Helpful tips and hidden tricks for iOS 7

34 helpful tips and hidden tricks for iOS 7

You’ve been reading about Apple’s new platform for a while now. Our iOS 7 review covered some highlights and low points. Assuming you’ve already figured out how to upgrade to iOS 7 and it’s running on your device right now, you might be interested in unlocking some of the less obvious features and getting to grips with some iOS 7 tips. Apple’s good at ensuring most things are intuitive, but there’s no harm in getting a little help.
Updated on 01-17-2014 by Simon Hill: Added details to Spotlight Search, and new sections on how to use voicemail, how to make a wish list, how to use your compass, and how to use home sharing.
How to open Control Center





apple iphone 5c ios 7 control centerIf you want to toggle Airplane Mode or switch off Wi-Fi, then just swipe up from the bottom of the screen and behold the Control Center. If you have trouble getting the Control Center to pop up every time, then start your swipe from off the bottom of the screen. You’ll also find music controls in there and some utilities, like a flashlight and a calculator. You can even access this from the lock screen (if you’d prefer not to then head to Settings > Control Center and slide Access on Lock Screen to off). If you find that you’re accidentally opening the Control Center while gaming or using an app then go to General > Control Center and turn off Access Within Apps.
How to use Spotlight Search more effectively

Just swipe down in the middle of any home page and you’ll find Spotlight Search is ready to go. Use it to find whatever you need on your iPhone. It’s a good way to quick launch an app, find an email, or a contact. You can swipe up or tap twice to get rid of the search. Go into Settings > General > Spotlight Search and select exactly what you’d like to be included in searches. This will stop your results from getting clogged up with useless info and it will make the search faster. Apple removed the ability to search the Web in the first iOS 7 release, but an update brought it back. Scroll to the bottom of your search results and you’ll find two options to choose from, Search Web and Search Wikipedia.
How to unclutter your notifications

The Notifications Center will get really busy, really quickly, even with the three tabs for All, Today, and Missed. Go to Settings > Notification Center. To fix this, you can choose exactly what gets displayed and how it gets displayed. You can also access the Notification Center from the lock screen. To go to the relevant app for a notification you swipe to the right, but you can also hide it by swiping up.
How to swipe to Go back

You can just swipe from the left side of the screen in a supported app to jump back to what you were doing. No button press required.
Understanding Automatic updates

You no longer have to update apps manually in iOS 7; they’ll update automatically. If you don’t want them to auto update, go into the App Store and within Settings you’ll find an option to toggle Updates off. You can also tell them not to use Cellular Data with the toggle below, so they’ll only update via Wi-Fi.
When did I send that message?
If you want to know when an iMessage or SMS was sent then just swipe the specific speech bubble in question to the left and you’ll see the timestamp.
You can have giant folders


ios 7 design good folders
There’s no longer a limit on the number of apps you can put into a folder. You can use them to hide stock apps you don’t use, including the Newsstand.
How to close apps and multitask

Double tap the Home button to get a look at what you have on the go. See an app you want to close? Just swipe it up and the app will close.
How to save your data

You can go to Settings > Cellular and then scroll down to see which apps are going to potentially use your data. See something that you want to restrict to Wi-Fi? Just slide that toggle to the off position.
How to make the most of your battery

With iOS 7, those pesky apps can drink all your juice when you’re not looking. Head to Settings > General > Background App Refresh and you can stop them. You’ll see a list of apps that might be trying to do things in the background. Simply toggle off any that you don’t want to use.
How to make the screen background stop moving

Is the new parallax effect making you sick? Some people suffer from motion sickness and struggle to focus, but you can head into Settings > General > Accessibility and turn Reduce Motion on to ease up on the animations. You can also bold the text, make it bigger, or invert the colors in the Accessibility menu.
How to open a level for measuring how “level” surfaces are

Let’s get this straight.. Open the compass app and swipe to the left, and you’ve got a level that will help you get everything straight.
How to make the most of the new Siri

ios 7 siri bad
Head into Settings > General > Siri and you’ll find various settings that allow you to do things like change the gender of your assistant, or toggle on the ability to launch Siri by raising the iPhone to your face. If Siri says something the wrong way you can tell it “that’s not how you pronounce that” and you’ll get options to choose from.
How to block problem callers




No more crazy calls from the ex, or that persistent “friend” from school. Just go to Settings > Phone > Blocked and add them to your blacklist. You can also just block messages or FaceTime via Settings > Messages > Blocked and Settings > FaceTime > Blocked. You can also go into individual contacts and choose Block Contact at the bottom.
How to track (or stop tracking) your location

Go to Settings > Privacy > Location Services > System Services > Frequent Locations and you’ll find a list and a map showing your movements. You can clear this history or you can head to System Services and toggle Frequent Locations off. You can also prevent specific apps from tracking your location via Settings > Privacy > Location Services. If you scroll down there’s a list and you can toggle off whatever you like.
There are new ringtones

You will find a load of new ringtones and vibration options in Settings > Sounds > Sounds and Vibration Patterns. If you want to create your own vibration pattern then select an alert type in Settings > Sounds and tap Vibration > Create New Vibration.
Type searches right into Safari

You can now type searches in the address bar in Safari and it will return results in real time (like Chrome), both from Google and from your own Bookmarks and History. If you head into Bookmarks and tap the “@” symbol you’ll find a handy list of links from your Twitter timeline. You can also head into Settings in Safari to change various things, such as your default search engine. You could also turn on Do Not Track for a little extra privacy while browsing.
How to close Safari tabs

Struggling to tap that tiny x? Don’t bother; when you’re scrolling through tabs in Safari you can just swipe them away to the left to close them. The limit has been increased too; you can now have up to 24 tabs open at once.
You can use Volume as a shutter button

You can use the Volume up button to take photos, and you can hold it down to take a burst of multiple shots. In the camera app, swipe left or right (up or down if you’re holding it in landscape) to change the mode.
Photo gallery ‘moments’
iPhone 5S screenshot photos collections
Your photos and videos are organized into moments now. They’re grouped together by time and place. You can tap on the header of a moment to see a map and find the number of shots taken. There’s also an option to share at the right side. The thumbnails are tiny, but you can tap and hold to expand them and then just slide your finger around to see your other shots.
How to sort mail

In the Mail app, if you tap Edit when in your mailbox you can select from a range of filters including VIP, Flagged, Unread, and so on. To create a VIP list just tap on the person’s name you want to add and when the contact pops up choose Add to VIP. You can add photos or videos to emails by tapping and holding on the body of the email until options pop up and choosing Insert Photo or Video. You can also press and hold the New Message button to see a list of your recent drafts. Shake your device to get an Undo option.
How to find and use iTunes Radio

You’ll find iTunes Radio in the Music app. You can tap the plus symbol to add a new station and search by artist, genre, or song. To teach it what you like tap the star icon when a track is playing and you can tell it to Play More Like This, Never Play This Song, or Add to iTunes Wish List. You can share the stations you create by tapping the info button.
How to use Touch ID

If you didn’t set up Touch ID with the help of iOS Setup Assistant, or you decide you want to switch it off then head into Settings > General > Passcode & Fingerprint > Fingerprints. Choose Add a Fingerprint and you can scan up to five fingers which can be used to unlock your iPhone 5S instead of your passcode. To unlock your iPhone you can press the Home button and keep your finger lightly in place, or you can press the Sleep/Wake button and then keep your finger lightly on the Home button without actually pressing it. You can also use Touch ID for iTunes Store, App Store, and iBooks Store purchases. Apparently the reader is 360-degree, so it shouldn’t matter which angle your finger comes from.
Find apps that are popular near you

The App Store in iOS 7 has a new category. Tap Near Me from the menu at the bottom and you’ll get a list of the apps that people who live locally are using. This can be a great way of filtering out irrelevant apps, and it can turn up some interesting options. It’s also handy if you’re on vacation somewhere and you want some good local apps to help you explore.
Catering for the kids

Anyone concerned about the kids inadvertently running up bills for in-app purchases can go to Settings > General > Restrictions and scroll down to disable In-App Purchases. Even better, Apple has added a dedicated Kids category to the App Store for kids who are 11 and under. The content has to adhere to the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act, and that means no sneaky in-app pop-ups that take your kids to a website, and no tricks to encourage them to buy more content. It also prevents the developers from collecting personal information, such as your child’s email address. There’s an age gate in place now, so kids can’t give away private information, or buy additional apps or content, without parental consent.
How to set default directions for walking

When you navigate using the Maps app it assumes that you’re driving to your destination. If you don’t drive then you can change this default to cater for walkers. Go to Settings > Maps and under Preferred Directions you’ll see the option to choose Walking as your default.
How to find, wipe, or lock your lost device

When you have iCloud turned on, via Settings > iCloud, you also have access to some handy features for finding a lost device if you turn on the Find My iPhone feature. If your iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch goes missing then go to iCloud.com and sign in with your Apple ID and password. You can see where the device is on a map, learn where it’s been, and remotely lock it. If you put it into Lost Mode, a passcode is required to unlock it (you should always use a passcode or Touch ID anyway). You can also display a message with contact details to try and retrieve it. If you fear it has been stolen then the Activation Lock feature should prevent anyone else from turning off Find My iPhone, or erasing your device, unless they have your Apple ID and password. You can also opt to remotely wipe all of your personal data. Another feature worth setting up can be found in Settings > General > Passcode Lock; tap Erase Data to ensure that your device is wiped after 10 failed passcode attempts.
How to create perfect wallpapers

You can choose your wallpaper in Settings > Wallpapers & Brightness, but if you want them to look perfect with that parallax effect then you need to make them the right size. Crop your images to match these dimensions and your wallpapers should look just right. Resizing will stretch them and it won’t look right, so don’t do it.
iPhone 5/5C/5S – 1536 x 1040 pixels
iPhone 4S – 1360 x 1040 pixels
iPad 3 and iPad 4 – 2448 x 2448 pixels
iPad 2 and iPad mini – 1424 x 1424 pixels
How to use AirDrop

apple iphone 5s screen front ios 7 airdrop
AirDrop is an easy way to share files with other Apple devices by using Wi-Fi and Bluetooth (both need to be enabled for it to work). You’ll find it in the Control Center when you swipe up from the bottom of the screen. Tap on the AirDrop section at the bottom left and you can make your device discoverable for Contacts Only or Everyone; you can also just turn it off completely in here. When you choose someone to share with, or they choose you, there’s a notification and preview giving the option to deny or accept the file.
How to use FaceTime without showing your face





You can make audio-only FaceTime calls now. It’s as simple as tapping the phone icon, instead of the video icon, in the FaceTime app. It’s great for saving yourself some minutes when you’re connected to Wi-Fi.
How to get Siri to read your voicemail

Did you know that you can ask Siri to play your voicemail? Just hold down the Home button and when Siri pops up, say “Play voicemail” and your new messages will be played in order. You can also double tap on a voicemail notification and you’ll be whisked into the phone app and onto the voicemail tab to hear your messages.
If you can’t be bothered to listen to the four messages from your Mom that all basically say “Call me back,” you can just delete them. Go to the Phone app and tap on the Voicemail button, then tap Edit at the top right and tap the red minus symbol next to the voicemails that you want to delete and tap the Delete button. You can also just swipe them off to the left to delete them. You’ll find them via Deleted Messages at the bottom and you can destroy them permanently by going in there and tapping Clear All at the top right.
How to make a wish list in the App Store

Sometimes you’ll be browsing the App Store or iTunes and you’ll see an app or a song that you don’t want to buy or install. Rather than risk forgetting about it, you can stick it on your wish list. Just tap the share icon at the top of the app’s page and choose Add to Wish List. You can check your wish list later by tapping the list icon at the top right. This also works for your iTunes wish list. Even if you’ve been building a wish list on your Mac, you’ll find it’s accessible in the iTunes Store app on your iPhone.
How to use your compass



iOS 7 Compass app Level
iOS 7 Compass app Level
If you’re headed in a specific direction, you can calibrate the compass to keep you on course. Open up the Compass app and tap the face to set the direction you want. Now if you start to deviate you’ll see your bearing indicated by the red arc, which gives you a clear idea of how off course you are. You can also choose between true north and magnetic north in Settings > Compass.
How to use Home Sharing

If you have an iTunes collection on your computer and you want to be able to access it on your iPhone or iPad then you should enable Home Sharing. In iTunes go to File > Home Sharing > Turn on Home Sharing and enter your Apple ID and password and click Create Home Share.  Now go Settings > Music or Settings > Video on your iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch and enable Home Sharing. You’ll have to enter the same Apple ID and password. To actually access it, tap the Shared tab on your iOS device in the Video or Music app and select the library you want.

That’s it for our iOS 7 tips, but check back because we’ll update this list from time to time. If you’ve got some issues with the new platform then check out our iOS 7 problems and solutions. Feel free to suggest good tips or tricks in the comments below.

PROJECT GOOGLE X

Google X is working on a project to map perfect human health






Google X, the search giant's research and development arm, has set off on a new endeavor called the Baseline Study project. The goal of the project is to one day be able to detect health risks such as heart disease earlier in a patient's life such that preventative measures can be taken before it's too late.
The project is being led by Dr. Andrew Conrad, a molecular biologist credited with creating a cheap way to scan donated blood for HIV. He joined Google in March of last year and has put together a team of roughly 70 to 80 experts in the fields of biochemistry, imaging, molecular biology, optics and physiology.
The Baseline Study got under way earlier this summer through an unnamed clinical testing firm where doctors began collecting bodily fluids like urine, blood, saliva and tears from 175 anonymous volunteers. From there, Google will use its massive computing power to try and find patterns called biomarkers.
The hope is that these biomarkers will help researchers be able to detect health issues before a person even shows signs of them.
For example, a specific biomarker could reveal whether or not someone is able to break down fatty foods efficiently. Those that lack the biomarker could be at risk for early heart attacks in the future. By noticing this trait early and modifying their behavior now, they may be able to avoid the risk altogether.

leaked Windows 9 images

Start menu showed off in leaked Windows 9 images
By Tim Schiesser microsoft,


windows, start menu, threshold, windows 9


Windows 9, codenamed internally at Microsoft as 'Threshold', is still a while away from hitting even the release candidate stage, but that hasn't stopped some fresh images of the operating system leaking out.
Screenshots from MyCE show build 9795 of what's currently still labeled as Windows 8.1. The most interesting thing in the screenshot is an early version of the Start menu, which is expected to return in Windows 9. The new Start menu shows both Modern apps and desktop apps in a hybrid pane, building on the last iteration of the Start menu we saw in Windows 7.
Visually it's quite similar to the sneak peak we saw at Build in early April, and no doubt Microsoft will tweak and improve its design in the lead up to the release of Windows 9.




Also shown in the leaked screenshots is one of the 'Metro'-style apps running in a window on the desktop; another feature expected to be included in Windows 9. Alongside the return of the Start menu, this feature is designed to make the operating system more friendly for keyboard and mouse users.
According to the latest rumors, Microsoft will launch Threshold in early 2015 as both a standard x86 version, and a version that combines Windows RT and Windows Phone. Major improvements to the Xbox One's operating system are also set to launch at the same time.

Microsoft confirms Windows will merge into one operating system

Microsoft confirms Windows will merge into one operating system





Speaking in an earnings call today, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella has confirmed that in the next version of Windows, the company will amalgamate the current three versions of Windows into the one operating system.
Nadella said that the one operating system will cover all screen sizes, ranging from desktops and laptops, to tablets and smartphones. While he didn't specify what this version of Windows is called, previous rumors have indicated it goes by the codename 'Threshold', effectively making it Windows 9.
It was also revealed that Microsoft has internally restructured the company since the departure of Steve Ballmer, with Nadella saying the company now has "one team with a common architecture".
While the next version of Windows will be a singular operating system, it'll still be sold in different versions, some with a subset of the features to suit the particular device. For example, it's expected that the Windows Phone and Windows RT versions of Threshold will not include the desktop, but will run universal Windows apps also available for desktop systems.
The latest rumors claim Windows 9 will launch in early 2015. One of the features that will make a comeback for desktop users is the Start menu, recently pictured in leaked screenshots. Nadella said there will be more announcements surrounding future versions of Windows in the coming months, but didn't go into detail.

3 things you need to know about the DO NOT CALL REGISTRY

 Do Not Call registry-helps us a lot

The first phone call in history happened on March 10, 1876, when Alexander Graham Bell rang up his assistant.

"Mr. Watson - come here - I want to see you," he said.

I wouldn't be surprised to learn that the second call in history took place later that evening, when a telemarketer rang up asking if a Mr. Dell lived at the residence and if he might want to buy some genuine snake oil.

It seems like telemarketing and phones have gone together forever.

That's why I'm always surprised the National Do Not Call Registry didn't come into being until 2004. Since then, it's had a rocky history, and many people still aren't quite sure how it works.

Even after a decade, you'll see myths online about what is and isn't blocked, whether or not cellphones are allowed, rumors that the FTC is about to release your number unless you act right away, etc.

So I'm going to set the record straight and clear up the confusion.

1. How to sign up for Do Not Call

Joining Do Not Call is actually very simple. You go to the website https://www.donotcall.gov/ and enter the landline or cell number you want on the list. There's a quick email verification and you're done.

You can also call 1-888-382-1222 from any phone you want on the list. That's all it takes. Your number stays on the list until you ask for it to be removed or you give up the number.

I should point out that fax numbers have different regulations, so signing them up won't do anything.

Scam warning: You might receive a phone call from someone claiming to work at the Do Not Call Registry or Federal Trade Commission. They'll claim your number isn't listed on Do Not Call and offer to sign you up - you just have to provide some personal information. This is always a scam; just hang up. Learn how to spot and avoid other tricky phone scams.

2. What Do Not Call does and doesn't cover

The Do Not Call list keeps you off of for-profit business call lists, but it isn't immediate. Telemarketers update their lists periodically, so the FTC says it can be up to 31 days before it takes full effect.

If you receive an unexpected sales call after you've registered your number, and you've been on the list for 31 days, you can file a complaint. Just go to donotcall.gov or call 1-888-382-1222. Be prepared to provide the date of the call and the company's name or phone number.

On the other hand, political organizations, charities and survey takers are still permitted to call you. Businesses you've bought something from or made a payment to in the last 18 months also have a right to call. If you ask them not to, however, they must honor your request.

Sometimes on a call from a survey company, they'll ask if they can make a follow-up call. If you agree, then an associated for-profit company can call you with a sales pitch - so, I would politely decline any offers for a follow-up.

Be careful when signing up for sweepstakes and free product offers. The fine print may say the company can send you telemarketing calls.

Under the rules, most businesses can't hit you with prerecorded telemarketing messages, also called robocalls, without your written permission. Political and informational robocalls, such as those received from healthcare providers, banks and schools, are still allowed.

You can block unwanted robocalls to a landline with a service like Nomorobo. On smartphones, you can use blocking, reporting and reverse lookup apps like ones from PrivacyStar.

3. Cellphones and Do Not Call

Every year or so, a hoax burns like wildfire through email inboxes and social networks warning that cellphone numbers are about to go public - register your mobile number right away!

The online rumor also points out that there's a deadline to register your cellphone, and - once registered - it only blocks your number for five years.

For the record, mobile telephone numbers have never been in any danger of being made public or released to telemarketers. There has never been a deadline to register your cellphone. And you don't need to renew every five years (this was a rule for landlines that was axed in 2007).

In fact, even if you DON'T sign up your cellphone, the FTC says that unsolicited telemarketing calls or robocalls to cellphones are illegal. If you're getting unsolicited marketing calls, first ask the caller how they got your number and tell them you don't want to be contacted. If they call back, file a complaint using the information I gave you earlier.

Still, it is a good idea to register all your landline and wireless numbers, because if you do receive a telemarketing call, that's a good sign the person on the other end is a scammer. Legitimate telemarketers play by the rules and don't want to risk a $16,000 fine for disregarding a number on the list.

ONE ESSENTIAL TOOL TO HELP GET YOUR INBOX TO ZERO ! -team techinfosearch.blogspot.com

ONE ESSENTIAL TOOL TO HELP GET YOUR INBOX TO ZERO

Hands down there is NOTHING more irritating or overwhelming than spending half of your day combing through your emails and trying to decide what is important, and what is not! Today is the first step in solving that problem!
Tim Ferris wrote in his incredible book The 4 Hour Work Week, that “email is the KILLER of the modern day business!”
You don’t want your business to die, do you?
ONE of the issues with email is sorting it. Getting through the “junk” or non-important emails so you can focus on the ones that matter first. It is OK if you have time in your day to check non-urgent or non-important emails, but ONLY when you have replied to clients and vendors and then done the important things in your business. Everything else can wait (or better yet, be deleted)!
So, the trick is, how do you quickly, easily, and efficiently sort out the stuff that isn’t important?


SANEBOX

What SaneBox does is scan your email and sort it based on people that you ACTUALLY talk to. Anyone that you don’t ever reply to gets sorted out. Friends who ALWAYS put you on the mass emails chain, offers from businesses you signed up for, or people who you trust that SOLD your info to someone else, and now they are emailing you (and the EMAIL list goes on:).



SaneBox takes all of those emails and puts them into a separate folder called SANELATER. IF someone you need to talk to gets into that folder,  you can simply train SaneBox to send it to your inbox.



The first time I used it it removed 57 emails from my inbox and only 3 or 4 were ones I needed to respond back to! SaneBox asked me later that day if any of the emails it removed needed to be in my inbox, so I hit a button, trained it and now those flow where they should.



My inbox now looks like this!

Today (yes today) I just had 3 emails that I needed to respond to. I AM FREE!!!! :)



There are other powerful tools you can use to clear up your inbox, like switching to gmail (if you don’t already use it) and grouping conversations, using filters, and creating a powerful folder system that works. You can also use the GTD system and conquer tasks that only take 2 minutes or less, and otherwise defer or delete. We will get to those later.



 Get your inbox back with this SIMPLE step and be free! (share this message out!)


Do you have a secret weapon that YOU use for clearing up your inbox and getting back to people on time?  If so, SHARE it below in the comments and let’s all get SANE together! :) :) 

DO you know Your deleted smartphone data can be recovered!

Your deleted smartphone data can be recovered!

AVAST analysed 20 used smartphones whose previous owners had performed a factory reset or a 'delete all' operation on their devices.
Selling your used smartphone? Deleting files may not be enough!
Researchers from Prague-based security software company AVAST said they were easily able to retrieve personal data from used smartphones sold online, despite consumers deleting their data.
From the used devices, AVAST was able to recover more than 40,000 personal photos, emails, text messages, and – in some cases – the identities of the sellers.
“We purchased a variety of Android devices from sellers across the US and used readily available recovery software to dig up personal information that was previously on the phones,” said Jude McColgan, President of Mobile at AVAST.
“The take-away is that even deleted data on your used phone can be recovered unless you completely overwrite it,” he said.
AVAST analysed 20 used smartphones whose previous owners had performed a factory reset or a ‘delete all’ operation on their devices.
The researchers were able to recover more than 40,000 stored photos, more than 1,500 family photos of children, more than 1,000 Google searches, over 750 emails and text messages, more than 250 contact names and email addresses, four previous owners’ identities and one completed loan application.
“More than 80,000 used smartphones are for sale daily on eBay in the US. Along with their phones, consumers may not realise they are selling their memories and their identities,” McColgan said.
“Images, emails, and other documents deleted from phones can be exploited for identity theft, blackmail, or for even stalking purposes. Selling your used phone is a good way to make a little extra money, but it’s potentially a bad way to protect your privacy,” added McColgan.

check out the new Google's Desktop OS !

Google's Desktop OS !

In case you haven't noticed, Google now has its well-funded mitts on just about every aspect of computing. From Web browsers to cell phones, soon you'll be able to spend all day in the Googleverse and never have to leave. Will Google make the jump to building its own PC operating system next?
What is it? It's everything, or so it seems. Google Checkout provides an alternative to PayPal. Street View is well on its way to taking a picture of every house on every street in the United States. And the fun is just starting: Google's early-beta Chrome browser earned a 1 percent market share in the first 24 hours of its existence. Android, Google's cell phone operating system, is hitting handsets as you read this, becoming the first credible challenger to the iPhone among sophisticated customers.

When is it coming? Though Google seems to have covered everything, many observers believe that logically it will next attempt to attack one very big part of the software market: the operating system.

The Chrome browser is the first toe Google has dipped into these waters. While a browser is how users interact with most of Google's products, making the underlying operating system somewhat irrelevant, Chrome nevertheless needs an OS to operate.

To make Microsoft irrelevant, though, Google would have to work its way through a minefield of device drivers, and even then the result wouldn't be a good solution for people who have specialized application needs, particularly most business users. But a simple Google OS--perhaps one that's basically a customized Linux distribution--combined with cheap hardware could be something that changes the PC landscape in ways that smaller players who have toyed with open-source OSs so far haven't been quite able to do.

Check back in 2011, and take a look at the not-affiliated-with-Google gOS, thinkgos in the meantime.

Tips for creating website in 30 minutes

Childish tips for creating your website in 30 minutes

Professional or private, having a website becomes a necessity, given that a large part of trade and market processes are done online. It should be remembered that creating a website requires a lot of time and a particular expertise. For a hurried one, there are alternatives to quickly create a site, and without computer skills.

Tip 1: Well-prepared project

This is an essential step for a professional developer. Yes, a wall-prepared project helps speed the creation of its website. Preparation generally involves choosing the target, collect media files(images, videos) that will be added in the site. In practice, the choice of target accurately defines the public to which the site is addressed to. This avoids wasting time developing a site that has no audience. Media files previously gathered allow the creation of the site quickly. These elements are working most of the time during the general design of an upstream site. Finding an availabledomain name and hosting can also quicken website creation. This can be added to the creation of editorial content. The content must be carefully prepared to increase the interest of the website and contribute to the effectively to its SEO.

Tip  2: Creation with a website builder tool

This is certainly the best solution to create a website in 30 minutes. Hundreds of these tools exist on the Web today. They are immediately accessible since they do not involve downloading or other processes. These web hosting are easy to handle and each step of the creation of the site is guided. They work on a simple principle: to offer several templates website from which customers can choose. A wide range of themes, designs, colors, content serve as a guide to the person. These website tools enable to obtain a domain name. In addition, these tools make available to the client some kinds of applications and features to make it more convenient to visitors. Another advantage of these interfaces remains the real-time modification of the website. Indeed, any editing can be done, even if a user browses the site.

Tip  3: Getting professional advice

Despite the existence of website builders tools on the Internet, opinions and recommendations of a professional can help you to save time and improve the site. These tips would be particularly useful when referencing. They can also give advice on maintenance and system upgrade and update. In practice, a professional a better know-how and experience in helping the client to quicken the creation of the website.

In short, creating a website in 30 minutes became possible. Given the multiple tools on the Internet, a well-prepared project and review of a developer are essential for the success of the website.

Apple latest news

Tim Cook is setting Apple up for its next big hit and he isn’t getting the credit he deserves:

As Apple’s product line matures and growth slows, it is easy—perhaps too easy—to criticize Apple CEO Tim Cook for not being enough like Steve Jobs, his legendary predecessor. But that misses the real story: Since taking over as CEO, Cook has made several key moves—including some Jobs might never have considered—to set Apple up for its next big thing.

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Waiting for iSomething

Here’s a common, throwaway sort of complaint about Cook: “Show me the ingenuity,” Laurence Balter, chief market strategist at Oracle Investment Research, said in a recent, rather critical New York Times profile of Cook. “Show me the product.”

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This is the impatient view of Apple. It has been four years since the iPad debuted, with few major updates since. Meanwhile, an oft-anticipated Apple television set never materialized, and Samsung may launch a third-generation watch-like gizmo before Apple ships its first. Clearly, according to critics, Cook’s Apple is losing its way. Haunted Empire, yes?

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But this has long been the Apple way. Even under Jobs, the company spent many years developing new products. Truly major launches only ever happened every several years, with iterations between. It routinely showed up “late” to markets, only to reinvent them. Or it would skip entire product fads—remember netbooks?—and look brilliant when they declined.

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Let’s retrace: Jobs re-took control of Apple in early 1997. The first iMac debuted quickly, a year later. But the first iPod didn’t launch until 2001, long after the first MP3 players. The first iPhone took six years after that, years after Palm’s Treo and Nokia’s Symbian phones had millions of users. Then three more years before the iPad, which Jobs unveiled after Microsoft’s then-CEO Steve Ballmer had previewed HP “slate” computers at the CES tech fair. But in each case, Apple’s eventual launch completely changed its industry.

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Even if Apple spends another year before launching a new type of device—even if it’s supposedly “late” to market—it wouldn’t be out of character.

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Cook’s in the kitchen

What really matters about Cook’s Apple: The company has grown into itself, now able to comfortably ship more than 250 million devices per year—twice as many as in 2010—without incident.

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It wasn’t long ago that Apple had to take resources away from the Mac to add to the iPhone. Now the company has accelerated its Mac OS X software release schedule while redesigning both of its operating systems (OS X and iOS) over the past two years. Long-time Apple watcher John Gruber sums it up it well in a recent essay: “Apple has proceeded from being OK at walking and chewing gum to being good at it.”

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And as Apple revealed earlier this month at its Worldwide Developers Conference, the company’s units are now working together more effectively than ever before.

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In its demonstrations of the next versions of iOS, OS X, and its updated developer tools, Apple revealed that it is making progress at integrating all of its platform experiences, tied together by an increasingly impressive cloud service. One potential reason for this: Cook’s decision to dismiss Jobs’ long-time protégé Scott Forstall in 2012, a move Apple described as designed to “encourage even more collaboration” between the company’s hardware, software, and services teams. If Apple’s latest announcements are any indication, that collaboration is happening, with easy and obvious opportunities for expansion to future devices with both larger and smaller screens.

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Apple has continued to make moves under Cook—reflecting awareness of the times—that Jobs may never have supported. Notably, it recently spent $3 billion to acquire Beats Music, an admission of sorts that it needs help to meet its goals in the music industry. It recently relaxed a nondisclosure agreement that restricted fans and developers from discussing beta software. Its latest software creation tools, released this month, give developers deeper access than ever to the iPhone and iPad to make new kinds of apps. Famously secretive, it has granted its employees more freedom on social media—Cook himself even tweets from time to time, on topics ranging from Apple news to sports and human rights. Apple’s iBooks team even uses Twitter in a way that seems strikingly conventional, hosting “chats” with authors, hashtags and everything.

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There are also anecdotes of improvements in employee morale, which could potentially help Apple recruit new talent—or at least reduce churn. “I really got a sense talking to people at Apple last week at WWDC that they’re happy—happy in a way they haven’t been again,” Gruber said on the most recent episode of his podcast (this discussion starts around the 42-minute mark). “In fact, one friend literally said the words ‘It’s fun again,’ which I thought was pretty interesting.”

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Where’s the growth?

But, skeptics will say, operations have always been Cook’s strength. Meanwhile, reality can’t be ignored: Apple’s growth is slowing significantly by every metric.

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Some of this was inevitable. The smartphone market is maturing and Apple’s numbers are getting so large that sales growth was bound to decelerate. The iPhone is responsible for more than half of Apple’s revenue, profit, and growth—meaning extraordinary success or failure in a given cycle has oversized consequences. But this is where Jobs, the product genius, shined—always seeming to have the next big thing ready to roll when necessary. Has Cook figured this out? Or has he at least put the right people in the position to?

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One indication that wheels are in motion: Reuters reports that Taiwan’s Quanta Computer will begin production of some sort of Apple smartwatch next month, which will reportedly feature a 2.5-inch display and sensors to monitor health and fitness. Apple’s iPhone business is still so big that it’s unlikely any new wearable device will cause a big lift in its finances immediately. But it’s a start.

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 Cook has also done a good job working Wall Street, transforming Apple “from the world’s premier growth stock into, arguably, the world’s premier dividend play.” It has bought back shares and just split its stock, an effort Apple hopes will make shares “more accessible to a larger number of investors.” Shares have recently rallied—they’re not far from their all-time high—and are also still up significantly since Jobs’ retirement in 2011, shortly before his death.

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There’s always a chance, of course, that Apple is actually in permanent decline and that its next big thing will never come. It’s worth considering what might happen if Apple really can’t rejuvenate its growth—or at least to the same levels as during the iPhone boom. Until Cook delivers the next big thing, skepticism will only keep building. But the most recent signs from the company are strong and smooth. In many ways, Cook is running Apple better than Jobs ever did.

future of solar technology

The future of solar technology would be as thin and flexible as piece of paper!

OPV solar cells are produced in the R&D lab. Just recently, Heliatek set a new world record for OPV with a cell efficiency of 10.7%.

Researchers in Denmark recently claimed a major breakthrough in the production of organic photovoltaic (OPV) solar cells. Unlike traditional silicon solar cells, used in rooftop solar panels and large-scale solar farms, OPVs use organic semiconductors — made from plastics and other flexible materials — and are much lighter, more flexible and less expensive.

Because they use environmentally friendly materials and can be produced quickly with lower processing and materials costs, OPVs can be used in much more innovative ways, according to Jade Jones, Solar Analyst with GTM research. The flexibility of OPVs has its proponents thinking of potential uses that never would have been possible — solar cells on electronics, backpacks, clothing, windows. Jones said she’s even heard of researchers talking about using them for curtains.

Organic photovoltaics could be particularly useful in places that don’t see a lot of sunlight, Dr. Fernando Castro with the U.K. National Physical Laboratory recently told The Atlantic. Because they don’t require direct sunlight like traditional silicon cells, OPVs can generate power for a larger portion of the day.

While Castro said it has improved significantly in recent years, the most commonly cited downside of OPVs is the fact that they are less efficient than traditional solar cells. This is what the team at the Technical University of Denmark sought to address by accomplishing the first roll-to-roll manufacture of tandem OPV modules. By stacking the layers on top of one another, they were able to print them out rapidly on a large sheet. The team argued that by spreading the cells over a large area, the lack of efficiency becomes less of an issue.

“If I have made a kilometre of solar cells, then I am not interested if one module has an efficiency of 10 percent and the rest are two percent — I think what is important is what you can make for the public,” Frederik Krebs, head of the research team, told Chemistry World. “I am the guy that makes a lot of it and tries to look for the average and what is practical, and then there are the other guys that look at what is obtainable. Everybody has their role to play and hopefully we will meet some day, probably somewhere in the middle.”

Krebs and his team started the freeOPV initiative, which builds on the concept that polymer solar cells should be made available to anyone interested in them. Krebs encourages anyone with a technical or academic interest in OPVs to “make use of this special offer to study, posses, claim, reverse engineer, copy, and use these OPV modules that have been created to propagate OPV and hopefully enable us to reach the objective of supplying the globe with energy from OPV in the future.”