VoIP. What Is It? by Lee Smith

One of the biggest industries in the world today is the telephone industry. Between sales of physical telephone units, sales of local calling plans, sales of long distance calling plans and sales of cell or mobile phone plans there are billions of dollars exchanging hands on a regular basis within the telephone industry. Because of this people are always being solicited by companies claiming to be offering the next greatest thing in telephone technology.

In many ways it is rather ironic that telephone companies solicit customers long distance in order to offer them economical long distance plans and many customers have now become so jaded, that they simply do not respond to that type of sales method anymore.

If however, the product being offered is new and innovative and at the same time the product is able to do a lot for the people that are buying it, then the product will survive.

In today's world, things tend to survive more on their own merits rather than on the hard selling done by people looking for their own commissions. One such technology that has taken the telephone communication world by storm is the patented VOIP technology.

VOIP

VOIP is an acronym that stands for voice over internet protocol. It is a piece of technology that allows customers to actually chat with other people through the use of their internet connection rather than a conventional telephone line. The quality does not suffer at all in a good VOIP connection and even the long distance connection is able to maintain the same high quality that a customer has come to expect from their current long distance provider.

The only real difference between VOIP connections and their conventional telephone counterparts is that the VOIP connection maintenance costs tend to be quite a bit cheaper. The reason for this is that the internet is being utilized in order to help the consumer facilitate their telephone needs. To a large degree, the consumer is already paying for most of the technology used in VOIP services with the internet monthly payment they are already making. The bottom line for this is that the internet service provider providing the VOIP service does not have to charge as much for it and those savings usually end up being passed on to the customer.

VOIP Setup

You don't really need much in order to set up a very good VOIP uplink. First and foremost you need to have a broadband internet connection. In other words, you need to have fast internet along the lines of a cable or a DSL connection. Once you have this then all you need is a phone to utilize with the VOIP service and you are good to go. Once you sign up with the VOIP service from one of the many companies around that offer it, you will receive very detailed instructions on how to arrange the cables around your computer and modem in such a way as to facilitate the VOIP service. Once you've done that you can pick up the phone and start chatting right away; it is quick, easy to setup, very cheap and the height of convenience in the world today.

Computer Software by Carolyn Clayton

Computer software is the combination of programmes and applications which interface with the physical components of the computer, the hardware, to enable the user to perform specific functions and tasks. There are two basic types of software, known as system software, which is responsible for the basic functions of the computer, and application software, such as Word Processing programmes, which enable the user to perform actual specific tasks, e.g. typing.

An operating system is the software behind all of the system and application management; it is responsible for organising and controlling how each of the systems interface with each other (basically the smooth running of every programme), for example, allocating the appropriate amount of memory in accordance with which programmes are running and require more power and input. Examples of operating systems are Linux, and of course Microsoft Windows, which holds a monopoly on the computer market for such systems. Without an Operating system, computers are merely empty shells with little or no use. They will typically run their won application software, for example Microsoft Windows has packages such as Microsoft Office, which deals with word processing, publishing, presentation slides, databases, etc. Modern computers can run several applications simultaneously without crashing and becoming slow, depending on the power and capabilities of the operating system.

Software is constantly being up dated and new versions being released, so much so that current systems can become out of date within months - it is a very fast moving and fast evolving area of industry. Microsoft have just released their latest operating system to follow on from the roaring success of Windows XP; Vista. Packages available include Home Basic, Home Premium, Ultimate and Business. The main improvements and selling points of this service package include state of the art user interfaces (Aero - Authentic, Energetic, Reflective and Open), easier transfer of media between devices and computers, better security (virus protection, etc) and new multimedia programmes. For example, Windows Media Player 11 is included in the package and has undergone a major revamp; including user interfacing, new search capabilities, and the facility too hook up with external devices such as the Xbox 360.

However, many consumers are fully aware of Microsoft's dominance in the computer industry and in particular the software market, and are reluctant to shell out for the new programme where many of the new features are seen as luxuries rather than necessities, and on top of that Vista cannot be installed on any machine - brand new machines must be purchased with the system already built in. So potential customers will have to buy a whole new PC setup just to be able to use Microsoft Vista - not a popular choice amongst consumers in an industry where there will doubtless be further improvements and new, better software waiting just around the corner. An advantage gained then, for rival Linux, whose majority of software CD's and packages can be accessed for free, so whilst it is a lot more complex and less user friendly than the likes of Microsoft and their Windows packages, yet it remains one of the most reliable and up to date operating systems out there.

What is the Ipod? by Gigi Villanueva

The ipod is a brand for moveable media players, which can play MP3, AAC/M4A, Protected AAC, AIFF, WAV, Audible audio book, and Apple Lossless audio file formats. Ipods are designed as well as marketed by Apple.

The ipod has iTunes included in it, by which you can transfer tracks from the CD to MP3 format. All you have to do is connect the ipod to your PC and transfer the music along with the play list. Ipod is well suited for Macintosh computers that run on Mac OS X and PCs running on Windows 2000 or Windows XP.

When the ipod or ipod nano is connected to your PC initially, it identifies the computer as "home" computer. Thus every time you connect, your ipod will automatically download the music stored in on the PC. Try connecting it with a different computer. The moment you do it, your ipod will tell you that it is connected to a computer that is different from the home computer and will ask you if you are interested in removing its contents and link it with the music library of the new computer.

You can link more than one ipod with your PC. Every ipod provides an exclusive identification code to your computer. This allows you to derive the benefit of automatic transfer of music to the ipod inspite of the fact that you share the computer with another individual using ipod.

The design of all ipods and ipod nanos is suited to the active lifestyle of people with busy schedules. You can carry them in your hand or put into the pocket even while walking, jogging or running.

Ipods come with different sizes of storage facilities. The storage capacities vary from 512 MB to 80 GB. However, what amount of music that your ipod will be able to hold will depend on the rate of compression of your songs. For instance, twenty GB is a little more than 5000 four-minute songs, or more than 500 CDs. If you have more music than the capacity of your ipod, you will have to update it manually.

Ipods stand out because of the very good quality sound they provide. The powerful amplifier has the capacity to produce a very loud sound. And, with its check feature you can even out the song volume. In addition, a good model of the ipod has an in-built battery that can support it for 10-20 hours.

Your ipod can also double up as your computer's hard disk. This feature helps you to transfer files from your PC and take it with you wherever you travel. Moreover, you need not worry...the ipod is intelligent enough to treat your data and music files separately. There is no chance of one overlapping the other. What more? The ipod also has a digital watch to help you maintain your schedule wherever you go.

Top 4 Cell Phone Accessories You Need by Steve Smith

Cell phones are such an integral part of our lives today that they we take them almost for granted. With so much multi-tasking and constant activity in our lives, we rely on them every day, and it's only when they become cumbersome or don't work for us that we realize how much we've come to count on them. The right accessories can improve the functionality and convenience of your cell phone as well as making it the envy of all your friends. These Cheap Cell Phone Accessories are absolute musts for today's best-dressed cell phones.

1. Anything Bluetooth. Bluetooth is simply a term for a low frequency radio wave signal frequency that is used to make any type of electronic equipment - in this case your cell phone - wireless. No more using those awkward wired headphones that you have to plug into your cell phone! Bluetooth earpieces are small, sleek and have enough range for you to walk about your desk or step away from your parked car while chatting away. You can also get Bluetooth car kits for hands free dialing. These allow you to talk all you want while driving with voice activation and dialing. Typical Bluetooth systems give you up to eight hours of talk time and 150 hours of stand-by.

2. Antenna Booster. You would think cell phones would have clear reception and great coverage just about everywhere these days. You'd be wrong. Getting an antenna booster is a simple solution that's inexpensive, easy to install and will widen your coverage area instantly. There's nothing more annoying than a dropped call or talking to someone who's cutting in or out. Weird problems like buildings that block cell phone reception are solved with a good antenna booster as well.

3. Amplifier Antenna. For cell phones that are the life line of road warriors, an amplifier antenna installed on the car is a must. These antennas are more powerful than the antenna boosters installed in the actual cell phones and are mounted on the rear windshield of the car. They give users great coverage in those areas known as "dead zones" between cell towers and in valleys or mountain areas.

4. Mobile phone charger. Yes, this sounds vaguely old-fashioned, but we still believe this is an essential accessory for anyone who travels a lot and talks a lot. After all, why run down your cell phone's battery when you're driving if you can be using a charger and prolonging the battery life for when you get out of your vehicle? The simplest solutions are usually the most elegant, and today's chargers for cell phones are light years beyond those old versions with the big coils and bulky plugs for the cigarette lighter that you could brain someone with. Check out the newer ones that feature slimmer, shorter cords and dashboard mount, drop-in holders for your cell phone.

Almost a quarter of people in the United States today use cell phones as their primary personal telephone. A few added accessories like the ones mentioned above can make them even more reliable and versatile. When you go shopping for your next phone purchase, be sure to look at a few good extras as well as the best Cellular Phone Accessories .

Integrating ACT! With Other Office Software by Sayed Ally

ACT! is a diverse CRM software solution that will keep excellent track of your customer data. On top of that integrating ACT! with other office software is no problem at all.

Most of us use either Microsoft Outlook as our email package because it is more than that. Microsoft Outlook as a calendar, contact list, and to do list attached to it but it's not the greatest for managing customer relationships. That's the reason why ACT! delivers a very robust integration with outlook.

ACT! and Microsoft Outlook work hand with ACT! allowing you to integrate your calendars, contacts, and email capturing all of your information to be captured in ACT!. You can readily and easily use information between these programs which creates a seamless system for book appointments, scheduling call backs, or replying to emails with data stored in the ACT! database.

ACT! also integrates nicely with other office programs such as Microsoft Word and Excel. That means that you can quickly pull information into word. For example perhaps you are doing up a Christmas newsletter, you could incorporate all the mailing addresses stored in ACT! in minutes. No laborious work here.

Same goes for Excel. We often use Excel to deal with financial information, perhaps projections, or markup scenarios. What ever you reason for pulling data into Excel ACT! does it seamlessly.

For your sales staff ACT! allows them to tract not just sales that have occurred but sales opportunities and all from that initial inquiry. You can filter this information by what products they were interest in, what date they purchased, the order status, the amount of the sales, and a host of other variables. Basically you can pull what ever information your criteria sets. If you collect it you can request it back in a very usable format.

If you'd like to see what's going on at a glance you can pull your information into Excel and use the graphing capabilities. There are also some graphing capabilities in the ACT! report writer.

If you have critical data that you need to be able to have staff access remotely then you'll want the mobile solutions which will let them hook up with their cellular phone, Blackberry, or PDF. What they can remotely access can be determined by management or the IT department and then it can be configured accordingly.

You might also want to explore the ACT! accounting integration options which give you real time access to your customers and vendors. You can effortlessly find the information you need in seconds.

Integrating ACT! with other office software is not that difficult. It comes ready to integrate with many of the Microsoft Office programs. It also has several of its own add on modules.

Some of the add on modules that are available include addressing, shipping, document management project management, sales management, email, direct mail marketing, and a host of others.

What are you waiting for? Isn't the time to ACT! now? After all it's a competitive world out there and you want to stay ahead of your pact don't you? Whatever you need to do this is a program that can do it.

Computers: Where To Go For Data Recovery by Neo James

All computer owners out there know that hard drives can and probably will fail at some point in time. Even though hard drives are built to last and withstand a lot of things, crashes are something that hard drives don¡¯t handle well. Although the loss of data is something to be expected - data recovery ensures that your hard drive doesn¡¯t fail you when you need it the most.

Your hard drive is very important. It stores all of your data and files, and keeps all of your important computer documents. Hard drives have rotating gears, an aperture arm, and 4 platters that store data. No matter how great a hard drive is built, failure is bound to happen one day.

When your hard drive crashes or you lose all of your information, there are things you can do to get back your data. The best way to get back your data, is to take your hard drive to a specialist in your area or send it off to a company. This way, tests can be ran on it and the specialists there can recover your data, which may require rebuilding your hard drive.

If you happen to have multiple hard drives or a RAID configuration, then all you need to do is replace the broken hard drive, and the data that you thought you lost will be regenerated among the other drives. If all of the hard drives in the RAID or mirror configuration have crashed, then you¡¯ll need to send them off together.

Those of you who decide to on the task of fixing the hard drive yourself, should rethink about it. Repairing a hard drive takes a lot of time, effort, and research. If you have no experience with hard drives, it is definitely something that you don¡¯t want to get into.

Even if you have a neighbor who is very experienced with computers and hard drives, you should still look into taking your hard drive to a professional - and get it done right the first time.

In the rare cases where the hard drive cannot be repaired, the experts will let you know. They will tell you that there is nothing you can do, the hard drive is completely destroyed. This way, you don¡¯t waste time or money on something that simply cannot be fixed.The registry keeps growing when you use Windows. As it does, it attracts obsolete information and becomes cluttered. Get Free Registry Cleaner Scan here!

Although data recovery can fix your hard drive and restore your data and information in most cases, you should still create a backup of your information. This way, you¡¯ll have everything you need just in case something happens that can¡¯t be fixed. It isn¡¯t hard to create a backup, and you should always backup your data at least once a week.

With the proper data backup, you can keep on going with your operations while your crashed hard drive is being repaired - which won¡¯t slow you down a bit.Get Free Registry Cleaner Scan at http://www.registry-cleaners-reviewed.info

3 Tips to Help You Find the Best Online Casino Gambling by Itay Paz

Are you ready to try your luck at the best online casino gambling sites?

Since the dawn of internet gambling in the mid-1990s, there has been a huge surge of interest in this popular and entertaining activity. And, it is not hard to see why.

Online casinos let you bet as little or as much as you like from the comfort of your living room--and they offer hundreds of games, from keno and poker, to horse-racing and slots. Best of all, you avoid the noise, intimidation and smoke of crowded Las Vegas clubs, not to mention the expense of airfare and hotel accommodations!

The question is: how do you find the best online gambling sites? No one wants to waste their time or money on fly-by-night casinos or place their personal information in the hands of disreputable dealers.

But there is no need to worry. There are hundreds of online casinos to choose from and the vast majority of them are reliable, secure companies that deliver everything they promise.

So, how can you find the best online casino gambling sites quickly and easily?

1. Have you got game? Familiarize yourself with the many different types of casinos available online. Then, figure out which one best meets your needs. Essentially, you will need to decide whether you want to play web-based games, using programs like Java, Macromedia Flash or Macromedia Shockwave, or download-based games.

The advantage to playing web-based games is that you don't have to download software directly onto your computer hard-drive. The down side? Loading the graphics, sound and animation requires considerable bandwidth.

You will also find that there are fewer web-based games than download-based games. Why? These games are considerably faster since the graphics and animation run from your computer, not the internet. Still, there are some cons. It takes time for the software to install on your computer. You also run the risk of downloading a virus.

2. Try before you buy. The best online casino gambling sites will let you play for free at first. This way, you can see if the site meets your needs: Is it easy and enjoyable to use? Is it reliable and secure? Are you satisfied with its customer service?

3. Read the fine print carefully. Before you make your initial deposit, make sure you understand how its bonus system works; check its payout percentage--some of the best online casinos have a payout percentage close to 98%--and find out how long it typically takes to receive your winnings.

Finally, pay attention to what's featured on the homepage. The best online casino gambling sites proudly display icons regarding Fair Play initiatives, independent audits, secure software and reliable payment processing mechanisms.

Itay Paz is the VP Marketing of B4playing Ltd. , a tool that treats every user as a VIP. It gives you the online gambling information you want, when you want it. It eliminates your need to search for any current information related to online gambling. Sign up for B4Playing Tool, and take the advantage of it today by visiting the website at http://www.b4playing.com

Computers: Cooling Your Hard Drive by James Jonas

For several different reasons, storage is a very important part of a computer. These days, computers do far more than they ever have in the past. From businesses to family photo¡¯s, storage is the ideal way to keep documents on your computer. The most popular method of storage is the hard disk drive, which we all count on for keeping our data safe.

Even though the hard drive stores data, it isn¡¯t perfect by any means. Hard drive failure is very common with all computers, with no real way to prevent it. Although there are several different reasons why a hard drive can fail, the most common is overheating. Viruses and crashes are common as well, along with theft and accidental deletion.

With the older style and mechanics of hard drives, the RPM speed was low, meaning that the drives wouldn¡¯t overheat. The hard drives we use now days, have speeds between 7,200 and 10,000 RPM, meaning that they can get quite hot when they start working. Computers of this day and age come with fans to cool everything down, with most hard drives including temperature sensors as well, so you can keep track of just how hot your hard drive becomes.

With hard drives today, overheating is a very common problem. The faster hard drives come with speeds of 10,000 RPM, which can make the temperature soar above 70 degrees F, really heating things up inside the drive.

The mechanics on the inside are built to withstand the heat, although if things become too hot, you¡¯ll encounter problems. If a drive becomes too hot and ends up losing the data, it may be next to impossible to retrieve the information - no matter how good your data recovery specialists may be.To keep your computer in top performance, you must scan and clean your computer every 2 weeks. Get Free Registry Cleaner scan here!

One area that suffers from the drive overheating is the platters, which are magnetic media. Platters are what carry the data throughout the hard drive. Platters are constructed from optical glass, aluminum, or ceramic and normally coated with a layer of magnetic material. Once the hard drive begins to heat up, the platters will start to expand, which changes their size.

When this happens, the magnetic surface on the platters will get destroyed, which results in a loss of data. If the physical area of the platters are damaged, it will result in unreadable sectors.

Other areas of the hard drive that can be damaged due to overheating are the read and write heads, head actuator, and the controller chip. Hard drives are very sophisticated pieces of hardware, and can¡¯t handle overheating. The read and write heads are a common example, as they can easily render the drive useless if they become damaged. If they get too hot, they don¡¯t make any contact with media, which pretty much stops the flow of transfer from information to the computer.

To prevent your hard drive from overheating, you should always make sure that it is cooled properly and well ventilated. You can always get additional fans and coolers, which will improve both ventilation and the flow of air in your computer. You can buy fans and coolers at very affordable prices, which makes them an ideal investment for keeping your hard drive or hard drives cool.

You can also get software that monitors the temperature of your hard drive as well. Whether it¡¯s software, or additional fans, you should always ensure that your hard drives are kept cool. By keeping them cool, you¡¯ll greatly reduce the amount of crashes. You¡¯ll also increase the stability of your hard drive as well, which will make your entire computer perform much better.Free Scan! See how many errors your computer has, at http://www.registry-cleaners-reviewed.info

Find free photos by Ellen Finkelstein

Photos make great backgrounds for slides, but you need to find the right ones. The secret to finding free photos is to know how to use Microsoft's tools effectively and where to look on the Web. Find photos in PowerPoint

Many people don't know how to find photos in PowerPoint. In PowerPoint 2002 and 2003, do the following:

1. On the Drawing toolbar, click the Insert Clip Art button or choose Insert Picture > Clip Art. The Clip Art task pane opens. 2. In the Search For text box, enter a keyword to search for. For example, enter sky. 3. Click the down arrow of the Search In drop-down list to specify where you want to look. You can leave Everywhere check box checked to look on your computer, in MS Office collections, and on Microsoft's Web site (http://office.microsoft.com/clipart/default.aspx?lc=en-us). (By including Web Collections, you'll also be searching Microsoft's Clip Art and Media site. 4. Click the down arrow of the Results Should Be drop-down list. Here's the secret. Uncheck everything except photographs. 5. Click Go and you'll get only sky photos.

Find public domain photos on the Web

You often see sites selling royalty-free photos, but you have to pay for them. That may be the way to go if you want the largest selection to choose from. But you can find lots of photos, especially beautiful nature photos, that are in the public domain. This means that you can use them for any purpose, private or commercial. You just can't copyright them, since they in the public domain.

One site with a great collection -- and an excellent explanation of what public domain means and what to watch out for -- is PD Photo.org (http://pdphoto.org/). This site has gorgeous photos that you can use.

The U.S. government has three sites with extensive collections of great photos:

* The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (http://www.photolib.noaa.gov/) has a great library of water photos. Here's an example:

You are supposed to give them credit as in, "Thanks to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration/Department of Commerce." Of course, you don't want to do this on a photo that you use as a background for a slide, but you can do it on your last slide or in small print at the bottom of your first slide.

* The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Pictures/Graphics site (http://pictures.fws.gov/) has lots of great photos and drawings.

The request a credit such as the following: Credit: U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service

* NASA has an extensive photo collection, but it's not very easy to search and many of the photos are taken for their technical characteristics, rather than their beauty. Nevertheless, you can find some great shots. The main site is at http://images.jsc.nasa.gov/.

Try their Earth from Space page (http://earth.jsc.nasa.gov/sseop/efs/). Here's the eye of Hurricane Ivan and a great photo of noctilucent clouds (they also explain what those are). They also want you to acknowledge NASA as the source (as I'm now doing).

You can modify these photos as you see fit.