DIRECTV has become a popular alternative to standard cable, and in some areas of the country, it remains one of the few choices for rural television viewers. Given that DIRECTV allows television viewers to watch hundreds of channels no matter where they live, the service is now more popular than ever. It does require the installation of the satellite reception dish. As a potential customer, you don’t need to worry as the installation is not very difficult, and will generally only take an hour or two....

Remove the device you’re attempting to install. Open “Start” and click “Shut Down.” Press the power button to power on the computer. Plug in the hardware and wait two minutes for the wizard to start. If it doesn’t, proceed to the next step. Click “Start” and type “Run” in the search box. Select “Run” from the menu. Type “cmd” in the dialog box. Hit “Enter.” Type “hdwwiz.exe” on the command prompt line and press “Enter” to start the Add Hardware Wizard....

Video-sharing websites like YouTube and Vimeo have made the distribution of video and musical content available to the masses. These sites offer considerable opportunities for independent artists looking for a venue for their work and help foster discussion about various topics. However, the benefits these services bring are contrasted by potential abuses and other negative consequences of utilizing them.

If money is tight, you may be debating on whether to pay extra for a data plan to access the Internet on your cell phone. Although you primarily surf the Web on your home or work computer, you may find that paying extra to access the Internet on your cell phone is worth the extra fees. Using a cellular phone network as a backup may become invaluable to you if you need to use the Internet for work....

People with bad credit are not without choices when it comes to purchasing cell phones. You can go prepaid and choose from the best companies, the best plans and phones with all the latest apps and features. Best of all, prepaid will keep your budget locked-in. Do shop carefully. Review and compare plan details completely. Net 10 makes figuring out rates simple. All calls (regardless of the time or day) are charged at a flat rate of 10 cents per minute....

GPS navigators come in many different styles. Automotive navigators are popular with commuters and others who spend a lot of time behind the wheel, providing turn-by-turn driving directions. Handheld GPS units are suited to people who love the outdoors, giving them the tools to avoid getting lost in the wilderness. Though both types of GPS units provide navigational data, there are some distinct differences between the two styles. Writer Bio

If you’re considering an upgrade of your computer’s operating system, Windows 7 Home Premium ranks among your options. The system requirements to install it depend on whether you’ll use the 32-bit or 64-bit version. Microsoft says the 64-bit version can provide more efficient operations if you run and switch between several programs at the same time. You’ll get the most benefits out of this version if you have at least 4GB of RAM, although its system requirements for installing this version are below that threshold....

Those who type for a living, or those who spend numerous hours in front of their computer, should always keep their posture and wrist placement in mind. Working long hours on a computer will cause muscles to tighten, eyes to strain and backs to stiffen. While a properly placed keyboard cannot fix all of these issues, it may be able to ease the burden of some. Writer Bio

A firefly effect is an animated background that features small glowing spheres appearing and disappearing on the screen. Using the Particle World and a few other effects, you can easily create your own backyard full of fireflies. The fireflies will have a natural glow and random appearance like they are seen in nature.

Cable Internet services are widely used to deliver broadband to homes and businesses. From the distribution box somewhere in the neighborhood leading to the back of the computer, a host of cable types are used. All of these are necessary in delivering an error-free broadband experience to home and business owners. Writer Bio

Spam is a frustrating yet unavoidable aspect of the Internet. Open a new email address, and before you know it, you will be receiving unsolicited ads and other junk mail from every corner of the globe. While it can be tempting to respond to these emails, either in an attempt to remove yourself from their list or to vent your anger at the sender, this may not be the best course of action....

Zoosk is an online dating website that uses social networks as a means of connection for its users. Sites such as MySpace and Facebook allow Zoosk you to merge accounts so that you can interact in a variety of ways over the Internet. Much of the communication on Zoosk is done via personal messaging or an optional downloadable instant messenger. You can chat on social networking sites and Zoosk simultaneously if desired....

Google Chat is the instant messaging service built into Google services such as Google Plus and Gmail. By default, Gchat lists all the Google Contacts you have previously confirmed. Blocking a contact on Google Chat prevents him from initiating a real-time instant message conversation with you or from seeing your online status, though he can still send you an email message. Writer Bio

The open architecture of personal computers allows manufacturers to build add-on cards, such as modems, video cards, USB ports and network devices. These cards plug directly into card slots on the motherboard. The hardware connection between the card slots and the microprocessor is called a bridge. Writer Bio

Adware Generic is a type of program known as malware, which is any malicious software that intends to harm your computer or to steal information or money from you. A computer owner usually installs an Adware program without intending to. Writer Bio

Pulse code modulation, or PCM, is the digital representation of analog signals. In the case of surround sound, this means that all digital surround formats eventually are decoded as PCM. Pulse code modulation is also found as stereo signals, such as digital PCM from a CD player over a fiber optic or digital coaxial cable. Writer Bio

As of the fifth generation of iPod touch, Apple produces two distinct lines of its iOS-based portable music player. The original fifth generation iPod touch came out in 2012 and features 32GB or 64GB of storage, a rear-facing camera and a range of colors. A cheaper version of the iPod touch came out in 2013 with 16GB of storage. This model only comes in one color and lacks the additional camera of the more expensive version....

Updated February 10, 2017 SATA Operation The Dell Precision includes an option in the BIOS to change the SATA operation, or SATA mode. SATA devices can run in ATA, AHCI or RAID mode. ATA mode lacks the features of AHCI, but is compatible with older operating systems. AHCI works with modern operating systems, like Windows Vista and Windows 7, and has extra features ATA lacks. RAID mode can run on Windows XP and Windows 2000 if the proper drivers are loaded at setup, and enables users to set up a multi-drive configuration to improve disk performance....

As processors have become smaller, the power of mobile phones has grown. Although many phones share similar features, the speed at which they use those features varies greatly. Beneath the touch-screens lies the core of the smart phone experience. Smartphone processors are traditionally measured in megahertz or gigahertz, but many factors affect their overall speed. Writer Bio

Twitter helps provide a different level of social networking interaction, giving people access to instant status updates or breaking news from news outlets, professional athletes or celebrities. You can also stay in touch with friends through Twitter by following your friends’ pages. Of course, this starts with you actually finding your friend’s username. Twitter provides two different methods for searching for a friend: by name or email address. If you cannot find your friend using one of the methods, try the other....