums online that discuss spyware or computer security is also a good idea so that you would not be scammed into buying an ineffectual anti-spyware solution.

To get rid of Vundo, you have to look for spyware removal software that is capable of doing a computer scan in real-time. It should also have an extensive database of spyware definitions that are always updated to make it able to detect and remove even new versions of spyware programs. Any software that does not have even one of these two features will not be effective in eliminating software. Buying such software will only be a waste of money. Moreover, it would just make PC owners feel even more frustrated about getting rid of the Vundo spyware.

By diligently searching on the best anti-spyware software tool that can be found online, you will surely bid goodbye to Trojan Vundo soon. While Trojan Vundo removal might not be the easiest thing to do, it is not entirely impossible to do.

PC infested with stubborn spyware and adware? Read this detailed anti-spyware software review and discover which is the most highly-rated spyware remover in the market.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mike_Darwin

Why IT Professionals Should Not Hate Auditors, and Should Not Become Sick With Compliance Guidelines

Which is one of the most common characteristics of Information Technology (IT) professionals? They hate documentation and auditors, and become sick with compliance guidelines.

Some IT professionals are different. They have realized that when persons that understand systems and the technical issues, understand also compliance and risk management, are really valuable for organizations. IT professionals with a risk or compliance certification stand out from the crowd.

There is a legal duty to comply with laws and regulations. Compliance is of paramount importance to all organizations that have to demonstrate to the society in general and to their shareholders, auditors, supervisors and employees in particular their strong commitment to excellence, profitability and international standards.

A good compliance program provides assurance that the firm is able to prevent illegal and unethical conduct encourages employees to report problems and to help resolve issues, minimizes loss and reduces the exposure to civil damages, penalties and criminal sanctions.

Compliance starts from a set of clear policies. A policy is not something employees have (a document), but something they know, they understand, they do. Compliance is always taken into account in evaluating all managers and employees.

Compliance awareness and training for all employees is important, but a different compliance training program is needed for different employees. IT professionals need to understand the legal and regulatory problems organizations face after errors or omissions in the IT departments.

IT persons are very nice and friendly. They are willing to share videos and songs, sometimes creating shared folders to do that. They usually underestimate the importance and the consequences of Intellectual Property and Copyright law. They don't believe that is such an important problem if they download some pictures, videos or documents that do not belong to their organization and share them with their colleagues using the corporate network and structure.

Become a Certified Information Systems Risk and Compliance Professional (CISRCP). Instead of just training, you have much more:

1. Training
2. Certification
3. Membership in our Association
4. Monthly newsletter with news, alerts and opportunities
5. Networking and exposure to the best headhunters

To learn more:
http://www.risk-compliance-association.com/Distance_Learning_and_Certification.htm.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=George_J_Lekatis

How to Download Free Smileys

Download Free Smileys The Right Way

It is no secret that there are tons of websites out there for downloading free smileys. However, how many of those websites aren't scams? How many of those websites aren't infecting your computer with spyware or adware? There really aren't a whole lot legitimate websites for downloading smileys out there when you consider all of the scams out there.

That is why you need to know exactly how to download only the highest quality smileys from the very best websites if you want to get the best possible downloads. And fortunately for you, I am going to tell you exactly how you can do so.

Make Sure The Smiley Download Site Is Professional

The first step in determining whether or not a website is worth getting free smileys from is whether or not it is professional. Basically, does the website look trustworthy at first glance? If the website looks like it was thrown together in a few minutes then it probably isn't worth your time. In contrast, if the smiley download site looks professional and well put together then it will most likely be a reliable source to download from.

Has Anyone Else Heard Of It?

Another thing that you need to consider when attempting to download smileys for free is whether or not anyone else has used the service and whether or not they recommend it. Seriously, who is going to download something for free when nobody else has before them? Do you really want to take that chance? That is why it is very important to make sure that the smiley service you are using has been evaluated by a third party before going ahead and using it yourself.

If you can follow these simple steps then you should be able to get the highest quality free download with ease.

Wait one second! I've got something pretty cool to share with you...

If I told you that I know of the best free smiley download service would you want to know about it? Well, the thing is that I do. And fortunately for you I am willing to tell you more about it. All you need to do is click the link below in order to get the best free smiley downloads.

http://howtogetfreestuffonline.net/index.php/how-to-get-free-smileys-online

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Madoc_Smithson