Perform better online searches with these tips

Each and every one of us knows what it’s like to perform an online search and find results that are not even close to what we were searching for. This can be quite frustrating. Luckily, there are many simple steps you can take that can ensure more appropriate search results.

Keep it simple

When you’re performing online searches it is often best to use as few words and phrases as possible, while still communicating what you’re searching for. If you’re looking for a bookstore in your area, simply type in “bookstore” and add the name of your town or your zip code. This should provide you with accurate results that will likely be quite relevant.

Learn about Boolean

Whether you realize it or not, you are probably familiar with Boolean searches. This simply refers to using terms like “and,” “not” and “or” in your online searches. This is a good thing to do when you are more informed about what you’re searching for and know which terms you wish to include or exclude.

This concept also is effective when you use pluses or minuses in your searches. If you want to include a term in your search results, simply type a “ ” before it in your search. If you want to exclude something, precede it with a “-“ when you search.

Be precise

When you’re conducting a search, it’s best to be as specific as possible. If you know just what you’re looking for, use exact phrases instead of just keywords. When you use general phrases, they can often be misunderstood by the search engine and leave you with results you don’t need.

Using quotation marks is a good way to ensure better search results. Most search engines recognize that as a request for an exact phrase search. So, if you’re looking for a company and know the exact name, it may be in your best interest to search for it in quotes.

These three tips can make quite the difference when it comes to relevance of search results. Applying them can almost guarantee that you will spend much less time sorting through results you don’t want.

For even more tips on performing online searches, take a look at this article.

3 simple office fixes to increase productivity

Regardless of the time of year or the project you’re working on, there are always things that can get you off task. Although there is no way to totally eliminate those distractions, there are several ways to minimize them and increase productivity. Here are a few of them:

Keep a clean office

Clutter and disorganization can easily distract people from the things they should be focusing on. Cleaning the office and encouraging your employees to keep their workspaces clean can quickly eliminate one of the biggest distractions out there.

Increase the temperature

We all know what it’s like when we’re cold and find it hard to even move, not to mention work. Studies have demonstrated that not only do typing errors diminish with a higher temperature; typing output increases by a whopping 150%. Next time your employees seem to be moving slowly, try upping the temperature a few degrees.

Lighten up

One study demonstrated that brighter offices can make a substantial difference in employee productivity. Employees who worked in windowed offices spent 15% more time staying on task than those working in windowless offices.

Not only does this change help to increase productivity, it also can help you save money on your electricity bill by lighting up the office naturally. Because it’s so easy to do, it’s certainly in your best interest to open blinds and move employees into offices with windows whenever possible.

These straightforward office adjustments are incredibly easy to make and can make a huge difference in the amount of work that is accomplished.

For a few more simple tips on boosting productivity, take a look at this article.

5 gift ideas that are perfect for Mom

With Mother’s Day approaching, you might be scrambling to find a gift for the mom in your life. Thankfully, we have a few awesome tech-inspired gift ideas that are sure to please. Keep reading for some fantastic ideas.

Digital picture frame

Every mom loves to relive family memories through photos. That’s why digital picture frames are so wonderful. They allow your mom to relive a new memory whenever she chooses. If you help her set it up, she can sit back and start appreciating the gift right away.

Tech time

Your mom may love using tech but there’s a good chance that she doesn’t know how to use all of her gadgets. With this gift, you can offer your tech expertise. She might have a gadget that needs fixing or she simply might need you to show her how to use the DVD player. Whatever it is, she’s sure to appreciate your time.

Digital magazine or Netflix subscription

Does your mom have a TV show or magazine that she can’t get enough of? If so, a digital magazine or Netflix subscription could be perfect. Digital magazines provide her with all of the articles without all of the clutter.

A Netflix subscription will give your mom the opportunity to catch up on her favorite TV shows on her own time. She can also use this to watch that movie that her friends have been talking about for months now. Either way, it’s sure to be a big hit.

Tablet

A tablet is a great tech gift for Mom – it’s small, lightweight, and relatively easy to use. She can use it for virtually anything she might need, and take it with her wherever she goes.

If a tablet is a little out of your price range, consider getting your mom a Nook Color. It offers the same portability of a tablet and still offers many games and applications. You can also buy that magazine subscription before you gift it – a little extra gift.

Quality time

Most moms feel as if they don’t get to see their kids enough, especially if they live far away. In these cases, simply giving your mom a coupon for video chat sessions would likely be the perfect gift.

We all know our moms will adore whatever gift we get for them. These gifts, however, will show you care and you put thought into it. Try surprising your mom this year with a great gift that she can really use.

For even more Mother’s Day gift ideas, take a look at this Unplggd article.

Take a look at Prezi – the online presentation tool

If you’re big on presentations, you might have heard of Prezi, one of the most revered online presentation tools. Prezi is an easy-to-use application that makes presentations more enjoyable. You may wonder what makes Prezi better than other presentation tools – here it is:

Flash-based

Prezi is flash-based, which makes it more versatile in the kind of presentations you can create. Presentations needn’t be quite so linear. They are created more like a visual map with words, images, links and whatever else you’d like to include.

You are able to zoom in and out of the images and words as you travel from point-to-point. This feature gets rid of the need for identical slides and backtracking when you must reference a past slide.

Intuitive

Once you have become familiar with Prezi’s interface, it is really quite intuitive. Because many people are non-linear thinkers, the thought-map method, where you can see everything at once, can be especially useful.

If you find yourself having trouble getting accustomed to Prezi’s interface, simply take a look at one of their tutorials.

While Prezi is web-based, it allows you to download your presentation once it is complete. This is especially convenient for anyone who worries about the stability of his or her Internet connection during the presentation. The tool can be used for free or purchased for $59/year for additional storage and privacy.

Everybody may not be looking to move away from the linear model of PowerPoint and tools like it. If you are, however, Prezi is a great alternative.

Stay secure online with these tips

In light of the recent Playstation security breach, many people are growing more concerned over the privacy of their online identities. If your information falls into the wrong hands, the consequences can be damaging. Luckily, there are lots of steps you can take to ensure that your online identity is secure.

Use an encrypted connection

Encrypted connections make it very easy to protect yourself online and they can be found on many of the most popular sites. Often, the settings need to be changed to gain encrypted access, but once it is achieved, your online session will be much more secure.

In order to see whether or not your connection is safe, check the URL. A secure connection will have a URL that begins with “https” instead of simply “http.” Unfortunately, all sites don’t use encrypted connections, so this is not always a possibility.

Use strong passwords

Strong passwords are generally one of the best ways to keep your information secure. By using spaces, symbols, numbers and a combination of upper- and lowercase letters, one can easily achieve a strong password. Even if you don’t use all of these tips, be sure to use something that can’t be easily guessed by hackers.

It’s also incredibly important to use a unique password for each of your accounts. Using the same password on several accounts makes them all vulnerable if just one of them is hacked.

Look out for phishing

Phishing is basically when a hacker poses as a trustworthy company in order to gain sensitive information such as usernames, passwords, and account numbers. It is a rather common practice due to its relative ease – after all, hackers merely need your name and email address to pull this off.

The recent data breach suffered by Epsilon is a perfect example of how phishing can come about. The people that hacked Epsilon’s network instantly gained access to thousands of email addresses and therefore had the opportunity to get sensitive, personal information from people.

These three tips are incredibly easy to follow and do not take much work on your part. If you are interested in a few more tips, check out this article.

How to work better while on the road

For many people, frequent traveling is a part of business. Unfortunately, most business travelers do not find that they are as productive from the road as they are at the office. Luckily for them, there are plenty of tips and tools that can make on-the-go productivity and security more attainable.

Tools for easier travel

Traveling can get disorganized fast. We lose track of details, can’t find our boarding pass quickly enough, or simply cannot remember which hotel we’re staying at. For those of us that get disorganized quickly, there are many tools that are designed to help.

One tool that can take a lot of stress out of traveling is TripIt. It is an app that organizes all of the travel information for you. You can email your itinerary to TripIt and it keeps track of your flight times, hotel information, and frequent flier numbers, all in one spot.

Having an excellent bag for traveling is critical. It’s necessary to have something that makes it easy to access important items and can still fit everything you need. Some features to consider when buying luggage are:

• Laptop compartment – It’s best to have a separate compartment for your laptop so that finding it at security, or even once you get to your destination, is a breeze. Nobody enjoys being the person who’s holding up the security line.
• A wire pouch – Having a specific spot to place all of your chargers and other wires is perfect for anyone with lots of gadgets. You no longer have to wonder where you placed everything, as there is a designated pocket for it.
• Convertibility – A convertible bag is ideal for someone who goes on a variety of business trips. If you need to carry everything through the airport one day and carry only your laptop the next, finding a bag that can serve both purposes is beneficial.

Security tools

It can be nerve racking to travel with all of your worldly possessions and then have to leave them unattended in the hotel room or unfamiliar office all day. Thankfully, there are plenty of tools such as laptop locks that can keep your devices safe. You can also use personal safes to keep all of your smaller items safe.

Typically, taking general safety precautions is enough. Either make sure that your valuable items are somewhere secure, or keep them close by whenever you can. If you’re interested in more tools and tricks to keep your things safe, take a look at this article.

Boosting productivity

Productivity can certainly wane while you’re working from a hotel room or coffee shop on the road. General unfamiliarity with your surroundings can slow down certain processes that are usually quick and painless.

Internet access is imperative, so if it’s not available at the hotel you’re staying at, be sure to bring a wireless card that will make the Internet much more accessible. Also, you’ll want to keep your flash drive on you at all times. You never know when you’ll need to back up or transfer files, and their portability makes them easy to travel with.

Another thing to consider is the overall comfort level of hotel desk chairs. Most are not ergonomic or comfortable, so a back pillow would be a great asset. They are generally not too bulky, and can quickly boost your productivity by making you more relaxed.

Although productivity can be hard to attain while on the road, it’s imperative in order to be successful. Luckily, tools like these can help make it possible.

Virtual meetings are not quite so stressful with these 3 suggestions

Although face-to-face meetings are the standard when it comes to conducting business, virtual meetings are quickly becoming more popular. Virtual meetings are exceptionally convenient, but can be challenging if you don’t take certain things into consideration.

Proper etiquette is vital to the success of a virtual meeting. Many people treat virtual meetings as more laid-back than face-to-face ones, which is not always appropriate. Etiquette can go a long way in making participants view you as competent and an authority on the issue at hand.

Here are several additional tips that can help you carry out more efficient and professional virtual meetings.

1. Be prepared

Preparedness is key when it comes to professionalism and helping a meeting run smoothly. When you’re gathering the content and materials for a virtual meeting, you should ensure that you remember your audience – something that’s not quite as easy during a virtual meeting.

Also, make sure that everybody invited to the meeting has the appropriate login information. If the invitees can’t actually access the meeting, the whole purpose is lost.

2. Engage participants

Although it may seem normal to jump right into the presentation, taking a moment to introduce participants can go a long way. This helps build relationships, and makes the meeting feel less rushed.

Although it may seem somewhat cliché, it is always helpful to give people the chance to share a little personal information – such as the highlight of their weekend, or a fun fact. It may seem awkward at first, but it will go a long way in making people feel more connected to the other participants.

3. No side conversations

Although you may not be the person on screen at the moment, it’s important to not distract from the goal of the meeting. Side conversations can distract someone on the other end of the meeting, even if they can’t see you. They also may be extremely distracting to the person who is talking and pull them away from the issue at hand.

There are several things you can do to produce a more effective and productive virtual meeting, and these are just a few of those. For more ideas, check out this Inc. article.

Benefits and drawbacks of e-readers

E-readers are a great convenience that many people swear by. You can have all of your books in one place and they are extremely portable. Sometimes there’s nothing tougher than needing to haul around loads of large books, however, they’re not made for everyone. Continue reading to learn about some of the pros and cons of e-readers.

What are the choices?

E-readers are primarily devices that display e-books, although some have additional capabilities, such as Internet connectivity. The most common choices are the Amazon Kindle, the Sony Reader and Barnes & Noble’s Nook.

Tablets may also function as e-readers, although they have many functions aside from displaying e-books.

Pros

• E-readers are amazingly portable, which is perfect for any person who likes to read during vacation or a business trip
• An additional travel perk – if you are in a foreign country, you can still download an e-book in the language you have chosen, instead of looking for an accommodating bookstore.
• Books are often cheaper than you will find in normal bookstores.
• Privacy – you probably don’t want everybody to know if you’re reading a self-help book. If you’re using an e-reader, they won’t be able to tell.
• All of your books are in a single place.

Cons

• Depending on the style of e-reader or tablet, you may not be able to read in direct sunlight due to screen glare.
• Cost – although you may pay less for books than you normally would, e-readers generally cost upwards of $140.
• If you’re accustomed to shopping in used bookstores, these books will cost a great deal more than you’re accustomed to spending.
• Lending books isn’t always an option.
• All of your books are in one spot – if you lose your e-reader, you’re losing all of your books if you do not buy a replacement.

As with any technology, the decision between an e-reader and a book comes down to personal preference. While some people enjoy being able to display their books on a bookshelf and share them with the world, others prefer the portable convenience that comes with an e-reader.

For more insight into the debate between e-readers and traditional books check out this article.

4 techniques for sustaining employee motivation

Motivating employees can sometimes be hard to do when you’re running a small business. Funds are usually limited and there is not a lot of time to spare. Keeping your employees motivated, however, is vital to the success of your business.

There are loads of ways to motivate employees that don’t include big bonuses or costly benefits. A hand-written thank you letter can go a long way when it comes to showing employee appreciation. Here are a few other ideas:

1. Ask for input

It means a great deal to most employees to know that their thoughts and opinions are considered. By asking for input and implementing the best suggestions, you are showing them that you cherish their opinions and that they play a substantial role in the company.

2. Change it up

Sometimes boredom arises when employees fall into a rut. By mixing up their projects and responsibilities, and allowing them to highlight their skills, you are likely to spark a little inspiration that wasn’t there before.

3. Focus on a great company culture

People who love their jobs often do because they feel their company is different than others. Companies that offer unique or fun perks often attract great employees and tend to keep their employees happy longer. Things like a game room in the office, where employees can go relieve a little frustration when need be, can go a long way in employee inspiration.

4. Recognize people for a job well done

Working hard on something often feels like it was all for nothing if you are not acknowledged for doing it well. That’s why it is so important to show some sort of recognition for your employees to keep them working just as hard.

Something as simple as mentioning their achievements at a company-wide meeting or sending around an email recognizing their accomplishments can make them feel appreciated. Although they may shy away from attention, they will likely be pleased to know that they’re being recognized.

Each of these techniques is a great way to motivate employees without breaking the bank. It is easy to lose motivation when there are no incentives to do well. Implementing one of these options is a simple technique for avoiding employee burnout and keeping inspiration high.

For more employee motivation techniques, check out this article.

How to utilize smartpens

Smartpens are a great office trend whose possibilities are constantly evolving.  They’re still fairly new to the scene, but so far, they are full of practical features to make office life a little more efficient.

Smartpens essentially track what you’re writing and transfer those notes onto your computer. Each smartpen has different features, however, some of which are more useful than others.

IOGEAR Mobile Digital Scribe

This smartpen was the first on the scene. For that reason, it doesn’t have all of the features that you may find in a newer model.

It does, however, do plenty of interesting things that make it a great business tool. The Mobile Digital Scribe captures and stores all of your notes for later review. It doesn’t require you to write on a certain surface – a simple piece of paper will do. Also, if you link the smartpen to your computer, it can display your notes on the screen as you write them.

Logitech IO2 Digital Pen

The Logitech smartpen has a number of the basic functions that you may find in the Mobile Digital Scribe. It transcribes your notes and can save them in a range of different file types.

After you save them, you may browse the files for words and phrases in order to help you scan notes more easily. You can search by date, file type and file name. Unlike the Mobile Digital Scribe, you cannot use any surface to record your notes with this smartpen – you must use Post-It notes or Franklin Covey’s iScribe software.

Livescribe Echo

The Livescribe Echo has far more features than its counterparts. It not only transcribes your written notes into a PDF, it also records any audio and lets you save that in a variety of different formats.

The coolest feature that you’ll find on the Echo is the Pencast functionality. A Pencast lets you play back the audio and synchronize it with your notes, making it much easier to keep a detailed record of your thoughts without writing down everything. Apple has also built a free app that allows for easy sharing and replaying.

Smartpens are a great technology that is sure to keep becoming more popular in the office setting. They make it easier to become a more efficient worker with little effort.

To check out a review of the Livescribe Echo, click here.