December 31, 2008

Wireless Headsets

Wireless headsets are headphones that are not physically connected to the main device with a wire. These headsets use radio or infrared waves to receive signals from the main source. They provide extremely flexibility to do anything while wearing them-walk, jog, skate or even ski.

Wireless headsets are becoming fairly common even for household use like watching TV or listening to music. Since they are not connected by cords to the main equipment, they allow flexibility to move around and do things like cooking, exercising or any other household chores.

Some wireless headsets use infrared rays for receiving signals, like a remote control. These have a limited range of receiving of a maximum of 30 feet. Cordless headphones, on the other hand, use radio waves. The headset should be adjusted in frequency with the base station so as not to interfere with other devices. These headsets have a greater frequency of up to 2.4 GHz and can reach up to 300 feet.

When buying a wireless headset consider the following: is it comfortable? Does it stay securely in place for long hours? Is the microphone flexible and unobtrusive? Are the volume and other controls easily accessible? Is the sound quality on both the lines clear?

Most wireless headsets these days come with advanced features like standard/voice tube/ noise canceling, the solution type (telephone use/ mobile use/ headset adapter/headset accessory), the kind of ear piece (monaural/binaural), the kind of phone or computer connection to be used with the headset (Bluetooth, USB, 3.5mm/ Analog), the compatibility (to music), the kind of computer usage (VoIP, Computer Gaming), the range of bass/treble, the speaker power, etc. The kind of battery should also be considered since the length of use is dependent on the strength of the battery. Some wireless headsets use rechargeable batteries.

The leading manufacturers of wireless headsets are Plantronics, GN Netcom, Headsets.com, Sennheiser, Jabra, and Sony. The Internet is a good source for locating the ideal wireless headset. There are several web sites that provide comprehensive information about the wide range of wireless headsets available in the market today. Manufacturers also provide the support of online specialists to help you select the best headset, including discounts and warranties.

Headsets provides detailed information about headsets, wireless headsets, phone headsets, aviation headsets and more. Headsets is the sister site of Free Phone Conferencing.

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December 31, 2008

New Hotel De Lives in Namur

New Hotel de Lives is a 3 star hotel in Namur, located in Chaussée de Lige 1178 (Lives-sur-Meuse)

On the banks of the river the Meuse, within a calm and green landscape, the New Hotel de Lives Namur *** offers the same comfort as a first class hotel.
An old hotel - manor house dating from XIXe century, the recent restorations knew to preserve the charm and the character of the place.
Rooms and suites are luxuriously arranged with a color television, private bathroom, telephone line, …
Owner: Mr. Francis Van der Elst.
Opened all the year / Rooms for meetings and banquets / Restaurant / Wireless Fidelity (Wi-Fi) / 6 km of Namur / 35 minutes of Brussels.
Infrastructure and facilities:
20 rooms including 2 suites, rooms for meetings and banquets, bar, restaurant, Wireless Fidelity (Wi-Fi), park, terrace in summer, valet service, private carpark, heliport, installations for disabled people, laundry, admitted animals, …
The New Hotel de Lives Namur *** works in collaboration with the restaurant La Bergerie.
Easy access via the trainstation, busterminal, airport, …
Road access:
3 km away from the Brussels-Luxembourg motorway (E411) - Exit number 15 (Loyers) - Direction Andenne (N90).
Sports activities and local curiosities:
Visiting the caves of Goyet, Namur and Castle of Franc-Waret, walks in the valley of Thon-Samson, walks in forest, strolls in boat on the Meuse, alpinism at Marche-les-Dames, practical of the 4×4 at Sclayn, VTT, horsemanship, fishing, …
Road access:
3 km away from the Brussels-Luxembourg motorway (E411) - Exit number 15 (Loyers) - Andenne Direction (N90).
The New Hotel de Lives Namur *** is located at:
6 km of Namur / 9 km of Andenne / 38 km of Charleroi / 62 km of Brussels / 62 km of Liege / 72 km of Mons / 128 km of Ghent / 171 km of Bruges / 187 km of Ostend.
And at:
98 km of Maastricht / 140 km of Luxembourg / 140 km of Lille / 155 km of Cologne / 160 km of Rheims / 170 km of Düsseldorf / 210 km of Metz / 250 km of Utrecht / 280 km of Amsterdam / 310 km of London / 320 km of Paris / 370 km of Strasbourg.

Hotel open from 16h00

Hotel closed at 23h00 (no nightstaff)

Restaurant open from 18h00 -) 22h00

Other than AccommodationZ.com, our network also includes Reserver.it (where we list more than 2500 Hotels in Italy with secure online reservation) and Siteseeings.com, where you can make reservations for sightseeings in Italy, tours in Rome and also in the Amalfi Coast.

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December 31, 2008

Build Your Own Computer, Why You Should Do It Now!

I’m writing this article for those people sitting on the fence. Those asking themselves, “Should I try building a computer?”

Look at it this way. Computers are made of only eleven major parts, all of which either snap together, or plug-in. If you think you can connect just eleven items, then you can build a computer. I’m willing to argue that it’s tougher to put together a bicycle at Christmas than it is to build a computer.

You’ll need a couple of screwdrivers, one flat, the other a Phillips. That is the entire toolkit. So, there will be no special equipment to purchase. Most households already have plenty of screwdrivers.

And what will you be able to build? Exactly the machine you want. You won’t have to settle for a PC with less of a graphics card than you desired, or a smaller hard drive. You’ll be freed from the standards imposed by manufacturers. The machine will have every item you want, just as you want it.

Another benefit is the knowledge you gain. I can guarantee than after you build a computer, you’ll never worry about the little tricks they play again. You will be the master of the machine, not the other way around.

You may be asking yourself, “Where will I find the parts I need to build it with?”

My answer is: the same place you found this article. Right here on the internet. Do a web search for “computer parts” and just see how many suppliers there are out there. If you prefer going to a store, many of the places you’ll find in your web search have walk-in locations, as well as in cyberspace.

If you’re worried about exactly how those eleven major parts fit together, there are a great many books on the subject. I’ve written one, and so have other people, and most all provide good basic instructions. Get one of fairly recent vintage, with lots of photos. Free excerpts from my book “Building a PC for Beginners” can be read at www.monkeyseemonkeydobooks.com

Mr. Quarles is the publisher of Monkey See Monkey Do Books

December 29, 2008

Large Format Flatbed Scanners

Flatbed scanners, also called desktop scanners, are undoubtedly the most versatile and the most widely used of all large format scanners. They can scan pages of a book without having to detach the pages. They are also found to be economical for scanning dried botanical specimen. The medium does not move in the flatbed scanner, unlike in the case of a drum type scanner, and so the scanning speed is not limited by the medium-feed speed, which also rules out any chance of the original getting damaged at the feed rollers. The thickness of medium is also adjustable in a flatbed scanner. However, they require a large table size, and the scanners are not easily carried around. Also, though many small images may be scanned simultaneously in a large format flatbed scanner, the resolution for scanning very small images (such as 35mm film) is often insufficient. Flatbeds with resolution of up to 600dpi (dots per inch) will perform satisfactorily in digitalizing photo prints, paintings and art documents. Scanning film may require up to 2400dpi to show the details in an enlarged print. Flatbeds are not as efficient as drum scanners when it comes to working with long textiles. But for the vast variety of applications, they are the best choice.

Leading manufacturers of large format flatbed scanners in the USA include ACTion Imaging Solutions (formed by the merger of ANAtech, Colortrac, and Tangent), Altek Corporation, Hewlett-Packard, Purup-Eskofot Inc., and Vidar systems. Cruse provides high-end reprographic scanners with the best quality of image and admits scanning media of maximum thickness. However, it is neither intended, nor affordable, for home application. Fujifilm brings out very excellent flatbed scanners for a wide range of applications, including the digitalizing of photo prints and films. The resolution of these flatbeds is comparable with that of drum-type scanners, and the versatility is unmatched. Epson, Screen and CST are other manufacturers of flatbed scanners.

Large Format Scanners provides detailed information on Large Format Scanners, Large Format Color Scanners, Large Format Flatbed Scanners, Used Large Format Scanners and more. Large Format Scanners is affiliated with Home Theater Projector Screens.

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December 28, 2008

Advanced Tips on Speeding Up Your PC

Other then keeping your HDD free of viruses, spyware, and ad-ware at all times, there are other methods for speeding up system speed which you may like to employ. One of these is overclocking. Overclocking is a method of increasing your system speed by increasing the frequency at which your CPU operates at. If this interests you, please refer to our guide on overclocking.

Other methods of keeping your computer up to speed include:

-Running defrags/scandisks on your PC once to twice a month

-Upgrading your RAM by installing faster, or more memory

-Formatting at least once a year

Running a defrag is easy. You can find this windows tool in programs—>accessories—>system tools. You can also find scandisk on this same menu. Running defrags/scandisks will help to improve your hard drive read/write time. Scandisk and Defragmentation work to fix corrupted files on your PC. These files become corrupted when you restart your computer by using the reset button, or by being careless with your hard drive (like not bolting it properly to your case or removing it constantly).

You could also use a tool called a Registry Fixer. Sometimes, especially if you have been infected recently with a virus, spy-ware, or ad-ware, these programs work to fix your registry and repair certain errors. This is more for an advanced user, however, as some of these programs can be difficult to grasp.

There are also several registry tweaks programmers have produced which improve startup and shutdown times by skipping some uneeded parts of processes. These are also recommended for advanced users as they can sometimes result in a hardware or software error, although such incompatibilities would likely be rare. If however they do cause a problem, post your problem on our forums and we will try to help.

I am a young, aspiring computer engineer into Internet Marketing, hardware, software, web design, SEO and just about anything related to computers. Please come check out my growing PC forum at http://www.markspcforum.com

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December 27, 2008

Affordable Multi-Monitor Solutions

Benefits of Multiple Monitors
There has been much ado as of late about the benefits of increased desktop space. Multiple studies have shown that more computer desktop space equals faster work, greater productivity, and increased employee satisfaction. Most computer users would agree that there’s a certain amount of frustration connected with constant window switching and a miniscule desktop.

Technology for the Everyman
With plummeting monitor and multi-port video card prices, the possibility of having multiple monitors for your computer is no longer a rich man’s fantasy. There are any number of affordable solutions and possibilities for those looking to reap the benefits afforded by increased desktop space.

Two Ports are Better Than One
Your first option is to purchase a multi-port video card that supports multiple monitors. Most new mid-to high end cards will have at least two out ports and will support two or three monitors, while some specialty cards will support up to four. Video cards come in a couple of flavors (DVI and VGA), so you can either scratch the high-def itch or use your old VGA monitor. Some may even have both types on the same card.

Two Cards, Better Than One?
Another possibility is to run two separate video cards off of your motherboard. There are some limitations to this option. First, both cards must have chips from the same manufacturer. That means that you can only pair up two ATi or two NVidia cards. Also, the two cards have to use a different type of slot (AGP and PCI, for example). The only exceptions to this are cards that feature special technology allowing dual video cards to be paired up, like NVidia’s SLI technology, for example.

Add an Extra Port to Your Laptop
Laptop users have a different set of solutions. Most newer laptops come with some sort of video out option, so you can pair up your laptop screen with an external monitor to get an instant dual-monitor setup. If you’re looking for more, however, the VTBook DVI PCMCIA card is a great option. This expensive, yet impressive solution creates an additional DVI-D port using your laptop’s PCMCIA cardslot. This port can be split using special dual head cables, allowing you to gain up to 3 additional monitor outputs.

Split the Signal with the Matrox DualHead2Go
For those looking to go with something a little bit more economical, there’s the Matrox DualHead2Go, a unique product that splits your signal externally, enabling multiple monitors with a completely external, hardware-based approach. This solution has been geared heavily towards business travelers who are looking for a way to experience the benefits of a multi-monitor desktop while on the road. One of the best features about this Matrox adapter is that it requires no hardware installation on the laptop itself, and the split video signal experiences absolutely no degradation or signal loss. Matrox has also included an online compatibility guide, so you can make sure it’ll work with your setup before you buy.

Nathan Kartchner works in Product Development for Sewell Direct, an online retailer specializing in connectivity and audio/visual solutions, such as the Matrox DualHead2Go and the Splitronic Broadband Aggregator.

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December 27, 2008

ESR Meter - The Capabilities To Check Beyond Electrolytic Capacitor

There is something good about esr meter because besides electrolytic capacitor it can be use to measure other type of capacitors such as the non polarity capacitor. From esr meter specification, it is usually mentioned only checking the electrolytic type. When i began to experiment with the Dick Smith ESR Meter i found that it have the capabilities to check other type of capacitors as well.

However it is limited to checking capacitor in the higher value only such as .1uf(104), .22uf(224), 1uf(105) and etc. Lower capacitance value don’t get any reading from the esr meter due to it can only read until 99 ohms. Perhaps other esr meter such as the B & K esr meter have the range to check it.

You will even be surprised to see that the dick smith esr meter can check the non-polarity capacitor in-circuit (without removing the cap).

True case example-Monitor came in with display jumping horizontally. You can see a bunch of horizontal black lines across the top display (picture). From experienced it will tell you that vertical section have problem. I begin to troubleshoot the vertical section.
Supply voltage checked ok, vertical driver and oscillator IC replaced, all components connected or nearby vertical driver and oscillator ic have been checked ok. By the way I used digital capacitance meter to check the non-polarity cap and esr meter to check the electrolytic cap. The problem is still there and can’t be solve!

When i use Dick Smith ESR Meter to compare the esr value of a non-polarity capacitor located near the vertical
driver ic, i noticed that there is a big different in the esr value. The good esr value for a .22uf non-polarity cap is between 6.5 to 7 ohm but the spoilt one have a value of 14 ohm! Almost double the value, that’s why the display jump. The good thing is i discovered the culprit
while the capacitor still in the circuit which mean this esr meter can check non-polarity cap in-circuit. However my recommendation for you is to solder out one leg and check unless you already have the experienced in checking components on board. Replacing the cap solved the display problem.

Conclusion-In order to accurately test a non-polarity capacitor, besides checking the capacitance value and using analog meter to check the charge and discharge to see if it has develop
any short circuit when under load, you are also required to check the esr value as well.

Jestine Yong is a electronic repairer and a writer. For more information about electronic repair please visit his website at
http://www.noahtec.com/electronic-repair-articles.htm

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December 25, 2008

Rack Mount Servers

Before throwing light on the topic of rack mount servers, one should have a clear idea what it is–a device on a computer, or on a particular network, that is used to manage network resources. Rack mount servers are systems in a modern server used for mounting various kinds and sizes of electronic modules. If someone needs to set or pack a number of personal computers into a much smaller space, rack mount servers are ideal.

Rack mount servers are commonly used across different parts of the world for a number of purposes. These can be found wherever there is an application of computers used for a broader application, starting from the world of video editing suites, computer animations and other three-dimensional works. These rack mounts are also used through the installations of ISPs, in the fields of telecom and other types of communication, and various database houses. These rack mount servers are designed to fit into an open PC or in a closed cabinet. The advantage of using and implementing such a rack mount server is that these things are really useful if someone wants to save space. A rack mount server’s space-saving design enables a user to maximize the space available.

The role of a rock mount server is quite vital, as the setting of the hardware equipment into a designed cabinet paves the way to protect them from the external factors. Using the rack mount server makes it easier to protect equipment from climate and also to attain the best cable management.

These rack mount servers are available in various sizes depending on their height and configurations. The usual sizes are 1U, 2U, 3U, 4U, 5U, 6U, and 7U, as per the definition of the Electronic Industries Association (EIA).

Rack Mount Servers provides detailed information on Rack Mount Servers, Rack Mount Server Cases, 1U Rack Mount Servers, 2U Rack Mount Servers and more. Rack Mount Servers is affiliated with Rackmount Computer Monitors .

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December 25, 2008

The Bra and Health Risks

The startling fact is that, where there are no bras, there is little breast cancer.

The main problem with bras appears to be that they block the circulation of the lymph system. Try this: at the end of the day, take off your bra and look in the mirror. If you can see lines on your skin left by your bra, it is cutting off the circulation of your lymph system. Remember, your health is more important than how society thinks you should look.

The lymph system is an important part of the body’s purification system. If the tissue of the breasts is constricted due to a close fitting garment, such as a bra, the toxins in the lymph system of this area are not allowed to drain properly. As a result of the inadequate drainage, each day more and more toxins build up in the area.

The statistics speak for themselves. In a carefully managed retroactive study: Women who wore a bra 24 hours per day had a 3 out of 4 chance of developing breast cancer. Women who wore bras more than 12 hour per day but not to bed had a 1 out of 7 risk. Women who wore their bras less than 12 hours per day had a 1 out of 152 risk. Women who never wore a bra had a 1 out of 168 chance of getting breast cancer.

These alarming statistics begin to raise some concerns about tight fitting clothing generally, even heavy eye glasses. In an April, 1991 USA Today magazine article entitled “Dress for Health, Not Style,” Dr. Leonard Morgan cautions against tight clothing of any kind. Too-tight shirt colars and ties, knee-hi stockings, elasticized socks, and more.

In a study of the connection between bras and breast cancer, women wearing bras that were dangerously tight or restrictive were asked if their bras were comfortable. Many said they were!

Throughout history, people have become accustomed to a variety of clothing that was detrimental to our health: corsets, spike heals, narrow toed shoes, nylon underpants, chemical hair coloring, and much more. Let’s begin to become accustomed to what is natural and good for our bodies. For more information on studies of the link between breast cancer and the wearing of bras, read Dressed to Kill, by Sydney Ross Singer and Soma Grismaijer.

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December 25, 2008

A Palm Bay Florida lawyer lost from a lawyer in Myrtle Beach South Carolina

The Supreme Court then agreed to hear the case and eventually reversed the Second Circuit and reinstated the jurys finding that Knolls policy unlawfully discriminated because of age. In other words the ADEA permits employers to discriminate based on age considering age is legitimately necessary under the circumstances. In that case Meacham versus Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory the Supreme Court interpreted a provision of the ADEA that permits an employer to take an adverse employment action against an employee. The Supreme Court has previously recognized that the employer has the burden to establish the BFOQ affirmative defense. At the trial a jury found Knolls had violated the ADEA because its layoff procedure had a disparate impact based on age. In Meacham Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory was planning to lay off a number of employees. Specifically the jury found that although the plaintiffs did not prove that Knolls intentionally discriminated against them they did prove that Knolls method of deciding who to lay off disproportionately harmed older workers. The BFOQ defense states that it is not unlawful for an employer to take adverse employment actions otherwise prohibited by the ADEA where age is a bona fide occupational qualification reasonably necessary to the normal operation of the particular business. Knolls totaled those scores and gave the employees additional points based on their years of service. The United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit initially affirmed the jurys findings but after the United States Supreme Court asked it to reconsider the Second Circuit reversed itself and ruled in favor of Knolls. The company had its supervisors rate their subordinates based on their performance flexibility and critical skills. The Supreme Court ruled that if an employer seeks to rely on that defense. It then used those totals to decide who to lay off. In reaching its conclusion that the employer has the burden to prove the reasonable factors other than age defense the Supreme Court looked at another provision of the ADEA the bona fide occupational qualification defense. It has the burden to prove that its decision was based on a reasonable factor other than age. For example it would not be illegal to consider criteria for a particular role in a movie that has a disparate impact on age if the part calls for someone of a particular age. As long as the adverse action is based on reasonable factors other than age. Even if the employment action is otherwise prohibited by the ADEA. Thirty of the 27 salaried employees the company laid off were at least 64 years old. A lawyer from Hoogeveen won from a attorney in Casper Wyoming Twenty-eight of those 46 employees sued under the ADEA claiming Knolls illegally fired them because of their age.

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