Today’s workplace is a very different experience from the one we had before the COVID-19 virus struck. Both the old-fashioned 9-to-5 workday and the old-fashioned idea of working in an office are gone. Many workers now create their schedules and routines, often working at home with frequent interruptions from family, pets, and daytime soap operas. Since many people work around the clock on their computers, having 24/7 access to your network is essential. As a result of this new “always open” society, businesses need secure and reliable access to their networks day and night. Companies require reliable managed services providers, such as IT Support Joplin who are available 24/7/365 to streamline complex remote/ hybrid workflow processes.

Here are the Most Common IT Issues

Forgotten Passwords

Many businesses and organizations find themselves dealing with forgotten passwords on a day-to-day basis. Having to reset or change passwords every time employees forget their login credentials is disruptive, mainly when it occurs right before a major project is due. To avoid this situation entirely, it would be a good idea to follow a strategy that would decrease the chances of users forgetting the password in the first place. Alternatively, you may want to eliminate the problem by investing in reliable password management software like Last Pass, which allows users to generate hundreds of strong passwords and secure them in a special vault. Password managers can be a godsend for forgetful users as they offer users multiple recovery options. Password software can be incredibly cost-effective, too, with plans beginning as low as $4 per month.

Accidentally deleting an important file

Accidental deletions are more common than we think. If a user accidentally deletes a file, there are many ways to retrieve it.

• Hard Drive: If your hard drive is still working, it’s possible to recover the files. However, this won’t be possible if the hard drive has crashed or stopped working entirely.
• Memory: The same applies to computer memory. If the memory is still functioning correctly and hasn’t been damaged by malware or viruses (which could cause permanent damage), then there may be a chance that you can recover some or all of your lost document(s).
• Recycle Bin: If you have emptied one particular folder without emptying its corresponding Recycle Bin (which appears on most Windows computers as soon as new folders are created), then it should be possible for those files to be recovered from there as long as other files didn’t overwrite them before being put into this location!

To provide additional layers of protection against accidental file deletion, you may benefit from using syncing software such as OneDrive or Drobox. These programs automatically sync files on your computer to the cloud. If you accidentally delete a file from your hard drive, the most recent version can still be retrieved from the cloud. Although deleted files can be recovered from synced files on the cloud, files can still be permanently lost through cyber-attacks which is why Managed IT Services Joplin strongly suggests having backup solutions in place to eliminate this risk.

Computer slow in performance and lagging

If your computer is slow and lagging, there are a few things you can do to fix this problem. You can try doing a clean boot on your system, which will help remove unnecessary processes running in the background. If this doesn’t work, try uninstalling some of the applications you no longer use or need on your system; this will free up space on your hard disk drive (HDD). If neither option works for you, then defragmenting your HDD may be the solution to getting rid of laggy performance issues.

Overheating, fans making noise, and slowing down the system

• CPU temperature – The first thing you should check is the CPU temperature, which can be done using a utility like CPUID Monitor.
• GPU temperature – If your system has a dedicated graphics card, it’s imporessentialeep an eye on its temperature. You can also use the same software for this task, but you will have to make sure that it supports monitoring GPU temperatures.
• PSU fan speed and noise level – Since power supplies usually take up most of the space inside a computer case, they tend to get quite hot while running at full load. This is especially true if they’re not actively cooled by other fans in combination with them being placed at one of the exhaust positions on top or rear side panels. To avoid overheating issues caused by such setups, we recommend checking whether all fans are spinning smoothly without any rattling sounds coming from within. You can continue working if there’s no sign indicating something terrible might happen soon. Otherwise, fix this problem before continuing!

Slow internet connection and network issue

• Check your Internet speed

If you’re experiencing slower than expected speeds, there may be issues with your network or computer. Some common causes for slow internet include:

• A faulty modem and router
• Malware on the computer (such as viruses and spyware)
• Interference from another device or appliance that uses Wi-Fi near the computer (e.g., a wireless printer)
• Check for any interference from other devices

USB Plug & play problems

Sometimes the computer may not recognize USB ports, or they may not function at all, or they don’t charge the connected device, etc.  USB problems can arise from the device, the port, or the laptop. The first thing to do is check if the device works on other devices. If so, this narrows it to either the port or the laptop. The first time you use a USB device, it may need to auto-install drivers to allow it to work efficiently; likewise, an updated version of your USB driver may fix these problems. IT Consulting Joplin has the right solutions for various computer problems/ issues. Local businesses looking for a reliable IT support vendor to manage their hardware/ software issues should consider getting the best solution for their problems from the experts.

About James:

James Richards is a serial jelly bean eater with over 30 years of experience in the Information Technology industry. Growing up around the first generation of home computers, he always had a strong interest in technology and is continually grateful to be in a profession that he honestly enjoys. James is a problem solver whose vision to provide quality is the foundation of Stronghold Data. His goal is to deliver solutions for customers that genuinely impress them with the outcome. His authenticity and compassion for his team and clients extend into the community with his active leadership roles.

The post 5 Common IT Support Issues & Solutions appeared first on AppTrawler.

There are many reasons behind the meteoric rise of remote work. Remote work not only results in improved savings (estimated to be around $4,000 per year in personal expenses) and work-life balance for employees but also significant savings for the employer. Forbes found that employer savings from remote work per employee averaged around $22,000 per year. All the savings from diverse factors such as reduced overhead and office space and increased productivity cumulatively added to significant savings.

However, facilitating remote work doesn’t just mean allowing employees to stay at home during work hours. Remote work poses unique challenges for companies not equipped to handle them. Employees must be provided with the right tools and processes to maximize productivity. Companies must go out of their way to allow employees to accomplish day-to-day tasks and access tools for effective collaboration and productivity. Managed IT services can be an ideal solution for companies that struggle to maximize their employees’ productivity while working remotely.

Benefits of Utilizing Managed IT Services with your Remote Workforce

Data and Systems Security

Keeping sensitive information secure through effective data and systems security is a top priority for companies of all sizes. Remote work adds to the complexity of the challenge.

It involves multiple parties—internal and external to your business—working together to ensure that data is safe from breaches.

• Shared responsibility: Data security is often seen as solely an IT problem, but employees must understand their role in protecting company data. Employees can use encryption software or avoid public Wi-Fi networks when accessing sensitive information on their computers or mobile devices.
• Top concern: Data breaches can have serious financial consequences for businesses, including losses due to fines and legal actions taken by government agencies after unauthorized access (think Equifax). It is becoming increasingly common for employees with personal information stolen due to poor security practices at work to suffer from serious fallouts such as identity theft.

Managed IT services protect businesses using multiple security solutions, such as anti-virus software for all workstations and devices. Ransomware attacks and malicious emails are no longer a concern thanks to managed IT services’ solution of monitoring your network for threats 24/7. Additionally, reliable managed service providers – MSPs like Managed IT Services Los Angeles understand the seriousness of data recovery. They work with clients to routinely back up data and establish a protocol for speedy data recovery if necessary.

Better Collaboration and Communication

Remote employees don’t have direct access to their manager’s office during business hours unless there’s a reason for them to be present (like meetings). Remote workforces often struggle with building trust between employees and their managers because there might not always be face-to-face interactions that build respect between those individuals. When an employee’s actions are monitored through digital means (such as phone calls or emails), managers can get an accurate glimpse into who is doing what behind closed doors—or, more importantly—who might be slacking off or facing difficulties.

The importance of having the right communication tools and processes in remote work environments cannot be overstated. You need to know who in your organization can be trusted with sensitive information or if they will pass it along to someone who shouldn’t have access. And if they share sensitive data, you want a record of when and by whom it was shared. Managed IT services can help your business implement the right tools and processes to facilitate all this and more.

Support

Each remote employee requires the same level of support your on-site employees are used to. Managed service providers offer 24/7 IT helpdesk services to their customers. You can always access their team of IT experts regardless of the time or the issue. Remote monitoring will provide extra support to help you catch problems before they cause any damage. Working with a managed IT provider enables you to Adopt a more proactive approach to support services. Your provider will work as your virtual IT team, assisting with your remote workforce’s complex and straightforward issues. Most importantly, they are always available for your remote workforce, helping them solve their problems.

Flexibility

Desktop infrastructure enabled by MSPs ensures that telecommuters can access their data from anywhere in the world. Office 365 also offers mobile apps for Android and iOS devices so that users can get business calls on their phones. Office phones already come with call forwarding and hoteling features, allowing remote workers to forward their calls to internal phone numbers or transfer them to other users. IT Helpdesk also includes call-forwarding services, which allows remote employees to receive calls from clients easily. Managed IT service providers also offer cloud tools that remote workers can use for enhanced flexibility, collaboration, and productivity.

Compliance

Compliance is becoming increasingly important to all organizations in today’s regulatory-heavy business environment. However, remote workers can face unique challenges when it comes to compliance. Managed IT services can help your remote workforce stay compliant by providing a secure and reliable infrastructure that keeps their data safe and ensures they follow industry regulations.

Managed IT service providers are often more familiar with the ins and outs of complying with government regulations than small businesses are—not only because they work with lots of different types of clients but also because they have experience with these issues themselves as enterprises in their own right. Many managed IT solutions include tools like encryption or two-factor authentication that help keep data secure from hackers, which also helps ensure that your employees stay in line with federal regulations regarding information security (like PCI DSS).

Additionally, managed IT services often provide customers with tools for tracking how much time is spent working on company business versus personal matters (for example: checking Facebook at work). That makes it easier for managers to enforce policies about what kind of usage is acceptable during business hours or other times when you may want productivity from your employees instead of distractions such as social media sites!

MSPs understand the importance of security practices and industry compliance. They can help your company meet all regulations by using multiple security layers and separating the desktop environment from the physical device. The “virtual desktop” will contain all necessary data, files, and information your employees need to efficiently and effectively complete their jobs. IT Consulting Los Angeles Can you help your local business implement VDEs.

Conclusion

The ability to trust your company’s data and systems to be secure and the ease of access that these services provide through their interfaces and collaboration tools will help ensure your team stays connected and on the same page. With all of these benefits, plus the flexibility they offer in terms of cost structure and support availability, managed IT services are one of the most attractive options for businesses looking to implement remote work.

About Brent:

Brent Whitfield is the CEO of DCG Technical Solutions LLC. DCG provides specialist advice and Managed IT Security Los Angeles area businesses need to remain competitive and productive while being sensitive to limited IT budgets.

Brent has been featured in Fast Company, CNBC, Network Computing, Reuters, and Yahoo Business. He also leads SMBTN – Los Angeles, an MSP peer group focusing on continuing education for MSPs and IT professionals. https://www.dcgla.com was recognized among the Top 10 Fastest Growing MSPs in North America by MSP mentor. Stay connected via LinkedIn.

The post Use Managed IT to Boost Your Remote Employees’ Productivity appeared first on AppTrawler.

Having an outsourcing plan may be one of the more recommended. By taking this approach, you can take advantage of multiple benefits. Some of these will be quite obvious, while others won’t be.

If you’re on the fence about the matter, then you might want to consider some of the benefits of outsourcing. Doing so might just convince you to try it. You could see your business improving in almost no time.

How Can Outsourcing Help A Business?

Outsourcing has shown to have multiple benefits, which explains why it’s gotten so popular in recent decades. Perhaps the most notable is that it can save you a significant amount of money. Most of this will be seen in labor costs.

There are some other expenses that you’ll save that you mightn’t have thought of. These include pensions, insurance, and other employee benefits. Those savings can then be reinvested into your business to help it grow.

You’ll also free up time for the full-time employees that you do have. They can then use this time to focus on some of the more essential areas to your company

If you’re considering outsourcing some of your business tasks, then you’ll need to know which ones you should choose. There are more than a few that you can pick from. Almost everything in a business can be outsourced, after all.

That doesn’t mean that you should outsource everything, however. Instead, you should consider a few in specific.

Areas A Business Should Consider Outsourcing

Storage

Storage is something that many business owners mightn’t think about. It could be vital for your business, however. That’s especially true when it comes to any documents that you have. While digital copies can be backed up online, you’ll also need to do the same for physical ones.

That could be more difficult to actually do. You’ll typically want to keep things off-site, although that could lead to more rent and other high costs. Archive storage services could be an affordable way around that. Taking advantage of these could be recommended for multiple reasons.

Your documents will not only be kept safe, but they’ll be much more secure than you’d think.

Content Production

When you first start your company, there’s a lot involved. You’ll already know about product or service development, registering your business, and much more. You should also think about the content that your business will need. That will be spread across your website and other marketing materials.

In many cases, you wouldn’t need a full-time employee working on this. Instead, freelancers could be much better recommended. That’s primarily because you may only need content developed at certain times. In turn, that could lead to an employee not having much to do unless given multiple other tasks.

You can save yourself the money by outsourcing and having somebody work on the content for several weeks before scheduling out when it will be published. You can even hire freelancers that specialize in different types of content production, such as social media content and email content.

Shipping & Logistics

If you sell products, then you’ll need to figure out a logistics network. Setting this up yourself can be time-consuming, costly, and complex. That’s why outsourcing your shipping and logistics to an experienced company can be a smart move.

In some cases, you might need to work with multiple firms—one for delivering raw materials and another for handling the finished products. However, this approach is becoming less common, as more platforms and companies now specialize in end-to-end logistics solutions.

For example, services like redirection Royal Mail can ensure that your mail and packages reach the right destination, even if your business is relocating or expanding. These solutions can be invaluable, especially in the early stages of your business, when efficiency and reliability are key.

Cleaning & Laundry Services

One area often overlooked in outsourcing discussions is cleaning and laundry services. For businesses such as hotels, restaurants, healthcare facilities, and office buildings, maintaining a clean and hygienic environment is essential. Ensuring that spaces are well-kept and presentable requires regular and thorough cleaning. However, managing an in-house cleaning team can be both time-consuming and costly, especially when it involves scheduling, staffing, and purchasing necessary supplies. By outsourcing tasks such as hospitality laundry services, businesses can ensure consistent, high-quality results without the administrative burden of managing another department. This allows employees to work in a cleaner, safer environment, promoting better productivity and health. Furthermore, outsourced providers often bring specialized equipment and eco-friendly cleaning solutions that might be more effective and sustainable than what a business could achieve in-house.

Wrapping Up

There are multiple ways that outsourcing can help your business. These should be more than enough to consider taking advantage of it. You’ll only see these if you outsource areas properly, however.

You’ll need to make sure that you pick the right companies or freelancers to outsource to. That could take more time and effort than you’d think. Once you’ve chosen the right one, though, the relationship should be much more rewarding than you’d think.

There shouldn’t be a reason not to outsource key areas.

The post Outsourcing Can Help Your Business. Here’s Why appeared first on AppTrawler.

While small businesses will often not have the same level of cyber protection as a large company will, there are still multiple ways to protect yourself. 

What sort of attacks are there?

There are multiple types of attacks that happen to businesses and individuals. Some of the following may include:

Hacking

This is one of the most common methods that can be a bit more difficult to prevent. Hacking is what often happens to large companies where a data breach happens. Cybercriminals will gain access to computers and from an unknown location anywhere around the world. This is used to get bank information, personal information such as identification numbers, and credit card information.

Ransomware

Ransomware is software that will usually be downloaded to the computer by accident. This could be from opening up a legitimate email and downloading files online usually. Once the file is downloaded, the criminal can then lock you out of your computer until you pay a certain amount of money or cryptocurrency.

Malware

Malware is multiple types of software such as ransomware, spyware, and viruses. This is used for theft, spying, and other crimes too. This is usually one of the most common attacks as well.

Phishing

Unfortunately, online scammers are becoming far more clever when it comes to making legitimate-looking emails and web pages. You’ll receive an email that looks real and may even have a real email address on it. This phishing technique is used to give out sensitive information such as personal info, login info, and banking details.

What can I do to protect my business?

Keep Software Updated

Cyber security monitoring software needs to be updated regularly to ensure it has patches for any loopholes and vulnerabilities that are logged, so always switch your software to ‘auto-update’ whenever you can. Manufacturers will often release updates whenever they find weak points in their software and send out updates automatically.

Talk with a Cybersecurity company

Some companies and contractors can help keep you safe from cyber attacks. This alone will immensely help in securing your data by enforcing authentication, special protocols, and putting up firewalls.

Train employees

Training yourself and training your employees for something such as an ITIL 4 certification, can be very helpful for learning more about IT and cybersecurity. Staying on top of this and truly understanding all that is happening will immensely help with preventing attacks.

Authentication Login

While learning to code would make things a lot easier, another method to protecting your business would be restricting information unless there is a sort of authentication process. This can be something such as two-factor authentication. This alone will help limit access to cybercriminals.

The post What Small Business Owners Need to Know About Cybersecurity appeared first on AppTrawler.

First up is the incredible Thrustmaster T500 RS Racing Wheel with Pedals, which looks and feels like a realistic simulator with its Gran Turismo wheel with brushed metal central spokes and authentic sequential gearshift levers giving that real life look. Furthermore due to the new H.E.A.R.T HallEffect AccuRate Technology and Force Feedback mechanism the T500 RS is super-powerful, quick responding and an ultra-precise racing wheel that’s precision that won’t decrease over time. Alongside this the T500 RS has a rigid motorized stopper and an angle of rotation adjustable of up to 1080°, which equates to 3 full turns and adds to the realism of the wheel. In terms of price it is a tad on the expensive side at £399, but you are paying for that realistic, fantastically designed finish.

Next up is the Thrustmaster TX Racing Wheel Ferrari F458 Italia Edition, which is the first mass-market Force Feedback wheel featuring a brushless industrial motor. What sets the TX Racing Wheel apart from other wheel’s is the amazing looking Ferrari finish, but alongside this it features a detachable wheel and metal pedal set which shouldn’t be overlooked either. Like the T500 RS the TX Racing Wheel has an ultra-smooth Force Feedback and a super-responsive, fluid, realistic feel with no latency. Again the TX Racing Wheel features the H.E.A.R.T HallEffect AccuRate Technology, which is a contactless magnetic sensor that leads to precision that won’t decrease over time. Also with an adjustable angle of rotation from 270° to 900 for fluid steering and Ferrari style pedals the TX racing will be an absolute joy to use, and with it now around £299 is definitely a great piece of kit worth having.

The final racing wheel that I’m going to talk about is much acclaimed and popular T300 RS Racing Wheel, with its detachable GT racing style wheel and 1080° Force Feedback base featuring an industrial-class brushless motor. The T300 RS looks like an amazing bit of kit and through its new dual-belt, friction-free optimized mechanism it allows for smooth and seamless efforts, and a super silent system. Furthermore like the T500 RS the T300 has the H.E.A.R.T HallEffect AccuRate Technology and Force Feedback mechanism that leads to an ultra-responsive and realistic effects with no loss of precision. In terms of finish the T300 has a reinforced rubber texture on the wheel’s entire circumference for great grip, and a racing wheel that features brushed metal central spokes and 2 large fixed paddle shifters. When it comes to price it’s very competitive with a price tag of around £250, which when you think about it is very reasonable when you consider its spec and you compare it with rival wheels, it’s definitely a winner with me.

Make sure you get the best deal on your gaming equipment and head over to Box.co.uk who have a wide range of gaming laptops, PC’s, keyboards, headsets, racing wheels and much more at competitive prices.

The post Check out the Race Simulating Thrustmaster Racing Wheels appeared first on AppTrawler.

Some insights on Android TV

Android TV serves as a smart TV platform introduced by the web giant Google. Compatible with all Android enabled devices, Android TV creates an interactive television experience via a 10-foot user interface overlaid on existing television programming. Announced on June 25, 2014, this Android feature can be easily built into television sets as well as standalone set-top boxes. With Android TV, you can gain a quick access to the Google Play Store that serves as a hub for applications which allow you to cast media(photos, videos etc.) directly to your big-screen television. And that’s not all, Android TV also emphasizes on the usage of voice search feature which enables you to quickly find content as per your search criteria. Android TV’s interface is segregated into three sections viz: recommendations on the top, media apps in the middle and games towards the bottom. You can easily navigate through these sections via a remote control, a game controller or a renowned Android TV Mobile app.

Now, some words about Google Cast

Do you want to enjoy a big screen experience for your content? If yes, then Google Cast is for you. It is a software technology that enables you to send and control content(audio, video etc.) from your small-screen computing device like smartphone, tablet, laptop etc. to a large display like a television. You need to have an Android OS-based device that runs an application which you may also avail via any reputed Android App Developing Company that uses the Google Cast API. This API will serve as a platform for discovering and communicating with the receiver application running on your big-screen device like television etc. You may even choose to customize the communication between sender and receiver applications for authentication. The best part of Google Cast is that it enables you to multi-task on your device while the content is being played on the television screen. For example, you can choose to search for a video on your phone’s YouTube application and directly send the video to your TV via the Google Cast application. Moreover, you can also choose to play, pause, seek and control volume using your phone itself.

Here are some interesting Google Cast apps that have become an instant hit among serious television viewers:

VideoStream

VideoStream is a wonderful app that allows you to stream local media to your Chromecast. It supports a wide range of formats including MKV and FLV in addition to subtitle files. This free app comes with support for ads, playlist etc.

CloudCaster

CloudCaster is a brilliant Android media player cum viewer app that allows you to stream the cloud-based media including photos, video and music tracks directly to the Chromecast. This app supports streaming from Dropbox, Bitcasa, Drive and many other online data storage platforms.

Netflix

Netflix is yet another Google Cast-ready app that allows subscribers to cast the most recent episodes of popular television shows straight from the cramped smartphone/desktop screen to the wide television screen. While the video is being played on the television, you can enjoy surfing the internet via your mobile device.

Summing it all up

Android TV and Google Cast are indeed the sweetest surprises for television lovers residing in different corners of the world. If you too are one, then don’t delay in experiencing the features available with these two services. Hope this blog would’ve helped you gain a good insight into the same.

Do drop in your views/opinions on the above post using the comments box below.

The post Small To Big Screen Casting- Possible Via Android TV And Google Cast appeared first on AppTrawler.

Who is Green Throttle Games?

Green Throttle Games produces a game controller that was designed to connect wirelessly to mobile devices by using Bluetooth technology. This can overcome the typical limitation of gaming on smart phones and tablets, by providing physical buttons for precision controls. Let’s hope that the Santa Clara Company that now belongs to Google will bring something new to the table sometime in the future.

Green Throttle Games came up with an Android app that demanded the use of its own “Atlas” controller, which by the way looked just like the Xbox 360 joystick, only it was connected to other Android phones via Bluetooth. The app was removed from Google Play at the end of 2013, and it looks like it only had a couple of thousands downloads. The company kept selling the Atlas controller in spite of the fact that gamers couldn’t download the app anymore. But all that is in the past right now.

This acquisition feeds industry speculation that Google is working on a TV set-top game box, which would enable customers to play Android games on the big screen. This is a hot technology area right now. Apple has a product on the market now, the Apple TV, and Amazon is expected to bring their set top box out within a month.

These big players became interested in this once they found how interested consumers are in their mobile games. In fact, both the iTunes store and Google Play have so many games on offer that they are virtual arcades. With sales like this, it is obvious the market is hot, and that the big companies are taking it seriously. Apple has their offering in position, and with Amazon hot on their heels, can Google be far behind?

We have high expectations from Google

Google has attempted similar products in the past, with little success, and industry insiders are speculating about what their next box will do. Their relatively new Chromecast dongle allows mobile content to be played on a television.

How will the new box operate? While it could be something as simple as a Chromecast-style connection to the internet, experts predict that it will be more capable than that, but still far short of the powerful mainstream gaming consoles that are already  on the market. Google does have money to invest, however, and they have proven their willingness to spend on new technologies before.

At the moment, it looks like the established consoles on the market, the Microsoft XBOX One and the Sony PS4 will retain their leadership positions. It doesn’t appear that the new boxes from Google, Apple, or Amazon will be powerful enough to take a bite out of their core market. However, this could be just the start. As hardware gets cheaper and cheaper every day, and cloud computing becomes more powerful, flexible, and integrated into our lives, things could change.

The public’s gaming tastes can and do shift, also. In a few years, these two powerhouses may be facing some serious competition. Years ago, people thought it was an odd choice for Microsoft to move into the gaming market from its traditional Windows and desktop software. They thought the same when Sony made their move into gaming consoles.

Google has some big advantages at this point – incredible financial clout and money to invest, teams of highly skilled engineers, and an Android platform with millions of users worldwide. They certainly have the potential to become a big player in this market, and the purchase of Green Throttle Games looks like a step in that direction.

The post A game console that Google is taking seriously nowadays appeared first on AppTrawler.

Essentially, the Galaxy S5 will offer users a head start on downloading some of the most popular apps and subscription services on the mobile market, which will no doubt appeal to an enormous range of potential customers. But what specific services will the S5 include? Here’s an overview of the most exciting offerings across various app genres, with a bit of help from BGR.

News

There are innumerable news sources out there for smartphone users, and truthfully many of them are free anyway. But many also prefer high-end news sources that require subscription fees for full content access—the S5 can help you there. Specifically, the Wall Street Journal app comes pre-loaded on the S5 with six months’ worth of subscription fees for a hefty value of $160. Additionally, users will be able to take advantage of a one-year subscription to Bloomberg Businessweek +, which typically costs $30.

Fitness

The S5 was seen as a phone focusing largely on fitness before news of included apps was even released. In the initial announcement of the phone and some of its basic features at Verizon Wireless, it was revealed that a new feature called “S Health” would essentially provide S5 users with a built-in fitness tracking tool that counts steps and even measures heart rate. But now it seems that Samsung went above and beyond with its fitness concern. The S5 will also include one year of premium access to the Run Keeper app (a $20 value), one year of premium access to the personal health assistant app Lark (a $36 value), six months of premium access to the Skimble app (a $42 value), which provides coached workout demonstrations, and even six months of premium access to Map My Fitness (a $36 value), which frankly does much of the same stuff S Health is supposed to do. Most users won’t wind up sticking with all of these programs, but they provide a great opportunity to find a fitness assistant app they truly use and enjoy.

Networking

The S5 will come with its share of networking services as well, the most exciting of which is a $75 package that amounts to three months’ worth of LinkedIn premium. This is a pricey service to stick with if you get hooked after three months, but on the other hand those who make this decision will clearly have gotten a lot out of the premium account. For a smaller networking perk, the phone will also have a free $2 download of the popular Flick Dat app, which allows for the quick “flick” transfer of simple data like short text messages, business cards, and photos.

Organization

Organization is another major aspect of the S5’s pre-loaded apps and services package, and really there’s quite a bit to be excited about in this category. Three months’ worth of the Evernote premium app ($15), six months of 50GB cloud storage space from Box ($60), and a three-month premium subscription with 1 TB of cloud storage space from Bitcasa ($30). For additional organizational needs, the $5 EasilyDo Pro app, which PC Mag calls “a stellar helper,” is available for free download.

For the most part, these apps and services make up the bulk of the S5 offerings. There are other miscellaneous inclusions at smaller values, such as $10 worth of credit for in-app purchases for the gaming app Cut The Rope 2, but for the most part these services make up the $576 worth of pre-loaded value on the S5. Not every app and service will appeal to every user, of course, but the bundle, as a whole is a very nice perk for this exciting new smartphone.

The post The Galaxy S5’s Included Apps & Services appeared first on AppTrawler.

Smaller and Better

The ability to (phonetically) record an ambiance was once a technological marvel. Today, audio-visual recording devices are getting smaller and exceedingly advanced. Consider the proliferation of content on social media sites such as YouTube and FaceBook. Virtually any person handling a smart mobile device from anywhere can use software such YTD and may convert, create and upload content within a small timeframe. As devices get smaller and advanced (think Google Glass), a number of ethical questions come to the forefront.

Spyware?

The producers of the Narrative Clip urge consumers to search elsewhere if needing devices to spy on friends and loved ones. The clip is not very realistic in helping James Bond-types succeed in undercover missions. Though small, and not aesthetically revealing of its technological ability, the device is intended for hands free yet repeated recording of events. Such practical settings could include a child’s birthday party or a scientist’s lab slides.

The Autographer is more overt in serving as a camera, alerting those within sight of an oncoming shot via a blue light. Moreover, the devices fish-eye lens prevents wearers from taking head-on shots of others without making it blaringly obvious.

Privacy Protection

In theory, we act in public by a particular code of ethics and laws. Does it matter if someone takes a picture of you while strolling the bookstore or eating in a café? In theory, if we’re doing nothing wrong, maybe there’s nothing wrong with being recorded, yet no one can dismiss the uneasy feeling of privacy invasion.

As more devices are produced and the number of individuals wearing them in public increases, lawmakers will need to contend with a new trove of ethical and legal implications. As it stands, technically, it is legal to wear such small recording devices in public, outside of public restrooms, strip clubs, casinos and other venues that prohibit such actions.

Etiquette vs. Value

Those who find value in new wearable gadgets will counter those who view such devices as added intrusions and nuisance. Like a number of products and services, the etiquette versus value issue may reside in behavior.

For example, Facebook is an incredible social tool used by people all over the world. One may use it for commerce, keeping in touch with relatives, or misuse it to bully classmates and spread falsehoods. Producers of wearable technology hope products are seen as valuable commodities rather than threats to privacy and standards of etiquette.

Wearable technology is here. If wearable tech is here to stay remains unanswered. In addition to clip-on cameras, expect to see Google Glass, virtual-reality headphones and more ‘wearable’ yet technologically advanced wearables in a public café, bookstore, or crowded city street near you.

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