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Show ^••..••*.-vo-. •"*$*•• -*m The Beaver Press - March 3,2011 - Page 4 Technology In Our Lives Oh, Gee—Is 4G Right For Me? (NAPS)—If you are wondering what all the fuss over 4G networks and devices is all about, there's good news. For starters, you're not alone— and as tech topics go, it's not really that confusing once you become familiar with a few basic ideas. Here is a brief overview: ,- The Network The "G" in this case stands for generation—as in generation of wireless technology. Developing the first generation resulted in making mobile phones widely available. The second generation, or 2G, made the switch to a digital format possible and text messaging on a wide scale feasible. The next generation—3G technologymade it possible for mobile devices to access enhanced information services such as websites and made smartphones more widely available. , For consumers, 4G mobile will be less about making phone calls—although it may help reception—and more about Internet access on portable computers and smartphones. Sprint is currently a 4G network provider reaching 120 million potential users, across the U.S. Some consumers will be able to use 4G technology for a home broadband connection without running any cable into their house. It can also be used for accessing the Internet on the go without having to be linked to a wireless hotspot. A new generation of smartphones has been developed to take advantage of the faster speeds offered by the 4G network. In general, the connection speeds offered on a 4G network mean that with a compatible mobile device, consumers will bo able to watch TV, scan the Internet or stream movies at speeds that they usually associate with a hardwired or cable connection. Compatible Devices Sprint has introduced 18 4G devices, 12 of which are commercially available today. One device that is already getting lots of attention is the HTC EVO 4G. Recently, Good Housekeeping honored it with a Very Innovative Products—or VIP—Award. Popular Mechanics gave it its Breakthrough Award. And TheStreet.com rated the HTC EVO 4G the No. 1 Android phone. It features what's been described as the best Android operating system to date, touch-screen technology, live-streaming video and dual cameras for video chat, plus a huge 4.3-inch screen. The latest version HTC EVO Shift 4G also offers a full QWERTY keyboard, social networking integration and HD video recording in 720p format Other devices with 4G capability include the Novatel Wireless ultracompact MiFi 3G/4G Mobile Hotspot. The device lets you connect up to five Wi-Fi-enabled devices—including tablets, eReadera, laptops or gaming consoles— to the Sprint 4G or 3G network. It delivers a wireless experience with no cables or software installation required. The Mobile Hotspot has a battery life of up to four hours of u$age and 60 hours of standby time. It can support the connectivity needs of a household at home or help a frequent traveler or even a small-business team connect to the Internet while on the road. There's an external display with status indicators for battery, signal strength and number of connected devices, and shared storage capability through a MicroSD slot for up to a 32GB memory card. It supports Windows, Macintosh and Linux operating systems. To learn more, visit www.sprint.com/4G or call (800) Sprintl. Top 10 E-Mail Features Your Business Needs To On average, people fear spiders more than they do death. Grant me the serenity to accept the things 1 cannot change, the courage to change the things I can and the wisdomtoknow the difference. —Reinhold Niebuhr *•• Most tooth loss In people under 35 years of age Is caused by athletic trauma, fights or accidents. Fall s e v e n times, stand up eight. —Japanese proverb Creative Cooking Couid Land You $1 Million Expert Tax Tips For Saving Time And Money (NAPS)—Although you have a few extra days to file this year's tax return, experts encourage you to file sooner rather than later. Whether you're getting a refund or owe taxes, there's incentive for everyone to file now. 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Nearly 70 percent of t For more tax tips and informataxpayers e-filed their federal tion, visit www.IRS.gov and returns last year. Unlike paper fil- www.taxact.com. TaxACT Free ers, you'll know when the IRS Federal Edition allows everyone accepted or rejected your return to prepare, print and e-file a fedwithin 48 hours. Combined with eral return free. The maniier in which one endures what must be endured is more important than the thing that must be endured. —Dean Acheson Did You Know? (NAPS)—With 25 percent of its lush land and pristine coastal areas protected as national parks, reserves and sanctuaries, the Dominican Republic is considered the most biodiverse country in the Caribbean and is a major destination for ocotouristB and whale watchers. To learn In ore, visit www.GoDominicanRepubUc.com. • •• One way to help problem gamblers and provide a valuable service to them is to provide a helpful message alongside sports point spreads and other score-related information, especially during National Problem Gambling Awareness Week, March 6-12. That message is: "Need help for a gambling problem? Call the National Problem Gambling Helpline at (800) 622-4700." *• * Free tax preparation software such as TaxACT will help you review and adjust your federal withholding, and walk you through all the tax law changes. Learn more by visiting www.irs.gov. Learn more about TaxACT at www.taxact.com. • •* You could win more than $1 million with a smart recipe idea when you enter it in the 46th Pillsbury Bake-Off Contest at www.bakeoff.com, « •• You may be able to have your taxes prepared and filed for free, plus qualify for valuable tax credits. Dial 2-1-1 to find a site near you. You can also visit www.my fireetaxes.com. Sweetened condensed milk gives this easy dessert a creamy filling while flour, sugar and nuts add a delightful crunchy topping. (NAPS)—Ladies and gentlemen, 1 cup raisins start your ovens. A smart recipe % cup oats idea could win you $1 million in the 45th Pillsbury Bake-Off* ConHeat oven to 350° F. Press test. Enter now through April 18, cookie dough rounds evenly 2011 at www.bakeoff.com in the into bottom of ungreased 13x9categories Breakfast & Brunches, inch pan. Sprinkle with 1 cup of Entertaining Appetizers, Dinner the pecans; press firmly into Made Easy™ or Sweet 'IVeats. dough. Bake 13 to 17 minutes or Here's one tasty idea from until golden brown. Meanwfrtfe, finalist Maurice Chirm, 44th Con- in Inrge bowl, beat cream cheese with electric mixer on test, to get you started: medium until smooth. Oatmeal Raisin Add milk, vanilla and eggs; Cheesecake Crumble beat until well blended. On low 1 pkg. Pillsbury" Biff Deluxe" speed, beat in '/< cup of the refrigerated oatmeal raisin flour. Pour over crust; spread evenly. In medium bowl, mix cookies (12 cookies) brown sugar and remaining % 2 cups Fisher* Chefs Naturals* Chopped Pecans cup flour. Cut in butter, using pastry blender or fork, until 2 pkgs. (8 oz. each) cream mixture looks like coarse cheese, softened crumbs. Stir In cinnamon chips, 1 can (14 oz.) Eagle Brand* Sweetened Condensed Milk raisins, oats and remaining 1 cup pecans. Sprinkle over 1top.McCormick* Pure cheese mixture. Vanilla Extract Bake 35 to 45 minutes longer 2 LAND OTAKES* eggs or until set. Cool completely, 1 cup Pillsbury BEST* All about 2 hours. To serve, cut into Purpose Flour. 4 rows by 4 rows. Makes 16 % cup packed light brown servings. sugar Want a shot at $1 million? % cup cold LAND CLARES* Butter Visit www.bakeoff.com for official % cup HersheyV cinnamon contest rules and entry forms for the 45th Pillsbury Bake-OfP Contest chips HEALTH AWARENESS Gluten-Free Food For Thought (NAPS)—Here's food for thought: Although celiac disease is one of the most common genetic conditions in the world, many people don't know much about it. In fact, according to the Celiac Disease Foundation, while one in every 133 people lives with celiac disease, 97 percent of them don't even know they have it. The Condition Celiac disease is an autoimmune condition that causes the body to react to proteins in gluten—found in wheat, rye and barley, among other foods—as though they are a danger to the body, damaging the intestines and causing distress. A Solution Fortunately, avoiding gluten doesn't have to mean giving, up bread, pasta and other tasty foods. lb help, the longest continuously certified-organic bakery in the U.S., French Meadow Bakery®, bakes gluten-free products in a dedicated gluten-free facility. The extensive gluten-free portfolio includes breads, pizza crust, tortillas, rolls, brownies, cookies, muffins, cakes and cupcakes that are safe and delicious. TJiey all carry the sftal of the Gluten-Free Certification Organization. These products can be easily incorporated into a whole host of favorite recipes, like the one below from French Meadow Bakery. Gluten-Free "It's Greek to Me" Pizza Garlic Paste Ingredients: 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil Gluten-free "It's Greek to Me Pizza can be an easy-to-make, safe and tasty treat for people who are sensitive to gluten. 1 clove garlic, roasted Combine extra-virgin olive oil and garlic t o g e t h e r t o make a paste. The paste can stand for up to 3 days to create depth of flavor. Pizza Toppings: 1 oz. baby spinach, roughly chopped 2 oz. feta cheese, crumbled Kalamata olives, pitted nnd halved 8 sun-dried tomatoes, sliced Remove one French Meadow Bakery 9 Gluten-Free Pizza Crust from packaging. Brush pizza crust with garlic-infused olive oil. Place the remaining ingredients on top. Bake in a 400° oven for 5-10 minutes. Learn More For more information, visit frenchmeadow.com, gluten.org, celiac.org and celiaccentrHl.org. (NAPS)—For small and medium-size businesses, e-mail is one of the primary ways to communicate and connect with customers, not to mention an important tool for storing and organizing information. Not all e-mail systems arc created equal, though, and compromising on your e-mail system could put essential information at risk. Here are the top 10 e-mail features your business needs to succeed: 1. Security—Viruses and spam can slow down e-mail, steal confidential information and use your computers to attack websites. Ensure that your information is safe with built-in anti-virus and anti-spam filters that are constantly updated. 2. Reliability—Growing businesses can't afford downtime. Insist on 99.9 percent uptime with a financially backed guarantee. 3. Backup—Losing information due to a power outage or accident can be catastrophic to a business. Make sure your provider routinely backs up data to multiple geographic locations. 4. Support—Problems arise with any system. Confirm that you have round-the-clock phone support for your e-mail. 5. Storage—For many, e-mail is a default storage system. Look for systems with generous e-mail box sizes in the 20-25 GB range and the ability to send and store large attachments. 6. Compatibility with mobile devices—With more and more phones able to connect to e-mail, it's, important to ensure they'll work well with your business e-mail system. Make sure your e-mail provider has support for Windows Phone, iPhone, Android and Blackberry, among others. 7. Web access from different browsers—Particularly if you trrvel, it's important to make sure your umail system allows easy accessfroma PC, phone and a variety of Web browsers including Internet Explorer, Safari, Firefox and Chrome, so you have uninterrupted access. 8. Offline support—If you use Microsoft Outlook, make sure your provider has full support for its features, including offline access, so you can continue to be productive even without an Internet connection. 9. Control—It's your e-mail, so Succeed E-Mol Fads and Figures ': • 107 JriKon—The number of e-mab jtnl on |bt lnlenwlin2010. '*•'''}':'*.'• • 294 biSoft—AvBfoge number of e-nwil messages per day. \ •1.88 billion—The number of e-mail wen worldwide. . . • 480 million—New e-mail users since ihe pk:} before. --':'} '•'••• • 89.1%—The share of e-mols that wereispbm.? • 262 billion—The number of spam t-mqfeptf. day (assuming 89% are spom].* \ ." • 2.9 biffion—The number of e-mal occourib''/; worldwide. ' ' • :' • 25*—Share of e-mail accounts that are '; corporate. '; 'Spam percentage fromMessagelabs. Emoil user numbers and counts From ': Radkati Group fa even if you don't manage servers in* house, confirm that your e-mail system gives you the ability to manage things like security settings, distribution groups and shared address book information over the Web. ': 10. Easy to use—For a tool you use every day, it has to include features that make your life easier. Look for the latest features, such as: • Ability to sort e-mail the way you normally work—by date, sender or subject; >* * Shared calendaring, so users can see their colleagues' schedule* to book meetings; :: ::: * The ability to include conference rooms and equipment when scheduling meetings; < • Shared mailboxes that multiple people can access and respond to, such as customer service e-mail accounts. Free e-mail systems generally don't provide the security and reliability needed for business e-mail, but Microsoft has recently made available new versions of Microsoft Exchange Server and Exchange Online, part of the Microsoft Online Services suite. Exchange Online is their hosted e-mail that offers secure, reliable e-mail for businesses for as little as $5 a month. By making sure your e-mail makes the grade in these categories, you can have the confidence of knowing your system is secure and will run smoothly while you get on to the more important work of growing your business. -: More information is available at www.microgoft.com/onlineVex change-online.aspx. Listen To Your Mother: Wash Your Hands (NAPS)—Despite the obvious benefits, there are still many people who do not follow good handwashing habits. "If we all simply wash our hands frequently and correctly, we can play a huge role in reducing the spread of germs from one person to another," said Paul Santoro, CRNA, president of the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists (AANA). "From a healthcare perspective, the AANA views hand-washing negligence as a critical patient safety problem and promotes requiring all healthcare professionals to comply with proper hand hygiene standards for their own safety and the safety of their patients." TV) help promote hand hygiene, the healthcare experts at the AANA recommend that everyone follow these simple tips on proper hand-washing from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): • How to wash: Wet hands with dean running water and apply soap. For 20 seconds, rub hands together to make a lather and scrub all surfaces. Tb ensure that this is being done for 20 seconds, try humming the "Happy Birthday" song from beginning to end two times. Afterward, rinse hands well under running water before drying them with a paper towel or an air dryer. If possible, use a paper towel to him off the faucet • When to wash: Hands should be washed before and'after preparing food, eating, touching people, treating wounds or giving medicine, and treating a sick or To wash your hands properly, lather up and scrub all surfaces for about 20 seconds or as long as it takes to hum the "Happy Birthday" song twice. • injured person. It is equallyimportant to wash hands after activities such as using the toilet, changing a diaper, touching an animal, blowing your nose, coughing, sneezing or handling trash. : In healthcare facilities, adhering to proper hand-washing techniques is essential in reducing the risk of exposing patients to the possibility of infections that are transmitted through touch and consequently could lead to dire consequences. Historically, the AANA has taken a strong stance, in advocating for patient safety and preventing unsafe health care practices. The association works closely with the CDC to aggressively address vital issues such as infection control and safe,injection practices. x Learn More •;• .:'{-. For more information, visit www.aana.com or call (847):69!2r 7050. • v *** He who smiles rather than rages is always the stronger. -;. ^ —Romain Gary *** Singer Marvin Lee Aday is better known by the stage name "Meat Loaf." It's a nickname that dates back to his hefty high school football days. His weight—in the mid-200s—earned him the nickname. ''''•:•'•: •-]'•' Courage is the greatest of all the virtues. Because if you haven't courage, you may not have an opportunity to use any of the others. . }-$'•£''• |