Download PS3 Games – Download Your PS3 Games Online
February 18, 2012 | 
Author Do you want to download your PS3 Games from the internet? No more walking to your local games shop only to pay ridiculous amounts of money for a game you might not even enjoy playing? It’s now possible to download all the latest PS3 Games online at any time you want!
But when downloading games from the internet it’s easy to get confused. There are so many sites out there to choose from and a lot of them are scams. So where should you download from? And which sites should you avoid? There are a few simple rules you can follow that will assure you find a great site to download all your PS3 Games from.
Firstly, although it’s tempting to download games from ‘torrent’ sites (file sharing sites) its best to avoid them. The files on these sites aren’t regulated and a lot of the time can contain viruses and spyware that even anti-virus software can’t detect. Its best to join a paid site (which should only charge a small one time fee) and have access to there database of games for life. These databases are always being updated and so have all the latest games ready for you to download.
Next, you should choose a site which has all forms of media available to download, not just PS3 Games. The best sites will have music, movies and TV shows as well as games for all consoles (Xbox 360, Nintendo Wii and PS3) so check for this before you join.
Finally, make sure the site offers a customer support service in case you have any problems or questions you need answering (the best sites offer 24/7 customer support) and that the site also has a money back guarantee in case your really not happy with the quality of their service.
Learn How to Buy A Good Laptop Computer
When buying a laptop, you need to consider factors beyond performance and weight. There are many additional things like screen dimensions, battery life, and keyboard and connection options which you have to think about.
Let’s look at some of the factors one should consider when buying a laptop.
1. Processor
One of the first things you need to consider in a laptop is the CPU. The latest laptop CPUs include Intel’s Core Duo and Core 2 Duo processors which outperform older single-core Intel processors (e.g. Pentium M). Other laptops use the AMD Athlon Turion 64 X2 dual-core processor – which is also a good performer. In general, however, if you’re looking for a laptop, I’d advise you to look for one with an Intel Core Duo processor. You can also read this guide to find out more.
2. System memory
The amount of RAM in the laptop is very important. If you’re not short of cash, my advice is to get at least 1GB of RAM – that is the minimum you need to get newer PC applications to run fast. Also remember that you can always add more memory to your existing laptop. You may be interested in this short guide on how to install new memory modules into a laptop.
3. Graphics memory
Laptop graphics are another feature you will want to consider. Typically, I’d say you should go for 128MB of dedicated video RAM. Also, ensure that the graphics memory is used solely for graphics use and not shared with the main memory. If you intend to play games on the laptop, then look for advanced 3D graphics chips with about 256MB to 512MB of dedicated graphics memory. Be prepared to fork out a lot more cash though.
4. Screen
You will also want to take a look at the laptop screen. Laptop screens have recently become bigger. Most of them have gone widescreen so you can watch movies or edit spreadsheets more comfortably.
If you intend to use the laptop from home a lot, then I’d go for a 17-inch wide screen. If you are more concerned about portability or if you travel a lot, then laptops with screen sizes of 12.1 or 13.3 inches might suit you better. There are also 14.1- or 15-inch screens for laptops, but I believe manufacturers are shifting away from these models.
5. Battery
Here’s another critical factor – laptop battery life. I personally find it very frustrating to have my notebook power run out after 15 minutes at Starbucks. What you need to do is to buy a laptop that has about 3.5 hours of battery life, running on a Core Duo or Core 2 Duo processor. Make sure you question the retailer on how long the battery can last – a short battery life is usually a deal breaker for me.
6. Keyboard and Pointing Device
Some people believe that the keyboard and pointing device on a laptop is important. If you have big fingers, you might be more comfortable typing on a larger notebook keyboard than a small one. Make sure you try the laptop out – get the feel of typing and navigation before you buy the laptop.
7. Optical drives
I’d usually recommend getting a laptop with a rewritable DVD drive as a minimum. One thing you need to know is that some laptops sacrifice a DVD drive in exchange for a lighter weight and portability. If you don’t think you need a DVD drive all the time, then you might want to get a model that doesn’t have one.
8. Hard drive
In the laptop hard drive department, what can I say? More is better. These days, you can get a notebook hard drives coming in sizes of 160GB or more. You can also get SATA hard drives if you have more cash.
9. Weight
Another thing to note is the weight of the laptop. Now, when you buy a laptop, always remember that the total weight includes the notebook AND the AC adapter, any external modules, and their cables. These can add up to quite a bit of weight.
10. Communications
These days, you will find that most laptops come with at least two USB 2.0 ports – I’d recommend that as a minimum. If you do a lot of video editing, then a FireWire (IEEE 1394) port also becomes essential.
You should also check for good network capabilities. Make sure your new laptop has built-in ethernet capability, a built-in wireless connection and also built-in Bluetooth (if you need to transfer data between your mobile phone and the laptop).
Some of the laptops also include card slots for removable media such as CompactFlash, Secure Digital and MultiMediaCard. If you take a lot of digital photos, then this feature might matter to you.
11. Laptop Shopping Tips
Whew! That sure is a long list of features to consider when buying a laptop. In addition to understanding the features, there are three important laptop shopping tips you should bear in mind.
Tip #1: How will you use the laptop? One of the problems when you buy a laptop is that you pay for features you don’t really need. One of the best ways to avoid paying too much is to consider how you will use the laptop. If it is mostly for word processing, then settle for a cheaper machine. If it is for gaming, then you need a more powerful one.
Tip #2: Think of features you will not compromise You should also be aware that there are some basic features in a laptop you should NOT sacrifice. For example, for me, if I were buying a laptop, I’d choose (as a minimum) – an Intel Core Duo or Core 2 Duo processor, 2GB of RAM, 160GB of hard drive, a very small screen size and a super long lasting battery. Your list of critical feature may vary.
Tip #3: Remember you can pick and choose Most vendors will let you custom-build your own laptop. This is a good thing, because you can just pick those features you need and not pay any extra. You can easily purchase a faster notebook by accepting a smaller hard drive or DVD drive, for example.
Conclusion
I hope this article has shown you that ins and outs of buying a laptop. Remember, a laptop is an expensive device. It will also be something you bring along anywhere you go. Hence, it is critical that you do proper research and find the correct laptop to suit your needs. Remember the above tips the next time you’re in the market for a laptop, and happy shopping!
Tips for Using the Lexmark C792 Printer
The Lexmark C792 series is one of the newest families of colour printers announced early 2011. These new printers aim to deliver great colour quality by utilising the laser technology and fast speeds by offering two-sided printing support. It can hold thousands of sheets while printed paper can head to any of the different output options. It even has a few functions that allow printing on media specifically for outdoor usage. Whether you have used a Lexmark printer or not, the learning curve is not really that difficult and these tips can help you make the most out of your printer once you finally get one.
Practice Using the Touchscreen Interface
The Lexmark C792 features a 4.3-inch touchscreen display where you can actually perform some printing operations without connecting the printer to a computer. The Direct USB feature accepts various files like documents and images in the USB flash drive. Printing is as easy as plugging it in the printer’s USB port and navigating through the touchscreen interface for immediate printing. Getting used to this feature early can let you work faster.
Getting to Know the Drivers and Software
Lexmark has their own support site where you can download the latest drivers for your C792 printer. It is best to acquire them there even if you have CD drivers because a newer version might be available that may contain bug fixes or brand new features. It is also recommended to use this software even if your operating system automatically detects the drivers when you plug the printer in. With these drivers, you can better monitor your printer using software like Status Messenger which highlights any problems that arise in the notification area. Setting up the printer will be much easier using the Printer Setup Utility while the IP Setup Utility helps in the network setup. You can then save these drivers settings using the Drive Profiler Management Tool so future installations are faster.
The Screen Fonts feature makes sure that you see the exact fonts that you will see on paper. You can also accurately check the toner levels through the Status Monitor Centre which also doubles as a price to look for additional supplies online.
Expanding the Capacity and Capabilities
The C792 comes in various sizes but all of them are expandable so you can hold more paper. Even the smallest Lexmark C792e features expandable input where the capacity can be increased to hold up 3,200 sheets. Use Lexmark’s official support website for reference to see which trays and add-ons you can purchase so you can be more productive. Don’t forget too that you can choose four output options such as an offset stacker or five-bin mailbox.
Using the Eco-Mode
The Eco-Mode is a unique feature that minimises both toner and paper usage. Configure these settings using the touchscreen control panel and find the right balance where the print quality is still fine for certain tasks. Continuously relying on this feature means more paper saved and lower overall energy consumption. Your toner cartridge should last longer as well. There is also lone button with a yellow moon icon which represents the Sleep mode which can also help save energy while the device isn’t used.
Printer Not Responding – The Solutions to Printer Not Working Problem
Printer is not responding? It is a common problem that many people have dealt with. Although you have followed some guides to troubleshoot it, you might not successfully resolve the problem. This article is to tell the real causes of the “Printer Not Working” problem and how to resolve it for good.
If you plug your printer to a USB port and there is not a green icon showing in the taskbar indicating a device was connected, you can plug it to other ports and see if it is detected. If there is still no icon, it is probably that your USB driver is corrupt or outdated. USB driver is not used by Windows system for recognizing USB devices like printer, scanner, camera and so on.
If it is corrupt or outdated, your system will have difficulty in detecting a device and there will be no any icon shows in the taskbar. That is one of the common causes of “Printer Not Responding” problem. In this case, to fix the problem, you only need to update your USB driver.
In another case, if you get an error message “USB Device Not Recognized” when you attach your printer to your computer, the problem must be caused by the printer driver error. Firstly, you should check if your printer driver is installed properly. Unsuccessful driver installation will lead to your printer not be able to work properly. And if the printer driver is outdated or damaged, your printer will not respond too.
To fix the problem that cause by the driver error, you should check the model of your printer, download and install the latest version on your computer. The printer problems that stem from out-of-date or corrupt driver software can be solved by installing or reinstalling the latest driver.
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Magicjack Installation Instructions
Making long distance calls can now be cheap and easy. Magic Jack is available through the official company website or in many stores. In just a matter of minutes after receiving or purchasing your MagicJack, you will be able to install it and begin making calls. If you haven’t bought a MagicJack yet, or are a little confused as to what to do, these instructions will make installing it a breeze.
In the package, you will see that you have the USB device and a USB extension cord. If you have an a/c powered USB hub, you may also use that to plug the device into. I recommend using the a/c powered USB hub if you cannot plug in the magicjack directly into a USB port on your computer. This will help you avoid some problems later on.
After that, all you need to do is to plug your phone line into the device. Wait a few minutes while it automatically downloads the software for you to be able to make phone calls. When it is finished, you’ll see a softphone screen pop up on your computer to help you make phone calls. You may also dial a call by using your phone.
The softphone screen can be used for dialing numbers. It also keeps a log of the numbers you have called, as well as having an address book where you can keep frequently called numbers. It also has send and hang up buttons to push to start and end your calls. You may also start a call by just picking up your phone and dialing, then hanging up when you are finished talking. The softphone screen also has links to click on to access 411 pages, Yahoo, Google and your voice mail. It will also import your favorites from Internet Explorer. The softphone screen can be minimized when you are not using it, but you cannot make it go away, it will always be on your desktop.
If the device is not working perfectly for you, go to the official Magic Jack website and download the magicfix. Your computer will also periodically download updates as they are needed for this internet phone.. Magicfix can also be accessed through a button on your softphone screen.
You can call any landline or cell phone with your magic jack in the United States or Canada, you’re not limited to only calling other magic jack users. You may also pick out any area code you wish, and can change your phone number at any time.
Impact of Social Media on Society
“Do you have Facebook?”
“Yes, of course. But I don’t think you can find me, as there are too many people who have the same name as me. Try searching with my surname as well.”
“Hey, you celebrated your birthday in K-Box, right? I saw the photos in your Facebook.”
“Bro, I saw your comments about the YouTube video that I’ve posted in my blog. I’m happy that you are also deeply moved by the ‘Dancing Peacock Man’ as well.”
Social media or “social networking” has almost become part of our daily lives and being tossed around over the past few years. It is like any other media such as newspaper, radio and television but it is far more than just about sharing information and ideas. Social networking tools like Twitter, Facebook, Flickr and Blogs have facilitated creation and exchange of ideas so quickly and widely than the conventional media. The power of define and control a brand is shifting from corporations and institutions to individuals and communities. It is no longer on the 5Cs (e.g. condominium, credit cards and car) that Singaporeans once talked about. Today, it is about the brand new Cs: creativity, communication, connection, creation (of new ideas and products), community (of shared interests), collaboration and (changing the game of) competition.
In January 2010, InSites Consulting has conducted an online survey with 2,884 consumers from over 14 countries between the ages of 18 to 55 years old on social networking. More than 90% of participants know at least 1 social networking site and 72% of participants are members of at least 1 social networking site. On the average, people have about 195 friends and they log in twice a day to social networking sites. However, 55% of the users cannot access their social network websites at work. In the past, not many adults were able to make more than 500 friends, but with social media, even a child or teenager can get to know more than 500 people in a few days by just clicking the mouse. Social media has devalued the traditional definition of “friend” where it means trust, support, compatible values, etc. Although we get to know more people, we are not able to build strong bond with all the people whom we met as our available time is limited. Hence, there is an upcoming social trend of people with wider social circles, but weaker ties (people we don’t know very well but who provide us with useful information and ideas).
Social media also influences people’s buying behaviours. Digital Influence Group reported that 91% of the people say consumer reviews are the #1 aid to buying decisions and 87% trust a friend’s recommendation over critic’s review. It is thrice more likely to trust peer opinions over advertising for purchasing decisions. 1 word-of-mouth conversation has an impact of 200 TV ads. With the prevalence use of social media, there is numerous news related to it from the most viewed YouTube video on “Armless pianist wins ‘China’s Got Talent’” to Web-assisted suicide cases (e.g. New Jersey college student who killed himself after video of him in a sexual encounter with another man was posted online). Thus, does social networking make us better or worse off as a society?
Positive Effects of Social Media
Besides having opportunity to know a lot of people in a fast and easy way, social media also helped teenagers who have social or physical mobility restrictions to build and maintain relationships with their friends and families. Children who go overseas to study can still stay in meaningful contact with their parents. To a greater extend, there is anecdotal evidence of positive outcomes from these technologies.
In 2008, President-elected Obama won the election through the effective use of social media to reach millions of audience or voters. The Obama campaign had generated and distributed huge amount of contents and messages across email, SMS, social media platforms and their websites. Obama and his campaign team fully understood the fundamental social need that everyone shares – the need of being “who we are”. Therefore, the campaign sent the message as “Because It’s about YOU” and chose the right form of media to connect with individuals, call for actions and create community for a social movement. They encouraged citizens to share their voices, hold discussion parties in houses and run their own campaign meetings. It truly changed the delivery of political message.
Obama campaign had made 5 million “friends” on more than 15 social networking sites (3 million friends on Facebook itself) and posted nearly 2,000 YouTube videos which were watched over 80 million times. At its peak, their website, MyBarackObama.com, had 8.5 million monthly visitors and produced 400,000 blog posts. In order to ensure that their contents were found by people, the Obama campaign spent $3.5 million on Google search in October alone, $600,000 on Advertising.com, $467,000 on Facebook in 2008, etc. Currently, Obama’s Twitter account has close to 6 million followers.
In 2010, after the earthquake happened in Haiti, many of the official communication lines were down. The rest of the world was not able to grasp the full picture of the situation there. To facilitate the sharing of information and make up for the lack of information, social media came in very handy to report the news about the affected area on what happened and what help was needed. Tweets from many people provided an impressive overview of the ongoing events from the earthquake. BBC covered the event by combining tweets from the work of its reporter Matthew Price in Port-au-Prince at the ground. Guardian’s live blog also used social media together with the information from other news organisations to report about the rescue mission.
It has been two years since CNN officially launched iReport as a section of its website where people can upload video material, with contact information. During the Haiti crisis, CNN had published a range of social media material but not all the materials were verified. The editorial staff would vet the reports from the citizen journalists and labeled them differently compared to unverified contents. On Facebook, a group, named “Earthquake Haiti”, was formed to show support and share updates and news. It had more than 14,000 members and some users even pleaded for assistance to the injured Haitians in the group. Using email, Twitter and social networking sites like Facebook, thousands of volunteers as part of Project Ushahidi were able to map reports sent by people from Haiti.
The most impressive part of the social media’s impact on Haiti is the charity text-message donations that soared to over $10 million for the victims in Haiti. People interested in helping the victims are encouraged to text, tweet and publicize their support using various social networking sites. The Global Philanthropy Group had also started a campaign to ask wealthy people and celebrities, like Ben Stiller and John Legend to use Twitter and Facebook to encourage others to give to UNICEF. An aid worker, Saundra Schimmelpfennig, allowed the advice from other aid workers and donors to post on her blog regarding to choosing which charitable organisations to support. In the meantime, donors were asking questions in Twitter, Facebook and blogs about their donations and endorsements of their favourite charities. After every crisis, the social media for social cause becomes a more effective medium to spread the word.
Negative Effects of Social Media
There are always two sides of every coin. Social media is just a tool or mean for people to use. It is still up to the users on how to use this tool (just like a knife, can help you to cut food or hurt others). Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project and Elon University’s Imagining the Internet Center conducted a study on “The Future of Online Socializing” from the highly engaged, diverse set of respondents to an online, opt-in survey consisted of 895 technology stakeholders and critics. The negative effects presented by the respondents included time spent online robs time from important face-to-face relationships; the internet fosters mostly shallow relationships; the act of leveraging the internet to engage in social connection exposes private information; the internet allows people to silo themselves, limiting their exposure to new ideas; and the internet is being used to engender intolerance.
Some respondents also highlighted that there will be development of some new psychological and medical syndromes that will be “variations of depression caused by the lack of meaningful quality relationships”, and a “new world society”. The term, “Social Networking”, has begun to deceive the users to believe they are social creatures. For instance, spending a couple of hours using Farmville and chatting with friends concurrently does not convert into social skills. People become dependent on the technology and forget how to socialise in face-to-face context. The online personality of a person might be totally different from his/her offline character, causing chaos when the two personalities meet. It is apparent in online dating when the couple gets together in face-to-face for the first time. Their written profiles do not clearly represent their real-life characters. It is more enticing for people to type something that others want to hear than saying the truth.
Besides the “friendship”, creators of social networking sites and users redefine the term, “privacy” in the Internet as well. The challenge in data privacy is to share data while protecting personally identifiable information. Almost any information posted on social networking sites is permanent. Whenever someone posts pictures or videos on the web, it becomes viral. When the user deletes a video from his/her social network, someone might have kept it and then posted it onto other sites like YouTube already. People post photographs and video files on social networking sites without thinking and the files can reappear at the worst possible time. In 2008, a video of a group of ACJC students hazing a female student in school on her birthday was circulated and another video of a SCDF recruit being “welcomed” (was hosed with water and tarred with shoe polish) to a local fire station made its way online.
Much news has been reported about online privacy breach in Facebook and Facebook is constantly revising their privacy policy and changing their privacy controls for the users. Interestingly, even when users delete their personal information and deactivate their Facebook account, Facebook will still keep that information and will continue to use it for data mining. A reporter asked whether the data will at least be anonymized. The Facebook representative declined to comment.
In the corporate world, human resource managers can access Facebook or MySpace to get to know about a candidate’s true colours, especially when job seekers do not set their profiles to private. Research has found that almost half of employers have rejected a potential worker after finding incriminating material on their Facebook pages. Some employers have also checked the candidates’ online details in Facebook pages to see if they are lying about their qualifications. Nowadays, younger generations have a complete disregard for their own privacy, opening doors to unwelcome predators or stalkers.
How to Become a .NET Developer
So you want to know how to become a .NET developer either because there is a position you want that requires you to have these skills or perhaps you’re just interested in .NET development. It is after all one of the mostly widely used languages for development. This article will server as a How To guide for anyone wanting to become a .NET developer through the use of resources such as: books, development tools, and links. These are the absolute must haves for aspiring .NET developers:
Learning .NET Development
The latest version of the .NET framework is 3.5. The Beginner’s Guide to Beginning ASP.NET 3.5: In C# and VB is part of a series of books written by programmers for programmers. It’s a comprehensive book on development using .NET 3.5. It’s very comprehensive and its written for people who have never done any programming. It takes you step by step, teaching you first the basics, then the more complex tasks, and also some best practices. Even though 3.5 is the latest version, .NET 2.0 is still widely used. The examples are in both C# and VB, I’m personally more of a fan of C# but some are partial to VB. By reading this book you could literally build a web site from scratch in which ever one you choose.
ASP.NET 3.5 In C# and VB
.NET Development Tools
The Integrated Development Environment or IDE used for .NET Development is Microsoft Visual Studio. The latest version is Visual Studio 2008. There are many editions of this tool but I’ll just focus on two: the free one and the not so free one. For those of you with a few hundred or maybe thousand to spend or an organization willing to spend that much there is Visual Studio 2008:
Visual Studio 2008
While you could down grade and get the now cheaper 2005 version of Visual Studio, in order to maximize .NET 3.5′s programming features you will have to the 2008 version. It can range any where from a $200+ for the Standard Edition to $4,000+ for the Team System Edition. OR if you’re not so inclined to spend your money, you have two options: download the trial version or Visual Studio Express which is FREE:
Visual Studio 2008 Express
The Express version is definitely good enough to create and launch a web application, but it does have its limitations. So beware. See the at the end of this article for some free tools that make up for some of these limitiation.
Database Tools
While .NET applications can use many different types of database such as Oracle, Access, or MySQL, the most commonly used is Microsoft SQL Server. The latest version is SQL Server 2008.
SQL Server 2008
Once again you have the choice of buying one of the official version of SQL Server, these range anywhere from $40+ to $1600+ depending on which version you get; or downloading the free version SQL Server Management Studio Express.
SQL Server Management Studio Express
There are limitations in the free version, of course, but I’ve discovered that using the Express version poses little trouble for use only on your development machine or small applications. Once you get into bigger applications or running jobs and other complicated process, a pricier version of SQL Server might be required.
BONUS: Top 5 FREE Tools for .NET Development
If you’re a complete novice to programming you might want to bookmark this page and comeback to this list later. These tools will come in handy once you actually get into development.
As you might or might not already know, .NET development can get rather expensive; compared to the other languages like Java, which has a free IDE: Eclipse. In any case, here are some most free open source tools that will make your life A LOT easier, trust me.
1. NUnit
Unit Testing is a must for any serious developer who wants to put out functional, bug free applications. Microsoft offers its tool for unit testing, MSTest, but only in certain versions of Visual Studio. NUnit is the .NET version of Java’s JUnit, an open source unit testing framework.
2. NAnt
Deploying a website can be a hassle. There are connection strings to update, configuration files to change. NAnt makes these things easier by automating these various changes. Like NUnit, its the .NET version of Java Ant.
3. CruiseControl.NET
As your application grows and you continue adding new features, it always important to integrate your new code with your old code and ensure that everything works. CruiseControl.NET helps with this through its Automated Continuous Integration Server. CruiseControl.NET, you guessed it the .NET version of CruiseControl for Java, is amazing. It works in conjunction with NAnt to anything from run your unit tests each time you add new code to emailing you if someone checks in bad code the breaks the build.
4. NHibernate
This isn’t necessarily a tool, so much as it’s a framework, but I had to put it on the list because it’s made me significantly more efficient. Once again this is a .NET port of the Java based Hibernate. NHiberante acts as the persistence layer between your application and its database. For those of you who hate writing long complicated SQL statements like me, NHibernate is perfect. It allows you to write the usually tedious select statements or the very complex join statements in a fraction of the team. Micrsoft’s LINQ can also be used in the same way. I do, however, think that it needs time to mature and grow before it is on the level of NHibernate.
5. Mono
Last but definitely not least is Mono. Do you for whatever reason not have IIS or do you want to use other platforms like Linux or OS X? Well you’re in luck, Mono, which is sponsored by Novell, offers an alternative to IIS for those not using Windows.
In closing…
.NET is an awesome framework. Its very powerful and there are tons of libraries that allow you to do some amazing things. Once you learn it, you’ll be able to do a lot. One thing to note though: some lists of system requirements might tell you that you only need to have 1 GB of memory to run all of the tools such as SQL Server and Visual Studio. My suggestion is that you at least get 2 GB of memory on your development machine. As cool as they are, the applications can be resource hogs and you want to make sure you’re developing efficiently.
Recommended Bakery Shops in Singapore
Cakes, pastries, puffs and all manner of baking has taken over the entrées of the dining experience and no desert is complete without a cake and ice cream. So many events simply demand the presence of some sort of baking activity, weddings, anniversaries, birthdays and simple celebrations. There are many bakery shops in Singapore but which too choose? Which oe of them can build you your chocolate double fudge empire state building cake or design a something so unique and special that it is bound to be an ice breaker at any event you host?
For simple gatherings and birthdays, there are many bakery shops all over Singapore of the local fare that can cater to your needs. They usually have a wide range of flavours and some even give you the option of pre-ordering and delivering the birthday cake (or any sort of cake for that matter) right to your doorstep. They come with the standard candles, wafers a liberal spray of your loved ones name and digits in some delectable cream shop. Some of the flavours are pretty standard fare, from your blackforest cake, to your white or dark chocolate fares – they even throw in some local favourites like pandan or even chendol flavoured cakes. Don’t expect the extravagant, as these humble cake shops can provide good tasting and normally round shaped cakes, if you are looking for something shaped in a name with five or more syllables, you are more likely to find what you want in specialty cake shops.
If you are looking for that something special and need the touch of a chef to make your cake more extravagant and give it a veneer of awe, then famous places like Bakerz Inn can give you plenty of choices to choose from and even an option to customize your order to fit even the most bizarre of tastes. These sort of places use very special ingredients and infuse exotic methods with expensive ingredients, combining to give you a mouth watering and eye opening experience. Just a fare word of warning though, they are going to be rather expensive, even going beyond the $100 dollar mark.
The buck doesn’t stop here as they are even more intricate and gastronomic infused creations that are abound in some five star and beyond hotels. Hotels like Fullerton Singapore and the Oriental Hotel has some of the best bakeries and melt cafes that infuse special ingredients and new age baking methods to create fantastic creations. These are photo finish creations that come with a hefty price tag, but are apt for that really special occasion.
Finding a bakery shop in Singapore is easy; most of the really good ones have had their reputation taped upon rave reviews online. Bakeries in Singapore have become more than just a location to raise flour and add a dice of icing, it is a full or artistes and creative geniuses who see the empty baking tray as a potential for magnificence. From the simple to the intricate, there are many bakeries to choose from, catering from simple get togethers to that 50th anniversary with that someone special.
Your VPN Doctor for Virtual Private Network Troubleshooting VPN Guide
Here are some troubleshooting guides for particular topics.
(1) Your Virtual Network Connection
(2) VPN Troubleshooting Error Messages
(3) VPN Modems Troubleshooting Guide
(4) VPN ISP Troubleshooting Guide.
(1) Your Virtual Private Network Connection
Having trouble connecting to the Internet at home try these steps before calling for help.
1. Do you have an IP address? Try ipconfig /all. If you do not have an IP address reboot your PC. If that doesn’t work power cycle your Cable/DSL modem and routers and reboot your PC again after the network devices are up and stable. Be sure all of your network cables are plugged in tight.
2. After your PC reboots check that your network adapter is active and packets are flowing. Perform the ipconfig /all check again.
3. Check your connectivity by pinging several Internet sites. If that does not work, ping the loopback address 127.0.0.1. If that fails, your adapter may not be working or it is not properly configured.
To check your IP address. From command prompt enter ipconfig /all (as shown in the picture) you should see an IP Address and several DNS Server addresses. The domain name system (DNS) is the way that Internet domain names are located and translated into IP addresses and is required for browsing the Internet.
Ping 127.0.0.1 – loopback Test (as shown in the picture). The loopback test is used to check if the IP stack is responding. If it times out or you get an error the problem may occur if any one or more of the following conditions is true:
*The TCP drivers are corrupted
*The network adapter is not working
*Another service is interfering with IP
Check your network adapter, click the Start menu, Settings, Control Panel, and select Network Connections. Double click on the Local Area Connection or the Wireless Adapter whichever one you are using. Be sure its Connected. If you have multiple network cards disable the one you are not using.
There should be Packets displayed in both the Sent and Received counters. If the Received counter is 0 check that the adapter has an IP address. Select Properties.
Click the check boxes for Show icon and Notify me below. A twin PC icon will appear on the lower right portion of the taskbar in the tray area and will flash while sending and receiving packets. You can place your mouse over the icon to get the status and click on it to get more details.
Tracert displays the connection path to the target location and the number of hops. Each hop is the trip from one router to another. Tracert is a handy tool both for understanding where problems are in the network and for determining latency between hops.
Ping is used to determine whether a host exists and is active on the network and can determine the round trip time to the device. You can enter a host name or an IP address if you know it. If the request times out then the host is not reachable because it’s offline or there is a problem with the connection. Try several sites, if none work then ping the loopback address 127.0.0.1 Also, if your DNS is not working or properly configured you can only ping the host with an IP address and you will not be able to browse the Internet.
If you are having intermittent problems, perform a ping -t for 5 to 6 minutes then hit CTRL C to see the results of the test to determine if you are dropping network packets (lost packets). If you are, this usually indicates an ISP problem or Cable/DSL modem problem. See VPN ISP Troubleshooting Guide
(2) VPN Troubleshooting Error Messages
Q1 Error Message: Remote Host not responding: or Unable to Resolve the IP address of the Remote Server
Cause: This indicates that the Contivity VPN Switch never responded to the connection attempt. The problem could either be with the Contivity switch itself, (switch may be down) or your machine may be having a problem resolving the IP address.
Action: Try pinging your destination name (Example: VPN.something.com). If you received a message that says “Request Timed Out” from the ping command, call your ISP to make sure that their DNS is functioning correctly.
Q2 Error Message: Maximum number of sessions reached
Cause: This indicates that the maximum number of users for the account you are using are currently logged on.
Action: If you are the only user with VPN to your account, it is possible to get this error if you restarted a connection immediately after losing the dial-up connection to your ISP. This is because the Contivity VPN Switch takes up to one hour to determine that your connection has been dropped and log you off from your account.
Q3 Error Message: Login failed, Please consult the switch log for further information
Cause: The User Name or the Password is incorrect for the user name entered.
Action: Verify that the User Name you entered is correct and retype the Password before trying the connection again.
Q4 Error Message: The physical connection has been lost
Cause: Your connection to your ISP was disconnected.
Action: Re-establish your connection to your ISP before you re-establish the Contivity connection to the remote network.
Q5 Error Message: The secure Contivity connection has been lost
This message can result due to a number of different reasons, and there are several recommended actions you can take to try and re-connect.
Cause(s):
If you receive this error before the client connects then something is blocking a necessary port (such as ESP port 50). This can result if your firewall is not configured properly and is restricting the necessary port(s).
If you receive this error during a connection and you suddenly get the error it may mean one of the following:
1. Something closed the connection;
2. The VPN Contivity switch where you were trying to connect to thought your client was down or timed out;
3. Your local ISP did something that interrupted your network connection long enough for the VPN Contivity switch to identify your client was not responding;
4. The VPN Contivity switch that you are connected to has either logged your connection off or the Switch is no longer responding, or a device that does not support IPSEC NAT Traversal is causing the connection failure.
Action(s):
1. Try re-establishing the Contivity connection by clicking the Connect button. If this works, the connection was probably lost due to the Idle Timeout configured on the Contivity VPN Switch. If no data is transferred through the Contivity connection for a long period of time, 15 minutes or more, the Contivity VPN Switch automatically disconnects the connection;
2. If you were unable to successfully re-establish the Contivity Connection, the dial-up connection may be preventing data from traveling between the Contivity VPN Client and the Contivity VPN Switch. Hang up the dial-up connection and reconnect before you try to re-establish a connection to the Contivity VPN Switch;
3. If you are still unable to connect to the Contivity VPN Switch, open a Command Prompt and try pinging the Contivity VPN Switch using the host name or address that you specified in the Destination field.
(a) If you receive a “Destination Unreachable error” there is a routing problem at the ISP.
(b) If you receive a “Request Timed Out” error message, the Contivity VPN Switch is probably not available, and you should contact your Network Administrator.
4. If you keep getting this message and are unable to connect, then it may indicate that the Contivity VPN Switch is unable to communicate with the client because it is behind some kind of NAT (Network Address Translation) device. NAT (Network Address Translation) Traversal allows a number of devices on a private network to access the Internet simultaneously without each requiring its own external IP address. Most hotels and airports that provide Internet connectivity use NAT to connect to the Internet.
Q6 Error Message: Cannot Alter Routing Table
Cause: Message means the you the user, an application on your machine, or your ISP attempted to change the routing table via an ICMP redirect attempt and it was not successful. The client detects the attempt to make the change, determines it’s a security breach and shuts down the client’s connection. Any time you make a VPN connection, you cannot change the routing table, because the VPN Client views this as a security risk and you will get disconnected.
Some applications require an ICMP redirection in order to work such as a game or other third party software.
Action: If you receive this error and cant connect due to an ICMP redirect attempt, shut down any other applications you are using which may be causing the ICMP redirect attempt. If it is the ISP that is doing it, you will need to block the ICMP redirect request. You can identify that ICMP redirect has occurred, by seeing a message saying there has been an IP address routing table change.
Q7 Error Message: Receiving Banner Text Information
Cause: Message means you are experiencing a Banner Sock issue, and will see a window displaying the “Receiving Banner Text” message and then gets disconnected.
Actions:
1. Disable the firewall completely to test. This is a port 500 issue and often means that the you have a personal Firewall that is blocking port 500 or you have a router that does not support IPSEC pass-through, and the you are connecting to a VPN switch that does not have NAT Traversal enabled.
2. If using wireless, temporarily remove Wireless from the picture and focus on the Ethernet card. Check the Ethernet card speed and duplex parameters and then make sure that the hub, switch, or router that is on the other end has the same parameters. If not, the VPN connection will drop as the link goes up and down, or due to a large number of errors on the port from a duplex and or speed mismatch.
3. Firewall that blocks the connection, such that system will crash. (This will rarely happen) NSDF (Norton Symantec Desktop Firewall) and NSPF (Norton Symantec Personal Firewall) can do this though, if you do not trust the IP address of the VPN connection.
If you do not trust the VPN address of the VPN client, the firewall will cause you to crash. In your Internet browser click on “Tools > Internet Options > Security > Trusted Sites > Sites” and add the destination VPN address(es) to your trusted sites.
Q8 Error Message: You already have the maximum number of adapters installed
Cause: You may have installed to many virtual adapters in your IP Stack
Actions:
1. Remove any unnecessary adapters;
2. Create multiple boot scenarios disabling the adapters that are not required for that function;
3. You may also get Banner Sock errors on Win 95 & 98 units with this condition;
4. For more information, see this Microsoft article: KB217744: Unable to Bind Protocols to More Than 5 Network Adapters (copy and paste into the search tool bar > enter).
Q9 Upgrade Errors: The following are some errors that may occur when trying to upgrade / install the Nortel VPN Client 4.65
Error (1): Failed to get Registry key value for NT_IPSECSHM
Cause: This is caused because an important registry key that cannot be found in the system registry.
Actions:
1. Uninstall and Reinstall the VPN Software
Error (2): Login Failure due to: Driver Failure
Cause: This is generally caused by either not having Admin rights to the PC or by trying to install/use a Nortel VPN client that predates the operating system.
Actions:
1. Ensure that you have admin rights to the PC.
2. Update/Install the most current version of the Nortel VPN client.
Error (3): Create socket failed with 10048.
Cause: This problem generally will occur whenever you have another VPN client software installed on the system. The most noted conflicting clients are: AOL, Cisco VPN Client(s), SSH Sentinel and PGP.
Actions:
1. Removing these clients will in most cases, resolve the issue.
(3) VPN Modems Troubleshooting Guide
Q1 Are Cable Modems supported for VPN Access?
Yes, you can use cable modems for VPN access. However you must be aware of the following conditions and be able to work within them:
*Some cable modems require that you log into an NT network to get authenticated.
*Some cable modems use a client similar to the Extranet Client for VPN and both will not run at the same time.
*Some cable modem Contracts/Acceptable Use Policies specify that you cannot use them for business purposes or they want to charge you another fee to use them for business purposes. Make sure you read your contract thoroughly.
*Your Cable modem provider is your ISP. Please see the VPN-connection-guide.html”>ISP Troubleshooting Guide for more information.
Q2 Why does my modem seem to perform erratically?
Always make sure that you do not let the operating system select a generic modem. If required, go to the appropriate web site for the vendor of the modem and get the updated INF file so that the proper parameters are configured for the modem.
Q3 Why do I always seem to get a slower connection speed than others with the same modem?
1. Always check the modem configuration to verify that its maximum speed has been selected.
2. It is common when auto-installing modems that the highest speed is not selected automatically.
3. Do not check the box that says run at maximum speed only.
Q4 I plugged my modem into the phone line at the hotel or customers office and now it does not work.
Always make sure that the phone line you are plugging into when visiting somewhere is an analog line not a digital one. Plugging into a digital line can permanently damage your modem, requiring a replacement unit. To avoid these situations please contact the local site phone support personnel.
Q5 Why cant I get a 56Kb V.90 connection from some locations that I go to?
Here are some of the reasons why you might not get a 56K connection:
1. You are located more than 3 ½ miles from your telephone companys central office (CO).
2. A SLICK or Subscriber Loop System is used in your area.
3. You are calling from a digital PBX system, which creates a Digital to Analog conversion and then an Analog to Digital conversion.
4. Your line contains digital pads or Robbed Bit Signaling (RBS), which can degrade your connection speeds.
5. Your wiring may be of poor quality.
6. Your modem’s firmware may not be up-to-date. Check that your modem has the newest V.90 code installed with all the patches from the vendor’s web site.
Q6 Why cant I get higher speed on my 56K v.90 modem into some NAG?
Here are some possible reasons:
1. A 56k v.90 modem is asymmetric by design where download speed can be as much as 56k but upload speed will be up to 33.6bps. For 56k to work, there must be only one analog-to-digital (A/D) conversion in your local phone loop. Thus when modems at both ends are analogue, 56k speeds will never be achieved as most PSTN exchanges run digital routing between the exchanges.
2. Some NAG sites use analog phone lines with Cisco and standard 56k modems, and most PC’s dial-ups use a similar modem. Between the two modems, it limits the download speed to about 33.6kbps maximum.
3. Also, many users might experience lower connection speeds due to other reasons, such as more poor line quality. These factors will also contribute to the quality and speed of the line.
(4) VPN ISP Troubleshooting Guide
Q1 If you are getting the message “Unable to Resolve the IP address of the Remote Server. Verify the Host Name in the destination field is correct.” when trying to connect with the Extranet Client.
Try pinging your destination name (Example: VPN.something.com) and if it fails call your ISP to make sure that their DNS is functioning correctly.
Q2 Why do I get No Domain Available when dialing my ISP?
On your Internet Service Providers (ISP) dial connection. Right click the mouse and select the properties button. Click on the Server Type tab and make sure that the Log On To Network box is unchecked.
Q3 Why do I seem to be running slowly through my VPN connection?
Try turning off the Software Compression option on your Internet Service Providers (ISP) dial connection as the VPN client has it’s own compression. Right click the mouse and select the properties button. Click on the Server Type tab and uncheck the
Q4 I keep getting busy signals when trying to connect to my ISP, what should I do?
Contact your ISP giving the numbers you are trying to connect to. Many times you will find that can give you an alternate number not published yet that will work just fine. If not you may need to find another ISP that provides better service.
Q5 When configuring the dial icon for my ISP what should I put in the DNS/WINS settings?
Your ISP should supply you with the DNS/WINS settings of your dial connection. Most only give you DNS, in this case just leave the WINS settings blank.
Q6 Why when I load the Extranet Client on my PC and Winpoet is installed on my machine it crashes or does not work properly?
There are issues running Winpoet software on the PC with the Nortel Extranet (VPN) Client.
To repair your system, boot in safe mode and uninstall the Winpoet Software.
A simple solution is to install the Linksys BEFSR41 hardware router. It has a firmware PPPOE connector, which eliminates Winpoet from the PC and provides the added benefit a NAT firewall with the ability to hook up to three other PCs.
A second option is to find a PPPOE Client that does not interfere with VPN Clients.
Please See Your VPN Doctor for Picture Guide and further Details.
Need a Qiuck Fix, Tool, Trick or Tip? Your VPN Doctor has the Cure!
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What is the Best Dual Sport Motorcycle?
I recently received an email asking me which is the best dual sport motorcycle. As we all know, there is no answer to that question. The question is “which is the best dual sport motorcycle for me?” That question is a lot easier to answer. My reply was “What are you going to do with your DS motorcycle?” My experience is with true dual sport motorcycles rather than big adventure motorcycles so I will frame my answer around my experience.
Some people like the look. If you like the look and will never take the bike off road, the Kawasaki KLR 650 is the way to go. It has been around in some form for over 20 years. There is a great aftermarket network and an unlimited number of forums devoted to the KLR. It has traveled around the world and is bullet-proof. It is also the most comfortable of the big dual sport motorcycles. With comfort comes weight and it is not a bike you want to drop on a muddy hill in the middle of nowhere. The newest version has become more comfortable and more of a load when the going gets tough. The KLR is the best dual sport motorcycle if you want to ride long distances in comfort.
The middle of the road dual choice is the Suzuki DR 650. As anyone who has spent time on my web site knows, I own and love a DR 650. This bike has also been around mostly unchanged for over 20 years. It is probably the most compromised of the big 3 dual sport motorcycles. It is not overly comfortable on long rides and it is too heavy for tight trails. It is, however, the best dual sport motorcycle to take long rides in the woods. It is also a competent long distance ride. If you want to do a little bit of everything, this is the bike for you.
Next comes the Honda XL/XR 650. This is another bike with longevity on it’s side. It is designed to be a dirt bike that you can ride on the street to get to the woods. I think it is most true to the roots of dual sport motorcycles. My first true street/dirt motorcycle was a Yamaha DT 250 which grew directly from the MX 250. It was a bike that you could take on the street when you needed to get to the woods. The Honda will beat you up getting to the woods, but reward you once you get there. The Honda is the best choice for riding off road.
We now live in a motorcycle world with choices we have never had before. For $5000 you can buy a new bike that will take you anywhere in the world. The biggest decision you have to make is the level of comfort you want in getting there. That is how you find the best dual sport motorcycle.
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