Accessing your Itunes Library From Multiple Computers

Author: PimpMyiPod

The Problem


It is probable that in your home, more than one person owns an iPod / MP3 player of some description. It is also probable, that one person seems to have been delegated the task of updating everyone’s iPod and managing iTunes.


If you are reading this article...it is probable that you are at least fairly computer literate, and therefore probable that you are that lucky, lucky person in your household.


Sure, being the sole manager of your household’s music has its advantages – you have complete control of your music, you can update your own iPod whenever you want, and I suppose with some clever deviations from the truth you could loosely call yourself a DJ, a sure way to pick up girls in your local club.


However, once your mates start asking why the hell you have the latest McFly album (which you innocently downloaded for your girlfriend / sister / roommate) on your iPod...a better solution is needed.





The Proposal


If you have even a basic wireless network in your home then there is a simple solution. By using what is known as a ‘Network Attached Storage” (NAS), you can attach a hard drive to your home network, on which you can store all of your music.


When you used any of the computers in your house, they would detect the NAS as another hard drive on your computer, meaning that from any PC in the house you could:





Play music


Download music from the iTunes store or other (totally legal, of course) places


Create a new playlist for your iPod


Synchronise your iPod


Sound appealing? If so read on!





The Possibilities...


There are many ways to add a NAS device to your home network - the main one I will discuss here is the simplest – you buy a NAS device, problem solved. These are relatively new, especially to the home market. If you take a look at http://www.scan.co.uk/ you will see a number of them ranging from £86 to £650. None of them there are particularly bad, but personally I use the Western Digital’s MyBook series and have had no problems with them. The instructions you need to follow however will be almost identical regardless of which product you buy in the end. For more info on choosing a NAS please look at the “Choosing a NAS” section at the end of this article.





The Solution


Once you have purchased a NAS (I like that acronym...) you simply plug the Ethernet (usually yellow or blue) cable into your router or modem. If you have a PC connected to the router via Ethernet, as opposed to wirelessly, don’t worry - you don’t need to plug the NAS into the computer directly.


It is beyond the scope of this article to cover plugging the NAS to a plug – if you need help, give your household Microwave company a call...they seem to specialise in telling people how to plug things in (for legal reasons you may have to lie and say its your Microwave by the way....you could try running the term “Network Attached Storage” by them but...)


Anyway – when you power up your PC, the NAS should be pretty much plug and play – the NAS will show up as another hard drive (viewable from My Computer) or possibly a network location, depending on how it was designed.


Either way, now all you have to do is move your music to the new hard drive. First, go to iTunes, click the Advanced tab and then click “Consolidate Library” - this will simply make sure all your files are in one place (My Music for Windows by default), so if you have downloaded files to random places over the years, it will move them to My Music.


Now close iTunes and simply move or copy your music folder into it from your local drive. Once this is done, you may want to delete your local copy to save space, and so you can be sure iTunes is no longer using the ‘old’ library.


Now to add the new library to your home computers simply go to File (in iTunes of course) -> Add folder to library -> select the folder you just copied everything to.


You can now install iTunes on all PCs in your house, and link them to the NAS!





Extra: Choosing a NAS


NAS devices can be a simple “hard drive in a box with an Ethernet port bunged on the back” affair – in which case the only real factor in making a decision is getting a balance between cost and space.


I would recommend you be generous with the storage capacity – a 320gb model is little more expensive than a 160gb in most cases, and it will obviously allow for future expansion of your (totally legal) music library. In addition, you can also use it to store documents, backups etc in the future.


These basic models will typically cost between £80 and £120. If you stretch the budget a little further, you can get the excellent “Asus WL-700gE NAS Appliance” (http://www.trustedreviews.com). This is not only a NAS device, but also a router with firewall, and acts as a “media and print” server – so you can connect all your PCs wirelessly to one printer, and stream TV etc. It can even be used to download files without a computer running through the night! I have not used it myself, but it has excellent write ups.


As stated earlier in the review, if you are looking for a simple NAS box, I’d recommend the Western Digital MyBook series, but LaCie and other companies also produce good devices.


If you have an old hard drive lying about, you should be able to find an adapter to give it an Ethernet port, but by the time you have bought that and an enclosure for it, it would probably be more cost effective to just get a separate NAS device.


If you have any questions , feel free to contact me at james AT pimp-my-ipod DOT com – this is my first article here but I intend to post more and maintain my existing ones to keep them up-to-date.

About the Author:

James Gupta runs "Pimp My iPod" - a company selling vinyl "decals" for the iPod.



Check out the store at www.pimp-my-ipod.com!

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/gadgets-and-gizmos-articles/accessing-your-itunes-library-from-multiple-computers-219213.html

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The Abc of Ssl: Super Duper Encrypted Security in an Age of Internet Commerce

Author: live2support

Price for Progress


You have most probably viewed a digital SSL certificate in action by visiting sites where an “s” appears in the http:// of an address bar. The “s” stands for “secure” and indicates that data being exchanged by the web site and your Internet browser has been coded or encrypted. Additional proof of a secure web connection is provided through the appearance of a little padlock at the bottom of the browser. Internet Explorer 7 provides the added advantage of confirming a secure status through a color-coded address bar .


In case you have wondered how all this is articulated, wonder no more because we are here to tell you how.


Simple Definition


The abbreviation “SSL” stands for “secure socket layer” which is one of the many ways to code, scramble or encrypt online data. This form and level of encryption is achieved through the use of complex algorithms. Today, the standard level of encryption used when transmitting sensitive data over the Internet is called 256 bit SSL encryption. This form of digital data protection ensures that communication between a web site and your browser is first scrambled and coded at the point of departure and then subsequently decoded when it arrives at its chosen destination. In other words, even if the data is intercepted by a malicious software application or by a live individual, the data is not compromised in any way, shape or form.


SSL Certificate Wish List


Like everything technical, SSL certificates come in various strengths and combinations. Which SSL certificate is best for you depends largely on the type of e-commerce company you operate, your transaction volume and the level of browser access you wish to provide to your customers. Your SSL certificate vendor is in a position to perform a needs assessment on your site and recommend the right digital SSL certificate for you.


Standard SSL Certificate


For starters, there is the simple, garden variety vanilla SSL certificate which provides protection only to a single domain also known as FDQN or Fully Qualified Domain name. The most popular versions of web browsers currently in use such as Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, Opera and Safari are fully compatible with this certificate. This SSL certificate is incompatible with sub-domains. If you have more than one sub-domain which you need to secure, you have a better option available which we will explore in a moment.


SGC SSL Certificate


The second category of digital SSL certificates is called the SGC certificate. SGC stands for server gated cryptography and essentially allows you or your online customers to use old 40 bit legacy browsers to step up to 128 or 256 bit capacity and thus provide an added layer of security. This SSL certificate costs much more than the starter SSL certificate described above and may not be worth the extra expense.


EV SSL Certificate


EV SSL certificates provide an unprecedented level of security and protection through confirmed identity assurance. Until the advent of this certificate, your customers had no visible indication on the browser to confirm that you were a legitimate and a verified enterprise. EV SSL certificates work in tandem with all popular browsers and indicate through a symbol of trust, a green address bar or even a clearly spelled out message, that your corporate identity has been verified by the SSL certificate authority. This process of verification is implemented by asking you to submit corporate documentation such as licenses, articles of incorporation, bank statements, phone bills and other forms of verifiable evidence. Internet Explorer 7 currently provides the maximum amount of information to site visitors about the nature of this SSL protection. The address bar in Internet Explorer 7 has been programmed to change colors to reflect the security level of the connection. The address bar turns green when the SSL encryption is fully in place. Additionally, this browser also displays the name of the SSL certificate provider as well as the name of the certifying authority. Since these attributes are available only in EV SSL certificates in conjunction with Internet Explorer 7, investing in this class of SSL certificates is worth a serious consideration. If you happen to be an established Internet commerce company and have the funds to invest in this class of SSL certificates, this might be the right protection package for you and your customers.


Wildcard SSL Certificate


A wildcard digital SSL certificate is ideal for you if you have a need to secure a primary domain and a host of sub-domains through data encryption. Under normal circumstances, SSL certificates tend to secure only a single primary domain or a sub-domain. For instance, if you had one primary domain such as http://mybook.com and two sub-domains such as http://library.mybook.com and http://research.mybook.com, you would have to invest in three separate SSL certificates. A single wildcard SSL certificate, on the other hand, can protect not only the primary domain but an unlimited number of sub-domains. This results in significant cost savings for those who need this level and quality of protection.


SSL Certificate Bottom Line


Digital SSL certificates can start from as low as $70 and can go all the way up to several thousand dollars depending on the class and strength of certificates you require. SSL certificates have a dated validity and usually expire in one year. To save money, it is best to purchase certificates with multiple year validity and shop around carefully during renewal time. The price for an SSL certificate typically includes the cost of customer support, trouble shooting and a warranty to cover losses arising out of protection failure in rare instances.


To Buy or not to Buy


Everyone knows that the Internet has created new avenues and opportunities for e-commerce. Unfortunately, this unbridled growth has also stirred up the criminal element. Until now Internet commerce companies did not have a viable solution to this rather serious problem, but now we do in the form of potent digital SSL technology which guarantees unparalleled cyber protection to one and all. More information about SSL with Purpose can be found at http://ssl.live2support.com

About the Author:

Live2support Inc.

http://live2support.com

Email: newsletter@live2support.com

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/internet-articles/the-abc-of-ssl-super-duper-encrypted-security-in-an-age-of-internet-commerce-292165.html

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Bharat Book Bureau Promotes New Report on Iptv Applications - Enhanced Television Applications as a Battleground for Customer Loyalty

Author: Bharat Book Bureau

Bharat book bureau promotes new report on ' The reference to the Battleground refers to one segment of the larger clash between the cable, telecommunications and satellite service provider industries' which are actively building out and providing similar consumer service offerings which provide voice, video and data. Service providers, primarily those with legacy telephony distribution networks, are utilizing IPTV technology for all or part of their video delivery system. The promise of this technology should include acceleration of their ability to deliver enhanced television services and change the way television is used by consumers. The Battleground for customer loyalty will increasingly be influenced not only by the technology deployed, but also by changes in regulatory policy, the competitive trends in the supply of content, and demographic changes in population.

IPTV Applications - Enhanced Television Applications as a Battleground for Customer Loyalty represents a detailed strategic guide and insider view of the current market changes in the clash between the New Media Titans. It addresses the role of the traditional media provider (cable, telecom, satellite) role in delivering enhance IP based services via television. This publication is a look into the industry direction over the next 24 months and identifies opportunities for industry opportunities for products, services, investment, and M&A.

Key Highlights

IPTV and Enhanced Television Applications

Enhanced television application concepts are not new
Limited availability of IPTV platforms hurts ability to monetize innovation
IPTV Ecosystem Capabilities

IPTV Ecosystem components potentially improve efficiency and lower cost of enhanced application deployment.
Concerns regarding content security are abating but preventing reincarnation of the original "Napster" remains a priority
Competitive platforms (MHP, Tru2Way) address far greater base of users. Internet delivery to enabled televisions could bypass IPTV providers.
Service Provider Priorities Affect Deployment Timing

Competition for bundled services leads to focus on core services
Enhanced applications interesting but assessing consumer value difficult
Enhanced apps must 'first, do no harm' to core service offering performance and reliability and should reinforce value of triple play services
Enhanced Applications Potential Varies by Category

Commercial issues between content and service providers complicate enhancing premiere national content.
Personalized information applications provide low hanging fruit
Web based content can expand localized offerings if secure
Blended applications provide options that meet competition
Network based applications provide potential to build loyalty without complications of content negotiations
Opportunity Expands with Subscriber Base

Growth of IPTV subscriber base will expand opportunity
$1 Billion in Economic impact for US Service Providers by 2012

Target Audience

Investment Bankers, Financial Institutions, Hedge Fund Managers, C-Level Corporate Executives, Business Development, Strategic Company Direction, Technologists, Ad Networks, Ad Revenue, Content Creators, Content Aggregators, Content Providers, Media Companies, Cable, Satellite, Telecommunications, Network Distribution, Networking Companies, QoS and QoE Equipment Providers, IPTV, ITV, Media Cache Farms, Network Groomers, Video Search Engines. Web Portals, Web Content Hosting

Table of Contents:

Executive Summary.
The Future was Supposed to be Here by Now..
IPTV Ecosystems Enabling Applications.
IPTV Ecosystem Definition.
Competitive Ecosystems – Digital Broadcast and Satellite.
Over the Top Ecosystems.
IPTV Application Category Definitions.
Service Provider Platform Considerations – Telco, Cable and Satellite.
Quality of Service Priorities.
Market and Competitive Factors.
Security and Privacy – Not all Peers are Equal
Content Applications – Delivering the Entire User Experience.
Enhanced Television.
Enhanced and Telescoping Advertising.
Widgets/Customized Information Overlays.
Web based Channels.
Blended Applications – Where PC Apps Meet TV..
Personal Media Access.
Interactive Game Channels.
Network Applications – Voice, Video & Data.
Telephony Related Applications (Caller ID; Messages)
What Does it All Mean?.
IPTV Application Economic Potential
Content Application Financial Impact
Blended Application Financial Impact
Network Application Financial Impact
Summary Financial Impact for Applications.
Who Wins?.
Who Looses?.

Appendix A: Companies Covered

List of Figures

Figure 1 IPTV Application Ecosystem.
Figure 2 Motorola KreaTV™ Application Platform.
Figure 3 Market Share of High Speed Lines As of June 30, 2007.
Figure 4 Maximum Data Rates by Technology.
Figure 5 US Zip Codes with Multple High Speed Data Providers.
Figure 6 Enhanced Television Example - Ensequence Spike TV Video Game Awards.
Figure 7 Telescoping Advertising Example 1 - Icon Presentation Etc.tv.
Figure 8 Telescoping Advertising Example 2 - Navigation Options Etc.tv.
Figure 9 Widget Example - Verizon FiOS TV Service.
Figure 10 Texas Hold'em HD Game Example - Accedo Broadband.
Figure 11 HD Sudoku Game Example - Accedo Broadband.
Figure 12 On Screen Caller ID Display Example - Integra5.
Figure 13 SMS Display on TV - Integra5.
Figure 14 On Screen Voicemail Notification Example - Integra5.
Figure 15 On Screen Call Log Display Example - Integra5.
Figure 16 Projected US IPTV Subscribers.
Figure 17 Summary Application Financial Impact

For more information kindly visit this url:www.bharatbook.com/detail.asp?id=83003

Bharat Book Bureau
207, Hermes Atrium, Sector 11, PO Box.54, CBD Belapur, Navi Mumbai - 400 614, India.
Phone : +91 22 2757 8668 / 2757 9438
Fax : +91 22 2757 9131
E-mail : info@bharatbook.com
Website : www.bharatbook.com

About the Author:

We are the leading information aggregator, facilitates and supports the business information needs. With over 90,000 reports, you can get instant access and insights on the studies in yo for market research , corporate / strategic planning by providing the latest information in the form of reports, journals, magazines and databases on varied industries like automotive, oil and gas, shipping, textiles, pharmaceuticals, energy, banking, finance, insurance, risk management, country intelligence, consumer & durable goods, chemical and more ur areas of interest. Contact us at +91 22 27578668 / 27579438 or email info@bharatbook.com or our website www.bharatbook.com

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Book Publishers Best Marketing Tips

Author: Helen Hecker

Your book selling, book marketing, and book promotion planning should begin before the manuscript is completed. Assuming you're a self publisher or book publisher and you've already published your book, you need to immediately implement a strong, no-holds barred, book marketing and promotion strategy to sell your books fast. You can have the best book in the world, but if no one knows about it, no one will buy it; publicity, promotion, marketing and a focus on selling more books should now be a big part of your daily life.



Don't underestimate the value of a good press release for making book sales. When picked up by wire services, a press release can easily end up generating hundreds of mentions for your book. Make sure your press release spells out the 'who, what, where, when, and why.'



Send out at least 10 press releases to the print and broadcast media in your area every month. Send out the same press release to the editor of your local daily newspaper every week until you are called for an interview or are written up. Make sure you have at least one good press release, written in AP style, which you can send out for the lifetime of your book.



Press releases can generate thousands of dollars in sales when picked up by national trade or print media. Using press releases can be a very effective marketing tool if used properly.



Your sales letter or flier should include an eye-grabbing headline, the benefits to the buyer, the book features, book sales information and testimonials. Create an online contest and list it in online contest directories to drive traffic to your website. Find a non-exclusive distributor with a good reputation to carry your book for the book store trade, as well as for other retailers.



Get as many testimonials about your book, as possible, from experts in the field relating to your title, not customers; use on your fliers and back of books. Make sure to promote and market your book each and every day, both online and offline. Market your book to your number one market first, and then go after the secondary markets.



Every day it's important to focus on a variety of marketing approaches. Submit articles to online article directories that focus on your book's topic to drive customers to your website. Print and online publications provide longevity to your marketing campaign in terms of having something tangible for people to reference ongoing.



When you get a nice write up or feature about you and/or your book, have it laminated and set it up on an easel at trade shows. Build a web site that provides another avenue for ordering, a virtual online press kit and link exchanges with sites that relate to your topic. Women buy more books then men; see how you can fit your book into the women's market.



If your book fits a specialty market, find a store that fits the genre and offer to leave books on consignment; many publishers have sold thousands of books this way. Remember to make sure your book is listed in Books-in-Print; don't assume it's already listed.



It's important to publish a website that focuses on your title; you'll be able to refer editors and customers and all interested parties to your book information with the click of a mouse. Offer to trade writing a monthly column in a trade publication in your books' genre, in trade for display ads on the same page.



Now promote, promote, and promote your book some more! Don't delay another day if you've fallen by the wayside; make sure to focus on promoting, selling and marketing your book each and every day. Use your book promotion and book marketing dollars wisely; go after the free and cheap resources daily.

About the Author:

For more information on book marketing tips and selling more books go to http://www.TwinPeaksPress.com founded in 1982, specializing in help for authors, self publishers, ebook and book publishers with tips, advice and resources, including information on media, library and other mailing lists, and press releases - online, wire service and offline distribution

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/marketing-articles/book-publishers-best-marketing-tips-131158.html

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The Future of Books: Mixed Media and Multiple Intelligences

Author: Erica Nielsen

I am truly amazed by the amount of cynicism directed by some readers toward e-books, as if their existence were a conspiracy to render traditional books obsolete in the spirit of Fahrenheit 451. Much effort has gone into comparing e-publishing to traditional book publishing. An Internet search for "Will e-books succeed?" brings up numerous passionate articles and blogs dedicated to the concept.





Whether individuals express preference or aversion toward e-books, there are multiple reasons related to lifestyle preferences, as well as personal views on technologies, learning methods, and pleasure reading. Some people desire a familiar kinesthetic page-turning experience, whereas others readily accept that paperbacks no longer require paper.





The problem with the e-book/traditional book debate is that e-books have evolved but common perceptions of them have not. Most people are familiar with e-books only as electronic versions of their logocentric counterparts. For example, consider Powerhomebiz's "Top Ten Reasons Why EBooks are Better than Printed Books" (http://www.powerhomebiz.com/vol127/ebooks.htm). This list offers ten convincing reasons why businesses should switch to using e-books. However, one of the most critical and defining components of contemporary e-books is barely implied:





You usually get far more than just the book. Most eBooks are sold with bonuses and related information that usually don't come with the purchase of a traditional book. You might pay the same or even a bit more for an eBook, but you usually get more, too.





What does it mean to get far more? What are these bonuses? Perhaps the author is referring to hot-links to references and the ability to quickly search the entire e-book for a word or phrase (these features are noted subsequently in the list). Still, the definition of e-book seems rather limited to the traditional text-based approach.





What if we could depart from thinking about books as a collection of words? What if a book could contain video and audio? What if a book could evaluate the reader's understanding of it? What if multiple intelligences do exist, and what if we could stimulate more well-rounded learning by modifying the definition of "book"?





Before I delve any further into absurdities -- after all, everyone knows that words live in books, audio lives in radios, and videos live on TVs -- let's fathom to consider what might happen if these media could be happily married, and let's use psychologist Howard Gardner's categories of intelligence as a framework for theorizing how this might impact learning.





Verbal-linguistic intelligence has to do with words, spoken or written. Traditional books cater to this type of learning, thus it carries over to e-books. However, in e-books this kind of learning might be enhanced with audio. For example, what if a reader could click on a word to hear how it is pronounced, or roll over a glossary definition to hear it read aloud?





Musical intelligence is where a person learns aurally through rhythms. What if book text could be instantly turned into a lecture, so the reader could actually listen to the content? What if a reader could click a button to hear a clever rhyme supplemental to the text, designed to help him or her remember a concept?





Bodily-kinesthetic intelligence deals with muscle memory and learning by doing, rather than by reading or hearing. Imagine if a student could read about architectural concepts, and then follow step-by-step videos to build projects (and have the ability to pause the videos when necessary). Similarly, a dance student might find it more useful to observe and follow a video embedded within a dance theory e-book than to read about all the physiological and qualitative details of specific exercises.





Spatial intelligence is similar to bodily-kinesthetic intelligence, because it involves learning through visual aspects. People with good visual memory might benefit from embedded videos in e-books just as people more oriented toward bodily-kinesthetic intelligence, since videos potentially offer more sensory stimulation than reading alone. I say "potentially" because learning stimulation is difficult to quantify and is subjective. It is possible to be emotionally or even physically moved by written text, as people more attuned to verbal-linguistic learning might attest.





Considering these four kinds of intelligences -- verbal-linguistic, musical, bodily-kinesthetic, and spatial -- and assuming that people learn through different means, it becomes evident that if we assume the purpose of a book is to instruct it is better to instruct beyond a dominant framework of verbal-linguistic or logocentric intelligence. The only traditional books I'm aware of that have embedded audio, in a sense, are children's books like Sounds of the Farm by Gail Donovan where the reader can press buttons to hear how animals sound, but the sound cannot be associated with specific parts of the book except through the possibility of textual command to the reader to push a button.





Thus far, I have argued that diverse reading experiences could be enhanced through the integration of aural and visual stimuli with traditional text-based books. However, I have only touched upon four of Gardner's original seven intelligences. If, by this point in the article, anyone still doubts that e-books can theoretically offer a more comprehensive learning experience than traditional books, I believe any hint of skepticism will be erased after exploring what e-books could do for the remaining three intelligences.





The notion of self-reflection is a dominant theme in contemporary education theories, and was identified by Gardner as intrapersonal intelligence. Interaction with others is interpersonal intelligence, in which learning occurs through discussions and participation in group activities where a person directly encounters others' perspectives. E-books have the ability to stimulate self-reflection and group interaction if they could be integrated with online learning platforms, thereby facilitating online discussions and journal-keeping. Furthermore, while students can self-reflect on a traditional book by making lengthy notes in a separate notebook, what if in an e-book it were possible to highlight text, type notes in a pop-up window, and even link notes to text?





Last but not least is logical-mathematical intelligence, which deals with logic and reasoning. Traditionally, instructors have been responsible for assessing students' understanding of course concepts. But what if a student could take e-quizzes and get immediate feedback on his or her comprehension? This would certainly help students know what they needed to review before class or prior to an exam.





So, let's stop thinking of e-books as electronic versions of the same book you could pick up at your neighborhood bookstore. What if instead they were dynamic learning environments that addressed all seven of Gardner's Multiple Intelligences, and thereby provided a more engaging and meaningful learning experience to readers? Xplana Learning has assumed a leadership role in the development of interactive e-books and online learning platforms. In the above examples, Xplana answers the question "What if e-books could?" as "Yes, our e-book can." (See http://www.xplana.com/products/products_xb.php).





In the great e-book debate, it's time to stop worrying whether e-books will to replace traditional books. Individual preference for reading medium is largely dependant on lifestyle. E-books are venturing into a new realm that oversteps the limitations of traditional text-based books. We should be able to appreciate what e-books can add to the learning experience, and consider how we can continue developing e-books in relationship to contemporary educational theories in order to maximize learning outcomes.

About the Author:

Erica Nielsen is a published author and Assistant Editor for the e-learning blog XplanaZine (www.xplanazine.com).

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/education-articles/the-future-of-books-mixed-media-and-multiple-intelligences-334259.html

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Promotion 101: Why Authors Shouldn’t Do Book Signings

Author: Stacy-Deanne

Book signings seem to be obsolete these days. The good thing about this is an author shouldn’t really care. While book signings are slipping from existence, there are more creative options coming out for authors to promote each year. Many of them have brought in more books sales than a signing ever will for today’s author. Whether you decide to embark on a book tour or have a signing, is your decision. I would like to point out, however why you shouldn’t be disappointed if book signings do not bring you the success you seek. They usually don’t and this is normal. Book signings can be very disappointing. I’ve outlined reasons why you shouldn’t do book signings, instead of reasons why you should. I will also mention options afterwards that are not only better sales-wise but a lot more fun.

1. Book Signings Are Short-lived Sales







Book signings take a lot of effort to set up. Even if you do sell at a signing, which is highly unlikely these days, these sales are short-lived and most times forgotten. The most an author sells at a bookstore book signing is less than ten books. Some sell less than five. They say it’s important for an author to build a relationship with the people in the stores. Why? Not only do the workers care less about an author these days, unless you made a big impact, they won’t remember you from another author who signed at the store. If you do make an impact you’ll be invited back. I’ve been invited back to stores many of times. But the myth that authors build relationships with the stores by doing signings is completely false. There is such a turn over with staff at bookstores that building a relationship is not even possible. Either way you’re not there to make friends. You’re there to sell books and often this does not happen.



2. No Guarantee That Your Book Will Stay in That Location







Some authors think that just because they do a signing that it means that specific store’s location will keep their books on hand. This is not true. There have been many instances where an author had a successful signing, even signed out only to have that store not to order more copies of their books. Do not believe that your book will stay in a location just because you did a signing. This is not a guarantee.



3. Big Book Stores Do Absolutely Nothing To Market A Signing







So you’re all excited about your signing huh? You’ve made all the arrangements and your publisher has set it up for you. You’re expecting a huge turnout. You’ve promoted through your local radio station or newspaper. You even had a big contest on your web site, showcasing the event. You get to the store Saturday at 2pm to find that no one is there. Well, except the workers. What’s going on? You wonder. This is the big let down. Bookstores do not promote signings anymore. They put your signing in one dinky store newsletter, make one little sorry sign that you could have done yourself and that’s it. You find once again that you’ve done all the legwork only to be disappointed.




The truth is that a signing takes the participation of a bookstore to promote it. If they don’t it not only shows their lack of appreciation for you as an author, but also it shows they simply do not care. The truth is that big chains have grown rather cold-hearted in terms of welcoming an author for a signing. Some locations help the author more than others but as a hold, big bookstores no longer go to the trouble of making authors feel welcome like the old days. The alternative option is signing at independent bookstores. Independent bookstores usually throw out the red carpet when an author’s doing a signing. They appreciate you bringing readers to the store and in return you appreciate them for allowing you to sign. If you intend on doing book signings at stores you should focus on the smaller stores that at least show you they appreciate your presence.



4. Most Times Not Worth The Time And Effort

Due to the lack of participation with the stores or lack of publicity of your publisher, you’ll often be disappointed with a bookstore signing. An author can only do so much. You cannot force people to show up and buy your books no matter what you do. It's nothing more humiliating than being at a signing only to have people pass you up and treat you as if your book is less important than the ones on the shelves. Yet, it happens. Authors do not have to put up with this treatment simply to sell books. Those days are over.

A new day has come and now, authors hold all the cards. We have control of how we want to promote our books and where we want to sell them. Now that I’ve outlined why bookstore signings may not be worth it, below I’ve suggested some options and alternatives you may want to consider.

Festivals:

If you insist on doing book signings, skip stores altogether. If you want to sell books and have fun, try festivals. There are tons of festivals in almost every big city geared towards authors meeting the public and selling books. Festivals are so much more rewarding that even if you only sell a few books, you won’t care because you’ll walk away with so much more. You’ll get a chance to meet readers, other authors, other literary professionals, and media that attends bringing you publicity. This adds to more exposure.

Group Signings:

You can both get with some author pals and host your own group signings or participate in group signings at your local bookstore. Many stores hold group signings once a month and local authors are encouraged to participate. Group signings bring more readers to the event as well as give you the chance to meet other authors. Bookstores promote group signings more effectively than an individual author’s event. You also won’t walk away in shame if you don’t sell books. You may not sell at group signings but you’ll end up with more exposure and friends in the industry.

Book Club Signings:

Contact a local book club and see if they are interested in letting you do a signing at one of their upcoming meetings. Make your book attractive for them to pick as a featured book then let them know that you’d be more than willing to do a signing at their meeting. Book Club signings can be very fun because they also turn into discussions and this ends up being a learning experience for the author as well as the club.

Sign At Places of Your Choice:

You can also pick a fun place of your choice to hold a signing. This could be in the park, at a club, festival or in an arena where some big event is being held. This will attract people to you as they attend the other event. The difference between this and a book signing is that you order your books from your publisher then you sell them at the event and keep the profits. Be creative. You can even hold a signing at a baby shower, birthday party or family gathering. You’re sure to sell tons of books. Not only are you completely in control but you’ll feel more comfortable signing in a place of your choice. These are also the most fun. Remember to advertise your event. Put an ad in your local paper and promote online to people in your area. The possibilities are endless.

Last but not least, the biggest option would be:

Virtual Book Tours

It’s been speculated that VBTs sell more books than a regular book tour ever could. You reach more of an audience because you’re doing everything online. Some authors set up their own VBTs but if you’re not familiar with the concept and want to skip the hard work, then hire a company to work with you. They’ll do all the legwork and all you have to do is show up on blogs and sites. You’ll do interviews, pod casts, guest blogs and more. It’s all up to you. VBTs allow authors to promote from the comfort of their own home and at their most convenient time. Think of having a book tour in your robe and slippers. Sounds good to me. Also, you’ll gain more traffic to your web site, sell more books and meet more fans during a VBT than you ever could offline. The best thing is that your tour remains visible forever. Your appearance stays on the sites as long as they stay online so your tour is archived and will be visited by web site’s visitors time and time again. This of course means long-term exposure and sales.

We’ve all had bad experiences with book signings. If you’re like me then you’re completely turned off by them. I don’t plan on doing anymore in-store signings but luckily there are so many options available. Book promotion is easier these days than ever. Authors should take full advantage and only then will they receive the ample rewards that come along with that.

Remember to think out of the box. It takes creativity to promote effectively and to enjoy it.

About the Author:

Stacy-Deanne is a best selling author and novelist. She's been in the writing industry for twelve years. She is a novelist with Simon and Schuster. Stacy was featured in 2006's "Literary Divas: The Top 100+ Most Admired African-American Women in Writing". She was born, raised and resides in Houston, Texas. You can visit her sites to learn more about her and her books.



http://www.stacy-deanne.net

http://www.myspace.com/stacydeanne

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Books: a Lifetime Friend

Author: Ashish

Introduction:
Books are a common feature in today’s fast moving world. It is quite difficult to find someone who has not seen, touched, and read at least one book in his or her lifetime. Today, authors write books on nearly every subject be it arts, science, commerce, history, literature, poetry, and other contemporary subjects.

Publishing and printing of books has become easier and more widespread since the invention of the printing press. Earlier, books were copied and written by hand, making books expensive and rare. Let us travel a little back in time to discover the journey that books have taken since first known to humankind.

History:
The word ‘book’ comes from an Old English word called ‘b?c”. According to the popular site thefreedictionary.com, a book in modern terms is “A set of written, printed, or blank pages fastened along one side and encased between protective covers.”

The early Mesopotamians wrote books on clay tablets. The ancient Egyptians wrote on papyrus rolls in Egypt as early as 3000 B.C. In China, bamboo strips tied together with chords served as books. These dated back to around 1300 B.C. In ancient India, seers and sages wrote ancient religious texts on palm leaves – nature’s paper. These early writers would preserver these books for posterity and hand them down from one generation to another for preservation and dissemination of knowledge.

By the 19th century, printers could no longer meet the demand for books by hand printing. The printing press and the moveable type press, attributed to Johannes Gutenberg, changed the scenario, thus bringing the cost of books down to a considerable level. Johannes Gutenberg is also credited with printing the first real book - the Gutenberg Bible, using the movable type printing press.

Large presses followed this invention, thus making it possible for larger books to be printed. Further advances were made during the mid 1800s. For example, the invention of the papermaking machine, binding machinery, the cylinder press and the linotype machine made it possible for books to be printed in large numbers. In modern times, books are printed using a number of sophisticated processes, which require special attention out of scope of this article.

Classification of Books:
Books are classified into various types according to their content. A popular segregation is fiction and non-fiction books. Fiction books contain largely fictitious material, such as novels, which are the most common form of fictional books. Typically, novels consist of a plot, setting, themes, and character.

Non-fictional books usually provide useful information as opposed to fiction books. A common type of non-fiction book usually found in libraries is the reference book. Other books can include handbooks, almanacs, encyclopaedias, atlases, instruction manuals, and others. School and college textbooks are come under the non-fictional category. Other non-functional books can take the form of directories, address books, phone books, appointment books, logbooks and diaries.

Another popular method of classifying books is by the type of covers they are provided with. Accordingly, they can be classified as hard cover and paper back books. While hard cover books have a stiff binding, paperback books have paper binding which are less robust and last lesser compared to their hardbound counterparts.

About the Author:

Send Gifts to India - Infibeam.com is an exciting new online destination and community that focuses on selling latest Mobile Phones, Cars, Books India, Health Equipments, Cameras and Bikes at guaranteed lowest price.

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