Helping Employees De-Stress

Stress is a regular part of life as I have often talked about it. It can even be said that it is somewhat healthy in small doses and it can keep you on your toes. As a business professional, there are things that you can do with your employees that can prevent the stress from becoming a chronic problem. One of the keys to finding ways to reduce the amounts of stress is to do something that is completely different that what usually happens in the office. For example, it might be a good idea to find a day in a month where you surprise your employees with ordering out or doing something more creative like bringing in a meditation specialist. Another great idea is to hold a photography contest on a Friday of every month. People are already in weekend mode by Friday afternoons. It can be fun and one of the best things is that people can use their phone and the mobile applications to edit the pictures before they submit them. The ideas here are endless, just be willing to try some out and you will reap the benefits.

Battery Saving Tips

You are out and about and forgot your phone charger and/or extra battery. The utter horror. How are your going to survive until you get home or plan your next move? The panic is sure to set in when you see that your battery is at 10% and creeping down. There are several things that you can do to squeeze a bit more life out of that battery. First of all, turn off the paralax. It is probably making you dizzy anyhow. Then you should turn off background mobile application updates and refreshing. You might also want to turn off any unnecessary location services. Just keep the ones that will help you get home. Other things that you could do is to turn off Siri, LTE, and automatic email updates. Lastly, try not making an video calls.

Protect Your Car While On a Trip

So you are going on a trip. That is great but do you know just how to keep you car safe while you are away? Car thieves look for signs that a person's car is not used and they will seek out the ones to make it easier for them to take it. One of the easiest things that you can do to the car is take our the battery and stick it in the garage. You can also detach the ignition wires. Thieves will not be wasting time to figure out why the car is not starting and move on to a better and more achievable target. You can also make it look like you are home by installing timers on lights. There are a lot of different technologies and even mobile applications that you can use for this. It is also quite simple to do and will not take very long. The only downside is that it will gobble up some electricity but it is definitely worth it if it deters some potential burglars.

Having a Balanced and Productive Life

Eudaimonia, also known as human flourishing, hinges on the success of the beautiful middle ground. Don’t put off to tomorrow what you can do today: Accomplish things. All people have fears, but successful people push past them. They don't procrastinate. They get the important things done, no matter the cost. As you are pushing through your fears and are constantly bombarded with horrible news, you need to keep a positive outlook and fill your mind with positive ideas from mobile applications or books. Speaking of books, it is important to read at least an hour a day in order to improve your knowledge and know how. As soon as bad thoughts intrude, anything that challenges the ability to succeed at the task at hand should be cast out. Do not dwell on negative notions. Lastly, it is important to live within your means and save at least 10% of your yearly income.

The Modern Classroom

First, think about this simple fact: about 7,000 student drop out of school every year. There are things that we can do better to improve these numbers because we have more tools at our disposal that we have ever had before. Starting with the internet. For those students that do not thrive in a regular classroom setting, there is the option of taking online school with video conferencing and guiding learning from real teachers. There is also a lot of one on one interaction. We can also use the tools in the classroom to make learning fun and engaging. One of the best ways to learn is to explore and "play". We can also use big data to see the trends in schools to see what techniques work and which ones do not. This is the age of tailored learning. The best part is that it does not have to stop in 12th grade. The technology can also work for colleges and professional schools. What are your thoughts about this technology?

Switching to VoIP

Voice-over-Internet (VoIP) has the potential to both improve on existing phone technology, and greatly reduce phone costs. Yet, many small business owners are understandably wary of the technology, having heard horror stories from their peers, or having had poor experiences due to bad VOIP implementations. Luckily, with the right knowledge and the correct set of tools, it is possible to implement VoIP in a manner that is extremely reliable and effective. There are some things to definitely consider. One of them is that you need reliable internet service and connection. This is a must if you are going to be doing video conferencing. It is needed to have continuous service in case there is a glitch. Another aspect of VoIP to think about is the provider. Make sure that they fit your business needs and you can get a great return on investment. Lastly, it might be a good idea to show all of your employees the ins and outs of using the phone service so that they are able to take full advantage of the new communication services and stay productive.

Google Glass Not Doing Well

When it first came on the scene, Google Glass was seen as a novelty and something interesting to have but it had the prospect of really going mainstream. That prospect was quickly crushed when people started realizing just how much of an intrusion of privacy the internet phone connected glasses were. If someone around you were wearing these things, you would not feel comfortable because you could be photographed or video taped without your knowledge. It suggests we haven't yet been seduced into surrendering the last vestiges of privacy and spontaneity. This is a good sign by all means. We are questioning the effect that always being connected has taken on our relationships and lives. We see that it might be ruining some things in our lives and there are ways to reconnect with our reality by unplugging and taking breaks from screen. This might also set a good example for the younger generation that have all this tech before they can even walk.

Radar That Detects Texting

There are plenty of mobile applications out there that help with not texting while driving but it seems like not too many people are using them and it have not been easy to enforce the laws of not texting while driving....until now. There is a radar gun that it being developed that will be able to detect text message radio frequencies that are emitted from the passing cars. Third-party apps for Android and iOS, like DriveScribe and DriveOFF, detect when your car is moving and will block all incoming notifications on your phone. And an activity-reporting app called Canary can be installed on young drivers’ phones to let parents know when their kids are calling or texting while driving. Of course this can can raise some privacy questions if that mobile applications is not used in the way that it is meant to be used. You might also run across some angry teens but better angry than hurt in an accident while driving. It seems that no matter how many horrific stories there are about people getting into accidents over answering a text, people are still doing it.

Mobile Applications

Technology innovation and software development have been moving as astounding paces. Along with that come the mobile app market as well as many different app building platforms. Yes there might just be an app for everything. Many more people are learning how to write the applications because the tools are much easier to use and access. Before, when you had a great idea, you had to go to an app developer. Mobile apps were cost prohibitive for small businesses, independent content publishers, and hobbyists. So the free app maker was born. If you have ever built a website through an online template or even customized your Facebook page, you can handle app building. There are so many tools and resources that you can use that it would be a shame not to go ahead and give it a try. You idea might just be the next big thing in gaming or productivity.

Optimizing Time

We are all in different positions in life but the main thing that we all have in common is that everyone has 24 hours in a day. We have to be able to make the most of it and be productive. This includes being able to take breaks with gaming applications or just doing nothing to recharge and get back into the swing of things. One of the first things that you should do, if you work with a team of people, is to get together in the morning so that everyone is one the same page and talk about what they are doing today. All it takes is five minutes. Now to the TDL aka the to-do list. You should be doing the most demanding tasks on the list first so that you will be fully energized for them. You should also use your lunch as a time to recharge for the second part of the day. Many business professional suggest that you should never eat lunch alone and use that time to network but you do not always have to network in person. Sometimes it is good to take time for yourself.

The Cloud: Explained

The cloud, simply, refers to software and services that run on the Internet instead of your computer. There are many advantages to using the cloud. Since the videos, photos, documents, games, mobile applications and business applications, and other software that lives in the cloud are available on any device with an Internet connection, you can access your stuff from anywhere. Is it safe? Only as much as you trust the company -- and your own passwords. Most cloud companies have excellent security records. More businesses are turning to the cloud services as well. It will save them a lot of time and money. They will also be getting a lot more storage space for all the documents and other files. This is important because computers and hard drives crash and all that data has the potential to be lost. With everything backed up in the cloud, data can survive. On the other hand, it is important to note that if you want something deleted, make sure that it is gone from the cloud as well. Although, nothing can really be gone from the internet, right?

Texting and Driving Safe?

Can it ever be safe to use a smartphone to text while driving? Or even an internet phone that projects the image on the window? There is a start up that wants to make texting and driving a safe pastime. Personally, I think that it should not be done but I was curious enough about the article to click on it. Navdy is a device that sits on your car’s dashboard and projects information from your smartphone onto a 5.1-inch-wide glass display. The device is also hands-free: you can simply swipe left in front of you to answer a call, or right to dismiss a notification. This way, you can keep your eyes on the road, or at least looking forward, while using your phone. Either way it seems like a distraction from the road that will not end up in a good situation. Not to mention that state laws differ on hand free texting, talking, and other communication. Unfortunately, it is even harder to enforce. Do you use hands free communication?

Recharge This Summer

The summer is upon us and it is time for vacations and time to just relax and recharge. There are some tips and tricks of the trade that can help in that department.  When you are out of the office, you usually turn on that message but how many times do you sneak onto the email or internet phone service to see who has called? If you are going to put that message up, make you that you respect it as well and actually be out of the office. The second thing that you should do it log out of your social media account. When you are on vacation, it is important to be in the present. Better yet, go somewhere where there is no service. That way there is absolutely no temptation to even get online. Lastly, limit the screen time during your vacation. That gorgeous sunset in front of you is something that you will want to remember with your significant other.

Ways to Work Smarter

If you are working on a huge software development project or you have a million small things to do, it is still important to be able to work smarter in order to get more done. One of the greatest tips is that it is necessary to take more breaks that line up with our natural attention spans. Stretch your legs, grab a drink, check your email, or just sit back and relax. Or, if you’re really strapped for time, try switching to a different kind of task to give your mind a rest. Another great way to relax is to spend some time in nature such as taking a relaxing stroll in a park. Studies have shown that it increases motivation and memory. Lastly, it might be a good idea to check your email in the morning. Since many companies are having more remote employees, it is no surprise that some of them might be working while the others are sleeping. Checking email in the morning lets you be able to be on the same page as all the other people. Happy working and making it a wonderful day!

Ownership in Light of Technology

With the technology of today, can you definitively say who owns what? We post things online and share ideas and information through a variety of mediums such as social media, mobile applications, and other outlets. It is not black and white as to who has rights over what. And what happens when people work together to create content? On the other hand, collaboration is extremely cost effective. Even the way we gather information has evolved to be more collaborative and shared. Platforms like Twitter quickly spread information to large groups of people. Sites like Reddit, a news, entertainment, and social website allows users to submit articles and then vote the articles up or down on the list, thus determining the "top read" stories of the day. Companies like Pulse allow users to view articles on subjects they are particularly interested in. This move to a more minimalistic, shared society is more collaborative, cost-effective, and efficient. Everyone's needs are met with minimal resources. Less human and physical capital is wasted. With technology continuing to advance our lives, in combination with the sharing economy, people are paying the bills, saving for that dream vacation, working more flexible hours, collaborating and meeting new people.

Mini Cell Towers

Have you even been frustrated because you dropped an important call because of horrible services? Of course you have since it is part of having a cell phone and subscribing to a phone services. In contrast to the massive metal towers that can beam out cellular service for miles, small cells are only about the size of a wireless router, and their signals don't extend much beyond the boundaries of your home. Qualcomm sees the devices as a solution to the wireless industry's so-called spectrum crunch. Wireless spectrum -- the invisible infrastructure over which all wireless transmissions travel -- is a finite resource just like cloud services, and it is getting gobbled up by people streaming Netflix and YouTube videos on their tablets and smartphones. Small cells help address that problem by routing traffic to your mobile carrier's network via your home Internet connection, leaving more space on the airwaves for other users. Aside from those designed for home usage, there are also slightly larger cells that can be installed in places like malls and city blocks to provide more coverage space.

Technology as Babysitters

Picture this: your kid is screaming their head off over wanting that new fancy toy in the middle of the store and there is nothing that is calming them down. Enter the smartphone or tablet with Minecraft of Candy Crush. This type of pacifier has more computing power than required to put humans on the moon. As long as it works, it really doesn't matter. These wonderful computers also occupy kids while the parents just sit by quietly waiting for the batteries to run out. Does anyone else see something wrong with this picture? When these smart devices came on the market, they were shiny and the future of computing looked bright. I mean we could now see the person we were talking with over internet phone services. Now it is just business as usual since the novelty has worn off and they are your kids' virtual playground. In my day, we had actual playgrounds and we ran around playing games and saw each other in person. Any suggestions before kids forget what it is like to play outside?

Reinventing Aging

There are so many different technologies that can help redefine the way people age which are available. Despite their availability, technology has not been widely adopted by older people or their families. The reasons are easy enough to intuit: Seniors are technology-phobic, or afraid of being stigmatized; they don’t know what products are available or where to find them; or they do know, but the gadgets themselves are too expensive. There is a pretty good handle of the science of the technologies but the really problem that needs solving is a gaining of understanding of how people that age view themselves and the technology that is supposed to be helping them. Some of the technology are communication services such as cell phones and alert systems. There are even gaming apps that help with different cognitive functions. Many people have not considered this issue but it going to hit like a tidal wave in about 2050 with the aging population.

Robots Kicking Butt

Some people are convinced that the robots are going to take over the world in one way or another. And you thought that all that software development was just for good. Here are a couple examples of robots taking over. At the Big Bang Fair in Birmingham, England, a robot made from a Samsung Galaxy 4 smartphone and Lego Mindstorms components established a new world’s record for solving a 4×4×4 Rubik’s Cube. The Cubestormer 3 needed just 3.25 seconds to align the colors on each side of the cube, breaking the old record (held by its sibling, the Cubestormer 2) by more than two seconds. The best time a puny human can muster? 5.5 seconds, by Mats Valk of the Netherlands. Earlier this week, researchers at Oxford published a report predicting that nearly half of all U.S. workers will eventually be replaced by automatons. The top occupations in danger of being replaced by software: loan officers, receptionists, and paralegals. Those with relative job security include chiropractors, choreographers, and the clergy. At least some of us have a prayer of staying employed.

Wireless Everything?

If the internet and phone services are wireless, why in the world do we still have wired electricity? It's not actually putting electricity in the air. What we're doing is putting a magnetic field in the air. It works like this: WiTricity build a "Source Resonator" -- a coil of electrical wire that generates a magnetic field when power is attached. If another coil is brought close, an electrical charge can be generated in it. No wires required. In the house of the future, wire-free energy transfer could be as easy as wireless internet. If all goes to WiTricity's plans, smartphones will charge in your pocket as you wander around, televisions will flicker with no wires attached, and electric cars will refuel while sitting on the driveway. WiTricity have already demonstrated their ability to power laptops, cell-phones, and TVs by attaching resonator coils to batteries -- and an electric car refueller is reportedly in the works. Talk about exciting.