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Monday, October 21, 2013

Most Frequently Asked iPhone Troubleshooting & Repair Q&As:

How can I unlock my iPhone if I forgot the passcode?
How can I transfer or copy music, photos and videos from my iPhone to my computer?
How do I reboot or restart a "frozen" or "hung" iPhone? How do I reboot or restart a "frozen" or "hung" app or otherwise "force quit" an app?
How do I replace the battery in the iPhone 3G and iPhone 3GS?
How do I fix my iPhone if it will not turn on, turn off, or wake up?
How can I start to troubleshoot any problem with my iPhone?
How do I replace the glass cover, digitizer and display (LCD screen) on the iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S?
Why won't my iPhone play a particular song or video? Why isn't a song or video visible? Why won't my iPhone play some songs and videos that will play on my Mac or PC?
How do I replace the battery in the original iPhone (2G)?
Why won't my iPhone battery charge completely? Why does my iPhone run out of power so quickly?

For all iPhone Troubleshooting & Repair Q&As, check out the iPhone Troubleshooting & Repair Q&A (Home). Also see the iPhone Q&A for answers to dozens of other iPhone questions. For other Apple hardware, visit the EveryMac.com Q&A section.

How can I unlock my iPhone if I forgot the passcode?


The exact behavior of the iPhone depends on its configuration when one forgets the passcode. By default, there is not a passcode at all. However, Apple notes the following regarding forgotten passcodes:
If you repeatedly enter the wrong passcode, your iPhone will be disabled for longer intervals before you can try again. After too many unsuccessful attempts, you won't be able to try again until you connect it to the computer with which you last synced it.
Note: You can configure your device to erase itself after ten consecutive incorrect password attempts. This setting is off by default. It can be turned on by tapping Settings > General > Passcode Lock.
If you cannot remember the passcode, you will need to restore your device using the computer with which you last synced it. This allows you to reset your passcode and resync the data from the device (or restore from a backup). If you restore on a different computer that was never synced with the device, you will be able to unlock the device for use and remove the passcode, but your data will not be present.
How to Unlock iPhone Passcodes
If you have forgotten the passcode on your iPhone, you will have to restore the device.
To restore your iPhone -- which deletes all of your data (songs, photos, videos, apps, and so on) on the iPhone use the following directions. Be absolutely sure that you have backed up the content on your iPhone before restoring it.
Apple's official instructions to restore an iPhone are:
1. Connect iPhone to your computer.
2. In iTunes, select iPhone in the Devices list, then click Summary at the top of the screen.
3. Click “Check for Update.” iTunes tells you if there’s a newer version of the iPhone software available.
4. Click Restore. Follow the onscreen instructions to complete the restore process. When restoring, it is recommended that you back up iPhone when prompted. When the iPhone software has been restored, you can either set it up as a new iPhone, or restore your music, videos, app data, and other content from a backup.
Please also note that Apple representatives can't unlock an iPhone for you without restoring the iPhone, which will erase everything on it.

How to find Skype contacts

Skype is a wonderful tool for chatting with your chums for free. But how do you find your friends in the first place?
 
First, you need to make sure that your friends actually have Skype accounts. After that, it’s slightly more complicated than just punching in their phone number. But not to worry – here’s a handy guide to help you find and set up your Skype contacts.
 
You’ll need:
 
  • a Skype account and the Skype program installed on your computer – see our guide How to download Skype if you haven’t got these already
  • at least one friend with a Skype account.
This guide is specifically for Windows computers, but Skype is also available for Apple Macs.
 
Follow these step-by-step instructions to find your Skype contacts
 
Step 1: After starting up Skype and logging in, find the menu bar at the top of the window and click Contacts. A drop-down menu will appear. Choose Add a Contact. You will then have a choice of searching for a contact name in the Skype directory or to add a phone number that you already know.
 
 
Add contact on skype
 
Step 2: Choose skype directory and in the next window that will open, type part of the name or the name of the skype contact you wish to add. As you type, a number of skype names will appear underneath. Double click on the name you wish to add.
 
 
Skype directory
 
Step 3: Another box will pop up with the details of the skype contact you are going to add. Click on Add to Contacts
 
 
Skype add to contacts
 
Step 4: Another box will pop up next to the click on add to contacts button where you can type your own message or continue with the default message. Click Send.
 
 
Skype contact request
 
Step 5: The contact will be added to your list, but will have a question mark next to their name to show that the contact has yet to confirm they want to connect with you. 
 
Skype contact list
 
Step 6: You’ll have to wait for your friend to receive the request and agree to it. Skype suggests using its service to ring potential contacts on their mobiles or landline phones (see our guide for how to do this) to badger them to accept, but remember: Skype will charge you to make these types of calls!
 
Step 7: If you want to add someone’s phone number to your Skype, follow step 1, but this time choose Add a phone number from the Add a contact menu.
 
Step 8: Complete the boxes with the name and telephone number and click on Add Number.
 
 

Google AdSense Don'ts - Dirty Tricks and Bad Tips That Will Get Your Site Banned

Want to make money with Google AdSense for content? Here's a list of what not to do, unless you want to get banned. Google doesn't play around when it comes to click fraud. Click fraud loses Google money, and it loses AdWords customers money.
If you don't play by the rules, you may get a warning, you may get suspended, or you may just get banned.

1. Commit Google Don'ts

The first thing to avoid is any of the Google Don'ts. Cloaking, keyword stuffing, and title stacking are all ways to get banned from Google searches. They're also ways to get banned from AdSense.
When you place AdSense ads on your site, your site is far more visible to Google and it's much more likely that your rule breaking will be caught.

2. Click on Your Own Ads

No matter how tempting, never ever click on your own ads. This is probably the easiest way to get your site suspended or banned. It's a form of click fraud, and Google is very good at catching this, even if you think you're hiding your tracks.
Don't let anyone who uses any computer in your home click on your ads, either. Make sure your significant others and children are aware of the rules, or you could jeopardize your standing with Google.

3. Hide Your Ads

It might be tempting to hide your ads by making them the same color as your background or camouflaging them on areas with busy background images. You do still get paid for pageviews, so invisible ads would still pay, right? Don't even try it. This violates Google's Terms of Service, and it's easy to get caught.
Don't stuff your ads far below the rest of the content, either. Clicks pay better than pageviews, so it's to your advantage to have your ads prominent. Try to make the ads look like they belong on your page.

4. Beg for Clicks

Don't hold ad-click contests, beg, or even give big hints that people should click on your ads. They can ban you if they catch you begging for clicks anywhere on the Web, including pages that are totally unrelated to your AdSense pages.
Google also forbids labeling your ads with language stronger than "sponsored links." This is really for everyone's benefit. Pages that beg for clicks are usually not great reads, and pity clicks don't help the advertisers.
Note: It's fine to have contests on your Web site that aren't related to ad clicking or other rule breaking, such as "best photo" contests.

5. Alter the Code

AdSense generates javascript code that you can copy-and-paste directly into the HTML of your Web page. If you need to change the color or size of your ads, generate new code from AdSense. Don't make changes to the code from your Web page editing program or tweak it by hand.
If you put AdSense in Blogger, Google will generate the code for you from within Blogger.

6. Use Robots to Click on Your Site

Never use any sort of automated tool to inflate your page views or click on your ads. This is click fraud of the highest order, and Google is very sophisticated at catching this. This is a trick that can easily get you banned.
Likewise, don't use human-powered schemes to pay for clicks, either. No trading clicks with other AdSense users, and no pay-for-clicking schemes. If advertisers wanted to pay people for clicking, they would have signed up for it themselves.

7. Tell People How Much You Earn Per Click

Google is very picky about how much you disclose about how AdSense works. They don't let you tell people how much you were paid per keyword, because this could jeopardize revenue from AdWords advertisers. Beware of anyone who offers to sell you this information.

8. Make Pages Specifically to Display Ads

Google says you can't make pages simply to hang ads, "whether or not the page content is relevant." Many Web sites, including About.com, make money from ads. Google itself makes most of its money from advertising. What makes the difference between ad sponsored content and content for the sake of ads?
When you develop your site, your first thought should be about creating content, not ads. Avoid writing empty sentences for the sake of generating keywords, and avoid lengthy copy-and-pastes just to make more pages. Every page you publish should have a content-driven purpose.

9. Make Content About Taboo Topics

Google has a strict list of content standards, and they don't accept AdSense on pages that are violating them. These include, among other things, sites that promote or sell:
  • alcohol
  • certain weapons
  • firearms
  • tobacco
  • drugs
  • designer knock-offs
This is a silly rule to violate, because AdSense is keyword generated, so it's amazingly easy for you to get caught. If you do have content that violates these rules, such as a beer-making supply store, they may be legitimate sites, but AdSense is not for you.

10. Cheat in Any Other Way

This isn't by any means a comprehensive list.
I'm sure there are many ways to game the system that Google hasn't found out about... yet. There always are. AdSense is constantly changing to find new ways to detect click fraud, and eventually you will be caught.
The best way to generate income through AdSense is to create good content that is well optimized for search engines and to promote your site through legitimate channels.
That sounds like a lot of work, because it is a lot of work. However, it's a strategy that won't get you banned.

9 Tricks I Used To Triple My AdSense Earnings In 30 Days

I have been using Google AdSense to monetize my blogs and websites for as long as I remember. In fact it was the first method I ever tried (I made a whooping $15 on my first month… back in 2005). Over the years I migrated to other methods (e.g., direct sponsors and affiliate marketing), which made AdSense become merely an inventory filler. I was still making around $1,000 monthly from it, but whenever I could I would use other methods over it.
Then some months ago I started noticing an upward trend on the CPC of my sites, and I figured that I should give AdSense another try. I started applying some tricks here and there, and the next month I made over $3,000 with it (that is combining all my sites). I was pleasantly surprised, and I decided to keep using it actively on some sites.
In this article I want to share with you the tips and tricks I used to triple my AdSense earnings in one month.

1. I added units to my Big Websites

Daily Blog Tips and Daily Writing Tips are my largest websites in terms of traffic. They are getting close to one million monthly page views (combined). Despite that I was not using AdSense on them, mainly because the direct sponsorship model was working relatively well.
Some months ago I decided to load some AdSense units on the sites, however, and the results were very positive. Around 70% of the boost I generated to my earnings came from these two sites. At the same time I managed to keep the other monetization methods working fine, and no reader ever complained about the new ads (more on that later).
Even if your blog is already making money with direct sponsors and affiliate marketing, therefore, you could still manage to increment your earnings by strategically adding some AdSense units.

2. I added units to my Small Websites

As many webmasters do, I have a bunch of small websites scattered around the web. Some are on free hosted platforms like Blogger, and others are self hosted sites that I abandoned along the way. Most of these sites still get traffic, however. Not much, but combined the numbers get decent.
I figured that adding AdSense units to all these sites could yield some money, and I was right. The main reason is that, since these are abandoned sites and don’t have loyal visitors, I can place the units very aggressively. The result was a very high CTR (Click-through rate), which compensates the small traffic levels.
Don’t underestimate the earning potential of small websites, especially if you are willing to place AdSense units aggressively.

3. I used the Large Units

If you want to make money with AdSense you’ll inevitably need to use one of these units: the 336×280 large rectangle, the 300×250 rectangle, the 120×600 large skyscraper or the 728×90 leaderboard.
Whenever I tried to use smaller units the results were disappointing. Even if I positioned them aggressively the CTR was just too low.
All four units mentioned above can produce good results, but the best performing one is by far the 336×280 large rectangle, and that is the one I used to boost my earnings.

4. I placed the Units above the Fold

My first trial was to place the 336×280 large rectangle between the post and the comments section of my blogs. The results were OK. I then decided to try placing them below the post titles for one week, and the CTR skyrocketed. In fact I still need to find a placement/unit combination that will beat placing a 336×280 unit below post titles.
I knew this rule, but I guess I needed to test and get confirmation. The rule is: if you want to make money with Google AdSense, you must place your units above the fold.

5. I Focused on Organic Traffic

My main concern with adding a large AdSense unit right below my post titles was that some of the loyal readers could get annoyed with it. At the same time I knew that loyal readers become ad blind quite fast, and that the bulk of my money would come from organic visitors (i.e., people coming via search engines to my posts).
To solve this problem I decided to display the large rectangle only on posts older than seven days (using the Why Do Work WordPress plugin). It worked like a charm, as loyal readers don’t even notice the ad units when they are browsing through my recent posts, and organic visitors almost always see the ads because they usually land on posts older than seven days.

6. I started using AdSense for Search

I was not sure how much money I would be able to make with AdSense for Search, but I was not happy with the search results provided by WordPress, so I decided to give it a shot anyway.
Currently I am making around $60 monthly with AdSense for Search. It is not much, but if you sum it over one year we are talking about $720. On top of that the search results are as relevant as you’ll get, so it is a win win situation.

7. I started using AdSense for Feeds

Another AdSense product I decided to try was the AdSense for Feeds one. I opted to display the ads below my feed items (you can also place them on top, but this would be too intrusive in my opinion). The results here were pretty good, both in terms of CTR and earnings.
You obviously need a large RSS subscriber base to make this work, but I am guessing that even with a couple thousand subscribers you could already make $100 monthly from feed ads.

8. I played around with section targeting

Section targeting is an AdSense feature that allows you to suggest specific sections of your site that should be used when matching ads. You can read more about it here.
I found that on niche and small websites section targeting can help a lot. Often times Google was displaying unrelated ads on these sites because there weren’t enough pages. After using section targeting I managed to increase the relevancy of the ads and consequently the CTRs.

9. I tested with Different Colors and Fonts

If you enabled both image and text ads on your units you should be able to customize the colors and fonts. I did some testing with both of these factors, and it helped to increase the numbers. Nothing dramatic, but it was definitely worth my time.
You just need to track your CTR for a couple of weeks. Then change the color or font and track it for another week, seeing if you can beat the original CTR. If you can, keep the new format. If you the performance decreased, try a new color or font and track the CTR for another week, until you find the optimal combination.
On my sites the best results came from making the ad units merge with the look of the site, but on some sites contrasting colors perform better, so testing is a must.

Tuesday, October 15, 2013

How to Know If Your Laptop Has a WiFi Card

Determine whether or not your laptop sports a built-in WiFi card.
In today's technology-driven society, wireless networks can be found in virtually any locale. Along with smart phones, tablets and netbooks, laptops are one of the most common devices through which people connect to wireless networks. While most modern laptops come equipped with built-in WiFi cards, a fair number of older models do not. So if you've recently come into possession of an aged laptop, you can easily confirm whether or not the device is WiFi-ready.
Step 1Power up your laptop in an area that features WiFi. A home with a wireless network, bookstore, library or coffees shop is ideal for this task.

Step 2Click on the Windows start button. Access the computer's Control Panel.

Step 3Double click on the Network Connections icon. You will now be shown a list of your laptop's Internet connections.

Step 4Look for an icon labeled "Wireless Network Connection." If you see this icon, your laptop features a built-in wireless card.

Step 5Right click the Wireless Network Connection icon, then select "Connect to Wireless Network." Enjoy surfing the Web on your WiFi-enabled laptop.

How to Hide an IP When Connecting to WiFi on a Laptop



Secure laptops using a VPN that hides your information from wireless routers.Internet Protocol addresses provide basic information about your computer. If someone captures your IP address, they can sometimes identify your general location and computer operating system. An IP address does not provide information on your actual address unless the person that obtains the IP address has the legal right to contact your Internet service provider and retrieve that information. On a laptop, hiding your IP requires the use of a virtual private network or proxy server. Proxy servers are not recommended since you can't know if the person on the other end of the proxy is reputable. Additionally, they don't mask your entire computer and usually just work with the specific website you want to visit. When using a business laptop, hiding your IP address provides additional protection and security.

Items you will need

  • VPN service

Hotspot Shield

Step 1Download and install Hotspot Shield (see Resources) using the installation wizard. Follow the prompts and agree to the "Terms and Service."

Step 2Double-click the program icon for Hotspot Shield. This initializes the application and connects you to the Internet. There are no special preferences that you need to set.

Step 3Click the check box when Hotspot Shield first starts to indicate that you want Hotspot Shield to automatically connect to the Internet when the computer starts.

Step 4Check the system tray for a green shield icon. This indicates you are safely connected to the Internet.

PrivateTunnel

Step 1Navigate to the PrivateTunnel website (see Resources) and create an account by entering your email address and a password in the registration box.

Step 2Check your email for a confirmation link and click the link to activate your subscription.

Step 3Log in to your account with the email address and password you created.

Step 4Click the "Download" link to download the VPN software.

Step 5Follow the on-screen installation instructions to install the VPN service.

Step 6Navigate to the PrivateTunnel website, log in and select the server you would like to connect to. This step only has to be completed once and must be completed online in your account. This can't be completed through your computer application. There are options for cities in the United Kingdom, the United States, Switzerland and Canada.

Step 7Double-click the application icon located in your Programs folder to connect to the Internet with the VPN.

Step 8Check the icon in the status bar to determine if you are connected securely to the Internet. The PrivateTunnel icon should light up when connected.

ProXPN

Step 1Navigate to the ProXPN website and download the software (see Resources). Follow the prompts in the installation wizard to install ProXPN. When the installation completes, click the "Finish" button.

Step 2Start the application by double-clicking the application icon or by clicking the Windows "Start" button, typing "ProXPN" in the Search field and pressing "Enter."

Step 3Click the "Don't Have an Account?" link located under the General tab in the application.

Step 4 Create an account online. ProXPN will send you an email with a link for you to click to activate the account.

Step 5Enter your email address in the Username field and your password in the Password field in the application.

Step 6Check the system tray for a green icon. This icon indicates that you are safely connected to the Internet.
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