Yearly Archives: 2012

Android phones with operating systems 1.6 and later can be made accessible for blind users, enabling them to have access to a multitude of apps and all of the other features that a smart phone offers, like browsing the web, sending and receiving SMS messages, chatting, making and receiving telephone calls, setting alarms, utilizing the calendar and setting up contacts.

Making android phones accessible can either be done with apps that come as part of the operating system or by downloading third party software. If you are interested in how to set up a phone’s accessibility features, you will be glad to know that the process is not difficult in the least. The first two parts of this tutorial will deal with setting up accessibility using free apps, so the blind can use the phone for the same price as a sighted person. The next part of this tutorial will address setting up the phone using an app called Mobile Accessibility.

Setting up Accessibility for Android 3.1 and Older

Something that you must be aware of is if you have a phone with Android 3.1 and earlier, the accessibility features are turned off by default. This means that sighted assistance is necessary for activating these features. Whether you are blind yourself or are helping a blind individual enable accessibility for the first time, here are the steps you will want to follow:

1. You will need to set up the phone’s Google account. The account can be created on the computer without sighted assistance and then someone with sight can enter the account details into the phone to get both the phone and Google account synchronized.
2. Check the “accessibility” option by going to the “settings” menu and then to “accessibility.” The box will not be checked. You will need to check it in order for accessibility features to work.
3. Check to see if there are any other apps under “accessibility” options that will enhance accessibility. The apps you are looking for is Talkback, Soundback and Kickback. Some phones will have them, and others will not. If they are not present, you will need to go to the market and download them. They are free. These apps cannot be removed once you download them because they will be part of the operating system.
4. Once you see that the apps are in place, check them all. You will be given an alert that asks if you are sure you wish to check these items. Press the “yes” option. The phone should start talking, and the blind user will be able to use it without difficulty.
5. To make using the phone easier, you can download the entire suite of eyes-free apps. These include: but are not limited to: Rock Lock, Eyes-Free Shell, Accessibility Preferences, Walky Talky, Talking Dialer and Intersection Explorer. Other apps you can download are IDEAL Web Reader, K9 Mail and IDEAL Magnifier.

If you find that the phone is not speaking after these apps are downloaded, then you will need to do some troubleshooting with the text to speech options. Do not worry; this is not difficult at all.

The problem can be fixed by following a few simple steps:

1. Go to “settings” and then to the “text to speech” settings” menu. For some phones, â??text to speech” settings will be under what is called “voice input & output settings.”

2. Select the “listen to an example” option. If you do not hear any speech, select the option that says “install voice data”, below. You will then be able to install voice synthesizers from the market.
3. After these voices are installed, the phone will start talking.

Touch screen support is not the best on phones that have Android 3.1 and below. It is advisable to purchase phones that have physical keyboards if you wish to use the free apps.

How to Enable Accessibility for Phones with Android 4.0 and Later

Devices running 4.0 and later can be set up without sighted help. The setup process can be done with little effort and can be completed by following a few simple steps. These steps are as follows:

1. You will need to draw a rectangle within the boundaries of the phone’s screen. Start your finger at the top left corner of your device, then drag it across to the top right. Take your finger down to the bottom right corner and then over to the bottom left. After that, bring your finger back up to the top left. When your device recognizes your gesture, you will hear a beep sound.
2. Once you hear the beep, you will be taken to an accessibility tutorial. You can either read the tutorial or skip it by pressing the “skip” button.
3. After skipping the tutorial, you will be brought back to “accessibility” options. At this point, you can set up your device to meet your needs.

The process is really that simple. Once this process is complete, your phone will be entirely accessible, and it does not matter if you decide to use a touch screen device or not because touch screen support is excellent with android 4.0 and higher.

Achieving Accessibility with Mobile Accessibility

If you want to use a touch screen device with an operating system earlier than 4.0, Mobile Accessibility will make it possible. The only thing the touch screen device will need to have in order for this screen reader to work affectively is a directional pad, also known as a D pad, or a track ball. If the device has either of these features, then you are in business. Setting up Mobile Accessibility is simple.

The steps are as follows:

1. Go to the Android Market.
2. Type Mobile Accessibility Code Factory in the search box.
3. You will be presented with the demo and the option to purchase. Choose the software for purchase. The cost will be approximately $89, although, the price can decrease as there is an increased demand for the software.
4. Enter in your credit card details.
5. Install the software on your device and set mobile Accessibility as your default home screen.

Even if you are using Mobile Accessibility, you will need to have Talkback enabled, so you can use the rest of the apps outside of the Mobile Accessibility suite. The Mobile Accessibility suite has ten apps that are made to fit the needs of the blind, like messaging, web browser, email client and contact list.

No matter how a blind user decides to make an Android phone accessible, he or she will have access to all of the same features as everyone else in just a few simple clicks. No longer will the blind ever have to feel left out of the loop.

Attached Images:

Eric Blair writes about fiber optic technology and services like SOASTA web performance testing.

e-commerce

Unlike the early days on the Internet, e-commerce is not an alien entity any more. Rather than being sceptical, people openly embrace everything that e-commerce has offer, especially the benefits.

However, succeeding in the world of e-commerce is not an easy task and certainly is not for the faint of heart. It may rake in billions of dollars worldwide every year, but there is no shortage of companies and individuals seeking a bigger slice of the profit pie. Even though making your mark in the world of e-commerce can be challenging, it is not too difficult to get started. Building a successful e-commerce site is dependent on ensuring that all the components and pieces fall in effortlessly. Here are some top tips to help you create an excellent e-commerce site.

Website Design

Do not underestimate the power of simplicity. A majority of the most successful e-commerce sites have the simplest website design. Not only does it make the website look more professional, research has shown that consumers find it easier to trust e-commerce sites that are not too complicated.

When designing a website, keep in mind that the more multimedia you include, the longer it will take for the site to load. If the website takes too long to load, people lose interest and move on to a competitorâ??s site.

Web Hosting Service

The first thing that needs to be decided upon is whether you should opt for a free or paid web hosting service. Although the temptation to go with a free web hosting service can be immense, the smart money is always on going with a proper paid web hosting service.

It is better to pay more and go for an unlimited bandwidth package, than to lose business just because your site hit the monthly bandwidth limit. Always read the fine-print on the contract regarding bandwidth usage. Many times, these â??unlimitedâ? packages come with numerous stipulations.

Content Management System

The easiest way to determine which content management system (CMS) is best for your site is to try out various systems first-hand. Always opt for a CMS that you feel most comfortable with; the more familiar you are with a CMS, the less time you spend troubleshooting.

Check out what kind of e-commerce extensions are available for the different content management systems. A CMS may not be the most user-friendly, but may still be able to boast about having the best e-commerce extensions.

Website Security

The web hosting service can go only so far in ensuring the security of your website and the safety of your customers. Do not ignore or take lightly the security aspects of you e-commerce site; once security is flawed, the reputation of an e-commerce site can ta e real beating.

It is always a good idea to invest in a website security testing software or service. These services are specifically designed to detect and fix any security flaws for websites. It is perhaps the most significant and rewarding investment that the owner of an e-commerce site can make.

These tips do not guarantee that you will have a very financially successful e-commerce website, but they do guarantee an excellent site that should help put you on the e-commerce map.

Image courtesy of Stuart Miles / freedigitalphotos.net

The design industry is renowned for being a luxurious, high class field. There are some great bargains up for grabs, but many of us are cursed with expensive taste.

Design isn’t just clothes and shoes, lip gloss and lashes; the kind of design we’re going to talk about is for your home. Computer Aided Design, or ‘CAD’ software is used by the industry specialists, but few know that even the home-user can design like a professional. Here is how CAD software can save you money on design costs.

The Professional Price Tag

Designing your own kitchen, bathroom or bedroom space isn’t something a lot of people feel capable of. Most will simply leave the professionals to do what they do best, and pay through the nose for it. Showrooms often dazzle us with 3D walkthroughs, animations and photorealistic pictures of their virtual room designs. Materials, lighting, and attention to detail seem to put the pros in a league of their own.

CAD design software isn’t just for the professionals; it’s available to anyone, whether you are a retailer, a professional, or as a customer you’re designing for the very first time. The software, easy for the amateur, will allow you to learn quickly and before long, produce something that is simply stunning. The tutorials and user friendly interface will have you quickly creating amazing interiors, without paying someone else a small fortune to do it for you!

Save Time; Save Money

Planning your next interior design is often something that has to fit around your current working life. Understanding how busy we can be is one thing, but helping to reduce the stress and strain is another sport entirely. Taking time away from work to visit showrooms around the region, and even further afield, is something that few people can afford to do. With this in mind, designing your own space with CAD software means that you can cut out the many long journeys, and days lost walking around shops and showrooms.

To do this, firstly utilise a powerful tool that you already have: the world wide web! Surf the net for companies’ websites, current modern designs, and inspiration. You can play around with the program as and when you find a fantastic new influence, depending on whatever tickles your fancy! Waste no time, and save plenty of money. CAD software even has built in pre-designs to give you something to work with; what more could you want?

To Your Heart’s Content

More often than not, budgets will stretch after visiting a ‘great’ showroom and talking to a very helpful representative. Although they may give you a fantastic service, the aim of their game is to sell, sell, and sell. Not everyone is out to get you, but every penny counts. You can’t afford to over-stretch your budget, especially if you’re not comfortable with it. Imagine: no pushy employees, and the fun and freedom of designing your own amazing space at your own pace.

Computer Aided Design software is more than equipped to help you save, not only will it help unlock your own creativity and give you the joy of building your perfect dream interior, it also has amazing features to help you budget. Tools such as breakdown features can help you organise every nut, bolt, material and part that you need to create your masterpiece, and tell you just how much it will all cost!

Conclusion

There are so many advantages to utilising the potential of CAD software, and saving money on design costs is something that very few people manage to do. If you are feeling bold, and you’re looking to create a space for your home that goes above and beyond what you imagined, then Design software is available now. Begin your own design adventure, and create your very own masterpiece without breaking the bank!

Attached Images:

Matt Scott is a regular user of CAD software and recommends using an application like http://www.articad.com/ to help save money on kitchen and bathrooms.

Best social networking apps for the iPhone

Social media websites and blogs have drastically changed virtually every aspect of human life. You can interact with lost friends from far off places as if they were sitting next to you. Life has become more digitally social and social networking sites have played a major role in regard to this aspect.

The invention and popularity of smart phones has further facilitated this online socialization process. The most popular smart phone, Appleâ??s iPhone, has made the most prominent contributions where social networking is concerned. With an iPhone, we have all our familiar desktop utilities at our hands. There are many social networking apps for the iPhone which allow users to share everyday happenings with friends and family.

Renowned iPhone apps for social media and networking sites.

What follows are the most popular iPhone apps developed for social media

Messenger for facebook

Facebook chat messenger was launched back in the year 2011 allowing facebook users to chat with friends over the iPhone. Users can send and receive messages on their iPhone home screen from facebook friends. Users can send messages from facebook chat messenger to those friends and contacts who are not face book users also. Every time someone sends you a message over facebook, you are notified on your iPhone via facebook messenger.

Skype

Skype iPhone app allows users to make free of cost phone calls and video calls with friends and family members who have accounts over Skype. With Skype on your iPhone, you can receive and send instant messages to friends. You can make phone calls to non-Skype users at extremely cheap rates.

Daily-tooth

Daily-tooth is an app for sharing pictures. Users can upload and share the memorable moments of their lives with family members via daily-tooth. You can get news and updates from loved ones daily. With daily-tooth, you are always aware of the happenings in your friendsâ?? lives and can expand your social circle by making new friends and sharing your photographs to get feel closer to family and friends who may be far apart in distance but in each other’s thoughts.

Foursquare

Foursquare is a unique iPhone app that enables users to share their location with friends and loved ones. You can let your friends know about where you currently are. Users can share pictures, and you can get comments from important people in your life. Users can get discounts and offers when they actively use foursquare.

Skout

Skout is the most well known iPhone app these days for searching and connecting with new friends from the opposite gender. You can date, form relationships and share your information with your new friends. Skout is basically a date-finder and lets you find the hottest singles around the world to hang out with. Itâ??s a user friendly app and is free.

Song chat

The song-chat is a fun filled application designed for iPhone for listening to your most favorite tunes. With song chat, users can have online conversations with loved ones while listening to their most favorite numbers. You can find new friends based on similar music interests. Simply put your music up and search for people having liked that particular type of song. Itâ??s totally packed with entertainment and fun.

BIO:

This content is brought to you by Test4Prep. Are you seeking  70-485 Exam assistance? Letâ??s embrace the advantages of the MB2-866 Exam and pass your IT certification exam on your first attempt with a 100% money back guarantee.

Image courtesy of Vlado / freedigitalphotos.net

Gameplay

Lead the head runner of your parkour team throughout the never ending (randomized) level. Your goal is to run get as far as you can and lose as few teammates as possible. When the head runner jumps the other teammates jump from the same place he jumped from.

If you mess up chances are your teammates are going to die. There are many grim obstacles in this game ranging from flying aliens, upset polar bears, metal spikes, carnivorous plants, death traps, and cliffs. If you happen to run into an obstacle your head runner may die but you will immediately gain control of another live runner. From then on the other runners will follow whatever runner you now have control of.

There are also milestones that show up every 200 meters. The more runners still with you when you reach these milestones, the more your score multiplier will increase. Your total score actually represents calories. So if more runners remain alive your combined calories burned will be higher.

When the last jogger has died you will be presented with the statistics of the run. Youâ??re told your total multiplier number, calories burned, and some other interesting fact about that number of calories. For example you might be told how much total weight those calories burned or some other random facts that donâ??t actually relate to the way bodies use calories ?

Achievements:

Grim Joggers Freestyle has only one game mode which is called Freestyle Parkour. It does however have multiple achievements that you can complete. Some of those achievements are:

* Jog for 45 seconds

* Survive 1 minute 20 seconds

* Kill one jogger with each obstacle type

* Get multiplier of 100x

* Survive 30 seconds without anyone dying

* Survive for 40 seconds with only one jogger alive

Mission Accomplished

Grim Joggers Freestyle is for anyone who likes arcade games. It is fun to play and gets pretty challenging when your runners end up on two different levels. For example there is a ground level but sometimes you can also jump on a hill. If half of your runners are still on the ground and half of them are on the hill it proves a little crazy trying to survive the grim obstacles! If this doesnâ??t make it interesting enough youâ??d be surprised to know that you can also jump once while in the air!

Room to improve

This app has intrusive advertisements. Every time you tap â??Play againâ? you will be met with a random image advertisement. Also the background for the running level is dark and itâ??s hard to look ahead for obstacles because of this.

Conclusion

Grim Joggers Freestyle is just a sample of what you will get with the full version. Iâ??m sure that the average person that gives this free app a try will be tempted to get the full version. Aliens and battlefields? Count me in!

Imelda Marcos Little Known Facts

How many shoes can one women own? If you ask Imelda Marcos, 2,700 pairs seems about right.

A politician from the Philippines and widow former Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos, Imelda Marcos is known for her wealth, extravagance, and major shopping habit – especially her love of shoes. But Imelda Marcos is much more than the fashionable icon sheâ??s become. Here are several fun facts you might not have know about her.

A Modest Childhood

Imelda Marcos lived in the San Miguel District in Manila, nearby to the Malacanang Palace, until she was 9-years-old when her mother died in 1938. After her motherâ??s death, her father, who was a law professor at Saint Paulâ??s College, almost lost their house to foreclosure. Her family then moved to her deceased paternal grandmotherâ??s abaca and coconut plantation in Leyte.

Higher Education

Imelda Marcos attended university at St. Paulâ??s College in Tacloban where she earned a bachelorâ??s degree in education. She also took voice lessons at the University of Santo Tomas music conservatory.

Thwarted Love

Before her marriage to Ferdinand Marcos, Imelda Marcos began a brief affair with the heir to Juan Nakpil of Manila, Ariston Nakpil. Aristonâ??s mother was, like Imelda, a former Miss Philippines beauty queen. However, Ariston Nakpil had been previously married and divorced, and Imeldaâ??s family made it clear to her that he was not welcome in their family of strict Catholics, who were staunchly against divorce.

A Quick Courtship

Imelda Marcos met her husband-to-be Ferdinand Marcos is 1953 in Baguio during the Holy Week. They dated for just eleven days, and they were married in May at the San Miguel Pro-Cathedral on General Solano Street in San Miguel, Manila. The marriage was held in the same church that her parents were married in and where her motherâ??s funeral service was held 15 years earlier.

Sleeping Tricks

Before her husband became President in 1966, Imelda Marcos travelled all over the place to network and get to know politicians that could help her husband win the Presidency. She was so busy doing so, that she learned how to sleep while sitting upright, allowing her to rest anywhere and at the same time keep her hair from getting messy.

New York Real Estate

Imelda Marcos would spend millions of dollars in single shopping trips in New York City, and she also decided to purchase several buildings in Manhattan. She bought the Crown Building for $51 million, the Woolworth Building, and the Herald Centre for $60 million. She wanted to buy the Empire State Building, but thought that for $750 million it was â??too ostentatious.â?

Beatlesâ?? Last Concert

In 1966, The Beatles had to be protected from violent protests in the Philippines when they were accused of offensively rejecting Imelda Marcosâ?? invitation for them to come to breakfast at the Presidential Palace. The Beatles thought Imelda Marcos wasnâ??t used to hearing the word â??no,â? and they were so upset by the events that they stopped performing live and did so only one more time ever.

Naomi Reyes lives in Manila where she teaches Tagalog to expats. She loves fashion, shopping and shoes.

 

CC image courtesy of Wikipedia

Advantages of WordPress

These days a good number of websites are present in the internet. Users have got plenty of options and they surf various websites to get the best data in relation to the material for which they are looking for.

The Internet provides a great opportunities to access the information that internet users are seeking to hit upon.  Users can search for the recent and updated information very easy so that important information is in reach of everyone. But for website owners this is not very good news as there is increased competition for them.

The main thing is that there are so many websites that exist in the Internet world providing information on the same topic and to make your website stand out among all of them is a tough task. The website owners have to take all the necessary measures in order to make their website attractive and useful for visitors so that they consider the material provided by your site better than the rest and a good reason why they should preferyour site compared to your competitors. For this purpose there many aspects that require due consideration by the website owner or developer. Word Press is the most preferred free content management system and blogging tool in this regard.

Word press can be utilized to make an attractive and efficient website that will be capable of performing well in the tough competition that is present. If you look at its history it was initially created for making blogs, but due to the advanced and compatible features which it now offers to users along with a huge population of programmers that use it today ,Word Press has been successful in attaining the status of the most prominent CMS that is present in the Internet world. The fact that it is available for free has also contributed a lot in securing it a key place in the international market.

There are many positive points and benefits which are associated with Word Press and letâ??s take a look at some of them.

Easy to use

Word Press is very simple and easy to be used for a website. If you are using Word Press then it is not at all compulsory that you should be an expert in relation to HTML and CSS. It provides you with an efficient WYSIWYG editor for the management of your web pages and related postings. Other factors of your website can also be efficiently managed and there is no need to be an expert for this purpose.

Themes

To make your website attractive, its look and overall appearance are very important because these factors matter a lot in impressing the visitors. Word Press provides the users with a great variety of themes to match the needs of different kinds of users for different niches.

Updating

With Word Press updating websites are very easy and simple. There is no tough strategy and time consuming procedure for this. The options for additions are very simple and easy to understand.

BIO:

Fenix Raw is an IT professional from Test4prep. Are you really Looking for  352-001 Test assistance? Move ahead to take the benefits of a 70-337 Test and pass your exam easily.

managing stocks & shares with your iPhone

Appleâ??s iPhone is a powerful device capable of doing just about anything you need it to. If youâ??re the type of person who likes to invest in and manage a stock portfolio, you can even accomplish these tasks right on your iPhone in between phone calls.

No additional software download is required. Your iPhone already has the application necessary to give you constant updates about how your stocks are doing all day long. You just have to set it up properly in order to get everything running the way you need it to.

Step 1

Locate the â??Stocksâ? application on your iPhone. This application was specifically designed by Apple and is available on your device from the moment you turn it on. It also cannot be deleted or removed in anyway, so if you donâ??t immediately find it scroll through your icon screens and folders until you do. Tap the icon to open the app.

Step 2

Tap the â??Iâ? icon in the lower right corner of the application. This will take you to a window allowing you to input new stocks to track.

Step 3

Tap â??+â? in the upper left corner to add a new stock. Search for the stock either by company name or by the stock ID designation. When the stock youâ??re looking for appears in the list on screen, tap its name one time to add it to your list. Repeat this process for any other stocks that you want to track on your iPhone.

Step 4

Tap â??Doneâ? when youâ??re finished. This will take you back to the main â??Stocksâ? screen. You will see each stock listed, followed by the current price and the total change for that particular day. Stock prices listed in red means that a stock is â??Downâ? for the day. Prices listed in green mean that a stock is â??Up.â? Use the window at the bottom of the screen to view news stories related to the stocks that youâ??ve entered as well as performance graphs detailing the price change for a stock over time.

Step 5

Exit the â??Stocksâ? app and return to your iPhoneâ??s â??Homeâ? screen. Swipe your finger from the top of the screen to the bottom to open the â??Notification Center.â? This screen can also be used to quickly check your stocks without opening the actual application. A detailed stock ticker will scroll horizontally across your iPhoneâ??s screen for as long as this window is open. It will be displayed just beneath the weather information at the top of the main window.

Sam Jones, the author, looked for the iPhone best deals specifically because they featured this incredible stock management app.

 

Image courtesy of watcharakun / freedigitalphotos.net

Protecting children on the Internet

I’m pretty sure there’s always been bad people in the world, but today it’s much easier for the people who want to harm your children.

Thousands of years ago they would still have been sneaking around, but if they wanted to do anything they would have had to leave their cave. People don’t need to leave their cave these days. Not when they can get inside your home and do lots of damage from the safety of their dark little bedroom. The Internet throws up a lot of concerns, especially for a worried parent. We can do anything online today and it’s already taken over the world.

Children need to be allowed to play online because it’s going to teach them valuable lessons. They will probably grow up and make their fortune online like everyone will be doing in a few years, so using it from a young age is important. They shouldn’t be anywhere near creepy little men and women who want to do them harm. That’s where you have to step in and control what they do. The Internet can be a safe place if you set it up that way. Here’s a few ways you can do it and keep your loved ones safe.

Get inside their head

The obvious thing that has to be done is speaking to them to find out if anything is wrong. You are not a psychic and can’t be expected to know what’s going on unless they tell you. That means you need to physically sit them down once per week and ask them questions. Try to find out if anything is wrong. If anything is wrong you can be pretty sure they won’t want to tell you, so the only way you’ll find out is by using your detective skills.

Buy some software

If you can’t rely on picking their brains you can actually look at what they’re doing. You just need to install some keylogger software. Whenever they type something on the computer the software will log what they’re doing. You then just have to come along and look at what it says. You better remember to tell them what you’re doing if you don’t want to lose their trust. Snooping isn’t nice, so just tell them you’ll be checking everything they do.

Add some filters

There’s millions of websites on the Internet and a huge proportion of them are ones you don’t want your children anywhere near. If you want to stop them from going on those sites you can install some parental filters to lock them out. The only way to get on them is to know a password, which they won’t be able to find out. If a site is blocked accidentally they can just ask you to type in the password.

Give them a chaperone

If you have more than one child you could maybe only let the youngest one online when they are with their brother or sister, who can look after them and teach them how to use the Internet safely at the same time. It’s also a job that either parent can do if you have the time. It’s something you have to do in the beginning so you can teach them the rules and how to stay safe.

Ask them to report to you

When something bad happens they should come and tell you straight away. This is where you have to train them to realize something is bad. If anyone strange asks them for pictures it’s bad. If someone asks where they live it’s bad. I think you know what I’m getting at. Train them to sense any danger so they don’t fall victim to anyone with bad intentions.

Bob Mckane is a computer security expert. He does computer monitoring software reviews and other security reviews to help people secure their computer.

 

Image courtesy of Claire Bloomfield / freedigitalphotos.net

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