What Is An Affiliate Network?

An affiliate network is like a virtual store selling products to your website visitors. But instead of manufacturing products you are selling a retailers products and taking a cut off the profits. An affiliate website can be seen as a middle-man which is diverting web-traffic to a particular location. But instead of blindly paying for clicks the advertiser only pays when the visitor buys something. This is also known as Cost Per Action (CPA) advertising or performance-driven advertising.

Google Affiliate Network is completely separate from AdSense or AdWords and as a website publisher you must submit a separate application even if you already run Adsense. The bar for admission is not very high and the rules for eligibility for a website are quite vague. Google requests that you ”are an expert in driving and converting visitor traffic” and manage a site that” attracts a desirable audience” in a particular niche. Of course you will also need to be able to test different affiliate advertising offers and promote the ones that have high conversion.

Google has to keep its reputation of high quality. This is reflected in some of the advertisers participating in the program. There are no Cash4Gold or Rich Dad schemes. Some of the partners in Google Affiliate Network are Verizon, Kohls, Citibank, Office Max and Barnes & Noble. So you might be thinking another day, another affiliate network polluting the internet – what’s in it for you? Well, Google has something called AffiliateVIP status which will give you access to exclusive promotions, deals and help you stand out with the advertisers.

Google Affiliate Network – The Application Dashboard

The Google Affiliate Network dashboard can be over whelming at first. There are four major tabs – Home, Links, Advertisers and Reports.

• Home Tab: This is the default view which gives you a snapshot overview and status of all the promotions that you are following and advertising on. It gives you the most important stat that drive any affiliate – Earnings Per Month (EPC) broken down for the past 3months range and for the past 7 days. I also gives you the Network Rank within the Google Affiliate Network. The higher your rank the better your chances of landing some exclusive promotions directly with the advertisers. On the left column on the page you also see some basic stats such as total number of advertisers you are promoting, total impressions, visits to the landing page, conversion rate and amount earned. There is also a big prominent block of hot promotion listings which highlight several good deals that might interest you. The top header of the page also has links to payment data and any messages you might have.



• Links Tab: This page shows the latest text and image ads based on the advertisers in your network. Most ads have a tracking URL along with a Creative URL which makes it very easy to copy and paste it on the webpage where you wish to run the ads. Each link also shows detailed description if they are included with the ad by the advertiser. It also provides a quick link to the landing page which will help you write effective ads titles and descriptions. Links tab also has a sub-page showing product RSS feeds and Hot Promotions section.
• Advertisers Tab: This is where most newcomers will spend a majority of their time selecting advertisers and products.
• Reports Tab: The reports tab allows you to run performance data over certain time periods for one or all your advertisers. If you have a particular report that you run often then there is a way to keep Saved Reports.

Google Affiliate Network has a lot of great advertisers who have tons of products. More importantly almost all the products have certain coupons and discounts that make the job of all web promoters very easy. Overall Google Affiliate Network is worth a shot.

What Is A Tactical Handset?

A tactical handset is used by police for maintaining order and communicating effectively with the officers on the ground. It is also used by first responders who might be rushing to a scene of emergency and need to communicate with other first responders and law enforcement officials already on scene. The military also uses tactical equipment for communicating securely and effectively.

The H60/PT handset is based on a standard design mostly used by the military and can be used on most telephone and radio communications systems. Built with the carbon granule microphone type it has a 6ft retractable cord. It is a popular model because it can withstand the rugged conditions of any battlefield and can be repaired without the need to find a replacement. From the freezing arctic cold to desert heat – the H60/PT can withstand pretty much any environment you throw it in. If you are wondering how it is so sturdy, know that it is built based on military specifications.

The crypto handset is part of advanced communications equipment. It offers digital encryption on its signals which will make it nearly impossible for the enemy to decode your messages. To simplify things the handset also offers a plain crypto switch so that anyone can make use of the encryption without any technical knowledge. It offers straightforward connection settings to HF and UHF/VHF radios all packed in a rugged and EMI conscious design. On tomorrows tactical battlefield the crypto handset is a must have.

With all the technology, gadgets and gizmo’s out in the mobile industry it’s hard to decide what to get and why. But with increasing development in the mobile broadband category, PDA (Personal Digital Assistant) usage will no doubt be growing over the next few years.

The top of the line models have amazing features – the two most prominent being the iPhone and Blackberry. Both are great for organization, email and mobile use and both have features that the other doesn’t. Most notably, the iPhone is also an iPod and can play music and videos. The Blackberry is exceptional at organization and communication.

But whatever your needs and wants are when looking for a new PDA check out a few websites that do side by side comparisons. They offer in depth knowledge and detail like which has better reception or battery life, which processes data faster as well as many other feature comparisons!

What Is A Dongle?

In simple terms a dongle is a piece of hardware that connects to a computer. It might connect via a USB interface, Infrared (IR) or even Bluetooth. Dongles can also serve a variety of purposes from providing internet access to connecting headsets or providing modem functionality. Jump on to Wikipedia for more info. The dongles available on Broadband-Expert.co.uk provide mobile internet and mobile broadband services from a variety of mobile service providers mainly in UK.

Mobile Internet VS Mobile Broadband

Mobile internet and broadband may sound similar but are quite different. Mobile internet is receiving 3G data service over the phone service provider. This feature comes bundled in almost all smart-phones and PDA’s. The 3 major mobile internet providers in UK are T-Mobile, Orange and Vodafone. Across the Atlantic in US, mobile internet is provided by T-Mobile, AT&T and Verizon. It is a very nice feature to have for quickly looking up information. But there is a downside. Being restricted to the limited phone browser and applications is no fun. That’s when you have to jump over to mobile broadband.

Mobile broadband, on the other hand, is internet access received over a USB dongle device on a laptop or PC. This generally constitutes a monthly subscription plan for data access using the USB dongle device provided by the mobile phone service provider. Mobile broadband gives you access to the internet from any laptop or PC – as long as it has a USB you can pop in the modem and roam free on the Net. The major benefit is the ability to use your computers browser and email functionality without being restricted to particular Mac or PC.

Features Of Broadband-Expert

Broadband-Expert.co.uk makes it very easy for new users to quickly learn about the technology, compare the offers of all the major carriers and choose a device and plan right for them. Some people shy away with technical words such as installing a USB broadband modem. But the user friendly interface of the website along with a wide selection of both hardware devices and service plans make it a Must-Visit-Destination. For example the below diagram shows all the steps needed to get online with mobile broadband service. It clearly shows the simple nature of the install process and reassures potential buyers who might be non-technical.

What makes Broadband-Expert Unique

The comparison table of the various dongles and service plans includes all the big names of the UK. It quickly describes the main highlights of the plan, the upload/download speeds, and the cost and customer ratings. Visitors can make informed decisions when such information is presented efficiently. Broadband-Expert website also includes links to broadband speed test, news, forums and reviews. The forums are fairly active and are well structured. They are means to make visitors more aware of the services being offered and what is best suited to their needs. The featured section allows users to make quick decisions based on the major features.

Areas of Improvement

USB dongles have several applications and are used in an increasing number of ways. However Broadband-Expert website is lacking tutorials and video reviews. An increasing number of stores are providing both as means to educate potential customers and increase their businesses. I would prefer to see these in Broadband-Expert to make it a well rounded destination and an authority on mobile internet and broadband dongles.

Verdict

Dongles are a very popular method of connecting to the internet in the UK and has a growing following across the globe. Their simplicity, usefulness and cheap price make them an attractive solution to a vast number of users. Broadband-Expert is doing a great job of educating on the use of dongles and provides several alternatives to suit every need. It is a HIGHLY RECOMMENDED site and I expect to see them grow in the future.

Get FREE DirecTV

What? Did I just say FREE DirecTV? Indeed! The DirecTV deal currently available is for free DirecTV goodness for 4 months. That means 4 months of access to 265+ channels combined with HBO, Starz, ShowTime and Cinemax. But that’s not all. It also comes with 4 free months of DVR with a HD-DVR upgrade. What is a DVR? It is a Digital Video Recorder which can record your favorite TV shows automatically for your viewing pleasure anytime day or night. With the HD upgrade you can enjoy the shows in all its High Definition glory. Hop over to Wikipedia for more info on DVR. What’s the catch with this awesome deal? You will have to call and order soon for the awesome deal with NFL Sunday ticket before the DirecTV offers go away.

Total Cost of DirecTV

As with any good deals and promotions this one will come to an end after 4 months. Following that the entire package will run you around $80 per month. But I encourage you to check out individualized quotes using the handy calculator on the website. If you prefer a more conventional method you can speak to a representative with no obligation at 866-748-1449.

Verdict

This DirecTV deal is a must-have for all TV fans. It does not matter if you like Nascar or History Channel or Local programming DirecTV has something to keep you entertained. If you are not yet convinced check out the top 10 reasons to get DirecTV today.

Who Is It For?

4CheapWebHosting is a great resource to quickly locate web hosting companies based on the users needs. The quick search feature allows visitors and potential customers to search for hosts by the monthly cost, disk usage and Windows or Linux platforms. In most cases these are enough for deciding on a suitable webhost for new comers. 4CheapWebHosting looks to lower the learning curve so that anyone can look for an appropriate hosting plan which can serve their needs. The advanced search is mostly reserved for experienced webmasters. But in case of 4CheapWebHosting anyone can take advantage of the top rated hosts and the variety of features that they have to offer. The glossary and tutorials are aimed at novice webmasters who can take advantage of the information to make a wise selection.

Features Of 4CheapWebHosting

The information presented on 4CheapWebHosting are direct and to the point. The reviews do not include long paragraphs of text. The Top Rated Cheap Web Hosting section only includes a big table of company facts. Apart from the web host name and a thumbnail of the site the database includes the server platform (Windows or Linux), monthly fee, a proprietary rating system called 4Value rating, disk space, bandwidth and number of allowed domains on the hosting account.

Clicking on any of the web hosts will take the user to a page with the plan details. The detailed page shows the features included with a hosting plan such as if a control panel, database type, free domain parking and several other features. These terms might be confusing to someone new to webhosting. 4CheapWebHosting has thought of that and in order to accommodate them has linked all the features to a glossary where each item is explained. For example, a newbie might not know what domain parking is. The 4CheapWebHosting Glossary describes it as A temporary DNS entry for an unused domain name. Generally a domain name that is parked for free will be on the registrar’s server pointing to a temporary page. I have included a screenshot of the BlueHost plan details below.

What makes 4CheapWebHosting Unique

The information included in 4CheapWebHosting database is detailed and useful to all web masters who are just getting their feet wet. I can recall from personal experience how confused I was when I started looking for a webhost. 4CheapWebHosting has taken a big step to answer detailed questions which might be on the minds of newbies. The Glossary certainly is a great addition and will help people make an informed decision. The webhosting tutorials answer some basic questions regarding how the webhosts are rated, how to buy domains etc. But they are severely lacking and serve little purpose. In the future I would like to see 4CheapWebHosting expand on these FAQ’s.

The quick search and the detailed search page will allow users to look for only the features that they are interested in. Thus they can spend their hard earned money on their choice of webhost and not have to pay for things that they do not need. One very unique feature is to choose webhosting companies based on currency. This is a very important aspect to the international community who might want to use Japanese Yen or Italian Lira. As far as I can recall 4CheapWebHosting is the only comparison review site that offers this feature.

Areas of Improvement

4CheapWebHosting has listed quite a few web hosts on their website. However big players in the hosting world such as DreamHost, LunarPages, Yahoo Hosting, GoDaddy and HostMonster are missing from their database. If 4CheapWebHosting wants users to take it seriously they have to include the most popular ones. For example, cNet has one of the biggest collection of web hosts categorized by type of service, features, cost and customer ratings which includes all major and minor hosting companies.

Verdict

4CheapWebHosting is a great resource for new webmasters who can learn the “webhosting terms and language” and choose an affordable host that has all the features they need. This is a HIGHLY RECOMMENDED site and gets 5 Out Of 5 Stars.

Features

The typical scenario is that some social websites offer blogs (like Blogger), some offer picture hosting (like Flickr), some offer personalized pages (like Facebook). Thoughts.com covers all the bases and offers pretty much all social networking and community features – blogs, pictures and albums, videos, polls, forums and personalized profiles to manage all the user activities.

Blogs seem to be the most popular section of Thoughts.com where people are encouraged to create a blog and new posts are published frequently. Blogs page by default shows the most recent posts across the Thoughts.com network. Going by the update time of the various blog posts the community looks active and engaging. Navigation also includes popular posts, top 100 blogs, random blogs and the ability to browse by popular tags. Such a collection of most recent posts is sure to increase community interaction and help the website grow.

Users have the ability to upload pictures and create albums. Several albums can be seen on the Photos page, but the community activity is low and most albums have few views. Various tags are located on the right pane making navigation easier. Videos section has quite a few videos and users have the ability to upload after registration. There are also a variety of podcasts, polls and surveys listed on the site. The news section provides up to the minute stories pulled from Reuters. Individual user profiles are similar to what is being offered by most other social networking websites. A cool feature is the “presence icon” which shows the current status of the user next to the name. It shows if he/she is currently online and logged in to the website network.

What makes Thoughts.com Unique

Thoughts.com offers a lot of services to its members. The combined feature list of blogs to forums and everything in between are enough to attract and retain users. There are very few other websites which allow such a range of activity and in this respect Thoughts.com is unique. A quick look at the homepage is enough to impress even the most demanding user.

Thoughts.com - Homepage

Areas of Improvement

The website offers a lot of services to its members and it has a functional and interactive community built around itself. Thoughts.com has its work cut out for itself because it has a well established presence. There are many members who update their blogs, albums and participate in the forums. However the number of distinct properties of the website can be confusing to some users. As more people start using this site on a daily basis they can expand in to the various sections.

Verdict

Thoughts.com is a HIGHLY RECOMENDED website and it is definitely worth checking out. If you are still on the edge then take a tour of Thoughts.com and decide for yourself if you would like your creativity reign freely.

DeskAway Features

DeskAway is a truly one-product-does-all software. An overview of the features is best way to determine if it will suit the needs of members and contributors of any project. In most cases DeskAway has more features than any project will need. It is a simple to use, intuitive product which requires limited training and will start paying you back minutes after you being using it. Here is a brief list of the features of DeskAway. I am providing this only as a quick reference and, frankly, this list does not do justice to the software. Take a look at the product tour to get a feel of what DeskAway is capable of.

DeskAway Features

What Makes DeskAway Unique?

Project management software is inherently complicated due to the various activities that are being tracked. DeskAway has done a great job of documenting their product and the video tutorials gives the users first hand experience. The videos include most of the product features including Dashboard overview, project listing, milestones, to do lists, tracking issues that crop up during the project. DeskAway even manages to pack in a user time tracking system, document management system, simple contact list and messaging platform. The last few features are very unique as most companies have to pay more for time sheet, content management and messaging. Along with most of the videos DeskAway team have included a “More…” link which takes you to a product feature page. There are feature specific information along with screenshots, links to videos and case studies. This will give the customers a better understanding of what they can do with that feature.

DeskAway - Timesheet Feature

To give an idea of the video tutorials I am including the Daskboard Overview video below. I would highly recommend checking out more product videos before deciding on the use of the software.

Click to Play - Video Overview of DeskAway Dashboard

Cost

DeskAway is a well rounded and impressive offering. Their sales pitch is even stronger now that they are offering free access. DeskAway can be used for free to manage 3 projects with 5 different users. This option would give most project managers the opportunity to test the product before paying for it. However the free plan is limited with 25MB file sharing limit, number of documents limited to 10 and restricted repoting functionality. The paid DeskAway plans vary from $10/month to $99/month with discounts for yearly contracts. I would suggest starting out with the free option to test the product and then upgrading to the appropiate plan.

Verdict

DeskAway is a sure way to make project management easier and user friendly. The software automatically keeps track of all the little things and takes the burden off the members and project manager who can concentrate on their work. If you need further convincing check out the Case Studies which showcase DeskAway’s accomplishments in various settings. This is a HIGHLY RECOMENDED product and it is definitely worth checking out.

DeskAway - Organize, Manage and Track

What Makes Web Hosting Pal Unique

Web Hosting Pal compares features and prices and publishes the names of the Top 10 Webhosts. These recommendations along with brief feature descriptions help potential customers to choose between various hosting companies. If anyone wants to do more research on the host, their website is only a click away.

First time consumers looking to build their own web presence will benefit from the side by side comparison of BlueHost, Hostmonster, LunarPages and others. The side by side review of the top hosts gives visitors a complete picture of features and associated cost. The Beginner’s Guide gives a run down of the commonly used hosting terms and how they affect the webhosting package. Helping users make informed decisions is the goal of Web Hosting Pal.

Areas Of Improvement

The updated table based comparison of Top 10 Hosts is a nice feature. But it cannot be customized to a particular customers needs or preferences. For example a customer might have 100MB disk space requirement but might like to have 1TB (1,000GB) monthly bandwidth. A simple preference based system could ask the user certain questions such as – high, medium or low selections for disk space and traffic choices. Such personalization would go a long way to make Web Hosting Pal website unique and enhance its value.

Verdict

Web Hosting Pal is a great resource for quickly comparing the best hosting companies and is highly recommended. however the depth of available information on the various hosting plans is limited and advanced webmasters would need to do their own research on top of what Web Hosting Pal provides.

What Makes WHR Unique

The Top 10 Web Hosting list on the top of the left sidebar shows a comparison between the biggest hosts in the industry. The comparison is based on an undisclosed rating system. Clicking the name of any of the webhosts will take you to their website via a referral script – presumably for identifying and cashing in on an account referral, if the visitor decides to sign up.

Apart from the abundance of web hosting articles and tutorials on the site, WebHostingRating also talks about the uncommon aspects of webhosting. Features such as Frontpage support, ecommerce focus and cPanel dashboard make some hosting companies unique and valuable for users. A few cPanel tutorials are included on WHR. Some of them dealing with fairly advanced topics of htaccess usage, Fantastico , phpMyAdmin and email autoresponders.

Areas of Improvement

Even though WHR is a great asset for all webmasters a few aspects of the website are lacking. The links on the left sidebar for Hosting Awards 2008 and the footer are non functional in Firefox 3 or Internet Explorer 7. The links redirect to the top of the current page and do not add any value to the website. But this is a minor flaw in Webhostingrating and does not have any bearing on the informative webhosting articles.

In the future I would like to see a recommendation system from WHR which would ask the user certain basic questions such as Windows or Linux preference, traffic estimate, disk usage and point them to the most suitable host. Another highly desirable feature would be screencast tutorials on some of the basic topics such as ”Setting Up Your First Website” and ”Configuring FTP and Email”. These kind of screencasts would greatly help the novice user and give them confidence to go ahead and setup a hosting account. A few Quicklinks would also be desirable pointing to the the cheapest host, the most reliable webhost and maybe even the most expensive webhost.

Verdict

WebHostingRating is a highly recommended site which aims to make a profit by educating the users how to choose a webhost and then recommending an appropriate webhost for them depending on their needs.