Info-Leeches and other E-Invertebrates

Commercial Lawn Care Austin
When shopping for commercial lawn care Austin, Austin locals know they need to hire a company containing together competency along with understanding. Employing a corporation which is short of either trait is only a recipe for disaster and most likely means a lawn that can get ugly a hurry. When it comes to Austin residents want a provider which will be in the position to provide them the best lawn feasible that is certainly plush and attractive to see. Therefore, it’s good that you conduct a small amount of researching to check out a provider which are equipped for all lawn and irrigation expectations you might have, no matter how small or large a lawn you require maintained.

Dominican Republic Vacation
Your Dominican Republic vacation may no question use you a lot of time to prepare if you like to make sure you are including every one of your angles. Anything from car rentals to plane tickets as well as hotels each of these must be looked at. You save yourself a lot of time and effort when you plan your Dominican Republic vacation simply by using a web-site which specializes in searching for yourself affordable vehicle rentals, resort rooms, plane tickets, and much more, all on your upcoming Dominican Republic vacation. You can actually begin the project associated with determining everything you need to be certain you will have a great Dominican Republic vacation, but using the straightforward as well as cost-free materials open to you, why wouldn’t you wish to?

Austin Christmas light installation
Austin Christmas light installation is the perfect choice for your needs if you want to receive all the glitz and glamour that accompanies the holidays, but merely do not want all of the hassles. When you use a qualified company to assist you with your Austin Christmas light installation you can be sure that the process is going to be done properly to start with and you will not have to worry about the Christmas lights not working whenever push comes to shove. It is easy to remain the envy of your neighborhood this Christmas and have the house with all the very best lights and you will have somebody else get it done on your behalf.

Replacing or repairing a chipped windscreen can be a simple or tedious experience of possessing a car, depending on the approach you take. windshield replacement is not an easy task; it involves strength, a steady hand, and a willingness to follow instructions carefully.

All cars are unique, but in general, removing a windscreen requires loosening the urethane that supports it in position, then lifting it out its place with caution. Once this is done, the left over urethane must be cleared away with a utility knife to make room for the windshield replacement. The new windshield is then affixed into position, and secured with bolts. An extremely important step is to make sure that the new urethane seal is applied properly, because any leakages can cause wind to enter the car, totally ruining the experience of driving.

You do not always need to replace your windscreen if it has a chip, it may be possible to repair it instead of replacing it. Windscreen repair is a considerably easier process. All auto parts store these days have repair kits, and involves sealing the chip with resin. The resin dries clear, and once the procedure is complete, it is virtually impossible to distinguish that the windshield was ever chipped. Windscreen repair kits can be unreliable when used to fix large cracks, however, and can sometimes make the problem worse, requiring a replacement. This job is often better left to professionals.

If you decide to let a professional handle your windshield repair or replacement, you may be delighted to find that this is one of the few auto repair jobs that does not require your car to be brought to a garage. Many companies offer mobile repair services, which can be completed in a matter of an hour or less, even if the windshield requires to be replaced entirely. Mobile windscreen repair services are able to perform the service at the comfort of your own home, or at work, making the process an extremely convenient one.

People keep asking me where I’ve been so I thought this would provide insight. And wanted to share these good websites with you. They played an important role in my decision making in the past.

Gear

Went with some buddies to the back country for a week. We took some mountain bikes in with us - it was a crazy idea, but hey, it was fun. Bought a durable heavy duty camping tent online for the weeklong outing. The tent made it to our house on time thankfully. We might not have made it to the camp. Ordering online was a great experience and everything arrived in mint condition. We had a really good experience shopping online. We had a fun filled week up in the hills - the back country is the way to camp. I want to do it again soon!

Left the House Locked and Loaded

Home security was a top priority to get done before our vacation trip. I’d say that we have a lot of what we think is valuable in our house now. If we had our computer stolen, it would take a lot from us. There were a lot of free alternatives that we considered but we ultimately felt safest with monitoring. It felt good to have it installed the instant it was in. Should have done it sooner, but glad we did it when we did.

eFusjon Opportunity

Living in a tent for a week can be tiresome. Efusjon saved us on this trip. It is totally worth the money. I couldn’t have been happier to be so energized the entire time with a bit of efusjon mixed in. The ‘a’ team at efusjon is amazing. Very educational and the drink is energizing. Go for the opportunity if you can, it’s young and worthwhile now. Check it out today.

Talk with you later. Did you like the roundup?

What if you want to catch up on the morning TV news passing the time away on your morning train commute into the city. Stuck in line somewhere and want to find out what your favorite sport team is doing. Well, an alternative that is coming soon instead of TiVo or videotaping your favorite TV program is watching cell phone television.

“Cellular carriers are banking on the fact that Americans love TV,” said Neil Strother, an industry spokesperson with In-Stat/MDR Inc. “By delivering these new video applications, carriers think they will be able to lower customer turnover and develop new revenue streams.” In fact, Nokia just recently acknowledged wireless television pilot program in Finland.

Cellular manufacturers have been toying with this idea for some time but the technology just wasn’t there. It will require a combined effort on the part of cell phone manufacturers and television programming providers. Nokia, Samsung, and Motorola’s headsets are leading the pact by providing phones that include tuners that have the capability of receiving television programming.

Some milestones are still need to be reached including the capability of watching TV on a cell phone for long periods of time without the battery running out. As well, the video quality just isn’t there yet and needs to be worked out.

Cell phones aren’t just for talking anymore.

Catherine Kenyeres is a free lance writer and publisher for Best-4u-Cell-Phones.com. Catherine provides the latest information, reviews and comparisons for her cell phone clients.

Overview

As “generic”, “remanufactured”, and “new compatible” inkjet printer cartridges and laser toner cartridges creep deeper into the printer accessories market, the choices become varied and often confusing. It is estimated that by the year 2004 the aftermarket share of the inkjet and toner cartridge market will exceed 11% of the estimated 12 billion dollar printer accessory market [source: CART magazine, March 2001] Here’s a look at what all these terms mean, and an examination of the upside and downside of using non-”brand name” printer cartridge products in your printer.

Terminology

First, let’s examine the terminology. When shopping online for a new inkjet or toner cartridge for your printer, you’ll likely encounter these terms:

OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) or brand name products

A “brand name” inkjet or toner cartridge is just that - it’s a printer cartridge that carries the brand name of the manufacturer on it, usually the same as the printer manufacturer, for example, Epson, Canon, Hewlett Packard, etc.

New compatible, off-brand or generic products

A “new compatible”, “off-brand” or “generic” inkjet or toner cartridge is manufactured by a company other than the original printer manufacturer. There are a large number of these “new compatible” manufacturers, and it’s quite true that the quality of their product can vary (more on that a bit later). In the case of inkjet cartridges, “generic” cartridges are completely new. In the case of toner cartridges, to qualify as “new compatible” the toner drum must be replaced with a brand new drum, as well as all major parts serviced and replaced as needed.

Remanufactured products

A “remanufactured” inkjet or toner cartridge, by definition, is a cartridge which has been serviced, cleaned, refilled with toner or ink and possibly had a few component parts repaired or replaced. In many cases, remanufactured toner cartridges do not have new drums; they instead refurbish the original drum and send it out for another cycle.

An Important Note About Toner Cartridges

The relatively unknown truth is that almost all laser toner cartridges, including most of the original brand name “new” cartridges, have been remanufactured to some extent. The defining point is to what degree they have had component parts repaired and/or replaced. For example: check the box for a brand new Hewlett Packard Laser Jet 4000/27X. Brand new, right? Well, it is. But check the fine print, which says:
This newly manufactured product may contain parts and materials recovered from the HP planet partners recycling program.
This means that the product, while “new”, is possibly not completely new; it’s quite probable that components of this cartridge have been used before, and have been recycled.

Quality vs. Cost

It’s a fact: the cost of brand name inkjet and toner cartridges can be exceedingly high in comparison to generic or remanufactured inkjet or toner cartridges. In many cases, new compatible inkjet cartridges can be as much as 70% less than the cost of brand name cartridges. New compatible or remanufactured toner cartridges on the whole tend to be as much as 50% less in cost than their brand name counterparts. For example, an Epson T013201 black inkjer cartridge, used for various Epson Stylus printers, sells for $17.09 direct from Epson. The same cartridge, compatible, at an online retailer, Abacus24-7 (http://www.abacus24-7.com), sells for $4.95. The difference….70% in savings.(Prices as of August 2005)

What’s the catch?

Well, there really isn’t one, if you find a quality off-brand product you can purchase from an online merchant you can trust, one who stands by their product in those rare cases that generic or remanufactured products don’t perform as well as you expect. Brand name cartridges cost much more than generics primarily because of the marketing and advertising budgets most OEM manufacturers spend in promoting their products; a cost most smaller manufacturers don’t have. And then there’s the issue of your printer warranty - we’ll discuss that issue a little bit later.

Inkjet Cartridges: Performance

Generic or new compatible inkjet cartridges are in general highly reliable and perform as well as, or nearly as well as, brand name cartridges. Latest technologies and adherence to ISO 9001 codes (internationally recognized standards for quality assurance) by most producers of generic cartridges has increased the overall reliability of these aftermarket products in relation to your typical brand cartridges. In particular, Epson and Canon new compatibles are highly reliable, as the technology required to duplicate the performance of their cartridges is minimal (with the exception of the very latest Epson cartridges with the “computer chip”). In terms of print life (how many pages they print) generics stack up pretty well - usually within plus or minus 5% of the life of your typical brand name cartridge.

High quality photographic printing is the one area where generic cartridges are occasionally suspect. The quality of the inks used by the manufacturer play a significant role here - lower grade ink which doesn’t have the same density or brilliance and consistency of color can produce inferior results in the most high-demand cases. Although most manufacturers of generics have moved away from inferior inks, we recommend you ask your online merchant about the quality of the inks used by their supplier, if you are doing this kind of high-quality photographic printing. In particular, the inks should be made in the U.S.A.. With good ink your results should be just fine.

Remanufactured Inkjet cartridges are another subject. Primarily you will only find remanufactured Inkjet cartridges for Hewlett Packard, Lexmark and Dell, as these companies have meticulously patented (and subsequently filed suit against anyone who tried to duplicate) their inkjet cartridge designs. There are no true “generics” for HP or Dell inkjet printers.

Remanufactured cartridges are a huge cost value over new cartridges - usually over 50% less - and for every day printing work just fine. The failure rate of remanufactured cartridges is slightly higher than new product, however, and so it’s important your online merchant guarantees their product to cover the occasional return. For typical printing, remanufactured inkjet cartridges can be the right choice over new ones. Lately, Dell computers and printers are increasing in popularity. Dell’s popular models include the Color 720, and All-in-One a920, a940, and a960 models. Direct from Dell, one can buy an OEM cartridge, for example the color cartridge (X0504) for the Dell a940 printer for $34.99 from www.dell.com. The same cartridge, yet remanufactured, sells online for $23.95 at Abacus24-7 (http://www.abacus24-7.com).(Prices as of August 2005)

Laser Toner Cartridges: Performance

As with generic or new compatible inkjet cartridges, new compatible toner cartridges are for the most part highly reliable and provide a noticeable cost savings over brand new toner cartridges. Again, ISO 9001 standards have greatly increased the consistency and reliability of the aftermarket toner product in recent years. Further, many new compatible toner manufacturers increase the volume of toner in the cartridge, providing for a longer print life. Quality new compatible cartridges will have new or replaced mag sleeves, wiper blades, and magnet tips.

Remanufactured toner cartridges in general have a less stringent set of criteria applied to them, and as mentioned before may not contain a new toner drum. Be sure to ask your supplier. It is our humble recommendation that you go with toner cartridges that have a new aftermarket drum, as opposed to a refurbished or recycled drum. Lastly, ask if the new drum is “high density”. You want that.

Color laser new compatible toner cartridges are just coming to market, and although early feedback seems to indicate a positive outlook, an evaluation of these cartridges is premature at this time.

Good for the Country, Good for the Environment

If you care about recycling or the good of the Country’s economy, consider these facts:

- 99% of new compatible toner cartridges are manufactured in the USA; most “OEM” brand cartridges are
manufactured overseas

- Nearly 40,000 tons of plastic are saved from our nation’s landfills each year, by remanufacture of inkjet
and toner cartridges

- It takes on average 2 quarts of oil to manufacture a Brand New Toner cartridge but less than half of that
amount to manufacture a new compatible toner cartridge

Your Printer Warranty and You

A legitimate concern of many people is whether using generic or remanufactured cartridges in their printer voids the printer’s warranty. The answer is no.
The following is a partial quote of the text of the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Improvement Act, which deals with this exact question:

MAGNUSON-MOSS WARRANTY IMPROVEMENT ACT

United States Code Annotated

Title 15 Commerce and Trade

Chapter 50 Consumer Product Warranties

15 Section 2032

… (c) No warrantor of a consumer product may condition his written or implied warranty of such product on the consumer’s using, in connection with such product, any article or service (other than article or service provided without charge under the terms of the warranty) which is identified by brand, trade or corporate name; except that the prohibition of this subsection be waived by the commission if:

1) The warrantor satisfies the Commission that the warranted product will function properly only if the article or service so identified is used in connection with the warranted product, and

2) the Commission finds that such a waiver is in the public interest.

In English, this means that no warranty may be voided by use of aftermarket products unless the manufacturer acquires a waiver that clearly shows such voidance would be in the public interest, or that their product will only function properly if the specified manufacturer parts are used.

There is one catch, however: the manufacturer (in this case your printer manufacturer) is not compelled to repair their product under warranty if damage done to the product occurred as a direct result of using aftermarket parts. In other words, using generic cartridges is fine, and if your printer ever fails under conditions which have nothing to do with the cartridge you are using, no problem. However, if the damage is directly caused (however unlikely) by the use of a generic cartridge, the warrantor may elect not to repair it, although the warranty would remain in effect for all other warranty issues.

Conclusion

In general, aftermarket generic and new compatible or remanufactured printer cartridge products are an excellent way to cut significant costs from your every day small business or personal printing expense, while maintaining quality printing results. Those who need extremely high quality printing (such as photographers and artists) can, with a little trial-and-error testing of different generic cartridge products, find a product which provides the quality results you need.

In all cases, be sure to buy your cartridges from an online supplier who 100% guarantees their product without question, and isn’t afraid to answer your questions when it comes to the quality and reliability of their products.

Written by David Amerman
also published by About.com

Most business people who travel these days have a laptop in tow. Since the workflow doesn’t stop when the need to travel arises, these are necessities that connect them to the rest of the world and allow them to take care of whatever business comes up during the time that they’re away. That being the case, there are certain guidelines that should be followed in order to ensure the safety and protection of your laptop when you get called away from the office.

One of the first considerations that should be made is in regard to the laptop’s security. Since thieves will target these as often as they will cash, jewelry or other valuables, it’s critical to put as many security measures into place as possible when traveling through airports, bus terminals, train stations and any other form of public travel. Of course, it’s never wise to leave your laptop unattended. It’s a sad testament to the way of the world, but you can be fairly certain that when you return, your equipment will be gone.

When packing for your trip, place the laptop in a case that’s different - and less obvious - from its standard carrying case, and make sure that it’s checked in as carry-on luggage. This will not only ensure that it doesn’t get stolen, but will be in the pressurized part of the plane, rather than the baggage compartment, which doesn’t have pressure or climate controls that are needed to ensure the integrity of the laptop.

If you’re planning to take a nap while you’re en route via public transportation, be sure to secure the laptop before going to sleep. Some people go so far as to cuff the unit to their wrist, but there are other measures that you can take, which include placing it in its case and putting it between your feet or between yourself and the wall if you’re sitting by a window. In the event that anything should actually happen to violate the integrity of the laptop - or if it should be stolen, despite your precautions - it’s to be expected that you’ll have backed up all critical information onto disks before beginning your travels.

When you arrive at the hotel, speak with the front desk clerk to be sure that their phone jacks are compatible with your unit. If they happen to use a digital phone system which differs in voltage from that of a standard phone jack, your modem will most likely be damaged when you try to plug it in and dial-up to get an outside connection. The best approach is to call ahead and check on these accommodations before making the trip, so that you’ll know what to expect and not be left with any nasty surprises.

In addition to the laptop itself, it’s always a good idea to bring an extension cord and extra batteries. Even though you may plan to use electricity, you should also include a back-up plan, and batteries may only give you a few hours’ worth of power at a time before needing to be recharged or changed. When possible, cut down on the use of those things which need large amounts of energy, such as CD-ROMs, and reduce the number of auto-saves on your machine.

By using your common sense and taking simple precautions, as well as including some back-up cords and batteries, you should be able to travel safely and simply with your laptop without a lot of hoopla.

Jonathan Chase is a contributing writer to All Cheap Laptops. Read more about traveling with your laptop at http://www.all-cheap-laptops.com/Travel.htm

CRT

CRT or Cathode Ray Tube monitors are the monitors everyone will have seen before. They that look like televisions. They range in size from 15 to around 22 Inch, and weight up to 30 kilos.

Advantages

Great value for money

Mature technology

Good for graphical detail

Can accommodate many different resolutions

Disadvantages

Big

Take up a lot of space

Cost more to run than an LCD

LCD/TFT

LCD or Liquid Crystal Display screens have now been around a few years, these are the thin screens. Some look almost like a picture frame. You will see them referred to as LCD or TFT (TFT being a type of LCD). They start at around 14 inches, and due to technological advances bigger LCDs are being produced all the time, 30 Inch are already available with 40 inch on the way too. They weigh very little compared to their CRT equivalent and can be mounted on a wall or shelf with ease.

Advantages

Less desk space needed

Require less power to run, more environmentally friendly

Increased Viewable area, a 15″LCD can give the same viewable area as a 17″ CRT monitor

Disadvantages

Viewing angle can affect image quality

One native resolution

More expensive than a CRT

General Monitor Features

Size

Here is one area where size does matter, the bigger the monitor the easier it will be on the eye. You will be able to open more windows and the text should be easier to read. Keep in mind the viewable area, all CRT have a smaller viewable area than their size. For Example a typical 17″ CRT will have a viewable area of around 15.8″. LCD tends to have the same viewable area, so a 15″ LCD will have a 15″ viewable area. Monitor size (and TVs) are measured diagonally, from the top left corner to the bottom right hand corner.

Resolution

Resolution is the number of pixels displayed on screen at one time, it’s usually in the format Horizontal x Vertical, e.g.?- 800×600 or 1024×768. CRT monitors can display multiple resolutions easily, while LCD monitors are optimised for 1 native resolution (They can display other resolutions, but are optimised for 1) the higher the resolution the more you can get on screen and the sharper the image.

CRT Specific Features

Dot Pitch

Dot pitch is the distance in millimetres between two dots of the same colour on the screen, it’s usually measured diagonally and you should be looking for something around 0.26mm

Refresh Rate

This is the number of time the screen is redrawn per second, most new monitors should have reasonable refresh rates, 75Hz or higher. Some older CRTs had lower refresh rates that can cause screen flicker and induce eye strain.

LCD Specific Features

Brightness

Because LCDs require their own back light to create colour, brightness is an important factor. It’s measured in candelas per metre squared or cd/m2, where one candle produces a brightness of 1 candela. The higher this number, the brighter the screen.

Contrast Ratio

This is the degree of difference between the extremes of light and dark colours. The higher the contrast ratio, the more detailed the image will be. Blacks will be blacker, whites will be whiter, and particularly text on the image will be more vivid. It will usually be written as 500:1 or 250:1

Response Time

Refers to just how quickly a pixel can change colour. It’s measured in milliseconds with 20-30ms being the normal at the moment. Gamers and people who watch a lot of movies on LCD screens would be better opting for something with a fast response time, around 16ms as this reduces the ghosting effect of fast motion.

When looking to buy a new monitor all of the above needs to be considered. Keep in mind you will be looking at your purchase day in day out for the next few years, so do not cut corners here, buy the best you can afford, your eyes will thank you for it later.

Dead Pixel Policy

Due to the difficulties associated with producing LCD screens very few brands guarantee a pixel perfect (Class 1) product,
and those that do charge a premium for it.
Most of the screens we sell currently adhere to the international standard, ISO 13406-2 and use class 2 panels.
It is possible, although uncommon, for a Class 2 LCD screen to have a small number of faulty pixels.
In these cases, this standard deems the screen as being ‘not faulty’.

For an LCD monitor to be considered faulty there has to be a certain number of dead pixels:

Acceptable malfunctioning pixels by class & type per Million pixels:

2 complete pixels constantly illuminated (a white spot)

2 complete pixels not illuminated (a black spot)

5 sub pixels constantly on or off or intermittent fault. May blink or show a pixel as a base colour (Red, Blue, Green, Cyan, Magenta or yellow)
or, any 2 sub pixel faults within a 5 x 5 block of pixels

Also, the faults are cumulative, so if you have 1 white spot and 1 black spot per million pixels then this counts.

Native Resolution Pixel Count Example

1024 x 768 786,432 2 or more dead pixels considered faulty

1280 x 1024 1,310,720 3 or more dead pixels considered faulty

1600 x 1200 1,920,000 3 or more dead pixels considered faulty

So, You can have a 19″ LCD monitor with a low native resolution where 2 pixels would be considered faulty, but if it had a native resolution of 1600 x 1200 and therefore had many more pixels, then 2 would not be classed as faulty.

For any LCD to be classed as faulty it must meet the above requirements, primarily those of the specific manufacturer. Please contact the manufacturer directly for their current dead pixel policy.

Willson Peterson is computer expert and network engineer. He is the author of target=_blank rel="nofollow">“How to backup your computer data” and “Monitor Glossary of Terms.”

Click here ==> http://www.ebookarticle.com to visit his website.

Most Asian cellular carriers mulling over 3G have chalked out at least tentative transition paths towards that Holy Grail. If they’re GSM networks, it’s a safe bet EDGE (Enhanced Data for GSM Evolution) is being considered, to replace/augment GPRS for high speed data services. Because EDGE uses a new modulated scheme that is also used for UMTS/3G, EDGE becomes a sort of half-way house to 3G.

The cost to introduce 3G into an existing GSM network is enormous. A large portion of 3G’s non-license related costs pertain to new nodes patched into an existing GSM network to make it 3G compliant. And of course, these new nodes need to inter-operate with existing 2G and 2.5G nodes.

An alternative does exist, that until recently dare not speak its name. Marrying cellular and WiMax/WiFi clouds, is not just cheaper, but more in keeping with the times. Besides the cost benefits, such a union addresses two other big issues: bringing high speed data services with laser like precision to the urban users who need them and voice connectivity over cell phones to suburban residential homes with poor cellular reception.

Integrating selected WiFi Hot spots or WiMax Hot Zones into a cellular network requires an IP Network Controller (INC), an IP access network, a patch to allow the Wireless LAN (WLAN) access network to issue the relevant accounting information to the cellular cloud’s AAA (authentication, authorization, and accounting) server and an investment in IP roaming. Barring a few more widgets, that’s essentially it.

Given the simplicity of such a solution, anyone who has seen engineers sweat over cell site deployment or attempted to work the math behind the cellular hex grid, has to wonder why the cell phone-wallahs have not already adopted WiFi/WiMax at their peripheries.

One however continues to sense discomfort in cellular circles over any open discussion on WiFi/WiMax. This may have something to do with the fact that the same user who demands everything be free on the Internet, is more than willing to pay a premium for his mobile service. The cellular carrier therefore, is understandably wary of encouraging bad habits in his paying customers.

Kineto, an equipment manufacturer, explains how such an eco-system would work.

- A subscriber with a WLAN, dual mode mobile phone moves within range of an access point to which the handset can connect.

- On attaching, the handset contacts the mobile operator’s INC over the IP access network, to be authenticated and authorized for mobile service access.

- If approved, the INC updates the subscriber’s location information in the network. From that point on, all mobile traffic is routed via the INC and over the IP access network. The subscriber is now on Voice over Broadband (VoB) and on a lower fixed line / VoB type tariff.

- When the subscriber moves outside the range of the serving access point, the INC facilitates roaming to the licensed outdoor network. The roaming process is completely transparent to the mobile subscriber.

- In addition, if a subscriber is on an active voice call or handset data session when they come within range (or out of range) of a service access point, the INC facilitates the handover of the active call between networks. The handover is completely transparent to the mobile subscriber.

- The WLAN access network issues the relevant accounting information to the cellular network’s AAA server. This accounting information can then be incorporated into the operator’s specific CDRs enabling it to be assimilated into the operator’s existing legacy billing system, creating a single bill for Cellular and WLAN usage.

In divvying up responsibilities, the WLAN provider manages the network while the mobile operator looks after customer care and billing. The end-user pays his mobile operator for the usage of the WLAN. The charges for using a cell phone over a WLAN would be lower than cellular use but in most cases it would be incremental revenue that the cellular companies would otherwise lose to fixed-line or VoB networks.

The cellular-WiFi/WiMax eco system also ropes in homes and offices equipped with broadband. To connect, the home or office user goes to his mobile provider’s web portal and registers his WLAN into the IP Network Controller (INC). The subscriber’s cell phone is now patched into the WLAN and on a lower fixed line / Voice over Boradband (VoB) type tariff.

While there is growing competition in the VoB sector, only the cell phone operator decides whether the customer can get a combined cellular+VoB bill. A mobile provider’s Cellular-WLAN service shall therefore, stand head over shoulders over any Vonage type VoB service.

As we have seen, in a Cellular-WLAN eco system devices intelligently pick and choose from the wireless network offering the strongest signal or lowest price in a given area. It is a compelling picture that demands the cellular operator’s attention, more so in Asia.

****************
References & recommended reading

Books:
GPRS Demystified by Hoffman, John
GSM, GPRS and EDGE Performance : Evolution Towards 3G/UMTS
by Timo Halonen (Editor), Javier Romero (Editor), Juan Melero (Editor)
WLANs and WPANs towards 4G Wireless by Ramjee Prasad, Luis Munoz

White papers
Public Wireless LANs for Mobile Operators by Philippe Laine of Alcatel.
GSM to 3G, Evolution or revolution? by Hughes Software Systems & Adax
Europe Limited.
Handover between WCDMA and GSM by Gertie Alsenmyr,Joakim Bergstrom & others of Ericsson

Websites
http://www.gsmworld.com
http://www.cdg.org
http://www.kinetowireless.com
*********************

BRAHAM SINGH joined PCCW in January 2001 and founded their international IP backbone & service company now called BtNAccess after its merger with Corporate Access, one of Asia’s largest satellite based service provider. Today, BtNAccess is an established global carrier, offering enterprise & carrier grade services over its MPLS enabled network. Services offered include IP transit, MPLS data circuits/VPNs, voice as well as a leading edge Hosted IP PBX services. The Company is interconnected with 35 carriers globally and its revenues come from an enterprise and carrier customer base in The USA, Europe, Middle East, Africa and Asia.

Braham came to PCCW from Teleglobe, where he was the Vice President in charge of Asian operations. Prior to Teleglobe, Braham was the Vice President - SE Asia for Sprint / Global One.

Braham has various pioneering achievements to his credit including the first call- back as well as the first ISR launch in Hong Kong, the first Asian frame relay launch outside Japan, the first international connectivity provided to Celcom in Malaysia in 1992.

When it comes to problems with CD Burners things can get ugly and users most of the time gives up hope of ever completing a successful CD Burning session. PC technology can be confusing as almost anything could cause a CD Burning problem such as software conflicts, faulty hardware and bad media brand of CD-R or CD-RW discs.

So where does one start when it comes to troubleshooting a CD Burning problem?

That’s easy, start looking at the hardware, the CD Burner itself and the motherboard – this way you are making sure the key piece of the CD Burning process is actually working.

Apply the most recent firmware for the CD-Burner as this will fix any bugs that your model of drive may have, make sure to check with the CD Burner manufacture before doing so.

Make sure the CD Burner drive is recognized in the BIOS and has the manufacture model listed. Install the latest BIOS update for the PC but again make sure to check with the OEM of the PC before installing.

Software conflicts can be caused by almost anything installed onto the Operating System such as anti-virus software, screen savers, drivers among other things. It’s important the System is free of any virus’s or spy ware software as these can cause major problems for the CD Burning session.

It’s advisable to troubleshoot any software problems in ‘Safe Mode’ of the operating system as this makes no programs have loaded during start-up.

Uninstall any programs that are no longer used making sure to free up more resources.
Do the usual house-keep on your PC by deleting temp internet files, cookies etc and also defrag the system. It’s important for the CD Burning process that the system has the resources to support the session.

People seem to get hung up on what would be the best brand of CD-R or CD-RW disc. This could have a conflicting answer but from experience it all depends on the model of your CD Burner. Some drives take well to using TDK when others don’t, the same with Kodak and even unbranded discs. The best advice would be to purchase a number of different branded discs and find which one works best for your drive.

If problems still do occur during the CD Burning process then contacting technical support maybe required. You could also go in-depth by using valuable resources on-line that provide amazing technical guide.

Gavin Duncan is the editor and publisher of http://www.cd-burner-help.com , a site to help people facing problems with Burning CD’s.

Picking your way through the ton of information available on recordable DVD
formats can be a nightmare. To help you out, we’ve done our best to distill it into
this summary.

There are five recordable versions of DVD; DVD-R for General, DVD-R for Authoring,
DVD-RAM, DVD-RW, and DVD+RW. None of the formats is fully compatible with the
other although there are drives which will read, and in some cases write to more
than one format.

DVD-R for General and DVD-R for Authoring are essentially DVD versions of CD-R.
And DVD-RW is a DVD version of CD-RW. All three formats can be read in standard
DVD-ROM drives and in most DVD video players. The difference between DVD-R for
General and DVD-R for Authoring is that DVD-R for General is a format intended for
widespread consumer use and doeasn’t support ‘professional’ features such as
piracy protection or duplication in mass duplicators. The Pioneer DVD-RW drive
which is the most popular PC device for writing to DVD uses the DVD for General
format. And as as the case with CD, DVD-RW is essentially the same as DVD-R
except that it can be erased and written to again and again.

DVD-RAM is slightly different as it is a sector based disc which mounts on the
desktop of a PC when inserted into a drive. Files can then be copied to it in the same
way as any other mounted media. Some single-sided DVD-RAM discs can be
removed from their caddy and inserted in a DVD-ROM drive which will then be able
to read the content of the disc.

There are DVD video recorders which use the DVD-RAM format. This enables themn
to pull off clever tricks like timeshifting – where you can watch the beginning of a
programme you have recorded while you are still recording the end on the same
disc.

DVD+RW is the newest format and not supported by the DVD Forum, the body
which sets the standards for DVD. However, it is supported by some of the biggest
electronics and computer manufacturers, and is therefore likely to stick around.

It is also the format used by Philips in its DVD video recorders. Despite not being
authorised by the DVD Forum, DVD+RW is claimed by its supporterd to be
compatible with more DVD video players than DVD-R and DVD+RW writers are
found in PCs from quite a few manufacturers.

In early 2006, things are set to get even more complicated with the introduction of
two new formats, HD-DVD and Blu-ray, but that’s a whole other story…

Kenny Hemphill is the editor and publisher of The HDTV Tuner, a site which aims to cut through the confusion
surrounding HDTV and provide surfers with up to date, accurate and easy to read
information on HDTV.