With the computer playing a key part in internet telephony, what kind of computer one uses will have an impact on the quality of the overall phone experience.  Having custom computers or custom laptops for specific needs leads to a better interactive scenario.

A custom computer or a custom laptop has features or attributes that match or enable more commonly used functionalities, such as graphics or video requirements.  Sometimes it is not just the brand or model of the computer that has to be considered when making a purchase.   Factors such as operating system, memory, drive space, type of processors, embedded software programs, and/or applications come into play as well.

The bottomline is that we all have different needs and interests.  Hence, custom computers in a manner of speaking
have their own niche for being.

No one can question that the internet has dramatically changed our lives since its introduction.  And like any new game in town, there will be players and there will be spectators.  Whichever side of the fence one decides to take will depend on several factors.

The internet can provide a lot to supplement even brick and mortar businesses, and in itself, can also be a medium for even small upstarts to have a digital presence.  Website development and internet business development include several phases, including conceptualization, planning and blueprint stage, acquisition of domain names, and implementation and execution of the business model.  Once a website is operational, factors related to web hosting (eg, managed hosting vs. individual or private hosting), servers (eg, dedicated servers vs. shared hosting), colocation, and communications costs (eg, dial-up phones vs. VOIP or internet telephony) have to be addressed appropriately.

The important thing is that one’s business is seen and heard in the web.  With proper internet marketing strategies, one can indeed secure a virtual beachfront location in the world of internet business.  And that may be the case whether the business is spawn by the internet or the internet is utilized to complement the existing business endeavor.

The triad of computers, internet connection, and internet phones comprises the basic components of internet telephony or VOIP.

For fast computers, some of the factors to peak performance include inherent hard drive capabilities and memory size.  But as in the case of fast machines that we see on the road, sound drivers, ie, computer drivers, are key.  Especially since outdated drivers may be  associated with poor PC performance, hardware failure, and computer freezes.  Regular driver updates can lead to better PC performance.

Reliable internet connection, including via broadband connection, ensures rapid transmission of data (voice, text, image).   And to truly enhance the internet phone experience, supplementing with  webcams or use of internet video phone provides for voice plus visual communication.  And of course, the quality of the VOIP or internet phone service provider will also come into play.

No matter the season, whatever the reason, an augmented communication experience enables one to stay connected with family and friends and gets better with the essential components of VOIP or internet telephony functioning at their optimal performance.

To spice up the day of computer geeks, internet phone users and techies, we would like to share this poem by Mr. Lifedefiner entitled  The Computer Geek’s Mojo. Underlying its lighthearted and fun nature is the firm commitment to improve our lives using internet technology.  So here it goes…

Once there was a prodigy with a goal in sight
Who went out to explore the windows
Of opportunities galore that’s sure to excite
And of a wonderful vista that he knows.

Wanted to be the master of his own domain
So off to a safari he went and came back by plane
No matter where it was under the sun
He knew he had to find his amazon-

The apple of his eyes and the lady of his dreams
Not just in cyberspace but as real as life it seems
And when he did succeed, he did say
Can’t exactly recall but it was either “yahoo or yehey!”

To all the techies of the world, thanks a google
Or is it googol which is 1 followed by 100 zeroes?
For the internet websites that we love to ogle
And for the good stuff that makes us heroes.

The cell phones of today have evolved a long way from the original telephone that Alexander Graham Bell invented in the late 1800s.  Not only is there a wide gap as to time elapsed since, but importantly, in terms of functionality as well.

Now, we can do a lot of things with our phones other than just calling and talking.  Some of these include texting, transmitting emails, taking pictures, using as alarms, appointment books or directory, playing mobile games, twittering, listening to music (eg, one can shop at the iTunes Music Store), watching movies, and surfing the internet.  Plus there are also phone apps that have further enhanced the overall cell phone use experience.

An interesting relatively novel cell phone use has been that of the mobile phone as a conduit for coupons.  For example, mycoupster.com enables access to instant coupons delivered via the cell phone (cell phone coupons). A neat idea for instant savings via the cell phone!  Which makes us wonder regarding other similar applications for cell phones, such as reservation or booking tickets sent to the cell phone and then recognized by bar code technology at the entrance gate. And to make it more exciting, the combination of GPS technologies and internet access on the phone does indeed open a lot of other possibilities.

Your cell phone wish list will of course depend on your individual needs and preferences. But one thing is certain, creative minds will continue to find ways to expand on cell phone use as we know it today.

Nowadays, an online search can provide information on just about anything, say on finding the best internet phone on the market.   But with so much information out there, how can one really get to the real deal?

To illustrate the point, let us go through a search engine exercise based on the keywords “best internet phone” using the 3 major search engines: Google, Yahoo, and Bing.   The search was conducted earlier today (March 3, 2010) and here are the results.

For Google (google.com), there were 149,000,000 entries for best internet phone data, with the following as the top 5 entries (websites or URLS for purposes of this exercise, and not including sponsored entries):
1. cell-phones.toptenreviews.com/multimedia/
2. www.phonerated.com/c-top-rated-best-american-internet-phones.php
3. reviews.cnet.com/best-cell-phones/
4. www.pcworld.com/…/is_an_internet_phone_right_for_you.html
5. www.galttech.com/…/internet…/best-internet-phone-service.php

For Yahoo (yahoo.com), out of 469,000,000 entries, ranked in the top 5 were:
1. www.bestinternetphone.com
2. bestinternetphone.org
3. bestbuy.com/site/Mobile-Phones-Office/VoIP/
4. answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20091120035617AA6Kzve
5. amitbhawani.com/blog/best-internet-browsing-mobile-phones

At Bing (bing.com), the top 5 entries out of 169,000,000 entries were:
1. www.pcworld.com/article/115053/​internet_​phones_clear_​winners.html
2. www.slate.com/id/2121742
3. bestinternetphone.com
4. www.galttech.com/research/​internet-ecommerce/​best-internet-phone-service.php
5. www.pcworld.com/article/118734/is_an_​internet_​phone_right_for_​you.html

This search engine exercise will show the following basic points:
1. There are millions of possible sources of information online as well as offline, eg, books, product manuals, or conversations with other users.
2. The online search experience will vary depending on the search engine used and the criteria and algorithms adopted by the search engines. Also, note that there are other search engines aside from the major ones and one can also directly type in the name of a known website on the URL line (type in traffic) or go a bookmarked site.
3. The information will change from time to time as technology continues to advance.
4. The best internet phone performance, aside from the features of the phone itself, can also be impacted by the quality of the service provided by the internet phone service providers.

Of course, there is no substitute for actual internet phone experience, but hopefully this article is helpful in letting you find the best internet phone that is right for your needs.  Obviously, the best decisions in product selection come from being well-informed with the best information.

According to internetworldstats.com, latest world internet usage data shows that out of a total world population of approximately 6.7 billion, there are about 1.7 billion internet users worldwide.  For the US  alone, ~250 million out of more than 300 million Americans (or 74% of the population) use the internet.  However, the majority of those who surf the internet (or surf the web; although technically different, the web and the internet are sometimes loosely used interchangeably) have done so thru their desktops or laptops as the potential of regular internet use
over mobile phones remains to be fully utilized.

Fortunately, most of the available mobile phones and so-called smart phones now have built-in browsers as wireless providers aim to go beyond just voice service.  Also, some of the leading wireless and internet companies in tandem with the Worldwide Web Consortium are in the process of working on website development guidelines designed to make it easier to surf the web on mobile phones or cell phones. Some of the salient points include guidance  on appropriate use of large graphics or popups (that could clutter the mobile phone screens) and of cookies (which store information on the viewer’s device) and placement of content at the top of the cell phone screen in order to avoid scrolling thru multiple navigation links.

Social networking media, such as the micro-blogging site Twitter, have contributed to the growth in the number of consumers who use their cell phone or mobile phone to access the information superhighway that is the web.   As more advances are made in internet technology, the popularity of using cell phones to surf the web is on the rise.   And hopefully, the benefits in terms of convenience and getting the right information in a timely manner or via some other innovative applications will lead to a better world.

With several cell phone manufacturers and providers on the market, it pays to be familiar with some of the application development programs and outlets for phone apps in order to make a better selection.

Among the cell phone apps platforms are the following:

- iPhone apps

- Palm apps

- Symbian OS apps

- Windows Mobile apps

- Blackberry apps

- Android apps

- Java phone apps

With the introduction of the iPad by Apple, other application development program platforms have come into the scene.  One of these is Appcelerator Titanium which enables users to build native mobile and desktop apps using web technologies.

The acquisition of knowledge is a never-ending process of discovery.  Isn’t it wonderful when we learn how to use tech devices, including GPS (global positioning systems) and ipods, iphones, and ipads?   And how sweet it is when we can save in the cost of talking and staying connected with our loved ones using internet phones (where one can have a personal online number via internet telephony or voice over internet protocol or VOIP).   The internet has enabled and facilitated easier access to a vast array of information and wealth of knowledge.

Nurturing is essential to growth not just in physical aspect but even in terms of relationships.  For example, one of the factors for unsuccessful marriages, aside from financial reasons, is the “taken-for-granted” mentality.  Like growing plants, love requires regular watering and pampering.  Showering our loved ones both in mind and thru action leads to more inspired individuals who are ready to give their best and achieve their full-blown potential.

Some may complain that there is too much information out there.  But for me, the more the merrier, or rather the more the better. It is definitely easier to sift through the clutter rather than to start from scratch.  With the appropriate amount of nurturing, it is most likely that the fruits will be better than the tree.

It used to be that phone service was confined mainly to talking. Until of course the dawn of the internet era and the introduction of so-called smart phones or high-tech cell phones. With application programs or for phones (cell phone apps or mobile phone apps) that one can download from the web, smart phones are veritable pocket rockets of a mobile communications device pack a lot of wallop and do beyond simply browsing the web, texting, e-mailing.

Phone apps or mobile phone apps can raise the level of the  overall phone service experience.  Cool phone apps for your cell or mobile phones may be related to maps, music, or lots of other fun stuff.  The bottom line is cool phone apps add a lot of functionality to your cell or mobile phones, validating in a way the wise move that you made when you got them in the first place.