IS Magazine Blog

All Posts Author: Patrick Stevens

Gadgets & Gizmos That Failed to Launch

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Image by gsz via Flickr

Every day hundreds of gadgets and gizmos are invented, but many fail to get past the testing phase or never quite make it to the market. For one reason or another they end up in the 'tech fails' bin never to be heard of or seen again...

Even the 'best' have tech fails! Let’s take a look at a handful of gadgets that never made it past the drawing board:

Digital Degrees Gaining Acceptance for Some Graduates

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Image via Wikipedia

Recent employment trends have begun to show that many employers are no longer put off by online degrees or certifications. There was a time when an online degree carried a sub-par reputation, but today's online courses are more in-depth and provide real training that can compare favorably with the education you would receive through a traditional college program. Now that several universities have begun to offer online degrees, it is possible to attend classes online and receive a diploma that isn't any different from the diplomas received by students who attended classes on campus.

As Some iCloud Product Details Are Revealed, Questions Remain

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Image by Getty Images via @daylife

In a break from typical Apple style, the California-based company has pre-announced some details of its new cloud service, iCloud. Apple plans to reveal product details at its Worldwide Developer Conference. In addition, Apple CEO Steve Jobs, taking a break from his medical leave, will provide details on two existing operating systems, iOS5 and MAC OS x 10.7 or Lion. Cloud-based services are quickly becoming a big part of the world of technology, but Apple has not been strong in this particular area. Industry insiders generally agree that Apple needs to compete effectively with cloud technology in the same way the company does with software and hardware.

To Determine The Detroit Employment Rate, Did Tim Geithner Make Use Of Turbo Tax?

NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 14:  U.S. Treasury Secret...

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In recent times, the Obama Administration has remained on a complete-court onward spiral to sell Americans on the ideas concerning bailouts for auto dealers, begun by its forerunner however augmented into politically schemed insolvencies by the present White House Administration. In the previous week, President Obama welcomed Chrysler’s declaration about the fact that the bailouts had been paid back – devoid of mentioning that the payment derived from additional Government loans to Fiat, and that the Presidential Administration has before now pardoned four billion dollars’ worth of loans to the auto dealers. In the recent days, Tim Geithner, the Treasury Secretary for the Government, did some additional spiraling in a thesis paper for the Washington Post, asserting that each bailout had resulted in a rebirth of Detroit jobs:

The Pros and Cons of the Apple iPad

iPad with on display keyboard

Image via Wikipedia

Apple has enjoyed brisk iPad sales and impressive media coverage since the tablet PC was released in April 2010. The iPad’s slick industrial design and responsive multi-touch screen greatly increase the coolness factor; however, the iPad has some limitations that may bother many computer users.

The World of a Virtual CEO

Image representing Skype as depicted in CrunchBase

Image via CrunchBase

We all have a classic image of a CEO. The Chief Executive Officer will usually be very well dressed in business attire and will conduct business in a very large and elegant office. The office will frequently be located in a business district with a view overlooking the scores of other office buildings in the area.

Of course, there are other “looks” that a CEO can embody depending upon the industry sector the business is involved in. It is not uncommon for CEOs to maintain an elegant office in a business district but the daily business attire might very well be jeans and a t-shirt. Such are the perks of working in an entertainment or software related business sector.

Google Correlate: Helping You Connect The Dots

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Image by Getty Images via @daylife

On May 25, Google released Google Correlate – and statistic nerds everywhere spent the weekend playing with it.

            Google Correlate is the math-nerd cousin of Google Trends. With Google Trends, you can input and compare any given websites or keywords and phrases. You can see spikes in search and web traffic, see where the most traffic is coming from geographically, and other details. But you’re not really working with any raw data and you certainly don’t need to know what r is.

            Google Correlate, however, is a more statistical analysis of keywords and trends – telling you the correlation between your keyword and other keywords based on either time or geography. You still don’t have to be a stats junkie, but it might help.

Twitter Purchases TweetDeck

Image representing TweetDeck as depicted in Cr...

Image via CrunchBase

A third party client for access Twitter is now becoming part of Twitter. Rumors have been surfacing for weeks that Tweetdeck was going to be purchased and now the rumors appear to be true. Unnamed sources at several technology/money websites including CNNMoney and The Next Web have reported the price will be near $40 million when the sale is finally announced. This price will include a combination of private stock and money.

Watch Your Company Grow with Online Video

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Image by Getty Images via @daylife

Let’s face it: the average web user’s attention span is pretty short, and Google knows it. For this reason, the importance of diverse content in achieving higher search engine rankings and increased sales cannot be overestimated. In recent years, Google has revised its search engine ranking algorithm several times, each time with an effect on the sales prospects of commercial sites. To take advantage of these changes and provide the best possible chance of success, web designers and business owners must incorporate diverse media types in their overall marketing strategies. Video content is especially important for these websites, since it not only offers the full audiovisual experience for the target audience, but can be viewed on a wide array of devices, including desktop computers, laptops, tablets and mobile phones.

5 Qualities the Best Copywriters Possess

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When it comes time to hire a copywriter to develop your marketing messaging, there’s no shortage of options for you to choose from. Just Google the term “copywriter” or “freelance copywriter” and you’ll be able to choose from dozens, even hundreds, of potential candidates.

Obviously, not all copywriters bring the same skills to the table. How can you make sure you choose one who will write copy that sells and gets good response rates?

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