Cute Sushmita Sen Biography and Pictures

Cute Sushmita Sen Biography and Pictures

WINDOWS 8 FEATURES AND SPECIFICATIONS

WINDOWS 8 FEATURES AND SPECIFICATIONS

Microsoft  building its new OS codenamed Windows 8, which targets a variety of devices ranging from tablet to desktop PCs.

Windows 8 Features

Windows is the most dominant OS on the personal computer front, recent times have seen a number of handheld devices running Android, Apple’siOS surging the market. Hand held devices such as smart-phones and tables have become quite popular because of their ease of use, portability and the kind of applications they run. Post PC era has long begun and Microsoft till now has no solid OS or platform which capitalizes on this. With Windows 8 Microsoft is entering the handheld devices market.

What is New about Windows 8?

Those who used the developer edition of Windows 8 have already opined that it’s a cool OS. In fact if you look at the legacy of Windows OS, form Windows 95 to Windows 7, there is a tremendous improvement over look and feel, functionality as well as aesthetics.

Hardware Requirements

Microsoft has been raising the hardware requirements bar since its first version of windows OS. This is the first version of windows which runs on the same hardware requirements as that of Windows 7 and to some extent lesser. For example Microsoft quoted that Windows 8 can run on an Intel Atom based device with 1GB RAM and will run better than Windows 7. That is really nice because one need not dump an old netpad just to upgrade the OS. As of now there is no official citation of the minimum hardware requirements; we will have to wait and see.

• Platforms Supported

Windows 8 runs on a variety of platforms starting from tables made by different vendors to netbooks, laptops PCs and servers. OS detects the hardware capabilities and then decides the functionality that are supported by such hardware on the fly. This avoids all the confusion about different OSs for different platforms and the cascading compatibility issues. Since one OS fits all, upgrading and maintaining will become very simple.

Here is a nice video from Computex 2011 which highlights the different devices supported by Windows 8

• User Interface

It has a touch centric start screen which can be customized as needed and provides necessary information such as weather, news etc. with the help of ‘live tiles’ as soon as you login. This interface will be more useful for hand held devices rather than a laptop or a PC that you use at work. The Start Menu which was introduced withWindows 95 has been completely replaced by the new start screen.

Once you boot a Windows 8 device, a nice lock screen with date and time along with couple of notification icons loads up.

Once you login, you will have greeted with the Metro-themed start screen. You can scroll the start screen left and right to scroll across tiles. Choosing a tile will open it up in full screen. If you have a touch enabled device, swiping the right edge of the screen loads a navigation bar called “Charms”. Swiping the left side of the screen will allow you to flip through the running applications. Swiping the top or bottom of the screen load up the navigation bar related to the current application which is running.

• Cloud Sync

Now you can configure your Windows Live account and us to login to the device. Windows also allows you to keep your settings synced to cloud through your live account. If you are on the move and use multiple PCs or you have multiple devices running Windows 8, cloud sync will be really helpful. Google chrome allowed to sync only the browser settings such as bookmarks, themes etc. to cloud; now Windows 8 enables syncing all the OS settings such as test bar settings, app settings themes etc. This feature is termed as Roaming Profile, and it makes use of your Windows live account.

Fast Booting

Windows boasts of its fast booting ability. Here is a demo shared by Microsoft recently which proves it.

Waiting for a PC to boot up and load the login screen has always been a concern all the users had and many efforts are done to provide faster booting capability. Since most of with users prefer hibernating a PC which loads up faster the next time and all the applications that were running will be available the next time as it is, Microsoft has leveraged on this to provide faster booting experience.

Performance Boost

Performance of the OS was considered as primary criteria while developing the OS. In fact, Windows 8 has better performance than Windows 7. The OS makes optimum use of multi-core processors and virtualization to provide best performance. You might have noticed that earlier OSes were not optimized for multi-core processors, if a resource hungry application starts, it used to run on only one core instead of utilizing all the available cores. Applications start faster and take less time to be ready for you to use. The test manager has been redesigned to enable easy access to basic functions and advanced functions. You can even do start-up settings through task manager instead of going to msconfig.

Ribbon Interface

Ribbon interface which was introduced with MS Office 2007 was used on applications such as Paintbrush on Windows 7. Now even Windows Explorer gets the ribbon interface. They are planning to make the ribbon interface a standard across all the applications that ship with the OS.

• Building Windows 8

Windows 8 development team has a blog where in they post about some of the features of the OS and their internals. Building Windows 8 blog is a must visit if you wish to know more about the internals of the OS. If you want to grab a copy of the developer preview of OS and try it out, it is available at Windows Dev Center.

long life iphone battery

If you are an iPhone users then you must be aware of the less point of Apple’s iPhone is its Battery. With every usage of it the %age of battery decreases. Iphone offers its users whole new world of features, apps, games which cannot be resisted from exploring. But the main concern for the user will be saving the battery throughout the day. Maximum iPhone battery is 100% and it rapidly decreases according to the usage.

But every problem has a fix to it and Apple has done that for the battery issue. So let’s explore these few simple and few little tricky ones to get that extra bit of battery.

When Not in Use Turn off Your iPhone All Wireless Applications

All the latest phones, being specific Smartphone come with inbuilt wireless applications like Bluetooth and wifi access. So it is advised to switch off such features when they are not in use. As these features tends to deplete your iPhone battery fast. So turning them off can help you extend the battery life for several hours.

If not required then disable the 3G as well. As the 3G technology survives on the battery of the phone. If possible to turn off it will give you long battery life for whole day.

Make use of the auto brightness feature of your iPhone. This will automatically adjust the back light of IPhone as required. This adjustment also helps in saving battery.

Manually Lesser The Screen Brightness

Although you have enabled the auto brightness feature but in some scenarios it does not dim the light as required. There you can manually lower the brightness of the home screen for saving of the battery. Preferred is to keep your brightness to 49% to make optimum use of the iPhone battery.

End Background Apps

According to Apple, the background apps are not technically ‘running’, unless they are front and centre, which means they should not draw any power.

The multitasking application for the iPhone continues to use resources of system more efficiently depletes your battery.

Applications, for example, Skype or even other VoIP can be especially benefit from the battery when you perform within the setting and so it is better to start launching the applications only when you need which can save the battery life.

Cool Off The IPhone Temperature

High temperature of iPhone also eats up its battery life. If you find that while charging your phone the temperature is increasing, then remove the phone cover before plugging in for charging. Let it also have a breath of fresh air so place it on a table or in open space instead of your pocket. The optimum temperature for iPhone and its battery is between 32°F to 95° F.

Make Use of Solar Chargers

Solar chargers give you freedom of charging your iPhone from anywhere. So if your battery is dying out, you can save it with solar power.

Also another advantage is that you can follow the motto “Go green” while saving the electricity which in turn protects the environment.

Frequently Use your iPhone:
We all know that iphone is a precious thing for anyone but that does not mean that you restrict its use to protect it from daily wear and tear. It is best valued with optimum use of it. Not using the iPhone for a long time can reduce its battery life. Therefore one should use it regularly and change iPhone battery at least once every 6 months.

Apple has also strongly recommends that you should charge your iPhone when the battery is completely finished i.e. 0%.

So follow these tips and you can easily save your iPhone battery life and enjoy it for long.

If these tips don’t work it may be time for your IPhones battery to be replaced. For great deals on new batterys or even new IPhones check out Dial-A-Phone.co.uk.

13 easy laptop maintenance tips to keep your laptop safe and sound

Laptops have become part and parcel of our everyday life, so it is obvious that there are many issues related to laptops that gives us headaches atleast once in a week or a month. People who are way busy with their work do not have the time to follow the maintenance procedures suggested by the manufacturer, which reduces the life of the laptop drastically as laptops are delicately designed and should be handled with great care.

From All the experience I have with my laptop, I have come up thirteen easy laptop maintenance tips that you can follow immediately and can keep your laptop safe and sound.

• Do not dump too many programs in to your laptop. You may argue that today’s processors can handle any number of programs; well- it is partially true. Laptop processors are way more delicate than desktop processors, the more programs you load on your laptop, more it will be pushed to the limit and may breakdown at some point. Have a look at your programs atleast once a week and remove the unwanted ones, the tiny ones even.
• Do not let too many unwanted processes run in your laptop. Check the processes that are running on your laptop, google their names and know whether it is a must needed one or an unwanted one. If it is an unwanted one, make sure you stop them and also make sure that they don’t start automatically on your next restart (You can do this will the help of options like msconfig , get proper help if you not sure about which process to stop).
• It is not a sin to play games on your laptop. But loading a game that is 30GB and playing it all the time can seriously jeopardize the performance of your laptop parts (processor, keyboard etc).  Load games that does not stress the processor or play online games, this will keep your laptop going for a long long time.
• Never plugin the charger to the laptop until the laptop battery is dry. Imagine your laptop just like a mobile, when you are using it, you should only use it without the charger being plugged in. This practice will increase your laptop battery life tremendously!
• Do not use any liquid that is not recommended to clean your laptop screens, laptop screens have delicate coatings on them and if you use a wrong chemical to clean it, it may ruin the screen permanently. Use a dry cloth to clean your laptop screens, keep your laptop away while you are eating or drinking and dont clean your screen too often.
• One of the laptop parts that gets quickly affected because of bad usage is the  disc players in the laptop. The players are not your coffee stand , always remember and do not burn CD/DVD unless and until it is much needed. Burning DVDs often will decrease the life of the players as well as the batteries as disc burning consumes lot of power!
• Do not use more than one anti virus in your laptop (malware is also an anti virus remember). Having too anti viruses may lead to some unwanted / heavy processes to be started. So better have one light anti virus version like the Microsoft security essentials or AVG (will never recommend McAfee or Norton as they are too heavy for a laptop).
• Please use your desktop to do things like rendering a complex media file etc. Laptop processors have limited capabilities and cannot handle things like rendering a complex animation file for hours together.
• Do not plugin things like USB fans or other fancy items to showup when the laptop is running on batteries, laptops are never designed to run them and it will make your battery dead in no time.
• It is better to sell your laptop and buy a latest one than to upgrade individual parts in the laptop. Since the components of the laptop are designed to match precisely, the chance of an upgrade component like the processor to fit all the other parts in the laptop happens only once in a while.
• Use free programs like ccleaner and clean unwanted files once in a while , do disk defragmentation atleast once in a month and make sure the partitions in the laptop are equally done.
• Do not let your laptop heatup. If your laptop is hot, it either means that there is no proper ventilation or processor is stressed. In this case, you can turn off the laptop for a while and then turn it on.
• Treat your laptop like a friend and not like a mere electronic gadget. This way, you will not feel stressed while maintaining your laptop.

Optimizing A Disk By Unfragmenting Files

A little preventative maintenance goes a long way when it comes to yourWindows-based PCs. All Windows operating systems come with tools that you can use to help keep your computer running in top shape. One such tool is the Disk Defragmenter (defragment), which works to optimize fragmented files on the hard disk drive.

Fragmentation describes the condition of your hard disk drive when files are divided into pieces and scattered around the disk. Fragmentation occurs naturally when you use a disk frequently, just by doing basic tasks like creating, deleting and modifying files.

At some point, the operating system needs to store parts of a file in noncontiguous clusters. This is entirely invisible to you, but it can slow down the speed at which data is accessed because the disk drive must search through different parts of the disk to put together a single file. In a nutshell, the Disk Defragmenter will optimize a disk by unfragmenting the stored files.


How Disk Defragmenter Works

When you run the Disk Defragmenter it will perform several tasks. The application will locate fragments of files stored in different locations on the disk and then copy them into a single continuous file at a point on the disk that has enough free space. It then compares the two files and updates the Master File Table (MFT). After writing to the MFT, the Disk Defragmenter will then delete the old fragmented file and the MFT is again updated with the new free space information.
How to Access the Disk Defragmenter

In Windows XP or Windows Vista you can access the Disk Defragmenter tool through the following steps:
Click Start, select All Programs, select Accessories, select System Tools, click Disk Defragmenter. (or)
Open your Windows Explorer and view all drives. Right click on the drive you want to defragment and select Properties. In the Tools tab choose Disk Defragmenter.

In the Disk Defragmenter tool box, you'll need to select the hard drives you want to defragment. In Windows XP you can Analyze the drive first. A user interface will show you the progress as you run Disk Defragmenter. In Windows Vista there is no graphical view of the progress as the application works.


Screenshots showing how to access Disk Defragmenter in Windows Vista (above) and Windows XP.
(Click images for larger screens)

It May Take a While

The Disk Defragmenter tool can take anywhere from minutes to hours to run, depending on the size of your hard drive and also how fragmented the drive is. One way to run the Disk Defragmenter and not lose any computing time is to leave the system and run the Disk Defragmenter during a time when the system can be left on but is not be in use (e.g., 3 or 4 a.m.). You can simply use the steps above to launch Disk Defragmenter when your computing tasks are done for the day or you can have the Windows Task Scheduler automatically run the Disk Defragmenter on a certain day and time each week or month. In Windows XP or Windows Vista you can access the Task Scheduler tool through the following steps: Click Start, select All Programs, select Accessories, select System Tools, click Task Scheduler.
Tips for Getting the Best Results
Ensure you have no applications running when you start the Disk Defragmenter. If you system is accessing applications the Defragmenter will not stay running. Be sure to turn off your screensaver also.
Delete your Temporary Internet Files and other files you do not use. You can also uninstall unused programs. In the Properties tab of your hard drive you can access "Disk Cleanup," which will help you get rid of unused and unnecessary files.
Run the Disk Defragmenter at regular intervals. However you can also run the tool if you add a lot of files to the disk at one time or find you are running low on disk space.

Based in Nova Scotia, Vangie Beal is has been writing about technology for more than a decade. She is a frequent contributor to EcommerceGuide and managing editor at Webopedia. You can tweet her online @AuroraGG.

What is the Difference Between a Laptop and a Notebook?

The laptop was originally designed to be similar to a desktop, but be small and light enough that it could be used while sitting in your lap. For this reason, years ago, you would find that a laptop had more features than notebooks did, but the tradeoff was it was also a larger and heavier than a notebook. This is because the notebook style of portable computers was for mobility, not just portability. To be a more mobile device, the notebook was a thinner design and it weighed less than the laptop, simply because it didn't come packed with features and multiple devices and drives.

Years ago, notebook computers would have a smaller display than a laptop, fewer internal drives (hard drive, floppy or CD-ROM - depending on the year manufactured), and the sound, modem, and such would be integrated - not separate upgradable hardware devices. Laptops were considered to be desktop replacements; portable computers with features, functions, and options comparable to your desktop computer.

So while there technically is a difference between the two -- and that is the size and weight of the device (which in turn impacts the system's features) -- today there is even less of a difference between the two since technology advancements means that most common computer devices and peripherals are much smaller now.

For example, When NEC released its UltraLite Notebook in 1989, a portable PC that many attribute to being the first notebook computer, it contained a CPU, RAM, ROM, 2MB solid state memory storage, a built-in modem and one RS-232C port. It weighed 5 pounds. The laptops from around this same time frame, such as the Compaq SLT/286, would typically have a CPU, memory, hard drive, floppy drive, VGA display and could weigh up to 12 or 14 pounds. The laptops could be two to three times the thickness of the notebook.

Is The Term Laptop Being Phased Out?

Today technology allows devices to be slimmer, smaller and better for mobile computing by design, so the size of portable computers (both in thickness and weight) is decreasing. For this reason, options that once defined the difference between a laptop and notebook computer are separated by a small, almost invisible fine line today.

Another reason the term laptop is becoming less frequently used is because a portable "comparable to desktop" system today could easily lead to heat discomfort and possible injury if left in your lap for extended periods of time. By calling a laptop a notebook, it also removes the association that the portable device is well-suited to being used only on your lap. Another reason that the term laptop does not fit in with today's technology is that these traditionally heavier portable computers that once were clearly a laptop are just not being made anymore.

Consumers frequently call their notebook a laptop and use the two words interchangeably. However, most mobile computing manufacturers have actually dropped the term laptop completely from their product lineup in favor of the term notebook.

HP for example offers a selection of "Performance Notebooks", starting at 6.1 pounds with 15.4" - 17" displays and a line of "Balanced Mobility Notebooks" starting at 4.7 pounds with "14.1" - 17" displays.  Here, the Balanced Mobility Notebooks fit the traditional definition of a notebook, while the specifications of the "Performance Notebooks" are more inline with the traditional definition of a laptop (bigger, heavier than 6 pounds and more features).

On the Acer Web site you'll find the Aspire and TravelMate notebook series. Gateway uses only the term notebook to describe its products, as does Sharp, Sony, NEC, IBM, Fujitsu, and others. Dell is one of a few manufacturers who use the term laptop on its Web site to market their mobile computing systems.

AMD & Intel Processor Lineups

It never fails. Just after you upgrade your CPU, Intel or AMD announces a new processor, pushing technology to new limits — at least its next processor.

To make things even more muddled, AMD and Intel each offers multiple families of processors ranging from those designed for value-oriented family PCs to powerhouse CPU's designed to run most tasking 3D games smoothly. Added into the mix are a host of additional featuresis as well as a new selection of dual-core processors designed for 32-bit or 64-bit computing.

If you find yourself looking through computer store flyers and wondering exactly what an "Athlon 64 X2" is or what the difference between a Pentium 4 and a Pentium D is, then this is a good place to start. We provide an overview of some of the newer and more common families of processors from Intel and AMD.
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To make understanding processor technology a little easier, you can use our "Key Terms" list to decipher some of the technical processor lingo, view reviews and specifications for each type of processor, and, of course, check out the links page to follow-up for more information.

AMD Sempron

The AMD Sempron processor is designed to meet the needs of home and business PC users. AMD Sempron processors are 32-bit and offer capabilities that include HyperTransport technology, up to 512K total high-performance cache, advanced 333Mhz frontside bus and an integrated DDR memory controller.

AMD Sempron Web page AMD provides product briefs, benchmarks, technical documentation and more for their Sempron processors.
Sempron 3400+ Processor Review
Review by SharkyExtreme - "The main part of the Sempron market appeal is related to its low price and high value, and even though the Sempron 3400+ is the top performer in the AMD entry-level line, relative pricing actually took a slight dip."
The Duron Successor From Tom's hardware Guide - AMD's AthlonXP + The Athlon64 = Sempron

AMD Athlon 64 X2 Dual-Core

The AMD Athlon 64 X2 Dual-Core processor contains two processing cores, residing on one chip, which increases efficiency and speed while running multiple programs and multi-threaded software. It enables a seamless transition from 32-bit to 64-bit applications. Both 32- and 64-bit applications can run virtually simultaneously and transparently on the same platform.

AMD Athlon 64 Web page Includes links to information on Athlon 64 FX, Athlon 64 x2 Dual-core, 64 Processor for Desktops, and Mobile Athlon 64
Athlon 64 X2 3800+ Processor Review Review by SharkyExtreme - "The Athlon 64 X2 processors are the first true dual core processors for the desktop, and compared to the Intel Pentium D/Pentium EE design, offer a more streamlined and forward-thinking architecture."

AMD Athlon 64

AMD64 provides full support for x86 code base for 32-bit computing and is ready for 64-bit applications. AMD64 technology doubles the number of processor registers and increases the system memory addressability.

AMD Athlon 64 Web page Includes links to information on Athlon 64 FX, Athlon 64 x2 Dual-core, 64 Processor for Desktops, and Mobile Athlon 64
AMD Athlon 64 4000+ Review The guru of 3D offers this Athlon 64 4000+ Review

AMD Opteron

The AMD Opteron processor offers simultaneous 32- and 64-bit computing, using AMD's Direct Connect Architecture. It's designed to run existing 32-bit applications and offer simplified migration path to 64-bit computing. The AMD Opteron processor is available in 1 to 8-way servers and 1 to 4-way workstation solutions.

AMD Opteron Web page Includes links to information on the AMD Opteron.
An Introduction to the AMD Opteron HardwareExtreme provides this Introduction to the AMD Opteron.

Intel Celeron D

The Intel Celeron D is a value-priced processor. The Celeron D processors include a larger integrated L2 cache and faster processor system bus when compared to Celeron processors. Celeron processors are available at speeds ranging from 1 GHz to 2.80 GHz. Celeron D processors offer a 533 MHz multi-transaction processor system bus with 256-KB Level 2 cache. Intel added Extended Memory 64 Technology to its value oriented Celeron D line.

Celeron D Processor Brief Intel's Celeron D Product Brief Web page.
Intel Celeron D: New, Improved & Exceeds Expectations AnandTech provides an introduction to Intel's Celeron D processors.
Value Overclocking Guide This SharkyExtreme overclocking guide compares the Celeron D to the Sempron 3100+.
Intel Pentium 4

The Intel Pentium 4 processor family supporting Hyper-Threading Technology (HT Technology) is best-suited to desktop PCs and entry-level workstations. The Pentium 4 processor is designed to deliver performance across applications and uses where end-users can appreciate and experience the performance. These applications include Internet audio and streaming video, image processing, video content creation, games, multimedia and multitasking user environments.

Pentium 4 Extreme Edition

The Intel Pentium 4 processor Extreme Edition supporting HT Technology features 3.46 GHz with 2 MB of L3 cache and 3.73 GHz with 2 M of L2 cache to offer high levels of performance targeted specifically for high-end gamers and computing power users. It provides flexibility for future applications that support both 32-bit and 64-bit computing with Intel Extended Memory 64 Technology and is a dual-core processor (two physical cores in one processor support better system responsiveness and multi-tasking).
Pentium 4 6x Series

The Intel Pentium 4 6x series offers 2MB L2 Cache and clock speeds of 3 to 3.80 GHz. Intel Extended Memory 64 Technology is available on the 600x processors. This provides flexibility for future applications that support both 32-bit and 64-bit computing.
Pentium 4 5x Series

The Intel Pentium 4 5x series offers 1MB L2 Cache and clock speeds of 2.80 to 3.80 GHz. Intel Extended Memory 64 Technology is available on the 600x processors is available only on some of the 5x models (571, 561, 551, 541, 531, and 521).

Intel Pentium 4 Specifications The Intel Pentium 4 Web site with specifications, briefs, Technology Overview & More.
Pentium 4 Technology Explained SharkyExtreme's Hardware Guide explains the technology behind the Intel Pentium 4.
Intel Pentium D

Intel Pentium D processors are designed to provide users with more power while running multiple applications (for example, editing videos while downloading files). Pemtium D processors offer 2x1MB L2 cache, clock speeds ranging from 2.80 GHz to 3.20 GHz and an 800 MHz frontside bus. These processors are dual-core and offer Intel Extended Memory 64 Technology as well.

Intel Pentium D Processors Intel's Pentium D Web page offers specifications, briefs, Technology Overview & More.
Pentium 4 670 & Pentium D 820 Processors SharkyExtreme takes a look at the Pentium 4 670 & Pentium D 820 in this review.

Intel Pentium 3 (Pentium III)

Intel builds on the technology it developed with the Pentium II microprocessors. The Pentium III processor comes with a Synchronized Dynamic Random Access Memory (SDRAM), allowing for an extremely fast transfer of data between the microprocessor and the memory. Pentium III's offer enhanced multimedia and 3D performance with 100 MHz front-side bus speed, a muti-transaction system bus, and MMX support.

Intel Pentium III Processor Intel's Pentium III Web page includes a detailed overview, technical specifications, and more.
Intel's Pentium III 1.2GHz processor The tech report provides this overview of the Pentium III 1.2GHz.

Did You Know...
The observation made in 1965 by Gordon Moore, co-founder of Intel, that the number of transistors per square inch on integrated circuits had doubled every year since the integrated circuit was invented. Moore's Law predicts that this trend would continue for the foreseeable future. In subsequent years, the pace slowed down a bit, but data density has doubled approximately every 18 months, and this is the current definition of Moore's Law, which Moore himself has blessed. (Moore's Law)
Key Terms To Understanding Processors.

microprocessor
A silicon chip that contains a CPU. In the world of personal computers, the terms microprocessor and CPU are used interchangeably. At the heart of all personal computers and most workstations sits a microprocessor.

clock speed
Also called clock rate, the speed at which a microprocessor executes instructions.

dual-core
Dual-core refers to a CPU that includes two complete execution cores per physical processor.

Based in Nova Scotia, Vangie Beal is has been writing about technology for more than a decade. She is a frequent contributor to EcommerceGuide and managing editor at Webopedia. You can tweet her online @AuroraGG.

How to Format a Hard Drive

If you want to format your hard drive, completely erase a hard drive, or learn how to clean your mouse or LCD monitor, then this Webopedia computer maintenance guide is for you. The following guides will take you step-by-step through the format c process, tell you how to completely erase hard drives, help you learn to defrag your hard drive, and lean about cleaning your Windows registry. The following guides will also help you to diagnose and fix computer problems, like properly cleaning dirt from your power supply or mouse, keeping your system from being bogged down with dust, and help your computer run faster.

How to Completely Erase a Hard Disk Drive
There are many ways to go about ensuring your data can never be retrieved. Obviously, you can choose to physically smash the drive, but there are alternatives that enable you to keep the system intact so you can donate a complete system.
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What is format?
To prepare a storage medium, usually a disk, for reading and writing. When you format a disk, the operating system erases all bookkeeping information on the disk, tests the disk to make sure all sectors are reliable, marks bad sectors (that is, those that are scratched), and creates internal address tables that it later uses to locate information. You must format a disk before you can use it.

Formatting a Hard Disk Drive
When do you need to be concerned with formatting hard disk drive? If you're installing a new hard drive for the first, removing errors from your drive, trying to get rid of a nasty virus, or even cleaning your hard drive because you are selling or donating your computer are just a few of the many reasons why one might consider formatting a hard drive.

How to Defrag a Hard Drive: Optimizing A Disk By Unfragmenting Files
A little preventative maintenance goes a long way when it comes to your Windows-based PCs. All Windows operating systems come with tools that you can use to help keep your computer running in top shape. One such tool is the Disk Defragmenter (defragment), which works to optimize fragmented files on the hard disk drive.

How to Clean Common Computer Parts and Devices
From dusty computer fans to fingerprints on compact discs, computer parts and devices can get awfully dirty from normal everyday use or when left sitting unused. The best way to have any computer component cleaned is to have it professionally serviced, but if you no longer have a service warranty, or if you picked up a second-hand item and want to clean it to see if it even works, here are some tips on how to clean some common items.

Preventative Maintenance Tips for Your PC
Computer failures occur for a variety of reasons, sometimes because of human error and sometimes because of factors in the environment that cause a computer to malfunction — or a combination of both. The following tips are a basic guideline that you can use to keep your PC maintained to run efficiently, increase component lifespan and also help lessen the overall likelihood of PC failure.

Common Windows PC Issues: Tips to Diagnose and fix a slow running computer
It happens to the best of us. One day your Windows-based PC just seems to be taking far longer than usual to open applications and save files on your hard drive. Unfortunately, there are many reasons why your computer could be running slowly, but here are some easy steps you can take to try and figure out what is causing the slow down and how to fix it before calling your techie friends for assistance.

The Windows System Registry: Registry Cleaner and Restore Utilities
For many, the process of cleaning and restoring a system registry is made easy with the use of third-party software utilities. A simple Google Web search for registry cleaning utilities will provide you with a plethora of results.

Getting Your System Ready For Windows Vista: Purge & Clean
After you have taken care of and planned for any device and software incompatibilities as found in the Upgrade Advisor, there are a few more steps you should take to get your system prepared for installing Microsoft Vista. Again, this information is mostly of use to those installing an upgrade version of Vista on top of an existing, compatible version of Windows XP.

Static Electricity and Computers
The internal workings of a computer, and especially the hard drive, are extremely susceptible to static electricity, which can cause considerable damage to the hard drive if it is zapped with even a small amount.

Are Deleted Files Completely Erased?

A common misconception when deleting files is that they are completely removed from the hard drive. However, users should be aware that highly sensitive data can still be retrieved from a hard drive even after the files have been deleted because the data is not really gone. Files that are moved to the recycle bin (on PCs) or the trash can (on Macs) stay in those folders until the user empties the recycle bin or trash can. Once they have been deleted from those folders, they are still located in the hard drive and can be retrieved with the right software.

Any time that a file is deleted from a hard drive, it is not erased. What is erased is the bit of information that points to the location of the file on the hard drive. The operating system uses these pointers to build the directory tree structure (the file allocation table), which consists of the pointers for every other file on the hard drive. When the pointer is erased, the file essentially becomes invisible to the operating system. The file still exists; the operating system just doesn't know how to find it. It is, however, relatively easy to retrieve deleted files with the right software.

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The only way to completely erase a file with no trace is to overwrite the data. The operating system will eventually overwrite files that have no pointers in the directory tree structure, so the longer an unpointed file remains in the hard drive the greater the probability that it has been overwritten. There are also many "file erasing" software products currently on the market that will permanently erase files by overwriting them.

Mobile Operating Systems (Mobile OS) Explained

Much like the Linux or Windows operating system controls your desktop or laptop computer, a mobile operating system is the software platform on top of which other programs can run on mobile devices.

A mobile operating system, also called a mobile OS, is an operating system that is specifically designed to run on mobile devices such as mobile phones,smartphones, PDAs, tablet computers and other handheld devices.
What is a Mobile Operating System (Mobile OS)?

Much like the Linux or Windows operating system controls your desktop or laptop computer, a mobile operating system is the software platform on top of which other programs can run on mobile devices.
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The operating system is responsible for determining the functions and features available on your device, such as thumb wheel, keyboards, WAP, synchronization with applications, email, text messaging and more.

The mobile OS will also determine which third-party applications (mobile apps) can be used on your device.
Types of Mobile Operating Systems.

When you purchase a mobile device the manufacturer will have chosen the operating system for that specific device. Often, you will want to learn about the mobile operating system before you purchase a device to ensure compatibility and support for the mobile applications you want to use.
9 Popular Mobile Operating Systems
1. Android OS (Google Inc.)

The Android mobile operating system is Google's open and free software stack that includes an operating system, middleware and also key applications for use on mobile devices, including smartphones. Updates for the open source Android mobile operating system have been developed under “dessert-inspired” codenames (Cupcake, Donut, Eclair, Gingerbread, Honeycomb, Ice Cream Sandwich) with each new version arriving in alphabetical order with new enhancements and improvements.
2. Bada (Samsung Electronics)

Bada is a proprietary Samsung mobile OS that was first launched in 2010. The Samsung Wave was the first smartphone to use this mobile OS. Bada provides mobile features such as multipoint-touch, 3D graphics and of course, application downloads and installation.

3. BlackBerry OS (Research In Motion)

The BlackBerry OS is a proprietary mobile operating system developed by Research In Motion for use on the company’s popular BlackBerry handheld devices. The BlackBerry platform is popular with corporate users as it offers synchronization with Microsoft Exchange, Lotus Domino, Lovell  Group Wise email and other business software, when used with the BlackBerry Enterprise Server.
4. iPhone OS / iOS (Apple)

Apple's iPhone OS was originally developed for use on its iPhone devices. Now, the mobile operating system is referred to as i OS and is supported on a number of Apple devices including the iPhone, i Pad,  i Pad 2 and iPod Touch. The i OS mobile operating system is available only on Apple's own manufactured devices as the company does not license the OS for third-party hardware. Apple i OS is derived from Apple's Mac OS X operating system.

5. MeeGo OS (Nokia and Intel)

A joint open source mobile operating system which is the result of merging two products based on open source technologies: Maemo (Nokia) and Moblin (Intel). MeeGo is a mobile OS designed to work on a number of devices including smartphones, netbooks, tablets, in-vehicle information systems and various devices using Intel Atom and ARMv7 architectures.
6. Palm OS (Garnet OS)

The Palm OS is a proprietary mobile operating system (PDA operating system) that was originally released in 1996 on the Pilot 1000 handheld. Newer versions of the Palm OS have added support for expansion ports, new processors, external memory cards, improved security and support for ARM processors and smartphones. Palm OS 5 was extended to provide support for a broad range of screen resolutions, wireless connections and enhanced multimedia capabilities and is called Garnet OS.
7. Symbian OS (Nokia)

Symbian is a mobile operating system (OS) targeted at mobile phones that offers a high-level of integration with communication and personal information management (PIM) functionality. Symbian OS combines middleware with wireless communications through an integrated mailbox and the integration of Java and PIM functionality (agenda and contacts). Nokia has made the Symbian platform available under an alternative, open and direct model, to work with some OEMs and the small community of platform development collaborators. Nokia does not maintain Symbian as an open source development project.
8. webOS (Palm/HP)

Web OS is a mobile operating system that runs on the Linux kernel. Web OS was initially developed by Palm as the successor to its Palm OS mobile operating system. It is a proprietary Mobile OS which was eventually acquired by HP and now referred to as web OS (lower-case w) in HP literature. HP uses web OS in a number of devices including several smartphones and HP Touch Pads. HP has pushed its web OS into the enterprise mobile market by focusing on improving security features and management with the release of web OS 3.x. HP has also announced plans for a version of web OS to run within the Microsoft Windows operating system and to be installed on all HP desktop and notebook computers in 2012.
9. Windows Mobile (Windows Phone 7)

Windows Mobile is Microsoft's mobile operating system used in smartphones and mobile devices – with or without touchscreens. The Mobile OS is based on the Windows CE 5.2 kernel. In 2010 Microsoft announced a new smartphone platform called Windows Phone 7.

5 Simple ways to speed up your computer

As you use, over a period of time, the speed of computer slows down. This is a natural process. When this happens, there are easy remedial measures to put it back to its effective working conditions. The below guidelines help you do this.
1. Scan for Spyware and Viruses

Spyware are programs created by companies to learn about your activities so that they can access your activities and learn your strengths and weaknesses. This enables them market their products to you easily. Also, as you use, your computer faces the risk of being virus attacked. Viruses are most undesirable programs that inconvenience a computer user. Regular scanning, detecting and removal of these unwanted programs help you speed up computer.
2. Clean up disk space

Your computer has built in Disk clean up tools. With the help of these tools, you can free your Disk space from unwanted files and speed up your computer. These built-in tools safely help you delete selected files. You can clean up your Disk by removing temporary internet files, clearing recycle bin, deleting optional Window components that you do not use, deleting installed programs and temporary files. Temporary internet files occupy substantial disk space. This is because the browser catches every page you have visited for later fast access.
3. Repair any disk errors

As you use your computer, it is possible that the disk develop bad errors. These errors slow down the speed of your computer by limiting the optimum function of hard disk. Most often, bad errors make data writing and file saving functions difficult. Regular scanning for error checking on your disk drive can help prevent data loss and improved speed of your computer.
4. De-fragment your hard disk

After the disk clean up, disk de-fragmentation will help improve the speed of your computer. When your computer has more programs and information, there are chances that the hard disk maintains portions of same files in different locations. Depending upon the space available, the hard drive does this for several programs. De-fragmenting helps the hard disk keep all information about each file in one place saving disk space. This operation improves speed of your computer.
5. Re-install programs and your operating system

There are always chances of your having useless accumulated data on your hard disk as a result of continuous use. These data can slow down your computer. Re-installing programs and the operating system will be an ideal solution to improve speed of the computer.

10 things you should know about your wireless router

Wireless routers give us the freedom to roam around and do things that one cannot do with a wired internet connection (chatting from kitchen for example). No one is an expert when it comes to wireless router technology as the scenarios related to a wireless router issue are numerous. However, we can definitely avoid some of the common mistakes people do by spending our time reading the manuals that comes along with these routers.

Here are 10 very important things that you should know about your wireless router, which will definitely help you to better your wireless performance and privacy.
You cannot have your wireless router on a metal surface, metal surfaces cause lot of interference and it is always good to keep your wireless router on a wooden table or any table that is non metallic.
Avoid too many wireless devices in your home such as cordless phones, oven etc. If you do, then you should make sure that your wireless router and the other wireless devices have different frequencies. Frequencies are just like radio frequencies, so if you have all your wireless devices with same frequency, there is no doubt that you will have bad signal strength. Consult with the manufacturer of your wireless router before or after buying your wireless router and they will alter the frequency of your router to better the wireless signal.
Do not except the wireless signal to be at its full strength when you are working on the basement with your wireless router on the first floor. Wireless routers signals are designed to travel along the surface where it is placed. So, if you are planning to work on the basement, you should either home wire your internet to the basement or connect another wireless router at the basement to get the best signal strength.
The user name and password to access your wireless router page and the password for your wireless signal are two different things. You should always make sure that you have your wireless signal secured with the help of password that has alphabets, numbers and special characters in it. It is best for you to buy a wireless router with a WPA2 security, as it offers one of the highest wireless securities.
Never ever share your wireless password with anyone, especially when you are living in a crowded surrounding.
Make it a point to turn off your wireless router when you are not using it. Or, buy a wireless router with a switch using which you can turn on and turn off the wireless facility. This will prevent people trying to access your wireless signal while you are on a wired computer or while you are away.
Do not allow the wireless router to get overheated. If there is excess amount of heat from your wireless router, either turn it off for a while or consult with the tech support team.
Do tweaks to your wireless router to improve the wireless signal only if you are really aware of tech things. Most of the steps and instructions that you get as google results are unconfirmed and unverified results. It is better for you to always consult your technician before doing things in the firmware of the wireless router.
If you are sharing files between two computers using your wireless router, make sure that the file sharing is limited to the two computers only.
It is always better for you to connect through wires if you are trying to create a local area network that has more than 5 computers. Wireless signals travel through air and it will need immense signal strength to serve all 5 computers.

These are 10 important things that you should note while you are using a wireless router. Hope it helps many of you!

All Brand Mobile Tips and Tricks And Shortcut

To check IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity)for any mobile or cellular phone.
On the main screen type *#06#

Information you get from the IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity)
XXXXXX XX XXXXXX X
TAC FAC SNR SP

• TAC = Type approval code of your Nokia Mobile
• FAC = Final assembly code of your cell phone
• SNR = Serial number of your Nokia Phone
• SP = Spare

• FOR LG

LG all models test mode:

• Type 2945#*# on the main screen.
• 2945*#01*# Secret menu for LG
• IMEI and SW (LG 510): *#07#
• Software version (LG B1200): *8375#
• Recount cheksum (LG B1200): *6861#
• Factory test (B1200): #PWR 668
• Simlock menu (LG B1200): 1945#*5101#
• Simlock menu (LG 510W, 5200): 2945#*5101#
• Simlock menu (LG 7020, 7010): 2945#*70001#
• Simlock menu (LG 500, 600): 2947#*
• LG-U81XX SPECIAL CODES

Code to read phone version :

• Phone without SIM
• Enter 277634#*# or 47328545454#
• Select ‘SW Ver.info’
• Code to reset phone :
• Phone without SIM
• Enter 277634#*# or 47328545454#
• Select ‘Factory Reset’

Code to enter UNLOCK MENU :
Phone wit SIM inside

• Enter 2945#*88110#
• Test Menu 8330 : 637664#*#
• Test Menu 8180 V10a: 49857465454#
• Test Menu 8180 V11a: 492662464663#
• Test Menu 8130-8138: 47328545454#
• Test Menu 8110-8120: 277634#*
• LG all models test mode:
• Type 2945#*# on the main screen.
• 2945*#01*# Secret menu for LG
• IMEI and SW (LG 510): *#07#
• Software version (LG B1200): *8375#
• Recount cheksum (LG B1200): *6861#
• Factory test (B1200): #PWR 668
• Simlock menu (LG B1200): 1945#*5101#
• Simlock menu (LG 510W, 5200): 2945#*5101#
• Simlock menu (LG 7020, 7010): 2945#*70001#
• Simlock menu (LG 500, 600): 2947#*

• LG-U81XX SPECIAL CODES

Code to read phone version :

• Phone without SIM
• Enter 277634#*# or 47328545454#
• Select ‘SW Ver.info’

Code to reset phone :
Phone without SIM

• Enter 277634#*# or 47328545454#
• Select ‘Factory Reset’

Code to enter UNLOCK MENU :

• Phone wit SIM inside
• Enter 2945#*88110#
• Test Menu 8330 : 637664#*#
• Test Menu 8180 V10a: 49857465454#
• Test Menu 8180 V11a: 492662464663#
• Test Menu 8130-8138: 47328545454#
• Test Menu 8110-8120: 277634#
•  FOR NOKIA MOBILE

To check the phones Software revision for Nokia Mobile.
On the main screen type *#0000#

To enter in the secret menu in Nokia Phone.
On the main screen type *#92702689# [*#war0anty#]
It will take you to a secret menu where you may find some of the information below:

• Displays Serial Number.
• Displays the Month and Year of Manufacture
• Displays (if there) the date where the phone was purchased (MMYY)
• Displays the date of the last repair – if found (0000)
• Shows life timer of phone (time passes since last start)

To restore Factory Settings for Nokia mobile
*#7780# reset to factory settings.

Taking picture without getting noticed.
Turn on/off the “click” sound made by the camera by selecting the ‘Silent’ profile or by turning warning tones on/off.

Hiding your Mobile/ Cellphone Number
Go to: Menu > Tools > Settings > Call > Send My Caller ID >
‘Yes’, ‘No’ or ‘Set By Network’ to follow the default settings of your home network.
It works only with very few network who provide you facility of “Private Number”
Speed Dialing From Simcard contact (not stored in mobile phonebook)
Type number followed by # then call.
Example: 1# or 2# or 21#

FOR SAMSUNG

If you have downloaded corrupted or incompatible Java midlets or other media,
which are causing problems with the phone, try this

• *2767*JAVA# Java Reset and (Deletes all Java Midlets)
• *2767*MEDIA# Reset Media (Deletes All Sounds and Pics)
• *2767*WAP# Wap Reset
• *2767*CUST# Reset Custom EEPR0M
• *2767*FULL# Reset Full EEPR0M (Caution)

For example : *2767*JAVA# would be keyed in as *2767*5282#
Note : Not all codes will work with SGH-C100.

The master reset code is:

• #*7728#

This will not delete anything from your
mobile phone, but set each and eveything to its
default/standard setting as it was on the time of purchase.

To unlock your phone put a sim from another company,
now type *#9998*3323# it will reset your phone. Push exit and then push 7,
it will reset again. Put your other sim in and it will say sim lock,
type in 00000000 then it should be unlocked. Type in *0141# then
the green call batton and it’s unlocked to all networks.
This code may not work on the older phones and some of the newer phones.
If it doesn’t work you will have to reset your phone without a sim in it
by typing *#2767*2878# or *#9998*3855# (not tested)

Other Samsung Codes

• *#9998*4357# Help Menu
• *#9998*5282# Java menu (GRPS/CSD settings for JAVA server)
• *#9999#0# Monitor Mode
• *#9999# or *#9998*9999# Software Version
• *#8888# or *#9998*8888# Hardware Version
• *#9998*746# or *#9998*0746# or *#0746# Sim Infos
• *#9998*523# or *#9998*0523# or *#0523# Display Contrast
• *#9998*842# or *#9998*0842# or *#0842# Vibration On (until you push OK)
• *#9998*289# or *#9998*0289# or *#0289# Buzzer On (until you push OK)
• *#9998*288# or *#9998*0288# or *#0288# Battery & Field Infos
• *#9998*377# or *#9998*0377# Error log
• *#9998*778# or *#9998*0778# or *#0778# Sim Service table
• *#9998*782# show date and alarm clock
• *#8999*638# show network information
• *#9998*5646# change operator logo at startup
• *#9998*76# production number
• *#9998*968# view melody for alarm
• *#9998*585# Non-Volatile Memory (NVM)
• *#3243948# Digital Audio Interference Off
• *#32436837# Digital Audio Interference On

FOR MOTOROLA

Code to lock keys. Press together *7

Note: [] (pause) means the * key held in until box appears.
Select phone line – (use this to write things below the provider name):
[] [] [] 0 0 8 [] 1 []

Add phonebook to main menu:
[] [] [] 1 0 5 [] 1 []
Add messages to main menu:
[] [] [] 1 0 7 [] 1 []

Copy SIM memory (phonebook menu):
[] [] [] 1 0 8 [] 1 []

Eng Field options (main menu):
[] [] [] 1 1 3 [] 1 []

Slow (Frequency of search menu):
[] [] [] 1 0 1 [] 1 []

Medium (Frequency of search menu):
[] [] [] 1 0 2 [] 1 []

Fast (Frequency of search menu):
[] [] [] 1 0 3 [] 1 []

Enable EFR:
[] [] [] 1 1 9 [] 1 []

Function :
[] [] [] # # # [] 1 []

Change pin:
[] [] [] 0 0 4 [] 1 []

Unblocking using the “puk” number:
[] [] [] 0 0 5 [] 1 []

You can change GSM frequencies to 900/1800 by entering the enginnering model.
Following the below steps:
enter menu and press 048263* quickly,
then you will enter the secret engineering menu under “Opcode”

• input 10*0*3 for GSM 900
• 10*0*4 for GSM 1800
• 10*0*5 for GSM 1900
• 10*0*6 for dual band GSM 900/1800
• 10*0*7 for dual band GSM 850/1900

To add extra message space 4 your Motorola C350 C450 C550 or C650,
press menu button, press 048263* quickly, then on the popup menu enter 47 press ok.
press 50 and ok.press 1 ok.press 64 ok.press 1 ok.press 186 and ok.
You will receive an extra 50 msgs memory space.Switch phone off and back on.
Sony Ericsson

Sony Ericsson Secret Menu:
> * < < * means press joystick or arrow keys to right
< means press joystick or arrow keys to left

• push joy stick to RIGHT once
• press *
• push joy stick to LEFT twice
• press *
• push joy stick to LEFT once
• press *

The Service Menu will appears containing following information !
Service Info

• Software Version
• SIMlock
• Configuration

Service Setting

• Contrast

Service Test

• Display
• LED/Illumination – *This test is very cool
• Keyboard
• Buzzer
• Vibrator
• Earphone
• Microphone
• Real Time Clock
• Joystick Counter*

Lockstatus: < * * <

Shortcut to last dialed numbers: 0#

Shortcut to sim numbers: On main menu type a number and press #

If you change the language from default to any other language, then it may be difficult to switch to default language.
The shortcut is very simple. Just press
stands for right arrow button or joystick.

Secret Games: Snake on the T68
Go to Erix and then on the main screen press 123 and you will be taken to the game.

Secret Message:
On Tetris on the main screen when the blocks are falling press 397 and a message will appear.

======================================

GSM Secret

All the tips and tricks provided by Hidden Tricks is free and its not necessary to sign up also.

• Type *#61# and press call – Check call redirection status.
• Cancel all redirections: ##002#
• *43# to activate call waiting, to deactivate #43#.

If your phone doesn’t have incoming call barring and outgoing call barring, you can try this. For outgoing call barring dial *33*barcode*# and pres OK. To deactivate it dial #33#barcode*#.

On any phone on any network type in **43# to enable conference calls. You can make up to 7 calls at once

If you need to block SMS reception (if you are spammed by someone) just press this code: *35*xxxx*16# xxxx is your Call Barring code (default is 0000). To remove this barring type: #35*xxxx#

If you want to hide/show your phone number when calling, put one of these codes below in front of the number that you are going to call. (*#30# / *#31# or *31# / #31# ) Works on some networks.

Typing *0# or *nm# on the beginning of a txt message gives you detailed delivery report on some networks.. But turn off reports in message settings before.

When the sim card-pin blocked type **042*pin2 old*newpin2*newpin2*

Warning:
You can try these codes at your own responsibility ! We are not responsible for any malfunction and we don’t accept any complaints.

Top Windows Phone 7 Apps

Windows Phone 7 features a multi-tab Internet Explorer Mobile Web browser that uses a rendering engine based on Internet Explorer 9 as well Microsoft Office Mobile, a version of Microsoft Office that’s tailored for mobile devices. If you are using Windows Phone 7, this Datmation article by Joe Moran offers a list of free apps you can download.

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1. Amazon Kindle

Shelling out $140 or $190 for a dedicated Kindle device is hard to justify unless you're a major bibliophile, but for casual readers, Amazon's Kindle app is the next best thing.

2. ArkWords

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Arkwords is a dictionary, thesaurus, and language translator in one--it can read aloud the words you look up (albeit in a computer-generated voice).

3. CardStar

This app is a good alternative to carrying around those store loyalty cards (or keychain thingies). It has a database of national and regional merchants (with a built-in store locator) and generates virtual cards complete with bar code.

4. Facebook

Although Windows Phone 7 lets you keep tabs on Facebook friends via its People and Pictures Hubs, if you want comprehensive access to the service on the go, you want this app.

5. Fandango Movies

With Fandango Movies, you can see what's playing nearby, watch trailers, read reviews, and buy tickets.