VenomRX True Viper Neurotoxin Edition "Super Stylish with Cable Management"

Named after an Old World vipers.
TRUE VIPER, the perfect gaming case.
Top notch airflow for using 12cm front bright LED fan, 12cm top bright LED fan, and 19cm side bright LED fan. D-type side acrylic panel give big view inside case. Front panel have a touch of VENOMRX bright light logo. Cable management system and side hdd removable rack ensure simplify and neatly assemble parts. This case is slenderly built and gracefully proportioned between price and performance makes it No.1 choice of gamers case.

Microsoft ARMs Windows 8 Technology

Preparing for a World of Non-x86 Tablets and Desktops. When Intel introduced the Atom in 2008, was the master plan to take forward the X86 processor architecture suitable for products such as mobile phones. In fact, in the market for mobile phones has reportedly ARM share of 98%, thus comparable to X86 in the PC world. Indeed, there are an average of 2.6 ARM chips in a modern phone! ARM is a completely different architecture and thus these processors speak a different language.

' Microsoft has finally made it official, announcing that its next operating system, Windows 8, will support ARM-based processors. This represents a major shift away from the company's x86 tunnel vision, hearkening back to the days of multiplatform Windows NT, and properly identifying a changing marketplace where the powerful Wintel machine continues to lose steam.

On the Microsoft side, this announcement is simply good business. ARM-based processors control the majority of the system-on-a-chip (SoC) market for handheld devices, and Microsoft simply wants to get some of that heat. By not supporting ARM, the company risks losing market share to insurgents like Google Android or Apple iOS, and perhaps even ceding the mobile market entirely.


The ARMs Race

Microsoft already supports ARM-based smartphones and similar handheld devices with Windows Phone and CE, but this latest announcement extends full-blown Windows to ARM-based tablets, notebooks and potentially even desktops, assuming ARM makes a push there. ARM-based tablets are already here, small-form-factor netbooks and all-in-one desktops are not far off, and Microsoft sees the platform's potential.

ARM has not disguised its intention to take on Intel in virtually all markets, even going so far as to launch a small server entry of its own. The challenge is very real, as low-power ARM processors have taken over large portions of the smartphone, handheld and tablet markets, and this announcement sets the company up for a push even higher in the PC channel.

A large part of this momentum is due to the ARM business structure, which does not make or sell any physical hardware, but licenses designs to third-party developers who then produce the actual silicon. This gives ARM incredible flexibility and the potential to overwhelm any single company based on the sheer number of ARM partners.

Now that Microsoft has effectively opened up the doors to the lucrative Windows-based tablet, notebook and desktop segments, ARM now has the entire digital marketplace at its fingertips. Exactly how all this affects the powerful Wintel alliance is anyone's guess, but it certainly does not look like a match made in heaven.

Time for a Rewrite

The upcoming Windows 8 OS may be programmed for ARM-based processors, but that does not mean the upstart will get a free ticket to the existing application base. ARM and x86 are very different architectures and will require existing Windows apps to be significantly rewritten for use on ARM hardware.

This is not a scenario where a quick port will do, and it extends to system drivers and other software, all of which need to be revised for the ARM architecture. This means that Microsoft and its partners have a lot of work ahead to get the Windows 8 ARM software library anywhere near its x86 counterpart. This could be solved through virtualization, where x86 code is translated into ARM code, but that would place a heavy processing demand on these tiny, low-power chips.

ARM processors are small and run very cool, but fall behind their Intel and AMD x86 counterparts in terms of outright performance. This adds another level of complexity to the development job, especially concerning the overhead from the operating system and applications.

The breadth of an operating system's application base is integral to its success, and Microsoft knows that a healthy software library will help drive Windows 8 ARM sales. There should be no problem on the Microsoft side of things, and the company is already demoing Microsoft Office and Internet Explorer for ARM. The question is whether the legion of third-party software publishers will also jump on board the ARM bandwagon.

There is a definite economic benefit to rewriting popular programs for ARM, as the potential hardware base looks good for tablets, and should only expand in the future. Whether that makes sense today is the open question, especially as tablets are viewed as consumer rather than business devices, but now that Microsoft has officially supported ARM, most partners will follow.

Another potential issue for Microsoft is communicating that Windows 8 for ARM will not allow tablet or mobile users to install their existing x86-based software. With two different Windows 8s, this may cause some confusion in the retail marketplace, along with a reevaluation of what the Windows logo means to platform compatibility.

Intel Plays It Cool

Intel responded to this announcement in a traditional manner, downplaying any of the negatives and even spinning this potentially bad news into a positive. Intel contends that while ARM has gotten a free ticket into the tablet/notebook market with Windows 8, so too has Intel gained access to tablets, smartphones and other mobile devices.

This presents an opportunity for Intel to challenge ARM on its home field, potentially taking away market share in Windows-based phones, tablets and slates. Software drives hardware, and while ARM will face considerable challenges here, this could be Intel's greatest advantage.

The ability to run existing, or slightly modified, x86 software on Intel-based processors will be a powerful tool in getting ARM hardware vendors to switch platforms, especially with bridge devices like tablets. Familiarity, existing developer partnerships and overall portability will be key elements to this strategy, and could be similar to Atom-based netbooks, which can run virtually all x86-based software, albeit with some performance concerns.

Intel could also take a different angle, and convince developers to create x86-exclusive code, thereby cutting the ARM-based devices out, and heightening the attractiveness of the Intel x86 platform. The danger in this type of move is that it splinters the market, eliciting confusion in customers -- whom you want buying and not worrying -- as well as opening the door to an ARM-only killer app.

It is not all wine and roses for Intel, as ARM SoC processors are less expensive and run cooler than their Intel counterparts, and these are very important factors with tablets and smartphones. Closing the gap with new low-power Intel processors is going to be the main challenge, while promoting the performance advantage over comparable ARM models.

On the notebook and desktop side, Intel just got a wake-up call and its position as undisputed market leader could come under heavy attack. The Microsoft Windows 8 announcement has totally shifted the landscape, and soon Intel will no longer have just AMD to contend with, but also an army of ARM partners. Nvidia has already announced its "Project Denver," a plan to build ARM-based CPU/GPU hybrids for market segments ranging from servers to workstations.

Waiting for 2013

While it is refreshing to see Microsoft acknowledge the market presence of the ARM processor and help set the company up for the future, some would prefer that the future is now. Microsoft's release date for the multiplatform Windows 8 is slated for sometime in 2012 or more likely 2013, and this is definitely not sitting well with current x86 partners, some of whom see Microsoft dragging its heels in order to support the ARM architecture and tablets in general.

Google Android is already out in the wild, as is the iOS for iPad, both of which look to be the two major players in the emerging tablet market. If Microsoft does not watch out, the tablet wars could be over before Windows 8 even hits the market. '

Dell Vostro V130 The Glamorous Life

Don't let the stunning display, great speakers, and glossy finish fool you: The Dell Vostro V130 is intended for business users, although you don't have to be a business user to appreciate this 13.3-inch lightweight's combination of power, understated elegance, and multimedia delight.

The only obvious gotcha, aside from a touchpad glitch on my test machine, is the battery's brief runtime -- two hours in my multimedia-heavy tests. Dell offers no high-capacity/extended-life alternatives, and the battery is nonremovable so you can't carry a spare. So if that's a concern, stop here -- but otherwise, the Vostro V130 is one impressive slimline.

Choices Galore

The 3.5-pound Vostro is available in several models, which Dell's Web site makes incredibly -- bordering on impossibly -- difficult to tell apart without having to click through each one. By way of a cheat sheet, the Ubuntu V130 pairs an Intel Celeron processor with Ubuntu Linux and starts at $429; the Essential model has the same CPU and Windows 7 Home Premium for $558; the Enhanced steps up to a Core i3 processor starting at $628; and the top of the line, with the odd name "New," boasts a Core i5 CPU for $753.


Options include going from 2GB of DDR3 memory to 4GB ($70); from Win 7 Home Premium to Professional 64-bit ($70); and from the regular Aberdeen Silver to a Lucerne Red finish ($40). My test unit was an Enhanced (Core i3) Vostro V130 with all these extras, bringing the price to a reasonable $808 with a 320GB hard drive.

As with most machines in this size and weight class, there's no internal optical drive. Dell offers an 8x USB external DVD±RW drive for $80 (and you can get good third-party USB optical drives -- and you should have one in your bag of tricks, anyway -- for under $50).

The support options are surprisingly reasonable, with one year's next-business-day on-site service included in the price and three years' ditto costing $190. Dell's accidental damage service ($99 for three years) covers repair and replacement for drops, spills, surges, and breakages (but excludes theft, loss, and damage due to fire, flood or other acts of nature). That's decent coverage for about $100 per year, though you may want to price-shop -- check with your insurance carrier and third-party offerings like Safeware.com.


While easy to carry at 9.1 by 13 by 0.8 inches, the Vostro V130 makes room for a good variety of ports and connectors, led by HDMI as well as VGA video outputs and three USB 2.0 ports (one an eSATA combo port). Both 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are standard, as is a slot for a SIM card for mobile broadband.

A Tired Touchpad

Physically, the Dell feels comfortingly solid. The cover opens quickly and simply -- no latch. Unlike one or two other machines I've tried, the V130 "kept on ticking" when I picked the system up and even shook it slightly -- kudos to the disk protection. Boot-up took just under one minute.

As with all machines I test, I spent several days using it for work and work-like activities -- mostly word processing and Web surfing, opening up dozens of windows in Internet Explorer and Firefox, photo editing using Google Picasa and uploading to Flickr, and plenty of multimedia listening and watching.

The keyboard is full-sized, and, for a notebook keyboard, quite good. (My work involves a lot of typing -- and I'm used to using a curved-format ergonomic keyboard.) It's not as comfortable as the best of the Lenovo ThinkPad keyboards, but it's more than good enough.

The touchpad, oddly, punked out after 10 or so minutes in most sessions and stopped working. Rebooting fixed the problem, but nothing short of rebooting would. (A USB mouse worked fine throughout.) A thread on Dell's support forums says this glitch is fixed by installing the latest Synaptics driver, but it's still annoying.

The 1,366 by 768 display is impressively bright and colorful. I did my best to search out challenging content, from high-def movie trailers to high-res image editing. Everything looked lovely.

And I spent a lot of time listening -- using the Vostro as my office radio with mostly either Pandora or NPR. The sound was, quite frankly, the best of any notebook I've tested to date, good enough that I was happy to listen to it all day.

Given the 4GB of RAM and dual-core, Hyper-Threading Core i3-380UM (1.33GHz, 3MB cache) processor, everything ran without any noticeable hesitation. A better indicator of the raw power in this box is how near-instantly software installs went.

But the Vostro's Achilles' heel, as mentioned, is its battery life. The six-cell battery pack is rated at a skimpy 30 watt-hours; it did deliver the two hours that the Windows Taskbar indicator promised, and it's possible that tweaking the settings (or focusing on office rather than multimedia apps) might stretch another 15 to 30 minutes from it, but there's no way you'll get a half day or more of untethered work. As it is, you've got enough juice for a session at a coffee shop or while waiting for an airplane, but you'll want to pack the AC power brick with you.

That said, if the limited battery capacity isn't a showstopper, I recommend this machine without hesitation, especially if you like to listen to MP3s or Internet audio while you work. It scores well above average for both style and performance.

source : here

GeForce GTX460 WHDI: world's first wireless graphics card

What you're looking at is the world's first wireless graphics card affectionately dubbed the KFA2 (aka, Galaxy) GeForce GTX460 WHDI 1024MB PCIe 2.0. The card uses five aerials to stream uncompressed 1080p video from your PC to your WHDI enabled television (or any display courtesy of the bundled 5GHz WHDI receiver) at a range of about 100 feet. Otherwise, it's the same mid-range GTX 460 card we've seen universally lauded with 1024MB of onboard RAM helping to make the most of its 336 CUDA cores. Insane, yes, but we'd accept nothing less from our beloved graphics cards manufacturers.


It’s the first graphics card with built-in WHDI which wirelessly sends an uncompressed 1080P, 60Hz signal to the included WHDI receiver connected to your display. You’ll of course need a wireless mouse and keyboard to complete the setup, but it seems like a particularly great solution for an HTPC since you don’t need to have it running alongside the TV in your living room.

If Your Internet Browser open Without Your Clicking

If your PC or Laptop problem like this :

"The other day my browsers started opening two browser windows without my clicking for it too and when I close one of the browser windows, it closes both of them.
I've ran my virus security. Cleaned up the registry files. Updated windows and my browser. Updated my active-x. Reset my mouse settings for a slower speed and yet nothing seems to help... it appears to be getting worse.

I cannot figure this out.

I was wondering, if any of you all could suggest something that would be causing my pc issues.

I would greatly welcome any thoughts you may have on what this issue is and how I may can fix it. "

Explanation in this problem is you can try the CCleaner Program. Here is link, it's free : file hippo

CCleaner is a freeware system optimization, privacy and cleaning tool. It removes unused files from your system - allowing Windows to run faster and freeing up valuable hard disk space. It also cleans traces of your online activities such as your Internet history. Additionally it contains a fully featured registry cleaner. But the best part is that it's fast (normally taking less than a second to run) and contains NO Spyware or Adware! :)

Cleans the following:

* Internet Explorer
* Firefox
* Google Chrome
* Opera
* Safari
* Windows - Recycle Bin, Recent Documents, Temporary files and Log files.
* Registry cleaner
* Third-party applications
* 100% Spyware FREE

If Performance Problem in Your Laptop or PC

Sometimes if your Laptop or PC happen like this :

"I've had this computer for about 2 years now and about 6 months ago, I began to have this problem. Every time I would run a graphics intensive game, the performance would gradually become worse and worse until it finally became unplayable. When it first started I would have about 30 minutes before the FPS rate began its sad decline. Today, it's less than 5.

Just yesterday, I tried a complete hard drive wipe with the hope that that would fix whatever the problem was but no such luck. My comp's running great now in every other regard. It loads up quick, basic programs have no delay, etc--but any game with decent graphics is still a disaster.

Does anyone know what might be causing this or what I might be able to do to fix it? "

answer what the problem is--Overheating.
- Explanation about overheating : The system is exhibiting behavior that suggests that there may be an overheating problem with a component, or with the system as a whole. Usually the symptoms that suggest this are heat that is noticeably felt inside the case or on a component, or erratic behavior such as system lockups.

- Diagnosis: Overheating is one of the main enemies of a reliable system. A PC that runs hot will have a shorter life span for its components, and at extremes of temperature, the possibility exists that the system will be unstable. It is even possible (though rare) for the overheating components to be damaged. The importance of system cooling is discussed in more detail here. One problem with diagnosing overheating problems is that symptoms can be related. For example, a processor overheating can lead to other components overheating; similarly, ventilation problems within the system case can exacerbate a problem cooling a processor that runs hot.

- Recommendation: Turn on the PC and run it for about an hour with the case on, in the way you normally would use it on a daily basis. Then perform the following checks:

1. Read this section in the System Care Guide on system cooling, and particularly on ventilation and air flow within the case. Consider taking some of the suggested steps to help you improve the ventilation inside the case if is not adequate.
2. Check the fan on the power supply to make sure it is running. This is the primary cooling mechanism for the PC case and if it is not working, the chances are good that something within the PC may be running too hot. If the fan has stopped, or if the volume of air it is moving seems low, troubleshoot it here.
3. Carefully touch the system processor, or the heat sink near where it attaches to the processor. If it feels so hot that you must withdraw your finger immediately, you likely have a processor cooling problem. Continue here.
4. Check the following components on the motherboard to see if they are running very hot: cache chips (or cache/COASt module), voltage regulator heat sink, BIOS chip. If any of these are running very hot and you are having problems with your motherboard, it may be bad. The voltage regulator can get very hot when some chips are used, and you may need to add extra cooling to keep it at operating temperature. The other components on the motherboard should not get very hot. If you are using a Cyrix 6x86 chip, make sure the motherboard is approved to use it or problems with overheating of the voltage regulator may result.
5. Check the system memory to make sure it is not overheating. It should be warm but not too hot to the touch. Overheated memory is a symptom of either bad memory or problems with the motherboard.
6. Check the hard disks' temperature as well. If they are running very hot then you may need to take corrective action.
7. If you are having repeated or continual heating problems within the case, you may want to consider moving your system into a larger case.

source : pc guide

Problem in Computer Start Up

If you have problem like this :
" My computer sometimes starts and sometimes I have to start it several times before it will get going. Sometimes in the start up process it will freeze at various times, and if it does start completely, in a few minutes it freezes again! Stupid computer. "

you definitely do not want this to happen on your computer. This may be some explanation of the problem :

1. If the computer starts beeping during startup it means something isn't plugged in right.

2. If you've recently upgraded it you need to makesure your power supply still provides enough wattage for the new components.

3. If you have a DX9 graphics card you need to check what version your PC is using to makesure it hasn't gone up to DX10 or 11. Type dxdiag in the command run prompt and it'll tell you the version number. Higher versions cause your PC to supply to much power to DX9 graphic cards.

4. New memory can cause problems especially if they aren't the same brand. If you've installed some try switching them to a differant combination in the motherboard slots.

5. Make sure everything that plugs into the computer is firmly seated, especially the power-lead.

6. Sounds like a dying power supply, unless you've added a new video card that your current power supply just can't handle.

7. Faults with individual components like memory, video and cpu usually result in a series of beeps to help you diagnose what's wrong, but you don't get that with power supply problems.

8. You've been messing with the BIOS settings.
BIOS settings can be changed by entering Set-Up during boot. Onscreen you should see instructions on how to enter Set-Up, usually by pressing F2 or Delete.
Once in Set-Up you will see an option to reset back to it's Default settings. Save & exit.

9. You've been messing about inside and have power/hardware plugged in to the wrong sockets.

10. Could also be your computer is full of dust. Only way to clean that is to open her up and blow out the dust, remembering anti-static rules.

Transparent Window Mobile Phone

Window Phone - concept phone On one hand, clear conceptual phones already, so this is not just the first, but on the other, the so-called Window Phone has one impressive feature - its transparent housing varies depending on the weather! Thus, in the sunny days, the screen will be completely transparent, on a rainy day it will appear «virtual» drop, but it is covered with frost frost. Ie translucent screen will look like as well as present a window into a variety of weather. I do not know how it will be practical, but at least, very original!

The Easiest Way To Edit Your Video

The feature contents in websites have now reached to a level where videos have become an essential part of the website content. For this reason video needs to be edited to fit into the page with clarity and small size. The size of the videos has become essential unlike in the past where they were stored on video tapes which were immaterial. The Video editing business has grown into a billion dollar business and there are step by step guides in the internet that show how to edit your own video. The process may be a bit daunting until you come into the right software for the job.

There are a lot of people who are unsure on the process of making a video to be uploaded to a video site. Many are unaware of the type of content that is permissible. The first rule of the thumb would be to look into the service terms of the site before getting into the video part. Google videos and Youtube for instance do not permit pornographic material or one that incites violence against individuals or a community. Be sure to learn the rules of the game before engaging in creating your video.

Editing Videos also offer you with a choice of converting it into a different file format. There are programs that compress your video into a Flash file format which is the best in industry and you only need to upload it to the website's server system. It might sound a bit complicated but the fruits of this will be very high especially when users can directly come into your website and view the video without having to download the same. You are never sure about the type of connection used by the viewer and hence a respectable streaming rate will only add to the number of viewers to your website.

Videos are better aids than pages of texts and a preferable choice of media for the viewers. This would also increase the number of hits to your page with most of the visitors wanting to return to your website because of the preferable video content rather than having to wade through pages of text. The advancement in the market has created the requirements for video editing. A couple of applications in this field handle the editing part of the video and also uploading the streaming video to the site. You do not have to require a technical background to publish a quality video on your site.

Many marketing professionals feel the ability to include affiliate links to the products you sell will add to the popularity of your product. Another option to think about is that with about 90% of the computers today having flash video software installed, makes it exciting and very beneficial to sales.

by : www.crmsoftwareadvice.com/hosted-crm-software

Some Tips On Buying Lexmark Printer Ink

There are many different types of Lexmark printer ink that is available to the public. Choosing the correct ink can be important for the continued proper function of your printer. Consider some of the following information and suggestions when you are thinking about purchasing some new ink for your printer.

As you can imagine, there are many places to purchase ink for your printer. Generally, when you first buy a printer, there are a few cartridges that come with the printer itself for your initial printing experience. After these run out of ink, you will need to find the same cartridges for purchase elsewhere if you want to continue your printing projects.

Sometimes people choose to buy their (http://www.tonsoftoner.com/) printer ink at office and printing supply stores. This is sometimes a good idea because these stores specifically deal with ink and printers regularly. Because of this, the stores can be a good place to get bargains on things such as printer paper or ink. But there are other options you can use to purchase ink such as (http://www.tonsoftoner.com/products/lexmark/index.htm) Lexmark ink besides this.

Ink can also be purchased online. Usually you can purchase ink from the manufacturer's website for a decent price. This is also a good idea for learning about the specific types of ink that the manufacturer recommends that you use for your printer. You can also get good tips on these sites for taking optimum care of your printer as well.

There are other sites online that also sell printer ink. You should realize, however, that even though you may receive a good bargain online, the price that you may add extra charges to your purchase. Consider doing some searching for ink on auction websites. This is a good way to get a great deal on ink without paying a lot of money for it.

When you finally find the ink that you have been searching for, perhaps you should consider buying additional cartridges. This is a good way to make sure you always have ink. If there is a sale that is happening, you can save a lot of money by purchasing multiple packs of ink then. However, this is just a preference for some people. You might only want to buy enough ink for your current projects.

It is important to compare the going prices for ink either via the internet or at various stores. The idea is to make sure you get your ink for the best price available. You do not want to pay too much money for ink somewhere only to realize you could pay less at another store. If this does happen to you, consider returning the ink and purchasing it at the other store to save money.

Overall, you should have ease finding lexmark printer ink. It is a fairly popular brand and most stores carry a good selection to choose from. Shop wisely and your ink and printer will last for many projects to come.

by : www.tonsoftoner.com/products/lexmark/index.htm

Google Chrome Operating System (OS) launch plans this Thursday

Google announcing Chrome OS launch plans this Thursday, Nov 19, 2009. It's looking increasingly unlikely that Google's Chrome OS is really launching this week (not that we were really that convinced anyway). What is true, however, is that the company is hosting an event later this week at its Mountain View, CA headquarters to showcase its progress, provide an overview of the platform, and give information on its "launch plans for next year." Excited? Us, too.

source : here

Previously ...

Google's Chrome OS just a week away from launch?
We'd heard last month that this month was the month that Google would finally launch its highly-anticipated Chrome OS, and now we've got a "reliable source" over at TechCrunch asserting that the software is gearing up for launch "within a week." Granted, we can't ever be too certain when it comes to a rumor such as this, but if the system really does hit the wilds, we probably won't see it available for every machine on the face of the planet. The presumed Alpha build will likely only support a select few products that Google engineers have had a chance to specifically work with -- possibly something such as an Eee PC netbook, which has generally the same specifications regardless of design or model number. Either way, we'd go ahead and prepare ourselves for something new before the end of November -- but don't let it spoil your holidays should things get pushed back a bit, okay?

source : here

How Microsoft Blew It With Windows Mobile

Microsoft Windows continues to dominate the PC market with a 90 percent market-share stronghold, but when it comes to smartphones, Microsoft is getting beat up worse than a mustachioed villain in a Jackie Chan movie.

Windows Mobile has lost nearly a third of its smartphone market share since 2008, research firm Gartner reports. Windows Mobile had 11 percent of the global smartphone market in the third quarter of 2008, according to Gartner, and last quarter Windows Mobile's market share plummeted to 7.9 percent.

Meanwhile, Apple's global market share grew from 12.9 percent to 17.1 percent, and RIM saw a rise from 16 percent to 20.8 percent, according to Gartner's figures.

It's worth noting Microsoft got a head start with Windows CE, its pocket PC OS, in 1996. Windows CE serves as the foundation for the Windows Mobile OS shipping with some smartphones today. The smartphone OS market, in fact, has existed for several years, and Microsoft was an early leader in the space. But only recently have several additional corporations stepped into this space with their own platforms.

Microsoft's biggest problem? One word: iPhone.

"It was really the iPhone that came out full-bore for a consumer perspective," said Ross Rubin, an NPD Group consumer technology analyst. "We saw app development focus on consumer applications like social networking and games…. Particularly with Apple's retail presence and advantages in that market, through design and so forth, that's where Microsoft's main challenge lies."

Many other technology observers agree that Apple receives credit for sparking the smartphone boom. The 2008 introduction of the App Store enabled third-party developers to sell their own software, further enhancing the capabilities of the iPhone. This proved a workable model, giving 40 million iPhone and iPod Touch owners the ability to choose from the now 100,000 apps in the App Store. Meanwhile, some developers earned hundreds of thousands of dollars with hot-selling apps. Even if most developers didn't earn that much cash, the success stories helped make Apple's App Store powerfully attractive.

Apple's blockbuster success with the iPhone and its App Store compelled other tech giants to offer their own mobile platforms and app stores as well. Google, Nokia, Research In Motion, Palm and others have opened app stores and begun recruiting developers to compete.

But if Microsoft was the first player in this market, why wasn't the software giant able to replicate the success it had with PCs?

"It was theirs to lose and they lost it," said Raven Zachary, a technology analyst and owner of iPhone app development house Small Society. "They had everything they needed to execute, to do the right kinds of carrier deals to create an app store, create visual voice mail, touchscreens and so on. They've been in this space since the beginning."

To Peter Hoddie, CEO of Kinoma, which develops a mobile media browser for Windows Mobile and other platforms, a major knock against Windows Mobile isn't the OS itself, but rather the weakness of the bundled apps included with it.

"The sad part for Microsoft is that in terms of operating systems, they have a great one, and they had it long before anyone else did," Hoddie said in a phone interview. "Their first problem is the built-in apps are uninspiring, so that sets a very low bar for developers who are coming to the platform."

Hoddie compared Windows Mobile to the iPhone, whose apps he described as "beautiful," which encourages third-party developers to produce apps of similar quality.

He added that Microsoft's second problem is segmentation in the hardware ecosystem. Windows Mobile ships with several different manufacturers' hardware, including HTC, LG and Samsung. The problem? From a developer perspective, that requires coding an app for several phones with different UI styles, buttons and screen sizes. (The same problem, incidentally, has started to plague Android developers.)

That would give the iPhone another advantage: The iPhone operates on a closed system, which can only run on Apple hardware, meaning third-party developers can produce apps and games that work exclusively with the iPhone. Therefore, despite Apple's questionable and controversial approval policy for iPhone apps, developers can code one app that works with 40 million iPhone and iPod Touch devices, which is less time consuming than developing several versions of one app for a variety of Windows Mobile smartphones. In turn, that spells out to a larger number of apps in the App Store, which enables Apple's hardware to cater to a larger and broader audience.

The inability to recognize the new smartphone audience is another one of Microsoft's flaws, Rubin said. Microsoft's mobile OS history is rooted in personal digital assistants, which were marketed toward enterprise audiences. Today, the smartphone has shifted into the mainstream as a consumer device, and yet Windows Mobile is still largely focused on enterprise features.

And even in the enterprise market, Apple's iPhone is winning. In a recent customer satisfaction survey conducted by JD Power, Apple grabbed the number 1 spot for smartphones in business. How? JD Power found that more than half of business smartphone owners reported downloading third party games for entertainment, and 46 percent report downloading travel software such as maps and weather apps. That would suggest enterprise users are interested in mixing business with pleasure in their devices — and the iPhone's wealth of choices in the App Store covers those needs.

"I would say Microsoft needs to err more on the side of going too far into the consumer segment versus trying to achieve a good balance between enterprise and consumer features at this point," Rubin said.

Despite Microsoft's recent shrinkage in the mobile OS market, it's not over for Windows Mobile. Rubin said he expects Microsoft to redeem itself with its next OS — Windows Mobile 7 — as it did with Windows 7 after negative reception of Windows Vista.

Microsoft declined to comment on details about Windows Mobile 7, but a spokeswoman said mobility is one of Microsoft's top investment areas, and the company's mobile strategy will not change.

"The company's mobility strategy has not changed; it is and has always been to provide a software platform for the industry," a Microsoft spokeswoman said in a statement. "The company works closely with many mobile operators and device makers around the world because people want different experiences on a variety of phones."

Leaks indicate Microsoft plans to incorporate iPhone-like touch gestures. Windows Mobile 7 is scheduled for a 2010 release.

"Microsoft believes the Windows brand is very strong, and consumers associate the Windows brand with enabling them to do what they need to do in their digital lives, at least on the PC," Rubin said. "In general with this whole Windows phone terminology, Microsoft is trying to do more to leverage what it believes is the good will value of the Windows brand."

source : here

Tips Use Google Wave for Your First Project

As Google is issuing Wave invites in a steady trickle, those fortunate enough to have an account are trying to figure out how this new tool might fit into their work flow and help them better communicate and collaborate with their teams and clients. Here is 6 Tips for using Google wave on your project :

1. Set suitable expectations.
Despite the months of buzz, and blogosphere- and Twitterverse-wide clamoring for Google Wave invites, the product is still in preview and has some rough edges. Therefore, it does all parties good to be realistic, even if everybody is psyched to be the first kid on their block to use it on a live project. If your experience is anything like mine, you'll also encounter bouts of slowness, messages to refresh Google Wave, and perhaps even the random browser crash. Your project team's level of tolerance for such things might vary.

2. Do a dry run with a Wave.
The Wave concept is definitely a new model for many. It took me an impromptu "dry run" with my client for us to truly grasp the Wave concept and see how it could shape our online collaboration. For example, I could see how Wave could be used to keep all project information and communications online and out of our already cluttered inboxes, and it was great to able to see my client paste text as well as type into a Wave in real-time.

3. Take control of your Waves.
It's easy to get a little excited and end up creating Waves for all sorts of things, but you need to take control of the conversation in Google Wave, instead of letting Google Wave take charge of your conversations. For my project, we decided on one Wave per project document, for the sake of organization.

4. Use folders and tags.
While the Inbox Zero and GTD crowd have yet to full plant their stakes in Google Wave, I must say that the use of folders and tags is prudent, especially because while the Wave platform breaks so much new ground, but folders and tags are concepts are familiar to many. I ended up creating a project-specific folder for all the Waves associated with the client project. My use of tags also came further into play as a tool to fine-tune my own organization. A simple tip is to remember you can resize the navigation pane to accommodate your folder list as it grows. By default, your folder list may not fully appear in the navigation panel.

5. Consider whether to use live editing or attachments.
Google Wave melds email and word processing together. Thus, it is important to decide whether you want to collaborate on documents directly in Google Wave or via file attachments. Unfortunately, at this time Google Wave lacks version control for file attachments (thus putting the feature at the top of my wish list for a Google Wave extension). My client and I decided to work with file attachments for the project documents and write directly in Google Wave for direct communications with each other.

6. Have a Plan B.
It's cool to get jazzed as an early adopter, but if Google Wave isn't enhancing productivity and communications, be sure that you have a fall back plan in case it end up causing more problems than it is worth.

Source : here

After Installing Windows 7, Next What you things to do?

So, after seeing a countless amount of positive reviews, playing around with it a bit on a friend's PC or at the store, perhaps trying out the Beta and RC, and simply hearing your geek friends talking amongst each other about 7, you finally decided to make the switch. Whether you're upgrading a current system, or purchasing a new PC, there are a few things you can do to spruce up your experience and make it even better.

1. Reinstall windows 7 if you purchased a new PC with 7 – Yes, you heard right. If you purchased a new OEM PC from a store like Best Buy, FutureShop, CompUSA, Costco, etc., or from another similar store, than it's best to go and purchase a fresh copy of Windows 7 from that same store and re-install your OEM PC right after purchasing it. Why? Because the installations of Windows that come with these OEM systems are clogged with bloatware, causing system crashes, instability, sluggishness and various other issues that can be eradicated with a clean copy of Windows. Myself and many people I know do this with all the systems that they get their hands on, and it's been proven to make a positive difference.

2. Run Windows Update – It's very important to have the latest drivers and security patches on your machine for optimal performance. This is why it's important to check for updates after an installation, and to let it automatically install important updates to keep your system safe and speedy.

3. Adjust UAC – If you were one of the many people that were annoyed by User Account Control (UAC) in Windows Vista, than I have good news for you. In Windows 7, you can keep the protection offered by UAC without the intrusiveness. To do this, go to Start > Control Panel > User Accounts > Change User Account Control Settings. From there, you can either disable UAC altogether or simply tone down the intrusiveness.

4. Skin it – Even though Windows 7 only hit the shelves on October 22nd, there already are a few rather nice skins out there for it. In a previous GeekSmack post, titled 7 Stylish Skins for Windows 7, you will see my personal favorites at the moment. If you're unfamiliar with the concept of skinning, skinning is basically patching your machine so that you can use custom skins instead of the default Aero look alone. Skinning isn't harmful at all towards your system, and it's something that many people do.

5. Set up a homegroup – Among the many other improvements in 7, networking was also made better and easier. With homegroups, you can set up a password-protected network of PCs that are all running Windows 7, which makes it easier to share files, printers, and stream media. To get started with homegroups, simply go to Start > Computer (or any Explorer window of your choice) > Homegroup (in the left pane). From there, it's quick and easy to start a homegroup, and all you need to do from there is connect the other PCs to the homegroup.

6. Learn the time-saving keyboard shortcuts – By using some of the spiffy keyboard shortcuts built into Windows 7, you can save time and interact with your PC more using your keyboard. There's some great keyboard shortcuts out there, such as the ones listed below:

* + number - Start the program pinned to the taskbar in the position indicated by the number. If the program is already running, switch to that program.

* + Up Arrow - Maximize the window.

* + Left Arrow - Maximize the window to the left side of the screen.

* + Right Arrow - Maximize the window to the right side of the screen.

* + Home - Minimize all but the active window.

Picture of Windows logo key + Shift+ Left Arrow or Right Arrow - Move a window from one monitor to another.

There's many more keyboard shortcuts to learn about, and you may do so by going to: Start > Help and Support > Type "Keyboard Shortcuts" in the search box > Click on the first link titled "Keyboard Shortcuts".

7. Install XP Mode – If you're one of the many people out there that need to use software not supported by 7 (or even Vista) that works on XP, than there's no need to fear. XP Mode, a program that utilizes virtualization technology to basically run the incompatible apps in XP while still using 7 may prove useful to you. It will allow you to run applications incompatible with 7, for example IE6, in a Windows XP window alongside the usual 7 applications in their appropriate Windows 7 windows. As XP mode utilizes virtualization technology to do this however, you will need to have a compatible CPU. Check to see if your system supports XP mode and download it over at the XP Mode official website.

source : here

A Warning Against Personal Antivirus

Have you been bombarded with ads right on your desktop that tell you you've been infected and need to buy their software? If you have, and are looking for a way to effectively rid yourself of the rogue antispyware program at the root of it all, you should know that programs of this sort are very dangerous, and act against them immediately. Not taking action right away could compromise the security of your private information, as well as leave you unable to access documents or open any other programs.

This example of malware uses extremely pushy, dishonest advertising claiming that your computer is infected by spyware or some other form of malware, thus encouraging you to immediately download Personal Antivirus and run it to scourge your hard drive clean of the vile things. But unfortunately, this ad is a lie, and Personal Antivirus will cheerfully infect and harm your system should you trust its marketing.

How does it hurt your computer, you may ask? A near-constant salvo of popups is, of course, standard. False security scan messages are an additional nasty twist. And of course, like most malware, it will slow your system down, and slow it down worse the longer you leave it to do its wicked business.

Even worse, though, Personal Antivirus can actually record what you type into your keyboard and keep track of the web sites you visit, and send all that private information wrapped in a pretty bow as a present to a malicious hacker. The hacker can then use that data for anything from violating your bank accounts to snatching up your identity for any number of illegal or unsavory purposes.

The dynamic and extremely sophisticated nature of the rogue spyware program makes it very difficult to remove it from your system, thereby causing enough damages to your system and its operating speed. This software creates a large number of random files, unwanted system files which makes it even more difficult to trace and remove from the system for the best of the anti spyware programs. Moreover, the manual removal of the randomly generated files is almost impossible as the rogue software is an expert in generating duplicate files in any number. Once you delete them, they will re-appear again and again.

Programs of higher quality may cost a bit of money, but have features that enable them to detect more bugs, and more recent spyware. You will also find yourself well protected in the future, as better anti-spyware programs will include features that can prevent you from ever being infected at all. Some examples would be PC Tools Spyware Doctor 6.0, and Sunbelt CounterSpy 3.1, which are priced anywhere between $45 and $20.

A small investment can enable you to protect yourself against the rogue spyware program. The modern advanced tools are highly effective in removing the threats caused by the Personal Antivirus. Apart from this the advanced tools ensure that your computer is not affected by any other new kind of spyware program. So this is an added benefit from the advanced tools to safeguard your system against Internet threats. A little investment will provide you peace of mind, definitely.

By www.spywareremovaldoc.com

Free Adware Removal Information

Ever notice that your computer has started running slowly? That web sites load slower and slower? It is probably due to some sneaky software that some website place on your computer without your permission or knowledge. It is called adware and spyware. Adware or advertising-supported software is a software program that automatically plays, displays, or downloads advertisements to a computer after the software is installed on it. Some types of adware are also spyware and can be classified as privacy-invasive software.

Adware removal programs are not very hard to find. But finding one that is truly no cost, provides current updates and is easy to use is a little more difficult. Sometimes you may click on a link that promises free adware removal programs, but you land on a site with programs that require more from you than you want to provide. You might only be able to try out the really free adware removal program for a very short time, like a few days, before you are required to purchase an expensive version of the program. A few days is usually not enough to find if you are comfortable with you adware removal program or not.

Fortunately for us, there are really no cost adware removal programs that are available for download on line. Really free adware removal programs are seldom available off-line, because it would be too expensive to distribute them. Be cautious when you choose a website from which to download a really free adware removal program, since there are a lot of dishonest sites offering bogus adware removal programs which really turn out to be adware themselves.

These phony programs are promoted energetically on the Internet, and many computer users are tricked into installing what they think is a protective and safe program. If you spend some time on line, you will probably sooner or later stumble over a banner ad that warns you about the dangers of adware and spyware. You can minimize the risk of downloading a fake adware removal program by only downloading really free adware removal programs from trustworthy web pages with a good reputation.

A well-written, well-updated and trusted program is Spybot Search and Destroy. This is an entirely free program, although they do ask for donations, and is updated often. It is very easy to install and does a thorough search of your system for all kinds of treacherous software website will attempt to install on your unsuspecting computer. It also has a feature for immunization which stops adware from being installed on your computer before it has a chance.

New forms of malicious spyware and adware are constantly being created and in order to protect your computer from invasions you must choose a high-quality protection program and keep it updated. Search and Destroy will help you battle these little demons.

By www.netjohn.com

Cyclone Windows 7, Intel blow on sales

"The PC market is picking up, it shows the rise of Intel on the estimates of third quarter."
Intel Corporation has revised upward estimates of the financial third quarter. The company is expected to reach a turnover in the order of 9 billion dollars (estimates range from 8,8 to 9,2 billion), compared to 8.5 billion (8.1 / 8.9) predicted end of second quarter.
Intel hopes, therefore, to sell more products, especially processors. The increase in estimates is a good sign for the entire spectrum of PC, which is preparing for the resumption last month of the year: do not just trawl Snow Leopard, but Windows 7 and the news of Intel's processors and piattorme, Core i5 and Pine Trail at all.

Microsoft windows 7 Operating system

Core 2 Duo Vs AMD Phenom II X4 to reduced tension

VS

When it comes to processors and overclocking ability, the questions that users ask are: which speed is possible to carry a processore? Which tension needs in order to catch up that speed? Which is the better system than usable cooling? which speed is possible to carry a processore? Which tension needs in order to catch up that speed? Which is the better system than usable cooling?

Voltage, clock speed and power consumption
While the clock speed is the first characteristic that identifies the benefits, while the increase of tension is a variable used to reach higher clock speeds, the voltage is the parameter that affects the energy consumption. The increase in clock speed has a lower impact on consumption than the increase of operating voltage, which impacts more heavily. Similarly, the reduction in operating voltage can greatly reduce fuel consumption.

Low-voltage products
Many laptop processors are simply modified versions, to consume less, desktop counterparts. Think of the Intel Core 2 mobile: it is optimized versions, but in certain conditions consume and offer services identical to those of the brothers for desktop PCs. The Core 2 Duo T-series, have a TDP of 35 W (maximum power consumption of 35 watts), while the P series does not exceed 25 watts.
There are versions with low power consumption for desktop processors: AMD provides long-efficient processors, identified by the suffix and (Phenom II X4 900th and 905th, or X4 9350e), Intel Core 2 Quad models offer the "s" which offer the same benefits of regular models, but have a TDP of 65W instead of 95W. Although these processors are usually more expensive, both in idle which are able to reach peak power consumption reduced, as promised.

CPU low cost do-it-yourself ?
Considering the benefits described above, why not change the operating voltage of the processor on our behalf? We took two MSI motherboard, the P45D3 Neo, recently used for the article "Core 2 Duo better when overclocked, and we have matched with a Core 2 Extreme QX9650, along with a 790FX-GD70, used for the tests with the AMD Phenom II X4 955.

The Sony BDP-S560 Blu-Ray Player

So many media types exist today that it can be daunting to find a media player that does it all. Sony sought to change that by releasing the BDP-S560 Blu-ray disc player to the public. Able to play just about any popular media, it has quickly become one of the most popular media players on the current market.

The Blu-ray disc was actually created by Sony to replace the DVD as the standard video format. The main difference is that the Blu-ray disc will be able to store up to 25 GB on a single layer disk- much more than the current DVD standard. As a result the discs support a higher quality picture of movies and video games. However, they also need a special disc player, such as the one currently being reviewed.

You couldn't go wrong in choosing the BDP-S560 model from Sony. this particular model plays all of the DVD discs you currently have in your collection through backwards compatibility technology. It also allows you to play older formats such as the CD. Overall, it is hard to not pick the Sony BDP-S560 solely for its ability to play just about any media format, and any media contained within.

Remember in the olden days of DVD players, how when you tried to navigate throughout the menu you often became frustrated? Sony replaced this frustration with glee, as they have released a similar interface to their PS3 interface for use on the BDP-S560. The "Xross" display allows one to easily navigate options and menus like it is second nature.

Sony also realized that the picture quality and storage options wasn't what made the movie experience- but rather the sound had a large part to play. Sony, thus, decided to give the player compatibility with Dolby TrueHD, which is the next big format in sound quality and design. The format will essentially allow those with high definition audio to feel as if they are in a movie theater- without the ticket price of course.

Ports are important for getting a device to hook up with another and share information. Sony included just about every port there is to ensure that if there is a need for the device to hook up to anything, the option to do it will be there. A rather odd port for a media player, the Ethernet port, has even been included to network your Sony BDP-S560 to other devices supporting the standard. It's innovation like this that really puts the frosting on the cake for consumers.

Getting Started With Alpha Channels And QuickMask Mode In Adobe Photoshop CS4

There are three colour channels in typical Photoshop file: Red, Green and Blue. However, in addition to the colour channels, Photoshop can also use channels to store information used in the process of selecting and masking different parts of an image. To distinguish them from the colour channels, these channels are normally referred to as alpha channels. Alpha channels are a huge topic in Photoshop since they can be used in all sorts of very creative ways. However, in this article, we will focus on just two techniques both of which cause alpha channels to be created automatically: the Save Selection command and QuickMask mode.

In order to manipulate any part of an image, you need to make a selection. Photoshop has a number of different tools and techniques for making selections and the time taken will depend on the complexity of the subject. Certain photographic elements, such as people's hair, are notoriously difficult to select and may take hours. So, having made a selection, it is not unreasonable that the user should want to save the selection for later reuse. The Save Selection command, which is found in the Select menu, is one of the easiest ways of doing this.

When you save a selection Photoshop creates an alpha channel and prompts you to give it a name. You can view the alpha channel by going to the Channel window and clicking on its name. Alpha channels are simple greyscale images which use a visual code to represent selections: the black areas on the channel represent areas which will not be highlighted when the channel is loaded as a selection and white areas represent those areas which will be highlighted. In actual fact, the reverse can be true since the user can set his or her preferences by double-clicking the channel thumbnail in the Channel window. The different levels of grey within an image represent different levels of selection. This makes alpha channels ideal for saving selections with feathering and fades.

When looking at an alpha channel in isolation, it appears black and white. However, it is also useful to look at an alpha channel at the same time as the image to which it will be applied. This means that Photoshop has to find a way of representing the alpha channel which will not obscure the image. By default, the alpha channel changes to a red overlay with an opacity of 50%: the user can change both the colour and opacity of the overlay by double-clicking the thumbnail of the alpha channel in the Channels window.

This same technique of representing selection and masking as an overlayed colour is also used in Photoshop's QuickMask mode. To enter QuickMask mode, click on the QuickMask icon on the toolbar or simple press the letter "q" on the keyboard. When in QuickMask mode, all of Photoshop's paint tools, such as the paintbrush and gradient, can be used to make selections. Selections are represented in exactly the same way as they are on alpha channels. Furthermore, if you look at the Channels window when in QuickMask mode, you will notice that Photoshop has created a temporary alpha channel called "QuickMask" which will disappear as soon as you exit QuickMask mode.