The Importance Of Domain Name Registration

By Audrey McGuire

A good web presence is essential in business these days as the quality and availability of the website can have an enormous impact on one's customers. At times it is easy to overlook the importance of the address of the site, but this is a crucial consideration that can greatly influence the success of a business. For this reason, domain name registration is something that is not to be taken lightly.

This importance lies in three main reasons. The first reason is in relation to the web host. If the web host is changed for any reason and the domain name has been registered, then it will not be necessary to change the the URL (web address). This ensures that current and former customers will still be able to find the site where they are accustomed to seeing it. Without registration however, the URL must be changed, potentially leading to difficulty for customers and even the loss of some of them.

Another reason if for the credibility of the site, and thus the company. A business will seem more legitimate with a domain name that is obviously related to the company. An example of this is if Company A has a contact email address of info@companya.com, this will give more of an appearance of authenticity than an address such as infocompanya@yahoo.com. This is important when it comes to appearing credible for customers as well as advertisers.

The other reason is the ease with which the website can be found. If the address is something closely related to the company name or the products or services that are offered then it is likely that more traffic will be driven to the site than it would if this were not the case. More traffic in turn means more potential customers and ad revenue.

The first step in the process is to choose an appropriate name. It is advisable to come up with a list of several potential names that would be good to use because there is a good chance that the top choice, or choices, will not be available. There's a lot that goes into deciding on a name and doing an internet search for articles that give advice may be a good use of time at the beginning of this process.

Once a few potential names have been chosen, a domain name registrar will need to be decided upon. There are numerous sites that offer this service for a variety of prices. Details may differ, but it is generally necessary to pay a fee up front for registering the name, which will be good for one year. After that an annual fee must be paid to maintain ownership of the name.

Different providers will also offer different perks such as free email accounts, free starter web pages or special pricing. It can certainly be helpful to do some research into the options for registrars and there is lots of advice readily available online.

With little effort or expense needed, domain name registration can easily be done by any company. Although inexpensive and relatively easy, it can be an vital step toward business success.

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Maintain And Operate Your Business By Selling Stock Trading Software

By Arthur Crown

When it comes to running your own online stock trading and screening software business, your time can be very precious. It's important to continue modifying and improving so that you can watch your bottom line increasing, but it seems that useful information on this process is scattered among page after page of search engines. Instead of spending hours of your valuable time sifting through textbooks and online webpages to find the right information, why not take five minutes to read our article of guidelines and gather some real information quickly.

Build a loyal following by competing on value and providing quality customer service. Staying on top of ecommerce trends will give your businesses a distinct advantage when it comes to interacting and communicating with customers.

Involving the whole company, including employees, in your marketing plan may not seem like a huge change, but it can greatly increase revenue. By involving your employees, it will build more loyalty in the business and encourage a smoother advertisement at their hands.

Most of the visitors will have a quick look at your advertising, so make sure it is interesting and eye-catching, that is the only way for you to compel them to actually read the whole thing. Attract your customers with bold, attractive text and colorful software that will indicate on your stock trading and screening software' best characteristics.

Create a "Valued Customer" email list. Send out emails during the holidays or whenever your business is offering a major sale. Limit the number of emails you send out, as customers often get bombarded with deal-related emails and push them to their trash.

Your website's shopping cart feature and purchasing system should be made SEO friendly by using detailed descriptions for your stock trading and screening software and including accurate titles and headers. They should also be providing multiple links to each software product page and be able to handle high traffic well.

You must your specific goals for business. Before setting any goals you have to determine the target audience. You have to visualize your monthly sales projections, and depending upon that, you have to draw a plan of action to conduct your business. While planning, pay greater attention to details, as you success depends in its successful implementation.

Arrange your inventory. Recognize what you have and where you have it to make things easier on yourself when it comes time to ship orders. Keep everything together and organized in a spot dedicated to your occupation.

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Guidelines On How To Find Wholesale Vehicles Deals

By Rena Hudson

Considering wholesale vehicles deals can be very beneficial. This could be because you will be able to benefit from bottom rock prices allowing you to set a reasonable resale value and still make a profit. Wholesale prices are normally referred to as dealer costs. However, when it comes to cars, the term refers to used cars. If you want to purchase a brand new car, you will need to go for dealer cost.

Getting great information about the costs of different car models will not be a hard task. Thanks to the internet, you can shop around effortlessly and find the most reasonable deals in the market. It remains imperative to know that finding information is easy but finding an avenue where you can make the most crucial move will not be easy.

You may find it overwhelming to get access to auctions. Usually, a good number of auctions are not open to the general public. Additionally, some great auctions will not allow dealers who only have licenses to trade with used cars. Since a good percentage of manufacturers will sell off cars that have been leased out previously, having your own dealer license can be very advantageous. This could be your ticket to finding the best car deals and bargains.

Cost as well as time constraints may limit your chances of taking advantage of great savings. These limitations are common when trying to buy only one car. Some reputable dealers allow customers to negotiate with them. If you are determined, you could push until you get a price that is better or close to wholesale rates.

These deals can be good but they also come with a package of risks. You could find a good car that does not have a warranty. In such cases, it would be best to settle for a newer car model. If you are lucky, the relevant manufacturer may still issue a warranty. Warranty issues are usually very delicate. You must verify the necessary information before money changes hands.

The most important step you need to make is to call an auction broker. These companies often have dealer licenses that would allow them to attend an auction on your behalf. In most cases, such companies will charge a flat rate and source the car you need. The duration for you to get a vehicle will mainly depend on how rigid your specifications are.

You can leave your contact information with the broker who will contact you when a vehicle matching your specifications is available in one of the many auctions they attend. You need to keep in mind that the procedures and rates may vary from on auction broker to the next. As well, you might not get much assistance from this broker as far as the warranty information is concerned.

Another prime aspect to consider is the permit of a broker. If you are not a dealer, then you will need to find someone who is authorized to sell cars to the general public. You can do a bit of homework on the internet to find a list of companies that can provide the service you need. The right wholesale vehicles deals must be within your financial ability.

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5 Easy Management Ideas: How to Prepare For the Tax Season?

By Stephen Sulaski

Every year, January 1 to help April 15 is usually what Us businesses, professionals together with wage realizing individuals refer to as the tax season. It is during this period that the previous year's finance reports together with statements are generally filed meant for IRS examine. Accounting specialists are accordingly at their own bidding to assist them with this particular undertaking; particularly the assortment of necessary paperwork along with the preparation involving pertinent documents such as wage and additionally earnings statements and of course the filing of tax returns.

Small to help you medium dimensions companies using the HP 9040 to turn out office print jobs are already equipped meant for heavy-duty printing. What is usually left to do is to ready the essential reports, as follows: Gather just about all payment receipts and other proof involving expenses. Like for example , cash invoices, financial bank account statements, affirmation of balances, credit business card statements, canceled or substitute checks and various financial notes. This can ease the financial review process.

Identifying duty deductible business expenses can help reduce this resultant duty liability. Deductions are generally classified as being either "ordinary" and also "necessary" costs. Expenses considered with the IRS being "ordinary" are expenditures that are acceptable and customary with the conduct with business which include office items, uniforms and expenses involving transportation and additionally fuel. Vital expenses usually are those considered helpful together with appropriate to help you one's exchange or online business. Printing devices for example HP 9040 laser printer, consumables and additionally stationery might constitute being a necessary expense to a print buy, writers and also companies in place in exercise and advancement.Just check out for your back up hard drive .

See if usually there are some changes in the previous year's overtax charges. It may possibly with that depreciation about this year's company and tool purchase. This by itself can save the market significant income. Make almost everything quick together with fast flowing thanks to a dependable software concentrated for duty planning and accounting. With regard to medium to help large-scale companies, there are IRS authorised tax systems getting used. These software are also easily attached to the HP 9040 and any printer at the office for instant hard reproduce production.Just check out for your backup harddrive .

Hire a great Accountant and additionally Tax Consultant- No other individual is much more adept along with the methods and additionally techniques with taxation ın comparison to the accountant. When it comes to expanding and additionally depreciation of business means, a coordinator knows this legal approach to do that. Make virtually no or reduced mistakes in filing financial statements and additionally reports. Save the firm penalties together with charges with the IRS.

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Exactly what You Ought to Expect From A VPN Services Provider

By Dean Miller

For those who have not heard of the phrase VPN, VPN suggests Virtual Non-public Network. It usually concerns a set of desktop computing devices networked together in the web. These networks were developed having safety and privacy in mind. Computer systems which were hooked as much the multilevel might use the provided credentials to purchase access to your data middle. These Digital Private Networks are created to enable people to share files on the web privately and additionally securely. If you ever browse on line, you will see that there are generally numerous companies that come with VPN solutions. This means that you have to take a while to choose person that will connect with your requirements. So what you take under consideration when attempting to find a VPN provider?

It cannot be denied which online protection and level of privacy is precious above everything else these times. Individuals are trying to find Virtual Private Networks that will assure him or her that their own file moves and communications is going to be 100 % shielded. You may well just accomplish this if you would spend for the most beneficial VPN product. There usually are free VPN services out there however they are able to not make certain you the same level of defense that will paid VPN's will need to provide. A paid off VPN service provides people all the most beneficial coverage and additionally service there does exist, ensuring you will have a peace of mind, and in switch keep their own business.Just check out for your SAS Hard Drive Tray .

Whenever you browse, you will stumble upon terms that describe VPN networks as SSL, TLS, PPTP et cetera. Do never worry excessive about a lot of these terms. Just about all methods that come with secure connectors so whatsoever one you choose, your information will be safe. Which is not to state quite possibly all the identical; they every different have advantages and drawbacks however they're just at some sort of technical level that doesn't affect people much being a individual.Just check out for your Proliant DL580 G2 .

You ought to likewise to consider what you will need the VPN meant for. If, for instance, you usually are stressed over government snooping, necessary that you want a service that's provided from past your usa. On additional hand, if that you're getting a VPN to help you get something like safe and secure TV, you must make certain that the country you are getting the television from comes with secure servers with the right places. Basic encryption with regard to day-to-day connection demands may be paid in advance without having to consider way too many variables.

Regularly, a Digital Private Multi-level will capture any info they encrypt and additionally process in the behalf. If you utilize this and you never want many files to be retained together with copied, then see the fine print in advance of registering.

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Using Surveillance Gadgets To Monitor The Company

By Jean B Furjiuele

A part of my duty as the boss' secretary would be to routinely look into the monitor attached to the wireless surveillance video camera system. This is a must, particularly when something important is happening inside numerous parts of the firm, just like a big shipment. Using a multichannel monitoring setup, I'm able to view what's taking place wherever, all at the same time.

My boss didn't feel a detective system was needed for an operation this size. But, the moment it came to his attention we were losing profits here and there, he finally agreed there was a necessity to keep an eye on the premises as well as people. He wasn't trying to find a complicated setup, just something to track and also safeguard his hard work.

A security specialist buddy suggested a digital video recorder system. Even with little technical know-how, we could set up surveillance cameras and run it ourselves. Once the spy cameras were placed in the most ideal and also discreet spots, these were prepared to record, without need for additional computer software installation.

An 8-channel wireless DVR complete system felt suitable for our purposes. It could adequately cover our small warehouse, the delivery area plus essential offices or workstations. It had a stand-alone DVR that could accommodate eight CCTV cams.

Even whenever out of the office, the boss still views what is happening at the office because of the integrated DVR, that can send videos via Internet anywhere he is. At one time, while on a business travel, he caught a delivery guy sneaking into unauthorized locations, and quickly had him caught.

There are four wired video cameras, installed utilizing 100-foot cables, and also several cord less cams with corresponding video receivers. All are day/night color cameras. Under low lighting, we receive clear video footage.

It is the 19-inch screen which I regularly check whenever at the office, specially when we can't perform any kind of actual inspection. The system records video for review later. Or this is easily accessed through the internet.

The boss is also considering a 24-IR weatherproof day/night bullet camera DVR system for outside the office to complement our wireless security camera system.

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How To Use Customer Loyalty Programs To Make Your Business More Appealing

By Margaret Gonzalez

Companies are working harder than ever to supply shoppers with good buyer incentives. Loyalty programs are one type of buyer incentives that are being offered and these basically reward people for their patronage. This will help you to solidify your existing customer base and it is additionally a great marketing strategy.

When many company owners think about marketing, they only consider it in terms of the outreach that is done to attract and convert new buyers. Many businesses spend exorbitant sums of money in an effort to expand their customer bases. Sadly, these same entities frequently do nothing to increase the satisfaction of the people who are already shopping with them.

In reality, however, the customers that you currently have happen to be your biggest asset. They do not cost as much to keep when compared to the costs of converting new prospects. These individuals can continue to support your business even if your latest marketing efforts fall short. Although your main focus has likely been outreach, you must start devoting your time to these individuals.

If CRM or customer relation ship management is something that you are already doing, the information that you have compiled will probably show that your customers will start shopping with you even more if they are simply shown a bit of appreciation. Companies that are not prepared to do this should know that their competitors will gladly do it. Offering attractive incentives is one of the quickest ways to steal the loyal clients of a business.

This is one of the many reasons why it is so necessary to have buyer incentives for these people. You must not neglect the consumers who are already interested in your goods or services. These individuals can be the lifeblood of the businesses they patronize. They can even supply data that will make it easier to track other areas of marketing and outreach.

One of the best things that your customers can do for you is supply you with good word of mouth advertising. They may be doing this already, but incentives will certainly encourage them to go the extra mile. You can offer shopping discounts or even gift cards if they are able to make a sufficient number of referrals. With the new customers that you will be getting, these things will virtually pay for themselves.

There are currently a number of services that make it much easier for businesses to plan and implement loyalty programs. These services offer gift cards that you can custom-tailor for your business so that they include selected images, your company moniker and your logo. You will also have access to many technical tools that will make it possible for you to incorporate these programs into your POS or point of sale machines.

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Better Business With Shared Website Hosting

By Audrey McGuire

Creating your own website is challenging task, it has to be entertaining, efficient and fast. Businesses that particularly deals with their transactions online should prioritize on having sites that works perfectly well. One of the most important factors on running a web page would be hosting services such as shared website hosting.

Web hosting is a process wherein a company or a certain individual will rent a server and store data utilized to display a web page accessible of course with an internet. Each site found online is hosted with some type of server, and most companies offer several type of services. Free systems are for those that do not need various option.

Dedicated systems are also offered for one to have better site efficiency and speed, these system or services are usually more expensive. Generally, servers are computers that have hard drive that could be rented for whoever wants a site or page visible in the internet. There are several types of web hosting that one can choose from.

On the other hand, dynamic sites refer to those web pages that are more interactive and complicated such as shopping carts and blogs. These sites require databases as well as server side codes that could handle certain web page activities such as users or members logging in and the like. Shared hosting is said to be the cheapest form of services.

Indeed, such system is by far the cheapest but it actually gives efficient service especially to static websites. Static websites are those pages that are HTML driven, it does not change and requires little interaction from its users, meaning no bookings or buying. The latter examples are those that are found in dynamic sites, mostly shopping or blog sites.

Most of these services are actually found on line as well, to make an informed choice read all your possible options. One can make inquiries through a telephone support service or a live chat. Assess whether they answer all of your inquiries, are extremely professional or do they concentrate more in gaining clients and gaining more money rapidly.

There are other system services that could provide better server service with your dynamic sites. However, this present system works remarkably well with static websites. Although it may still appear to be much slower compared to pricey options, it provide a reasonable speed and remarkable efficiency on static websites for a good price.

Asking for recommendations on this one wont hurt, in fact it could be really helpful. As most services are found on line check for the reviews on their clients. Reviews or testimonies are useful and are quite efficient when looking for the most reliable and trustworthy company. Before signing any contract, make sure to read their privacy policy as well as their terms of services.

Shared website hosting services are very accessible especially with the internet hence one has to be more cautious with his choices. Make sure to ask all the necessary questions regarding their services offered.

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The Importance Of Biotech Consulting

By Audrey McGuire

Biotech consulting is the practice in assisting organizations that carry out research and commercializing biotechnology. There are many companies and organizations that deal with biotechnology and they look for assistance from scientists who are expert. Due to the increase in companies performing these studies, there has been a lot of competition for these consultants.

This competition has led to elimination of inefficient firms in the market and growth of those firms that are efficient. This is why firms choose to hire consultants so that they can improve their efficiency by adopting the knowledge of the consultants. There are firms that offer biotech consulting and thus you should choose the one that has the best services.

The websites provides the location and qualifications of the consultants thus making it easy for you to perform your research. The internet has made research on the consultants easy since it is only a click away. This means you can carry out a thorough research from your computer and even your mobile phone.

Consulting other firms about the technology you are developing helps you to get good ideas from them. Consultants help you to produce new products in the industry which will sell giving your company profit. The products which you develop will be sold to clients and many health companies plus hospitals.

Biotechnology consulting is a job that should be done with a lot of secrecy since nobody wants their formulas disclosed. You should therefore make sure that the people you hire for these work are trustworthy. This helps you to keep your research secure and thus you will be able to produce a product without people pirating it.

The medical sector is a very sensitive industry and thus the consultants should be able to develop things that meet the necessary legal standards. Failure to this can lead to closure of your business and thus you should be very strict about it. As the owner of a healthcare company, you require professional help in order to execute commercial operations effectively and properly.

Advancement in this field has led to the growth of effective treatments and also advanced methods of treatments. This calls for health company owners to hire consultants with high expertise in the sector that they want done. Biotechnology has led to the improvement in diagnostic imaging which has been very useful in medicine.

You can research on the available consulting firms and consultants through the internet and the yellow pages. You should then visit the firms or the consultants and learn about their qualifications and the services they offer. There are many scams in the websites and thus you should be careful when looking for them on the internet.

Biotech consulting is important to every research company and should be used due to the increased competition in the companies. You should look for the best available consultants and weigh the available options. This helps you to get the best consultant available and one who meets your budget.

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Things To Know About Computer Sales Service

By Frances Keith

It is a good idea to use a computer sales service to find the new computer that you are wanting to buy. These services also provide customer support for the hardware and security of your machine. Keeping older machines operating is easy with the support from a technology provider. They can help also help you custom built a new machine to your specifications. A provider can help you with all of your technology needs.

Desktop support is one of the primary services that support providers offer. That is because desktops are the most commonly thought of hardware when people start talking about support. A local provider can assist you in finding the right pre-built desktop that fits your requirements. If you do not like any of the pre-built options, the provider can custom build one to your specification. Custom building a desktop costs about the same as buying a pre-built desktop.

Laptops have become part of the staple business for hardware companies. Everyone is going mobile and laptops in high demand. Hardware companies have a variety of pre-built laptop models available. Due to their size, it is more difficult for custom alterations to be made to laptops. It is possible but will cost you more.

Mobile devices are quickly becoming an everyday tool. Most local technology providers sell a variety of different mobile devices. When buying a mobile device, you should know that some devices are locked into proprietary technology by the manufacturer and can only be used on certain networks. Customers can use unlocked devices any way they want. Local support firms can also help help fix your device if something goes wrong.

Hardware providers offer a variety of maintenance and security services for servers. Most have incorporated maintenance solutions for local businesses into their product offerings. Providers can help businesses select the right pre-built server. They can also custom design one if a pre-built option does not meet customer requirements. Servers require a certain amount of maintenance to stay free of viruses and to function properly. A local provider can help businesses with those services.

Keeping data backed up is important for all system users. Businesses and individual users should backup their data regularly. A maintenance company can help you keep your data backed up. Some provide off site servers for keeping your files safe. Others provide local cloning software that keeps backups on removable media. Either way, a technology business can help keep you stay backed up.

Hard drives do crash. Viruses do slip in and cause significant damage to systems. Maintenance providers can assist in recovering lost data if something should happen to your hard drive. They can help keep business workstations and home systems free from hard drive problems and viruses. Providers can ensure that your can recover your data regardless of the type of damage done to the hard drive.

Support businesses can help you find the perfect system for you. They can keep your current computer running at peak performance and keep it virus free. They can secure your data by making sure that your machine is backed up and data recover procedures are in place. It does not matter what kind of services you need, a quality computer sales service can help you.

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Information Regarding Pre-Owned Auto Sales

By Frances Keith

Information regarding pre-owned auto sales can be procured from friends, relatives, and business associates regarding local bargains. Contact an local customer certification office or state supervisor to find out if any current disputes are on file for a particular dealer. Past disputes can likewise be discovered over the web or through previous customers.

Various merchants are drawing in clients with no additional costs, factory guaranteed used autos, and better warranties. These can be false advertisements. Recognize the merchant's notoriety when you assess their ads. Research a dealer's history of sales, and customer satisfaction before making a purchase. Inquire with previous customers about their level of satisfaction with the dealer, and the vehicle they purchased.

Automobile warranties and returns vary from dealer to dealer and should be regarded before making a purchase. Merchants may offer cash back incentives, or no fees when returning a vehicle. Some conditions may void a warranty, such as damage to the automobile after purchase. The length of a warranty also varies, and can be affected by the amount of miles added to the vehicle's odometer.

Demonstrators are new vehicles that haven't been rented, claimed, or used as a rental, but are determined to be viable for sale. Program autos are relatively new vehicles, with low mileage that have been returned from a fleet rental. Purchasing guides must be posted on all recreational vehicles, including motorcycles. Dealerships that advertise less than six vehicles per year aren't required to post this purchasing guide, but one may be acquired on request.

Past ownership, any possible liens, and previous vehicle use should be inquired about. Also, any previous damage due to flooding or a collision needs to be regarded. The vehicle's odometer should show the current mileage, and should never have been reset. These conditions will affect the overall quality of an automobile.

Examine dealer documents and contracts very carefully. Make sure the vehicle is being sold, and not leased. Calculate the monthly payment, the term of the contract, and overall price of the vehicle before signing a contract. Examine the mileage and make sure it matches the reading on the odometer as well. If a vehicle is being traded in, make sure the appropriate amount is being taken off the price of the new one.

Hire a professional mechanic to examine the vehicle before purchasing it. Ask the dealer to pay for the inspection if any serious problems are discovered. Many dealerships offer to pay for this inspection either way. The mechanic needs to examine the vehicle's casing, air sacks, tires, undercarriage and interior. An overall examination of the engine should also be completed.

Pre-owned auto sales have provided the general public a safe way to buy and sell used vehicles. Those who cannot afford to purchase a new automobile generally turn to preowned vehicles. Many dealers now offer free inspections before a purchase is made, ensuring that no serious flaws are overlooked. Many incentives are also being offered, such as free oil changes, tire rotations, and annual state inspections.

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Stay Secure!

By Morgan Daniels

If you're going to get rid of your computer - whether you're throwing it out, recycling it, or donating it - we all know there's one thing you've got to do first, and that's to delete your pernephewal data. But that doesn't just apply to your own PC - if you don't remove data properly from computers - and mobile phones - at work, the risk can be even higher.

A Birthday Gift

Andrew was a trusted, long-term employee whose company had an old laptop going spare - just what his sister Rhoda wanted for Christmas. When he asked if he could have it, his boss at WardCo said that was fine- since he'd deleted all the sensitive data, he saw no reanephew why Andrew couldn't take it home.

Helping Out

Andrew was delighted; it meant he could help out Rhoda's family, who saved hundreds of pounds on the cost of the laptop. Better still, it came ready for immediate use, with the software fully installed. And Rhoda was a good girl; she'd never do anything illegal, so it seemed there was nothing to worry about.

A New Owner

A few months down the line, though, Rhoda got a great deal on a brand new laptop. With the old laptop now going spare, she was glad of the chance to help out her friend Val, whose nephew Joe was studying computer science and needed a laptop of his own.

Breach Of Trust

Rhoda deleted her personal data from the laptop and donated it to Joe, just as Andrew had given it to her. The only trouble was that her friend's nephew wasn't as trustworthy as she thought.

Complaints

Joe had more than enough computer knowledge to recover information from the laptop - not only about Rhoda, but about WardCo too. And a few months later, WardCo's customers started complaining about items they'd ordered - and paid for - and never received.

Losses

Although no money was taken from WardCo's bank accounts, several of their biggest buyers ended up taking their custom elsewhere. Andrew's birthday gift ended up costing his employer thousands of pounds in lost business.

What Went Wrong?

Donating a computer is both a good deed and a smart environmental move, but if you don't remove information properly, it can come back to haunt you. As we've just seen in Andrew's case, a single computer in the wrong hands can leave you vulnerable to fraudsters and other criminals - and if you've just had a system upgrade and have a lot of computers to donate, the risk is even higher.

Deletion Isn't Enough

To guard your business from fraudsters, it's not enough just to delete files, or even to reformat the hard drive - even then, some criminals are skilled to retrieve the data. So what can you do?

Destroy To Be Safe

To be sure of protecting your business, destroy the computer's hard drive- and that goes too for employee mobile phones if they've been used to go on the internet. They'll retain information accessed online - such as phone numbers, passwords and potentially sensitive data. To keep that information out of the wrong hands, destruction is the only safe option.

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Achieving Ssl Certification Service Business Success Through Correct Promotion

By Sally Mop

What vision do you have for your enterprise? Do you have precise goals in mind? You have a long-range, strategic plan from which to operate? If not, how do you plan on increasing your SSL certification business? Take a look at these tips and strategies that can help you turn your business into a dynamic and growing entity.

If you are a SSL certification business who utilizes digital content which you must share with your buyers, creating a personalized jump drive is perfect. Sites like DiscountMugs let you design and create affordable USB drives imprinted with your logo, website and phone number. Expand your business by building brand recognition.

Come in contact with local SSL certification business owners that can use your products. By way of example, in case you are into the photography business, then offer your services to the local property office, for professional pictures to be taken of the houses, at a low cost. They will be promoting your photography business as well as revealing your examples without even attempting!

A client is only as good has their ability and willingness to pay. Before extending credit to a customer, check with Dunn and Bradstreet to see what the credit worthiness is. If they have a history of not paying their bill, ask them to pay a deposit or a retainer. If you are providing them a product make it COD.

Facebook has helped SSL certification businesses reach new clients. Companies and businesses can instantly reach their targeted demographic, and base their ad-copy accordingly. Targeted advertising has helped businesses bring in more customers and therefore a bigger profit margin.

You should know the best features about products and services that your SSL certification business provides. Whether competitive price, superior quality, a warranty, or any other selling feature, customers need to know what makes your business better than the alternative. Determine the strengths of your products, and incorporate that information into marketing materials.

Radio advertisement is not dead. Research the radio stations that most closely relate to your target market and plan an ad. With rush hour traffic keeping many at a standstill, radio publishing is still a great way to grow your SSL certification business. Simply keep in mind to keep your ad from being too hokey.

Go to each and every community event. Even if they do not permit booths, you can still promote your local SSL certification business in many different ways. It is also a terrific way to get to know your community, which comes in handy when reaching clients.

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What are Mobile Locksmiths?

By Jose Y. Sykes

All of us probably know what typical locksmiths do. We know that they are experts who replace locks on your homes or commercial business. Mobile locksmiths, on the other hand, are experts who provide mobile services for which ever occasion. They drive to you whether it is an emergency where you are locked out of your car, or you locked yourself out of your home and you need a key to be made.

When you face an expected problem at unexpected times, a professional locksmith can come to the rescue instead of leaving a car, getting picked up by a friend or relative, going home and risk having the car stolen or damaged. In addition, that expert can also provide emergency services to home and business owners, saving both time and money. Mobile locksmiths can hand you the service or services you need within the shortest time possible for quick emergency service when locked out of a car or home.

Usually, they make an attempt to reach the job site as quickly as possible, so that they are able to evaluate the hardware and tools they will need for the job, as well as the procedures that need to be implemented. Mobile locksmiths can be the best solution for re-keying ignition locks and helping home or business owners get into a locked building. Of course, that will depend on what type of work you would like done. The locksmiths ensure that their job is always done in a timely matter as part of giving quality customer service.

As we've said, one of the main reasons why people need this type of service is quickness. Mobile locksmiths can set the security fob of a replacement keychain to match your car and most of the times, finishing the work for less than 2 hours.

People try to open the doors themselves because they often tend to panic when locked out of their houses or cars. However, we should keep in mind that do-it-yourself method for opening home or business locks do not work because most of homes, business or car locks nowadays are made with more complex locks for additional security. If you try yourself more, you will just end up having your cars or other locks can be damaged or scratched and the lock can be broken.

For those locks that wore away, broken or in need to be rekeyed, mobile locksmiths perform the re-keying process where a new key is made which fits the door lock and opens it. The mobile locksmith you hire knows how to handle this situation on an emergency basis. He has the knowledge and experience to do the task perfectly. He knows whether a master key or lock-specific key needs to be used by simply examining the lock.

The best thing you can probably do is to call someone who can reach you as quick as possible when you encounter key or lock problem at night time or midnight,. Keep in mind that there are people who can help during these times - mobile locksmiths.

About the Author:

24/7 locksmiths can solve your lock problems anytime of the day. For further details about emergency locksmiths, check out the links above.

iOS 5: iMessage not working – how to fix

How can i fix ios 5 imessage not working issue? I just downloaded ios 5 on my iPad 1 and went to use imessage. I typed in my email and hit next.

Several people have reported an issue in which iMessage service is not working properly on iPhone, iPod Touch and/or iPad. For instance, iMessage doesn’t send or receive messages.

How to resolve this problem:

Turn off and on (restart) your iOS device (press and hold the Sleep/Wake button for a few seconds, then slide the slider.)

If restarting doesn’t fix it:

It has been reported that changing your DNS settings fixes this issue. To change DNS servers, follow these instructions for iOS devices (iPhone, iPod touch, iPad):

Tap Settings
Tap Wi-Fi on the left-hand side
Tap the blue arrow next to your current Wi-Fi network
Tap the “DNS” field and enter the DNS servers; 8.8.8.8 (Google’s Public DNS). For more information about Google’s public DNS, please see this: http://code.google.com/speed/public-dns/

Peeps, iPads, Films, QR Code Scavenger Hunt: All at the West Hartford Library The West Hartford Public Library's calendar offers a fascin

If you – or your child – is ever stumped for something to do, you may not need to look any further than the West Hartford Library.

This month alone for kids and teens there is a QR Code Reader scavenger hunt for teens, the fifth annual Peeps contest (who can resist?), and a session by award-winning author and Wolcott teacher Matthew Dicks entitled "Now What? Inspirational and Practical Tips for Young Writers."

Adults can take electronics classes on subjects ranging iPads and iPhones to electronic scrapbooking, attend book signings, or learn to grow herbs organically.

The information listed below comes straight from the West Hartford Library's newsletter. For more information, click on the following links:

For Library Hours and Locations:
http://westhartfordlibrary.org/about/hours

For a listing of Teen Programs:
http://westhartfordlibrary.org/teens/events

For a listing of Children's Programs:
http://westhartfordlibrary.org/children

TEEN QR CODE SCAVENGER HUNT March 10-16, Noah Webster Library: Celebrate Teen Tech Week! Visit the Noah Webster Library teen room anytime during library hours through March 16 and complete the QR Code Scavenger Hunt for a chance to win a $25 Amazon gift card! Don't have a QR Code Scanner on your smartphone? No problem! We have pen-and-paper versions of the scavenger hunt available. For more information, visit the teen room or call the teen librarian at 860-561-6996.
AUTHORS LIVE! - March 20 - POSEUR: A Memoir of Downtown NYC in the 90s. Author talk/new book signing: http://bit.ly/poseur20march - Marc Spitz reads from his witty, careening memoir filled with poets, actors and rock stars in New York's glorious, notorious, fun, dirty, pre-gentrified 1990s. "Poseur" (just released) will also be sold and autographed at the event on Wednesday, March 20 at 7 p.m., Noah Webster Library Meeting Room, 20 South Main Street. Park in the nearby Isham Garage and bring your parking ticket to the event for validation. More information for this author talk at: 860-561-6998. Please register online at: http://bit.ly/poseur20march Book excerpt: http://bit.ly/excerptspitz
FEATURED FILM: WE HAVE A POPE, Sun. March 24, 2 p.m.: Join us for this timely screening of We Have a Pope (Habemus Papam), a poignant comedy film by Nanni Moretti that explores a very human view of the office of the Pope. The film was an Official Selection at the Cannes Film Festival 2011 and also at the Toronto International Film Festival 2011. Attendees are welcome to stay after the film for a discussion. Film is in Italian with English subtitles; running time 105 minutes. For more information visit: http://bit.ly/15Ap6ao. The film will be shown in the Noah Webster Library Meeting Room, 20 S. Main St. West Hartford. This is a free event. Doors open at 1:45 and seating is first-come. For information, call 860-561-6993. Parking tickets from the nearby Isham Garage will be validated before the movie.
GROWING HERBS ORGANICALLY Wed. March 13, 6:30 p.m. Carole Miller of the Topmost Herb Farm in Coventry, CT leads a show-and-tell lecture on growing herbs organically. This program will provide an overview of her experiences in growing both culinary and medicinal herbs; which varieties grow best in our zone, best planting and harvesting methods, and a few organic strategies in dealing with pests and diseases. To sign up for this program, click the following link: http://bit.ly/carolemar13 and click the "sign up" button, or call 860-561-6990. This program will take place in the West Hartford Public Library Meeting Room, 20 S. Main St. West Hartford. Park in the nearby Isham Garage and have your parking ticket validated at the program.
BISHOPS CORNER: Children's Storytimes begin March 11. All storytimes take place in the Bishops Corner Library, 15 Starkel Road, West Hartford. Please register by calling 860-561-8205 or by visiting our website at: www.westhartfordlibrary.org. Preschool Storytimes - Join us for stories, puppets, fingergames and movement activities. Age 2 (for child with adult) - Mondays 10:30-11 a.m., Mar. 11, 18, 25 Apr. 1, 8. Age 3 & 4 (child attends alone) - Mondays 4-4:45 p.m., Mar. 11, 18, 25 Apr. 1, 8. Nighttime Family Storytime - End the day with stories, play, and crafts. All ages are welcome to attend. Registration is required. Stories selected are for school age children and their families. Tuesdays, 6:30-7:15 p.m., Mar. 12, 19, 26 Apr. 2, 9.
BISHOPS CORNER: I've Opened Microsoft Word...Now What? Inspirational and Practical Tips for Young Writers, Thurs. March 14, 6:30 p.m. West Hartford author and award winning teacher Matthew Dicks http://matthewdicks.com/ will speak from the perspective of both a novelist and a teacher, focusing on specific strategies that can be employed within the home that will allow a young person's publishing career to be jump started with little effort. This talk will be useful for writers of all genres, with a goal of blending the inspirational with practical tips that will send the writer back to the blank page, excited, equipped, and supported by informed parents. This program will take place in the Bishops Corner Senior Center Card Room, 15 Starkel Road, West Hartford. You may sign up here: http://bit.ly/15TNNQd or call 860-561-8210.
5TH ANNUAL PEEPS CONTEST: Drop-Off, Fri. Mar. 15 and Sat. Mar. 16. Create a scene from your favorite book or movie using marshmallow Peeps! Open to teens ages 11 - 15. Submit dioramas to the teen room of the Noah Webster Library, 20 S. Main St. West Hartford, on Friday Mar. 15 (10 a.m.-6 p.m.) or Saturday Mar. 16 (10 a.m.-5 p.m.). CONTEST GUIDELINES: Create an original diorama using a scene from your favorite book or movie. Marshmallow Peeps must be used in creating the scene. Additional props may be used too. Label your entry with the book or movie title. Your name, phone number and age must be attached to your entry. Three winners will be chosen by an impartial judging panel. Winners will be awarded first, second and third places prizes. For great ideas, check out the Annual Washington Post Peeps Contest. Need more information? Call the teen room at 860-561-6996.
COMPUTER U: Putting YOU in the Program! Computer U classes take place at 1:30PM in the Learning Lab at the Noah Webster Library, 20 S. Main St. West Hartford. Click the following link: http://bit.ly/computerUnwl or call 860-561-6990 to register.
Creating a Keepsake:  Online Scrapbooking, Thursday, March 14. Everyone has digital pictures that are gathering dust on a camera or on the computer.  Learn how to showcase these important images in a digital scrapbook. Online scrapbooking services like Shutterfly, Snapfish, and Mixbook make it easier than ever to create spectacular photo albums that can be kept or gifted to family and friends. Participants are asked to bring at least thirty digital files on a CD or flash drive to begin creating their own scrapbook pages.
iPad and Photographs, Thursday, March 21. There are pictures on the iPad, now what? This session will review the iPad's built-in camera; how to edit, save and share pictures; and how to organize a photo album from your camera roll. We will also look at some of the apps available for purchase that can enhance your photo-taking and editing experience. (Note: please come prepared to see numerous pictures of the instructor's dog.)
The Accessibility Features of your iPhone, Thursday, March 28. A review of the accessibility features available on the iPhone 4s and 5 (also applicable to later version of the iPod and iPad). These features are designed to make it easier for users with visual, auditory, or other physical challenges to use the iPhone more easily. Discussion will include VoiceOver, Zoom, and Color Display. A special guest is also expected to attend, Siri.
FAXON: RACE MATTERS BOOK DISCUSSION Wed. March 27 at 6:30 p.m. You're invited to discuss Elizabeth and Hazel: Two Women of Little Rock by David Margolick, a painful and elevating story of a historic civil-rights photograph and the evolving, intertwined lives of its subjects. This volunteer-led event is part of Faxon's long-running Race Matters Film and Book Discussion series. The event will be held at the Faxon Library, 1073 New Britain Avenue, West Hartford. Registration is suggested by calling 860-561-8201.
ART GALLERY - Art Scholz: Watercolors & Whimsical Wood Sculptures. A watercolorist with a passion for New England scenes, Scholz (http://scholzart.com) skillfully captures the human interest of the countryside and seashores. In addition to watercolor paintings on display are original "Whimsical Wood" sculptures depicting stylized people and animal creations. This exhibit will be in the Gallery of the Noah Webster Library, 20 S. Main St. West Hartford until March 31.
AUTHOR SUE MILLER to Visit West Hartford for National Library Week. Attention all book groups! Author Sue Miller will be appearing at the West Hartford Town Hall, 50 S. Main St. on Mon. April 15, 2013 at 7 p.m. This free event will be sponsored by the Friends of the Library. Sue Miller Program Flyer: http://tinyurl.com/suemillerflyer15April2013 Fact Sheet: http://bit.ly/WnaQ2E
Related Topics: Book Signing, Free Activities in West Hartford, PEEPs contest, and West Hartford library

Wi-Fi disabled and greyed out after iOS 6 update on the iPad or iPhone

My Iphone 4s sunddenly got the same problem wifi get grayed/option disabled. I have IOS 6.1.2 then i tried to reset it airplane mode on/off but the same. So please guide me what i have to do?

Several users have reported Wi-Fi problems after updating to iOS 6. Mostly users have reported that the Wi-Fi option was greyed out.

It seems that this bug was a result of Apple’s servers being down for a short time. It has been further reported that this bug was fixed by Apple, so you do not need to do anything. If you are still having this issue, please leave a comment here.

UPDATE

It seems that many users are still having this problem.

Possible fixes:

Reset network settings (General->Reset->Reset Network Settings)

Toggle Airplane Mode on/off

Restart your device

Turn off Cellular Data ( Settings > General > Cellular) then try to connect to your WiFi.

iPhone 3G Slow After iOS 4.0 Update

iPhone 3G Slow After iOS 4.0 Update
If your iPhone 3G is running really slow after installing iOS 4, you’re not alone. While iOS 4 is a great OS for newer iPhone models, it makes my older iPhone 3G slow down to a crawl, with everything delayed and stuttering to catch up to touch. At times it’s practically unusable. So what can you do to speed it up?


A number of iPhone 3G users have experienced a significant degradation in performance after the iOS 4.0 update. iPhone 3GS users generally report across-the-board performance improvements with the new update, but original iPhone 3G users have reported slow app launching, delayed reactions to taps, and generally poor interface responsiveness.

Fixes

Perform a “hard reset.” Hold down the sleep/wake and home buttons simultaneously for roughly 15-20 seconds, until the screen powers off then an Apple logo appears, which signifies a reboot. Some users have (oddly enough) reported that performing two hard resets resolves the slowness issue.

Restore, but not from backup. It appears that bad holdover data from iPhone backups can cause performance problems. Restoring as a new phone will delete contacts and other data, but may resolve this issue.

To do so, connect your iPhone or iPod touch to your computer, click “Restore” in iTunes, then choose “setup as new phone.”

Free up space. Make sure that your iPhone has at least 10% of its available memory free. OS X-based systems, such as iOS 4.0, may require some free space to operate properly.

Close open Safari windows. One iOS application that consumes memory in the background is Safari. Close all unused windows in the application by pressing the page switch button in the lower right portion of the screen then clicking the X at the top left of each page. See this page for screenshots.

Turn off Spotlight. Navigate to Settings -> General -> Home Button -> Spotlight Search and turn off all the options by tapping each one. Next, perform a hard reset by holding down the sleep/wake and home buttons simultaneously for roughly 15-20 seconds, until the screen powers off then an Apple logo appears, which signifies a reboot.

You can experiment with turning off only some options, but most users only report a meaningful speed boost if all options are turned off.

Turn off MMS. Navigate to Settings > Messages > MMS messaging and slide MMS Messaging to “Off,” then perform a hard reset as described above.

DFU Restore. A tedious process, but one that has yielded dramatic performance improvements for some users.

To perform a DFU restore, follow these steps:

1. Backup your phone and preserve data. Follow the steps in this Apple Knowledge Base article to transfer your purchases and backup your iPhone.

2. Put iPhone into DFU mode. Connect your iPhone to your computer and open iTunes (if it doesn’t open automatically). Hold down both the top (sleep/wake) and home buttons for exactly 10 seconds, then release the top (sleep/wake) button butkeep holding the home button until  iTunes displays a message stating that a phone in recovery mode has been discovered.

3. Restore. Press the restore button and allow the phone to complete the restoration data. After it is done, select setup as a new phone.

4. Restore your backup (optional). Next, you can restore the phone again in the normal fashion (not DFU mode) using the most recent backup rather than setting up as a new phone. However, this may cause the original problem to return in some cases. If the problem returns, follow steps 1-3 again and do not restore your backup.

Feedback? info@appletoolbox.com.

iPhone 4 “No SIM Card Installed” Error

I just got my new iphone 4 and to my amazement, it doesn't work! It was activated, tested (a call in the AT&T store, then a call at home)

Some iPhone 4 users have reported an issue in which the phone suddenly displays a “No SIM Card Installed” error, either while attempting to make phone calls or during routine usage.

Apple Discussions poster macoverclock writes:

“Keep getting the “no sim card installed” error. phone works for a bit then go to check my email and the error has come up. shut the phone off and turn back on and the sim card is found then a half of an hour later the same error comes up again. this has happened 5 times in the last 5 hours.”

Fixes

The most reliable fix for this issue is to simply remove your SIM card, clean it lightly using a dry cloth, ensure that there is no debris in the SIM slot, then reinsert the card, ensuring a snug fit. Instructions for doing so can be found in this Apple Knowledge Base article.

Other users have reported that briefly turning on Airplane mode (in Settings) then turning it back off can resolve the problem.

Feedback? info@appletoolbox.com.

iPhone 3G Slow After iOS 4.0 Update

iPhone 3G Slow After iOS 4.0 Update
If your iPhone 3G is running really slow after installing iOS 4, you’re not alone. While iOS 4 is a great OS for newer iPhone models, it makes my older iPhone 3G slow down to a crawl, with everything delayed and stuttering to catch up to touch. At times it’s practically unusable. So what can you do to speed it up?


A number of iPhone 3G users have experienced a significant degradation in performance after the iOS 4.0 update. iPhone 3GS users generally report across-the-board performance improvements with the new update, but original iPhone 3G users have reported slow app launching, delayed reactions to taps, and generally poor interface responsiveness.

Fixes

Perform a “hard reset.” Hold down the sleep/wake and home buttons simultaneously for roughly 15-20 seconds, until the screen powers off then an Apple logo appears, which signifies a reboot. Some users have (oddly enough) reported that performing two hard resets resolves the slowness issue.

Restore, but not from backup. It appears that bad holdover data from iPhone backups can cause performance problems. Restoring as a new phone will delete contacts and other data, but may resolve this issue.

To do so, connect your iPhone or iPod touch to your computer, click “Restore” in iTunes, then choose “setup as new phone.”

Free up space. Make sure that your iPhone has at least 10% of its available memory free. OS X-based systems, such as iOS 4.0, may require some free space to operate properly.

Close open Safari windows. One iOS application that consumes memory in the background is Safari. Close all unused windows in the application by pressing the page switch button in the lower right portion of the screen then clicking the X at the top left of each page. See this page for screenshots.

Turn off Spotlight. Navigate to Settings -> General -> Home Button -> Spotlight Search and turn off all the options by tapping each one. Next, perform a hard reset by holding down the sleep/wake and home buttons simultaneously for roughly 15-20 seconds, until the screen powers off then an Apple logo appears, which signifies a reboot.

You can experiment with turning off only some options, but most users only report a meaningful speed boost if all options are turned off.

Turn off MMS. Navigate to Settings > Messages > MMS messaging and slide MMS Messaging to “Off,” then perform a hard reset as described above.

DFU Restore. A tedious process, but one that has yielded dramatic performance improvements for some users.

To perform a DFU restore, follow these steps:

1. Backup your phone and preserve data. Follow the steps in this Apple Knowledge Base article to transfer your purchases and backup your iPhone.

2. Put iPhone into DFU mode. Connect your iPhone to your computer and open iTunes (if it doesn’t open automatically). Hold down both the top (sleep/wake) and home buttons for exactly 10 seconds, then release the top (sleep/wake) button butkeep holding the home button until  iTunes displays a message stating that a phone in recovery mode has been discovered.

3. Restore. Press the restore button and allow the phone to complete the restoration data. After it is done, select setup as a new phone.

4. Restore your backup (optional). Next, you can restore the phone again in the normal fashion (not DFU mode) using the most recent backup rather than setting up as a new phone. However, this may cause the original problem to return in some cases. If the problem returns, follow steps 1-3 again and do not restore your backup.

Feedback? info@appletoolbox.com.

How To Downgrade iTunes 10 to iTunes 9.2.1

Downgrade iTunes 10 to iTunes 9.2.1 for Windows and Mac.Apple has recently released iTunes 10 for iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch with Ping

iPad – Accessibility for All!

Several users who are dissatisfied with the new iTunes interface or other enhancements, or are experiencing problems with third-party add-ons or other issues may seek to downgrade to iTunes 9.2.1. Here’s the procedure:

Mac: If you have a Time Machine backup, simply use it to restore your iTunes 9.2.1. Otherwise, follow these instructions:

First, delete the following files

The iTunes application in /Applications

com.apple.iTunes.plist, which is located in ~/Library/Preferences (this is the library folder inside your user folder)

iTunes.pkg, which is located in /Library/Receipts (this is the library folder at the root level of your startup drive)

iTunesX.pkg, which is located in /Library/Receipts

Next, download iTunes 9.2.1 for Mac OS X and run the installer.

You may then need to recreate your iTunes library.

Windows

Go to C:\My Documents\My Music. Backup the entire “iTunes” folder to a safe location.

Using the Control Panel to uninstall the following: Apple Application Support, iPhone Configuration, iTunes 10, Apple Mobile Device Support, Apple Software Update and QuickTime.

Reboot your computer

Go back to C:My Documents\My Music\iTunes

Rename the file iTunes Library.itl to something like iTunes Library.itl.backup.

In the same folder, open “Previous iTunes Libraries” and find the most recent library backup, which should be named something like “iTunes Library 2010-09-1.itl” Copy this file, then paste it in C:My Documents\My Music\iTunes and rename it iTunes Library.itl

Download either iTunes 9.2.1 for 32-bit or iTunes 9.2.1 for 64-bit (depending on your system configuration) and install the software.

You may then need to recreate your iTunes library.

How To: Use Accessibility Options

These settings and features are all designed to make it easier to use iOS devices. Have you found any that make using your device better, or have helped other people use their devices? Let us know in the comments below.

how to use iOS' helpful accessibility features, which may help you or someone you know use their iOS device more effectively.

 Using Google products: How to use accessibility features. In this section, we go over the accessibility features of our products for 2 groups of people

How To: Use Accessibility Options

What makes iOS great for users with disabilities is that there’s a selection of options to make using an iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad much easier. Many of these features are designed for the visually-impaired, the hard of hearing, or those with motor skills issues, to open up their devices to them in a way that most people take for granted. However, there are a few features here that even able users can take advantage of – custom vibration settings started out as an Accessibility option before becoming standard in iOS 6. Here’s a rundown of what the Accessibility features in iOS are.
To find and configure ACcessibility options, open up Settings, tap on General, then scroll down to Accessibility. All the iOS Accessibility options are here.

VoiceOver is primarily designed for visually-impaired users, as it makes it easier to select specific items, which the device will then speak what that feature is, and double-taps are used to then select the item, making it harder to accidentally tap on certain items. Various other settings for devices like Bluetooth-enabled Braille machines, and typing feedback, can be configured here.

Zoom makes it possible to use 3-finger gestures to zoom in and out of the screen, making it easier for visually-impaired users to see certain items when necessary.

Large Text increases the font size in certain Apple apps.

Invert Colors will invert the device’s colors, which can help users with different vision issues.

Speak Selection and Speak Auto-text make it possible to have text-to-speech enabled on selected text.

Hearing Aids is the settings section for Bluetooth hearing aids. Once connected, the options will be made available.
LED Flash for Alerts makes it possible for the LED flash on the iPhone to go off when new alerts come in. This can be handy for any user that wants a way to see that they have new notifications, even when they’re not looking at the screen.
Mono Audio sets the device’s audio to be only in monaural, making it possible for users who only hear out of one ear (or for users who use mono headsets) to hear both channels in one ear. The audio balance can also be set here.
Guided Access makes it possible to restrict a device to one app, with certain screen sections able to be configured as untouchable. This makes it possible to use a device in a demo mode, or to let a child use an app without leaving it or changing any settings.

AssistiveTouch enables a gray button that can be dragged around the screen. This calls up several system functions, that make it possible to do things like multitouch gestures, take screenshots, and more. For users who have a broken home button, AssistiveTouch can make the device still usable.

Home-click Speed makes it easier to double-click the home button, by not requiring it to be double-clicked so quickly.

Incoming Calls can force the audio from incoming calls to either go to a headset or to the speaker.
Triple-click Home allows for VoiceOver, Invert Colors, Zoom, and AssistiveTouch to be toggled by triple-clicking the Home button.

Apple Case Design in 2013- On Protection + Priorities

Apple Case Design in 2013
- On Protection + Priorities


According to internal Apple research that was publicized last year, roughly 80% of iPhone owners use cases to protect their devices, and obviously iPod and iPad cases are popular, too. iLounge recently reached out to some of the biggest case designers in the industry to gather their thoughts on various aspects of case design. Here’s part one of our three-part series on the state of Apple case design in 2013.

iLounge: Do you reach a point in case protectiveness when it feels like overkill?

Bryan Hynecek, VP of Design, Speck: It’s not overkill, but there is a real trade-off. You reach a point where you are compromising the daily performance and usability of your device.

Barry Sween, Design Director, Belkin: Well, there is “perception of protection” and there is “actual protection.” Some of our cases actually protect the iPhone for typical real-world experience as well, or better, than bulky so-called “protective” cases in the market today without intruding on a good user experience. That’s where we strive to go. There may be a perception that bulkier is better. But we believe that bulky things are awkward to live with. A case for a slim, elegant device should not make the device chunky and inelegant. We strive to balance protectiveness with functionality in everyday situations; so even a case expressly designed for protection should still be as slim and elegant as possible.


Chris Robinette, Senior VP of Product, Incase: We work to create protective solutions that highlight rather than detract from the form of a device. Even with our SYSTM line, which shows our most protective options, we’ve taken care to upgrade protection by using innovative materials, like Poron XRD foam, to provide added protection with minimal bulk. Clearly, there is a market for hyper-protective products, but we’ll work to meet this market need in our own way.

Steve Bau, Managing Director, SwitchEasy: As our communication devices are getting thinner and more fragile, we believe that there is a greater need of better protection on these products. But our parents always taught us that too much of anything is not good. So we like to create scenarios that help us decide what the level of protectiveness should be applied. This way, we eliminate the use of unneeded design features, the misuse of recourses and excessive use of materials. We believe this results in hitting our targets without overkill.

Jay Jun, Marketing Associate, Spigen: At Spigen, we focus on keeping our cases simple, smart, and sleek. After continuous testing, we discovered a plateau in efficiency when balancing protection and bulk. Although some people might need destruction-proof cases, a majority of consumers do not require that level of protection. We focus on offering protection from everyday accidents because not everyone works at a construction site.

iLounge: What is your most important priority when designing a case?

Speck: During the design process and when we are developing concepts to solve a specific problem, we try hard to poke holes in it. We ask ourselves, if we were another team looking at the same situation would we come up with the same solution? If the answer is yes, we scrap it, start over and keep going until we all agree on a totally unique and clever solution. Speck cases have an element of surprise in them for customers, something they wouldn’t think about or expect. The springy way the kickstand in the SmartFlex View retracts is a great example of this. It’s fun.

Brian Thomas, President and CEO, Otterbox: For OtterBox, it’s a combination of protection and functionality. All of our cases are designed to offer varying levels of protection while still allowing users to experience the device the way it was intended. We have an in-house team of engineers that design all of our cases with these two elements top of mind.


SwitchEasy: Our most important focus for designing cases is to make sure that all the features of the device are fully operational and accessible after our product is installed onto it. The big challenge here is to make sure that all buttons are reachable and that there is no loss in tactile feel of the buttons. Out of experience, we can say that this is a lot harder than it seems and therefore you see many others fail at this. However for us at SwitchEasy, a case will only be introduced to the market when it complies to these conditions: offering protection and the same user experience as if nothing was put on.

Belkin: Smartphones, like the iPhone, have become such an integral part of our daily life experience that people have developed an incredibly personal relationship with it. Designing a great case means to honor that intimate relationship and to find a true balance of function and fashion, as well as being true to the incredible detail that Apple puts into the design of their products. Our primary aim is to create a line of products that will fit the needs of the various users. So, once we have established the intended user, we first need to understand their needs, and predict what they would enjoy living with. Then we go to work to create a case that best works for them. We will look at creating the appropriate level of protection and tune the aesthetic to fit their lifestyles. Because there are so many personalities in the world we offer a wide range of cases to match them with colors and patterns that appeal to a wide variety of tastes.

Incase: We are always trying to achieve a balance between form and function. At its essence, a case is inherently designed to protect the device it’s attached to, so naturally protection is key. What is unique about Incase is that we bring a very specific design aesthetic that places emphasis on simplicity, intuitive functionality and innovation, which is reflected across the board in our product offering.

Coming tomorrow, part two looks at the role Apple design specifications play in case designs, and part three looks at the decline of the iPod, as well as design innovation, and the future.

Alleged Google Now for iOS video leaks on YouTube, is promptly pulled

Alleged Google Now for iOS video leaks on YouTube, is promptly pulled

iOS fans jealous of Jelly Bean's creepy Google Now might finally have something to get excited about. An October update to the Google Search app finally delivered anupdated voice recognition experience to Apple's platform, but sadly alerts and contextual cards of data were nowhere to be seen. Of course, Mountain View has never been one to keep its wares to a single platform, and many expect that it's only a matter of time before Now makes its proper debut on iOS. Those that like to dip their toes in both ponds might be interested in a video brought to our attention by a tipster earlier today.

The clip, embedded after the break, is allegedly a low resolution version of a promotional video for Google Now on iPhone and iPad. The video has since been pulled from YouTube and appears to feature the same voice actress as the original Now announcement (which you'll also find after the break for comparison). Supposedly, Now will be accessible in an upcoming iOS app update simply by swiping up from the main screen. Of course, there's always the chance that is an impressive fake or even a canceled project that's only being leaked now. We've reached out to Google for comment, but even if the search giant remains silent, we're confident the truth will be known soon enough.

[Thanks, Jason]

Mobile Accessibility Landscape Update

Mobile Accessibility Landscape Update
Mobile Accessibility Landscape Update Accessible mobile devices increase the ability of people with disabilities to communicate, shop, learn, integrate, and ...
update to the mobile accessibility landscape

Cell phone and other mobile device usage is growing at a fast pace. The way we use mobile devices continues to evolve and increase. Use of mobile retail, financial and other apps continues to increase and open more opportunities to how we use mobile devices in everyday life. The benefits to people with disabilities are potentially more dramatic than those for the general population. Accessible mobile devices increase the ability of people with disabilities to communicate, shop, learn, integrate, and interact with society. Common mobile devices can replace expensive specialized devices that many people with disabilities rely on such as augmentative and alternative communication devices, way finding, and reading. The trend toward mobile use can be seen among the disability community via the most recent WebAim Screen Reader Survey 4 reported that 71.8 percent of respondents indicated that they use a screen reader on a mobile device, a 600 percent increase in mobile screen reader usage since the first survey was conducted just 17 months ago. This also suggests a large shift away from “feature phones” to “smart phones”.

Feature phones are closed devices which run software written by the manufacturer and embedded into the firmware of the phone. They generally do not allow for the development, installation or launching of third-party applications. As with all closed devices, any existing accessibility support is built into the device by the manufacturer or provided by attaching a peripheral device. The number of feature phones on the market which include accessibility features is very small, and none of the feature phones on the market today provide access to all functions of the device for all users. In contrast, smartphones run operating systems which may or may not be developed by the phone manufacturer and allow for the development, installation and launching of third-party applications. This approach has created numerous new opportunities for people with disabilities by allowing them to gain access to a greater number of the device’s features (all features in some instances) and also to a large number of third-party applications. The availability and demand for included and third-party assistive technologies on many smartphones today has allowed users with disabilities to make the shift to smartphone devices along with their peers. As the trend is clearly moving in the direction of smartphones, this post will focus on the accessibility of the major smartphone and mobile platforms.

iPhone Accessibility

The iPhone from Apple revolutionized the cell phone industry and continues to be a market leader today. The iPhone was one of the first to exclusively use a touch screen interface as its sole method of input and control. As such, initial iPhone models posed accessibility challenges for many constituents with disabilities. Apple has listened to the demand from the disability community and, with the release of the iPhone 3GS in 2009, the Voiceover screen reader which is built into the Mac desktop platform was introduced into the iPhone. Apple devised a unique set of gestures to allow a user to nonvisually control the iPhone using Voiceover. As a user’s finger moves over or taps an element, the name of the element is spoken. Double tapping on the screen activates the element which has focus. A user can flick their finger from the left side of the screen to the right side to navigate through the elements in sequence without having to know the element’s onscreen location, and a right-to-left flick gesture sequentially navigates in reverse order. Over the past four years Apple has introduced a number of features to better improve the accessibility of the iPhone. Some of the other available features on the iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad include:

Alternative input and output modalities available through the support of a number of Bluetooth keyboards and refreshable Braille Displays
The assistive technology Zoom, which enlarges the entire screen up to 500 percent. This feature works across all apps and is similar but different from the pinch zoom features that can be found in some apps such as browsers.
AssistiveTouch, which allows for gesture creation and support for adaptive input devices. This feature allows one touch point access to gestures that might normally require multiple touch points. This feature allows users who may be using a head pointer or mouth stick to operate iOS devices and apps. iOS devices have capacitance based screens – thus, special styli available for a nominal price are needed for alternative touch input.
Invert colors, which inverts the colors on the screen — dark colors become light and light colors become dark. This feature is often used by people with low vision to create a high contrast type view with colors that may be less harsh.
Siri introduced with the iPhone 4s which allows the user to control many features of the device and retrieve information using speech recognition
Hearing aid and TTY compatibility, support for open and closed captioning within iTunes and customizable vibratory alerts for users who are deaf or hard of hearing
For a review of the Apple iPad tablet which runs on the same platform that powers the iPhone, see iPad Accessibility – My Perspective. The introduction of these features and improved accessibility over time demonstrates Apple’s continued commitment to universal access for all. This commitment is further demonstrated by a Siri promotional video which includes a blind iPhone user and a video shown at Apple’s developer conference featuring several iPhone users with disabilities. Apple’s commitment to universal design and the level of accessibility built directly into the iPhone has made it increasingly popular among users with disabilities. As an example, WebAim reported in its Screen Reader Survey 4 results that Apple accounts for 58.5 percent of primary mobile screen reader users, up from 32.6 percent in just 17 months and notably higher than usage for the standard population. Another reason that the iPhone has gained popularity is that many iPhone apps are highly accessible using the Voiceover screen reader without extra effort on the part of the developer as demonstrated by this iPhone app directory.

Apple continues to improve the accessibility of the iPhone and further demonstrate its commitment to all users. New accessibility features in version 6 of iOS include:

Guided access, which allows the user to focus on the task at hand by restricting touch input to one app or area of the screen (for more on Guided Access watch this video demonstration of Guided Access
Voiceover support for the redesigned Maps app that will be included with the new iOS release
The ability to run Voiceover concurrently with Zoom and AssistiveTouch (not possible with versions before 6)
Support for upcoming third-party Bluetooth 4.0 hearing aids designed for the iPhone 4s
iOS related accessibility best practices for app development can be found at webaccessibility.com.

Android Accessibility

Android is an open-source operating system for mobile phones created by Google. Android phones currently dominate the standard cell phone market but receive significantly lower usage among some disability user groups. For example, the WebAIM Screen Reader Survey 4 results indicated that only 7.9 percent of respondents use Android as their primary mobile platform. While Google makes phones which run the Android OS such as the Galaxy Nexus, phones which run Android are available from other manufacturers, giving the consumer choice over which Android-powered phone they wish to use. One down side to this approach is that many of the Android-powered phones cannot run the latest version of the Android OS, Android 4.2.1 (also called Jelly bean). One benefit to using the Galaxy Nexus line of phones and tablets such as the Nexus 7 is that they are updated directly by Google whenever new versions of the operating system (OS) are available and accessibility is included by default.

The open source philosophy behind Android has led to the adoption of a more “wild west” model of accessibility where developers are expected to create accessibility solutions rather than having them provided centrally. Still, Google did introduce some accessibility features into previous version starting with Android 1.6, including:

TalkBack – an included service which speaks the results of actions, events and notifications
KickBack – a service which provides haptic (vibratory) feedback for different actions
SoundBack – a service which plays sounds for different actions
Since phone manufacturers have complete control over how Android is provided with their phone, some of these accessibility services have been removed from their Android distribution. If this occurs, users can still often download TalkBack, KickBack and SoundBack from the Android Play market. Manufacturers have also been known to replace default Android apps such as the home screen with their own customized versions. Even within Google’s core Android distribution, Android accessibility solutions often had to be pieced together. For example, the home screen which shipped with Android 2.1 was not compatible with TalkBack, requiring users to replace it with an alternate interface called the eyes-free shell.

Google has continued to improve the accessibility of Android with subsequent versions. For example, in earlier versions of the platform TalkBack only announced components which gained focus via a keyboard or four-way directional pad, limiting its use to phones possessing these functions. Google solved this problem by introducing a “virtual keyboard” into a subsequent version which emulated keyboard entry on phones which only possessed a touch screen. The latest version of the Android platform 4.2.1 contains accessibility improvements such as Explore by Touch which allows a user to touch their screen and hear the name of an object under their finger, and additional accessibility options to modify the font size and sound settings of the phone. The current version also provides a gesture to nonvisually activate TalkBack and Explore by Touch during initial phone setup which previously could only be enabled via the Accessibility Settings menu. Increased support for the default browser including its accessibility when embedded in app’s were also included via an accessibility option. In addition, additional gestures were introduced including a gesture to read the entire screen, move back a screen, and activate the home screen. However, the Android platform still does not include an invert colors accessibility option. While version 4.0 of the Android platform did include the Explore by Touch feature it was not truly usable by a person who is blind until version Android 4.1. With the combined features for default and embedded browser support in Android 4.2 the Android platform finally contains the required elements for independent use by people who are blind or visually impaired.

The open architecture design of the Android platform allows for the easy development of third-party assistive technologies and accessibility solutions. As an example, alternatives to the TalkBack screen reader are available. One such alternative is an open-source screen reader called Spiel which provides a JavaScript-compatible scripting interface to control or limit the presentation of poorly-behaving widgets. Code Factory, manufacturers of screen reading software for several mobile platforms, makes a commercial screen access package for the Android platform called Mobile Accessibility. It consists of a screen reader which offers output through speech synthesis and supported refreshable Braille displays, and input via a keyboard and trackball, touch screen gestures, and speech recognition. The full product also comes with a suite of 12 apps to provide alternate access to the Android-included apps for features of the phone and the operating system, including an alternate web browser and music player. (The web browser and music player are also available as separate purchases independent of the screen reader and apps suite.) Several carriers make branded versions of Mobile Accessibility available to their customers with disabilities free of charge. In the United States, AT&T makes the suite of accessible apps available free to customers under the name Mobile Accessibility Lite. Sprint, Boost Mobile and Virgin Mobile USA make the apps available free to their customers under the name Wireless Accessibility.

In spite of the limitations and fragmentation of Android accessibility, the Android platform has a loyal user base with disabilities. This Android app directory as of this writing contains submissions for 253 apps which were reviewed for compatibility with Android screen access software.

Like Apple, Google continues to make accessibility improvements in Android as new versions of the platform are released. In 2012 Google released Android Jellybean (4.2) Additional enhancements included:

Speech recognition is now local to the device, no longer requiring the device to be connected to the Internet in order to use it
Gesture support allowing for greater nonvisual control of the device using the touch screen
Native support for refreshable Bluetooth Braille displays
For more on accessibility developments and implementing accessibility in Android apps, check out this Android accessibility video presentation from Google I/O 2012. Android related app development best practices are also provided on webaccessibility.com.

Blackberry OS Accessibility

The Blackberry is a device manufactured by Blackberry (formerly Research in Motion (RIM)). Like the iPhone, Blackberry exclusively makes the hardware which is powered by the Blackberry operating system (Blackberry OS). The Blackberry was one of the first convergent devices on the market to offer a phone with access to corporate E-mail, web browsing functionality and connectivity to corporate networks. Blackberry devices receive wide popularity among the government and corporate industries because of their ability to meet organizational security requirements and interface with internal networks.

Many Blackberry devices provide features to support users with disabilities. The accessibility support however has not consistently been brought to new versions of the phone and to the Playbook tablet. Some available features include

hearing aid compatibility
support for captioned multimedia content
compatibility with TTY and TDD terminals
customizable vibratory alerts
single-handed operation
inverted color contrast support
customizable fonts
browser zoom
In addition, Blackberry recently released the Blackberry screen reader that formerly was Oratio as a free, downloadable assistive technology for the Blackberry Curve 9350, 9360 and 9370 smartphones. It provides nonvisual access to core applications such as the phone, E-mail, calendar and text messaging.

Recently Blackberry announce version 10 of its operating system and included mention of several accessibility features that will be provided. These features include a magnification option, font size adjustment, and TTY support, however, no screen reader support for Blackberry OS version 10 is provided. Little information was also provided on accessibility applications programming interface (API) information for version 10 of the OS.

Windows 8 Surface RT Accessibility

Windows Phone 8 introduces some new accessibility features. Previously Windows Phone 7 did not provide accessibility support for third party assistive technology. This was a step back from the prior version of Windows Mobile which allowed third party assistive technologies such as the Mobile Speak products from Code Factory. Windows 8 phone includes support for screen magnification, high contrast, and large fonts. Currently, there is no support for screen readers and no screen reader API available to attract third party screen reader creation.

Windows 8 Surface RT tablets provide accessibility features that are also found in Windows 8. Surface RT is a touchscreen tablet that work exclusively with apps from the Windows store — but otherwise functions just like Windows 8. These features include the Narrator screen reader in addition to the magnification, high contrast, and similar large font features found in Windows Phone 8. Touch support is provided in addition to keyboard based support for the Narrator screen reader. Additionally, support for the web browser and many included apps is provided with Narrator — this is a great improvement from the support Narrator provided on older versions of desktop operating systems such as Windows 7.

Additionally, Windows 8 Surface RT provides many of the other accessibility features found in Windows 8 such as Speech Recognition, various forms of input found on other mobile tablets like on-screen keyboards, blue tooth support, however, braille support is not provided by Narrator. Because the Surface RT only works with apps from the Windows store it is not possible to install third party assistive technologies on it — unless they meet the requirements for the Windows Store. The Windows Surface Pro however allows for the installation of third party applications like assistive technologies that were designed for Windows 7 and higher.

Making Accessible Mobile Content and Interfaces

Many fundamental accessibility best practices will apply to mobile interfaces and content. Text and images must meet relevant requirements for sufficient color contrast, screens must be laid out in an order that permits intuitive sequential navigation, controls must respond to multiple modalities of input, and components must communicate correct information about the name, state, role and value of each component. Visit the best practices library at webaccessibility.com for iOS and Android development best practices.

This entry was posted by Jonathan Avila on February 11th, 2013 and is filed under SSB BART Group. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.