GPS Tracking Device Systems - Now Part Of Our Everyday Life

The United States military first introduced the global positioning system (GPS) technology in the 1970s solely for military use. In the 1980s, however, the restriction of use of this technology by military only was removed and it was made available for civilian use worldwide. The huge success of GPS in the military field, goaded development of the global positioning system technology in civilian applications with innovations in satellite navigation and GPS tracking device systems.
How do GPS Tracking Systems Work?
GPS can be used anywhere on earth, on land, at sea or in air. A minimum of 24 active GPS satellites orbit the earth every 12 hours. Each satellite transmits radio signals that help in finding the location, speed and direction of travel of users having GPS receivers. The whole world is covered by the constellation of GPS satellites, a convenient configuration facilitated by four satellites positioned in each of the six orbital planes.
Accuracy of GPS Tracking Device
Accuracy of GPS technology depends on the strength of signals that travel from GPS satellites to the GPS receiver. Accuracy is best when there is minimum obstacle between the sky and the receiver. If you are having a gizmo that receives a GPS signal, a good practice is to turn it on in a wide open area and stay there for a couple of minutes before the gadget gets the hang of the satellite signal. It takes about 60-80 milliseconds for a signal to travel from a GPS satellite to a GPS receiver.
The many uses of GPS
GPS is a massive leap forward for mankind in terms of technology innovation since the time the caveman first relied of footprints to track either human or animal movements. Today GPS technology is packed into as small a gadget as a cell phone or is installed in a car as a small widget. This literally means millions of people are able to use the GPS technology in their day-to-day lives.
It will be interesting to know the myriad areas of applications where GPS Tracking systems are used.
* Aviation: GPS Tracking Device Systems are the lifeline for aircraft pilots. GPS tracking software helps pilots for en route navigation and for airport approaches.
* Fleet tracking: GPS Fleet Tracking helps with automatic vehicle location and in-vehicle navigation systems.
* Environment - GPS is a great help during natural disasters. GPS helps survey disaster areas by mapping the movement of environmental phenomena like forest fires, oil spills and storms.
* Rail: GPS Tracking Device Systems are instrumental in locating trains, preventing collisions, maintaining smooth rail movements, and in minimizing delays.
* Surveying: In traditional surveying, locating a precise point of reference is very time consuming. All that is history now. GPS Technology has now made it easy to not only do simple tasks such as defining property lines but also perform complex tasks such as building infrastructures in thickly populated urban areas.
The above constitute only a small list of applications of GPS Tracking Device Systems. GPS has today made inroads into agriculture, recreation, marine and public safety. It will not be surprising when in the near future GPS Tracking Device Systems will be commonplace even among mundane people in developing countries.

Teletrac is a leading supplier of intelligent GPS driving solutions, including GPS Tracking Device Systems, GPS Fleet Tracking, Vehicle Tracking Services, Fleet Location Monitoring and Messaging. Visit us: http://www.teletrac.net.

The Power of the Web

Imagine if instead of putting hours of your time every week into advertising with yellow page books, online ads, networking groups and cold calling (not that any of these are bad), if you just had customers calling you that already want your services. This is the power of a successful website. A good web site will inform potential customers about any questions or interests they have and direct them either to an online shopping cart or contact page where they will hopefully contact you and make a purchase.
All of this is very much within reach for the average business owner, but is to often not achieved by many businesses due to the lack of understanding of the entire process of obtaining a successful website. What happens in so many cases is we have part of the puzzle put together but are missing the other crucial pieces that are necessary to reach our goal. What some people don't understand is that there are several factors that contribute to the success of our site and the fact that we have done some of those things right will not get us there without the other parts being in place. I will try to break down the factors that are neccesary for us to reach our goal.
The first part is pretty simple, we need to have a site that is well designed, meaning that it looks good and is easy to navigate. Although this sounds pretty simple it is so often overlooked because we think that what we have is good enough, but what some of us are calling good enough is turning away customers. Many business owners either try to design their site themselves or have a family member or friend that "knows what they're doing" do it. Being a small business owner myself I know the hardships of living from job to job, but I strongly believe the benefits are well worth the efforts to make sure you end up with an effective website. Many people are simply scared of the price tag, but you can find a good web designer at a decent price if you d your research and ask around. Finding someone that a friend or acquaintance has used in the past will be a valuable asset in your search but try to avoid having a student or someone that has very little experience doing it because their inexperience may steer you wrong.
Now many people have accomplished the first step but not many business owners have a proper understanding of what it takes for people to find your site. This step requires SEO or (Search Engine Optimization). This consists of keywords, meta tags, headings, titles, external links and a bunch of other factors that contribute to being found by the algorithms that are used by the search engines such as Google, Yahoo, and Bing. Most of the details about SEO are not important to you but it is important that you find someone that specializes in this area that can make sure that your pretty new site can actually be found, and having at least a basic understanding of what it is doesn't hurt either. You want to make sure that your site has high enough rankings in a particular search that you will be on the front page. If you go to http://www.mikes-marketing-tools.com/ranking-reports/ you can check how your site ranks on the four largest search engines with particular searches, for example a flower shop may rank #45 for roses in Chicago, but rank #10 on flowers in Chicago.
The last part of making your site successful is using PPC or (Pay Per Click) if you have already achieved great results with SEO than this may not be necessary but in some cases it can be hard to be placed as high as you want in the search rankings and so you can use PPC. PPC is the advertising you see on the side of the page when you are searching on the web. The up-side of this is that you can usually get your ad on the first page of any given search but the down-side is that you are paying every time someone clicks on the link to your site on your ad. Many times this is an acceptable loss considering that the people going to your site very well may purchase your services or products. You can do your own PPC Google advertising at https://adwords.google.com and you will find all of the other search engine company's PPC advertising if you do an online search. There are also a number of company's that can help you with this service if you prefer.

This concludes this article, I know I did cover every detail involved with web design, if you have interests in this subject you will want to continue to research the subject. Since the web is an ever- changing arena there are endless possibilities of what can be done. I hope this article has been helpful to you and this article and other info can be found at my website http://oneeightydesign.com. Thank you for reading this and have fun exploring the uses of the world wide web.
Written By Nathan Flajole

Finding The Right Microsoft Certification Training

It seems the value of certification in the IT industry only continues to increase. Whether you are an individual that is looking to further your career, or a business executive that has recognized the value of having certified employees, it is important to find a Microsoft Certification training provider that offers the type of delivery method that is right for you.
First of all, it is important to find a delivery method that suits your individual learning style. Some people may enjoy the freedom of self-paced training, while others may require a more structured approach. You can find both of these options in courses that can be taken completely online. However, this may not be the best solution if you are more of a hands on type of person.
Some students may prefer a hands-on learning experience that offers the availability of an instructor to answer questions as they arise. A classroom environment also offers the additional advantage of student interaction and collaboration that isn't normally found in online courses. If time is of the essence, some companies offer boot camps that are designed to give each student the same hands-on, in depth learning experience, but in a fraction of the time it takes to complete traditional courses.
Once the delivery method is determined, it is also important to find a provider that offers the courses that are needed for the desired certification. It is also very helpful to find one that offers study labs and testing. Most reputable providers will offer students the guidance they need in choosing a recommended path to becoming certified.
Your individual budget is another thing to consider when choosing a provider. Keep in mind that some facilities may have lower course prices, but it is important that you know what is included in the price in advance. Any additional expenses, such as courseware and exam vouchers should also be included. Some providers may offer packages that include everything you need to become certified and more.
Instructor led courses should be conducted by a Microsoft Certified Trainer (MCT). Additionally, it is a good idea to ask the facility about their student success rate for passing exams. A high exam success rate is typically a sign of quality training. The facility and classrooms should also be equipped with the proper technology for students to get the most out of their learning experience.
Many companies seek well trained and highly qualified individuals, but the demand for Microsoft Certified Professionals is so high that they are often difficult to find. This employment gap has led many individuals down a successful path to becoming a Microsoft Certified Professionals. It is important to find a Microsoft Certification training provider that offers options that suit the students learning style, schedule, and budget.

Click here for more information on Microsoft Training and SQL Courses

10 Secrets to a Healthy Computer and a Happier You

There comes a time in a person's life where no matter how much you fight it time takes its toll and we begin to slow down in how we perform our daily activities. However, in order to extend our youthful glow and energy levels it is important to eat right, exercise, and keep a positive outlook on life.
Now you may ask what has any of that got to do with "Secrets To A Healthy Computer?"
Well, in a way we're all just like a computer. If you neglect to take care of yourself you soon will cease to function properly and the many tasks that once were easy to do now take twice as long to accomplish and often require you to rest or "reboot" after a malfunction.
I can't tell you what foods to eat or what exercises to perform because I am not a nutritionist. Although, with my experiences in the personal computer field I can share with you some tips of how to keep that rectangle box of circuitry that sits within sights range functioning at maximum performance as long as time will allow.
Some important steps to follow are....
Make certain that your computer is located in a well ventilated area and that all air vents are unobstructed to prevent overheating and premature failure to any internal components.
Clean out the dust build-up at least every 6 months from the inside of the computer case including case vents, power supply vents, and all visible circuitry with a few cans of compressed air that can be purchased from any major computer store or electronics outlet. This will help reduce the chances of overheating and circuitry damage.
Before cleaning just be certain to always unplug the computer from the wall outlet and never physically contact the circuitry inside the computer case to prevent damage.
Be prepared for an unsuspected failure by always making backups of any important data that you do not and can not afford to lose.
I personally keep updated backups of my website and even store the disks at a remote location away from my every day use computers just in case a disaster were to occur and my main computers were destroyed resulting in the need for those lost files.
Purchase and install a well known anti-virus program that can be regularly updated with the latest virus definitions and ran during boot-up to help protect your computer from being the victim of an unwanted infestation.
Every few months or so run your computer's "Scandisk" program followed by the "Defragmenter" program to maximize the efficiency of your hard drive.
If you are not certain of how to use these utilities and being that the steps to execute these programs varies slightly from one operating system to the other it would be easiest to simply use the "Help" option that can be found by clicking on the START button found on your computers desktop.
The START menu will open up a drop-down-box that should display the "Help" option. By going here you can enter the keywords that deal with the answers to the subject you are searching for.
Run your computers "Disk Cleanup" utility every other week or so. If set the "Disk Cleanup" utility will automatically empty the recycling bin and recover some wasted disk space by removing the internet temporary files that seem to always accumulate.
Again, use the "Help" option if you are uncertain of how to perform this task.
Never smoke near a computer because the cooling fans will pull the smoke into the case where it can coat the inside parts of the computer with a residue which in turn can damage sensitive components.
Place the computer case in an area where it will not be accidentally kicked or bumped to prevent the loosening of cables and damage to internal parts.
Invest in a high quality surge protector to provide your computer and monitor against voltage spikes or "surges" that can dramatically shorten the life of your system. Just like most items in a store, "You get what you pay for". So don't skimp out on this important device!
Its also not a bad idea to invest in a surge protector that includes what is called a "Data Line Protector" which allows you to connect your telephone lines to and serves the same purpose for the telephone line to your modem just like the surge protector does for the electrical household current lines.
Finally, if you plan on being away from home for more that a few days at a time or if there is a thunderstorm brewing in your area it is a very wise decision to always unplug all electrical lines and modem telephone lines from your system. Even with a surge protector installed it is possible that such a large voltage spike such as one caused by a lightening strike could prove fatal to any computer system.
If you follow these simple steps the outcome is a healthy computer that will stay by your side and treat you well which also results in a happier you.

Dan devotes much time working on his internet ventures. He currently has a T-Shirt store at [http://www.cafepress.com/tshirtsngifts] and an ebook store at [http://online-book-store.net] that caters to his visitors.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/133

Buying the Perfect Computer - The FIRST Time

So you've finally decided it's time for a change. No matter
what advice you follow that old work horse of a desktop
computer you have has outlived its usefulness with slow
loading applications and a continuous rise in operation
noise.
Searching for that Perfect Computer can be about as much fun
as purchasing a new car and about as frustrating also when
sorting through the various brands while trying to decide
which "bells and whistles" best fit your needs. Besides all
that trying to return something that is so large can be both
inconvenient and very difficult to do. So making the right
decision the FIRST time is the wise path of choice.
For starters you'll need to decide what you want to do with
your computer. Are you into the video game scene or are you
someone who likes to just surf the internet and occasionally
do some book keeping with simple word processing software?
If you're into video games you're going to want a machine
that can handle the high level of graphics and superior
sound quality. On the other hand if you're not into all
that high adrenalin stuff you can probably get by with a
less expensive system. Although, if you want to stay on the
safe side I would recommend going with something more
"high-end" so you don't have to spend another large chunk of
change to upgrade the system you just bought.
There are two basic routes you can take when purchasing a
new computer.
1) Purchase a "Brand Name" Computer
2) Purchase a "Clone" Computer
A "BRAND-NAME" computer is one that is manufactured by a
company that is recognizable by name.
Some Advantages/Disadvantages of "Brand-Name" computers
include:
Advantages:
Customer Support- If you are experiencing problems with your
computer you will have the option to contact a
representative of the company that you purchased the PC from
to get help in solving your problem.
Customer support is probably the best reason to buy a
brand-name computer.
Warranty- Having a warranty is always nice since it acts as
a type of security blanket for you.
In case a part on your computer should fail you should be
able to get the item fixed at no charge just as long as the
warranty has not expired.
Read and understand a company's warranty policy BEFORE you
purchase a computer from them.
This way you'll have a good understanding of the procedures
to follow in case a problem should arise.
Pre-installed Software- Many companies will include software
packages that are all set up and ready to go for you on your
computer.
Although, a disadvantage of buying a brand-name computer
with software pre-installed is that you usually end up with
more than fits your needs and usually just results with the
wasting of space on your storage device.
Additional Support- Most brand-name computer companies are
also able to provide you with web sites that may provide you
with current software updates, user manuals, or basic
troubleshooting help.
Disadvantages
The use of Proprietary parts- the term Proprietary refers to
products that are unique to an individual company and that
company only.
So if a part was to malfunction on your computer after
warranty and you needed to replace it you could not just go
to your local computer store and purchase any old part even
if it was intended for the same function as the item that
failed.
You would be forced to buy the exact same item that came out
of the computer or else the computer would more than likely
cease to function correctly.
Having to buy proprietary parts usually involves the need to
place an order which means you'll have to wait for the part
to arrive or you'll have to send your computer into the
company or an authorized dealer of that company for
repairs.
People with a home based business would probably not be too
happy with that situation at all.
Integrated/On-board parts- In the computer world when you
hear the word integrated or on-board it means that a
particular part such as the modem or sound port where you
plug in your speakers, is built-in or part of the computer
main board (Also known as the Motherboard).
This means that if any of these items should fail, you can't
just remove them from the computer and replace them with a
new part. They are usually soldered directly to the main
board and are stuck there.
Although, some computers do provide a way to disable a
malfunctioning device which will allow you to install your
own store bought device to take the place of the broken
part.
From a computer technicians point of view this is not always
easy to do.
It just depends on what brand of computer you currently
have. Meaning some are easier to work on than others.
A "CLONE" computer is a clone or a copy of its brand-name
counterpart with the exception that instead of company
specific or proprietary parts, the items used to make a
clone computer are from several different companies instead
of only one.
Let's say that if you were to go to a local company that
builds "clone" computers, and you tell them what you need,
chances are they don't use parts that are specific to only
that type of computer like the brand-name computer companies
do.
This is a good thing because it means that they will
probably use components that are interchangeable with many
different brands and are easy to come by if needed.
Some Advantages/Disadvantages of "Clone" computers include:
Advantages:
Cost- compared to brand-name computers the clone will
generally be easier on your pocket book when purchasing one
with similar features as its brand-name counterpart.
This is most likely due to the money that is saved by not
offering the high-end customer service. Although, that may
not be the only reason for the lower prices.
Easily Accessible Replacement Parts- Since the clone
computer was built with parts that are not any one company
specific, you can buy parts for the clone computer that can
be used even if the brand is different from the one that was
in the computer when you originally bought it.
NOTE: Before you buy any parts, it is necessary to make sure
that the replacement parts are compatible with your
particular computers system requirements.
Either consult the manual that should have came with your
computer or get help from a knowledgeable friend or repair
person.
Disadvantages:
Warranties- Unless you purchase a service plan you will
typically not have as an attractive warranty as you would
with a brand-name computer company.
Whatever you do just make sure you understand how long the
warranty is for and as to what kind of repairs the warranty
covers before you make the purchase.
Customer Support- With brand-name computer companies you are
usually provided with a 24-hour toll free number that you
can call if you have questions or concerns with your
computer.
Clone computers are more than likely not going to have a
24-hour help service, but rather you will be forced to only
be able to call during regular business hours.
Also, it is more than likely that there will not be any one
website that you can go to in order to find out information
concerning troubleshooting questions you may have.
For service it may be necessary to take the computer back to
the store that you bought it at or you may have to do some
research on the individual parts that went into the computer
and visit the manufacturer's website for troubleshooting
tips.
Finally, if all else fails you can certainly take what you
have learned from this article and being that you know what
you need now, but don't know where to go and get that
"Perfect Computer", the best resource at your disposal are
the very men and woman that work at your local electronics
shop.
It is their duty to help you get hold of that "Perfect
Computer" that best fits your needs. All you need to do is
tell them what you plan on using that computer for and they
should be more than happy to help you from there.

Dan devotes much time working on his internet ventures. He currently has a T-Shirt store at [http://www.cafepress.com/giftsandtshirts] and an ebook store at [http://online-book-store.net] that caters to his visitors.

How DATA is LOST

Over 95% of the people and businesses that I speak with have experienced data loss. However the sad fact is that the majority of businesses are woefully unprepared and do not understand the serious risk of data loss.
Do you have a disaster recovery plan?
The data that you store on your computer can be lost in many ways. Many people are not aware of the various ways that their data can be placed in jeopardy.
First, there are the obvious ways:
Physical damage to the computer, such as fire or water damage, is one surefire way to lose all the data on your computer. Although insurance may cover the physical damage to your machine(s), and you may be able to replace the actual hardware, no insurance policy can resurrect your data.
Another common way that individuals lose the data they have worked so hard to build up is THEFT. Much like damage done to your computer via various natural disasters, insurance may cover the physical hardware, but no policy will be able to save the information stored on your hard drive and other physical media.
Without some form of backup solution, your data is at risk every day.
There are many other things that can happen that can cause partial or full data loss. Other common occurrences are:
Data corruption (failed CRC or MD5 checks),
Hard drive failure (the older a hard disk gets the closer you are getting to the MTBF, or "mean time between failure" that every disk is rated for at the factory),
OS failure (it is not uncommon for a machine to fail to reboot after having critical system files replaced, such as during the application of a Windows Service Pack or driver update).
Human error - simply accidentally deleting a file or directory happens more often than you would think. Not to mention the "not so accidental" deletion by a disgruntled employee.
Viruses and worms - even though protection for these digital pests is readily available and in general use, loss of data associated with them is still widespread.
These are just a few of the pitfalls that can plague the computer that has not had backups done in a timely manner.
Right about now, you may be asking yourself: "What can I do?" Actually, there is one simple solution to all your data integrity needs: offsite data backup.
Unlike backups you may be used to doing with tape drives or other removable media, offsite data backup provides a much more transparent, easy to use solution, as well as having the added security of storing your files in a secure location that is guaranteed to keep them safe (remember, if your office building catches fire, not only does your workstation lose it's data, but your tape backups will most likely be destroyed as well, barring the use of expensive fireproof storage.
Offsite data backup is easy to set up and protects your data in the most secure, economical way possible. If you are considering implementing a data backup for your company or personal computers do yourself a favor and consider using an offsite secure backup service. This is the simplest and most effective form of disaster recovery.
Your DATA is your LIFE. Protect it.

Harald Anderson is a freelance writer and webmaster for http://www.online-remote-data-backup.com an online backup service. Experience the Digital Peace of Mind that safe, secure, encrypted online data backups can offer. Online Backups