Reading Digitally

Has the title question ever struck you? What do you think? Read on for lovely highlights.

It is a subtle question. Since our childhood we have studied books in print when the digital devices for reading were nonexistent. We had no other option other than to read in print.

Now that the digital age is here, how has digital reading changed things for us? We like to read fictions or self-help eBooks or any other eBook in another niche in kindle devices, iPads, tabs, notebooks and laptops where the reading format of the eBook needs to match the particular reading device. It’s more complex now. But have all the new digital devices made things really easier for us?

In fact, yes. You choose an eBook format and its compatible reading device and get habituated to it. They are easier to concentrate and we can go on reading for hours. All the same if the body of the eBook is too concise and full of information in lengthy paragraphs, you will naturally want to skim and lose your patience.

How about books in print? We are more comfortable with print in concise form full of information. We cannot disagree with this fact. We are able to take in more information by reading in print.

On the other hand, kindle devices, tabs, iPads, notebooks and laptops all need to have their batteries recharged from time to time. Sometimes it becomes an added burden for us to recharge these devices just because we want to read something.

However, reading in print is convenient anytime. We just have to open the required books and novels when we are in a mood to read. We don’t have the additional task of recharging our digital devices. They are free open reads for us whenever we want wherever we like.

Summing up, while digital devices have the upper advantage of making digital reading more convenient for us, they do have their downsides that I have just mentioned, which reading in print doesn’t have.

All the same, this is the digital era and we cannot stay backdated. We need to familiarize ourselves with the various digital reading devices and their corresponding reading formats.

For example, ePub format is an open format designed by the Open eBook Forum and developed by the International Digital Publishing Forum. Devices that can open this file include the iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad and the Nook from Barnes & Noble. The e-book format MOBI used by the MobiPocket Reader can be opened by Kindle for PC and Mac.

The Portable Document Format (PDF) was created by Adobe for its Acrobat products. This is a very popular e-book format since software support for this format exists for a lot of devices including notebooks, laptops and PC’s.

Once we have become accustomed to the eBook reading formats and their corresponding digital reading devices, only then we are able to cherish life fully.

Skill for Every IT Professional

In this day and age, our clients rely on us more than ever before and have much larger demands. After all, we’re the IT people, the experts. We must provide a one-stop shop for all of our clients. If clients had the technical know-how, we wouldn’t be needed. We must not only possess the technical skills, but the skills to effectively communicate with our clients, both internal and external. Why must we have great communication skills in our arsenal? We didn’t go into IT to deal with customer service concerns. The reality of today’s IT market is that we’re not only expected to be on top of the latest technological advances, but we must also be able to clearly convey the 5 “W’s” for our customers to perceive that we’ve not only addressed their concerns; but to make them feel as if they’ve received some value-added benefit. Let’s face it, while we all have different skill sets and talents, at the end of the day the result is tantamount to any developer.

What sets one IT company apart from another is in the how we present the information to the client, and if they feel that the benefit they’re receiving is worth writing our paycheck. Delivering results is no longer what impresses a client, anyone can do that, it’s the expectation, not a luxury.

This article will reveal several tips that are incredibly easy to implement and will not only earn a client’s business but retain it throughout the years. With little to no expense, you can wow your clients and cut down on unnecessary time spent making corrections.

We hope you enjoy these tips and will consider implementing them into your daily routine to make a positive impact.

How does this affect me?

If you’re not getting great reviews from your clients and repeat business, something’s getting lost in translation.

A Harris Poll of hiring managers shows that 77 percent of employers consider soft skills to be as important as technical skills.

Now that we’ve properly identified the issues it’s time to find a solution. What skills exactly are we needing to work on?

It’s no secret that IT professionals embrace jargon. After all speaking in “code” keeps us relevant and makes us sound intelligent. The problem is that we sometimes forget that we need to put away the jargon. Translate the information into “plain” language. If this seems to be quite a challenge, consider re-evaluating the information as if you were going to teach it to a high school or junior college class. Check for understanding. Ask your client if he or she is following what you’re saying. Another great way to check for understanding is to ask the client what he or she thinks or how it sounds so far. This tip will go a long way. If they don’t understand, they’ll most likely tell you, after all, they’re paying you a generous fee for your services, not to hear the alphabet in incorrect order. “The people who will thrive are the strong technologists who are capable of translating their expertise into terms that nontechnical people can understand.” -Ben Gaucherin, Harvard University

Role play meetings and presentations with co-workers

You wouldn’t state that a project was complete without testing it, right? It’s a great idea to do a “dry run” with co-workers or even your family if permitted. Have them ask questions you may anticipate, or if they have any questions. Choose the most brutally honest co-worker to throw you some questions or concerns, also ask them what they liked about the presentation.

Take a public speaking class and join a meetup group

Chances are you’re not the only person that is interested in personal and professional growth. Classes and groups provide a great opportunity to brainstorm with other professionals groups will often provide you with a wealth of networking opportunities and are localized and even specialized, so you can discuss any matters relevant to the area you work in.

Keep your skills sharp

We’ve established that communication can be a problem in the IT world. Communicating outdated information ineffectively can only lead to impending doom. Be certain to stay ahead of the curve to avoid the pitfall(s) of being (or becoming) irreverent.

Drones

While drones are constructed for recreational purposes, you can also use them for professional aerial photography and videography, to inspect bridges, cargo carrying, wildlife tracking, and a wide range of other drone-related activities.

People who should consider investing in a drone

There is no harm in anyone owning a drone but you should highly consider investing in one if you love conventional remote controlled machines. These can be cars, boats, helicopters and many other units. You also should consider the units if you are into photography and videography. Do you have a deep interest in drone technology? You also should highly consider getting the units.

Factors to consider when buying a drone

For you to get the most from the unit you need to consider a number of factors. Some of these factors include:

Camera type: While most of the units come with their own cameras, there are others that have GoPro cameras attached to them. When making a purchase, go for one with a built-in camera. You should consider the number of megapixels that the camera has, video resolution, a method of camera control and distance of the camera.

Battery life: This is important as it determines how long you will enjoy having the drone. Consider the charging time of the unit, battery life, and whether you will need replacement batteries in your work.

Height and speed: There is no specific height and speed that your unit should have-it’s all dependent on your preferences that are guided by your needs. If looking for a unit to take live video action during a game, go for one that can reach up to 300 feet. This is to make it possible for you to easily capture the entire event.

Tips to remember when using the drone

When you buy the unit you need to consider a number of tips before you start flying it. When you make the purchase consider a number of terms such as RTF, BNF, ARF and any other that might be in the user manual. RTF means that you have to install a propeller before you fly, BNF means that the drone is completely assembled but you have to buy the controller separately.

While the unit might seem like a toy, you have to register it with the federal aviation administration. You should note that to make a registration you should be at least 13 years old. After making the registration you will be given a unit identification number that will be displayed in your unit. The registration can last for up to 3 years.

The Impact of Technology

The advancement of new technology has been taking place since the beginning of human history. From the invention of items like the spear and knives made out of rocks and sticks to aid in the capturing and killing of animals for food, to items like the first printing press and the computer. The question: are the impacts positive or negative?

Technology is a word used to collectively describe or portray the advancements, abilities,creations, undertakings, views, and knowledge of a singular group of persons: we as human-kind. The advancement in technology has been exceptionally fast in the 20th and 21st century. With electronic technology and machines being produced and improved all the time, it was very likely that along with the positive aspects of these new advancements, people would also consider the negative aspects and look to criticize new technology.

A Positive Side

As the old age states “NECESSITY IS THE MOTHER OF INVENTION” i.e. necessities tend to spawn inventions and each invention is annexed with the need of betterment and transmogrification. Newer and newer advances are happening by the day. Technological change is in large part responsible for many of the secular trends in such basic parameters of the human condition as the size of the world population, life expectancy, education levels, material standards of living,and the nature of work, communication, health care, war, and the effects of human activities on the natural environment.

Other aspects of society and our individual lives are also influenced by technology in many direct and indirect ways, including governance,entertainment, human relationships, and our views on morality, mind, matter, and our own human nature. Needless to add that these advancements also invigorate economic development as the effective use of technology reduces the material production cost and the overhead charges which generate savings in the economy and thus lead to national development.

And the Negative Side

Problems and potentials often go hand in hand; Society has become more and more dependent on technology. So much so that we sometimes lack the willingness to think before we act. We become impatient if it takes more than a few seconds to download a copy of the morning news paper. We expect immediate responses to our email, and we expect someone to answer their cell phone whenever and wherever we call.

Technology is making us so bust that we can can’t even find time to spend with our closed one’s. it would be surprising to know that people are in contact through chat and online messaging though they are in same city because they think its more faster and effective but they are forgetting that meeting personally can never replace online chatting.

“technology in sum, is both friend and enemy”

Neil Postman, author of the book called Technopoly, writes that ‘technology in sum, is both friend and enemy’. He can see the benefits and how technology can be seen as a friend to humanity that ‘it makes life easier, cleaner and longer’. He can accept it does humanity good. It’s almost a positive claim based on technology like medical advancements such as x-ray devices and medical drugs that help to lengthen life and help humanity. This is a very positive aspect of the advancement because we can improve health and lengthen our lives. But these medical advancements are mainly produced by companies, who then choose to monetize the advancement. Moral responsibility is weakened by this greed for money; they have lost the objective in saving lives or making people healthy again. They are only creating advancements in technology in order to make a lot of money.

Neil Postman also sees technology as undermining human processes as well. That technology creates ‘a culture without moral foundation’ and undermines social relations between humans. This can currently be seen with the argument over social networking sites on the internet. It was created for people to communicate and network, yet some people use it as their only form of communication with other people. This doesn’t necessarily help their social skills in the real and outside world away from the internet. People can become addicted and reliant on this technology and use it as their main form for creating social relations. It makes things like understanding facial expressions and body language hard to grasp.

Conclusion

If technological advancements are put in the best uses, it further inspires the development in related and non-related areas but at the same time its negative use can create havoc in the humanity or the world. Technology has, and will, change the moral fabric of humanity; it is up to the present generation to heed this warning and not allow such societal travesties of immense proportions ever to occur again Technological Advancements will continue to advance rapidly as we move into the next millennium. What is important is to ensure that these advances benefit humanity as a whole…

WordPress and SEO

WordPress and SEO go hand in hand because the search engines favor the WordPress blogging platform to a high extent. If you have a WordPress blog, then you probably will receive a higher ranking than other websites. Reasonably, your chances will be improved if you get some things right initially. You can choose any topic out there and there will be loads of WordPress blogs covering that topic. But, for many different causes, they do not all have excellent search engine rankings. You have to learn how to optimize your WordPress blog for the search engines. Ensure that you place specific things in motion so that you will be ranked highly for your keyword.

Paid themes are a safer way to go and do not use advertisements. If you can meet the expense, you should initially select a high class theme that is not shared and this will allow you less hassles.

Have Trackbacks in Your Comments:

One of the main things that helps your WordPress blog get excellent ranking is the trackbacks. This makes it simple to have links made in the comments section to anyone who is linking to your content. When you allow trackbacks on your WordPress blog, this gives other people an avenue for linking to your articles and making a backlink for you. If you do your homework, you will learn that most of well populated WordPress blogs have trackbacks turned on. This is a method for allowing others to link to your article if they found it fascinating.

Sprinkle Keywords in Your Content:

Even if you run your site on the WordPress platform that doesn’t mean that you can waive off the basic principles of SEO. You should always maintain a decent keyword density in your articles so that you’re not completely ignoring this aspect. Don’t stuff too many keywords into your content but weave them in at targeted locations that seem vital; beef up your synonym use to keep from repeating your keywords too many times within your article.

WordPress blogs do seem to have a distinct advantage when it comes to optimizing for search engines. It’s the small stuff that will make or break you no matter how huge or small your blog may be at the second. Why aren’t you getting started yet? Now your blog can be a huge player in a really huge pond. These three things can help make that happen.

Technology and Art

We all are witnessing the changes being made in the art these days. Technology has the power to change anything. It is changing the traditional art into digital art.

Amazing digital art has taken place of traditional art. Digital art is exploring itself in many different ways that one can imagine. Different software is developed to increase the presence of digital art.

Photoshop Artists are one of the most common digital artists who give an amazing look to a picture with the help of imaging software and different applications.

These applications are developed with the help of technology. Anyone can be a digital artist having knowledge and proficiency in Photoshop.

Difference between traditional artists and digital artists is that traditional artists use paint and cement for their art and digital artists use imaging software and applications in their art. Some of the applications have the power to create 3D art work.

Technology has taken art into a new level of creativity. Let us talk about how technology has changed traditional art into digital art. We know that internet is ruling the world with its power. So, artists decided to present their art online with the help of internet. This is possible with use of technology.

You must have seen art galleries and attended painting exhibitions in your life. These doesn’t work well these days so artists find a way where they can get more attention and more praise for their work. Most of the artistic stuff is now seen online and is circulated to the art lovers.
There are some places where exhibitions are held and we do respect them. But presenting paintings, sculptures and art work online is in trend. Some of the artists are also showing their art on the basis of card swipe panel or coins.

How this work – when you enter coins or swipe card in the panel, the panel shows you some of the art work for a few minutes and then gets closed and if you want to see it again or explore more, further you need to swipe your card or add coins into it. This is how artists are using technology.

How digital artists are using technology for their art work
Digital artists already in touch with technology are aware of the systems that are in trend and use them to create their art work and sell them online.

Some of the professional digital artists are earning a lot of bucks by selling their art work. They can also design the ones that you want and are also ready to make any modifications you need.

They use different software to explore their skills and made it more impressive. They are using technologies that offer new ways to express their art work in a realistic way for much more time.

They are using different types of media and mix them to provide a more creative art work. Their 3D art work looks as real as it is present live in front of you.

Technology not only brings changes in education, medical field, industry and business but also brings a huge change in the art work and the artists as well.

Technology opens different paths for the artists to enter into for a good earning. They made their profession more powerful along with their art work.

In our busy lives we hardly get time to meet each other and our loved ones. How can it be possible to see exhibitions and galleries? So technology has brought this change in the art workers to show their skills and talent to people from anywhere in the world.

Technology is getting advanced and making more useful for the common man as well as artists. Technology has provided us with several things that we should be thankful. One of them is digital art work.

The Internet and Your Child

Internet is a wonderful place, where your child can grow and gain valuable information about the surrounding world. There are also dangers awaiting your child while surfing the Net and socializing in forums or other social sites. Before your child is old enough to use the Internet, discuss with him what he is allowed to do on the Internet, and what he is not allowed to do. Try to build mutual trust between the two of you, and allow him to share with you if something bad on the Internet happened to him. Always remember to discourage it from leaving too much personal information about himself on the Net. Children love sharing as much of their personal data as possible, so stay alert and keep your eye on it before something bad happens. Internet is a wonderful place where your child can play online games, meet new friends and learn new things. I think that it is a good place where your child can spend his free time, but you have to remember, that the Internet is also a place, where there is no parental supervision. Children are not afraid to say things on the Internet that otherwise they would not be afraid to say in real life.

Polaroid-Style Thumbnails

�Polaroid on the Fly� plug-in is a unique plug-in for WordPress that is capable of creating Polaroid-style thumbnails within your posts. It has been discussed many times that incorporating pictures in your blog often results in a blog looking more attractive. There is no reason not to use images from time to time. With this plug-in you can incorporate cool Polaroid images, so that your pictures stand out from all of the rest of the images found on the blogosphere. If you have been recently wondering how to make your blog look more appealing, then this plug-in might be what you were looking for.

It might be worth mentioning that even though images can enhance your blog, it is important to take into account the loading speed of your blog. The more picture you have, the longer it will take for your site to load. While this might not be a problem for those with an unlimited broadband connection, anyone who is still on dial-up will have a hard time browsing your site.

I would also like to add that blogs in some niches are more �image-friendly� than others. What I mean is that sites like, for example, business blogs should focus on having valuable content, rather than having many images.

Who Is Addicted to the Internet?

There are definitely a few types of Internet users out there. In this post, I will try to highlight what those types are so that you can try to find out which type of Internet user you are yourself.

-The first group of Internet users are those people for whom the Internet is everything. The Internet is their life: most if not all their relationships and social interaction needs are fulfilled through the Internet. Such people spend countless hours in front of their computers and they do not feel anymore the flow of time. They are definitely addicted to the Internet.

Second group of people are Internet users who use the Internet a lot, but who do not neglect their real lives. I would classify myself as being part of this particular group. I use the Internet a lot, but the Internet is not everything to me. I know my boundaries and I do not have problems switching my computer off once I know that it is time to have some interactions with others face to face.

-The last group of people are Internet users who only use the Internet occasionally. They do not even know that one can be addicted to the Internet. The Internet has never played a big part in their lives and it probably never will.

So, to which group of Internet users do you belong?

Technology and Games

There is a very big progress in technology and nobody can deny that. Progress in technology also affects games. Games are evolving and they are becoming more and more complex. Twenty or thirty years ago games very a lot simpler than they are right now. You cannot say the same thing about games these days. Of course, there are some games aimed at very young children and they are quite simple, but there are also very complex games that may take months or even years to master. There are also more and more online games where players can cooperate or compete with real players.