The countdown has begun, as Apple is all set to launch iPad in Indian Market. After waiting for so much time, the Indian users will be adding Apple iPads to their gadget-robe.
Apple is releasing iPad in India on 28 January, after 3 days. Ipad will be available only through Apple premium retailers.
Price of the Wi-Fi version of Apple iPad will be Rs. 26.000-33,000. And the 3G+Wi-Fi version are priced Rs. 33K to 44K.
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
12 Android Apps to Replace Your Other Gadgets
Android phones can do more than just answer calls and take pictures. Like digital Swiss army knives, they concentrate a lot of utilities into a compact, pocket-size device. Straight out of the box, your Android phone is a still and video camera, an address book, a GPS navigator, and even a phone.
But with the right apps, you can also turn it into a flashlight, a remote control, a barcode scanner, and a compass. Musicians will find that it makes an excellent tuner and metronome. And though it's already an alarm clock and a music player, it can get better at these tasks with the right software.
Here are 12 apps--all of them available from the Android Market and most of them free--that can turn your phone into an even better multipurpose device.
But not a perfect one. I'm still looking for the right Phillips screwdriver app.
Flashlight
DroidLight turns on your phone's camera flash LED to light your way.Have you ever watched someone trying to read in the dark by the blue glow of their cellphone's screen? Have you ever been that person?
With Motorola's DroidLight, those days are over. Launch this app, and your phone's camera LED will come on and light the way. DroidLight's user interface is transcendently simple: An illustration of an old-fashioned, incandescent light bulb. Touch the bulb to turn the light on or off.
One caveat: Make sure that you go to another program or return to the Home Screen before putting away your phone. Otherwise, you might accidentally turn the beam back on, and it will light up the inside of your pocket until the phone's battery dies.
The DroidLight requires a camera with flash, of course; and it doesn't work on all such phones. It's most dependable on Motorola phones, but it does work on some others, as well. And since it's free, there's no risk in trying it.
Tape Recorder
Your phone has a microphone and a memory. Why shouldn't you be able to use it to record verbal reminders, conversations, and even live music?
Though there are plenty of recording apps for Android, I recommend the free RecForge Lite and its $6 big sibling, RecForge. (Until very recently, both versions went by the name AudioRecorder.) The lite version is fine if you're making recordings of less than 3 minutes each.
Either app gives you a host of options for handling the recording you want to make. At its default setting it saves recordings as .mp3 files, but you can choose instead to record .wav or .ogg files. Available sample rates range from low-fi but understandable 8KHz to CD-quality 44KHz, and you can choose to record in mono or in two-track stereo.
Once you've recorded something, you can attach an additional recording to the end, convert it to another format, or share it via e-mail, Gmail, Bluetooth, or text message. Don't get too excited about the Edit option on the menu, however: That's just for file manipulation; you can't edit the audio in RecForge.
Bear in mind, too, that in most places, recording conversations or performances without permission is illegal.
TV Remote Control
I wish I could recommend an app that would turn your Android phone into a universal remote control. But that won't happen any time soon. The problem is that phones don't emit infrared signals--the preferred interface between remotes and the devices they control.
This Wi-Fi remote handily controls the Boxee set-top box.There are a few of exceptions, all of them involving controls for devices that plug into your home network as well as into your TV. By turning on your phone's Wi-Fi connection, you can control the device over the LAN.
I gave the free Boxee Wifi Remote a whirl. If you've attached a computer to your television so that you can watch movies and TV shows via your Boxee account, this program will permit your phone to function passably as a remote control. It's reasonably straightforward and it works, navigating through the menus with simple on-screen controls, and it even uses your phone's volume control for Boxee.
Running Boxee involves entering text occasionally--for instance, if you want to search for a title or an actor. If you've ever tried to enter text with a conventional remote control, you know how much easier it is to use your phone's keyboard instead. And that's despite the fact that the Boxee Web remote got confused when I tried using Swype with it.
The developer told me that he has not yet tested this app with DLink's upcoming Boxee Box, but he thinks that it should work.
Since I don't own a TiVo, I wasn't able to test Tim Hoeck's TivoRemote. The app costs $1 and is supposed to work with Tivo Series3, HD, or Premiere DVRs.
Remote Keyboard and Mouse
You can control your computer from your Android phone, even if you aren't watching Boxee.
The free, open-source RemoteDroid uses your network and Java to ast as another keyboard and mouse for your Windows PC. Preliminarily, you'll have to install the Java SE runtime environment on your the computer and then run the RemoteDroid Server software. And of course, you'll have to turn on your phone's Wi-Fi and get it onto the network.
Once you've taken care of those steps, you'll find the user interface minimal but intuitive: You use the big rectangle as a touchpad; the two smaller rectangles are buttons; and (as you'd expect) the keyboard icon brings up the keyboard.
RemoteDroid doesn't support Swype, unfortunately. But it does let you lean back and control your computer without having to touch it. And if you hook up your computer to your TV, the app works with Windows Media Center.
Alarm Clock
Your phone comes with an alarm clock app already loaded.
Alarm Clock Plus is way more sophisticated than that clunky box of circuits on your night stand.But I know a much better one. Alarm Clock Plus is, quite simply, the best alarm clock I've ever used--including physical alarm clocks of the digital, analog, and wind-up varieties.
What does Alarm Clock Plus do that the others can't? Plenty. It lets you select not just a song but a playlist, from which it will play songs at random. That means you can select 40 or 400 songs that seem right for starting the day, and be pleasantly surprised every morning. You can have it start the alarm softly and slowly increase the volume. And if you have a really hard time getting up, you can preset it not to shut up until you've solved a math problem. That should get your brain working.
You can set alarms to play once, to play every day, or to play only the days of your choice (such as on weekdays).
With all these of options, Alarm Clock Plus can be a little daunting to set up. So when you create an alarm, work through it slowly, and then use the option for testing it. The requirement to proceed methodically may explain why Brent Rose had such a different experience with it than I did.
The full version of Alarm Clock Plus costs $1.79; but if you're willing to put up with some advertising, the free version works just fine.
Compass
Catch Compass shows you the way with a variety of customizable looks.If you're in a location where you can recharge your phone and get on a 3G network, you probably don't need a compass. But a compass is still a cool thing to have around.
Catch.com's free Compass displays a working compass on your Android phone's screen, complete with an arrow that always points north. And unlike a real compass, this one can point to due north as well as to magnetic north.
You get a choice of seven compass designs, from antique to GPS, and you can select from among various backgrounds.
The app has some cool tricks up its sleeve. For instance, you can save your current longitude and latitude as a place, and later you can bring up the place in Google Maps for directions back to it. If you're the sort of person who forgets where you parked your car--or who gets blindfolded and taken to secret hideouts a lot--this feature can come in handy.
Compass's accuracy is only as good as your phone's direction- and location-finding abilities. You may also have to move your phone in odd ways (such as in a figure 8 pattern) before you can get an accurate reading.
Notepad, Post-its, and Refrigerator Door
We all scribble things on pieces of paper--reminders, ideas, shopping lists. Then we leave them places where we'll find them or, more likely, never see them again.
You'll find plenty of note-taking apps in the Android Market, but the free AK Notepad won my heart. In the first place, it looks great on a phone's screen--mimicking yellow, lined paper. The sans serif font looks slightly handwritten while remaining highly legible. You can edit the title of each note separately from the note itself.
After creating a note, you can do much more with it than just leave it in AK Notepad. You can set a reminder to go off in 5 minutes, in a day, or on the day and time of your choice. You can pin an icon for the note (but not, unfortunately, a widget) to your Home Screen. You can save the note as a text file, or send it to someone via e-mail, Gmail, or text messaging.
Barcode Scanner
Almost every commercially packaged product has a barcode, which can tell you more than just the price of the product in that particular store--especially if you've installed Barcode Scanner on your Android device.
Zap a barcode with Barcode Scanner to instantly search the Web for any product.With the app running, point your phone's camera at a bar code, and it will decode it and offer you information about the product. You may find reviews, and you'll certainly learn where else you can buy it and whether you can get a better deal.
Barcode Scanner gives you three ways to look up each product that it identifies. Its own Product Search tends to find local and online stores that offer the same item. The Web Search looks up the code in Google, thereby finding a wider variety of information. And if you have the Google Shopper app installed, Barcode Scanner can use that--though in my experience, the results are identical to those from the Product Search.
The app saves all of your scans in a history, which is good, but it doesn't do much with that history. For one thing, it merely lists numbers, without descriptions, which is not very useful. Also, as near as I can tell, you can't delete anything from the history.
Weight Watcher's Diary
WWDiary takes the hassle out of tracking your points.If you're trying to lose weight, or to maintain your weight after slimming down, you've probably considered either joining Weight Watchers or trying to follow its point system without joining. Either way, Canofsleep's free WWDiary is worth considerably more than you don't have pay for it.
Here you track the foods you've eaten in the course of a day, the exercise you've done, and the effect these have on your daily and weekly allotment of points. (In the Weight Watcher system, every food serving has points, from 1 point for a carrot to 19 points for a banana split. Based on your age, weight, and gender, you should accumulate no more than a specified maximum number points per day and per week--or you'll start accumulating unwanted reserves of cushiony lipids.) When you add a new food or a new exercise to your diary, you have the option of adding it to your Favorites list too, which simplifies adding the same things in future entries.
Specialized calculators help you determine the points associated with a food item or an exercise routine, as well as how many points you're allowed that day. You can also keep a log of your weight changes.
But don't bother with the widget--at least not at first. It simply tells you how much weight you've lost since you started using the app.
WWDiary is not officially affiliated with Weight Watchers, and it carries this disclaimer: "By using this program you agree that I am not responsible for any of your problems."
Portable Music Player
Android phones come with software for playing MP3s and other music files. But the preloaded player is pretty basic, and lots of better alternatives exist. My favorite is Maxim Petrov's PowerAMP.
As I write this, PowerAMP is a free beta. But the final version will be out very soon and will cost $5. That's a lot to pay for a program that competes with a bunch of freebies, but consider what you get for the money.
First, PowerAMP provides some awesome audio settings: a ten-band equalizer; preamp control; and separate dials for controlling bass, treble, and volume. All of these adjustments come up on a separate, highly graphical window, but you can turn any of them off or on from the main screen.
As on most other players, the main screen displays album artwork. But PowerAMP is sensitive to what you do with your fingers over that art. Flick left and it takes you to the next song. Flick right and you go to the previous one.
PowerAMP is intelligent about headphones, too. Unplug your headphones and the music stops. Plug them in again, and it restarts.
You also get your choice of three different widgets for viewing and controlling your music from the Home Screen.
Guitar Tuner
Country Joe McDonald once gave me his analysis of the difference between '60s rock and '70s rock: In the 70s, everybody's instruments were properly tuned. He credited this triumph of euphony to the invention of small, electronic devices that took the guesswork out of instrument tuning.
We know what you were thinking, but gString is an app for tuning guitars.Cohortor.org's gStrings can turn your Android phone into just such a chromatic tuner. Using the microphone, it determines whether a plucked string or a note blown through a mouthpiece has produced the correct wavelength. You can optimize the program for a specific instrument, or you can shift its results to match the tuning practices of a particular orchestra.
The free version should work just fine for most people, but for a single Euro (the equivalent of $1.41, as I write this) you can get gStrings+, which provides more-precise results and--thanks to its relatively compact code--demands less power from your phone's battery.
My wife, a professional musician and music teacher, described gStrings as "Clearly a professional tuner for many instruments."
Metronome
By supplying a regular but adjustable pulse both visually and audibly, a metronome helps musicians keep a steady beat while they practice. You can set the beat to match the piece and your comfort level with it before you start playing. Sophisticated metronomes can accent downbeats to mark the beginning of each measure.
The full version of Zealy Technology's Metronome ($1) does all of this.The free demo is just that--a demo. You can't even change the tempo on it.
With the real program, you can do that and more. You can set the app to count out anywhere from 40 to 208 beats per minute, and to add a measure-marking ping on the downbeats.
You can play the beat audibly, display it as a blinking series of lights, and receive tactile feedback via vibration. Its vibrating ability means that you can operate this metronome while it's tucked in your pocket.
In fact, by turning off the light and sound, keeping the vibration on, and parking the phone in a pocket, a musician could use it during a performance and no one else would ever know.
Lincoln Spector writes PCWorld's daily Answer Line blog. Madeline Prager provided expert opinion and analysis on the Tuner and Metronome sections.
But with the right apps, you can also turn it into a flashlight, a remote control, a barcode scanner, and a compass. Musicians will find that it makes an excellent tuner and metronome. And though it's already an alarm clock and a music player, it can get better at these tasks with the right software.
Here are 12 apps--all of them available from the Android Market and most of them free--that can turn your phone into an even better multipurpose device.
But not a perfect one. I'm still looking for the right Phillips screwdriver app.
Flashlight
DroidLight turns on your phone's camera flash LED to light your way.Have you ever watched someone trying to read in the dark by the blue glow of their cellphone's screen? Have you ever been that person?
With Motorola's DroidLight, those days are over. Launch this app, and your phone's camera LED will come on and light the way. DroidLight's user interface is transcendently simple: An illustration of an old-fashioned, incandescent light bulb. Touch the bulb to turn the light on or off.
One caveat: Make sure that you go to another program or return to the Home Screen before putting away your phone. Otherwise, you might accidentally turn the beam back on, and it will light up the inside of your pocket until the phone's battery dies.
The DroidLight requires a camera with flash, of course; and it doesn't work on all such phones. It's most dependable on Motorola phones, but it does work on some others, as well. And since it's free, there's no risk in trying it.
Tape Recorder
Your phone has a microphone and a memory. Why shouldn't you be able to use it to record verbal reminders, conversations, and even live music?
Though there are plenty of recording apps for Android, I recommend the free RecForge Lite and its $6 big sibling, RecForge. (Until very recently, both versions went by the name AudioRecorder.) The lite version is fine if you're making recordings of less than 3 minutes each.
Either app gives you a host of options for handling the recording you want to make. At its default setting it saves recordings as .mp3 files, but you can choose instead to record .wav or .ogg files. Available sample rates range from low-fi but understandable 8KHz to CD-quality 44KHz, and you can choose to record in mono or in two-track stereo.
Once you've recorded something, you can attach an additional recording to the end, convert it to another format, or share it via e-mail, Gmail, Bluetooth, or text message. Don't get too excited about the Edit option on the menu, however: That's just for file manipulation; you can't edit the audio in RecForge.
Bear in mind, too, that in most places, recording conversations or performances without permission is illegal.
TV Remote Control
I wish I could recommend an app that would turn your Android phone into a universal remote control. But that won't happen any time soon. The problem is that phones don't emit infrared signals--the preferred interface between remotes and the devices they control.
This Wi-Fi remote handily controls the Boxee set-top box.There are a few of exceptions, all of them involving controls for devices that plug into your home network as well as into your TV. By turning on your phone's Wi-Fi connection, you can control the device over the LAN.
I gave the free Boxee Wifi Remote a whirl. If you've attached a computer to your television so that you can watch movies and TV shows via your Boxee account, this program will permit your phone to function passably as a remote control. It's reasonably straightforward and it works, navigating through the menus with simple on-screen controls, and it even uses your phone's volume control for Boxee.
Running Boxee involves entering text occasionally--for instance, if you want to search for a title or an actor. If you've ever tried to enter text with a conventional remote control, you know how much easier it is to use your phone's keyboard instead. And that's despite the fact that the Boxee Web remote got confused when I tried using Swype with it.
The developer told me that he has not yet tested this app with DLink's upcoming Boxee Box, but he thinks that it should work.
Since I don't own a TiVo, I wasn't able to test Tim Hoeck's TivoRemote. The app costs $1 and is supposed to work with Tivo Series3, HD, or Premiere DVRs.
Remote Keyboard and Mouse
You can control your computer from your Android phone, even if you aren't watching Boxee.
The free, open-source RemoteDroid uses your network and Java to ast as another keyboard and mouse for your Windows PC. Preliminarily, you'll have to install the Java SE runtime environment on your the computer and then run the RemoteDroid Server software. And of course, you'll have to turn on your phone's Wi-Fi and get it onto the network.
Once you've taken care of those steps, you'll find the user interface minimal but intuitive: You use the big rectangle as a touchpad; the two smaller rectangles are buttons; and (as you'd expect) the keyboard icon brings up the keyboard.
RemoteDroid doesn't support Swype, unfortunately. But it does let you lean back and control your computer without having to touch it. And if you hook up your computer to your TV, the app works with Windows Media Center.
Alarm Clock
Your phone comes with an alarm clock app already loaded.
Alarm Clock Plus is way more sophisticated than that clunky box of circuits on your night stand.But I know a much better one. Alarm Clock Plus is, quite simply, the best alarm clock I've ever used--including physical alarm clocks of the digital, analog, and wind-up varieties.
What does Alarm Clock Plus do that the others can't? Plenty. It lets you select not just a song but a playlist, from which it will play songs at random. That means you can select 40 or 400 songs that seem right for starting the day, and be pleasantly surprised every morning. You can have it start the alarm softly and slowly increase the volume. And if you have a really hard time getting up, you can preset it not to shut up until you've solved a math problem. That should get your brain working.
You can set alarms to play once, to play every day, or to play only the days of your choice (such as on weekdays).
With all these of options, Alarm Clock Plus can be a little daunting to set up. So when you create an alarm, work through it slowly, and then use the option for testing it. The requirement to proceed methodically may explain why Brent Rose had such a different experience with it than I did.
The full version of Alarm Clock Plus costs $1.79; but if you're willing to put up with some advertising, the free version works just fine.
Compass
Catch Compass shows you the way with a variety of customizable looks.If you're in a location where you can recharge your phone and get on a 3G network, you probably don't need a compass. But a compass is still a cool thing to have around.
Catch.com's free Compass displays a working compass on your Android phone's screen, complete with an arrow that always points north. And unlike a real compass, this one can point to due north as well as to magnetic north.
You get a choice of seven compass designs, from antique to GPS, and you can select from among various backgrounds.
The app has some cool tricks up its sleeve. For instance, you can save your current longitude and latitude as a place, and later you can bring up the place in Google Maps for directions back to it. If you're the sort of person who forgets where you parked your car--or who gets blindfolded and taken to secret hideouts a lot--this feature can come in handy.
Compass's accuracy is only as good as your phone's direction- and location-finding abilities. You may also have to move your phone in odd ways (such as in a figure 8 pattern) before you can get an accurate reading.
Notepad, Post-its, and Refrigerator Door
We all scribble things on pieces of paper--reminders, ideas, shopping lists. Then we leave them places where we'll find them or, more likely, never see them again.
You'll find plenty of note-taking apps in the Android Market, but the free AK Notepad won my heart. In the first place, it looks great on a phone's screen--mimicking yellow, lined paper. The sans serif font looks slightly handwritten while remaining highly legible. You can edit the title of each note separately from the note itself.
After creating a note, you can do much more with it than just leave it in AK Notepad. You can set a reminder to go off in 5 minutes, in a day, or on the day and time of your choice. You can pin an icon for the note (but not, unfortunately, a widget) to your Home Screen. You can save the note as a text file, or send it to someone via e-mail, Gmail, or text messaging.
Barcode Scanner
Almost every commercially packaged product has a barcode, which can tell you more than just the price of the product in that particular store--especially if you've installed Barcode Scanner on your Android device.
Zap a barcode with Barcode Scanner to instantly search the Web for any product.With the app running, point your phone's camera at a bar code, and it will decode it and offer you information about the product. You may find reviews, and you'll certainly learn where else you can buy it and whether you can get a better deal.
Barcode Scanner gives you three ways to look up each product that it identifies. Its own Product Search tends to find local and online stores that offer the same item. The Web Search looks up the code in Google, thereby finding a wider variety of information. And if you have the Google Shopper app installed, Barcode Scanner can use that--though in my experience, the results are identical to those from the Product Search.
The app saves all of your scans in a history, which is good, but it doesn't do much with that history. For one thing, it merely lists numbers, without descriptions, which is not very useful. Also, as near as I can tell, you can't delete anything from the history.
Weight Watcher's Diary
WWDiary takes the hassle out of tracking your points.If you're trying to lose weight, or to maintain your weight after slimming down, you've probably considered either joining Weight Watchers or trying to follow its point system without joining. Either way, Canofsleep's free WWDiary is worth considerably more than you don't have pay for it.
Here you track the foods you've eaten in the course of a day, the exercise you've done, and the effect these have on your daily and weekly allotment of points. (In the Weight Watcher system, every food serving has points, from 1 point for a carrot to 19 points for a banana split. Based on your age, weight, and gender, you should accumulate no more than a specified maximum number points per day and per week--or you'll start accumulating unwanted reserves of cushiony lipids.) When you add a new food or a new exercise to your diary, you have the option of adding it to your Favorites list too, which simplifies adding the same things in future entries.
Specialized calculators help you determine the points associated with a food item or an exercise routine, as well as how many points you're allowed that day. You can also keep a log of your weight changes.
But don't bother with the widget--at least not at first. It simply tells you how much weight you've lost since you started using the app.
WWDiary is not officially affiliated with Weight Watchers, and it carries this disclaimer: "By using this program you agree that I am not responsible for any of your problems."
Portable Music Player
Android phones come with software for playing MP3s and other music files. But the preloaded player is pretty basic, and lots of better alternatives exist. My favorite is Maxim Petrov's PowerAMP.
As I write this, PowerAMP is a free beta. But the final version will be out very soon and will cost $5. That's a lot to pay for a program that competes with a bunch of freebies, but consider what you get for the money.
First, PowerAMP provides some awesome audio settings: a ten-band equalizer; preamp control; and separate dials for controlling bass, treble, and volume. All of these adjustments come up on a separate, highly graphical window, but you can turn any of them off or on from the main screen.
As on most other players, the main screen displays album artwork. But PowerAMP is sensitive to what you do with your fingers over that art. Flick left and it takes you to the next song. Flick right and you go to the previous one.
PowerAMP is intelligent about headphones, too. Unplug your headphones and the music stops. Plug them in again, and it restarts.
You also get your choice of three different widgets for viewing and controlling your music from the Home Screen.
Guitar Tuner
Country Joe McDonald once gave me his analysis of the difference between '60s rock and '70s rock: In the 70s, everybody's instruments were properly tuned. He credited this triumph of euphony to the invention of small, electronic devices that took the guesswork out of instrument tuning.
We know what you were thinking, but gString is an app for tuning guitars.Cohortor.org's gStrings can turn your Android phone into just such a chromatic tuner. Using the microphone, it determines whether a plucked string or a note blown through a mouthpiece has produced the correct wavelength. You can optimize the program for a specific instrument, or you can shift its results to match the tuning practices of a particular orchestra.
The free version should work just fine for most people, but for a single Euro (the equivalent of $1.41, as I write this) you can get gStrings+, which provides more-precise results and--thanks to its relatively compact code--demands less power from your phone's battery.
My wife, a professional musician and music teacher, described gStrings as "Clearly a professional tuner for many instruments."
Metronome
By supplying a regular but adjustable pulse both visually and audibly, a metronome helps musicians keep a steady beat while they practice. You can set the beat to match the piece and your comfort level with it before you start playing. Sophisticated metronomes can accent downbeats to mark the beginning of each measure.
The full version of Zealy Technology's Metronome ($1) does all of this.The free demo is just that--a demo. You can't even change the tempo on it.
With the real program, you can do that and more. You can set the app to count out anywhere from 40 to 208 beats per minute, and to add a measure-marking ping on the downbeats.
You can play the beat audibly, display it as a blinking series of lights, and receive tactile feedback via vibration. Its vibrating ability means that you can operate this metronome while it's tucked in your pocket.
In fact, by turning off the light and sound, keeping the vibration on, and parking the phone in a pocket, a musician could use it during a performance and no one else would ever know.
Lincoln Spector writes PCWorld's daily Answer Line blog. Madeline Prager provided expert opinion and analysis on the Tuner and Metronome sections.
Remove Unwanted Applications from your System in a Click
One thing I hate the most is when I buy a new system and it comes with some preloaded trash softwares. All of them are usually demo versions with the hope that we will buy the full version. These softwares and extras often end up eating your disk space and memory and also affect the performance of the system. The OEM(Original Equipment Manufacturer) are often paid by these software brands to include the company’s software in the system. As a matter of fact they are almost always found to be junk for the users.
All these junk pieces can be removed manually one by one but it may take time and patience in some cases. I have come across a nice piece of software that is actually useful but will also make this work hassle free.
This software PC Decrapifier will automate the process. Download the software and run it on your system following the given steps and you will be done.
1.Pass the basic welcome, license and warning by clicking on Next.
2.Select the type of computer you are running it on and click on Next.
3.Do not miss the next step avoiding the System Restore point because at any time if things do not work out you have the option of reverting back to the previous settings.
4.Deselect all the unnecessary programs that come up on Startup. They play a role in delaying your log on time.
5.Confirm the changes by clicking on OK.
6.Select all the applications that you want to be uninstalled from your computer and click Next. If you do not know about some application or you have some doubt just go to Google and check it before taking an action.
7.Confirm all your changes by clicking on OK.
Now this application will work on its own cleaning your computer and making it perform better for you by cleaning all the trash. Some further confirmations may arise while uninstalling certain softwares which can be confirmed thereby.
All these junk pieces can be removed manually one by one but it may take time and patience in some cases. I have come across a nice piece of software that is actually useful but will also make this work hassle free.
This software PC Decrapifier will automate the process. Download the software and run it on your system following the given steps and you will be done.
1.Pass the basic welcome, license and warning by clicking on Next.
2.Select the type of computer you are running it on and click on Next.
3.Do not miss the next step avoiding the System Restore point because at any time if things do not work out you have the option of reverting back to the previous settings.
4.Deselect all the unnecessary programs that come up on Startup. They play a role in delaying your log on time.
5.Confirm the changes by clicking on OK.
6.Select all the applications that you want to be uninstalled from your computer and click Next. If you do not know about some application or you have some doubt just go to Google and check it before taking an action.
7.Confirm all your changes by clicking on OK.
Now this application will work on its own cleaning your computer and making it perform better for you by cleaning all the trash. Some further confirmations may arise while uninstalling certain softwares which can be confirmed thereby.
How to Speed up your Dell Laptop
Quick tips for speeding up your Dell laptop
Dell laptops are dependable and resilient. As with all machines, however, they can start to slow down if not properly maintained and cared for. Before sending your unit in for Dell laptop repairs, first trying following the tips below to get your Dell computer back up to speed.
Empty the recycle bin
The easiest thing you can do to speed up your computer is emptying the Recycle Bin. Many files are not completely deleted but remain in the Recycle Bin until it is emptied. Emptying the Recycle Bin frees up space on your hard disk and may speed up your computer if your hard disk is nearly full.
To speed up your computer by emptying the recycle bin go to Desktop > Recycle Bin > File > Empty Recycle Bin > Yes
Disk Cleanup
Your Dell computer’s hard disk can quickly become cluttered with continued use. Temporary files, file caches, install files, and other unwanted files reduce your hard disk’s available space u unnecessarily. You can free up this space by running Disk Cleanup, a tool built-into Windows that helps you find and remove unneeded files.
You can start Disk Cleanup by navigating to Start > All Programs > Accessories > System Tools > Disk Cleanup. Then follow the prompts as provided by the application’s wizard.
(Note: This program provides the option of emptying the Recycle Bin, too, thereby saving you the time required to perform the previous step.)
Scan windows for errors
Over time, system files can become corrupted. This is especially the case when programs run afoul or your computer gets shut off improperly. As a hard disk ages, portions of the disk, known as “sectors,” can fail. This corrupts any data that may have been residing there before the failure. You can correct these errors and regain lost performance by keeping your hard disk and its resident files error-free.
To scan your hard disk for errors, use the Windows application called Scandisk. Go to Start > My Computer > Right-click the hard disk drive that you want to check, and then click Properties > Tools > “Error Checking” Check Now > select “Automatically fix file system errors”. > select attempt recovery of bad sectors> Start.
Defragment your hard drive
Running Scandisk is just the start. Your hard disk still may not perform optimally even after recovering all bad sectors. With normal use, files get deleted and written repeatedly. These actions cause files to become scattered everywhere, making it more difficult to retrieve files quickly. This is analogous to having paperwork scattered all over your desk; it takes more time to find what you want if they are strewn all over the place. It’s much easier to retrieve paper and file folder if they are neatly stored in alphabetically in a filing cabinet. A Windows tool called “Disk Defragmenter” does just that, organizing and neatly filing away files and folders on your hard disk for easier retrieval. Defragmenting the hard drive will increase your Dell laptop’s performance, allowing for faster file access.
To start the process, go to Start > My Computer > All Programs > Accessories > System Tools > Disk Defragmenter > select Drive > Defragment.
If you have tried all of the above steps and continue to have problems, your computer may require repairs. The next logical choice would be to visit an Computer Repairs centre, where qualified technicians can diagnose and resolve any computer issues that may be troubling you. A visit to an computer repairs center is well worth the trip, as it can easily save you the costs involved with buying a new computer.
Byline :
Bat Tech specialises in dell repairs, diagnosing the cause of your slow laptop. Find more information on laptop repairs at Bat Tech Laptop Repairs.
Dell laptops are dependable and resilient. As with all machines, however, they can start to slow down if not properly maintained and cared for. Before sending your unit in for Dell laptop repairs, first trying following the tips below to get your Dell computer back up to speed.
Empty the recycle bin
The easiest thing you can do to speed up your computer is emptying the Recycle Bin. Many files are not completely deleted but remain in the Recycle Bin until it is emptied. Emptying the Recycle Bin frees up space on your hard disk and may speed up your computer if your hard disk is nearly full.
To speed up your computer by emptying the recycle bin go to Desktop > Recycle Bin > File > Empty Recycle Bin > Yes
Disk Cleanup
Your Dell computer’s hard disk can quickly become cluttered with continued use. Temporary files, file caches, install files, and other unwanted files reduce your hard disk’s available space u unnecessarily. You can free up this space by running Disk Cleanup, a tool built-into Windows that helps you find and remove unneeded files.
You can start Disk Cleanup by navigating to Start > All Programs > Accessories > System Tools > Disk Cleanup. Then follow the prompts as provided by the application’s wizard.
(Note: This program provides the option of emptying the Recycle Bin, too, thereby saving you the time required to perform the previous step.)
Scan windows for errors
Over time, system files can become corrupted. This is especially the case when programs run afoul or your computer gets shut off improperly. As a hard disk ages, portions of the disk, known as “sectors,” can fail. This corrupts any data that may have been residing there before the failure. You can correct these errors and regain lost performance by keeping your hard disk and its resident files error-free.
To scan your hard disk for errors, use the Windows application called Scandisk. Go to Start > My Computer > Right-click the hard disk drive that you want to check, and then click Properties > Tools > “Error Checking” Check Now > select “Automatically fix file system errors”. > select attempt recovery of bad sectors> Start.
Defragment your hard drive
Running Scandisk is just the start. Your hard disk still may not perform optimally even after recovering all bad sectors. With normal use, files get deleted and written repeatedly. These actions cause files to become scattered everywhere, making it more difficult to retrieve files quickly. This is analogous to having paperwork scattered all over your desk; it takes more time to find what you want if they are strewn all over the place. It’s much easier to retrieve paper and file folder if they are neatly stored in alphabetically in a filing cabinet. A Windows tool called “Disk Defragmenter” does just that, organizing and neatly filing away files and folders on your hard disk for easier retrieval. Defragmenting the hard drive will increase your Dell laptop’s performance, allowing for faster file access.
To start the process, go to Start > My Computer > All Programs > Accessories > System Tools > Disk Defragmenter > select Drive > Defragment.
If you have tried all of the above steps and continue to have problems, your computer may require repairs. The next logical choice would be to visit an Computer Repairs centre, where qualified technicians can diagnose and resolve any computer issues that may be troubling you. A visit to an computer repairs center is well worth the trip, as it can easily save you the costs involved with buying a new computer.
Byline :
Bat Tech specialises in dell repairs, diagnosing the cause of your slow laptop. Find more information on laptop repairs at Bat Tech Laptop Repairs.
Motorola launches first dual SIM Android phone
Leading mobile manufacturer Motorola launched the first dual SIM Google Android smartphone XT800 Glam.
The new Motorola XT800 Glam is India’s first Android smartphone to support dual-SIM (GSM+CDMA) handset. The new XT800 Glam handset runs Android 2.2 Froyo and is priced at Rs. 31,999.
Some of the important features of the phone are GPS, 3.7-inch (854×480) touchscreen display, 5-megapixel camera, running on Android 2.2 Froyo , EDGE, Wi-fi, GPRS, Bluetooth, HDMI-out port and 3G.
“We have specially designed the Milestone XT800 to provide infotainment-on-the-go for consumers who want a device that matches the demands of a hectic lifestyle like that of a senior professional,” Motorola Mobility India Country Head Faisal Siddiqui said.
The price is on the higher side i.e. Rs 31,999 ,so I don’t think there would be many buyers for it at this amount as you can get really good Android phones plus you can also have a cheap dual sim phone at that price .
14Share
The new Motorola XT800 Glam is India’s first Android smartphone to support dual-SIM (GSM+CDMA) handset. The new XT800 Glam handset runs Android 2.2 Froyo and is priced at Rs. 31,999.
Some of the important features of the phone are GPS, 3.7-inch (854×480) touchscreen display, 5-megapixel camera, running on Android 2.2 Froyo , EDGE, Wi-fi, GPRS, Bluetooth, HDMI-out port and 3G.
“We have specially designed the Milestone XT800 to provide infotainment-on-the-go for consumers who want a device that matches the demands of a hectic lifestyle like that of a senior professional,” Motorola Mobility India Country Head Faisal Siddiqui said.
The price is on the higher side i.e. Rs 31,999 ,so I don’t think there would be many buyers for it at this amount as you can get really good Android phones plus you can also have a cheap dual sim phone at that price .
14Share
4G Mobile Broadband Technology in the UK: From 2014
4G is the name given to fourth-generation mobile technology. In this article, we outline what 4G is, the key differences between 4G and present-day 3G technology and the state of 4G technology within the UK.
What is 4G mobile technology?
4G is the name given to fourth-generation mobile networks and new mobile devices which can access those networks. 4G mobile networks promise to deliver download speeds of up to 100Mbit/s whilst moving (e.g. in a train or car) and up to 1Gbit/s whilst stationary. This compares to 7.2Mbit/s offered by HSDPA (3G networks) and 150Kbit/s on GPRS (2G networks). With all the talk about kilobits, megabits and gigabits, it’s difficult to know what this actually means. The following graph compares the theoretical maximum download speeds of 2G, 3G and 4G technology and shows why people are so excited about 4G technology in the UK.
The higher speeds offered by 4G mean there could be lots of new and novel smartphone applications such as high-definition TV, video chat and multiplayer games. 4G mobile technology will also bring a variety of benefits for mobile network operators such as lower costs and a more efficient use of the radio spectrum.
Is 4G technology available within the UK?
No. 4G technology is not currently available in the UK. There are no 4G networks available within the UK and hence any 4G phones purchased abroad will not work in the UK. The UK mobile networks are not currently allowed to deploy 4G technology and are still waiting for the auction of 4G spectrum to go ahead.
When will 4G be available within the UK?
The availability of 4G within the UK is currently dependent on the switch-off of analogue television signals. Some of the frequencies previously used to broadcast analogue television will be re-allocated for 4G mobile technology and will be sold in a forthcoming “spectrum auction”. This auction is currently set to take place in 2012 with the spectrum being available from 2013. Providing everything goes to plan, we should expect to see the first 4G mobile networks in the UK round about 2014.
What download speeds and mobile broadband packages are currently available in the UK?
All of the mobile networks in the UK offer a HSDPA (3G) service and mobile broadband packages based on 3G technology:
* 3 (Three)
* O2
* Orange
* T-Mobile
* Virgin Mobile
* Vodafone
Note that 7.2Mbit/s is the theoretical maximum speed offered by HSDPA (3G) mobile services. In reality, the speed you receive is likely to be much less (in the region of 1Mbit/s).
Doesn’t T-Mobile offer a 4G mobile service?
No. T-Mobile USA (a different company with different ownership to T-Mobile UK) claims to offer a 4G mobile service in America. In reality, T-Mobile USA’s service is actually based on an advanced version of the same 3G standards we use in the UK (HSPA+). T-Mobile do not offer a 4G service in the UK.
Does the iPhone 4 support 4G technology?
There is a common misconception that the iPhone 4 supports 4G and will deliver higher download speeds than the iPhone 3G and iPhone 3G S. This is not true. The iPhone 4 is a 3G phone and does not support 4G technology.
What is 4G mobile technology?
4G is the name given to fourth-generation mobile networks and new mobile devices which can access those networks. 4G mobile networks promise to deliver download speeds of up to 100Mbit/s whilst moving (e.g. in a train or car) and up to 1Gbit/s whilst stationary. This compares to 7.2Mbit/s offered by HSDPA (3G networks) and 150Kbit/s on GPRS (2G networks). With all the talk about kilobits, megabits and gigabits, it’s difficult to know what this actually means. The following graph compares the theoretical maximum download speeds of 2G, 3G and 4G technology and shows why people are so excited about 4G technology in the UK.
The higher speeds offered by 4G mean there could be lots of new and novel smartphone applications such as high-definition TV, video chat and multiplayer games. 4G mobile technology will also bring a variety of benefits for mobile network operators such as lower costs and a more efficient use of the radio spectrum.
Is 4G technology available within the UK?
No. 4G technology is not currently available in the UK. There are no 4G networks available within the UK and hence any 4G phones purchased abroad will not work in the UK. The UK mobile networks are not currently allowed to deploy 4G technology and are still waiting for the auction of 4G spectrum to go ahead.
When will 4G be available within the UK?
The availability of 4G within the UK is currently dependent on the switch-off of analogue television signals. Some of the frequencies previously used to broadcast analogue television will be re-allocated for 4G mobile technology and will be sold in a forthcoming “spectrum auction”. This auction is currently set to take place in 2012 with the spectrum being available from 2013. Providing everything goes to plan, we should expect to see the first 4G mobile networks in the UK round about 2014.
What download speeds and mobile broadband packages are currently available in the UK?
All of the mobile networks in the UK offer a HSDPA (3G) service and mobile broadband packages based on 3G technology:
* 3 (Three)
* O2
* Orange
* T-Mobile
* Virgin Mobile
* Vodafone
Note that 7.2Mbit/s is the theoretical maximum speed offered by HSDPA (3G) mobile services. In reality, the speed you receive is likely to be much less (in the region of 1Mbit/s).
Doesn’t T-Mobile offer a 4G mobile service?
No. T-Mobile USA (a different company with different ownership to T-Mobile UK) claims to offer a 4G mobile service in America. In reality, T-Mobile USA’s service is actually based on an advanced version of the same 3G standards we use in the UK (HSPA+). T-Mobile do not offer a 4G service in the UK.
Does the iPhone 4 support 4G technology?
There is a common misconception that the iPhone 4 supports 4G and will deliver higher download speeds than the iPhone 3G and iPhone 3G S. This is not true. The iPhone 4 is a 3G phone and does not support 4G technology.
My Total Facebook Views
There are no apps on Facebook to measure profile views currently, or know who visited your profile page
NEW DELHI: In case you are curious to know how many people visit your Facebook profile, hold your curiosity. The app 'My Total Facebook Views' which has been doing rounds on the world's most popular social networking site is yet another of those Facebook scams.
The rogue application attempts to trick Facebook users to click a malicious link that tells the number of people who visited their profile. Upon clicking the link, users are asked to fill out a survey and grant them access to their personal information. However, doing this leaves you vulnerable to malware that can be downloaded on your system when you click the link.
The scam, which is spreading virally via status updates, includes a link to the suspicious service and text that reads, "My total facebook views are: 1245 Find out your total profile views."
There are no apps on Facebook to measure profile views currently, or know who visited your profile page. According to Facebook, "The exercise exposes your profile to malware and shares your personal information with an entity that will send you more spam in the near future."
According to reports, the rogue app also runs by the names ProfileSpy and Pro Check. Last year too a similar scam that spread like wildfire had hit Facebook that offered insight into who viewed your Facebook profile.
Last week, another scam was reported to have affected a large number of Facebook users. This viral scam -- My 1st St@atus -- was designed to earn revenue for its perpetrators. In fact, messages claiming to share the users' first ever Facebook status updates are still being posted on users' walls by this rogue application though the number has come down since then.
Typical posts read -- "My 1st St@tus was: '[random message]'. This was posted on [random date]. Find your 1st St@tus @ [LINK]". When users clicked on this link, which appeared to have been posted by a Facebook friend, they were taken to a rogue Facebook application, just like in the case of 'My Total Facebook Views'.
This application would then ask users to give it permission to access their profile. This would give the rogue application the ability to post the same message from the affected account to all in the friends' list. Users were also taken to a webpage which contained a survey.
The rogue application attempts to trick Facebook users to click a malicious link that tells the number of people who visited their profile. Upon clicking the link, users are asked to fill out a survey and grant them access to their personal information. However, doing this leaves you vulnerable to malware that can be downloaded on your system when you click the link.
The scam, which is spreading virally via status updates, includes a link to the suspicious service and text that reads, "My total facebook views are: 1245 Find out your total profile views."
There are no apps on Facebook to measure profile views currently, or know who visited your profile page. According to Facebook, "The exercise exposes your profile to malware and shares your personal information with an entity that will send you more spam in the near future."
According to reports, the rogue app also runs by the names ProfileSpy and Pro Check. Last year too a similar scam that spread like wildfire had hit Facebook that offered insight into who viewed your Facebook profile.
Last week, another scam was reported to have affected a large number of Facebook users. This viral scam -- My 1st St@atus -- was designed to earn revenue for its perpetrators. In fact, messages claiming to share the users' first ever Facebook status updates are still being posted on users' walls by this rogue application though the number has come down since then.
Typical posts read -- "My 1st St@tus was: '[random message]'. This was posted on [random date]. Find your 1st St@tus @ [LINK]". When users clicked on this link, which appeared to have been posted by a Facebook friend, they were taken to a rogue Facebook application, just like in the case of 'My Total Facebook Views'.
This application would then ask users to give it permission to access their profile. This would give the rogue application the ability to post the same message from the affected account to all in the friends' list. Users were also taken to a webpage which contained a survey.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)