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 people 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 and they can listen to it anywhere they have access to the Internet.

So we thought we would share with you some information about a few of the more common streaming services:

Pandora: Pandora has been around awhile, and it is very popular. It’s clear to see why: it’s easy. After navigating to the website, enter the name of a song or artist you want and Pandora will create a radio station determined by that information. It chooses songs by artists with a comparable sound. As you listen to your station you can select the thumbs up or thumbs down symbol on the songs and Pandora will adjust your station based on this new information. In addition, you can “seed” you station with different artists to even further personalize it. You can listen to Pandora without making an account but in order to save your stations, you need to create an account.

Grooveshark: Grooveshark is a lot like Pandora. But you can also make your own playlists manually, all without creating an account. However, those that want to save their play lists will have to sign up for a free account. Like Pandora, Grooveshark also provides suggestions for songs that you might like based upon your past musical selections. Grooveshark also has an intriguing feature: You can improve the service’s database of music by adding your own favorite songs and artists if you don’t find them in Grooveshark’s existing collection.

Rhapsody: Rhapsody has quickly made a name for itself thanks to its huge database of more than 14 million songs. Users have to pay for the service – $10 a month – but by doing so, they’ll be able to stream any song from the service’s enormous collection.

Spotify: Spotify is a Swedish music-streaming service that was launched in 2008. It has quickly grown to one of the most well-known and widely used services out there. People like the flexibility of Spotify. When you search for an artist, you can listen to a complete album or choose to use the radio function and Spotify will find similar artists for you to enjoy. Another advantage of Spotify is that you may create your own playlists and share them with other users if you so choose.

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

Microsoft in February unveiled Kinect for Windows. This version of the device works with, not surprisingly, Windows-operated pcs. Now a number of users are putting the device to work in unforeseen ways.

Innovative Uses for the Kinect

Earlier this year the Chief Marketing Manager for Nissan North America created a virtual tour of the Pathfinder’s interior at the Chicago Auto Show. The only thing that was actually on display was the outer shell of the Pathfinder, but individuals could see the upgraded interior on a large screen using the Kinect.

Microsoft is also encouraging companies to utilize the Kinect creatively by working with them to create custom Kinect applications. Nearly 350 companies today are working with Microsoft in this way. As an example, Boeing uses the device to create virtual tours of its 737 jets. Medical providers at a hospital in Canada are also using the device’s gesture-recognition to swipe through CT scans, removing the chance of touching germs on 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 game console, and they have the Kinect to thank for that. Since November of 2010 Microsoft has sold over 18 million Kinect devices.

It may seem hard to believe, but Windows and its creator might have actually found something that is not only useful, but cool, which can do nothing but good for their reputation.

These days, whenever you post an open position on the Internet, hundreds of people respond. Many of these people are eligible candidates for the job, so you call them in for an interview. But how do you dig through them and find the truly innovative and enthusiastic people? Since the interview is essentially all you can go on, your interview questions are essential.

It’s vital that you create a job interview strategy that pin points what you’re in search of in an employee. If you ask the same cookie cutter questions that everyone else does, you are going to get cookie cutter answers.

Ask the Right Questions

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

Another prevalent interview question is to ask about the individual’s strengths and weaknesses. Most of us have a canned response to this, as they know it will likely be asked in an interview. Instead have them tell you the things they add to the culture of a company, what do they do in nerve-racking situations, or what are some ways they keep themselves satisfied at their jobs. These answers will clue you in to the personality of the person you are interviewing, and if they will fit in with your organization and the position.

Another method you could use to gauge creativity is to give them a task to complete. Something simple, for instance have them write their ideas about what their ideal workplace would be like. Or they could brainstorm products and services for a company of your choosing. You could keep it light and fun; the goal is to get a snapshot of their brainstorming abilities, and imagination.

Today’s job market is such that it’s probable that many skilled 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.

There aren’t many people who look forward to going on business trips. They are a hassle and expensive for the company. Business travelers often feel rushed, which results in insufficient sleep and poor dietary habits, which exacerbates stress. Not to mention dealing with Airports and long-term parking. Because of this, many businesses decide to use videoconferencing as much as possible. But do you think that business travel is on its way out? Will Videoconferencing replace it altogether?

The End of Business Travel?

But is this something that we should strive for in business? Is it a good thing if videoconferencing replaces face-to-face meetings altogether? Maybe not, consider the differences between meetings that are face-to-face versus videoconferencing.

When people around the world sign on to a videoconference, they generally introduce themselves quickly, if needed, and then dive into the goal at hand. Brainstorming does not often play a big part in videoconferencing; this is partially because of the worry that their connection may fail. Also, there are many distractions within the individual’s office that can make fluid conversation tricky.

The Benefits of Face-to-Face Time

Conversation evolves a lot more easily with in-person interactions. This is healthy, and as far as business is concerned, can be very beneficial. Having an impromptu brainstorming session can result in ideas that can lead the company down a path that wasn’t previously anticipated. This isn’t to say that every face-to-face meeting turns into a game-changing brainstorming session. But if a meeting degenerates into story telling, this is an chance for co-workers to strengthen their interpersonal relationships and increase moral.

Business Travel is Here to Stay

While many businesses turn toward videoconferencing because of the cost and simplicity of it, it is doubtful that business travel will disappear permanently. When we develop business relationships, just like any relationships, we want to meet face-to-face because we are a social species. The benefits of face-to-face meetings are enough that savvy business owners will not eliminate business travel completely.

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How many kids grew up awaiting the day when humans would travel the globe with individual jet packs strapped to their backs? How many dreamt of full meals that come in pill form or teleporters? Those technologies haven’t happened. Even so, in the last twenty years alone, we have seen enough new tech to fill an early 1990s science-fiction flick. With tablet computers we can carry all the computing power of a bulky desktop computer in our hands. With smartphones we are able to instantly send text messages to our friends and thanks to GPS, we never have to get lost while driving again.

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

Building a Better Battery

As we move into a more mobile world, batteries grow in significance. They are a building block of our technological world these days. Consequently, if we are restricted by their power, and capability to hold a charge, the technology which uses them is also limited. For example, you wouldn’t want your jet pack to loose its charge in flight. Recently, researchers at Chicago’s Northwestern University found a way to make a much more powerful lithium-ion battery than the ones we have today. We explored this more thoroughly in a blog post last week. When these batteries eventually hit the market, we will likely see a boom in technological advancements.

Improving Internet Access

Another obstacle to overcome is that not enough individuals have access to the Internet. In fact, most of the globe doesn’t have access to it. This is naturally restricting breakthroughs in technology. It goes back to the essential concept of the more minds we have working on a problem, the faster we will solve it.

The Business of New Tech

This may not come as a shock, but business matters slow down technological advancements as well. For instance, patent laws, and government regulations. If these things are not clear, pioneer technology can sit in red tape limbo for some time. To prevent this last step bottleneck of the creation process, laws need to be clear and easy to understand.

Even though there are a few things that are holding technology back, it is still evolving at a rapid pace. Maybe we’ll finally get hover boards when battery technology catches up to our imaginations.

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Adobe Photoshop is an amazing tool. It lets organizations edit the images they need to create professional-looking brochures, pamphlets, and marketing materials. The problem is that 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 with limited funds, this program just is not practical. This doesn’t mean, however, that these small business owners don’t have photo-editing options. In fact, businesses can choose from a number of alternatives that are not only cheaper but are actually free.

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

GIMP

GIMP stands for GNU image manipulation program. It is quite easy to use and contains the most used features of Photoshop. There are many different versions of GIMP and best of all it is completely free.

Paint.NET

Do you remember MSPaint? It came standard with the Windows operating system. Paint.NET is its successor and is a really powerful and free photo editor. It comes with its own special effects and an unlimited undo; this is great for people who want to experiment with the effects. The one negative of this program is it only works with Windows.

Picnik

Picnik is fast, free, and easy to use. It works on the Mac, Windows, and Linux operating systems and you don’t have to download files to use it. It has some unique special effects as well, making it a very popular photo-editing program.

Business owners needn’t let Photoshop’s high price keep them from inserting professionally edited photos into their marketing materials. With only a bit of online hunting, even the most frugal of business owners will find the perfect alternative.

The more we depend on mobile devices the more we rely on one small technology. Batteries. Have you ever reached for your smartphone to look something up or to get directions and found that it has died? Well, in a few years, that could be something you don’t have to worry about.

A Better Battery on the Way?

A team of engineers at Chicago’s Northwestern University may have found a way to make a battery that lasts longer and charges itself in a few minutes, rather then overnight. This story reports on these research efforts. This is good news for smartphone users worldwide.

Northwestern’s researchers have found a method to extend the charge of lithium-ion batteries by more then 10 times the present lithium-ion battery life. They are even boasting that after 150 charges, which they believe represents about a year of operation, the new lithium-ion battery will be 5 times more efficient than batteries at present.

A Charged Battery for a Week

In the end, this new cell phone battery could stay charged for a full week, even with all the apps we use daily. And the charging time? Less than 15 minutes. Which will sure make our lives easier, but more than that, this new battery technology may lead to smaller and more efficient batteries for electric cars.  This could consequently, have a dramatic impact on our reliance on fossil fuels.

Batteries Powering Technological Change

While this new battery technology may have a massive impact on many aspects of our life, it will not be offered to the general public for three to five years, says Northwestern researchers. Batteries are often over looked when we think of advanced technologies, but the more we depend upon mobile devices the more imperative they become.  Advancements in battery technology may in reality hold the key to an even greater technological movement.

When it comes to online search engines, Google is still king. Microsoft isn’t pleased with this. That’s why the company launched Bing in 2009, its own search engine and a direct competitor with Google. Since then, Bing has gone the way of most Google-search competitors: It’s mostly an afterthought when computer users want to search the web. Most searchers still turn to Google for this task. However, that does not mean that Bing offers nothing for computer users. The fact is, Microsoft did a lot right with Bing, and the search engine delivers plenty of intriguing features that users shouldn’t disregard.

Taking Another Look at Bing

When you search on Bing, you’ll get more information regarding your search results than you will get from Google. Bing’s results include a left-hand navigation panel filled with Quick Tabs that allow users to focus their searches. There’s also a center row of search results that are grouped into logical categories. This makes it easier for users to find multimedia files or quick answers.

Bing Goes Beyond Search Results

Another big plus with Bing is that it doesn’t just bring up search results. It also brings up relevant videos, music, and images. Although this is an element of Google as well, Bing makes it more user friendly, as the categories are right beneath the search bar. Bing beats Google for travel searches as well. They use something called Farecast Technology in the Bing Travel site; it lets users find the least expensive flights quickly and easily.

Bing Video Search Shines

Bing shines, too, when it comes to searching for videos. Before searching, users can tell Bing how long they’d like their videos to be, what screen size they’d like them to be, and what image resolution they’d prefer. Users can start their videos simply by hovering their cursors over a screen capture.

These are a few reasons why Bing should not be overlooked. Google might be the current king of search engines, but Bing has a lot to deliver surfers of the Web.

Cloud computing is quite common these days. The cloud is essentially a group of remote servers where people can store and access their data. People can store music, powerful programs, and important files in the cloud. As information kept in the cloud isn’t stored on personal computers this saves tons of computer memory. The outcome of this is that people can access more data without having to use up space on their computer, which can slow it down.

Not All Clouds are the Same

However; there are different types of clouds. You have the public cloud, the private cloud, and the hybrid cloud. Most of us use the public cloud, companies that want to use cloud services to store very confidential data can choose to use a private cloud, and the hybrid cloud is a combination of both.

The hybrid cloud typically works like this: A company provides some resources in-house. For example, it may store latest consumer data on its private in-house cloud. It may also store employee files, new marketing campaigns, and current proposals to new clients on its in-house storage. That same business, though, might store older, archived data on a public cloud service. This frees up space on the business’ servers, and allows its in-house computers to perform more efficiently.

The Hybrid Cloud Approach Makes Sense

This frees up space on the in-house servers while making sure certain data is highly protected. The hybrid cloud is an excellent way to provide businesses with high security cloud services while reducing costs and saving space.

It’s no wonder, then, that a great number of organizations today are moving toward a hybrid cloud approach. There is simply too much data floating around today for small enterprises to properly store. At the same time, businesses in today’s competitive environment do not want to reveal company secrets and sensitive consumer data to either their rivals or hackers. The hybrid cloud could enable businesses to accomplish both feats.

Thanks to improved technology, an increasing number of employees be capable of complete most or all of their work from home. Smartphones, tablets, teleconferencing, and WiFi-equipped bookstores and coffee shops have made this feasible. This presents a big advantage for employers: the more employees that work from home, the less money companies have to spend. Many companies, for example, don’t have assigned computers and desks for all of their workers because so much of their workforce is working remotely. Additionally, employees working remotely are frequently more productive; they are not wasting time and energy driving to work every day. And they are not exchanging office gossip in front of the water cooler when in the office.

Remote Worker Challenges

One worry that many employers have when deciding to hire remote workers is, how can they monitor the amount of work they do? How do they know they are actually working and not just playing games on their computer all day?

By setting sensible deadlines employers can monitor their remote workers successfully. This is a change in managerial strategy; it puts the focus on the goal instead of the hours that the employee works. In the end, employees are the only ones who know when they perform most optimally, even if it is from midnight to 4am.

Setting Remote Worker Deadlines

This can be the easiest way to monitor your remote workers. Employers may decide that a certain amount of work needs to be turned in by Friday. One other way would be to set up weekly or bi-weekly meetings via phone or video chat. To resolve any feelings of disconnect some employers may ask that a remote worker spend one day a week in the office. This will help to keep everyone on track and informed.

Off-Site Not a Permanent Condition

While many people may have the personal discipline and time management skills to effectively work remotely, some don’t. So, if an employee doesn’t work well remotely, and that has grown to be clear, remote working doesn’t have to stay permanent, it can easily be revoked. Ultimately, trust within the employee/employer relationship is one of the key components of a effective remote working relationship. The employee needs to maintain that trust by hitting deadlines and delivering excellent work.