Memory Stick is a removable flash memory card format, launched by Sony in October 1998 [1], and is also used in general to describe the whole family of Memory Sticks. In addition to the original Memory Stick, this family includes the Memory Stick PRO, a revision that allows greater maximum storage capacity and faster file transfer speeds; Memory Stick Duo, a small-form-factor version of the Memory Stick (including the PRO Duo); and the even smaller Memory Stick Micro (M2). In December 2006 Sony added the Memory Stick PRO-HG, a high speed variant of the PRO, to be used for high definition still and video cameras.
Friday, March 27, 2009
What is a memory stick
What is a LAN (Local area network)
A local area network (LAN) consists of two or more computers connected together in a building or home using software and hardware. A LAN is contrasted to a wide area network (WAN) such as the Internet, which covers a large geographic area. In a LAN, there is a main computer or server, and remote computers called clients. By creating a LAN in the home or office, computers on the LAN can share files, resources, and if desired, an Internet connection.
A LAN can be one of two types: wired or wireless. A wired LAN requires Ethernet cable to physically connect all computers on the network to a main device called a switch. A wireless LAN uses radio waves to communicate, eliminating the need for wires. Therefore, the hardware used in a LAN should all be of either the wireless or wired type.
A LAN is fairly easy to setup. All Microsoft operating systems since Windows 98 Special Edition (SE) have included built-in networking software. In terms of hardware, each computer requires a network interface card (NIC). A switch is also required. This is a device that resembles an external modem and directs information on the network. If the LAN will be talking to another network, like the Internet, a router is also required. Luckily, one can purchase an external DSL modem with a built-in switch and router, in wireless or wired configurations.
Desktop computers typically use internal NICs that slip into an available slot on the motherboard, while a laptop might use a portable computer (PC) NIC. This type of NIC resembles a thick credit card that can be inserted into the PC card slot on the laptop.
If the LAN is to be hard-wired, each NIC must have an Ethernet port for connecting an Ethernet cable. In a wireless LAN, each NIC might feature a small radio wave antenna. The server is hard-wired to the DSL modem, switch or router, while the clients can communicate wirelessly, if desired. If there is to be no connection to the Internet or any other LAN or WAN, a switch alone will be fine.
Once the LAN has been set up, an administrator can designate which files and programs can be shared on the LAN. Some areas of the server may be kept behind a firewall to prevent access. All traffic on the LAN, including email, Internet surfing and other activities, can be monitored by the administrator using various tools.
The advantages of a LAN in the office are manifold. By having a central printer, for example, a business can avoid buying individual printers for each workstation. Workflow is enhanced while being easier than ever to control and administer. Flexibility and creativity can also improve. A LAN is a win-win situation for management and employees alike.
A LAN at home is extremely convenient. Share programs, images, music and digital projects, and enjoy gaming. Share a high-end colour printer, scanner or other equipment. If concerned about your children’s Internet use, a LAN is one way to supervise online activity.
A hard-wired LAN is more trouble to install, as it requires running a physical Ethernet cable from each client to the DSL, switch or router. However, a wired LAN is reliable and secure. A wireless LAN is easier to install and less expensive, but requires a few more steps in the software setup to ensure it is secure. It may also be slower than a wired LAN, but this depends on the wireless standard used, as newer standards effectively compete with Ethernet speeds.
What is a Windows DLL File
A DLL is a Dynamic Link Library
In a nut shell, a dynamic link library (DLL) is a collection of small programs, which can be called upon when needed by the executable program (EXE) that is running. The DLL lets the executable communicate with a specific device such as a printer or may contain source code to do particular functions.
An example would be if the program (exe) needs to get the free space of your hard drive. It can call the DLL file that contains the function with parameters and a call function. The DLL will then tell the executable the free space. This allows the executable to be smaller in size and not have to write the function that has already exists.
This allows any program the information about the free space, without having to write all the source code and it saves space on your hard drive as well. When a DLL is used in this fashion are also known as shared files.
The advantage of DLL files is that, because they do not get loaded into random access memory (RAM) together with the main program, space is saved in RAM. When and if a DLL file is called, then it is loaded. For example, you are editing a Microsoft Word document, the printer DLL file does not need to be loaded into RAM. If you decide to print the document, then the printer DLL file is loaded and a call is made to print.
All in all a DLL is an executable file that cannot run on its own, it can only run from inside an executable file. This would be like having a car without an engine, where as an executable has an engine.
To do load a DLL file, an executable needs to declare the DLL function. A DLL may have many different functions in it. Then when needed the call is made with the required parameters.
Here is what a Declaration and call might look like in a executable file. This example is simplified so that you might understand it better:
- Declare GetFreeSpacex, Kernel32.dll (Drive_Letter, Buffers_If_Any, Value_Returned)
Now let’s run a program and make the call.
The DLL is not loaded into RAM until the next line. - GetFreeSpacex "C",Buffers_If_Any, Drive_Letter
Now let's tell the user how much free space is on drive C - Use a MessageBox = "The free space on drive C: is ", Value_Returned, "bytes"
This call required 3 lines of code. Where as if you did not call the DLL file it may have taken you 30 or 40 lines of code.
If a call or a declaration is made incorrectly a GPF (General Protection Fault) may occur. A call to the same DLL but of a different version might require more or less parameters; or the call may not exist. If a DLL or an executable is the wrong version for your OS (Operating System) it will cause a GPF or lockup your machine. To fix GPF errors you should use a tool like System Sentry. System Sentry can show you what calls are available in a DLL file and what Calls an executable file is making. It can also tell what version a DLL is, and track when one is replaced.
Generally newer version DLL files are backward compatiable.DLL files from Windows ME may not be compatible with Windows 98. Many Windows ME files work well on 98 but not all will. The same hold true for Windows XP and 2003. If you dual boot a computer with XP and 2003 you must use the file C:\NTLDR and C:\Ntdetect.com from Windows 2003. If you use the files from XP Windows 2003 will not boot, but XP will. NTLDR is backward compatible.
Fix "Initializing the root folders to display" Message
When opening files from Word, Excel, etc. you are presented with and have to wait for a dialog that says “Initializing the Root Folders to Display.” After it finishes, browsing through items becomes painfully slow.
There is a problem with one of your mapped network drives. At least one of them is either disconnected or awaiting credentials. If you reconnect or disconnect it altogether, this problem will go away.
Thursday, March 26, 2009
10 security threats to watch out for in 2009
Along with the explosion of new technologies, user habits, and social practices comes the inevitable wave of new security threats. Deb Shinder examines emerging vulnerabilities, from social networking to cloud computing to IP convergence.
We’re well into the new year now, and we’re beginning to see trends emerging on the security front. Some of the threats we’ll see this year will be similar to those in years past (after all, many of the basic con games now being perpetuated online were around long before the advent of computers and the Internet). However, attackers are becoming much more sophisticated in their methods to circumvent the increased levels of security built into operating systems and applications. Here are 10 security threats that are likely to become more prominent in 2009.
Note: This article is also available as a PDF download.
1: Social networking as an avenue of attack
Social networking has experienced a boom in popularity over the last few years. It’s now finding its way from the home into the workplace and up the generational ladder from the young folks into the mainstream. It’s a great way to stay in touch in a mobile society, and it can be a good tool for making business contacts and disseminating information to groups. However, popular social networking sites have been the target of attacks and scammers. Many people let their hair down when posting on these sites and share much more personal data (and even company data) than they should.
Think you’ll solve the problem just by blocking social networking sites on your company network? Not so fast. As Steve Riley pointed out in his recent talk on attack progressions at the 2009 MVP Summit, today’s young professionals are growing up with social networking, and they expect to have it available to them at work just as older employees expect to be able to use their office telephones for reasonable, limited personal calls. In addition, you lose the business benefits of social networking if you shut it down completely. After all, companies didn’t shut down e-mail because it could present a security threat. A better approach is to educate your workers about social networking practices and develop policies governing social media use. As an example, take a look at Intel’s Social Media Guidelines.
2: More attacks on the integrity of the data
Another point Steve made in his presentation is that “First they came for bandwidth; now they want to make a difference.” In the past, many attackers were looking for a free ride on your Internet connection (for example, by connecting to your wireless network and using it to access the Web, send e-mail, etc.). Then the nature of attacks progressed. Instead of the network being the target, it was the data. The next step was stealing data, but step after that is even more insidious: the malicious modification of data (making a difference).
This can result in catastrophic consequences: personal, financial, or even physical. If a hacker changed the information in a message to your spouse, it could harm your marriage. If the change were to a message to your boss, you might lose your job. Changing information on a reputable Web site regarding a company’s financial state could cause its stock prices to drop. A change to electronic medication orders on a hospital network could result in a patient’s death.
3: Attacks on mobile devices
Laptop computers have presented a known security risk for many years. Today, we are more mobile than ever, carrying important data around with us not just when we go on business trips but every day, everywhere we go, on smart phones that are really just small handheld computers. These devices have important business and personal e-mail, text messages, documents, contact information and personal information stored on them. Many of them have 8 or 16 GB of internal storage and you can add another 32 GB on a micro SD card. That’s much more storage space than the typical desktop computer had in the 1990s.
People lose their phones all the time, but many of these devices aren’t configured to require a password to start the system, the data on them isn’t encrypted, and very few protective measures have been taken. They are security disasters waiting to happen. Businesses should develop policies regarding the storage of company information on smartphones and require encryption of data on internal storage and on flash cards, strong passwords, use of phones that can be remotely wiped when lost, etc. Of course, you don’t have to lose the phone to have its data stolen. Attention should also be paid to the potential for attacks using Bluetooth and Wi-Fi.
4: Virtualization
Virtualized environments are becoming commonplace in the business world. Server consolidation is a popular use of virtualization technologies. Desktop virtualization, application virtualization, presentation virtualization — all of these provide ways to save money, save space, and increase convenience for users and IT administrators alike. If it’s properly deployed, virtualization can even increase security — but that’s a big “if.” Virtualization makes security more complicated because it introduces another layer that must be secured. In essence, you now have to worry about two attack surfaces: the virtual machine and the physical machine on which it runs. And when you have multiple VMs running on a hypervisor, a compromise of the hypervisor could compromise all of those machines.
Another virtualization-related threat was demonstrated by the infamous Blue Pill VM rootkit. Hyperjacking is a form of attack by which the attacker installs a rogue hypervisor to take complete control of a server, and VM jumping/Guest hopping exploits hypervisor vulnerabilities to gain access to one host from another.
The easy portability of virtual images also presents a security issue. With modern virtualization technology, VMs can be easily cloned and installed to a different physical machine. The ability to go back to “snapshots” of past images can inadvertently wreak havoc with patch management.
5: Cloud computing
If virtualization was last year’s buzzword, this year it’s all about “the Cloud.” The uncertain economy and tight budgets have companies looking for ways to lower operating costs, and outsourcing e-mail, data storage, application delivery, and more to cloud providers can present some attractive potential savings. Microsoft, IBM, Google, Amazon, and other major companies are investing millions in cloud services.
Cloud advocates envision a day when we’ll all use inexpensive terminals to access our resources that are located someplace “out there.” But when your data is “out there,” how can you be sure that it’s protected from everyone else “out there?” In fact, the biggest obstacle to moving to the cloud, for many companies and individuals, is the security question. IDC recently surveyed 244 IT executives and CIOs about their attitudes toward cloud services, and 74.6% said security is the biggest challenge for the cloud computing model.
Google, a prominent player in the cloud space, is the subject of a recent complaint to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) by the Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC), which seeks a suspension of Google’s cloud computing services until verifiable safeguards are established.
6: More targeted attacks on non-Windows operating systems
Although Windows still has 91% of the desktop OS market, there has been a big push in some quarters to deploy Linux or Macintosh as a supposedly more secure alternative. But are they really? One reason the non-Windows operating systems have enjoyed fewer attacks is the simple fact that the Windows installed base presents a much bigger target for attackers. Just as terrorists prefer to attack large gatherings of people where they can do the most damage, so do hackers prefer to write malware that will spread to the greatest number of computers — and that means Windows.
However, as other systems get more publicity and become more popular, they also become more attractive to the bad guys. Malware has been becoming less Windows-centric for the last few years; the 2007 Open Office worm, for example, infected Linux and Mac OS X systems as well as Windows. And Charlie Miller, a security researcher who won a recent hacking contest by breaking into a fully patched MacBook in a few seconds, said, “Hacking into Macs is so much easier. You don’t have to jump through hoops and deal with all the anti-exploit mitigations you’d find in Windows.”
Whatever the reality, the perception is that non-Windows operating systems are becoming more popular as Apple steps up its advertising campaign and vendors offer more notebooks preinstalled with Linux. As they become more high profile, look for hackers to spend more time and energy creating attacks that target non-Windows systems.
7: Third-party applications
Microsoft has put tremendous effort into securing the Windows operating system and its popular productivity applications, such as Microsoft Office. Linux and Mac receive regular security updates. As operating systems become more and more secure, attackers will focus less on OS exploits and more on application exploits. The major Web browsers are routinely updated to patch security vulnerabilities. But the vendors of many third-party applications are less security-aware. This is especially true of freeware applications written by independent developers. These programs, which may not have been written with security in mind to begin with and which do not automatically check for and download security updates, present an opportunity that we can expect attackers to take advantage of.
8: Side effects of green computing
Green computing is all the rage today, and saving energy is certainly a good thing — but as with beneficial medications, there can be unexpected and unwanted side effects. Recycling computer components, for instance, can expose sensitive data to strangers if you don’t ensure that hard drives have really been wiped cleaning. (Hint: Deleting files or even formatting disks doesn’t guarantee that the data is gone.)
On the other hand, such green initiatives as powering down systems that aren’t in use can actually enhance security, since a computer that’s turned off isn’t exposed to the network and isn’t accessible 24/7.
9: IP convergence
Convergence is the name of the game today, and we are seeing a melding of different technologies on the IP network. With our phones, cable TV boxes, Blu-ray players, game consoles, and even our washing machines connected to the network, we’re able to do things we never even imagined a decade ago. But all of those devices on an Internet-connected network present myriad “ways in” for an attacker that didn’t exist when only our computers used IP.
We can only hope that the manufacturers of all these devices put security at the forefront; otherwise, we may see a rash of new malware targeting vulnerabilities in our entertainment devices and household appliances.
10: Overconfidence
Perhaps the greatest threat to the security of our networks, whether at work or at home, is overconfidence in our security solutions. Many home users believe that as long as they have a firewall and antivirus installed, they don’t have to worry about security. Businesses tend to put too much faith in the latest and greatest security solutions. For example, there is an assumption that biometric authentication is infallible and undefeatable — but it can be compromised in various ways, and when it is, the legitimate user it was meant to protect becomes the victim. If the system shows that your fingerprint was used to log on, you may be presumed guilty, and an investigation might not even be deemed necessary.
Another type of overconfidence is common among home users and in the business environment, especially with small companies. That’s the idea that “We don’t have anything worth hacking into so we don’t need to worry about security.” In today’s interconnected world, neglecting security doesn’t just put you at risk; it also puts others at risk. Your systems could be used as zombies to attack a whole different network.
End users on a business network often think of security as somebody else’s problem and operate on the assumption that the IT department is taking care of them, so they don’t have to do anything about security.
Overconfidence of any type is a dangerous security threat — but it’s one that you can most easily do something about because it doesn’t require expensive technology or sophisticated technical skills — just a change in attitude. We all have a responsibility to keep our own systems as secure as possible.
File Previewers for Outlook
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How Can A Business Keep Everyone Happy?
A market downturn can take the luster out of a growing business and end any glory days it may have experienced, but even more devastating to any business is the effects they reap when they try to make the wrong segment of its fans happy. While privately-held companies often struggle for funding, going public may not be all that it is cracked up to be either. entrepreneur
Once the shift has been made to a publicly traded status, there is another bunch offer the business owner advice on how the run the business. They are called shareholders and to many businesses can be dark cloud blocking the sun on their future. When things are going good and shareholders are earning good returns, they tend to stay in the background silently collecting their dividend checks. When an even occurs that may cause a loss of revenue, some shareholders are the first ones out the door, placing blame on everything and everybody.
Earnings expectations are the darling of the investment community and companies that meet or exceed their earning are praised regularly. They may escape massive criticism for failing to meet one quarter's earnings projections, but two in a row can be a death knell for a business. Unfortunately, the fallout from missed earnings and the wrath of the investors usually fall on two places that have the least amount of control over the business's operations and are the affected the most…customers and employees.
As unwise and unfair as it may be, when companies are struggling to turn a profit, the logical step is to cut expenses, to bring them inline with income to maintain the profit margin. One of the quickest ways to reduce expenses is by cutting payroll or benefits, leaving the business short staffed with unhappy workers who have to work harder for possibly less benefit. When a business lack the manpower to properly take care of the business, customer service suffers.
This circle can be likened to a buzzard circling dying prey in the desert. Sales have gone down, expenses have been cut resulting in fewer workers, resulting in less customer service, resulting in fewer customers, resulting in even fewer sales. Sometimes businesses need to just bite the bullet and live with a small loss over a short period, depending of course on the circumstance that caused the downturn and continue to give customers a reason to visit their business.
If the customers remain and sales can improve, the earnings will return and the growth path continues. However, in some cases the business may deserve to die, if the leadership of the company is not taking care of business when they have the chance. As a business owner it is important to recognize the needs of the customer and the employees as opposed to always looking after the wants of the shareholders. The owner needs to consider how pleased the shareholders will be if the customers stay away in droves and the business closes. Keeping customers happy should be their main concern, as well as the concern of the shareholders.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
TorrentVolve Release - PHP Bittorrent Client
Fortunatly, throughout all of the commotion of classes, I did manage to complete a project. Although it has been kept pretty much under wraps, I finally released the software alpha to the world today. Projects class brought the opportunity to develop my own open-source project. So I put together a great development team, and 7 weeks later TorrentVolve emerged. It is hosted at http://www.sourceforge.net/projects/torrentvolve
What TorrentVolve is:
TorrentVolve is an open-source, multi-user, bittorrent client written with PHP. The intention was to make a web based torrent client that was really fast and supported any torrent client that users would like to use. We definitely accomplished that. The torrent client ships with a server version of Azureus so downloads can start immediately. If you would like to use a different client, we have a couple of interfaces to implement so the system knows how to use your particular client, drop it in the torrent modules directory, and select it in the admin page
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
13 tips to get your blog noticed
Here are some simple things you can do to get your blog noticed quickly:
- Submit your blog to all of the directories listed on Pingomatic which allows you to ping a few services all at once.
- Submit your blog to Pingoat which allows you to ping over fifty blog ping services all at once.
- Sign up for an account at BlogExplosion and register your blog there. After registering visit other members blogs to earn credits.
- Submit your blog to all of the directores listed at RSS Feeds directory
- Sign up for My Yahoo and add your blogs feed to your own “My Yahoo” account. This will get your blog included in Yahoo very quickly.
- Sign up for My MSN, and add your blog to your own “My MSN” account. This will get your blog included in MSN very quickly.
- Sign up for Google Pages, and add add some content (non spam) and link to your blog. This will get your blog included in Google very quickly.
- Place a link to your blog in your signature, so that any posts to Forums, Outgoing Emails, etc, will promote your blog.
- Place your blog on all the major search engines. AddMe.com will submit your blog free to the top 14 Search engines.
- SubmitExpress.com will submit your blog free to the top 20 Search engines.
- Submit your good articles to Ezine Articles
- Locate blogs with a lot of traffic and place relevant comments in their comment box . Do not spam or place the ‘I like your site,visit mine’ type comments.
- And last, post quality content as often as possible
I hope these tips help you get your blog noticed. Know any other good tips? Please share them here.
11 Reasons Google Adsense Can Ban Your Account
- The clicker’s IP address matches the one on your adsense account.
It’s a no-brainer. Don’t click on your own ads. - Suspiciously high CTR
According to a report I read, anything above 10% will be flagged, but 6% or 7% would probably be a safer limit. - Clickers’ IP addresses come from the same geographical area
This is for those who think they can get away with clicking on their ads from their friends’ computer, their grandma’s computer, and their neighbor’s computer. This will raise the red flag on your account, however if the site specific to a region, say a current events website - almost all clicks would be coming from the same region. - Cookies
Most users don’t use the same IP address every time they login. That’s why Google stores the IP addresses related to a particular user in a cookie. If you thought using a proxy clicker bot was gonna make you an adsense millionaire, don’t quit your day job. - Short-stay pattern
Usually, visitors on your site take a few seconds to check out your content, and then maybe they’ll click on your links. Google doesn’t like it the other way around, i.e. if they only stay a few seconds just to click on links. - One-site pattern
Google compares different users’ activities on different sites. It will ask: why is this user clicking on ads on site X and not on any other site? - Direct-access pattern
Google doesn’t like it when one category of users clicks on your ads more than another. In particular, they don’t like it when users who access your site directly (i.e. no referrer) click on your ads but no one else does. So much for click exchange forums. - Big Brother
Google doesn’t just own adsense. They also own Gmail, Google earth, and a host of other applications. They WILL track your IP across these applications so don’t think that just because you don’t use an IP to login to adsense you can use it to click on your ads. - The invisible website
If your website doesn’t rank highly on Google’s search engine, they may get suspicious if you get an insane amount of traffic and clicks. The traffic won’t get you banned, but all those clicks better be legit. - Begging the click
Don’t write stuff like “please visit our sponsors” on your webpage. You have to be a moron to think that Google can own a search engine and not find out about this sort of thing. - Conversions
Conversions are tracked by the adwords owner placing a code on whatever page they consider to be a conversion. Most often it’s a thank you page for the completion of an order or sale, leads, or view of a key page. Google has some strong detection methods but they don’t have magic powers. The reps at Google are less than forthcoming but the last three I have spoken to have all pretty much said that the majority of people they cancel are being just stupid, clicking their own ads and trying to disguise them as being part of the site.
disable flash in Firefox
Do you want to disable flash on the fly in Firefox?
Flash block is an extension for the Mozilla, Firefox, and Netscape browsers that takes a pessimistic approach to dealing with Macromedia Flash content on a webpage and blocks ALL Flash content from loading. It then leaves placeholders on the webpage that allow you to click to download and then view the Flash content.
Monday, March 23, 2009
Telstra NextG Connection Problem
Hi all,
It appears Telstra are currently having difficulties with part of their mobile network which may cause you to not be able to connect to the Internet using your Next G modem.
If you are experiencing problems please do the following:
- Insert your Telstra 3G modem into your computer.
- Open the Telstra Turbo Connection Manager
- Select the Tools Menu and select options
- Click the Network Icon on the left hand side of the window
- Under the Network Settings heading there is a item underneath called Frequency. Click on the word “Automatic” on the same line.
- Select from the popup, the item that says “3G 850”
- Click the apply button then press ok.
- Now try and connect.
Blackberry's Shows GSM Connection Instead of GPRS or 3G
Sometimes Blackberries lost connections to GPRS or 3G, so they lost ability to receive or send emails -
For example, it only shows GSM or SOS on the network signal
1. Go to "Options" -> "Mobile Network" -> "Network Selection Mode"
2. Set "Network Selection Mode" to "Manual"
3. Set the connection to a different service provider e.g. from Optus to Telstra
4. Set it back to your original service provider e.g. Optus
Menu options based on Blackberry Bold series or 8800, may vary on different models.
The blackberry should now switch back to GPRS or 3G
What is CSS? And how can I remove it so as to play and copy the DVD?
Content Scrambling System (CSS) is created by the Hollywood Studios to prevent DVD movies from being pirated. The CSS encrypts the data on a DVD and requires a special key to decrypt it. Only DVD player developers can get the key from the studios so that their products could decrypt the data on the fly during the playback. You can see the folders and files of a movie DVD in a DVD-ROM drive, but if you just simply copy the content to computer, the copy you get will not be watchable. Therefore before you copy a DVD movie you have to rip the protection from it first.
However the protection systems is rather easy to defeat by many decrypting applications. For example, there is a powerful freeware for unlocking DVD movies named DVD43. After the DVD movie is unlocked by DVD43, most applications can read the DVD movie freely without changing any setting of the applications or the computer system. The decrypting process takes merely several seconds. It is easy to find such software using search engines on Internet (like google).
However the protection systems is rather easy to defeat by many decrypting applications. For example, there is a powerful freeware for unlocking DVD movies named DVD43. After the DVD movie is unlocked by DVD43, most applications can read the DVD movie freely without changing any setting of the applications or the computer system. The decrypting process takes merely several seconds. It is easy to find such software using search engines on Internet (like google).
Friday, March 20, 2009
Apple Unlikely To Sell Cheaper Computers
Apple chief executive Steve Jobs on Tuesday said the company is unlikely to start selling low-priced computers, despite the global economic slowdown, and has no plans to enter the emerging mini-notebook market or to build a variety of iPhone models.
Jobs made an unusual appearance at the teleconference the company holds with financial analysts after releasing quarterly earnings. Apple on Tuesday reported that profits rose to $1.14 billion in the fiscal fourth quarter ended Sept. 27, as sales increased 27%, driven primarily by iPhone and Mac computer sales. The company also said that it had surpassed during the quarter its goal of selling 10 million iPhones this year.
In answering analysts' questions, Jobs said the company is prepared for the economic slowdown with a loyal customer base that's likely to delay purchases rather than turn to competitors, a successful product portfolio that offers strong value for the money, and $25 billion in the bank.
While Apple could get "buffeted around by the [economic] waves a bit," Jobs said he was confident the company would do well in the slowdown. "I think this economic downturn will present some extraordinary opportunities for companies with cash," he said.
Asked whether he would consider returning some of the cash to investors, Jobs dodged the question, but indicated that the company would prefer to invest the money in its business during the downturn. "It's not burning a hole in our pockets," Jobs said of the money stash. He also declined to say whether Apple would use the money for acquisitions.
As to selling cheaper computers to attract consumers with thinner wallets in a slow economy, Jobs said that wasn't a strategy the company would pursue, preferring instead to beat the competition on features within the high-end market.
"What we want to do is deliver an increasing level of value for customers," he said. "We don't know how to make a $500 computer that's not a piece of junk, and our DNA won't let us do that."
One new market Apple would stay out of for the time being is for so-called "netbooks," defined as sub-$500 notebooks with displays 10 inches or smaller and running a full PC operating system. Most of the major PC makers are offering such machines as second or third computers for people looking to check e-mail or browse the Web on the road.
"That's a nascent category that, the best that we can tell, not a lot is being sold," Jobs said. "We'll wait to see how that nascent category evolves, and we've got some pretty interesting ideas if it does evolve."
In the meantime, Apple has the iPhone, which can browse the Web from anywhere on a cellular network and fit in your pocket, Jobs said. Asked whether he would consider making a variety of models, like other mobile phone makers do with their products, Jobs said Apple plans to stay with one iPhone and make it a strong platform for software that would differentiate the product from rivals'.
Read more (http://www.informationweek.com/news/hardware/mac/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=211300345)
Jobs made an unusual appearance at the teleconference the company holds with financial analysts after releasing quarterly earnings. Apple on Tuesday reported that profits rose to $1.14 billion in the fiscal fourth quarter ended Sept. 27, as sales increased 27%, driven primarily by iPhone and Mac computer sales. The company also said that it had surpassed during the quarter its goal of selling 10 million iPhones this year.
In answering analysts' questions, Jobs said the company is prepared for the economic slowdown with a loyal customer base that's likely to delay purchases rather than turn to competitors, a successful product portfolio that offers strong value for the money, and $25 billion in the bank.
While Apple could get "buffeted around by the [economic] waves a bit," Jobs said he was confident the company would do well in the slowdown. "I think this economic downturn will present some extraordinary opportunities for companies with cash," he said.
Asked whether he would consider returning some of the cash to investors, Jobs dodged the question, but indicated that the company would prefer to invest the money in its business during the downturn. "It's not burning a hole in our pockets," Jobs said of the money stash. He also declined to say whether Apple would use the money for acquisitions.
As to selling cheaper computers to attract consumers with thinner wallets in a slow economy, Jobs said that wasn't a strategy the company would pursue, preferring instead to beat the competition on features within the high-end market.
"What we want to do is deliver an increasing level of value for customers," he said. "We don't know how to make a $500 computer that's not a piece of junk, and our DNA won't let us do that."
One new market Apple would stay out of for the time being is for so-called "netbooks," defined as sub-$500 notebooks with displays 10 inches or smaller and running a full PC operating system. Most of the major PC makers are offering such machines as second or third computers for people looking to check e-mail or browse the Web on the road.
"That's a nascent category that, the best that we can tell, not a lot is being sold," Jobs said. "We'll wait to see how that nascent category evolves, and we've got some pretty interesting ideas if it does evolve."
In the meantime, Apple has the iPhone, which can browse the Web from anywhere on a cellular network and fit in your pocket, Jobs said. Asked whether he would consider making a variety of models, like other mobile phone makers do with their products, Jobs said Apple plans to stay with one iPhone and make it a strong platform for software that would differentiate the product from rivals'.
Read more (http://www.informationweek.com/news/hardware/mac/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=211300345)
Gateway releases 16-inch MC series laptops
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Gateway on Monday released its first 16-inch laptops, the MC7801u and the MC7803u. With a 16:9 aspect ratio screen, 16-inch (and 18-inch) models are beginning to emerge.
Unlike traditional 16:10 laptop displays, a 16:9 screen matches the ratio of movies and HD content. Similar to the redesigned MacBook, the display on Gateway's MC series laptops features a glossy glass overlay that runs edge to edge. The 16-inch screen features a 1366x768 resolution; you'll need to bump up to an 18-inch model for 1080p playback.
The $950 MC7801u features a 2.0GHz Core 2 Duo T5800 CPU, 4GB of DDR2 RAM, 64-bit Vista Home Premium, and a 320GB hard drive. So what don't you get on this sub-$1,000 laptop? You miss out Intel's latest Centrino 2 platform, and the laptop relies on integrated Intel GMA 4500MHD graphics.
A second model in the 16-inch MC series, the $1,000 MC7803u, will feature a dedicated 512MB ATI Mobility Radeon HD 3650 graphics card. Providing the MC models with a distinctive look, a thin pleather strip runs down the middle of the lid. The lower-end MC7801u features a burgundy lid, and the higher-end MC7803u features a black lid.
Other features include HDMI and VGA ports, backlit keyboard and multimedia controls, Webcam, DVD burner, Draft N Wi-Fi and Gigabit Ethernet, four USB 2.0 ports, and ExpressCard and media card slots.
The Gateway MC7801u is being sold through Best Buy and is included in our holiday retail laptop roundup. Look for our review next week.
Did Michael Phelps blow it?
Olympic swimming superfish Michael Phelps has apologised for his “regrettable” behaviour.
A photo shows the multiple Olympic gold medal winner allegedly inhaling from a glass pipe generally used to smoke cannabis.
“I engaged in behaviour which was regrettable and demonstrated bad judgment,” Phelps said. Read the full story here (http://origin-www.thewest.com.au/default.aspx?MenuID=29&ContentID=122350)
“I’m 23 years old, and despite the successes I have had in the pool, I acted in a youthful and inappropriate way, not in a manner that people have come to expect from me.
“For this, I am sorry. I promise my fans and the public - it will not happen again.”
Phelps was considered a pin-up boy of world sport.
Corporate Express builds new data centre
Corporate Express has built a new 121 square metre data centre within its Sydney south headquarters and has virtualised almost 90 per cent of company IT systems.
The company, which is best known for office supplies, said it had built the facility with a view to a 15-year lifecycle but had adopted a virtualised and modular approach to engineering and design.
He said that while Corporate Express had purchased some blades to enable it to run at higher computing densities, its primary server environment consisted of 16 IBM 3650 servers running some 370 virtual instances.
It is using VMware to run virtualisation on these servers and has virtualised workloads including Exchange and its SQL databases, according to Jones.
"Initially when we went into the virtualisation implementation cycle we had a view that workloads that had low latency such as databases wouldn't be good virtualisation candidates, but we've changed our minds over time," Jones said.
"We're about to upgrade to Exchange 2007 and that will be virtualised. We've also virtualised our SQL database servers as well because we're pretty confident the VMware platform can sustain the demands of those types of workloads."
Although Corporate Express runs some Microsoft applications - more than they first thought before conducting the virtualisation audit - Jones said the company saw itself as a Unix shop.
"Our core business applications run on Unix and Red Hat Linux and then we use the Microsoft platform for some supporting technologies," Jones said.
From a physical data centre design perspective, Jones said the company had selected a modular UPS blade system from Eaton and direct-drive computer room air conditioning (CRAC) from Stulz.
He said the equipment would enable the centre to use only the power it needed as it grows and also to run at temperatures of 28°C and above.
Jones said Corporate Express had also been able to build the data centre for somewhere in the vicinity of $12,000 per square metre, but wouldn't reveal the exact costs of building the facility.
However, he said that from a total cost of ownership perspective, it would work out substantially cheaper than taking a suite in a wholesale data centre.
"Our initial thought was ‘why build a data centre, let's host it in someone else's," Jones said.
"But when we did the analysis, going into an external facility looked quite attractive for three or four years, but beyond that it became cheaper to build our own."
He said that while Corporate Express had purchased some blades to enable it to run at higher computing densities, its primary server environment consisted of 16 IBM 3650 servers running some 370 virtual instances.
It is using VMware to run virtualisation on these servers and has virtualised workloads including Exchange and its SQL databases, according to Jones.
"Initially when we went into the virtualisation implementation cycle we had a view that workloads that had low latency such as databases wouldn't be good virtualisation candidates, but we've changed our minds over time," Jones said.
"We're about to upgrade to Exchange 2007 and that will be virtualised. We've also virtualised our SQL database servers as well because we're pretty confident the VMware platform can sustain the demands of those types of workloads."
Although Corporate Express runs some Microsoft applications - more than they first thought before conducting the virtualisation audit - Jones said the company saw itself as a Unix shop.
"Our core business applications run on Unix and Red Hat Linux and then we use the Microsoft platform for some supporting technologies," Jones said.
From a physical data centre design perspective, Jones said the company had selected a modular UPS blade system from Eaton and direct-drive computer room air conditioning (CRAC) from Stulz.
He said the equipment would enable the centre to use only the power it needed as it grows and also to run at temperatures of 28°C and above.
Jones said Corporate Express had also been able to build the data centre for somewhere in the vicinity of $12,000 per square metre, but wouldn't reveal the exact costs of building the facility.
However, he said that from a total cost of ownership perspective, it would work out substantially cheaper than taking a suite in a wholesale data centre.
"Our initial thought was ‘why build a data centre, let's host it in someone else's," Jones said.
"But when we did the analysis, going into an external facility looked quite attractive for three or four years, but beyond that it became cheaper to build our own."
Microsoft has unveiled a beta version of its Silverlight 3 browser plug-in at its MIX09 developer conference in Las Vegas.
The Silverlight platform, which competes with Adobe Flash, features the animation, vector graphics and audio-video playback that characterise rich internet applications. Silverlight 3 offers more than 60 controls for improved graphics, animation and 3D features, including full support for high-definition video in full-screen mode and stutter-free live and on-demand video.
The new platform also expands the number of supported media formats, including H.264 for HD content, as well as enhancements such as deep linking to improve navigation through content and to automate search engine optimisation.
Silverlight 3 also promises to help developers create lightweight web applications that can exist outside the browser, giving users the potential to use them online and offline in a variety of environments.
"In the short time since we launched Silverlight and Expression Blend, Microsoft has rapidly introduced new features and functionality that enable customers to deliver outstanding web sites," said Scott Guthrie, corporate vice president of the .NET Developer Platform at Microsoft.
"We are working closely with the community to deliver software that helps businesses provide customer experiences on the web that go beyond 'good enough' and drive real business results."
Several components of the Microsoft Web Platform were also announced at the show, including an integrated set of tools, servers and frameworks that work seamlessly together and interoperate with popular open source applications and products used in the community.
The new enhancements to Silverlight 3 are the driving force behind a range of new features in Microsoft's Virtual Earth application.
The company also announced details about Expression Blend 3 Preview, and updates to the Azure Services Platform.
The new platform also expands the number of supported media formats, including H.264 for HD content, as well as enhancements such as deep linking to improve navigation through content and to automate search engine optimisation.
Silverlight 3 also promises to help developers create lightweight web applications that can exist outside the browser, giving users the potential to use them online and offline in a variety of environments.
"In the short time since we launched Silverlight and Expression Blend, Microsoft has rapidly introduced new features and functionality that enable customers to deliver outstanding web sites," said Scott Guthrie, corporate vice president of the .NET Developer Platform at Microsoft.
"We are working closely with the community to deliver software that helps businesses provide customer experiences on the web that go beyond 'good enough' and drive real business results."
Several components of the Microsoft Web Platform were also announced at the show, including an integrated set of tools, servers and frameworks that work seamlessly together and interoperate with popular open source applications and products used in the community.
The new enhancements to Silverlight 3 are the driving force behind a range of new features in Microsoft's Virtual Earth application.
The company also announced details about Expression Blend 3 Preview, and updates to the Azure Services Platform.
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Fix Hotmail Loading in Firefox by downloading Firefox 3.1 Beta 3
Users of Firefox have been reporting a bug where they had problems viewing the emails in Hotmail Inbox. When they clicked on Inbox or any other folders on the left pane, the bottom left will show a yellow "Loading…" message box and it remains like that. Clicking on any messages in my Inbox is inaccessible too. It was a very common bug back that everyone faced and no workaround was avaialble.
Top 12 Drugs Most Searched on Internet
Pharmaceutical companies know how to market their products. One commercial on television can pique the interest of a viewer, but the description of the product is vague and the possible side effects are mentioned in a quick ramble at the end of the ad. The next logical step before going through the typically complicated process of contacting a doctor? Look up the drug on the internet to get more information.
The internet provides the convenience to inquire about a specific drug in an anonymous way and the opportunity to consider the pros and cons of the drug before taking the next step of speaking with a medical professional. And comScore, Inc. tracks the number of searches done on specific drugs, a research project that not only helps pharmaceutical companies but health care professionals who prescribe those drugs.
comScore is an online measurement services that analyzes digital data. The company's results from a February of 2008 survey of drug brand names most searched on the internet produced interesting results. While drugs that treat depression make up the majority of the list of fifteen drugs, it is Chantix that topped the list with 507,000 searches. Chantix is a medication that is used to help people stop smoking, and considering the great social and medical pressure on smokers to quit the habit, it is not particularly surprising to find the drug most advertised in various types of media as the most searched name brand in the survey.
However, it is depression medication that makes up the majority of the list. Cymbalta, Lexapro, Effexor, and Paxil are all drugs used to treat various forms of depression and appear in the top twelve. Prozac was also thirteenth in the survey, making that five of the top fifteen most-searched drugs related to depression. This seems to be a direct result of the fact that there are so many types and degrees of depression, so the natural tendency would be to inquire as to which drug might be most appropriate for the condition any one person is experiencing.
Adderall came in second in the most common searches with 469,000 queries, and considering its quick rise to becoming the most popular drug prescribed for ADHA, its popularity on the internet is not much of a surprise. Viagra taking third place in the survey is a widely prescribed and advertised drug for the treatment of erectile dysfunction is also not a particularly shocking development.
Researchers noted that there was an interesting correlation between the number of searches for ADHD (573,000) and Adderall (469,000). They noted that the popularity of the condition nearly matches the marketing success of the drug often prescribed for its treatment, and this type of survey result confirms that the pharmaceutical company is branding and marketing its product effectively.
Also noted is that Lyrica, a drug prescribed for Fibromyalgia, made it into the eighth spot on the list, and the rise in its popularity only happened in the past few months. The health condition itself has not been surrounded by much awareness, that is until Lyrica began marketing its product through a campaign that has given the public more knowledge of symptoms and possible treatments for the disease.
The internet continues to grow as a tool for consumers to research products, whether it be on medical websites or blogs of those who use the drugs, to explore the benefits and side effects of solutions to medical problems. Those consumers are then able to approach their doctors with more knowledge, more educated questions, and a better idea of what their treatment may encompass.
Computer Virus FAQ
What is a virus?
A computer virus is a program that spreads by first infecting files or the system areas of a computer or network router's hard drive and then making copies of itself. Some viruses are harmless, others may damage data files, and some may destroy files. Viruses used to be spread when people shared floppy disks and other portable media, now viruses are primarily spread through email messages.
Unlike worms, viruses often require some sort of user action (e.g., opening an email attachment or visiting a malicious web page) to spread.
A computer virus is a program that spreads by first infecting files or the system areas of a computer or network router's hard drive and then making copies of itself. Some viruses are harmless, others may damage data files, and some may destroy files. Viruses used to be spread when people shared floppy disks and other portable media, now viruses are primarily spread through email messages.
Unlike worms, viruses often require some sort of user action (e.g., opening an email attachment or visiting a malicious web page) to spread.
What do viruses do?
A virus is simply a computer program -- it can do anything that any other program you run on your computer can do. Some viruses are designed to deliberately damage files, and others may just spread to other computers.
A virus is simply a computer program -- it can do anything that any other program you run on your computer can do. Some viruses are designed to deliberately damage files, and others may just spread to other computers.
What is a worm?
A worm is a type of virus that can spread without human interaction. Worms often spread from computer to computer and take up valuable memory and network bandwidth, which can cause a computer to stop responding. Worms can also allow attackers to gain access to your computer remotely.
A worm is a type of virus that can spread without human interaction. Worms often spread from computer to computer and take up valuable memory and network bandwidth, which can cause a computer to stop responding. Worms can also allow attackers to gain access to your computer remotely.
What is a Trojan horse?
A Trojan horse is a computer program that is hiding a virus or other potentially damaging program. A Trojan horse can be a program that purports to do one action, when in fact, it is performing a malicious action on your computer. Trojan horses can be included in software that you download for free or as attachments in email messages.
A Trojan horse is a computer program that is hiding a virus or other potentially damaging program. A Trojan horse can be a program that purports to do one action, when in fact, it is performing a malicious action on your computer. Trojan horses can be included in software that you download for free or as attachments in email messages.
Can I get a virus by reading my email messages?
Most viruses, Trojan horses, and worms are activated when you open an attachment or click a link contained in an email message. If your email client allows scripting, then it is possible to get a virus by simply opening a message. It's best to limit what HTML is available in your email messages. The safest way to view email messages is in plain text.
Most viruses, Trojan horses, and worms are activated when you open an attachment or click a link contained in an email message. If your email client allows scripting, then it is possible to get a virus by simply opening a message. It's best to limit what HTML is available in your email messages. The safest way to view email messages is in plain text.
Can't attach zip files in email
Some people have discovered that when they try to attach zip files to email, Outlook 2003 can't 'see' the files. They see every other file in the File Browser dialog except zips.
This is related to the Compressed Folders utility included in Windows and its ability to view zips as folders. You'll need to unregister the zip handler or drag the zips from Windows Explorer to the new mail window to attach them.
To disable the feature at the Start menu, Run command, type:
regsvr32 /u zipfldr.dll
To restore the functionality, return to Start Menu, Run command and type:
regsvr32 zipfldr.dll
How to cook a BBQ
How to cook a BBQ
Paradise by the BBQ Grill Lights
Barbeques are one of the time-honored traditions of the summer season. Getting together with friends and family to relax outdoors and enjoy freshly grilled food with delightfully cool beverages, falls somewhere just short of paradise. To make the most of your BBQ entertaining, learning the basics of BBQ grilling and how to tie everything together is key.
Barbeques are one of the time-honored traditions of the summer season. Getting together with friends and family to relax outdoors and enjoy freshly grilled food with delightfully cool beverages, falls somewhere just short of paradise. To make the most of your BBQ entertaining, learning the basics of BBQ grilling and how to tie everything together is key.
Basic Grilling
Before you can start hosting BBQs, you need a grill. BBQ grills are available in gas versions that require propane to burn, and charcoal grills that use charcoal briquettes as a heat source. Gas grills are quicker as you don’t need to wait for the charcoal to burn down, but many people swear that gas grilled food doesn’t taste as “authentic” as food cooked over a charcoal grill. Of course, some BBQ enthusiasts even debate calling BBQ grills actual barbeque, as traditionally barbequed food is slow cooked in a pit and never grilled at all. Whatever your grill situation, the basic facts remain the same. Call it a Grill or a BBQ, in either case it’s good cooking. Before ever grilling, you will need to “season” your grill by letting it burn at a medium temperature for about three hours. Doing this will remove any impurities in the metal or paint that comprises the grill.
Before you can start hosting BBQs, you need a grill. BBQ grills are available in gas versions that require propane to burn, and charcoal grills that use charcoal briquettes as a heat source. Gas grills are quicker as you don’t need to wait for the charcoal to burn down, but many people swear that gas grilled food doesn’t taste as “authentic” as food cooked over a charcoal grill. Of course, some BBQ enthusiasts even debate calling BBQ grills actual barbeque, as traditionally barbequed food is slow cooked in a pit and never grilled at all. Whatever your grill situation, the basic facts remain the same. Call it a Grill or a BBQ, in either case it’s good cooking. Before ever grilling, you will need to “season” your grill by letting it burn at a medium temperature for about three hours. Doing this will remove any impurities in the metal or paint that comprises the grill.
Where’s the Meat?
Deciding what to grill is largely a matter of personal taste. Hamburgers, hot dogs, brats, steak, chicken breast, fish and pork chops are all excellent grilled. Having a selection of meats available is a great way to make sure everyone gets something they enjoy.
Deciding what to grill is largely a matter of personal taste. Hamburgers, hot dogs, brats, steak, chicken breast, fish and pork chops are all excellent grilled. Having a selection of meats available is a great way to make sure everyone gets something they enjoy.
- Hamburger – Grilling burgers is one of the easiest types of outdoor cooking. For medium well hamburgers, you’ll want to make ¼ lb patties and grill them for approximately 5-6 minutes on each side. As each grill is different, you’ll want to keep an eye on cooking times the first few times you use your grill. Mixing Worcestershire sauce and onion soup mix into the hamburger before making patties adds a little zing to your burgers. For cheeseburgers, add cheese slices when the hamburgers are 1-2 minutes away from being done for properly melted cheese. Hamburgers should be cooked over a medium hot fire.
- Hot Dogs/Brats – It doesn’t get any easier than grilling hot dogs or bratwurst sausages. As they go directly from the package to the grill, all you have to do is make sure they don’t get burnt. Providing diced onions, grilled peppers and even chili along with the standard condiments can turn ordinary grilled hot dogs into something special. Hot dogs and brats should be cooked over a medium hot fire.
- Steak – There’s nothing better than a well grilled steak glazed with BBQ sauce, but there’s no easier way to ruin a great steak than by grilling it too long. How long to cook your steak will depend on your personal preference, as well as the cut and thickness of the meat. Until you become familiar with your grill, use a meat thermometer to gauge a steak’s doneness. 145°= rare, 160° = medium and 180°= well done. Using seasoned rubs and marinades on the meat prior to cooking will add new dimensions of flavor. Steak should be cooked over a hot fire with the goal being to have a seared outside and a juicy inside.
- Chicken Breast – Grilling on a BBQ really brings out a great flavour in normally bland chicken breast. Seasoning the meat underneath the skin will insure that the flavour is well distributed throughout the meat. As undercooked chicken may contain bacteria, make sure the meat is thoroughly cooked. Fully cooked chicken will register at 165° on the meat thermometer. Chicken should be cooked over a medium fire and turned once to brown both sides.
- Fish (Whitefish) – Whitefish (trout, perch, bass, etc) can get a little tricky on the grill. Be sure to brush the fish with olive oil on both sides before grilling or else it will stick to the grill. Fish will grill quickly over a medium fire and should be turned several times to insure even cooking. Sprinkling lemon juice and black pepper over the fish while it’s grilling will bring its flavour to the forefront. Fish will flake easily when it is done.
- Fish (Salmon/Tuna) – Heavier fish such as salmon or tuna steaks will take a little longer to cook on the grill. Olive oil should be brushed over the fish and for an extra measure you might spray a non-stick cooking spray onto the grill. Over a medium fire, salmon and tuna steaks will cook in approximately 10 minutes (5 on each side).
- Pork Chops – Cooking pork chops on the BBQ is similar to cooking chicken. The most reliable method is to sear the meat briefly over a hot flame and then reduce the heat and move the meat away from the fire to slow cook for an additional 4-5 minutes per side. Using a dry rub of garlic, rosemary, sea salt and ginger will add some spice to your chops. Pork also makes a tasty kebab.
It All Comes Down to the Sauce
BBQ sauce recipes are guarded more closely than family jewels, but if you don’t have a secret recipe there are some quality sauces available commercially. In choosing a sauce, you’ll probably want to try a few before deciding which you like best. Most sauces lean toward either a smoky or a sweet flavour and people generally have a preference for one or the other. A great way to make your own sauce is to find a restaurant that makes or uses a sauce you like. If they don’t want to divulge the recipe, try search the web for a copy-cat recipe site that might lead you in the right direction. Contrary to popular belief, BBQ sauce should not be applied to meet the entire time it is grilling. The sugar and tomato components of the sauce will easily burn and blacken, taking away from the flavour of your grilled meat. Ideally, BBQ sauce should be applied about ¾ of the way through the cooking process, giving it a chance to glaze without burning.
BBQ sauce recipes are guarded more closely than family jewels, but if you don’t have a secret recipe there are some quality sauces available commercially. In choosing a sauce, you’ll probably want to try a few before deciding which you like best. Most sauces lean toward either a smoky or a sweet flavour and people generally have a preference for one or the other. A great way to make your own sauce is to find a restaurant that makes or uses a sauce you like. If they don’t want to divulge the recipe, try search the web for a copy-cat recipe site that might lead you in the right direction. Contrary to popular belief, BBQ sauce should not be applied to meet the entire time it is grilling. The sugar and tomato components of the sauce will easily burn and blacken, taking away from the flavour of your grilled meat. Ideally, BBQ sauce should be applied about ¾ of the way through the cooking process, giving it a chance to glaze without burning.
Succulent Sides
Once you’ve mastered the art of grilling, you’ll want to have some delectable side dishes to compliment your main entrée. Freshly grilled vegetables such as tomato, zucchini, summer squash and bell peppers are both delicious and easy to prepare. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a saucepan, add ¼ cup olive oil and brush the mixture onto the vegetable before grilling over a medium flame. Add crushed black pepper to taste and you have a perfect side dish. Another grill specialty is garlic butter baked potatoes. First, cut tin foil squares large enough to wrap each potato. Next, leaving the skin on, quarter the potatoes without actually cutting all the way through. Nudge the potatoes open slightly at the cuts and add a teaspoon of whipped butter and freshly pressed garlic to each quarter. Wrap each potato in tin foil pushing it back into shape and grill with the cover closed for 45 minutes to an hour. The resulting baked potato is marvellous! Due to the extended cooking time, it’s best to get the potatoes done before you start cooking meat. Other traditional BBQ side dishes include corn on the cob, baked beans and potato salad.
Once you’ve mastered the art of grilling, you’ll want to have some delectable side dishes to compliment your main entrée. Freshly grilled vegetables such as tomato, zucchini, summer squash and bell peppers are both delicious and easy to prepare. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a saucepan, add ¼ cup olive oil and brush the mixture onto the vegetable before grilling over a medium flame. Add crushed black pepper to taste and you have a perfect side dish. Another grill specialty is garlic butter baked potatoes. First, cut tin foil squares large enough to wrap each potato. Next, leaving the skin on, quarter the potatoes without actually cutting all the way through. Nudge the potatoes open slightly at the cuts and add a teaspoon of whipped butter and freshly pressed garlic to each quarter. Wrap each potato in tin foil pushing it back into shape and grill with the cover closed for 45 minutes to an hour. The resulting baked potato is marvellous! Due to the extended cooking time, it’s best to get the potatoes done before you start cooking meat. Other traditional BBQ side dishes include corn on the cob, baked beans and potato salad.
BBQ Beverage Bar
There are many beverages that complement BBQ fare, but if questioned, the number one choice for most people is beer. Providing a light, regular and dark beer selection will insure that most people will find something they like in the mix. Providing frosted beverage glasses is great for hot summer nights. Pitcher drinks, such as margaritas and mojitos, work well in the BBQ atmosphere and allow the guests to serve themselves. Non-Alcoholic choices should include pitchers of ice tea or lemonade along with assorted soft drinks.
There are many beverages that complement BBQ fare, but if questioned, the number one choice for most people is beer. Providing a light, regular and dark beer selection will insure that most people will find something they like in the mix. Providing frosted beverage glasses is great for hot summer nights. Pitcher drinks, such as margaritas and mojitos, work well in the BBQ atmosphere and allow the guests to serve themselves. Non-Alcoholic choices should include pitchers of ice tea or lemonade along with assorted soft drinks.
Outside Ambience
To elevate your BBQ from fun to fantastic, adding some subtle decorative touches to your outside dining area will create a festive mood. As many outdoor parties carry on well into the night, provide light sources other than an intrusive porch light. Tiki torches, party lights and Chinese lanterns will all work to provide soft lighting that really enhances the atmosphere. While BBQ is delicious, it can also become a messy experience so be sure to cover your table with a vinyl cloth and provide plenty of napkins or wet wipes. Lightly playing music can add to the overall mood, but you don’t want to drown out conversations by playing anything too loud. Nature itself provides a great backdrop for BBQ parties, so don’t feel the need to add too much.
To elevate your BBQ from fun to fantastic, adding some subtle decorative touches to your outside dining area will create a festive mood. As many outdoor parties carry on well into the night, provide light sources other than an intrusive porch light. Tiki torches, party lights and Chinese lanterns will all work to provide soft lighting that really enhances the atmosphere. While BBQ is delicious, it can also become a messy experience so be sure to cover your table with a vinyl cloth and provide plenty of napkins or wet wipes. Lightly playing music can add to the overall mood, but you don’t want to drown out conversations by playing anything too loud. Nature itself provides a great backdrop for BBQ parties, so don’t feel the need to add too much.
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