Kevin Nouse

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Stories By Kevin Nouse

  • Where to buy iPhone 7 & 7 Plus in the UK?

    As Apple launched its latest iPhone wonders (7 and 7 Plus) this fall, the iPhone connoisseurs all over the UK are eagerly waiting for their turn with the new-age "smart" delight. iPhone is not just a mere phone for the English people- in fact, the reports on iPhone usage behaviour in the UK show so many uses, added to calls and messages. Given the amazing camera feature, the Apple phone is a coveted pick for taking selfies and other memorable shots. Besides, the UK populace depend much on IPhone for shopping, e-reading and certainly daily transit. So, now that iPhone 7 and 7 Plus are on sale in the UK since September 16, here is a guide on where to buy them. Would you go SIM-free? If you follow expert buying guide on iPhone 7, a handy cost-effective option would be to go buy SIM-free. However, it's to stress here, Apple is upping its prices for UK given currency fluctuations post Brexit, so your upfront costs could be higher here. If you are buying from Apple, the costs would be something like- iPhone 7 £599 for 32GB, £699 for 128GB and £799 for 256GB. iPhone 7 Plus £719 for 32GB, £819 for 128GB and £919 for 256GB. Now, spending £900+ for just a smartphone can mean overwhelming for many. Thus, here are some best iPhone 7 and 7 Plus network carrier deals for you. BT At BT, iPhone 7 would be somewhat like £80, £150 and £200 for 32GB, 128GB and 256GB respectively, on a monthly tariff of 49 pounds. The plan includes 3GB data, unlimited texts and 1000 minutes. The iPhone 7 Plus would around £150, £200 and £250 for 32GB, 128GB and 256GB respectively, on the same monthly tariff rate with the same facilities mentioned above. EE When it comes to best UK network deals on iPhone 7 & 7 Plus, EE's deals must be on the list. For iPhone 7 it's something like £50 for 32GB with a tariff of 51 pounds. The plan includes unlimited minutes and text as well as 5GB data. It would be 50 pounds upfront for 128GB on a tariff plan of 56 pounds and it includes the same facilities as above. It would be 100 pounds upfront for 256GB on a tariff plan of 61 pounds and the plan would include unlimited minutes & text along with 10GB data. For iPhone 7 Plus, the deal is £80 for 32GB with a tariff of 56 pounds. The plan includes unlimited minutes and text as well as 5GB data. Then, it would be like 130 pounds upfront for 128GB on a tariff plan of 61 pounds and it includes unlimited minutes and text, plus 10GB data. It would be 130 pounds upfront for 256GB on a tariff plan of 66 pounds and the plan would include the facilities of the previous plan mentioned above. Tesco mobile With Tesco Mobile, in regards to iPhone 7, it is £0 for 32GB on a tariff plan of 44.75 pounds and the plan includes 3GB data, 5000 texts & 5000 minutes. When it comes to 128GB, it would mean 60 pounds upfront on a tariff plan of 47 pounds that includes all the perks mentioned above. Then, 256GB would cost 120 pounds upfront on a tariff plan of 49 pounds. In regards to iPhone 7 Plus, it would be £0 for 32GB on a tariff plan of 50 pounds and the plan includes 3GB data, 5000 texts & 5000 minutes. The deal for 128GB is 60 pounds upfront on a tariff plan of 52.25 pounds that includes all the facilities mentioned above. Finally, the 256GB one would cost 120 pounds upfront on a tariff plan of 54.50 pounds. The plan details are the same. O2 At O2, iPhone 7 would take 60 pounds for 32GB on a 46.50 pounds worth tariff plan and it includes 3GB data along with unlimited text & minutes. The 128GB version will mean 180 pounds upfront on a tariff plan of 55 pounds and it includes unlimited minutes & text with 20GB data. Then, the 256GB version would come to 170 pounds upfront on a tariff plan of 55 pounds and it includes unlimited minutes & text, accompanied by 5GB data. For iPhone 7 Plus, it would be 190 pounds for 32GB on a 50 pounds tariff plan and it includes 5GB data along with unlimited text & minutes. The 128GB version will mean 70 pounds upfront on a tariff plan of 65 pounds and it includes unlimited minutes & text with 20GB data. The 256GB version would be something like 180 pounds upfront on a tariff plan of 60 pounds and it includes unlimited minutes & text, plus 5GB data. Here is a list of iPhone 7 & 7 Plus deals from the top 4 network carriers in the UK. Make sure to have a good comparative study on each plan before you finalize on your one.

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  • Top 5 Tips For Selling Old Mobile Phone

    With the tech giants releasing new advanced models every now and then, there is an increasing trend to shift to newer models after every 6 months to one year. Do you know that there are a magnum 100 million cell phones sitting just unused in the UK homes? Now, imagine how MUCH they can repay if sold on time! Given the high frequency in shifting for latest models, most of the discarded phones are still in standard condition and can fetch a sizeable price. So what are the best ways to sell your old mobile? Trade-in programs You have both in-store and online trade-in programs to choose from here. In regards to the in-store trade-in programs, there are several local stores near your area who will offer a handy price for your old mobile phone after a thorough assessment. However, in return, you will mostly get gift cards to buy something from the store. It's a cool deal anyday as you can utilize the gift card to buy a new phone from the store at a discounted rate. The online trade-in programs follow a similar process- it's just that the entire process would be carried on over the web. Though gift cards are common with the online programs as well yet there are some sites that offer other convenient options like cash back in the form of cheques or Bitcoin or PayPal payment. These trade-in programs would be a handy way to sell your phone for most money. Auction sites Online auctions would be amazing when you are looking for top tips to sell your old phone. In fact, auction bidding can offer you more price than the trade-in programs. It would be especially wiser to put your phone on auction if it's a recent model as newer the model, better would be the deeds. However, for optimum results, make sure to include premium-quality images of the phone on listing page- as well as detailed impressive description on the best features of your model. Online sales sites Then of course, you have the local online sales sites when you are asking where to sell my smartphone. Here you will have your phone listed with your preferred price, images and phone specifications- on which the buyers would contact you. You can compare the buyers and sell it to the most compatible one in exchange of cash. There are some sites that extend the facility of price-lock if you are ready to sell your old mobile before the declaration of the latest model of the same phone maker. Social media sites With the social networking sites evolving as a great business medium in a rapid pace today, it would not be wise to explore the channel for selling your old mobile phone. You can list it up on your social media account and request your friends to share the ad to as many people as possible for a viral marketing of your offer. Phone recycling The post would be incomplete without the mention of this particular pointer when we are discussing smarter ways to sell the old mobile phones. There are both land-based and online phone recycling stores that would happily offer a fair price in exchange of your used cell phone. The recycling quotient also comes with a noble touch as it ensures that you are doing your bit to conserve the Mother Earth. However, before you proceed to sell your old mobile, make sure to check out its current market price to ensure an informed and reasonable selling price on your part. Don't forget to remove all your details from the phone before shipping it or handing it over to a store or customer.

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  • The Secret To The Perfect Gaming Environment

    Every experienced PC gamer knows the importance of maintaining an optimal equipment setup, as everything from an ergonomic chair to multi-screen monitors can serve to provide the proverbial "home field" advantage. Perhaps the most essential piece of equipment in a PC gamer's arsenal is a powerful graphics card. Responsible for rendering the countless polygons which present massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) fans with an immersive, interactive world (not to mention the texture mapping which gives first-person shooting (FPS) games their three-dimensional targeting), a superior graphics card is an integral part of gaming setup design. Because the graphics processing unit (GPU) chip carried by the graphics card does the heavy lifting, powering a microprocessor to handle high-speed video calculations and allowing the central processing unit (CPU) in your PC to dedicate its power to basic tasks, poor performance can affect every aspect of your gaming experience. Lags and low resolution are among the many consequences of running an inadequate graphics card, so gamers of all stripes should make this piece of equipment a priority of their overall gaming setup – from recreational World of Warcraft (WoW) fans roving the countryside in search of adventure, to intensely competitive Counter-Strike snipers shooting their way to the top, and even online poker players who earn their living on the virtual felt. Determining what to look for in your next graphics card depends on your particular area of interest within the world of gaming. Every game type requires unique processing capabilities, so find your niche below to find out the graphics card specifications you should be searching for. MMORPG During a long campaign within the incredibly detailed worlds built by MMORPG games like WoW, Rift, and Star Wars: The Old Republic, the onscreen action tends be less frenetic and fast-paced than you'll find in FPS and action games. Rather than dodging a hail of bullets while sprinting to the next checkpoint, more often than not MMORPG games encourage a more languid pace, encouraging players to explore their surroundings, engage in conversation with NPCs and fellow enthusiasts, or even begin constructing entire communities from the ground up. As a result, the best graphics cards for MMORPG-oriented PC gaming setups prioritize reliability and memory power over raw processing speed. At right around $200, the AMD Radeon R9 380 offers 4GB of memory and up to 176 GB/s memory bandwidth, while also including the usual bells and whistles like virtual super resolution and 4K resolution support. For an MMORPG quest that may take many hours – if not days – to complete, you'll appreciate the AMD Radeon R9 380 for its ability to seamlessly maintain the massively complex world around you. Online Poker The most successful online gamers are capable of alternating between a dozen different tables on the fly; folding, betting, and raising hands with the flick of their wrist and the flash of a cursor. Accordingly, online poker setups invariably include multi-monitor displays to spread the action out onto several screens simultaneously. Up to four monitors may be necessary for online poker players to assess the cards and chip stacks on 10 or 15 tables without any overlap, connected in either a horizontal alignment or a basic grid. Gambling websites have crafted their user interface accordingly, with most leading poker providers, including popular poker room PokerStars, allowing players to tile multiple tables or stack them in a grid formation across the screen. With only one monitor to work with, there simply isn't enough space to play a high-volume session. And when clicking by mistake can cost you the pot, it's important to have the best graphics card for multi-monitor display. Visiontek Radeon 7750 2GB GDDR5 5M, which runs at a little over $300, contains four digital visual interface (DVI) ports, allowing for streamlined integration of up to four monitors at once. The memory power isn't all that great at 2GB, but for the relatively low requirements of an online poker software suite, it doesn't need to be. Maximizing your DVI capabilities is key, and the Visiontek Radeon 7750 2GB GDDR5 5M does just that. First-Person Shooters The intense onscreen action found in FPS games like Halo, Counter-Strike, and Call of Duty – which includes multiple players engaged in running combat, accurate targeting and shooting, and texture mapping to create constantly updated buildings and physical environments – requires as many frames per second (fps) as you can muster. When it comes to some of the bestselling titles in high-speed action gaming, the Nvdia GeForce GTX 1070 is widely considered to do the games justice. This graphics card roundly beats its rivals in speed and performance tests, and according to a recent product review, the "GTX 1070 ends up being the second fastest GPU in average frame rates, regardless of resolution. It's 9-10 percent faster than the Titan X and 980 Ti, and more importantly, it's 36 percent faster than the GTX 980." At just over $420, this graphics card is a high end product, but experienced shooter and action game enthusiasts who take their craft seriously will appreciate the Nvdia GeForce GTX 1070 for what it truly is: a high-powered gaming engine designed perfectly for this particular genre's technical requirements. The world of PC gaming offers players a seemingly endless amount of choices, from the character you'll inhabit and the world you'll explore, to varying degrees of competition and social interaction. Each genre and game requires its own unique computing power to run properly. Choosing the right graphics card is a fundamental part of building your entire gaming setup. Only when the action is presented fluidly and without interruption, you're free to enjoy every aspect of your favorite game as they were meant to be experienced. Take advice from the different approaches and take the time to conduct your own research and find the perfect gaming graphics card for your individual needs.

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  • 7 Cool Gadgets Every Traveler Would Love To Check Out

    With technology steadily entwined with daily life, it's impossible to skip its presence in any aspect of life, ranging from shopping to education. Gadgets also play a crucial role in the travel sector and that not just for the geeks but also for the everyday Tom, Dick & Harry. Yes, of course, we cannot think of parting without our cell phones and tablets/laptops but there are many more cool travel gadgets that are worth checking for, for any traveler out there. Scrubba Wash Bag One of the most irresistible travel gadgets, which once you use, you cannot dream of parting away from it in all your future travel plans. Travelers are often bothered with unwashed clothes, especially on long tours but thanks to the Scrubba delight, you will have your clothes all-fresh- no matter where you are on your trip. It's a pocket-sized lightweight wash bag that will enable you to take care of the much-needed laundry just anywhere on-the-go and would even save you on both time & money. Designed with a very flexible washboard, the bag just takes 2-4l of water, little bit of the washing liquid & you will end up cleaning your clothes in no more than 2 minutes! Micro 3in1 Luggage Scooter This mindboggling luggage scooter is here to redefine the way you have been carrying your luggage all along. The innovative trolley smartly doubles up as a super fun kickboard scooter, pacing you towards your destination much faster than your fellow travelers at the airport. Courtesy an edgy twist from a star DJ, the luggage scooter also carries Sound2Go Bluetooth speakers so that you can always have your favorite music to relax you, even in the chaotic rush of the airport. Royce Freedom Wallet You have a high-tech passport wallet here which also makes room for your credit cards & hard cash. But, the hero of the wallet is surely the Bluetooth tag which is meant to sync up with your phone. In case, you somehow misplace your wallet or somebody steals it, the phone would start beeping to notify you immediately. Moreover, the RFID shield on the wallet assures complete protection from hackers sneaking to steal valuable data from your passport's RFID shield. No wonder, the Royce treasure is a must-have gadget for business travelers. Scottevest Quest Vest This is the magic vest for all those looking for an easy hands-free travel. Designed with as many as 42 compartments, the state of the art vest can carry all your major travel gears in one- be it your phone or charger or your tablet. Moreover, the vest promises a cool $1,000 worth anti-pickpocket guarantee. And yes, it's suave and classy, if you are curious about the looks. CamelBak All Clear Water, safe and healthy, is a big deal when you are travelling, especially in remote locations. You don't always have stores out there to buy mineral water and tap or natural water is the only resort for the majority of situations. Needless to mention, unfiltered natural or tap water is anyday risky and the CamelBak All Clear water-purifier bottle would be the lifesaver for you here. This 0.75l bottle counts on UV rays to neutralize the viruses & bacteria in water to get you pure water, just within a minute! Wallet Ninja One of the best travel gadgets for 2016 , Wallet Ninja assures a solid multi-tool set and that too in the handy size of a credit card. So, what do you get here? Well, this smart 16-in-one intelligent device can act as a peeler, ruler, phone stone, screwdriver and what not!- even a cool murder weapon. Made from robust heat-treated steel, it is TSA-approved and ready for your on-board use. Face Cradle Every traveler would prefer to have his or her own pillow while on a trip and Face Cradle is your best bet here. As per a well explained post from OneBed, this innovative travel pillow assures the most convenient and comfiest sleep and relaxation, compared to any travel pillow around. It's a 2 memory foam versatile pillow linked with locking hinge & strap to ensure a handy use in as many as 5 various modes- Dozing mode, Snoozing mode, Table Nap mode, Deep sleep mode (front/side) and Breathe Easy mode. Whether you are planning a thrilling African safari or a historical sojourn across Egypt or hiking trips over the Alps, these travel gadgets would render a new meaning to your trips.

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  • Do e-cigarettes actually help to stop smoking?

    "Can e-cigarette help me to stop smoking?"- it's the most common question from smokers-to-be-turned vapers and smokers-turning-vapers ever since e-cigarettes are launched in the market. Tagged as a healthier alternative to regular cigarettes, these cigalikes assure no presence of carcinogenic components usual with the original white stick and hence are claimed to be a safer solution. According to a study by Stanford University School of Medicine, 54% of doctors are positive about vaping as an effective smoking cessation option. Moreover a report released by European Commission in 2015 had also noted that around 6.1 million Europeans have stopped smoking after shifting to vaping. This is definitely a welcome news to parents of teens who are constantly worried about their adolescent kids taking to vaping at just "record levels". Parents are usually tensed with the assumption that this heightened inclination to vaping would ultimately lead to smoking, culminating to marijuana and heroin, finally destroying their future forever. However, a recent study published in Tobacco Control journal has noted that teen vaping is not exactly as alarming as it is commonly deemed to be, especially by the parents. One of the main reasons here is that electronic cigarettes are available in a wide variety of flavors, added to nicotine –as well as variety of strengths that allow users to customize their consumption level. Moreover, electronic cigarettes embody vaporized liquid that are way better for our lungs compared to hot smoke from conventional cigarettes. Conducted by the big shots in teen drug policy, the study revealed that the concept of nicotine-based vaping trend was mostly uncommon in teens surveyed. Just a meager 13% of 8th-grade vapers & 20% of 10th & 12th standard vapers had taken to nicotine in their recent vaping sittings. Only 6% of teen vapers in all the 3 grades had taken to marijuana. Market reports state that vaping is so popular among teens now that almost every high-school student has experienced e-cigarette even if s/he has not smoked a real cigarette. According to Vlad Vassiliev, the MD of popular online e-cigarette store VapeClub -"the quality and flavor of the e-liquid as well as the vaping hardware go a long way in deciding whether the user would stick to the safer vaping or go back to the carcinogenic traditional smoking. Thus, we always make sure to extend premium quality vaping juice and latest hardware to keep our customers content so that they never feel like shifting back to the conventional white stick." Again, two studies based in King's College London's Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience- have suggested that –cigarettes are quite potent to help out smokers in kicking the traditional cigarettes. However, according to these researchers, quitting smoking with e-cigarettes is more likely to work if one is a daily smoker. It might be even more beneficial for the users to use e-cigs with the refillable tanks that assure higher nicotine dose. In the second study, 25 percent of 587 electronic cigarette vapers used tank models daily and of these, around 28 percent left tobacco smoking within a year- in comparison to 13 percent of smokers that didn't take to the electronic cigarettes.

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  • Where You Can Use Bitcoin

    Science fiction once wrote about a world where individual currency would disappear and no one would rely on paper money and coins. The future is now as more people are enjoying the use of payment systems that don't require carrying any cash. Now, the next step in that transaction evolution is the move to digital currency, also known as cryptocurrency or Bitcoin. Why Use Digital Currency? While it is still not completely mainstream, now is the time to find out why and where you can use Bitcoin in order to enjoy some significant benefits, according to Coin Desk. The first reason is the speed at which you can receive the digital currency. Unlike a check that can be held until the funds are verified or international wire transfers that also can take days, Bitcoin transactions can be instantaneous or maybe at the most ten minutes. In explaining how Bitcoin is different, payments entrepreneur John Rampton said, "While your credit card transactions may be just as fast, they are much more expensive, including potential fees for using your debit card as well as throwing in a swipe fee. Bitcoin, on the other hand, has minimal fees and can even be free. I don't know about you, but I personally love when things are free." Other valuable benefits include the inability of government agencies to take away Bitcoin because it is decentralized. You own that currency and no one can take it away. That means that there is also no chance that payment information, such as credit card numbers, CSV number, and expiration date, can be taken by fraudsters. Instead, Bitcoin transactions use a public key, which is your Bitcoin address, and a private key, which is kept secret. When you send a Bitcoin, the keys are combined as a signature to the transaction and have a mathematical function applied to them. With this type of transaction comes a higher level of privacy so that others can't know what you have purchased. In explaining how this works, Chalmers Brown, CTO of Due, a global payments company, stated, "Blockchain is the registry that keeps track of all Bitcoin transactions but it only reveals where transactions came from and where they are sent, but no one knows the identity of the person that holds a specific Bitcoin address. This is unlike a bank account where identities can easily be revealed." Where You Can Use Bitcoins While it all sounds great, it doesn't mean anything if you can't actually use it many places. In the last couple years, however, that has drastically changed. Now, there are over 100,000 merchants around the world that will accept Bitcoin in their physical locations as well as online through their stores and marketplaces. And, it's not just small businesses that are looking to Bitcoin as a way to differentiate themselves because numerous large brands have been first adopters. For example, Microsoft, Dell, Newegg,TigerDirect and Overstock all accept Bitcoin on their online checkout pages. Other companies are now following suit, including CheapAir.com and Theatre Tickets Direct. To find where you can use Bitcoins, new databases are available that list companies. These database include Coinmap, UseBitcoins.info, and SpendBitcoins.com. It is also possible to use Bitcoins to get discounts, including Purseio, a peer-to-per marketplace. Another option is to buy gift cards with Bitcoin for major retailers that may not yet accept this digital currency. Many of the gift card businesses do accept Bitcoins, so this is an ideal way to turn that digital currency into goods and services you can use. Even physical stores are now starting to accept cryptocurrency as payment. Some of these retailers include Reeds Jewelers, sports teams like the Sacramento Kings, and others. Even Scotland is testing out the first Bitcoin ATM to see if this might be a good way to mainstream cryptocurrency. Time to Get Started! There are numerous exchanges where you can get started with Bitcoins. You can get a small amount and start testing this new bit of information out and see just how easy it is to buy goods and services online and in-person. The more people who start using Bitcoin, the faster digital currency can take hold to make the future into the present.

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  • Is Amazon Echo the new future of "smart" world?

    The "smart" world was taken up by storm 5 years back when Apple launched Siri in 2011. It's kind of cool when you have somebody finding you almost whatever you want with just a single command on your screen. But won't it be cooler if you can have something that obeys your commands without you having to look at the screen? Certainly, yes- Enters Amazon Echo. Developed by the online retail giant Amazon, Echo is a powerful voice-enabled wireless Bluetooth speaker that assures what Siri can, what Siri cannot and much more. Its wake word is "Alexa" but it can be changed to "Echo" or "Amazon". Launched in November 2014, Echo became available for the States widely in June 2015. Is Echo the new future of the "smart" world? Read on the Amazon Echo review below to find out. More handy to use compared to Siri Unlike Siri, you won't have to take out the device or press buttons everytime whenever you want Echo to do something for you. It's always out & ready for your commands. Simply take Echo out of its package, connect its Wi-Fi with your tablet or phone and sync up with Alexa app. Then, just as you enter the home and say "Alexa", you will have Echo on its marks for you. It could be reading out latest headlines or playing some light jazz, setting kitchen timer and what not! Far-field voice recognition One of the best bits about Amazon Echo is that it comes with 7 noise-cancelling microphones backed by "far-field" state of the art voice recognition technology. Such an edgy design enables Echo to hear the user even when s/he isn't exactly next to the speaker. It could mean Echo turning on TV in the living room for you as soon as you ask for it 2-3 rooms away while whipping up your dinner in the kitchen. Siri stands nowhere to such a high-tech wonder. Cloud based service Amazon's chief of devices Dave Limp had noted-"One of the greatest things about Echo's Alexa is that it's cloud-based service and hence we can easily improve it just every minute. No wonder, Alexa is only getting smarter constantly." Once Alexa will hear the user's voice, the speaker streams everything to Amazon's cloud. Based on the user's command, Alexa will dig out the right database such as Wikipedia or Amazon's own set of book database- to convey the exact desired info to the user. It could be a Coldplay tune or verses from Romeo & Juliet and so on. Robust audio quality Echo amazes with a robust audio quality, in rhyme with other popular Bluetooth speakers such as Sony SESX2 or Jambox Mini. Easy setting It's a snap to set Bluetooth with the phone- there no issues of struggling with settings or menu. You would simply need to ask Alexa to connect the phone to Bluetooth & the rest would be handled by Echo. Most recently, Alexa is amped up to perform new tricks that it couldn't do before- such as hailing a Uber ride, ordering pizza, streaming music right from Spotify and so on.

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  • 5 Cool Gadget Gifts HE Would Just Love

    Talk about the best gifts for men and it's invariably the tech delights that pop up. Well, tech and men are always complementary to one another and it does not always refer to the geeks or nerds- even the most metrosexual men have their own tech preferences when it comes to coolest of gifts for them. Are you too looking for something amazing in the tech world for your man? Be it for his birthday or your anniversary or the Christmas, here are some mindblowing tech gift ideas for men that they would just love. RIF6 Cube Is your man a great movie buff who is always hooked on to Netflix in his free time? Well, let him celebrate his flick love real big this time with the incredible RIF6 Cube that enables one to project his smartphone with a large 120" display! Relieve him from the hassles of watching his favorite movies and shows on the tiny mobile phone display- with the RIF6 Cube projector he can relish Netflix or YouTube videos as well as pictures and games big time on the nearby wall. Divoom Voombox This is another cool gadget gift for men, especially who are usually out on outdoorsy picnics and adventures. This portable wirefree speaker from Divoom seamlessly connects to the user's device via Bluetooth and comes with the assurance of an amazing sound quality. With oodles of "boom", the speaker is anyday way better compared to other regular stuff in the contemporary market and with it you will have another reason for your man to love you even more. Besides, it's water-resistant and hence would be an amazing aide for your beach vacations. Garmin Fenix 3 Titanium Sapphire GPS Watch When it comes to best tech gifts for men, the list would be incomplete without the mention of a cool sporty watch. The Garmin goodie is a cutting-edge GPS/GLONASS-enabled watch designed with super hardy domed sapphire-based lens- accompanied by steel antenna, titanium strap & a great diameter display (31mm). Additionally, it is amazingly waterproof up to 100m. The other features include a barometer, compass & altimeter. Then, the watch also speaks of an awesome number of fitness-themed tracking tech that can keep tab on his swim strokes, distance covered, pace, laps & so on. TrackR StickR Is he always forgetting things? Well, he is a busy man and it's not uncommon for him to lose track of his keys or wallet and smartphone. But you can solve this problem for him by surprising him with TrackR StickR which will shoulder the tracking guess-work for him. You would just need to fasten this quarter-sized device to any of his item & then its companion app will help him to find the thing for him. If he loses his wallet, for example, he would just need to pull up this app on smartphone & it would notify him on the location of the wallet with highly audible beeps. Braun Series 9 Electric Shaver If you are the one who always complains about his beard, this is one of the best Christmas gifts you can have for him. The new-age electric shaver-cum-cleaning station is an inspiration for that timely shave that many men loathe and its sleek look is just a beauty. The Braun shaver can shave the unruly beard in various directions -and hence would be the much needed aide when he is looking to experiment with different beard styles. You can never go wrong with tech gifts for men. From cool to sporty to functional- the top 5 gadget gifts mentioned above are sure to impress any man out there.

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  • Top 4 Blood Pressure Monitoring Apps

    Cardiac arrests account for majority of deaths across the world today and one of the principal factors abetting the menace is surely a high BP. Needless to mention, a regular monitoring of blood pressure is of utmost importance to keep check on further health problems. Higher BP always puts unwanted excess strain on heart, leading to clogged arteries and finally a fatal heart attack. The evil of aggravated BP might also mean stroke, dementia or kidney issues. However, the cool deal is that there are several blood pressure monitoring apps today that will enable you to keep tab on your BP level, right from your regular smartphone. Blood Pressure Monitor- Family Lite A highly rated iOS BP monitoring app, Family Lite is free to install. The app will enable the users to details on food and medications taken. Based on the entered details, the app will track the user's BP, blood sugar as well as weight- assuring a comprehensive health data to get you a vivid picture of your health & medical correlation. You can even email that data to your physician for his inputs and suggestions. It's a breeze to use and the graphical display of the data guarantee easy data visualization. Blood Pressure Companion Bustling with a stellar rating of 5 on 5 stars, the list would be incomplete without the mention of Blood Pressure Companion. Renowned as one of the best apps for robust heart health, the app enables the user a convenient track of BP & heart rate. The best bit about this app is that it benefits the user with test reminder so that you never forget on your regular BP checks. The data collected will offer you with valuable insights on the state of your BP level over time. Such readings will further enable your doctor to take informed decisions on your medications and relevant treatments. Smart Blood Pressure Tracker The app works for both Android and iPhone users. The Smart Blood Pressure Tracker is designed to track & keep an account of both diastolic and systolic blood pressure and will also check your pulse rate. In case, you are on the mission to lose your excess pounds, you can take help of the bonus BMI tracker -that will enlighten you on the ideal weight as per your age and height. If you are down with hypertension issues or are prone to develop those, Smart Blood Pressure Tracker would be a great help anyday. The app comes with interactive charts that enable the users to pinpoint the specific issues easily for a convenient share with their doctors. Blood Pressure Watch This is another highly recommended blood pressure checking app which enables you to keep tab on your BP level right from your smartphone. The application is equipped to gather, track, analyze as well as share the user's BP record. Added to blood pressure, the app can also keep track of your pulse rate and weight. You can set your reminder here which will alert you on your next BP check, preventing any risk of unmindfully skipping out on a timely tracking. You can share the recorded data via dropbox, Google Drive and email. The app further shows stats & analytics so that you can checkout the trends, the worst & best average statistics on your BP reading over time. Another interesting bit about Blood Pressure Watch is that it also allows you to manage the BP records for family members & friends. All the apps mentioned above are trusted by both experts and users. No need of doctor visits for a mere BP check as these apps assure complete monitoring of your blood pressure right at your fingertips.

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  • A Better Life Is Even Easier With These Top 5 Apps

    Life is beautiful- only when you know how to "live" it. All of us, everywhere, are craving for a better life but hardly anyone can underline the mantra of living the life as desired. If you ask the wise, the maxim of a great life lies in finding the balance between your mind, body, soul and work. Thankfully for us, the "smart" generation, the app developers have come up with a wealth of apps that help us to achieve that desired balance in life, eventually transcending us to betterment. 7 Minute Workout Fitness and good health is always vital to ensure a great life. But what when you don't have the adequate time to hit the gym? Well, that doesn't mean you have to skip out on your exercise routine and 7 Minute Workout is a lifesaver here. As the name goes, the app comes with a 7-minute workout routine which can be easily performed in your home. There are 12 exercises with a 30-second span for each and you have a 10-second break in between each workout. The only requirements are a wall, a chair and your readiness to exercise. Mindfulness App Stress can't be avoided but the winner is the one who knows the maxim to deviate himself from the daily pressure and focus on the pleasantries life has to offer. Meditation is a good technique to better mental stamina and Mindfulness App would be a great support here. Packed with effective meditation sessions, ranging from 3-30 minutes, the app will guide you to find your inner zen soon. The meditation sessions here are meant to minimize your anxiety pressures, enhance the concentration level as well as achieve the desired goodnight sleep. Feedly We always look for the latest news & stories to keep ourselves updated about the hottest happenings around. Won't it be really cool if we can have the latest news feeds right on our smartphone without the need to waste time and energy in hopping between websites to catch up with the stories? Certainly, yes. Well, then, you have Feedly for you here which brings topical updates straight from great blogs & sites right to your table. The amazing thing is that you will have the stories in flamboyant magazine & card-style layouts that make your reading even more fun. It's available for both iOS and Android users. Trello Having an organized worklife is really vital in maintaining in easy balance in life. Is managing projects a problem for you? Well, not to worry as you can anyday rely on Trello which is a top favorite when it comes to a breezy project management. Its user-friendly dashboard will list down all your needed tasks & responsibilities that would be sharable to your team members- encouraging easy collaboration within your group. Thus, you can easily get let go of all the mess of your post-it notes, huge paper pads or the to-do lists. It's a free app. MyFiziq You have apps to monitor your exercises, calories or distance traveled but none of them can accurately record the outcomes- and thus cannot help much in motivating you for long-term fitness improvement goals. Enter MyFiziq, which is the first app ever to measure as well as compare & track the body measurements attained over time via photos in your smartphone. This way, you will have a clearer view of the improvements made through your dietary changes and fitness programs. In short, you will have a solid idea on whether or not you have made any progress. From learning easy and effective workout sessions to assuring a calm mind to organizing your work life to checking your fitness improvement over time- the apps mentioned above will help you in every aspect of lifestyle to assure the desired "better" life for you.

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  • Internet Growth Reaching Heights In The USA

    With internet steadily rising as one of the principal means of communications all across the world, no wonder, the American broadband scene also shows a heightened growth. As per a recent survey, 84% of adults now use the internet services in the States and the proportion is only rising every passing month. The broadband usage is especially high among young adults, more so with higher educational levels. Yes, the older adults are lagging behind the younger ones but then today you have 50 percent of elder citizens into internet- which is fairly a good proportion. The household earning bracket also plays a crucial role in determining the internet usage stats in the US. Those from household earning $75,000 and above, are more active on internet compared to those under the $30,000 household earning bracket. However, the class-related disparity have shrunk drastically of late – and even those from lower-income households are showing an enthusiastic presence over the web world. How about the racial & ethnic differences when it comes to internet usage in North America? Well, whites and English-speaking Asian-American communities are more inclined to the internet usage – in comparison to Hispanic and Afro-Americans. But then, the gaps seem to have widely narrowed lately. Yes, of late, 81 percent of Hispanics and 78 percent of Blacks are heavily into internet uses, compared with 97 percent of English-speaking Asian-Americans and 85 percent of whites. For long, urban folks have been the dominant internet users in the US compared to the rural people & those staying in suburbs. But then, if you check the scene now, a whooping 78 percent of rural people are to be found actively online. In regards to internet services in rural communities, it's mostly the more localized and smaller service providers who are the big players here. Yes, Comcast and AT&T show a good presence in the rural regions yet it's mostly the localized names like Insight, Cincinnati, Bresnan Communications or PenTeleData- that the rural American folks swear by. Given such a heightened growth shown by the American internet usage scene, it's little wonder that there are umpteen numbers of internet service providers here. Below is a list of top 4 internet service providers who have received rave reviews and ratings both from market pundits and happy customers. Verizon FiOS Verizon FiOS has long been a top favorite when it comes to the best internet service providers in America. The internet service giant offers up till 300 Mbps download speed with the best plan and the upload speed is equally high, reaching up till 65 Mbps. Yes, it's little pricey but then you have a wide range of plans to pick & choose according to your budget. You might save some if you bundle the deals on Verizon's phone & TV service which will also get you a free modem. Comcast XFINITY Talk about amazing internet speeds and you have to go for Comcast XFINITY that assures fastest speed at lowest rates. The service is popular for its grand download speed reaching up till 150 MBPS & you will benefit with free of charge Wi-Fi access to around a million hot-spots throughout the nation. With flexible plans, XFINITY has got something for every budget. Mention must be made of its exclusive virtual protection system Constant Guard which comes free for each XFINITY customer. Charter Spectrum Internet The list would be incomplete without the mention of Charter Spectrum Internet which assures a pacey internet service, with the download service going to the extent of 30 MBPS. Whether you are looking to download your favorite music albums or upload your latest travel photos or stream high-end online videos- everything is real breezy with Charter Spectrum. A great bit about Charter's service is that it offers Parental Control facility which lets you block inappropriate websites for your little ones. Mediacom This is another much coveted name when you are talking about best internet service providers in the US. Mediacom is renowned for extending a grand download speed reaching up till 105 Mbps if you are choosing the best internet package. You can be ensured of a pretty reasonable pricing and hence Mediacom is a popular option for those looking for a credible internet service on budget. For further savings, the combined phone, TV & internet packages can get you handy deals. It's impossible to think of a life without internet today. But when it comes to choosing the most compatible internet service, don't forget a comparative survey among at least 3-4 potential names.

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  • Are your Jobs at Stake? Artificial Intelligence has an answer!

    Are you not intimidated by the speed this world is progressing? Are you not scared by the very thought that man might be enslaved by their own creation? Do you think that the human brain can never be replaced by anything that is remotely similar? Do you think that it is indispensable? Is the human brain an unsolved mystery to you? Well, no more! Artificial Intelligence has done so brilliant a job and progressed so fast that times are not far when millions of people will be jobless and humans will be replaced by machines. I, personally have been scared of such times when we the mankind will be no more in control of things. It feels to be experiencing the worst of nightmares. There are difficult times ahead and we just hope our Dark knight comes right on time. What is Artificial Intelligence? For the people who are learners in this approach, Artificial Intelligence is the intelligence that is shown or executed by the machines. It has been around for quite some time now. There are a lot of debates around this topic over the world. The name artificial intelligence has been coined because it is perfectly capable of performing tasks that are usually associated with the human brain like solving a problem or learning. What are the types? Artificial Intelligence can be divided into three major divisions. They are namely, Weak Intelligence, Strong AI, and Super AI. All of them are solely different from each other. Weak Intelligence is the one that does only the job it is asked to do. It simply works according to the coding. It does not understand the very normal actions of the brain like the function of understanding. Strong AI is the one that can decode and replicate the simple functions of the brain like Understanding. It does not need a human to function. There are a number of examples that we have seen or will see in the near future that falls under this particular category. Super AI is such machines that have consciousness. Earlier such a topic was debatable and it was considered impossible to achieve. However, in the recent turn of events and progress of technology machines will even have consciousness and it is no more a fiction. These are the times that are not far off and if we take into consideration what people of this field think, the doom of mankind is not far if not used properly. What do the Big names think? Artificial Intelligence has been in the news for quite some time now. With Siri, Cortana and other neural networks it has become more prominent in the market. You might just want to know what the big names in the field of science think about the negative impact of the Artificial Intelligence. You might just think me to be a pessimist however; you will be shocked to know what Stephan hawking thinks. According to this genius, AI can bring the worst consequence that might be severe for mankind. There have been a number of debates on the same topic and people of the intelligent brigade like Stephan Hawking, Steve Wozniak, and Bill Gates have taken part. All of them are solely concerned about the negative consequences. There are others in this stream like Rollo Carpenter. He was the one who has invented the Cleverbot. He thinks that humans will always take charge of the robots no matter what. What are we putting at Risk? I don't think it is only me who must be worried about losing their job once AI is in its best form. There are a number of offices where an artificial intelligence Bot is used instead of personal assistants. This way, they save an hour each day. The job is done without any hesitation cut out the tantrums that are usually faced if a human is working. To put it simply, if a machine is capable of doing every work as the human brain, it is definitely capable of introspection and improvement. If it improves by itself, of what use is a human brain? It can easily outdo the human brain and take charge. This is exactly what we are putting in risk. Our Race, The humankind. We must also not forget that the robots can be used in a harmful way. Like for example, it can be programmed to do something that might be harmful and cause immense destruction. If something similar to the prediction happens, times are not far away that we might be slaves to own creation. Is it possible that we lose our jobs due to this? This is not new to us that technology has been a good replacement for some of the jobs. With the invention of technology, men have seen advantages as well as disadvantages. One disadvantage being this that they have been replaced. Primarily, it was only in the physical aspect that machines were superior. Now, AI has ensured that machines are capable of doing most of the things that human brains are capable of. The kind of progress AI had made, we must be insecure about our jobs. The thing works as a human brain. If the progress is such it will replace, Personal Assistants, Lawyers, Teachers and most other professions. I had mentioned in my article earlier about the things that we are putting at risk. I am pretty sure after reading this article you might just want to rethink on this and be scared about losing your profession be it any, if you are not choosing your career properly. According to Anand Khanse who runs a popular tech site, TheWindowsClub.com, "What looked impossible yesterday in several fields is a reality today. And it will be same with Super Artificial Intelligence or Super AI. Impossible as it may look today, humans will program machines with 'consciousness' - and this could be a game changer! What will happen if machines with higher levels of artificial intelligence gain self-consciousness? Bill Gates has confirmed his fears and said that he is worried about the potential threats that artificial intelligence poses to the humankind. Stephan Hawking has said that artificial intelligence can spell doom for humankind. So a Super AI with consciousness is well within the realm of the possible." With such difficult times ahead, I have just one question haunting in my mind, "Is the end near?"

    By Kevin Nouse Read More
  • Selling your home? These 5 Websites Would Be Your Lifesaver

    Planning to put up your home for sale shortly? One of your most prized assets, your home definitely demands the most righteous valuation before you hand it over to a potential buyer. The tradition of getting the home valued by realtors is falling short lately, courtesy the cutting edge home valuation websites today. These latest developments check the sales price history of comparable houses in a particular area & based on that, offer the market value of target property. Some of the sites would even take note of local house tax assessments to determine the property value. I would list here top 5 websites that have helped me immensely when I looked for an appropriate valuation of my home that I sold past summer. Zillow Zillow has to be at the top since it's the most popular of home valuation websites you have lately. A free wonder, the site opens up with a Google map pin-pointing the target home – accompanied by sampling of comparable recently sold properties nearby. The sales prices of the properties would be mentioned as well. You would be able to have a clear picture of the property details & Zillow's estimated home value over last 1, 5 & 10 years. The coolest bit about the site is surely the "Zestimate" which offers auto estimate of the property's value. The best part is that Zillow enables a work-around in case the visitor is not exactly sure about the accuracy or comprehensiveness of source data. With Zillow, you would be able to pick your own roster of up till 10 comps. RealEstate ABC Akin to Zillow, this site too comes up with Google map locating your property as you enter your address. However, I personally feel that RealEstate ABC speaks of more accurate property value. Besides, the site pleases with nicest interface possible that makes navigation just a breeze. You will find yourself among a roster of thirty comps. Comps relevant to your property would be automatically checked off by the site but you can customize it as per your knowledge. The site enables you to understand whether a certain market is running cold or hot at the moment. Eppraisal When you are looking for the best websites to estimate home values, the list would be incomplete without the mention of Eppraisal. It generates home valuation estimate based on the recent sales figures of 20 properties similar to the concerned property. Additionally, the site will support you with an extensive Eppraisal report featuring elaborate information on property, an analysis of surrounding area & comparable properties- so that it's easier for you to get the right selling price for your beloved home. In regards to demographic data, the site will offer you insights on the finances, educational and employment opportunities extended by your neighborhood. CyberHomes It's another trusted home valuation websites you have at present. It's a complete straightforward property valuation tool and assures fairly accurate values. When it comes to demographic data, the details are more or less similar to other sites. Redfin A favorite of the homesellers and realty experts, Redfin has earned rave reviews for its lowest possible error rate in home valuation. Unlike the other regular home-value estimators, the site evaluates the properties on MLS to gauge your property's market value in the current circumstances. This way, you are assured of more accurate estimation online instantly. And yes, the site will even show you comparable properties around your area. Your home has been one of your biggest investments no doubt and when it comes to selling, you must leave no stone unturned to hand it over to a person who values its true worth. But first, you need to have an idea of the proper valuation yourself and a comparative study across these above-mentioned websites would ease the task for you.

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  • Best 5 Hacks To Convert Website Traffic To Business Lead

    "Would they or won't they?...It's the most common question among website owners when they have visitors to their platforms, leading to the contemplation whether or not they would stay & think about their website. It's a busy world today and you just have 10 seconds to grab attention and convince people about your worth so that they feel lured enough to turn into business leads. There is no point in regaling about a magnum traffic flow if it does not convert into an equally appealing number of leads. My years in internet marketing have taught me best 5 hacks that can heighten the chances of website traffic conversion to business leads. Quality engaging content The virtual world is ruled by the content and hence it calls for a high quality engaging content. Make sure to focus on informative, relevant, meaningful and engaging content with high readability. Pep up the content with the keywords and lingo used by your target niche. People are more likely to shop from a place where they can relate to. Keep the content fresh and updated. Moreover, in this age of multimedia, I always suggest taking to video, images and audio inclusions to ensure better engagement. CTAs are really important CTAs (Call To Action) added to your blog post or any website content are really important to turn visitors into business leads as these inspire prompt action from the traffic. There are 3 very important CTAs that could be really useful for your site- Social sharing buttons, Email signup and Request Quote. The social sharing buttons would encourage your visitors to share your contents across the social world for a viral promotion. The "email signup" CTA would let you acquire your visitors' email id for your email marketing list which can be further used to entice your visitors with cool offers. The "Request Quote" CTA will encourage visitors to get directly into business. Be careful of the landing page After you establish your CTA, it's important to ensure that the CTA is taking your visitor to a relevant landing page where they can get complete details on the action. The landing page would mostly contain 2 elements- one is a brief on the offering & the form that will be filled out by the visitors to access the offering. Welcome pop-up A leading blogger increased his subscriber rate by 73% in just 2 months through welcome pop-up. Yes, some of you might not be exactly cool with the idea of a pop-up or the new visitors but it's really effective – and can lead to a tremendous improvement in the rate of your subscribers. Test & measure results It's great that you are taking conversion efforts but are they actually working? Well, you need to test & measure the results of conversion efforts to check that you are on the right path. Check the metrics of your CTAs, offers and landing pages and see how much respond they have received from your visitors. You might need to modify your marketing ways based on that data. Winding up Finally, it would be great if you can add some additional boosters to your conversion efforts such as money back guarantees, bonus offers and rave reviews from customers.

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  • Upcoming Toyota Supra To Possibly Sport Edgy Twin-Turbo V6

    From 1978 to 2002, Toyota Supra has been a darling of sports cars connoisseurs and it's much missed since the icon Nippon automaker stopped its production in August 2002. However, rumors are ripe of late that a new Supra clone is soon to vroom the markets & Toyota hasn't exactly denied such talks. Moreover, the Japanese auto giant's partnership with none other than BMW has further fanned the fire. Currently, speculations are on rise that the much awaited new Supra is to sport the edgy twin-turbo V6. Coded as "943F" the latest V6 engine will mostly power the affordable Supra versions while the top-end models will have a hybrid performance-focused drive train. The 6 cylinder engine is designed to amaze with more than 400 hp & 300 lbs of torque at its basic configuration – courtesy dual turbochargers. It would spin the car's rear wheels, however, the transmission options are unconfirmed till now. The futuristic BMW Z4 would be sharing the basic framework with Supra but the convertible won't have Toyota's new 6-cylinder and would bank on in-house turbocharged 4 & 6 cylinder engines. However, the new Supra is not the one to inaugurate the twin-turbo V6 and it's most likely to be debuted by next-gen Lexus LS in the early quarters of 2017. Nearly all luxury automakers today are taking to 6-cylinder engine backed by forced induction. While Toyota has earlier had the turbocharged inline-sixes yet it hasn't ever come up with a factory turbocharged V6. Of late, each automaker is seen to downsize engines to meet up with the fuel economy & emission regulations & it would be a welcome move on Toyota & Lexus' part to follow suit. In the words of the CEO of Supra Trader Online, a leading Supra dealer-"the new Toyota Supra would possibly arrive in 2019." Although inspired by Toyota Celica in its styling yet Supra had always been able to stand out with its own aura in the auto market within a few years of its genesis. No wonder, we had Supra appearing in several popular movies, TV shows, music videos & video games. Some of its most remarkable appearances include "The Fast and the Furious" series, Gran Turismo, Need for Speed, Forza Horizon 2, Midnight Club etc. The arrival of the upcoming model is sure to be embraced by such massive support.

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  • Why Every Office Should Have A File Manager?

    With the digital wave encompassing almost everything today, businesses are increasingly taking to electronic files now. PCs and laptops are fast replacing physical shelves for files as almost all the official data are stored digitally these days. And, here comes the significance of file manager. One of the most functional tech advancements of the contemporary era, file manager software programs assures easy management of files on a computer. Your office is simply incomplete without a file manager. Here are the top reasons why every office should have a file manager- Multifaceted functionality A file manager software comes with multifaceted functionality and allows its users to create, open, edit, copy and print the files. The software can work on both a single file & a file-group. Besides, with a file manager backing you, you can rename, move a file to another preferred location, modify the file attributes as well as the file permissions. There are some advanced file managers that assure network connectivity through protocols like NFS, FTP, WebDAV or SMB. File shredding to the extent of no recovery is also viable with file manager software. File conversion is supported as well. The best names in the market can convert Excel, Word & PPT files into PDF versions. File storage and sharing The file management software solutions assures solid online cloud storage for your files up to a great 10T capacity. Moreover, they can even share the files for you to your desired recipients via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi. Easy file recovery Have you accidentally deleted an urgent file and need to retrieve it as soon as possible? Well, not to worry as the advanced file manager software programs can even help you to retrieve deleted files- thereby boosting up your stalled productivity. Smooth workflow & enhanced productivity This is one of the major reasons to have a file manager software in your office. Your employees have got other important tasks to do than wasting hours in managing files. Now, if you bring a file management solution here it will save them loads of time which could be used for major operational activities- that in turn inevitably smoothens the workflow and enhances the productivity. The great deal is that the file manager software solutions are extremely easy to use. It just takes a few swipes to manage your files with it. Access & manage files from several locations With the advent of smartphone apps, there are now File Manager apps available on iTunes and Google Play that are equipped to fully access & manage files from various locations- such as SD card, flash memory, external SD card, OTG & even cloud storage. You will be able to explore the files either through categories or in the usual tree hierarchy or through last date of modification. An embedded "fast search" facility would enable you with easier search on files. Less risk of errors Any task performed by humans is subjected to errors. You might have the support of the most diligent staff-power but then what if one of your employee is extremely tired someday or unwillingly unmindful? Such situations often lead to erroneous file management that might abet unseen operational problems and misunderstandings later. But when you have a software doing the work for you, there is always lesser risk of errors. The result is more accurate and improved production. Data backup Then yes, with a file manager software at your support you can always be sure of data safety. The leading solutions guarantee both local & cloud backup for your data- so that you can always have your data intact even if there is fire accident or a disk crash. Wrapping up The contemporary tech market is flooded with loads of file manager software solutions. But, you must make sure to take a comparative survey between 5-6 potential names before the final settlement.

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  • Is The Glass Ceiling Really Breaking Down?

    The corporate world, forever, had has not been really lenient to women. Inequality and lack of opportunities have always been dominantly prevalent in the formal space, leading to the coinage of "glass ceiling". As per the statistical reports, just 21% CEOs are women when it comes to Fortune 500 corporations. The problem starts with the 2nd decade Studies have shown that young women foray into the office world brimming high in confidence and ambition. But, the problem actually starts from the 2nd decade of their career, especially when they reach the 30s. They are the mid-level employees now, endowed with the huge responsibility to steadily contribute to growth & increased productivity. However, by that time, they are mostly married, planning for kids or are already a mother. Increased pressure builds up as they have to constantly juggle between their corporate and personal lives. They feel like being pulled in many directions where they have to be equally committed and any unwanted miss-step here create a sort of confidence crisis in them. In such crossroad circumstances what they need the most is constant support from their office – which unfortunately, is seldom available from the corporate space. Main reasons responsible According to researchers, there are some basic reasons that aggravate the problem. One is not being able to meet up to the typical stereotypes of being "ideal worker". When a person has to juggle several responsibilities, at times it might be difficult to meet up with the crunching deadlines. But that does not necessarily mean that the person is not exactly committed or not working hard enough. It only implies that the person might need some space till she gets accustomed to all her new responsibilities. And it is this very lack of understanding & support from office supervisors which abets the problem. It's also another major reason why women find it hard to explore their full potential in the workplace. Besides, often the rise of a woman in a higher position is not always judged as the outcome of her sheer hard work and merit. In fact, the most possible explanation here is that of an underlying romantic relationship with the boss or some senior executive. But there are outliers But, then, there are the outliers in this conventional male-dominated corporate space and fortunately the number is probably enhancing -with each passing year. This includes women not just in senior managerial designations but in the entrepreneurial roles as well. Big giants such as Nike, Cisco or Coca Cola are steadily embracing women in prominent roles, not just in the corporation yet also within the very communities these companies operate in. Micro-lending is extended predominantly to the fairer sex with the wisdom that bringing a woman into global economy is fundamental for the development of a community and also a nation. Mention must be made of Nobel Prize winner & Grameen Bank founder Muhammad Yunus, the celebrated. The wise Bangladeshi economist had opined -"We have seen that money handed to women resulted in more benefits compared to going it to men. Thus, we have altered our policy & extended higher priorities to the women. 96 percent of our 4 million borrowers in our bank are women." In fact, Coca Cola has declared to boost up economic opportunities for around 5 million women entrepreneurs by 2020. Such a situation obviously encourages the hope that possibly the glass ceiling is breaking down. It's true that the problem is still apparent today but hopefully could be a thing of the past in near future. Women have always added a new dimension to any workplace through their higher sense of commitment, organizational and managerial capabilities. On a side note, they also accentuate the style quotient of any workplace courtesy their impeccable sense of aesthetics. No wonder, fashion outlets are bustling with a wide variety of classy formal attires for todays confident and smart working women. You can have a sneak peek into women's clothing at STYLEWE for your formal options. There are amazing pastel pencil skirts, straight leg pants that you can easily team up with a fitted shirt for your corporate meets.

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  • Are New Web Design Technologies Posing A Threat For Designers?

    With the entire world getting steadily digital, it's indispensable for every business to have its own website online. This has led to a soaring demand for web designs and also for the website designers. But then, web designing is a dynamic field with new technologies adding to it with each passing year. A good host of these latest technologies are geared to make the whole process of web designing simpler and more convenient- to the extent of enabling just anybody designing up a website without any such pro designing skills. An inevitable question pops up here – are these new technologies posing a threat for web designers? Well, not necessarily so. In fact, as these advanced additions are meant to simplify the whole process, the web designers too would benefit from it. Let's have a sneak peek into the latest technologies coloring up the web design world today. Adobe Muse From its early days of several limitations (as pointed out by web designers), Adobe Muse has traveled a long route and today you have a much better and improvised version of it. It's especially for those who bank on the visual appeal of a website and looking for a simple site with basic functionalities. At present, Adobe Muse will incorporate ecommerce, blog design as well as responsive site design for the mobile devices. This means, it will be helpful for any layman looking to create a basic site without any pro help and also for designers who have been asked for visually appealing yet minimalist site within a budget. The Grid The launch of The Grid is directly proportional to the rising need of responsive web designs to ensure easy compatibility with the mobile browsing devices. The edgy technology has introduced Artificial Intelligence to web design & helps to structure the website content, images & design in a responsive way to assure easy viewing from the small screened devices as well. Thus, the designers would no more need to worry about device compatibility of their designs. Template Engine Editing one web page is no doubt simple but what about those times when you have to handle several pages? Well, that's definitely a daunting affair and a time consuming one as well. It can even lead to potential errors. But you have something really cool today called Template Engine that will allow a convenient way to incorporate changes simultaneously in all web pages with similar components- like Sidebars, Footers or Headers. There is a wide range of Template Engines to choose from. PageCloud Launched last year, PageCloud refers to a highly advanced browser-based website design tool which enables you to drag & drop images, text, videos & other different elements on a website page for the desired website look. It also allows one to incorporate virtual media on the website, like YouTube videos, in just a click. Then, PageCloud is bustling with numerous readymade templates and fonts for easy website designing. SquareSpace SquareSpace is winning hearts everywhere with its breezy drag & drop as well as fill-in-the-blank functionality & mobile-friendly capabilities. The web designing platform would be excellent for those who want a functional and clean design without getting lost in the complicated intricacies of website designing. With SquareSpace, you can have a site up & running in just a weekend. Now, yes, it's true that these web designing technologies have made designing sites simpler even for a layman. But that does not mean web designers would be out of job for such a convenience. In fact, as per the CEO of Staten Island web design company, if leveraged properly, each of these new developments imply newer opportunities for the web designers- be it through a responsive design structure or readymade templates.

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  • Top 6 Reasons To Hire Managed IT Solution For Your Business

    Technology is fluctuating even faster than you think and it's a must to keep up with the swings to survive in the contemporary cut-throat competitive environment. However it can be challenging to manage and maintain an in-house IT team, especially for small and medium businesses. The most viable solution here is to outsource the IT support. Below are some reasons to help you think if using managed IT solution is an appropriate choice or not. Significant savings An average annual salary of IT manager is 30 to 40 dollars. Combine that with the recruitment cost, benefits, ongoing training to keep them updated and you have a landslide expense before you. Small businesses cannot afford IT professionals but are left with potential costs against downtimes due to technical issues resulting in productivity loss. Solution - Hired outsourced IT solution reduces the costs of ownership and merges into a fixed payment, which allows you to budget easily. Help when needed Your IT needs may rise and fall, so there might not be enough task around for an IT professional in your business always. So, why put yourself in the liability of maintaining a full-time employee when you would only need him sparingly and just in certain occasions? It could be challenging too if your office space is really limited. In times of critical IT emergencies, you can always seek support from a managed IT service firm. This way, you will only pay when you would have to. Solution – when you contact a managed IT service company, you are allowed to call their dedicated customer support desk and talk to an IT technician anytime. Professional team of technicians is always available to monitor the systems and help fix your encountered technical issues. Add to your in-house capabilities It would still be relevant to stay in touch with a managed IT service firm even when you have a full-time in-house IT pro. Your IT guy might be a committed expert but then again he might go on a leave or vacation at certain point of time? What if an emergency strikes when he is holidaying in Hawaii? Your business operations obviously can't wait till he returns. Or what if, a particular IT problem is beyond his reach? In such situations, only a managed IT service firm could help you. Solution - Hiring outsourced IT solution means you have expert team just a call away, even when your own in-house employee is not by your side. Hardly every team member in a company goes on a holiday together and the company will always have at least one person to help you out in your crisis. Moreover, as these are completely IT-themed firms, all the professionals here would be seasoned and highly knowledgeable technical pros- quite capable of handling any IT issue. Recruiting IT staff If you think of employing IT personnel for your business, then it is necessary to recruit one with necessary skill sets. Recruitment is a time consuming, difficult and expensive process. If you are not a technical person, then getting confused with technical jargons is not uncommon. You can possibly employ a wrong person, which can be a costly mistake for the business. Solution – It's thus better to outsource managed IT solutions from an IT firm only where you will have specialists equipped with latest qualifications, updated technical know-how and skill sets. You are relieved from the headache of recruiting the wrong person. Concentrate on vital business matters Time is precious and it needs to be spent on focusing on main business development activities. Worrying and resolving IT issues is the last thing you desire to waste your time on. Solution - Hiring outsourced IT solution gives peace of mind- no stress of managing technicalities which in turn enables you to freely concentrate on business development. Enhance staff productivity Distributing the responsibility of IT needs among the staff may save money. However, the possibilities of employees not focusing on primary roles due to constant distraction of handling IT issues can dramatically hamper productivity. Solution - Hiring outsourced IT solution allows your employees to get technical help instantly. Problems will diagnosed and resolved quickly, which will readily alleviate downtime. Moreover, your staff can concentrate on their main roles and be more productive. It's great if you can afford an in-house IT pro but then it would be smarter if you make it sure to stay in touch with a managed IT service firm.

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  • Top 6 Tips You Can't Miss While Buying A Wireless Headphone

    Headphones are a must have whether you are commuting to your office or on a solitary trip or wish to indulge in great music as you retire at night. If cables and wires are too entangling for you, the modern wireless headphones are a bliss. Backed by Bluetooth transmission and batteries, these new-age headphones are easily portable and great to carry when you are on the move. The wireless headphones are also handy for apartments defined by thin walls which do not allow loud audio from the bookshelf speakers. The contemporary tech market today is flooded by a versatile range of wireless headphones but then there are six important tips that you must keep in mind while looking for your wireless headphone. Purpose of your headphone This is the same advice that I gave my ardent video gamer nephew yesterday. Some of the wireless headphones are excellent for music while some are great for video gaming audio. So, you must decide the purpose of your wireless headphone before you set out to buy one. Get comparative study Nothing can beat a great comparative study when it comes to informed shopping and the same goes with your wireless headphone. Before you proceed to buy one, you must make a list of 5-6 potential wireless headphone brands and models and get a comparative review on them. I always prefer to opt for the new models but not the recently launched ones as the latter do not usually carry much reviews. You have to check what the experts and previous users have to say about your chosen model. Zero in on 2-3 options based on the reviews and ratings received. Buy locally or online? If you ask me, I would usually prefer to buy a wireless headphone from a local land-based store. It's because there are so many things to test before you invest in it and the physical stores assure the convenience of an easy testing immediately. But then, no one can deny the ease of online shopping and the web stores too house a fantastic range of wireless headphones. You simply need to be careful about the reputation of the store and make sure the portal offers an easy return policy. This way, you won't need to burden yourself with the headphone if you don't find it compatible after initial use. Test the headphone Your headphone is going to be your buddy for many more years to come and hence you must make sure to check the compatibility quotient with it before the investment. You have to check the fitness, sound quality and construction of the headphone. The best ones generally come up with a convenient adjustable fit. Better sound The wireless Bluetooth-run headphones are usually blamed for weaker audio compared to the wired options. But then, the recent advancements in technology have helped to better the sound here as well. When it comes to more improved sound for wireless headphones, opt for the aptX® technology. Available in Android devices, this high end technology promises premium wirefree streaming codec that assures enhanced audio experience. Closed or open construction The closed wireless headphones stay stuck tightly to your ears and offer an amazing distraction-free audio experience. But, then closed construction bars easy air circulation and you will end up all sweaty if you have the headphone tucked to the ears for long. Thus, it's better to go for open design headphones where just one of the ears will be covered for a breezy feel throughout. The bottom-line is that if you are going to use the headphone for longer hours at a stretch, opt for open design but otherwise the close design is always a greater fit. In conclusion Do not buy a wireless headphone without a solid warranty. The best ones generally offer a great warranty assurance for 1-2 years.

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  • 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?

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  • 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.

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  • 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.

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  • 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.

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  • 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.

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  • 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.

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  • 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.

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