4 VPNs That Are Suitable For Your Android Phone

As we go further and further with the internet at the very core of our communication, security becomes an issue. When we surf online, especially with our Android Phones, there’s an entire record of what we do, who we talk to, from where, and for how long. This is called metadata. This metadata is so incredibly valuable that it’s more important, and traded at a higher price, than oil. But leaving a trail of metadata has a downside: we have no control over who buys it, who sees it, or what they do with it. Maybe we don’t want other people to see the private photos we’ve sent. Maybe we want more encryption around personal medical data and inquiries. There’s a whole lot you can do with just a bit of privacy.

Enter the VPN. A Virtual Private Network is a shield against the most egregious of privacy concerns. According to opportunites-digitales.com, when you have a VPN, you essentially have a protective tunnel everywhere you go online. This is a huge concern, especially for Androids. Here are the 4 best VPNs for your Android Phone.

ExpressVPN

There’s so much hype around ExpressVPN for android, and for a good reason. It puts all the complicated settings options into a simple, easy to use, and efficient set of options. It’s this ease of use that has thousands flocking to download this app. It can be used all over the world, with servers covering 94 different countries. It allows for everything your average consumer would want in a VPN, and then some. 

NordVPN

NordVPN has its branding and its message down to a tee. They have a mountain as their primary image, and that’s exactly what using NordVPN is like. They have an extra layer of security, much like a tunnel within a tunnel. They’re also incredibly scalable to larger networks, with a keen focus on merging android with company systems. 

IPVanish

If you’re into the technicalities and nitty gritty of privacy, IPVanish has a bunch of cool features for you. They have split tunneling options as well as obfuscation. On top of that, there’s a “kill switch” that shuts off your internet in case the VPN drops. The problem with most VPNs is that if it drops, and enough metadata points place you in a single spot—like your home, data analysts can know where you are. 

Surfshark 

Surfshark is the best bang for your buck. It’s gained some decent traction in the security world for being the most accessible in terms of customer reach. People with smartphones all over the world can avail. This is also a great idea due to many budget hardware having questionable security to begin with. It’s a great first line of defense that carries the greatest weight for the low-low price. 

Everybody needs a good VPN. In the Information Age, it’s hard to argue against it. What we do, and what we see is akin to where we go on the globe. If we have constant tracking on all of our movements, who is to say that it can’t be used against us? Modern concerns need modern solutions. With android phones, the answer is a solid VPN.

VPN for Android by Namecheap

Android VPN by Namecheap is a safe and fast VPN for your android device. You can easily download VPN for Android by Namecheap from the official website. Basically, it’s just like any other virtual private network that hides both your IP address and location. The app is very simple and easy to use on any of your old or new android smartphones. It has a world map that you can zoom in on, with your location highlighted.

One of the biggest advantages is that Namecheap’s Android VPN works with more than 1,000 servers spread across 50 countries, which guarantees you a high internet connection.

4 Ways To Make Your Small Business More Productive

shallow focus photo of thank you for shopping signage

New small businesses are being created every day by ambitious owners looking to make a difference. As these companies go up against fierce competition, it is essential that small businesses do everything in their power to ensure that they are productive and efficient with every minute they have.

What stands in the way of many small businesses from reaching the top is a lack of productivity. Productivity is essentially how effective a business is using its time to improve itself and spread a message. With these 4 productivity hacks, your small business will be on its way to the top.

1.  Be Collaborative

Being collaborative in the workplace is any business’s first step to success. All members of a small business team need to b eon the same page so that there is a clear vision and end goal. Working in the same space can help, but having effective communication outside the workplace is also key.

Given there are hundreds if not thousands of communication apps available to download and install collaboration with colleagues and stakeholders have never been easier. Setting up the time and space for a team to collaborate together will encourage the spreading of ideas that are what could take a business to the next level.

2.  Spread Your Message

The main goal of any business is to spread a message to customers. You can do things like build your own blog or push new marketing campaigns to get your business seen by the masses. You can have the best product in the world, but it won’t stand a chance of selling in the current marketplace unless you are making it visible.

Understanding how you can sell online and get a message across around the world will open up your doors to new and never before considered markets. Using a powerful message to show customers you have plenty of value to offer them is what will get them hooked on your business.

3.  Establish An Efficient Workflow

Productivity and efficiency are two products that go hand in hand when you look at how a company is going to do. Being productive means using your time effectively, and efficient workflows are how you are able to remove burdens and free up essential time.

Streamlining your online business means that you can sell products without having to do much work and can use your time for more important tasks. Having the luxury of efficiency on your side will make being productive much easier and, by extension, improve revenues and profitability. If you need help check out these top eCommerce website builders.

4.  Have A Reliable Team

The last but often most important element to having a productive small business is to have a team that shares your goals and values. Asking people to invest in your vision asks a lot from people and you need to make sure they are reliable enough to help make your vision a reality.

Start conversations with every employee so you are all on the same page and can reach your goal together. The last thing you want to have to do is drag dead weight around that is not going to help you get to the top.

5.  Be Secure

Keeping in touch with colleagues, selling products online from a website and ensuring security of stored data can be a real pain. Ensure that all hardware is secured with AV software, and lines of communication are sent via secure channels. Be prepared for the worst and it won’t happen, but give a thief or hacker just a small opportunity and they may end up destroying all that you have built or are trying to build.

4 Ways Local Businesses Can Benefit From An SEO Service

If you’ve done any research into promoting your business, you’ve probably come to the conclusion that search engine optimization makes the business world go round.

And unless you spent a decade in digital marketing, you might not have any idea how to use that information and actually improve your small business’ marketing strategy.

The good news is that you don’t have to worry about the technical complexities of SEO. There are hundreds of tools out there that will handle the details for you, and some of them specialize in small or local business marketing. A good SEO service will handle the details so you can focus on running your business and creating web content to attract new customers.

But before we look at how your local business can leverage an SEO service, let’s take a minute to break down search engine optimization and what it does as a marketing tool.

A Brief Introduction To SEO

At its most basic level, search engine optimization is all about keywords. If you run a local hardware store, you might assume that your ideal customer is interested in a few specific topics like DIY projects, home renovations, tools for rent, etc.

SEO tools help you see which of those topics that customers search for online. You might discover that “DIY bathroom remodel” is getting 10,000 searches a month, which means you should probably write a blog post or create a tutorial about that topic.

And the more of this research you do, the more relevant your content becomes. Which means you’ll start showing up higher in Google search results, which means more people will see your company and head to your website or social media pages.

Yes, an SEO strategy takes a lot of work in the beginning. But it helps you streamline the process to make things easier moving forward. If you use SEO correctly, you’ll be able to focus your time and money on the keywords that matter most to your business.

And to help you get started, here are 4 ways your local businesses will benefit from SEO (and why an SEO service can help you reach your goals).

#1. Tap Into Existing Traffic

Okay, so this one is fairly straightforward. But here are a few shocking statistics from SocialMediaToday:

  • 46% of Google searches are people looking up local information
  • 72% of people who search for local businesses visit a store within 5 miles
  • 78% of local mobile searches resulted in an in-store purchase

Large numbers of people in your area are looking for local businesses. Whether you live in Burlington, Iowa or Brooklyn, N.Y., there is web traffic that you are missing right now.

An SEO service won’t guarantee that every one of those Google searches leads to a purchase from your business. But it does mean that you will suddenly have an “inside man,” someone who is finding the trends and helping you market to people in a way that leads to more brand awareness for your company.

#2. Target The Right Customers

The greatest strength of winning SEO campaigns is that it lets you segment your marketing. Instead of creating a bunch of generalized content, you’re able to build content clusters that specifically meet the needs of the different segments of your target audience.

For local businesses, that can make all the difference. People instinctively want to support businesses that align with their values, represent their hometown, or represent something they care about. But if you aren’t using SEO strategies, you won’t know which keywords will get your brand in front of those potential customers.

An SEO service won’t just take care of that for you — the good ones will work with you directly to make sure that your marketing strategy is as fine-tuned as is possible.

#3. Keep Up With Local Competitors

As a local business, it’s easy to think that your biggest competition is the national brands. You know, the ones with the billion-dollar ad campaigns that seem to haunt your dreams.

But the truth is that those brands aren’t using SEO strategies that target your local community. These mega-companies are going after keywords around their niche, which can make it competitive. But if you run a local bookstore, the best competition to focus on is the one against other local bookstores, both in your city and the greater region.

Let’s stick with the bookstore example. Customers already know what to expect from the nearest Barnes & Noble. But what if that customer wants used books, or fiction from local authors, or regional travel guides? They’ll search for “bookstores near [your town here]” and that’s the kind of keyword you want to focus on.

Targeting a keyword like “bookstores near [your town here]” might pull up a Barnes & Noble location, but if you create enough content that focuses on that keyword, soon enough you’ll start to climb higher and higher up the search results.

#4. Optimize Your Online Presence

SEO isn’t just a way to help your content rank for certain keywords — it’s also a way to build authority around your company’s web presence. (That’s actually at the core of search engine optimization, but in terms of local SEO, it’s more of a side benefit than the main focal point.)

A strong content strategy might get some of your blog posts, tutorials, and marketing materials to rank as a local business on Google. But if you use the same SEO principles on your home page, search engines will start to see your site as an authoritative voice in your community and industry.

Additional SEO Resources

As a reminder, there are dozens of high-quality SEO services out there. (Here’s a comprehensive list of SEO service companies.) Some specialize in local business, while others focus on domain authority. The point is, you can find a service to help you in a specific area or improve your overall web presence and keyword targeting.

If you’re new to SEO, you may want some tips on how to write SEO articles. And it might help to read a huge collection of statistics and facts to support the value of local business SEO. Or maybe you want to start somewhere small and try to get some of that “[enter business type] near me” Google traffic.

No matter where your business is or how you approach advertising, local SEO can help you maximize the time and money you invest in marketing. And an SEO service will take care of all the nitty, gritty details so you can focus on running — and growing — your business.


Drew Gula is the copywriter at Soundstripe, a company that produces royalty free epic music and sound effects to help businesses improve their video content.

Why Every Developer Should Know Multiple Programming Languages

Being a developer is a promising professional choice, especially now that there is a surge in demand for capable developers from various industries. Aside from IT companies and tech start-ups, businesses across multiple industries are actively seeking developers to spearhead their various app and web development projects.

Mastering a particular programming language is the key to succeeding in this career, but mastery of one programming language alone is not enough. In today’s market, there are several reasons why developers should know multiple programming languages.

A Shift to Full-Stack

Knowing multiple programming languages means you are most likely capable of handling a wider range of development tasks. Instead of focusing on one type of development (i.e. frontend, backend, etc.), you can be more robust in your career as a developer.

Full-stack developers are in high demand as businesses try to keep their IT department lean and effective. Top names like Vudu Digital Web are hiring full-stack developers to accomplish that too. As a leading digital agency in Belfast, WSI Digital Web can offer unrivalled services, all in-house, to its clients, thanks to its solid team of capable developers.

Developers as Managers

Another big advantage you will gain when you have multiple programming languages mastered is easier access to management roles. When you are pursuing a low- to mid-management roles, mastery of multiple programming languages is a huge plus.

This is because you will most likely oversee other developers with specific roles, which means knowing the basics of the languages they use is a huge plus. Not only will you be able to organise developers better, you can also work better in coming up with out-of-the-box solutions.

More Learning Opportunities

If you think mastering multiple programming languages is easy, think again. There are plenty of courses and online learning programs that will help you pick up new languages in a matter of weeks – or even days. Online courses on programming are also becoming more accessible.

These online courses are not only easy to access, but they also offer certifications. When you are certified in more programming languages, your appeal as a developer  gets a healthy boost, and finding better employment opportunities becomes easier as well.

Better Rewards

Speaking of better employment opportunities, it is also worth noting that developers who know how to code in multiple programming languages are in a better position to earn more than those who specialise in just one language. This is also due to the market shift mentioned earlier.

You don’t have to be good at everything. Two or three additional languages that serve specific purposes are more than enough to enhance your profile as a developer. Don’t be surprised to find more offers – and better ones – when you start mastering new programming languages.

Staying Current

The last reason why developers need to master multiple programming languages is the language itself. We are seeing new programming languages being introduced and even more development frameworks and kits being made available.

Newer programming languages such as Swift are worth mastering because they allow you to code better in a refined language. Proprietary languages are also worth exploring if you are working with specific hardware or systems.

As you can see, there are a lot of reasons why mastering multiple programming languages is highly beneficial to your career as a developer. Find a suitable language to pick up based on the career path you want to pursue and start learning about the programming language today.

How To Block Ads On Your iPhone, iPad, Or iPod Touch

Every year, advertising receives more and more influence on society. It forms a public opinion and imposes its ideas on people. We don’t even notice how advertising invades our consciousness and unobtrusively changes it according to the large corporation’s requirements. Nowadays, it’s impossible to go outside and not immediately see a few billboards or signs that urge us to buy something. Things get worse when advertising occupies our smartphones and laptops. We use them to work and relax, but instead, we get tons of pop-ups and banners that overlap the content in the browser.

Ads litter our consciousness and make us waste our money. Moreover, they waste our time. According to recent studies, the average person spends 4 years of life to view ads. 4 years that you can spend on self-development, family, or hobby. Therefore, many people prefer to block ads on computers and smartphones.

If you are a happy owner of Apple devices, then you’re surely annoyed enough because of ads. Over the past year, iOS users are complaining about the abundance of advertising in the operating system. The problem turned out to be so large-scale that the media started talking about it. Steve Streza, who developed the Tumblr app for iOS, wrote about this issue on his blog. A post titled «iOS is Adware» exposed Apple’s consumerism.

To make matters worse, Safari tracks your site activity, uses your search history, and geolocation to find relevant ads for you. Collected data is stored on the servers. If hackers attack these servers, then the history of your purchases, searches, and locations may be in the hands of scammers.

Besides privacy and obsession threats, advertising can also seriously compromise browser performance. You have definitely faced with a problem when the browser starts to freeze due to many advertising banners. Another problem is redirected links that lead to spam and advertising sites instead of showing the content you need.

So how can we deal with browser ads on iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch?

If you want to get rid of all the ads on your iPhone or iPad, then you should think about installing an ad blocker application.

Such apps will secure your data, remove ads from Facebook or YouTube videos, and even increase your device’s battery life! In addition, ad blockers can remove ads in apps and block tracking of your purchase history and behavior on websites. For example, the uBlock ad blocker, that is completely free while featuring many useful functions.

However, any application has its drawbacks. Some blockers take money from marketers for adding the specified sites to the «white lists» — they will show ads even despite the turned on blocker. Other blockers scare away users with a complex interface and settings.

If you are looking for an ad blocker that will simultaneously ensure the security of your data, save traffic and battery power, as well as speed up your browser, then you should install AdLock for IOS. This adblocker fights all types of ads: pop-ups, banners, virus links, and spyware. By installing it, you will not only get rid of ads but also protect your device from viruses. Besides, AdLock successfully blocks ads within applications — play your favorite games, chat in messengers, and listen to music without any distractions.

You can also remove ads through the phone settings. Enter the «Settings» on your iPhone, then go to «Safari», and activate the built-in «Block Pop-ups» function. Thus, you will partially block ads in your device. But this method won’t block them all, so installing a blocker will be much more effective.

Remember that by blocking ads, you save valuable time, which can be spent on more useful things. Furthermore, installing an ad blocker will provide useful features to protect your smartphone, so you never have to worry about privacy or viruses again.

5 Big Signs Your Site Desperately Needs A Redesign

Your site is the face of your business; therefore, it’s not good to neglect it. It’s a shame that web design advances so quickly as it can make you unsure whether you need to update your site to fall in line with new developments.

If you’re unsure whether you need to redesign your website, check for these signs. They could be making your business suffer.

It’s A Pain To Upload Content

If you’re not regularly posting content to your website, you should be. Content that provides value to your visitors is essential for your SEO work. Writing and uploading content is also a major drag, most people don’t want to do it, which is why your website needs to make sure it’s incredibly easy for you to do. If not, you will have an excuse to bunk-off your content duties and your website will fall off the search engine results page.

It Takes Ages To Load

47% of visitors leave a website if it takes more than 2 seconds to load. Google also monitors traffic and penalizes websites that people leave quickly, as these sites clearly don’t provide value to visitors. There is a difficult balance between getting the design features you need and cutting down loading speeds to make sites lightning-fast. The best website designers focus on usability as well as visual looks and a lot of this will be back-end (e.g. code compression).

Customers Can’t Navigate Easily

If you can, you should have surveys on your site that ask key questions about the user experience. One of those should be how easy it is for visitors to access relevant information about your site. If a user has a bad experience on your website, they will be much less likely to return. Navigation is also very important for SEO. If your customers can’t use your website due to navigational issues, that’s throwing away money. Get inspired by these amazing web design resources.

Your Competition is Clearly Doing It Better

You should check up on your competition every now and then. This is useful for a variety of reasons — assessing their pricing and marketing strategies so you can inform yours. If your competitors’ websites are clearly better than yours, you have a problem. Trust is everything in business and good web design suggests a successful company that can afford a slick site. This offers some social proof as it implies other people are trusting the company so much that they can spend money on good website design.

Your Site Looks Bad on Mobile

Google are starting to massively prioritize those sites that offer a great user experience regardless of the device that visitors use. It’s not enough not to have a mobile-friendly website, as well as one that works well on a variety of browsers by using adaptive design. This is especially important as over 53% of websites are accessed through mobile or tablet devices. If a user has a bad mobile browsing experience, it’s highly likely that they will go to a competitor instead, as they won’t have time to access the site from their computer.

What Should a Good Sales Enablement Manager be like?

Being a manager of any company is not easy, but when it comes to the sales area, it may seem even more complicated. Why? A sales manager needs to take care of the whole sales process, supervise sales representatives, set goals, or measure the results.

A manager is also responsible for the company’s profit and, of course, the main goal in this area is to increase it. This is a demanding task for any manager and it requires a lot of knowledge and effort.

A good way to deal with these issues is to introduce and use a Sales Enablement strategy within the company.

Sales Enablement – Basic Facts

Sales Enablement is an overall strategy that is used in the sales area, and it is concerned with maximizing profit by taking various actions. The actions are well-planned and interconnected.

Sales Enablement involves a few important steps and guidelines.

They Include:

  • Implementing a more customer-oriented strategy, getting to know customers’ needs
  • Taking care of the content and keeping it high-quality
  • Maintaining the motivation of the sales reps and other workers
  • Keeping the team highly-educated in the field
  • Executing, measuring and assessing the sales processes
  • Keeping all documentation neat and completed

Of course, in order to make Sales Enablement work properly, all of these points need to be fulfilled and remembered. If you’re interested in the methodology of the Sales Enablement, visit this website.

Also, when it comes to Sales Enablement, the MEDDIC methodology is a useful tool to use. The abbreviation stands for Metrics, Economic Buyer, Decision Criteria, Decision Process, Identify Plan and Champion. You can read more about it on SalesHood.

The MEDDIC methodology helps to accelerate the process of Sales Enablement.

A Good Sales Enablement Manager

A Sales Enablement manager should be aware of all the facts that were mentioned above in order to build a successful strategy based on this knowledge. The manager should also have some more specific qualities and competencies.

Have A Proactive Attitude

What does it mean in the context of Sales Enablement? A proactive attitude means a willingness to make progress, a high level of problem-solving skills, being open to new solutions and strategies.

Sales is not all about analytics and measuring results. It’s also about direct contact, building brand image, being open to suggestions. A positive attitude towards all these aspects is a must-have for a manager.

Be A Team Player

The manager’s role is not only about establishing rules, delegating tasks, and supervising the team. It also involves cooperation, which is crucial to make the Sales Enablement process smooth and effective. The team needs to establish strong internal relationships, also with the manager, communicate on a daily basis, and become dedicated to the goal.

Be Dedicated And Make People Focus On The Goal

A manager who is not fully dedicated to the project is not a good one and won’t convince anyone to become fully engaged in the work, either.

A vital thing in Sales Enablement management is to focus fully on the goal and to make people work more effectively towards achieving it. We all have a natural tendency to imitate what we see around us – it’s a great asset to use as a manager who wants to maximize employees’ effort in the sales process.

Be A Motivator

Motivation is a key factor in the Sales Enablement strategy. A manager can motivate the team in numerous ways, for example by organizing various workshops, or training sessions.

An excellent idea to keep the motivation high is to take care of the team’s integration. As a manager, you can consider organizing a conference or trip for your team. Arranging some space to relax in the office could also be an opportunity for the team to integrate.

To read about more ideas for team integration, visit this website.

Be Organized

Good organization is inevitable in Sales Enablement, as the whole strategy is based on keeping a record of all documentation.

If any action that a company makes is not documented and stored, there’s no possibility to learn from it or take some advice for the future. If you feel like you’re not organized enough, you can always ask your coworkers for help, or read some tips on how to do it, for example,  here.

Conclusion

Being a manager and performing the function well is not a piece of cake. It is possible, however, to manage the sales team effectively in accordance with the Sales Enablement rules.

Once the strategy is implemented and executed properly, it will only become easier to manage the sales reps and make a profit from this new way of working.

Top 5 Small Online Business Ideas You Can Start Today

The Coronavirus pandemic that swept the world in the Spring of 2020 has had many repercussions, short and long-term. One of the most fundamental has been a seachange in how businesses function, with more and more people relying on hotdesking rather than gathering in some corporate building. Many of these individuals have found working at home inspirational. If one silver cloud will come out of this unprecedented situation, it could be the number of online business ideas germinated. If the lockdown has focused your mind on setting up your own enterprise, here are five inspirational ideas.

Start A Dating Site

Launching a dating site isn’t as daunting a prospect as it might seem. Sure, there are many sites out there already, with some of the larger ones boasting membership bases running into the millions, but the good news is there’s always room in this sprawling market for an innovative newcomer. To put together dating sites like these where people will want to interact with, you need to think carefully about your business model, as well as the technical aspects of your design. But if you can think of a particular niche to cover, and construct an easily-navigatable web platform with due consideration for keyword optimization, you might well be able to grab your little slice of the ever-expanding pie.

Get Into ePublishing

Although people still love the feel of having a physical book in their hands, the advent of Ebooks has meant readers can have much more ready access to their favorite titles. Instead of cramming a bunch of holiday paperbacks into a suitcase, all you need pack is your smart device. There’s a huge demand for electronic books, so if you’re looking to set up an online business you could always consider bookselling. Why not cut out the ‘middle-man’ and choose a topic of your own to write about. There are many opportunities out there, whether you choose to publish other people’s work or dabble in your own creativity.

Become An Affiliate Marketer

Perhaps affiliate marketing is something you’re not too familiar about, but it has been around a while. There are various models, but a common one involves identifying a particular product or service you have good knowledge of, then joining an ‘affiliate program.’ You market the item via your website on behalf of whoever produces the goods. The onus falls on you to do the marketing, but you’ll get a cut of every sale, as most programs are commission-driven. The more you ‘big up’ the products you’re plugging, the greater the potential for a lucrative sales stream. And you’re only selling virtually, so you have no stock replenishment or storage costs to factor into your budget.

Set Up A Virtual Shop

One of the reasons we are continually hearing about the decline of the High Street is because the retail world now offers so many alternatives. The launch of Amazon and eBay in the mid-1990s was symptomatic of a trend towards harnessing customers who love the comfort and convenience of shopping from home. There are numerous sites out there dedicated to niche retailing, from secondhand cars to artwork and much more. If you have something to sell, whether you buy cheap furniture and give it a makeover, or you are a dab hand at craftwork, a well-designed website will help your business thrive.

3D Printing

The initial outlay ranges from three to four-figures but the business model is simple. Buy a 3D printer. Devote some time to targeted advertising on social media, or by word-of-mouth. Receive customer orders. Print the items. Send them to your customers. Process your payments.

How to Take Your Logistics Business To The Next Level

Trends in supply chain management are now coming and going faster than ever before. The essential, but outdated world of SCM has now transformed itself into a very dynamic environment. New and emerging technologies are now being used to try and spur on productivity and vendors are sending representatives out into the field to seek out new customers as well. This is all very good, but at the end of the day, if you want to take your logistics business to that next level, then here are a few of the steps you need to be taking.

Take Out A Loan If You Can

Another way that you can take your logistics business to that next level would be for you to take out a loan. When you do, you will soon find that it is easier than ever for you to rocket the success of your supply chain and that you can also really take advantage of everything that it has to offer. Of course, logistics is a very fast-moving business, and for this reason it helps to make sure that you are always one step ahead. A business loan is often the best way for you to do this, as it gives you the chance to not only push things to that next level but to also invest in new and emerging technologies.  If you want to take out a loan, then the best type would be a commercial vehicle loan as this will help you to harness the power of owning your own fleet of vehicles while removing logistical nightmares through third-party providers.

Hire The Right Talent

When you operate a logistics company, you must hire the right talent. On top of this, everyone must know what they are doing and when as well. If everyone on your team knows what their role is in the process then everyone can help to ensure that things go smoothly. This will save everyone time and more importantly save everyone money. The last thing that you need when running a logistics company is to have everyone on the same page, as it only takes one person to make a mistake and it could compromise your entire operation. To ensure you only have the best talent in your team, consider partnering with supply chain recruitment specialists and leave the hassle of finding competent professionals to them. These companies specialize in finding the right candidates for logistics and supply chain roles, helping you to build a strong and efficient team.

Match Your Metrics

Just think about this; what if a modern brick and mortar company just shrugged off the need for a website presence?  This would mean that the company would be stuck in the past and they would not be able to get their fair share of the market. When you look at the logistics industry and the metrics associated with that, you will soon see that everything is very similar. What was important a few years ago might not be as important now; in fact, it might be totally obsolete. At the end of the day, there really is a reason why marketing teams are discussing their Facebook likes when they think about changing their strategy. You need to do the same. Sure, you might not have a Facebook page, but you do have a team of employees who might be able to advise you on the next best step to take overall. 

Focus on Emerging Trends

Supply chain management is defined as being everything from e-Chains to ERP and more. Now, with this new dynamic market, things are going beyond ERP, TMS and even WMS. While a traditional warehouse management system works by automating the warehouse to boost efficiency, supply chain management software helps warehouses and even facilities to work together much more effectively. SCM on the other hand, focuses on optimizing the operation in general. New solutions are always emerging, and this includes combining WMS with TMS, or Transportation Management Systems. This creates an inventory which is visible all across the supply chain and it also allows the rerouting of shipments as well. If you find managing this to be a bit too much on top of everything else there are vendor managed inventory solutions that can alleviate some of this stress.

Think: What is Next?

So, what is next? It would seem that the AMR Research Team, which is based in Boston is reporting that there are in fact some major trends happening in the industry. There are product suites which are being integrated, and the alignment of vendor applications is also allowing for much easier integration overall. Product strategies are now focusing on niches and segments along with optimal decision making also. With these developments, ERP vendors are also promoting an SCM market and this is generating much more user interest. The more you can harness this now, the better your business will be overall moving forward.

Take Note of the Growth Rate

AMR have forecast a 48% growth rate over the next five years for the SCM and SCM supplier market. Market penetration is low right now but as supply chains become much more pervasive, it looks like SCM initiatives could easily rival the huge impact of ERP systems overall.

How to Recover Deleted Photos From An iOS Device (Tutorial)

Well, it happened. One accidental click and the files are lost. While earlier, it would cause a lot of troubles, nowadays, getting back data from any iOS device isn’t an issue. While earlier, there were mostly tools to recover deleted files Android, now, there are tools for iOS devices, too. 

If you want something free but functional, we recommend paying attention to Disk Drill iPhone recovery software. This tool is super easy in use, all the needed functionality is offered at no price (even though you can get a paid version, too). To help you start with it asap and recover all your lost files, we have prepared a short guide on Disk Drill.

How To Start With Disk Drill

Here, in this tutorial for iOS 5-13, we will check how to handle Disk Drill. First of all, we want to assure you that your iOS device is supported. This software runs on all the iOS devices, including the most recent releases.

We suppose that you have already installed Disk Drill on your Mac. If not, do so. Now, after the installation is over, you can move on with data recovery.

Connect your phone to your Mac. Now, start Disk Drill and move with the following procedure to attempt to recover deleted files from an iPhone:

  • Select the option Recover;
  • Wait until your tool scans the device;
  • The tool will show the files that can be recovered;
  • Find the files that you need and click on the Recover option.

Now, the tool will get your files back. It might take some time, depending on the file size and their number.

Specifics Behind iOS Data Recovery

The recovery process on an iOS device differs from a usual recovery process for a Mac. The thing is that Disk Drill uses a special backup file on iTunes where it has all the data backed up.

Recover All Types of Information

With this tool, you can not only recover deleted photos iPhone. The unique feature of it is that it can recover practically any kind of information:

  • Contact list;
  • All the calendar events and schedules;
  • Bookmarks;
  • Your voice memos;
  • Even chats, messages can be restored.

Cases When You Need Disk Drill

While it is relatively easy to recover deleted photos Android, with iOS, you might have certain problems. We have already mentioned that there are not many tools for working with iOS devices. Moreover, the number of functional tools is more limited. That’s why Disk Drill developers have made their best to create a tool that covers all the needs of any iOS user.

Whenever you have had issues with:

  • A failed update;
  • An infinite reboot;
  • A damaged screen;
  • If your device has been damaged with water;
  • If it has been locked, you might experience data loss.

In any of the above-mentioned cases, Disk Drill can be the only tool that can solve the issue.

Things to Consider

Disk Drill supports all the iOS devices versions, including the most recent ones. However, you will not find such normal recovery methods as deep scan or quick scan. You have one option to choose only.

Why so? It happens because, with iOS devices, the tool uses an algorithm that differs from other recovery cases. Instead of looking for the files on the device storage surface, the tool scans iTunes backups. Also be ready to the fact that in the list provided by Disk Drill, the file names will look different than you used to see them. If you doubt which file to recover, it is recommended to opt for Recover All function.

4 Internet Hacks to Make Your Life Better

We can’t think of a day without the internet because so many of our daily activities depend on it. Either we need to hail an Uber at 6 in the morning, or we need to look up a word in the dictionary, the internet is needed for everything we do. If you run a business, then you need the internet to exercise marketing strategies. And if you’re a student then you need it to access online books, published journals and articles; in short, to write your papers.

Sometimes you need the internet to watch a movie on a Saturday night after going through a tough week at the office or school. The internet is your friend in tough times; it is your business partner; it is your medium of entertainment. Having said that, wouldn’t it be a lot easier if you knew some short-cuts, some easy tricks you could use to access the internet? The amount of time you spend on finding something could be done in a few moments, like searching for a song or movie on Google. This brings us to our first internet hack.

Type incomplete sentences/lyrics/movie quotes in Google    

This happens a lot, you forgot the lyrics to the song you really wanted to sing, or you forgot how to spelling a word you wanted to use in your report. How about the time you couldn’t remember the name of the movie so you typed in the chunks of the story you remembered, and Google search completed the search for you. In all these instances, Google saved your back. You didn’t have to go around asking people, you just opened Google and typed in your problem.

Soft-Blocking on Twitter

We’ve all been there, haven’t we? Got tired of some snotty people on Twitter, but we didn’t want to offend by blocking them? What exactly is a solution to this?

Here’s what you can do: Push the “mute” button on your Twitter account. This way you won’t see any tweets from the targeted account but you’re still following it.

Use Incognito Windows

There’s a huge risk in random web surfing on your office computer, or a shared laptop, because anyone can see the sites you’ve visited and also get your personal information. All major browsers offer incognito mode that you can easily access on your computer. This private browsing mode will help you keep your searched history secure from nosey-fellows.

Let’s disable distractions     

We are aware of how hard staying away from Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat is while you’re at work. There is always this nagging feeling that you have sneak a peek at whatever is going on in the internet world. These distractions play a big role in slowing work productivity. What can we do to avoid this? There is software available called “Cold Turkey” and “SelfControl” that helps keep us off unwanted websites.

If you’re a Spectrum Internet subscriber and a regular internet user, you will know the ease that these hacks are capable of bringing to your life. If you’re not one – maybe connect with local cable deals to find out why you totally should.

4 Steps To Greater Computer Security

As businesses and individuals become more dependent on computers and the Internet, cybercrime has become an increasingly big problem. Hackers and cyber criminals are more threatening than ever and they can seriously damage your computer system, disrupt your network and steal all your data. 

There are many steps to ensure computer security, and in this article, we will focus on four steps that will help you to enhance and protect your network and computer security.

1. Patching 

Cybercriminals are masters at exploiting vulnerable points, also known as bugs, from old software that was installed on a computer. This is one of the most common ways that computers are hacked, and it is also the reason major companies pay a lot of money for IT specialists to find any flaw in their system. These specialists identify gaps in security and patch them up before a cybercriminal can take advantage of them. 

Usually, a business’s IT provider will ensure updates and patches are done as soon as they are released to prevent any cyber attack. If you are an individual user or a home business owner without an IT provider, you can simply turn on Automatic Updates for your software in the settings option; this will make sure that all software is kept up to date. 

2. Data Transmission Protection via VPN

When your system’s network is connected to the Internet, your systems face the risk of being exposed to a potential attack. It is important to do your research and find the most secure VPN as this can help enhance your computer security as it creates an encrypted and safer connection. This means that it encrypts data at the sending end and decrypts it at the receiving end, thereby protecting data transmission to a far greater extent than a normal connection. 

VPNs also encrypt the originating and receiving network addresses, thus enhancing security for online activities. You can use one of the top 10 best VPN services to access websites that are restricted by location to increase your access to online content. VPNs also allow remote employees to connect to their company’s software applications, but first the user will need to be authorized to use the private network app so that they can login using passwords or security tokens.

3. User Access and Awareness

Every user must play an important role in any organization’s security. Any mishap from a user can expose the organization’s network to great risks. It is so important to ensure that all your users are educated and aware of potential cyber risks, the correct procedures to take, and who to contact when they suspect they are at risk of a cyber attack

At the same time, the system administrator must make sure that users are granted enough system privileges and data access rights. They should not have access to more than what they need because if they become victim to a cyber attack, the hackers can exploit their access rights to obtain more information and destroy the system. That’s why users should only be granted with what is often referred to as “least privilege”.

For users, it’s also important that they create a strong password with two-factor authentication, and never reveal it to anyone. Two-factor authentication makes it almost impossible for hackers to gain access to your account and system because even if they could crack your first password, they won’t be able to access the second device with your second log-in verification. In short, two-factor authentication provides an extra layer of security to your account, and also to your system. 

4. Virus and Malware Prevention

Getting a computer virus is never fun nor easy to fix. Malware is the same. Malware is short for malicious software, which is any code or content that maliciously impacts your system and devices. Malware can be disguised in an email or a link that is sent to the employees, hence the chance of people opening such a link or email is very high and exposes your system to security risks. 

That’s why the must-have first step for every network computer and device is to install a trustworthy antivirus and anti-malware program, keep them up-to-date, and run regular scheduled scans. This will help protect your systems and detect any possible virus or malware that has infected a computer in the network. It also helps when companies develop and implement appropriate policies to raise user awareness and reduce the risk of getting a virus or malware. 

System security is key to ensure your data safety and your business’s smooth operations. By regularly patching, protecting data through VPN, enhancing user security and awareness, and running anti-virus/malware scan, you are taking great steps towards protecting your computer and network from any possible cybercrime.

How to Make Better Use of Online Selling Platforms

This world we are living in is filled with people who have become tech addicts. People nowadays have developed a habit of using and then disposing of their gadgets as soon as the new model comes out in the market. In turn, many of these used gadgets end up lurking anywhere at home, in the drawer, or on a desk just collecting dust. If you are among these people, then it is high time that you consider selling your unwanted and unused gadget. Below are some helpful tips to guide you.

Take Pictures of Your Used Gadget

Please note that the quality of your picture largely determines if your gadget will be sold or not. The people behind BankMyCell’s phone buyback program suggest that you need to get at least three high-resolution pictures that cover every important angle of the gadget. Although you know pretty well that you are not a scammer, other prospective buyers may think you are. But, showing them good quality pictures that show the actual condition of your gadget is one way to build trust with your buyers. 

Be Honest With the Product Description

Be honest when writing the description of your product. Include every important detail about your product. Make sure any issues or problems with the device are also written. Otherwise, you run the risk of having problems later once it is sold to another buyer. Damaged gadgets can still be sold on eBay. But, it won’t give you as much money as selling devices in good condition. 

Include the Original Packaging

It is best to sell your used gadget together with its original packaging. You will have a great advantage over any other sellers if you also have the original accessories with it. See to it that details about this are also indicated in the product description. You will have greater chances of being able to find a new buyer soon if people would know that you still have these items along with your used gadget. Prospective buyers are more likely to choose your phone over any other similar used gadgets that are being sold online. 

Obtain Proof of Authenticity

Take a picture of the serial number indicated on your device. Keep this as your copy and don’t post this online. This will serve as your proof of authenticity in case a buyer wants to scam you. There are scammers out there who may claim that you have given them a device that cannot be used. They may say that everything you wrote in the product description online is false. But, you can easily deny these claims if you have enough proof of the authenticity of your product. You will have no trouble debunking them if you have proof in your possession. So, they will not be successful in their aim of ruining your reputation as an online seller. 

Know the Best Place to Sell 

You have to know the best place to sell your gadget if you want to get the most money from it. Some of these places include the following:

eBay:

eBay is one of the most popular websites for selling pre-loved items. This comes as no surprise because eBay has more than 180 million buyers all over the world. This translates to greater access to millions of prospective buyers for your specific gadget or device. It’s mobile and desktop selling tools are easy to use. The only disadvantage is that the interface they’re using is a bit outdated. The only caveat is that eBay does charge fees for every item that you sell. It is part of their policy to take up to 12 percent of your gadget’s final selling price. 

Craigslist:

You can also use Craigslist if you want to be spared from paying fees. The Craigslist site may not be as polished as eBay. But, rest assured that you will also have access to millions of possible buyers. Craigslist does a good job of selling different products based on the seller’s local address. However, Craigslist does not provide options for shipping. This means every transaction has to be handled in person. 

Facebook Marketplace:

Facebook Marketplace is a lot like Craigslist. Facebook Marketplace can be easily accessed whether you’re using your desktop or any mobile gadget. However, it does not provide an integrated means of paying. So, it is up to the seller and buyer to agree on which payment options are most convenient for them. 

Swappa:

Swappa is another good site for selling electronic items. However, Swappa does not have a mobile website. Its audience reach is also not as broad as Craigslist, eBay, or Facebook. But, it does provide PayPal as its payment method. The buyer is the one paying the fee and not the seller, which is good news if you are the one selling a gadget. It also does not provide a format for auction-style selling. The unwanted gadget that you plan to sell on Swappa should be ready to be used by the new owner. It has to be unlocked and reset. It should no longer contain your data or any other files from its previous owner. The people behind Swappa will also be reviewing all the items being submitted to them for sale before they finally post it online.  Technology.

Research the Best Price

If you purchased your iPad 2 for $500 do not expect that you will be able to get almost the same amount when you sell it online as a used item. The price of electronic gadgets these days depreciate very quickly. Therefore, the next best thing that you should do is to search online for the best places where you can sell your used or unwanted gadgets. For example, if you’re looking to sell it on eBay, check the prices of the same gadgets that they auctioned recently. Note that prices will vary from one gadget to another based on its model and condition. You may also visit the website named Pricenomics.com. This website provides a list of the gadgets that have been sold recently. They also have a chart that shows the average price of a certain gadget. 

It is also important to note that in-demand gadgets are more likely to fetch a good amount of cash than those devices that have become a little outdated. But, the more effort you spend towards making your device more usable to the new buyer you will also increase the likelihood of selling it at a price that’s higher than the average. 

Trouble-free Export from Thunderbird to Outlook

Mozilla does not view its mail system as a top priority. Hence, users are seeking ways to move their correspondence elsewhere. Outlook is an obvious choice due to its broad functionality for professional communication. Cross-program relocation is a common need. What makes it complicated is the difference in data formats.

Whatever systems you migrate between, file extensions have to change. Luckily, the process is effortless with automated solutions. Inexpensive Thunderbird to Outlook converter utilities get the job done in just a few clicks, and they come with a free trial period. Third-party software is not just convenient — it is the only way to ensure the accuracy of the transfer.

Fundamental Differences

There are dozens of mail clients today and each stores data in its proprietary format. This means the transition is always multi-stage, and conversion is prescribed. In this specific case, *.MBOX files from the source will acquire the *.PST file extension for your mail to be recognized.

As files undergo modification, the transfer may damage their content beyond repair. This is why manual guides should not be trusted. While such methods exist, they are highly dubious, as success is not guaranteed. Why take unnecessary risks when there is a proven solution? However, if you are still willing to try, here is one suggested method.

Migration via Gmail

Avoid the method for valuable information. As the title suggests, you will be using a third mail client as mediator. It serves as a converting element with unsteady accuracy. Basically, your data is moved to Gmail, and exported to the final destination from there. Begin by opening the Google Mail Settings.

  1. Select “Forwarding POP/IMAP” and activate IMAP. This enables account configuration to Thunderbird.
  2. Visit the Thunderbird Account Settings.
  3. Select mail as a type of new account and “Skip this and configure with existing email.”
  4. Fill in the required details in the Mail Account Setup window and click “Continue” to proceed. A new window will pop up.
  5. Click on the IMAP server and finalize with “Done.” Now, return to your Google Mail.
  6. Create a special folder and export data from the source client there.
  7. Configure MS Outlook to Gmail (through IMAP).
  8. Download data from your Gmail account.

Drag-and-drop is also possible. The user may pull their target data into a fresh desktop folder and drop it into Outlook. While the process may look basic, it is appropriate for small volumes only. Distortion is still possible. Moreover, it is only compatible with Outlook editions from 2010 and 2013-2016.

The Best Alternative

Looking at the Gmail method, you will probably agree it is complex. The more steps in the transfer — the more likely the errors. Data corruption is a common consequence of manual attempts.

Professional solutions are concise but efficient. These are lightweight and often minimalistic programs designed for all skill levels. Specify the source folder, and let the automation handle the rest. In a few minutes, all of your messages, images, and attachments will land in Outlook completely intact.

Four Reasons You Need Microsoft 365’s New MS Editor In Your Life

Working and communicating online has become an integral part of everyday modern life. Whether you’re writing an assessment, scribing your next novel, or just writing a friendly email, we increasingly spend more and more time writing on a keyboard.

With the rise of connected devices like cellphones and tablets, our time spent online is increasing exponentially. A 2019 report produced by industry experts Hootsuite and We Are Social suggested the average person now spends an incredible 6 hours 42 minutes online every day – with around half of that on mobile devices.

Undoubtedly, a lot of this time is spent passively browsing, but the internet is a two-way street, and we also use it as a way of expressing ourselves, whether that is via a status update, email, or instant message.

The vehicles of this communication may have altered over time (Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, etc.), but the way we use the web itself hasn’t changed much in 30 years. The vast majority of our communication is still through the written word. Yes, video conferencing is growing quickly, but our go-to, de facto method of communicating online remains writing.

Of course, this is all great news if you possess decent writing skills, but what if your prose doesn’t quite cut it? What if, like many, you struggle with grammar, spelling, or writing?


Step up Microsoft Editor and its holistic approach to textual editing.

1. Advanced Spellchecker

When it comes to spelling, thankfully, English has some basic rules to follow, but spellcheckers have long struggled with the specific use of words in text. For example, ‘advise’ and ‘advice’ are both correctly spelled – but their use as a verb and noun (respectively) are considerably different from one another. Microsoft 365 can work out the use of words contextually and offers the correct version, based on setting and meaning.

2. Word and Phrase Suggestions

No matter how confident the writer, everyone hits a brick wall from time to time. Microsoft Editor continually scans your text to understand what you’re trying to say and offers on-the-fly word or phrase suggestions to improve your text and avoid repetition. It offers style and grammar refinements, unobtrusively making suggestions when you need them. 

3. Seamless Integration With Your Office Network

Of course, for most of us, writing takes on the greatest significance in our work. Day to day emails, reports, and written updates are a common part of most jobs these days. Good business communication requires clarity, precision, and brevity. Thankfully, MS Editor has in-built tools to check the quality and precision of your writing.

Perhaps most significantly, the all-encompassing nature of the Microsoft 365 suite also allows seamless integration with your existing company network, meaning you can transfer or collaborate on files easily. Of course, this integration also needs bulletproof Microsoft 365 security provisions, but it’s a terrific way to streamline the way you work and participate with your office network.

4. Use Anywhere – Any Device, Any App

MS Editor comes complete with add-ons for Microsoft Edge and Google Chrome so it can be used anywhere – on any device – to check everything you write. From Twitter tweets to Gmail emails, Microsoft Editor is constantly monitoring your text for correctness, grammar, conciseness, and spelling.

As one might expect, MS Editor also works in-built with other universal Microsoft apps like Word and Outlook as well as the entire Microsoft 365 suite to offer you complete peace of mind while writing. It is your take-anywhere personal editor, an essential app in the modern connected age and aid to writers (skilled or unskilled) everywhere.

Google Shopping API 101

Technology is changing how shopping is done. Long gone are the days when customers had to physically visit retail shops to do shopping. Nowadays, you can just do your shopping from the comfort of your smart gadget like smartphones. Even more, the invention of Google shopping API has made the whole idea of online shopping exciting. But what’s Google Shopping API? What’s the working principle of Google shopping API? What are its benefits? What does Google shopping API bring to the table? Well, if these are some of the queries that you want answering, keep reading. This guide has been exclusively designed to equip you with everything Google shopping API.

 Google Shopping API

Application Programming Interface, which is abbreviated as API, acts as an intermediary between 2 tools, applications, etc. Renowned for its powerful benefits when it comes to digital marketing, API is all about allowing the exchange of info between different applications and tools. If you want to make your application easier for other users, API is the way to go. Users don’t have to necessarily understand how your application works. They only need basic knowledge, thanks to Google Shopping API. It simplifies things.

 An Intermediary

An API acts as an intermediary between two platforms. For instance, on a vacation booking platform, customers can connect with different tor or vacation companies. The best thing with API is that it gives customers the power to compare the options so as to pick the best one. Thus, you don’t have to go directly to different websites to compare prices and other features. API does the work of collecting different information, including prices, location, etc. and returns the results to customers.

The Role of API When Carrying Google Shopping campaigns

To launch an effective Shopping Ads Campaign, you need to first create a Google Merchant based account and then upload your product data feed. This can be done manually, via Google Sheets, or other supported e-commerce platforms. Alternatively, you can do this by developing an effective API content. Comparing these options, going the API route is the most ideal option because it’s automated and highly effective. Google Shopping API content helps the application to directly collaborate or interact with your Google Merchant Center based account. This means that product information is updated in real-time.

The Benefits of Google Shopping API

As customer expectations keep on changing, it becomes necessary for e-commerce stores to up their games. Luckily, Google decided to develop API to help clients when it comes to Google Shopping Ads. Here are a few advantages of investing in API content as far as Google Shopping Ads is concerned:

  • Offers automated account management
  • Comes with per product based Ads management
  • It makes it easy to schedule data feed
  • It’s easy to manage complex tax as well as shipping settings
  • Effective management of campaigns

Pro Tip: Check out our google shopper API today and take your business establishment to another new level.

The Bottom-Line

Google Shopping API can turn your e-commerce business into a real force on the market. Equipped with customer-centric features, Google shopping API can deliver real results when it comes to optimizing shopping. Aside from optimizing your shopping Ads, Shopping API will let you effectively manage your ad campaign and automate account management. The above guide contains everything Google shopping API and how it can help your business.