Ditch Cable, Save Money with New Entertainment Services

Source : knoworthy.com

by Mariam Jehangir

With more and more consumers discovering and switching to streaming services and wireless devices, such as Netflix, Hulu, Roku and Chromecast, cable companies are finding themselves with fewer subscribers.

By cutting ties with the cable company, viewers are also reducing their monthly bills by a significant amount, while still enjoying most or all of the programs they love.

While lower fees and service costs are proving to be reason enough for Americans to ditch cable there are some drawbacks to the switch.

You can miss out on certain shows and most local programming, for example. It can also be difficult to stream live shows from stations such as CNN or MSNBC, unless you have a cable, satellite or telecom service that provides those channels. And for those who want to watch their favorite shows when they air, they may be out of luck as many of them aren’t available until at least a day after.

But a recent article from Reuters provides tips on how to get around many of these issues so you can still move away from cable, without sacrificing too much.

1. If sports and local programming are important to you, consider going old school and set up an antenna. Many television sets will require a digital converter too. This method will allow you to watch whatever the antenna pulls in and not have to pay a monthly fee. You can get a small in-home antenna for as little as $20; the bigger roof-mounted ones can run up to $100.

2. Figure out where your favorite shows are before you make the jump. Some shows are only available online, other for-stream programs are only available through certain services.

3. Similarly, you need to take the devices you use into account. Chromecast requires a computer, but Roku doesn’t.  Having an Apple device like the iPhone or iPad will allow you to make the most out of your Apple TV.

4. Before you sign up for any of the services, make sure you have a compatible TV. Smart televisions can stream most Hulu and Netflix programs without any special devices. With certain devices, you may need to have a TV with an HDMI port. Do your homework before you buy.

5. Don’t get too comfortable with what you choose. Be aware that the entertainment-service world changes constantly and in few months’ time, you may be exploring new menus, devices and options.

Read more »

How to Get a Free PC Health Check from Geek Squad

Source : howlifeworks.com

Technology makes our lives a lot better and easier.  It’s also becoming a lot less expensive.  That means that nearly every home today has multiple PC’s, printers, and high speed Internet. 

The benefits are clear.  We now bank and shop online, download movies and music, and research anything we want to know on the Internet.  Our kids do their homework online and when work is done, we settle in together to watch a movie or grab a TV show from an online service.

It’s all wonderful… until it all comes to a grinding halt because something’s not working.

That’s the unfortunate thing about technology.  It does so much for us that we become dependent on it.  But, it’s also complicated and when it doesn’t work, it’s not always easy to figure out why.  Even minor problems like a printer not printing can be a huge frustration.

Even more concerning is data security.  Because we now do so much shopping and banking online, protecting our personal data is critical, and most people simply don’t know if they have adequate protection until it’s too late.

When technology stops working properly, many people simply don’t have the time or know what to do.  We may try to fix the problem ourselves and, if that doesn’t work, we have to find someone to come and fix the problem for us.  It can end up taking time and money to get relatively minor problems resolved.  It may only take a technician a few seconds to diagnose and fix a computer problem, but they still have to charge for coming to your home.

Fortunately, there is an online tech support service from consumer electronics retailer Best Buy that solves this frustrating conundrum once and for all.  It’s aptly named Geek Squad Tech Support, and it leverages the huge reach of Geek Squad and the Best Buy network to offer consumers a way to look after all of their home electronics service needs.

Geek Squad is able to solve most any problem without having to send somebody to your home and without you having to bring any of your equipment to them.

Even better, they are currently offering consumers a completely free PC Health Check of your system.

Here’s how it works

You simply click through to their site and initiate an online chat with a service agent. They’ll get a quick understanding of your system and then securely connect to your PC or other connected device.  Then, they will analyze your problems and provide an estimate for what it will take to get your computer running perfectly, and to keep it that way.

The free analysis includes a review of your anti-spyware and anti-virus protection, a test of your hardware and software associated for proper functionality and recommendations, including a cost estimate for repairs or upgrades to help you achieve peak performance.

And, what’s also great about Geek Squad is that most services including virus removal, full diagnostics, operating system and software installation and repairs, password resets, hardware and memory installation, and more can be done right away, without the need to take your equipment anywhere or wait at home for a technician.

And, their prices are great.  In addition to low, one-time fees to get specific problems fixed, Geek Squad also offers low-cost plans that provide ongoing support online and over the phone 7 days a week, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

No matter where you bought your computer or other electronic devices, Geek Squad Tech Support is available to you.  Agents are also trained in issues for TV’s, video, smart phones and tablets, GPS devices, audio and iPods, gaming, and cameras.

Geek Squad is like having your own Information Technology Department on call to keep all your gadgets running perfectly every hour of the day, every day of the year.

You’ve spent a lot on your technology and you rely on it for a lot. Geek Squad makes sure you’re never stuck without it again.

Read more »

How to do a People Search on the Web

Source : howlifeworks.com

Most of us at one time or another wished we could find more information on someone. Before the internet, the only option most people had was using a local telephone book. Those with more money and determination could pay companies which specialized in searching or background checks. Today there are many online services which make locating someone a breeze.

Why people search?

The reasons for wanting to do a people search vary. Some may be looking for an old friend. Others a missing relative. Or maybe you are curious about that former classmate you went to high school with. Some companies use people search as a means to do preliminary background checks on potential new hires or partners. And sometimes simple curiosity or the novelty factor prompts someone to do a people search.

How do they work?

People search sites are generally aggregators of data from many different sources. These include government agencies, banks or private sources. Some people search sites update their databases as often as several times a week while others only a few times a year. Look for people search sites which cast the widest net and thus have the largest database, ideally updated regularly.

Where do I start?

The most obvious place to start which is both quick and free is Google. With about 70% of the internet users turning to Google to find information, at this time Google is the undisputed king of web search. Google results can be highly accurate for the purposes of people search. The more specific information you can enter the more relevant your results. Where Google fails is if it encounters common names without any further criteria.

If Google doesn't do the trick, there are numerous web sites offering people searching services. Simple Google the term "people search" and view all the search results to get an idea of how competitive this industry has become.

The first way to find someone is to simply do a search by their names and state. The results may be so numerous as to not be much more useful than the standard White Pages. Other fields that obviously help are phone numbers and mailing addresses. However, if you're using a people searching service, it is likely you do not have possession of detailed information such as phone numbers or mailing addresses.

Some services offer searches using email addresses or, more recently popular, social networks. Tests find these services spotty at best, likely due to the high rate of churn as people change email addresses or discontinue use of certain social networks.

The bottom line is that no people search service can provide 100% accurate search results. Because the field of people search is so new, it's hard to separate reliable services from less reliable ones. The best due diligence is to do a search on the people search services themselves and see if there are any complaints against the company. A little bit of research ahead of time can potentially save you a lot of headache down the road.

Read more »

How a New Software Program Can Bring the World Together

Source : howlifeworks.com

James lives in Hawaii and his mother lives in Korea.  James speaks English (he never learned Korean), and his mom only speaks Korean.  They communicate perfectly.

Elad lives in Israel. His grandmother lives in Austria. Elad speaks no German and his Grandmother speaks no Hebrew.  They communicate perfectly.

Enrique is from Honduras, but he lives in the U.S.  Enrique just started learning English and speaks very little. But, everyday Enrique reads the latest local US news on the Web, with no problem.

What these individuals (and close to 60 million others around the world) share, is a remarkable, free software program called Babylon.

Babylon may well be the most advanced translation software in the world, and it's a must-have for anyone whose life extends beyond the borders of their own language--or those who want it to.

Once you download it, you can highlight any text in practically any program, and its instantly translated into the language of your choice.   You can use it to translate a website, email, word doc, pdf, and virtually any document in any format you can think of.

You can compose a document in your native language, and Babylon will instantly translate it into another before you send it.

The program translates 75 languages, including: Spanish, Mandarin, Arabic, Hindu, and Russian.  It also includes up-to-date encyclopedias, dictionaries, and spell checkers.

Babylon is a long way from early translation software that would, more often than not, generate an unreadable babble of grammatically incoherent text that was better suited for generating laughs than comprehension.  Babylon's ability to understand and translate is state-of-the art.  In fact, businesses are adopting Babylon as the standard when it comes to translating commercial communications and other important documents.

Babylon is also a great tool for people who are learning another language.  Use it anytime you encounter a word or passage you don't understand.

What users rave about most is the program's ability to open up a different world to them. Whether it's surfing a news site in a different country, or being able to properly communicate with a family member or friend oversees, Babylon can make it happen.

Read more »

How to Buy a Laptop Online

Source : howlifeworks.com

The internet has made shopping simpler than ever before. From the comforts of your home, you can literally let your fingers do the walking. Another added benefit is the ability to quickly compare prices between vendors to ensure you're getting the best deals possible.

When choosing a laptop computer to purchase online, the first order of business is to determine what category of laptop you need based on what you'll be using it for:

Frequent business travel

If your portable computer will be your constant companion as you travel for work, weight and size will likely be your major criteria. The size of the screen is also important since most confined Economy seats on airplanes do not allow even standard 15 inch screens to fully open. Battery life needs to be above normal as well. Finally, reliability and past performance is important.

With the above in mind, look for a laptop with a 13 inch monitor and around five to six pounds. Battery life should be around 3 to 4 hours. Dell and IBM are notable vendors with strong reputations among the business community.

Home desktop replacement

Home desktop replacement laptops are meant to do almost everything a powerful desktop computer can do, which means these classes of laptops are generally big and heavy. They are likely going to spend more time on a desk than in a bag. With home desktop replacements, a large bright screen is important to watch movies, videos and pictures. Light computer gaming is needed, so a decent video card is important. Make sure to load up on the RAM and hard drive. Battery life doesn't matter as much since it will usually be plugged in.

Look for laptops with bright 17 inch monitors, a video card with at least 512MB of dedicated RAM, and 3 to 4 GB of system RAM. HP and Gateway have excellent selections of desktop replacements.

Budget laptop

If price is your main consideration, and you won't be using your laptop for more than internet browsing, email, light office applications and some light multimedia, you'll find plenty of laptops in the $500 to $600 range that fit your needs.

Where to buy

Dell should be your first destination. Their everyday low prices have made them one of the top computer companies in the world.

Other online stores frequently have great deals. Newegg, Buy.com and Amazon tend to be the most well known.

Web sites of known retailers also have specials on a frequent basis. Best Buy, Fry's Electronics and Walmart all have weekly specials.

For the more adventurous, try eBay or web sites such as eCost. Remember to check the reviews and reputation of the sellers.

Warranty or no warranty?

The rule of thumb in deciding whether or not to purchase an extended warranty is how critical the laptop is to your life. If it's a budget laptop that is the third computer in a home, you may wish to bypass extended warranty. However, if you've spent over $1,500 on a work laptop that is critical to your business, think carefully about purchasing some form of 3 year extended warranty with onsite service.

Read more »

What is the Best Broadband Option: Cable, DSL or Satellite

Source : howlifeworks.com

When it comes to high-speed broadband Internet connections, your options today are better than ever. The three most popular options are cable, satellite and DSL.  

To get connected using cable the your home or business needs to have an underground cable connection (but you do not need to have cable TV) .  A DSL connection is done over telephone lines, and a satellite connection uses a small dish on the roof to receive and transmit the Internet connection to a satellite.

Unlike dial-up, all three options allow you to use your phone while getting connected to the Internet.  Some rural areas still don't have access to DSL and cable, so in these areas, satellite service is the only option other than using dial-up at a very slow rate of speed.

DSL, Cable, and Satellite are all much faster than a dial-up connection, and the exact speed depends on which plan and company you sign up with.  On average, it's about 40 times faster than a dial-up is.

There are pros and cons to using each option. 

With DSL, your speed is always steady, even if you have 2 or 200 people using the service.  With cable, the speed of the  service can be effected by how many others in your neighborhood are logged on at the same time.

Satellite is generally the best option for people in rural areas that do not have good cable or DSL options. The signal has much farther to travel, so there is often a delay.  Plus, it's more difficult (and therefore expensive) to install than DSL or cable options.

Although it's performance is affected by the number of other users in the area, cable providers generally charge more for cable connections than DSL charges.  However, DSL prices often go up at the end of the one-year sign-on special.  In addition, if you do have cable TV, you may be able to get a better price.

If you're using DSL or cable to connect to the Internet, you'll need a broadband modem.  With satellite, you'll need a dish installed.  Regardless of which option you choose, you'll come out ahead if you leave dial-up behind and switch to one of the faster Internet connection opportunities, such as DSL, cable, or satellite service.

Read more »

Germany's Merkel sends intelligence delegation to US

Source : BBC News, 30 October 2013 Last updated at 11:55 GMT

A German delegation of intelligence officials is in Washington for talks at the White House on Wednesday following claims that the US monitored Chancellor Angela Merkel's mobile phone.

The chancellor's foreign policy adviser and Germany's intelligence co-ordinator will hold talks at the White House.

The head of US intelligence has defended the monitoring of foreign leaders as a key goal of operations.

The US is facing growing anger over reports it spied on its allies abroad.

It has also been reported that the National Security Agency (NSA) monitored French diplomats in Washington and at the UN, and that it conducted surveillance on millions of French and Spanish telephone calls, among other operations against US allies.

However, NSA director Gen Keith Alexander said "the assertions... that NSA collected tens of millions of phone calls are completely false".

The revelations stem from documents leaked by fugitive ex-US intelligence contractor Edward Snowden, who now lives in Russia and is wanted in the US in connection with the unauthorised disclosures.

German media have reported that the US bugged German Chancellor Angela Merkel's phone for more than a decade - and that the surveillance only ended a few months ago.

Germany's delegation includes Christoph Heusgen, Mrs Merkel's foreign policy adviser, and Guenter Heiss, the secret service co-ordinator, said Caitlin Hayden, a spokeswoman for the US National Security Council.

US National Security Adviser Susan Rice, Director of National Intelligence James Clapper and Lisa Monaco, assistant to the president for homeland security and counterterrorism, are also expected to take part.

Ms Hayden said the meeting was part of the agreement reached between President Barack Obama and Chancellor Merkel last week to deepen US-German cooperation on intelligence matters.

'Basic tenet'

The meeting comes just hours after Mr Clapper and Gen Alexander testified before the intelligence panel of the House of Representatives on Tuesday.

Gen Alexander said much of the data cited by non-US news outlets was actually collected by European intelligence services and later shared with the NSA.

Meanwhile, Mr Clapper told lawmakers that discerning foreign leaders' intentions was "a basic tenet of what we collect and analyse".

He said that foreign allies spy on US officials and intelligence agencies as a matter of routine.

Mr Clapper said the torrent of disclosures about American surveillance had been extremely damaging and that he anticipated more.

But he said there was no other country that had the magnitude of oversight that the US had, and that any mistakes that had been made were human or technical.

The BBC's Jonny Dymond in Washington says if anyone was expecting apologies or embarrassment from the leaders of America's intelligence community, they were in for a disappointment.

The intelligence pair were not given a tough time by the committee but that sentiment is turning within Congress toward tightening up the reach of American intelligence agencies, our correspondent says.

Meanwhile, the spokesman for Russian President Vladimir Putin has denied that Moscow used free USB memory sticks and mobile phone charging cables to spy on delegates attending the G20 Summit in St Petersburg last September.

Reports in two Italian newspapers suggested that the USB sticks and cables had bugs on them that could steal data from the delegates.

Spokesman Dmitri Peskov said the reports were an attempt to distract from the problems between European countries and the US.

AD : SEO Company In Bangladesh

Read more »