Stay away from these habits
We all know about good habits to form at work, such as paying close attention to detail or keeping your workspace tidy. We don’t often hear about the bad habits though. Research has found that it takes 21 days of repetition to make or break any pre-existing habitual action. While breaking a bad habit isn’t impossible, it still takes a lot of time and mental effort. The best steps to take against bad habits are preventative. Here are 3 bad habits that are common in any workplace, as well as some tips on avoiding them.
Working Through Lunch Many jobs can get busy and hectic throughout the day, making the idea of working through lunch in order to catch up on some paper work a tempting idea.It’s important to avoid this habit, however. While working through lunch may be a necessity at times, it should be a priority to give yourself a break. Doing so will help you stay rejuvenated and motivate you to be more productive for the remainder of the day. Staying away from the habit of working through lunch might actually help you get more done. Idealizing Let’s face facts, not all jobs are thrilling. Sometimes it’s easy to idealize your dream job, but be warned, this is a bad habit to make. The grass will always seem greener on the other side, and you won’t be able to find satisfaction with your work unless you start finding happiness with where you’re at presently. Next time you start dreaming about being a famous actor, take some time to appreciate the things that your job provides for you now, like money or health insurance. Work Time Distractions When spending all day in front of a computer, it’s easy to be tempted to allow certain distractions in. Checking your personal email or looking up an entertaining YouTube video can be good for short breaks, but don’t let that behavior become habitual. It’s easy to waste away an entire morning if this kind of bad habit is formed. When you’re tempted to stray from work related material on the computer, try scheduling “mini breaks” as rewards for getting a large portion of a project done or working straight for a determined number of hours. Avoiding the formation of bad habits is the best way to beat them. Next time you’re tempted to let any of these actions become regular, take a moment to consider a way to act differently.Tablets Influencing our World
Technology is constantly changing our lives. It happens so rapidly and seamlessly that we hardly notice. It wasn’t long ago that stores used a manual machine to make a carbon imprint of your credit card whenever you made a purchases. Those machines are nearly obsolete thanks to WiFi technology and tablets. A person can now purchase an attachment for their tablet that allows them to scan credit cards virtually anywhere.
Making credit card purchases is not the only way the tablet has changed business. It has in some cases fundamentally influenced the way many businesses operate. Here are a few examples of companies that have come up with some innovative uses for tablets.
At De Santos, a high-end Italian restaurant in New York City’s West Village, the members of the wait staff use iPads to take orders and swipe credit cards. The hope is that this will streamline the ordering process reducing mistakes.
Puma has developed an interactive tool called The Creative Factory for stores in Asia, Africa, and Europe. At these stations customers use specially programmed iPads to design their own sneakers, see shoes designs from across the globe, and also learn a little about the other designers. People around the globe are connecting though creativity and footwear thanks to Puma.
At SHOPBOX, an addition to the DeKalb Market in Brooklyn, you won’t find a store or store clerks! What you will find is a shipping container with an iPad mounted on the side. Shoppers use the iPads to register then text the items they want to purchase to a number printed on the display glass. The items are then shipped to the shopper’s house. Talk about window-shopping!
People will continue to find innovative uses for tablets as technology improves. It may eventually become outdated to have a wait staff in restaurants and future generations may wonder what the purpose of a mall was. It is the nature of the world to change, and the more advanced technology gets the faster change happen. Maybe one day we’ll get teleportation devices after all.
Write the ideal email
Writing an email is a form of communication eliminated of several exterior influences like voice inflection and body language. This makes choosing the right words even more important. You wouldn’t want your boss getting the wrong idea by signing a vacation request email with “All my love,” for illustration. Here are a few tips to remember when deciding what to say.
Opening an Email Informal Writing an email to a close friend isn’t something that needs a lot of propriety. Much like other forms of communication, an email can be more relaxed when writing to someone you know well and are relaxed with. Using just the recipient’s name or a simple “Hi,” should be sufficient and communicate closeness to the reader. Formal Writing to someone you don’t know well or to an employer figure requires a bit more formality. Using “Dear” followed by the intended reader’s name or “Good afternoon” or “Good evening” Should convey the proper amount of respect and formality. Respectful Use this tone when writing to a higher institution such as a prospective employer. Opening with “To whom it may concern” conveys a high level of respect and lets the reader know they are being approached in a highly professional tone. Closing an Email Informal Again, using your name is always a good way to end an informal email. However, using “Love,” or “With love,” is also a good option in this setting, as it communicates closeness. Unlike writing in the formal and respectful tones, letting the audience know the closeness you feel in your relationship is a good thing. Formal Much like opening a formal email, you should end your message with respect but not too much pomp and circumstance. Using “Sincerely,” is the classic choice, however ending with “Yours truly,” or similar will communicate respect while also sounding less programmed. This is a nice bridge between an informal and a respectful tone. Respectful Be sure to follow through with a respective tone until the end of your message. Ending with “Sincerely,” or “Regards,” communicates respect. Depending on the nature of your message, you may also want to include “Thank you for your time,” if the email is requesting any sort of action. The next time you sit down to send an email consider the nature of your email, the relationship you share with the recipient and the message you want to communicate. Doing so will help ensure that your friends don’t fear they’ve lost your friendship, or confuse your boss with a miscommunication of romantic advances.Interesting and Amusing Tech Lawsuits
We read about people filing lawsuits against companies and individuals quite often and it’s usually very serious news. The tech industry is no stranger to this, but occasionally we will hear about a lawsuit that tickles the funny bone. The following list of a few of the most interesting lawsuits in the tech industry over the past decade is unbelievable.
Pentium Hives? – In 2002, a Dutch woman filed a lawsuit against the government and Intel because she said that she got hives from her Pentium processor. Her 486-base processor did not give her the hives however and no judge was “itching” to take the case.
A Woman Lead into Danger by Google? – In 2009, Google was sued by a woman who was hit by a car on a dark narrow highway that did not have pedestrian paths. She blamed Google because she was just following the walking directions they gave her. A judge dismissed her case and Google “dodged” the lawsuit.
Up With Star Wars Galaxies, Down With Sony! - In 2010, distraught fans of the Star Wars Galaxies, a once highly popular MMORPG, tried to file a class-action lawsuit against Sony for shutting down the game. The case will most likely never go to court. I guess the “force” was not strong with the litigious fans.
Woman sues man over a failed Mafia Wars romance – Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. After spending thousands of dollars on game credits and gifts for her boyfriend on Mafia Wars, the woman sued the man for the money spent when their romance ended. Her romance and her case are now sleeping with the fishes.
While most lawsuits are no laughing matter, every once in a while you find one that is absolutely amusing. These examples of incredible tech industry lawsuits are perfect illustrations of this. If you have heard of any please share them by leaving a comment here or on one of our other social media accounts!
Tech That Remains the Foundation of Computer Science
It seems like as soon as you buy a new piece of technology, a faster and better version comes out. Technologies that were ground breaking last week are old news this week. However, it may surprise you to know that the root of these technologies have stayed the same for 50 years.
If we live in a world of ever changing technology, what makes these core technologies remain unchanged? Was the initial design so strong that it didn’t need much improvement? Here are a few technologies that have retained their integrity for over 4 decades. Virtual Memory – 1962 – This allows systems to use hardware memory more efficiently by recycling space used for memory. This theory led to time-sharing or the ability for systems to multi-task. MOS Chip – 1967 – Metal-oxide semiconductor. This technology is utilized today to make computer chips and is known as CMOS (complementary metal-oxide semiconductor). The technology has changed a bit over time so adaptability is one trait that has kept it alive. C programming language – 1969 – Designed by Dennis Ritchie at Bell Labs, C is the most popular and widely used programming language in the world. When you get something right why change it? We have observed these technologies transform into other kinds of tech, programming languages, and inspire new concepts and designs. It’s amazing that these technologies have remained at the root of so many technological innovations today! You will find more tech which has withstood the test of time here: http://www.osnews.com/thread?484715How to recover from a hacked email
No matter how sophisticated your email password is, there is always a chance that a hacker will find a way to decipher your information and gain access to your digital personality. So what do you do once you’ve realized that your personal email account has been compromised? It is important to be proactive in this type of situation. Taking the appropriate steps can help you repair any damage done by a hacker as well as help prevent future hacks from being successful. Here are some important steps to take.
Notify Webmail Provider Letting your webmail provider know that your account has been compromised is an important step that many email users might not think of. When you notify your webmail provider of a problem it gives them the chance to rectify the situation and further strengthen their security against future hacks. Your specific hack could be a part of a much larger security breach, letting your webmail provider know about it gives them the opportunity to fix it. Change Password This is most likely the most important thing to do once you’ve regained control of your email account. Doing so will prevent whomever hacked your account from taking over again or from selling your password to another hacker. Make sure to make your password completely different and, if possible, make sure it shares no characters with your previous password. Also, remember to make it complex. The hacker who broke into your account may have personal information, like your birthday, that would help them decipher any new password you created that was too simple. Notify your contact list One of the main reasons hackers break into personal email accounts is to send out well disguised spam. A spam email is more likely to be successful if it is sent to a victim through an accepted account. Letting your contact list know that your account has been compromised can warn them against these attempts and likely prevent the transfer of viruses or a successful scam. Make sure and relay the message clearly in your subject line, so that your contacts will know that you’ve regained control over your account without needing to open your email. No one likes having his or her personal information compromised. It’s important to remember that, if your email has been hacked, your online banking and other Internet managed services may also be compromised. If you’d like additional information on what you should with a hacked email, please take a look at this article.Set Goals to Motivate Your Team
Having life goals keeps us motivated. The issues we overcome make us stronger and as we reach each goal we should set new goals. Every step moves us towards the lives we want. We apply this to our personal lives but do we apply it to our professional lives?
We spend approximately 30% of our lives at work. For many people a large amount of this time is unfulfilling. Redundancy in our jobs can cause us to feel like we have no control over how we spend our day. We repeat the same tasks day after day i.e. monitor our inbox, file paperwork, return phone calls, and wait to get off work. This leads to an uninspiring work ecosystem and employees who feel detached from the business and constantly watch the clock. Setting goals can keep things new and help combat the rut that people are stuck in at work.- Set or Assess Goals Every 3-6 Months – Schedule a meeting or set time aside dedicated to setting goals. This timeframe will keep the goals fresh and it will be easier to commemorate achievements.
- Write Goals Down – Documentation helps to solidify the goals in your mind and provides a reference point for inspiration or redirection.
- Aim High – Setting goals outside the comfort zone can make people challenge themselves and learn brand new skills. However, don’t set them so high that it is unachievable for you or your team.
- Find a System to Measure Performance – Set a timeframe for the steps to be completed or skills that need to be learned for the goal to be reached.
- Celebrate Each Achievement –Acknowledging achievements boosts pride and motivation to tackle the next step. This is important if you work independently as well as in a team environment. Remember to always reward yourself.
- Schedule the Next Goal Setting Meeting – Schedule these meetings in advance so people know the deadline to have their steps completed by. You may even see a boost in productivity as they want to show the team leader how much they have achieved.
Feeling pride in our work and feeling like we contribute is valuable to everyone. Setting and reaching goals reminds us of the important part we play in the larger goal.
What Makes a Excellent App
A good app is one that provides value. But what determines that value? A large consideration for that answer is the functionality of the app itself, be it practical or entertaining. However, it’s important to consider the design and development put into the app. If Angry Birds crashes unexpectedly in your favorite level, then does that app still contain value? No matter what the case, if you’re debating purchasing a hot new app, here are a few key factors to consider when determining any app’s inherit value.
Stability and Reliability A good app is one that has been rigorously tested. There are several outlying factors that can decide how an app will function and, if not tested all possible situations, you might find yourself using an app with limited functionality. Some things to consider when looking at the stability and reliability of an app: does it work without WIFI? Does it work when on airplane mode? Does it work if the service of the phone is interrupted? Depending on what the app is made to do, these factors can be paramount. Make sure to research the testing that went into any app you are considering. Consumer Consideration App developers need to consider how their app will affect the user. Even a cheap app can be costly if it consumes too much data. Most Smartphones come with a limited data plan. A good app will consider the consumer and be designed in a way that will not infer further charges with their monthly cellphone plan. When deciding on which app to download, make sure to research the data transfer rate needed to use the app as well as any other factors that might create be supplementary charges. A Well Constructed API API stands for application programing interface. In layman’s terms, an API is the part of an app’s programing that controls how it communicates with other apps and programs. This is an important part of any app’s development because it directly affects functionality. If you download an app that connects your smartphone to your Twitter account and the API is dysfunctional and doesn’t connect well, the functionality of that app is rendered useless. Basically, if the API is broken, your Twitter postings will not work. Make sure to research the reliability of an app’s API before downloading. While an app’s worth can be of objective determination, there will always be several key elements to look for when searching for that perfect new download. For more tips on finding great apps, take a look a this article.Are We Leaving DOS in the Dust
Do you remember DOS, with its uncomplicated black screen with the patiently blinking cursor? Its full name is Disk Operating System and last week marked its 30th birthday. To celebrate, I thought we should consider the changes it has undergone in the past three decades. DOS could be past its prime but is it gone from our lives? Was it merely a stepping-stone in the evolution of other operating systems?
In 1981 IBM released the PC and the following options for operating systems (OS).- IBM Personal Computer Disk Operating System – cost at the time: $40
- Digital Research CP/M-86 – cost at the time: $240
- SofTech USCD p-System w/Pascal – cost at the time: $695
DOS was the only one of these three that was on the market right away and was the most affordable and for that reason became the most popular and commonly used. For a few years the public willingly used the no frills interface of DOS. Then in 1985 Microsoft released Windows, which at that time, was a Graphical User Interface (GUI) that required DOS as an operating system but allowed for easier access to programs. The very first versions of Windows weren’t very well liked but as newer and improved versions were released, each one still needed DOS, until 1995.
When MS-Windows 95 was released it do not required DOS but could run completely independent as it had its own built-in OS. However, it did include some portions of the 16-bit DOS code to function. Like a baby bird, Windows hadn’t quite learned to fly without a little bit of assistance from DOS. But all things must change and a year later in 1996, Windows-NT was released. It was the first version of Windows that was fully 32-bit with no 16-bit DOS code in it all. However, DOS didn’t disappear from our lives. Many people still use DOS believing its simplicity to be dependable and efficient. They don’t want all the bells and whistles that are included in “user friendly” interfaces. Because of this, newer versions of DOS are still being developed and sold. Many computer manufactures still sell computers with DOS as the main operating system. Today we see FreeDOS, ROM-DOS, DR-DOS, and many more on the market. It seems DOS will live on as long as the die-hard fans still demand the simple elegance of cmd enter.Three devices to help you beat the heat
Gadgets, for the most part, are designed to make our lives easier. We have smartphones to keep us entertained, tablets to keep us connected, and even digital blood monitors to help keep us healthy. But are there devices out there that are designed to help keep us cool? Moderating body temperature is an essential part of staying comfortable and thankfully, technology has worked to make that moderation more manageable. We are all familiar with desktop fans and air conditioners, but here are three unique personal gadgets that can also help you beat the heat.
The Bedfan It’s natural to sleep best when nestled tightly under a heavy blanket. However, it’s difficult to do this in the hot summer months without running a high utility bill. Luckily, gadgets like the Bedfan are an efficient solution to this problem. The Bedfan connects to the end of your bed with a thin vent that easily fits right under the covers. Then air is pumped out createing a light current. Because the current is insulated between your body and your blanket, the effects are highly noticeable. You’ll enjoy sleeping under a heavy blanket any time of the year. For more information, check out this website. The BEX Runner Exercising at a temperature above your internal body temperature can be dangerous. This is problematic in the summer months, especially for anyone who enjoys a nice outdoor stroll. While the BEX Runner is not necessarily a safe solution to extensive exercise in high heat conditions, it does offer a new level of comfort. The BEX rests on your palm and conducts and stores your body heat. Basically, it draws the heat away from your skin to help make you feel cooler. To learn more, read over this article. The iPocket Fan While this gadget doesn’t provide the most effective means of cooling down you off, it is definitely entertaining to use. This fan is affixed to a charging dock for your iPhone that displays an animated fan on your phone’s screen. If you spin the blades on the screen faster, the blades on the dock spin faster. While you shouldn’t expect to replace your air-conditioner with this gadget, you can at least expect to have a fun time creating a light breeze. For a closer look, check out this link. Keeping cool is easy with the right gadgets. Make sure and beat the heat this summer by moderating your temperature. If you’d like to read up on some more cooling gadgets, take a look at this article.
