AJ Agrawal

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Stories By AJ Agrawal

  • Coolest New Startup Office Toys

    Startups are separate from all other companies. There are a lot of differences, including the fact that 95% of the people in them hold a bachelor's degree. The most important part of your startup is the office you happen to be operating in. To make it home you really have to outfit it with some essential gadgets. Here's our list of the coolest new startup office toys you absolutely have to have. Clip-On Cup Holder Most startups will have their fair share of Starbucks addicts. The greatest fear of any cash-strapped startup founder is that someone will spill their beverage over their brand new company tablet. The clip-on cup holder will attach to the side of your desk. Even if you knock the cup it's not going to fall out. This is not just a cool startup office toy it could potentially save you money when the office klutz enters the room. Solar USB Charger Startups pride themselves on being environmentally friendly. There's no easier way to build your personal brand than by saving our planet. The solar USB charger can be attached to any USB-powered device and left there while the sun heats it up. On a hot day, all your devices will remain at full battery, and you don't even have to do anything. 'What's for Lunch?' Decision Spinner Nothing is more difficult than trying to come to a democratic decision over what to have for lunch. The easiest way to get around this problem is to leave it to chance. This decision spinner is a simple way of making a decision that keeps everyone happy. Spin the wheel and that's what you're going to have for lunch. It will help to avoid any arguments later. Desktop Punching Ball Stress is the black dog of startups. When you're working for a company that has no money and a company that's trying to desperately make sure that it makes enough sales to survive into the next quarter, stress is going to be rampant. You need a way to easily get rid of stress. The easiest way to do this is to use the desktop punching ball. This small device is weighted so you can strike it as much as you want without it falling over. It's far superior to the stress ball because you can really put your full weight behind a strike. The Silent Mouse Listening to an entire office clicking a mouse over and over can become something like nails on a chalkboard. For a long time, people have been trying to come up with a mouse that doesn't make a noise. This has been more difficult than people think. The Silent Mouse is now a reality. There's absolutely no clicking sound at all. Now you can avoid annoying everyone else in the office with your incessant clicking. The Treadmill Desk Sitting at a desk for eight hours per day can take a toll on your health. Studies have come out about how unhealthy sitting at your desk for long periods is. The treadmill desk can completely solve this problem because your computer sits on a table, while you walk on a treadmill. It might take some time getting used to walking and working at the same time, but it can burn down a respectable number of calories every hour. Digital Smartpen The Digital Smartpen can revolutionize the way you take notes in meetings. It will automatically take any notes you write and convert them into a format that can be loaded onto the computer later. You can also press a button and it will automatically record audio. This will save a lot of time later on. It's also flexible because you can use it in any environment and in any scenario. Cable Clips Never have to deal with tangled wires again. These little gadgets will make sure that your cables are always kept in one place, and entirely separate from each other. They're cheap and can be bought in bulk for the whole office for only a few dollars. Last Word – Gadgets to Make Your Life Easier Startups are often highlighted for the cool and fun toys they have in the office. It's okay to have fun, but you also need to make sure that you're actually getting something out of those gadgets. These gadgets will save time, effort, and in some cases will save you money. Which of these gadgets do you think are the best for making your startup a better place to work?

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  • How to Make a Website in Less Than a Week

    Your business website is the heart of your online presence. Without a great website you're never going to get your customers to take you seriously. You need to get a website up and running as soon as you can. Even a small website is better than no website at all. Getting the job done in less than a week sounds impossible, but you can do it. And it doesn't have to involve employing a huge team of people for a few thousand dollars. This is how you're going to make a website in less than a week. The Foundation Forget about independent developers and forget about a custom website built specifically to your needs. These projects can take months to complete. You need a website that can be built on a platform that requires no technical experience. For this, you need WordPress. The best WordPress sites in the world have been created in less than a week. It's because you can easily pick up a free or premium template. You're not going to get a completely unique website this way, but it's the best you're going to get without employing someone to build you a custom website. Should You Opt for a Paid Theme? The difference between a free theme and a paid theme is its accessibility. In terms of getting your website up in less than a week it makes no difference whether you choose a free theme or opt for a premium theme. There's a business argument to investing in a premium theme, however. It decreases the likelihood of someone having exactly the same website as you. Furthermore, premium themes generally come with more customization options. Your goal is not to become 100% unique but to make sure you're unique enough so as to not be copied by someone else. Paid themes can be bought for well under $100. And you can even pay out a little bit more to have a designer quickly put together a unique theme for you. Drag and Drop To make creating a website easy and quick you're going to have to work with a theme that allows you to easily transfer elements into the right places. It requires a professional designer to do this through code, so you need something where you can easily drag the various elements and drop them wherever you like. Thankfully, the majority of WordPress themes allow you to do this. There are lots of options open to you, including the standard WordPress themes that are automatically installed. Use Plugins to Increase Functionality The reason why building a customized website is so expensive is because of the functionality issues involved. You often need to build an entire content management system, plus any e-commerce solutions. This is a highly technical task that can take a long time to complete. The way around this is to use the thousands of plugins available online. Again, this is why we recommend using WordPress because they have the largest number of plugins available. There's a reason why over 25% of all websites online today use the WordPress platform. You should consider picking up plugins that can do things like connect your website with your mailing list and accept payments directly to online wallets like PayPal. How Long Does It Really Take to Build a Website? An experienced WordPress user can put together a perfectly viable website in a matter of a couple of days. Once you have settled on the layout and the branding it's just a matter of populating the site with engaging content. This is where the really time-consuming part of the process kicks in. Building a website is a matter of making plans so you're not aimlessly wandering around trying to think of a theme that works for you. Have some firm ideas in mind before proceeding. Last Word – Should a Website Like This Serve as a Stopgap? There's nothing unprofessional about relying on a WordPress website for your business. There are pros and cons to having your own specially designed website, including having to rely on paying a designer/developer time and time again to implement changes. A lot of smaller companies find it much easier to build a simple website in under a week and stick to that until they expand later. Don't buy into the snobbery of believing you have to have a professionally designed website that costs you thousands of dollars. How will you develop your website today?

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  • 5 Apps for Those Wanting to Explore the Bitcoin World

    The term bitcoin is something that is not widely understood by those not in the business or financial sectors. Bitcoin currency came to be in 2008. It is the digital asset and payment system that is produced by people – the developers. The digital money is used in a virtual community, similar to the way currency is purchased for PC games like World of Warcraft for use on a specific platform. Zebpay Given that understanding how bitcoin works was a common struggle. Zebpay was developed to help make understanding bitcoin language and uses easier. The app allows mobile device logins and requires a 4-digit pin when making transactions for user safety. Another safety feature of this app is that bitcoin addresses are hidden. This helps prevent the currency from being lost and stolen. Other bitcoin application developers are learning how Zebpay is gaining ground and becoming an industry leader. Coinbase Coinbase is designed to help bitcoin wallet users track their digital currency, view balances, and complete instant exchanges. There is also an option to set up recurring purchases on a weekly or monthly basis. The app is available on both Android and iOS operated mobile devices. As the digital currency revolution gains popularity, it is seen as a trend that will become more widely used globally for secure transactions. The app also has a section for those that want to accept bitcoin payments. An account can be setup to allow payments to be made from anywhere. Transaction fees are kept low, with zero fees being charged until you have accepted $1 million in bitcoin payments. Bitcoin Miner Bitcoin mining is something that makes big profits. The app is designed to use hashes (tasks), which is an opportunity to make a profit. Using this app, you can connect with others and create a mining pool. Mining pools increase profits and add value to hashes. The high-value hashes are called shares. Some features of this app include: Viewable balances Profitability reports Fast share submission Night mode BPU & CPU mining Mining pool support If you choose to use this app to create a mining pool, it is suggested that you do so with a written, notarized, and signed contract in place. Whenever more than one person is working to make a profit, legalities always need to be taken care of first. ChangeTip ChangeTip was developed by a U.S. company to help residents transfer U.S. dollars and virtual bitcoin currency using iPhones. The iOS app is designed to allow web users to identify posted links as tip-worthy. A $0.25 tip is sent to the content creator. Percentages are divided among those that post the content. With this app, you can tip anyone in the world using a safe and secure platform. Tips are categorized in value or you can customize your tip. For example, if you select to tip the "beer" that converts to a $3.50 USD tip. Each tip type has a set value. CounterParty CounterParty makes using bitcoin both fun and easy. You are able to create a smart contacts list, watch your assets, and use the Counterparty XCP currency system. The XCP system is in place to help execute contracts. Assets can be exchanged on their platform in a peer-to-peer transaction. Counterparty has had fun with Crypto and the bitcoin exchange market by innovating methods to trade safely on the bitcoin blockchain system. The fun of this game is hunting and planting treasures for others to find. The bitcoin treasures can be hidden anywhere across the globe. Bank for Bitcoin Deposit Available Depositing bitcoin into a bank account has only been made available recently. There is an average of 122-percent yields coming from virtual mining operations, which has made traditional banks resistant because this type of currency acts as competition for them. You can now use a legitimate online banking system, from WB21, to withdraw and deposit bitcoin. In June, a press release was published announcing that WB21 is the first digital bank accepting bitcoin deposits. There are 18 different currencies accepted for exchanging national currency for bitcoin through this financial institution. The deposits and exchanges are made in real-time. Closing Thoughts These apps make it easier to work with bitcoin currency. In some apps, you don't really have to understand how bitcoin works; the app does everything for you. What you will notice is that there are very few fees associated with using bitcoin currency; in fact, some fees are pennies on the dollar. Now that bitcoin can be accepted by an actual bank for deposit, the demand for the unregulated currency is expected to increase.

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  • China Invents Car-Swallowing Bus That Is Actually Real

    The car-swallowing bus invented by China in an attempt to allow public transport to get through large traffic jams was initially believed to be satire. But it's actually real. Researchers have confirmed that this behemoth has entered full production and could be seen on the roads with the general public. In the event that this car-swallowing contraption is successful, it could revolutionize public transport across the world. And testing has already started. Moving Beyond the Concept Stage China is often considered one of the best places to work if you're interested in wacky inventions. This car-swallowing bus might have never moved beyond the concept stage, but early tests have demonstrated the idea is viable. Yet what we didn't know was this crazy invention was only ever mere weeks away from becoming a real thing. The bus has already received its first test run. It happened in Qinhuangdao. Specially laid rails allowed it to move along the road. All the cars in the lanes underneath simply went underneath the bus. It's almost like a moving tunnel. The Transit Elevated Bus, to give it its full name, will allow passengers to ride higher than all other traffic. Engineers say one Transit Elevated Bus could carry 1,200 people and replace 40 city buses. Why is China Doing This? Some people have pointed to the contraption and said it's one of the most ridiculous inventions ever constructed. But it actually comes as a result of a serious problem in China. For years China has been one of the most polluted industrial nations in the world. Beijing is the most polluted capital in the world, only challenged by New Delhi in India. This has forced people to wear gas masks as they go about their day to day business. Part of the reason for this is the immense amount of traffic on the roads. This relatively spacious bus is designed to encourage people to take public transport, and the increase in speed on China's cluttered roads could go a long way to helping with that. In theory, the idea could spread across the world, contributing to global efforts to reduce emissions in the atmosphere. What about the Dangers? The first point of concern people raised was the dangers associated with this bus. Some people believed it could easily cause an accident on the road. But this couldn't be further from the truth. As demonstrated by the recent road test, the bus isn't controlling its direction on the road. It works in the same way as a tram or train through using rails embedded into the road. The only danger for cars is if they crash on the inside of the bus. For example, if there's a collision between two cars when they are under the bus they could cause a lot of damage. But Chinese engineers have already affixed bright lights to the inside of the bus, so it will be just like going through a tunnel, except this tunnel is moving. How Fast Can It Be? The main benefit of this bus is its ability to thwart traffic jams. Since it will be able to essentially jump over the cars in front of it, there's no reason why it would ever be caught in a traffic jam, except if another bus is in front, or it had to stop in front of traffic lights. The difference in efficiency could be groundbreaking. The problem is nobody yet knows how efficient it will be because only one road test has been carried out. It should be noted that the road test was done under controlled conditions, and there were no passengers on the bus at the time. Is it Likely to Appear Soon? If the Chinese company involved wants to avoid failure and to grow quickly they need to make sure this idea is implemented quickly. Competitors are likely already looking at ways they could improve on the original concept. However, with the backing of the Chinese state, this company has more time than usual to implement this new innovation. It's unlikely that this new bus will be seen anytime soon. There are still a lot of tests to perform, and there are question marks over the commercial viability of this project. But with China's pollution problem continuing to be a huge issue the chances are this is one project that will be accelerated. Whether these buses become a normal sight in cities around the world in the coming years remains up for debate. What do you think of this new invention?

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  • 8 Gadgets To Keep Your Eye Out For This Christmas Season

    Christmas is not far away and you may be wondering what to buy. If you're thinking about cashing in a structured settlement and buying something different this year this is the guide for you. A lot of companies are gearing up for Christmas to overcome their business plateaus. They're generating more sales than ever. But choose your gift wisely so you can make your reputation in the office or at home. This guide is going to show you some of the best gadgets you have at your disposal. Finis Neptune V2 MP3 Player Make your workplace one of the best places to work with the Finis Neptune V2 MP3 player. This is one of the best waterproof MP3 players on the market today. You can actually use it when you're in the pool, so you can enjoy a lunchtime workout with a podcast by your side. EMIE Memo Ultra-thin Compact Portable Battery 47% of US consumers are making purchases online. One of the compact portable batteries you should buy online this year is this one. Most of them are cumbersome and they're ugly, which is what makes them such an unattractive gadget to carry around with you. You won't encounter such problems with this. It comes in a range of jazzy designs without breaking the bank. It's one of the cheapest gifts you'll encounter. Fitbit Flex Wireless Activity Tracker and Sleep Wristband Mini computers that you can wear are all the rage these days. Wearable technology has never been more popular, and it's undoubtedly becoming the future of tech. This wristband is comfortable to wear and will record all the most important stats from your day, including the number of hours you slept and the number of calories you burned. It's the modern approach to fitness everyone is going to be using in the next few years. ASUS VivoWatch Smart Watch Back to wearable tech again and this time this smart watch is the subject we're going to be looking at. It's one of the lesser-known models on the market today since the majority of the media attention has been taken up by the iWatch. This watch comes with a sleek design. You'll find it easy to stay on top of the emails you're receiving and the text messages that keep coming through. It also allows you to keep your phone out of sight and out of mind! Parrot MiniDrones Hydrofoil Drone What was once a bad startup idea has turned into a great way to waste a few hours. But this is so much more than an ordinary drone. It's not a boat and it's not a plane. This is the toy for big kids that we've all been wanting for years. It's driven by a propeller and it flips forward with its polystyrene body. The drone can power forward above the water at 5.4 knots, which is significant for such a small device. The best part is because it doesn't fly above a certain height you don't need to worry about registering your drone. Nest Protect 2nd Generation Home Alarm Your home certainly isn't something that should be lagging behind this revolution in tech. The Internet of Things is allowing people to connect ordinary devices to the Internet. This home alarm will monitor smoke and carbon monoxide via a mobile app. And it also prevents you from having to test your alarm and climb on a chair to silence those false alarms. You can control it entirely from a button on your phone. Paul Smith No 9 Tablet Case More and more people are trading in their laptops for tablets. You're going to need something to carry around your new tablet in. This case is different from all other cases because it comes with leather carry pouches for storing all those accessories. What really stands out is the design on the front of it. This embossed leather comes from the cast iron façade of the Smith shop in London, which is on 9 Albermarle Street. Cath Kidston Button Spot Laptop Case For those who still want to keep their laptop, though, there's no reason why you can't treat your laptop to something special. Cath Kidston incorporates the English style into all her accessories. These tech accessories are inspired by a traditional type of English homeliness. They're a truly unique addition to your collection that you won't find in an ordinary US store. If you are shopping for someone who loves tech or works in a tech related field, this would be the perfect gift for them. Conclusion These gadgets are sure to make everyone smile this Christmas. Just make sure you buy them well in advance so you can make sure they're not out of stock. That's how to shop smart this year!

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