Technology | New Data

The Efficient Online Survey

February 19, 2011 by admin

As a number of complex types of software become standard for websites, it is the online survey that remains a powerful part of any business website. To the delight of many business owners or those that are responsible for various elements of the website, it is incredibly simple to implement on a website. Better yet, it is extremely easy to use on a regular basis.

The advantages of using online surveys are numerous. Customers and guests that visit the company’s website will be able to share their opinions. This can be in reference to virtually anything, from the layout of the site to a new product. Use your imagination as there are not many limitations with this type of software.

Implementation is simple. It is convenient to install on any type of website, and additional features add to its convenience substantially. For instance, you can subscribe to feedback on customer service to stay up-to-date with the latest opinions that are received.

Learning about how to use online survey software is simple as well. In no time you can be on your way to creating different types of questions that can help the business grow and better serve the customers. These types of features can make your life much easier, where you can keep track of things from your smartphone, even, if you wanted.

Online surveys can be a distinct and important part of any market researching plan. Whether you own a large or small business, you cannot underestimate the value that is given when you have direct contact with customers and guests. You can tailor your surveys to fill any need and improve.

You can be on your way to creating surveys in no time. It is simple, convenient, and an efficient way to get results in the business world – and many others.

Filed Under: Internet, Technology Tagged With: Business, Market Research, Paid survey

User Friendly Free Software

February 15, 2011 by admin

One of the greatest things about technology is that developers are willing to share their products and ideas for free. For the budget conscious computer user, this is a great blessing. That doesn’t mean all of the programs are easy to use, though. Where common computing tasks are concerned, it’s good to know where to find user friendly free software.

Office Tasks
An office software program is essential to all people’s lives. Whether you’re a small business, corporation or private individual, you write documents, keep records and create presentations. Microsoft Office is the most common product available for office type duties, but is can be expensive for someone on a tight budget. Open Office is a free software that is very easy to use if you’re familiar with Microsoft. The product has a very similar look and feel to it, and it allows the user to save documents in a word format so that everything will be compatible when sent to Microsoft users. This is an open source software, so a community of developers is always looking for ways to improve the product at no charge to the users.

Photo Editor
Photoshop is not something the everyday person can’t afford, and it can be confusing to use. Open source developers have created a free and user friendly software called Gimp. With this free program, you can upload your photos to your computer and then re-size, edit, reduce red eye, add special effects and even add text. It does require a deeper level of understanding to use in any complex way, but for the average person doing basic things, it’s a great free software product.

Video Editor and Player
For the movie buff, it’s very frustrating to look at a shelf full of old VHS tapes that can’t be watched. VirtualDub is a free video conversion software that doesn’t require any skill or even different hardware to make the conversion. Even if several movies are on one tape, this program will separate them for you. Then when you are done editing you can always use Windows Media Player or opt for the XviD codec installation to watch the newly edited movies. There are many free programs, that are easy to use, so do your search and save your money.

Filed Under: News, Technology Tagged With: Free software, Microsoft, Microsoft Office

Internet Romance is Better Than Clubbing

February 14, 2011 by admin

Does anyone cruise for a date in clubs anymore? Quite frankly, it seems to be an expensive way to satisfy the search, these days. In fact, many people really do believe that internet romance is better than clubbing. Liars will lie whether it’s over drinks or in an email. With enough conversation, virtual or in person, the junk falls to the bottom and the good stuff rises to the top. The whole idea of meeting a sweetheart via your computer is still a little bizarre to some older generations, but most have probably explored the concept, too.

It’s not that people prefer the two demensional element of internet dating. It’s that people want so badly to be in a relationship, and the internet offers more options for less money. Of course there are companies that charge people to flirt, but there are also free programs and websites that give people plenty of space to mingle. Some will say that you have to pay to get serious. Others have figured out that dating via the internet is best approached like a night out dancing with the girls. If you meet someone, great. If you don’t, it was just fun chatting.

Beyond romance, the internet has expanded our ability to make friends outside of our own towns and cultures. It can really open a person up to new experiences and people. Who knows? Maybe those new experiences, brought on via technology, will open a lonely heart up to person she might not have ever considered otherwise. As we explore other people and cultures via the internet, we explore ourselves, and we grow. It makes the flesh and blood world a new scene viewed through new eyes. Suddenly there are more tall, dark and handsome men than we ever noticed before the internet.

Filed Under: Internet, Technology Tagged With: Internet relationship, Online dating service

Operating Systems Compete at the Super Bowl

February 11, 2011 by admin

Motorola was doing its best to win the Super Bowl of technology at Super Bowl XLV. They made sure their name was prominently displayed on the head coaches’ headsets. The idea was to give the viewer the sense that Motorola was responsible for every play update and discussion the teams were communicating. That will probably be the only real memory anyone will have about a technology company trying to sell hardware at a major sporting event. The company’s attempt to make operating systems compete at the super bowl just left viewers saying, “what?”

In an attempt to make fun of Apple’s white decor, the technology giant did a spin-off on an old Apple computer Super Bowl ad from years past. Everything was white. All characters, except one, were wearing gloomy hoodies. No one was smiling. The guy clad in regular clothes was busily trying to create a virtual bouquet of flowers on his little computer tablet to give to one of the emotionless women in white while she stood in her cubicle. OK. It was weird. Most people thought it was a weird commercial selling Apple technology and operating systems, but it was, in fact, a commercial selling Motorola’s version of a tablet computer.

It’s safe to say that this particular play needs to be ripped from the playbook. No one will remember that Motorola has hardware comparable to Apple’s by that bizarre ad. It was a weak attempt at being cool, but truthfully, it just highlighted that Apple is still the king of technological hipness.

Filed Under: Computer, Technology Tagged With: Apple, Motorola, Super Bowl

Medical Record Software Must Integrate

February 8, 2011 by admin

As Medicare pushes all medical entities to make their 2014 deadline to go electronic with medical records, there is still one glaring problem. There are too many software programs, and no real way for different offices computers to talk to one another. Therefore, medical software must integrate to be truly efficient. Although computers and operating systems may very some from office to office, most software will work on any Windows based machine. In fact, software developers want their programs to look and feel like Windows, so it will be easy for office staffs to learn.

The government’s idea is that electronic medical records will reduce communication errors. However, there’s no communication at all if the a hospital can’t access a doctor’s office information. Of course, this type of integration would require major security updates, but with proper password clearance and plenty of firewalls and good anti-viruses to protect operating systems, the process should be as safe as the old paper method of storing information.

Even in print form, the various medical record softwares create a different looking document. There’s a little bit of time wasted as medical personnel train their eyes to look at each software’s paper document and find the critical information they need. Of course, one over arching program that satisfies all medical entities is pretty far fetched, but there must be some solution that allows different software programs to share critical information. Many of these computer programs have the ability to create email, so that could be the solution. However, it would be nice if office staff didn’t have to re-enter the information into their software templates.

As medical costs continue to rise, administrative expenses could be lowered with an integrated system. Hopefully, technology will advance in an affordable way, and this need for integration will be met. It will be interesting to see if and when this kind of update will happen.

Filed Under: General, News, Technology Tagged With: Medical record, Medicare (United States), Medicine

Wilderness Technology is Driven by the Human Senses

February 7, 2011 by admin

There’s really nothing like just getting away from it all. There are a few places left on earth where no computers, cell phones or televisions can be found. In this environment, a different kind of operating system is running the day. It’s the most complex system of all. It’s nature and the human experience. Wilderness technology is driven by the human senses.

There are complex computers and space age hardware that can almost exactly predict the weather, but so can a naturalist. A man connected to nature can use the software in his head to nail down weather patterns. Through visual observation and then the storage of that information, and the sensation on his skin, the smell in the air and sometimes the sounds around him, a good human predictor of weather can be more accurate than any computer. This is a good example of how technology can actually pull us away from what is present and real.

Many people would go nuts if they had to spend any time without a computer and access to the internet. That’s unfortunate, because the “technological” design of the human body can deliver the most amazing experience available on earth. The internet should be used to share pictures of a wilderness experience. The only traditional definition of technology on a mountain top should be the design of a lightweight backpack, high performance hiking boots and easy to carry nutritional supplements. That’s a facet of technology we don’t think about. Plenty of experimenting and updating goes into the hardware we use to experience the natural world.

Once there, you might be suprised at the performance that is delivered in the ancient technology of the human senses, as well as the emotions that will accompany the experience.

Filed Under: Technology Tagged With: Nature, Sense, Technology

Technology Keeps Us Home

February 5, 2011 by admin

Good or bad, the current day atmosphere of technology keeps us home. For the telecommuter, this is a great concept. People who are able to turn on their home computer and go to work can really reduce their personal budget. On the other hand, people who become addicted to the internet may not have much of a personal life. Needless to say staying home has its appeal and its drawbacks.

If you’re a working mom, technology can offer a way to work from home. There are a number of internet based jobs that make working from home easy. The schedules are usually flexible, so the kids don’t lose out because mom has to go to the office. And you can download ares to share files or use cross platform graphical ftp software to transfer files from home to office and between clients and co-workders. No matter who you are, working from home on your computer saves money on transportation, lunch money and clothing. Again, picking one’s own work hours means that you can live a life that works best for you. From a financial standpoint, work related software, internet bills, and other computer and technology related expenses can be written off on income taxes. So can a dedicated work office.

The trick to being connected to a computer is to get away from that computer for free time. The internet is a virtual world and it shouldn’t take the place of real flesh and blood human experience. Therefore, technology shouldn’t keep you at home because you don’t think you need to leave home to socialize. Everyone needs real human interaction. There is no operating system in the world that can sufficiently replace the human experience. Technology simply can’t replace the touch of another human being.

Filed Under: Technology Tagged With: Needless, Office, Telecommuting