Slow Computer? Learn How to Speed Up Your PC

Does your computer seem to be slower than normal? Has your PC crashed recently? Have you had the misfortune of experiencing the blue screen of death or a similar error?

There are a plethora of things that can cause your computer to crash or perform at an unreasonably slow level. You might have too many programs loading at startup.

The general rule is this: If you don't need it and it isn't vital to your computer, delete it. By following this rule, you will enable your computer to boot up faster and perform better.

Another thing that can cause your computer to run slower is a corrupted or bloated registry. If you have a Windows computer, then you have a registry.

The registry, like a meticulous bookkeeper, stores a record of everything you do on your computer. It keeps tabs on what programs you use on your computer, what websites you look at, what you download from the Internet. It stores all of this info on your computer’s hard drive and is notorious for producing corrupted or fragmented files.

Cleaning out your registry every now and then will help Speed up your PC.

Author Bio:

Erin Walsh is a technology junky and the Director of Public Relations at Boost Software. She enjoys blogging about topics in technology and occasionally guest posts on popular blogs about some of the most recent tech gadgets, windows installer errors, and other slow computer issues.

Read More

Interesting Facts That You Didn't Know About Your Smartphone

Creative Commons img source.

Smartphones are amazing devices that have greater capabilities than supercomputers used to twenty to thirty years ago. Technology moves fast and technology that once needed to be housed in a large room now fits in your pocket. The amazing features of smartphones have become commonplace however and what once amazed us now just seems commonplace. Here are six facts that you didn't know about your smartphone that you may find amazing and compelling.

Usage Amongst Smartphone Owners:

Smartphones have been growing in popularity steadily ever since they were first introduced in 2001. It is estimated that the number of smartphones in existence by 2015 will be approximately 1.5 to 2 billion. That means that there is likely to be one smartphone for every six to seven people alive, which is quite amazing. In the United States, current smartphone usage equates to 35% of adults having a smartphone. People are also spending tons of time using their smartphones. On average, people check their smartphones 150 times per day which equates to once every six to seven minutes. What are people primary using smartphones for? That depends on the country that the user is living in. Usage tends to fluctuate widely from country to country though with social media being less popular in Japan and restaurant apps being more popular in the United States.

Apps have grown in popularity in recent years as well due to improved download speeds and an increase in the number of computer programmers designing new applications. Having said that, approximately 90% of apps that are downloaded are only used ten times or less once they are downloaded. What types of apps are being used by individuals? Approximately 60% of smartphones are used to play games though health apps are also prominently featured on many cell phones with approximately 90% of smartphones having a health or fitness app on it.

Cell Phone Costs:

Those text messages that you send do not cost your cell phone provider a thing. That is because the size of text messages are small enough to be inserted in data transfers by your cell phone provider that fit neatly into the spectrum that cell phone companies rent from the government. The space a text message uses is less than the space used to set up the transmittal of information between a call tower and a phone. As a result, the cost to a provider is zero and the amount you pay is all profit to a cell phone provider. The most expensive part of a smartphone is the screen. Touchscreens have grown in complexity and sensitivity and the cost of these screens have grown in accordance with these technologies. Gorilla glass, commonly used on iPhones and other smartphones are durable and sensitive to touch and have led to new functionality for smartphones. The presence of these sensitive touchscreens have led to a decrease in popularity of other input devices for smartphones including pens, points, physical keyboards, and scroll wheels, all of which were used when smartphones were first introduced to consumers.

Conclusion:

Smartphones are continuing to revolutionize the cell phone world and have become ever more popular in recent years. While it is difficult to predict what direction smartphones will head, they are bound to become more powerful and add new functionality for users. As this occurs, expect smartphones to become even more common amongst users.

Author Bio:

Today's guest post was contributed by Brian S., article writer for i-Adapters.com. When Brian isn't busy blogging he likes enjoying the finer things in life.

Read More

Google Glass - The Future Of Eyewear

Touted by some as the next iPhone, people are excited and gearing up for Google Glass to be the best thing since sliced bread. While a laptop, iPhone or tablet brings you the world at your fingertips, Google Glass makes staying connected completely hands free. You can see the world and let the world see you. This lightweight, wearable device brings the world into your field of vision and allows you to share what you see as it happens.

What is Google Glass?

Google Glass a computer that you can wear. The small, lightweight device encompasses a camera, display screen, battery, microphone and touchpad and has 16GB of flash memory, built-in Bluetooth and WiFi. Like a futuristic pair of glasses, this device is sleek and comes in blue, red, white, grey and black. It is sturdy, yet flexible so it can stand up to everyday wear and still be comfortable. The device uses technology like a smartphone to perform voice commands allowing wearers to perform a variety of functions completely hands free.

What Can Google Glass Do?

Google Glass is equipped to perform a variety of functions. Being a Google product, it can run an internet search and find any topic that is on your mind, but it can also do so much more. Do you need directions? Ask Google Glass and you will see the map right in front of your eyes. Hopping a plane to another country? Google has you covered. Not only can you get flight times and be notified of boarding and delays as you dash through the airport, once you arrive the device can help you with translations. You will never miss another special moment either! With hands free pictures and video you can record the moment and share it live, all hands free. Sending messages is easy as well, with simple voice commands you can instantly message friends and family.

Who Wants Google Glass?

Google glass is specifically designed for those who love technology and want to stay connected. Google expects that the main demographic will be young people and business professionals because the technology can bring to these groups Google search, texting capabilities, photo and video, maps and directions, translations, flight arrival and departure times and even video conferencing all hands-free and on the go. Google is targeting both men and women in this demographic. Google is even working on versions of this technology that incorporate prescription lenses.

What's Next?

Right now, Google Glass is only available to a small number of testers at $1500 per pair, but this feature loaded wearable computer may just be the future of technology. It has been suggested that this device might be ready for the open market in late 2013 or early 2014, but development continues. By bringing consumers features such as Google search, messaging, photo, video, maps, translations, airport information and video conferencing right into the user's field of vision, Google hopes to free users from their desks and revolutionize the way we use technology.

Author Bio:

This post was provided by Alex L. from the SQL Solutions blogging team. Alex is a web developer by day and avid blogger by night. He has earned two degrees from Full Sail University and plans to continue furthering his education.

Read More

How On Earth Can I Download A Youtube Video?

YouTube has given a new turn to video sharing and viewing. It is the most popular video site and hosts the largest number of videos. It serves most of the humans on earth. Take online lectures, learn recipes, share your own personalized videos and seek comments, learn whatever in the world you want to learn about. YouTube has the whole universe in it. The increasing magnitude of the YouTube platform explains its ownership by Google. Yes! It may be a news for few, but YouTube is owned by Google.

As already said, All Video Lovers tend to view videos via YouTube, but this is strange that YouTube does not allow video downloading directly from its website. People can only view movies while staying connected to the internet. If the internet speed is not enough, buffering may take longer and one has to wait till the video is ready for viewing. People who do not have access to the internet all the time or those who want to share the video with others, like to download few and keep them for later viewing. The situation has given a rise to the demand of YouTube video downloading software. A handsome number of websites now offer such software through which you can download YouTube videos and can even Convert Videos in any format depending upon PC compatibility and personal preferences. These software ensures the quality of the video even while converting them to various formats.

So How To Download?

1.) Using Software:

Downloading process is very easy. You either can install the software on your system to download the file or can download it straight from the website. In case you are using software (Such as YouTube Video Downloader), after it is installed on your system, open its User Interface, copy the link of the YouTube video and paste it in the place provided and click Download. You can provide a path to the location on your PC where you want the file to be saved.

2.) Using Someother Sites:

In case, you are downloading the video from the website (such as tubelify.com), provide the link on the bar available on the video page of Youtube, select the required format and click convert. Once the file is converted, a notification will appear on your screen that your file is ready for download. You can provide a path to the location on your system where you want the file to be saved. Downloading time would depend upon the size of the video. Large videos may take longer time while the small ones can be downloaded in just few seconds.

Remember, internet connectivity is must for downloading a YouTube video. If the connection is lost during the process, at times you have the option of resuming the downloading from the same point while in few cases, the file has to be downloaded from the beginning. Speed of internet also determines the time a file will take to download.

When the file is ready for use, you can open it in any media player and enjoy a you tube video offline and keep it in your system for as long as you want.

Author Bio:

Brandon is a tech blogger who loves to write on latest in technology and gadgets. He regularly uses youtubeconverter to convert and download his favourite videos.

Read More

Are You Using The Internet Efficiently Time-Wise?

Creative Commons image source.

If you’re reading this, you’re most likely sitting on your computer and looking for things to do. A few years ago, Nielsen and the Pew Center released a graphic to show how people use the internet and for the most part, internet users spent their time viewing content. Fourty-Two percent of their time was spent viewing text, images and video. In second, came email and commerce with 36%. Finally, in third place was social networking at 22%. Now if we were talking about today, with the emergence of social media as a must-stop for most internet users, the percentage of time spent using social media has most likely gone up.

Given these numbers, some may question whether or not we’re using our time as wisely as we should be. The Internet offers people a number of things to do, and sometimes those things can actually be useful. While social media can certainly provide quality information, many of us sometimes go through a social media rabbit hole. You go on to Facebook, Twitter or Pinterest and seemingly lose track of time as you go through all of your friends’ profiles. Then you look up at the clock and realize you’ve spent hours on your computer. Wouldn’t you like to use the internet to learn a skill you’ve always wanted? Here are some of the many options out there:

Teach yourself code in 8 weeks:

While you might not be able to work for Facebook as a senior programmer, Lifehacker does show you that it’s possible to learn basic coding in as little as 8 weeks. In this particular post, the author gives the reader a step by step guide for what he did to learn Python. Google offers a free class with detailed instructions and video as well as exercises to get the basics down. From there, there are a variety of courses and guides you can use to build your very own prototype.

Teach yourself guitar without ever leaving the house:

If you have a fear of meeting with an instructor in person, but you still want to learn the guitar for your own personal endeavors, it’s possible to learn to play the guitar online. Look into live music tutors who guide you through the basics and will be there each step of the way as you improve on your instrument of choice. Even if you’re a beginner who just wants a working knowledge of playing the guitar or you’re an experienced guitarist who just wants to learn a new song, a live music tutor can help. And the best part is: all you need is a webcam and WIFI connection.

Go to Yale without paying the tuition:

If you love to learn for learning’s sake to expand your mind, Yale University offers a few free courses as part of its Open Yale Courses program. You can access these courses online through iTunes, YouTube or Yale’s website; and there are a variety of courses to choose from, including Milton, the American Novel-Post 1945, and a philosophical look on Death.

Author Bio:

Kay Kissinger is a writer who stronger believes we can benefit from the interenet.

Read More

3 Apps Every Parent Needs

Becoming a parent will make your life incredibly, significantly busier - no doubt about that. I grew up in a large family so there was always some sort of chaos with the younger kids. If it be potty training, what they needed to eat, cleaning up after them, making sure they were doing their homework, or whatever else, there is always something to do. Although there is good news and there is help! If you know where to look, there are many tools available to help you with your kids. Here are a few apps that can offer some help to a parent in need.

1.) Fooducate

Not only can this app be helpful to you and help you lose weight, but if you're concerned about what your child is eating this app is just for you. In this app you able to grade you food and tell you whats really in it. You can scan a product and then it will tell you the real ingredients and how healthy it really is, and then give you a healthier option of what you could eat. This has the largest market available of UPCs with over 200,000 products ad more being added. This app was rated as the number one iPhone Health and Fitness category in the Apple App Store, 1st Prize in US Surgeon General Healthy App Challenge, and was even featured on Oprah, ABC, FOX, and others. This is a fantastic app for anyone wanting to keep a close eye on what they eat and what they're feeding their children.

2.) alarm.com

This app is great for anyone with a family. What this app does is it links up to your home security systems and allows you to monitor and control every part of your home security system from the app. You can control the lights, unlock or lock the doors, control the thermostat, and even set up certain wall plugs to be turned on or off from the app. So if you accidentally left your curling iron on you could turn off the wall plug from your app. This app is perfect for anyone that has babysitters as well. The app can also link up to any home security cameras you have so you could keep a close eye on you kids and your babysitter at all times.

3.) 2Do: Tasks Done in Style

Moms are known for their multitasking, but all that mental energy and trying to remember everything can bring on a lot of stress and frustration. With this app you can sync all of your to-do lists in one place. This app can go from a simple checklist - to a huge project manager. It's incredibly easy to use and allows you to prioritize your to-do list so you don't get anything mixed up or misplaced. It can sync from your dropbox, iCloud, Yahoo, and a lot more. You can even tell Siri to remind you of something and it will sync to this app.

Author Bio:

David Michael LeMarr is a musician, blogger, public communicator, and future architect - follow him on Twitter // Facebook // Wordpress.

Read More

Hacking And Cracking: What's The Difference?

In the field of cyber security, there are two distinct groups of individuals, hackers and crackers. A person will ultimately be classified as either one or the other depending on their particular intentions; however there are different skill sets and subgroups typically associated with each title. To help differentiate, below is a breakdown of hackers, crackers and everything in between so you can gain a better idea of who is responsible when a cyber security breach occurs.

Hackers:

The term “hacker” typically refers to individuals who seek to fully understand how computers and network systems function in order to gain in-depth knowledge and perform a precise exploit of vulnerabilities.

These experts in computer security tend to have non-malicious intentions and thus have become colloquially known as “white hat” hackers. White hat hackers engage in ethical hacking, which consists of lawfully breaking into systems for the purpose of exposing security flaws. They either seek to improve the protection of their own security systems or they are hired by organizations to perform this service. In order to do this, the hackers will initiate assessments of the company’s security system by attempting to penetrate it. If the hacker is successful during penetration tests, they are generally responsible for reporting the issue and developing a solution to prevent the same kind of security breach from occurring maliciously in the future. Companies often hire individuals to test for these vulnerabilities instead of leaving possible holes in their security systems open to attack by malicious hackers, commonly referred to as “crackers.”

Crackers:

The title of a “cracker” has gained much controversy over the past few years in regards to its malicious connotation and the reputation these individuals have gained throughout the cyber security community.

Hackers often make the argument that crackers are less knowledgeable of computer systems and lack originality in their work, which is true to an extent. Crackers are motivated solely by personal gain and are not concerned with learning the ins and outs of computer systems as much as their counterparts. Additionally, the fact of the matter is that crackers do not need to follow ethical guidelines; they simply need to exploit the system. The primary goal of a cracker is either to obtain valuable information that will lead to personal gain or to cause mischief for organizations simply because they are capable of it. Regardless of their motives, the malicious intention of these crackers has led to them being labeled as computer criminals, or “black hat” hackers. They may choose their victims randomly or target specific organizations based on profitability and other interests, but the end goal is always for their personal gain never as an ethical profession. These crackers are often caught for their malicious acts because they are not cautious or mindful of the protections that have been put in place by a business’ white hat hackers. Businesses with secure networks will hire ethical hackers to establish a honeypot, which is essentially a trap used to detect and counteract unauthorized breaches by the black hat community.

Grey Hat Hacking:

The term “grey hat” is used as a combination of white hat and black hat because it refers to hackers that engage in both hacking and cracking. While they may break into computer systems for the purpose of making a profit, their intentions are not entirely malicious. The grey hat hacker may have to perform illegal actions in order to test a system for vulnerabilities and make the necessary improvements. A possible scenario for a grey hat hacker could be breaching the security system of a company and then notifying them of the vulnerability in hopes of receiving a payment to improve the system. These tactics are seen as questionable in the hacking community, but in the end they result in a positive outcome for the hacker and improved security measures for the involved organization.

Author Bio:

Andrew works for a cyber security training company named Phoenix TS based in Columbia, MD.

Read More