Top Five Smart Devices for Home Automation

Technology no doubt has changed the course of our lives, as it brought improvement even to our homes. Smart home technology is becoming popular because of its convenience and accessibility.

Smart home apps can be classified into two types. A single-tasking app is designed to perform one task and for one specific device only. Meanwhile, a multitasking app takes control of the entire system of your home.

The use of these apps depends on the preferences of consumers. Some want to use a single-tasking app because it is safer. On the other hand, some users want the multi-tasking app simply because it is more convenient. 

Let’s look into the top five mobile apps that will make your home smart.

SmartThings

SmartThings allows users to control appliances such as washing machine, air conditioner, refrigerator, and dryer. Users can check the status of the devices, change settings, and receive notifications. Most of the home devices are compatible with this app, making it convenient for anyone. 

SmartThings is a free app from Samsung and is available on the Apple, Google, and Windows app stores. This app will allow users to receive notifications about what is happening in their home wherever they are. Users will also be given alerts on situations such as smoke or unwanted entry into your home

In addition to this, SmartThings is capable of capturing video footage if there is a camera installed.  To sum it up, this app can control devices with just a tap of your finger. 

Google Home

Google is a tech giant that has provided users with a great home app choice.  Google Home is an app that can be found both on Android and on iOS.

The best feature of Google Home is that it provides users shortcuts in controlling, organizing, and managing tasks. These tasks include turning lights on, getting the news of the day, or even checking the weather. A lot of actions can be done with a single command.

Moreover, Google Home enables you to send texts, make phone calls, or even play music.  It is versatile and can do multiple types of tasks and commands, making it a reliable app for your home.

MyQ Garage & Access Control

MyQ Garage & Access Control empowers you to open your garage door just by using your smartphone. It is a great choice in automating garage features even when you’re not at home.

Using this app, you can set alerts and schedules for any activity. You receive notifications via text or email to know if your garage is being compromised.

You can take full control of the lights and doors to protect your tools for garage seen in reviewerst.com. MyQ Garage & Access Control allows you to provide access even to a MyQ guest.

SimpliSafe

Simplisafe is a smart home app that allows you to access your security alarm anywhere. You can receive notifications and updates to keep tabs on your home even if you are away.

One of the highlights of Simplisafe is that professionals take charge of monitoring your home around the clock.

If Simplisafe detects any emergency in your home, the professionals will immediately contact you. You can guarantee the safety of your home by using this smart security app.

Palgate

Installing Palgate in your smartphone enables you to open your garage door using a Bluetooth network. Palgate easily connects to the control system of your garage door without using an Internet connection.

Just like the features in guruchoicelab.com, Palgate uses different commands in controlling the garage door to ensure that your essential garage products are safe.

You can even customize access management by adding and removing other users. Palgate uses a simple interface where you can open your garage door even when your hands are full.

With a lot of home apps available in the market, it is best to consider how you’d want to control the functions in your home. The apps we rounded up in this article perform similar functions, so be sure to look at each app closely to know its best features. With a little research, you’ll find a good and effective home app that will fit your needs and will give you a seamless home experience. 

Crestron

Your house and life may become more convenient and straightforward with a Crestron system. The central automation processor watches over your home’s electrical systems, whether Crestron or those from a third party and makes sure they function to make it a pleasant place to be. Each of these systems functions in unison with the others and is readily managed via an on-wall touchpanel, a remote control, or an iPhone/iPad.

Are All PCs Good for 3D Modeling?

All tools that are used for 3D modeling are intensive, to say the least. Some examples of those tools are Maya, 3D Max, AutoCAD, and Revit. A good CPU is required when working with these programs. The reason is that these tools can make a significant workload on your RAM and CPU that needs to be brought to a minimum. It is also required for that very reason to have large storage and a high RAM. 

The best would be the computer that has a relatively large screen size and a higher resolution. Gaming laptops usually have great performance and graphics that will suit your 3D modeling needs. All that being said, the question arises, are all computers good for 3D modeling? If you were pondering over and seeking answers for such a puzzle, then this article is for you. 

PC Multiple-Core or CPU Highest Clock Speed?

3D modeling will require you to be in front of your computer and to sit patiently and manipulate the 3D software. The software you are interacting with uses the hardware that is running on differently. Meaning, the calculations processing of the PC is different than on the CPU core. 

To elaborate, the computer not being able to offload other cores, which leads to having a multiple-core PC will not improve the speed of processing. It would be wise not to focus on a PC or laptop that has multiple cores but to search the one with a CPU that possesses the highest clock speed. 

What is Needed for Faster Performance?

The CPU performance with the multiple cores does have the highest speed score, however, the heat limits and power consumption could affect the overall workload. The more cores the CPU has, the laptop or PC is more power-hungry as a result. 

More heat is produced, which could be affecting the efficiency as well. For that reason, it would be wise not to go overboard. Because the more cores the CPU has, the lower the clock speed is, while fewer of them make the process much faster. 

How to Choose a Machine for 3D Modeling?

There are two choices as far as building your workstation. The first would be to build your own PC. The second is to purchase a machine with all specs already built-in. No matter if you are looking for the best laptop for 3d modeling or the best PC, both options have their pros and cons. For instance, building your PC will let you customize the hardware while at the same time, the price might be a bit high. So if you have a budget, you could try out this option. In case you would like to save up some money, there are few things to focus on when looking for already built-in laptops or PCs. Look for appropriate RAM, CPU, and graphics card. 

Graphics Card

Graphic cards would process the visuals and the outputs of the monitor. While some CPUs do not have their graphics chip built-in, some do. The computer, which is good for 3D modeling, does not need an additional GPU attached to the monitor. In case your processor has graphics that are integrated, the output goes from the display adapter to the motherboard. 

If you are planning to do video rendering, graphic design on your computer or to conduct 3D rendering, machines with discrete GPU are the best. Have in mind that a discreet CPU is not integrated into the CPU and that it comes with its circuit board, which needs to be plugged into the motherboard of the PC express slot. 

Assembling a “Perfect” PC

In some cases, building up your own PC can be less expensive than buying an already pre-built system. Although rare, it is still possible. The advantage is that it will give you more freedom when it comes to the parts you want to get according to their performance and price. 

Assembling a PC can be quite an intimidating experience if you are doing it on your own, although there are many tutorials online that can help with such a task. Before deciding to build up your own PC, it would be wise to do the research first. Here are some of the components you might need in case you are considering to find everything on your own:

  • Computer case
  • Cooling
  • CPU 
  • Graphics card
  • Input devices like keyboard and mouse
  • Memory
  • Monitor
  • Motherboard
  • Operating system
  • OS
  • Power supply unit
  • PSU
  • RAM

Many PCs and laptops are at your disposal, and many of them can handle your 3D modeling experience. If you are searching for one, it would be wise to dwell on this information and according to it, make the best possible decision. After doing some educated research, you will surely be able to obtain the machine that will be able to sustain anything you throw at it. 

How to Map Your Sales Territory Effectively

Businesses spend a lot of time and money to create the perfect products and services to sell to clients. However, it can be difficult to determine if the business is thriving without the use of a sales territory map. We will be discussing the benefits of using a sales territory map and how to create one.

What is a Sales Territory Map?

This type of map is a way for your employees to assign sales based on the area. It gives the sales team a plan of action in regard to where they will be focusing their efforts, and which areas still require claiming. This will make it easier to determine where your team is at all times and to ensure that sales reps are not overlapping each other while they work. Your team members will also appreciate the use of a sales territory map because they will be receiving new leads at a consistent pace. This gives them more opportunity to collect bonuses and earn promotions. The benefits of using a sales territory map include increased sales, rising above the competition, identifying new customers, and better serving existing customers.

Using Mapping Software

Mapping your sales territory can be done with the use of mapping software Maptive.com, powered by Google Maps, is a good example of mapping software that can help you achieve data leads and improve your sales numbers. There are a few different steps that should be followed in order to achieve your ultimate sales territory map.

Step 1: Create a Custom Map

Creating a custom map is simple, as all you have to do is enter your location data into the software. When creating a sales strategy, the data will usually include information about the item or service purchased and the area where the customer lives as a minimum. This data can be manually entered or imported from a spreadsheet.

Once the data is uploaded, you can customize your map. For example, you can use the filters to show certain data types and hide outliers to analyze the numbers accurately. You can also use tools to help you organize and analyze your data to suit your needs.

Step 2: Use the Boundary Tool

Maptive offers users a boundary tool, which makes it easier to divvy up the information. You can create boundaries based on zip/postal codes, cities, states, or countries. If these options don’t work for you, you can create custom boundaries and draw them in yourself. This is a good method for sales teams who have previously worked within certain areas that are not contained in established boundaries.

At this point, you can incorporate demographic data into your selected regions. This data includes statistics about the population’s: race, age, education, gender, median family income, and others. By examining this data, your sales team can determine who their customers are, and how they can adjust their advertising to appeal to potential new clientele.

Step 3: Use the Heat Mapping Tool

Heating mapping is another tool that you can try out. This tool allows you to plot your sales on the map so you can see which areas are generating more revenue for your company. The data is coded with colored circles, indicating how dense the sales are in that area. When the sales density increases, the circle changes to red. Any areas on the map that are not red are opportunities for you to expand your marketing campaigns.

Step 4: Use the Route Optimization Tool

After using the boundaries and heat mapping tools, you will better understand which areas are doing well and which ones could use some more attention from your company. This is when you can use the route optimization tool to your greatest advantage. This tool will allow your sales representatives to plan the best route that they can take between client meetings. On a typical day, the sales rep might be attending meetings all over town. This tool will cut their commute time in half, giving them more time to spend with potential clients. You will be able to plan the shortest route to get to multiple locations, and you can also check the projected ETA to ensure that it is the most efficient use of time.

Useful Phone Apps for Small Business

The financial and business worlds rely on the Internet, as people rely on oxygen. It is indispensable. Thus, those who want to start a new small business or find themselves in urgent need of help should look for the right technologies. Running a small business with a few practical apps can be so much easier than you used to think. The thing is, you need to research the market and find applications that can be the perfect fit for your purposes. We are here to help you with this goal. Here is the list of the most useful apps for small businesses for any life, occasional and professional purposes. Let’s start!

Cloud apps

You can use Dropbox or Google Drive, but using at least one of them is a must. From small fashion brands to service organizations like academic helpers, businesses use the cloud to keep their files in order. A cloud is a perfect way to store and secure all your important documents. It is also a great way of communication with your colleagues. Any holder can have private access, and everyone who needs to work with certain documents can reach them at any moment. A cloud is also a good way to make sure you will not lose anything important. Even by deleting files, you have a while before the cloud actually erases them. Also, check cloud upgrades versions specifically aimed at business. They can be pretty helpful to you.

Grammar.ly

Let’s not underestimate the power of grammar in business. In the times when most of our communication is held via emails, having exceptional grammar skills is crucial. After all, your writing, ability to choose the right words, and express them in a nice manner is what makes the first impression on your potential sponsor, business partners, customers, and everyone else. You do not need to panic and think about outsource business writing every time you need to write a pitch or a promo. You would not come to a business meeting in your Saturday clothes or your hair in disarray. Posting business promotions with good grammar and style mistakes is just as important. Grammar.ly is a perfect paper helper. It can underline, edit, and offer alternatives. You can use it as an extension or keyboard on mobile devices. It is free, though there is a paid premium version. 

FreshBooks

Doing accounting has never been that easy. FreshBooks can be a perfect solution for every business owner who is dreading the day they need to look through their books. This app will make your work so much easier and way more comprehensive than before. First of all, it has a very user-friendly interface, so you will not feel confused or lost in it. The app also offers a number of truly amazing features, like expense or time tracking, invoicing, or storing your business reports. It looks simple. It does all the groundwork for you, so all your bases are covered. What’s more, it can be integrated with all the major platforms, like PayPal, WordPress, and others. Hence, it can make your life very easy to bill your clients or make payments yourself. Of course, if you want to learn more about accounting, you can order a paper on it, but first, read these speedypaper reviews to see what you are paying for. 

LinkedIn

Every entrepreneur needs to expand their professional network. This is why we have LinkedIn. It is a perfect platform to seek professional help, advice, connections, and inspiration. This app is similar to all social media sites we know. However, LinkedIn is strictly about professionalism and work. People are always looking for professional connections there. Whether they are looking for writers with requests like, “who can do my marketing whitepaper for me?” or designers, or markers, or more, you can find them there. A search for new employees or partnerships was never so easy. Just seek other businesses in your niche and write them. It can also be a good marketing tool, whether you want to promote yourself or your business. Overall, having a profile on this platform will not do you any harm. On the opposite, it will give you and your business the exposure it needs. 

PayPal

These days, no single respected business can go around without an online payment system. PayPal here is one of the best and most popular systems to use. It’s convenient, fast, and super simple. What else to wish for? If you register your small business there, you do not have to pay any monthly fees, which is a very generous gesture on PayPal’s behalf. What’s more, by registering on PayPal, you are making your customers’ lives much easier. Now they can pay for your products by just pressing one button. We all know how much we love a simple payment method. 

7 Reasons Your Business Needs CRM Software

CRM means Customer Relationship Management and it is a scalable software that has grown to become one of the best customer care support programs in the world. CRM software is therefore a program or app designed to cater to the needs of your customers in one single, automated platform. With this software, you can save hours of time and energy by automating all customer interaction efforts like email marketing, complaints handling, and leads generation, through automation and without removing your personalized touches. The software simply fosters relationships with customers and at the same time improves your sales and customer retention at a very low cost.

What are the Reasons Your Business Needs CRM Software?

The following are reasons why your business needs CRM software;

  1. It boosts sales while nurturing new business leads.
  2. It creates a better understanding of your customers
  3. It improves your business workflow.
  4. It boosts your customer support.
  5. It maximizes your business marketing resources.
  6. It helps develop best practices
  7. It reduces or eliminates certain errors

CRM Software Boosts Sales and Nurtures New Business Leads

The main benefit of cloud-based platforms is that they will help you streamline your sales while boosting revenue. It will help you capture the much-needed leads from your website and also track them throughout the entire sales procedure. Here will always be new contacts stored by your CRM, hence you can easily rack and nurture prospective buyers throughout the business’ sales funnel.

It Creates Better Understanding of Your Customers

The best way to understand your customers and serve them better is to learn about their needs and wants. You don’t have to call each customer and start asking them unending questions about their needs when your CRM can gather their information and analyze such to gain valuable insight to help you personalize your service and products to meet their demands. CRM will constantly monitor customer behavior and analyze them to discover the major influences of their decisions. 

It Improves Your Business Workflow 

There is always room for improvement in your business sales and marketing procedures. You don’t have to rely on the old, manual ways of using spreadsheets and sticky notes ha reduce productivity. The CRM software will help you create a simple workflow ha you and your team can stick with on regular basis. I will improve the efficiency of your team by offering a platform for sharing information and solving problems.

It Boosts Your Customer Support

Customer support remains the number one backbone of any business.  Installing CRM software in your business operations will help increase customer retention rates and in the long run, increase Return on Investment (ROI). 

The software will create and give access to the detailed information of every customer in the system to your team. With this, online history alongside their order info and past interactions with the company. You will easily understand the situation each customer has gone through. The CRM  will collect customer data in one place and you can segment them based on their needs and specific interests,

It Maximizes Your Business Marketing Resources’

Small and medium-size business always mention their struggles with scarce resources. With office automation service rendered by CRM, you can do much more because the software will handle all the heavy duties. As a result of this, businesses can deliver high-level services and remain in the competition.

Today, we can deploy technology to handle most admin tasks, protect records, and even do follow-up on any customer. You will have more time in your hand to deal with other issues.

It Helps Develop Best Practices

It is important for small and medium businesses to constantly find ways of remaining productive and efficient. They must also keep doing everything possible to keep costs down while maintaining a decent profit margin. 

The ideal personalized CRM software will help you identify and also implement the best practices that will keep all staff on the same page. Obeying these best practices will help you hire the best brains or staff in the industry and will also help provide them with the right tools for more rain and to speed them up in meeting new and old challenges ahead. 

When the right customer relationship management software is put in place, you will have everything you can to create some delight in your customers and delighted customers will drive sales in the long run.

It Reduces or Eliminates Certain Errors

Sometimes you give a potential client some estimates, only to realize that the estimates are filled with errors or miscalculations. It is the function of CRM software to create reports such as quotes for you after working on the statistics, thus removing any likelihood of human errors. One of the most embarrassing things you can do to your clients is to ask for the withdrawal of quotes earlier sent because of your errors. You don’t want to lose a business deal forever, hence you must deploy CRM software to generate original and accurate quotes.

Conclusion

There is no aspect of a small, medium, or large business ha CRM will not make a positive, lasting impact, especially when the right, personalized software is used.  Most people will say ha CRM is useful in sales and marketing only but you will soon realize how important it is in IT, logistics, and accounting. I can even make your work in these areas a lo simpler as more staffs begin to share vital and useful information on customers.

It is easy to underestimate the need for a healthy and sustainable customer relationship but a CRM software will quickly tell you how an old customer can become a lead to generate new customers. It doesn’t cost much to deploy CRM software in your business, you just have to research through the packages and see he one ha appeals to your business. Fortunately, CRM software is scalable, that is, you can always upgrade from one package to another, as your business expands and you begin to create new goals and objectives.

Situations That Virtual Private Networks Can Help You With

A VPN usually has one primary role, masking your online activity when connected to public Wi-Fi. The VPN will forward your browsing activity to your VPN provider instead of your internet connection provider. The VPN allows you to access your business network from home without leaking sensitive information to prying eyes. If you are wondering which particular situations you will need to use VPN, here are a few of them:

Public Wi-Fi Threats 

You walk to a café, open your laptop, and connect to the free Wi-Fi available there. You are so happy that the connection isn’t buffering. You decide now is the perfect time to check on your friends, finish some office work you left pending, and maybe order a few items you had intended to order online. You spend around five hours there, very happy, and later walk away, proud that you had done a lot without any charges.

What you don’t know is that all that time, you had all your information out in the open that anybody with the right skills would have quickly tapped into your browsing details and maybe laid their hands on your credit card information. The next thing you know, there has been a massive withdrawal from your account you are not aware of. A VPN would be your savior to avoid such security loopholes. Sto Adams from Net Geek Pro says that having a VPN-concentrator is becoming more and more important to businesses these days when many people are working from home. The piece of hardware ensures the secure management of data flow from different users, some of whom use public Wi-Fi. From small to large, businesses can protect sensitive and confidential data from falling into the wrong hands.

Accessing Restricted Content

Have you ever visited YouTube, so excited to watch a particular video only to find out that your country has been blocked from viewing it? This is common. Well, streaming services like YouTube usually have millions of viewers watching videos from different locations, and due to copyright restrictions, some contents are blocked from being watched in certain countries. When you live in such a state, then a VPN is your best solution.

The VPN server’s address replaces your IP address, and the video providers cannot pinpoint your exact location on the globe. You can, therefore, watch a US limited video even from Africa. Don’t let your country’s regulations prevent you from accessing all the information and fun that people in other nations are having.

When Making Bargains On Online Transactions

When buying something abroad or even traveling, sometimes your location can attract extra charges. For example, when you are in India going to Rome, you might be charged an additional fee when making a hotel booking. However, if your IP address shows that you are in Rome, you can easily evade the extra charge and make your travel experience cheaper. VPN will always make sure that your exact location cannot be pinpointed, and hence you can utilize such an opportunity.

VPNs can be useful when you need online privacy and security, especially when using public connections. They can be used by individuals as well as businesses who value data security. The above are just a few of the many situations where a VPN can help.

Awesome Gmail Features You Probably Didn’t Know

A lot of people have one goal when it comes to their email. They just choose the right email service, set it up and that’s it. Most of them are not even interested in many different features one has to offer.

On the other hand, there are those curious users that are always looking for something hidden and at the same time beneficial for their email. It can either be an interesting feature or an overlooked trick that makes things much more exciting.

This type of obsession may lead you to some spectacular discoveries. If you are currently using Gmail and you haven’t uncovered anything interesting yet, check out our list of things that cannot be spotted easily.

Hidden Gems Of Gmail

Switching Accounts

This option is available to iPhone users for quite some time, but now, those who have Android phones accounts can do this too! This is a great alternative for those who have more than just one account.

The feature is called swipe-to-switch which means that it enables you to swipe (both up or down) on your Gmail Account avatar that can be seen in the top-right corner and to switch between Gmail accounts. Once you do this, the icon on your first profile will be changed.

Free Phone Calls

There are many applications, such as Whatsapp, Viber, Facebook messenger, etc. Even Microsoft allows you to do this, through Outlook, however, you have to leave the program and go straight to Skype.

With Gmail, things are much simpler. All you have to do is to press ” Make a call “, at the bottom of the screen and just insert the number you wish to contact. Then you’ll be connected through your webcam microphone. All calls to Canada or the United States are free for the time being. 

We Bet You Didn’t Know This Either!

Restore Things

Many people have accidentally deleted something they weren’t supposed to. Don’t worry. Even if this happens to you, those deleted events can luckily be restored. How, you wonder… There are a few easy steps that have to be taken.

  1. Go to your Calendar and open My calendars list
  2. Hover over the calendar and next to the name, press the Down arrow Trash
  3. Go to the box that is placed next to the event you want to restore and do one of these things: click Restore selected events if you want to restore deleted event or click Delete Forever if you want this event to be gone forever
  4. If you want to remove every single event, just press Empty trash now that’s placed at the top

Mute Fiddling Conversations

Most of us are constantly bombarded by boring, insignificant spam emails or at times someone may send you an email chain with a bunch of people you do not even know. Then you start receiving their replies and you suddenly realize you are stuck in a never-ending cycle.

How can you escape from it? Fortunately, Gmail allows its users to simply silence any conversation that is irrelevant to them. All you have to do is to select that boring email and tap on the three-dot icon on the bar above. If you do this, you never see these emails again because they will go directly to the archive. 

Undo Sent Messages

How many times have you unintentionally sent a message to someone? It has probably happened a lot. Well now, thanks to Gmail, you can easily correct this mistake by utilizing the undo-send button.

This is probably one of the biggest benefits that Gmail has to offer. Firstly, it was just a tester from Google Labs. In the meantime, it has received a lot of positive reviews and comments from the user, hence, they decided to turn it into a feature.

If you want to use it, just go to the “General” option and press the “Enable Undo Send” button to cancel the message. Once you send an email and you will notice an undo link in a yellow floating box. Just click on it and you will be presented with two options – to delete it forever or to re-edit it. 

So Many Wonderful Features!

It’s easy to see based on this list that Google (Gmail) is taking care of its users by simplifying email management. Now, you do not have to spend hours and hours searching for different options.

Additionally, Gmail is great because it is packed with numerous amazing features. And to think we named only a couple of them. Needless to mention, that you can use them in your marketing activities, all you need to do is to get a few established Gmail accounts, Accsmarket might help you with that. All these elements make this service even more outstanding than it appears at first glance. So what are you waiting for? Go and explore it!

Why Your Business Needs Cloud-based Telephony

Cloud-based telephony, or cloud calling as it is more popularly known, is a form of unified communications as a service (UcaaS), which can either be web-based or application-based. It allows communication between two entities through the use of a third-party host. More and more business entities leverage the use of this service because of the benefits that it can provide, and as a business owner, you should too.

Integrated Business Communication System

One of the primary benefits of cloud calling is that it can be seamlessly integrated with all your other business processes. This means that you can access your business phone system through the same interface that you use to access the rest of your business processes in your customer relationship management (CRM) tool. As a result, you will have a consolidated work pipeline that yields a smoother business flow.

Cost-Effective

Another reason why your business needs cloud-based telephony is to be able to cut down on your business costs when it comes to your communications budget. Cloud calling is one of the most cost-effective communication solutions for your business because the subscription that you have to pay is fixed regardless of the number of calls that you make. Even international calls are charged less compared to traditional telephony solutions. This means that you will be able to make necessary calls to your staff and clients altogether without having to think about the amount that you have to pay for those calls later on.

Easily Scalable

You may not have a problem with traditional telephony in the beginning when you were just starting with your business venture because you only needed to make a few calls. However, as your business grows, it is most likely that the calls you need to make to various individuals will be tripled or even quadrupled. Instead of having to maintain various phone lines, it is more viable to implement cloud calling or virtual phone systems, which are highly scalable and tailored to grow as your business grows. The great part is that cloud calling even has various features that prove to be more beneficial for large-scale businesses.

Location Independent

Traditional telephony depends on the location of your business. Cloud calling frees you up from this limitation because it will work regardless of the location of the person using it. Thus, even if your employees are working remotely, or even if you are located in different countries, you will be able to call each other seamlessly. In this case, all you need is a stable and reliable internet connection because the phone features are already accessible using the browser on your desktop or mobile device. This paves the way for higher mobility and flexibility in your business.

In conclusion, there are several reasons why your business needs cloud-based telephony, and the ones listed above are only some of them. Rest assured that when you leverage cloud calling, you will be able to make your internal and external communication process more seamless. Alongside this, cloud calling can even give you a competitive edge in the market, allowing you to generate greater revenue.

Buying Guide: What to Look for in a Laptop

Thanks to the continuous advancement in the world of digital technology, the market is now flowing with hundreds of laptop models, and the options are seemingly endless. Considering how many laptops there are, you’ll find it extremely difficult to make up your mind. Every laptop has its own unique features, so unless you know exactly what you’re going to use that laptop for, choosing the best one will pose a challenge. To overcome this, you can use the guide below to narrow down your options.

Choose an Operating System

One of the very first considerations to take into account as you purchase a new laptop is the operating system (OS). You may have already heard of the decade-old debate between macOS and Windows OS enthusiasts, but now you will find more competitors on the market, like Google Chrome’s OS for example. Windows is well known for its versatility and array of options, which is why many people gravitate toward it. So far, Windows has proven to be far more open-ended than any other operating system and is ideal for game development and business-related programs. MacOS is comparatively user-friendly and easy to grasp. Additionally, Apple provides a resourceful support network, which will help you with any minor technicalities. Google Chrome OS, which only powers Chromebooks, can only run google chrome-based programs, which makes it a great option for those who need a laptop only to read their emails and watch Netflix, for example.

Pay Attention to the Hardware

It’s crucial that you research the hardware of the laptop you’re about to buy, as this will determine what it is capable of doing. You should also take the brand into account, as this can determine the quality of the hardware. If you take a look at these top laptop brands, you’ll know how the brand can drastically affect the performance of the laptop, irrespective of its specs.

With that said, you must look for an adequate processor, something between Core i3 and i7 would be ideal if you’re getting an Intel core processor. Ryzen processors are also great, but they can be hard to find. Graphics cards will also vary in performance. Seeing as they can make a laptop quite expensive, look for one with a graphics card that will suffice your needs. NVIDIA and AMD are the main two vendors for Graphics cards, with RTX 20-series being the latest and the 30-series coming soon. The GTX 10-series is also capable of running demanding programs. The buying guides on laptop circle are a great resource.

Know What You’ll Use It for

Laptop prices can be as low as $600 to more than $1000. Assuming that you have a budget and certain usage in mind for your new laptop, you can make your choice fairly easily. Manufacturers produce great laptops that cost $600 or even less for those who’re looking for laptops only for word processing and internet browsing. Mainstream laptops can have higher specs and will have better hardware than their formers. However, if you want a high resolution and super-powered graphics card, you can try laptops that will cost $1000 or higher. Ultrabooks and business laptops are a great example of this, as they both have intriguing features even for the average user. You can buy a gaming laptop that practically packs in the best specs there are, like a high-performing graphics card, an excellent processor, and enough RAM to run taxing programs.

Look for Long Battery Life

If your laptop will remain stationary, you won’t have to worry about battery life. However, if you need a portable laptop, the battery life should be a concern to you, as you won’t always find an outlet outside to charge your laptop. Thus, an ideal battery life, in this case, must extend to 7 or 8 hours. To know how long battery life can extend to, make sure to check out online reviews.

Pick the Right Size

No matter what specs you’re looking for, your laptop can come at a large size, which will defy the purpose of portability. While it is generally great for laptops to be small and compact, the display size must be at least of a moderate size if you’ll use design programs. Generally speaking, laptops display sizes will range between 11 and up to 18 inches. The 11 to 12 inches accompany the lightest systems, which will make them highly portable. Display sizes of 13 to 16 inches are quite common and still are moderately portable. 17 to 18 inches are designed for laptops that stay on desks all day. These laptops are created for demanding games and workstation-level productivity.

Choosing a laptop for your specific needs requires serious research and consideration. This means that you’ll have to check several online reviews, compare different models, and even try the laptop of your choice at the store. Lastly, be sure to buy your laptop during a sale season to get the best price. 

How to Successfully and Securely Work From Home

The world of business has taken a turn in the way it operates ever since the onset of the Coronavirus. Companies have tried and tested a number of ways to get the job done without having to put anyone’s health at risk. This is why you’ll find that the new normal for many people is working from home. While this has many advantages, it can be trying at the best of times, and since this is becoming the norm, it only makes sense that you take a more structured approach to setting up the way you work from home. This is why we’ve created a simple guide to help you have a perfect and productive setting to work from the comfort and security of your home.

Create a Dedicated Workspace

You might not think that this is too important, and that it’s okay to work on the dining table, or while you lay comfortably in bed. While this is not the worst thing that could happen, in the long run, it’s certainly not the best. There are a couple of factors that come into play here. First of all, your posture matters when you sit in one position for a prolonged period of time. So working in bed should be off the table for you. Secondly, you need to dedicate a space, preferably a room if you can help it, exclusively for work. You’ll find that by doing this, it will go a long way in providing structure not only to the way you work, but also affect your surrounding in a big way that will definitely help you focus and stay on track. 

Have a Strong and Stable Connection

This point is a given, but many people think that having a normal internet connection that the whole household uses will do. It actually makes a lot more sense to get a separate connection that you use only for work. Make sure that it is high speed because you will need to avoid having meetings interrupted or urgent and live work cut short just because you didn’t take the time to get yourself a proper internet connection. If you take the people living in Canada as an example, they have services that provide them with different internet connection options that they can pick from. Detailed descriptions from WaveDirect.net explain how each option works and how you can benefit from it. It’s crucial for you to contact a reliable service to ensure that you get the best possible uninterrupted speed set up for your work from home. 

Make a Schedule for Your Day

Initially, the prospect of working from home gives you a certain sense of freedom- besides the fact that some meetings are set up at specific times, you feel like you can do what you want whenever you want, as long as you’re meeting deadlines. While this is somewhat true in many cases, it is a dangerous path to take because you can easily fall off track and end up with piles of work collecting because you didn’t bother to do it on time. This is why it is imperative that you create a schedule on a weekly or even a monthly basis, if possible. By doing so, you eliminate the stress of the unknown. By setting exact times and dates for your tasks, you’re going to be able to have a much more structured day and you’ll actually end up having more time on your hands, and much less stress.

Put in The Effort

Don’t fall into the messy trap just because you’re working from home. Always stay organized and don’t drop the ball. Get stationery and shelving for books and paperwork as well. Ensure that you have sufficient lighting and surround yourself with plants and soothing artwork. The key is to create the perfect ambience, and by putting in the effort to create the perfect surrounding, you’ll find that you’ll be able to focus that much more. Another important factor is you need to cut out any kind of distraction during your working hours. Tell friends and family about your schedule and get a separate phone for work if you don’t already have one. 

Working from home can be a great success or could eventually be disastrous, and this all comes down to how you organize your space and your time. Make sure that you keep all the tips mentioned here in mind as you prepare yourself, and you’ll find that each point will make a world of difference to your work from home experience. 

What Do Bloggers Need in a Laptop?

There was a time, some fifteen years ago when people chose desktop computers over laptops. Laptops were, back then, a rarity outside of traveling businessmen and women. Now, everybody uses laptops. In fact, this is being written on one. Laptops are used for a variety of reasons nowadays, from freelance writing to blogging. We here on this page today will discuss the latter of the two, blogging. We will hope to tell you what a blogger needs in a laptop and how they can make the right decision.

As bloggers work from their laptops and maybe on them upwards of eight hours a day, it is very important that they choose the right one. Here is what bloggers need in a laptop and how they can get the laptop that they need.

Set Your Budget

Laptops come in a variety of shapes and sizes. And, of course, prices. Finding the right laptop can be difficult, and this is a sentiment shared by the computing experts of LaptopBlogger.com, who explain that finding a laptop on a fixed budget can be really hard, especially if your budget is toward the lower end. Even so, whatever your budget, you can likely find something. When starting out as a blogger, you just need a laptop that you can write on. It doesn’t need to be the very best, although if you can get a better laptop, it will save you money in the future on replacements and repairs. Set your budget realistically from the outset and do not exceed it.

Sturdiness

You need a sturdy laptop that can support you. It is important that you get this, as you will likely be spending a lot of time on your laptop. Always search for sturdiness in your laptop, and never buy a flimsy, poorly made laptop.

Choose Your Operating System

If you have a budget under a thousand dollars, unless you buy second-hand, you will likely be choosing between Windows and Chrome. Although, if you have a budget higher than a thousand dollars, you can include Apple’s OS X on that list. As a blogger, you need an operating system that is both fast and efficient. You need a laptop designed around convenience for writers. Generally, the consensus among bloggers and writers is that OS X is the best operating system for writers. This, however, is subjective to your personal wants and needs.

Laptop Design

As a blogger, you need a laptop that is thin, compact, and easily stored. Many bloggers write on the go, which is something you may be considering. Having a hefty, bulky laptop will just hinder your travel if you are planning on traveling with your laptop, or even just taking it to the coffee shop to do some work there. Think carefully about the design of your laptop and its build so that you can ensure you get the optimum laptop for your blogging. Try to find the most compact and easily stored laptop that you can.

CPU

There are many different CPUs [Central Processing Units] to choose from. As a blogger, you need a sturdy, reliable CPU. The consensus again, among writers and bloggers, is the Intel Core i3 and i5 processors, which are used by businessmen and writers regularly. They have been described as the four-door sedans of the computing world and will not fail you. They are great operating systems, for you can have multiple tabs open at once, while streaming media and storing photos, but on a budget. These are definitely the best two options, and you should strive to find a laptop with these CPUs.

Decide Between New or Second Hand

Whenever you are buying a piece of technology, especially when on a budget, you must decide between a new piece of tech, or an old one. There are many benefits to buying second hand, providing that you are buying it from a reliable and scrupulous source. Many people sell their old junk with a high price tag that does not reflect the true value of what they are selling. Although with that said, many people sell high-quality equipment for a reasonable price online. If you are going to buy a laptop second hand, especially since you will need it for writing, you will need to ensure you shop carefully and view the laptop before you make a purchase or commit yourself to. A good option would be a refurbished laptop, which you can purchase directly from the manufacturer for a heavily reduced price.

With the help of this page, you should now know what to look for when you are searching for a laptop as a blogger. Blogging has become the primary source of income for many people throughout the world, so it is important that if you are going to pursue blogging, that you have a laptop that can support you.

Productivity Tips to Increase Efficiency in The Office

We all love the end of a productive day, right? The fact that you managed to close a sale, complete a script, or finally fix that bug in your code makes you feel useful and important. It’s days like this that make you love your job and think all your effort is worth it. 

Sadly, not all days can be like this. In fact, some days in the office can be frustrating and unfulfilling. On the other hand, some days just pass by you and you live the office trying to figure out just what important thing you accomplished. 

So, how do we make it work? How do we get the wheel spinning until the next great, productive day? Well, everyone has their tricks, and that helps improve productivity just a little bit with each day. This way, before you know it, things start moving smoother, and your efforts will have more impact. 

We had a chat with several successful employees and entrepreneurs and made a list of the top three productivity tips everyone swears by.

Use of All the Tools at your Disposal

We have access to a world of information (freely available) and tools, but we seem to forget about it quite often. 

Younger generations (aka millennials) know that Google holds most of the answers. As such, when they can’t figure something out, they start a search quest that will eventually provide some helpful advice. 

The same goes for various office tasks that can be solved in just a minute with free tools available online. 

For instance, you can combine PDFs online (for free) without raising any privacy risks. You don’t have to call the IT department for this. The same goes for other tasks like saving your PPT presentation in PDF format or sending a large file to a customer. 

There are lots of tools available online that can shorten the time spent with technical office tasks. You just need to search for them!

Know your Productivity Cycle

During the day, our mental focus and motivation go through several ups and downs. 

For instance, almost anyone we know has a down period right after lunch, between 2 and 4 pm. During this time period, your brain is barely moving and you feel like taking a nap right under your desk!

However, you still have to work, but there’s no way you can come up with something creative, insightful, or original. So, why not do some of those menial tasks (like answering emails, checking the calendar, filing the new project, and more)? This way, when you hit a productivity peak, you can work on a more complex and important task. 

The secret here is introspection. Observe your behavior on the timespan of one week and identify your productivity cycle.  

The To-Do List

Make sure that you end the day with tomorrow’s To-Do list and try to have everyone in the office do the same. This way, when the new day starts, everyone will know what tasks to tackle and in what order. 

However, the To-Do list must contain some specifics as to the time that should be dedicated to a task, the level of priority, and more. Luckily, we don’t have to use post-it notes or any kind of paper to put this list together. There is a wide range of apps (for mobile and desktop) easily available online. 

In addition, if you use a mobile app, you can add to the list and make changes even after you’ve left the office. 

In Conclusion 

In the end, there is no one miracle solution for better productivity. It’s important to keep an open mind and try various solutions until you find the right ones for you. 

SQL and Your App

For those just starting their coding journey in app development whether for iOS or Android choosing what you need to know can be a daunting task. Which language to learn? What UI and UX concepts should be focused on? For those developing apps, more questions need to be answered. How do I access user data? How can data be stored and accessed efficiently to make the feature set truly stand out?

SQL and the Beginner

As alluded to above if you are just starting on your coding journey choosing languages and supplementary technologies is a daunting task. Monthly articles surface as to what the best or most popular languages are but they lack detailed information. The same can be said for frameworks and supplementary technologies. What makes matters worse is new technology is constantly being developed that seems to just add to the confusion of those starting out.

Rather than giving you several trends and popular languages, this article is intended to clear up any misconceptions regarding SQL. First, it is often asked whether SQL can be used to develop apps. Here the answer is a definite no. Before your heart sinks to the floor, it is important to note that SQL is a supplementary technology, it is powerful but it is not a one-stop shop for app development. Rather, it allows app developers to create and manage databases.

Data for the App

In many instances, as the more experienced developers reading this article will know, apps are often just a database hidden behind impressive UI. Even where apps perform other functions they make use of databases to store customer information which in turn can be used to develop better marketing campaigns via the use of analytics. To do this the data needs to be readily available and SQL is the tool for that.

In the wild, a lot of developers have found that SQL is the perfect supplement to a Java development services interface with SQL being able to feed data to the app. There is one important thing to remember though as SQL’s major currency it is important backup SQL database.

Ease of Use

SQL can’t really be considered a programming language in the same sense that Java, C#, and Python are. Developers will often compare SQL, or Structured Query Language to give the full name to the technology, to HTML in that it is designed to be a simple language to fulfill the desired end. In the case of HTML, it provides the structure to web pages. SQL is a data management language that helps users, and developers, to easily access specific data stored in databases. This is primarily done by inserting data into specific tables so that the data can be easily accessed when required. This makes the language both easy to learn as well as easy to use.

Conclusion

While SQL is not the answer to all an app developers’ prayers, it is a great tool for data management that is both easy to learn and use. For those just starting on their coding journey SQL can be learned in conjunction with other languages and fills the gap between a pretty looking app to one that is both pretty and functional.

Best Apps for Project Management

Find the best Project Management Software Android Apps which can be helpful and effective for your projects and to meet with your specific objectives to achieve progress. There are numerous ideas and interesting plans which can be helpful and effective to make progress and to install it to get instant benefits due to the user-friendly interface and delivering the right achievements form the great plans. Project management software Android apps are of different types and in each app, the functions, features, and working criteria are different depending upon the specific sort of business plans and having the best remarkable features.

There are numerous Project Management Apps for Android which can be easily accessed by implementing through effective useful resources. Find numerous and attractive ideas to choose the best plan and achieve your progress through step by step guideline. In product development, analysis, requirements, knowledge, and skills have great value. The efficient use of the knowledge and skills makes the people perfect and prepare them to get the instant benefits too from smart feature plans to achieve the progress from step by step integrations and using the perfect tools to become expert and proficient in specific project planning.

In most of your design needs revision and clarification and then to handle it to use the specific tools and tricks. Choose the right collaboration and productivity tool to execute your project apps and then to make progress by following step by step guidelines. There is a massive range of ideas and plans which can be effective and interests printed to make the perfect and the ideal solution according to the specific business requirements. Reaching your crucial project milestones can be achieved with successful integration and following all the parameters to use intellectual skills and explorations of business ideas with a user-friendly project management app.

Wunderlist, Trello, ClickUp, Notion, ProofHub, Wunderlist, and Nifty are some of the best examples of the best project management tools that can be download to achieve the progress and to make effective business plans by successful planning. Detailed features and prescription of each Android app can be found on the website.

There are numerous Android Apps that are built-in only to execute the best project management and to achieve instant results. Some of the apps are freely available and some are paid. App store reviews and user recommendations can help the interested communities to get benefits and to make sure about unique features and explorations of the apps on behalf of the authentic and versatile feature plans.

There are numerous plans and strategies which can be full and effective to make progress in a specific time frame and to get help from the efficient use of the apps from the specific time frame. Almost everything belongs with practical field knowledge and facing the real challenges to which the competent people can solve on behalf of the perfect analysis and finding the perfect possible solutions. In the free version, the features are limited and in paid versions, the features are according to the business requirements and to use the full-fledged benefits from the efficient use of the apps.

The best On Premise CRM for your team is DejaOffice PC CRM – Multi-User Scheduling, Customer Management, Deals, Tasks, History, Emails and Smartphone Sync.

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The Best Way to Unlock iPhone 7 in 2020

When the iPhone 7 came out in September 2016 it caused a storm of fanfare. It had the best performance and battery life of any iPhone, an advanced new camera, and was splash and water-resistant. Apple sold almost 40 million units in the first quarter alone, making it the best-selling smartphone ever at the time!

It’s no surprise then that there are still a ton of iPhone 7’s in the second-hand market and the homes of users worldwide. While technology moves quickly, the iPhone 7 remains a great little device, even compared to its modern counterparts. But odds are if you’ve got an iPhone 7 lying around its probably locked to the network you purchased it from, making it less valuable to sell or more difficult for you to use affordably.

Searching the internet can return to a whole load of ‘dodgy’ suggestions, including ‘jailbreaking’ and more. But there’s a convenient, reliable and 100% guaranteed way to unlock iPhone 7 and that’s with DirectUnlocks.

Sometimes a service cannot unlock your iPhone 7 when it’s disabled or iCloud locked. In this case, the easiest way to get into your iPhone is to use StarzSoft KeyPass.

Why Unlock iPhone 7?

If you’re one of the many people who like me, have got an iPhone 7 lying around your home, there a number of great reasons to want to unlock it now.

  • Flexibility – Contracts may offer affordable monthly payments when purchasing expensive devices, but you don’t always get the best deal. When you unlock iPhone 7 you’re free to choose any SIM on any network that suits you.
  • No Roaming Charges – When traveling abroad, you can avoid expensive roaming charges by simply purchasing a local SIM card with a suitable package.
  • Better Resale – Your iPhone 7 is worth more when it is unlocked, you can achieve 20-30% more in the resale market and give buyers more flexibility.
  • Convenience – DirectUnlocks will unlock your iPhone 7 remotely from the comfort of your own home, you don’t need to worry about sending your device anywhere or leaving it in a store.
  • Permanent Unlock – Even if your device’s firmware is updated, DirectUnlocks permanently unlock the device, meaning even after this the device remains free to use on any network.

How DirectUnlocks Unlock iPhone 7

So when you Unlock iPhone 7 or Unlock iPhone 7+ with DirectUnlocks, you’ll want to know how do they do it, right? Everybody knows of a local high street iPhone repair shop, while these guys might be able to unlock your iPhone if you’re lucky, there’s no way to know how reliable they are or what the level of service they offer is. You could strike gold, but you could also come up short.

Even if they’re able to unlock your iPhone, you will have to leave your device with them whilst they unlock it. Many of us depend on our phones, we rely on them for everything from regular functions to storing confidential information. Leaving your device with a strange is both inconvenient and a security risk.

DirectUnlocks specializes in the most effective solution available, which is IMEI unlocking. There are a number of reasons why this is the best method available to unlock your iPhone. IMEI unlocking works by getting a third party company to whitelist your iPhone in Apple’s own database. This means your iPhone is permanently unlocked, without the iPhone’s performance or warranty being affected. However, even if you decide to IMEI unlock, it’s important to choose the best company. Just like high street stores, there’s good and there’s bad.

So, if you decide to unlock your iPhone 7, there are a few things to look out for. You want to find a company that is convenient, delivers the unlock quickly, is affordable, and offers great customer service. With more than 8000 reviews and over a decade of experience DirectUnlocks ticks all of these boxes. The process is incredibly simple, simply head to DirectUnlocks, in minutes you’ll be on your way unlocking your iPhone 7 with no need to send the phone anywhere, no downtime, and no security concerns. DirectUnlocks customer service is available to help guide you through if you encounter any issues and will keep you updated throughout your order completion.

Common Problems with Smart Phones and How to Fix Them

We can confidently say the majority of the world’s population now own smartphones. With the rising number of these smartphones, you will get the high end, the midrange, and the low-end quality phones from different brands, make, and prices. 

Unfortunately, all these types get problems once in a while, making you stranded on how to solve them. In this write-up, we will examine some of the major issues that happen to these smartphones and ways to fix them. Check the list below.

Overheating

Due to constant use, most smartphones end up overheating. Sometimes, the heating becomes too much in that you can’t use your phone comfortably. Overheating on different types of smartphones can damage its interiors, battery, and screen, requiring immediate action to avoid such. You can quickly solve this problem, depending on the cause. If it’s too much sunlight, then keep your phone away from direct sunlight. If it’s from use, close all the apps and leave it for a while. If heating is caused by charging, switch off, and leave your phone to charge fully.

Screen Cracked

Glass is a breakable material for screens of the iPhone. If in case, it is accidentally dropped, the force upon impact could cause the glass to crack or shatter. If the iPhone is subjected to much pressure like if it’s sat or stepped on, then the screen can crack or even shatter. When an iPhone gets wet, the water that enters can cause great damage to the internal working parts of the phone including the screen. Any exposure of an iPhone screen to extreme temperatures for instance hot summer afternoons as well as freezing winter nights too can damage it beyond repair. In extremely rare scenarios, manufacturing malfunctions may cause the screens of iPhones to break. You may need to find a specialist to help with iphone screen repair.

Much Trash

Most high-end smartphones nowadays come with a self-trash-cleaning technique. But if you are using an old model, even some new ones, you need to solve it since it affects your phone performance. According to netchimp.co.uk, almost a third of smartphone users complain of their phones lagging and becoming slower day by day. You can solve this problem by cleaning trash, cache, and uninstalling unnecessary apps. You can also download trash-cleaning apps from the phone’s app store and remove that trash to create some space. If it doesn’t change anything, visit a technician for troubleshooting or get a new phone.

Slow Speeds When Online

Have you ever browsed online and waited for long for a page to load or open? You aren’t alone. According to starzsoft.com, slow online speeds are a nuisance to everyone who uses the internet, whether on a computer, laptop, tablet, or smartphone. Sometimes the issue does not get caused by the smartphone, but by the network provider. What if all other devices, using the same network, are working okay? You can try to troubleshoot your smartphone. Before then, you need to check your system by having your device use different types of networks before coming to a conclusion of seeking other advanced means.

Not Enough Storage Space

Sometimes our phones get filled either by the media we feed them, apps, or even cache. The problem is rampant nowadays since people are obsessed with their smartphones and are online every time. They are either downloading their favorite images, browsing or taking photos and uploading them to their social media sites such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Whatsapp. You can fix this problem by yourself. First, you need to recognize what’s filling the space by checking your phone memory. If it’s photos, you can transfer them to a new SD card or move the media into cloud-based storage. If it’s in a cache, you can clean it, thus freeing some storage. One more tip, always buy a smartphone with more storage space.

Phone Crashing

Have you ever opened an app and it crashed? The feeling you get from such is minimal as compared to when your phone crashes. Imagine waking up to a blank phone with nothing to display? This issue happens mostly on mid-range smartphones when their software fails to launch. How do you solve this? Mostly, that’s a technical issue. 

If your phone is at a warranty, you can get it back to your dealer and get it repaired or exchanged with a new one. Another better option is restarting your phone and checking if the problem clears. But if it’s a recurring problem, do not get it twisted but rush to the dealer.

Slow Response Time

Before introducing high-end phones, the first smartphones were a form of stress, but we didn’t have a choice. You could wait for a long time to load an app or operate more conveniently. Nowadays, a small percentage of such phones do exist. To solve this, cut off media, apps, and also widgets as you check its performance. Do not load it with more apps than it can accommodate.

Other malfunctions include the battery draining fast and hardware issues, which you can quickly fix. We have provided the best tips in this article which you can share with your friends and save the agony of buying new phones which might cost you a fortune.