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2010-04-22T14:40:00.001-06:00

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The Zune and the iPod

2010-02-21T18:29:00.001-07:00

Brought to you by Podimus.com - the experts who can teach you how to fix a zune or do it for you.

So what is the Microsoft Zune? Is it going to be the so-called iPod killer?

Zune is more than a brand from Microsoft that incorporates a line of portable media players. It is also software that will drive the devices, and an online service for acquiring and sharing media. The flagship Zune product is the portable media player, that will compete directly with Apple's Ipod. The Zune was released on the US market on November 14, 2006 with a price tag of $249.99, and you can order it today here at OneStopZuneShop – as well as all of the Zune Accessories.

The Zune has a 30 GB hard drive which stores up to 7,500 songs, 25,000 pictures or 100 hours of video. It has built-in FM tuner with Radio Data System, 3.0-inch screen, and 802.11 wireless networking. The player comes in three colors—black, brown and white. Supported codecs include H.264, MP3, WMA, WMV, MPEG4, JPG and AAC⁶ [7].

The wireless networking connects two Zunes together, enabling the sharing of "full-length sample tracks of select songs", recordings, playlists and pictures with others. Tracks received from another person can be played for up to three days or three plays, whichever comes first, after which it will need to be purchased via the Zune Marketplace store—their official name for the store.

The Zune is able to connect to the Xbox 360, which allows the user to stream music, videos, and pictures via USB. Microsoft Points is used to buy music via the Zune Marketplace. The Zune Marketplace can be used as a per-song purchase plan or as a subscription-based flat-fee service, known as a "Zune Pass".

What does the future hold for the Microsoft Zune?

Rumors suggest the Zune will, in the near future, also act as a mobile phone. But in the interim, we'll have access to a broad range of Zune accessories, such as:

Zune Car Pack and Auto Installation Kits

Zune Cases

Zune Speakers

Zune Docks

Zune Movies

Zune TV Shows

Zune Music

Zune Videos

Zune Software, and

Zune Downloads

10 Common iPod Repairs

2010-02-21T18:03:00.002-07:00

This article brought to you by the iPod repair center: Podimus.com

The greatest advantage and disadvantage of an iPod is its small shape. For such a small gadget, the iPod holds can hold thousands of mp3 files. With its portability, the increase of mishaps is sure to happen. From common scratches to hard drive problems, an iPod's biggest selling point can also be its greatest drawback.

Detailed below are the most common repair issues:

1. Getting Dropped: It's as easy as giving it to someone to look at or even slipping out of your pocket. Dropping an iPod can happen anytime. This can result in minor aesthetic issues that can be ignored or to greater hard drive issues that have to be sent to a specialist for repair.

2. Getting Scratched: Scratching an iPod is as easy as scratching a cell phone. With its increased daily use, the iPod is not just used on occasion, but is a regular accessory.

3. Falling in Water: How many times have you dropped your cell in phone in water? Nowadays, dropping an iPod in water can happen just as easy.

4. Exposure to Extreme Weather Conditions: Depending on where you live, weather conditions can affect your iPod. From the large amount of rain in Seattle to the snowy weather in the NorthEast, or even the blazing sun in the South, any harsh weather condition can affect your iPod and can cause needed repairs.

5. Dirt: With regular use, dirt can accumulate in the iPod. Cleaning is needed in many cases.

6. Bending: Even though there is an increase in clothing designers catering to the iPod user by designing storage units in many jackets, shirts and pants, bending and cracking can happen. Many people keep their iPods in their back pockets and mishaps can happen when sitting.

7. Broken Screens: One of the leading repairs is LCD repair. Breaking or cracking of the screen can happen in so many ways, accidentally or even with just normal use.

8. Hard Drives: The most costly repair is the hard drive. For whatever reason, these gadgets can stop working like normal. A hard drive upgrade or replacement may be needed.

9. Headphone Sockets: With continual use, the headphone socket may become loose or even broken. Repair is needed since it is the source for listening.

10. Battery: With time, the battery life may become too short or even have battery malfunctions. A battery upgrade may be needed.

These are just some of the problems you may face with an iPod. With care and forward thinking, many of these can be limited. To lessen iPod repair issues, be sure to use a protective case and use care and caution.

How to Fix an iPod

2010-02-21T17:33:00.001-07:00

This article brought to you by Podimus.com - the experts who can teach you how to fix an ipod.

What is the iPod Repair Guide?

The iPod Repair Guide will fix the sad face iPod and repair iPod folder errors, and have your iPod working again in under 1 hour. This guide covers skipping songs, not syncing with iTunes, short battery life and more. It works for all generations of iPods.

Thousands of iPod users, just like you, have repaired their broken iPod using the iPod repair guide. Knowing how to fix your broken iPod will save you a lot of money. Apple will not tell your how to fix your broken iPod because they will request you to send your iPod to them for repair. This repair can cost as much as $249, including a $30 shipping and handling charge, with only a 90 day warranty AND when Apple returns your iPod, your music will be gone!

What Are The Benefit of the iPod Repair Guide?

The iPod Repair Guide offers the following benefits:

- Downloadable PDF guide with pictures and easy to follow instructions

- Full online technical support - 24 hours, 7 days

- No special tools or advanced knowledge needed

- Instant software download

How Can The iPod Repair Guide Help You?

There may be other guides out there that show you how to fix broken iPods, but only the iPod Repair Guide teaches you the secret techniques that not even Apple wants you to know about. Secret techniques that work with step-by-step instructions with full color photos.

By using the iPod Repair Guide, not only will you be able to save yourself a lot of money, but there are ways that you can make money with it. By buying broken iPods on Ebay or at garage sales, you will be able to fix them and sell them online or at flea markets for a big profit.

With the iPod Repair Guide, we will show you how to repair your broken iPod in as little as 30 minutes, and the best part about it is you don't even need a screwdriver! Even if you don't want to take your iPod apart, it provides multiple easy to do fixes that work.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/software-articles/ipod-repair-guide-how-to-fix-broken-ipod-652655.html

Party Ideas

2010-02-21T01:01:00.001-07:00

This article brought to you by Mr. Biggs - the king of Colorado Springs birthday party ideas.

Birthdays are important occasions that require celebrations, and parties, which are memorable for a long time. The more birthday parties someone throws, the more experienced they become in throwing great parties. Whether it is a birthday party of a child, or a grown up, it requires a lot of planning that should be started at the right time, so that everything can be perfect.

The greatest advantage of starting the planning for a birthday party well before hand is that you will be relaxed at the time of the party, and will not have to worry about any detail of the event. For the party, you should start with the guest list, and then move on to make a party checklist, which will help you in keeping track of all the details. You can also easily order supplies with the help of a checklist.

Organising a birthday party may seem quite overwhelming at times, but it can become easy, and manageable, if the tasks are categorised and dealt with, turn by turn. When you are done with making the list, you have to think whether you want to have the party on the birth date, or some other date. Other than this, you should also think about, where you would like to hold the party. After this, you are ready to send-off invitations, which can be done online, or in a traditional manner.

The first possible venue for holding a birthday party is your house. Alternates could be pizza parlours, movie cinemas, or restaurants. The venue you choose depends a lot on the kind of party you are trying to throw, and on your budget. Your venue also depends upon the kind of theme you are having for the party.

In case of birthday parties of children, a theme can be very exciting. You can keep the theme according to the choice of the child; favourite cartoons, movies, or any other thing. Once you have thought up the theme for a birthday party, it will be easier for you to go, and shop for the supplies.

You should shop for all the non-perishable items almost a week before the birthday party is supposed to take place. Once you have shopped for the supplies in accordance with the theme for the party, you now have to come up with some games for the party. Games are important especially in case of birthday parties of children, because they are exciting and keep them busy.

When you are planning a birthday party for a child, the age of the child is an important consideration. This will help you a lot in thinking up a theme, and in coming up with games for the party. You should also keep in mind that a girl would be interested in a different theme, and games than a boy. If you want to plan a perfect birthday party, you should think of all the guests, and how you can keep them happy letting them have a good time. For this, you might have to do a lot as an organiser, as it is always worth it.

Having a Birthday Party this Winter?

2010-02-17T12:37:00.001-07:00

This article brought to you by Mr. Biggs - the place for Colorado Springs kids birthday parties.

Children born in the winter months miss out on the fun of pool themed birthday parties or even just being able to go outside during their birthday party. For you, winter birthday parties mean everyone is going to be spending most of the party inside, which can equal a lot more chaos and mess.

Planning a winter birthday party, though, can be just as fun as planning a summer birthday party. You just have to plan ahead.

If the weather outside is not too terribly cold and there is snow on the ground,, then going outside can be a fun birthday activity. Tell parents to make sure their child dresses warmly. You can build a snow fort, a snow man or go sledding.

If going outside is not possible, then you need to really plan out the party. You should have a general party area and make sure everyone knows that this is the party space and the rest of the house is off limits.

You will want to accommodate guests when they arrive by having a place for hats, coats, gloves and boots or wet shoes. If you wish to have guests remove their shoes then post a sign asking them to do so and provide a space for them to put their shoes. This way no one will leave wet foot prints across your carpet.

You will also want to lower the thermostat a bit right before the party. Once you get all the guests in the party area you will find the body heat will raise the temperature fast. To keep everyone comfortable, plan ahead and keep that area a little cooler then the rest of the house.

Winter birthday parties will likely need more activities then a summer birthday party. With a summer birthday party, being outside can allow for a lot of free play, but with a winter party and being inside for the majority or all of the party, it is more likely for guests to get bored.

Plan out some fun activities and hire some entertainment. You want to make sure you have something for guests to do every minute of the party. Have a schedule of events planned out so you can easily move from one activity to the next.

One major setback when it comes to a winter birthday party is bad weather. If the weather gets too bad you may have to consider canceling the party and rescheduling it. Depending on your area's weather you may want to plan an alternate party date just in case of bad weather. Let guests know on the invitations and then call guests the day before or day of the party of you will need to reschedule.

A winter birthday party does not have to be boring or dull just because the weather outside is. You should make the winter party as fun as possible. If you pay attention to the special considerations of a winter birthday party then you should be able to plan one that is amazing fun.

Birthday Parties - Let's Go!

2010-02-17T11:37:00.000-07:00

This birthday party idea brought to by the king of Colorado Springs birthday parties: Mr. Biggs

For those kid fans of Dora the Explorer there is also the kid's show, Go Diego Go!, in which Dora's cousin Diego along with his trusty friends, click, baby jaguar, the bobo brothers and the rescue pack head out on a regular basis to save animals in need. This is a great show for kids with an interest in animals, the jungle, helping others and the show is bilingual with Diego speaking some Spanish and singing songs in Spanish. Research has shown that both Dora the Explorer and Go Diego Go! help kids to learn Spanish much more easily.

Boys and girls alike who have an interest in the show would love to have a Go Diego Go themed party for their birthdays. The show has many elements that you can make use of in your party plans. Since the show is set in the jungle and focuses on animals you can get wall decorations featuring the jungle and its animals. Plastic inflatable animals can be scattered around the room to add to the feeling. It's also bilingual and features elements of the Spanish culture. You can hand out maracas at your party as party favors and for part of the entertainment during have the kids take a whack or two at a colorful piñata filled with candy.

Go Diego Go didn't last very long only about a year on Nick Jr. but it was popular so kids are always asking to see the reruns. You may be able to track down some DVDs or VHS tapes of episodes for the kids to watch at the party. Diego did star in an hour long special called, "The Great Dinosaur Rescue" with his cousin Dora. Don't forget to pick up paper supplies featuring Go Diego Go! as the featured theme. You should be able to find plates and napkins, streamers, a tablecloth and cups for the kids to use when they are eating up their favorite Mexican snacks. Who's up for quesadillas?

Mrs. Party... Gail Leino is the internet's leading authority on selecting the best possible party supplies (http://partysupplieshut.com), using proper etiquette, and living a healthy life while also teaching organizational skills and fun facts. The Party Supplies Hut has lots of party ideas with hundreds of free coloring sheets, printable games, and free birthday party activities. Over 100 adorable Party Themes (PartyThemeShop.com) to fit your birthday celebration, holiday event, or "just because" parties is at the Party Theme Shop. Party themes include cartoon characters, sports, movie, TV shows, luau, western, holidays, and unique crazy fun theme ideas.

Your IP Address and Internet Privacy

2010-02-15T23:43:00.003-07:00

Brought to you by ZIP Broadband - the best provider high speed internet Colorado Springs.

What is an IP address?

A string of numbers assigned to you by your Internet Service Provider whenever you connect online.

Can I be traced through my IP address?

Your IP address reveals only the location and name of your ISP. Your ISP itself may have records of your computer using their service at such and such a time, but an ISP will usually not disclose this information without a search warrant / court order.

How long does an ISP keep logs of user IP addresses?

No one knows, but it could be anywhere from months to a few years. This is necessary to monitor bandwidth usage.

Someone online has threatened they can find me through my IP address. Can they do this?

Most likely they're bluffing. Unless you run your own server or live in the same building as your ISP's office, a stranger can't find you using just your IP address.

Can someone find out my username or password based in my IP address?

No. Your ISP is the only one that knows these details.

Do my emails display my IP address?

Yes. To send email anonymously, you'll want to use an anonymous remailer or an anonymous proxy.

What is a proxy server?

A third party server used as a go-between by a client computer that doesn't want to connect directly to the Internet.

Can a proxy server give me internet privacy?

Not if it's just a proxy server. A mere proxy server will announce to cyberspace that it's acting as a proxy for such and such IP address user (your computer), so you can still be traced through it.

What type of proxy server should I use to be able to surf anonymously?

You need an anonymous proxy server that's secure, reputable and reliable. You will most likely have to pay a fee.

How can an anonymous proxy server protect me?

Mainly by hiding your real IP address and blocking malicious scripts and programs from entering your system. You may get a different IP address each time you use the proxy. Additionally, some anonymous proxies claim they can't disclose your data even if subpoenaed (court ordered) since they don't store user logs.

How much does it cost to get an anonymous proxy server?

Could be $19.95, or $29.95 or $99.95. It all depends on the server and the service features. Go check out the anonymous proxy server's website and compare their product services.

Are free proxy servers safe to use?

Not if you're serious about your security and privacy. Many free proxies are either incorrectly set up, or owned by malicious people who want to use your data for their own ends. Beware of using free proxies and anonymous proxy servers that don't allow secure connections. And no matter what server you use, always encrypt private data.

Peter Garant has written many articles about Proxy Websites for a recently launched website about Proxy networks.

Zune & Games - a Perfect Fit

2010-02-15T22:27:00.001-07:00

Brought to you by Podimus.com - the experts who can teach you how to fix a Zune.

You can download Zune games the easy way or the hard way, it depends upon your choice of website. To guide you into picking a great site for Zune downloads, the article discusses several factors you need to look for in a website to qualify it as a good place to download. Your Microsoft Zune Player is waiting for you so you better start downloading, quick.

A good site will have a variety of Zune files available for download. A great site to download Zune games would have all types of games available from all genres. You should look if the site has games from the arcade category, simulations, and more. It also wouldn't hurt if the site you choose has other files for download aside from games, such as music, movies, and even applications.

If you want a quality Zune download site, do not expect it to be free. You need to be ready to pay a certain amount. Before you decide to hand over the money, check to see if the site has a money back guarantee. You can get your money back within a period of sixty days if you find that you are not satisfied with their service.

Just because the site requires you to pay does not mean that not all sites demand affordable prices. There are some prices that are just too high to be acceptable. There are available sites you can download Zune games from that offer a lifetime membership for a fee below forty dollars so why opt for expensive sites? If you look hard enough, you will notice that there is virtually no difference in the service they are offering.

You should also evaluate the user interface of the website. If you want to download Zune games, you'd want the site laid out to be convenient and easy to use. The site shouldn't be too complicated to discourage you to download. You wouldn't want to spend all your time just figuring out what the user interface wants you to do.

Like all other downloading sites, you should always check the download speed. When you download Zune games, the speed should be fast so that you get to enjoy playing the game as soon as possible. If you join a pay site, download speed wouldn't be a problem.

The site should also have available customer support to answer your queries and other related concerns regarding downloads or the site itself. If the site is a good one for download in the first place, you wouldn't need to contact customer support anymore.

Find out more about the best sites to download Zune games by visiting my blog today. Click on and get the hippest games in town.

Learn how you can get access to unlimited Zune game downloads for your Zune player instantly. Also, read another article on how you can download music to Zune.

iPod Speakers

2010-02-15T22:04:00.003-07:00

Brought to you by Podimus.com - from the iPod repair center.

So, you have an iPod, but not the speakers. Well, you need to pick up a pair today. The speaker make sharing the music so much easier with your friends. Have that great song you want to have all you friends listen to, but it's a pain to pass it around with just the headphones? Well, that's why iPod has made the speakers, for easy music listening with your friends.

Nowadays, you can throw a party anywhere as long as you have an iPod and a set of iPod speakers. They are so tiny, yet they can boom the bass and shake up the place.

iPod speakers are either portable, which you can carry around, or home models, which you cannot carry around because of some restrictions like, it is bigger and heavier and is therefore not handy, and it is not battery operated and work only when plugged into an electrical outlet.

But, that's why there's so many options for speakers on the iPod. You can get anything from small, easily portable speakers to something big enough to hook up to a home stereo system. It just increases the versatility of the iPod as whole.

The portable models are battery operated and has a size just slightly larger than iPod Nano and some weighs only half an ounce! Although portable iPod speakers offer sound better than most computer speaker, it can't compete with the home only or standalone iPod speakers that can produce louder, crisper, and more booming sound, for these iPod speakers get their power directly from an electical outlet that gives much energy compared to a low voltage battery.

Below are the best in iPod speakers that could rock us out of our seat with their booming sound.

-iBlasting the Room with iBoom iPod speakers

iBoom is the newest iPod speaker from DLO. The iBoom iPod speakers sport an amorphous shape and has a slot in the front which serve as a hub for iPod or iPod mini. The four iPod speakers only need 20 watts per channel to start producing sound. iBoom iPod speakers also has a built-in handle, an AUX in port, and can run either on AC power or a with six "D" batteries. When plugged in to an AC power, the iBoom iPod speakers will charge the cradled iPod. Design wise, iBoom iPod speakers look pretty good with a white iPod cradled on it.

The plus points for iBoom iPod speakers are (1) low wattage consumption but could still produce decent sound, (2) portable and (3) charge an iPod when it is running on A/C power.

- 'What's the new Black?'

For Altec Lansing, the answer is still black.

Altec Lansing's inMotion iM3 iPod speakers come in the usual Apple white and, now, in black. It weighs around 15 to 16 ounces only and is sized just a bit larger than the iPod.

Altec Lansing is known for creating sound system that could produce sounds in different ranges from the highest pitch to the lowest bass. And now that Altec Lansing has speakers for the iPod, expect that these iPod speakers would be of high quality. In fact, these iPod speakers has a class D amplifier to create rich, audible sounds.

It's quite unbelievable that these speakers could last 24 hours from four AA batteries. You can carry these iPod speakers anywhere, and play it on for an all night party even on a place where there's no power outlet, like the soccer field, basketball court, or the lakeside.

The black Altec Lansing iPod speakers has the same price as that of the Apple white version.

- Apple's Hi-Fi Shouts "Party!"

When iPod was released in 2001, the only way you could hear the playing songs is through headphones. There were no Apple-branded iPod speakers then, yet. Third party manufacturers and developers created their own iPod speakers to answer the growing demand for off-headphones music playing.

In 2006, Apple realized that it was time to create one of its own. In February, Apple released the iPod Hi-Fi. Priced at $349, Apple's eye is set on the high-end market.

Hi-Fi iPod speakers, according to Apple, creates a large soundstage and has a wide frequency range. So, Hi-fi iPod speakers are not only portable speakers, they can be the only speaker for a small house or an apartment, replacing the bulky speakers with separate woofer and sub-woofers. With the sound of these Hi-Fi iPod speakers, you can shout "Party!" anytime you want.

Design wise, it looks cool. It bears the traditional Apple white color. It's size is bigger than most portable iPod speakers and is the heaviest, weighs 15 ounces, in the entire line of third party developed iPod speakers

Hi-Fi iPod speakers are powered in two ways, AC or DC (six D-cell batteries), comes with a small, white remote control, and built-in handles to bring it anywhere you go.

So, if you haven't picked yourself up a pair of iPod speakers yet, what are you waiting for? There's so many options that I'm sure there's a pair out there for exactly what your needs are.

For more information about Ipods and Ipod Accessories please visit [http://www.ipodgoodness.com]

There are alot more accessories and gear for your Ipod, to find out more about what different types of accessories are available for your Ipod drop by Ipod Goodness [http://www.ipodgoodness.com] and learn about the latest Ipod Accessories.

How the iPod Has Changed...

2010-02-15T21:52:00.000-07:00

Brought to you by Podimus.com - the guys who know how to fix an ipod

The beginning

On 23 October, 2001, Apple released the first ever iPod. It appeared after less than a year's development, and was Apple's response to what it saw as a gap in the personal digital market. Until this point, digital music players were too large to be practical or too small to work properly. Apple changed this situation overnight with a 5GB device of modest size that held up to a 1,000 songs.

The first iPod was white with a monochrome screen. Users navigated it with a mechanical scroll wheel and a centre button. Other features included a FireWire rather than a USB connection, and a battery that held a charge for about ten hours of music playback.

The iPod made its mark instantly. Although it was only compatible with Mac computers, Windows users employed third party software to get round this problem. It was clear Apple could fill the gap in the market that the company had identified.

iTunes

iTunes became available in January 2001, nine months before the first iPod. iTunes formed part of Apple's iLife software, and enabled users to transfer the content of CDs to their Macs, organise the music, and play it through their computers. The arrival of the iPod, together with iTunes 2.0, meant that everyone could now go one step further and copy their music from computers to portable players.

Since iTunes 2.0, Apple has introduced regular iTunes updates. The iTunes Store came online in April 2003, and six months later iTunes 4.1 made iTunes compatible with Windows. Further developments include access to music videos; podcasts; audiobooks; films; TV programmes; games; and applications. Apple has complemented these improvements with features such as Album Artwork; Cover Flow; and, most recently, Genius.

Technology

The first iPod stored music on a hard drive, a medium that the iPod classic continues using to this day. iPod minis (January 2004 - September 2005) had one inch microdrives with either 4GB or 6GB capacities. The iPod nano, shuffle, and touch have always had flash memories.

Colour screens arrived with the fourth generation iPod, also known as the iPod photo, in October 2004. From June the following year, all iPods dropped the black and white screens and had colour displays. These developed further into the two inch, two and a half inch, and three and a half inch screens that are now part of the nano, classic, and touch respectively.

The iPod's controls began with the mechanical scroll wheel. A touch-sensitive wheel, and then the Click Wheel, followed this. The third generation iPod, however, combined a wheel with four horizontal buttons beneath the screen from April 2003. Apple changed this layout to just a touch-sensitive wheel in July 2004.

The most significant departure from the wheel arrangement appears on the iPod touch. Released in September 2007, the iPod touch has a Multi-Touch screen that users tap and run their fingers across to control the iPod's functions.

The Click Wheel remains, though, as one of the distinctive features of the iPod classic and iPod nano ranges. The iPod shuffle, first released in January 2005, has a five button arrangement in the shape of a circle.

Connectivity for iPods has also changed. To begin with, Apple maintained exclusive use of FireWire, the original connection for iPods. In April 2003, with the advent of the third generation iPod, Apple included USB connectivity for the first time. In September 2005, all iPod models became USB only. This move confirmed iPods as the leading portable music player, and reflected the need to link to all computers.

Storage capacity

Apple began the iPod range with 5GB of storage. Within six months, a 10GB model appeared, followed by a 20GB second generation iPod in July 2002. Storage capacity hit its peak in September 2007 with the 160GB model of the sixth generation iPod (the "classic"), although this has since been dropped. The highest capacity, with the potential to hold 30,000 songs or 150 hours of video on a 1.8 inch hard drive, is the current 120GB iPod classic.

The latest iPod shuffle offers 1GB and 2GB options for 240 or 500 songs. The nano has 8GB and 16GB, and the iPod touch gives you a choice of 8GB, 16GB, and 32GB. iPod owners also have the ability to store digital media in their iTunes libraries.

Windows

Windows users who bought first generation iPods had to obtain software such as XPlay because they couldn't download iTunes. To ease this problem, Apple released two versions of second generation iPods in October 2002. One came with iTunes for Mac owners; the other had Musicmatch Jukebox for Windows users.

In October 2003, Apple launched iTunes for Windows, and from then on all iPods were suitable for Mac and Windows users. Today, iPods no longer come with iTunes: the software is available to everyone as a free download.

Video

One of the most significant boosts for iPods was the introduction of video. This came with the fifth generation iPod in October 2005. Originally available in 30GB and 60GB versions, the fifth generation was slimmer than its predecessor and with a larger screen.

Battery support for video playback was two hours for the 30GB model, and three hours for the 60GB. This jumped to six and half hours, however, with the arrival of the 80GB fifth generation upgrade in September 2006.

Video playback is now a standard feature on the iPod classic, the touch and the nano.

Sales

iPods are the most popular type of digital music player in the world. Their share of the market is more than 70%, and total sales have exceeded 160 million. Apple has sold around a quarter of this figure within the last year.

Driving these sales is Apple's never-ending desire to improve and innovate. The latest models are perfect examples of this approach and represent the best that's now available in the digital music player market.

Ben T Wilson writes about Apple products, including iPods and the iPod Classic.

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

http://EzineArticles.com/?The-Evolution-of-iPods&id=1727008

How to Surf the Net in the 21st Century

2010-02-08T21:36:00.001-07:00

This article brought to by ZIP Broadband - the top of the food chain of the Colorado Springs internet providers

Your kids have been clamoring for their own computer - they are tired of not being connected to their friends at home, and you're tired of driving them to the library every time they have to do internet research for school. After that initial investment on a computer and accessories, your next task is to seek out an Internet Service Provider (ISP). Your ISP should supply you with a speed that fits your exact needs. How can you assess what you really need? Let's start with a little online research. If you don't have internet access yet, you can use public computers at the local library or internet café.

You are likely to find that online ISP reviews are sometimes a bit biased. Each provider differs in the speed they offer, their pricing, and the types of features that are included in each of their packages.

Even if you are new to the computer world, you most likely know that dial-up service is cheapest, but very slow. It interferes with your phone line if you don't have a dedicated number for it. There is little doubt that you will want a faster speed than what dial-up has to offer. And if having phone access is important at the same time you are online, then you are not saving much money if you are paying for a second phone line for dial-up.

What information is necessary in order to help you locate the provider that is right for you? To begin with, you need to know which companies provide service in your local area. Although many internet providers have expanded their areas of service, it is possible that you may be limited to only a few choices.

Once you have narrowed down the choices available, there will be other factors to consider. For instance, not all basic service packages are created equal. Price, speed, and extra features can vary with different providers. If you are not sure what packages are best for your needs, honest reviews can help you make an informed decision. You don't want to buy something that you really don't need. Another option is the opportunity to buy bundles and save additional dollars. Many companies will offer telephone, television, wireless and internet service all for one designated price.

As you can see, there are several issues that you must consider. We've outlined just a few of the most basic steps.

If you are assessing internet providers, a side by side comparison can help. There are many reviews online that can help you get you started. A good way to begin is by finding out which high speed internet providers are available in your area. Some review websites make this very easy and have side by side comparison charts and zip code look-ups to streamline the decision-making process.

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How to Select a Good Internet Service Provider

2010-02-08T21:16:00.001-07:00

Brought to you by Colorado Springs internet company ZIP Broadband.

First off, let's define what this is. Basically, an Internet Hosting Provider (ISP) is a company with a room(s) full of servers connected to the Internet. This is where the physical files used to build your web site will reside.

You are most certainly going to be using an ISP because the only other alternative is to setup and maintain the Internet servers yourself. Not only can most people not afford this, but it is hard to do and just makes no sense for an individual person or small company. Even large companies use ISP's these days.

There are many advantages to using an ISP. The biggest one is cost. A single Internet server can host hundreds or thousands of web sites and therefore the ISP can afford to let you put your web site on their servers for a very low monthly cost.

The other alternative is to get a package in which your business uses the entire web server. But, unless you have some exceptional situation that makes this necessary, there is no reason to do this.

The ISP is responsible for maintaining the Internet server and making sure that no one hacks into it. This is very important and one of the considerations you need to make when selecting an ISP. You want to use an ISP that considers availability and security a high priority.

Over the years, I have used three different ISP's. Changing ISP's is kind of like changing your phone service. It is not something you want to do often, because it takes a lot of effort to transfer files and domain names over and there is always a delay involved. For this reason, I suggest you take a little time and make sure you are selecting an ISP that you want to stick with.

I would suggest that you ask friends what ISP's they have used and have them tell you what it is they liked or did not like about them. If anyone mentions that they have trouble accessing the files on their web sites or that the ISP they used got hacked once, scratch the name of their ISP off your list.

Ideally, you want to hear from someone who tells you that when they had a problem with their web site, they were able to quickly and easily contact the ISP support and had a resolution almost immediately. If anyone tells you this story, go ahead and sign up with who they are using.

Whatever you do, do not let price be your only factor for deciding. Hosting rates are ridiculously cheap these days, but you still pay for what you get. How much can you expect if you are paying less per month than you would pay for a meal off the dollar menu at McDonalds?

Good luck and let me know your experience with an ISP. Was it good, bad, indifferent? You might be able to help someone reading the comments of this article.

Sara Morgan is the author of "No Limits: How I escaped the clutches or Corporate America to live the self-employed life of my dreams". As a professional web developer for the past 12 years, she knows a thing or two about web sites. She has just completed a do-it-yourself guide for non-techies that want to build their own professional looking websites for very little money. You can sign-up to download the FREE guide from her company's website at http://www.custsolutions.net.

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Feel the Rhythm of the Music

2010-02-03T22:52:00.002-07:00

Brought to you by Podimus.com, the guys who know how to fix a Zune.

An art form with the medium of sound, with pitch covering harmony and melody as well as rhythm and sonic qualities of texture and timber is musics. Creation, significance, performance and definitions vary within social and cultural contexts. The art of ranges from compositions strictly organized, to improvised and random forms.

There are divisions of genres and subgenres that are open to interpretation. Music can be classified as a performing art, fine art, or auditory art. There is a wide range of music classifications. There is the division of classical art) and commercial/popular music, inclusive of rock, country and pop. Many genres cannot be classified neatly into these specifically defined classifications for example folk, world, or jazz. Universally in all cultures is a crucial part of lifestyles. Ancient philosophers defined music as harmonies vertically and as tones horizontally.

The concept of music has no single or universal definition and can be heard through various sources, the traditional way is live, in the presence. Live music is also broadcasted over television, radio, and Internet. Music styles focus on sound production performances, others focus on record production and mixing sounds together.

The music business industry is connected to creating and selling. There are record companies, publishers and labels distributing recorded music on an international level and have control over the music rights. A few music labels are "independent," and others are large corporate subsidiary entities. The advent of I-pods, MP3 players, or computers and file sharing sites or online sales through digital files drastically impacted the musics industry. There was a decrease in CD purchases. The study of musicology, has a definition of three sub-disciplines: historical musicology, comparative musicology/ethnomusicology and systematic musicology. Division disciplines in music are history and ethnomusicology. Musicology research has been enriched into cross-disciplinary in the fields of psychoacoustics. The study of non-western cultural music is defined as ethnomusicology.

The study of music in a technical manner is music theory. Musics theory embodies the mechanics and nature of music. It involves identification of patterns governing techniques of composers'. In a detailed sense, music theory also analyzes and distills the elements of harmony, rhythm, structure, texture and melody. Music theory is the study of these properties.It is not study within disciplines and refers to study related to composition, and can be inclusive of mathematics, anthropology and physics. Common lessons in initial music theory tutoring are the guidelines of writing style of the common period practices or tone music. The set theory of music is application of mathematics to music, applied initially to atonal music.

Speculative theory that contrasts to analytic music theory is focused on the synthesis and analysis of music materials such as tuning systems as composition preparation.

Styles of music vary within cultures and time periods. There is emphasis on different instruments and techniques in different cultures and time periods. Music is not just used for entertainment, and ceremonies, artistic and practical communication, but for propaganda as well. Music is performed and composed for aesthetic pleasure, ceremonial or religious purposes and as entertainment for marketplaces. Amateur musicians perform and compose musics for personal pleasure. Professional musicians are usually employed by organizations and institutions inclusive of churches, armed forces, symphony orchestras, synagogues, broadcasting or film production companies as well as music schools.

Bob has been writing articles online for nearly 2 years now. Not only does this author specialize in The rhythm and tones of music, you can also check out his latest website about:

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The iPod and iTunes - Let's Dance!

2010-02-03T22:38:00.000-07:00

With iPod being the most desired gadget of the season, so are the applications running the tech gizmo. To enhance the already existing features, be it the music player, games, movies or any other added textures, software competitors are on the track to race the best. iTunes is one such basic application any iPod user know or any i-gadget would now love to have. This digital media player application offer incredible sound quality with easy to manage libraries and file formats and is available for all latest OS including the traditional Windows XP. The free source has eminent features bringing the music store right on to your fingers. With iTunes Extra now you can have the movie trailers, reviews and the latest updates all in your hand. Get ready to face your neighbor’s envy. Yours son’s first birthday party or a party at your friend’s place, now the fragrance of enjoyment is in the air. Share photos, videos and you would now never miss your favorite TV show with a Wi-Fi around.

Now the easy way to watch the latest news, podcast is a part of iTunes. HBO, ESPN, New York Times and many other big names are ready to offer service with the thousands of libraries in iTunes. This has tripled the number of podcast downloaded by the users with in a week of its release. All you need to do is subscribe to the RSS feed and the news flow automatically to your PC. And when an iPod is synced with PC, it clears all the listened Podcasts. The smart application makes your life easy with the iTunes Genius feature, wherein now all the songs that match your music taste are piled in the library. Sound and video processing, iMix, Meta data are not just all, the iPod can now be a digital library of e-books with the iTunes MobileMe. And the sensational iTunes store is the biggest gasping feature from Apple. The songs can now be downloaded to the iPods or the PC. Even the DRM – protected songs are authorized with an iTune account. So, if your iPod has been missing all these tools, you better rush for the latest edition of iTunes.

Brought to you by Podimus.com, the Zune screen repair Experts.

The iPod Inventor

2010-01-06T08:09:00.002-07:00

Brought to you by Podimus.com the iPod repair experts.

The Ipod is a collection of trendy portable music players which was introduced by Apple. It was launched on October 2001. The Ipod is an amazing discovery. It has changed the way people think about music players. Music players are no more old big boxes which look really ugly. The Ipod looks better than any other music player in the market. Apple has had great success with the Ipod. The way the Ipod looks, the way it works, and the way it feels is just amazing. But who's the mastermind behind all this? Who invented the ipod? It surely must have taken a lot of brains to create such a masterpiece.

Who invented the Ipod? Why did Apple think only about a music player? Why not a revolutionary washing machine?

The answer is that all other electronic appliances had very well established markets. But nobody had tried on music players at that time. So Apple thought why not capture this market, and they have so successfully done it.

So, who actually invented the Ipod?

Jon Rubinstein with his team at Apple was given a one year's period to create the Apple Ipod. Tony Fadell and Michael Dhuey were also a part of the team. They successfully completed the project and the did it. This is the team who invented the Ipod.

The Ipod is so successful that it is really difficult to rival it. Ipod has established it's name and people trust on Apple Ipod. Rather than buying unbranded music players for cheap, people try to save money and later buy an Apple Ipod. That's what I also did. To learn more about this revolutionary music player and get information about it, visit my blog dedicated to Ipods- HowToIpod.Blogspot.com

If you want more such news and fun facts about you Ipod, simply visit my blog here.

How-to-Ipod.Blogspot.com How to's and fun facts about your Ipod

*Feel free to publish this article on your website or blog, but do not make any changes in the article and keep all the links active.*

The VoIP Guide - Part 2

2009-12-30T09:48:00.001-07:00

Brought to you by ZIP Broadband, the premier Colorado Springs VoIP provider.

So if you have read Part 1 of Voice over IP is Here! you might be saying to yourself, "VoIP sound great! How does it apply to my business and what can it do for me?" If you aren't asking yourself this question you need to be! As I said in Part 1, Voice over IP is overtaking and will eventually be completely replacing traditional TDM communication. VoIP is here to stay and this is good thing.

Now I want to be careful in all my cheerleading of VoIP that I don't throw the baby out with the bathwater. In most business situations we need our traditional phone systems for a while longer. We are at that transitional time in technology where there is a need to have both or a least a way to use both. Before I get into all of the different options in equipment and capability, let's talk about how we can apply voice over IP in our businesses to help us do what we do better! We need to understand why VoIP is important and what it can do for us.

The problems and therefore the solutions in business have been the same since business began. How can I do what I do in a faster, more efficient manner while minimizing the costs and increasing revenue. What technology does, is give us newer and more innovative ways to answer those questions. VoIP is no different and it brings some novel and modern ways to address the issues.

At the heart of all business is the need to communicate with our customers. We use our telephones, cell phones, and email to do that everyday. However in the past we were stuck in our offices or somewhere we had a hard connection to our telephone system and service provider. Of course when cell phones came along we were set free! No longer did we have to remain trapped in our offices. We were free to leave and go conduct business where ever we needed to. However we still experienced a lack of the full abilities of the office. We still needed our computers so we could access data like our documents, email, and customer files. Around that same time the internet popped up and at present most of us can access our office computers and servers remotely with no problem. We are now fully mobile in most every way...except the next big way.

Right now, most of us, have to have our calls transferred out to our cell phones. We are still one step removed from our offices, possessing most of the technology we need but lacking seamless integration. Traditional telephone system have been limited because there had to be cable running from the system in the closet to the phone on your desk. That is where voice over IP enters in. With VoIP, wherever you can get high speed internet, your phone system at your office can find you. At home? No problem. You log in your phone at home and bingo, all of your office calls ring seamlessly at home. On a road trip in a hotel? Log your VoIP phone into your office from your hotel room. Pick up and make phone calls as if you are in your office. Intercom and transfer calls from your office phone system just like you are there. Long distance calls and your caller ID all are coming from your office no matter where you are. That's because with the internet there are no geographic boundaries. Plugging in while in Tokyo is the same as plugging at your house.

It can still be a struggle sometimes to think about how technology can be applied to our businesses, so think about this. Imagine you have a 24/7 phone support company. You can have agents logging in from home or remote offices across the world in different time zones as the earth is turning through it's day. As night closes certain offices, dawn opens others while your employees are logging in and out across the world to support your customers! Using myself as an example, I have a VoIP phone at my house. I can work from home and still be connected to the office as if I was there. I hear pages, pick up calls on hold, intercom co-workers, and even call other VoIP phones through the office system. Because my laptop is connected to my office network through my high speed internet as well, I am now fully setup with a virtual office. I could literally set up that very virtual office anywhere in the world!

Now let's take it another step forward. If you can be anywhere you need to be with VoIP, why have a phone system at all? There are companies out there, and Diverse CTI is one of them, that offer a hosted solution. This means that we will buy the phone system, pay for the dial tone, and the high speed internet connection and charge you a monthly cost. All you need is a high speed internet connection wherever you are. Log your VoIP phone in and bingo, you are up and running. You get a real phone number that rings to Diverse CTI's phone system. When that happens, our system knows it is your number and then rings your VoIP phones - wherever they are! You have voicemail, auto-attendant, and even hold music all without ever purchasing a phone system.

Seeing a vision of what Voice over IP can do and how it applies to your business is extremely important. Although I can't possibly talk about every different way VoIP can impact your business, at least now you have some basic understanding. Next in Part 3 I will talk more about what things to consider when you are implementing VoIP in your business.

Josh Cochran, RCDD
http://www.DiverseCTI.com

Bio: President of Diverse CTI, Josh Cochran has over 10 years of experience in telecommunications and IT services. An expert in the industry he is a Registered Communications Distribution Designer, a certification he has held with BICSI since 2004. Josh consults various national companies and speaks at several national events and conferences.

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Broadband Service

2009-12-30T09:29:00.002-07:00

This article brought to you by Colorado Springs high speed internet service provider ZIP Broadband.

There are many inventions that changed the course of history. Internet is one such phenomenon which made substantial contribution to make human lives more productive. Today it has become an unavoidable system without which many of our activities will become standstill. Access to internet is an absolute necessity and a faster method for the same is an imperative in the present scenario. The early method for internet access is dial up system, which is a very slow process. Another problem with dial up system is that the telephone cannot be used while accessing internet. Heavy telephone bill is yet another handicap in the dial up system.

Internet access became faster and economical after the introduction of broad band connectivity. It is also known as high speed internet due to the high rate of data transmission achieved through it. Broadband is a very convenient method for those who use internet frequently as well as to those who use it for multimedia. Even though the consumers have to incur initial expenses to install the system, it is far more economical than conventional methods in the long run. By using a router subscribers can extend broadband connection to a number of computers in large houses or establishments.

Broadband service has become a highly competitive business in UK where there are several service providers in the field. They offer attractive terms to consumers for providing broadband service. Consumer can avail the benefits of a comprehensive package which include many benefits apart from broadband connection. A typical package includes equipment cost and monthly subscriptions for a stipulated period. Incentives are offered for those consumers who opt for long term contract. Digital television, home phone and free inland and international calls are a few benefits bestowed on them. But such gifts and incentive vary in the case of different agencies. There are incentives like download facilities. 2Mb speed with no restrictions about the hours of usage and up to 8Mb with unlimited usage are some of the offers in certain packages. Another typical offer is 40GB console to store photos, music and videos along with other incentives. Certain packages include wireless router at concession rates.

Coming to the availability of broadband services in UK, there are different types of services for consumers to choose from. Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL) is the most popular type. Faster download speed is ensured in this system. Upload speed will be slower than the download speed in the system. Another facility is the satellite connection which is expensive. Dish antenna will have to be installed. Even though satellite broadband connection allows high speed downloads, it is difficult to have upload facility. It may be possible to have two way connection facilitating uploads also, but the service is very expensive. Otherwise the consumers will have to depend on other faster methods. Because of this drawback the satellite broadband is not very popular among consumers. In the case of Symmetric Digital Subscriber Line (SDSL) both uploads and downloads will have equal speeds. This system is cost effective. In wireless broadband system wireless router will be used instead of modem. There is also WiFi available which is widely used in public places like airports where conventional broadband through landlines are not available. WiFi is a very efficient and fast facility for transferring large data files. There are some other systems like cable based broadband and 3G mobile phones which are also in vogue in the country.

Find best broadband deals and check out special offers on unlimited, business and Mobile broadband at broadband suppliers website.

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iPod Repair Guide

2009-12-29T22:06:00.002-07:00

This article brought to you by Podimus.com - the iPod broken screen repair experts.

One of the most important annoyances of owning any gadget is having it break down or freeze on you. Having your iPod freeze up and be non responsive is a nightmare that each music listener wants to avoid. Having your iPod mended comprises sending to Apple and playing for postage and fix services, this can very time intensive for the owner and it can take weeks to get your MP3 player back from the maker. To forestall all the hassle which includes sending your iPod away there are useful easy to follow iPod repair guide that can help you learn a way to fix problem that might occur.

Will I fix my iPod faster using a iPod repair manual?

Having a radical correct repair guide can save everyone a lot of frustration. This is obviously a better way of fixing your iPod, the other option contains sending your player to the manufacturer and sometimes waiting for weeks to receive it back. Using a DIY fix-it guide can solve the problems quickly.

Do I need to buy any special equipment?

If you suspect you must buy some tools for the job - don't fret, there is no need to get a soldiering iron.or screwdriver. The guide is straightforward enough to follow that even an amateur can fix a iPod.

Are iPod Repair Guides understandable and straightforward to use?

Any noob can employ an iPod correct manual and have it running in thirty minutes, max. The money and time spent fixing your iPod is unimaginable, you can even fix your chums players for a small fee too once you find out the way to do yourself. Also, you won't have the added trouble of losing any saved information of importance.

Visit iPod repair guide for more information on how to fix your iPod player. It will save you allot of headaches and time.

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Zune Cases

2009-12-22T22:31:00.001-07:00

This article is brought to you by Podimus.com - the guys who can fix a zune in no time flat!

I want to spread a word about another famous Electronic device called Zune. It is a must have Gadget which gives you similar options of use like Ipod. Listen to your favourite FM stations or play your own favourite music on it. Synchronize Zune with PC and download different movies, music, games instantly. You have different versions of Zune 4GB, 8GB, 16GB and up to 40GB, 80GB and new one 120GB. One of the most famous accessory for your Zune is Zune Case which I want to talk more about it, because when buying one you must be careful on some basic things...

Why Zune Cases?

Zune Cases is a must have for your Zune Electronic Device, because if you are a traveling man or woman you must be careful on your Zune, it is sensitive device and it can broke pretty quick. Zune Cases cover your Zune and it protects it from various incidents or other things. You have different Zune Cases for each Zune from 4GB one to 120GB one, so when buying one be careful that it is specified for your Zune Device.

Which Zune Cases I can Buy?

You can buy from Leather Cases to Silicone Cases and even you find some good Cases if you are a sport guy or you want to have your Zune on different body spots.Leather Cases are my favourite. You can buy from a basic Leather case to kickstand one or wallet one. You have different Brands like Incipio and Belkin which are the most famous Brands for Leather Cases.

If you want to buy Silicone Case you have also a great collection to buy. One of the best are the Microsoft Style ones. They are light and they protect your Zune the best. Also you can buy colored one, have you got your favourite color? Then use your imagination in Zune Silicone Cases.

We can help you find the cheapest Zune Cases, the most useful ones and much more at our blog, check us at Zune Cases. Also we have made a great store with only the best and the cheapest Zune Cases which are sold from Amazon. See our Zune Store at this location: Zune Cases.

The Inner Workings of Broadband

2009-12-22T22:20:00.000-07:00

Brought to you by the premier Colorado Springs high speed internet service provider.

These days, "broadband" is a word that is thrown around easily in telecommunications and internet lingo, but the average consumer may not have a clear understanding of how broadband works. It's easy to understand why; the technology industry even has trouble defining it clearly. So how does broadband work? The online Webster's dictionary defines broadband as "A class of communication channel capable of supporting a wide range of frequencies, typically from audio up to video frequencies. A broadband channel can carry multiple signals by dividing the total capacity into multiple, independent bandwidth channels, where each channel operates only on a specific range of frequencies." Let's take a look at each part of the definition to understand how broadband works.

The first part of answering the question 'how does broadband work' is to think about the phrase a "class of communication channel." We can gather from this that it is different from the normal class of communication channel that we use - our regular phone lines. Phone lines, also called baseband lines, normally carry 29.6kbps of analog data when used for voice communications. But with the advent of the internet, people began to demand faster data transmission. A regular, baseband phone line can carry up to 56kbps of data with the help of a high-speed modem, but without additional technology, that is its maximum capacity.

That wasn't nearly fast enough to keep up with the average person's demand for and dependency on the internet, which led to the demand for broadband. So how does broadband work? If you think of a baseband line as having one "channel" to send information, you can think of a broadband line as having multiple channels that you use at the same time. Not only that, but a broadband connection is capable of carrying a wider range and type of frequencies, meaning different types of data. And what it can carry, it carries faster. When you drive on the interstate, what happens when there aren't enough lanes for the number of cars on the road? Everyone is forced to go slower.

The same happens with the internet. Think of your connection to the internet as a tunnel that links your computer to the internet. A regular phone line can allow only a small amount of data to pass through at a time. In comparison, a broadband is a wider (or broader) tunnel, allowing a greater amount of information to pass through your connection at one time. The breadth of this tunnel is called "bandwidth." The more bandwidth you have, the faster you can move data. With broadband service, you can also download files that require a great deal of different types of frequencies as well, such as audio and video files.

This is a partial answer to the question 'how does broadband work,' but the other has to do with the way that broadband services can compress and transmit that data that you're sending. Go back to the cars on the interstate analogy. What if suddenly all of the cars could be miniaturized? What would that do to the traffic jam? Or if they could use all of the space available in the tunnel - above your head, between cars, etc. Broadband technology not only widens the channels you have, but it uses them more efficiently. Meaning you can get more out of the bandwidth that you have. Broadband makes your internet experience faster and more efficient overall.

Van Theodorou will help you slash your telecom expenses by 43% and assist or even become your telecom department at no cost to you. For a free analysis or phone consultation go his site at long distance rates for your business.

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Website Design Tips

2009-12-22T22:05:00.000-07:00

Webstore Solutions, a Colorado Springs website design firm.

In this article I want to talk to you about your site's look, feel, and professional image.

I came online for the first time nearly 14 years ago. I was floored, I was amazed, this "Internet thing" was the coolest thing in the world!

I didn't know how all those people had built all those web pages, but I knew I wanted to build my own.

Back then, finding information on how to build a site was nearly impossible. Most people had never even heard of the Internet, and hardly anyone had written any books on the subject.

Colleges weren't even teaching web design yet.

After much tedious searching (search engines weren't what they are now), I stumbled onto a place called Anglefire that let you build your own site and hosted it for free...it also taught you HOW to build a site. There were a few places around like this....Geocities, Tripod etc.

I spent several months learning to build my own web site. I learned how to upload graphics and make them appear on the page...I slowly learned very simple HTML.

I've programmed computers since I was about seven years old, so learning HTML was easier for me then it probably would be for your average computer user....but it was still very slow going!

I finally finished building my first web site and I was just about as proud as a person could be!

I had conquered this Internet thing...I had staked out my own little corner, I had made my mark!

And the web site? It looked.....TERRIBLE!

It was absolutely horrible looking...it served no purpose. It was just a little personal site that said "Welcome to my web site" and had a couple of funny animated pictures. It had a loud background, flashing blinking text...no layout plan....clashing colors. In short, it was very ugly.

I didn't care, I was really proud of it. I showed it to everyone. Heck, my mom thought it was great!

Shortly after that I started to look at the Internet as a business and I built my first business web site. It looked only slightly better than the first site I built. I didn't care, I was just as proud of it as I was the other.

Over the years I've seen the same metamorphosis with many of my consulting clients. They come online, they slowly start to learn how to build a web site, and they've generally gotten to the stage where their site looks slightly better than if a grade school kid had scribbled something with crayons.

But they're really proud of it. THEY made it...THEY went through the Herculean effort to learn HTML or learn how to use editing software of some sort. It's their baby....

I know EXACTLY how they feel.

But the problem is, their potential customers don't care about any of that. They only know that they've stumbled onto a web site that looks.....well.....not so good.

It only takes a person a couple of seconds to decide that a web site isn't professional, and click off of it.

We spend so much time, effort, and money on marketing and advertising to get a person to come to our site, it seems like a shame not to spend a few bucks to have a professional looking web site.

I know, if you're just starting out money may be tight. But this is really not something you want to skimp on.

I've got a pretty good solution for the money conscience person (hey, I'm one of you!).

What you do is this... Create your own web site....do the best you can.

Use frontpage or any of the hundreds of HTML editors. Then once the site is done, hire someone for two or three hours to go in and clean things up a bit.

You don't have to spend hundreds of dollars hiring a firm to build you a web site. Head over to your local community college and trek over to the art department and slap a paper on the bulletin board.

Design Work Wanted:

2-3 hours of web design work

$40 per hour.

Call 555-5555

Those kids are probably talented enough to give you pretty good quality work and it won't cost you much of anything.

We're talking $80-$100 for some design work from a local college kid to turn your web site into a professional looking site. A site that someone will be comfortable purchasing stuff from.

It's more than worth the investment! Think of it this way....you don't HAVE to have a professional looking site. But I guarantee your competition will....and given the choice, who do you think your customer would rather buy from?

Jason has been writing articles online for nearly 14 years. When not writing about internet marketing, he also runs a quality office supplies web site where he finds lots of deals on a wide variety of office supplies staples and other office accessories.

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Website Design Tips

2009-12-20T16:08:00.001-07:00

Colorado Springs website design firm Webtore Solutions sponsored this article.

Website owners must have some basic knowledge about designing aspect of the websites. The website design tips will help to have a fair concept for creating the websites. Application of the knowledge will help them to make the site more functional for better impact on viewers. Importance of designing is crucial since the websites are created to be self supported to sell independently in absence of any other kind of on-the-spot support. The sites should have full information about the products and services, conditions and well laid out ordering process in easy steps for ordering. There are number of web hosting companies who launch websites on the internet.

Website design tips begin with suggesting selection of an inspiring domain name that clearly describes the nature of business entity. It should be able to standout and identify the product or services of a company. A good domain name provides great support in search operation on the net. The domain name helps to push a website on the internet with good listing rank in a search on the internet. Next consideration is given to the hosting of websites. A web hosting account should be made with a good hosting company. Good hosting companies have desired skills to setup websites efficiently on the internet to enjoy good ranking in search operations.

Website software tool is an essential part of the whole affair of web hosting. The website design tips can easily lay stress upon selection a good web hosting service provider for technical expertise. They provide dependable back up to the website on the net for its functional ability. The involvement of hosting service provider goes further in providing necessary software for effective management of the website. Effective management of websites is a crucial part of hosting on the internet. The site owners will have needs to often change the contents, edit, replace and update the products or services. This is necessary to always keep a site fresh without any elements of disputes and dissatisfaction of the customers. Obviously, the situation turns back to flexibility of designing to accommodate alterations with convenience. This factor is considered to be of extreme importance in website design tips and specifically cared by the professional web designers.

In view of basic objectives of websites to market the products or services on the internet, the website design tips suggest making simple designs. The website should be easy to understand and the process of business transaction should be easy for people to follow. It is easy for the customers to move to other sites quickly. The presentation should be able to hold the customers on the site with sufficient curiosity and interest. If the products are not described in very easy to understand way, a site will fail to attract the customers to spend more time with interest. Moreover, the websites must have their own distinct individuality to stimulate interest of the visitors to the site. Economic benefits count a lot. On internet, the customers can effortlessly compare the cost versus benefits of competing products. Hence the discounts, if offered, should be conspicuously displayed.

Dhruv Patel is an affiliate marketer. He is a happy DreamHost customer and recommends DreamHost to any body who wants to host a web site. He has created a site to help DreamHost customers. If you are not an existing customer of DreamHost and want to sign up with DreamHost, use dreamhost promo code to get a discount.

If you are an existing customer and have any issue with DreamHost account, simply contact him using the "Contact Us" link on his site and he will help you in solving your issue.

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Are You Secure?

2009-12-20T14:41:00.001-07:00

This article brought to you by Colorado Springs home security provider ZIP Broadband.

Is your home really safe? Here is a short checklist for home security that focuses on the main things you need to look at to make your home less attractive to thieves. Keep in mind that burglars love easy targets, so you have to do whatever you can in your power to make your home seem undesirable to those who want to make some easy money.

The Checklist:

Every door frame has to be reinforced to prevent doors from breaking down with simple kicks.

Doors have to consist of metal or solid wood. Doors of hollow-core wood are very easy to get through and should merely be used for inside doors.

Window glass break detectors sound alarms if somebody attempts to force themselves into your house, scaring off any intruders.

Landscape your home more for visibility than for privacy. Even though human nature tells us to cut off from other people like street passersby and neighbors, it would be best to trim or completely get rid of shrubs and trees that could be turned into burglar hiding places and might shelter any actions from the street or house for optimum security.

Ensure that window and door hinges can only be found inside your house.

Outside doors and sliding doors need to have top quality deadbolts and cylinder locks.

Make use of locks when it comes to your storage sheds and garage, and keep any tools - most of all ladders which burglars could put to use to get to higher windows - out of sight.

Make use of lighting outdoors to keep your house entrances well-lit. If you get photosensitive lights, you can ensure that they will turn on automatically when it gets dark. If you want to conserve some energy, heat-sensing and motion-detecting lights will turn on when triggered. The point here is to get rid of any potential burglar hiding places.

Have an updated home inventory so that you can offer up any required information on missing things to your company of home insurance and the police if burglars do make it in.

If you are looking for home security and locksmith services in the areas of Aviara and Carmel Valley, Leading Locksmith can cater to your needs any time.

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Is Your ISP Slow?

2009-12-20T14:36:00.001-07:00

This quick article is brought to you by ZIP Broadband, the premier Colorado Springs ISP.

Here is a common question that we get from broadband consumers.

Question:

Can third party speed test results be used as evidence in a dispute with my Internet Service Provider (ISP)?

Answer:

ISPs will generally not recognise any network testing tools other than their own.

However, ISPs would have a tough time defending your issues with "speed" if you can provide documented evidence from several different sources showing that you are receiving speeds below what you can show you were promised.

Your difficulty would be not so much proving what speed that you are actually getting but more proving what speed you have been promised (and paying for). In the UK broadband industry, the magical "up to" words are a universal legal get out clause for ISPs. Couple this with the very grey definitions of Service Level Agreements (SLA's) from most ISPs and you can start to get the picture that the odds are not stacked in your favour as a broadband customer.

As a broadband customer, your expectation of speed is set by the marketing media. Phrases such as "Up to 8meg" and "Fibre Optic Broadband" are commonly used by UK broadband providers to entice new customers. When new customers sign up, they can commonly and quickly become disappointed when their actual connection speeds fall way below what they were led to believe from the marketing blurb. In a study conducted in April 2008, we found that the average broadband speeds in the UK to be just 3.62 Meg which is less than half of the commonly used "up to 8 Meg" marketing phrase from numerous companies.

Inevitably, the obvious and consistent gaps between marketing lead promises and actual speeds delivered gives rise to disputes between ISPs and customers. With many customers being left disappointed with their broadband speeds and very little legal recourse to do anything about it, many consumers now see "fast" broadband with a certain degree of scepticism.

Ultimately, we believe that the "up to" clause is generally not good for the industry or consumer. At the moment, the only way for customers to get around speed disputes with their ISPs and get a better service is to shop around for providers that offer faster average speeds.

UK broadband customers might be interested to learn that we are working with one of the largest ISPs to provide them with ongoing results from our speed test. Interestingly, it would appear that ISPs themselves sometimes do not know themselves what speed they are actually delivering to customers.

http://www.broadband-help.com

-Weekly comparisons of broadband speeds -Save money and get a better service by switching broadband provider -Broadband provider reviews

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