How to Setup File Sharing in Windows 7
January 24, 2012 | 
Author If you have multiple computers at home and want to network them together to share files and devices then this article is for you! In this article I’ll show how to setup file sharing in a mixed environment consisting of Windows 7 and Windows XP.
The computer that will be sharing (serving) the files will be the Windows 7 computer. The computer that will be accessing the shared files on the Windows 7 PC will be a Windows xp computer. This article assumes that you either:
A: have your internal software firewalls disabled since they can often obstruct network access. Only do this if you access the internet through a router (or a wireless router).
or
B: know how to allow network access to your internal subnet. Since you’re reading this article it’s pretty safe to assume that you have no idea what I’m talking about in point B. Just go ahead and turn off your firewalls (for now at least).
On your Windows 7 computer:
1. Click the Windows globe on the bottom left (the old start button).
2. Right-click “Computer” and click properties.
3. Take note of the Workgroup name.
On your Windows XP computer:
1. Click Start.
2. Right-Click “My Computer” and click properties.
3. Click Computer Name.
4. Click Change.
5. Select Workgroup.
6. Type in the same workgroup name.
7. Click Ok twice.
8. Reboot.
Back on your Windows 7 computer lets share your documents folder to everyone in your workgroup:
1. Click Start.
2. Click Computer.
3. On the left window, under libraries, right-click documents and click share with: specific people
4. Click the drop down.
5. Select Everyone.
6. Click Add.
7. Click Read and change it to read/write
8. Click Share
9. Select My Documents
10. Click Next.
11. Sharing your documents may take awhile depending on how many have.
12. Click Done.
Back to your Windows XP PC:
You may now access documents on the Windows 7 computer by
1. Opening your “My Computer”.
2. Click “My Network Places” on the left.
3. Click “Entire Network“.
4. You should now see the name of your Windows 7 computer.
5. Double click the Windows 7 computer and you’ll see any shared files plus any shared devices.
You can follow the steps above to share any other files or folders on your Windows 7 computer.
iPhone Marketing Strategy
As with all Apple marketing, the iPhone marketing strategy is very clear, simple and clever. With the plain and simple apple icon, Apple focuses on the pure innovative style of their products without all the “fluff”. The iPhone was released by Apple in June, 2007. The ground-breaking style of the iPhone was touted for months before the initial release and has remained the best of the best when it comes to cell phones over the past several years. Before the iPhone’s official release, Apple ran four television commercials promoting the new cell phone.
The first of the commercials portrays the new iPhone as the next step up from the popular iPod. The iPod was all the rage up until this point, and the iPhone was supposed to be the next-generation iPod, oh, and it’s also a phone! The advertisement displays all of the enhanced features available in the iPod, and more, the point being “There’s never been an iPod that can do this.”
“So, say you’re watching Pirates of the Caribbean”
Finger clicks on video and displays wide screen movie.
“Mmm, did somebody say Calamari?”
Finger clicks back to menu, selects Maps application to search ‘Seafood’.
“The closest would be…”
Map displays all seafood locations and highlights location nearest to you.
“Ah!”
Finger clicks seafood location, and restaurant phone number displayed. iPhone dial’s.
The first four iPhone commercials flaunted the convenience, innovation, and usefulness of a single product with the functionality of not only a phone, or a music device, but a product that can, among other things, listen to music, watch videos, view photos, make conference calls, check e-mail, browse the web, and view maps.
Not only does Apple utilize television for their marketing strategy, but they make use of their website by posting videos, they also published a handful of press releases that could have been released in one single document. Apple often uses this tactic to build up hype and leave the consumer wanting more.
With Apple’s brief press releases, giving the audience little to go off, “Apple leveraged a law of social physics – news, like nature, abhors a vacuum. In the absence of real information, those who care about a product will grasp at any rumor that comes their way. Apple may publicly disavow the rumor Web sites that scramble for scraps about the companies plans, but secretly their marketing department must be delighted. It would cost a lot to buy that kind of Web advertising.” (Silverman, 2007)
The official iPhone website does more than just provide information about the product. The website provides top tips and tricks for the use of an iPhone, as well as a huge focus on apps. Almost the entire iPhone page displays images of apps, provides the “App of the Week,” the website also contains sections titled “Apps for Everything,” and the “Top Apps.” Apple’s website is a great marketing tool for current iPhone users and consumers that have an interest in purchasing the iPhone. The promotion of the apps will create a stronger source of revenue for Apple. As customers see top rated applications, they are more likely to download the app, rather than searching through 25,000+ apps to find one that may be of any value to the consumer.
Successful younger men were the target audience that Apple had originally focused on. Apple had hoped that with this target audience, and the fact that 48% of this audience did not already own an Apple iPod, would allow them to reach their forecast of 10 million sales by the end of 2008.
One month prior to the release of the iPhone, Solutions Research Group profiled a cross-section of those aware of the phone. The forecast of potential buyers for the day of the release ranked a majority of T-Mobile customers, AT&T’s only GSM-based product competitor, at 15%. The second largest group expected to purchase the new iPhone was AT&T’s existing customer base, at 12%. The Solutions Research Group also found that 72% of males, versus 28% of women were most likely to investigate the phone at its minimum price of $499. (Malley, 2007)
The obvious current target audiences for the Apple iPhone include young people between the ages of 20 and 35, affluent teenagers, “jet-setters”, and “mobile” employees who work outside of the office.
Apple is known for their simplistic, but catchy commercials. In recent television commercials for the Apple iPhone, “There’s an App for that” is the new catch phrase that places a strong focus on the apps available from the App Store. Apps, or applications, are in “every category, from games to business, education to entertainment, finance to health and fitness, productivity to social networking. These applications have been designed to take advantage of iPhone features such as Multi-Touch, the accelerometer, wireless, and GPS” (Apple, 2009). Apple currently claims to have 25,000+ apps available, and counting.
The focus on the variation of apps offered opens up the target audience greatly. There is essentially an app for everyone. As a few of the iPhone commercials advertise, you can find the snow conditions on the mountain, track calories in your lunch, find exactly where you parked your car. You can find a cab in a strange city, find your share of the bill for a table of 5, or learn to fix a wobbly bookshelf. You can read a restaurant review, read an MRI, or just read a regular old book. These are just a few of the features that Apple has promoted through television commercials. iPhone apps provide every functionality that one can imagine.
When the iPhone was initially released, it was priced at a hefty $599. Still, hundreds of thousands of people rushed out to get the new phone, forking over a third as much as they would have had they waited an extra 3 months. 3 months after the initial release, Apple reduced the price of the iPhone to $399. This enraged Apple’s loyal customers and consumers who purchased the new phone just months earlier. One year later, Apple again reduced the price of the iPhone to $199, 66% less than the original price.
In July, 2007, the Apple iPhone was all the hype. I believe that Apple’s decision to release the phone at $599 was slightly based on greed. However, their product was the most innovative out in the market place, giving Apple the freedom to price the iPhone at whatever they wanted. Many believed that Apple had cut the price after discovering lower than expected iPhone sales. Apple, however, states that the price cut was made “to spur holiday sales and predicted that Apple would meet its stated goal of selling its 1 millionth iPhone by the end of September.” (Dalrymple, 2007)
As with the product life cycle of any cell phone or Apple product, including Apple’s iPod, prices are often reduced drastically months after the initially release. Tech products are always competing against “the latest and greatest” while maintaining a relevant price in the market place. Had Apple not reduced the price of the iPhone, the customer base would have dwindled quickly as many consumers are unwilling to spend $599 on a cell phone, no matter how many useful features the phone may carry.
As the iPhone remains to be the number one smart phone around, the product continues to grow, increasing size capabilities, increasing the number of applications available, and providing new features that are released through new iterations of the phone, continue to provide a greater value to the iPhone while the pricing remains relevant.
At this time in the product life cycle, Apple continues to release enhanced iterations of the iPhone. With most iPhone users un-willing to purchase a newer version of the iPhone because of price, the target audience for the newer generation phones is new iPhone customers. With Apple’s installed base continuing to grow, they have found a way bring in reoccurring revenue from their existing customers through the sales of their application downloads. As more and more people purchase the iPhone, Apple’s audience for new customers continues to dwindle. Fortunately for Apple, they have built in another source for revenue that continues throughout the life of the product.
References
(2009). Apple: iPhone. Retrieved April 26, 2009, from Apple
Dalrymple, J (2007, Sep, 11). Lessons learned from the iPhone price cuts. PCWorld, Retrieved Apr 26, 2009, from http://www.pcworld.com/article/137046/lessons_learned_from_the_iphone_price_cuts.html
Silverman, D (2007, Jul, 10). Apple’s silence helped the iPhone hype. Chron.com:Computing, Retrieved Apr 26, 2009, from http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/4954824.html
Malley, A (2007, Jun, 6). Apple, AT&T neophytes to define iPhone audience – report. AppleInsider, Retrieved Apr 26, 2009, from AppleInsider Website
Mukherjee, A (2007, Feb, 28). iPhone under attack. Business Today, Retrieved Apr 26, 2009, from the business today website
Flash Drive Not Detected? Solution is Here
There can be several reasons for Flash Drives not being detected by your computer.
First your computer is not able to provide drivers for your Flash Drive. Now, for your information, you do not need to install any drivers from outside if you are using Windows 2000 SP4,Windows XP or Windows Vista as they come with native support for these devices.
If you are thinking that you are already using one of these versions of windows still your computer is not able to mount your Flash Drive. Don’t worry,that’s why I am writing this article. Just read on…
If your are not on one of these Windows version then your problem can be easily resolved by just installing the drivers which you get on a disc that comes with your Flash Drive. If you did not receive any disc,try checking out the manufacturer’s website and it should be there for sure. If still no luck,then try contacting me….
Remember, everything is explained here assuming that you are on Windows XP but need not worry as other Windows like Vista should work the same way.
Let’s come back to the topic..
There are several possible reasons for Flash Drives not mounting on your computer. Mentioned below are few of them:
Drive Letter Conflict
Flash Drive not formatted properly
Windows require some patch or update
Problem with the USB port
Physical connection problem
So, let’s start with the first one, that is, drive letter conflict.
Now, this can be the problem when you are trying to use your Flash Drive in a network environment. The best possible solution to this problem is to change the drive letter assigned to Flash Drive. This can be done by going to Disk Management and right clicking on Removable Drive and then clicking on Change Drive Letter. You can select any drive letter which is not assigned by windows to any drive or partition in any computer inside a network. Also, before changing the drive letter it’s recommended to check if your Flash Drive is showing in Device Manager under Disk Drives. If it’s not there that problem can be something else.
If changing Drive Letters does not help and drive is showing in Device Manager then probably you should try disconnecting that computer from the network by taking out the network cable or if you are inside a corporate environment then try contacting you IT deptt to know the drive letter not being used anywhere.
Let’s talk about the second scenario. If the drive is not formatted properly that means that it’s mounting up and being detected by the computer as well. It’s just would be giving a message to Format the Drive when trying to access it. This can happen if the File System has corrupted on Flash Drive or its not formatted in the supported format. For example, if you are trying to use a Flash Drive formatted in Ext2 file system in Windows Computer. The only solution to this problem is to format the drive in the supported format. For windows you should always format the drive in Fat or Fat32 and in Macintosh you should use MSDOS as this will also be supported by Windows computer. Please note formatting the Drive will ERASE all data. So, if you have any important data kindly try using a different computer to see if drive works or contact a Data Recovery company. If you want some reference kindly leave a comment.
Also, if you are not able to format the Flash Drive, please try using the HP USB Disk Storage Format Tool. It’s made by HP but works on generally all Flash Drives.
Now let’s talk about problems that can happen because of any updates or patches. No matter if you have the latest service pack for your Vista or XP computer. Still, there are few updates or rather say patches which need to be installed if you face any such problem.
Vista Patch
Please find the link to Vista Patch at the end of this article.
As per Microsoft the patch will fix the following issues:
” When the computer resumes from a suspend state or from a hibernation state, the computer stops responding. Additionally, you receive a “0x9F” stop message on a blue screen.
” The computer takes a long time to resume from a suspend state or from a hibernation state.
” The computer takes a long time to resume from a suspend state or from a hibernation state when you use a VIA controller.
” The computer stops responding when you use an Authentic USB fingerprint reader. Additionally, you receive a “0xFE” Stop error on a blue screen or a “0x9F” Stop error on a blue screen.
” The computer stops responding when you use a USB Bluetooth audio device.
” The computer takes a long time to resume from a suspend state or from a hibernation state when you use an Enhanced Host Controller Interface (EHCI) controller.
” The computer stops responding when you remove a USB device. Additionally, you receive a “0xFE” Stop error on a blue screen.
” When a computer resumes from a suspend state or from a hibernation state multiple times, you receive a “0xFE” Stop error on a blue screen.
So go and install this even if you are facing a different problem related to but not similar to this.
Another patch for XP Service Pack 1 is also include at the bottom.
There are chances of problems with USB ports as well which happens rarely but the possibility is still there. The best way to identify is to attach any other USB device on the same port and check if that device works or not. For Example, USB Printer. Also of you are using a Desktop and inserting the drive in some front USB port then try using some port at the back.
Here , I would like to add one more point. If you have a high capacity drive like 8 GB and you are trying to use it on an old computer then due to inadequate power support the drive may not mount properly.
Sometimes, even if the icon for Removable disc appears under My Computer,the drive may not work properly as the complete capacity will not be mounted in case of inadequate power. You can check this by right clicking on Removable Disc and then clicking on Properties. If one this window, both free and used space is showing 0 KB then this can be the possible problem. In order to fix any issues related to inadequate power supply you can purchase USB Power Hub from any computer store and attach it to the USB port. What it does is that it will convert the low power supplied by USB port to little high power.
But, remember this problem generally happens in case of old computers. Before purchasing USB power hub, you can also try the back port of your computer if you are on Desktop.
And Last but not the Least, improper physical connection is the general cause for Drives not getting detected. This may happen if USB port or connector on Flash Drive has bent or physically damaged due to which drive is not able to make a contact with pins on USB port. In this case, you should also look the inside area of port or connector and if any damage found please take it to some local technician of Drive manufacturer to get it fix.
So, this was my first article. Any feedback will be appreciated.
Thanks
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Ultrasonic Nebulizers
Ultrasonic Nebulizers are devices that use ultrasonic sound waves to convert liquid medication into fine mist that can be inhaled directly into the lungs through a facemask or mouthpiece. These are generally used by asthmatic patients and other individuals suffering from allergies. They are also preferred due to their ability to perform quickly and quietly.
Ultrasonic Nebulizers are different from compressed air Nebulizers that use pumped air to atomize the medication. They provide the energy source required for converting liquid medication into vapor for inhalation therapy. The quality of the medication is retained, as heat is not used to convert the liquid medication into mist.
These devices generate high frequency sound vibrations that touch the surface of the liquid medication and convert them into micron sized sub particles. This process automatically increases the effectiveness of aerosol therapy as it enables even distribution of sub particles. Ultrasonic medical nebulizers available in the market are portable devices that are easy to use, lightweight, quick, and easy to clean. Some of these have automatic shut off function, forty-five degree operable angle, and limited warranty period.
Ultrasonic nebulizers can also be used to humidify a room or area in domestic households or large industrial plants. Humidifying ultrasonic nebulizers are usually large machines that use ultrasonic sound waves to convert water into a fine mist and heavy-duty fans to circulate the created mist in the surrounding areas. Different models of ultrasonic humidifying nebulizers available in the market perform one basic function of circulating moisture through the air.
The benefits offered by ultrasonic nebulizers is being debated as some studies have pointed out that nebulizers can lead to the dispersal of microorganisms and other fine particles that may not be suitable for the patient or other individuals. Usage and care instructions provided with the nebulizers should be followed to avoid potential risks associated with their use.
What is the Best Video Capture Software
Nowadays it is practically impossible to imagine a person who has never held a camera in the hands. We use cameras everywhere and always. A camera is irreplaceable when you travel somewhere, visit friends, have a birthday. Cameras and video cameras help us to save the most pleasant moments in our life forever . Of course we save these moments in our minds, but there is always something that we forget. And just imagine what will happen when we become very old. Our memory will betray us at any rate. It is nature and we can’t avoid it.
And speaking about people who are crazy about video. They always carry their cameras with them and imprint everything. Now every person has a mobile phone and when sees something which is very eye-catching and impressive shoots it. Then tells his friend about this and in order to prove his words shows this small footage. For example, a traffic accident. Maybe it is not a very good example but it the most common. How often can you watch such footages on the Internet. I suppose, very often. There also exist special TV-shows in which they give you a prize for the best footage. Do you know such TV-programmes? Sometimes such footages can help to investigate the fact of this or that event. They can be very valuable for police. They can turn out to be very important evidence of crime for example in the court.
And such important events in human life as childbirth, wedding, christening, graduating from university etc. It is indisputable: we can’t live without cameras and video cameras.
Very often in the process of shooting some slips can happen. Outside noises, blurred pictures, little brightness, strange people in picture and so on, or just free space on your memory card can run low. There is a great number of reasons for preventing from shooting properly.
But nowadays there exists a lot of different helpful devices which help you to improve the quality of all types of videos. And one of them is free video editing software. A marvelous device by means of which you can do everything with your footages. Everything from cutting, inputting, brightening to total renewal of very old videos. My mum was shocked when I made a whole film from her old paper child’s photos. It is not a primitive movie maker in your PC! It is a marvelous to feel like a film director!
What Is A Crystal? And How To Test It
Crystal are use to keep the frequency of the clock from drifting. If the signal from this clock stops, or is weak, or the pulses begin to vary, the electronic equipments might show intermittent faults or might stop altogether. The microprocessor pins that hold the crystal are usually called OSC IN and OSC OUT as shown in Figure 1 and the frequency is marked on the crystal. Typical examples of crystal oscillator frequency are 3.58MHZ, 4MHZ, 8MHZ, 24MHZ etc.
Testing Crystal
Crystals are quite fragile components because of their construction. Unlike a resistor or capacitor, if you drop one on the ground from a decent height, its 50-50 bet whether it will work again. Testing the crystal is not a breeze either. You cannot just take out your trusty multimeter and plug the crystal in it. In fact, there are three right ways to test a crystal: -
(a) Using Oscilloscope
A crystal produces a sine wave when excited. It is appropriate then, to see a waveform representative of a sine wave on the clock pins. If the clock is not functioning properly, replace the crystal. In most cases this should solve the problem since microprocessors are usually very reliable. Check the crystal with power on.
(b) Frequency Counter
Frequency Counter can be use to check the frequency of the crystal. The reading must be taken when the equipment power is switch “on”. Place the probe of frequency counter to the crystal pin and read the measurement. Be sure that your frequency counter meter has the range that is higher than the crystal frequency you are measuring.
(c) Crystal Checker
With this method, usually the crystal is placed in the feedback network of a transistor oscillator. If it oscillates and the LED is lighten up, this mean that the crystal is working. If the crystal doesn’t work, the LED stays off. Instead of using LED, some other crystal checker uses a panel meter to indicate if the crystal is working or not.
Net 10 Review – Plans, Phones, Prepaid, Pros and Cons
Company Overview
Founded and based in Miami, Florida, the Net10 promises to offer simpler prepaid plans to its subscribers. This company is often compared to another wireless provider, TracFone which also powers its nationwide coverage.
Prepaid Plans
Net10 Prepaid has two plans for its subscribers; the Easy Minute Plan and the Unlimited Plan. The Easy Minute Plan has a flat rate of 10 cents per minute in all of its calls. Minutes can be added to accounts by simply loading prepaid phone cards. Its Unlimited Plan is for $79.99 a month that covers unlimited domestic and long distance calls as well as text messages.
Pros and Cons
Customers may love the flat rate of 10 cents by Net10 Prepaid but their network coverage is not that wide compared to other wireless service providers. The basic 10 cents per minute plan doesn’t offer any nights and weekend unlimited service. For those who make frequent calls and send many messages within the calling area of Net10 may find their Unlimited $79.99 very beneficial. For those who may send messages or call outside the coverage area will find the monthly fee too expensive.
Features
Minutes
The basic plan for Net10 Prepaid charges 10 cents per minute for all calls. They Subscribers under the $79.99 plan can enjoy unlimited calls for local, long distance and roaming.
Data
At this time, Net10 has no available mobile web access to offer for its subscribers.
Text and Picture
Text messages cost 5 cents per message for both sent and received. Picture messages are not available for everybody; this requires phone compatibility. Picture messages for both sent and received cost 25 cents per message. Messages are not included in the plans even for Unlimited Plan of Net10 Prepaid, hence these rates are charged and deducted from the accounts.
International
Net10 offers very low international calling rates for 5 cents per minute but subscribers have to register to this service by calling their customer support. Reminded that standard airtime rates are also charged per minute aside from the 5 cents per minute. They also have another plan, International Neighbors for those who calls Canada and Mexico where a Net10 local number is designated to avoid high calling rates for international calls.
Calling Features
Net10 Prepaid provides free voicemail, call waiting and caller ID.
911
Yes
Roaming
Net10 Prepaid doesn’t charge any roaming fee; roaming is included in its EasyMinute and Unlimited Plans.
Payment Options
Subscribers can buy and load airtime by purchasing prepaid phone cards online or from retail stores. Cards are for $ 30, $45, $ 60 and $100. EasyMinute and Unlimited Plans can be paid online.
Activation Fee
Net10 has no activation fee that is available for their subscriber for the time being.
Minute Expiration Rules
Net10 Prepaid has a very good minute expiration rule; subscribers can utilize their minutes knowing that rates are just for 10 cents. The earliest time that minutes would expire is for 60 days and can last up to 2 years for 4,000 minutes. For the Unlimited Plan, minutes don’t have to expire since the monthly fee is for unlimited calls.
Customer Service
Net10 customer service provides a toll free number for any assistance Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., Eastern Time. On Sundays consumers can call from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., Eastern Time. Subscribers can submit a trouble ticket to their technical support team.
Phones
Prepaid phone models for Net10 Prepaid are mostly from Motorola, LG and Nokia.
Face-to-Face Communication – Old Fashioned? Not!
It’s unbelievable how dependent we’ve become as a society on electronic communication devices! E-mail, text messaging, PDA’s, cell phones, video conferencing, blackberries, blueberries, rasberries, and more…have taken the place of good old fashioned, face-to-face communication leading to many interpersonal difficulties and miscommunications in today’s workplace.
You may be thinking…Why improve my interpersonal skills when most businesses do 99% of communication by telephone, teleconferencing, videoconferencing, e-mail, and on rare occasions, snail mail. A popular way of thinking today…but, is it really the correct way? “Face-to-face communication remains the most powerful human interaction,” says Kathleen Begley, Ed.D., author of Face-to-Face Communication, Making Human Connections in a Technology-Driven World. “As wonderful as electronic devices are, they can never fully replace the intimacy and immediacy of people conversing in the same room and it has worked for millions of years.”
In business, we talk about “B2B” (business to business) and “B2C” (business to consumer) methods. I try to buck the trend (in a positive way!) to stress the importance of face-to-face communication. You’ll hear me talk a lot about the “P2P” (people-to-people) connections and how important it is to get beyond technology and talk face-to-face with friends, family, colleagues, customers, vendors, and the like. You may think that’s a bit old-fashioned, but in my opinion, there is no substitution for the human, up-close and personal contact. Don’t get me wrong, there is a place for the terrific technology tools we have today and I use it regularly, but it’s not always my first or best choice.
Several decades ago, John Naisbitt, in his mega 1960′s best-seller, Megatrends: Ten New Directions Transforming Our Lives, brought a new concept to the forefront called “high tech, high touch.” His idea was that “as human beings became capable of anonymous electronic communication, they would concurrently need more close-up personal interaction.” Seems to me that he was right on target!
We live in a society when flocking to the local coffee shop or diner for coffee chats with business associates or friends is a testimony to our need for human togetherness, especially when most coffee lovers can make a latte or cappuccino right in their homes. Think about the fortunes coffee establishments are making on our need for face-to-face communication! The people-to-people connections…
We hear of the many children (and adults) who spend countless hours alone playing video games. However, The Game Manufacturing Association reported in 2003 that family board game sales (like Monopoly and Scrabble) are booming and growing at 20% per year. Cranium has recently come out with a whole new line of board games for our “little people” (ages 3+). The people-to-people connections start at an early age – if you haven’t heard it, ask me to tell you my “Papa Zitto” story!
Even when disaster strikes and the news media bring these events into our homes and workplaces via TV, radio and the Internet, we seek out opportunities to share grief. I personally waited in line for almost three hours with hundreds of others to visit Ground Zero in New York when it opened to the public in December 2001. Many people also left makeshift shrines nearby to honor the victims of that tragedy. The people-to-people connections…
We lead hectic, multi-tasking lives both at home and in the workplace these days and we find the need for balance even more critical than in days gone by. We understand that technology can be impersonal, but it’s quick! We know we need to make time for more people-to-people connections but, the reality of the hectic pace doesn’t leave us much time for this more intimate form of communication. You may be thinking, isn’t it much faster to make a quick phone call, send a brief e-mail, or hook up via video-conferencing to have a meeting of the minds? Yes and no. It’s a communications paradox…faster is not always better.
So the better question may be, how can we make the best of both worlds – technology and face-to-face, people-to-people connections?
Just as fashions are redesigned and come back with a variation on a style from days-gone- by, I believe it is time for redesigning and revitalizing face-to-face (P2P) communication skills.
We need to get the balance right! People-to-people (P2P) communication skills remain one of the primary success factors in business, even in this age of technology. There are many situations – often those involving conflict, hurt feelings, high priority, or a large sum of money – that demand business people take the time and trouble to get in the same room to share information. Video-conferencing has become a good simulation and cost-effective method when individuals are in remote locations, but there is still no substitute for good, old-fashioned, face-to-face communication.
Don’t take my word for it…Let’s take a look at what some of the experts are saying.
Tom Peters, internationally known business guru, says without reservation that you should constantly attend to your face-to-face communication. Not to do so, will lead to career disaster. “We believe in high tech, high touch,” Peters writes. “No question, technology is the Great Enabler. But, paradoxically, now the human bit is more, not less, important than ever before.”
Sheila Hodge, author of Global Smarts: The Art of Communicating and Deal Making Anywhere in the World, says “The modern office is full of gadgets – computers and the Internet, uplinks and downlinks, videoconferencing, and online databases. Many people think they should let the fancy technology handle the messy task of interfacing with people.”
Jo-Ellan Dimitrius, in her book Reading People, talks about how young, technically oriented employees tend to communicate mostly in computer chat rooms. “If you want to become a better communicator, you must make a conscious effort to engage other people (in person),” she writes. “Even the most entrenched Internet junkie can learn the true meaning of ‘chat’ if the desire is there, but you have to get off the couch and make it happen.”
Gary McClain and Deborah Romaine in their book, The Everything Managing People Book, put it this way…”Consistent, daily face-to-face communication promotes more than just good feelings; it also promotes effective and collaborative teamwork.”
“One of the most critical areas of communication to get right in business is the one-on-one situations – especially offering advice, constructive feedback, and annual performance appraisals,” says Chris Roebuck in Effective Communication.
One of my favorite quotes stated very simply by Margaret Wheatley, Turning to One Another: Simple Conversations to Restore Hope for the Future, says “I can believe we can change the world if we start talking to one another again.”
Sounds like we’re on to something here…So, what can you do? Start out by taking an honest look at your communication methods and your attitude about technology vs. (P2P) face-to-face interaction. Are you e-mailing more and meeting less for financial reasons? Are you avoiding human contact mostly because of a lack of interpersonal skills? If the latter is true, you need to take action before it’s too late.
The next time you are tempted to send an e-mail, text message or make a phone call for other than routine purposes, stop! Get back to basics. Go out of your comfort zone and, instead, send the e-mail, text message or make the call to set up a face-to-face, in person meeting with the person behind the technology! Why? Because it works!
Make the people-to-people connections… You and your business will be glad you did!
A Positive Workplace Means Business! TM
How to Recover Deleted Text From Android Devices
There are a variety of different reasons why an individual would want to recover deleted text messages and other data from their Android cellular device. There are times when people accidentally delete text that they intended on saving for future use, there are numerous individuals that would like to catch cheating partners committing infidelity, employers that are trying to catch thieving employees, and parents that have worries that their teenager is engaging in sexting, bullying, or even using illegal drug substances. Each of these situations can cause a tremendous amount of stress, pain, and excess worrying, and are perfect cases where a cell phone forensic investigation could be beneficial.
When you consult with an expert that performs cell phone forensic investigations on Android cell phone devices, they know how to expertly recover deleted text and other helpful information that can give you the information you need to confront your spouse or partner about the infidelity that they have been engaging in. Besides being able to undelete deleted text, they can also obtain other deleted information that would include the call history that has been removed, device properties, names and telephone numbers of contacts, the browser history of websites that have been visited, data that has been erased from the file system, and any pictures or graphics that have been removed from the cellular device.
The important thing that you should note before trying to recover deleted text messages on your own, is you should never try to use SIM card readers that can be purchased over-the-counter. It is a one in a million chance that you will be able to find one that works just right with your device, and in many cases all they end up doing is completely destroying the very data that you are trying to undelete. Even professionals with tools that cost thousands of dollars generally will need to try several different tools before they find the perfect one that works with a specific cellular device.
If you suspect that your wife is texting another man, or your husband is deleting text messages, it would be worth your while to have an expert recover deleted text and other data from the device so that you will know for sure. What is so great about this type of service is all that you are required to do is send in your Android device and the expert will take care of the rest. Once they have undeleted deleted text and other data, they will send you a disk that contains all of the evidence that was found on the phone.
Copyright (c) 2010 Ed Opperman
Network Storage Device Types and Uses
With the use of digital media such as cameras and video cameras becoming more prevalent, the need for storage options is in greater demand. As little as a few years ago, storing large amounts of data was something done by major corporations, and that was about it. Now, even home computers can use a network storage device to hold their data. Storage devices that connect to a network are often the ideal solution for storing large amounts of data, since they can contain all of the data in a centralized location that can be accessed by other people on the network, or even people on different networks with the correct network storage device. Some common ways to store data on a network today include CD towers, servers, and storage area networks (SAN).
A CD tower is generally a network storage device used in a network attached storage (NAS) array. An NAS is a storage solution that is connected to the network, but is used for storage only. This means that the device can be accessed by users of the network without regard to operating system, computer speed, or even computer make. The CD server is set up much like a typical computer server, except that it has several CD or DVD drives instead of many hard drives. Internally, there is of course a hard drive, but the installed operating system is used only as a server to connect the CD drives to the rest of the network. This allows network administrators to share CDs on the network; however, writing or changing that information can be hard, if not impossible.
An alternative network storage device that can be used in smaller networks is the centralized server. A storage server is a computer that has several large-capacity hard drives installed in it that are then arrayed to be accessed by any other computer on the network. A storage server is commonly used in both NAS and direct attached storage (DAS) storage configurations. Similar in setup to the CD tower, a server installed in a NAS system is used exclusively as storage, with connections going to all of the other computers on the network. In a DAS system, the server is actually a part of the network, meaning it has to have similar operating systems and configurations as all of the other computers in the network. NAS systems are generally the more accepted configurations when using a storage server.
Perhaps the most commonly used network storage device today is the SAN. An SAN is a network of computers, CD towers, or even external hard drives that are connected together to for one big storage area. SANs require a server that can act as a gateway to all of the connected devices, allowing computers that are not part of the network to connect to the various storage areas of the network. This allows for the storage of staggering amounts of data. One of the best points of the SAN is that they can be configured to accept any IP address as a connection, thus allowing users to connect via the internet. Because of the allowance of outside connections, this is the preferred method of storage for applications such as picture sharing, blog and social media sites, and large corporations that have users in all around the world that need to access common data.
As technology advances, the network storage device has been able to store increasing amounts of data, while expediting the flow of that information throughout entire networks. Whether the need is for a centralized area containing unchanging data, a common hard drive that can be read as well as changed by all users on the network, or a system of devices that can be accessed by users outside of the common network, there is a network storage device designed to fit all needs. This means that there will always be a way to ensure common use of data, no matter how that data is going to be used, increasing efficiency and productivity. In virtually all aspects of life, anything that can make life easier is something that will benefit everyone.