The Voice Application Software of Apple I phone 4S – A personal review.

Today as I lay sick in our living room and watching the television, while surfing through several channel I found a very informative discussion regarding technology. I will not mention the title of the show and it was a rerun of previous episode. I always watch this show whenever it is possible. This episode that I was watching was about the Apple 4S and one of newest feature the SIRI voice application. The host and the guest where demonstrating how the voice application works, apparently there are three ways to activate the voice application, but once activity the owner needs only to press the middle button and speak then the voice would reply to the command or inquiry. Since I do not know how advance this voice recognition application from Apple, I watched to find out more. As the demonstration goes on, all the command and inquiry ask through the voice application was answered, yep it was all answered. I was pretty much surprise for these level of technology for this kind of voice application.

What made it made advanced was while demonstrating the voice application, another Smartphone with another voice application was brought and these too were tested and again to my surprise this one failed miserably why? Because the few question that was ask by the host thru the phone, the voice application wasn’t able to answer any of them, not a single one was answer, also what is more apparent between the two voice application and Smartphone was the time it takes to process the voice command and inquiry while the SIRI voice application was responding in time much a like talking to a normal person, the other voice application on the other Smartphone was really taking too long and most of the time would be cancelled by the person on the show. Also the Apple I phone 4S was much faster in response time. Too bad for me it was a re-run and the show was cut from airing. 

Image by planetc1 via FlickrBut based from that few minutes of demonstration I was quickly reminded of another television show back in the early 90’s this television show was called “Star Trek: TNG” and on the show they have one central components that held it all together from the starship to the star bases and all the type of handheld gadget in that show one central component stand out from the rest and that is they fondly name and called the “Computer” which has the voice of a woman. How do they used this technology if you are a fan of the star trek TNG as I am, you will knew that they first address the computer before they issue a task for it. They would say “Computer” and then followed by the command or task they want the computer to perform and after performing the task of command the computer will response with the proper action or will ask for additional information.

if the present information is not complete of sufficient for the task or command to be completed. Now based from the show that I just watched we have really come in a long way from science fiction technology to real technology. Although SIRI is not named computer, this voice application still reside and used the computer power of a small handheld device and is generally categorized as a computer. Now you the very eerie resemblance between Apple I phone 4S SIRI voice application and Star Trek’s Computer, although the level of artificial intelligence is still a big gap but these voice applications is definitely on the right path of getting there together of course with the development of the hardware side.

Using Encryption To Improve Your IT Security

One of the major fears of modern IT users centers around hackers becoming increasingly versatile in the ways they attempt to steal personal information and data. Once a hacker has gained possession of these sensitive details it is possible for them to commit various acts of fraud, exploiting them for commercial gain. Due to this it is imperative for computer users to invest in IT security solutions which will best protect them; whereas spyware detection software and anti-virus programs are a good start, there are more fool proof ways to successfully defend against hackers.

Encryption is one such solution. By encrypting files, a user is protecting them from potential cyber-attacks or hackers and this solution can be employed as a preventative measure to varying degrees; ranging from individual folder and file protection to more complicated techniques utilized by professionals to protect larger or more sensitive files encryption is considered one of the most hack-proof methods of IT security.

What is Encryption?

Encryption is a process of taking data stored on a system, server or network and scrambling this information so it becomes unreadable to anyone who does not have the right password, or “key”, to access and read the original, untainted information. 

Image via Wikipedia

There are a number of different types of encryption keys. The first of these are known as “public keys” and are shared between companies or users who send encrypted information to each other over the internet or through portable devices such as USB drives. This means they are able to access and read the files with a degree of safety as anyone attempting to intercept the information will be unable to “unscramble” it without the correct encryption key; thusly all sensitive details will remain impenetrable and of no use to potential hackers. Private encryption keys represent IT security solutions which are specific to a certain network and will have only the administrator or IT tech of the company be able to access the private key information.

 
How Does Encryption Prevent Hacking?

Without an encryption key it is impossible for a potential hacker to access the information contained within the encrypted file, folder or network; keys are essential for unscrambling encrypted data and getting access to the coded information contained within. Due to this encryption represents a simple and practical method of adding protection on top of that already gained from anti-virus programs and spyware packages.

One of the main benefits, however, from encryption is how simple it is to do.  To encrypt a file all that is necessary is right clicking on the folder it is stored in and, from the options that appear, clicking on the advanced attributes setting. The next step will often be simply selecting the option that allows for compression and encryption of data. All files that are kept within the folder will become automatically encrypted; this is followed by a prompt to back up the encryption key.

Larger businesses will usually have much bigger networks, a greater degree of online information and sensitive corporate information to protect and, as such, will require IT security specialists to use more advanced techniques to protect this data. An example of more complicated encryption techniques being needed is in the example of online stores who will have any number of customers inputting their credit card or bank details into a system; if a hacker were to get hold of this information an untold amount of money could be stolen. 

How do I know what security setting is right for my computer?

More often than usual our computer connects to different types of network in work places, school, public places and at home. We used this different network to access the internet and all of this network have different security setup. It is a must that we make sure to keep the security system of our personal computer from laptop, tablet, Smart phone to the personal computer always updated to prevent unwanted security breaches whenever we connect to all these different types of networks.

Below is the list of things for Windows Based systems that we need to check on to make sure our computer are properly secured.

Action Center

Use Action Center to make sure your firewall is on, your antivirus software is up to date, and you’re is computer set up to install updates automatically. 

Action Center checks several security and maintenance-related items of your computer that help indicate your computer's overall performance. When the status of a monitored item changes (for example, your antivirus software becomes out of date) Action Center notifies you with a message in the notification area on the taskbar, the status of the item in Action Center changes color to reflect the severity of the message, and an action is recommended.

To change which items Action Center checks:

1.       Click to open Action Center.

2.       Click Change Action Center settings.

3.       Select a check box to make Action Center check an item for changes or problems, or clear a check box to stop checking the item.

4.       Click OK.

If you prefer to keep track of an item yourself (for example, you use a backup program other than the one included in Windows, or you back up your files manually), and you don't want to see notifications about its status, you can turn off notifications for the item.  When you clear the check box for an item on the Change Action Center settings page, you won’t receive any messages, and you won’t see the item's status in Action Center. We recommend checking the status of all items listed, since many can help warn you about security issues. However, if you decide to turn off messages for an item, you can always turn messages back on. On the Change Action Center settings page, select the check box for the item and then click OK. Or, click the appropriate Turn on messages link next to the item on the main page.

Windows Defender

Use Windows Defender to prevent malicious software, like spyware or viruses, from infecting your computer. 

Using Windows Defender

Windows Defender is anti spyware software that's included with Windows and runs automatically when it's turned on. Using anti spyware software can help protect your computer against spyware and other potentially unwanted software. Spyware can be installed on your computer without your knowledge any time you connect to the Internet, and it can infect your computer when you install some programs using a CD, DVD, or other removable media. Spyware can also be programmed to run at unexpected times, not just when it's installed. Windows Defender offers two ways to help keep spyware from infecting your computer: Real-time protection.‍‍ Windows Defender alerts you when spyware attempts to install itself or to run on your computer. It also alerts you when programs attempt to change important Windows settings. 

Scanning options

You can use Windows Defender to scan for spyware that might be installed on your computer, to schedule scans on a regular basis, and to automatically remove anything that's detected during a scan.

When you use Windows Defender, it's important to have up-to-date definitions. Definitions are files that act like an ever-growing encyclopedia of potential software threats. Windows Defender uses definitions to alert you to potential risks if it determines that software detected is spyware or other potentially unwanted software. To help keep your definitions up to date, Windows Defender works with Windows Update to automatically install new definitions as they're released. You can also set Windows Defender to check online for updated definitions before scanning. 

User Account Control

User Account Control prompts you for your permission before installing software or opening certain kinds of programs that could potentially harm your computer or make it vulnerable to security threats.

What is User Account Control?

User Account Control (UAC) is a feature in Windows that can help you stay in control of your computer by informing you when a program makes a change that requires administrator-level permission. UAC works by adjusting the permission level of your user account. If you’re doing tasks that can be done as a standard user, such as reading e‑mail, listening to music, or creating documents, you have the permissions of a standard user—even if you’re logged on as an administrator.

When changes are going to be made to your computer that requires administrator-level permission, UAC notifies you. If you are an administrator, you can click yes to continue. If you are not an administrator, someone with an administrator account on the computer will have to enter their password for you to continue. If you give permission, you are temporarily given the rights of an administrator to complete the task and then your permissions are returned back to that of a standard user. This makes it so that even if you're using an administrator account, changes cannot be made to your computer without you knowing about it, which can help prevent malicious software (malware) and spyware from being installed on or making changes to your computer. When your permission or password is needed to complete a task, UAC will notify you with one of four different types of dialog boxes. 

It is recommended that you log on to your computer with a standard user account most of the time. You can browse the Internet, send e‑mail, and use a word processor, all without an administrator account. When you want to perform an administrative task, such as installing a new program or changing a setting that will affect other users, you don't have to switch to an administrator account; Windows will prompt you for permission or an administrator password before performing the task. We also recommend that you create standard user accounts for all the people who use your computer.

Then we have Backup and Restore, Windows Update and Windows Firewall all this five components should be enough to determine the correct security setting for your computer.

Wishlistr to Mantain an Online Wishlist

This is a guest post by Namanyay Goel. He usually Blogs about Technology Tips and Tricks, and gives reviews. Read his main Tech Blog - Create-n, or, his Facebook only Tech Blog - Faceb Tricks.

Wishlistr is an easy to use web-based application that will help you collect, organize and keep track of the things you want. It also lets you share those things with friends and family. What's on your wishlist?

Found a nice shirt? Thinking about buying that new DVD? Or the latest album from your favourite group? With Wishlistr you can collect all the things you want in one place and add things to your list from anywhere on the web by simply pressing a button!

Wishlistr lets you organize your wishlist items in to suiting templates for birthdays, weddings, holidays and more. You can easily edit or remove items on your wishlist without ever reloading the page and sort them by simply “dragging and dropping”.

Wishlistr makes it easy to share your wishlist with everyone you know. Send it to friends and family, let the most dedicated subscribe to your list via RSS or publish your wishlist on your web site or blog. Never again will you receive a gift that you did not want.

Image by Fai H. via Flickr

Are you one of those people who have a long list of things you want, but forget everytime someone asks you what you’d like for a birthday gift? Or are you a techie, with a blog and a site and everything, but users don’t wanna contribute in cash and you wish you had a wishlist from which users could choose and contribute to you from? Worry no more! A solution, Wishlistr, is here!

Wishlistr is an online product which helps you create and manage wishlists, and its free!

To make a wishlist using Wishlistr, you have to signup for a free ID. You can also sign into Wishlistr using your yahoo, gmail, blogger, wordpress, technorati ID.

Once you login, you have a option for creating a list.

Go on, Create one now.

Choose a cool name for your list, add items to it. Recommended use for the fields are -

LINK - Preferably a review of the item, or any buy page from online trading/auction companies

ADDITIONAL INFO - Price, and some of the features you would like in that. Also recommended is that you change the theme from default, as it doesn’t look too good. I’ve changed mine to mordern.

You can import your Wishlist from Amazon or del.icio.us bookmarks, and you can even share it to Twitter, Facebook and the like!

Some Clever Uses -

●     You can add the wishlist to your site/blog. Use the link of the item in amazon/ebay etc in the url, and ask your users to get you one thing from the list to support you.

●     You can mantain the wishlist online, so when Christmas/Diwali/Your Birthday Comes, you don’t forget something to ask from relatives.

Hope you found a good use of wishlist. Share your with us now!

This is a guest post by Namanyay Goel. He usually Blogs about Technology Tips and Tricks, and gives reviews. Read his main Tech Blog - Create-n, or, his Facebook only Tech Blog - Faceb Tricks.

Netbooks, Notebooks: What's the difference?

Inside Houston real estate is a realty company serving central Houston. His site covers Houston real estate and has profiles on Houston neighborhoods like the Woodlands

Net-books are little computers that are receiving big attention these days. Net-books are actually mini-notebook computers with limited applications. They are designed to be extremely portable, allowing internet use while out and about (hence the "net" in net-book). A net-book has a screen size of twelve inches or smaller and is very light-weight, generally less than three pounds. These energy-efficient mini-computers are perfect for email, chat, Web surfing or even movie watching. Most designs out now run Windows XP or Linux operating systems and are not intended for extensive data storage or complicated programs like Photoshop or 3D games. However, at less than $400 they may offer the perfect solution for consumers who want the newest gadget at a reasonable price.

It is the price that is posing a problem for manufacturers. It was likely that the net-book was created to complement the notebook computer; a consumer would want both to serve different purposes. But as the economy has gotten tougher, people are buying the cheaper net-books at a faster rate. "... the low price tag that makes them such a hit these days means less revenue and profit for PC makers than what their full-size counterparts produce," said tech columnist Dan Zehr. Last fall, of the top-selling laptops on Amazon over half of them were net-books. An analysis on Barron.com noted net-books "could dent Mac-book sales." This was particularly true during the back-to-school and holiday shopping periods. Of course, sales of iPhone and Blackberries are not being impacted in the same way as notebook computer sales, as they hold a different niche in the market.

Image by Rafel Miro via Flickr

So are net-books worth the hype? That depends. If a consumer is looking for a powerful machine to be able to perform typing-heavy applications on-the-go, he would be better served sticking with a laptop computer. John New, senior manager for global product marketing at Dell Inc., said the net-books work nicely for portable entertainment, but they are not intended for creating content or long periods of use. That may be the net-books biggest problem. While they offer a longer, more in depth Web experience than a smart phone, it is considerably shorter than a laptop computer with a larger battery capacity. The net-book allows use between 30 and 45 minutes, which is significantly less than most plane rides. 

If the little computer with the little price tag does prove too irresistible to pass up, there are a few things to consider when purchasing a net-book. First, the price is budget friendly, but the consumer should make sure the net-book is user friendly for his individual computer needs. It's not a great price if it sits unused. There are choices on operating systems, so the consumer should make sure they understand how to use what they are getting. Finally, try several out to make sure screen and keyboard size make for comfortable use. Also, as PC manufacturers and retailers are adjusting for the net-books popularity they are offering deals with notebooks and net-books packaged together. They are not exactly on par with two for one deal, but it may be the best deal in the long run.

About the Author

Inside Houston real estate is a realty company serving central Houston. His site covers Houston real estate and has profiles on Houston neighborhoods like the Woodlands

Diagnosing and Solving Common Printer Problems

This article was written by an inkjet printer specialist. Who inkjet supplies from http://www.easyinkz.co.uk who are great resellers of quality discounted Printer cartridges 

Any business owner or manager knows how important printers are to success. When the printers are down productivity suffers, and even the most robust business can grind to a halt. While many large companies can afford to hire professionals to troubleshoot and maintain the printers in the office, many smaller business owners find themselves wearing the hat of the printer repairman. Knowing how to diagnose and solve common printer problems can save those business owners lots of time and money, while at the same time keeping the business productive and profitable. While there are many different kinds of printers, made by a host of printer manufacturers and wearing a number of name and model badges, most printer problems break down into a short list of categories. Understanding what these breakdowns mean, and learning to diagnose the parts most likely to cause those problems, is a big part of successful printer troubleshooting.

 
Problem 1 Paper Jams

Paper jams are perhaps the most common of all printer complaints, and they can also be one of the most difficult to diagnose. When a printer begins suffering from persistent paper jams, one of the most important steps is to look for a trouble code on the printer. If such a code is present, refer to the manual that shipped with the printer, or the manufacturer’s website, for information on how to clear the jam and prevent it from recurring.

Paper jams in laser printers are often the result of worn out rollers in the paper trays, so it is important to check those rollers when those jams occur on a regular basis. Most modern printers make it fairly easy for users to change the rollers, and it is a good idea for printer owners to keep a number of extra rollers on hand. When changing worn rollers, be sure to refer to the printer’s user manual, or instructions on the manufacturer’s website.

Problem 2 Ink Rubbing Off

Sometimes printer users will discover to their dismay that the ink rubs off the page easily, and this problem can easily result in a stack of unusable paper and hours of wasted time. When the ink rubs off the pages easily the most likely culprit is a defective or worn out fuser. Again, most modern laser printers make it fairly easy for printer owners to swap out a fuser cartridge, but it is still important to carefully follow the directions that came with the replacement cartridge. As with rollers, keeping an extra fuser cartridge on hand for each printer model can save a great deal of time and hassle.

Problem 3 Ink Spots and Inferior Printouts

Spots or other imperfections on the printouts can also be the result of a worn out fuser cartridge, so it is important to check the fuser when this problem occurs. If changing the fuser does not solve the problem it may be that the printer simply needs a good cleaning. Ink from the toner cartridge can often leak into the interior of the printer, causing spotting on the pages. Cleaning the printer with a specially designed cleaning cloth can often put the problem to rest.

If the problem continues it may be time to change the toner cartridge. As toner cartridges age they can begin to leak and cause other problems. If spotting is seen on the pages it is important to look carefully underneath the toner cartridge for loose ink and to remove any ink that is found. If ink is continually found inside the printer the toner cartridge is probably leaking and should be replaced at once.


Problem 4 Light Printouts

This is perhaps the easiest to solve of all printer problems, and one of the most common. If the printouts begin to appear light, the most likely cause is a worn out toner cartridge and replacing the toner cartridge should resolve the issue. If the toners seem to wear out too quickly, it may be a good idea to look into changing brands or suppliers. Each toner cartridge should come with an estimated life, and it is important to monitor actual usage to ensure quality service when buying printer consumables.

About the Author

This article was written by an inkjet printer specialist. Who inkjet supplies from http://www.easyinkz.co.uk who are great resellers of quality discounted Printer cartridges

 

Ultimate Business Phone - BlackBerry Bold 9900

This article is a guest post from  mobiledeals of  http://www.best-mobile-contracts.co.uk/

There is one thing you notice when you first pick up a BlackBerry Bold 9900 contract and that is the notable difference in shape of the new device compared to earlier versions. It is far slicker than some of the recent BlackBerry attempts and has little excess on its newly streamlined body. This is very impressive, though not as much as the feel of the QWERTY keyboard, which really leaves a very positive feel in the hand.

The screen on the Bold also feels fantastic and after using the original BlackBerry Bold you will be relieved that BlackBerry had done a better job with this. This display is a 2.8inch one that offers nice contrasts and good colours. Though it is only a 640x480 display it looks well because of the displays diminutive size.

The phone itself responded well to use and you can see the difference made by the 1.2GHz processor almost immediately. The device is quick and has no lag issues like some of the previous devices we have used from BlackBerry.

This is in no way hindered by the new operating system, OS7, which goes a long way in speeding up the phone. This system is a lot more intuitive than the previous ones and goes a step in the right direction at pushing RIM up with iOS and Android – though there is some work to do just yet.

The preloaded applications, such as Docs2Go and Drop-box, are extremely handy and give you a sense at where BlackBerry is aiming this phone. The phone also had a good camera and we found the auto focus to be very good. It was also well capable of recording 720p videos, which was a relief and we enjoyed the fact it was an improvement on the last Bold's camera.

The Bold 9900’s browsing experience is very good as well, although a lack of support for Flash means that some sites don't work which feels a little limiting. Saying that, the mixture of a QWERTY keyboard and a touch screen had its advantages when browsing and the pace at which the device delivers the pages onto your screen is quite exceptional.

The device also has NFC which is great, it’s just a shame its early days yet and not so many places use right now. With more and more manufacturers throwing this into their phones though, it won't be long before mobile payments become as commonplace as chip and pin or even cash.

Overall we enjoyed the Bold 9900, it’s a big improvement for BlackBerry and one RIM and fans will be happy with.

This article is a guest post from  mobiledeals of  http://www.best-mobile-contracts.co.uk/

 

Microsoft launched new website to check credibility of browsers

Bringing another innovation to the world of technologies and gadget, Microsoft launched a website on October 11^th, 2011 that cranks out security scores for the number of editions of Internet Explorer which is its own browser and also other browsers built by the rivals of Microsoft, Google and Mozilla. This new website is named yourbrowsermatters.org and it works by running a browser through a checklist of security features and then gives a score that is out of a maximum of 4 points.

It is not surprising that the highest version of Internet Explorer (IE9) has the highest score of 4 out of 4. The previous version of Internet Explorer, IE8, which was launched in 2009, had garnered a score of 3. Chrome 14 of Google, which is the current stable build, which was launched last month, has settled on a second position by getting a score of 2.5 out of 4. Another browser which is a month old, which is Mozilla's Firefox 7, had generated a score of just 2 out of 4. The other two browsers which come amongst the top five most used and popular browsers, Opera Software's Opera and Apple's Safari didn't even garner any score as they weren't considered to be competitive enough by Microsoft. The message displayed for both of these was "We can’t give you a score for your browser".

According to Microsoft, this new website and its scoring exam have the purpose of illustrating the insecurities of the older browsers. As a result it is quite anticipated that IE6, which is a decade old and which Microsoft has been keen to kill, had scored a 0 out of 4. It also exposed a prevalence of different web based threats that will try and trick users into making poor decisions. Microsoft’s chief IE marketing executive, Roger Capriotti, said that the ranking was based on browsers that provide better protection against the most common threats such as malware which are socially engineered.

Microsoft had publicized the ability of IE8 and IE9 for blocking malware for quite some time with studies done by NSS Labs as examples. According to these studies some of which was paid by Microsoft itself, IE9 had the sustained capacity of blocking 99.2% of all the malicious links and Web-hosted malware that it faced. These results displayed by Microsoft haven’t been commented on by Google and Mozilla yet, although Microsoft has welcomed comments from them.

Computer 101: Kinds of Computer Tablet

Graphics Tablet

Graphics tablet or digitizing tablet, a computer input device for capturing hand-drawn images and graphics A graphics tablet (or digitizer, digitizing tablet, graphics pad, drawing tablet) is a computer input device that enables a user to hand-draw images and graphics, similar to the way a person draws images with a pencil and paper. These tablets may also be used to capture data or handwritten signatures. It can also be used to trace an image from a piece of paper which is taped or otherwise secured to the surface. Capturing data in this way, either by tracing or entering the corners of linear poly-lines or shapes is called digitizing.

Digitizing or digitization is the representation of an object, image, sound, document or a signal (usually an analog signal) by a discrete set of its points or samples. The result is called digital representation or, more specifically, a digital image, for the object, and digital form, for the signal. Strictly speaking, digitizing means simply capturing an analog signal in digital form. For a document the term means to trace the document image or capture the "corners" where the lines end or change direction.

Image via Wikipedia

A graphics tablet (also called pen pad or digitizer) consists of a flat surface upon which the user may "draw" or trace an image using an attached stylus, a pen-like drawing apparatus. The image generally does not appear on the tablet itself but, rather, is displayed on the computer monitor. Some tablets, however, come as a functioning secondary computer screen that you can interact with images directly by using the stylus.

In computing, a stylus (or stylus pen) is a small pen-shaped instrument that is used to input commands to a computer screen, mobile device or graphics tablet. With touch screen devices a user places a stylus on the surface of the screen to draw or make selections by tapping the stylus on the screen. Pen-like input devices which are larger than a stylus, and offer increased functionality such as programmable buttons, pressure sensitivity and electronic erasers, are often known as digital pen.

The stylus is the primary input device for personal digital assistants. It is also used on the Nintendo DS and Nintendo 3DS game consoles. Some Smartphone, such as Windows phones, require a stylus for accurate input. However, devices featuring multi-touch finger-input are becoming more popular than stylus-driven devices in the Smartphone market capacitive styli, different from standard styli, can be used for these finger-touch devices (iPhone, etc.).

Image via Wikipedia

Graphics tablets use styli containing circuitry (powered by battery or operating passively by change of inductance), to allow multi-function buttons on the barrel of the pen or stylus to transmit user actions to the tablet. Some (probably most) tablets detect varying degrees of pressure sensitivity, e.g. for use in a drawing program to vary line thickness or color density. Some tablets are intended as a general replacement for a mouse as the primary pointing and navigation device for desktop computers.

Internet Tablet

Internet tablet, a mobile appliance focused on Internet and media features is the name of a range of mobile Internet appliances that focus on Internet and media features. Internet tablets fall in the range between a personal digital assistant (PDA) and an Ultra-Mobile PC (UMPC), and slightly below Intel's Mobile Internet device (MID).

Tablet computer

Tablet computer, a mobile computer which is primarily operated by touching the screen. A tablet computer, or simply tablet, is a complete mobile computer, larger than a mobile phone or personal digital assistant, integrated into a flat touch screen and primarily operated by touching the screen. It often uses an onscreen virtual keyboard, a passive stylus pen, or a digital pen[citation needed], rather than a physical keyboard.

Image via Wikipedia

Electrical devices with data input and output on a flat information display have existed as early as 1888. Throughout the 20th century many devices with these characteristics have been ideated and created whether as blueprints, prototypes or commercial products, with the Dyna-book concept in 1968 being an spiritual precursor of tablets and laptops. During the 2000s Microsoft attempted to define the tablet personal computer (tablet PC) product concept as a mobile computer for field work in business, though their devices failed to achieve widespread usage due mainly to price and usability problems that made them unsuitable outside of their limited intended purpose. In April 2010 Apple Inc. released the iPad, a tablet computer with an emphasis on media consumption. The shift in purpose, together with increased usability, battery life, simplicity, lower weight and cost, and overall quality with respect to previous tablets, was perceived as defining a new class of consumer device and shaped the commercial market for tablets in the following year. 

The term may also apply to a variety of form factors that differ in position of the screen with respect to a keyboard. The standard form is called slate, which does not have an integrated keyboard but may be connected to one with a wireless link or a USB port. Convertible notebook computers have an integrated keyboard that can be hidden by a swivel joint or slide joint, exposing only the screen for touch operation. Hybrids have a detachable keyboard so that the touch screen can be used as a stand-alone tablet. Booklets include two touch screens, and can be used as a notebook by displaying a virtual keyboard in one of them.

Tablet Personal Computer

Tablet personal computer, a tablet computer which runs a full desktop operating system. A tablet personal computer or tablet PC is a tablet-sized computer that also has the key features of a full-size personal computer. A tablet PC is essentially a small laptop computer, equipped with a rotatable touch screen as an additional input device, and running a standard (or lightly adapted) PC operating system like Windows or Linux. The term was made popular with the Microsoft Tablet PC concept presented by Microsoft in 2001. Today, the term tablet is also used to refer to computer-like devices operated primarily by a touch screen but not intended to run general PC operating systems or applications.

Microsoft Tablet PC

Microsoft Tablet PC, a pen-enabled personal computer specification announced by Microsoft in 2001.A Microsoft Tablet PC is a term coined by Microsoft for tablet computers conforming to a set of specifications announced in 2001 by Microsoft, for a pen-enabled personal computer, conforming to hardware specifications devised by Microsoft and running a licensed copy of Windows XP Tablet PC Edition operating system or a derivative thereof.  Hundreds of such tablet personal computers have come onto the market since then. 

Computer 101: The Keyboard Shortcuts

The keyboard is one of the main input devices that we used to access the computer, the other is the mouse and all its different variety and another is the voice operated software which is not new but is not yet common among computer user especially for ordinary user. The keyboard can be found in all types of electronic device that we used today whether it is a physical keyboard or an on-screen keyboard. We used the keyboard to put our mind in writing via different type of word processor and compute for the daily amounts of calcium that we take for health conscious one or other things that needs to be on the computer. We are master of the keyboard but in order to truly make full use of the key board we also need to know the different keyboard shortcut that we can use to quickly access certain function by pressing one key or pressing several key combinations. One example of the most commonly used keyboard short is the very famous Ctrl+Alt+Del key combination. Back during the DOS days, by simply pressing this key combination would automatically restart the computer, therefore losing all unsaved files. Today the same key combination still has the same task but need a confirmation or the person who activated it need to press another button to confirm the requested function of the key combination. 

Keyboard shortcuts are combinations of two or more keys that, when pressed, can be used to perform a task that would typically require a mouse or other pointing device. Keyboard shortcuts can make it easier to interact with your computer, saving you time and effort as you work with Windows and other programs. Most programs also provide accelerator keys that can make it easier to work with menus and other commands. Check the menus of programs for accelerator keys. If a letter is underlined in a menu, which usually means that pressing the Alt key in combination with the underlined key will have the same effect as clicking that menu item. Pressing the Alt key in some programs, such as Paint and Word Pad, shows commands that are labeled with additional keys that you can press to use them.

Ease of Access keyboard shortcuts

The following table contains keyboard shortcuts that can help make your computer easier to use.

Press this key	To do this function
Right Shift for eight seconds	Turn Filter Keys on and off
Left Alt+Left Shift+PrtScn (or PrtScn)	Turn High Contrast on or off
Left Alt+Left Shift+Num Lock	Turn Mouse Keys on or off
Shift five times	Turn Sticky Keys on or off
Num Lock for five seconds	Turn Toggle Keys on or off
Windows logo key +U	Open the Ease of Access Center

General keyboard shortcuts

 

The following table contains general keyboard shortcuts.

Press this key	To do this Function
F1	Display Help
Ctrl+C	Copy the selected item
Ctrl+X	Cut the selected item
Ctrl+V	Paste the selected item
Ctrl+Z	Undo an action
Ctrl+Y	Redo an action
Delete	Delete the selected item and move it to the Recycle Bin
Shift+Delete	Delete the selected item without moving it to the Recycle Bin first
F2	Rename the selected item
Ctrl+Right Arrow	Move the cursor to the beginning of the next word
Ctrl+Left Arrow	Move the cursor to the beginning of the previous word
Ctrl+Down Arrow	Move the cursor to the beginning of the next paragraph
Ctrl+Up Arrow	Move the cursor to the beginning of the previous paragraph
Ctrl+Shift with an arrow key	Select a block of text
Shift with any arrow key	Select more than one item in a window or on the desktop, or select text within a document
Ctrl with any arrow key+Spacebar	Select multiple individual items in a window or on the desktop
Ctrl+A	Select all items in a document or window
F3	Search for a file or folder
Alt+Enter	Display properties for the selected item
Alt+F4	Close the active item, or exit the active program
Alt+Spacebar	Open the shortcut menu for the active window
Ctrl+F4	Close the active document (in programs that allow you to have multiple documents open simultaneously)
Alt+Tab	Switch between open items
Ctrl+Alt+Tab	Use the arrow keys to switch between open items
Ctrl+Mouse scroll wheel	Change the size of icons on the desktop
Windows logo key +Tab	Cycle through programs on the taskbar by using Aero Flip 3-D
Ctrl+Windows logo key +Tab	Use the arrow keys to cycle through programs on the taskbar by using Aero Flip 3-D
Alt+Esc	Cycle through items in the order in which they were opened
F6	Cycle through screen elements in a window or on the desktop
F4	Display the address bar list in Windows Explorer
Shift+F10	Display the shortcut menu for the selected item
Ctrl+Esc	Open the Start menu
Alt+underlined letter	Display the corresponding menu
Alt+underlined letter	Perform the menu command (or other underlined command)
F10	Activate the menu bar in the active program
Right Arrow	Open the next menu to the right, or open a submenu
Left Arrow	Open the next menu to the left, or close a submenu
F5	Refresh the active window
Alt+Up Arrow	View the folder one level up in Windows Explorer
Esc	Cancel the current task
Ctrl+Shift+Esc	Open Task Manager
Shift when you insert a CD	Prevent the CD from automatically playing

Dialog box keyboard shortcuts

 

The following table contains keyboard shortcuts for use in dialog boxes.

Press this key	To do this function
Ctrl+Tab	Move forward through tabs
Ctrl+Shift+Tab	Move back through tabs
Tab	Move forward through options
Shift+Tab	Move back through options
Alt+underlined letter	Perform the command (or select the option) that goes with that letter
Enter	Replaces clicking the mouse for many selected commands
Spacebar	Select or clear the check box if the active option is a check box
Arrow keys	Select a button if the active option is a group of option buttons
F1	Display Help
F4	Display the items in the active list
Backspace	Open a folder one level up if a folder is selected in the Save As or Open dialog box

Mastering the simple keyboard shortcut is just one way of showing that we really knew how to maximize the things that a regular keyboard can offer. It also shows how technically depth we are compare to the average person in knowledge and understanding in using the keyboard.

How about you any keyboard shortcut key that you like to share?