Communications

Most Popular Web-Based Email Providers

June 8, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Nearly everyone who uses the Internet is familiar with Gmail, Yahoo Mail and MSN’s Hotmail web-based email services, but there are actually many more such services that you probably haven’t ever heard of. For instance, Zoho is becoming rather well known for their web-based Microsoft Office-compatible applications that duplicate the functions of Word, Excel and PowerPoint, but they also have a very strong email service. Having your email working out of the cloud along with your document management system, all individual documents and your planning and organization systems reduces the typical computer clutter and streamlines all of your work.

Gawab is another web based email provider that offers tons of storage, a spam filter and virus protection so you don’t have to worry about heavy or unsafe attachments. This provider also offers a couple of paid subscription versions of their service for business users and those who need more than a free email provider can offer. By comparison, My Way Mail’s free server includes a lot more storage, but has less features overall. Labels and folders don’t work as well in My Way Mail as they do in Gmail and they tuck advertising into your outgoing messages. That looks unprofessional.

Of course, you can always count on the free email accounts provided by your Internet service provider, and most of those support both a desktop mail application and online access. Larger ISPs, by nature of their popularity, are beginning to run low on available user account names. Unless you don’t mind having arbitary numbers or letters in your email address, you’re probably better off choosing a lesser-known free email provider.

Filed Under: Communications, Internet Tagged With: Gmail, Webmail, Yahoo Mail

How Email Changed Communication

May 19, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Image via Wikipedia

Communication means have come a long way since stone inscriptions and even the box telephone for that matter. The postal service, though still in existence, has lost a large number of its clientele to email. Formal communications have completely been revamped with its global acceptance and of course its speed. The security involved too is simple and effective that makes it the best means to communicate in this present day and age. The ability to personalize email for yourself or for a business you represent makes all the difference.

The rise of email has been a meteoric one and it has evolved almost overnight with its features. Email has changed the way businesses operate. Messages use to take a week to get from Point A to Point B. This resulted in businesses being localized. But with time, email changed all that. Businesses can carryout internal and external communications instantaneous.

Choosing an email host is an important issue. Depending on whether you have professional or personal use of an email account, you can choose from a free service or a paid service. Again, with the free service, there are many ways to upgrade your account for a small fee. You have the option of custom URLs, additional accounts for members of your staff, blog space if needed and all the online assistance that you require for market research.

Emails are also convenient in that they are not really time bound. If you are unable to talk to someone on the phone, you can send an email and be almost certain that the recipient will read it soon and respond instantly.

Filed Under: Communications, Internet Tagged With: Business, Mail, Uniform Resource Locator

The Multiple Benefits of Video Conferencing

May 13, 2011 By Leave a Comment

A dozen Indonesian students gathered at the U....

Image via Wikipedia

Technology has allowed video conferencing – when people across the globe can be simultaneously connected via the Internet and hold a live conference face to face. This development revolutionized the business world completely. Budgets for travelling significantly came down, allowing a company to do much more with their resources. Not only in business but also in several other areas, such as medicine and education, video conferencing has made a huge difference.

There are several benefits to video conferencing especially when it comes to business. Since people connect immediately, the process of decision making is sped up and productivity increases. Being able to confer with one’s team mates placed in different offices improves communication and creates better professional relationships. This also works in service provider – client situations as well. Without doubt, it makes better utility of a company’s resources and allows for interaction across time zones at a convenient pre-determined time.

There are uses for video conferencing in multiple other fields. Its advantages can be seen in the field of medicine, as second opinions can be sought instantly from colleagues in specialized hospitals. Since countries are connected, these opinions can also be sought from experts across the globe and a patient can actually be viewed and examined virtually. In the field of education, classrooms can be taken to rural areas where children lack the facilities to go to a school near them. It is also a great help to those who are based in far away locations such as the North Pole. Overall, video conferencing, which is now even available on tablets, is fast becoming the simplest means of keeping in touch.

Filed Under: Communications, Internet Tagged With: Business, Business Services, Videoconferencing

The Reach of Digital Media

May 8, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Image by Skokie Public Library via Flickr

With the advent of the Internet, information is no longer private unless of course you want it to be. The ability to share information at the click of a button has made digital media a veritable powerhouse when it comes to dissemination of issues. The concept of digital media has developed to such an extent that today it has been used to further causes, promote products, spread information and so much more.

There are several benefits to digital media depending upon the situation in which it is used. However, the fundamentals of its benefits remain the same. Digital media can be used for books, music, photos, videos and so much more. This form of media is such that any information or content can be used across different medias. So you can have something stored on your computer in digital format, saved on a USB, carried to another place, plugged into a player or a projector and used. Technology has developed such that devices like our phones too have become a means of carrying around digital data.

Digital media has also been exploited for the marketing of products. It is quite an interesting concept since a number of people in the target group can be approached with a simple digital media campaign. The costs involved are minimal and the impact much greater. Of course, a great deal of forethought goes into digital media planning and there are several aspects to take into consideration. The Internet is a dynamic place and one that needs to be interesting if you are to retain the viewership of a reader.

Filed Under: Communications, Digital Media Tagged With: Business, Digital media, Signage

Why Professional Photographers Prefer a Single-Lens Reflex Camera

March 17, 2011 By Leave a Comment

To a photographer, capturing the moment means everything. Getting a subject to pose in just the right way at any given moment makes the difference between a good photo and a great one. Capturing a moment with just the right amount of light, at a given instant is essential.

With regular digital cameras, photographers have to make the angle of a taking lens and a viewing lens. In a digital single lens camera, the taking and viewing lenses are the same. Both regular digital cameras and DSLR cameras have electronic and manual zooms. The manual zoom option on a regular camera has limitations, however.

Professional photographers use digital single lens reflex cameras, or SLRs, while the average person most commonly uses regular digital cameras. Image quality is a huge benefit to using the DSLR camera. Photographers can take a great picture even when there is low-light.

Regular digital cameras are smaller than DSLRs, and quieter. Without setting up a shot, an amateur photographer can shoot a picture in auto mode. Shutter speeds on DSLR cameras are faster than on regular digital cameras.

Digital SLR cameras also allow for better depth and angle in a photo. Photographers get a more accurate preview of the angle at which they are taking the photo and of the depth. A shallower depth of field enables a photographer to isolate an object from the background.

With the ease of use and versatility of digital single lens reflex cameras, capturing the perfect photo was never so simple.

Filed Under: Communications Tagged With: Digital single-lens reflex camera

Using a TV as a Computer Monitor

February 1, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Wouldn’t it be nice if that video you’re watching on your computer could be seen on a bigger screen? Of course, it would, provided you didn’t have to deal with pixilation and other issues that can really ruin a viewing experience. Instead of worrying about those kinds of things, go out and take a look at TVs that are designed to have computers hooked up to them. There are cables you can get to do the job, and some TVs can even connect wirelessly, so you can use your TV as a computer monitor any time you want to. It may sound too good to be true, but it’s actually possible.

Before buying a TV that you’re going to use with your computer, do your research. Highest price isn’t always the best choice, and lowest price might not give you what you want. Instead, focus on value – what you’re getting for the money you’re spending. If you can get low price and high quality all in one package, you’ve gotten a great deal of value that way. Everyone has a budget, too, and it’s important to stay in yours. Look at what you really want. If you can’t get it at your price point, move down the line until you find what falls into your price range.

What you can afford and what you really want may not be identical, but they can be close enough that you’re happy with your TV purchase. Connecting it to your computer will depend on the way it’s designed, but make sure it has that capability before you buy it. If there are specific cables you need, get them, too. Then you won’t get home, hook your TV up, and realize that you have to go back to the store because you don’t have what you need to plug your computer into the TV properly.

Filed Under: Communications, General Tagged With: Computer monitor, Price point, Television

What is Web Conferencing?

January 12, 2011 By Leave a Comment

You don’t have to dress in your best suit or rush off to the airport for your next work conference. No travel expenses or even large chunks of time missed from work. This is the very reason businesses and corporations prefer web conferencing over sending employees across the country for classes or training.

Now the employee can participate in conferences, training or presentations from the comfort of his or her own office. Less hassle, less expense, less time. Web conferencing definitely makes life easier not only for the business or firm, but for the employees.

A web conference is where individuals in various locations meet together in a conference through use of the Internet. This is done by downloading an application, or better yet, through a web-based application. Often participants receive an invitation via email with an embedded link which brings them to the site of the live or archived conference. This convenient method allows various employees working in different offices to attend the same meeting and receive the same information all at once.

One type of popular web conferencing is called a webinar. This refers to a web conference that serves as a presentation, wherein a presenter shares information with the audience. In this scenario, usually one or more individuals in the same location monopolize the spotlight, like a professor in a classroom lecture. Participants can voice their opinions through polling opportunities or question and answer sessions. Participation is somewhat limited though, in that persons are not seen and heard like an actual live presentation.

There are other features of web conferencing, such as electronic meeting systems, which allow for more structured discussions. With technology now, there is also the option of adding in anonymous participants. This means some participants are involved in the meeting without others knowing. This is useful for supervisors or executives reviewing or evaluating work. With the ability to web conference, businesses can perform their meetings much more efficiently.

Filed Under: Communications, Internet, Visual Tagged With: Business, Videoconferencing, Web conferencing

Teaching Videoconferencing

January 5, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Videoconferencing has become an invaluable business tool. It can help a company’s budget by eliminating a lot of the expenses of business travel. Not only are companies not purchasing airline tickets and hotel stays, but their personnel are not wasting time traveling from point A to point B for conferences and meetings. By using videoconferencing technology, business can hold meetings with participants from anywhere around the world. However, these participants should have the training to use this videoconferencing technology effectively. Here are some tips to help you teach your employees and associates the best ways to utilize videoconferencing.

First, you should learn the system completely — inside and out. Also, make sure that the people you are training will have all the information about the system as well. Have your people know and understand how to play different types of media on their computers and ensure that they have a software capable of viewing multimedia. There are many free source programs available such as VLC Downloads, Media Player, KM Player and the all-in one BS Player. Any one of these will have the advanced capabilities to view and play multimedia files which can be useful in video conferencing and remote training. Make them aware of any problems that may arise with the system and provide the solutions. Keep this document current and make changes whenever someone asks a question that is not covered.

Make sure you understand how to get quick and responsive action from your IT or technical support department if there are problems with the system you cannot address. Make sure the training space is suitable in both size and atmosphere. It should be relatively quiet and your trainees should not be packed in. Be sure that all trainees can see the equipment.
Make sure that there is enough equipment for the class. If you are teaching one-on-one conferencing, a simple computer equipped with speakers and web cam will suffice; however if you are teaching to a larger meeting-sized group, make sure your equipment is satisfactory for the larger group. Make sure you demonstrate the equipment thoroughly. Don’t gloss over information you may think is unnecessary. Teach the students how to troubleshoot. Give them the tools and solutions to make their videoconferencing successful.

Filed Under: Communications, Visual Tagged With: Media Player, Shock collar, Videoconferencing