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Screen Time And Me – My Personal Experiences

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These days it seems that everyone has a smartphone of some kind, and those who don’t are thinking seriously about upgrading. Never before has mankind had access to a device right in their pocket that connects them to the world as well as phones do. But what happens when we spend more time connecting to those overseas via our phone apps and less connecting with the people right in the same room as us? This has been a bit of an issue for several years in a number of studies and parents are growing increasingly concerned about screen time for children. While it’s easy to worry about a child’s screen time, adults should worry about their own just as much. Here’s a look at my own #ScreentimeStats and what I think about them in a world that is progressively more and more obsessed with technology. 

Laptop 

My laptop is probably my biggest area of concern. While I do a lot of work from my laptop I do find that I spend way too much of my downtime on my laptop as well, either perusing Facebook or just reading news and other websites like Reddit. I openly admit that I could (and should) spend less time on my laptop when I’m not working, but it can be hard to when other people still continue to be seemingly glued to their phones or other devices. It’s kind of a vicious circle when it comes to trying to socialise – I’m aware of needing to take breaks from the screen, but often many people aren’t. Taking breaks means I keep my eyes in top condition and it helps me keep potential headaches and migraines under control. Vizulize also has some great tips on keeping your eye health up together when using lots of screen time, so check them out.

Phone

My phone is surprisingly not too big an issue for me like it can be for others. Maybe that’s because I find it easier to be on my laptop to do things like chat to people on Facebook or generally peruse the internet. I am quite bad for “having a quick Google” of things when I’m curious while watching TV or shows. I also use my phone for Instagram and WhatsApp, but considering I don’t use either of these applications nearly as much as I use Facebook, I find I’m not on my phone too much. I actually removed my Facebook app to stop me from being glued to my phone, although I do tend to use it for various types of games.

Other Devices

Luckily I’m not the owner of many other devices than a phone and laptop so I don’t find myself being glued to things like tablets or iPads. I’ve got a kindle for reading but it’s the only other device I have in my electronic repertoire, so I only use it for accessing books. As an avid traveller who is often on the road, having huge numbers of books isn’t ideal, so a kindle is the best way to go for me. 

So when it comes to my screen time, at least it’s generally rather restricted to my laptop and not my phone or other devices. When I am out and with other actual human beings in the flesh, I try to make sure I make an effort to not look at my phone and be in the now with the people I’m physically with. Sometimes it is surprisingly refreshing to just be with those you’re actually in the company of. What do you think about your screen time or screen time for children? Share your thoughts in the comments!

4 Easy-to-Use Ukulele Apps for Beginners

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The ukulele is one of the easiest musical instruments to learn. There are plenty of resources that can help you get started playing your favorite songs, from online courses and web articles to instructional videos. For greater convenience, beginners can also install ukulele apps into their mobile devices so they can have all the learning resources they need right in their phone or tablet.

But with so many apps out there, it could be daunting for beginners to choose which one would prove to be the most useful and least stressful in helping them learn to play ukulele.

Don’t worry, we’re here to help! We’ve selected some of the best user-friendly apps for ukulele beginners and highlighted their features. These apps are all easy to use and can have you playing in no time at all. So grab your beginner ukulele, install the app of your choice and start making music!

Real Ukulele Free – Tabs, Chords and Songs on Uke

This app offers a realistic ukulele simulator. This means that the screen of your device would show the strings and fretboard as they are on a ukulele so you can pluck, strum and strike strings as if you were playing on a real ukulele – thus the name.

This app features a big chord database with tabs, a ukulele songbook and high fidelity sound (all of the notes were recorded using a real ukulele). You can also choose between a nylon and steel-stringed ukulele to play. Real Ukulele is a handy tool to get started even if you don’t have your own uke yet. Now who wouldn’t love having a ukulele in their phone? It’s free too!

Availability: Android and iOS (under a different name). Again, it doesn’t cost a cent!

Yousician

This app is a favorite among those learning to play the piano, bass, guitar or ukulele. It’s packed with features to help you become the best musician you can be, from step-by-step tutorial videos, lessons on music theory and even a Weekly Challenge that lets you compete with other Yousicians around the world.

This app has the ability to listen to you play your ukulele and give you instant feedback on your performance, including rhythm and accuracy. You can track your progress so you can see how far you’ve come along since Day 1 – a great motivator for beginners!

Availability: iOS and Android. It’s also free to install and offers in-app purchases.

Fret Trainer – Learn the Fretboard

If you’re the type of person who learns best the method of teaching feels like a game, then this is the app for you. As its name implies, Fret Trainer helps you learn all of the notes and chords on the fretboard of your uke. There are plenty of games to play, each one with the aim of teaching you fret and chord mastery.

With this app, you can match random notes, train your ears by naming chords and practice reading notes on a staff, among other activities designed as games. There’s a progress tracker too, and each fret has its own statistics. Fret Trainer can be used for learning not just the ukulele but other stringed instruments as well, like the guitar, bass, banjo and mandolin.

Availability: iOS and Android. It’s free with in-app purchases so you can fully unlock an instrument.

The Ukulele App

If you’re familiar with or have come across the YouTube channel The Ukulele Teacher by Jon Howard, this app was developed in conjunction with that. It has an extensive chord library, a reverse chord lookup feature, a chord progression tool with a built-in metronome, a comprehensive scale library and a video library where you can search for ukulele lessons from The Ukulele Teacher.

It’s got everything beginners need to learn, and the lessons are clear and easy to follow.

Availability: iOS and Android. It’s free and offers in-app purchases (you can upgrade to the PRO version).

Those are the apps we recommend for ukulele beginners. We know that people learn differently, so we recommend giving each of these apps a try. They’re all free anyway, and if you find something that works well for your learning style (and your device), then it’s worth shelling out some cash for PRO features. Have fun and let us know how your ukulele learning journey goes!

The best wireless headphones for watching TV

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Wireless headphones which are also used for TV watching might seem silly for some, but the reality is that there are a couple of situations where using them becomes handy or even necessary. For instance, if you share a room with someone who’s trying to get some sleep and you want to binge watch your favourite TV series, then, using a wireless headphones definitely fixes the situation.

However, choosing the right pair to do the job entails some personal considerations, which includes comfort, sound quality, wireless range (just in case you’re a foodie and tend to run to the fridge for a quick snack or booze), noise-reduction technology (to tune out the background noise) and more. Looking for a little buying advice? Here are a couple of great picks for the best headphones for TV if you’re looking to get a pair soon.

Sennheiser PXC 550 Bluetooth Wireless Over-Ear Headphones. A fantastic viewing companion for those binge-watching and gaming moments. The Sennheiser PXC550 Bluetooth Wireless Over-Ear Headphones allows you to experience lively and immersive listening experience as you enjoy your TV shows. Sennheiser’s famous high-quality sound and NoiseGard™ hybrid adaptive noise cancellation offers up to 30 hours of enjoyment on a single charge.

JBL E65BTNC Wireless Over-Ear Noise Cancelling Headphones. Another proven television watching companion from JBL. The E65BTNC uses 40mm driver and active noise cancelling technology, which lets you watch your favourite movie or listen to music on the go and experience various audio content with spectacular clarity and detail.

Beats Studio3 Wireless Headphones. The beats brand revolutionize the music industry from since its inception and have effectively assimilated to the television industry via their speakers and headphones, one of which is the Beats Studio3, which delivers a full-range audio, elevating the high tones and blending the bass with depth for excellent listening pleasure regardless of the TV show or game. Integrated with an Apple W1 chip, it provides seamless connectivity for your television.

Sony XB650BT EXTRA BASS Wireless Headphones. Sony lover, are you? The Sony XB650BT EXTRA BASS Wireless Headphones is a crowd-favourite headphone that offers more than just high-quality sound and wireless convenience in a compact, lightweight build. You’ll be able to enjoy listening to your favourite television shows or favourite music when you’re out and about. It also capable of up to 30 hours of playback, which means you can treat your ears to a dynamic listening experience all-day and all-night long.

End Note

Indeed, getting a new TV is an awesome experience but if your choice is to listen to your favourite movies at only a fraction of the volume so you won’t distract the people around you can totally ruin the experience. With that said coupled with the suggestions above, copping up a pair of comfortable wireless headphones can instantly fix these issues and provide the best viewing experience you deserve. Check out a great selection of headphones form Harvey Norman and choose which features and price range suits you! Don’t forget to thoroughly research your chosen headphone brand, model, and don’t be afraid to ask questions or recommendations from your friends and family. Best of luck!

Understanding Big Data – Why it matters.

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If you simply think analytics and big data are the same thing and assume you know how to use big data, you are already one step behind in the game. Big data will present you with a series of relevant details about your customer. It will rely on the use of social media information, Steven Scott Bayesian believes you can gather details about how a marketing campaign is working, and details about how to integrate online coupons/promos, and other savings, in order to get the most out of your campaigns. Analytics on the flip side is going to give you client-specific information (i.e., how many times a visitor came on your site, turnaround, sales figures, and funnels, etc.).

Big data and analytics should be used side by side, but are not the same thing. Understanding big data means you are understanding a comprehensive view of your business, how it is working, what is working (and what is not working), and will provide you with essential details so you can implement changes, and implement new strategies, in order to ensure your business is going to function as it should. Understanding big data will provide you the resources you need, and the details your company requires, in order to take an integrative approach at implementing and changing your company, to ensure you are making the most out of your marketing dollars (and your spending budget in general).

Why is it important to ensure you are understanding big data? Some reasons include:

– It provides a company in-depth guidance/review of how their marketing tactics are working.

– It allows you to implement other marketing tactics and social media guides, in order to get the best results when offering a sale, or providing customers with coupons they are going to use.

– It gives you charts, graphs, and other graphic details, so you can better view how your company is working.

Basically, when you understand the ins and outs of big data, you understand the intricacies of how your company is working. You will understand why some projects/campaigns work, and why some do not work. You will be able to implement your social media campaigns, your sales teams, and integrate how you can implement further changes within your organization, in order to ensure you do what the customer is looking for and to get the returns you are hoping to get as a business owner.

Big data, especially in today’s competitive industry/online driven world, is what can differentiate your company from a local competitor. It can be the missing link that your company has been looking for, to help push you over the top when it comes to implementing a social media strategy. It can provide you the details you’ve been missing, so you can learn what your customer wants (versus what you think they want).

As a business owner, you have to utilize all resources presented to you. Big data is a major component to helping you grow, develop, and ensure your company gets the most out of the campaigns you implement, no matter how much you have to spend when marketing/targeting your audience.

What you should know about the Meltdown and Spectre Bugs

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2018 isn’t off to great start when it comes to cybersecurity. At the beginning of the year, a couple of vulnerabilities for CPUs were found that can have potentially devastating effects. The Meltdown and Spectre Bugs have not only increased security risks for computers, but also for tablets and smartphones. Applying fixes can reverse the security risk, but at the cost of processing speed. For example, you can find the Meltdown and Spectre Debian patches here.

What is Meltdown

This vulnerability allows for access of private memory in the Kernel, which can contain passwords and other secrets of the operating system, including other programs. This can leave you open to attacks, as malicious programs can easily find every password from the kernel’s private memory zone. Even running JavaScript from a website is a security risk when using an unpatched CPU.

Luckily, there are system updates that can fix this, as well, since Microsoft, Apple, and Google have rolled updates to fix the bugs, as well as the developers of several Linux Distributions.

What is Spectre

Even though Spectre also deals with kernel memory, it’s slightly different than Meltdown. Instead of directly accessing the private memory zone, Spectre allows a malicious program to trick another process to run on the same system in order to leak private information. This means that it can trick programs like your browser to reveal all currently used passwords.

This vulnerability is not exclusive to Intel, but it also affects AMD and ARM devices. In other words, practically any device, including tablets and smartphones. Spectre is difficult to patch, but also difficult to exploit, and currently, there are ongoing struggles to permanently patch the bug.

Intel was probably aware of Meltdown

As per Intel’s statement, even with Meltdown, everything is working as intended. Intel executives have also been accused of insider trading, and the engineers working to develop the chips had to sign NDAs that forbid them from talking about the bugs that can have excessive security risks.

Even Linus Torvalds – the creator of Linux – has accused Intel of not willing to provide a fix. The debacle resulted in a drop in Intel’s share prices, while AMD’s have gone up.

Protection against the exploits

Since this is a high-risk situation, there isn’t much to do than waiting for the updates to roll in. If you haven’t updated your system, this is a good time as any, since that’s the best way to protect your device from the bugs. Most, if not all, Linux distros should’ve already gotten the updates, and if not, they’ll get the fix soon.

Updating the browsers is also a must, because they pose a security risk too.

This has been a horrible event for security. Even if Intel wanted to appear to have faster CPUs than AMD, users shouldn’t be left vulnerable to exploits and bugs. Patching the bugs will slow down your CPUs significantly, from 10-30% so Intel users should be more careful when purchasing an Intel CPU next time.

How mobile phones widened the world of gaming

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You can rejoice in the fact that mobile phones have opened up gaming, making these convenient games available on a single portable device. Due to timing, technology, costs, and other factors, mobile gaming is generally considered to be the most widespread type of gaming that anyone can take part in today. 

Background of mobile gaming

With the changed perception in the last decade or so that smartphones are for everyone, mobile games have become increasingly popular. While mobile games started with only the most simplistic designs, the mechanics and graphics are becoming more advanced daily. New games are being released that include a variety of genres, from broad audience to niche interests. Because of the changing times, mobile gamers seem to outnumber traditional gamers in fact. 

Competition drives the platform

While console games and mobile games have always been different, their audiences do overlap and affect one another. There has been a surprisingly long life cycle for some of the older consoles because apps became readily available around the time of their launch. The availability of apps boosted mobile gaming while taking consumers’ attention away from traditional consoles. 

Mobile phone portability

One of the most obvious reasons that mobile gaming has seen such explosive growth is that we carry our mobile phones around with us all day. The portable nature of cellphones makes them an easy remedy for any problem that we might face or a cure for simple boredom.

Mobile gaming might not be as advanced or provide the quality of graphics that console or PC games have built in, but mobile games are almost always within reach since almost everyone keeps their phone in their pocket at all times. Mobile gaming’s major advantage is that it reduces the time spent tied to traditional consoles or having to lug around more portable gaming devices in addition to a phone. 

Cost factor

Low production costs associated with creating mobile games and widespread cellphone ownership have been driving forces behind mobile gaming’s success. Given that you buy a smartphone for a good amount of money, you want to make the most of your mobile phone purchase.

For a person on a budget, mobile games provide an affordable entertainment alternative to the latest console, which tends to run to hundreds of dollars, and pricey new console games. While traditional games are available at lower rates more quickly after their release and special prices are offered for downloading games, mobile games still tend to cost less. Considering that many mobile games are free or low cost, you have an appealing, budget-friendly type of gaming within reach of anyone with a smartphone. 

Easy entertainment

Mobile games are designed to be easy to pick up for a few minutes of entertainment and put away at a moment’s notice. For this reason, many mobile games are simple and straightforward. The complexity of some game mechanics and graphics has dramatically improved, but a good mobile game designer creates a game that can be played in short bursts.

Due to streamlined designs on the mobile platform, you might have noticed that there are a number of excellent old-fashioned games and games made for children. Mobile games for kids are a great way to allow children to use their imagination, learn important lessons, and stay entertained when parents are busy. 

Mobile for everything

No matter how you look at it, mobile phones are the primary way that most people access the internet on a regular basis. In fact, people on a budget might forgo a traditional computer and use their cellphone as their sole device for getting online. Since mobile phones are such a requirement in modern life, they can replace other tech in households on a budget.

Similar to online gaming, things such as online betting and casino gaming have also increased in popularity. Stakers.com has a good amount of website traffic from people placing their bets on their favorite sports team and more. Much like playing any MMO, you can come together to play casino games with others.

There has also been a notable increase in people making online purchases from mobile phones since online retailers are clamoring for purchasing power with incentives such as free rapid shipping.

It’s difficult to think of any aspect in life that can’t be done using a mobile phone. We connect with friends, family, and coworkers on social media apps, search the internet on command, order food delivery, call a cab service, and more.

Given the current market, it seems that mobile gaming is here to stay and likely to increase in popularity in the coming years. Mobile games have certainly broadened the spectrum of games available overall. Hopefully, in the future, we will see better mechanics, graphics, storylines, and more from the ever-increasing number of mobile games offered.

Why Your Business Should Invest in PPC

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Businesses online are becoming more and more competitive by the second. With companies or even small business owners striving to stay at the top, we wonder how they manage to actually reel in customers in ways we cant even think of. As a business owner you always want to improve and upgrade your business, right? Well it’s no secret but why not dive deep into the world of pay per click services from a ppc agency in order to take your business to the next level.

Don’t let it discourage you, PPC services are investments that will not only boost your business’ income gradually but they also have the potential to make your business skyrocket instantly. How? All of this information will be covered below.

What is PPC?

Before rushing into and investing in PPC, you’ll want to know what you’re dealing with, so the basic analogy of PPC is that it basically promotes your business in the sense that you are paying for it to be advertised somewhere. No, its not like a billboard where you pay for space and your business is displayed, but it does behave similarly. The difference being that you have to pay each time your ad is clicked. Hence the term pay-per-click.

Why PPC?

Surely, you’ll want results from investing in PPC services and you should know that you will get varying results from time to time. There may be times when you’ll reach an all time high with the amount of transactions just from clicks alone. You may pay lets say, £2 per click (for example) but that £2 may generate £500 or even larger depending on what you´re offering. If done correctly, investing in PPC for your business is something you will wish you had done a long time ago.

Mobile is the present and future

Look around and you’ll see that the majority of people around are slowly but surely transitioning into the age of using their mobile phones or gadgets for just about everything in their daily lives. What does this mean for business owners? Well, it means you should start investing resources in these areas, of course. Making sure your website is mobile friendly is just the first step.

Worthwhile investment

While PPC services may not provide instant results, do know that it´s a long term investment and the process takes time. Eventually, when your website gains more visits and your business receives more positive reviews, that small investment you put into PPC could turn into big business headed your way.

Improvig your business, whether small or large, there are many things that are often overlooked. While PPC may seem insignificant at the moment, you´ll find it to be extremely helpful when it comes ot the overall growth of your business. Go ahead and seize this opportunity to make use of tools that will benefit your business, even if it´s only a small investment at first. Small things have the potential to become big and success is determined by the amount of effort you put into it.

Apps To Budget Your Finance

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For many from the older generations, they know what it means to be poor. Those days, money was hard to come by and many lived from hand to mouth. There was hardly enough money to make ends meet and every cents were accounted for. Money tracking was never a problem because there was so little money and we knew where every cent went. But this is a different story for the present young generation.

Life for our present young generation has been much easier and many need not have to worry about money. They have more than enough to spend without worrying about where the money comes from. All they know is that their parents will provide for them. Of course, these young people are not to be blamed for spending their parents’ money freely or extravagantly. These parents tend to be overly generous because they want the best for their children what they themselves could not enjoy in their young days.

Once these young people go out to work for their own living, they find that they have problem managing their finance. They have been so used to spending freely without learning to budget and I am sure many have learned the hard way. I may be wrong but in my personal opinion, those who have gone through the struggle and later learned the importance of budgeting, they are the ones that designed the best money management app. We are so fortunate to have so many types of money management apps to help us manage our money.

If you happened to be one that is always short of money before the next salary comes in, then it is high time you need to download a Google Play spending tracker onto your smartphone or an applicable version onto your iPhone. Here are some reasons why you need to track your spending:

  1. To make sure that you are spending on things that need your urgent attention first.
  2. If you don’t know where your money goes, then you will not be able to save for your goals.
  3. By tracking your spending, you will be able to see your weak spending habits and avoid them.
  4. It will also makes you aware of your current bank balance and keep you from over spending.
  5. It also gives you control over your finance and expenses.

Downloading one of the free cash back apps not only keeps track of your money and act as your money manager, you will also get to earn cash back through your purchases. If is never too late to learn to budget with the help of a money tracking app.

How Technology is Changing Modern Romance

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When it comes to finding romance, nearly 4% of Americans claim to have found their partners through online dating websites and social media. Digital technology has transformed many aspects of society including how we meet others and communicate with peers. However, with the increase of unlimited online dating apps, modern technology has changed the way Millennials actually show their affection towards each other.

Researchers believe that the “Paradox of Choice” suggests that having more options will make people unhappy with the choices of relationships they make. In fact, having more options allows people to jump in and out of relationships and straight towards new ones. So, does technology really help us find love, or does simply ruin the benefits of dating? Here’s how technology is changing romance.

Technology Sends the Wrong Message

For most online daters, many have admitted to using Photoshop to enhance their photos. While you might have the intentions to simply enhance the image, it can also display the wrong intentions. When you decide to post photos of yourself at the age of 18 and now 45 and trying to find a partner, these photos may be construed as misleading and untrustworthy.

Searching For Perfection on Social Media

Social media has been found to accelerate relationships for better and for worst. In fact, millennials have become so impatient with dating that we’ve begun to judge potential partners just by a quick glance at their details and photos online. On the bright side, couples are able to determine their partner’s attitude and personality simply based on their social media pages.

Infidelity is Easier to Achieve

According to studies conducted by the University of Montreal, the findings claim that nearly 41% of participants in the study had admitted to cheating on their partner, while 68% of participants had recently considered infidelity. While we cannot focus the blame on dating apps, research also tells us that over 42% of Tinder users are already in a relationship or married.

Redefining Modern Romance

In the digital age, technology isn’t necessarily killing courtship, but rather redefining what romance looks like. More couples would rather text instead of speak, FaceTime instead of meeting face-to-face, and even scan through online dating profiles as they would when reading a menu.

As we age, it is becoming a struggle to meet new people that we often resort to using what’s more convenient for us. However, the most we search for love online without any motivation to socialize in person, the more disconnected we can become.

A hack photographer’s guide to jazzing up your model photography

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You don’t have to have a desire to become a professional photographer if you want to improve how you shoot human subjects.

You might be angling to save money, as paying a professional for portraits can be pricey these days, or perhaps photography is a passion of yours.

In these cases and others, it helps to know what it is that makes pics stand out. Charles Nucci started as just an interested amateur, but after making tons of adjustments over his career, he eventually figured out what makes a photo look smashing and what degrades them.

Below, we’ll show you how you can take your model shots from dull to fabulous simply by manipulating a few key factors.

1) Develop a friendly rapport with your model

Want reactions in your photos that look 100% natural (because they are)? If you want incredible results, don’t just work with your models, make an honest effort to become friends with them.

If you are shooting family or friends, this won’t be a problem whatsoever, but once you start taking photo of folks you have never met, eliciting authentic emotions from them can be tough if they are strangers.

However, all you really need to do is break the ice, and the guard most people put up can be lowered once you demonstrate you are a friendly, decent human being.

Instead of getting straight into a photo session after meeting, spend some time learning about each other.

Have a coffee or beer, and talk to each other about your lives. After some interesting conversation and a few laughs, you’ll will have formed a bond that will allow you to have a shooting session that is far more lively than if you were to just treat the arrangement like a sterile business transaction.

2) Get the right lens for the job

When you go to take portraits of people, it is advisable to change your lens, as the ones you use for landscapes or macro photography will not be the optimal tools for the job you are about to do.

When it comes to taking pictures of human subjects, professional photographers will typically go for a lens between 18 to 55 mm.

Many prefer to go big, as using 55 mm lens can create a blur effect in the background. This emphasizes the foreground, which is where our model will be situated.

3) Play around with light

Light and how it is used is one of the most important aspects of photography. Its position, intensity, and creative use can make or break a shot all on its own.

Generally speaking, you want light to illuminate your subject rather than shade it, which is what happens when your light source comes from behind.

Beyond this rule of thumb, though, don’t be scared to bend other maxims surrounding this variable.

The low angle and less intense light of morning and late afternoon/evening can make your shots look epic, and by using various filters, cool effects can be created.