Pay Monthly Mobile Phones: Chat Without Bothering About Balance

May 12, 2008

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Pay Monthly Mobile Phones: Chat Without Bothering About Balance

Author: Austin David

Most of the mobile phone users through out the globe encounter the problem of high monthly mobile phone bills. These gadgets have become such an essential part of our lives that we completely depend on them in our personal, as well as professional lives. Sometimes, we fall short of balance at a time when we most need it. The mobile phone network service providers have come up with various viable solutions to deal with this issue of the mobile phone users. They have initiated a number of deals to help mobile phone users. You can choose a tariff plan among a large number of mobile phone deals, which suits your needs and pocket, well. Here is what all you can expect from pay monthly mobile phones.

Pay monthly is one of the various mobile phone deals offered by very many network service providers. Some others are pay as you go mobile phone deals, contract deals, 12 months rentals, 16 months rentals and so on. As per pay monthly deals, you have to make monthly payment to the network service providers. It is an amazing way to deal with hefty mobile phone bills. You can keep a track on your monthly mobile phone bills. At the end of the month, you will have a record of the calls made and the services offered along with the tariff plan.

You will never run out of credit with the pay monthly mobile phones. Make sure, you make repayment in time, or else you will be liable to some late fee. There are plenty of mobile phone network service providers, which offer such amazing deals for your mobile phones. These include Orange, T Mobile, Three, Vodafone, BT and many more. Before opting for any plan, keep a close eye to your calling patterns. An online search can prove to be most beneficial for you.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/technology-articles/pay-monthly-mobile-phones-chat-without-bothering-about-balance-411009.html

About the Author:

Austin David is associated with Mobile Phones UK.He holds a master’s degree in electronics and communication from Massachusetts Institute of Technology. To know more about mobile phone, monthly mobile phones please visit http://www.mobilephonesuk.org.uk/

Fleet Tracking System for Your Business

May 11, 2008

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Fleet Tracking System for Your Business

Author: Aidan Doran

Then investing money in a good fleet tracking system could be a good alternative for improving your profit margins.

Need for fleet tracking systems

GPS (Global Positioning system) works on the concept of using satellite signals that can be used to track the exact position of a location. It is considered to be one of the most effective techniques used for fleet tracking of vehicles and can deliver accurate results.

The best part about GPS fleet tracking systems is that they provide the correct directions to the drivers and help them save on unnecessary fuel and energy consumption.

Using this incredible GPS technology, companies are able to harness the benefit of better navigation capabilities offered through fleet tracking systems. It also helps them track down vehicles in case of thefts and reduces the possibilities of vehicle crimes that are often committed.

How can fleet tracking add value to your business?

One of the best applications of GPS technology is its ability to track the exact location of the vehicles. This can be of vital importance to most of the companies who need to deliver shipment on time to their customers.

Using GPS fleet tracking system, companies can now monitor the movement of their vehicles from time to time and get regular updates. In case, the vehicle has broken down somewhere, and needs repair, companies can send their technicians to the spot immediately to attend the problem.

Thus, undue delays in shipment can be avoided and customers can also be informed about the shipment and delivery status. Besides, fleet tracking can be quite useful in keeping a close watch if your driver is doing his job well and not idling away his time. You can easily determine this with GPS fleet tracking software that gives you real time information on the vehicle and its location status.

Thus, those companies who employ fleet tracking systems can increase their productivity, reduce fuel costs and improve the efficiency of their vehicles.

Thus, investing in a good fleet tracking system can be a wise decision for every business if they wish to improve their company’s bottom line.

Choosing good GPS fleet tracking systems

It is important to choose the right kind of fleet tracking system that works best to suit your business needs. Before you actually plan to buy fleet tracking system for your vehicle, you need to know as to what kind of data would be useful for your business. It depends on the frequency with which you need to access data and how quickly you need the data.

Most of the companies prefer to go for real time systems as they can get all the possible vehicle information using a wireless network to track all the vehicle updates. On the other hand, passive fleet tracking system can store all the essential vehicle data on the GPS receiver. This data can be downloaded either manually or automatically using a computer. It is ideal for companies that do not require real time information.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/gps-articles/fleet-tracking-system-for-your-business-410999.html

About the Author:

Aidan Doran is a freelance author who writes about various technology
realated subjects. For more information about aidan visit his website
www.techstore.ie

The GPS Receiver Navigation

May 11, 2008

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The GPS Receiver Navigation

Author: Manjula

I had a friend who has a passion for travel. He is doing this for 15 years now. There was no devices like GPS and wireless radios when he started his adventure trips. He relied purely on his instincts. Most people don’t go on trips like these because they don’t want to have hard times when doing so. But, now any one and every one can go on adventure trips without the risk of getting lost and getting in to tough times and casualties.

The introduction of high tech gadgets like GPS Navigation systems has made many people happy and a few people like my friend unhappy. But the fact is that Gps devices are not safe to be used in other countries since they may not be legally authorized by the countries government. So the next time you plan an adventure trip to any one of those countries, please do a detailed research on the government policies and laws of the respective countries.

GPS also faces a few draw backs and they are listed below:

Weather: a satellite signal slows down as it passes through inclement weather.

Buildings: signals are often reflected off tall buildings before reaching the receiver. Because the signal is delayed, information provided is inaccurate.

Satellite position/geometry: satellites must be geometrically placed at wide angles relative to one another.

Advantages of GPS devices:

It reduces you fuel usage when you use it for long drives.It gives you a peace of mind.

For people who dont want to have guides and other people accompanying them this is an excellent tool.

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Blue Tooth Enabled GPS Devices Are A Boon To Users

May 11, 2008

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Blue Tooth Enabled GPS Devices Are A Boon To Users

Author: Cindy Heller

Blue Tooth GPS devices are becoming more common these days as many people realize that they are a great technological combination with many practical applications. It is common today to find that almost every mobile phone comes with GPS. Before getting to know how such systems can benefit our lives, we should know more about the device and its benefits.

Blue Tooth was first invented by Ericsson, before it was generally accepted by other companies. It provides a way to connect and exchange information between personal devices such as mobile phones, laptops, PCs and PDAs over a secure, globally unlicensed short-range radio frequency. Even the new Nintendo Wii system also uses the technology.

Generally, it is a standard and communications protocol primarily designed for devices that require low power consumption and short range communication. These features enable Blue Tooth devices to be power efficient. Since it is a wireless technology, it allows devices to exchange information with each other without the need for messy and unwieldy wires.

It works in a way such that it allows other devices to transfer information with each other when they are in a specific range. The receiving power must be high enough in order for the exchange of information to take place. A Blue Tooth device can connect with another device only when it is within a range of 10 meters.

Basically, as long as devices have Blue Tooth technology installed in them, they do not have to be separately made compatible. For example, a Toshiba gadget with Blue Tooth can exchange information with a Sony gadget that has the technology built-in.

Now, GPS can also be integrated with Blue Tooth to create Blue Tooth GPS devices. Blue Tooth GPS allows users to communicate and share the correct information regarding their location of other location-specific information. Users can make use of the tracker systems to find their way should they get lost anywhere. This device is particularly useful for search parties, trekkers, mountaineers or other people who like outdoor activities.

With the combination of Blue Tooth and GPS, this technology is very useful for people who need to find their way, and also can help others if they meet with any unforeseen circumstances.

Blue Tooth GPS Receivers Have Many Applications

Blue Tooth GPS receivers are a by-product of the great combination of two interesting technologies. Devices with such receivers have recently become more popular and newer models are being introduced at a greater pace than before as users become more familiar with them. There are more people who can vouch for the usefulness of such receivers for various types of tasks. For the uninitiated, it might be a little challenging to select a suitable Blue Tooth GPS receiver. Fortunately, a lot of information is available on the Internet. You can do your research and due diligence before you purchase a receiver for yourself. You can either get information regarding specific models or comparisons between various models with information regarding functions, features and prices.

There are many different models of Blue Tooth GPS receivers. Listed below are some of the more popular models.

1) HAiCOM Bluetooth Slipper

This receiver is setup easily with a couple of buttons. This receiver allows you to receive satellite signals and send information to your portable PC devices without any wires. However if you are out hiking, you just have to attach it to your belt loop and if you are in the car, just set the receiver onto the back of the car and you can be assured that you can get good quality signals.

What is good about this receiver is that if there is problem with the power, the solar panel can be activated to provide additional power. The normal running time for this model is about 8 to 14 hours but with the solar panel, you are able to get an extra 12 hours only if you have adequate sunlight shining on it. What’s more, you can get the model for just under $50.

2) AVL Blue Tooth GPS Receiver

This model is very suitable for the urban jungle. It is able to scan 16 GPS channels simultaneously for up to 20 hours of normal use. It also contains a rechargeable battery system.

3) Globalsat BE-328 Blue Tooth GPS Receiver

This receiver is very popular as it has the best value for its price. It is universally compatible with any Bluetooth compliant serial interface and has a long battery life of 16 hours of continuous use. This device works as long it is within the range of 10 meters with another Bluetooth device. However, if it does not detect another Bluetooth device within 10 minutes, it will power down automatically thus saving your battery life. The conserved energy can be used to connect when there is a suitable Blue Tooth device nearby. In addition, you can have all the above functions in a Blue Tooth GPS receiver at an average price of about $100. Now that is great value for mone

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/cars-articles/blue-tooth-enabled-gps-devices-are-a-boon-to-users-410908.html

About the Author:

Cindy Heller is a professional writer. Visit pet insurance plan to learn more about pet health insurance marketing plan and florida pet health insurance.

The Intricacies of International Callback Service

May 11, 2008

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The Intricacies of International Callback Service

Author: Kristen

International callback works on the principle that a unique ‘phone number’ also known as ‘access number’ is provided to a particular customer. The phone used for the purpose can be a land line, a mobile, or a VoIP phone. The switching center helps in placing a call to an international destination. The activation process has some norms. On making a call, the dialer has to wait as the phone hangs up at the very first ring. After a few seconds, the switching center calls back the customer and prompts him to dial the destination number.

This process of international callback has several benefits. One can use the call back service at any time to make international calls be it from a hotel room or one’s home. The service can be availed from any number that is meant for making international or long distance calls. The international call back has speed dial mechanism that is a “faster” means of making international or long distance calls.

The international callback service come with the benefit of low calling rates and provide the users a platform for high quality connections. Many a times, no monthly fees and connection fees are charged. The payment option is made simple as the user can debit the amount equivalent to his monthly usage from his preferred debit card. The person can also prepay for the connection every month. The system is made convenient as every month a monthly statement through email is sent with call details at no additional charges. This callback comes with excellent customer service, as now one can easily change the callback number whenever there is a need for it, sitting at home. Individual attention is given by trained and qualified staff. The account management is made on line and that adds more convenience to operating the system. Moreover, as the service is available at any place in the world so there can be no better replacement for the same.

The international call back service is used for undertaking conference calling, whereby the service provider generally offers an international toll free number in order to deliver the conference services to corporate as well as individual clients. The people could be from different locations such as France, Australia and Israel; however, all the parties can dial a local access number or an international toll free access number to enjoy this specialized service. If the local access number is dialed, it is patched with a central convergence bridge by the global IP network in order to facilitate call termination. The call back service is thus useful for achieving faster network connectivity as well.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/voip-articles/the-intricacies-of-international-callback-service-410881.html

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For more information, visit: International Callback Service in addition to various VoIP Solutions.

Pay as You Go Phones- Boon for Telecommunication

May 11, 2008

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Pay as You Go Phones- Boon for Telecommunication

Author: Martin Dev

With the advancement of technology the priorities of the people also keeps on changing. As innovations are taking place in every field, human beings are also pertinent to raise their expectations. They always try to enhance their lifestyle to stay updated with the latest trends. Trends are being made by man and they amazingly manipulate the behaviour of the people. A person is bound to get attracted to any high tech gadgets to flaunt off his or her stylistic passion. The mobile phones are the most essential part of our lives, without them we feel uncomfortable. With these tiny gizmos, we not only show off our passion for style but elegantly facilitate all our daily tasks. Moreover, everyday a mobile phone is launched which comes incorporated with various advanced features. At times, a customer finds it difficult to select the best handset for his or her personal use. However, there are two reasons which put the customers into dilemma, one is the affordability factor and the other is their endless requirements.

To solve this dilemma of the consumers the top notch mobile phone manufacturers and the network service operators are providing various deals and offers to facilitate their purchasing process. As such the Pay as you go phones (payg) are driving the people crazy due to their various advantages. Availing these payg phones is not at all a difficult process. The users can easily cut their monthly mobile phone bills short with these handsets.

The customers are not required to enter into any contract or limitation. They are pre paid phones and as such the customers should recharge their credits to meet all their requirements. These handsets can be recharged very comfortably. Once the balance gets used off, you can recharge it from anywhere you want. The users are also not forced to use the service of any network service operator if they are not satisfied. They can readily switch over other network service provider anytime without any liabilities.

The Pay as you go phones can also permit the users to enjoy world wide roaming facilities. Moreover, various incentives such as free text messages, subsidised call rates and free talktime also come associated with these gadgets. Almost all the leading network service providers have their own online shopping portal to assist the users in purchasing the cheap Pay as you go phones. However, these online stores are updated regularly to offer you the latest handsets and the best offers. These gadgets have helped the users to maximise their usage of mobile phones without any concern.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/cell-phones-articles/pay-as-you-go-phones-boon-for-telecommunication-410879.html

About the Author:

Additnow offers Mobile Phones on Cheap pay as you go phones with UK mobile phone networks plan and tariff

Six Sigma: Know All You Wanted to Know

May 11, 2008

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Six Sigma: Know All You Wanted to Know

Author: Akhil Shahani

Everyone is talking about it; it’s on every manager’s mind and it’s definitely taking some people places. Read on to know all about Six Sigma.

Six Sigma is a method that employs statistical analysis to reduce or even eliminate defects, defined as “unacceptable deviation from the mean”, in manufacturing and service related processes. It stands for Six Standard Deviations (sigma being the Greek alphabet representing standard deviation). Broadly, Six Sigma has three aspects: the metric, the methodology and its philosophy. Together, they help reduce the defects per million opportunities (DPMO) to 3.4, which is the Six Sigma benchmark.

The methodology of Six Sigma comprises the DMAIC and the DMADV approaches. The former is what you need if you already have your system in place. On the other hand, if you are planning a new setup, then DMADV will deliver the best results.

DMAIC expects you to Define goals consistent with your strategies and customer needs, Measure the process and collect requisite data, Analyze the opportunities looking for relationships between factors, Improve the process using techniques like ‘Design of Experiments’ and Control performance by setting up mechanisms to limit the variance before it results in defects.

Apart from Defining goals, Measuring variables critical to quality, Analyzing and looking for alternatives if any, DMADV requires you to Design the production process and Verify it. A related and emerging principle is the Design for Six Sigma (DFSS) which seeks to find what customers and the business need before designing a process to suit the same. To get a larger picture, refer to “Six Sigma Study Guide” by Bryan Dodson available at

Extensive training of concerned personnel is crucial for effective implementation. The key roles identified by Six Sigma include the following:

Executive leadership comprising the CEOs and the top management who are trained to identify projects for Six Sigma implementation.

Champions responsible for implementation in an integrated manner.

Master black belts who dedicate all their time to Six Sigma. Apart from dealing with the statistics, they ensure deployment across functions and departments.

Black belts work under the guidance of the masters and restrict their focus to specific projects.

Green belts are the employees who carry out implementation of Six Sigma along with their other responsibilities.

The certification for these levels is available at different institutes as well as online. Training a majority of your staff to accommodate Six Sigma in their professional lives will come at a price, however the benefits reaped later will more than compensate.

Six Sigma could be contrasted with its older counterparts in quality control; TQM, Lean and Kaizen to name a few.TQM stands for Total Quality Management and is quite comprehensive in its approach. While it does concentrate on removing errors in processes, it also calls for a culture change at all levels of employees. Six Sigma is often claimed to be less beauracratic than TQM. Kaizen was developed by Toyota and is a mechanism to bring about small but incremental changes over a period of time, as opposed to Six Sigma which focusses on developing breakthrough solutions. Lean manufacturing is a management technique that focusses on removing seven types of wastage to improve efficiency. Lean Six Sigma is another technique which combines both the principles to give quality control a broader applicability. To learn more, you can get hold of the book by Michael George titled “Lean Six Sigma for Service: How to use Lean speed and Six Sigma quality to improve services and transactions” available at you could try for all you need on Lean Six Sigma.

Originating in Motorola, several managers claim that Six Sigma has brought about drastic reductions in their costs. Its application is extending to fields like health care, banking and even the military. While Six Sigma is undoubtedly a path breaking development, it does not do away with other quality control measures. A combination of the several techniques available is optimal.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/business-articles/six-sigma-know-all-you-wanted-to-know-410835.html

About the Author:

Hi, I’m Akhil Shahani, a serial entrepreneur who wants to help you succeed. If you like to work smart, check out http://www.SmartEntrepreneur.net . It’s full of articles and resources to help you start and grow your business successfully. Please visit us & download our special “Freebie of The Month” at
http://www.smartentrepreneur.net/freebie-of-the-month.html

Six Sigma Training as a Survival Strategy

May 11, 2008

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Six Sigma Training as a Survival Strategy

Author: Akhil Shahani

Necessity is the mother of invention! A classic example is Motorola, the originator of Six Sigma. The need for survival created the winning strategy for Motorola through Six Sigma. Motorola is now known as a quality leader worldwide and credited with starting the Six Sigma revolution. Today, that concept is hotter than ever.

Six Sigma is a tactic to manage process variations that cause defects, and systematically working towards restricting them to below 3.4 per one million opportunities. It is a proven concept and has saved organizations millions of dollars without entailing capital investment! Six Sigma is more of a business philosophy, with a focus on delivering world-class performance, reliability and value to the end customer to generate business results.

Such tough quality measures call for intensive preparation. Six Sigma training is therefore very important. It also offers remarkable financial opportunities for corporations, many of which have developed their own Six Sigma training institutes. Realizing that the demand could not be met by companies by themselves, many training institutes and universities have come forward to develop Six Sigma training courses,

Take a look at what a comprehensive training program should include:

Implementing the DMAIC process - Includes complete training on implementation of the Define-Measure-Analyze-Improve-Control (DMAIC) performance improvement model. It is explained further:

- Define the goals of the improvement activity. Goals could be at the strategic, operations, or project level.

- Measure the existing system by reliable metrics to monitor progress towards goals.

- Analyze the system to identify ways to eliminate the gap between the current performance of the system or process and the desired goal.

- Improve the system by innovating and finding new ways to do things better, cheaper or faster.

- Control the new system by modifying existing compensation and incentive structures, policies, procedures etc. You can also make use of standards such as ISO 9000 to ensure that documentation is correct.

Defining key roles - Every employee in the organization plays a critical role in implementing Six Sigma. Therefore, Six Sigma training should focus on understanding the key elements of every employee’s role. Also, communicate well with the employees so that they understand their part better.

Identifying potential areas of improving work - Six Sigma training should lay stress on streamlining work processes and sticking with core competencies. It should identify and develop breakthrough processes through root cause analysis and crisis management. This will also help in developing flexible management abilities.

Implementing cross training - While deploying Six Sigma methodologies, place more emphasis on team-based approaches. Interpersonal and communication skills and the ability to transfer domain knowledge are qualities which employees should absorb.

Training in statistics - Six Sigma methodologies involve problem-solving tools which are statistical in nature. Hence, Six Sigma training should include modules on the use of statistical tools. Six Sigma training techniques presume that participants do not necessarily have formal training in statistics.

Presenting and closing techniques - Everyone should be trained on how to make presentations to the management and other decision makers. Six Sigma training should also include appropriate closing tactics in situations such as the conclusion or abandonment of a project.

Visit to find Six Sigma resources, right from training to conferences. Another site, provides six sigma online training in affiliation with provides technology, testing and certification facilities for the Six Sigma engineering training programs offered by the Ira Fulton School of Engineering at ASU. For reading purposes, pick up ‘Six Sigma Execution: How the World’s Greatest Companies Live and Breathe Six Sigma”

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/business-articles/six-sigma-training-as-a-survival-strategy-410838.html

About the Author:

Hi, I’m Akhil Shahani, a serial entrepreneur who wants to help you succeed. If you like to work smart, check out http://www.SmartEntrepreneur.net . It’s full of articles and resources to help you start and grow your business successfully. Please visit us & download our special “Freebie of The Month” at
http://www.smartentrepreneur.net/freebie-of-the-month.html

The Technology of DVD Media

May 11, 2008

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The Technology of DVD Media

Author: Roberto Sedycias

A Digital Video Disc or DVD is one of the most popular forms of storage media nowadays. It is an optical disc and mainly used to store videos. However, data in any form can be stored on a DVD. The dimensions of a DVD are generally the same as a common compact disc but the amount of data that can be stored is six times greater.

The different variations of DVD are based on the way data is being stored on it. A DVD-ROM has pre-written data that can only be read. A DVD+R and DVD-R are the ones on which the data can be written only once; and on a DVD+RW the data can be written and erased more than once. The lasers used to read DVDs are typically of 650 nm wavelength.

The terms DVD-Audio and DVD-Video discs are DVDs with suitably structured and formatted audio and video content respectively. Other types of DVDs are called DVD-data discs.

The term `DVD` is used for an unofficial full form `digital video disc`. However, it was officially announced that it stands for `digital versatile disc`.

A typical DVD has a 4.7 GB storage capacity. These discs are one sided and single layered i.e. the data is stored only on one side of the disc and only at one level. The size is enough for a high quality 133-minute movie. The double sided and dual layered DVDs can store about 17 GB of data in any form. The capacity dwarfs a compact disc easily.

The writing speeds on a DVD vary from 1350 KB/s (1 x) to 26 MB/s (18 x to 20 x). For a CD, the speed 1 x means only 153.6 KB/s.

Initially, the burning or the duplication of DVD was an expensive work and required skilled persons to do it. Today, the process of writing on a DVD has become a piece of cake and any one with a little knowledge of computers can do it at a click of the mouse. Producing DVDs requires certain authentication. Also, certain processes and rules are needed to be followed to handle their production. Present day markets are full of illegal and fake DVDs. Especially in Asia, Africa and Brazil. So, certain security measures are applied to check this illegal business. Copy prevention techniques are used that prevents illegal replicating of the original disk.

A DVD-Video is standard for storage of video content on the media. Typically the format in which video is stored in the DVDs is MPEG-2, 16:9 aspect ratio videos. The resolution used are 720*576 (PAL) or 720*480 (NTSC) at 25 or 29.97 FPS. The audio on the disc is stored in DTS (Digital Theatre System) or AC-3 (Dolby Digital) formats. However, a number of other resolutions and formats are also supported. Other features like selectable language in subtitles, menus, multiple audio tracks and more than one camera angle is also supported by DVD-Video.

The DVD-Audio format is used to deliver high-quality audio content. A number of channel configuration choices (like from mono to 5.1 or 7.1 surround sound) at a number of sampling frequencies are offered by the DVD-Audio. The higher storage capacities enable it to store a considerable higher amount of music or a much higher audio quality.

Although the DVD-Audio has higher technical specifications, the debate on whether the audio enhancements that are being included are actually distinguishable or not in a typical listening environment is still on.

There are a number of possible successors to the DVD. The strongest being the Blu-Ray Disc. Others are Maxell`s HVD (Holographic Versatile Disc) and the 3D optical storage discs that are being developed actively.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/data-recovery-articles/the-technology-of-dvd-media-410385.html

About the Author:

This article can be accessed in portuguese from the Article section of page www.polomercantil.com.br/multimidia.php
Roberto Sedycias works as IT consultant for www.PoloMercantil.com.br

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The History of Compact Disc Media

May 11, 2008

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The History of Compact Disc Media

Author: Roberto Sedycias

A typical CD will have a diameter of just 12 cm and about 80 minutes audio data can be stored on it. Smaller CDs are also manufactured for storing single songs (called CD singles). They are 8 cm in diameter and can store 24 minutes of audio data.

The major research and development work was done by Phillips and Sony. One of the first CDs came in market way back in the year 1982 and till date, remains one of the most popular mediums of audio recordings.

In 1979, Phillips and Sony started off a joint working group in order to design a successful digital audio disc. After a year`s work and lot of experiments and discussions, the compact disc was invented. No single person can be said to have invented it, a large group collectively invented the compact disc.

In August, 1982, the first CD for commercial purposes was manufactured in a Phillips factory in Germany. The first music title that was released on a CD was `The Visitors (1981) by ABBA`. Soon after, in October of the same year, the CD players from Sony also reached the markets. The event is often called as `the Big Bang` in the field of digital audio.

The new concept was an immediate hit in the market. Consumers were enthusiastic about the quality of the audio on the CDs. The price of CD players sank really fast, as a result of which, the popularity increased even more.

A Compact Disc is a 1.2 mm thick polycarbonate plastic disc weighing around 16 grams. To make the surface reflective, a very thin layer of aluminum is applied on one side of the disc. A film of lacquer is also applied to act as a protective shield. The label is printed on the other side using normal printing methods like offset or screen printing. The data is stored on a CD in form of an array of tiny indentation called pits that are encoded in a spiral track. A pit is just 500 nm wide and 100 nm deep and the length varies from 850 to 3500 nm. The areas between two pits are called lands.

The CDs are much more durable than the precious formats of audio storage. However, they can be damaged a little from the environment factors and daily usage. The data is a lot closer to the label side, so more damage occurs if scratches are made of the label. The logical format to store audio data on a CD is a 2-channel 16-bit PCM encoded data at a sampling rate frequency of 44.1 KHz. The sampling rate was chosen directly as a result of the sampling rate theorem of double frequency needed in recordings. With some more calculations, the exact sampling rate of 44.1 KHz was decided.

The CDs are available in a number of different variations. Some of them are:

CD Text - Compact Disc that allows for the storage of information like song name, artist, album name as text along with the standard audio data on the CD.

CD Graphics - These contain additional graphics data on the CD. They run normally on a normal CD player, but can output graphics data when played on a CD+G player.

CD ROM - ROMs or Read Only Memory, as the name suggests are for the CDs from which data can only be read.

Video CD - Video CDs or VCDs are CDs with video data.

Photo CD - it was designed by Kodak for storing photos digitally in a Compact Disc. They were able to store more than 100 images when first launched.

CD + RW - these are CDs on which data can be written, erased and re-written more than once.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/data-recovery-articles/the-history-of-compact-disc-media-410387.html

About the Author:

This article can be accessed in portuguese from the Article section of page www.polomercantil.com.br/multimidia.php
Roberto Sedycias works as IT consultant for www.PoloMercantil.com.br