Techie Resolutions

How about this for a figure for you: the average adult spends 11 hours online every day. This leads one to believe that if we can change some of our habits, there is a lot of potential for improvement in life and the quality of it. There are some great things that you can do to really improve your digital life as well, ranging from security to de-cluttering. For the security part, you should use a password manager where you only have to remember one extremely secure password. If you go to concert, put away your phone and be there. Live in that moment in order to experience the music and emotions in real time at the concert. Not to mention that many musicians are banning the use of recording devices. In the world of software development, there are constant upgrades so make sure to keep up with them and you will be happier for it. Any other tips?

No Good Education Apps

With everyone immersed in the digital world, it is no surprise that many mobile application development companies are becoming like sharks when it comes to targeting students and anyone else in the educational system in hopes of selling them some apps or an idea. There are many education tools that are useful but there are none that will teach you manners and how to be able to maintain eye contact or how to conduct yourself on the multitude of social media platforms. The very devices and media delivery systems that provide us with unprecedented insight and understanding of the world are also distracting us from what is existing in front of our eyes. In a culture where we will increasingly and rightly tap into an app, video or digital tool to learn a skill or collaborate with team members in our class or across the globe, the human race also needs to figure out a way to reconnect with what's in front of us.

Secure Cloud Services in the Office

It depends on you if the cloud services that you use are safe. If you use software-as-a-service providers such as Salesforce.com, Office 365 or Dropbox to store your documents in the cloud, those companies take a certain amount of responsibility for the security of the data they maintain on your behalf. They are not responsible for how you choose who can access the data. You need to choose a cloud service that provides data protection both in transit and when data is at rest—including during backups. Make sure to ask your provider if they have had any past or recent breaches, and if they have, what they did to avoid a repeat. Lastly, know that your biggest threat may be from a malicious or disgruntled employee who is hellbent on stealing confidential or sensitive data and using the information against you. Your own in-house security and user account login and password management need to be tight and you need to know exactly who has access to what.

Getting the Most Out of Your Workday

The first thing to do when you want to make the most out of your time is to prioritize. Make a list of the things that need to be done either that day or that week in order of what is most important. Even though you might want to do the small easier things in the morning when you get to work, it is better if you just tackle those biggest and hardest projects because they are more important and more pressing. The video conference can wait until that certain time that you have allotted for it. This will require some planning ahead. While you are planning ahead, make sure that you leave some empty spaces in your calendar. It might be great to try to plan every minute of every day but things, such as a really slow day or a sick kid, come up and you need to have the ability to be flexible.

Soundtrack for Your Life

We could be closer to that. There is this nifty new mobile applications that takes your playlist to a whole new level. It will choose the music with a tempo that will match your exercise. The app called Spring will first want to know about your tastes of music based on the genre and it will pick songs from the library of 10,000 songs. Then it will ask you the number of steps you take per minutes. If you do not know, it will do an analysis. But the way apps are integrating with Apple’s movement-tracking guts, it’s only a matter of time before other music-streaming services will come out with real-time tempo-changing music in a bigger, better, and, perhaps, more motivational way. It might also keep track of your heartrate to better match your tempo. What do you think of these apps?

Slow Internet

What will you do if the internet slowed down? Do you remember the days when you had to wait to get online and it made that funny dialing noise? So far, net neutrality is going to equal very slow internet. If the Federal Communications Commission adopts its proposed rules, Internet service providers like Comcast or Verizon will be allowed to provide "fast lanes" to websites and services that pay, and slow lanes to the rest. This means that it will be harder for Americans to access those sites that can't afford to pay fees -- including those of new businesses, nonprofits, educators, artists, activists, and faith groups. The result? Startup innovation, free expression, and democratic discourse in America will suffer. One of the scariest things is that communication services will experience major slow downs. One of the greatest things about the internet is that there is open communication between businesses, customers, and many other people. It could be the end of that. Any thoughts?

Myths About Tech

One of the most common myths about tech is that you cannot take good photos unless you have lots of megapixels. There are other things that affect the quality of the picture such as the lens, circuitry, and sensor. Not to mention how good you are with the camera controls, lighting, and composition. Another myth that I find interesting is the notion that magnets will be able to erase your data. First of all, you need a really really strong magnet such as one that is used on NMR instruments and you will find those mostly in labs. Most data storage is fairly safe though. Besides many more people are using cloud services so we only have to be leery of magnet for other reasons. Have you ever heard someone saying that you should never put metal in the microwave? Well it has more to do with the shape of the metal object because sharper objects can collect the charge and result in sparking whereas a spoon will not cause any problems. Either way do your research because ignorance is a horrible thing.

Mobile Carriers

This time of the year is always ripe with deals from mobile carriers. This is Apple season, people. Mobile carriers are tripping over each other for your business because now is the perfect time to get a new phone and renew contracts. The question is, are you going stay with you current provider or take the jump and switch? The deal from Sprint is that they are offering up to $300 for a traded phone and a unique plan for iPhone customers. T-Mobile is matching an rival's trade-in plan and throwing in $50 on top of it. Verizon offers a $200 credit for a trade-in phone if the customer buys the new iPhone. AT&T is giving out at least $300 for a traded-in iPhone 5S and at least $200 for an iPhone 4, 4S, 5 and 5C. It's also shaving $100 off your bill if you buy a new iPhone and sign up for AT&T's "Next" program. Next lets you get the new iPhone for no money down and pay $32.50 each month over the course of a year (on top of your plan's price). Even though the software development and mobile applications are not new with this phone, it will test which deals customers like the best.

Keeping Healthy While at Your Desk

If you work in an office where you sit all day at a computer or on the internet phone service, you might want to pay attention. It can actually be hazardous for your health to sit for such long periods of time because you can development cardiovascular issues. One of the best things that you can do is stretch in your seat at least every hour. Set an alarm to remind you. It is a great way to release any built up stress and tension and get you right back on track. Another thing that is important to do is to just stand up. It will change your body posture and help alleviate some kinks or pains. You can also squeeze a stress ball, it is what it is made for. Typing all day can wreck havoc on your hands and fingers. Your feet will also thank you for taking your shoes off and rolling a ball under them. It will stretch out the soft tissues of your feet. Your body will thank you later for the good you give it now.

Fear Cuts Deeper Than Any Sword

Fear is a normal part of life. It is able to keep us in check and reassess certain actions. On the other hand, it can hold us back from being successful. In business and in life we take risks and those risks usually come with fear. In many cases, we need to be able to overcome it but sometimes it is hard to do. One of the best ways to do that is to develop positive thinking and affirmations that help build you up. You need to be able to interrupt that negative dialogue. Another great tip is to have a thought out plan and know what you are going to do. If you have a software development project, make sure to break it down into smaller manageable parts that you can check off your lists. Lastly, do something that scares you every day and keep yourself on your feet. You will be able to practice making the uncomfortable comfortable and breaking down barriers. So when there is a larger barrier standing in your way, you can knock it down with confidence.

Must Have Tech

Gah, it is that time of the year again. The kids are going back to school and lots of gadgets are on sale. One of the tech for college and high school student that is popular this year is the tablet. It is portable and can store things like books which can be annotated with certain mobile applications. If you are going to use a tablet, you should also consider having a case that has a keyboard. If you are someone that tends to type a lot, it might go a lot faster with a keyboard than the virtual keyboard on the screen. You can also use VoIP services on it to telecommute so that a day of classes is never missed. Another great gadget is a case with an extra battery or a portable charger. It is quite hard to go a full day without charging your phone at least once and an outlet is not always nearby. Lastly, it you are working online most of the time, which you probably are, it would be wise to have an antivirus program. There is nothing like having your day ruined by a virus that destroys your hard drive and all that hard work. But, if you are a student that it in the loop, you might have your stuff backed up on the cloud which will save you some headaches but not the money spent on the brand new laptop or tablet.

Developing Good Habits

Understanding how habits work is a great skill to have in order to build news which will affect you life, work, and health. One of the first things you should do when trying to build a new habit is start with something that is extremely easy to do and requires little to no motivation. If you want to master business application development, start with working on it for 30 minutes a day instead of hours. Next, make sure that you do small improvement everyday, they will eventually add up. In fact, it can add up so fast that it might even be easier to break it up into smaller chunks. If you do two hours of work on the computer a day, take a break in between. You also cannot have an all or nothing attitude because missing a day has no long term effects, it is about being able to get back on track easily. Learning to be patient is perhaps the most critical skill of all. You can make incredible progress if you are consistent and patient. Patience is everything. Do things you can sustain.

De-Stress: Now

First things first, there is a need to get rid of bad habits and disorganization. You probably check your emails and voicemails before you even get out of bed. It is important to turn off the technology and write down the goals that need accomplished for the day. The less information you keep in your head, the more productive and creative you will be. You also need to train those creative muscles with things like getting a journal to write down ideas, experiences, or just thoughts. It can actually reduce stress and get more creativity going. Lastly books and music can be game changers. Creating playlists also becomes a creative process. It’s a fun challenge to pick the best songs to keep you motivated throughout the day, and also gives your mind a mental break from your work. Reading books, especially those about things that you do not know very much about can also be inspiring and help you with the creativity.

Have Better Communication

We have gotten to a point in our lives where when we see a friend that we have not seen in a while, we still whip out our phones and check Facebook and other social media and mobile applications instead of focusing on the person in front of us. Set clear expectations for what is acceptable smartphone use and what is not in your family and your social circles. If you turn off ALL your push notifications, all of those familiar little noises will disappear from your life, and so will the urge to constantly pick up your phone! By setting custom ringtones, you can ensure that you only go running when you hear the phone ring if it's someone important. By making a conscious effort to unplug during certain times every day, you're living intentionally and making a positive impact on your smartphone habits every single day.

Hearing Issues

Do you have a hard time hearing? And I am not talking about selective hear which I know that we are all guilty of at one time of another. When people are talking about hearing loss, usually pictures of elderly people come to mind. The truth is that about have of the population that is "hard of hearing" is under 65. Breakthroughs in technology and miniaturization have the potential to reduce hesitation and eliminate remaining stigma around the use of hearing instruments by incorporating high-quality sound with unique capabilities in a tiny package. In addition, corresponding hearing aid apps allow wearers to make adjustments -- to volume or bass & treble levels -- so discreet, in fact, onlookers assume you're just checking email or internet fax. You will be able to even have your device connected to the smartphone to use it for video conferencing. Either way, if you are having a hard time hearing, there is no need to feel embarrassed. Go get your hearing checked out and start living again.

Email Overload

Emails and your inbox can sometimes need spring cleaning. Let's face it: You're not sitting on 1,000 unread emails because you're popular. You're probably subscribed to a dozen useless mailing lists that send you multiple emails a day, or you have the same email threads popping up again and again. One of the best things to do is first of all unsubscribe to those emails which are never going to read and are completely irrelevant to you. Secondly, there is a feature that allows you to mute any Gmail conversation that you are not taking a part in. Stars offer a speedy way to highlight important emails. The default is a yellow star icon. If there are still a ton of emails that you can't filter but are distracting you from what you really need to focus on, try changing up the layout of your inbox. Gmail has a couple options to suit different needs thanks to some some great app development. Now if only these filters and tricks existed in internet fax services.

Constantly Connected Yet Alone

The idea that technology is encouraging us to retreat from the real world, even as we connect elsewhere, does not seem so far-fetched. After all, you can get just about anything from your couch these days, including music and spiritual guidance. All you need is a smartphone and mobile applications. There is no denying that today’s technology-powered hyper-convenience can be a wonderful thing. One of the paradoxes of technology is that it connects us and isolates us at the same time. We get more, faster, but cannot help wondering if that is always better. We have more to read and more to watch, more to learn and more to transact, more friends and more followers — and yet we can somehow feel less satisfied. If you can do everything from your couch and your home, who is to say that in the future that we might not ever leave home? Just as McLuhan said in the previous generation that technology is changing the way we communicate and interact, the stage is changing again. Where do you think that we are headed?

Texting Appliances

How would like to text your fridge or even send an internet fax to the TV? Yes we are one step closer to making our homes smarter. LG Electronics has unveiled a virtual assistant service that lets customers text their wireless home appliances through the messaging service LINE; the appliances made by LG will be enabled with its new, HomeChat technology. The devices including fridges and televisions will use natural language processing to understand commands or status-update requests that owners sent to them through LINE, the one of the world’s biggest messaging platform with more than 310 million registered users and counting. The service rolls out in 2014 with LG’s range of smart vacuums, ovens and fridges and other appliances, LG’s chief technology officer, Scott Ahn, announced the service at the Consumer Electronics Show on Monday. Are these smart appliances really solving a certain problem or just a novelty? For example, Users could also send a text to the HOM-BOT asking “When did you last clean?” to which it might reply, ”10:50 started cleaning with zigzag mode; 11:30 completed cleaning with zigzag mode,” according to LG. Text “What are you doing?” to the LG washing machine and it should reply with details on where it is in the wash cycle. This made me chuckle a bit.