Call Alert Notifications – Free Answering Machine Software for PCs

Writen by Todd Tweedy

If you’re online using a dialup Internet connection, you’ll probably want to download one of the free call alert software applications like Callwave or AOL Call Alert that can answer, record, and forward incoming calls to your home, office or cell phone. In fact, if you run a small business, Call Wave also offers a dedicated business fax service too. These software offerings are fully reviewed online at http://www.callalertreviews.com.

Call alerts are important if you live in rural area or simply can’t afford access to faster online connection speeds. In that case, you may want to consider using these alert services to avoid the cost of a second phone line while having the power to decide when and how to answer incoming phone messages.

Stay Online and Stop Missing Calls

The real benefit of an alert service is you don’t miss important calls – especially if you have kids who are constantly online.

Another benefit is that you hear who’s calling while you’re online without having to pick up the phone.

With alert software on your computer, when a call comes in you’ll get an alert window on your desktop that tells you when you have an incoming call. Think of this as electronic telegram for phone calls. These alerts can be customized too. You can choose to receive an email alert with the Caller ID of whoever calls so that you’re not bothered with alert windows. You can also configure this feature to notify you of calls that came in while you were online. This added feature gives you a list of calls you received.

In addition to having call notifications sent to your email, alert services gives you the choice of sending alerts to your cell phone – if it’s enable for text-messaging.

I personally like the added power of being able to screen incoming messages. I get alerts forwarded to my work email when I’m at the office and get a call at home. It’s really a neat call service feature that shows the phone number, name and time of when someone called.

Of course, you can also use the alert you download to block telemarketing calls too. The free alert service automatically requests the removal of your phone number from these telemarketer phone lists. This a great free benefit of using these services.

Here’s a summary of the alert’s core features:

TAKE THE CALL: Lets you take important calls while you’re online.

TAKE A MESSAGE: Your callers can leave you a message up to your set message length.

MESSAGE ALERTING AND DELIVERY: Have alerts sent to your email or cell phone. You can even have messages delivered to your email.

PRIVACY MANAGEMENT: Blocks telemarketers, and gives you the power to know who’s calling even if their caller ID isn’t available.

CALLER GREETING You can personalize your outgoing message by recording your own name or greeting.

How Call Alerts Work and What they Cost

There are free 30 day trials that I encourage you try so that you can decide whether or not you want theses service. After that, most of the call notification services run about $5.95 per month with additional charges of approximately $1.00 from local phone companies for call forwarding.

The technology behind the alert’s is actually pretty simple and these software applications works instantly without having to buy or install other hardware. You don’t need to be a computer nerd to smoothly run these services. Here’s an easy overview:

1. First, get a reliable Internet service provider or ISP. I recommend downloading Netzero or Netscape Internet service.

2. If you already have an ISP, it’s time to download your free alert software. This takes about 1 to 2 minutes. I recommend Call Wave but you may also want to try AOL alert service too.

3. Restart your computer. The applications will automatically generate a welcome window.

4. Follow the simple window messaging to customize your software.

It’s really that simple. So, if you’re tired of missed calls, it may be time to do a little comparison-shopping to find the right alert service for you.

Todd Tweedy is no stranger to Internet call waiting services. He launched the first web-based caller notification software for America Online in 2003. He also manages a site dedicated to Internet call waiting services — http://www.callalertreviews.com. Todd is also the president of The Tweedy Group. You can learn more about his caller alerts insights by visiting his site.

HSphere Control Panel Tips and Tricks – Power At Your Fingertips: Part 1

Writen by Sheri Barnes

The first topic we are going to discuss is email. HSPHERE (the software running the control panel) offers many useful functions including mail forwarding, auto responders and a mail list manager. You can add new emails at anytime you wish. To add a new e-mail mailbox, do the following:

1. Select E-Mail in the main access menu area. Since HSphere allows you to manage multiple domains or web sites in one interface, you first need to select the account you wish to make entries for regarding e-mail. Select the domain you wish to administer and select GO. NOTE : if you only manage one domain name it will appear as the default.
2. When this refreshes after you select the domain, you will see the proper information appear including all existing e-mail accounts. Postmaster and Webmaster @ your domain name are standard defaults and will always be present. We suggest you forward these to more active e-mail accounts once setup. NOTE: This screen also shows you your e-mail settings that will be required to put into your e-mail client so you can connect properly to our e-mail server(s). You will need to make note of the Incoming and Outgoing server information. In this example case they are : mail.yourcompany.com
3. Then select NEW E-MAIL. You will then see the main interface screen for controlling all of your e-mail functions. This may be one of the screens you use most at first, please take the time to explore using this system.
4. To setup an e-mail box you need to provide three pieces of information minimum in this area. (1) The actual e-mail address prefix you wish to use. (2) Confirm that it is a mailbox. (3) Supply a password to access the e-mail account.
5. Once complete, scroll down the page and select SUBMIT.

The other options available in this interface are for the particular e-mail account.

CATCH ALL: This is used to let the e-mail server forward all e-mail messages that are not addressed to a specific e-mail account on your system to this e-mail box. This can be effective if used properly. One main use is that will never miss an e-mail due to incorrect spelling or similar reasons. Please also be aware that electronic tools and SPAM engines take advantage of these and you will see an increase in the amount of e-mail traffic to different e-mail addresses at your domain.

DISCARD ALL INCOMING MAIL: If selected, the email server will automatically delete all e-mail to this address.

MAIL FORWARD: If you wish to forward all e-mail received into this account to another e-mail address, you can enter the values here.

MAIL ALIASES: These are used to let the mail server know that these particular e-mail prefix names (the actual aliases you setup) will be automatically forwarded to this main e-mail address where they were entered. An example may be to have JSmith@yourcompany.com be an e-mail address account and assign aliases; John.Smith@ or JohnSmith@ or JohnS@ etc. to allow the particular e-mail user the ability to accept e-mail where people may have made a common mistake. Or John Smith may also handle your sales@yourcompany.com e-mail address which you would need sent to his main e-mail address.

AUTORESPONDER: This is a message that you can have run anytime that will automatically send a message to the sender once received by the mail server with the message. Some may use this while on holidays, and other may just wish to acknowledge receipt of an e-mail.

Next article we will discuss the mail list manger that HSPHERE offers.

Sheri Barnes has been working in the web design and web hosting business for over 10 years. She is currently the owner of My Web Visions a company that has been providing superior web hosting and design for over 3 years.

Computers That Talk

Writen by Kadence Buchanan

As a kid growing up, I was fascinated with science fiction, especially those movies and TV shows that dealt with the future and portrayed how life on earth would probably be several decades down the road. I liked the idea of robot-servants who talked and followed our orders and of aerial vehicles that were the main means of transportation and that sent us speeding through the sky on our way to work. I was always fascinated with talking computers as well.

Now, over three decades have passed since I was a kid in front of the TV set and, boy, did those science fiction movies get it all wrong. There are no robots in every household nor are there cars that fly through the sky. At least they got it right in one regard – talking computers. These days, talking desktop computers are so commonplace that they hardly elicit any reaction at all from jaded consumers.

These days, it’s not even that difficult to understand how a computer talks. They talk simply because they have a software that converts text into speech that is communicated through speakers or a headset. The technical term for this type of software is speech recognition capability.

And if you want to get really technical about it, here’s more. Speech synthesis is the process that artificially produces speech in computers. The software system is called TTS or “text to speech.” The system has a front end and a back end. The front end is where the software received the input in the form of text and converts it into linguistic symbols. The back end takes these linguistic symbols and converts them into speech waveform that is heard through the computer’s headset or speakers.

The software’s front end performs two basic functions. The first function is the identification of numbers and abbreviations in the raw text which it then spells out and assigns word equivalents. Second, it assigns sound (known as phonetic descriptions) to the different words of the text, including pauses and intonations, and then divides the text into phrases and sentences.

The back end, which is also known as the synthesizer, takes these phonetic transcriptions and converts them into actual sound output.

Override Evasion Software for Telematic UAVs

Writen by Lance Winslow

Our Unmanned Aerial Vehicles have proven themselves in the battlespace to be some of our most important assets. These UAVs have also been used fighting fires, guarding our borders and helping in disasters. Many of these UAVs are controlled by line of sight communication command and control systems, while others can be controlled remotely via satellites. When these UAVs are controlled via satellite there is a one second delay in commands from the desktop pilot, who is basically operating from a PC with a joystick and some instruments, not a whole lot different than Microsoft Simulator Program you buy in the store. This system works well when you are merely flying around looking at stuff and sending back the video feed to command and control.

There comes a problem when you need instantaneous maneuvering and are also dealing with the reality of situational awareness from a UAV and also with the time delay in directions from the virtual pilot in augmented reality at command and control. However many things such as evasion could be preprogrammed for dodging SAMs (surface to air missiles) shot from an enemy. If you have to wait for the communication delays it could be too late for your drone UAV. Once the UAV takes the drastic measures to evade the SAM, it would then seek normal flight on the former heading or a heading of exactly 180 degrees from where it started. Thus it has evaded, recorded the location from where the missile was fired and retreated. Now you can assign the launch location of the SAM as a legitimate target.

A UAV has an advantage over a fighter aircraft with a pilot, as it can turn with more G’s as long as stay with in its envelope. Indeed there would be the same control limits for flight departure issues as in the newest of fighters when you travel outside the envelope, which would be massively expanded with new materials, lack of biological needs of a pilot and directional thrust tricks of the trade and intake air opening changes in-flight all computerized.

As a pilot myself “single engine land,” I do not want to ditch the pilots just yet for the silicon chip versions. Especially as I look at the cost of some of these high tech advanced UAVs, after all that is an expensive piece of hardware, but we are seeing more and more evidence of Big Blue beating the best chess players of the air. In the end our decision must be for the mission, not our debate over organic VS autonomous or robotic, I guess I would say, I just want to WIN, that is all; using the whole track is that was the first thing they told us in racing school, it helped keep me alive. We need to do whatever it takes, for however long it takes to accomplish the mission, whatever that might be. It is only about winning. But we cannot send a UAV into an area laden with the enemy that has shoulder fired or batteries of surface to air missiles unless these robotic counterparts have master evasion software programs, which immediately over ride the command and control and autonomously address the threat. Think on this.

Lance Winslow

Flash 101 – The Basics

Writen by Maxine Winters

Have you ever been to a web site that asks you to download Macromedia Flash? Have you ever seen a Flash button on a web site that had a lot of animation and seemed very hi-tech? If so, you may have wondered what exactly Flash is. Flash is not a new technology, but it is still used in many different ways on the Internet today.

Flash can refer to Macromedia Flash player, and to refer to the program used to create Flash content. Some may wonder what exactly Flash does. Flash is a program that is used to create games and movies that can be put on the Internet. Interactive web sites are also made with Flash. Most web browsers support Macromedia Flash. Flash supports vectors, raster graphics, and ActionScript, which is a scripting language. Finally, Flash can stream audio and video at the same time.

Flash was first introduced in 1996. At that time, most browsers did not have Flash capabilities. However, the amount of browsers with Flash compatibility rose dramatically in a very short amount of time. Businesses started to pay web designers to design sites utilizing Flash. Flash is frequently used with web pages to make them more interactive and even more professional in some cases. Some web pages have animated flash introductions. Advertisements have also been created using Flash. Flash files are generally given a .swf file extension and can appear either within a web page or can be played in Flash Player.

Many people prefer using Flash to other technologies when creating web sites. Some people use animated GIFs. GIF images are really just looped and so they do not take that much memory. However, many people prefer Flash because the user can control the animations. GIFs are limited to 256 colors, while Flash can have millions. Java Applets are other another medium for Flash-like animations. However, some find the programming language too difficult. Flash programming is very easy in comparison to other types of programming, so more inexperienced persons can make interesting animations with Flash.

Macromedia Flash has to be purchased. Once commonly heard complaint is that the software is very expensive. However, there are other programs besides Macromedia’s that can create flash banners and animations. These are often less expensive and can be a good alternative for the budget-minded webmaster looking for a cheap and easy way to create a Flash banner or animation.

Maxine Winters recommends Flash Text Animation Builder to easily create an attractive flash banner.

Is that software really free?

Writen by Steve Blampied

If you search the ‘net for “Free Software” you’ll alway come up with links to the Free Software Foundation or something called a GNU, rather than software that doesn’t cost anything.

You see, “Free Software” it doesn’t always refer to software that is free of charge. It actually refers to the software being “Free” as in “Freedom” !

Just so that you understand the difference, here is the definition of free software from GNU.org

“A program is free software, for you, a particular user, if:

You have the freedom to run the program, for any purpose. You have the freedom to modify the program to suit your needs. (To make this freedom effective in practice, you must have access to the source code, since making changes in a program without having the source code is exceedingly difficult.)

You have the freedom to redistribute copies, either gratis or for a fee. You have the freedom to distribute modified versions of the program, so that the community can benefit from your improvements. Since “free” refers to freedom, not to price, there is no contradiction between selling copies and free software.

In fact, the freedom to sell copies is crucial: collections of free software sold on CD-ROMs are important for the community, and selling them is an important way to raise funds for free software development. Therefore, a program which people are not free to include on these collections is not free software.

Because of the ambiguity of “free”, people have long looked for alternatives, but no one has found a suitable alternative. The English Language has more words and nuances than any other, but it lacks a simple, unambiguous, word that means “free,” as in freedom–”unfettered,” being the word that comes closest in meaning. Such alternatives as “liberated”, “freedom,” and “open” have either the wrong meaning or some other disadvantage.”

“Free Software” is often but not always free-of-charge but it does have other benefits. Often the software is written by people who are doing it for the challenge or simply because they enjoy writing it, or to solve a particular problem, and this approach can produce really useful programs without the usual commercial undercurrent.

Also because the source code is normally freely available it is also likely that many people from the software community will have had a hand in the creation or debugging of the finished article.

More information and a large quantity of Free Software is available from www.sourceforge.net

Steve Blampied lives in Jersey in the Channel Islands and has been an independent IT consultant for around 10 years and has a small IT company in Jersey.

http://www.technology.je

He is currently putting together a web site solely about free software. http://www.freesoftwareadvice.com

Tidy Up Your Hard Drive

Writen by Joe Light

If you are like me before buying a product you will download and try lots of demo versions to find the software that fits best your needs. But with all this installing/unininstalling your hard drive becomes fragmented, your registry cluttered with unneeded information and your system performance degrades. Here are some programs which could help bring things back to normal.

Registry Washer
Registry Washer safely scan your entire Windows registry using Registry Washer robust searching algorithm for errors, any invalid entries and provides you with a list of all registry errors found, you can then choose to selectively clean each item or automatically repair them all. In addition with Registry Washer tools you can easily search inside your Windows registry, detect and manage Internet Explorer components installed on your machine and manage your windows start-up items with Registry Washer registry tools.

SpeedUpMyPC 2.0
Now, you can get a faster, cleaner, and safer PC within minutes – without being a Windows expert! SpeedUpMyPC automatically finds the best settings for your PC and carefully controls your system resources to give you the best performance. Easy to use, this award-winning utility has all the features you could ever need to clean up your system, monitor resources, and improve performance.

Smart PC
Smart PC makes your PC faster, error-free and more efficient!

By a few easy steps you can make your PC run faster, cleaner and error-free with the help of a new system tool Smart PC. The software fixes stubborn errors, cleans-up space-wasting junk and debris making your PC more efficient and reliable. Special features of the new software ensure your personal privacy while surfing through the Web and protect your PC from information theft.

And your benefits are:

• Fix up your PC!
  You can fix your computer by yourself. Use the software to detect, diagnose and repair all types of PC problems. Regular use of the software will keep your computer running smooth and error-free without system failures.
• Clean up your PC!
  Normal operation of your PC generates lots of junk files some of which contain private information. The software easily detects useless junk and safely removes it reclaiming valuable disk space, ensuring personal privacy and security.
• Optimize your PC!
  Do you want to make your computer more powerful? The software can drastically quicken Windows start-up time and the performance of all applications.
• Protect against Identity Theft
  Operations you perform with your computer are recorded and may be exposed to unauthorized disclosure without your knowledge. The Ensure Personal Privacy tool helps you to maintain your personal privacy while surfing through the Web and protect your PC from information theft.

Smart PC has 3 operation modes: Quick, Normal and Full varying from basic functionality to professional one. Smart PC allows you to make undo of any repairs so that you can easily recover any changes.

Are you ready to set up your computer on a proper mode in a blink of an eye?

For More Information:
Registry Washer: http://www.lightsparkle.com/product_page.php?product_id=299
SpeedUpMyPC 2.0: http://www.lightsparkle.com/product_page.php?product_id=15
Smart PC: http://www.lightsparkle.com/product_page.php?product_id=620

Joe Light runs an online collection of optimizing and diagnostic software at http://www.lightsparkle.com