IT Support Helps Your Business Run Smoother

There are a lot of ways that IT support can help your business run smoother. You cannot be expected to do everything on your own. Especially if you are the "be all" for your business, you need to focus on other aspects including marketing and sales. By focusing on the areas that directly affect your profits, you can ensure that your business is thriving. Someone else can provide you with the support you need for IT.

You may not be aware of all of the technology out there that can assist your business. Each and every year, new strides are being made that make it easier for businesses to run. IT support is able to tap into this technology more to provide you with more. This includes more assistance where you need it the most. For example, did you know that there are hosted phone systems that you can get where you can eliminate the need for a receptionist at the front desk?

An IT support person can walk through your business and tell you about all of the areas that can be enhanced through the addition of technology. This may cost you a little bit of money initially, but it is a wise investment. Eventually the help on your IT will allow you to enhance various aspects of your business which can save you labor and increase your profits. Both of these are good for business and will affect your bottom line in a positive way.

By having support from a third party, you get documentation and communication where you need it the most. This includes guarantees in terms of what you need to hear - such as reduced downtime on your website and that help is a phone call away so you never have to worry about IT issues that linger. Even if you are fortunate to have an IT department, they may be limited in their knowledge - and this is where your business may be at a point where it cannot grow because of their limitations.

IT support can help you with your website, your cloud server, your email, your website design and virtually anything else that you need assistance with. When you have someone who makes it their business to give you what you need in terms of IT, your business runs smoother. This is because you have dedicated people who are always looking out for you. They ensure you don't have downtime and have access to all that you need.

In today's day and age, you can't be without IT support in one capacity or another. The more support you have, the smoother everything runs. The good news is that you don't have to do it all by yourself. All it takes is raising your hand and asking for some assistance. Finding a third party company that anticipates your needs is out there - and can make a world of a difference on your business.

Formed in 1997 and located in Houston, Dallas and Austin Texas and in Dubai, ERGOS is an IT solutions provider that stays ahead of the curve, providing innovative IT services. We provide our clients the kind of service that we would want. ERGOS provides managed IT services, IT infrastructure, Cloud IT and business solutions that Power Your Business and empower your work force. Our three technology divisions, Managed IT Services, Cloud IT Solutions and Business Solutions (Web Hosting and Development, Search Engine Optimization, Business Process Analysis) will address all your IT needs.

By Jeff Weigang

Why Apple's IOS8 Operating System Should Excite Users and Developers

Apple's new iOS8 operating system was recently revealed at Apple's Worldwide Developer Conference in San Francisco.

While iOS8 may not be a game changer it certainly offers many new features for business use and should excite developers wishing to share and create applications within the new framework.

On the business front, Apple has focused on stronger security. Data protection will be expanded to more applications to enable finer control over such items as mail encryption.

The expanded data protection will include basically all pertinent apps as well as user credentials. These credentials will be protected by a pass code until after a device is unlocked following a reboot.

Apple says it is unleashing a variety of enhanced productivity tools with iOS8. Inbox mail management should be easier as a quick left or right swipe enables a user to mark messages as read or unread or flag them for follow-up.

The new calendar view enables you to see your colleague's availability to schedule a meeting, easing the effort of finding a time convenient for all parties.

Work execution will be easier with iCould Drive. Apple touts you will be able to work on any file anywhere. This will include presentations, PDFs, images and more. This will work right from the iCloud on any device you use, whether it's a MAC or PC.

Need access to corporate documents? Third party document apps can be used to access corporate file servers so you can get to the document you need right from the app you want to edit it in. Apple promises you will be able to transfer files to and from a MAC device even without an Internet connection.

Enhanced connectivity should be a great benefit. Apple says users will be able to start an email on one device and seamlessly continue it on another. iPhone users will be able to answer phone calls on their MAC or iPAD and send SMS messages from any of them.

Those who use photos will enjoy the ability to edit and organize every photo one takes on all your devices though the iCould photo library.

Messaging too will have new features. You can add your own voice into a text message and send a video of what you see as you are seeing it.

Should you wish to workout with colleagues, the health and fitness apps will utilize an easy to read dashboard to share communication with friends, your trainer and even your doctor.

"Spotlight" will serve as a type of answer search engine. It will provide information from Wikipedia and offer trending news and more.

IT departments will have better data and device management tools. iOS8 has more ways to manage information securely without burdening employees with complex rules and work personas. IT staff can now push iBooks, ePub and PDF documents automatically to user devices using mobile device management, MDM, tools. Users should have access to what they need when they need it.

These new tools will give developers deeper access and even more to work with. This will include new keyboard options and still more ways to share content.

Developers will find the ability to create and utilize apps that communicate with other an exciting enticement as Apple pushes the boundaries with this new innovation.

By Marc Arbesman

Scrum Transformation: How Transparency Is Offered

I was having a conversation with a good friend of mine over "transparency" and the effect of Social Media. It amazes me how the new generation so easily communicate their day to day activities and how they feel with no fear. With the help of technology they are a generation of openness.

Yet organizations have not caught on to this. To transition to scrum you need a dedication and commitment to transparency. It is not only one of the five scrum values, it is crucial to the success of any transformation. With openness there is trust. Without trust your project is doomed to chaos and potentially fail. In scrum, transparency is offered through the scrum ceremonies. Let's walk through these.

Sprint Planning:

In sprint planning the team and product owner work together in determining what work will get pulled into the sprint. The team should openly communicate when a story is too large or not ready to pull into the sprint. Design approach is established, tasks are openly defined. The team communicates what they plan to deliver. They also communicate what criteria defines done for them.

Daily Stand Up:

The stand up is yet another opportunity for transparency. It is all about sharing information and identifying dependencies. The team should discuss how and what they plan on doing that day. This is all about communicating the plan of the day and what blockers or impediments the team has crossed. The power of the stand up is often under estimated. Many new teams feel it is unnecessary, not really understanding the value it offers.

Demo (Review):

The demo is held at the end of each sprint and facilitated by the product owner or scrum master. It is all about showing the product owner, stakeholders, and or sponsors the work that was completed. The team shares the work that was committed, the challenges over come and listens for feed back. Sponsors, stakeholders, and or product owners provide open feed back to the team. It is important to understand this ceremony is an exchange, and not an opportunity to thrash the team or hide behind requirements. It should have a cooperative and friendly feel.

Retrospective:

The retrospective is an opportunity for the team to openly discuss what went wrong, and how they can improve. It is a tool to review and improve the dynamics and processes of the team. This is another ceremony not used properly and sometimes not performed. If used correctly it should motivate and help solidify the team.

By Leonor Urena

Understanding Shopify and How to Get the Most of It

Starting a small business is one of the best things that you can always do. Being an entrepreneur requires one to always think outside the box and come with solutions that are really good. Entrepreneurship is a very dynamic process that changes rapidly. For instance, starting good business years ago is very different from starting a business today. The biggest factor that has challenged this process is that of technology. Today, for a business to do really well, it is very important for the entrepreneur to think of the best way to incorporate technology into it. Failure to do this will lead the business being outdone by the vicious competitors. Therefore, this article explains a few details about Shopify and how to get the most out of it.

Shopify is a dynamic web application that allows a person to come up with a good web store that he can sell anything imaginable, from goods to services. For one to effectively use Shopify, there is no need to be technical but a lot of interest in trying to discover new things. The good thing is that you do not need to shut down your brick and mortar business model to incorporate Shopify and e-commerce into it. You can still decide to use the two models and creates a better company.

There are many advantages for using Shopify for e-commerce. One, using Shopify for e-commerce is cheap and affordable. Any business can afford to get the services of Shopify. This is simply because the charges go from less than $40 per month . As such, anyone can afford this service. You should note that in the past, e-commerce website designs used to cost a lot of money such that many entrepreneurs were locked out of the industry. Secondly, using Shopify is very easy. All you need is to create an account, get a theme and place in your items. The shopping cart has been designed and all you will have to do is to put your specific details for payment. In addition, thousands of e-commerce stores are now using Shopify as their base platform. The ratings from these firms are very impressive.

To implement a good Shopify strategy, it is very important for one to get a good designer who has been in the industry for a long time. The benefit of this is that when you have an expert, various things are bound to happen. For instance with a good Shopify web designer you will be at a better chance to get a custom designed theme which goes in line with your company's theme. In addition, when you have a good Shopify designer, search engine optimization will be enhanced. As such, it will be very possible for you to rank very high in the search engines. This will have two important benefits to your company. One, you will increase the margins of the business by reducing the cost of marketing. You will also be available to many people without any payment. This will reduce the customer acquisition cost.

By Annie Mishra 

The Top 10 Reasons to Pay for IT Support

IT support may not be something that you WANT to pay for, but there are lots of reasons why you should. You may be trying to do it on your own. Or you may have individuals on staff that is providing it for you. Either way, it can be advantageous to outsource your IT so that you can enjoy better IT services.
Here are 10 good reasons why you want to pay for your IT support.

1. It's more affordable. You may not want to believe it, but by working with a third party, you can actually spend less on your IT than paying someone on your staff to focus on it 40 hours a week. And if you pay more than one individual, that's even more money.
2. You get more. With IT support from a third party, you get to tap into all of the services that they have. You may currently be limited by what your employees (or you) can do. As soon as you reach out for support, you can do more for your company.
3. Offer a better product to your customers. When your customers go to your website, they want a service. If your website is lacking, they may not be able to pay online or order online. As soon as you get support, you begin offering a better product.
4. Eliminate downtime. With IT support, you can eliminate or dramatically reduce downtime. If your IT department doesn't know what they are doing, you may have downtime when upgrades are being made. If they take too long, you may lose a lot of money.
5. Eliminate staff. You can eliminate a lot of unnecessary staff because of learning how to use technology to your advantage. This includes your receptionist thanks to hosted phone solutions.
6. Help is a phone call away. There are going to be times when you need to know how to do something. If you have IT support, you can pick up the phone and get answers.
7. Issues won't linger. The moment you need help, help is dispatched to you. This is simply because you are paying to get your problems fixed.
8. Get the documentation you need. It's important to get a guarantee on your downtime and everything else. If you aren't paying a third party, you don't get this guarantee.
9. Use technology more efficiently. Technology is everywhere you look, but it may not be in use where you need it the most. Let IT support tell you how to enhance your business with all of the latest software and all of the latest process management that is currently out on the market.
10. Utilize your time better. You don't have time to focus on every aspect of IT, which means you should hand it off to someone else. The money that you spend in IT services will come back to because of being able to work on more projects - and even enhance your sales so that you can increase profits.

Formed in 1997 and located in Houston, Dallas and Austin Texas and in Dubai, ERGOS is an IT solutions provider that stays ahead of the curve, providing innovative IT services. We provide our clients the kind of service that we would want. ERGOS provides managed IT services, IT infrastructure, Cloud IT and business solutions that Power Your Business and empower your work force. Our three technology divisions, Managed IT Services, Cloud IT Solutions and Business Solutions (Web Hosting and Development, Search Engine Optimization, Business Process Analysis) will address all your IT needs.

By Jeff Weigang

3 Major Benefits of Custom Software Application Development

Computer applications have reduced human effort significantly, apart from also improving service delivery within organizations. Many businesses have in the past adopted custom software solutions for diverse operations. The main aim of using these programs is streamlining business functions and enhancing the overall operational efficiency. In order to undertake custom software application development your firm needs to put together a team is comprising of a system analyst and programmer/custom software developer. You can also choose to hire custom software development companies to help you.

There are several advantages of utilizing custom software programs within an organization. These include:

1) Coordinating Business Processes

Business Web applications enable firms to achieve coordination of various processes, through a central information repository, an act that boosts communication in different departments. Various stakeholders can utilize the centralized software in the firm, which enhances efficiency and service delivery. Developers of custom business software analyze organizational needs then come up with software best customized for the firm.

2) Updating New Content

Your company can update as well as manipulate content within custom business web applications. This provides them with an avenue to host new, accurate details on the website. Such applications help your firm to keep up with the latest industry trends. A web developer can easily install new tools plus designs in websites that are already customized. A fresh and regularly updated online presence will help your firm to not only retain old clients but also attract new ones.

3) Integrating Business Functions

Software developers design custom mobile apps while having your company in mind. These programs are crafted to fit into your organization's processes without a glitch. Their aim is to integrate the multiple functions performed by your staff within the organization. Users of custom mobile applications need not try fitting their processes into a different application. Management and employees both get relieved by the gains which come from adopting custom mobile apps. Procedures for training are easy, as employees would have been acquainted with the processes used.

It is in fact your staff that designs the custom software applications utilized by your organization. As a result, your business firm will not require obtaining any licenses in order to operate them, since it owns the license and rights of using that software. This means your company can do anything with it. Custom software application development comes in handy especially where huge numbers of personnel get to use them for free. An additional benefit is that your company will also not require any authorization when conducting changes in future to accommodate business growth.

By Harikrishna B. Patel

Technology: A Bad Servant or Good Master?

It is indeed well known that technology has been a good servant in that it has made many contributions. Advances in healthcare, education, crime detection, greater business efficiency, improved communications, life enrichment, saved time, and given us the opportunity to have fun such as that involving the personal computer...

However (and it's a very big however), technology has also been described as a bad master for a number of disturbing reasons. So fasten your safety belts folks it's going to get bumpy; here's an overview of those disturbing reasons.

Surveillance and the police state

Following the revelations of Edward Snowden and the extent to which we are under surveillance, it confirms that like a runaway train heading for dystopia we have gone beyond the point of no return: Phone hacking, Global Positioning Satellites (GPS), smart meters of sorts, CCTV cameras (1 for every 11 people in the UK), online chat media monitoring, face recognition technology, plans for cashless societies, cars where there will be no drivers... every brave new world gadget and gismo unwittingly ensnares us.

-Every communication device is spied on. No whisper undetected...

And it doesn't end there. The human micro-chipping agenda continues developing. Then there are plans to have cars fitted with black boxes and V2 transmitters designed to record and track performance data: Monitoring speed, location, direction, gear box and break usage, driver or passenger ID.

Ford motor cars Vice President Jim Farley confessed in so many words that we are already aware of who breaks the law when and how, all this because of the GPS in your car.

Don't fall for the effrontery that these things are only there for your own safety and if you are a law abiding citizen then there's nothing to worry about...

-This glib Orwellian doublespeak belies the fact that the elite hidden powers that be with their enslavement agenda know that they're going to make some pretty darn unpopular decisions and the surveillance and control is there to deal with the anticipated backlash from those 'troublesome people.' You will not have any privacy in the Imperial government Big Brother state.

Drones

Operated by someone sat at a computer, unmanned drones will soon occupy the skies in numbers. Like something out of the Spielberg sci-fi film "Minority Report" they will have the ability to detect body movements day or night, see through walls, recognize faces, take over or spy on emails, text messages and web surfing habits...

The war machine

Armed military drones have been used to seek out and kill the enemy. What you're not told in mainstream media is that reports have come through from medics that the damage done by these drones can mean something like 30% of the deaths or serious injuries were innocent men, women and children.

Electromagnetic Frequencies (EMF's)

Vested commercial interest has tried its hardest to keep the lid on the fact that low frequency electromagnetic radiation such as that produced from cell phones and Wi-Fi can lead to some serious health problems such as depression and cancer. Evidence for this includes "The 2012 Bio-initiative Report" documenting 1000's of pages where ill health has resulted from overuse...

Killing social behaviour

It has been said that technology is killing social behaviour through real human interaction getting substituted for too many communications by emails, text messages and social media websites. Indeed, the latter does not have the qualities of the former so loneliness and for some withdrawn behaviour sets in...

Distraction

Technology has served to distract the masses. Instead of realizing the woes of the world then getting up and doing something that makes a difference many have got lost in endless distraction like those people for example addicted to computer games. Some have formed an inability to focus through too much technology usage.

The hidden powers that be know this and it's been one of their secret weapons.

Dependency

Perhaps the greatest pandemonium for the world could be if some kind of planetary situation happened that would cause the electronics to go down...

To sound off

What's needed is for more people to wake up and realize that technology is used to enslave us. Those aware need to spread the word en masse. As a result more and more awakened individuals will turn away from bad master technology then through their inner being create thoughts, feelings, emotions, meditation, affirmations and prayers... that will produce a different outcome to the one planned by the hidden powers that be.

A real intention to want to make this happen must not be underestimated. To 'spread the word' and do one's 'inner work' are the crucial ingredients needed to create a different reality that will take us into a new paradigm experience based on love, peace and light.

By Paul A Philips

How To Choose A 3D Etching Machine

As far as the potential applications of three-dimensional printing technology go, 3D etching is one of the least accessible areas to the average layman or woman with the appropriate software and a cheap home printer. This particular strand of the technology requires a degree of expertise and precision that continues to restrict it to professionals in the sector.

Even these pros, however, are not always 100% sure of what they are doing. Much like everyone else, they are sometimes fallible. That is why they are careful to make provisions in order to ensure that the 3D etching process they set in motion goes without a hitch. One of the most important contributions they can make towards this goal is to pick the right kind of hardware for the job.

How To Pick The Right Machine

The choice of the best 3D etching machine for any given business is far from linear. Much like the purchasing process for other highly specialised items of machinery, it involves referencing, reading reviews, consulting with other industry specialists, defining the business's needs and, overall, a lot of browsing.

What this means is that printing and engraving professionals should never settle for the first or cheapest machine of this type they see on the market. Doing so may appear to make the process easier at first, but can prove costly should the hardware turn out to not at all be what they need. A little thought can go a long way in this regard, and industry professionals shopping for equipment should keep this in mind.

In order to ascertain which kind of machine is right for them, professionals should therefore start by answering a few questions regarding which materials the equipment in question will be working on, and which of the numerous 3D etching techniques it will be using. Some of these techniques have hardware built especially for them, so professionals who think - or know - they will be using these forms of the technique might be best served by seeking one of these out.

Once the technical specifications are defined, it is also important to consider the volume of output the machine will be dealing with. A small, home-based printer may do well with a desktop-sized machine, but a larger print shop is likely to need a mid-range or even industrial one. Features such as a high-speed scanner and the ability to produce large-scale objects should also be kept an eye out for.

Finally, it is important that potential buyers take the time to read reviews, procure opinions from colleagues, engage in a bit of comparative shopping, and above all check the terms and conditions of the warranties and certificates. Only by ensuring all these steps, in conjunction with the measures detailed above, can they make 100% sure that the machine they are buying is the right one for them, and not simply a waste of money.

By George Berdichevsky

Benefits of a Premium VZ Server

Companies around the world are turning to premium vz servers to help them manage their website, emails and more. These servers are an ideal solution because they reduce the need for managing a number of dedicated servers, offering an easy to use system which can be accessed with ease from every computer in the office.

The premium vz servers enable you to host a number of different domain names and email addresses in one place, this offers a cost effective solution for any company. It also reduces the amount of technical maintenance needed, reducing your software maintenance costs dramatically.

One of the main advantages to choosing this type of server is that you have less downtime, which is exceptionally important if you're hosting your website. You want your customers to have access to your site twenty four hours a day, if your site is down more than it's up, your customers will start looking elsewhere for the products and services that they require.

For companies that are looking for ways to reduce their carbon footprint, then the premium vz server is the ideal solution. Because it doesn't require a host of dedicated servers, it dramatically reduces energy consumption. This not only lowers your monthly energy bill, but also enables you to control your carbon footprint effectively.

Many business owners are a little concerned about using this type of method to store their information, emails and site, but these are safe and secure, they are also easy to update, often with a software package which is designed to make this process easy and secure at all times.

The aim of every company around the world is to grow, so you can get a premium vz server which can accommodate you as you start your new business venture and grow with you, accommodating your requirements and growth along the way. This is such a huge benefit for many companies, as it won't require you change providers, but rather that your provider has taken steps to ensure your server will grow with you.

Another of the major benefits to this option is speed. You want your customers to enjoy fast access to your website, you want to be able to access the server quickly and you want fast speeds at all times. These products can provide this on every computer you use to access the server. They come in different package options, enabling you to determine the size and bandwidth you need for the fastest speeds available.

One of the biggest problems companies face these days is loss of data. You have your website developed, put it online and then something goes wrong and you lose everything. This isn't only frustrating, but can cost you time, energy and money. The premium vz servers are quick and easy to backup, ensuring that should you lose relevant information or accidentally delete something you weren't meant to, you can restore it within minutes without losing anything.

Finally, a very important note and benefit about premium vz servers is that they come with customer support. If you are stuck at any stage, whether you're making changes or trying to access your server, there is always someone on hand that can help you through the process.

Knowing you have customer support behind you at all times can make a huge difference to which company you use when making your purchase. Always ensure they offer outstanding customer support at all times, this way you will always have peace of mind that you have your own on-call technician who can talk you through the process and ensure your server is running perfectly all the time.

By Ihtisham Mohammed

Cloud Computing In a Nutshell

We all heard the term 'Cloud Computing' and we've all probably said Cloud this or Cloud that at some point in time, but what is the 'Cloud' and how can it help me?
Don't you just hate it when there is a new trend and everybody is talking about it like they invented it? They'll usually use complicated verbiage to try and confuse you as much as possible into buying or overpaying for something you might not need at all or at least not at the volume they are trying to sell to you. Well, I can promise you that won't happen here.
So what is Cloud Computing? Cloud Computing is a way of using a collection of servers and storage to do what you would normally need to do but without the need to house and maintain the server(s) yourself. With the use of a 'Cloud', you can now run an entire business without ever maintaining a server or storage unit yourself or with the aid of an on-site IT professional. Some might ask, "What's so good about that?" Well, it increases efficiency, improves cash flow and a lot of other benefits I will review shortly.
Before I dive into the benefits, we need to start with knowing what a 'Cloud' is made of? Now this might get a bit boring, so let's just walk through the basics... and quickly.
First you need a platform. Since Cloud computing is basically a virtualization evolution, it needs to run on a virtualization platform. I won't dive into this because then it will just become a Wikipedia page. In short, you take multiple machines that are connected together and virtually make them into 1 machine using an application/software.
Once we chose the platform, we need to run it on some hardware. Dell, HP and IBM are currently the giants within the Enterprise IT industry that most 'Cloud Computing' uses for hardware. Due to the level at which their hardware is used, you can expect the same from their proprietary software. Most IT professionals who maintain these virtual environments will probably be most familiar with those brands since it's the most common.
The last segment is the network configuration. A Single cloud node will act like a management platform that can manage all the different zones in multiple geographic areas, from a single point.
And that is basically all you need to build a cloud. Now that we've analyzed the ingredients (only the basics so far but if you're interested in the individual components that make up the cloud let me know and I'll go over them in more detail J) let's touch on some of the benefits.
So what are some of the benefits of Cloud computing?
1. Security, mainly disaster recovery services - When you start using cloud computing, you can kiss your entire disaster recovery plan goodbye. If you have a cold site it's one thing but if you have a hot site, man you have probably spent a LOT of money! And I mean A LOT. Cloud computing will take care of most of the issues that interrupt a website and will do it faster as well. An industry average of 2.1 hours. Compared to 8 hours?! Wow.
2. Software Updates - Have you ever measured how long it takes you, as a server administrator, to run updates on all your servers? Well, days and even weeks, in accumulate. Cloud computing suppliers do the server maintenance, freeing this time so you can do something more productive for your business.
3. Flexibility - Are you running out of space? You need more bandwidth? Pick up the phone and start dialing. That's all that it will take for you to get more bandwidth or storage. No need to redesign your network with a new server purchase, deployment, and maintenance plan. Not anymore.
4. Server access - As long as you have one, you can access your data from anywhere!
5. Data Security - You lost your laptop? Someone stole your rack server? Your workstation caught fire? Bummer! But what if there was this crazy option that despite all this bad luck, your data won't be lost and is still accessible via any device that has an internet connection? See #4, now there is.
There are many more benefits, but those are the ones that are the most appealing, in my opinion.
I do believe that Cloud computing is here for the better and not so long from now, everything will be online via cloud. But it's not going to happen tomorrow and not this year. This is still a long and patient process. In the meantime there are suppliers currently providing all the equipment to create your own cloud, consultancy on how to run and maintain it, including deployment, support, mission critical on-site and backups.
Thank you for reading this long article. I hope this has helped you understand a little bit more about what is that trend called 'Cloud Computing', hopefully before you started spending.

By Yuri Aberfeld

How Much A/V Equipment Do You Need For Your Corporate Event?

Small Event

A small event is one with 30 attendees or less, or one held at a venue such as an office space or restaurant. For an event that size, small-scale equipment is usually sufficient. The setup options are:

• For a smaller room: One speaker to play audio from the computer, plus one projector and projector screen to display visuals.


• For a larger room around 30+ attendees: Two speakers (one left, one right) in the front of the room, a projector and projector screen centered in the middle, and a wireless microphone to reinforce the speaker's voice.


• Wireless slide advancers should be offered to streamline the presenter's process to move forward and back through the slideshow.

Mid-Sized Event

If your event is expecting 50-200 attendees, you are dealing with a mid-sized event in terms of your audiovisual needs. The venues for these types of events include hotel banquet rooms, larger private dining rooms, larger office meeting rooms, and outdoor venues. The AV setup needs to ensure that each member of the audience sees and hears clearly.

Setup Options:

• The suggested setup includes one speaker on each side plus a mid-range power projector and a medium to large screen set up in the center.


• For large rooms, two screens on each side may be necessary, and the presenter should be outfitted with a wireless microphone to ensure optimal audio coverage.


• Often lighting and truss is used to set the ambience, especially if the room's built-in lighting, usually fluorescents, is not wanted.

Large Event

Larger venues are those that can hold anywhere from a few hundred to thousands of attendees, and thus call for more powerful A/V equipment. These venues include stadiums, auditoriums, tradeshows, convention centers, main banquet rooms, exhibits, outdoor arenas, and more. Even with the most sophisticated equipment, a traditional front left and right speaker setup will likely not be sufficient. In addition to the above listed setup for the small to mid-size venues, the following might be needed:

• Side fills may be used to provide sound for those in the audience farther back from the stage, in addition to more than two projectors


• In order for the speakers and presenters on stage to be seen, staging and risers are also generally necessary.


• In terms of lighting, this is where the setup becomes more complex and advanced as well. While conventional, non-moving lights are often used for presentations and seminars, moving, automated lights are popular in a live show scenario.

When planning your event and consulting with an A/V company in order to get the necessary equipment, always take the time to consider attendance and venue size. You want to make sure that you don't order more, or less, than what you really need.

By Alexander G Brink

Champion 2000W Inverter Generator

The Champion 2000W inverter generator, along with the rest of the range, represents excellent value for money. They are reliable, well built and extremely quiet. They definitely give the big two manufacturers a run for their money. Champion seem to have decided that the only way for them to achieve their aims is to be reliable, give good customer service and provide value for money. They appear to have achieved their aims. If you read through the many reviews given by owners of these machines you will find that the vast majority of buyers love their little Champion.

A serious consideration, given the quality of the reviews received, has got to be the price. For the price of a 2000 watt unit from the market leader you could almost buy two Champion 2000W Inverter Generators. Now this is actually a very good idea. The generators are stackable and if connected together with the optional cable you can double the output. By reading the reviews of the Champion 2000W inverter generator you will see that even with two of these generators running, normal conversation is not affected at all.

Just like the 'big two' market leaders generators, the stated wattage, in this case 2000 watts, is a maximum output. No generators are happy to be run flat out all the time. A more sensible running output would be around 1500 to 1600 watts at 120 volts. This is where dual connected generators score big time. If you're using the generator for just a few lights plus TV and battery charging etc you can run just a single unit, saving money on gas. However, if you are holidaying in a RV you may wish to run the air conditioning. This will require the second generator to be hooked up.

It is a fact that if you choose to buy the market leaders 3000 watt unit, you are going to have to spend around $2000. If, on the other hand you were to buy two Champion 2000W inverter generators you could get change from $1200! An added benefit is that the well known brand is extremely heavy at 130 pounds, not easy for a single person to lift. The Champion 2000W on the other hand weighs less than 55 pounds, easy to lift and move.

Key features of the Champion 2000W Inverter Generator.

• True sine wave inverter generator.
• Save fuel by using economy mode.
• Overload protection.
• Up to 9.5 hours run time at 25% load.
• Weighs just under 50lbs.
• Emissions: CARB compliant- 50 State.
• Easy pull recoil start.
• Automatic low oil shut-off sensor.
• USDA approved spark arrestor.
• Stackable design.
• Parallel capability. Connect two units together for double output.
• Very quiet in operation, around 53 decibels.
• Separate 12 volt connection for battery charging.
• Two year guarantee

You'll notice that these features are typical of much more expensive models than the Champion. Another thing that Champion has in common with the two market leaders is the quality of the reviews provided by real people that have purchased this model. The only thing that Champion does not have in common with the two big boys, is the price.

If you are looking into the pro's and con's of the different makes of generator, you need to look at the Champion range. Their prices are extremely competitive and you can have confidence in the reviews left by customers who actually own one. Tailgating, camping, RV, sports pitchers, motorcycle sport? You name it, you can only benefit if you have your own independent power.

By Stewart Haynes 

How to Work Amongst IT Professionals

After you have graduated from college, you will be ready to work amongst all of the other IT professionals in the world. It may be daunting to enter into a company where you know there will be a lot of other professionals staring you down every day. It is not something that you should feel nervous about because you have to remember that you just graduated and therefore you are knowledgeable about all of the latest technology. You have something unique to bring to the table.

A lot of companies searching for IT professionals are looking for younger people simply because they want a fresh outlook on things. They are looking for younger people to shake things up and change the overall working environment. This means that, straight out of school, you have a good chance of being hired by one of these companies.

It's important to realize that a single opening at an IT company can result in hundreds if not thousands of resumes. You will submit your resume to the company for the opening, but your resume may get lost in the shuffle. If you do this over and over again, you may find yourself looking for a job for months on end.

One of the easiest ways to work with other IT professionals is to network. You need to get on to social media with Facebook and even LinkedIn to tell people what you are capable of doing. Reach out to your network and let people know that you are looking to find a good job in an IT department somewhere. The professionals within your network may be able to assist you considerably. If they cannot find you work, they may be able to find you a contract job or tell you about something that can improve your resume - and thus your chances of being seen in the pile of resumes.

A new trend within the IT industry is working with recruiters. If you work with a recruiting company that specializes in IT jobs, you can find a job a lot faster in many instances. This is because the recruiter is working with IT companies and they have a long list of the openings that these companies are looking for. The recruiter has a vested interest in hiring for these positions because they receive money for each person that they hire.

The important thing is not to sell yourself short. You have an education and therefore you have a right to work within the IT industry area you have a lot to offer because you have just gone to school for two years or longer and focused on information technology. You may also have some additional skills to offer - graphic design, website design, SEO, Internet marketing, or something else. They should all be included on your resume and told to your recruiter to ensure that they help you find the best job.

After that, it won't be long before you are working amongst the IT professionals and considered a professional yourself.

Whitaker is one of the nation's most respected names in professional recruiting. Our national staffing companies provide the highest quality direct-hire, temporary and consulting staffing solutions for a wide variety of enterprises and organizations in three areas of disciplinary focus -healthcare, information technology and engineering / technical professionals. Within these areas of specialization, we provide staffing solutions for key positions that require premium credentials and where demand is high.

By Jeff Weigang

Are You Being Tracked?

The answer to that question is yes. If you use a computer or a cell phone you are being tracked. For this article when I say "tracked" I mean your internet surfing habits, what site you visit, how long you stay on that site and what pages you look at and if you make a purchase. I will discuss location tracking in another article.

All of the major search engines track your movements on the internet. Some do this directly and some will contract with third party companies that specialize in internet tracking. Did you ever wonder why you just received an email from an on-line merchant offering you a deal on a pair of shorts, when yesterday you were on-line looking at a different site for a pair of shorts? Or maybe a deal on a pair of shoes or shirt that will go with those shorts. Without getting too technical, the tracking companies track your habits, then they sell that information to the search companies that will generate advertising that you will get either by email or the next time you are on the web you will see that ad for shorts.

So can you stop the search engines from tracking you? I think the short answer is NO, you can't stop all tracking. But you can do things that will dramatically cut down the tracking.

To stop companies and search engines from tracking, you can try either of the below companies:

• Ghostery - Their web site says that they will educate you as to who is tracking you, then you can make the decision to stop them or not.
• Abine's Do Not Track Me - They say that will stop all known trackers and show you who they are. They also have another program that will mask your email.

Most tracking happens when you use search engines to search for something. To stop that tracking try these search engines:

• DuckDuckGo - This search engine will not track or log any of your internet searches, they use a proxy that gathers search results from multiple search engines then displays them to you.
• Ixquick - This also is a non-tracking search engine who will not track or log your web searching.

Big internet Companies like Google®, Yahoo® and Microsoft® have to make money to stay in business so that they can provide you with a rich internet experience and help you find what you are looking for. Selling ads is one way they do this.

By George Uliano

Smart Watches Rise In Demand As 45 Million Expected To Be Shipped By 2017

The high-tech device set to witness a gigantic 350% growth by the end of 2014

Watches today have got a new term added to them-SMART. The evolution of smart watches changed the purpose of using watches vastly; the current users of these watches get everything updated just by clicking the screen on their wrist. Gone are days when watches were mere time showing devices; they are today highly upgraded technology devices which are expected to have a mammoth growth in sales from being the present small sector. The sales of these smart watches are expected to cross a whopping 350% by the end of this year and if the experts are to be trusted, this is just the start.

The smart watch industry recorded a shipment of 20,000 wearable branded devices by the first half of 2013. The same shipment numbers jumped by a brow raising 700% and recorded a shipment of 1.6 million devices including different brands. These devices are getting more famous among its users as the count of tech geeks using these wearable devices is increasing around the globe. The shipments are estimated to close at over 8 million by the end of 2014. The device is predicted to have an additional 15 million sales just within a year as the shipment units are bound to reach a massive 23 million by the close of 2015.

Fitness monitoring is the leading application used in these smart watch devices and though the number of users today is relatively low; it is sure to jump as health awareness and healthcare segment is developing fast thus making the utilization of such advanced technology for constant monitoring necessary. According to the market research, specialists from the segment indicate that the current year 2014 will be the game changer for these smart brands and place their demands to unprecedented rates for the years to come.

As stated before, fitness is the major concentrated segment for this smart watch market as personal self-health monitoring was first made a reality in early 2013. Fit-bit launched the first health tracker and holds a dominating share of 58% of the total market demand since its introduction in the year 2013. The company has its variants such as Flex and Force which had massive introductions in May and October respectively. The smart wearable maker is followed by Jawbone UP which holds a 21% market share and Nike's Fuel-band range of devices with a share of 13%.

As per the shipment records of these hi-tech devices; Samsung rules the industry with its Galaxy Gear product that held a share of 54% by the second half of 2013. The maker pushed this product with a nickname "Smart Band" which as expected turned into a craze among its users. The list is followed by Sony with a 19% share and Pebble which posted 16% sales for the year 2013. Other companies together displayed a notable performance with an 11% sale.

Licia Margarete has a passion for writing and has chosen it as her full time profession; she is a Content Analyst at Bharat Book Bureau; a market information aggregator. This organization provides vital data in the form of research reports, country reports and company profiles from across industries all around the world. Licia is an experience hand at drafting informative content as she is doing it since last 5 years. Lifestyle, Travel, Food and Drinks, Technology, Manufacturing are some of the topics that interest her the most.

By Licia Margarete

Microsoft Word: Changing Your Document View

I love looking at an online map and having the choice of a traditional view or a satellite one. It is easier for me to find my route on a traditional view, but I also have the ability to see what the building I am looking for and the area around it actually looks like.

Have you used different views in Microsoft Word? Just like online maps, Word has more than one option when it comes to viewing a document.

Microsoft Word provides us with five different ways to view our documents. The default one is called 'Print Layout.' This shows how the text will look on each printed page and is invaluable when you are getting ready to print. This is, however, one of the last steps of word processing. The first step is to get all your ideas onto the document. Type all your text before you worry about how it looks on the page.

I recommend using 'Draft' or 'Outline' for the early stages of document creation. You will be able to see more text on your screen and you won't get side tracked by page elements like images, headers, or footers.

To change to one of these views, go to the View ribbon and choose a command in the Document Views group, or go to the right side of the status bar. Your status bar runs along the bottom of your screen. The right side of it may contain information like the page you are on, or how many words your document contains. The right side of it has the View buttons and the Zoom bar. If you hover your mouse above the buttons, a screen tip will appear to tell you the name of each view. You can also add the view buttons to your Quick Access Tool bar or use keyboard shortcuts, such as:

Alt + Ctrl + p - Pint Layout view.

Alt + Ctrl + o - Outline view.

Alt + Ctrl + n - Draft view. The Draft view used to be called the Normal view, hence the use of the letter 'n.'

Open a document and change to the Draft view.

To the left of your document you will see the style area. This does exactly what it suggests; it shows you the paragraph style that has been attached to each paragraph. If you want to change the style, double-click on the name of the current style to open the Style dialog box. From here you can select a different style or modify the existing one.

Applying a style to a paragraph is not really formatting. Once you have typed all your text and are ready to look at how it will present itself on each page, you may want to modify how the styles look. This would be formatting.

TIP: The width of the style area can be changed in the Word options.

1. File tab, Options

2. Advanced, Display group

3. Style area width in Draft and Outline views

4. Adjust the size

5. OK

If you are working with multiple heading levels, you may prefer to work in the Outline view. This also has the style area on the left, but has the added bonus of allowing you to collapse and expand the heading levels, so the text under each heading is hidden.

The Outline view allows you to easily rearrange your document by simply dragging paragraphs and headings to a new location in the document.

Choose the correct view to match your document creation needs.

Use the Print Layout view when you want to see what your document will look like when it is printed. You will see all the page elements like headers, footers and graphics.

Use the Draft View when you are concentrating on the text of a document. It will show you a single page with simple text format only. This not only helps you avoid being sidetracked by graphics and other page elements, it also lets you view more text on one screen.

As with anything new, using a different view may take a little while to get used to. Don't let this deter you. Saving the Print Layout view until you have created your text will help you work smart not hard.

Reen Rose is an empowerment expert who believes in aiding businesses of all sizes, by helping individuals and teams acquire the skills they need to be happy and successful in their work. She is an experienced Microsoft Certified Trainer, Microsoft Office Specialist Master and a Myers Briggs certified practitioner.

By Reen Rose

How to Decide If Scribe Is Right for You

When it's time to buy software for your company, you need to do the research. Regardless of whether you have one office or a hundred, you don't want to roll something out only to find out that it is not right. This means you have to figure out whether the various programs are going to be beneficial. Scribe is a great program that is designed for data migration and data integration. To ensure it is right for you, there are some ways to go about this.

One of the first things that you need to do is schedule a demonstration with a software provider. This ensures you get to see how the software works in person. While there may be websites where you can see a quick video or some screenshots, this only shows you what a company wants you to see. It is more advantageous to get into the program on your own to see how it works and what it is capable of.

During the demo, you can ask a lot of questions to find out how easy it will be to perform various tasks. You may want to find out how easy it is for Scribe to convert from one format to another - and the demonstrator can show you on the spot so you walk away from the demo with all of your questions answered.

You need to be honest about what features you desire out of your software. This means you should familiarize yourself with all of the potential features available and then check to see which ones are relevant to your company. You can then ensure you buy the right software without the need to upgrade a few years down the road.

Compare Scribe to some of the other programs that are out there as well. No matter how you feel about the software and how much you think it will change the way you run your business, it's important to make some comparisons. This will allow you to gain confidence with your decision knowing that you have already looked into the other ones out there.

It is also a good idea to invite others that you work with to check out the program. They may find flaws in a program that you don't. Remember that you are not the only one working with it, so it is important that everyone is on board with rolling out new software. Since everyone will be using it, it will only be fair to involve a few different departments in the decision.

Cost and features are going to be the main items to focus on. If you can afford Scribe and it has all the features you need, proceed. Before you buy from just anyone, be sure they will provide you with the support you need during the rollout phase as well as whenever you have a question. This will ensure you get the best software for your company - and you know who to turn to when there are issues.

Houston-based CRMatic allows you to take control of your customers with a CRM (Customer Relationship Management) software system! CRMatic is Houston's premier CRM software provider because we offer a wide variety of CRM software solutions and provide the necessary consulting services to customize any system to match the way your company does business.

By Jeff Weigang