Virtual private networks were conceived to connect computers in different geographic locations as if they were part of one same local network. They rely on encryption, tunnel protocols and masking mechanisms to fulfill their purpose in a reliable and secure fashion. These same attributes which are indispensable to create safe networks through the internet have made VPNs the go to technology for anyone looking to keep their location and online activities private.


In general, totally free high quality VPN services are few and far between. The current business model being used by some is to offer a free basic application with the option to upgrade to a paid, more feature rich version. However, for users simply looking for some extra privacy or sporadically accessing a geo-restricted website these free versions get the job done.

Free VPN Services You Should Check Out

CyberGhost

CyberGhost installs clean and the interface is very polished. There are no bandwidth limits but whenever you change a setting in the program you get a popup window that offers upgrading to their premiums plans. Speed is slightly higher than the other services we have listed here but they restrict P2P traffic. This doesn’t affect video and audio streaming services but if you want anonymity downloading torrents this one is not for you. They have the widest list of options when it comes to IP selection with virtual locations in Germany, Spain, Romania, Luxembourg, France, Italy, aside from the usual US and UK locales. CyberGhost is available for Windows, Mac, Android, iOS and Linux (with some work). Another plus, you do not need to register.

TunnelBear

TunnelBear is another strong offering in the world of free VPNs. The interface is quite polished and easy to use, installation is clean and quick, and it was able to get us into all the online streaming services we tried – Hulu, BBC iPlayer, and YouTube. Speed was a bit lacking and there is a 500MB per month limit, but you can increase that to 1.5GB with a tweet right from the get go. You can choose virtual locations in the US, UK, Canada, Germany, Japan, Netherlands, and Italy. TunnelBear is available for Windows, Mac, Android and iOS after you register an account.

SurfEasy

SurfEasy is one of the most solid free alternatives out there. Speed is decent, installation is straightforward, encryption is supposedly “bank grade” and they clearly state none of your online activities are logged. You can change regions on the fly with servers in Brazil, US, Singapore, UK, Germany and Canada. The biggest deal breaker is that apparently their IP addresses have been blacklisted by some streaming services. At the time of writing SurfEasy wasn’t able to get us into Hulu or the BBC iPlayer. There’s also a monthly data transfer limit of 500MB for free accounts and BitTorrent traffic is not supported — the company had to choose between keeping user logs or dropping torrent support to avoid being liable of copyright infringement. They chose the latter.

Although free accounts are capped at 500MB per month of traffic you can extend that limit indefinitely through referrals and several other pretty effortless mechanisms. SurfEasy is available for Windows, Mac, Android and iOS after you register for an account.

Hotspot Shield

Hotspot Shield is probably the best-known free VPN out there. It does all the basics and while speed is just average, it’s good enough for streaming Hulu videos at medium resolution. All communications are encrypted and there is no data transfer limit. However, you’ll have to tolerate ads while surfing. Be sure to go with the “advanced installation” option during setup otherwise your browser will end up with a different homepage and default search engine. Finally, you can’t change your virtual location which limits your online selection to U.S based services. Hotspot Shield is available for Windows, Mac, Android and iOS with no registration necessary.

Spotflux

Spotflux is another free, ad-supported offering with no bandwidth limits. Speed is more or less on par with Hotspot Shield — which is to say it’s not the fastest of the bunch — but besides encrypting your internet traffic they also promise protection online against malicious ads, cookies and malware. The client is quite simple with virtually no settings to deal with, which might a be a pro or con depending on your preferences. For the average user looking for an install and forget solution Spotflux does the trick. Their IP addresses seem to be U.S. based so it won’t get you around blocks for services limited to other countries. It’s also worth noting that at the time of writing they have been blacklisted from Hulu but had no issues with YouTube. Spotflux is available for Windows, Mac, Android and iOS. You don’t have to register for an account right away.

How To Create Blog Posts To Attract Backlinks

The days of submitting your website to multiple directories, guest blogging and general bookmarking has well and truly past. So how can you build safe, quality back links to your website? The most effective form of link building in 2014 is creating high value, quality blog posts, but with a new twist!

What To Blog About?

The first point you should always remember is ‘would i read this?’. If the answer is no then the chances are nobody else will want to. Your blog posts should always be of interest, forget about the SEO involved with your content, we will optimise your content last. People usually read blog posts to find out how to perform or do a certain task or to find out the latest news in a certain industry. This is what your blog posts should be about for many reasons that i will go into now.

What To Include In Your Post?

Now we have distinguished the sustenance of your content we need to structure and make your post more appealing to your readers. People are lazy! They do not want to read 1000s of words before they get to the part of the blog they want to know. Always keep paragraphs as short as possible with headlines targeting the point of the paragraph. this way the reader can do a quick scan of your article to get to the point they are interested in, if they wish to do so.

Try and include relevant images within your post or even statistics or graphs backing up your article. Researching your article subject and collecting your data into an easy to read format will help readers understand your blog post more effectively.
Having a catchy article title will attract more views when you promote your blog post so think outside the box with this to attract these vital readers.

Always Link Out

Link out to other relevant articles that backup your post. This is the most important factor you should remember when performing outgoing links in your blog post — never (and i repeat never) use you’re outgoing links to increase search engine rankings for your clients, or any website. If you are using outgoing links to pass page rank with an exact match anchor text, you are sending alarm bells ringing to Google who will issue you with the dreaded ‘unnatural outgoing links’ message. Google will remove your website from their index until you resolve these outbound links. This will result in a huge loss of traffic and rankings.
As mentioned, your article should always out the readers experience first. Only link out to websites that support your blog and will be a useful extension to your own article. Using a rel=nofollow attribute on outbound links is advised if you are not 100% sure the website is trustworthy. Treat your outbound links the same as you would for your inbound links. You do not want spam inbound links and you do not want spam outbound links either.

The Twist – Internal Linking

Now here is the twist! if its possible to link to products and/or services within your post then do so. This will pass on any page rank to your product page and direct your readers to hopefully make a purchase. The more you promote your blog post, the more readers, social shares and back links your post will receive, which i will go into how to do shortly. The more people who refer to your post as a reliable source of information, the more Google will reward you, and your product page you’re linking to internally.

Now To Promote Your Blog Post

Now you have created this well structured blog post, made high value important content your readers will love its time to promote your blog post to attract more readers, social shares and of course your backlinks.
First of all you do the basics, publish your post on Facebook, Twitter and Google+. if you have a large social media following then people will read your post from social media alone. If you do not have a large following you need to do some more content marketing.
Letting the website owners you have linked out to that you have included them in your post is a great way to get exposure for your blog post. The chances are they have a large social following and will promote your blog post across their accounts. It is in their interest to get more readers on your post to increase the power of their back link.
Posting your blog post on blog directories will increase the visibility of your article and will attract these important links and social shares.

Respond To Blog Comments

Interacting with readers that leave comments on your post will add even more quality content and also encourage the person, or persons to revisit and even link to your post. If a new reader sees people commenting on your article then they will automatically think it’s a reliable source of the information they are searching for.

and finally…

Be patient! The chances are you will not be an instant success and attract huge amounts of readers from the get go. Just keep following the above steps and blog as often as possible. Do not blog for blogging sake, always blog for high value content for your readers. All the above can still happen to old blog posts the more established you become as an authority figure in your industry.

WhatsApp relaunched for Windows Phone devices like Lumia series smart phones

WhatsApp is again available for your Windows Phone device. Two weeks ago WhatsApp was pulled of abruptly without any notice by the publishers to the users of Windows Phone. This had lead to many users left frustrated and  venting out their frustration on Facebook as well as Twitter. Tech forums also had many users  questioning as to why WhatsApp was removed from Windows Phone app store but the publishers delivered a stoic  one sentence ‘’Technical Issue”.

Though later WhatsApp clarified that they had to take down the App from Windows App Store due to the issue with notifications within Windows OS. Whatever the issue between WhatsApp and Microsoft, users are happy about the return of the WhatsApp and back in messaging spree action with friends.

Whats app for windows phone is available with new features.

§  Chat backgrounds

§  Broadcast lists

§  Privacy settings (settings > account > privacy)

§  Media auto-download settings (settings > chat settings > media auto download)

§  Custom notification tones (Windows Phone 8 Update 3 required)

§  Various enhancements and bug fixes

You can download the WhatsApp for Windows Phone from Windows App Store here.

Samsung KidsTime App- Samsung launches new content subscription for Southeast Asia's kids

Samsung is doing its best to keep consumers glued to their brand of Android phones. After launching its music streaming App called Milk Music and video-streaming space with its own digital rental service for TV shows called Project Glued in Singapore and the Philippines, now Samsung’s new venture is for south east Asia kids, its content subscription service called-Samsung Kids Time, for kids aged between 3-7yrs old.

It is designed for Samsung Tablet and it will be first available the flagship Galaxy 3, 4 and 5 series and later will also be available for the Galaxy Note series. The App will be available to download in Samsung App website and Google Play Store  on June 12^th onwards.

This App will have kids entertainment related things and e-books content, which will be refreshed monthly with new titles. A parent also get an access to the dashboard to keep an eye on kid’s activities. It also offers a parental control with a ‘App Lock” which will help the parents to keep the child from being addicted to the App.  Another plus point of the App is its totally free and also be advertisement free.  There will also be premium version available for those who want extra content. The free version provides access to 1o titles and parents can upgrade to a monthly subscription by paying $4.99 and it gives access to 30 e-books and game Apps, but Samsung says it will be eventually expanded to more than 50 Apps.

The author can be reached at @knithaurs

Google's Motorola to close its Moto X plant in Texas by the end of the Year

Google’s Motorola Mobility Smartphone unit in Fort Worth Texas is being closed by end of this year. The unit which is barely a year old unit is being closed because of weak sales and high manufacturing costs. This particular factory employs about 700 workers who assemble the Moto X smart phones for American market.  Now the fate of these 700  workers is unknown. Motorola’s spokes man Will Moss declined to comment on retaining the employs but he stated “sales of its flagship handset the Moto X were too weak and the costs of running the plant too high to keep operations going.”

Google’s attempt to build smart phones in USA has ended in finger counting days. Former Motorola’s chief Executive-Dennis Woodside had stated soon after the opening of the Unit that it would be very expensive to manufacture in the USA and a great challenge to sustain in U.S Market. And his statement has been proved right.

"Manufacturing or assembling Smartphone’s in the U.S. was always going to end in tears for Motorola," Strategy Analytics analyst Neil Mawston said. "The U.S. is well positioned to design smartphones, as Apple does successfully, but manufacturing them is a whole different ballgame."

How do I connect Galaxy S4 or S3 to the internet?

How do I connect my Galaxy S4 or S3 to the internet?

Before your S4 or S3 can connect to the internet, you need to create what's known as an Access Point Name or APN. We pre-populate the BT Mobile APN details so you shouldn't need to do anything once you've inserted your SIM card.
However, if you do have problems, here's how to set up your mobile to connect to the internet. Don't worry; it's easy to do:

1. From the Home screen tap the Apps menu item
2. Scroll Left and then tap the Settings menu item
3. Tap the More settings menu item
4. Tap the Mobile networks menu item, make sure Mobile data is ticked
5. Tap the Access Point Names menu item
6. Tap the Access point you would like to check or tap the Menu button to select + New APN
7. Enter the following information in the fields on the APN settings screen:
   
   APN:  btmobile.bt.com
   Username:  bt
   Password:  bt
   Proxy server URL:  212.183.137.12
   Proxy port:  9201
8. Press the Menu button and then Save
9. Select the new APN by tapping it - the green light should be next to it

Your mobile is now connected to the internet.

 How to configure internet on galaxy s3

Android s3 update 4.3

how to configure internet on galaxy s3

Follow the steps below to set up and connect  your Samsung Galaxy S 3  to the internet 3g .

1. Tap the Menu key and then tap Settings
2. Tap More settings then Mobile networks
3. Tap on Access point names
4. Tap the Menu button
5. Tap on new APN

Then enter the following information:

• Name = Internet
• APN = everywhere (case sensitive)
• Proxy = Leave Blank
• Port = Leave Blank
• Username = eesecure
• Password = secure
• Server = Leave Blank
• MMSC = Leave Blank
• MMS proxy = Leave Blank
• MMS port = Leave Blank
• MCC = 234
• MNC = 30
• Authentication type = PAP
• APN type = default
• APN protocol = IPv4
• Bearer = Unspecified

Tap the Menu button, then select Save.

Moshi Monsters-Mind Candy Studio announces a new game called-"World Of Warriors" for Android and iOS

The British company behind popular online game Moshi Monsters-Mind candy has announced a new game called World of Warriors for smart phones and tablets. The game will be available on iOS as well as Android and it will be a game for all age group according to Moshi Monsters.  Stating this on its official blog, Moshi says that it was a secret project of the gaming company and  they were  working on it since last year.

Michael Acton Smith-Founder and CEO of Mind candy stated in his Blog that it will be an epic game  with a ever increasing cast of history’s greatest warriors and he also stated’’ Summoned to the hostile Wild lands from a mind-boggling array of cultures, tribes and civilizations, each warrior has a story to tell. But the only way to survive is to FIGHT!”

Mind Candy has released its first teaser of the game, here is a glimpse of teaser.

China censors WeChat to 'clean up' the instant messaging space in an internet crackdown after bombings

China’s hugely popular social media App ‘’WECHAT’’- Chinese version known as-Weixin is being censored by Chinese government under a operation called "Clean Up". The Chinese govt has started this new campaign to prevent and eradicate malpractice of going against the state and PLA on instant messaging services. Further it is reported that this ‘”clean up” campaign will affect almost  all the instant messaging services massively.  Weixin or Chinese version of Wechat has more than 300 million users in China. Apart from private account used for personal use, there are many public accounts, which are owned by companies, organization or an individual for mass communication being used on WeChat and this popularity is the main reason for China shuttering WeChat. Pages such as Truth channel, Phoenix We Media, activist Xu Dane’s newsletter which has 200,000 subscribers has been blocked. Users who attempt to open this page are being greeted with a message “This account deleted”.

The Chinese IT censorship authority, State Internet Information Office (SIIO) stated that it believes that some people or organizations are using these popular services to distribute illegal and harmful information and also circulating rumours contrary to the policies of Chinese central leadership. They are expecting to trace down those people who are responsible for spreading rumours, information relating violence, terrorism and pornography, any kind of fraudulent act using instant messaging services. Authorities also encouraging the public to tip off the authorities through emails, phone calls or the website net.china.com.cn. The statement released by SIIO stated ‘we will firmly fight against infiltration from hostile forces at home and abroad,"

Wixen (weChat) is not the only service which is affected by Chinese government’s clean up campaign; other messaging services which will be affected include Alibaba’s Laiwang, Xiaomi’s Mi Talk, and China Telecom’s Yixin, among others  The above crackdown comes just days after the recent attack by Islamic fundamentalists operating in restive Northern regions of China.

BBC updates its iPlayer App for Windows Phone with Live and streaming TV

The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) has released a new update for its iPlayer App on Windows Phone with a major visual overhaul. The iPlayer App for Windows Phone was first released in 2013 but the features were lacking as compared to its iOS and Android App.  With this update the App has a new interface feature which works on internet connection. So even the connection is slow, still you can stream content from the App. The latest release of the App makes it easier for an App user to enjoy their favorite show while they are moving.

Features of iPlayer:

1. Watch live and on demand over Wi-Fi, 4G and 3G
2. Enjoy smoother viewing with less buffering
3. Browse new channel pages, themed programmed collections and clearer categories
4. Keep track of programmes you love by adding them to your favorites
5. Access subtitles

Another major change in the new iPlayer is radio content which was there on the previously available version is missing in new version. BBC is now focusing majorly on offering a greater TV viewing experience for their users. BBC stated that their iPlayer Radio team is working on a new similar app with optimized listening experiences.

Though the updated App is much better than the old version, its still lacks in certain area and need to improve it. The way BBC is working on its App, users can wait for another improved update shortly.  You can download this awesome App from Windows Phone store here.

How to Access Failed SD Cards

Although SD cards -- often used in cameras, computers and video game systems -- are convenient for storing large amounts of data, the failure or corruption of these "Secure Digital" devices can result in a frustrating loss of data for your small business. However, there are a few methods that help recover damaged files or allow you to format the card for further use.

 Step 1

Ensure that the SD card is not write-protected. Sometimes the memory card becomes locked accidentally and this makes the disk seem unusable. Check the switch on the side of the card, typically labeled "Lock." Move the switch to the opposite side so that it is unlocked. Insert the card again and check for files.

 

Step 2Attempt to repair the card. Click Start, then click "My Computer." Select the drive for the card, then right-click. Select "Properties" on the pop-up menu, then click the "Tools" tab. Click "Check now" to scan the disk for errors.

Step 3Download a file recovery program. Programs such as EaseUS, Zero Assumption Recovery and SanDisk's Rescue Pro can help locate and restore corrupted files thought to be lost. Although some programs charge a fee, many offer free trials. Recovering precious photos of loved ones or an important, time-sensitive document can be worth the cost.

Step 4Format the card. Sometimes scanning the card for errors will not repair the issue and recovery programs do not find your files. Although the data is lost, formatting the card often fixes the problem and you can use it to store new information. To format the card, locate the drive using "My Computer" and right-click to bring up the options menu. Select "Format," then click "Start."

Source  smallbusiness.chron.com/access-failed-sd-cards-46959.html

Mozilla's Firefox OS powered Flame smart phone available for pre order at $170.00 (Rs.10,000)

Mozilla announced this morning that Firefox OS reference device is now available for pre orders. The Firefox OS powered Flame smart phone comes with mid-tier hardware,costing $170USD (Rs.10000.00) including shipping charges. Mozilla has partnered with T20Mobile to manufacture and distribute Flame.  The updates for this smart phone will be made availalbe by Mozilla. Mozilla calls the Flame "a high quality reference device [for] our developer community at an affordable price."Official Mozilla blog says-“ Until now, there has been no “reference device” and the options for getting something through retail were limited”

The Flame has a mid-tier phone hardware and is specifically designed for developers and contributors community. Mozilla also says that it’s a high quality reference device at an affordable price.

Specifications & unlocked!

The Flame is unlocked from any network and comes with the bootloader unlocked.

·         Qualcomm MSM8210 Snapdragon, 1.2GHZ Dual core processor

·         4.5” screen (FWVGA 854×480 pixels)

·         Cameras: Rear: 5MP with auto-focus and flash / Front: 2MP

·         Frequency: GSM 850/900/1800/1900MHz
UMTS 850/900/1900/2100MHz

·         8GB memory

·         256MB – 1GB RAM (adjustable by developer)

·         A-GPS, NFC

·         Dual SIM Support

·         Battery capacity: 1,800 mAh

·         WiFi: 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 3.0, Micro USB, MicroSD

This mid-range handset can be pre-ordered right now for $170 through everbuying.com and should take roughly four weeks to ship.

How to recover files from an SD card

We show you how to get files off a corrupt SD card. How to recover photos and other data from an SD card that has stopped working.

Expandable storage such as SD cards are great. They can make your phone or camera a much larger and more versatile beast. But when a card corrupts you can lose a lot. Here we've focussed on recovering photos: apps you can reinstall, and if they come from a legal source music files can be replaced free of charge. But in any case the principles are the same.

Here's what to do if your trusty SD card has stopped working. First of all, don't format the disk if you want to retain any of the photos on it. And unless you have a lot of valuable data that you absolutely need to get back, we'd caution against employing a third-party data-recovery company. At least not before you have tried the following.

How to recover files from a corrupt SD card

You will need some specialist recovery software. We were recommened a program called ZAR (Zero Assumption Recovery). Other similar programs are available, but ZAR worked well for us and is free for this purpose.

Install ZAR, then insert the damaged SD card into your PC's card reader. Launch ZAR. (You may have to disable your PC's security software, in which case we recommend you also disable the internet connection).
When prompted, click the Image Recovery (Free) option. This will help you to recover photos from an SD card.

ZAR will now look for devices that are installed, and you need to point it toward the offending SD card. Select the correct disk and click Next. ZAR will now analyse your SD card. This will take a few minutes.
Once this is complete you'll see a list of the recovered files. On most SD cards the chances are that clicking the 'Root' checkbox will select all the images. Click Next and you can then select the folder into which recovered files will be placed. By default this will be the same as the folder your chose to save (so 'Root', in all likelihood).

One important point: you will be asked to select a destination folder for the recovered files. Make sure you choose one on your PC's hard disk and not back on to the corrupt SD card. The latter option will help you not one jot!

It will take a few minutes for the files to copy across. Once this is complete browse to the destination folder you selected. You should find most if not all of the files you wanted to rescue.

A comprehensive backup solution for Windows PCs : EaseUS Todo Backup Workstation

The biggest and most important problem faced by the PC users around the world is loss of data due to various reasons like Virus, trojans, malware, corrupt data or accidental deletion of files.  It would indeed be very sad if a PC user loses his/her all important data like images/videos of his/her loved ones or important files containing commercial information.  To overcome this handicap there are a number of alternatives available in the market but none comes close to the EaseUS Todo BackUp

As the name suggests, EaseUS Todo Backup Workstation is a comprehensive backup solution unlike other products available in the market which devote their skills only on one aspect of backup. The EaseUS ToDo Backup Workstation gives much more than your standard run of the mill image of your hard disk in, fact it is a comprehensive Ghost Alternative.   EaseUS Todo Backup Workstation is specifically designed keeping in mind the users.  It caters to all kinds of users like home office and business desktops and laptops.  It provides with advanced and reliable data backup and in case of a system or data loss, the recovery solutions provided by the software are very user friendly that even a novice or a newbie can perform the recovery operation.  

Its easy to use user interface allows users to perform self-service backup operation oriented on complete system & file backup, one-click to restore system to dissimilar hardware without reinstallation, comprehensive differential/incremental backup and fast system snapshot. 

The EaseUS Todo Backup Workstation supports following operating systems as of now :

Windows 8.1

Windows 8 32 bit and 64 bit Edition

Windows 7 SP1

Windows 7 32 bit and 64 bit Edition

Windows Vista 32 bit and 64 bit Edition

Windows XP Home Edition and Professional 32 bit and 64 bit Edition

The fact that EaseUS Todo Backup Workstation still supports Windows XP systems is a boon in disguise for those XP users as Microsoft has already stopped giving out updates for Windows XP from April 2014.  

EaseUS Todo Backup Workstation supports all kinds of files systems that are available for Windows PCs like FAT16, FAT32 and NTFS.  It even supports the very old FAT12 file allocation table system.  The basic requirements for installation of the EaseUS Todo Backup Workstation are as follows :

1. CPU: at least with X86 or compatible CPU with main frequency 500 MHz.
2. RAM: equal or larger than 1GB.
3. A standard PC system with mouse, keyboard and color monitor.
4. CD-R/RW, DVD-R/RW,DVD+R/RW or DVD+R DL drive for bootable media creation.

The features offered by the company are as follows :

1. Efficient system backup & recovery can fully protect your Windows system so that you can quickly get your dead computer up when disaster strikes.
2. Back up emails in Outlook, network data and other more against data loss.
3. Back up files to hard drive, external devices, tapes, etc and you can restore them to specified location.
4. Support differential backup, incremental backup, and schedule backup.
5. Support dynamic disk volume and GPT disk.

The latest version also supports your Smart phones and tablets. You can backup all important data on your smart phones and tablets including contacts, messages, call logs, documents, music, photos, videos to the location you want.

The EaseUS Todo Backup Workstation has been given stellar rating by users across the globe and once you use it you will have many more alternatives to just taking system snapshots. Besides protecting data, EaseUS Todo Backup Workstation also offers you a set of tools that you can use to clone disks and partitions, check images, wipe data, create an emergency disk, as well as mount and unmount images. 

How to Upgrade Your MacBook Pro's RAM

Upgrading the RAM is one of the cheapest and most effective ways to boost your computer’s overall performance. RAM, or random access memory, stores the code and instructions for OS X and any applications open on your Mac. Installing larger RAM modules in your MacBook Pro will allow you have more applications open at once and perform more tasks simultaneously. For example, you could open a bunch of memory-hogging applications while ripping a CD, watching a DVD, and uploading photos to the Internet - all at the same time. And if you install more RAM in an older MacBook Pro, you could see a big difference in the way your computer performs everyday tasks, like loading websites.
Note: These instructions are for the MacBook Pro only. The MacBook Air has RAM modules that are permanently attached (soldered) to the logic board, so you can't replace the RAM modules in any of the MacBook Air models.

How to Find New RAM

RAM modules come in pairs. For example, the 2012 MacBook Pros come with 4 GB, which is really a set of two 2GB RAM modules. To upgrade the RAM, you need to purchase a pair of larger modules, like two 4GB modules for a total of 8GB of RAM. We recommend this Crucial 8GB Kit (4GBx2), 204-pin SODIMM, DDR3 PC3-10600 Memory Module Set (currently $45) as shown below.

Of course, there are other sizes and brands of RAM available for your MacBook Pro.

Taking a Peek Under the Hood

Your MacBook Pro has lots of internal components hidden under the case, as shown in the image below. You don’t want to touch most of these components—doing so could harm your Mac. When replacing your RAM modules, follow the instructions carefully and try not to touch any of the other components.

It's worth noting that the placement of components varies from Mac to Mac. Apple made the RAM and hard drive accessible in most models, but some Macs - like the Mac Mini - are notoriously difficult to upgrade. Fortunately, the MacBook Pro has RAM modules and a hard drive that are easy to replace.

Upgrading the RAM in Your MacBook Pro

Once your new RAM modules arrive, set aside about half an hour to perform the replacement. Be mindful of your environment. Static electricity discharges can zap components, so a fleece pullover isn’t the smartest thing to wear. Try to find a flat, clean surface to work on. And keep pets and children out of the way - you don’t want any hairballs or spilled drinks in your MacBook’s innards.
Here’s how to upgrade your MacBook Pro's RAM:

1. Disconnect the power cord and turn your Mac over.
   
2. Remove the ten screws on the back of the case. (You need a Phillips #00 Screwdriver.) There are seven 3 mm screws, and three 13.5 mm screws, as shown in the image below. The screws are very small - don’t loose them!
   


3. Gently lift the case backing and tilt it towards the rear of the computer, as shown below.
   


4. Touch a metal surface inside the computer to discharge any static electricity from your body.
   
5. Push out the tabs on both sides of the RAM module, as shown below. These tabs keep the RAM module firmly tucked in to the logic board - pushing them out causes the RAM module to pop up.
   


6. After the RAM module has popped up, pull it back out of the socket, as shown below.
   


7. There’s still another RAM module in there. Push out the tabs on both sides of the RAM module, just like you did for the first RAM module.
   
8. After the RAM module has popped up, pull it back out of the socket.
   
9. Now you can insert the new RAM modules. Take one of the new modules and firmly slide it in to the socket closest to the logic board.
   
10. After the RAM module is set in the socket, press it down until it clicks in to the tabs.
    
11. Repeat the process for the second RAM module. Insert it in to the top socket, and then press it down until it clicks in to the tabs.
    
12. Gently place the case backing onto the top of the case.
    
13. Replace and tighten the screws.

That’s it! Reconnect the power cord and start your Mac—you can check that the RAM is working by selecting About This Mac from the Apple menu.

Microsoft Enlarges Surface’s Screen So It Can Be Used for Work, Too

Many people have both laptop computers and tablets and use them for different tasks. Microsoft on Tuesday redoubled its vision that the two devices should be one and the same, introducing a new version of its Surface tablet with a larger screen.

The company’s new product, the Surface Pro 3, has a 12-inch screen, larger than many small laptop screens. The more spacious screen reflects a sharpening of Microsoft’s belief that it can still distinguish itself in the tablet market, where it is currently an also-ran, with a device that meets professional and personal needs.

Microsoft argues that current tablets, most notably the iPad, are great for watching movies and other forms of entertainment or reading, but are far weaker when it comes to getting work done. The company’s proposition is that the Surface can do both well. A bigger display, Microsoft argues, will let people look at more than one application on their screens at the same time — like email and a word processor — as they can on their laptops.

 

We want products and technology that enable people to dream and get stuff done,” Satya Nadella, the chief executive of Microsoft, said at an event in New York.

This has been Microsoft’s approach since it introduced the original Surface in 2012, however. Earlier Surface versions had a 10.6-inch screen, larger than those on most other tablets.

Microsoft has won praise from many quarters for the design of the Surface, including a cover that also doubles as a laptoplike keyboard and track pad. Critics of Surface say a hybrid device forces too many design compromises. Timothy D. Cook, the chief executive of Apple, once said in reference to the Surface that “you can converge a toaster and refrigerator, but these things are probably not going to be pleasing to the user.

Sales of the Surface have been disappointing, and the company is losing money on the devices. During the first quarter of the year, Microsoft’s share of worldwide shipments in the market for tablets and two-in-one computers — tablets with detachable keyboards like the Surface — was 1.3 percent, putting it in seventh place in the market, according to IDC, the technology research firm. Apple was No. 1 with 32.7 percent.

The new Surface will start at $799, $100 less than the previous comparable version. The Surface Pro 3, which can be preordered starting on Wednesday, will be available in the United States and Canada on June 20.

Before the event on Tuesday, many people expected Microsoft to introduce a smaller Surface, to compete with the iPad Mini, the most popular product in Apple’s tablet family. Microsoft is working on such a device, according to a person briefed on the discussions who spoke only on the condition of anonymity. But the company decided against announcing the product on Tuesday, the person said, after Mr. Nadella asked the managers of the Surface team if they believed strongly that the device was ready to be shipped.

The Surface team felt the smaller device was not ready, in large part because of software issues, this person said. Microsoft has not completed a version of its Office applications for touch-screen devices running the company’s Windows operating system. Microsoft was concerned that the current Office applications would be difficult to operate on a Surface with a small screen, the person said. A version made for Apple devices has already been released.

“This continues to be a massive uphill battle for Microsoft and Nadella,” said Daniel Ives, an analyst at FBR Capital Markets. “It feels like a small step in the right direction from a product perspective and strategy perspective.”

The innards of the Surface Pro 3 include a microprocessor made by Intel, the chip giant that makes the microprocessor inside most conventional PCs. That means Microsoft’s device can run applications written for PCs, unlike the iPad and other tablets.

The new Surface will inevitably be compared with the iPad, and not favorably in many respects. At 1.76 pounds, the Surface Pro 3 is heavier and more expensive than the 1-pound iPad Air, Apple’s largest tablet, which starts at $499. Yet Microsoft believes a more apt comparison is Apple’s MacBook Air, an ultraslim laptop that is a hit among professionals and starts at $899 and weighs 2.38 pounds.

“This device actually makes a much better argument for consolidating into one device,” said J.P. Gownder, an analyst at Forrester Research.

Panos Panay, a corporate vice president at Microsoft and a creator of the Surface product line, emphasized repeatedly that Microsoft’s new product elegantly balanced the capabilities of both devices.

“I am sure that this is the tablet that can replace the laptop,” Mr. Panay said

Google Overtakes Apple To Become The World's Most Valuable Brand in the world

Google has taken over iPhone maker, Apple’s place as world’s most valuable brand in terms of value. This news was announced on Wednesday by a global market research agency Milward Brown, France.  Top 10 out of 100 rankings are dominated by US Firms which isnt much of a surprise. Milward Brown says that, brand value is calculated on the basis of the firms' financial performance and their standing among consumers.

Tech major, Apple had maintained is position as most valuable brand in the world for consistently in a row for 3 years preceding to this report. But sadly,  the Apple’s brand value took a deep dive of 20 percent in the past year and fell under 14billion USD, where as Google’s brand value shot up like a rocket by upto 40 percent in last year with a value of 158.84 billion USD, hence securing its place over Apple.

"Google has been extremely innovative this year with Google Glass, investments in artificial intelligence and a range of partnerships," said Benoit Tranzer, the head of Millward Brown France. 

In the same report, it is also noted that French luxury brand Louis Vuitton has ranked 30^th position with a value of 25 Billion USD, while, Facebook‘s brand value has shot up by 68 percent that is around 36billion USD.  This has helped Facebook secure 21^st place in the ranking.  Twitter has been ranked 71^stand LinkedIn is placed at 78 rank .

Peter Walshe, Global BrandZ Director at Millward Brown, said: “Digital service brands such as Google, Facebook, Twitter, Tencent and LinkedIn are now more than just tools, they have become part of our lives.He also added-"They offer new forms of communication that absorb people’s attention and imagination, while also helping them organize the rest of their lives at the same time. To gain more of our mind-space brands such as Google are making ambitious plays across existing category boundaries.”

Though Apple is down as a brand it is not completely out. Apple had two incredible products in the pipeline to gain back the lost ground by the fall of 2014.  Industry watchers are anticipating Apple's iPhone 6 and "iWatch' to rebuild Apple's reputation as well as profitability in the market. It would be very interesting to see the Apple's market report in future.

What is Dropbox and How Does it Work?

What is Dropbox and How Does it Work?

The latest storage destination for all your files is Dropbox. Not only does this feature allow you to store your data, it also allows you to share the same with others. Still wondering how is this sharing possible? Buzzle gives you the answer ...

Retrieve Deleted Files?
Dropbox will keep deleted files for 30 days before permanently deleting it. So, you will always have a month's time to restore those important, yet deleted files.

Dropbox is a one-stop destination for all your file needs. Though the Internet has been around for a while now, it was only after the advent of Cloud Storage that we could truly use the Internet to store data virtually. Drew Houston and Arash Ferdowsi are the brains behind the concept of Dropbox. The company is based in San Francisco and is funded by Sequoia Capital, Accel Partners, and Amidzad.

You can create an account on their website for free to get limited storage space (2 GB), or opt for a paid subscription if you wish to get more storage space (up to 100 GB). Let us get acquainted with this amazing way of storage and see how it works.

What is Dropbox?

Dropbox is an online storage facility that uses Cloud Storage to create backup facilities for all your files. You can share photos, docs, videos, and files using your Dropbox account. These files will be available on the computers, iPhones, iPads, and Android devices that have the Dropbox application, and are available on the Dropbox website as well. The concept of Dropbox is such that you can share files with others. The next time you create an important document, make sure you share it using Dropbox, so that you have a backup copy of the same. 256-bit AES encryption is used to secure the stored files. You can make changes to these files even after they are stored in Dropbox.

Technology Behind Dropbox

The software program (server and client) of Dropbox is written in Python. Python is a high-level programming language that allows users to write codes in a few lines as compared to other programming languages. On Windows, the py2exe utility is used for the source and application coding. On Linux, the bbfreeze utility is used for static linking the Python interpreter and the OpenSSL library.

Storing a File

When you store any file on Dropbox, here's what happens at the backend:

❶ You will drag-drop the file that you wish to store to the designated folder in your account, or copy-paste to the respective folder.

❷ Once the file is saved, it is synced to their online servers.

❸ These files are then encrypted and stored in Amazon's Simple Storage Service (S3) in different data centers across the United States. Amazon's S3 is a web service interface that provides storage for Internet users.

The network connection is peer-to-peer, but in case you want to share files with your friend, it is not mandatory that both of you be online. The Dropbox server will store the files with the relevant changes. These edited files will be automatically updated into individual folders.

Server Side Process

When you wish to upload a file which is 4 MB, here is what happens at the server side.

❶ Dropbox will check the size of the file. If it is <4 MB, it will continue with the process, but if it is >4 MB, the file needs to be broken into smaller units of 4MB. The reason being—Dropbox stores files in blocks of 4 MB.

❷ If the file fits into one block, the client side hashes the file. The hash function is an algorithm that will map data of variable length into a fixed length, which means the variable length file will be converted into a 256-byte string (in this case) and sent to the server.

❸ Once on the server, the cache will check if a file with the same hash function already exists. If the file exists, the cache will simply return its copy, but if the hash function doesn't exist, the file will be uploaded to a new location.

LAN Sync

In case of files accessed and shared on a local area network (LAN), the LAN sync technology is used. Here is how the sharing is performed:

❶ You have created a file and it is saved on your computer's Dropbox.

❷ When you make any change to the file, the syncing process is initiated.

❸ All the computers and shared folders that are linked to your computer will download this version of the file.

❹ However, with the LAN sync function enabled, the Dropbox will first check the LAN for any new file instead of checking for it on the central servers. Thus, the processing time reduces.

Getting Started

If you are new to the world of Dropbox, here's the process to get started with this 'feature' (as quoted by Steve Jobs).

To start using Dropbox, you will first need to download it on each device that you need to keep in sync with your account.
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During the installation process, you will be prompted to enter a username and password. You have to create just one account, irrespective of the number of devices you want to keep in sync.
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Once the installation process is completed, a Dropbox folder will be created on your hard drive.
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You can drag-drop files in this folder, and they will automatically sync with other devices.
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These files are now available on the website as well as on the shared devices' Dropbox folders.

The next time you think of buying a USB stick or hard drive to store your files, try Dropbox. You will be surprised to see how easy it is to share and access your files from mobile devices.