Tech With Ric » Miscellaneous

Satellite Internet – The Best High Speed Internet Service

Guest Poster — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 14:25:29 +0000

When considering all the ways to get broadband internet access, a satellite service is often one that is ignored. Although many people choose other, more conventional methods of getting online, satellite internet access can be a great option for some consumers. Those who live in rural locations, for example, often find satellite internet provision works out well for them. When it comes to deciding how to go about getting online, there’s a case to be made for satellite internet being one of the best methods.Satellite internet works as you might expect: you get an internet connection with a number of satellite systems, such as geostationary satellites that enable access all over the world. Rather than use a phone line, people opting for this way of going online install two-way satellite dishes. These allow both the uploading and downloading of data from the internet at a speed which is typically greater than it would be using a normal modem. It is not, however, as fast as the speeds you would get with a cable system.

Satellite access hasn’t always had the best reputation, mainly thanks to its chequered history in terms of offering broadband internet. In the past, users could download at broadband speed using a one-way satellite system but couldn’t upload data at anywhere near an acceptable level, especially compared with what conventional two-way internet systems can provide today. These problems have been all but eliminated in the 21st century and today providers in countries from the U.S. to India specialise in offering affordable broadband operating from a satellite access system.

While you may pay a little more for satellite internet access compared to a system such as cable, there are advantages inherent in it that can offset these issues. The major appeal of satellite internet is for consumers who live in an area that’s not particularly well covered by other kinds of internet provision. If you live in the countryside, especially in a country such as India, you may well find your broadband internet coverage limited. Not all cable or DSL providers will offer services that cover your place. Your first choice in these situations may well be to use satellite internet, since this kind of system could be the only one capable of giving you the coverage and speed you need.

Satellite internet can offer consumers certain other advantages. For example, the proliferation of satellites around the globe means that many countries and regions can enjoy previously unobtainable internet access. It’s not hard to get set up on satellite internet after you contact a company that offers the service. Once you’re up and running you will find it’s fairly easy to use. Since satellite internet isn’t vulnerable to disruptions in the way that many other internet services are, consumers using it will find they can surf the net without any problems.

In India, several companies offer satellite internet and have acquired a solid reputation for providing a very good level of service. Hughes Communication Ltd, for example, is an American company that works in India and provides multiple types of broadband internet services. Another provider, Tempest Telecom, specialises in portable satellite services, with four different options to suit the consumer’s needs. With companies such as these reaching out to consumers, it’s easy to see why satellite internet access is an increasingly popular option in certain parts of the world.

About the Author:
Adriana Jones is a Freelance and Staff writer who writes informative articles on various high speed internet service providers including satellite and cable internet providers in different areas. She is an expert on topics related to cables internet, broadband services, telecom etc.

Why the iPhone 5 Matters

Simon Drew — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 17:08:55 +0000

Despite an incredible 37 million iPhones, 15 million iPads and 5.2 million Macs sold in the most recent financial quarter, Apple can’t afford to rest on its laurels. The iPhone 4S contributed the lion’s share of astounding Apple’s $13.1 billion quarterly profits, and is by far the company’s most important product. Together, the iPad 2 and iPhone 4S account for the majority of Apple’s sales, and having massively exceeded the market’s expectations this time around, a successful iPhone 5 launch is more critical than ever.The iPhone 5 is slated to appear sometime in 2012, and rumours about the launch date and the phone’s features already abound. Unlike the incremental improvements that the iPhone 4S was heavily criticised for, the iPhone 5 must be a substantial leap in terms of features, capabilities and performance if Apple is to maintain its enviable position as the world’s leading smartphone maker. It’s widely assumed the iPhone 5 will be announced in October which is consistent with the 4S launch date, and it’s evident from Apple’s latest financials that a new iPhone combined with the holiday season is a surefire hit.

Critical iPhone 5 Improvements

A Completely New Design
The iPhone 4S didn’t provide compelling enough reasons to persuade existing iPhone 4 owners to upgrade. If Apple sticks to its established pattern of major releases followed by relatively minor updates, the iPhone 5 should be radically overhauled both internally and externally, using even higher quality materials and improved aesthetics.

Arguably, Apple could retain the same physical design for a while longer, as there’s really not much to criticise about the current form factor – but a few changes will help fickle consumers to identify the new model as a proper, all-out refresh. A new design may also help to mitigate the well publicised Antennagate reception issues that have haunted Apple ever since the iPhone 4. Apple would like to put those issues to bed conclusively.

Considering Apple’s penchant to make its devices ever-slimmer, it wouldn’t come as a major surprise if the iPhone 5 lost a few pounds here and there. Batteries occupy most of the space inside smartphones but technical advances (Apple invests considerable sums in battery technology research) will make such improvements a real possibility.

A Larger Display: 4-inches
As far as smartphones are concerned bigger is definitely better, which is why most top-end Android devices such as the Sony Xperia S and the forthcoming Samsung Galaxy SIII are equipped with at least 4.3-inch touch screens. The iPhone 5 will retain the superb 960 x 640 resolution Retina Display, but may benefit from a larger 4-inch+ screen that compares more favourably with its peers. Unfortunately, this will reduce its 326 PPI pixel density, and Apple never compromises on what it sees as fundamental design principles.

More Brawn: Next-Gen A6 Chip and PowerVR Graphics

A new, more powerful chip is certain to appear in the next iPhone – probably the custom A6 CPU, which is considerably more powerful than the A5 model found in the 4S; Apple will combine this with the 2-core or, more likely, the 4-core variant of the PowerVR Series 6 GPU — nicknamed Rogue — made by Imagination (in which Apple acquired a 9.5% stake in 2009).

The new PowerVR graphics chip will give the iPhone 5 a serious performance boost, as it claims to provide around 20 times the graphical power of the current generation. Now that the iPhone is a major handheld gaming platform rivaling Sony and Nintendo, more advanced graphics will be extremely important.

Wireless Payments: Near Field Communications (NFC)
In recent years, Apple has filed several patents in this field and appears to have strong interest in the technology. NFC essentially turns a mobile phone into a credit card, allowing cashless payments to be made by waving the phone against an electronic reader. However, rivals such as Nokia and Samsung have already beaten Apple to market; several NFC-capable phones are available now and dozens of new models expected in 2012.

Commercial NFC payment services have the potential to revolutionise how we pay for goods, and the technology will be included in the majority of future smartphones. Mobile network operators such as Verizon in the US consider NFC a critical feature (understandably, as they will make a cut on the transactions), so there is substantial pressure on device makers to include it. Apple will inevitably jump on the NFC bandwagon before long, but it would be a worthy and welcome addition to the iPhone 5.

A Quick Look Back: The Best PC Products Introduced in 2011

Guest Poster — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 05:09:41 +0000

The last few decades have seen major advancements in PC products and as a result, each year, we see the release of new, more advanced PC products than the year before. This has led to a major following of technology lovers, a group that waits patiently while they anticipate the next ‘big” thing in the computer industry. And 2011 has had no shortage of “big” things. In fact, in 2011 we have seen software, computer, hardware, and technology companies go above and beyond anything we likely expected at the end of 2010. So whether your thing is software, graphics, gaming, or communicating you will likely find a product that you must-have that was released in 2011. A few in particular have really stood out in the computer and technology industry, and if you don’t know about them already, you may find yourself rushing to the nearest technology store after you do.

The 3-D Laptop

One of the most amazing products introduced in 2011, and one that we should have expected considering we have already seen 3-D televisions, is the 3-D laptop computer. And who else other than Sony would be expected to produce such an amazing machine? Users who choose any of the Sony F Series laptops have the option of having 3-D graphics installed on it, but while this is a great option to have 3-D computer graphics are not necessarily for everyone. Although quite a few technology buffs may initially like the idea of the laptops 3-D graphics, this is technology that will likely be particularly enjoyed by gamers.

The HP Web OS Tablet

Tablet computers have been being released left and right since Apple introduced its I-Pad, and by all different companies these days. But aside from the technology produced by Apple, computer technology doesn’t get much better than when it comes from HP. And this year what HP gave its fans was the HP Web OS based, touch screen, tablet computer. The HPTouchPad tablet works much like other tablets, but with the added bonus of being equipped with the best of HP technology, which is why the HP TouchPad is competing so well with other popular tablet computers.

The Microsoft Arc Touch Mouse

Computer mouse have come a long way since we saw the first one, that went with the first commercially available computer, and the Microsoft Arc Touch Mouse is evidence of just how far computer companies are willing to go when it comes to innovating something as simple as the mouse. Not only is this mouse different because it is more ergonomic and easy to use, but it is also super portable because it can be folded up to travel with the user. When the user is ready to use their Microsoft Arc Touch Mouse, they simply unfold it and use as they would any other mouse.

Surely these are not the only great innovations released in 2011, but a few of the favorites that you may want to get your hands on too. But whatever you do, be sure to watch for 2012′s biggest innovations in the computer industry too.

Author’s bio:
Jesse is a freelance author for hundreds of articles on data recovery issues, the best registry cleaners and adware/malware/spyware removers. Stay tuned for material from her soon!

Tech Fights: A Brief Roundup

Richie Sajan — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 10:39:03 +0000

Fights are inevitable in any fields: weapons, wealth, even women! They do have their share of fun or damage respective to each. Technology is no different. Taking a recent case would be the Sony PlayStation vs Microsoft’s XBox platforms (which is still on going.) Here’s a brief look that has, well, shaped up technology’s history.Hope you had a good history refresh

4G Speeds and Why No One Has Them

Guest Poster — Sat, 29 Oct 2011 06:30:52 +0000

4G is the fourth generation of cellular communications and is the next step in cell phone technology after 3G. Today, most companies function off of “advanced” 3G networks for their so-called 4G. It can be argued that what many service providers offer the public is, in fact, “pre-4G” or “3.5G” or “3.9G”. However, the plan for most cell companies is to be able to upgrade their systems to complete 4G standards within the coming years.

4G promises two things: that the data speeds of the cell phones will be much faster (up to 10 times faster than 3G), and that areas not previously serviced will be able to have decent phone and data coverage in their areas. At this point in time, internet providers in my area are limited, and the advancement of 4G technology may soon bring broadband speeds to this region via mobile networks.

What Is True 4G?

According to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), there are very high-speed requirements for truly 4G services. High mobility communication (i.e. from a moving car or train) should have a high-end speed of 100 Mbps. Low-mobility and stationary use should have high-end speeds of 1 Gbps. Yes, 1 gigabit per second! Speeds this high are not even attainable for most home users.

There are two formats the ITU designates as true 4G:LTE Advanced and WiMAX2. While neither of these are currently readily available on the market, internet providers in my area and around the nation offer their predecessors LTE and WiMAX (along with HSPA+).

Breaking Down the 3 Networks

HSPA+

HSPA+ is an update to its predecessor, HSPA. While HSPA+ offers faster speeds than previously available on the HSPA network, it uses the same technology. While fast, HSPA+ cannot be upgraded to meet IMT-Advanced’s requirements for true 4G. What this means is that actual 4G speeds cannot be accomplished with HSPA+.T-Mobile and AT&T’s current 4G utilizes the HSPA+ network. AT&T has plans in place to rollout the use of LTE networks (which are upgradable to 4G standards) for its future 4G service.

LTE

Long Term Evolution, or LTE, is close to 4G, but the technology does not completely encompass all requirements. However, when many people think about 4G, LTE comes to mind. It is the system that is being used by Verizon. As mentioned, AT&T also has plans to rollout widespread use of the LTE network for their 4G services. Also, many of the European countries use LTE because it is upgradable to LTE advanced. Carriers like the idea of LTE because once LTE Advanced becomes available it will be easy to upgrade. AT&T and Verizon plan to have complete LTE technology in place by 2013.

WiMAX

WiMAX is the technology that is being used by Nextel, Sprint, and Clearwire in the US. In Canada, WiMAX is also the most favorite surface. Sprint’s 4G network includes Clearwire4G data network in combination with Sprint’s 3G voice network. While technically not completely for 4G, Sprint is definitely the closest model for a 4G network.

4G is the next biggest thing for cell phone technology, because it has the capability to be extremely fast and possibly make home broadband obsolete. However, true 4G is still a ways off. When all is said and done, 4G should be able to deliver speeds of 1 Gbps in the home and 100 Mbps on a mobile level. When and if these speeds ever come to fruition, it’ll make today’s data speeds seem like yesterday’s dial-up.

Author Bio:

This was a guest post by Blake Sanders. With a strong background in technical news and information, he writes on behalf of broadband comparison site Broadband Expert. Blake’s specialties are internet providers in my area and mobile broadband. Note: Photo courtesy of lge via FlickR Creative Commons and Forbes.com.

Give your Social Media Campaign a Human Face

Guest Poster — Sat, 22 Oct 2011 02:59:44 +0000

Just a few days ago I had lodged a complain in the customer care division of my telephone service provider for deducting money from my account for no clear reasons and later I felt good, really good when a real person called me up and solved the issue. This is what has changed my perception of social media marketing campaign. We, social media marketers are running too much after brand presence and forgetting the basic that the purpose of social media is to getting connected to people and not just staying aloof and trying to make people aware of the goodness of your companies in every possible way. Here I am going to shatter some common misconception that are acting as deterrent into building a ‘real’ relationship with real people.

Get Closer, Get personal:

Just take a sneak-peek around some popular twitter or Facebook profiles of some leading corporate organizations and you will be surprised to see that all of them are filled with boring information bragging about the success in an overtly way. No effort to build up relationship with real people, no attempt to start a conversion with followers. It is just draining of resources.

Just posting blah, blah, blah about your company in Facebook fan page or twitter is not going to help you build up your brand. You need to come down to earth and act like a normal human being not behaving like a leading corporate agency suffering from a terrible bout of superiority complex. Do not split out things like, we have launched this or that in social media website. Add some humane elements in them unless you are launching a rocket for moon.

Have a Purpose:

You need to have a strong reason to have your presence in social media website. Just because your competitors are going great gun at Facebook, Twitter, Foursquare etc, it does not indicate that it is your moral and religious duty to join them and start promoting your service like anything else or that you should treat your Facebook or Twitter profile like a free-to-ad platform and dump it with all the services, links and promotional activities. People are least interest to see them. Try to get connected to your targeted audience. Launch a campaign and offer some cool freebies and you will see people will be promoting your services automatically and voluntarily.

For the people, by the people, of the People:

Zappos.com has a wonderful human touch to their commenting system

Social media is a democratic platform and therefore, you should make it a point that you are abiding by the rules and the regulations. It is not good idea to have a faceless organization. Rather than creating and promoting the official page of your organization, you should encourage some of your faithful employees to be active on their social presence. It will be a nice experience for general users when they will be talking to real people of an organization. People often forget that brand image of a company is made off its employees. So, you can easily give your organization a human face by letting your employees answering the queries of customers. People will find it comfortable to speak with company representatives rather than talking with a non entity.

So, the secret of success in social media marketing campaign is to be human!

Author Bio:
Harold Splinter has written for WebHostingDeals.org and he has written WP Engine Review. He is a passionate designer and a reputed blogger.

[Rumours] BB Messenger to come to Android, iPhone

Richie Sajan — Mon, 25 Jul 2011 16:38:06 +0000

Well this is strictly rumors, but there are reports that RIM, the makers of BlackBerry, could be bringing their propriety instant messaging application, the BlackBerry Messenger (BBM) to Android as well as iPhone.

Whats BBM?
You can say its an advanced messaging system, used over a data plan in your phone. Formally saying, BBM is a instant messaging application run by RIM, where you can share messages, images, videos etc. Its exclusively limited to the BlackBerry phones because messages are exchanged using the BlackBerry PIN system.

What good would it be to RIM?
That’s the main question that struck me as well. Why would RIM put out their flagship program out, when its the main feature that pulls in many to them??

Well some reports do state that RIM would release a lower-featured BBM for the android and iPhone markets, while all the features would only be enabled on a BB device. So in turn they’ll be attracting more customers to them! Smart marketing strategy.

While these reports aren’t confirmed of yet, we do hope it’ll be true.

If you would like to have the BBM kind of messaging app on your iPhone or Android you could try out WhatsApp, PingChat or LiveProfile.

Convert a Normal SIM into a MicroSIM

Richie Sajan — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 08:20:15 +0000

The Apple iPhone 4 was released just some 2-3 days ago. And like in the iPad, the iPhone 4 will only support the microSIM standard. Well the MicroSIM basically is a smaller cousin of the normal SIM you’ve been using all along. Just see the image to the left to get an idea. So how do you convert the normal SIM to a MicroSIM? Well there are two ways, just read on.

Well the first way would be simply to cut it using a knife or a sharp pair of scissors. This of course requires you to have a steady pair of hands or the results could be dangerous. If you would like to do this, just follow the article over here.

A more better way would be to to use a new tool, quite appropriately, called the Cut My Sim. Its basically a SIM cutter which is semi-automated. You just insert your SIM, press the lever and your ready to go.

Cut My SIM - Sim cutter

This stainless steel tool does not only allow you to convert your SIM into a MicroSIM but can also convert the MicroSIM into a standard sized SIM.

The device costs $25 or €19.95 as of now and will be shipped for free, if pre-ordered. To pre-order the device click here.

For further details check out its official site.