how to get verified on twitter

Twitter started verifying user accounts back in June to reduce cases of celebrity impersonation and mistaken identities . If you are a Twitter user and want to get your account verified, there is this User Verification form you can fill, but the chances that you will get a Verified Account badge are very low unless you are a famous personality or work at Twitter.

Anyways, it is worth a try, you might just get lucky. To improve your chances, you can add a Twitter badge linking to your Twitter profile on your website.

How to Verify your Twitter Account

To get your Twitter account Verified, just log in to your Twitter account,  fill theAccount Verification Request form  and submit it.

While you are at it, also follow me on Twitter.  :D

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Top 10 Best Gaming Laptops

The popularity contest for gaming platforms goes to the consoles, but the enthusiasts know that if you want to experience the true quality a game has to offer, then PC gaming is the way to go. Desktops will give you that extra oomph, but sometimes portability is a necessary factor for LAN party-goers or traveling pros. For those looking to take their game mobile without sacrificing too many frame rates, PCMag has rounded up the best laptops.

Most gaming laptops aren't what we in the business call "ultraportable" (unless you're the Sony VAIO VPC-Z1390X). The smallest designated gaming rig I've ever encountered is Alienware's M11x (Core i7); a 4.5-pound laptop. It packs quite a punch for an 11-inch laptop, managing 32.7 frames per second (fps) on our Crysis benchmark test—a respectable score considering its size. However, if you want to bump up your frame rates high-end components need room, which is why its 15-inch brother, the Alienware M15x, can pump out Crysis at 60fps on medium quality.

It's important to remember that what a laptop lacks in high-end components, it makes up for in battery life. Big GPUs and CPUs require lots of power to keep their components running, so that's why the M11x will give you 5 hours and 21 minutes of relative computing life and the M15x will give you a mere 2:13. Unless you're the type to carry around an extra battery or two, road warriors may want to factor this into their purchase.

Below are 10 of our best gaming laptops, all have gone through our Crysis test and all have come out around 30 frames per second or better.

AVADirect Clevo X7200

$4,957.64 Direct
This is a gaming rig made especially for the hardware fanatics who want to brag about specs without hauling a full desktop. It's perfect for that crowd, but complete overkill for anyone else.

Gateway ID49C13u

$849.99 street
The Gateway ID49C13u seduces with an aluminum design that not many can pull off for $850, let alone put in premium components like a Core i5 processor and Nvidia Geforce GT 330M graphics.

Dell XPS 15
 
$1,115 direct
The Dell XPS 15 is unlike any other desktop replacement out there, thanks to its long list of firsts.

Alienware M11x (Core i7)

$1,175 direct
There's no better laptop made for road gamers than the Alienware M11x (Core i7).

Alienware M15x (Core i7)

$3,244 direct
The M15x is the first Alienware laptop to transition to Intel's Core i7 processors, but the M17x is looking like the better pick when it gets the same Core i7 treatment.

Asus NX90JQ-A1

$2,530 street
The pair of Bang & Olufsen ICEpower speakers on the Asus NX90JQ-A1 is unlike anything you've seen on a laptop and targets serious audiophiles.

Asus U41JF-A1
 
$857 street
The Asus U41JF-A1 is the most well-balanced mainstream laptop, combining excellent power with all-day battery life.

HP Envy 14-1110NR

$1,050 list
With its fast parts, a bright screen, and a high-end audio system, the HP Envy 14 is one of the most luxurious 14-inch laptops and also the heaviest and least battery efficient.

Sony VAIO VPC-Z1390X

$3,800 direct
The Sony VAIO VPC-Z1390X is, hands down, the lightest and most powerful ultraportable money can buy.

HP Pavilion dv7-4283cl

$999.99 list
The HP Pavilion dv7-4283cl desktop replacement laptop is fast as it is battery efficient.

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Top Ten Antivirus 2012

Antivirus software companies are working round the clock to improve their software to combat with virus and malicious codes over the internet. It is about time when antivirus firms are about to roll out their latest 2012 version of antivirus software. We are already testing the beta software to come up with our latest article on top ten antivirus 2012so that you can install the best software and protect your computer. Since the numbers of viruses and malicious codes is increasing with a high pace, we will be testing all the leading antivirus and internet security programs aggressively to come up with our list of the top 10 antivirus software. In our top ten antivirus 2012 review we will be showing the test results of 20 different security software. By mid of 2011, most security software providers will launch their 2012 version of antivirus and security software. These are the antivirus programs we have short-listed for our review.

Top Ten Antivirus 2012

Here is the list of the best antivirus and security software of all times. Among the top are BitDefender, ESET, Norton, F-Secure, Kaspersky, TrendMicro, AVG, Avira, Zonealarm, Panda security and more. We will be running comparisons between different versions of the same security software, for eg., 2011 version vs 2012 version. We will be also comparing between the capabilities of different security software, for eg., BitDefender vs Norton. Based on the performance of various different antivirus security software, we will give them scoring. The factors on which we will score antivirus software: Speed, stealth, detection, link scanning, removing virus, updates, blocking bad websites, blocking phishing attempts, technical support and lots more factors. These are the antivirus programs we will be testing to come up with our top ten antivirus list:

Top Ten Antivirus 2012

1. BitDefender Antivirus 2012
2. McAfee Antivirus 2012
3. Kaspersky Antivirus 2012
4. ESET Antivirus 2012
5. Norton Antivirus 2012
6. F-Secure Antivirus 2012
7. Vipre Antivirus 2012
8. TrendMicro Antivirus 2012
9. ZoneAlarm Antivirus 2012
10. Panda Antivirus 2012

Other Antivirus Programs

1. Avira Antivirus 2012
2. Avast Antivirus 2012
3. Avanquest Antivirus 2012
4. G Data Antivirus 2012
5. Webroot Antivirus 2012
6. PC Tools Antivirus 2012
7. Comodo Antivirus 2012
8. CA Antivirus 2012
9. Norman Antivirus 2012
10. AVG Antivirus 2012
11. Sophos Endpoint Security 2012
12. Quick Heal Antivirus 2012
13. Microsoft Security Essentials 2012

Top Ten Antivirus Ratings

Most of these antivirus software have been tested extensively for their performance. The old versions have received ratings based on the performance to quickly detect viruses from infected systems and stop new viruses from infecting the computers. There is a very strong criteria that will be used to provide points to various antivirus software 2012. Another interesting factor that we are considering is the antivirus coupons, we will give scores to antivirus software companies that offer discount coupons from time to time. Although this is not a major factor, but many users value coupons because it is a good way to save money on security software. Although this factor will not inflate the original ratings, we are including it only to help people save money. These are the factors that will contribute to the scoring:

• Speed: When it comes to computing, speed is an important aspect that we can’t neglect. It has been reported that some antivirus software are much slower in comparison to other antivirus software. Which means, some antivirus programs slow down a computer. Computer users (specially gamers) like using antivirus software that does not degrade the performance of a computer system. They enjoy using the fastest antivirus software.
• Stealth: Many viruses and spyware are designed to deactivate antivirus programs so that they are not detected. Antivirus software should quickly detect such a threat and stop the virus from harming the system files. Those antivirus software will receive higher score that can not only defend against known viruses but also protect a computer system from new and unknown virus and spyware.
• Detection: A good antivirus program will quickly detect infection and will take the necessary steps to quarantine the infected files in order to stop the virus from spreading to other system files. Only if security software has the capabilities of detecting infection, it can stop a virus/spyware. So this is a major aspect of security software. Many poorly designed security software cannot detect all forms of threat. However, only those antivirus software will be included in our top ten antivirus 2012 list that are capable of detecting all sorts of threats.
• Technical Support: We will also provide scores depending upon the type of technical support and customer service provided by the antivirus software manufacturer. Only those programs will receive higher ratings that are bundled with quality support. We will also count on the type of support available: phone, chat, email, etc. When your computer system is infected with virus, spyware or other forms of malware, you need quick assistance. That’s when you need to contact someone who is technically equipped to assist you. Based on the quality of technical support, scores will be provided to various security software and hence will win a rank in our top ten antivirus 2012 list.
• Price: Antivirus software should not be too costly, it should be reasonably priced. We will be comparing the price of antivirus software and will be providing scores based upon how cheap is the antivirus software. The cheapest and the best antivirus 2012 will receive higher rankings. People love saving money, so the cheapest antivirus software will receive higher scores.

These are some of the major factors we will be using to rate the best antivirus software of 2012. We will also include other factors like real-time scanning, frequency of updates, blocking phishing attempts, link scanning, IM protection, parental lock and lots more factors. However, we will majorly focus on the 5 key-points mentioned above. Based on these factors, we will provide our lab test reports that will show you which antivirus software is best for your computer in the year 2012. Most antivirus manufacturers will release their 2012 antivirus software sometime in May or June this year. If you have any questions or suggestions about this report of top ten antivirus 2012, please leave your review below by leaving a comment. ^^

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Updating Firefox

Firefox automatically updates itself. This article explains how the update process works and how to manually check for updates.

How do automatic updates work?

By default, Firefox is configured to automatically check for updates.

• Updates will be downloaded in the background and installed when you restart Firefox.
• If an update has been waiting to be installed for more than 24 hours, you'll see a notification with the option to restart Firefox and install the update.                                                                                      

How do I manually check for updates?

At any time, you can check for updates.

1. At the top of the Firefox window click the Firefox button, go over to the Help menu and select About Firefox. For Windows XP: Go to the Help menu and select About Firefox.
2. The About Firefox window will open and Firefox will begin checking for updates. If updates are available, they will begin downloading automatically. If Firefox is already up to date, just close the About Firefoxwindow.

3. When the updates are downloaded and ready to be installed, click Apply Update. Firefox will be restarted and the updates will be installed.

How do I configure update options?

You can configure Firefox to automatically check for updates or to disable automatic updating.

1. At the top of the Firefox window, click on the Firefox button (Tools menu in Windows XP) and then clickOptions.
2. Click the Advanced panel.
3. Click the Update tab. The auto-update options are displayed.Update options:

4.   Update options:

• Automatically check for updates to: Select the things you want Firefox to check. It can check for updates to the Firefox application, any installed add-ons (except for plugins — use the plugin check page to update them) and search engines.
  • To disable automatic checking for updates, deselect all three options.
    If you deselect the Firefox option, you will not receive critical security updates that may keep you safe online unless you frequently do a manual check for updates.
• When updates to Firefox are found: Choose how you want Firefox to manage any found updates.
  • Ask me what I want to do: Firefox lets you choose if you want to download and install updates. If you do not choose to do so, you can download them at a later time.
  • Automatically download and install the update: Firefox automatically downloads and installs found updates. If you wish to be prompted if the downloads will disable any installed add-ons, select that option.
• To review the history of updates that have been downloaded and installed, click Show Update History.

5.   Click OK to close the Options window.

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Register a Sitemap with Google

A sitemap is like a Table of Contents for your website except instead of flipping pages to get to the page listed, you just click and you’re there. Sitemaps list all pages on your website and are a great way to help your customers find your information quickly and easily.

What many people don’t realise is that search engines also love sitemaps. Instead of crawling through your entire website trying to find everything, they can go directly to your sitemap. When you make updates to your website, your sitemap updates automatically so search engines and customers always see an up-to-date list. This is especially useful if you write blog posts or news.

To get more of your webpages listed on Google (not just your homepage) and to keep Google up to date with any changes to your website content, you should:

1. Create a Search Engine-friendly Site Map
2. Register the sitemap with Google through Webmaster Tools

How to Create a Sitemap for Google

(you may need to ask your Website designer to upload your sitemap files if you don’t have ftp access to your site)

1. Download the XML Sitemap Plugin
2. Activate the plugin on your website
3. Create 2 empty files called sitemap.xml and sitemap.xml.gz and upload them to your main WordPress directory (the same place as the wp-config.php file)
4. Change the permissions on these 2 files to 666
5. Go to the new XML Sitemap page under your WordPress settings menu
6. Click on build sitemap link at the top
7. Change other settings as required

How to Register Your Sitemap with Google

(You will need a free Google account)

1. Go to Google’s Webmaster Tools homepage
2. Login using your Google username and password
3. Click the Add Site button
4. Type your website address in the box
5. Verify Your site (upload an html file and upload using ftp or add a metatag to your WordPress theme’s header file above </head>)
6. Select the Sitemaps tab on the left
7. Click on Add General Sitemap
8. Type sitemap.xml after your website address and submit.

The Results
Check back in about 24 hours to see if your pages have been listed. Before I registered my sitemap with Google, I had 3 webpages indexed by Google, now I have 98 pages indexed and a corresponding jump in traffic to my website.

Trust me its work's ^^

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