Thanks to the Internet, most people pay their bills, seek out entertainment, and get their news on-line. So it is not surprising that music streaming is as popular as it is. Many people stream their music and there are a variety of music-streaming services to pick from. This can be very advantageous as people always have access to their music, if they have access to the Internet.

If you are curious about the differences in these services, we have highlighted a few below.

Pandora: Pandora is very popular because of its simple interface. After navigating to the website, you are able to input a song or artist you wish to hear and Pandora will create a “radio” station based on that information. This is a terrific way to learn about new artists with similar sounds. The stations that Pandora creates are easily customizable as well. If Pandora chooses an artist that you don’t like, you can click the thumbs down symbol on the song. Pandora provides further customization by allowing you to “seed” your station with various artists. While you can enjoy Pandora without creating an account, it is necessary if you want to save your customized stations.

Grooveshark: Grooveshark is a lot like Pandora. But you can also make your own playlists manually, all without creating an account. However, people who want to save their play lists will have to sign up for a free account. Like Pandora, Grooveshark also provides suggestions for songs that you might like based upon your past musical choices. Grooveshark also has an intriguing feature: You can improve the service’s database of music by adding your own favorite songs and artists if you don’t find them in Grooveshark’s current collection.

Rhapsody: Rhapsody’s appeal is based on its huge database of music: more the 14 million songs. Sadly, this service is not free, it is $10 a month for unlimited music.

Spotify: Spotify was introduced in 2008, and since then it has grown into one of the most widely known and used music-streaming services. Spotify is very easy to use and, like Grooveshark, users can listen to entire albums or choose to use the radio function.  One thing that people love about Spotify is its integration with Facebook. If you use the Spotify app, it keeps a running list of the songs you have listened to on Facebook. Additionally, users can see what their Facebook friends are currently listening to on a real-time feed. This is great for those who are in search of new music if one of their friends has similar tastes.

When was the last time we saw a Windows product which captured the essence of “cool”? Before recently it had been some time, but when Microsoft made the Kinect for Windows that all changed. The Kinect is a motion and voice-sensing device that was originally developed for the Xbox gaming console.

A version of the device also works with Windows-operated PCs, and shortly after its launch in February, people started developing innovative ways to use it.

Innovative Uses for the Kinect

At the Chicago Auto Show the Chief Marketing Manager for Nissan North America used the Kinect in an intriguing way, by creating a virtual tour of the enhanced interior of the Pathfinder. This worked out well as they only had the outer shell of the Pathfinder to actually display. Using the Kinect, participants could actually “see” what the interior looked liked.

Microsoft is also encouraging companies to utilize the Kinect imaginatively by working with them to build custom Kinect applications. Nearly 350 companies today are working with Microsoft in this manner. For instance, Boeing uses the device to make virtual tours of its 737 jets. Medical providers at a hospital in Canada are also using the device’s gesture-recognition to swipe through CT scans, eliminating the risk of touching germs on a keyboard or mouse.

Kinect: A Solid Hit

When Microsoft came up with the Kinect for Windows they hit a home run. Last year the Xbox 360 was the best selling gaming console. In fact, since November 2010, more then 18 million Kinect devices have been sold. This is definitely transforming the way that the consumer views Microsoft products.

The excitement around the Kinect and its many uses can only improve Microsoft’s reputation. They may be on their way to entering into the “cool” tech company category.

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When you sift through the possible candidates for the position you’re hiring for, you want to find the super stars. You would like to find the most imaginative, passionate, and motivated people you can. But you can only discover who fits the bill through an interview. And if you don’t ask the correct questions you may misjudge your applicants.

It’s important to create a job interview strategy that pin points what you are looking for in an employee. If you ask the same cookie cutter questions that everyone else does, you are likely to get cookie cutter answers.

Ask the Right Questions

A common approach to the job interview is to inquire about past positions the person held. What their responsibilities were, etc. These are not the most beneficial questions as you only end up receiving information that may be easily read from their resume. This doesn’t help you much if you are looking for specific attributes. Consider asking them how they enhanced their positions, were there any processes that they changed, or ways in which they saved their company money.

One of the most common things to ask a candidate concerns their strengths and weaknesses. Avoid asking them to list these; almost everyone has predetermined answers. Instead ask them what they bring to the culture of a company, or ask them what they do to make their job more satisfying. The answers you get to these kinds of questions will help you to gauge the actual resourcefulness of the person you are interviewing.

Another simple way to gauge a prospective employee’s creativity is to ask them to carry out a task. For instance, you could ask them to brainstorm ideas for an ad campaign, or write a short essay about their ideal work environment. Whatever it is, it is something your interviewee will not expect and it will give you a snapshot of their creativity.

Employers have an advantage in today’s job market. They can pick from among some of the top job seekers available, but to get the best people, employers have to first change the way they conduct their job interviews.

Traveling for business is not fun. We’re frequently rushed, we don’t eat correctly, and we have to endure the hassle of airports and long-term parking. It is not surprising that numerous companies opt toward videoconferencing rather then traveling. As videoconferencing technology advances, many people wonder if business traveling could become a thing of the past.

The End of Business Travel?

But is this something which we ought to strive for in business? Is it the best thing if videoconferencing replaces face-to-face meetings completely? Perhaps not, consider the differences between meetings that are face-to-face versus videoconferencing.

During a videoconference, individuals from around the world sign on, say their hellos, and get to the business at hand. The level of brainstorming is usually limited because people worry about the stability of their connections or give in to the interruptions of the offices where they sit.

The Benefits of Face-to-Face Time

At in-person meetings, however, agendas have a way of falling by the wayside, and that’s a good thing. Meetings may start only after a couple of minutes of personal chatter and they may end with participants trading office stories. Again, this can be good. Often, the best business ideas arise from these moments of off-topic conversation.

Business Travel is Here to Stay

While many companies turn toward videoconferencing due to the cost and simplicity of it, it is doubtful that business travel will disappear altogether. When we develop business relationships, just like any relationships, we want to meet face-to-face because we’re a social species. The advantages of face-to-face meetings are enough that savvy business owners won’t eliminate business travel altogether.

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Remember enjoying sci-fi movies as a kid and thinking we would have jetpacks sooner or later? Or teleporters? We don’t have these technologies yet but we do have many impressive technologies that seem straight out of a sci-fi movie. Our cars can direct us around a city, via GPS. We can carry tablet computers around with us that hold our data. And we can speak with associates around the globe at the push of a button.

So, with all of this technology, why don’t we have jet packs yet? What variables are preventing us from making these technological leaps?

Building a Better Battery

First, there is battery power. Simply put, the batteries powering our smartphones and tablets must be recharged too often. A more powerful battery will permit us to run our gadgets for weeks at a time and charge them again in just minutes. This battery doesn’t exist yet. However, it might be coming: researchers at Chicago’s Northwestern University are creating a far more powerful lithium-ion battery. If their prototype becomes commercially viable, it will likely be a game-changer.

Improving Internet Access

The second limiting factor has to do with access. Simply put, not enough of the world’s population has access to high-speed Internet access. It may seem like every public library, bookstore, and cafe’ provides its patrons with access to high-speed wireless Internet, but this is largely a mirage. The majority of humans don’t have easy access to the web. Until this occurs, we’ll be unnecessarily limiting the growth of technology. The more minds that are linked on the Web, the greater the possibilities are of reaching the next tech breakthrough.

The Business of New Tech

Last but not least there is the bureaucracy. Business matters, like patent laws, can slow down technological progress. Individuals and businesses that come up with revolutionary things have to first traverse these waters. But if government regulations are clear and easy to comprehend, it could reduce some of this.

While these are some of the issues that prevent technology from advancing, it still is advancing at a rapid pace. So who knows what is in store for us in the next year or two.

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Businesses can use Adobe Photoshop to generate professional marketing material easily. It is a very robust program with many features so it’s no wonder that it can cost over $600, depending on the version. Many small business owners don’t want to invest this much, and they don’t require all the features that come with it. However, there are some alternatives to Photoshop that are economical or free.

Not surprisingly, these programs are not as robust as Photoshop. But they have enough photo-editing features for small business owners to effortlessly create professional looking material. Below is a list of the best free photo-manipulation programs now available.

GIMP

GIMP is very user friendly and contains most of the features from Photoshop that a business owner would need to create marketing material. The beauty of GIMP is that it’s completely free!

Paint.NET

Do you recall MSPaint? It came standard with the Windows operating system. Paint.NET is its successor and is a very powerful and free photo editor. It comes with its own special effects and an limitless undo; this is great for people who want to experiment with the effects. The one negative of this program is it only works with Windows.

Picnik

Picnik is a free program that works well on Mac, Windows, and Linux operating systems. This program has some really fun effects such as blurring, darkening, and lightening images. It’s one of the most popular free editing programs, as you don’t have to download files to use it.

There is no need to purchase the pricey Photoshop program to create professional looking pamphlets. For the small business owner on a budget, any of these programs will do the trick while keeping standards high.

Your smartphone is incredible. It can steer you to that trendy new fusion restaurant if you’re lost. It can play your favorite sitcom as you go to work on the train. It will play your favorite song at the touch of a button. However it can’t do any of this if its battery is dead.

A Better Battery on the Way?

Thankfully, a better battery might soon be on the way, due to the hard work of a team of engineers at Chicago’s Northwestern University. A recent story reports that researchers at this Big 10 university are attempting to produce a battery that lasts longer and can recharge itself in just minutes. Smartphone users around the world ought to be thankful.

What they are working on is a new lithium-ion battery that has more then 10 times the life of current batteries. Additionally, after a year of operation, which the researchers estimate to be about 150 charges, these new lithium-ion batteries would remain 5 times more effective then today’s lithium-ion batteries.

A Charged Battery for a Week

Here’s the bottom line: The new cell phone battery could remain charged for more than a week and then recharge itself in just 15 minutes. This is best part about it for you: It could mean that your iPod won’t run out of juice while you are working the treadmill at the gym. But the new, better battery could have a much greater impact: Based on the Northwestern story, this new battery technology could result in smaller and more efficient batteries for electric cars. This could help the United States—and other countries—cut its reliance on fossil fuels.

Batteries Powering Technological Change

While this new battery technology may have a massive impact on many aspects of our life, it will not be offered to the general public for three to five years, says Northwestern researchers. Batteries are often over looked when we think of innovative technologies, but the more we depend upon mobile devices the more imperative they become.  Improvements in battery technology may in fact hold the key to an even greater technological revolution.

Google is the household name when it comes to searching the Web. However, it may not be the best search engine out there. Microsoft introduced Bing, a competitor, in 2009 and it shouldn’t be dismissed. Although many Internet users still use Google as their primary search engine, Bing has many features that make for a robust searching experience.

Taking Another Look at Bing

When you search on Bing, you will get more information regarding your search results than you’ll get from Google. Bing’s results feature a left-hand navigation panel filled with Quick Tabs that allow users to concentrate their searches. There’s also a center row of search results which are grouped into logical categories. This makes it simpler for users to find multimedia files or quick answers.

Bing Goes Beyond Search Results

Bing also brings more than just search results. Say users search for websites about pop star Lady Gaga. Bing will also bring up Lady Gaga’s newest videos. For users searching for a flight out of town, Bing beats Google easily. The search engine employs something it calls Farecast Technology in its Bing Travel site. This lets users quickly locate the cheapest airfare to specific destinations.

Bing Video Search Shines

Bing stands out from Google when it comes to searching for videos as well. Bing allows users to specify how long they would like videos to be, what resolution they would like, and what screen size they’d prefer. In addition, to get a preview of the video, users only need to hover their cursor over the video to play a part of it without clicking on it.

These are a few reasons why Bing shouldn’t be overlooked. Google may be the current king of search engines, but Bing has a lot to offer surfers of the Web.

Cloud computing is quite popular these days. The cloud is basically a group of remote servers where people can store and access their data. People can store music, powerful programs, and important files in the cloud. As information stored in the cloud isn’t stored on personal computers this saves lots of computer memory. The result of this is that people have access to more data without having to use up space on their computer, which often can slow it down.

Not All Clouds are the Same

However, not all clouds are the same. There is the public cloud, the one with which we’re most familiar. But then there’s the hybrid cloud too. As its name implies, the hybrid cloud is a combination of two different types of clouds, the public cloud and a private cloud.

For an organization to provide a hybrid cloud, they store a client’s most sensitive data on their in-house private cloud, and data that needs less protection on a public cloud. For example, archived files and big software programs.

The Hybrid Cloud Approach Makes Sense

Taking a hybrid cloud approach to data storage allows businesses to take advantage of the space-saving features of the public cloud without also exposing their sensitive current data to third-party providers. To paraphrase, the hybrid cloud provides businesses with protection, cost-savings, and efficiency.

It’s little wonder, then, that so many organizations today are moving toward a hybrid cloud approach. There is way too much data floating around today for smaller businesses to properly store. At the same time, businesses in today’s competitive environment don’t want to expose company secrets and sensitive consumer data to either their competition or hackers. The hybrid cloud could allow businesses to accomplish both feats.

A growing number of employees today work remotely. This is possible as a result of advancements in technology. The rewards are many for both employee and employer. Employers can spend less money as they have less people that need space in the office. Employees that work remotely are often more productive; they spend less time commuting, and they have the flexibility to adjust their work around their life rather than working 9 hours straight, which can cause burnout.

Remote Worker Challenges

Remote workers and contractors do present at least one significant challenge to employers: It can be hard for employers to effectively monitor the hours that their workers are putting in. How do employers know, after all, if their remote personnel are pounding away at their keyboards or playing Angry Birds on their smartphones all day?

By setting reasonable deadlines employers can keep track of their remote workers successfully. This is a change in managerial strategy; it puts the focus on the goal instead of the amount of time that the employee works. Ultimately, employees are the only ones who know when they work most effectively, even if it is from midnight to 4am.

Setting Remote Worker Deadlines

Employers might tell their remote workers that they must turn in a certain amount of work every Wednesday and Friday. This will make sure that remote employees are doing their work. Employers might also schedule regular updates by phone, video chat, or through instant messaging, in which workers can explain how far along they are with specific tasks. Some employers may prefer to require that their remote workers spend at least one day a week, or two days a month, on site. This gives these workers face time with their managers, something which helps everyone stay focused on upcoming deadlines and goals.

Off-Site Not a Permanent Condition

Working remotely demands personal discipline and good time-management skills. People who are chronic procrastinators may not perform best remotely. If employees aren’t hitting deadlines, or are turning in sub-par work then off-site working doesn’t have to be a permanent privilege. For remote working to be successful there must be trust between the employee and the employer. To maintain this trust the employee needs to hit their deadlines and the employer needs to be focused on the results.