Information, Knowledge, Science & Technology

Learn What is Search Engine Optimization & How to Optimize Your Website For Search Engines

2008-06-16T23:52:00.000+08:00

SEO is an action from a webmaster/owner of the website to optimize the website for search engines, to receive maximum traffic and increase ranking in the search engine result pages(SERPs). There are different types of SEO. Some are very specific, trying to dominate very targeted audience, and some are for targeting wide and general audience. Search Engine Optimization is quite long process, and it requires from a webmaster constant testing and tracking, to see what works and what doesn't.

If you are a webmaster, then it's vital to know SEO, because it's a free, effective and clever way to get traffic to your website. There are many guides available on SEO, so you can read them and learn, if you want to be an expert.

Why Does A Website Needs SEO?

Most of the websites on the Internet get their main traffic from search engines, like Google, Yahoo & MSN. If you website cannot be located by search engines, or your content is not indexed in their database, then you are missing your chance to getting free organic traffic. It doesn't matter, what your website is about, because search engines are looking for unique, quality content, and if you have got that, then you are on the right track.

When a user types a keyword (search query) into the search engine, your website might come up in the search results of the user's query matches the content on your website. This way you can receive highly targeted traffic to your website, which can results in revenue, publicity and exposure on the Web.

Can Search Engine Find My Website Without SEO Help?

Search engines are very clever and sneaky. Unless your website has a "no index, no follow" feature enabled, search engines will find your website one day anyway, even if you don't do any SEO.

However, if you learn SEO and how to use it for you website, this can boost the speed of whole process of finding and indexing your website/webpage. The more pages of your website are indexed, the more chances you have that someone will find your website. The Internet is a huge space, and there are lots of competitors, which want to rank higher in SEs, but you can do that better by learning SEO and I am sure that you will get noticed quicker that others.

As I previously mentioned in my article, there are many guides available on the Internet, which provide you with SEO help. I have read many of those guides, and in my opinion one of the best is Brad Callen's guide, called The SEO Mindset. It's a complete step-by-step SEO guide and I highly recommend it for anyone wanting to learn SEO. You can check out his website by visiting http://www.seomastermindset.info

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

Page Rank and PageRank (tm) - Google Toolbar PR vs Actual PR

2006-06-24T13:50:00.000+08:00

I realized that there is quite some confusion when it comes to the Term Page Rank. People often referring to the Term in a way that it is ambiguous. The problem is, that the two meanings of the word are very different from each other.

The best way to avoid confusion is to extend the term Page Rank when you are using it in a conversation or article to indicate what you are referring to when you say "Page Rank". Use the terms "Google PageRank" and "Page Ranking" or "Ranking of a Page" instead.

But what exactly are the two meanings of the term and why is one of the two supposed to be inaccurate or incorrect most of the time, when displayed via a certain very popular browser plug-in or specialized SEO tools?

"Page Rank" (two words),
incorporates ALL Ranking criteria used by a Search Engine Algorithm to calculate the Value a page has for a specific Search Term. All Pages that match a Key Phrase are sorted by the Page Rank Value.

This is part of every Search Engine that displays search results by "relevance" and not just alphabetically.

"PageRank(tm)" (PR) - the Google PageRank,
is a numeric value that represents how important a page is on the Web. PageRank is a trademark Term of Google and the algorithm named PageRank is patented by Sergey Brin and Lawrence Page. Google figures that when one page links to another page, it is effectively casting a vote for the other page. The famous PageRank algorithm allows the determination of each pages PageRank in relationship to all pages available on the Web (in the Google Index).

The Google PageRank is only one of over 100 criteria for Google to determine the "Page Rank" of a Page for a specific Key Phrase in Google's vast Search Index.

The Google PageRank(tm) value displayed in the Google Toolbar (the value between 0-10) is not the value used by Google Internally. That means that for example a Page where the Toolbar shows "0" as PageRank might has internally a much higher PageRank, between 3 and 4 for example. The reason for the difference is not clear and people can only speculate.

Even if the displayed PageRank Value would be somewhat accurate, so is it still not the exact number/value Google is using in their Algorithm.

The actual calculated number using the original algorithm is a floating point number with a lot of digits after the decimal point. A site with PR 1 could have an actual PR of 1.298245 another one with PR1 might only has an actual PR of 1.00123.

Integer vs Floating Point
The fact that the Toolbar value is rounded to the next whole number is important, because this invisible difference is making a bigger difference the higher the PageRank of a site becomes (a difference of hundreds of thousands of inbound links between 2 pages with the same displayed PR).

Furthermore, the "Google PageRank(tm)" is a number/value assigned by Google to a page/document, independent from the Keyword Phrase. "Page Rank" on the other hand is the number/value assigned to a page in combination with a specific Keyword Phrase.

Conclusions

Fact 1.
"Page Rank" is not the same as "Google PageRank(tm)"

Fact 2.
"Google PageRank(tm)" shown in the Google Toolbar is not the same as the actual "Google PageRank(tm)" number or value used by Google to determine the "Page Rank" of a Page for a specific Key phrase.

Fact 3.
"Google PageRank(tm)" value is for a specific Page or document on the Web and the "Page Rank" value is for a specific Web Page/Document and Keyword Phrase combination.

Carsten Cumbrowski is an Internet Marketing Entrepreneur with several years experience in Affiliate Marketing, Search Engine Marketing as well as Search Engine Optimization. . He is also an experienced Enterprise Web Solutions Architect and Database Developer. In addition to various commercial Web Projects is Carsten also maintaining a vast collection of useful Web Resources which he made available to the public at his Professional Homepage.

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Technorati Tags : SEO , Adsense , Online Marketing , Google , Search Engine Optimization , Page Rank , PageRank , PR , page-rank

Google Trends: Building Links with the Correct Keywords Makes All the Difference

2006-06-24T13:49:00.000+08:00

The most important part of SEO is building great links to your content. The most common mistake is targeting the wrong keywords. The question at hand is, how do I choose my keywords? I have a great suggestion that should help you out.

Google trends is a great help with choosing what you should target. Google trends will show you how much traffic a search term in Google is getting. The power is not in knowing how much traffic it gets, but how much traffic it gets relative to a similar term. Because you get no hard numbers you must remember to keep everything relative. I like to do a common search with every query so I know how much traffic I get relative to the keyword I learn about.

For example, if I want to write an article for an article website, I may try to test Free Content, and Free Articles. To compare these two searches I separate them with a comma and hit search. Then I see that Free Articles is very close to Free Content. I can also choose to add a third keyword if I would like.

I used this tool to optimize many of my pages. By targeting keywords that are searched more you have a lot more people to work for.

Joe Regan maintains getyourcontent.com which allows authors to Post Articles for free. Getyourcontent also allows users to use their Google Adsense code on all content they submit. This makes Getyourcontent the first of its kind. You can post Free Content today

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Joe_Regan
Technorati Tags : SEO , Adsense , Online Marketing , Google , Search Engine Optimization

Search Engine Optimization - Are There Really "Top Mistakes"?

2006-06-24T13:47:00.000+08:00

While researching common search engine mistakes, I was struck by something odd; many sites that profess to present the "Top 5" or "Top 10" search engine mistakes do not agree with each other on what those mistakes really are.

I believe a significant quantity of the search engine information, which is presented as fact, is actually opinion. I can hear you ask the question: Why do you say this? Well, firstly the ranking algorithms are living, dynamic things that change frequently. Secondly, not only do they change, they are also a well kept secret. Thirdly, search algorithms are not simple to reverse engineer.

So my conclusion is that unless the article that proclaims the "Top x mistakes" is written by a Google engineer, I would have to say that it is the author's opinion and would be difficult to substantiate.

Having said that, there are many common pitfalls to avoid, based on solid logical deduction. Try to think like a search engine, your objective being to serve your visitors with relevant and meaningful content. When visiting any site you want to quickly determine what the core purpose of the site and its content is. To do this accurately you need help from the site creators.

So here are some of the things to avoid, in no particular order:

Avoid making your site too graphic intensive, with too little text content - search engines struggle with graphics. If you do have a large quantity of graphics, do not forget the ALT tags as these not only aid the visually impaired, but the search engines do pay attention to them.
Keywords are important, but avoid "spamming" your document with keywords. If your text reads awkwardly you can bet your bottom dollar that the engines will pick that up.
Certain HTML TAGS take precedent and omitting good quality content in these tags is a capital crime in terms of search engines. Make sure you have good, targeted content in the top TAGS. In my view the most important tags are the TITLE tag, the H1, H2 and H3 tags. Also pay attention to what you put in the BOLD tags.
Be careful in how you use Tables. Tables can be easy to use to get neat looking layout. I far prefer to use Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) to achieve correct formatting. It keeps your content clean and easy to crawl.
Be careful when using dynamic content or dynamic urls. I have come across sites that dynamically create urls for each visitor. This will only lead to Search confusion.
Do not believe the hype around search submission tools. Just as is true in life so the adage holds for SEO, "If it seems too good to be true, it usually is!" Take care and submit your site by hand to the major engines or web directories.
I have on occasion had to use IFRAMES to include very graphic heavy content. A mistake not to make is to put no content outside the IFRAME. Use the NOFRAMES tag and stick all your search friendly content in there. The chances are that 99% of consumers who view your page will not see this content, but it will give context to the Search Engines.

So the next time you come across an article proclaiming to offer the "Top x" information on search engine mistakes, take a closer look and see if the author offers you any clues as to how they arrived at their findings.

Ken Metcalf is a professional engineer, also holding a business commerce degree. He writes articles in his spare time on technical topics ranging from low level programming to The SEO Blog which deals with search engine optimization. For more information on using Search Engine Technology visit The SEO pages here

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

Technorati Tags : SEO , Adsense , Online Marketing , Google , Search Engine Optimization

Emphasizing Your Keyword For SEO

2006-06-24T13:46:00.000+08:00

Once you get into the search engine optimization game, you will learn all kinds of fundamental axioms. Emphasizing your keyword in code is one.

Emphasizing Your Keyword For SEO

Keywords are the key, pun intended, to search engine optimization. You must develop an understanding of what your prospects are looking for in your area of business. Keyword research is the method for doing this and a step that should be undertaken with great precision and effort.

Assuming you have nailed down your keywords, the question arises as to how to use them on the pages of your site. There are a lot of strategies that work and everyone swears by the one they use. That being said, making sure the primary keyword is emphasized on the page is one strategy that I certainly use frequently.

In my opinion, every page on your site should focus on one keyword phrase. Others prefer to go with a variety of keywords totaling no more than 13 to 15 total words. Each approach works, but you still have to determine the particular phrase you wish to emphasize. Once you have selected the phrase, it helps to draw the attention of the search engine to it by emphasizing it in some way. To do this, most people immediately think of enclosing it in bold html commands. This will work, but there is a better way.

Using heading commands such as H1, H2, H3 and so on are the best way to emphasize a keyword phrase. The commands tell the search engine robots that the enclosed text is the focus of the page. This can only help, but you have to be careful how to use them. Personally, I stick to using them for the title of the page, which corresponds to the keyword phrase I wish to focus on. Trying to use them in the middle of a paragraph of text is not advised as it looks horrific due.

One potential issue with these commands is there size. If you select a default H1, your text is going to be huge. You can counter this by redefining the size if you use cascading sheets. Regardless, make sure the primary keyword is emphasized on the page in one form or another.

Halstatt Pires is with MarketingTitan.com - providing internet marketing services.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Halstatt_Pires
Technorati Tags : SEO , Adsense , Online Marketing , Google , Search Engine Optimization

Do-it-Yourself Online Marketing (SEO)

2006-06-24T13:45:00.000+08:00

You may want to perform SEO services on your website by yourself but do not know how to get started. You probably have always wanted to get involved more with SEO but simply do not have the time. Unfortunately this is usually caused by the misconception that SEO is easy to implement and does not take a lot of experience. Even though SEO does require experience and time there are several options out there to start doing SEO on your own and be successful.

Option 1: Become an SEO Expert

This is the hardest path to take to implement SEO on your website while yielding the greatest personal satisfaction. You will want to start by spending lots of time reading books and online articles to catch up on the latest SEO trends, practices, and methods. Next you should start experimenting with different methods you learn about, analyze the results, and change your website again. This is the continual learning process of search engine optimization and takes a great amount of time, energy, patience, and resources. However after several months when you start to realize the benefits of your work it will yield a great deal of satisfaction.

This option is recommended for those if you want to start offering SEO services as a part of your business or if you have multiple websites that you manage. If you only have one website and do not plan on providing SEO services to others this route is probably not ideal considering the time involved to make it successful.

Option 2: Find a Professional SEO Guide

This is the ideal option for most people who want to start internet marketing on their own, learn more about the industry, and yet not invest a considerable amount of time in the project. There are several SEO consultants who would be happy to guide you along the way and assist you in creating a successful online campaign. With this option you will not have to learn everything on your own but will have an experienced professional at your side to assist you in creating a successful campaign. The most difficult aspects of SEO could be handled by your consultant while you could manage SEO implementation.

For example your consultant could assist you in developing a keyword phrase list, sample methods of finding link partners, guidelines for using title, alt, heading, bold, internal link, and meta tags. After you have finished working on a few key pages you could request your consultant review your work and give you further suggestions. At first you will probably rely heavily on your consultant for advice but as time goes on your reliance on your consultant will diminish as you become more affluent in SEO practices and techniques. Another important service your consultant should provide is monthly or weekly progress reports. They will most likely have access to software that will enable them to generate reports such as rankings, keyword phrases, incoming link, and others. Consultants can usually provide other valuable insights to help your business succeed online on subjects such as PPC, conversion, usability, professional image, email campaigns, banner advertising, and other online marketing options.

Although this method will require some investment on your end it is far less expensive than a full-service SEO package and over time the cost will diminish as you become adept at SEO yourself.

How to Decide which Option is Best

When deciding between these two options the most relevant question to ask yourself is how much time do you have to invest in SEO. Through experience I would estimate that having an SEO consultant at your side will reduce the time you need to invest in your SEO project by about 50-75%. You must also determine how competitive your industry is. The difference between a national web hosting company and a local pest control company can play a huge factor in how much time will be required to be successful. Whichever path you choose as long as you are dedicated and determined you will succeed!

Eric Morgan is an internet marketing manager at MWI - a Utah Advertiing Agency.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Eric_Morgan
Technorati Tags : SEO , Adsense , Online Marketing , Google , Search Engine Optimization

SEO: Search Engines versus Visitors

2006-06-24T13:43:00.000+08:00

n the bid to drive traffic to their sites, webmasters often forget why they are in business, and who keeps them in business. Most search engine optimization experts and forums focus on the search engines. The reasons are not far fetched; search engines are the biggest source of qualified traffic to most sites. Without traffic, you are out of business.

But that is not the end of the story. What search engines think about you is very important, but what visitors think about you makes or breaks you. It is visitors that deliver your Most Wanted Response (MWP). If you are selling goods or services online, and your visitors are pissed off with you, search engines cannot come to your rescue. Search engines cannot click through any pages on your site, visit your order page, and place an order. Visitors do.

It makes one wonder why search engines are the main focus in site design and layout, and not visitors, the main reason why the sites were set up in the first place.

One needs to strike a balance between pleasing the search engines and visitors. Visitors should come first. Search engine optimization should be carried out within the corridor whereby visitor experience will not be compromised.

One clear area where the visitor’s interest is thrown to the winds is links/resource pages. This page is meant to be an additional resource for visitors to garner more information on the subject matter. Hard copy books on a subject matter often have at the end, books recommended for further reading. In the list are books that readers can buy, if they want to read further on the subject matter, if they are so inclined. Obviously books on the list have the same theme or are related to subject matter of the publication. Readers who want to seek further information on the subject have the option of buying any of the books on the recommended list.

On the internet, a lot of webmasters simply don’t care. They came to the understanding that Google Page Rank PR plays a big role in search engine rankings, and has a lot to do with to number of incoming links a website has. With that information, they set out to battle. They slap a link/resources page in the middle of nowhere, and go about looking for links with gusto. So far as it is a link, they do not care; they go all out for it. They end up with a link farm with all sorts of strange links on the same page. Some webmasters do not bother spacing out the links, or making them legible. Their eyes are not traffic; they don’t care how their visitors feel.

For some webmasters, the main considerations for placing their page elements are search engines. Search engines determine what goes where. User behavior is not taken into consideration in page layout. The route search engine spiders/robots take determine the sequence and position of page elements.

Still some webmasters, in a bid to make a quick buck from Google Adsense plaster their pages with Google ads. What can be quite annoying sometimes is to look for content, and the first thing you see at the middle column intro is a large slab of Google ad. You come looking for content, and what you get is Ads by Google.

For enduring success online, webmasters have to leave behind a trail of satisfied visitors time and time again. Visitors that will not only keep coming back, but will also tell their friends. A look at your traffic stats tells a story. Number of return visits, page views, entry and exit pages, number of people that added your site to their favorites list etc… These are the folks that click through and deliver your most wanted response. These are the folks that make you money. These are the folks that keep you in business, even if the search engines stop sending you traffic. They have your link in their favorites list. They can always find their way back. Unique visitors can still come through quality sites you exchanged links with.

Apart from delivering a unique content/service, you also need to make money to remain online. You need your visitors to achieve this. That is why it is critical to be yourself and follow your dreams. Don’t allow search engines to run you off course. Search engines are important no doubt, but ultimately it is people that will make you achieve your reason for going online. Have a goal and remain focused. Keep your eyes on your goal. Be it service or content, be the best that you can be.

If your site has excellent content, it is a matter of time, the traffic will come. Other sites will link to you without asking for a link back. People will tell their friends. Before long, the search engines will take notice and spiders/robots will be all over your site.

By staying focused on your visitors and your goal, you get the best of both worlds. By focusing on high rankings at the detriment of unique content and adding value to visitors, you get to lose the traffic you worked so hard for, as you cannot keep them coming back. Soon, the search engines you worked so hard to please will take notice and sometime soon, you will drop off the radar.

As Google stated in its Webmaster guidelines, build your site as if search engines do not exist. It makes a lot of sense in the long term. It is about your visitors. They make or break you, ultimately.

Usiere Uko is the webmaster of Financial Freedom Inspiration website and editor of the monthly Financial Freedom Inspiration Newsletter, a free ezine to inspire you to exit the rat race and fulfill your God given dreams. To subscribe or visit the site, please click on the URL below. http://www.financial-freedom-inspiration.com. He is also webmaster of Nigeria Galleria Nigeria Business Directory.

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Technorati Tags : SEO , Adsense , Online Marketing , Google , Search Engine Optimization

5 Essential Tips for Great SEO

2006-06-24T13:42:00.000+08:00

1. Choose Keywords Carefully
Research and select your keywords carefully, using such tools as Google’s and Yahoo’s Keyword Tools. Google Trends is a new development tool that lets you compare general keyword search popularity visually on a graph- they don’t reveal the actual number of searches, however. You can also do manual research, by simply going to each of your competitors’ websites, analyzing their keywords, and trying to notice any consistent patterns in their keywords and how they rank for those keyword searches. Further, if you do cost-per-click (CPC) advertising through Yahoo! Or Google, its interface gives you another means for calculating the popularity of keyword phrases- it will tell you how many people search for the keywords you add. Tools such as Good Keywords (http://www.goodkeywords.com/products/gkw/ ) consolidate some of these useful tools and is completely free. If you have a search engine on your site, you should use the search logs as a benchmark before choosing your keywords. If you do not have a search function on your website, you can get one free with FreeFind. When activated, they can automatically email you a report of the top searched words on your site. Researching keywords is like doing police detective work- there are several tools, but they each only give you small pieces of the puzzle. It can be a time-consuming effort to sort through the data, but worthwhile.

a. Google’s Keyword Tool:
https://adwords.google.com/select/KeywordToolExternal
b. Overture’s (Yahoo! Search Marketing) Keyword Selector Tool:

http://inventory.overture.com/d/searchinventory/suggestion/
c. Manual research of competitor websites
d. Yahoo! Search Marketing (Overture) and Google AdWords CPC campaign summaries
e. Wordtracker – http://www.wordtracker.com/ pay $7.73 for 1 day of keyword research.
f. NicheBot - http://www.nichebot.com/
g. FreeFind - http://www.freefind.com/
g. Google Trends - http://www.google.com/trends

2. Keep it Simple, but Specific
For best results in the search engines, it is important to keep your keywords consistent and simple. Use only 1 keyword phrase per page, and don’t be too general. For example, if you were selling cell phones, it would probably be a wasted effort to target the word “cell phones” as there are too many competitors, but the phrase “cheap camera cellular phone” is more likely to help you to rank high in search engines. This phrase was searched for 807 times last month, according to Yahoo!.

3. Maintain Consistency
Use the exact same keyword phrase in all of the following page elements:

Use your keyword phrase within:

a. Page title
b. Meta title
c. Meta keywords
d. Meta description
e. Header tags: h1 to h4
f. tags and/or tags
g. tags and/or tags
h. Four times in the body copy
i. At least once in a URL link
j. Make a folder with the keyword phrase as its name; use hyphens – between multiple words.

4. Use Tools to Monitor Your Progress
Various tools exist to check where you stand in search rankings, links, and more. Instead of continually checking manually, try some of the many tools available. One helpful tool which happens to be free is: http://www.webuildpages.com/cool-seo-tool/ Other pay-based tools exist, such as: Microsoft Submit It and WebTrends’ WebPosition. If your pages are not getting indexed by Google, you may consider making a Google site map. You can generate an XML based site map for free here: http://www.freesitemapgenerator.com. Also, make sure you have web statistics programs installed on your host server, such as AWstats, Webalizer or other free tools. Google Analytics is an in-depth stats program and is free. Because of the demand, you have to get on a waiting list, but it is worth it: http://www.google.com/analytics/

5. Learn From Successfully Optimized Sites

The following is a short list of websites that appear to be successful in their search engine optimization efforts.

http://www.acclaimimages.com/
http://www.sparepartswarehouse.com/
http://www.seochat.com/
http://www.timbercon.com/

Though not always as aesthetically pleasing, viewing the winners of Google optimization contests can be a learning experience. Links and information can found on Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SEO_contest

By Trent Mueller © 2006

Trent Mueller is a Webmaster at Timbercon, Inc. http://www.timbercon.com in Portland, Oregon, USA.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Trent_Mueller
Technorati Tags : SEO , Adsense , Online Marketing , Google , Search Engine Optimization

New "Goodies" At Google

2006-06-24T13:33:00.000+08:00

Search giant, Google.com, recently expanded their reach yet again by offering new and expanded services going far beyond simply searching the Internet for relevant information.

Jumping on a growing bandwagon already teaming with millions of active users, Google now offers its own SMS search service to allow mobile phone users access to their database.

Google also released "Desktop 2," a personal information manager that resides on your desktop to organize everything from rss feeds and stock quotes, to photos and the weather.

Make no mistake, though Google seems to possess an uncanny ability to make things useful and "cool," these latest offerings represent Google staking out territory on your desktop against rivals Microsoft and Yahoo!

** Google Expands Desktop **

Originally, the Google Desktop program simply organized your files, emails and web searches into one place.

When you looked from a certain file or topic on your system, the program returned relevant results from files on your hard drive, email correspondence, and past web search history.

The new version of Google Desktop expands significantly over the original version by including a host of new services designed to create your own "personal information manager" right on your computer's desktop.

Probably the most obvious change is the "Sidebar," which makes a significant new addition to the tool.

The Sidebar allows you immediate access not only to information on your hard drive, but to specialized online information based on your preferences and viewing habits.

The Sidebar also incorporates an RSS feed reader, making it extremely simple for even complete novices to subscribe to and read news feeds from the web.

Many would think this one feature of a simple rss reader represents a direct step to grab the general consumer before Microsoft can launch their Longhorn browser (which will contain an rss reader).

Other additions include a news ticker, real time stock quotes, photo viewer, quick-find feature with the ability to launch programs just by typing in a few letters, and a scratch pad.

Google definitely upgraded this previously limited program to create a very handy personal organizer for your computer's desktop. Log on to http://desktop.google.com to download a free copy.

** Google Goes Mobile **

If you fall into the over-30 age range, you probably didn't know that "SMS" stands for "Short Message Service."

Yet SMS comprises one of the fastest growing areas of all communication on the planet.

Millions of people use SMS on their cell phones to communicate as well as gather information.

Log on to http://www.google.com/sms/ to discover how Google can now help you get information through your cell phone fast and free.

Get everything from driving directions, local business listings, and movie showtimes to local weather conditions, dictionary definitions and even product pricing.

Imagine walking into a store, spotting an item you want to buy, and before purchasing it know exactly how much you could snag it for online.

Picture yourself in an unfamiliar town and getting driving directions to the local Walmart. Google also operates a new home page just for mobile users at http://www.google.com/mobile/.

Watch for this area of online services to expand massively in the near future.

Copyright 2005 Jim Edwards

About The Author
Jim Edwards is a syndicated newspaper columnist & creator of an amazing course that shows A Quick and Easy Way To Painlessly Set Up Your OWN Money-making 'Mini' Websites... Without Being a Computer Geek, Buying Software, or Paying A Webmaster!" Click => http://www.MiniSiteCreator.com

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Technorati Tags : SEO , Adsense , Online Marketing , Google , Search Engine Optimization

5 Ways to Prepare for Retirement

2006-06-13T23:12:00.000+08:00

While many Americans are primarily concerned with their current financial situation, it is important to think about the future no matter what your household budget looks like. In 2004, the U.S. Department of Labor outlined 5 easy steps to preparing yourself for comfortable retirement living.

Know your retirement needs. Retirement can be expensive, so you will need to know and understand what it will take to successfully save for the future. Experts say you will need at least 70% of your pre-retirement income in order to keep up your current standard of living once you are no longer working.
Find out about your Social Security benefits. The average retiree currently receives roughly 40% of their pre-retirement income through Social Security. Visit www.socialsecurity.gov to learn more about the benefits of Social Security.
Contribute to a tax-sheltered savings plan. If your employer offers a program such as a 401 (k) it is wise to sign up and contribute as much money as possible. Contributions to a 401(k) are made automatically from your paycheck, your taxable income will be lower therefore costing you less, and many times your employer will match a percentage of your contribution.
Put Your Money into an Individual Retirement Account An IRA, or Individual Retirement Account is a simple way to save money for retirement and gain tax advantages. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, if you contributed $3,000 per year into your IRA earning 7% interest, you would have $75,387 in just 15 years!
Don’t Touch Your Savings Keep yourself from tapping into your retirement savings. By using retirement savings early, you will not only lose principal and interest, but you will also lose your tax benefits. If you change jobs, simply roll over your savings directly into an IRA or into a new plan with your new employer.

Remember, Financial security doesn’t just happen, it requires planning, commitment and money. For more information or to access free financial education log on to http://www.consumercredit.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tom_Palange
Technorati Tags: Personal Loan , bad credit , Bad Credit Loan , Credit , Mortgage , Loan , Money , Finance , Retirement , Save More Money

Retirement Savings Need Not Be Complicated

2006-06-13T23:10:00.000+08:00

With the long-depended-upon pension fading into history, many consumers are apprehensive regarding retirement savings. Most simply don't know what to do to get where they need to be. With so many options and advice, what is the right path to take?

Studies show that Americans are more insecure about their retirement options than ever before. With less than 20% of workers facing a possible pension, that option isn't something you should depend upon.

It is more important than ever to take every opportunity you have to build up your retirement savings. This includes your IRAs, 401(k)s and taxable investments.

It doesn't take a complete knowledge of investing to be able to retire well. All it takes is a few simple ideas.

Remember, the younger you start, the easier it is to retire well. If you are getting a late start, it is still possible to enjoy a comfortable retirement. Just don't let anymore time slip away, you will need every cent possible.

It's just like credit cards adding up to years of payments, only in reverse. If you start young, the more you save, the more years of interest you will be able to reinvest and the more money you will make. Let compounding work for you, not against you.

Take every advantage you can to save for the future. Only around 50% of workers are offered a 401(k). Only 42% take advantage of the plan. Don't let this pass you by. Most employers will match some part of your contributions. This is free money. You should give all you can each year to your 401(k). Once the money is in your account, it multiplies tax-free.

The same applies for 403(b)s and other equivalent savings programs. Don't throw the opportunity away.

You should take a good look at your 401(k) plan. When you leave the company, you should probably convert it to a professionally managed traditional plan. Why? Because self-directed retirement accounts return 2% less per year on average than professionally managed plans.

Look at the numbers. If you put $100,000 into an account earning a 6% average return and another $100,000 in an account earning an average of 8% per year, the difference is amazing. In thirty years, the 6% account is worth $574,349 and the 8% account is worth $1,006,266.

You should probably avoid get-rich quick ideas. Don't chase hot stocks and sectors. Play the long-term game. If your company 401(k) plan is too costly, you should consider maxing out your IRA before investing into the 401(k) plan. WIth your IRA, you decide who mangages your money. Many of the large mutual fund vendors are low cost and quite effective.

The key to successful retirement savings is to simply do your math. Contribute wisely and contribute as much as possible every year. Remember, if you sink enough into your investments, perhaps you will be able to retire early. Now there's a nice thought.

Martin Lukac (http://www.MartinLukac.com), represents http://www.RateEmpire.com and http://www.1AmericanFinancial.com, a finance web-company specializing in real estate/mortgage market. We specialize in daily updates, rate predictions, mortgage rates and more. Find low home loan mortgage interest rates from hundreds of mortgage companies!

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Technorati Tags: Personal Loan , bad credit , Bad Credit Loan , Credit , Mortgage , Loan , Money , Finance , Retirement , Save More Money

Don't Make Bad Financial Decisions

2006-06-13T23:04:00.000+08:00

There are more and more people reaching retirement without any savings. There are even more people up to their eyebrows in credit card debt. Foreclosures are on the rise and it seems as if everyone is driving a new car.

What can be done? Can you really reach retirement and not depend on social security? Can you eliminate your credit card debt? Can you have the money to buy what you want when you want it?

Yes. All you have to do is not make bad financial decisions. We all make wrong decisions, but we all don't have to make bad decisions. Bad decisions include excessive debt, various loan types, over-spending and not saving your money.

The worst decision of all is becoming overpowered by debt. You can't save your money if you are sending it to a creditor. When you have no debt, your savings have a chance to really flourish.

What is your financial goal? Overall, it is probably to become rich. If you are sending the banks your interest money, you aren't going to make that happen very quickly.

Bad decisions are often made in the absence of information. When you are pressured and desperate, you will often make uninformed decisions. These are the decisions that only get you further in trouble. Like putting your house on the line to get out of credit card debt.

Bad decisions are also found in situations where greed, pride and ignorance live. For example, do you really believe that a credit card company wouldn't raise your interest rate, or do you just like to pretend that so you can max out the card? Or is it both? Greed is wanting more than you can afford. Pride is caring more what others think of your worth than you do. Ignorance is simply not trying to learn any better way.

Here's my list of the top bad decisions you can make:

1. Credit cards
2. Auto title loans
3. Rent-to-own
4. Payday loans
5. 125 loans
6. Pawn shops
7. Allowing vehicles to be repossessed
8. Serial bankruptcy filing

Most of these decisions start with one little credit card. Then they snowball out of control. If you are already on the track to making these decisions, you need to find a way to turn around. Read every article you can about getting out of debt. Find ways to pay it all off. Don't go there again.

If you make a bad decision, it's been made. Move on. Learn your lesson and do something different next time. You don't have to sacrifice your entire life. It only takes most people a few years to turn it around. If you don't try, it could follow you forever.

If you haven't made any bad decisions yet, keep in mind that it starts off very innocently. Avoid getting into any debt that you can't afford. Look at all the numbers and scenarios before you take on any debt. Don't look to impress others with what the bank let you borrow. You can make good decisions at any point in your life. So do it now.

Martin Lukac (http://www.MartinLukac.com), represents http://www.RateEmpire.com and http://www.1AmericanFinancial.com, a finance web-company specializing in real estate/mortgage market. We specialize in daily updates, rate predictions, mortgage rates and more. Find low home loan mortgage interest rates from hundreds of mortgage companies!

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The Two-Step Method of Paying Down Debt

2006-06-13T23:00:00.000+08:00

Many people are periodically faced with the financial question, “Should I take this extra money and pay down my debts?”

A financial planner will likely reply, “Yes, because it will improve your net worth and financial stability. Debt is a fire that destroys your income and financial future”.

A financial analyst will likely reply, “It depends because you have to compare the rate you would earn by investing to the rate you are paying on your debt. All of these calculations are based on after-tax amounts”.

Although those are fine answers, my best advice is “Almost never”. First the ‘almost’ part – similar to the financial analyst, if the rate on your debt is a lot higher than the rate on your potential investments, then I think that you should use the extra money to pay down on that expensive debt.

But for the ‘never’ part – if you have reasonably low-cost interest rates on your debt, I recommend that you do not pay them down, directly. Here is how a banker explains personal finances, “A normal family is permanently in debt. Although their mortgage is being paid down over 30 years, they keep refinancing and pushing that date back another 30 years. Their car loans or leases are 2 to 5 years, but as soon as they are paid off, they get a new car with a new loan and start the clock again; and it is the same with their other debts. Your minimum financial goal must be a plan to permanently extinguish your debt. The alternative is big monthly debt payments and a very poor retirement”.

Look at your debts and figure out how long it would take to pay them all off. Whether it is 15 years or 30 years, at least you now have a starting point to improve upon. Chip away at your debt and get it out of your life. And in my opinion, the best way to make extra payments to extinguish your debt is the two-step method. The first step is to take a percentage of all your earned income and consistently invest where it earns dividends or interest. The second step is to take a percentage of that investment income and then use this money to make the extra payments on your debt. Your debt-extinguishment plan may start as a 30-year plan, but you will be turning it into a 29-year plan and then continue down until it is gone.

Why does it matter whether you pay down debt with earned income or investment income? It is my experience that people who wait until their debts are paid off before they start investing become the worst investors. (Investors that procrastinate saving money, opening their monthly statements, or wanting someone else to handle financial matters are symptoms of the investors that lose the most money. It is investors with either ostrich-thinking or ‘hoping that everything will turn out fine somehow’ that are most likely to hear their heels clicking down the hallway of bankruptcy court). If you don’t have money for investing, you won’t start looking for investments. If you are not looking, you won’t find investment opportunities. You won’t read investing articles, books, or seek financial advisers to advance your knowledge. If you don’t invest and see the actual results of your investing, you won’t develop financial skills. There are skills that you only acquire by actively doing something, and investing is no different. If you lose some money in a particular investment, you will quickly learn lessons that aren’t in any book, so that you can perform much better the next time. Successful investing requires knowledge, skill, and habits that come from actual investing.

Another important reason to start both saving and investing immediately is to build up the size of your pile of money. Your investment returns will start to compound over time and slowly build into something more sizable. But if you wait until all of your debts are paid off, years from now you’ll be starting with a very small amount of money. Meanwhile, someone who started today would have built up a much larger amount of money and that translates into investment access. Access is important for higher return investments because there are investments, programs, brokers, funds, and advisers, etc., that have minimum dollar-amount requirements. Access to better investments with lower risk and higher returns will add to your wealth quicker, helping you pay down your debt faster. And today there is really no excuse for not investing even if you start with a tiny amount of money. You can buy a partial share of stock for $10 or open a money market account with $20. Find an internet connection and look up terms such as ‘no minimum investment’.

The benefit that I like the most for paying down debt with investment income is that when your debts are paid off, you’ll still have all the investment income paying you every month or quarter. And as I have said before, investment income is the ultimate financial goal of personal finance – managing your money until it can pay all of your expenses through investment income. So begin with the end-goal of investment income immediately and two-step your way out of all of your debts.

Francis Kier has an MBA in finance and shares his two decades of experience with investing and personal finance. More of his articles are available at http://investing.real-solution-center.com

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Personal Loan With Bad Credit and Personal Loans

2006-06-13T22:10:00.001+08:00

Personal loans with bad credit are easier to come by than most people would think. These days many people fall victim to their own overspending, and this becomes apparent on their credit report. Thus, lenders have made a business out of personal loans with bad credit so that these people have another means of borrowing. The Internet is the best source for a personal loan with bad credit, but it can also be the biggest trap. Borrowers need to learn all that they can about personal loans with bad credit so they can avoid scams.

You can apply for personal loans with bad credit both online and directly with a lender. Most people appreciate the convenience of applying online. This can be great if you use caution. Don't apply with just any online lender for a personal loan with bad credit. Take the time to make sure the lender is federally insured and nationally known. Look for contact information about the lender such as an address, phone number and an "About Us" link. If the lender doesn't provide such information on their website, take that as a sign that they may not be legit.

Before providing sensitive information on a lender's site to get a personal loan with bad credit, be sure that the site is secure. You will typically have to provide your Social Security Number for personal loans with bad credit. Any chance of that information falling into the wrong hands isn't worth taking. If you don't feel comfortable giving out this information online, you may want to contact the lender by phone or use a local lender to apply for a personal loan with bad credit.

If you don't know where to start when you want to apply for personal loans with bad credit, talk to your bank. They know you and may be willing to work around your bad credit. Keep in mind, though, that they will most likely require some collateral such as a car title or some personal property. They may also or instead require a down payment for the personal loan with bad credit. Some lenders won't require any collateral or down payment, especially online lenders. This is most likely because they charge considerably high interest rates on personal loans with bad credit.

Before you commit to a personal loan with bad credit, look over the interest rates, prepayment penalties and fees. Even though you are applying for personal loans with bad credit, it doesn't mean you have to settle for a bad loan. Talk to a financial counselor about the best way to pursue a personal loan with bad credit. Typically, they will advise you to improve your credit before you even apply. Don't get discouraged. Taking the time to work on your credit will improve your chances at a better personal loan and save you lots of money in the long run.

For more information, visit:
http://www.christianet.com/articles/index.htm
http://www.christianet.com

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Weight Loss, Body Detox and Anti Aging are all Connected

2006-06-11T14:27:00.000+08:00

The majority of people that try various diets and exercise to lose weight fail. Why? Because they are missing out on the most important reason that they can’t lose the weight or how to prevent the diet yoyo. The standard line you get is that you need to diet and exercise to get results, and for some people, especially the younger generation, this works. But for a huge number of the population this is just not going to work, try as they may.

The missing factor in a successful weight loss program is the cleansing of your colon. If you are not familiar with colon cleansing then this may sound like an odd statement to make. But, consider this; a backed up colon will not only prevent weight loss, but will also cause a whole host of other symptoms such as:

- Always tired and sluggish
- Interrupted sleep
- Weight gain
- Aches and pains
- Premature wrinkling of the skin
- Unexplained skin rashes
- Constipation or diarrhea
- Bloating and gas
- Menstrual cramping
- Headaches

These are only some of the symptoms of a clogged toxic colon. What does this have to do with weight loss?

In a normally functioning colon, the food we ingest gets broken down, nutrients are absorbed in the small and large intestine, the friendly flora produce b-vitamins and nutrients are sent to the rest of the body where all the cells are fed. This normal function produces the hormones we need and keeps the metabolism high and allows for weight management. The problem with today’s environment is that it is toxic from all the chemicals, pesticides and pollutants we are bombarded with on a constant basis.

Another huge factor is mans craving to change things all the time and that includes food. In the name of profit, the food industry is reinventing food and changing them from their natural wholesome form and adding preservatives, dyes and coloring which dramatically alter the foods we eat. It creates great profit, and the shareholders are happy, but this is at the expense of our health.

All you need to do is look around you at Americans and the answer is there for all to see. We are an obese, tired nation. Foods such as white flour, rice, pastas, dairy products, hormone filled meats and sliced meats full of sodium nitrates and processed food wreak havoc with our digestive system.

The food we eat should be digested and eliminated in 2 to 3 days, but with processed food it can take 5 to 6 days.

Undigested food starts clogging in your large intestine making it difficult for it to absorb the nutrients you need. As you get further backed up this material becomes toxic and hard making it very difficult to eliminate. You could literally have 4 to 20 pounds of old fecal matter and a narrowing of the passage so that future eliminations become difficult and constipation sets in.

When you eat the typical American diet you may feel full but may be starving for real nutrients. If the diet remains poor, the intestines remain clogged and the body becomes desperate to eliminate toxic buildup. It put tremendous stress on the liver and kidneys and can even manifest itself by trying to get rid of toxins through the skin and odd unexplained rashes appear. Premature wrinkling can occur and metabolism slows making it difficult to lose weight.

If you want to lose weight, get healthy, look and feel better, then do a good colon cleanse first. Take care of the toxic build up and you may feel like a million bucks. You’ll then lose weight, and if you eat the right foods, drink a lot of water and exercise; you should be able to reach your goal. (It would not hurt to follow with a liver and kidney cleanse)!

Disclaimer: The above is offered as information only and is not meant to diagnose or treat any disease. Always consult a qualified health care practitioner before attempting any detox program.

Willie Jones is an author/researcher who is dedicated to helping people find the resources, books, news and information on health and wellness. http://www.cleanbodydetox.com

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

Easy Weight Loss - Without a Diet!

2006-06-11T13:19:00.000+08:00

There are many different reasons why someone may want to lose weight. You may want to feel healthier, look better, fit into your old clothes or even have been advised by a medical practitioner to get in shape. However, if you are one of those people who battle constantly with your weight then you already know how hard it is to stick to a diet. In the majority of cases they just don't work!

All the current slimming pills and weight loss fads are of extremely limited effectiveness. When you take into consideration the dangers of surgical procedures and the lack of long-term studies of new-fad diets a safe, reliable alternative is needed.

Although many claim that there are painless ways of losing weight the simple is truth is that weight-loss, like everything else worth achieving in life, requires some effort on your part. However there are techniques and tools to make your transition to health much more enjoyable and easy. A great example is the Paul McKenna famous system which was tested on British television with remarkable results. It didn't even involve hypnosis!

McKenna spent 13 years analyising the behaviours of naturally thin people in order to devise his weight-loss system and found some amazing things.

Every person has an inborn weight control mechanism, a set point that attempts to maintain a particular amount of fat on the body. Based on this premise Paul McKenna formulated his easy to use weight-loss systemwhich as I mentioned earlier had an enormous beneficial affect on the British TV viewing public. He even allowed people to eat what they wanted and they still lost massive amounts of weight!

Normally when we go on a diet we are forcing the body to adjust to a new way of eating. This is in effect resisting the powerful totally natural urges the body has to prevent energy deficit. So appetite suppressants may help to reduce these drives, and forcing a change in eating habits may retrain the body and mind into a new eating regime but the body will still has these urges because they are inherent and totally natural.

In addition many people overeat due to stress or the desire to suppress negative emotions or feelings of discomfort. Everyone knows the classic 'comfort eater'. This is why the use of self hypnosis is so effective for weight-loss because it can retrain the mind to view food, fitness and eating in more healthy ways.

However, McKenna's research shows that, if you follow your own body's natural rhythm and don't force yourself into strict eating habits or deny yourself the food you want most then you will be much more successful at losing weight. By denyng yourself certain things you set up resistance and you will make it much more difficult to stick to your weight-loss plan. The mind is tricky and I am sure you will agree that you always want something more when you know that you can't have it!

The key is to stop denying yourself the foods you really enjoy but to at them in moderation. I know this is easier said than done but McKenna has some simple yet powerful techniques to ensure your success. Basically you can eat what you want!

Stop eating once your full! Many of us, myself included, tend to keep eating after our body has sent the brian the message "right stop eating I'm satisfied". We need to learn to recognise these signs and take heed of them.

Take an extra 15 minutes of exercise a day. Spread it over the day so it is achieved in very small steps and you will be burning up more calories.

All the current slimming pills and weight-loss fads are of extremely limited effectiveness. When you take into consideration the dangers of surgical procedures and the lack of long-term studies of new-fad diets a safe, reliable alternative is needed.

Although many claim that there are painless ways of losing weight the simple is truth is that weight-loss, like everything else worth achieving in life, requires some effort on your part. However there are techniques and tools to make your transition to health much more enjoyable and easy. A great example is the Paul McKenna famous system which was tested on British television with remarkable results. It didn't even involve hypnosis!

McKenna spent 13 years analyising the behaviours of naturally thin people in order to devise his weight-loss system and found some amazing things.

Every person has an inborn weight control mechanism, a set point that attempts to maintain a particular amount of fat on the body. Based on this premise Paul McKenna formulated his easy to use weight-loss system which as I mentioned earlier had an enormous beneficial affect on the British TV viewing public. He even allowed people to eat what they wanted and they still lost massive amounts of weight!

Normally when we go on a diet we are forcing the body to adjust to a new way of eating. This is in effect resisting the powerful totally natural urges the body has to prevent energy deficit. So appetite suppressants may help to reduce these drives, and forcing a change in eating habits may retrain the body and mind into a new eating regime but the body will still has these urges because they are inherent and totally natural.

In addition many people overeat due to stress or the desire to suppress negative emotions or feelings of discomfort. Everyone knows the classic 'comfort eater'. This is why the use of self hypnosis is so effective for weight loss because it can retrain the mind to view food, fitness and eating in more healthy ways.

However, McKenna's research shows that, if you follow your own body's natural rhythm and don't force yourself into strict eating habits or deny yourself the food you want most then you will be much more successful at losing weight. By denyng yourself certain things you set up resistance and you will make it much more difficult to stick to your weight-loss plan. The mind is tricky and I am sure you will agree that you always want something more when you know that you can't have it!

The key is to stop denying yourself the foods you really enjoy but to at them in moderation. I know this is easier said than done but McKenna has some simple yet powerful techniques to ensure your success. Basically you can eat what you want!

Stop eating once your full! Many of us, myself included, tend to keep eating after our body has sent the brian the message "right stop eating I'm satisfied". We need to learn to recognise these signs and take heed of them.

Take an extra 15 minutes of exercise a day. Spread it over the day so it is achieved in very small steps and you will be burning up more calories.

So to outline:

Naturally thin people eat whatever they want! Now this may lead you to believe that they have a higher metobolism or have been blessed with fat burning genes but the truth is much simplier and applies to everyone. Which leads us to our next point.

Naturally thin people have a different psychological view about food and fitness. This is why they can eat what they want. By changing what food means to you at a deep subconscious level you change your automatic responses to food and exercise.

Naturally thin people don't have uncontrollable food cravings. McKenna teaches that any cravings you have are merely learned behaviour and they can be unlearned. He shows how it is possible to break all cravings and re-programme your mind in just minutes

If you follow these simple steps, as outlined in this article, you are guaranteed success and a new healthy, fit body.

Michael McGrath is the owner of several successful Internet businesses, a university computer graduate and he has over 21 years experience with personal development and self help. More information is avilable at personal development or self hypnosis.

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

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Rev Up Your Metabolism For Faster Weight Loss

2006-05-18T06:52:00.000+08:00

One you first start watching what you eat, the weight starts coming off easily. Then after a few weeks, the scale stops moving downward and you hit a plateau. What’s happening? Your metabolism is slowing down.

As you eat less to lose weight, your body goes into survival mode and your metabolism slows down. A slowed down metabolism means you are burning less calories. Yikes! Not exactly what you were trying to accomplish, right. After all the idea behing losing weight is to burn more calories to get rid of all that unwanted body fat.

Let’s talk a bout some simple things you can start doing every day to speed your metabolism up. One of the first things you should do is to get some exercise. Any type of exercise that gets your heart rate up will also speeds up your metabolism not only while you exercise, but for hours afterwards. Find something you enjoy and can stick with for the long run. Go for a walk, chase your kids around the yard, get an exercise DVD, or join a local gym. Aim for 30 minutes of exercise 5 days a week.

The other strategy that seems to work really well for me in combination with walking every day is to eat several small meals throughout the day. My body doesn't feel starved so my metabolism doesn't slow down. This works best if you include some sort of protein with each meal. Lean meats, hardboiled eggs, protein shakes and lowfat cottage cheese are all great sources of protein. Combine them with some whole grain products or a piece of fruit for a small meal or snack.

Give these strategies a try and speed up your metabolism. You’ll lose weight faster and you’ll feel better with all this extra energy. Once you get in the habit of exercising and eating smaller, more frequent meals, it will become easy to stick with and the benefit is obvious. You feel better and have a smaller waistline.

Susanne has been losing weight by eating well and walking more. Visit http://www.walkingofftheweight.com to find out how you can start walking off the weight today and visit http://www.healthymenumailer.com for meal ideas that are healthy and low in calories.

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

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Weight-Loss : Foods to Avoid When On Any Diet!

2006-04-29T13:37:00.000+08:00

Today, there are several diets publicized in books and on the internet, it is difficult to choose. Here we are not going to look at foods to eat but foods to avoid on any diet. A common sense way to understand which diet is best is to see which one fits your own personal choices for life-style and natural (we stress the word, “natural” not synthetic) tastes.

We all have our likes and dislikes…many of which from a child passes with us all our lives.

Today’s commercial world, and international food and beverage business is about as responsible for the obesity problem as the tobacco company’s are for lung cancer. When you are on a diet, or if you wish to be your ideal weight, you must avoid the general choices below.

Any “processed” food. ANY…this means food that has been treated in an industrial way. These foods contain additives and chemicals that disturb your natural processes of digestion and elimination. In this category, you can think of any food from a can, or one that can stay on a supermarket shelf more than one month.

Any and all fast foods. These are perhaps the worst offenders, as they somehow taste great when you are hungry, you eat them quickly, and they contain all the ingredients you don’t need or your body wants; such as transfats, incorrect food combinations (cola drinks with proteins and carbohydrates), and an excess of calories.

" An average fast food meal is about 1,000 or more calories. It is often more, and leaves you hungry in about 2 hours. "

Any “deep-fried” foods. This includes the famous potato, but can also include fried meats (such as fried chicken), and some sweets, such as the donut or many oriental-type sweets. These kill your diet, raise insulin levels in the blood, and there is no way to lose weight.

All polysaturated and animal fat. We do not say to you to eliminate fat, just eat the correct ones. These are found in fish, some vegetables and some dairy products (where omega-3 oils have been incorporated to the dairy animal’s feed).

White Flour. There is nothing in it good for you, nothing. Whole wheat or other whole grains are another story. Eat them as you wish, but NO white flour.

" It is a dead food itself, and only causes unbalances in your digestive system. White flour was invented as it does not spoil, where whole grains do. The bugs know which is best to eat. They eat the whole grains and not bleached processed white flour."

White Sugar. As its carbohydrate cousin above, white sugar also has very little or no nutritional value.

" There are so many healthy alternatives to it, and although sweet, these natural sugars are easily digested in your system as they are natural as you are natural."

Mayonnaise and its Derivates. Although very tasty, and makes the food you eat it with so as well, the mayonnaise is heavily processed, usually with the cheapest oils, mostly transfatty ones, and full of preservatives.

" Also mayonnaise is made from eggs, and commercially treated to withstand the age process on the supermarket shelf. It will not help you diet, and in fact, it is not good for you at all. If you make it yourself however, and eat it sparingly, that is another matter."

Caffeinated Drinks. This includes coffee, dark tea, the cola drinks, chocolate, and the new power drinks that are appearing in nightclubs, supermarkets and gyms.

" The caffeine (or similar chemical found in tea and chocolate) disturbs your metabolism, and will prevent the natural slimming process when you are dieting."

There are many other foods to both avoid and enjoy, but the above list is generally agreed to by most dieticians.

When you are NOT dieting, you can certainly eat these foods, but it is advised to do so sparingly as to remember you had dieted, lost weight, and now, why gain it back.

More FREE Diet and nutrition advice

For more articles features and downloads on http://diet and nutrition/ as well as much more to help you live a happier healthier life please visit:

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Weight-Loss : Two Great Ways to Burn Fat Fast

2006-04-29T13:32:00.000+08:00

Everyone who ever tried to lose weight has probably tried just about everything they could to do it at one time or another. With all of the gimmicks, fad diets, useless pills, and "secret" exercise methods out there it can be frustrating trying to get rid of unwanted fat. Now everyone knows that there really is no secret method or trick to losing weight. Everyone knows that proper diet combined with exercise is the only real way to burn fat but there are a couple of things you can do to help speed the process up a bit.

# 1) Exercise first thing in the morning.

Studies have shown that exercising first thing in the morning can burn as much as 3 times more fat than exercising any other time of the day. One of the reasons for this is because your body's main energy source during the day comes from carbohydrates. When you sleep for 6 to 8 hours your body uses the majority of its carbohydrate stores as energy for the various bodily functions that take place during sleep

In the morning your body doesn't have any carbohydrates left for energy and so fat becomes the prime energy source. When you exercise right away in the morning before you eat breakfast so you don't give your body any carbohydrates to use as energy, you will burn mostly fat for energy and that is the prime goal.

Also when you exercise in the morning it boosts your metabolism up throughout the day which means that even during the day you will burn more calories and lose more weight. Evening exercise will still burn some fat but you will have a higher carbohydrate store so you will not burn as much plus when you go to sleep at night your metabolism slows down and so you won't burn extra fat for as long after exercise.

One last reason why exercising in the morning is good is because aside from burning more fat and having increased energy levels during the day, you will have your workout out of the way and not have to do it after a long day at work.

#2) Always eat breakfast.

Eating breakfast will help to boost your metabolism while skipping breakfast and waiting until mid morning or lunchtime will make it slow down considerably. Another thing to consider is that waiting too long to eat after you wake up will make your body break down muscle tissue (catabolism) for the protein it will be looking for.

When combined with morning exercise, eating breakfast is like a double dose of fat burning because when your body gets a morning meal, it is like putting a log on your metabolisms fire. Breakfast kicks your metabolism into high gear and makes you burn even more fat than you did during your exercise session.

By eating breakfast you also are much less likely to have those mid morning doughnuts or whatever you can get from the snack machine when you get to work. Breakfast combined with morning exercise is the best 1-2 punch you can give yourself for maximum fat burning and energy.

Remember; exercise for at least 30 minutes first thing in the morning and eat a good breakfast about 15 to 20 minutes after your workout and you will burn a lot more fat and lose a lot more weight both during exercise and throughout the day as well.

Jim O'Neill gives you tons of valuable information on the subjects of weight loss, fitness, and nutrition to make it easy for you to live a healthy lifestyle. Sign up now for his free 7 part mini e-course at: http://www.mrgymfitness.com/minicourse.php

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jim_O'Neill

Weight-LOss : Aerobic Exercise for Weight Loss Can Be Fun

2006-04-29T13:29:00.000+08:00

The word aerobic literally means "with oxygen" or "in the presence of oxygen." Aerobic exercise is any activity that uses large muscle groups, can be maintained continuously for a long period of time and is rhythmic in nature. Aerobic exercises utilize oxygen as the major fuel for sustaining activity for relatively long periods.

In general, aerobic exercises are those activities that require large muscle work, elevate the heart rate to between 60 percent and 80 percent of maximal heart rate, are continuous in nature and are of 15 to 60 minutes in duration. An aerobically fit individual can work longer, more vigorously and achieve a quicker recovery at the end of the aerobic session.

Aerobic exercises fall in two categories:

Low to Moderate Impact aerobics - These include walking, swimming, stair climbing, step classes, light water aerobics, rowing and cross-country skiing. Nearly anyone in reasonable health can engage in some low- to moderate-impact exercise. Brisk walking burns more calories than jogging for the same distance because it takes more time to walk than jog that distance and poses less risk for injury to muscle and bone.

High-Impact aerobics - Activities that belong to this group include running, dance exercise, tennis, racquetball and squash. High-impact aerobics should be performed on alternate days. People who are overweight, elderly, out of condition or have an injury or other medical problem should do them even less frequently and only with clearance from their doctor.

Here are some of the many aerobic exercises you can do and because of the variety you have to choose from, it can not only take the bordum out of doing it, it can make doing it downright fun as well.

1. Walking

Walking is a popular form of exercise because it requires little in terms of equipment or facilities. Walking an extra 20 minutes each day will burn off 7 pounds of body fat per year. Longer, moderately-paced daily walks are best for losing weight.

2. Jogging/Running

In jogging or running, an individual is able to cover greater distances in a shorter period of time. Therefore, greater numbers of calories can be burned per time spent.

3. Choreographed Aerobic Exercise

Choreographed aerobic dance is a very popular form of exercise throughout the world. Aerobic dance helps in toning up the muscles of the body and many people find it fun to do as well.

4. Step Aerobics

Step aerobics incorporates the use of a step or bench typically about one foot wide and three feet long and about six inches high. Instructors use many moves that require participants to step up and down from the platform. This way, the activity will not be boring and tiring, but will be lively and motivating.

5. Water Aerobics

Water aerobics incorporates a variety of movements from both swimming and land aerobics to develop vigorous routines that are aerobic in nature. It utilizes the resistance to movement that water creates to elevate heart rates and also helps you if balancing yourself on land is difficult. It is a good way to lose weight.

6. Swimming

Swimming is a very popular form of regular exercise. Due to the resistance of water, the amount of energy required to swim a certain distance is greater than that needed to run or walk the same distance. In other words, swimming can burn more calories than running per time spent.

7. Stationary Cycling/Bicycling

Stationary cycling or bicycling are excellent forms of aerobic exercise when done continuously. Like swimming, cycling is a non weight bearing activity that builds muscular endurance and strength and improved flexibility of selected muscles of the legs and thighs.

8. Jumping Rope

Jumping rope can be a great aerobic workout as long as it is performed at a slow to moderate pace and is done continuously for a relatively long period of time (15 minutes or more).

The key to effective weight loss is through use of a healthy exercise program which is performed on a regular basis while following a healthy dieting & nutritional plan. Aerobic exercise is good for weight loss because it uses more calories than other activities and helps raise your metabolic rate.

This helps your body burn calories at a faster rate. It is an effective way to lose fat only if you are motivated enough to do it frequently. Aerobics only burns fat during the workout itself. So if you want encouraging results you need to be able to exercise daily and for longer periods.

Jim O'Neill gives you tons of valuable information on the subjects of weight loss, fitness, and nutrition to make it easy for you to live a healthy lifestyle. Sign up now for his free 7 part mini e-course at: http://www.mrgymfitness.com/minicourse.php

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jim_O'Neill

Weight-Loss : How Do I Lose Stomach Fat?

2006-04-29T13:26:00.000+08:00

As a personal trainer, one of the most common questions I’m asked is “how do I lose stomach fat?” Well to put it as simple as possible, you can’t. No matter how may crunches you do, or leg raiser, you will not be able to target the fat in your abdominal region. The reason being, you can NOT localize fat removal. Doing sit ups and crunches only work the abdominal muscles and have absolutely no effect on the fat burned in that area.

When your body burns fat, it uses fat stores from where it can find fat. Your body does not know that it should be concerned with your love handles. The fat on your body is distributed differently on each of use. For many males, the majority (or most noticeable) is the fat on the stomach areas. When you lose fat, your body will do so in it’s own natural “balance.”

The best way to lose that ugly fat is through diet. Once your diet is in tune, you will slowly se the fat melt away. There is no hidden secret, magic pill, or piece of equipment that will quickly remove any fat. You have to work for it, and depending on your genetics, it may take awhile.

For an Online Personal Trainer and other fitness information visit http://www.worldfitness.ca or check out our Weight Loss Forum

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

Insurance Agent : Premiums on Car Insurance Policy

2006-03-17T01:54:00.000+08:00

The insurance companies' factor in age, gender, vehicle performance, driving history and region where you live when considering coverage and insurance costs, including premiums: Following the analysis, the insurance agent will calculate the results, thus estimating the premium cost. Statistics have revealed that certain age groups are at higher risk than others while driving are. Thus, the insurance agent and companies aware of this statistic will often increase premiums on the age groups 18 to 25. However, if you drive with caution and do not submit any claims then the company may reduce the premiums over time.

Gender at one time made a difference for females, however new studies have shown that males are more probable to be in an accident over women drivers. Thus, the high-risk candidates then are males, often between the ages 18 to 35. The insurance company will also consider the make and model of you car. If you have a high maintenance, high performance or classic vehicle, then most likely you will be paying higher premiums.

The classic, high maintenance and high performance vehicles, including certain trucks are more costly to repair; therefore, the premiums are a source of security for the insurance company. In other words, the company is calculating the premiums over a timeframe, hoping against hope that you will not get into an accident until you have paid x amount of cash to the company, which they will have for compensation if you are in an accident.

The company will also consider you driving history, including accidents, claims, incidents, arrests, tickets and so forth. If you present a high risk then the premiums are calculated accordingly. On the other hand, if you driving record are clean then your premiums will be lower. The company will also consider the amount of miles driven each year. If you drive more than 15,000 miles in a year then the premiums are increased often. However, if you drive 10,000 or fewer miles in a year, then you are considered a low risk candidate for insurance and your premiums are often lower. The region in which you live is also considered by the agent offering car insurance. If you are living in an environment that poses threats then you will pay higher premiums for coverage. The costs are calculated by repairs, parts, replacement parts, worth of car, security level, and "the acceleration of the vehicle." If during the accident you were driving faster than the speed limit allowed, then you have a share of responsibility in the accident, regardless if it was entirely not your fault.

Finally, the agent calculating the details will conclude the evaluation based on a "sliding scale" and then the premium cost is finished.

What happens under the NO Claim Discount and what if I am driving my company's car during an accident?

Few insurance companies' offer discounts for safe driving. Therefore, drive safe and always wear your seatbelt to receive your discount. If you are submitting a "No Claim Discount" then you will need "Original Renewal Notice" from the preceding insurer. You will also need to provide the policy, 'original certificate' and other details to the company if you are switching insurance policies. If you are driving your company's car and in an accident you will need proof of the claims, including 'claims and losses,' based on 'fault and no fault' status, and dates the accident occurred, policy id, and other information, including the company's name and insurance information. You will also need a confirmation from your company that you were authorized to drive the vehicle. If any discounts are available, they will be lost in this event.

In conclusion, we can see that insurance policies have various aspects before costs are considered. Thus, if you are in the high-risk age group you may want to go online and get several quotes, since some insurance companies' specialize in this category. If you are a high-risk driver or male, you will also want to achieve several quotes to avoid paying high premiums. Actually, everyone should get several quotes to avoid high premiums, since many insurance companies' vary with cost.

About the Author
Tony Robinson is a Real Estate Investor & has had experience with many types of insurance. Visit http://www.betterinsurancesite.com/ for his tips on insurance.

Helpful Tips For Buying Term Life Insurance Online

2006-03-15T14:51:00.000+08:00

Term life insurance is very simple, and can easily be purchased online. For this reason the number of people buying term life insurance online has doubled in two years. There are some advantages and disadvantages to buying term life insurance online.

Advantages

Term life insurance is simple, there is no cash value, so it is easy to comparison shop for the right policy for you
There are numerous websites that will compare hundreds of different policies. This makes it easy to take advantage of a policy that you otherwise would not have found
You eliminate salesmen that may have been able to convince you to buy a more expensive policy that you don’t really need.

Disadvantages

There is no personal service. If you have questions it is often hard to find someone you feel comfortable talking to
Often agents can offer special rates or deals, and that is lost when you are working through comparison shopping online

When you buy online, there is no one to walk you through the process so you need to be sure that you know how much coverage you need and what type of term life insurance you want to buy. There are three basic types of term life insurance: Decreasing Term, Annual Renewable Term, and Level Term.

Decreasing Term

This policy is set up for a specific number of years usually between ten and thirty years. The face amount decreases over that period of time. This is a good type of policy for a couple that will have fewer financial responsibilities as time passes.

Annual Renewable Term

This type of policy has the same level of death benefit, but the rates increase each year. You have to renew the insurance each year. This is the most temporary life insurance coverage you can get and may be useful for a person whose situation changes often.

Level Term

This is usually the most common type of policy. It has a level death benefit and a fixed rate for a specific amount of time. Most allow you to renew the policy when the term is up if it is desired. This is most popular because the premium remains low, especially if the policy is bought when a person is young, for the life of the policy.

Good things to ask about or include with your policy are:

Make sure the insurance is “written in trust.” This insures that the money goes immediately to those you list. It also makes sure that those who receive the money do not have to pay taxes on it.
Consider having the policy also include critical illness insurance. This will provide money for your family if you suffer from long-term illness. Buying it with an insurance policy is usually cheaper, but be sure not to confuse this with terminal illness coverage.
Be sure that you can easily find contact information for the company you are buying the policy from.
Before buying a policy do a little research about the company and make sure it is legitimate.

Chris Simons is a prolific freelance writer. You are welcomed to visit http://life-insurance.cyberinformer.com, for more information on Life Insurance.

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

The Best Way To Find The Most Affordable Life Insurance To Fit Your Needs

2006-03-14T18:04:00.000+08:00

Life insurance provides financial protection for beneficiaries in the event of the insured's death. Life insurance benefits can serve as a replacement of lost income to your family or to pay bills and final expenses. The best way to find the most affordable insurance is by understanding what types of insurance are available and what they provide for you. Life insurance may be divided into two basic classes – Term and Permanent. Term life insurance provides life insurance coverage for a specified term of years for a specified premium. The policy does not accumulate cash value. Term is generally considered "pure" insurance, where the premium buys protection in the event of death and nothing else. There are less expensive premiums for younger people, but rates go up with age.

Permanent life insurance is life insurance that remains in force until the policy matures, unless the owner fails to pay the premium when due. The policy cannot be cancelled by the insurer for any reason except fraud in the application, and that cancellation must occur within a period of time defined by law (usually two years). Permanent insurance builds a cash value that reduces the amount at risk to the insurance company and thus the insurance expense over time.

The three basic types of permanent insurance are whole life, universal life, and endowment. Whole life insurance provides for a level premium, and a cash value table included in the policy guaranteed by the company. The primary advantages of whole life are guaranteed death benefits, guaranteed cash values, fixed and known annual premiums, and mortality and expense charges will not reduce the cash value shown in the policy.

The primary disadvantages of whole life are premium inflexibility, and the internal rate of return in the policy may not be competitive with other savings alternatives. Riders are available that can allow one to increase the death benefit by paying additional premium. The death benefit can also be increased through the use of policy dividends.

Premiums are much higher than term insurance in the short-term, but cumulative premiums are roughly equivalent if policies are kept in force until average life expectancy. Cash value can be accessed at any time through policy "loans". Since these loans decrease the death benefit if not paid back, payback is optional. Cash values are not paid to the beneficiary upon the death of the insured; the beneficiary receives the death benefit only.

Universal life insurance is a relatively new insurance product intended to provide permanent insurance coverage with greater flexibility in premium payment and the potential for a higher internal rate of return. A universal life policy includes a cash account. Premiums increase the cash account. Interest is paid within the policy (credited) on the account at a rate specified by the company. This rate has a guaranteed minimum but usually is higher than that minimum. Mortality charges and administrative costs are charged against (reduce) the cash account. The surrender value of the policy is the amount remaining in the cash account less applicable surrender charges, if any.

A universal life policy addresses the perceived disadvantages of whole life. Premiums are flexible. The internal rate of return is usually higher because it moves with the financial markets. Mortality costs and administrative charges are known. And cash value may be considered more easily attainable because the owner can discontinue premiums if the cash value allows it. And universal life has a more flexible death benefit because the owner can select one of two death benefit options. Option A pays the face amount at death and Option B pays the face amount plus the cash value.

But universal life has its own disadvantages, which stem primarily from its flexibility. The policy lacks the fundamental guarantee that the policy will be in force unless sufficient premiums have been paid and cash values are not guaranteed. Endowments are policies, which mature before the normal endowment age. Endowments are considerably more expensive (in terms of annual premiums) than either whole life or universal life because the premium paying period is shortened and the endowment date is earlier. Annuities are a financial product issued by life insurance companies but are not life insurance policies.

Your insurance needs will change throughout your lifetime and your particular situation.

· Singles: Insurance needs primarily concern final expenses.

· Young parents: Insurance needs focus on family protection, income replacement and final expenses.

· Latter-stage parents: Insurance needs center on preservation of family income and lifestyle, final expenses, as well as funding for college expenses.

· Golden years: Financial and insurance needs focus on income/lifestyle protection for the surviving spouse, preservation of assets, estate distribution and final expenses.

Remember, if your life insurance policy is not doing what you need it to, you are not saving any money. Talk to a financial advisor, do your research and you will find the type of insurance that provides the benefits you need at the lowest cost.

Chris Simons is a freelance writer. You are welcomed to visit http://life-insurance.cyberinformer.com, for more information on Life Insurance.

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

Advantages and Disadvantages of Guaranteed Acceptance Life Insurance for Seniors

2006-03-14T17:56:00.000+08:00

Buying life insurance when you are a senior used to be a hard thing to do, but now there are many companies that offer Guaranteed Acceptance Life Insurance to people who would not otherwise be able to buy life insurance due to their age, health or financial situation. With Guaranteed Acceptance Life Insurance there is no physical exam requirements or questions about the applicants health. These plans usually have a limited benefit period. If the death of the policyholder occurs in the first few years a reduced benefit is paid, or the insurance company returns the premiums already paid with the accumulated interest. This is how insurance companies are able to guarantee acceptance.

There are a few disadvantages to guaranteed life insurance. Most of these types of policies are designed to provide only funeral expenses, so most do not sell policies with a benefit value of more than $15,000 to $20,000. The cost of guaranteed life insurance policies are also high, because the company has no other information but age and gender on which to base the premiums. These two disadvantages can make guaranteed life insurance very undesirable, especially since you can end up paying the insurance company more in premiums than the death benefit of the plan. That means that the insurance policy has a worse performance than a savings account. The National Association of Insurance Commissioners is actually looking into this problem to find out if anything should be done.

Guaranteed life insurance policies also have a feature called “Graded benefit period.” This protects the company from people signing up for insurance while on their deathbeds. This is done by writing into the policy that if the policyholder dies within a certain amount of time after the policy is taken out, the company only has to pay the premiums, plus the interest that that has accrued to the policyholder.

With all of these disadvantages in mind it is usually best to look for traditional insurance first, and take the physical exam and answer medical questions to find out if you can get insurance. If you can get traditional insurance you will most like pay much less for a greater amount of benefit than if you had bought guaranteed issue life insurance. If you have been turned away from every other policy because of health or age, guaranteed life insurance is a good option, but it should not be your first. Talk to a financial advisor and see if a savings or investment plan would be a better option.

Chris Simons is a prolific freelance writer. You are welcomed to visit http://life-insurance.cyberinformer.com, for more information on Life Insurance.

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

Intel's new chip family: Core microarchitecture

2006-03-10T01:12:00.000+08:00

By Stephen Shankland, CNET News.com
Published on ZDNet News: March 7, 2006, 3:09 PM PT

Intel on Tuesday gave a name to the next-generation chip innards at the foundation of its counterattack against Advanced Micro Devices: the Intel Core microarchitecture. Chief Technology Officer Justin Rattner unveiled the name and several performance and power details of processors using the design at the Intel Developer Forum here. The architecture, derived from the design of the Pentium M processor, puts a major emphasis on lowering power consumption and the older priority of boosting performance.

"Energy is on everyone's mind. It's the next frontier. Not only has it become a critical concern in our daily lives, it's become a critical concern in just about every platform we have," Rattner said in a speech at the show.

The Core microarchitecture is designed to deal with two related pains in computing, excessive power consumption and resulting waste heat. Improving performance per watt gives Intel a new sales pitch at a time when it faces market share losses to rival AMD compounded by financial troubles. The Core microarchitecture is the sequel to the ill-fated NetBurst microarchitecture used in Intel's Pentium 4 lineage. NetBurst was focused on achieving high clock speeds, but it drew inordinate amounts of power at fast speeds and Intel canceled its plans to take the design to 4GHz. (Read More)

Intel lines up Santa Rosa, WiMax for notebooks

2006-03-10T01:05:00.000+08:00

By Tom Krazit, CNET News.com
Published on ZDNet News: March 7, 2006, 3:58 PM PT

Intel unveiled a new generation of its Centrino notebook technology as well as the ultramobile PC during afternoon keynote speeches at the Intel Developer Forum on Tuesday. As previously reported, Santa Rosa is the code name for the next iteration of Centrino, which is a combination of a mobile processor, chipset and wireless chip, said Sean Maloney, executive vice president and head of Intel's Mobility Group.

Santa Rosa will arrive in the first half of 2007, according to Maloney, though sources have put the expected launch around March of that year. Santa Rosa will accommodate the Merom processor that's expected to launch later this year but will feature a new chipset called Crestline that's designed to improve graphics performance. Kedron, the new wireless chip in Santa Rosa, will support the 802.11n standard expected to be ratified early next year. But Wi-Fi networks such as 802.11n are only one part of Intel's wireless vision. The company continues to push WiMax technology as a future wide-area-network standard that could deliver data signals at broadband speeds over areas the size of cities. (Read More)

Intel Merging Wi-Fi with WiMax

2006-03-09T21:08:00.000+08:00

RED HERRING | Intel Merging Wi-Fi with WiMax: "The success of Centrino laptop chips not only taught Intel the lesson about creating less power-hungry chips, it also opened the chip maker’s eyes to new markets in wireless devices and Internet access. This focus on selling chips to the wireless market has led to huge investments in Wi-Fi and WiMax technologies. The chip giant already made Wi-Fi popular by bundling processors with Wi-Fi radios. It also has championed WiMax, a technology that delivers much wider coverage than Wi-Fi. How Intel plans to popularize WiMax became clearer on Tuesday when Sean Maloney, executive vice president and general manager of the mobility group, said his engineers are working on putting Wi-Fi and WiMax on the same radio chip, code-named Ofer, in three years."

PlayStation 3 to be delayed?

2006-02-18T22:18:00.000+08:00

The North American launch of Sony's much-anticipated PlayStation 3 could be delayed until next year, according to a research report issued by Merrill Lynch. In the report (Click here for PDF), the analyst firm proposed the idea that high costs and Sony's decision to use an "ambitious new processor architecture--the Cell" is making it look like the company might not be able to meet its goal of getting the PS 3 out in the U.S. this year. The report suggests the possibility that the PS 3 would launch this fall in Japan and in late 2006 or early 2007 in the U.S. (Read More .... News.com)

Greenland Glaciers Dumping More Ice

2006-02-18T21:52:00.000+08:00

Warmer Temperatures Making Greenland's Glaciers Dump Twice As Much Ice Into the Atlantic Ocean. Warmer temperatures over the past decade have sped up the march of Greenland's southern glaciers to the Atlantic Ocean, where the ice and water they spill contribute more to the global rise in sea levels than previously thought. Those faster-moving glaciers now dump in a year twice as much ice into the Atlantic as they did in 1996, researchers said Thursday. The resulting icebergs, along with increased melting of Greenland's ice sheet, could account for nearly 17 percent of the estimated one-tenth of an inch annual rise in global sea levels, or twice what was previously believed, said Eric Rignot of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif. An increase in surface air temperatures appears to be causing the glaciers to flow faster, albeit at the still-glacial pace of eight miles to nine miles a year at their fastest clip, and discharge increased amounts of ice into the Atlantic. (Read More... ABCNews.com)

This undated photo provided by the journal Science shows East Greenland icebergs. Large numbers of bergs are calved each year from the fast-flowing terminus of Kangerdlussuaq Glacier, East Greenland. Iceberg production is a major form of mass loss from ice sheets. (AP Photo/ho/J.A. Dowdeswell, Science)

Oracle's New Enemy

2006-02-16T16:29:00.000+08:00

BURLINGAME, CALIF. - Mårten Mickos may give away his software, but that doesn’t mean his competitors aren’t taking him seriously. His MySQL has raised $39 million in funding, claims to have more than 8 million installations of its database software, and counts Alacatel, Google, and Yahoo! among its customers; they get free software but pay the company for support and maintenance. MySQL’s success has caught the eye of mighty Oracle (nasdaq: ORCL - news - people ), which is now buying its way into the same open source business: This week Oracle bought open source vendor Sleepycat, and observers expect it to close a deal on JBoss, another open source company, as early as today. The acquisitions are likely to let the database giant offer its own free, open source database for smaller customers. (Read More.... )

Five steps to a successful knowledge management initiative

2006-02-04T10:19:00.000+08:00

ITWorld.com : An organization that implements an effective knowledge management (KM) program should see a substantial payoff: Reducing duplicated work increases productivity; leveraging past experience improves quality; and tracking customer behaviors enhances customer service. In practice, this has not always happened. Many companies have invested millions, even billions, of dollars on KM technology and received little in return. Why?

After researching and reviewing numerous KM initiatives, comparing those that succeeded with those that failed, the answer becomes clear: KM isn't simply about technology. It's about people.
Consider this real-world example of a global financial services company that invested a sizable dollar amount in a system for capturing, organizing, and retrieving project methodology information. It seemed like a good idea -- high-powered software that promised to improve staff efficiency. The system was expensive, however, and hard to learn. The implementation did not include a pilot to test user adoption, and many of the key personnel never used the software. It was, in short, a waste of money. "Cool" technology was implemented, rather than something that met business needs.

All too often, KM initiatives that are driven by technology fail. In many cases, KM is the brainchild of an IT person who envisions a grand repository of all the company's information in the form of a database with a search engine that can find all documents matching a certain keyword. Again, it sounds like a great idea. But does it meet the company's business needs and, in particular, does it take the organization's people into account?

Knowledge management is not only about information; it is also about the people you have recruited, trained, developed, and promoted within your organization. KM involves not only the implementation of a software system; it involves understanding your business needs, your organization's culture, and your personnel. To succeed, any KM initiative requires that you know your people and clearly define the behaviors that need to be changed or reinforced.

Following are five steps that are crucial to the success of a KM initiative:

1. Understand key business drivers. To be worth the investment, a KM initiative must improve the bottom line by either increasing revenue or reducing cost. You need to develop a business case for the initiative based on metrics that can be measured on an ongoing basis to demonstrate the value added.

Some will argue that KM is too subjective -- it's too hard, at the outset, to define the metrics for determining value added. It's an argument worth refuting. If the value of the initiative can't be defined before it is implemented, what chance is there that it will be adopted by your organization's people and deliver value once it has started?

2. Get executive sponsorship. One of the goals of a KM initiative is that employees will collaborate with each other more willingly and effectively, sharing their knowledge and skills. This can amount to a momentous change of organizational culture, and it is never easy. Strong executive sponsorship can be the difference between success and failure.

The ideal sponsor is not necessarily a person in the IT organization. In fact, the best sponsor for a KM initiative is the person responsible for the key business driver. For example, if the goal is to reduce product development time by improving collaboration and reusing knowledge, the executive responsible for product development should be the sponsor. IT people will be important in enabling the initiative, but they do not need to take the lead.

3. Analyze knowledge. A common pitfall with KM is to attempt to collect and distribute all knowledge in the organization. The cost of collecting and categorizing the enormous amount of data is likely to be excessive. If it is not done effectively -- a difficult, painstaking task -- it will be impossible to identify useful information and employees will not use the database.

There is no reason to collect all of an organization's knowledge. What is important is to identify the knowledge that affects the business drivers, and collect only that.

Think in terms of targeting your KM initiative, which will enable you to design the underlying processes and tools effectively. Certain types of knowledge, such as project status updates, need to be shared within a project team in real time. Other types of knowledge, such as the best practices learned from an implementation, need to be shared across an organization in an asynchronous fashion. A careful analysis of your organization's knowledge is crucial.

4. Provide rewards and recognition. Many organizational cultures do not reward the sharing of knowledge. In fact, they do quite the opposite. Some individuals perceive that it is in their interest to hoard knowledge because then they come to be recognized as experts and indispensable resources. To make KM successful, such behavior must be changed. New incentives need to be put in place. If an organization uses a balanced scorecard approach, for example, one part of employees' scores might be how well they contribute their knowledge and how valuable others find their contributions to be.

Incentives do not need to be in the form of direct financial compensation: Visible recognition across an organization as an expert who contributes his or her knowledge may be incentive enough.

5. Implement in phases. No matter which technology solution you select, the key is in the implementation -- particularly in getting people to use it. Rushing an organization headlong into radical changes is not the way to succeed. Breaking the initiative down into manageable phases is.

Phased implementation also has another benefit: It makes it possible to measure user adoption and identify best practices for your organization. Each phase should yield important lessons which can then be leveraged in the next phase.

The benefits of knowledge management can be tremendous, but getting the most from a KM initiative is no easy proposition. However, if the people issues are effectively managed, your organization's chances of success are high. It's high time to put people back into KM!

By Fumiko Kondo, Intellilink Solutions
Fumiko Kondo is the Managing Director of Intellilink Solutions, Inc. – a consulting firm focused on automating the knowledge worker enterprise. You can reach her at www.intellilinksi.com.

Knowledge Management A Necessity | By Robin Trehan

2006-02-04T10:16:00.000+08:00

HospitalityNet.org : Knowledge management is a structure within which the organization views all its processes as knowledge processes. In this view, all business processes involve formation, distribution, renewal, and application of knowledge toward organizational sustenance and survival. This concept embodies a transition from information value chain to a knowledge value chain.

The knowledge workers need to be facile in the applications of new technologies to their business contexts. Such understanding is necessary so that they can delegate programmable tasks to technologies to concentrate their time and efforts on value-adding activities that demand creativity and innovation. More importantly, they should have the capability of judging if the organization's best practices are aligned with the dynamics of the business environment. Such knowledge workers are the critical elements of the double loop learning and unlearning cycle that should be designed within the organizational business processes.

Knowledge is most valuable when it is controlled and used by those on the front lines of the organization. The knowledge workers should also have an overall understanding of the business of their organization and how their work contexts fit within it. Only if they understand the implications of changes in their work contexts for the business enterprise, they can be instrumental in synchronizing the organizational 'best practices' with the external reality of the business environment. "Knowledge is nothing without action. Nothing changes until you do something. What you do will directly determine what you learn." - James A. Belasco & Ralph C. Stayer, Flight of the Buffalo

Given the need for autonomy in learning and decision-making, knowledge workers also need to be comfortable with self-control and self-learning. In other words, they would need to act in an entrepreneurial mode that involves a higher degree of responsibility and authority as well as capability and intelligence for handling both. To do this they knowledge workers need to evolve knowledge sharing environment based continuous improvement and breakdown of the old process to develop new.

Copyright© 1995-2006 Hospitality Net™ All rights reserved.

Knowledge Management Key to Food Security

2006-02-04T10:09:00.000+08:00

AllAfrican.com : Information and knowledge management are emerging as some of the main interventions pursued by drought-prone southern Africa to attain food sustenance and disaster preparedness. Following years of unpredictable weather patterns, the 14-member Southern African Development Community (SADC) has now raised the role of information sharing and knowledge management to a higher pedestal.

Climatic conditions have not been sympathetic to the SADC region. The past few years have seen countries going through sustained dry periods followed by one or two seasons with too much rain and flooding in low-lying areas.

In response to these changes in weather patterns, regional cooperation has increased in areas such as early warning systems, and SADC countries have made great strides in strengthening the basic infrastructure and capacities of national meteorological and hydrological services.

The region now relies on a coordinated information sharing and knowledge management system that produces timely alerts on impending natural disasters such as floods as well as on predicting crop yields and likely food shortfalls.

The system has evolved over the years since the formation of the SADC Regional Early Warning System (REWS) in 1993 whose role is to collect, analyse and disseminate credible information on the region's food security.

The REWS provides advance information on food security through analysis and monitoring of food crop production prospects, food supplies and requirements.

This information is used to alert SADC member states to impending food shortages in sufficient time for appropriate interventions to be made.

As part of the restructuring of SADC, REWS was merged within the directorate for Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources (FANR) based at the secretariat in Botswana.

The scope of its function has been widened to include broader food security issues such as coverage of livestock and commodity markets, livelihood/vulnerability analysis and cross-cutting issues such as the environment.

Climate scientists from meteorological and hydrological services departments of member states meet at least once a year under the banner of the Southern Africa Regional Climate Outlook Forum to share information and produce a collective forecast for rain in the region. The forum is coordinated by the SADC Drought Monitoring Centre (DMC).

The DMC is responsible for carrying out climate monitoring and predictions for early warning and mitigation of adverse impacts of extreme climatic events on agricultural production, food security, water resources, energy and health among other socio-economic sectors.

Other information networks that have effectively generated knowledge in the region include the Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWSNET), which works closely with the FANR.

Knowledge generated by FEWSNET is obtained through collaboration with institutions and experts throughout the world. The United States Geological Survey (USGS) is the main partner and provides maps and remote-sensed data.

This information is vital for planning purposes as it pinpoints areas threatened by food insecurity. FEWSNET mainly reaches its audience by electronic means though alternative provisions are made for those who are not on the Internet.

Copyright © 2006 Southern African News Features. All rights reserved.

Credit card data blunder strikes US newspapers

2006-02-03T08:11:00.000+08:00

silicon.com : Two US newspapers, the Boston Globe and Worcester Telegram & Gazette, have mistakenly sent out slips of paper with the credit card data of up to nearly a quarter of a million subscribers. The credit card numbers were printed on routing slips attached to 9,000 bundles of newspapers sent to retailers and carriers last weekend, according to the two Massachusetts newspapers owned by the New York Times Co.

Richard Gilman, publisher of the Boston Globe, said in a statement: "Immediate steps have been taken internally at the Globe and Telegram & Gazette to increase security around credit card reporting."

The credit card data of up to 240,000 subscribers may have been exposed, they said.

The blunder comes amid heightened concern over the security of consumer data in the wake of several incidents of lost or stolen personal records involving companies such as Bank of America, data broker ChoicePoint, and shoe retailer DSW.

So far, the newspapers had not received any reports of misuses of the credit cards, and American Express, Discover, MasterCard and Visa have been advised of the situation, said a Boston Globe spokesman.

Exposure of the data occurred because the Telegram & Gazette, which helps circulate both papers under a shared distribution system, printed the routing slips on recycled paper containing internal reports with subscriber credit card numbers, the spokesman said.

He added of the practice of reusing paper: "We've put a stop to that."

The Globe's circulation is 450,000, according to the spokesman. He did not have a daily number for the Telegram & Gazette but said the Sunday edition has a circulation of 81,000. The newspapers were trying to locate and recover as many of the slips as possible, but believed that most had already been thrown away.

The publications have set up a hotline for subscribers to check if their data was sent out. The papers are part of the New England Media Group, which is owned by The New York Times Co.

Copyright © 2006 CNET Networks, Inc. All rights reserved.

Visa unveils redesigned credit card

2006-02-03T08:08:00.000+08:00

thestar.com : Visa International has introduced a new credit card design with enhanced security features that make counterfeiting more difficult while opening new business opportunities for its member financial institutions, the company said in a statement. “The new holographic magnetic stripe and EMV (Europay-MasterCard-Visa) chip card had been endorsed by International law enforcement agencies,” Visa said.

The company said the new security component combined the “easy to recognise, difficult to reproduce'' hologram with the functionality of the magnetic stripe, making the card more difficult for fraudsters to reproduce and easier for merchants to recognise.

Apart from that, Visa has also enhanced the signature panel with a tamper-evident element and a “VOID'' pattern underneath to provide extra levels of security.

“Cardholders will now find the three-digit security code (CVV2) easier to read when they shop online or over the telephone,” Visa said, adding that the new card design represented the second phase of Visa’s efforts to refresh and evolve the brand.

“This rebranding exercise will be a gradual change-over as current Visa cards will still be in circulation and be accepted until 2010,” Visa International Asia Pacific Ltd country manager for Malaysia, Jeffrey Perera.

“Maybank was Visa's first member bank to introduce the new card design in Malaysia which is ‘Wave enabled’, allowing cardholders to benefit from the same level of acceptance and convenience as any other cards,” Perera added. Visa Wave is the first Visa contactless smart-card built on the global EMV standard.

Copyright © 1995-2006 Star Publications (Malaysia) Bhd

First Aussie credit card retires from the race

2006-02-03T07:54:00.000+08:00

theaustralian : AUSTRALIA'S fiercely competitive $30 billion credit-card market has claimed its first casualty, with the pioneering Bankcard throwing in the towel yesterday after more than 30 years. Bankcard, which introduced middle Australia to the cashless society with the first credit card, said it would "progressively withdraw" its credit cards this year. For Bankcard Association of Australia general manager Garry Moffatt, who has been part of the credit card market for more than 30 years, the past 10 of them at Bankcard, it was a "sad day".

"Bankcard changed the Australian financial services landscape forever when it launched more than 30 years ago, but an Australia-only credit card is simply not attractive in the current credit-card market," Mr Moffatt said.

At its peak, Bankcard had more than five million cards on issue. But it has struggled since the arrival of international credit card operators Visa and Mastercard in the early 80s.

Without any significant marketing spending by the banks who own Bankcard and without features such as loyalty points, the number of cards on issue has fallen to about one million and the office is now staffed only by Mr Moffatt and three other bankers on secondment.

By contrast, Visa's customer base has ballooned to 12 million and Mastercard's to six million.

Charge cards such as American Express and Diners Club were in Australia when Bankcard launched, but were still niche products for wealthy customers.

Mr Moffatt said Bankcard was now unable to match the features and benefits of internationally accepted cards. Before the arrival of Visa and Mastercard, Bankcard made an attempt to build international acceptance for the card, but negotiations failed.

The local banks joined forces with Visa and Mastercard. They pulled back their marketing support from Bankcard and with that went its customers. Bankcard's last advertising campaign was in 1994, on its 20th anniversary.

MWE Consulting managing director Mike Ebstein said the lack of marketing support by local banks and "functional disadvantage" in being an Australia-only card were the main reasons customers had turned away. Banks had also made it harder to apply for a Bankcard.

Mr Moffatt confirmed that over the years Visa and Mastercard had attempted to take over its customers, who will now be offered an alternative Visa or Mastercard by their banks.

The Commonwealth Bank holds the biggest portfolio of Bankcard credit card customers, with about 350,000. A bank spokesman said it would be writing to customers soon with the option of joining Mastercard.

Singapore pursues free trade to meet globalization challenges

2006-01-23T21:16:00.000+08:00

Chinaview.cn : Singapore embraces free trade to respond to the challenges of globalization, Minister for Trade and Industry Lim Hng Kiang said here Monday. Speaking at the opening of the first APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation) Business Advisory Council Meeting of 2006, Lim said trade remains a cornerstone of the city state's economy with the total trade value reaching more than three times that of the gross domestic product (GDP).

"We pursue trade liberalization using a three-pronged approach. First, we actively engage in WTO (World Trade Organization) negotiations. Second, we participate in regional economic liberalization efforts such as those under the APEC forum. And lastly, we supplement these efforts through the pursuit of bilateral trade agreements," Lim noted.

He said that the ongoing multilateral WTO negotiations are Singapore's key priority because the city state "believes that the successful completion of the Doha Agenda would result in new development opportunities and bring immense benefits to all."

Lim added that Singapore is working with other members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to accelerate regional integration in 11 priority sectors and to establish an ASEAN Economic Community of 550 million people by 2020. ASEAN groups 10 Southeast Asian nations including Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. Lim particularly mentioned the Trans-Pacific Strategic Economic Partnership Agreement among Singapore, Brunei, Chile and New Zealand concluded in June last year, saying that the agreement has an open accession clause to makes an APEC-wide free trade agreement possible.

So far, Singapore has concluded 10 bilateral free trade agreements with its major trading partners like the United States,Japan and South Korea, and is negotiating 11 more with countries such as Canada, Mexico and Qatar. Enditem

Copyright ©2003 Xinhua News Agency.

Malaysia's free trade pacts

2006-01-23T21:13:00.000+08:00

Business Times

MALAYSIA has finally signed what is essentially its first Free Trade Agreement after having dragged its feet for the last few years. Earlier this month, Malaysia and Japan agreed to remove or cut tariffs on practically all goods flowing between them within 10 years under the landmark Japan-Malaysia Economic Partnership Agreement. The agreement is significant as Japan is Malaysia's third largest trading partner, after the US and Singapore, with total trade exceeding RM110 billion.

In sealing the agreement, Malaysia has joined a growing number of countries in creating a web of FTAs to help boost bilateral trade. For instance, Singapore has signed FTAs with nine major trading partners that include the US, Australia, New Zealand, Japan and South Korea. Bilateral FTAs are necessary as trade negotiations under the World Trade Organization move at a glacial pace. WTO talks achieved only modest progress at its last meeting in Hong Kong recently due to perennial differences over farm subsidies.

Malaysia could also embrace the US - its biggest trading partner – following success in the pact with Japan. Malaysia and the US are still drafting an FTA framework. While FTAs will help boost Malaysia's position as one of the top 20 trading nations in the world, not all Malaysian businessmen are jumping with joy. Malaysian automakers are seen to be resisting the change as it would entail the imports of cheaper Japanese cars.

According to a report, national carmaker Proton Holdings has appealed to the government to defer the pact with Japan. But Malaysia should not cave in to the auto lobby. KL must send a strong signal that FTA gains outweigh the costs. The most significant aspect of its maiden FTA is that the KL government cannot afford to shield local businesses permanently from global competition.

Many Malaysian businesses have long survived on patronage and high import barriers. For instance, Malaysia imposed high import duties of up to a staggering 300 per cent to help protect Proton in the last two decades. Freeing up trade flows will spur Malaysian companies to improve their products, and think of new businesses.

Indeed, there is no need to be overly protective of Malaysia's business community. Some companies have been stepping up their presence in the international arena in the last few years. One prime example is state-owned oil major Petroliam Nasional, which has operations in more than 30 countries.

Other Malaysian companies that are spreading their wings in the region include Telekom Malaysia, Malayan Banking and plantation group IOI. Incidentally, they have made their presence felt in the more mature market of Singapore. Telekom Malaysia recently emerged as a substantial shareholder of Singapore telco MobileOne; Maybank has become one of the most innovative lenders in Singapore; while IOI almost clinched the coveted Orchard Turn site.

To encourage companies to venture overseas, KL must find ways to free up trade. Malaysian goods and services must become competitive. Giving permanent crutches to its homegrown companies helps no one.

Cell phone, credit card linkup to exploit 60 trillion yen market

2006-01-18T14:46:00.000+08:00

Kyodo News : Using cell phones with credit card functions to make purchases is expected to be a big thing this year as major credit card firms scramble to get shops and stores to accept such payments. The reward could be lucrative -- the new market is estimated to be worth 60 trillion yen. NTT DoCoMo Inc. executive Takeshi Natsuno said a service allowing consumers to hold mobile phones over contactless credit card readers to pay for goods is likely to become more commonplace this year.

"(2006) will be the year when cell phones and credit cards will join together," Matsuno predicted. Credit card companies started entering this emerging market last year.

JCB Co. began issuing Quickpay cards in April, followed by UFJ Nicos Co. with Smartplus in August and Sumitomo Mitsui Card Co.'s iD in December.

Meanwhile, NTT DoCoMo and other cell phone carriers are upgrading their "osaifu keitai" mobile phones, which are equipped with contactless IC cards that can be used to purchase items at convenience stores, buy tickets and for other purposes.

Out of 300 trillion yen per year in domestic consumption by individuals, 60 trillion yen is generated by purchases of less than 3,000 yen.

Thus, people in the credit card industry say the service is especially aimed at consumers who want to charge goods worth less than 3,000 yen, including many daily necessities. Japanese tend to use credit cards for expensive purchases and must sign the sales slip.

Because transactions using a cell phone equipped with credit card functions do not require this process and can be completed in seconds, credit card firms see them as a great advantage to expand their market.

However, there are drawbacks. Only big electronics retailers and restaurants are currently equipped with contactless readers. Convenience stores and supermarkets do not have them yet. In addition, businesses need different readers for each credit card company.

In those areas, efforts are also being made. Currently, talks are under way between JCB, UFJ Nicos, KDDI and others to create a standardized system, though Sumitomo Mitsui Card declined to take part in the talks, according to industry officials.

UFJ Nicos President Kazuhiro Omori said the key to success is to gain as many member shops and stores as possible to adopt the new system.

"The credit card company that succeeds in gaining the most member shops will be able to become the standard of the industry," Omori said.

(C) All rights reserved

Bank Islam to enlarge credit card base

2006-01-18T14:34:00.000+08:00

BANK Islam Malaysia Bhd seeks to increase the number of its credit cardholders to 220,000 from the current 120,000 by June 2006. Its general manager of consumer banking group, Datuk Wan Ismail Wan Yusoh, said the bank is confident of achieving the target based on the response of consumers toward its credit card since the bank launched the Syariah-based credit card in 2003.

Wan Ismail said the bank is also confident of raising its credit card base in view of the higher market potential through its co-branding initiatives with several organisations such as Universiti Utara Malaysia, Tabung Haji and Malaysian Building Society Bhd.

He was speaking to reporters after a prize presentation ceremony in Kuala Lumpur yesterday for the winners of Bank Islam-MasterCard’s reality programme “Baru Aku Tahu” aired on the ntv7 television channel. Deputy Minister of Information Datuk Zainuddin Maidin witnessed the event.

The programme, which focused on family values as well as the importance of proper financial planning, attracted viewers who applied for the bank’s credit card via the short messaging service (SMS).

Wan Ismail said that during the promotion of the reality programme which started in October last year and ended on January 1 this year, the bank has received 3,050 new applications for credit card through the SMS.

On Bank Islam’s plans for its credit card segment, he said the bank will launch its Platinum Card early next month which will offer several privileges and rewards to consumers.

He, however, declined to disclose further details on the Platinum Card.

Bank Islam is the first bank in Asia Pacific to have launched Syariah-based credit card using the Europay Mastercard Visa Integrated Chip card Standard with high security technology - Bernama

Credit Card Payments: Why So Much?

2006-01-07T23:37:00.000+08:00

cbsnews.com : In the new year, credit card companies are demanding new higher minimum payments. If you are wondering how to deal with such a change, personal finance adviser Ray Martin has some good advice and he's dropped by The Saturday Early Show to share it.

Why are credit card companies raising their minimum payments?

This increase in the minimum payments comes as a result of guidelines recently issued to the credit card companies by federal banking regulators. In the past, credit card companies required customers to pay an average of just 2 percent of their total credit card balance, which meant constant debt for many consumers. The 2 percent minimum payment only covered interest and other fees, so it could often take a lifetime to pay off the principal balance.

The new guidelines state that monthly minimums should cover interest, any fees or extra charges and at least 1 percent of the principal amount. So essentially, we're seeing a jump from a minimum payment of 2 percent of the total balance to 4 percent. Believe it or not, these guidelines are meant to help the consumer get out of debt faster. But it may not seem that way, since you're going to have to dig deeper into your pocket to make the minimum payment each month.

How different will the minimum payments be from what people are paying now?

It really depends on how much you owe. The higher your balance, the more you will be required to pay each month. For those of us with relatively low balances, or if you're the type of person who pays your debts in full each month, don't expect these guidelines to affect you. But if you've got a high balance and are used to paying the minimum each month, this could sting a bit.

Let's say your balance is $10,000 (not far off the average balance of $9,300) and your interest rate is 13 percent.

If your minimum payment is 2 percent of the total balance, minimum payment is $200 a month. At that rate, you would pay off the debt in 33 years and total interest paid would be $11,450.

If your minimum payment doubles to 4 percent of the total balance, minimum payment is $400 a month. At that rate, you would pay off the debt in about 13 years and total interest paid would be $3,664. The end result is that you would pay off your debt 20 years earlier, and save more than $7,700 in interest.

Do you think this is going to be a big deal for a lot of consumers?

It really depends on how much you shell out to your card companies each month. A majority of credit card holders (about 75 percent or so) pay more than the minimum. But for the 13 percent of those who make just the minimum payment each year, this can really be a problem.

Even if you usually make more than the minimum payment, this could still be a problem. Why?

The minimum you have to pay now is higher. So even if you're used to paying more than the minimum, you may rely on that low minimum payment a couple months of out of the year, especially, say, during the winter so you can put more toward your heating bill. But now you can't fall back to the minimum payment because it will no longer be much of a minimal amount to pay. And that will sting.

Tips For People Who Will Be Affected

# FIND OUT WHEN CHANGE WILL OCCUR. Call your credit card issuer and inquire what the new minimum payment formula will be. Also, your credit card is required to inform you of this increased minimum balance before it goes into effect, so read your monthly credit card statements carefully for any notice of changes.

# REVISE AUTOMATIC PAYMENTS. If you schedule automatic payments from a bank account to your credit card account, revise your payment amount to reflect the new, higher minimum payment. If you fail to pay the minimum balance, you will be charged a late fee.

# LOOK FOR LOWER INTEREST RATES.: Shop for a credit card that offers a lower interest rate at www.bankrate.com or www.cardratings.com. If you get a card with a lower rate, the minimum payment should also be lower.

# NEGOTIATE RATES ON CURRENT CARDS. Use this information to call your current credit card company and ask for a lower interest rate on your current card. You are more likely to get a lower rate if you are a loyal customer with a long history of making payments on time.

# AVOID INCREASING CARD BALANCE. Finally, avoid making any new charges on a credit card account you are trying to pay down.

©MMVI, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.

New Credit Card Scam Targets Enhanced Security Codes

2006-01-07T23:31:00.000+08:00

newsinferno.com : Credit card scam artists have come up with a new tactic to steal consumer’s personal information; they trick people into giving out their three-digit security number issued by credit card companies on the back of their cards. The con is a real problem since the thieves already have consumers’ actual credit card numbers. This gives the criminal instant credibility with the victim when soliciting them.

According to Diana L. Taylor, Superintendent of the New York State Banking Department: "As credit card use has continued to skyrocket, there are more and more people – online merchants, store clerks, waiters – who have access to your credit card number. This scam works so well because, prior to making the call, the scammer has already illegally obtained the consumer's credit card number. By asking only for the three-digit security number during the phone conversation and providing phony badge and control numbers, the scammer sounds legitimate to the unsuspecting consumer."

The agency has issued a warning to consumers outlining the scam wherein the thief telephones a prospective victim and claims to represent the security and fraud department of a major credit card company often giving false badge and control numbers to sound more legitimate.

The caller claims the consumer's card was “flagged” by the security and fraud department because of an "unusual purchase pattern" for a recent purchase under $500. After the consumer denies having made the purchase, the scam artist tells the victim that a credit will appear on the consumer's next credit card statement.

After providing a fake control number to "document" the fraud claim, the scammer requests the three-digit security number from the back of the credit card in order to prove that the consumer is currently in possession of the card. Once the scammer has the three digit number, they are free to make fraudulent purchases using the credit card number. According to Department officials, within as little as fifteen minutes of the call, the thief uses the information to make a purchase for the very amount the scammer told the consumer had been 'flagged' as suspicious.

Since the scammer had warned that a charge for this amount had been made, the fraud victim will not immediately be suspicious or report the bogus transaction.

Officials advise consumers who receive a call claiming to be from a bank or credit card company's security or fraud department to hang up and call the credit card's toll-free number in order to make sure that the call is valid. Companies usually list the toll-free number on the back of the credit card.

Source: Newsinferno News Staff

Credit card slaves turn to suicide and crime

2006-01-07T23:27:00.000+08:00

asianpasificpost.com : Ms. Shen earns about C$1,000) a month. But she has chalked up some C$200,000 in debt by swiping her 10 credit and cash cards. “Two years ago, I started using my credit and cash cards to obtain cash advance to pay bills because my husband‘s company wasn‘t doing well,“ said the 50-year-old Taiwanese woman, who declined to give her full name. “But I didn‘t know that the interest rate was so high,“ she told the The Straits Times.

The paper said Shen is among some three million “credit card slaves“ in Taiwan, a worsening social problem that has sparked calls to tighten lax rules governing the competitive consumer lending market. Rollover credit debt hit NT$492.9 billion (C$17.3 billion) in October, up 10.2 per cent compared to last year, according to official figures. Credit is rolled over when a card holder pays only the minimum sum, which ranges between two to five percent of total spending, allowed every month.

The phenomenon has sparked concerns, with the local media inundated with reports of Taiwanese committing suicide or turning to crime to pay off their debts. It has also fuelled fears that a consumer loan crisis, which hit South Korea a few years back, may be repeated in Taiwan. Some critics blame banks, which are accused of issuing cards too freely. For instance, students aged 20 and above can apply for a credit card even if they have no fixed income.

“Sometimes, they do not even need to apply. The banks will call them up and offer them credit cards,“ said Chien Hsi-chieh of the Alliance of Fairness and Justice, a non-governmental group which is helping these “credit card slaves.“

Advertisements proclaiming that “lending is noble“ have also glorified such practices, charged observers, who say banks often fail to explain the fine print to credit card holders. In a bid to stem the problem, lawmakers earlier this month proposed capping interest rates for credit card and other unsecured loans. But the controversial draft legislation was shelved amid warnings that it could trigger a consumer lending crisis and undermine investors‘ confidence in Taiwan.

“After enjoying the convenience of buying on credit, these credit card slaves have turned around, blaming banks for issuing cards too freely and even lobbying for measures to cap interest rates,” said the Commercial Times in an editorial.

Copyright 2004 The Asian Pacific Post with all rights reserved.

Fashion model Beverly Peele charged with using stolen credit card

2006-01-07T23:15:00.000+08:00

chron.com : Fashion model Beverly Peele has been charged with identity theft for allegedly buying about $10,000 worth of housewares, appliances and furniture with someone else's credit card numbers. Peele, who has been featured in magazine ads and appeared in the movie Sweet Friggin' Daisies and a George Michael music video, was arrested Monday and charged with two counts of grand theft by access card, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department said Friday.

The complaint alleges Peele charged furniture, a refrigerator, a washer and dryer, bedding and other items for her home on credit cards that were in a wallet she found in a supermarket. Investigators said she returned the wallet to the owner, but first apparently copied the numbers on the charge cards. Peele, 30, was released and is scheduled for a court appearance this coming week.

© 1985 - 2002 Hearst Newspapers Partnership, L.P. All rights reserved.

Britons return to mortgage market

2006-01-04T22:58:00.000+08:00

Guardian Unlimited : Mortgage lending increased by £1bn in November as confidence in the housing market began to return, figures out today revealed. However, consumers remained cautious about taking on unsecured debt, and the amount borrowed on credit cards was £0.3bn less than in the previous month. The figures from the Bank of England showed that when repayments where taken into account, individuals borrowed a total of £9.6bn during November - £0.7bn more than in October and £0.8bn more than the average recorded over the previous six months. Of this, £8.7bn was secured on property - an increase of 10.3% on the figure for November 2004 and 0.9% up on October's figure.

The value of home loans approved was also up on the previous month, driven by an increase in the number of mortgages offered to homebuyers. The number of loans for buyers was up 2,000, at 115,000 to its highest point since May 2004, and the value of those loans reached £14.6bn. Meanwhile 107,000 remortgages were approved, with a total value of £11.5bn. These figures were slightly lower than those recorded in October. However consumers' appetite for credit other than mortgages showed signs of weakening during November, with net lending £0.3bn lower than the previous month at £0.9bn.

This was the result of the fall in credit card borrowing, as lending in the form of personal loans, overdrafts and other forms of consumer credit remained in line with October's figure. According to the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (Rics), the Bank's figures show a level of mortgage approvals above the average for the last decade and a year-on-year increase in approvals not seen since December 1982. It said the evidence of renewed interest offered by the mortgage approval numbers was backed up by its November housing market survey, which found an increase in the number of would-be buyers making enquires for the sixth consecutive month.

"With interest rates likely to fall further in the next few months, we expect current firm market conditions to be maintained," Rics said. "As a result, mortgage approvals are likely to hit 1.33m in 2006 compared to an expected total of 1.2m for 2005, but still below the 2002 level of 1.42m."

Howard Archer, chief UK economist from consultancy Global Insight, said the figures were further evidence that the housing market was "relatively healthy" and that this would prevent price falls. He added: "Very muted consumer credit growth in November indicates that consumers are still cautious overall in their behaviour.

"This is also reinforced by reports that consumer interest in the post-Christmas sales appears to have diminished fairly quickly away after a relatively strong start."

Guardian Unlimited © Guardian Newspapers Limited 2006

Consumer credit weak but mortgage approvals up

2006-01-04T22:52:00.000+08:00

LONDON (Reuters) - Unsecured lending rose in November 2005 by the smallest amount in almost five years while mortgage approvals climbed to a 1-1/2 year high, the Bank of England said on Wednesday. Consumer credit rose by just 927 million pounds in the month, the run-up to the crucial Christmas shopping season, after a rise of 1.210 billion in October and by much less than forecasts for a 1.3 billion pound increase. But mortgage lending rose by a much bigger than expected 8.687 billion pounds after a 7.702 billion pound rise the month before. Analysts had forecast an increase of 7.9 billion pounds.

Taken with another rise in loans for house purchase agreed but not yet made to 115,000, their highest since May 2004, the figures were evidence of more firming in the housing market after more than a year in the doldrums. Analysts said the figures were a mixed bag and did little to clarify where interest rates will go next from 4.5 percent. A majority are still predicting policymakers will trim borrowing costs this year to shore up household spending and growth.

"The consumer credit numbers were weaker than expected ... (but) we know that retail activity in the first part of December was pretty strong," said Mark Miller, economist at HBOS Treasury Services.

"The housing market is showing some modest signs of improvement," he added.

Short sterling rate futures briefly pared earlier gains after the data were released but were trading up a few ticks on the session. Policymakers have made clear they need to see more figures on the Christmas shopping season and the outcome of the new year wage round before passing judgment on where interest rates should go next.

© Reuters 2006. All Rights Reserved.

Computing from the couch

2006-01-02T21:05:00.000+08:00

smh.com.au : It's long been the PC industry's dream, to take centre stage in the vast home entertainment market. Success, however, has been elusive. And so the industry will launch in 2006 its most aggressive effort yet to persuade people to buy computers for wrangling the expanding universe of digital content. Leading the charge are longtime PC collaborators Intel and Microsoft, both of which are promising better support for high-definition programming and an improved ability to send video, still pictures and music throughout the home and to portable gadgets.

Macintosh maker Apple is also widely expected to join the fray and, perhaps, do for entertainment computers what it did for digital music players when it unleashed the iPod in 2001. But it's not going to be easy to overcome a chequered past, particularly given the problems that emerged in the industry's first forays. Most companies haven't taken close enough notice of what's behind Apple's iPod success, says Rob Enderle, an analyst at the Enderle Group research firm.

"Most of the technology products being thrown at the home market aren't particularly attractive or well priced, and ease of use isn't anywhere in their description,'' he said. "Until that gets fixed, we're going to have some serious problems.''

Such PCs - even when decked out with programs that can be controlled from a couch with a clicker - are criticised for being too complicated for consumers. People are simply tired and frustrated by computers that take too long to boot, crash, get infected by viruses and demand constant updates with security patches. Why would they want such a thing controlling their entertainment? Old set-top boxes supplied by cable and satellite TV companies may be dumb and slow but at least they're low maintenance.

Intel's answer is Viiv, a hardware and quality assurance platform that's expected to be launched in the first part of the year. As Intel did with its Centrino brand for notebooks and Wi-Fi hot spots, it will make sure Viiv-stickered PCs, gadgets, services and content play well with one another. Viiv-branded PCs, not surprisingly, will include Intel chips that should enable smaller and more appealing cases, said Eric Kim, Intel's chief marketing officer.

"Until now, devices (media servers) were PC-like devices with fans, a tower, and lots of noise, and people don't want that in their living rooms,'' he said.

It's also going to build on Microsoft's Media Centre Edition of Windows, which has sold more than four million licences since its 2002 debut, including to notebooks and laptops without TV tuners that can't rightly be classified as entertainment delivery vehicles. By way of comparison, analysts have predicted that more than 70 million consumer PCs will ship worldwide in 2005 alone.

"It really hasn't taken off because it didn't meet that threshold for ease of use, the hardware wasn't good enough and there wasn't enough compelling content,'' Kim said. "What we're doing is bringing all these parties together.''

Microsoft also isn't planning to stand still in 2006. Late in the year, it will launch its long-delayed, next-generation operating system, Windows Vista, as well as a Vista-based update to the Media Centre Edition for Windows. The upgrade will support a technology called CableCARD that will allow users to access all their digital cable channels without having to use the cable box that the cable company supplies - one of the biggest headaches faced by Media Centre owners. (This version of CableCARD will not, however, support video on demand or pay-per-view services.) Microsoft is expected to stress Vista's capability to handle high-definition programming, which should be more readily available late in the year. And it will coincide with Viiv's marketing, said Roger Kay, president of Endpoint Technologies Associates, a research firm.

"Vista and Viiv are going to be hyped in parallel,'' he said. "There's at least a billion dollars worth of ads that are going to run as result of this.''

Yet with new content, just as with old, the problem of piracy and how to prevent it on a historically open system could stymie the PC's quest to rule the living room. To help entice Hollywood to offer up its programming for home-networked PCs - and allay fears of rampant piracy, Vista will support digital rights management technology that will allow content owners to determine how their works can be used.

One of the more controversial features of Vista will be its empowering content owners to disallow - or downgrade - high-definition video unless the graphics card and monitor support protecting the signal from unauthorised duplication.

Marcus Matthias, product manager at Microsoft's Windows Digital Media Division, notes that other consumer devices - such as a standalone high-def DVD player - will have to play by the same rules.

But that's not the only "digital rights management'' (DRM) technology.

Audio CDs are increasingly shipping with programs to prevent excessive copying on PCs, and even Viiv will remain "agnostic'' to the various forms of DRM deployed now and in the future, said Merlin Kister, a technical program manager at Intel.

Apple - the leading seller of music players, online music and video - also has its own flavour of DRM that it hasn't shared with anyone.

"In as much as Apple is successful, it's a fly in the ointment for everybody else,'' Kay said.

At the same time, there's growing speculation that Apple will make a run for the living room.

In October, it launched new iMac G5 computers with a simply designed program called Front Row that can be controlled from a distance with a six-button remote control. The computer doesn't support live video, and the iMac's all-in-one design doesn't make it an obvious choice for living rooms outside of dorms and studio apartments. But Apple does have a small, inexpensive computer, the Mac Mini, which would blend well in an entertainment centre.

The Cupertino company also is switching to Intel chips in 2006 - a move that could help bring down Mac prices. It's not known whether it will participate in Viiv, and neither company is commenting on the plans, if any. But if computer companies don't succeed, consumers can always stick with set-top boxes that are increasingly gaining more computer-like features.

Advanced models like Digeo's Moxi Media Centre are being tested by TV service providers, while Microsoft itself is developing software for boxes used by phone companies' emerging television offerings.

Cisco Systems, the leading maker of networking equipment, said in November that it's buying cable box maker Scientific-Atlanta. Among other plans, it wants to leverage its Linksys division's home networking products to transmit TV around the house.

''(Cisco) knows if they want to move into the home, it's not going to be on the PC. It's going to be on a set-top box,'' Enderle said. "Somebody else sets it up, so that makes it easy to use. It's subsidised, which makes the price incredibly aggressive.''

Copyright © 2006. The Sydney Morning Herald.

Computers join quest for perfect wine

2006-01-02T20:52:00.000+08:00

By Andrew Buncombe in Washington

The Independent : For as long as humanity has enjoyed drinking wine, it has been thinking about ways to make it taste better, usually with trial-and-error techniques from the selection of grape varieties through consideration of the terroir to the moment when the fruit is picked. But now a scientist from Pittsburgh is using computer modelling to try to improve one of the most fundamental aspects of the winemaking process - fermentation. "We are asking what kind of performance we can get out of this," Lorenz Biegler of Carnegie Mellon University said. "We would like to come up with a reasonably good model of how this yeast cell behaves, then control this fermentation process so we can make better-quality wines."

Mr Biegler has been working with scientists and winemakersfrom Chile to try to see whether the development of computer modelling can have an impact on the end product. They are trying to solve the problem of stuck batches - those where fermentation has stalled, which means thattoo much residual sugar is left in the wine.

Much of the work is being carried out at an "aroma lab" at Pontifical Catholic University in Santiago where industry-sponsored researchers are trying to isolate the chemicals that produce desirable fragrances and flavours.

The aim was to make winemaking more efficient, consistent and profitable Mr Biegler said. Similar computerised systems are used at chemical plants, oil refineries and pharmaceutical manufacturing facilities, he added.

© 2005 Independent News and Media Limited

Brits 'still love' credit cards

2005-12-30T16:03:00.000+08:00

Fair Investment Company : Brits' love for credit cards will not falter in the New Year despite predictions of more careful spending habits, Datamonitor has said. The research company predicted Brits will also be richer in 2006, with more than one million people having over £200,000 stashed away in the bank. However, people will still be spending more on credit cards amid contrasting predictions which forecast financial rearrangement and the desire to pay off debts quickly.

Datamonitor has said card spending will increasingly replace cash and has predicted that UK consumers will spend more than £500 billion on plastic cards in 2006. Debit cards will make up the bulk of spending, meaning that personal debt should rise at a slower rate, according to Datamonitor. The research company says debt in 2006 will rise by only four per cent.

© Adfero Ltd

Brits 'at risk from credit card theft'

2005-12-30T15:59:00.000+08:00

Fair Investment Company : Brits fail to take basic precautions, leaving them open to credit card theft, a credit reference agency has said. Callcredit says Brits only need follow four simple steps to ensure the safety of their cards – but over a third fail to do so.

The credit reference agency says Brits should: shred personal documents before discarding them; check their credit file regularly; have different passwords for financial accounts and cancel unwanted credit facilities. MyCallcredit director Alison Nicholson says: "ID theft is one of the fastest growing types of fraud in the UK yet our research shows people aren’t taking the necessary steps to protect themselves."

People in the north-east are the most conscientious according to the survey while those in the south are less likely to be as vigilant at checking their credit files. Residents in Yorkshire were found to be the most careless with their PIN numbers, putting themselves at a high risk of theft.

© Adfero Ltd

VoIP : Google Faces Patent Infringement Lawsuit Over Google Talk

2005-12-29T14:03:00.000+08:00

VoIP Article : According to blog.searchenginewatch.com Google is being sued by Rates Technology for patent infringement over the VoIP portion of the Google Talk program. Rates Technology says that two patents they hold (awarded in 1995, 2001) for minimizing the cost of long distance calls using the Internet are being infringed upon by Google Talk. The lawsuit was filed in the Eastern District of New York. The parties will meet with Judge E. Thomas Boyle in early February.

RedVoiss launches VoIP service to rival Skype

2005-12-29T13:57:00.000+08:00

TMCnet.com : Chilean internet telephony provider RedVoiss has launched a free VoIP service it hopes will compete with Skype, RedVoiss CEO Alberto Mordojovich told BNamericas. The service called SippyPhone consists of software that is installed on the PC and communication is possible by a microphone or through a handset.

The difference with Skype is that SippyPhone uses standard initiation protocol (SIP), while Skype uses a proprietary protocol, Mordojovich explained. While this makes SippyPhone more flexible as it can be interconnected with other IP voice services such as Vonage, the quality of Skype may be slightly better as it uses greater broadband width, Mordojovich said.

"We believe that in the long run, SIP is going to be the dominant technology worldwide... Skype is going to have to compete against all the other companies similar to RedVoiss throughout the world that use SIP," the executive said.
Nonetheless, the free service does not mark a move away from the paid service, similar to Vonage, that the company has been offering up to now.

"This [SippyPhone] service is only for use with a computer. The other RedVoiss service is for integrating with telephone and remote telephone services. There is still an important market that prefers to use a telephone," Mordojovich said. RedVoiss' aim with the new service is to target the youth market. Mordojovich also believes that SippyPhone will act as an introduction to IP telephony.

"Hopefully it will encourage companies to adopt the full RedVoiss service, or install servers to receive 800 numbers for free, which currently cost companies a lot of money," Mordojovich said. While communication via SippyPhone is free with other SIP services, there is a monthly charge for communication with public telephone services. Read More

Microsoft Invests in VOIP

2005-12-29T13:52:00.000+08:00

Gameshout.com : Bill Gates, Microsoft co-founder has purchased $4.4 million worth of shares for VOIP and Internet-based telephone services in Japan. The purchase brings Gates' total ownership in friend and fellow billionaire Warren Buffett's company to 3,990 Class A shares, according to a filing Tuesday with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Gates paid $88,600 to $89,100 for the 50 shares bought Thursday, the filing shows. Gates, who became a Berkshire director last December, owns stock that's worth $353.5 million based on Tuesday's closing price. Microsoft, Softbank will offer telephone services in Japan. Microsoft Corp. and Softbank Corp. will jointly offer Internet-based telephone services to corporate customers in Japan. Microsoft's Japanese unit, Tokyo-based Softbank, and its Japan Telecom affiliate will sell a package that includes Internet phone, e-mail and Internet access starting in spring, the companies said in a faxed statement Monday.

Term life insurance optimum for those on budget

2005-12-28T00:11:00.000+08:00

By Jim Doyle

Fortwayne.com :There are many kinds of life insurance, but they generally fall into two categories: term life insurance and permanent life insurance. Today, we will focus on term life insurance policies.

Term life insurance is in some respects similar to renting a home. When you rent a home, you get to take full advantage of the entire property immediately so long as you continue paying rent. As soon as your lease expires, you must renegotiate your lease or move elsewhere.

Even if you rented the house for 30 years, you have no “equity,” or value that belongs to you.

This concept can be applied when thinking of term life insurance. You establish a term, or amount of time you’d like life insurance protection for, and you will pay the premiums for this certain period of protection. At the end of the term, you can choose to renew at a new rate, discontinue protection or select a new policy.

Advantages of term life

One of the biggest advantages of term life insurance is the lower initial cost. However, as years pass and your policy comes up for renewal, you can anticipate the cost of term insurance to increase. To renew the policy, you may have to present evidence of insurability. If you’re still in good health, you might requalify at a reasonable rate. But if your health has deteriorated, you may find that with continually increasing premiums, it may be too expensive to renew your policy or you may not even requalify.

Term life insurance is often a good choice for young families or those on a tight budget. It allows them to buy higher levels of coverage when the need for protection is often greatest. Many times, term life insurance makes sense when you have a need for coverage that will disappear at a specific point in time. For instance, you may decide that you only need coverage until your children graduate from college or a particular debt is paid off, such as your mortgage.

On a cautionary note, often times insurance needs continue beyond these milestone events. Consider:

Can you achieve your financial goals without life insurance? Would your family be able to maintain the same standard of living without insurance? Would your financial plan, without life insurance, enable your spouse to maintain the lifestyle you worked so hard to achieve? Would you be able to pass on something to your children or grandchildren?

When considering term life insurance, make sure to consider product features as well as price. You may be able to add extra features or “riders” to your term life insurance policy. Some provisions include accelerated death benefits, disability waiver of premium and accidental death benefits. Additional fees may apply.

Another feature to consider is convertibility. This feature, usually available during the first few years after a policy is issued, allows you to convert to a permanent policy without submitting evidence of insurability. This may be useful to have if you realize you need coverage for a longer period than you originally thought.

Jim Doyle is an Allstate Personal Financial Representative in Fort Wayne.
Copyright 2005 Knight Ridder.

Term Life Insurance or Whole?

2005-12-27T23:59:00.000+08:00

BudgetLife.com : Term life insurance, also called temporary insurance, covers a person against death for a limited time, the term. For example, the term might be until children are grown, or until college is paid for, or until retirement. You pay for the policy period and at the end of the term, the contract or policy expires. If no claims are made against the policy during the term, you don't receive any benefits after the policy expires, just like auto or homeowners insurance.

Whole life insurance, also called permanent insurance, is permanent and does not expire (assuming you continue to pay the premiums). It provides coverage similar to term life insurance, but it also provides an investment vehicle. A portion of the premium goes for life insurance, while the rest goes into an investment account. This account can be either an interest bearing account or a variable (stocks and bonds) investment account.

Which is better (BudgetLife's opinion)? Young families with large financial obligations are usually better off with term life insurance policies. The substantially lower premiums enable them to purchase sufficient coverage to protect against loss of income. Any discretionary investment funds can be placed in other vehicles (mutual funds, money market accounts, etc.) that are likely to generate returns similar to or better than life insurance policies. Whole life insurance is sometimes purchased by people for tax and estate planning purposes. You should consult with your financial advisor. Read More...

After the holidays, pay close attention to credit card bill

2005-12-26T20:49:00.000+08:00

By Phyllis Zalenski

QcTimes.net : The end of the year is often a time for making financial resolutions for the coming year. If one of your new year’s resolutions is to get out of credit card debt, try some of the tips below.

Pay your bills on time. Don’t incur late payment fees or penalty rates. Credit card issuers could raise your rates several percentage points if you are late with your payment. Some issuers don’t disclose any particular penalty rate, but they state that they reserve the right to increase your interest rate if you significantly increase your total debt.

Check your statements carefully to make sure all of the charges are correct. And also check your statements each month to make sure your rate hasn’t gone up, and that you understand the terms and conditions of the cards you hold.

Call your current card issuer and ask that they lower your interest rate. Tell the card issuer that you’ve been a good customer for X years, that you’re making a resolution to improve your finances, and you’d like a better deal.

Shop around and transfer existing credit card balances to a card with a lower rate. However, make sure you will get that lower rate on the balance you just transferred, because some card issuers have restrictions on balances transferred. But even if the lower rate is a teaser or introductory rate for just 6 months, you could save several hundred dollars. But you need to pay off that balance before the introductory rate goes up again.

Pay at least the minimum payment and more if possible. If it hasn’t happened already on your credit card, it probably will after the first of the year. Your minimum monthly payment will be increasing. In the past the minimum payment has been 2 percent to 2.5 percent of your credit card balance. Some credit card companies have already increased that to a rate of 4 percent of your balance and others will be doing so next year. For many consumers this will be a very good thing. The balance will be paid off faster and you will save money.

What to do if you’re squeezed by credit card debt

2005-12-26T20:40:00.000+08:00

By GAIL LIBERMAN AND ALAN LAVINE
MarketWatch

Mailtribute.com : Feeling overly pinched on credit card debt due to higher minimum required credit-card payments, rising interest rates and increasing prices? Your chief options: Call your credit-card issuer, seek debt counseling or file bankruptcy. Both Citigroup and Bank of America say that their credit card holders can feel free to give them a call. Not only do they support debt counseling services, but they also offer debt workout programs.

"We offer various options to these customers, such as reducing minimum payments, reducing interest rates, waiving fees going forward or crediting back fees that have already been billed," explains Samuel Wang, vice president of the Citigroup Global Consumer Group.

But Linda Sherry, spokeswoman for Consumer Action in San Francisco, warns that some card holders say their interest rates were raised after they told card issuers they were in trouble. At least at Bank of America, a hardship phone call won’t do that, counters Bank of America spokeswoman Betty Riess.

Based upon the solution you select, here’s what to expect:

If you contact a debt-counseling service, expect no impact on your FICO score, the credit score lenders typically use to determine your credit risk for loans. But beware. A notation could appear on your credit report. We’ve heard from at least one large mortgage wholesaler that such a notation likely will prevent you from qualifying for a "conforming" mortgage — one that may be sold to the secondary-market giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. This means you may have to settle for less favorable mortgage terms.

If you contact your card issuer and receive a "debt workout," that alone won’t necessarily impact your credit score. One reason: Interest-rate information doesn’t appear on a credit report, says Craig Watts, Fair Isaac Corp. public affairs manager. So get your lender to slash your interest rate, and it won’t matter. But if you or a counseling service convinces your bank to take a partial payment on your debt, a creditor could report your account as "not paid as agreed." This "almost certainly" will lower your credit score, Watts warns. Payment information represents the largest part— some 35 percent — of the FICO credit score.

If your difficulty is due to a natural disaster, some lenders may be sympathetic. Watts says some may choose not to report a nonpayment to the credit-reporting agencies. "One or more credit reporting agencies also have recently added a new indicator that lenders can use to flag an account of a consumer impacted by a natural disaster," Watts adds. But it’s too soon to know whether lenders will consider it.

Expect a bankruptcy to stay on your credit report for 10 years, with certain exceptions. Among those: It can be reported longer in connection with mortgage-credit transactions of at least $150,000, insurance transactions of at least $150,000 or employment involving a salary of at least $75,000. A bankruptcy can make it tough to rent an apartment, buy a house or condo, get some types of insurance, get additional credit and, sometimes, get a job. But experts have told us that you can still get a mortgage. More important in qualifying for a mortgage: The size of your down payment and having available funds to close on the property.

Sherry suggests that rather than first contacting your bank with a credit problem, call a reputable counseling agency. "Make it clear you don’t want to go into a debt- management program until you’ve had a chance to talk about your options," she says. And secure a commitment beforehand that the session won’t be reported to a credit-reporting agency.

It is critical, she says, that you first nail down which class of creditors you’re in: those just feeling the pinch or those overwhelmed by debt.

If your income has been extremely low for the past six months, Sherry says Chapter 7 bankruptcy still could be attractive. With Chapter 7 bankruptcy, all or most of your debts are wiped out. To qualify, though, you must meet a "means test."

You can determine whether you stand a chance of meeting this means test by comparing your monthly income with the U.S. Census Bureau median figures for your region at www.usdoj.gov/ust. Click on "Bankruptcy reform means testing medium income figures." Even if you file Chapter 7 bankruptcy, you’re required to see a government-approved counseling organization within six months before you file. Note that 100 counselors have been approved for the mandated debt-counseling program. Those counselors also are listed at www.usdoj.gov/ust.

Before signing up with any counseling agency, always examine the services they offer, what they will do for you, fees, whether fees may be waived if you can’t afford to pay, the counselor’s qualifications, how confidentiality will be assured and how counselors are paid.

Shopping for cell phone service? Here are some tips:

2005-12-26T20:12:00.000+08:00

If you're new to a wireless company, do not enter into more than a one-year contract.
Consider a pre-paid plan, especially if you use your cell phone very little. People who use their phones very little often end up buying too many monthly minutes with regular plans.
Use your phone as much as you can during the grace period, when you can still back out of your contract without paying a hefty penalty. If you don't get good reception at your place of work or home, or anywhere else that you visit often, go with another carrier.
Make sure you know what features and services you need. Younger users, in their teens and 20s, tend to use text messages, cameras and music players on phones. Users in their 40s, 50s and 60s tend to use phones to make voice calls. Travelers may want a national plan, while those who don't travel much may prefer a pre-paid plan.
Consider whether you'll be using your phone for long-distance. Ask whether the plan includes long-distance calls or whether you'll be charged an additional fee.
Read the entire contract. It's better to spend the time reading the contract before you sign on the dotted line, than to find out later that there are terms you don't like.

Sources: Michael Shames, executive director of the Utility Consumers' Action Network, and Morgan Jindrich, director of Hearusnow.org, a Web site run by the Consumers Union.

Spam Scam Invokes Princess Diana

2005-12-25T01:01:00.000+08:00

PCWorld.com : Antivirus experts have warned users to beware of a spam e-mail campaign that promises a sizable grant from The Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund. The fraudulent e-mail messages say the recipient has been selected to receive a grant of 2.6 million British pounds (about $4.5 million in U.S. funds) grant and should contact the organization. However, the e-mail messages do not come from the memorial fund, which was founded in September 1997 soon after Diana's death. The spam is unusual in the sense that it uses the name of a real charitable fund, plus the name of an actual employee there, according to a warning from security vendor Sophos.

"This is not one that will look phishy," said Carole Theriault, a security consultant with Sophos. "They've obviously done their research before they put it out."

The memorial fund has also issued a warning on its Web site.

Limited Success

Some of the messages contain links to Web sites asking for bank account details, and in some messages recipients are directed to wire funds by Western Union to certain people, the warning said. The fund has received almost daily calls asking about the legitimacy of the e-mail, and some people are known to have gone through the first few stages of trying to collect a claim before stopping, said Therese Lyras, press and communications coordinator for the fund.

"No one has contacted us to say they have actually sent money," she said.

Copyright 2005, PCWorld.com. All rights reserved

CoffeeCup Spam Blocker

2005-12-25T00:45:00.000+08:00

PCWorld :"Spam Blocker works with any POP3 email account. It checks your HTML and Text email and removes spam right from the mail server so you never see it in your regular inbox. Then you can review the suspicious emails in Spam Blocker and choose to keep them or delete them forever. You can even send 'Bounce Back' messages to the spammers telling them that your email address does not exist so they remove you from their lists! Spam Blocker automatically Removes Attached Viruses, and can block unwanted email by Country, Email Address, Domain, and Keywords using our pre-defined Blacklists (or create your own). You can setup Spam Blocker to check multiple email accounts. You can even Import your address book from Outlook, Outlook Express, Eudora, or any .txt file so you don't have to worry about email from people you trust getting marked as spam. It's so simple, you'll wonder how you ever lived without it !" go to download site

Copyright 2005, PCWorld.com. All rights reserved

Which Spam Blocker is Right for You?

2005-12-25T00:37:00.000+08:00

Kron.com: Tired of all that spam filling up your E-mail Inbox? Maybe it's time to get anti-spam software. Most Internet service providers have some kind of spam-blocking tool built-in and free E-mail websites like Yahoo! offer free spam blockers as well. But paying a premium will get you more accuracy and more protection. As much as 70 percent of E-mail -- 12 billion messages a day -- are spam. It's really annoying. But how dangerous is it?

"They can download software into your computer that records your keystroke, and they can take personal information from you such as account number, credit card number, even your social security number," says PC World editor Narasu Rebapragada. She says anyone who uses E-mail these days faces some real threats. The danger often isn't in the E-mail itself, but rather in the website the E-mail will try to send you to.

"They are giving you possibly a free iPod. You are giving them sensitive information."

So-called "phishing" E-mails are even more dangerous, leading you to websites that will steal your identity. Bottom line: you need protection, and there are several good anti-spam products available. PC World recommends the following software for blocking suspicious email:

"I hate spam" is put out by sunbelt software and costs $19.95 for a year's subscription.

Cloudmark's "Safety bar" for $39.95 is also rated tops by PC World, along with Trend Micro's Pc-cillin Internet security suite for $49.95. All three programs have a very high accuracy rate and a very low "false positive" rate, meaning they rarely block "legitimate" email. And if you do get errors , you can customize.

"You can add enemies, add friends, bounce people." You can also adjust filtering levels. "There's a slider so you can do exclusive." Cloudmark also has a really handy safety bar feature that automatically installs on your browser and flags suspicious websites. Whatever spam blocker you're using, you should re-subscribe every year to make sure you get automatic updates. "Software vendors are very good at finding threats quickly and developing patches to address them."

Copyright 2005, KRON 4. All rights reserved

Consumers warned over credit card debt

2005-12-24T18:54:00.000+08:00

fairinvestment.co.uk : Consumers spend almost 20 per cent more on their credit cards during December than any other month in the year, moneyexpert.com has revealed.The financial advice website warns that consumers should not get too carried away as the Credit Counselling Service (CCCS) experienced 77 per cent more calls during Christmas in 2004 than any other time.

Consumers should also try to use the right type of credit card to pay for festivities, says moneyexpert.com. Chief executive of moneyexpert.com Sean Gardner said: "If you are financing Christmas on plastic, be really choosy about how you do it. Store cards should be avoided if you don’t aim to pay off the balance straight away.

"Choosing the right credit card can be a good way to spread the cost of Christmas if you can't pay it off in January. However, as always, it's important to choose the right card for your needs as the wrong one can add to the cost of the holiday period in the long-run and can also cause considerable stress."

The CCCS expects 20,000 calls in January since panic over debt normally kicks in after the festivities are over. A spokeswoman told thisismoney.com: "The calls get a little depressed in December because people are spending, but they go through the roof in the New Year. "We think it will be as busy as last year, if not even busier."

Sharing credit card info may help stop debt

2005-12-24T17:31:00.000+08:00

fairinvestment.co.uk : Credit card lenders are to share their credit card data in an effort to stop consumers borrowing too much and getting into financial difficulty. Barclaycard, the Co-operative Bank, egg and Abbey have all agreed to share data which charts consumers spending habits. Consumer groups have said lack of detailed data has allowed credit card holders to incur massive debts on different credir cards from various providers.

They are allowed to do this, consumer watchdogs say, because credit card companies do not know which potential customers have massive debts with other providers. However, under the new system credit card providers will be able to swap 'behaviourial data', which includes how much a customers spends on cards each month, how much is repaid and how much cash is withdrawn, so providers can make "good lending decisions".

"This move will improve our ability to make good lending decisions. Whether it’s a customer applying for a card or asking for an increased credit limit, the better the information we have access to, the better chance we have of getting the decision right," said chief executive at Barclaycard Gary Hoffman.

"Delivering improved data sharing is an important step and we look forward to working with others, as they follow this lead. We now need to ensure that we use the information effectively, to make a real difference and to get decisions right on behalf of our customers and our business," he added. The new system will be run by Experian, Equifax and Callcredit, who will regulate how the data is handled and will ensure it is not used for marketing purposes.

© Adfero Ltd

Online credit card spending 'on the up'

2005-12-24T14:51:00.000+08:00

fairinvestment.co.uk :Online redit card spending surged in November as Brits began preparing for the festive season, new figures have revealed. Figures from MasterCard revealed spending on cards surged to almost £6 billion. The amount spent on credit cards was astronomical, increasing by almost 50 per cent from the previous month, mainly due to online shopping.

Vice-president of MasterCard Europe Brian Moore said: "Despite the traditional upsurge in spending at this time of year, UK consumers are clearly managing their finances carefully as concerns linger over rising energy prices and a general reluctance to enlarge personal debts at a time when unemployment is slowly rising and manufacturing output is declining.

"This all suggests that the actual growth in credit card spending may owe more to added convenience of shopping online as opposed to braving the crowded high streets."

But amid suggestions of restrained spending, a report this week revealed personal insolvencies will rise in 2006. The report by accountancy firm Grant Thornton revealed that there will be 20,000 personal insolvencies in the first four months of 2006 alone. The firm says 6,500 of these will be from people spending too much on store cards and credit cards.

Copyright 2005 FairInvestment.co.uk.

Exchange Spam Causing Growing Concern for IT

2005-12-24T02:56:00.000+08:00

jak.com : Exchange spam is quickly becoming an overwhelming problem for organizations utilizing Microsoft Exchange Server. The amount of spam Exchange Server receives daily, is reaching critical mass. When queried, organizations of all sizes admit that email security has become their single most important challenge. The need to secure the organization against spam, phishing and fraud attacks, as well as email borne viruses, has become critical. Organizational resources are increasingly targeted to defeat this growing security threat, as IT departments struggle to protect systems, employees and customers from the pervasive efforts of criminal spam gangs.

The primary defense against Exchange spam, by organizations of all sizes, is the deployment of third-party anti-spam technology as perimeter security, surrounding the vulnerable Exchange Server mail server. Due primarily to the overwhelming popularity of Exchange Server, hackers, virus writers and spammers have teamed up to find and exploit the ever-increasing number of security vulnerabilities found in Microsoft's popular mail server.

With the myriad of anti-spam solutions currently on the market, how does an organization plagued with Exchange spam choose the solution best equipped to eliminate their risk? The primary test, according to many anti-spam experts, is to examine the anti-spam product's fundamental filtering paradigm. An effective barrier against today's criminal produced spam, should be pattern based. Pattern technology, as opposed to the simpler and less effective key-word technology used in the majority of spam filters, is uniquely capable of identifying and stopping this problem.

Extensible Messaging Platform ( EMP 5 ), will stop Exchange spam, phishing attacks and email borne viruses before they reach Exchange Server or the organization's employees and customers. Find More...

After a decade, Lasik surgery still a luxury

2005-12-24T02:23:00.000+08:00

According to eyeglossary.net,Lasik is an acronym for LAser in SItu Keratomileusis. Type of refractive surgery in which the cornea is reshaped to change its optical power. A disc of cornea is raised as a flap, then an excimer laser is used to reshape the intrastromal bed, producing surgical flattening of the cornea. Used for correcting myopia, hyperopia, and astigmatism. Even though millions have had vision correction, but perfect eyesight not guaranteed and Lasik surgery still remains a luxury.

Recently Christopher Tomes, 43,(MSNBC) becoming one of the 5 million Americans seeking to shed their eyeglasses with laser vision correction during the past decade. Tomes, who heads a company that creates animated advertising for the Web, had grown tired of misplacing his glasses. "Glasses are easy to leave on an airplane," he said. "I was losing, on average, three or four pairs of glasses a year, and that got expensive."

Lasik, safety & funds

Since U.S. doctors began offering laser vision correction in 1995, safety has improved and new methods give people with more severe vision problems a chance to have the procedure. But there’s still no guarantee of 20/20 eyesight, the procedure’s long-term safety is unknown and one recent study showed nearly 18 percent of patients require a second Lasik treatment. A lack of health insurance coverage keeps the procedure a luxury item, affordable only to people who can spare $3,000 to $5,000. Read more...

Credit card debt catches up with Britons

2005-12-23T02:55:00.000+08:00

By Cesar G. Soriano, USA TODAY

USAToday.com - London: "This Christmas season, the hottest-selling gifts in Europe are pricey American products such as iPods, the Xbox 360 and celebrity-inspired fashions. That kind of shopping has led to a very American problem: credit card debt."

Nationwide, 34% of Britons say they will use credit cards or store cards to pay for their holiday purchases this year. And one in five say they are still paying off their gifts from last Christmas, according to a December poll by Zopa, an online lending agency.

"The UK has adopted the American habit of credit with vigor, and consequently consumers are rapidly getting in over their heads," says Steve Rhode, president of Myvesta.org, a non-profit, debt-relief group. In August, U.S.-based Myvesta opened an office in Britain to deal with the growing number of Britons in debt.

The number of people filing for bankruptcy or insolvency in England and Wales rose 46% from 2004 to 2005 to a record, according to Britain's Department of Trade and Industry. The average Briton has $5,188 in credit card debt, according to a December survey by Datamonitor. In the USA, the average debt per household is $9,312, according to CardWeb.com. Analysts say Britons' reliance on credit cards arose in recent years from a strong economy combined with low interest rates and easy availability of credit. Indirectly, the high cost of living, especially in London, also has been a factor, says Michael Penn, an economist with Merrill Lynch.

In recent months, the British economy has started to show signs of stagnancy: Interest rates are rising, adjustable-rate mortgage payments are increasing, consumer confidence is down, and retailers are reporting a disappointing holiday season, Penn says.

Germans, the second-most-indebted Europeans, owed $3,483 credit card debt, while Italians owed just $1,268. About 55% of all credit cards in Europe are issued in the United Kingdom, says Pat Boyden, a partner in charge of personal insolvency with PricewaterhouseCoopers.

"There is a real difference in mentality. Consumers from poorer European countries are more cautious and tend to save more and borrow less," Penn says.

"But in the long-term view, we would expect, as Europe continues to integrate, financial institutions and regulations tend to converge, which should lead to more accessibility to credit for consumers, which should increase appetite for credit," he says.

Credit cards have only been around here for about 30 years — half as long as in the USA. "Credit card usage is very similar to the U.S.," says Boyden, who notes that both personal debt and insolvencies have doubled over the past five years. Maya Imberg, author of a report for Datamonitor, a London-based industry-analysis firm, says the issue stems from British consumer attitudes toward debt and credit along with an American-based credit industry that encourages Britons to use plastic. "UK consumers are much more open to borrowing on credit, whereas the average German is not as open to doing that," she says, because of cultural views toward borrowing and saving.

Unlike the USA, where recent legislation has made it more difficult for debtors to file for bankruptcy, wiping the financial slate clean is relatively easier here. Under the Enterprise Act of 2002, Britons who declare bankruptcy are discharged after just one year, compared with three years before the law was enacted. In the third quarter of 2005, 17,562 people filed for debt relief. Of those, 12,043 filed for bankruptcy. Just 5,519 filed for Individual Voluntary Arrangements, where debtors make out-of-court arrangements with their creditors to pay back all or a portion of their debts. Imberg says the number of bankruptcies is "still relatively low, but they are a concern" because of signs of a weakening economy.

"If a recession were to occur, then perhaps we would see more bankruptcies and banks losing money they lent. But it's not at a level where it was in the early '90s recession," she says.

Kevin Aston of Debt Counselors, a national debt-advisory service, blames the problem on the "financially illiterate. We now have a generation that has been brought up on credit," he says. More Britons, like many Americans, are living in the moment beyond their means, Aston says. Aston says he regularly deals with clients who have $150,000 in debt spread out on 16 credit cards. In Britain, credit limits are based on payment performance rather than income, he says.

He paints a picture that is familiar to Americans: "These individuals were earning 18,000 pounds ($31,828) a year and had 20,000 pounds ($35,364) in debt. They managed to pay the minimum payments on their income, but then got to a stage where they were struggling. Rather than admit they had a problem, they would take out further credit to revolve the credit. They weren't living a life of luxury, they were simply using credit to pay for credit."

Although some critics blame credit card companies for liberally passing out credit, debt counselors like Aston and Rhode say at the end of the day, only the debtor is at fault. Says Rhode: "When it comes to credit, one lesson people have never learned worldwide is simply because somebody extends credit to you has nothing to do with your ability to afford it."

Computers exposed by anti-virus flaws

2005-12-22T13:41:00.000+08:00

SMH.com.au: "Anti-virus software products from Symantec and McAfee suffered security setbacks this week with the emergence of vulnerabilities that exposed Windows users to external attacks.

Both Symantec and McAfee said they had issued patches for the vulnerabilities. Although no specific intrusions were reported, bugs such as these are considered serious as, once their presence has been detected, unpatched computers remain exposed to the possibility of future attacks. The vulnerability affecting the McAfee software was revealed in a security advisory issued by iDefense, a division of VeriSign." Read More

McAFee predicts more mobile malware in 2006

2005-12-22T13:37:00.000+08:00

Digital Media Asia: News: "Security software company McAfee this week announced its forecast for security threats in 2006, including the prediction of increased threats for mobile devices. Since the first mobile malware was spotted in June 2004, according to McAfee, there has been steady growth in mobile viruses and Trojans. McAfee's Avert Labs expects to see a significant rise in 2006, especially as smartphones and other mobile devices are increasingly connected to the internet. " Read More

Christmas worm unleashed

2005-12-20T21:18:00.000+08:00

The Inquirer: "CRACKERS have unleashed a worm with a Crimbo theme. Dasher, more famous for being the name of one of Santa’s reindeer, has been evolving over the last few weeks and can now turn off antivirus applications, allow remote access to a computer system and scan and infect other vulnerable computers". Read More

Eh? iPod Earbuds Can Cause Hearing Loss | InformationWeek

2005-12-20T11:06:00.000+08:00

Information Week: "Earbud headphones, the type that rest inside the ear, can lead to permanent damage after just an hour of high-volume music in the 110- to 120-decibel range, equivalent to the noise level of a concert."

The earbud-style headphones packaged with iPod and MP3 players can cause serious hearing loss, a Northwestern University professor and audiologist said last week.

"Insert earphones can boost the signal by as much as six to nine decibels. That's about the difference between the sound of a vacuum cleaner and a motorcycle," said Dean Garstecki, a professor at Northwestern in a statement. "It's a significant difference."

Earbud headphones, the type that rest inside the ear, can lead to permanent damage after just an hour of high-volume music in the 110-120 decibel range, equivalent to the noise level of a concert, Garstecki said.

The large amount of storage space on iPods also contributes to problems, said Garstecki. "Not only do you have a signal that is likely to be more intense, you're likely to be using this device longer than people have been using CD players and Walkmans in the past. This increases the likelihood of hearing loss down the road."

Not surprisingly, rock and rap are the most dangerous, since they're typically played at a higher volume than, say, classical or jazz. To minimize hearing loss, Garstecki recommended listening no more than an hour a day, switching to over-the-ear headphones, and dialing down the volume on iPods to "6" or lower.

Microsoft bids Internet Explorer for Mac farewell | VNunet.com

2005-12-20T10:59:00.000+08:00

vnunet.com: "Microsoft plans to discontinue support for its Internet Explorer browser on Mac OS X at the end of this year. The software developer mothballed the browser, which is currently on version 5.2, in June 2003 after Apple released Safari. Development ever since has been limited to the release of security patches."

Microsoft's website as recent as last November touted Internet Explorer as an "award winning" browser that "makes it easy to view and find information on the internet." That webpage was changed last week and is now informing visitors that: "In accordance with published support lifecycle policies, Microsoft will end support for Internet Explorer for Mac on December 31st, 2005, and will provide no further security or performance updates."

Microsoft plans to pull the download from its website on 31 January.

Internet Explorer was once the dominant web browser on the Mac platform and was bundled with the OS X operating system as the default browser. But after Apple released its Safari web browser, the vendor has slowly phased out support for the Microsoft browser. The OS X operating system initially shipped with both IE and Safari, the latter being set as the default browser. Safari become the only browser included with the system when Apple released OS X 10.4 Tiger last April.

The current number of Internet Explorer users is expected to be minimal. In November Safari claimed a 2.78 per cent share of overall browser market, according to data from Net Applications. The firm didn't split out users of Internet Explorer for the Mac from the Microsoft browser's overall share. Net Applications' data showed Apple computers making up 4.11 per cent of the world's internet users in November.

Alternate browsers including Firefox, Opera and Netscape are still available for OS X.

DirecTV to reimburse customers, make its advertisements clearer

2005-12-19T15:36:00.000+08:00

By KEN RITTER

DirecTV Inc. has promised to reimburse unhappy customers and to make its advertised offers clearer, according to a settlement the satellite broadcaster reached Monday with 22 states over deceptive marketing complaints. Montana is among the states.

The California-based company admitted no wrongdoing in agreeing to repay Nevada and 21 other states $5 million for the costs of a task force that has tracked consumer complaints about DirecTV contract fees and small print provisions since 2000. The payment does not represent a fine, officials on both sides said." Read More...

DirecTV to Broadcast Network Live Shows

2005-12-19T15:14:00.000+08:00

By Bary Alyssa Johnson

PC Magazine "Network Live, a digital entertainment venture that delivers programming via Internet, satellite and other media, announced Thursday that it has reached an agreement with DirecTV as its newest distribution partner. Network Live founders America Online Inc., XM Satellite Radio and AEG Live had been looking to expand their joint broadcast platform through digital television. The companies recently agreed to invite DirecTV on-board. Under terms of the agreement, DirecTV will stand in as Network Live's first-window television partner. Network Live will act as entertainment programming partner and will offer DirecTV customers access to live broadcasts at no additional cost, as part of their existing subscription service". Read More...

Dasher worm gallops onto the Net | Tech News on ZDNet

2005-12-19T11:19:00.000+08:00

"Dasher.B is a network worm that has the potential to open a back door on computers with the MSDTC flaw, security experts said. The infected systems are then prompted to connect to a remote computer for instructions. Once connected, it downloads a malicious program that tracks keystrokes.

'This new worm aims (to) install software that tries to infect other vulnerable systems, and that also can be used to log keystrokes and turn the computer into a remotely controlled 'bot' system,' James Rendell, a technical product manager at Internet Security Systems, said in a statement." Read More...

TMobile busts out the Samsung T809 slider

2005-12-19T09:47:00.000+08:00

"TMobile is launching Samsung’s T809 thin slider phone that we spied last month. We mentioned its fine 262K-color, 320x240 pixel screen last time, along with its 1.3 megapixel camera, Bluetooth, and “T-Flash” slot, but it’s also sporting EDGE data, MP3 playback, 70MB of internal memory, and an included 32MB TransFlash card. At 0.61-inches thick it’s right on the RAZR’s tail for slimness, and though we don’t know the price yet, it’ll be in stores December 12th, so we’ll know soon enough." Read More...

Microsoft patch jams up Internet Explorer

2005-12-18T23:00:00.000+08:00

"Last Tuesday's 'critical' security fix for Internet Explorer is causing trouble for users who have been testing the new IE 7 browser.Microsoft has received 'scattered reports of users experiencing odd browser behavior' after installing the latest security update, Jeremy Dallman, project manager for Internet Explorer security at the company, wrote in a Friday posting to a corporate blog.

Three different problems have been reported: The browser could crash right after starting up; links may come up blank; or multiple windows may open when the browser is initiated, according to the posting." Read More....

Aplus.Net Introduces Search Engine Marketing tool

2005-12-18T17:47:00.000+08:00

HostReview.com: "Aplus.Net introduces search engine marketing tool to improve rankings for e-commerce customers. Leading web host and online marketing provider, Aplus.Net today announced the release of a new marketing tool, eCommerce Booster for Miva Merchant 5 shopping cart software. The key purpose of this tool is to provide Miva users with better website indexing capabilities for improving their natural search rankings with online search engines such as Google, Yahoo, and MSN."

The eCommerce Booster has several powerful features for improving search engine marketing. First of all, it enables the automatic insertion of Meta tags in the HTML pages generated by the Miva software. It also allows for the automated submission of the website to major search engines, and creation of a Google Sitemap specifically designed for online stores. These features make a website much easier to index for search engines like Google, which means more search engine marketing exposure for pages within the website.

The main benefit of the eCommerce Booster is that it allows store owners to better promote their stores by increasing rankings with various search engines. Better search results translate into more traffic and exposure, which ultimately mean a boost in e-sales. The tool can also be helpful in establishing the company’s brand on the Internet, since having a higher search engine position puts a company’s brand name in front of many more Internet users.

“We are very excited to present our customers with a powerful marketing tool like the eCommerce Booster,” comments John Martis, EVP of Operations at Aplus.Net. “We developed all aspects of this product in-house, and the reason we chose to focus on this type of tool is because online exposure is becoming increasingly vital for online businesses. Additional exposure can deliver immediate results for e-commerce customers, as search engine activity often has a direct relationship to sales.”

The eCommerce Booster is available free of charge for customers with ePro and Maxima hosting plans. Aplus.Net also offers other MIVA tools, including “Connectors.” The “Connectors” enable customers to integrate their MIVA-powered online storefronts into the listings of the most popular mass merchants and directories on the Internet, such as Amazon, Ebay, Shopping.com, and Google’s Froogle.

Superscape Mobile Games Roll Out on TMobile Network

2005-12-18T17:29:00.000+08:00

TelecomWeb: "Superscape Group plc (LSE: SPS) announces that two more of its mobile games are now available for consumers to download from the TMobile network in Europe. A number of the company's games have already been selected by TMobile in the USA."

The two new games available for TMobile customers in Europe are:
- Scuba Solitaire 3D - which takes the universal appeal of this one person card game and combines it with fantastic 3D graphic effects. The action takes place underwater with the impression that the game is being played on a glass bottom boat. Underwater creatures and breathtaking scenery surround the players in this twist on one of the world's most popular card games.

- AMF Xtreme Bowling 3D - fast-paced bowling from the number one name in the sport. The game features four levels of difficulty, multiple characters and four different lanes from which to choose. Players are able to compete in tournaments and post their highest scores.

These two new games join a number of Superscape titles which are already available for TMobile consumers including Evel Knievel 2D and 3D (licensed by Global Wireless Entertainment, Inc) and Independence Day 3D.

Commenting, Kevin Roberts, CEO, Superscape Group plc said: "I am delighted that we are now achieving substantial transatlantic coverage with TMobile. In the US, TMobile has selected Van Helsing together with Fight Club and Alien versus Predator."

About Superscape

Superscape is the world's leading publisher of 3D mobile games. The company was the first in the world to develop and launch international standard (JSR 184) compliant solutions for the delivery of innovative games on mass-market handsets. Superscape is quoted on the London Stock Exchange and has corporate offices in Hook, Hampshire (UK) and San Clemente, California (USA), together with development and production facilities in Moscow.

Google opens Gmail to cell phone access

2005-12-18T17:26:00.000+08:00

wireless.itworld.com - Google opens Gmail to cell phone access: "Google Inc. has opened up access to its Gmail free e-mail service to people using browsers in cell phones, the company said late Thursday. "

Gmail Mobile can be accessed from handsets offered by U.S. carriers including some from Nokia Corp., Motorola Inc., Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications AB, BenQ Mobile GmbH & Co. OHG, Sanyo Electric Co. Ltd., LG Electronics Inc. and Toshiba Corp. The service is accessed from http://m.gmail.com and a full list of compatible phones can be found at http://mail.google.com/support/bin/answer.py?answer=30596&topic=8303 .

Gmail can also be accessed via a conventional Web interface or an e-mail client.

On Thursday, the company also expanded its services for cell phone users in Japan with a localized version of the Google SMS service that is already offered in other countries. The Japanese service is accessed via cellular e-mail, not SMS, and users can run searches against Google's web, local or cellular Internet databases by sending a formatted message to g@google.jp. The service is free.

IPod as Business Training Tool?

2005-12-18T02:07:00.000+08:00

IPod as Business Training Tool?: "iPods in the workplace? Short of those who work in the entertainment industry, it's hard to imagine Apple's music and video player being on any IT manager's purchasing list, or an approved expense by a department manager."

But the hot-selling consumer device might start making business inroads if today's announcement by Trinity Workplace Learning is a sign of things to come.

Trinity said it will deliver training and education content on the iPod, as well as new services. The Dallas-based business-to-business provider of educational materials said it will also make services available for content providers to facilitate enabling their audio and video-based content to play on the iPod and other personal digital players.

The addition of iPod as a delivery mechanism is a natural extension of Trinity's product line, according to Mark Vevera, vice president of marketing and product management at the company. "It allows us to make on-demand personal player-based training an option to our more than 2 million end-users and further extends the reach for our library of digital training and education in the workplace," he said.

Vevera told internetnews.com that the first courses aren't likely to appear until the second quarter of 2006. The company specializes in industrial, security and health care-related video training. While its material is typically 15 to 30 minutes long, the company is considering shorter modules for iPod's small screen.

"I've been surprised there hasn't been more learning material out there for PDAs and media players," said Tim Bajarin, analyst with Creative Strategies. "You think of a product like the iPod as a digital entertainment Device, but it's also a great time-killer product for when you're standing in line at the DMV, the bank and so forth. Learning and mobile education is a nice fit there, it doesn't have to all be about entertainment."

Trinity typically offers customers an on-demand subscription service. For the iPod, Vevera said Trinity is considering a plan where it would offer companies a packaged solution, selling them a quantity of iPods and subscriptions to specific learning modules.

"We can, for example, offer a professional security officer a series of skills updates," said Vevera. "The other market is a lot of our customers already have iPods, so we can sell directly to them."

Computer decodes Mona Lisa's smile

2005-12-18T01:54:00.000+08:00

CNN.com - Computer decodes Mona Lisa's smile - Dec 16, 2005: "(CNN) -- Scientists analyzed the portrait of the Mona Lisa, a woman with famously mixed emotions, hoping to unlock her smile. They applied emotion recognition software that measures a person's mood by examining features such as the curve of the lips and the crinkles around the eyes."

The findings? Mona Lisa was 83 percent happy, 9 percent disgusted, 6 percent fearful, and 2 percent angry, according to the British weekly "New Scientist." Still, scientists will probably never know what made her feel the way she did. The computer software, developed by Nicu Sebe at the University of Amsterdam and researchers at the University of Illinois, examines key facial features, the journal reports.

Sebe loaded average, neutral expressions of female faces into a database, which the software used to compare the painting against, says the "New Scientist" Web site. Leonardo Da Vinci's masterpiece is housed at the Louvre, in Paris, France, and is the museum's top draw. The Mona Lisa -- called La Gioconda in Italian and La Joconde in French -- has captivated and mystified the art world for centuries.

The portrait was painted in Florence, Italy, between 1503 and 1506, according to the Louvre's Web site. Historians have long debated Mona Lisa's identity, with theories ranging from being Da Vinci's mother, a self-portrait or a Florentine prostitute. Research conducted in 2004 support a claim first made almost 500 years ago -- that she really existed and that she was the wife of a rich silk merchant. The Mona Lisa is featured in author Dan Brown's best-selling novel "The Da Vinci Code."

Apple Ipod : Mini Madness

2005-12-16T17:09:00.000+08:00

PlaylistMag: mini madness: By Christopher Breen

"My colleague over at MacCentral, Peter Cohen, recently reported that the iPod mini was going great guns on eBay, with sellers asking up to $400 for one of the little aluminized buggers.

While I don’t normally think in acronyms, a hearty WTF!? welled up from somewhere inside the gray matter. To regain some sense of reality, I ventured over to Amazon to see how minis fared there. Refurbs were going for $230 for the 4GB mini—$31 over the original retail price. One third-party seller had the chutzpah to demand $590 for a 4GB iPod mini. While I’d normally pass this off as an isolated incident of outlandish greed (P.T. Barnum would be proud of ye, lad), seeing the mini commanding these kinds of prices on both eBay and Amazon made me wonder if perhaps I was missing something. Is this simply a matter of the mini attaining some bizarre fetishistic status or is there some real value to the thing that compels people to buy one rather than the iPod nano?

In the hope of answering these questions I devote today’s entry to a comparison of the two. Grab some graph paper and follow along.

Capacity
The low-end mini and high-end nano hold the same 4GB of data. Originally the mini offered that 4GB for less money than the nano, as the 4GB mini once cost $199 and the 4GB nano costs $249. Given the mini’s current asking price, price per megabyte means nothing.

Capacity matters, however, for those with music collections that fall in the range of 1,000 - 1,500 tracks. The 6GB mini is up to the task, the most expensive nano tops out at approximately 1,000 songs. As I mentioned earlier this week, many people don’t require the 30- and 60GB of space offered by full-sized iPods. For them, a 6GB mini is a good compromise.

Score 1 for the mini.

Display
The nano could potentially lose ground here based on its tiny screen, but color means a lot. Small as the nano’s screen is, I find it cleaner and easier to read than the mini’s grayscale display.

Point for the nano.

Responsiveness
One advantage of flash memory over a hard drive is that it doesn’t need to do something mechanical (spin up, in this case) before you can use it. Overall the nano is far more responsive than the mini—moving from screen to screen, scrolling, waking from sleep.

Another nano point.

Features
Picture display: nano. Stopwatch: nano. Screen lock: nano.

nano again.

Battery life
In tests where you punch Play and walk away, the second-generation mini wipes the floor with the nano—offering 26 hours of constant playback versus the 14 hours managed by the nano.

mini gets its second point

Syncing support
Like all current iPods, the nano supports synching over USB only. The mini supports synching over both USB and FireWire. Those with older Macs that lack a USB 2.0 port have already made their views known about the lack of FireWire support on new iPods. If you’re one of these people, the mini is for you.

Give the mini a point.

Durability
There’s no doubt that the mini’s aluminum case can take more abuse than the plastic front and polished back of the nano without showing scratches. The mini is also far less likely to be destroyed than the nano if you put the iPod in your back pocket and sit down. A point for the mini. However, I’m far more confident that the no-moving-parts nano will survive a fall than will the mini with its spinning hard drive. Give that one to the nano.

Split.

Coolness
This one’s bound to be a split. Some prefer the “retro” (if you can say such a thing about a device that only recently went out of print) and colorful look of the mini. Others find the mini downright clunky when placed next to the nano.

1 point each.

Desire
So let’s see, I count 5 points for each iPod. The final factor is desire—how much you long for one iPod or the other, regardless of how irrational that longing may be. With the nano in ample supply there’s no need to panic—dig up the spare change to buy one, and it’s yours. The mini is going, going, gone and if you want yours in an unsullied state you can pay through the nose for it now or, perhaps, wait until the holiday furor dies down, settle for a used one, and pick it up on eBay for a hundred bucks.

Scoring? The nano gets nothing. If your desire can be satisfied only with a new mini, nothing I say in the nano’s favor is going to convince you. You’ve got a fever and the only cure is an iPod mini. For your sake, let’s give the mini a million points and have done with it. Enjoy your mini (or at least the shrink-wrapped box if obtaining it is nothing more than a collector’s obsession) and have a happy holiday".

Microsoft sued over patents

2005-12-16T12:25:00.000+08:00

Mobile email start-up Visto has sued Microsoft for allegedly infringing on three of its patents related to how information is handled between servers and handheld devices such as cellular phones.

The lawsuit, which seeks unspecified monetary damages and a permanent injunction to stop the infringement, was filed late on Wednesday - the same day Visto announced that NTP had acquired an equity stake in the start-up and signed a patent licensing deal.

Visto's allegations against Microsoft and its Windows Mobile 5.0 are similar to NTP's against Research In Motion, which now faces the possible shutdown of its popular BlackBerry messaging service in the United States.

"Windows Mobile 5.0 is an infringement of Visto's intellectual property of a technology that our firm created, patented and successfully sells on the market today," Visto chief executive Brian Bogosian said on Thursday.

Jack Evans, a Microsoft spokesman, said the company had not been served with the lawsuit as of Thursday morning.

"Until we have an opportunity to see and review this complaint, we're not in a position to comment on it," he said. "Microsoft stands behind its products and respects intellectual property rights."

As portable devices handle more email, Visto claims Microsoft is making matters worse by bundling its Windows Mobile operating system with its Exchange email server.

"This method of bundling software has led Microsoft to be prosecuted by competition authorities in the past, and in this case, potentially increases the rate and manner in which their infringement on Visto's patents occurs," the company said.

NTP's deal with Visto also could help it bolster its case against RIM as it can now say it is more than a company that just holds patents and litigates to enforce them. Under the agreement, Visto will have access to NTP's patent portfolio for the life of the patents.

"This is a clear win for mobile email users everywhere as it provides them with a viable alternative to RIM that protects them from any NTP litigation risk," Donald Stout, NTP's co-founder, said.

Visto, based in Redwood Shores, California, said its clients included Cingular, Sprint-Nextel, the Vodafone Group and Rogers Wireless. It has more than 300 employees and holds 25 patents.

The lawsuit was filed in the US District Court in Marshall, Texas.

Alexa opens up Web search database and API

2005-12-15T01:26:00.000+08:00

Article by Peter Sayer, IDG News Service, Paris Bureau

Alexa Internet Inc. is offering online computing capacity for US$1 an hour -- and throwing in access to the database of millions of Web pages that lurk behind its Alexa toolbar search service. Programmers who register for the beta version of Alexa Web Search Platform, released Tuesday, can use it to create specialized search engines for vertical markets, drawing results from the database of 4 billion Web pages crawled by Alexa, the company said. Alexa is a subsidiary of Amazon.com Inc.

Following in the footsteps of Google Inc., Alexa is opening up the API (application programming interface) to parts of its search engine, but going one better by offering to host applications that build on its database -- for a fee. Programmers remixing Google's search utilities must organize their own application hosting.

Alexa Web Search Platform gives programmers a way to specify a subset of documents from the archive, develop an application to search those documents, and publish the results as an XML (Extensible Markup Language) feed or a specialized search engine. The results returned can include simple text or HTML (Hypertext Markup Language) documents, or graphics, audio or video files.

As an example of how to use the service, Alexa has built a photo search engine at http://photos.alexa.com/ that allows visitors to refine their search for photographs according to technical details such as the size of the image, the make and model of camera it was taken with, and even the aperture setting used.

While the photo search engine shows how the platform can be used to build a live service, a one-off search of the database content can also be used to seed another service. That's how Rainer Typke, a researcher at the University of Utrecht in the Netherlands, used the platform to expand his searchable melody directory.

Typke used the platform to extract around 1,000 MIDI files from Alexa's database, converted them to a monophonic form and stored them on his own server to make them easier to search. Musipedia doesn't use Alexa for its live search service, Typke said in an e-mail response to questions. Using the Alexa computer cluster, Typke plans to identify hundreds of thousands of MIDI files in the database and process them using an algorithm that extracts their characteristic melody. Those melody files will be used to expand the Musipedia directory. Later, he hopes to be able to process files containing audio recordings in the same way.

"For the more computationally expensive preprocessing that would be required, especially by audio, Alexa's fast and large computers will come in handy," he said.

Alexa will charge for hosting applications that use the platform. The charges include $1 per processor per hour for computing capacity, $1 a year for 1G-byte of storage, $1 per 50G-bytes of data processed by the system, $1 per gigabyte of data transferred into or out of the system, and $1 for every 4,000 search requests the system responds to from published search engines using the service.

Typke expects the pricing will "be okay for people like me," he said. He's identified a number of ways to control the cost of his melody search, including updating the core data less frequently, or restricting the search to a smaller subset of Alexa's total data.

"I still need to get a feeling for how much I can do with one hour of computing power," he said. "Getting the 1,000 files for the prototype took just minutes."

The API is designed for the C programming language. It can be used to build "Web services" which can be integrated into other systems or published through Amazon.com's Web services platform, Alexa said.

ITWorld

Bluetooth Set To Unify Wireless

2005-12-14T15:38:00.000+08:00

The Bluetooth Special Interest Group said in May that it would incorporate the UWB specifications in a future version of the standard. Wi-Fi, for instance, could benefit from a Bluetooth technology dubbed Adaptive Frequency Hopping that enables a device to switch to different frequencies to avoid interference.

The Bluetooth Special Interest Group is planning to cooperate more closely with the Wi-Fi, Ultra-Wideband (UWB) and Near Field Communications (NFC) wireless standards. The initiative seeks to combine technologies, functionalities and user interfaces to make them more straightforward for end users.

Bluetooth is used mainly for short-range wireless networks, and has a prime application in connecting wireless headsets to mobile phones, while Wi-Fi is the standard in wireless networking for laptops and home networks.

Near Field Communications (NFC) is a less common technology sending a signal over a distance of just a few centimeters. UWB is an emerging standard commonly referred to as "wireless USB" for its ability to transmit large amounts of data over a distance of up to 10 meters. These characteristics make the technology suitable for replacing USB cables to devices including printers.

The Bluetooth Special Interest Group said in May that it would incorporate the UWB specifications in a future version of the standard. Wi-Fi, for instance, could benefit from a Bluetooth technology dubbed Adaptive Frequency Hopping that enables a device to switch to different frequencies to avoid interference.

Meanwhile Bluetooth could make use of a pairing technology pioneered by the NFC standard developers, where two devices can be paired simply by holding them close to each other.

Pairing allows the user to establish a trusted connection between two devices, for instance allowing a wireless headset to receive a phone conversation or coupling a wireless keyboard to the right computer. Bluetooth currently requires a custom password to pair devices, which some in the industry consider to be overly complicated.

Notebook Computer : Reality Check

2005-12-14T01:35:00.000+08:00

Bear these thoughts in mind when buying and using notebook computer or PCs.

Consider the travel weight. Compare travel weights, not system weights. That's the notebook (system weight) plus transformer (typically 0.75 pounds). For one-drive systems, add an expansion slice for the optical drive (2 to 3 pounds). If the vendor quoted the weight with a weight-saver bezel (translation: a blank plate in place of the optical drive) you may have to add the weight of an internal CD or DVD drive (0.5 pounds).

Don't get hung up on small weight differences. What really counts is the total weight of the bag you sling over your shoulder. On its own, a 5-pound notebook with a nice screen and two drives weighs 25 percent more than a 4-pound system with a smaller screen, smaller keys, and no DVD drive. But notebook bags weigh 2 to 5 pounds and all your other stuff (transformer, cell phone, music player, paper documents, and paperback novel) adds 2 to (gulp) 10 pounds. A heavier notebook might add an additional pound to the bag's overall weight, but when everything weighs 10 pounds is that extra pound really worth worrying about?

Why 3.5-pound subnotebooks weigh more than 5-pound thin-and-lights. Before you spring for that svelte one-drive subnotebook with a smaller display and keyboard, consider how you normally travel. If you need the optical drive more than occasionally, your real walking weight will be 3.5 pounds for the notebook computer, plus 2.5 pounds for the modular slice that contains the optical drive for a grand total of 6 pounds.

Small notebook, smaller battery. Manufacturers sometimes keep weight down on subnotebooks by shipping with four-cell batteries that are good for just 2 to 3 hours of power. Serious users will need to add a second battery that mounts underneath or a replacement main battery that sticks out the back.

Fitted cases don't always fit. A glove-like case for a subnotebook won't fit if you add the expansion slice or an extended-length battery. If you're moving up to a 15- or 16-inch display notebook, your current case may not hold it.

Bigger equals more rugged. A small system with tightly integrated components is somewhat more likely to break in a fall than a bulkier unit where there's room for extra bracing. Conversely, the smaller the LCD, the less likely it is to break.

Midlife battery crisis. Batteries don't last forever. A frequently used 2- or 3-year-old notebook may be due for a new battery (usually $100 to $150).

Nonstandard connectors. An ultraportable notebook may need an adapter or port expander if you want to connect accessories, such as a printer or scanner. The weight increase is marginal, but there's always the fear factor: Did you remember to pack the adapter for the important business trip?

Think about the extended warranty. An extended warranty is a moneymaker for the seller. For individual buyers, there is the comfort of knowing that if the notebook computer breaks, especially early in life, the store may just hand you a new one.

Think twice about hi-res. Higher resolution is generally better, except when you try to read the fonts. Users with imperfect eyesight may want to stick with XGA (1024-by-768) resolution rather than SXGA+ (1400-by-1050)–fonts display 33 percent larger.

You'll want two transformers. Then you can have one at home and one at the office. One of the two can be a multi-product charger (from Targus or iGo) that also handles PDAs and cell phones. They cost between $75 and $100.

Repost from PCMag - Laptops: The Essential Buying Guide

Laptop ergonomics

2005-12-13T21:58:00.000+08:00

Article by Franklin N. Tessler
Repost from MacWorld

For years, using a laptop meant putting up with an undersized screen, a puny hard drive, and an anemic processor. Not anymore. Today’s PowerBooks and iBooks are powerful enough to be used as everyday computers. But they lag far behind desktop computers when it comes to ergonomics. For example, you can’t position a laptop’s display and keyboard separately to reduce your risk of neck or wrist injury. Trackpads and other integrated pointing devices compound the problem by requiring that designers position the keyboard away from the laptop’s edge, making the keys hard to reach without using the laptop’s built-in wrist rest. And if you’re not careful, the sharp edge on the front of newer PowerBooks can put even more pressure on the nerves, blood vessels, and tendons in your wrists.

Beyond these fundamental design flaws, the simple fact that laptops are portable can exacerbate their ergonomic hazards. Thanks to improved batteries and ubiquitous Wi-Fi connectivity, road warriors often end up working in places that make the average cubicle seem like ergonomic heaven. Here’s some advice for minimizing all these dangers in the places most of us use our laptops: on desks, as desktop replacements; in the cramped confines of an airplane seat; and pretty much anywhere else, from a hotel bed to your neighborhood coffeehouse.

Desktop replacement

Even if you use your iBook or PowerBook only at a desk, a laptop’s clamshell design is an ergonomic compromise. Place the computer on a stand to lift the monitor to the recommended height, and the keyboard will be way too high. Put the keyboard on your desktop where it belongs, and you’ll have to flex your neck to see the screen. So if your laptop doubles as your desktop Mac, consider getting a separate monitor or an add-on pointing device and keyboard.

Because monitors are much more expensive than keyboards or mice, you’ll save money by using the laptop’s LCD. To put it in the correct position relative to your head, elevate the computer so the top of the screen is at eye level, using a laptop stand such as Griffin Technology’s iCurve ($40). (Click here for more on laptop stands. If your laptop’s screen is smaller than 15 inches, however, a 17-inch or larger desktop LCD or CRT may be worth the investment, especially if your vision is less than perfect.)

Whether or not you use a stand, you can overcome the limitations of the computer’s built-in keyboard and trackpad by buying plug-in replacements. USB-equipped PowerBooks and iBooks support a wide selection of mice, trackballs, and keyboards that run the gamut from conventional to exotic; choosing one is largely a matter of personal preference. While you’re shopping, be wary of claims of ergonomic superiority. The only way to tell whether you’ll like a particular input device is by using it for a while, so shop at a store or an online vendor that has a return policy. If you routinely use a desktop Mac at another location, consider getting the same kind of keyboard and mouse for both so it’ll be easier to switch back and forth.

No matter what kind of keyboard and pointing device you use, make sure they’re positioned so that you can keep your back upright and your forearms and wrists straight when you’re typing and mousing, and that you don’t have to reach too far to use the pointing device.

Up in the air

PowerBooks and iBooks let you turn wasted hours into productive work when you’re flying. But unless you’re fortunate enough to own a private jet or can afford to always fly in first or business class, working on a PowerBook or an iBook at 36,000 feet can be challenging. For starters, you’ll probably have to make do with the laptop’s built-in keyboard and display. That means you need to decide whether to optimize your laptop’s position for typing or for reading.

If your in-flight work includes heavy-duty typing, try to situate the laptop so you can keep your wrists straight and your elbows at a 90-degree angle. Depending on your height, that may mean putting your computer in your lap. If you primarily need to look at the screen, elevate the laptop by putting it on a stack of magazines on the tray table. Alas, neither position offers much room for a separate pointing device, although you may be able to perch a trackball on a wide armrest.

A window seat has many advantages when you’re flying with a laptop during the day. If you’re in control of the window shade, you can close it to reduce direct sunlight and reflections on your screen. And the darker your surroundings are, the more you can dim the computer’s backlight, saving precious battery life. (You also won’t have to worry about spilling soda on the keyboard when you’re passing a drink to your neighbor while bouncing around in turbulence.) But don’t turn the brightness down so low that you can’t read the screen comfortably, and do make sure to bring along a spare, fully charged battery in case the first runs out.

Whenever you’re using a laptop on a plane, don’t forget to take frequent breaks. Get up and walk around if you can; if you’re stuck in your seat, at least move your feet up and down to get the blood in your legs flowing. To avoid eyestrain, look away from the display or close your eyes periodically.

Casual use

Whether you’re doing late-night Web surfing in your hotel room or checking your e-mail at a café, laptops encourage bad ergonomic habits. Even the book in iBook and PowerBook suggests that it’s OK to curl up with a laptop the way you can with a paperback or a magazine.

All the ergonomic guidelines that apply to desktop computers—keeping your back, forearms, and wrists straight and putting the top of the monitor at eye level, for example—also apply to portables, but they’re harder to follow. If you’re planning to use your computer for more than a few minutes, resist the temptation to work without back support. No matter where you are, you can usually find a straight-backed chair or other seat. Most hotels that cater to business travelers provide desks with power outlets and broadband Internet access.

If you must work in bed, sit with your back against the headboard or wall, and place a pillow under your knees. Above all, avoid placing the laptop in a position that forces you to swivel or bend your neck to the side to see the screen. Stands like Rain Design’s iLap ($50 to $70, depending on size) or the new edgeBlur surface ($144 to $149) can help by supporting the computer and insulating it to keep you cool.

Pay attention to ambient lighting when you’re deciding where to work. If you have a choice, pick a spot in which neither you nor the computer screen is directly facing a bright window, and turn off lights that could reflect on the screen. You also may reduce your risk of injury by adjusting the room temperature to your comfort zone and not sitting in a direct draft.

Future laptops

If trends in the rest of the industry are any indication, laptops will account for an ever increasing share of Apple’s overall computer sales, especially after Intel-based Mac laptops debut. Eventually, Apple may respond to ergonomic deficiencies in current laptops by designing modular computers with detachable screens, keyboards, and pointing devices, all connected wirelessly. Until then, following these tips will help you stay safe when you’re using your iBook or PowerBook.

Carrying in comfort

Don’t neglect ergonomics when you’re toting your computer around. Even the smallest Apple laptops weigh almost five pounds; throw an extra battery, a power adapter, a cell phone, and other digital gear into your bag, and you could be lugging close to ten pounds on your shoulder. Choose a bag with a wide, padded strap to distribute the weight, and switch sides often. If you do a lot of traveling with your laptop, consider a rolling case, but make sure that the pop-up handle is long enough that you don’t have to crouch to reach it. Backpacks are a good choice if you don’t need to reach inside too often.

[Franklin N. Tessler is a radiologist and longtime Macworld contributor. He has been writing about computer ergonomics since 1994.]

Desktop Buying Guide

2005-12-10T03:54:00.000+08:00

This new entry will provide you a guideline for buying desktops. This article was published by ZDNet. First rule that you must remember is "fine the specs that are just right". Hopefully this article could give some tips or ideas before making any decisions for buying desktop.

Find The Specs That Are Just Right

Like most consumers, you probably have an idea of how much you want to spend on a desktop. But how do you ensure that you get exactly what you need? The different shapes and sizes, wide range of configurations, and seemingly constant arrival of new and faster processors all make for a difficult decision. To help you find the right mix, we've outlined five common user types which are Family, Student, Power user, Couch potato and Business user.

Family

Although a PC can play many roles in the home, most families will be best served by a mainstream model. Spending around $1,500 (add a couple hundred dollars if you want an LCD instead of a CRT display) will net you enough power to quickly run productivity apps, view and edit vacation photos, manage MP3s, and even play many of today's games. Be sure to add a DVD burner and a large hard drive if you have a DV camcorder.

Key Features:
* Pentium 4 or Athlon 64 processor two or three rungs down from the fastest model
* 512MB of DDR memory
* 120GB or 160GB hard drive
* 128MB budget or midrange graphics card from ATI or Nvidia
* CD burner and--in many cases--a DVD-recordable drive
* 17-inch CRT or 15- or 17-inch LCD
* 2-piece or 2.1 speaker set
* Windows XP Home
* Microsoft Works Suite

Student

With college costing what it does, price is of primary concern for students and parents already footing the bill for tuition, book (and beer) money, and a PC. More students are turning to notebooks for taking notes in class and writing papers in the quad, but a desktop is still a common sight in dorms. Unless you're on the seven-year plan, a budget system should have sufficient performance and features to get you from orientation to graduation.

Key Features:
* Fast Intel Celeron D or midrange Pentium 4 or AMD Athlon XP or midrange Athlon 64 processor
* 512MB of DDR memory
* 80GB or 120GB hard drive
* 128MB graphics card from ATI or Nvidia
* CD-RW drive
* 17-inch CRT or 15-inch LCD
* 2-piece or 2.1 speaker set
* 10/100 Ethernet port for plugging into the campus network
* Windows XP Home
* Microsoft Works Suite

Power User

Serious gaming, graphic design, and video editing all require a high-class PC with an equally high price tag. Look for a fast processor, lots of speedy memory, and a top-notch graphics card (or two). If you plan to transfer and edit home movies, you'll also need a massive hard drive, a FireWire port, and a DVD burner.

Key Features:
* Intel Pentium 4 Extreme Edition, Pentium Processor Extreme Edition 840, or AMD Athlon 64 FX processor
* 1GB of DDR400 SDRAM (PC3200)
* 200GB or larger hard drive(s)
* 256MB graphics card from ATI or Nvidia, or two Nvidia graphics cards in SLI mode
* DVD-recordable drive
* 19- to 22-inch CRT or 18- to 21-inch LCD
* 5.1, 6.1, or 7.1 surround-sound speaker system
* Windows XP Pro
* Microsoft Office, DVD-authoring program, free game bundle

Couch Potato

Like your entertainment to be more passive than interactive? Then you are a candidate for a Media Center PC. You'll get a fully functional PC that can moonlight as a TV and a digital video recorder. New models with compact or all-in-one designs are great for small apartments and dorm rooms. And the software and the remote let you control entertainment features without getting off the couch.

Key Features:
* High-end (not necessarily the highest) Pentium 4 or Athlon 64 processor
* 512MB of DDR memory
* 200GB to 400GB hard drive(s)
* 128MB or 256MB graphics card from ATI or Nvidia
* TV tuner card (or ATI All-in-Wonder graphics card)
* DVD-recordable drive
* 17- to 21-inch LCD, or connect to your primary television
* Wireless keyboard and mouse
* Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 Media Extender

Business User

Graphics are less of a concern for most businesses. You'll want a system with enough power for multitasking your daily office chores, and the money you save on the graphics you can put toward a flat-panel display and a better warranty.

Key Features:
* Midrange Intel Pentium 4 or AMD Athlon 64 processor
* 512MB of DDR memory
* 60GB or 80GB hard drive
* CD-RW drive
* Integrated graphics
* 17-inch LCD
* Windows XP Pro
* Microsoft Office or Works

Article by CNet Editor
Report from ZDNet

Creative adds Vision to the Zen player mix

2005-12-09T12:50:00.000+08:00

Creative's Zen family of MP3 players has expanded to include a new member: the video-enabled Zen Vision:M. Sporting a colour screen and up to 30GB of storage, it is billed as a video player, photo viewer and MP3 player, and represents Creative's latest attempt to undermine Apple's iPod dominance.

Creative claims that the rechargeable battery provides up to 15 hours of music playback and four hours of video playback, with video format supported including MPEG-2, MPEG-4 Simple Profile formats (such as Xvid), WMV, and MJPEG. There is also a TV-Out capability.

Other features include an FM radio, support for slideshows set to music, content password protection, customisable themes and an Organizer that provides calendar, tasks and contact lists and which syncs with Microsoft's Outlook.

'When people see the Zen Vision:M, they tell us it's incredibly cool,' said chairman and CEO of Creative, Sim Wong Hoo. 'We designed the Zen Vision:M with its mesmerising 262K colour screen to display four times the colour of competing portable video players, and to provide incredible battery life for video playback.'

With a reference to the iPod's vice-like integration with the iTunes Music Store and the iTunes Music Store only, he also stated: 'We offer people the freedom to choose their video in a variety of different formats, and to get subscription music or download tracks from a number of different sites on their player.'

Available in available in black, white, blue, green or pink, the optional accessories include a docking station and the AV-out cable. Prices have yet to be confirmed, but a Creative spokesperson expected pricing in the £200-250 range. The Zen Vision:M should be available in shops this month.

Article by Alun Williams
Repost from PC Pro

How to earn money from Internet?? Looking for books??

2005-12-08T16:03:00.000+08:00

Are you ever heard about Google Adsence or know how to make money online? Internet has become another source for generating income. Without any degree in marketing or business, a thousand of people make thousand of money everyday. Affiliates program, online advertisement or even referral program has capture users interests. Without advertising, the internet would be nothing. This is the sole reason the internet has grown to the size that it is today (money-hits.com). There are a lot of books available in the market provide steps or knowledge about generating money online such as Google Cash and Google Profit. Below are articles that review this two books.

What is the Deal with Google Cash?
Article by Mark Davies
Repost from ezinearticles.com

Google Cash - is an 87 page ebook by Chris Carpenter. It can help you transform your life by utilizing the power of Google's distribution network for your own personal profit. You don't need to be an online expert. PLUS You don't need to have lots of money to start. You can begin with $10 and 2 hours/week of work. You can start making money in less than 15 minutes (that's what the Author claims, actually it took me 6 hours!).

One of the best things about the program is you don't even need to have a product to sell. What you do need is a computer connected to the Internet. You'll be able to turn my system into your own private cash machine$$. Earn hundreds of dollars a week to start!! The program only requires a few hours of real work and then a minimum amount of work each week to keep it PROFITIBLE! What Google Cash Does: Google Cash teaches you how to find the highest profit margin affiliate programs with little competition.

In addition to helping you find these profitable niches, Chris also shows you how to: find the cheapest distribution, find the best affiliate programs and write compelling ads while you sleep! Learn how to setup, run, maintain, and track your Google AdWords Campaigns. Also included is the 20 tips for successful Google AdWords Campaigns. As well as a detailed Breakdown of several Profitable Google Campaigns! Google Cash is written in a manner that should work for anybody with half a brain!, even those who know only a little about the internet or marketing. This book is the guide to using Google Adsense with affiliate networks like Clickbank, it offers very detailed instructions on how to set things up and how the system works. Google cash is great program that really works! If you want to change your lifestyle by being able to work from home then I highly recommend it!! It really works! It is one of those rare programs that you can utilize to make a living online!

Mark Davies the owner of Bets Internet Businesses Review com the #1 site for reviews of INTERNET BUSINESSES THAT REALLY MAKE MONEY. Mark has been reviewing internet businesses for over 5 years and has over 8 years of experience selling and marketing products on the internet.

Google Profits: It's Not Just A Google Cash Rehash
Article by K. Wimberly
Repost from ezinearticles.com

Google Profits by Wade M. Winger (edited by Denise Blankenship) is an online business related ebook centered around earning money through Google AdWords and ClickBank affiliate products.The book is geared to those who are new to online or affiliate marketing and can even be of great value to intermediate affiliate marketers. Google Profits explains, in plain English, what an affiliate program, Pay Per Click advertising, ClickBank, and Google AdWords are and why the latter two are the focus of the ebook.Google Profits continues by explaining how to select affiliate products from ClickBank to market using the 5 step success formula.

Find a product

Set up an advertising campaign

Identify profitable campaigns

Start a full campaign

Expand (make more money)

Each step has supporting information separated into two parts: Information and Action. The information section gives an overview of the step and why it’s important. The action step outlines exactly what you need to should do using the information provided.

Google Profits is written for the layman, complete with a step by step walk through and screen shots. While the language wasn’t completely elementary, it didn’t contain an overabundance of technical or ‘buzz’ words. The paragraphs were of a manageable length and the size of the font when printed made for comfortable reading.This is an ideal book for those just starting out online or even intermediate online marketers who have been shying away from using Google’s AdWords program because it seemed too complicated or time consuming. I actually felt pumped up and eager to get started before I even arrived at the first ‘Action’ section, but I wanted to read it through once for comprehension before starting.

If you truly want to get started online with affiliate marketing, it doesn’t get any easier than Google Profits, but make sure you have at least $100 to build up some momentum. Once you’ve established yourself in the black, then take some of that profit and reinvest in to build up a stable monthly income. If you wish to truly expand and build a business out of affiliate marketing, I’d recommend purchasing Rosalind Gardner’s Super Affiliate Handbook to expound on the Google Profits Success Techniques. At the end of the day, I give Google Profits 4 out of 5 stars.

Sony CDs in second hacker blow

2005-12-08T11:37:00.000+08:00

For the second time in two months, Sony BMG has been forced to admit that software embedded into millions of its music CDs can leave users' computers vulnerable to attack from malicious hackers. The software, which is automatically installed on to a customer's computer when they play one of Sony's CD on it, is designed to protect the company's copyright and prevent bootleg copies of tracks being made.

However, according to the Electronic Frontier Foundation, the internet rights group, the most recent CD software "could allow malicious third parties … to gain control over a consumer's computer running the Windows operating system". The company has been fiercely criticised by internet watchdogs for potentially placing millions of people at risk from online crimes such as identity theft.

Sony has added the software to more than 80 of its titles, for artists ranging from Britney Spears to Billie Holiday. Millions of CDs have had to be recalled from shops, in the midst of the busy pre-Christmas shopping period.The problem applies to CDs marketed in the United States and Canada, although it is possible that export copies have made their way to British shops. For a guide on how to identify affected CDs, click here.

Sony told Times Online that CDs manufactured for the UK market are not affected. They are best identified by having "Manufactured in the EU" on the back. However, the company has no way of tracking imported CDs that carry the software. The latest warning is the second similar setback for the group in its battle against copyright abuse. Last month, Sony was forced to withdraw millions of CDs from sale after a blogger discovered the record label was infecting users' computers with another type of "spyware", which also left PCs vulnerable to hackers and damaged them when it was removed.

Mark Russinovich uncovered the Sony software, designed to secretly protect its copyright, on his blog, sysinternals.com . The American Government, Microsoft and several anti-virus companies issued warnings following Mr Russinovich's report. Sony now faces several legal cases in America after being critcised for not telling customers about the spyware programme – known as a "rootkit" – earlier. Rootkits are often used by hackers to hide viruses on hard drives and several virus writers had begun distributing malicious codes that took advantage of the Sony security flaw.

On the latest security issue, Kurt Opsahl, an EFF lawyer, said: "We're pleased that Sony BMG responded quickly and responsibly when we drew their attention to this security problem. Consumers should take immediate steps to protect their computers."

Sony has said it will run an online advertising campaign to warn of the dangers posed by the CDs and where to find security patches to protect computers. Music companies were hit by an explosion of digital piracy after sites such as KaZaA and Napster enabled people to share their music collections with each other. The music companies' revenues slumped as users turned to the web for free music.

Bruce Schneier, a security expert who runs schneier.com, said the real question was how many other such programs were already being used. What happens the "next time some multinational company decides that owning your computers is a good idea?" he said.

Article by Rhys Blakely.
Repost from TIMESOnline.

eBusiness Solutions - Why Your Small Business Needs One

2005-12-07T02:54:00.000+08:00

The rapid growth of the internet commerce in recent years presents established small businesses with a serious dilemma. On the one hand you can stick with the business model that has worked for the last number of years. On the other hand, you can make the shift to serious eBusiness.

Choosing to stand pat is usually much easier in the short term. But in the longer term this almost certainly means you will be left behind by technology, and lose many of your most important clients to more aggressive competitors.

But shifting to eBusiness may involve committing substantial resources to developing a new game plan. That usually means refining product lines to make them easier to sell online, upgrading computer systems and websites, and training personnel at all levels to be more web savvy. It also means developing or hiring staff to handle the administration of new marketing, sales, and delivery systems, and working with outside consultants and service providers to handle the technical aspects of the new program that cannot be handled by your own people.

Is adopting an eBusiness Solution worth the effort?

Are the short term difficulties involved in making the transition to eBusiness worth the effort?

In virtually all cases, Yes.

It is like any other investment in your business. Some businesses look at the cost of upgrading production equipment or of renovating their office or retail space and decide it is simply not worth the cost. They decide the future is too uncertain to risk moving ahead, so they opt to tread water until either circumstances change, or they simply cannot continue any longer in business.

In this sense, choosing to stay abreast of technological changes is a business necessity. And these days deciding to get involved with eBusiness is the most important technological decision many current businesses will ever make.

Advantages of eBusiness

You can develop a more cost effective Communication and Marketing Strategy - The most obvious advantage of "upgrading" to eBusiness is that it gives you a vital web presence. In an upgraded "eBusiness environment" your company web site becomes the focal point of your communications and marketing strategy. And in an era when an increasingly large number of people are using the web as their first source of product and service information, "being there" 24/7 is extremely important.

You can reach New Markets World Wide - The internet offers exciting ways of reaching new markets that could only be dreamed of in the past. There are methods of promoting your products online that allow you to precisely target the customers you are after whether they are in your town or on the other side of the world.

You can reach Local Customers and Prospects more effectively - Until recently, companies offering a product or service to local customers could not see the benefits of having an online presence. But as more and more people become comfortable with using the internet instead of traditional advertising sources like classified ads or yellow pages, having an aggressive web presence makes better business sense even for local companies. This may also offer a springboard to developing new markets further afield.

You can cut Advertising and Marketing Costs - Online advertising is not only more efficient, but it is often less expensive than traditional advertising. After sales training expenses can also be reduced by utilizing online seminars, training videos and tutorials.

You can streamline the Ordering Process by taking orders online - Implementing an online ordering system allows you to eliminate manual paper work or telephone order taking. It also offers the possibility of integrating your sales order system with order fullfillment and delivery so customers can be up to speed on the progress of their orders at all times.

You can cut Communications and Telephone Costs - While the costs of voice communications using long distance telephone services have been coming down rapidly over the last few years, switching to an eBusiness model offers the possibility of totally eliminating many of these costs. Of course there is traditional email. But beyond that there are systems like "Live Help" where customers can chat live with support or sales staff. And the most recent development is VoIP (Voice Over Internet) which promises to completely revolutionize telephone service.

Article by Rick Hendershot
Report from ezinearticles.com

SAP Chalks out 2006 Road Map

2005-12-06T18:59:00.000+08:00

Web applications tool NetWeaver and xApps will be the next push for the enterprise software company in 2006.
December 5, 2005

German software giant SAP on Monday detailed its road map for the next year, emphasizing the importance of transforming its technology platform NetWeaver from a tool for building web applications to a tool for combining them. In a keynote speech to a gathering of industry analysts in Las Vegas, Shai Agassi, president of SAP’s product and technology group, said the company’s platform would usher in the next wave of web services.

Mr. Agassi called this next phase in business applications “enterprise 3.0,” which emerges after the mainframe, client/server, and Internet periods. Shares of SAP closed down $0.04 to $45.55.

Launched by SAP in 2004, NetWeaver is an application builder platform for integrating business processes across various systems, databases, and sources. It is the technological foundation for all SAP products. SAP’s new push for the NetWeaver network is called xApps, or composite applications, which bring enterprise processes such as customer relationship management into a user’s native environment.

Heavyweight Partners

For example, SAP announced a partnership with Microsoft earlier this year to develop Mendocino, software that will allow customers to integrate Microsoft Office products into SAP’s enterprise applications (see Microsoft, SAP Link Products). SAP’s goal is to build an “ecosystem” of customers, partners, and ISVs (independent software vendors) around the NetWeaver platform to create a suite of applications that will become a one-stop shop for customers.

The Walldorf, Germany-based company has partnered with over 30 industry heavyweights to build composite applications that will integrate partners’ offerings with SAP’s software products. These partners include IBM, Computer Associates, Intel, Cisco Systems, and Symantec.

“We believe that customers want to buy suites because they want to solve end-to-end problems,” said Mr. Agassi. The company, which is trying to fend off competition from its largest rival Oracle and Oracle’s upcoming Fusion platform, has been criticized in the past for not being partner-friendly and collaborative, a process that has now become important if SAP wants to create a NetWeaver ecosystem of partners. Realizing this, the company has developed an aggressive partner strategy in the last two years (see SAP Allies with Tech Giants).

“We are not religious at all in any of these battles, so we made partnerships with Microsoft to create Mendocino, and also with Adobe,” said Mr. Agassi.

One SAP partner that made a presentation in Las Vegas was Ariba, a spend management software company that helps companies analyze their purchasing, and managing their supplier networks. Although it is also a SAP competitor, Ariba has partnered with SAP to integrate its suite of applications with Ariba’s supplier network so other SAP customers can access Ariba’s products.

“We think an integration approach is the only way to give value to our customers,” said Bob Solomon, senior vice president of Ariba.

Progress Report

SAP executives also gave industry analysts a progress report on the implementation of the NetWeaver platform. SAP’s xApps composite applications now have more than 500 customers. In addition, 2,000 customers are now implementing the NetWeaver platform, which was launched in the third quarter of 2004. In terms of financial results, SAP executives said the company is way ahead of its closest competitor, Oracle, with a 60 percent market share in new license revenues compared with its Redwood Shores, California-based rival’s 24 percent (see SAP ‘Outpaces’ Oracle).

SAP executives said Oracle’s market share declined after its PeopleSoft and Siebel acquisitions. However, SAP’s main challenge now is to convince its customers to switch to a new platform after the hundreds of millions of dollars they have already spent on legacy systems, said Hadley Reynolds, an analyst with the Delphi Group. Implementation of the new ecosystem and making sure it works will be another hurdle, he added.

Article by Red Herring

Chicago man sues Microsoft over Xbox 360 issues

2005-12-06T18:50:00.000+08:00

Class action lawsuit filed in Illinois federal court

After several reports of overheating issues with the Xbox 360, one consumer has accused Microsoft of releasing the machine with systematic defects in the development and manufacturing process.

In a class action lawsuit filed against the Redmond giant at the Illinois federal court, Robert Buyers of Chicago is seeking undisclosed damages, court costs and a recall of the newly launched console. It is unclear at this stage how many other consumers have joined Byers in the action.

Reports of overheating issues in the power supply and central processor unit began to surface shortly after the console's US launch on November 22nd, and were quickly dismissed at the time by Microsoft. The company stated that the number of complaints related to a "very, very small fraction of the total shipment," adding that Microsoft had received "a few isolated reports of consoles not working as expected."

While the number of incidents relating to overheating and game freezing issues appears to be relatively small, the true cause remains somewhat of a mystery. Microsoft previously declined to comment on whether or not the PSU unit was at fault, telling our sister site Eurogamer: "Because Xbox 360 has three powerful processing cores, customers may notice that it runs a bit warmer than other game consoles, but this heat output is well within the acceptable and safe range for a CE device of this type and has passed all applicable safety certifications."

"There is no systemic issue with Xbox 360. Each incident is unique and these customer enquiries are being handled on a case-by-case basis," Microsoft representatives added.

Article by Paul Loughrey 09:53 06/12/2005
Game Industry

RFID - Radio Frequency Identification

2005-12-05T20:13:00.000+08:00

The automatic identification and data capture has become a phenomenon to the business industry. During my research for my final project, I had found a few articles that really interesting to be share like below. Feel free to read!!

RFID Tags to Identify and Track Players
Submitted by Anonymous on Mon, 2005-12-05 00:19.

Negone uses Sokymat 13.56 MHz RFID tags to identify and track the players inside the 4000 square building. Spanish high-tech entertainment company Negone is using RFID transponders for a revolutionary facility which recently opened in Madrid.

Negone 2 “La fuga” (the breakout) is a completely new entertainment concept combining both real and virtual experiences in which players have to solve quizzes and overcome obstacles in order to escape from “Mazzinia,” a futuristic high security prison.

Negone uses Sokymat 13.56 MHz RFID tags to identify and track the players inside the 4000 square meter fully-decorated building. The system consists of a network of 200 readers and control units. All identification points are connected by means of a CAN bus that makes it possible to collect data from players, activate doors and lights and also to verify the proper operation of every device in the network. The Sokymat transponders are embedded in the wrist wearable PDAs given to each player.

RFID is just one of technologies used in the game. There are also wearable PDAs custom-made for Negone 2, IR positioning systems and a powerful software application capable of generating a different game for each player.

TechNews

Researcher: IE Flaw Allows Data Theft

2005-12-05T19:16:00.000+08:00

A security researcher has published information showing that a previously unknown design flaw in Microsoft's Internet Explorer could be used by malicious Web sites to steal sensitive information from IE users' computers.

Israeli hacker Matan Gillon says he's discovered that an unpatched security hole in IE could allow a Web site to see files on the visitor's computer that store data about the user's relationship with other Web sites.

In a detailed analysis published on his Web site, Gillon demonstrates how the hack could be leveraged to steal data on the victim's machine indexed by Google Desktop Search, a free program that allows users to quickly find a variety of files on their computers. The problem is not with Google's software, which contains several built-in security measures to ensure that data cached by its software cannot be read by anyone other than the user.

Gillon's research shows that if an IE user is already logged on to a Web-based service -- such as Gmail or Hotmail, for example -- a malicious Web page could execute certain operations in the user's account, such as opening e-mails and relaying them back to the site's owner for remote viewing.

"This discovery has implications that go far beyond the Google trick," said Tom Liston, a senior analyst for Intelguardians, an information security consulting group in Washington. "Over the next few days I think we’re going to see a lot of people coming out and saying the Google Desktop thing was kinda cool, but that there are far more dangerous implications."

According to Gillon, the hack works because IE does not properly parse cascading style sheet (CSS) files, a Web design language used by thousands of Internet sites.

The exploit demonstrated on Gillon's site works on a fully patched IE browser with default security and privacy settings. Gillon said other browsers, such as Firefox, are sufficiently locked down that the hack doesn't work on them.

This is yet another IE flaw that cannot be exploited if the user disables scripting. (For instructions on how to do that, see this post.) However, given the danger presented by this and other recent discoveries of IE security holes, I would strongly recommend that IE users consider downloading and using another browser, like Firefox, Opera or Netscape. Last month, security researchers released instructions demonstrating how Web sites could use another serious, unpatched, script-related flaw in IE to seize control of computers.

Microsoft said in a statement that it was investigating the problem, saying the exploit detailed by Gillon "could potentially allow an attacker to access content in a separate website if that website is in a specific configuration." The company said it was not aware of any "active attacks or of customer impact," and said it may issue a security advisory on the matter or provide an update through its monthly patch release process to fix the problem.

News of this research was first reported by eWeek, which has a more technical description of how the attack works.

By Brian Krebs | December 2, 2005; 03:35 PM ET

What is Google SMS? (from Google site)

2005-10-25T12:14:00.000+08:00

Hopefully we can have this service in Malaysia... (^_^)

Google SMS (Short Message Service) enables you to send queries as text messages over your mobile phone or device and easily get precise answers to your questions. No links. No web pages. Just text — and the information you're looking for: Get local business listings when you're on the road and want to find a place to eat. Obtain driving directions to get from point A to point B without having to ask for directions. Find movie showtimes and theater locations of movies currently playing near you.
Check weather conditions and 4-day forecasts to plan your day. Study the latest stock quotes and stay on top of the market. Get quick answers to straightforward questions. Compare online product prices with ones you find in retail stores.
Look up dictionary definitions to expand your vocabulary or prove a point.

How do I use it?

Enter your query as a text message.
Send the message to the US shortcode 46645 (GOOGL on most phones).
Receive a text message (or messages) with your results, usually within a minute. Results may be labeled as "1/3", "2/3", etc.
To get Google SMS help info sent directly to your phone, send the word 'help' as a text message to 46645.