Comparing Music-Streaming Services

May 18th, 2012

The Internet has changed the way we get our news, watch movies, and pay our bills. It’s no wonder, then, that it has also changed the way we listen to music. Today, the web is home to several top music-streaming services – online services that allow users to listen to their favorite music on their laptops, desktops, and mobile devices.

But which music-streaming services are the best? Here are some recommendations:

Pandora: Pandora is hardly a surprise choice, but there is a reason this music-streaming service remains well-liked: It is not difficult to use and it can quickly expose users to new music that they might not experience otherwise. The concept behind Pandora is simple: After logging onto the service, enter the name of a favorite artist, say “David Bowie.” Pandora will then play songs by Bowie and will also play songs from similar artists. This gives you a taste of other tunes that you might also like.

Grooveshark: This streaming service is very similar to Pandora, in that it creates a personalized “radio” station determined by your musical tastes. You do not have to create an account to listen to Grooveshark, or to create your own playlists. However, in order to save your information, you will have to create one. One benefit to Grooveshark is basically that you are able to enjoy whole albums instead of a station you made. One of the more exciting features of Grooveshark is that users can add their own music if the Grooveshark database doesn’t have what they are seeking.

Rhapsody: Rhapsody’s appeal is based on its huge database of music: more the 14 million songs. Unfortunately, this service is not free, it is $10 a month for unlimited music.

Spotify: Spotify is a Swedish music-streaming service that was launched in 2008. It has quickly grown to one of the most recognized and widely used services out there. People like the flexibility of Spotify. When you search for an artist, you can listen to a whole album or choose to use the radio function and Spotify will find similar artists for you to enjoy. Another benefit of Spotify is that you can create your own playlists and share them with other users if you so choose.

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Microsoft is Inspiring Innovation with the Kinect

May 16th, 2012

Remember when Windows was considered cool? It’s been a long time. However, the Kinect – a motion and voice-sensing device originally meant as a nifty feature for the Xbox gaming console – could help Windows recapture its long-lost coolness quotient.

Not surprisingly, a version of the Kinect is compatible with Windows-operated PCs. So almost immediately after this new version was released in February, companies started coming up with creative, out-of-the-box uses for it.

Innovative Uses for the Kinect

For instance, at the Chicago Auto Show earlier this year, the chief marketing manager for Nissan North America used Kinect for Windows to create a virtual tour of the Pathfinder’s upgraded interior. This proved especially beneficial because the marketing manager only had the Pathfinder’s empty shell to show off at the Auto Show. A large screen powered by Kinect showed visitors just what they’d be seeing if they were actually sitting within the finished body of the new Pathfinder. The screen, for example, displayed the car’s dual moon roofs and many other features.

Microsoft is working with companies to develop applications for the Kinect. This not only encourages creativity but it puts the Kinect at the center of many of the most recent innovations. One example of a company that is working closely with Microsoft in this manner is Boeing. Boeing used the Kinect to create virtual tours of its jets. Another example is a healthcare facility in Canada. They’re using the Kinect’s gesture-recognition capability to swipe through CT scans. This reduces the danger of getting germs on their hands from a keyboard or mouse.

Kinect: A Solid Hit

Microsoft hit a home run when they created the Kinect. The Xbox 360 was last year’s best-selling video game console, and they have the Kinect to thank for that. Since November of 2010 Microsoft has sold over 18 million Kinect devices.

It might seem hard to believe, but Windows and its creator might have actually found something that’s not only useful, but cool, which can do nothing but good for their reputation.

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Change the Way you Interview to Hire the Right People

May 11th, 2012

There are lots of people seeking jobs today. However, as an employer, you are not looking for just anyone. You would like to hire the best, most imaginative employees to work at your business. You recognize that your company is only as strong as your workers. How do you hire the best people? It all starts with the job interview.

It’s important to create a job interview strategy that pin points what you are looking for in an employee. If you ask the same cookie cutter questions that everyone else does, you are likely to get cookie cutter answers.

Ask the Right Questions

A common approach to the job interview is to inquire about past positions the person held. What their responsibilities were, etc. These are not the most beneficial questions as you only end up receiving information that could be easily read from their resume. This doesn’t help you much if you are looking for specific characteristics. Think about asking them how they enhanced their positions, were there any processes that they changed, or ways in which they saved their company money.

One of the most common questions to ask a candidate concerns their strengths and weaknesses. Try to avoid asking them to list these; most of us have predetermined answers. Instead ask them what they bring to the culture of a company, or ask them what they do to make their job more satisfying. The responses you get to these types of questions will help you to gauge the actual resourcefulness of the person you are evaluating.

Another simple way to evaluate a prospective employee’s creativity is to ask them to carry out a task. For example, you could ask them to brainstorm ideas for an ad campaign, or write a short essay about their ideal workplace. Whatever it is, it is something your interviewee will not expect and it will give you a snapshot of their creativity.

Today’s job market is such that it’s probable that many competent people will apply to your open position. So, in order to sift through these applicants and find the most creative and inventive individuals, change your interview tactics to hone in on these traits.

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Business Travel Versus Videoconferencing

May 9th, 2012

There aren’t many people who look forward to going on business trips. They’re a hassle and expensive for the organization. Business travelers often feel rushed, which results in insufficient sleep and poor eating habits, which exacerbates stress. Not to mention dealing with Airports and long-term parking. Therefore, many businesses choose to use videoconferencing if possible. But do you think that business travel is on its way out? Will Videoconferencing replace it altogether?

The End of Business Travel?

But is this a thing that we should strive for in business? Is it the best thing if videoconferencing replaces face-to-face meetings altogether? Perhaps not, consider the differences between meetings that are face-to-face versus videoconferencing.

During a videoconference, people from across the globe sign on, say their hellos, and get to the business at hand. The level of brainstorming is usually limited because people worry about the stability of their connections or succumb to the interruptions of the offices where they sit.

The Benefits of Face-to-Face Time

At in-person meetings, however, agendas have a way of falling by the wayside, and that is a good thing. Meetings may start only after a few minutes of personal chatter and they might end with attendees swapping office stories. Again, this is good. Often, the best business ideas arise from these moments of off-topic discussion.

Business Travel is Here to Stay

Yes, business travel is an inconvenience and videoconferencing is convenient. However, there are times when meeting face-to-face is the best option for generating the most innovative business solutions. Due to this, don’t expect savvy business executives to ever totally replace business travel with videoconferencing.  I’d love to hear your opinion!

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Why Technology Is Not as Advanced as it Should Be

May 4th, 2012

Doesn’t it seem like we should currently have jetpacks? Teleporters? Or meals in tablet form? We already have some incredible technology, like tablets, which are small computers that people can carry around. We can take advantage of the GPS in our cars to get around town. We can post an update to our social media sites and reach countless people at once.

So, with all of this technology, why don’t we have jet packs yet? What issues are preventing us from making these technological leaps?

Building a Better Battery

Batteries power nearly all of our technology, particularly as we move into a more mobile world. As a result, the more limited our batteries are, the more limitations we have technologically. They are an integral part of our technology, so we need to concentrate on improving them before we can really make jumps in technology. Luckily, researchers at Chicago’s Northwestern University are developing a more powerful lithium-ion battery, which we discussed in a blog post last week. This could solve this constraint in the coming years.

Improving Internet Access

Another hurdle to overcome is that not enough people have access to the Internet. Actually, most of the globe doesn’t have access to it. This is naturally limiting advancements in technology. It goes back to the basic notion of the more minds we have working on a problem, the faster we will solve it.

The Business of New Tech

Finally, there is the business end of things. Technological progress is slowed by arcane things such as patent law. Businesses take their time introducing new gadgets and services as they must first traverse a minefield of laws and government regulations. These laws are necessary. However, they should be clear and easy to comprehend so new technology isn’t bottled up unnecessarily.

Even though there are a few things that are holding technology back, it is still evolving at a rapid pace. Maybe we will finally get hover boards when battery technology catches up to our imaginations… and maybe not.  But, I’m excited to see new technologies released, as I’m sure many of you are, so let’s move forward and see what happens.  What are the new technologies that you most long to see?

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Photoshop is Expensive: Here are Some Alternatives

May 2nd, 2012

Adobe Photoshop is an excellent photo manipulation tool. With it, businesses can create professional looking marketing materials quite easily. The biggest issue with Photoshop is the price. A person looking to buy it can spend more then $600 for newer versions. This is not feasible for many small business owners, plus they probably don’t require all of the features that a $600 photo-editing program comes with. Thankfully, there are many alternatives to Photoshop that are affordable or free.

These alternatives are not quite as powerful as Photoshop but they offer enough of the elements to be useful to the small business owner. This is a list of three that make photo-manipulation easy, without straining the wallet.

GIMP

GIMP, which stands for GNU image manipulation program, is the choice of many a cost-conscious designer. That’s because this free program contains the most important features of Photoshop. The GIMP website even offers a version of the program—cleverly named GIMPShop—that features a screen layout that’s a virtual twin of Photoshop’s.

Paint.NET

Remember that old MSPaint program that came with your Windows program? Paint.NET is the successor to this, and it is a surprisingly powerful—and free—photo editor. Paint.NET comes with its own special effects, a limitless undo (a nice feature for those designers who are far from perfect), and an online forum full of users who aren’t shy about sharing their favorite tips and methods for using this program. The only negative of Paint.NET? It only works with Windows-based systems.

Picnik

Picnik has become a popular free photo editor for many reasons. First, it works on the Mac, Windows, and Linux operating systems. Secondly, users don’t need to download any files to their computers to use the program. The program is also known for its speed. It’s simple and easy to learn the fundamentals of cropping, resizing, and rotating photos. It’s easy, too, to add special effects and turn blurry, dark images into clear, light ones.

Business owners needn’t let Photoshop’s high price keep them from inserting professionally edited photos into their marketing materials. With just a little bit of online hunting, even the most frugal of business owners will find an ideal alternative.

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The Greater Impacts of Battery Technology

April 27th, 2012

Your smartphone is fantastic. It can guide you to that trendy new fusion restaurant if you’re lost. It can play your favorite sitcom as you head to work on the train. It will play your favorite song at the touch of a button. But it can’t do any of this if its battery is dead.

A Better Battery on the Way?

Fortunately, a better battery might soon be on the way, thanks to the efforts of a team of engineers at Chicago’s Northwestern University. A recent story reports that researchers at this Big 10 university are trying to create a battery that lasts longer and can recharge itself in mere minutes. Smartphone users across the country ought to be grateful.

What they are concentrating on is a new lithium-ion battery that has more then 10 times the life of present-day batteries. Additionally, after a year of operation, which the researchers estimate to be about 150 charges, these new lithium-ion batteries would remain 5 times more efficient then today’s lithium-ion batteries.

A Charged Battery for a Week

Here’s the bottom line: The new cell phone battery could stay charged for more than a week and then recharge itself in just 15 minutes. This is great news for you: It could mean that your iPod won’t run out of juice while you are working the treadmill at the gym. But the new, better battery may have a far greater impact: According to the Northwestern story, this new battery technology could result in smaller and more powerful batteries for electric cars. This could help the United States—and other countries—cut its reliance on fossil fuels.

Batteries Powering Technological Change

While this new battery technology may have a significant impact on many aspects of our life, it will not be available to the general public for three to five years, says Northwestern researchers. Batteries are often over looked when we think of advanced technologies, but the more we depend upon mobile devices the more important they become.  Improvements in battery technology may in reality hold the key to an even greater technological revolution.

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An Overlooked Search Engine: Bing

April 25th, 2012

Google is the household name when it comes to searching the Web. However, it might not be the greatest search engine out there. Microsoft launched Bing, a competitor, in 2009 and it shouldn’t be dismissed. Although many Internet users still use Google as their primary search engine, Bing has numerous features that make for a robust searching experience.

Taking Another Look at Bing

When searching on Bing, you get more information about your search results then you do with Google. Bing has a navigation panel on the left that enables users to focus their search effortlessly. In addition, it organizes search results into logical categories, making it easier to find quick answers.

Bing Goes Beyond Search Results

Another great advantage of Bing is that it doesn’t just bring up search results. It also brings up related videos, music, and images. Although this is an element of Google as well, Bing makes it more user friendly, as the categories are right below the search bar. Bing beats Google for travel searches too. They use something called Farecast Technology in the Bing Travel site; it lets users find the least expensive flights quickly and easily.

Bing Video Search Shines

Bing shines, too, when it comes to searching for videos. Before searching, users can tell Bing how long they would like their videos to be, what screen size they’d like them to be, and what image resolution they’d prefer. Users can start their videos by simply hovering their cursors over a screen capture.

These are a few reasons why Bing shouldn’t be overlooked. Google may be the current king of search engines, but Bing has a lot to deliver surfers of the Web.  Give it a try, if you haven’t already, and let me know what you think!

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The Benefits of the Hybrid Cloud

April 20th, 2012

Cloud computing is very popular these days. The cloud is essentially a group of remote servers where people can store and access their data. People can store music, powerful programs, and important files in the cloud. As information kept in the cloud isn’t stored on personal computers this saves tons of computer memory. The result of this is that people gain access to more data without having to use up space on their computer, which often can slow it down.

Not All Clouds are the Same

However, not all clouds are the same. There is the public cloud, the one with which we are most familiarized. But then there’s the hybrid cloud as well. As its name implies, the hybrid cloud is a combination of two different types of clouds, the public cloud and a private cloud.

To provide a hybrid cloud, an organization may store some of their client’s more important or current data in-house and store older, archived, and less crucial files in the public cloud. They may also use the public cloud to store huge programs while keeping confidential information in-house.

The Hybrid Cloud Approach Makes Sense

Taking a hybrid cloud approach to data storage permits businesses to take advantage of the space-saving features of the public cloud without also exposing their sensitive current data to third-party providers. Put simply, the hybrid cloud provides businesses with protection, cost-savings, and efficiency.

It’s little wonder, then, that a great number of organizations today are moving toward a hybrid cloud approach. There is way too much data floating around today for smaller businesses to properly store. At the same time, businesses in today’s competitive environment don’t want to expose company secrets and sensitive consumer data to either their competition or hackers. The hybrid cloud could allow businesses to accomplish both feats.

If I were to be totally honest, I’d have to admit to an internal struggle about wrapping this article up on such a simple note.  The cloud is a complex suite of options that offers an almost infinite number of options, and even this explanation of a Hybrid Cloud is extremely simplistic.  But, in an effort to keep things simple and keep this article short, let’s stick with this description.  If you’d like to discuss this further, please call the number at the top of the page and we’ll talk.  Or, simply post your questions/comments here and we can delve deeper.

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Remote Workers and How to Manage Them Effectively

April 18th, 2012

A growing number of employees today work remotely. This is possible on account of advancements in technology. The rewards are many for both employee and employer. Employers can spend less money as they have less people that need space in the workplace. Employees that work remotely are often more productive; they spend less time commuting, and they have the flexibility to adjust their work around their life instead of working 9 hours straight, which can cause burnout.

Remote Worker Challenges

Remote workers and contractors do present at least one considerable challenge to employers: It can be difficult for employers to effectively monitor the hours that their workers are putting in. How do employers know, after all, if their remote employees are pounding away at their keyboards or playing Angry Birds on their smartphones all day?

By setting realistic deadlines employers can monitor their remote workers successfully. This is a change in managerial strategy; it puts the focus on the goal rather then the hours that the employee works. Ultimately, employees are the only ones who know when they work most effectively, even if it is from midnight to 4am.

Setting Remote Worker Deadlines

This could be the simplest way to monitor your remote workers. Employers could decide that a specific amount of work needs to be turned in by Friday. One other way would be to set up weekly or bi-weekly meetings via phone or video chat. To resolve any feelings of detachment some employers may ask that a remote worker spend one day a week in the office. This can help keep everyone on track and informed.

Off-Site Not a Permanent Condition

While many individuals may have the personal discipline and time management skills to effectively work remotely, some don’t. So, if an employee doesn’t work well remotely, and that has grown to be clear, remote working doesn’t have to stay permanent, it can easily be revoked. Ultimately, trust within the employee/employer relationship is among the key components of a successful remote working relationship. The employee needs to maintain that trust by hitting deadlines and delivering high quality work.

Although I can’t claim to be an expert on the subject, I do have employees that work remotely.  It has presented some of the challenges that I’ve listed above, but it’s also proven to be a positive experience for both the company and my staff.  I’d love to hear your thoughts and any experiences you may have had.

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