Symbian Mobile Phone Blog

The Rare Electronics Marketplace

No matter what market you’re in, there is an increasingly important movement toward the small business environment. People want to be able to trust the source of the products they buy. Buying anything online is as simple as a few mouse clicks, and meatspace merchants must now lower their prices or increase the value or their products in some other way to compete with the endless variety offered by internet sales.

 

Taking it a step further, sites such as EBay put the buyer directly in touch with the seller. Some enterprising individuals have transferred this notion to other sectors- some sites offer peer to peer micro-lending. “Homestay” is a way to stay for free at someone’s house instead of paying for a hotel room.

 

How about rare items? Are you looking for an antiquated or rare Electronic Parts?? You’re probably not going to find a store in your hometown that specializes in Obsolete Integrated Circuits. One advantage of shopping through online retailers is anonymity- all you need is an avatar and a Paypal account and B-I-N-G-O, your problems are solved.

 

Whether you’re building a lightsaber or just trying to fix your cell phone, you’re probably going to need a semiconductor. Rather than ordering your component from a manufacturer, why not go to the after market and get it on the cheap? Hard to Find Semiconductors can be shipped to your doorstep within a few days.

 

These sites are also great if you have a bunch of components you need to offload. Forget about the pawn shop- step out on a limb and you might just get the best bang for your buck.

Tips for the novice Internet and computer user

Have you ever gauged your skills at web-surfing?  Is there a better way?  How come I have to wade through 10 unwanted websites before I can find the information or service that I am looking for? 

Most people only use the internet for a few, limited operations, like checking their email and searching for songs, maybe blogging.  Because of the ready supply of information on advanced internet and computer use, it isn't necessary to list anything but broad categories- perhaps a top five list of literacy items will do (in no particular order).

1. Alternative operating systems

Learning to use a variety of O/S programs is almost like being multilingual- each time you expand your horizons and learn something new it becomes easier the next time.

2. Open source software

Going along with #1, there are many software programs which you can download for free that have as much utility, and sometimes more, than programs that cost hundreds of dollars.  Such software is available because of the dedicated efforts of many freely contributing individuals.

3. User-edited media

Numerous websites have sprung up lately that offer lots of postings of materials such as free songs, free movies, or free television episodes. 

4. Filesharing

While lots of media attention is given to sites like napster that are taken down and prosecuted, filesharing continues to be a problem in the intellectual property sectors of business.  A bit of research on filesharing is advised to make sure you know the difference between fair use and copyright violation.

5. Search terms

Google, yahoo, and other search engines run complex formulas to determine the order that websites appear in their search engines.  Learn to search efficiently- thinking of a more accurate search term will also exercise your vocabulary!

Last one: If you still can't figure out how to use the Internet to your advantage, there are many other manuals more complicated and thorough than this one that will help you access all the free movies, software, games, and lots more, you could ever need.

Das Internet ist voll von nuetzlichen und unnuetzen Informationen, so dass es mittlerweile die Hauptaufgabe eines jeden Internetnutzers ist, die relevantesten Daten herauszufiltern. Ein Grossteil der Surfer sucht nach Unterhaltung wie zum Bespiel kostenlose Filme, kostenlose Musik Downloads oder ein kleines Onlinespiel für zwischendurch. Scheinschatten.de hält viele nuetzliche Informationen zu diesen Themen bereit, um dir so die Suche im Internet zu erleichtern.

To Print, or Not to Print

I remember when the Dot Matrix was the hottest product on the market for home printing. Although I had one, I regret it- the printouts had characteristic streaks and the paper jammed.  Now that technology has evolved and a plethora of options currently abound for printer hardware, the notion of printing at home has become much more attractive.

The main problem is that when your inkjet cartridges run out, you have to go to the supermarket and you might find that you don’t want to spend the $50-$60 to replace your black and color cartridges.  Not to mention that you might not find the right cartridge for your model.

Let’s consider the alternatives.  If you are printing a standard size page with standard ink, the copy shop down the street will probably charge you $0.10 for a black and white copy or $0.15 for color.  Let’s say you print off 500 pages at this rate, for black and white printing you will spend a whopping $50.00!  Sure, Kinko’s might give you a discounted rate if you are a master negotiator, but they’re obviously pulling in plenty of profit by this scheme, since they are buying ink and other supplies in bulk.  In fact, there really is no better alternative than using your own equipment for your average printing needs.

Now, consider the convenience factor.  Printing from your home or office saves you a trip downtown, increases the privacy of your operations, and allows you the flexibility of using your own computer to customize your printing processes.

The icing on the cake is that you can do even better buy looking for inexpensive inkjet cartridges online.  The selection is bound to be adequate and many sites also offer free shipping because cartridges weigh so little. Bottom line: if you can afford to invest in some reasonably high quality home printing hardware, why pad the copy shop’s pockets?

Critical Business Information: Chargeback Protection

What do you need to know about chargeback protection?  Like many innovations of the information age, chargeback protection probably encompasses an unwieldy array of companies, services, and protocol.  But having a basic grasp of the concepts involved should point you in the right direction, whether you are a merchant or a consumer.

Fraudsters beware

The basic premise of a chargeback is the idea that most payment transfer services offer automatic reimbursement of fraudulent transactions.  Therefore, if a consumer flags an expense posted to her or his account, the bank reimburses that consumer and investigates the matter on its own time, with its own funds.  Inverting this concept from the perspective of a payment transfer provider, a problem immediately crops up: what about people who would take advantage of this service to receive reimbursement from purchases they have actually made?

Behind the scenes: FedWire and PreCharge

FedWire is a huge corporation run by the Federal Reserve Bank that monitors and conducts over $2.3 trillion daily through more than half a million transactions.  FedWire provides protection to its clients, which means that if a consumer disputes a claim, FedWire covers the initial expense and then pursues the matter on its own.  Think of them as a bounty hunter for the finance industry.  PreCharge is its online equivalent, and it is purportedly the world’s only guaranteed provider.  PreCharge has two separate levels of service.  One is free, and one is offered at a very reasonable monthly rate.  For merchants looking to sell their products on the international online marketplace, PreCharge is an indispensable service.  Guaranteed chargeback protection removes a substantial risk factor for international business expansion, since it means that merchants don’t have to swallow the capital losses associated with a fraudulent chargeback.

Cell Phone Dangers

Cell phones, like microwaves, haven't been around long enough to know beyond the shadow of a doubt that they are safe.  The following studies have linked cell phone usage to degraded health:

Cancer

The Institute for Environmental Medicine in Stokholm has proposed a 300% increased chance for the development of acoustic neuromas amongst decade-long cell phone users.

Brain damage

The Collaborative on Health and the Environment cites serious neuronal damage to rats when exposed to levels of cell phone radiation on a scale analogous to what humans routinely experience.

Infertility

The American Society for Reproductive Medicine recently revealed that cell phone use has a direct, sliding scale correlation with sperm count.  Men who use cell phones for more than four hours per day have up to a 25% decrease in sperm count.

Birth defects

The Biological Effects Laboratory in New Mexico cites various consequences of exposure to cell phone radiation that culminate in birth defects in pregnant females.  The exposure standard for their researchers is 100 times more stringent than the FCC's standard for civilian exposure.

Immune system changes

The Wiley Interscience Journal cites a study that determines elevation of PFC (antibody producing cells) count in response to exposure to low levels of cell phone radiation. 

Genetic damage

The Indian Journal of Human Genetics found “DNA migration” in 40% of the cell phone users they studied.

Sleep loss

MIT's Progress in Electromagnetic Research Symposium reported that cell phone radiation causes sleep deprivation by retarding the rate at which users move through the various stages of sleep.

Hopefully that's enough to make you think twice before strapping on a holster for your mobile phone.  Turn it off and stick it in a lead-encased desk drawer. 

Cell Phone Gripe - Practical Reasons to be Off The Grid

Lately I've been trying to brainwash myself.  That's the only way I can really make big changes in my life.  I think people who claim they have revelations, or epiphanies- life changing events- are really the ones fooling themselves.  At least I can admit it.  This time, I'm thinking I really should get off the grid.  Fuel consumption, cats or dogs, city or country, etc...not many other things can determine the short-term outcome of a friendship or marriage.  So can I find enough reasons to convince myself to dismiss the expensive, unnecessary cell phone that holds me down like a pin wherever I am?  At this point, I have made it clear to everyone I know that if they try to call me on my cell phone, I will have it with me.  That is truly the case- it is a modern-day runestone.  It connects me with my world like nothing else does, because of its high portability.

Asus EEE Review - First Impressions

I initially heard of the ASUS EEE when I was chatting with my cousin about getting a laptop from him.  He recommended the model because it is brand new, lightweight, and very versatile for its price.  Buying an ASUS eee is the difference between those bundled stereo units with everything from a phonograph to a DVD player and purchasing each of the units separately.  The advantage, as I see it, is that you get higher quality product.  Additionally, if one component goes wrong in the system it is easier to replace or repair. 

Cell Phone Eavesdropping

Most everyone - especially those who routinely deal with financial matters - uses a cellular device on a daily basis.  Like facebook enthusiasts who post every personal fact from the color of their socks to their work phone, most of us probably speak freely when we’re on our mobile devices.  My advice: chat at your own risk.