ONLINE WORD

Selling Books and E-Books Online

2007-07-04T04:22:00.000-07:00

For many authors the thought of getting professionally published is little more than a dream. That was until the advent of the internet started threatening the very existence of publishers. As the internet started gaining momentum, real world publishers started finding strategic ways to ensure a peaceful co-existence with online publishers and self published authors. However to this day, traditional publishers are seeing only a small growth rate of 5%, while ebook sales soar at about a 30% growth rate. The exciting news for many authors is that you now don't need to subject yourself to the rejection notices and snobbery of the publishing community.

You can now simply publish and sell your book online in soft cover, hardcover or ebook format and make extraordinary profits (more so than you would have made from an established publisher). Countless authors are brining in thousands of dollars on a monthly basis promoting their works online. It's a reality that people are incorporating ecommerce transactions into their daily routines and a good portion of those transactions involve the acquisition of information and entertainment. Many authors have a hard time getting their heads around the fact that people are buying books and ebooks online. Many authors believe that customers need to "shop in real stores" or "ebooks won't work because people need to hold and see the book".

These statements couldn't be further from the truth. The fact remains that books stores such as Amazon dot com have sales in the billions of dollars; proving that people WANT to buy books online. As well Stephen King had released a book exclusively in ebook format. The book became one of the most anticipated releases as well as THE MOST successful book (not ebook) release in human history. People flocked to web merchants to buy his book, again proving that customers buy books and ebooks online. So why do so many authors ignore the net? Mainly because they are stuck in their ways.

They have a 1997 mentality and refuse to change, and by doing so limit their financial success as authors. The bottom line is, you don't need to be a Stephen king, or an Amazon.com to sell online. Countless "unknown" authors are making a killing online and for the first time, getting recognition as an author.

E-book Architect guide will teach you how to self publish on line for next to nothing. As well, we have added a member's only online marketing community where you can keep up with the tricks of the trade, learn the latest book promotional and sales ideas, meet other authors and ask questions. To visit the site - go to http://www.zizzoo.com/guides/ebook

E-Book Information

2007-06-29T17:40:00.001-07:00

How To Protect Your eBooks From Piracy And Copyright Infringement!

eBooks, or electronic books, mean big business for all aspiring writers. Not only can eBooks be sold in their own right as standalone products, but eBooks are fast becoming the weapon of choice for marketing gurus!

Many business owners and webmasters pay writers to write eBooks for them. Writers spend hours, days and weeks researching material and writing the eBook. But for writers, business owners & webmasters alike, there is often little in the way of protection in place that stops unscrupulous operators from stealing eBook content. Shockingly, 4 out of every 10 eBooks offered for sale on the Internet are pirated. Material from legitimate eBooks are taken without the owner's knowledge, and passed off as original content every single day!

I should know...I was a victim!

I have written and published 5 eBooks on various topics in the past year, the content of which has all been stolen and used as original copy on other people's web sites. The sad thing is, MANY OF THE PEOPLE WHO DO THIS DO NOT REALIZE THEY ARE DOING ANYTHING WRONG!

US Copyright law, and for that matter, most copyright laws around the world state that as soon as a book, e-book or other material is published, the author has immediate & full backing under copyright infringement law. Unfortunately for many writers & publishers, placing a " ฉ Copyright - All Rights Reserved " statement on their material affords little in the way of protection these days, unless there is a good team of attorneys and a bottomless pit of cash to back it up with.

So what are your options?

1) Copyright Registration - If you're serious about protecting your hard work you'll need to register your e-book through a professional copyright service.

To register copyright, visit one of these service providers -

IN NORTH AMERICA

Click &Copyright
http://www.clickandcopyright.com/

IN THE UNITED KINGDOM

Writers' Copyright Association-UK
http://www.wcauk.com/

Copyright registration though is only worthwhile if you can follow it through with lawyers & attorneys?and the cost can sometimes hurt!

2) International Standard Book Number (ISBN) - If you're really, really serious about protecting your hard work you'll need to register for an ISBN number. This will give you a bit more clout when dealing with copyright infringement.

3) EAN Bar Codes - If you're really, really, really serious about protecting your hard work you'll need to buy an EAN bar code. This can get expensive but gives your lawyers something to latch onto when taking proceedings against people who have infringed copyright.

4) Digital Content Protection Systems - If you're really, really, really, really serious about protecting your hard work for a fraction of the cost of other routes then go for a digital content protection system like Virtual Vault. This type of program protects your eBook AT SOURCE, so there's no need to chase people through court, as they won't be able to steal it in the first place!

S Jay is a professional writer and owner of Copyright-Protect.net - http://www.copyright-protect.net

Mobile & Cell Phone Information

2007-06-28T02:18:00.000-07:00

Knowing the difference between Cell Phones and Cell Phone Plans Will Save You Time and Money

Many people go looking for cell phones without too much emphasis being put on the cell phone plans. Many new users who sign up to the different networks have been sold to rather than choosing the best option the suits them. Research is important. Cell phones & plans can be an expensive commodity.

Types of Cell Phones:

Camera Cell Phone

PDA Cell Phone

GPS Cell Phone

The cell phone itself is not an ongoing expensive. It's a one off purchase that should last in good working order until you want to upgrade. Your own personal tastes and styles should determine what cell phone you want (not the sales assistant behind the desk). Many phones on today's market have a built in camera. The camera phone is by far the most popular phone for it's multifunction use. Not only can you capture that perfect photo you can also send pictures to friends and family or upload to your PC. Many of the camera phones have a zoom in/out option and a rotating lens.

Personal Digital Assistant or PDA cell phones are generally the most expensive of the range. This type of phone has specifications similar to that of the PC. The have their own processor and memory and even have the excellent TFT display. This type of phone is ideal for sales reps or people who like to work from different locations apart from the office. This phone has word processor capabilities.

Global Positioning System or GPS cell phones are proving more and more popular. The newest on the market between the different cell phone types. Many companies who issue company mobile phones especially to sales reps or drivers are diverting to the GPS cell type. The type of phone will give a precise location and whereabouts to the receiver.

Cell phone plans

Cell phone plans are the most important factor when looking to purchase a cell phone for the very first time or changing from one network to another. Before you sign up on a plan you need to ask yourself the following questions:

ทWill the phone be used mainly for calling friends or family?

ทIs the phone going to be used for business?

ทAre you allowed your cell phone on during working hours?

ทWill you need your cell for international calls?

ทWill you be sending many SMS texts?

It is important to be honest with yourself in answering the above questions, if not you will end up the long-term loser. Remember you will more than likely have to sign a one-year contract with the cell phone carrier, if you think things through now it will only save you money and stress. Do not get taken in from carriers offering you a certain amount of free texts per month. The calls themselves are the expense.

Watch out for the roaming rates

Watch out for the roaming charges. If you intend to travel from state to state or one country to another different carriers have different rates. The can vary dramatically, be warned.

What about the prepaid cell phones?

If you find that you intend using the phone only a minimal amount of time, you should consider a prepaid cell phone. The pre paid option is more expensive per minute during use but it has it's own advantages such as:

No contract to be signed

No monthly line rental

No service fee

No credit checks

No deposit required

No penalties if you decide never to use it again as you have no contract to begin with

Many people think that you cannot get a prepaid cell phone with built in camera. This is incorrect as many carriers are offering the prepaid phones that are camera mounted. Be careful, sending pictures by text with a prepaid cell to friends or family is much more expensive than with a bill phone. With the prepaid option you know exactly what you are spending at all times. Ideal for those who are on a tight budget.

Where do I get credit for my prepaid cell phone?

It's very easy. You can top up your credit in most stores. Just tell the assistant what carrier you are with and how much you need to top up for with credit. Many stores have vending machines where you operate the top up yourself. You can also call your cell phone carriers with your credit card and top up from your own home. Always choose a carrier that has a free toll number. There is nothing more annoying than a carrier charging it's own customers for phone calls.

About the Author
Declan Tobin is a successful freelance writer providing advice for consumers on purchasing a variety of Cell phone plans which includes Cell prepaid plans, Carriers, and more! His numerous articles provide a wonderfully researched resource of interesting and relevant information for all of your phone interests and needs.

Mobile & Cell Phone Information

2007-06-28T02:13:00.000-07:00

Overview of Cellular Phone Carriers

How many times have you heard of people spending hundreds of dollars on the latest and greatest cell phone only to be disappointed by the bad signal? Dropping calls is another very annoying occurrence with cell phones. You need to look very carefully into the cell phone carrier that you wish to sign up with. You will be signing a contract usually for one year so make sure it's money well spent.

Who are the main cell phone carrier?

ทAT&T

ทT-Mobile

ทVerizon Wireless

ทCingular

ทNextel

ทALLTEL

ทSprint PCS

The above carriers are only a hand full in and every expanding mobile world. All will approach with special offers and incentives with camera cell phones etc to sign you up. The positives are obvious. You get a free cell phone and maybe some extra minutes talk time but they get a customer for a year. Most carriers have good coverage but it is worth your while looking at your options.

If you rely on your cell phone for work such as sales reps or drivers etc you need to look into the roaming charges. Some people think the charges may only vary slightly from one carrier to another so why bother. This is a lazy approach and untrue. You could save yourself hundreds of dollars per year simply by looking around. You can check the rates out online on most of the carrier's websites. Roaming rates can be expensive so look long and hard before you decide.

I don't need to travel so roaming charges are not a worry to me: If you are happy enough using your phone mainly from the house or just plodding around you are not going to have any concern of high charges for roaming, but there are other ways to save money and lots of it. Many people never think too much about the SMS Text messages they send. Yes it saves money rather than calling and it is fast and generally reliable, however, different carriers have different text rates. You might not think that one-cent saving in not much and rightly so but if you are a regular Text user you need look at the overall yearly saving. Most cell phone carrier companies will offer special saving incentives on SMS Text so look into it.

Where else can I save money?

The latest and the greatest, the camera phone is as popular as a DVD. Everywhere you look people seem to have them. Great fun and very handy for that special moment for when you only wished you had a camera but very I repeat very expensive you decide to send many pictures to friends and family. Here by looking at your different options you can save plenty of you hard earned dollars. All it takes is a quick look around the web or a phone call; most of the carriers have free toll numbers. Monthly service rental will also vary from one company to another.

Another Tip

With so many cellular phone stores around you will be spoiled for choice. Remember stores make commission so if you are in a large shopping mall the chances are that there are a number of different cell stores. Check out the different rates and you will see a difference. Money is not everything, going back to the start of this article you need to make sure that you have an exceptional signal. If you are going to be a loyal customer for a year or so you should expect nothing but the best back in service.

What if I already have my own cell phone?

This is not a problem. If you are out of contract with one of the cell phone carriers you are free to look around just like from the beginning. You can either use your own cell or take them up on their offers, as most will offer you a free cell phone as a new user to the network.

What if I want to terminate my contract before it has officially ended?

Look long and hard at your contract before you sign, especially the smaller print. All carriers have different clauses in their contract but if you want to terminate early there usually is a penalty charge of some sort. One way out of this is to get a prepaid cell phone where you have no contract. You are free to swap from one carrier to another as you please. Be aware prepaid cell phones are more expensive pre minute talk time and Text than if you where on a monthly fee.

About the Author
Declan Tobin is a successful freelance writer providing advice for parents and consumers on purchasing a variety of Cell phone plans which includes Cell prepaid plans, Carriers, and more! His numerous articles provide a wonderfully researched resource of interesting and relevant information for all of your phone interests and needs.

Mobile & Cell Phone Information

2007-06-28T02:11:00.001-07:00

The Importance Of Cell Phones In Modern Society

Cell phones have become a necessity for many people throughout the world. The ability to keep in touch with family, business associates, and access to email are only a few of the reasons for the increasing importance of cell phones. Today's technically advanced cell phones are capable of not only receiving and placing phone calls, but storing data, taking pictures, and can even be used as walkie talkies, to name just a few of the available options.

When cell phones were first introduced to the public, they were bulky, expensive, and some even required a base unit that had to be transported along with the phone. Good reception was a major problem and in general, early cell phones could only be used in certain locations were the signal was particularly strong. As cell phone technology advanced, the difficult in using them became less of a problem. Today, cell phone reception has improved greatly due to the use of satellites and wireless services. As cell phones improved and became simple to use, the importance of cell phones increased accordingly.

Cell phones are the perfect way to stay connected with others and provide the user with a sense of security. In the event of emergency, having a cell phone can allow help to reach you quickly and could possibly save lives. However, the importance of cell phones goes way beyond personal safety. Modern cell phones are capable of internet access, sending and receiving photos and files, and some cell phones are equipped with GPS technology, allowing for use in most locations around the world and allowing the cell phone to be found or the user located in the event of loss or emergency.

Cell phone reception has become reliable and of high quality due to advances in wireless technology. Wireless service providers offer excellent packages and promotions for cell phone users. Finding a dependable service provider is no longer an issue for cell phone users. The expansion of the wireless service provider industry gives cell phone users a choice and the increased competition has caused a drop in prices of wireless cell phone service. The importance of cell phones goes way beyond the ability to make or receive phone calls. Cell phone users can instantly send data to the home or office, check for important email, use their cell phone as a PDA or calendar, and store photos which can be easily transferred to a PC or laptop computer.

Cell phone manufacturers have produced a wide range of cell phones, which sell for prices that range from very inexpensive to over one thousand dollars. The available options give users the choice of purchasing a basic cell phone to use simply for making calls, or choosing a complex, technologically advanced cell phone that can perform as many or even more tasks that a home computer. Over the past decade, the increasing importance of cell phones has made them almost a necessity for most people. Even remote and underdeveloped countries have some access to cell phone technology and wireless services.

The importance of cell phones has increased the competition in the wireless service provider industry, making cell phones very affordable and very easy to use. Cell phones have become almost a status symbol in addition to the convenience and security that comes from owning them.

Keith Kingston is a professional web publisher, offering information on cheap cell phones and Motorola cell phones

Mobile & Cell Phone Information

2007-06-28T02:05:00.000-07:00

New Tips For Shopping Cellular Services

The best money saving practice for buying new cellular phones and service plans is to buy from a dealer, not through the cellular provider directly. Dealers compete against each other with lower prices than the actual cellular providers do.

The reason for this is that dealers are much smaller and rely solely on cell phone revenues. The actual cellular providers themselves have many other fronts, battles, and sources of revenue, so price satisfaction in any one sector is not always available.

For Example: AT&T or Verizon has cellular, but also have local phone service, long distance, satellite, and so forth. A dealer only sells cellular; that's it. Dealers usually will offer just about every existing cellular provider's services so the convenience of one stop shopping is an additional feature.

Online dealers are the most convenient source for shopping and comparing plans. You can shop low dealer priced plans from online and save even more.

A great and smart idea, before you buy into any cellular service plan, is to have a friend or family member let you borrow their phone(s) for a day at the least. By doing this you can travel to all of your frequent hotspots to make sure you will receive decent signaling with that cellular provider on a regular basis. Just taking someone's word for it is not good enough, especially if they are trying to sell you the service. Try a test drive; it's your smartest bet. Remember, purchasing the best plan will be worthless if you can never use your phone. Coverage is the first factor to any cellular plan ? period.

If you have friends with a diverse set of cellular providers, try each one out to determine which one is most reliable for your daily activities. Take your friends feedback as well; they will be very helpful on subjects of billing, quality of service, and other important consumer information.

This article was written by Aaron Siegel of TopSavings.Net which offers residential, business, and governments voice and Internet communications. Cell Phones

Services available at the site include VoIP, Internet Access, Long Distance, Local Phone Services, Toll-Free Services, Intranet Access, Cellular Services, and more.

Internet Security Information

2007-06-27T17:28:00.000-07:00

Behavior to Stay Safer Online

1. Importance of a Virus Scanner: A Antivirus program can help to prevent you from becoming infected with a Virus or Trojan. It is extremely important to make sure this program is updated at least once a week, and all drives are scanned. Viruses usually are used to destroy your Data or Hardware. Where as Trojans are used to gain remote access into your system. Always scan any new files you receive as well, even if they are off a friend, you don't know where those files originated from. ALWAYS use a little common sense when on the Internet as well. Don't accept files from an entrusted source. Don't go to web sites you have received spam for, they can be infected with viruses or asking you to download files that are infected. Always go only to official sites (i.e... If you ask for a web address for Norton and someone says ww.nortfix.com, that is obviously not an official site). Keep in mind that an Antivirus will only detect known viruses. It is possible that someone can create a new virus or manipulate an existing Virus or Trojan to the point it will no longer be detected by an Antivirus. As each unknown virus is discovered it is then added into the Antivirus database. Always create rescue disks for your Antivirus program, these will enable you to access your computer through MS-DOS if you are unable to access it through windows. If you do not have an Antivirus program try the HouseCall free online virus scan the link if on the top right side of this page. Also never run 2 different Antivirus . By using two different Antivirus software, sometimes the rule sets can cause conflicts in each other.. or think the other is a virus.. which can also give false positives (meaning it detects a file as a Virus or Trojan, when it isn't one).. or not detect viruses as it should. Always delete files you do not remember downloading.
2. Importance of a Trojan scanner: A Trojan scanner is exclusively designed to guard against Trojan horses. A Trojan is a method of intrusion into a system. It is a malicious, security breaking program that is disguised as something harmless. A Trojan can grant complete access to your system to unknown parties, allowing them to commit criminal offenses with your Internet connection. If those offenses are investigated the trail will lead right to you. It also possible for them to get personal or business data and some passwords memorized within your computer. The Cleaner is a good Trojan scanner located on www.moosoft.com. Never open any file or download a file off an entrusted source, spammed web sites being one of them. It is very common for someone to set up a web site, then spam that web site saying you are infected with some virus or Trojan download this fix, or saying they have some great password cracking program, etc. Then you fall for it and your infected. Never use any war tools that require you to install something that brings up a warning on your Antivirus, why not to do this will be explained more on the IRC Newbie page. Always delete files you do not remember downloading.
3. Importance of running a Firewall: A Firewall is one of your best defenses of being hacked. That is if your using a good Firewall and have it configured right. ZoneAlarm free download is a decent Firewall. Although I would recommend ZoneAlarm Pro, which blocks a lot of commonly used hacking attempts. Another one I would not recommend is BlackIce, if you see that one run like there is no tomorrow (gives a lot of false positives). Ultimately though I would recommend running at least one Firewall, even if your computer is connected behind a gateway/router. When looking into firewalls it is a good idea to check what features it has. While one may block a number of hacking attempts, it may not block ads or cookies. Make sure to get all the details before deciding on a Firewall to purchase.
Also if you on Windows XP you can configure the Firewall they have built into it, go to start menu ... control panel ..... click network connections ..... double click local area connections ..go to properties ... then select the advanced tab. There you will find the XP Firewall and can enable it. You can also click on the link they provide to learn more about it. Never run 2 firewalls unless one is a software and the other a hardware. Security threats such as those dealing on the application level (your Operating System).. software Firewall can analyze that data better. Whereas hardware better analyzes incoming data from the Internet (snifters, etc.). If you have your own server.. good idea to choose a good one of each (hardware and software). If I am not running a Firewall but would like to see what connections my computer has open how do I do that? Simply go to your start menu under programs or programs/accessories you will find the MS-DOS prompt/Command prompt once you have that open type the command "netstat -an" without the quotations. There is will list the protocol of the connection TCP/UDP, the local address and foreign address, as well as the state which will show either as listening or established. Keep in mind that any connection to the Internet will show up there.
4. Importance of Windows Updates: It is extremely important to update windows. If you are not sure how to, just go to your start menu, then to programs you will see Windows Update there. Windows critical updates are related to security issues within Windows itself. These security issues can be exploited by hackers, these issues can also cause you to get infected easier with a virus if you are a Outlook Express user. As vulnerabilities are detected in Windows critical updates are released for them.Always be sure to update Windows on a regular basis.
5. Safer Passwords: Never have Windows remember your passwords. If you ever do get an intruder on your system passwords saved in Windows can be retrieved. Instead what I recommend is saving all your passwords to notepad then saving them on a floppy disk. A simple copy and paste to use your passwords for any sites you visit, or accounts you may have online. Never use simple passwords such as names of places, things or people. Also do not use passwords that consist of either all letters or all numbers. The best passwords to have should have a combination of letters and numbers(e.g. g74npw2m5), when possible, use symbols (e.g. #^&%!). If the password is case sensitive, then use upper and lower case . Also make sure that the letters and numbers you use are not in clusters on your keyboard (within same general area on keyboard). Make your passwords longer then you may normally make them. Doing this will make any passwords you have harder for an outside party to crack. Apply this to anything you do on the Internet that requires a password. This one I speak from experience on, my last website on a free host, the password was cracked and the content of those pages changed. For many things available on the Internet you require Username and a password, if someone knows your Username or can figure it out, that is half their battle. So make the other half of their battle as difficult as possible. On Irc including characters in your passwords such as ค, ๅ, ฅ, ง ,etc... will help even more, to make your passwords harder to crack. Never use any of the following for your passwords (in whole or part): your name or a pet's name, girlfriend, boyfriend. Anything relating to any hobbies you have. Numbers dealing with you, relatives, friends, family, etc. (birthdays ,Social Insurance Number, significant dates, etc.). All of this can and WILL come back to haunt you.
6. What is Spyware?: Software that is installed on your computer/or a virus, which gathers information about you without your consent or knowledge of it. This information can end up in the hands of advertisers, spam e-mail lists, and other interested parties. It can gather information from cookies on your computer. Cookies can store information about websites you have visited, to develop a general idea of your online activity. Cookies generally store information such as preferences from websites, and they are stored on the hard drive of your computer. If your not comfortable with the idea of someone getting any information about your online activities, as most people are. There are programs out there that can be used for either removing cookies from sites you have visited as well as programs that will detect and remove known spyware programs. Lavasoft Ad-aware is a good program for removing spyware programs. Window Washer is an excellent program for removing a lot of your online history (cookies/temp Internet files... etc...). For people who use Kazaa, don't be surprised if that shows up on an Ad-aware scan, It will. Once you remove the spyware detected, Kazaa will fail to work without it. A suggestion for future use, switch to Kazaa Lite.

Internet Security Information

2007-06-27T17:06:00.001-07:00

Can I Guess Your Password?

We all know that it's dangerous to use the same password for more than one program. If you sign up for a program run by someone of low moral fibre, what is to stop them running through various programs with your username and password to see what they can access?
But of course remembering all the different passwords can be a headache. And writing them down somewhere isn't a great deal safer than using the same password again and again.
You can buy software that stores the passwords for you, but do you really want to pay money for another piece of software that performs a solitary function?
Try this simple, two-step, technique that lets you generate an infinite number of passwords, without having to remember any of them.
Step One: Choose a 4-6 letter word or number sequence that you can remember easily. Needless to say, don't reveal this to anyone. For the purpose of this demonstration, I'll choose the word "cash"
Step Two: Apply this secret word or number sequence to the name of the program you are setting up the password for.
To accomplish this, invent a couple of easy to remember rules.
Rule 1: Decide which part of the program name you are going to use. It could be the whole name, the first 6 letters of the name, the last 8 letters of the name. It's totally up to you, be as creative as you like.
eg ? For the program TrafficSwarm, I might choose the first 8 letters of the name. This give me: "traffics"
Rule 2: Take the portion of the program name you have selected and merge it with your secret word or number sequence to create a unique password. Again, be as creative as you can with this rule. You could replace every second letter, every third letter, every vowel or every consonant.
eg ? If I replace every second letter of "traffics" with my secret word "cash", I get " t c a a f s c h "
or
- If I replace every vowel of "traffics" with my secret word "cash", I get " t r c f f a c s ". The "s" and the "h" are not used as "traffics" has only two vowels, but some words will use all four letters of "cash". Some words might have more than four vowels, in which case just start back at the beginning with "c" and "a" and so on?
You don't have to worry about making your rules overly complex. Even the best code-breakers would need to see several of your passwords before they could start to guess what you rules are.
As long as you keep your rules safe and sound, your password is secure. But the real beauty of this system, is that you don't have to remember the passwords you create. You ONLY have to remember the rules.
When you log into the program the next time, just apply your rules to the program name, and you can work out what password you generated. Once you have been using the rules for a while, you'll generate the password in your head, without even having to pause.
Don't worry if it seems a little complicated at first. Read this article through a couple more times and then try this technique with just a couple of programs. Once you are happy with it, all that's left to do is to start working your way through existing programs and update your passwords. It's time consuming, but for peace of mind you'll be glad you did.
David Congreave is owner of The Nettle Ezine, the newsletter for the home business -- online. David lives in Leeds, in the United Kingdom, with his wife Leanne.

Internet Security Information

2007-06-27T17:02:00.001-07:00

Dont Miss Information Because of Misinformation

It has been said that with the wealth of information, freely available, the Internet has the ability to make you smarter, faster, than any other medium on the planet.
Of course with an equal amount of mis-information, it also has the ability to make you dumber, faster, than any other medium on the planet.
So how do you decide which sources of information to trust and which sources to avoid?
It has long been a source of debate, whether or not, any information can be 100% reliable. There is, it is said, no such thing as absolute truth (is that an absolute truth?).
Really though, there is no point in driving yourself mad with such trivial philosophies. All you have to do is decide, in your own mind, where your level of skepticism begins and ends. And skepticism is important in this day and age. That isn't a negative viewpoint, it's just a realistic assessment of what you need to survive.
Imagine for a moment that you're looking for a solution that will send your weekly newsletter to your eagerly awaiting mailing list. You can choose from a myriad of different software, hardware, third-party solutions. Some free, some cheap, some expensive and some unreliable. A decision has to be made. Who's going to help you? Look at the options.
SPAM: Lots of unsolicited emails promise to have the definitive solution and at one time this might have been worth a look. Today, however, if a company is so discourteous that they ignore the generally accepted rules of spamming do you really want to do business with them?
Verdict: Dubious
WEBSITE: Ranked high on Google, plenty of glowing testimonials, even a 30 day money-back guarantee. But wait! Are those testimonials real or fictitious? Is there a clause that will prevent you from returning the product if you dislike it? Can you really believe anything you are being told?
The reality is, that many companies will say anything to make a sale. This is true both on the Internet and the High Street. Desire for profit can quickly deteriorate good intentions. I don't need to preach about this. You know it's true.
Accept this, then temper your paranoia by checking the facts. Legitimate companies exist on the Internet by the thousand. The ones worth buying from will happily talk to you on the phone and answer your questions in person. They will respond to your questions by email, probably on the same day. And, if they're really worth spending money on, they will let you personally contact previous customers so you can confirm that what they're saying is true.
Make the company work for the sale. If they can't be bothered to reply to your emails or turn the answering machine off, don't bother to give them your credit card number.
Verdict: Tread carefully
RECOMMENDATIONS: The product/service is recommended by a third party, perhaps in an ezine, or on a website. Sounds great? A genuine testimonial? But wait!
What is the recommender's motive?
Love for fellow man?
Appreciation of the product?
Cash?
If you picked option number 3, you're probably right. Joint ventures and affiliate programmes have led to many a recommendation of a product/service that hasn't been evaluated or even used. There are exceptions but there's a good chance that the recommendation is linked to a commission.
This doesn't, by itself, mean the testimonial is bogus. It simply means, as previously stated, that you should use some skepticism.
Look for recommendations from newsletters or websites that have been around for some time. If they have a reputation to consider, they will (should?) think twice before promoting something they haven't fully investigated.
Verdict: Useful, be sure about the source
SEARCH ENGINES: Once you've found the product/service that sets you alight, look for negative feedback. Search for the product name alongside words like "hate" or "problem".
If lots of people have used this product and had problems, then at least few will likely have posted their experiences on a forum.
If no results appear, take this as a good sign and move on.
Verdict: Essential step
FORUMS: If you're really having difficulty finding what you are looking for, forums could be the key.
Look around for about half a dozen forums that you like and have plenty of traffic. Then post a description of what you need on all of them. Check back frequently and see what comes up.
Forums are an excellent way to find uncensored information offered solely for its value. Generally speaking, what you see is what you get.
There are, of course, exceptions. Occasionally someone might recommend something, solely because they are affiliated in some way. But if the forum is busy enough, they probably won't get away with it.
Verdict: About as safe as you can hope to find
Does the above sound obvious to you? Maybe it is, but every day hundreds or even thousands lose money on poor or useful products/services that they were convinced were perfect. If you doubt it, check through a few related forums.
If you run your own ezine/website/forum, ask yourself what you can do to help those who aren't as experienced. Your honesty will set you apart from the rest.
If all of this seems helpful, all well and good. Your final task is to apply the above information to this article and ask yourself, with just a touch of skepticism:
"Is it information or misinformation?"
Dylan Campbell has been quietly making a living on the Internet since 2000. He has a unique, and often controversial, view of the industry.
Dylan Campbell writes exclusively for The Nettle Ezine.

Broadband Internet Information

2007-06-27T04:59:00.001-07:00

DSL Internet is a Simple and Easy Way to Get Fast Internet Service

DSL ? which stands for Digital Subscriber Line ? is a great way to get high-speed internet service, without having to get a cable modem, or live in an area that has cable lines. DSL providers have very fast and comparatively cheap internet connectivity.

To explain DSL, it is a way to enjoy high-speed internet using your telephone line, just as you would for dial up. Except that it has so many more advantages than a regular internet service could provide.

Have a look at some of the great ways that DSL internet can benefit your home or business:

- With a DSL installation, you can keep your internet connection open, and still use the same telephone line for phone calls; both incoming and outgoing.

- The internet speed that you can obtain with a quality DSL provider is much greater than that of a regular dial-up modem. To compare, you can get an average of 1.5 Mbps with a DSL modem, as opposed to only 56 Kbps with a dial-up connection (that's 10 times faster!).

- DSL connection doesn't necessarily mean that you'll need any new wiring. As long as you have a phone line with which to connect, then you're already all set.

- Many DSL providers will supply you with the right kind of modem as a part of the DSL installation.

There are a few minor disadvantages to DSL that you might want to note. But it is pretty clear that DSL is far superior than any standard connection to the internet, and if you have the choice, you should most certainly aim for the convenience of high-speed. Some of these disadvantages include:

- DSL connections work best when you are located close to the DSL provider's central location. If you are, indeed, close, then this should not be a concern.

- DSL internet is faster for receiving than for sending. However, the sending is still a great deal faster than standard internet services.

- DSL service is not available universally. You'll need to check your local suppliers to find out if they are DSL providers.

If you want reliable, high-speed internet, then you'll likely be looking into a quality DSL provider to supply you with precisely what you've been looking for

Broadband Internet Information

2007-06-27T02:45:00.001-07:00

Broadband - Will it Affect Your Online Marketing Future?

The coming age of general Broadband use bearing down upon us, minute by minute, is going to leave many changes in its wake. Some will be welcome; others will demand all we can do, just to keep up!

Of course, items like high quality graphics, streaming video and movies on demand will be commonplace. On the other hand, Broadband spells the end of most common text-only websites. Let's face it: the consumer wants more! Offering a good deal with high quality service won't do it anymore.

Websites that cater to the newfound appetite for quality audio and video content will get the sale. Obviously, that makes perfect sense! It brings to mind an experience I had while learning Photoshop. I purchased a very big manual and it took me three weeks just to get my feet wet. A good friend bought a video tutorial and arrived at my level of skill in two days!

There are many other things audio and video can explain better and in much shorter time than text, as in the example above. We're not talking just innovation; but also, the very deep and long-lasting impact the technology is going to produce.

I was reading an informative article written by Darrin Coe, titled "The Internet Consumer Exposed." It's a piece compiled from larger studies of the habits and lifestyles of Internet centered consumers. By the conclusions reached in the item, it does appear the consumer will smile upon the coming Broadband changes. Here is Darrin's website: http://dcoe1.tripod.com/exposed1/

There are some Marketers actively staking out their Broadband future. One that comes to mind is Jim Edwards. Jim is also a well known writer and syndicated newspaper columnist and - not to mention - a very pleasant person.

A week or so ago, I received an email from Jim inviting me to witness the birth of his new multimedia Newsletter "I Gotta tell You." I was speechless! Very seldom do we get to watch one of the early events giving birth to a revolution! It is content delivery that's light years away and will only get better and better. Good work Jim!

Here is Jim's Newsletter: http://www.igottatellyou.com/

Another application that's blazing a trail into Broadband is the Instant Video Generator sold by Armand Morin, Alex Mandossian and Rick Raddatz. Though they claim it works as well with a dial up connection, I can see it carving out a big chunk of the Broadband market. I've gone to the website and viewed a few presentations. It does seem to work quite well! The buffering is almost instantaneous and the quality very good. Here is the website: http://instantvideogenerator.com

Conclusion

Start taking the necessary steps to get on the multimedia bandwagon or suffer the same fate as the dinosaurs! Broadband dominance will become an inescapable reality of the very near future. As Stark Trek's Borg say: "Resistance is futile, you will be assimilated!"

About the Author:

Francisco Aloy is the author of "Yes, I Want to Start My Internet Business Without Being SCAMMED!." He has an online business catering to the needs of the Newbie Net Entrepreneur. Visit his site to see more of Mr. Aloy's articles. http://www.newbie-business-guide.com/

Broadband Internet Information

2007-06-27T02:43:00.001-07:00

Ka Band -Affordable Satellite Internet On The Way!

Ka Band VSAT* satellite internet technology has enormous possibilities for telecommuters, rural locations and eventually for Motor Home users around the U.S. - if it works! Ka Band satellite internet is an all new approach to sending and receiving internet traffic from space (satellites used for internet are at least 23,000 miles from Earth). *Very small aperture terminal.

The key improvements in Ka band technology from the "blanket" approach used up to now are:

1. Ka Band employs "spot beams" rather than broadcasting over an entire Continent?.a far more efficient use of the available bandwidth resulting in lower monthly service cost to end users (as low as $49 per mo.).

2. Ka Band doesn't require a very large dish (the dish is about the size of a trash can lid) to produce high speed internet in either direction (downloads & uploads are very fast), resulting in a lower equipment cost to consumers.

3. Ka Band uses technology that drastically lowers latency (the "lag" created by data traveling all the way to space and back).

When available, Ka band will enable remote teleworkers and consumer users to surf, work and email successfully at speeds approaching DSL & Cable for roughly $450-$650 for equipment and $49.00 to $95.00 per month for service. Users can expect download speeds at roughly 1500 kbps (kilobits per second) and upload speeds from 128-256 kbps, more than enough to handle most any work or leisure scenario. The cost is higher than DSL and Cable but when you can't get anything but dial-up, the cost might well be worth it for the 20,000,000 or so folks out there with nothing but a phone (if that!). Another benefit of this technology is users will now be able to take advantage of Voice over IP (using the internet to make regular phone calls). Current satellite technology (Direcway and Starband) has too much inherent latency to allow successful VOIP, unless you are willing to say "over" like a walkie-talkie connection, after each sentence! I currently make unlimited calls Nationwide for a flat cost of $25.00 per month and nobody can tell the difference in voice quality. I can call Europe for about $.03 per minute or less! The savings are big, but for some rural homeowners it might be the only telephone service they are able to get.

The service will initially be offered by Wild Blue Communications, a Denver based company, owned by several major Media outfits. Two other companies, SES Americom and Echostar have indicated they will join in the fray by next year. They are planning to start offering service sometime in the 2nd Quarter of 2005??.but I don't expect it to be universally available until late in 2005. I will have monthly updates on the progress they are making at: www.vsatus.com . If you have been waiting for super fast internet service, your ship might have finally come in!

About the Author:

Randy Scott has been involved in the bidirectional satellite internet industry from it's beginning as a Sr. Sales Engineer, consultant and business owner. Randy is the founder of VSAT U.S., a consulting and sales agent, representing the most prestigious satellite internet providers in the U.S. For more information about Ka Band technology or current VSAT satellite internet offerings, visit http://www.vsatus.com/ or email info@vsatus.com