Top Fintech Trends to Flourish in 2021

Fintech is changing our lives! Fintech development services and Fintech companies have taken over the globe and hence placed enormous pressure on the conventional industries to collaborate and adapt accordingly. Despite that the pandemic caused many businesses to downsize and deal with financial loss, the Fintech sector has displayed more resilience than any other sector!

The impact of the pandemic on global business has taught us about the uncertainty of life. The sectors of travel and hospitality seemingly took the strongest hit. In contrast, other digital space sectors, such as online gaming, e-commerce, and e-learning, saw a massive boost.

The same goes for the Fintech industry, which witnessed an enormous rise as the pandemic encouraged financial institutions to shift to online channels. Due to social distancing and safety measures, people all around the globe are increasingly embracing the digital approach of Fintech for online payments. Read on to learn more about what to expect from Fintech development services in 2021.

Promoting Financial Literacy

With the expected growth of Fintech apps usage, Fintech is more likely to boost global awareness of Fintech possibilities and meet the user’s needs and demands while promoting financial literacy. Simply put, as users will gain awareness of what Fintech development services have to offer, they are more likely to spread the word while reaping maximum benefits from the app.

Fintech is all set to promote financial literacy and provide solutions to people who struggle with money. By promoting financial literacy and providing solutions to support financial literacy, the Fintech companies are all set to gain long-term clients who are the least likely to switch financial apps.

Contactless Smart Financial Systems

The pandemic has caused us to go contactless, including the way we shop, conduct business, and make payments. Since the world has essentially gone digital, it has also raised equal concerns about cybersecurity and sensitive issues related to private data leakage.

The wide availability of mobile banking has also given rise to cybercrimes. This is why Fintech development services in 2021 include the availability of extreme security measures. Understandably, biometrics is one of the most secure methods to take security measures to the next level while providing the clientele the confidence that everything is protected. Nonetheless, in the face of the ongoing pandemic, contactless smart financial systems are soon to become the new norm.

Blending Micropayments With Personalization

The trend of personalization has been emerging in all industries, and Fintech is no exception. Micropayments have been made evidently easy with Fintech apps. The transaction of money that comprises a minimum amount/ small sum has seen a surge with the surge in Fintech popularity.

That said, it wouldn’t be wrong to state that micropayments sync with personalization and are the ultimate cornerstone in making micropayment transactions globally accessible. Micropayments are of utmost visible in the latest payment methods, such as digital wallets and financial platforms dealing with cryptocurrency, such as bitcoin. Despite that cryptocurrency is received with mixed feelings by many people, having Fintech in the market is quite refreshing.

The Increasing Acceptance of Cryptocurrency

Fintech has also propagated an increase in cryptocurrency’s popularity, which has been the center of attention of the world for quite some time now. This divided attitude of the global banks and the world, in general, is due to the lack of global regulations related to cryptocurrency. The highly cautious approach of authoritative global entities has divided U.S. authorities over how they ought to treat and view cryptocurrency. Much debate has been going on regarding treating cryptocurrency as a commodity or whether it should be accepted as a currency and property. The possibility of launching the digital euro is high as the European Central Bank is currently conducting a public consultation.

Final Thoughts

While meeting the increasing demands and needs of their customers, the Fintech development services continuously accelerate, intending to provide better services while allowing users access to quicker transactions. The improved transparency and secure transaction system of the Fintech apps have enabled them to pick up momentum while improving customer experience.

The Fintech industry’s future may evolve within the respective sectors of finance, insurance, and wealth management. It is anticipated that legislation, technology, and the key global financial players will collaborate to launch innovations and uplift the financial ecosystem worldwide.

7 Ways to Make Your Memory Sharper

If you find yourself struggling with an occasional memory lapse from time to time, you should know that you are not alone. In a survey conducted and published by PLOS One, a peer-reviewed open access scientific journal, about 14 percent of respondents age 18 to 39 said they sometimes experienced these same short-lived memory issues. And many of the same respondents reported that these issues did not significantly interfere with their day-to-day life. Of course, everyone is not so fortunate. In some cases, those seemingly innocuous memory lapses can signal a severe cognitive disorder is on the horizon.

For reference, multiple studies show that people with neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s disease and dementia, will experience only mild memory problems at first, such as forgetting where they put their keys. Eventually, the level of forgetfulness gets to a point where they forget things that are critically important in their life. That said, whether or not things spiral this far out of control comes down to what is happening in the brain when someone has a memory lapse.

How the Brain Works and Why We Forget Things

To better understand memory lapses, it helps to know more about how the brain stores memories. This same understanding will also shed light on how they can morph into severe cognitive impairment. According to a study published by Germany-based Friedrich–Alexander University Erlangen–Nürnberg, memories related to nearly all life events are captured in the cortex, the part of the brain densely packed with nerve cells. From there, they move to the central switching point of the brain, which is known as the hippocampus. The same flow of information moves in the opposite direction when recalling those memories. Unfortunately, many things can interfere with both of these processes, and when they do, it can make remembering things especially difficult.

Understanding the Different Types of Memory

Now that we are a little more up to speed when it comes to the process involved in storing and ultimately recalling memories, let’s take a moment to go over the kinds of memory human beings have and how they work. Although memory lapses are associated with short-term memory, which is the information we are consciously aware of and are actively thinking about, there are other memory types in the human brain. And they include the following:

Sensory memory – All forms of memory initially start with sensory memory before moving on to other memory types. It is also further subcategorized by the following:

  • Visual memory
  • Auditory memory
  • Touch memory

Long-term memory – This memory type is often referred to as the final stage when it comes to processing memories, and, as the name might suggest, it is how human beings store information for an extended length of time. A few examples of long-term memory include remembering wedding anniversaries, birthdays, graduations, and the like.

Working memory – This memory type enables individuals to recall the steps involved in completing a given task. Examples of working memory include remembering the steps necessary to solve a mathematic equation, structure an essay for a class assignment, or how to complete specific work-related tasks at one’s job.

What Causes Memory Problems in the First Place?

Many things can contribute to memory problems, and they impact the lives of those young and old alike. Along with aging, some of the most common ones, according to an article published by the Mayo Clinic, a renowned academic medical center based in Rochester, MN, include the following:

  • Certain medications
  • Head trauma
  • Stress
  • Anxiety
  • Depression
  • A vitamin B-12 deficiency
  • Brain diseases
  • Substance abuse, namely an alcohol use disorder (AUD)

Hormonal Imbalances and Memory Problems

For many people, a hormonal imbalance is the cause of their memory problems. And this is generally the case for those struggling with hypothyroidism, which refers to an underactive thyroid gland. Among many others, the hallmark symptoms of hypothyroidism include impaired reasoning and critical thinking. Additionally, it can trigger memory loss and even depression. It can also adversely affect reasoning and critical thinking.

Of course, none of this is too surprising when you consider that the thyroid gland sits at the base of the brain. Low human growth hormone (HGH) levels can also put individuals on a fast track to memory problems. Multiple studies, including one published by the National Institutes of Health, have revealed a correlation between adult-onset human growth hormone deficiency and impaired memory. Many studies have also noted a nexus between low HGH levels and impaired concentration, not to mention a higher risk of suffering from anxiety and depression. For males who have more queries there are gathered best Growth hormone for men and more information.

7 Ways to Improve Your Memory

Having detailed the different memory types as well as factors that can lead to memory problems, let’s turn our attention to seven things individuals can do to improve their memory starting today:

Getting enough sleep – One of the easiest ways to improve memory is to get enough sleep. According to the National Sleep Foundation, men and women should aim for getting between 7 to 9 hours of deep, restorative sleep each night. Getting enough sleep has two benefits when it comes to improving memory. Firstly, it makes it easier to consolidate memories. Second, it makes recalling them much easier when the time comes to do so.

Consuming a brain-boosting diet – A healthy, well-balanced diet can benefit brain health just as much as it can benefit physical health, say many nutritionists, dieticians, and physicians. And this is further backed by a study published by Harvard Health Publishing, which noted that consuming foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids, namely fatty fish, helps improve overall brain function. The same was also said of foods rich in antioxidants, such as blueberries, and foods that contain plenty of vitamin K, lutein, folate, and beta carotene, which includes spinach, kale, broccoli, and collard greens.

Learning – Most will agree that continuing to learn as much as possible, regardless of age, contributes to personal growth and development. However, doing so also improves brain health, memory recall, and the ability to retain information. In short, learning is an exercise for the brain, and the more you train it, the stronger and healthier it becomes.

Exercise – Along with improving cardiovascular health and making it easier to maintain a healthy weight, exercising for 20 to 30 minutes each day can lead to a sharper memory. In a study published by the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), researchers noted that exercising or even playing sports increases the level of insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1) and vascular endothelial-derived growth factor (VEGF) in the brain. In turn, this facilitates the growth of new neuronal connections that protect against memory problems.

Laughter – Chronic stress can take just as much of a toll on physical health as it can on psychological health. Many studies show that individuals who lead a stressful life are more likely to struggle with memory problems. The same applies to mental health disorders, such as anxiety and depression. Learning to laugh and smile more can make it easier to cope with stress, which, in turn, minimizes the risk of developing a mental illness or suffering from memory problems.

Communication – The act of speaking requires a fair amount of forethought to effectively express one’s thoughts, ideas, and opinions. That said, it stands to reason that conversing more frequently with friends and loved ones can keep the mind sharp and memory problems at bay.

Healthy lifestyle habits – Along with getting more sleep, finding ways to cope with stress, and exercising regularly, minimizing alcohol consumption can keep one’s memory sharp. And for those who smoke, quitting cigarettes or switching to nicotine pouches can also help in this regard, as it reduces the negative impact of smoking on cognitive function.

Additional Ways to Boost Your Memory

Another way to improve memory is to take dietary supplements that contain brain-boosting ingredients. Some of the best ones, according to most naturopathic physicians, include the following:

  • Ginkgo biloba
  • Acetyl-L-carnitine
  • Phosphatidylserine
  • Creatine
  • Fish oil

Bottom Line

In summary, many things can adversely affect memory. And while many of them are synonymous with getting older, some are related to hormone imbalances, poor dietary habits, and other non-age-related things. Fortunately, there are plenty of all-natural remedies that can help keep the mind sharp and may even reverse some memory problems. Further, many can lower the chances of developing some of the more severe cognitive issues, such as Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.

7 Ways Speech Recognition Technology Supports Physicians and Their Patients

Speech recognition software is helpful in just about any industry, but it’s especially helpful in the medical field. Here are 7 reasons doctors and patients both benefit when medical personnel use this technology.

1. Speech recognition generates accurate documentation

Doctors are human and subject to error when documenting patient information and adding notes to their files. Sometimes errors occur when transferring written information into the computer.

When physicians can capture and record notes regarding a patient’s care just by speaking, the accuracy increases, which ultimately helps the patient receive better care.

2. Physicians can get HIPAA-compliant speech-to-text technology

While there are plenty of speech-to-text applications on the market, clinicians are bound by HIPAA regulations to keep patient data private and secure. Good speech-to-text applications send the content through their servers in order to generate high accuracy. This means medical staff can’t just use any application.

Most medical providers use Dragon dictation software. Dragon is a leader in the speech-to-text industry and now offers a cutting-edge, cloud-based speech recognition solution called Nuance Dragon Medical One. This dictation software fully supports HIPAA requirements and uses state-of-the-art end-to-end encryption to keep all patient data secure.

3. Speech recognition technology is more accurate than ever

When you think about speech recognition software, you might recall a time when you had to speak slowly if you wanted the computer to recognize just 20% of what you were saying. Thanks to Google’s efforts, speech recognition technology has made exponential improvements and is now more accurate than it’s ever been.

A brief history of speech recognition technology’s accuracy

Speech-to-text technology was first invented back in the 1950s. The first version of this technology recognized only numbers when spoken. It took ten years for speech-to-text to recognize words, but was limited to understanding just 16 English words.

DARPA’s Speech understanding Research (SUR) program stepped in around 1971 and created a system called Harpy that could recognize 1,011 English words. By 1985 there were two main text-to-speech software programs: Kurzweil, which understood 1,000 words and IBM’s software, which understood 5,000 words.

Although a 5,000-word vocabulary was considered exceptional at the time, people had to speak slowly, clearly, and enunciate each word carefully or the programs couldn’t understand the dictation.

Speech recognition technology became available to the masses in 1990 when Dragon launched Dragon Dictate. The price tag? $9,000. In 1997, Dragon brought their price point down to $695 with a program called NaturallySpeaking. Although the price had dropped and the program was improved, it still wasn’t reliable enough to use in a professional setting. That’s when Google stepped in and changed everything.

Accurate technology creates better patient care

As previously discussed, accurate dictation results produce better patient care. As the technology is improved with machine learning systems, it will only become more accurate with time.

4. Speech recognition helps patients with complex medical histories

For most patients, physicians can use standard EHR templates to document notes about their condition. However, when patients have a more complex medical history, it’s not that simple. Most physicians aren’t going to be excellent typists and they’re likely going to miss a lot of the nuance involved in a patient’s story.

With dictation software, physicians can simply use their voice to create more complete problem lists that are created instantly.

5. Speech-to-text avoids dictation services

Traditionally, physicians have used tape recorders or mobile phone apps to record information that needs to be typed up by a transcriptionist. With software like Dragon Medical dictation, the transcript is created instantly, bypassing the fees and delays that come with traditional transcription.

6. Speech can be analyzed

Some clinicians are using speech recognition software for more than just dictation. Some medical professionals use speech recognition with predictive technology for diagnostic purposes, for example, to identify Parkinson’s Disease.

7. Data retrieval

Just as speech recognition can digitally document verbal input, it can also pull up those same records. Some software allows clinicians to speak a patient’s name or other keywords to pull up relevant records and other information. This makes a clinician’s job much easier.

Speech recognition technology is only getting better

Despite its slow start, speech recognition software continues to improve and is on an upward trajectory.

Not everyone is convinced of the benefits yet. However, we can expect to see even more improvements in the coming years that will make speech-to-text an industry standard in the medical field.

3 Reasons Not to Use Facial and Fingerprint Recognition Lock on Your Phone

Our phones keep a lot of our personal information. It includes our contacts, accounts, photos, locations, financial information, to name but a few. Therefore, you cannot be too careful when it comes to data protection.

Smartphone security awareness becomes crucial today as most organizations and educational institutions have switched to technological solutions. This exposes people to cyberattacks and different kinds of online fraud. DoMyEssay has been providing online writing help for years, observing the highest security standards. Their experts have shared a few tips on smartphone security that can benefit not only students and their parents but anyone who uses mobile devices. Here are the top 5 recommendations: 

  1. Create unique passwords for all your mobile devices.
  2. Use security settings to protect your identity and location data. 
  3. Use only trusted services and stores.
  4. Update the OS on your device regularly. 
  5. Use a secure method to lock your phone. 

The last point requires particular attention. There are several ways to lock your phone, but biometric identification is probably the most popular. Many people believe that facial and fingerprint recognition gives us security that is impossible to crack. Unfortunately, it is far from being true. Yes, biometric identification is a fast and convenient way to lock your phone, but it is not completely secure. Here is why. 

1. A Lot Depends On Your Device

Some phones appear to be more secure than others. An experiment conducted by Consumentenbond, a non-profit organization from the Netherlands, tested facial recognition on 110 mobile devices. 38% of the smartphones failed the test. Holding a photo of the owner in front of the device was enough for the 42 of the examined phones to unlock. It means that to hack one’s phone, attackers need nothing more but to get a photo from the owner’s social media. They do not even need 3D printed masks or sophisticated software solutions. 

This test made a lot of people worried about the security of their phones. The study results showed that Apple, Samsung, OnePlus, and a few other devices had stronger facial recognition features. Yet, a lot of phones from Sony, BlackBerry, Nokia, Xiaomi, and older models of Huawei, Lenovo, and LG failed the test. Thus, be careful if you use older phone models, and do not forget to install security updates. 

As you can see, there is no silver bullet when it comes to security. If you want to protect your personal data, find out more about the vulnerabilities of a particular phone model. Unfortunately, a lot of people ignore this step.

To make matters worse, this issue is not properly addressed at school. Students grow up knowing how to write an essay and improve it with the EssayEditor service. Yet, educators do not teach them about mobile security issues even though they raise major concerns globally. 

2. Biometrics Can Be Hacked as Well

It seems that our fingerprints and facial features cannot be artificially recreated. Yet, hackers can lift fingertips and trick cameras. This makes facial and fingerprint recognition vulnerable to attacks. 

A few days after the release of the iPhone X, Vietnamese researchers at Bkav managed to trick Face ID with a 3D-printed mask placed at a very specific angle. Obviously, the procedure of cracking Apple’s technology required much effort, special equipment, and knowledge in the field. Yet, this incident has shown that facial recognition cannot be called completely secure. 

Is fingerprint lock more secure? No. We leave our fingerprints everywhere. So there are a lot of places where attackers can find your biometric data and use it to unlock your phone. It is possible to recreate fingerprints using latex and even school supplies like playdough and Elmer’s glue. Besides, hackers can even steal fingerprints virtually, cracking the scanner itself. 

3. Biometric Identification Is Still a Work in Progress

Biometric recognition, in particular facial identification, is still a new technology. Although developers continue to improve it, today, it is neither completely secure nor accurate. Facial recognition might not work if a person wears sunglasses or a mask. Additionally, camera angle and lighting matter as well. Fingerprint identification does not function properly with glows or when the user’s fingers are wet or dirty. It is also not an option for people with damaged skin. 

Furthermore, scanning one’s face or fingertips makes an individual’s sensitive data exposed. This can pose a significant risk to privacy. Our two previous points show that any scanners can be hacked. Users cannot be completely sure that their data is safe. What is even worse, people cannot change their fingerprints or facial features in case of a security breach like they can change a password. 

In Sum

Do the advantages of biometric locks outweigh their disadvantages? It is up to you to decide. The one thing is clear: the technology is still far from being perfect. It is important to know the vulnerabilities of our mobile devices to become more aware and take some extra measures to protect our personal data. Thus, the only fact that you are reading about the risks of biometric identification is a step towards the stronger security of your phone.

Optima Tax Relief Reviews Common and Costly Errors Taxpayers should avoid when Preparing their Tax Return

One of the most important ways taxpayers can reduce the number of errors they have on their tax return is by electronically filing it. Most tax software programs do the math for individuals, flag common errors, and prompts taxpayers for missing information. Using tax software can also help a taxpayer claim valuable credits and deductions.

Another way to avoid making common errors is by using a reputable tax preparer. This includes certified public accountants, enrolled agents, or other knowledgeable tax professionals.

The IRS urges all taxpayers to file their tax returns electronically and choose direct deposits in order to receive their refund faster and avoid pandemic-related paper delays.

Optima Tax Relief reviews some common errors taxpayers should avoid when preparing their tax return:

  • Double-check your Social Security (SSN) number. Although it seems obvious to include your SSN on your taxes, it is a common error to forget to add a number or accidentally put the incorrect number on your return.
  • Misspelled names. Taxpayers should list their name on their tax return the same way it is listed on their Social Security card.
  • Math mistakes. Math errors are one of the most common mistakes on a tax return and can range from simple addition and subtraction to much more complex calculations. Taxpayers should always check their math or use a tax prep software program that will do it automatically for them.
  • Figuring credits or deductions. Taxpayers can make mistakes figuring things like their earned income tax credit, child and dependent care credit, and recovery rebate credit. If someone is eligible for a recovery rebate credit – and either did not receive Economic Impact Payments or received less than the full amounts – they must file a 2020 tax return to claim the credit even if they do not usually file.
  • Inaccurate bank account numbers. Taxpayers who choose to receive their refund through direct deposit should make sure that their routing and account numbers are correct before sending their tax return off to the IRS.
  • Unsigned forms. An unsigned tax return is not valid. In most cases, both spouses must sign a joint return.
  • Filing with an expired individual tax identification number. If a taxpayer’s ITIN is expired, they should go ahead and file using the expired number. The IRS will process that return and treat it as a return filed on time. However, the IRS will not allow any exemptions or credits to a return filed with an expired ITIN.

Is There A Difference Between Medical Negligence And Malpractice?

It doesn’t mean much to you that medical malpractice or medical negligence is a legal term, but it should mean a great deal to your attorney. Your personal injury lawyer must understand the difference between medical negligence and medical malpractice to provide you with the best possible outcome in your medical malpractice claim. 

Medical negligence and malpractice aren’t the same things, so understanding the difference will enable you to make informed medical injury law decisions and what personal injury claim you wish to bring. Many people have difficulty choosing between treating their injuries to reduce their physical discomfort and adjusting their lives. Personal injury often comes with emotional distress. Most negligence and malpractice victims don’t have time (or patience) to gloss over complicated legal issues regarding whether something was malpractice or not. 

So, let’s sort out the confusion and begin by identifying each term in a more precise context and identify their differences after.  

What Is Medical Negligence? 

Medical negligence happens when a health care provider fails to provide the standard of care which could lead to a patient becoming harmed or injured. Defendants are considered medically negligent if they fail to do something that causes harm, which leads to injury to the plaintiff. 

Medical negligence occurs when a doctor fails to observe acceptable standards of care while at the same time failing to uphold patient-physician relationships commonly found in the profession. In general, errors end up causing harm to patients. 

In medical negligence, surgical tools might be left inside a patient after the surgery has been completed. In addition to surgery, it also includes failure to recognize symptoms or treat them correctly and surgical errors. It’s essential to acknowledge that no doctor would knowingly do this, but the act must be recognized as an oversight and a mistake. 

What Is Medical Malpractice? 

Under the banner of negligence, malpractice occurs when a doctor or hospital staff member intentionally breaches a contract with their patients. Healthcare professionals who commit medical malpractice consciously choose an option that harms the patient when they know that the other option could help them. However, while they didn’t intend to hurt the patient, they took action that might have caused injury or death. You can also read about: NEC resulting from baby formula.

Medical negligence can take many forms. A misdiagnosis of a medical condition is a widespread mistake that can easily result in permanent disability or death. Doctors who fail to order necessary procedures or prescribe medications despite risk or side effects without adequate communication could be considered responsible for medical malpractice. These situations involve a doctor who knew something was wrong, but the intent is uncertain. 

Identifying medical negligence from medical malpractice isn’t just about what happened to the victim; it’s also about its effects on the case. Even if the harm is different, the patient is still harmed in some manner. Furthermore, establishing medical negligence is required to prove a medical malpractice case. 

For this, you should turn to a trustworthy attorney for medical malpractice who’ll investigate the case thoroughly and who’ll find the real cause of medical malpractice. A dedicated and experienced attorney will do his best to provide a compassionate representation and will help you get through both the mental and financial challenges you’ll face.

What Are Their Differences? 

There’s one keyword that separates medical malpractice from medical negligence, and that’s intent. While no medical professional sets out to hurt their patient, anything can happen either by accident or by a conscious choice in an exam room or operating room.  

Medical negligence can be understood as an error that resulted in unintended harm to a patient.  When medical professionals transgress the standard of care, they’re known to commit medical malpractice. However, this can’t be interpreted as malicious intent to cause harm, instead of injury that the doctors or nurses knew could’ve been prevented if more precautions had been taken. 

You must ponder the consequences of this situation when it happens to someone you love. If you need help determining why there might be a medical malpractice claim, talk to a medical malpractice lawyer in Florida

Your attorney should consider the following factors: 

1) They must be familiar with the essences of these two legal theories;
2) They must be fully aware of the numerous elements that must be present in any situation to win your case; 
3) They must be proficient in applying them.

It’s Time to Act 

A medical professional must’ve chosen to act against your best interests when committing medical malpractice for your attorney to prove medical malpractice. 

It’s essential that the experienced personal injury lawyer you choose can navigate the complex differences in standard of care between heart attack victims and broken bone victims who have a network of reliable expert witnesses. You can choose a lawyer online based on how strong their law firm’s SEO since this aspect might mean they have a solid client base. 

Choose a personal injury lawyer and a firm with both the skills and the tools to fight for you and win. They should have a track record of helping clients receive appropriate compensation and have been one of the firms that have handled many medical malpractice cases in the past. 

Getting a qualified doctor to represent your medical malpractice case is critical, but knowing the difference between negligence and malpractice is essential as well. 

Conclusion 

An experienced medical malpractice attorney is essential since medical malpractice cases are incredibly complicated. You won’t have to go through with a horrifying experience by yourself; let a credible lawyer work beside you. After you’ve understood the difference between these two terms, you’ll be able to transition to the next crucial steps to do with your case.  

Popular Social Media Apps You Can Use to Market Your Small Business

Over 53 percent of people on the planet are active on social media. This translates to more than four billion active users at the beginning of 2021 – a pool of customers waiting to be tapped into. Provided you have a good smartphone or computer and a reliable internet connection, social networking platforms can help propel your small business forward. However, it is crucial to do so using the right social media apps where most of your target audience can be found. In this respect, here are some popular social media apps you can use to market your small business.

1. Facebook

This is the largest and most widely used social media platform in the world. With over 2 .3 billion monthly user average, this should be your top site. It allows you to connect with friends, customers, and many other people. The app allows businesses to create private pages where they can interact with their customers. Members can join for free or at a fee. On your business page, you can update on products, discounts and even answer customer questions. Facebook also runs ads that help businesses get discovered or just be connected to their clients. It is an app where connections are easily converted to customers.

2. Telegram 

While Telegram is similar to the more popular social media platforms, the increasingly famous social networking app has been adding newer features that set them aside from the rest. For instance, it is now possible to pin multiple messages, share songs, and view post stats as a channel admin. As seen in a post on Alrigh, Telegram recently launched a new feature called Voice Chat 2.0. The new voice chat functionality will allow unlimited participation in groups and channels. It will have several features, including raise hand, recorded chats, speaker links, and listener links, among others. The most interesting thing about it is that it allows voice interaction with an unlimited number of participants in groups and channels. This is something small businesses can utilize to interact with their customers and market their brand effectively.

3. Instagram

Sometimes words do not do enough justice to a brand or product, and that’s where Instagram comes in. It is a photo-oriented platform that allows you to share your actual product or market your services to an audience through images and videos as well as text.

To benefit the most from Instagram, there are a few things you need to do. For starters, you may want to invest in a good camera that allows you to take quality photos. After creating a business account, all you need is an effective IG marketing strategy and you can start posting. By liking, commenting, sharing, tagging, and using hashtags correctly, you can grow your customer base and maximize sales. With its wide selection between posts, stories, and photo & video ads, Instagram can help grow your brand to the next level. Ensure to use posts that are relevant to your brand.

3. Twitter

This is the platform where your voice is heard. It is the easiest platform to engage influencers by use of “@” and “#”. As of 2021, the site attracts over 192 million users per day. Unlike the other two, the Twitter crowd is more censored. These are people who are sure of what they want and are not shy when expressing it. It is all about representation. You have to represent your brand with a good first impression. By use of Twitter cards and ads, it allows you to grow your business. Using the right keyword in your hashtag will attract visibility and re-tweets.

4. You Tube

It is a great marketing tool that allows you to connect with users via videos. Despite your age or location, a good video will always be appreciated and loved. With over 2 billion monthly users on average, it is the second largest search engine and social networking channel. When promoting your small business via YouTube, it is all about representing your brand using videos that will best attract your target audience’s attention. Marketing with the YouTube app requires you to create one or several great videos. This can be brand, educational, product, or even testimonial videos.

5. WhatsApp

Every single person with a smartphone probably has WhatsApp. The famous app has close to two billion users worldwide, with more than three quarters accessing Whatsapp monthly. It is the easiest social media platform to get a quick sneak peek while doing your task. In the past, it was just for friends and family. In recent times, its business platform allows businesses to interact with their customers. This app offers small businesses features like labels, quick replies, and chat filters that enable them to stay connected with customers. With its catalog feature, businesses can show their products more easily.

Finally, other apps such as messenger, LinkedIn, and TikTok are also gaining massive popularity.

Conclusion

Being on social media does not guarantee sales for your small business. A social media engagement tool will help you gauge and increase your success on social media platforms. Your presence must be felt through videos, photos, and captions that will have people talking. Also, remember to use keywords and titles that people will respond to.

What Are Good Employee Appreciation Gifts?

Over the last couple of years, a lot of trends have changed. One thing that has changed for good and the change comes highly appreciated, is the way companies used to treat their employees. Gone are the days where employees used to be considered laborers. They would come to the office, sit at their desk, take orders, get to work, report their progress at the end of the day, and go back home only to come to the office the next day and repeat the cycle again.

In the modern era, companies really put in an effort to maintain a great relationship with their employees. Employers wish for their employees to feel comfortable and at ease. The goal is to provide a welcoming environment for the employees so that they can easily reach out to the employers in case they need anything. Other than comfort, companies also wish to appreciate their employees for the work they do. Therefore, employers and companies are often searching for corporate gift ideas that they can send to their employees and tell them how much their effort and contribution is appreciated by the company.

There are several gift ideas in the market. But when picking employee appreciation gifts, one has to be careful. The gift should depict the intention and should also make the employee feel welcomed and loved.

Appreciation messages for employees motivates and strengthens the bond between employees and employers by showing them they are valued.

To help you in this regard, we have put together a list of some gift items from the best swag stores that would surely make your employees feel loved, welcomed, and appreciated by the company:

1. Chocolate

A bar of chocolate is a gift item that you can never go wrong with. It is a creamy delight that is loved and enjoyed by all. Plus, it is also a sweet gesture that means that one wishes to appreciate and applaud the recipient’s efforts and hard work. When the employees will enjoy their chocolate, it will remind them of their hard work and how the company values it and appreciates it.

If you truly wish to impress your employees, go for the Malted Milkshake Chocolate Bar. The flavored chocolate bar has a creamy and rich texture that literally melts as soon as it touches the tip of the tongue. Plus the malted flavor adds a hint of sweetness that compliments the bitterness of the chocolate and surely amplifies its taste. The employees would be delighted when they receive this bar of chocolate as a means of appreciation for all that they do.

2. Canvas Prints

Looking for a unique and lasting way to show your employees they’re appreciated? Custom Canvas Prints are the perfect gift! Welcome new team members or celebrate a job well done with a personalized touch. Online platforms such as Wallpics offer a wide range of design options, allowing you to create stunning visual keepsakes. Gift a custom canvas print featuring a team photo, a motivational quote with your brand name, or a design that reflects your workspace. It’s a thoughtful gesture they’ll treasure for years to come!

3. Tea

Tea is a lot more than just a drink. It is a great source of calming one down especially after a tough and long day at work. If you are looking for welcome gifts for new employees and want to send a message that they are appreciated but their calm and peace is also a priority for the company, getting them a pack of tea would be a great idea. The Art of Tea Chill is a top-rated product that is highly recommended in this category. The tea is easy to brew, simply let is steep in a cup of warm water. The flavor and aroma of the tea is just divine and it will calm down one’s nerves and lead to a refreshing feeling. The flavor, smell, impact – everything about this tea is just perfect.

4. Wireless Powerbank

The modern era is the age of tech and devices. We can barely even imagine having to live one day without our gadgets. And we do need to charge our devices to be able to use them. If you want to appreciate employees who are always on the go and need a way to keep their gadgets powered, why not get them a wireless power bank. The Lexon Bali Wireless Power Bank is a great pick. The power bank has a capacity of 5000 mAh which will keep it charged for longer. You can use it to charge multiple devices without running out of battery. And since it is a wireless power bank, the user will not have to carry cords and wires along with it. They will simply place the device on the dock and it will automatically start charging it.

5. Bluetooth Speaker

Who does not love music? And when you are in the mood for a little bit of a party, a Bluetooth speaker surely comes in handy. So why not get your employees the Sony XB01 Extra Bass Portable Compact Bluetooth Speaker as an appreciation gift. The speaker is small yet powerful therefore, the sound throw of the speaker is amazing. It is small so carrying it around will not be an issue at all. Plus the Bluetooth connection means that you can connect it to your device wirelessly and enjoy your music whenever you wish to and however you wish to.

Want to Improve Your Web Development Skills? Here’s how

Web development requires specific skills, and to acquire the skills you need in order to excel in your role as a web developer, there are a few tips and tricks you should know. These skills vary and are all equally important in today’s technology-dominated world. To understand how you can improve your web development skills, read on for some valuable tips.

Make Time to Learn New Methods and Skills

The world is constantly growing and learning and we have to keep up with this pace to grow and learn as well. With this fact stated, you should know that if you want to excel and stand out amongst your colleagues or competitors in the market, you need to always be eager to expand your knowledge through studying, learning new skills, and learning about the improvements done in your area of specialty. Making time to learn the latest methods and skills will ensure that you are always up to date on the developments and requirements in the market.

Write Code Daily

Practice makes perfect. Just like how learning a new language will require that you practice speaking it daily until you’ve become fluent with it, coding languages are just the same. Practicing and writing the codes you learn daily, along with other ways, will actually improve your web development skills. If we are to refer to the previous point, it has to be mentioned that trying to study new skills does not mean forgetting what you have previously learned. When you know more than one way and you have more than one skill that you can master, this will ensure that you’re scarce to the web development market.

Maintain Your Website

Just like any car or machine you ever bought, your websites continuously need maintenance to keep running properly. The way technology is rapidly developing makes it mandatory to always keep websites and apps up to date. The web developers at https://nerder.com state that leaving your website without maintenance for a long period of time may affect its ranking on different web browsers as search engine algorithms are continuously changing and evolving. In addition to broken links and visuals, outdated content can also affect your ranking and be misleading to your clients or other stakeholders. Furthermore, not keeping an eye out for your website’s maintenance needs can result in you having rusty skills, which is why you should always evolve with technology.

Be Receptive to Feedback and Be a Good Listener

You should always try to improve your interpersonal skills. To have just good coding skills and understanding coding languages don’t necessarily mean you are a good web developer. Having interpersonal skills makes a huge difference as being able to do a task doesn’t necessarily mean you actually understand what the task is. You might want to learn to listen intently and patiently and to ask the client for the specifics they want on their website. After doing that, try to repeat what you understood to make sure that you and the client are on the same page in order to perform the task correctly, effectively, and efficiently. Another thing that you will want to do is to accept feedback and be receptive. It is actually quite false that getting feedback means you did a bad job. Getting feedback is always a chance of improvement even if your work is good. Neglecting feedback and ignoring it will make you repeat the same mistakes and you will not be moving forward. Try to write whatever comments your teacher, boss, or client tell you and to have a look at them whenever you’re doing a task to make sure you don’t accidentally repeat them.

Challenge Yourself

Whenever you feel used to what you’re doing or that it’s becoming too easy for you, try to add a challenging task or goal for yourself. If you feel like your job is not challenging anymore you will stop practicing and you will start to slowly forget the basis of web development. Making sure that you always have a goal or a challenge by always trying new challenges and new things will ensure that you’re continuously practicing and continuously working your brain towards solving problems. This way, you will stay up to date, prepared, and ready for whatever tasks that may come your way.

As a web developer, you should know that you don’t finish studying when you acquire a degree. With technology rapidly developing, you will always have something new to learn or implement, which will make your job more interesting and a bit on the challenging side. With these tips in mind, you can successfully improve your web development skills and keep up with the times.

Why 3D Printing is Creating a Buzz in Architecture Industry

3D printing technology is gaining traction in the fields of architecture, construction, and design due to its relatively affordable cost, fast speed, and high quality. Since constructing 3D models of architectural designs has always been a challenge, 3D printing is a boon for most architects and designers out there. In the architecture industry, detailed and accurate 3D models are key to showcasing and selling their concept to their investors and clients. Here are some strong reasons why 3D printing is gaining massive recognition in the architecture industry. 

1. Enables Architects to Envision Their Idea

Certain limitations like the lack of time, inability to model complicated designs, and lack of materials often restrict architects from preparing and presenting their models. In turn, their creative idea stays stuck in their minds and is never brought on paper. Before 3D printing became a common thing, several architects lost their brilliant ideas only because they were unable to showcase their idea and bring it to life. With 3D printing, every architect can freely explore new concepts without facing this limit. Irrespective of how complicated your design is, you can translate it into a model with 3D printing. 

In the past, architects feared adding complicated elements such as vaults, arches, and domes in their designs due to the inability to model them. While 3D software programs can easily create images and rendered pictures of any complicated design, preparing a solid 3D model was always a challenge. With 3D printing, modern-day designers and architects are crushing this barrier. 

2. Takes Less Time 

Architects need a few days to weeks to prepare a model from scratch, which is why traditional models hold a lot of value. However, since they are also complicated to make and take a lot of time, architects and designers need to adjust their schedules accordingly. With time, 3D printers are taking less and less time to prepare a model from scratch. While most models are ready within a few hours, some models take as little as 60 seconds to get printed. The next time you are running late for your jury, you can stop by a 3D printing shop and get your model ready in no time. 

This new technology is a boon for business owners with 3D printers. If a customer needs some changes or makes drastic changes in their designs, the operator can easily feed the data in the 3D printer and make the changes in the final model. 

3. A Cheaper Alternative

Compared to the traditional materials such as paper, mount board, scissors, glue, and other alternative tools, 3D printing can be much cheaper. It is believed that 3D printing can lower the cost of any project by 75%, thereby helping you create an affordable budget. This also lets you prepare conceptual models and visualize the design in three dimensions. This pushes the project to success. 

Even though they were a bit expensive in the beginning, 3D printers are gradually growing cheaper as the technology continues to evolve. With time, every architecture student will easily be able to afford the cost of 3D printing. Moreover, manufacturers are also producing cheap 3d printers that further lower the cost of the final product. This can give budding entrepreneurs an incentive and a new business idea that they can start with little capital. With cheaper machines and materials, you can reduce the cost by a great margin. 

4. Produces High-Quality Models 

3D models provide better finishing than handcrafted models and also last longer. You can create detailed models with the most complicated folds and achieve the best results. Not only are 3D models stronger and sturdier but also look better than handmade or traditional models. It also provides the freedom and flexibility to experiment with different finishes. Depending on the type of 3D printing you are getting, the materials and textures can vary. In turn, this can affect the quality and look of your final model. However, you always have the option of painting over your finished model to achieve your anticipated look. 

The different types of colors and materials used to make the models also provide a detailed and high-resolution finish to the final model. Since not all potential investors and buyers will get an idea about the design’s details and final look by looking at drawings, a 3D printed model can convey the idea and make a powerful impression. 

Since 3D printing is relatively cheap and provides maximum freedom to creative thinkers, it is gaining a lot of popularity in the design, architecture, and construction world. Some 3D models allow the users to interact with the original design to fully envision the concept. As you can see, there are endless benefits and opportunities that come with 3D printing. Whether you are an aspiring architect or a business owner, you can utilize 3D printing technology to fulfill your needs. 

TOP YOUTUBE TO MP4 CONVERTERS

Since its inception, YouTube has always had proprietary rights over all the videos uploaded onto its platform and as such, downloads of videos from YouTube were strictly disallowed. However, several YouTube MP4 converter sites began to pop up and gave YouTube users the versatility to be able to download all their favorite videos from YouTube directly to their offline devices in MP4 format. This has led to the age of YouTube to MP4 converters!

Learn more about many other technology services and programs by reading Revain user reviews for all products in the Tech category here.

YouTube to MP4 converters are websites designed solely to convert restricted YouTube videos to MP4 format before downloading them for offline use. Knowing this, here are some of the top YouTube to MP4 converters sites recommended for you as well as their defining features so you can easily decide which meets all your needs…stay tuned!

FreedownloadHQ (https://freedownloadhq.com/)

FreedownloadHQ is a free online YouTube videos downloader and converter that can be used to download and convert YouTube to MP3, MP4, .WAV, FLAC, WMV, OGG, ACC, MP2, WMA, FLV, AVI, 3GP, MOV as well as virtually any common format you know. So finally, you have a top-notch YouTube to MP4 converter that is extremely reliable and can easily get you all your favorite videos on YouTube offline.

Features

  • It can download and convert YouTube videos to all commonly known formats out there.
  • Its YouTube Playlist Downloader and YouTube Playlist Converter can be used to access and download videos from your YouTube saved playlist when you log in.
  • Its GIF-converter tool allows you to be able to create exciting GIFs from your favorite YouTube videos.
  • It grants unlimited download capability to you.
  • Its cutting-edge technology allows you to download and convert YouTube videos at a lightning-fast speed.
  • It can be used to edit and trim videos to your desired taste.

EVANO (https://evano.com/)

Evano is a free online multi-tool that makes video, audio, and image editing seem so easy and seamless. It has several features and tools that can be used for conversion and editing of audios and videos to different formats and qualities, editing and creation of PDF documents, and the extraction of archived (compressed) documents.

Features

  • It can download and convert videos to various formats (MP4, WAV, FLV, WMA, etc.) and qualities (360p, 720p,1080p, etc.) from YouTube.
  • It is very fast in terms of conversion speed and pretty easy to use.
  • It also offers batch download and conversion of videos and audios.
  • Quality retention of the converted videos after the conversion process.
  • It can be used to separate audio from downloaded videos and YouTube videos.
  • It also converts audio from one format to another.
  • It is used to edit downloaded audios to your desire.
  • It can also be used to create archived (compressed) media with password security.
  • It can be used to create and edit PDF documents.
  • It can be used to edit and convert images as well.

MP3DOWNLOAD.TO (https://mp3download.to/)

MP3download.to is an online platform that enables you to download and convert YouTube videos into MP3 formats as well as other known formats of various qualities in a matter of mere seconds.

Features

  • It can search for YouTube videos directly from its website search engine.
  • It can be used to convert YouTube videos to MP3 as well as other well-known formats.
  • It is fast, free, and easy to use.
  • Available in different qualities.
  • It can also be used to convert YouTube videos to various offline video formats.
  • Batch download is available.
Photo by Sigmund on Unsplash

FREE FILE CONVERTER

Free File Converter is an online platform that enables you to download and convert YouTube videos into MP4 formats as well as other known formats of various qualities in a matter of mere seconds.

Features

  • It can be used to create and edit PDF documents.
  • It is pretty fast.
  • It can convert from YouTube as well as other video websites.
  • It can be used to download and convert YouTube to MP3, MP4, .WAV, FLAC, WMV, OGG, ACC, MP2, WMA, FLV, AVI, 3GP, MOV as well as virtually any common format you know.
  • It is easy to use.

CLIP CONVERTER

Clip Converter is an online platform that enables you to download and convert videos from YouTube, Vimeo as well as many other video sites to various formats of different qualities. You can now watch all your favorite videos offline.

 Features

  • It can download and convert YouTube videos to all commonly known formats out there.
  • Its YouTube Playlist Downloader and YouTube Playlist Converter can be used to access and download videos from your YouTube saved playlist when you log in.
  • It grants unlimited download capability to you.
  • Its cutting-edge technology allows you to download and convert YouTube videos at a lightning-fast speed.
  • It can be used to edit and trim videos to your desired taste.

ONLINE-CONVERT.COM

Online-Convert.com is an online video converter platform that can be used to download and convert uploaded videos or YouTube videos to MP3, MP4, .WAV, FLAC, WMV, OGG, ACC, MP2, WMA, FLV, AVI, 3GP, MOV as well as virtually any common format you know.

Features

  • It can alter video size, video quality, and audio quality.
  • It can alter the frame rate or cut the video.
  • It has a feature that helps to deal with incompatibility issues.
  • It has HD-support and screenshot features.
  • It has a files merger feature.
  • It can be used to make adjustments to the video to set brightness and contrast.
  • It can be used as a video editor for youtube.

ONLINE-CONVERT.COM

Online-Convert.com is a free online multi-tool that makes video, audio, and image editing seem so easy and seamless. It has several features and tools that can be used for conversion and editing of audios and videos to different formats and qualities, editing and creation of PDF documents, and the extraction of archived (compressed) documents.

Features

  • It can download and convert videos to various formats (MP4, WAV, FLV, WMA, etc.) and qualities (360p, 720p,1080p, etc.) from YouTube.
  • It is very fast in terms of conversion speed and pretty easy to use.
  • It also offers batch download and conversion of videos and audios.
  • Quality retention of the converted videos after the conversion process.
  • It can be used to separate audio from downloaded videos and YouTube videos.
  • It also converts audio from one format to another.
  • It is used to edit downloaded audios to your desire.
  • It can also be used to create archived (compressed) media with password security.
  • It can be used to create and edit PDF documents.
  • It can be used to edit and convert images as well.

Dangers of using Certain Converters

Beware that not all websites that convert Youtube Videos to MP3, MP4, WAV, 1080p, RDH are not all trustworthy. Do you research.

That’s all for now folks, have fun downloading!

FreedownloadHQ Free YouTube MP4 Converter

Average User Rating:

Average rating: 4.86 out of 5 based on 26589 reviews.


Free! Price $0.00

6 Business Benefits of Using IoT Applications

The cycle of innovation that started from a mere wheel has reached its peak right now as we see advancement in nearly every field. Technology has made such a huge impact in today’s world that it has become entirely impossible to live without it. One of the major gifts of technology is the internet of things (IoT), which is everywhere today. 

Simply, put IoT is a network of objects that works through the internet. There are some applications on this network that prove to be more useful than others, which is exactly what we are going to discuss today. If you are running a business, you need to manage every aspect in the best way, which is what IoT lets you do. In this article, I am going to highlight six business benefits of using IoT applications so that you can improve your business operations. 

Supply Chain Management and Inventory Tracking

The very first and one of the biggest reasons why businesses need to employ the use of IoT applications is to optimize their supply chain. If you belong to the manufacturing or production business, you might already be facing a lot of challenges in regards to your inventory and supply chain. With the help of IoT sensors, you can easily track your product as they are shipped across the world so that you can notify your customers in real-time. 

Safer Workspace

IoT sensors aren’t only great for keeping an eye on your products, but they also work very well when it comes to creating a safer workplace for your employees. IoT sensors can be installed in your machines to watch if it is operating correctly or not. These sensors can reduce workplace accidents and make sure that your employees get an early warning sign in case something goes wrong. Moreover, you can also use different IoT features to prevent any data breaches in your workplace. You can make sure that your company secrets don’t get into the wrong hand so that you can continue doing your business without any worries. 

New Business Opportunities 

IoT enables you to extract data, which in itself is one of the greatest assets a business can mine these days. In a world that is full of information, the ability to collect data and analyze it gives you a much-needed edge and helps you oversee any mistakes that you are making. You can easily get in contact with a proper agency to help you build an IoT dashboard through which you can monitor everything. You can then use it to sample all the data, bread down your services, and use it to create new opportunities and revenue streams to grow your business.

Tune Services and Products

It doesn’t matter which industry you belong to, the services you are offering, and the products you make are your biggest assets. If you want to grow your business, you have to invest in these two things, which is exactly what you can do through IoT applications. Today’s market has become so competitive that customers demand a lot for business. For example, if you belong to the electronics business, you have to bring innovation to your products. A simple implementation of IoT in the electronic business is a light sensor build that automatically turns on when someone enters the use. You can use a similar concept to tune most of your products and provide your customers with something unique. 

Enhanced Customer Dialog 

Making good products and launching efficient services is one thing, but if your customers don’t know about what you are offering them, you will never be able to reach your sales target. Due to this exact reason, customer dialog is one of the most important aspects of running a business so that your customers know exactly what you have in store for them. You can use IoT applications to improve the level of dialog and interaction with your customers by enhancing your marketing efforts. You can use important data to see what IOT applications your customers want and then work on that aspect of your business to make them happier. 

Better Predictions 

Last but not least, one of the hardest parts of running a business is to identify and act in accordance with market trends. If you keep on following decade-old practices, your competitors are eventually going to take you over, which is why you must make accurate predictions about the future. You can easily use the data insights gathered from IoT applications to predict opportunities even before they arise. By analyzing the collected data, you can build on historical trends and repetitiveness in the market to put you ahead of your competitor. It can add a lot of value to your business, and you can act on the changing market scenarios faster than anybody else, which is going to earn you more customers. 

Find Out More About Free Movies Online

Free Movies online is the best way of watching any movie legally without spending anything. There are many websites available on the Internet that offer free movies online. All you have to do is search the word “free movies online” and you will come up with thousands of websites that will be offering you movies at no cost whatsoever. Many people love watching movies on DVDs and these websites can help you enjoy watching all your favorite movies on DVDs. You will not have to subscribe to anything or sign up for an account to watch free movies online without any charges.

But yet the streaming sites do not know much about you.

Thus they will charge some money from you. The good news is that you can easily watch free movies online by subscribing to one of the various streaming services available on the Internet. You can also add any other program such as a television show, news, or sports programs on your computer to make it a better listening experience.

Broadband Internet is one of the best things to use if you want to stream movies through the net. You can choose from any of the numerous streaming services available on the Internet. Some of the most popular streaming services include Hulu, My Net TV, and Vevo. All these websites give you free movies online and all you have to do is visit their website and then choose which movies to download.

There are many websites on the internet that give you a chance to view various popular television series and movies on DVD. These websites include Amazon, Netflix, My Play, and Hulu Plus among others. These services provide you with a chance to view thousands of movies on DVD. You can even download or buy the movies instantly using the Amazon streaming movies service. On the other hand, if you want to view the latest movies on PC, then My Net TV is the perfect choice for you. You can also find TV to live stream.

All you need to do is to select a popular TV series like Mob Psycho 100 Season 3 or movie to watch and then start watching. You do not need any special apparatus or software in order to stream movies online using these websites. In fact, you do not even need a computer to be able to view the movie streams online using these websites. As long as you have a broadband Internet connection, then you will be able to see your favorite movies using your PC. There are even some people who use their mobile phones or PDA mobile phones to be able to stream online films.

As there are many different kinds of movies being streamed, you can choose the ones you want to watch. There are many free movie streaming sites that let you choose from the best and most popular films. Most of these movies are available in English and other languages. The good news about these websites is that they offer new titles every week. So, if you miss out on the new releases, then you will never be spoiled for choice when it comes to the movies.

If you are looking for something fresh to watch, you should try Vudu. This is one of the newest inventions when it comes to TV shows and movies. Instead of choosing from the TV episodes or the movies that are already released, you can browse through thousands of brand new movies and TV episodes. You can also add your own DVD movie collection and watch them whenever you want to.

Another thing that you can enjoy is the ability to download TV shows and movies to your computer. The great thing about this is that, you get to save money from renting or buying movies instead of downloading them. As there are many TV channels that offer streaming services, you can actually find your favorite TV show and solar movies. This is probably the most common feature offered by these streaming websites today.

PC Vs Tablet Comparison

What is best? Personal Computer or a Tablet? It is always an ongoing debate. But the question stands that why even draw a comparison? It all depends on the nature of the buyer as well as the work he does. Once the buyer answers this to himself there won’t be left any confusion with him. There are a number of IT services that assist you in making a decision for your purchase. Small business IT services not only understand your personal needs but also give you a bunch of recommendations and insights on why and how to speed up a computer, laptop or a table. Before drawing a comparison of personal computers and tablets, let us first understand thoroughly what these devices actually are.

A small and low-cost device or machine designed for personal use, however, it can be used by a group of few persons as well. It consists of several components like a CPU (Central Processing Unit), two kinds of memory; RAM and ROM, a magnetic hard disk and a compact disc, display screen, mouse and a keyboard.

While a tablet is a flat thin mobile or portable computer with all of its components built in, fitted with a touch screen display and rechargeable battery. However, they are highly customized hence why their operating systems and processors vary. Recently, they have gained much popularity because of their excellent and significant features, specialized apps and portability in particular.

Let’s now have a look at their features in detail.

Storage

Beginning with the storage feature, PCs have comprehensive hard drive storage normally more than 1 TB (terabyte). You don’t have to purchase a handy external hard drive unless you are using it professionally and it requires you to have that much storage capacity. On the other hand, a tablet lacks this much storage with 8 GB as its minimum and 128 GB as its maximum storage. However, it does have an extension slot for external hard.

Power

Processing power of both devices differ. A computer consists of necessary power required to cool high end power processors but a tablet being more compact in nature is unable to provide this same amount of support to its processor.

Prices

As compared with tablets, PCs are costly. An average PC with moderate features can cost you up to $1000. Prices vary from $400 to $2000. In contrast, tablets are cheap normally within the price range of $150 to $500 but in some highly customized items, it may cost you up to $800.

Screen size and Portability

Monitor screen size is large enough usually from 13 to 43 inches but keep in mind that the larger the monitor size the higher the cost. Tablets are comparatively smaller in screen size not larger than 10 inches. They are made to stay fixed on the desk or table may be in your office or any other workplace or your study room. Tablets can be carried anywhere with you.

Running Battery

For a desktop, you might not have to worry about the running battery since there is no need to charge it and you can leave it on for as many days as you want. While in the case of a tablet, you are always concerned about if you charged it enough and if you left it uncharged it will shut it down once the battery has been consumed.

Repairing

Repairing for the PC’s is much easier and cheaper as compared with the tablets. While tablets might require some expertise to spot and identify the issue that needs to be fixed but for a PC, a smaller issue can be resolved by yourself at home.

Upgrades

There are no limitations to the upgrades of the system and the software update in the case of the desktop. Since tablets are all built-in one unit, it is not easy and sometimes possible to upgrade certain systems and features.

Web Camera

Not all desktops, especially old ones, have built-in web cameras but a tablet comes with a built-in high-resolution web camera for recording videos and having a video chat.

Usage

The primary functions for a desktop include graphic designing, research, gaming and data entry. It won’t be wrong saying that their purpose is mainly professional use most of the time. Nonetheless, the tablet is more of a personal gadget.

Security

While carrying a smart-looking tablet, it might be an invitation to the thieves and easier for them to dodge you in the bus or a cafe. But it is literally impossible to steal a desktop-based in an office or your house.

Conclusion

Summing up the above comparison, it is concluded that it is all up to the buyer and his or her needs and nature of work and sometimes yes budget as well to decide what to buy. If you are a blogger, a tablet seems like a better option for you which comes with an additional feature of video recording. Just the same, if you are looking for a reliable machine for your office-based work, you must go for a desktop.

Switch from Exchange to MAPI and Still get an Outlook App on your Android and iPhone

Suddenly, there is an overwhelming reason for corporations to change from Exchange to MAPI. The Hafnium hack of Microsoft Exchange has hit more than 30,000 US corporations. The Zero Day Hack hits an exchange vulnerability that has been in the code since it was written ten years ago. More than anything else, this tells us that storing data in The Cloud is not secure.

What is IMAP

The first Email Protocol was known as POP – Post Office Protocol, and its most popular implementation is POP3. IMAP was created in the late 1980s as an alternative. For Email handling, IMAP has proven to be a simple and durable protocol that allows you to consume Email on multiple devices, like your PC and your phone, and answer it from either device.

Is MAPI Safer than Exchange

Exchange is written by Microsoft and is intended to be a more sophisticated mail handling system. Indeed, it introduced Push protocol which at the time made it faster than IMAP. While both IMAP and Exchange store Contacts and Calendar information, IMAP was more closely tied to Microsoft Outlook and had a better implementation. Microsoft removed IMAP handling for Outlook Contacts in 2010.

Microsoft has a new agenda to merge Exchange and Azure services and wrap many tools under a single security protocolTherein lies the weakness exposed by Hafnium. Microsoft’s many corporate mergers expose them to the shift from Pareto Principle to the Peter Principle. In wrapping Exchange, Microsoft allowed exchange logins full access to Azure services on a Corporate Server. The hack involves accessing the logins, and taking a minor user and giving them Super Admin privileges. Because Microsoft now allows Echange Users to access non-exchange resources, the new Super Admin might enable full access to the entire corporate network.

Microsoft Cumulative Updates

Many corporate Exchange sites have run into a secondary issue. The Hafnium Patch issued by Microsoft assumes your Exchange is fully up to date. For many sites, Exchange updates have been deferred to focus on maximum utility by the company. Suddenly, years worth of updates have to be applied. Updating complex and customized software is never easy, and many sites have been brought down because the cumulative update process fails. It leaves the corporation unable to receive or send Email, share data, or update their Outlook on PC and Phone.

IMAP to the Rescue

Switching the Corporation back to IMAP is a quick and easy way to get the corporate Email back flowing again. At least on this level, emails from customers, vendors and leads can be exchanged. The IT department then gets time to consider the options. Any sites that are truly hacked need to rebuild their servers from scratch. Sites that only got cumulative update failure might install fresh Exchange and try to import past data into it. Either process can take days or weeks to implement.

Replacing Outlook App on Android and iPhone

With Email restored using Outlook, the next thing a corporation needs to look at is replacing the Outlook App on their iPhones, iPads, and Android Devices. The Outlook App has three main functions; Email, which is already handled by the phones, Contacts and Calendar. Luckily there are many alternatives.

Setting up IMAP Email on your Cell Phone

To set up Email on your Phone, you go to the Email App and enter your IMAP credentials. As soon as you do this, your Email will come to the Phone. You can also do this on your PC Outlook, and then your IMAP email comes to your Phone and your PC.

Sync Outlook Contacts and Calendar to your Phone

The next task is to restore the Contact database and Calendar from Outlook to your Phone. Exchange handled these by storing the contacts and calendar on the Exchange Server. This server is not available with an IMAP mailbox. So it is required that you install some soft of Sync Software to your PC. Here is a Guide to switching Contact and Calendar Sync from Exchange to MAPI. The requirement is that this software sync from the local Outlook IMAP folder directly to your iPhone, iPad or Android Phone.

A common and inexpensive product that synchronizes from Outlook IMAP Folders to iPhone and Android is CompanionLink for Outlook. CompanionLink is very easy to set up and offers many options. The primary method for sync is DejaCloud, which is like Exchange in offering Realtime Push sync. The CompanionLink solution requires DejaOffice on your Phone. DejaOffice works like the Outlook App but mirrors more features of Outlook. DejaOffice fully supports Outlook category colors, tasks and notes on your Android and iPhone, none of which are handled by the Outlook App. But the most prominent feature is DejaOffice does not use Exchange protocol, which is unaffected by either the Hafnium hack or the cumulative Exchange update issues.

Share and Schedule Outlook Calendars in your Office

CompanionLink also offers an Outlook-based CRM product that can share Outlook calendars between users, even when using IMAP folders. This product is called DejaOffice PC CRM Pro, and it costs just $40 one-time-price per user. The key is that DPCP can store everyone’s data on a central server, allowing Calendar sharing on many PCs.

Multiple Calendar Sharing with Remote PCs

DejaOffice PC CRM also can share the database with remote offices. It uses the same push sync system to allow people to see their tasks and schedule changes instantly. So this is a robust system that replaces many of the multiple user facets of Microsoft Office and Sharepoint without engaging the Exchange server vulnerabilities. The DejaCloud sharing cost is low; about $20 per user per year, and the first year is free when you purchase the Professional DejaOffice license for your office.

CompanionLink for Outlook
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6 Ways to Easily Find the Software You Need

With the number of applications out there, getting the most out of your computer can be difficult. Fortunately, you can use a few tips to help you find the programs you need. This article is going to walk you through a few different ways to find the software that meets your needs so that you can get more done.

How Do You Find the Best Software That Suits Your Needs?

1. Review Your Current Processes, and Identify Areas for Improvement

Before you start looking for software, you need to pinpoint the areas of your business where productivity can be improved. Wherever possible, entrepreneurs will try and use software to make their business processes more efficient. One way you do this is by comparing where your business is now, and where you want it to be in the future. By reviewing these processes, you can easily identify any software that you need to remove friction or simplify overly complex processes.

2. Define Your Software Requirements

Getting the right product is easy when you know what you want. It can be more tough finding a product if you are unsure of what’s best for your specific requirement, and have not looked into it yet.  If you define your software requirements correctly, you can cut down the time spent searching for software. 

It is worth explaining that your requirements should be well-defined but flexible. It should also account for all the use cases you may encounter. Over some time, your needs will evolve and this is where flexibility comes in handy.

3. Identify Options and Make Your Shortlist

It’s not always easy to find the best software for your needs. Especially when you are looking for the first time. The market is saturated and it’s hard to know where to start looking or what to compare. To find the best software you need, you must start by making a list of all possible options. 

It may be tempting to just start researching the first software you find, but that may not be productive in the end. Techies at Filehorse have advised that making a shortlist will help you achieve two things; it gives you an advantage in finding the best software and it saves time. By making a shortlist, you get to explore the features before deciding which one you will go for.

4. Select Your Top Choice

Once you’ve found a few software solutions, pick the one that suits your needs the best. This could involve reading reviews or following the development of a product for a couple of months to see how it works for other people. There’s no right way to go about this. Pick what feels comfortable for you and always follow your gut!

5. Check If You Have Further Requirements

While looking for software, you will need to analyze your requirements in detail. By determining the needs of your applications, you can decide whether the existing software will suffice or if it needs to be custom developed. If you’re trying to make something simple then you will most likely find what you are looking for in one of the many software tools. 

However, if you are looking for something more complex that there’s no existing plugin for, and you won’t find what you’re looking for in a simple program with a few clicking, then you’ll need to hire custom software developers.

Consider How Much You are Willing to Spend

The software can vary in price and while you want it to feel like you got a bargain, you also want it to be high quality. To find software that suits your needs you have to consider how much you are willing to spend. If you just need something simple and cheap for one-time use, search for freeware. 

You could also try online auction sites like eBay or Amazon Marketplace, which offer cheap software. If you plan on using the software regularly, slightly more expensive shareware is ideal. Make sure any shareware that you choose has a money-back guarantee so that if the software doesn’t work out for you, you can get your money back.

Software Installation Safety Tips

In the technological age, you’re bound to be faced with a lot of software installations, whether it’s for new computers, smartphones, or just about anything else. Each time you get a new device or software application, you need to get it up and running. 

Some people find this daunting, while others find it easy to do. Regardless of where you belong, you need to consider these tips before or during installation.

  • Consider If you Have Enough Disk Space or Resources to Run the Software: The first thing to consider is whether you have enough disk space or resources (RAM, CPU, etc.) on your computer to run the software. Many programs take up a lot of disk space, so it’s important to make sure that you have enough room for it.
  • Is there Any Conflicting Software on Your Computer? Software conflicts happen when you install multiple software programs that try to access the same files and resources. Software conflicts can be a big drain on your computer’s performance, and it becomes hard to figure out which one is causing the problem. 
  • Check Out Removal Options Before Installing: When you install software, it is important to know whether you need to remove it when the time comes. Often, it is easy to download software that doesn’t provide clear instructions on whether it can be uninstalled or if you will lose data if you uninstall it.
  • Always Uncheck Installation of Extras: Installing software can be fun! Whether you’re installing a new system or downloading something for your Mac, you usually get a few extra things along with it. Look very carefully at the boxes of information before you click “next” and always uncheck anything that sounds like extra because it might just become a problem for your computer performance.

Finding the best software that suits your needs is such a chore these days. There’s too much information to wade through and it’s hard to sort the real value from the false promises. Fortunately, these few pointers should help you along the way, and hopefully, make it easier for you to find the software you can use.