Redundancy Gave Me the Push – I Wish I had Done It Sooner

When I was made redundant last summer I found myself with a lot of time on my hands. Jobs were scarce and once the hunt had been completed for the day I was left with nothing left to do but game. This was great for a while but I knew it wasn’t going to get me anywhere. I felt like this was the right time to put my idea to the test and see if I could actually earn money with my natural gaming skill and tap into the market which is on the rise.

The first thing I did was find a name for my website, it’s probably not the most vital place to start but I wanted to get it right. Then I tried to create a site using some free hosting packages, but this is where I felt a bit disappointed. I wanted to have a site which looked amazing from the start. I needed to have all the sugar on tip from social networking inclusion and sharing options to uploading a gallery and even videos. The trouble was when it came to adding and managing plugins on the site I was left clueless. Yes I play games but I am not exactly technologically proficient.

Making a Website is Not Easy

I decided to look into having a site made for me, but once it was running it was important that I could manage it without anyone else’s help. I had a little bit of money I could use from my redundancy, but it wasn’t a lot and the thought of paying someone to manage my site while I wasn’t making any money was just unthinkable.

Thankfully I found out that it was possible to have the site built for me and then I could easily manage it without any assistance. I didn’t need to know how to script or code anything either much to my relief. Once the frame of the site was created I was able to get my hands virtually dirty and discover exactly what I could make of my idea. I began writing up game news, my own gaming experiences and uploading videos of the games I was playing. I have even incorporated my streaming channel into the site now which is incredible.

Careers Can Grow From a Simple Website

Although I am not making a full time wage yet I am finally starting to see some money being generated from the site. I have some advertisements and sponsors on the page, and on my streaming page. I think everyone thought my idea would come to nothing, just a man trying to remain a kid as long as possible, but I am starting to prove them wrong now. The website has been up for a year now and it’s grown so much already.

 I’m feeling really positive about the future. My blog has been a big hit and I continue to add my own content several times a day. Even someone without any skills in websites is able to get online and start making money. If you have an idea it’s worth running with it, you never know what could happen.

Using content management systems helps you to create amazing websites and keep it topped up with content.

While we are as yet unable to know what’s happening in a hacker’s mind, there are many steps that can be taken to not only confirm an attack, but reverse it completely, in addition to preventing future attempts.

It Begins With You

Staying calm is the first and best thing you should do if you find out your blog or web site has been hacked. Panicking will only cause you to waste energy that could be put toward solving the problem. This can be especially difficult if it was your business which was attacked, as every minute lost can result in lost revenue. But the quicker you calm down, the more quickly you can begin working toward a solution.

Some Solutions for Blog Hacks

This article can by no means cover all of the potential ways to stop and reverse a blog hack, but it may give you some ideas about which moves to make next.

Own It

A good idea when beginning your quest to reclaim your blog is to, well -claim it. This can be done by getting in touch with the site that is hosting your blog and letting them know that your blog does, in fact belong to you. You may also want to tell them what you plan to do about the hack and ask if they have any ideas.

Close It

Shutting down your blog the minute you discover you’ve been hacked could make the entire process of fixing the problem much easier. While it may cause confusion for your visitors, completely removing access to your site by the hacker causing the trouble will prevent future hacks from occurring, and make you feel less like you’re putting out multiple fires, and more in control of what’s happening.

Clean It

A good idea is to run a virus scan on the computer you use for blogging, as a large number of block hacks begin with the installation and execution of a virus on your computer. To clean your computer properly, you will need to reboot your computer in Safe Mode, run your virus scan, and then reboot in Safe Mode again, running a malware scan. Follow this procedure until you’ve been informed you are clean.

You will also need to do some cleaning on your blog’s server side, as anything you leave lying around can be fodder for future hacks, specifically, the files located in your HTDOCS directory. Contact your ISP by phone and request that they clean out this portion of your blog from their end.

Change It

Getting hacked means that the hacker most likely has your username and password information. So any passwords and usernames associated with your blog will have to be changed, including FTP logins, blog host login and even your password to log into your own computer (if you have one). But be careful about when you do it; taking this step too early can cause another quick and dirty hack. Follow the steps above first.

Reinstall It

Every aspect of your blog will have to be reinstalled, from the software it uses to its plugins and widgets to your theme. And while it may be tempting to go live ASAP, resisting temptation will allow you to stay invisible to hackers for as long as possible, which is a major key to getting through a blog hack unscathed.

After you’ve completed all of these steps, it’s important to also prevent commenting and searching on your blog. That’s because the XML databases of blogs are very easily hacked and infected. It’s also a simple task for a hacker to infiltrate a blog by using the search field that’s included in most.

As soon as it’s safe to do so, posting about your experience will let your visitors know what happened and why you were offline for as long as you were.

Citations:

• Hacked – How to Handle It
• 15 Things I Did When My Blog Was Hacked

Guest author Elizabeth Brosuga enjoys writing on a variety of topics, particularly in technology.  She has contributed helpful information on how to locate a broadband provider at http://www.highspeed-internet-providers.com/.

Using these sites can help you promote what you have to offer to a much bigger audience and really grow your business. Use the tips shared in this article and they will show you how you can successfully market your business using the social media sites.

There are many different social media sites on the Internet. Facebook, Twitter, Mezee and YouTube are among the most popular today, but things on the Internet change quickly, so try to learn about as many of them as you can. So here are 5 Tips to promote your website using social media sites.

1. Facebook is a great place to have a presence. You can create a page for your business. Make sure that your page is professional and full of information pertaining to your business. You also need to add pictures of your products or services. Be sure your pictures have descriptions. It’s a good idea to have your customers place pictures of them using your product or service on your page.

2. You will want to have people like your page. Encourage your friends and family and past customers to like your page. You can also ask them to encourage their friends to like your page. If you aren’t getting as many likes as you want, offer free samples or discounts for those who like or share your page.

3. You can also use Facebook to interact with your customers. You can make posts and encourage interaction from your fans. Ask questions, ask for feedback, start a conversation, there are many ways to get your fans talking, just make sure to join in. Your fans will appreciate the fact that you are open to what they have to say.

4. Another great site you might want to make your presence is on YouTube. YouTube will allow you to post videos of your products or services in action. You may even want to encourage customers to post videos on your channel. See if you can get creative and post videos of alternate ways to use your products or services. The more you can post, the better.

5. You probably want to get on Twitter, too. Twitter will allow you to share information and gather followers. You can even have Twitter parties where lots of people are all on Twitter talking about what you having to offer.

If you have a website for your business, make it easy for your website visitors to find you on the different social media sites you use. There are buttons you can place on your page so your audience can easily click on them to find you over at the social media sites.

Almost everyone who uses the Internet uses some form of social media. Social media is very popular for many different reasons and you should be taking advantage of that. Use the information you learned here and you can grow your business with the help of the social media sites.

Ludwing is a full-time web entrepreneur. Ludwing social media tools. His project Mezee chatroom, is a free platform for social networking. Follow Ludwing on Twitter @Mezeeme.

Mobile apps are hitting the market faster than anyone could imagine.  Perhaps the only number that is increasing faster than the number of mobile apps is the total number of smartphone users.  Worldwide, smartphone users are vast approaching the one billion mark.  When you consider this staggering number, combined with the fact that the average smartphone features 23 applications and that many users add to that list on a daily basis, it is easy to see why the demand for custom mobile apps is greater than ever before.  To accommodate for this increasing demand, more mobile application development companies are emerging in the industry.

Successful mobile applications have one particular thing in common – they are unique.  Still, it’s easy to see how, despite a massive mobile market, that so many mobile apps are able to find and maintain a desirable level of uniqueness.  Mostly, this is because of the plethora of options available in today’s mobile app development industry.  When it comes to mobile games and programs the possibilities are literally endless.

With so much to consider, what should you look for in a mobile app?

To start, mobile apps should be smooth.  Mobile apps function best when the transition from one section to another goes unnoticed.  Features are important, but keep in mind that mobile apps should be as light as possible.  A fine line exists between boasting powerful features and keeping the mobile app light.  The trick is to tread carefully along that line to provide the best overall user experience.

Mobile apps need to be straight-forward and easy to use.  Avoid cluttering an app with thousands of useless features or options.  Many users have a small touch screen and clutter tends to make mobile apps more difficult to use.

Most people would agree that taking a full-blown version of Photoshop on the road through a mobile device would be something worth trying.  The problem with a scenario like this is that most users would not be able to work with such a feature-rich application on a smartphone.  An app that can do basic manipulating and conversions to prepare files for editing on a large computer would be a much better suited app for a device like a smartphone.

Mobile apps today mostly cater to audio, video, imaging, organizational and games.  Most mobile devices have excellent built-in media players that accommodate audio and video files, although simple apps can make these popular features even better.

The most important element to mobile applications is a useful and beneficial design.  We can’t put every single feature into a mobile application that we wish to include.  We can, however, design apps in a manner which allows us to manipulate files and later export them to a proper computer app for the complete job.

Mobile games are different than most other apps as we don’t use them to manipulate files.  Mostly, games serve the purpose of entertainment and wasting time.  For mobile games, a successful app is generally lightweight, addictive and fun but without skimping on graphics.

Akesh Gupta is President of Light Speed Solutions.  Akesh and his team strive to deliver quality mobile application development services on time and on budget.

The good news is that FTTC (fibre to the cabinet) technology is becoming more prevalent across the country and it is good for both those who have to invest in the network infrastructure and the businesses it will benefit.

FTTC is new-age broadband for switched on businesses and it offers a multitude of benefits over traditional DSL and ADSL. It even trumps full FTTP (fibre to the property) connections in several areas, so it should never feel as if it is a technology introduced as a compromise.

FTTC works by running those all-important fibre-optic cables to street-level cabinets. From these cabinets, the broadband signal is then transported over the short remaining distance to your property through a copper landline connection, which you will already have in place.

Because fibre-optic cabling is doing most of the work delivering the signal and sending data in both directions, you will not encounter many of the issues associated with traditional broadband services delivered over a landline connection. That means little or no speed degradation over the length of the line, so real-life download and upload rates will come closer to matching the advertised maximums.

While copper connections are easily trumped by FTTC, the main benefit when compared with full FTTP, which runs cables into each and every property, is lower costs. Because the cabling must be buried underground it can be expensive and time consuming to take the FTTP route. But with FTTC there is far less work that needs to be carried out during installation, which means less investment is needed and there will be reduced disruption in your local area.

FTTC is made even more attractive to telecoms firms and investors because it gives them something new to sell to business buyers, with higher speeds and connectivity available across wider areas being made available with much lower upfront costs.

Of course, this type of technology on its own is not enough to revolutionise the way your enterprise operates. Rather it is the services that are made available through a fast FTTC connection that can really highlight why businesses will benefit from increased speeds.

Few firms will be unaware of the growing rate of cloud-computing adoption across the country and the world. Cloud computing can be integrated into a business in a number of ways, allowing you to outsource all of your data storage and processing requirements while also giving you the option to take a more incremental approach.

The cloud will be largely useless to a company if it is unable to access the broadband infrastructure at a decent speed, but with the roll out of FTTC it will be far easier for businesses to harness the power of the various services on offer.

VoIP is another type of contemporary service which will be better appreciated by businesses with a FTTC connection. Being able to make calls via the web, with advanced routing, recording and analysis as well, will be a real bonus for any company that wants to communicate and grow. But it is only with high-speed broadband that the true potential of VoIP services becomes unlocked.

While FTTC is not the endgame for business broadband, it is certainly the next-generation boost that many companies need to get their foot on the ladder of new, more advanced platforms which might otherwise remain out of their grasp.

Daisy Group plc are a dedicated business to business provider of communication infastructures to Uk Businesses. With a range of networking solutions including Fibre to the Cabinet (FTTC) SDSL, leased lines ethernet and business broadband packages  providing business users with a choice of solutions designed to meet their individual requirements.

Information is the currency of the digital age, but it needs connectivity in order to flow smoothly and fuel economic growth. The upshot is that some experts believe the UK is suffering due to a lack of next-generation mobile networking, caused largely by the inadequacies of the existing 3G infrastructure.

The latest critic of the UK’s mobile connectivity is Deloitte CIO Matt Peers, who spoke in an interview with Computer Weekly about the issues facing companies in the UK who want to harness mobile broadband in order to allow employees a greater degree of flexibility in relation to where they can work and what they can achieve.

Mr Peers pointed out that data speeds were not necessarily an issue, with 3G offering solid connections that enable most functions, such as web browsing, e-mail and even cloud-based app operation, to run relatively smoothly.

His real contention is with the current levels of 3G coverage and, moreover, the strength of the actual 3G signals. He said that one or two bars of 3G connectivity were simply not adequate to make it worthwhile for businesses to invest in mobile broadband technology, with this state of affairs causing harm to the wider economy.

Mr Peers said that many businesses would argue that ubiquitous 3G connectivity of a decent standard is more important to them than the promise of next generation 4G services being rolled out before the end of 2012.

What About 4G

This is certainly a reasonable position to hold, since even when 4G is introduced by the likes of Everything Everywhere, the actual coverage levels offered will surely be restricted to major urban centres like London, leaving the majority of businesses across the rest of the country with no way to benefit from this advancement.

The real economic problems being caused by inadequate high-speed mobile connectivity are due largely to downtime, according to Mr Peers. He said that weak signals and sporadic coverage meant that mobile workers were having to waste valuable time on attempting to connect to the internet and get on with typical tasks.

Part of the reason that mobile connectivity is becoming such an important facet of the business world is that it allows for greater levels of data security. In the past, staff would need to take a laptop away with them, on which could be stored reams of sensitive business information. This is fine, provided that the devices are not then lost, which is of course an unfortunately regular occurrence caused by human error.

Mr Peers is one of the many experts who believe that it is necessary to make mobile working much safer by storing precious data remotely and allowing mobile workers to access it over a secured connection rather than storing it directly on individual devices, which are also vulnerable to theft.

Of course, until businesses can guarantee that employees will be able to get a decent mobile connection in any location, migrating entirely to this more secure set-up is not really practical. The result is a reluctance to use more mobile devices due to security concerns, which in turn has an impact on the prosperity of the nation as a whole.

Industry insiders and business leaders alike simply want to plug the connectivity gaps. It seems that, according to Mr Peers at least, this can be done just as capably with 3G as with anything else. The result is that network providers that are being pushed for the launch of 4G in the UK may have to revise their plans and instead concentrate on enhancing the ubiquity of existing mobile connectivity to keep business customers happy

Daisy Group PLC has a wide range of business mobiles for any business communications company

Installing New Map Updates on the Acura Navi

This is the most important aspect to the Navigation System, but probably the easiest thing you can (although it does come at a price).  New map updates for the Acura GPS are released annually on disc by a company called Navteq.  In order to purchase you will need to visit the official Acura Navigation Website where you will be presented with a number of choices.

You will need to select the Acura model that you drive plus the year of manufacture.  Once you’ve done that the website will return a list of the map updates available for your model.  For example, drivers in the United States will need to select the North America 2012 DVD.  Purchase prices start at around $150 US Dollars and the new DVD map software typically takes around 5 working days to arrive.

Installing the new disc is easy, here’s what you do:

1. Turn on the car’s ignition.
2. Eject the existing DVD from the entertainment’s system’s drive.
3. Insert the new Acura Navigation DVD and press “map updates”.
4. The new software will then install automatically – and can take up to 45 minutes.

Please note that you should not turn the system off during the upgrade process as this can corrupt the install meaning you might need to take the car back to the dealer in order to fix it.

Changing the Loading Screen on the Display

Our second tip lets you change the loading image that first appears when you boot-up the Acura Navigation System.  This one is a little bit more complicated, but is free to do.  Here are the steps:

1. Turn the navigation system on and press and hold “MAP/GUIDE”, then “MENU”, then “CANCEL” all at the same time.
2. Note down the alpha-numeric code that appears on the screen then go to your PC or MAC.
3. Insert your existing Acura Navigation DVD and take a copy to your desktop – you will then need to open the corresponding .BIN file that matches the code you wrote down using free software called DumpNavi (to find the software look it up on the Google search engine).
4. The .BIN file will show a .BMP file – this is your loading screen graphic so you can then go and open this with imaging software such as Adobe PhotoShop and create your own version. There are free alternatives to PhotoShop if you don’t have this software.
5. Once you are happy with the new Acura navigation loading screen that you have designed, you will need to re-burn the DVD using the new files you’ve created, then re-install this into your car’s system by inserting it into the disc drive.

Other Customization Options Such as POIs

Currently it is also possible to add new points of interest files (POIs) to the Acura Navigation System.  These include items such as sports stadiums and tourist attractions.  You can download them from Navteq’s website as additional extras at a small cost around $20 to $30 US US Dollars depending on the package you want.  There are also some third party POI developers who also create this content.

They come packaged on disc or DVD and mean whilst driving you can search for an item you wish to visit along your route, and then navigate straight to it with turn by turn directions using the GPS.  These are ideal for people planning on a driving vacation or who simply want to get more from their Acura Navigation System.

More Information on Acura Navigation Updates

If you want to get more information on how you can successfully update your Acura’s Navigation System with new functionality and content, including new maps for 2012 then please check out these following links – they include informative videos and tutorials that will help any Acura owner who has the GPS device built into their car.

• Acura Navigation Updates
• GPS Navigation DVD – Youtube Channel

It’s been a long day and you’ve just come home, collapsed on the sofa with a glass of something nice in one hand and the TV remote in the other. What better way is there to relax and unwind?

The new moral code

In the not so distant past, institutions such as the church and the government were the self-appointed guardians of society’s moral sensibilities.

Social and individual freedoms which we take for granted today were once carefully regulated and at times suppressed by a conservative society – a good example being tattoos and piercings.

These once abhorred symbols of rebellion and free thinking are now widely accepted.

Image by Kevin Labianco

How low can you go?

We could well be standing at the precipice of the final taboo: quisquam rectus (Latin for anything goes).

Society has changed considerably embracing increasingly outrageous behaviours and views. Is cable television one of the forces currently driving this shift in society?

While the nation continues with the switch from analogue to digital, we are being presented with a wider range of concepts, opinions and ways to lead our lives. The concept of weird has been remodelled; a Dutch channel recently came under fire for airing a show with cannibalism.

This kind of reaction is to be expected, but it’s fascinating to observe the overall feeling of acceptance and resignation which surrounded the case.

Had such an idea crossed the minds of the producers 10 years ago, it would probably have been dismissed fairly quickly. However, they went ahead with the stunt, buoyed by the changes in perception brought about by the achievements of previous TV shows and channels.

Too sexy for my cable

Currently in the UK, 2.6 million households receive terrestrial television. The five channels must therefore cater to the widest possible audience.

Cable television on the other hand, less restrained by the boundaries of media regulators and society’s conscience, is free to challenge us to the point of offence.

Embracing the weird

It’s important to note that cable content is not all as depraved as the above might suggest – documentaries on cable television are slowly becoming a personal favourite, though some do get increasingly outlandish and sometimes downright ridiculous as filmmakers strive harder to out-do each other

Case in point: US reality show My Strange Addiction and its tales of toilet-paper eaters.

But these filmmakers can also do the job of unifying fragmented societies. They can convey the message that just because a society has labelled a group or person weird doesn’t mean they’re different, and would benefit from a viewers love and understanding

So, as a final thought – the rise of cable television and its almost limitless number of channels that can be perused at leisure is an important driving force.

The reporter/commentator of our dynamically evolving social conscience is a role that it embraces.

As we roll subconsciously towards the edge of the precipice, let us stand a minute and ponder; are we ready to assimilate the ‘weird’ into our normal?

When do you think TV has gone too far? Join the discussion and leave a comment below…

Sandie Aryee thinks she knows her wrong from her right. She writes blogs for Softel Group, who supply content targeted advertising for the interactive television industry, also providing top quality video subtitles.

Question number one: What is the Purpose of my Blog?
The most important question that can be asked to every blogger is the purpose of their blog. You should have the clear idea about the purpose which your blog will serve. It is always difficult to travel when you don’t know the direction, so the answer to the question number one should always be clear in your mind.

Question number two: Who will read my Blog?
If you will ask me this question I will have the response “everyone”, but it’s not true. Every blog should have a unique target audience base, and the blogger will have to serve them. Before starting the blog you should know about the target visitors of your blog.

Question number three: What kind of Information people want to read on my Blog?
Basically, you should cover all the information related to your niche, so that anyone who is coming to your blog should get all the relevant and latest information about the topic.

Question number four: Can I Earn from my Blog?
One of the most important thinking of every blogger is to earn from their blog, while I will suggest you all not to think about this question at the beginning. First, concentrate completely on developing a great blog, which can serve its purpose and provide the information’s to the targeted audience. Then only think about earning money from your blog.

Question number five: How can I Earn from my Blog?
As I said many people think about earning from their blog even before starting the blog. And, as I mentioned above we should not think about earning before making the perfect blog. One your blog get recognition, then you can consider about earning from different means. There are many options available in the online world, through which you can earn from your blog. Google Adsense is one of the most trusted ways to earn from your blog; I will recommend it to all.

Question number six: How is my Blog different from other Blogs?
Big question, you should know about it from the very beginning. If you won’t be able to provide some unique facility to your readers then it will be a waste to create blog. It will waste your time too, as well as the time of the visitors too.  You should always ask yourself that why would people read or come to my blog instead of others. If you can have the answer, then only you can become a successful blogger.

Question number seven: What can I do to get Visitors?
Very simple, you should always focus to provide useful and latest information about your niche and the visitors will automatically increase. You can also try a bit of Search Engine Optimization, or a bit of Social Media Optimization, so that you can get the visitors, but remain focus around providing more and more content on your blog.

There can be even more questions, but these are some of the most common questions which we need to face before starting the blogging. If you do have some other questions, or answers to these questions then please quote the same in the form of comment.

Further, it has been noticed that more and more small businesses are using offshore mobile development services to acquire mobile apps that specifically cater to their business requirements and could help them in minimizing their operational expenses. The end aim is actually to enhance the business growth in the long run and see the business grow.

The true power of mobile app for a business lies in the fact that apart from planning, managing and controlling business processes it can also be used to promote and publicize the business. Thus, you can enhance your business processes as well as generate new business opportunities.

Let us discuss about the two most important segments where mobile apps can help businesses.

Enhanced business operations: Businesses are always looking for new and advanced solutions to enhance the operation of various processes. Mobile applications provide them the power to enhance these processes and eventually improve the productivity of the business. By acquiring user friendly apps, the time required for a process can be significantly reduced. Thus, more tasks can be completed in a given duration. Further, the transfer of data, information and collaboration between various departments can be very easily and efficiently achieved through mobile apps. Mobile apps also allow businesses to take quick and accurate decisions which ultimately enhance the operational capability of business.

Improving the profits: The end goal of every business, whether big or small, is to generate maximum revenue and increase the profits. Mobile apps can be very useful in increasing the profits and could play a very important role in generating new business opportunities. Mobile apps have emerged as a very effective tool for exposing the products and services to a much wider audience as compared to promotional campaigns that do not include them. This helps in attracting new customers that would have been otherwise left out due to lack of awareness and business reach. Further, these apps can also be used to stay connected with customers and provide quick solutions to their immediate requirements. Better customer service and support is a good way of promoting brand loyalty.

Small businesses are required to be easily accessible by customers if they want to see their business grow. By using well conceived mobile apps they can easily acquire new business opportunities and generate more profit. Another thing to consider is the changing IT technologies and their impact on our normal life. With the regular advancement in the IT field, general population is getting more and more affected by them. As users can do almost everything with their mobile phones now therefore the attention is going to shift from computer based products to mobile based services. This will make mobile phones much more powerful in the coming future.

About Author:
Amy is associated with Xicom Technologies, a renowned PHP and .NET Development Outsourcing Company offering highly business centric and reliable  PHP Development Outsourcing services and mobile development services to clients spread all over the world.