We’ve already had a taste of mouse-free computing. Touchscreens on our smartphones and tablets allow us to search the Internet, compose e-mail messages, send texts, and stream movies, all without using a mouse. So what do you think this will lead us to down the road? How will we interact with our computers in the coming decades? After we ditch the mouse, what comes next?

Gesture sensing

Gesture sensing is something most gamers are familiar with. The PlayStation and Wii both employ this technology. By using a wireless remote you can control the game using only body movements. This technology has not been perfected or widely applied to computing but think of the possibilities. Perhaps in the foreseeable future we will boot our computer by putting on a sensor bracelet and every little gesture we make will perform a task on our computer!

Multi-touch technology

Multi-touch technology is another interactive innovation that is being utilized in a few common devices, namely, tablets, e-readers, and smartphones. This technology allows users to tap icons to open program, pinch or extend their fingers to zoom or minimize the images on their screens. Because this is a relatively new technology it’s still being refined. How do you think this will be used in the future to allow us easier navigation around our computers?

Voice recognition

Another possibility for controlling computers is vocal recognition. This technology already exists and is quickly gaining in popularity as developers work out the kinks. One of the popular common vendors is Dragon NaturallySpeaking. Vocal recognition technology has a ways to go before it is perfect, but technologies improve so rapidly these days that I don’t see it being a long time before voice-command functionality becomes standard in every devices.

While there are lots of ways computing can be improved through hands free navigation technologies. It’s likely we will not see the tried and true mouse disappear for some time.

If you have a smartphone it is probably a crucial part of your life. You use it to listen to music, read, check you mail, navigate to stores, and lastly make calls! But if your battery dies you can’t use it. And, let’s be honest, finding your charger and a free outlet in your house can be annoying and no simple task in today’s tech-savvy homes or apartments.

Now using a smartphone charge pad, charging your phone is easier.

Charge your phone wirelessly

Charge pads are mats that enable devices to be charged wirelessly. By merely setting your device on the mat it will start to charge, this virtually eradicates cord mess and searching for an outlet. You can also charge multiple devices, such as iPods and tablets, at the same time using these mats.

This may seem like magic but charge pads rely on electro-magnetic induction charging. They produce a magnetic field, which charges the battery in your smartphones, tablets, and other gadgets.

Charge pads a technology in progress

Smartphone charge pads, though, haven’t really captured the imaginations of shoppers. There are a few explanations for this: To start with, today’s charge pads aren’t cheap. In some cases, they cost nearly as much as the gadgets that consumers wish to charge.

One more reason is that they take up space. Consumers who wish to clear away the mess of cords don’t mind this, but this doesn’t benefit people trying to create more space on their desk. 

An improving wireless world

Wireless technology is always improving; so we are bound to see charge pad technology improve. Ideally they will become smaller and less costly which might make these items a must-have for modern homes.

Windows 7 has several features that make it a great improvement over earlier systems. However, like most things, if you are unaware of all these features you could be missing out.

By mastering a few simple tricks, you can get the most out of Windows 7.

• If you wish to move images to outside disks, you can now achieve this simply with Windows 7. The operating system lets you burn ISO images onto CDs or DVDs. To do this, you simply have to double-click on the ISO image, tell Windows 7 the drive that holds your blank disc, and click on the “burn” option. Windows 7 will do the rest.

• Finding and repairing problems is very simple with Windows 7. If you feel as if your OS is performing oddly pick the “troubleshooting” option from the “Control Panel”. This gives you access to a number of wizards that will help you remove clutter and tidy up your system.

• What if you have younger members of your family who insist on installing cumbersome software onto your computer? Install an excessive amount of this software, and your computer will turn into a sluggish mess. Fortunately, Windows 7 has the AppLocker feature. This feature enables you to run and install only programs with your pre-approval. For instance, you can tell AppLocker to only run programs created by reputable companies such as Microsoft. If your kids attempt to install a program from an unknown publisher, AppLocker will prevent it.

• One great feature for people who work remotely is its power efficiency service. It’s easy to get details about the amount of power your laptop is using, which may be important when you are working on a project and are far from a power source.

WordPress was once viewed mainly as a blogging platform. But it has expanded into one of the most popular website publishing tools on the Internet. Tech Crunch recently reported that about one fifth of new domains in the U.S. operate on WordPress. And it may surprise you to learn that one of the most popular publishers in the world uses WordPress.

Here are 7 things you should know about WordPress:

1. Updating your content is simpler than ever before using WordPress. With its dynamic page creation you can update your site easily without needing a large amount of storage
2. You can get a free website at WordPress.com with subdomains. This is a great way to save money if you don’t mind .wordpress.org at the end of your domain.
3. If you have your own domain and hosting account, WordPress can be installed in minutes (WordPress calls it their ‘famous 5-minute install’).  No coding skills required.
4. Are there minimum requirements? Yes, if you are hosting your own website outside of WordPress, there are a few requirements to take into consideration. To obtain the appropriate support at some point, you will need to be sure you have the correct MySQL and PHP versions on your server.
5. There are millions of great looking templates (known as “themes”) available from various sources on the Internet. Many are free, some are not. In any case, choosing the right design for your website is easy and quick.
6. WordPress offers centralized management for all of your pages, posts, multimedia assets, and reader comments. It’s also really easy to manage users and user profiles.
7. WordPress encourages e-commerce. There is an plethora of plugins that have already been developed that permit you to accept payments, advertise, and more on your website. The simple plugin search keeps these options at your fingertips.

Smartphones, iPads, iPods, and notebook computers remain examples of the must-have devices of the last five years. However, for each iPad there’s an Apple TV—a tech failure. Organizations take a chance when they send a new piece of technology into the market. There’s no assurance that no matter how cool or useful a gadget is that it’ll catch on with the buying public. That being said, listed here is a quick look at some of the best known technology failures of the last 10 years.

Famous tech failures

• Apple TV: This product gives users the capability to purchase entertainment from iTunes then stream it to the device of their choice. Good idea? Probably, if it wasn’t so limited to iTunes. 

• Sony Mylo: Mylo came in under the radar that’s the reason you may not remember it. This was a Wi-Fi-enabled mobile device from Sony that allowed people to connect to the Internet, send e-mail and it came with Skype! It didn’t get much attention as the iPhone and its app store overwhelmed it.

The Segway peters out

• Segway PT: The Segway PT scooter hasn’t fully been a flop. Nevertheless, it never caught on in the manner its manufacturers anticipated. This two-wheeled transportation machine was said to be a must-have for commuters traveling to work and for family members taking short trips to their local supermarket. Unfortunately, the scooter makes people look kind of silly when they are riding it. Maybe this is the reason the device hasn’t become a mainstream substitute for cars.

The CueCat doesn’t purr

• CueCat: The CueCat was a digital barcode reader manufactured by Digital Convergence Corporation. Shaped like a cat, this device allowed the consumer to scan a bar code and be quickly guided to a company’s website. This didn’t go over well, but it may have paved the way for the now popular QR code.

We are inclined to take Microsoft Outlook for granted. After all, we’ve been using this program to read email messages and manage our schedules for years now. However, Microsoft Outlook is a surprisingly powerful program. If you want to make the most out of it, it’s time to examine some of its hidden attributes. Here are three key tips that can help you save time and work more efficiently when connected to Microsoft Outlook.

Eliminate the Clutter

You possibly have “Conversation View” switched on in Outlook currently.  This view helps keep conversations neatly arranged into one thread. You can find the desired email without having to search through days of backlogged emails. There is a possible downside to this view however. Newer conversations can become very chaotic with repetitive quoted text. Turning off this quoted text is very simply with Outlook.  Right-click the conversation thread and select “Clean Up Conversation.” All the unnecessary repeat copies will now be eradicated from the individual emails in the conversation thread.

Say it in a Picture

Using screenshots in your emails is always an excellent way to successfully help express your message, particularly for IT support issues. Inserting a screenshot into your email is very simple with Outlook.  All you have to do is click the “Insert” tab and then select the “Screenshot” option. From here, Outlook will generate images of all the windows open on your desktop.  Choose the appropriate one and it will be inserted into your email.

Take Out the Trash

Did you know that all of those old emails in your trash folder are using up lots of precious space? It can be easy to neglect to empty our email trash. Outlook has made that simple too! Select the “File” tab and then select “Options.” Go to the “Advanced” section and look for the “Start” and “Exit” options. By checking the box after “Empty Deleted Items” when exiting Outlook, this will enable Outlook to automatically get rid of your trash folder every time you exit the program.

It is easy to fall into the misguided idea that you already have enough safeguards in position to protect your small business. It is likely you stay current with the latest antivirus software, but is that enough? You also probably believe that since you’re not really a huge corporation, you don’t have to worry about cyber criminals hacking into your system. But here’s the unfortunate reality: cyber criminals have upped their game and are starting to target small businesses more and more. Let’s take a closer look to  give you a better understanding of the level of danger your business may be under.

Small firms: low-hanging fruit

Sadly, small businesses make easy targets, so hackers are beginning to concentrate on them. Small firms are quick hacks and the criminals can make more hacks at a quicker rate. With increased chances, their probability of stealing worthwhile information goes up considerably. As a small business, you may not think you have any valuable information, but in today’s world even the most basic information can be used to do damage to someone else. Credit card purchases are the most common targets of cyber criminals. Each time your system runs a transaction, it must verify the cardholder’s information. This information can contain card numbers, addresses, names, and more. Your clients don’t want this information stolen!

How hackers gain access to your data

Hackers usually take a multiple-point-of-entry approach when trying to breach your company. Don’t be fooled that email is the sole method a hacker will attempt to infiltrate you. While harmful email attachments are the most popular tactics that hackers use to mine data from a company, additionally they use low-tech methods as well. Direct phone calls to lower level employees or perhaps a in-office visit pretending to be system administrator are some of the low-tech ways criminals may target your enterprise. You may believe your employees are impervious to these seemingly apparent ploys, but it only takes one mistake to open your company up to an attack.

The buck stops with you

Many people believe that since credit card companies are usually responsible for any deceptive charges that occur from a hacking event, that data security isn’t crucial. While this may be true for a consumer, for a business owner the outcome may be very different. Consumers will hold you responsible personally should their information be stolen. Damage control after an attack can cost a business thousands of dollars and in some cases a single attack can spell the end of business in general.

An ounce of prevention…

So, in terms of your data security, taking extra precautions is a sensible move. Not only should you upgrade your programs whenever possible, look at strengthening your passwords as well. Avoid using obvious phrases, and never leave the default password in place. Also, instruct your employees not to share their login information or open attachments from unfamiliar senders when checking their email. You may also hire an outside consultant to guarantee the security of your customers’ data. Taking these kinds of measures can provide you with piece of mind, knowing that your systems are safe from attack.

Our previous blog focused on company culture as well as the effect it could have on your brand. Your company’s culture, positive or negative, shows up in your brands reputation. We discussed how to evaluate the cultural health of your organization, but how do you give your company a cultural facelift?

If you have determined that the culture of your company needs some adjusting or refreshing, there are a few questions you will want to think about first:

• What qualities do you value that you would like to show up in your company’s culture? Respect, acceptance, creativity, fun, etc.?
• How can you mirror you company values in its culture?
• How is information distributed to employees? Are they left in the dark frequently?
• How are employees currently rewarded? 
• Does everybody in the company feel listened to? If not, how could you improve this?

These might lead you to more questions. Consider having a brainstorming session with your employees to determine the right solutions for your company. Here are several ideas we came up with:

Suggestion/Thought box – Enabling people to anonymously share their thoughts or opinions about the day to day in the office can lead to a more open feeling in the company. These concerns can be brought up in company meetings if they pertain to everyone.

Empower employees – Give people ownership over their jobs by treating them like peers as opposed to peons. You can achieve this by being more transparent; don’t just communicate when you have successes, tell them when things aren’t going flawlessly. It will create a team full of mutual support.

Flexible hours – Giving people some flexibility to get their work done exhibits confidence. Trusting them to regulate themselves will cause them to respect you more.

Dress code – Have a more relaxed dress code. It’s remarkable what allowing people to express themselves can do for a company’s culture. Think about themed days: silly hat day, Hawaiian shirt day, or anything that gets people thinking creatively and brings smiles to the day.

Celebrate – You are all part of the same company and hopefully share the same goals. Celebrate this by having a monthly movie day, a team outing after work, or a lunch time game day – something fun that gets the group doing something with each other.

Below is a variety of things that real companies have done to incorporate some fun to their culture:

• Spontaneous Nerf gun wars
• Painting inspirational quotes on the walls
• Hitting a loud gong when there is a success to let the whole company know
• Foosball tournaments
• Lunchtime Yoga
• Lunchtime Crafting Club
• Monday Mad Libs, whoever wishes to contribute, does, and then the completed Mad Lib is emailed to the company

Strategy is typically at the forefront of a company’s focus. Strategy is not the only thing that makes a company prosperous. Culture also plays a vital role. The culture of your company impacts your branding, your marketing success, and daily operations, all of which have an effect on how the world sees your company. The logos of brands like Apple, Google, and Starbucks are recognizable not only because they appear to be everywhere, but also these businesses have strong cultures that shine through their employees, storefronts, and logos. These positive, strong cultures all begin within the walls of their offices.

Why Culture is so Important

If people work in a place where they feel ownership, pride, and empowerment they will put their hearts into the work they do. They will take more risks and be more willing to think outside of the box. A healthy culture fosters creativity and innovative thinking. When people feel like they are being stifled by their work or they have no control over their tasks, they will do the work assigned to them with no additional effort. This can not only lead to a sad individual but a sad environment where every task put toward your brand is given the minimum level of effort. Instead, you want a vibrant and alive environment so your brand sticks out from the rest. Nurturing a healthy culture is the responsibility of everyone in the company, from the CEO to HR to the receptionist.

Below are just a few of the advantages of fostering a healthy culture.

• Focus – Keeping employees dedicated to the same goal helps a company run with efficiency. Getting people to care about the goal comes with having a healthy focus. If your employees feel like they are a significant part of attaining that goal they will be more likely to push themselves. When individuals feel like they have no effect on the main goal, they loose focus, and can become cynical.

• Cohesion – The foundation of cohesion is strong communication between associates, whether they are dealing with successes or roadblocks. Strong communication strengthens teamwork and makes operations run more smoothly. In a workplace with an unhealthy culture, people could be nervous to offer feedback about problems that arise or might not care enough to act quickly when issues do arise.

• Motivation – A enthusiastic workforce gets things done. That might seem obvious, but companies that don’t pay attention to the health of their culture could be suffering when it comes to productivity. Being motivated to work hard is a trait that should be present in every person in the company if the culture is healthy.

Measuring the Cultural Health of Your Company

Cultural health ought to be assessed regularly. So how do you measure the cultural health of a company? First, look at how people are supervised, are they just given a task with no input or do they have some control over their jobs? Are repetitive tasks distributed so everyone has the opportunity to be challenged? While a few people may never be happy, if you discover the overwhelming consensus to be poor it may be time for you to look at making a few adjustments to how the business is run to improve the culture and the overall health of the company. Visit again soon to find out some tips on creating a positive work environment.