Month: February 2008

Forum Post Party Tonight!

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(TheForceField.net ) February 9, 2008 — The Force Field will be hosting a post party in The Force Field Forums tonight!

Beginning  6 PM CST/7 PM EST today The FF Forums will host a Forum Post Party for all members of The Force Field.Net. All members old and new are eligible including Admins and mods except Rick. Prizes will be awarded for the most posts and the best content.

The Post Party will officially begin at 7 PM EST and end at 1 AM EST. 

The person with the most posts wins an nVidia T-shirt. 

Second and third place win a Linksys T-shirt.

A prize for will also be awarded for the Best Post: a 1GB USB flash drive.

The rules:

1. They must be real posts with real useful content
(they can be reposts of tips, tricks and other helpful information from other forums as long as the person posting them owns the post in the original forum or newsgroup)

2. No copyrighted material (unless you own the copyright)

3. The posts must conform to the rules of conduct on the forums

4. You can embed video and audio provided it does not violate any copyrights and is family and work safe.

5. They must be posted in the correct threads.

6. They must be on-topic.

Everyone who participates gets their Karma raised 1 Karma for every ten posts.

Everyone is free to spread the word to all tech forums and newsgroups.

MSP Partners Expands 2008 Education Program

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Broad vendor alliance supports solution provider transition to managed services

(PRWEB) February 7, 2008 — MSP Partners, an industry alliance founded by Cisco, Ingram Micro, Intel, Level Platforms and Microsoft, today announced its new educational programs for solution providers that are transitioning their businesses to managed services.

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Building on their foundation of award winning material from 2007, MSP Partners has greatly expanded and enhanced its exclusive educational resources for members, including:

  • Advanced analytical tools to assist MSPs to be 'Best in Class'
  • Exclusive research from the Institute for Partner Education and Development (IPED) including 5 video-on-demand courses and 2 live courses
  • Preferred access to CompTIA's member-only education materials
  • Research and insights from distinguished Industry thought leaders
  • Industry 'Quick Look' articles that offer insight into today's Managed Services market
  • Optimized managed services strategies and business solutions from leading vendors
  • Lessons learned from successful Managed Services Providers

"With so much information out there," said Mark Crall, President Tech Care Team, a solution provider based in Charlotte, North Carolina, "you need a respected educational resource and MSP Partners is the key. For $99 there is no better value. The information we gained has been invaluable to the success of our business."

"2007 was an amazing start up year for MSP Partners with more than 2000 solution providers participating in our educational programs," said Jim Hamilton, executive director of MSP Partners. "2008 will build on this success with greatly expanded content and many new members. One exciting new feature this year will be the first independent large scale virtual tradeshow for managed services. We expect many thousands of attendees, as solution providers look for proven solutions to help them launch and expand their managed services programs."

MSP Partners explosive growth since its launch in March 2007 has confirmed the need for independent vendor-supported education for solution providers considering managed services. Based on demand from solution providers around the world to learn how to participate in managed services, MSP Partners took the program to the UK, winning Best New Channel Initiative Award from CompTIA Breakaway UK 2007.

Solution providers interested in benefiting from the latest exclusive research and education or vendors that want to contribute their voice to help the solution provider community transition to managed services should contact MSP Partners at www.msppartners.com.

About MSP Partners
MSP Partners is an alliance formed by Cisco, Ingram Micro, Intel, Level Platforms and Microsoft and joined by more than 20 vendors to provide solution providers with a comprehensive source of MSP education. In less than one year MSP Partners has attracted over 2,000 members, who benefit from cohesive new market research, solution provider success stories, and collaborative vendor solutions, all demonstrating a path to success in managed services. www.msppartners.com.

DVDVideoSoft Releases Free Video Dub — Free Lossless Video Editor

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DVDVideoSoft — an Internet resource dedicated to free software, multimedia software guides and tutorials — has just released new video-editing software called Free Video Dub.

Los Angeles (PRWEB) February 8, 2008 — DVDVideoSoft — an Internet resource dedicated to free software, multimedia software guides and tutorials — has just released new video-editing software called Free Video Dub. The program allows users the ability to delete unwanted scenes from video files. Free Video Dub preserves the quality of input video files and processes them without re-encoding. It is free, lossless, video-editing software.

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Free Video Dub allows the removal of scenes from a wide variety of media, including extractions from personal video and commercials from television recordings. The program supports MPEG 1, 2 and MPEG 4 (including DivX and XviD) encoded video files with the following extensions: *.avi, *divx, *.mpeg, *mp4, mpg, etc …

This free video editing software is available for immediate free download. The program contains no spyware or adware, and it's clearly free. No activation or registration is required. Just download and use it.

Free Video Dub is already the 15th free program developed by DVDVideoSoft. DVDVideoSoft has created a line of free tools: Free YouTube to iPod Converter; Free YouTube to MP3 Converter; Free YouTube to iPhone Converter; Free Video to iPod Converter; Free Video to iPhone Converter; Free Video to MP3 Converter; Free YouTube Uploader; Free Video to Flash Converter; Free Audio Dub; Free YouTube to MP3 Converter; Free 3GP Video Converter; Free Video Flip and Rotate; Free Video to JPG Converter; and Free YouTube Download.

These titles are available for immediate download. All of the company’s programs are absolutely free and run under all Windows operating systems, including Vista. DVDVideoSoft respects user privacy, and the company does not utilize any spyware or adware –- so it is safe to install and run.

Contact:
Alex Wang
DVDVideoSoft Limited
http://www.dvdvideosoft.com

New Association of Virtual Worlds Launches into the Metaverse

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Jacksonville, FL (PRWEB) February 8, 2008 — There are more than 100 on-line virtual worlds in what's known as the "metaverse"– with tens of millions of residents from pre-schoolers to adults. Add the Fortune 500 companies positioning virtual brands, exploring new ways of working and doing business, and the millions more involved in research, development, and marketing of these worlds and you truly have "the next big thing".

That's where the new Association of Virtual Worlds comes in — a single unifying forum for virtual worlds and those involved in this multi-billion-dollar global industry under a single umbrella.

"Now is the time for all of us in involved in virtual worlds to join together to address issues that affect this next evolution of the Internet," says Edita Kaye, founder of the Association of Virtual Worlds and editor in chief of iVinnie.com the number one virtual worlds news network. "With millions of residents, major corporations pouring billions of dollars into virtual worlds, and the growing use of virtual worlds' technology as an enterprise tool, there needs to be a group dedicated to the advancement of the industry, a place for discussion and leadership. It is my hope that the Association will lead the virtual worlds conversation."

The Association of Virtual Words will act as a global trade association for this rapidly growing industry and a resource for those wishing to experiment and explore virtual worlds for work or play. The Association's agenda includes: virtual worlds for real work, online games, virtual worlds as social networks, connecting clients and users, intellectual property and other legal issues, financial systems, taxation, regulation, safety, marketing and branding, new technologies and interoperability.

According to Kaye, the Association's mission is to educate, network, recruit, and further the membership's collective goals. Members will include visionaries representing all aspects of virtual worlds — creators, producers, corporations, entrepreneurs, businesses, developers, educators, futurists, residents, researchers, and governmental representatives.

Online Auctioneers Desert eBay

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People who sell goods on eBay have been turning their back on the site in the past few days after the online auction site announced changes to their fee structure and in the way members can leave feedback.

(PRWEB) February 8, 2008 — eBay has announced that, from 20th February, sellers will no longer be able to leave negative feedback about buyers. The announcement means sellers will no longer be able to check if a buyer is potentially a bad customer.

This, together with a rise in the final percentage sellers pay when they sell an item, by 67% for some items, has led to a huge upsurge in registrations at other internet auctions.

eBid.net, has seen the number of visitors from the US and UK increase by thousands every hour since the news. In total visitor to eBid have more than doubled in the first 24 hours following the eBay announcement.

eBid director Mark Wilkinson said: "The changes to feedback have removed part of the bedrock that made eBay what it is today, a trading community built on the trust between the buyer and the seller.

"The new users we've seen at eBid in the last few days have told us they are keen to uphold one of the web's oldest and fairest business models and we welcome them here to eBid to carry this on."

"Sellers already resent the charges they have to pay to auction items on the site but this latest move means they can't even see which buyers have proved themselves to be untrustworthy in the past."

The changes to the eBay system follow announcements that CEO Meg Whitman is set to retire.

eBid.net is a fast growing competitor to eBay. It was one of the first ever online auction sites to be launched and regularly boasts over 600,000 items for sale at any time including toys and games, electrical appliances, home entertainment items and fashion brands.

Sources:
eBay Changes Fee Structure to Drive Growth:
http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/01/30/ebay-changes-fee-structure-to-drive-growth/
eBay sellers no longer able to leave feedback on buyers: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080131/ap_on_hi_te/ebay_feedback
eBay CEO announces resignation: http://uk.reuters.com/article/internetNews/idUKN2244812520080122
Comments from forum discussing eBay changes: http://helpdesk.ebid.net/showthread.php?t=100021&highlight=ebay

For further press information, contact:
Nigel Hughes
Rattle PR
T: +44 161 968 3450

 

AWeber Announces FeedBurner RSS-To-Email Integration

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By reporting email subscriber numbers to FeedBurner, bloggers and podcasters can boast more accurate, higher readerships to visitors and advertisers.

Newtown, PA (PRWEB) February 5, 2008 — AWeber Communications, a leading provider of email marketing software for small businesses and bloggers, announced today that their Blog Broadcast RSS-to-email tool now integrates with FeedBurner's RSS tracking and publishing service.

Bloggers and podcasters using the two tools to communicate with their audiences will see a jump in the number of subscribers that display on Google-owned FeedBurner's popular subscriber 'chicklets.' These chicklets, which show how many people regularly follow a blog or podcast, provide visitors and potential advertisers with an indication of the blog's popularity.

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"By reporting these figures to FeedBurner, we're helping bloggers give a more accurate and favorable picture of how popular their blogs are," said Justin Premick, Education Marketing Manager at AWeber. "The more subscribers you can boast, the more likely new visitors are to subscribe to your blog, and the more likely companies are to want to advertise on your blog."

AWeber will report email subscribers to FeedBurner for bloggers using AWeber's Blog Broadcast tool to convert their blog's RSS feed to an email newsletter. Bloggers and podcasters collect email subscribers for their blog newsletter through a simple signup form that they create using AWeber and place on their blogs.

FeedBurner will include AWeber email subscribers in their reporting, making it easy for bloggers to see what percentage of their readers follows their blog by email. AWeber expects that seeing those subscribers side-by-side in their FeedBurner accounts will be an eye-opening experience for many bloggers.

"As great a technology as RSS is, it's simply not as widely understood and used as email is," Premick added. "The most popular blogs know this, and offer readers the choice to subscribe by email or RSS."

"We hope this feature shows bloggers and podcasters the value of email subscribers, and gets them to embrace both email and RSS as effective ways to build relationships with their audiences."

About AWeber Communications

Founded in 1998, AWeber Communications helps small businesses and bloggers increase sales and profits through its web-based email marketing software.

IObit Teams up with Grisoft Inc. to Offer Internet Users the Free Anti-virus Product

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Not AVG Free Edition, Internet Users can download licensed AVG Professional Editions product from IObit, without any cost

Boston, Mass. (PRWEB) February 5, 2008 — IObit works with Grisoft Inc. to make AVG Professional Editions free, and Internet users can acquire from IObit – free licensed AVG Anti-Virus Professional Edition, AVG Anti-Spyware or AVG Internet Security. Besides free and advanced system diagnosing and maintenance from Advanced WindowsCare, Internet users can enjoy complete protection from AVG professional security products.

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"We find that lots of Internet PCs, which are using function-limited free antivirus product, are infected with virus or spyware, as these Internet users cannot afford expensive Professional security products," says Hugo, President of IObit, "We are excited to be working with Grisoft Inc. in offering all Internet users high-quality and free security products and solutions for the best protection of their computers."

The cooperation comes with the following key features:

  • Everyone who download and install freeware Advanced WindowsCare can get free licensed AVG security products — The special license can be used for 90 days.
  • IObit offers all customers the cheapest price in the Internet for purchasing AVG security products, with up to 25% discount.

"Our cooperation with Grisoft Inc. ensures best service that protects customers anytime and anywhere in the world," says Hugo.

For more information and to get a free licensed AVG security professional product, please visit: http://www.iobit.com/avg-com.html

About Grisoft
Founded in 1991, with corporate offices in Europe and the USA, Grisoft is focused on developing software solutions that provide protection from computer viruses. Distributed globally through resellers and through the internet, the AVG Anti-Virus product line supports all major operating systems and platforms. More than 50 million users around the world use Grisoft AVG products to protect their computers and networks.

About IObit
IObit is an innovative and young company founded in 2004 by two young programmers. With the release and popularity of Advanced WindowsCare v1 in 2005, IObit has become one of the most successful new companies in the Internet. IObit is also a provider of award-winning software products designed to deliver superior performance, protection and security to PC users.

Why Is My Site Not Showing Up In Google?

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More and more websites are failing to show up in the world's biggest search engine and increasingly businesses are feeling frustrated with their websites.To solve this problem, leading internet marketing company WebEfforts, suggests five easy steps to improve your ranking.

Birmingham, United Kingdom (PRWEB) February 5, 2008 — More and more websites are failing to show up in the world's biggest search engine and increasingly businesses are feeling frustrated with their websites.To solve this problem, leading internet marketing company WebEfforts, suggests five easy steps to improve your ranking.
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  • Step one: choose your keywords carefully.

Many people fall into the trap of competing for the same keywords. For example, there are over 10 millions searches performed each year on Google for the keyword 'internet marketing'.

However, our research shows that the search term 'internet marketing company' attracts 300,000 searches a year on Google. Often, this longer search term has less competition and reaches your target market more effectively. Hence your chances of ranking on it are higher in Google, and more importantly, achieving online sales.

  • Step two: embed keywords into your website.

Once you have decided on your keywords, you need to make sure they appear throughout your website's text. This communicates to Google that your site is a highly relevant match to the term searched for.

For example, to rank on Google for the term 'internet marketing company' this keyword phrase needs to appear at least three times within one page on your website. You also have technical tags on your website, known as 'Meta Tags', which need to contain this keyword too. We suggest contacting a professional company if you are unfamiliar with changing these.

  • Step three: uncover competitors' online strategies.

So, you may think you have found the best search term and all the text is embedded within your website. But, will it actually work?

Well, look at your top competitor's website and scan across their pages to see what search terms that are continually repeating in their text. Look at the top of the browser on their home page, what keywords appear there? The text there is the 'Title Meta Tag' text, which is very important to Google for ranking purposes.

There are automated ways to research your competitors using internet tools, but these can be expensive to buy for a one-off job. We suggest buying an internet marketing report, which is an affordable way to share the cost of using the tools.

  • Step four: get your keywords noticed.

If any step should be given more emphasis, this is the one. To rank on Google for a search term, Google's search engine won't just take your word for it because it is written on your site. Google wants additional confirmation that you are telling the truth. As a result, Google needs to see other sites pointing to your site for that keyword.

To do this you need to write content for your site and include links to your site on the keyword you want to rank in Google for. For example, to promote Web Effort's on the keyword 'internet marketing company' the content should include a link like:-

"……leading internet marketing company WebEfforts produce the best selling internet marketing report that includes professional keyword research, a web site assessment and powerful competitor research…"

However, you may need hundreds of links pointing to your site to compete against your competitors for that keyword.

In an extract from our report, we noticed that a top competitor had over 1,000 links. If this is the case for your search term, it is best to outsource the work to a professional company with experience in this area. Avoid using cheap services, as the techniques they use can be automated and leave you completely blacklisted from the search engine.

  • Step five: create viral content through online publicity.

To add the icing on the cake, you could get your website noticed on some of the largest News wires such as paid inclusion sites like Yahoo News and Google News. This method normally gives you exposure for 30 days and can provide an excellent source of traffic within days. We suggest using an online distribution service for this.

However, the key is to create viral content, which is content that is likely to be passed on because it is useful. Once this is achieved people will start posting links, from say forums or blogs, allowing the link building work to be done all by itself.

Following these five easy steps will not only improve your ranking on Google, but also drive traffic to your website and potentially increase sales.

For more information, please contact Max Worton at WebEfforts on 01562 884 388 or max.worton@webefforts.co.uk

About WebEfforts
WebEfforts helps website owners on small budgets drive targeted traffic to their website, see our results. The company is known for its best-selling internet marketing report, which can be viewed online at http://www.webefforts.co.uk.

Services include: Web Site Management and Administration, Professional Keyword Research, Web Site Assessments, Competitor intelligence, Link Building and Online Publicity.

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Acorn Computers to Address the Needs of the Mobile Professional and Consumer

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Acorn Computers, an online computer store, has streamlined its product line to address the needs of the mobile professional and consumer. This change in focus is designed to enhance productivity and reduce the costs of doing business in the mobile marketplace by offering products designed for those specific needs.

Aurora, Illinois (PRWEB) February 6, 2008 — Acorn Computers, known as a customer-oriented online computer store, announced today its intentions to streamline their product offerings to address the needs of the mobile professional and consumer. With the narrowing of their focus, it is apparent Acorn Computers has listened to its customers and now offers a broad range of products tailored to meet the mobile business professional and consumer.

Acorn Computers will now offer a wide selection of reliable and cost-effective laptop computers including Panasonic Toughbook, Lenovo ThinkPad, Sony VAIO, Acer laptops, and Toshiba laptops. More brands of laptop computers may be added but Acorn Computers has made it clear that any additional manufacturers must have a stellar customer service and reliability reputation before they will be considered.

Acorn Computers will also offer a complete line of laptop accessories and peripherals the mobile business professional will need to take their office on the road. Laptop carrying cases in a variety of styles and materials, laptop stands, security cables and extended warranties make up a few of the laptop accessories Acorn Computers will now offer. Realizing the need for secure external storage of personal data, Acorn Computers will feature external hard drives and flash drives equipped with encrypting technology. And since being mobile inherently means being wireless, Acorn Computers will offer peripherals designed for ultimate mobility include wireless networking PC cards, wireless USB adapters and wireless mice.

With the shift to the mobile market, Acorn Computers is also announcing that it will discontinue several products including motherboards, processors, computer cases, power supplies, MP3 players, computer speakers and video cards. In essence, products that do not address the needs of the mobile professional and consumer will no longer be sold in store.

Realizing laptops usually are loaded with no more than an operating system and trial software, Acorn Computers, an authorized Adobe reseller, will continue to sell retail boxes as well as government, commercial, and not-for-profit licenses of Adobe software. Microsoft Office, Microsoft Windows and Symantec security and antivirus software will also be available to customers.

For additional information on the news that is the subject of this release, contact the Media Department or visit www.acorncomputers.com.

About Acorn Computers:
Acorn Computers is an online computer store specializing in products for the mobile business professional and consumer. They carry only brands we know to be reliable and trustworthy. If they wouldn't buy it themselves, they won't carry it in their store.