The mobile phone has had more impact on daily life than any other object of the past decade. It’s changed how and where most Britons communicate, spawned a global industry in hardware and software – and because it’s killed the phone box, it’s even changed our landscapes, too.Changes in mobile technology also mean that there’s never an excuse for not knowing your train was cancelled, that the idea of being out of email contact is increasingly implausible, and that taking pictures of any event, good or bad, is just a matter of grabbing your phone.
But while the possibilities are endless, the market is crowded. Touchscreens, pioneered by Apple and its iPhone, are rapidly starting to dominate the top of the market, but many users stick doggedly to handsets with physical keyboards. The global sales of “feature phones”, with traditional dialling keypads and more limited features, remain strong because they’re now so inexpensive.As the market has begun to mature, too, there are now emerging trends for ultra-luxury mobile phones made by companies such as Vertu, with extraordinary standards of handmade craftsmanship genuinely akin to that of expensive watches. And fashion is playing an increasing role in the design of handsets as objects of aspiration.If you’re setting out to buy or upgrade a mobile phone, however, there are three crucial questions to consider: what do you want to do with it, how much do you want to pay and which network do you want to be on?
The first question is simply not one that would have been asked a few years ago. iPhones and handsets made using Google’s Android operating system now let you listen to music, surf the web, check emails and watch films. Phone calls and text messages are old hat. The downside is fairly miserable battery life – 24 hours is unusual, by comparison with four or five days for a mid-market, basic handset. So a world of apps, movies and permanent connectivity is balanced by a need to charge everything more often.Those apps, the small pieces of software you can download to augment the functions built in to a mobile phone, are also a growing and much-publicised part of mobile phones. Whether it is mobile gaming using Facebook or getting the cheapest deals on shopping, they can make enormous differences. eBay’s new app, for instance, allows you to scan any bar code and then see if it is available cheaper on the site’s global marketplace. Such technology unleashes new economic possibilities that simply did not exist until recently.
Price, too, is vital. One of the cheapest ways to get an iPhone 4 is on Tesco Mobile – but the total cost over a 12-month contract works out at £49 per month, once you’ve factored in the handset cost and the line rental. An HTC Desire on Vodafone will set you back just £35 per month, although it’s on an 18‑month contract and you might wish to upgrade the memory card if you’ve got a lot of music. The handsets are not identical, but they are comparable.In many ways, which phone you buy now comes down to how much you want to pay for image. Judging by the fact that three-quarters of iPhone 4 orders were from people who owned iPhones already, loyalty and image are powerful forces when it comes to mobile phones.These are devices many people now believe speak volumes about who they are as individuals, and they’re prepared to pay significant amounts of money.
Networks are also becoming a more important part of the jigsaw: as more phones use more data, the price that is charged to access the web and email is becoming more important. Even a generous 750mb of data per month, easily available for £20, would be wiped out, however, if a user starts to watch five minutes of video per day.And while O2 scored a major PR victory by securing the iPhone exclusively, it found out the hard way that networks must build huge capacity for data use. Many iPhone users initially experienced significant frustrations. Vodafone and Three have subsequently sought to capitalise on their strength in data, and meanwhile, mobile network Giffgaff aims to sweep up a segment of the market that dislikes being associated with giant corporations, even though it is a wholly owned subsidiary of O2.
If there’s a conclusion, however, it’s a hopeful one: as phones become more like mini computers, they’re becoming more and more upgradeable. So among the best Android phones on the market is still the ageing Google Nexus One, because it carries the latest software.
Apple’s iPhone 3GS, too, upgrades to the iPhone 4 software and offers much of the same functionality. These two companies make the crucial elements to new phones: the interface.
So as we all use our phones to run aspects of our daily life, what matters more and more is the ability to keep pace. Only Google and Apple currently offer that.
Many job seekers have turned to the internet for job hunting. Employers often use their organization websites, list servs and e-mail distribution lists to circulate job openings.Due to ease of managing electronic files, many firms now only accept applications sent via the internet.With the shift from printed-out traditional applications, job seekers are sometimes not confident on how to create an electronic application that catches the eye of the short listing officer.Other applicants forget that this is their all-important chance to make a critical first impression and often click the send button without a second look, just to get the job application off their to-do-list.But one fact remains; competition for jobs is fierce and companies can afford to be choosy. Don’t give them a reason to pass you by.
Professionalism still counts even on the web. To stand out from a crowd of candidates, it’s important that all communications are as professional as they would be if they were on a paper.A cover letter to accompany the CV is paramount. Many just forward their CV alone. With so many companies accepting resumes and applications sent via e-mail, do not be fooled into thinking you can get away with not sending a cover letter.It is just as important to write an effective cover letter when applying online as it is when mailing your printed one. Just a couple of lines about what you are applying for and an attached CV will not get your foot in the door.
Do a convincing letter and then convert your work into an e-mail version.Enter the proper e-mail address into the message’s address line. A job application is a serious matter and seekers should avoid a casual approach when sending applications. Ensure that your address sounds professional.The best theme for such an e-mail address is the one that matches your name. Enter the subject line a message that is required by the advertiser’s guidelines or an entry that reflects the specific job opportunity. Unclear or suspect e-mail subject headings are usually quarantined by e-mail systems and thrown in the junk category, never to be seen by the short listing officer.In the absence of the instructions, quote the job title for the position and any reference number given. In the body of the e-mail, start by typing in the business contact’s name, title, company and e-mail address.
As you write, catch the reader’s eye in the first sentence. Be bold, engaging and assertive. This is your one chance to have the reader move on to your CV instead of hitting the delete key.Introduce yourself in a few brief sentences that include your name, objective for writing and the specific job you are applying for. It is possible that they are hiring for multiple positions and you want to make sure that your resume gets to the right place. State your relevant experience and so on.Check where you are expected to send your cover letter and CV as plain e-mail or as attachments. Some companies do not want you to send attachments. In such cases, paste your resume into the message.Pasted documents can go awry because e-mail applications do not support fancy formatting. Use a simple font and remove the fancy formatting. Send the message to yourself first to test that the formatting works.
Proofread and revise the e-mail. Look over the letter several times to check for clarity, cohesiveness and job relevance. Ensure that no spelling, grammar and punctuation errors are present.Consider e-mailing the document to a friend or waiting a few hours before sending to allow for a fresh, analytical examination. If everything looks good, send to the prospective employer.And always remember to sign off with your name, meaning, include your name at the end of the mail. This is so obvious it’s painful, yet dozens of applications are not signed. End your email with ‘Sincerely’, ‘Regards’ or ‘Yours Truly’, and then sign your name.
.Nothing changes faster than information and technology and businesses have to keep thinking about the required management skills. They, therefore, have to constantly retool their employees and align their capabilities with market needs.Unfortunately, even as the world changes to embrace new technology, there are some businesses still hanging on to dead or dying systems. People who work in such places are disadvantaged because their experience is inferior and uncompetitive, making it difficult for them to land new jobs.Worse, some colleges short-change learners by continuing to offer old-fashioned Information Communication Technologies (ICT) courses. Do not be cheated; no college should be enticing you with courses on Cobol or generally, what is called non-relational databases, even if they are for free. Although that skill performed well during its time, it is now dead and buried. Databases such as Cobol have long been replaced by the relational databases, such as Oracle and Microsoft SQL Server. Communication technologies commonly referred to as TCP/IP have largely taken over the networking world, and as a result, there’s less demand than ever for IBM Systems Network Architecture (SNA) skills. The technology world has moved on to using Linux, XML, data analysis and decision support, enterprise portals, business-to-business e-commerce, wireless Web protocols and Digital Subscriber Lines and cable modems. Beware; there are people out there still advertising yester year skills and still find easy-to-fool students to enlist. Problem is, on graduation, one becomes the laughing stock of the IT world. But let’s not assume that it’s only back-street colleges that continue to peddle IT skills which the market has no regard for. Universities and institutions of higher learning do not tailor their courses as quickly to ensure that they equip their flock with market requirements. Universities and generally all higher education schools must be able to think in and speak the language of transforming technologies so as to effectively execute roles in finance, marketing and other business disciplines. They should integrate electronic or “e” courses to enable their graduates cope in this technology driven world. Improvements in technology have brought greater convergence between computers and mobile phones, making it easier for people to communicate and collaborate from any location. This has dramatically improved efficiency and productivity across organisations. Tomorrow’s worker will be a ‘Smart Worker’, equally comfortable working autonomously or as part of a team; working responsibly using a wide range of functional support tools to communicate and collaborate in ways that will greatly improve efficiency and productivity. Employees who choose technology as a career or even those who want to remain competitive in their lines have to make a commitment to lifelong learning; otherwise they will more than likely find themselves replaced as technology moves past them. Organisations with inadequate or inappropriate ICT skills will be unable to maximise returns on both human and capital investments. By providing necessary training to staff, businesses can improve productivity and competitiveness.Until quite recently, most firms concentrated on ensuring that their employees had appropriate basic ICT skills usable in common office. However, the changing nature of the workplace has driven the demand for and the availability of a range of software applications and tools that are specific to various functional activities within a modern organisation and which can greatly enhance on-the-job performance. An application such as Microsoft Publisher provides a firm with an easy-to-use Desktop Publishing package that allows the user to produce professional quality, well-designed newsletters, brochures or leaflets to support effective low cost marketing activity as well as organisational communications. Similarly, the effective use of email software for scheduling tasks, making appointments and sharing calendars can greatly enhance communications and collaboration across organisations. In addition, the effective use of such tools enables the company to communicate externally in an effective and professional manner through the application of consistent house and branding styles in all external communications. Just the same way it’s nowadays old fashioned to use carbon paper to make copies or line up paper on a dot matrix printer, so it is for businesses that continue to hang on to old technology and ignore training their staff to current market demands.
Tapping into the massive audience on Facebook is a huge opportunity for any company, which is why thousands of businesses have created fan pages. Creating a Facebook fan page is simple, but getting it to work well takes time, dedication, and some planning.The primary goal/strategy of every Facebook page should be to convert as many users as possible to become fans of your page. Your strategy needs to be focused. Here are some concepts that can help you do just that.The more appealing your page is to your target demographic, the more those individuals will want to join in.The value of your Facebook page is in what you share, not in the page itself. After you get someone to become a fan, your secondary strategy should kick in: sharing. This is where the true value of your Facebook page lies. When someone becomes a fan, it gives you the opportunity to share information with them that they will find interesting. Remember, it’s about them, not you.
The success of your page also lies in its activity. If people are commenting on you postings, then there’s a pretty good chance they’re also clicking on your links and sharing your posts with their friends.Fans feel more connected with a company when asked for their feedback. You can ask fans for input on things like a product, a service, or your website layout. This is the best forum for you to get personal feedback in real-time.People flock to fan pages that give them a reason to go there, like discount sales, free products or services, and contests. If you offer something exclusive that people are curious about, they will want access to it.It’s unlikely someone who doesn’t have a pre-existing relationship with your company will become a fan instantly. So, your first (and foremost) strategy for creating a Facebook fan page should be about building loyalty with existing fans, then evolving the strategy to new customer acquisitions. Word-of-mouth is powerful on Facebook.The idea is to let your loyal fans spread the word about the good things the company is doing for them and then letting the positive vibrations pull in new acquisitions to organically grow a base of loyal, enthusiastic and engaged customers.
It becomes very messy when you have to keep all of the papers you need around you; the receipts, invoices, business cards, bills, mail, recipes and business expenses in paper form somewhere in your home or in the office. Then, there are other essential documents such as certificates and property ownership papers that we care so much about but yet are so vulnerable to ravages of weather. Besides, it seems ridiculous that most laws indicate that you have to keep receipts for up to five years, legally, before you can throw them away. This just means that you get clutter everywhere. It just doesn’t make sense to waste all of that space that is becoming expensive. In addition, traditional methods of storing paper have become even more inefficient, expensive and unreliable by way of comparison to today’s digital technology.
The solution is to take advantage of all the advances and use modernity to counter the troubles papers have been throwing at us. Now, you can effectively store hard copy files electronically. Digital document imaging technology captures and converts them into digital data which you can store on your computer.This will make it easy to find each item, instead of having to sift through hundreds of pieces of paper in piles located around your home or office.Electronic document storage solutions enable organisations to archive, access and retrieve documents more quickly and efficiently. They also minimise risk by protecting sensitive documents against unauthorised use.
Even though more businesses are tending towards digital storage systems, it is not an all-or-nothing endeavour. Companies can implement scanning, storage and paper-to-digital technology into existing processes at any time for a gradual, cost-effective transition to digital records. But this needs considerable space on the storage media.For some computer owners, finding enough storage space to hold all data is a real challenge. Some people invest in larger hard drives. Others prefer external storage devices like thumb drives or compact discs. Desperate computer owners might delete entire folders worth of old files in order to make space for new information. But some are opting to rely on a growing trend: cloud storage. Thanks to a growing range of services, it is now possible to keep all your personal digital information in the internet “cloud”, as they’re calling it these days. Everything from documents and e-mails to photos and music can be stored - often for free.
Instead of storing information on your computer’s hard drive or other local storage device, you save it to a remote database or just keep two copies on the local computer and another on the internet. Several sites provide free data storage services on the internet. They include, WINDOWS LIVE SKYDRIVE which provides 25 GB free space for online storage of your documents.You can sign up for Skydrive at www.skydrive.live.com. There is also IDRIVE (www.idrive.com/) which offers 2 GB free space. Another one, the ADRIVE (www.adrive.com/) comes with 50 GB free space. Uploading data to this site is easy as you can use your explorer and your internet browser. Another good option is MOZY (http://mozy.com/) which offers you 2 GB free space. Others include HUMYO (http://humyo.com/), OPENDRIVE (https://www.opendrive.com/login.php), DROPBOX (www.getdropbox.com/) and MYOTHERDRIVE (www.myotherdrive.com/). The benefits of storing your digital life this way are considerable. You’re no longer tied to a particular computer or location, and you can access your data from any internet-connected device.You wouldn’t need to carry around a physical storage device or use the same computer to save and retrieve your information. With the right storage system, you could even allow other people to access the data, turning a personal project into a collaborative effort.And should terror strike by way of hard drives crashing or computers stolen and along with them go your important documents, you could always revert to the files on the internet. Web-based storage services let you back up your data, store your files on a Web server or share them quickly and simply with anyone often at no cost.
It is very clear that Battlefield: Bad Company 2 is vying for the attention of Modern Warfare 2 fans looking for a different kind of wargame.Both games centre around present day conflicts but BC2 differentiates itself from the rest by focusing on destructible environments.Also, the game has a decent single-player campaign that should get players in the mood for some multiplayer mayhem once it’s over.
The game’s single-player campaign starts in World War II with a small band of US commandos on a mission to extract a defecting Japanese scientist who has important information on a new weapon.The action then switches to present day and you and your ragtag group of misfits that make up Bad Company have to retrieve a mysterious super-weapon before the Russians do.The one thing that stands out is the game’s beautifully detailed locales from frigid Alaska to South America where you will spend most of the time.
As pretty as everything looks, it’s more fun to destroy them as buildings and trees are destructible.Got an enemy firing at you from within a house? No problem, a single shot from your trusty grenade launcher is all it takes to blow a gaping hole in the wall and, if you choose to, destroy the house with him in it.
Of course, the reverse also applies — enemies in the game can also flush you out from cover, so don’t stay in one spot too long.There are a few noticeable gameplay changes. For one, you no longer need to constantly look for a stimpack every time you are injured.Instead the game relies on the standard system that recharges health over time to get players back on their feet. This definitely creates more tension and less room for error as you can’t take a lot of hits.
That being said, BC2 isn’t a difficult game but it can be especially frustrating as the game’s checkpoints are too far apart.If you happen to die at the very end of a long segment, you’ll have to start from the very beginning.The level design is varied with huge set pieces and environments. Though much of it is linear and you will eventually be funnelled to a single checkpoint, each level can be approached in different ways.
The campaign is heavily scripted with moments — enemies spawn and crazy things happen when you trigger them.However, this also means that things can get predictable as the enemies always spawn at the same location, turning the game into a shooting gallery.Even the game’s vehicular chase sequences are heavily scripted, forcing you to, say, shoot down a helicopter within a short window of time.You do get to control vehicles from time to time but the segments are relatively short and are over too soon.
Speaking of your squad, your mates are smart enough to go about on their own without getting in your way. Also, most of the time they are off doing their own thing that it feels like you are fighting the bad guys all by yourself.They occasionally step in the line of fire at times when you are shooting but generally they stay out of your way.The single-player story isn’t particularly interesting and there are only 11 missions to execute before the credits start to roll.The game will last about six to seven hours depending on the difficulty setting.
If you are feverishly into BlackBerry phones, this is the other one. I suppose so because the BlackBerry Bold is RIM’s most powerful, polished handset ever. With a glossy new user interface, an excellent web browser, serious hardware and an almost beautiful body, the Bold doesn’t redefine the BlackBerry experience, but it does elevate to the highest point it’s ever been. Let’s be clear though; if you hate BlackBerry phones like I do, you will still intensely dislike the Bold. With many coats of polish thickly layered on, it is still a BlackBerry, with its entire suit-and-tie DNA fully intact.
Fundamentally, it works and plays just like every other BlackBerry, but with a load of small-to-medium improvements, updates and tweaks that add up to a richer, more refined phone that also looks far better than the rest, while doing its thing.The Bold’s screen is dazzling enough to warrant its own paragraph dedicated simply to praising it. Incredibly rich with stunning pixel density, it’s so nice you want to touch it. I actually tried once or twice to hit okay on a dialog box, forgetting that it wasn’t the touchy kind of screen. It almost makes reading the plain text of an SMS depressing, knowing you could be looking at a gorgeous video instead.
The Bold looks like an incredibly modern business device, what you imagine people with more important jobs than you would carry to conduct business that’s more important than yours, while talking to their accountant about how much fatter their bank account is than yours. The leather backing, however, is absolutely puzzling, like RIM tried to add a touch of class. In other words, it’s virtually classy, really, but it’s actually the thing I hate most about this phone. Nonetheless, it feels rock solid and has all the whistles and bells of a device of its class.
The Bold features BlackBerry’s trademark trackball, which you can use to scroll through menus and around Web pages. I found this one a bit harder to use than it should be. It didn’t always seem to respond to my scrolling. My only other complaint about the Bold’s design is its leather backing. It just doesn’t seem to fit with the sleek, modern look of the phone’s front side.If you’re a BlackBerry user,this is RIM’s pièce de résistance and will most definitely delight BlackBerry fans who refuse to get an iPhone.
