4 Ways to Become a Plagiarist and Only One How to Avoid it

Today, in the digital era, becomes a victim of plagiarism is not worth nothing, and even easier to become a plagiarist, even though this. So there are a few steps to become a great plagiarist:

1 - using the “copy-paste” method of writing.
2 – borrowing other’s person material and rewrite it.
3 - submitting someone’s work as your own.
4 - downloading already made articles from internet.

As you can see, it’s quite easy to make a career of a plagiarist. You don’t need to have any special skills or take special courses, all what you need: internet, a bit of impudence and unwillingness to work by your own. But, actually nowadays plagiarism is a huge problem, it has firmly entrenched in almost every sphere of life in our modern society. This phenomenon spreads more and more and, there are not so many ways to solve this problem.

Struggle against plagiarism started long ago, but there are only a few methods, which proved the effectiveness. One of them is online checker of plagiarism. Actually there are many special web-sites, where you can check your article on plagiarism, for example contentplagiarismchecker.com – service which was made to verify the originality. It is fairly easy to use, just copy your text and paste it, and you will see the level of similarity. If it’s high (it will be high, if you use one of the fourth method which we have spoken before), you need to rewrite your text to decrease this level. Actually such programs are the only who can struggle against plagiarism. So if you don’t want to become a victim of plagiarism - сheck all the texts that you work with using this sites.

Written by Emily Dawson, the philologist. She has spent the greater part of her career in learning and researching, loves to share the knowledge.

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Under Construction Template for Blogger

Under construction templates are rarely released for Blogger. I had some issues with my other blog template so I had to put up a under construction template, I was searching for hours to find a good template somehow after navigating many sites I found one that has everything I wanted. So I decided to share it.

The template I am writing about has everything that a under construction template should have. you can set the construction time so the time will keep running and then you have twitter, facebook and RSS buttons where you can just link your social links and finally we have a Feedburner subscription thing that you can use to let your feed subscribers know when you publish your new design.

Demo - Download

Template Details

• Template Name - Launcher
• Author - NewBloggerThemes
• Designer - MyThemeShop
• Released Date - 19-April-2013
• Category - Under Contruction

Configuration/Installation

1. Go to Template > Edit HTML in your blogger.
2. Search for TargetDate (to get the search box in EditHTML press CTRL + F)
You will find this Javascript :<script language='JavaScript' type='text/javascript'> TargetDate = "04/19/2015 10:00 AM"; FinishMessage = "<span class='finish-mss'>This website should be online soon! Please be patient.</span>"; </script>

In that change the TargetDate value "04/19/2015 10:00 AM" to the date you gonna publish your new design(template).

3. Search for id='social', you will end up finding these lines :
<div id='social'> <p class='followus'> Follow Us:</p> <a class='twitter' href='http://twitter.com/newbthemes' rel='nofollow' target='_blank'>Twitter</a> <a class='facebook' href='http://facebook.com/newbthemes' rel='nofollow' target='_blank'>Facebook</a> <a class='rss' expr:href='data:blog.homepageUrl + "feeds/posts/default"' rel='nofollow' target='_blank'>RSS</a> </div>

In those lines replace your social links with the existed ones(ie : http://twitter.com/newbthemes)

4. Now finally we have to configure Feedburner(just search for Feedbuner).

<form action='http://feedburner.google.com/fb/a/mailverify' method='post' onsubmit='window.open('http://feedburner.google.com/fb/a/mailverify?uri=newbthemes', 'popupwindow', 'scrollbars=yes,width=550,height=520');return true' style='' target='popupwindow'>

Replace newbthemes with your Feedburner ID

5. Save your Template.

I hope you enjoyed this article! please share it with your friends :)

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What is Promotional Merchandise?

Promotional merchandise, as the name indicates, is an essential advertising instrument that can be used to expose your company, products or services to a wider audience. In addition to product exposure, using promotional merchandise, such as custom flash drive, helps in increasing your business’s brand awareness. By far, giving away promo product to prospects for free is one of the best and most effective marketing tools available today. Whether you are looking for a way to establish an advertising space or a tool that would keep you in touch of your past customers, giving away promo products like custom USB drives is a great way to build a profitable and lasting business.

There are a lot of perks that can be obtained from giving away free promotional merchandise to consumers. One of the most obvious benefits of giving away free promo products is its can help introduce your business to a great number of new prospects. Basically, handing out these promo items will not just expose your brand to your local market, but it will help introduce your business to the internet markets as well. Since promotional products like custom USB drives are usually handy and transportable, a great part of your recipients will most likely carry these products wherever they go. If the recipient happens to be a traveler who frequently moves from one country to another, your services, products as well as business will get some exposure to some of the countries where he or she has gone by.

Another benefit that can be derived from handing out free promotional stuff is that it can help you save a great deal of money from your marketing and advertising expenses. While media advertisements from magazines, televisions and radio would cost millions of dollars a year, a dozen of custom flash drives would only cost you twenty five dollars or even less. What’s more, you can get bargained deals for these items when you buy them in wholesale orders. So, if you are looking for an economical yet an effective way of promoting your business, make sure to consider giving away custom promo products for free.

To make the most out of your advertising campaign, make sure to choose promo products that durable and long-lasting. Keep in mind that your advertising campaign will last for as long as your products remain functional and useful. Basically, giving them away during a tradeshow is just the beginning of what might be a very long advertising campaign. If your promo products are durable and long-lasting, your advertising campaign will last up to six years or even more.

Give away promo products that can be used by the recipient on a daily basis. In this case, you can hand out functional and useful items like custom USB drives, pens, calendars, bag, and many more. As much as possible, avoid giving away candies, treats and other edible items.

Always buy promo products from a reputable an established supplier like Save On Promotions. By doing so, not only will you get high-grade promo products, but you also get to save a lot of money from your promotional campaign.

Jasmine is one of the reliable person in promoting products .If you are looking for attractive electronic gadgets then you can visit save on promotions. We have huge stock of components available for you.

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Web Hosting Consumer Tips

Introduction

Having your own website equates to having a superb web hosting service, for very obvious reasons. A web hosting provider that could assure you of continuous services, without downtime could very well spell great success to your website. A few minutes of downtime could mean lost sales. If you are concerned about business survival and online presence, you need to choose the best host provider that could answer to all your needs. What comes to mind is, how do you this?

Guidelines on Choosing a Web Hosting Service

• The Lure of the Free Domains

There are many hosts today that offer free hosting service. They look very enticing, since you can just plunge in and your site is ready in a flick of a finger. This can lure the most naïve among us, and it may take a while before you start asking questions – “What if your site becomes successful? Will the free service still continue?” Always remember that even if the domain provided by them is free, the web host still retains ownership of the domain name. What this means is that in a few months or years from now, though the present arrangement may sound appealing ---there may be may be need for you to ask some serious questions. For instance, who owns the domain? Even if it is free now, the host still retains ownership of it. This means, that a few years down the line when your site may have become successful, there may be a need for you to buy the domain name. Either you buy it or you go both ways – you get stuck with it or it gets deleted from cyberspace.

• Bandwidth Problems

Most newbies who are on the lookout for online presence often ignore disk space and bandwidth requirements when it comes to public domains. Just because it is free, this very critical feature is often disregarded when making decisions on what host to choose from. Problems may crop up later on or if in case your site becomes popular. At this juncture, you go running to your host to inquire if they may have an additional disk space that you can pay at an equitable price. Good if they do, and bad for you if they don’t!

• The Unlimited Storage Fallacy

We get to see many flyers and come-ons online that tend to get the attention of many netizens. It is the concept of unlimited storage, that is dangled around us like some carrot on a stick. This is a fallacy, a creation of their mindless think-tanks --- since there is no such thing as unlimited storage. If you read the fine prints on their terms of service, exceeding their prescribe amount of storage will mean a violation of your agreement. Hence, your account can be terminated for cause.

• Required Back-Up of Files

To seduce consumers into their fold, many hosting companies give off guarantees to protect your data. These come-ons come with stipulations that they have a reliable backup plan to ensure that all your documents are protected. While this may be true for some companies, it is still prudent if you do your own backups, especially if you opt to use a public server. Doing your own backup of documents would mean having an off-site alternative, so that your files are safe even if the public server crashes, as they are wont to do. It is also advisable to only enter into a short-term contract with hosting companies, so you can get out right away in case problems arises in the future.

Conclusion

Finding a good host is often times hard to do. Even professional webmasters can still fall prey to a web host that suddenly goes under. Hosting is a complex business and can experience both ups and downs in the trade. If you get lucky in finding a good host, stick it out with them through good or bad times. But if they go down for more than 24 hours, you should research other hosts in preparation to moving out. There are pros and cons to using private and public servers. The choice would eventually depend on your specific needs and budget.

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Social Media's Role In Reputation Management

It hasn’t escaped the attention of the savvy business that online reputation management is becoming more and more important pretty much by the day. With almost everyone now turning to the Internet before making any real spending decisions, it’s hardly surprising that what’s said about you and your brand online counts for more now than largely any other form of feedback. There were once only select service industries that were dependent on positive online feedback – the same now extends to every business and service across the board. But here’s the real kicker – a full 23% of people admit that they will take to the web to say bad things about a brand if need be, but less than 10% will sing the brand’s praises when absolutely delighted with their services or products. As such, the vast majority of online feedback has the potential to be negative and paint a picture of a brand that’s neither balanced nor fair – especially where everyday social network gossip is concerned.

This makes it hugely important to tap into the power of social media for positive reputation management and promotion – here are a few tips from the pros on how to go about this:

Optimize Social Media Pages

If and when it gets to the point that entering your brand name or other keywords returns a list of results where several are negative, you’re in trouble. The last thing you want is for the first thing people to see about your brand to be negative comments and reviews in Google. In order to prevent or treat this, optimize your social media pages and create more pages to optimize, in order to get these higher in the rankings and push the negative feedback further down while you go about addressing it.

Choose Social Media Carefully

Don’t fall into the trap of thinking the world of social media begins and ends with Facebook. Not only is this not the case, but Facebook might not be the best platform for you to choose – not even close. Take into account the various platforms out there in accordance with the target market you’re trying to reach, in order to tailor your decision accordingly. The power of Pinterest and LinkedIn for example cannot be overstated for a great many business areas.

When You Find Praise, Run With It!

Without getting carried away and coming across as desperate, it’s never a bad idea to spread the good word about you and your brand every time something positive is said about you. If you happen to find some really glowing feedback in a dark corner somewhere that most folk won’t come across, bring it to light on either your primary page or via social media. Likewise, be sure to draw further attention to any glowing praise you receive by responding to it or leaving your own comment thanking the reviewer. In addition, don’t ever be worried to reach out to your target market and actually ask them to leave you a positive review. Assuming of course you haven’t let yourself down and did a great job living up to expectations, some will be more than happy to do so.

Embrace the Criticism

It might not appear so on the surface, but negative criticism can actually be better for your business over the long-term. Not only does it show you where you need to improve, but you can turn any negative into a positive by following it up and responding to it in order to win over the part responsible party and anyone else coming across it.

Listen and Learn

And finally, the most important thing of all to take away from social media in terms of reputation management is constructive feedback as to where you’re going wrong and what is going down well with the punters. Don’t weigh up what you read against your own biased views of the business, take them as the most valuable insights you will ever have as to how you can better your operations.

Author Bio
Rocky John Tayaban, for the past 8 years, has been helping small and large companies all over the world in their online marketing. At the moment, Rocky is the managing director of iSolutions Media - a search engine marketing firm in the Philippines. Follow him on Twitter @SmartOnlinePros to stay updated on all the latest in social and search.

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The Easy Fundamentals Of Building Car Websites

The Internet is full of acronyms these days, and SEO, short for search engine optimization, is one of them. However, it's not just another set of letters that have no real meaning. When it comes to the building blocks of SEO for auto dealerships and their car websites, there's a few specifics that marketers should keep in mind.

Avoid These Mistakes
Auto SEO has a lot to do with optimizing for local buyers. But's not just about a single geographical area. For example, neighborhoods and suburbs are also important. Secondly, consumers aren't just concerned with make and model. As a salesman, you might know which cars have what features, but consumers don't. They might be shopping for an SUV with four wheel drive or a luxury sedan, so don't forget about keywords that describe vehicles rather than just naming them.

Lastly, smart SEOs recognize the value of targeting car buyers based on the stage of the buying process. People who are searching for a vehicle are comparing features and look at options, which ties into the previous though. As they move through the process, consumers will want real choices, which your dealership may be able to provide them. Obviously, there's a lot of keywords that you can focus on, but you don't want to try to do everything at once, especially when you're doing SEO yourself. Instead, consider the keywords that will have the highest conversion and focus on that. You can always tweak or adjust your campaigns in the future, but you don't want to spread yourself too thin when you're getting started.

Getting Social with Content
The obvious way to avoid low-quality content is to create content that visitors will find useful. Car dealers have a specific advantage because there's so much that consumers don't know about cars. First-time buyers will especially find comparisons and feature guides useful. Plus, a car blog is the perfect way to advise drivers on keeping their vehicles in the best condition for resale. In locations where snow is a concern, dealers can populate their blogs.

This content is perfect for sharing on social media, too. An article or image that goes viral brings traffic to your website, and those visitors can become customers. Social media has become increasingly more important. Google counts retweets, shares and +1s when ranking pages in the SERPs. Furthermore, Google shows results from its own social network, Google+, above organic results in the search engine, so it's vital that you promote content from your dealer website and blog on Google+.

Embracing Your Identity
Authorship is another opportunity of which you should take advantage. When you link to your Google+ profile from your website or blog and place the link of your site in your profile, you've claimed your site as an author. When you post content to your site, your Google+ profile picture will appear next to that content in the SERPs along with links to your profile. This visually separates your content from others on the results page. This is important for salesman because it shows a real person associated with the content. If yours is a trusted name, why wouldn't you want to take advantage of it?

SEO is a big task, which is why so many dealers hire on a freelancer or even a team of SEO pros to help with the job. An SEO may be able to see where your campaigns are lacking or provide knowledge gained through experience in other industries. Of course, this comes at a price. Whether you're simply paying cash or spending your time on SEO, it's important to get it right.

By Andrew Handley
I write weekly articles for a car blog. I've had experience with car dealerships and maintenance business websites, as well as car hobby communities.

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Investing In Office Hardware - Why Not To Overlook Telephony Headset

It’s not uncommon for business owners to occasionally take stock of the equipment currently in use around the office and plan a bit of an overhaul when and where needed. However, something that rarely fails to escape the attention of those concerned is the contingency of telephony hardware sitting around every desk and workspace. In essence the reason for this is pretty simple – something along the lines of the old ‘If it isn’t broken then don’t fix it’ way of thinking. After all, the standard analogue phone lines and devices themselves have been serving businesses faithfully for decades, so is there really any need to start replacing them all now? Well, you could argue whether the need exists as such, but when it comes to the business that really wants to keep itself ahead of the game, telephony is a very good place to start.

New Standards

Across pretty much every business area the world over today, standards have never been higher and neither have the expectations of clients, customers and peer businesses alike. This of course includes communication which despite having shifted in many circles primarily to the internet still for most means the good old-fashioned telephone. So the phone still counts for a great deal, but what won’t be put up with by anyone these days is the unreliable, low quality or out-of-service telephone number. Likewise, high-rate calls are a thing of the past and so too are enormously irritating call-waiting systems. This is precisely why remaining with an outdated office phone system has the very real potential to leave any modern business trailing dangerously behind its rivals. It’s not a case of going OTT with the most cutting edge gear available, but rather one of responding to precisely what it is that people are expecting these days and not building a reputation for all the wrong reasons.

Ease of Use

In addition to the above, it might seem like staying with legacy telephone systems makes sense for the sake of simplicity, but in practice it can be anything but. Today’s cutting-edge internet phones make it child’s play to operate anything and everything you can possibly think of on the subject of office communications. From the simple corded phones to wireless headset accessories to large-scale conference calling and the most comprehensive caller-ID and recording systems ever devised, all of these features and more are as easy to use as a quick point and click via a computer program. The days of bashing buttons and wiggling wires to try and get telephones working properly are mercifully over.

Cost Reductions

And here comes the real kicker of all – the most advanced digital and internet phones you can buy today are in fact 100% guaranteed to pay for themselves. Sure they cost most to buy than the cheapest legacy phones, but when you consider the gigantic savings made every day in every call made and service used, there’s really no comparing the two. So when the time comes once again to revamp the office, take a look at your phones consider the fact that you’ve already got the necessary internet connections installed and mull over how much better off you could be by making the switch.

Author Bio
John Baron has been writing full-time for over 5 years. He regularly blogs about the Internet, tech gadgets and web development. John is also an animal rights activist and an active member of PETA. Follow him on Twitter @SEOquickrank to get the latest technology updates.

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Automated Material Handling Systems The Power And Benefits

From the moment man figured out how to move objects from one place to another, the world changed forever. Manual laborers armed with the tools to handle and transfer materials quickly and efficiently, soon transformed manufacturing and distribution---giving rise to whole new industries. Today, thanks to the power of automated material handling systems, a new transformation has occurred, allowing small and large businesses to thrive like never before. Here’s a look at some of the many benefits of automated material handling systems.

Reduced labor costs – From handling raw materials during manufacturing to the handling and transportation of finished products to facilities for storage and distribution, the costs of manually handling materials can be considerable. Automated Material Handling Systems can dramatically reduce costs by minimizing manual handling or eliminating it altogether.

Improved efficiency – Despite best efforts, the manual handling of materials has traditionally been plagued by inefficiencies, due to the human factor. In contrast, an Automated Handling System (AHS) maximizes efficiency by handling and delivering the correct materials and products---in the correct quantities to the desired location at the correct time---in the most economical manner.

Reduced damage – One of the downsides of the manual handling of materials and products during all phases of production and distribution is that damage can often occur during storage and movement. Automated handling systems are designed to minimize damage through proper material handling systems. In addition, reduced damage can mean substantial savings.

Reduced waste of space – Unlike the manual warehousing of materials--- which often results in less than optimal space utilization---automated handling systems are designed to make the most of every available inch of storage space, thus reducing both handling and storage costs. In addition, automated systems can also free up valuable floor space in production facilities.

Reduced accidents – The human handling of materials carries inherent risks of accidents, such as slips, trips and falls. Not to mention the Cumulative Trauma Disorders that are the result of repetitive movements such as lifting and twisting. Along with exacting a human toll, accidents additionally result in lost productivity. By eliminating manual handling, automated systems minimize accidents while ensuring a safe and efficient flow of materials and products. In addition, automation typically allows for a cleaner more orderly environment than found in operations that are dependent on manual product movement.

Increased scalability – As businesses grow and expand, one of the challenges they face is being able to expand operations in order to meet increased demand. Automated handling systems have the ability to scale up quickly and easily to meet new production needs---along with larger and heavier product units if required---without prolonged downtime for adding and retooling equipment.

Real-time control – In order to better meet the often stringent demands of today’s customers---who typically want things “yesterday”---more and more facilities are turning to automation and computerization to give them complete system control in real-time. This type of flexibility allows for the accurate and fast fulfillment of all orders, the net result being better customer service, higher profits and a greater competitive advantage.

David Glenn is a home improvement expert. He occasionally freelance writes about home security and DIY home repair. 

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Top Technology Gifts For Her

Are you looking to surprise your girlfriend by giving her an unexpected gift? Would you like to buy something special for your wife? Whether you are planning on buying a video game console or a brand-new mobile phone, this post will help you select the best technology present for your loved ones.

Enjoy the New Nexus 5
If you are interested in purchasing one of the most powerful and innovative mobile phones on the market, the Nexus 5 is a great gift for every occasion. This smartphone has been designed by Google, making it one of the lightest and more refined devices ever manufactured, and while the Nexus 5 offers a wide variety of features, it is a much more affordable mobile phone than the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 or the Apple iPhone 5S. The Nexus 5 features a 5-inch display capable of offering a great image quality, but also an 8-megapixel rear camera that will allow your significant other to capture some of her most special moments. Last, but not least, thanks to Android 4.4, Nexus 5’s new operating system, she will also be able to download some of the most popular applications on her smartphone, such as Twitter or Instagram.

Discover the New Xbox One
There is always an occasion for buying a new gift, and what better present than one of the latest and most exciting devices on the market? While just some years ago consoles were only able to play video games, the brand-new Xbox One is capable of much more, including the ability to stream music or movies from the Internet. Thanks to its innovative user interface and its new operating system, you and your girlfriend will be able to use the Xbox One as a multimedia device, giving you the opportunity of using popular applications such as Skype or Internet Explorer from the comfort of your couch. Whether she would like to follow her favourite TV series or download the latest films, this video game console is compatible with some the most widely used streaming services, including Hulu or Netflix, something that will allow both of you to benefit from your hyperfast fibre optic internet connection. 

Give Her the New Amazon Kindle
If you are looking for a convenient and light reading device, the Amazon Kindle is one of the best options available on the market. This gadget is able to provide hours and hours of reading with just a single charge thanks to its improved battery life. On top of that, she won’t have to worry about reading in bright sunlight thanks to the Kindle’s high-quality electronic ink screen, a unique technology that avoids glare while using your device. Additionally, Amazon offers a wide selection of books in its online store for her to download on the Amazon Kindle, allowing her to easily purchase books from her favourite authors. Moreover, it is also possible to download books in the public domain from the Amazon store, a very interesting option if she wants to enjoy classic books without having to spend any money.

Take a look at this :  Best Apps To Make Christmas Easier

Sarah is a writer and blogger with a special interest in technology. She has little patience for things which are slow and so is constantly on the search for the latest technological developments. 

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How To Get The Cheapest Mobile And Contract Possible

Need that mobile phone and service, but don't want to pay a fortune? Today we're going to tell you the cheapest possible way to get what you want. So if you're looking to save some cash, then here's how you can do it...

Buy Mobile Phones Online...
The first thing that you're going to need is a phone. Don't fall for the incentive contracts that mobile operators are trying to sell you. These are the contracts that come with a free phone, and as tempting as they may be they're going to end up costing you a lot more. The phone you get isn't free; you pay for it in instalments that are added to the cost of your monthly mobile bill. And when you add up all the instalments you'll find that you pay more than the retail cost for the phone. In the long run you're going to save more, and get lower mobile bills, by buying your own phone. The best way to buy mobile phones is online. Online prices are always cheaper, even if you're buying directly through a mobile operator.

You can get a perfectly decent budget, touch screen, smart phone for under a hundred and fifty pounds, so don't let the thought of big prices put you off. Check out the Huawei Ascend models or the lower end Sony Xperias for good deals. If it bothers you to buy mobile phones online, go out and get a physical look at the model you're buying before you commit, but then come home and buy it over the internet. This is by far the cheapest way that you're going to get a phone.

Consider Pay as You Go...
Now you're going to need to get service for that new phone, and you have a couple of options. The first thing you should consider is pay as you go. This is where you buy a SIM card from and operator and load it up with credit. When you use your phone, credit is deducted from your account, and when the credit's gone you phone stops working (though you can still receive texts and calls), at which point you'll need to put more credit on.

This has the advantage of only paying for services that you actually use. Plus, it makes controlling your budget easier, since you can only spend money that you've already put on your phone in credit. But rates on pay as you go are higher than on contract. This doesn't mean that you don't get savings though. In general, light phone users benefit more from pay as you go contracts, since they rarely use up the monthly calling plan limits on contracts. If you use less than ten calling minutes a week, send only three to four text messages a day, and only use mobile data for casual surfing and emailing, then you're probably going to save money with a pay as you go plan. Check out Tesco Mobile for the best pay as you go deals.

Choose a Calling Plan...
If pay as you go isn't for you, then you're going to be signing a mobile contract with an operator, and this means choosing a calling plan. The right calling plan is exceptionally important when it comes to saving money. A calling plan is going to give you a set of limits for the amount of calling minutes, text messages and mobile data that you can use each month for your fixed monthly fee. If this plan is too big you're going to waste money paying for minutes, texts and data that you don't use, because your monthly fee is the same regardless of whether you use all of your limits or none of them. If your plan is too small, then you're going to consistently go over your monthly calling plan limits. When this happens, you have to pay expensive premium rates on any extra services you use on top of your regular monthly fee. There are a couple of things that you can do to make sure that you're choosing the right calling plan. If you've had a contract before, then look at some of your old phone bills. These should give you an idea of what your monthly usage looks like. If you haven't had a contract before then the best thing that you can do is to get a pay as you go plan for a month and then track your phone usage. You can do this yourself, however most modern phones will do it for you. Just look under the settings menu and see if you can find minute, text and data counters. Set these counters to zero, use your phone normally for a month, and then go back and check the numbers. This will tell you the size of calling plan that you should go for.

Shop (online, again...)...
Now you're ready to find the cheapest contract for you. Go online and find yourself a mobile tariff comparison web site. You'll put the monthly calling plan limits that you're looking for into the site, and then you'll get a list of plans with different operators that match your needs. Make sure that the plan says it's SIM only (you don't want to sign an incentive contract, remember?). Now find the cheapest plan that's the closest match to your required limits. Before you buy, there's one more step to the process. Go to the web site of the operator that the plan is with, and find the coverage map. Every operator has one on their site. Use this to make sure that the provider has good coverage in your area. If they don't, choose another plan with a different operator. Bad coverage will give you bad mobile reception, and it's just not worth paying for. You can then go ahead and buy the contract, again doing it online to get online discounts. And you'll be safe in the knowledge that you've got the cheapest mobile and service plan that you can possibly get.

Sam Jones decided that it was time to buy mobile phones again for the household.  He found the latest offers online with sites like uSwitch and managed to get great phone packages for next to nothing.

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Getting A New Mobile Contract - The Questions You Should Ask Yourself

Before you start signing a mobile contract, there are a few questions that you should be asking yourself to make sure that you're getting the best deal. Most of us want to save a little money these days, and the wrong mobile contract could cost you a fortune. You have plenty of options out there, and you want to make sure that you're choosing the right one. So before you sign, ask yourself these questions...

Do I Really Need a Contract?
You do have another option; you don't have to sign a contract. Pay as you go plans are not as popular as they once were, but some customers benefit more from them than from contracts. If you're a light phone user, someone who calls for less than ten minutes a week, who sends only three to four texts a day and who uses mobile data only for email and casual web browsing, then chances are that pay as you go will be a better deal for you. It's worth keeping in mind...

Am I Choosing the Right Calling Plan?
The calling plan is the most important part of any mobile contract. This is the set of monthly limits for the amount of calling minutes, text messages and mobile data that you're allowed to use for your set monthly fee. The wrong plan is going to end up costing you money. Here's the deal. Imagine you have a plan that includes thirty calling minutes.

If you call for thirty minutes a month, you pay your monthly fee. If you call for five minutes a month, you still pay the same monthly fee. So a plan that's too big means paying for services that you don't use. Now imagine that you call for forty minutes a month, what happens now? You pay your regular monthly fee, plus premium rate charges on the extra ten minutes that you used. So a plan that's too small isn't a good financial decision either. You need the right sized calling plan, even if that means getting a pay as you go plan for a month so that you can track your usage and find out the amount of minutes, texts and data that you need.

Am I Taking Free Txt and Calling Minutes into Account?
Many operators these days will offer you free txt and calling minutes as an incentive to sign up for a contract. There's no point accepting this offer if you're not actually going to use them though. You'll want to take these free txt and calling minute offers into account when choosing your calling plan, so that you make full use of them. If you get thirty free calling minutes a month, for example, you might want to choose a calling plan that has lower calling minute limits than you would otherwise choose.

Do I Really Need that Incentive Phone?
Operators are going to offer you two contract choices, incentive and SIM only. Both of these are going to come with a calling plan of your choosing, but an incentive contract also comes with a free or low cost mobile phone. Think about this option carefully. A phone is pretty tempting, but it's not going to be free. The monthly bill on an incentive contract is going to be higher than the monthly bill on a SIM only contract, because basically you're buying a phone in instalments, and the bill will include a monthly payment for your phone. With most instalment plans you end up paying more than the actual cost of the item that you get, because you're both paying for the convenience of not having to make a big initial payment and because the company is taking a risk by giving you something without get full and immediate payment in return. Incentive contracts are no different. You will pay more than the retail cost of the phone that you get over the course of the contract.

If you already have a phone to use, or if you can afford to buy one up front, you should do so and then sign a SIM only contract, because you will save money. Don't be tempted into getting a new phone just because they're offering you one. You should only sign an incentive contract if that is the only way you can get a phone that you absolutely need.

How Long Am I Going to Sign Up For?
You will also be offered a choice of contract terms. Usually you can choose between a twenty four month, eighteen month or twelve month contract. Some SIM only contracts also come in rolling thirty day periods. This means that the contract is only for thirty days, but it will automatically renew every month unless you tell the operator that you want to stop your service. The longer your contract is the lower your payments will generally be. And if you sign an incentive contract this is especially true, since the cost of the phone is spread out over more monthly payments, making each individual payment smaller. But don't forget that once signed up, it's going to be difficult to get out of your contract. That means that switching to another operator to get a better deal could be complicated. And if your financial situation changes then you might be stuck making payments that you really can't afford to make.

Will I Have Good Service?
Your mobile reception depends on how good coverage is with your operator in you local area. If you don't get good coverage then you won't get good reception. That might mean that your phone won't work at all, but at the least it will mean that you get slow mobile data speeds and bad call quality. You should always check coverage in your area before signing up with an operator. Just go to the operator's web page and look for the coverage map that the operator is required to have there.

Sam Jones’s son knew that packages which included free txt messages would save him money.  He proved himself right when he compared deals online and started to spend less on his phone bill every month.

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How To Get The Best PAYG Deal

Contract mobile phones are definitely a convenience. You tend to get a free or heavily subsidized mobile phone, and you then get the comfort of never running out of credit and just receiving a monthly bill. However, there are downsides. That phone is not free of course, rather you'll be paying for it in monthly instalments on your phone bill, which over the two year contract can add up to a lot more than the actual cost of the phone. For many people, finding the best pay as you go tariff is the key to saving money on their mobiles. So how do you go about it? Read on to find out...

• Find Out What You Need...

The key to a good PAYG tariff deal is to make sure that it matches your needs. Look at your old phone bills and find out how your phone activity is broken up, how much of the time do you spend calling, how many text messages do you send. This information will help you determine which kind of plan is best for you. If you're sending over 500 text messages a month, for example, it's probably a good idea to get a PAYG tariff that includes unlimited texting. Be warned, PAYG tariffs tend to work out as money savers only for those that plan to spend less than £25 a month. For users who regularly spend more, contract phones are still the best deal.

• Decide What to Spend

Not being tied down to a contract means that you don't have to spend money on your phone each month. However, it's a good idea to have a budget for the month that accurately reflects what credit you'll need. This is because a lot of PAYG tariffs offer special deals for customers who top up every month. For example, putting ten pounds of credit on your phone each month will get you unlimited internet.

• Decide Which Operator to Go With...

This decision should have two parts. First, find the operators who have plans that match your needs (they'll probably be more than one of them). Then ask around, ask your family and friends which operator they use. This is a good idea for a couple of reasons; firstly, because you'll get some recommendations, but also because many operators offer lower calling and texting prices to numbers in the same network. If you call your Mum every day, it might not be a bad idea to be on the same network as she is to get some savings for both of you.

• Shop Around

This can take some serious time, but it's definitely worth doing. Just because you already know which network you want doesn't mean that you need to go straight to their store. There are many online sources (such as Carphone Warehouse) that offer special deals on hand sets bought with PAYG tariffs. It may be that you end up back at your mobile service operator, but it doesn't hurt to take a look around and find out what's out there.

Phil Turner is searching for the best pay as you go tariff available to him because he hardly uses his phone at all.

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5 Best Data Backup Programs For You And/Or Your Business

Why Should I Back My Data Up?
It is safe to say that computers are one of the most important technical advancements to date. We use them for almost everything imaginable, storing large amounts of data in the form of pictures, videos, music, documents, and executables. Many would attest to the argument that their lives are contained within these intangible bytes of information. Now think about losing all that information; every memory, work file, memoir, and life's work lost. Hard to imagine right? Like life itself coming to an end. This is why data backup software exists. These programs ensure the safety of your files using various methods and tools including scheduled backups and system restore, which allows you to recover all data after a major malfunction without the hassle of reformatting the entire computer.

This article will describe the top 5 data backup programs that will help you keep your data safe.

NovaBACKUP Professional ($49.95)
NovaBACKUP is a top of the line data backup program that uses an automatic back up process to continuously keep all your valuable files safe. In addition, NovaBACKUP can handle more complex processes like creating a full disk image of your hard drive, a more complete backup solution. This program sports a user-friendly interface with advanced options for more tech-savvy users and provides a free online storage service.

NTI Backup Now ($29.99)
NTI Backup Now takes the backup and restoration process and simplifies it into 3 steps. This program is geared towards those who are not very tech-savvy, with a simple UI and process walk-throughs. Because of this, it lacks some advanced features. Like other solutions, NTI Backup Now provides scheduled backups as well as a choice between full or incremental backups.

DT Utilities PC Backup Pro ($49.99)
PC Backup Pro is one of the most reliable and cost-effective data protection solutions. The software has a simple interface suitable for all user levels. It is capable of backing up and recovering data to/from a variety of storage devices including CD/DVDs, online storage, tape and disk drives. The program also provides step-by-step instructions on how to perform backup and restoration procedures, disk-imaging recovery, and scheduled backups.

Macrium Reflect Professional 5 ($58.99)
Macrium Reflect provides a variety of advanced backup tools like scripting abilities, Macirum ReDeploy (restoring your data to a new computer), and image verification. This software also provides the basic tools like incremental and automatic backup. When using these options, Macrium uses a unique drag and drop UI that makes it attractive and easy to use.

Genie Backup Manager 9 Home ($49.95)
Genie Backup Manager uses three different backup types: full, incremental, and mirror. Like the other programs mentioned, it supports scheduled backups but is capable of backing up your data even when you are not logged in. A truly unique feature. This program can also keep your data safe from hackers through military level encryption methods.

Though computers are machines built to support you, they are unreliable at times. These data backup programs were created to ease your mind and provide security for your life's data.

Reference: www.novastor.com, www.nticorp.com, www.dtransfer.com, www.macrium.com, www.genie9.com 

+Katrina uses her technical knowledge to help people. At Rack Solutions. her passion for technology and wealth of knowledge have helped many people find the right solution in their unique situation.

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Reasons Why The Internet Is Essential For Freelancers

If you are a freelancer then you have probably heard more than once that you need to establish yourself online if you want to succeed. If you haven’t ever thought about what the internet can really provide you with then here are some of the biggest reasons why you need to go online as a freelancer.

Increase Your Customer Base

Of course the internet will open up many new doors to attract more clients. You can be instantly connected to people across the world and thus you can think about growing your business a lot quicker online. Many freelancers don’t need to be in the same physical location as their customers and thus you can really benefit from being on the internet.

Market In More Affordable Ways

The internet is also great in providing freelancers with the same opportunities to market their business as the big companies have. For example, with the proper use of SEO on your website and social media platforms you will be able to increase the exposure you get without spending a fortune. If you only had to market through the conventional means like TV ads and newspaper ads you could probably not afford it. But on the internet even running video ads and promotional videos on platforms like Youtube is possible and really affordable.

Improve Your Skills

In order to attract more customers you need to be constantly developing your skills and the internet is an amazing place for making sure you have the knowledge you need. There are so many more opportunities to learn about your industry online and it is important to take advantage of these opportunities. Odesk provides a comprehensive list of the best websites that freelancers can use to improve their skillset and make the most out of the internet. You may notice that many of the options available are either free or very affordable and you would often end up paying a lot of money if you had to take these courses offline. You can also attend seminars online and thus don’t need to travel around the world in order to get the right skills. Make sure you stay on top of your field by going online and making use of the opportunities available.

Get Help To Run Your Business

Being a freelancer isn’t easy and there are a lot of things that you need to learn to juggle at once on your own. But the great benefit of the current technology is that you have many more opportunities to ease your workload.

For example, companies providing online accountancy are really affordable and can give freelancers a lot more time to focus on the more essential parts of the business. Friendly Accountants suggests that getting help with your finances can be a really cost effective way of improving your business prospects. There are also many great tools that make the above points of marketing and attracting customers online a lot easier. It is a good idea to browse through these tools and find out what are the ones that work the best with you.

Marlene is enthusiastic in making sure freelancers are making the most of the internet and the technology available for them and she is constantly reading about new developments in the business field. She is a big ice-cream fan and could eat mint ice-cream all day long if her husband would allow it.

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Freelancing: An Online Profession

Working for yourself is something so many people dream about and perhaps the best way to do this is by being a freelancer. Freelancers make money from doing something they love, in essence they make money from a hobby. Sound good to you? It sure sounds good to me (hence why I do this job). There is nothing better than waking up on a new day and making the money you need to live by doing something that you enjoy.

We live in the internet age and the internet is starting to dominate the freelancing profession, there are so many different platforms online and they are the best place for any freelancer to get noticed. If you are a freelancer or a budding freelancer it is so important to have an online presence, so many potential employers look to the internet to find the experts they need. If you are any good and you can present your profile in an engaging way then there is a really good chance you will get the client base you need for long term success.

Platforms

There are so many different online platforms available now for freelancers to showcase what they can do. We live in the internet age as I have mentioned previously and it is therefore essential that freelancers make use of the World Wide Web. It is by far and away the simplest way for an online expert to get what they can offer across to potential employers in the quickest time possible.

Take a look at Enthuse, they are a company that offer freelancers a blank canvas online from which they can upload their portfolio. The greatest benefit of this is the freedom to upload whatever you like, whether you are going to upload everything you have ever done or just a small selection (something I think is best) the option is there. Just do a little bit of research and ensure that you are willing to spend some time checking out what they best companies are.

Efficient

They are extremely efficient, like anything to do with the internet. You can upload your documents and files online with the greatest of ease, make sure that there are no problems with spelling and grammar and ensure also that if there is any video it is editing in a professional manner.

Cheap

Going about your freelancing career in this manner is extremely cheap, these platforms cost very little or nothing to set up and thus any money you make can be yours. If you are a credible freelance worker then uploading a strong portfolio on these websites really can help you get noticed. Building a strong client base is essential and if you can do that then the chance of building up further is there. We live in a world that is dominated with poor freelance workers, it is an unreliable industry and if you can showcase yourself as the opposite to that then you can be in for a potentially lucrative career.

Tom is a writer who loves to write about the technological developments that have occurred in recent years. He initially began working as a journalist for a local newspaper however soon started working freelance.

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How Technology Improves The Patient Experience

Healthcare delivery is practically unrecognizable when compared to its former self from a few decades ago. Today, technology is making it possible to deliver healthcare services even when the provider isn’t in the same zip code with the patient. Today’s patients can also provide more of their own care from the comfort of their own homes, handling treatments and performing tests that at one time required an inpatient hospital stay. There’s no question that technology is making a big impact on the patient experience in a positive way.

No more waiting in lines
The ability to provide healthcare consultations remotely is a major benefit for elderly and disabled patients who struggle getting to a physical office location. For this reason, technology is essentially improving compliance – while some patients would have skipped visits and therefore missed life-sustaining treatments and medications, they’re now more likely to receive the consistent monitoring required to adequately manage a chronic or life-threatening condition.

It’s not just the elderly and disabled that benefit from technology, however. Even patients who simply need a prescription for an antibiotic have avoided making an appointment with a provider, knowing that they’re giving up an entire day of valuable time thanks to a long wait to see their providers.

Now patients can simply email some healthcare providers, explain their symptoms and have a prescription electronically submitted to their preferred pharmacy – no driving to the physical office necessary to pick up a written prescription. Even better, those same patients could go as far as having the prescription delivered by the pharmacy to the front door. Technology has finally entered an era where nearly the entire sequence of events involved with a single healthcare interaction can be conducted without a physical office visit.

Increased compliance
All of the above means that patients now have the ability to be more compliant, with fewer reasons to skip medications or avoid proper monitoring for a chronic condition. Many patients cope with chronic illnesses and fail to take their medication as prescribed simply because it’s too difficult to get to the doctor’s office. When office visits aren’t regular, providers can miss out on important signs that indicate that a patient is no longer responding to a specific treatment or requires a higher or modified dose of a medication.

There are many things that could go wrong when patients take their healthcare into their own hands. Some go so far as to adjust medication dosages on their own to compensate for increased symptoms or to make a prescription last longer – avoiding more office visits and costly co-pays. But when patients can simply email a provider a status report including vital signs and other test results and readings obtained at home, they can often make informed decisions that are in the patient’s best interests – completely virtually.

Less costly hospital stays
When patients are more compliant and more conscientious about following physicians’ recommendations, they experience fewer complications – and that means less costly hospital stays due to infections left untreated or necessary medications that haven’t been taken properly.

But technology also reduces costly hospital admissions in another way. With sophisticated technology available for medical devices that makes controlling the complex underlying processes of the device using simple, intuitive controls, patients are now able to do themselves at home what once required an office visit or even an inpatient hospital stay. This type of technology, such as Pannam imaging switches, creates a simple user interface that patients can readily learn and use to ensure accurate delivery of treatments and tests – even without the presence of a medical practitioner.

There are still some treatments that require in-person coordination and care, because of the possibility of serious side effects and the need of a trained professional to closely monitor the administration or treatment, but there are more and more treatments and tests that can be conducted entirely by the patient or caregiver at home every day. Technology is a critical component of healthcare delivery. With new advancements every day, healthcare in the future could be even more remote and independent than ever imagined.

Nicole Enwright contributes, on behalf of Pannam, to a variety of tech and new gadget blogs to help users find the product they need.

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Loud-Mouthed Megaphones And The People Who Use Them

Just when you thought that powerful megaphones were only being used as crowd control during times of emergency comes the news that Ryan Seacrest used such a megaphone to exhort 10,000 aspiring American Idols to sing in a huge arena. Ryan Seacrest is not alone – Cyndi Lauper and Kristie Alley have also used such megaphones to good effect.

So, why do celebrities use megaphones? This is probably the shortest and simplest answer you will ever get to such a complex question – because they don’t want to blow their dollars on expensive sound systems.

What’s The Big Deal About Such Powerful Announcement Devices?
Powerful bullhorns are lifesavers. They are reliable to work with and affordable as well. They come equipped with a robust warranty and can achieve a return on investment in double quick time. That is why they are used in a variety of institutions such as:

1. U.S. Army – by commanding officers to instruct and control troops that are spread across a rather large area.
2. U.S. Marines and navy – their applications are similar to the U.S. Army’s.
3. NASA – nope, NASA does not use bullhorns on the moon or Mars! But they do use such devices during rocket launches and other events that require coordination across a vast expanse of land.
4. Churches use powerful megaphones to address large crowds, especially at fundraising events.
5. Dictatorial movie directors who love the sound of their own voice can also use them.

Some megaphone companies manufacture ultra loud devices for crowd control applications, which are fondly referred to as “earthquake makers.” These beauties can clear entire streets and smash window glasses in minutes. My advice to you is not to go near one when it is being used. If you are using one, use it with care and sensitivity.

What Are The Key Features Of Loud-Mouthed Bullhorns?

• These devices amplify sound like no other. Don’t believe me? Stand next to one while an announcement is being made and watch how you go stone-deaf in seconds! Or, at least suffer from tinnitus.
• But you may be spared of deafness if the announcer saw you and toned down the volume control, which manufacturers graciously build into each device.
• These devices are tough. You can treat them real rough and they will take it with a smile. Go ahead: your persistent screaming into them won’t matter.
• Powerful bullhorns at the minimum power rating can throw the voice to about 700 yards. As the power ratings inch higher, so does the amplification area.

To Sum Up
When ancient man conceptualized bullhorns, the idea was to make music and perhaps to make the device work as a Paleolithic long distance telephone. Then population increased and the ancient device was deployed to warn people about impending danger. (Dinosaurs ahoy!) One thing led to another, and you already are familiar with what these devices are capable of these days. Technology will continue to keep changing the way these work and who knows, one day we may be working with mega-powerful megaphones that are no more than 12 inches in length.

Robert R. Thomas lives in Marlin, TX, with his family. He is a blogger, entrepreneur and a gadget enthusiast.

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The Future Of Tracking

GPS Tracking Costs

As the use of GPS tracking gets less expensive the possibilities for its use become too many to even list. But we’re gonna try anyway!  Just imagine a tracking unit on anything expensive, well we have that now actually. But it gets a little difficult to track things that are only slightly expensive. For example liquor bottles at a bar, now if you get down to it they are relatively inexpensive to purchase, especially for a bar.  They buy in such volume that an average bottle of rum like Captain Morgan will probably cost them $13 or $14 (probably even less). But if they are able to pour 40 or 50 shots of rum from one bottle at $4.50 a shot, that $13 bottle is now worth $225!  Now take that across the board, or bar in this case, and you have a lot of money in liquor.

If you are able to track those bottles and the number of times they are turned over to be poured what would the value of that be?  Imagine a bar being able to count the number of time a bottles is poured from, compare that to the night’s receipts and bam, you now know if anyone is skimming off the top!
Staying on the bar and restaurant theme think about the equipment onsite. Large refrigerators and dish washing equipment can run into the tens of thousands of dollars. If you are able to link these machines to a tracking app you can measure the amount of cycles they run through in any given time period. Compare that to the maintenance on these units and owners can see how efficient their equipment really is operating, ort how they can operate more efficiently.

The Pad Lock

I’ve always thought the pad lock was a good idea but if you put that pad lock onto a small object that was easily removed from its location then what was the point?  Imagine a small tracker in a pad lock, not only can it tells you if it’s been moved, but it can tell you if it’s been tampered with or even if and when it was unlocked.  I can think of a lot of applications for a device like this.  A commercial company that has equipment in the field that is locked up well out of the sight of people would love to have a tool like this. What if you went on holiday for a few weeks and left your new grill locked up on the patio.  Will it be there when you get back?  If it is not then just track the lock and see if it’s still with the grill.

GPS feature in phones

We have the ability to find and track our mobile devices now.  They in fact use more than just GPS actually; these devices that are cellular devices can use triangulation from cell towers to find their location.  While it’s not as accurate GPS it does work well.  How about putting this technology into items like watches or your wallet?  Well I’m sure you wouldn’t be surprised to know this is already happening.  There are many different products on the market that can track your wallet or purse for you now.  Technology has come a long way and it’s only going to get better, smaller and less expensive.  We can look forward to saving a lot of time and money in everything we do, simply because of technology!

Citations:

• Learn more about GPS and how it works

Josh Schied, the author of this article and the owner of GPS Tracker App blog, is a passionate technology writer. He likes to blog about everything that is GPS and navigation related. Get in touch with Josh on Facebook.

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A Guide To Online Success

Being successful online is sort of a skill in itself. There is so much competition nowadays that it is becoming progressively difficult to separate yourself from the pack. You have got to be proactive and have a grasp of both the market and your own company strengths. If you have this then you will be able to target the correct market and thus make money from what you offer. In addition to the traditional method of creating a website, there are other ways to promote such as social media and emailing. All of these must be explored as well as optimizing your website and securing a strong and memory filled domain in order to ensure that that your site is fully efficient and functional. This article will highlight what it takes to be successful online and how there are many options that need to be covered in order for this to be the case.

A Well Designed Website

This is of pivotal importance, your website has to be well designed, clear for the user and must work efficiently. To many this seems plainly obvious but there are so many companies out there who create websites for the sake of creating one rather than as a credible way of increasing the prominence and success of their company.

We live in a world dominated by the internet and thus it is increasingly important that company infiltrate this market and invest money at the same time. Employing a team of web developers isn't a bad idea, after all this is their job and the can make sure every feature works properly and it is designed in a way that can embrace your company image and ethos. Being successful online is a long term process and you have to have the product and presence to ensure that clients keep coming back. If you are successful in ensuring this, then the likelihood is you will have a fruitful time of it on the web.

A Strong Platform

There are many companies out there that offer domain platforms from which you can create your website, selecting the correct one for the right price is becoming very important. JaguarPC hosting services is one of doing it, the offer large memory and monitoring services for their customers at a good price. The list however is endless, there are so many different companies out there that may suit your needs better so it important to ask around and get what is best for you.

Use of All Available Resources

Facebook and Twitter are both so popular nowadays and using this as a tool to promote your company website can be a great way to increase your profit margin. Setting up your own profile and also paying Facebook to advertise are bother brilliant ways of raising awareness of what you have to offer. If you are credible about making money online then you have got to raise your company profile and show the world what you can do, above are three of the best and most efficient ways of doing this.

Andrew is an author with a love for modern technology, especially the internet. He has a degree in business and writes extensively about both technological developments and business strategy.

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Going Beyond Schools: Learning Management Systems For Individuals And Businesses

Learning management systems (LMSs) are being used in online education and integrated into blended learning environments more and more every day. In the education sector, the advantages of using an LMS are numerous and well known: they provide a centralized space for all of a course’s materials, resources, and activities; students can access the course materials at any time and using various devices; students can collaborate with each other, submit assignments, and receive feedback; instructors can track students’ progress and identify when additional support is needed; and so on.

In the past LMSs could cost $50,000 to $100,000 or more, which made using them cost-prohibitive for all but the largest and most well-funded universities and organizations. Now, however, that trend is changing. A host of new cloud-based LMS software packages are available, some free and others on a low-cost subscription basis. With the costs under control, small organizations and even individuals can use LMSs to deliver courses and training programs online.

LMSs offer many advantages for businesses, even small businesses—not only for training employees, but also for keeping them updated on the latest products and trends. Here are some major reasons organizations should consider using an LMS in their training programs:

• Cost savings. This is the number one reason many organizations move from traditional instructor-led training (ILT) to eLearning. Putting programs online saves money associated with travelling to deliver or receive training. In today’s climate, as many companies continue to decrease their learning and development (L&D) budgets, saving money while continuing to deliver high-quality training is essential.

• Ease of use. In addition to having high upfront costs, LMSs of the past also required a good deal of work just to update and maintain. Organizations would need to hire in-house technicians or purchase an additional service package from the LMS vendor. In addition, they were very technically demanding to use, practically requiring a degree in computer programming just to operate. This is no longer true—today’s LMSs are very user-friendly, as are eLearning authoring tools in general, and anyone with basic computer literacy can design and publish a course online.

• Analytics. Recently, big data has become all the rage in pretty much every sector of business and society. LMSs allow organizations to collect their own L&D big data, as all aspects of training can be tracked, including employee engagement with training materials, progress through courses, and success on assessments.

• Informal learning. In business environments, informal learning, such as peer-to-peer learning and self-paced independent learning, is estimated to account for up to 70 percent of learning. That is a huge percentage, considering informal learning is not often accounted for in formal training programs. LMSs with social media integration, such as spaces for employees to discuss content and collaborate on projects, offer ways for instructors to monitor and assess informal as well as formal learning.

Elearning for large businesses has been around a long time, and eLearning for small businesses is expanding, but now individuals not associated with either schools or businesses are starting to get into the action. Recently, there has been a trend toward a new form of democratization—massive open online courses (MOOCs) have allowed anyone to become a student, and now low-cost, user-friendly eLearning development tools and online LMS software are allowing anyone to become a teacher. The DIY (do-it-yourself) movement and the popularity of peer-to-peer learning are turning subject matter experts everywhere into online instructors, and many websites allow individual users to create, and even sell, their courses online.

Education is no longer something that takes place solely in schools. People everywhere are demanding access to educational resources and materials, and a new wave of online learning management system software is working to respond to their needs.

Sameer Bhatia is founder & CEO of ProProfs.com which is a leading provider of online learning tools for building, testing, and applying knowledge.Sameer has a background in technology with a Masters in Computer Science from USC (University Of Southern California) and is an ed-tech industry veteran. You can find Sameer on Google+ .

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