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.