How Note Taking Software Can Enhance Your Life

With the economy in the state it is in today, everyone is looking for ways to increase their efficiency with what they do, and in today's competitive university environment, anything that can decrease time spent on repetitive tasks is a good thing. But, if you're used to taking notes via pen and paper or are slightly more inclined toward technology and type them on a computer, how can note taking software decrease study time?

Consider that when you write notes longhand if you lose the notebook or it gets destroyed, you have just lost that knowledge. Consider too, that if you want to update the notes taken it can quickly become confusing trying to keep things organized and can get messy. So, you might think that doing notes on a laptop or desktop would fix this issue, and in a sense it does. Note taking software can make this process easier and quicker.

Consider that with Knowledge NoteBook note taking software you will be able to keep things more organized rather than trying to remember in what order the original notes were written in. Add in updates and things can quickly become unmanageable. This is where note taking software can really be worth the money because it can help not only your studies become more organized, but by extension will help you be able to organize your life and time better.

Why? Simple: Knowledge NoteBook note taking software allows you to not only organize your notes but allows you to easily update and keep track of those updates in an efficient manner. This allows you to easily look back and make corrections as new information is obtained. The key here is that you can organize your notes in a manner that makes sense to you, even if that is not the way that they were originally presented. This means that you will be able to absorb and retain the information faster and longer because it is organized in a way that makes sense to you.

You might be asking at this point how this will help the rest of your life? Well, consider that absolute mastery of a particular subject does not necessarily mean hour poring over and revising notes. With note taking software, and given the fact that you can organize subject matter in a way that works best for you, you will find that studying, and truly learning the material will take far less time that with traditional methods. Note that this doesn't mean you should ignore studying completely. But note taking software will make this process more efficient.

By making it more efficient, you will have more time to devote to other things that are just as important such as relationships, a job or even just having more time for yourself. Having a balanced life is key to success and note taking software really does help in this regard.

Taking notes no longer has to be time consuming, messy or disorganized. For more information, go to note taking software.

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How Note Taking Software Can Increase Your Success

If you're a student, busy professional or just taking classes to increase your knowledge of a particular topic, then you know how time consuming and frustrating it can be keeping track of important things that you learn. Sure, like most people you've probably done the accepted thing and bought a notebook along with pens. The problem is, sometimes you need to correct things or add additional thoughts, and at other times you may need to draw something, say a diagram that explains a particular concept. And you need to keep things neat and organized. This is where note taking software can really give you the edge. But what exactly is it and how can it help?

Note taking software was designed for the specific purpose of making note taking quicker, more efficient and enables the person using it to organize his or her notes in a form that is logical to them, with less time wasted if corrections need to be made. Primarily designed for students from grade school on up to college, this type of software in reality can benefit anyone regardless of whether they are in school or not.

That being said, there are a number of options available when it comes to this productivity enhancing tool. So, when comparing note taking software, what should you look for?

First off, be sure that it is compatible with your system. Sounds simple, right? You'd be surprised how many people click through to buy software without first checking if their system can run it well or even if it is for their specific operating system. Always check the "recommended" system requirements and not the "minimum" as the the former is what you actually need to run things efficiently.

Next, take a look at the features of the program. A good note taking software program should have multiple way that you can organize your notes. Options here should include: subject, tag (key concept) and notes. You should be able to organize by concept or tag, as every note taken on a particular topic will be easy to find and linked to the subject matter.

Another thing to look for is facilities for review. A good note taking software program should make adding of thoughts or ideas to a particular note easy (an editor should be available). This is paramount to keeping ideas and learning flowing as nothing is worse than having to hunt for a particular function.

But what if you have to sketch out a diagram? Good note taking software should have this feature included and made easy to use. Obviously, you won't be doing a Rembrandt but basic facilities for freehand drawing and uploading should be included.

Finally, note taking software should aid in the learning process by giving the student access to relevant information from within the application. Again, this keeps the flow going by not making the student fire up another piece of software to do research.

Taking notes no longer has to be time consuming, messy or disorganized. For more information, go to note taking software.

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Choosing the Best Note Taking Software - Microsoft OneNote

With almost everybody constantly looking for ways to be more organized or efficient, people are training themselves to make to-do lists, write down appointments or ideas and keep notebooks for everything they want to remember today or during the time that they may need it. The human brain can only take in so much temporary data at a time which is a problem in this age of digital overload with all the information coming in from different channels including the internet. According to Albert Einstein, the mind can be more productive if it is freed of non-essentials or throw-away information such as telephone numbers, addresses, minute tasks and the need-to-throw-away-but-may-need-this-info-someday notes.

There are people who prefer the traditional ink and paper and lug around notebooks, calendar planners and work diaries which could possibly get lost or destroyed. Others either hate their handwriting, are too lazy to write or hate paper clutter. Some get confused when they need to search for data or need to update. Others just prefer to take advantage of technology and go the digital way.

Note taking software comes in handy for those who want to keep their information in their computers or other digital media. They make organizing these information so much easier and faster, cutting down your time trying to look for them or otherwise, updating them. It is essential that you find information that you may have stored or written down otherwise if you cannot find them, then, there is no value to your writing them down. There are several note taking software that can do the task of storing your information. They are either free or with a license that is for sale.

There is Sidenote, a free and paid software which is like an online storage drawer for your sticky notes. You can slide out the notes, write on them, organize them in groups and slide them back in or you can stick them to the side of your screen. Evernote has both free and paid versions too. It is like having an endless roll of paper to write on, with your latest notes tacked at the end of the paper. The notes can be tagged and organized into categories. The paid version has synchronization and handwriting recognition features.

Microsoft fans would appreciate OneNote, a paid software that makes note taking easier and better organized. It can seamlessly integrate with other Microsoft applications and can synchronize with the notes in Microsoft Outlook. Internet synchronization between different computers can be done with the 2010 version of OneNote through your Hotmail or MSN account. OneNote is like having a 3 level filing system. You can open multiple notebooks, then have several sections within each notebook and have several pages within each section. While it may not come free or very cheap, OneNote provides tagging options which allow for fast searches and more efficient organization. Updating entries is quick and easy as the program allows for linkages to other folders, files, web pages or other notes within the program.

When your information and notes are organized, it gives you more time for yourself, your family, relationships or job. Being able to balance and organize your time and life is one secret to success. Note taking software, without a doubt, can contribute much in this regard. Take a look at the reviews of different software available in the market such as Microsoft OneNote.

For more information about Note Writing Software, please visit http://www.onenotereview.com.

The author, Janette B. Lim writes on different interests such as travel, garden and home, business, technology and many more.

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Graphics Systems

The two main elements required by graphics systems for displaying pictures with fast response time are hardware and software. Hardware is the electronic device which is capable of computing and manipulating information whereas software is responsible for controlling, integrating, and managing the hardware components of a computer. Hardware can be further categorized into input devices (which allow the user to feed into the computer) and output devices (which convert machine-readable into human-readable form). Some standard input device hardware for graphics systems includes keyboards, light pens, mouse, digitizing tablets, etc., while output device hardware includes plotters, printers, and graphics display on the monitor. The monitors are based on cathode ray tubes (CRT), direct view storage tubes (DVST), liquid crystal display (LCD), plasma, and other more techniques. On the other hand, software of computer graphics includes integration of the man-machine interface, packages, programming languages and operating system in modular form.

Refresh rate

refers to the number of times per second the pixels are recharged so that their glow remains bright. Generally, screen pixels are made from phosphor and they need to be refreshed periodically because the phosphors hold their glow for just a fraction of a second. The refresh rate for a monitor is measured in Hertz (Hz) and varies from 60-75Hz. A refresh rate of 60Hz means that image is redrawn 60 times a second. The higher the refresh rate, the more solid the image looks on the screen, that is, it does not flicker.

CRT uses different kinds of phosphors which are different in terms of their persistence (that is, for how long it continues to glow). In technical terms, persistence is defined as the time it takes the emitted light from the screen to decay to one-tenth of its original intensity. However, different phosphors are used for different purposes depending on their persistence. A low-persistence phosphor is used for animation and it requires high refresh rates in order to maintain its steadiness; whereas a high-persistence phosphor is used for displaying static and highly complex pictures.

Resolution

refers to the number of pixels (points per centimetre) that can be plotted in the horizontal and vertical directions on the screen. It can be of two types, namely, medium resolution graphics (where pixels are large) and high-resolution graphics (where pixels are small). Nowadays, most video display units operate on the basis of standard CRT design. With reference to CRT, resolution refers to the number of points which can be displayed on it without being overlapped. The average CRT resolution is currently 800 × 600 or 1024 × 768. However, resolution of high-quality systems (also known as high-definition systems) is 1280 × 1024. Large number of dots, or screen points result in sharper image. Therefore, a resolution of 1280 × 1024 will produce sharper images (for example, smaller icons and more information) than one of 800 × 600.

Aspect ratiois the ratio of the width of the display screen to the height, that is, the ratio of vertical points to the horizontal points necessary to produce equal-length lines in both directions on the screen. Generally, computer displays have an aspect ratio of 4:3. It means that a vertical line plotted with three points has the same length as a horizontal line plotting with four points.

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Multimedia in Computer Graphics

The word multimedia is made up of two separate words, multi meaning many, and media meaning ways through which information may be transmitted. Therefore, multimedia can be described as an integration of multiple media elements together to influence the given information so that it can be presented in an attractive and interactive manner. In simple words, multimedia means being able to communicate in more than one way. Traditionally, information was presented in a single medium only, be it newspaper or radio or television. With the development of computers, presenting data has taken an entirely new meaning. Multimedia is a computerized method of presenting information by combining audio, video, graphics, texts, and or animation components. For example, a multimedia database of musical instruments may allow a user not only to search and retrieve text about a particular instrument but also to see its pictures and play a piece of music. The advent of high-resolution screens and sound and video playback facilities for computers has resulted in the increased use of multimedia applications.

A typical multimedia application is characterized by some features which are as follows:

· Uses of digital technology

· Demands interaction from the user

· Integrates sound, images, text, and data into seamless applications.

As we know, multimedia is mainly concerned with the computer-controlled integration of text, graphics, drawings, still or moving images (video), animation and audio where every type of information can be represented, stored, transmitted, and processed digitally. The various elements that together constitute multimedia are as follows:

Text

Word 2007  /  Word Prefect

The on-screen display of words, that is, text, is the base of most applications. Humankind developed text and symbols so that they could communicate. Writing helped human to remember things for a much longer period than what is possible with the help of memory (brain). Words and symbols in any form, spoken or written, are the most common means of communication. These days not only is the text capable of displaying information, but it has also gained interactivity; things like an electronic annotation, which assist in navigating through all the information presented on the Web by means of hypertext. A hypertext can be defined as an object in the text that allows the user to jump from one web page to another at a click of the mouse button. It acts like electronic footnotes and assists in navigating through all the information. Files may contain raw text or formatted text. For example, hypertext markup language (HTML), a program language source (C, Pascal) or rich text format (RTF)-a file format for text files that includes formatting like different font styles and typefaces and so on. The basic storage of text is 1 byte per character (text or format character). For other forms of data such as spreadsheet files, some may store format as text (with formatting), others may use binary encoding. Text can be written using various text editing and processing tools such as Word Processing Software such as Microsoft Word and Word Perfect where text file can be developed and later imported into the multimedia authoring tools to integrate with other media elements.

Graphics

It is a generic term used to describe the pictorial representation of data. When one talks about graphics, we generally tend to refer those pictorial representations that are created by the primitive objects such as lines, polygons, circles, curves, and arcs. For example, a picture of a cube can be drawn using lines and a pie chart can be drawn using lines and arcs. Images are still pictures that are represented as a bitmap (a grid of pixels) but, graphics are usually editable or revisable (unlike images). Generally, graphic input devices include keyboard, mouse, trackball or light pens. It is said that a picture is worth a thousand words, so by adding a graphic element into a text-based document can change the user's perception towards the document. Integration of the graphics element into the application makes it more elegant and understandable. Growing technology has produced a wealth of graphics and visual imagery for a multimedia project. For the development of multimedia project, various images are captured from different sources like scanners, digital cameras, and through the Internet. Once the images are transformed into digitised form, they can be edited and modified using image editing software, namely, Adobe Photoshop, Corel Draw, and Freehand.

Audio

It means the sensation resulting from stimulation of the auditory mechanism by airwaves or vibrations. It is the vibration of air molecules in the atmosphere that can be sensed by the ear. It involves transmission of mechanical vibration by an elastic medium that is capable of being detected by the human ear. Computers and digital technology have changed the face of music industry. Today, digital music is used to produce special effects in televisions, films, in recording studios, and in games. Music and sound effects not only add interactivity with the user but also play with the user's perception and emotions. Audio can also be used to provide a sense of place or mood as done to perfection in the game. Music is probably the most obvious form of sound. It can be used to set a mood, convey an idea, and even tell a story. Speech is also a perfect way for teaching users the pronunciation of words as done by the speech learning software. Non-speech sound effects can be used in the user interface to inform users about background events. For example, sound of the progress of a file download could be signalled by the sound of water pouring into a glass that gradually fills up. These kinds of background sounds have to be non-intrusive. Moreover, Sounds can be embedded into a web page and can be played.

Video

It refers to the moving picture accompanied by sound such as a movie on television. It is a medium that is as direct as print and catches more attention. It adds richness to content and enhances the user's experience. It dramatises and gives impact to the multimedia application. Integrating video element in a multimedia application provides a great deal of information in a short time. If used in a planned and well-executed manner, it can make dramatic differences in the multimedia presentation. Digital video is useful in multimedia applications for showing real life objects, such as people talking or real life illustrations of concepts. Video places the highest performance demand on the computer memory and on the bandwidth if placed on the Internet. In terms of computers and Internet, the major problems with most videos are that their production quality is too low and they have a very large file size. To make video usable, video files need to be compressed in different file formats.

Animation

Itis the process of sequencing still images in rapid succession to give the effect of live motion. The sequence of images is shown one after the other very quickly so that the human eye and brain blend the images to produce the effect of motion. It is a powerful tool capable of communicating complex ideas. It is often much easier to show somebody how things work then to try to explain it. Animation is viable because of a natural phenomenon known as persistence of vision. An object seen by the human eye remains mapped on the eye's retina for a short time interval after viewing. This makes it possible for a series of images that are changed very slightly and very rapidly, one after the other, to seemingly merge into a visual illusion of movement. In other words, if one just changes slightly the location or shape of an object rapidly enough, the eye will perceive the changes as motion. An animated sequence has to show a certain number of frames every second. For professional animation, one needs to have at least 30 frames per second.

In today's challenging world, if the ideas of the presentation are not expressed in an effective manner then the presentation is a failure. One way of expressing imaginative ideas is by using graphics. Graphics can be presented in various modes which are described as follows:

· Background:It sets the tone and the theme of the presentation. It should be based on the type of information that is to be conveyed. For example, if the information is more text oriented, then simple background images should be used. In case, the information is to be conveyed to little kids then background should be more animated and colourful.

· Two-dimensional (2D) graphics:Usually, when one is looking at a computer screen, then he/she is at a two-dimensional image. The image spans from left to right and top to bottom but usually not in and out of the computer screen. A 2D image definition contains only information about how a scene appears from a particular point.

· Three-dimensional (3D) graphics:A 3D image contains information about the scene in three dimensions (x, y, and z coordinates). However, this 3D data cannot be viewed directly. In order to view it, first the 3D data must be converted into a 2D image by the computer using a process known as rendering. The rendering process takes as input the 3D scene and the location and attributes of a camera and produces as output the 2D image that the camera sees from that particular point in space. The process is done by mathematically projecting a 3D scene onto a 2D surface. In photography, this is done by the camera lens, but in computer graphics, this is done by solving mathematical equations. In both cases, the result is a 2D image that has been generated from a 3D scene.

· Charts and graphs:In business and training-related multimedia projects, charts and graphs are the most appropriate forms of graphics used for presenting facts and figures related information.

· Flowcharts: The use of the flowcharts expresses the systematic order of an event. They are developed mainly to break the complex problem-solving steps into smaller, less complicated steps so that developing logic becomes easier. They are also used for representing 2D graphics.

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

Live Broadcasts - Changing the Way We Communicate

Video broadcasting is a great way to advertise and inform potential customers about multiple services or products. It can also grasp the attention of many businesses, aiding you in brand recognition and expansion. Live video broadcasting is therefore a very useful piece of technology that can help a business constantly grow and expand.

The making of customized presentations is well intermixed with Video Broadcasting. A companion tool is also present. Live communication then becomes possible between the viewers and the broadcaster. An example of this is the Chat Box where ballet box viewers can be invited to give their opinions. Quality responses can be collected about the product or service in this way.

Professional PowerPoint presentations can be made using broadcasting technology. This eliminates the need for separate PowerPoint presentation creators, letting viewers easily create and watch presentations without separate programs. These presentations can be saved and stored for later use.

In any business, profit is fundamental and it is therefore a good idea to have an alternative to pay per view presentation creation and viewing technology. Money earned from the Pay Per view presentations comes directly to you.

Cost is a very important feature when it comes to live video broadcasting. Broadcasting a video would cost you a fortune a decade ago, but now it is very reasonably priced. Charges used to range between $1, 000 and $50,000 per live broadcast. However, they are now a mere $10 - $40. These new rates are not per broadcast, but are now for monthly broadcasts.

Producing live broadcast is no longer a hard task. Advancements in technology have made broadcasting and producing a video much easier. You will find it as easy as sending an email once you start using it. Once you have learned how to do it, you can adapt it without spending a lot of time.

Life has been made more efficient due to live video broadcasting technology. It has numerous uses in our professional as well as personal lives. The more live video broadcasting is made available to the public, the more people will accept and use it.

Ever since video broadcasting has become reasonably priced, everyone wants to use it. With so many advantages and very little disadvantages, why wouldn't they? After all, live video streaming provides a business with an edge over its competitors. As the technology is getting more advanced, following this new technological trend has become essential for businesses to survive in this competitive environment.

For more info from Rinda L Martin about live streaming or broadcasting toronto, visit eventstream.ca.

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Why You Should Wear Dark-Colored Sunglasses When You Shop at the Grocery Store in Future

The rate of personal technology growth is absolutely out of control, and we certainly live in a very interesting time. It's great to see all these new techno-gadgets, and all the different ways they simplify our life. Our smart phones are now smarter than we are, they know where we are at all times, and they know what we wish to buy something before we've even thought about it.

Are they reading our minds? No, the reality is that humans are somewhat predictable based on past behavior. Something that psychologists have known for a long time, and soon your artificial intelligent personal tech device will know almost inherently.

Not long ago, there was an interesting article in the Wall Street Journal on July 12, 2012 by Emily Glazer titled; "The Eyes Have It: Marketers Now Track Shoppers Retinas." Just when you thought it was safe to go out, the Minority Report with Tom Cruise, that popular Hollywood movie is now upon us. Do you remember when Tom Cruise was walking around a shopping mall, and every time he looked at an advertisement, it changed for his particular preferences? That is interesting isn't it?

Perhaps in the future when you are in a crowded shopping mall with people all around you, those advertisements and marketing screens will change for you, rather than someone else, because you are a more frequent shopper with an unlimited balance on your American Express card, whereas someone next to you who is shopping with only a few dollars in their pocket, and food stamps won't get a second look from the artificial intelligent mini-billboard.

So what is a person to do, as our privacy is being invaded every time we go out in public? Should we hide in our homes, and never go out? Should we never use the Internet, never buy a smart phone, and never use electronic money? Indeed, we wouldn't be able to send an e-mail, visit a website, or even turn on our cable TV. Why, because you will be tracked every time you do anything, and you can never escape this futuristic world which is coming at us so fast, people aren't ready for it yet.

If you are bothered by your local grocery store tracking your eyeballs as you walk down the aisle to see which products you look at based on their color, price, and the type of item, then perhaps you can wear dark-colored sunglasses so that they can't get a good look at where you are looking. Of course, you're still going to give yourself away if you use one of those rewards cards at your local grocery store.

In other words, you may as well face it, they already know more about you, than you may know about yourself. Yes, it's an interesting world, an interesting future which is coming for you, whether you are ready or not. Indeed I hope you will please consider all this and think on it.

Lance Winslow has launched a new provocative series of eBooks on Personal Internet Privacy. Lance Winslow is a retired Founder of a Nationwide Franchise Chain, and now runs the Online Think Tank; http://www.worldthinktank.net

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Bitdefender Total Security 2013 Review

Bitdefender Total Security 2013 is BitDefender's new top of the line security product that leaves little to be desired in terms of functionality that it provides. It combines all the offerings of the company's Antivirus Plus and Internet Security products with additional features that only it offers.

If you are already a Bitdefender customer you are probably wondering what the company is offering in terms of new features or improvements in their 2013 lineup. We are going to look at that in detail later on in the article. Before that, lets take a look at the installation of the program first.

Installation

You download a small setup program from the Bitdefender website that downloads the remaining data from the web during installation. The installation is straightforward and no problem even for inexperienced users. If you want, you can customize the location on the local drive, enter proxy settings, or disable program modules that you are not interested in. If you are only using webmail, you may for instance want to disable the anti-spam module.

The program runs on autopilot by default which makes life really easier as you are not bombarded with dozens of security prompts and alerts right away. If you want though, you can disable autopilot to manage every issue and prompt manually.

The main program interface displays the four important areas antivirus, antispam, privacy and firewall by default, with Tune-up, Safebox, Update, Safego and File Encryption available either with a click on the right arrow or the slider that is displayed below the listing.

You can rearrange the display with a click on the all modules button in the interface. Here you can modify it so that the four program modules that you are most interested in are displayed without scrolling.

Most modules display an on and off switch on the screen which you can use to either turn them on or off completely, or to turn of some of their automatic functionality. Here it is for instance possible to turn of the automatic scanning of files or the firewall.

Often used features, like scanning or updating, are available directly from that interface as well. Lastly, the settings are also only a click away from the main interface.

At the top, you see the general state of security of the system, events that require your attention, the autopilot switch, and a link to program settings overview

Antivirus

The antivirus module is one of the core components of the program. In terms of functionality, it has lots to offer. The autoscan feature for instance scans the system for threats when performance is not needed elsewhere. It also features realtime protection that scans files when you try to access them, options to run various quick, full or custom scans, and a vulnerability module that checks for Windows and application updates, or weak user account passwords.

Scans are reasonably fast even though that depends largely on the speed of the hard drive, the amount of files and their sizes, and the computer performance in general. A quick scan took less than 2 minutes to complete on a test system, a full system scan about 15 minutes with the time estimate showing 1 minute left for about 5 minutes.

The Vulnerability Scan is especially helpful as missing updates and patches are one of the key reasons why Windows PCs get infected by malware. It checks for critical and optional Windows Updates that have not yet been installed, application updates for important plugins and programs like Skype, Java or web browsers, and finally weak user account passwords. If something is not right, it offers to fix the issue or install updates to resolve it. It could support additional programs though.

As far as accuracy and detection rates go, Bitdefender has received high ratings from AVTest and AV Comparatives for their products.

Firewall

You may want to check the firewall's settings first as some of its features are disabled by default. This includes the intrusion detection system that protects against the installation of malware drivers, Internet Connection Sharing, and the monitoring of Wi-Fi connections (also this may have been disabled because the system had no Wi-Fi adapter).

If you are running on autopilot you really do not have to worry that much about the firewall. You are definitely not annoyed by alerts when another one of your regular applications tries to connect to the Internet. Users who want more control on the other hand can configure everything manually in the settings and with the help of prompts. The paranoid mode may be interesting which alerts you whenever new applications try to establish a connection on the Internet.

As far as application rules go, there is lots that you can configure here. Just take a look at the screenshot below to see what you can configure when you add a new rule for an application to the firewall rule set.

Unless I'm mistaken though there does not seem to be a way to specify certain ports for an application

The new and improved features

Bitdefender Safepay is one of the core new features that Bitdefender integrated into Total Security 2013. It basically aims to make transactions and other critical operations on the Internet more secure by running them in a browser that is separated from the rest of the environment. That's good because it protects from a number of potential threats, e.g. keyloggers, and not so good because it is displayed in a separate environment where you do not have access to desktop apps and programs. If you are using a password manager for instance, you can't make use of it to sign in on websites.

Safepay can be started manually or automatically according to Bitdefender. Manually worked fine during tests, but I could not get the automatic feature to work at all no matter which browser I tried and whether I explicitly added websites to the list of Safepay sites.

The program's parental controls have been upgraded. They do require an account at Bitdefender to make use of them though. You can either create a new account or sign in with Facebook or Google instead. From here you can monitor and configure many features, including the monitoring of Facebook and web browsing in general, and even phone calls if an app is installed on Android phones.

A few things are missing though, like a similar app for iOS devices or support for more instant messengers.

The anti-theft module is another new addition to the Total Security suite. It too requires a Bitdefender account which you can then use to locate and lock a stolen PC or laptop, and to wipe data to make sure the thief can't access it. This obviously only works if you have configured the feature when the device was still in your possession, and if the thief is connecting the PC to the Internet in its current state. If the hard drives are formatted, or a new OS is used, it won't be effective.

Total Security users get access to 2 Gigabyte of free secure online storage, and access to a number of tools that I have not mentioned yet. This includes a file shredder to delete files permanently, encrypted storage to protect files from being access by third parties, or a tune-up module to speed up the PC.

Bitdefender Product comparison

- Antivirus Plus: Antivirus and Antispyware, Bitdefender Autopilot, Bitdefender Safepay, USB Immunizer, Enhanced MyBitdefender dashboard, Search Advisor, Social Network Protection, Personal Data Filter, Antiphishing, Scan Dispatcher - Internet Security: Antispam, Enhanced Parental Control, Two-way firewall, File Shredder - Total Security: Bitdefender Safebox, Anti Theft, File Encryption, Tune-up - Total Security contains all features that Internet Security and Antivirus Plus is offering, while Internet Security contains the Antivirus Plus features as well.

Closing Words

Bitdefender Total Security 2013 is a big suite that combines security products with related products. The program's autopilot mode ensures that it is a good choice for users of all experience levels. Experienced users will find the manual options suitable for most tasks, even though they could be improved in some regards. The application vulnerability scanner for instance could use additional support for popular applications that it is currently not detecting.

All in all though it is a beast of a program. Users who do not need antispam, parental controls, the anti theft module or file encryption can take a look at Internet Security instead.

Hi all, my name is Le Duong Vien Chinh, the part-time blogger since 2012. By profession, I am working as a technical specialist and my interest is in computer, software, and hardware and I love blogging too much, because, it broadens my knowledge and understanding of the computer and the Internet. That's about me.

vienchinh.net is a tech blog that was started on June 2012. It focuses on posts covering latest trends, mobiles, social networking, and personal computing tips. I blog regularly at Vien Chinh Blog

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Why You Probably Shouldn't Be Saying Your Computer Is Broken

Does your town have a Dump? Visit it. Know what you'll find? Hundreds of discarded computers. Guess why?

Is it because we all junk last year's PC to get this year's upgrade? No, very few of us are that rich! Is it because millions of us have decided the computer is just a passing fad? Please. Or is it because severe arthritis is now afflicting the fingers of more people than get the sniffles each year? No. The No.1 reason why town dumps are PC graveyards is because each year, millions of us simply conclude that we've broken our desktop, laptop or netbook.

When we really haven't!

Truth is, while your local computer store would love everyone to buy a shiny new PC every year, about 97% of us don't need to. Why? Because research has found that it's actually the proliferation of VIRUSES that causes the vast majority of computers to appear broken. And it's nothing more than that appearance that causes millions of us to become so frustrated that we actually throw our PCs away!

"But," you're now thinking, "even if my last computer was just a victim of viruses, the damage was still done. That PC was so problem plagued, I HAD to throw it out!" The truth is, "Probably not."

But rather than dwell on the mistakes of the past, let's look at how to avoid them in the future.

FIRST: Accept the fact that today, most computers are designed to cope with most of the guff users subject them to. But what most computers can't cope with is all the cyber-thugs who launch more than 50,000 increasingly sophisticated viruses onto the Web. Every day!

SECOND: Accept the fact that every time you hop on the Internet, your computer MUST have antivirus protection and the failsafe support of a team of ace online problem solvers. Kind of like your own Pit Crew in an auto race.

Depressed over how dangerous the Internet has become? Don't be. Because all the best Internet Security Software companies are way ahead of you. And those Cyber-Thugs. With Firewall and Antivirus software infused with impressive, next generation ideas like White List Strategies and Auto Sandbox technology to protect your PC. In fact today, the best Internet Security software is:

Designed to never even allow any threatening file to enter your PC.

Combines an impenetrable Firewall with the latest Auto Sandbox Technology and a White List Strategy that only permits a continually updated list of SAFE files to enter your PC.

Gives you 24/7 live, expert, online problem solvers, who are never more than one click away. Compassionate, Microsoft Certified experts who are ready to solve hundreds of PC problem for you, including slow PC, crashes or blue screen shut downs. All of which are usually caused by viruses.

What will such top notch Internet Security Software cost you? $10.00 to $70.00 tops. Which is a bargain, compared to the cost of a brand new replacement PC!

Problem: "My PC is broken!" Solution: Take some top notch Internet Security Software. Not a trip to the Dump.

COMODO provides the best antivirus software and complete Internet Security Software

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

Three New Impressive Apps for the iPhone

Apple has sold over 250 million units in the first five years since the launch of the iPhones. And of course, the App Store is the main reason for this success. Just by browsing through the App Store, one can discover thousands of exciting apps. Therefore, the task of selecting an app has become baffling. Let me introduce three impressive apps for your iOS device.

Image Southwest Parks: This app has a lot of high resolution images of Southwest parks. From desert parks of Arizona to the red rocks and canyons of Canyonlands, users can see and experience them all inside Image Southwest Parks. As more than 100 images are geo-referenced, users can simply consult the app to find out how close they are to their destination while traveling to these areas. By tapping on information button, users could make this app show the name of the park above every image. However, it hides 80 percent of the image with a layer. I think developers would remove it, when they update the app. Image Southwest Parks is compatible with iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad and requires iOS 3.2 or later. It costs USD 1.99.

Wordistic: This is a word making game for the iPhones where users have to race against the clock to try to qualify for the next ever quickening level. After launching Wordistic, users could see letters pouring from the top of the screen. They have to tap on them to make a word out of them. This app also presents word suggestions at the bottom of the selected letters. Wordistic has a good soundtrack and more importantly it is exclusively composed for this app. However, it really lacks a Help area as it is quite difficult to navigate through some parts of the app. Wordistic is compatible with iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad and requires iOS 4.3 or later. It also has Game Center integration. This app costs USD 0.99.

Thwart: It is a new board game that tests luck and intelligence of the players. It has seven games - Singles, Doubles, Triples, Quads, Singles +, Mixtures and Mixtures +. The rules are pretty much the same for all these games - placing the tiles on to the board in a variety of patterns. Thwart can be played as solo or between 2 to 4 players. Enabling countdown clock could make this game a bit harder, while availing the Hints feature could make it an easy one. The interface is easy to navigate around, but it doesn't have a pleasing look. Maybe a better background and better fonts could do the trick. Thwart game is compatible with iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad and requires iOS 3.1 or later.

People love apps that are fun and simple to use. But more importantly, they need to deliver the magic. I think, most of the iPhone apps offer rich user experience and are able to do new things a desktop website cannot do. All these three apps have been freshly released on the App Store and they could make your life more fun.

Author bio: Steve August is an iPhone app reviews expert and Chief Editor of AlphaDigits, a website that publishes Android app reviews and iPad app reviews. Developers can contact him through AlphaDigits to get their apps reviewed.

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

The New Operating System of Android

There are different varieties of operating systems existing in the smartphones and tablet computers. One of them is the Android, which is Linux based. Developed by the Open Handset Alliance, Google had purchased the initial developer of the software Android, Inc. in 2005. Releasing the Android code as open source, and with the Apache License, the operating system has a large community for Mobile Application Development. The developers of these apps write the code in Java and this can be further downloaded from online stores or third party websites like Google Play.

Market of the Android

Becoming the world's leading platform in the final quarter of 2010, the operating system had more than 59% of the smartphone market share in the first quarter of 2012. The market analysts commended this advantage being in multi-channel and multi-carrier platform that led to its unprecedented growth.

The Android 4.1 Jelly Bean

For effective Application Development for Android it is important to be aware of the latest updates in the operating system. Google announced the last update, the Android 4.1 Jelly Bean during the Input/Output conference held in San Francisco this year.

Built on the Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, the new update of the operating system is not much of a facelift from the older versions. However, the developers have ascertained the platform being intuitive, faster and seamless.

The updates of the Jelly Bean

Project Butter: Google claimed that the new framework works at the speed of 60 frames/second. The upgrade, known as Project Butter, enhances the sensitivity and reciprocity of the device. All types of scrolling, swiping and other animations are more fluid and smoother. The improvement would enhance the operating systems sense of touch.

Improved Keyboard Predictions: The default keyboards of the latest Android operating system have improved their predictability and dropped the auto-correct mistakes. The Voice Typing dictation works better even when offline.

Resizable Widgets: The home screen of the Jelly Bean was vastly improved with the enabling of sizing of the Widgets to fit the available screen. The icons can now reorganize themselves and can be moved around and even deleted.

Google Now: Another added feature to the native search engine Google, the upgrade aims to provide accurate information at the right time.

Search Cards: One of the most important features of Jelly Bean, the "Search Cards" would display search answers in a more graphical and user-friendly way. The new operating system also includes a Voice Search.

Refurbished Notifications: The users of Jelly Bean can now benefit from the multi-touch gesture, which extends over several notifications. Several tasks can now be performed from the notification bar and increase the usability feature of the smartphone and tablets.

Although not a major overhaul from the Ice Cream Sandwich, the Jelly Bean updates are more fine and superior.

Android has a community of Mobile Application Development. The latest updates of the Jelly Bean will surely affect Application Development for Android. However, not a major overhaul of the Ice Cream Sandwich, but the new updates also includes upgraded Google Beam, which enables transfer of data with a single tap.

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

Top 6 Mobile Application Development Platforms That Cover 99% Market Share

The world of communication is experiencing a phenomenal revolution which has redefined the whole perception of communication, thanks to the mobile application development platforms.

There is no single platform for mobile application development which is not being pushed by tough rival competitors. Till a little earlier, the only market leader was Apple's iOS. Now it is hugely shared by Google's Android. Symbian, Blackberry and Windows Phone are also marking their presence in the market. Its market is getting such viral that even Facebook is planning to facilitate a mobile application store.

Top 6 Mobile Application Development Platforms (Smartphone Operating Systems) which have covered more than 99% of the global smartphone market share are as follows:

1. Android of Google Inc

Android is an open source operating system which belongs to Google Inc. Android and iOS are the two major mobile application development platforms which cover almost 89% of the whole operating system market share.

With its fairy-tale like popularity among the users, Android alone has captured as high as 56.1 percent of global Smartphone Operating System market share.

Android has over 500,000 and counting applications with more than 10 billion downloads and around 1 million activations every day.

2. iOS (iPhone OS) of Apple Inc

iOS is the mobile operating development platform for all iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch devices having about 315 million users worldwide. It's a closed source smartphone platform having 650,000 applications, with 30 billion downloads from its application store. It has covered 22.9% of global market share.

3. Symbian of Nokia

Symbian is an open source operating system which belongs to Nokia. Around 8.6% mobiles of the world are running this mobile application development platform. Apart from Nokia, Samsung, Sony Ericsson, Sharp and Fujitsu mobiles are also using this platform.

4. BlackBerry of RIM

Globally, about 6.9% mobiles are running a BlackBerry operating system. This closed source mobile phone application platform has around 60,000 applications available in its application store, with over 2 billion and counting downloads. Its application store witnesses 6 million downloads per day, on an average.

5. Bada of Samsung Electronics

The Bada Operating System is a closed source platform developed for mobile application development. It is developed by Samsung Electronics. Currently it is supporting over 40,000 applications and enjoying worldwide share of Bada OS based Samsung phone by around 2.7%.

6. Windows Phone of Microsoft

Windows Phone is a closed source mobile operating system, ruling the global market with 1.9% of its share. It is developed by Microsoft, and it has been integrated with Microsoft services as well as with some non-Microsoft services.

By now it has bagged around 100,000 applications. It is expected to grow in great pace because of its association with Nokia in the coming days.

Every operating system has its own strength and limitations. However what makes one more popular than another is entirely dependent on what end users prefer. The trend of their taste has shown that they prefer smartness and easiness over the number of features. Being good is not enough, even looking good is not enough; end users should 'feel good' for every feature being delivered to them.

ebPearls is a Professional Web Development company, providing Mobile Application Development services (in all major platforms like iPhone and Android OS) for small to large business/firms. For more information, please visit http://ebpearls.com.au/services/mobile-application/

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

Simplify Registration With Online Event Registration Software

A lot of hard work and meticulous planning goes into organizing an event. Right from choosing the venue, food, lighting arrangement, sitting placements to registrations, everything needs your utmost attention. This is because as a host you want to leave an ever-lasting impression on your guests. With so much multi-tasking on all event related areas, you may sometimes overlook the importance of the actual event registration process. You can however make your task a lot easier by resorting to online event registration software.

Nowadays,Online Event Registration Software isthe most effective and professional tool for managing event registrations. The software is based on a Cloud computing platform that allows you to create an event website in no time thereby helping your attendees to register and pay online. Being a 24 hour registration service, attendees can register anytime, from anywhere as per their convenience. All they need to have is a web enabled device like a PC, laptop or smart phone with a proper internet connection. This also helps in increasing your event attendance.

The online registration also relieves you from the much time consuming process of manual registrations. Not only that, you can also eliminate the problem of missing attendee information as well as spelling mistakes. The Cloud based software is a great professional tool that eliminates your hassles of tele-calling, faxing and emailing. At the same time it also reduces your administrative work load considerably as you no longer have to appoint external staff to carry out various activities.

However, the list of benefits of this online event registration software is many. You can use this software without the support or installation of any hardware device or software program. Along with that, you can have remote access. Moreover, it comes with a PCI complaint platform that allows you to execute safe transactions through standard payment gateways etc. The software also allows attendees to get immediate authorization once the payment has been made. It also facilitates you to have a separate merchant account for accepting payments. This may however incur additional charges.

The online registration software also allows you to promote events through its various marketing tools. Not only can you generate promo codes and gift cards but can also have access to the email tool to attract a large number of prospective candidates. You can also promote your event on various social media platforms by the single click of a button. You are also facilitated with a calendaring tool that allows you to keep a tab on the various upcoming events. This software also helps keep a detailed track of individual attendee participation and the revenue earned. You can also perform a post event survey with this particular service.

Online event registration software thus enables you to overcome the challenge of a manual event registration system. It is a convenient, easy to use, secure tool for meeting your event registration needs.

Jonathan is an event management industry veteran. Event Planners and professionals are increasingly relying on event management software to streamline the online event registration, payment management, and attendee relationship management. Acteva is the market leader in providing online event registration process, & management solutions at competitive cost.

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

Existing Applications Have Hidden Issues

Every home improvement show I watch uncovers hidden surprises: asbestos in the walls, faulty wiring creating fire hazards, mold, water damage, etc. It's no different in software development. Whether dealing with Web Applications, Desktop Software or iOS and Droid Device Application Development, when you work on something built (or simply started) many years ago, you will run into hidden problems that must be fixed.

Working on existing software built by someone else is one of the most difficult challenges in the software consulting industry. People want to know how much it will cost. But we don't really know what we will be getting into until we get our hands into the mix.

Even worse, the client is used to working with a developer who knows how everything works--after all, they wrote it. When a new developer gets started, there are many hours--sometimes hundreds of hours--spent just learning what is there and how it works. That expense of getting a new person up to speed can be a hard pill for a client to swallow.

What do they do in the construction world? They start by giving estimates for what they think they will need to do and build in a buffer - a "just in case" amount for unforeseeable problems. If something bigger than the buffer comes up, they stop and present the client with options, and then either raise the budget or change the requirements.

This might not sound like the ideal solution, but work has to be started before you know the full extent of the problems. To discover mold in the walls, you have to tear into those walls. The key is to be prepared. If there are extensive or expensive issues to be resolved, come up with creative ways to fix the problem so as to minimize the expense and stay close to the original budget.

So if you have an existing software application that needs to be updated or upgraded, what do you need to consider?

First, expect ramp up time (and cost) in order to get the new person up to speed. The first few weeks or even months, depending on the size of your custom software application, may see few visible results.

If you are getting estimates from vendors, ask exactly what they plan to do for that amount of money. If you are very specific about what you want, you should expect bids that are fairly close to each other. However, if the estimates are all over the board (one company we talked to had estimates ranging from $5k - $300k+) then you probably need to size down what you are asking them to do (pick a small chunk of work to start with) and then very clearly, with more detail, spell out your requirements. This will produce estimates that you can better compare - apples to apples that should result in estimates that vary by smaller amounts.

Make sure you and your vendor budget time and money for unexpected things that crop up. Even perfect projects done by the best people have issues come up.

Finally, pick a team that solves problems creatively. Quite often, creative individuals turn a problem into an opportunity or find slick ways to solve the problem with little money. When we interview we look for this--we give the potential hire a situation we have encountered in the past and ask for their solution. If you do this, give the base information you had when you encountered the issue and ask the potential hire or vendor what they would do. They usually don't have time to actually solve the problem--that isn't the point. You just want to see how they think and if they can be creative.

The author is an expert in web application development and custom software Kansas City and has many years providing consulting services to high-tech companies.

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

Social Privacy Protector: A Facebook App for Profile Privacy Protection

Facebook is the most popular website with 800+ million users and counting each day. Recently this social networking website has been creating waves in the news media with the latest buzz which sparked off the rumor of its joining age limit. It is said that this website has reportedly said to have relaxed the age limit to 13 years. Whether or not this is true the fact is that more than often it is the teenagers who are keener on joining this social networking website and staying connected online maximum number of times. Keeping all this in mind it becomes essential to come up with various privacy and security measures that work towards maintaining safety of the users who are logged in online.

According to a news source a few college students have developed a security app namely The Social Privacy Protector or SSP. This app is useful for parents to make relevant adjustment in relation to the profile of their kids. The adjustment is simple and easy requiring just a click. This will enable in protecting minors from getting into trouble and safekeeping them from online abuse. The criminals online looking for getting hold of vital personal information will be kept at bay by utilizing this app. Additionally this app is helpful in providing multi-level security to the user profile by reviewing friend list. It helps in identifying the status of the profile from real to fake.

SSP is designed to analyze the profile of each friend added in the list of the user and provide a report which confirms the status of the friend. This profile depicts the score ranking that is the basis of analysis for giving high or low ranking to the friend added in the profile. It then suggests the user to restrict the specific friend with lowest raking and enabling the filters for restricting the friend from accessing personal information. This way the user data is protected from being used without blocking or un-friending the person added in the friend list.

Privacy to the kids

This SSP app is helpful for parents who want to protect their kids from online threats. Another interesting thing about this app is that it is easy to use and apply without going through the hassle of navigation into privacy policies. As it is a well known fact that Facebook is a social media website that enables connecting to numerous people online but the user is also given the apt tools for setting privacy filters for account data protection. But still the user is not able to make specific setting that is related to profile analysis and telling genuine profile amongst fake one.

Utilizing this app the user will be able to set more relevant privacy settings to their profile while providing the user from anti-social elements. Additionally the user will be notified about the number of applications that are currently running and installed on their profile that are potentially harmful to their profile privacy and data.

Teens who are engaged in social networking activities are always vulnerable to threats such as social predators that are on a look out to invade profile privacy. Moreover this SSP app is freely available software for Facebook compatible to all browsers. This app can also be used as an added tool along with Firefox. The user can easily find it online.

Marigold Henry Montana is a technical expert who deals with various computer related issues. She is capable of handling the software as well as hardware troubleshooting. She advises people on basic upkeep and maintenance of their PC, Laptops, Notebooks and Tablets. She is working as a freelance technology writer and as fulltime online tech support for a well known IT software company. Her aim is to spread the technical know-how to the people all around the globe.

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

Home PC Protection - How to Make Sure You Are Safe

What we do not understand, we cannot protect

The biggest problem is that people often tell me that they know nothing about computers and rely on others to protect or fix their home computer when it has problems.

This is no longer acceptable in the world of technology today, to say that you don't understand how your computer is exposed to risks.

Don't give access to your computer to untrusted people

Simple but effective. If you do not let people use or access your computer when you are not present, it will protect your pc the most. For example, you hand over your computer to the repair guy in the store without asking or checking their reputation.

Did you know that some computer technicians;

Search all your hard drives and read personal information

They look for your photographs and make copies of images that could be very personal to you

Your banking and passwords are easy for them to find and some get paid to pass details to others for criminal activities

Cause trouble for you by hiding pornographic material on your hard drive and then report you to the authorities

We are too trusting when we hand over our computers containing all your personal information.

Never allow anyone to fix your computer remotely

Never, ever accept someone telling you that they can fix your computer from the internet if you give them access or change firewall settings.

If you didn't call for help, don't believe anything they say about the problems they will fix for you.

By giving them access, it only takes a few minutes to completely copy your hard drive information or find your banking details. Within minutes they use this to commit fraud before you have the chance to cancel any cards or change passwords.

Use different passwords and change often

For your password to be effective it needs to contain at least 6-8 characters mixed with letters and special characters that do not make up real words.

If your password is a real world, it can be broken within seconds by the average computer user that wants to bypass your security.

Watch out for keyloggers

Don't let people install computer programs or software on your computer without your knowledge. A small program known as a key logger will track all your typing and send this information to other people without you knowing.

All in all, ensure you have the latest antivirus software installed and keep updating to prevent old viruses getting through weak defences.

Then make sure you do not download or open any files that you do not know or understand.

Information supplied by Paul Baker

Over twenty years of business development & change management strategies successfully used in National organisations across Australia. The focus is on continuous improvement of business systems to stimulate growth through our principles of Initiate, Inspire, Innovate.

Customer-centric focus using our extensive experience in consumer behaviour and business process operations to find ways to help business owners manage their organisations.

Avatar Business Intelligence

avatar@startingbusinessadvice.com.au

http://startingbusinessadvice.com.au

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

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