Windows 8.1: a first look at what Microsoft is changing

Make the Start Screen yours

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Most of the changes in Windows 8.1 are visible straight from the Start Screen. New sizes of Live Tiles that offer more information or reduce clutter on screen, additional motion backgrounds, and the ability to set any image as the Start Screen wallpaper make for an improved and refined interface. The transition between desktop mode and "Metro" is a lot less jarring now, and there are even options to boot to desktop or set a new All Apps view as the default home page for the Start Screen.

Microsoft appears to be listening to its Windows 8 critics here, making 8.1 a more customizable experience that suits all needs. Altering the new Start Screen takes some getting used to if you're used to the old method, as you have to hold down on Tiles to move and change their size or position. It feels less intuitive than before, but it also prevents accidental swipes and movements so there's a tradeoff involved. The lock screen has also been tweaked to include quick access to the camera, the ability to quickly accept Skype calls, and a slideshow feature that pulls pictures from SkyDrive or the local PC. These features are minor, but good additions for upcoming 7- and 8-inch devices.

The Start button returns

The controversial Start button returns to Windows 8, and if you want you can almost combine it with the All Apps view to create a Start Menu of sorts. The button is simply a visual element that takes you back to the Start Screen, but you can also right click on it and access power user commands and the shutdown or restart options. Its return should help ease one of the usability complaints around Windows 8, but it does very little to change the way you have to interact with the Charms or the recently used apps with a mouse and keyboard. Fortunately the hot corners can be disabled so if you want to totally avoid the "Metro" world then it's possible to do so without third-party software now.

Side by side, multi-monitor, Miracast

One of the biggest changes in Windows 8.1 is the ability to have greater control over snapped applications. In Windows 8 apps could run side-by-side, but it was rather limited with a roughly 30 / 70 percent split. Microsoft is altering this dramatically in Windows 8.1, allowing apps to snap in a new 50 / 50 mode. You can also change that percentage to better control how much of an app you see on screen. This means it’s possible to snap three, four, or more apps alongside each other. There’s a limit, but it’s based on the number of 500 pixel increments you can fit on a display. On 7- and 8-inch tablets, Windows 8.1 will support the 50 / 50 view in landscape mode, with the majority of improvements aimed at portrait mode and reading scenarios.

Multiple monitor support is greatly improved

Multiple monitor support for Windows 8-style applications has been greatly improved in Windows 8.1. In our testing you can snap multiple apps across multiple displays and even extend a machine wirelessly to a Miracast-compatible display. Microsoft is supporting Miracast natively and it has surfaced as part of the Devices Charm with the project option. Snapping apps on multiple monitors is a little confusing, and dragging apps between monitors doesn’t always have the desired effect. I found that the Start Screen would often jump to the active monitor, making it tricky to arrange apps. Still, the support is welcome and it certainly makes Metro a lot more appealing on desktop and laptop computers without a touchscreen.

Access PC settings from Metro

With Windows 8, you had to use the traditional Windows desktop Control Panel to adjust practically any important setting on the computer, and if you're a power user or find yourself troubleshooting computers often, that might still be the case. But for most tablet users, the new touch-based PC settings will probably be enough for most anything. It's still a bit of a mess of nested options as of the Windows 8.1 preview build, and you might be better off just searching for what you want, but if you're looking to change the screen resolution or how long the computer will sit idle before it goes to sleep, these new menus have you covered.

Search

Built-in Bing search

Search has been totally overhauled in Windows 8.1. Bing now powers the interface and underlying algorithms used to discover and fetch data from local PCs and the web. Microsoft has long been investing in desktop search, but it’s moved forward significantly in the 8.1 preview. You can simply type on the Start Screen and you’ll be able to instantly access web queries, recent searches, system settings, files, and other information. If you want to quickly launch an app then you can just type the first few letters and you’ll be presented with it. The search interface appears to favor apps over other content, but it also learns your search habits and adapts accordingly.

Bing Heroes

Bing Heroes surfaces images, video, and audio content in a stylish wayPerhaps the biggest change to search here is a new hero interface powered by Bing. If you search for an artist like Rihanna you’re presented with a full-screen interface that surfaces images, video, and audio content. It’s done so in a useful but stylish way and it will even retrieve data from applications. One particularly impressive part of this search interface is that it shows web links with a thumbnail preview of the site you’re about to click on. If you want to play audio from a particular artist then it jumps straight into Xbox Music, or it will find YouTube videos from the web that are relevant.
News is also presented, alongside key information from Wikipedia. The images can be expanded and viewed separately, and there’s even the option to filter them by color to find the exact image you need. Speaking of images, if you search for a location the new Search experience can even find pictures you may have taken there, surfacing them alongside web results. It’s clear Microsoft has put a lot of thought and effort into this interface, and it has paid off.

Apps

Mail and Office

Most of the Windows 8 apps are being improved, but one that’s not part of the preview is the Mail app. The company is demonstrating some of the improvements it’s working on, including drag-and-drop support, sweep (which can remove large quantities of older unwanted mail) and the ability to group social and newsletters in one place. The Mail app is clearly starting to take shape into something that’s more usable and powerful to use over on tablets and even desktops. In the preview release the improvements aren’t ready, but Microsoft tells us an updated app will ship with Windows 8.1 later this year. One thing that does work well now is Mail's ability to pop open an app, side-by-side with Mail, to quickly view a web link or attached photo.
Metro Office is coming soonI also saw a brief glimpse of Windows 8-style Office applications which Microsoft is currently working on. Described as an alpha build, Microsoft was only prepared to show off a copy of PowerPoint running a presentation, but the suite should launch for Windows 8.1 tablets later this year.

Spin for better photography

Microsoft has some pretty intriguing user experiences for snapping shots and editing photos in Windows 8.1. With Photosynth, part of the Camera app, you can take a whole 360 degree photosphere — an entire room floor to ceiling — just by moving the tablet around, as if each image is filling in the pieces of a virtual jigsaw puzzle. The Photosynth software stitches them all together, and the results are surprisingly good. Meanwhile, the Photos app lets you enhance or mute colors through a different circular procedure: you drop a pin on any spot, then rotate a radial dial (which reminds me of OneNote) to adjust the intensity.

Internet Explorer 11

Internet Explorer 11 largely looks the same as its IE10 counterpart. The tab interface has been moved to the bottom, and Microsoft is catching up to the competition with tab sync across Windows 8.1 devices and Windows Phone. WebGL is also supported in Internet Explorer 11, and website owners can create separate Live Tiles that can be pinned to the Start Screen to access RSS feeds.
Unfortunately there are still separate desktop and Metro versions of IE11, and the tabs don't appear to keep in sync between the two. It's an odd disconnect given Microsoft's focus on cloud syncing in 8.1. IE11 will also detect phone numbers on sites so you can call them using apps like Skype, and the app fully supports the new Reading List feature that will let you bookmark web pages for later reading.

Cooking and calculating

Right out of the box, there are a number of new apps in Windows 8.1. Metro-style versions of Alarms, Calculator, and Sound Recorder are all available and the company is also adding Bing Health & Fitness and Bing Food & Drink. Bing’s Food & Drink app is perhaps the most interesting addition. Designed as a recipe book, it includes a unique hands-free mode that lets you swipe between recipe notes to avoid touching a screen with messy fingers. It simply uses a webcam and it will be interesting to see whether this makes its way into additional Windows 8.1 apps.

Xbox Music redesigned

Microsoft is highlighting its redesigned Xbox Music client with 8.1, but the improvements are actually fairly minor. The initial layout is improved with more immediate access to your songs and albums, but the interface when you’re viewing songs is unchanged. Microsoft is offering non-subscribers access to a radio feature that lets you search for artists to get recommended songs. Microsoft also showed off a feature where you can invoke the Share charm from a website listing musical artists to quickly create a playlist of their songs, though it didn't seem to be available in the preview build. A web-based version of Xbox Music will also debut next week to provide access to the service from non-Microsoft devices.

A solid year-one update

As I said back in May, Microsoft has taken the right approach with Windows 8.1. It has recognized its operating system's weakest points and addressed the issues. No, it's not an update with many stand-out features, but it represents a real refinement of what was already a strong OS. All of Microsoft's tweaks have made big improvement in usability, especially for users waiting to switch from Windows 7 or Vista.

5 Ways of Web Design Can Benefit Your Company

Did you know that good web design can benefit your company? With the right design, your company can profit immensely.

1)Go From Desktop to Mobile

 

With the right design, your customers can easily go from a desktop screen to a mobile device. This can show your customers your flexibility. This is very helpful for a lot of businesses, as well.

If you are a local business with a brick and mortar location, having a design that allows for mobile browsing offers customers an easier way to visit your physical location. Along with this, make sure you have options such as navigation and maps in your design. It can help ensure that you get the most from your site.

2)Attract Customers

 

An attractive design will bring in more customers than a bad design. In fact, with a good design, you can bring in a significant number of new customers. Internet users decide whether or not they will be staying on a website within just a few seconds.

You need to make them decide to stay on your site in those seconds. If you have a poorly designed site, they will leave. In some cases, they may even leave before they know anything about your product or service.

3)Strengthen Your Brand

The more people who recognize your brand, the more likely you are to make money. More people are going to recognize your brand if you have a great website. Though some people may remember you if your design is horrible, it’s not going to be the way you want them to remember you. If you want to strengthen your brand today, you need to make sure to have a solid, well designed website.

4)Professional Appearance

Are you a new business trying to get contacts? If so, it’s crucial to have a professional web design. Your website is the way you present yourself on the Internet. Would you show up for a job interview in ripped jeans and a dirty t-shirt? If not, you probably don’t want to send potential leads, clients, or colleagues to a poorly designed website. Make sure your design is as polished as you are. One way to get the perfect look is to work with a design company such as B2 Interactive.

5) Convey the Message You Want

No matter what type of business you have, there is a specific message you are trying to portray. You can easily do this with your design. No matter what your text says, what your products are, or what your company name is, the design is going to say just as much or more about you.

Make sure it says what you want it to tell people. How does the design of your website convey information about your company? Through typography, colors, images, and style.

There are a lot of design options, and each of them can benefit your business in one way or another. It’s important to make the most of your website. The design of your site says a lot about your company. Make sure you’re saying the right things.

5 Web Design Tips for Your Business Site

As a business owner operating in the internet space, it is absolutely critical to understand that the look and feel of your website can make or break you. You have very little time to capture the visitor’s attention so you need to stand out with a professional presentation that quickly reels them in. Based on today’s hottest web design trends, these tips will help you create an engaging website that both looks and performs like a champ.

1. Indulge in Responsive Web Design

Image via Flickr by Chasing Daisy

Responsive web design adapts to the user’s device, treating them to a great experience whether they are viewing your website from a desktop, smartphone, or tablet. This approach eliminates the need to create a separate website for mobile viewers, while allowing you to keep your search rankings intact in the process. When adopting a responsive web design strategy, remember that testing is the key to making sure your site delivers a consistent experience across all devices.

2. Publish Stellar Content

Image via Flickr by Pop Culture Geek

Your web design is incomplete if it is not supported by great content. Not only do users love content, the search engines do as well, so the more solid material you dish out, the more traffic they’ll send your way. It is comforting to know that great content can take many forms. It could be an intriguing blog post, a captivating photo slideshow, or an engaging video clip — as long as it offers something valuable to your audience.

3. Embrace Big Photos

Image via Flickr by Esparta Palma

Take a look around, and you will see that businesses across multiple industries are dropping thumbnails in favor of full-sized photos. These large photos really work well when they are relevant to your content and complement the rest of your site. With just the right touches, full-sized photos will do their job of engaging your audience, while enhancing brand consistency and awareness. As stated in this webstarts.com article, engaging and targeting an audience is crucial to making a sale online.

4. Integrate Social Media

Image via Flickr by Jason Howie

If your business has a presence in the social media channel, then that presence should show in your website design. Icons, Badges and Like buttons provide a convenient way for users to interact with their favorite social networks right from your domain. In addition, these features help you expand your presence by enabling those users to easily share your content.

5. Aim For Simplicity

Image via Flickr by DoctorWho

With all the dynamic web technologies out there, it’s very tempting to try to hit one out the park by incorporating a flashy, complex design. Of course you want your website to look good, but in this game, simplicity always works best. Instead of trying to wow the visitor with a visual spectacle, focus on presenting factual information and specific calls to action that make it clear what they should do next. The simple approach will make it easier to boost engagement and increase the conversions you need to meet your goals.

A website is vital to having success as an online merchant. Armed with these web design tips, you can ensure that your web-based office delivers on a consistent basis.

Improve your business by SEO technique

To remain successful in today’s economy, businesses are constantly trying to keep a competitive edge. In order to do this, it is pertinent that they display their products and services on the Internet. Presenting them to consumers in a professional manner will include obtaining professional services from an experienced web designer. More so, to make sure a company’s website receives high rankings from an assortment of major search engines, it will be important to obtain seo for small businesses with SolidCactus.com. SEO services are crucial in making sure a website is readily viewed by consumers. There are many types of SEO services for businesses to take advantage of, meaning a professional expertise knowledge in this field will be of great benefit. Some businesses believe that obtaining SEO services will be expensive. This is a wrong belief to have. The services are very affordable, and better yet, the investments made into them will be well worth the money spent. One of the most effective SEO strategies carried out by a professional SEO services provider is keyword placement. By making sure a company’s website incorporates effective keywords into its content, a SEO professional can help a business reach the number one spot on search engines’ results pages.

Build your Ecommerce website at ease

In the early days of the Internet, you had to know a lot about computers and HTML to get anything put on the web. Although things use to be much more difficult in the past, an ecommerce website builder can now automate most of the dirty work behind the scenes. Nobody really needs to know how to code a website these days because there are so many different website building tools at everyone’s fingertips. Even if you want to build a website where you are going to be selling goods or services, you do not really need to worry about spending a lot of money on the production of the actual website. Instead of hiring someone else to get the job done at a high price, you can now create everything on your own with the help of a website builder. The entire process is completely streamlined, and you will even be able to accept all major credit cards on your website once everything has been set up correctly. Anyone who has thought about creating their own website to sell their own little gadgets or trinkets should definitely look into their idea again now that there are easier options available when it comes to building a website. Anyone should be able to figure out how to build a website now because all of the hard aspects of the process have been tossed to the side. There is nothing holding back anyone from creating their own ecommerce website now.

Register domain name private

In most cases, when you register a new domain name, you are forced to put your information on the Internet so anyone who wants to contact you can do so rather easily. Most people who own a website do not want their private information to be available on the web, which is why private domain registration at Register.com was created in the first place. When you use this private form of registering a domain, it becomes much easier for your to breathe easy when you host any kind of website that you desire. You do not need to worry about getting harassing letters in the mail when you offend someone online because they will not be able to find out where you live. The only time that Register.com will turn over the information of the person who owns a particular web domain is if they are ordered to do so by a court. Although they would like to keep an individual’s information private in all cases, things can really get out of hand for them if they do not listen to the demands of the police or government. As long as you are not doing anything illegal with your website, you should not have a problem with anyone finding out that you run a particular website in your free time. There are many different situations where registering a domain name privately makes sense, and you should definitely think about registering a new domain in this manner from this point onward.

Get Stock Photos And Vector Images Of Your Taste - Depositphotos

4 Apps That Will Help Improve Your Home

In reality, any season is great for home improvements, especially in Seattle. Every homeowner looks for ways to save money on home projects and here, you’ll find six apps guaranteed to cut the price of every project.

1. HomeAdvisor

Screenshot via Google Play Store

The home contractor referral app HomeAdvisor works a little differently than other referral apps. The app is free and no membership or sign-up is required. You can also create project folders and the app matches up to for area professionals that match your needs.
For example, if you need plumbing services, create the project folder and the app will recommend plumbers like JimDandySewer.com in Seattle. All contractors are pre-screened including criminal and financial background checks and possess the State of Washington’s required licensing.
Professionals can be reached via instant email or text and instead of relying on a hand-picked contractors, save money with this find-the-best-pro app—great for the non-DIY homeowner.

2. ColorSmart by BEHR™ Mobile

Screenshot via iTunes App Store

Tired of spending money on paint or paint samples only to find you hate the color? With the ColorSmart by BEHR Mobile application you take a picture of a room, browse for colors and then tap on the image to see a virtual photo of what the room would look like in the chosen hue.
Or, tap the photo of your room to paint virtual swatches to see which color you like best. Save favorites for all your painting projects, use the easy paint calculator based on room size so you don’t buy too little or too much and share your colors on your Facebook page. The app also has a store locator to help you buy the paint you need quickly.

3. iHandy Level Free

Screenshot via iTunes App Store

Rated by O’Reilly Media as one of the “best iPhone apps,” iHandy Level Free ensures everything you hang is level—a must-have for those who live on the hilly streets of Seattle! Updated for the iPhone 4 so the images are in high-resolution—you’ll never need a clunky level again.
Use this for hanging decorations or to align pictures. The app also allows you to measure angles or have fun with it and measure the inclination of an airplane. This measuring app skips looking for a dusty or greasy tool and puts the fun in measuring and hanging again.

4. Houzz Interior Design Ideas

Screenshot via iTunes App Store

CNN called this iPhone app the “Wikipedia of interior design” for a good reason. The Houzz Interior Design Ideas app now contains over a million high resolution images with a database that keeps growing to help you design one room or your entire home.
First, create a virtual “ideabook” and select images of furniture, appliances and decorating ideas for each room. Save and share your ideabook via email or social media. If you need contractors in the Seattle area to help you with certain projects, simply show them your ideabook so they price the job right. Packed with helpful articles, you can be your own interior designer.
Home improvement has never been easier if you live in The Emerald City—download one or all of these apps and finally make the home changes you’ve always wanted.

Download Foobar2000 1.2.1 – Advanced Windows Audio Player now!!!

Foobar2000 is an freeware windows application. It’s an easy-to-use, skinnable and highly customizable audio player that aside from basic playback features, sports advanced capabilities such as conversion and tag editing.Foobar2000 is an advanced freeware audio player for the Windows platform.

Key Features of “Foobar2000″:

• Supported audio formats: MP3, MP4, AAC, CD Audio, WMA, Vorbis, FLAC, WavPack, WAV, AIFF, Musepack, Speex, AU, SND and more with additional components.
• Gapless playback.
• Full unicode support.
• Easily customizable user interface layout.
• Advanced tagging capabilities.
• Support for ripping Audio CDs as well as transcoding all supported audio formats using the Converter component.
• Full ReplayGain support.
• Customizable keyboard shortcuts.
• Open component architecture allowing third-party developers to extend functionality of the player.

Download: Foobar2000 1.2.1

How To Get Pass Java SE 7 Programmer Certifications?

I already passed OCA and OCP for Java SE 7 Programmer Certifications after long time preparation. In this article I am sharing my experiences about doing the certification and the tips I can give you to get good score. Although my score was not higher, I am sure the following information will help you.

Why Java Certifications?

We all know that Java Professionals are more hot in IT industries and certified professionals are even more on demand. Java programmer level certifications are intended for the programmers to prove that they really know the Java programming language for latest Java Language Fundamentals and APIs. Being Java Certified can help you to get more remuneration and recognition. The latest programmer level certification is for Java SE 7 version and it is divided into two levels, 1. OCA and 2. OCP.

Who are all can take this certification?

The OCA for Java SE 7 (OCAJP) is for entry level Java programmer to know the basic language fundamentals and OO design (class, methods, constructors, interfaces, abstraction…etc). So anybody interested to move into Java career / peoples already have enough experience in Java technologies can take this certification. Note that this certification does not require any pre-requirement.

The OCP for Java SE 7 (OCPJP) is an advanced level Java Programmer exam which can be taken after clearing OCPJP.

My preparation experience

My actual plan to complete Java Programmer certification was for Java SE 6 since it has only one exam instead of two levels in SE 7, but my colleague suggest me to take latest exams. My colleague said that the first part (OCA exam) was much easier than second part (OCP) when he took the exam. It is hard to cope up with latest technology changes when you prepare for a new certification which does not have proper study books. My colleague gifted epractize labs exam simulators for my preparation. I already have Kathy Sierra book which was purchased last year. He also gave me some study notes that he collected from Oracle’s free tutorials for Java 7. Finally I had some kind of material in my hand.

- Started my preparation with OCA Training Lab.
- The product has so many components for tracking goals, schedule, reports and overall weakness areas. I planned my OCA Java 7 preparation schedule like below:

• Pre Measurement – 2 days
• Basic Sessions – 7 Days
• Advanced Sessions – 7 Days
• Session Rewind Quiz – 5 Days
• Mock Exam Lab – 10 Days
• Final Exam – 2 Days

The product really simplified my exam preparation, it has study guide and so many practice questions with brief explanations. I decided to take exam after getting more confidence with mock exams. The SCJP book by Kathy Sierra is good for understanding fundamentals along with OCA Training Lab study notes.

Completed my OCAJP with 84% score. Thanks to my colleague Dieter for providing enough guidance.

Following week I started preparing for OCPJP exam. Oh.. god, this exam is totally different from OCA. This exam requires lot of Java SE 7 changes like NIO2, Exception handling changes (try with resources, multi catch), design patterns, and much more. The preparation for OCP tooks around 67 days and still I feel that my knowledge is not enough to take real exam. I took another 2 weeks to brush up my knowledge and appeared this exam.

Completed my OCPJP with 71%. I am not bothered about my score. I just wanted to pass the exam. But I prepared very well and some wrong answers happened only because some questions were not clear in my opinion. E.g. the questions about Path, diamond operator and patterns were not clear – sometimes several answers looked correct to me.

Which resources you use to prepare for these Java exams?

In my experience, the following resources are sufficient :

The book “SCJP Sun Certified Programmer for Java 6 Study Guide” (Author: Kathy Sierra): This book will be useful for OCA exam and not for OCP Java 7.

OCA Java SE 7 Training Lab for OCAJP 7: Excellent mock exams, I think you need to have this simulator to prepare based on latest OCA syllabus. These mock questions are tougher than real exam. If you can reach 60 percent goal in each topic here, you will probably pass the real exam.

OCP Java SE 7 Training Lab for OCPJP 7: You must have this product to clear OCPJP 7 exam. During my preparation, no book or simulator was available for this exam except this software kit. If you can reach 70-80 percent mock exam score here, you will probably pass the real exam. The real exam is slightly tougher than these mock exams.

I propose every Java programmer to do the exam, but if you have time to prepare only after work or at the weekend, plan at least six months for completing this two exams.

If you have any comments about my experiences, please buzz me.

Great Places To Host Your Resume Online

In this day and age, it should be assumed that when you are applying for a job, one of the first things that your potential employer will do is search for you on Google. The Internet has become an integral part of the job market, not only for those looking for new careers, but also for business owners looking to hire the right people.

A good way to make an excellent first impression before even meeting the employer is to give yourself a quality online presence and presentation. If a search for your name comes back with more than just aFacebook profile, you’re going to make a better early impression than the job seekers who only have social media profiles.

Here are seven great websites and services that you can use to host your resume online and make yourqualifications searchable for prospective hirers.

1. Your Personal Blog

If you own and manage your own blog, it’s as good a place as any to host your resume. Not only is it easily searchable, but it also allows employers to see you as a proactive citizen of the Internet that creates their own content as well. This is especially helpful if your blog is related to the niche that you are interested in finding a job in. Stumbling on to your blog after finding your resume online shows employers that you have enough expertise in this field to operate a blog related to it.

2. LinkedIn

Easily the most popular and effective social media site for business professionals, LinkedIn provides you with a great opportunity to not only present your qualifications, but to network as well. Not only can you post your resume here for all to see, but you can also receive recommendations and words of praise from former co-workers or employers that will be visible to everyone as well. Another great thing about LinkedIn is that once you have perfected the look of your resume, you can actually export it as a PDF to use as a hardcopy or to use when creating resumes on other sites as well.

3. PeopleJar

If you are looking for a site that allows you maximum self-promotion online, this is the one. This relatively new social media site allows you to not only host your resume, but also a portfolio and samples of your work that you would like the world to see. It also allows you to network professionally in a similar way that LinkedIn does. PeopleJar’s resume builder gives you a very concise and clean-looking resume and allows you to add various media to your profile and resume in order to enhance it.

4. Resume.com

This is a dedicated site for resume building and hosting. You will be able to create a sleek and engaging resume and make it publically available. You can also use the site to search for potential jobs. The simplicity of the site and the resume creation and hosting process is what makes this website a favorite for both job seekers who are fresh out of college and experienced professionals.

5. Visual CV

One really great thing about this website is that it allows you to import your resume from LinkedIn in order to get started. There are many different templates to choose if you are looking to make your resume stand out from the crowd, and there are also great options for including various multimedia in your resume and portfolio to spice it up. There are many companies using Visual CV to attract new employees, so it’s definitely a good place to network as well.

6. About.me

This site is like a more sophisticated, grown and professional Myspace. It allows you to include just about anything you want about yourself, we gives you the opportunity to make a creative online resume and multidimensional portfolio on your profile. It also gives you statistics on how many people are viewing your profile and when they are doing so, which lets you know if some of the changes that you made are working to attract new visitors.

7. My Resume Online

My Resume Online is a great option for people who want a minimal and very straight-laced design with no strings attached. This site gives you the option to create a minimalist, but effective resume with the option of including pictures and attached PDFs into your online resume as well. Most importantly, you’ll have a very searchable and effective URL in the form of www.myresumeonline.org/yourname or something similar, which will make it easy to find you on Google.

Little Things To Know About CD Duplication Before Committing

Looking for good cheap CD Duplication service make sure you do a proper research that you get the best. The duplication and replication of CD is booming business in the market. CD duplication businesses has boomed up because of being easy and budget friendly that has caused a high demand for its service.

This is the main reason for clients to look into every minute detail about the business before commting into one.

Suggestions and opinions

Before commiting to any service , you should look into customer reviews of these businesses. This gives you a clear picture about how they work. Looking for good CD duplication reviews online is convenient as most people share their views to educate others. Certain review sites are assigned to say good about certain companies, you must be careful about such sites.

Than counting on online reviews you can also ask the people around you for any suggestions or views. Their opinions can be trusted since their words are unbiased and based from experience and usage of the company’s products and services.

Packaging and promotion

CD duplication is booming and has called for a lot of competition in the market. Companies are prone to create promos and packages to woo in customers. This allows customers to opt which is high quality and is affordable for him. Knowing the prices and features of cheap CD Duplication companies and comparing them, people can know when choosing the company to hire. Competition rises a positive impact in the market giving public opinions to opt from. This enables prevention of monopolization of prices and giving room for opportunities for clients.

Best quality work and Customer service

One of the most important factor is the quality of work these companies put in their service. This gurantees you that you’ll be on the receiving end of outstanding customer service. This is a great measure to take a look into their portfolio. This enables a glimpse of their work in terms of their graphic design, materials and priniting done on the cover and packaging. The priniting must be aptly done so that it does not fade away.

Check for any queries by calling them. Thoroughly go through their policy in terms of defects in their products. This will relieve you of experiencing bad CD’s to be given away and receive calls of complaint. By adopting such measures, you are assured that you are going to get the best CD duplication service. Clients can be relieved of being tricked of paying more.They will be saved from receiving defective products and have a company that has no goodwill. All it requires is some patience in doing research work giving you best results.

Sone Things To Know About Mobile Gaming

When looking for a reputable mobile games provider it is important to do some proper research in order to get the best. The mobile gaming environment is booming because of the easy accessibility of gaming on the go and it is important to use a reliable supplier for optimum results.

1. Research your options

Before you commit to downloading a game that you have to pay for, do some research into the games performance and look for any glitches that may regularly occur. Forums are a great place to search for game information as they give a very clear picture of what you can expect. Reviews may be sponsored or biased but forum posts generally offer a realistic idea of how the game will run on your mobile device.

2. Use a reputable payment service

There are several trusted and reliable payment service providers that allow you to conduct mobile transactions to purchase games or credits. Look for recognised credit card, voucher or ewallet names and avoid unknown service providers or unsecure options. If you are playing android casino games for real money ensure that the mobi site you are utilising is safe and secure, as there is a huge amount of competition between sites for players custom.

3. Know the prices

Online and mobile fraud is a harsh reality and there is a lot of competition in the market, with sites offering bonuses and special promotions to improve their custom. Knowing what you are paying for is very important when purchasing an app or buying gaming credits. If a download is free and you are still asked for payment details be aware that updates may be charged for or other costs incurred that are hidden in the small print. When choosing a site to game with stick to recognised options or download Android games from the Play Store.

4. Compatibility and optimisation

Always know what the specs of the device you are using are and whether they are compatible with mobile games. Certain games require higher specs and will be unable to play on a device that is using older or outdated software. Compatibility should always be checked as certain OS versions cannot handle the fast pace of newer games.
As technology improves so do the mobile gaming options and there are huge opportunities for players to enjoy all their favourite quality entertainment on the go.

7 Things To Consider On Your Hosting Solution

Moving to cloud-based computing has many advantages for businesses of all sizes, although the biggest benefits are likely to be most obvious to SMEs, with limited resources to manage their IT infrastructure themselves.  As cloud-based computing relies upon a third party to keep critical applications running, it is crucial to work with the right partner.  Here are 7 things to consider when deciding on your hosting solution.

1. Where will the application data be held?

Unless there is no possibility whatsoever of customer data ever touching the provider’s servers, then it is critical that you understand exactly where the data is being stored and processed.  If the provider is using international facilities, then you will need to comply not only with data-protection laws in your home country, but also with any relevant laws in the host country.  If you are changing from domestic hosting to international hosting then it is vital to check if you need to get the customer’s explicit permission for this.

2.  What is the process for communicating with the hosting provider?

Some companies become notorious for putting much more effort into their sales process than they do into anything that happens afterward.  Companies who put effort into their after-sales support will offer clear support channels with appropriate hours of operation.  These will typically include a business support telephone number and email address, which should be available during standard office hours in your country, along with a technical-support telephone number and email address.  There should be at least one out-of-hours emergency support channel.  The provider should have clear targets for response time as well as a clear escalation process.

3.  Look at past performance and current performance guarantees

Established companies should be willing to share statistics of their performance (i.e. uptime) over past years.  They should have clear explanations of any occasions when their quality of service dropped, along with what steps were taken to correct the situation and what measures were taken to prevent a recurrence.  The company should also be able to provide details of any major upgrades planned for the near future and what impact (if any) they will have on service availability.  While it is highly unlikely that any company will guarantee 100% uptime, they should ideally guarantee well above 90%.

4.  Check the stability of their company

Although many businesses wind up their affairs in an orderly manner if they cease trading, for whatever reason; you do not want to run the risk of being left in the lurch if an ailing company goes out of business.  It’s therefore wise to check that any potential partner has solid financials.

5.  Check the options for supporting change

As a rule of thumb, the longer the length of the contract, the more important it is to be able to accommodate change.  While the details of any proposed change will depend on your specific requirements, a potential partner should at least be able to outline the process for making changes.  Ideally they should also be able to give guideline costs and times for common requests.

6.  Check the process for ending the contract

Ideally you and your hosting partner will have a long future together; however at some point you may wish to move to another provider.  Alternatively your provider may choose to (or be forced to) wind up their operation.  One of the hallmarks of a company with a genuine commitment to professionalism and customer service is that it will continue to provide support to customers even when the relationship is drawing to an end.

7.  Check their readiness for emergencies

There are effectively two sorts of emergencies which need to be considered – those which take place at your side and those which take place at your provider’s.  With regards to emergencies which take place at your side, you need to know what sort of support your provider can give if your needs suddenly change due to an unexpected event.  This can be positive as well as negative.  For example, you may run a very successful advertising campaign, which results in your staff having to make much greater use of an application.  Alternatively, you may need an application to be changed at short notice in anticipation of an important event.

Similarly you need to be confident that your provider can resolve any contingency situations which affect them.  While it is almost inevitable that a provider will experience some unplanned downtime on the odd occasion, a reputable provider will have clear and tested plans in place to cope with outages and will be happy to share them.  These plans should include their strategy for contacting and updating customers during the period of the outage.