Can Apple Keep It Up

In the 1980s everyone wanted a Sony Walkman, and ‘Walkman’ quickly became the byword for any portable cassette player. In the 1990s the product du jour was a Nokia mobile handset. Next it was Apple’s turn: first the iPod, then the iPhone, now the iPad. There is no doubt that Apple’s brand hegemony has been truly incredible, but for how long can it realistically stay ahead?  Read More

Uncommon ways to use web video for your business

Web video is a very basic and effective way to convey information about a business, yet many businesses still aren’t utilizing it. If you’ve been wondering how you can use videos for your business, take a look at these great examples.

Testimonials

Happy customers are usually more than willing to share their great stories about companies. Although testimonials are usually written, video testimonials are not uncommon.

Most people are well aware of how to create a video on their computers and will be happy to create a 30-second video praising your company. This medium makes the stories come alive for prospective clients.

Replace written content

With all of the text that you find on a standard website, it is easy to get lost in the content. Mixing the text with some video can deliver the same message in a way that is new and refreshing to visitors.

Instead of having an average “About us” page, try using a video to describe your business. It can make people feel more connected with your company and gives them a break from text overload.

Educate!

Educational videos such as product demos or even “How to” videos are extremely popular. Although you may not sell products that you can create a demo for, you can still create videos that relate to your business – whatever it may be.

Clothing stores can make videos demonstrating how to best wear a garment, or a trend. Things like this can go a long way and tend to make your clients look to you as an expert.

Web video is still relatively new when it comes to business uses, but the potential uses are expanding. If you’re interested in learning more new ways to use web video for your business, take a look at this article.

The Significance of a Good Attitude

Being successful in business is due in large part to your attitude. Professional skill and connections will take you far, but if you do not have a personable demeanor, you may find success to be unrealistic. At its core, business is about relating to people by way of offering services or goods. While being ambitious and enthusiastic are important character traits for business success, it’s also important to realize that you have to sell yourself before you can sell a product. Here are some important things to remember when developing your attitude in business.

1.    Think positively

Staying positive is at the core of any good attitude. Research has revealed that praising your coworkers often, setting reasonable goals and consistently showing gratitude are all traits common in successful businesspeople. Thinking pessimistically fosters a negative attitude that makes seeing the positives difficult and, in turn, decreases your ability to succeed. Thinking positively lets you see the good things around you and allows you to build off of them, creating an attitude beneficial to advancement. If you’d like more tips on staying positive, take a look at this article.

2.    Think assertively without being aggressive

Assertiveness is an important aspect of a good business attitude, but it’s important to remember that assertiveness can easily turn into aggression. When asserting your opinion in the workplace, remember to hear the opinions of those around you. It’s O.K. make your point clear, but make sure that you keep yourself open to the ideas and views of others. To avoid being overly aggressive, practice your communication skills.

Practicing these tips will make you a member of the team and make an environment that allows for your career advancement. If you’d like additional tips, please consider this article.

3.    Approach conflict with compassion

Interpersonal conflict is an unavoidable part of every work culture. Try approaching resolution with compassion if and when you find yourself at odds with a coworker. Stepping into conflict resolution with an open mind instead of defensiveness will often result in a more positive outcome. Adding compassion to your business attitude will improve your skills at resolving conflict. If you’d like to read more about being compassionate at work, take a look at this article.

No matter your experience or career, people will always be challenging to deal with. Having a fresh and positive attitude when dealing with them will allow you to advance and flourish in the work place. Remembering these simple tips are the first steps in cultivating a good business attitude, and having a good business attitude is the first step to advancing your career.

What exactly is IPv6?

Most of us have heard rumblings about the Internet transitioning to IPv6. What precisely it will mean, however, is still lost on many. Keep reading for an explanation of IPv6 and how it may possibly affect you.

What it is

IPv6 is the newest version of Internet Protocol (IP), which is the method by which data is sent from a computer over the Internet. Until now, we have been using IPv4, which will soon be running out of addresses, which prompted the development of IPv6. 

IPv6 enables additional addresses by using longer number sequences, which allows for a greater number of unique combinations (IPv4 used 32-bit addresses, where IPv6 uses 128-bit addresses). Today is World IPv6 Day, which marks the initial transition from IPv4 to IPv6.

How the transition may affect you

The biggest issues concerning IPv6 will probably appear during the initial transition. Whether or not you will have a problem accessing a page will depend on your browser and the Web server of that domain. Potential problems include:

• If you’re using IPv6 and you try to access an IPv4 site, you may receive a “404” error.
• If you are using a network that only supports IPv4, you may not be able to access IPv6 sites – you can reconfigure your network in order to fix this.

Despite these potential hiccups, many people agree that you are unlikely to encounter significant problems during the transition.

How to avoid IPv6-related problems

There are a few resources that can warn you about any issues you may run into during the transition to IPv6. Websites like http://omgipv6day.com/ and http://test-ipv6.com/ will tell you if you will be able to access most sites. They will also tell you where your problems will stem from, if you experience any.

Although the transition to IPv6 may be confusing at first, it likely won’t cause too many major problems. For more insight into the IPv6 change, check out this PCWorld article.

The Pros and Cons of Using Computer Tablets

The tablet industry has seen a notable amount of growth after Apple introduced their signature iPad in 2010. Subsequently, the tablet market has diversified with assorted iPad alternatives provided by competitors such as Android, Microsoft and also Motorola. However, tablet computers may not be right for everyone. Despite its recent popularity, who’s to say that the iPad won’t go the way of the 8-track? Of course, the choice of whether or not a tablet is right for you is one that should be educated. Before you decide to purchase one of these expensive machines, or even if you are already an owner, consider these pros and cons.

Pros: 

• Tablets are mobile. As business begins to make full use of cloud computing, having your work remotely accessible becomes a must. A tablet can make you more accessible and, in turn, more productive. 
• Tablets are very useful. The potential for productive work uses will only increase as developers release more business-related apps. In the future, tablets will likely become more practical in a business setting. 
• Tablets are a sign of professionalism. Having a tablet computer in a meeting with a client or partner instead of a legal pad will let them know that you mean business. In turn, this could increase their confidence in your ability to perform. 

Cons: 

• Tablets aren’t absolutely essential. There are currently few functions a tablet can complete that a desktop or laptop cannot. Before you decide on a tablet, consider if it is a needed business tool or a wanted luxury. 
• Tablets can be very distracting. Because tablets are crossover devices between business and consumer, they have the potential to become overpriced toys. Presently, there are far more leisure-related apps than there are work-related apps.  
• Tablets are a new technology. Though this makes them exciting and cutting edge, it also makes them expensive and sometimes faulty. Developers often release these products before they are perfected, and it might be a few years down the road until a fully reliable tablet is released at a fair price. 

Computer tablets can be extremely useful tools, though at the same time they can operate as nothing more than very expensive toys. Depending on your needs, a tablet may be the perfect fit, but make sure to weigh the pros and cons before making a final decision. If you are interested in reading further, please read over this article.

A deeper look into NFC mobile chips

How we pay for things appears to keep getting easier and easier. The trend is continuing with NFC, or Near Field Communication, mobile chips. NFC technology allows you to wirelessly transfer data from one gadget to another at close ranges.

How will we use it?

NFC mobile chips will soon be integrated into all smartphones, making it easier than ever to pay for your coffee. Instead of digging around in your purse or pocket to find your wallet, you simply use your phone – something many of us have at hand at all times.

By integrating NFC chips into smartphones, users may be able to store their credit card information on their phones. Then, when they are at a business that uses the technology, they can simply scan their phones to purchase at the register.

Google Wallet

Google just announced its foray into the mobile payments world. Google Wallet, which hopes to replace the traditional wallet, is available on certain Android devices, but Google plans to release a sticker that will allow other devices to work with the Google Wallet. A number of retailers have already signed on to work with Google Wallet.

Apple, which is rumored to be working on a mobile payment system as well, will likely not willingly open up their devices to the Google Wallet technology. Instead, they will most likely be releasing their own NFC systems very soon.

Other potential uses

NFC mobile chips will likely soon be doing much more than just helping you pay for your coffee. Some of those future uses include:

• Replace passports and boarding passes
• Products may have RFID (radio-frequency identification) tags on them that you can scan as a way to gather information.
• Pet tags may soon have RFID tags attached that you can scan if you find a lost puppy.
• Replace keys – no more clunky key chains!

NFC mobile chips are undoubtedly going to make a significant difference in everyday routines and activities.

For more information on NFC mobile chips and how they work, check out this article.

How to use a workflow chart

Your day-to-day workflow can be challenging to get under control. Sometimes we don’t know what the next logical step is off the top of our heads. Fortunately, workflow charts are simple to create and can make certain processes much easier to understand.

What are they?

Flowcharts are diagrams that illustrate certain processes and the steps and decisions within that process. Steps and decisions are represented by squares and diamonds, respectively, and are connected by arrows to show the order of the steps. For an example of a flowchart, take a look at this article.

Pros

• Very straightforward way of conveying a process as the symbols are generally universally understood
• Once it has been made, the process will often take less time than before
• Helps users understand how each step impacts an entire process

Cons

• Can be difficult to create, especially when the processes are more complicated
• If you don’t have the proper software, this can be a very long process

How to create one

Creating a workflow chart is not as complex as it looks. Thanks to computer software that guides you through the process, it can really be much less painful that you might think.

In order to create a workflow chart you merely determine the starting point of a process as well as the ending point and all of the steps in between. Boxes denote different steps and the arrows that connect those boxes indicate which step comes next. If there is more than one course of action for a certain step, they should be denoted by multiple arrows and the appropriate operator icons. To see what different flowchart icons mean, take a look at this eHow article.

Since workflow charts break everything down step-by-step, they can be extremely helpful when it comes to boosting productivity and speeding up everyday processes.

If you’d like more information on how to create a workflow chart, take a look at this article.

Technology terms you should know

For the majority of us, technology is an integral part of our everyday lives. Many of us, however, still are hazy on a number of common technology terms. Fortunately, for those that are unclear, we have created a mini glossary of common tech terms you should be familiar with.

Cookies

Cookies allow websites to identify you when you revisit them. By allowing cookies, you are letting your browser store your information, such as username, password and preferences, and provide it for the site you are visiting. They are a time-saver that can be very useful for avid Internet users.

Unfortunately, cookies can also be viewed as a privacy issue. Since they store your information and track your activity they make it easier for someone to access your data. Most experts agree, however, that merely limiting the amount of cookies you allow will help protect your online identity.

URL

A URL, which is short for uniform resource locator, is basically the web address of a website. It is what you type into the address bar of a browser when you want to be directed to a web page.

Cloud

Cloud is one of the most used terms in technology these days yet it still has many people scratching their heads. The cloud is made up of web-based applications and services that you can use on any computer sometimes without purchasing hardware or installing software. CRM web apps such as Salesforce.com, ERP apps such as MS Dynamics, Hosted Exchange (MS Outlook 2010), Online Backups (ie Mozy & Carbonite), Google Docs and Facebook are among the most common cloud services today.

Flash

Flash is an Adobe-owned platform that enables you to view certain things on your computer. Many people install Flash players or plug-ins in order to watch videos or animation or see dynamic displays on websites. Although Flash has been the longtime leader in its field, HTML5 is quickly catching up with it.

Knowing the basics of tech terminology is a great way to better understand the technology we interact with.

If you’d like to see a more in-depth description of tech terms, take a look at this glossary.

5 social media terms and what they mean

While many of us have adopted social media as a standard form of communication, plenty of us still have no clue what certain terms mean. Fortunately, these terms are typically easy to understand once you’re given a push in the right direction. This guide should serve as a first step to understanding social media terms.

1. Tag

Tag can refer to a variety of different things, depending on how it is used. Often, in blogs or other content you can attach a keyword to a blog. Those keywords are known as tags. This makes it easier for search engines to register the content you post as pertaining to a certain topic.

Tag might also pertain to the act of tagging a friend in photos on Facebook. This essentially means that you link someone to a photo that they are in. This feature has been around for years but it’s becoming more sophisticated as it now uses facial recognition.

The newest form of tagging actually refers to mentioning friends in your posts and status updates. Now, if you tag them in your updates, they will be informed of your post and it will show up on their wall for all of their other friends to see.

2. Troll

In this instance, a troll does not refer to a little toy with neon hair and a jewel for a belly button. A troll, in social media terms, is someone who uses social media as a way to upset people. They often make taunting or offensive posts in order to generate anger.

3. Friend

While we all know what the classic meaning of friend is, that’s often not the meaning applied to the word friend in the social media world. In social media, to friend someone simply means adding someone to your network.

4. Stream

Stream is another one of those double-meaning terms, depending on how it is used. Stream may refer either to someone’s Twitter or Facebook home page that contains updates and posts from everybody in their social network. It can also refer to receiving a constant stream of information, often in the form of a webcast.

5. At mention

At mentions, or @ mentions, are used on Twitter and they are really similar to Facebook’s new tagging system for status updates. This allows you to mention someone in your Tweet and notify him or her of your post.

Although social media terms can easily become hazy, the purpose of this guide is to help clear them up. If you’d like an even more extensive guide to social media terms take a look at this article.

Suggestions for preventing employee burnout

Employee burnout is something that most of us have seen in others or experienced ourselves. Repetitive tasks and overwhelming workloads can easily get the best of us. Thankfully, there are plenty of simple ways to both combat and stop employee burnout before anybody reaches his or her breaking point.

Avoiding burnout

• Have fun – Making room for fun can alleviate some stress and help to keep employees inspired when they are on the brink of burnout.
• Switch it up – Let employees work on new projects or teams when they’ve been working on one thing for a long time, like Facebook is doing with Hackamonth.
• Encourage breaks – It’s fantastic to have employees that don’t want to quit working until they get things finished. Unfortunately, those are the people that are likely to burn out fastest. If you have employees like this, persuade them to take walks or go on a coffee run – anything to keep them from going stir crazy.

When burnout simply can’t be avoided, these tips can help minimize its ripple effects.

How to deal with burnout

• Accept it – Burnout isn’t always preventable so it’s important to be aware of the signs such as lethargy, decreased socializing or irritability.
• Communicate – Growing businesses often go through changes that leave employees frustrated. Making sure your employees know that they can talk to you is a terrific way to stop burnout before it gets out of control.

Employee burnout can’t always be prevented but there are many different ways to deal with it when it happens. Implementing these suggestions can help keep burnout under control and help your employees cope with it.

If you’d like to check out more burnout prevention tips take a look at this article.