10 Substitutes to PayPal

PayPal is a convenient way to pay and accept payment online. Many online merchants use the service to get payment along with credit cards or debit cards from major companies such as Visa and Mastercard. Merchants and online buyers aren't the only ones who take advantage of PayPal's services. There are so many freelance workers who rely on PayPal to get paid for rendered services. PayPal makes our life so simple when it comes to paying for goods and services online. Despite how useful it is, some have been frustrated with the quality of the service they get from PayPal. There's even a group that has created a dedicated website to gripe about PayPal.

So if you don't like Paypal, then here are a few alternatives:

1. Amazon Payments

This service lets you send money to friends and family. Amazon’s service offers a simple way to send money as you can easily pay on thousands of websites by using the information stored in your Amazon account so there’s no need to input your credit card or type in your address. Online sellers are charged 2.9% +$.3 per-transaction for transactions greater than $10.

2. Google Wallet

With this service from Google, you can send money to your friend in the U.S. as well as spend the money on your account on stores. It also has an added service that it lets you leave your loyalty programs and cards behind as it can store it for you.

3. Merchant Inc.

This service bills itself as “Hassle-Free Payment Processing.” Like PayPal, their service is compatible with Ebay. Merchants can use the service to accept credit cards on their website and even send invoices to their customers. Merchant Inc.’s standard rate for transactions is 1.99%. Merchant Inc. also promises sellers that they can receive payments in as little as two days.

4. Square

Merchants can get a device from Square that they can use to swipe the credit card of their customer. The device can be used on an iPhone, iPad, or Android device. While the device can be used by brick-and-mortar businesses, Square also has a service that allows online merchants to accept payment. Square’s rate is 2.75% for every transaction.

5. Serve

Want to pay bills online just like you do with PayPal? American Express’ Serve service lets you get a temporary card at retailers such as Office Depot, Walgreens, and CVS/pharmacy. You can add funds to the card for free at participating CVS/Pharmacy and 7-Eleven stores in the U.S. With Serve, you can also send and receive money from friends and family who also have a Serve account.

6. Dwolla

This company’s mission is to allow anyone to quickly and safely move money online at the lowest cost possible. And they do have one of the lowest rates around at just $0.25 per transaction or free for transactions that are less than $10. Users can send money to an email address or phone numbers, the recipient needs to open a Dwolla account to claim the funds. Dwolla also has a mobile app.

7. ProPay

Like Square, ProPay also provides a dongle that attaches to your iOS and Android device that lets merchants accept credit card payments. ProPay also offers other devices that let merchants accept credit cards. Their rate for swiping a card is 2.6% while their keyed rate is 3.4%.

8. 2Checkout

This service is already available in 196 countries around the world and they can process 26 currencies. As for their rates, it’s a bit on the steep side as their transaction rate is 5.5% and they charge another 45 cents per transaction.

9. Xoom

Just like Paypal, Xoom can be used to send payment to friends and family. Freelance workers can also use this service to get paid by their employers. It’s geared more towards those who want to send remittances.

10. Bitcoin

This is an emerging form of currency and merchants can use Bitcoins as a form of payment and even avoid transaction fees. The challenge is that not a lot of people use this and several major exchanges have closed recently so it makes it a little hard to exchange your Bitcoins to cash.

For those who are frustrated with the service they get from PayPal or who just want another payment processor, they can check out these PayPal alternatives. Some providers offer much cheaper transaction rates compared to PayPal so that could be a reason to switch providers even if you are satisfied with PayPal’s service.
Image Credit: sscreations

4 Best Websites to Learn Software Programming

A site of programming languages has made its way into the tech world in last 2 decades. And each of these trumps others riding on its glorious capabilities. While working on them is not fun by any stretch, the final product as a result of logical thinking and application of extensive skills is something web users around the world cherish.

And all these factors has lead to a huge boom in the software development sector. Students around the globe are more than willing to learn programming languages in order to stand better chances of grabbing a job when they graduate. There are various training institutes for getting trained on different programming languages. While these institutes are greatly equipped to help students grab the most important concepts an a most effective manner, trainees also need to do their bit on their own end. There are various sources on the Internet that can help them in learning different programming languages like PHP, Java, .NET, C#, etc.

These websites either offer online tutorials, or are the places where you as a learner can find answers to the most difficult and common question you often find yourself asking people.

In this article, I bring to you some such websites that have gained immense popularity in the developer community:

Stackoverflow.com

If you have been into programming from quite a while, there is a slim chance that you haven’t head of Stackoverflow.com. This is an immensely sought-after website where you can find developers from all parts of earth. You can find beginners as well as the most skilled programmers here. On this site, people often ask question for which there are elaborative answers provided in the form of full-fledged codes and program snippets. These code snippets are more often than not read to compile and help the learners to grab intricate concepts with much more ease. And if you can’t find what you are looking for, simply ask it, and you will see many hands raised there.

leetcode.com

Another websites that does not skimp on details while helping the learners get a firm grasp on different programming languages. There are dozens of programming languages being covered here, and irrespective of whether you are learning .NET or PHP, you are set to find all the answers right here. there is a huge literature on all the languages and you can refer to various pages for any confusions or doubts regarding the coding. You can go to the Q & A section to check if the question you have in mind is already asked there or not. It is a very responsive site that makes v=navigation between different pages easy and fuss-free.

asp.net/web-forms

This particular website is a haven for those looking to hone their skills in ASP.NET, and also for those who have to start from scratch. Practical PHP Programming is an extremely informative website that makes use of some insightful tools to impart incredible PHP lessons to the most untrained of minds. The time spent on this site learning .NET proves to be fruitful as you are made aware some of the most complex aspects of this language and platform. The Model View Controller is studied in detail and all the latest features are covered in this site.

Github

You can in detail learn how to use the APIs associated with different languages. Introduction to the most basic as well as the very advanced aspects of programming is done cleverly by the means of this website. Learning the programming language becomes a rewarding process as this website makes it an experience much cherished. You can even create a new project and host it without paying a penny. Now that’s a feature not every website offers.

With options aplenty, making a choice would be difficult, but worth all the fuss

Author Bio:

Peter Milar is a highly reputed writer who works as a team with the Java Web Development experts of Xicom Technologies to create informative and full of insight posts around the Java technology. Hire Java Developer from Xicom to receive premium quality Java application development.

Top 10 Tips for Online Shopping Security

Just as fun as it can be to shop online, it can equally be risky at times. Not because you might just end up ordering the wrong size (thank god to the fact that there’s always an exchange window and you can courier it back) but because there are some safety issues that you need to keep in mind while swapping that plastic card of yours. With a dramatic increase in numbers of online purchasing portals, online flick stores, shopping windows, etc. it is becoming more and more crucial to keep a watch on where exactly you are stashing your card numbers in. There are scammers flopping in the online world like never before. So it helps to keep an eye before you decide to lay your hands on that beautiful dress or shoe you just spotted on the screen.

Here we lay down few safety procedures which once you ensure will make your experience equivalent to one that you have while visiting your nearest mart for picking stuff up.

1) Your computing environment should be very secured

Almost a no-brainer yet half the online population neglects this as a safety step. When you make purchases online, everything is encrypted. So if your computer is not protected of malicious software, your financial information and passwords will be stolen (as a matter of fact everything stands the chance of being stolen that are saved in your computer). So it is the first thing to ensure that the firewall is on. Also adding to it, try avoid shopping online from cyber cafes or using a public network. Financial transactions are better done through trusted computers.

2) Verify as to just how much you trust the store

There are correct ways of going about the shopping portal/ website you are trusting:

- If you already know the outlet of the brand or store you are purchasing form, go-ahead and have trust. In case anything goes wrong during the financial transaction, you can always walk in to the relevant store and get the problem sorted.

- If you have friends or family buying from a particular store/ portal, there’s nothing to worry much in that case then.

- If you do not know the store at all, BEWARE! Keep your eyes open. Read customer reviews or best is, do the store’s background check by looking at sites dedicated to reviewing e-stores. You find your store there, go ahead and make your picks.

3) Avail discount

Why pay extra when there can be options o availing discounts. There are many sites like indianprice.com, etc. which provide massive discounts via coupon codes. They have lots of stores registered with them and if your chosen store is registered, there you go hitting the jackpot. Cross-check and who knows you might just be lucky!

4) The too-good-to-be-true offers are not all that good always

You got no idea about the extent deceits can stretch. It’s not just on the online space but everywhere but when you are putting your money online, you can just be extra careful. It won’t hurt after all. Do not fall for the too-good-to-be-true offers. If they sound too unrealistic, there is no harm checking their reliability. They can be pretty unreal. Often purchasing from those sites can just be calling for bad luck. They can be low quality or stolen items or can also be cheap substitute of tall brands. The products might just never reach you or the portal merchant might just be playing all of it up for trading your bank details with someone else.

5) Stay alert while buying a gift-card

It is always nice to make your dear ones happy with the fabulous gift cards which are available online these days. But always read the terms and conditions carefully when buying one. Also, ensure the store from where you are buying is legitimate.

6) Do not trade too much of information

If the purchasing site is asking more information than you think is required, back off. It clearly is not reliable. The reliable sites would not go beyond asking name, contact details, email address, some method of payment, and at max your interest/ hobbies. But if you come across ones asking for driver’s license number, bank account information, social security information, etc. be cautious. It is a fraudulent one. There are hints that the merchant resell, rent or share your information. Alternatively, check the site’s privacy policy.

7) Make a unique password if required

Often online purchasing stores ask you to create an account with them. You need not do it but just in case it seems important to you or easy, then carry on. But ensure you choose a very strong password for the account. Make it unique.

8) Go a step high to ensure the security of the site

Hold on! Just before you enter any personal or credit card info onto a shopping site please do look at the URL. See if the web address on the page begins with "https:" and not "http." That little ‘s’ tells you the information is being encrypted to protect your information.

9) Wiring money through Western Union or Money Gram is not suggestible

Reliable sites generally do not make it a mandate for you to pay through wires. It is always wise to pay via credit or debit card. Wiring is suggestible to people you know but not to random strangers. So do not take the risk unnecessarily.

10) The grammar matters!

Might just sound very funny but do read the content that has gone on the website. If the content hosted by the portal/ the site is full of errors, typos, poor content, you can already sniff danger. They are not professional.

All in all, novice shoppers who are going to just start buying online should better stick with well known brands and famous online shopping portals rather than breaking their head in the smaller, less known ones. Once you get a grip of the online shopping fundamentals, you can always start your journey towards becoming the pro online shopper. But till then, have patience.

Author Bio:

This is a guest article contributed by Ajeet Sharma who works for IndianCoupons.com - a coupon site helps user shopping online by providing discount coupons, promotional codes and deals for all major online shopping stores.

How To Increase The Internet Speed in PC

Are you slaving yourself to that PC in exchange of a completed coursework? Or are you catching after an oncoming deadline? The more urgent the nature of work, the higher your expectations is for that internet connection.

And when it fails to deliver, there’s no telling how worse it could be.

The slow net scenario

Now, at an era largely characterised by instant gratification, the sight of a loading icon – the circling arrow or the bar of green – could inspire automatic groans. Nobody wants them, unless this slow net thing is epidemic in your neighbourhood.

What are the causes of this slow internet connection? About.com’s “Internet for Beginners” has identified at least thirteen (13) causes.

1. Poor hardware
2. Incorrect router configuration
3. Leeching internet users
4. Un-upgraded NIC
5. Spyware/malware infection
6. Downloads
7. ISP’s routing signals
8. Outdated DNS
9. Full browser memory cache
10. Devices disrupt signals
11. Old PC
12. Open windows
13. Unattended dialog box

Take keen note these 13 represents the different possibilities. These may or may not necessarily disrupt bandwidth connection; it is up to you (dear user) to carefully weigh these things. The key to verifying it is by careful observation and simple logic (ie, is the connection faster with a new DNS, or not?).

Faster than energy bunnies

There are many ways of increasing your internet connection's speed. The best way to do it is to start with diagnosis. See through those aforementioned causes and learn which among those are causing your internet speed to drop.

Through a determined cause, you are able to appropriate a targeted solution. For instance, if the problem is caused by poor hardware, then you can purchase a newer and better model. If it’s about the incorrect router configuration, try to correct it or tap your friendly IT expert to do the works.

Or if the culprit of the internet snail-pace is your leeching neighbours (most likely the case for Wi-Fi connections), strengthen your connection’s password and utilise other security features. Infections, on the other hand, could be fixed through stringent scanning software.

Obviously, the nature of addressing your internet connection speed has something to do with the basics: consistent upgrades and investment in clearing ups. All of these serve to speed up that connection, probably faster than the proverbial energy bunnies.

Tech buddies

Apart from those, don’t skimp on tech savvy relationships. Try to foster a friendly (and not hostile) bond with that tech – the ones from the hardware distributor, the internet connection provider, the tech support team, and so on.

They’re your key to the better world of lightning speed connection. And though you might approach them for professional service, they would be willing to extend support if you’re consistently nice to them.

Awakened consciousness

Lastly, to increase the speed of your internet connection, try not to do things that could disrupt it. Avoid these disruptive things if it can be helped. And if the PC or any other device is shared among the members of the family, encourage them to perform the same measures.
Image Credit: ddpavumba

Author Bio:

Manuella Theissen works as a tech support for a widely recognised hardware brand. If not busy with clients, or writing stuff, Manuella can be observed at the local community service office, as she does code-writing tutorials for free.

E-learning: Taking Responsibility For Your Own Education

It isn’t always easy for some students to finish, or even start, their higher education. After all, family obligations, work, and life can get in the way. Luckily, technology and e-Learning are now making it possible, and a little easier, to take responsibility for your own education and earn the degree you always wanted.

Taking your Education in Your Own Hands

In the past, it was only possible to take coursework in traditional classrooms. However, the demands from many students’ full-time jobs kept a lot of non-traditional students from being able to make it to class. As a result, their grades suffered and some students were even accused of being irresponsible, despite the fact that they were trying to care for their families and themselves in the only way they could at the time.

When it comes to eLearning, however, online classes offer the flexibility to learn and take courses in a different way. You can now take your education in your own hands. Students who wouldn’t have been able to regularly attend classes in a single city are now able to attend them virtually anywhere in the world-on their own schedule.

A Variety of Degrees

In addition to the flexibility that e-Learning offers its students, you’ll also find that many online learning institutions offer a variety of degrees and programs. These make it possible to find something for everyone, regardless as to what you’re interested in. This diversity is something that was seldom seen in the past.

For instance, some online program now offer as many as 20 or more online programs, including undergraduate degrees and even certificate programs which take considerably less amount of time to achieve. You can also find graduate degrees as well, which are becoming increasingly necessary in today’s world as competition is becoming fierce in the job market.

Some of the most popular e-Learning online degree programs include, but are not limited to:

• Marketing 
• Communications 
• Healthcare 
• Teaching 
• Business

More than Just a Classroom Experience

In an eLearning environment, you’re getting more than just a classroom experience. Students today require programs that fit into their professional life and relate to the work that they will eventually be doing in their prospective jobs. In online education, the programs help them learn the skills that they will need to be successful in their new roles as leaders within their jobs.

Most of the professors in the e-Learning programs have said that the flexibility of the programs allow them to adapt their classes to meet the needs of the students, too, so that they’re not creating the same cookie cutter classes over and over again.

Students enjoy being able to take a range of classes that will help them in all aspects of their career, and not just classes that are required of their majors. This can help give them a broader outlook of their professional world and give them the skills that will help them in a variety of experiences on down the road.

Taking Responsibility

Of course, it’s still up to the student to take responsibility for their education, but most students thrive in this and actually enjoy it more. They prefer being “in charge” of themselves and their actions and like it better than feeling as though someone is standing over them, watching. In the online process, coursework is organized on the internet by the instructor and the student must log in and complete the assignments and tests by a certain date. They must also take part in the classroom discussions as set up by the instructor.

Most students discover that the online learning environment isn’t that much different than being in a traditional classroom and is even fun. It’s important to be proactive. You must also give a lot of attention to your studies. As with most things, your online education eLearning experience will depend on how much you give to it. You’ll get back as much as you put into it.

For those wishing to expand their education and take responsibility for their future, eLearning offers a rich experience and the chance to broaden their horizons in an exciting frontier. Are you ready to take that next step into your future and take the responsibility for your education?

Author Bio:

David Miller is an educational researcher who has vast experience in the field of teaching, LMS Systems and online training. He is associated with prestigious universities and many leading educational research organizations. He’s also an ed-tech veteran, currently pursuing research in new eLearning developments, and is a contributing author with ProProfs.

Choosing The Best URL Shortener

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

An extra point of failure

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

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

The slowest performance

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

The URL shorteners that are always online

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

Which is the most efficient URL shortener

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

The most secure tools

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

Goo.gl

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

Su.pr

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

Tinyurl

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

Bitly

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

Budurl

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

Image Credit: Photostock

Author Bio:

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

Is VoIP Secure: Network Protocols

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

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

VoIP vs Traditional Telephony

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

Internal Networks

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

How Secure is VoIP?

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

Author Bio:

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

How to Convert PDF to Word for Free

The two most popular file formats used on a regular basis in the digital world are probably the PDF format and the Microsoft Word format. They are used in the office, at school and at home by just about every computer user for a large variety of purposes.

PDFs are used because they are universal and compact. This is what makes them great for sending information between people. However, they are hard to edit, which is one of their main downfalls. MS Word files, however, are easily editable. When people receive information as a PDF and they want to edit the information, converting the file into an MS Word file is one of the quickest and easiest ways to do so.

Thankfully, there are some great online converters that can take care of this for you - one is Convert PDF to Word. This online tool is completely free to use and it gives you high-quality conversions that maintain the form and structure of your PDF when converting it into a Word file.

The conversion can be performed with this online tool in three easy steps, with no need to download any type of desktop software.

1. Click “Browse” to select the PDF you want to convert.

2. Enter your email address.

3. Click “Send”.

A link for downloading your newly converted MS Word file will be sent to your email address.

It’s very reliable and quick, and of course, it is completely free. Anyone who needs to perform a quick and accurate conversion from PDF to Word should definitely try out Convert PDF to Word as a highly recommended free online option.

Using The Internet To Protect Your Home

The Internet has grown to allow us to do wondrous things. We can communicate around the world in a matter of seconds and complete work entirely online. Today the Internet also allows people to add extra security to a home. Home security has forever changed with the advent of the Internet. People can monitor what is taking place inside their home to figure out whether or not danger is present at any given time. A homeowner can use the Internet to provide added safety to her home to feel more secure and protect all loved ones and guests.

Install Surveillance Cameras:

Surveillance cameras are used to monitor both the inside and outside of a home. Did you know that you could hook up your camera to the Internet? If you have a smartphone, you can link your camera's live feed directly to your phone. This means that you can monitor all activity going on in your home at all times. All you need is access to the Internet and you will have the ability to stream from your home surveillance camera. Cameras can also have saved recordings downloaded to a server. It does not matter if someone destroys your camera or home computer. Since the live feed can be recorded and saved to an outside server, there will always be evidence if a criminal breaks into your home or causes you harm. Surveillance cameras have played increasingly large roles in investigations in the past.

Power Outage:

Certain home security companies understand that if there is a power outage you could be left vulnerable. Technologically advanced home security systems are connected to the Internet to allow security companies to monitor the status of your home at all times. There are backup plans available to remain connected via satellite, even during a power outage. Refer to your home security company to see if this option exists in your area. You never know when the power is going to go out, and you don't know when it will return. It's a good idea to protect your home and family with a backup home security plan just in case the power goes out.

Silent Call for Help:

In the case of an emergency you might not have time to make a phone call to 911 or someone you know. You could be hiding from a burglar and as a result unable to talk on the phone. With smartphones you are connected to the Internet and can instantly inform people you are in danger. Social media allows you to Connect to thousands of people at once. There have been many scenarios where someone has used the Internet to let people know he or she is in danger. The Internet connects extremely fast so people have the ability to respond within seconds.

Internet Connected Devices:

Home security systems do not have to be connected to a landline anymore. Security systems exist that can connect to your home Internet through a wireless connection. You can connect your phone to the device and complete a variety of actions from your phone. You can set your alarm or turn it off if someone needs to enter your home. This type of home security system is definitely worth a look for an alternative form of home security.

Image source: SmartPhotoStock.

Author Bio:

Guest writer Leyland Suzuki and Denver, Colorado native loves blogging about home improvement and sharing his tips with an online audience. He is currently consulting with local Denver roofers to better secure his home.

The Internet Of Things: The Future Has Arrived

If you think the Internet of Things is a typing error of sorts, think again. It is a very real concept. In fact, it was predicted to be one of the top 10 technology trends for 2013 by industry experts.

The Internet of Things and its uses:

When asked to define the internet, you’d probably answer that it is a collection of web pages linked together. The Internet of Things work on the same concept, but instead of linking the pages from websites, it connects technological devices with each other and human users.

Like the internet as we know it, the Internet of Things will facilitate the exchange of information. But this information will come from the technological devices themselves, as opposed to being entered by humans. Think, for example, of a system that monitors the energy usage of your home. The appliance ‘speaks’ to the plug, in turn that plug sends information to your smartphone or tablet.

Tech experts predict that the Internet of Things and its method of communication will make its way into all parts of our everyday life eventually. In a business sense it can be used to track and control stock or monitor machinery in order to alert the business owner when a piece of equipment should be replaced, recalled or repaired. For the individual, the possibilities are limitless as well. The Internet of Things will serve you at home or on the road and in public places as well.

One global company that’s exploring ways to incorporate the Internet of Things into their product, is motor giant Ford. They’re envisioning pre-ordering coffee from your car and paying for fuel at a gas station via your vehicle. That’s not the end of it. Ford is also looking to implement a system that will be able to monitor the driver for a debilitating medical condition, like a heart attack or stroke. If such a condition is detected, the system will alert the vehicle and the vehicle will adapt the driving to prevent an accident from happening.

Other incredulous uses for the Internet of Things are billboards that are able to tailor their marketing message to the profile of the consumer in its vicinity. In the agricultural sector, it will relay information regarding soil quality and condition to farmers. The farmer will then be able to review and adjust his farming methods and techniques.

Concerns regarding the Internet of Things:

Due to the fact that the Internet of Things will connect just about every element of life and will enable M2M communication in its smartest form ever, there are some concerns regarding the concept. The main issue is of course security, especially in the business and government sector but also for the individual. All that information floating around means there are more chances for espionage, identity theft, fraud and other disruptive attacks. This just means that digital security measures will have to develop at the same pace as the Internet of Things. The usual methods won’t necessarily be enough to ensure that information is only delivered to the intended recipients.

Despite the concerns, the amalgamation of the Internet of Things into our day-to-day life is highly anticipated by the tech sector, businesses and individuals that are future-minded. They’re all of the opinion that the age of smart communication will mean a life lived much more efficiently. After all, the machines will think for us.

Author Bio:

I am Greg Jones: a food fundi, gym lover and family man. In my spare time, I love researching technological advancements and how they have an effect on our lives.

10 Of The Best Ways To Connect With People In The Digital Age

The modern world is a place more connected than it has ever been in all of human history. The sheer number of options for communication and message diffusion available to us as individuals, groups, companies or organizations is an absolutely unprecedented kaleidoscope of technological innovation. What’s more, all of these communications options have become cheaper and more portable than ever before in history.

Thus, because of this, anyone from a goat herder in Mexico to a taxi driver in New York City to a socialite in Europe can access almost anyone else on Earth and spread their message to a large audience of digital contacts in just minutes. This can be used for things as simple as chatting with friends or it can incite whole revolutions and riots in repressive countries. All of this is possible thanks to the range of technologies described or represented below.

10) Hotmail, Yahoo email services:

Email itself is slowly dying in favor of other, more up to the minute communications mediums but the original warhorse email services such as Yahoo and Hotmail keep chugging along with just under 600 million users between the two of them. While their interfaces are in many ways deeply lacking as opposed to the power of Google’s Gmail, the inertia of being the first two major providers keeps them popular and as far as basic communications between friends and casual contacts is concerned, they’re not too bad.

9) Gmail:

The king of all the email providers, Gmail is a free email service run by Google and, while similar to Yahoo and Microsoft’s Hotmail (now called Live Mail) it’s interface and connectivity options are so much better. Add in a very effective anti-spam filter and the ability to connect with other highly used Google services, and it’s no wonder that Gmail is now the preferred choice for many professionals in all of their business or work related email needs. Gmail used to be the smaller of the three major email services but has now overtaken both Yahoo and Microsoft Live Mail with nearly 500 million users of its own.

8) WhatsApp:

The WhatsApp mobile device communication app is essentially a text messaging service that can be downloaded for free on yop of the existing SMS capability of your smart phone. However, unlike your existing provider, it’s free to use for the entire first year that you own it and costs less than $20 USD per year for every year after that. By using the power of 3G internet connectivity to send messages, WhatsApp lets you communicate quickly and easily with all your mobile contacts without running up your mobile minutes or phone contract costs.

7) Google Drive:

Another Google Service to make the list; Google Drive is the Cloud storage and transfer app that comes built right into your Google email (Gmail) account and into other Google services such as Google Apps. Drive isn’t really anything much different from what services like DropBox offer, except that its integration with any Google account means that you can use it to easily create collaborative document and data editing group accounts for yourself and other Google using partners. This is indeed very useful and great for business connectivity.

6) DropBox:

Simple enough: Open an account, download the app to your devices (along with its 2 GB of free storage space) and use it to quickly and easily share documents amongst your devices or send large files to your friends and coworkers by simply offering them a DropBox link that they can download from. A powerful cloud storage/sharing tool that lets you and others connect through shared data.

5) GoToMeeting:

A fairly powerful online video conferencing platform that’s very easy to use and very cheap as well. While GoToMeeting is possibly not the best solution for major business needs, it’s great as a small business and collaborative video calling service. Simple enough: you open an account (the first 30 days are free as part of a trial offer) set up a meeting platform on the GoTo website and invite as many as 25 other people to participate in the meeting through their own special access link at scheduled times that you’ve set in advance. No login is necessary for attendees and you can set meetings as often as you like.

4) InterCall:

InterCall is a perfect solution for real business connectivity in the digital age. Unlike other services such as Skype and Tango, or even GoToMeeting, the services provided by InterCall are designed for real corporate quality video, audio and telepresence meetings that give you access to a diverse range of different meeting formats, prices and styles. Their video conferencing options can be set up so you either set up and run a meeting with your own equipment and use Intercall to run the connection, or you can give them complete control of everything and simply focus on holding a digital meeting quickly and easily.

3) Twitter:

The Twitter social media site may seem overly simple –writing 150 character blurbs about what you’re doing or how you feel and maybe sharing a link inside them—but with this fairly basic range of communications options, this social app has been used to topple governments, coordinate mass rallies and protests and bring together large numbers of friends or connect celebrities directly with their followers. Twitter is much more powerful than it would seem.

2) Skype:

Skype is the oldest and most famous of the video calling apps. Now copied by other extremely similar products such as Apple’s FaceTime and Tango or oVoo, Skype is free, easy to use and very effective when it comes to visually interacting with friends and family over any sort of distance. You can use the Skype video interface from your PC, laptop or mobile device and even make calls to mobile or landline devices with it at discount rates.

1) Facebook:

Who doesn’t know what Facebook is all about? With over 1 billion users, this is now the world’s absolute most popular social network, and it’s a great tool for staying in touch with friends, family and even customers through fan pages and business pages. You can use Facebook for just about any sort of basic digital communication including video chat through their built in video platform.

Image Credit: Kromkrathog.

Author Bio:

Stephan Jukic is a freelance writer who generally covers a variety of subjects relating to the latest changes in white hat SEO, marketing, marketing tech and brand promotion. He also loves to read and write about subjects as varied as the idea of a location-free business, portable business management, and strategic marketing and advertising tactics. When he’s not busy writing or consulting, he spends his days enjoying life’s adventures either in Canada or Mexico. Connect with Stephan on LinkedIn.

Factors That Affect Your Broadband Speed

The speed of broadband delivered to us is measured in megabytes per second (Mbps). Various websites offer free speed checks for your system. The Mbps you receive depends on the area where you live, and on what your internet service provider (isp) can deliver.

Broadband Types:

If your broadband signal is carried over a standard telephone line using copper wire – ADSL broadband – its speed depends on the distance you are from the nearest telephone exchange. The shorter the distance, the faster the Mbps you can receive. If your isp delivers broadband carried over high quality fibre wires – Fibre broadband – it will not be affected by the distance from the telephone exchange.

Fibre broadband therefore offers higher speeds, so of course, it costs more than ADSL broadband. In the UK is offered by several isps, such as Virgin Media, Everything Everywhere, and BT, although the latter still uses copper wire locally, which can reduce the Mbps.

Satellite broadband is only normally used where the other options are not available, such as some areas Wales. This is complicated and expensive to set up: you need to buy a satellite dish and a satmodem to receive the signal. Monthly costs are also relatively high.

Recommended: Free Softwares To Increase Your Internet Speed!

The UK’s Code of Practice:

Most isps in the UK follow a voluntary Code of Practice, under which they give you an estimate of the maximum broadband speed they can offer for the package you are thinking of buying. If they have another package that should help, they should offer it to you if you find that the Mbps you actually get is much slower than their original estimate. The code also stipulates that they must explain the factors that affect speed and give advice where needed. For users residing in UK Talktalk broadband offers a lot of services for a very less amount.

What Makes a Difference:

Apart from the distance from the exchange, for ADSL broadband, most will mention the complexity of your telephone wiring system and whether you have installed your broadband microfilters correctly.

For all types of broadband, the Mbps you experience can be reduced by:

1. Using it in peak time when there is more traffic on it.
2. The speed of the websites you visit.
3. Running spyware, anti malware or some virus protection systems.
4. The processing speed of your computer and router, and their connection.
5. Running more than one computer or mobile devices that must share the connection.

ADSL broadband is likely to be slower in rural areas which are probably further from telephone exchanges than towns. Because they are more sparsely populated though, they might have the advantage of coping with less broadband traffic.

Broadband speed is never consistent. The factors mentioned above will affect it at different times of the day, so if you check the Mbps first thing or mid-morning, it’s not likely to be the same in the evening when many home users are going online after work.

If you are not happy with your broadband speed you may be able to change to a faster supplier. Just time it right so that you don’t incur penalties for leaving your current isp before the end of a contract. 

Coolest Online Learning Technologies

A Weapon for Knowledge:

Many educators are taking advantage of advances in online learning technology. This includes accessing teaching activities and resources online. At the same time, it utilizes different forms of communication, multimedia tools and online assessment.

An online assessment is use to gauge what the students have learned. Additionally, it employs Classroom technologies such as interactive whiteboards and personal response systems. One of the benefits of this program is that it provides an increased chance for dialogue between teachers and students. This in turn enhances the learning experience. Choosing the right online learning technology can be a daunting task. However, there are several online learning technologies that are worth checking out.

Webcams:

The use of webcams as a learning and teaching tool is gradually increasing. It also offers teachers an effective means to enable their students to see real time events. At the same time, it brings to life far off places. These two features alone can inspire imagination and curiosity. Teachers also employ webcams to provide lessons on a wide variety of topics. This includes live music lessons and online English language courses. They can be used for collaboration between schools and video conferencing as well.

Video:

This online learning technology helps teachers reach visual learners. These pupils have a tendency to learn effectively by viewing the material rather that reading it. Teachers can gain access to a wide range of video clips using the Internet instead of VHS tapes or DVDs.

Teachers can employ messaging programs as video e-learning tools. These messaging programs include Adobe Connect and Skype. They are also used to interact with experts and guest speakers on a particular topic. At the same time, interactive games are steadily being included in many higher education and K-12 institution curriculums.

Although research on utilizing video as an online learning tool is preliminary, early research shows great results and increased retention when it is employed in a lesson. Utilizing a systematic video development approach holds a lot of promise for making video models that have a positive impact on student learning.

Audio:

Lessons on tape have been around for a long time. They have been used in classrooms around the world long before the advent of computers and video. Learning using audio has been fully implemented thanks to advancements in technology. This has allowed teachers to stream audio from the Internet. At the same time, there are many podcasts and webcasts available online for teachers and students to download.

At the same time, audio is often employed to effectively explain visuals. Examples of visual learning tools may include maps and flow charts. This is because teachers are directing data to both the visual and auditory channels to effectively distribute the mental workload. Using snippets of audio about a subject being discussed also adds authenticity to the content.

Blogging:

Many online users consider blogs to be a platform for communication. However, they have recently started to be used as an online learning tool. This allows pupils to ask questions, respond and interact with other students both outside and inside the classroom.

Students can also utilize a blog to do everything that they usually do on paper. Some of these things include answering homework questions, receiving feedback on project drafts and reflecting on reading assignments. At the same time, teachers can use them to provide feedback using comments. Other students may also utilize them to provide qualitative feedback.

Screencasting:

This is a recent trend in online learning. There are a lot of screencasting tools that are available today that provide users with numerous benefits. One benefit is the ability to share their computer screens directly from their browsers. This allows people to create videos that are available online. Viewers can stream these videos directly.

Another advantage is that it gives the presenter the capability to show their flow of thoughts and ideas rather than simply explaining them. This enables them to mimic one on one experience between the student and teacher. Mimicking this experience enables teachers to deliver complete and clear instruction.

From the learner’s point of view, it provides the capability to rewind and pause the lesson. This allows them to learn at their own pace.

Author Bio:

Alex Faubel enjoys writing about topics related to business and the intersection of technology in career focused education programs.

10 Easy Steps To Configuring An Internet Answering Machine

An online answering machine works just like a regular answering device. The only divergence is that you have to connect your phone to the computer instead of a traditional answering device. The online answering works on both dial-up and broadband connections and ensures that you do not miss any call. The answering software allows you to listen to messages as and when they are being recorded, and also download other messages and listen to them much later.

Here are step-by-step instructions that will help you install and setup online answering software:

1. Before downloading and installing the software, do check if your computer has the necessary space and memory, and the appropriate modem. You will need a voice modem – space and memory should not be a constraint.
2. Before buying any software, download the trial version and test it. It must be easy to use and you should take a liking to it before buying it. Most answering software companies offer a free trial, and you should try 3-4 different software before zeroing on to one.
3. After choosing convenient answering software, you should buy and download it. Save the exe file in a folder of your choice.
4. Remove the line cord from your telephone and connect it to the modem port in your computer. The other end should be plugged into the wall jack. Connect the telephone line to your modem. If you need clarity on this step, talk to customer support of the online answering software vendor.
5. Now, install the answering software. Install it as recommended in its manual or as per directions printed on the installation screens.
6. You have to now configure the software based on your preferences – For example: set the number of rings that should be allowed before the software answers the phone, set the silence detector and the toll saver features. You also should configure the recording time limit for messages. Check all the other features in the software and set them up as per your requirements.
7. Next, set up one or many mailboxes to record a greeting message. You can record multiple messages – one each for every mailbox. Many software tools have a feature that allows you to record a special greeting for a few phone numbers of your choice.
8. To stop unauthorized people from accessing your messages, you must setup a password. Note down the password in your diary. Remember, you can even access your messages remotely.
9. If you are the type of guy who gets very important messages all the time, then you should enable email forwarding of messages. That way every message will be forwarded to your email inbox.
10. If you want to be alerted every time a new message rolls in, then you have to configure the appropriate alert option.

Finally, do not install an Internet answering machine without equipping your computer with a robust firewall and antivirus programs. You don’t want people hacking into your computer and stealing your precious data, including the important messages in your mailboxes.

Author Bio:

Roger A. Delatorre is a blogger from Minneapolis, MN who recommends checking out MaxEmail for a simple solution for an internet answering machine.

Are You Using The Internet Efficiently Time-Wise?

Creative Commons image source.

If you’re reading this, you’re most likely sitting on your computer and looking for things to do. A few years ago, Nielsen and the Pew Center released a graphic to show how people use the internet and for the most part, internet users spent their time viewing content. Fourty-Two percent of their time was spent viewing text, images and video. In second, came email and commerce with 36%. Finally, in third place was social networking at 22%. Now if we were talking about today, with the emergence of social media as a must-stop for most internet users, the percentage of time spent using social media has most likely gone up.

Given these numbers, some may question whether or not we’re using our time as wisely as we should be. The Internet offers people a number of things to do, and sometimes those things can actually be useful. While social media can certainly provide quality information, many of us sometimes go through a social media rabbit hole. You go on to Facebook, Twitter or Pinterest and seemingly lose track of time as you go through all of your friends’ profiles. Then you look up at the clock and realize you’ve spent hours on your computer. Wouldn’t you like to use the internet to learn a skill you’ve always wanted? Here are some of the many options out there:

Teach yourself code in 8 weeks:

While you might not be able to work for Facebook as a senior programmer, Lifehacker does show you that it’s possible to learn basic coding in as little as 8 weeks. In this particular post, the author gives the reader a step by step guide for what he did to learn Python. Google offers a free class with detailed instructions and video as well as exercises to get the basics down. From there, there are a variety of courses and guides you can use to build your very own prototype.

Teach yourself guitar without ever leaving the house:

If you have a fear of meeting with an instructor in person, but you still want to learn the guitar for your own personal endeavors, it’s possible to learn to play the guitar online. Look into live music tutors who guide you through the basics and will be there each step of the way as you improve on your instrument of choice. Even if you’re a beginner who just wants a working knowledge of playing the guitar or you’re an experienced guitarist who just wants to learn a new song, a live music tutor can help. And the best part is: all you need is a webcam and WIFI connection.

Go to Yale without paying the tuition:

If you love to learn for learning’s sake to expand your mind, Yale University offers a few free courses as part of its Open Yale Courses program. You can access these courses online through iTunes, YouTube or Yale’s website; and there are a variety of courses to choose from, including Milton, the American Novel-Post 1945, and a philosophical look on Death.

Author Bio:

Kay Kissinger is a writer who stronger believes we can benefit from the interenet.