You are here: Home / Archives for Technology

Are Books Becoming Obsolete in Favor of E-Readers?

Books are fast becoming a thing of the past now that e-readers are taking over the market. There is still those die hard paper overs that will never give up their books for the cold carbon of a Kindle or Ipad. Yet there are definite factors in favor of the electronic method.

  • The major selling point is they will free up tons of room in your home and you can take it with you anywhere. For people traveling, its even more convenient as there is no bulky book to carry with you.
  • It’s environmentally conscious which is huge in this economy that is focusing more and more on “going green”. The cost of printing and publishing books is high, not to mention the amount of trees that must be cut down to make the paper.

There is the flip side to this debate in favor of books.

  • The loss of jobs for those in the publishing industry now that many books are going digital. Publishing companies ae cutting back on their paper printing in favor of electronic profits that cost significantly less to create.
  • Charging the device consumes a lot of energy, something a book would never do.
  • Carbon dioxide, a necessary component, has emmissions that are very dangerous to the environment.
  • Also, like Ipods and other electronic devices, the Kindles and Nooks need to be upgraded every two or three years to keep up with the latest technological advances.

There really is no better side to this debate. The publishing industry is still thriving, now more off digital sales than print. E-readers can carry hundreds of books on one small, hand held device. Paperback books will still be available for those who love the feel of the pages between their fingertps. Those enthusiasts who treasure the scent of the paper as it ages.

In the end, it’s the love of reading that will continue to bind the paperback and digital readers together.

Filed Under: General, Technology Tagged With: , ,

Learn To Train Your Dog With Technology

You can teach your dog to lie down and to learn the command “Down!” Your dog will have fun and you will help keep him safe and happy. Enjoy your dog and show him that learning is fun. Use your home computers to find training videos for you and your dog. It’s easy to train your dog. Technology gives provides access to all the instructions you need.

Teach your dog to lie down. Your dog can learn to lie down at any age.  The most important thing to remember about training your dog is to have fun with him.  Your dog will learn more and faster when he has  fun.

Teaching your dog to lie down may help keep your dog safe.  You can train your dog to understand the command “Down!” along with a hand and arm signal.  Use a hand motion that looks like you’re pushing the air down with your palm.

Teach your dog to lie down by treating him with a favorite snack, or part of his meal. If you choose a treat he really likes, he will associate learning with a good taste.  Training will be fun time.


First, kneel down and encourage your dog to lie down by bring your hand (holding a treat) to the floor or ground.  You may stroke his back to encourage him but don’t press hard or yell at him.  Once he lies down, give him a treat right away!  He will associate performing the command “Down!” with getting a treat.  That makes him happy.

Once he understands the command, play with him and have fun with the command “Down!”  Repeat the command faster and give him a treat each time he performs it.  He will have fun and may be excited.  You may see him smile.

Now you can add the hand and arm signal to the command.  Use the hand and arm signal when you command “Down!” He may learn to perform the command from your signal without hearing you say the word!

Find more great dog training tips using your laptop and wireless connections.

Filed Under: Internet, Technology Tagged With:

Teach Your Dog To Sit Using Your Laptop

You can have fun with your dog by teaching him new things. No matter how young or old your dog is, start training as soon as you can so that he won’t learn bad habits. Give your dog a really yummy treat when he does what you want him to do. He will learn how you want him to behave. Learn to train your dog with a home computer and Internet access. Find helpful instruction by using dog lovers’ networks.

Training your dog to sit is fun.  Showing your dog that learning is fun will help keep him happy and safe.  No matter how old you dog is, you can teach your dog to sit.  Dogs sit a lot, so you are training the dog to sit by linking actions and rewards.

Always remember to have fun while you are teaching your dog. Gently touch his back to help him understand but don’t or push him into sitting position.  Your pet will learn best when you are happy together.

Reward your dog as you train him. You will see that your dog goes through many motions.  When your dog is listening and learning, give your dog a reward.  He will know that when he learns you give treats.  He will like learning!

A reward can be a treat, part of dinner or even a little toy he likes.  Your dog won’t understand a reward if he gets something he doesn’t like.  Instant drooling is a good sign!

Your dog will learn best in multiple training sessions.  Five or six times are best.


Bring the treat above his nose.  Then bring your hand and the treat down towards his nose.  He will most always sit.  Say “Sit!” when he sits.  Give him the treat you’ve chosen now.  You can also teach your dog a hand signal to use when you say “Sit!

Filed Under: Internet, Technology Tagged With: ,

Use Technology to Find Great Travel Deals

There’s never been a better time to discover the world. Though the world’s getting ever-smaller because of technology, it’s still large enough to experience new lands, cultures and cuisines. Bring your laptop, find hotspots and wireless connections almost wherever you roam.

Plan your spring break or summer vacation, or take a break right now! Satisfy your quest for adventure. Plan ahead to get the best rates, but don’t be deterred if cabin fever or the need for Vitamin D demands a fast getaway:

Plan on booking your travel at least a month ahead. Short-term deals may be possible, especially if you’re considering an exotic location. Thinking about Egypt? If the front page news doesn’t deter your decision to see Khufu’s pyramid and Giza, negotiate a dream vacation now. Dr. Zahi Hawass plans to close King Tut’s tomb by year end.

Get out of town or bust. Sometimes you’ve just got to go. Take public transportation or dust off your snow shoes.

Stay flexible. Take a vacation when you can relax, and when taking a trip of Thursday seems just the ticket. Getting great airfare deals depends on your ability to travel on other days besides Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Think chance-of-a-lifetime adventure. If you’ve never been to Australia, seize the moment. Queensland, on the eastern coast, offers a wide potential for adventure. Considered the country’s eastern business hub, visit Brisbane and the Opera House. Then camp out for the night on the Great Barrier Reef. Only 40 miles from the mainland, you’re light years away from society. Alternatively, take an aboriginal tour and relish the tropical climate in a mini-walkabout.

Romantic getaways and incredible weddings. French and English explorers of the 19th century wrote about finding the Garden of Eden in the Isles de Sechelles, known today as the Seychelle Islands. Say the word, and you’ll know why this pristine and otherworldly Eden attracts so many lovers. Adam and Eve may have consumed a special kind of coconut, known as the coco-de-mer, to gain all that knowledge.

Filed Under: Technology Tagged With:

Global Financial Connections

Technology lets us read the news around the world from the comfort of  a laptop or desk computers. The Sydney Morning Herald‘s Eric Johnson reports on Commonwealth Bank’s (CBA.AX) decision to raise home mortgage rates by 45 basis points, or almost one-half a percent. According to Ralph Norris, Commonwealth Bank’s CEO, raising rates was the right thing to do for the bank’s shareholders. Raising rates was instrumental in the bank’s 13 percent rise in profits during the first half of the fiscal year. Reporter Barry FitzGerald reports on the price of copper and explosive increase in metals  prices in today’s news. Finally, SMH also ran an Associated Press article  in which Fed chief Ben Bernanke. Mr. Bernanke tells the world our inflation rates remain “quite low.”

Where does the information in these articles intersect? Australia’s economy reflects many concerns of the globe. The metals index increased by more than 19 percent in 2010 according to the USGS. Metals and mining companies comprise the largest Australian industry. More than 600 Aussie companies, including ASX, BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto, engage in mineral exploration and production. Conclusion: Rising commodities prices often signal increasing inflationary pressures.

Australia’s conventional long-term home loan rates average more than 7 percent vs. advertised U.S. rates of about 5 percent. Chairman Bernanke acknowledged that low mortgage rates aren’t stimulating home purchases in the U.S. Conclusion: Mortgage rates may rise.

The world’s long-term interest rates remain at historically low levels. According to BNY Standish Mellon Advisors, the world’s global debt markets’ total size increased from about USD 4 trillion in 1990 to about USD 34 trillion in 2009. Conclusion: Unprecedented expansion of the global debt markets is a great cause for concern.

In November 2010, interest rates on 10-year U.S. Treasury bonds returned less than 3 percent. In February 2011, 10-year Treasuries return about 3.75 percent. Bond prices decline as interest rates rise. Rising inflation, evidenced by increasing commodities prices like metal and oil, has historically stimulated higher interest rates. In February 2011, Australia’s 10-year government bond pays lenders 5.73 percent. Conclusion: Global interest rates are likely to rise.

Filed Under: Internet, Technology Tagged With:

Create Your Own Wireless HotSpot

Create a wireless hotspot with your laptop. Electing to share your connection helps family and friends gain wireless Internet access. If you would like to share a wired Internet connection from your computer with others, it’s a relatively easy task for most operating systems. Your computer must have a wireless card to communicate with other computers’ wireless cards. You also need an Internet Ethernet cable to complete the task.

To create a hotspot using an XP operating system, start by connecting the laptop to the Ethernet cable. Click open the “Control Panel” on your computer, then select “Network Connections.” After right-clicking wireless adapter, select “Properties.” Select Windows to configure the wireless network setting. Add by clicking the “Preferred Networks” section. Create a name and password, then select a security type for the network. (Note: If you choose not to establish a security type for your wireless hotspot, your unsecured connection may be available to remote users.) Finally, select the “Advanced” tab, then choose to connect with “ad hoc networks.”

Return to the Network Connections area as you close each option by selecting “OK.” Click on the “Properties” section, then select “Advanced” options. Choose to allow your computer to connect with other network users through your Internet connection.

To turn your laptop into a hotspot using a Windows Vista operating system, start as above by connecting your computer to the modem. Then, select the Control Panel and click “Networking and Sharing.” Select a new connection setup, then choose the option for creating “an ad hoc network” as before. Select a name and security key, and confirm what type of security the network has. Finalize by clicking the choice of establishing Internet connection sharing.


You‘ve now turned your laptop into a hotspot!

Filed Under: Internet, Technology Tagged With: ,

Wireless Hot Spots For Web Workers

These days there are many jobs that allow people to work only using their computer and an internet connection. Freelance writers, graphic designers, web developers, and online consultants are all jobs that don’t necessarily require you to go into an office each day.

Though this technology is great, it can be lonely working at home alone. That’s where wireless hot spots come into the picture. Hot spots allow solo entrepreneurs and independent workers to get out and interact with people, without the expensive costs of setting up a separate office.

Locations such as coffee shops, fast food restaurants, bookstores, and even copy shops offer hot spots. Some offer free Wi-Fi hot spots, while others require you to pay by the hour.

If you decide to work from a place that offers free Wi-Fi then you should plan on patronizing the business. Don’t just setup camp in someone’s place of business without contributing anything. Not only might you get kicked out, but also it’s just a poor practice. If you are going to take up space and use electricity for hours at a time- buy something. It doesn’t have to be a large purchase- a cup of coffee or a magazine will do; just make a good faith effort.

Also, if you decide to use this type of work arrangement, be considerate of others and don’t talk loudly on your cell phone.  If you know you have to talk on the phone a lot, then consider working from home. Working from places with hot spots is best for people who just need to type on their laptops in order to get work done.

Filed Under: Internet, Technology Tagged With:
Newer Posts »