Here are a compiled list of countdowns of gadgets and gizmos galore that marked the year 2011:
Facebook Names Top Games of 2011
- Gardens of Time (by Playdom)
- The Sims Social (by EA)
- Cityville (by Zynga)
- DoubleDown Casino (by DoubleDown Entertainment)
- Indiana Jones Adventure World (by Zynga)
- Words With Friends (by Zynga)
- Bingo Blitz (by Buffalo Studios)
- Empires & Allies (by Zynga)
- Slotomania-Slot Machines (by Playtika)
- Diamond Dash (by wooga)
How about you, were you still plowing the fields of your farm or grooming your pet in 2011? Guess it’s time to move on...
Top 10 Apps Downloaded in 2011
Mashable reports that a mobile analytics app company called Distimo surveyed and gathered data from platforms such as iOS and Android to round-up the 10 Most Downloaded Apps of 2011. The Angry birds are flying high and lording over this list.
1. Angry Birds
2. Facebook
3. Skype
4. Angry Birds Rio
5. Google Maps
6. iBooks
7. Angry Birds Seasons
8. Fruit Ninja
9. Talking Tom
10. Twitter
This year, have you learned how to fly, through a sling shot, and kick some mean and green egg-stealing pigs?
Most Popular How-To Guides of 2011
Lifehacker.com is a go to website for a multitude tips and tricks on how to make your computer use more productive. Here’s a compilation of the most popular how-tos and walkthroughs that may have made digital life much more rosy for you in 2011:
2. Facebook
3. Skype
4. Angry Birds Rio
5. Google Maps
6. iBooks
7. Angry Birds Seasons
8. Fruit Ninja
9. Talking Tom
10. Twitter
This year, have you learned how to fly, through a sling shot, and kick some mean and green egg-stealing pigs?
Most Popular How-To Guides of 2011
Lifehacker.com is a go to website for a multitude tips and tricks on how to make your computer use more productive. Here’s a compilation of the most popular how-tos and walkthroughs that may have made digital life much more rosy for you in 2011:
1. Facebook Is Tracking Your Every Move on the Web; Here's How to Stop It
2. The Always Up-To-Date Guide to Rooting Any Android Phone
3. How to Build a Hackintosh Mini for a Less Expensive, Faster Mac
4. Learn to Code: The Full Beginner's Guide
5. The Cheapskate's Guide to Getting Free Dropbox Space
6. The Best PCs You Can Build for $600 and $1200
7. Turn an Old Computer into a Networked Backup, Streaming, or Torrenting Machine with FreeNAS
8. How to Make Your iPhone (or Other iOS Device) More Like Android
9. How to Completely Anonymize Your BitTorrent Traffic with BTGuard
10. How to Build a Computer from Scratch: The Complete Guide
11. How to Get iOS 5's Biggest Features in Android Right Now
12. What Is UPnP and How Do I Use it to Stream Media to My TV?
Geek.com’s top games of 2011
The games that geeks play. Check out if your game belongs to this A-list of the video games:
This list doesn’t stop with a countdown. Geek.com has come up with special awards for the games that defined the year 2011:
Now for gadgets and gizmos, here are some of CNET.com’s countdowns -- The Winners, The Forgettables, and The Maybe Next Years.
The Winners: “The game-changers of 2011”. The cream-of-the-crop gadgets, considered to be the best in it’s category.
- Bastion
- Batman: Arkham City
- Battlefield 3
- Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3
- Deus Ex: Human Revolution
- Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
- Gears of War 3
- Infinity Blade 2
- LA Noire
- Limbo
- Minecraft
- Portal 2
- Super Mario Land 3D
- Sword and Sorcery EP
- Uncharted 3
- Witcher 2
- Zelda: Skyward Sword
This list doesn’t stop with a countdown. Geek.com has come up with special awards for the games that defined the year 2011:
Best Game in App Form: Mega Mall Story
Best Handheld Game (non-app): Super Mario Land 3D
Best Downloadable: Bastion
Biggest Disappointment: Duke Nuke Forever
Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3 vs. Battlefield 3… FIGHT: Battlefield 3
Sleeper Hit: Yakuza 4
Best Rogue-like: Dungeons of Dredmor
Best Game without Bloodshed: Forza 4
Most Overrated Game: Deus Ex: Human Revolution
Game of the Year: Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Now for gadgets and gizmos, here are some of CNET.com’s countdowns -- The Winners, The Forgettables, and The Maybe Next Years.
The Winners: “The game-changers of 2011”. The cream-of-the-crop gadgets, considered to be the best in it’s category.
1. The iPhone 4s
2. Motorola Droid Razr
3. Android Ice Cream Sandwich
4. iPad 2
5. Kindle Fire
6. Kindle
7. MacBook Air
8. Roku LT
9. Nest Learning Thermostat
10.Voice Control: Siri and Kinect
Have you filled your shopping cart with these winning gadgets?
2. Motorola Droid Razr
3. Android Ice Cream Sandwich
4. iPad 2
5. Kindle Fire
6. Kindle
7. MacBook Air
8. Roku LT
9. Nest Learning Thermostat
10.Voice Control: Siri and Kinect
Have you filled your shopping cart with these winning gadgets?
The Forgettables: There was much ado about these gadgets, yet nothing came out of it. They’re now here relegated to the archives of 2011’s forgettables.
1. Acer Iconia dual-screen laptop
2. Blockbuster movie pass
3. Dell Streak 7
4. Dual-screen phones
5. Lenovo ThinkPad X1
6. Motorola Xoom
7. Nintendo 3DS
8. Rage, Brink, Duke Nukem Forever
9. Sony Ericsson Xperia Play
10. Toshiba glasses-free 3D laptop
11. Bonus: Qwikster
12. Bonus: Dell XPS 14z
13. Bonus: Chromebooks
Do you happen to have one of these gadgets? Are they tucked somewhere in your closet now?
The Maybe Next Years: The geek prophets of tech foretold of their coming, yet, we’re still here waiting for their market debut. Well, maybe next year....
2. Blockbuster movie pass
3. Dell Streak 7
4. Dual-screen phones
5. Lenovo ThinkPad X1
6. Motorola Xoom
7. Nintendo 3DS
8. Rage, Brink, Duke Nukem Forever
9. Sony Ericsson Xperia Play
10. Toshiba glasses-free 3D laptop
11. Bonus: Qwikster
12. Bonus: Dell XPS 14z
13. Bonus: Chromebooks
Do you happen to have one of these gadgets? Are they tucked somewhere in your closet now?
The Maybe Next Years: The geek prophets of tech foretold of their coming, yet, we’re still here waiting for their market debut. Well, maybe next year....
1. Glasses-free 3D TVs
2. All-day batteries
3. Alternative-energy products
4. Great cloud storage
5. Color e-ink e-readers
6. True intelligent voice recognition
7. A password solution
8. A true iPad alternative
9. Smarter TVs
10. Next-gen game consoles
Ever seen the movie “Back To the Future 2”? A lot of the stuff in there are still part of our imagination. But who knows, they just might pop-up next year...
MakeUseOf recommends these 6 great geeky gift ideas that are easy on the pocket
Tech and geek gadgets could normally cost you an arm and a leg. When Christmas shopping budget is limited, yet you want to share and spread some techie spirit this Christmas season, you’ve got to be creative and practical.
Fill your friends’ Christmas stockings with these awesome and geeky gift ideas...
Flash Drives
Fill your friends’ Christmas stockings with these awesome and geeky gift ideas...
Flash Drives
Give the gift of storage. Your friends will surely love 16gb drives that would give them more room for their files. You can score this super useful device for under $20. Now if you really want to impress, you better pimp that drive! Load it up with software of your favorite programs. Your non-geeky friends could be eternally grateful to you for introducing it to them. And yes, some of the best software are free! Find some of them here: best of Windows, Mac and Linux pages and free technology manuals.
Games
Nintendo Selects
Nintendo still has got great games that are now only $20. For someone who owns as Wii, give them the gift of fun and challenge with Twilight Princess or Super Mario Galaxy.Strong Bad’s Cool Game For Attractive People
Nintendo Selects
Nintendo still has got great games that are now only $20. For someone who owns as Wii, give them the gift of fun and challenge with Twilight Princess or Super Mario Galaxy.
Strong Bad’s Cool Game For Attractive People
For $30, Strong Bad’s Cool Game For Attractive People is an online game for your friends who may have forgotten that this game is a source of delight.
Apple’s Refurb Store
A is for awesome and Apple! Apple’s refurbished store is a treasure trove of goodies. Apple products are indeed pricey, but buying from their refurb store could sometimes save you about $300. And what’s more, you still get Apple’s one year warranty. That’s safety, reliability, and security tucked under your belt, compared to buying used Apple gadgets.
Flip HD Cameras
Do you have a youtube sensation or viral video star for a friend, who’s still strutting his/her stuff on a web cam? For only about $50, you can give the gift of freedom and movement. Yeah, let your friend’s star shine brighter on video with this pocket-sized flip HD camera.
How about adding your own geeky gift ideas to this list?
For $30, Strong Bad’s Cool Game For Attractive People is an online game for your friends who may have forgotten that this game is a source of delight.
Apple’s Refurb Store
A is for awesome and Apple! Apple’s refurbished store is a treasure trove of goodies. Apple products are indeed pricey, but buying from their refurb store could sometimes save you about $300. And what’s more, you still get Apple’s one year warranty. That’s safety, reliability, and security tucked under your belt, compared to buying used Apple gadgets.
Flip HD Cameras
Do you have a youtube sensation or viral video star for a friend, who’s still strutting his/her stuff on a web cam? For only about $50, you can give the gift of freedom and movement. Yeah, let your friend’s star shine brighter on video with this pocket-sized flip HD camera.
How about adding your own geeky gift ideas to this list?
A is for awesome and Apple! Apple’s refurbished store is a treasure trove of goodies. Apple products are indeed pricey, but buying from their refurb store could sometimes save you about $300. And what’s more, you still get Apple’s one year warranty. That’s safety, reliability, and security tucked under your belt, compared to buying used Apple gadgets.
Do you have a youtube sensation or viral video star for a friend, who’s still strutting his/her stuff on a web cam? For only about $50, you can give the gift of freedom and movement. Yeah, let your friend’s star shine brighter on video with this pocket-sized flip HD camera.
How about adding your own geeky gift ideas to this list?
]]>
Know the types and features of printers and measure it up against your needs.
USBs, external hard drives, and more recently, cloud storage were said to have taken centerstage, and moved the good old reliable printer to stealthily settle into the background, in terms of saving and filing data. Some may now think of it as ‘old school’, but the printer could still be considered as the computer’s ‘significant other’ or they are ‘made for each other’. School papers, photos, personal documents, application forms, contracts --- these are just some of the more important files in our lives that require tangible, hard copies. Some may already find printing outdated, but who knows, a hard copy of your document might just be your safety net, when all else fails in the world of clouds and usb 3.0s.
Printer models have evolved in leaps and bounds through the years. The dot matrix has spawned laser printers, inkjets, photo printers to multi-functional printers. And now you’re faced with the dilemma of understanding features, functionalities, and choosing from myriad of brands.
Here are the basics -- Digitaltrends.com has put these together to help you decide what printer is best suited to answer your home or office printing needs.
Inkjet vs Laser
Color inkjet printers are somewhat hitting two birds with one stone.
- can do both photo and text printing.
- colors and images are vividly projected on to paper.
- however, text are not as clear and sharp as that of laser printing
- runs slower
- higher cost of supplies and maintenance, like inks and repair costs
- a better option for home use
Laser printers rule the office.
- prints sharper texts
- can print at high speeds
- ideal for volume printing
- water resistant -- won’t blot or run
- lower priced inks
- better for office use --heavy on printing texts and documents
What is an All In One printer?
A printer that comes with a scanner, a copier, and a fax. You might not use all these functions regularly, yet it’s more practical and relatively cheaper to buy one compared to a stand alone printer.
Photo Printers
For those who print more pictures, it would be better to buy a dedicated photo printer. These are easy to use --easily and directly connects to digital cameras. It produces better quality photo prints that are comparable to photo printing shops. In the long run, it is more cost effective than taking regular trips to the mall or printing shops.
Here are other factors to consider:
Supply costs
You may be able to find incredibly low priced printers and think you got a good deal. Think again and ask ‘what’s the catch’? Manufacturers may be milking you dry with their line of expensive ink cartridges. Do your research in checking out the price of the printer and their corresponding ink cartridges or ask if you can use alternatives like ink refilling or if the printer is compatible with generic or more affordable ink cartridges.
Duty Cycle
Duty cycle - “a number reflected in the manufacturer’s suggested ‘duty cycle,’ which is the number of pages it can print in a month without damaging the printer.” For office use, opt for those that rate 8,000 pages; while home use printers are rated at around 750 pages.
Networking Capability
If you intend to connect your printer to multiple computers, invest in a printer with a networking capability.
Other special features:
Memory Card Slots, Bluetooth, PictBridge
If you print pictures often and want it done quickly without the extra steps of plugging your digicam and transferring your photo files into a computer, then find a printer that has built-in memory card slots, bluetooth, and PictBridge -- wherein “cameras can be plugged into the printer with the same USB cable you might use to connect to a PC”.
Paper Handling
Office needs may require printing in various paper sizes and formats like legal envelopes, index cards, large sized papers, etc. In this case, get a printer that has dedicated feed trays that can accomodate and handle varied paper sizes and formats.
Speed, Resolution, Color Claims
Printer brand manufacturers have their own claims to fame as what sets them apart from their competitor brands in terms of speed, resolution, and color. Read product reviews, request for a product demo or actual printing test, or get opinions from actual users.
Printer models have evolved in leaps and bounds through the years. The dot matrix has spawned laser printers, inkjets, photo printers to multi-functional printers. And now you’re faced with the dilemma of understanding features, functionalities, and choosing from myriad of brands.
Here are the basics -- Digitaltrends.com has put these together to help you decide what printer is best suited to answer your home or office printing needs.
Inkjet vs Laser
Color inkjet printers are somewhat hitting two birds with one stone.
- can do both photo and text printing.
- colors and images are vividly projected on to paper.
- however, text are not as clear and sharp as that of laser printing
- runs slower
- higher cost of supplies and maintenance, like inks and repair costs
- a better option for home use
Laser printers rule the office.
- prints sharper texts
- can print at high speeds
- ideal for volume printing
- water resistant -- won’t blot or run
- lower priced inks
- better for office use --heavy on printing texts and documents
What is an All In One printer?
A printer that comes with a scanner, a copier, and a fax. You might not use all these functions regularly, yet it’s more practical and relatively cheaper to buy one compared to a stand alone printer.
Photo Printers
For those who print more pictures, it would be better to buy a dedicated photo printer. These are easy to use --easily and directly connects to digital cameras. It produces better quality photo prints that are comparable to photo printing shops. In the long run, it is more cost effective than taking regular trips to the mall or printing shops.
Here are other factors to consider:
Supply costs
You may be able to find incredibly low priced printers and think you got a good deal. Think again and ask ‘what’s the catch’? Manufacturers may be milking you dry with their line of expensive ink cartridges. Do your research in checking out the price of the printer and their corresponding ink cartridges or ask if you can use alternatives like ink refilling or if the printer is compatible with generic or more affordable ink cartridges.
Duty Cycle
Duty cycle - “a number reflected in the manufacturer’s suggested ‘duty cycle,’ which is the number of pages it can print in a month without damaging the printer.” For office use, opt for those that rate 8,000 pages; while home use printers are rated at around 750 pages.
Networking Capability
If you intend to connect your printer to multiple computers, invest in a printer with a networking capability.
Other special features:
Memory Card Slots, Bluetooth, PictBridge
If you print pictures often and want it done quickly without the extra steps of plugging your digicam and transferring your photo files into a computer, then find a printer that has built-in memory card slots, bluetooth, and PictBridge -- wherein “cameras can be plugged into the printer with the same USB cable you might use to connect to a PC”.
Paper Handling
Office needs may require printing in various paper sizes and formats like legal envelopes, index cards, large sized papers, etc. In this case, get a printer that has dedicated feed trays that can accomodate and handle varied paper sizes and formats.
Speed, Resolution, Color Claims
Printer brand manufacturers have their own claims to fame as what sets them apart from their competitor brands in terms of speed, resolution, and color. Read product reviews, request for a product demo or actual printing test, or get opinions from actual users.
]]>
“A computer on every desk and in every home...” That’s what Bill Gates envisioned how the future would be like, in the late 70s. He got a lot of flak from the ‘smart’ guys. Even Ken Olsen of Digital Equipment, who made computers that Bill Gates used during his growing up years, found it silly for people to want to own a computer. But look at where we are now, a computer is part and parcel of our daily functions. Imagining a ‘computer-breakdown-day’ would cause us to panic; remember Y2K? Bill Gates’ prophesy did not only come true, it grew by leaps and bounds. Now, we’re no longer content at having a computer on every desk and home, but we want it in our beds, our cars, our laps, our palms, and inside our pockets.
These days, the most practical computer to buy is the laptop, which has now spawned into notebooks, netbooks, ultrabooks, tablets...and who knows what’s next. The brands, the features, the add-ons, the price options -- make buying a laptop one of toughest decisions to make. The bottom line is getting value for money and compatibility to address your needs. Buying a laptop is an investment. Laptopmag.com prescribes you to focus on and answer 5 questions to ask yourself before buying a laptop:
1. The Budget = how much are you willing to spend?
$ 300 to $ 400 AUD : Average price range of netbooks
$ 700 to $ 1,000 AUD: Average price range of laptops with faster processors like Intel Core i5 or i7
2. Size = What’s an ideal screen size and laptop weight for you?
Primarily for home use: 5- or 17- to 18-inch display (generally 6 pounds and up)
Mostly for travel: 10-inch netbook (2.5 pounds and up) or an ultraportable laptop with an 11.6- to 12-inch screen (3 to 4 pounds).
3. Battery Life = How many hours will you use it on battery power?
What good is a mobile laptop when battery life quickly runs out?
A 15-inch notebook runs on approximately 4 hours of battery; 5 to 6 hours is ideal and a good deal even if you have to pay extra for battery life extension. Don’t rely on the manufacturer’s declared battery life. Read reviews, talk to people, ask around...
4. Specs = How much hard drive performance, memory, capacity will suit your required usage?
For the common not-so-techie buyer, words like hard drive, RAM, CPU, etc., sound like gibberish.
Here are Laptopmag.com’s simple guide and recommendations in understanding computer specs...read on: http://blog.laptopmag.com/5-questions-to-answer-before-you-buy-a-laptop/5
5. MAC or Windows = Whose side are you on?
In the end, it all boils down to this. Each has its own strengths and weaknesses.
Apple / Macs:
- easy to use operating system
- easy to find and install programs from the Mac App Store
- notebooks start at $999 AUD
Windows:
- more software choices, especially in gaming
- more affordable
- more brands / vendors
- more design choices
These days, the most practical computer to buy is the laptop, which has now spawned into notebooks, netbooks, ultrabooks, tablets...and who knows what’s next. The brands, the features, the add-ons, the price options -- make buying a laptop one of toughest decisions to make. The bottom line is getting value for money and compatibility to address your needs. Buying a laptop is an investment. Laptopmag.com prescribes you to focus on and answer 5 questions to ask yourself before buying a laptop:
1. The Budget = how much are you willing to spend?
$ 300 to $ 400 AUD : Average price range of netbooks
$ 700 to $ 1,000 AUD: Average price range of laptops with faster processors like Intel Core i5 or i7
above $ 1,000 AUD: Gaming, multimedia, highly durable and secure for business
Laptopmag.com has plotted down a summary of price ranges vis-a-vis specifications,
plus a rundown of recommended brands based on budget:
| Top Specs | Under $600 | Under $800 | $1,000 and up |
| CPU | AMD Fusion CPU, Intel Core i3 | Intel Core i3 or i5 | Intel Core i5 or i7 |
| RAM | 4GB | 4 to 6GB | 6 to 8GB |
| Hard Drive | 320GB | 500GB | 750GB or 1TB |
| Graphics | Integrated | AMD or Nvidia (512 to 1GB video memory) | AMD or Nvidia (1 to 2GB video memory) |
Best Laptops for Your Budget:
2. Size = What’s an ideal screen size and laptop weight for you?
Primarily for home use: 5- or 17- to 18-inch display (generally 6 pounds and up)
Mostly for travel: 10-inch netbook (2.5 pounds and up) or an ultraportable laptop with an 11.6- to 12-inch screen (3 to 4 pounds).
Choose Your Size:
3. Battery Life = How many hours will you use it on battery power?
What good is a mobile laptop when battery life quickly runs out?
A 15-inch notebook runs on approximately 4 hours of battery; 5 to 6 hours is ideal and a good deal even if you have to pay extra for battery life extension. Don’t rely on the manufacturer’s declared battery life. Read reviews, talk to people, ask around...
Like this one -- Laptop mag’s review on Laptops with Longest Battery Life
4. Specs = How much hard drive performance, memory, capacity will suit your required usage?
For the common not-so-techie buyer, words like hard drive, RAM, CPU, etc., sound like gibberish.
Here are Laptopmag.com’s simple guide and recommendations in understanding computer specs...read on: http://blog.laptopmag.com/5-questions-to-answer-before-you-buy-a-laptop/5
5. MAC or Windows = Whose side are you on?
In the end, it all boils down to this. Each has its own strengths and weaknesses.
Apple / Macs:
- easy to use operating system
- easy to find and install programs from the Mac App Store
- notebooks start at $999 AUD
Windows:
- more software choices, especially in gaming
- more affordable
- more brands / vendors
- more design choices
Laptopmag.com expounds on this long-running battle of the greats in this article: Mac vs. Windows Face-off
]]>
A few months back, we wrote about the global trend in the workforce -- the big shift from the ‘9 to 5 office work’ set-up to ‘teleworking’ or ‘mobile working’ or a.ka. -- “working from home”. (see related blog post here: From Boardroom to Bedroom – Check Out The “Mobile Workstyle”)
Now the big questions is-- how can you be productive at home? It’s like playing a game of tug-of-war. Distractions or ‘temptations’ at home can push and pull you out of your work productivity zone. To list down some of these ‘deadly sins’, they would include watching TV, checking out Facebook, mindlessly surfing the net, online chatting, household chores, your bed-- to get some ‘over-power’ naps...this list could go on forever.
Avoid getting stressed out with this tug-of-war with distractions by getting yourself ready for the game. If you want to be part of team productivity, equip yourself. An article from the APC mag website has provided essential and very helpful tips on how to set-up a perfect tele-working environment:
1. Desk
The dining or the coffee table is not cut out for the job. You need a real desk with these ideal specifications:
- height of about 70 cm
- enough desk space to place your monitor 45-60cm away from you. The top portion of the monitor should be aligned with your line of vision
- enough room to move your mouse around
- an organized area to place other work essential equipment like a printer and some office supplies
2. Chair
Time to kick-out the kitchen stool and get yourself a sturdy ergonomic chair,
- preferrably adjustable height that could enable you to rest your hands and forearms on your desk at a 90-degree angle
- enough and comfortable back support (poor back support could lead to health problems)
- chairs are generally expensive, but worth it to invest on a good one and not compromise your health.
3. Lighting
- sunlight is ideal
- for articifial lights, it should be overhead and diffused to prevent glare
- desk lamps should face away from your field of vision
- to prevent glare on your monitors, place it perpendicular to windows
- use blinds to control lighting
4. Noise
- look for a part of your house where noise can be prevented or reduced
- choose a particular time of the day (or night) where ambient noise is minimal
- you may mask noise by shutting your door or playing some music on low volume
Here are some must-have hardware equipment for your home office:
1. Computer
- no elaborate explanations required
- definitely a must for any teleworker
2. Modem
- Broadband is prevalent and more popular these days
- options could be 3G through dongles or phone tethering
3. Router
- to enable you to connect networked devices such as notebooks, desktops, printers, storage devices, etc.
4. Printer and Scanner
- if your work requires you to produce hard copies or convert hard copy files like photos and documents, into soft copies
5. Backup and Storage
- as the cliche goes, it’s better to be safe than sorry...so backup!
- saving data on multiple storage devices is ideal
- you may also automate your backup and storage task with the use of software
- or opt-in to cloud services
Other tips to get you in the productive zone:
1. Dress for the occasion
It may feel like it’s a luxury to be able to do office work in your pajamas, but later on you will realize that ‘dressing up’ with smart and comfortable clothes can help put you in a working disposition. Sometimes strange but true, clothes can psyche you up into a productive work mode.
2. Minimise distractions
Avoid close proximity to ‘temptations’ like the television or your bed...self-discipline and will power are what it takes for you to curb distractions.
3. Take regular breaks
Taking regular short breaks increase productivity. It gives you space to clear your mind, rest your eyes, and keep your blood flowing. Breath in, breath out, walk around, get some coffee...
4. Organise your work space
Set aside your personal things, free-up your work desk from personal clutter. Some organized chaos in your desk could also be good, but make sure it won’t add up to your work stress. But a good rule of thumb would be to tidy-up at the end of the day.
P.S. Check out this awesome video clip -- a little reminder that we need to give ourselves some T.L.C. while we spending long hours on the computer while working from home.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=47Lktm65h4Y&feature=related&noredirect=1
Now the big questions is-- how can you be productive at home? It’s like playing a game of tug-of-war. Distractions or ‘temptations’ at home can push and pull you out of your work productivity zone. To list down some of these ‘deadly sins’, they would include watching TV, checking out Facebook, mindlessly surfing the net, online chatting, household chores, your bed-- to get some ‘over-power’ naps...this list could go on forever.
Avoid getting stressed out with this tug-of-war with distractions by getting yourself ready for the game. If you want to be part of team productivity, equip yourself. An article from the APC mag website has provided essential and very helpful tips on how to set-up a perfect tele-working environment:
1. Desk
The dining or the coffee table is not cut out for the job. You need a real desk with these ideal specifications:
- height of about 70 cm
- enough desk space to place your monitor 45-60cm away from you. The top portion of the monitor should be aligned with your line of vision
- enough room to move your mouse around
- an organized area to place other work essential equipment like a printer and some office supplies
2. Chair
Time to kick-out the kitchen stool and get yourself a sturdy ergonomic chair,
- preferrably adjustable height that could enable you to rest your hands and forearms on your desk at a 90-degree angle
- enough and comfortable back support (poor back support could lead to health problems)
- chairs are generally expensive, but worth it to invest on a good one and not compromise your health.
3. Lighting
- sunlight is ideal
- for articifial lights, it should be overhead and diffused to prevent glare
- desk lamps should face away from your field of vision
- to prevent glare on your monitors, place it perpendicular to windows
- use blinds to control lighting
4. Noise
- look for a part of your house where noise can be prevented or reduced
- choose a particular time of the day (or night) where ambient noise is minimal
- you may mask noise by shutting your door or playing some music on low volume
Here are some must-have hardware equipment for your home office:
1. Computer
- no elaborate explanations required
- definitely a must for any teleworker
2. Modem
- Broadband is prevalent and more popular these days
- options could be 3G through dongles or phone tethering
3. Router
- to enable you to connect networked devices such as notebooks, desktops, printers, storage devices, etc.
4. Printer and Scanner
- if your work requires you to produce hard copies or convert hard copy files like photos and documents, into soft copies
5. Backup and Storage
- as the cliche goes, it’s better to be safe than sorry...so backup!
- saving data on multiple storage devices is ideal
- you may also automate your backup and storage task with the use of software
- or opt-in to cloud services
Other tips to get you in the productive zone:
1. Dress for the occasion
It may feel like it’s a luxury to be able to do office work in your pajamas, but later on you will realize that ‘dressing up’ with smart and comfortable clothes can help put you in a working disposition. Sometimes strange but true, clothes can psyche you up into a productive work mode.
2. Minimise distractions
Avoid close proximity to ‘temptations’ like the television or your bed...self-discipline and will power are what it takes for you to curb distractions.
3. Take regular breaks
Taking regular short breaks increase productivity. It gives you space to clear your mind, rest your eyes, and keep your blood flowing. Breath in, breath out, walk around, get some coffee...
4. Organise your work space
Set aside your personal things, free-up your work desk from personal clutter. Some organized chaos in your desk could also be good, but make sure it won’t add up to your work stress. But a good rule of thumb would be to tidy-up at the end of the day.
P.S. Check out this awesome video clip -- a little reminder that we need to give ourselves some T.L.C. while we spending long hours on the computer while working from home.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=47Lktm65h4Y&feature=related&noredirect=1
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Enhance your PowerPoint presentation slides with eye-catching and topic-appropriate PowerPoint template slides and backgrounds.
Ever heard the corporate jargon ‘death by PowerPoint’? If you’re in a business meeting as the presenter, you wouldn’t want to be the ‘cause of death’ ; or if you’re an attendee, you wouldn’t want to be one of the casualties either. Of course, you don’t want to kill people nor be killed with boredom one slide at a time.
For corporate meetings, product event launchings, or even family gatherings, slide presentations has got to have that ‘wow’ factor. Apart from delivering good quality, relevant, accurate, and organized content, a PowerPoint presentation truly stands out with the aid of stunning visuals. Text-based information can be easily grasped and understood with the help of illustrations and graphics. We are now living in the world of visual-digital technology where eyeballs move from sites to sights and attention spans are as quick and sensitive as touchscreen tablet pcs.
With that said, don’t just rely on those ho-hum cliparts. Bring your PowerPoint presentations to life! Here are download sites where you can get paid and FREE (ah, the magic word!) PowerPoint templates and backgrounds:
CFOworld.com highly recommends the Best Microsoft PowerPoint Template Sites:
Microsoft
You may not need to look far and wide. They designed PowerPoint so they gotta have those well-suited and compatible templates.
Template Monster
Offers PowerPoint, website and blog templates. Downloads require payment; yet think of it as an investment on quality and branding.
Graphic River
Offering value-for-money PowerPoint templates, starting at $12 and occasionally offer $5 templates. 240 designs to choose from, and are updated regularly.
fppt free PowerPoint Templates
A free downloading site, specializing in templates designed for business, nature, and medical fields. A good option for students.
Presentation Magazine
A free PowerPoint template site plus free tips on speeches and presentations.
Template Wise
Another free template downloading site rich in business and finance, nature, and travel themes.
PowerPoint backgrounds function like wallpapers of your computer screen. The background on your slide presentation should blend well and complement your content.
CFOworld.com highly recommends the Best Microsoft PowerPoint Background Sites
Microsoft
Again, the creator of PowerPoint is still one of the best places to scour for the perfect background.
Graphic River
Shelling out $2 ain’t heavy on the pocket, especially if you have a site that offers over 18,000 PowerPoint background choices.
Brainy Betty
No brain surgery needed. This site offers a wide variety of background choices and it’s free!
Charteo
Professionally-designed PowerPoint backgrounds and images as well are offered at a price; but it’s an investment on quality and professionalism.
Idezine
Another free site to download PowerPoint backgrounds as well as other free software and programmes.
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Barely two weeks out of it’s beta stage, Mashable has reported staggering figures that positioned The Sims Social as a major threat to the throne of Zynga, makers of CityVille, FarmVille, Texas Hold ‘Em, among others.
In a matter of a few weeks, The Sims Social has:
- registered 4.6 million players every day
- jumped to number 10 on Facebook’s overall top app ranking
- moved to number 6 overall game ranking
Since it’s release in the year 2000, this PC-based game pack developed by EA sold a whopping 140 million units, and still counting. With Facebook’s 500 million subscriber base, no wonder, The Sims Social made this larger-than-life debut.
The rules and the gaming interface are pretty much the same as that of the PC format. However, the Facebook version offers a different twist to the gaming experience by allowing your Sim to interact with the Sims of your Facebook friends. Also, Facebook Sims do not ‘sleep’. Virtual life goes on in your Sim neighborhood, and you have a video playback of the interactions your Sim had with other Sims.
Take a tour of The Sims Social neighboorhood on Facebook, with the EA producers as your tour guide: The Sims Social Producer Video
The Sims Social on Facebook is another dimension to make and/or break relationships, but all in the name of fun. So as EA puts it, “play with life”. Now, are you ready to make a ‘frenemy’?
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Mobile workers, telecommuters, virtual assistants – these are just some of the monikers to classify people who work from home (or from any remote or out-of-office location, for that matter). Computer breakthrough such as laptops, notebooks, mobile phones, smart phones, tablets, mobile internet, Wi-Fi, file sharing, cloud computing, and the rest, has opened the floodgates for this new business trend.
Now question is, are workers more productive? Are they more efficient? Are they more satisfied? What are the trade-offs? In a similar news article published on Yahoo! news, here are statistics that show “telecommuters say they are happier, healthier, and "more balanced" with their lives…”:
- “…they would take a pay cut to work from home, with 20 percent offering up 10 percent of their salary”
- “…they'd swear off their favorite food (40 percent) and forgo an extra hour of sleep (54 percent) rather than go back to an office.”
- “…the researchers noted that office politics can stress workers and reduce their performance.”
- “…at-home workers say they also feel more productive and better about their jobs…”
source: http://ph.news.yahoo.com/telecommuters-happier-healthier-161602286.html
Check out this infographic below to show you where, how, and why employees are making the big switch from boardroom to bedroom…
The Rise of the Mobile Workforce [INFOGRAPHIC]
![The Rise of the Mobile Workforce [INFOGRAPHIC]](http://9.mshcdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/110727_GIST_The_Mobile_Worker4.png)
Well all these internet statistics and more are presented in this pretty infograph courtesy of Visual.ly - enjoy!
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