Why Is Cloud Computing Green?by Rick Blaisdell 4/15/2011 Last week, I met up with Greg and gave him my usual cool-aid cloud speech on cloud savings, scalability, built in reliability, disaster recovery and security. He looked at me and said, "that sounds exciting" but looking at his facial expression there did not seem to be much excitement, so to get some life out of him, I said, "of course there is significant energy savings!" Now "Green" Greg sparked to life and for the next two hours all he wanted to hear were details on how cloud saves energy. When making the decision whether an organization is ready or not for adopting cloud technologies, most people will take into consideration aspects such us financial savings, how well it suits their company, and how much it will simplify the IT processes, etc. What many decision makers do not take into account happens to be a great benefit of cloud computing: it is green! Cloud computing comes with the great advantage of providing great energy savings, a fact which translates into being environmentally friendly. Are you aware of how much energy IT systems consume and what impact they have on the environment? Did you know that the simple act of performing a Google search can be quantified in terms of carbon footprints? It is easy to imagine then that the maintenance of complex IT infrastructures consumes a significant amount of energy. According to Gartner, the ... |
An Introduction to Home Automation Gadgetsby Sean Bridger 4/15/2011 These kinds of conveniences used to be available mostly in richer, more developed countries. However, nowadays, you can find yourself an advanced home security system for a little under $100, using the internet. You might believe that for that kind of money, the gadgets you buy are not going to be very impressive, but curiously, that is not the case. $100 dollars buys you a security system for your home with eight sensors for windows, voice dialer module and motion detectors. Moreover, it can be connected to your mobile device via the internet as well. This allows you to reduce false alarms by giving you the option to hear sounds inside your home. In addition, you can preset around four phone numbers to be dialed automatically in case of an alarm. Home automation gadgets are usually considered to have two categories: The first is the ... |
Security/Alarm Monitoring - Worth Paying for?by David Feller 4/15/2011 If an alarm goes off, the remote operator has no way to know if it is a valid alarm or not and after a quick attempt to contact you they simply call the police. Sounds good, but false alarms normally carry a bill from your city for $50 or more each and these impersonal alarm calls do not normally receive top priority. The normal argument is that "it is such a huge savings on insurance". Truth is that you normally receive a 10% at best discount of only a portion of your homeowners insurance. This typically results in about $30-$50 a year savings at most. With monitoring running from $30-$50/month (on average), the cost of the monitoring is much much more than the insurance savings. But I want my home to be safe - you say. There are most definitely alternatives. One option is a voice dialer - connecting one into your system automatically dials your cell (and up to 3 others depending on model) to let you know there has been a trip event. These typically only run $40-$50 at local electronics stores. The largest growing option, however, is video surveillance. With prices coming down combined with both the clear deterrent (burglars just dont want to get caught on film) and the later value of recordings of sinister activities in court, there really is not substitute for video surveillance. If your alarm goes off and you have a ... |
Is Your PC Choking to Death?by John Menezes 4/15/2011 Cut to six months later. Your not so old computer has started to freeze, taking minutes to load a simple Word document, or grinding to an inexplicable halt while you are in the middle of reading an email. Then things get worse. Your PC starts to shut down unexpectedly and the dreaded "blue screen of death" is popping up on a disturbingly regular basis. When these oddities start rearing their ugly head most people react by trying all kinds of software fixes. They run anti-virus programs, de-frag their hard drives and spend a small fortune on all kinds of programs designed to help heal a sick computer. When none of that helps the next step most frustrated PC users take is to call their computer manufacturer’s tech support. At their directive users turn their computers on and off, restart them a hundred times, all to no avail. The problem is that many people know nothing about the number one cause of all computer failure. The help desk techs know do usually know all about it but they rarely ever mention it. The fact is that a PC’s number one enemy is dust. Every second that you PC is running dust is being drawn into it by the CPU cooling fans. Every second. That means ... |
Digital Camera Memory Cards: How to Pick the Right Oneby Jamie Jansen 3/22/2011 A memory card is an essential accessory for your digital camera or camcorder. In short, you won’t be able to live without one - or several - given that even if your camera comes with onboard storage or a free card, it’s likely to hold no more than a few images. As long as you purchase the right type of memory card for your device, you’ll be able to record and store hundreds or thousands of photos and video clips without having to worry about running out of space. Your memory card can also influence the speed at which your digital camera or camcorder works. You might have noticed that there are SD cards and SDHC cards, and then you have other formats such as XD, MMC, CompactFlash and Memory Sticks. So with all these different parameters to keep track of, how can you be sure that you’re buying a memory card that suits both your photographic equipment and your needs? Here are some tips to help you clear up the confusion: Pick a card type Most digital cameras on sale these days take SD or SDHC cards, apart from some of the high-end dSLRs, which use CompactFlash cards. SDHC cards have a far greater capacity than SDs, and can hold from 4GB to 32GB of data, while an SD can store a maximum of 4GB. There are also MicroSD and MiniSD cards that work with cellular phones and other portable devices, although some camera models take them too - and they are ... |
The iPad and Meby Charles Rappaport 3/22/2011 Perhaps I am getting old. I am 35 and feel like I am 75 sometimes. I mean look at where technology has gone. Sometimes I wonder what people think things use to be like. I am sure that has crossed your mind too. I started out with a beeper. Yes a beeper. I was so proud when my mom ( I am willing to admit this- no shame here ), and friends would beep me. I would run to my nearest pay phone and call the person back. It did not matter if it was important. Did you ever get a beep with a phone number and 911 or 411. Sometimes people would even make codes up. That was a great start but then I moved on to cell phones. Man those were a lot more fun but man they were bulky. I was watching a Seinfeld re-run the other night and I saw a cordless phone on the show. It was the 90’s and man were those things big. Well my first cell was just as big no flip in it and it seemed to weigh my entire pants down. But I felt cool you had to feel cool with a cell phone. I traded a tiny beeper for a giant cell phone. Well worth it though. Then came my first flip phone it was cool and you know it. Brings you back. It had me going and I looked like someone even if I was a 20 something nobody. I ... |
What Is The Best eReader - iPad?by TM Turk 3/22/2011 The iPad is compatible with virtually all ebooks, because apps and software can be installed to convert or view. Since the iPad has a powerful processor and sufficient RAM, it also has quick loading and downloading rates. Reading ebooks on the iPad is easy with the large display size and backlit IPS thin LCD screen. The screen is 9.7 inches when measured diagonally and takes advantage of Apple’s multi-touch touchscreen technology. This makes it extremely easy to navigate and hold from any position. Despite its relatively large size for an eReader, the iPad is light and weighs only around three pounds. Since the iPad is not associated with any particular company, such as Barnes & Noble or Amazon, there is much more ... |
Choosing A Good GPS Watch For Runningby Michael Bridges 3/22/2011 If you are a serious runner you most likely would like to keep track of your performances in order to improve your workout. One way to do that is to use a GPS watch for running. As a runner you will what to keep track of certain aspects of your workout so that you can stay in tip top shape. So you will want to choose a good watch that you can count on and that has the features you need to track the aspects you need to improve. Some watches are loaded with features that may be fun to have, but may not be of useful for improving your performance and may add an extra cost to the watch. When choosing a GPS watch you will have to decide what features are important to you. Some of the features that most of these watches have that you will find useful are the ability to track your speed, pace and distance. These are three important aspects of your workout that you want to keep track of and work on if you trying to improve your performance. A few of these watches allow you to download data wirelessly to your computer so you can analyze the data whenever you want. Some of the better watches are waterproof in case you find yourself running in the rain or you want to do some laps in the swimming pool. You should however check the depth limit for the watch before you go swimming with it. Another feature ... |
How To Find The Perfect iPhone Game For Youby Ben Sawyer 3/22/2011 With thousands of programs available at the App Store, it’s not always simple to find the best games available. It’s even more difficult because some of them can cost upwards of $4.99 with no demo versions available. This text will serve as your guide to help determine the sort of programs you will probably enjoy the most. If you’re having a hard time with finding the best iPhone Games for you, the very first thing you need to do is to make a list of the apps you now enjoy the most. Write them in one column and describe their classes in the opposite column. Write down whether they’re first person shooters, platform, casual, strategy, mind-games, for example. This will help determine the sort of games you enjoy. When you’re clear with what sort of applications you like, you’ve already done 1/2 the job. Your next step is to do a little searching. Visit the App store and have a look at the classes you have keen to be your favourites. Begin searching by entering the correct term in the iTunes search box and browse the results. You can use a general term like "method game" or you can use a particular term like "bowling game" for example. Have a look at the screen-captures and game reviews to have a general idea of the game. Find out if the game suits you. Are you wanting to make certain which apps are actually the best for you? It is hard to say which applications ... |
3D TV: What Makes 3D TV So Special?by Nick Mcdonalds 2/8/2011 3D TV technology started in 1833 when Sir Charles Wheatstone created the idea of reflecting mirror stereoscope. This device works as and reflector creating different images. The concept of 3D is that two images are being combined by the brain creating the so called 3D effect. Making two sets of shutter for each eye to close and open simultaneously creating the 3D effects. The very Television you have is actually capable of creating 3D images and there are a lot of ways to project 3D effects only that the finest technology will determine the amusement of the results. A vintage television is equipped with the ’anaglyph’ technology. It is one of the very first edition of the type of 3D during the early days. It materializes images by the use of colored cardboard glasses (a low tech. version of 3D) that doesn’t seem to be working effectively. Theaters of today use a special type of glass to project 3D images on screen. This glass is called polarized glasses. It is designed to make a special type of screen used for projecting special images making angles with various polarizations. Although it is not yet perfected, many latest upgrades are being made by most popular brands of HDTV’s and still on the stage of progress. But by far 3D technology’s simultaneous alternation concept brings out the best and the easiest way to do projections rather than the Plasma TV’s and LCD TV. During the 21st century, rapid evolution of 3D technology has introduced different types ... |
Amazon Kindle Pros and Consby Michael L Riley 2/8/2011 The Amazon Kindle is probably the most well known ebook reading device available today. Amazon has even released statements announcing that the Kindle now outsells paper books on their website. If you’re not yet an owner of a Kindle, and you’re thinking about buying one, there are some things you should consider before purchasing one. Before we get into the pros and cons, I want to give you a few points that are more neutral. Just about every tech spec on the Kindle isn’t significantly better or worse than any other current ebook reader available. The size and weight of the device are just about the same as other e-readers like the Sony Readers, Nook, Kobo, and BeBook. All of these devices use E-Ink screens, which are easier on the eyes than reading from a back-lit LCD screen, and cuts down on glare and battery drain. The amount of memory storage is similar to just about any other e-reader that you pick up, as is the length of time that the battery lasts. Finally, most e-readers come in WiFi and non-WiFi models, and with or without a 3G capability (for more money). None of these things are unique to the Kindle, but all are great aspects of ebook readers. Now here is a simple list of pros and cons about the Kindle: Pros - The Kindle is currently one of the most inexpensive ebook reading devices, with the newest WiFi model selling at only $139. - Amazon’s ebook buying and downloading process is pretty easy ... |
Tips On Getting The Best Value Laptopby Eric Lass 2/8/2011 There are tons of different laptops out there and this certainly makes it difficult finding something appropriate. There are lots of things that you need to consider when finding something suitable, and so here are some tips on finding the best value laptop that you can. You will need to start by thinking about your personal specifications. You need to know exactly what you are looking for in order to narrow down your search. You should start off, therefore, by thinking about processor speed, screen size, hard drive, graphics, sound, and everything else. The criteria that you are following and the specifications that you require with certainly play a part in the expense of the laptop itself. Obviously, the more powerful and updated the laptop, the more expensive it is going to be. In order to get the best value laptop it is crucial that you shop around. There are lots of different places in which you can purchase a suitable computer and therefore it is always a good idea to start off by searching around online. Specifically search for any special offers and you may find something relatively cheap. Also take advantage of the sales. At certain times of year all sorts of different shopping outlets are going to hold sales and therefore the prices of their products are going to plummet. If you go shopping during these times, therefore, you may well be able to save up to 50% of the price. If you really are looking for something a lot cheaper ... |
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