Ergonomics and Healthy Computing - Positioning Your Body For Maximum Comfort At Your Computer
February 21, 2008
Do you remember the old saw about how computers would change our lives for the better? We’d have more time to ourselves and lead healthier, happier lives. The truth is computers do make processing information lightening fast. It’s just that today, we have so much more information to process and so many more distractions that the computer, via the Internet, has brought into our lives.
The bottom line? Today we spend more time operating a computer (for fun and for profit) than on any other single pastime save for maybe sleeping. And if you’re a heavy computer user like me, even sleep takes a back seat to computer use every now and then.
There are health hazards to continual computer use. Personally I’ve suffered from back and shoulder pain, eye strain and numbness in my fingers. I’ve even had to deal with stiff joints and Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. None of this was any fun.
But I did learn a few things important enough to pass along to you today. Here are some things you can do right now to reduce or eliminate stress on our body while operating your computer.
The Concept of Neutral Body Positioning
Make it Special with a Personalized Photo Gift
February 20, 2008
Make it Special with a Personalized Photo Gift
by: Chris Robertson
There’s no better feeling than watching your loved one’s face light up with surprise and joy when she opens the gift you have given her. The reactions of the special people in your life - your parents, your siblings, your spouse, your kids, and your friends - are what makes gift giving such a pleasure.
Although we have more choices than ever when it comes to selecting a gift, there are times when we wrack our brains trying to come up with a unique idea. There are those people who are hard to buy for because they really don’t “need” anything, and there are those who are hard to buy for because nothing you can find is special enough to convey the feelings you have for them. You can traipse through malls or spend hours clicking your computer mouse, yet everything you find seems to be a variation of the same old thing.
What are the Main Components of Any Computer, and Which are the Most Critical to Its Performance?
February 19, 2008
Computers are everywhere, and vary in specification, brands, sizes, shaped, and prices. However, there is one common characteristic among all computer systems.
whether we are talking standalone home pc, high performance networked servers, Unix computers, Linux, Windows, or Macs, they all have five main components: Input device, Output device, Central Processing Unit, Memory, and Storage device
1- The input device is used to enter the data into the computer. Examples of input devices are: Keyboards, Scanners, or light pens.
2-The output device is used to redirect the processed data to a device connected the output connection of the computer. Examples of output devices are: Monitors, Printers.
3-The Central Processing Unit is where the computer processes data and coordinates tasks among different components of the computer.
4-Memory is where the computer stores data. The memory is two types:
a-RAM, random access memory, where temporary storage of the data takes place. The data in the RAM will be lost is the computer is shut down.
b-ROM, read only memory which has built in information used by the computer components.
5-Hard Disk storage, where you can store the data permanently. It will stay stored, even if the power is shut off.
The Future Of Mobile Phone Technology
February 19, 2008
The Future Of Mobile Phone Technology
by: Dave Lloyd
The past, present, and future of cell phones
Just in the last few years cell phones (usually called mobile phones outside the US) have become de facto standards for most of the population. What once used to be a luxury item for a select few that was carried around in a large leather bag and was the size of the brick, is no longer.
Technology has advanced the mobile phone industry to the point where the phone is a mere commodity for vendors, meaning that’s not where they make the real money. It’s in the service plans, which require 2 year commitments usually, where companies like Sprint, Nextel (now Sprint Nextel), AT&T (now Cingular), Cingular, Verizon, and T-Mobile make the revenues that enable the cycle of technology innovation and marketing to continue.
Dynamite Comes in Small Packages - Tiny Personal Audio MP3 Players Pack Powerful Music Enjoyment
February 18, 2008
MP3 players are Hot! Playing music has come a long way since the transistor radio, portable tape and CD player days. Most players are no larger than a deck of cards. Eliminating the need to lug around tapes or CD’s, digital music players re-define convenience and portability.
Digital audio players provide crystal clear sound, from deepest lows to sharpest highs. But which player is right for you? Are you a serious audiophile who wants professional quality sound for your entire music collection? Would you be happy just playing your favorite tunes whenever you want, wherever you go? Or are you somewhere in between?
What’s the Best Music Player for You?
The two basic types of mp3 players, along with advantages and disadvantages, are:
Tracking Your Children With GPS
February 17, 2008
Tracking Your Children With GPS
by: Sintilia Miecevole
From the moment children are born their parents naturally worry about them. Are they hungry? Are they warm enough? Are they sick?
Soon parents face the surrounding dangers as toddlers start to crawl, walk and run. The hazards seem to be everywhere. As any parent knows, the concerns only become deeper seated as children get older. Safety is all a parent can think about - especially when their children are not with them.
Not surprisingly some parents are looking to technology to provide reassurance. Moving beyond the baby monitor and even the cellphone is a new monitoring method called GPS - Global Positioning System.
What Will GPS Tell Me?
GPS is a system of satellites originally devised for government security and surveillance. The technology allows you to pinpoint the location of an individual who is in possession of a watch or a cellphone that has been enabled for tracking and can be monitored through a PC or personal tracking device.
Tracking devices can be set to monitor a specified area or zone. When the child leaves the zone the device automatically starts tracking. It can also alert you when the child leaves the zone.
Introduction to Closed Circuit TV
February 16, 2008
Introduction to Closed Circuit TV
by: Jeremy Sacco
From a single camera and monitor to complex video surveillance systems with hundreds of cameras, multiple operators, and digital recorders, closed circuit television (CCTV) systems can provide security for a wide range of businesses.
A good closed circuit TV system can make your business safer, more efficient, and less prone to theft and accidents.
While the most basic closed circuit TV setup - a single camera connected directly to a monitor and recorder - could help security in some cases, it is unlikely to be enough for most businesses. Most situations call for multiple cameras. In some cases, you may even want a movable camera to cover a large area. Before starting to compare systems or choose potential vendors, sit down and consider your video surveillance needs carefully.
First, consider what you want to monitor. General comings and goings? Vehicles? Do you want to see faces, merchandise, crowds? Once you decide what you want to see, choosing components will become easier.
Registry Tools Demystified
February 15, 2008
Not sure what Windows registry is or how it works? Don’t worry - there are tools that can take care of all registry related tasks for you, even if you are a seventy six year old who never used computer before. These are the tools that optimize your registry and make your PC run faster.
Registry Mechanic (PC Tools)
http://www.deprice.com/registrymechanic.htm
Registry Mechanic is an advanced registry cleaner for Windows that allows you to safely scan, clean, and repair registry problems with a few simple mouse clicks. Problems with the Windows Registry are a common cause of Windows crashes and error messages. Registry Mechanic is not only the most popular registry cleaner on the market (with 100,000+ downloads per week) but also one of the easiest to use! With Registry Mechanic you can safely clean and repair Windows registry problems with a few simple mouse clicks! Problems with the Windows registry are a common cause of Windows crashes and error messages. By using a registry cleaner regularly and fixing your registry your system should not only be more stable but it will also help Windows and your software run faster. Learn more about the importance of a clean registry with our registry insight.
The New 5Th Generation Apple iPods
February 14, 2008
The New 5Th Generation Apple iPods
by: Katherine Xie
To date, there has been a number of Apple iPod models. Well, with the release of the new iPod Video, there are now officially three iPod models for the 5th generation of iPods. The earlier 4th generation models, including the popular iPod Mini, iPod Photo, U2 and 20GB iPod are now officially history.
The three official 5G iPod models include the iPod Shuffle, iPod Nano and iPod Video. What’s the difference between this new range of iPods and the previous 4G models? Broadly speaking, the differences are:
Hard Disk
Two of the new iPod models, iPod Shuffle and iPod Nano, are based on flash hard disk technology. This new hard disk is ultra slim and is able to withstand shock and vigorous movement. Unlike 4G models, this make the iPod Shuffle and iPod Nano ultra slim and allow them to be used for vigorous activities, including sporting activity, dance, accidental drops, etc. Previous 4G models were less robust and vigorous activity tend to cause possible malfunction.
Battery life
How to Save an Image in a SQL Server Database?
February 14, 2008
Most of the web applications have a lot of images used in it. These images are usually stored in a web server folder and they are accessed by giving the relative path to the file with respect to the root folder of the website. .Net being the platform for distributed application now, ASP.Net can be used to store images that are small to be stored in a database like SQL Server 2000 and later versions. For this purpose the SQL Server database provides a data type called "image" which is used to store images in the database.
To access these images stored in the database we will be using the ADO.Net classes. To find out how to insert and retrieve an image in to the SQL Server database, you can create a .aspx page which can have a HTMLInputFile control which is used to select the image file that is to be saved in the database. You can also create a textbox control in which you can add the image name or some comment or an image id for the image saved. Use a button control to upload the image to the database. Namespaces like System.Data.SqlClient, System.Drawing, System.Data, System.IO, and System.Drawing.Imaging are used in this task.
