Know the Quality of a Mobile before Purchasing

Have you ever wonder what is really means your IMEI Phone Code?
I guess no. Well this is a useful info before you buy a new phone.

Press the following on your mobile *#06# and the-international mobile equipment identity number appears. Then check the 7th and 8th numbers:
You can also

1 2 3 4 5 6 7th 8th 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
Phone serial no. x x x x x x ? ? x x x x x x x

IF the Seventh & Eighth digits are 02 or 20 this means your cell phone was assembled in Emirates which is very Bad quality.

IF the Seventh & Eighth digits are 08 or 80 this means your cell phone was manufactured in Germany which is fair quality.

IF the Seventh & Eighth digits are 01 or 10 this means your cell phone was manufactured in Finland which is very Good.

IF the Seventh & Eighth digits are 00 this means your cell phone was manufactured in original factory which is the best Mobile Quality.

IF the Seventh & Eighth digits are 13 this means your cell phone

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10 useful steps to buy a USED LAPTOP.

Want a laptop ?
Easy! Go to the next local store and buy one.
Ups…I don’t have enough money for that notebook that I desire, that I dream, that I want.
There is o solution. In fact always exist a solutin. Buy a used one!

Yesterday a good friend of mine decided that he wants a laptop. Not that is a geek, or a big programmer, but it was his desire: to have a laptop.
Of course the money was a problem, so I suggested his to buy a Second –hand one. In fact I found some good stuff on local second-hand market, and on the Online Auction Sites.
So, for him and for many others here some good 10 steps to buy a Used Laptop. Hope to be useful. 

Step 1: The Decision - Finding The Best Used Laptop
Decide what computer you want and then change your mind. Like most people, you probably dream of the newest, hottest thing on the market—maybe a Macbook Air or Dell’s new Studio Hybrid? No. Instead, check out some of the best computers from last year or earlier this year. These are the laptops you should choose from in the used market—and generally, they’ll perform the same tasks that this year’s models do. As an added bonus, you can try to find a computer from 2007 or 2008 with Windows XP installed instead of Vista,or without any operating system.You always cand but a new one .Easy task.
Step 2: Where to Buy
Determine where you will buy your computer. There are four options: eBay, Okazii.ro, local dealers, and straight from the manufacturer. Buying refurbished models from the manufacturer or a local dealer is often more expensive, but they’ll come with attached warranties that will calm your worried hearts. The remaining two options are a bit trickier, but also cheaper. If you plan to use eBay, make sure to find a seller with no less than 100% feedback rating. If the computer arrives broken, a seller with a flawless rating will happily allow a return in order to prevent negative feedback—that’s the beauty of eBay. For a Okazii.ro exchange, make sure to arrange a public meeting spot like a coffee shop where you can inspect the computer fully before purchasing
Step 3: Cracks and Imperfections
Now you need to check for damage. First check for cosmetic issues—and then realize that it doesn’t matter whatsoever. As long as the computer still works, that little chip on the bottom corner will not be a problem. But if you’d like, you can try to get a few bucks knocked off the price because of it.
Step 4: No Purple Haze
One of the most expensive things to replace on a laptop is the screen. Check for any purple or pink discoloration, and if you find any, send the computer back. It’s not worth the hassle or cost of repairs.
Step 5: Testing the Inputs
Check all plugs, sockets, and wireless connections like Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. Many of these are attached to the motherboard, which is costly to replace. If one USB port is broken and you can live with the other three, then do it. If the headphone jack is broken but you have Bluetooth headphones anyway, then rejoice.
Step 6: Check for a Faulty Hard Drive.
Test the hard drive for errors and remember that replacement drives are generally cheap.
Step 7: Check for a Faulty CD Drive
Try burning all types of media that the drive should support—CD-R, CD-RW, DVD-R, DVD+R DL, Blu-Ray,etc.
Step 8: Test the Battery Life
Play some game as you can until the computer’s battery dies. If goes out too fast, try to get the seller to discount the price to make up for the cost of a replacement battery, which can often carry a big price tag.
Step 9: Seek Help
If you don’t want to do all these tests yourself or you want an expert opinion, most repair places would not charge more than $80 for a complete diagnostic check-up. When your used computer cost less than half the original retail price, $80 isn’t much.
Step 10: Wrap it up
For eBay buyers, don’t leave feedback until you’ve checked everything out. If there are any major problems, do not be afraid to return the computer.
Don’t get frustrated if everything isn’t perfect right from the start. Remember that people have problems with their brand new computers pretty often as well. Even if you have to fork up some money for small repairs or upgrades, rest assured that your decision was environmentally and economically sound.

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10 Things to Check Before Buying a Second Hand Phone

I was looking for a PDA phone to buy so that with Wifi, I could use Messenger even without my laptop. I narrowed my choice down to the e71 or e72 or maybe the N Series from Nokia.,or maybe something from Blackberry
Anyway after sometime of searching, I saw a pretty good deal on second hand phones forums .It turned out the seller was quite dishonest both about the age, the origin and the condition of the phone. Just to help everyone, here is a handy list of items to check when buying a second hand phone

1. Check IMEI
The IMEI is a code that identifies each phone. No 2 phones have the same number and manufacturers use this number to verify stolen phones and the amount of warranty that your phone has. Check that the IMEI number on the phone corresponds to the number on the box and receipts. If the numbers differ, there could be several reasons. The first is that the phone is a stolen/ found set or the phone had been sent for servicing and had the main board replaced. Both situations are warning signs of a problematic phone.

2. Examine the Original Receipt
Get a receipt from the seller. If it comes from a reputable retail outlet, then you do not have to worry much. The receipt will be able to tell you when the phone is bought and how much warranty is left. Phones usually have only 1 year warranty. However if you see a receipt that is of dubious origin, be very wary. The receipt might be faked to make the phone look younger than it actually is. It might even be from a second hand dealer trying to sell off the phone again.

3. Closely Inspect the Exterior
This step is rather simple and should give you an idea of how old the phone is. Wear and tear will occur. Usually this means the buttons' paint will peel of. For PDA phones, the paint near the Stylus slot will also peel off. Ensure that the condition is what you expect to pay for. Ratings by sellers are very subjective therefore when no photos are uploaded, buy only when satisfied of the condition.

4. Stress Test the Keypad
Press all the buttons...many times...phones should be able to withstand multiple presses without giving away.

5. Do a Detailed Check of the Functions

After you are done with the exterior, it is time to check the phone itself. Try every function that the phone has. A laptop or another phone will come in handy at this time. For pocketPC phones, there is a self test function under the "Programs" Menu. You can use that to check the various functions of the phone.
Example of functions to check
• Calling
• SMS
• Bluetooth
• Music Players (Speakers)
• Infrared Red
• Wifi
• GPS

6. Scratches on the Display?
Check the LCD display. Dead pixels are rare in phones unlike LCD monitors. But for phones, try to see if there are scratches on the screen. Scratches are expensive to repair and most people should buy a lcd screen protector to ensure the high resale value of their phone.

7. Moving Parts
Some phones have sliders, flippers. Try them to test if they are flimsy. Moving parts tend to be easily damaged by drops and frequent use.

8. Battery life
Batteries drop in performance as they age. However even a second hand phone should not use more than 10% of its battery in the time you are testing. This point is hard to check and the best solution is to get a personal warranty from the seller so that you can test the battery life later.

9. Charger
Plug in the charger and see if the phone charges the battery. Try to nudge the charger connection a bit to see if the charging port is loose.

10. Accessories
Usually most phones have headsets now. Plug them in and repeat the calling test

One last thing...

11. Is there a Warranty?
Get the warranty card. See if it has been sent in. Some manufacturers will not honor their warranty if the card has not been sent in within a few days of purchase. Some brands will also have their users register their warranty online. Prior to meeting the seller, get the IMEI number and do a warranty check online. Also ask the seller for a 7 days personal warranty so that you have time to interact and ensure that the phone is in working condition.

This is unlikely to be an exhaustive list of what to check when buying a second hand phones. Everyone should exercise caution and bear in the mind the saying of "caveat emptor"

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Is Secured loans a good way to beat your financial crisis?????

What will you do when you are in a financial breakdown? Well, the easiest way is to opt for different types of loans available in market. And secured Loans are deemed to be easy and most convenient for acquiring loans. Secured signifies the collateral being offered to acquire the loan which could be a real estate, a vehicle, a home, bank deposits and a lot others. The lender can recuperate the collateral when the borrower defaults on returning the whole loan amount.

Features of secured loans
The loan amount usually depends on the certain factors such as the present market conditions, value of the collateral being offered and the payback ability of the borrower. A secured loan is identified to have a cheaper rate of interest, a repayment period and a sum of money. One can opt for either a fixed or a variable APR interest rate. A shorter repayment period is preferable because a longer period would signify you ending up paying a lot of amount as interest even though it cuts down the monthly installment amount.

People with bad credit history need not to be afraid because they also are eligible for opting a secured loan. The only constraint for them is that they would have to pay the loan amount with a higher interest rate as compared to others and would get shorter repayment period as per their current credit ratings.

Loan Amounts
Well the next thing that comes to mind knows roughly how much would be the loan amount offered. In case you are offering your home as collateral then you can obtain a loan amounting up to £100,000. In case of a personal loan, the amount would range from £7,500-£250,000 at 9.9%APR variable.

How to apply
Applying online is the easiest way to avail such loans. The rates and benefits offered by different lenders can be compared by going through their websites. The application gets forwarded to the brokers who would in fact help you get the best deal by considering all your needs.

The end verdict is that a Secured Loan is the best means of fulfilling your economic needs simply because it is the cheapest and is easily available unless, the borrower fails to repay thereby loosing his collateral.

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Financial Crisis Money Management Points

In these times of global financial crisis and talks of recession won’t be dying any day soon, it wise that we should be conscious of our money habits. Recession or not, our financial habits are something that we should take a second look on. Little money mismanagement is hurting us, without us even being conscious about it… until it’s too late.
Here are some suggestions to make us become more money-wise:

1. Live Below Your Means

Before you take your next frapuccino on your favorite coffee shop, think again, can you really afford that lifestyle? Stall the upgrading of your cellphone to the latest model when your present handset is doing just fine. More shoes? Really now, were you able to wear all the shoes that you already have?

These little “luxuries” are what’s hurting us the most. If we can learn to discipline ourselves and differentiate the necessities from the luxuries, we might do well on our finances.

2. Save For the Rainy Days

It cannot be overemphasized. Learning how to save can make the big difference from financial ruin to a financially fit individual. Even if you start small, say just a 50$ a week, what’s important is you get to start the habit of saving. Once you get to earn more, you can increase the amount of money you save.

3. Try to live the Simple Life

Learn how to do away with the material things and just live with the basic necessities. Don’t be too materialistic. The habit of keeping up with the neighbours isn’t healthy and may hurt your finances terribly in the long run.

4. Don’t Believe Those Get-rich-quick Schemes From TV,WEB or MailJunks

One weakness that helps scammers make their jobs easier is the inherent greed in every individual. The promise of earning high returns with a quick investment can easily lure you to part with your hard-earned money. But before you do that, remember the saying, “When something seems too good to be true, it’s because it is.”

5. Pay Your Debts

If you can avoid them in the first place, do so. But once you availed of a loan, be sure to meet your due dates and pay your debts. Aside from a clean credit reputation, you can save a lot from the interests and penalties that you might pay if you failed on your obligations.

As a rule of thumb, start paying off the ones with the higher interests.
These are just some of the suggestions that we can do to check our money habits. Of course, getting financial education and having a plan can help us manage our finances better.

The coming 2010 New Year would be a perfect time to correct all our bad spending habits and take control of finances.

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20 Steps to Start your first Business

Here's a list of 20 steps to starting a small business. These 20 things are solely based on experience after having started 3 very successful, and now not so small, businesses.

1. Do something you love. Unless you choose a business that you are passionate about your will most likely fail before you get started. Starting a business for money is the last thing that should be one your mind.

2. Quit your job when you're business is making money. Many people make the mistake of quitting their job before the money starts to roll. Most businesses can be started in your spare time and then when they start to make money, enough to replace your current income, is when you should quit your job.

3. Planning is everything. Have a clearly laid out plan such as a business and financial plan. Sure the plans may change along the way but at least you'll know where you're going.

4. Learn from someone who's already successful at the business you want to be in. Trial and error is the longest route to success, don't do it. Find a mentor or pay for information from an expert.

5. Learn how to sell. Selling is the key to business. If you're not selling it's not a business it's a hobby.

6. Raise your level of energy. If you've ever heard the expression, "how you do anything is how you do everything," then you'll want to raise your energy to a new level to get a new result. If you go into business with the same level of energy you use in your job you will fail.

7. Try to resist the temptation to focus on your business problems. Fixing problems will only create more problems. Focus on what's working and you'll get more of what's working.

8. One of the quickest paths to success is to help others get what they want first. If you help others first you will have what ever you've given out ten times over.

9. Pay yourself first. You must get in the habit of paying yourself rather that for everything else. If you learn to pay yourself and are grateful for the money then more will come.

10. Make sure that whatever you do you have a big dream. Nothing big ever got created with a small idea.

11. Create a mastermind group. If you tried to push a boulder up a hill by yourself you would quickly realize that it is impossible to do so unless you had the help of others. A mastermind group is a great way of learning from and empowering others in the process.

12. Choose a business that has good cash flow and low overhead. Sounds simple but many rush into things with little or no knowledge of what makes a business fiscally sound.

13. Know exactly what you want. The number one reason why people don't succeed or get what they want is they don't knowing exactly what that is. Figure out first what you want in business and in your personal life and you will stand a much better chance of getting it.

14. Keep an open mind. Many things that happen in business are not what you'd want or even intended but, please know that these things have been custom designed to get you what you want faster than you think is possible. Therefore, don't take failures as a sign that you should quit. Thomas Edison said that, "success is 99% failure."

15. Never ever quit. Quitters never win and winners never quit.

16. Become a "learn-it-all." Learning is the key to business success. That's why know-it-alls never win. Those are the people who say they know a lot but know very little. If, on the other hand, you become a learn-it-all you will never stop learning and that is not only the key to business but to life itself.

17. Keep a lot of cash in your pocket. Cash will make you feel different and it attracts more cash. Cash is king! Ever heard that? It's also a lot easier to negotiate when you have cash.

18. Spend just enough to keep the business moving forward. You will have to risk investment but you must temper that with the potential reward. Spending money based on a whim is not a good idea. Get expert advice on when and where you should invest.

19. Become an expert marketer. Marketing is not the same as selling and is certainly not the same as having a great product. You could have the greatest product on the planet but if no one knows about it then how much of your product will you sell?

20. Automation, automation, automation. It's not a business unless you can walk away from it for a couple months and come back and it's still in the same shape and earning the same amount of money as when you left. If not, then it's not a business, you've created yourself a job. Show me where is says "job" in "small business."

Good Look with your own Bussines and post me when you get your first million. :)

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10 Steps for Boosting Creativity

1.Listen to music by Johann Sebastian Bach. If Bach doesn't make you more creative, you should probably see your doctor - or your brain surgeon if you are also troubled by headaches, hallucinations or strange urges in the middle of the night

2.Brainstorm. If properly carried out, brainstorming can help you not only come up with sacks full of new ideas, but can help you decide which is best.

3.Always carry a small notebook and a pen or pencil around with you. That way, if you are struck by an idea, you can quickly note it down. Upon rereading your notes, you may discover about 90% of your ideas are daft. Don't worry, that's normal. What's important are the 10% that are brilliant.

4.If you're stuck for an idea, open a dictionary, randomly select a word and then try to formulate ideas incorporating this word. You'd be surprised how well this works. The concept is based on a simple but little known truth: freedom inhibits creativity. There are nothing like restrictions to get you thinking.

5. Define your problem. Grab a sheet of paper, electronic notebook, computer or whatever you use to make notes, and define your problem in detail. You'll probably find ideas positively spewing out once you've done this.

6.If you can't think, go for a walk. A change of atmosphere is good for you and gentle exercise helps shake up the brain cells.

7.Don't watch TV. Experiments performed by the JPB Creative Laboratory show that watching TV causes your brain to slowly trickle out your ears and/or nose. It's not pretty, but it happens.

8.Don't do drugs. People on drugs think they are creative. To everyone else, they seem like people on drugs.

9.Read as much as you can about everything possible. Books exercise your brain, provide inspiration and fill you with information that allows you to make creative connections easily.

10.Exercise your brain. Brains, like bodies, need exercise to keep fit. If you don't exercise your brain, it will get flabby and useless. Exercise your brain by reading a lot (see above), talking to clever people and disagreeing with people - arguing can be a terrific way to give your brain cells a workout. But note, arguing about politics or film directors is good for you; bickering over who should clean the dishes is not.

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