1. Shoot with your subject under good light. You will be able to capture clearer images when your subject is well-lit.
2. Shoot as close as possible to your subject, but not too close to avoid distortions and focusing issues.
3. Make sure that your cell phone camera is stable and steady.
4. Spare some time editing the pictures later after you have taken all the pictures you want.
5. Keep your “mistakes”. These photos might look great on quality monitor.
6. Keep your hands off the digital zoom because it will decrease the quality of your shot.
7. Try experimenting with your phone’s white balance.
8. Capture as many pictures as possible and then experiment afterwards.
9. You may follow the rules of composition or break them.
10. Make sure your lens is clean.

An SSD is a data storage gadget which uses a solid state memory when containing data. It utilizes microchips to store data in a non-volatile memory chip. SSD is also more resistant to physical shocks, have lower access time, lower latency and are definitely silent. On the downside, SSD costs more per gigabyte.

Most SSDs have NAND-based flash memory that has the capacity to store data even without power. On the other hand, SSDs with volatile RAM (random access memory) also exist to provide faster access for situations that do not need data persistence after power is lost. Hybrid drives that combine the features of an SSD and HDD into one are also available to improve the performance of the files that are frequently accessed by the user.

Some users of the SSD claim that the experience can be likened to replacing an old car with a new one. Solid-state drives contains no moving parts so there is no need for you to wait for the dither of the drive heads to carry out commands or the disks to spin. SSDs consume less amount of power, making its battery life longer and the computers cooler.
Though the solid-state drives have existed for many decades already, these devices were not practical and affordable until 2008 when major companies such as Toshiba, Samsung, Intel, Corsair, OCZ and Kingston started selling SSDs for just $10 per gigabyte. Since then, prices have gone down, making the SSD more accessible and cheaper for everyone.

Because of this, the sales of solid-state drives have increased throughout the years. According to International Data Corporation analyst Jeffrey Janukowicz, the revenue went up by 150% last year and it is expected to double within the year. Intel, one of the leading companies selling SSDs, began creating the devices because the hard drives were not able to keep up with the increasing speeds of their computer processors.

It is about time to switch to a solid-state drive to make your life better and to take advantage of a faster boot time.

Whether you intend to use the software to test data management strategy or to identify bugs, you should know what it is capable of offering you. Pick one that will allow you to do various types of testing services for maximum benefits. You should also choose a qa software product that can offer you quality without the expensive cost.  It is also advised that you buy one from a company providing excellent technical support. This is important so that you can easily address issues (in case you encounter one) at a timely manner. With an efficient technical support team, you won’t have to worry in the event you encounter some issues with the software since you know a good and reliable support team is just a call away to help you.

If you take an interest at all in computer or technology related matters, then you’ve probably heard the phrase “cloud computing” used in a positive light. In fact, it is something it’s hard to stop hearing about these day, as everyone’s buzzing about it constantly. It’s often stated to be the future of computing, the version 2.0 of the digital world, and so on. But what exactly is it? For us novices, what does it mean?

What Is It?

This type of computing takes a completely different approach to computing than how we do it now. It means that computing is done on an online platform rather than on a piece of hardware or a device. It’s when you can store all your music, videos, games, documents, and other media in a “cloud” (usually a server or a company’s virtual storage area), rather than having to store it on your actual computer.

Computing in this way is considered a good option for a few reasons:

1. It means that you can access all your digital files anywhere that you have internet access.
2. It means that you don’t have to have one computer as your set device for your work, but rather your cloud can be accessed from other places.
3. Your personal costs are decreased, as you don’t have to spend a great deal of money on hardware, storage devices, and PCs for accessing your cloud.
4. Sharing of information and resources becomes much easier.
5. You can easily increase the amount of storage space you have available to you.
6. Computer maintenance and repair is no longer your problem.
These are just some of the pros of this method of computing as we know it today, and how it is projected for the future.

The Future of Computing

As mentioned above, cloud computing is often cited as the future of computing. Judging by trends, this seems to be true. People are getting on board with this kind of computing every day, and it’s hard to look at anything besides the obvious benefits of the system. All the reasons that make it a good option are appealing to people and making companies start to get on board with the whole thing.

If it is to really take off, though, there are a few kinks that will have to be worked out with it. Security, accessibility, and maintenance of such big operations are all major concerns of critics of the system. With time, if these problems are worked out, we could be seeing a huge increase in users and the system becoming the norm all over the world.

Scheduled or Continuous Backup?

Backup services online are offered in two methods – scheduled and continuous backup. With scheduled backup, you will have full control over what should be backed up and when it should be done. Continuous backup, meanwhile, means you can choose individual files that should be monitored constantly and backed up every time changes are made.

Data Protection

Know what kind of data protection is employed by the backup services you wish to get. Encrypted backups ensure that the information stored will be fully secured. This means that you don’t have to worry about your files or information getting stolen, especially if it contains sensitive company information.

Monthly Rate

Cost of online back up services vary greatly depending on the company in which you choose to acquire the service. Monthly rate can range from as low as $4 up to $10, depending on the features being offered by the backup service company online.

Ensure You Have Good Equipment

First, make sure you have a good quality keyboard and mouse, with the proper supports. You might think this will simply take up more room on your desk, however, you’ll be much more productive if you are comfortable, and it will prevent problems such as repetitive strain injury which could keep you out of work for weeks, and in pain for much longer!

Get a Second Line

Photo via Flickr

Speak to your phone provider about having a double line installed. This can sometimes incur an extra charge, but your workplace may be happy to pay this for you, and it’ll save you the hassle of having two phones. Set a different ring for work and home calls, and make sure your phone has all the features you’ll need, such as call waiting and voice mail.

Sort Your Contacts

Make a list of important contacts. This includes phone numbers you might need to call, or give to callers and email addresses. In the case of a computer failure or electric blackout, you’ll be so glad you have important contact information!

Make Use Of Apps!

Utilize your mobile phone. You may be surprised at the number of great apps and features that are available. Online fax services, for example, can give you a personal fax number without needing a fax machine, which will both save on space and allow you to access your faxes anywhere you like, from your home office to in the car or at the supermarket.

Keep a Schedule

Photo via Flickr

Keep set hours as much as possible. You don’t want to feel like you are living in your study. Have a calendar and a clock, and live by them. Check your emails while your working, and just before you finish, and then leave them for the night. Set up an auto-reply for when you aren’t working, stating your working hours, or just rest assured that everyone needs a break, and no one will expect instant replies all the time!

Invest In Timesaving Equipment!

Finally, spend a little on things that will both save you time and make you happy. Whether its high-quality writing paper, having your mail collected every day or the latest version of Microsoft Office — if it’ll make your life easier and your job less stressful, it’s worth the investment!

Let’s begin with the HDD. Compared to hard disk drives produced 25 years ago, the ones created today are far more reliable. However, they remain as the weakest component of the computer system. Even though HDDs these days are now capable of storing more data, their bigger storage capacity does not automatically translates to enhanced reliability. Good news is that, there are now plenty of ways to prevent the unexpected loss of precious data from your hard disk drive, this can be done by regularly backing up your computer. There are basically three factors that directly affect a hard drive’s reliability  — vibration, overclocking and temperature.

Temperature plays a very big role in boosting the reliability of your hard disk drive. Knowing that, it is very important that you keep your computer well-ventilated and dust-free. You should also ensure that the computer fan is working properly to avoid heat from building up inside the CPU casing like you learned in phlebotomy training classes. Periodically dust off the insides of your CPU to encourage proper airflow. Vibration can also affect an HDD’s reliability. This is especially true in laptops. As much as possible, you should not subject your laptop from too much external vibration. This can add more stress on the hard drive’s protection system and might eventually cause it to crash. Those who like overclocking their processor, meanwhile, should know that they are generating more heat than ever inside their CPU enclosure when they do so. Therefore, proper ventilation must be maintained when you overclock your computer’s processor. Knowing that you have to make sure that computer fans and vents are always clear of dust.
Flash drives, on the other hand, are the preferred storage device of those who are always on the go. Instead of bringing the entire laptop, you can just save the file or document you need on the flash drive and just plug it on any available USB hub.

Flash drives are made to be rewritable and removable. They weigh less than an ounce so they are very light to carry. Last September, 256 GB flash drives have been introduced. Plans of 2 TB flash drives are currently on the works. This storage device is known to have longer shelf-life and can allow up to 100,000 write and erase cycles depending on the memory chip used. In terms of reliability, cases of faulty flash drives have been increasing as of late. Reasons for flash drive malfunction vary from misuse to poorly manufactured units. Moreover, flash drives can only sustain limited write and erase cycles compared to hard disk drives. They are also a common tool used to spread computer viruses, mainly because most flashdrives do not come with a write-protect mechanism.

In conclusion, both storage devices – the hard disk drives and flash drives – have their own strengths and weaknesses. In terms of reliability, they both have their high and low points. Whatever type of storage device you choose to use, it is critical that you pick one that will be able to fully satisfy your computer storage needs.

There are two major ways to damage or worse, to completely lose all data in the disk drive. One is by knocking the computer off a surface and dropping it on the floor. Second is by moving your computer unnecessarily for one area to another. Keep in mind that not all hard disks are made equal. Some are made to be more sensitive than the others.

A common hard drive malfunction is known as the head crash. This happens when your computer falls on the floor. This causes a permanent damage on your drives. There is an essential gap between the read/write heads and the disk surface. If this space would have any encounter with any type of particle, the system would go berserk. When your disk drive crashes, the read/write heads fall into the disk itself. This is what happens when the disk drive encounters a head crash.

So how do you take care of your hard disk drive?

• Do not move your computer unnecessarily from one place to another.
• Be sure to regularly back up all your files. In case an inevitable system crash happens, your data is still safe.
• Pack your computer in its original packaging if in case you are going to relocate your office.
• The most important of all, never drop your computer. This will not only harm your hard disk but the entire unit.

Over time, it is normal for your computer to accumulate numerous fragmented files. Files are fragmented to make sure that there is ample amount of space for the succeeding files that would be saved in the disk. Defragmenting your files on a scheduled basis will ensure its efficiency. It is just easy to defragment your files; in fact, Windows already has built-in applications for defragmenting your disk.

Another way that can help you care for your disk drive is by running scan disk. This utility makes it possible to search for errors and clean them as they are detected. This will render your computer more efficient, as files that are causing problems are corrected with the scan disk.

Caring for CD/DVD Drives

CD/DVD ROMs allow a user to store huge amount of data and information in a CD/DVD. It can be installed inside the system or attached via a special plug. It is ideal for storing applications, which require a huge amount of space, such as multimedia applications.

CD/DVD ROMs are susceptible to certain hazards such as dust and liquid, and even fingerprints. Special care should be taken when handling them, especially the area near the middle. Remember that this is where the valuable data are encoded.

The proper way to hold CDs/DVDs is by holding them along the edges or putting your finger in the hole found in the middle. Meanwhile, the best way to clean CD/DVD drives is by wiping them with a soft cotton cloth from the center out. When cleaning CD and DVD, it is highly advised that you use a specialized solution. You can easily purchase a CD/DVD cleaner in the market. Never feed damaged CDs or DVDs in your CD/DVD disk drive as this can cause significant damage which may eventually turn your CD/DVD unusable. Follow the aforementioned steps and you are sure to enjoy the service of your disk drives for a very, very long time.

Though tethered jailbreak will allow you to download third party applications (not available in iTunes App Store) and also remove file system restrictions on your iPad or iPhone 4s, the frustrating part about using this type of jailbreak is the fact that a connection to a computer is always necessary for booting. Although rebooting via a computer can be a bit taxing, tethered jailbreak offers the best alternative for users with newly released iphones. A tethered jailbreak is the first to become available after a new iphone model is released. Like for instance, the only jailbreak available for iphone 4s, as of the moment, is one using the tethered connection.

Opting for tethered jailbreak is a decision that you should make on your own. If you do not mind booting your iphone 4s via a computer connection every time it freezes or when the battery becomes drained, then go for it. But if you can still wait for an untethered jailbreak iPhone 4s to come out, then do so since this is more convenient and much preferred by many.

Though the threat of data loss is always existent, good news is that, there is a way for you to keep your important files intact and lessen the likeliness of dealing with corrupt computer data. So how do you do this? Simple, you can protect your files by acquiring the services of reliable online data back-up. Such type of services allows you to save your files – from music, videos, doc files, pictures and other data – at an off-site server so that you will have access to them should your computer suffer hard disk failure or in the event that your laptop is stolen. By availing of online backup services you are sure that you will be able to retrieve important files or data when the need arises.
There are now various options when it comes to online backup services. To help you make a sound decision and to ensure that your files will be kept intact, here are some of the good ones that you should consider.

Sugar Sync

This online backup service does not only backs up your files but also synchronizes your documents. In addition, Sugar Sync allows you to access the stored documents and files from various computers. However, the downside with using the services of Sugar Sync is that their customer service support is not offered for free. But overall, Sugar Sync provide more than just online backup data services, it also allows users to stream music, sync and save files as well as work with various kinds of operating systems. At $4.99, this is pretty much a good deal.

My PC Backup

This is a reliable online backup service that offers unlimited backup on all types of files. It also comes with great security features but it lacks online chat support and an efficient photo organizer. With My PC Backup’s encrypted data storage, you are sure that your important files will be well-secured. Moreover, you can make use of the automatic scheduler and also gain file access through your mobile device.

IDrive

Its easy-to-use interface makes it a popular choice among those looking for dependable online backup services. IDrive offers backup services for as many as five computers. Compared to other backup services with similar structure, IDrive is a bit more expensive but despite the added price you are sure that IDrive will be able to provide you with secure online backup data services.

Other online backup services that you should consider include the DropBox, Elephant Drive, Norton Online Backup, Carbonite, and Acronis Online Backup.