Bring New Life to Your IPod

There are many methods that are used to hack and mod iPods and in this article we will examine three popular methods: iPod Linux, Rockbox and iPod wizard. Each one requires some technical understanding to insure proper usage and installation. The reason for this is because during the installation process, serious problems may occur if it is not done with care. The iPod may be ruined, the data can be lost, and it might be difficult to recover the iPod.

Mods and hacks for iPods expand the usability of the device and give added customization. The MP3 playlist is not that complete, or if one is not satisfied with the way artists or the titles of the songs are organized. Sometimes the volume is too low or you wish to install a different icon or font. These are just a few of the potential complaints a person can list toward their iPod.

iPod Linux and Rockbox are operating systems which can work as another firmware for the iPod and are more powerful compared to other hacks which simply represent a modified version of the basic ones. This will mean that users will be given the ability to give their iPod a totally different look, thanks to a wider range of customization options, or by adding a new theme to the device. But this also allows for additional changes since possibilities arise for new text document creation, new games, new playlist organization, video playback, and so on.

Also these additional operating systems are constantly updated allowing for the latest version to be installed. However, using a new operating system to hack the iPod like iPod Linux for example means you must first be aware of the challenge it offers not so much in terms of its usage, but mainly for its installation since it replaces your iPod's original firmware.

Using Rockbox as an operating system is not that dissimilar from the Linux one. Aiming at providing even more high quality updates and experiences, Rockbox may be considered one of the best operating systems which focus on improving audio performance by expanding audio format compatibility.

The increased audio format compatibility includes: FLAC, Ogg Vorbis, AC3, WMA, MP3/2/1, WavPack, Speex, WAV, AIFF, Apple Lossless, ACC, Musepack, and more. Other unique feature includes speaking menus support which allows one to navigate the iPod blindly, plug-in support and advance audio tuning. Rockbox does not remove the original firmware on your iPod instead it is loaded via a boot loader. This makes the risk of installation much lower compared to iPod Linux.

The iPod Wizard is more like a modification utility than a totally different firmware. Itss basically used to work on the quality of the images, changing text, adding icons and its installation is not that challenging. Since this support is only about images and text, others mods exist which only deal with audio, and their focus for example is shifted to increasing the maximum volume perceived in the headphones.

There are many other hacks and mods which can give you added features you never thought possible on an iPod. From transforming your iPod into a remote control to playing the classic 3D first person shooter DOOM, to even just modifying the way your iPod looks on the exterior. If you're interested, explore the internet and discover the new abilities your iPod.

Fresh Gadget and Technology Blog with the Latest Gadgets.

Internet Video - Why You Have To Use It For Your Business

These days there is so much going on with video on the internet. I can remember back in my early days on the net when we had to limit a video clip to ten seconds or so and a tiny little frame (160x120) because anything more would take forever to download on a dial up connection. I used to go to the Real Networks convention every year to find out what the latest codec was for making video better for streaming. (I don't even know if they even do that anymore, seems they are more in the music biz these days)

It all seems sort of funny now, spending all those hours editing and encoding tiny little ten second clips of some video for the web. Now days anyone can load any amount of video up to the web for viewing by everyone and it does not even have to cost you anything. Internet video has come of age and then some.

One of my early web sites ended up costing us more money than planned just because we filled up the company server with so much video that they had to buy more servers which were expensive in those days. NOW you don't even have to host the video yourself or pay anything for it. With all of the video sharing sites in the market you can serve your video up in many different places (think links, think social).

It really is quite amazing when you think about it.

Now to the point. You must use video in your business. It is essential these days. It works.

AND it is easy to do and cheap to produce. Trust me here. No longer do you need to be from Hollywood to do video for the web. Now to avoid it being pure garbage you should spend at least a little time in the planning and execution of the video but never the less you can get video that promotes your business on the web very easily.

The easiest thing to do is to take your product and do what we call a screen capture recording with a voice over. Basically you walk the customer through a tour of your product while capturing the screen on video. There are a variety of tolls to do this with ranging from the free to ones that cost $250. Camtasia at $250 is at the high end but man does it rock in terms of options, ease of use and quality output. On the other end is CamStudio (camstudiodotorg) which is free and can do the basic recording.

Now for video recordings other than screen capture you can use your cell phone if it can record video, a camcorder with USB or Firewire connections to make simple live recordings of you talking about your product. Customers like to see and hear you. It helps in their buying process. Trust me on this one.

Kevin Rockwell runs a successful internet based video and photo business and is one of the White Hat Guys Consulting Group which helps entrepreneurs learn how to quickly and easily launch their own profit pulling online business ASAP, on a shoe string budget.

Learn more about their free training program at White Hat Guys and you can learn more about digital video here.

Top 7 MP3 Music Download Sites Reviewed - Find Out Where To Get Free Music Downloads

There are so many websites out there to download music, but which one is the best? I don't want to spend too much time on each one, just a couple of things to point out that I came across while evaluating each one of these methods for downloading MP3's. So take 5 minutes of you time and read through this article and see which one is right for you. You won't be disappointed.

Monthly Fees Apply to These

Let's start with the 3 most popular that everyone knows about- I-Tunes, Napster, Rhapsody, and eMusic.

i-Tunes- I liken i-Tunes to AOL 10-12 years ago. Everyone used AOL as their ISP, just because they didn't know better. Other ISP's took you to the same internet for less than half the price. Once people caught on and realized this they started using other ISP's. Same thing with i-Tunes. They were kind of the first legitimate music download site. Sure they have a few extra bells and whistles that other music download sites don't have. But do you really want to pay more for the same MP3's you could get else where? A lot of people are abandoning i-Tunes these days for less expensive alternatives. I did, and I'm glad I did. $.99/per track.

Napster- the once proud home of FREE MP3 downloads. Until Metalica went before congress and ruined it for all of us. Gone are the days of FREE MP3's. So if that is what you are looking for, forget about it. THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS FREE MP3'S. If you find something out there promising this, be careful, it's probably illegal, so shame on you. Anyway Napster had to reinvent themselves and now you pay for their service. It's ok, I guess, but I like others better. $12.95/month

Rhapsody- I really like Rhapsody and it has many loyal users, I used it for many years myself. It's easy to use, they have a pretty good selection and by far the best search utility to help you find the music you are looking for. If you're just looking for MUSIC Downloads, this is a pretty good way to go. The only downside is the monthly fees you have to keep dishing out. $12.99 for Rhapsody, and $12.99 if you want to get Real Player Plus. It was just announced recently that Rhapsody will acquire Yahoo! Music, so it should be interesting to see what benefit that will bring th Rhapsody users.

The following have the option of 1 year, 2 year, or lifetime memberships. No monthly fees apply.

These 2 are almost identical. Mostly the same features, software is almost the same to use. Some have more files available for downloading, but all in all pretty much the same thing, when it comes down to it.

Unlimitedmp3downloads.com
Liftetime membership $34.94

MP3Download.net
Liftetime membership $34.95

My Top 2 Favorites by Far:

Zune
300 Million files- This one is really popular right now. Tons of new registrations each day.
Liftetime membership $34.95 for MP3
Liftetime membership $49.95 for video and MP3

The best thing about this one is the free bonuses you get. Free DVD/CD copying software (make backup's of your favorite DVD's, a must if you have kids like me that destroy things), free spyware/adware/pop-up blocker/ antivirus software and personal firewall. $245 in bonus software. With all the security risks today, if you're online a lot like I am you need these tools to protect your computer. They are all yours free when you register with Zune Empire. you really can't beat that! Even if you never used the MP3 software, it's worth it just get all that other software free.

K-Lite
800 Million songs and videos. Can you even get your head around that number. Talk about a selection!
No monthly fees, unlimited downloads, no spyware or adware (this is very important- some MP3 sites out there will give you real cheap access, but then flood your computer with spyware and adware. Trust me, you don't want that.
Liftetime membership $39.95 for MP3
DVD Backup Software $9.95
DVD Quality Movie Downloads $9.95

This is a little more expensive than the others ($5.00 for Music, $19.90 for Movies and CD/DVD software) but the price is worth it when it comes to the selection and ease of use. If you don't want the other two pieces of software, this is the best one. If you really got have that software, go with Zune Empire for $49.95.

The last 4 companies listed here are all pretty much the same thing/same price. It's just a matter of personal preference. Having tried them all, I would highly recommend either of the last two- Zune Empire or K-Lite. They have the biggest selection, most features, and best customer support. You really can't go wrong for $34.95. That is less than what I would pay to take my wife out to dinner at someplace half way decent.

The bottom line is, if you're like me, you probably invested $200-$400 on a decent MP3 player. You want to get the most out of it- Music, Videos, Movies, etc. Scrounge up the $34.95 or $49.95 if you want videos, and invest in some software that will let you use your MP3 player for what it was intended for. You'll be glad you did.

Chris McCann is the founder of Shop4CoolStuff A website dedicated to helping you find the very best mp3 music sites on the Internet. You can sign up for free trials or pay one time for life memberships at http://www.shop4coolstuff.com/top8mp3.html

Free Sources of Legal Music Downloads

With the controversy and legal issues that have plagued music download sites since their beginning, it seems like there are no good, legitimate sites for free and legal music downloads. Many sites either offer you music that they are not legally allowed to distribute, or they give you some nasty surprises when you use them: spyware, adware, and other ugly little add-ons.

Believe it or not, there are still several ways to get quality, legal music downloads for free. You won't always be able to get the entire album and many free resources only offer downloads for relatively unknown artists. But if you're willing to try something new and don't mind only getting a sample of the music you want, you'll have plenty of options for finding free music downloads.

GarageBand lets you download music from unknown artists who are hoping to make it big. You know that the music is legal to download because it is provided directly by the artists themselves. They are not signed to a label so there's no worry about the label owning the rights to their songs.

Because the bands are unsigned, the majority of them will be new to you. GarageBand is certainly not the place to go if you want to build up your music library with perennial favorites or up-and-coming bands you heard on the radio but if you're looking for new and unique music that you probably won't hear anywhere else, this site is perfect.

Amazon has a surprisingly friendly and easy-to-use free download section. They offer a small selection of free songs that are changed often. They are frequently by well-known artists who you already love.

The best part is that Amazon's downloads are DRM-free, meaning that you can play the songs with any compatible software and on any MP3 player. You can use these songs to burn CDs, also. The free downloads are yours to keep, and you can snag as many of them as you like. The bad news is that there are only a few songs available at any time, and it may be a while before new ones are posted.

eMusic is another well-known site for music downloads that most of us are already aware of. They don't exactly hand out free downloads, but they do give you 25 free MP3s during a one-month trial membership. If you sign up for an eMusic membership, you'll have access to over two million songs. You can choose any of these for your 25 free downloads, and they're yours to keep. Even if you decide you don't want to continue your membership, you get to keep the free songs without ever paying a penny.There are plenty of other sources out there some giving you full albums and some providing only a few songs. The most important thing is to make sure that the songs are provided legally and that you aren't violating US laws by having them.

Most sites will give you information on the subject of their legality somewhere on the site. If they don't, it's usually possible to get the necessary information from other sources on the internet. Just perform an internet search for that site to see what has been said about it elsewhere. If you can't find any information about the legality of a certain site's free downloads and it looks questionable, the best thing to do is to avoid it. Free music isn't worth the legal problems that it will cause if you don't do it according to the applicable laws.

To find out more information about legal music download sites visit reviewmusicdownloads.com

How To Optimize Online Videos For Search Engine Optimization

Online videos are, in comparison to an article, devoid of the common search engine optimization techniques that most webmasters take advantage of. You can't exactly target specific keywords with a video- or any at all- since search engines can't crawl a video's content.

But before you give up on online video marketing altogether, know that there is a light at the end of the tunnel. All you need is three things: creativity, a determined mindset, and the perseverance needed to succeed in online video marketing.

Why Market With Online Videos, Anyhow?

You're probably asking yourself why anyone would want to market with a video, if they don't carry the SEO benefit of a lengthy article. The simple answer: every forthcoming generation has an increasingly decreased attention span of the one before it. You'll notice that fewer and fewer Internet users prefer a good read over a flashy video that can achieve the same thing in less time and with more entertainment.

Online videos also offer a one on one perspective with the service or product that the video is in relation to. What strikes you as more compelling: a Super Bowl ad, or a billboard on the side of the road? Of course the Super Bowl ad would influence a decision more, as a direct result of the persuasion that comes from sound, movement, and of course those subliminal messages that commercial creators love to use.

So How Do I Optimize My Online Video For Search Engines?

To get your video out and about on the Internet, you'll have to follow some of the typical rules that normal content follows. The golden rule in this case: put as much content, keywords, and effort into each and every website that you can.

In our case we have less to work with, but this doesn't mean we are down and out. Add Title tags to the video, and make use of descriptions and comments as well. You'll notice that most online video sharing websites have areas where users can upload lengthy descriptions this is great for search engine crawlers! Comments also tend to add a little weight to websites, given that they are relevant and aren't spam comments.

But as most Google experts will tell you, great content isn't always the only thing you need to get ahead in rankings. To get noticed by Google you need backlinks which are simply links from other sites that point to a page on your website. Pointing these backlinks to a specific video will enable Google to both crawl and assign rank to your pages faster, and hopefully assign high rank as a result of good link building.

Final Thoughts on Video Marketing and Search Engine Optimization

Search engine optimization is a large business on the Internet, and it's no wonder that the services of big-name SEO companies are starting to pour out into video marketing. If you can get a tight grip on the next killer viral marketing video, investing in search engine optimization methods will multiply profits from the increase in visitors. And as visitors increase, so do sales of services or products.

But as we said earlier, one of the three things needed is perseverance. Don't be surprised if you don't get ranked highly on your first attempt. If all else fails, ask for a consulting company to quote your company on an SEO job and be prepared to watch the sales come in from the next big hit in attention-grabbing marketing.

Video marketing and video search optimization service.

The Revolutionary YouTube Explosion Online

What is it that really made YouTube different from other online video sharing websites?

It was the right site, at the right time. At a time when broadband internet is the norm and social networking was beginning to explode on the internet, YouTube gave users a new way to communicate. People now have an outlet for their creativity, any message they want to share, and a way to share information through video online. Combine that with the social networking sites like Myspace or Facebook -- that allow users to link to YouTube videos -- and YouTube is becoming a pioneer in the way people share information. For the first time, with a simple video camera, anyone can post videos of whatever they want for free.

Founded in 2005, YouTube quickly became one of the hottest sites on the internet. Today the site serves up over one hundred million videos a day. According to the research site HitWise, YouTube can claim over 46 percent of the entire online video market. Considering that site was started by three twenty something techies in Silicon Valley, and then sold to Google for $1.65 billion in late 2006, it is easy to see how the site has started a revolution in the world of online video.

Originally thought up as a video version of the website HotorNot (a pioneer in websites that allowed a user to upload content) YouTube's founders quickly realized that users were uploading whatever content they wanted. People were uploading videos and linking to them from their MySpace sites. YouTube piggybacked on the explosive growth of the social networking site to become the biggest online video site on the web today; MySpace continues to be the greatest source of hits for YouTube according to HitWise.

It was probably a number of factors, and smart decisions by it's founders that allowed YouTube such explosive growth. It was one of the first sites that allowed viewers to watch video from the site with no special software. The decision not to place ads before videos also contributed to the sites success. Probably the largest factor though was how easy the site is to use. A user can register, upload their videos, and it is so easy your grandmother could do it. The combination of the easy and edgy feel to the site fueled its growth to where it is today.

Today the site serves up 100 million videos to users worldwide each and every day. From simple messages uploaded by users to professionally produced videos, you can find almost anything on YouTube. Some users have found fame from their crazy antics in amateur skits. A couple of users have even garnered professional television contracts from their YouTube videos. The site really has become a phenomenon in the world of online video, and social networking.

It will be interesting to see how YouTube, and other sites like it, continue to change the way we communicate, the way we advertise, and mostly the way we share ourselves.

Take a look as some extremely funny videos at Videyos.com

Underdogs Chasing The Online Entertainment Titans

As a whole, online media has long been caught up in copyright infringements lawsuits with both the music and movie industries. With companies like DailyMotion making deals with traditional media companies, this may be the beginning of a change for online video. The reality of it is that the two media delivery systems had to come together eventually. Innovative ideas and new relationships between online media companies and traditional companies may just pave the road to future for online video. Just remember to watch a small French company, DailyMotion, as they help online video push towards the future.

If you mention the website YouTube, most people know immediately what you are talking about. Thus far, there really hasn't been much competition for the Google owned video giant. In the shadows of the giant, however, remains the second place video site. Lesser known in America until recently -- with innovative ideas and high quality video content, DailyMotion is forcing the larger video site to take a look.

At the time of this writing, DailyMotion receives approximately ten thousand new videos every day, and serves up 16 million page views everyday. Although 16 million pales in comparison to YouTubes 100 million videos served per day, DailyMotion has gained some Hollywood attention since it US debut earlier this year. That very attention from some big names in the entertainment industry may just lead DailyMotion's quest to be the number one video sharing site.

Although the smaller company does not have the clout that YouTube carries with Google's financial backing, Dailymotion is the first site of its type to sign on with a traditional television station. Before its U.S. launch Daily Motion video signed on with the French T.V. station TF1. The deal allowed the television station to play the best from DailyMotion and it allowed the website access to some of TF1's programming. It was the first deal of its type to mix online video with traditional television delivery.

Shortly after its U.S. launch DailyMotion signed on with RDF. The U.S. company sells programming to traditional television stations, and is best known for it's television series featuring Shaquille O'Neal. Together the two companies plan to come up with eight new programming concepts. They will share in the ad revenues from the concepts, and they plan to come up with new targeted ad campaigns to fit in with the programming. It is another pioneering deal in the world of online video. Along with the deal DailyMotion raised thirty four million in capital from a British investment firm.

DailyMotion very much still sits in the shadow of the giant, but with their innovative ideas and push towards growth, it may be interesting to watch as the up and coming company may just give YouTube a run for its money. The world of video sharing has been around for a while, but it in the past couple years with sites like YouTube and DailyMotion coming into play, the ideas have really taken off.

To watch some free funny videos, visit Videyos.com

Video Sharing Sites Other Than YouTube

Although the big sites may be attractive, sometimes the smaller ones can be a good choice too. Any of the sites previously talked about would be an excellent alternative for your video uploads. With sites like YouTube that receives a hundred million hits a day, it is easy for your video content to get lost in huge number of daily uploads. Smaller sites sometimes offer better viewer-ship since your recently uploaded video stays in the list longer.

Almost anyone you talk to has an idea of what YouTube is. DailyMotion is another site that most tech savvy people know by name. They are the big players in the world of online video sharing. With the explosive growth that site like YouTube have fueled when it comes to video, other sites are popping up that allow for video sharing. This article will take a look at some of those other sites.

If you like the look and feel of sites like YouTube and Dailymotion there are two others that also allow for the same type of video uploads. Sharkle is one site that follows along the same lines as the video giants. The site has an easy to use interface and makes it easy to create communities with people you know to share your videos. Sharkle also has some interesting features such as their ad mixer and contests.

The other, YouTube-like site that I will talk about today is SelfCastTv. The site is listed as beta, but it does have a nice clean interface and an interesting way of organizing the user's videos. The channel feature on SelfCastTv makes it easy to categorize your videos. It also makes it easier to find the types of videos you like to watch. Either site can be a great choice if your new to the world of online video, because with a smaller user base your videos don't get lost in the mix.

If blogging is more along the lines of what you like to do there are two other video sites that cater more to video bloggers. Flukiest is one of the best video blogging sites. More than video blogging it is really a social networking site. Flukiest is the first social networking site that caters to people who want an easy way to share photos or video. ZippyVideos is another website that focuses as much on community as it does video.

The site seems to be the smallest of the websites that we have talked about so far, but small sometimes has it's advantages too. If you tend to use online video as your way of journaling or blogging one of the community focused sites can be an excellent choice.

The other two sites worth mentioning are Vmix and ShortBrainTV. Vmix, although it has some features like those found on the other sites listed here, tends to cater more to a business audience. They do have user submitted video, but their focus is on business solutions. That isn't surprising really, since Vmix was started by some of the big names in the media industy. ShortBrainTV (formerly known as bliptv) caters to the creative types. ShortBrain is a collection of online amateur and professionally produced short movies and animations. Whatever your tastes or intentions, there are a lot of great sites on the internet for those wanting to share their videos.

For funny online videos, spend some minutes at Videyos.com and share it with your friends.

Downloading All The Music You Ever Wanted Online

Once you find the right location for your music, you can easily and quickly (it seems almost instantly) download them to your PC, your notebook, or you can check out music downloads as well. There are specific services that are available to provide you with the ability to get great quality songs on your. If you choose music, you can find the right location to download from on the web to your laptop, take the music with you wherever you decide to go and, if you like them; you can even burn them to CD.

No matter if you choose music or find a few great songs to download to your PC, there are many services that are providing this ability to you. If you are skilled, you can even find a few free music downloads. Of course, to get the best products available, you may want to go with a paid service. It also pays for you to take your time in checking out a few of the services for their fees and their membership details. With so much competition out there, you are sure to find a great deal being offered to new members. Music downloads are fast becoming the best way to get the songs you want to see quickly.

There are many places on the net were one can find places for music downloads and movie downloads. Some sites have you pay per song or movie, and sometimes charge up to a couple dollars for each download. Other sites require a membership and a monthly fee were the members share files. This method sometimes can be frustrating when you are in the middle of a download and the user signs off before the download is complete.

I prefer to use sites that have a onetime membership for music, movie, games and software downloads. The best sites have their databases jammed pack with over a million songs, movies, games, and software available for downloading. Some of these sites have no limit to the amount of downloads you do per day.

There are a few sites were the database does not have quality movies and music downloads and they might be very slow to download. I have placed a link at the top of this site for a one that has quality music, movies, games and software downloads. You may want to check it out.

Once you have downloaded some music, movies and games you can take them anywhere you go. This is great when you have places to go or have long travel times to get somewhere. It really helps to pass the time away while your having fun either listening to music or watching a movie or just playing a new game. There are so many games available. You should never run out of games to play music to listen to and movies to watch.

The legal music download sites mostly distribute music from reputable labels and artists. This means, that you won't find extensive mixes, and custom files that will slow down your connection and take forever to download. Also, the relatively small files gives some assurance to the music retail industry that a site is actually selling music files and not illegal video games or movies which can be hundreds of times larger.

Jon Caldwell a music lover. Much of his music reviews can be found at http://www.music-geek.net/music-geeknetcat/music-geeknetlink.php