How To Find And Fix 5 Common Hard Drives Failures

Most of us who have a computer for more than 5 years probably experienced the misfortune of having to handling a harddisk failure. But how can you handle such an issue? Well the solving of this problem generally involves the reason why you had the problem. As a general rule, if your computer disk light still flashes and at the same time the disk is not making any strange noises there is a good possibility for the data on it to be recoverable.

This is the most common failure and there are a few simple to follow steps that would make the disk readable again. Also you will be able afterwards to copy that data to a new disk. On the other hand there could also be some mechanical failures. This can be recognized by the fact that the disk is no longer turning or is making “funny” noises. Don’t get alarmed because even in this case the data on the disk can be recovered. The only difference is that you should take the device to a repair shop and also expect some great expenses.

But let’s take the issues one by one and see the reasons, the solutions and what you need to know about each and every case of hard disk failure. We will begin with the virus problem. There is a chance that the computer is faulty because of a virus. This could infect system files and make the computer to no longer recognize its hard drive. As a general rule there are a few messages that appear: “Non-system disk “or” Disk boot failure.” The solution would be to try and boot from the system CD or DVD bypasses the bad hard disk files. This also allows the user to check the hard drive for damage.

Another thing you need to know about this solution is that sometimes running the computer from CD or DVD also allows the operating system to repair files and so, solving the problem. Always remember that running the computer in this way offers great access to your data and also allows to make a back-up copy. And this happens even in the case of a hard drive problem. Furthermore, even for more serious problems like bad hard drive sectors that are unreadable you can save the data on them.

Moving further away, let’s see what you can do when the hard drives are so badly damaged that you are unable to boot up from external CDs or DVDs. This is the step where installing the drive as a slave drive allows the user to access his data. This method allows you to install the damaged hard drive in either another PC or even in the original computer. After the installation is complete, you should mount it in a spare drive bay. Remember that you are required a new hard drive and operating system.  Also remember that in some cases you are required to change a jumper setting on the damaged drive to make it a slave. After making the plug of the power cord and signal cables wait for the computer to boot from the main drive. Now you should be able to read the previous unreadable files and start making copies of them.

If by now the problem isn’t fixed check the connections. This should be made in the situation where the hard drive seems completely dead and also your operating system appears to not be able to recognize it. It is very common for computers to have multiple connections for more than one hard drive. A good solution is simply changing the existing power and signal cables of the failed drive, and plugging in one of the other connectors. And also this comes very useful when having old aged computers where the cords are damaged by the passing of time.

There are even a few disk utilities that could repair your hard drive. This is a solution for those times when the disk simply doesn’t boot. With these tools you are able to read the hard drive and make the data accessible again. The apps are general created by hard drive manufacturers such as Seagate and Western Digital. 

In the Seagate case there is such a utility at http://services.seagate.com/diysoftware.aspx. Western Digital manufacturers offer free diagnostic software that could solve your problems at http://support.wdc.com/product/download.asp?wdc_lang=en.

There is another case that you should take in consideration and this is thermal variation. You should always keep in mind that hard drives are mechanical devices after all, that have bearings and joints. And because there are mechanical parts there is always the possibility of them becoming stuck in older, aged drives. As a general rule for all devices, thermal variations are expanding and contracting metals because of the temperature. Although you will find this a little strange, placing the hard drive in a cold compartment, like a freezer for example could be the solution you are looking for.

If none of the presented above cases match your problem then the simplest and most secure option would be to take your device to a local computer repair shore. This doesn’t 100% guarantee the data will be recovered, but will offer on the other hand a professional look for the problem. In most cases it can be fixed with the right equipment and knowledge.

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Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich To Become Available For Meizu M9 And MX

I know that many of you would like to know which is the next Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich stop as this new platform continues to march its way across the market so quickly. There are some confirmation which came earlier in this week through the mouth of Meizu Chief Jack Wong stating that both M9 and MX mobile devices will upgrade to 4.0 Android Ice Cream Sandwich in the near future. He also has confirmed the fact that the release of the MX’s phone remains unchanged.

Unfortunately there were no other specifications offered. Although Mr: Wong explained that the release of MX mobile was delayed due to the company continue efforts to build-in a sharper, camera with flash within the smartphone, anyway we will keep you posted with the latest news regarding their products release.

It’s clear that will be a complete rush from Original design manufacturers such as Meizu and Huawei to build mobile devices for the global market so it looks like the Meizu M9 and the upcoming Meizu MX will be shipped with the new Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. They will try their best to upgrade to the new platform in a timely manner, as the MX release remains unchanged and the company is confident that December is the month for launching the upcoming 4-inch Android mobile. They expressly confirmed that they are sticking to the plan of December release, which is pretty great.

Their CEO said that the MX comes in two variants one is the 16GB version and comes with a dual core chip and the other one is the 32GB version that features a quad core beast. Now if you are curios with what these phones have to offer, check the following details. These two mobiles offer front and rear cameras, the rear one has 8 MP with Led Flash, removable back cover, a port for USB. The pretty cool stuff is that the handset is going to be one of the thinnest ever. The 16GB MX will have a price tag of $625 and the 32GB brother has tag price of $780 but here comes the real deal question, why so long till the release.

The company is trying to make the phone’s camera as perfect as possible, when asked to compare the upcoming MX with the recently released iPhone 4S. They are pursuing the best possible photo quality and looking to wait for the Ice Cream Sandwich Android 4.0 camera. But here comes the heavy question, why pay that much for Meizu MX when you can have the Xiaomi mobile device which is way cheaper and offers almost the same specs.

Anyway if you were to ask us we fully recommend you Xiaomi, why to pay that much when you can have almost the same in terms of quality and specs with the Xiaomi handset.

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Microsoft Releases Windows Update To Fix Duqu Critical Security Hole

You probably remember the Stuxnet worm which infected tens of thousands IP addresses in Iran last year. It also infected other countries such as Pakistan, India and Indonesia, but the state of Iran has suffered the most because the countries nuclear capabilities were damaged.

Well, several weeks ago the multi-vector network attack called Duku drawn the attention because it was very similar to the Stuxnet worm. Because the code of Duqu resembled so much with the one of Stuxnet a lot of security software classified it as being Stuxnet. Stuxnet used four zero-day exploits which made it very powerful at that time, though they became old and inoffensive now. The problem was that Duqu had its own zero-day exploit. Duqu can be very powerful to Windows-based systems because even if it progressed a lot in the past few years, it still has its flaws.

Fortunately, Microsoft announced a temporary fix in all versions of Windows keep Duqu from infected the computer like Stuxnet did. The Microsoft officials stated that this fix is very important and needed to be done in time because if the problem went unfixed, the affected computers will be attacked. In other words, those who are using Duku could get inside and take control of any computer (that uses Windows) that is not protected.

The researchers from CrySyS identified an installer of the computer worm and they were surprised to find out that it exploited a Windows vulnerability that was unknown to them until now. The problem was found in the Win32k TrueType font parsing engine, which is a component of all Windows versions including Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008. The researchers discovered that the exploit can be distributed by a vicious MS Word document. The attacker choose his target sends the document using the email service and when the receiver opens the doc the attack is launched.

Microsoft has found a quick fix which is available for download and can be applied. But this is just a temporarily solution as a permanent one will be found in the patches that the software giant is releasing on a regular basis. Duqu is a critical Windows flaw that appeared at the beginning of September for the first time. Symantec, one of the most important computer security developer, explained that even Duqu is meant for a distinct purpose, it is very similar to Stuxnet.

While Stuxnet was meant for narrower targets like those designed to manage critical infrastructure in establishments such as the nuclear reactor in Iran, it seems that Duqu has been created to attack the whole population that has computers with Windows as the operating system and that connects to the internet.

The workarounds of Microsoft consist of several lines of code that can be run at an administrative command prompt. Microsoft stated that the users who install the workarounds might have problems with some programs which rely on embedded font technology. Further, the workarounds can be applied to Windows XP, Windows Vista and Windows 7 as to other Windows Server products.

The Microsoft advisory warned the Windows-based computers owners that an attacker that exploits the present vulnerability has the possibility to run arbitrary code in kernel mode. Also, the same attacker could mess with your system by installing various programs, view and delete your files, or create brand new accounts on which he would have full user rights.

Even if Microsoft promises to fix the problem related to the Duku multi-vector network attack, it seems like they can’t do it in time. Some say that it could take weeks. Costin Raiu who is director at the Kaspersky Lab company said that in order to fix the problem the guys at Microsoft have to modify the kernel code which is nothing easy. Also, testing the patches after they’ve been modified could take a while.

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Google Offers Application Now Available For Free Download At The Android Market

Here is a great new way for checking your email for the latest offers, better said with this new application as Google Offers is able to connect you with great deals on daily basis each day. You do not have to print those offers anymore as Google Offers app eliminates the need of constant email checking for the latest Google offers.

So this is a news in itself as Google Offer application is up and live in Android Market, so whenever you feel tired with checking your email constantly for the latest offer from Google, and if you have at least an Android 2.1 or up device, the Google was able to provide an alternative, just at the right moment. Using this application makes your life a lot more easier, as it brings all the deals near your selected location or area into an easy to use and comprehend piece of program.

Since this application went live in the Android Market we have recorded a numerous downloads, so why do even you grab this chance and ease your work a lot as you do not have to constantly check your email for the offers sent by Google. It doesn’t require Near Field Communication process, but yes, you can take it from the phone. You can feel free to express your joy when you realize that you will remain up way more than Gmail was did for Apple’s operating system the iOS.

As you can see simply with your Android phone you can get almost the same level of information that you were used to getting with a more powerful device like a laptop or desktop computer. As from right now you can bring the deals closer to you, anytime, so simply discover buy and claim Google Offers without having to print them anymore.

Start Exploring your are from the comfort and space of your Android mobile device, but it would really be a nice if it worked on tablets though, and we recently found out that the menu button is not even working properly. We would have expected more from an official Google application. At this moment the only thing going for this application the nice user interface. The reason for the moment we are a little bit confused with, is the fact that Google has released a separate application with similar functions as Google Shopper, which in our opinion does a lot of probably even more that Google Offer application.

You can download Google Offers app free using the source link below!

SOURCE Android Market

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EU Commission To Investigate The Patent Dispute Between Samsung And Apple

The iPhone 4S was launched on the Australian market last month and since then Samsung has been trying to get Apple’s product banned. This moved forward and it seems that the conflict between the two huge companies will never end as more developments appear almost every day.

The South Korean giant claims that three of its 3G wireless patents have been violated by Apple in Australia. The company wants to have access to the iPhone 4S source code and they also want to get detailed information about the contracts that Apple has with the most important mobile services in Australia including Optus, Vodafone and Telstra.

Apple defends by saying that Samsung have agreed in the past to licence the three mobile patents to Apple under the FRAND terms (Fair, Reasonable, and Non-Discriminatory) standard. Samsung stated that they did agreed with this matter, but the agreement doesn’t apply to Australia and Apple is using the patents illegally.

The Korean company is trying to obtain the source code of Apple’s newest product, but Apple is definitely trying to block the move.

Now it seems that the European Commission is very interested in this case and this means that things could end up badly for Samsung as the European Commission want’s to investigate if the case that Samsung has against Apple is violating the EU competition lays and this means trouble for Samsung.

Until now, this appears to be the most important development between Samsung and Apple and considering that the two companies have had a dispute for a long time, this is really a big deal. However, things could go wrong for Samsung because depending on what the investigation will reveal, the South Korean Company could be forced to redraw the majority of its claims against their American competitor.

In other words, Samsung did licensed the patents to Apple in certain countries, this is sure thing. What’s interesting is that the company decided to sue Apple for the same patents used in other states. Their biggest problem is that the European union can end up disapproving their action.

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Assassin’s Creed Revelations Official Release Date is November 15, 2011 For Xbox 360, PS3 and PC

Assassin’s Creed Revelations is an the next video game to be released by Ubisoft in the Assassin’s Creed serie, on the 15th of November for the Xbox 360 and PS 3 consoles and, on November 29, 2011 for the Microsoft Windows systems. It was presented for the first time at the E3 2011 and the video trailer showed an older Ezio and a few minutes of gameplay demo. Most of the work was done by the Ubisoft Montreal subdivision of Ubisoft Entertainment. It is the 4th game in the Assassin’s Creed video game series and Ubisoft put a lot of effort in releasing the Revelations video game until the end of 2011, despite the fact that the PC version had to be delayed for a few weeks and that’s why we will be seeing the PS3 and Xbox 360 versions launched first.

The Revelations video game features the three major characters from the previous titles, these are Ezio, Altair and Desmond and that this is the last installment that will feature two major characters, Ezio Auditore da Firenze and Altair Ibn La’Ahad, also Assassin’s Creed Revelations is the last video game that has its story set in the Renaissance era. The developers released at the beginning of 2011 a statement that said that there won’t be any Assassin’s Creed title released this year, but later, they confirmed that a new major installment is ready to be released and that the fans have waited enough time and that now it was the time for a new launch. In April 2011 Revelations was teased for the first time on the Assassin’s Creed Facebook page. It has been officially announced that it will feature support for 3D for every single system platforms, Xbox 360, PS3 and PC, also the console editions will have full support for stereoscopic 3D and that all the Revelations gameplay, cinematics and graphics are S3D supported.

It uses the same Anvil graphics engine that was used for the previous Assassin’s Creed titles: Assassin’s Creed 1 and 2, Brotherhood and nor Revelations. Also, the Prince of Persia The Forgotten Sands used the Anvil. In case you didn’t had the time to pre-order the Assasssins Creed Revelations video game then you should know that it can be bought from Amazon for all platforms, but remember that the console editions will be launched first on the 15th of November, while the Windows PC version will be ready for launch on November 29th. These were all the interesting facts about this upcoming video game and you should return to our website after the game is released as you will find reviews and other important info about it.

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LA Noire Release Date Is November 8, 2011 For PC

L.A. Noire is a 3rd person shooter video game that has been created by the Rockstar Games and it was released for the first time in May 2011 for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 and, now Rockstar decided that the game has come for this video game to be released for Windows computers and a date has been officially set and from next week we should be finding the LA Noire video game in stores, Steam and OnLive. The game will be launched as L.A. Noire The Complete Edition and it will be launched officially on November 8th in the United Stated and on November 11th worldwide and if this version sells like the ones for Xbox or Playstation then Rockstar hit the jackpot, however, numerous Rockstar fans protested against the decision of creating a PC version for LA Noire and not for the 2010′s best video game, Red Dead Redemption as the plans for a PC release were dropped and not single piece news emerged since that was announced.

The L.A. Noire Complete Edition comes packed with support for keyboard remapping, gamepad and 3D stereoscopic graphics are included, also it features a multi-use code that offers users the possibility to open and use any expansion packs, add-ons and other functions and every single DLC that was released until now for the console editions, which means that it comprises the Reefer Madness Vice case, Nicholson Electroplating Arson, The Consul’s Car Traffic. The Naked City Vice and the A Slip of the Tongue Traffic cases. All these are present in The Complete Edition for the PC version.

The story in LA Noire takes place in the 1947 Los Angeles, a city filled with crimes and you are playing as LAPD detective that has to resolve numerous crime cases and in order to do it you need to roam the city for suspects and investigate then on scene or bring them with you at the precinct and interrogate them as prime suspects. Look for clues and follow all the major leads, but be careful as every action you do will result in you getting closer or drifting away from the original perpetrator, which means that finding the criminals is gonna pretty hard and then you will be forced to play several hours extra in order to close cases. Your character’s name is Cole Phelps.

The console editions of the game were received with highly positive critics and the same thing is expected for the PC version of LA Noire The Complete Edition. The graphics engine is one that has been created by Rockstar company and it is a combination of facial motion capture and animations. The physics engine used is Havok, which is the same one used for the Just Cause series, FEAR series, Dead Rising, Battle Los Angeles, Bioshock 1 and 2, Fallout 3 and New Vegas, Stronghold 3, Sonic Generations, Portal 2, The Witcher 2 and multiple others.

L.A. Noire can be purchased as a retail version or you can buy it as a PC download from STEAM. If you haven’t ordered your copy of LA Noire The Complete Edition until now, then you should go to Amazon and place your order for the game and if you’re lucky you might get your copy right on the official release date. The publishing company for this video game is Rockstar Games the same one that created the GTA series,Max Payne and Red Dead Redemption. That ‘s all the info I had in store for you and now you should seriously be thinking of purchasing the LA Noire The Complete Edition for your Windows PC as the game gets launched on November 8th in US and on the 11th for the rest of the world.

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Facebook looking to expand Credits to other gaming portals

Facebook's thick, sinewy tendrils continue to twist and worm their way through every facet of the internet's expansive infrastructure, as the social giant has unceremoniously announced plans to expand the Facebook Credits system to other sites. Sandwiched between payment system and graph API updates on the Platform Update developers blog, the brief entry names Gamehouse'sCollapse! Blast as the project's initial testbed, adding that interested developers should get in touch.

Rather than using Paypal or their credit cards, users now sign into Collapse! Blast via Facebook, at which point their existing Facebook Credits can be spent on virtual goods. Should the expansion progress beyond these initial testing phases, Facebook Credits may provide appsperience developers with a solution that's easier and cheaper to implement than a proprietary one. Facebook's massive existing install base doesn't hurt things either, and since adoption is the key to standardization, maybe this is the first step towards a Star Trek-esque credits-based utopian future society.

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FIFA 12 and Cars 2 in PSP hardware bundle this November

The arrival of a new PSP hardware bundle may seem ill-timed with theimpending launch of the Vita, but Sony isn't about to stop catering to the gift-craving siblings, cousins and nephews of the world this holiday. And we don't know about you, but we don't have any nephews that are worth spending two hundred and fifty dollars on.

Instead, for $160 you can pick up the new PSP Entertainment Pack, which includes a PSP-3000, 2GB Memory Stick Pro DUO, a UMD copy of soccer smashFIFA 12 and a download voucher for Cars 2 (a racing game, we'd venture). The bundle should be available on November 15th.

If you're jumping into PlayStation Portable gaming now (and feel free to use the "nephew" excuse we fabricated above), you should keep an eye out for theMega Man and Monster Hunter packs at Gamestop. That is, if you're willing to add UMD clutter to your life -- with an uncertain shot at backwards compatibility.

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Assassin's Creed: Revelations delayed until December on PC

Official statement from Ubisoft to Joystiq: "Assassin's Creed Revelations will launch on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 on November 15 and PC in December."

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Batman: Arkham City Video Review (PS3, Xbox 360)

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Max Payne 3 - First Trailer

The first glimpse of the long-awaited return of Max Payne - in action. Coming March 2012 to Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC.

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Coolest Tech Toys of 2012

Samsung Galaxy 7.7 Tablet From new ultra-light and super-thin notebooks to TVs you can draw on and designer 3D glasses, the coolest tech toys and latest gadgets were on grand display this month at the IFA technology fair in Berlin. Technology companies have high hopes for these new products. Read on to see 10 of the coolest tech toys for 2012. 1. Samsung Galaxy 7.7 Tablet Launched at IFA 2011, Samsung's Galaxy 7.7 Tablet is 7.89 millimeters thin and weighs only 12 ounces (335 grams). It incorporates the company's “Super AMOLED Plus” display technology, which it says delivers “brilliant, high-contrast colors and a beautiful, crisp viewing experience.” The device has a battery that provides up to 10 hours of video playback time, Samsung says.

Samsung Note with 'S Pen' 2. Samsung Note with 'S Pen' Also launched at IFA 2011, Samsung's Galaxy Note has a 5.3 inch display, the largest screen size available among smartphones. This means less scrolling and screen transitions, Samsung says. PowerPoint presentations, web pages, news apps, and e-books can be viewed with minimal scrolling or zooming, according to the company. The “pen-input technology,” called the S Pen, allows users to draw and send handwritten images and notes via text message, email, and instant messaging.

LG Smartscan Mouse 3. LG Smartscan Mouse LG's mouse has a built-in scanner, which the company says will "open a new era for scanners." Users will click the Smart Scan button on the left side of the mouse, then swipe it over the material to be scanned. The scanned image can then be saved in a variety of file types, or dragged and dropped into a document or application, LG says. LG's Optical Character Recognition technology converts scanned text into a Microsoft Word document that can then be edited as required. The 2-in-1 device can scan page sizes up to A3, larger than most conventional portable scanners, according to LG.

Sony Personal 3D Viewer 4. Sony Personal 3D Viewer Easily the most futuristic-looking among devices launched at IFA, Sony's head-mounted "Personal 3D Viewer” is slipped onto your head to give the experience of a movie theater-like virtual screen, Sony says. The device has separate panels for the left and right eye in order to display independent HD picture quality to each eye, resulting in 3D vision, according to Sony. Aimed at gamers and film fans, it comes with built-in surround-sound headphones.

Toshiba No-Glasses 3D TV 5. Toshiba No-Glasses 3D TV Toshiba's 3D televisions, launched in Europe at IFA on Friday, create the illusion of depth without the need to wear special glasses by sending images of different perspectives to the right eye and others to the left eye.

Designer 3D TV Glasses 6. Designer 3D TV Glasses Want to look cool watching 3D TV? A range of designer 3D glasses by the likes of Lacoste and Calvin Klein is available. Pricing is similar to that of a regular pair of designer glasses, but with a curved lens, the glasses are suited to 3D viewing.

Cyber-shot TX55 7. The World's Slimmest Digital Camera Just 12.2mm slim, the Cyber-shot TX55 is the world’s thinnest camera. It captures 16.2 megapixel still images and full HD video. The camera’s back panel has an 8.3cm/3.3 inch touch-screen for showing off photos and movie clips. It also features 3D shooting options. By pressing the shutter button once, the camera grabs a pair of frames in quick succession, estimating depth to create a three-dimensional still image.

Panasonic Viera 2D-to-3D Conversion 8. Panasonic Viera 2D-to-3D Conversion Panasonic unveiled its new Viera television range, which includes technology that converts 2D images to 3D. Technology companies argue that the relative scarcity of 3D content is delaying its adoption. As a result, they are incorporating technology that can convert 2D images into 3D format for TV sets. LG demonstrated a 2D-to-3D game converter at the IFA fair.

LG's Plasma TV With 'Pentouch' 9. LG's Plasma TV With 'Pentouch' This TV can be connected to a computer. Users then activate the “PenTouch” mode on the remote control. In PenTouch mode, users can access files created on their PCs and manipulate them, edit them, or move them around the screen. Pen batteries can be recharged through USB ports on the TV or PC. Using PenTouch software, which is provided with the TV, users can draw pictures directly onto the screen and then save the files for further editing. Alternatively, users can try to play a game of Angry Birds using the Pentouch. The LG PenTouch TV uses a scratch-resistant glass screen and comes with a stand that has been designed to provide more stability when owners or their children are using the PenTouch feature, LG says.

Toshiba Ultrabook

10. Toshiba Ultrabook

Toshiba unveiled its Portégé Z830 Ultrabook devices at IFA, one of several tech giants to launch a new super portable notebook. Weighing about 2.5 pounds (1.12 kg) and less than a half-inch (15.9 mm) thick, the devices will be available during the fourth quarter of 2011 in Europe.
Acer's Aspire S3 launched at IFA and will go on sale in September. It resumes in 1.5 seconds and features large hard drive capacity. Acer says it connects to the Internet in 2.5 seconds and adds that the device’s "high-efficiency" battery requires less charging, making it more appealing for environmentally conscious buyers.

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How to Make Password Protected ZIP Files using WinRAR

Winrar is a popular archive management software that can be used to open or create archive (rar,zip etc) files.There are lot of freeware softwares like Axcrypt,Disguise Folders that can encrypt your files and password protect them.If you have winrar installed in your pc then you can use its inbuilt password protection feature

How To make Password Protected ZIP Files using WinRAR:-

• Right click on the folder/file which has to be  Password Protected and select ADD to Archive option.

• From the pop up window select the Advanced Tab.
• Now click on the Set Password.

• Enter and Verify your Password (Use both Alphabets and Numeric words to make a strong Password).

• Now a new compressed file will be generated at the same location of your original file

Now whenever somebody will try to open or extract the files in archive it will ask for the password.

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New 3DS circle pad: first official picture, release date revealed

Nintendo has officially revealed the controversial new circle pad attachment for the 3DS.

Pictures and details came from the platform holder last night at TGS, along with the Japanese pricing and release date.

The circle pad attachment will be launching on December 10 (the same date as Monster Hunt 3G) at a price of 1,500 yen, which is around £12 but don't necessarily expect a straight conversion.

It uses a single AAA battery and - the Nintendo Japan website is kind enough to point out - will not work on its own.

Nintendo's also released an initial list of titles that the circle pad attachment will be compatible with.

Along with Monster Hunter 3G, Resident Evil Revelations, Metal Gear Solid Snake Eater 3D, Ace Combat 3D, Dynasty Warriors Vs and Kingdom Hearts 3D are all mentioned.

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Xbox Live currently out of action

"Xbox.com is having issues at the moment," Eric Neustadter, director of architecture for Xbox Live operations, wrote on Twitter about an hour ago. "It's being worked on - sorry for the hassle, folks."

According to Joystiq, Xbox Live's out of action for the time being too....

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FIFA 12 demo is live on Xbox 360,Comes to PSN tomorrow in Europe...

As usual it's available to Gold Xbox Live members via the Xbox Live Marketplace and is 1.2GB in size.
EU footie fans with a PlayStation preference can look forward to the FIFA 12 demo running out on PSN tomorrow.
It looks like it should be a good outing for the EA Sports series once again....

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How Google +1 Can Change the Dynamics of SEO

You must have heard about Google’s new search result recommendation service called Google +1? This has revolutionized the field of social SEO and has started giving a tough competition to Facebook’s “like” option.

What is Google +1?

When you log into your Google account and search for something on Google, you will note that

the search results appear with a +1 button beside respective links. Clicking on the +1 button, you can recommend the website to your Google contacts.

These recommendations will appear to your friends when they search on the same keyword. For example, if you searched for iPod and recommended an ecommerce website, when your friends search for the same gadget with the same keyword, they will see that you have recommended a particular site for it.

However, to make the +1 recommendation visible, you have to change the settings in your Google account’s +1 tab and make it “public” from “private”.

A website admin can add the Google +1 button in his website very easily. The process is similar to adding a Facebook “like” button or Twitter “tweet” button. When a visitor comes to a site and likes it, he can click on the social media button to recommend it to his friends and social circle.

The process of “like” and “Google +1” may look the same, but the +1 has a lot more effect on search engine optimization and page ranking.

How it Works?

When you click on the +1 button, the link gets shared with your social circle. This social circle consists of all the contacts in Google Talk, Gmail, Buzz, Contacts, Google Plus, etc. The recommendation appears to both the person who has recommended the link and to friends in his social circle.

For example, if Bob, Bill and Dan are three friends and Bob recommends a link, Bill and Dan will see that their friend Bob has recommended it. Now, if Bill also recommends the same link, then Bob will see “you and Bill have recommended this site.”

How it Helps in Online Marketing?

The Google +1 is a boon to SEO companies. Online marketing has completely changed with the introduction of Google +1 button. The click-through rate, or CTR, will see a boost for those that have higher number of Google +1 recommendations.

Normally, popular sites will be recommended by thousands all over the world and help them to secure top ranking. But Google +1 is also beneficial for small companies. If you are looking for “SEO services in India” and see that the search result shows a recommendation for a particular company, you will be more interested in it, even if they don’t appear in the top 10 search results. We are always more comfortable to work with a company when our friends recommend them.

How Google +1 Will Affect SEO?

If a link is being +1’d by a large group of friends, Google will increase its page rank. Compared to false account SEO activities, a genuine recommendation helps Google to understand the value of that website. If your friend recommends a particular site, you will probably spend a lot more time there than on other sites. Google measures the success and failure of a site by its bounce rate. Bounce rate calculates how long a user stays on a website. It will help Google’s algorithm and page ranking system.

Can it be Manipulated by Black-hat SEO?

If you think that anyone can randomly click on the +1 button to increase a website’s search ranking, then you are mistaken! Google is no fool; they can mark a spam +1 recommendation very easily. If you use your Google account regularly and use services such as Gmail, GTalk, and Google Plus, etc, your recommendations will be considered as genuine. But if you use a fake account and only +1 hundreds of links everyday, Google will soon realize your intention.

Why it’s Here to Stay?

What is the advantage of Google +1, when there is already Facebook “like”?

When you “like” a site on Facebook, your friends can only see that recommendation for a few days. Later, they will forget about it. But when you +1’d a link, it stays for a very long time. Even if your friends search on the same keyword after several months, they will see that you have recommended a particular site months ago. This is very important for online marketing. Google +1 increases the chances of brand recall and rise in profit margins.

Google +1 is an excellent tool for SEO and marketing. However, it has one shortcoming. To recommend a site and see your friends’ recommendations in the search results, you have to log in to your Google account first. Though, if you consider the number of people using Gmail everyday, the possibility of seeing a recommendation while logged in is very high.

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How to Increase Your Facebook Fan Base..........

From freelance web designers to big web designing agencies, everyone is utilizing the marketing capabilities of Facebook. Facebook Fan Page is a very useful medium to promote your business to a global audience. It will help you meet new customers, stay in touch with the old ones and promote your new products or services.

A great Facebook Fan Page design is not enough to make a successful marketing campaign. Unless you have enough fans, the main marketing purpose won’t be fulfilled. Every company/individual wants thousands of fans, but only a few succeed in capturing people’s attention.

So, what is the secret to encourage people to click on the “like” button?  Here are few things you can do to get more Facebook fans.

Include a Facebook Fan Page box in the website/blog- This is an easy-to-use and useful application. You can copy the Facebook page plug-ins codes and paste it in your blog/website. You can customize this box as you like and view images of your fans or stream regular updates from your Facebook fan page. The ‘like’ button is generally placed at the top of the Facebook fan page box and gives one click access to your Facebook fan page.

Never forget to ask people- If you are very active in your blog and write regular articles, give a “follow me on Facebook” link at the end of every article. If you write guest posts in other blogs, then ask your readers to ‘like’ you on Facebook. Wherever you have an online presence, leave a link/button for your readers to ‘like’ you. If you constantly ask readers to become a member of your fan page, at least a few will be interested and click the ‘like’ button.

Give advertisements- You can advertise your fan page in Facebook to get the attention of your target audience. Giving an ad in Facebook will earn you better response than from placing your ad on other websites. You will be able to attract the existing 500 million plus users with just one advertisement. Advertising process in Facebook is also quite easy and affordable.

Use fan page to interact- You can switch identity from your personal profile to fan page profile and start interacting with your fans directly. If you ‘like’ several other fan pages, you can comment on their page and their fans will see your fan page’s name in the comment. It will lead them to your fan page directly.

Start a contest or give free items- This is a popular marketing trick to increase fan base within a short span of time. In these contests, participants are asked to become a fan to enter the contest or get the free item. This free item gifting technique was successfully used by Tradus and they have almost 60,000 fans now!

Mention other fan pages in your update- This is a good process to establish bond with other companies in your niche and get the attention of their fans. First, be a fan of other famous web design, web development,logo design, SEO companies, etc, and then in your Facebook fan page status, mention how the company is doing a great job. The post will appear in that company’s wall and their fans may get interested in you, visit your page and ‘like’ your page. Without spending a penny, you will be able to increase your fan base.

Attractive welcome tab will increase the number of fans- You have convinced people to visit your Facebook fan page. But will they click on the ‘like’ button? To interest them, you can add a “welcome tab” in the fan page. It’s completely customizable and allows you to welcome a new visitor with animation or video.

Connect Facebook with Twitter- If you are popular in Twitter and want to lead that traffic towards Facebook, all you need to do is install a plug-in and connect the two social networks. Once the plug-in is activated, your FB posts will be published in Twitter as a tweet. Your Twitter followers will get to know about your Facebook fan page and may become a fan as well. You can also write about your Facebook fan page in the Twitter “about me” section. The same thing can be done in your personal Facebook profile as well. It will inform your new friends about your fan page.

Conclusion- Facebook fan page is the best way to interact with your clients and friends. You should update the fan page content regularly, post new images, organize competitions and answer the questions asked by your fans. Some companies even use the fan page as a new product/service launch platform and online customer care. If your fan page contents are exclusive, your fan base will keep increasing.

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