Best Small Business Apps You Need To Know About

Below is an Infographic on "The Best Small Business Apps" you need to know about. Best Business apps for Brainstormin,g Customer Service, Cash Flow Helper, Package Tracker, File Sharing, Email Campaign Manager, Business Trip Organiser, Social Media Manager and Best Rolodex Alternative are Discussed in the following Infographic!

Infographic By Irishapps

Gaming Websites Are at Risk

Online games are increasing in popularity with various groups of the population. Many people who start playing these very catchy games have no idea how exposed they can be to hacking. Hackers are looking for gaming websites that don’t have adequate security in place. They look for ways to take control of these websites using DDoS attacks. Once a website is hijacked it takes just a matter of minutes for the attackers to take over. If a website goes down, the damage could be irreversible. And, with over 145 million gamers online each day in over five different continents, having a gaming website that isn't reliable means you could lose your gamers, reputation and any associated gaming revenues in just a single day. 
Gaming websites are big targets for DDoS attackers, but a website doesn't have to make it easy. With the right protection they can keep their gamers, reputation and keep revenue up.

Created by the marketing team at Prolexic Technologies.

Car Theft Worldwide [INFOGRAPHIC]

Below is an infographic with statistics on Car Theft Worldwide!

Infographic by Smf.ie

Women's Influence In Gaming

How much do you really know about women and the gaming industry? Most people don’t realize how much influence women have had on gaming development. Some people don’t even realize that there are many female gamers. While men are known for their achievements because they represent 97 percent of the development staff, there are still many women who have changed this industry for the better.

Major Audience

Even though females compose a large portion of the gaming market, most people don’t recognize just how many female gamers there really are. Men are known as the majority of gamers, and this is true. What many people don’t know is that the market isn’t as male dominated as you might think.

Only 55 percent of the market belongs to men. The other 45 percent of gamers are women. Not only that, but the majority of them are over 18.

Major Developments

Some of the biggest advancements in the gaming industry involved women. For example, Centipede used early artificial intelligence programming that later helped programmers develop modern intelligence coding. Only two people developed Centipede, and one of them was female.

Portal is recognized for its advanced physics and interesting mechanics. A woman helped develop this game. She and a group of friends first started work on Narbacular Drop, which was used as the basis for the Portal franchise.

Women have also influenced writing in the gaming industry. While some games are known for being childish or having thin plots, the Legacy of Kain series was set apart due to its mature story telling and intelligent writing. A woman did the vast majority of the writing.

Mobile Gaming

Another area that is experiencing a major female influence is mobile gaming. The entire Temple Run series was developed by a woman who was determined to make small games that would appeal to the majority of gamers. Some of the most popular mobile gamers were partially or exclusively made by women.

Even though only a small number of women create games, they have left a mark that few can ignore. It’s time for more women to join the gaming industry to create even more advanced games and ideas :)

Choosing The Best URL Shortener

URL shorteners are part of the unexciting world of Twitter and email efficiency. Yes, all the thrills and spills of making your Twitter messages a look a little cleaner of your emails look a little more compact. But, before you fall asleep with giddy delight at the prospect, you should know that not all URL shorteners are alike. They have been known to “introduce an extra point of failure” (life hacker).

An extra point of failure

This is some nerd’s way of saying that a URL shortener can cause you a bit of trouble. The website that published this idea claim that the company WatchMouse monitored a bunch of popular URL shortening tools/services over a month and noticed that they appear to have a few inherent problems.

The quality of the services varies a little with things such as a varying latency and varying uptimes. Their results are only subject to their own tests and bias, but here are a few of the results.

The slowest performance

This has to be the Facebook “FB.ME” which has a performance time that is four times that of its leading competitor. It takes a massive amount of time to connect when compared to the other URL shorteners.

The URL shorteners that are always online

Uptime is difficult to pull off at 100% in any online situation, but somehow the Google and Twitter shorteners had an uptime of 100%. Their tools are called “Goo.gl” and “Twt.tl”. The one with the worst uptime is Snurl. Do not forget the these figures were pull up by the Dutch WatchMouse team and were only based on recorded research that was conducted over a month time period.

Which is the most efficient URL shortener

That has to be the Google tool “Goo.gl” which narrowly beats the YouTube shortener called “you.be”.

The most secure tools

Nobody seems to have published reliable results on this one. However, many of the URL shorteners are from larger companies such as Google, Twitter, etc, which means they have a lot to lose if they are secret back doors for hackers.

Goo.gl

This is the official URL shortener that Google have released. It is highly trusted and reliable too. It contains public stats and can show real-time analytics for any of your short Google links. It is also the fastest for producing shortened links.

Su.pr

This is the URL Shortener that Stumble Upon have released and many people feel that it is one of the best URL shorteners on the market. It has sharing functions and the shortened URLs help to increase traffic from their own website. It has a history viewer and can tell you things such as the number of reviews and re-tweets that the URL has had. It also has real-time analytics like the Google URL shortener. There is also a very sexy function that tells you to best times to post based on the information it has collected in the past.

Tinyurl

It has a cute name and is not bad at its job. It has a browser toolbar and you can use the preview features too. The tool will also allow you to hide your affiliate URLs. It is not the world’s most feature filled tool, but it certainly gets the job done for you.

Bitly

This is a tool that some people use because they claim it helps them build a lot of traffic. It has a sharing functionality, which is rather nice. It also has analytic data with is good for real-time traffic and data analysis. The good thing about this tool is that you can get it in a number of ways. You can get it on mobile Internet and with browser extensions. You can get it via a website and there are lots of third party tools that use it too.

Budurl

This is a URL shortening tool but it does have a lot of premium features that some people have found useful. You are able to schedule your tweets to go out at a certain time and you can send emails to your clients and prospects. They have a mobile Micro-sites that help you to drive traffic for all of your mobile campaigns, and it is good for affiliate links. You can pull up very detailed statistics for comment sites and blog posts and you can add in advertising links. There is also QR Code integration for your print campaigns. You can add links to your PDFs and you can link to other files from your website or your emails.

Image Credit: Photostock

Author Bio:

Kate Funk is a freelance writer at http://www.aussiessay.com. She is mainly focusing on technology, gadgets and all the latest trends which are interesting for networking enthusiasts.

How To Clean Video Game Consoles Hardware And Accessories

Aside from lag, having to clean your gaming equipment is one of the worst things that can happen to a gamer. Seriously, who cleans their things, anyway? Gaming is for fun, not doing chores. But in those rare occasions when you decide that your console can't really take much more, then you have no choice but to clean it, especially as far as dust is concerned. Dust is the biggest enemy your gaming set-up can possibly have. It can not only make your hardware run worse than it usually does, but it can also damage it beyond repair. And in the light of the holidays and the oncoming Christmas celebrations, when I assume many people get the new generation of consoles as presents, I decided to do a guide on how to properly clean and maintain and clean your console hardware and accessories. This will not only increase the longevity of your console,but it will also ensure that it runs great for as long as possible. It's not going to be pleasant, let me tell you that much, but it's worth doing if you are a true enthusiast and plan utilizing your new (or old console) in the best way possible.

Unplug everything

This is possibly the most important step in the process. You need to unplug everything, otherwise you risk damaging the platform. Not only that, but you can also get hurt so it's a good idea to apply extra caution. After all, you are working with sensitive equipment. Carefully unplug everything that can be plugged and make sure you don't forget anything.

If some of the accessories aren't plugged (like your controllers or headset) and are powered by batteries, instead, remove the batteries. You want to discontinue all power supply to both the console and its components.

Cleaning the exterior

There are several things that you will need here in order to accomplish this fairly simple task. First of all, buying a microfiber towel would yield better results in the cleaning process, even though this part is optional. You can use any lint-free old rag you can get your hands on. You will need two of them – one for the processing and one for the drying out. Also purchase an electronics spray (the kind of spray you can use to clean all sorts of electronics, like laptops, consoles, monitors and more). Spray some of the solution on the cloth and wipe off all the surfaces of your hardware. Dry out with the other cloth immediately so you make sure that everything works well afterwards. Never spray directly on the surface of the console or any of the periphery. This may very well damage the devices so be careful.

Cleaning the interior

Cleaning the interior is a bit trickier. You should open the console because odds are you don't know what you're doing (otherwise why would you be reading this?) so you might damage it. Spraying compressed air into the air vents of your device would be enough to remove a large portion of the dust outside the console. This way you don't need to open it but you will still be able to clean most of it. Something to keep in mind is that compressed air comes out rather cold so you shouldn't be keeping the device too close to the source. Otherwise the air will condensate inside and damage the console.

Cleaning peripheral devices

Use a cotton swab and some rubbing alcohol to clean the peripheral devices such as controllers, microphones, headsets, etc. Just make sure to dry it out immediately. If you're not confident in your abilities to clean the console properly, seek the help of a specialist.

Author Bio:

As a professional cleaner at http://www.fasthomecleaning.co.uk , Rose knows how to clean all kind of things.

Take Care of Yourself On/Off the Road

It’s important to take care of yourself while you’re on the road. Whether you’re making a long haul or a short haul, there are things you can do to keep your health and your sanity. Take a few breaks on the road and get out of the truck. Go for a brisk walk to get blood moving and get some fresh air. You’ll feel rejuvenated. It’s important to keep your body fit, even if your work doesn’t require it. Try to exercise a few times per week (even lightly). By staying fit you can actually combat exhaustion and tiredness—two things you never want to suffer from while on the road. Instead of eating fast food or greasy foods, stick to healthy, energizing foods. A good diet is important for overall health but also helps keep your energy level up while on the road in your truck seat. Try to pack a few fruits and vegetables, or stop at a local grocery store on one of your stops to pick up some fresh food items for snacks and skip the potato chips.

Created by Suburban Seating.

Software Bugs Really Bite

This infographic takes a look at the Top 6 software bugs and what they have caused. Below is an exerpt of the infographic.

The advances of time and technology bring new and difficult challenges for software programmers. With the creation of new programming languages and software coding comes new issues or glitches within the application. These glitches are known as bugs.

While software bugs cause unwanted operations with in the program, they are mostly harmless. However, a small oversight during programming or testing can mean a huge issue for the developer, particularly when it comes to the sensitive nature of client information.

Here’s a look at some of the top software bugs from the past few years.

When the ATM becomes a lottery: In 2011, an operation issue with ATMs in Sydney, Aus. gave out more money to customers than they should have.

This bug caused the ATM to run in stand-by mode, meaning that it didn’t recognize the customers’ account balance, allowing them to withdraw more money than they had in their account.

The bug lasted for more than 5 hours and affected more than 40 ATMs across the city.
It was reported that one ATM had a line of over 50 people once the word got out.

Did You Know? It's more cost-effective to code and test carefully than to just fix glitches that come up..

Software Bugs Really Bite

Author Bio:

Kris Dietz loves creating something amazing then spreading the word about it! My mission is to develop and mold SEO into an amazing outlet of sharing valuable resources. I enjoy networking and meeting like-minded individuals.

Making E-mail As Secure As Possible

It can be all too easy for businesses to downplay the importance of security when it comes to e-mail. Many people wrongly assume that the products available on the e-mail encryption market are vastly unnecessary and simply tools for the companies that sell them to make money whilst capitalising on people’s fears. However, many businesses have become unstuck after underestimating the security concerns attached to e-mail.

Staying Up To Date with Threats

With every new development in the online world comes another series of risks that can be exceptionally damaging. E-mail encryption plays a pivotal role in protecting businesses from the activities of criminals and others into whose hands information can fall all too easily. The information that is included in e-mails can be of a highly-sensitive nature, and can result in huge security breaches taking place. Encryption can protect everything from business plans to employee bank details from being used by outside sources. It is as necessary and as useful for private individuals as it is for companies small and large.

Reputable Software

Identity thieves have been known to intercept millions of e-mails in the past, using information such as insurance details and social security numbers for their own illegal means. Even Government departments have come under fire in the past after not taking advantage of the tools available to them to prevent interception from taking place. It’s important for businesses to always stay one step ahead of criminals, by choosing the most reputable companies and software possible for protecting the content found in e-mails. It’s also essential that quality is not compromised when it comes to finding the most reliable sources possible. Companies should never opt for a low-cost service just to save capital, or the results could be disastrous. No confidential information or indeed anything that you don’t want others to see should be sent in an unencrypted e-mail.

Eliminate the Risks

There’s no real denying that e-mail isn’t a risky way to do business, but if there are no realistic alternatives available, you should ensure that you achieve the highest level of security possible. Ways of keeping e-mail activity secure include using personal e-mail certificates to prove that you are who you say you are when communicating with others and asking others to do the same. Spam and malware have regularly been sent out to contacts without the consent or even knowledge of e-mail account owners, but if your contacts know that you only ever send e-mail with a security certificate attached, they will be unlikely to open any e-mail that doesn’t feature a certificate, leaving them protected from harm.

Author Bio:

Egress Software Technologies offer a simple to use email encryption product. You can also find out more about their service for secure large file transfer at www.egress.com/solutions-large-file-transfer

Spider Silk: The Super Material of the Future

Today's scientists and researchers are more advanced than they have ever been before thanks to the use of highly effective traditional research methods combined with the speed and efficiency afforded by modern day technology. Case in point, one recent discovery in the material science realm, spider silk, has given scientists, medical professionals, the military, and business thinkers alike a reason for excitement because it has proven to be one of the most revolutionary materials science has seen in a long time. Spider silk, which many are calling the "new super material of the future", is over five times stronger than steel, ten times stronger than kevlar, and yet more elastic than a rubber band. It's potential uses span from the automobile, medical, military and construction industry. You can find out more about this amazing new material in this infographic, "Spider Silk: The Super Material of the Future", including what ways you might see this material show up next.

This infographic was produced by Sierra Cases. Find rackmount case solutions from Sierra Cases.

Using iOS 7 to Optimize iPhone Security

The latest iOS upgrade has brought with it new and unique ways to secure the iPhone. TechRepublic reported that although much of operating system has remained the same, updates to its design and improvements to workplace integration makes it a worthwhile change. Additionally, Apple's passcode features have improved with a new alphanumeric password option.

Managing an iPhone with iOS 7

The bring your own device (BYOD) model for workplace integration has taken off, with more businesses allowing their employees to utilize smartphones, tablets and laptops, in place of their company-provided tools. As if in response to this trend, Apple released iOS 7 with features that enhance the functionality of the iPhone in an office setting.

According to TechRepublic, features such as AirDrop make sharing photos and documents fast and simple by connecting employees to one another, enabling a collaborative workplace environment for those who are utilizing this technology. Additionally, the source reported that Apple has also improved its overall app security by enabling a data protection function automatically, preserving any information transferred across these third-party app providers.

Another new resource that speaks to the iPhone's updated security is the single sign-on (SSO) capability that will allow end-users to set a password once across applications that contain sensitive information. This option is especially useful for businesses that hope to safeguard the data employees might be accessing through the cloud because it can prevent code sharing.

The first step is securing the phone itself

None of the above options are innately secure, however. According to Tom's Guide, it's essential that end-users with a mind for safety make optimal use of their iPhone's built-in security feature - the passcode.

The source reported that it's one of the easiest ways to prevent accidentally or intentional breaches of data. Additionally, the upgrades to the iOS 7 platform have provided end-users with new options for creating and maintaining security. Traditionally, the lock screen was protected by a 4-digit passcode. Now, after Apple's latest upgrade, it is possible to set alphanumeric protection, utilizing ten or more upper- and lower-case characters and numbers.

Tom's Guide noted that the 4-digit PIN code has 10,000 combinations, which is difficult to hack but not impossible. With the newest option, it is much more challenging for individuals to break through this defense. In addition to this new safety measure, the iOS 7 upgrade enables users to program how often the device will ask for authentication. Rather than the traditional method, which asked for authentication every time the screen was opened, the iPhone can be set so that it will lock on a timed interval instead.

Does it really matter?

According to Security Watch, mobile devices have become a major part of the lives of users everywhere. The source referenced a study by Sprint that reported how frequently smartphones are accessed on a daily basis, and the one unifying factor is the risk associated with information exposure.

Because of the ability to access the Internet on the go, data security has become a constant concern that responsible individuals are having to overcome. Additionally, without utilizing passcodes and other features meant to preserve the integrity of stored information, issues with privacy are growing.

In order to preserve what Security Watch calls "our most personal computers," it's important that smartphones are protected with verification features that are built into their operating systems. Additionally, it is possible to reinforce these safety precautions with password management software, which can provide an extra layer of defense against unwanted access.

Take the Facebook Timeline Cover to Extremes

One thing that the more creative people who work with Facebook timeline cover photos have begun to do is to take their design to extremes, in a number of different ways. There are some great ideas for how to improve your Facebook cover photo from Social Media Examiner.

One thing that will resonate with a lot of creative types or artists is to carry out your ideas to an extreme. If you’re being bright, be really bright. If you’re going for a modern look, don’t hold back. In a huge crowd like you are trying to separate yourself from on Facebook, sometimes you have to be willing to take a chance and push the limits in order to grab up some attention. In addition, some of the ideas below will help you to captivate the mind of your visitors and get them wondering exactly what they are looking at.

Use a Super Close Up

If you are going for detail in your Facebook timeline cover image, you might consider zooming way in for a super tight shot. In some cases, if you go in tight for a ton of detail, people will have a hard time figuring out exactly what they are looking at. They just might stare at it that much longer to try to figure it out, which is great news for you. Just try not to make it impossible for them to figure out, as you don’t want the question to go unanswered. That doesn’t do your brand any good.

Zoom Way Out

At the opposite end of the spectrum, you can zoom way out and take a very wide shot. It may connect in with a message of your company, or it just might look cool. Sweeping panoramas are fun to look at, and people will often take a few minutes to do just that when they are used as a Facebook cover photo.

Make it Happy

If you are going for an upbeat feel, try to load your cover photo up with smiling faces from photos. This can be a strong way to send a message about how happy people are to use your product or brand. Keep the colors bright, as well, as brighter colors are associated with stronger feelings of happiness and content. When you bring it all together, the impact on the visitor can be a powerful one.

Make it Abstract

Some people are going with a sort of abstract art look for their Facebook timeline cover photo. You can combine different shapes or styles together in this regard in order to come up with a small piece of abstract art for your Facebook timeline. The goal is to get people to spend some time looking at it and appreciating the design. Just don’t stop it short. Make sure you really show off your creativity and your ideas in whatever you create. You can also use websites such as 123Covers.net for abstract facebook covers.

Don’t Stifle Creativity

Regardless of what ideas you decide to try out, make sure that you stay creative and don’t cut yourself off short. If you only take it two-thirds of the way, you aren’t going to stand out in the crowd. That’s why it is important to come up with really good ideas and then execute on them strongly. That is what is going to get people to click on your page, stay on your timeline and begin looking around for more information. If you can continually get that to take place, it will build up the brand recognition you have and help you to foster more loyalty with your customers.

Protect Your Business Information: Data Security Guidelines

We live in a digital era and there are not only traditional hazards that endanger our business. Cyber attacks are becoming more and more common, and according to Forbes Internet and business data security is not only a technical issue nowadays.

According to a recent survey, more than 40% of the online attacks are organized by company employees. Sometimes, these are former employees, who seek revenge for their dismissal, but there are also cases in which some problems occur just because people do not know what to do in certain situations.

How should you protect your business information?

You probably think that cyber security is important only for large companies, but that is not true. All businesses are vulnerable to cyber attacks, especially the ones that don't have a special part of their budget intended for hacker attacks prevention.

We offer you some tips that will help you protect your company and business from an eventual cyber attacks:

Train your employees to recognize the IT risks

If your employees are aware of them, would not dare to make hasty decisions and take unnecessary risks. There is no need form them to know all technical details, but knowing the basics is absolutely mandatory. It is also a good decision to ask them make a regular backup of the business information they work with or store it on an external hard disk, as well as on their computers and laptops at the office.

It is crucial to explain to your employees what security breaches there may be. This is especially important if you have some employees who don't have any particular technological literacy. The same thing applies if you allow your employees to connect to your internal corporate network through their personal mobile devices.

Building a certain company policy concerning technologies and personal social networks accounts

Make sure your employees understand how and when to use their personal devices or social networks accounts when they are at their work place. Building a certain company policy concerning the information technologies they work with is absolutely necessary in order to minimize the risk from any hacker attacks. There should also be a specific protocol that should be strictly followed when it comes to a lost or stolen company device containing some business data.

We should be honest and confess the fact that most companies allow their employees to publish some positive information about the company on the Internet. However, the truth is that a great number of employees, who use their personal social media accounts, are sometimes rather careless and may unintentionally provide the society with some confidential business data.

So, what is the solution of this problem? Basically, you may encourage your employees to use social media accounts when this may be beneficial to your company, but you should teach them how to do that in a way that will not damage its reputation, i.e. without revealing any trade or company secrets in public or to any of your competitor's companies.

Always use “smart” passwords

If we have to be completely honest, there is no actual password that will become an obstacle to malicious hackers, but you can at least try making your passwords more difficult. Choose longer passwords that include characters, letters and numbers. Make your passwords key-sensitive. Another important thing you should remember is changing your company passwords as often as you can.

Risk management

All companies should look at cyber security and business data protection as something that they can control. Every company, no matter how bit it is, should spend some money in order to protect their systems and information.

Author Bio:

Rose Finchley loves to write about technologies and new gadgets. She currently works as a technician at http://www.tenancyclean.co.uk/end-of-tenancy-cleaning-sw8-vauxhall/ an she has a lot of experience to share with her readers.

From Tablet to Tablet [Infographic]

Infographic on "From Tablet To Tablet"

Infographic by Needashredder

7 Tips To Get More Out Of Your WiFi Router

Wireless routers are a bit like relationships. You don´t notice the problems until things go really wrong and they send you crazy. This behaviour is normally accompanied by naming calling and huge sighs! And at times, you can´t understand what has gone wrong – but you blame the router anyway!

However, sometimes is not the routers fault – it is yours. It´s about time you accepted the blame and fix things pronto!

1. Did you read the manual?

Remember all the times you wished your other half came with instructions? Yet you expect your router to perform miracles automatically! In your defence, we’ve all done it, but just like your partners, routers are all different and need a little TLC. A quick read of the instructions will make sure you treat it right! If you didn´t get a manual with your router you can download users guides from the supplier’s website.

2. You didn’t learn the basics

You will be amazed how much better you get on with your wireless router if you have a basic understanding of its needs. This all may sound very complicated and techy, but the truth is its child´s play. Check out our friends at lifehacker.com who give a very unintimidating intro to the basics in Lesson 1: Router Hardware 101.

3. You never change

It´s easy to get stuck in your ways, but you have to keep things fresh. Keep your router up to date, your ISP will often allow you to upgrade to a new model for free if it becomes their standard issue for new customers, additionally firmware updates from the manufacturer can help find and fix any bugs and generally improve the performance of your device.

4. You’re using the wrong technology for your needs

You might want to consider exactly what you need from your service and if your expectations are reasonable. Are you a seriously competitive online gamer? Chances are you should be connecting to your router with a wired ethernet connection. Always on the move for business but need to stay plugged into the web? You’re going to need a service specifically for international wireless roaming. Take some time to think about what you actually need from your service before committing to a plan.

5. You’re embarrassed to be seen with it

Wireless routers are not the sexiest device you will ever own, but its what´s on the inside that counts! And tucking your box in the corner out of the way may not be the best place to keep it. Ideally, it needs to be in range of all devices you use it for, and preferably an open space where it can breathe.

6. Something is interfering

This problem is more common than you realise. Routers work from a 2.4GHz band – the same as many other household devices such as cordless phone, microwave and baby monitors. It could be that they are interfering with your router and effecting its performance.

7. Interfering neighbours

One of the most common interference patterns for routers comes from next door. The chances are your neighbours connect over the same frequency as you and just like your own household devices. Might be sharing the same 2.4GHz frequency as you.

Naturally, if you live in a densely populated area, you could have any number of rivals competing for space on this limited band. The only real solution for now is getting a router that operates on dual bands simultaneously. Newer routers will often run on 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands at the same time, allowing the latest Wi-Fi devices to connect on the much less congested 5GHz band. Of course the other thing to consider is that your neighbours may be intentionally reducing your bandwidth by hogging it for themselves!

GRAPHENE: A Material That Enabled the Creation of Flexible Smartphones

Store Your Data Offsite with Cloud

Data storage and backup is vital to the smooth and efficient running of any business, but a lot of companies and IT managers make a number of routine mistakes when it comes to backing up data. Key among these is the propensity to use complicated backup systems that require constant management. The cost of maintaining a dedicated staff solely for the purpose of protecting your data systems can become expensive. However, it is not absolutely necessary to back up your data systems onsite. The runaway train of technological innovation has made it possible to safely back up your data without needing to resort to multiple pieces of storage hardware. Cloud backup services have a number of advantages over more traditional backup systems, including safe and reliable data encryption and the ability to sync your data to both mobile and web devices. With easy access and a lower overhead, Cloud backup services are undeniably the best solution for all your data storage needs.

Created by Metiix. Metiix specializes in accelerated data recovery.

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Is VoIP Secure: Network Protocols

Every time a new technology is on the rise, everyone keeps asking the same question – is it secure? We live a time when everybody can be surveyed and wire-taps can be basically put on a whim so knowing what the secure protocols to use are is crucial, especially if you want to protect your data and privacy. Of course, nowadays you can't be truly secluded – that's the price we pay for living in the Information Age. However, there are a few things you can do in order to make it harder for people to get your information. Secure computer systems are a must, there is no denying it, especially if you want to protect your data, but you also need a shielded way to communicate with people.

It is undeniably a well-known fact that one of the best ways to communicate today is through VoIP (voice over Internet protocol) yet the question of the structural integrity and security of the method still remains. How secure exactly is VoIP?

VoIP vs Traditional Telephony

If you think traditional telephony is secure enough for you, then you should have no trouble with VoIP which is at least as secure as what you're used to. Of course, generally, every sort of system has its weakness – that's just an unavoidable inherent quality of the system, itself. I guess when you're trying to protect your corporate data, this doesn't sound very convincing, but when you think about it, it actually means a lot. Using VoIP isn't more dangerous than using any sort of IP transfers, although there is always a risk, but that risk can be mitigated. You are probably transmitting lots of information over the web, anyway, which means that you're already taking those risks. If you're going through considerable lengths to protect the data you are sending, then it's safe to say that VoIP will not pose a bigger security threat. You can never be truly sure if someone is listening in on your conversation, but then again – you can't be sure if you're using traditional telephony, either.

Internal Networks

VoIP are most safely used in closed networks. If you run a company and you have an inner network, then connecting different divisions, for example, with VoIP would save you money and it wouldn't be risky, unless you have spies in your midst, at which case someone eavesdropping on your conversations is the least of your worries. VoIP can connect two points of the network so people can directly communicate with each other without the possibility of anyone else accessing their conversation. This wasn't the case a few years. Back then, the LAN availability wasn't controlled by switches and everyone had access. Now, with the use of switches, you can easily connect two points of the network (or more if you wish) so you will get instant and secure communication. The only risk that lies here is if your network is unprotected, but then all your data will be available, so like I said – someone listening in on your conversations will be the least of your problems.

How Secure is VoIP?

Well, don't expect that VoIP is going to be the most secure way of communication the world has ever seen. If man has found a way to communicate, man will find a way to intercept that communication. It's as simple as that, however, as you can still take some measures to protect your data. VoIP is at least as secure as traditional telephony and can be made even more secure by taking the right measures. Bottom line is, if you're trusting a network enough to transmit sensitive data through it, then using it for VoIP should be just fine for you, because it's secure enough.

Author Bio:

Rose Finchley is passionate blogger keen on topics about Internet. She currently works as a technician at http://www.shinylondon.co.uk/end-of-tenancy-cleaning-nw1-somers-town/ and she has a lot of experience to share with the readers.

Apps To Make Free Phone Calls

Before the invention of smartphones and hi-tech mobile OS users mainly used their phones for calling and messaging. Since that time the call costs have been inflating. With improvement of technologies, the users are blessed with plenty of apps that they can use day today for varied purposes. One of the main purpose being free calls. With National and International call rates heavily shooting up the following Android Apps will let you to make free phone calls at a much less price (data connection charges/Wi-Fi charges alone).

The following are top free phone call apps for your Android/iPhone/Windows devices:

1. Fring:

Fring has a lot of great features that will make you go for it, ranging from free calls to normal chat to advanced video calling. Fring app now lets you also to append various other communication based services viz. AOL, GTalk. Also there is an option for connecting with your phone’s contact book thus letting you to talk with anyone with just one app.

However you can do the free call only when the other party has Fring app on their phone, which is obvious. This won’t be a big problem since the Fring app available not only for Android, but also on other operating systems like iOS, Windows, Symbian and also via a mobile browser.

Their latest feature is being capable of video calling between four people at the same time over any Wi-Fi or data connection. Albeit it’s fun to try this out, it looks a bit choppy too.

Additionally, you can call to regular phones also by buying some credits or points (similar to Skype) so you can now talk to landlines.

2. Line:

Line is the latest and very innovative app that lets users to make free voice calls for 24 hours a day. You can update your friends about anything and everything from your Android phone by using text, calls, photos, video calls, stickers and location info also. You can call all your friends from anywhere in the world and make calls internationally for free. Line is available in the Google Play Store for free download. Other noteworthy features are stickers, emoticons.

3. ooVoo:

ooVoo is a basically a video chat app that was developed by ooVoo corporation. You can view friends who use ooVoo and select their profiles for making video call, voice call or to send instant text or even video messages. You can make conference calls with up to 12 people at the same time. This app has options to save videos and photos that were sent by your friends. Speed dial option is present which will help you to keep up with five best friends while on the go.

4. Viber:

Viber is the most straight forward and hassle free app. All you have got to do is install this app and then it will search all the users in your contact box who use Viber and connect you to them. You don’t need nicknames or e-mail verification. You phone number serves as a unique user ID.

Put this app in your home screen and then use this as a calling function instead of your carrier based call and you are not only allowed to make free calls to the other Viber users but you can also send SMS to them. This is an efficient app to make normal SMS and calls and also email right from the app. The one thing that makes Viber outstanding is its call quality. The audio is very clear without any lags. It is so clear that you will think that you ate using your regular carrier phone line. This is a must have free call app on your Android.

The other free call apps include Skype, Tango, Tru App, Qik, Nimbuzz, Google Voice, ICQ, etc...

Image Credit: Tim Robberts.

Author Bio:

I’m Zoya Bennet, part of Contus mobility team and author of this article. I’m a passionate blogger interested in writing articles on professional android application development. I constantly offer technology-based solutions for the platforms iOS, Android and Windows.

The Evolution of the Cell Phone [INFOGRAPHIC]

From Bricks to Brains: The Evolution of the Cell Phone

Source: Computersciencedegreehub

Embed this infographic on your site!

<br /> <a href="http://dailytipsndtricks.blogspot.com/2013/11/the-evolution-of-cell-phone-infographic.html"><img style="max-width: 100%;" src="http://imageshack.us/a/img811/2093/btf1.jpg" alt="From Bricks to Brains: The Evolution of the Cell Phone" /></a><br />Source: <a href="http://www.computersciencedegreehub.com/cell-phone/">Computersciencedegreehub</a></p><p></a></p>

Women and Computer Science Degrees

Traditionally, women aren’t known for entering technological fields. Tech careers and businesses are oversaturated with a male presence, but there has recently been a change in this regard. Women are starting to get more tech degrees, but what caused this major change? Here are a few things to consider when it comes to women and computer science degrees.

Early History

The truth is that women made up 37 percent of computer science graduates in 1985 when this degree was first offered to the public. While this was a large number, it significantly decreased to 22 percent in 2005, and then down to 18 percent in 2010.

In fact, the number of female graduates in this regard has been on a continual slope from 1985 until 2010. For example, only eight percent of Georgia Tech graduates were women.

Nerd Factor

Computer science students are stereotyped as nerds with thick glasses, pocket protectors and isolated cubicles. Both genders hate this stereotype and it’s primarily false, but it seems to affect women more than men. It’s not so much the lack of fashion, but the isolated lifestyle that seems to affect women the most.

Major Changes

More women have been getting computer science degrees since 2010, but the biggest change has been women getting jobs at IT companies. This figure grew about 42 percent since 2003. Not only that, but women are starting 150 percent more IT companies than men.

Women are Valuable

Looking at the statistics, you’ll notice that tech companies with more women tend to make more money. Most of them will make 34 percent more money on their investments than similar companies that are dominated by men.

No one’s sure if this is because women are smarter, more savvy at technology, or if having a balanced number of both genders just improves overall thinking, but the fact is that women truly are valuable to tech companies.

Women have traditionally stayed away from computer science degrees for many reasons, but that trend is quickly changing. Not only that, but many experts are suggesting that women should be exposed to technology at an early age to further increase the number of women who seek these degrees.

Preventing Data Breaches

Understanding how data and security breaches occur can help you put a plan in place to protect your company moving forward. Your customers trust you with their private identifying and financial information, so it is vitally important that you have a system in place that is strong and can withstand any cyber attacks that may occur. Over three-quarters of the attacks that are perpetrated take advantage of either weak or stolen credentials. Over half are the result of some form of hacking and 40 percent happen because of incorporated malware. However, over the last year the costs associated with a data breach on your company are continuing to decline. While it is getting less expensive to fix the situation after an attack, it is more important to have a plan that will prevent attacks from occurring so you and your customers remain safe. Learn more by reading through the provided infographic below.

Written by IT Creations, a company an independent wholesale distributor of high-end servers and components in Los Angeles.

The Benefits of Twitter to Every Modern Business

The dilemma that lots of modern companies face is far removed from the early question of whether employees need to use social media at work. Having seen the far-reaching good effect of social media to firm profitability and success, the one question that should be on the minds of managers is how to effectively use social media within the place of work. One of the accessible social media platforms that aid in enhancing employee’s productivity, abilities and interaction within the organization is Twitter. You may also check followersboosts.com if you so desire to improve your Twitter presence immensely.

Hiring the Best Talent

A survey by the Emerging Workforce Study discovered that 45% of staff considered that a company's presence in social media affects their choice of a new employer. This shows that a company that does not have a meaningful social media presence could be less appealing for many potential employees.

A firm can take advantage of the personal accounts of its employees to help improve its reach in online platforms such as Twitter. Indeed, workers can be great brand evangelists for the company, simply by tweeting on current events within the business. In comparison to the company’s Twitter account alone, it will be simpler to cover different online communities if all the Twitter accounts of your employees are maximized. It's through this that a lot of prospective workers will be reached and give awareness at the same time concerning the company itself.

Giving workers the freedom in making use of their own Twitter account while at work will much more likely attract today’s skilled and talented people. Many such creative minds like venturing into new areas of discovery without much regulatory problems. With that, most skilled workers choose to work in a flexible working environment.



Then again, the level of productivity at work will be compromise if the use of social media is abused. Hence, any company seeking to maintain the benefits of social media should evaluate the best way to utilize social platforms. One way to handle the use of social media may involve greater access by departments that benefit most from its use. The departments that typically benefit most from use of social media include:

• Sales
• Advertising, and
• Customer care

Enhanced Productivity

A new study carried out by Evolv (a company that evaluates the metrics of Fortune 500 companies) found that use of social media actually improves productivity among certain groups of workers. The social interaction offered by sites like Twitter provides the best opportunity for many sales people to achieve bigger reach with prospective clients. As compared to the employees who aren’t benefiting from the usage of social media, these employees are able to close a number of deals and simply bringing their business to greater heights.

There were also companies which took advantage of Twitter in making use of their accounts to offer customer care services. By way of this, any client’s complaints, concerns and queries can be immediately managed by employees. Considering this fast and dependable response, the company can attain customer loyalty that will also guarantee long term sales.

In addition, employees can effortlessly determine the company’s reputation in line with the public’s perception in Twitter. Besides, any misguided opinions can be directly corrected before it actually shed a bad light for the company. Also, wrong information regarding the company can be dealt with by brand managers as soon as it is detected. Thus, the reputation of the firm is left unstained.

Such social platforms as Twitter give a great chance for following up on previous clients of the company. Sales personnel can continually communicate with past clients without appearing to be pushy when it comes to business related deals. With this casual communication, the firm will be able to land more return of sales opportunities from former clients.

Social media recognition that any worker have achieved will also impact the organization in a good way. Many individuals on social media would have a positive perception of the businesses in which well-known professionals work. In other words, if specialists are highly prominent in social media platforms, they would also spread the fame to the companies they're a part of.

Better Relationships at Work

In terms of modern organizations, they offer an open line of communication between entry level personnel and greatest ranking executives. Such active communication could be enhanced further through social media platforms. Such a platform as Twitter facilitates for an unreserved and truthful interaction between workers at different levels in a company. This will also provide lower-level employees a chance to say what they want to say towards the higher-level personnel within the company. This is contrary to traditional memos and emails which provide less opportunity for entry-level employees to express their unreserved opinions.

Twitter really gives a clear line of social communication between employees that promote understanding and appreciation. Moreover, workers can easily share their ideas, perspectives, and how they see life which can help them lead to far better choices. HR managers can make use of this platform into their own benefit. By knowing the current issues that are brewing within the company; they can handle each issues by developing useful strategies and programs that will afterwards eliminate any resistance against the firm.

Countless companies organize team building activities partly to develop closer social interaction among the workers. Such social interaction can be boosted through social media. By interacting with one another on Twitter, numerous workers develop closer relationships beyond the work environment. This can assist develop team work and cooperation within a business.

Once employees and managers are having a good line of communication on Twitter, this promotes understanding not just on a personal level but also to the innate skills and talents they possess. This is one way of getting information that is needed in the deciding which employee deserves a job promotion. Nevertheless, HR managers can determine the ideals and values of the employees which also work as a basis for promotion.

Social media is currently an essential tool in the business operation of countless organizations. No business companies can afford to miss making use of this useful tool if they want to be successful. By identifying and using the advantageous aspects of social media use, both small businesses and large organizations can accomplish greater productivity and long term sustainability.

Author Bio:

An Article courtesy of Followersboost.com - a dependable and reliable source for beneficial information and tools to grow your popularity on Twitter. This site can also help you Buy Targeted Twitter Followers if you want to maximize your account.

Best Fitness Apps for Smartphone

Aside from all the useful and interesting things that smartphones are enabling you to do they are also quite capable of helping you stay healthy and active. Even though most of us know the value of workout and remaining active, not all of us can be bothered to actually exercise as often as we should. This is the greatest thing about apps of this type, while some of them simply give you instructions on how to do some exercises other are actually capable of making your exercise regime more efficient, or even helping you make it more interesting. Regardless of your preferred activity, you can be sure that there are at least some apps that could help you with your favored routine, and we have listed some that have been shown to be effective.

1) Fitocracy

One of the apps that is meant to motivate the user to work harder and strive for better results, Fitocracy does this by allowing you to share your results with the community of other users of this app. Regardless of your discipline, chances are that there will enough other users to create a healthy competitive atmosphere that will make you push harder to reach the top of the charts. Additionally, you also easily post your results on Facebook, informing your friends of your success. The app is completely free and is available for both iOS and Android devices.

2) MyFitnessPal

This app is more focused on your proper nutrition than the exercise regimes. It allows you to easily track your intake of calories, by offering a bar code scanner and a huge database of different types of food. It is great for keeping an eye on your calorie intake and really helps you reach your weight goals, without having to spend too much time on dealing with actual numbers. MyFitnessPal is available for both Android and iOS, and is absolutely free.

3) Nutrition Tips

Another app that is more focused on helping you with your diet decisions than your workout, Nutrition Tips gives you a bunch of useful advice on proper handling of your nutrition. The app is packed with interesting info on different types of food, and can really make a huge difference in your diet. This free app is only available for iOS platform.

4) Couch To 5K

A great instructional app that allows you to go from zero to running 5 km in no time. The app’s program guides you through a nine week regime that gradually becomes more demanding, until you are able to run the full distance with no problem. Apart from motivating the user, it also prevents you from straining yourself too much, or being too slow in your progress. Available for both Android and iOS, Couch To 5K is another amazing free app.

5) Workout Trainer

If your excuse for not exercising was that you can’t hire a private trainer and you simply don’t know how to do the exercises properly, this app maybe the thing that will finally make you start working out. It holds a database of all the exercises that you may ever need, with detailed and clear instructions of how to do them without injuring yourself or risk working out with no effect. Another free app that is available both on iOS and Android devices.

Author Bio:

Article by Samuel Evans blogger and writer . Samuel currently exploring everything related to mobile phones and gadgets.

Android Apps To Create Music

"Music is the language of the spirit. It opens the secret of life bringing peace, abolishing strife." Kahlil Gibran.

Everybody loves music. In one form or another we are all addicted to our favourite songs. Pop music, Hip-Hop, Jazz music or Rock'n'Roll – they are all great.

In recent years modern technology becomes more and more innovative. Especially when it comes to mobile devices such as tablets, smartphones etc..

Android, iOS' biggest competitor, is undoubtedly the most popular platform for mobile devices. Every month they release thousands of new applications and always find a way to surprise us. Travel applications, which help you explore the most interesting and captivating places on Earth; business apps, which are must-haves if you are running your own business; educational apps; fitness apps; games... the list is so large that we can hardly find such a big variety of categories to classify all the different opportunities that Android offers us. Today we have decided to select for you the best music making apps. No matter if you are at home or on the road – these applications are amazing and you can be sure that you will spend hours enjoying your favorite hobby with them. Here is our short list:

1) PocketBand Pro

Here is our first suggestion! PocketBand Pro is an amazing application that allows you to “Build high quality tracks as a sequence of loops, mixing synths,drums, audio recordings, analog modulators and arpeggiators. Apply FX to channels and export to mp3 or ringtones. Also play and collaborate in our community.” (quote directly form Play Store). Unfortunately, it is not free – it costs $9.99, but it is really worth the money. It works on Android 1.6 and above and it is among the most popular making music apps.

2) Image-Line FL Studio Mobile

As almost every other Android application, this one has an iOS twin too – FL Studio Mobile. However, the interface is a bit different. It has a wonderful selection of built-in sounds and gives you the opportunity to create your own tracks. All you need to do is let your imagination fly and put all of your creative ideas in practise. The application costs only $19.99 and runs on Android 2.3.3 and above.

3) Solo

Here is another fantastic program. If you love playing the guitar, then this is the best choice for you. Solo gives you the opportunity to carry your own guitar everywhere you go. Classical guitar, electric guitar, acoustic guitar – they all sound realistic. You will spend hours creating your own projects. Also, the app will show you the exact place to put your fingers. After the latest updates, Solo has added toddler settings and variable auto strum speed. It is the cheapest application in our list – only $3.99 and works on Android 1.6 or later.

4) Caustic 2

We left this one for a dessert since it is our favourite. Inspired by synthesizers, this great application has a wonderful design. And although the overall interface looks a bit complicated, once you download it you will see that in fact it is very easy to use. The program is absolutely free and runs on Android 2.1 or later.

Author Bio:

Rose Finchley loves to write about technology. She works in the support team of http://www.perfectcleaning.org.uk/end-of-tenancy-cleaning-hornsey-n8 and she loves her job.