Kevin Nouse
Articles by Kevin Nouse
5 Upcoming Digital Marketing Conferences Of 2016 Every Digital Marketer Should Know About
With the "digital" quotient defining the modern marketing campaigns in full bloom, every marketer must look forward to hone up his or her skills in the virtual marketing arena. The catch is that digital marketing shows an extremely dynamic field with algorithms and trends continuously evolving. It calls for a lifelong process of consistent learning and as a digital marketer myself, I find the digital marketing conferences really enriching and educating. The contemporary marketing space today witnesses a rising surge of such conferences worldwide which, apart from education on latest trends- extends excellent networking opportunities with the big shots. 2016 kick started with a number of digital marketing conferences since the early quarter and there are many more to come in the coming 6 months. MobileBeat, San Francisco, (July 12 &13) With smartphones steadily claiming their dominance in the digital era, it seems the perfect time for the marketers to explore the possibilities of mobile marketing. To be hosted at Silicon Valley, the premier mobile digital marketing conference would zero in on the contemporary huge shift towards messaging, AI and bots, all the big things that have added an extra dimension to customer engagement digitally. The speaker panel would include top executives from Google, Expedia, Airbnb, Zillow, Shopify, Slack, Kik and Staples. To leverage your online marketing efforts through the app-world, try to follow up with the event. Digital Summit Philadelphia, Philadelphia, August 23 & 24 Branded under the slogan "The Definitive Digital Marketing Gathering", the Digital Summit Philadelphia is surely one of the most speculated online marketing conferences this year. The 2-day event will focus on a wide range of digital marketing areas, including, content marketing strategies, SEO content optimization, analytics, emerging technologies, SMM, email marketing and so on. The speaker panel hosts some of the honchos from elite brands like Google, Adidas, Aol., Microsoft, Hulu, GoPro, Bitly etc. Mozcon, Seattle, September 12-14 Actionable forward-thinking sessions define this 3-day Seattle conference which will focus on SEO, community building, social media marketing, brand development, content marketing, analytics, CRO and much more. In tune with the latest smartphone-driven browsing trend, the conference has assured a section on the smartphone arena as well. From coming to smart data-driven marketing decisions to building loyal community for your brand, Mozcon would be discussing everything with high profile who's who from digital marketing gracing its speaker panel. Inbound, Boston, November 8-11 If you are looking forward to actively participate in a digital marketing conference for a better hands-on experience, I would personally suggest to try for Inbound. To be hosted in the early quarter of November this year at Boston, this conference will span 170+ training sessions and amazing workshop opportunities- much to the delight of aspiring digital marketers. Added to these, there would be 5 keynotes & loads of fun entertainment at night. With 14,000+ attendees, Inbound is no doubt one of the biggest digital marketing conferences of 2016. London Technology Week, London, June 20-26 The most recent one is the list is surely the London Technology Week which speaks on an exciting opportunity to hear the best digital marketing secrets from 20+ world-class speakers. To be headlined by UnGagged, Equinix, techUK, UKTI, Stack Overflow, Ford & Tech London Advocates, this digital marketing conference would highlight on all major aspects of online marketing- from digital disruption to cyber security to changing trends of CMO/CTO/CSO/CIO. These digital marketing conferences promise insights on next-level marketing mantras to leverage your promotional efforts across the fiercely competitive virtual scene. Besides, who can deny the immense potential of amazing networking with the top guns as offered by these events?
Top 5 Tips To Choose Best Online Backup Service
It's a data-driven world that we are living in now which calls for optimum protection of PC data- be it for business or personal use. However, sudden disk crashes can mean severe data loss and hence online backup services are the hero of the day now. These services will have a software installed in your PC or your Mac device that would scan all your files needed for backup. Then, the service would compress & encrypt your files & upload data to server farms with several redundant datacenters guarded by top military-grade security. The rising demand of online data backup assistance has led to the evolution of multiple virtual backup companies but then not all can be compatible for you. When it comes to choosing the right one, there are 5 most important factors you have to consider. Backup – scheduled or continuous? When it comes to choosing your online data backup service provider, first decide when do you want data backup. One can be the scheduled backup where you can set specific intervals on how often you would need the data backup service. The other one is continuous backup where the service company would be constantly watching over your files & back them up immediately as a change occurs. Some companies offer either of the two while the best ones extend a hybrid service including both scheduled & continuous backup. If you have some specific sensitive files that demand constant monitoring, you can apply for such a hybrid service. Supports all file formats This is one of the most important points when it comes to choosing your online data backup service provider. You have to check out beforehand that you're chosen online data backup service provider is flexible with all file formats. Easy data restoration When it comes to securing and restoring massive, say 100 GB data, you have to stay prepared for prolonged download. Now, what if suddenly the internet connection gets off? Thus, you have to ensure that your chosen online data backup service provider is ready to shift that magnum data into some external drive. When it comes to emergency data restoration, such an opportunity is priceless. Yes, it might mean $100 extra but then you would be saved from a daunting never-ending download time. 256-bit SSL security You have to make sure that your data backup service provider is able to help you with 256-bit SSL & data encryption security. I have found many backup service providers asking for additional fee for 256-bit SSL provision. Hence you must check out whether the advertised backup rate covers such high end security options or not. Trial plan It's great if your online backup service provider is ready to help with a trial service period free of charge before you invest your hard-earned money into the service plan. Finally, I always suggest getting an online backup comparison study between at least 4-5 potential service providers before investing on the final one. Don't forget to check their market reputation, ratings and what the previous customers have to say about them.
Advantages Of Hiring An SEO For Your Business
SEO is the new age internet ninja that will surely boost your business. There are so many advantages that an SEO has to offer specially for the small businesses. Aspects like search engine optimization has become a very important for digital marketing campaigns. It will help to highlight your business in front of potential consumer, in a very appropriate ways. Here we will discuss some of the benefits that you will get by hiring an SEO for your business. Let's start getting familiar with Search Engine optimization first. What is SEO? The internet is made of up of words. There are billions of words, which a search engine goes through to bring you the best suited result. The purpose of any search conducted on any search engine is to answer questions. The search engine will then rank all the related pages and present you with the results. It is a proven fact that links ranking higher on the page get more clicks. These clicks mean more money and business. To improve your business, you should be able to get business ranked at the top of the result page. This is where the role of an SEO comes in. The professionals will insert keywords in your website text such that search engine will rank your page higher than the others. If they find the information provided on the links useful, they will also provide your webpage links on their websites and this will in turn help to generate more clicks and more revenue. Benefits of SEO No need to allocate a separate budget for advertisement When you hire an SEO firm, they will make sure that your links are rated high enough to generate user attention on any search engine. This spares you the cost of an advertisement to make your page rank higher. You also get rid of pay per click advertisement system, where you have to give a certain amount of money for every click. With an initial investment in an SEO, you can spare very long terms costs and also get consistent results. Your traffic will stop once you stop giving paid advertisement. An SEO will make sure that this never happens. Better, Faster, User-friendly website creation For businesses that have just landed into the internet space an SEO will not only create an elegant looking website, but also optimize it for various search engines. It is the end user that will ultimately approve or disapprove your website. SEO ensures that the content on the website is charming enough to keep users coming back for more. New customers and higher growth The main reason for building a website is to be able to attract more customers. An SEO will ensure that your page is ranked higher on the search results, thus bringing potential customers directly to your website. This means more customers and faster growth rate. Increasing your brand credibility Pages that are ranked higher in Google search results create a sense of credibility. If you are able to create a top spot for Google search, you can surely be "the guy". Your competition will always lag behind and you can build your brand value as well as credibility. Millions of websites on the internet, SEO makes you 'special' SEO can truly help your website to stand apart from your competition and make your website special. 60% of the clicks go to the link appearing on the first result search page. If your SEO does the job right, you can easily have almost 50% of the potential users coming to your website. Get access to precious customer data It may not seem relevant in the start, but being ranked higher in the Google search results will give you access to precious user data. You can analyse the user behavior on a particular section and customize your website, according to that experience. You can even sell that data to websites looking for data results. Choosing a professional service to provide customized content is the best way to ensure that you have consistent traffic on your website. It will boost your clicks and also help your business to generate more revenue. It also comes in with intangible benefits of creating a credible brand name and brand value.
Why Technology Is A BIG Deal In Auto Enrolment Staging?
Rolled out in 2012, auto enrolment is a must for employers in UK now to ensure handy pension savings for their employees. The saving scheme has shown a steady momentum with around 45,000 firms staging for auto enrolment in 2015 and the number has upped to a whopping 110,000 in the first quarter of this year. However, it's just 3% of UK staging for automatic enrolment and many more are still to establish the needed compliance to the pension savings scheme. Now, why the gap? Well, compliance to this new pension regulation implies a good deal of hard work for the employers which they are often reluctant to take up. This is where technology would be a BIG help. Automatic enrolment platforms Looking at the huge volume of admin & data requirements regarding auto enrolment compliance on the part of the employers, a good lot of tech companies have come up with automatic enrolment platforms. These technology-driven solutions are termed as "middleware"- the link which sits between HR of the employer & payroll systems & provider of pension scheme. The auto enrolment software will remove manual work for the employers, easing the staging process for them, which will further lead to more active staging from the UK employers. Most companies would usually require a simple auto enrolment solution that they will plug in & play, sans any complexity. In fact, it can be said that technology is a winner in auto enrolment staging and management as it simplifies the whole task in little time & at low cost. How technology will help to speed up auto enrolment Those planning to manage auto enrolment manually have a huge lot of hard work ahead- Pension Regulator's Guidance includes 11 chapters, nineteen appendixes as well as 397 pages. If planned to go manually, comprehending & implementing such complexity is HUGE. Prepare the entire business for the scheme manually which will itself include a large number of tasks such as cost calculation, getting HR system & payroll ready and so on. They would have to manually assess each employee for auto enrolment. They would have to draft & send the related mandatory communications to all employees individually on proper time. Manage all outputs & maintain records of every key information Why technology would be bliss In simple words, technology will tackle the heavy lifting in auto enrolment. Built by pension experts, the auto enrolment platforms will automate most of the complicated tasks in the process. It will ease the cost calculation process and simplify the business preparation for auto enrolment so that the process does not disturb your regular business activities. Would assess the entire workforce automatically in seconds and would also automate the communications Would automatically store the records or each key information. "Around 76% of companies setting workplace pension reported of extra administration work & around 45% are contemplating changing their auto enrolment management in near future. Given such painful experiences, we have come up with our auto enrolment platform that would simplify the whole deal for the companies", stated Carl Robertson, the CEO of auto enrolment platform Smart Pension. Nearly 1.5 million small employers are looking forward to auto-enroll over the next couple of years. With technology backing them, they might cope better.
4 Cool Tech Wonders That All Are Waiting For In 2017
With the tech world progressing at a magnum pace, we, the gizmo fans, are all awaiting for some new gadget wonders the coming year. The amazing tech releases in 2016 such as humanoid Pepper robots, Oculus Rift and so on have further upped the bar for some more innovative and mindboggling innovations for 2017. The great news is that we would soon be witnessing some real cool gadgets next year. Samsung Galaxy S8 2017 would come up with a great line of amazing state of the art smartphones and Samsung Galaxy S8 is one of the best names here. The new phone would be sporting a fantastic 5.2" Super AMOLED screen display with at least 2K resolution, if not 4K. As per the sources, it would don an edgy Iris scanner, instead of fingerprint recognition that has been doing the rounds for some time now. Then, yes, S8 would be way faster & more secured compared to the current Galaxy models. A classy all-metal design would further accentuate the oomph factor of the phone. You can expect at least 32 GB internal memory and 6GB RAM, surpassing the present phones today. Chevy's EV Yes, the news of electronic vehicles is nothing new for us but till now those are only for the billionaires and business tycoons. However, all that is to change next year as Chevy has declared to launch its EV with a budgeted price tag that would make electric vehicles a real possibility for commoners like us as well. The new 2017 EV from Chevy would run 200 miles/charge & its quick charging tech will let you have as much as 80% charge within 45 minutes only. Microsoft HoloLens How about you put on a headset and you have a cute CG bird chirping right on your TV when it's actually not there at all? Cool, right? Well, Microsoft HoloLens is all about such amazing wonders that will sweep you into an awesome 3D world which was only possible in Sci-fi movies till date. It comes with a headset with 2 concentric circles & 2 lenses backed by rainbow light. As one looks through the lenses, he will have additional objects appearing around that do not even exist in his current reality. LG G6 LG has already won hearts with its G4 & G5 and it's all set to introduce another round of amazement with the release of G6 the coming year. The most awesome aspect of the phone lies in its advanced wirefree charging module which LG announced after launching its G5 some time back. The edgy charging module is able to amp up the smartphone's battery up till as much as 50 percent in just 30 minutes. Besides, according to speculations, LG G6 would be coming up with an improved 5.6" screen display with 4K resolution- it's surely going to be your next-gen smartphone in 2017. According to experts, LG would definitely get octa-core processor to support such cutting edge technologies arming up the phone. 5GB RAM is also expected for the much awaited G6. Although its price is expected to be high, as long as you have your eyes on the online deals and promotions at UK's popular website Voucehrs-UK, you will still be able to get a good price on these gadgets. Winding up 2017 seems to be quite a promising year for tech enthusiasts and gadget lovers. If you are looking for new innovations and out-of-the box, the coming year would be the time for you.
Top 6 Technology Trends Shaping Up Digital Marketing In 2016
Technology has always been a guardian angel to marketing activities and the contemporary digital marketing scene itself is a cutting edge by-product of technological advancements in the modern era. From website developments to realization of mobile apps to dominance of search engines over the web world- several technological aspects have shaped up the avenue of digital marketing over time. The year 2016 dawned with the arrival of further technological advancements and trends which are playing quite a role in the contemporary digital marketing activities. Here goes a sneak-peek into the technological trends that are dominating online marketing this year. Rising importance of Big data analytics With almost everybody taking to the web for almost every activity, ranging from communication to shopping to education to watching movies to tuning into favorite tracks, the online space is overwhelmed with Big Data. No wonder, the smart digital marketers are increasingly taking to Big Data analytics to gather information about target niche that help them to predict the actions and expectations of their potential audience. The reliance on Big Data for digital marketing gained momentum last year and 2016 is only furthering the trend for better. The development of new and smarter search filters that remove content clutter on web has even refined the process of Big Data analysis for virtual marketing activities. Around 65% of digital marketers today have agreed on the importance of this analytics in ensuring a competitive edge across the market. Mobile optimization of websites In the words of Ehab Heikal, the owner of leading Egyptian web development company Elmotaheda - "with mobile traffic overtaking desktop traffic on a large scale, we advise all our clients to go for responsive websites so that their business platforms can be viewed easily from the small screened devices as well." The whole online world is increasingly getting "smart" where people are taking to browsing activities even while on the go which only makes it mandatory to optimize websites for mobile devices. Google has already announced that the mobile traffic has finally scored over the desktop traffic niche in 10 countries. Dedicated app adoption This point is in close connection with the point mentioned above. Yes, the trend of responsive websites has started to gain momentum but 2016 also shows increasing inclination to dedicated apps for individual businesses, keeping in mind the growth of "smartphone" crowd. And why not? After all, the apps are able to do everything viable with websites and that too in more convenient, intuitive & accessible ways. No, apps have not completely replaced the big websites but the businesses are developing the app versions alongside websites to ensure an easier reach to the masses. The whole idea of marketing is to assure a faster and effective reach to the target niche and apps are a great channel here. Virtual reality gaining ground Virtual Reality is certainly one of the most important buzzword in 2016 tech scene, especially given the release of Oculus Rift and VR is playing an important role in contemporary digital marketing sphere as well. It has led to the evolution of a new channel of digital advertising, with its integration to major social networking portals, video channels as well as direct messaging. The bottom-line of any marketing campaign is to make the channel engaging and pulling for the users and Virtual Reality is a refreshing take on that. Podcast ads With around 46 million Americans listening to podcasts a month, the podcast series programs have come up as a potential ground for digital marketing, assuring a wider exposure for the companies given such a huge audience. Big shots like Casper and Squarespace have already taken to podcast ads to promote their marketing messages and many other companies are following suit. Optimization for digital assistants "Yes, SEO is always important but given the rise of digital assistants such as Siri or Cortana, today I am suggesting my clients to optimize websites for digital assistants", remarked Victor Smushkevich, the CEO of Los Angeles SEO company Smart Street Media. The smartphone users are constantly taking to these digital assistants for information while browsing online from their phones and hence the businesses are readily optimizing their data for these digital assistants so that they can stay visible to the great chunk of mobile traffic. 2016 has already reached to its mid quarter and we can expect a steady continuation of these trends in digital marketing for the following half as well.
6 Tips To Tech-Up Your Home Security
Do you know that the US leads the rank when it comes to home burglaries? Yes, it's true, as per the studies, around 4 burglaries take place every minute here which comes to 1 per 15 seconds! That's disturbing enough and the cops might be trying hard to lower the statistics, we, as the homeowners, have to share some responsibilities as well. The good thing is that the technological advancements today have come up with excellent tools to boost up the level of security in homes. Here are 6 tips to tech-up your home security to ensure a robust protection for your property and your family as well. Wireless alarms Security alarms have been doing their rounds for quite some time now but the wired options are easy for the burglars to cut off while forcing their entry into properties. This has led to the development of wireless alarms where you have no risks of getting the alarm wire cut by the burglars. Here you have trigger devices mounted on windows & doors & they would communicate with central control panel when they sense some action. These alarms are based on micro-electronics. Body heat & motion detector These devices are designed to detect body heat & motion and based on that detection will signal your alarm control panel to warn you about unwanted movements in your home. Don't worry, as these systems are intelligent enough to detect even slow walking inside the property and can even sense the body heat if the burglars are walking with their body covered. Thanks to their mini size, these detectors can stay concealed easily in your property. Fingerprint scanners Inspired by the science fiction movies, the tech world today has brought fingerprint scanners for our homes as well. You will be able to operate with tablet or smartphone. Total home automation There are total home automation solutions today that will enable one to control the locks, thermostat, lights as well as security cameras from tablet or smartphone. The best bit is that one does not even need to be at his house to do that. Furnace/leak failure detection When it comes to home security, burglars are not the only one who vandalize your property. Sudden leaks or furnace failures too can do much to damage your dream home and hence you must be careful to protect your haven from them as well. Thus, you have technologically advanced home security solutions today that are equipped to detect the furnace failures or sudden leaks & such other household problems. Once they sense anything wrong with these systems, you would be alarmed immediately so that the emergency steps can be taken on time – preventing damage for the property from frozen pipes, water leakage or such expensive troubles. Home security apps It's a "smart" world today where almost everything from travel to education to health is driven by apps and no wonder; we would have apps for home security as well. According to an article from Devcon Home Security Blog, there is a bevy of iPhone and Android security apps today that can help you in several ways. These apps can activate & disarm the alarm system; show access report data for nominated areas like doors or windows; monitor the video cameras & watch recorded or live clips; control lights, locks & thermostats and so much more. Winding up The tech world has done wonders to enhance the home security scene. Gear up to take advantage of such wonders to ensure a solid combat against the home burglars.
Vevo integrates With Spotify, YouTube & Twitter for Personalized Music Feeds
Music video honcho Vevo is grabbing the headlines recently with its latest personalized music apps that are set to ensure an all new experience for the users through personalized music feeds. It is to help the users stay updated about favorite artists & their releases always. Further, Vevo has taken another innovative step and integrated with Spotify, YouTube & Twitter which will allow users to log in to any of these accounts with Vevo's app & the application will automatically find out artists "liked" by the user on these platforms to support the personalized recommendations. Originally, the new apps from Vevo had the users asking to select their favorite artists as they signed up with the applications. It enabled the app to create "Spotlight" feed including videos and playlists customized to particular tastes and users. But now, Vevo has realized that it does not need to go through such an elaborate process for personalized music feeds when the data is already accessible from the popular social networks. The recent integration would help the Vevo apps to import user-preference data automatically from YouTube, Twitter & Spotify- that would be further channeled to come up with a smarter music feed, quicker than manually-entered selections. The more the users would use the new Vevo apps & their social networking accounts, better and more refined would be the personalized feed as then the app would have more data on user's like and preferences in the music scene. It seems that Vevo is lately on a mission to redefine user experience for better. Despite its immense popularity, almost all Vevo users have a common complaint of interrupting advertisements. But new Vevo CEO Erik Huggers has recently revealed their plans of a paid Vevo subscription service at a low price point that would be completely free of ads. He promised the launch by the end of this year. Vevo's new apps are available for both Android and iOS platforms.
These 7 Tips Would Help You To Prep Up Your Gadgets As You Travel
An indispensable aspect of everyday life, gadgets are impossible to part with even when we are travelling. This is not only true for techies like me but for even those who are not that tech-concerned. My sister will anyday choose a paperback over Kindle edition when it comes to a good read but even she can't imagine her life without her tablet or mobile. You need your gadgets even more while you are traveling to update your status to your family members, to stay in touch with office and to access the apps for navigating through the foreign lanes. But before you board your flight, you should prep up your regular gadgets for a worry-free travel. Back up your data You must be traveling with your laptop where you store your everyday data and just imagine the disaster in case unfortunately something happens to it in the foreign land! Thus, it's smarter to get a backup for all the crucial data in your laptop, mobile or tablet before you board your flight. Switch off the automatic data There are 3G & 4G devices that tend to pick up the data automatically- regardless of your permission. Now, definitely, when you are abroad, the data prices would shoot up as per the standard rate of that country with you ending up with a hiked roaming bill as you reach home. But you can easily solve the problem by switching the automatic data off while you travel. Set your data limit Another great way to check the high data bill while traveling is to set restrictions on data limit usage. It will prevent you from getting overboard with your data budget. In case, you have to enhance the data limit in between your travel, you can anyday contact your service provider for an enhanced usage limit. Travel apps that run offline In this app-driven "smart" world, travel apps are a necessity for every traveler. But it's not possible to stay connected to internet always while you are holidaying. However, I have got hold of some excellent and truly functional travel apps for your mobile that even run offline. My 3 best recommendations would be- Maps.Me Maps are really important while you travel and this offline travel map app will offer details on all major tourist delights in your chosen location. Moreover, it offers data on practical spots as well such as pharmacies, street numbers, one-ways & public transit points. Tripit This is another good practical app that works offline and works as your dedicated P.A. with all your travel information ready- whenever you want it. It will take the user's email confirmation mails for flights, hotels, car rental & more and would turn all the data into an organized trip itinerary. Spotify Music is a must for any traveler and Spotify is my favorite music app whenever I am on holiday, courtesy its offline facility on premium account. The app will enable the user to save up till as many as 3,333 songs which you can happily tune in offline for a month. Portable Wi-Fi router No one can guarantee seamless internet access while traveling. Yes, free Wi-Fi is offered at large but the signals might not be strong always. Thus, I always travel with my portable Wi-Fi router so that I can stay connected to the internet whenever I want to, wherever I wish to. It's no less than a lifesaver when I have to check my urgent mails or need to catch up with an important client while in an alien land. Secure your gadgets Free Wi-Fi in your hotel or airport is no doubt cool but then again such facilities might creep in security issues for your mobile or tablet. The best way here is to arm up your gadgets with antivirus & security patches beforehand. You should also be careful about a robust password to thwart unwanted access to your devices. This will save you from data leakage and enormous roaming bills in case your phone unfortunately gets lost or stolen while you travel. "Use acronyms for your favorite places or songs for password. It should be of at least 8 characters packed with alpha-numeric combination & special characters", advised the director of operations from a leading cyber security firm. Case-up Traveling means lots of outdoor activities which can lead to sudden falls or splash on your gadgets. Get security cases and screen protectors for your devices to protect them during sudden drops and scratches. Invest in a good waterproof case, if you are on for a beach holiday. Gadgets handy during travel makes life really convenient but mishandling or unmindful usage can prove to be risky and pricey. These tips here are inspired from real-life experiences- some are learnt from my own mistakes while some are gathered from precautions suggested by my smart travel buddies. Wish you a happy & stress-free journey.
Top 5 Places To Shop Or Build Your Computer
Is your PC calling for latest upgrades? Well, whether you are about to upgrade your computer with state of the art upgrades or about to build up your new PC with smartest of assemblies, the first step here is to locate a reliable retailer. With computers gaining steady momentum as the most needed gizmo for any office and even home, there is no dearth of retailer for computers in the market. But the catch is that not all of them would be compatible for you. When it comes to me, I make sure to go through a thorough comparative study on the various retailers both online & offline and here I forward to you my 5 top places to build or shop for your computer. Micro Center With both land-based & extensive online outlets, Micro Center boasts everything from motherboard to CPUs to monitors to laptops or pre-built computers. Their great CPU deals (often hundreds lower than anywhere else on internet) that have made them highly popular among the consumers. The physical store of Micro Center is no less than a heaven for geeks with great systems you can play with, amazing gaming consoles – most importantly you can actually touch & check out the proposed gizmo that you are planning to invest in. And of course, Micro Center also hosts cables & tubes. The in-store staff team is greatly knowledgeable and is always ready to help you out with your buys, in case you need an expert suggestion. Newegg Newegg is one of my top favorites any day and that too for all the good reasons. A seasoned name in the market, Newegg is often the go-to portal for many when it comes to computer components & peripherals and I have heartily recommended the name to many. With a vast & diverse selection, the store has everything you would need for a robust computer build-up along with the adequate tools as well as a fast & affordable shipping. Moreover, Newegg comes up with smart comparison tools to help you in taking informed purchase decisions. Another reason why I like Newegg is the newegg coupon code that offers massive discounts frequently. Discounts range from 40% off with free shipping on tablets & computers while there are coupons with as much as 50% off as well. NCIX Often dubbed as "Canada's Newegg", NCIX caters to both US & Canadian buyers & hailed widely for its vast and versatile assortment of high quality computer components- and that too at highly competitive rates. Added to video cards, CPU or hard drives, the company has also come up with pre-built systems and different peripherals like monitors and mechanical keyboards too. What I like especially about the company is that even when it doesn't have best pricing on a certain item, it would match the price to its competitors. Moreover, NCIX even offers reward programs & newsletters packed with exclusive sales, rebates & rewards given just for a sign up. To ensure smart purchase decisions for customers, NCIX releases educational videos from time to time. Amazon No list of trusted retailers can be complete without the mention of Amazon which "sells everything", including computer components & parts. Most importantly, you are getting them at highly competitive rates. The benefits are more for Amazon Prime Members & they also enjoy free of charge shipping facilities on anything. The best part about taking to the site is that it stocks both common & obscure parts- and this one particular point alone will always keep Amazon over other retailers. With Amazon, you can be confident about getting the thing that you wish for your system. Besides, the company is very lenient on its return policy. TigerDirect Added to its brick & mortar stores, TigerDirect mostly conducts its transactions via its huge website. The good bit about this retailer is that it has never failed to impress me with its broad range of selections –whether I wanted parts for my new computer or for some home electronics. Besides, the company also assures a solid pricing rate. In fact, in some of the cases, you will find TigerDirect the lowest of prices and that too on some in-demand item.
Technology Is Redefining Travel Industry Today- And For The Better
Do you know the volume of people spending time abroad has increased to 4 percent in the recent years? You might be wondering what the push behind such a rise is. Is it a raise in office or more leaves? Well, the answer, quite simply, lies in the revolutionary technological advances that have been changing the way we see the world now – and the travel industry is definitely a big part of it. Yes, technology is redefining the travel industry today and that too for the better. If you ask me, thanks to such advancements, we are getting a versatile range of variables today which have made travels more convenient and more practical. The handy impacts of social media, mobile technology, cloud & analytics have led to huge transformative impacts in the treading route. Let's see how the technological advances are redefining the tourism sector. The in-home comfort I personally feel that it's the comfort of searching and organizing your entire travel right from your own den – which commands a huge impact in the growth of travel industry and rising popular inclination to tours. Thanks to the acceleration of internet technology, you can arrange the entire tour from your home and that too any time. Whether it's about booking a flight or cruise or bus or railway, finalizing your accommodation in a foreign land, booking the car rental services for an easy transport in an alien country or spotting the major tourist attractions for your travel itinerary- everything is more convenient due to the virtual assistance. You don't need to physically visit a travel agency today as you have sites like Priceline or Expedia to help you in booking your entire trip anytime from home. Easier access to compatible & affordable hotels Earlier, we had to settle with whatever accommodation we had before us since it was really difficult to shop around & compare hotel prices & availability. Such a situation had forced me & many of you to get overboard with the budget a number of times. But courtesy the new technological advances, there is a good number of hotel review and booking sites out there that allow us with a handy comparative study so that we can dig out the most compatible and affordable stay for us. "No wonder, 57 percent of the whole of travel reservations these days are made online and hotel reservations are accountable for 39 percent of total virtual travel revenues", stated Travel-Ticker. The hotel booking sites even enable the travelers to choose hotels as per different criteria. The bliss of Virtual Reality When it comes to the biggest thing in technological advancements this year, it's Virtual Reality headset that tops the list and it holds huge influence in the travel sector as well. Honchos from the travel scene such as Qantas Airways or Thomas Cook have already opted for VR experience which can bring aspiring tourists nearer to adventure. The VR headsets come with a revolutionary forward-facing camera which merges the physical and virtual world together creating a never-seen-before experience. The headset would not only enable you a tour across major landmarks as they are now but also will time-travel you to centuries back offering a glimpse of those attractions hundreds of years ago. Apps helping travelers on the go If the discussion is about technology redefining the travel sector, it would be unethical not to bring in the mobile apps. With the whole world suddenly getting "smart" today, the developers have come up with a bevy of apps that could be your travel aide on the go. There are hotel apps offering selection of different tours & recommendations on local hotspots for dining or shopping or clubbing. Some of the most advanced apps guide with tours voiced by various celeb guides for a unique travel experience. Major travel companies such as Airbnb reports of receiving 25% of traffic through mobile & expects a major rise in the proportion anytime soon. The most happening trends when it comes to the travel mobile apps include- cross-device services & marketing, innovative image features, personalized algorithm-driven localized search results as well as integration of travel data into the augmented reality applications & wearables. Cloud enablement The cloud facility allows new modes of interaction between organization & individuals which helps with the growth of cross-portal data analytics. Examples include on-demand cross platform content & computing activities without boundaries. Better consumer insights through big data analytics Advanced analytics drawn from big data derived from massive social networking activities help the companies in travel sector to gain descriptive & predictive insights about consumer behavior & expectations from them. This has made easier for such companies to mould their services according to specific customer wants, making the travel world more popular among aspiring tourists. Winding up For me, a techie by passion & a traveler by heart, one of the most remarkable news this year was the endeavors towards a futuristic robot who could be your expert travel companion. Just imagine how cool would it be to have a robot acting as your tour and transport guide!!
Hopper 3 Redefines the DISH experience with Futuristic Upgrades
DISH had already created uproar with its revolutionary auto-hop enabled Hopper DVR three years back and it seems that the company is making huge waves once again, courtesy the futuristic DISH Hopper 3. Crowned with the glory of "whole-home DVR", the next-gen DISH Hopper 3 promises all the goodies- that the subscribers have long been waiting for. Armed with all the best bits of the previous DISH Hoppers and some serious upgradations, the latest Hopper version redefines the Dish experience, transcending the TV experience to a whole new level. Where does it score over the previous Hoppers? Well, Hopper 3 has been introduced with a good number of upgradations but if you ask me, the most crucial improvement is the enhancement from 8 to 16 tuners which means more TV & less conflict. Unlike the previous ones that were just limited to 8 shows, the latest one would allow the users to watch & record up till 16 films, sitcoms, games & more simultaneously. No more fighting with your family members over the conflicting program time slots. Added to it, I loved the advanced Mosaic feature of the new Hopper that allows one to watch & customize 6 channels just at once. And yes, Hopper 3 is anyday faster and slimmer compared to previous versions. So, what's new with Hopper 3? 16 tuners - that allows recording up to 16 shows. 4K video - With demand for 4K TV reaching an all time high this year, Hopper 3 seems even more relevant with its upgraded ability to decode & output advanced 4K video. It is powered with a grand selection of amazing 4K programming that includes Sony Pictures titles and would soon allow Netflix content. Improved interface - Hopper 3 assures a revamped interface that is more intuitive with enhanced navigation & layout as well as predictive searches across channels & apps. I was amazed with its facility to search for particular topics like "Oscar-winning films" or "films with Will Smith". Supports 7 TVs - The latest Hopper supports up till 6 Joeys at once, powering as many as 7 TVs simultaneously. It's friendly with standard, wireless & 4K Joey. More powerful processor - Hopper 3 has been armed with BCM7445 Broadcom ARM quad-core chip that runs at grand 1.5 Giga Hertz. You definitely need something really robust to support all such magnanimous functionalities mentioned above. New Remote - The new Voice Hopper Remote is fun to use courtesy its next-gen state of the art voice recognition backup. Along with a glam illuminated touchpad, this remote is the chief control engine here. The Coming soons- Sports-bar mode (4K) that assures multi-channel view diving your TV screen in 4 parts. Netflix app - With Netflix app, Hopper 3 would soon integrate Netflix titles to search results. In the words of Dish chief technology official and executive VP Vivek Khemka -"The new Hopper is the advanced-most DVR system in the whole wide world. Designed with the industry firsts, it's aimed to serve the users with innovative aspects that they cherished in previous Hoppers, whilst additionally rendering the ultimate & conflict-free TV entertainment experience." We can't agree more.
Top 9 Investing Apps To Make Investing Easier For You
When it comes to making money, investing is a sought after avenue. However, investing is quite a serious affair and involves in-depth calculations and a thorough study of the market ups and downs. The good news is that today you have got a wide array of investing apps for you which will help you in making better investment decisions on the go. The post below highlights on the top 9 investing apps that are worth checking for. Betterment The Betterment app takes to screenshots to offer reports on the account balances & overall performance of your investments. You would simply have to build your online profile here through some simple questions such as your investment goal or age & then the app would invest money for the user in diverse investment portfolio. Feedly As mentioned in the first paragraph, every investor should make it a point to keep himself or herself updated about the market trends to ensure an informed investment decision. Feedly would be your best ally here as it offers you the opportunity to look into several news outlets simultaneously. As a Feedly user, you would be able to follow different blogs, many news sites & other relevant portals online. Whether you want an individual read on each feed or need everything on a single giant feed- Feedly can do everything for you. Acorns The app here would enable you to invest money in tiny bits over time. This is good to ensure that you stay within your investment bankroll, eliminating the risks of getting overboard with the budget. The app simply takes spare change right from users everyday transactions & then allots them in different businesses & markets so that you can make good money easily. Say for example, you spend around $15.50, the app would lap up the remaining $0.50 & invest it somewhere. Forex Hero When it comes to investing in the big wide Forex zone, you should make yourself informed about the nitty gritty of the market as much as possible. What if you get to know everything in a game mode? Awesome, isn't it? Well, Forex Hero does the thing for you by offering you a fun stimulating game which is about making money through currency trading. Themed on basics of Forex & economics, the game enables you to enhance your know-how on the needed basics of the market in a playful mode. FRED Economic Data A favorite of the smart investors, this is another app that helps one to stay updated about the investment market. The app comes up with more than 40,000 lots of economic details from as many as 37 regional, international & national sources. Oh! That's certainly quite a lot! The app is known for its simple design & easy navigation facilities. Moreover, you would be able to create customized graphics as well. MyStocks MyStocks is a great app for those interested in investing in the stock markets. You will have here information on varied stock markets along with quotes, alerts, analyst ratings & historical data. The app comes with a full-on Material Design to ensure a good-looking & intuitive interface. The users here are further getting DashClock extensions, Android Wear backup & more. Tip'd Off As an investor, you would definitely feel like being in terms with other fellow investors around and Tip'd Off is the right app for you here. It's like your investment Facebook where you can be a part of investor community to share, exchange and obtain insightful information about the market and the trade. You will also get news feeds on others' trades & the app can connect you to important brokerages. SigFig Investment Optimizer SigFig helps you in a way both MyStocks and Acorns do. It helps you to check on the stock prices, track your investments or you can just allow the application to manage your investment portfolio for you. It carries a clean design & assures good deal of information for the users. Openfolio Somewhat like Tip'd Off, the app allows you to observe investment tactics of your fellow investors and also enables you to share your own portfolio.
Top 7 Tools for a Smart Virtual Office
With the digital world steadily claiming its blissful realm in almost every aspect of life and business, virtual office operations are getting more and more relevant today. As per the figures revealed by a recent survey, 62% of small business entrepreneurs, 55% of medium business owners and 69% of large corporations are inclined towards virtual operational facilities. While starting my own business a while ago, I discovered that you have some real skilled people scattered all over the globe & a virtual office enables you to tap those talents across the border, without any of us needed to cross the regional boundaries physically. However, managing the remote offices & employees call for an excellent set of smart tools. I am listing below the top 7 tools for a virtual office that would not only ensure a smart office management but would also assure the best impression of your office. Cloud Communication apps Easy communication is fundamental to a functional workplace and since I had most of my staff working remotely, I had to be extra cautious here. After a good discussion with seasoned virtual office experts, I came to know about some really useful cloud-based communication apps. These apps function like chat rooms assuring real-time communication with your employees (irrespective of their location) & also come up with in-built features especially designed for business. Employees log in to the app as they start working for the day, greet the colleagues & keep each other updated about their operations throughout the day, much like what happens in any land-based office where colleagues sit together. A few good options here would be Slack, Flowdock etc. Registered office address in London One of my main reasons to go virtual with my office was the rocketing rental fees for commercial space in London. But then again, to ensure a perfect corporate impression, one needs to have a registered office address in the city. In the words of Robert Carter, the new Business Manager of Your Virtual Office London – "A registered office address renders a credibility quotient to your company as consumers do not usually trust businesses without a registered office address. This is why, it's vital to have the registered address for your virtual office even when your employees work remotely." Collaboration tools You will often have a group of employees working together in one project but collaboration gets tough when they are not physically in the same place. However, not to worry as you have cloud collaboration tools today where your entire remote workforce would be able to check what other team members have done with the project and then proceed on accordingly. A few examples here would be Github, Evernote etc. Web conferencing aides Regular meetings and presentations are necessary to ensure successful office operation. But when you have your workers working remotely and you can't meet them physically for real-time face-to-face discussions, there are web conferencing aides to go for. In this case, you would have to download desktop sharing app in your computer & then you will send a specific relevant link to the meeting participants. As soon as they would click on your sent link, they would be able to join you in the live web conference for an easy face to face virtual discussion. Cloud storage programs In a typical office, your files are stored in your office shelves from where your employees working in-house can easily access the data. But what to do in a virtual office where you have employees scattered remotely? Well, you have the cloud storage programs today which will store your files online on cloud and assure their accession to your employees anytime, anywhere, irrespective of their location. Your chosen option must assure automatic data synchronization to guarantee most updated file versions. Besides, as experts suggested, I am always particular about encrypted solutions only for optimum security of my virtual files. Virtual call answering service Immediate response to your client calls is really important to ensure content clients. But in my virtual office, I saved myself from the huge cost of maintaining an in-house customer care team and rather opted for virtual call answering service. As the business owner yourself, you might not always be available for taking the calls but the virtual call answering companies will always have somebody dedicated to talk to your clients. Cloud online backup The cloud online backup tools would enable you to store contents of several computers on one single virtual account & assure updated backup for each employee through one single dashboard. Your hard drive might crash down but the cloud solution would assure complete security for your data, despite any hazard.
Top 5 Media Streamers of 2016
Internet video, undoubtedly one of the most preferred entertainment for the contemporary genre. If you too are a fan of internet content, media streamer is the thing for you. Now, what are media streamers? Well, you can define them as trendy set-top boxes designed to deliver internet & streaming content to your TV directly. Some of those can also deliver movie & music files saved in a computer or hard drive. It's to note here that media streamers can induce an advanced smart TV factor to a regular TV. Yes, the huge craze for media streamers have led to the mushroom growth of many such devices but the catch is that not all of them would be "the thing" for you. A compact comparative study is much needed to fish out the best media streamer for you. Thus, before you proceed to have your pick on media streamer, you should be careful about checking certain points. Your chosen one should carry a healthy reputation in the market Make sure the streamer you are going for is compatible with your favorite entertainment portals. For example, not all streamers support Hulu Plus or Pandora. If you want web browsing facilities, check out beforehand your streamer offers such convenience. Don't forget to check which files it supports and which ones it doesn't. Make sure you are handy with the controls of the streamer. If you want to use your multimedia library with the streamer, opt for the one which offers USB input that will support easy connection with hard drive. Finally, the streamer resolution must not be less than 720 p Here is a brief on the top 5 media streamers in 2016: Roku Streaming Stick With an outstanding rating of 4.5 stars on 5, Roku Streaming Stick is a current favorite of both experts and smart users when it comes to best media streamer. One of the most fascinating bits about the streamer is that it accommodates 500+ channels or apps and most importantly all of them are quality ones- such as BBC iPlayer, ITV Player, Spotify, Crackle, Now TV and so on, added to Netflix. There is a remote control that automatically connects to Streaming Stick while the user can even control the device via smartphone through Android or iOS app for convenient streaming of music, videos or photos from the device. It's light, portable and plugs into your TV. If you are having problems in plugging it into your TV, you can use extension cable. Google Chromecast 2 The Google Chromecast 2 receives applauds for its advanced Wi-Fi antenna. The previous Chromecast was just restricted to 11b/g/n single-band but the new one supports updated 11ac standard & dual-band (2.4 & 5GHz). It's quite an affordable option & offers amazing contents, mostly the biggies like Netflix, Blinkbox, BBC iPlayer, BT Sport, YouTube & Google Play Movies. A trendy feature, Fast Play, has been added in the upgraded version which assures 80% faster experience. It can predict what the user would be watching next & gets it all-ready in almost a flash. Isn't that really cool? Amazon Fire TV Stick It's another much appreciated streamers acknowledged widely with a great 4 star rating. The streamer not only offers Amazon's Prime Instant Video but also its major rival Netflix- along with other popular portals such as BBC iPlayer, YouTube & Demand 5. For music lovers, there is the facility to access Amazon Musix, Spotify, Muzu.TV, Ministry of Sound Radio & Musixmatch apps. You will be glad to know that the Amazon streamer has come up with a robust hardware, including 1 GB RAM, dual-core CPU, double-band 802.11n MIMO Wi-Fi. Thus, you are getting a pretty responsive option here which can even withstand fussiest of button pushes. Moreover, you will have instantaneous playback as the device can predict what the user is about to watch. Finally, the streamer accommodates Dolby Digital Plus so that you can enjoy decent audio. Apple TV With a powerful and sleek hardware, Apple TV occupies a premium place in the best list of streamers today. You are promised of optical audio output, complete 1080p output & Ethernet port in case you don't exactly prefer its 802.11n wireless. The device is compatible with Netflix, YouTube, Hulu Plus, AirPlay, iCloud & iTunes – which makes it amazing for iPhone or Mac users. The current users of Apple TV are especially happy with its flawless streaming. Finally, the streamer assures a breezy navigation thanks to its slender remote control while iPad/iPhone users can even enjoy a remote-control app for better control flexibility here. Sky Now TV Box If you want a great media streamer while staying on a tight budget, there cannot be a better option that the 2015 Sky Now TV Box. It assures easy accession to the versatile Sky entertainment, sport and movie programs without the user being a Sky-contract member. It's equipped with 11a/b/g/n dual-band Wi-Fi & also supports wired connection, USB port & Micro-SD card slot- all these would be activated soon. Apart from Sky contents, the streamer even assures access to ITV Hub, BBC iPlayer, Vimeo, TuneIN Radio, Spotify, Facebook, BBC Sport, YouTube, Demand 5 & All 4. So, when are you going to have your own media streamer this year?
Best Gaming Accessories For 2016
Coveted for their racey thrill, video games are here to make our off hours more exciting and memorable. Are you an avid gamer yourself who is looking to make the most of your gaming moments? Well, that's great but you should know that a fabulous gaming experience is not solely dependent on your gaming collections. In fact, the accessories creating up the gaming environment play a huge role here. The post below offers a brief on the best gaming accessories to ensure the most desired awesome gaming experience for you. You will also find suggestions on the best product for 2016 under each of the gaming accessory. Gaming desk Though often overlooked yet the gaming desk is one of the most important accessories to check while you are planning an amazing gaming experience. It's the very base where you rest your gaming console and your selection of desk also determines your sitting & operation comfort. It's ideal to go for L-shaped desks that ensure easy movement at sides. You can go for 2-piece L-shaped desk which could be used at varied angles within your room. The table must come with a tray for your keyboard. Besides, avoid tables with glass surface and go for the wooden topped one as gaming equipments are usually heavy. If you are looking for the best L-shaped desks, the L-Shaped Desk by RTA Products would be a great choice for you. It has earned a great 4.5 stars in 5 stars and hence you can be assured of the credibility of the product. You are getting a trendy option here crafted from engineered wood, backed by scratch-resistant steel frame. The elevated shelf at the center is good to place your media & accessories. The product dimensions are 33" (Height) x 67" (Width) x 57" (Depth). A big pullout keyboard comes along with much needed safety stop, privacy panels & printer shelf. It comes around $254.00. Gaming chair Video games are meant to be played for hours, especially when you are an ardent gamer looking to complete the thrilling levels one by one. In such a situation, any ordinary chair won't do and you have to ensure a really comfortable seating arrangement. Many gamers complain of pain in neck, shoulder, low back and wrist and it's all because of sitting in one position for long hours. Thus, it's vital that you invest in an ergonomic chair that will adjust according to unique shape of your body, ensuring a relaxed backup for your entire frame. When it comes to the best ergonomic gaming chair around, you simply can't look past Herman Miller Aeron ergonomic chair. Yes. It's little pricey ($700) but when you are looking for a long-term comfort, such an investment is really worthy. The best part about the chair is that it is equipped for good adjustment as per the unique body shape of the user & bypasses straight lines. There are some really edgy adjustment features here which you can't simply get in cheaper options. The arm rests swivel & the chair commands a stylish aura as well. Gaming glasses Gaming glasses are another needed accessory when it comes to ensuring a comfortable gaming experience. The best video games are usually in high resolution which can be dangerous if stared at for long with naked eye. The immense glare from gaming screen can be really damaging for the eye and this is where you would need the gaming glasses. These glasses prevent the typical issues faced by every gamer such as eyestrain, headaches resulting from eye strain & dry eye problems. Moreover, they create better color contrast on screen for the gamer, enlarge the visuals for you that reduces eye strain & their close fitting design avoids dry eye by preventing air. Your eyes are one of the most prized assets and would it be too much to come up with a tad pricey investment on gaming glasses, especially for the glass that has earned maximum stars from users? Certainly not and you have Gunnar Optiks RPG-05401 RPG Full Rim Advanced Video Gaming Glasses ($159.99) here that comes with Amber-lens tint, Quad-core hinge & gunmetal finish on frame. Powered by i-AMP technology, anti-glare coat & ultra-pure lens, the glass assures clearer & sharper vision. You are guaranteed of appropriate weight balance, easy frame flexibility, long-wearing comfort & good durability. It further assures a non-slip & adjustable fit. Gaming keyboards Gaming keyboards are different from generic keyboards in the sense that they are mostly designed to help in gaming. The best ones feature a practical ergonomic design with a strategic oversized palm rest. While you are playing, your fingers are constantly moving and hence you would require a setting which can assure maximum comfort for your palms, fingers & wrist. The keys would come with enough spacing and the best gaming keyboards often feature additional keys. Among these, the most important are media keys that enable the gamer to control songs or volume of the game. Now, there can be a debate whether to buy membrane keyboard or mechanical keyboard. Yes, the membrane option costs less but then it's less efficient as well. When it comes to your pick, SteelSeries Apex M800 would be a great choice and it's a favorite of the experts. Launched this year only, the M800 comes with ergonomic comfortable low angle that assures extra comfort for the users & its linear key layout assures smooth finger travel. With the keyboard, you would have the freedom to reach up to any key easily, which in turn guarantees a pacey play for you. Moreover, the keyboard has earned rave reviews for its cool individual key backlighting which is not available with other keyboards. In regards to custom designs, you are getting a series of pre-defined "wow" light effects here such as Color Wave, Breathe, Cooldown Timers & Reactive Keys. Now, with so many "wow" factors in one, is 145 pounds too big a price? Gaming speaker Speakers are a must-have when you are looking to live every moment of the game to the fullest. The crashes, the cheers, the sound of high-paced running and many such audio beats work together to sweep you to the gaming zone- and without the speakers, the gaming experience is never complete. The gamers are usually in a dilemma whether to go for subwoofer options or not. Well, subwoofers come with strong bass & assure bass adjustment modes along with volume control. Stick to the ones with sound ranging from 2.1 -5.1 as computers can't go beyond that. When it comes to best gaming speakers in 2016 Genius SW-G2.1 2000 - 45 Watts RMS - 2.1 (with MDF ultra-rigid woody cabinet subwoofer) is one of the most voted among the gamers and hence you can be confident about its credibility. You are promised of a deep solid & enriched audio quality with the Genius speaker and it's famous for its first-class bass performance- as well as realistic sound effects with elaborate mid & high-range frequencies. The blue backlight LED aligns with the strong heart-beating bass to create the perfect battlefield scenario. You are getting a headphone jack along with to facilitate private listening and double input jacks for gaming devices, DVD, TV & PC. It comes around $119.99. Gaming monitor When it comes to video gaming, gamers are mostly concentrated on speakers and keyboard but hardly concentrate on the gaming monitor. However, you should know that a truly engaging gaming experience is largely determined by a quality gaming monitor. In fact, the very monitor you take to for gaming computer would highly affect the overall experience regarding graphics & gaming. There are several vital aspects to check out while getting your gaming monitor- such as input delay, contrast ratio, refresh rate, pixel pitch, response time, resolution and so on. A monitor is not something that you would be changing everyday. Thus, you have to be really careful with your investment here. Do not force yourself to settle with an ultra-cheap option as this would only come at the cost of quality and a superior gaming experience. If you are ready to up your budget for the best gaming experience, the XB280HK from Acer would be a great choice for you. It comes with a grand 28" screen size and this UHD monitor is powered by state of the art G-Sync technology from Nvidia to ensure smoothest of gaming moments. You can expect a pacey pixel response (1 millisecond) along with highky detailed beautiful 3,840 x 2,160 image resolution. One of the best parts of the monitor is surely the latest G-sync technology that was especially developed to cut out screen tearing & stuttering artifacts which are common with regular gaming monitors. The monitor comes at $800. Gaming mouse If you are on the lookout of the most engaging gaming experience, the ordinary mouse won't do and you have to get a gaming mouse here. The gaming mouse is strategically designed for gamers and is different from regular computer mouse in different levels. To start with, gaming mice assures better precision anyday with high resolutions- some of them assures 2,000 DPI. The higher resolution quotient ensures accurate detection of even the minute-most most movements for a more powerful & accurate play. Unlike the regular mice, gaming mice is designed with several buttons, wheels and switches for extensive control on your character on screen. If you are looking for the best gaming mouse for 2016 that would even allow you to stay on your budget, look no further than Roccat Kone Pure Optical ($69.99). With a solid 4 star rating on 5, it's a top favorite of the users with its great programmable keys, multicolor 16 lighting facility & 576 KB on-board memory. Its Adjustable Pro-Optic (R3) sensor will allow you to adjust up till 4000 DPI and you are getting as many as 7 buttons & one robust 2D wheel. It further guarantees 1000 HX polling rate & 1 ms response time. It's powered by 32-BIT Turbo Core V2 processor that equips the mouse with lightning-fast speed and the Easy-shift[+] button technology will benefit you with the most convenient gaming operation- thanks to the particular feature, the number of programmable buttons here turns to 17! Moreover, the Click Master quotient ensures extreme precision on every press of buttons.
Which Website Builder Is Best For You In 2016?
Are you looking forward to build your own website but not exactly sure about your technical know-how? Well, coding is a thing when it comes to building websites but the good news is that today you have website builder software platforms that will enable you to build up your own website without any coding knowledge. Thanks, to the website builders, just anybody, with basic computing skills, can come up with a functional website in almost no time. However, there is a fair share of website builders in the market today but the catch is that not all of them could be the right one for you? So, which website builder would be best for you in 2016? Well, the post below will list up some of the qualities you should be looking for while choosing your website builder – followed by further discussions on pros and cons of some popular website builders today. Points to look for Good range of professional templates or themes Make sure that your chosen website builder comes with a good range of professional themes suitable for your industry. Your website will be the face of your business to the large online audience and any problem with the template could render a wrong or misleading information about your brand. Also, if you are targeting the smartphone users, make sure your chosen site builder offers responsive themes. Easy use The website builder must be user friendly and should be able to be used with just primary computing knowledge. There must be design flexibility with the template; it implies that you should have the liberty to customize the themes. SEO backup When you are planning to establish your footprints online, you can't achieve anything without proper SEO. Thus, make sure your chosen website builder assures strong SEO backup. Support The website builder must assure a robust support through phone, email as well as forum and knowledgebase. There are some website builders that even offer 24/7 support. Free plan It's always smarter to check out whether the website builder will actually work for you before you invest your money in it. So, it's good if your chosen website builder is ready to offer a free plan or free trial offer. Now, let's have a look at the pros and cons of some of the most trending website builders. Wix Pros Backing up 77 million websites since, 2006, Wix is the most popular of all standard website builders today. Its user-friendly portal allows easy drag & drop enabling users to select, resize & position the virtual objects in the platform. While other builders allow drops in some specified areas, Wix allows convenient placement of elements just anywhere. Wix is bustling with amazing features & even its free plan offers amazing properties such as SEO support, link to social media sites, easy blog & webstore building etc. Moreover, Wix offers some of the best professionally designed templates for any industry, free of cost. You are getting a comprehensive support here via phone, email, forum & knowledgebase. Cons Albeit Wix allows you to change background & colors of templates but you can't change the main structure here. Then, you are not getting responsive templates here which mean your Wix-powered website won't be that compatible for smartphone users. Also, with Wix, you won't be able to create internal URLs that would be fully legible for humans. Squarespace Pros Squarespace has powered 1.8 million websites till date and is really easy to use. Everything on the platform comes with explicit labels for quick comprehension. You are getting professional trendy and responsive templates here for a mobile-friendly website. It offers good SEO support, automatic sitemap creation facility and its "Commerce" feature would enable you to come up with an all-inclusive virtual store. It's flexible and permits the user to set varied tax rules on their ecommerce sites, shipping methods & discount coupons. Moreover, you are promised of high 128-bit SSL encryption security and 14-days free trial. Cons Squarespace is really limited in terms of templates and you just have 32 of them to pick from. Thus, it might be difficult for some businesses to find the most specific template (according to their specific industry or niche audience demands). Weebly Pros Weebly is another great name when it comes to the most popular website builders today and till date it has powered up to 30 million websites. You are getting a wide range of amazing templates here. The platform promises fully customizable title, keywords & meta descriptions – moreover, you can add scripts & different external tools such as payment buttons, online chats etc. Weebly enables you to monetize your website through Google Adsense blocks and the site owner would be able to enjoy full Adsense revenue here. One of the most winning features with Weebly is the very liberty for users to download websites for hosting on just any server, backed by unlimited bandwidth & storage for premium plans. Cons Weebly is a great platform no doubt but one of its major drawbacks is that it requires the users to come up with good technical know-how to operate and edit it. GoDaddy Pros GoDaddy is mostly notable for its hosting packages but you should know that it offers website builder package too. The DIY site building platform here is a breeze to use and is backed by a robust and prompt support. You will get to choose from over 300 pro designed versatile templates here with pre-populated content. The text editor confirms solid formatting capabilities. Moreover, GoDaddy promises mobile-friendly websites. When you enroll for the site building package, you will have automatic access to hosting facilities. Cons However, one of the major limitations of GoDaddy is that just 1 site-builder package from the brand comes with in-built SEO tool. Which one to go for? Now, it's to mention here that there is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to website builders and what is suitable for you might not be suitable for your friend. So, you have to consider your prime needs first while choosing the best website builder for you. Thus, if you are looking for the best designs and ease of use, Wix & Squarespace would be great for you. On the other hand, Wix won't work when you are especially targeting the young niche who conducts most of their online activities on smartphone. Weebly is great no doubt but not so when you are limited on your technical know-how. If you are looking for the best website builder especially for your online store that would be easy to use as well, Squarespace is the one for you. Then, GoDaddy is the best option when you are concerned about a great hosting support too along with powerful site building.
Is Swegway The New Swag Of 2016?
According to the timeline in Back to the Future II, we all should have been riding around on hover-boards by the 21st October, last year. Yes, Nike may have actually made the self-lacing shoes as sported by Marty McFly in the film, but hover-boards? Not so much. The Swegway is often referred to as a hoverboard but it doesn't hover and it really doesn't look like one, see an example on SwegwaysHQ, but it is the closest we can get with modern technology .We don't have the magnetised floors needed to enable a Back to the Future style hover-board to hover, but we do havewheels, which mean we are left with a self-balancing scooter without the handles. We could all buy one and pretend that we are living in the future – if only they hadn't been banned by the police. Despite being one of the hottest gadgets sold in 2015, last October the Swegway was confined to use on private property in the UK, and deemed no longer legal to ride in public. The Metropolitan Police released a statement saying that the gadgets are technically motor vehicles, so can't be used on pavements – but don't meet official guidelines for use on roads, either. Moreover, after such reports, Amazon, the online e-commerce giant, was forced to pull back from the sale of hoverboards. They deemed it unsafe for use, and the UK and US sites banned the sale of hoverboards. Bad news if you have just shelled out over £300 for one. The reaction from the public to the news was negative, with many people commenting to the press asking, 'Since when is a 9mph machine more dangerous than a stupid cyclist on a pavement?' However, they are allowed on the pavements in Germany, Portugal and Sweden, places that seem to embrace green alternatives to the motor car. Not that the UK ban has slowed down sales, or seen a drop in the number of people wanting to own one. In fact it is not uncommon for customers to want to buy more than one at a time, with some shop owners reporting customers that have come in to buy 30 at once. With some models selling for up to £1500 each, depending on their spec levels, you can see why these boards bring a smile of glee to eager gadget shop owners. Swegways come in a variety of different variations offering custom paint jobs to extra height clearance to allow you to go off-road. Something that would appeal to those living in flats or apartments, that don't come with their own private road or garden. You would feel a little restricted by only being able to zoom around your own living room, especially after paying out so much money for one. Mastering the art of riding a Swegway is another matter entirely. The board remains stationary while you are standing upright on it, but it only takes a small tilt of your toes to move you forwards. The first time you try out a board, you may find yourself toppling off it in all directions, so make sure you practice somewhere with plenty of space around you, and preferably not next to your mothers best china cabinet! With a top speed of 9mph (10km/h), you can soon 'feel the need for speed' once you have mastered your board. Going forward by simply tilting your toes that way seems easy enough, but at some point your will need to turn the board to prevent you from crashing face-first into a wall. You do this by favouring one of your legs – you want to turn left, you lean onto your left leg. The in-built gyroscope is so sensitive that it really doesn't take much directional movement at all, and can feel almost imperceptible. But....there is always a but! Dare you take your Swegway away from the relative comfort, security, and stability of your living room carpet into the outside world, then you have to re-learn and react to the board all over again. Outside hazards such as bumps in the road, a pot-hole, and even fallen twigs and leaves can throw you off into an undignified heap while your friends look on, and laugh. Some argue that Swegways are simply part of the hipster craze, and people are only buying them to look cool. That was until the ban of course, so now it could be a case of trying to look cool at home while you glide serenely between the living room and kitchen when you fancy making a cup of tea. Despite the ban you can be sure to see Swegways and electric scooters like these on the streets more and more in 2016.
Search for Instagram Feeds Gets Even Easier With Mulpix
With umpteen numbers of amazing images and videos, Instagram feeds are much sought after today. The Instagram official API lets you to search the feeds through hashtag. However there is a patch. As the official API restricts your search through one hashtag only you cannot always expect specific results and this is where Mulpix comes in. An advanced Instagram search engine, Mulpix makes your Instagram search even easier through the leverage of searching via multiple hashtags. Thus, you can be assured of definite search results as you can include all your major search terms here. Let's say you are looking for video games videos on popular television series, say, Game of Thrones. Had it been the official Instagram API, you could only enter "#GameofThrones" or "#videogames" & neither of them could come up with precise results for your intended search. But with Mulpix, accurate search results for television series video games get even easier enabling you to search more specifically like- #gameofthrones#videogames. In other words, Mulpix does what the official Instagram API cannot do for you & helps one to find contents that are deep buried and can't be found otherwise. The search engine indexes caption of each image & video to allow precise search within the caption- something not allowed with official API. In fact, Mulpix gathers all mentions from descriptions that in turn allow the users to search posts according to mentions. It generates geolocated posts daily from popular profiles & offers top media by region. Driven by the goal to be the lead Instagram search engine in near future, Mulpix is soon to release some real edgy search options. These include finding top posts for a specific search filtered by media type or country & finding top images based on mention of a particular profile.
Google Launches Security Patch to Make your Android Devices Immune to Third Party Attackers
When Perception Point and Red Hat, two reputed security research firms, pointed out a serious issue with Android's security, which could make their devices vulnerable to the attacks of third party applications, Google wasted no time in firing back through an update they posted on Google Plus. According to the claims, third party applications could easily exploit the Android devices by evading the security provided, and take over the other operations of the device. This vulnerability starts attacking from the roots, thus posing a serious threat. Google had apparently been unaware of this issue and after careful investigation said - "We believe that no Nexus devices are vulnerable to exploitation by 3rd party applications. Further, devices with Android 5.0 and above are protected, as the Android SELinux policy prevents 3rd party applications from reaching the affected code..." Moreover, in the same update, they promised to come up with a security patch on March 1, to make the devices more secure than ever. After that, Google took the necessary steps to right this terrible wrong by releasing a monthly Android Security Update from the month of February itself. Now the question arises, if Google truly believed that it was a minor security threat, that while not entirely baseless, was not too serious either, why did they launch a security update before the given timeframe? If it was indeed minor, would rolling out this security update have been the search giant's top priority? Google announced that this update would be available for Nexus devices, and would apparently fix a few "minor bugs". The Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow based MMB29Q build would be available for Nexus 6P, 5X, 5, 6 and 7. It would also be available with MXB48T, MMB29R, MMB29U for Pixel C, Nexus 9 and Nexus Player respectively. The update for Android Lollipop 5.1 also brings about the Security Patch Level of February 1. The Nexus Security Bulletin by Google declared that the update affects Mediaserver, to prevent remote code execution on affected devices through web browsing, MMS, or email while processing a medial file. It was also said to improve the privilege of Qualcomm Wi-Fi driver and prevent external apps from activating the "debugging" feature in smartphones, which can severely compromise the safety of the devices. No matter how much Google tries to keep it under wraps, it has to be admitted that this security issue which has existed since 2012, caught the attention of millions worldwide, thereby forcing Google to launch an update as soon as possible.