Beware!! Anti Virus!

BEWARE!  Don't visit this site. It will infect you'r System.

The Following site : www4.savegco-antivir.com is a virus‎.

YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.

Take A Look at The Reviews About it here..Google Search

5 FACEBOOK SECRETS

1)


The better Facebook – http://betterfacebook.net add-on for Firefox, Chrome, Safari and Opera lets you customize the social network’s interface with tabbed news feeds, colorful themes and a Friend Tracker tool that alert’s you when someone ‘unfriends’ you.



2)

Control who can see when you’re online by opening the Facebook chat box, clicking the settings icon and choosing Limit Availability. Select ‘Make me unavailable to’ from the drop down menu and tick the Acquaintances, Close Friends and / or Limited Profile options. Or just deselect ‘Available to chat’.



3)

Facebook Spectrum – www.facebookspectrum compiles statistical charts about your friends, such as who posts the most and their geographical location. Click the site’s ‘Log in’ button to grant it access to your account.



4)

Facebook’s new privacy settings let you control who can see photos you are tagged in. In Privacy settings, scroll down to ‘How tags Work’ and click ‘Edit Settings’. Click the drop-down menu next to ‘Maximum Profile Visibility’ to decide who can view images you’re tagged in. Click the ‘On’ option next to ‘Profile Review’ if you want to approve photos before they appear in your profile.



5)

To add ‘Smiley Faces’, weather icons and other symbols to your status updates, copy and paste them from Facebook Symbols – http://facebook-symbols.com/characters Or press Alt on your keyboard in conjunction with the options at Alt-Codes – www.alt-codes.net

Drop shipping questions - UK Business Forums

Drop shipping questions - UK Business Forums

 

John McAfee, Software Pioneer, Is Arrested in Guatemala

By ELISABETH MALKIN

Published: December 5, 2012

 

MEXICO CITY — The antivirus software pioneer John McAfee was arrested in Guatemala City on Wednesday after he slipped over the border from his home in Belize where police want to question him in their investigation of the murder of his neighbor.

Enlarge This Image

Jorge Dan Lopez/Reuters

John McAfee spoke during an interview in Guatemala City on Wednesday.

Related

• John McAfee Plays Hide-and-Seek in Belize(December 2, 2012)

The interior minister, Mauricio Lopez Bonilla, told The Associated Press that Mr. McAfee, 67, had been arrested on charges of entering Guatemala illegally. He said that Mr. McAfee had been arrested at a hotel in the capital and taken to a detention center for migrants who are in the nation illegally.

Mr. McAfee had been on the run for almost a month since his neighbor, Gregory Faull, on the Belizean island of Ambergris Caye was found dead at his home on Nov. 11. Police there cited Mr. McAfee as a “person of interest” in their investigation, but Mr. McAfee disapppeared.

But he did not disappear from the Internet. He kept up a continuous stream of comment on his blog and on Twitter, accusing the Belizean authorities of persecuting him.

On Tuesday, he resurfaced in Guatemala, dressed in a suit, his blond curls dyed dark brown.

Accompanied by his 20-year-old Belizean girlfriend, Samantha Venagas, and his Guatemalan lawyer, Telésforo Guerra, Mr. McAfee said that he would seek political asylum in Guatemala. Mr. Guerra, a former Guatemalan attorney general, told reporters at a chaotic news conference outside the Supreme Court that his client was being persecuted because he refused to pay Belizean authorities off any longer.

Mr. McAfee has not been associated with the software company that bears his name since 1994, when he sold it and began to pursue his other interests. He ran a yoga retreat and then built a complex in New Mexico to indulge his hobby of flying motorized ultralight airplanes.

He moved to Belize about four years ago, buying properties on the mainland and on Ambergris Caye. It was there that he clashed with Mr. Faull, who complained about the unleashed dogs that Mr. McAfee kept on his property.

On Nov. 9, several of the dogs were found dead. They had been poisoned.

During his time in Belize, Mr. McAfee had apparently become interested in developing a designer drug called MDPV. He posted extensively about his experiments on a Web site.

But he attracted the attention of Belizean authorities, who raided one of his properties in April. He spent a night in jail, but law enforcement officials found no evidence that he was producing methamphetamine and dropped the charges.

After that experience, though, Mr. McAfee appeared to become increasingly convinced that he was being persecuted by the Belizean government. Officials deny that they are persecuting him.

Mr. Guerra told Guatemalan reporters late Wednesday that since there was no warrant for Mr. McAfee’s arrest and since his client was not a fugitive, he would seek to have his client released and returned to the hotel where he would remain under guard.

 

www.nytimes.com

 

Swan-Tech Sound

A PRACTICICAL GUIDE ON 'HOW TO SELL SHOES' on ebay

A PRACTICICAL GUIDE ON 'HOW TO SELL SHOES' on ebay

This guide if for those who are interested in selling second hand or vintage shoes and want some handy tips. Some of the tips will apply to selling new shoes too.

1. The photograph you submit is your shop window. Some shoes and boots look better when modeled  others look great without, so experiment. Good lighting and a plain background really helps. You can get a good shot by putting on the shoes, lying down indoors and shooting your feet against a white ceiling!
2. Do make sure if you are having the shoes modeled that the feet are the right size for the shoes, CLEAN! and with a good pedicure. The sight of varicose veins and hard skin ain't gonna get buyers racing to buy your wares.
3. Make sure the shoes you are selling are clean and polished. A little silicone spray will give them an instant face lift. No one wants to see chewing gum or worse on the soles so take the trouble to clean them too.
4. Be honest in your description about the condition - used shoes for example often have marks on the heels which I like to call 'glitches'. 'Worn out' should mean 'have been worn outside' not ' completely knackered' so choose your terminology with care!
5. Re-heeling shoes can be very expensive so don't even bother listing an average pair if they need this doing, as the new owner isn't likely to want the expense (except for a pair of Jimmy Choose perhaps!)
6. List the manufacturer in the title. The name may not mean a thing to you, but people will be searching by label and will be prepared to pay several times more for a designer brand in good condition.
7. Don't forget to list the width measurement across the ball and the inside length too. Advise customers to measure a similar styled pair that fits them to determine the fit. Even so, you may wish to mention in your terms that you can't guarantee correct fit and think about your returns policy.
8. In photos, folk want to see the front view, a side view showing the profile and a shot of the heels (front and side can be in a single frame to save money on the listing).
9. Sticky price labels inside or on soles should be removed by peeling off slowly, or try putting a hairdryer on them to loosen the adhesive.
10. One way to brighten up shoes for the photo is to insert some colored tissue paper into the toes - it makes them look well cared for too. If the shoes are a bit shapeless, try putting shoe trees in overnight before photographing (remove before you take the shots).
11. Try and advertise the shoes as boxed. The shoe box need not be the original (state if it isn't though) and it will make the shoes look far better presented.
12. Wipe inside the shoes with an antiseptic  baby wipe or similar if you are concerned about hygiene and odors.
13. Give UK, EU and US sizing where possible.
14. Be aware of suspicious correspondence from people posing as would-be buyers but who are foot fetishist. They tend to ask for several shots of ladies high heels being modeled.
15. If the shoes have leather soles, do mention this in the ad - cheap shoes usually have synthetic soles so this can be a good indicator of quality.
16. Ladies court shoes look fabulous when modeled with seamed stockings. It's worth keeping a pair for the purpose.
17. Finally, when you have prepared your ad, take a look at the preview. Think 'would I buy these shoes, based on this ad?' If the answer is 'Yes, possibly' then you may be onto a winner

Get some great buys on eBay.co.uk here

CAR BOOT SALES DO'S & DONT'S. Clear trash to make CASH!

CAR BOOT SALES DO'S & DONT'S. Clear trash to make CASH!

Updated for the 2011 season! Here is my guide to practical car boot sale buying and selling. Below I give useful tips on buying and selling.... plus.... what's hot to offer, and what's not!

Car boot sales (garage sales) can be small affairs, such as a one-off school fund raiser or massive, carefully managed regular events. Charity car boot sales are fun, friendly and less commercialised but at large car boot sales you'll find three types of seller - caterers, market traders (selling mainly new items) and private sellers (folks who have had a 'clear out' and are selling their unwanted clutter).

It's the latter that car boot enthusiasts often find most exciting and for whom the following tips are intended.

AS A BUYER, DO.....

...buy a local paper to find out when and where you nearest car boot sale is,  check on line or simply ask around

...be prepared to get there VERY early if you want to find the bargains

...take plenty of small change and small notes with you, but leave your credit cards and other valuables behind

...keep the notes safe and your small change somewhere accessible

...take lots of carrying bags, a rucksack or a trolley if you have one

...dress very warmly in winter

...tie a carrier bag on your car aerial so that you can find it easily later (hoping that not everyone has done the same of course!)

...take a few business cards if you have them, you never know when they might be useful 

...put your car keys in a very safe place (I once lost mine around a car boot sale in a field - and it was nightmare!)

...leave your dog and / or small children at home especially in hot weather if you possibly can.. If you really have to take the kids, give them a small amount of cash as spending money and tell them once it's gone, it's gone.. (I used to have two rules when mine were little - they were not to leave my side or to ask for anything around the boot sale except to visit the loo!)

...decide what you are looking for before you arrive, and begin to train your eye, as you walk along the lines, to pick out only those things (otherwise all you will see is an ocean of junk !)

...if you are buying with view to selling on e-bay, make sure items not prohibited,  but saleable and with sufficient profit, or you will be throwing money down the drain!

...cover the area methodically either looking down the left side and then the right side of the lane or walking more slowly taking in both sides at once

...show a little politeness and let sellers unpack a bit before diving headlong into their car boots looking for bargains!

...have a good look on, under, around and past the seller's table, because some of the more interesting or special items may be out of harms way

...make sure when buying that any sticky price labels on items will come off without damage - if they leave a mark you have good reason for further discount!

...be prepared to walk around the car boot sale a second time because other people will have turned over the merchandise and may have uncovered something interesting

... haggle, but not unreasonably. Pitches cost money and sellers deserve a decent price for good quality items.

...smile when you ask the price - it might just get you a discount.

...don't waste your pennies on buying things that have moisture sensitive adhesives at car boot sales - like envelopes, cigarette papers etc. Chances are, the seller will have had them out in the rain on previous occasions and they just won't be that good. Such items are cheap to buy in the shops so it's really not worth the risk.

...make sure you have a good look at what you're buying - after all, you won't be able to take it back for refund if it's got faults! Ask questions. If something seems too good to be true, it probably is.

...ask for a discount if you are buying multiple items

...consider carefully before parting with large amounts - it's easy to get carried away in the excitement and spend more than you intended. If you are not sure, leave your number with the seller and negotiate after the fair is over if appropriate.

...come back later and re-negotiate if something was too expensive earlier on (sellers often reduce prices later in the day or if the weather gets bad)

...avoid large impulse buys as it is becoming increasingly difficult to dispose of large unwanted items at refuse tips

....don't take out with you any more money than you can afford to spend as buying at car boot sales can be quite addictive!

...avoid leaving precious purchases with sellers for safe keeping - they may go home early or even resell to someone else for a higher price (poor practice, but it happens!)

...draw your car up closer to the seller's stall when collecting bulky or heavy items, rather than trying to lug it back miles through the crowds.

AS A SELLER, DO...

...your research on e bay if you have any items to sell that may be of value (try the 'completed listings' option in 'advanced search' to give an accurate idea bearing in mind that e bay is an international and not local trading place) 

...make sure you have a pasting table or two and plastic sheeting if it decides to rain.

...go with someone else (it's so much easier as you can take it in turns to serve and it's more fun with two)

...get everything ready the night before, check the weather forecast and pack the car

...check the pockets of sale clothing for money and other valuables

...take plenty of small change, small notes, pen and paper, flask, picnic, carrier bags, a chair and bin liners

...try to have the children minded, as they can get bored, irritable or can even wander off

...consider making your stall stand out from the crowd with a colourful tablecloth, signboards or have some other attraction (see below)

...choose a sunny pitch away from big muddy puddles

...arrive early

...be prepared for the 'boot-divers' and ask over-eager buyers to wait until you have unpacked the car (unfortunately it's at this time that items often go 'missing' so be firm and vigilant)

...consider waiting, say 15 mins after arriving, for the dealers to drift off before unpacking if you don't want this type of trade

...leave a gap between your sale area and your neighbours so that people can get between them (unless you want your items trodden on!)

...keep your car doors locked when you are serving, and your takings somewhere safe

...display some clothes on a (sturdy) rail putting your most colourful eyecatching items in front and some in a pile - people love to rummage!

...display your most saleable items where they can best be seen and touched e.g.  dvd's, electronics, cakes and jams, digital cameras, mobile phones, perfumes etc on the table but less saleable things like kids cuddly toys old shoes or household junk on a sheet on the ground

...if you can, arrange in themes, e.g. all your cosmetic items in one place, framed pictures in another, etc so that there is a logic to your stall.

...have a look at your stall from the other side, the buyer's perspective - does it look attractive / inviting / interesting? Is everything displayed to it's full potential? Can people get to the stall itself to pay, or is there too much stuff in front of it?

...if you have several tables or dress rails, consider a semi cirular arrangement - psychologically it's snug and inviting, and it gives buyers less chance for their attention to wander to the next stall!

 ...spread your stuff out to the sides so that people can see what it is you're offering.

...state the price firmly with no upward inflection in your voice. So, for example, answering to a price quiery with "£3 ??" sounds like you're inviting your buyer to beat you down on price.

...charm your would-be customers with some friendly banter (not easy if you've been up since 5 a.m., I know!)

...resist the urge to price things with labels. It may seem like a nice idea but it puts buyers off - let them ask the price and perhaps haggle with you. They can also leave marks on the items. The downside of this suggestion is that you and your helper(s) have to remember prices quoted

...keep in mind why you are there - is it to just get rid of as much stuff as quickly as possible or to make as much money as you can? Charge accordingly!

...use the tactics of the supermarkets and advertise 'buy one get one free' offers if it suits your purpose

...offer to mind heavy or bulky purchases while the buyer continues to walk around the sale (but sure they make a note of how to find you again and tell them what time you plan to leave!)

...take part or full payment for any items you agree to deliver, not forgetting the buyers telephone number and address of course!

...have a walk around the boot sale yourself and grab any bargains you see - you might even resell them on your stall and maybe make a profit!

...leave fake, dangerous or illegal goods at home

...don't sell knives, lighterfuel etc to underage kids

...consider adding another service to your stall...like facepainting for kids

...try to be impersonal about your personal items (e.g. no buyer really wants to know that you wore that nightdress when you were in labour with your fourth child!)

... when it's over, take all your unsold items home - charity shops are grateful for saleable items but not rubbish! Recycle what is left.

...keep smiling, and just hope it will all have been worth it!

Sellers - here's how to clear that trash and make some cash!....

READ THIS... 

I virtually furnished my lovely home and the family's wardrobe from car boot sales!  I have eighteen years of regular, national and international car booting experience and (for what they're worth) here are my observations......

Things that I have seen sell well, especially when in good condition and nicely presented, either rare or very up to date, are collectables such as vinyl singles and LP's, 40's 50's and now 60's or even 70's bric a brac / clothing / accessories or furniture, goth clothing,  genuine branded designer clothing & accessories, recent GCSE revision books, clothes for larger people, leather suitcases, dvd's (especially those for small children), mannequins, Mason & Pearson hair brushes, old dress rails, designer toiletries and (new or partially used) posh cosmetics, terry nappies, Victoriana, latest electronics, old photo albums, granny's embroidered linen, patchwork quilts, eiderdowns and her Lloyd loom furniture, good digital cameras, anything to do with glamour photography, stiptease or burlesque, mobile phones, diy / garden tools and equipment, ghd hair straighners, antique jewellery, padded coat hangers, quality boxed items in unused condition, wooden ironing boards, designer kidswear, well presented home baked goods, garden produce, brewery memorabilia, technical books (unless they are dated), veterinary and animal husbandry books, sporrans, old perfume bottles, fake pot plants, Le Creuset pan sets, Laura Ashley anything. I note in the past few years there have been more cultural food stalls - Polish food is a particularly popular in my area for example.

TIP -

It's worth considering buying in a few sweets, cans of drinks, tissues and wet-wipes - they're great to offer at the front of the stall to attract mums with small kids.

Things that don't normally sell well are basically things that were cheap or common place when they were new like .... cuddly toys, cheap cookware, toiletries, supermarket clothing and accessories. Also dolls dressed in knitwear by some granny or other, odd rolls of wall paper, SLR cameras, used underwear, clothes sized 8, Christmas decorations in summer, naff ornaments, carpet off cuts, used candles, anything broken, dirty animal cages, kitchen gadgets that clutter up your cupboards like yoghurt or bread making machines, odd china, tea /coffee sets, place mats, secondhand wigs, drinking glasses, fondu sets, cocktail sets, foot spas, used shabby furniture that's too big for the average car to transport, toys or books that are out of fashion, half finished craft projects, knitting machines or any machine without it's instuctions, novelty items such as singing fish (perleeese!), oversized pot plants, ice buckets, '90's fashion, cd's that came free with the sunday papers .

Things you might assume will sell well but you'll be very lucky if they do includes anything not very p.c. like smoking related items, stuffed creatures, genuine fur (don't even think about offering anything made from an endangered animal!). Also forget about retiring on the profits you'll make from...  dated but quality hi fi / computing / tv.equipment, old hairdressing clippers,  Franklin Mint plates or similar 'limited edition' items, Pokemon cards and the like, 'Beanies', odd bits of china, sheepskin coats, used boots and shoes, alcoholic miniatures, old typewriters, 'Just the Right Shoe' collectables, musical instruments, sewing machines, pictures in cross stitch, popular videos / cassette tapes / cd's, most curtains (except perhaps vintage or desighner ones), highstreet kids wear, wedding / bridesmaid / evening dresses, posh hats, massive stuffed toys, uniforms, treasured collections of things, gym equipment.

Things that catch the eye and draw people to your stall are items that make people talk and smile! You're looking to invite comments like 'Oh, I had one of those' or 'I've always wanted one of them', or 'I remember using these' etc. A radio or cd player for sale with some popular music on will not only prove the item works, but will attract attention. If you are selling a guitar and can play it - do! Another caring yet cunning trick is place a bowl of water on the ground - thirsty dogs will then drag their owners to your stall! If you have a highly desirable piece like a statue or mannequin that will attract people, bring it along -just for display. ( I know a seller who has a Marylin Monroe bust on her stall - she'd never part with it, but it gets people interested. ) Once attracted, watch how buyers are inclined to touch, to talk, to try and to buy! How about adding a screened-off area where people can try stuff on? Books on cars, old copies of Bizarre or Playboy, gardening tools, record collections and DIY stuff always seem to attract guys, (even if, in reality, they can't knock a nail in straight!). Vintage or antique items, kitchenalia, old photo albums, ladies hats, handbags, Moses baskets, parasols, long evening gloves, old corsets, enamel or china chamber pots, button collections, designer labels, home baked goods, pots of local honey, anything tartan, leopardskin or animal print, bright colours especially pink, sequins, lurex, snakeskin, beads, jewellery, sunglasses, feather boas, fur (real or fake), luxury goods, incense sticks (burning), mannequins, wooden chests, things that make people smile - like dresses with huge shoulder pads, kinky stuff, fancy dress items, shell suits or 6" stilettoes are all items that will get your stall noticed, and your trash turned into CASH! 

Oh, and if you can, do think about taking a metal detector around the field when everyone has gone, if allowed - you'll be amazed at what you can find!

P.S. The most unlikely thing I have ever seen being offered for sales was someones recent wedding album, complete with photos! (since writing this I have been e mailed by someone who had theirs stolen! so a word of warning... do remember what you are being offered at a car bootie may not be....er...'theirs to sell'!)

I am sure there is lots more information I could include but that's probably enough for now. I give permission for this guide to be copied providing I am given credit for my work. I have other guides which are really kewl and need your YES votes.... 

• on vintage clothing

• on identifying vintage furs

• on the care of fur

• on buying shoes on e bay

• ten e bay listing tips to save moeny

• on fetish clubs

  
  
  Find great buy's at 'SwanTech-Sound'

Christmas Holidays Ideas

Christmas Holidays Ideas

Know How To Organize The Best
Christmas Surprise With A Superb Party
& New Christmas Ideas From
The Traditional To the Contemporary!

So, Christmas is around the corner again and you can feel the holiday season approaching already. If you are also a Christmas enthusiast like me then this letter is specially meant for you. Though the traditional ways of celebrating Christmas has its own importance and nostalgia attached with it, why not try something new and exiting this season? While you can have the traditions intact, at the same time you can surprise your guests, friends and relatives with your fresh and innovative ideas. 

Whether it is the party that you throw at your place or the gifts you present to your loved ones, doing things a bit differently can add a tingling flavor to all the events. What can be more wonderful that receiving gifts that are personalize or attending parties that are fun and different from the stereotype ones. So, get different, get creative and collect all the praises for your exciting new ideas this Christmas!!!

Check out some ideal Christmas gifts for you or the family

The New Apple iPod

Apple iPod, Apple iPad 2, Steve Jobs, YouTube Video's

Steve Jobs Funniest Joke. Even Bill Gates Laughs!

Steve Jobs on iPods

Steve Jobs on iPads

stores.shop.ebay.co.uk/SwanTech-Sound

How To Create an Online Store (ecommerce) - EASY! - 2012

How To Create an Online Store (ecommerce) 

RELATED VIDEO - (WordPress Store)

CHECK OUT - SwanTech-Sound

Mobile-friendly sites turn visitors into customers - Analytics Blog

Mobile-friendly sites turn visitors into customers - Analytics Blog

Mobile-friendly sites turn visitors into customers

Tuesday, September 25, 2012
1:24 PM



Labels: Mobile


The following post originally appeared on the Google Mobile Ads Blog.



In this world of constant connectivity, consumers expect to find the information that they want, when they want it - especially when they’re on the go. We know that this applies to their web browsing experiences on mobile, so we took a deeper look at users’ expectations and reactions towards their site experiences on mobile. Most interestingly, 61% of people said that they’d quickly move onto another site if they didn’t find what they were looking for right away on a mobile site. The bottom line: Without a mobile-friendly site you’ll be driving users to your competition. In fact, 67% of users are more likely to buy from a mobile-friendly site, so if that site’s not yours, you’ll be missing out in a big way.




Discover these and more findings from, What Users Want Most From Mobile Sites Today, a study from Google (conducted by Sterling Research and SmithGeiger, independent market research firms). The report surveyed 1,088 US adult smartphone Internet users in July 2012.



The problem (and opportunity) is big...

While nearly 75% of users prefer a mobile-friendly site, 96% of consumers say they’ve encountered sites that were clearly not designed for mobile devices. This is both a big problem and a big opportunity for companies seeking to engage with mobile users.



Mobile-friendly sites turn users into customers

The fastest path to mobile customers is through a mobile-friendly site. If your site offers a great mobile experience, users are more likely to make a purchase.

•When they visited a mobile-friendly site, 74% of people say they’re more likely to return to that site in the future

•67% of mobile users say that when they visit a mobile-friendly site, they’re more likely to buy a site’s product or service

Not having a mobile-friendly site helps your competitors

A great mobile site experience is becoming increasingly important, and users will keep looking for a mobile-friendly site until they find one that works for them. That means your competitors will benefit if your site falls down on the job (and vice versa).

•61% of users said that if they didn’t find what they were looking for right away on a mobile site, they’d quickly move on to another site

•79% of people who don’t like what they find on one site will go back and search for another site

•50% of people said that even if they like a business, they will use them less often if the website isn't mobile-friendly

Non-mobile friendly sites can hurt a company’s reputation

It turns out that you can lose more than the sale with a bad mobile experience. A site that’s not designed for mobile can leave users feeling downright frustrated, and these negative reactions translate directly to the brands themselves.

•48% of users say they feel frustrated and annoyed when they get to a site that’s not mobile-friendly

•36% said they felt like they’ve wasted their time by visiting those sites

•52% of users said that a bad mobile experience made them less likely to engage with a company

•48% said that if a site didn’t work well on their smartphones, it made them feel like the company didn’t care about their business

Takeaways

While the research confirms what we already suspected -- that mobile users actively seek out and prefer to engage with mobile-friendly sites -- it’s a sobering reminder of just how quickly and deeply users attitudes about companies can be shaped by mobile site experiences. Having a great mobile site is no longer just about making a few more sales. It’s become a critical component of building strong brands, nurturing lasting customer relationships, and making mobile work for you.



Posted by: Masha Fisch, Google Mobile Ads Marketing

Anti-virus software on the increase Top ten virus threats reported

Fake antivirus applications are on the increase according to a report from GFI Software. In its top ten collection of the 10 most prevalent threat detections encountered during the month, the insecurity experts found that there was a new wave of or rogue AVS.

Growing since the start of the year, last month brought a significant spike in new variations of rogue AV, the report said. Christopher Boyd, senior threat researcher at GFI Software said that while the velocity at which rogues were successfully propagating may have slowed toward the end of last year, they are certainly back now, and they remain a popular tactic among cyber criminals.

Many rogue AV programs are being distributed via spam containing malicious links to the Black-hole exploit, a tool used by cyber criminals to target unpatched vulnerabilities in software applications from industry leaders like Microsoft and Adobe. Users infected by rogue AV may be redirected to fraudulent websites, have their systems hijacked by software appearing to scan their PCs or plagued by messages warning of viruses and other PC security risk. These scareware tactics trick users into providing credit card data to purchase non-existent protection.

To make matters worse rogue AV utilities are continually tweaked in an attempt to avoid detection, with newer variants of these malicious applications propagating every 12 to 24 hours.

The outfits 10 Threat Detections for February are:

Detection Type Percent

Trojan.Win32.Generic Trojan 35.63

GamePlayLabs Browser Plug-in 3.66

Yontoo Adware 2.79

INF.Autorun (v) Trojan 1.41

Trojan.Win32.Ramnit.c (v) Trojan 1.02

Trojan-Spy.Win32.Zbot.gen Trojan 0.94

Virus.Win32.Sality.at (v) Virus.W32 0.94

Worm.Win32.Downad.Gen (v) Worm.W32 0.92

Trojan.Win32.Jpgiframe (v) Trojan 0.87

GameVance Adware (General) 0.87

1 posts categorized " Search Optimization "

Using Savvy Terms to Show Up In Search! 

 

We often get calls and emails from sellers who have put great effort in their Product Detail Page, but cannot understand how neither they nor their potential buyers can find the products on the site.  It’s very simple – you must help the buyer to find the page.  The key to doing this is to think like a buyer.  The first step is...Savvy Search Terms!
Creating a Product Detail Page does not end with the image and technical details.You may create a really informative and enticing page, but it will not drive sales if buyers cannot locate it. Making the page searchable is probably one of the most important elements of creating a Product Detail Page on Amazon.  It is also one of the most common things that sellers neglect to do.
Entering Search Terms or keywords may seem like a tedious exercise but remember that any effort put into the rest of the page is wasted without them.  Some sellers will enter 5 terms only, when they have the opportunity to enter more.  Make use of the space you have.  You can separate search terms in each line provided using commas followed by spaces. For example:

“Boots, brown, brown boots, shiny”
As the title is already automatically used for helping buyers to find products, you will not need to repeat it or the brand name in the terms.  Be sure however that you have a good title including: Brand, Item description; Line; Colour; Size; and Quantity.
What would a buyer enter to find your product?  Is there a season or holiday your product relates to?  Is one of the words in your title commonly misspelled – e.g. “desert spoon versus dessert spoon”.  If so, enter both. 
Remember also that entering only one or two words will not be of much use if there are many versions of your product on the catalogue.  If I enter “dessert spoon” into the search bar, I currently get about 61 results.  If your spoon is silver, and you haven’t entered this term, you could be losing out on a sale.  Entering “silver dessert spoon” only returns 2 results!   “Brown shoe” – 5,000+ result, “brown patent shoe” – 27!  Adjectives as search terms can also add value to your listings.  You can test different terms to see what works best to surface your product. 
Search Terms can be entered under ‘Your Product Info ‘in ‘Add a Product’, under ‘Classification in Seller Desktop’ and ‘search-terms1 - search-terms5’ in the templates.

Next time, we will look at Browse Nodes, an important partner to Search Terms.  Employing both of these techniques will ensure that buyers will find those listings quickly and easily.
Happy Selling :)
-Philippa

 

Facebook results: 'the social media bubble bursts'

Facebook’s disappointing first results as a public company are a sure sign that the ‘social media bubble’ has burst, according to technology analysts.

By Emma Barnett, Digital Media Editor

Yesterday the social network’s shares slumped to a record low after its maiden results as a publicly traded company showed its growth had slowed.

The Californian company had been under intense pressure to deliver strong results given the almost 30 pc drop in its share price since the $104bn (£66bn) flotation in May.

Although revenues climbed 32pc to $1.18bn in the second quarter, beating analysts' estimates, it failed to convince investors who had seen saw revenues climb 45pc in the first quarter. At the same time its spending on sales and marketing more than tripled to $392m in the period.

Ian Maude, head of Internet at Enders Analysis, described Facebook’s first results as the moment which investors finally "got to see the money and the real state of affairs".

“This is the proof that there is a social media bubble,” he said. “Those investors who piled in at $38 were on a hiding to nothing. Revenue growth even before Facebook’s IPO wasn’t there to support that valuation. People bought shares at those inflated prices based on the idea that Facebook was the new Google. It isn’t.

“Google’s display revenues alone this year will be larger than Facebook’s entire revenue.”

Having sold shares at $38 each on May 17, they tumbled as much as 12 per cent to $23.75 in extended trading in New York. David Ebersman, Facebook's chief financial officer, said that "we are disappointed how the stock is trading".

As had been forecast, the cost of share-based pay plan for employees saw Facebook report an overall loss of $157m for the quarter. But as founder and chief executive Mark Zuckerberg made an appearance on the company's conference call with Wall Street analysts on last night night, the focus was squarely on how quickly the social network site will be able to drive revenues.

Zuckerberg and Sheryl Sandberg, Facebook's highly-regarded chief operating officer, were at pains to stress that the company had introduced several initiatives to squeeze more revenue from a base of users that grew 29 per cent to 955m by the end of the quarter. That included the launch of advertising known as ‘sponsored stories’ in the newsfeeds that Facebook users get when they access their accounts. By the end of June, they were generating about $1m a day in advertising, with half of that coming from mobile devices, said Sandberg. Total advertising revenues rose 28pc to $992m in the quarter.

However, Maude said the biggest problem confronting Facebook was mobile.

“The issue is Facebook’s revenue growth which has slowed down over the last 12 months and the real worry is it’s not going to be able to turn it around. Plus the revenue per user is pretty flat.

“But its biggest problem is monetising mobile. As more and more of its users access Facebook on mobiles, the social network must prove it can monetize mobile if it is to dramatically grow revenues. So far it has not proved it can monetise the small screen. Sponsored stories are a start, but we are very sceptical about display adverts on the mobile screen.”

Last night Zuckerberg denied reports that Facebook was considering building its own phone, arguing it "wouldn't make much sense for us". 

Facebook said the number of users of its and apps for smartphones and tablets was growing quicker than the number of adverts it is serving up because it has not developed its mobile advertising strategy.

“We believe this increased usage of Facebook on mobile devices has contributed to the recent trend of our daily active users increasing more rapidly than the increase in the number of ads delivered,” a Facebook spokesman said at the time.

However, Vanessa Barnett, technology and media partner at law firm Charles Russell, sees the social network's maiden results as a public company in a more positive light. She said: “The high level picture is that [Facebook’s] revenue is up, hitting 1.18 billion dollars. That is a business success, whichever way you cut it.

"There will be many Facebook 'Grinches' that linger on the two key negatives (margin down from 53 per cent to 43 per cent and that costs and expenses up by almost 300%) but their schadenfreude would be entirely misplaced. Margin will for the moment be trickier because there is less space on mobile to view ads. Costs and expenses are obviously up because of payments arising out of employee share schemes and the IPO.

"I see the results very positively and in the context of the internet market as a whole. Everyone is using Facebook, everyone is going mobile in terms of how they connect with their friends and how they consume information and content. Facebook has become a utility in our daily lives and now it's really about how Facebook executes on that.

"The results reveal some positive data that Facebook is heading in the right direction, in particular there are impressive statistics on return on investment in advertising, which 49% of audited campaigns returning five times spend. This is impressive. Alongside that Facebook continues to innovate for users, for example, purchasing Instagram, launching Facebook Exchange - all steps towards success and growth.”

Interview: Haley Reinhart Wants Music Fans to Listen Up!

Interview: Haley Reinhart Wants Music Fans to Listen Up!

It’s an exciting time to be Haley Reinhart. The season 10 American Idol favourite recently released her new single, “Free,” off her soon-to-be released début record, Listen Up!. The song stays true to the jazzy, retro-soul songstress that we came to know on the singing competition a little over a year ago.

The singer has been on quite the press tour as of late, which included making her return to the Idol stage earlier this month, as well as appearing on the popular CW drama, 90210. Earlier this week, Rinehart graciously took the time to chat with me about her new single, having creative control on her album, and what she hopes her fans will take away from Listen Up!.
How does it feel to have your new single, “Free,” finally released?
Oh, I couldn’t be happier. It’s really amazing to finally have some of my own material come out. It’s been very fun. I’m eager to see the charts and wait to see what happens.
How has the reaction from your fans been about the song?
It’s really good. They find out so many things, like it’s crazy. They find out stuff before I do a lot of the times. With the song, they’ve been eager to see what is going to come from me and the sound. I think that they’re pleased with the direction. They agree and know it’s the right direction for me and it’s the kind of artist that I want to be.
I read that you first crossed paths with song “Free” last summer while you were on the Idol tour; what was your first impression of the song?
I had gotten a bunch of songs, and that was the one that I was like, “Wow.” You know, it just had a lot of different things that caught my attention. It had this hypnotic, kind of very retro, sultry vibe to it and it captivated me from the get go, from the first piano chord to the end. There’s a lot of different qualities about it that made it special, and I could just hear myself singing it thinking, “This is the path that I want to go down.”
Was the song’s impact on you something that came into play when it came to deciding which song you would lead off your album with?
Yeah, we just thought that “Free” was perfect on many different levels. For a first thing to come out and to maintain my artistry the way that I want to be represented, as well as letting it have these pop undertones and sending [the song] out to radio and having them take a listen and want to play it. We thought it was perfect in a lot of those different areas.
I think it’s a great first single for you, and I really enjoyed seeing you perform the song on American Idol (Top 10 results show) last week. How did it feel to return to the Idol stage to perform your own material?
That was so much fun. I got to see people that I spent so much time with and reconnect. Being able to come back with my own stuff, it feels great to know that I started on that Idol stage and I’m back doing my own thing.
You started out your performance in this giant birdcage, and I was wondering where the idea for that came from?
Most of the times with the whole album and the creative process, and the video and everything like that, all my ideas have been there. But this one, there’s been so much going on and Idol’s just been one of the things going down. And it’s so important, so we got Wade Robson to come in, creative director, and he actually had this idea for the birdcage. And I’m all about vision, so we made it happen. It’s huge, it weighed tons! It was really cool to actually see it in person and make it come to life.

It was a great visual when you hit the chorus and the cage rose up above you. I thought it was really perfect for that part of the song.
I’m glad you liked it. Yeah, I thought it would also connect with the words, lyrically, and just be a good, cool symbol.
Since you were in the same spot last year as the contestants, what kind of advice would you give them when they are given advice from their advisor's that they don’t necessarily agree with?
I met most of them and I talked with them briefly, but to some of them I told them, “There’s going to be so many opinions. They’re all over the place. And everybody’s entitled to one, but now it’s your job to take it all in, take what you need from it and move forward. And really your guts, your instincts, are really what’s going to lead you in the fast direction for you, so take the best advice that you can, but when all is said and done, what matters most, is what is right in your heart.”
Switching over to you new album, Listen Up!, which is set to be released on May 22, where did the album title come from?
I was doing a lot of the creative [stuff], like the album artwork at the same time, and I had this idea and it kind of coincided with the title. I’m going to have an exclamation, like I really just want it to be a known thing. Like, “Hey new generation, old generation, whoever, take a listen to this stuff.” I put a lot of hard work into it, it’s organic and raw, and has a lot of elements that I’ve grown up with, as well as being very modern and fresh. I just want people to give it a listen.
We don’t usually hear about singers coming off of Idol having a lot of creative control initially, but it seems like you have taken your project by the reins. How did you approach making this record with your recording team?
Starting off with tour, I knew in my heart that for me to be all over this project, which is the biggest thing of my life, having an album, being given this opportunity, I didn’t want to waste it or let it slip beneath me to do other written material. I wanted to be completely hands on with the process, and it went really well. I’m lucky to say that they let me wait until after the tour, and as soon as I got off tour and moved to L.A. and hopped right into the writing process. I flew all over the city and did a lot of speed dating for about three months and wrote the whole album – wrote about 30 songs in that period of time. It went really smooth.
When you’re starting to brainstorm a new song, do you usually start with the lyrics or the melody?
First and foremost, I like to fill out what I’m going to be talking about. I like telling stories. I think words are just as important as the melody, but they need to make sense and they need to have substance to them. They need depth.
Melodically, melodies always come very, very easy to me. Words do as well, I’ve been writing poetry since I was really young, but at the same time when you’re co-writing, the lyrics really need to come from both ends. Melody-wise, my melodies pretty much stuck through with all the material, because it just comes to me really quickly. I probably owe that to The Beatles and a lot of the great musical geniuses that I grew up listening to.
Since your lyrics are really important to you, are you drawn to certain topics or do you just go with whatever comes to mind in the studio?
I like to have a direction, they need to make sense. So in order for them to make sense, we have to create the story that’s going on. When I walk in, I always have an idea and the more and more that I got into the process, I’m like, “Alright, I want to talk about this story about a girl and boy who are best friends. I’m in love with this guy, and I want to make him see that I’ve always been here for him. And any flaws that he thinks he has, I think they’re beautiful,” and we’d write a whole song about it. That one I did with busbee, called “What You Don’t Know,” it’s fun, you know. I like songs that take you on a journey and take you somewhere else and really sink your teeth into it.
What are you hoping that your listening audience takes away from your new record?
First of all, I hope that people of all ages will enjoy it. It’s great to know that Idol has a huge, wide-range audience. And that’s fantastic, because I wanted to be talking to a younger crowd as well as a much older crowd. I hope that everybody will give it a listen and really just see that I wanted it to be a very organic and natural experience. I want them to be able to get lost in it and relate to it. All the songs are very relatable. I know that people have gone through these kinds of experiences. I want them to be able to hear me and what I’m saying.
Over the weekend your music video for “Free” made it's unofficial début on the internet. From what I saw, it's just beautifully shot. I like the retro vibe and it seemed to really fit the song. Was the concept your idea or more of a collaboration with the director?
The director Christopher Sims, he’s fantastic. I gave him a full outline of what I wanted. He came back, had some minor tweaks in how he wanted to film it with the camera. Otherwise yeah, he went with my idea. Everybody liked it over at Inter-scope and 19, so we ran with it.
We got to go to an old-style diner, and Christopher had this idea of the camera spinning around, making this kind of whirling, spinning, crazy effect. Very difficult and very fun; it was a great challenge to be moving fast with heels and holding onto nothing. [laughs] It was really, really cool to see my vision come to light. It’s something I’ve dreamt of my whole life.

Was it surreal to be on the set of your own music video?
Oh my gosh, yes. I was in the best mood ever the entire day. We went through the ringer; it was a 19 hour day pretty much, 18-19 hours on set, but completely and utterly worth it. I was just so pumped the whole time, and then by the end of it when they were finally like, “It’s a wrap!” I just like cried a little, I’m not going  lie. And everybody around was just clapping, and they were all, “Oh my gosh, that’s so sweet!” I mean, I had a perfect team around me that I was working with and it just came together. Literally, I could walk through the gym of my high school and imagine videos. It’s just been a dream come true. I can’t even tell you.
Last question – how would you sum up the last year or so of your life?
Well before this last year and a half or so, I didn’t even know what the word “whirlwind” and that’s definitely a word I could use to describe it. It’s been incredible to be able to accomplish my goals at this young of an age. I’m 21-years-young. I’ve had my aspirations, knew I had to make this dream come true, and believed in myself. And knowing that every single aspect of my life has changed in the midst of one year, it’s just incredible. I’m taking it to the fullest and soaking up each moment.
Haley Reinhart’s new single, “Free,” is available now. You can pre-order Listen Up! on her official website.
Photo credit: Harper Smith

Lenovo poised to surpass HP as top PC maker

by Lance Whitney

 

 

Lenovo's ThinkPad Edge.

(Credit: Lenovo)

The PC market may see a new leader by the end of the year, says at least one analyst quoted by Reuters.
Currently in second place, Lenovo is set to overtake Hewlett-Packard as the top seller, making it the first Chinese vendor to grab the No. 1 spot in a key technology sector.
"It's just a matter of time before Lenovo becomes No. 1 and it won't be surprising at all if it happens later this year," Frederick Wong, executive director at Avanti Capital Management (Hong Kong), told Reuters.
Lenovo stole the No. 2 spot from Dell during last year's third quarter, according to Gartner and other researchers. Since then the company has continued climbing the charts and is now hot on HP's tail.
A July 11 report from IDC pegged Lenovo's worldwide second-quarter market share at 14.9 percent, compared with HP at 15.5 percent. Gartner found an even tighter race, giving Lenovo 14.7 percent of the market and HP 14.9 percent.
But sometimes being No. 1 isn't all it's cracked up to be.
Like other computer vendors, Lenovo is stuck in a sector that's seen better times. PC shipments continue to decline, with Apple the only vendor still experiencing some growth.
And despite gains in market share, Lenovo's PC profit margins have narrowed. The company achieved only a 1.4 percent operating margin last quarter, compared with HP at 7.4 percent and Dell at 6.2 percent, Reuters noted.
Lenovo also faces challenges in the booming tablet market where it's up against Apple and a host of Android vendors, now including Google itself with the new Nexus 7.

PC demand could bounce back this year if Windows 8 spurs more sales, thereby benefiting Lenovo. But the upcoming new OS is designed for tablets as well as computers. So Lenovo may be in the same boat as other Android vendors in facing more competition from Windows tablets, Reuters added.