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  • Native MySQL Connection Using Google Cloud SQL

    Native MySQL Connection Using Google Cloud SQL

    The article published about hosting your files on google drive prompted a mix reaction between webmasters and app developers, a few of the readers hinted at the lack of MySQL support in Google cloud server.

    A report on tech crunch has confirmed that Google Cloud SQL now supports native MySQL connections, a move that is intended to make it easier to integrate third-party applications. With the support, native MySQL apps can be plugged into Cloud SQL, allowing the customer to leave system administration and management for Google.

    Through MySQL Wire Protocol, the standard connection protocol for MySQL databases, Google maintains that CloudSQL allows for low latency connections for applications running on Google Compute Engine and Google App Engine. Customers can use popular tools such as MySQL Workbench, Toad and the MySQL command-line tool to manage Cloud SQL instances. It also supports standard drivers, such as Connector/J, Connector/ODBC, and Connector/NET.

    The native connectivity also means that data can be replicated with control over managing and deploying cloud databases. For example, Google notes in its post that data can be replicated between Cloud SQL and on-premise databases — including Oracle, SQL Server, and DB2.

    The support demonstrates how connectors like MySQL Wire Protocol will help create transparency between cloud services and any on-premise application. It’s a service that should attract those looking for the level of managed services that Google provides.

    Google is starting to offer features that Amazon Web Services (AWS) has had for a few years. While Google launched the core of its CloudSQL service in June, AWS launched its MySQL service in 2009 and in 2012 began offering support for Oracle Database.

    Then there is the pricing. According to the InfoQ blog, AWS RDS is “cheaper than corresponding Google Cloud SQL pay-per-hour options, but one needs to consider other costs such as data storage and transfer fees, etc.”

    The article published about hosting your files on google drive prompted a mix reaction between webmasters and app developers, a few of the readers hinted at the lack of MySQL support in Google cloud server.

    A report on tech crunch has confirmed that Google Cloud SQL now supports native MySQL connections, a move that is intended to make it easier to integrate third-party applications. With the support, native MySQL apps can be plugged into Cloud SQL, allowing the customer to leave system administration and management for Google.

    Through MySQL Wire Protocol, the standard connection protocol for MySQL databases, Google maintains that CloudSQL allows for low latency connections for applications running on Google Compute Engine and Google App Engine. Customers can use popular tools such as MySQL Workbench, Toad and the MySQL command-line tool to manage Cloud SQL instances. It also supports standard drivers, such as Connector/J, Connector/ODBC, and Connector/NET.

    The native connectivity also means that data can be replicated with control over managing and deploying cloud databases. For example, Google notes in its post that data can be replicated between Cloud SQL and on-premise databases — including Oracle, SQL Server, and DB2.

    The support demonstrates how connectors like MySQL Wire Protocol will help create transparency between cloud services and any on-premise application. It’s a service that should attract those looking for the level of managed services that Google provides.

    Google is starting to offer features that Amazon Web Services (AWS) has had for a few years. While Google launched the core of its CloudSQL service in June, AWS launched its MySQL service in 2009 and in 2012 began offering support for Oracle Database.

    Then there is the pricing. According to the InfoQ blog, AWS RDS is “cheaper than corresponding Google Cloud SQL pay-per-hour options, but one needs to consider other costs such as data storage and transfer fees, etc.”

    The article published about hosting your files on google drive prompted a mix reaction between webmasters and app developers, a few of the readers hinted at the lack of MySQL support in Google cloud server.

     

    A report on tech crunch has confirmed that Google Cloud SQL now supports native MySQL connections, a move that is intended to make it easier to integrate third-party applications. With the support, native MySQL apps can be plugged into Cloud SQL, allowing the customer to leave system administration and management for Google.

    Through MySQL Wire Protocol, the standard connection protocol for MySQL databases, Google maintains that CloudSQL allows for low latency connections for applications running on Google Compute Engine and Google App Engine. Customers can use popular tools such as MySQL Workbench, Toad and the MySQL command-line tool to manage Cloud SQL instances. It also supports standard drivers, such as Connector/J, Connector/ODBC, and Connector/NET.

    The native connectivity also means that data can be replicated with control over managing and deploying cloud databases. For example, Google notes in its post that data can be replicated between Cloud SQL and on-premise databases — including Oracle, SQL Server, and DB2.

    The support demonstrates how connectors like MySQL Wire Protocol will help create transparency between cloud services and any on-premise application. It’s a service that should attract those looking for the level of managed services that Google provides.

    Google is starting to offer features that Amazon Web Services (AWS) has had for a few years. While Google launched the core of its CloudSQL service in June, AWS launched its MySQL service in 2009 and in 2012 began offering support for Oracle Database.

    Then there is the pricing. According to the InfoQ blog, AWS RDS is “cheaper than corresponding Google Cloud SQL pay-per-hour options, but one needs to consider other costs such as data storage and transfer fees, etc.”

  • Get Ready for 10-Gbit Cable modems connections with new specs

    Get Ready for 10-Gbit Cable modems connections with new specs

    Your 16-Mbit cable connection is going to look awfully puny when a new generation of 10-Gbit cable modems enters the scene—whenever that turns out to be.

    On the other hand, there’s good reason to believe that eventually you and your family will be able to simultaneously download multiple 4K streams. CableLabs, the testing and interoperability arm of the cable industry, released the DOCSIS 3.1 specifications this week, implying that its member companies will eventually support it.

    Technically, the new specification allows for 10 Gbps downstream and 1 Gbps upstream, back to the provider. Additional features include Active Queue Management, a sort of quality-of-service protocol that CableLabs promises will minimize delays inside the home and help out with tasks such as online gaming.

    “Based on the significant contributions from our members and technology suppliers, CableLabs has developed the technology foundation for the delivery of next generation broadband services over HFC networks,” said Dan Rice, senior vice president of access network technologies at CableLabs, in a statement.

    Most of the world’s cable companies—Atlantic Broadband, Cox, Comcast, Rogers, and others—are members of CableLabs. But unfortunately, the dream of downloading more than 98 terabytes per day will have to wait a bit.

    Faster download speeds may necessitate wired networking, at least until wireless catches up.

    Since the specification is just a paper document at this point, for example, we’ll have to wait until semiconductor manufacturers begin implementing the technology inside their own components. Then modem manufacturers will have to build the modems themselves. Finally, the cable companies themselves will have to support the increased bandwidth tiers.

    The DOCSIS 3.0 rollout provides some measure of comparison—and hope. DOCSIS 3.0 was announced in 2006, with support for 160 Mbps down, and 120 Mbps up. But six years after the launch, in 2011, Comcast began offering its 105-Mbps “Extreme” tier, for customers with compatible modems. Other localized cable companies like Shaw and Videotron began offering similar services.

    Regardless of when the new DOCSIS technology rolls out, however, it’s up to you to make sure that you’re up to date. It’s possible that your cable provider will alert you of new services and the need to upgrade your modem—or perhaps not.

    Most cable customers lease their modems, which mean that if you signed up with a cable company long ago, your modem is likely out of date. And if a DOCSIS 1.0 modem is serving as the gateway for your home services, the stream of bits you’re paying for may be dammed up behind your cable modem, unable to flow at its full capacity.

    How can you tell? Comcast offers this page that asks you for your Internet speed tier and then allows you to check to see whether your modem is in fact compatible. Cox offers a similar page. Comcast will ship you an upgraded modem for a fee (and probably try to upsell you in the process) or else you can swap your modem for free at a local shop.

    Another option is to simply buy your own modem, eliminating rental or lease charges altogether; Comcast charges several dollars per month, but you can buy a compatible Motorola SURFboard 6121 modem for $70 online. The savings can add up quickly.

    Regardless, faster broadband is en route. We’ll just have to wait a bit—something we won’t have to do after the speedier standard arrives.Source: Tech Hive

  • How to turn off inline images using Twitter’s mobile app

    How to turn off inline images using Twitter’s mobile app

    For those of you who feel like ripping of twitter’s head, well, here are some Tech Hive solution that may help cool things down.

    For some Twitter power users, the day of reckoning has come: On Tuesday, Twitter updated its mobile app and website to show inline previews of photos and videos in tweets instead of requiring you to click a link or expand the tweet. And lo, Twitter erupted with anger and, well, the obligatory snark.

    If you view tweets using the Twitter website, you’re pretty much stuck with the inline image previews: As of this writing, there’s no way to turn them off through Twitter.com. But you do have a couple options at your disposal.

    Just say no. No no no. Turning off Image
    Previews in Twitter’s mobile app is just a swipe away.

    Disable inline images in Twitter’s mobile app

    If you use Twitter’s official client app for iOS and Android, you can easily turn off the inline image previews. iOS, it’s represented by a toggle switch; on Android, it’s a checkbox).

    Open the app, tap Me in the toolbar, then tap the gear icon. Tap it, then tap Settings from the menu that appears. Scroll down to Image Previews, and tap the toggle to turn it off (on

    Once you do this, you should no longer see the inline image previews in Twitter’s app from the Home tab. Unfortunately, this setting only applies to the mobile app—if you go to Twitter’s website, you’ll still get the image previews in your timeline.

    Use a third-party client

    Countless Twitter clients exist for just about every major platform out there—Mac OS X, Windows, iOS, Android, Windows Phone—and they usually don’t show large inline image previews (though some may show small thumbnails). Do a search on your operating system’s app store for Twitter apps to get an idea of what’s out there.

    Take a look at TweetDeck and Hootsuite for OS X and Windows. We also like Tweetbot, a fun, easy-to-use app for Mac OS X ($20) and iOS ($5).

    If Twitter’s inline content still grinds you gears—even if you can’t see it—maybe it’s time to jump ship to another social network. We hear Google+ has some very nice features…

  • Twitter Users Discontent with the New Twitter’s photo previews

    Twitter Users Discontent with the New Twitter’s photo previews

    Change they said, is difficult to accept and twitter users are no exception to this true saying: An extract from Tech Hive has confirmed that Some Twitter users are complaining about a change that puts photo previews front and center in their streams, and offering advice to others on how to turn it off.

    Apparently some users like viewing photos on Twitter but don’t want image previews appearing automatically in their stream, which is what happens with a change to the service rolled out Tuesday.

    “I was perfectly happy with that one extra step of ‘show picture’ for the ability to see a picture that I want to see,” one user wrote on Twitter’s developer forum.

    “I do not necessarily want to see every picture that every person I follow posts, right on my timeline,” the person wrote.

    Another Twitter user wondered if he had “ticked something somewhere” without realizing it.

    “Wow, Twitter is suddenly unscannable. What is this crap in the feed and how do I turn if off?” asked another.

    The update means users no longer have to click a link to view the photos, so scrolling through Twitter can now mean scrolling past a lot of photos. It’s been activated on the desktop version of Twitter and is included with an update for the iOS and Android apps. It only works with images posted on Twitter itself, or videos posted on Twitter’s Vine service, however.

    Twitter is apparently keen for users to see a lot more images in their Twitter streams. Photography is a key service for social networks, and Google updated its photo features on Google+ Tuesday as well.

    Showing photos in Twitter without needing to click on them can have unintended consequences, though. A search for “twitter photo previews” on Twitter Tuesday revealed at least one explicit pornographic image.

    Some users provided advice on how to disable the feature, posting screenshots of how to turn it off within the Twitter app on mobile devices. The image previews can’t be disabled on the desktop, however. (Here’s an advice on turning off online images in the mobile version of Twitter.)

    It’s not uncommon for users to complain about changes to online services, as Facebook, Yahoo and others know too well.

    One user suggested this is a fight Twitter can’t win. “Y’all complained when Twitter wasn’t visual. Today, y’all are complaining it has photos in your stream?”

  • Samsung ridiculous plan to convert you to its mobile app theology

    Samsung ridiculous plan to convert you to its mobile app theology

    Tech Hive – Don’t be alarmed. Samsung’s leadership is launching a religious movement, but its goal isn’t to change everything you believe about good, evil or the meaning of life. It simply wants control of all your mobile platform needs.

    It’s an ambitious plan, and Samsung needs true believers—an army of street soldiers who can evangelize the mission, and indoctrinate new converts. The company began assembling the ranks when it introduced Samsung Apps, its own Android app store, with the release of the Galaxy S4 Smartphone earlier this year. And to further increase its headcount, the company held its first annual Samsung Developers Conference this week in San Francisco to entice startups and indie developers to build apps specifically for Samsung devices.

    The goal wasn’t just to evangelize and showcase what the company has accomplished with its partnerships, but also to demonstrate that Samsung is serious about building its own full-fledged app ecosystem—a marketplace it wants you to visit before you drop into Google Play.

    The world has gone app store crazy, and Samsung would be damned if it has to play second fiddle to anyone. And it really doesn’t have to, since it already has a solid hardware foundation built on every imaginable phone and tablet screen size from the 4.3-inch Galaxy S4 Mini to the 6.3-inch Galaxy Mega to the 10.1-inch Galaxy Note 10.1. At this point, Samsung really only needs to increase its flock of developers.

    Hence the recruiting drive at the Samsung Developers Conference. It’s the one true path to mobile salvation.

    Enticing devs with carrots

    Samsung launched its Mobile SDK to get developers to make apps specifically for its mobile devices.

    In its conference keynote, Samsung hit developers with two compelling arguments in support of native app development: The company has tremendous reach around the world, including footholds in China, Southeast Asia, Japan, and Australia, and it’s also the number one Smartphone maker in most of those markets.

    The message resonated with Matt Nutt, VP of Business Development and Operations of Cie Games, an independent mobile game company that was featured as a part of an introductory video during the keynote. “They do have many devices, but they’re doing a lot to reduce the fragmentation of devices in terms of share on the Android marketplace,” Nutt told TechHive. “[We can’t ignore] any opportunities to leverage the marketing prowess of somebody like Samsung.”

    But before you can get developers to populate your app store, you have to give them something to work with. So during its keynote, Samsung introduced five new APIs. These include a multi-screen gaming API that puts mobile games on TV screens; a Smart TV SDK that helps share mobile device content with Samsung TVs; and an SDK that supports more S-Pen controls, better handwriting recognition, and an improved multi-window feature.

    If developers take advantage of the SDKs, it means you’ll find more features and apps for your Samsung devices—along with more incentive for you, the consumer, to stick with Samsung hardware. And it’s all a blueprint for ecosystem propagation, where software boosts hardware sales, and hardware sales give life to more software downloads. Connect all the dots, and it begins to seem amazing that Samsung is only holding its first developer’s conference in 2013.

    A leg up on Google with the little things

    To help show would-be converts all the benefits of playing on Team Samsung, the company has been busy making native apps of its own. And some of them are ahead of native Android features, at least in terms of introducing new tricks to the mobile game.

    Samsung Wallet has all the
    functionality that Google Wallet doesn’t.

    Take Samsung’s ChatON messaging applications, which let users chat with one another across all mobile and desktop platforms, send group messages, and chat in other languages with an auto-translate function. While Google has added features like SMS messaging to its Hangouts app, Android is still behind in features when compared to iOS’s iMessage, and Hangouts is only usable between the web and Android devices.

    Google Wallet must also play catch-up to match Samsung’s Wallet 2.0, which borrows much of its aesthetic and functionality from Apple’s Passbook. Samsung’s mobile payments app was released earlier this year on the Google Play store with features like the ability to store loyalty and gift cards (which Google just recently took out of its Wallet app). Samsung’s wallet app also enables geo-fencing for coupons to pop up when you’re near a store. Samsung’s app is also available to users overseas, while Google’s services are still limited to the United States, and only from specific carriers, like Sprint and US Cellular (which aren’t a part of the Isis mobile payment alliance formed by AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile).

    While Samsung’s in-house app development team may not match Google’s in size, it can still get developers with great ideas to work on features that Google doesn’t offer. Case in point: Samsung has partnered with Rabbit, an online video platform that lets you not only video chat with friends, but also watch video with them on external services like Hulu—all in real-time from your computer and (in due time) mobile devices. The upshot is that Rabbit will be featured front-and-center on Samsung hardware, and its neat features might make you consider it over Google’s own video-chat services on Android. Rabbit also trumps Google Hangouts in group conversations by allowing up to 20 people to chat in a room.

    And from ecosystem success flows… money

    Samsung to devs: Stick with us and we’ll get your app far.

    At the beginning of his Monday keynote, Gregory Lee, President of Samsung Telecommunications of America, was excited. “We never expected a big crowd,” he told the audience. “We expected a small one.”

    According to Nicholas Reichenbach, co-founder and president of Rabbit, there’s a reason for the positive turnout. “Samsung’s marketshare had a lot to do with the attendance,” he said in a phone call. “Whatever Samsung is doing is very attractive to developers.”

    And what can be more “attractive” to an up-and-coming app developers than sales revenue? As Smartphone users, we often scoff at the apps that device manufacturers load on our phones. And we often bristle when we’re asked to visit yet another app marketplace, when we already have Google Play. But Reichenbach says one of the key attractions of Samsung Apps is that developers are seeing better monetization through Samsung’s mobile products.

    ”It’s always been difficult to monetize [on the Android] platform,” he says, “but with Samsung devices, we’re starting to see the monetization equal to other platforms.” And since Samsung’s high unit sales means it has more marketshare, app developers have more chances to make more money. “It’s starting to grow—potentially even greater than other platforms that are leading the market,” Reichenbach says.

    How much disruption makes sense?

    With more than 1,300 attendees at this week’s conference, it’s obvious there are at least a few developers who are interested in building for Samsung’s ecosystem. Indeed, Samsung can offer small, independent developers something that Google can’t right now: Prominent positioning in an app store that’s a lot less crowded than Google Play. So one can see why so many lost souls are interested in joining the Samsung effort.

    But where Samsung could really have a winning hand is not in courting small, independent developers, but in striking exclusive deals with big-name app powerhouses. It’s already teamed up with triple-A app developers like Twitter and Flipboard, and similar deals could compel you to buy the next Galaxy phone instead of a handset from HTC.

    Samsung is clearly forging full-steam ahead in its effort to become more than a device manufacturer, but it needs to figure out how to do so without continually disrupting the current Android marketplace. It may be helping to reduce friction within its own device family, but by branching off into its own ecosystem, it will just make fragmentation worse for Android as a whole.

    But maybe that’s the point. You can only have one religion—and Samsung wants to be yours.

  • Basic Privacy Tips for Internet & Social Media

    Basic Privacy Tips for Internet & Social Media

    PC WORLD – Recent headlines about shadowy government agencies, high-profile hack attacks, and your face in Google ads drive home a crucial point: Your online privacy is best protected when you keep an iron grip on the information you’re handing out. If your info is on a server somewhere, it’s not truly yours.

    So many core aspects of our lives have shifted to the cloud, mostly to our great benefit: Gmail and Outlook.com maintain our email archives. Dropbox and SkyDrive make your files available anywhere, anytime. Windows 8.1 searches include Bing results by default. Google Now dishes out the information you need before you even know you need it.

    But every gain in convenience comes with a loss of control, and that loss of control all too often comes bundled with privacy or security woes.

    You can take some simple precautions to minimize the amount of personal information that you have online. But before we get started, remember that this data checkup is about what you’re comfortable with. You could follow all the tips in this post, tighten up on just a few of the practices mentioned below, or go even farther down the rabbit hole than the suggestions offered here. Digital privacy is not a zero-sum or a one-size-fits-all proposition. If nothing else, this article can help you make better decisions about the information you share with the services you love.

    Giving Google the cold shoulder

    When it comes to minimizing your digital footprint, we have to start with Google. Just imagine the dossier the company has on you: search history, sites you visit, Google Play purchases, location data from Android and Chrome and Maps, your Google Drive documents…it looks like a lot when it’s all spelled out like that, doesn’t it?
    To its credit, Google takes data security seriously, receiving fairly good marks in the Electronic Frontier Foundation’s annual “Who has your back?” survey. But Google also makes heavy in-house use of your data, a point that touched a nerve with announcements of the company’s plans to use your real name and face in online advertising (not to mention Microsoft’s “Scroogled” campaign).
    Divorcing Google isn’t a realistic option for most people, though, given its superior services and sheer ubiquity. Switching to Microsoft’s services still leaves your information in the cloud. So what can you do if you want to reduce the amount of data you’re sharing with either online monolith?
    Firefox’s private browsing mode kills cookies dead.
    To start, you can keep Google from collecting and sharing your data as much as possible. Using your browser’s private/incognito mode will erase tracking cookies, including Google’s, when you close it. You can also tell Google to stop trailing you in your account’s Web History page (at the expense of Google Now features) and take a minute to tweak your general Google privacy settings.
    Another solution is to replace what Google services you can with more private alternatives. Do you use Google Docs but don’t really need its online capabilities? Try the open-source Libre Office suite. If you need only basic image-editing capabilities, skip Picasa and stick to Paint.net. What about Google Drive’s on-the-go docs? We’ll talk more about cloud storage later.
    And if you can cut the Google cord completely, there’s always the nuclear option. (Here’s how to shutter your Microsoft account for good measure.)

    Facebook

    Google may have a wide reach, but when it comes to mapping your social connections, no company knows more than Facebook. And just like Google, Facebook is practically impossible to shut out of your life. You need it to sign in to your favorite services, play games, chat, and keep in touch with pals.
    Tweaking your Facebook profile’s privacy settings can keep other people’s eyes at bay—but Facebook itself has a reputation for questionable user data decisions. How to give Zuck the cold shoulder without divorcing Facebook completely?
    You don’t want to be among the first Graph Search results for “Males in New York that like Drugs and Marijuana” or anything similar. Mind those Likes, and those privacy preferences.
    Easy: Stop hitting that “Like” button so much and consider removing past thumbs-ups. Don’t add extra information to your profile such as life events, places you’ve lived, and so on. (Below’s a video on deleting life events.)
    Finally, decide whether you want to continue sharing your photo library online. Is anybody really looking at them, or are they just fodder for Facebook’s face-detection algorithms?
    Facebook also tracks you as you travel from site to site, using the Like buttons embedded on each. Make sure you’re signed out of Facebook to prevent that from happening, or use your browser’s private mode.
    You can delete your Facebook account if you’re able (and willing) to cut the socialite cord completely.

    Cloud storage

    If you slap your files in a cloud-storage locker for anytime, anywhere access, you probably don’t want to give up that convenience. You can, however, seize control of your cloud documents by encrypting them, which helps protect against the data breaches (such as two that happened to Dropbox and Apple) and government information requests faced by many cloud providers.
    Note that while many services (such as Dropbox) encrypt your data on their servers, they control the encryption keys in most cases. That means you are not in control of when or for whom that encrypted data is unlocked, but it also makes using the service easier—just enter your login information and go!
    A truly “zero-knowledge” cloud provider such as SpiderOak or Wuala, on the other hand, never has access to your encryption key, meaning that only you can unlock your data. (Don’t lose the key!) Alternatively, you could manually encrypt files bound for SkyDrive, Google Drive, Dropbox, SugarSync, or any other cloud service, using a tool like TrueCrypt or the cloud-focused BoxCryptor.
    Western Digital’s My Cloud connected storage drive lets you build your own private cloud.
    Or, if you want anytime, anywhere access to your files but don’t want to entrust your stuff to anyone else, you could use a Net-connected storage drive like Western Digital’s My Cloud to create your own personal cloud-storage solution.

    All the rest

    We’ve taken care of your major online accounts, but what about all those random accounts you have connected to your social networks? Go through the settings of your Facebook, Twitter, and Google+ accounts to see the list of apps and services connected to them. Then simply remove access permissions for the ones you no longer use.
    Speaking of apps and services, part of good data hygiene is regularly deleting accounts you’ve left by the wayside. Go ahead: Close that MySpace profile and kill your Klout score if you’re not using them.

    The tip of the iceberg

    Now that you have at least some of your data under control, you could look at numerous other things, as well.
    We briefly touched on restricting who can track your browsing while online. For a real eye-opener, try using Abine’s DoNotTrackMe add-on for a week and see how many tracking cookies the add-on blocks. You could also use a stand-alone email program configured using the POP3 protocol to save your email locally and wipe your messages from your provider’s servers. (Here’s the info you need to do just that with Outlook.com, Gmail, and Mozilla’s Thunderbird client.)
    For an even more comprehensive look at the topic, check out Macworld’s seven-part series on protecting your online privacy—but note that some of the tips apply only to Apple’s ecosystem.
    Going off-grid online is borderline impossible these days, but taking just a short time to tidy up your online footprint can pay big dividends for your security and your privacy. And remember: It’s up to you just how far down the rabbit hole you go. Happy deleting!
  • Beginner’s Guide While Learning PHP

    Beginner’s Guide While Learning PHP

    Is back to the classroom, as we take a look at the five ‘most’ basic tips that will help you in your PHP lessons.

    Hypertext Preprocessor or PHP is one of the most commonly used programming languages on the web, PHP is a valuable skill for any young developers to posses. Most popular content management systems such as Oxwall, WordPress and Drupal use PHP as their framework, which means that developers who are skilled in the language can customize code through these programs.

    Of-course, it is very essential that you keep your head down, while attending to your PHP lessons. Other than that, here are five tips that will prepare you for your PHP class.

    1. Prepare in Advance

    Before you get started, make sure that you have a basic understanding of programming. Prior experience and knowledge in programming will help you with basic procedures such as building, testing and troubleshooting. Additionally, many developers find it helpful to work with two or more monitors. With dual monitors in front of you, it’s easy to keep your code on one screen and a tutorial readily available on the other.

    2. Use Your Own Code

    Though some developers recommend working with code templates, you’ll have an easier time learning with your own code. It might take you more time at first to piece the code together, but you’ll ultimately learn PHP more thoroughly by creating all of your own coding. This will save you time when you move on to more advanced projects.

    3. Practice Makes Perfect

    For many new developers, PHP is fairly simple to learn because it is similar to other server-side scripting languages. It’s important to allow yourself enough time for practice, as even small errors in your code can throw off your entire project. If you find yourself confusing PHP syntax with codes from other programming languages, rest assured that you’ll make fewer mistakes with more practice.

    4. Ask for Help

    The official PHP website offers a free online manual with answers to many questions you might have along the way. I don’t know what you think about Stack Overflow? Seem pretty much to me like a place where you can ask lots of PHP questions and get answers and ideas from other PHP users. The PHP Group also has several mailing lists that allow you to ask questions of other users. Additionally, check out online forums where you can ask experienced developers for advice about PHP. Many developers are willing to assist new programmers, particularly if you can clearly explain what type of problem you’re having.

    5. Employ Error Reporting Codes

    As you develop in PHP, it’s always a great idea to use error reporting codes to speed up the process. An error reporting code will help you determine where your errors are if you make a mistake, saving you time and the headache of going through the code line by line. An error reporting code can be the PHP student’s best friend.

    If you haven’t found a school yet, w3schools sounds like a place you might want to visit: A whole loads of PHP step to step guides, live demo and practicals for both beginners and masters.

  • Lenovo Android laptop confirmed after user manuals leak online

    Lenovo Android laptop confirmed after user manuals leak online

    PCWORLD – A story posted on pcworld today has confirmed that we are likely to see a new generation of PC anytime soon. With microsoft paying more interest in the production of windows 8 smartphones, it is now clear to everyone that windows are likely to swap places with the android OS in the technology world.

    Accidentally leaked user manuals from PC maker Lenovo show that the company is preparing a new laptop that runs Android instead of Windows.

    Called the IdeaPad A10, the laptop has a 10.1 inch HD screen and is listed as an Android device, according to the manuals uploaded on Lenovo’s site.

    The laptop’s 10-inch display also functions as a touchscreen. It can be opened up to 300 degrees, supporting the screen for reading or touching while the keyboard rests face down. In addition, the keyboard has signature Android buttons for “home screen”, “previous” and “apps screen”, found on the bottom of many phones and tablets running the Google OS.

    Lenovo had planned on making an official announcement for the device, said Chris Millward, a spokesman for the company, on Thursday. But somehow, Lenovo unintentionally leaked the user manuals online, he added.

    “The product has not been canceled. It will be going out to the market,” he said. Lenovo will later announce launch dates and pricing information.

    The laptop’s specs show that it could be a budget product. It has an Arm quad-core 1.6GHz processor from Chinese firm Rockchip, 1GB or 2GB of RAM, and 16GB or 32GB of storage. There is also a 0.3 megapixel camera, a microSD card slot and an HDMI port.

    Tech vendors are increasingly experimenting with Android at a time when demand for traditional Windows PCs has been waning. Earlier this year, Acer and Hewlett-Packard showed all-in-one desktops using the Google operating system. HP’s product, called the Slate 21, has a price of $399.

    On the convertible PC side, Asus has shown a hybrid device that can run both Windows and Android. Called the Transformer Book Trio, the product operates as a stand-alone Android tablet, but when attached to its keyboard it can also boot up Windows.

  • Hackers Bully the vBulletin Internet Community Software Vulnerability

    Hackers Bully the vBulletin Internet Community Software Vulnerability

    Hackers are exploiting a vulnerability in the popular vBulletin Internet Community software in order to inject rogue administrator accounts into websites using it.

    After the recent success of hackers exploring the WordPress CMS through a vulnerable end of the software, PC World has yet again announced the recent potential threat to web development. In a press release this morning, pcworld explained how hackers exploited the vBulletin internet community software vulnerability. Details are below:

    The exploit was found by researchers from security firm Imperva on underground hacker forums and targets versions 4.x.x and 5.x.x of vBulletin.
    The vulnerability allows attackers to abuse the vBulletin configuration mechanism to create a secondary administrative account, the researchers said Wednesday in a blog post.

    At the end of August, vBulletin Solutions, the company that develops the forum software, advised users to delete the “install” directories from their vBulletin deployments because of an unspecified exploit vector.

    The company declined to release any additional information about the issue at that time, but Imperva’s researchers believe it’s the same vulnerability targeted by the exploit script they found.

    How the attack can happen

    In order to exploit the vulnerability, attackers need to know the exact URL for the upgrade.php script from the install directories of the targeted vBulletin deployments and the vBulletin customer IDs associated with those deployments.

    To obtain this information, hackers created a separate PHP script that scans vBulletin sites for the vulnerable path and extracts the customer IDs from the source code of the upgrade.php pages, the researchers said.

    Once they have those details, attackers only need to choose a username and password for the rogue administrator account that will be created and the exploit will do the rest.

    Company response
    VBulletin Solutions declined to confirm whether the exploit identified by Imperva is the one they warned about in August.

    “We’ve released updates to vBulletin 4 and vBulletin 5,” said Wayne Luke, technical support lead at vBulletin Solutions, Wednesday via email. “These are vBulletin 4.2.2 and vBulletin 5.0.5. We recommend customers delete their install directories when not in use maintaining their software.”

    “I cannot provide any further information on the issue,” Luke said.

    Notes accompanying the exploit script found by Imperva claim the vulnerability was discovered on Aug. 22.

    The Imperva researchers have seen traffic from an attack that successfully exploited a forum powered by vBulletin 4.2.0 and there are also reports about successful attacks against others using version 4.2.1, said Tal Be’ery, security research team leader at Imperva, Thursday via email. However, the company hasn’t tested whether the latest 4.2.2 and 5.0.5 versions are vulnerable to the exploit, he said.

    The directories that vBulletin users should delete in order to protect their deployments are “/install” for vBulletin 4.1.x versions and “/core/install” for the 5.x versions.

    Users who, for some reason, are unable to delete these directories, can use the web server access configuration mechanism or a web-application firewall to block requests or redirects for upgrade.php, the Imperva researchers said.

  • Top 5 Sites for Freelancers and Buyers

    Top 5 Sites for Freelancers and Buyers

    Over the years doing some spare time job has been a very good way of financing  your education or buying a cup of coffee for your troubles, exploring the web for business exposure has become a second nature to most of us, so the need of having an avenue for such exposure becomes a must. Discover the secret of how I scaled through my limitation as a student/passionate blogger and earn quite handsomely through freelancing.

    As a student, I didn’t have so many options to earn online; most  ‘part time’ job I came across online are a whole bunch of scam, so I decided to ride my luck, viz.. Monetize my skills.

    Freelancing is the act of rendering a particular service to individuals or group of individuals as a ‘free man’ (not committed to any employer long term). This service may include article writing, web design, health solutions, graphic, SEO help or any skill you feel you can deliver online.

    If you a free man just like me: Self employed (student) and not committed to any employer long term, looking for where to showcase your products and services or you are just an individual/organization looking for where to acquire the product/services of an expert . Whichever you are here is the list of the top 5 of such sites.

    Top Five Sites For Business Exposures

    1. SEOClerks

    SeoClerks is probably the cheapest place to get any job done. Just recently, I purchased 1,000 US human visitors for just $2, the seller provided me with a google analytics url as a prove to confirm that they were real human. The delivery was quite on time and enjoy the level of interaction allowed between buyers and sellers on this site. The website functions are pretty much like fiverr’s but there is no limit for a range of prices charged for gigs. Sellers are either online, then you will get the work within 8 hours, or offline, then you will get the work in 48 hours. Release the cash and await the job. You are also given an option to place a guarantee on your gig and create discount coupon codes for gigs.

    2. Fiverr

    For the past few years fiverr gigs have represented an icon for freelancers. Though sites with more features has arisen, no-one has really surpassed the credibility and originality that fiverr has always boasted of. Dealings in fiverr are called gig i.e. 1gig = $5.

    3. Onedollarr

    Task in onedollarr is called gig and is best for buyers who want to acquire services at a very cheap rate.    Do not let the $1 fool you, as you can as well add extras to your gig without a specified amount.

    4. Gigbucks

      Sell or purchase products/services rate between $5-$50

    5. Fourerr

    Is always nice to some do something different and that’s exactly what fourerr has done. They have got a very good track record over the past two years and seems pretty much like the next big thing. I really recommend every freelancer try out this site and give your testimonies.

  • Introducing PhotoScape: Image Editing Software (Download)

    Introducing PhotoScape: Image Editing Software (Download)

    The Image Editing becomes the trend in digital photography and image editing software have helped a lot either in increasing the resolution or to give many amazing effects to the photographs. The latest technology digital photography becomes most popular due to the high quality of image, a soft-copy of result after just make of click, easy to use for a common man and the ability to convert an image in the amazing effects quickly and boundless. There are hundreds of image editing software applications are available in market like Adobe Photoshop, GIMP, Picasa and many others, even you can convert you image On-Line, there are many Online Photo Editing Tools available. Last days we write about the Top 10 Free Adobe Photoshop Alternatives, today writing the review about the one of the best alternative for Adobe Photoshop, The PhotoScape.

    PhotoScape is a free graphics editing program, developed by MOOII Tech, from Korea. PhotoScape is built up with the concept of easy to edit and make ultimate fun with your images. It’s Light, Fast and a Powerful image editing program which is packed with the features as follows:-

    • Photo Viewer: Browse and organize your photos
    • Photo Editor: Enhance and balance color, Re-size, add effects and clip-arts.
    • Photo Batch-Editor: Process multiple photos at same time, rename multiple photos at same time.
    • Page Creator: Joins multiple photos into poster-like single page or into one final photo.
    • GIF Animation: You can make multiple images into GIF-animated image.
    • Screen Capture: You can save monitor screen into an image file or we can the print-screen is here.
    • Color Picker: You can choose and pick color from  screen pixel as font color, design or erase.
    • RAW Convert: It can also convert RAW format picture into JPEG format.
    • Face Finder: Find similar faces automatically through internet.
    • Featured Printer: Print photos for particular occasions, such as Passport photo, or lined page such as graph, calendar or music paper.

    Means a complete set even if you are a professional image editor. It also offers to make your image much better with some other options like brightness/color/white-balance adjustment, back-light correction, frames, balloons, text, drawing pictures, cropping, filters, red-eye removal and blooming. It has been used for two years and is expanding its features continuously. Its latest version supports 34 languages: English, Korean, Chinese, Traditional Chinese, German, Dutch, Spanish (Spain), Spanish (Mexico, Latin America), French, Japanese, Russian, Polish, Italian, Portuguese, Portuguese (Brazil), Portuguese (Colombian), Thai, Hungarian, Turkish, Catalan, Slovak, Czech, Norwegian, Bulgarian, Ukrainian, Swedish, Estonian, Danish, Romanian, Hebrew, Galician, Finnish, Indonesian and Arabic.Click Here to Download PhotoScape

  • Common-Sense While Using WI-FI Hot Spots

    Common-Sense While Using WI-FI Hot Spots

    Wi-Fi hotspots are nothing more than just a wireless access point, which grants internet accessibility to network devices in various public locations, such as cafes, restaurants, hotels and airports. Schools and businesses are also opting for the Wi-Fi hotspots and using them for their intranet or internet networks.
    Same Wi-Fi technology is utilized in wireless networks at home. Devices get connected to Wi-Fi hotspots via the use of a Wi-Fi network adapter. In fact, today the latest laptops and computers are designed with built-in adapters. The hotspots that are used in public locations usually require paid subscriptions and credit cards.

    Neighborhood cafes, universities and similar places are opting to use the free Wi-Fi hotspots. With this, more and more users are connecting to the public Wi-Fi networks. As a result, security risks are increasing. In fact, Wi-fi hotspots are more like unsecured networks, which provide opportunities for hackers to take complete advantage of the technology. Your personal information is under threat if you access personal account information and passwords while using a public Wi-Fi hotspot.
    So, prior to using the local internet or WiFi hotspots from a restaurant or a café, do make sure to follow the following rules:

    • Always keep in mind that these networks are not secured and safe. They are always unsecured network connections. If you have to provide passwords or log onto something, do think twice and keep your guard on. 
    • Make use of built-in security tools, Windows and Mac OS X have. They come with inbuilt features that enable firewall of a user and keep a check of the incoming traffic. The feature only helps to keep the hackers or unethical entities away from your system and personal information.
    • Disable file sharing.
    • Keep a tab on padlock. The sites that make use of HTTPS are capable of encrypting your activities. Users doing anything on the sites are confidential. Opt for the padlock, which is present on the address bar. You can also download and install HTTPS Everywhere.
    • Hackers are capable of retrieving even saved passwords that from your installed keyloggers or Registry. Therefore, try to protect and secure your passwords. Install features like LastPass or similar add-ons, whereby you can store your passwords safely in the cloud.
    • Hackers use different techniques and gimmicks to lure their victims. They might also use fake networks and grab hold of their victims online. Therefore, check the name of the network or better, ask and confirm the same with the employees of the concerning place.

    Bottom line, it is always required to make use of your common sense whenever opting for public Wi-Fi hotspots or networks. If you sense any threat to security, immediately keep your guard on and avoid shopping or doing online activities where sharing personal details is a mandatory.

  • How to Make the Most of Google Maps

    How to Make the Most of Google Maps

    Everyone knows that Google Maps is the ruler when it comes to mapping services (Nokia map lies just somewhere by the side). There is no doubt about that whatsoever. You can use it in your mobile phone as an app or in a browser. Although Google Maps is loaded with tons of effective features, few of these useful features are widely veiled.  

    Here are some tips and tricks on how to make the most of Google Maps:

    1. View live traffic. It is a feature in which Google Maps displays live traffic feed on maps. This enables users to go by the current rate of traffic and plan their routes accordingly. In order to view live traffic, simply click on the ‘Satellite’ icon and then on the ‘Traffic’ option. This particular feature is operational through mobile apps.
    2. Google Now. This is yet another feature of Google Maps. Its integration enables the Google Maps Sync to function in a more enhanced manner than before. Searching for directions enables the feature to predict the desired location based on your web history. If Google is aware of your work or home locations, it will calculate and display the route and estimated time it will take to reach home or work.
    3. Route change. If Google Maps suggested routes are not according to your liking or convenience, you can click a point (it can be any point) present on the map and then drag it to some other place. By doing so, you can change your route.
    4. Mode of transit. Directions, whether for walking or driving, are available from whatever your current location. You can also access directions if traveling by bicycle or public transit. Whatever the case, Google Maps will provide you with three different routes. Varied directions help in selecting the best and most convenient route for you, whatever you’re preferred mode of transit.
    5. Routes with numerous destinations. If you want to stop on multiple destinations, you can make use of the ‘Add Destination’ feature. Through this link, you can add each of your desired destinations to your list. Google will then provide you with the most efficient and convenient route.
    6. Make maps for yourself. If there are vital locations available with you, you can create and make customized maps for yourself only. Visit Google Maps and go to ‘My Places’. Right under it, you will find the link ‘Create Map’.
    7. Locating places of interest. Try out the Tourist Path. Through this feature, you can get a display of historical sites, parks and restaurants on a customized Google Maps view.

    Using Google Maps is simply easy. All you need to do is fiddle with its many features and work with them until you get the desired results!

  • Legitimate Means of Making Money through Online Survey

    Legitimate Means of Making Money through Online Survey

    Making money online is now the order of the day. Online surveys are one of the easiest forms of market research through which you can earn fast cash. It is one of the most popular forms active today in the virtual world. This trend is encouraged by advertisers and manufacturers, who are in favor of such forms of marketing. Online surveys help manufacturers and advertisers to learn about the potential of products or services before introducing them in the market. Both survey takers and proprietors can earn big bucks. However, there is a strong amalgamation of both scam and legit survey sites. This balanced existence of fake and original content is making it difficult for users to find 100% authentic survey sites.

    Through my own experience, I have gained enough knowledge and expertise in deciphering a fake entity among legitimate ones.

    Here are few tips for survey takers to use when looking for legitimate websites:

    1. Search for websites that are the highest paying ones. You can check out survey review websites. Through them, you can get enough information and details about both new, as well as pre-existing survey websites. Through the acquired information, you can single out the fake ones and target only those websites that have got higher ratings for payouts from users.
    2. Scan the scams instantly. 60% of online survey sites are nothing but scams. Most users are entrapped in these scams because of promises and high dollar numbers. Therefore, it is important to take out enough time and get information about survey sites from reliable sources before joining any. Remember, if a site is asking for a fee payment or money and promising thousands of dollars over a payment of a small fee then think twice.
    3. Join numerous survey sites. There is no restriction or limitation. All you have to do is create accounts, provide the required information about yourself and then work from there. The surveys will match only with survey takers whom they find are suitable and appropriate. Therefore, signing up with multiple survey sites will only increase your chance of getting notified and accepted.
    4. Get a mixed bag of payout forms. If you need cash payouts then sign up on only cash paying survey websites. But it is always profitable to join both cash and reward point paying websites. Do not avoid sweepstakes oriented sites either. There are winning chances and occasional success opportunities in them too.
    5. Update your subscriptions. Survey sites offer work mostly to their consistent survey takers. This is because they are on the lookout for reliable users. So, if you refuse offers on a constant basis, you might lose out on opportunities or even get your accounts suspended. Therefore, make sure to update your account and profiles on all websites and take surveys in a periodical manner.

    Surveys are fun and not at all time consuming. You earn good cash without putting in much effort. Therefore, becoming a survey taker is surely a profitable deal all together!

  • Tips for Creating Custom Themes with Growl for OSx

    Tips for Creating Custom Themes with Growl for OSx

    You might install Growl for design purposes or simply by accident. There are numerous applications that provide support to it. There are even some applications that are available along with Growl. It is one of the few applications that many will consider to be usable with OS X only. Growl is perhaps the coolest notification applications for OS X. The application is known to aid many in getting alerts, whether they’re new tweets, software update or new emails. Developers have also considered Growl as a staple application because its API’s are usable by developers for the integration of alerts in their individual applications.

    Growl is not only OS X’s primary notification system, it is a well thought out design available with different animations and themes. It comes with its own themes preset, which you can obtain after downloading the application from your nearest Mac App Store. You can simply visit the Growl website to get a hold of the desired themes.

    There are many styles of themes to opt from, including AirMail Classic, Basics 1.3, Portal Growl Style and more. Growl is a cool application because you can customize the notification type you want to be displayed. If you want to customize it further, you can set styles on the screen. Growl was set to get updated by its developers. It is a 3rd party notification system that features Boxcar and Prowl in addition to an enhancement of display and action displays via visual ones.

    This update is a major one because of the support provided to the Notification Center in Mountain Lion. Its functionality and operation is a straightforward one- users can keep on using Growl and consolidating the present visual displays on Apple’s Notification Center. Users can also open Preferences, click on General, and set the OS X notifications to on. By doing so, you will become capable of adding Growl to your apps listed, which is under the System Preferences’ Notifications. It might also be effective to make use of Growl as a major bridge between the Notification Center and the 3rd party apps.

    Growl 2.0 also comes with an additional element where you can separately handle the action and visual displays.

  • Best Android vs. Apple Comparisons for Business Owners

    Best Android vs. Apple Comparisons for Business Owners

    When given a choice between Android and Apple, we start to think and scratch our head. It is difficult to choose between the two since both operating systems offer some of the best and effective smartphone features currently available. As a result, both have a strong and loyal user base. Most of the smartphone programs and apps are compatible on apple and android platforms and users can gain accessibility to vital online projects by using either iOS or Android.

    Online businesses and their operations, especially on a mobile platform, demand the use of a smartphone platform, which is effective and capable of meeting requirements as well as being compatible with the nature of business. You need to make use of a platform that best complements and meets your needs because you will be depending on mobile phones for your business appointments, tasks, deals, etc.

    So, if you are fretting over the decision of choosing between Android and Apple then take these points into
    heed first:

    • Determine the type of apps you make use of most in your business. When accessing online features and programs through mobile phones or other handheld devices, dependency on efficiency is high. Today, you will come across many apps that are made and designed especially for businesses. You can download and install such apps easily. If you are looking for highly innovative apps, an Android platform would be the best option.
    • Stability of OS is another point to lookout for. Apple is the best option for you if you are looking to use a smartphone on a long-term basis or one that keeps up with your fast paced online business and lifestyle. Products from Apple are designed and crafted to become compatible even amidst changes and upgrades in software. Android phones and mobile devices are not as quick moving.
    • If you have a business that is highly dependent on merchant services, such as e-commerce or payment transactions, then making use of Apple would be the best option to choose. You will find specific apps that are merchant-related and designed and created for iOS mobile devices that enable users to process different payments through debit or credit cards and make payments without any hassle.
    • Using smartphones and the latest handheld devices for business purposes are also usable for personal purposes. Apps, like music, entertainment, and gaming are best found under Android.

    Let’s get to the bottom line then. If you are looking for a platform strictly to house your business needs, then the platform of Apple overpowers Android. The sole reason behind this revelation is that doing online business is not only about innovation, but also about prolonged stability. The platform of android does offer features for business purposes but one has to be selective about the apps and features from Android. Remember, business which is done within a stabilized mobile framework flourishes more than a business that is not based on such a platform – making Apple the winner, hands down!

  • How To Remote Access Any Computer By Using TeamViewer

    How To Remote Access Any Computer By Using TeamViewer

    In computing the problems can occur at any time and in any part of the computer, and without any doubt we want to fix it as soon as possible. There are two types of problems Hardware and Software. Hardware problems are uncommon because most of the users are using the branded things of good quality but in case you are facing any a hardware problem then it I might take some time. The Software problem is very common in this field which can be solved by either paying for it for free. If you’re unknown to it then you may in trouble and have to pay sometime. Now if you know your friend or any other person how can fix it and can be solved without any pay then here is the one of the best , easy and free software, which needs just an internet connection for show its effect. There are many other software are available but from my personal point of view and uses the best is as follows.

    TeamViewer : How To Remote Access Any Computer

    TeamViewer is a computer software package for remote control, desktop sharing, and file transfer between computers. Remote Control stands for being a computer to which a user does not have physical access, but which he or she can access or manipulate via some kind of network. It offers the control of the one computer from the other computer without any direct connection, with which you can do anything at the other side. Remote control option comes in many operating systems as default such as Windows Server 2k, 2k3 and the other versions of it. For a common and any operating system TeamViewer is the best. It’s also designed for Windows, Mac OS X, Linux, Ios, Android with Multi-Language.

    You can get full access of TeamViewer with just a few clicks and its very easy.

    1. Download TeamViewer from here and install it on your system.

    2. After installation simple opens it from the Programs List or the for the Desktop Shortcut.

    3. It provides a unique ID  shown as “YOUR ID” and a Password (In decimal form)

    {One more thing about TeamViewer is that it works only when the system have it, which means if you want to use it you have to install it on the other system as well and make it as your computer as a server and other as its client and vice-versa.}

    4. Now the Unique ID  and Password is also from the same side fill at the “PARTNER ID” right side in the opened window and click “CONNECT THE PARTNER”.

    TeamViewer is totally free for the home use or non-commercial use. It provides many advanced options. One notable thing, if you make a restart your system it changes the password for the same client system every time. So when you reconnect with a system keep in mind this thing.

  • The Rise of Mobile-Payment Apps

    The Rise of Mobile-Payment Apps

    The rise of mobile-payment apps is due in part to the rise of consumer demand for payment options on mobile phones. This is the main reason behind the increase in using mobile payment options worldwide. In the US alone more than 50% have accepted making payments through mobile phones for services and products. Consumers today are more sensitive and aware about the worth of money. They are ready to make investments on energy and time in order to find the right service or product. However, consumers prefer institutions for providing mobile payment means through wallets and apps in order to gain the confidence and trust in mobile payment security.

    At least 60% of consumers have accepted that they will become more willing to accept mobile payment apps if certain financial institutions offered them the right resources. Mobile payment apps have increased worldwide because the majority of payment resources are realizing the importance of smartphones and features that are being made. They also understand how consumers are becoming comfortable with the entire process of mobile payments today more than ever before.

    With the mass use of tablets and smartphones, the entire world is reaching the phase where everything will become mobile. We are moving away from card based and fixed point transactions and opting for mobile resources. Mobile payments examine and analyze the mobile payment state and how they will match up with the card readers. Credit card companies, traditional banks, card processors and similar institutions are seeing mobile payments as a tough competition and threat.

    The majority of brands are switching to the mobile payment mode. For example, Starbucks is switching its debit and credit card processing system to Square. Another recent development is that mobile payments are becoming a part of the huge mobile commerce market and it is bound to explode soon.

    Android phone users are engaging and using mobile payment apps and the trend has grown to 8%, a 35% increase from last year. Mobile wallet and payment solutions are at the peak of its development. Consumers are using it to make basic payments, from bill payments and account management to moving money. They are also using their phones to make payments of services and goods of limited value, including the purchasing of movie tickets or getting coffee.

    Success and rise in mobile payment apps completely depends on the changing trend in consumer behavior and their shifting reliance and dependence on the use of mobile payment apps and wallets.

  • Role of Technology in Business Expansion

    Role of Technology in Business Expansion

    Technology plays a very important role in the expansion of a business. Business technology such as social networks, virtual office technology as well as video conferencing helps in removing boundaries at work place that limit business expansion. Technology in business helps in targeting a wider customer base that help an organization grow to higher levels. Therefore, choosing, deploying and managing the information technology which is necessary for business expansion is important. This article provides information on the role of technology in business expansion as explained in the following paragraphs;

    Diversification

    The use of technology serves the purpose of opening doors to different types of people globally in the work place together with different perspectives to projects. Diversification is an essential function that a business must have to be able to compete in the global market. Through diversification a business will expand in different ways including;

    • Opening opportunities for the business to expand and operate globally.
    • Bringing people from different countries and cultures – this offers a different perspective to business projects and environment. It gives a wide variety of diverse, creative as well as unique views that helps in growth and expansion of the business.
    • A new approach of business gives the institution a competitive edge which is beneficial for growth and increased sales.

    Efficiency in Communication

    Effective communication is a basic necessity to achieve business expansion. Technology works to improve communication in the workplace. Business expansion is achieved through;

    • Interactive communication among workers in attending to clients’ needs through phone calls
    • Workers are able to use electronic mails instantly to reply and sell business products without interrupting the recipient
    • Improved communication with business partners using multiple channels of communications is an advantage for the business. This is an assurance that a business will expand at the end.

    Information Storage

    Safety and accessibility of a company’s information is important. The prospects generated and their use for the company needs to be stored safely and should be accessible to people who need it. This information will be used by;

    • Workers in the office as reference material to sell company’s products
    • Sales people use this information to teach new and existing clients about the business and its products
    •  Other business executives need to use this information even outside regular business hours

    Accessibility of business information is very important when it comes to selling its products. So, technology serves a good purpose to ensure this information is safe for future use. Deploying IT systems plays an important role in expanding companies.

    Mobility

    The use of technology in a business allows more movement of people. Business partners do not need to meet in one room to discuss essential matters concerning the business. The use of video conferencing has made the operation of business easier in the following ways;

    • It has enabled businesses all over the world to interact with one another.
    • Businesses save time, expenses and space
    • People can set up virtual meetings and distribute data without the need to be in the same room.
    • With technology businesses can establish a global presence at a fraction of the cost.
    Andrea Jayson

    Author Biography:

    Andrea is a Blogger and Write from UK. She loves to write articles on various categories like Finance, Technology, Travel and Health. As If not she is doing a research work on ukba.

  • Cloudup has been Acquired by Automatic

    Cloudup has been Acquired by Automatic

    Automatic, the renown owners of WordPress.com have taken a great step to improve blogging on WordPress.com by acquiring Cloudup.

    Cloudup is a fast, dead-simple way to share and view files on any platform (Without The Folders). In today’s world of email, social networks, SMS, chat applications and cloud services, there are plenty of ways to share share a file, folder, photo or video. And as intelligent devices and cloud computing infrastructure proliferate, and processing power and capacity improve, we expect file transfer and sharing to be speedy — and simple. Everything is about “real time” and accessibility these days (not that we’re complaining, but thanks to Twitter). Yet, file-sharing still isn’t quite there. Even with all the options — whether it be the Skypes, Facebooks, Google Drives, WeTransfers and YouSendIts of the world or the Dropboxes, etc. — We’ve still got one eye out for a better way. (Here’s xkcd putting a fine point on it.) The file sharing service to end all file sharing services.

    Dropbox has gotten the closest, gobbling up a ton of mindshare as a result, but its layout and presentation is more storage service than a simple sharing tool. In other words, you may store your photos there, but it’s probably not where you’ll go if you want to show them off. On the June 21st, 2013, CloudUp became the latest to join a younger group of services that are pushing the conversation forward when it comes to speed and simplicity — and nibbling at the heels of the incumbents.

    What’s cool about CloudUp (and distinguishes it from most apps out there) is that it focuses on converting the design of file transfer from one that makes it clear that “THIS PRODUCT IS JUST A UTILITY” to one that’s elegant and minimalist, Jony Ive-style. But the minimalism isn’t there for the sake of itself (sorry hipsters), it’s meant to bring more of the focus to consumption — to make the content the focus, not the app itself.


    Today, Cloudtop announced on their official blog that they have been acquired by Automatic (the owners of WordPress.com).

    “Today we are extremely excited to announce that Automattic, the brilliant company behind WordPress.com, has acquired Cloudup.”

    This is followed up by a blog post confirming the story on WordPress.com Blog.

    “Today we’re delighted to announce we’re acquiring Cloudup, a company that’s as fanatical about these core experiences as we are. Cloudup‘s built some fantastic technology that we can’t wait for you to try out.”

    Not only will this new service improve the quality of bloggers on WordPress.com, Automatic is set to spread their tentacles accross other services owned by the company. This means that you can as well use this service in your self-hosted wordpress blog (WordPress.org) as long as you are using the jetpack plugin.

    Credits:techcrunch ImageCredit:Cloudtop