US Advanced Technology

Just when you thought using your PC couldn’t possibly get any more complicated, along comes SIP (Session Initiation Protocol) with VoIP (Voice-Over Internet Protocol) technology.

VoIP is well on its way to becoming the “next big thing” as it allows you to make telephone calls using the Internet for a fraction of the cost of regular phone usage. Don’t think that’s making the major telephone companies nervous? Read on… because you haven’t seen anything yet…

Seemingly overnight, VoIP appeared. And when it did, the whole concept of making a cheap PC to phone call (for pennies) became the big business. Quicker than you can say, “Who needs an e-mail or chat?” the IP phone (IP – Internet Protocol) became a reality. The IP is data-oriented computer technology used for communicating data across a packet-switched inter-network. In other words, think of it as the PC version of the old operator at a switchboard patching phone calls back and forth.

IP technology evolved into VoIP – Voice-Over-Internet Protocol – which allows PC users to make telephone calls using a computer-data network like the Internet. VoIP converts the voice signal from your telephone into a digital signal that travels over the Internet and later converts it back at the other end so you can speak to anyone with a regular phone number. And guess what – VoIP technology costs not pennies, but fractions of pennies to use. The VoIP providers paved the way to this new frontier of making cheap phone calls and many independent telephone companies quickly jumped on the bandwagon. Business VoIP and residential VoIP plans are available to PC users in a number of inexpensive packages but SIP makes this service much more simply and friendly.

Obviously, a lot of telephone empires are sweating bullets over this. Some companies have even claimed that the entire SIP/IP/VoIP concept is akin to patent infringement. That won’t hold up in a court of law. You can’t patent broadband communication any more than you can patent gasoline. Telephony VoIP is here to stay and evolving faster than PC users can assimilate the information.

VoIP technology is making the term the Internet phone a household word. But for the most part it’s still an untapped market. Computers have long since replaced typewriters, but there are still millions of men and women who don’t have a clue that their PC can be used for local phone service or even better – to slash the costs of long distance phone service.

Thanks to SIP VoIP providers with BYOD (see below), a prepaid phone card is becoming a thing of the past. PC to phone communication and the concept of the Internet phone service is kicking major phone companies in the pants.

BYOD – short for Bring Your Own Device – is fast becoming the term of choice among phone system VoIP users. BYOD is used to describe a type of VoIP subscription. (Carrier VoIP subscribers who have their own VoIP device can take advantage of a cheaper SIP/VoIP subscription plan). The solution VoIP and carrier VoIP subscriber plans generally cost less than $20.00 a month for unlimited broadband phone use.

SIP telephony is creating the new phone system of choice. It was bound to happen. Computer technology has integrated with every part of our lives and the PC as a way to make a cheap phone call is only the latest step in technology’s progression.

If you are confused by some abbreviations or shorts in this article, feel free to visit VoIP glossary – http://www.callsend.net/glossary/

Want your office to run as smoothly as possible? The first step involves improving communication.

There’s nothing more stressful than lack of communication in an office setting. When co-workers don’t work together as a team, problems and misunderstandings – big and small – can arise, causing unnecessary dilemmas and even rifts.

The following tips will help managers improve office communication:

* Hold regular meetings. Whether they’re held weekly or daily, meetings are a great way to find out what’s going on around the office and learn about what assignments or events are to come. This also is a good time to talk about what goals need to be set for the office.

* Utilize technology. Though e-mailing, interoffice calling and paging are effective ways of keeping in touch with co-workers, new technology is taking communication to a new level.

One such technology is the Immediate Response Information System, also called IRIS. Developed by TechRadium Inc., IRIS is an innovative alert system that sends routine, priority and emergency messages to building occupants, building managers and, if necessary, emergency responders. These voice and text alerts are sent through a variety of frequently used electronic devices: home and cell phones, e-mail accounts, pagers, PDAs and fax machines. IRIS is an affordable communication system because it requires no hardware, software or system installation for setup.

* Use your listening skills. Pay attention so that you do not miss out on important information that you may need to know or discuss with a co-worker or client in the future.

* Spread the word. When you have sensitive or important matters to discuss, don’t hide behind e-mails because the message can be misconstrued. To make sure you get your point across, meet with each party that’s involved or contact them by phone.

Having a wireless network opens up many possibilities.

Wireless networks provide an inexpensive and easy way to share a single Internet connection among several computers. This means you only need one modem, and you can add additional computers to the network just by plugging in a wireless card and turning them on. The new machines are connected to the Internet immediately.

A wireless network also lets you access files and printers from anywhere in your home. It allows you to synchronize files you have on your laptop with your home computer, and you can easily send files between computers as well. Using a wireless network to transfer files is faster than sending them via e-mail or burning them to a CD! Because printers connected to one of the computers on a network are shared by all the computers on that network, you can write documents anywhere in your home, press the print button, and collect the printed files from a printer that is connected to another computer.

If you are a game player, youve probably noticed that your games often have an option to play over a local area network or LAN. Wireless networks are LANs! This means you and your family can play these games together and dont have to be on computers that are next to each other to do so. Lets face it its more fun to play against real people, and its even more fun to play against people you know instead of strangers on the Internet. Your games will also play much faster over your LAN. Additionally, you can connect game consoles to the Internet and begin playing these games online. It is much easier to experience online play through an Xbox or PlayStation 2 that is connected to a wireless network than have to use a modem!

Wireless network connections are always on. This means you can connect to the Internet whenever you want without waiting for your modem to dial in. Laptops can be carried from room to room, and they will always have access to the Internet. Since wireless networks operate without the need to log in, you dont need to set up usernames or passwords.

The single greatest thing about a wireless network is that it is, well, wireless! The biggest reason to have a wireless network is because it eliminates the need for costly, ugly, and dangerous wires trailing all over your house. You can use your computer in any room you want no more being trapped near a phone outlet or walking over that tangle of wires in your home. The cost of getting enough Ethernet cables can add up, and sometimes, you may even have to make holes in your walls to set up a wired network. If youre renting, of course, this is impossible. With a wireless network, you dont have these problems – you can even use your computer outside if you want! And if you move, there is no need to disconnect and pack up all those wires, and you no longer have to examine all the wires for damage whenever your Internet connection goes down.

You can see how having a wireless network can simplify your life.

When geeks gave us the Internet and the means to use it, they also gave us a new segment of vocabulary …

I’ve often thought it a shame that a few of them didn’t make their way to a campus literature or marketing department and see if a student of poetry or sizzle could assist them in assigning names to their innovations. For example, did the manual cursor operator have to be called a ‘mouse?’

Geeks have overtaken sports-speakers when it comes to coining bad phrases. I’ve never understood why basketball types say a player ‘kicks out’ a ball to a teammate on the perimeter when his feet never touch it. Worse yet, I’ve always wondered if a gridiron football player would really want to dive on the ball if the carrier truly ‘coughed it up!’ That bit of literal imagery is more revulsive than handling a mouse. Do these guys really think about what they’re saying?

There is one instance, though, where the geeks thought it through and got it right. ‘Phishing’ is a perfect connotation for cyber-cons who troll for prey.

The word’s spelling distinguishes this nefarious activity from a sporting endeavor, but it’s still a game. The definition that’s been developed for it is “a technique used to gain personal information for purposes of identity theft, using fraudulent e-mail messages that appear to come from legitimate businesses. These authentic-looking messages are designed to fool recipients into divulging personal data such as account numbers and passwords, credit card numbers and Social Security numbers.”

Another term that alludes to the emotive consequences of cyberobbery is the perjorative sense of ‘hacker.’ That bit of etymology seems to be a work in progress. The accepted definition refers to “individuals who gain unauthorized access to computer systems for the purpose of stealing and corrupting data.” However, the added qualifier is, “Hackers, themselves, maintain that the proper term for such individuals is cracker.”

Being hacked or being cracked makes little difference to those on the receiving end. They just know they’ve been had. Understandably, their first impulses are to get mad and want to vent. My contention is that, most of the time, they’re lashing out in the wrong direction. After all, crooks are crooks; that’s their job and they’re out there in numbers. That’s not going to change anytime soon.

These victims need to take a hard look at themselves.

The economics of law enforcement — in cyberspace or elsewhere — limits what can be investigated and prosecuted. Thus, smart spoofers often keep their ‘take’ per scam campaign at levels sufficiently low that the cost of prosecuting them is not viable. Then, they change their coordinates, plus their identities, and do it again.

So, obviously, the most important factor in cyber-diligence is self-precaution. Most steps are basic, as evidenced by the checklist on the USA government’s Federal Trade Commission website:

“If you get an email or pop-up message that asks for personal or financial information, do not reply. And dont click on the link in the message, either. Legitimate companies dont ask for this information via email. If you are concerned about your account, contact the organization mentioned in the email using a telephone number you know to be genuine, or open a new Internet browser session and type in the companys correct Web address yourself. In any case, dont cut and paste the link from the message into your Internet browser phishers can make links look like they go to one place, but that actually send you to a different site.

“Use anti-virus software and a firewall, and keep them up to date. Some phishing emails contain software that can harm your computer or track your activities on the Internet without your knowledge.

“Anti-virus software and a firewall can protect you from inadvertently accepting such unwanted files. Anti-virus software scans incoming communications for troublesome files. Look for anti-virus software that recognizes current viruses as well as older ones; that can effectively reverse the damage; and that updates automatically.

“A firewall helps make you invisible on the Internet and blocks all communications from unauthorized sources. Its especially important to run a firewall if you have a broadband connection. Operating systems (like Windows or Linux) or browsers (like Internet Explorer or Netscape) also may offer free software ‘patches’ to close holes in the system that hackers or phishers could exploit.

“Dont email personal or financial information. Email is not a secure method of transmitting personal information. If you initiate a transaction and want to provide your personal or financial information through an organizations website, look for indicators that the site is secure, like a lock icon on the browsers status bar or a URL for a website that begins ‘https:’ (the ’s’ stands for ’secure’). Unfortunately, no indicator is foolproof; some phishers have forged security icons.

“Review credit card and bank account statements as soon as you receive them to check for unauthorized charges. If your statement is late by more than a couple of days, call your credit card company or bank to confirm your billing address and account balances.

“Be cautious about opening any attachment or downloading any files from emails you receive, regardless of who sent them. These files can contain viruses or other software that can weaken your computers security.

“Forward spam that is phishing for information to spam@uce.gov and to the company, bank, or organization impersonated in the phishing email. Most organizations have information on their websites about where to report problems.

“If you believe youve been scammed, file your complaint at ftc.gov, and then visit the FTCs Identity Theft website at www.consumer.gov/idtheft. Victims of phishing can become victims of identity theft. While you can’t entirely control whether you will become a victim of identity theft, you can take some steps to minimize your risk. If an identity thief is opening credit accounts in your name, these new accounts are likely to show up on your credit report. You may catch an incident early if you order a free copy of your credit report periodically from any of the three major credit bureaus.”

If you use e-currency or e-payment services, be aware that they are usually not liable for any of your losses if you’ve been hacked or cracked due to identity-theft issues. All reputable services have support divisions that investigate any complaints of spoofing — for example, Paypal asks you to mail them at spoof@paypal.com if you receive a suspicious message using their name — and if anyone is going to pursue, or at least keep on file, complaints of any amount, it will be them.

Virtually all e-currency services offer options of ‘virtual’ keyboards for logging in to accounts. They may be a bother, but they are very effective at adding a formidable obstacle for cyber-invasion. Then, whether or not you took this step to access your account, make sure you take the time to actually log out of your account, as opposed to merely clicking away to your next site.

I note that the Longer Life site has two very good preventive products as sponsors, Kaspersky Labs and Identity Guard. They are first-class products and well worth your while to consider.

This stuff doesn’t take long to research or to implement and you don’t have to be a geek to do it. You don’t even have to know their their terminology. Instead, when you’re done, you can confidently refer to a familiar term in both sports and banking:

Safe.

The applications of the Internet continue to expand every day. Big businesses and small businesses, home businesses and other types are beginning to become dependent on their web connections in order to stay afloat and profitable in the competitive world. One glitch in the system in the form of a computer viruses can end up costing any type of business incredible amounts of money in downtime, repairs, and lost opportunities.

As individuals also begin to use the Internet more and more, personal computers are also increasingly prone to attacks from ever-changing viruses and attacks. These viruses are often developed solely with malevolence in mind, with no direct threat intended to the individual impacted by the virus. On the other hand, some viruses are intended to crash a system or to gather information about a specific person. It is essential that you keep your computer safe from attack by these viruses.

The first rule of defense in keeping out harmful computer viruses is to avoid opening attachments from unfamiliar e-mail addresses. This is the most common way that a virus developing miscreant will lull the unsuspecting into downloading a computer-crashing program onto their personal system. These viruses seem able to get into any e-mail server and you must avoid opening the attachment, tempting as it may sound. It is unlikely that anyone has sent you a chance to win a million by finding out your e-mail, so remember that some of the rules of real life apply to cyber space as well: if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

The second major step is to obtain some kind of anti-virus software. These programs are available everywhere, and can be obtained for free through reputable companies like Microsoft or McAfee. All of the computer techs I have ever talked to say that the AVG system available for free is just as good as any other software out there when it comes to virus detection and removal. Another good program is the Norton Anti-Virus. Any software you choose should have a tool which allows you to scan your computer in general, specific programs in particular, and any suspicious documents. It should also allow you to isolate, contain, and remove any viruses found in the scanning.

Scan your entire computer with your software every couple of days, especially if you are a heavy Internet user. New viruses with more cleverly hidden infiltration abilities are appearing every day, and it is imperative to know if you have been affected. Similarly, most anti-virus software will have updates available constantly, and you must take the time to update your program.

Finally, with the amount of software available for other people to damage your computer, you need to be aware when things begin to run in a way they just shouldnt. When your computer shuts off for no reason, is very slow in responding, or experiences other hiccups, it is time to take it in to the pros to get it checked out. Doing so will not only remove any undetected viruses (and even with the best software, there still are some that slip through the cracks), it will also stop the spread to any other people you may contact.

iPhone is an Internet enabled and multimedia mobile phone well designed and marketed by Apple. IPhone has a multi touch screen with buttons and virtual keyboard. The primary function of IPhone includes those of a portable media player and a camera phone with an addition of visual voicemail and text messaging. IPhone also provides Internet services including web browser, e-mail, and WiFi connectivity. IPhone also support EDGE (Enhanced Data Rates for GSM Evolution) data technology. The IPhone was introduced on 29th June07 for the first time in United States, and then in the UK, France, and Germany in Nov07. Initially IPhones are sold only at AT&T network with a Simlock, in place a variety of hackers have found techniques to unbolt the device.

Not only are sure Apple stores annulled the warranty on hacked and not closed IPhones but Apple just freed a statement which says that the unlock process attached with a future IPhone update may ground your phone as a useless brick. Users from installing illegal unlocking program are strongly discouraged by Apple because the enduring incapability to use an IPhone due to fitting or installing unlocking software is not enclosed under the warranty of IPhone. Remember not to update your phone until you are not sure that is safe if you have already unlocked it. Bricking is somewhat done unintentionally, but bricking it entirely is something Apple should really work hard to avoid. They should try to avoid it even if it costs a revenue share from AT&T. The main concern about every user is for the safe advancement or development of Apples that so far have made the IPhone better. IPhone software license agreements are violated by users who make illegal alteration to the software on their IPhones. There is a superior side to all this offered, you can get Apple to make firmware that does not brick IPhones and most press releases also state the feature update through the firmware. This is previously how the Play Station Portable (PSP) firmware updates were made as must haves for owners. Unlocking the IPhone is not practically as appealing or attractive, if it means you dont acquire the advantage of novel features. An excellent thing when you consider that the finest IPhone novelties in the previous few months are the third party hacks, but not the official Apple updates and the web apps.

It has been discovered by Apple that many of the illegal IPhone unlocking programs accessible on the net reason permanent damage to the software of IPhone. This will probably result in the customized IPhone becoming everlastingly terminal when a future IPhone software update Apple-supplied is installed. Apple tactics to let go the next IPhone software update which contains many new features counting the iTunes WiFi Music Store. Apple powerfully disheartens consumers from installing illegal unlocking programs on their IPhones. IPhone is one of the greatest gadgets today which are most popular among the youngsters and businessmen. IPhone have great features with unbelievable results.

Text Messaging: A Necessary Tool For Business And Personal Use

Text messaging, also identified as Short Messaging Service (SMS), is rising up as a trendy form of digital writing. It is rapidly becoming the favorite over e-mail in sending private messages from a computer or cellular phone. Teens along with the hearing impaired have embraced this electronic form of keeping in touch. Even schools are utilizing text messaging as an alternate form of emergency contact.

Rapidly Advancing in the Messaging World

Originally directed at businesses as an additional feature, Short Messaging Service (SMS) has advanced in the United States as an inexpensive plan for long distance or local communication for everyone. SMS is characterized as text messages, giving up to 160 characters in a message to be sent to or from mobile phones. This form of messaging has become a convenient alternative to voice messaging and e-mail because it is private and it means less usage of airtime minutes. Likewise, consumers and businesses utilize text messaging for their personal or professional communication needs. Teenage cellular users have picked up on the texting fad also.

Teens and Text Messaging

What is the ordinary teens preferred writing tool? Well, it sure isnt a pen or a #2 pencil. Believe it or not, its not a computer either. Their favorite composition tool is a cellular phone. Though mass amounts of adults complain about e-mail, instant messaging, and the text messages that sent juvenile fingers dancing over their cell phone keys, numerous experts take a firm stand that teenage authorship is as robust as ever. This proliferation of composition, in all its vexed, hurried contours, has in reality produced a generation more skilled with the scripted word.

American teenagers have been the leaders in worldwide trend setting; and actually were trailing behind when it came to the text-messaging trend. This has been fashionable in Asia and Europe for a few years. Text messaging has presently become a favored form in which American teenagers pass notes to each other. It will thrive, as todays text-grasping teens grow older. The next generation of teens will proceed to use text messaging because it is inexpensive, quick and a discrete way to communicate. Teenagers and adults alike can opt to receive text traffic updates, updates for local weather conditions, breaking news of a favorite pop artist or daily horoscopes. Some sports teams have even begun using SMS to keep in touch with fans.

While attending entertainment events such as an amusement park or concert, you could program your cellular service to alert you when anyone on your buddy list enters your area. Or maybe use the same service to locate your roaming teens in a shopping mall. The service, which is location-based, could alert you when your teen has come within close proximity. In return you would be able to text your teen and arrange a meeting place. Dissimilar from e-mail, a single text message may cost the transmitter as much as 10 cents per message, and receiving the message may likewise cost the recipient a few pennies. Therefore, heavy spamming is not as likely as it is through e-mail. As a result, businesses find it less of a hindrance than e-mail; therefore they have utilized texting for employee reminders of upcoming meetings or audits.

Texting for Businesses

Not very often will you find a business owner perched at his/her desk. They have much to oversee which keeps them busy, allotting little to no time for siphoning through e-mail that is at most times rubbish. With text messaging, employers are able to inform members of their staff of rush orders, emergency meetings just planned or a surprise audit entering the building. A majority of cellular users have their cell phones with them wherever they go. If an employee is not at their desk, a text message is more accessible than e-mail. Text messaging is also a great tool for business owners who employ the hearing impaired and its an efficient method for communication with hearing impaired employees.

Text Messaging Assists the Hearing Impaired

The deaf or hearing impaired has embraced this engineering science rather advantageously. When there is interconnectivity of cellular phone reticulations, users transmit with their phones and are able to reach anyone who has a mobile phone. Text based cellular messaging has staggeringly benefited the hearing or speech impaired. By utilizing text messaging, such people can order take out, invite over company, do research and send or receive messages on their own. Text messaging has been very popular among hearing or speech impaired ensuring that their group of friends extends beyond and does not confine them exclusively to their shared community.

Schools Can Benefit

Text messaging has brought a few benefits to schools as well. Past studies have demonstrated that up to 40% of a school’s phone bill consists of calls to locate absentee students and calls to ascertain substitute teachers at short notice. With many parents off to work, text messaging is a sure way to communicate without the possibility of erased answering machine messages or intercepted calls. The payback on this investment could be a significant growth in student attendance and their parents involvement with the school itself.

Choosing the Right Plan

Virtually, all cellular phone carriers offer a text-messaging plan. Many cell phone carriers offer a potpourri of plans to oblige an individuals or businesses needs. The text messaging plans usually offered by cellular providers can be similar in plans yet differ in cost per message. Text messaging can be included with a particular plan or a consumer can be charged a monthly fee allowing a certain number of text messages without an additional fee.

Text messages are dispatched in a variety of modes; depending on which mobile provider you choose to go with. Cellular phone providers envision you as the cornerstone of their business. It’s a serious benefit for you to acknowledge this before you shop for a cellular phone plan. Cellular service providers require your business to help advance their business, so they will try to romance you with their finest service plans. Choosing a desirable cellular service provider with the most advantageous text-messaging plan may necessitate more than checking out one or two diverse providers and comparing their service plans to your text messaging needs. You may have to check into your own usage as well. For example, how many text messages do you send in a month? While a provider may offer a low rate per message, you may find it less costly to go with a monthly plan or go with a text-messaging plan that is already included with another plan.

For whatever the purpose, text messaging is taking off at high speeds in the communications field. The hearing impaired, parents, teens and businesses alike have all benefited from this electronic form of conversing. It has been a necessary tool in many consumers lives. Text messaging is an inexpensive, timesaving way to keep in touch.