OpenStreetMap vs. Google Maps

Challenging Google at anything demands confidence. The folks behind OpenStreetMap seem to have that quality in abundance. Maybe that's why there are rumblings that the eight-year-old OpenStreetMap is set to become the most-used map service on the net.


OpenStreetMap is a digital world map, which allows users to map out directions or get a clear picture of a city they are touring. Just like Google Maps, OpenStreetMap is free and it is rapidly growing in popularity. It may turn out to be a threat to Google Maps. In March it boasted nearly 560,000 individual registered users.


OpenStreetMap’s Growing Popularity


Early in March, Apple switched its mobile software from Google Maps to OpenStreetMap for locations outside of the U.S. But more recently then that, Apple ditched Google Maps for OpenStreetMap for their recently created photo management app for iOS. The moves that Apple has made toward OpenStreetMap are probably the largest indicators that it is a true rival to Google Maps.


Also, a popular social media service, Foursquare, moved to OpenStreetMap a few months ago. You may ask yourself why OpenStreetMap is growing in popularity. One reason is that its members are able to update maps based on their knowledge. The reader’s capability to edit and adjust articles is what made Wikipedia so popular. Do you think Wikipedia would have become as popular if not for this aspect?


Google No Longer Invulnerable?


For a while it seemed unlikely that any company would challenge Google. Yet, they have had a couple less successful ventures lately. Google+ is a good example of this. Even though many people are on Google’s social media site, it does not hold a candle to the activity that resounds on Facebook or Twitter. We shall see if the reputation of OpenStreetMap will continue to grow. It may surpass Google Maps as the most frequently used digital map service.

Google Glasses: Hands-Free Connectivity

Many people spend their days with their heads down looking at their devices. Google hopes to pick our heads up and still permit us to be constantly connected. Enter Project Glass; this is Google’s recent initiative that let’s users have their data projected before their eyes, you might have heard it called Google glasses. You may also have read an article or two about this or have seen pictures of people wearing glasses that look straight out of Star Trek.


A Computer Above Your Eyes


These augmented reality glasses are hands off and permit users to share images, make phone calls, and do anything that they can do with their smartphones. The sole difference is that their field of vision is the “screen”.


A Stream of Useful Information


Google glasses are triggered using voice commands. You can just request a bus schedule and it will be displayed for you. Or you can ask for directions to a theatre, and a map will be displayed a lot like how it would be on a smartphone.


This video, produced by Google, gives you a peek at what wearing these augmented reality glasses could be like. The video shows a man making plans throughout his day, without having to hassle with a hand held device. As he heads to meet a friend the glasses alert him that the subway is suspended then maps out walking directions for him to follow. The video shows that these glasses can act as a personal assistant who stays one step ahead and makes your life run more easily.


An Unobtrusive Technology?


One of the potential problems that has been raised about Project Glass is that the information will become a hindrance. Google has said that only information users need will be shown, and this could be more helpful than a hindrance. For instance, wouldn’t it be great to just say, “take a picture” and your glasses execute the command without you fumbling for your camera?


Another worry a lot of people have is that Project Glass could be used as an advertising platform; pulling up ads for businesses that are related to the one you are physically in. You can search on YouTube for Project Glass parodies and see some fairly humorous ones.  But whatever you think the future of Project Glass is, this technology has opened a world of possibilities.

>

Get More out of Gmail

Many people use Gmail nowadays, and that is no surprise. It’s easy to use, free, and Google knows how to make a good product. If you use Gmail you may possibly not be using it to its full potential. It has some incredible tools built into it that make it simple for you to organize your email. Below is a description of some of those tools and links to pages that show you how to utilize them.


Label your messages: Applying labels to your messages visually organizes your inbox so you know what emails you need to address first. For instance, if there are a few emails that you need to deal with before the others you can tag them with a red “Important” label. Or, if you are organizing a vacation, you can apply a green “Vacation” label to any verification emails that come in.


Free up space with archiving: Do you like to have a clean inbox but have a ton of emails that you don’t wish to delete? By archiving messages in Gmail you can move them to an “All Mail” folder to get them out of the way. You have access to them anytime this way but they won’t be cluttering your inbox.


Add a signature: Tired of typing your name, phone number, and email address at the bottom of each of your Gmail messages? Why not create an email signature? Gmail allows you to save signatures that you can then simply drop into the base of your messages. This is a excellent time saver for anyone who writes a large number of email messages during an average day.


Filter your incoming messages: Filtering is a very neat feature of Gmail. It will automatically label, file, delete, or archive emails. You can choose the "Filter messages like this" option from Gmail's "More" menu and specify what an email ought to include to have a certain action applied to it. For instance, if you are looking to hire someone you can have any email that includes the words “resume” or “job” sent to a specific folder.

VoIP Technology: Benefits

Do you know what VoIP is? VoIP is short for Voice over Internet Protocol, and it is a technology that enables people to make calls via the Internet rather then use a traditional landline. VoIP is very affordable and can save businesses, of any size, between 30 and 50 percent on their phone expenses.


Businesses today, of course, are still struggling through the nation's sluggish economy. Many are running on tight budgets with skeleton staffs. Today's businesses, then, can use any form of savings they can find. The cut in phone costs that VoIP provides would appear to be an easy avenue for savings. But are businesses actually embracing VoIP technology? Are they using it to slash their yearly costs?


A Move Toward VoIP?


Recently a study was done by Heavy Reading that showed that fewer businesses then you would think have made the conversion to VoIP. But, based on the Heavy Reading study, that may be changing. The number of businesses using VoIP is on the upswing. In 2011 about 31% of businesses in North America were using VoIP but Heavy Reading predicts that by 2015 that number will rise to 66.6%.


Businesses are Switching to VoIP


That means that the amount of businesses that employ VoIP to make calls will double in the next 3 years. But will there really be such a significant change? And will the shift occur this quickly? More and more companies are becoming educated about the benefits of VoIP and while they have previously been slow to transition, the move to VoIP is snowballing so speedily that we are likely to see the percentage grow significantly.


A Bright Future for VoIP and Business


VoIP technology cuts expenses for companies while supplying voice communication that is as clear as a classic landline. An excellent thing about VoIP technology is that people don’t have to change their habits; the phones work the same as landlines. So, make room landlines, here comes VoIP.

>

The Best Online Music-Streaming Services

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


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


Pandora: Pandora is very popular because of its simple user interface. After navigating to the website, you are able to input a song or artist you wish to hear and Pandora will create a “radio” station based upon that information. This is a terrific way to learn about new artists with similar sounds. The stations that Pandora creates are easily personalized as well. If Pandora chooses an artist that you don’t like, you can select the thumbs down symbol on the song. Pandora provides further customization by allowing you to “seed” your station with different artists. While you can tune in to Pandora without creating an account, it is necessary if you want to save your individualized stations.


Grooveshark: This streaming service is very similar to Pandora, in that it creates a customized “radio” station based on your musical tastes. There is no need to create an account to enjoy Grooveshark, or to create your own playlists. However, in order to save your information, you will have to create one. One advantage to Grooveshark is that you are able to enjoy whole albums rather than a station you created. One of the most exciting features of Grooveshark is that users can add their own music if the Grooveshark database doesn’t have what they are seeking.


Rhapsody: Rhapsody’s appeal is based on its huge database of music: more the 14 million songs. Unfortunately, this service is not free, it is $10 a month for unlimited music.


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

The Kinect: More than just a Gaming Device

When was the last time we saw a Windows product which captured the essence of “cool”? Before recently it had been some time, but when Microsoft came up with Kinect for Windows that all changed. The Kinect is a motion and voice-sensing device that was initially developed for the Xbox gaming console.


A version of the device also works with Windows-operated PCs, and shortly after its launch in February, people started discovering innovative ways to use it.


Innovative Uses for the Kinect


At the Chicago Auto Show the Chief Marketing Manager for Nissan North America used the Kinect in an intriguing way, by creating a virtual tour of the enhanced interior of the Pathfinder. This worked out well as they only had the outer shell of the Pathfinder to physically display. Using the Kinect, participants could actually “see” what the interior looked liked.


Microsoft is cooperating with companies to create applications for the Kinect. This not only supports ingenuity but it puts the Kinect at the center of many of the most recent innovations. One example of a company that is working closely with Microsoft in this way is Boeing. Boeing used the Kinect to create virtual tours of its jets. Another example is a hospital in Canada. They're using the Kinect’s gesture-recognition capability to swipe through CT scans. This reduces the danger of getting germs on their hands from a keyboard or mouse.


Kinect: A Solid Hit


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


The excitement around the Kinect and its many uses can only boost Microsoft’s reputation. They may be on their way to moving into the “cool” tech company category.

>

Ensure You Hire the Right People by Changing Your Interview Strategy

There are plenty of people looking for jobs today. However, as an employer, you are not looking for just anyone. You would like to hire the best, most creative employees to work at your business. You recognize that your company is only as strong as your workers. How do you hire the most suitable people? It all starts with the job interview.


Make sure that your interview questions solicit the information that will help you select the individual with the qualities you want. If you use a cookie cutter approach to the interview, it's likely you'll get uninspired, cookie cutter answers.


Ask the Right Questions


Rather then asking people what their previous positions were, ask them how they positively impacted their positions at their previous employers. Did they create any processes that increased efficiency? Did they help their employers cut costs, if so, how?


One of the most typical questions to ask a candidate concerns their strengths and weaknesses. Avoid asking them to list these; almost everyone has predetermined answers. Instead ask them what they bring to the culture of a company, or ask them what they do to make their job more satisfying. The responses you get to these types of questions will help you to gauge the actual inventiveness of the person you are interviewing.


If you truly want to see which of your candidates are the most creative, give them a simple task to complete. It doesn't have to be intricate; you can ask them to write an essay explaining how they would approach their job if hired. You could ask them to jot down their ideas on what their perfect workspace would look like. Ask them to come up with new names for company services or products. Basically, ask them anything that will get their creative juices flowing.


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

Will Videoconferencing Replace Business Travel

No one likes traveling for business. Airports can be a headache, with all of that business of removing your shoes, having to pay extra to stow bags, and the regular delays and cancellations. We have a tendency to overeat on bad fast food or at hotel buffets, also, when we're traveling for business. Plus there is the lack of sleep. It's no wonder that so many business people are longing for developments in videoconferencing technology. After all, if this technology improves enough – the logic goes – maybe off-site business meetings, and the business travel that goes with this, might be a thing of the past.


The End of Business Travel?


Do we want to strive for the extinction of business travel? Perhaps not, think about the differences between in-person meeting and videoconferencing.


When people across the globe sign on to a videoconference, they typically introduce themselves quickly, if necessary, and then dive into the goal at hand. Brainstorming does not often play a big part in videoconferencing; this is partially due to the worry that the connection may fail. As well, there are many distractions within the individual’s office that can make fluid conversationdifficult.


The Benefits of Face-to-Face Time


Face-to-face interactions are more meaningful and allow conversation to develop easily. Meetings may go longer should this happen, but the benefits of it can be excellent. New ideas come from the creative evolution of conversation. While it’s true that every meeting may not turn into a positive brainstorming session, it can be a great opportunity to develop interpersonal relationships in the office.


Business Travel is Here to Stay


Humans are a social species. Due to this, it’s doubtful that business travel will disappearaltogether. However, in today’s economy, many companies just can’t afford to send their sales people away every time the need to meet a customer. For this reason, improvements in videoconferencing are essential but the benefits of in-person meetings are so great that the savvy business owner will not abandon them for videoconferencing all together.

>

Why Technology Is Not as Advanced as it Should Be

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

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

Building a Better Battery

Batteries power nearly all of our technology, particularly as we move into a more mobile world. For that reason, the more limited our batteries are, the greater limitations we have technologically. They are a fundamental part of our technology, so we need to focus on improving them before we can really make jumps in technology. Thankfully, researchers at Chicago's Northwestern University are creating a more powerful lithium-ion battery, which we discussed in a blog post last week. This may solve this issue in the coming years.

Improving Internet Access

Another obstacle to overcome is that not enough people have access to the Internet. The truth is, most of the globe doesn’t have access to it. This is naturally restricting breakthroughs in technology. It goes back to the basic idea of the more minds we have working on a problem, the faster we'll solve it.

The Business of New Tech

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

The great news is that none of these restrictions can truly stop technology from advancing. Just think ahead to the holiday season of 2020. Who knows what innovations will be waiting for us.

Cost Effective Alternatives to Photoshop

Adobe Photoshop is an amazing tool. It lets business owners edit the images they need to produce professional-looking brochures, pamphlets, and marketing materials. However, Photoshop is far from inexpensive. A quick online scan will show that newer versions of this image-editing program can run higher then $600. For small business owners on a budget, this program isn't practical. This doesn't mean, however, that these small business owners do not have photo-editing options. In fact, businesses can pick from a number of alternatives that are not only cheaper but are actually free.

These programs might not contain all the elements that Photoshop boasts, but they have more than enough photo-editing features for most small business owners. Here are three of the highest quality free photo-editing programs now available:

GIMP

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

Paint.NET


Remember that old MSPaint program that came with your Windows program? Paint.NET is the successor to this, and it's a remarkably powerful—and free—photo editor. Paint.NET comes with its own special effects, an unlimited undo (a nice feature for those designers who are far from perfect), and an online forum packed with users who aren't shy about sharing their favorite tips and strategies for using this program. The only negative of Paint.NET? It only works with Windows-based systems.

Picnik


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


There is no need to purchase the expensive Photoshop program to produce professional looking pamphlets. For the small business owner on a budget, any of these programs will do the trick while keeping standards high.