Winamp 5.21 Build 497 + KeyGen

Nullsoft Winamp is a fast, flexible, high-fidelity media player for Windows. Winamp supports playback of many audio (MP3, OGG, AAC, WAV, MOD, XM, S3M, IT, MIDI, etc) and video types (AVI,ASF,MPEG,NSV), custom appearances called skins (supporting both classic Winamp 1.x/2.x skins and Winamp 3 freeform skins), audio visualization and audio effect plug-ins (including two industry dominating visualization plug-ins), an advanced media library, Internet radio and TV support, CD ripping, and CD burning.

Latest Changes:
New: [jnetlib] HTTP compression support
Improved: [installer] multi-user profile migration
Fixed: [ml_wire] memory leak
Fixed: [pmp_p4s] DRMclien.dll error
Fixed: [gen_ff] skin info display in preferences
Fixed: [in_mp3] Wordwrap disabled in Info Editor Comments field
Fixed: [in_wm] Minor bug fixes
Fixed: Keyboard shortcuts don't work from video window
Fixed: [in_vorbis] No Artist metadata in stream titles
Fixed: [in_dshow] floating point audio
Updated: Coding Technology AAC+ Decoder 7.2.5

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Winamp 5.21 Full | Pro | Lite

Kaspersky Internet Security 2006 6.0.0.300 Final

Kaspersky Internet Security 6.0 is a fully integrated solution that protects your computer from all of the most common Internet threats, including viruses, hacker attacks, adware, spam and spyware. Today, threats to PCs are appearing in ever-greater numbers and diversity.
Kaspersky Internet Security 6.0 is a fully integrated solution that protects your computer from all of the most common Internet threats, including viruses, hacker attacks, adware, spam and spyware.
Today, threats to PCs are appearing in ever-greater numbers and diversity. Cyber criminals on the Internet are well organized and tend to target PCs with combined threats. A standalone antivirus solution is no longer enough to fully protect your PC. Kaspersky Internet Security combines reactive detection methods with the latest proactive technologies, protecting your PC from viruses, hacker attacks, spam and spyware. Seamless integration of all product components eliminates system conflicts and provides fast performance.

Advantages:
- Integrated protection from all Internet threats
- Cutting-edge antivirus technologies
- Personal firewall
- Protection from spam and phishing
- Automatic database updates using the instant update technology
- Free technical support

Key Features:
- Real-time monitoring of all data streams, including email, Internet traffic and network connections
- Protection from viruses, Trojans and worms
- Protection from spyware, adware and other potentially hostile programs
- Proactive defense against new malicious programs
- Protection from network attacks and system hijacking
- Blocking of popup windows and banners
- Rollback of changes made by malicious programs on your computer
- Blocking of links to phishing websites
- Trainable spam filtration system

Protection from viruses:
* Email protection. The program scans email traffic for viruses according to the protocol via which it is sent (POP3, IMAP and NNTP for incoming mail and SMTP for outgoing mail) on any mail program. We also offer plug-ins and treatment for viruses in Microsoft Outlook and Microsoft Outlook Express mail databases.
* Scanning of Internet traffic. All HTTP Internet traffic is scanned for viruses in real-time, ensuring that infected objects are not saved to the computer’s hard disk. Statistics about harmful scripts can be accessed using a plug-in for Microsoft Internet Explorer.
* File system protection. Individual files, catalogues and disks can be designated for antivirus scanning. Users can limit antivirus scanning to critical areas of the operating system and startup objects to ensure that attention is focused on the most vulnerable areas of the system.
* Proactive protection. Kaspersky Internet Security monitors program activity and all processes launched in RAM. It notifies users of dangerous, suspicious or hidden processes (that is, rootkits), prevents harmful changes to the file system and restores the system after malicious activity.

Protection from spyware:
* Secures confidential information. The program prevents confidential information (such as passwords, bank account numbers and credit card details) being stolen from your computer. It detects phishing messages and disables links to phishing sites.
* Safe Internet surfing. The program prevents dangerous scripts from being launched on websites, and blocks popup windows and advertising banners.
* Blocks automatic dial up programs. Any unauthorized attempts to dial up premium-rate telephone services from your modem are blocked.

Protection from hackers:
* Blocks network attacks. Intrusion detection system monitors any network activity that has the characteristics of a hacker attack. The program prevents hacker attacks by blocking connections from the hacker’s computer.
* Full control over network activity. The program controls all requests from applications to websites, in accordance with the program rules that have been set, and tracks all incoming and outgoing data packages.
* Safety on all networks. When a computer connects to a network, the program asks you to specify the type of network (a trusted network, Intranet or the Internet), so that the firewall can choose how strict the rules should be.
* Stealth mode. This technology makes the computer invisible to outside users, effectively preventing all types of DoS (Denial of Service) attacks.

Protection from spam:
* Integrated protection from spam. Several methods are used in combination to ensure the highest possible level of spam detection, including blacklists and whitelists of IP addresses and word combinations typical of spam together with self-learning algorithms. The program also scans graphic images for spam attributes.
* Support for common mail programs. An expansion module, specifically designed for Microsoft Outlook and Microsoft Outlook Express, enables you to set processing rules for messages according to their post-analysis status.
* Preliminary analysis of messages. To economize time and network traffic, the Mail Manager conducts preliminary analyses of message headings in all incoming email before downloading them from the mail server. This also reduces the risk of spam and viruses being downloaded to your computer.

Changes to version 6.0.0.299 added since version 6.0.0.300 (Critical Fix 1):
1) EULA files have been fixed.
2) An error that could cause a BSOD while scanning the UP702W32.EXE file on a network drive has been fixed.
3) Caching of information about previous scans for objects on network drives has been removed.
4) Automatic detection of the following third-party applications during product setup has been temporarily disabled:
- Symantec Norton AntiVirus 2004 Professional
- Symantec Norton AntiVirus 2005
- Norton Internet Security 2005
5) Installation on computers running 64-bit operating systems has been allowed.

Download

Hot Keyboard

Hot Keyboard assumes all your repetitive work on the computer! With the help of this program you can greatly speed up your rate of work. Pressing hot keys you can paste frequently used text, launch applications, open folders, favorite web-pages, dial-up connections, quickly change sound volumes as well as write the whole series of your operations with a computer for their subsequent playback with any speed. The computer will start to perform all routine tasks for you. You will have more free time.

Version 3.0.581 adds Windows XP 64 compatibility, new macro type: extended replace, editor of the Record/play macro sequence, new Window Manipulation subtypes: Send foreground window to back and Empty Recycle bin, and some GUI improvements.

CNET Networks is not responsible for the content of this Publisher's Description. We encourage you to determine whether this product or your intended use is legal. We do not encourage or condone the use of any software in violation of applicable laws.

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Tips: What To Do When Windows Won't Boot

When Windows fails to boot it is normally caused by you installing a program or device and it has caused a conflict with one or more other programs.

This will no doubt give you plenty of heartaches if you're not certain which program caused Windows to not boot up.

If you recently installed a program or application and know where it was installed,you may be in much better shape as for as correcting the error.

Here are common ways to correct the problem of your computer not completely booting up or not booting up at all.

If your computer will not boot-up at all,hopefully you have made a good emergency boot disk. You can always make a windows startup disk by creating one from another computer running Windows 98 or Me.Perform the following if your computer won't Boot-Up At All.

FIRST......Put your boot floppy disk in the floppy drive and turn on the PC.On some computers, you may have to access the bios and select the Boot priority to your A: drive.

Save any changes and select "Start Computer without CDROM support" and press Enter.Once you are at the A prompt,type dir c: and press enter.

If your programs and other files are present,try restoring your system Registry by following the steps below.This may repair Windows,the Config. Sys and autoexec.bat files to where the PC may boot up normally.When the files are present,its a good indication of a good hard drive.

SECOND......To correct the problem of your computer not booting up,type in "fdisk /mbr" and press Enter to restore your master boot record.Type "Scandisk C:" to check the hard drive for errors that have occurred. You can also type "Sys C:" to hopefully restore files needed to boot up your computer.

THIRD......If the above procedures fail to repair your computer,you can repeat the first part of step one above and select "Start Computer With CDROM Support" re-install Windows.

Making A Windows XP Bootable Floppy

Windows XP users should create a boot disk now by placing a formatted blank diskette in the A: drive, open Windows Explorer to the C:,select Tools,Folder Options ,show Hidden files and and folders,then View Tab.

Now you uncheck "Hide Protected Operating System Files (recommended).You will see a warning and click Yes and click OK.Copy the files ntldr,ntdetect.com and boot.ini onto the disk.Remove the disk and label it the Windows XP Boot Disk.

After making your boot disk,recheck "Hide protected operating system files and folders (recommended)" in the Folder Options dialog box.

To use the disk when Windows XP won't boot,place the disk in the drive,and then re-boot,the computer, Windows simply bypass the basic boot files on the hard drive and continue to boot up.

If The PC Won't Boot Pass Windows

FIRST......If your Operating System is Windows Millennium,turn on the computer and immediately press and hold down the CTRL key.Once the startup options appear,release the CTRL key. Select Safe Mode and press Enter.You are now in Windows limited version.If you know what caused your computer not to boot,you can now either change or delete that program.

SECOND....Repair your Registry by selecting Start,Run and typing "scanregw /fix" and press enter.This will fix any damage done to the Registry. You can also restore your registry which replaces your current registry with an earlier copy that was backed up by your computer.Click on Start,Run and type "scanregw /restore and press Enter.

To repair your Windows 98 Registry,hold down the CTRL key as you start the PC and select "Command Prompt Only".Type "scanreg /fix" and press Enter and "scanreg/restore" to restore a previousely saved copy of the Registry.

If you have Windows XP,press F8 after rebooting the PC should Windows freeze while booting up. You can select "Last Known Good Configuration" after rebooting to allow the computer to boot the last backed up files.And you can choose "Safe Mode" to remove any files you know caused the operating system to hang up.

Be prepared when your operating system fail. It would be a great idea to go over this article a few times and print it.Make yourself s notebook and place this and all related articles there.

If your computer fails to boot or begins to become unstable,you can refer to these articles to make corrections that are needed.Learn these steps from your television set with the PC Super Pack at http://www.ultimatepcrepair.com

Be sure to note any changes you make to your Registry and if you're not sure,its best to find a friend that's pc savvy first.Above all,be certain you back up your registry before making any changes and know how to restore as well.

Tips: Troubleshoot Windows with Task Manager

Task Manager is a Windows system utility that displays the
tasks or processes currently running on your computer. To
open Task Manager, press Ctrl+Alt+Del. The Applcations tab
lists the applications currently running on your computer.
A single application may actually consist of several running
processes, and many programs that run in the background are
not listed (you can see icons for some of these programs in
the System Tray).

Note: With Windows 98 and Windows Me, Ctrl+Alt+Del will
open Program Manager, which allows you only to close
aplications. However, you can download one of the many Task
Manager utilities from the Web.

The Processes tab displays a comprehensive list of all the
processes currently running on your computer. This can be
very useful for monitoring your system. The process tab
displays information about the processor useage and memory
usage of each process. The problem is, how to identify a
process. Below is a list of some processes you may see in
Task Managers Processes list.

"System Idle Process"
"System" The Windows System Process
"SMSS.EXE" Session Manager Subsystem
"CSRSS.EXE" Client Server Runtime Subsystem
"WinLOGON.EXE" The Windows Logon process
"SERVICES.EXE" Services Control Manager
"LSASS.EXE" Local Security Authentication Server Service
"svchost.exe" Service Host
"spoolsv.exe" The print spooler service
"explorer.exe" Windows Explorer
"TASKMGR.EXE" The Task Manager
"regsvc.exe" Remote Registry Service

"System Idle Process" is basically another name for the
time when Windows is doing nothing. There are hundreds of
thousands of processes that run on a computer, so you will
definitely find names of many other processess that are
not listed above. For a list of well known processes,
visit www.answersthatwork.com/Tasklist_pages/tasklist.htm
You can also learn about almost any task by using it's
name as a search term in google.

Task Manager can also be used to tweak your system if it's
running slow. The Performance tab displays running graphs
of your computers CPU and memory usage. If the CPU usage
seems to be running over 80 percent most of the time, or if
the memory usage seems to be running higher than the total
physical memory, you may want to shut down some
applications or processes.

On the Process tab, you can identify processes that are
consuming a lot of processor time. Click twice on the CPU
column heading to sort the CPU column so the processes
hogging the most CPU time on top. You can sort the
"Mem Usage" column the same way.

On the Application tab, if you right click on the name of
an application and, in the popup menu that appears, choose
"Go To Process", Task Manager will open the Processes tab
and highlight the process that runs the application. On the
Processes tab, if you right-click on the name of a process,
you can choose "SetPriority" and promote the priority of
the process you need (or demote the priority of a different
process to free up some resources).

If you go to the Application tab and shut down an
application, you will shut down any processes related to
that application. Or, you might choose to shut down a
background process that you can identify. To shut down an
application or process, click on it's name in the list to
highlight it, then click on the End Task button.

On the Processes tab, if you right click on the name of a
process, you can choose "End Process Tree" to kill the
process and any sub-processes started by the process.

Task Manager can also be used for troubleshooting. If an
application freezes up, you can open Task Manager and shut
down the application. If the entire system freezes up, you
can use Task Manager to shut down a process that is hogging
all the CPU time or memory.

If you spend some time monitoring your computer with task
Manager, eventually you will become familiar with the
processes that commonly run. Then, when you see an
unfamiliar process, you can do a little investigation to
make sure it's not a virus. For example, if you see
msblast.exe in the process list, your computer is infected
with the Blaster virus. You might be able to detect and
eliminate a new virus before an antivirus update is available.

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your computer and use it more effectively to design a Web
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Software for Karaoke

Of the many high quality Karaoke software available in the market, the following are some of the best.

Karaoke Sing-n-Burn software is capable of burning CDs of a live performance. This software can turn your home into a high-end Karaoke studio. You can change the tempo and key to go with your vocal range and style. There is also an echo for the rock n roll sound. Karaoke Sing-n-Burn software is one of the most adjustable Midi software available. It is priced at $49.95.

Lyred Pro is a karaoke and lyrics editor with a superior tag support. Lyred Pro has Winamp support and can print a lyrics book, as well as get a mini CD cover. A fully registered professional version has access to over 150000 songs. This software is available in the market for $16.95.

With a miREC Recorder, you can change your computer into a mini studio. With miREC, you can record directly from the microphone, streaming audio from the Internet, music played by Real Player, Quick Time, Windows Media Player, Flash, etc. This software can record sound without any discernable drop in quality and copy them into mp3, wav.flac, ape, etc. It is available in the market for $19.99

Audio WASP (Web Audio Sync and Publish) is a web publishing and captioning tool suitable for novices and professionals alike. This software helps in captioning video and audio on the web promptly and effortlessly. All you need is an audio or video file, along with a file with the titles and captions that you want displayed. Audio WASP can create e-books, video books, audio books, etc. It is available in the market for $29.99.

Kool Karaoke Studio 2 has been totally revamped with the latest hardware and technology. It is totally in sync with the original Kool Karaoke Studio songs. With over 15,000 songs available on the Internet ($2 per song) the user is spoiled for choices. A good number of e songs come with a demo version, with vocals by a professional to aid you. You can record with the demo track and remove the track after recording. The recording can be stored on a hard drive. Kool Karaoke Studio 2 is available in the market for $29.99.

Karaoke provides detailed information on Karaoke, Karaoke Machines, Karaoke Music, Karaoke Downloads and more.

Beauty Software

Often, running a beauty salon efficiently can be tedious. With so much paperwork required, the work can get chaotic and unruly. Hence, to conduct the day-to-day business of beauty salons, beauty salon software is available in the market. Such software is a wonder, almost a blessing to all beauty salon software owners.

Some of highly competent and excellent beauty salon software includes the following: Salon Assistant by Salon Tec; SalonPro Software for Windows; Beauty Salon Software Salon Tec; SalonPro Software for Windows; Beauty Salon Software by World Class Software and many others.

‘Inventory systems’; ‘service support’; ‘client history’; ‘multiple users’; ‘bar code support’; ‘point of sale’; ‘appointment booking’; ‘sales tax report’; ‘employee information’; ‘and much, much more are offered by the aforementioned different types of beauty salon software.

Normally beauty salon software is extremely user-friendly and requires little or very little instructions. Besides, most of the software companies have help services, which support and instruct us in case of any difficulty.

Easy to download and run, salon software usually supports all higher versions of Windows and hence can be used on nearly all types of computers.

To enable us in making the right decision and knowing whether particular software works for us or not, companies provide free demo CDs. Such demos work for some days, allowing us to test the compatibility and usefulness of the software.

Usually beauty salon software is available in English, but Plan Magic Business 9.0 supports a number of languages such as English, Italian, Spanish, Russian, and others.

Software CDs can be purchased or they can also be downloaded by making direct payment online.

OMNI Salon Management Spa Management Software Systems; The Spa Salon Manager; Salon Iris Salon Software and Orchid Medical Spa Software by Restexx Information Technologies are some other beauty salon software available in the market.

Beauty Salons provides detailed information on Beauty Salons, Beauty Salon Software, Beauty Salon Equipment, Beauty Salon Supplies and more. Beauty Salons is affiliated with Natural Beauty Products.

Beauty Salon Software

Often, running a beauty salon efficiently can be tedious. With so much paperwork required, the work can get chaotic and unruly. Hence, to conduct the day-to-day business of beauty salons, beauty salon software is available in the market. Such software is a wonder, almost a blessing to all beauty salon software owners.

Some of highly competent and excellent beauty salon software includes the following: Salon Assistant by Salon Tec; SalonPro Software for Windows; Beauty Salon Software Salon Tec; SalonPro Software for Windows; Beauty Salon Software by World Class Software and many others.

‘Inventory systems’; ‘service support’; ‘client history’; ‘multiple users’; ‘bar code support’; ‘point of sale’; ‘appointment booking’; ‘sales tax report’; ‘employee information’; ‘and much, much more are offered by the aforementioned different types of beauty salon software.

Normally beauty salon software is extremely user-friendly and requires little or very little instructions. Besides, most of the software companies have help services, which support and instruct us in case of any difficulty.

Easy to download and run, salon software usually supports all higher versions of Windows and hence can be used on nearly all types of computers.

To enable us in making the right decision and knowing whether particular software works for us or not, companies provide free demo CDs. Such demos work for some days, allowing us to test the compatibility and usefulness of the software.

Usually beauty salon software is available in English, but Plan Magic Business 9.0 supports a number of languages such as English, Italian, Spanish, Russian, and others.

Software CDs can be purchased or they can also be downloaded by making direct payment online.

OMNI Salon Management Spa Management Software Systems; The Spa Salon Manager; Salon Iris Salon Software and Orchid Medical Spa Software by Restexx Information Technologies are some other beauty salon software available in the market.

Beauty Salons provides detailed information on Beauty Salons, Beauty Salon Software, Beauty Salon Equipment, Beauty Salon Supplies and more. Beauty Salons is affiliated with Natural Beauty Products.

Power Tab Editor

Power Tab Editor is a tablature-authoring tool for Windows. It allows for the creation of tablature scores that can be printed out and played back via MIDI. Features standard music notation and symbols as well as all of the popular tablature symbols. Can import MIDI tracks, and can export to ASCII Text, HTML and MIDI format 1 files. Version 1.7 build 80 may include unspecified updates, enhancements, or bug fixes.

Goole Earth

It's rare to encounter free software as well designed and powerful as this informative application, but the folks at Google have done it again. When you first fire up Google Earth, you'll immediately notice that most of the interface's real estate is used to display a rendering of the globe, complete with topographical markings. You simply enter information for the location you'd like to visit--such as city name, country, or specific street address--and Google Earth will begin slowly zooming in on your destination. After a moment, you'll see a satellite image of the place you entered. Controls below the location window let you zoom in or out even further; move north, south, east, and west; and save specific locations on the map.

The program's Layers panes allows you to determine what sort of information appears on the map. For instance you can choose to display roads, hospitals, grocery stores, restaurants, golf courses, bars, and even crime statistics. We also appreciate the tool that provides point-to-point driving directions. The only potential downside of Google Earth is it can consume a fairly large amount of RAM when running in the background, so as the developer notes, folks with older machines might experience performance issues. But everyone else is bound to love Google Earth, either as an informational tool or an entertaining novelty.

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Nokia to Launch Googleized Net Tablet

Nokia and Google plan to announce Tuesday a version of the cell phone manufacturer's Internet tablet device that comes preinstalled with the Google Talk. The service would allow for voice conversations and instant messaging on the device, which uses a Wi-Fi connection to connect to the Internet. According to the Wall Street Journal's sources, the device would be available globally at a price of around USD $390.

Along with Google, Nokia is talking to other companies about porting their communication software to the device. The Nokia 770 Internet Tablet was first launched in September of last year. It allows for web and e-mail browsing, as well as multimedia playback.

Mixed Antitrust Messages for Microsoft

The Justice Department on Friday gave Microsoft some mixed messages as to compliance with a 2002 antitrust settlement, saying its IE7 search enhancements were not anti-competitive, yet rebuking it for the same foot-dragging policy it has been accused of in the European Union.

As a result of the non-compliance, the Justice Department has asked to extend its oversight and restrictions on the company until 2009, which Microsoft has voluntarily agreed to. At issue, as in Europe, is the quality of technical documentation to be provided to rivals.

In a filing, the government's complaints sounded much like those of the European Commission -- that the company was not completely following the terms of the settlement, and that it was dragging its feet in remedying those issue.

However, Microsoft seems to be using a similar defense as in the EU, promising more than the settlement entails. The company claims that it would allow technical data to be available after the 2009 expiration, as well as licensing access to Windows source code and the opening of a new lab for testing software.

It is unclear if Friday's events would help further the European Commission's case in having its 497 million euro judgment upheld.

Not all was bad in Friday's court filings for Microsoft. The Justice Department rejected claims by rival search engines led by Google, who called the way search is done in Internet Explorer 7 "anti-competitive." The government sided with Microsoft, saying that the defaults were easily changed and the browser respected the users' and manufacturers' search choices.

High Court Sides with eBay

eBay has won a major battle in its patent infringement case against MercExchange, with the Supreme Court unanimously ruling to set aside a judgment by a lower court that a federal judge was required to issue an injunction as soon as a company is found to be using another's technology.

The Justices ruled that a judge is at liberty to look at several factors before deciding on an injunction after a jury verdict. Experts said that any decision from the high court will likely have ramifications in future cases, and argued that it could be one of the most significant patent fights in recent times.

eBay was found guilty by jury of violating MercExchange's patents through its "Buy It Now" feature. A federal appeals court at the time awarded patent owner MercExchange $25 million in damages and granted a permanent injunction against eBay that would bar the site from using the feature.

Since then, the U.S. Patent Office has overturned the patent that the ruling was based on, upholding an earlier decision that a patent awarded to MercExchange was "obvious" and should have not been issued.

Even though the Supreme Court ruling gives eBay some breathing room, the case is by no means over. The appeals court will now take a second look at the case, and decide whether an injunction is necessary. Thus, there still is the possibility that eBay may lose the case in the end.

"We are extremely gratified by the Supreme Court's unanimous decision," said Jay Monahan, eBay's Deputy General Counsel, Intellectual Property. "The trial judge originally found in this case that money was sufficient, and denied an injunction. We are confident that when the District Court revisits this issue, particularly in light of the ongoing reexamination of the patents, that the result will be the same."

Firefox Continues to Make Gains

Firefox continues to make slow gains globally, with the market share of Internet Explorer beginning to stabilize, Web analytics firm OneStat.com reported on Friday.

Worldwide, market share of Internet Explorer fell slightly to 85.17 percent from 85.82 percent in January, while usage of Firefox rose slightly from 11.23 percent to 11.79 percent in May. Apple's Safari browser also made modest gains, at 2.02 percent from 1.88 percent in January.

Microsoft Tests New Web Design Tool

Microsoft on Monday released the first public build of Expression Web Designer (EWD), the last component of its upcoming Expression suite to become available in Community Technology Preview form. Web Designer, a successor to FrontPage, joins Expression Graphic Designer and Interactive Designer.

Formerly known by the code-name "Quartz," EWD uses a WYSIWG interface to help users build standards-based Web sites with support for sophisticated CSS layouts. The tool also closely integrates with ASP .NET 2.0 on the backend. Microsoft is expected to release Expression in final form early next year. The Web Designer CTP is available for download for Windows XP and higher.

AllofMP3 Goes Offline, Future Uncertain

Popular Russian music download service AllofMP3, whose legal status has long been in question, shut down over the weekend and has yet to re-open. The site sold music without DRM copy protection for $0.02 per megabyte, far cheaper than sanctioned services such as iTunes.

AllofMP3 enabled customers to select the audio quality and format of their downloads, and recently rolled out a standalone application for navigating the site and making purchases called AllTunes. However, the music industry has long characterized the service as illegal for not having proper licenses to the songs it sold.

Despite its questionable legality, customers have flocked to the service. Last month, AllofMP3 was the number two music store in the United Kingdom -- only trailing iTunes. However, that exposure also drew additional pressure from the United States music industry, which has pushed Russian regulators to step in.

Last week, Russian President Vladimir Putin promised to crack down on his country's piracy problems and lack of copyright protections. Putin is attempting to bring Russia into the World Trade Organization, and support from the United States will be a necessity to make that happen.

As of Monday afternoon, AllofMP3's site simply says, “We are sorry but the server is closed for maintainance." The service has made no public statements and it's not clear if it will re-open in the future.

Microsoft to Launch URGE This Week

Microsoft's next chapter in its battle against the iPod and ITunes begins this week, as the company releases Windows Media Player 11 to the public. Additionally, Microsoft will promote heavily a test version of the URGE music service, a project it co-developed with MTV.

Seeing that a seamless ecosystem is what has propelled the iPod to its iconic status, Microsoft has also taken a page from the Apple playbook and co-developed a portable player called the "Clix." The new device is a project between Windows-based player market leader iRiver and the Redmond company.

The deluge of media-related announcements is seen by some as an indirect admission that the company's previous strategy of allowing freedom among its partners to do as they wish in the digital media space was a failure.

Companies like Creative have struggled to succeed in a crowded market where more than a half dozen major players plus dozens of smaller outfits compete for less than a fifth of the market. The result has been a disaster not only for most of these companies financially, but for Microsoft in the minds of the consumer.

Microsoft's much-hyped PlaysForSure program ran into issues as Microsoft had to ensure that the multitude of devices would all synchronize correctly with Windows Media Player, many of which didn't.

Additionally, Microsoft had no control over the various music services that have popped up as a result of its open licensing program, This meant that if compatibility issues arose with players, there was little, if anything, the company could do.

In turn, Microsoft s now promoting an entire digital music ecosystem, rather than just focusing on the technology and leaving the rest up to its partners.

Windows Media Player 11, to be a part of Windows Vista and being released in beta form this week, includes several enhancements to better compete with market-leading iTunes. Improvements have been made to PlaysForSure to ensure seamless transfer of music, much like the iPod when connected to iTunes.

The centerpiece of WMP11 will be the URGE music service, which is deeply integrated into the player. While a user would still be able to choose from the half-dozen or so Microsoft-based music services through the WMP, the co-developed offering would receive top billing.

The service will come with nearly two million tracks, and have a two-tier service plan. Those who wish to listen to tracks on their PCs only can register for a $9.95 USD monthly plan, while those wishing to download to compatible players would need to sign up for the $14.95 USD monthly tier.

As well as the subscription offerings, URGE would also allow for per-track downloads at 99 cents a song. Unlike the tracks downloaded through the subscription plan, users would still be able to listen to these tracks after cancellation of those plans.

URGE is expected to go into public beta Wednesday.

Initial reactions to both WMP11 and URGE may give Apple some pause. Testers have said that the way the new version of the media player allows users to browse through a collection of music by album cover rather than list of files is much better than previous WMP versions and even iTunes.

The final piece of the puzzle is the Clix player. According to Sean Alexander, group product manager at Microsoft, the two companies have been working on the unit since late last year.

The device looks much like the iRiver U10 first introduced last year, but there are several key enhancements. "Our team worked closely with iRiver, providing feedback, usability resources, and assistance on interaction design starting with a complete 'teardown' of the existing iRiver U10 product," Alexander said.

Microsoft's role in the development of the player is clear in the user interface and its deep integration with WMP11. Album art, ratings, play count, and playlists all now sync directly with the device, and synchronization speed has been improved.

iRiver is the best selling Windows-based brand, although it runs a distant second to the iPod in terms of global market share. However, it appears that Microsoft may be acknowledging iRiver's success in choosing it as a partner to take on Apple's iPod.

Creative Sues Apple Over iPod

Facing increasing losses and running out of options in its battle against the iPod, Creative on Monday filed a complaint with the U.S. International Trade Commission and a lawsuit in United States District Court for the Northern District of California alleging patent infringement.

At issue is the so-called "Zen Patent," which Creative was awarded in August 2005. The company says that it engineered and demonstrated the interface that Creative's players, as well as competing players, use well before the first iPods were shipped.

Creative has asked the ITC to investigate whether or not Apple has violated tariff laws through the sale of iPods. Specifically, the company refers to the portion of the law that pertains to the prohibition of the importations and sale of products in the U.S. that infringe on another companies patents.

The company has asked the ITC for both exclusion and a cease and desist order, which would essentially ban the sales of the iPod within the country. In addition, the suit in District Court asks for an injunction as well as unspecified monetary damages.

Apple is the number one music player in the world, holding nearly a 75 percent market share according to recent data from NPD Group. Creative, on the other hand, has struggled, counting for 2 to 3 percent of media player sales and fourth overall in market share.

The company's outspoken CEO Sim Wong Hoo made digital media players Creative's premier business two years ago in a bid to take on the iconic iPod. However, while vehemently defending his decision and products since then, none of the company's players have caught on with consumers.

In the most recent quarter, Creative reported a $114.33 million loss, which it largely blamed on its media player woes.

Asked to elaborate on why the company had filed the suit, Creative representatives refused to comment. "At this time we will not comment further on pending litigation," spokesperson Phil O'Shaughnessy told BetaNews.

Mac OS X security patch falls short

OS X on Thursday, fixing 31 software vulnerabilities in a range of products that could be used by remote attackers to compromise Mac OS systems.

Security Update 2006-003 was published on Apple’s Web site and includes software fixes for holes in OS X, the Safari Web browser, and Mac components for viewing image and video files.

Also included are fixes for a number of security flaws publicized by independent researcher Tom Ferris in April. However, Ferris says the latest patch doesn’t cover other critical holes he reported to Apple, and that he may soon publish the details of those flaws, too.

An Apple spokesman did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The patches, which come two days after Microsoft released its monthly security fixes, underscore the changing security climate for Mac systems, which are a small fraction of the computer population, but are under increasing scrutiny for security holes.

Among the flaws Apple fixed are an integer overflow in the processing of JPEG files by OS X systems prior to Version 10.4 that could allow attackers to harbor malicious code in image files; the code executes when the file is viewed.

Another flaw affects Quicktime Streaming Server on some versions of OS X and could allow attackers to use malicious RTSP (Realtime Streaming Protocol) requests to trigger a buffer overflow on the server. Other holes would allow attackers to use e-mail messages, Macromedia Flash files or malicious Web shortcuts to take control of Mac systems.

Ferris told InfoWorld there were still holes in Safari, QuickTime, and the iTunes application that he reported to Apple but were not patched in the latest release. He did not publish details of those holes on his Web site in April, but he described them as critical flaws that allow remote code execution.

Ferris said he is considering releasing the details of the unpatched holes on May 14 on his Web site. He also says he has found new holes in OS X affecting TIFF format files and BOMArchiver, an application used to compress files. He did not provide details about the flaws or proof of their existence.

Compared with Apple’s release, Microsoft’s May security patch was small. The software giant posted three security bulletins — two of them rated “critical” that covered five vulnerabilities.

Security experts have been weighing in on Apple security more frequently in recent months, as critical flaws in the OS X operating system and Safari browser and viruses and Web based attacks targeting Mac systems have made headlines.

Anti-virus and security software companies have started offering products for Mac OS X, and there is debate about whether Apple’s shift to the same Intel architecture used by Microsoft Windows will change the security posture of Mac systems.

Officially, Apple downplays security holes in its products and new OS X attacks — which are still rare compared to those targeting Windows systems. But some security industry insiders have suggested that the company should appoint a chief security officer to coordinate the company’s response to security.

Mac OS X security patch falls short

Apple released its third major patch this year for Mac

OS X

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OS X on Thursday, fixing 31 software vulnerabilities in a range of products that could be used by remote attackers to compromise Mac OS systems.

Security Update 2006-003 was published on Apple’s Web site and includes software fixes for holes in OS X, the Safari Web browser, and Mac components for viewing image and video files.

Also included are fixes for a number of security flaws publicized by independent researcher Tom Ferris in April. However, Ferris says the latest patch doesn’t cover other critical holes he reported to Apple, and that he may soon publish the details of those flaws, too.

An Apple spokesman did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The patches, which come two days after Microsoft released its monthly security fixes, underscore the changing security climate for Mac systems, which are a small fraction of the computer population, but are under increasing scrutiny for security holes.

Among the flaws Apple fixed are an integer overflow in the processing of JPEG files by OS X systems prior to Version 10.4 that could allow attackers to harbor malicious code in image files; the code executes when the file is viewed.

Another flaw affects Quicktime Streaming Server on some versions of OS X and could allow attackers to use malicious RTSP (Realtime Streaming Protocol) requests to trigger a buffer overflow on the server. Other holes would allow attackers to use e-mail messages, Macromedia Flash files or malicious Web shortcuts to take control of Mac systems.

Ferris told InfoWorld there were still holes in Safari, QuickTime, and the iTunes application that he reported to Apple but were not patched in the latest release. He did not publish details of those holes on his Web site in April, but he described them as critical flaws that allow remote code execution.

Ferris said he is considering releasing the details of the unpatched holes on May 14 on his Web site. He also says he has found new holes in OS X affecting TIFF format files and BOMArchiver, an application used to compress files. He did not provide details about the flaws or proof of their existence.

Compared with Apple’s release, Microsoft’s May security patch was small. The software giant posted three security bulletins — two of them rated “critical” that covered five vulnerabilities.

Security experts have been weighing in on Apple security more frequently in recent months, as critical flaws in the OS X operating system and Safari browser and viruses and Web based attacks targeting Mac systems have made headlines.

Anti-virus and security software companies have started offering products for Mac OS X, and there is debate about whether Apple’s shift to the same Intel architecture used by Microsoft Windows will change the security posture of Mac systems.

Officially, Apple downplays security holes in its products and new OS X attacks — which are still rare compared to those targeting Windows systems. But some security industry insiders have suggested that the company should appoint a chief security officer to coordinate the company’s response to security.

Nintendo shows new games console

The Wii controller contains a motion sensor

Nintendo has shown off its new Wii games console with its unorthodox motion-sensing controller, arguing it will help draw more people to gaming.

But it shied away from setting a launch price or date at a US news conference, ahead of this week's E3 games expo.

"Our goal is expanding the number of people playing games," said Satoru Iwata, president of the Japanese firm.

Sony's PlayStation 3 is due out in November, while Microsoft released its Xbox 360 last year.

Swing a sword

At its news conference in Los Angeles, Nintendo was at pains to stress its different approach to games.

"What we are unveiling is the next leap in games, where gaming is not about looks but about feel, when gaming is not about the few but about everyone," said senior Nintendo executive Reggie Fils-Aime.

Rivals Sony and Microsoft have been pushing computing power and high-definition graphics. By comparison, the Wii seems under-powered.

Nintendo's focus is on how the controller for the Wii could attract new people to games.

Instead of offering a bewildering array of buttons, the controller looks like a TV remote and contains a motion sensor

Nintendo showed how it could be used to play tennis, steer a car, aim a gun or swing a sword.

New Mario

Among the working games demonstrated was a new instalment of the Legend of Zelda series, called Twilight Princess.

We will give you more fun for less money and you will be playing Wii in the fourth quarter of 2006 Reggie Fils-Aime, Nintendo Consoles mount battle royale

"This is by far the best Zelda game we've ever made and the most beautiful Zelda game we've made and it will be there on launch day alongside the Nintendo system," said Mr Fils-Aime to whoops of approval from the audience.

Two versions of the game will be available, one for the GameCube and another for the Wii which takes advantage of the motion-sensing technology.

Nintendo also showed trailers for other Wii games, including a new Metroid Prime title and a new Mario game.

E3 attendees will be able to play a total of 27 Wii game demos to try out the new controller for themselves.

Nintendo is hoping the experience of playing the games will win over sceptics who may have doubts about the new controller.

End of the year

Key questions about the Wii were left unanswered. Unlike rival Sony, Nintendo did not reveal how much its console would cost or when it would be available.

"We believe it's in our best interests to keep the details private for just a while longer," said Nintendo executive Reggie Fils-Aime.

"We will give you more fun for less money and you will be playing Wii in the fourth quarter of 2006," he added.

Nintendo did provide a few more nuggets of information about the Wii. A low-power mode will let the console remain online to receive alerts and downloads.

And the main controller will contain a small speaker to play sounds happening close to a player in a game.

Samsung D900 :The Worlds Slimmest Slider! :

Samsung D900 - The Worlds Slimmest Slider!

Samsung D900 - Told you Samsung is bitten by the Slim Bug. After just announcing the world’s slimmest phone, Samsung has now gone and unveiled the World’s Slimmest Slider phone which also has a 3.3 mega-pixel camera! Just 13mm thick the phone is pretty exciting when it comes to features and would be perfect as a business phone . It includes a document viewer, has a TV-output function, and also supports Blue-tooth stereo headset (A2DP) function .This new little baby by the Samsung camp impresses on both design and functionality front.

The Samsung D900 for now will only see a European release. The handset also features a large, vibrant 262K color screen, which will make viewing streaming videos or the phone’s photo book a visual treat. The phone would have about 80MB of in built memory which can be expanded via a microSD card. Other features found on the phone include, Video Recording & Messaging (MPEG4 / H.263)MP3 / AAC / ACC+ / AAC+ (e) playback, a Digital Power Amp and connectivity options like Bluetooth / USB / PictBridg. No word on pricing or availability yet. For more info visit: Samsung Update: the Pic above might not be the D900

SGH-World’s Slimmest Slider: Samsung SGH-D900

Standard		GSM / GPRS (850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900MHz) + EDGE
Camera		3.13 Megapixel Camera
Display		2.1” 240x320 262K Color TFT
Features		Video Recording & Messaging (MPEG4 / H.263) MP3 / AAC / ACC+ / AAC+ (e) Digital Power Amp Bluetooth / USB / PictBridge Document Viewer / TV-output
Memory		80MB embedded, External memory (microSD)
Size		103.5 x 51 x 13 mm
Weight		93g

Sony has defended its decision to offer two versions of its forthcoming PlayStation 3 (PS3) games console.

Sony has defended its decision to offer two versions of its forthcoming PlayStation 3 (PS3) games console.

Senior Sony executive Phil Harrison said the models were aimed at different types of consumers.

The games giant has been criticised for offering a lower end model without several significant features.

The console is due to go on sale in November, with prices starting at $499 in the US and 499 euros (£341) in Europe.

HD concerns

Sony announced the launch date and price for the PS3 at a big news presentation at its studios in Culver City in Los Angeles.

At the time it only talked about the difference in the size of the hard drives. The basic model has a 20GB drive, while the model costing $599/599 euros comes with a 60GB one.

Only later, after detailed press releases were distributed, did it become apparent that there were other key differences.

The lower end model lacks wi-fi, a slot for memory cards and, in particular, a port to hook up a HDMI lead for high-definition programmes.

The decision to offer a model without HDMI has raised concerns about the high-definition compatibility of the PS3.

Mr Harrison shrugged off these fears, insisting that the both models would offer full HD output.

"What we should be clear about is that the functionality is identical in both machines," he told the BBC News website. "There is no difference in what the machine does."

"It's just that the technical method of extracting audio and video from the devices is slightly different," said Mr Harrison, who heads up Sony Computer Entertainment worldwide studios.

He said the decision to offer two versions was designed to give consumers a choice.

"Some people might be interested in the PS3 primarily and exclusively as a games system, whereas other users might look at it as a multimedia hub in the home, which is games and music and movies and other digital content."

Xbox rivals

Speaking personally, Mr Harrison said he would buy the high end model.

It seems likely that PlayStation fans looking forward to the new system may do the same thing.

Some queued for an hour to see the new games

When rival Microsoft launched its Xbox 360 console last November, it offered a basic model and a higher-end model.

But gamers shied away from the cheaper version in favour of the more expensive one.

Microsoft has sold more than three million Xbox 360s worldwide since its debut.

It has set itself a target of 10 million by the time the PS3 appears in stores in an attempt to steal a lead over Sony.

But Mr Harrison said he was not worried by the figures from Microsoft.

"I doubt they will achieve that," he said

"I think the clear advantages of the PS3 will mean that this product is very well accepted in the marketplace.

"We have a great brand and fantastically loyal consumers."

Japanese gamers will be the first to get their hands on the PS3 on 11 November. The console will arrive in the US and Europe on 17 November.

Pressed on whether Sony would meet this deadline, Mr Harrison said the company would not have specified a date unless it could, adding that manufacturing of the console was starting.

Microsoft Announces Online Gaming Service

Microsoft Corp. co-founder

Bill Gates

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Bill Gates on Tuesday announced a new cross-platform gaming service that integrates games played on cell phones,

Xbox

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Xbox 360 consoles and the upcoming Windows Vista operating system.

The "Live Anywhere" service will be available as part of Windows Vista, Microsoft's next-generation PC operating system. The consumer version is scheduled for release early next year.

"It means that you have one online community," Bill Gates said in a news conference. "This platform can really unleash developers to do amazing new things."

The system would extend the company's existing Xbox Live service for the Xbox 360 console into millions of Internet-enabled PCs and cellular phones. No pricing information on the new service was announced.

"The vision here is each platform plays its own role. We really think we're in a unique position," Gates said. "Microsoft is probably the only company that can pull this off."

In a demonstration, an Xbox 360 gamer using Live Anywhere was able to send an invitation to a friend on a PC. After the PC user agreed, the two connected for a cross-platform online gun battle.

In another example, a race car's stats were modified on a cellular phone, its appearance was edited in a paint program on the PC and then it was raced on a track on the Xbox 360.

Microsoft said it has sold about 3.2 million Xbox 360s so far — about half of them are used online. By this time next year, the company expects to have sold 10 million units and have 6 million online subscribers.

Microsoft Vice President Peter Moore said the early launch of Xbox 360 gives the company a huge advantage going forward, saying the company was already on the "second generation of the next generation."

Live Anywhere highlighted a slew of announcements from the Redmond, Wash.-based company.

The company also said it would sell an HD-DVD player for high-definition movies in time for the holidays, but it did not release a price. Also announced was an Xbox Live Vision video camera, a wireless headset and a wireless racing wheel available this fall.

Finally, Microsoft appeased anxious gamers who cheered following a demonstration of the sci-fi shooter "Halo 3," due sometime in 2007.

Earlier in the day, Nintendo Co. executives emphasized unusual games over glitzy graphics and said the video game industry must find new ways to broaden its appeal if the industry wants to keep growing.

The company did not release pricing details on its Wii console and instead showed off the system's unique controller, which can be swung around to control golf swings and sword strikes on the screen.

Company officials also confirmed the Wii would launch sometime in the fourth quarter of 2006.

On Monday, Sony Corp (NYSE:SNE - news). said two versions of its PlayStation 3 will launch in North America on Nov. 17 as part of a worldwide simultaneous launch — a $499 version with a 20 gigabyte hard drive and another with a 60 gigabyte drive for $100 more. Availability had been pushed back from a spring release.

The $499 base price is $100 more than rival Microsoft's current top-of-the-line Xbox 360.

Sony also showed off the PS3's new controller, which can sense motion like the Wii system.

Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo are vying for control of the video game industry, which according to market research firm NPD Group, saw sales drop 5 percent to $7 billion in the United States last year. Much of it is blamed on consumers' desire to hold out for the PS3 and Wii.

The company presentations are a preview of sorts for the Electronic Entertainment Expo in Los Angeles, the video game industry's largest annual conference.

Transducer Calibration

A wide range of calibration transducers and their back-up electronics systems are readily available in the US. There are several types of calibration transducers that are suited for varied applications in engineering and technology.

Linear calibration transducers are strong, compressed SVLC sensors used in applications varying from metrology to heavy industry. These high-repeatability transducers can be based in any direction. Its salient features are - Ranges: 0-5mm to 0-50mm, linearity: greater than ±0.01% of range, low temperature coefficient and high tolerance to radiation and magnetic fields.

Another major type of measuring transducer is the angular type. It incorporates SVLC technology and present high accuracy and environmental acceptance. Flawless bearings guarantee repeatabilities that exceed 1 arc second. Its salient features are- Ranges: 20° and 60°, linearity: more than ±0.01% of range, and strong construction with minimal rotor inertia.

Non-contact measurement transducers have fixed parts and are typically suited for applications involving long life; environmental acceptance and very high repeatabilities are basic necessities. Its salient features include: 5 ranges from 0-1mm to 0-25mm, and high resolution with unique repeatability. It is very compact in design and usable up to 200°C at a stretch.

A Signal Conditioner is intended for application in ASL's variety of linear and angular transducers. Single- or dual-channel versions are available in two performance grades. Its important characteristics are: Linearity: ±0.01 or ±0.001% of full scale, high resolution / low noise, low temperature coefficient, and a 4-20mA current output option.

Another important calibration transducer is the Model D600, which is a flawless AC bridge noted for its very high exactness and permanence. The D600 is apt for single or multi-channel installations. Its important traits are: accuracy of ±0.004% full scale, resolution up to 1ppm Nul balance, and an AC transformer ratio bridge for exceptional long-term stability.

Calibration provides detailed information on Calibration, Calibration Equipment, Calibration Services, Calibration Software and more. Calibration is affiliated with Custom Die Cutting.

Port Forwarding

The term Port Forwarding is referred to the technique of forwarding a network port from one particular machine to another machine. This technique is usually applied when the receiving machine is behind a network router. By doing this, it enables users from outside the LAN (local area network) to reach a private user in the LAN itself. Now every machine on the internet has at least one IP address which is used to identify that particular machine or device. Every IP address is divided into many ports. The ports are there for the machines to communicate with each other, for example (computer A is sending some data to computer B), and therefore forwarding the port will also enhance the speed of the transmission between the two machines.

Now let's take a look at how the machines are connected to the internet when behind a router. The router is first connected to the internet which we will call it external IP. The router will then have its own internal IP address. (every machine/device will have at least one IP to identify them self). The router will then assign an individual IP address to every machine that is connected to the router. The router's IP address will then act as a gateway for all the machines that are on it's network. When a particular machine in the network wants to send data out to another machine in the internet, it will first pass through the gateway before the router sends it out to the recipient. The recipient however will not be able to tell who in the network is sending him the data as the internet will only show the external IP address here. Likewise, when another machine outside the network is sending data to a recipient inside the network, the data transmission will be transmitted to the external IP address and not directly to the intended recipient. The router will then decide which recipient should receive the data that is being transmitted. Fortunately, the NAT in the router will take care of most of the re-directing except for those programs which NAT are not designed to work with. This is where port forwarding comes into place. This simple process is just a way for users to tell the router which machine in the local network is the intended recipient and that the data should be directed to him. You will need to set up port forwarding rules for every port which you are using and any rules set up for a certain port will only work for that certain port.

One important factor to note is that a port can only be used by a program at any one time. For example, when computer A is using port 6000, it is using port 6000 on its internal IP address. If you have set up a port forwarding rule for computer A and port 6000, the external IP address's port 6000 is also in use. This means that you can only use port 6000 on one computer on the network at a time. Using port 6000 on two computers at the same time would violate the one program rule, and your data would get messed up.

This generally sums up the term Port Forwarding. Any comments can be directed to www.voip.com.sg/voip_feedback.html

Edgar Lee is a VOIP consultant in VOIP singapore (Voip Singapore). A Singapore company that has extensive experiences in cutting-edge IT solutions, VOIP singapore is your trusted partner when your organization needs VoIP, IP PA System, Systems Integration, Computer Telephony, Voicemail, or even specialized solutions such as Call Accounting software and SIP Servers

Computer Network Management

Today it is almost inconceivable for a business not to have computers, whether it is a construction company or a high technology firm. When a business has more than one computer, they are almost always connected together in a local area network. These networks may be more or less advanced and therefore more or less costly.

Companies invest so much (in terms of both money and time) in a local area networks because there are many advantages that a local area network brings to a business and how it is administered.

Some businesses use a local area network in such a way they are highly dependent on it always working. If the company's network fails, then you may see all the employees chatting away in the corridors because they can't do their work. This means big losses for the company and causes stresses on the employees. All companies must consider their local area networks a vital asset and downtime must be avoided. This imposes huge demands on the network staff to keep such networks running almost 100% of the time.

The advantages of Computer Network Management

One of the main advantages of installing and maintaining LANs is the opportunity they create for better communication and cooperation between employees and customers.

Security considerations: Local Area Network security can be both a help and hindrance. Comprehensive security is beneficial because it provides a central and safe strategy for data access and disaster recovery. All information is protected by the design and implementation of the network security solution. On the other hand, interconnecting computers in local area networks creates a security risk, since doing so makes it technically possible for intruders to access many machines on the network at once.

Cost considerations: Installing a local area network is a relatively expensive project. Servers, cabling, switches, routers and software can all be expensive and should never be purchased without expert advice. Keeping the network operating and secure also requires a lot of resources and can be costly.

Surprisingly, a local area network can bring a number of cost savings. Sharing resources avoids the need to purchase equipment for each individual. Even more important is the security that a local area network can provide. Data loss could cost a business a great deal of money and in some cases, cause the business to shutdown altogether. Computer Network Management should require a consistent routine for data backups with regular checkups of data quality - a practice that will save a company huge sums in the event of a mishap.

Computer Network Management: preliminary analysis phases

The first phase of computer network management is to determine the source of the problem (a preliminary study that looks into several options of differing scope may be useful here) and defining it in a specification of requirements. Examples of what should be evaluated are different network operating systems, mail systems, and other applications. The choice of hardware components should also be evaluated. This phase is generally aimed at establishing what the system should do, not how it should do it.

Computer Network Management: design phase

The purpose of design phase is to determine how the requirements of the specification are to be met. The current approach to large, complex projects is to break them down into smaller, more manageable subprojects.

Computer Network Management: implementation phase

This phase involves the physical installation of the local area network. Cables are run, software is installed, and computers and other hardware are put in place.

Computer Network Management: integration and system testing phase

In this phase, commissioning of the network begins, and routines are adapted to users and the operating personnel. The system must be tested, both to ensure that the network meets the requirements set out in the specification and that it is stable enough to perform the central function it has in the organization.

Computer Network Management: operation and maintenance

Local area networks have complex operating routines. This is because there may be serious consequences when faults occur or unauthorized persons gain access to the system. Many companies have employees devoted solely to take care of running and maintaining computer networks. These system administrators may deal with network issues such as performance, reliability and security of both hardware and software.

Computer Network Management: tools

Although an organization may have computer administrators on site, they must also monitor the network more than eight hours a day. In fact, some of the worst trouble that arises with networks can happen during the night hours when nobody is using the network. With the right computer network management tools, your organization can receive the security of knowing that problems will be foreseen, prevented, and taken care of - and that your network administrator can be notified at a moment's notice, should anything go exceptionally wrong.

Frank Hughes is the Vice President of Technical Solutions at SecureMyCompany, Inc. Mr. Hughes has over 14 years experience in the IT industry, with the last 10 serving as the Senior Solutions Consultant for BellSoutions.net. Get more information on network management tools.

Frank Hughes hold several vendor certifications including Microsoft, Dell, Cisco, Sonicwall and many more. Mr. Hughes is a recognized expert in managed services including remote desktop managment, network monitoring and help desk software.

3D animation

3D animation deals with electronically produced computer-generated 3D imagery used in motion graphics and digital special effects. In this case, the animator creates a design style or concept that tries to visually interpret and convey the required information using both new and traditional animation techniques.

The 3D animator will have to be well-acquainted with 3D animation applications and software, film and video production techniques, production processes, digital special effects, art and design movements and methodology, typography, styles of performance and dramatization, film and broadcast genres, technical scripting, health and safety regulations for the film and broadcast industry, and an understanding of budgeting and scheduling processes.

The job of the 3D animator is to design and realize original concepts, character and content creation. The animator, therefore, is responsible for devising and communicating creative ideas and accurate technical information. They have to provide the client with detailed estimates of costs, and work within the budget and schedule.

Each assignment will have different demands. So it is imperative that the animator should have a good knowledge and experience of animation software and broadcast processes, as well as a broad knowledge of technical scripting and digital technology used in broadcasting. The designer must be able to respond with innovative concepts and practical solutions for each assignment. The assignments may be of any kind, from designing a spinning top to re-creating mythical weapons.

To succeed in 3D animation, one must have a thorough understanding of computer-generated processes and applications to be able to achieve creative responses to design briefs within the restrictions of budget and deadline. He/she will be required to possess a passion for design, good communication skills and a good understanding of broadcast, special effects and character animation. Last but not least, he or she must enjoy working as a team member under pressure.

In addition to being able to demonstrate high standards of computer-generated imagery and animation techniques you will need to have a good knowledge of art and design movements and imagery, creative problem solving and innovation, and the understanding of how to deliver design concepts and processes.

Animation provides detailed information on Animation, Free Animation, Flash Animation, 3D Animation and more. Animation is affliated with Wholesale Art Supplies.

Is An IPod The Best mp3 Player Choice?

Apple is incredibly dominant in the mp3 player market - it has over 80% of the US market for example. Why is this?

Firstly because iPods still lead the way for music playing capabilities - they just sound great. Secondly, the iTunes is the best music management software. On top of that, the iTunes music store is the easiest to use and has the greatest choice.

And last but certainly not least iPods are just such amazingly sexy devices!

There are currently 3 iPods in the model range.

iPod The latest iPod is often called the 5G (standing for 5th generation). It is a lighter, thinner design (10 percent thinner than the fourth-generation 30GB iPod), available in white or black.

It comes with a choice of 30GB or 60GB of internal disk storage. This means you can keep about 7,000 or 15,000 songs respectively, plus up to 150 hours of video (on the 60GB iPod).

The 5G iPod has strengthened its support for photos and video with its 320 x 240-pixel, 2.5-inch QVGA color display. You can use the optional iPod A/V cable to play videos and photo slideshows with music on your TV.

You can also use the new Apple Remote with an optional iPod Universal Dock to control your music, videos and slideshows. There is of course a huge range of third party accessories with similar capabilities to the Apple ones - sometimes even better than Apple's and often at lower prices.

In summary the iPod is still better than the competition, but its video capabilities are not yet complete. For example it is slow at transferring photos directly from a camera and it is not yet a fully capable portable video player.

You cannot convert your own video content for iPod playback - iTunes gives you an unhelpful error message if you try this. To get videos ready for the iPod, Apple says you need to buy an add on called QuickTime 7 Pro, although free software to do this is now starting to appear.

iPod nano Apple's tagline for the nano is "impossibly small" and it certainly is incredibly small and light. It is currently available in 1GB, 2GB and 4GB sizes, which hold about 240, 500 and 1,000 songs respectively.

The nano has a 1.5-inch colour display, so you can view album art as you play your music, or browse up to 25,000 photos on the 4GB model.

Because it is so small and light, Apple emphasises the nano's wearability. You can easily wear it around your neck or keep it on an armband.

iPod shuffle The shuffle is the entry level iPod model and is even smaller than the iPod nano - about the size of a pack of gum and weighs less than a car key.

The shuffle doesn't have a display so its playlist control is fairly basic - play, pause, skip, repeat, hold and shuffle (random).

It is easy to hook up to a computer - just plug it directly into a USB 1.1 or 2.0 port, or use an optional Dock. You can sync a specific iTunes Playlist, or drag and drop individual songs or albums from iTunes into the iPod shuffle. The shuffle also automatically charges during syncing.

Summary Apple still holds a clear lead over other mp3 music player vendors. The iPods sets the pace in most aspects - storage, packaging and even price. There is a huge 3rd party add on market that gives the iPod owner a wide choice of accessories.

Apple has now made a strategic move into video and it looks like it will also dominate in that space.

Really, from the position it now has, Apple has to make big mistakes or just get complacent to lose its #1 market position.

The author is a hi-fi enthusiast who likes to take his music with him wherever he goes. Get the facts about the best accessories for your iPod from http://www.youripod.info

Architectural Rendering Software

A software is a tool that can single handedly perform the tasks of scores of specialists in a short span of time and thereby enable us to save in terms of money and man hours. The same holds true for rendering software and a designer can use it to create 3D models of various parts of the building including rooms, walls, ceilings, as also the colors and paints, fixtures, furniture, swimming pool, garden area, surroundings and the landscape etc. Imagine you are a proprietor of an architectural design company. To run your business, you need an office building, a number of architects, designers, technicians, and computer specialists to do commuter-aided designing, video grapplers, and a host of technically trained personals to create various architectural designs. It means a great amount of hard work and sleepless nights.

The best alternative to avoid all these hassles is to find a software program that performs the jobs of all these experts and in this way saves you a lot of energy, tension and money. You can use an architectural rendering software program to draw plans with correct graphs and diagrams. This software is a reservoir of huge data needed and you can select any item within seconds. You don’t require multi faculty skills to make use of the tools contained in the software. It is smart enough to work with great speed and versatility manipulating thousands of shapes and designs to choose and reject as per your needs.

While software eliminates many hassles and headaches and works great in ordinary situations, it cannot replace the creative genius of a human mind. We have to understand that even the huge data stored in it has limitations of its own. New innovative techniques are coming up in every field of human knowledge and so also in architectural rendering, which cannot be easily incorporated in the software. More over, handling software of a magnitude that contains thousands of library images requires specialized training. The software may need to be constantly upgraded to incorporate the latest developments in the field of architectural designing and engineering, which by itself may not be an easy task. If you do not upgrade, you are sure to be left behind in the competition.

Architectural Rendering provides detailed information on Architectural Rendering, 3D Architectural Rendering, Digital Architectural Rendering, Architectural Rendering Software and more. Architectural Rendering is affiliated with CAD Software.