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TECHV IZE August 2013 1
TECHV IZE
Contents July / August 2013
HOT STUFFS
04 APPS
30 NEWS
54 REVIEWS
61
SOCIAL MEDIA
* Lenovo ThinkPad S431 * Samsung Galaxy Tab 3.7.0
* Top 10 Apps to have on your Smartphone * 5 Great Apps on Windows Phone 8
* Samsung leads the industry with 72.4 million phone shipments * Dropbox Acquires Endorse
* HTC One Mini – The Most Attractive Mini Was
Released * HTC One Mini vs Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini Hardware Comparison
* Promoting your event with Twitter and LinkedIn * How to improve your Twitter following
64
* Deploying Twitter as a Marketing Tool
SECURITY
* Protecting Internet Connection – Free VPN Solu-
74
TUTORIALS
77
TECHV IZE August 2013 2
* 27-inch Monitor Comparison * BlackBerry Q10 - Revenge of the QWERTY
tions For PC, Android And iOS * Increasing Account Safety Online
* Protect your PC with VirusTotal, Free for end us-
ers *With A Little Courage, You Can Install Android 4.3 On The Galaxy S4
EDITOR’S LETTER At the very start of this project to edit Techvoize, I warned the team that I was intending to be a very hands-on editor. Even so, I feared they would be taken aback by my ‘controlfreakery’. But actually, I found myself entirely at home, as I have never met a team so dedicated to getting everything right – and to enjoying themselves in the process. What I wanted from this edition was to address Technology issues from the consumers point of view: not everyone likes to get techy but we all at some point use some sort of gadget and technology related tools, software and most popular social media, knowing how these things work is only normal, therefore I thought it would be good idea to start the first issue of Techvoize discussing on Apps, Gadgets, Security Tips, Social Media usage and more to it, educating our readers on the essentials of IT without getting too technical. Working on this issue as been interesting all through, as it was not only a learning phase for me, but also a period where we reflected on saving our readers the stress of having to surf for these information herewith themselves. In conclusion, I believe this issue would really do as we have intend for our readers and we hope this is a beginning to a new and growing relationship. Yours truly,
Techvoize Magazine mag@techvoize.com www.techvoize.com
Editorial Director Kess Daniels kessdaniels@techvoize.com
Contributors Summayyah Aamir Costea Lestoc David Curry Ranmal L.U Serah Maina
Graphic Designer Mohsin Swaleh
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TECHV IZE August 2013 3
HOT STUFFS
Gadgets to Look At This Month With plenty of devices being released at the moment, there are a few gadgets that caught our eyes. Here are some that you might just be interested in as well.
SonosPlaybar If you have heard of Sonos before, you would know that the company caters to wireless Hi-Fi systems. The SonosPlaybar is the company’s latest offering. It is a soundbar that is meant for HD television. At the same time, you can also connect to it through your mobile devices via Wi-Fi.
Canon EOS 100D Deemed the lightest and smallest DSLR, the Canon 100D comes with the same 18-megapixel CMOS sensor present in the EOS 600D. It has the manual control present in semi-professional DSLR and also shoots full-HD video. The ISO ranges between 100 to 12800 and the device also has some built-in filters to create that Instagram effect. The Canon EOS 100D retails at ÂŁ579.99.
TECHV IZE August 2013 4
HOT STUFFS LG Pocket Photo What do you think about a pocket-sized
wireless
photo
printer? LG has one for you and it is called the LG Pocket Photo Smart. It uses a unique paper made from ZINK. No, not the metal you silly, but instead a special paper with the color built-in. At the moment, it is available only in the UK with a price tag of $200.
Samsung Game Pad Do you want to turn the Samsung Galaxy S4 to a portable game console? The Samsung Game Pad is your answer for that. It so far has 80 games that it support at launch and looks much like an Xbox 360 controller as well. We just hope there won’t be a lawsuit by Microsoft for this one.
Amazon Kindle Fire HD 8.9 This is another great tablet to look at by Amazon. The Kindle Fire HD 8.9 comes with a resolution of 1920x1200 which is capable of withstanding 10 hours’ worth of usage. The 1.8GHz dual-core processor might be a bit slow as compared with the quadcore processors that are available today but for the price tag of just $299, it is a cheap and powerful tablet to own.
TECHV IZE August 2013 5
HOT STUFFS
Sony Cyber-shot HX50V The World’s Lightest and Smallest 30x Optical Zoom Camera
TECHV IZE August 2013 6
HOT STUFFS
Sony Cyber-shot HX50V The World’s Lightest and Smallest 30x Optical Zoom Camera DSC-HX50V/B compact, 20.4MP Cyber-shot® camera features an impressive 30x optical zoom that makes actions shots appear clearer thanks to advanced 3-way image stabilization. Sony Cyber-shot HX50V camera and achieved another milestone. with impressive 30x optical zoom range and advanced 20.4 MP “Exmor R” CMOS image sensor. This is the world’s lightest with approximate weight 272g and smallest optical zoom camera ever with dimensions 108.1 x 63.6 x 38.3mm. With its extensive feature set, extremely compact size, and advanced performance capabilities, the Cyber-shot HX50V represents the ultimate in flexibility in a compact camera.
Overview of Cyber-shot Digital Camera HX50V with Model number: DSC-HX50V/B Sony Cyber-shot HX50V is the best camera available now for per-orders. It can be your new favorite travel companion. Take hold of the textured grip and capture your next adventure with ultra-sharp precision. The DSC-HX50V/B compact, 20.4MP Cyber-shot® camera features an impressive 30x optical zoom that makes actions shots appear clearer thanks to advanced 3-way image stabilization. You also get full manual control for more creative shots and 1080/60p movie recording
Model Specifications • 20.4-megapixel • 30x optical/60x Clear Image zoom • Full HD 1080/60p with dual record • Optical SteadyShot® image stabilization • 3-way active mode • Up to 10fps • Full manual and dedicated EV control dial • Built-in Wi-Fi
for smoother footage. You can even map your memories with built-in GPS tagging and accessorize with a wide variety of available extras.
TECHV IZE August 2013 7
HOT STUFFS Amazing 30x zoom Zoom in incredibly close for great sports, travel and wildlife photos. The Cyber-shot HX50V camera boasts a powerful 30x optical zoom plus 60x Clear Image digital zoom technology to bring you near enough to capture the most distant details—from leaves on the trees, to smiles on the soccer field. The camera’s powerful processor reduces graininess for crisper, higherquality close-ups.
Say goodbye to blur Don’t let a not-so-steady hand prevent you from capturing the moment. Optical SteadyShot image stabilization compensates for camera shake by countering camera movements in both horizontal and vertical directions. Plus, Active 3-Way stabilization keeps things steadier yet with digital rolling control that offsets clockwise and counterclockwise rotations, resulting in smoother videos even while zoomed in close. The result? Sharp, blur-free photos and footage in otherwise unsteady situations, like shooting video while walking.
Pixel power in low light With a 20.4-megapixel Exmor R CMOS sensor, capture high-resolution images that take full advantage of the camera’s high-quality Sony G lens. More pixels means you can enlarge, zoom in and crop your photos without losing detail. Advanced processing technology reduces noise and graininess for incredibly crisp, clear images—even in challenging low-light conditions.
Amazing HD movies Record crystal-clear movies at the highest resolution available with Full HD 1080/60p video capture (records in 29-minute segments). Stunning, fast-motion video with reduced distortion looks great when played back on your HDTV2. Notice a perfect photo opp while shooting video? With dual record of stills and movies, you can shoot both at the same time.
TECHV IZE August 2013 8
HOT STUFFS
Total control For creative flexibility, the Cyber-shot HX50V features full
cally reduced grain.
manual and dedicated EV control dial. You can enter Program Auto (P), Aperture Priority (A), Shutter Speed Priority (S) or Manual Exposure (M) mode.
Never miss the moment Capture every moment with high-speed shooting of up to 10 fps (frames per second) at full 20.4-megapixel resolution. It’s perfect for sports, action photography or capturing a unique sequence of photos. Your shots will be clear and blur-free thanks to a mechanical shutter which helps reduce distortion when continuously shooting moving subjects. The camera also features 5-blade aperture for smooth background defocusing.
Main Features Its main features include:
30x optical zoom plus 60x Clear Image Digital Zoom Get super close with 30x optical zoom plus 60x Clear Image digital zoom. Most digital zooms use electronic cropping to get closer to the subject, resulting in unsharp images. With Clear Image Zoom the powerful processor compares patterns found in adjacent pixels and creates new pixels to match selected patterns, resulting in more realistic, higher-quality images. Clear Image Zoom doubles optical zoom for closer photos.
Optical SteadyShot® image stabilization Optical SteadyShot® image stabilization reduces shake and blur by countering camera movements in both horizontal and vertical directions.³ Active 3-Way stabilization adds digital rolling control that counters clockwise and anti-clockwise rotation, resulting in more stable videos even at long focal lengths.
20.4 Megapixel Back-illuminated Exmor® R CMOS Image Sensor This camera features a 20.4 megapixel Exmor® R CMOS image sensor that brings out the full resolving power of the camera’s Carl Zeiss® Vario-Sonnar T* lens to deliver extremely fast speed, high resolution, and stunning lowlight sensitivity with improved image clarity and drasti-
Full HD 1080/60p Record crystal clear movies at the highest resolution available with capabilities for 60p in 1080 AVCHD™ video.¹ This provides stunning, fast motion video with less distortion for playback on your HD TV.2 With dual record of stills and movies, you can shoot both at the same time.
Full manual & dedicated EV control dial allow more creativity For creative flexibility, users can enter Program Auto (P), Aperture Priority (A), Shutter Speed Priority (S) or Manual Exposure (M) mode for manual shooting and direct access exposure control via dedicated dial.
Capture the decisive moment with up to 10fps Capture full 20.4 megapixel resolution images at up to 10 frames per second, helping to ensure that the decisive moment is captured such as the soccer ball flying into the goal. In addition, a mechanical shutter helps reduce distortion when continuously shooting moving subjects.
Multi interface shoe attaches flash, light, and mic The multi interface shoe allows easy connection with wide-ranging accessories expanding the range of photographic expression. Available accessories include a powerful external flash unit, electronic viewfinder etc.
Available for Pre-orders now The new Cyber-shot HX50V compact digital camera is now available for pre-orders only in an amount of $449.99 with free delivery. The camera and a range of compatible accessories can be booked at Sony retail stores and other authorized dealers nationwide. The estimated shipment date given is 31 May, 2013.
TECHV IZE August 2013 9
HOT STUFFS
Lenovo Idea Centre Horizon 27″ Table PC Lenovo have announced their new Table PC recently. With the arrival of windows 8 Lenovo released series of tablet and touch PCs. This time it’s not a tablet PC it’s a table PC. With the big screen of this amazing tab you can do more with more fun. Horizon is multi-mode PC enables comfortable multi angle use as a desktop, and provides a unique multi user experience as a table PC through the Aura interface. Let’s go ahead and check features and specs of the Idea Centre Horizon table PC.
Special features: It includes unique game accessories that interact with multi- touch apps, with the built in battery you can use the PC anywhere in the home. It folds at any angle from 00 to 900. Wireless mouse and keyboard gives you the comfort to use the machine from a distance.
Applications loaded with Horizon table PC If you are game lover you will be happy to hear that Horizon will come with preloaded games some of the preloaded games are; Raiding Company Raiding Company King of Opera King of Opera Air hockey Lenovo Air Hockey Lenovo tycoon Lenovo Tycoon Fishing Joy Lenovo Fishing Joy Roulette Lenovo Roulette Texas Holdem Lenovo Texas Holdem Draw Race 2 Draw Race 2
TECHV IZE August 2013 10
Specifications Processor Up to 3rd generation Intel® Core™ i7 processor.
Operating System Up to Windows 8 64
Display 27″ backlit full HD (1920×1080) multi-touch display. 16:9 widescreen
Battery Life Up to 2 hours battery life.
Storage / HDD Up to 1TB HDD + 8GB SSD
RAM Up to 8GB DDR3
Graphics NVIDIA GeForce GT 620M 1 GB DDR 3 Graphics Or
HOT STUFFS Weight 8.6 KG ( 18.95 lbs)
Integrated Communications Wireless 802.11 /b/g/n 1×1 Single Band Bluetooth 4.0
Camera Integrated 720P HD webcam with Mic Array
Dimensions 690.5*430.5*29.8 mm 27.18×16.94×1.17 inches
Warranty 1 year When it comes to price, Starting from $1,699.00 (price details from official Lenovo website) Price is pretty high but with specs and available features its worth for the price
NVIDIA GeForce GT 620M 2 GB DDR 3 (can customize and buy)
TECHV IZE August 2013 11
HOT STUFFS
BlackBerry Q10 - Revenge of the QWERTY After so many claims by BlackBerry CEO Thorsten Heins that touch screen and tablets are not future anymore, struggling again with new BlackBerry 10 Operating System being introduced with Z10 (Full Touch screen) and later in Q10 (QWERY + Touchscreen). Once a telecom leaders may gain some benefits with the launch of this new model but the innovations are limited in compared to other smart phone.
BlackBerry: Once Telecom Leader, Now Fights Back with New Model Q10 BlackBerry team is trying to cover the gap of QWERY and touchscreen smartphones. After it launched full
USB 2.0 port to charge and get syn-
sustainable growth until iPhone hit
touch phone like Z10 which does
chronized, also featured with HDMI
the market leading to Android sets
not proved a success for BlackBerry,
port to connect with HDTV or pro-
bombardment, BlackBerry was put
Q10 is brought in market featur-
jector. Screen display is provided
aside from market like a baby pen-
ing a rich bond of QWERTY fam-
with best resolution of 720 x 720 at
guin giving largest share of smart-
ily along with touch screen excite-
330 PPI with 24 bit color depth on
phones to iPhone and Android sets.
ment.
a screen size of 3.1 inch diagonal.
With the struggle of six years,
Thorsten Heins announced few fea-
BlackBerry experts have so far fo-
BlackBerry came with modification
tures of BlackBerry 10 Operating
cused only keyboard styled smart-
to its operating system, new design
System at BlackBerry World 2012
phones with best possible mes-
innovations, increased processing
conference. The innovating fea-
saging capability. Following the
capacity along with combination of
tures were new 8 Mega Pixel auto
footsteps of BlackBerry, Palm Inc.
HD touch screen display with Black-
focus camera with ability to rewind
experimented with stylish keyboard
Berry pioneered keyboard. Black-
frame by frame to choose the best
and powerful operating system but
Berry 10 type sophisticated oper-
shot and recording capacity at
proved to be failing in comparison
ating system still is unable to offer
1080p HD, along with enhanced
to iPhone styled tabs and phones.
unique features that could lower
graphical user interface.
Palm’s sets are no longer famous in
the customers of iPhone and An-
Q10 comes with superior process-
mobile industry and seem obsolete.
droid to switch to Q10. It is being
ing power of Duel Core 1.5 GHz
Standard QWERTY sets of Black-
offered in BlackBerry’s home coun-
along with 2 GB RAM, a high speed
Berry are much famous in Canada,
try Canada for $250.
America and were the largest tel-
TECHV
IZE August 2013 12
ecom company in the world with
Nokia is ready to rumble again. As Nokia has unveiled today its new Asha 210 that is designed to offer consumers more social experiences at an affordable price of just $70. What this means in worldly terms is that the social universe has just expanded for the partying/networking clique. And the perk is that it comes at a reasonable rate. Desirable in its dimensions, there is a choice between Single or Easy Swap DualSIM variants, features a distinctly Nokia design and smart imaging that sets it apart from the crowd. It supports Wi-Fi to help people enjoy more of the Internet for less and is the world’s first phone to have a dedicated WhatsApp button. Nokia has already released handsets with button to support Facebook and same by HTC. But this time, it is a dedicated WhatsApp button and QWERTY keyboard for fast access to instant messaging. The Nokia Asha 210 buyers will get a free subscription to the messaging service by WhatsApp for life time. But for other 40 devices of Asha series, this service will be free for only first year. After first year of free use, WhatsApp will charge a $0.99 annual fee. Nokia and HTC had already released handsets with Facebookdevoted buttons. But this is for first time that Nokia launched a set with WhatsApp button. It is analyzed that WhatsApp will be used as the text app of choice on the handsets, but suggested it would have limited impact on the wider mobile phone market Nokia’s Asha 210 is using a Symbian-based operating system and will be targeted at consumers in emerging markets looking for a cheaper alternative to the Finnish firm’s Windows Phone range and other companies’ smartphones. With Nokia Asha 210, you can bring your social life at your fingertips, As the Nokia Asha 210 has a QWERTY keyboard and a dedicated WhatsApp button for fast access to
HOT STUFFS
Nokia released Asha 210 with dedicated Whatsapp button and Wifi
instant messaging. To celebrate the Nokia and WhatsApp partnership, WhatsApp is offering their service for free on all Nokia Asha 210 devices with the WhatsApp button for their lifespan. Combined with Facebook, Twitter and support for popular email accounts such as Gmail, the Nokia Asha 210 is designed to ensure that people are never more than a few clicks away from their friends and family according to a press release by Nokia. The Nokia Asha 210 can capture and share great images every time as comes with a 2MP camera that can be accessed through a dedicated hardkey even when the keypad is locked. The smart camera also offers a choice of image capture, editing and sharing options, including Self-portrait and Fast editing. Nokia’s innovative Slam feature allows you to share photos and other content quickly, which comes builtinto the Nokia Asha 210. It works by enabling the transfer of content such as images or videos to another Bluetooth-enabled phone without
the need to pair devices. Other key features for Nokia Asha 210 include: • Social phonebook integration with the ability to launch WhatsApp direct from contact cards in the Phonebook • Preloaded YouTube launcher for direct video streaming • Chat screen notifications that keep users up-to-date on new conversations • Single-SIM and Dual-SIM models featuring Nokia’s exclusive EasySwap technology that enables consumers to change SIM cards without having to turn off the device • WiFi On/Off control button • Nokia’s renowned long battery life: up to 46 days with Single-SIM and up to 24 days with Dual-SIM The estimated retail price for the Nokia Asha 210 is around 72 USD and it is expected to start shipping in the second quarter of 2013. The Nokia Asha 210 is available in yellow, cyan, black, magenta, and white.
TECHV IZE August 2013 13
HOT STUFFS
Lenovo ThinkPad S431 Lenovo reveals S431 Ivy Bridge Powered Laptop which provides 15% more processing power and efficiency than previous models of ThinkPad. This New addition in Lenovo ThinkPad series S431 is announced right before Intel is going to reveal its 4th generations Haswell processors. It is good addition to the previous E431 and E531 ThinkPad models. The new Lenovo laptop is premium addition to the ThinkPad series whose journey started from Year 2005 after it was purchased from IBM by this company. But it should not be confused with T431S Ultrabook which was introduced earlier.
Display Dimension’s Improvement The S431 is a regular 14inch laptop with touchscreen display. A new technological advancement is implemented to embrace the 14inch display in a 13inch chassis board. With this improvement, the visible screen is more than previous model. The display is designed with all compatible new features of Microsoft Windows 8, like gesture and facial recognition,
TECHV IZE August 2013 14
multi touch sensitivity. With the help of this new feature, screen rotation
Processing Power and Storage
can be flat 180 degrees. This provides access to the model graphical touch
S431 is powered by the Intel’s 3rd
base user interface of Windows 8.
generation core i7 processors. The
Keyboard provides six Windows 8 op-
voltage chips being used in this
timized keys for better navigation.
model are standard ones. As the chips in use on Ultrabooks is energy
Better User Experience
efficient.
The new ThinkPad model provides
Lenovo have provided the flexibility
Windows 8 compatible new features
to get 8GB of RAM and storage ca-
as Multi Finger Touchscreen to make
pacity of 500GB. With this approxi-
it easy to select applications, swipe
mately 150,000 audio songs and
screen and ease of use in resizing fea-
250 full length DVD/HD movies can
tures. The navigation is easier with
be stored.
six hardware keys on keyboard. The
Official sources of Lenovo haven’t
overall touch experience of Windows
disclosed the type of drive to be
8 adds in value to the technological
provided with it. Regular 2 USB 3.0
advanced style and feature rich lap-
ports are provided with the model.
top.
Keeping in mind the requirement of
HOT STUFFS additional USB ports requirement, another feature like ThinkPad OneLink Connector is used which can be connected resulting in additional gigabit Ethernet port, one regular HDMI port and few additional USB 3.0 ports.
Battery Life Officially Lenovo have announced the battery life of nine long hours. This is quiet good if true.
Availability The model is available under the brand name S431 with approximate standard price tag of $700 or $699. This price is cheaper than laptops of same processing power and storage capacity with such latest features. The OneLink Connector can be bought from 21st May 2013 but price is not yet announced. One tweet is found on Lenovo official account mentioning that another $509 price version can be launched too which will not have touchscreen features.
TECHV IZE August 2013 15
HOT STUFFS
Sony Xperia Tablet Z
This smashing new technology is available in two memory sizes. A 16 GB Tablet model is priced $499.99 while an upgraded memory model of 32 GB Xperia Tablet Z is rated $599.99. It is also avialable in 2 colors i.e. black and white. This new Xperia Tablet is just 6.9mm thick with weight 17.5 oz. While it is very slim with 10-inch slat. It runs on Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean operating system. Other exciting specs of Sony Xperia Tablet Z includes Exmor R 8.1 megapixel camera, 1.5GHz quad-core Snapdragon processor, 32GB storage with 2 GB RAM and 10.1-inch 1,920 x 1,200 display with Mobile BRAVIA Engine 2 Sony announced that the shipment date is 24 May, 2013 for pre-orders. While a free cradle is also available for those who book the tablet before May 24, 2013
TECHV IZE August 2013 16
tech.
HOT STUFFS
Samsung Galaxy Tab 3.7.0 Samsung has announced the launch of the third iteration of the smallest range of tablets from its portfolio, the one with 7″ screen. The new Galaxy Tab 3 7.0 is a tablet from the intermediate range, which will be available in both a Wi-Fi version and a version with 3G connectivity which support calls. How fun does that sound? The new Galaxy Tab 3 7.0 tablet is smaller and lighter than its predecessors, taking the design of the Galaxy Note 8.0 and other phones launched by Samsung in the past year. It offers a screen with a diagonal of 7″ and a resolution of 1024 x 600 pixels, the hardware platform consists of a dual-core unknown processor clocked at a frequency 1.2 GHz, a RAM memory capacity of 1 GB 8 GB or 16 GB of internal storage, MicroSD card and a battery with a capacity of 4000 mAh. Galaxy Tab 3 7.0 has the following dimensions: 188.0 x 111.1 x 9.9 mm and is weighing 306 grams, making it one of the lightest tablets available on the market today. Facilities also include a 3-megapixel main camera and a 1.3 MP front camera, GPS, Bluetooth 3.0 adapter and 802.11 a/b/g/n wireless interface. Its Wi-Fi version will be available from May. The HSPA version, that will offer voice options and even a proximity sensor if you intend to use the tablet as a giant phone, will be available from June. The main rival for the tablet will be the Google Nexus 7 device launched last year, which still has technical advantages such as quad-core Tegra 3 processor. But this one lacks 3G which Samsung tablet offers. Of course, the Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 is handy and portable, things highlighted by Samsung. For those who want a small tablet from Samsung, this is the perfect model
TECHV IZE August 2013 17
HOT STUFFS
Acer Iconia W3 World’s Smallest Windows 8 Amazon revealed the world’s first smallest screen Windows 8 tablet device yesterday. It is Acer Iconia W3 according to web store. Acer president Jim Wang was busy at the same time presenting computer accessories and large display electronics in New York. Acer launched one Windows 8 notebook and an Android Tablet PC on Friday. Company shares less than one percent in this market right now. Acer Iconia A1 is recently pushed in United States and its effect on company sales will be visible in second quarter of 2013. According to Amazon’s online preview, the specifications of Acer Iconia W3 are mentioned below; • Screen size of 8.1 inch with screen resolution of 1024×768 which matches to Nexus 7 • Model name: Acer Iconia W3-810-1600 • Operating System: Microsoft Windows 8 • Duel Core Intel Atom Processor is enough to power the full version of rich GUI based operating system Screen size of 8 inch good but the current trend in market is the buying lead for 7 inch tablets and is mostly low cost with the power of Android OS. Microsoft and Acer need to push some innovations to make it stand out of the Android crowded tablet market. The main competitors in American, European and Asian market are only Google OS. Because iOS have market reach of more than 39% but that has different price structure and trend.
TECHV IZE August 2013 18
HOT STUFFS Price is also an important factor. Initial price by Amazon’s store given is $379.99 and is competitive in comparison to other available Android devices. It is not yet final to offer at this price in market. Let us see the official reveal and launch time from company executives. Windows 8 is full features operating system in comparison to Google OS. It is being offered at much low cost with only $50 more than iPad mini price. The innovative style of Acer and low price along with Microsoft OS can give an edge in developer’s market while existing desktop Windows users may also incline towards it. Tech Giant Microsoft have only 3% market share in mobile operating systems and receives a reasonable fee from tab manufacturers based on number of licenses. While on the other Google does not force any license fee to companies who make and ship its operating system with their devices like Tabs, Smartphones and TVs. So it is growing deep in market. It is fast, reliable and offers lot more valuable free applications with free access from Google Play Store.
Acer Iconia W3
TECHV IZE August 2013 19
HOT STUFFS
LG Competes with the Massive Optimus G Pro It seems like Koreans like it big. The Galaxy Note II is already big enough and it seems that LG will want to compete with the behemoth with its 5.5-inch Optimus G Pro. The Optimus G Pro will be considered a phablet since it is too big for a phone yet a bit too small for a tablet. Nevertheless, it is one working device. The Optimus G Pro has the same screen size as the Note II but it has a slimmer profile thanks to a smaller bezel at its side. The screen is a beautiful full HD IPS display which is much higher than the resolution of the Galaxy Note II (720p). This puts the Optimus G Pro at a pixel density of 400 ppi, much higher than most smartphones today. Inside the Optimus G Pro is a quad-core Snapdragon processor that clocks at 1.7GHz with 2GB RAM supporting it. It runs on Android version 4.1.2 and not the latest update of 4.2.2. Nevertheless, the differences are minimal. There are two cameras, 13MP at the back with another 2.1MP at the front.
Like the Note II, the Optimus G Pro is made out of plastic and the back can be replaced with a Quick Cover. This allows the device to do wireless charging as well as give access to a huge 3,140 mAh battery. There is also a microSD expansion slow as well. It comes with 32GB worth of storage although you can bump up 64GB more through a microSD card. All in all, it is certainly a phone with a lot of features but will it be able to compete with the Galaxy Note II? Specification-wise, this is certainly a better phone but you be the judge. What do you think of the Optimus G Pro?
TECHV IZE August 2013 20
HOT STUFFS
Aspire P3 Ultrabook Acer had recently made a global press conference held in New York City and with it comes a lot of announcements. There have been plenty of updates as well as new products that were announced. One of it is an Ultrabook convertible called the Aspire P3. The Aspire P3 is the company’s first convertible Windows 8 Ultrabook. The device can be used as both a laptop and slate with its screen can be angled forward or folded down. The Aspire P3 certainly looks good with its metal finish. It has an 11.6-inch screen that is not full HD. This is also an advantage as at that resolution, the pixel density can put quite a strain on the eye. Display on the Aspire P3 should be good to most people although it might be a bit too reflective for some. This Ultrabook will be powered with an Intel Core i3 processor which will be upgradable to an i5. In addition to that, it will come equipped with 4GB worth of RAM as well as 60GB of SSD. There isn’t news about whether there is an extra hard drive slot but if not, you will have to make do with the limited storage. You can also connect the device to an external hard drive but that would be quite the trouble. The device feels snappy with thanks to the SSD but once installed with a lot of software, it will start to take its toll on the processor. There is also a USB port at the side, a miniHDMI port as well as a headphone jack.
TECHV IZE August 2013 21
HOT STUFFS
Google Glass has the market in a state of a n ticipation and anxiety alright. The whole computer miniaturized in the form of a pair of spectacles is definitely the new hope for millions of wannabe whiz kids. But the question is will it meet the hyped-up expectations created by Google? The high technology world has its share of sensationalism and so a sensible approach would be to take every new item that arrives with a grain of salt. Skepticism is a necessary partner of the gushing glee that is so marked a feature of the lonely crowd. Whatever the case, Google has come up with a brand new piece of technology that will change the way people think of computers and computing. Prototypes of the device are already being road-tested by thousands of people who are like high tech guinea pigs. Google glass is a product that is bound but neither are they radical. They face it match the hype? Will it deliver? Is it a to be up for sale when the next year rolls life and the joys it brings them with a hoax? Well, though there are a few isin. The people who will be buying this positive attitude. Every day is a new day sues, such as what will people who alwearable technology are divided into op- for them.
ready wear glasses do, mostly the device
timists and pessimists. The former view it
has people on the edge of their seats. Its
as a giant leap for the future of comput- Those who have been lucky enough prismatic display screen is so cool that it ers. As for the latter, they don’t see eye to actually use Google Glasses have makes the most advanced cinema look to eye with their Pollyanna partners. For only praise for them. They say that it is passé in comparison. them the Brave New World aspects of this a window to another world. The first mechanical/electronic/silicon sealed and thing that comes to mind upon employ- The real attempt by Google Glass has seamless device are too frightening to ing what looks like an ordinary pair of been to do away with all the computer even contemplate.
spectacles, but is not an ordinary pair of accessories and let you wear your comspectacles, is the sheer freedom, exotic puter like a pair of spectacles with you
What gives? The fact is there have always energy and level of excitement it gen- all the time. All those devices you had to been prophets of doom who have spelt erates in the user. To just use the word attach with your computer and remain trouble for mankind at every little novelty “innovation” or even “creativity” does stationary can now be handled while that enters the event horizon. But their not do full justice to the concept that is you are mobile. Will that be a curse or prognostications and jeremiads don’t Google Glasses.
blessing? That remains to be seen. For
matter in the long run since humanity
now, Google has its hands full with this
takes things normally as they come. Nor- People are curious about this. They want novice technology that is making the mal people are not exactly conservative to know what it is really all about. Does other creators jealous and all worked up.
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HOT STUFFS
Fitbit Flex Wireless Activity & Sleep Wristband Have you ever wanted to track your sleep and progress of your daily activity? If you have $100, you might just be able to do so with the Fitbit Flex. It is an activity and sleep wristband that tracks your sleep cycle as well as your daily activities. The Fitbit Flex is essentially a wristband with a monitor inside it. The simplistic design might turn some people off. Suffice to say that on a first glance, people can easily mistake it as a simple silicon band instead of a complex device. It is made out of matte plastic and has a brushed metal button to clip it to your wrists. Inside it holds the tracker which is a small black removable piece. Inside it is also an accelerometer that not only tracks your activities but at the same time, work as a way to control the device. Users can tap the Fitbit Flex twice to tell them how close they are to their step goal and five times to tell the device that you are about to sleep. Inside it is also a silent alarm that can wake you up at a certain time. It allows you to sync wirelessly with your mobile devices via Bluetooth 4.0 which is also the latest battery saving technology available only to certain phones at the moment. Users can easily sync their Fitbit Flex with an Android or an iOS device. The battery life of the Fitbit Flex is expected to be around five to seven days which is definitely a long time. At only $100, the Fitbit Flex beats its competitors by at least $30. It also comes with most if not all of the features that are available from its competitors and most importantly, it is the most value for money activity tracker wristband so far.
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HOT STUFFS
E-Book Readers Comparison Today’s society is going digital and this is also the same case with printed media. Books are now being digitalized and as such, there are plenty of e-book readers for you to choose from. Here are some great e-book readers that you might just want to take a look.
Amazon Kindle Considered one of the most prominent e-book readers in the market, the Amazon Kindle is number one for a reason. Amazon is currently the biggest e-book seller at the moment and as such, the Kindle is benefiting from the enormous library that Amazon has to offer. There are also plenty of perks that you can get by being an Amazon Prime member as well. The Kindle starts at a price of just $69 and can go as high as $399.99 for the Kindle Fire version.
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B&N NOOK Simple Touch with GlowLight
HOT STUFFS
If you don’t like advertisements like the ones Amazon is promoting on its Kindle devices, you can opt to go with the NOOK Simple Touch with GlowLight by Barnes & Noble. The soft glow that the device has is perfect for low light reading. You should also take note that B&N is also one of the biggest e-book sellers and as such, you should be looking forward to a good choice of books available as well. The GlowLight version of NOOK Simple Touch is available at a price of $119.00.
KoboGlo If you want something that does not impose as many restrictions as Amazon and B&N, then the Kobo GloeReader might just be the one for you. It has a similar specification with the NOOK but also with added perks such as the capability of reading EPUB formats and more. You can even expand the memory up to 32GB if you find the need to do so.
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HOT STUFFS
Olympus PEN E-P5
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HOT STUFFS
Olympus Releases New PEN E-P5 Olympus is one of the best companies so far when it comes to micro four-thirds cameras. Its signature PEN series is a beauty and the Olympus PEN E-P5 is the new addition to the series. The good thing about the new PEN E-P5 is that it makes use of a classic design instead of the modern one that Olympus has been using for its past cameras. This distinguishes the PEN E-P5 with other Olympus devices out there. Before the official announcement, the PEN E-P5 had already made its debut unofficially via leaked images and specifications. As such, these tallies with one another and what you have here is a beautiful product with amazing specifications. It is powered with a 16 megapixel sensor with five-axis stabilization. In addition to that, you can also shoot full HD 1080p videos at a frame rate of 30 fps. The screen on the other hand is a 1.04M dot 3-iinch touchscreen that you can tilt up and down. Impressively, the shutter speed goes up to 1/8000 although we rarely find any use of such high shutter speeds. Most of the time, you would be using these speeds to enable more shallow depth of field in sunlight. The ISO range on the other hand is between 100 to 25,600 giving the PEN E-P5 a stellar performance in low lighting conditions. What is even better about the device is that you have a short start-up time of just 0.5 seconds. This allows you to capture images in split seconds. The technology found in the OM-D devices is also put inside the E-P5. This means that you can focus on the subject quickly with no regards to the lighting condition. However, there is no built-in viewfinder although you can definitely
choose to purchase
one separately. The device is available at a price of $1000 body only or $1,450 with a 17mm f/1.8 lens with a VF-4 electronic viewfinder
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HOT STUFFS
27-inch Monitor Comparison A lot of people like it big and when it comes to monitors, big is certainly better as you have more screen estates that you can make use. 27-inch is certainly the sweet spot for many as it isn’t too big or is it too small for you to place on a desk. Here are some great 27-inch monitors that you can definitely check out.
Apple Thunderbolt Display
It is without a doubt that many Apple made products are of high quality. The Apple Thunderbolt Display is one example of it. It sports a high resolution display of 2560x1440 pixels which is equivalent to 4x720p displays in a 2 by 2 configuration. However, to connect to this device, you will need to have a Thunderbolt port in the first place. If not, consider the LED Cinema Display instead as that makes use of a Mini DisplayPort cable instead. The steep price of $999.00 might be a major turn off for most but if you are serious and have the money to spend, then the Apple Thunderbolt Display is your ultimate choice.
ACHIEVA Shimian QH270-Lite You may not have heard about the ACHIEVA Shimian but it is certainly the buzz at the moment. This monitor comes from South Korea and is certainly one not to be messed with either. It comes with an A- grade panel which is almost of similar quality to the Apple Thunderbolt Display. It also has the same resolution of 2560x1440 but with a few disadvantages. The LITE version is the cheapest but will cost around $350. You also need a DVI-D port so this restricts the Shimian to just desktops.
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HOT STUFFS
Dell UltraSharp U2713HM Monitor If you are a professional and are looking for an accurate monitor, then consider the UltraSharp U2713HM by Dell. Like the Thunderbolt Display, it comes with an IPS panel and also with the same resolution. There are plenty of options that you can customize and at the same time, it also has an ergonomic stand. There is a USB 3.0 port at the back as well if you need those. You can get the U2713HM at a price of $799.99.
ACHIEVA Shimian QH270-Lite
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APPS
Top 10 Best Apps on iOS, Windows Phone, Windows 8, and BB10 If you happen to switch operating systems from time to time, these are the apps that can follow you everywhere.
01
TuneIn Radio (Free) If you enjoy listening to the radio on your smartphone or tablet, TuneIn Radio is an essential install. We’re talking about more than 70,000 stations of music, news, and sports. You can get a world view or tune in to the local airwaves. The app also offers access to over 2 million podcasts and shows of every flavor on demand. You can browse the categories, check out recommendations, or search for precisely what you want. All that content is packaged in a clear and concise design that’s easy to use. Android | iOS | Windows Phone | Windows 8 | BlackBerry
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02
APPS
AccuWeather (Free)
Being able to access reliable weather forecasts can really help you plan ahead and this attractive app is focused on bringing you the latest news on what the next five days are liable to look like at your location. It covers 2.7 million individual locations worldwide and you can fully customize it and set up severe weather alerts. It’s easy to see the chance of sunshine or rain at a glance, but you can also delve a bit deeper with satellite maps of weather systems. Android | iOS | Windows Phone | Windows 8 | BlackBerry
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APPS
03
ESPN ScoreCenter (Free) Everyone likes to keep up with their favorite sports teams and the ScoreCenter app from ESPN lets you do just that. You can set up a personalized view on how all of the teams you support are performing and receive notifications of results in real time. Throw in the latest breaking news, stats, in-depth analysis, and video footage and you have a window on the world of sport wherever you are. Android | iOS | Windows Phone | Windows 8 | BlackBerry
04
Box (Free) You can get 5GB of free cloud storage with Box and use it to easily and swiftly copy files from device to device. Access your presentation on the go, share documents with co-workers, or share videos with friends and family, there’s no end to the potential usefulness of an app like Box. You can comment on files and see updates from other people in real time. If security is a concern, you’ll be glad to know that encryption is supported. There’s no other cloud app currently available that supports all these platforms (believe us, we’ve looked). Android | iOS | Windows Phone | Windows 8 | BlackBerry
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05
APPS
USA Today (Free)
What is going on in America? You can get a pretty comprehensive overview with the USA Today app which offers up News, Sports, Life, Money, Tech, Travel, and Opinion sections for your perusal. There are lots of photos, you can get alerts on breaking news, and you can see topics as a snapshot to grab the important details. You can also save content to read offline later. Easy sharing via email or social media allows you to spread the news that interests you. Android | iOS | Windows Phone | Windows 8 | BlackBerry
06
Skype (Free) Get your instant messaging, voice calls, and video calls bundled together with Skype. The fact that Skype-to-Skype calls over the internet are free helped Skype to take off in a big way and it’s the ideal solution for long distance calls. The app also allows you to share files and call regular landline and mobile numbers by buying credit. More than 250 million users can’t be wrong. The BlackBerry app is due any day now. Android | iOS | Windows Phone | Windows 8 | BlackBerry
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APPS
07
Flixster (Free) Everything you need to plan a night at the movies can be found in the Flixster app. Browse for inspiration or search for the film you know you want to see. It has trailers, reviews from critics and users, the latest charts, upcoming DVD releases, and show times for your local theaters. Some versions of the app even allow you to buy tickets and stream movies direct to your mobile device. Movie fans really can’t afford to miss this one. Android | iOS | Windows Phone | Windows 8 | BlackBerry
08
Shazam (Free) You can’t stump Shazam. If you hear something you like then letShazam have a listen and it will tell you exactly what it is. You’ll also get the option to buy the track, share it, find the YouTube video, and get streaming lyrics so you can sing along. This app can identify TV and adverts as well. Get more information on the things that you like in a flash, most content can be identified within a few seconds. You’ll also find a chart displaying what’s hot and further details on the artists you like. Android | iOS | Windows Phone | Windows 8 | BlackBerry
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09
APPS
Evernote (Free)
The best apps are simple, accessible, and very useful and that describes Evernote perfectly. It’s a fantastic organizational tool that lets you record notes as text, audio, images, or a mixture of all three. You can create all kinds of files and lists which can be synced across all your devices and shared easily with friends or colleagues. An elephant never forgets and Evernote is like an elephant in your pocket, only less uncomfortable. Android | iOS | Windows Phone | Windows 8 | BlackBerry
10
Endomondo Sports Tracker (Free) Whether you like to keep fit by running, cycling, or walking, you can join up with over 13 million others on the Endomondo network. The app uses the GPS in your mobile device to track your progress when you go for a jog, or any other distancebased activity. You can get encouragement from the app or other users for any workout you undertake. If you need competition to spur you on, you can try to beat friends over distance or aim to better the winning time for a specific route. Android | iOS | Windows Phone | Windows 8 | BlackBerry
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APPS
15 Fabulous Apps for Work, Creativity and Play you need on your iPhone “App-Solutely Applicable� When you look at the number of different apps that have flooded the market in recent years, you also notice that they are a world unto themselves. There is so much variety that you may be excused for being spoilt for choice. The phenomenon of over-choice rules in the contemporary scenario and it is a maze for the mind to navigate through. To make a long story short the top 15 apps that you can install in your iPhone for vocational, artistic or enjoyment purposes are listed below:
01
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Vibrant Viber A new arrival that has the oldies scrambling for cover, Viber is a wonderful device for both iPhone and Android. It allows you to make phone calls and send SMS messages to those who matter, free of cost. The only catch is that those contacts have to be Viber users themselves. Be warned though, there may be hidden charges if you use a 3G Network. On the whole, it is a very good app, one definitely worth fitting into your iPhone system.
02
Find Your Path
APPS
A fairly joyous app, Path prides itself on its capacity to allow you to get upfront and personal with those who are close to your heart in terms of endearment. This could be immediate or extended family. It is a much better way of communication than blogging which is a cruder system.
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APPS
03
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Where Google Talks Another option that is completely free like Viber, Beejive for GoogleTalk allows you to converse on Google from the domain of your iPhone. A cool app if ever there was one.
04
Hoot to Find Your Suite
APPS
HootSuite lends you access to polymorphic profiles even when you are away from the iPhone or for that matter the iPad. You can have a Facebook business page and even post tweets from this owlish app.
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APPS
05
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Tungle Tungle makes you an able roadster so that you can set your timetable from the comfort of your car (provided, of course, that you have an iPhone).
06
Yikes! It’s Skype!
APPS
This is the world’s smartest conversational platform-cum-tool. Besides contacting family and friends you may conduct interviews using its video-conferencing module. Oh, and the added benefit is that it’s free!
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APPS
07
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Tumblr Tumblr makes things so easy for busy people. It makes it a cinch to attach photos from elsewhere to your blog. Now, could you ask for more?
08
APPS
Facebook makes the art of friendship take a quantum leap. The world of networking buddies opens up to you thanks in no small part to the app made available by Facebook. But stay on the alert since it has a tendency to crash now and then.
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APPS
09
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Camera+ Camera+ is the app that is appropriate for those who wish to match their photographic capabilities with the competitive crowd. They may also modify photos using C+ if they want to.
10
Unblock Me
APPS
Unblock Me™ FREE is a simple and addictive puzzle game. The goal is to get the red block out of the board by sliding the other blocks out of the way. Unblock Me™ FREE comes with 4 difficult levels ranging from Beginner to Expert. There are 6,500 puzzles in total worth hours of playing to keep you challenged.
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APPS
11
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The Flame Does Flicker Flickr gives you the option of options. Share an album of well-chosen snaps with loved ones. And all you will require is your iPhone. That’s it!
APPS
12
I Want to Make a Movie iMovie lets you make video clips of anything ranging from your pet’s antics to the sky of birds and post it via PhotoSync. A must-have app.
13
Climate Control The Weather Channel gives you the news so that you can be prepared if it suddenly starts to rain. Once again, the fee is nil. So be cheerful and rejoice as long as the weather’s sunny!
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APPS
14
15
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Doodle Bug Weather Doodle is a very lovable app which gives you room to create a tiny colorful logo of clouds/sun/rain/snow that is both cute and pretty. Only for 99 cents this app will have your inner child laughing like never before.
Emoticons? Gee! “Emojee Free!” lets hundreds of emoticons loose so that you can attach them as signaling convoys in your chatting activities. You won’t live to regret the cute little bouncy smiley faces doing all sorts of things just to make your day.
APPS
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APPS
5 Great Apps on Windows Phone 8 Windows Phone 8 might have come to the mobile scene a bit late but it is slowly gaining traction. In fact, it is third in line in terms of market share at the moment, losing its throne to iOS and Android. If you are one of the few people that has WP8, here are some great apps that you can use on your Windows Phone 8 device.
Camera 360 If you want a powerful camera application for your WP8 device, you should definitely check out Camera 360. It is a free application that has many effects and filters based on six different shooting themes. In addition to that, there is also a photo diary that can sort the images based on the taken date.
Pandora Being a Windows Phone 8 user certainly has its perks. One of it is unlimited access to Pandora. Users of Pandora for Windows Phone 8 will get an ad-free experience on the personalized radio series for the whole year of 2013. In addition to that, there are also no monthly streaming limits. This makes Pandora one of the hottest applications for Windows Phone 8 at the moment.
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APPS
Evernote Evernote is one of the earliest applications that made its way to Windows Phone 7 before pushing it to WP8. As such, it is now on version 3.0 and is filled with a lot of features that makes it one of the best note-taking applications for just about any platforms out there.
Weave News Reader While you might not be getting Flipboard on WP8, there is a good alternative to it and that is Weave News Reader. It is an RSS reader as well which means you can add in your own feed from your favorite websites.
EndoMondo Sports Tracker If you do a lot of jogging, then this is the app for you. It uses of the built-in GPS to keep track of you when you cycle or run. You can keep tabs on the distance traveled, calories burned, speed and more.
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APPS
5 Alternatives to Whatsapp Whatsapp is certainly the most famous instant messaging application for all mobile platforms. However, there are still plenty of alternatives that you can try. If you are one of those people that prefer non-mainstream products, here are just 5 alternatives to Whatsapp
WeChat Originated from China, WeChat is the next best thing after Whatsapp thanks to its voice messaging feature. Its Live Chat feature lets you to talk to send voice messages to your friends. Furthermore, this also works with group chat which makes it even more fun. Like Whatsapp, WeChat is available for a lot of platforms such as iOS, Android, Symbian and more.
Viber If you want to make free calls, you can definitely use this application. However, you will need an active internet connection to make these calls. These are free amongst Viber users. The good thing about Viber is that you can even use it on your computer through Viber for Desktop. You can even send text and pictures through the application.
Skype When it was first launched, the mobile version of Skype was full of bugs but not anymore. The developer has refined Skype in a way that makes it one of the best instant messengers around. You can make free phone calls to other Skype users and if you feel like it, you can even purchase Skype credits to make calls to actual phones.
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APPS
LINE This is another famous application that is used by users all over the world. LINE requires access to your phonebook just like Whatsapp. This means that you do not need to add your friends to your contact list unlike WeChat or Skype. In addition to that, you can also use LINE on almost all mobile platforms as well as on your PC.
Tango If you want something that is more stylish with a colorful User Interface, then Tango is the answer. You can even make voice and video call through 3G. In addition to that, you can also send voice notes as well.
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NEWS Samsung leads the industry with 72.4 million phone shipments IDC’s Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Tracker has released smartphone figures on all the world’s leading manufacturers. Unsurprisingly, Samsung was once again top of the food chain by a huge amount, with the Galaxy S and Galaxy Note line pushing the shipments up past Apple.
Some analysts believe Samsung will continue to be very successful but the huge bubble they have created around the Android smartphone market is being popped by good competition and cheaper alternatives.
Samsung shipped almost double the smartphones of Apple, but with good reason. The South Korean electronics giant has placed a phone in every payment plan, every area, for every type of user. Apple has stuck with the iPhone, one device to rule the roost. The company now has a 30% market share in the smartphone industry, while Apple has a 13% share and is the second biggest company. Falling behind those are LG, Lenovo and then ZTE, the last two work primarily in China and developing countries. In terms of just mobile phones, Samsung is still winning on that race as well, with Nokia second, Apple third, LG fourth and ZTE fifth. It is surprising to see Nokia’s mobile business still profitable on the brick-side. While Samsung is making incredible pushes in revenue, their is some static about this news. It is the first time Samsung product shipments have really slowed the pace of acceleration they were on since the Galaxy S2.
Mark Zuckerberg confirms Instagram will have ads soon Facebook was once against the idea of advertisement, in The Social Network, we see Zuckerberg go against Eduardo Savin’s idea of monetizing the website, saying it would make Facebook uncool in the eyes of the college students using it. As Facebook turned from a dorm-room idea into a company, Zuckerberg quickly realised monetization was what the social network needed to survive, to pay the employees and to make the money. Currently Facebook survives mostly on in-website advertisement, although game revenue is a profitable venture. The social network is trying to develop ads for mobile assets, including Instagram. Instagram is very anti-ad, with the previous decision to change the user policy, basically saying Facebook can take your photos and sell them to advertisers, hit with huge backlash from the Instagram community.
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Zuckerberg does believe ads will come to the photo sharing mobile giant though and they will be coming soon. Instagram is haemorrhaging money from Facebook and it will need to bring real revenue before the well dries up. Facebook bought Instagram fro $1 billion and really started the whole $1 billion startup sell-out crew, with Tumblr and Waze joining Instagram. The idea back then was to get a better photo presence on mobile, but now it is all about making more money on mobile. We believe both the Instagram team and Facebook team are looking for ways to really monetize the app, in a way that doesn’t inflict with the user experience and one that is not controversial. Kevin Syrdrom has said he will not do ads the generic way on Instagram.
NEWS Google reveals Nexus 7, Android 4.3 and Chromecast Google has finally revealed the Nexus 7, Android 4.3 and Chromecast after months of questions, rumours and leaks. The event, named ‘Breakfast with Sundar Pichai’ had lots of little bites of information, but the biggest surprise was the Chromecast. Starting with the new Nexus 7, Google has added a 1920 x 1200 resolution to the seven-inch tablet and boosted performance. The Nexus comes with a 1.5GHz quad-core Snapdragon S4 Pro and 2GB of RAM. It also comes with dual-band WiFi, dual-stereo surround sound speakers, Bluetooth 4.0, NFC and LTE. The Nexus 7 will be coming to markets on July 30, starting at Best Buy, Staples, Amazon and a selection of other stores. For the 16GB version it will cost $229, 32GB version will cost $269 and for the unlocked LTE version it will set you back $349. LTE works on AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile’s service.
Android 4.3 comes with a host of new small upgrades, parents can now stick restrictions on kids profiles, to make in-app purchases hidden. Google also added Bluetooth low-energy and OpenGL ES 3.0 support for game developers. DRM video encryption has also been added, Netflix has already taken advantage of this with a new Android app.
Q, which was way to expensive and did not have a lot of apps, Google is starting from the bottom on price and apps, to get users interested.
Chromecast was the last piece of news and one of the biggest surprises. The Chromecast is a small two-inch dongle, the user plugs it into the HDMI port on the TV and it will connect to the home WiFi. From there the user can use their phone, tablet or laptop to ‘cast’ YouTube, Netflix, Pandora, Google Play Movies or Music onto the TV. Starting at $35, Google has got the Chromecast at a remarkably good price point. Compared to the Google
Apple Patents Dual-Sensor Camera For Better Pictures Quality Apple has patented an interesting technology, applicable to the photo camera installed on the iPhone series phones. The invention may facilitate achieving better quality pictures in low-light conditions, adjusting the background noise and many specific cameras defects installed on mobile phones. According to Apple’s patent description, its attached camera installed on future generations of iPhones could accommodate two image sensors instead of one. Pictures obtained simultaneously by two optical sensors would be merged into a final image with good quality, using advanced processing algorithm able to
choose from the two of them the upper portions only qualitatively. In this way it is possible to compensate for missed details of one of the sensors using the details captured by the second one.
The algorithm about the statistical balancing the two images will allow cancellation of false details (background noise) that do not appear simultaneously in both images, but
In one embodiment, the system moves data through the ISP pipe processing logic before outputting to a display device. The image undergoes further processing in this step, which in some cases may involve the replacement of image data from one sensor with data from a second sensor, depending on the level of corruption.
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NEWS also a more precise adjustment of parameters capture: white balance, exposure and other settings. The image imperfections are eliminated by a process of dual-sensor and by a process of interpolation. Even if you are new to the industry, the introduction of dual-sensor cameras in building a mobile phone can only be good news for Apple fans. However, it remains to be seen whether Apple will even choose to take advantage of new technology by implementing it in a future product, or will use patents as an obstacle against the development of similar solutions in rival companies’ products.
Dropbox Acquires Endorse Dropbox has acquired San Mateo, Calif.-based startup Endorse last night. Dropbox Cloud storage service is already acquired by Mailbox. Following its own acquisition, Dropbox acquires mobile and web app of Endorse with its team. Endorse apps allow shoppers to earn cash back coupons on specific brand shopping. Terms of this acquisition deal were not disclosed. Endorse was founded in November 2010 by Steven Carpenter who is also the its current CEO. Along with cash backs, Endrose brands also offer discounts to their loyal customers. Hence the basic purpose of this app is to minimize the gap between physical purchases and online offers. Carpenter announced Endorse acquisition through his official blog post. He is thrilled to announce that Endorse has been acquired by Dropbox! We purposefully built a team and company culture that values intellectual curiosity, risk-taking, teamwork, and customer service.
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Before Endorse, Carpenter had built another startup Cake Financial and sold it to Etrade. Endorse CEO Steven Carpenter also admired Dropbox and called it a startup to have rare combination of talent, teamwork, and vision. Coming to his company’s acquisition with whole team, Carpenter said, We are joining an incredible team with ambitious goals and lots of difficult and exciting technical and business challenges ahead, and we could not be more pleased to have the opportunity be a part of the journey.
But a very interesting point of acquisition is that it occurred after a month of Endorse service closure. Yes, the mobile app maker has shut down its apps and services on June 19, 2013 giving users 10 days time to to transfer their Endorse cash to bank accounts and redeem their points balances. Endorse is completely closed on 6PM PT on Sunday, June 30, 2013. But after 20 days of closure, it has now acquired by Dropbox. So, shoppers can now enjoy Endorse apps in cloud storage. A double treat is on its way.
NEWS Nokia Launches Lumia 625 – An Affordable 4G Smartphone Nokia Lumia 625 is a smartphone with Windows Phone 8 for entertainment, equipped with 4.7 inch screen and 4G connectivity. The phone based on Nokia Lumia’s design can be customized using any of the five brightly colored caps provided by the manufacturer. Although it is classified at a lower price, the new Lumia 625 takes many of the innovations presented to the Nokia flagship Lumia 1020, for example, the collection of integrated photo applications. From this, we have Nokia Smart Camera, with functions for removing unwanted objects from images and Nokia Cinemagraph that turns photos into vivid memories by adding motion to fixed images. Supplied with the latest version of Windows Phone 8, which includes updating Nokia Lumia Amber, Lumia 625 promises a rich user experience and provides access to a collection of over 165,000 apps like Vimeo, Temple Run and WhatsApp. Facilities included are access to Xbox Live, support for working with Microsoft Office documents, the Internet Explorer 10 web browser for safe navigation and 7GB of online storage space, available for free via SkyDrive. On the hardware side, Lumia 625 scored with Snapdragon S4 chipset series with dual-core CPU at 1.2GHz. Its 4.7 inch screen protected behind a Corning Gorilla Glass 2 shield is achieved with a matrix IPS LCD with 480×800 pixels resolution, corresponding to 201 ppi density. Apart from the front camera with VGA resolution, on the back of the phone we find a 5MP camera, with LED flash and capable of shooting in 1080p, 30 frames per second. Along with support for Wireless N and 4G connectivity
provides a Bluetooth 4.0 way to connect different accessories and A-GPS module that is compatible with Glonass network. Measures included 8GB storage and can be expanded up to 64GB microSD memory attaching a card. Unfortunately its affordable selling price comes with a notable compromise on RAM limited to the amount of 512. The housing has dimensions of 133.25 x 72.25 x 9.15 mm and a 2000 mAh battery, which raises the final weight at a respectable 159 grams. For this, Nokia has autonomy in stand-by for up to 23 days, 15 hours of phone calls in 3G and 7 hours for video playback.
Nokia Lumia 625 can be purchased at a competitive price of 220 euro before taxes and subsidies. The cheapest 4G phone from Nokia offer will be available in the orange, yellow, bright green, white and black colors (customizable using a set of interchangeable caps) from the third quarter of 2013.
The offer of optional accessories for the Nokia Lumia 625 includes Coloud BOOM headset provided with integrated microphone and buttons for voice calls and audio playback. Although it is equipped with a large screen and supports 4G connection,
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NEWS Lenovo preparing to launch quad-core Windows Phone Lenovo is reportedly preparing to launch a top-tier Windows Phone with a 1080p display and quad-core processor, two features missing from the third place mobile operating system.
We believe Lenovo are looking to break it into some mobile market before the PC well runs dry. The Chinese manufacturer has built a good line of Windows PCs and laptops in the past few years, solidifying their place at the top of the charts with HP and Dell.
While the GDR3 update for Windows Phone 8 is still in the making, it is likely Lenovo is already in cahoots with Microsoft about when it is coming and if they can make a Windows Phone with all these features. Lenovo has not broke into any smartphone market yet, instead sticking to their place in the Windows PC market, we may see this change now. The Chinese manufacturer has apparently been hard at work developing a smartphone suitable for Windows and possibly another highend device for Android. Currently the most any Windows Phone squeezes out is 720p and can only run on dual-core processing technology. This is a little lacklustre compared to Android, but on the other hand Windows Phone needs less juice and quadcore is not really essential.
Moto X – Its Launch Will Be On August 1 Motorola is preparing the launch of Moto X, the new smartphone of the company. Invitations were sent to the press. The event will take place on August 1 and the chosen location is New York. We can say that Google has a busy schedule by the end of July and beginning of August. On July 24, an event is held on the implications of Google Android. There would be introduced Android 4.3 Jelly Bean and the tablet Google Nexus 7 2.
About Moto X there are discussions for months. In recent weeks Motorola made teasing on this smartphone, Eric Schmidt attended a press conference with Moto X and made people wish for the official launch. They spread some hardware specifications. That represents a 4.3-inch smartphone with HD resolution, dual-core processor, 2 GB RAM, Android 4.3 Jelly Bean, interchangeable housings, made in the USA. The fact is that Moto X will not move towards super smartphones segment and might as Google to strike. Why? Samsung GALAXY S4 is already on a downward spiral in terms of sales volumes. Is the financial crisis, there were essentially no specifications to impress and motivate you to make the switch to a new phone. It would also be an exception, HTC One. However, 2013 is the year of low-cost smartphones. Motorola Moto X will not be in the low-cost segment but rather on the mid-range one. Google would be able to accelerate the whole thing with an affordable price. Like the Moto X to cost around 200-250 dollars. At a telecom operator could reach at a great price. Would be a pro point if they choose to bring it with a native Android or provide a way to turn it on with Android like the one from the
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NEWS
Nexus range with timely software updates etc. More than 10 days Moto X will be presented. What is your opinion about this smartphone extensively discussed before the official release?
Update: A press image reached the web. Note that is running with Android without the Motorola GUI or any capacitive keys based on GALAXY Nexus and Google Nexus 4 style.
Apple Buys Location Wikipedia Apple acquires yet another small start up Locationary. The acquired start up is based in Toronto, Canada and that works Startup Locationary to map locations. The price of the acquisition deal is still not known. But the iPhone maker firm has acquired both Locationary’s technology and team as revealed by the sources having knowledge of deal. AllThingsD reported that Apple spokesman Steve Dowling has confirmed the deal with this statement: “Apple buys smaller technology companies from time to time, and we generally do not discuss our purpose or plans.” The giant tech firm mostly acquires small startups. It happens again this time. What will be the Apple’s intentions behind the move? Well a clear answer for this question is to compete with Google Maps. Apple has launched its own mapping software last year that was a big flop and it actually forces CEO Tim Cook to apologize for such launch. Cook said in an apology note last year that “We’re putting all of our energy into making it right.” Now this acquisition brings fresh air for the Cupertino firm’s mapping software. Locationary is a type of location Wikipedia that has almost all local business listings. Saturn is its base that is a crowd-sourced federated data exchange platform. We will hope that with this acquisition, Apple will finally succeed to launch a mapping software that can actually compete Google Maps.
VLC, the popular media player software developed under open source and able
applying filters to the image, affecting the saturation and color gamma. Video
of iOS platform, created by third-party applications cannot access hardware acceleration feature for video playback only through APIs provided by Apple, thus rendering performance may vary from one file to another, depending on the type of used compression.
VLC Returns To The App Store As A Free Download For Apple Owners Of Tablets And Phones to play almost any video format in circulation, and iOS version has been downloaded millions of people before it got pull out, and they will enjoy the app again, returns to the App Store in an upgraded version after an absence of over two years, available as a free download for owners of Apple iOS devices. Besides the ability to play all file formats supported by the PC version, or video streams transmitted over the network, VLC player for iOS 2.0 features integration with Dropbox online storage service and allows uploading subtitles and adjusts playback speed. Additionally, the viewing experience can be optimized by
files which we hold can be distributed using the Wi-Fi network loading them with the browser. According to VideoLAN, VLC player is compatible with all Apple devices running on the 5.1 version or newer iOS system. However, those who own older generation of devices can also use it, but problems can occur too slow playback of certain file types. In addition, project developers noted that due to limitations
Unfortunately downloading the VLC 2.0 for iOS devices is not yet available for all regions, but the problems will be resolved shortly. New version of VLC will be available in Open Source, and other application developers will be provided with an SDK that allows interaction with it. Once the new version of VLC will be
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NEWS Yelp Acquires SeatMe for $12.7 Million Yelp Inc. announced that it has acquired SeatMe, Inc. for an amount of approximately $12.7 million. Acquisition amount is partially paid in cash i.e. approximately $2.2 million and 263,000 common stock shares equivalent to remaining amount. SeatMe is a San Francisco based online reservation start-up that works on both web and iPad. SeatMe’s co-founder and chief executive officer, Alexander Kvamme, said, We’re excited to join the Yelp team and help connect consumers with great local businesses. We are committed to providing an innovative, easy-to-use and affordable restaurant management system that can be accessed anytime, anywhere. We target a large, underserved market of restaurant and nightlife establishments, and we’re excited about the opportunity to significantly extend our market reach. Yelp acquires SeatMe to enhance their local business consumer experience. Now it will become a lot more easier and convenient to provude online reservations facility directly
through Yelp to ‘thousands of currently unserved businesses’. Yelp co-founder and chief executive officer, Jeremy Stoppelman, said I am excited to welcome SeatMe’s employees and customers to Yelp. SeatMe has developed a truly compelling product for restaurants and bars of any size. With approximately one million U.S. businesses listed on Yelp in the restaurant and nightlife categories, we believe SeatMe will add online reservation capabilities to a broader market while complementing our existing partnerships. Additionally, SeatMe provides us with yet another way to close the loop between local businesses and consumers. Yelp Platform is recently announced that will provide users the facility to order food delivery. Yelp users can also pickup orders on Yelp business pages through its partners Eat24 and delivery.com. The company is also working on some other facilities. Yelp users will soon be able to to make appointments at spas, salons and dentists through Yelp partners like Booker, Demandforce and MINDBODY.
Windows RT And Surface RT Are A Failure Worth 900 Million Dollars When I firstly touched the Windows RT and one of the first used tablets, I expressed disappointment for the almost unnecessary desktop interface and its shabby applications shop, saying that this platform is risky. After nine months, unfortunately for Microsoft, this venture has proved particularly steep.
announced yesterday, their shot is much bigger than I thought. Although Windows division, which includes Surface tablets, experienced a revenue growth of 6 percent, the Surface RT tablet produced damage of 900 million dollars as a result of overstating demand and high inventories of unsold tablets, and they have affected the quarterly and annual results.
Microsoft has ended yesterday announcing fiscal year results below market expectations of capital, the company managed to earn revenue by 10 percent higher than those obtained in the same period last year, reaching 19.9 billion dollars and profits amounted to 4.97 billion dollars, a positive turnaround from losses of a year ago. If Microsoft was satisfied with the performance of Office 365, Outlook.com, Skype and Xbox Live, Windows RT is but a disaster.
Without offering significant advantages over tablets based on iOS and Android, but with a lower application ecosystem, the fate of Windows RT and Surface RT products seems to move towards an unfortunate outcome. It remains to be seen whether the changes that Microsoft will go in the future will bring changes in strategy, positioning and the price likely to save them.
A first indication of the unpleasant situation of Windows RT platform was the 30 percent discount of Surface RT tablet that was announced earlier this year. According to figures
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Microsoft is not the first company that fails to find the path to the user preferences and budgets, BlackBerry announcing in December 2011 loss of half a billion dollars due to poor sales of the PlayBook tablet.
REVIEWS HTC One Mini – The Most Attractive Mini Was Released Mobile phone manufacturers have different perspectives when it comes to mini versions of a top model. Samsung has chosen to go down a little more with the specifications, but the price was initially set too high. HTC chose the solution that seems most attractive in the market. One mini is a mainstream model with HD screen and great features. Moreover, it looks almost like the top of the range and is a great alternative for those who do not want to pay so much for a quality smartphone. Following is a list of specifications for the HTC One mini.
In terms of construction, HTC One mini is a photocopy of the HTC One. The housing is of one-half of an inch shorter and narrower. Thickness is kept at the same level, and the weight is reduced by 20 g front stereo speakers are present, and the case is all buid from aluminum. On the back, the only visible differences are related to the location of the LED camera and microphone. Sideband phone is now more prominent and shiny, and the volume was replaced with two more compact buttons. For a smartphone with a screen of 4.3″ HTC One mini is a bit long, a consequence of the location of the speakers on the device. The screen is IPS, but those who were able to see it say that looks great. The battery was reduced to a capacity of 1,800 mAh. Efficient chipset should compensate for this chapter.
• • • • • • • • • • • •
Display: 4.3″ 720×1280, SuperLCD 2 Gorilla Glass 3 OS: Android 4.2.2 Chipset: Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 Processor: 1.4 GHz dual core, Krait 300 GPU: Adreno 305 RAM: 1 GB Internal memory: 16 GB Camera 4 MP, UltraPixel, autofocus, LED Shooting: 1920×1080, 30 fps, HDR Front camera: 1.6 MP, 1280×720 WiFi: 802.11a/b/g/n Data transfer: HSDPA, LTE
HTC One Mini smartphone will be released in August in certain markets in Europe and overseas. Global availability is expected in September. The estimated cost of the terminal is 450€.
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REVIEWS 2. HTC One Mini vs Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini Hardware Comparison HTC One was placed in direct combat with the Samsung Galaxy S4. Now comes the Mini-sized battle, HTC One Mini vs Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini. Let’s see their hardware data in a comparative table.
I. Similarities 1. Both phones have a 4.3-inch display, different technology and resolution. 2. At the hardware level chosen for CPU + GPU from Qualcomm (the first one is coming with Snapdragon 400 dual-core processor and the other one with Adreno 305 GPU, at different frequencies); 3. Similar connectivity, both with 4G/LTE connector; 4. Both phones know to record at 1080p and 720p front camera.
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II. Differences 1. HTC One relies on a display with HD resolution and Super LCD2 technology. 2. S4 Mini has microSD slot, which is not on One Mini where you have to settle for the 16 GB storage, 8 GB of standard from S4 Mini. 3. Different amount of RAM and the running frequency at a dual-core processor of 1 GB and 1.4 GHz at HTC One Mini vs 1.5 GB and 1.7 GHz; 4. 4-megapixel sensor with 2 microns pixel size at One Mini vs 8 Megapixel at the other one, S4 Mini, 1.6 megapixel front camera at the Tawanese phone vs 1.9 megapixels from Samsung. 5. A battery of 1800 mAh vs a bigger one, of 1900 mAh, HTC One Mini might stand better at this point coming up with a lower clocked CPU, HTC One Mini is heavier and slightly thicker. 6. HTC unibody case vs Samsung plastic case to access the battery and microSD slot of up to 64 GB. Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini is stronger on paper with higher clocked processor and more RAM.
REVIEWS Canon EOS 70D DSLR: A Camera with Dual Pixel CMOS AF System and Wireless Connectivity Canon has launched EOS 70D Digital SLR with Duel Pixel CMOS Auto Focus (AF) system for enhancing clarity and bringing revolution to auto-focus technology. It uses 20.2MP APS-C CMOS sensor, ISO range from 100 to 12,800 and DIGIC 5+ processor. Auto Focus using phase-detection has vested the camera with ability to deliver quality result of image and video capturing just like a camcorder. The VP & GM of Canon U.S.A. Yuichi Ishizuka said that latest DSLR injection in auto focusing technology will move the market in new direction and game changer for their company. Wireless connectivity is vital for all emerging cameras. I have notices it as part of every new camera released in year 2013 by Canon, Fujifilm and others. EOS 70D Digital SLR has built-in wireless transmitter and receiver. It supports connectivity with two major operating systems such as Apple iOS and Google Android. You can download freely available application “EOS Remote App” from their online app store (iTunes or Google Play Store) and install to connect with this model. EOS Remote app enables smartphone user to control all major camera function remotely from their gadget. The following functions can be organized; • • • • • • • •
Remotely transfer captures images and videos to smartphone or Tab Control aperture Shutter speed Computers DLNA Devices Wi-Fi Certified Cameras made by Canon Wireless printers which are compatible with PictBridge such as PIXMA MG6320 Connect wirelessly to Canon’s iMAGE GATEWAY
EOS 70D dSLR is craft with best engineering design and shipped with software enhancements to improve your creativity. These software packages are embedded as in-camera features instead of standalone version. It enables user to enjoy following benefits; • High Dynamic Range • Multiple Exposure • Handheld Night Scene • HDR Backlight control modes • RAW Image Processing • Image Resizing • There is no need to capture an image and then add effect in adobe Photoshop or Corel Draw but selecting a filter will push modified result to 3.0 inch Clear View LCD so that you can choose the best shot and save your precious time. The latest EOS 70D dSLR would be distributed to retail stores in September 2013. Its price tag is $1199 for only body and $1349 when combined EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM lens. You can order it for $1549 when shipped with EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM lens. Its other accessories include a battery grip BG-E14 and set of 6 AA batteries. Each can be ordered with or separately for $200.
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SOCIAL MEDIA
Promoting your event with Twitter and LinkedIn Events come and events go. How they are managed is something best left to Event Management Teams. But what if you have an event planned for the future and you want to promote it through the best two sites on the Net. Then you, my friend, must tweet like a bird on Twitter and get linked in to the magic of LinkedIn. Follow the short mini-tutorials given at the bottom of this paragraph to get your self back on right track: “H� is the Word On Twitter the way to go is by attending to the hashtags. These are the currently best technique available to create a stir for the sake of your event. However, you have to decide beforehand what is to be the shape of your hashtags so that others do not barge in and modify them. The next step would be to post your hashtags all over the place from the main page to the mundane posts. That way the message that an event is coming up gets through to all the individuals who are present. The moment the event gets rolling it is time for signage as well as various important activities from the venue of the stage. Your job is to just get the word out to as many recipients as possible. The more the quantity of tweets the better it is for your event. Gather the people by sending inquiries that ask trivial details related to the event. This way you will generate an interest in common parlance regarding the upcoming function. It will boost your popularity and make the forum a success. Profiler A profile can be created from scratch on Twitter. Twitter is more open (and wider a source of communication than Facebook). You can tweet anybody on earth without having to be on intimate terms with them. While on Facebook you are chums with anyone you can add to your profile, on Twitter the event you want to inaugurate can be posted and brought to the attention of those attending it. And although it is in some respects like a Facebook page in other aspects it is altogether different to the point of nonrecognition. The attendees can be in the hundreds and may be kept in touch with on an annual basis. The benefit of Twitter is the formality of relationships. They don’t go over the edge and enter the irrational sphere of love and romance. They are more business-like and retain a solid sense of propriety and personal distance.
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The Influential In-Crowd When the stakes are high and the chips are down it is the head honchos with influence and power who have their way. Get access to the very important people on Twitter, whether they happen to be best-selling authors or business tycoons. Tell them about your event in sincere words that not only strike a sensitive chord but resonate on a deeper level with their agendas. Beyond that it is your luck and their sincerity. They have to spread the message regarding your event. And once it gets communicated to those that matter your boat is afloat. Link Up Right Now LinkedIn is the place where the race is on for building connections for big business and vocational progress. The people who frequent the site are fully fledged pros and semiprofessional individuals who are into the act of increasing beneficial contacts that might allow them to make further inroads into career elitism. By posting info regarding the event via updates on LinkedIn you may generate valuable traffic to your site. The more the cross-pollination through the human word-of-mouth the better it is for the organization of your event. Once your event actually gets published it is automatically sent out to all other LinkedIn sites. So here you have an obvious advantage. Create Community Instead of Chaos If you are hosting a conference then a community is the tool you ought to adopt. But you also need to look into the value you give people in return for the experience of common communion that they lend you. The exact time at which a community is born is uncertain since it is not a static entity. It takes time to gel and form its basic features. But once the process is underway you may vote and select panels for the sake of your event. The Good of the Group Once you get to know the internal affairs and environment of LinkedIn you can start gaining access to the people who matter. These groups that will prove good for your event are a boon for your image as well. By allowing others to introduce you rather than tooting your own horn you allow the socializing process to unfold. Also participate actively in the discussions that take place between groups. This will enhance your value as an informer. Some Leverage is Necessary Besides the usual racket of ads and status updates there is
SOCIAL MEDIA the smooth talk of personal leverage that can work wonders for your site. It is a tried and tested technique based upon simple human nature and consumer psychology. Send a very personalized message in a sweet sugar-coated pill form to others on LinkedIn and tell them in the end to ask others to attend your event. You will have to be careful in your diction as you choose your words regarding this massive request. Don’t sound bossy and let the other person feel as if you owe him a lot for this favor on his part. Some Last Drastic Tactics that Work LinkedIn is a gigantic site that has over150 million users spread out all over the globe. It is ideal for social event cov-
erage through the spread of valued information. Besides this it is the hot spot for marketers and organizers. Only A-Class businessmen gather like birds of a feather to celebrate their profits and financial victories on this site. The important stuff can get collected under the motif of your choice at LinkedIn. All it requires for its individuation is a logo that is catchy and visually bright and colorful. It ought to attract the onlooker with a sense of autosuggestion. Once your logo is logically all set for display the next step would be to change it from time to time as this is a rule of evolution. Even such giants as Apple have changed their crunchy fruit logo with the passage of time. If they can do it who are you not to follow in their footsteps. These are after all footsteps in the sands of time. The title or caption of your event is the next big step you will have to take for the sake of clarity and attractive appeal. It is a crucial stage in the journey from small-time event manager to hugely successful event maestro. Think of the market value you will build as a result. The copywriting skills, whether they are your own or borrowed from some external agency, will have to be applied by putting pen to paper or fingers to keyboard. The rest is the magic of wordplay and linguistic acrobatics where the phonemes play musical chairs and the semantic structure melts into thin air only to reappear in a totally different form.
The whole write-up concerning your event ought to show crystal clear clarity. It should be lucid and not display a crass writing style. The level of solid lexical skill that is to be applied in the description of the event must not be such that it bores others by its verbose qualities. However, neither must it be so colorful that it makes them snicker in disbelief. The right amount of seriousness and the right amount of fun makes for a decent and honest effect that attracts with its common sense. The date, time, venue and other important details about the event are to be mentioned at the very beginning of the paragraph. Then the rest of the interesting stuff that will occur at the promotional gathering should get flaunted before the watchful eyes of the public.
Just Do It! The Nike slogan says it quite clearly and ought to be your main motto as an event promoter of the extraordinary kind. Don’t be afraid to take the plunge. Great people have always faced resistance but it is the people who persevere who make it and reach their cherished goals. The winners never quit and the quitters never win. It’s that simple. The usage of LinkedIn and Twitter as fundamental tools in your repertoire for event management is not to be taken for granted. The person who succeeds is not afraid to change his stance and is forever making small tweaks in the program built into the structure of his brain. He bends like the willow and doesn’t break like the oak. That is his pragmatic law and he conquers every flaw via this flexible principle. To accomplish something worthwhile you have to make sacrifices. No pain, no gain. And the more you make a friend of pain the more your tolerance for frustration will be. You can then take on the world on its own conditions and snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.
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SOCIAL MEDIA How to improve your Twitter following Twitter is the social networking site of bright yellow sunshine where the tweeting of birds is ever on the go in the lush garden trees. You find friends, family and lots of very important people coming and going on this site and leaving behind tweets that are limited to a little more than a 100 characters. The basic idea is to keep it short and simple and not exceed the limits of patience. Even the most interesting talk can get miserably boring if it converts into a lecture. Lectures fracture skulls and are best avoided for they are the realm of classrooms and seminars where professors work their magic which sends students off to a dreamy sleep.
ability to let the roses remain untouched and intact while all the pesky thorns are chopped and cut off once and for all. What else could you want? It sure makes your job an easy one! There is a free version and also a very inexpensive one directly accessible via PayPal.
Speaking of Twitter there is a slight problem with this site and that is the number of chaotic networking branches that start getting on your nerves pretty soon. The people who keep bothering and pestering you have got to go. You definitely need to turn on your insincerity-detecting apparatus and prune those who are not useful and are merely there for the sake of being hangers-on. For that you will require the services of a few tools that come for free and will help you in clarifying the complexes and ending the clutter collecting dust in your message space.
ManageFlitter Another tool in your box is ManageFlitter which is a very versatile and flexible handy gadget that you can use for a number of purposes. Just disallow anyone who is not interested in your site or not answering back. It can be a person who is not familiar with the content of your tweets or it can be someone who is beneath your mental level (such as a person who doesn’t even know how to write proper English). The filtering process is a little deep but you’ll get to know it in a short while and then it’s up, up and away for your Twitter site. Believe me! Your days will turn towards a simpler, clearer and brighter tomorrow when your site becomes clutterfree forever. This is not only easy on the eyes but a tonic to mental health. Even of someone doesn’t have a profile you can reject them out of hand. The choice is purely based on your personal preferences. The person who has a gift of the gab may be flicked away. And the taciturn wallflower can be ticked off the roster. And the important thing is that it is absolutely free of cost so don’t worry over your financial state. You can of course contribute to their fund if you want to and become a professional member. That last proviso is your prerogative.
The number of tools and programs that are the stock-intrade of the computer expert are so many that to go into their details would be to court disaster. An encyclopedia set would be necessary. In fact, if one were to look at it from a sanely realistic point of view, a whole library would suffice for feeding the data of gadgets and software that is useful in simplifying a lot of gigabyte junk that has clogged the network whether it be Twitter or Facebook or for that matter LinkedIn. Untweeps Untweeps is a tool that allows you to dismiss your followers if they are non-serious and have not been in touch with you for a specific number of days. It is you who makes the final decision as to who is to be snipped away from the bare branches like an autumn leaf. It could be a 30 day margin where anybody who doesn’t contact you for 30 days will be automatically deleted from the list. Or it could be shorter and you may lose a lot of the trashy followers who never really deserved to be there with you on your Twitter page. The ultimate choice is yours alone to make, so make it very carefully and with forethought for it will be final. Like barbed wire that keeps away outsiders and keeps the insiders within the enclosure this tool is very rigid yet equally radical. It has the
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Just Unfollow A third very potent and easy to use instrument in your cyber Swiss army knife is called Just Unfollow. This is in fact the easiest to use among the three big ones listed from the beginning of this article. The wonderful software device may be used for the quick and efficient dismissal of all sorts of nuisance tweets not to mention anyone who is not wholly dedicated to being a sincere, staunch and loyal follower on Twitter. It handles this troublesome, noisy and rowdy lot with the skills of a big and bad bouncer in a bar. Just throw them out and get rid of the scum that is messing up with your life. You deserve better and so you will have to deal a
SOCIAL MEDIA little ruthlessly with the riffraff. Nest Unclutterer A lesser known but nevertheless very powerful drill machine that will break through the massive permafrost is Nest Unclutterer. This great gizmo is ideal for cutting like a machete through the jungle which is online and just as dangerous and risky as a real world jungle. It’s used to block out people you may have added to your life on Twitter simply because they seemed nice. Nice people are rarely very interesting and often are great losers as well. Then there are the spam collectors who have so large a following that virtually everyone is invited on their tweet base and the messages have multiplied like tares in a farmer’s crop. What to do? Simply dump them for better, more quality-wise richer people. Although it won’t necessarily hurt your image or prove a nuisance to keep these people on board, it nevertheless is a burden of sorts. To carve the clay block till you come upon the essence hidden underneath is a better idea than adding lumpy chunks till you get an obese blob in the end. Negativity can be a very good tool for concentrating the mind. Twitter Karma A little known secret that lies at the heart of the Twitter fitness expert’s exercise equipment is this smart device. Termed simply Twitter Karma, it is like that worthy concept of Buddhism and Hinduism that says that you get what you give out. As you sow, so shall you reap and what goes around eventually comes around. So if you have built bad karma on Twitter by having a lot of tangled followers who are giving you hell just blow them away like so much fluff. While it is true that if you forget about them they too will forget about you but that is only to be expected. You can’t have an action without a reaction. I say, so what if it decreases your FFR Rating on Twitter? You can pick up speed in the
future once again. So have no hurry and do not worry. A bit of sacrifice in the present will be offset by gigantic gains in the future times which are still a mystery. You can plan so the future is better than the past or, for that matter, the present. Once you visit Twitter Karma you can start by clicking on the button which is so prominent a feature of it. Next follow your nose as far as the directions are concerned. They are given in clear and simple words that are easy to follow. Your followers will get their just rewards. Don’t feel in the least guilty to step on a few toes in your progress towards becoming the best. The best doesn’t rest. And it certainly doesn’t rest on its laurels that it has earned along the way. Never take anything for granted and be a live wire that won’t lie still till its gets to dissipate all the electricity running through it. Escape from Clutter Clutter destroys life. It is a source of worry and mental illness. Do not allow your projects or websites to accumulate so much garbage that they become difficult to manage in the end. Whether it is Twitter or for that matter any other thing in life, remember that less is always more. This is the simple and solid philosophy of minimalism. The formal lines and stark lucidity of it is that it reduces the excessive number of objects in your life. Quality is better than quantity. Sometimes there are experiences not worth having. You always have choice and you can choose the good things in life as opposed to the negative and sick stuff. It’s your life and you have to live it. How you carry your burden is up to you. And if it is light, lifting it will be an easier job. Therefore, which better place to begin than Twitter by cleaning up the frenzy of followers once and for all? Are you up to it? Good! Get to it!
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SOCIAL MEDIA
Ten Tactics to Becoming More Efficient at Using Social Media
The Genie is Out of the Bottle
What was valid 20 years ago is obsolete today. It has, as a matter of fact, become so outdated that the rules concerning its game plan don’t apply anymore. That was an altogether different world of greed (I am talking of the late 80s and early 90s). What we have at present before our very eyes is a whole new ball game. The tri-set values of power, vanity and knowledge have gained entry into the mix. And with that things are just not the same anymore. Despite what the conservative pundits and preachers may announce from their pulpits, what is hard to digest for them is that what was a surreal dream for most once upon a time is a psycho-physical law of current postmodernism. For better or for worse, this is what it was all about. The end of history and the beginning of a post-historical age of excess (and access) have opened up new vistas in mankind’s transcendent capabilities. Finally, all that was dormant once is beginning to wake up from the nightmare of history. A heaven of capitalism is ready to fulfill every wish of humanity. Although the economic trickle-down effect will take a little time to fully reach the downtrodden masses that is no reason to lose patience and get pessimistic. The entrepreneurial times we are living through are revolutionary indeed. Change is the most prominent influence in the rapid race of events. The Internet as a last minute cure, administered by the West to the Rest, may just act as a transducer. What we are viewing before our binocular vision is the passing of the baton from an Occidental civilization over-reaching its acme to another nascent Asian one that has yet to emerge from its shell. Within the next 100 years, a series of fields will progress from the pupa stage to the winged final form. Within their ambit come such leading edge industries as: bionics, nanotechnology, genetic engineering, parapsychology and stem cell research. The most exciting of these is already taking place now in the heat of the moment. It is the proliferation of social media. It is where it’s at. Media & Society The media began its act to the drumbeat of news carriers
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who delivered important messages to even more important personalities. And now there are social media sites like Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. They provide the bread and butter of many individuals who have the necessary Netiquette to form contacts on the Web thereby siphoning the profits from the interactions. The communities and forums on the Internet serve as fountainheads of shared information. A billion heads are better than one (although in case of Bill Gates, who is an atypical example, this precept has been stood on its head). The Top Tips to Exploring Every Medium of Socialization There are ten golden principles you will need in your ceaseless quest for bettering your social media prospects. In the capacity of a social mediator you must explore every nook and cranny of the fabulous fantasy of fireworks that is the Internet. It is a lucky chance that is caught in the limited window of opportunity that opens now or never. Read on for the information you will require for social media management. In the long run, it will lead to greater self-improvement and self-growth. 1. Electronic Mail Won’t Fail You: The simplest, most basic tool in your hands is Email. Use it. Don’t let this deadly weapon turn blunt in your fight to win social supporters on the Net environment. It is a marvelous instrument that will help you gain publicity and attract the attention of the people who matter. Make a list of Email addresses that you can send information to in order to sell your idea, product, course or service. Make the Email content as creative as possible. Don’t go for old formulas. Instead use a tack that is completely out of this world. That will work in a jiffy. 2. A Blog for Others: Your weblog is the next big thing you can employ in begetting hits and gathering the opinions of the cultural kings and queens of realistic thinking. Your audience is the last temporal judge of what you do on planet earth. People get their just rewards in this life before departing for the unknown. Choose your target market well for it will haunt you for the rest of your limited days in a global village where the medium is the message. Google Analytics is another application you may use to assess the large following you will build via your blogging activity.
SOCIAL MEDIA 3. Some Rants on Grants: Imagine $10,000 worth of advertising money that goes straight in your pocket without a hitch. It’s wishful thinking for many yet there are online advertisers who have actually hit the jackpot. Google Grants is a beautiful package of Adwords and SEM (Search Engine Marketing) for non-profit organizations and businesses that has until now given away $600 million to the rightful recipients who have made it into its 501 (c) (3) status. By firstly applying for the grant and then when you get it, improving the quality of your keywords you will make the grade. Start deleting the negative keywords and keeping the information your clients require as relevant as is possible in linguistic terms. Also by combining Adwords and Google Analytics you will optimize the financial results you desire. 4. Listening Before the Eyes Start Glistening: Any fool can talk till his throat is hoarse. Yet the smart and savvy like to keep their mouth shut and their ears perked up. They hear less and listen more. There is a fundamental difference between the two. Hearing is common to us all (except for those who have a deafness handicap). But listening is an active form of hearing where you pick up the wisdom within the words. When searching and surfing the Net you must gauge the voices and phase out any static. Don’t just assume you know everything or that you are right. Instead make the leap from rigidity to flexibility and measure the people you engage with on the Internet. Whether you are using the proper channels and what you want from the social sites are factors that ought not to go unexamined. They are the building blocks of your reputation as a Net Warrior. 5. “Look At That!” Designing a visually adventurous site that arrests everyone’s interest in the time it takes to say “Aha!” begs for some talent that you will have to hire. First off, keep the site a no-garbage zone. This means an end to wooly pictures and lines and circles that create chaos. Keep it simple but not even simpler for then something positive runs into the negative. A logo that will last is the base of your website. Make the graphics child-like but not childish. And get a few video demonstrations as well as picturesque images to enhance the intellectual/artistic ratings.
6. Cool & Creative Content: The audience deserves to be engaged for longer than an
eye blink. For that the content must give them some nuggets of information that they are really dying for. Mind you, this is not a one-way street and you will have to act on their feedback and reshuffle the contents at random from one day to the next. Brush up on whatever it is you specialize in whether it is yoga advice or medical help. The knowledge will boomerang back to you from your loyal community and polish your prestige as a wisdom dispenser. 7. Courting Mild Controversy: Nice guys finish last. It pays off in ever-increasing dividends to be a little rash so as to up your bad boy image. But this advice is to be taken in diluted form. Nobody likes negativity. What serves to strengthen a personality is the charisma that goes into its making. By creating a bit of friction with the environment you can build your way up. Censorship is always there though therefore stay away from any extremist attitudes you may harbor for they will land you in trouble or even get you killed at the hands of some psycho stalker. 8. Free Contribution: Starting a thread may be the ensuing step. Yet there are a thousand other roads and they all begin from your laptop. You can edit and add knowledge to Wikipedia and even get your personal page on it. Using a social forum as a sounding board is a wonderful way to deepen your base and broaden your horizon. Don’t just sit there vegetating. Mingle your voice among the millions that hanker for space and time on the Net. 9. Become a Networking Nitwit: They say there are six degrees of separation between all human beings on earth. While more theory-based than foundational fact, this small concept in social work has a small kernel of truth at its center. By building relationships online and knowing others who have something in common with you, the socializing engagement abilities you already possess are carved into a beautiful pattern of recognition. You can actually if you try hard enough know half the world of networkers if not all of them. 10. From Amateur to Professional: The pilgrimage you will make throughout your productive years (from late 20s to early 50s) will decide your fame, fortunes and success as an online teacher and student. While others may learn a lot from you, you too will earn your experience at the hands of several rare masters some of whom will be cruel and give their pearls of wisdom in small packets. Never let them go for they are your lifeline to becoming a professional yourself one day. Keep the candle burning and get connected with as many individuals who lend you the gems others ignore because they don’t have the sensibility and are prejudiced. Make the Internet your friend and you won’t be lonely again for the rest of your life.
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SOCIAL MEDIA
How to use LinkenIn to expand your business reach. All the information required for lead generation through a LinkedIn company page is given below. The Missing Link In an increasingly competitive market the businesses (small, average or large) that blossom into six to seven figure salarymaking machines have something in them that every Tom, Dick and Harry doesn’t possess. It’s a personal human touch. Their slim and trim CEOs plus polished staff are willing to make huge sacrifices in terms of time spent increasing revenues. They truly make the clientele feel important. The anonymity of the Internet may not allow for the human factor to display itself completely, yet online tools most certainly can be molded to better fit the heart’s desire. And there is not just a single tool in the box of weapons that is the Internet. If you seek honest friendship, Facebook is your companion. For conversational purposes the award goes to Twitter. But what about those ladies and gentlemen who want to watch their businesses expand till the demand exceeds the supply? There is a site that goes by the name of LinkedIn and it is the superior choice when it comes to B2B contacts as well as sales and marketing ploys. People give their bio data and link up with others of the same ilk. As a budding entrepreneur, you too can make your company page on LinkedIn and attract a highly-valued and respectable future clientele. Watch the Leads Multiply The standard procedure is to register your company page on LinkedIn. That’s where you have to begin. As for the remaining steps they are listed below and will take some effort on your part: • A Company that Makes the Cut: For starters, design a beautiful motif for your company that attracts the attention of ordinary viewers. It ought to be clutter free and radiate a pattern of unity-in-diversity. Then there is the slogan space. Your main message that gets heard loud and clear should be crispy and carry clout. Brevity, as Shakespeare said, is the soul of wit. Besides this what your company specializes in should be stated in a friendly manner. The hordes that come on LinkedIn and that your company sponsors should be mentioned. How you will solve your customers’ issues via your goods or utilities must be stated. When the sum of all your company’s basic information is neatly wrapped up in this presentational package, a response is liable to come soon enough.
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• Fetching Follow Buttons: The next stratagem you have to get a hang of is introducing Follow Buttons on your page. This small but very crucial step will ensure that you have a presence that gets noticed. Remember, skip this step and you end up being ignored. Do not sabotage your chances of success. Get a trinket-like facility called a widget from the Developers Page and make it an integral part of your website or blog. The traffic on your Net page will automatically become aware of the fact that you are an official LinkedIn member. And once you have formed sufficient hyperlinks the commercial game will become easier to play. Be professional and recognize necessity for therein lies your happiness. • Dedicated & Devoted Advocates: The advocacy of your company’s official line and business philosophy should be singularly spectacular. The ordinary employees and general staff should be the face of the company. Their feedback is paramount. In order to project the powerful image of being potent problem solvers, the employees too ought to keep up an active Net presence. The business essentially and eventually depends upon their output. There are two methods you can employ to raise your company’s fame to new heights: 1. Tell staff members to keep a Follow Button in their email accounts. This helps in keeping track of new entrants curious to do business transactions with your company. 2. Also have those who work for you maintain LinkedIn pages that in turn are all connected to the company’s main page. By this method, they will be promoting the brand’s name as well as the company’s reputation as a contender to be taken seriously. • Daily Information Input: Every day is a new day. Don’t get the bored, dull eyes of a Sisyphus who ceaselessly rolls the boulder uphill and then watches it go downhill. Instead choose to live life with zest and energy. It is not the moments in life but the life in each moment that counts. Take the curious case of posting data having to do with your business and its followers. The main points to note here are that the information you deliver ought to: 1. Be Specifically Purpose-Driven 2. Increase the Knowledge Base of your Clients 3. Help them in their Life Tasks 4. Provide Relevant Features 5. Be Balanced and Show Common Sense The art of conversing with a potential client or relating with someone and convincing them of the genuine nature of your incorporated firm are the psychological equivalents of martial arts. It takes fancy footwork and punching power. The deconstructed word “Response-Ability” takes on its full meaning here. You can’t just say whatever you may like to. That is the reason for thought as a preliminary to speech or for that matter the reverse/delete key on your computer keyboard.
SOCIAL MEDIA • Tying the Strings Together: All in all, by the end of the day you should be high-fiving with everyone from Facebook Fans to Twitter Tykes who swim in shoals upon shoals onto your original and super LinkedIn site. Your company gets the maximum amount of social marketing exposure it can in minimum amount of time. Now, isn’t that a good thing? It most certainly is. There are a number of platforms and forums for you to frequent in your peregrinations for promotional purposes. They range from the previously mentioned Facebook and Twitter sites all the way to OLX where everything sells. But as far as business is concerned nothing compares to LinkedIn. The leads you will generate will God Willing make you a rich man one day. Time is of the essence. And patience and consistence work like magic to make the outcome a successful one. • Profile Publicity: The entire attitude of the company should be geared towards recognition and rewarding interested parties. The forwardlooking dissemination of the personal profiles of employees in order to build brand loyalty cannot be overlooked. An able and competent boss has to pay extra special attention to the launch and promotion of the company as a solid entity entrenched on the market scene. Finally the publicity generated by both media hype and micro-marketing not to mention SEO (search engine optimization) are all grist for the mill. Your business has to be reputable and its decision-making committee must act with wisdom, forethought and stoicism. The Business of Business An astute and prophetic former President of the United States once remarked that “America’s business is business.” That man was so right in his prognosis. The land of opportunity which gave birth to the Internet is changing the way we think about trade and commerce. A high tolerance for risk taking and sheer force of character are the watchwords when it comes to the burgeoning of your business.
that for the former the word “progress” is a verb and not a noun. You don’t rest on your laurels. That way even if you happen to be Bill Gates, you will exhaust your resources in no time. The relentless pursuit of happiness through hard work that yields its rewards is the postulate to follow in the road to success. Once you have achieved a place and position for yourself the temptations will inevitably arrive. There is the bait of dishonest practice(s) to enhance company profits but that is precisely the lure to keep at arm’s length. Just say no to such garbage! You have to tell yourself that though the seducing power of these iniquitous actions is limitless they can only harm your integrity. Moreover this can land you in trouble with the law. So steer clear of such cobwebs as they spell nothing but trouble. LinkedIn is a means to an end. And it is not so that the ends justify all means. Crazy revolutionaries may hold such easy morals but smart executives and thinking men put a hold on the irrationality of “anything goes”. The sites, whether they are Facebook, Twitter or even for that matter LinkedIn, are steps on the ladder of prosperity. Once you have achieved your goals of making your company a player in its niche market you can slip into automatic pilot. The ladder is useless now and it can be discarded. The rules that counted back then have to be replaced by principles that work in the present. That is why one must remain a student and keep learning throughout life. The lessons your history creates are applicable to it in its every aspect. And they dictate how it fares in the big, bad world of dog-eat-dog competition. So take good care of yourself. Your company’s life cycle depends upon it!
The real reason that separates the men from the boys is
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SOCIAL MEDIA
Deploying Twitter as a Marketing Tool A Taste of Twitter The cerulean blue avian companion known as Larry Bird is the hallmark and official logo of Twitter. The sign inspired the word “twitter”, which is precisely what goes on at this venture. Todd Dorsey, the co-founder and owner spoke of how the chirping and twittering of birds bears an uncanny resemblance to human traffic on the net. That was where he got the idea in the first place. A social networking site that is way up there along with Facebook, Twitter comprises of an endless series of tweets that mesh together to form a web of daily chatter that goes on globally between the famous and the not so famous. Lady Gaga has her share of rabid fans (known as Monsters) and so does Justin Bieber (they’re called Beliebers). Even One Direction, the youthfully romantic musical group has a vast following (Directioners).
You can sign up and then sign in to leave behind a number of messages. They can range from small talk to profound rants. The only hard and fast rule is that the tweets have to be within 140 characters. Thus everybody gets their 15 seconds of fame. You can contact President Obama via a White House Portal and comment on the state of the economy. Or you can get in touch with the Late Bruce Lee’s daughter, Shannon Lee, and share hard-earned martial arts advice. Imran Khan’s PTI too has its meeting point of tweets where many diehard fans gather to buck up the brave cricketer-turnedpolitician who wants to solve Pakistan’s problems as soon as possible. Through Twitter anyone can text anyone else provided he or she keeps it short and simple. The Fine Art of E-Marketing There is Email, E-Commerce and finally we have E-Marketing. The “E” stands for the epithet “electronic”. Usage of digitally-enhanced technology for selling goods and services is the name of the game. It is the simple employment of the latest software to get what you want business-wise. While the older schemata such as print advertising, public relations and the direct delivery of specific, customer-centered information still work, they have been superseded in recent years by the gigabyte approach. E-marketing saves on cash and shows a fair amount of dex-
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terity in its design. Like there is no comparison between the snail-mail of yesteryear with the email of the present times; similarly marketing in the past sold combs to bald men or snow to Eskimos; but today it is selling land on the moon. While the tools-of-the-trade have gotten sharper they are also far more dangerous when wielded by the wrong hands. Advice on Advantages But there is such an entity as trust. And it preserves its dignity even in the chaotic slipstream of the Internet where the future beckons with open arms. Some clear cut benefits of the new system of marketing via bits and bytes are: • Spreading the Message on a Planetary Level • Smarter Cost/Benefit Ratio • Solid Resultant Figures • Open Window of Delivery 24/7 • Individualized Content • Attention 101 • Exciting Campaign Material • Greater Number of Converts Generation of more selling points is the goal and the means employed are fairly flexible. Twitter: The Ultimate Market There are many pseudo-intellectuals who feel that marketing on Twitter is not worth the gamble. Thinking of it as a conversational pool of meaningless chitchat, these selfappointed gurus of heavy duty ideas have declared it to be a dead end. The average man on the street may well opt for this style of pessimism but for entrepreneurs and other heroes of economic life such cynicism will not do. Much of what goes on at Twitter is purpose-driven. You just have to read between the lines. There are people who complain about poor customer service by a multinational company. Their message gets across on Twitter and the company is more cautious in the future. If somebody wants to sell a used car he or she can put in a few words regarding its good qualities along with a picture of the model. A mobile number or email attached at the end will prove convenient. Pretty soon there will be loads of potential customers sending their respective tweets from all over the state, county or province the car owner is located in. Tweets have a way of bringing out the best among a couple of common friends. A circle of interested parties may contact each other regarding a facility or service and exchange profitable information. If they are not satisfied then it is “caveat emptor” or “let the buyer beware”. But were they to
SOCIAL MEDIA find it up to their high standards then the business or joint will surely flourish since word of mouth spreads like wildfire on the forum communities. Thus we see here how the use value or abusive treatment of some outlet can be picked up by the feelers of the clients and then communicated to the rest of the restless folks eager to frequent the place. Besides being a conversationalist’s heaven, Twitter is the fastest, most instantaneous way of getting your ideas online in this day and time. I mean, you can advertise freely without any restriction whatsoever. Censorship is not an issue since you can say what you prefer, provided it is not downright blasphemous. And last but not least, with a monthly turnover of more than 8 million visitors and 3 million daily tweets, the information is lost and found. When you post it there is no initial response. But wait a few days and the metaphorical chirping birds arrive to sit at your branch of the gigantic tree. You get to select who you want to respond to from a wide sample of human beings. For the Experiential Value Alone Twitter is a place to learn all sorts of new stuff all the way from the names of newly sprouted companies to established brands that have a spanking reputation in the market. The search engine as a provision and blessing can’t be further emphasized in the lust for information. Although for wisdom you will still have to go to the age old books as tools for discovery, as far as the information revolution goes it is search engines all the way. They will figuratively take you anyplace on the face of the planet. Promote Products & Sell Services A marketing executive may post news about his latest gadget or the value-added services that are a unique selling point of his fast food chain. No matter what you have in your possession: an object that works, an idea that clicks with the audience or a method of creating car fuel from rotting vegetables; if it is a success and more than the ordinary number of people buy into it, you have just made your mark upon the world. And what begins as a superficial dent may end up as a crash
course in history-making. Things may reach such proportions that you will have to hire other people to work for you and end up with a rating index on the stock market. Get a patent on your invention or discovery and find the time to vacation on some balmy island in the Bahamas. It might seem a tad bit Pollyanna to someone just starting out on this journey of self-expression but trust me on this one; if you have the passion, it will see you through. An Act of Tact Basically, Twitter is all about friendship. Once you learn the tactics necessary to attract good friends and interested parties, marketing will be a piece of cake. You will build an ever-increasing network of newsworthy pals and they will assist you in your personal growth. Help, give, care, share, love and sacrifice for each other. It is people who are of use to others who end up being carried afloat way above the shoulders of their contemporaries. Selfish people remain locked up in their selves which are prison cells. They hardly venture forth boldly into terra incognita. Those who want to succeed as marketing personnel have to not only have a smart, pleasant personality (something that shows up in the style of your written tweets) but get out of their comfort zone. Otherwise things will remain as they are without any change in your condition. A Word on Personality The purpose-driven person with a marketing personality is positively dripping with bravado, vim and vigor. He or she will break the bone of life and suck the marrow out of it. Such extreme liveliness suggests a pro-active approach where every failure only spurs one on to greater heights of success. You have to get up again over and over. That’s the secret of success. The day you want success more than anything else in the world, be it food, sleep or even air; that is the day you will easily achieve your goals. And what better way to begin this wondrous voyage than to go to the Twitter site and get registered. After all, you are not getting any younger waiting and vegetating around. The time to act is now!
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SECURITY Protecting Internet Connection – Free VPN Solutions For PC, Android And iOS Laptops, smart phones and tablets today enable us to achieve many of the regular activities when you do not have access to a desktop. From reading an e-mail, news or interacting on social networks, all can be made now on a mobile device, provided it is connected to the Internet. Meanwhile, in many public places, from shopping centers to libraries, there are free hotspots, access points to the Internet via Wi-Fi connection. Unfortunately, using a hotspot is not without risks. To facilitate access and to attract more people, most of these access points do not use secure connections, connecting accomplished without the need for a password. There are quite simple ways, even for those without advanced technical knowledge, to access the data that connect to these hotspots. Users can be directed to pages that contain malware, passwords can be stolen to connect to your e-mail, social networks or credit card number used for online shopping. To avoid such a situation, it is possible to secure the connection to the Internet through a VPN. A virtual private network that encrypts Internet traffic so that it cannot be intercepted by those who use the same hotspot. Entire Internet traffic is directed from the terminal used by the user to the server that provides the service through a secure connection. Of course, neither of these solutions are not 100% safe. Some protocols used for connection are now regarded as unreliable and might break the connection without the user being notified. A safer solution remains Internet subscription for the tablet or internet connection sharing from the phone to the laptop, and for when you need to use a free hotspot with an unsecured connection there are some free VPN solutions.
Hotspot Shield Hotspot Shield VPN is one of the most popular free VPN solutions, suggesting the name of the main function of protecting the Internet
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connection when you connect to a hotspot. In addition to this benefit, the use of the application allows access to websites blocked in some networks, connection to pages that provide access only in certain geographical areas, protecting the user’s identity by hiding real IP address, protect banking transactions and prevent potential malware attacks. Shiled Hotspot service is available through dedicated applications for Windows, Mac OSX, iPhone, iPod or iPad or the Android terminal. The free version has a limit of traffic, but displays advertisements. Hotspot Shield claims that Android and iOS applications can help to decrease traffic data via 3G connection.
TunnelBear TunnelBear is a similar solution but using this application requires creating a free account with e-mail confirmation. TunnelBear VPN has applications for Android, iOS, Windows XP or newer and OSX 10.6.8 or older. Data traffic is limited to 500MB per month, but users can get 1GB on Twitter promotions or buy paid packages. The mobile application allows easy selection of the server to which it is connected, the user can choose between Germany, Canada, USA and England. For Android, the
application has a widget that allows connecting/disconnecting directly from the main screen.
Hideman VPN Free option offers 5 hours of use per week and 2 GB data traffic per month, a sufficient solution for those who only occasionally connect to hotspots. Using this application does not require registration, the user can choose between several servers available for free and can connect automatically on them. Hideman offers applications for Android, Windows and Apple OSX and iOS, the installation is done by accessing http://www. hideman.net directly from your iPhone, iPod or iPad.
and iOS. User can select the server to which it connects and the application displays available data traffic.
VPN One Click One Click has no traffic limit, but the free version is limited to 7 days for iOS and allows selecting a server, the connection is automatically accomplished. Official website claims that the service can be used unlimited free on Android, Linux and Windows, but Android application displays a period of 60 days. VPN One Click application can be downloaded from Android Market, iTunes Store and download page for Windows, Linux and OSX.
Private Tunnel
Hideninja VPN
Private Tunnel requires registration on the official website and the confirmation e-mail, the free version only offers 100 MB traffic. Users can get 200MB extra traffic by each person to whom they recommended the service or 10GB if the person acquired included traffic.
Hideninja service is only for devices with Android operating system, accessible via the Android Market. The free version has no traffic limit, but the options for automatic connection and transfer speeds are only paid ones.
Private Tunnel has applications for Windows, OSX, Android
Although using a VPN connection should protect the user when connecting to the Internet, using free software, especially for Android, may have the opposite effect. For example, Hotspot Shield for Android application has access to the user’s address book and other applications can request access to your Facebook account.
SECURITY Protect your PC with VirusTotal, Free for end users Virus Total is free online service that gives you the option to scan and analyzed suspicious files and URLs from up to date updated multiple virus scanners simultaneously to identify viruses, worms Trojans and other kinds of malicious contents. After scanning it will give the results of the URL or the suspicious file which you have submitted. Virus Total is a Google owned product. • • • • •
VirusTotal is totally free to end users. IT runs multiple antivirus engines and website scanners. Virus total runs multiple files and URL characterization tools. Virus total uses Real time updates of virus signatures and blacklists. More about VirusTotal can be found here
http://www.virustotal.com
Increasing Account Safety Online The accounts that we hold on the internet holds massive information. Like many people, you wouldn’t want to jeopardize your online accounts. There are many ways of you protecting your privacy and
perks is that you can individualize your passwords. While you can also do that without the need of a password manager, you probably would not be able to memorize something like fr)8wr0[} let alone multiple instances of that. There are many password managers that are available but we highly recommend Lastpass. This is because Lastpass is one of the most reputable password managers that are available online. In addition to that, you can also integrate Lastpass with various internet browsers as well as your mobile phones.
Two-Factor Au Authentication
the sanctity of your accounts but be warned: some of these methods can be troublesome but will definitely decrease the chances of having your accounts hacked by other individuals.
Using Password Manager Having a password manager has a lot of perks. One of the biggest
Another way to greatly increase the safety of your accounts online is to have two-factor authentication. This means that you need to pair your account with your mobile device so that whenever you log in from a new device, it will ask you to key in the authentication key that it will send through SMS or a mobile app. By doing so, it prevents your accounts from being compromised regardless of whether
they have your online credentials or not.
Use Private Browsing on Public Computers Whenever you are using a public computer, it makes much sense to browse through the private browsing feature found in most internet browsers. Private browsing will not allow browsing information to be kept inside the computer. Once you close the browser, your browsing history and cache will be automatically deleted. This is definitely a must-do for anyone. In fact, we recommend that you do so even while doing online banking on your private computer.
If you are a regular android user then this would be very easy task. However, however, even if you are a newbie to smart phone still things are manageable (just refer manual or Google it). This does help you protecting you android phone from any kind of external threats.
Add password security Every android phone and device comes with password protection option. It always good to have a secured entry mechanism to your android device/mobile using a
Best ways to improve your android smartphone Security
password security access (you can have a secured pattern also) password security increases the level of protection and prevents hackers and intrusions.
With the increasing competition of the technology, there is increased
Install Antivirus App
risk of external risk of external security threats. As we all know it is
This is most known and most used
always recommended to use your
method to protect android device.
expensive electronics in smart way.
Smart phones have multiple op-
Don’t get confuse, it is not really dif-
tions to getting antivirus app. You
ficult; all you have to do as follows.
can download it from Google Play store. There are free versions and
TECHV IZE August 2013 75
SECURITY paid versions. Fact that you should know is that the antivirus apps
root it will eliminates any restric-
would cause security threat to your
is recommended that you shall disable the Wi-Fi. This is real easy step to take.
tion software which prevents
android devices. And I have seen
which installed in android devices
any intrusion and attacks. Un-
that some people download cracked
and android smart phones would
less you have great amount of
versions of apps from some torrents
operate more or less similar to the virus guard of your computer.
Please ensure that the installed antivirus app is reliable. Always recommended to installed apps from a known source such as Google play store (previously known as android market)
Refrain from Rooting Next most important thing is avoid from rooting. Once you
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knowledge about the android software and hardware do not take the risk of rooting. Use reliable and trusted Apps Always use apps from the rec-
and from some unknown sources.
Most of above recommended ways
But we highly recommended you to
are common and simple. There are
download apps from reliable source
only few steps to you to follow
to avoid risks.
which can make a big difference to the security level of your android
Use Secure Wi-Fi Many of us are tempted to connect
ommended source. Simply just
to the free Wi-Fi networks that are
stick to Google play store. (An-
available. We always happy to see
droid market).Apps from dif-
“Free” isn’t it? However, it is advis-
ferent markets and sources may
able to operate only through trusted
contain malicious malware which
networks. In fact when not in use, it
device.
TUTORIALS Protect your PC with VirusTotal, Free for end users If you have an old desktop that is still working but lying around collecting dust, you might just be able to salvage it. There are plenty of things that you can do with an extra PC around and making it good will not cost you much, depending on what you plan on doing.
how to configure it as such. In fact, by using a computer as a media player, you can open up to countless possibilities. For example, you can chat, make video calls in front of your television as well as host countless of photos, videos and
make rendering easier. In fact, if you are up for it, you can even put a Bluray drive on your computer as well.
even songs. A Pentium 4 (yes, that old!) system can easily be salvaged but you might want to add in a lowend graphics card and sound card to
Linux on an older system. It is more stable, works better and faster than Windows on a legacy system. Through Linux, you can easily use
Install Linux
the computer to browse the internet or do just about anything that you would through a normal computer. The performance difference as compared with Windows can be quite apparent.
There is a reason why we choose
File Server or Network Attached Storage If you have a lot of files that you think ought to be shared amongst multiple computers, then having a file server or network attached storage (NAS) would be handy. While pre-made NAS systems can cost hundreds of dollars, you can also create one easily through an old computer if you have the budget to buy a few hard drives. The software that you will need to create your own NAS is NAS4Free. There are plenty of insightful tutorials on how to install NAS4Free so be sure to check them out.
XBMC or Media Player An old computer can still be a powerful media player should you know
With A Little Courage, You Can Install Android 4.3 On The Galaxy S4 There isn’t impossible anymore to experience firsthand the new operating system from Google, Android 4.3 can be installed on Galaxy S4. With the launch of the new HTC One and Galaxy S4 terminal in Google Edition format, the Mountain View giant rushed to use these devices to test new firmware versions. It was not long and a test version of the new operating system Android 4.3 escaped, of course, on the internet. Although the new Galaxy S4 Google Edition has the GTI9505G codename and commercial version of the product released a
few months ago was GT-I9505, fortunately there were no significant differences between the two. For this reason, the experiments of the Sammobile to port a firmware from a device to another were successful. What does Android 4.3 bring? Nothing major, just small touches in the camera application interface. Otherwise, it’s about its optimization which Google plans for Android 5.0 Key Lime Pie, but is testing it before the update, as it was with Project Butter from the first Jelly Bean. Camera settings are now arranged in a semicircle.
Whether it is a test firmware that still leaves room for many improvements in the functionality and stability, those who have experienced it have not noticed any problems. With the new OS, the entire portfolio of sensors and components of the flagship from Samsung works perfectly.
I9505 with Custom Recovery and ready for action. The entire set of explanations related to operations and download links of the firmware can be found here. Enjoy and if you have any questions let us know in the below comments section. Stay tuned for more informations about Samsung Galaxy S4 features.
If you want to experience Android 4.3 Jelly Bean for the respective you must arm yourself with patience and some knowledge about what it means to install a custom firmware. Thus, besides a file of 350 MB, you also need a Samsung Galaxy S4 GT-
TECHV IZE August 2013 77
TUTORIALS Tips And Tricks For Windows Phone 8 – Part 1 Windows Phone 8 is one, no mat-
is on the main screen or in the Ap-
in seconds it will display the name of
ter who produces your WP8 smart-
1. How to customize your
plications menu. If you want to have
the song that is heard in the back-
phone, the interface is the same,
Home screen
all the emails in one place there is
ground. Also similar to the Shazam
also this option. Enter the Mail ap-
application behavior, in the window
The Tile size of the main screen is
plication, click on the dots (…) in
that appears after the recognition
The number of users of Windows
adjustable, as well as their position.
the lower right corner and from the
process will also be displayed a but-
Phone begins to grow. WP8 smart-
To change the size of a tile is enough
menu that appears choose the Link
ton to buy the song from Windows
phones getting more and more at-
to hold a few seconds your finger on
Inboxes. If you have more than two
Phone Store.
tention, which is why manufacturers
any of them. At this point go into
email accounts, you can summarize
like Nokia are investing in the new
edit mode and by a tap on the bot-
only some of them if you want,
4. How to Activate Kids Cor-
terminal for a better quality. Such
tom right button you can alternate
while the other remains separate.
ner
a gadget interface is intuitive and,
three dimensions. A tile can be re-
To return to the initial situation, in
most times, doesn’t need a tutorial
moved from the main screen, with-
the same menu, choose the Unlink
A clever solution to the problem of
for most users. At the same time,
out affecting the application they
Inboxes option.
children who are constantly tempt-
the latest operating system from
represent, by one-touch of the but-
Microsoft smartphones hides some
ton that appears in the upper right
3. How to use Shazam clone
Corner. This search function will re-
features that are very useful, but
corner. If you want to move a tile is
integrated into WP8
lease the stress of parental control
not very obvious. For this reason I
enough to hold it a few seconds and
started this series of tutorials which
start moving your finger. To change
No need to install Shazam to benefit
activated from Settings and easily
show both the customization and
the background of a WP8 terminal
from the functionality of the first ap-
through configuration steps will al-
functionality side, WP8 has more
go to Theme Settings section.
plications for the iPhone. Windows
low you to choose what type of con-
Phone has a music recognition en-
tent your child can access.
which is why the advice is the same.
to offer than you might be tempted
ed to seize the phone is called Kids
applications. The function can be
to believe at first. We start with a
2. How to enable a central-
gine integrated in the operating sys-
top 10 consists of elements that any
ized inbox for emails
tem. Just press the physical button
5. How to enhance the WP8
at the bottom of the Search screen
autonomy
Windows Phone user would have to know and will continue with ad-
By default, each email account ap-
and tap on the musical note. In-
vanced functions.
pears separately on WP8, whether it
stantly activate the microphone and
TECHV IZE August 2013 78
A simple and efficient which on
TUTORIALS other operating systems require
recipient has a WP8 device, it auto-
8. How to Prevent Accidental
on the icon represented by an eye
some additional steps on Windows
matically displays your location in
Photos
and steer your smartphone to read
Phone can be activated easily. If
Maps. If another operating system,
you do not have a lot of battery or
the location will be displayed in a
A physical button exclusively for
you can use to scan pieces of text,
simply want you to hold the phone
web browser.
photo capture, most times it is very
similar to an OCR program, which
the code you want. Same function
useful. In case of emergency, you
then translate them into another
enough, enable the Battery Saver
7. How to use the key short-
can almost instantly capture a spec-
language. The latter, although it is
Settings option. Since that time all
cuts
tacular time. Unfortunately, that
most useful when you go abroad,
same button can be responsible
you must keep in mind that in-
away from the outlet more than
background applications are closed and turned off the automatic mail
When writing a message, you can
for photographs taken inside your
volves internet traffic and could
synchronization function and other
hold a few seconds on a letter, at
pocket by mistake. If you want to
be costly.
services. This function can also be
which you will display several op-
prevent such events, simply go to
activated automatically when you
tions from which you can choose
the Photos application, access the
10. How to send a quick
reach a certain percentage of bat-
the character of interest. So, with a
Settings menu by the three points
message
tery. It’s enough to make a tap in
few taps, you have quick access to
in the lower right corner and check
Battery Saver Advanced button and
umlauts, symbols and smiles. With
the “Prevent accidental camera
If you schedule an important meet-
you define that percentage.
a double tap on the spacebar you
launch when phone is locked”
ing that you have associated with
can put a dot and space to start a
function. Since that time, the physi-
individuals who should participate
6. How to send your location
new sentence. Always, you will see
cal button will only work when the
is very easy to announce everyone
to a friend
displayed above the keyboard sug-
phone is unlocked.
your delay for various reasons. Go
gested word about the keys that
quickly to the respective meeting
If you have a problem and you need
you have pressed. Those words are
9. How to read QR codes, Mi-
from calendar and make a tap on
help or want to praise to a friend
linked to a dictionary. If you want
crosoft Tags or translate text
the running man icon. You will au-
that you are in an exotic location,
to add new words in that diction-
with a few steps you can assign the
ary, make a tap on a word and that
The physical search button on any
message that will have as recipi-
coordinates of your message. When
word appears in the list of sugges-
phone with Windows Phone 8 is
ents all the people involved in that
writing a SMS make a tap on the
tions with the + sign. With a tap on
more than you think. Some func-
meeting. You have the option to
bottom of the screen button and
the symbol, the word will be recom-
tions which require dedicated ap-
edit that apology message, modify
select My Location. If the message
mended in the future.
plications on other platforms here
recipients or send it just as it is.
tomatically open a window with a
are hidden in the search application. Is sufficient to make a tap
TECHV IZE August 2013 79
TUTORIALS
Tips on Creating a Restaurant Website For any web developers out there
As such, the website should look
that have a project related to restau-
professional and elegant instead of
rants, you might be in need of some
a bright design which is probably
Color
tips to get started. This is because
more suitable for a restaurant that
Scheme
when you work on a website for
caters to students.
people, you will need to make it in such a way that it actually caters to
Color scheme
Make It Simple
their needs. Here are some tips on creating a good restaurant website.
others.
plays an im-
Be Sociable
portant role in designs. White for Remember about a concept called
example, symbolizes purity and
The world today relies a lot on social
‘KISS’ or Keep It Simple, stupid?
freshness while black is a more mys-
media and as such, it may be best
Well, any good design should por-
terious color. However, black is also
for the restaurant to stay connected.
tray the KISS concept. This is because
a great color scheme to be used if
This means that you should include
Knowing the target audience of the
a simple design is also a user-friendly
you want to put an emphasis on
a Facebook and Twitter account for
restaurant is important because this
design. As such, if that is your goal,
food photography. As such, know
people to follow.
determines the overall look of the
then you should stick with that con-
what your client wants from his
website. For example, if the res-
cept. Some of the pages that you
website so that you can cater to ex-
taurant is located near a business
most probably need to put are the
actly what he wants instead of what
complex, chances are that the visi-
Home Page, About Us page, Con-
you think he wants.
tors to the restaurant are executives.
tact Form, Reservations and a few
Target Audience
Tips & Tricks to Customize Windows RT If you have got yourself a Windows
instead.
RT tablet, then you might want to
you can choose to change the back-
don’t, all you need to do is to tap
ground design, color scheme and
and hold a tile for you to move it
learn more on what you can do with
Change your Color Scheme
more. In fact, you can also change
around. You can also create your
it. Here are some excellent tips and
If you like to play around with your
your account picture and lock screen
own group of tiles by pinching with
tricks to customize your Windows
device, then you should definitely
picture through this section as well.
2 fingers to zoom out of Modern UI.
RT device.
know how to change the color
Right click or flick downwards and
scheme of the Modern UI. Go to
Naming Your UI Tiles
you will find that you can name the
Login with PIN
Charms Menu > Settings > Change
Most people would know how to
group of tiles.
Like an Android or iOS device, you
PC Settings > Personalize and then
personalize their app tiles. If you
can also set a PIN code for you to quickly access your Windows RT tablet. Creating a PIN for your device is easy. All you need to do is to go to the Charms Menu > Settings > Change PC Settings > Users > Signin Options > Create a PIN.
Picture Password Besides PIN or the normal password, you can instead assign a picture as your password. There are a few steps for you to apply a Picture Password. It is located at the same place you used to create a PIN. Instead of clicking Create a PIN, you need to choose Create a picture password
TECHV IZE August 2013 80
TUTORIALS Speeding Up Your Computer (Windows) Do you find that your computer becomes slower as time passes? Sometimes, the only solution would be to do a clean install of your Windows operating system again. That should always be the last resort because there are many ways of speeding up your computer.
Switch to SSD Solid-state drive has been around for quite some time but most people are still using the traditional
are many unnecessary applications,
collect songs and share your profile
tween the Scylla and Charybdis
consider disabling them instead.
with other people.
of the wise and the weird you
exe”. Then click on Startup and dis-
If you feel like having an ad-free
worth.
able the application that you do not
experience or to unlock the mobile
The success of a business espe-
need. Some of the applications that
version of Grooveshark for your
cially an online one is a task that
you might want to let it be enabled
iOS or Android device, you can also
requires the services of any num-
are antivirus and malware detection
choose to subscribe as a premium
ber of people who are willing to
applications. Other applications that
member for $9/month. Premium
work for honest pay. They have to
you may need such as Google Drive
members will have ad-free experi-
be hard workers and give it their
or Dropbox should be left enabled
ence, mobile Grooveshark as well
best shot when it comes to upsiz-
as well.
as some customizations such as
ing the company’s image. The sort
themes amongst many other things.
that says that the boss is always
Get unlimited access to songs from around the world with GrooveShark
by your hard disk, then you might want to upgrade to SSD. The speed of an SSD can be as much as 10 times faster than the conventional hard drive. As far as boot ups are concerned, what used to be a few minutes can be easily cut down to as low as half a minute. The downside of SSD is that it is more expensive as compared with the normal hard drive. The price per GB can easily reach $1/GB or more.
practice is a norm that you have to
for anyone living outside the United
be on the search for. There will be
States but wants unlimited access to
the odd troublemakers and muti-
songs from around the world. Most
neers on board yet they will auto-
of the popular songs on the radio
matically be weeded out provided
Internet users in the United States
are available on Grooveshark. Thus,
the rest of the staff members do
are considered to be lucky because
you will not be missing out a lot as
their duty of reporting the truth as
a lot of the media streaming ser-
compared with Spotify users. In fact,
they see it.
vices works perfectly for them. This
you might be better off considering
includes names such as Spotify for
that you won’t be listening to any
Eleven Habits of Highly Suc-
Music, Netflix or Hulu for Movies
advertisement in between your play-
cessful Businessmen (On-
and many more. While there has
lists.
line)
How to Promote your Business Online
A habit is hard to extinguish.
If your computer has 2GB or even 4GB worth of RAM, then we recommend that you upgrade to at least 8GB. This is because memory upgrades are often the cheapest and most beneficial. By upgrading your RAM, it reduces the page file that is present on the hard drive. Instead, it will make full use of your RAM. A 4GB stick may cost as low as $30 to $40 so be sure to do this.
Disabling
startup
yet to be a good and legal alternative for videos, there is already one for music called Grooveshark. The service has already been around for quite some time and is also made by a renowned name in the music
Increase the amount of RAM
applica-
tions Startup applications are often the culprit of slow boot time. If there
right yet questions any unethical Grooveshark is highly recommended
hard disk drive. If you find that your computer is being slowed down
must use your noggin for what it’s
Click Start+R and type “msconfig.
En Route to an Enterprise
industry, EMG. Business is a make-or-break pathGrooveshark is interesting because
way that may lead to great riches
you can listen to just about any
or, on the flip side, a simple failure
songs that are available in Spotify
to catch the consumer’s interest.
or even Pandora. You can choose to
There are methods of optimizing
be a member or simply listen to the
your business using the Internet as a
songs that you like without needing
proxy partner. By entering online cir-
to register as one. All there is to do
cles of influence you may create an
is to search for the songs that you
audience through your client pulling
would like to listen to and add them
power.
to your playlist. In fact, listening to
The Internet has become a techie’s
songs through Grooveshark is an ef-
haven. It is the one-spot shopping
fortless process.
center for all kinds of informational content from the magnificently life
There are some advantages of regis-
changing to the morbidly mislead-
tering as a member though. You will
ing. You have to tread with caution
be able to create your own playlists,
since there are pitfalls. Caught be-
Changing habits is a lengthy and monumentally exhausting process that may take years to be fully implemented. But on a short term basis you have to keep practicing a new habit for at least 20 days before it sets its roots in the subconscious. But once it has established its rhizomes you have to let the incubation process take its time. Here are eleven techniques of getting even with the business-savvy market out there. They don’t have to be followed to the letter as individualized modifications are a must:
• Set up a Site: A personal website for the sake of promoting your business is where you explode into action. Either you
TECHV IZE August 2013 81
TUTORIALS design your own website or you can
due to whatever
ask an expert designer to do the
reasons
job for you. The charges are nomi-
later catch up
nal and anyone can afford them.
on the details of
The home page must have Net Ap-
what occurred in
peal. It should not carry any nega-
their absence by
tive content (many businesses take
clicking on You-
the misguided step of listing their
Tube. If the site
rival’s flaws). The spatial set-up must
is banned in your
be pellucid and show simplicity. A
region you may
series of relevant articles as well as
visit it by proxy.
may
information about the company’s activities are things to say “yes” to.
•
You can even send a free E-Book to
Your Self in
Immerse
your site’s visitors by asking for their
the Environ-
names and email addresses.
ment:
• PPC Advertising Advantage:
The forums and blogs you find online are the cheap-
Fix a limited budget for pay-per-click
est places to visit and
advertising online. That way every
hobnob with future in-
time anyone clicks on your adver-
vestors in your business.
unsubscribe section in your mailing
mous person on a globally extensive
They also help you lure potential cli-
list so that if anyone chooses he or
level. Once you get a handle for
ents. Be on the guard against sites
she may get rid of emails they don’t
your business you can then instruct
clicks will multiply and many, many
that are not website promotion-
consider worthy of their attention.
your employees to post tweets on
more people will visit your site. Thus
friendly for they will not entertain
you will get the much-needed pub-
your designs. However, most other
licity your business deserves. This
sites will take on your ads for a
tisement you have to pay them a very small amount. Over time the
behalf of your company. Updates
• Face(the)Book:
and ads are important ingredients in acquiring a taste for Twitter. You
small amount or even for free. You
The #1 social networking site is
don’t need to spend all your time on
will get to know new people who in
none other than Mark Zuckerberg’s
this site. On the contrary, you may
turn will become informed regard-
Facebook. A set of hyperlinks fea-
set a schedule.
ing your business. This is the chief
turing stimulating comments and
motive and it has the added benefit
fun audiovisual aids that allow
that you can make friends on the
people from all over the world to
Net while doing beautiful business
get in touch with each other, Face-
Another very electrifying website
with them.
book may also prove to be the most
you may use for enhancing the avail-
spoken/written word. We live in an
adaptable tool for your business. Es-
ability of your business interest is the
age of sound bytes and mega-pixel
tablish an account and feature ads
one and only Pinterest. The sincer-
screens. Music and movies have
on your page. Build a widespread
est site for still photographs with
become the chief means of partici-
Gather a number of email address-
fan following too. Keep them
catchphrases attached, Pinterest will
es that you can send promotional
hooked by offering interesting facts
give a booster shot to your business
will remain so for a long time. The
material to. They don’t ostensibly
time to time.
profile. Take the richest pictures pos-
best way to broadcast your self is via
have to be VIPs. You can contact
YouTube. It is the site par excellence
ordinary souls who show even a
for posting videos of your business
slight interest in your products or
can be accomplished using Google or by attaching sidebar ads. The choice is yours and you will be responsible for it.
• YouTube & You: The audio-visual has replaced the
pating in the knowledge base and
that may range from the 5 minute intro to a 1 hour lecture on ethical behavior in the workplace. And the important thing is that those who miss out on company attendance
TECHV IZE August 2013 82
• Be an E-Marketer:
• Pining for Pinterest:
sible and push them towards your
• Be a Twit:
principle clients on Pinterest. They will thank you for it. The products
services. However, avoid spam. It is
Twitter is your second option for
you want to tout on this positively
unethical and doesn’t make email
business growth. It is a shorter,
interesting platform will have to be
owners very happy. It is the bane of
more intensive version of Facebook.
digitally photographed in their full
the Internet. Be sure to feature an
You post small messages or tweets
brilliance from the right angles. The
and you can contact any very fa-
TUTORIALS rest is your luck and preparedness.
• The Plus Pages:
The variegated opinions and solid
owner. The 15 necessary objectives
an antenna that catches potential
facts that get shared between online
you will need to fulfill in order to
channels of clientele in terms of
visitors have to reflect a modicum
reach an audience are given below:
content. For this you will have to
of propriety. Just because you have
do some research work on your
1. Clarify Your Core Contents:
Google + Business Pages are where
anonymity doesn’t mean any and
you can set up camp. And the pro-
every thing is allowed. Care must be
verbial peak of Mount Everest lies
taken. If the customers don’t want
Now that you have drawn a line be-
prime examples to learn hard-
ahead. The skills you can apply on a
to keep seeing your ads don’t pester
tween what you stand for and what
earned lessons from if not follow
consistent basis on these pages will
them. This will only lead to fatigue
you don’t, the next step would be to
directly. You may not reach their
land you in the midst of a capitalist’s
and hard feelings on both ends. Let
further define and refine what your
caliber but you can come close. Al-
hideout. The A-list club you can join
them be instead. For every problem
specialties are. Whether you want to
ways pay close attention to what
by frequenting Google + Business
under the sun there is a solution or
stick to Savile Row three-piece suits
needs improvement on your site.
Pages is paradoxically both exclusive
there is none. If there be one then
for men and sober blouses/skirts for
The varied hues and procedural
and inclusive. It is soft-core in its ex-
try to find it. If there be none than
women in the western fashion, or
paraphernalia your customers will
clusivity and highly inclusive. This is
never mind it.
prefer more exotic fare such as mas-
see and respond to are elementary
culine turbans and kaftans plus fem-
in the catch-a-client game. Even
inine saris and lingerie is a decision
the smallest degree of personali-
that is entirely up to you to make.
zation speaks volumes about the
Remember, the reins of your signa-
customer support of your online
ture store lie firmly in your hands
clothing store.
the site where those businessmen of the future who want to have it all like to hang out.
• Monkey Business: Can we learn from the constant chattering noise of monkeys in a
Thinking of an online store? Here are 15 things worth knowing Is it Profitable?
own initiative. The big fish that swim with the surfing crowd are
and you may change direction any time you like seeing the trends of
4. If You Have A Plan You
the market.
Can:
2. Know Thy Enemy:
A business portfolio that enables
jungle? Well, Survey Monkey is here to lend you the feedback on what
The answer to that is a guarded
others think and also what they feel
“Yes”. The 80/20 Rule counts here
regarding your business. Just post
and it states in clear words that
The competition you will come up
as get them right the first time
a survey or two on your site (be it
80% of the people with drive suc-
against in fashion design and haute
around is essential for success.
Google +, Twitter or Facebook) and
ceed while those with certain weak-
couture are like the bloodthirsty
Planning need not be scientific
sit back and watch the results pour
nesses and flaws have to wind up
sharks you find on beaches. So be
yet it does have to be economi-
in. You may ask questions having to
their business venues. They form
very careful. Study your rivals and
cally viable as far as its beams and
do with promotional purposes, sales
the 20% dark figure of losers and
any new arrivals on the scene for
rafters are considered. You must
advice and relevant info on prod-
upstarts.
they may overtake you any moment.
use your funds and resources
ucts/services.
An online store can sell Valentine’s
The stakes are high indeed. For old
with prudence. The cents have to
Day flowers and gift hampers that
school stores like Mothercare and
be spent with sense. A no-non-
give a jolt of romance. It can deal
Saks Fifth Avenue it is not so hard
sense approach towards product
in kids’ toys, which means trucks for
to keep up since they are playing for
placement and sales generation
This last objective needs to be dis-
boys and dolls for girls. Or it can sell
keeps. But for businesses just sailing
through a fresh advertising cam-
cussed in detail. Though business is
anything from shoes to fancy cou-
away into the horizons like yours
paign are urgent requirements.
best kept apart from pleasure, there
ture items at slashed prices that at-
it is an uphill battle. You will have
is a meeting point between the two.
tract those who have saved up on
to gauge the temper of the times.
And that is human conduct and the
some cold hard cash for rainy days.
Go ahead and get a feel for the at-
• Keep it Real:
way you respond to your followers on the Net. Customer withdrawal
A Couture Outlet
is very common since the moment they notice the next best thing they
Let us for the sake of simplifying
decide to move on. Don’t get upset
things consider an online business
due to this reaction which is quite
store that sells high-end fashionable
natural. You have to stay positive
clothing for style-conscious ladies
and assume that things are alright.
and gents. You are the prospective
you to set your priorities as well
5. Financial Freedom:
mosphere and attitude of the target
Saving up valuable funds by rein-
audience that changes its colors like
vesting in the business is a peren-
a chameleon in today’s fast-paced
nial strategy that has always been
global scenario.
the favorite tool of big business tycoons online or offline. The capital
3. Online Image:
can be created via soft loans from banks or by pooling your resources
The website you design must be like
with other partners who are equal
TECHV IZE August 2013 83
TUTORIALS shareholders in the online store.
besides the many human rights.
as wise partners in your means of
of close friends is the best treasure house to beg and borrow from at
late capitalism. PayPal and Google Checkout are in the making too
Your immediate family and circle
8. The Merchandise Conduit:
money recovery. The cash nexus is
14. Managing the Market:
straightforward enough not count-
the beginning of your style venture. Later on you can always recom-
Where will your supply of clothes
ing the very clever or very dishonest
The market is a mess alright. It is a
pense or repay them for their kind-
come from? The traders who will
among us.
pack of piranhas that are cannibals
ness to you when you were down
sell you their goods in bulk form.
on your luck.
They are your most valuable yet
11. Get Hold of a Designer &
all the unfit members ruthlessly. This
vulnerable asset in the epic odyssey
Copywriter:
is the way evolution itself evolves.
6. The Voice of Choice:
to boot. Thus competition kills off
of online business ethics and math-
It is the law of the jungle. Analyze
ematics. Are the merchants, who
You will require the services of a tal-
the web and use the search engine
The right online platform to choose
will have mercy on you, trustwor-
ented graphic designer and a word-
with the abandonment of a mad
from a roster of options is a decision
thy? That is a lesson that only ex-
smith (creative copywriter). While it
scientist. Catch hold of a public
not to be taken impulsively. Very
perience can teach. It will be taught
is plainly apparent that the former
relations expert. Decide on using
carefully weigh the consequences
to you in the proverbial school of
plays in pixels and lines and outlines
coupons and special discount offers
of one over the other. They all have
hard knocks. Online B2B venues are
are his magical wand. The latter is
with the changing times that come.
their strong suit as well as their fatal
a rich source of merchandisers you
a word player and in his hands the
And please, always use audio-visual
flaw. It is you alone who can decide
so desperately seek. The products
word itself plays till new captions
material on your site as a market-
what is to be done based upon the
will also have to be examined for
and copy unheard of before gets
ing ploy. Twitter and Facebook are
apparent evidence. The e-commerce
any manufacturing faults. And their
written. Employ them both after
highly eminent platforms for public-
platform you go for can range from
comfort-giving qualities too matter
stringent bargaining. The market is
ity that serve as both marketing and
eBay to Etsy. Yahoo Stores too is
in the long run.
very competitive and they will prob-
advertising sites.
a personable platform. Even your
ably pack a mean wallop as far as
9. Site Insight:
salary and benefits are concerned.
15. Watch Out:
stances and then get your agenda
Your website has to be state-of-the
12. “Ship-mentality”:
As a precautionary last step, be on
straight by making a well thought-
art in scope. Get its domain name
out decision regarding the right
registered. Web hosting too is a very
The lengthy issues having to do
men. They are out there. Though
platform.
important point. The “Add to Cart”
with shipments overseas and order-
you may not suspect any foul play
option has to be designed with the
ing by mail have to be dealt with.
they are on the search for suscep-
customers in mind. An SSL Certifi-
Whether the methodology ought to
tible businesses that don’t have any
own site is a viable choice if all else fails. Be informed about the circum-
7. Register Now:
the lookout for hackers and con
cate must be gotten hold of other-
be in-house or third party specific is
protection from cyber-attacks. Be on
Fulfill all the preliminary legal re-
wise things can get very complicat-
a trying question. The cost of send-
your guard against them and hope-
quirements by signing up with the
ed. How you will accept payment as
ing wares is another case in point.
fully things will work out just fine
authorities that are currently ruling
well as the dilemma of picking audi-
Warehousing counts in the deal too.
in the end. Your online business of
the roost. Brand loyalty can only
tors are two more riddles to solve in
Which shipping company you will
haute couture will sate the desire of
be a possibility if you first get that
record time.
hire is a quest in itself.
so many customers who will flock to
and name and add a catchy slogan
10. Receiving the Cash Quick-
13. Learning the Laws:
that can’t fail to attract the audience
ly:
your site to order as many clothes
brand established. Think up the logo
on its own ground. Get the permis-
E-commerce is not a bar room
sion from the government and don’t
The methods of payment you pre-
brawl. It has certain environment-
forget to pay your taxes regularly if
fer are also to be taken into consid-
specific rules and regulations that
you exceed the small business cat-
eration. Credit and Debit Cards are
you ignore at your peril. Read the
egory and enter the rich men’s club.
there and they are good ways to
PCI Compliance Guide as well as
This is not the black market where
get your hands on the gold ingots.
the FTC Guidelines and commit the
nihilism is the only law. It is civiliza-
But be careful. Smart Money can
points to memory for you will need
tion, so act like a citizen who has
be a fraudulent deal in the age of
them in the future.
heavy responsibilities to carry out
TECHV IZE August 2013 84
items as they like.