Saturday, December 31, 2011

The Three V's Of Communication Plus One

Making sure the message is received in any communication is vital. To insure the message is received, use of the three V's of communication is often emphasized by experts. The 3 V's are supported in a study of presentations by Albert Mehrabian, in which it was found that 55% of communicated information taken-in by the intended audience is visual, 7% is the verbal or text portion, and 38% is from the vocal speech of the presenter. These means that a lot of planning needs to go into a communication to insure the message intended is what is received. Below are some ideas on using the standard 3 V's of communication, plus another to indicate the value that the receiver should get from the communication.

VERBAL - When it comes to what to say, the often used phrase of "keep it simple" is highly relevant for the speaker or writer. Words said or written in a communication must be limited, concise, and easily understood by the audience. Use of jargon or special terms should not occur unless the audience is specialized and familiar with the terms. Terms should then be defined to make sure everyone who hears or reads the message knows the meaning. Plan the topic, outline the message, be precise as possible, then consider the audience and make revisions to text as necessary. VOCAL - Ever hear a parent say "it's not what you said; it's how you said it?" This statement is true in that it refers to the vocal message sent by the tone, volume, and speed of the spoken word. Tone is the pitch used in speech, the emotions generated or the words emphasized. Volume has to do with loudness or intensity of voice. What is emphasized, where are pauses, are whispers used to indicate confidentially? Fast speed can indicate excitement whereas slow can lead to audience boredom. Vocal changes in speech are easy. How can vocal elements be accomplished in written text? Tone and volume can be mimicked by using all capital letters to imply shouting, bold or underline is used for emphasis, and of course there is the exclamation point for excitement and enthusiasm. Pauses in speed may be indicated with ellipsis (...) or a dash (-). VISUAL - The old quote "a picture is worth a thousand words" may not be totally accurate, but it does present a valid point. People remember more of what they see than what they hear. Spoken communications should involve this sense by use of body language, facial expressions, gestures, and words that paint a picture in the audience's mind. Written documents, handout, or slide presentation can do this more visually utilizing graphic images, photographs, and charts. VALUE - Belief in the message by using WIIFM statements are a big key in any communication. People want to know "what's in it for me?" All communications should explain what the effect on the audience will be, as well as why and when they should care about what is being communicated.

Sprint Cs

Make sure the vital message in a communication is received by using the three V's of communication plus the value V. Remember to put some planning into the communication in order to utilize visuals that will enhance the vocal and verbal portions of the communication.

The Three V's Of Communication Plus One

Tuesday, December 27, 2011

How to Download Free Ringtones for Sprint PCS and Nextel Users

If I have a Sprint or Nextel cell phone, can I download free ringtones? The answer is yes, but I found that depending on which type you have, things can vary. Apparenly, the situation with the Sprint and Nextel ringtones is a bit different. So, depending on for which type of phone you want to download free ringtones, there are things to consider.

With most sprint cell phones, you can accept a downloaded ringtone sent by SMS. Originally, when it came to the download of free ringtones, only Sprint had access to the format that needed to be used to send the ringtone. However, the format Sprint uses is now better known and there are actually places, besides Sprint, where you can download free ringtones for your Sprint phone. The fact is, though, that the free ringtones that are available for download may not work with every Sprint PCS phone available. The only thing you can really do is go out, download free ringtones, and then try them to see if they work on the phone you have. The important fact is that it is an available service now by several different websites and services, and not just a Sprint service as was the case when they were not releasing their ringtone delivery format.

Sprint Cs

Historically, Nextel, which is owned by Motorola, has had a good reputation when it comes to downloadable ringtones. Motorola has allowed people, in the past, to download free ringtones from wireless internet connections. So, it should stand to reason that Nextel phones, for the most part, will play downloaded free ringtones without a problem. The best thing you can probably do is just download some free ringtones and try them out on your Nextel phone. In most cases, I think you will find that they do indeed work effectively.

So what happens if you try to download free ringtones and they don't work? Well, unfortunately there is very little you can do in such a situation. Like computers, cell phones become out of date almost every month, so it is possible you will get a cell phone and then find two weeks later that your friends all have phones that do things yours will not. In that case, really all you can do is either accept the ringtones on your phone or get a different phone. So, be sure that before you buy a phone that it will accept any downloaded free ringtones if you think that is something you will want to be able to do.

Cell phones are a big part of our lives today. They do amazing things like take pictures and read email, but what if you want to customize the phone to show off your personality? What if you want it so that when a phone rings you know if it is yours or not right away? The answer is ringtone downloads. If you have a Sprint or Nextel phone, there are likely ways you can download free ringtones [http://www.edwinnews.com/category/technology-reviews]. At the very least, you owe yourself the time it takes to give it a try and make your ringtone unique.

How to Download Free Ringtones for Sprint PCS and Nextel Users

Friday, December 23, 2011

How To Flash A Phone To Cricket Or Metro PCs

Flash or Flashing--Technically, flashing refers to the overwriting or re-writing of the phone's firmware. There are many phones which can be flashed to cricket with all features working. On most CDMA phones, programming the phone can be done "over the air" by dialing a special code, usually *228 or some variation. Colloquially speaking, flashing can also loosely mean making a phone from one carrier work on another carrier. The easy way to tell the difference is that if your phone does NOT take a SIM card, then it is probably CDMA.

To flash a phone to cricket you will be overwriting th phones firmware. The firmware is software in the phone that doesn't change when you turn it off, and it cannot be deleted unless it is overwritten, hence flashed. It requires specific files called prl files.PRL or PRL File--Short for Preferred Roaming List--A small text file containing instructions for how a phone connects to a specific network's radio towers It is usually loaded by connecting the phone to a computer to overwrite its data. There are a few tools used such as a pst PST--Short for Phone Service Tool or Tools--Special software used by phone manufacturers to program their phones. And also a monster file - -"Monster File"/"Monster Pack", ROM, or "Kitchen"--System software that is needed to flash a phone.

Sprint Cs

In almost all case you will need to access the phones service programming menu- - -Service Programming Menu--A special menu typically hidden from the primary User Interface that allows for "deep programming" of a phone.You will also need access to msl and spc codes specific to the device you are flashing.MSL/SPC--Special six-digit codes needed to access service programming features on the phone. Access to the service programming menu can be disabled in a phone's firmware.

Depending on your phone, it may require extra steps to unlock or get WAP and MMS working. That is why you need the msl/spc codes to allow deep programming to unlock these features. Not all phones will be capable to access wap or send and receive mms.

Ringtones generally have to be prepaid using a flex bucket. It is best to download ringtones before you flash your phone to cricket since they have a limited selection of ringtones and wallpapers.There are cases were flashed phones will not be able to download ringtones directly from cricket.

The details outlined above will not only work with cricket but you can also flash phones to metro pcs using the information provided above. It is best to do all your research before purchasing your phone to ensure that the cell phone you are interested in can be flashed to cricket or metro PCs.

How To Flash A Phone To Cricket Or Metro PCs

Monday, December 19, 2011

Cell Phone Number Search - How to Reverse Lookup a Cell Phone Number

When do you need a reverse phone service?

If you want to find the name and location of the owner of a specific phone number (cellular or landline) and this number is not listed in whitepages or phone books, you will need a specialized reverse phone lookup service. These services operate by purchasing access to subscriber databases of various mobile operators and phone companies. By combining multiple sources of information, they provide users with a capability to search through a huge database containing almost all phone numbers in the USA. This database includes land line numbers, unlisted numbers and cell phone numbers.

Sprint Cs

Reverse phone lookup services are bound by agreements with phone companies, which prohibit them from providing this information for free (primarily for the reasons of privacy). This is the reason why you need a valid credit card or paypal account to register and use these services. This ensures that they cannot be utilized for illegal purposes (e.g. stalking.) Besides, phone companies charge for access to their databases in the first place, so reverse lookup services try to recoup some of their costs by requiring a subscription fee.

Are there any free alternatives to paid reverse phone lookup services?

If you don't feel like using paid services, there are a few alternatives that may help. You may look up the number in publicly available whitepages or phone books, or use an internet search engine, such as Google or Yahoo. However, if the number in question is cell phone or unlisted, you search will most likely provide no results, because such information is not publicly available. It won't hurt to try, though.

What kind of information you can expect to find using a cell phone lookup service?

You can expect to find the owner's name and address. Some services also provide additional information such as the list of household members.

How to use a reverse phone lookup service?

Simply enter the phone number which you are researching into the online form. Most services will immediately provide the following information for free:

Whether the phone number in question is cellular or land line. The precise location (city and state) where the number is registered. Whether any additional information about this number is available. To find the name of the phone's owner, you will need to purchase access to the service (a nominal yearly fee is usually required). As mentioned above, the registration requirement is a way of ensuring the service will not be used illegally.

Are reverse phone lookup services legal?

Yes, cell phone lookup services are completely legal, provided you use the obtained information for lawful purposes. In particular, you are not allowed to take advantage of this information for making telemarketing calls.

Cell Phone Number Search - How to Reverse Lookup a Cell Phone Number

Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Free Sprint Ringtones

Technology has had a huge impact on today's world. Just imagine living in a world without the boon of technology. The world is becoming a simpler and a better place to live, which is partly because of technology. We have seen many inventions, which has affected the course of life and made many formerly difficult aspects much easier.

In the early days, communication was difficult, if not impossible. Nowadays, we can get in touch with just about anyone we wish, at just about any time. With the help of advanced and upgraded technology, man can do what was impossible earlier, like easy long-distance communication. Business deals are made in seconds with the help of communication devices known as cell phones. Cell phones have made communication easier. There are many service providers today for people who want cell phones, one of which is the Sprint Corporation that was founded in 1899 by Cleyson Brown under the Brown Telephone Company in the small town of Abilene, Kansas. The company used to be a landline telephone company and it operated as a competitor to the Bell System.

Sprint Cs

In the mid 20th century, Brown changed its name to United Utilities. That company changed its name to United Telecommunications in 1972, as it began to offer a more diversified product range. There is high competition among companies and manufacturers today. Every company is striving to provide the world with the best products and service.

A ringtone is the sound made by the cell phone indicating an incoming call. The term "ringtone" is often used to refer to the customizable sounds available for cell phones. Sprint users can download free ringtones that are available online. Thus, one can enjoy the feature of free ringtones provided by the individual mobile companies. There are also many Web sites that users can visit to download free ringtones if they do not find what they want on the official company sites.

Free Sprint Ringtones

Sunday, December 11, 2011

Scrum Backlog

In the Scrum method of agile software development the single most important artifact is the product backlog. The product backlog is a list of all the requirements necessary for a system, project, or product. In essence, it is a comprehensive to do list, prioritized by the business value each piece of work will generate. But from a philosophical standpoint, the scrum backlog is what drives the business-by breaking down the big-picture story into manageable increments of work called Product Backlog Items (PBIs).

During the sprint planning meeting, the Scrum team negotiates with the Product Owner about what work they will take on during the next iteration. At this point, the Product Owner moves PBIs from the product backlog (basically, everything the company needs to do) into the sprint backlog, which is limited to the work to be completed in the next iteration.

Sprint Cs

So what does a product backlog look like? That depends on whether a Scrum team uses manual agile or an agile tool to monitor development progress. With manual agile, a team would create a list of its backlog items on a dry erase board, Post It notes, or a taskboard. This works great for teams who all work in the same office or room because every team member can easily consult the product backlog, the sprint backlog, and the status of its stories.

When Scrum teams are geographically dispersed, however, they often require a tool to help them manage their agile software development. There are a number of tools on the market designed to bring un-collocated teams together with a virtual taskboard. My company, Danube, makes a product called ScrumWorks Pro, which provides users with a Web-based task management interface that replicates the look and feel of a physical taskboard. The tool also offers deeper, more detailed views of the product and sprint backlogs, organized in adjacent panes and easily modified with drag-and-drop prioritization.

Although the team is responsible for completing the work, only the Product Owner can prioritize work in the scrum backlog or, with the team's consent, add work to the sprint backlog.

Scrum Backlog

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

How to Get An Internet Connection Anywhere

Most people have the mind set that you need to be at home, at the office, or in a coffee shop. This simply isn't the case.

People have been using the data signal that comes off of phone towers for years to access the internet. This allows anyone, anywhere to access the internet as long as they are somewhere their cell phone could pick up a signal. In the United States the most common signals in use are EV-DO (belonging to the CDMA protocol) and HSDPA (HSPA protocol), which fit under the 3G family.

Sprint Cs

EV-DO, which stands for Evolution Data Optimized, will handle a bandwidth of 1.25MHz, which will send data packets at a speed of 2.4 Mbit/s at its maximum speed. HSDPA supports several different down-link speeds, such as 1.8, 3.6, 7.2, and 14.4 Mbit/s, depending on which city you live in. Curiously, though most people view the Apple iPhone as being one of the most advanced data phones on the market, the current version receives the EDGE signal, a member of the older and generally slower 2G family.

To get access to these data networks you'll have to get a data plan from cell providers such as Verizon or Sprint and will run you a monthly fee. If you are receiving these signals on a smart phone, you'll probably be paying somewhere between and or so. If you want to use this signal on a laptop computer, your provider will give you a PCMCIA card, an ExpressCard, or a USB module to receive their signal, and it will probably run you somewhere in the -80 a month range.

There is a way to pay this -80 dollar a month range and share your data connection with others. There are wireless routers (often called 3G routers, mobile routers, or cellular routers) out there that allow you to slip in a PCMCIA card, ExpressCard, or USB receiver. The router then translates that signal to a Wifi (802.11) signal that you can share with others. You can take a business team on a business trip and avoid expensive hotel fees for internet access as well.

As long as everyone has wifi on their laptop, they will be able to instantly connect to the router. Unfortunately since mobile data technology still has a lower bandwidth than what you are used to from a cable modem or T1 line, the amount of people that can connect to one of these routers is limited. You probably want to keep it to around 3 or 4 people.

How to Get An Internet Connection Anywhere

Sunday, December 4, 2011

Dell Inspiron 1525

Dell came up with an exciting model of Inspiron 1525, which is a good choice for those looking for comfortable pricing. Dell has launched this model especially for those looking for cheap notebooks. This model is having quite an attractive look and feel and the size factor is also taken care of.

Looking on the specifications they too seems to be well equipped with all the features that a user expects from his notebook. It has 2.0GHz Core 2 Duo T7250 processor and for better vision 15.4-inch WXGA (1280 x 800) CCFL True Life (glossy) screen. It has 2GB DDR2-667 SDRAM and 120GB 5400 RPM SATA hard disk. The notebook has 8x Dual-layer DVD±RW drive. For those who want to experience good quality videos, it has Intel Integrated Graphics Media Accelerator X3100. In order to support good connectivity it has Dell Wireless 1390 802.11g Mini Card and for those who are looking for mobile broadband it has Dell Wireless integrated mobile broadband mini-cards Sprint and Verizon service. It has a Media Card of 8-in-1 flash memory reader.

Sprint Cs

For input and output it has 4 USB 2.0, HDMI, VGA, IEEE 1394a, RJ11, RJ45, 2 headphone, 1 microphone, 1 Express Card 54mm slot, 3 mini-card slots, consumer IR, S-Video. Web cam is not provided with the notebook but as against this optional Integrated 2.0 mega pixel web cam is available. The Operating System that it supports is Windows Vista Home Premium.

The model has in addition several good features like lightweight which is just 5.9lbs and has 6-cell battery for good backup. In order to have everyone the notebook's color as per his or her choice it has given multiple color option. So now you can have the notebook color as per your choice.

Dell Inspiron 1525