Danny Perez Photography / People Photos / CC BY-NC-ND

You probably have a website or a blog showcasing your products. You promote your business in a print ad or on TV or radio. In today’s fast paced world of technology having a blog or a website just isn’t enough to see the traffic that you need to be successful. A simple print ad or TV spot won’t work alone. To drive your business you must take advantage of cross media marketing. Marketing is best used as a strategy. Coordinating your online marketing with your real world marketing will increase results and provide a better ROI.

Why You Need Traditional Media

Traditional media, like print TV or Radio, has been used successfully for years. It has adapted for the digital age. You can now purchase short run marketing materials at low costs. You can add variable data including variable images to target your customers. Say you own a Ski shop and you offer Ski and Snowboard maintenance. Think about sending your Ski customer a postcard with a picture and promo geared to a skier and sending your Snowboard customer a postcard with a picture and promo geared to a snowboarder. You’ll get better results. It is more personalized and more likely to grab their attention. Couple this with a commercial and you’ll have brand recognition.

aldenjewell / Foter.com / CC BY-NC

Mail

So you’re thinking about printing some postcards but aren’t sure about the cost. At 45 cents to mail a First Class postcard there is a real cost to sending out a promo to current or potential customers. Think about this through. When you send out an email it may get ignored, never get opened or worse get caught in a spam filter. Mail, with that 45 cents, guarantees someone must physically look at your promo and actively decide what to do with it. You now have made contact with a potential sale. Especially in today’s digital print world, you have a better chance at converting a potential customer into a real customer with targeting them based on their interest, as noted above.

Why You Need Social Media

Today you’re at a huge disadvantage if you’re not using social media. Social media is a great advertising tool and it also allows you to interact with your customers and clients in ways you couldn’t before. Not using social media risks your business being left behind.

Twitter and Facebook and Google+

Magnet 4 Marketing dot Net / Foter.com / CC BY

You need social media because it is immensely popular and continues to grow. Using sites such as Twitter will help you keep in constant contact with your customers letting them know what promotions you may have and what is going on. When you share information on these sites it is also shared by your followers. Sharing info helps your business reach people quickly and get new clients needed to be successful.

Facebook and Google+ allow you to create a page about your business. You can use this for business hours, promotional videos, relevant images, and listing your products. People can follow your business and share your info with their friends. Twitter, Facebook and Google+ work as a search engine too helping to get traffic. Using these will also help promote your website and increase its page rank increasing the possibility of getting your potential customers attention.

The Power of Cross Marketing

So it now makes sense, you need tradition media marketing and social media marketing. You must now use them together. Send out a mailer to all your current customers offering them and incentive for returning. Back this up back by also tweeting the offer and a slightly less attractive offer to non-customers. Write a short story about your product and upload pictures or videos to Facebook and Google+. Now you have blanketed your product and increased the chance of action. This is key as maybe they were busy at work when they saw the tweet but when they got home they had a postcard in their mailbox with all the needed info. Throw a radio or TV ad in and you give the sense of well defined and stable business.

Stay Current and Relevant

You need social media in your business to stay current and need traditional media to stay relevant. Technology changes rapidly and you need to use this new technology to entice your customers and to stay up with your competition.  Many people access your business through mobile devices and social media is a big part of the mobile world. If you don’t adapt and use cross media then you’re missing out on a huge amount of potential business opportunities. Yet also in this fast pace world it doesn’t take long before you’re forgotten. Traditional media will help you stay relevant. People will hold onto something physical till they have time to look into it and act upon call to action.

It makes Sense

Using Cross Media Marketing makes sense. You need to use new technology to stay current and use print to stay relevant to reach new customers and keep up with current customers in today’s highly competitive world of business.

Werner Kunz / Money Photos / CC BY-NC-SA

Everyone knows that products made in the US are a much higher quality. They don’t fall apart and they’re not made from cheap materials. Americans are higher skilled and many times more productive than overseas workers. Americans are also very creative and great problem solvers.

In order for companies to meet the demands and trends of consumers they have to be able to make products quickly. They can’t do that overseas and get the product to market fast enough. It takes months to revamp a product line and give the consumers what they want. Putting it on a boat only prolongs a products launch. The invention of twitter and other social networks gave consumers instant access to companies so they could tell them exactly what they wanted and don’t like in a product.

Shipping overseas is expensive but shipping domestically is significantly cheaper. The cost of labor has gone up significantly overseas so it’s not as cheap or as profitable as it used to be. Energy costs in America have gone down while overseas they continue to climb. Overseas transportation, oil, and political instability make it less attractive for American companies to produce overseas.

In America, the labor force has changed to a higher skilled more nimble workforce. The technology is here for companies to be able to compete and provide for their customer needs. Most companies would much rather do business domestically, so as the costs even out American businesses are transitioning work back home and creating more American Jobs.

There are some great examples of Made in America products. Maglite flashlights are American made from design to production. The best weapons in the world are made by American workers at American Defense Contractors. Great produce  fruits and vegetables, are best when grown locally. Chocolate anyone? Hersey Chocolate is and has always been crafted in America. Though not all parts are American, Harley-Davidson is still a great example mostly from American parts but definitely American Made.

madlyinlovewithlife / Foter.com / CC BY-NC-ND

When you think “product” you may think something physical but Americans are vastly creative. The best Movies ever made are come right out of America. Movies like Avatar, Titanic, Jurassic Park, and Star Wars to name a few. The best software comes from America as well. Every day you probably use a computer with Windows, a phone with iOS or Android, or another form of software. The internet was also an American invention of sorts. Without it you wouldn’t have these other great American products; Google, Facebook, YouTube, Amazon and Wikipedia.

There are also examples where outsourcing doomed products, companies and people. Cadmium tainted toys continuously haunt major toy companies and put children in jeopardy. Cheap extension cords cause countless fires and displace families from their homes. Chinese drywall that was used after hurricanes damaged a lot of the gulf used volatile chemicals that emitted sulfurous gases.

The most recent outsourcing disaster, Boeing with their Boeing 787 “The Dreamliner” is more of a nightmare. Years of delays, Billions of dollars over budget, hundreds or thousands of American jobs lost and an aircraft that has been grounded for the foreseeable future with no fix in sight for problems with the outsourced parts.

Project FAV / Foter.com / CC BY

In fact Apple manufacturing is coming back to America to build their merchandise. The access to the technology and highly skilled labor is far better than what they can get overseas, period. American made products are far superior to something made overseas. Why? They are built to last with high quality parts and made by the best highly skilled labor. Consumers prefer to buy something made domestically that is high quality. It is a better value for their money.

What does this mean for consumers? It means more money will be flowing through our country as companies focus on strategic growth and open jobs to people in our country. More money to spend, better products, and a huge focus on technology will result.

3d Printers and robotics are also putting America back on the map for technology. Utilizing this technology is needed for companies to make production faster. If a company is overseas they don’t have access to high skilled labor or technology advances. The advances in technology are exactly what is needed to stay on top of trends and give consumers what they want. Technology is also an American strong hold. While many other countries try their hands at inventing new gadgets, devices and other technologies, America continues to outperform all other countries in this field.

Finally jobs are coming back! It’s not fast but it’s certainly good for the economy. It’s great for good old fashioned American creativity and confidence. We are doing what we do best with technology and high quality products. You just can’t beat a product that’s made in America. I can compare a product made from overseas and you will see parts made from cheap materials and low cost low skilled labor. Consumers have much higher expectations domestically. They want products that are built to last.

–Mark– / Foter.com / CC BY-NC-SA

If you’re reading this and still believe it’s better to outsource I challenge you to head over to reshorenow.org and try your hand Total Cost of Ownership Estimator reshorenow.org/TCO_Estimator.cfm.

Jobs coming back to our country means more money for consumers to purchase products, American Made Products. It also means a company can focus on strong strategic growth using higher valuable employees who have a vested interest in building quality products and services.

It’s not hard to see why jobs are coming back to America.
Our country will be back on top again.

Total Spyware 2009 – grammar issues (Photo credit: Craig Murphy)

Spyware is one of the fastest-growing internet threats.  According to the National Cyber Security Alliance, spyware infects more than 90% of all PCs today.  These unobtrusive, malicious programs are designed to silently bypass firewalls and anti-virus software without the user’s knowledge.  Once embedded in a computer, it can wreak havoc on the system’s performance while gathering your personal information.  Fortunately, unlike viruses and worms, spyware programs do not usually self-replicate.

Where does it come from?

Typically, spyware originates in three ways.  The first and most common way is when the user installs it.  In this scenario, spyware is embedded, attached, or bundled with a freeware or shareware program without the user’s knowledge.  The user downloads the program to their computer.  Once downloaded, the spyware program goes to work collecting data for the spyware author’s personal use or to sell to a third-party.  Beware of many P2P file-sharing programs.  They are notorious for downloads that posses spyware programs.

The user of a downloadable program should pay extra attention to the accompanying licensing agreement.  Often the software publisher will warn the user that a spyware program will be installed along with the requested program.  Unfortunately, we do not always take the time to read the fine print.  Some agreements may provide special “opt-out” boxes that the user can click to stop the spyware from being included in the download.  Be sure to review the document before signing off on the download.

Another way that spyware can access your computer is by tricking you into manipulating the security features designed to prevent any unwanted installations. Internet Explorer was designed not to allow websites to start any unwanted downloads.  That is why the user has to initiate a download by clicking on a link.  These links can prove deceptive.  For example, a pop-up modeled after a standard Windows dialog box, may appear on your screen.  The message may ask you if you would like to optimize your internet access.  It provides yes or no answer buttons, but, no matter which button you push, a download containing the spyware program will commence. Newer versions of Internet Explorer are now making this spyware pathway a little more difficult.

Finally, some spyware applications infect a system by attacking security holes in the Web browser or other software.  When the user navigates a webpage controlled by a spyware author, the page contains code designed to attack the browser, and force the installation of the spyware program.

What can spyware programs do?

Spyware programs can accomplish a multitude of malicious tasks.  Some of their deeds are simply annoying for the user; others can become downright aggressive in nature.
Spyware can:

1. Monitor your keystrokes for reporting purposes.
2. Scan files located on your hard drive.
3. Snoop through applications on our desktop.
4. Install other spyware programs into your computer.
5. Read your cookies.
6. Steal credit card numbers, passwords, and other personal information.
7. Change the default settings on your home page web browser.
8. Mutate into a second generation of spyware thus making it more difficult to           eradicate.
9. Cause your computer to run slower.
10. Deliver annoying pop up advertisements.
11. Add advertising links to web pages for which the author does not get paid.  Instead, payment is directed to the spyware programmer that changed the original affiliate’s settings.
12. Provide the user with no uninstall option and places itself in unexpected or hidden places within your computer making it difficult to remove.

Spyware Examples

Here are a few examples of commonly seen spyware programs.  Please note that while researchers will often give names to spyware programs, they may not match the names the spyware-writers use.

CoolWebSearch, a group of programs, that install through “holes” found in Internet Explorer. These programs direct traffic to advertisements on Web sites including coolwebsearch.com. This spyware nuisance displays pop-up ads, rewrites search engine results, and alters the computer host file to direct the Domain Name System (DNS) to lookup preselected sites.

Internet Optimizer (a/k/a DyFuCa), likes to redirect Internet Explorer error pages to advertisements. When the user follows the broken link or enters an erroneous URL, a page of advertisements pop up.

180 Solutions reports extensive information to advertisers about the Web sites which you visit.  It also alters HTTP requests for affiliate advertisements linked from a Web site.  Therefore the 180 Solutions Company makes an unearned profit off of the click through advertisements they’ve altered.

HuntBar (a/k/a WinTools) or Adware.Websearch, is distributed by Traffic Syndicate and is installed by ActiveX drive-by downloading at affiliate websites or by advertisements displayed by other spyware programs.  It’s a prime example of how spyware can install more spyware.   These programs will add toolbars to Internet Explorer, track Web browsing behavior, and display advertisements.

How can I prevent spyware?

There are a couple things you can do to prevent spyware from infecting your computer system.  First, invest in a reliable commercial anti-spyware program.  There are several currently on the market including stand alone software packages such as Lavasoft’s Ad-Aware or Windows Antispyware.  Other options provide the anti-spyware software as part of an anti-virus package.  This type of option is offered by companies such as Sophos, Symantec, and McAfee. Anti-spyware programs can combat spyware by providing real-time protection, scanning, and removal of any found spyware software.   As with most programs, update your anti virus software frequently.

As discussed, the Internet Explorer (IE) is often a contributor to the spyware problem because spyware programs like to attach themselves to its functionality.  Spyware enjoys penetrating the IE’s weaknesses.  Because of this, many users have switched to non-IE browsers.  However, if you prefer to stick with Internet Explorer, be sure to update the security patches regularly, and only download programs from reputable sources.  This will help reduce your chances of a spyware infiltration.

.

And, when all else fails?

Finally, if your computer has been infected with a large number of spyware programs, the only solution you may have is backing up your data, and performing a complete reinstall of the operating system.

Related articles

• Spyware. Different Types (jijuu.com)
• SuperAntiSpyware Online Safe Scan, Portable Malware Scanner (ghacks.net)
• Not astonishingly, Spyware slows down your personal computer … (freeezinearticles.com)

English: United States Patent Cover from a real patent issued (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Although the intentions of the US Patent Office were and are pure, the unintended consequences serve to stifle a free market economy.  At a basic level, offering an inventor a patent with 20 years of protection limits innovation and inhibits additional market choices for consumers.  In practice, the patent allows the holder to receive royalties, so to speak, from an entity that earns money on the sale of a product that uses the patented intellectual property.  This seems fair, but offering this for such an extended period of time is prohibitive.There are thousands upon thousands of patents on file at the US Patent Office and they offer an online tool to search through the patents to see if your idea is already patented.  Instead of wasting money on researching patents, a company may produce a product and unintentionally infringe on a patent.  In turn, a lawsuit is filed and millions of dollars are spent.  This means that time, resources, and money are poured into the litigation process.  This ties up the court system.  This drives up the price of technology.  This eats up a company’s financial resources and ultimately leads to loss of jobs.  The consequences are compounded and ultimately the consumer loses.

These unintended consequences are most prominent and highly visible in the technology industry where we see companies like Oracle and Google duking it out over computer language.  These are very large corporations with the financial means to handle long, drawn out lawsuits.  A regular small business would never be able to compete, so no one tries.  That means that these large corporations will continue to monopolize the marketplace and dictate the price of the latest and greatest technology.  We can see similar things happening in the pharmaceutical industry where large corporations own the patents on drug formulations and can charge a phenomenal rate, driving up the cost of insurance and pricing the drugs out of reach for consumers without insurance.  Frivolous lawsuits against pharmaceutical companies also play a role in the high cost in that industry.

The opportunity to bring innovation to market in America has dwindled.  Our economy has not seen the likes of a great innovation in years.  Technological innovations such as Amazon, eBay and AOL have not been seen in over a decade.  The current innovation landscape would not even support these businesses today.  We need to call for reform on patent law.

Maintaining a business is expensive.  Bringing innovative technology to market can bankrupt a company before they ever get off the ground.  The problem is this: patents on intellectual are crippling the benefits of a free market economy.  The stakes are high if a company unknowingly brings to market a technology that is patented.  This risk essentially chokes innovation and diminishes the chances of the quintessential small business actually making its way into the limelight.

U.S. Patents granted, 1800–2004. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Intellectual property law protects the rights to property that is intangible, like technology.  However, the law does not protect something as simple as an idea.  The idea must be presented in a tangible way so that a person can perceive it.  In other words, the idea or concept that is protected under intellectual property law must have been put into physical form at some point for it to warrant protection.

To put forth the resources that would transform an intangible item, such as intellectual property, into a tangible item, like a handheld computing device, a company would spend a significant amount of time and money.  Before making the decision to invest all those resources into their next big idea, a company would do well to research whether someone else already had that next big idea and also had the wherewithal to patent it.  Herein lays the problem.  There are thousands upon thousands of intellectual property patents.  The resources needed to comb through those patents would most likely deplete research and development assets that a company would otherwise use to put its ideas to work.  But, if the company fails to do the research on patents and brings their technology to market, they run the risk of being slammed with a lawsuit by a conglomerate with all the resources to run this little company’s face right into the ground.

Bringing new ideas to market is already wrought with risks.  Small businesses, and even not-so-small businesses, must overcome the usual obstacles such as human resources, technological resources, and financial resources.  Adding the fear of litigation to the long list of hazards in the business industry brings many innovations to a cold, dead stop.  Not only is this detrimental to the economy both locally and globally, but it trickles down to the consumer in a very real way – less choices for higher prices.

Intellectual property laws are aimed at protecting a patent owner from idea theft, so to speak.  It’s my opinion that the law’s intent was to keep large businesses from stepping all over the college kids that dream up the innovative technology that keeps driving business forward.  Instead, the laws are working to stifle innovation.  High-profile law suits, such as the recent case involving Apple and Samsung, only work toward lessening the consumer’s choice and driving prices higher.  It seems the unwanted byproduct of intellectual property law is the creation of monopolies on things such as smartphones and tablets.  The fact is that some conglomerates go out of their way to purchase other companies simply for control of their patents and the potential income to be made when litigation over intellectual property ensues.  Unfortunately, such lawsuits are inevitable and the cycle continues.  The resolution is to reform the patent laws.

Implementing the latest mobile devices like Android, iOS, and Windows into a corporate environment is a challenge. 

The job of a IT Technician is never an easy one, especially when tackling the task of integrating mobile devices into the workplace. There’s so much that can go wrong and so many different difficulties to face along the way. Consultants can help but have to balance two very different sets of concerns: the information technology side and the employee side. Finding the ideal IT solution for a small or growing business isn’t as simple as taking the latest and greatest technology and dumping into the hands of employees or employers. There are a number of factors in IT Consulting that need to be carefully weighed and considered before decisions are made.

Providing small business support through new mobile devices starts with the devices themselves. The once-king of the mobile business market, Blackberry, has taken a backseat of sorts in the last year or two. The falling Blackberry market share has opened the door to new competing operating systems, namely Android, iOS, and maybe even soon to be Windows Phone. Much like the personal cell phone market, each of these operating systems are gaining a foothold in the small business IT mobile devices segment.

Image via Wikipedia

The proper way to implement these various systems varies greatly depending on which system your small business is best suited to.

Android is a system that’s ideal for younger and more technologically advanced audiences. It allows for a lot of customization and software utilization that can really provide an ideal level of small business IT support. Implementing an Android system requires a lot of direct employee training and room for employees to explore new uses for the device.

Image via Wikipedia

With iOS devices, employees can adapt more quickly thanks to the user friendly experience and interface. An older and less technologically advanced work force can be brought into a modern mobile era with iOS options. There is also a lot of software support and a strong application network surrounding the iOS system, giving a small business all the different tools it needs.

The Windows Phones platform is still the least utilized in the small business segment despite Windows’ dominance on the computer front. It offers a nice balance between a user friendly interface and room for growth. With the latest advancement of Windows Phones the market share is sure to climb.

Information technology consultants takes all these different mobile options and possible directions for a business and aims to make the best decision. It’s definitely not easy, but it can have big impacts on the future of a small business. A consultant should weigh how quickly a company needs to grow, how many and what kind of employees make up the group, and their software integration needs to find out exactly what mobile device to implement. No business owner or technology consultant should be making such a huge decision without analyzing all the different facets of a business. Finding the right system can make or break a burgeoning company.

Image via Wikipedia

There are a lot of risks involved with introducing mobile devices into the workplace. Implementing a mobile device that’s at arms with the workforce can result in employees who are suddenly much less efficient, spending more time on figuring out their tools than actually using them. Giving a creative and resourceful employee a mobile device that can’t keep up with his/her productivity will result in a frustrated worker with less motivation. There are even instances when employees may not need a mobile device at all, so it’s an extra cost that actually lowers satisfaction and productivity. On a larger scale, these individual effects will have major impacts on the bottom line. Not taking the time and not seeking out the right small business IT support to make the big decisions is just too risky.  There’s no underestimating the importance of finding the correct mobile device option.

The best steps to prepare a small business for the implementation of a new mobile device system are actually pretty straightforward.

First off, Seek out people who know what they’re doing. Don’t rely on outdated strategies and common sense, or bad decisions will definitely follow.

Next, Collect all the information before a decision is made, or employees may not match up with the system that’s selected.

Finally, Train employees on the proper and improper ways to use the new mobile devices, ensuring the efficient and maximized use of the new system. Following those steps will reduce the risks of introducing a totally new mobile device system into a small business.

It’s pretty easy to screw things up in a major way if certain precautions aren’t taken and strategies aren’t followed.  Finding the right mobile device operating system for a small business is a monumental undertaking that requires attention to the devices as well as the employees.

Related articles

• Mobile Device Protection (piazzaglobal.com)
• Introducing SmartBuilder – Helping You Start or Grow Your Small Business! (blogs.blackberry.com)
• Should Small Businesses Centrally Manage iOS Devices? (informationweek.com)
• Learn How Mobility Could be Part of Your Business Growth in 3 Minutes (Video) (smallbiztechnology.com)

The tech market is full of monopolies of big corporations and at times these big corporations need to stick together to overtake another power player or to just create max profit. The total basis of these alliances is excellent in the beginning. Who wouldn’t want to take a huge cut of the money pie? Alliances almost always crumble however when money and greed take over. In this article we will systematically go through some alliances that were formed and in the blink of the eye broken.

When Apple first launched their iPhone and original iOS they wanted to not only give the user a cellular phone but one powerful enough to act as your own personal assistant. That being said maps where quickly incorporated as Apple wanted to make the user experience easier and rival such things as car GPS (Tomtom, Garmin, Magellan, etc). Apple did not want to invest the money into creating their own map system. Lucky for Apple, Google had produced Google Maps and they teamed up to allow Apple to incorporate Google Maps into Apple’s iOS. This was a win-win at first because Google could promote themselves to the millions of people gearing up to buy the iPhone and Apple would not only be able to boast its new phone up even more but indirectly enter a new market. Of course all good things come to an end. Apple eventually got greedy because Google was not only showing off their brand with the Google Maps app but, also had their own phones and operating system (Android). Apple could not live with the fact that costumers could “jump ship” and did not want to show Google as a partner any longer. Thus Apple kicked Google Maps out of their App store and is now set to release Apple Maps.

These Tech wars really do not just affect tech companies; in fact even major retailers are getting pulled into the battle. When Amazon launched the Kindle series of e-book readers, users around the world rejoiced about having a new and more convenient way to read and carry their books. So Kindle sales started to climb and we had the birth of the E-book era. At first major retailers all around wanted to carry the E-book readers, specifically the Kindles. So Amazon being a smart company allowed it to be done. They’d make more money out of it this way and for the stores people would start to come in and become customers. The issue with this became people were purchasing Kindles more online and not only that but where purchasing a wide variety of other products online from such places as Amazon. Physical retailers lost costumers and started to turn into a showroom for Amazon. Retailers began to get angry. To hurt the sales of the Kindle and thus the online retailers (in this case Amazon), Target decided to stop selling Kindles. Target really lost nothing out of this as people were not buying Kindles from them and they were able to stop promoting a competitor in Amazon.

With Microsoft’s new Windows 8 operating systems getting ready for release we have seen them do something they have never really done on a mass market before – use their own parts and sell the finished pieces themselves. Microsoft has seen Apple succeed with such products as the iPad and has now decided to enter the tablet market on their own. Instead of relying on major parts makers like Dell, HP, Asus they have decided to go out and make their own tablet to compete with their own parts. With the introduction of this new tablet called the Microsoft Surface Tablet we are seeing some of Microsoft’s greatest allies turning their heads. The release of this tablet could jeopardize the existence of some of these parts and computer makers if Microsoft decides to go in the route of Apple and build a computers and tablets with a majority of their own parts. Not only could this hurt relations with manufactures, if they decide to sell it only at Microsoft Stores or Microsoft’s website this could lead to a heavy impact on retailers.

 
As you can see alliances are being broken left and right, not because they are not working or because something is wrong but the fact that these corporations will turn on each other first chance they get. In the end it is about the money.

What you need to know

As you might already know your next-generation computer and operating system are always right around the corner. Computer technology changes so fast that it is practically impossible to keep up with the latest and the greatest. This constant quest to trample the competition has the computer industry constantly on its toes and for us consumers that means we are probably never going to see the end of it. If you can’t always have the best and the latest, what you can do is at least research your purchase and make sure you are getting something that is going to last you a few years down the line, until the next-generation systems are released (around every 2-4 years).

We typically set some pretty high expectations for next-generation systems these days. Today the normal everyday person needs a lot more computing power then what was necessary just a few years ago. This constantly raises the competitive edge with the computer engineers, trying to find the most efficient way to fit more transistors in a logic board, and software developers constantly trying to figure out the best way to use all that power in the newer, and faster computers. This is why it is important to constantly try and pair the latest computer systems with the latest operating systems available. Concept Future Computers and Operating Systems are examples of the progress expected.

The Good, The Bad, The Ugly

All the regular contenders are chiming in this year, Microsoft and Apple being our two biggest and most anticipated participants. Along with the updated operating systems comes a nice set of features that will be sure to awe even the most tech-savvy consumers. Apple has committed to a long-term relationship in trying to integrate all the great features we love about our iOS devices and our beloved OS X. Microsoft on the other hand is working in trying to develop a more seamless experience with the web, using a strong base in HTML5 and JavaScript.

If you are into open-source, Linux finally has a new counterpart that was released last year, but we have yet to see enough of: Google Chrome OS. Google’s spin on the popular open-source, free alternative is said to work exclusively with web applications. Limiting the amount of data individual users needto have in their computers. Google marketed the idea in the form of a laptop called the ChromeBook, which has been available since about June of last year.

Microsoft Windows 8

Microsoft has gone an entirely new direction with their operating system concept as is trying to earn their place in the mobile OS market by making Windows 8 a cross-platform monster aimed to work on tablet devices and mobile devices. On a computer the desktop interface looks and feels like Windows 7, but don’t expect to find a Start button or Start menu anywhere. Key features, both of which have been core features of the software since the debut of Windows 95, 17 years ago. Also initially we aren’t greeted with a desktop, but an interface originally developed for Windows Phones called “Metro”, which is an array of dynamically updated tiles that make-up what is similar to icons on a mobile device.

Apple MAC OS X Mountain Lion

Mac OS X “Mountain Lion” is coming soon; there already is a developer beta that was released mid-February and it’s receiving great feedback, but one feature users say you still won’t expect to find yet is Siri. Truly though, you can’t say that voice assisted features have found their place in desktops yet and developers feel the same way. Aside from the lack of Siri, Mount Lion is said to please the apple crowd with a set of 10 features that are sure to change the game. Three of them have already been introduced in Lion: iMessage, Reminders, and Notes; but now are actually separate stand-alone programs that interact accordingly with their iOS counterparts through iCloud. Apple is also aiming to reinforce OS X’s resilience to malware and security with the introduction of Gatekeeper, which is directed at controlling what types of applications can and can’t be installed.

Ultra-books

If your hell bent on trying to find a perfectly compact and equally powerful Windows fed laptop then you should probably check out Intel’s latest inspiration: The UltraBook. Ultrabooks are designed to feature reduced size and weight, and an extended battery life that won’t compromise the systems performance. They use solid-state drives, integrated graphic chipsets, and a new line of low-power intake processors developed by Intel. The size reduction comes at a cost though, limiting the number of external USB and data ports available. 

Related articles

• Is Tablet-Creep in Operating Systems a Bad Thing and Must we Accept it? (ghacks.net)
• Why your computer is becoming more like your phone (cnn.com)
• Get a Head Start on Windows 8…for Free (lifehack.org)
• The Future of Personal and Business Computing (piazzaglobal.com)

Ever since it was a college student exclusive has Facebook been on the rise. From around five million at the end of 2005 and to 158 million US users and close to One Billion world wide users in May of 2012 it seems Facebook is doing well. Unfortunately for Mark Zuckerberg and the gang of users it is not looking to be too good. In the last six months leading to May 2012 Facebook has seen a sharp decline of 4.8% US users. People are disengaged and activity is dwindling. In this article we are going to explore the reasons why this may be happening and what this means for Facebook’s biggest competitor, Twitter.

Change may always seem like a good thing to have, unfortunately for Facebook it has been changing and transforming itself faster than the average user can handle. There have been major outcries in the past of Facebook changing its interface leaving consumers confused and agitated. This is no different with Facebook’s introduction of the Timeline. The issue with the Facebook Timelineis that it’s so cluttered and for the most part hard to get a grip of. This confusion has led to Facebook dropping users.

Regardless of the Timeline, Facebook has been angering their users as of late with a more aggressive addition of ads. Not just on the sides of the page but also incorporating a few ads on a person’s newsfeed. This is absolutely ridiculous as people do not come to Facebook to look at ads. This is infuriating the users causing them to complain. It does not matter to Facebook as they make profits this way so the people are now leaving.

 
Other changes from the past and as of late undermine the users opinion. Privacy changes come often without users prior knowledge leading to an investigation by the FTC. For failing to keep privacy promises a settlement was reached and a fine was paid. Another instance was the use of users names and images in advertisements with out consent. Once again a fine was paid and promise to change advertising policies, but the damage had been done. One of the latest changes was users emails were set to @facebook once again without notifying users or getting permission. This was done after a policy of asking users opinions before major changes was introduced. This was clearly ignored. There’s pattern showing and people are getting tired of it.

The drop of Facebook users is not all that bad for social media competitor, Twitter. Twitter on the other hand of Facebook has been growing rapidly as of late. This could largely be due to the fact that Twitter does not over haul its interface in such extremes as Facebook. In fact the changes to the interface make it more easy to use and are not as noticeable. This makes Twitter a user friendly place to communicate. All being said, Twitter is taking advantage of Facebook’s loss.

The drop in Facebook might sound like the death of social media to some users but the fact of the matter is there are other competitors waiting in the shadows to take its place. Of course Facebook will not be going down anytime soon but who is to say in a few years we will not have a repeat of MySpace. Social media is user driven and with Facebook turning its back on what the users want may be the driving force in its demise.

MAC, Beautiful, elegant, a synergy with anybody’s home or office environment. Apple has transformed from a company hanging on to be relevant to the company everyone want to imitate, all over a short time.

It began with the release of the G3 (Blue and White) and iMac featuring a new processors and design that challenged the common. Giving MAC a leading edge was its diverse colors, novel designs and cutting technology. Pricing changed as much as features, leading to a great rise in sales. Coupled with the iPod, Apple looked to revolutionize the tech scene, much like in 1984.

Apple has changed their design, their supply, and their products in its continued rise to power all to please their customers. Making MAC more of a household name was a change in its processor.  The change to Intel chips in their MACs allows people to run Windows on their MAC, just as easily as running OS X, boosting sales.  The sleek and modern designs coupled with the latest technology, even technologies Apple has invented, gives MAC an edge against the best PC on the market.

Ease of MACs intuitiveness, connectivity, and all around design surpasses Windows based PCs.  With OS X, MACs can connect easily right out of the box.  Connect to the internet, peripherals like printers even connecting with the user so to speak. The fact that the Engineers at Apple think about how users will interact with their products and then design the software around this is something that makes the unlike most of their competitors.

Some will say you a better protected against viruses. To be honest their market share has protected them from the onslaught of cybercrime. In reality MAC can get viruses and will continue to grow as a target but that doesn’t make them worse than the rest. At that MAC still has the upper hand in there are not thousands of variants of viruses already out so cyber criminals will need to play catch up.

Image via Wikipedia

So with all the good things about MAC why is Windows still more prominent? Well in business most programs are designed for Windows. So when people are working they are working with Microsoft Windows so they know it there guiding their decision to also have Windows at home. Maybe it could be Apple was not really contending to be Windows in the since of being adopted by the masses. This shows in its high build and design quality contributing to their high prices. This is the main reason most people give to not giving MACs a look when deciding on a new computer, pricing.

As shown in the past with the iPhone, Apple can dominate the market it sets its eye on. Windows Phone and BlackBerry now have minimal market share while Apple shares the bulk of the market with Google’s Android. On that same note, even with Apples head start Android played catch up very well. Technology changes so fast that as long as you can come out with a product that is far superior to the competitors and priced right you can corner the market.

With the iPadthey made the market. Tablets were out long before the iPad but they were not widely used. They were clunky versions of laptops costing too much to be considered for consumers. Then with the availability of the iPad came what we know as tablets today. Apple introduced us to thin, light weight, cheap portable computing devices. You cannot say Apple invented tablets but they improved them enough consumers wanted them therefore making the market.

Image via CrunchBase

To help dispel the concern on pricing one must remember what they are getting for what they’re paying. With MAC you are getting that great design both with hardware and software. The technology in it is powerful and capable of doing whatever you task it with. The incorporate the latest hardware which helps its longevity.

MACs have an amazing life expectancy compared to other computers. Most Windows based computers will last 3-5 years. At which 2 years in it is outdated both in hardware and software. Upgrading is costly and for hardware not usually practical after a certain point. Software OS upgrades are usually in the hundreds of dollars making in purchasing for a computer with old hardware not the best decision. MACs last 10-15 years, respectfully. Same as other computers updating the hardware in not practical but with it having the latest technology usually not even found in other computer selling at the same time there won’t be much of a need for a while. The software unlike Windows is cheap, well under $50, and easy to install helping you have the latest and greatest MAC OS.

So next time you’re out looking for a new computer don’t discount MAC. Look at your next computer purchase with an open mind and get rid of all pre-conceived notions. Whether you decide on a MAC or PC you’ll at least get the benefit of making the decision well informed and maybe with a better light on the options available.

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