noPhoto license plate frame foils speeding and red light cameras

Attempting to limit the ability of law enforcement to deliver automated traffic tickets, the noPhoto frame lights up when you need it.

Detailed extensively on a current Indiegogo project, inventor Jonathan Dandrow has developed a smart license plate frame that has the ability to blanket the numbers and letters on your license plate in white light when being captured by a traffic camera. When a red light or speeding camera uses a high-powered flash to illuminate your vehicle, the sensor at the top of the noPhoto frame detects that flash. After quickly analyzing the incoming flash, the sensor triggers two flashes from the xenon lights on the left and right side of the frame. When the lights are active, it’s impossible to see any letters or numbers on the license plate and the driver of the car won’t receive a ticket in the mail based of the photo taken by the traffic camera.

The noPhoto frame is basically designed to overexpose the area around the license plate with too much white light without breaking any current laws about license plates.

According to Dandrow, the noPhoto frame is legal because it doesn’t cover the state name on the plate or the actual identification number. In addition, Dandrow claims there are no laws specifically indicating how much light can cover a license plate at any given time.

If the noPhoto frame is used to successfully thwart a camera, a driver would avoid paying a fine for the ticket in addition to increased car insurance costs over the year. Beyond the obvious financial incentive to using the NoPhoto frame, Dandrow also indicates that there are privacy concerns to red light and speeding cameras. According to Dandrow, a company called Redflex located in Arizona makes the majority of the traffic cameras used in the United States. Each time a photo is taken by a Redflex camera, Dandrow claims a driver’s personal information is being stored in a database. Dandrow fears that information could be sold for marketing purposes at some point.

Beyond specifically using the noPhoto frame to drive recklessly, Dandrow also stresses that red light and speeding cameras can be prone to failure. Faulty equipment can send out tickets to people that didn’t actually break any traffic laws, thus the noPhoto frame would be useful for the law-abiding citizen.

Dandrow is also attempting to market the noPhoto frame to celebrities looking to avoid paparazzi, owners of exotic cars or basically anyone that prefers anonymity.

In order to fully fund the Indiegogo project, Dandrow is seeking $80,000 to get UL certification as well as kick off manufacturing of the noPhotos frames. Dandrow is currently offering the first one hundred noPhoto frames at a price of $199, but the standard price of the frame appears to be $350 according to the main site. The frame is designed to work in all types of weather since the circuity is sealed in plastic within the frame. Dandrow has included a test button on the noPhoto frame to see if the lights are still active. In addition, the firmware of the noPhoto frame can be updated assuming manufacturers of red light and speeding cameras attempt to modify photo timing in the future.

Source : digitaltrends[dot]com

NHTSA: Beware of counterfeit airbags

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is advising consumers whose vehicles have been in a crash in the past three years to have them inspected for fake parts.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has issued a consumer safety advisory regarding counterfeit airbags. These airbags, which the NHTSA says are installed at third party repair shops, can malfunction and jeopardize the lives of vehicle occupants in a crash.

According to the NHTSA, car owners who have been in a crash may have had their airbags replaced with counterfeits. The counterfeit parts look like original equipment, right down to fake manufacturer logos.

However, the counterfeit airbags are not made to the same standards as genuine parts, and have consistently malfunctioned in tests. In a crash, these fake airbags may not deploy, or they may expel metal shrapnel if they do. In one test, an airbag separated from its mounting point, showering the vehicle occupants with sparks from the bag’s pyrotechnics.

While it does not know the full scope of the problem, at the moment the NHTSA estimates that a very small number (0.1 percent) of American vehicles have counterfeit airbags. The NHTSA is not aware of any deaths or injuries due to counterfeit airbags.

The NHTSA is urging consumers whose vehicle has been in a crash within the last three years, and who have had the airbags replaced by a shop that is not part of a new car dealership, to call the manufacturer and have the replacement parts inspected. The safety advisory also applies to anyone who bought a replacement airbag online.

If the manufacturer finds a counterfeit airbag, vehicle owners will need to have it replaced at their own expense.

Consumers who purchased their cars new and have not been in a crash, and people who own a used car that has not had its airbags replaced in the last three years, shouldn’t have anything to worry about.

So far, the NHTSA is aware of counterfeit airbags being made for the following makes and models:

Acura: 2009-2011 TSX

Audi: 2006-2009 A3, A4, A6, A8, Q5, Q7

BMW: 2004-2011 5 Series; 2007-2011 3 Series, X5; 2011-2012 X3

Buick: 2010-2011 Lacrosse

Chevrolet: 2011-2012 Cruze, Volt; 2006-2010 Aveo; 2012 Camaro

Ford: 2012 Focus; 2005-2009 Mustang

Honda: 2003-2012 Accord; 2006-2011 Civic; 2002-2011 CRV; 2007-2011 Fit; 2009-2011 Pilot, Insight; 2010-2011 Crosstour; 2011 Odyssey

Hyundai: 2007-2011 Elantra; (not listed) Genesis, Sonata

Infiniti: 2007-2011 G35/37, EX35

Kia: 2010-2011 Soul, Forte; 2004-2009 Spectra

Land Rover: 2012 Range Rover Evoque

Lexus: 2006-2011 IS; 2003-2008 GX470; 2007-2009 RX350; (not listed) ES350

 Mazda: 2004, 2010-2012 Mazda3

Mercedes: 2009-2011 C-Class, GLK; 2010-2011 E-Class; 2007-2008 S550; 2006-2010 ML; 2009-2010 GL

Mitsubishi: (not listed) Outlander

Nissan: 1992-2002, Quest; 2010-2011 Quest; 2009-2011 Cube; 2007-2011 Versa; 2009-2010 Murano; (not listed) Altima

Subaru: 2008-2009 Forester, Impreza, Outback; 2010-2011 Legacy

Suzuki: 2007-2010 SX4

Toyota: 2002-2006, 2012 Camry; 2009-2011 Corolla, Matrix; 2007-2011 Yaris, Tundra; 2004-2011 Highlander, Sienna, Tacoma; 2010-2012 Prius; 2003-2006 Tundra, Sequoia; 2003-2010 Land Cruiser; 2004-2010 Highlander; 2004-2009 4Runner; 2007-2009 Solara; 2005-2011 RAV4

Volkswagen: 2006-2010 Jetta

Volvo: (not listed) XC60, XC70, V70, S60, S80

The NHTSA is advising all consumers, even ones whose cars do not appear on this list, to have their vehicles inspected if their airbags have been replaced in the last three years. In addition, a vehicle may not have counterfeit airbags just because it is on this list, it just means the NHTSA has found counterfeits made for that model. A full list of manufacturer call centers is available at the NHTSA’s website.

Source : digitaltrends[dot]com

Links to Apple Maps are redirecting users to Google Maps on the web

Apple Maps haven't taken over yet, seems like it's still sending traffic to Google's system.

As if Apple needed any more negative press around its iOS 6 mapping system, TechCrunch has uncovered another oddity in the application. Apparently, rather than diverting attention away from Google Maps as planned, Apple Maps is sending users into Google’s open arms.

The quirk is as follows: when an Apple user shares their location the link redirects to Google Maps if it is opened on a desktop, Android, or any phone not running iOS 6. This most recent slip up is even more proof that Apple let this particular product out of the bag much too soon.

Seemingly stemming from Apple’s lack of an actual online home for its maps, links shared from an iDevice lead only to Google. The problem isn’t linked to any particular social network either. Apple Maps locations shared through Facebook and Twitter both open up the address in Google Maps when on desktop, even though the URL wrapper is listed as maps.apple.com. Since Google Maps was, and still is, the default application in iOS 5 and prior versions, this issue seems to only apply to iOS 6 users.

It gets even weirder too, the people at TechCrunch found that Twitter shares from iOS 6 lead to Apple Maps on mobile, but the same link opened in Facebook redirects to Google Maps. And if you try to share your location using email or iMessage, Apple sends a VCard along with a maps.apple.com web address. The same URL is embedded within the VCard and on iOS 6 it opens Apple Maps, but using anything else you’ll get Google once again.

There’s more to report as well, a location shared with an Android device via text or email includes the same VCard and Apple URL, but still sends the user to Google Maps. We dare you to solve that logic.

And all of this comes after a huge amount of bugs and defects in Apple Maps were spread around the web with more being snapped every day. Our own Molly McHugh put together a list of Apple’s “wrong turns” in its maps endeavor. For instance, there is no public transit option in the new application. Clicking the bus icon simply sends you to the app store and suggests a replacement. Simple searches for Canada, Mexico, and Australia yield no results. Street view most definitely trumps 3D-flyover and Apple just can’t compete with Google’s level of detail.

Have you had experience with iOS 6? Any glaring shortcomings you’ve noticed or are you happy with Apple’s offering? If you really hate it you can always use an alternative map app.

Source : digitaltrends[dot]com

Top 7 Traffic Building Tools For Your Website

Building a successful website that generates traffic takes time and energy and may seem overwhelming for the beginning web entrepreneur, but fortunately there are some excellent tools out there that can help generate traffic for your website.

The Google Keyword Tool

Picking keywords that have high demand but low supply is a must for a new website. If you are on a tight budget, utilizing the Google Keyword Tool is an excellent free way to get some vital statistics on your specific keywords.

WordPress

While it may not seem like an obvious tool to some people, blogging is a necessity these days when building traffic. WordPress is free and offers an easy-to-use platform to get the job done.

When blogging using WordPress, it’s essential to link back to your main website. This will do two things to help increase your traffic: It gives those who read your blog a chance to visit a website that offers the services discussed in the blog and gives you an important backlink that Google will archive and use for ranking your website.

Market Samurai

Market Samurai is an excellent SEO tool that you can utilize along with the Google Keyword Tool. Not only does it provide keyword analysis, Market Samurai also gives you access to other excellent tools such as content research, monetization analysis and a backlink building program.

While the full version of Market Samurai costs $149, a free download is available, although the free version is greatly limited in both ability and features.

BuzzStream

Once you’ve developed your content and website around your specific keywords, it’s time to get those all-important inbound links! Buzzstream is an excellent tool to use when searching for websites to link with. Because Google and other search engines place so much importance on links directed at your website, this is an important part of the SEO process.

Buzzstream offers the tools necessary to build your online presence, both through link building and social media networking. The price is also affordable, at $29 per month.

Dlvr.it

Social media has immensely impacted traffic building and marketing on the internet for a number of years, and is a necessary part to any SEO campaign. Dlvr.it is a website that offers easy-to-use tools for developing your online present via social networking. When you update your website content and blogs, dlvr.it will update services such as Facebook and Twitter with all of these changes, saving you both time and effort. The best part about dlvr.it is the price: free for basic services.

Ontolo

Ontolo offers a unique system that allows you to do in-depth analysis of keywords and offers link building and SEO campaigns that cater to your specific needs. Their sophisticated tools can be extremely helpful in boosting your website traffic.
While they charge $97 a month, they do offer free SEO analysis tools for beginners. It’s best to try these tools before you invest in the full paid version of Ontolo.

Citation Labs

Citation Labs is another excellent resource for link building. Their tools offer a unique way to build your links around the keywords of your choice. You can also do a full analysis of how many back links you currently have and if they are driving any traffic to your website.

Citation Labs offers their services for $27 per month.

Tags: Traffic Building Tools, Traffic Generation Tools

Source : techtalkafrica[dot]com

Top 7 Article Marketing Websites For Traffic

Article marketing is a very effective way to bring traffic to your website. The benefits are two-fold. You can receive traffic directly from your articles posted on other sites, and you can get a boost in the search engine results for your website also increasing traffic.

Here are the top 7 article marketing websites for traffic.

Ezine Articles

Ezinearticles.com is the number one article directory. It has been around for a very long time and has a lot of great features that has kept it number one on many marketers’ lists. You can submit your well-written articles in dozens of available categories. Ezine Articles has a lot of organic traffic right to their site and often ranks high in the search engines. Plus, your articles can be used on other people’s sites for more traffic.

Ezine Articles allows you to have different pen names. This works well for a variety of different reasons such as if you have different types of marketing to do for different websites or products. Your articles need to be at least 400 words and well-written. Set up a profile so that people can learn more about you and find your website. This is an important step for any article marketing site you use that has such a feature. You can also upgrade to premium membership for more features and benefits.

Go Articles

Goarticles.com is another directory that gets a lot of traffic and use by article marketers. If you want exposure for your business, use this article directory as much as possible. It’s very easy to get a membership started, and the submission process is simple as well. Your articles may also be republished by other sites for added exposure.

Idea Marketers

Ideamarketers.com has a variety of helpful services. Publishing marketing articles is just one of them. They have a wide variety of categories you can choose to publish in. This site also allows you to submit press releases which can be very beneficial to your business.

Article Base

Articlebase.com is free to join and gives you another outlet for basic article submission. It’s very similar to other sites that give you free exposure, more traffic, and credibility to your name. It has a good amount of traffic making it great to add to your article marketing rounds.

Hubpages

Hubpages.com is a little different than the above article directories. When you set up a hub, you do more than submit an article. You can write articles and add pictures, links to products, reviews, and other interactive media. The strength of Hubpages is when you build a lot of hubs and interlink them. You also need to maintain a certain score in order for your links to be do-follow.

Squidoo

Squidoo.com is another site like Hubpages where you create lenses. You can promote your business and earn money directly from your hub. Get involved in the community to improve your lenses and build more traffic.

Infobarrel

Infobarrel.com is a newer site that has become increasingly like Hubpages and Squidoo. Designing your pages is similar, but they are strict about varying the types of articles you write. Gain a lot of exposure through Infobarrel by adding pages frequently. They also have monthly contests where you can win free gift certificates by writing more.

Tags: Article Directory, Article marketing, Article Sites, Article Submission, Do Follow Article Submission, Free Article Sites

Source : techtalkafrica[dot]com

Guidelines on Advanced SEO Techniques To Increase Business

In the internet dominated modern society we live in today, it is imperative for a company to have a strong online presence in order to succeed in business. Most of the traffic to any site, at least initially, is generated by search engine results. Hence it is paramount to design the site in such a way that it ranks among the top one or two pages for any relevant search result. To achieve this goal, SEO techniques are implemented. Although many people are aware of the basic SEO methods, there are some advanced techniques that can really boost the amount of traffic to a marketing blog or a business site.

Set your content apart from the crowd with Author Markup

Author Markup is the latest offering by Google that attempts to bring all the content written by a writer under a single author profile. A Blogger or writer using author markup appears differently in Google search results with his profile picture, link to his Google+ profile and link to access more of his content. This immediately attracts the attention of the user increasing the chances of him clicking the marked up result significantly. It can be a little tricky to implement author markup but there are several good tutorials available over the net that can help setting up an author markup profile.

Know More about your audience with double-click Ad Planner

Getting to know what the target audience of your blog are currently interested in can be the biggest advantage in creating a successful blog. Posting a relevant URL to Google Double-click Ad Planner instantly generates a large list of websites pertaining to the same topic. Participating in those sites actively can give you more than a fair idea about the current trend of the moment and you can create contents for your blog according to that information. This is a very useful tool for creating appealing contents for you marketing blog.

Use hi-res images for increased traffic

According to a 2011 report by Technorati State of the Blog, almost 90% of the blogs across the web have some kind of media content in them and images are the most popular among all media formats used. Using attractive high resolution photos in your blog can actually generate more traffic and backlinks than you thing its worth. This is evident from the success of Boston Globe’s Big Picture blog that was chosen as one of the best blogs of 2011 by Time. So find relevant and high quality photos to accompany your blog content and see the traffic increase slowly but surely.

Think beyond facebook and Twitter

When it comes to marketing their blogs on social networking sites, many people are unable to think beyond Facebook and Twitter. But there is a large community of niche sites that provide the users with relevant blog posts and URL’s according to their preferences. Sites like StumbleUpon, Reddit, and Pinterest and Tumblr dish out billions of page views every month. Participating in such sites can not only generate some extra traffic for your website, but similar to Ad Planner, you will also get a fair idea of the trending interests and topics of the moment.

Incorporating the appropriate SEO techniques in the initial stages while you design the website makes it easier to implement them effectively. At this stage, the meta-tags, title tags, URLs etc that are significant for better ranking can be handled to generate the maximum possible traffic.

Author Bio – Jerry Lawrence is an Article writing professional specializing in SEO and targeting the most effective and up-to-date online marketing techniques with a keen interest in the Link Building strategies.

Source : techtalkafrica[dot]com