Tech Tip 69: The Easiest Way of Handling Payroll
Posted by: Millie Patel on: January 14, 2012
Payroll can be such a nightmare for some! Others say it’s complicated and time-consuming. My friend says it’s just boring! Surprisingly this is the kind of job that no one looks forward to doing. But think about it, we’re in a technological era, and so we don’t really have to process these manually! Why not use software to accomplish such mundane activities? There are tons of payroll solutions out there, just do a quick Google search and you’ll see dozens.
When you’ve found a handful of solutions, how do you decide which one to go for? This could be a tough choice. Some of the factors you’ll need to consider are:
Security: Is your payroll system protected from unauthorized access?
Flexibility: Will your chosen system be flexible enough to grow or scale according to your company size?
Control: How much control do you have over the payroll system, what changes can you make, what are the limitations of the system?
Tax Management: To what extent does the payroll system handle tax-related calculations? Does it leave any headaches for you?
The online solutions I reckon are the best because you can access them from anywhere, as opposed to an in-house payroll system which only runs on your company’s servers. One of the best search results I found on Google is Intuit and this is because I’ve used QuickBooks so I’m familiar with the platform and software. Their payroll solutions integrate within your QuickBooks application, making it convenient for you to use it.
Hope this post helps you decide better how to deal with the bother of payroll! 
- Millie
Tech Tip 68: Customize your Mobile in a Stylish Way
Posted by: Millie Patel on: December 19, 2011
The use of smart phones has rapidly increased over the past few years. Every other person nowadays carries with him a Blackberry, an iPhone or any other model of smart phone. They’ve become so popular amongst all age groups as they make life easier by adding to it efficient ways of carrying out various tasks. The rise in the use of smartphones has had a significant impact on the number of mobile applications that are released each day, worldwide. The are tons of mobile applications which users download, ranging from tools to games, social network applications, image and video sharing applications and having applications that help personalize your smart phone in different ways.
Many applications allow users to create their own mobile content such as customized graphics for mobile phone wallpapers and customized ringtones based on the music saved on the phone. There are various free ringtone makers available on the app stores for iPhone and Android phones. I also tried a ringtone maker last week, an app called Mobile17. I was successfully able to convert some mp3 files into ringtone formats.
The technology era is moving towards the “Web 3.0” buzz word and compared to the Web 2.0 where it’s all about user generated content, Web 3.0 brings in a splash of personalization so that users can get, create and use personalized data for their needs. Mobile web and applications that allow users to personalize their experiences are on the rise and I think the future in this field even holds fascinating technologies that users will surely appreciate. What mobile or web applications have you used that gave you a good user experience? Do share with us your views by posting a comment below!
- Millie
Tech Tip 67: Web Hosting on Windows Servers
Posted by: Millie Patel on: December 8, 2011
A web hosting service is a type of Internet hosting that allows individuals and organizations to make their websites and web applications available on the Internet. A Windows Hosting environment is simply a web server that runs on the Windows Operating System, and also provides reliable interfaces with IIS, ASP.NET and MS SQL. Many developers are running applications and hosting web spaces using IIS and SQL using Microsoft Windows Servers.
There are many advantages of using a Windows Hosting Service: the interface is familiar and easy-to-use, it offers powerful features and controls via the cpanel, It supports many scripting languages like ASP, ASP.NET, Silverlight, PHP and PERL, It can support various types of web applications from WordPress blogs to e-commerce websites, photo galleries or content management systems (like hosting a Joomla site on Windows Servers) and so on.
You may also want to look at hosting your development environments on Virtual Private Servers. Windows VPS Hosting provides virtual servers on the cloud and these are extremely suitable for using when developing large-scale projects. The benefits of using Virtual Private Servers are that they are flexible across all the different types of operating systems and you can have full control over the functions. Virtual Servers are powered by the cloud and you can run them either on Windows or Linux environments, depending on your requirements.
Solutions provided by companies like myhosting.com also have what they call a Windows Hyper-V VPS Cloud, which offer several benefits for organizations or individuals who either want to host a personal website or application, want to develop standard web applications or want to develop and host a large-scale business web environment. This is more like a dedicated server just for your needs so it gives you control over the entire operating system.
Web Hosting, Virtualization and use of Cloud Computing is on the rise and it’s only now that major companies are taking advantages of these technologies. Do you have any experience with cloud computing or hosting a proper web application? Do share with us your stories by leaving comments on this post!
- Millie
Tech Tip 66: Real-Time Online Collaboration Made Easy
Posted by: Millie Patel on: December 5, 2011
Web 2.0 technologies with their very nature of existence which is allowing user participation, has allowed developers to create amazing collaboration interfaces and packages that have proved very useful, especially for groups of people working on common projects. This is very common for software projects, however diverse groups from different organizations are now able to work on forming documents and files together in real-time, regardless of where the members of the groups are located.
One such really easy collaboration tool available online is QikPad, which is a service available for free, and allows users to form online groups and collaborate together as a team. When using QikPad, multiple users can send and receive text updates in real time and this makes it easier for users to work together on projects, documents, or even when writing code to create applications. In fact there is a video on YouTube that shows how this is done:
QikPad.co.uk has a really simple and intuitive user interface and they’ve created the application such that users do not even need to signup or spend any time filling forms to register in order to use their service. All you have to do is choose a name for your workspace and start sharing the content by adding users to your workspace – It’s literally a 2-click process and this is what makes it so cool! Do check out QikPad and use it for your projects as it is very efficient! Must say it’s the best tool I’ve seen so far…
If you’ve already used QikPad or are going to try it out now, do feel free to leave comments on your experience!
- Millie
Tech Tip 65: Cloud Computing: The Growing Trend
Posted by: Millie Patel on: November 24, 2011
Cloud Computing is the rapidly growing technology that’s gaining in popularity world wide. The concept is simple: Applications and data can be stored remotely on other servers, “the cloud”, and can be accessed from any computer with Internet access. Most of you already use cloud computing but are probably unaware of it, and a good example of this is having a yahoo, hotmail or gmail account. All your emails are stored elsewhere but you can still access them from any computer. This technology has been around for years, but it’s only till recently that companies have started using it more after discovering the potential it holds for many other things.
Several organizations use cloud computing and virtual servers to run their applications. This saves them the cost of purchasing the actual software. Most cloud computing services are charged based on the “pay as you go” model whereby you only pay for the resources you use; others however charge a flat rate regardless of the amount of usage. Cloud computing also reduces hardware costs as you can use servers on the cloud to carry out the tasks you need. It’s a great revolutionary technology and is spreading like fire through all sorts of organizations!
Despite the immensity of this cloud computing era, there are however various concerns about the security and privacy of the data stored on the clouds (remote servers). These issues are normally dealt with the private cloud solution provider. They should be reliable for ensuring secure access and prohibiting unauthorized access to their servers. Having said this, it’s probably a mission looking for the right providers of cloud computing facilities. Adequate research has to be carried out to find out the reliability and trustworthiness of any private cloud provider before making a deal and letting a third party handle any confidential company information.
If you’ve had any experience of using cloud computing services, do leave a comment and tell us about your experiences!
- Millie
Tech Tip 64: Web Analytics – The way forward
Posted by: Millie Patel on: November 21, 2011
Web Analytics comprises of a set of tools and programs that help website owners track the traffic sources and types, for their websites. Good analytics software can tell you the following about the visitors to your website: the number of visitors, the demographic details about the visitors (where they come from), how they landed on your website (could be through search engines, via backlinks on other sites or blogs, emails etc.), it also tells you the average time a visitor spends on your website, what pages of your website are most popular (by counting the number of page views) and so on.
All this statistical information can be really useful for webmasters and online marketers who can use this data to streamline and optimize their SEO efforts, and to improve on the quality of traffic they receive. SEO companies use web analytics to track the improvements of the quality of traffic a website gets, normally after they’re done with working on putting in meta tags and proper keywords onto a website.
Web Analytics software or tools normally summarize all this data and display it in the form of a chart or diagram to make it easier for users to understand it. The most popular web analytics tool, which can be used for free, is Google Analytics. However, there are several other companies out there that provide these services too. And considering that the choice is wide, it can be a daunting task to decide which are the best web analytics tools to use in order to track your website and receive the exact results you want. It is therefore wise getting a web analytics review first from a credible organization to help you decide. Also, carrying out an analytics software comparison between a couple of analytics tools can help you decide which is better but this can be a time consuming task indeed.
Users of web analytics tools can belong to either one of these two categories: users who want to track their own website, or users who want to track their competition and beat it down! Some analytics tools also list the keywords that a website uses to pull in traffic and so knowing a competitor’s keywords can give you the upper hand. It’s all about gaining competitive advantage in a world that never ceases to produce competitors! Anyway, if you’ve come across or carried out any web analytics reviews, then please do share your knowledge by leaving a comment! 
- Millie
Tech Tip 63: Why You Should Get a Tablet
Posted by: Millie Patel on: November 8, 2011
Tablets are the new revolutionary technology that brings to you the convenience of sharing, staying connected, being productive and having fun all the time. They are basically smaller ‘mobile’ PCs that come in a variety of sizes starting from a mini 7” handheld device up to 12” of convertible PCs. Tablets have become very popular over the past few years, and they still continue to rise in terms of popularity, functionality, speeds, flexibility and innovation.
Not only can tablets be used at home for entertainment (sharing photos, watching videos, streaming music, chatting online via IM or Skype) or for educational purposes (it has been proven to be of great help to students who’re stuck with their homework!), but these devices have spread into the business environments like fire. Using a tablet, you can be able to view and edit Office documents, have a browser and email facilities, get access to corporate servers, view e-books, e-magazines, marketing reports and articles, access Software as a Service from providers, have access to Google maps, and subscribe to stock information, news and other required updates. Ain’t it amazing??
More so, with your tablet running on the Android platform, you can install an app called Kloud which will be enable you to access your information and data from virtually anywhere in the world. Kloud basically syncs all your documents, images, music files, e-books etc. with your Net’s devices. You can get more information on this from the website for Net’sGo.
So basically, imagine having everything at your fingertips, wherever you are! Communication can never be as easy as this! In fact, you could look at it like being a CEO for yourself: C for Communication; E for Education and O for Operations – be it anything, a tablet really gives you what you ask for.
I’m sure now that I’ve rumbled on enough about these tablets; you want to know where you can get one from? No worries – I’ll let you in on that as well! You’ll get the perfect piece of integrated technology from Kaser, who have a variety of options you can choose from. Do have a look and get one for yourself today!
Have a productive day!
- Millie
Tech Tip 62: Solutions for IT Outsourcers
Posted by: Millie Patel on: November 5, 2011
Outsourcing IT has been a very popular trend over the past couple of years and enterprises are finding it really beneficial to contract third parties and leave it to them to manage their business processes more effectively and efficiently. Apart from these, other benefits include cost control, improved quality of service, added competitive advantage, flexibility, access to special expertise and knowledge and so on. However, as a provider of IT support solutions, there are many factors that have to be considered in terms of security, integrity of data, supporting platforms and environments, and so on. Satisfying clients with cost-worthy services should be the main aim and to get to the point of being trusted with data confidentiality is a whole different story.
Top IT outsourcers in the Fortune 500 list work to combat these challenges and succeed to provide IT remote support services. This is a field with high demand and competition is tough. In order to support these service providers they need state-of-the-art remote support hardware and software that would facilitate them to improve the business processes of other organizations. One such organization that strives to provide these is the Bomgar Corporation who showcases one of the best Remote Support Solutions.
Many organizations are focusing on differentiation as a way of getting and sustaining the competitive edge that will take them forward and it’s important to use these resources and maximize on the available opportunities. Does your organization outsource IT or are you a provider of support systems for other enterprises? Do comment on your views over this matter and share with the readers the importance of having a good Remote IT Support Solution.
- Millie
How to choose the best laptop?
Posted by: Millie Patel on: October 18, 2011
Choosing the best laptop can be a very daunting task if you’re not entire sure of what you’re looking for. A lot of things have to be taken into consideration before selecting a laptop to buy in terms of features, functionalities, capabilities and so on, and all this in relation to what the laptop will be majorly used for: i.e., for games, online browsing, watching movies, office work and so on. There is an excellent site that helps users decide what to go for, depending on what their requirements are. Your ideal laptop will have to have the right graphics capabilities, the right amount of hard disk space or the right type of processors. You can even get the best laptop for under 500! See the image below that shows you a simple guideline that may be of help.
The other thing to do when shopping for the best laptop, is to read lots and lots of laptop reviews. You tend to get useful information about products from other users who have already experienced using particular brands and models. For instance, if you’re looking to buy a laptop for gaming purposes, it would be best to search for something like: “gaming laptop reviews” and read about other people’s experiences with what the best is. Just getting information on such things will narrow down your search and help you find the best laptop.
Start by reading about what is offered, where it is offered and look for the greatest deals online and offline. Look out for hot deals and I’d say if you’re investing in one, then you might as well spend a little extra and get all the goodness out of it!
Hope this post has been helpful to you and wish you the best!
- Millie
Tech Tip 61: How to Fix the Blue Screen of Death in Windows 7
Posted by: Millie Patel on: September 10, 2011
Ever felt the kind of panic which increases your heartbeat and steals your speech when you see the Blue Screen of Death? Yes I’m talking about Windows users and I’m sure you’ve come across it once in a while! (…and despite that some of us are still loyal to Microsoft! ha!) It can really be a frustrating experience when you stumble onto it and can’t figure out how to deal with it! That’s why I decided to write this post with a small ray of hope that will restore your patience!
I will however be quoting most of the important points from an excellent article I read on “how to fix blue screen in Windows 7”. The article contains proper instructions on how to deal with and overcome this problem and I really recommend you follow it well to get rid of this demon! So I’ll just summarize some of the points that I think are fairly important for you to know! But first things first: What the hell is that blue screen trying to tell you? If it looks anything like the screenshot below, then keep reading!
This error majorly occurs when there’s a hardware or software conflict on your system, or when you run out of memory (RAM) – which in my case, happens every other week! :@ The system would normally just shut down or restart automatically.
The Solutions:
You could run the ‘system restore’ utility that’s provided by Windows, which will restore your system to an earlier time, before the problem started. This is a safe solution and the magical part is that you don’t lose any files that were created after the restore date. Secondly, you could use the ‘Windows Memory Diagnostic Tool’ to check if the problem originates from here. And if the problem is to do with a hardware conflict then ‘Device Manager’ would be the place to visit.
Anyhow, when you do get this error, don’t panic! Read through the article on “how to fix blue screen in Windows 7” and solve your problem!
- Millie
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This is my tech blog. I got another blog, full of jokes that will crack u up! http://humoraddict.blogspot.com
Go Around The Tech Corner…
- Tech Tip 69: The Easiest Way of Handling Payroll
- Tech Tip 68: Customize your Mobile in a Stylish Way
- Tech Tip 67: Web Hosting on Windows Servers
- Tech Tip 66: Real-Time Online Collaboration Made Easy
- Tech Tip 65: Cloud Computing: The Growing Trend
- Tech Tip 64: Web Analytics – The way forward
- Tech Tip 63: Why You Should Get a Tablet
- Tech Tip 62: Solutions for IT Outsourcers
- How to choose the best laptop?
- Tech Tip 61: How to Fix the Blue Screen of Death in Windows 7
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