So you've bought your computer and want to get online? It's not as simple as connect the wire and off you go these day's. The internet is a weird and wonderful place as long as you can control what you do.
That's why you need to protect yourself. These can be done in a number of very simple steps. This article will get you started but you should always try to be smart when your surfing the net!
Step 1: Anti-Virus Scanner
Whether you're connecting to the internet or not, you need an Anti-Virus scanner. Your computer can become infected with "viruses". These are little files or codes that have been written to ruin your computer! That's why they must be stopped!
There are many programs out there that can help, but it's best to trust only the mainstream programs as these are used widely and updated regularly.
Recommendations:
AVG Anti-Virus Free
http://free.grisoft.com/doc/1
Avast antivirus
http://www.avast.com/
Step 2: Firewall
Ok so your thinking what is a "firewall" sounds scary right? Well it's not really. It is again another line of defence against the number of ways your computer can be attacked. In simple terms it blocks other computers and programs from connecting to you and playing with your stuff. Think of it as an internet wall of fire, where you allow what can pass through.
Software - Again there are many programs available to protect you, Recent Microsoft Windows machines come with Windows Firewall, which can be described as basic at best. We do recommend you go for mainstream again.
Hardware - A firewall can also be included as part of your hardware, like an internet router "that's the box that sits between your pc and the internet line". This is the best and recommended way to have a firewall. As it blocks intruders before it gets to your pc.
Recommendations:
Zone Alarm
http://www.zonelabs.com/store/content/company/products/znalm/freeDownload.jsp
Step 3: Be AWARE!!
Simply put watch what you download and accept to save to your PC, sometimes people can send you files in e-mails. They look ok but when you run them they will install something onto your PC and leave you upset and distraught. Always scan something that has been downloaded before opening it and never open/run programs that have been sent in an e-mail from unknown sources.
Step 4: Go for it
That's pretty much it to get you going. If you think something doesn't look right, it probably isn't. Hopefully this will get you going to start with, wait till you find out about spy ware and Trojan's!! Good Luck and Safe Surfing
That's why you need to protect yourself. These can be done in a number of very simple steps. This article will get you started but you should always try to be smart when your surfing the net!
Step 1: Anti-Virus Scanner
Whether you're connecting to the internet or not, you need an Anti-Virus scanner. Your computer can become infected with "viruses". These are little files or codes that have been written to ruin your computer! That's why they must be stopped!
There are many programs out there that can help, but it's best to trust only the mainstream programs as these are used widely and updated regularly.
Recommendations:
AVG Anti-Virus Free
http://free.grisoft.com/doc/1
Avast antivirus
http://www.avast.com/
Step 2: Firewall
Ok so your thinking what is a "firewall" sounds scary right? Well it's not really. It is again another line of defence against the number of ways your computer can be attacked. In simple terms it blocks other computers and programs from connecting to you and playing with your stuff. Think of it as an internet wall of fire, where you allow what can pass through.
Software - Again there are many programs available to protect you, Recent Microsoft Windows machines come with Windows Firewall, which can be described as basic at best. We do recommend you go for mainstream again.
Hardware - A firewall can also be included as part of your hardware, like an internet router "that's the box that sits between your pc and the internet line". This is the best and recommended way to have a firewall. As it blocks intruders before it gets to your pc.
Recommendations:
Zone Alarm
http://www.zonelabs.com/store/content/company/products/znalm/freeDownload.jsp
Step 3: Be AWARE!!
Simply put watch what you download and accept to save to your PC, sometimes people can send you files in e-mails. They look ok but when you run them they will install something onto your PC and leave you upset and distraught. Always scan something that has been downloaded before opening it and never open/run programs that have been sent in an e-mail from unknown sources.
Step 4: Go for it
That's pretty much it to get you going. If you think something doesn't look right, it probably isn't. Hopefully this will get you going to start with, wait till you find out about spy ware and Trojan's!! Good Luck and Safe Surfing
A USB charging station is a convenient device which can benefit you at the office and at home. It is a high powered desktop device that will make your life easier in a digital world where you have multiple items that need charging at the same time.
Most people these days have a mobile phone, a tablet computer and maybe even other items that require charging via USB. In most instances a family of our can have up to eight devices that all require USB to charge, as you can imagine this results in a lot of USB adapters and wall plugs to keep everything fully charged and operating at all times.
With a USB charging station you have the ability to charge multiple devices simultaneously. They come with up to four USB ports, all ready to take on your device and charge it to full as and when needed. The station can be used to charge one single device or more devices, all at the same time and with complete convenience and ease.
The main benefit of the USB charging station is that it is neat and compact. You can place it on your desk or on a table in the home and it can help hide unwelcome cables and a volume of wall adapters. When needed, you simply plug the device into the unit to enjoy a charging effect.
Another benefit you will find with these devices is that each of your products that require a USB to charge will have different amp requirements. The USB charging station should recognize what amps are required for each device and then allocate the correct amount to ensure the best charging experience at all times.
Further it should provide you with the ability to save time and energy. With so many devices in the office or home relying on USB to charge, it's easy to lose cables or wall adapters, it can leave you frustrated and spending countless hours searching for cables. With the USB charging station, you can leave it on your desk as it looks neat and smart, it is always there when you need it, simply plug in and allow to charge.
It is quick and easy to use. In addition to it being neat and tidy and giving you the ability to use it in the office or at home, you will find that the simplicity of using this device can save you time on a daily basis without having to read through detailed manuals or trying to find the right charger for the right product.
Always ensure when you purchase an item such as a USB charging station that you only purchase from a reputable supplier that provides quality products from top manufacturers. You need peace of mind when it comes to charging the items you rely on daily, you need to know that they will charge without any damage and to the highest standard.
Shop around for products and compare them against each other to find the ones that are going to meet your particular charging requirements. Whether you have one mobile phone or a number of devices, you need to know that the USB charging station you use is going to provide you with years of use, convenience and ease moving forward.
Focus on quality over price to ensure that you purchase the best of the best. High quality products should come with a good warranty to provide you with peace of mind and give you years of use and enjoyment in the future.
Avantree is a leading supplier of Bluetooth products from car kits to music accessories and adapters to Bluetooth headphones and so much more. The company designs, develops and manufactures the highest quality products with a worldwide customer base. They use their knowledge and experience in the industry, building up a solid reputation for the best quality, stylish design and competitive prices. Avantree offers superior customer's service at all times and adhere to very strict RoHS standards. They focus on the environment, using natural and recycled products wherever possible, including all their packaging. To find out more, visit http://www.avantree.com
If you're looking to stretch your business' budget this year, outsourcing some of your day-to-day tasks to one of the many managed services companies is a great way to kick start the savings. Managed Service Providers (MSP's) are still a best kept secret in modern business strategies; they promote efficiency and extend the resources of companies who utilize them, but many small to mid-level business owners are not aware of their existence.
Lighten Your Employees' Load
Have your employees ever raised concerns about being overwhelmed by their workload? The answer is likely "no," but that may only mean that they hesitate to complain, not that they aren't overworked or stretched too thin with tasks that aren't outlined in their job descriptions. When you outsource tasks such as IT management, virtual booking, and transportation, the people you hired for their individual talents can truly shine once again. Your web designer can spend her workdays enhancing the aesthetic appeal of your site instead of troubleshooting technical errors, for instance. When your employees come to work to do the jobs they applied for in the first place, they are happier and more motivated. They are also able to focus only on the work they do best, and thus, they are capable of high-quality output.
Benefit from Fewer Hours per Week
When you choose to outsource some of your administrative tasks to managed services companies, you eliminate them and get back a chunk of your workday. You can utilize that time to further develop your business' strategy or you can decide to treat yourself to a break once in a while. In addition to providing daily task management services, some of these companies offer time saving tools that can expedite the tasks you want to perform yourself.
For example, a cloud storage service allows you to file and locate all your data in one virtual place. This ensures efficiency and prevents you from having to search for your documents through numerous filing cabinets, which is a drastic time drain.
Benefit from the Knowledge of Experts
When you outsource work to managed services companies, you are ensuring that the tasks you entrust them with are carried out with expertise. This is a major benefit to your business, especially if you are not as familiar with the task at hand. Perhaps you are not familiar with marketing tactics but you know a successful business must utilize them to their full potential. In this instance, you can hire a marketing analytics team to monitor and compile your data. It is their business to perform this task well, which leaves you to take advantage of your own strong points to cultivate your business.
Keep in mind that hiring a managed services company does not mean that you relinquish control of some aspect of your own business. As a paying client, you are still very much in control of how tasks are carried out. More importantly, you reserve the right to switch services if you aren't satisfied with what you pay for. The outsourced work will still be done on your terms, but you aren't the one who has to do it. This tactic can certainly save you money and gain you valuable expertise, allowing you to tighten your budget and reap greater profits as well
In this article I take a brief look at how the operating system(OS) deals with files.
Definition
Its a collection of data that normally is stored on a secondary storage device such as a hard disk or floppy diskette.
The operations performed on them
An OS must provide a number of operations associated with files so that users can safely store and retrieve data.
Typical operations are
Open
Close
Create
Copy
Rename
List
In addition, operations on single data elements within a file are supported by
Read
Write
Seek
File Control Blocks
File control blocks (FCB), sometimes referred to as file descriptors, are data structures that hold information about a file. When an OS needs to access a file, it creates an associated file control block to manage the file.
The structure of the file control block differs between operating systems, but most file control blocks include the following parts
Name
Location on secondary storage
Length
Date and time or creation or last access
Naming
Each OS uses a specific convention or practice for naming them.
MS-DOS Uses eight character names, a dot, then a three-character extension that denotes the type of file. Filenames are not case-sensitive.
UNIX Filenames can be up to 254 characters long and are case-sensitive.
Windows Filenames can be up to 255 characters long and are not case-sensitive.
Types
Types refer to classifying the content of the file, such as a program, text, executable program or data.
In Windows operating systems, the type is derived from the filename extension. Typical types and their extensions are
Extension
Type
.bas
basic source program
.c
c source program
.dll
system library
.doc
Word document
.exe
executable program
.txt
text
Windows associates applications (programs) with specific types. For example, the default application that opens to process a type.txt is the Notepad editor.
How an operating system keep track of files
The hard disk is comprised of a large number of sequentially numbered sectors. As files are created, free sectors are allocated to hold the its contents and marked as allocated.
To keep track of the sectors and whether they are allocated or free, and to which file they belong, the OS maintains a number of tables.
Root file system
When the OS is first installed, it creates a root file system on the disk that specifies how many sectors are available and how they will be allocated.
The root file system is a table of entries like a directory. In general, this is a fixed size, and once full, no more entries can be added.Each entry can be either a file or another directory table.
The Root file system entry
This is highly operating system specific, but an entry might look like,
Name
Beginning cluster number
Length in bytes
Type
Creation date and last modified right
permissions (an access control list)
Definition
Its a collection of data that normally is stored on a secondary storage device such as a hard disk or floppy diskette.
The operations performed on them
An OS must provide a number of operations associated with files so that users can safely store and retrieve data.
Typical operations are
Open
Close
Create
Copy
Rename
List
In addition, operations on single data elements within a file are supported by
Read
Write
Seek
File Control Blocks
File control blocks (FCB), sometimes referred to as file descriptors, are data structures that hold information about a file. When an OS needs to access a file, it creates an associated file control block to manage the file.
The structure of the file control block differs between operating systems, but most file control blocks include the following parts
Name
Location on secondary storage
Length
Date and time or creation or last access
Naming
Each OS uses a specific convention or practice for naming them.
MS-DOS Uses eight character names, a dot, then a three-character extension that denotes the type of file. Filenames are not case-sensitive.
UNIX Filenames can be up to 254 characters long and are case-sensitive.
Windows Filenames can be up to 255 characters long and are not case-sensitive.
Types
Types refer to classifying the content of the file, such as a program, text, executable program or data.
In Windows operating systems, the type is derived from the filename extension. Typical types and their extensions are
Extension
Type
.bas
basic source program
.c
c source program
.dll
system library
.doc
Word document
.exe
executable program
.txt
text
Windows associates applications (programs) with specific types. For example, the default application that opens to process a type.txt is the Notepad editor.
How an operating system keep track of files
The hard disk is comprised of a large number of sequentially numbered sectors. As files are created, free sectors are allocated to hold the its contents and marked as allocated.
To keep track of the sectors and whether they are allocated or free, and to which file they belong, the OS maintains a number of tables.
Root file system
When the OS is first installed, it creates a root file system on the disk that specifies how many sectors are available and how they will be allocated.
The root file system is a table of entries like a directory. In general, this is a fixed size, and once full, no more entries can be added.Each entry can be either a file or another directory table.
The Root file system entry
This is highly operating system specific, but an entry might look like,
Name
Beginning cluster number
Length in bytes
Type
Creation date and last modified right
permissions (an access control list)
In 2009 we began consulting jobs with governments in developing countries with the primary objective to consolidate data centers across government ministries and agencies into centralized, high capacity and quality data centers. At the time, nearly all individual ministry or agency data infrastructure was built into either small computers rooms or server closets with some added "brute force" air conditioning, no backup generators, no data back up, superficial security, and lots of other ailments.
The vision and strategy was that if we consolidated inefficient, end of life, and high risk IT infrastructure into a standardized and professionally managed facility, national information infrastructure would not only be more secure, but through standardization, volume purchasing agreements, some server virtualization, and development of broadband infrastructure most of the IT needs of government would be easily fulfilled.
Then of course cloud computing began to mature, and the underlying technologies of Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) became feasible. Now, not only were the governments able to decommission inefficient and high-risk IS environments, they would also be able to build virtual data centers with levels of on-demand compute, storage, and network resources. Basic data center replacement.
Even those remaining committed "server hugger" IT managers and fiercely independent governmental organizations cloud hardly argue the benefits of having access to disaster recovery storage capacity though the centralized data center.
As the years passed, and we entered 2014, not only did cloud computing mature as a business model, but senior management began to increase their awareness of various aspects of cloud computing, including the financial benefits, standardization of IT resources, the characteristics of cloud computing, and potential for Platform and Software as a Service (PaaS/SaaS) to improve both business agility and internal decision support systems.
At the same time, information and organizational architecture, governance, and service delivery frameworks such as TOGAF, COBIT, ITIL, and Risk Analysis training reinforced the value of both data and information within an organization, and the need for IT systems to support higher level architectures supporting decision support systems and market interactions (including Government to Government, Business, and Citizens for the public sector).
2015 will bring cloud computing and architecture together at levels just becoming comprehensible to much of the business and IT world. The open Group has a good first stab at building a standard for this marriage with their Service-Oriented Cloud Computing Infrastructure (SOCCI). According to the SOCCI standard,
At first glance the SOCII standard appears to be a document which creates a mapping between enterprise architecture (TOGAF) and cloud computing. At second glance the SOCCI standard really steps towards tightening the loose coupling of standard service-oriented architectures through use of cloud computing tools included with all service models (IaaS/PaaS/SaaS).
The result is an architectural vision which is easily capable of absorbing existing IT requirements, as well as incorporating emerging big data analytics models, interoperability, and enterprise architecture.
Since the early days of 2009 discussion topics with government and enterprise customers have shown a marked transition from simply justifying decommissioning of high risk data centers to how to manage data sharing, interoperability, or the potential for over standardization and other service delivery barriers which might inhibit innovation - or ability of business units to quickly respond to rapidly changing market opportunities.
2015 will be an exciting year for information and communications technologies. For those of us in the consulting and training business, the new year is already shaping up to be the busiest we have seen.
The vision and strategy was that if we consolidated inefficient, end of life, and high risk IT infrastructure into a standardized and professionally managed facility, national information infrastructure would not only be more secure, but through standardization, volume purchasing agreements, some server virtualization, and development of broadband infrastructure most of the IT needs of government would be easily fulfilled.
Then of course cloud computing began to mature, and the underlying technologies of Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) became feasible. Now, not only were the governments able to decommission inefficient and high-risk IS environments, they would also be able to build virtual data centers with levels of on-demand compute, storage, and network resources. Basic data center replacement.
Even those remaining committed "server hugger" IT managers and fiercely independent governmental organizations cloud hardly argue the benefits of having access to disaster recovery storage capacity though the centralized data center.
As the years passed, and we entered 2014, not only did cloud computing mature as a business model, but senior management began to increase their awareness of various aspects of cloud computing, including the financial benefits, standardization of IT resources, the characteristics of cloud computing, and potential for Platform and Software as a Service (PaaS/SaaS) to improve both business agility and internal decision support systems.
At the same time, information and organizational architecture, governance, and service delivery frameworks such as TOGAF, COBIT, ITIL, and Risk Analysis training reinforced the value of both data and information within an organization, and the need for IT systems to support higher level architectures supporting decision support systems and market interactions (including Government to Government, Business, and Citizens for the public sector).
2015 will bring cloud computing and architecture together at levels just becoming comprehensible to much of the business and IT world. The open Group has a good first stab at building a standard for this marriage with their Service-Oriented Cloud Computing Infrastructure (SOCCI). According to the SOCCI standard,
"Infrastructure is a foundational element for enterprise architecture. Infrastructure has been traditionally provisioned in a physical manner. With the evolution of virtualization technologies and application of service-orientation to infrastructure, it can now be offered as a service.
Service-orientation principles originated in the business and application architecture arena. After repeated, successful application of these principles to application architecture, IT has evolved to extending these principles to the infrastructure."
At first glance the SOCII standard appears to be a document which creates a mapping between enterprise architecture (TOGAF) and cloud computing. At second glance the SOCCI standard really steps towards tightening the loose coupling of standard service-oriented architectures through use of cloud computing tools included with all service models (IaaS/PaaS/SaaS).
The result is an architectural vision which is easily capable of absorbing existing IT requirements, as well as incorporating emerging big data analytics models, interoperability, and enterprise architecture.
Since the early days of 2009 discussion topics with government and enterprise customers have shown a marked transition from simply justifying decommissioning of high risk data centers to how to manage data sharing, interoperability, or the potential for over standardization and other service delivery barriers which might inhibit innovation - or ability of business units to quickly respond to rapidly changing market opportunities.
2015 will be an exciting year for information and communications technologies. For those of us in the consulting and training business, the new year is already shaping up to be the busiest we have seen.
Recycling electronics has become a big issue as people discover the damage that e-waste causes to the environment. Computers and other mobile devices also often contain valuable material and people go to great lengths to extract the material before disposal. The rapid growth of the electronics recycling industry is a testament to the increasing demand for the services. When you decide to recycle your computer, there are some simple rules that you should follow to avoid making mistakes.
Know your recycler
With the long list of recycling companies out there, it is a good idea to know your recycler. You should avoid thinking that one recycling company is just as good as the next one. You should never recycle your equipment with a company that is not certified. You need to work with a company that follows the set standards to protect the environment while also ensuring the highest levels of data privacy. You will get better accountability from companies that have the relevant certifications and you are better off working directly with the company than with a third party.
Be wary of "free services"
If the service sounds too good to be true, that is because it probably is. When it comes to computer recycling, cheap can turn out to be very costly. There are free services turning up all over the place and you need to ask yourself what is in it for the companies. The truth is that the service providers know the value of your used electronics. The cheap services could mean that the company is cutting corners and it is very possible for your sensitive data to end up in the wrong hands. You should be very careful to avoid being part of environmental degradation or putting your company a risk.
Create a plan and follow it
Having a good and effective plan will help to make sure that your recycling efforts go smoothly. Create a disposition plan and make sure that you follow it to the letter. Find out the best practices for effective data security and remember that you are legally mandated to follow a good data security policy. When coming up with a data security plan, make sure that you include the services of certified recyclers for your electronics. The cost of litigation for data breach is too high to take these issues lightly.
By following the simple rules, you can enjoy peace of mind knowing that you are doing your part to protect the environment and ensuring your data is secure.
Know your recycler
With the long list of recycling companies out there, it is a good idea to know your recycler. You should avoid thinking that one recycling company is just as good as the next one. You should never recycle your equipment with a company that is not certified. You need to work with a company that follows the set standards to protect the environment while also ensuring the highest levels of data privacy. You will get better accountability from companies that have the relevant certifications and you are better off working directly with the company than with a third party.
Be wary of "free services"
If the service sounds too good to be true, that is because it probably is. When it comes to computer recycling, cheap can turn out to be very costly. There are free services turning up all over the place and you need to ask yourself what is in it for the companies. The truth is that the service providers know the value of your used electronics. The cheap services could mean that the company is cutting corners and it is very possible for your sensitive data to end up in the wrong hands. You should be very careful to avoid being part of environmental degradation or putting your company a risk.
Create a plan and follow it
Having a good and effective plan will help to make sure that your recycling efforts go smoothly. Create a disposition plan and make sure that you follow it to the letter. Find out the best practices for effective data security and remember that you are legally mandated to follow a good data security policy. When coming up with a data security plan, make sure that you include the services of certified recyclers for your electronics. The cost of litigation for data breach is too high to take these issues lightly.
By following the simple rules, you can enjoy peace of mind knowing that you are doing your part to protect the environment and ensuring your data is secure.
Social media networks including Facebook and Twitter can assist your company in maximizing the presence of your brand online. It allows a platform to engage the public with your company far beyond the traditional confines of a user online experience. Maintaining the company presence on the social network platforms can allow your fan base to express their appreciation for the services and products you provide.
They can show their appreciation by following your company’s micro-blogging posts (in 140 characters or less) on Twitter, or by joining your Facebook community. Effective marketing strategy using social networks can build true loyalty unlike any other marketing channels or forms.
By utilizing a well-considered strategy in social media networking, you and your company can ensure that all of your efforts online continually coordinate with your other marketing strategies. This type of strategy uses a tactic focusing on an effective and proven marketing plan, and not just follows the crowd.
The Importance of Demographic
It is an essential part of your marketing strategy to consider the demographics of your audience. You will need to find the best media that provides the optimal fit with your targeted audience. Once found, you can then strategize by developing effective tactics by using social media integration as your dominant approach to reach the target audience, capture their attention, and hold it.
The most often overlooked component to social media marketing is not having a direct and concise goal in how the company will become engaged with the target audience. However, with a well-designed plan and purposeful objectives you can establish an effective tone in your updating posts and stick with the strategy. This will help to convey your brand’s personality.
Promotional Offers
Social media marketing is an effective tool to promote the company’s special pricing or other desired offerings. However, it is also important to add quality content. Simply filling social media networking sites with “buy it now” messages can turn off even the most loyal customer. It is best to utilize social media marketing tools without the targeted audience feeling as though they are being advertised to. It is important to match the company’s actions with the wave it the online visitor wants to interact specifically with the brand.
Measuring the Success
Before getting started, it is important that you will have an effective measurement to evaluate your company’s social media site and its success. The chosen metric must be meaningful to the company brand, which might not always coincide with the strategies used by the competition.
The Benefits of Social Media Marketing
Social media marketing is an effective tool to build the strength and bonds between the customer and the company. It requires small ongoing contributions, quick ideas and continuous updates to keep the customers fully engaged. Never attempt to overload any social medium with anything other than what the customer wants.
It is imperative to find effective ways to keep the customers fully engage with your brand. Doing so can be highly productive to the company, and increase its profits and success.
They can show their appreciation by following your company’s micro-blogging posts (in 140 characters or less) on Twitter, or by joining your Facebook community. Effective marketing strategy using social networks can build true loyalty unlike any other marketing channels or forms.
By utilizing a well-considered strategy in social media networking, you and your company can ensure that all of your efforts online continually coordinate with your other marketing strategies. This type of strategy uses a tactic focusing on an effective and proven marketing plan, and not just follows the crowd.
The Importance of Demographic
It is an essential part of your marketing strategy to consider the demographics of your audience. You will need to find the best media that provides the optimal fit with your targeted audience. Once found, you can then strategize by developing effective tactics by using social media integration as your dominant approach to reach the target audience, capture their attention, and hold it.
The most often overlooked component to social media marketing is not having a direct and concise goal in how the company will become engaged with the target audience. However, with a well-designed plan and purposeful objectives you can establish an effective tone in your updating posts and stick with the strategy. This will help to convey your brand’s personality.
Promotional Offers
Social media marketing is an effective tool to promote the company’s special pricing or other desired offerings. However, it is also important to add quality content. Simply filling social media networking sites with “buy it now” messages can turn off even the most loyal customer. It is best to utilize social media marketing tools without the targeted audience feeling as though they are being advertised to. It is important to match the company’s actions with the wave it the online visitor wants to interact specifically with the brand.
Before getting started, it is important that you will have an effective measurement to evaluate your company’s social media site and its success. The chosen metric must be meaningful to the company brand, which might not always coincide with the strategies used by the competition.
The Benefits of Social Media Marketing
Social media marketing is an effective tool to build the strength and bonds between the customer and the company. It requires small ongoing contributions, quick ideas and continuous updates to keep the customers fully engaged. Never attempt to overload any social medium with anything other than what the customer wants.
It is imperative to find effective ways to keep the customers fully engage with your brand. Doing so can be highly productive to the company, and increase its profits and success.
The key to search engine optimization these days is to not worry too much about it. As soon as you appear to be writing too much for search engines, and too little for real people, those search engines are going to lose interesting in your site.
There is a very fine line between optimizing a website and filling it with spam. Google isn't a fan of spam anymore.
In 2013, it wants to see users engaging with your site and returning if possible, it doesn't just care how many links there are pointing to your site. It wants quality.
You can still put keywords in your titles and opening paragraphs, and you can still use the odd keyword "alt tag" on your images, but the days of worrying about meta tags, keyword density, and back-links are done. I personally have dozens of page one rankings for my sites and have never filled in a meta box.
What You Can Do
Here's what I would do if writing a new post on my site:
- Choose a keyword as the title/topic of my post. It 100% has to make sense. "Best fishing spot beach miami" isn't going to cut it.
- Put that keyword naturally in the first paragraph of my post.
- After that, forget about the keyword and just write the article as well as possible.
- Share the post with my social networks, Google+, Twitter etc. Encourage interaction and shares.
- Move on to the next post and repeat the process.
Does that sound simple? It is! That is as "optimized" as your sites need to be these days.
You can still use SEO plugins but just fill in the titles only, don't worry about cramming keywords into them, in fact, this can actually hurt your site's rankings.
If you aren't comfortable writing articles, you can always outsource them to others. Give them instructions about keywords and let them go ahead and write it. Don't bother using article "spinning" techniques or other lazy techniques, Google is most likely smarter than you and knows every trick in the book.
Don't bother trying to trick it, embrace it and write good quality content.
Be Patient
Sometimes, when rankings don't appear over night, you might find yourself wondering if you have done something wrong, or what you could do to make an improvement. In all honesty, all you could do to improve is just to ignore your rankings.
If you are doing a good job writing, they will come sooner or later, there is no doubt about that. You have to earn them in 2013, but the good news is, you are no longer competing with millions of "cheaters", Google has taken them out of the game already.
Search Engine Optimization could not be simpler these days. There are those who will point out that you need a sound strategy and a solid campaign, but they are most likely trying to sell you their services. You don't need to listen to them anymore, just concentrate on your content.
There is a very fine line between optimizing a website and filling it with spam. Google isn't a fan of spam anymore.
In 2013, it wants to see users engaging with your site and returning if possible, it doesn't just care how many links there are pointing to your site. It wants quality.
You can still put keywords in your titles and opening paragraphs, and you can still use the odd keyword "alt tag" on your images, but the days of worrying about meta tags, keyword density, and back-links are done. I personally have dozens of page one rankings for my sites and have never filled in a meta box.
What You Can Do
Here's what I would do if writing a new post on my site:
- Choose a keyword as the title/topic of my post. It 100% has to make sense. "Best fishing spot beach miami" isn't going to cut it.
- Put that keyword naturally in the first paragraph of my post.
- After that, forget about the keyword and just write the article as well as possible.
- Share the post with my social networks, Google+, Twitter etc. Encourage interaction and shares.
- Move on to the next post and repeat the process.
Does that sound simple? It is! That is as "optimized" as your sites need to be these days.
You can still use SEO plugins but just fill in the titles only, don't worry about cramming keywords into them, in fact, this can actually hurt your site's rankings.
If you aren't comfortable writing articles, you can always outsource them to others. Give them instructions about keywords and let them go ahead and write it. Don't bother using article "spinning" techniques or other lazy techniques, Google is most likely smarter than you and knows every trick in the book.
Don't bother trying to trick it, embrace it and write good quality content.
Be Patient
Sometimes, when rankings don't appear over night, you might find yourself wondering if you have done something wrong, or what you could do to make an improvement. In all honesty, all you could do to improve is just to ignore your rankings.
If you are doing a good job writing, they will come sooner or later, there is no doubt about that. You have to earn them in 2013, but the good news is, you are no longer competing with millions of "cheaters", Google has taken them out of the game already.
Search Engine Optimization could not be simpler these days. There are those who will point out that you need a sound strategy and a solid campaign, but they are most likely trying to sell you their services. You don't need to listen to them anymore, just concentrate on your content.
Infinite scrolling pages are pages that allow users to scroll infinitely at the bottom of the page. Here the pages load more content as the user scrolls thus providing the user with never-ending amount of materials.
Although infinite scroll pages provide users with a lot of content, their main flaw is that they are not SEO friendly. The good side is that there are some measures that you can take to ensure that the pages become SEO friendly. Some of the measures that you should take include:
Including a sitemap
A sitemap is a list of pages that are in a website. The map is usually in XML format. In most cases, if the content that you are loading is separated into various units that have their own URLs, Google bots may be unable to find the content unless it's linked in a specific spot on one of the already-indexed pages.
When you include a sitemap you let the crawlers know about the full list of pages that are available in the website and as a result increase the ranking of the pages.
Creating a URL structure that accommodates infinite scroll
The URL that you use should be able to maintain the sequential nature required for an infinite scroll page. When creating the URLs you should be careful and avoid using relative-time based URL parameters. This is because using the parameters adds chronological complexity that reduces the SEO value of a page.
You should also avoid using code-based language in the URL. Avoiding code language aids in preserving an enhanced user experience. To be on the safe side you should use human language in your URLs. This is because the human language works best for both users and crawlers.
Using pushState
PushState is a HTML5 method that dictates how the loading process will take place. The method draws from the state object and the URL to load the content in the format defined by the pagination. Experts say that pushState tells the browser what to load and display.
If you want to modify your history, you should use replaceState. ReplaceState responds to the scroll actions and allows the users to scroll backwards and views the pages that were loaded in the pagination history.
These are some of the ways in which you can make infinite scroll pages SEO friendly. You should note that infinite scrolling is one of the many options of improving user interaction and retention; however, it's not ideal for every website. The design can work or fail to work on your website depending on what you want to achieve.
Although infinite scroll pages provide users with a lot of content, their main flaw is that they are not SEO friendly. The good side is that there are some measures that you can take to ensure that the pages become SEO friendly. Some of the measures that you should take include:
Including a sitemap
A sitemap is a list of pages that are in a website. The map is usually in XML format. In most cases, if the content that you are loading is separated into various units that have their own URLs, Google bots may be unable to find the content unless it's linked in a specific spot on one of the already-indexed pages.
When you include a sitemap you let the crawlers know about the full list of pages that are available in the website and as a result increase the ranking of the pages.
Creating a URL structure that accommodates infinite scroll
The URL that you use should be able to maintain the sequential nature required for an infinite scroll page. When creating the URLs you should be careful and avoid using relative-time based URL parameters. This is because using the parameters adds chronological complexity that reduces the SEO value of a page.
You should also avoid using code-based language in the URL. Avoiding code language aids in preserving an enhanced user experience. To be on the safe side you should use human language in your URLs. This is because the human language works best for both users and crawlers.
Using pushState
PushState is a HTML5 method that dictates how the loading process will take place. The method draws from the state object and the URL to load the content in the format defined by the pagination. Experts say that pushState tells the browser what to load and display.
If you want to modify your history, you should use replaceState. ReplaceState responds to the scroll actions and allows the users to scroll backwards and views the pages that were loaded in the pagination history.
These are some of the ways in which you can make infinite scroll pages SEO friendly. You should note that infinite scrolling is one of the many options of improving user interaction and retention; however, it's not ideal for every website. The design can work or fail to work on your website depending on what you want to achieve.
Increasing your typing speed (WPM) can be a challenge for people who have already learned the basics of keyboarding.
If you are still struggling with these skills, there are literally thousands of articles and websites which will help you become adept at this. But where do we go from here? Here are some tips and tricks for people who want to increase their typing speed.
Read Ahead to the Next Word
Practice typing the entire word instead of going letter by letter. Once you can do this, read ahead so that you can be prepared. While you're hitting the space bar you can be moving your finger to the first letter of the next word. Remember that pushing the 'shift' key while you are hitting the space bar won't hurt anything, so if the next word is capitalized, go ahead and hit that shift key whenever you're ready. I wouldn't recommend reading ahead more than one word, because of the risk that you will skip typing an entire word, and there is no spell-check for that.
Keep Practicing the Most Common Letter Combinations
If you took a keyboarding class or online course, you most likely typed the same combinations over and over - (fgf fgf frf fvf, etc.) Well, that is the best way for your fingers to learn the keys, but now that you have this down, it is time to learn the combinations that will increase your WPM. There are a lot of strings that are very common in the english language, like 'tion', 'ere', 'ght', 'ous', and more. And of course you should practice the most used words ('the', 'is', 'as', 'it', 'he', 'she', etc.) Training your fingers to type these almost instantaneously will help you make up for lost time somewhere else.
Release the 'Shift' Key Faster
In an earlier tip, I said that you can push the 'shift' key early, but holding it down too long is obviously not a good idea. When the first word of a sentence is one of those common words, (which you can type incredibly fast now, right?), you have to be careful not to capitalize the second letter of the word. This will only come with practice.
Stop Using 'Typing Tests' That Create Bad Habits
Full disclosure, I own a typing test website. But the reason I created it is because of all the horrible habits most of the sites are promoting. If you are using a 'test' that, when you make a mistake, it disables the all of the keys except the one that they want you to push next, or if they disable the backspace key altogether, Stop Using That Test!. How is this supposed to teach you real typing? It is your personal preference if you want your test to alert you of every error that you make, but I think that it is also a bad habit. In real-life the spell check may put a little red line under an error, but it might not.
Back to the Basics
Don't forget about the fundamentals of typing - use good posture, take regular breaks, and practice. Remember these tips, and try to put them into use. While you are learning these tips, your errors may go up in the short term, but don't give up. Slow down if you need to, but keep on typing.
- Learn where to put your fingers
- Use the correct finger for each key
- Don't look at the keyboard
If you are still struggling with these skills, there are literally thousands of articles and websites which will help you become adept at this. But where do we go from here? Here are some tips and tricks for people who want to increase their typing speed.
Read Ahead to the Next Word
Practice typing the entire word instead of going letter by letter. Once you can do this, read ahead so that you can be prepared. While you're hitting the space bar you can be moving your finger to the first letter of the next word. Remember that pushing the 'shift' key while you are hitting the space bar won't hurt anything, so if the next word is capitalized, go ahead and hit that shift key whenever you're ready. I wouldn't recommend reading ahead more than one word, because of the risk that you will skip typing an entire word, and there is no spell-check for that.
Keep Practicing the Most Common Letter Combinations
If you took a keyboarding class or online course, you most likely typed the same combinations over and over - (fgf fgf frf fvf, etc.) Well, that is the best way for your fingers to learn the keys, but now that you have this down, it is time to learn the combinations that will increase your WPM. There are a lot of strings that are very common in the english language, like 'tion', 'ere', 'ght', 'ous', and more. And of course you should practice the most used words ('the', 'is', 'as', 'it', 'he', 'she', etc.) Training your fingers to type these almost instantaneously will help you make up for lost time somewhere else.
Release the 'Shift' Key Faster
In an earlier tip, I said that you can push the 'shift' key early, but holding it down too long is obviously not a good idea. When the first word of a sentence is one of those common words, (which you can type incredibly fast now, right?), you have to be careful not to capitalize the second letter of the word. This will only come with practice.
Stop Using 'Typing Tests' That Create Bad Habits
Full disclosure, I own a typing test website. But the reason I created it is because of all the horrible habits most of the sites are promoting. If you are using a 'test' that, when you make a mistake, it disables the all of the keys except the one that they want you to push next, or if they disable the backspace key altogether, Stop Using That Test!. How is this supposed to teach you real typing? It is your personal preference if you want your test to alert you of every error that you make, but I think that it is also a bad habit. In real-life the spell check may put a little red line under an error, but it might not.
Back to the Basics
Don't forget about the fundamentals of typing - use good posture, take regular breaks, and practice. Remember these tips, and try to put them into use. While you are learning these tips, your errors may go up in the short term, but don't give up. Slow down if you need to, but keep on typing.
Buying order management software requires extensive pre-purchase research. Not only do you have dozens of potential solutions to evaluate, your existing system processes may need to be updated. As you know, the fulfillment process has grown increasingly complex. Investing in an enterprise order management system can help you streamline your processes, integrate with existing CRM software, and manage transactions across multiple channels. That said, it's not a simple matter of picking a product, installing it, and watching the magic happen. Use these best practices to make the best buying decision possible.
Look at the Big Picture
Start by looking beyond your current need for order management software and consider all aspects of a transaction such as customer relationship management and receivables. What systems do you currently have in place for these extended system processes? Is it possible to integrate your existing systems into your new system solution? Does it make sense to start from scratch?
While you're at it, consider your infrastructure. How will implementing an order management system affect your current and future IT plans?
Gather Order Management Software Requirements
After looking at the big picture and making some broad decisions, it's time to identify actual requirements. Start on paper by documenting your end-to-end order management process. What happens when? What is needed to support this?
Next, critically evaluate your existing process. Does it make sense? Could it be streamlined? What can be automated? It's a good idea to get input from those who carry out these processes on a regular basis as they'll be able to share their frustrations, ideas, insights, and wish lists. For example, your accounts receivable clerk may find certain data entry tasks time-consuming, redundant, and error-prone and wish that certain data could automatically carry forward.
As you get feedback, separate your requirements list into the following color-coded categories:
1. Absolutely necessary (Green)
2. Would be nice (Yellow)
3. Unnecessary (Red)
Now it's time to evaluate various order management solutions such as Dolphin's SAP Order Management which automates various processes and helps you to maximize service levels to your customers.
As you compare your software solutions, label each feature with the color that corresponds with your categories. If a solution is loaded with red features, it's not a good match. Your ideal solution will have all of your green features as well as a fair amount of yellow ones. A few unnecessary features may be inevitable, but try to limit them as you don't want to pay for a large amount of features you don't need.
Plan for the Order Management Software Implementation
Bear in mind that buying the software is just the beginning. You'll need to work carefully with the vendor to implement it properly. These implementations tend to be highly customizable, making it important to invest the time and effort up front to get it just right. As you plan the implementation and modify your system procedures in the process, make sure to document your new procedures. This will come in handy during training and operations.
Provide Order Management Software Training
Finally, ensure a successful launch by providing ample training for your team. It's not easy transitioning to new software. It's even more difficult if you modified some of your system processes as part of the implementation.
Look at the Big Picture
Start by looking beyond your current need for order management software and consider all aspects of a transaction such as customer relationship management and receivables. What systems do you currently have in place for these extended system processes? Is it possible to integrate your existing systems into your new system solution? Does it make sense to start from scratch?
While you're at it, consider your infrastructure. How will implementing an order management system affect your current and future IT plans?
Gather Order Management Software Requirements
After looking at the big picture and making some broad decisions, it's time to identify actual requirements. Start on paper by documenting your end-to-end order management process. What happens when? What is needed to support this?
Next, critically evaluate your existing process. Does it make sense? Could it be streamlined? What can be automated? It's a good idea to get input from those who carry out these processes on a regular basis as they'll be able to share their frustrations, ideas, insights, and wish lists. For example, your accounts receivable clerk may find certain data entry tasks time-consuming, redundant, and error-prone and wish that certain data could automatically carry forward.
As you get feedback, separate your requirements list into the following color-coded categories:
1. Absolutely necessary (Green)
2. Would be nice (Yellow)
3. Unnecessary (Red)
Now it's time to evaluate various order management solutions such as Dolphin's SAP Order Management which automates various processes and helps you to maximize service levels to your customers.
As you compare your software solutions, label each feature with the color that corresponds with your categories. If a solution is loaded with red features, it's not a good match. Your ideal solution will have all of your green features as well as a fair amount of yellow ones. A few unnecessary features may be inevitable, but try to limit them as you don't want to pay for a large amount of features you don't need.
Plan for the Order Management Software Implementation
Bear in mind that buying the software is just the beginning. You'll need to work carefully with the vendor to implement it properly. These implementations tend to be highly customizable, making it important to invest the time and effort up front to get it just right. As you plan the implementation and modify your system procedures in the process, make sure to document your new procedures. This will come in handy during training and operations.
Provide Order Management Software Training
Finally, ensure a successful launch by providing ample training for your team. It's not easy transitioning to new software. It's even more difficult if you modified some of your system processes as part of the implementation.
The iPhone is probably one of the biggest products of the past decade. It was the first phone to jump on to the smart phone bandwagon and it introduced an array of different features that were previously unknown to most. As a result, it quickly rose to the top of the industry and became a massive hit in the industry. The iPhone 4 and 4s were also major hits in the industry, and sold millions of units.
However, the iPhone 5 and the 5S were major improvements over their predecessors, featuring more powerful processors, better cameras and much more importantly, a larger screen size. Now, as is known to all, the iPhone is a pretty expensive product. Encased in premium metal and other fine products, this is a product that retails for a very expensive price. As a result, most people aren't very willing to discard their iPhones just like that. Instead, they are selling off their iPhone 4 as well as 4S in order to generate finances to buy the newer models.
Privacy Protection
The iPhone integrates quite deeply with all of your internet accounts, such as Facebook, Gmail, Outlook and various others. Most people even use PayPal and other applications on it to transfer funds, which means that the iPhone automatically keeps a lot of your information handy. Hence, before you sell off your phone, the first and foremost thing that you need to do is to make sure that you clean it up thoroughly. It is important to remove all personal photos, emails, any remaining data that might be present on the phone before you hand it over to the buyer.
If you fail to do so, people are likely to use your pictures, emails, text message numbers and even your contacts in order to harass them. Most people believe that just deleting information off their phone is enough, but it is not. Information that has been deleted off your iPhone can be recovered as long as the same clusters on the iPhone's hard drive have not been used already.
So in order to remove all related personal information, you need to do the following things in order to protect your privacy:
First, you must remove your SIM card. The SIM card can be used in your new phone and also it includes all your important contacts.
Second, you should use the 'Default Erase Setting' on your phone to clear all data. You can do so just by Settings > General > Reset > Erase all Content and Settings.
Third, as it mentioned above, The Default Erase option is designed to clear your phone completely and to make it as good as new from the inside. However, your data can still be recovered by somebody who uses sophisticated software programs. This means that you need to make use of a professional software program like PhoneClean or SafeEraser if you wish to permanently remove the data from your iPhone 4 or 4S.
Finance Burglary
People can use your account in order to steal information, make purchases and even gain access to your bank account information, creating a major compromise. The worst part is that they won't even have to insert a password, as the iPhone saves passwords automatically. Hefei Newspaper in China reported that people used Alipay linked with the lost iPhone to run out all the money about RMB 300,000 in the owner's card. So before selling your iPhone, you should erase all data and check all your bank accounts that you have ever used on your iPhone. And then disable all bank account related settings.
Selena Lee is a Senior Editor from Wondershare Software. Mrs. Lee has rich knowledge in the PC utility field. She mainly writes some useful tips on how to recover data, optimize data space, password protection, data protection and privacy protection.
However, the iPhone 5 and the 5S were major improvements over their predecessors, featuring more powerful processors, better cameras and much more importantly, a larger screen size. Now, as is known to all, the iPhone is a pretty expensive product. Encased in premium metal and other fine products, this is a product that retails for a very expensive price. As a result, most people aren't very willing to discard their iPhones just like that. Instead, they are selling off their iPhone 4 as well as 4S in order to generate finances to buy the newer models.
Privacy Protection
The iPhone integrates quite deeply with all of your internet accounts, such as Facebook, Gmail, Outlook and various others. Most people even use PayPal and other applications on it to transfer funds, which means that the iPhone automatically keeps a lot of your information handy. Hence, before you sell off your phone, the first and foremost thing that you need to do is to make sure that you clean it up thoroughly. It is important to remove all personal photos, emails, any remaining data that might be present on the phone before you hand it over to the buyer.
If you fail to do so, people are likely to use your pictures, emails, text message numbers and even your contacts in order to harass them. Most people believe that just deleting information off their phone is enough, but it is not. Information that has been deleted off your iPhone can be recovered as long as the same clusters on the iPhone's hard drive have not been used already.
So in order to remove all related personal information, you need to do the following things in order to protect your privacy:
First, you must remove your SIM card. The SIM card can be used in your new phone and also it includes all your important contacts.
Second, you should use the 'Default Erase Setting' on your phone to clear all data. You can do so just by Settings > General > Reset > Erase all Content and Settings.
Third, as it mentioned above, The Default Erase option is designed to clear your phone completely and to make it as good as new from the inside. However, your data can still be recovered by somebody who uses sophisticated software programs. This means that you need to make use of a professional software program like PhoneClean or SafeEraser if you wish to permanently remove the data from your iPhone 4 or 4S.
Finance Burglary
People can use your account in order to steal information, make purchases and even gain access to your bank account information, creating a major compromise. The worst part is that they won't even have to insert a password, as the iPhone saves passwords automatically. Hefei Newspaper in China reported that people used Alipay linked with the lost iPhone to run out all the money about RMB 300,000 in the owner's card. So before selling your iPhone, you should erase all data and check all your bank accounts that you have ever used on your iPhone. And then disable all bank account related settings.
Selena Lee is a Senior Editor from Wondershare Software. Mrs. Lee has rich knowledge in the PC utility field. She mainly writes some useful tips on how to recover data, optimize data space, password protection, data protection and privacy protection.
Having a gadget like an iPad or iPad Mini at your disposal is not just for maintaining a status in society or for playing cool games. The real purpose of a gadget like an iPad is to simplify your life. Most people download a number of apps but most of the times are they barely make good use of them to organise their work. This article will serve as a guide for you to make the maximum use of your iPad, so much so that you will never feel the need for a human executive assistant again!
Jack Up the Memory of Your iPad
Your iPad comes with its internal memory for sure, but you should also make an attempt to increase the memory of your device by making best use of cloud sharing. Do make maximum use of apps such as Evernote, Dropbox and iCloud. For only a few dollars a month, you can use the apps to sync all your data and important files on cloud. You can also sync all your data with your other devices on a real time basis. This will eliminate your worries of losing data in case your laptop crashes.
Managing Your Projects On The Go
Are you a business owner or a senior level officer in an organisation who needs to travel often? In that case, project management on the go can become difficult. But you need not worry anymore if you own an iPad. You can use your device to keep a hawk eye of all your projects in progress. You can use an app like Basecamp that can serve as a great project management tool. It has file sharing facilities, offers to-do lists, web based document correction facilities and a tracking and messaging system.
Attend Meetings On The Go
Do you need to attend client meetings constantly over video conferences? Your iPad can be a great tool to help you host such meetings then. You can use the inbuilt face time or use apps like Skype or GoToMeeting to make video calls anytime. With an excellent 10 hour battery life and easy wireless facilities you can literally carry your office with you anywhere and host meetings without a worry.
Saving Articles To Read Later
It's not for anything that we said that your iPad can serve as your faithful executive assistant. You can use an app called Instapaper that like a faithful executive assistant makes a note and saves all the articles and web pages you would like to read in leisure. You can have them saved and read them when you are commuting or waiting in line to get something done. There is also an Editor's pick feature in this app that gives you access to the most popular reads in the week.
Your iPad or iPad Mini is not just a high-end gadget; it is a great hand held device that can make your life much easier. Use these tips to maximize the productivity of your iPad.
Jack Up the Memory of Your iPad
Your iPad comes with its internal memory for sure, but you should also make an attempt to increase the memory of your device by making best use of cloud sharing. Do make maximum use of apps such as Evernote, Dropbox and iCloud. For only a few dollars a month, you can use the apps to sync all your data and important files on cloud. You can also sync all your data with your other devices on a real time basis. This will eliminate your worries of losing data in case your laptop crashes.
Managing Your Projects On The Go
Are you a business owner or a senior level officer in an organisation who needs to travel often? In that case, project management on the go can become difficult. But you need not worry anymore if you own an iPad. You can use your device to keep a hawk eye of all your projects in progress. You can use an app like Basecamp that can serve as a great project management tool. It has file sharing facilities, offers to-do lists, web based document correction facilities and a tracking and messaging system.
Attend Meetings On The Go
Do you need to attend client meetings constantly over video conferences? Your iPad can be a great tool to help you host such meetings then. You can use the inbuilt face time or use apps like Skype or GoToMeeting to make video calls anytime. With an excellent 10 hour battery life and easy wireless facilities you can literally carry your office with you anywhere and host meetings without a worry.
Saving Articles To Read Later
It's not for anything that we said that your iPad can serve as your faithful executive assistant. You can use an app called Instapaper that like a faithful executive assistant makes a note and saves all the articles and web pages you would like to read in leisure. You can have them saved and read them when you are commuting or waiting in line to get something done. There is also an Editor's pick feature in this app that gives you access to the most popular reads in the week.
Your iPad or iPad Mini is not just a high-end gadget; it is a great hand held device that can make your life much easier. Use these tips to maximize the productivity of your iPad.
In the publishing world, digital ebooks are becoming more common. Major publishing companies are now not only printing traditional books, they are also selling those same books in digital format. This trend will surely continue. It is easier than ever for budding authors to write their own book and then sell it as an ebook. The written text that makes up the content of the book is easily converted to a file with the file extension EPUB. This is the primary format used across the industry for an ebook. Here are four reasons why you should convert your book to and EPUB file.
The eBook Will Display Correctly On An eReader
There are a variety of devices that can be utilized to read an ebook. Each of these devices may vary in screen size and, as such, the type of file that you have used will affect how the ebook appears on the screen. Those with the file extension EPUB are the easiest to optimize how the text will appear on a given device.
Online Sellers Of eBooks Sell EPUB Books
The average person can buy ebooks online from a variety of sources. Most often, the EPUB format is used by these online retailers. If you are looking to sell an ebook, you will have to have it converted in order to sell it online. If your ebook is not in that format, many of the online book sellers will not even sell it.
Most All eBook Readers Will Display EPUB books
As stated before, there are a large number of devices that can be used to read an ebook. Most people only have one such device. That device will need to have the capability to read almost any ebook. As a result, most of the ebook readers on the market are compatible with the EPUB format. That way, no matter what device someone is using, he or she would have the ability to read your ebook because it is in a compatible format.
The Inclusion Of Multimedia Features In eBooks
If you decide to write an ebook, you want to capture the attention of your readers. Nothing can do that nowadays like audio, video, and other multimedia features. These types of things are easily included in ebooks that utilize EPUB. Your ebook could be made to be interactive as well and that is another advantage of converting your ebook to EPUB format.
The eBook Will Display Correctly On An eReader
There are a variety of devices that can be utilized to read an ebook. Each of these devices may vary in screen size and, as such, the type of file that you have used will affect how the ebook appears on the screen. Those with the file extension EPUB are the easiest to optimize how the text will appear on a given device.
Online Sellers Of eBooks Sell EPUB Books
The average person can buy ebooks online from a variety of sources. Most often, the EPUB format is used by these online retailers. If you are looking to sell an ebook, you will have to have it converted in order to sell it online. If your ebook is not in that format, many of the online book sellers will not even sell it.
Most All eBook Readers Will Display EPUB books
As stated before, there are a large number of devices that can be used to read an ebook. Most people only have one such device. That device will need to have the capability to read almost any ebook. As a result, most of the ebook readers on the market are compatible with the EPUB format. That way, no matter what device someone is using, he or she would have the ability to read your ebook because it is in a compatible format.
The Inclusion Of Multimedia Features In eBooks
If you decide to write an ebook, you want to capture the attention of your readers. Nothing can do that nowadays like audio, video, and other multimedia features. These types of things are easily included in ebooks that utilize EPUB. Your ebook could be made to be interactive as well and that is another advantage of converting your ebook to EPUB format.
Do research on Google+ weighing pro's and con's as a marketing tool for your business. -- Check
Weighed the pro's and con's for Google+ as a marketing tool for your business. -- Check
Create a Google+ profile, with a picture, description and links. -- Check
Created a business page on Google+ for your business with logo, descriptions and links -- Check
Build up a Google+ following.-- How?
So happy you asked!! Let me explain.
One of the biggest features and attraction points of Google+ is...
Circles
Circles are how you organise your list of friends, family, business partners, associates, customers and leads.
Circles give you greater control over who you share your content with. Targeted marketing at its best. That's to say if they have returned the favour and added you to their circles. Because you have added someone to your circles doesn't mean they have done the same, and for them to get your content on their newsfeed is if they have added you in return.
I have found, generally, most people I add to my circles add me back. No matter which social media you are in, offering value is still an excellent idea.
Sharing Your Circles
I was not, up until recently, aware that one could share your circles.
Sharing your circles is a great way for you to introduce one group of people to another group of likeminded friends, or business contacts. You might for example want to share a partner company circle with the new groups of leads you managed to generate.
Commenting On Other Google+ Members Status
The best way for people to become aware of your existence is by making yourself known by either introducing yourself, start commenting on status updates or posts, or starting a conversation. Like the age old saying. "If the mountain won't go to Mohammed, Mohammed will go to the mountain". The obvious advantage when it comes to engaging members with similar interests, is, you are building relationships and it's no secret having quality relationships betters your chances of success. Both in business and your personal life. A +1 is the first step in engaging, then sharing and commenting.
Having A Live Hangout
Being able to speak to potential leads, customers and followers via free video conferencing is awesome. Hangouts are becoming popular amongst businesses and users on Google+. Doctors consultations, group yoga classes, businesses meetings, brainstorms and master minds to name a few have all had airtime on a Google+ Hangout. It's an excellent way to establish your authority in your particular niche, a perfect example of who is it doing it great with Google+ Hangouts is Alex Mandossian. Hangouts are an excellent way to creating video blogs and you connect with YouTube... Need I say more?
Join A Community
Communities attract likeminded people sharing common interests and are a great place to start engaging. Similar to a Facebook group, communities may have discussion topics listed, so when a person adds a post, they choose which category within that community it belongs. A discussion topic, a hint or tip, or an introduction category for example. For the user this means we don't have to sift through content we aren't searching for at the time.
Sharing Great Content On A Regular Basis
Creating great content will be one of the very best tactics used to create followers. By becoming an authority in your niche and providing quality, high value content is vital and compulsory mo matter what social media you use, content is king. If you're not producing and offering value that interests people, no matter how hard you try and utilize the methods above, you won't get the following you desire.
Google+ has made a huge step in engaging the world with each other. They have made it free and accessible to anyone with an internet connection and a Google account.
Weighed the pro's and con's for Google+ as a marketing tool for your business. -- Check
Create a Google+ profile, with a picture, description and links. -- Check
Created a business page on Google+ for your business with logo, descriptions and links -- Check
Build up a Google+ following.-- How?
So happy you asked!! Let me explain.
One of the biggest features and attraction points of Google+ is...
Circles
Circles are how you organise your list of friends, family, business partners, associates, customers and leads.
Circles give you greater control over who you share your content with. Targeted marketing at its best. That's to say if they have returned the favour and added you to their circles. Because you have added someone to your circles doesn't mean they have done the same, and for them to get your content on their newsfeed is if they have added you in return.
I have found, generally, most people I add to my circles add me back. No matter which social media you are in, offering value is still an excellent idea.
Sharing Your Circles
I was not, up until recently, aware that one could share your circles.
Sharing your circles is a great way for you to introduce one group of people to another group of likeminded friends, or business contacts. You might for example want to share a partner company circle with the new groups of leads you managed to generate.
Commenting On Other Google+ Members Status
The best way for people to become aware of your existence is by making yourself known by either introducing yourself, start commenting on status updates or posts, or starting a conversation. Like the age old saying. "If the mountain won't go to Mohammed, Mohammed will go to the mountain". The obvious advantage when it comes to engaging members with similar interests, is, you are building relationships and it's no secret having quality relationships betters your chances of success. Both in business and your personal life. A +1 is the first step in engaging, then sharing and commenting.
Having A Live Hangout
Being able to speak to potential leads, customers and followers via free video conferencing is awesome. Hangouts are becoming popular amongst businesses and users on Google+. Doctors consultations, group yoga classes, businesses meetings, brainstorms and master minds to name a few have all had airtime on a Google+ Hangout. It's an excellent way to establish your authority in your particular niche, a perfect example of who is it doing it great with Google+ Hangouts is Alex Mandossian. Hangouts are an excellent way to creating video blogs and you connect with YouTube... Need I say more?
Join A Community
Communities attract likeminded people sharing common interests and are a great place to start engaging. Similar to a Facebook group, communities may have discussion topics listed, so when a person adds a post, they choose which category within that community it belongs. A discussion topic, a hint or tip, or an introduction category for example. For the user this means we don't have to sift through content we aren't searching for at the time.
Sharing Great Content On A Regular Basis
Creating great content will be one of the very best tactics used to create followers. By becoming an authority in your niche and providing quality, high value content is vital and compulsory mo matter what social media you use, content is king. If you're not producing and offering value that interests people, no matter how hard you try and utilize the methods above, you won't get the following you desire.
Google+ has made a huge step in engaging the world with each other. They have made it free and accessible to anyone with an internet connection and a Google account.
Cabling plays a significant part on how effective your internet speed will be. For any home or business, the cabling network speed is important. More people are turning to the fibre optic cabling for their internet needs even though the copper cabling is still the most favorable option. This is because most of the fibre optic cabling options has on offer high cable hardiness and are able to get stretched over long distances thus making a lesser issue of the logistics.
The fibre optic cabling also offers more stability in that, it ensures you of a one on one connection with consistent high speeds as opposed to the copper cabling that oscillates unpredictably between the low and high speeds with a dependency on the network traffic levels.
The various types of Fibre Optic Cabling
Right now, there are varied types of the fibre cabling that range from OM1 to OM4. As the oldest of the 4, OM1 has short wavelengths, tends to be used for lower bandwidth specifications and has the shortest distance too.
In this respect, OM2 is very much like OM1. However, the OM2 is generally associated with no problem a high bandwidth speed.
The OM3 on the other hand, is the very first fibre optic cabling to have the installation of a laser optimization thus making it an awesome choice for the ones who are looking for cabling that can be able to handle fast speeds.
The OM4 is designed similarly with the OM3 but on a higher level. It has sturdy cabling, very effectual laser optimization and can incorporate many multimode abilities.
Reasons as to why you will love the OM4
The OM4 cabling can handle so many different demands, high amounts of bandwidth and withstand the general wear and tear as it is the most suitable high speed fibre optic cable option. The increase on the demand for more reliable cabling and the rising network speeds are the simple reasons as to why the OM4 is popular. According to the experts, OM4 will soon set the new standard for the line network connections that are at the top of the game.
Conclusion
If you do not need to go shopping for a fibre cable in the future, acquiring the OM4 is the best thing you could ever do; especially with the recently reduced OM4 prices. I think it's a good bargain for what you're getting, so pick it if you are looking for the best of the best.
We at Trojan TechGroup certainly think that you will be getting yourself into an awesome bargain so if you are searching for the best in the industry, by all means, get the OM4.
We do the installation of any type of fibre optic cabling at your place of residence or at your business at prices that are competitive.
We at Trojan TechGroup can install OM4 (or any other type of) fibre optic cabling for your business or home at competitive prices, call us at 1300 303 506 for a free quote today!
The fibre optic cabling also offers more stability in that, it ensures you of a one on one connection with consistent high speeds as opposed to the copper cabling that oscillates unpredictably between the low and high speeds with a dependency on the network traffic levels.
The various types of Fibre Optic Cabling
Right now, there are varied types of the fibre cabling that range from OM1 to OM4. As the oldest of the 4, OM1 has short wavelengths, tends to be used for lower bandwidth specifications and has the shortest distance too.
In this respect, OM2 is very much like OM1. However, the OM2 is generally associated with no problem a high bandwidth speed.
The OM3 on the other hand, is the very first fibre optic cabling to have the installation of a laser optimization thus making it an awesome choice for the ones who are looking for cabling that can be able to handle fast speeds.
The OM4 is designed similarly with the OM3 but on a higher level. It has sturdy cabling, very effectual laser optimization and can incorporate many multimode abilities.
Reasons as to why you will love the OM4
The OM4 cabling can handle so many different demands, high amounts of bandwidth and withstand the general wear and tear as it is the most suitable high speed fibre optic cable option. The increase on the demand for more reliable cabling and the rising network speeds are the simple reasons as to why the OM4 is popular. According to the experts, OM4 will soon set the new standard for the line network connections that are at the top of the game.
Conclusion
If you do not need to go shopping for a fibre cable in the future, acquiring the OM4 is the best thing you could ever do; especially with the recently reduced OM4 prices. I think it's a good bargain for what you're getting, so pick it if you are looking for the best of the best.
We at Trojan TechGroup certainly think that you will be getting yourself into an awesome bargain so if you are searching for the best in the industry, by all means, get the OM4.
We do the installation of any type of fibre optic cabling at your place of residence or at your business at prices that are competitive.
We at Trojan TechGroup can install OM4 (or any other type of) fibre optic cabling for your business or home at competitive prices, call us at 1300 303 506 for a free quote today!
Wireless Asset Tracking & Management in today's economy: A dollar saved is more valuable than a dollar earned
Return on Investment (ROI) has been on the tip of every company's tongue since the economy began its downward spiral. Whatever you purchase has to save you money or make you money in a calculated, measurable timeline or you don't buy it - bottom line. Contractors fighting fierce competition, plummeting profits and increasing costs need all the help they can get. On first glance, wireless fleet management can seem like a costly addition, and one that's difficult to justify. It's not a machine you can put to work or materials you can use on the jobsite. It's information for intelligent business decisions. It's how your machines are working on the jobsite. It's about increasing efficiency and cutting costs. And in this challenging economic climate you have to cut to increase profits.
The Challenge: you can't manage what you don't measure... correctly
Contractors face an interesting conundrum: equipment usage (from hour meter readings) is used for job billing, service scheduling, budgeting equipment purchases and estimating work. However, almost every contractor I have worked with will quietly admit that this information is inaccurate and out of date. Inaccurate in that the information is manually collected in the field and subject to a variety of "mistakes" such as fudging, hoarding practices, timecards and other gamesmanship. Out of date in that at best this manually collected data is delivered 1-2 weeks behind real time. So how can a contractor efficiently bill, maintain equipment, make buying decisions and bid with such erroneous, stale data? This article focuses on how contractors can, have been and will, leverage wireless asset monitoring systems that deliver the real time data necessary for increased fleet efficiency and containment of operational costs.
These savings come about from increased fleet utilization and optimization, more accurate jobsite billing, reduced equipment idling, real time asset reallocation, decreased service and repair costs and reduced insurance premiums. Let's take a look first at how the technology works and then the average savings a typical customer will realize in the first year after implementation.
How asset tracking and monitoring works
Wireless asset monitoring involves three basic components:
The transponder unit is typically about the size of a large ashtray and houses the GPS receiver and wireless radio. Wireless networks, the same used by mobile phones, provide communication between the transponder on the machine and the manager at the computer. The unit literally "calls" information such as: location, on/off status, usage data (on vs. working vs. idle time), and critical updates pertaining to machine health and unauthorized use directly from the asset to the software, cell phones, PDAs and email in real time. Additionally, the manager may "call" the unit from the software and request an update of this data, or other functions such as remote disabling of the asset, anytime with a click of the computer mouse. It is almost as if the machine has its own cell phone, from which it can call you and vice versa.
The Solution: what gets measured correctly gets done
Right sizing your fleet, a fleet size decrease of 5%-10% while maintaining the same level of work. Running an analysis quarterly, monthly, annually or whenever your budgeting needs arise of utilization by asset type based on actual run time makes it easy to see where your fleet has an excess and where you may need to add a machine. For example, you have 30 dozers in your fleet and requests are coming in for additional ones. A quick utilization report shows you have 15 dozers running at 80% utilization for the last quarter, 10 dozers at 50% utilization and 5 dozers at 20% utilization. The reality is that you don't need more dozers, in fact, you can shed a few to bring up the overall production of that asset class within your fleet - which also frees up the capital you had tied up in non-productive machines. I recently spoke with a customer of ours doing a round of "right sizing" and shipping underutilized assets off to auction, with an anticipated yield of $1-$1.3 million in cash. Formerly, those high value fixed assets were all sitting on their books and tying up capital and ownership costs, but with a few quick reports the fleet has become streamlined.
Improved jobsite billing of 10-30%. Some wireless fleet monitoring systems will empower you to designate boundaries on their mapping software which you label as your jobsites. As assets move into those areas, they are assigned to the job and as they move elsewhere they are reassigned automatically without manual entry. This allows you to run jobsite reports to see how much your assets are actually working, which in turn creates accountability at the jobsite level. No longer can machines be hoarded on jobs, while a similar asset is rented on a project down the road. Now you simply reallocate the machines within your own fleet first, before looking to rent another machine. Additionally, the any usage "fudging" is brought to light and the job is billed properly for the actual work performed by the equipment.
Reduced equipment idling by 1/3 on average. The hour meter is one performance metric, but it doesn't differentiate between "on time", "working time" and "idling time". Fortunately for you, a proper wireless monitoring system does. The obvious benefit: turning off the machine when it idles excessively, by implementing companywide idling goals and measuring them frequently. Reducing the idle time will dramatically cut your fuel bill in the short term and also give you a realistic usage barometer for that machine. Now you will schedule service not off the hour meter on the machine, but the true "working time" meter on the hardware unit- which means you will reduce the number of PMs required annually. Consider a service interval at 250 hours and a machine with 30% idle time, equating to 75 hours of idling per service. This means that every fourth PM is due to the idling hours alone, which is not a true indicator of usage. As you reduce your idling or simply schedule service off the actual "working" meter, you extend the P.M. interval and decrease the number required. Taking the example above, if you ran your service strictly off the true "working" meter then you would completely remove every fourth PM - and its associated costs.
Reduced service and repair costs of 15-40%: Using a wireless monitoring system provides a proactive service scheduling function (a report showing what is coming due) as well as a reminder if an asset is not serviced on time, thus preventing any from falling through the cracks. The result is fewer failures and thus less repair costs and equipment downtime.
Insurance savings of 20%-60%. Most wireless asset monitoring systems also double as theft protection systems with such features as nightly curfews, real time theft alerts, immobilization techniques, remote disable, geofences, etc. Ask your insurer what break they will give you for theft protection. If they can't justify it, then be sure to remind them that there is at least one underwriter out there offering at least 25% discounts on premium and a $10,000 theft deductible to contractors who invest in this technology
More bids, profitably. Armed with the real utilization information from previous jobs, your estimators will now map that to future bids. Rather than estimating, they are using actual numbers from identical work to make their bids more competitive and profitable.
Too good to be true? Consider the case of a customer coming up on their one year anniversary with our technology, having installed nearly 500 units on their equipment fleet a year ago. That investment has yielded a savings in excess of $3 million within 10 months from the exact same items discussed above, exponentially outweighing the cost to deploy. The investment today has paid for itself in the short term, and they are poised to be even more efficient and competitive as the economy turns around.
How to shop for and evaluate a wireless monitoring provider:
A quick Internet search for "construction equipment monitoring" or "equipment monitoring system" turns up dozens of results, so how do you select the right one for you? Here are some important factors to consider:
Return on Investment (ROI) has been on the tip of every company's tongue since the economy began its downward spiral. Whatever you purchase has to save you money or make you money in a calculated, measurable timeline or you don't buy it - bottom line. Contractors fighting fierce competition, plummeting profits and increasing costs need all the help they can get. On first glance, wireless fleet management can seem like a costly addition, and one that's difficult to justify. It's not a machine you can put to work or materials you can use on the jobsite. It's information for intelligent business decisions. It's how your machines are working on the jobsite. It's about increasing efficiency and cutting costs. And in this challenging economic climate you have to cut to increase profits.
The Challenge: you can't manage what you don't measure... correctly
Contractors face an interesting conundrum: equipment usage (from hour meter readings) is used for job billing, service scheduling, budgeting equipment purchases and estimating work. However, almost every contractor I have worked with will quietly admit that this information is inaccurate and out of date. Inaccurate in that the information is manually collected in the field and subject to a variety of "mistakes" such as fudging, hoarding practices, timecards and other gamesmanship. Out of date in that at best this manually collected data is delivered 1-2 weeks behind real time. So how can a contractor efficiently bill, maintain equipment, make buying decisions and bid with such erroneous, stale data? This article focuses on how contractors can, have been and will, leverage wireless asset monitoring systems that deliver the real time data necessary for increased fleet efficiency and containment of operational costs.
These savings come about from increased fleet utilization and optimization, more accurate jobsite billing, reduced equipment idling, real time asset reallocation, decreased service and repair costs and reduced insurance premiums. Let's take a look first at how the technology works and then the average savings a typical customer will realize in the first year after implementation.
How asset tracking and monitoring works
Wireless asset monitoring involves three basic components:
- A transponder unit mounted on the asset to collect data
- A communication medium to transmit the data
- A user interface, normally an Internet software package, where the manager views the data and converts it to useful information and reports
The transponder unit is typically about the size of a large ashtray and houses the GPS receiver and wireless radio. Wireless networks, the same used by mobile phones, provide communication between the transponder on the machine and the manager at the computer. The unit literally "calls" information such as: location, on/off status, usage data (on vs. working vs. idle time), and critical updates pertaining to machine health and unauthorized use directly from the asset to the software, cell phones, PDAs and email in real time. Additionally, the manager may "call" the unit from the software and request an update of this data, or other functions such as remote disabling of the asset, anytime with a click of the computer mouse. It is almost as if the machine has its own cell phone, from which it can call you and vice versa.
The Solution: what gets measured correctly gets done
Right sizing your fleet, a fleet size decrease of 5%-10% while maintaining the same level of work. Running an analysis quarterly, monthly, annually or whenever your budgeting needs arise of utilization by asset type based on actual run time makes it easy to see where your fleet has an excess and where you may need to add a machine. For example, you have 30 dozers in your fleet and requests are coming in for additional ones. A quick utilization report shows you have 15 dozers running at 80% utilization for the last quarter, 10 dozers at 50% utilization and 5 dozers at 20% utilization. The reality is that you don't need more dozers, in fact, you can shed a few to bring up the overall production of that asset class within your fleet - which also frees up the capital you had tied up in non-productive machines. I recently spoke with a customer of ours doing a round of "right sizing" and shipping underutilized assets off to auction, with an anticipated yield of $1-$1.3 million in cash. Formerly, those high value fixed assets were all sitting on their books and tying up capital and ownership costs, but with a few quick reports the fleet has become streamlined.
Improved jobsite billing of 10-30%. Some wireless fleet monitoring systems will empower you to designate boundaries on their mapping software which you label as your jobsites. As assets move into those areas, they are assigned to the job and as they move elsewhere they are reassigned automatically without manual entry. This allows you to run jobsite reports to see how much your assets are actually working, which in turn creates accountability at the jobsite level. No longer can machines be hoarded on jobs, while a similar asset is rented on a project down the road. Now you simply reallocate the machines within your own fleet first, before looking to rent another machine. Additionally, the any usage "fudging" is brought to light and the job is billed properly for the actual work performed by the equipment.
Reduced equipment idling by 1/3 on average. The hour meter is one performance metric, but it doesn't differentiate between "on time", "working time" and "idling time". Fortunately for you, a proper wireless monitoring system does. The obvious benefit: turning off the machine when it idles excessively, by implementing companywide idling goals and measuring them frequently. Reducing the idle time will dramatically cut your fuel bill in the short term and also give you a realistic usage barometer for that machine. Now you will schedule service not off the hour meter on the machine, but the true "working time" meter on the hardware unit- which means you will reduce the number of PMs required annually. Consider a service interval at 250 hours and a machine with 30% idle time, equating to 75 hours of idling per service. This means that every fourth PM is due to the idling hours alone, which is not a true indicator of usage. As you reduce your idling or simply schedule service off the actual "working" meter, you extend the P.M. interval and decrease the number required. Taking the example above, if you ran your service strictly off the true "working" meter then you would completely remove every fourth PM - and its associated costs.
Reduced service and repair costs of 15-40%: Using a wireless monitoring system provides a proactive service scheduling function (a report showing what is coming due) as well as a reminder if an asset is not serviced on time, thus preventing any from falling through the cracks. The result is fewer failures and thus less repair costs and equipment downtime.
Insurance savings of 20%-60%. Most wireless asset monitoring systems also double as theft protection systems with such features as nightly curfews, real time theft alerts, immobilization techniques, remote disable, geofences, etc. Ask your insurer what break they will give you for theft protection. If they can't justify it, then be sure to remind them that there is at least one underwriter out there offering at least 25% discounts on premium and a $10,000 theft deductible to contractors who invest in this technology
More bids, profitably. Armed with the real utilization information from previous jobs, your estimators will now map that to future bids. Rather than estimating, they are using actual numbers from identical work to make their bids more competitive and profitable.
Too good to be true? Consider the case of a customer coming up on their one year anniversary with our technology, having installed nearly 500 units on their equipment fleet a year ago. That investment has yielded a savings in excess of $3 million within 10 months from the exact same items discussed above, exponentially outweighing the cost to deploy. The investment today has paid for itself in the short term, and they are poised to be even more efficient and competitive as the economy turns around.
How to shop for and evaluate a wireless monitoring provider:
A quick Internet search for "construction equipment monitoring" or "equipment monitoring system" turns up dozens of results, so how do you select the right one for you? Here are some important factors to consider:
- Provider background and support. Scary but true: consider that the ICUEE tradeshow in 2007 had 12 vendors selling this technology and ICUEE 2011 had only 3. Now more than ever, make sure your provider has been in this business for years and has the capacity to support you through the product's life. Is the product and company proven or are you one of the initial guinea pigs? Are you buying from the OEM, dealer, reseller or another channel? Always be sure to identify where technical support and/or training will come from, and if there is an additional charge for those functions.
- Hidden Costs. The transponder unit will run between $300-$1200 USD and quantity discounts are often available. The monthly communication should be between $10-$40 per unit per month. Some manufacturers will levy an activation fee, annual maintenance fee, multiple user fee and/or software license fee so be sure to ask about these at the start.
- Long-term contract. Most providers require an airtime contract extending from anywhere between one to five years, similar to a mobile phone agreement. There are a few "no contract" manufacturers who bill month to month, giving you the option to stop service at any time.
- Automated delivery of reports. Most of the savings detailed in this article result from evaluation of activity reports, does this mean you need to log on and run these reports daily, weekly, monthly, etc or can you automate this process? A few systems empower you to setup delivery intervals and designate the person(s) to receive it as well as the time i.e. at 6 am Monday morning the shop superintendent will get the upcoming service report in his email inbox.
- Fleet coverage: Even if you don't plan to track both your trucks and equipment initially, does the provider offer an integrated system for both? You may start with your equipment and find truck tracking to be a logical next step. Will the same vendor provide both systems or will you be using one vendor for equipment tracking and another for your on road assets?
The Android mobile operating system is generally perceived to be for the mass market, while the niche segment is more inclined towards other ecosystems such as iPhone and the Windows mobile system. While it is true that these systems provide exclusivity and certain extremely useful applications, there are several apps on the Android platform that can be very useful for business professionals. In fact, there are several organizations that are migrating to Android for all official purposes. Here, we take a look at the most important business-oriented apps available on the Android app store:
Microsoft Office 365: One of the major assets of any organization is the entire Microsoft Office suite. While it was only available with Windows phone till date, Microsoft has now released an app that can be used to read and write documents on applications like Word, Excel and Powerpoint. In fact, other applications such as Link, Outlook, OneNote can also be used as part of the Office 365 suite. However, one needs to subscribe to the cloud-based Office 365 service, which lets the user integrate with their Office suite on other systems such as desktops and tablets.
Google Services: There are several services offered by Google that are used by organizations worldwide. Services such as Gmail, Hangouts, Calendar and Docs are the most popular among enterprises, and all these services are available as apps on the Android phone. Google has meticulously integrated the services so that the transition from the web and desktop version to the mobile app is seamless for the user.
Cloud storage services: Cloud-based storage services such as Google Drive, Microsoft SkyDrive and Dropbox are extremely popular among enterprises for securely storing documents and other artefacts. These services also provide a corresponding Android app, which lets users access their personal storage drives on the go. It is extremely useful when business users are on the go, and need access to their official documents even when they are not connected to a system.
Team Viewer: Team Viewer is one of the most popular and useful app for remote connectivity. It has a corresponding desktop version for operating systems like Microsoft Windows, and one can take remote of any system right from their cell phone. This is extremely useful when someone needs to access their desktop or laptop from a different physical location. Apart from the remote access, this app provides simplified features to transfer files and control the remote system effectively.
Microsoft Office 365: One of the major assets of any organization is the entire Microsoft Office suite. While it was only available with Windows phone till date, Microsoft has now released an app that can be used to read and write documents on applications like Word, Excel and Powerpoint. In fact, other applications such as Link, Outlook, OneNote can also be used as part of the Office 365 suite. However, one needs to subscribe to the cloud-based Office 365 service, which lets the user integrate with their Office suite on other systems such as desktops and tablets.
Google Services: There are several services offered by Google that are used by organizations worldwide. Services such as Gmail, Hangouts, Calendar and Docs are the most popular among enterprises, and all these services are available as apps on the Android phone. Google has meticulously integrated the services so that the transition from the web and desktop version to the mobile app is seamless for the user.
Cloud storage services: Cloud-based storage services such as Google Drive, Microsoft SkyDrive and Dropbox are extremely popular among enterprises for securely storing documents and other artefacts. These services also provide a corresponding Android app, which lets users access their personal storage drives on the go. It is extremely useful when business users are on the go, and need access to their official documents even when they are not connected to a system.
Team Viewer: Team Viewer is one of the most popular and useful app for remote connectivity. It has a corresponding desktop version for operating systems like Microsoft Windows, and one can take remote of any system right from their cell phone. This is extremely useful when someone needs to access their desktop or laptop from a different physical location. Apart from the remote access, this app provides simplified features to transfer files and control the remote system effectively.
iOS 6 is considered as one of the best operating systems for some good reasons. Making a place for oneself in such a competitive market is not a cake walk. Let's have a glance at the most exciting features of iOS 6.
Share Photo Stream
One of the most admired features in iOS 6 is the shared photo streams, which allow users to share sets of photos with friends through iCloud. The procedure is quite simple. Users just have to select the photos to be shared, tap the share button and select the recipients. The iOS 6 will take care of the rest. The albums of Shared Photo Streams can throw photos automatically to other iOS 6 devices. Those albums can also be viewed on Apple TV or the internet. Also the users are allowed to comment on any individual photo shared via this feature.
Facebook
The integration of Facebook throughout the entire iOS has made sharing easier than ever. You can share photos to Facebook directly from your camera or photos. Also you are allowed to post your location just from the map. Birthdays and events will be showing right in the calendar and the contact details of your Facebook friends will be integrated into your phonebook.
Passbook
This new app from Apple is an easy way to store all your passes in just one place. You can keep your tickets, boarding passes, movie tickets, store card apps like Starbucks etc. and can organize them conveniently. And when you reach the location where you require any of the stored passes, iOS can sense and provide the pass through a pop up on your locked screen. The best thing is that the cards are live, i.e. if your gate changes when you are at the airport, the passbook updates according to the change automatically.
Maps
This version of iOS features a new Maps app which is integrated with vector-based map elements. It makes the graphics and text smooth. It also makes it easy to pan, tilt and zoom. It's now equipped with turn-by-turn navigation which can guide you to the destination with spoken directions. The never before Flyover feature offers realistic interactive 3D views. It provides real time traffic updates which make you determine the duration of your travel and also suggest you alternate routes which can save your time.
Enhanced Siri
Siri in iPhone 4S allows users to use their voice for sending messages, scheduling meetings, placing phone calls and so forth. But the new enhanced Siri in iOS 6 offers a lot more than that. It can now provide score of a game, player stats, restaurant info, movie info etc. Besides, users can also make Siri launch apps.
These magnificent features of iOS 6 are making the whole world crazy about it and it's a very good opportunity for various businesses to launch iOS apps. iOS application development pays very good returns. It's a very good way to interact with clients. But for good results it's imperative for business owners to select a perfect iOS app development company.
Share Photo Stream
One of the most admired features in iOS 6 is the shared photo streams, which allow users to share sets of photos with friends through iCloud. The procedure is quite simple. Users just have to select the photos to be shared, tap the share button and select the recipients. The iOS 6 will take care of the rest. The albums of Shared Photo Streams can throw photos automatically to other iOS 6 devices. Those albums can also be viewed on Apple TV or the internet. Also the users are allowed to comment on any individual photo shared via this feature.
The integration of Facebook throughout the entire iOS has made sharing easier than ever. You can share photos to Facebook directly from your camera or photos. Also you are allowed to post your location just from the map. Birthdays and events will be showing right in the calendar and the contact details of your Facebook friends will be integrated into your phonebook.
Passbook
This new app from Apple is an easy way to store all your passes in just one place. You can keep your tickets, boarding passes, movie tickets, store card apps like Starbucks etc. and can organize them conveniently. And when you reach the location where you require any of the stored passes, iOS can sense and provide the pass through a pop up on your locked screen. The best thing is that the cards are live, i.e. if your gate changes when you are at the airport, the passbook updates according to the change automatically.
Maps
This version of iOS features a new Maps app which is integrated with vector-based map elements. It makes the graphics and text smooth. It also makes it easy to pan, tilt and zoom. It's now equipped with turn-by-turn navigation which can guide you to the destination with spoken directions. The never before Flyover feature offers realistic interactive 3D views. It provides real time traffic updates which make you determine the duration of your travel and also suggest you alternate routes which can save your time.
Enhanced Siri
Siri in iPhone 4S allows users to use their voice for sending messages, scheduling meetings, placing phone calls and so forth. But the new enhanced Siri in iOS 6 offers a lot more than that. It can now provide score of a game, player stats, restaurant info, movie info etc. Besides, users can also make Siri launch apps.
These magnificent features of iOS 6 are making the whole world crazy about it and it's a very good opportunity for various businesses to launch iOS apps. iOS application development pays very good returns. It's a very good way to interact with clients. But for good results it's imperative for business owners to select a perfect iOS app development company.
You've spent hours working on a report, and then your Word document just disappeared from the screen! Your computer crashed, some arcane error forced Word to close, or you've just unwittingly closed a document before clicking a save button.
The lesson to save early and often is learned the hard way, but what now?
Don't despair yet! There are some things to try before accepting the data loss. In most cases, the lost document can be fully or partially recovered.
If you're lucky, Windows may have automatically saved your file. When you start Word program the next time, see if there are any recovered documents, so called AutoRecovery files, in the Document Recovery pane.
AutoRecovery is a feature that performs an emergency backup of open documents when an error occurs. By default, AutoRecovery is set to ten minutes: that means that Word will automatically save a backup of your open document every ten minutes. You can change that interval by going to File - Options - Save. You can also select the option to keep the last saved autoversion if you close without saving.
Even when the AutoRecovery option was not selected, you could try to force Word to recover the document. Click Open, select the document, click the down arrow and then click Open and Repair. If the document was closed normally, AutoRecovery will not kick in, and no auto recovery files will be saved.
You may be able to bring back the document draft. It is a little known fact that the drafts in all applications within MS Office are saved automatically. After the crash, when opening a new Word document, go to File - Info - Manage versions. If there are previous versions of the file you've lost, you will be able to recover it by clicking the dropdown menu and selecting the option Recover Unsaved Documents. The program will open the location where you can browse recent copies of unsaved files. Word saves copies of unsaved documents for four days before the program deletes them.
To recover your document, select the draft, open it as a new document in the Word and this time save it properly. If a document is corrupted, you can try to open it with the Open and Repair option.
If neither of these recovery method worked for you, try searching for your lost document in the temporary files.
Microsoft doesn't provide a way to recover files that have been emptied from the Recycle bin. In those cases, you will have to use third-party tools to recover deleted documents.
Sometimes, none of these methods work. You will need a data recovery software that offers a word recovery option.
The lesson to save early and often is learned the hard way, but what now?
Don't despair yet! There are some things to try before accepting the data loss. In most cases, the lost document can be fully or partially recovered.
If you're lucky, Windows may have automatically saved your file. When you start Word program the next time, see if there are any recovered documents, so called AutoRecovery files, in the Document Recovery pane.
AutoRecovery is a feature that performs an emergency backup of open documents when an error occurs. By default, AutoRecovery is set to ten minutes: that means that Word will automatically save a backup of your open document every ten minutes. You can change that interval by going to File - Options - Save. You can also select the option to keep the last saved autoversion if you close without saving.
Even when the AutoRecovery option was not selected, you could try to force Word to recover the document. Click Open, select the document, click the down arrow and then click Open and Repair. If the document was closed normally, AutoRecovery will not kick in, and no auto recovery files will be saved.
You may be able to bring back the document draft. It is a little known fact that the drafts in all applications within MS Office are saved automatically. After the crash, when opening a new Word document, go to File - Info - Manage versions. If there are previous versions of the file you've lost, you will be able to recover it by clicking the dropdown menu and selecting the option Recover Unsaved Documents. The program will open the location where you can browse recent copies of unsaved files. Word saves copies of unsaved documents for four days before the program deletes them.
To recover your document, select the draft, open it as a new document in the Word and this time save it properly. If a document is corrupted, you can try to open it with the Open and Repair option.
If neither of these recovery method worked for you, try searching for your lost document in the temporary files.
Microsoft doesn't provide a way to recover files that have been emptied from the Recycle bin. In those cases, you will have to use third-party tools to recover deleted documents.
Sometimes, none of these methods work. You will need a data recovery software that offers a word recovery option.
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