Norton Denotes Quality Products Before and After.

The world of today is very different from the world of yesterday. One of the main differences is the World Wide Web or simply called the internet. Today we do most of our stuff using the internet. The internet has become such a necessity to most that with out it, their world will stop to evolve. But as the internet has the Force with, it also has a dark side.

How Branding is impacted by Social Media

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Social media has become an integral tool in marketing these days. All kinds of businesses are now turning to the Internet to promote their products and services. Even social networks welcome the idea, offering services that allow companies to promote their brands. This article will talk about the kind of effects social media has on branding.

Tips to Get Started with BuddyPress to Build your Own Social Network

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We have harnessed the potential of WordPress in almost every way possible. We have used it as a Content Management System (as they were meant to be), as an online shopping portal, for B2B marketing, to find affiliates, as a blog and what not! And now, it’s time to capitalize on its social networking functionalities. Yes, we are going to turn our very own WordPress website into a social networking platform with a simple tool known as BuddyPress. So, given below is a tutorial that demonstrates this.

Facebook Brings VoIP Capabilities to Android Messaging App

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Facebook is the most popular social networking site that recently announced that the its data base of users had crossed the 1 billion mark. The site is so popular that it is used in almost all the countries in the world. Signing up and creating an account is very easy and one just needs and email ID, which serves as the username and a password can be created on the spot and the account is ready to use. It is a great medium to interact with friends and family. You can exchange photos and videos or upload them on your timeline for friends to view. Any new event like an engagement or a wedding, addition of a new member in the family and many other social events are reported on Facebook and can be instantly accessed by the people you are close to, provided they have a Facebook account.

Ways to Recycle your Old Electronic Products

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Mobile phones are getting cheaper by the day and in fact, some models are even more affordable than a pair of shoes. LCD TVs, microwaves, washing machines, desk tops and lap tops are all being replaced in quick succession even before they have reached halfway through their life cycle. This is due to the latest of products flooding the market at prices which are well within the reach of even the common man. While this may make the buyer happy and more in keeping with the changing world, one should spare a thought for the catastrophic effects this e-waste has on the environment. E-Waste is causing an appalling effect on the surroundings as it contains toxic substances such as mercury, arsenic, bromine, lead, etc. This can be absorbed in the earth more easily than you think, causing adverse affects both on drinking water and soil conditions, not to forget the health of individuals who come in direct contact with this e-waste.

The Cost Of Letting A Server Get Old

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Servers are the technological heart of any modern business. A company server provides a central storage point for their data and hosts their corporate applications. Servers are relied upon to establish remote connections into the corporate network, allowing users to work on the same projects from remote locations.

A small-business owner may see the desktop computer in front of each employee and rationalize that as long as it keeps running it puts money in their pocket. In the case of a desktop computer, they may be able to justify the down time of a single employee while they run to an office store or order a replacement computer online. With a server, the matter is much more critical. 

Servers are often “out of sight, out of mind,” but no other piece of office equipment is as mission-critical. A server performs many functions in any office. The server can house data, manage print functions or allow employees access to critical applications. Without these services, the business comes to a grinding halt.

Here are some key costs that can be associated with letting a server get old and possibly fail –

• Employee downtime
• Data corruption or loss of data
• Productivity loss due to poor performance or outdated technology


Employee downtime costs a business in many ways. The most obvious is the direct cost of paying a worker for their time while they sit idle. If a server goes down and the employee is unable to perform the function they are being paid to perform the loss is easier to see. However, the reality is far worse than just the lost labour cost. The impact the lost labour has on customer service is far greater. When a company fails to meet deadlines, there are real consequences that often include customers finding new providers. The thousands it will cost you to replace equipment is cheap by comparison.


Even worse than having employees sitting is the potential for lost data. Many businesses never reopen after a catastrophic data loss. A business owner who assumes that it is ok to run this type of risk, even if they have a backup, is fooling themselves. The fact is most small businesses don’t have a dedicated IT staff, and they wind up trusting a secretary or other employee to maintain backups. Do you really want to leave the fate of your business up to that person?

As time marches on, databases grow, hard drives fill up and computers slow down. Think about all the stuff that gets dumped on your corporate server. Where your desktop computer probably has a few types of information that get stored to it, the server in the back gets everything stored on it from every department. If the server in question is an application server with a database performance degradation becomes even more apparent.

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Finally, we run into a topic many business owners want to ignore altogether, new technology. New operating systems and new applications seem to be coming to market at ever faster rates. Technologies such as tablet computers or employees wanting to work from home or on the road are becoming today's new normal. When a business fails to invest in updating their server, they are leaving these opportunities on the table.

In many cases business owners are just trying to save a buck. In reality, they wind up stepping over dollars to pick up pennies.

Featured images:

•  License: Creative Commons image source 

The article was supplied by Josh Hervall, a technology and IT enthusiast and keen blogger. He writes for www.consosco.com; experts in IT Solutions.

The More You Use, The More You Use: BYOD To Multiply And Intensify

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The working landscape appears to be as malleable as sand, more so these days than ever before; and as new technologies race toward the integral mechanisms of businesses everywhere with every passing minute, the manner in which we work is fast adapting with it; like water, the method takes the shape of its container. At the forefront of this new technologically-enthused working standard is the BYOD policy.

Bring Your Own...?

If you’re unsure about what BYOD actually is, allow me to explain. BYOD stands for Bring Your Own Device, and it is a concept that has exploded into fruition recently in enterprises and businesses the world over. It essentially means employees can utilize personal devices to better carry-out their work, connecting these devices to company systems and accessing company assets through them. Whilst it’s not a new thing, it’s the advent of the smartphone, now a staple of the modern person’s integral pocket contents, that has really caused the policy take off in a manner quite unlike any single internal business ethos before.

So what does this mean for businesses? Essentially, many were quick to jump on the BYOD band wagon, as, in essence, the perception and the results show that it improves productivity. It streamlines an employee’s figurative todo list, and puts everything together in one easily manageable place, allowing him or her to keep abreast of everything that’s happening, in all aspects of his or her work, and cuts out many menial software-opening, computer-booting, logging in, logging out, waste of time tasks that could otherwise be spent being prolific. It makes the employer look flexible and open-walled and increases employee morale.

What’s not to love? Of course, this rise has caused a significant amount of data to be produced on the effects of BYOD across the board; does it really yield all these positive results, are there any negatives and what trends can we see from companies who employ its use most actively?

The Ripple Effect

For a start, the statistic for companies provisioning smartphones has declined 25%, whilst, of course, self-provisioned smartphones have risen, comparatively. The immediate backlash of this is, of course, data usage; and businesses are suddenly finding themselves, doubling and tripling the amount of data they use. Does this align proportionately to the increased productivity that comes as a result?  “Employees are using more data with more devices to work longer hours, anytime and anywhere”:  the sentiments of one Evan Kaplan, the CEO at wireless network solution and mobility services provider iPass, commenting on a recent report they conducted, that provided these figures.

Interestingly though, whilst the use of smartphones in the workplace has increased tenfold, there has been no comparable reduction in the use of other devices. In fact, that number has increased. “While the smartphone is ranked only behind the wallet and keys in importance, it's not displacing mobile workers' reliance on tablets or laptops” Kaplan explained. “In fact, our data indicates that smartphone users also use more data on other devices, revealing an interesting phenomenon -- essentially, the more you use the more you use."

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Security Calls

The chief risk that accompanies BYOD is, above all else, the security risk involved with allowing employees to take valuable company data about with them on an easily misplaced device the size of a credit card. Of course, many businesses demand remote wiping and cloud based backup as the definite solution to this problem, and it’s something that, with the right amount of control, could certainly alleviate 90% of the security risk with one simple product.

Essentially, the working landscape will keep changing; but with more devices being used for more and more work-related tasks, a trend that appears to be here for the long haul, the precedence on securing these personal devices and backing up that data should now be more focal than ever. With the right strategy though, businesses could reap all the benefits of increased productivity, remaining safe and becoming a better overall employer in the process. 

This article was written by Rob Vicars on behalf of Backup Systems – whether you’ve brought in the BYOD policy in full, or simply need a way to ensure your integral business files stay safe, Backup Systems can provide! 

HTML5 on Hype: True or Not

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HTML 5 is the next version of HTML that is under development and will replace most existing HTML languages on web pages all over the globe. Some technologist think it will bring improvement, other are concerned about the problems that may be caused due toHTML5.the following article explains the hype of HTML5. 

HTML5 in precise definition

For web developers, HTML5 is just a modernized programming language and nothing more. Like conventional HTML it is not just software or a program, but it is used for implementation of modern features and designs. The current version is incompatible with today’s world as it was released in 1997 which makes it not up to date and incompatible with features like java, flash and Ajax. The aim of HTML5 is to make implementation of mobile based programming and modern features much easier and in compatible way. 

Functionality

Many believe that HTML5 will change the internet and mobile programming for better but some are still confused. .Although the language uses the basic language but increase the functionality features and accessible when used with other applications. The speed and functionality are the two modules on which the developers have focused. 

Mobile Devices Utilization

HTML5 is designed to make browsing with mobile easier. The features that it offers are particularly mobile browsing oriented. Mobile users get frustrated by the outcome of the conventional HTML as web pages are not displayed as they are displayed on laptop or desktop. HTML5 is particularly designed to view web pages on mobile easily and accessibly. 

Upcoming Internet Changes:

The programmers are highly excited about the change that will occur to the internet world with HTML5. The new language is proclaimed to simplify the programming language and syntax that make more sense with modern programming techniques. Programming can be done faster and additional features can be implemented that is not an easy task with the current HTML. Since the language is still in development phase, it is unknown what type of programming language changes will occur.

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Potential downside:

While there are advantages of programming with HTML5, there are few disadvantages as well. One of the biggest disadvantages is that the programmers will have to learn the new language. This is a time consuming and may frustrate the programmers. Further, if the browser isn’t enabled to sight HTML5, it will not display the content of web page. This can affect the compatibility and accessibility of web site. Though many browsers have updated there sources but still coping with the changes take time.

With concluding the advantages and disadvantages of HTML5 it can be said that until its release no final verdict can be given. The official version of language is yet to be released. Until then, programmers should look into the new changes so they can be ready to switch over to the new language when it is officially released.

Author Bio:

Austin Richard is an IT Trainer at self test training. Have you really looked for this Selftesttraining.com Assistance? Take the benefit of SAP Certifications and pass your exam easily.

8 Uses Of Medieval Technology In The Modern World

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Despite living in a technologically advanced and increasingly digitally integrated world, it's surprising just how many technologies that we still use today have been around since medieval times, or even earlier.

For example, the Chinese first created fireworks right back in the seventh century and we're still using their discovery today. So what other technologies have really stood the test of time and have a place in modern society, despite their ancient roots?

Artisan Technologies

Many of the ancient crafts and arts that are experiencing a resurgence today actually have their roots in far more ancient practices, many which date back hundreds of years.

These traditional crafts include willow weaving, thatching for roofs, glass blowing, brick making and blacksmithing. Many of these crafts were thought to be dying out in the eighties and nineties, as mass consumerism and a culture of 'buy and dispose' came into play, facilitated by a wave of cheap overseas imports.

However, today these ancient and traditional crafts and technologies are reaching new markets, with many people keen to pay extra and support these old skills. This is a superb example of how medieval technologies and arts are still in use today, providing a strong sense of British heritage.

 

Medical Implements

The ancient Greeks and Romans developed some of the medical implements that provided the origins of those in use today. They were further developed in medieval times, to include the tools and implements used by dentists as well.

These include surgeon's knives, suture tools and even pliers for removing bad teeth. The technology may have vastly improved as the years passed but the basic tools are still recognizable from their ancient predecessors.

 

Travel and Transport

Ancient man first discovered the wheel and by medieval times great ships were used by Britain to rule the waves and facilitate trade and war. As well as the vast naval fleet, people were using horses and carriages and taking advantage of the humble wheel when they traveled.

Again, this is a great example of how ancient and basic technologies are still used today, whether we're now driving a car or taking the ferry or a cruise ship.

 

Typesetting

In medieval times, books were reserved for the clergy and educated classes only. Printing presses were hugely expensive and setting was a complex and skilled job, usually reserved for religious and scientific books or political tomes.

Today, we may have moved more towards digital communication, but the art of typesetting has also seen a comeback, particularly in the arts and creative sectors. There are still occasions when the ancient methods of typesetting are also required for ceremonial or legal purposes and many people actively seek out old-fashioned type for its beauty and aesthetic qualities.

Furnaces

Medieval homes and industries were powered by furnaces and fire. And today we still use stoves and furnaces in both of these contexts, harnessing the power of fossil fuels to heat and power our homes and businesses.

Of course, we are also moving towards greener technologies and this is set to continue. We now need to develop these technologies further and greatly advance them.

However, interestingly, water power has been used since medieval times for powering grain mills, for example and this simple but effective technology is still also in use today.

Scales

This is another ancient and simple technology which works without fail. Scales are still with us today and many of them resemble the ancient models with the recognisable balanced weights and counters. These are used in a variety of situations, such as weighing bullion or scientific materials, as well as cooking ingredients.

 

Telescopes

We've come some way from believing the world to be flat, but telescopes have been around in some form since before medieval times (particularly in Arab and Asian countries). It's true that the capabilities of telescopes may have greatly advanced, but the basics still exist.

 

Ink Pens

Samuel Pepys was one of Britain's greatest diarists just after the medieval period and his ink-quilled papers still exist today. Ink-filled pens are also still available and used in a number of ways, such as calligraphy, the law, various ceremonial services and the creative arts. It's fascinating to imagine that a humble pen design is still as relevant today as it was hundreds of years ago.

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And, of course, these are just eight examples. The more you look around and dig deeper into the history of some of the appliances and tools that we take for granted, the more we find that earlier technologies preceded our modern 'discoveries'. Even the basic calculator is simply an electronic version of the ancient abacus and abacuses are still used across the world today as an easy way to count and keep track of basic transactional sums.

Along with technologies, many of our current medicines, health approaches and even fashions are still influenced by ancient customs and wisdom. And this knowledge gives a real sense of just how important historical continuity is to our world and its development.

Who knows where technology will take us next? Many historians believe that it's essential to look to the past in order to know which direction to take in the future. So it may well be that the technologies of the ancient world continue to inform and steer the people of the future.

Featured images:

•  License: Creative Commons image source 

This post was contributed by Conosco; London based suppliers of fixed-price IT support for 10 years.

Advantages Of Integrating Hosted VoIP Technology Into Your Email And CRM Systems

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Did you know that it is very easy and beneficial for a company to integrate Hosted VoIP technology into their email and CRM (customer relationship management) systems?

Several companies opt for hosted VoIP technology in order to provide a more cost-effective and efficient solution when communicating with customers. Instead of the premises-based call centre that implies several operating costs on location, team members, software and hardware, the larger companies head towards business VoIP to deliver their message. These structures promote communication with clients in different situations and services, from the support, sales and marketing to the financial and collections’ departments. As soon as this hosted VoIP technology is installed, the telephonist is spared from the nuisances and time-consuming setbacks of wrong numbers, busy signals and answering machines.

With hosted VoIP technology, employees no longer need to manually enter phone numbers ensuring that the operator only works with analogue landlines. It also registers and records incoming and outgoing telephone calls to ensure that all the data is used and that nothing is wasted. This means that there is a better understanding of the clients’ needs and expectations and that therefore a better service is provided, leading to a more pleasant customer experience that makes them want to return to know more about the company’s services. Accuracy and profitability are also heightened as the hosted VoIP application allows you to understand better what type of customer you are dealing with, thus providing you paramount information in regard to the clients’ probable alternative or additional choices and needs, which you can address using cross selling, for example. Moreover, it also offers a solution for mass customisation without filling the time and space that is usually needed to do so, as there will be no longer the need of specific helpdesk software, plenty of different applications and email organisers.

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You personalise your relationship with the customers in the Cloud, and to make it real you only need to have a good internet connection and any sort of phone set, as long as it has an integrated DDI (direct dial numbers) system. Hosted VoIP software service may be installed regardless of the currently used applications and it also supports Microsoft Outlook, Google’s Gmail and Salesforce CRM, amongst others. During this year’s course, the company expects to have around thirty new integrations and expand them all into different systems like iPhone or Android Smart Phones, as well as all major Web Browsers.

By Sarah; a Search Consultant at http://www.fdcstudio.co.uk/ providing Digital Marketing Services throughout the UK