Before You See A Movie, Make Sure to do Your Research

February 10, 2011 By Leave a Comment

The internet affords us many opportunities we simply didn’t have previously. It used to be that we had to wait for movie reviews in the newspaper or on Siskel & Ebert to know if a movie was worth seeing. People going to see a movie on opening weekend typically had no idea if a movie was going to be good or not. However, with movie ticket prices continually rising, it’s not always a good idea to take a chance on a movie without doing some research. In addition to being a total waste of time, a bad movie can be expensive when you factor in multiple tickets for a date or family members. Here are two great places to research a movie before you go out and see one.

1.) rottentomatoes.com- Simply the best site on the net for comparing what reviewers across the country are saying about a movie. The site posts an overall meter and scoring system so you can generally tell the consensus of a movie before digging in to all the different reviews. A very low score on the meter is a movie that is unlikely to be worth your time. A reviewer or two make have dissenting opinions but if they are generally all saying a movie stinks then it probably does.

2.) aintitcoolnews.com- This is a great site run by real movie geeks. They have information on movies that are still in production and interviews with stars who reveal a lot about the movie even before it’s made. The site is paradise for fan of older action and fantasy movies as well as having in depth coverage of the latest movies in the theater.

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Communication Advancements of the Last 40 Years

February 8, 2011 By Leave a Comment
BEIJING - OCTOBER 21: Chinese visitors test t...

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There have been many advancements in computers and cell phones over the last 30 years. Since the 1970′s, wireless cell phone communication has been possible. Likewise, the technology to produce computers for the home has been around just as long, though it was originally thought that computers would generally only interest those who had business to do. Advances in the cell phone and computer industry have greatly enhanced the way we communicate. They have made it possible to reach anyone in the blink of an eye and reduced the cost of communicating. Here are two of the advancements that have enhanced the way we communicate today.

1.) Cell phones and texting- It used to be that if you weren’t near a land line, you probably were going to miss a phone call. Then in the 1970′s, the first cell phones started appearing. Even though they were quite a bit larger than the cellphones we have today, the represented a new ago of wireless communication and were seen as a status symbol. They also coincided with car phones, which would charge will plugged into a cigarette lighter or similar device in the car.

2.) Skype- While the internet and e-mail have been revolutionary in their own right regarding  communication advancement, there is simply no way to overstate the importance of a program like Skype. It allows you to set up a webcam and see the person you want to talk to no matter where they are in the world and at no cost to you. Rather than flying to a destination for a meeting, you can appear via Skype and forget about the long travel, the hotels, and the cost of the trip.

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Training to Medical Code and Bill

February 3, 2011 By Leave a Comment

There are many reasons to use the internet as the lifeblood of your earning career. Jobs can be slashed in a heartbeat and people without a trade to fall back on are left feeling as if they are back to square one. One way to take this power out of the hands of your employer is to insulate yourself against this happening. In fact, assume that it will happen and have an honest discussion  with yourself about what you would do if this were the case. Would you go back to school and learn something else, all the while incurring even more debt for an uncertain path? That sounds more like procrastination than a plan. Here are a couple of reasons to get into the medical billing field.

The demand is growing- People are still getting sick and th baby boomers are getting older. In short, there is absolutely no reason to believe that depite what sort of healthcare plans are bandied about, there will be coders needed. Large hospitals use coders but so do much smaller practices. Every healthcare professional who bills clients and insurance companies requires coders to get the work done and the bills paid.

You can train at home on your time- Indeed, there is no reason to quit your day job in order to become a medical coder. You can take your classes at night when you get home or in the morning while still in your pajamas. You will have access to professors and tremendous learning resources which will help you compete in the field in your bery first year.

Best of all is once you have the skills, you can work for multiple companies or just one.

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Working on the Internet

February 1, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Many people use the internet for recreational purposes and for social networking and e-mail. More and more people however are learning there are ways to make money on the internet as well. Given the economic turmoil in America from at least 2008 to 2010, additional sources of revenue are being sought by everyone from professionals to students and the internet serves as one place to earn additional incomes. Here are just a few of the best ways to make money online:

1.) eBay- While many people have thought about running an eBay business but are discouraged by various aspects of the business. For example, hooking up with drop shipper in order to mark items up for re-selling can be a difficult way to make money. The best way to make sure you won’t be trying to profit on items that can’t make money is to check eBay for items that have already sold. See what has been selling for what amounts and if you can purchase the items cheaper, you may have a winner on your hands.

2. Freelance Writing- There are many opportunities on the internet for people who can string a few sentences together. Opportunities include content writing and various “How to” writing opportunites where its possible to make anywhere from $15 and more per hour. You can be hired directly by a company for long term work or be employed on an assignment by assignment basis if your time commitments are shaky at best.

3.) Surveys- You may have to sign up for quite a few services to make money but rest assured it can be done. There are people who are willing to pay you to provide constructive feedback on their products or to watch movie clips and gauge your interest in their film. Most surveys will pay between $1 and $5. Be on the lookout for surveys which offer only a chance at a prize as a reward as it may not be worth your time. If you are going to commit to the work, it’s nice to have a company commit to paying.

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Satellite Radio and Other Vehicle Options can Lead to Distracted Driving

December 11, 2010 By Leave a Comment
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If you own a vehicle that has satellite radio, a navigation system, a DVD player, or other kinds of things, it’s possible that they could distract you. Of course, a standard radio, or even a conversation with a passenger could distract you, too. The more things you have in your car, though, the more likely you are to be distracted by one or more of them. You shouldn’t have to drive all alone in silence, but it’s important that you’re careful. Satellite and networking capabilities have increased so much today that it’s not surprising that people have more distractions then they used to. It’s up to them to manage those distractions the right way.

To avoid distracted driving and other problems that come up when people overuse technology, be aware of your surroundings. Even if you’re not driving, too much technology can distract you from your duties at work or at home. That can lead to problems with your boss, your kids, and your spouse. That doesn’t mean that satellite and network communications aren’t good or that they should be avoided. They provide a lot of joy and they’re also helpful to many businesses and households in a multitude of ways. The key is to use them wisely.

Set a time limit for things like Internet use or for how often you text or do other technology-related things. Do the same for other people in your household. That way you aren’t so distracted, and you can also appreciate and enjoy the technology more when you do use it. You won’t get overwhelmed with it or feel like it’s controlling your life, and you can use it the way it was intended – as something that can help you and bring you enjoyment.

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The End is Near . . . for Video Stores

November 17, 2010 By Leave a Comment
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Once upon a time, people could only rent videos from an actual brick and mortar video store. You got into your car, drove to the location and spent way too much time looking for the right movie. Video stores still exist, of course, but digital downloading, Red Box video distribution sites and DVD though mail options have taken a serious toll. As technology keeps developing, it seems likely that Internet downloading will kill off the remaining video stores.

Recently Blockbuster admitted that its business model was not working. The company filed for bankruptcy. For some reason, though, the chain continues to keep their stores on life support. When it comes to a big chain store like Blockbuster, the company cannot compete with smaller, faster organizations that can spot technology trends first.

Just because watching movies is as simple as a software download does not mean, however, that every video store is going under. Some of them, in fact, are doing very well. There are big differences between the types of video stores that are succeeding and those that are failing. The successful video rental stores tend to focus on niche markets. They don’t worry too much about the new Hannah Montana video. Instead, they spend time and money searching for obscure videos that customers cannot find anywhere else.

Most people won’t really care anything about these movies, but a few will. When the whole community gets involved, the business can thrive.

Currently, this business model works well for organizations in larger cities. Eventually, though, even they may feel the brunt of technology. Torrent sites and peer-to-peer programs give movie nerds the opportunity to share extremely obscure films with each other without paying a dime. When it comes to eliminating the small, local video store, it seems likely that the final punch will come from illegal sites rather than tech-savvy companies.

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Bluetooth: Wireless Technology for Phones, Computers, and More

August 11, 2010 By Leave a Comment
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Bluetooth, first introduced by Ericcson in 1994, has seen growing popularity in recent years. The integration of computers, stand alone devices, cellular handsets, and far more, grants a greater ability to integrate than ever before. Bluetooth is one of the few technologies that successfully stands toe-to-toe with wireless internet, partially because the technology provides many personal and professional applications.

Bluetooth technology was popularized largely thanks to Bluetooth headsets. These allow for a completely hands-free connection between a cellular device and your headset. As the ideas became more popular, Bluetooth technologies were applied to computer and internet technologies. Since Bluetooth cellular phones were already equipped with the needed hardware, the first creative advances were in synchronizing phones and computers. This provided advantages in the rate of transfer, ease of setup, and took less bandwidth than a standard wireless network.

Once it was clear that computers could effectively communicate at a high rate of speed with Bluetooth devices, developers in a number of computer related fields began to take hold of the hardware, leading to a new world of possibilities. The most common seen in practical use today are direct communication devices like Bluetooth keyboards and mice. Bluetooth technologies have also seen success with printers and other office solutions, however. Computers equipped with Bluetooth can also communicate with each other, enabling Ethernet bridging, advanced wireless networking, and dial-up conenctions via data enabled handheld devices, primarily on cellular networks.

With new developers familiarizing themselves with the technology, it’s not surprising that other creative technologies have hit the market. Items that were previously based on serial or infrared communication, such as medical equipment, traffic controllers, hi-tech remotes, and more, all use Bluetooth. New video gaming is also centered around Bluetooth, at least as far as Wii, PS3, and PSP Go edition controllers are concerned.

While it may have taken Bluetooth a while to really hit the mainstream, this innovative medium has exploded in recent years. Most cellular devices currently come with Bluetooth equipped, computers frequently have it by default, and more outside devices use it. In brief: Bluetooth is here to stay.

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Cellular Companies Enter the Wireless Internet War

August 5, 2010 By Leave a Comment

It’s hard to throw a stick these days without hitting something that’s wireless. Whether it’s cellular phones, wireless printers, computers, routers, or one of a thousand other things, the truth is that most Americans own several completely wireless devices. The wireless internet war, thus far, has been fought mostly between hardware companies providing routers, as well as internet service providers trying to prove that they have the best wireless possibilities around. Now, a new competitor has entered the hardware and service arena: cell phone providers.

Cell phone companies initially offered the internet connection for phones through their data network, but realizing the lucrative possibilities, moved into offering it for computers as well. The problem with this move is that the internet that was being provided was as slow as slow – almost as bad as dial-up, even. It has been evolving at a rapid pace over the last few years, progressing to what is known as 3G. 3G, which allows for transfer speeds that are substantially higher than dial-up, but substantially lower than most broadband services, became the first subscription based fully mobile wireless that saw true success. Still, it didn’t make much of a dent in a marketplace that was so fully owned by Broadband companies.

Enter 4G. As of the 2009 release of 4G Sprint wireless access cards, followed by the 2010 release of Sprint’s first 4G phone, titled the Evo, the wireless world is changing yet again. The speeds of cellular wireless access have quintupled, allowing for rates of transfer that are similar to current broadband connections. Wireless access cards or enabled 4G devices allow for computers, phones, and any other connected devices to get in touch with the internet from anywhere that is set up for 4G.

There are still drawbacks within 4G networks. They may be cheaper than Broadband, and just as fast, but they require expensive software, and only work in select areas where 4G cell sites have been installed. While this advance indicates a paradigm shift on the horizon, it will still be several years before cellular access is fully competitive with broadband.

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