Many of us get our entertainment, news, and pay our bills online. So, it’s not a shock that we access our music over the Internet as well. Many people subscribe to on-line music-streaming services that are either free or cost money. The advantages are many. People don’t have to copy their music files onto different devices plus they can listen to it anywhere they have access to the Internet.

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

Pandora: Pandora has been around awhile, and it is very widely used. It’s clear to see why: it is simple. After navigating to the website, type in the name of a song or artist you want and Pandora will create a radio station based upon that information. It chooses songs by artists with a comparable sound. As you listen to your station you can select the thumbs up or thumbs down symbol on the songs and Pandora will adjust your station based on this new information. Moreover, you can “seed” you station with different artists to even further customize it. You can tune in to Pandora without making an account but in order to save your stations, you need to create an account.

Grooveshark: Grooveshark is similar to Pandora in that it creates a “radio” station based on your musical tastes. However, you can also enjoy entire albums on Grooveshark and build playlists. One distinctive feature of Grooveshark is the capability to upload your own music to the Grooveshark database if you cannot find what you are searching for. This is a smart and simple opportunity for Grooveshark to grow its library.

Rhapsody: Rhapsody has quickly made a name for itself thanks to its huge database of more than 14 million songs. Users have to pay for the service – $10 a month – but by doing so, they’ll be able to stream any song from the service’s considerable collection.

Spotify: Spotify is one of the most widely known music-streaming services out there. After its release in 2008, it expanded rapidly. Spotify has a simple to use interface. You can enjoy entire albums, choose to create a “radio” station based on your tastes, or create playlists that you can share with other Spotify users. This is appealing to those who enjoy the nostalgia of making mix tapes. Many people love Spotify’s integration with Facebook. By using the Facebook app, Spotify creates a running list of what you are listening to day by day. You can also see what your Facebook friends are listening too, in real-time.

It’s been a little while since Windows was thought to be cool but the Kinect may change all that. The Kinect is a voice and motion-sensing device that was initially designed as a feature for the Xbox gaming system.

Not surprisingly, a version of the Kinect works with Windows-operated PCs. So shortly after this new version was released in February, companies started discovering creative, out-of-the-box uses for 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 physically display. Using the Kinect, participants could actually “see” what the interior looked liked.

Microsoft is motivating companies to find different uses for the Kinect and even cooperating with them to develop applications for it. This is an excellent move on their part, as it not only promotes inventiveness but it also puts a Microsoft product at the heart of the creative development. One company that has worked with Microsoft in this way is Boeing. They’ve used the Kinect to create virtual tours of their jets. Another interesting use of the Kinect was discovered by a medical facility in Canada. They are using the Kinect’s gesture-recognition to swipe through CT scans. This greatly decreases, if not removes, the risk of spreading germs since you don’t have to touch the computer.

Kinect: A Solid Hit

Microsoft hit a home run when they developed the Kinect. The Xbox 360 was last year’s best-selling video gaming console, and they have the Kinect to thank for that. Since November of 2010 Microsoft has sold more than 18 million Kinect devices.

The Kinect has numerous uses outside of what it was initially developed for. Microsoft actually developed something which is not only useful, but thought to be cool. This transformation in attitude toward Microsoft could help the company in several ways.

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These days, whenever you post an open position on the Internet, countless people respond. Many of these people are eligible candidates for the position, so you call them in for an interview. But how do you dig through them to find the truly impressive and enthusiastic people? Since the interview is essentially all you can go on, your interview questions are important.

Make certain that your interview questions solicit the data that will help you select the individual with the characteristics you want. If you use a cookie cutter approach to the interview, you are likely to get uninspired, cookie cutter answers.

Ask the Right Questions

Start by asking the right questions. Don’t ask prospects what their job titles were at past positions. Don’t ask them what their responsibilities were. Rather, ask them to list any revolutionary ideas that they came up with for their previous employers. Ask them if these ideas helped their employers earn more money, run more effectively, or lower expenses.

Another typical interview question is to ask about the individual’s strengths and weaknesses. Almost everyone has a canned answer to this, as they know it will probably be asked in an interview. Instead have them tell you what they add to the culture of a company, what do they do in nerve-racking situations, or what are some ways they keep themselves satisfied at their jobs. These answers will clue you in to the personality of the person you are interviewing, and if they will fit in with your company and the position.

Another method you could use to determine creativity is to give them a task to execute. Something simple, for example have them write their ideas about what their ideal work environment would be like. Or they could brainstorm products and services for a company of your choosing. You could keep it light and fun; the goal is to get a snapshot of their brainstorming abilities, and creativity.

Today’s job market is such that it’s probable that many competent people will apply to your open position. So, in order to sift through these applicants and find the most creative and inventive individuals, change your interview tactics to hone in on these traits.

Traveling for business is not fun. We’re usually rushed, we don’t eat correctly, and we have to endure the hassle of airports and long-term parking. It is not surprising that many 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 a thing that we ought to strive for in business? Is it a good thing if videoconferencing replaces face-to-face meetings altogether? Perhaps not, think about the differences between meetings that are face-to-face versus videoconferencing.

During a videoconference, people from around the world sign on, say their hellos, and get to the business at hand. The amount of brainstorming is usually limited because people worry about the stability of their connections or succumb to the interruptions of the offices in which 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 is a good thing. Meetings may start only after a couple of minutes of personal chit chat and they might end with participants swapping office stories. Again, this can be good. Often, the best business ideas arise from these moments of off-topic discussion.

Business Travel is Here to Stay

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

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Doesn’t it feel like we should currently have jetpacks? Teleporters? Or meals in pill form? We already have some impressive technology, like tablets, which are small computers that we can carry around. We can utilize the GPS in our cars to get around around town. We can post an update to our social media sites and reach countless people at once.

So, why don’t we have teleporters and hovercrafts? What is keeping us from taking these leaps in technology?

Building a Better Battery

Batteries power most of our technology, particularly as we move into a more mobile world. As a result, the more limited our batteries are, the greater limitations we have technologically. They are a fundamental part of our technology, so we need to concentrate on enhancing them before we can really make leaps in technology. Luckily, researchers at Chicago’s Northwestern University are developing a more efficient lithium-ion battery, which we discussed in a blog post last week. This could solve this constraint in the coming years.

Improving Internet Access

Another obstacle to overcome is that not enough individuals have access to the Internet. In fact, most of the globe doesn’t have access to it. This is naturally limiting breakthroughs in technology. It goes back to the essential concept of the more minds we have working on a problem, the faster we will solve it.

The Business of New Tech

Last but not least there is the bureaucracy. Business matters, like patent laws, can impede technological progress. Individuals and businesses that develop revolutionary things have to first navigate these waters. But if government regulations are clear and simple to understand, it could prevent some of this.

The great news is that none of these restrictions can truly stop technology from improving. Just think ahead to the holiday season of 2020. You never know what innovations will be waiting for us.

Adobe Photoshop is an excellent photo manipulation tool. With it, businesses can produce professional looking marketing materials quite easily. The greatest problem with Photoshop is the price. A person looking to buy it can spend more then $600 for newer versions. This is not practical for many small business owners, and they probably don’t need all of the features that a $600 photo-editing program comes equipped with. Luckily, there are many alternatives to Photoshop that are low-cost or free.

Needless to say, these programs are not as powerful as Photoshop. But they have adequate photo-editing features for small business owners to effortlessly create professional looking material. Below is a list of the best free photo-manipulation programs currently available.

GIMP

GIMP, which stands for GNU image manipulation program, is the choice of many a cost-conscious designer. That is because this free program contains the most important attributes of Photoshop. The GIMP website even offers a version of the program—cleverly named GIMPShop—that features a screen layout that is a virtual twin of Photoshop’s.

Paint.NET

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

Picnik

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

In the end, if you are searching for a program that lets you create professional marketing material, it is not necessary to spend a lot. These programs will let you accomplish this task at no cost.

Have you ever needed your smartphone only to realize that the battery has died and you are nowhere near an outlet? It’s irritating, but in a few years, it might be a thing of the past.

A Better Battery on the Way?

A team of engineers at Chicago’s Northwestern University may have found a way to make a battery that lasts longer and charges itself within minutes, instead of overnight. This story reports on these research efforts. This is fantastic news for smartphone users everywhere.

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 stay charged for over a week and then recharge itself in just 15 minutes. This is great news 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 powerful batteries for electric cars. This may help the United States—and other countries—cut its reliance upon fossil fuels.

Batteries Powering Technological Change

The new battery technology isn’t available yet for consumers, but the Northwestern researchers say that it could hit the market in three to five years. This is a big step. When we look at developments in technology, we tend to forget about the batteries that power our latest gadgets. Battery constraints are one of the factors holding back an even greater technology revolution. The hope is that the research done at Northwestern University changes this.

When searching for something on the Internet, the majority of people automatically go to Google. We even use it as a verb when we “Google” something. Nevertheless, a lesser-used yet robust search engine is Microsoft’s Bing. While Bing may be often overlooked, it actually has a lot to offer surfers of the Web.

Taking Another Look at Bing

When you search on Bing, you will get more information regarding your search results than you will get from Google. Bing’s results feature a left-hand navigation panel filled with Quick Tabs that enable users to concentrate their searches. Additionally there is 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

When you search in Bing, you get more then just search results. Bing pulls up images, and videos that are related to your search. While Google has this function, Bing makes the navigation a bit more user friendly. Another valuable feature is what they call Farecast Technology. This is part of the Bing Travel site and it allows users to find the cheapest airfare quickly.

Bing Video Search Shines

When you are searching for videos, Bing is ahead of the game. Users can specify their desired length, size, and resolution. Another impressive feature is that by just hovering over a video, you can view a preview of it.

These are just some of the reasons why computer users should not be so quick to discount Bing. Yes, Google continues to be the go-to player when it comes to search engines. But that doesn’t mean that it’s the only good option today.

Cloud computing has undoubtedly caught on. People can access data that is stored in the cloud—databases located far from their own computer drives. They can store their favorite songs, access powerful word-processing programs, and send their business proposals to the cloud. This conserves tons of computer memory, as everything that’s stored in the cloud isn’t stored on a personal computer. The result is a faster computing experience, as less programs gum up the running speed of home computers.

Not All Clouds are the Same

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

The hybrid cloud usually works like this: A business provides some resources in-house. For instance, it might store current consumer data on its private in-house cloud. It might also store employee files, new marketing campaigns, and current proposals to new clients on its in-house storage. That same business, however, might store older, archived data on a public cloud service. This frees up space on the business’ servers, and allows its in-house computers to operate more efficiently.

The Hybrid Cloud Approach Makes Sense

This frees up space on the in-house servers while making sure certain data is highly protected. The hybrid cloud is a good method to provide businesses with high security cloud services while decreasing costs and saving space.

It’s not surprising that lots of businesses use the hybrid cloud. There’s too much data storage needed these days for a business to store it all and not bog down their systems. Additionally, in this competitive climate, companies must ensure their sensitive information is safeguarded. The hybrid cloud is often the best way businesses can accomplish these two things.

Thanks to improved technology, an increasing number of employees have the ability to accomplish most or all of their work from home. Smartphones, tablets, teleconferencing, and WiFi-equipped bookstores and coffee shops have made this achievable. This presents a big advantage for employers: the more employees that work at home, the less money companies need to spend. Many companies, for example, don’t have assigned computers and desks for all of their workers since so much of their workforce is working remotely. In addition, employees working remotely are frequently more productive; they’re not wasting time and energy commuting to work every day. And they’re not exchanging office gossip in front of the water cooler when in the office.

Remote Worker Challenges

Remote workers and contractors do present at least one considerable challenge to employers: It can be difficult 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?

One good way to keep track of the amount of work being completed by remote workers is to set reasonable goals that they need to hit. This puts the focus on the end result and prevents the manager from worrying about it, provided that the goals are being met. This also gives the employee flexibility to work inside the hours they are most effective.

Setting Remote Worker Deadlines

Employers might tell their remote workers that they have to turn in a certain amount of work every Wednesday and Friday. This makes sure that remote employees are doing their work. Employers might also schedule regular updates by phone, video chat, or through instant messaging, during which workers can explain how far along they are with particular tasks. Some employers may choose 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 that helps everyone stay focused on upcoming deadlines and goals.

Off-Site Not a Permanent Condition

Employers must remember, too, that remote workers do not have to stay that way. If employers see that their off-site employees are not meeting deadlines or are delivering sub-par work, they can require that these workers return to the office on a full-time basis. Trust continues to be the key element of a remote working relationship. Organisations must place some trust in their workers that they’ll complete their jobs on time. Workers must show that they are worthy of this trust by hitting their deadlines, turning in quality work, and responding quickly to phone calls or email messages.