Friday, August 28, 2009
What is an Unlocked Phone?
This is an article from wisegeek.com.
An unlocked phone is essentially a phone that can be used with any SIM card from any network. Most cell phone companies install special locking software on their phones that prevents the phones from being used with any other networks SIM card. However, there are ways to unlock a cell phone so that it can be used with any network.
One of the ways that cell phone companies attract new customers is to offer free or inexpensive phones when the customer signs a contract. In addition to charging a high termination fee if the customer cancels their phone line before the contract is up, cell phone companies protect themselves by locking all of the phones they sell to their network. This keeps them from losing money on customers who would buy a phone for a good deal from their company, then activate it with another network for a better rate.
Cell phone companies are able to do this because every modern cell phone has a tiny card in it called a SIM card. The SIM card is what identifies a cell phone as a certain phone number. In other words, a cell phone user can move their SIM card from one phone to another and still keep the same number. In addition, the SIM card is coded with the networks identification information.
A locked phone essentially has software that prevents it from working with a SIM card that has any other carriers information coded into it. Unlocking a cell phone therefore enables the phones owner to leave one cell phone company for another. With an unlocked phone, a person can use whichever cell phone company is offering the best rate or the highest quality services.
Another advantage is that an unlocked phone is worth more money. Many sellers on eBay and elsewhere sell cellular phones. Since an unlocked phone appeals to a wider audience, instead of only those with a certain carrier, it is often worth the minimal expense to unlock the phone.
Unlocking a phone can be done online for very little money, usually under twenty U.S. dollars. Some phones require a special code to unlock them, which can be purchased online. Other phones can be unlocked by downloading software online and hooking the phone up to the computer. Unlocking a phone is generally not difficult, and since an unlocked phone gives users more options, the time and money it takes is usually considered worthwhile.
Custom software (Bespoke software)
This is an article from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Custom software (also known as Bespoke software) is a type of software that is developed either for a specific organization or function that differs from or is opposite of other already available software (also called off-the-shelf or COTSsoftware). It is generally not targeted to the mass market, but usually created for companies, business entities, and organizations. Custom software is also when companies or governments pay for customized software for budget or project managing.
Examples of bespoke software include commercial products such as commercial websites, business databases and software for governments. Non-commercial custom software development is common in academic and open source circles.
Complex custom software can be developed on an increasingly small scale through the rise of rapid application development frameworks. This means that smaller companies, charities or even individuals are able to benefit from complex software based on pre-built building blocks which are then customized to suit.
For those wishing to outsource or undertake a software project, the typical steps involved include:
* Initial Meeting - requirements are discussed in detail.
* Proposal - a detailed proposal is produced, based on the initial meeting.
* Detailed Design - for most projects, there is usually more design work to clarify exactly how the system should work.
* Agree Contract - to achieve the best balance between cost and system functionality.
* Development - work starts on the proposed system.
* Delivery of System - at the end of development, a functionally complete system is delivered, which requires end-user testing.
* System Completed - testing is complete, and the system is ready for deployment.
According to Blueberry Consultants, the most important questions to ask of a developer before embarking on a software project include:
* Who has copyright?
* Will the system be built on top of any other platform or system?
* Will the system use or depend on third-party libraries or systems?
* Who has source code control?
* Who collects requirements from the customer?
* Will they assist with system deployment and firewall configuration?
* How long have they been in business?
* How many developers are employed?
* What programming languages are used?
* Will any form of logging be incorporated into the software to report bugs?
Monday, August 24, 2009
Paranoid about Mesothelioma
I am working next to an Asbestos building and I am extremely scared. The wind is always blowing towards us from that building - it scares me.. Sometimes I close down the windows but have to open it when the room gets too hot. This is why I am always in the lookout for any articles regarding Mesothelioma and publishing it in this blog. When I look for topics like treatments for Mesothelioma - the answers are making me creepy because there doesn’t seen to be any total treatment for Mesothelioma..
Monday, August 17, 2009
Motorcycle Accident Attorney
I was going through the net looking at motorcycles (I am a big fan, for now my Doctor has ordered me not to use motorcycles - thats until my knee gets better..). I am seeing a lot of sites for motorcycle accident attorney’s abroad..
But here in India, I am seeing very few motorcycle accident attorney sites.. wierd isn’t it, we have a lot of accidents happening here in India and very less laywers…lol.. There is a huge scope for them in India..
Sunday, August 16, 2009
Does your pet need a dietary supplement?
By Joan Shim
This is an article from CNN, Joan Shim is a freelance writer and former editor at Pet Product News.
If you take a multivitamin every morning and perhaps a supplement or two because you care about your health, does it make sense to do the same with your dog or cat? Stephanie Pendleton of Emerald Isle, North Carolina, would say yes.
Pendleton caught on to pet supplements a few years ago when she noticed that her 13-year-old cat, Sierra, wasn’t up to her usual antics.
“She was having a hard time jumping up on the counter, and she wasn’t playing as much as she used to,” Pendleton says. “Finally, she just spent less time up there, I think, because it was painful for her.”
Pendleton researched Sierra’s problem online, and learned about the joint supplements glucosamine and chondroitin. She asked her veterinarian, and they agreed to give the cat a product that combines both joint supplements.
“Sierra is jumping all over the place again,” Pendleton says.
Now, Pendleton is a believer in pet supplements. She gives Sierra and her other cat, 2-year-old Serenity, a multivitamin, probiotics to help their immune systems and essential fatty acids for skin and coat health. Sierra gets seven pills, Serenity four.
Demand for supplements is on the rise. The pet supplement market has grown about 15 percent annually since 2000 and is now a $1.3 billion business, according to the National Animal Supplement Council. Simmons Market Research Bureau says approximately 17 percent of pet owners give their cats and dogs some type of supplement.
A pet supplement is a product that is intended to complement the diet and help support and maintain a normal biological function. Products range from multivitamins for overall health to targeted formulas that claim to alleviate joint problems or canine cognitive dysfunction.
Dr. Tim Montague, a veterinarian at Eads Animal Hospital in Eads, Tennessee, started using supplements in 1992. He was wary at first because he didn’t learn about them in veterinary school, and there weren’t many on the market. But when an old professor of his recommended a joint supplement for one of Montague’s patients, he took notice. Montague’s golden retriever Ayla had an arthritic shoulder, so he also tried a joint supplement on her.
“She could barely make it up and down the stairs, but within a week after the supplement she was running and catching Frisbees in the yard,” Montague says. “That sold me on that product.” He said his patients have had good success with joint supplements and he prescribes them all the time.
But some substances, such as St. John’s wort, may not be suitable for pets, according to the Food and Drug Administration, and their safety and effectiveness is untested in animals. What’s more, some supplements have been found to contain lesser amounts of an active ingredient than the manufacturer claims, or substances like lead have been detected.
Dr. Tod Cooperman is president of ConsumerLab.com, which independently tests supplements for humans and animals. In the past few years, his company has reviewed roughly a dozen multivitamins, joint supplements and fish oils for pets and found that about half of the products tested don’t pass.
“We have repeatedly found the quality of supplements for pets to be worse overall than for supplements for people,” Cooperman says.
With the pet supplement market burgeoning, especially online, the FDA urges pet owners to talk to their veterinarians before giving supplements to their animals, something Montague agrees with.
“People need to be careful about self-medicating,” he says. “I’ve seen many animals harmed by people getting the wrong information over the Internet.”
Dr. John Bauer, professor of clinical nutrition at Texas A&M University’s College of Veterinary Medicine, offers four factors to consider when evaluating supplements:
1. Product quality - How much of the functional, active ingredient is in the product? Responsible manufacturers will have 800 numbers on the package to call with technical questions about the ingredients, and your veterinarian should know what specific questions to ask.
2. Efficacy - Is there any scientific basis to support the use of this supplement? If information about product testing isn’t available on the company’s Web site or elsewhere, call the company for details about the studies that have been performed.
3. Tolerance - Check the list of ingredients carefully before giving a supplement to your pet. For example, a supplement might include lactose, which some cats and dogs can’t tolerate. It’s a good idea to consult your veterinarian first to discuss how the supplements may react with any medications the pet is taking.
4. Safety - A product’s safety should be proven. For example, the company might state in its literature that it was tested in high doses on mice and found to be safe, or the number of adverse events reported might be few to none.