Tag Archive for: technology

 

Do you have a drawer full of used phones and adapters? Do you hide old computers and cords in a closet? Are you afraid to get rid of these cords, adapters and old phones for fear that you "might need them"? Or, is it a matter of just not knowing what to do with them? Should they be recycled, donated or thrown in the trash?

According to the Consumer Electronics Association, the average life expectancy for smartphones is 4.7 years and for computers is 4 years. I think that's being generous.

What it means for you is less space in your closet or drawers. It's time to do something about it.

To tackle decluttering the electronics on your own, read on to get the electronic clutter out of your home and become e-waste-free.

Steps to Getting Rid of Unwanted and Used Phones and Electronics



1. Sell them. A lot of phones, tablets and laptops can be sold, even if they are no longer working.

  • Gazelle.com will give you a quote, ship it for free and pay you cash for your electronics.
  • Use Amazon's trade-in program and trade used electronics for Amazon gift cards. Like Gazelle, they will give you a quote and ship it for free.
  • Local Target, Best Buy and Game Stop stores also purchase used electronics. Ask at the customer service desk.

2. Donate them. There are people in need that will benefit from your electronic donation.

  • Cell phones for soldiers is a national non-profit dedicated to serving troops and veterans with free communication services and emergency funding. Each donated device valued at $5 will provide troops with an estimated 2.5 hours of FREE talk time. Simply print a free label to send your old phones or find a drop-off location near you.
  • Through a partnership with Dell, many Good Will stores now accept cell phones and computers to be recycled free of charge.

Related ...

An Easy Method To Keep Your Desk Clear Of ‘Stuff’

3. Recycle them. Electronics contain things that are not good for the environment and should be recycled rather than thrown in the trash.

  • Dcal Services, LLC, located in St. Louis, recycles most electronics for free and charges a small fee for a few items.
  • Call 2 Recycle is nationwide and allows you to search for a drop off location near you and will tell you exactly what that drop off location will accept.
  • Many cities offer free electronic recycling days at least once a year. Check with your city to see when these events are scheduled.

Susan Stewart is a professional organizer and the founder of Perfectly Placed Professional Organization and Design in the St. Louis area. Perfectly Placed specializes in bringing peace and order to busy families through organization. You can find out more about Susan and Perfectly Placed at her website: http://www.perfectlyplaced.org

 

Nearly half the world has internet access, which provides a gateway for small businesses to now enter a global market. It is more important than ever before that businesses not only have a digital identity, but one that is present and relevant. In many cases, the digital identity will impact the success and longevity of a business. Here are five tips to consider when establishing your digital identity or enhancing your presence via social media platforms.

 

1. Research Platforms 
Research the platform(s) you are considering, and the primary audience engaged with the platform. User demographics can be easily found for notable platforms. Due diligence in understanding the nuances of each platform is integral to your success. Do not simply learn about the demographics, you should also learn about the common trends and behaviors of the users. How often do users login daily versus monthly or weekly? How long does the average user stay logged in during a single sign-in? When using the platform, what features of the platform are used most? Are users more drawn to posts, updates, videos, or graphics? The answers to those questions and others, will assist in determining when a platform is appropriate for your business or personal brand, as well as how you can use the platform to its full potential.

Once a platform is chosen, exploring analytics options to track who and how people are engaging with you or your business is highly recommended. Many platforms will provide a range of analytics for free to all users, and have options to enhance the type and amount of information tracked. Free analytics, provided by the platform are robust in the information provided to users.

2. Know Your Purpose 
While the platform may be a current trendy option, that cannot not be the sole purpose for a business to utilize the application. Some businesses will use certain platforms to be strictly informational and serve as one-way communication to their consumers, like utility companies.

In most scenarios it is in the best interest not to, but some businesses may choose to link their social media accounts, so that the same post will appear on multiple platforms. It sounds good in theory, but as you learned in step one, different platforms have varying demographics and behaviors. The deliverable needs to be presented in a way that resonates with users and aligns with the trends or behaviors of the platform in use. The appearance of being present and in the moment, is integral to the establishment of your digital identity. Often, viewers can see if a post was made from another platform and will choose to disengage with the content presented.

Expansion of consumer base is another common purpose for establishing a digital identity. The demographics of a specific platform are typically easily accessible, and can be used to target a new consumer audience. Businesses will also consider ways to enhance public relations through their digital identity. Professional sports teams and organizations may select to highlight their engagement with community and fans domestically and globally.




3. Voice and Content 
Once you have selected the platform(s) of choice, consider your content and voice. The beauty of social media is that it allows people to be tangible and engage with others. Consider how you want to interact with your viewers and potential consumers. What type of content should you share and how often? Social media generally is most effective as moments are happening or shortly after. Limited posts or interaction with others generally will lead to a downtrend in followers and engagement.

Social media marketing campaigns and hashtags serve a dual purpose. Both are great ways to drive content that can be shared, and attract new users to your digital presence. The other way it should be used is to conduct market research within the norms or social activity of the platform. Voice is extremely important because it represents your digital personality. Explore your timeline or news feed to explore users that have an engaging voice. Consider being informative, diverse in content, and providing a selective amount of individuality. Voice and content should give the illusion that user interaction is with a person instead of an office or corporation.

4. Brand Alignment 
Purpose, voice, content, and platform(s) of choice should align with your overall brand. Your brand is a holistic development strategy for the success of your business over an extended period. Digital identity is just one of the many components that comprise a brand. Colors, content, voice, shapes, sounds, logos, typography, and a host of other elements are all things that should be considered when establishing your brand and digital identity. Brand recognition is key! Think about major brands or fast food companies. Regardless of how and where their content is delivered, the viewer or user at some point recognizes the brand, whether it be by sounds, logos, colors, or other features.

5. Be Creative 
Innovation is almost a necessity for the success of your business and its relevance. As technology continues to advance, so will your business' digital presence. Be mindful of the integral components, mentioned in steps one through four, which comprise your digital framework: platform(s), purpose, voice, content, and overall brand. Be open and willing to explore new platforms, and options within them, for the betterment of your business. Regular evaluation of your digital identity is essential to ensure that it is consistent and relevant to current standards. Explore effective ways to engage with your viewers and consumers that your competitors have not. Being an entrepreneur requires taking a certain amount of risk, and so will establishing a successful digital identity.

Technology is disruptive behavior that attempts to satisfy a want or need. It is no wonder that social media platforms are forever changing. The difficulty as an entrepreneur is identifying which platforms will set global or domestic trends over time and when that will happen. In my experience, small businesses and numerous entrepreneurs struggle to establish their digital identity, especially as popular trends change over time. Large companies generally will have branding, communications, or marketing departments that can better assess which trends are worth committing to and for how long. Countless individuals and businesses will struggle to reach the full potential of their digital identity.

 

Dexter Robinson is a higher educational professional, and the owner of multiple businesses. He has significant experience with conceptualizing and implementing digital identity, branding, and other forms of web or social engagement with organizations, small businesses, as well as departments within a university setting. Dexter is also currently enrolled in the Masters of Entrepreneurship Degree Program at Western Carolina University. Webmasters and other article publishers are hereby granted article reproduction permissions as long as this article in its entirety, author's information, and any links remain intact.

Copyright 2017 by Dexter Robinson. http://www.chirpsendeavors.com

 

 

Cloud storage is seen by many as a modern convenience that is helpful only on a personal level for dealing with multiple computers. This is false in both regards.

The concept of cloud computing was actually created in 1969 by prominent inventor J. Licklider, while mainstream integration of the product was completed in the late 90’s and early 00’s by Salesforce.com and Amazon. Clearly, this idea has been tried and tested through the trial of history.

Cloud technology can also be incredibly helpful for both individuals and small businesses. In fact, 64% of small businesses already use at least one piece of cloud-based software according to a survey taken by BCSG.

Efficiency

The most important effect that implementing cloud technology can have on your small business is increasing your efficiency. No matter what business you are involved in, whether it is a legal advice service, reseller, or even software development, using cloud storage for your files will increase efficiency.

Cloud storage increases your capability to work as a team on documents and files. Collaboration is made much easier of every person working on a project can easily change a document, and the rest can easily track what changes have been made and potentially reverse them if needed.

Additionally, cloud storage of files enables you to easily outsource tasks to freelance workers or give your employees the ability to work from home when necessary. This will increase your productivity and help with any morale problems.

Cost

Investment in cloud technology will also help you to reduce costs for your small business. Global IT spending is predicted to reach over $3.5 trillion by 2017, and a large part of this is produced as result of every business having its own dedicated IT system and help team.

You can avoid this inherently inefficient practice by using cloud technology for your business. There is no shortage of services dedicated to providing small businesses with cloud technology, especially cloud storage, and giving you support alongside.

This availability gives you an opportunity to minimise your IT costs, while retaining a similar level of support and make your business more efficient. Even in a simple event like moving offices, you will reduce moving costs by minimising physical servers that you need to transport.

Disaster Prevention

Cloud storage for your files can also provide you with stable storage for you data, especially in the face of potential disaster. 4.6 million data loss episodes are estimated to occur every year in the United States alone, and without comprehensive backups for your files any of these incidents could cripple your small business.

If you use cloud storage for your small business, it is easy to recover from any major data loss incident. This includes simple computer failure and physical disasters such as fires or flooding. All of this, for a fraction of the cost of having a physical backup and higher levels of convenience.

Overall, it is clearly a good idea for your small business to invest in cloud technology. It will give your business a level of efficiency and cost-effectiveness that cannot be otherwise achieved, alongside cheap yet good quality data protection on external servers.

Article by Jackie Photo by lionel abrial on Unsplash

 

B.O.O.K

Introducing the new Bio-Optic Organised Knowledge device, trade named: B.O.O.K.

 

B.O.O.K. is a revolutionary breakthrough in technology: no wires, no electric circuits, not batteries, nothing to be connected or switched on.  It is so easy to use, even a child can operate it.

 

Compact and portable, it can be used anywhere – even sitting in an armchair by the fire – yet it is powerful enough to hold as much information as a CD-ROM disc.

Here’s how it works:

 

B.O.O.K. is constructed of sequentially numbered sheets of paper (recyclable) each capable of holding thousands of bits of information.  The pages are locked together with a custom-fit device called a binder, which keeps the sheets in their correct sequence.

 

Opaque Paper Technology (OPT) allows manufacturers to use both sides of the sheet, doubling the information density and cutting costs.  Experts are divided on the prospects for further increases in information density; for now, B.O.O.K.s with more information simply use more pages.

 

Each sheet is scanned optically, registering information directly into your brain.  A flick of the finger takes you to the next sheet.  B.O.O.K. may be taken up at any time and used merely by opening it.

 

Unlike other display devices, B.O.O.K. never crashes or requires rebooting, and it can even be dropped on the floor or stepped on without damage.  However, it can become unusable if immersed in water for a significant period of time.  The “browse” feature allows you to move instantly to any sheet and move forward or backward as you wish.  Many come with an “index” feature, which pinpoints the exact location of selected information for instant retrieval.

 

An optional “B.O.O.K. mark” accessory allows you to open  B.O.O.K. to the exact place you left it in a previous session – even if the B.O.O.K. has been closed.

B.O.O.K. mark fits universal design standards; thus, a single B.O.O.K mark can be used in B.O.O.K.s by various manufacturers.  Conversely, numerous B.O.O.K markers can be used in a single a B.O.O.K. if the user wants to store numerous views at once.   The number is limited only by the number of pages in the B.O.O.K.

 

You can also make personal notes next to B.O.O.K. text entries with an optional programming tool,  the Portable Erasable Nib Cryptic Intercommunication Language Stylus (P.E.N.C.I.L.S.)

 

Portable, durable, and affordable, B.O.O.K. is hailed as a precursor of a new entertainment wave.  Also, B.O.O.K.s appeal seems so certain that thousands of content creators have committed to the platform and investors are reportedly flocking.

 

Look for a flood of new titles soon.

 

 

 

 

Put simply, the deep web is all of the information stored online that isn’t indexed by search engines.

You don’t need any special tools to access the deep web; you just need to know where to look.

Specialized search engines, directories, and wikis can help users locate the data they’re looking for.

Google only indexes a tiny fraction of the internet. By some estimates, the web contains 500 times more content than what Google returns in search results. The links that Google and other search engines return when you type in a query is known as the “surface web,” while all the other, non-searchable content is referred to as the “deep web” or “invisible web”.

Most of that information is hidden simply because the vast majority of users won’t find it relevant. Much of it is tucked away in databases that Google is either not interested or barred from crawling. A lot of it is old and outdated. The contents of iPhone apps, the files in your Dropbox account, academic journals, court records, and private social media profiles are all examples of data that aren’t necessarily indexed by Google but still exist on the internet.

Deep web vs darknet

The deep web is often confused with darknet, also called dark web, black web, and black net. Put simply, the deep web is all of the information stored online that isn’t indexed by search engines. You don’t need any special tools to access the deep web; you just need to know where to look. Specialized search engines, directories, and wikis can help users locate the data they’re looking for.

Many of the best general deep web search engines have shut down or been acquired, like Alltheweb and CompletePlanet. Still, a few are hanging around to get you started:

...  from out Pivotal Network member, Comparitech  ...   read more>>>  Guide: How to access the deep web and darknet

 

We also listed this resource on our Pivotal Kids site:

 

Comparitech helps consumers make more savvy decisions when they subscribe to tech services such as VPNs, antivirus and security products, cloud backup, password managers and more.

Helping residential and commercial energy consumers shop for electricity and natural gas supply

story_google_ed

 

Who are you?

If someone wants to know who you are, they type your name into Google.

Before the meeting,  you have been googled.

Before the interview, you have been googled.

Before the pitch, you have been googled.

What is Google saying about you?

What did you give Google to say about you?

It's an interesting exercise to Google oneself ... interesting and sometimes surprising!!

Right there is a little window into how people might be seeing you.

That is the story people are seeing and reading about you - your personal brand story, your business brand story.

Did Google put it there?  No.  But Google chose which parts of it to put in front of searchers as the first thing they saw.

Did other people put it there?  Yes.  Your clients comment on your business and connect with you.  Your friends comment on you and connect with you.  You listed yourself on other websites, and commented or interacted there.

So to some extent, this is happening without you.

Consider, though ...

You gave your clients something to comment on.  What was that?

You connected with them.  What impression did that give?

You gave your friends something to comment on.  What was that?

You connected with them.  What impression did that give?

You associated yourself with other websites.  What impression does that give?

Everything communicates.

My mother said to me often and often, "Put your words on the palm of your hand before you say them."

She probably said that as I grew into a teenager with attitude, and not much thought for what I said, or what the consequences might be.

Everything communicates, especially words, but actions too.

So everything we do on the internet communicates something and it's not always what we might expect.

Google, and the internet as a whole, gives us an unparalleled opportunity to communicate, to share and to build a brand, and there is nothing so challenging, nor so rewarding as to to watch that brand build and grow.

Enjoy!!

Author:  Bronwyn Ritchie.  

If you would like help telling your story on-line, please contact me.  I have a "Connecting the Dots" programme that helps my clients find the story they need to tell.  

information_overload_internet

 

In the movie "He's Just Not That Into You," Drew Barrymore has a dialogue to this effect: And now, you have to go through all this just to get rejected by seven different technologies - it is exhausting!

This reflects the time we live in. Information age - Age of Internet, emails, cell phones with ever-increasing features! Information Overload or Infomania has Dictionary definition: a continual and excessive quest for acquiring and disseminating knowledge and information.

As per Wikipedia: Infomania is the debilitating state of information overload, caused by the combination of a backlog of information to process (usually in email), and continuous interruptions from technologies like phones, instant messaging, and email.

On an average, how many sources for News do we use? Newspaper, Radio, TV, News web sites, Youtube, blogs, twitter, RSS feeds, the list goes on. most of the times, we get the same information from various sources. For communication, we use Email, Phone, IM, Text messages, Voicemail, Facebook, Myspace and so on. Not only that, we have multiple phones, email addresses and instant messengers.

Basex is a Research company for Knowledge economy issues and it has called "information overload" as the Problem of the year for 2008. Constant interruptions cost America around $650 billion dollars a year - that could have been the stimulus package!

One of the notions which comes out of all these technologies is that of multitasking. This is a typical office scenario. Any time there is a conference call, people get on the call, press mute button and start "multitasking". They may be replying to emails, reading other documents or even making a cup of coffee. When someone asks a question to a specific person, mostly the reply is: I am sorry, I was on mute. Could you please repeat the question? The phone has a mute button, we have discovered a 'deaf' button as well!

Another nuisance of emails at work is group emails. Someone sends out an email about a ball game to all employees at a site, for example. Thirty enthusiastic responders will 'Reply All' to say 'Count me In'. Five wise men will 'Reply All' to say please do not reply to all. And 4 geniuses will 'Reply All' to say 'Please remove my name from this chain'. You would have received 40 emails in matter of minutes. And if you have a beep or an envelope indicating 'You Have Got Mail', you would hate that feature and pull your hair.

There is a group called Information Overload Research Group and Nathan Zeldes from Intel is the chairman of the group. Nathan estimates "the impact of information overload on each knowledge worker at up to eight hours a week -- we loose one day out of 5!

On an average, a person gets 75 to 100 work emails a day, 50% of these are not relevant. We feel overwhelmed with where to look and what to do, how to find important information or tasks from the bulk - how to sort wheat from the chaff. Add to this the personal email pile -- spam, chain letters and recycled jokes, quotes and so on.

An example of home multitasking: TV is switched on with remote handy to flip channels, laptop is on lap, couple of IM windows are active, cell phone is right there.

Don't get me wrong. Each of these technologies has a great value to make our lives more effective and efficient. The email, chat, GPS, Internet, cell phone - these are all enablers. The fact that we can record a home video, review it on computer, send to family far away or upload on YouTube is really cool. The question is: How to deal with the issue of infomania?

First and foremost, take a stance and build some discipline:We are using the tools, not being used by them.

  • Just because it is possible, you should not be reachable to everybody all the time.
  • When you need to focus on something, turn off your cellphone, don't pay attention to incoming mails. In fact, incoming email indicator can be turned off forever.
  • Allocate chunks of times for email checking and replying. Handle each piece of information minimum number of times.
  • Politely decline meeting requests where you have nothing to gain or contribute.
  • Do not take your computer or work email device during vacation.
  • DO NOT subscribe to every news/blog/RSS feed service.
  • And lastly, meditate to regain your focus.

 

To conclude, Information revolution and information overload is going to continue in 21st century. In order to leverage this revolution for better, we need to pick and choose. And, we need to ask ourselves at the end of the day. week, month -- Are we adding value to our lives and our world? Or, are we getting exhausted coping with the technology created by others?

Bina Mehta is an IT professional with over 18 years of experience. She holds PMP certification from Project Management Institute. She serves as President of FairOaks Toastmasters Club and has achieved Competent Communicator. Her interests include Reading, Writing, Problem Solving, Public Speaking, Yoga