Geocaching - A Beginners Guide

Geocaching crazy – join the hunt! I’m a self-confessed technophobe. I have never sent a text message or taken a photo with a cell phone; played a video game or watched a movie on a personal DVD player. In fact, I never quite mastered working the video machine so I could be a lost cause altogether. But not quite...not since I discovered geocaching – the latest outdoor craze to hit treasure hunting enthusiasts across the world. Because, to be successful at geocaching you need to be familiar with a global positioning unit or gps for short…and I am pleased to say, I not only have said unit, but I can use it! So what is this activity that crumbled my technical resistance? Well, to start with it’s a great way of getting out and about with the family, the dog, or just for a solo outing. And it’s a treasure hunt as well. In hundreds of thousands of locations across the globe, people have hidden small containers in which they’ve put a logbook or notepad and a few trinkets such as small toys, key rings, fridge magnets etc. The co-ordinates of the cache locations are then recorded online so that geocachers can download the information into their gps units and go out and search for them. Seems simple? Not always the case as some caches can be tucked away in some very obscure spots. And as gps units are only accurate to around 7 metres, it can be challenging when you are looking for a cache in a heavily wooded or rock strewn area. We spent 2 hours with some friends, in a California redwood forest on a sun drenched day in September, scrambling up trails and around rocks, searching for what turned out to be an Altoids tin tucked into a hole in a tree. You would think we’d found real buried treasure with the whooping and hollering that went on. Neatly folded inside the tin was a thin strip of paper to record our name and date of the find, a little brass dog and a Grand Canyon key ring. After much consideration we took the key ring, and left in its place a CN Tower fridge magnet. Back at the car we made a note of what we had taken and left behind in the cache for later recording on the geocaching website. Finding a Travel Bug adds interest and fun for all. This is a dog tag obtainable from Groundspeak, the company behind geocaching.com. Movement of these traceable tags from cache to cache is recorded online so they can be tracked around the world. We brought a tag back to Ontario, Canada that we found on our California vacation that had originated in Hawaii. It’s now been placed in a new location for the next geocacher to find. We left a bug of our own in a cache in Jenner, California. When we recorded its location on the website we gave it a goal to find its way back to Ontario via at least 5 US states. Each time it is moved, we get an email to let us know where it is now. This is such a great way to get the kids learning geography! Geocaching has an etiquette of its own and enthusiasts are careful not to disturb the environment. Here’s a few steps to get you going. Log onto the geocaching website – www.geocaching.com – and look for caches near where you live Never move a cache, and if you search for one and find it damaged or can’t find it at all, let the cache owner know. If you take something from a cache, always leave something behind. Caches are graded in degrees of difficulty of terrain and access – start with the easy ones. If you find a Travel Bug don’t hang onto it for long. They should be traveling, not sitting in a glove box or drawer at home. Enjoy geocaching. It’s great fun and will get the whole family out into the countryside whatever the weather. And if you come across a Travel Bug called Ice Cube, last reported in a cache in northern California, please help him on his way back to the frozen north. Heather Bayer is a writer and owner of CottageLINK Rental Management , an Ontario based cottage rental agency http://www.clrm.ca As a geocaching enthusiast she has researched the best sites for learning more about this fascinating hobby. http://www.squidoo.com/lensmaster/workshop/ontariogeocaching

Fault Finding Guide - iPod Adapter/Car Kits

The information below will eliminate 97% of iPod adapter/car kit errors or “non functioning product” issues for the Dension Ice Link Plus Car Kit, Connects2 iPod Car Kit and iPod-incar Car Kit. The first step is to ensure your iPod is running the latest operating software. Apple release regular updates to ensure the iPod is compatible with all iPod add-on products such as the ice>Link Plus. 97% of operating issues will be resolved by downloading a simple update, Here s how . . . Updating Your iPod Software: To update the software on your iPod you will need to download the latest version of the Apple iPod updater from Apple’s website. Please, note that this is a totally different application from iTunes. Tunes will not update your iPod operating software. Copy and paste the following link into your browser: http://www.apple.com/ipod/download/ Step 1: Scroll to the bottom of the page and enter your details along with the operating system your computer uses. Then click the Download iPod Software Update button. Step 2: Follow the onscreen instructions to install the updater application on your computer. Step 3: Run the iPod updater application and select update . Once your iPod has been updated. I recommend restoring the factory settings to your iPod by clicking the restore button. Your iPod is now updated. Connect it to your Ice>Link Plus and test for correct operation. Further Checks . . . If you are still experiencing problems, perform a cold reset on the Ice>Link by disconnecting it for 20 minutes then reconnecting. Next, you will need to reset the Ice>Link Plus software if the problem persists. If everything fails, consult a car audio expert. You can get a car audio expert or professional installer here if you re in the UK. Go to this site: car-audio-products-and-accessories.com and read more related articles. Chimezirim Odimba writes for CarAudioPlus.

How GPS Tracking Aids Post 9/11 Homeland Security

It s now been a few years since the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center and many of us get complacent thinking that no more attacks on US soil will ever happen. But what has been reported by Washington is that there are now 10,000 foreigners from states that sponsor terrorism living in the US and they have obtained permanent residency in the the United States in the past 7 years. So the risk of yet even more powerful attacks on US soil is only a matter of time. We must not get lulled into thinking it won t happen again. This article explores the ways in which GPS Tracking technology is being used in conjunction of an application called the Mobile Tactical Collaboration System. It s and example of the Mobile Command Post of the Future to effectively help coordinate missions to thwart another major terrorist attack. First we preset details of an exercise performed during the Southwestern Pennsylvania Operation Steel Hammer; a harbor security counterterrorism exercise in the City of Pittsburgh. At approximately 0900 hours this morning, Pittsburgh River Rescue police officers observed a small boat moored along the water entrance of the David L. Lawrence Convention Center. Two occupants were spotted and as they were questioned, one of the officers observed a suspicious package. Additional searches of the boat revealed the existence of schedules and photographs of Gateway Clipper Fleet vessels, suggesting an attempt may be underway to commandeer one of the vessels and ram it onto a bridge support and/or detonate a hazardous device. This was confirmed by an emergency call from Fleet offices that one of their boats, the Liberty Belle, had been commandeered by unknown assailants. A multi-jurisdictional and multidisciplinary task force was mobilized which included Pittsburgh River Rescue Unit, Explosive Ordinance Disposal (EOD), Pittsburgh Police Special Deployment Division (aka SWAT), Pittsburgh Fire Bureau, EMS Divers, Pennsylvania State Police SERT, Intelligence Unit, and Office of Emergency Management, to identify, assess, interdict, board the Liberty Belle and neutralize the threat. Thus began the Pittsburgh portion of Operation Steel Hammer, a 13-county Southwestern Pennsylvania regional (Region 13) counterterrorism exercise under the auspices of the US Department of Homeland Security. Following the exercise, the quotes from Steel Hammer participants about the benefits they gained from using MTCS and AdvanTraq GPS were punctuated by awesome . They included: MTCS workspaces and common operating picture enabled operators to communicate, collaborate, and coordinate visually, effectively, and in real time. Until the introduction of the Mobile Tactical Collaboration System, first responders had to rely exclusively on radio handsets for tactical communication. Although radios are trusted and reliable, responders experience difficulty describing complex situations and strategies using verbal communication alone. The integrated tracking device allows commanders and operators enhanced situational awareness by overlaying actual unit positions dynamically on top of the operations plans. Our operators were pleased with the robustness, ease-of-use, fast training, and intuitive look and feel of this new technology which allowed them to focus their attention more on sharpening their tactical skills using the tool rather than being frustrated by its complexity. From campus security to port security, from critical infrastructure protection to border patrol, from major sporting event security management to VIP transportation, from man-made to environmental disaster response, the challenges faced by public safety officials and first responders in the post 9/11 world are as complex as they are numerous. About Mobile Tactical Collaboration System: Developed using industry standard Web 2.0-based technologies, MTCS represents the next generation of intuitive, easy-to-use browser-based collaborative command and control solutions for public safety. Because a picture is worth a thousand words, MTCS enhances public safety officers ability to communicate and collaborate visually and in real-time using tactical graphics, digital maps, and shared workspaces. It facilitates the rapid design of multiple scenarios, one or more of which can be executed based on real-time contingencies and at the discretion of tactical commanders. The MTCS platform addresses the 5Cs of Interoperability for tactical operators and first responders - Communication, Collaboration, Coordination, Command and Control. This level of interoperability is a must for critical incidents requiring multi-jurisdictional and multidisciplinary response, and for the related exercises necessary to sharpen the tactical proficiencies of operators. MTCS is accessible by authorized personnel in the field using mobile data terminals or ultra mobile PCs via secure wireless broadband, or at the operation center using desktop PCs and LAN lines. Microsoft Virtual Earth is the standard mapping imagery delivered by MTCS, however other customer imagery can be incorporated. AdvanTraq GPS and MTCS provide commanders and other senior leadership an unprecedented level of real-time situational awareness of an executing operation and its operators, significantly increasing operator accountability and safety. The versatility of the MTCS platform enables it to be used by law enforcement, fire/EMS, search and rescue, and EOC personnel in a variety of command and control scenarios. These include perimeter and border security, SWAT operations, major sporting event security management, disaster security response, multi-alarm fire suppression, preparedness training and exercises, post-incident analysis, and day-to-day public safety activities. Glenn Frieboth, owner of GLC Enterprises, Inc., based in Illinois. Find more information about how Mobile Tactical Collaboration System is using GPS Tracking and Virtual Earth for Advanced Mobile Security Here.

Car DVD Players - Products You Can Make Money With

Car DVD Player sytems: you may or may not have one in your car...and you may or may not find the automotive DVD player market very interesting...but you should not overlook the profit opportunity! More Chinese-made car DVD players were sold in the US then car DVDs players made in any other country last year. While this may not be surprising in itself what is surprising that the brand names which sold the biggest volumes weren t JVC, Kenwood, or Alpine... they were cheap car DVD players from little-known Chinese car DVD player brands. So what is going on? Cheap made-in-China car DVD players are flooding the consumer markets of the western world for one reason: price. Smart importers have been able to sell very low-priced consumer electronics and appliances because of their connections with Chinese traders or car DVD factories in China. Cheap labor, improved logistics, lower priced generic electronic components, and aggressive home-grown R&D have all combined to mean China is now the cheapest and most massive producer of in-dash car TV and DVD players. Why would consumers pay $849.99 for a brand name car DVD / CD receiver with 7 inch LCD monitor... when a discount car dvd player from China with virtually equivalent functions costs only $500 or even less? The brand names for car DVD players mean a lot to customers... but not when these kind of savings can be had. So why should you care? The simple fact of the matter is that selling unbranded dvd player / car audio in dash units is a great business opportunity for you. For entrepreneurs with an eye on importing consumer products, it s a well-known fact that they need to set up a "Chinese connection", whatever the size of the business. A growing number of businesses are plunging into China s waters every day and reaping large rewards. Consumer electronics like MP4 players, iPod accessories, or gadgets are high-demand, high profit items for resellers, whether you re trading from a small shop or selling online. Everyone loves new electronic gadgets, and because of the higher price range, your actual profits as a re-seller are healthy. The higher perceived value of car DVD players means one automotive DVD sale can result in a $100 profit. This is considerably easier than the high-volume sales required to make a profit of smaller electronic goods and other common mass-produced consumer products. There s a lot more that needs to be said about choosing products, analysing a market, and honing your sales methods. You owe it to yourself to take a look further into this market area while it s still a wide open opportunity. You don t need experience, specialized knowledge, or big business risks - especially if you pursue the ecommerce / dropshipping avenue. Whether or not you choose China-made car DVD players as your big ticket item is up to you, however one thing you must do is investigate the limitless business opportunities Chinese manufacturers offer. Hundereds of people are starting successful import businesses every month. If you are interested in joining them Chinavasion will help you get started. About The Author: Rose Li is the Manager of Customer Support at http://www.chinavasion.com - Visit the website to sign up free as for a wholesale buyer account, and find out more about how to profit from a connection with China Distributors

A Geocaching Guide Checklist

Before you head out on your next Geocaching trip, be sure you have everything you need. I use a fanny pack that has my geocaching items in it so I can always be ready to go. You do not need a backpack, unless you have children with you for all the extra things you need for them. This is the checklist, with an explanation of each below: GPS Receiver List of Caches Pencil or Pen SWAG Bugspray Gloves Flashlight Compass Spare GPS Batteries Trash bag for CITO (optional) Water GPS Receiver - A bit on the obvious side, but you cannot geocache without it! List of Caches - If you do not have your caches loaded into your GPS receiver, you will want to printout the details on each cache you intend to visit. Pencil or Pen - Almost every geocache has a pencil or pen in it. And almost none of them work. Bring your own so you can log your visit. SWAG - (stuff we all get) Most people go geocaching just for fun, but as an extra incentive for the kids, many caches have small toys inside. It is common practice to swap things in and out of the cache. Take a small item, but leave something of equal or greater value. Usually there are little toys that make it fun for the kids to find. A few things of note about leaving items in a cache. First, never leave food in a cache. Animals or bugs will find it and make a mess. Second, never put matches, knives, lighters, etc. A good rule of thumb is to only leave items that you would let your 3-year-old play with. Bug Spray - Many good caches are hidden in places where there are biting insects. Protect yourself and your children. Gloves - Sometimes you need to find by feel , because you are pretty sure that the cache is hidden in some dark hole. Be safe. Wear leather gloves. Aside from the creepiness factor of putting an un-gloved hand in a hiding hole for spiders, sometimes hollow stumps or crevices that make good cache-hiding spots also make good dumping grounds for people to put broken bottles, cans or other trash. Flashlight - Even on a bright, sunny day, you may need your flashlight. In fact those bright days make it hard for your eyes to see into the dark places that might hide a cache. Compass - Unless you have a fancy GPS receiver with a built-in compass, most GPS units require movement to accurately show directions. Your GPS might tell you that the destination is 150 feet to the north, but unless you are moving, it does not know which way north is. A cheap little compass can at least show you north so you know which way to start moving. Spare GPS Batteries - If the batteries run out, your day of fun is over. They also make great SWAG. You never know...your batteries in a cache might save someone else s day of geocaching! Trash Bag - Some people like to CITO (cache in, trash out), and clean up the areas they visit. Be careful, and wear your leather gloves. Water - Stay hydrated. Even if you do not want to carry the water with you while you look for caches, keep some in the car so that you can drink there. Sometimes geocaching takes you to places where a fresh drink can be hard to find. George Halt loves to take his son geocaching, and has authored a Geocaching Guide for Beginners. http://geocaching.best-free-information.com

Buying A Car DVD Player - 7 Questions To Ask When Purchasing

Car in dash DVD players and other automotive DVD players are appearing more often in vehicles these days as a larger number of cheap car DVD players appear on the market. But sometimes it is hard for a person to know where to start looking for a car DVD player ad what to look for. The first point you will have to consider after you have decided to buy an automotive DVD player or component is whether to purchase it online or from a bricks and mortar car audio store. While you are able to deal with salespeople face to face at the bricks and mortar store you may find you get a much better price online from an electronics wholesaler. You will still need to ask several key questions, regardless of your decision. Will I get all the components I need? There is nothing worse than paying good money for a car dvd player, going to install it and finding you still need to buy the speakers, TV tuners, TV antennas, wires, brackets or other components before it can be installed. After all, what is the point of buying an in dash car TV DVD player if you don t get the tuner or aerial to make it work. This depends on where the car DVD player is being purchased. If purchased from a bricks and mortar store then it should be offered by the vendor as electronic goods cost more at stores than they do online. Can I connect my USB devices or flash memory cards to the player? More music and data you want shown in vehicles is stored on computers and USB and an increasing number of car DVDs have a plug-in function. These USB ports can also be a useful point to install Bluetooth cellular car phone kits. What formats does it support? Will it support MP3s or MPEGs? What about AVI files? If you are choosing a system that will accept USBs and flash memory cards it is always good to check that the system will accept the format of programs you store most often on flash. What region DVD s does this player accept? DVD s are becoming increasingly multi-regional but that doesn t necessarily mean that every car DVD player will play every DVD. It is always a good idea to check which region of DVDs you are actually to make sure your dvd player car audio in dash unit is compatible with your collection. How big is the screen? The cost of LCD screens have come down a lot in last 12 months, as seen by Panasonic s 150-inch LCD screen showcased at this year s Consumer Electronics Show, which cost the same as the 109 inch screen the company put on display at the show the previous year. As a result, in dash car TV DVD players with 6.5 and 7 inch screens are considered to be the norm, and should be extremely affordable. It s got a screen, but is it a touch screen? We all know what a touch screen is, it is one of the things that has made the iPod such a big hit globally. Touch screens are becoming increasingly common and automotive dvds with touch screens should not be astronomically priced. After all, there is nothing worse than hunting for a tiny knob when trying to change music whilst on the road. Purchasing a car TV DVD player is a big undertaking. Time spent working out what the DVD will be used for and finding out information about the intended purchase would not be wasted. About The Author: Rose Li is the Manager of Customer Support at http://www.chinavasion.com Visit the website to sign up free as for a wholesale buyer account, and find out more about how to profit from a connection with China Distributors

GPS Golf Balls Are Almost Here

As GPS technology gets better and better and smaller and smaller it will be able to be used for many things? For instance at the World Series a baseball hit into the third level will be able to be recorded by GPS as to exactly how far it was hit and it’s trajectory to formulate where it would have actually landed had the stadium been flat. Thus we will be able to tell who was the greatest homerun power house of all times, perhaps even who is on steroids based on their body mass, speed of pitch, GPS data and ‘haptics’ (body movement and form). Wouldn’t it be cool to be watching the World Series on TV and instant information about a homerun appearing on the bottom of the screen? Sounds like a whole new potential betting arena, not only how many homeruns a person will hit, but exactly how far they will hit them? A football kick would be immediately known the exact yardage, every play near the sidelines would be instantly called in or out of bounds and there would never be any question as to if a football actually broke the goal line. I can hear the referee unions screaming foul already as they will no longer be needed or have jobs? Ouch? Soccer balls, off sides, out of bounds? Yes all possible via GPS data. With sensors getting smaller and GPS units being used in Unmanned Aerial Vehicles of smaller and smaller size for Micro Air Vehicles and RFID imbedded chips, this technology believe it or not is ready for golf balls as well? All you need is a little imagination. So there you are Tiger Woods with a PDA device in your hands which measures the exactly where the ball is, how far to the next hole, picking up the data from inside the golf ball itself and the flag in the hole. Way-points are displayed also as to where the sand traps are, lakes, edge of fairway and the rough surrounding the green. The World Think Tank recent discussion and brain storming session digressed from GPS navigational devices to sports and we came up with the idea to put GPS Sensors in golf balls, so you could find your golf ball if you have a nasty slice or heavy winds taking it off course. Part of our discussion also came from another recent think tank discussion on putting GPS sensors on Locusts Swarms in order to track them. The idea of putting GPS sensors on Locusts is a noble idea, yet who will pay for this technology, as the locust is small and cannot carry much weight and still keep up with the rest of the swarm, which of course would throw off the reading? Our thoughts were to let the golfing community pay for it. After all if the locusts see such a green area of grass they would eat it all up. As a kid I use to run on the golf course and saw balls way off the ranges and fairways. Some of these golf balls were custom, with people s names on them? Ouch adding insult to injury, I could immediately tell who the bad golfer was? With the new GPS WTT Golf Balls you could never lose your golf balls, because you would know their exact location via a set of satellites and that data would be displayed on your wireless PDA device. This PDA wireless Tracking device would be with you and you could carry it in a zipper pouch on the golf bag or on the steering wheel of your golf cart. Now then on the poles and flags of each hole would be another sensor so when you set the ball on the "T" for the next shot you would see the exact distance. We went one step further and figured out how to integrate a mini-weather station system on you golf cart. It will be a slight modification of the Climatronics Corporation’s TACMET System. For those who liked to get a work out, it could be integrated into the golf bag with a small external periscope; http://www.climatronics.com See the TACNET System. By integrating the GPS System with known GIS Golf Course Topography and exact weather readings from the TACMET System into the wireless PDA, the golfer would have all the data needed to make a perfect shot provided they had the skill and pre-cognitive ability to make it so. Our system will also be able to suggest the best club to use based on the ability of the golfer from previous courses, wind, distance and punching in of the golfers present fatigue factor based on a 1-10 scale. A Sarasota Company, Great White Shark Entertainment is already busy installing WiFi and GPS systems such as golf shot distance measurement and course information which includes a Golf Cart mounted system and handheld PDA wireless mobile display. These systems will become great revenue enhancers for Golf Clubs and for the serious golfer who likes all the bells and whistles and has the money to afford them. There system is quite perfect to add to our idea or vice versa, check it out: The Inforemer™, this information available at their website. GPS Industries is making it all happen. http://www.gpsindustries.com The Our WTT GPS Golf Balls will be more expensive than normal balls but well worth it as the system teaches the player to shoot a better game. The golf ball could be the same weight? As any normal PGA Golf Ball. A future thought along this theme would be to eventually have, thru special internal parts and shape shifting techniques, the ball if it got close would simply roll over to the hole and fall in. This would mean no one would ever have to give them a free put or allow someone to feel bad who fudged the score. This future idea would be great for the player who understands he is not anywhere near a scratch golfer but occasionally might like to play with a few. Or for the player who goes to the course simply to look cool, but has not brains or talent? "Lance Winslow" - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.WorldThinkTank.net/ . Lance is a guest writer for Our Spokane Magazine in Spokane, Washington

The BIGGEST Mistake Business Owners Make - (And How to Avoid It!)

The BIGGEST Mistake Business Owners Make - (And How to Avoid It!) Why do I call it the BIGGEST Mistake? That s a pretty hefty claim - knowing there s plenty of mistakes we make in structuring and growing our business. I ve seen this MAJOR error in just about every client I ve had the pleasure of working with, and I ve seen this mistake performed by almost EVERY entrepreneur I ve sat down with... What is it? It s so common and obvious that it s very likely you think you have it taken care of because you ve mentally "thought about it". And it s this - Making sure your DIRECTION is actually leading you to your DESTINATION. Meaning, the direction you re currently heading in with your business WILL ultimately lead you to your destination. You re probably saying - "Well of course it will!" But are your thoughts, plans, visions, hopes and dreams different from your current actions and activity? Take a quick internal look (while no one s looking)... 1. Take a look at your current activity. Does it line up with where you ultimately want to be? 2. Take a look at your daily accomplishments. Does it line up with where you ultimately want to be? 3. Take a look at your existing client base. Are they the type of clients you ultimately want to have? 4. Take a look at whom your spending meetings with. Are they the type of contacts you ultimately want to have? 5. Take a look at your pricing structure and product & service offering. Does it line up with where you ultimately want to be? 6. Take a look at whom you re prospecting and networking with. Are they the type of clients and contacts you ultimately want to have? Take this into consideration... If you lived in Georgia, and pack up the car for Florida. You get the spouse and the kids together. Pack the beach towels. Pack the suntan lotion. Prepare the cooler. Visualize what it will be like. Plan like crazy. Map out your direction. Set estimations on how long it will take to get there based on GPS coordinates. Tell all the relatives and friends you re going. And then head up 85 North - you ll NEVER get to your destination. Please feel free to Forward this on to 5 of your Clients, Partners, Prospects or Networking Contacts. They ll thank you for thinking so highly of them! Sincerely, Stephen H. Jones GROWTH STRATEGIES Stephen Jones operates Growth Strategies and provides marketing strategies and a sales & marketing structure for small business owners. You may reach him at 770.601.0949, via e- mail at SJones@GrowthStrategies.us or on the Web at http://www.GrowthStrategies.us for assistance with your business.

How To Stay Organized Using The Latest Technology

With so much technology out there, it is almost impossible to become disorganized Ð unless you arenÕt using the technology right for you. If you are still having difficulty scheduling and showing up for meetings on time, completing projects, or misplacing valuable files, then it may be time for you to invest in products that can keep track of the many deadlines you face in your work and personal life. CELL PHONES If you donÕt want to bear the burden of carrying a PDA, cell phone, iPod, and other small devices each day, there are cell phones that include all of these features and more. If you travel or are forgetful and leave items in your office or at home on a regular basis, carrying one communication device can make your life easier to manage. Common features of all-in-one cell phones include: ¥ Standard and custom phone plans ¥ Standard phone features Ð alarm, choice of ringtones, privacy settings ¥ Ability to synch your desktop calendar to your cell phone calendar that updates itself when changes are made ¥ Audible alerts for meetings, special dates, etc. ¥ Ability to store music, photos, and files ¥ Email access ¥ GPS (global positioning) to aid in finding directions to client meetings Being able to check your daily schedule from your phone automatically prevents you from missing another meeting or conference call ever again. This type of reassurance will reduce stress and allow you to concentrate on other matters. THUMB DRIVES If you constantly lose paperwork or files, or you donÕt have the time to transfer items to a CD, using a thumb drive can save time. This small device plugs into your USB slot and can be used to save any type of file. Because they are so small, you can carry them in your pocket, purse, or briefcase. Depending on the amount of memory, you can store many projects or current projects you are working on together so you donÕt lose them and can be used as a backup system for your files. Take advantage of the technology that is out there to help make your life simpler. Keep in mind that your work may require more than one piece of technology or it may only require one. Before investing in new gadgets, research the market to see which ones you will benefit from the most. Sometimes making small changes can greatly improve your output and performance in the workplace. Timothy Millett, head trainer at i perform, has extensive expertise in performance training, sales training and customer service training. Tim has helped participants from organisations such as SWIFT and UBS achieve peak levels of personal performance. For more information please visit Leadership Training .

What to Consider When Choosing the Right Fishfinder

Fishing has come a long way since trial and error. Technology has made it much easier for fishermen to locate fish, this providing much better odds for success. There are a number of fish finders available on the market, and with the technological jargon and information, it can be tricky to find what you want. Fish finders tend to come in two different display types. A Cathode Ray Tube (or CRT) and a Liquid Crystal Display (or LCD). CRTs have been declining in popularity; they are much like a television in their display screen and appearance. If you want to avoid glare, the screen must be placed in a shaded area. CRTs are best used for commercial fishermen and deep sea fishermen. For the everyday fisherman, an LCD screen is ideal; clarity is extremely good, you can read it in direct sunlight, and it comes in a wide range of prices. If you see the term TFT (Thin Film Transistor), this is simply a type of LCD screen that has gained in popularity due to its functionality and high-resolution. A budget is something else you want to consider. The amount of fishing you do will be a big factor in deciding what you should buy. You can purchase fish finders that have colored screens or black and white screens. If you find yourself fishing a lot, then you are probably more willing to spend money on a high-quality fish finder. Should you fish only occasionally but still be interested in a fish finder, you may want to find something that costs less, but still performs well. Companies like Garmin and Eagle create high-quality fish finders that utilize waterproof LCD screens and offer both color and black and white. Color is better because it is much easier to distinguish between targets under the water, whereas black and white make all targets similar colors. What about technical information, such as frequency? When you see kHz, this is the representation of frequency, which is used by the fish finder in the water in order to identify targets. You will not see specific fish, but rather areas fish may congregate, so depth can be important. A model that provides you with a mid-range frequency – between 80 to 125 kHz – should be ideal. Low-frequency is most useful in deep water with a wide range, high-frequency for a narrowed spot with more detail. So what about manufacturers, is there currently a favorite amongst anglers? Not really, although you ll find Humminbird, Garmin, Lowrance, and Eagle dominating the shelves at your local sporting goods retailer. Each has a niche to fill, such as portability (Humminbird), GPS enabled (Garmin), cartography (Lowrance). Whether you want your unit to attach the boat or you don t even own a boat, there are lots of models to choose from. Just keep in mind what kind of fishing you do most often and narrow your search from there. After that, keep your search simple and look for the things you want; price, potential depth (if you know how deep the lake or river can get), screen coloring, and size. Until you are more familiar with fish finders, you can avoid the extra bells and whistles and focus on the main purpose of the device; to find fish for you to catch. Scot Thorson s entrepreneurial spirit and love for the outdoors is evident to everyone who knows him. With a passion for fishing and electronics, Scot s signature web-store GhostLake Outdoors specializes in GPS, Fishfinders, and other outdoor gadgets. There you can find the specific brands that Scot has field tested and recommends. Scot and his wife Becky split time between homes in Minnesota and Northern Wisconsin raising two boys, fishing, and writing. When not working on his next business venture, you’ll find him out on the lake searching for record muskies. Please email: articlequestions@ghostlakeoutdoors.com with any questions or comments.

Don t Ever Get Lost Again - Get A GPS System For Your Car

Don t Ever Get Lost Again - Get A GPS System For Your Car Okay, this is just between us so be honest. Do you ever get lost when you are driving around town? You know, maybe you re looking for a new restaurant to try that you heard of, and you take a wrong turn and end up in the middle of nowhere. Honestly, getting lost every once in a while is something that happens to the best of us at one time or another. Even the best of us all lose our way now and then and need a little help. With that said, that doesn t imply that everyone stops to ask for directions, especially if you are a man. There are some of us who hate to stop at the random gas stations or pit stops to get that much-needed input thinking that it implies something about our manhood. And this is why we continue to drive around, circling aimlessly. But we will drive around for hours aimlessly and act like we know what we re doing. Thanks to technology these days there are ways to deal with this issue that make us look smart. I am sure you have heard of the new automotive navigation systems? I m quite certain just about everyone has by now. Are you ahead of the masses? Does your own car, truck, or SUV have one of those car navigation systems? You don t have to get a vehicle that has a GPS system already installed in it; actually these can be very expensive from an auto maker. The fact of the matter is that you can buy these devices after market and have them installed for you. One of the most popular brands of GPS systems is Garmin. They offer a large variety of systems in a diversity of price points as well. I recently bought a very high quality GPS system that included a heads up display and a feature that talks to me and tells me when to make turns for under $500. You might think that is expensive but for the time it saves me as well as the peace of mind, I think it is a bargain. Just last summer I had to make a trip to California and I decided to take my nice little GPS system on this trip and it was a life saver. I basically programmed the start and finish point addresses into the navigation system and it told me where to go. And when I say it told me, I mean it literally told me out loud. A lot of the navigation systems talk to you, which means you don t have to worry about looking down and reading something all the time. These GPS systems work with satellites and work like anywhere on the planet to give you peace of mind wherever you are. Gregg Hall is an author living with his 18 year old son in Jensen Beach, Florida. Find more about GPS as well as car care products at http://www.5starshine.com

Vehicle Tracking

Vehicle tacking and similar security measures for your assets are becoming more popular every day. If you already own an expensive vehicle, such as a car, boat, trailer, quad bike, jet skis, motor bikes and more, consider protecting your assets against theft and permanent loss by installing a vehicle tracking system. A vehicle tracking system is a modern and effective method to ensure vehicle recovery after the unfortunate event of a theft. Most new and modern cars can already have a vehicle tracking system installed; otherwise, the process to have the system installed is easy and effortless for the vehicle owner. In South Africa, the crime rate is high in comparison to other countries, protecting your assets is becoming a part of daily life, from security measures in your home to vehicle tacking and alarms on your vehicles. It is important to research and compare vehicle tracking services and companies, choose a system and a company that can meet your individual requirements and specifications. Many influencing factors will help you make your decision. First, you need to choose a company that can supply the technology to track your particular vehicle type. Most tracking companies can offer advanced tracking technology that can be installed on almost any vehicle type including watercrafts and on the road and off-road vehicles. The device should be easily concealed on the vehicle and be small enough to evade detection. Then you need to choose the type of system the vehicle tracker will work from, being a point-to-point system or a GPS system. Depending on your budget, and your location, you may need to seek advice on the best system to suit your needs. It is true that a point-to-point system can be more affordable in comparison to the GPS systems; it is recommended that you get quotes from various reputable companies and compare pricing and services. It is also a recommendation that you investigate the insurance coverage provided by your product; ensure that the company that supplies your tracking system can meet all your insurance requirements. The contract is also another point not to be taken lightly, here it is imperative for clients to read the “small print” and ensure they do not get “locked into” an unreasonably long contract. Getting a vehicle tracking system installed in your vehicle can be an effective security method to ensure you get your stolen vehicle back after a theft; this is a peace of mind precaution, offering you an easy method of asset protection. Phil Smulian is a reviewer for supplier of a satellite tracking system , who will help you with vehicle satellite tracking , Tracetec.

Using A GPS Tracking System

There may be nothing more nerve-wracking for any parent than putting their newly driving teenager behind the wheel of the family car. Scarier still is the day they drive away without you there to keep an eye on their road etiquette or places traveled. For some, a GPS tracking system allows parents to be the fly on the wall they are so desperate to be in these situations and, as a result, brings enormous peace of mind. The Global Positioning System – or GPS – is a system of 24 satellites that circle the earth. These satellites monitor us from space and act as a navigational system as they can quickly and accurately pinpoint any location in the world. The advent of GPS has meant many things to many people; globally it has changed us. The United States military has benefited enormously from GPS. Consumers have benefited as well as GPS has found its way to the commonplace; suddenly it’s the standard piece of equipment in any new car. It allows us to find our way, map our location, and, in the case of a GPS tracking system, follow the movements of someone or something else. The GPS tracking system has been used for some time as a protective measure for valuable items. Many times, when there’s a threat of theft, owners of precious items will affix a GPS tracking system to the object. That way, if the item is stolen, it can be tracked quickly to its specific location. In the case of the teenage driver, a GPS tracking system can be affixed to the car – either with or without the teenager’s knowledge – so that travel is tracked. A GPS tracking system not only monitors the location of the car but the speed at which it is traveling. This can be an enormous assistance to parents who are closely supervising the safety of a fledgling driver. Also, in the case of a car that has broken down or stopped for some reason, the GPS tracking system will immediately alert parents. Because the use of this system invokes privacy issues, the GPS tracking system should be used judiciously. Perhaps its use can be confined to just the first few months for a new driver. But its use does provide an extra layer of safety that can’t be found anywhere else. Those interested in using a GPS tracking system can install it quite easily; the units can be found in most large retail chains and come with simple directions. For easy to understand, in depth information about GPS visit our ezGuide 2 GPS .

Marine GPS Maintains Boater Safety

It s never a good feeling when you are lost on your boat in an unfamiliar lake, yet on occasion even experienced boaters have had that unnerving feeling of losing their navigational way. However, if your boat is equipped with a Marine GPS unit, your chances of returning safely to shore increases exponentially. It does not matter whether you use a standalone Marine GPS unit, or a handheld unit or have a GPS capable personal data (PDA) finding your bearings can be made much easier. Additionally, God forbid there is an emergency, you can use your marine GPS unit to give rescuers an exact location which would make you safe return to shore pretty much guaranteed and you will also get a quicker response. When utilizing a handheld Marine GPS unit, it is best to first check the location when you are on the shore and market that down in your unit, in the event you get lost while you are out on the water. You can get to your destination in a quicker, safer, simpler manner by knowing where you are and where you need to go. Particularly if you are in water that you are not familiar with or a quick storm makes visibility nearly impossible. A Marine GPS unit can help you find yourself into a safe harbor in the event that you travel too far away from shore and loose any of your directional bearings that you were hoping you had if you maintained a line of sight. Marking and Recalling Locations of Successful Fishing Spots When on the water and your fishing and you come upon a suitable location that gives great results, you cannot put a X on the water, but by utilizing a Marine GPS, you can do the next best thing. You can go back to the precise spot the next time you are looking for a place to catch fish, by marking the location that is revealed by the unit. There will be no judging location by a reference point on the shore and there will be no guessing involved because your Marine GPS unit has the data within it marked. When boaters sometimes wander away from the territory that they are familiar with they need to send for help. Whether there was a malfunction on their boat or they lost their bearings on the lake and they have a need to guide the rescue craft to their location it becomes more crucial as time goes by. A Marine GPS unit on board can make your imminent rescue easier and faster if you can provide them with the exact location to give to a rescue craft. In a more severe accident on the water, such as your boat sinking, then a quick rescue is in order. By utilizing a Marine GPS, particularly if equipped with a GPS locator, you can assist rescuers to find you near your last reported location. Having a starting point for a rescue operation can be a life-saving and critical piece of knowledge. Korbin Newlyn is an avid follower in the electronics field. To find out more of his insights go to GPS Units and at Laptop GPS System tips.

Nokia N95 - Smart Phone

The new Nokia N95 mobile phone coming from the lineage of the largest mobile phone manufacturer Nokia is a 3G Smartphone with two way slider opening mechanism. This makes it easy to open the handset in either way providing the user with a keypad when the screen is slid up, a set of multimedia controls when the screen is slid down and when it s in the neutral position, the user can use the navigation and shortcut keys. The mobile phone comes with a screen of 2.6 Inches in size and is capable of providing a 240 x 320 pixel screen resolution on a 16 million colour TFT display. The mobile handset weighing just 120 grams and measuring 99 x 53 x 21 mm is a light-weight handset making it easy for the user to hold in hand and to get slipped into the pocket by the user. The Nokia N95 comes with an internal memory of 160 Mbytes of internal memory that can be expanded by the user by adding a MicroSD™ memory card up to 2 Gbytes. The handset from Nokia also has 8 Gbytes of internal flash memory that helps the user in storing high volumes of multimedia content including photos, music and video. The attractive feature of Nokia N95 model mobile phone is the integrated GPS navigation feature which supports maps for more than one hundred countries. The GPS navigation system existing in the handset is capable of displaying the maps in clear detail on the 2.6 inch colour screen and will assist the user in finding his desired location. It is possible for the user to enjoy an advanced Internet experience on the mobile phone as the phone supports XHTML & HTML Internet browsing. The handset has EDGE technology, WLAN Wi-Fi, USB cable connection, infra red Pop Port™ connection and Bluetooth™ wireless technology that makes things easier and beneficial for the user. The Nokia N95 has a fitted battery that could provide the user with up to 220 hours of standby battery time and approximately six and a half hours talk time. The mobile phone has a built in 5 megapixel camera feature that comes with a Carl Zeiss optics tessar™ lens that makes it easy for the user to take perfect pictures with excellent quality. The camera comes with a digital zoom, flash option and an auto focus feature that guarantees high quality photos that could be saved and shared among friends bringing an element of joy into it. Nokia N95 Adam Catlin is an Expert Author of Telecommunication industry. He has written good quality articles on Mobile Phones Have a look at Laptops

Easy Travel During Holidays With a GPS Unit

GPS means Global Positioning System and is a great navigational tool to make travel easier. If you are traveling for the holidays, a GPS unit can help you get there the fastest and shortest way. Or, if you are hiking for an outdoor holiday, a GPS unit is a great alternative to a map. GPS devices have a lot of different components. The essential parts are the units people carry and the series of satellites, three of which are used to locate where you are while another is used alongside them in a process called triangulation to calculate your altitude. GPS devices come in a variety of prices. As would be expected, the more expensive models offer more features than a basic unit. The very basic GPS devices will usually have a display and controls so you can determine your latitude and longitude. Some models offer a different number of waypoints which is for terrestrial coordinates such as longitude, latitude and altitude among others. The term waypoint is also used to describe the number of landmarks displayed on a GPS device. This feature is found on different models, but not all units. What is displayed will vary depending on the map loaded, but the more displayed is not always “merrier” as sometimes the screen can become too full and hard to read. The higher priced GPS units will offer features such as a digital compass, or the ability to download area maps, zoom, relocate and even change maps. Some models offer features like back-lighting allowing you to read them at night without a flashlight. Some also offer a tracking system so you can go back and recall where you have already been. Garmin is the leading manufacturer, but there are many others where you will find options for weight, control placement and battery life. Some GPS models are waterproof which is a great feature when crossing lakes if you out hiking, for instance, or if you are caught in the rain or a storm. The eTrex is a popular GPS model from Garmin, displaying up to 500 waypoints and offering controls on the side to maximize the unit’s display size. It is lightweight and waterproof. For example, the Garmin eTrex Summit offers some great features, such as the built-in compass allowing you to stand in one place and still get a reading. This is handy since some GPS devices require movement in order to get a reading. This model has twelve channels like other GPS models, which gives you other options when nearby GPS devices may give cause some interference to you unit. Ultimately, you definitely get what you pay for. Prices range from $100 to $300 and more. So, be sure to do some research, look at a wide variety of models and choose the GPS unit that has the features you will find most useful and beneficial during your travel and holiday trips. This is the best way to find a model that meets your needs, is within your budget and helps you to visit all the famous attractions in Spain . The copywriter Kurt Schefken is interested in information like Benissa. His articles on famous attractions in Spain can be discovered on http://www.alicante-spain.com