How To Speed Up Windows 8

How To Speed Up Windows 8

Computers are usually bought in top notch conditions bringing maximum performance to their users when they are new. Most users ignore the fact that their computer is bound to get slower by the day. The majority of computer users disregard proper maintenance as required. Hence, their computers gradually decline in performance. Windows newest Operating System, Windows 8 has slowly grown as it takes up the market share. Step by step procedures have been written down to ensure computer users receive the best from their money over time.

1. Remove programs from startup

When programs are installed, a shortcut is created in the startup. This enables services from the program to be launched once a computer is booted. With time, the computer has many services set to be running on startup. This consumes the primary memory of the computer and exhausts the processor as unused programs are also in operation. The following steps are used to remove unwanted programs from the startup and ensure the computer achieves required speeds in booting and its operations.

• Open the task manager.
• Click on Startup tab. A list of the programs running at startup is displayed.
• Right click on a program and select disable. On the status column, it should now show disabled.

2. Manage computer space

Unwanted files accumulate over time and take up disk space in computers. Once the primary partition holding the operating system is congested, the computers speeds go down tremendously. Removing unwanted files from the recycle bin, caches and cookies formed by browsers and other temporary files can all be done an application incorporated in windows through following the following steps;

• Open disk cleanup.
• Select drive to work on then select ok.
• Select file types to be deleted then ok.
• A message appears. Select delete files.

3. Hard disk defragmentation

Data saved in computers is stored in forms of files. These files are kept as data blocks in the computer’s hard disk. The continuous addition and deletion of files leaves huge gaps in between the data blocks created. The computer then gets hard time accessing data in the hard disk. Files that should be concurrent for easy access but are separate are said to be fragmented. To keep data in an organized format, the hard disks need to be regularly defragmented. The following steps are taken in implementing this.

• Open Computer. The hard disks present are displayed.
• Right click on any drive and select properties.
• Click on Tools tab.
• Select Optimize. A list of all active drives is shown.
• Select required drive and click on optimize.

4. Computer graphics

Computers with low RAM require their graphics to be allocated minimum space so that other important features can be worked on. The following steps are used in effecting this.

• Click on start and type performance information and tools. It will appear under settings.
• Click it and select adjust visual effects.
• You can then select what you require by clicking on the checkboxes. For critical situations, adjusting for best performance is recommended.

5. Uninstall unused programs

There are many programs that users install by visiting internet sites and making downloads. These programs are installed and consume space in the computer. Computer users are advised to keep only the programs they use and remove unused programs. In order to uninstall a program, a user has to;

• Click on control panel.
• Ensure the view is set to category view and click on uninstall a program.
• Go through installed programs and click uninstall on those unused programs to remove them completely.

6. Cleaning up of the computer

Computers are easily affected by unwanted programs that include Viruses, Worms and Trojans. Getting the right antivirus solution is the best solution. Windows 8 however comes preinstalled with windows defender which can be updated regularly to prevent from attacks from malware programs.

With the above solutions, a computers performance is bound to be at its best. Upgrading of computer components such as the RAM, processor and hard disk can also be considered.

Author Bio:

The Author is a professional writer with grown interests in computer interaction to help novices make the best of their computers. He writes for Essay Jedi.

8 Best Techniques Of Making Money With Joomla CMS

8 Best Techniques Of Making Money With Joomla CMS

As a free open source content management system (CMS) Joomla has been successfully utilized for building websites that fare well with the targeted audience. In addition to acting as an excellent source of building amazing websites, Joomla CMS has also opened doors for making quick money. Yes, this is true. With Joomla, you can make easy money and that too at a faster pace. If you’re intending to make quick money via your Joomla site then this is the perfect blog which will help you find the right information. In this blog, I’ve jotted down some of the best techniques of earning money via Joomla powered website.

Technique No.1- Offering Service Projects

Since Joomla has become one of the most desirable content management systems(CMSs), you can choose to provide services that are related to it. For example, you can opt for offering customer support services such as upgrading a Joomla powered website, fixing a hacked site, setting up E-commerce stores etc. Customers who tend to face issues with their Joomla website can seek your services and you can charge them accordingly.

Technique No.2- Writing reviews for products

Yes, it’s unbelievable but absolutely true. You can actually get paid by writing Joomla product reviews. Nowadays, customers prefer purchasing a Joomla product/service only after going through the reviews posted for the same. Hence, Joomla development companies are ready to spend a good amount of cash on Joomla service reviews. If you’ve a flair for writing and are skilled in penning down customer reviews then you can easily make quick money.

Technique No.3- Setting up Joomla templates and extensions up for sale

Joomla users across the globe are always in search of best extensions and templates that can improve the overall look and feel of their website. By becoming a Joomla Templates/Extensions provider, you can expect to earn a good sum of cash. No matter which country you belong to, selling Joomla templates and extensions will always offer you huge monetary profits.

Technique No.4- Writing and selling Joomla E-Books

Book writing has always been an effective means of making money. If you’re aware about Joomla features and functionality, you can choose to write e-books that can then be circulated among Joomla users for a good sum of cash. Today, there’s a good majority of authors who have written e-books that have received a great feedback.

Technique No.5- Offering Joomla hosting services

Hosting is undoubtedly a crucial aspect of every website. You can’t compromise on the hosting service for your site. Joomla being no exception to this, also requires effecting hosting service. Becoming a successful Joomla hosting provider allows you to grow your financial benefits by an incredible level. While offering Joomla hosting service, the aspects that you need to focus on include website security, hosting space, bandwidth, stability, loading speed, file transfer etc.

Technique No.6- Offering Joomla technical support services

Technical issues are a part and parcel of every Joomla website. People will continue to face problems in ensuring a smooth functioning of their website. They will hence, look out for support online. By offering Joomla technical support services, you can make good cash. The areas that you can choose to offer technical support in include SEO, website back-up, security, installation, content creation and so on.

Technique No.7- Join Joomla affiliate programs

Joomla affiliate programs have truly come up as brilliant means of making money. If you’re good at promoting Joomla products and services via websites, social media pages emails etc. you can always choose to gain monetary benefits. Internet is crowded with websites that offer tutorials that allow you to understand the ins and outs of participating in Joomla affiliate programs for making money.

Technique No.8- Offering online Joomla coaching and training classes

People who’re interested in Joomla always want to learn about it. This is the situation; you can take an advantage of. Choose to offer online Joomla coaching and training classes for a good fee. Joomla enthusiasts are ready to pay any amount of money for gathering insights on the CMS and they won’t feel reluctant in paying you a good fee for your online tutorials.

Wrapping Up

So that was a list of 8 result-oriented techniques that can aid you in making quick money via Joomla CMS. Hope you’d have enjoyed reading the compilation. If you want to add something to the above post, please proceed ahead by using the comments box below.

Author Bio:

Edword Jones is a web developer by profession and a writer by hobby and works for Offshore Joomla Development company. He loves sharing information regarding wordpress, Magento, Drupal and Joomla development tips & tricks. If you are looking for Joomla Programmer then just get in touch with him.

10 Substitutes to PayPal

10 Substitutes to PayPal

PayPal is a convenient way to pay and accept payment online. Many online merchants use the service to get payment along with credit cards or debit cards from major companies such as Visa and Mastercard. Merchants and online buyers aren't the only ones who take advantage of PayPal's services. There are so many freelance workers who rely on PayPal to get paid for rendered services. PayPal makes our life so simple when it comes to paying for goods and services online. Despite how useful it is, some have been frustrated with the quality of the service they get from PayPal. There's even a group that has created a dedicated website to gripe about PayPal.

So if you don't like Paypal, then here are a few alternatives:

1. Amazon Payments

This service lets you send money to friends and family. Amazon’s service offers a simple way to send money as you can easily pay on thousands of websites by using the information stored in your Amazon account so there’s no need to input your credit card or type in your address. Online sellers are charged 2.9% +$.3 per-transaction for transactions greater than $10.

2. Google Wallet

With this service from Google, you can send money to your friend in the U.S. as well as spend the money on your account on stores. It also has an added service that it lets you leave your loyalty programs and cards behind as it can store it for you.

3. Merchant Inc.

This service bills itself as “Hassle-Free Payment Processing.” Like PayPal, their service is compatible with Ebay. Merchants can use the service to accept credit cards on their website and even send invoices to their customers. Merchant Inc.’s standard rate for transactions is 1.99%. Merchant Inc. also promises sellers that they can receive payments in as little as two days.

4. Square

Merchants can get a device from Square that they can use to swipe the credit card of their customer. The device can be used on an iPhone, iPad, or Android device. While the device can be used by brick-and-mortar businesses, Square also has a service that allows online merchants to accept payment. Square’s rate is 2.75% for every transaction.

5. Serve

Want to pay bills online just like you do with PayPal? American Express’ Serve service lets you get a temporary card at retailers such as Office Depot, Walgreens, and CVS/pharmacy. You can add funds to the card for free at participating CVS/Pharmacy and 7-Eleven stores in the U.S. With Serve, you can also send and receive money from friends and family who also have a Serve account.

6. Dwolla

This company’s mission is to allow anyone to quickly and safely move money online at the lowest cost possible. And they do have one of the lowest rates around at just $0.25 per transaction or free for transactions that are less than $10. Users can send money to an email address or phone numbers, the recipient needs to open a Dwolla account to claim the funds. Dwolla also has a mobile app.

7. ProPay

Like Square, ProPay also provides a dongle that attaches to your iOS and Android device that lets merchants accept credit card payments. ProPay also offers other devices that let merchants accept credit cards. Their rate for swiping a card is 2.6% while their keyed rate is 3.4%.

8. 2Checkout

This service is already available in 196 countries around the world and they can process 26 currencies. As for their rates, it’s a bit on the steep side as their transaction rate is 5.5% and they charge another 45 cents per transaction.

9. Xoom

Just like Paypal, Xoom can be used to send payment to friends and family. Freelance workers can also use this service to get paid by their employers. It’s geared more towards those who want to send remittances.

10. Bitcoin

This is an emerging form of currency and merchants can use Bitcoins as a form of payment and even avoid transaction fees. The challenge is that not a lot of people use this and several major exchanges have closed recently so it makes it a little hard to exchange your Bitcoins to cash.

For those who are frustrated with the service they get from PayPal or who just want another payment processor, they can check out these PayPal alternatives. Some providers offer much cheaper transaction rates compared to PayPal so that could be a reason to switch providers even if you are satisfied with PayPal’s service.
Image Credit: sscreations

Infographic on Disaster Recovery

Infographic on Disaster Recovery

Having a disaster recovery plan (DRP) in place is essential to the survival of all businesses. Without a DRP, businesses are subject to the loss of data, revenue, and customer base during a disaster or downtime, which can be catastrophic. Many different DRP options exist, such as adjusting your in-house infrastructure, backing up data through a secure cloud hosting service, and adding redundancies to your servers so that there is little to no downtime in the event of an unforeseen circumstance. By having a proper DRP, you can ensure that your data is safe and your business will continue to operate even amidst a disaster.

Are You Textually Active? What Are You Really Saying on Text Message

Are You Textually Active? What Are You Really Saying on Text Message

Text messaging has greatly grown in popularity even within the last ten years. Today, over 90% of people who have smartphones use text messaging via SMS, or short message service. However, there is a surprising divide between male and female messengers.

Although most people believe that females always have more to say than males do, this is not necessarily the case with texts. In fact, males generally send more texts each day with an average of 17 regular contacts with whom they stay in touch. On the other hand, women tend to stay in touch with about 13 contacts. There is a difference in the style of men’s and women’s text messages though. Men usually send shorter messages that are to the point; women are more likely to send longer messages and to express feelings of love and affection via SMS. Although women realize that texts alone do not keep a relationship alive, many men believe that texts are a valid form of daily communication.

There is also a gap between age groups. Those who are younger tend to send more texts than those who are older. This infographic shows more surprising data about this texting phenomenon.

This infographic was produced by Scratch Wireless. You can find unlimited data plans from Scratch Wireless.

A Walk Through Amazing Games For Android Users

A Walk Through Amazing Games For Android Users

Gaming continues to remain one of the most cherished activities among people of all age groups. With the growing popularity of smartphones, gaming freaks have started accessing games via their hand-held internet-enabled devices. Android is one such mobile operating system that has become a hub of globally recognized games. Well, it goes without saying that the world’s best games are available on Android. You can easily have a great gaming experience on Android without the need for learning any technicalities. Today, I’ve written this blog to make you familiar with some amazing games that are tailor-made for Android users.

Game#1- Virtua Tennis Challenge

Virtua Tennis Challenge is a perfect match for all tennis lovers. This Android game enables you to create your own player and establish a successful career by beating more and more skilled tennis players. You can opt for playing a tournament by choosing from over five different playing modes. Backed by realistic sound and graphics, Virtua Tennis Challenge is definitely an addictive game, cherished by tennis lovers of all age groups.

Game#2- Cut The Rope

Cut The Rope is a cute Android game wherein you have to feed candy to the little monster named Om Nom. This game has witnessed 400 million downloads till date and comes with 375 and more levels to cross. All through the game, you need to collect gold stars, unlock new levels and discover hidden gifts/surpises. Adorable Om Nom makes the game a cute adventure trip.

Game#3- Subway Surfers

Subway Surfers is the game for all fast movers. In this game, you need to dash as fast as you can. Through the course of game, you need to dodge trains and avoid facing the grouchy inspector and his dog. You can easily use the swipe feature to make the character move from right to left, roll and jump. On attaining a good(high) score, you may also choose to share it on Facebook. Vivid HD graphics and power-packed swipe acrobatics make the game a complete fun experience.

Game#4- Battle Nations

As an award-winning epic strategy game, Battle Nations currently exists in version 2.3 and higher. In this game, you’re in complete command of the Imperial Army and need to complete missions across the great Frontier Assemble. As the game progresses, you get a chance to build an efficient Outpost to keep your empire safe.

Game#5- Muffin Knight

An action-packed game, Muffin Knight comes with amazing visuals and a set of fairytale characters that keep on gaining strength as you progress from one level to another. In this game, you need to fertilize a forest with unicorn, flood the world with candy and cover the sky with black holes. Some of the enticing features Of Muffin Knight include ability to play as 18 different characters, epic boss battles, 2.5D graphics, cross-platform compatibility and many more features.

Game#6- Rayman Fiesta Fun

If you’ve been an avid follower of Rayman Jungle Run, then you’ll surely love Rayman Fiesta Fun. This new wacky Android game comes with more than 75 levels and you need to beat all the 3 epic bosses to reach the Land of the Divine Dead Island. Through the course of game, you need to collect Lums to grab rewards.

Conclusion

Now that you’re well acquainted with the best Android games, hope picking up your best fit would become easier. Do install these games into your Android smartphones and I guarantee you’ll never get bored out of your mobile device. Prior to installing a game, make sure to cross-check its bug-free status because it shouldn’t be the case that in the wake of playing a new game, you tend to mess up all the other functionalities in your smartphone. So, make a good and an intelligent choice.

Please don’t forget to drop in your views/opinions on the above post using the comments box below.

Author Bio:

Liza Williams is a web developer by profession and a writer by hobby and works for OSSMedia Ltd company. He loves sharing information regarding wordpress, Majento, Drupal and Joomla development tips & tricks. If you are looking for Magento Theme Programmer then just get in touch with him.

What To Do If Your Hotmail Account Gets Hacked ?

What To Do If Your Hotmail Account Gets Hacked ?

Have you been receiving a lot of junk mail lately ? Have your email contacts reported receiving an email from you that you have absolutely no recollection of sending ? Or have they reported getting an instant message from you which you have never sent ? If the answer to any of these questions is a 'yes', then it is very likely that somebody has hacked your Hotmail account or stolen your Hotmail password. This is a very serious situation, and it is possible that this hacker may make use of your Hotmail account for illegal and even criminal purposes.

Steps To Be Taken By You Once You Find Out Your Hotmail Account Is Hacked :

Now that you have a strong idea that your Hotmail account has been hacked, you shall need to take immediate steps to retrieve the situation. We present a list of immediate actionable steps to be taken by you. However, before we go into the details, in case of any confusion in following the instructions given by us, we advise you to please use the Hotmail customer service contact number and get the help of the Microsoft service team to help deal with the problem.

Step 1 : Free Your PC From Malware Or Virus

Download and install a reputed anti-virus and anti-malware system such as the Microsoft Security Essentials (for a Windows 7 operating system) and Microsoft Defender ( for a Windows 8 operating system). Make certain of running a full scan of your system. And only after that, change your Hotmail account password.

Step 2 : Reset Your Hotmail Account Password

Once you have fully completed the scanning of your system, log in to your Hotmail account and reset your password. While selecting a new password, you shall need to make completely sure that you use something that is totally different from the old one. Please do not use any of the commonly used passwords that may be found in many accounts, such as "passwd" or "admin". Use something much more complicated. Make use of capital letters, symbols, lower case letters and numbers. But do make sure that this new password may be easily remembered by you. Run your password through Microsoft's password checker to make sure it has never been used before by anyone. And once set, make sure of changing your password at regular intervals.

Step 3 : Change Your Account Settings

Make sure of resetting your Hotmail account settings. Click on the "more mail settings" field in the "Options" tab and follow the instructions given on how to reset the various options available in your Hotmail account.

Step 4 : Get Back The Deleted Mail

One of the most important signs that your Hotmail account has been hacked is the sheer number of deleted mail. Once the Microsoft mail server has an inkling that your account is being hacked, it saves all the deleted mail in a special "Deleted" folder. Click on this folder, and opt for for "restore deleted mail" option. Now you are good to go!

Summary:

Hacking of the Hotmail account of private individuals is a serious problem that has become very common of late. The first step in dealing with it is to check for the signs that tell you whether your Hotmail account has been hacked or not. Then the instructions given in this article should be followed step by step to help in retrieving the situation.
Image Credit: Stuart Miles

Author Bio:

Smith is a professional programmer from NewYork , who has often been the victim of a Hotmail hack, and has found using the Hotmail customer service contact number a mighty useful way to deal with this mini-crisis. Besides helping out people who are under attack from dangerous hackers, He dabbles in photography and hates global warming.