Why Next-Generation Touchscreen Devices Could Have ‘Physical’ Buttons

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Have you ever thought how you will react if physical buttons simply appeared on your touchscreen devices from nowhere. You will definitely be surprised to find the screen inflated with buttons – something that is not normally associated with touchscreen devices.

If you want to check out home phone and internet packages to find the ones that best suit your needs, you will also be interested in knowing the devices that you can use to access the internet. Touchscreen devices have become quite popular recently. There are a number of tablets, eBook readers and mobile devices you can choose from. You can send text messages and even dial numbers on a touchscreen mobile device the same way as you do using your normal cell phone.

Although touchscreen devices have no buttons, you can still do all the functions without difficulty. This concept however is going to be changed by Tactus Technology – a company based in California. The latest technology introduced by this company allows physical buttons to appear on the touchscreen devices as and when needed. If you need to use your device to text or dial your friend, the special Tactile Layer will help the buttons appear on the screen.

This technology is magical in the sense that the buttons will only appear for the time you are actually using the device. Once you finish your work and your device is no longer in use, the buttons will disappear or go back inside the device. This concept can be used on a variety of touchscreen devices including mobile devices, tablets and eBook readers.

A decade back, no one ever imagined that devices can work without physical buttons. The arrival of touchscreen devices did change this perception and there are people who still miss the physical buttons. They would love to see the raised buttons on their favorite touchscreen devices in the future. As mentioned earlier, this wish will be fulfilled by the innovative technology launched by Tactus Technology.

If you feel your fingers are too big and cause problems when you use the touchscreen, you will have to wait to get your hands on a touchscreen device that has buttons and dials. This technology will definitely make your device much easier to navigate and use.
The best thing about this new technology is the fact that the physical buttons don’t leave behind marks or traces after they disappear from the screen. Technically, you will think that there must be marks or indications on your touchscreen device to highlight areas where buttons had appeared earlier. But the recent display of this new technology showed that the buttons leave no traces after they go back in the device. This feature is mainly due to the use of microfluidic technology.

The buttons that appear on your device will give you the same experience as if you were using a keyboard for the same task. What more will this technology offer? While the concept is still in its early phase, there are endless options when it comes to deciding the applications that will benefit with the use of this technology.

This concept can be used in Smartphones, remote controls, medical devices, navigation equipment, gaming devices, laptops, eBook readers and automobile displays. A large number of complex equipments used in the industries can also benefit from this latest technology.

Majority of internet users are interested to check out home phone and internet packagesand prefer to use a device that gives them good visual experience every time they use the web. Although touchscreen devices give you an enriched web experience, your experience can be messed up if the device is touched at the wrong place.

Most users also complain that the touchscreen devices don’t give them a tactile experience that increases the chances of making a mistake. You’ll only wish that there was a touchscreen with sleek buttons, so that you can rest your fingers on top of it.

If you are looking for an innovative solution that can resolve all your issues related to the absence of physical buttons on touchscreen devices, you have to check out the groundbreaking concept launched by Tactus Technology. Once integrated into a device, this technology will make sure you never sacrifice on the tactile experience again.

About the Author:

the above article is written by Roxanne Peterson

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Top 5 Cloud based services that are free to use

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Free cloud based services are rare to find, but they are not non-existent. The paid cloud services can be quite expensive, especially if we are not using the all the features that they are providing and the data that we are storing in the cloud is not too much. If you are looking for a free cloud service and have not been able to fine a single one yet, then you need not panic, as here is a list of the top 5 cloud based services that are free to use. Take a look at them and you can use them for storing your data.

Elastic Compute Cloud service by Amazon
This is a service that has been started by the Amazon to entice people to use their other services. The services are rendered free of cost for one complete year and among the loads of other things that you get free of cost with this service, the 30GB internet data transfer and the 5GB Amazon S3 storage are the most enticing. After you have used the service for a year and you wish to continue with it, you need to pay a nominal fee.

SkyDrive by Windows Live
Microsoft is not far behind when it comes to cloud storage and this service is one of the best that is present in the market. The user has the freedom to store data upto 25GB free of cost and that is a colossal space for storage. The user interface is friendly and interactive and the file saving method is exceedingly simple.

YouSendIt
This is another site that enables free cloud storage and it is impeccable. There is a Free Lite version that is present that enables you to send files that are upto 100MB to whomsoever you like and I feel that, this is more that anyone can ask for. If you want to send files that are larger than this, then you need to have a Pro account, which is a paid account. That will enable you to send files that are as large as 2GB in one go.

Google Apps
This list is incomplete without Google Apps. The service is simple, easy to use and most importantly, you need not pay a penny for it. There is everything that you need in the form of these Google Apps and once you have made use of the apps you will realize that you cannot really do without them. There are documents, tables, spreadsheets, pictures etc that you can share with the service.

iCloud
This service is distinct from the others as you get a free online system complete with a virtual desktop with it. There are a variety of things that you can do and the most outstanding of them all is the free online cloud storage. You can create all your documents and files with the help of the tools that are provided by the service and then store in the same place.

These are the top 5 cloud based services that are free for use. There are paid accounts for all these services as well, but you will need them only in case you require a huge amount of space for data storage, which is unlikely. 

This guest post is written by Gupta Sumit aka Sumoni HFG, who is a part time blogger and author at  TheGeeks Club and concentrates mainly on iOS apps and Phone comparision, get in touch with me on twitter @ sumonigupta

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10 Best Online Meeting and Conferencing Tools for Businesses

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When you want to hold an online meeting or a web conference, you need business tools that will let aid you in your task rather than frustrate you.  These 10 will help you get the job done without a hitch. You can run any of these using internet dongles.

1 - Infinite Conferencing
Infinite Conferencing is an incredible tool that allows you to host a web conference instantly. You can also log into the meeting room early and prepare for the meeting beforehand. This ensures that everything goes according to plan and that there are no hiccups when the meeting takes place.

Using Infinite Conferencing, you can invite up to 1000 attendants with a simple email. One great feature in Infinite Conferencing is the record tool. You can easily record your conference, allowing those who missed the meeting to watch it.

2 – InterCall
In all honesty, InterCall is quite an impressive program with a plethora of features. You can set up demos, quickly configure the software, use instant messaging, invite people on the fly and create an instant conference. Best of all, the program is mobile, allowing up to 124 attendants to join in from their smartphones.

3 – ClickMeeting
ClickMeeting is a powerful program that allows you to host a web conference with up to 1000 people. Not only can you set up a conference with your employees, you can have a web conference with those not employed by your company. The interface is exceptionally easy to use and well laid out. Best of all, the program can be bought for $8.

4 – Adobe Connect Pro
Adobe Connect Pro is a great program that allows for fluid web conferencing and online meetings. Security is one problem that many online meeting and web conferencing tools face. However, one of the best things about Adobe Connect Pro is that the program is exceptionally secure. You can share the contents of your screen and even files without worrying about intrusions.
  
5 – MegaMeeting
MegaMeeting takes online meetings to new levels. The best feature this program offers is that it is a browser-based program. No user has to download the program and spend time configuring it just to have a meeting. This lets the host of the meeting or conference to quickly create and host the meeting with virtually anyone.

6 – WebConCentral
WebConCentral is one of the most secure web conferencing tools available in the market today. This program is even used by government due to its effective security. Furthermore, the program can handle up to 35 people (including video streams) without a problem.
The built-in messenger program allows attendants to chat (when allowed). Your chat can even be made private, allowing you to talk to another attendant without worrying about other people viewing the message.

7 – GoToMeeting
GoToMeeting is a simple web conferencing and online meeting program that allows you to create meetings in literally the blink of an eye. The program is straightforward and simple to use. This is a huge advantage if you need to set up an emergency meeting. Joining the conference is even easier.

8 – Microsoft Office 365
Microsoft is a name that practically everyone knows about. Microsoft has now expanded its reach into web conferencing. Although Microsoft Office 365 lacks a few features, it is very powerful. Above all, the program is very simple to use, offering an interface that is one of the simplest ever.

9 – WebEx
WebEx is an online meeting and web conferencing program designed by Cisco. To put it simply, the features are rich and intuitive, the interface is well designed and the features are ever increasing. Best of all, the meetings can be recorded and sent to employees who missed the meeting. Additionally, you can even send documents to your attendants in real-time.

10 – FUZE Meeting
FUZE Meeting is a very simple web conferencing tool that allows you to host and join a web conference from practically any device. This is because the program is browser based. All you and your attendants have to do is go to the site and start conferencing.
These tools allow you to have online meetings and web conferences easily. All you need is an internet connection. You can even use an internet dongle. You can get all the info you need about broadband dongles

About the Author:                
The above article is researched and written exclusively by Roxanne Peterson

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How Can Apple User Make Video Calls With Facetime On A PC With Windows OS

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Apple is famed for being relatively restrictive when it comes to allowing services that are unique to its smartphone devices to be accessed on third-party products, but if you want to make a FaceTime video call from an iPhone, iPad or Mac, is it possible to contact a user who has a Windows-based PC?

Compatibility

Apple is understandably protective of unique programs such as FaceTime because these add value to its brand, thereby increasing user loyalty. If you can only access FaceTime on an Apple gadget then it makes sense to purchase an iPhone for yourself and other iOS-based items for the rest of your family.
Of course, in reality it may not be practical to do this and many of your contacts might not have an Apple device whatsoever. The main issue here is that Apple will not officially support FaceTime on the Windows platform, as at the moment there is no downloadable application to make this possible.

One workaround for this if you have a Windows PC is to harness one of the programs which allow you to load Mac OS X on computers which were not produced by Apple.

This is going to be a more time-consuming and technically complicated task than you might imagine, but if you simply have to have FaceTime support in as native a form as possible then it might be sensible to find an emulator which integrates OS X support into Windows.

Alternatives

Of course, it is worth addressing the fact that FaceTime is not the only solution if you want to make video calls over the internet between an Apple device and a Windows PC.

While Apple may have the monopoly on FaceTime as a specific service, it is far from being the only one of its kind that can achieve web-based chats. Skype is perhaps the most popular and well known service of this kind, allowing you to make voice and now video calls from iOS and Mac OS X-based devices made by Apple.

Skype is also fully compatible with Windows and is in fact owned by Microsoft following a recent acquisition, so you can expect this particular service to be integrated more comprehensively with upcoming products like Windows 8 and Windows Phone Apollo.

If you are looking for SIM only contract there`s a range to choose from here and because Skype can operate over both Wi-Fi and 3G from your iPhone you will want to get a decent yet affordable data allowance to support video calling.

A popular alternative to Skype that is available on the iPhone is the Tango Video Calls application. Like Skype it can be used over Wi-Fi and 3G and it will search your contact list to find friends and acquaintances who also have it installed.

There are many other similar services, each of which has its positive and negative aspects. Fring and Yahoo! Messenger are just two examples, with the former being particularly worthy of note since it allows you to chat via video with people who are using different platforms, thus circumventing the problems of compatibility. Sadly FaceTime is not included in this list and so Windows users remain isolated in this respect.

Monopoly

It is perhaps worth pointing out at this stage that the popularity of the iPhone, iPad and Mac ranges means you will probably not be short of contacts who are willing to use FaceTime to chat. Furthermore, Apple products are likely to become more popular as technology develops.

On the other hand, if you are an avid Windows user then you will have to look to these third-party services in order to contact those on an Apple platform, as for the time being it is impossible to find native FaceTime support. Only Apple will be able to make this happen and so far it has been reluctant to share the love.

About the Author:

Roxanne P. is a writer who regularly turns her hand to technology, looking at both hardware components, whole systems and the software which keeps it all together. If you are looking for SIM only contract there`s a range to choose from here and also other pieces by Roxanne to keep you up to date with the latest issues and advice.

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7 Best Football Gaming Applications for Iphone

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The iphone is designed and marketed by Apple Inc and unveiled by late Steve jobs, CEO of Apple. One can choose applications from the many categories available such as music, sports, health, education, entertainment, news, social networking and many more. Some applications are available free and some are paid too. These can be easily downloaded from the apple store.

Football and soccer are some of the famous games around the globe.
Nothing can make the game more exciting than the crowd cheering for their favorite teams and players. Die hard football fans may go to any extent to watch the football matches live and cheer for it. People who live and breathe football, it isn’t easy for them to be away from their television sets for long especially when the match of their favorite football team is going on. They hardly can afford to miss the excitement.

But now with the advancement in mobile technologies, there are many applications available for the football lover fans which one can hardly miss to download and use. Apple provides some of the best gaming applications of many sports for the football freaks and game lovers.
Here are some of the well known football applications of Iphone –

Live Score” –Application which gives you live updates of the game
It is one of the free application which can be downloaded from the Apple store. It gives you latest match updates, live scores, fights, green cards  or red cards issued to whom etc. it gives you  live feedback about any football sporting actions taking place around the globe.

“ESPN SCORE”- iphone App which gives you push notifications on your favorite teams.
This application was updated last on 18th November 2010 and is the best application since then. It is very much similar to Sky sports football center and gives you push notifications on your favorite teams.
The key feature of it is that you can watch highlights of the goals without listening to the analysis.

“Fantasy Football cheat sheet”-Keep your fantasy team on the top
This application is a great way to keep your team at the top. Each player has separate profile, historical stats, current projections and latest news as well.

“ESPN Fantasy football-2011” – For those who take part in fantasy leagues
ESPN offers an application for the fantasy league lovers as well. You can always add, drop players, accept or reject trades.
Besides all you also get push notifications for any latest scores updates and substitutions.
It can be downloaded free from the apple store as well.

“PRO Football insider” – View Current Stats, scores and lot more.
If you want to view only scores, stats, rosters and rankings, then this application is the best for you. Besides above, it also contains thousands of video clips, updated news and lot more.
Highlight of this app is that it aggregates the tweeter feeds not only from the experts, but also from the players themselves.

“Euro sport “ – A smart application which keeps updates about all the latest sporting action going on around the globe. It updates about the latest scores and happenings from all the major sporting leagues.
It not only reports and updates about football only, rather it also provides updates about  tennis, cricket, formula one etc.
This one is also freely downloadable from the apple store.

“FIFA-12”- Download the most exciting FIFA game till date.
This particular application is brought to you by  EA Sports. This time they are back with some interesting and high quality graphics with the new technology of retina display. Power packed with more refined controls, it makes easier to play on a touch screen panel. It has got some instant replays to make you update about the various counter attack moves you made.
It is a paid application, can be downloaded from the apple store only by paying.
So if are one of the football fan, various applications are available according to your taste and that too free –Happy Gaming.. !!!   

Author Bio:                                  
This is a Guest Post by Rajkumar Jonnala working for www.fifa13.com, the blog mainly focuses on  the current events in football like… fifa 13

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How to Make Your Blog Competitive: Tips for Bloggers

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There are hundreds of blogs that go live on a daily basis. As a result of the influx, SEO services are increasingly becoming important. SEO – Search Engine Optimization are techniques used to ensure that a blog or e-commerce site ranks high in a particular keyword in various search engines. This article discusses into detail some of the tips you can use to make certain that your blog is competitive.

Tip #1 – Update Your Blog Regularly
A number of blogs are designed are updated intermittently. This is one mistake you should try as much as possible to avoid. Failure to update your blog automatically results in missed opportunities on a number of selected keywords. The more you update your blog with fresh content, the higher your blog will be ranked with in a number of search engines. Fresh content is also designed to ensure constant targeted traffic to your site. If your blog is not updated on a regular basis, chances are that readers will no longer find it appealing.

Tip #2 – Build a Relationship with Your Visitors and Other Bloggers
In addition to being an archaic form of social media, there is a lot of money in blogging if you are linked to the right individuals. Make a point of commenting on other blogs, add links to other similar blogs and get in touch with blog managers. In a nutshell, you need to be active within the blogging community. You can easily open yourself to enormous opportunities, for example, guest blogging by opting to get in touch with other bloggers. Guest blogging can greatly assist you in building backlinks to your blog.

Tip #3 – Include Images in Your Blog
Whereas search engines rely on text to index your site, it is recommended that you include images in your blog in order to make it more appealing to your readers. Other than images, you can also include clips, slideshows and surveys. A mixture of content can be helpful when it comes to attracting readers and ensuring that they keep coming back to your blog.

Tip #4 – Showcase Correlated Posts
The moment your readers are through with reading an article, where would you want them to go next? It is for this reason that you need to include related posts in your blog. Such a tactic is crucial in ensuring that visitors stay longer in your blog. You can also go a step further to link your content with other posts. However, you need to be careful so as not to overdo it. The average number of links that a single article should contain is 3.

Tip #5 – Endorse Your Blog
You can use social networking sites such as Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and MySpace to market your blog. Marketing a blog through social networking as well as book marking sites is one way to increase relevant web traffic to your blog.
Once you have designed and built your blog, do not just leave it to be idle. The moment you forget about your blog others will also forget about it.


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