Running older software applications in Vista

One concern for Windows XP users is if their favorite software applications will run once they upgrade to Vista.

Luckily, Windows Vista uses a feature called Compatibility Mode which tells the software application that Vista is actually an older OS, specifically Windows 95, 98, Me, NT, 2000, or XP.

Here's how it works:

If your software application won't install, open or work properly, right click on the application's .exe file. Select Properties and then click the Compatibility tab. From there, pick the previous Windows operating system you were on (most likely Windows XP). If you're a system operator, you can set this up as an administrator to make it easier for your staff.

Information in this tip courtesy of McGraw-Hill

Which version of Vista should you go for?

It depends. For home users the choice should be between Home Premium and Ultimate (I discount Home Basic--it's simply not worth the money). Ultimate offers far better network and file sharing management, so if either of these appeal to you, Ultimate is the one to go for.

Business users (I'm thinking here specifically of SOHO users) can choose between Business and Ultimate. If you want to be able to handle media files, I suggest forking for Ultimate, otherwise Business will do.

The information in this tip originally appeared in the Windows Vista Basics online class discussion and in Adrian's Windows Vista Upgrade FAQ on ZDNet.

How much do different versions of Vista cost?

Here are the recommended retail prices:

Full ($)	Upgrade ($)
Home Basic	199	99
Home Premium	239	159
Business	299	199
Ultimate	399	259

You can probably find prices that are a little lower than this, but be careful: Pirated versions of Vista are all over the place and as good as the price could be, you'll probably end up having to pay again for a legit version.

Vista upgrade paths from previous versions

What are the upgrade paths for Vista from previous versions of Windows?

Depending on your current operating system, you might be able to do an in-place upgrade (IPU) to Windows Vista, or you could have to carry out a clean install (CI). The table below explains the options open to you based on your existing operating system.

From/To	Home Basic	Home Premium	Business	Ultimate
XP Pro	CI	CI	IPU	IPU
XP Home	IPU	IPU	IPU	IPU
XP Media	CI	IPU	CI	IPU
XP Tablet	CI	CI	IPU	IPU
XP Pro 64	CI	CI	CI	CI
Win 2000	CI	CI	CI	CI

Get cool gadgets on your Vista screen

In this tip you’ll learn how to add and configure gadgets using the Windows Vista Sidebar. The Sidebar occupies the right or left end of your screen and serves up a clock, calendar, newsreader, weather gauge, and other useful items called “gadgets." You can add, remove, and reorganize these mini-applications or gadgets as you please to create exactly the Sidebar you want. Here’s how.

First, decide if you want the Sidebar to be a permanent fixture on the desktop or something that stays hidden until you mouse over to the side of your screen. Right-click an unoccupied area of the Sidebar, choose Properties, and then check or uncheck “Sidebar is always on top of other windows.” (This is also where you decide if the Sidebar should occupy the right or left side of the screen.)

The Windows Vista Sidebar, displayed on the right side of the desktop.

To remove any of the existing gadgets from the Sidebar, mouse over it, then click the little close-application x in the corner. To change the settings for a gadget, click the little wrench instead. You can also drag and drop a gadget to a different location on the Sidebar, or drag it off the Sidebar altogether and position it somewhere else on your desktop.

To add gadgets to the Sidebar, click the plus sign at the top of it. You’ll see a dozen or so choices; drag any of them to the Sidebar. However, there are hundreds more available online. Here’s a partial list:

• Live Clock

• Amazon Search

• iTunes Songs

• Pong

• WeatherBug

• Hangman

• Video Player for YouTube

• Bible verse of the day

• Google Searcher

• HTML Sandbox

Click the “Get more gadgets online” link to see a complete list. There are literally hundreds of gadgets from categories including fun and games, search tools, security, and more. These aren’t drag-and-drop additions, however; you’ll have to download and install them first. Fortunately, most gadgets cost nothing.

Internet Explorer 7’s search tool is no longer limited to Microsoft’s search engine. Now you can use it with Google, Yahoo, eBay, Wikipedia, and many

What you'll need:
• Windows Vista: Any version
• Internet connection

Step 1: Create a user account for your child
Parental controls are computer settings that are applied to a user account. As such, you should have a password-protected user account on your Vista computer, but your child should have his or her own account. This way, you can apply the controls to his or her account without placing restrictions on your account. The good news is you can create a user account for your child quickly and easily.

Open User Accounts
Click Start | Control Panel. In Control Panel, click the Add or Remove User Accounts link under the User Accounts and Family Safety section.

The User Accounts interface opens. You'll see the account you created when you installed Windows and a Guest account, which is probably turned off. Notice the Create a New Account link. Click this link to create the new account for your child.

Create the new user account
In the window that appears, you can create the new user account for your child. First, give the account a name. Since your child will be logging onto the computer using this account, just name the account your child's name (or a nickname, if you prefer). By default, the Standard user button is selected. This setting is a restricted setting that allows the user to access software and even change system settings that do not affect the security of the computer. On the other hand, you have an Administrator option which essentially gives the user the ability to change settings that affect every user and the computer's security. You should never give your child Administrator privileges, so keep the Standard user button selected. Click the Create Account button.

You now see the new account appear in the User Accounts window. Click your child's new account. You now see the option to make changes to the user account, such as creating a password, changing the picture, and such. For younger children, you may wish to skip creating a password; that way, they can simply click their user names when they start Windows. Older children may want passwords to ensure some sense of privacy.

Step 2: Setting up parental controls
Now that you have your child's user account created, you can set up parental controls for that child. Click Start | Control Panel. Under the User Accounts and Family Safety option, click Set Up Parental Controls for any user. In the window that appears, click your child's user account to set up the controls. This opens the parental controls window for that user.

To begin the process, first turn on parental controls by clicking the On radio button. You can now configure some different Windows settings that will control what your child can and can't do, as you can see in the Windows Settings area of the screen.

Configure the Windows Web filter
The first control area you can configure is the Windows Vista Web filter. This control enables you to place restrictions on Internet usage. Click the Windows Vista Web Filter option to open the Web filter window.

Here's how you configure the Web filter:

• The first two buttons allow you to block some Web content or not. If you choose the "allow" option, the Internet is an open book for your child. So, keep the default setting to block some Web sites or content selected.

• In the next section, you can choose to allow or block specific Web sites or allow only the Web sites that are on the allow list. Edit the Allow or block list, enter the sites, and then click the "Only allow Web sites which are on the allow list" check box. Now, the Internet is completely locked down to only these sites, preventing your child from stumbling onto another Web page. Depending on your child's age, you may want to take this highly controlled approach.

• In the Block Web Content Automatically section, you can choose a restriction level for your child. The High or Medium setting is typically best, depending on your child's age. You can click each radio button here and read a summary of what is blocked. You might also want to click the "How does the Web filter work" link to read a summary. Note that if you choose to allow only Web sites that are on the Allow list, this entire section is unavailable to you because site access is completely controlled by the Allow list.

• The last setting you can enable is the Block File Downloads option. This feature stops the ability to download any files from the Internet. For younger children, this is a good setting to enable because it prevents the possible download of information you may not want to them to have.

Control time limits
The next setting you can configure in the parental controls window is time limits. If you click the option, you see a calendar where you can control when your child is allowed to use the computer. You can use this feature to restrict your child from using the Internet during times when you are not home to supervise, or in the middle of the night for an older child or teen. Simply click and drag to turn the desired hours and days blue in order to block these times. White areas mean the time and day is available, while blue areas are blocked. If you make a mistake or decide to change the time limits later, just click the blue areas to turn them white again.

Control games your child can play
If you click the Games option on the Parental Controls window, you see a window that allows or disallows game playing with controls to set game ratings and allow or block specific games on your computer.

If you enable game playing, you can click the Set Game Rating option and choose to block all games that do not have a rating (recommended), and then choose the level of game rating that is allowed, such as early childhood, everyone, everyone 10 and older, teen, and so forth. Simply read the summary of the rating level, determine which setting is best for your child, and then choose the appropriate radio button, as you can see in the following illustration. If you scroll down the window, you can also enable a number of check box options that block certain kinds of content, even if the game has an allowed rating. For example, you can block the ability to play the game online, as well as block blood and gore, crude humor, and such. Simply click the check box to enable the desired controls.

You can also choose the option to allow or block specific games on the primary games window. Clicking this option opens another window where you can see the games installed on your computer. Here, you can simply choose to use the user rating (this option is selected by default for all installed games), or you can choose to always allow or always block certain games. Make your selections and click OK.

Allow or block specific programs
The final setting you can enable in parental controls is to allow or block specific programs installed on your computer. Maybe you have programs installed that you do not want your children to use for various reasons. Click the option in parental controls, and then choose the radio button that appears allows your child to only access the programs you have selected. Click OK.

You'll then see a listing of all programs installed on your computer. You need to click the check boxes of the programs that you want your child to be able to use. All programs not checked are automatically blocked, as you can see in the following illustration. Make your selections, then click OK.

Step 3: View your child's activity report
If you open parental controls for your child's user account, you'll see an option to view your child's activity report. This feature is very helpful because you can simply review on a periodic basis what your child is doing on the computer, rather than having to constantly look over your child's shoulder. This report feature enables you to see what your child has done on the Internet, what system changes have been made; applications that have been used; games they've played; e-mail that has been received and sent, as well as contacts changes; instant messaging activities; media viewed; and even general system changes. Simply click the report option, then use the categories on the left side of the window to see your child's activity.

Quick-search the Web with IE 7

Internet Explorer 7’s search tool is no longer limited to Microsoft’s search engine. Now you can use it with Google, Yahoo, eBay, Wikipedia, and many others. To do this:

• Click the down arrow labeled Search Options, which is located at the right of the search box’s magnifying glass in the upper right corner of the screen.

• Click Find More Providers, and then choose the one(s) you want.

When the time comes to actually conduct a search, click the Search Options arrow again and select the engine you want from the pull-down list.

PC deep sleep with Vista

By Jamison Cush

Vista may do a better job at conserving energy when you set your PC to hibernate.

In Windows XP, when you set your PC to hibernate, some applications and hardware devices could override the hibernation command and continue to run (e.g virus scan or DVD burners). However, in Windows Vista, your PC will no longer allow applications and hardware to override your hibernate and "stay up late." They will be warned when the computer is about to catch some zzzs, and will have a second to save their progress. So, when you tell a Vista PC to go to bed, it actually listens.

Browsing with tabs in IE 7

With Microsoft Vista, Internet Explorer 7 is the stock Web browser–and that’s a good thing. Let’s take a look at a few of its more noteworthy new features. First and foremost, IE now offers tabs, meaning you can load multiple Web sites within a single IE window.

1. To open a new tab, click the empty tab or press Ctrl-T, then click one of your Favorites or type in a Web address.
   
2. To switch between tabs, just click the one you want. You can also press Ctrl-Tab to cycle between them.
   
3. Click the Quick Tabs tab to see thumbnails of all your open tabs. You can even drag and drop tabs if you want to change their order.

The information in this tip originally appeared in the Windows Vista Basics online class.

Sign up for RSS feeds in IE 7

Microsoft’s Internet Explorer 7 browser has built-in support for RSS feeds. If you regularly visit news sites and blogs, you’ll appreciate IE’s new RSS feed reader. RSS stands for Really Simple Syndication, the method used to subscribe to sites that regularly post new items and information.

While viewing such a site, look for the orange RSS icon in the toolbar and click it. You’ll see a preview of the site’s feed and an option to subscribe.

To access your subscriptions, press Ctrl-Shift-J to open IE’s Favorites Center; click a feed to see the latest posts from that site.

The information in this tip originally appeared in the Windows Vista Basics online class.

Make the most of the Windows XP Tablet OS

By Don Lipper


Not every tablet runs on Windows XP Tablet PC Edition (the Fujitsu LifeBook P1510D, for example, offers Windows XP Professional as an option), but the vast majority do. Take the time now to become familiar with the basics of the OS, and you'll see huge productivity dividends in the long run.

Get help
Even if you think manuals and help menus are for sissies, realize that Windows XP Tablet PC Edition has a slight learning curve, and each tablet has additional manufacturer-specific software that works with (and sometimes fights against) the operating system. Spending a little time with the system's support center can get you up and running quickly. Go to Start > Help And Support, then select "Welcome to Tablet PC." Spend a few minutes going through the tutorials, especially the one for the Tablet PC Input Panel, the main handwriting interface--it's not entirely intuitive on the first try. Once you've gone through the tutorials, go back to the Help and Support Center and choose "Customizing your tablet computer" to set up your dream machine exactly the way you want it. (This is especially useful if you're a southpaw or have hand/eye coordination issues.) Finally, you'll want to check out the add-on software your tablet's manufacturer included, some of which may fill functionality gaps in the OS. For example, our Fujitsu LifeBook T4020 included audio sensitivity software to configure the microphone to pick up voices in a large auditorium or a crowded meeting room.

Explore Windows Journal
Windows Journal, which is included in the Windows XP Tablet OS, is one of the top killer apps for tablets. It lets you take and organize handwritten notes, but even better, it lets you annotate a Web page, document, spreadsheet, presentation, or PDF by hand. For example, let's say your team sends you a PDF draft of your next company newsletter, and you want to suggest some edits. First, open the document in its native application, in this case Acrobat Reader. Then print the document to Journal Note Writer. (Every tablet PC has this as one of its installed printers.) The document will open automatically in Windows Journal. Whip out the stylus, select thick red from the pen menu, and edit that puppy until it looks like it came from Picasso's red period. Your team will be able to see your edits even if they aren't working on tablets (as long as they have the free Windows Journal Viewer installed or you save the file as a Web page).

Improve your handwriting
The next version of the Windows XP Tablet OS will let you "train" your tablet to recognize your handwriting. Until then, here are a few tips on how to optimize your penmanship:

• In the Control Panel, choose "Tablet and pen settings." Make adjustments to help the tablet recognize the way you write (for instance, if you are left-handed or right-handed).
• Instead of the standard Tablet Input Panel's Writing Pad, try using the Character Pad, which forces you to write each letter in a defined space. With this interface, you can see which letters the tablet is misinterpreting and fix the individual letter instead of the whole word.
• Download the free Dictionary Tool Power Toy, which customizes your Tablet PC's dictionary to your handwriting. This is especially useful if your industry uses a specialized vocabulary.

Change your Zune's output settings for use with the DLO HomeDock

By Jasmine France

n order to view your Zune's menus and photo and video content on your TV screen, you need to adjust the Zune's settings. From the main menu, scroll down to Settings by pressing down on the control pad. Hit the center button to select. Then scroll down until Display is highlighted; hit the center button to select. Last, scroll down until TV Out is highlighted and hit the center button to change the setting from "off" to "on." Now you're ready to use the Zune with the DLO HomeDock.

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Wi-Fi security on the road

By Kathie Kingsley-Hughes

Wi-Fi makes your computer's resources available to users around you. On your home network you may not be too bothered about this, but outside the home this is an important consideration. Here's how to keep your system secure while on the road:

• Make sure each PC has up-to-date antivirus and firewall software.

• Always carefully consider whether important personal or work information should be stored on a laptop, as they are particularly vulnerable to theft.

• Secure any personal information, banking or credit card details. Software such as Password Safe (available free to download) will encrypt all passwords so you need remember only one password.

• If you’re using a wireless laptop to connect away from home, such as a Wi-Fi access point, you may find that you’ll see a lot more computers in your workgroup because everyone is running under the default name ‘MSHOME.' Remember anyone else would be able to see your shared documents, so changing your workgroup will keep out the curious and the opportunists, but it won’t keep out the determined, so you may wish to remove documents from your shared documents before going out!

driver for windows vista

oes anybody know where i can find a driver so i can instalmy polaroidpdc 3030 in windows vista operating system????? urgent.....

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Which is worse: Spyware or adware?

By Seamus Condron

Spyware is malicious, but adware, from an IT support standpoint, is no picnic either. At least a few times a week I will get a call from an often cranky user complaining about system crashes and overall slowness of their workstation. They usually ask for either more memory or a new computer, not having the slightest idea why they think they need those things.

About 99.9% of the time, I immediately see a wide array of shopping toolbars, animated mouse pointers, and a plethora of other intrusive items on their machine. Of course, the user has no idea where they came from, but they’re happy again once their CPU usage isn’t at a nearly constant 80-plus percent.

So, spyware in the end does the most damage, but adware comes very close in my book, primarily because even though it’s completely visible, the average end user has no idea that it’s doing anything bad. They just like visiting the sites that distribute it.

Although I think there are currently better spy/adware removal tools than Microsoft Windows Defender, I am extremely happy that this program is integrated into all versions of Windows Vista.

Running Windows Vista

By Rich Brown

This system has integrated graphics, and its default memory configuration only gives you 1GB of 533MHz DDR2 SDRAM. To run Windows Vista smoothly, you'll want to upgrade to 2GB to make up for the weak graphics chip. You might be able to get the store you purchase this system from to make that upgrade for you at the time of purchase, or you can make the upgrade yourself. It will add to the cost, but if you plan to upgrade to Windows Vista, all recommendations we've heard are that the performance benefits will be worth it.

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Trim business costs with Web conferencing

Web conferencing is a cost-saving alternative to traditional face-to-face business meetings that often require travel and all it entails: crowded airports, tedious security checkpoints, overpriced hotels, and surly cabbies. With Web conferencing software and a broadband Internet connection, you and your associates can conduct online meetings with audio and video, slide-show presentations with animations, text chat, and other essentials.

Per-per-use

For one-time-only meetings, try a pay-per-use service. WebEx, for instance, offers a 33-cents-per-minute, per-user plan, and Citrix has a $49-per-month plan for unlimited meetings. Keep in mind, however, that audio conferencing often costs extra. One WebEx plan, for instance, provides an optional toll-free number for attendees to call, but it costs 20 cents per minute, per participant. For longer meetings with a dozen or so attendees, that can get pricey in a hurry.

Use VoIP Internet Audio

VoIP audio can help keep costs down. Microsoft Live Meeting 2005, for instance, offers a one-way, Internet Audio Broadcast feature that lets you stream audio to other participants. This is useful for conference calls and training sessions with dozens or even hundreds of attendees that don’t require two-way audio. When attendees have a question, they can ask it via text chat.

The information in this tip originally appeared in the Web Conference Basics online class.

Five simple surround-sound tips

1. No room is too small for surround sound.
   
2. A surround system doesn’t have to be big to be effective.
   
3. A good sound system can make the difference between a mediocre home theater system and one that’s top-notch. [Speakers, receiver matching placements, and room acoustics] may be a pain to learn, but if you take the time when purchasing and installing your sound system, you’ll find that the payoff is definitely worth it.
   
4. A surround system can be enjoyed even when played at volumes that don’t blow the neighbors away.
5. You might be surprised at the difference surround sound can make in a sports telecast

Know your options for integrating a PC into your home theater

By Dan Ackerman

You traded those VHS tapes for DVDs years ago, but now everyone's talking about digital video recorders (DVRs) and using TiVo as a verb. If you want to start time shifting--which means pausing and rewinding live TV, fast-forwarding through commercials, and watching this week's episode of Lost next week, for example--getting a DVR-capable cable box from your satellite or cable company or springing for a TiVo is probably the easiest way to go.

Set-top boxes like that are great, but if you want to avoid subscription fees and wield more control over your favorite movies and TV shows, a home-theater PC is the answer. While TiVo begins and ends with recording TV, and it does a fine job with that task, adding a PC to your home theater lets you access media files--from digital photos to videos to MP3s--all from the comfort of your couch (almost any Media Center PC comes bundled with a Media Center remote). And while it's true that some set-top DVRs include a DVD-recordable drive for archiving your favorite shows, those units cost almost as much as a new home-theater PC.

Mixing a PC into your home theater is starting to sound good, right? You're not alone. More and more companies have started selling living room-friendly systems. They look less like a standard midtower PC and more like a high-end home-theater component, and most run nearly silently and use Microsoft's Media Center OS.

Your home-theater PC options, as we see them:

1. Buy a new PC from your favorite manufacturer or electronics retailer. Get one with the Media Center version of Windows XP on it and make sure it has a TV tuner card for capturing signals from your cable or satellite box, and you're all set. If you have room in your home-theater setup to accommodate a standard midtower chassis, we've seen some fairly low-end PCs that are more than up to the task. For a more camouflaged look, either of these component-style systems comes highly recommended. In either case, you don't need to spend obscene amounts unless you also want your Media Center PC to serve as a gaming rig. Today's 3D games require high-end graphics, a powerful processor, and ample memory. Just recording and displaying TV isn't nearly as demanding, so you can get away with a middle-of-the-road configuration.
2. Upgrade your current PC or an older computer you have lying around. You may have heard that you can get the Media Center version of Windows XP only preinstalled on a new machine, but that's a classic computing urban myth. In fact, almost any computer-supply retailer will be happy to sell you a stand-alone copy of the OS, with Microsoft's full approval. The OS will come as part of a hardware bundle, most likely with a TV tuner card, which you'll need anyway. This involves the potentially scary step of opening your computer's case and plugging in the card, plus installing a new operating system, but it's nothing too challenging for the average user.
3. If you want to avoid the hassle of upgrading to a new operating system, there are plenty of third-party apps out there, ranging from free to a hundred bucks or so, that can handle all the same chores as the Media Center OS. Add a TV tuner card and remote control, and you have a Microsoft-free solution for your home-theater PC. For more on these DVR apps, direct your attention to tip 3 of this story.

Top 6 Web conferencing products

Let's examine some of the top Web conferencing service providers, and discuss which product might be best for your needs. There are at least half a dozen conferencing products, including:

• Citrix GoToMeeting

• Conferral

• Adobe Acrobat Connect Professional (formerly called Macromedia Breeze)

• Microsoft Live Meeting

• Raindance Meeting Edition

• WebEx Meeting Center

Which is best for you? Ease of use matters the most, of course, but price and features are important too.

For simple meetings–say, a PowerPoint demo with text chat and audio conferencing–each of the six products listed above fills the bill. Interfaces do vary, however, and simpler is always better. Remember that Web conferencing is still a newfangled thing to many people, and there’s a good chance your attendees haven’t used it before. Or if they have, they may have used a different program–Live Meeting rather than WebEx, for instance.

Which is best? For idiot-proof simplicity, you can’t beat Citrix GoToMeeting which provides clearly-labeled icons and buttons and pop-up boxes with simple instructions.

At the high end, WebEx has the best overall package of goodies, including gee-whiz features like multi-point videoconferencing. What’s that? WebEx attendees can view thumbnail video windows of up to four participants at once. If you’ve ever watched The Brady Bunch, you get the idea.

The information in this tip originally appeared in the Web Conference Basics online class.

Six quick home-theater buying tips

By Brian Fenton

1. The types of connections needed are usually the most important factor when choosing any home-theater equipment. You might find it useful to write down the connectors you have on your home-theater gear so you can’t forget when you’re shopping. Perhaps more important, keep in mind the connections on the gear you’re hoping to buy in the future.


2. What ‘HD Ready’ means: “HD Ready” isn’t an official term, but it’s not really a lot of sales bull, either. It does, however, mean that no tuner is included with the TV.


3. Concerned that images will appear fuzzy as screen size increases? Don’t forget that high-def images let you sit closer to the screen. [The resolution is higher, so images remain in sharp focus.]


4. You’ll definitely want a digital/high-def cable box. You’ll want connections to handle every programming source you currently have and every source you think you’ll eventually want. There’s no such thing as having too many inputs.


5. New TV sets are required to include ATSC tuners and should be able to receive HDTV signals if they’re in a good signal location and have a good antenna.


6. Over-the-air digital broadcasts: You should currently have digital broadcasts available over the air. Check AntennaWeb.org to see what programming is available in your area.

Is it safe to leave a network unsecured

Whether you can safely exist with an unsecured network will depend primarily on where you live (or where you’re operating your network). Only if you live miles from anyone else and far from the road can you begin to feel secure running a network without encryption.

Even then, you will need to consider who may have access to your house that you don’t want to have access to your files. Think house guests, teenagers’ friends, cleaners, construction workers, etc. If you never have anyone in your home, then it may be OK.

But it’s still safer to secure it. Better safe than sorry!

Build your own speaker stands for your home theater

By Brett D. McLaughlin

One of the most common do-it-yourself projects is building speaker stands. Almost everyone needs them, you can make them cheaply, and they are a great starter project.

Many home-theater systems use bookshelf speakers for left and right main channels. Bookshelf speakers require stands to get them to the right height. With store-bought stands, you'll probably find that one stand sits your speakers down too low, another raises them up too high, and the only stand that does work sports a ghastly price tag that makes you gasp. This is a perfect place to add some DIY know-how and get a perfect fit.

Basic bookshelf speaker stands
First, measure the footprint of your speakers, which is just the width and depth of the bottom of the speaker. You usually want to match that pretty closely with your stand; too much excess and the stand looks like it was made for larger speakers (and we don't want that!). The stand tops shown in figure 1 are 8 inches wide and 8 inches deep. These stands are about as simple as you can get and still look good.

Figure 1. Basic speaker stands

Once you've measured the base of your speakers, obtain some 3/4-inch thick, medium-density fiberboard (MDF). Cut two rectangles to your speaker measurements, then cut two more squares slightly bigger (for example, cut two squares 8 by 8 inches, and two more 10 by 10 inches). The smaller squares are for the speaker base and the larger ones are for the stand base.

Next, cut four longer rectangles; these should be about 2 inches less deep than your speaker base. So, if you have a top plate that is 8 inches deep, these rectangles should be 6 inches deep. To obtain the height, you'll need to know how high you want your speaker to sit. Then, just subtract 1 inch and cut to length.

The top and base of your stand actually total 1 1/2 inches in height, but assume 1/2 inch of settling, especially if you have carpet. In fact, if you have really thick carpet, you might want to assume even more. So, these might be 6 inches deep and 30 inches wide (for example). Two of these become the connectors for one stand and two for the other.

At this point, if you're able, bevel the long edges of the connectors. You also should round all four edges of the tops and bases. This will add a polished, classy look to your stands and allow the base of the stands to sit more firmly on the floor.

With the rounded sides up on both the top and bottom plates, the two long pieces should be evenly spaced, centered, then angled slightly (see figure 1 as a reference). Now, glue and nail in place. All that's left is to paint the stands; prime first, then lay on a couple of good coats of black or whatever color you prefer.

Sturdier stands for heavier speakers
If you have heavier speakers, you might want a sturdier design. This design also works well if you need your speakers quite high; the basic stand sometimes looks a little wobbly as the connector pieces get really lengthy. The basic procedure is similar, with just a few twists for stability.

First, I'll assume you have larger speakers. For this job, mine had a footprint of 16 by 10 inches, so my tops were a bit larger than in the basic stand. Again, round the tops. The base follows the same process; in this case, my bases were 18 by 12 inches, also rounded. Instead of long connector pieces, though, I made a square box out of MDF (3/4-inch thickness is fine). This box was half the depth of the top--in this example, 5 inches--and the height was calculated as shown in the basic stand section. For a nice look, the edges of the box should be sanded slightly round, to look less...well...boxy.

Glue and nail this box to the base of your speaker; I set mine in the shape of a diamond for a bit more visual interest (see figure 2).

Figure 2. Sturdier speaker stands

Now glue and nail on the top. Before you finish up and paint, though, drill a hole in the center of the top plate, which opens into the box that acts as a support. Now prime and paint. However, before putting these stands into action, fill the box support with sand. This really solidifies these stands, allow them to hold heavier speakers and look more substantial.

Costs involved
Believe it or not, it cost me only about 30 bucks to make all four stands. Online, similar stands ran from $30 a pair (on the low end; and this is only for two) to hundreds of dollars in higher-end shops. Clearly, this is a no-brainer way to get into DIY and save some bucks. Also, don't be afraid to get creative. If you don't have a lot of tools, find materials you can work with that require only simple tools. Buy premade shelves and have the hardware store cut them to the sizes you need. Substitute threaded rode (the line you see attached to the anchors of small boats) or PVC pipe for the center supports. Add door or corner moldings to get a different look. Whatever you can come up with that gets the job done and saves you money will make your project successful.

Build your own speaker stands for your home theater

By Brett D. McLaughlin

One of the most common do-it-yourself projects is building speaker stands. Almost everyone needs them, you can make them cheaply, and they are a great starter project.

Many home-theater systems use bookshelf speakers for left and right main channels. Bookshelf speakers require stands to get them to the right height. With store-bought stands, you'll probably find that one stand sits your speakers down too low, another raises them up too high, and the only stand that does work sports a ghastly price tag that makes you gasp. This is a perfect place to add some DIY know-how and get a perfect fit.

Basic bookshelf speaker stands
First, measure the footprint of your speakers, which is just the width and depth of the bottom of the speaker. You usually want to match that pretty closely with your stand; too much excess and the stand looks like it was made for larger speakers (and we don't want that!). The stand tops shown in figure 1 are 8 inches wide and 8 inches deep. These stands are about as simple as you can get and still look good.

Figure 1. Basic speaker stands

Once you've measured the base of your speakers, obtain some 3/4-inch thick, medium-density fiberboard (MDF). Cut two rectangles to your speaker measurements, then cut two more squares slightly bigger (for example, cut two squares 8 by 8 inches, and two more 10 by 10 inches). The smaller squares are for the speaker base and the larger ones are for the stand base.

Next, cut four longer rectangles; these should be about 2 inches less deep than your speaker base. So, if you have a top plate that is 8 inches deep, these rectangles should be 6 inches deep. To obtain the height, you'll need to know how high you want your speaker to sit. Then, just subtract 1 inch and cut to length.

The top and base of your stand actually total 1 1/2 inches in height, but assume 1/2 inch of settling, especially if you have carpet. In fact, if you have really thick carpet, you might want to assume even more. So, these might be 6 inches deep and 30 inches wide (for example). Two of these become the connectors for one stand and two for the other.

At this point, if you're able, bevel the long edges of the connectors. You also should round all four edges of the tops and bases. This will add a polished, classy look to your stands and allow the base of the stands to sit more firmly on the floor.

With the rounded sides up on both the top and bottom plates, the two long pieces should be evenly spaced, centered, then angled slightly (see figure 1 as a reference). Now, glue and nail in place. All that's left is to paint the stands; prime first, then lay on a couple of good coats of black or whatever color you prefer.

Sturdier stands for heavier speakers
If you have heavier speakers, you might want a sturdier design. This design also works well if you need your speakers quite high; the basic stand sometimes looks a little wobbly as the connector pieces get really lengthy. The basic procedure is similar, with just a few twists for stability.

First, I'll assume you have larger speakers. For this job, mine had a footprint of 16 by 10 inches, so my tops were a bit larger than in the basic stand. Again, round the tops. The base follows the same process; in this case, my bases were 18 by 12 inches, also rounded. Instead of long connector pieces, though, I made a square box out of MDF (3/4-inch thickness is fine). This box was half the depth of the top--in this example, 5 inches--and the height was calculated as shown in the basic stand section. For a nice look, the edges of the box should be sanded slightly round, to look less...well...boxy.

Glue and nail this box to the base of your speaker; I set mine in the shape of a diamond for a bit more visual interest (see figure 2).

Figure 2. Sturdier speaker stands

Now glue and nail on the top. Before you finish up and paint, though, drill a hole in the center of the top plate, which opens into the box that acts as a support. Now prime and paint. However, before putting these stands into action, fill the box support with sand. This really solidifies these stands, allow them to hold heavier speakers and look more substantial.

Costs involved
Believe it or not, it cost me only about 30 bucks to make all four stands. Online, similar stands ran from $30 a pair (on the low end; and this is only for two) to hundreds of dollars in higher-end shops. Clearly, this is a no-brainer way to get into DIY and save some bucks. Also, don't be afraid to get creative. If you don't have a lot of tools, find materials you can work with that require only simple tools. Buy premade shelves and have the hardware store cut them to the sizes you need. Substitute threaded rode (the line you see attached to the anchors of small boats) or PVC pipe for the center supports. Add door or corner moldings to get a different look. Whatever you can come up with that gets the job done and saves you money will make your project successful.

Set up wireless file and printer sharing

By Kathie Kingsley-Hughes

Here’s how to set up file and printer sharing on a wireless network so that these shared resources can be available to all printers on the network.

This lesson pertains primarily to Windows XP. For other versions of Windows, click here. For Mac instructions, click here.

How to set up printer sharing

Go to the PC the printer is plugged into and open Control Panel > Printers and other Hardware > View installed printers or fax printers, and click on your printer. From there open the Printer menu and click on Sharing. From there click Share this printer, then click OK.

How to add a network printer

Do the following on each of the other PCs on your network: open Control Panel > Printers and Faxes and click Add a printer. This will take you into a wizard to find the printer you shared previously. Click Next until you are at the Local or Network Printer page. Select ‘A network printer or a printer attached to another computer, and click Next. Now click Browse for a printer’ and click Next. This will display your workgroup, the PCs connected to it and any printers that are attached to them. Click on the one you shared earlier and click Next. This should install the driver automatically. If not, you may need to get the CD that came with the printer. Now click Yes for that to be the default printer for this PC (or no if it already has one attached). Click Finish.

Troubleshooting

Both this PC and the one it’s attached to might need a reboot. If you’re not seeing the PC it’s attached to, double-check that all PCs have the same network name. (Control Panel > Performance & Maintenance > See basic information about your computer. From there click on Computer Name. Your workgroup is displayed.) If you’re not seeing the printer, make sure it’s switched on. If it still doesn’t work, you may need to install the printer driver using the CD.

Glossary

Here are a few glossary words which will help you:

Workgroup name: This is the name of your network if you like. By default Windows XP will call your workgroup MSHOME, but you can change this as long as all the PCs on your network have the same workgroup name. (To see the computers in your network, click My Computer and choose Network Places from the bar on the left side. From there click View Workgroup Computers.)

Permissions: If you are a more advanced user you may prefer to set up file permissions. These are sharing rules that can be set for each folder that use the system of Windows usernames and passwords (if you don’t type in a password when you switch on, you probably won’t know what I mean, so to learn about user accounts go to Control Panel, then Users, and look under Learn about on the left.) Unless you’re a confident Windows user (and you like reading through the help documents!) it’s probably best to stick to simple file sharing.

Network printer: A printer that is shared among computers on a network. It is physically attached to one of the PCs, which must be switched on for anyone to use the printer.

Choose your front end when integrating a PC into your home theater

By Dan Ackerman

Once your computer and your display are getting along, you can start figuring out how to build and manage your library of digital media.

With Windows XP Media Center Edition, Microsoft has built a very functional package for keeping track of all your media files, plus DVR recording, that's easy enough for novices to use. A sizable percentage of new PCs come with the Media Center version of Windows by default; it looks just like regular Windows XP until you switch into the Media Center view. Even if your new PC doesn't have a TV tuner card, it's still useful for photos and music and video files, plus it has big menu icons that are easy to use and can be seen from 10 feet away on the living-room couch.

If you want to record TV without the Media Center operating system, similar products on the market can do the job. SnapStream's Beyond TV comes bundled with many TV tuner cards, so if you're building a home theater or upgrading a machine you already own, you might end up with a copy by default. Add the Beyond Media program for organizing photo, music, and other media files, and it does pretty much everything Microsoft Media Center does. Beyond TV doesn't support every TV tuner card on the market, so check the hardware specs first.

Meedio offers several interconnected programs that can control your music, photos, and videos--even your lights and household appliances. MeedioTV is its DVR program, and it'll grab the local program guide for your cable or satellite signal and record shows. If you want just DVR functionality, that's one way to go. Or, you can get one of Meedio's software bundles, such as Meedio Pro, for the full media library experience.

If you have no interest in recording TV programs, you can even use programs such as Windows Media Player, iTunes, and PowerDVD to manage your preexisting media library using software you already have. Whichever option you choose, make sure to include plenty of hard disk space; once you start recording TV shows or showing off vacation videos on a plasma TV, you'll find it hard to stop.

TV screens: Comparing 720p vs. 1080p

By Brian Fenton

At what size screen can one notice the difference between 720P vs. 1080p?

Screen size isn’t the only thing that determines whether you can distinguish a 720p from a 1080p image. The distance you sit from the screen also comes into play. For example, with a 50-inch display, you’d have to sit less than 10 feet from the screen to hope to notice a difference. So, in general, it’s not likely to be an important issue in your home theater unless you’re using a front projector.

Differences can also arise when the original source is in one format and converted for display in another.

Current programming sources available in 1080p include HD-DVD and Blu-ray Disc. What comes next? Probably, eventually, 1440p, 2160p, and 4320p. But I certainly wouldn’t base ANY buying decision on availability.

See related tip: Why spend more for a 1080p TV?


The information in this tip originally appeared in the HDTV 101 online class discussion.

HDTV mood lighting

By Jamison Cush

Everyone wants the movie theater experience at home, and the best way to achieve that is through controlled lighting. You may be tempted to watch movies in complete darkness, but unless you have a big-screen projector or are sitting at the minimum optimal viewing distance, this can cause eyestrain.

For bright plasmas and smaller, direct-view sets, the ideal setup is to place a dim light directly behind the TV and leave the rest of the room dark. Look for special "daylight" bulbs that glow at 6,500 degrees Kelvin. You also should prevent any light in the room from reflecting off the TV, as glare will hamper image fidelity. Watching at night is best, but if you watch during the day, thick curtains will really improve the picture.

Before you make any picture adjustments (color, saturation, tint, and so forth), always set the room lighting. For viewing in brighter environments, try the HDTV presets, such as Standard, Sports, or Vivid, and reserve the custom settings for when there is optimal lighting.

This information originally appeared in the HDTV 101 Online Class.

Watch out for magnetic or radio interference in your home video

By Annaliza Savage

If you're shooting in a place with a lot of electronic equipment, be careful of magnetic interference. Magnetic interference gives you pops, crackles, and static along with hissing or humming sounds. Here are some easy ways to avoid these problems:

• Use a condenser microphone
  There are two basic types of microphones: the dynamic microphone, which uses a coil of wire suspended in a magnetic field and a small electric current to generate sound waves; and the condenser microphone, which uses a thinly charged membrane to produce sound waves from a varying signal voltage. Because of their design, dynamic microphones are prone to magnetic interference from electrical mains. Using a condenser microphone will help limit electrical interference.
  
  
• Don't cross cables
  If you're picking up buzzing or humming, make sure your sound cables aren't crossing electrical lines. Wires and coils carrying electric current have magnetic lines of force around them. Unplug appliances when necessary.
  
  
• Beware of wireless
  Wireless (radio) microphones are great for moving around without having a bunch of cables attached, but they can pick up radio stations or local dispatchers, and they get sound drop-out due to electric cables or physical obstructions. If you have problems, use a cable connection.
  
  

And finally, always use headphones to hear what's actually being recorded.

Buying peripherals for gaming

By Adrian Kingsley-Hughes,

Face it--when it comes to some games, a keyboard and mouse just aren’t the best input devices. For example, trying to land a 747 with a keyboard in Flight Simulator just isn’t easy. Having specific peripherals will make your gaming experience easier and more realistic.

The most popular gaming peripheral has to be the joystick. Years ago these needed to be plugged into the game port on a PC, but now they are almost all USB-based.

You don’t need to spend a lot of money, either. I find that even a cheap stick is infinitely better than using the keyboard and mouse.

I also have a gaming peripheral from the last millennium that I still use--the Microsoft Strategic Commander. This is a mini keyboard and mouse with programmable buttons. This was a sweet device but unfortunately Microsoft no longer supports it (fortunately the old drivers work on Vista!).

4 features that enhance TV picture quality

By CNET Online Courses

Normal analog TVs, as opposed to digital TVs, have just a few factors that affect picture quality. When shopping for a TV, look for these features or characteristics and disregard other features that sound good on the surface but in reality are just marketing ploys.

• Comb filter. If a television does not have a comb filter, its resolution will be limited to about half the full potential of DVD. Most sets with comb filters can provide all of the resolution of DVD. The types of comb filters you’ll see advertised, in order of lower to higher quality, include two-line, three-line, digital, and 3D YC varieties. They provide incremental improvements in performance, especially in reducing rainbows that can appear in fine detail, such as a talking head’s suit coat. Comb filters affect only composite-video or RF connections.

• Color-temperature settings. Many televisions have presets for color temperature, which is basically the color of gray. A neutral gray is ideal, but most TVs have an extremely blue gray to make the picture brighter in the store. TVs with color-emperature presets allow you to choose the color of gray; generally, you’ll want the reddest or lowest setting available.

• Color decoder. Most TVs’ color decoders are set to be too red to counteract the blue color temperature described above. TV makers don’t advertise accurate color decoders, so you’ll have to judge for yourself or trust a reviewer. In the store, look for pale skin tones that don’t appear too flushed and reds that don’t bleed into other colors or otherwise seem more intense than the rest of the palette.

• Geometry and convergence. Most TVs get bumped around in shipping, so it pays to check convergence before you take yours home—or at least before the warranty expires. Look toward the edges of the screen, preferably with graphics or other straight lines (CNN’s crawling ticker works great), and see if the lines are actually straight. To check convergence, look at the corners with white material, preferably lines again, and see if faint halos of color surround the white—ideally they shouldn’t.

Top antivirus/spyware programs

By Seamus Condron

common, but separate solutions are usually more thorough and offer you a better feature set. As newer products are released, it’s important to read reviews and see how “all-in-one” solutions stack up. Some fall victim to overkill with too many programs on their PC for threat protection. Multiple programs that perform the same functions can interfere with each other. If you have one solid antivirus program and one solid spy/adware tool, you should be in good shape.

I can only comment on the products I have used extensively. There are very good free options out there and I try to take advantage of them.

• For antivirus protection, I use a program called Avast. The home edition is free with yearly registration renewal. I have been using it for years and am very content.

• For spyware and adware, I use the free versions of Ad-Aware. The free versions do not do real-time scanning (which I recommend for most users), but I do manual scans once every few days or so, and my PC is clean as a whistle.

• The last program I use is CCleaner. It’s a system optimizer program that basically cleans your computer of broken files and DLLs from removed software. It will also clean out temporary directories, etc.

You can read about and download these programs directly from CNET’s Download.com.

The information in this tip originally appeared in the PC Protection 101 online class discussion.

Is it legal to copy CDs that you own?

By Mike King

If you have purchased a CD, you have every right to copy that CD onto any medium you want, if it is for your personal use. This has not changed from the time of vinyl records being transferred to reel-to-reel tape.

Technically, you are allowed by law to make copies of CDs that you already own, and are not allowed to rip CDs from libraries. It’s the same premise behind not copying DVDs or VHS movies from Blockbuster.

The problem these days is with the different DRM (digital rights management) codes that online distributors wrap these files in. Different players are not compatible with different DRM. Microsoft uses Windows Media DRM, Apple uses Fair Play, Real Networks uses Helix, etc. As a result, music purchased on iTunes does not work in a Windows Media environment, and vice versa. So basically, if you buy an iPod it will not play music that is not purchased on iTunes. This is a major problem that I feel is alienating the casual consumer.

The information in this tip originally appeared in the Digital Music Made Easy online class discussion.

Three ways to print digital photos

By CNET Online Courses

A great picture is even better when you can share it with others. And despite all the fancy things you can do with digital images, printing is still one of the top ways to share photos. You have three main options for printing: A home printer, a store kiosk (a do-it-yourself machine in a drugstore or department store), or through an online photo service.

Print at home

Printing at home is cheap and long-lasting if you use the right printer, ink, and paper. A 4×6 print will typically cost between 25 and 50 cents, depending on the printer and the ink. Of course that doesn’t include the cost of the printer or user error. Be sure to read printer reviews to get an idea of how often you’ll need to replace the ink cartridge.

Print at a store kiosk

Store kiosks are convenient, and they let you do a lot of basic editing right on the spot (cropping, adjusting brightness, removing red-eye, etc). If you shop around, you can find stores that let you create 4×6 prints for well under 50 cents each. These do-it-yourself machines are a good alternative if you’re not in the mood for the care and feeding of your own photo printer.

Online printing services

Online print services such as Webshots, Shutterfly, SnapFish, Kodak EasyShare Gallery, and many others are often the least expensive and can give great-looking prints. However, like the good old days, you’ll have to wait to see the results. But that’s fine when you’re printing a large number of images—for instance, all your vacation photos.

Do your image editing at home on your computer first, then bring a CD of your edited files to the kiosk. That way, you don’t have to sit in a store making edits while others might be waiting. You just pop in your CD and fire away!

The information in this tip originally appeared in the Print, Save and Organize Your Digital Photos online class.

Upgrade your 3D graphics

By Rich Brown,


In the case of the HP Pavilion Media Center a1640n desktop, we don't even care about games, we just want to ensure a smooth, good-looking Windows Vista experience. To that end, buy yourself a cheap 3D graphics card. It'll give you added video-processing punch, and it will free up more system memory (the integrated 3D chip on the system's motherboard doesn't have its own stash, so it needs to borrow some). That combination of benefits will improve overall performance and let you run all of Windows Vista's flashy new visual effects. And if you have the time, it might even let you play a game or two.

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With the Internet at your fingertips, finding topics on which to write, doing some research to find content ideas and putting together an ebook in your own words can all be done easily and quickly!
Sure, there are copyright laws. So, NEVER plagiarize! But...
... Keep in mind that copyright protects the way ideas are expressed and not the ideas themselves. Nothing stops you from doing a bit of research and putting ideas down into a book in your own words!
That's why the best, simplest and most profitable types of books consist of "how-to" information. You can easily write a "how-to" book on any topic imaginable! Just look at some of your...
Favorite hobbies,
Past experiences,
Special skills
Unique knowledge,
Or topics that interest you...
... And do some research. Then, just start writing. You'll be well on your way! Don't worry about typos or grammatical errors. (You can check those or have someone check those for you at a later time.)
Remember that online, people crave information... And they want it fast, too! If you help solve a problem, the likelihood that a demand exists for what you want to write about is HUGE! For instance...
Do you know how to write resumes better than most people?
Do you own any special or exotic recipes for Italian food?
Do you have a knack for building wooden bird feeders?
Are you particularly skilled in finding good flea market deals?
Are you a "clean-freak" with a talent for organizing closets?
Or are you a bit of an expert on the topic of losing weight?
It doesn't matter. And I'll prove to you how easy it is to sell a $35 information product, over and over again, on any topic imaginable - and turn your bank account into an overflowing fountain of cash!
There are so many different types of information products. For example, with eBook Gold 3.0 you can write and publish...
Books
Booklets
Manuals
Documents
Media kits
Training manuals
Special reports
Directories
Tutorials
Surveys
Newsletters
Instructions
Presentations
Article collections
Compendiums
"Portable" websites
Software help files
Courses
Swipefiles
Journals
... You name it! If your infoproduct tackles a niche market, discusses a popular topic or offers some "how-to" advice, then your chances of making a killing are extremely high! Why wait? Order yours now!
How to Turn Your Brains Into Cash!
With eBook Gold 3.0, your income potential is simply unlimited! Take my friend Lee Benson, for example: here's what he did - and what YOU can do, too! - to generate an outrageous, residual income...
Think of an information product
- it can be anything, from gardening tips to how to save on your taxes. Lee developed a guide to profiting on the Internet with electronic newsletters (or "ezines"). It took him just a little over two weeks to write.
Create your pages
- just write them out in your favorite word processor or HTML editor (like Microsoft Word, Dreamweaver, FrontPage or whatever), and save them into HTML format.
Then, compile your book
- load up our powerful eBook Gold software and, with the click of a button, it'll convert all of your HTML pages into a single, self-contained executable file that can run on any Windows PC platform. It's child's play!
Put the ebook on your website
- my friend Lee charges his clients $47 for private access to a special download page, so that they can retrieve his ebook immediately after ordering.
Best of all, he does absolutely no work yet his product sells like hotcakes, night and day, like clockwork! In fact, in four months he sold over 1,300 orders for his $47 ebook. That's a cool $61,000!
Here's what he wrote and told me:
> Simon, your software is superb! I was stuck with > the dilemma of finding an easy way to package my > information. It started with an idea, and two > weeks later I had created a product that would go > on to make over $200,000 in sales over the next > year. Your software made my information look > professional, fast to download and easy to use. > > What's more, it saved thousands of dollars in > shipping costs! I've put my sales on auto-pilot, > since offering a digital product requires no > overhead costs whatsoever. I'd actively recommend > your product to anyone wanting to make BIG money > on the Internet, once and for all!
- Lee Benson,Lee knows his stuff... After all, he used eBook Gold to create his EzineTactics ebook that produces a constant stream of passive income of over $7,000 every month. The product sells itself!
YOU, too, can create an information product and watch your bank account bulge! People are making thousands, even hundreds of thousands of dollars on the Internet selling digital products!
You can easily replicate their success! You don't have to be an expert or a writer to make money selling ebooks.
One of my friends sells a $10 report that took him only two short hours to create! That year, over 2500 people bought it resulting in an additional $25,000 income stream from just two hours of work!
Converting your knowledge, experience or research into an ebook can easily add a cool six-figure annual income into your pockets!
Create Contagious Marketing "Viruses," Too!
With your own information product, you can generate an automated cashflow from your website, with NO overhead. But you can also use it to tap a constant, source of targeted prospects... For FREE!
Here's how: you can use your ebook as a tool for generating traffic and leads. By giving it away for free, and because of the nature of computers, your "file" gets passed around from person to person!
You book thus becomes a viral marketing machine!
So, give your marketing more punch by only giving away your book for free but also giving the recipients the permission to distribute your book freely among their own clients, visitors or subscribers!
People will download and distribute your free ebook, and spread it across the Internet like wildfire! And since your eBook Gold book contains hyperlinks, they are given the opportunity to visit your site.
While your book reads much like an educational tool, it also subtly promotes you, your business or your expertise. Plus, your book is more credible since it doesn't appear like an outright commercial!
Ebooks can also become powerful lead generators because those who visit your website after reading your book are in fact qualifying themselves beforehand. They're already interested in the topic!
You can also offer your book...
As a gift to your current clients who participated in a survey,
As a prize in a contest you're conducting with your affiliates,
As a "thank you" for subscribers who joined your newsletter
Or as a bonus to an existing offer for building perceived value.
The possibilities are endless! If you're convinced enough already and want to start "riding the wave," then don't hesitate... Order your copy of the newly launched eBook Gold 3.0 right now!
Generate Highly Targeted Leads With eBooks!
Did you know that ebooks can also be used for marketing and as market research tools? Sure! Unlike other ebook-creation software, with eBook Gold you can make ebooks dynamic and interactive!
So, you're not limited to plain, static (and boring) HTML!
You can add DHTML, scripts, Flash presentations, plug-ins, sound files, feedback forms... You name it!In fact, here's another example of how you can turn your ebook into a powerful lead generator!
Here's Another Example of How to Use eBooks to Promote Your Business!
Let's say that you own an online used car brokerage that helps people find used car sellers online - or to sell their used cars through web-based classified ads.
Let's also say that you help people find used cars by finding used cars and seller information through web directories or searches based on specified criteria.
So, you write a small 15-page ebook about how to find great deals in used cars... Perhaps also how to negotiate more effectively with car owners - and how to watch out for unsuspecting "lemons."
But here's where your ebook becomes powerful!
While your book offers educational content, at the end you provide a search form asking readers to enter the make, model and year of the car they're looking for, and how much they're willing to pay.
They enter the information, click "submit" and then are instantly redirected to your website where you provide not only search results matching their criteria but also ordering instructions for instant access!
In other words, they must order your online service in order to gain access to car-specific data, such as...
A particular seller's contact information,
Additional information on (or picture of) the car,
Quick comparison charts with other offers,
Car-specific "quality" (or mechanical) ratings,
Government lien verifications on the car,
Previous ownership or accident checks,
Financing information and applications,
Insurance quotes and rate comparisons...
... And so on! If not, since they're there they will likely stay at your website and browse around for more!
But here's the kicker... Since your book offers great content, people will pass it around for you... In email, on message boards, through websites and so on!
No matter what type of business you're in, you can use ebooks as powerful magnets that will attract tons of targeted visitors without lifting a finger!
If you want that kind of marketing leverage for your business or website, why not eBook Gold 3.0
Here's What You Get With eBook Gold 3.0
The all-new, power-packed, feature-rich eBook Gold 3.0 is an amazing software that will help you to transform your brains into products - so you can easily build continuous streams of income!
With your eBook Gold 3.0, very little maintenance is required. Its intuitive, easy-to-use interface can turn anyone, regardless of computer experience, into a profitable, self-made digital publisher!
There are literally hundreds of uses for digital infoproducts!
eBook Gold produces better quality final products as well as smaller file sizes, cutting down on costs and boosting your profits! You get...
Unlimited ebook creation. With your eBook Gold 3.0 software, you can make one OR one million ebooks... It's entirely up to you! Each ebook you make is royalty-free, which means you can sell your own products and keep 100% of the profits!
Attractive, professional design. Some ebook creators look "bulky" and downright ugly on the screen. Not eBook Gold 3.0! If you sell your own ebooks, you want them to look professional and crystal-clear. Impress your customers instantly!
Customizable ebook "labeling." Add titles, author names, clickable email addresses, website URLs and book descriptions with each book you create - just like a regular book's jacket! But the beauty is that it adds credibility and brand identity!
Personalizable icon. Your digital infoproduct is an executable file. But like a program you install on your computer, your book will also have its own icon that people can click on to read it! Choose from a pre-designed selection or add your own!
Different screen mode options. Do you want your ebook to open up into a full browser-like window? Or do you want it to open up at a specific resolution, perhaps for presentations? You have full control over how you want your book to look!
Minimum file size. Your ebooks will download faster and take up less space than any other ebook-creation software on the market. If you're offering downloadable ebooks from your website, that means you'll pay even less in bandwidth fees! Create a book that's less than a hundred kilobytes in size!
Add different files types. A "good" website is not just a bunch of plain, static HTML files. It's active AND interactive. Similarly, with eBook Gold 3.0 you can add graphics, scripts, Flash, DHTML, XML and even true type fonts to make your book come alive!
Make your ebooks dynamic and interactive. Add even greater interactivity by including feedback forms and dynamic content. Add subscribers to your ezine, conduct polls, run contests and more. Use your ebook as the perfect market research tool!
Full HTML 4.0 support with plug-ins. With the single click of a button, you can include Flash files, Shockwave presentations, Java Applets, sound files or any other plug-ins. Drive readers' actions by making your ebook more compelling and dynamic!
Complete window customization. You decide how your ebook looks. You can choose to have your ebook open up in a regular browser-like window or in a customized interface you design (called "skin"). And you can also add different borders, styles and buttons. Give your ebook brand identity and character!
Stop would-be content thieves. You can secure your book in many ways. If you want to disable a reader's right-click button in order to prevent source viewing and text copying, or run the ebook in full-screen mode only, you can do so... What's more, NONE of these powerful options increase file size!
Prevent pirating. Keep your infoproducts safe from would-be pirates, non-customers and prying eyes by using eBook Gold 3.0 advanced embedded encryption feature that lets you lock your book with a password. Only paying customers get access!
Customized per-page security. What about offering an entire book for free (as a demo, perhaps), but locking specific pages with a password, which forces people to buy the book in order to read the rest? You can! Lock as many pages as you wish!
Full control over your ebook's presentation. Customize the look and feel of your ebook's events. In other words, create a splash screen that appears when your book is opened or closed, and use it to reiterate a copyright notice, encourage readers to visit a website or make them a special offer!
Complete control over the finished product. Unlike other ebook creation software, you can also add a whole host of user options - such as enabling (or disabling) the ability to print your pages, running the ebook in a variety of "modes," and deciding exactly how your ebook looks and acts!
Choice of home page and table of contents. You're not limited to content. You can easily add and specify a "start page" and "table of contents," which will be linked to and work in concert with your ebook's navigation buttons. Very professional!
Embedded tutorials and FREE updates. eBook Gold 3.0 also carries tons of additional features, such as learn-as-you-go tutorials and online updates - at the click of a button, you always make sure you have the latest and greatest version of the eBook Gold 3.0 series!
And much more!
Sure, there are other ebook creation packages out there... But I can guarantee you that NONE of them is as feature-intense and can create such small-sized, attractive final products like eBook Gold.
What's more, we use a foolproof point-and-click interface that lets you create your ebook in just two minutes flat -NO additional skills needed, NO experience necessary and NO extra effort required!
OK, Let's Wrap This Up...
Let me ask you the following questions: are you...
Searching for a product to sell with a 100% profit margin?
Looking to beef up your online profits drastically and quickly?
Exploring for the ultimate rock-solid way to make money?
Attempting to drive targeted, eager prospects to your site?
Investigating ways to gain instant credibility, fame and trust?
Searching for ways to boost your opt-in email mailing list?
Or trying to find no-cost ways to conduct market research?
If you answered "yes" to any of the above questions, eBook Gold 3.0is for you! If you plan to make money online or wish to make more, you must add eBook Gold 3.0to your marketing toolbox!
Not only will it allow you to create your own hot infoproducts that you can sell for pure profit, but by offering free ebooks to website visitors and as bonuses to your clients, you will profit even more!
So, let's cut the chase.eBook Gold 3.0 gives you complete power and lets you create unlimited ebooks. But how much is it worth to you to produce unlimited moneymaking products at a 100% profit?
How much is it worth to you to generate far more targeted leads to your website or business? And how much are you willing to pay for such as powerful, moneymaking tool? $1,000? $500? Or $300?
Not even close! Order eBook Gold 3.0 for the low price of $194.
WAIT! Since we've just launched version 3.0, if you order the new full-featured PRO version today, April 11, 2007 , I'll knock an extra 50% off the standard price... Just $97!
But hurry... This is your only chance - after the introductory phase the price will go back up to the standard level. You must order today to receive the special 50% discount! eBook Gold 3.0In fact, you'll love it so much that, once you give it a try, I'm positive you'll never want to go back! That's why I'm offering you...
My 100% Satisfaction, Full Money Back, Bullet-Proof, One-Month Guarantee!
I'm so confident that you'll be 100% satisfied with eBook Gold that I'm prepared to take all the risk forYOU. Therefore, when you order eBook Gold 3.0you will have a full 30 days to try it out!
Package your products together, post free bonuses on your site or create the next bestseller... However you wish! Within one month, if you're not totally delighted I want you to request a full refund...
... I'll personally give you back every single red cent!
Listen closely. My company has over 230,000 active customers and serves a growing network of over 21 million people. All my products are backed by my personal reputation... My income is on the line!
So, eBook Gold 3.0 is totally risk-FREE... You don't like it? You'll get a 100% refund. NO questions. NO hassles. NO hard feelings. But if you're still not convinced, here's more for a limited time...
Waste no more time. Your brain is packed full of ideas waiting to be converted into profitable infoproducts. There's a multimillion dollar market out there. Isn't it time you get your fair share?
eBook Gold 3.0Ordering is completely safe and secure.
You'll get instant access to download your eBook Gold ebook creator within 25 seconds or less - and your bonuses will be available to you immediately as well! So, don't wait... Your success awaits!
Sincerely,






easy way to make money



Considering that the great Studio Traffic had been running for nearly two years when I made my debut, I was a latecomer to the get paid to auto surf scene. When I first started to take notice of the get paid to auto surf sites, I looked at the possibilities, did a double-take, looked again and wondered where the catch might be. Surely, I thought, there must be a catch, or can it really be that simple? I'll spare you the suspense and tell your right from the start that the answer was yes, it really is as simple as it appears. Before you go rushing off to spend money with auto surf for cash programmes, let me just stress that it is simple but that is not the same as saying that every get paid to auto surf site is safe. Crossing the road is pretty simple but, if you fail to look out for approaching traffic, it certainly isn't safe. Jumping out of a plane is simple but, if you don't get a parachute and a course of instructions, it's far from safe. So don't try auto surfing for cash at home until you have read the rest of this.
Of course, at the start, I didn't know the answer and I toddled off into the realms of get paid to auto surf, taking baby step investments and breathing sighs of relief every day when the get paid to auto surf sites appeared and I knew my tiny investments were still safe. Considering the idiotic abandon with which I embraced the dreadful money doubler phenomenon, it might seem strange that I was so wary when it came to the auto surf for cash experience. Maybe I learned my lesson from the amount of money I wasted on the money doublers. (By the way, if you happen to know my husband, there is absolutely no need for you to mention to him anything about me and money doubler programmes. Really, no need at all.)
Don't get the wrong impression through me mentioning money doublers and get paid to auto surf programmes in the same article. The auto surf for cash sites are in no way related to the money doublers or run by the same people. The one thing the two types of programme have in common is that they are very easy to do but, whereas money doublers were pure scams, get paid to auto surf sites are real online businesses where you can make money at home. The webmasters and webmistresses who own get paid to auto surf sites are, in the main, honest hard-working people, who want to have a thriving business which will bring them an ongoing income for the future. I'm not saying all auto surf for cash sites are run by saints, the owners are just ordinary people who want to make a living on the Internet, and the industry (like any other) has its share of rogues and thieves who will take your money and run, plus a few inept webmasters who just have no idea how to run a business and lose everyone's money.
So, you might ask, how do I take sensible precautions against getting stung? The answer, like most things, is simple! Investigation is the answer. If you like the look of a get paid to auto surf site, join as a free member and check out the forum (if there is one). Surf to test the quality of surfing and don't invest if the surfbar is unpredictable. Email the owner to ask about the site. If you get no reply, drop the site there and then: any website owner who takes a pride in his business will respond to a member's enquiry. If you get a terse reply, pointing out that the answer to your dumb question is in the site faq's, this is still good: an abrupt reply probably means the owner is busy or has got sick of answering the same stupid questions. The point is that he is human and bothered to respond. Don't even think of giving your money to someone who ignores you from day one.
Do an Internet search for forums concerned with making money online, make money at home, auto surfing, get paid to programmes etc. Read what the members are saying about the sites you are thinking of joining as this is usually a good indicator of whether the site is growing or declining. Don't, however, totally rely on the opinion of forum members because the posts often tend to be a bit hysterical and they are, of course, the voicing of personal opinions and not a handing down of the wisdom of gurus.
Check out get paid to auto surf review sites. I don't mean the one page free websites that have been built simply to advertise one person's choice of programmes and build a downline. Look for serious reviews which are regularly updated, these are more likely to be written by dedicated surfers. There are some very good ones around now: I came across one just this week, where you can sign up for a course of get paid to auto surf lessons and a weekly newsletter. This sort of service takes real energy and commitment. If you read a few of these get paid to auto surf review sites, you will get a feeling for which of them belong to dedicated surfers and which are the work of sloppy amateurs who half the time don't even notice when their recommended programmes have closed down.
Another thing you can do to make life as an auto surfer for cash safer is to tread the path which has already been smoothed out, tiptoe in the footsteps of the people who are already making money from auto surfing. If it is working for them, copy what they do and listen to their advice. The foremost piece of advice any decent auto surfer for cash will give you is "don't ever use cash you could not afford to lose", the second most valuable piece of advice is probably "spread your investments". If you are prepared to be patient, you can build up a decent income from small investments spread over several get paid to auto surf programmes. This way you can enjoy the get paid to auto surf experience and make some money without living in fear of your life savings being carried out to sea on the virtual surf.
Copyright 2005 Elaine Currie