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Do you remember hearing the initial disappointed comments right after the iPhone 4S announcement?  To put it simply, everyone was a bit dissatisfied that the new iPhone was not going to be a full-blown revamp of the iPhone 4. Some were concerned that it would just be an iPhone 4 with a few simple upgrades, suckering gadget-junkies to stand in line for hours only to discover that the 4S was basically the same as its predecessor, with only a few more bells and whistles.  Well, the reality is, the new iPhone is a bit of both. It is not a revolutionary product like the original iPhone – or even the iPhone 4.  Rather, it’s more evolutionary with several impressive upgrades.  Here’s a quick look at 3 of the upgrades Apple has produced in the 4S – and whether or not they’re worth waiting in line for.

Software

Not surprisingly, the 4S is much faster and powerful.  It features the same dual-core A5 chip that’s found in the iPad 2 and it makes opening apps, loading the web browser, scrolling through screens and countless other operations super smooth.  Apple states that the 4S is twice as powerful as its predecessor and has 7 times the graphical prowess.

Siri

Perhaps the most interesting addition in the 4S is the introduction of Siri, a voice controlled personal assistant that can help you schedule lunch dates, find restaurants or see what the weather is like in Denver just by talking to it in a conversational voice.  “Tell Jodi that I’m running late and need to reschedule my meeting” is a good example of how Siri can parse your information, find a specific person and complete the task for you. A down-side, however, is that it is still a work in progress, and many times Siri can’t handle the data in the question, and simply gives you a humorous reply.  Which is funny at first, but loses the humor after a couple of weeks.  Here’s another take on the topic: http://www.forbes.com/sites/benzingainsights/2011/10/17/is-siri-seriously-awesome-or-seriously-flawed/

iCloud

Another cool aspect of the iPhone 4S is that it has essentially made MobileMe a stock feature.  All Apple products from now on will have access to iCloud. This means that it no longer matters which device you use, you can access any piece of information you’re looking for, whether it’s an mp3, a photo, app or document.  It’s truly remarkable, until you stumble upon some of its unwieldy aspects. The most frustrating of these is the fact that MobileMe has already created a user ID that iCloud doesn’t recognize. Furthermore, if you have an email address through Yahoo or Gmail, it won’t recognize them because they don’t have a me.com address. All new technology comes with learning curves, but the fact that we think Apple should be above these frustrations makes them all the more, well, frustrating.

In the final analysis, the iPhone 4S will of course be an enormous commercial success. But, are the upgrades worth the wait?  In the end, it depends on who you ask. If you’re a Mac-addict, forever in need of the most up-to-date and coolest toy, then of course, it’s worth the wait.  With its improvements in power, efficiency, speed, software and upgrades, the 4S is an impressive machine.  However, if you’re able to get all you need from your old 3G(S), there’s really nothing completely revolutionary about the iPhone 4S.  As an evolutionary device, it’s still pretty cool.

Tablets and smartphones have inundated the market, making portable computing not only highly accessible but also extremely practical. It’s easy to see that remote computing is the next big leap in technology, transforming the way we interact with data on a daily basis. But what does this mean for the PC? When the iPad was created to the public, many thought it signaled the beginning of the end for the popular PC. However, the personal computer is a foundational mainstay in the way computing is done. Even with these new technologies, we are still living in the PC Age. Here are three of the top reasons this remains true.

Desktops Are Still Needed

    Critics have been claiming the death of the desktop computer for years, yet it remains to be a popular and much used technology. Why is this? The answer is simple: power. There is no tablet or smartphone that can match the speed and utility of a well-built PC. There may come a day when we can harness the speed and strength of a desktop machine at a smaller scale, but that day isn’t here just yet.

Tablets Are Less Practical

    There is no debating that tablets are amazing and useful tools. However, there are certain impracticalities that come with such a portable device that greatly affect efficiency. PCs are still the preferred machine for typing long documents, surfing the web and using more sophisticated programs. Unless tablets can find a practical way to replicate the functionality of a PC, personal computers will remain a fundamental technology.

Smartphones Are Less Functional

    Any self-respecting tech-savvy nerd has a smartphone. These machines are great for checking email, updating social media or even making a call. Some critics claim that as smartphones become more sophisticated, they will begin to steal some of the standard laptop market. However, the average basic laptop user utilizes laptops to perform higher function actions. Good examples of these users are students. Can you imagine writing a term paper on a small smartphone screen? Neither can we.

    While the portable industry has made remote computing better than ever, it’s still important to have faith in the importance of PCs. For more reasons why the PC age is still alive and well, take a look at this article.

Etiquette rules have changed now that we are constantly connected. We now compete with smartphones, tablets, and any manner of other Internet-enabled device in direct social situations. Ideally, when we have the opportunity for face-to-face socializing we should turn off our devices. The more dependant people become on their devices, the less likely this is to happen! Many people commit connectivity faux pas without even realizing it. The following are some common examples and tips to avoid making them.

Phones at the Dinner Table – Just as you would not turn your back to someone you are talking with, texting or answering your phone while dining is not very polite.

Tips to Avoid this:

• Excuse yourself from the table if you need to take an urgent call.
• If you know you will be distracted and curious if your phone alerts you of a text, take a preventive step and turn it off.
• For dinners lasting longer than an hour, you could suggest the table take a “cell phone break” for those who need or want to check their emails or messages.

Loud Phone Calls in Public Places – No one wants to hear the ins and outs of a stranger’s relationship. While you may not realize how loudly you’re speaking or how quiet the environment around you is, you can be sure the people close to you do.

Tips to Avoid this:

• Silence your phone and do not answer it
• If you need to answer the call, step away to a secluded area to take it and tell the caller that their call is important and you will call them back in x amount of minutes.
• If you must take the phone call and you are waiting in line, ask the person behind you to hold your spot and quickly go take your call.

Becoming Overly Dependent on Digital Communication – Email is a popular method to communicate but making it the only way people can get a hold of you will make you too dependent on your device. This can lead to disconnection and distraction in face-to-face social situations.

Tips to Avoid this:

• Make the most of face-to-face communications.
• Make your phone to be the best way to get a hold of you over email or texting.
• Resist the urge to respond to email immediately, wait to check it after you leave your social engagement.

In the age of connectivity it is up to us to recognize when the things we do have a negative impact on our environment or our companions. Let us know of any examples you can think of where being overly connected has created social faux pas.

We all network, every day. At its base level, networking is simply communicating with someone in an effective way. Whether it’s a conversation at the water cooler or at a business function, knowing how to effectively network is an important skill for anyone growing in his or her career. Here are some key tips and tricks to keep in mind whenever you find yourself in an important conversation. Remember, these tips may be applicable in all areas of life, but are especially helpful in developing a business personality.

You’re There to Give, not Get

    Giving an arduous monologue can easily get in the way of a meaningful conversation. Don’t let your portion of the conversation overrun that of the person with whom you are speaking. Remember, you should do your best to contribute to the conversation in a constructive way. This means allowing the conversation partner ample time to speak their mind and share their thoughts. Don’t forget to respect the speaking time of the other person in the conversation. You’re there to give a platform for the other person to speak.

Don’t Appear Desperate

    In this way, networking at a professional level is the same as dating. Being too desperate is a major turn off. If you find yourself networking with someone in a higher position or someone who could offer you something professionally, do your best to avoid appearing needy. Instead, find confidence in what you’re offering them. Believe that what you have to offer is worthwhile, because it most certainly is! If you don’t have confidence in what you can bring to the table professionally, it may be a sign that you should peruse other endeavors. Remember, when networking professionally, confidence is key.

Ask Open-Ended Questions

    Keeping the conversation alive is important. Be careful to avoid “yes” or “no” questions, because they generally deny the responder the chance to elaborate. If you do have a “yes” or “no” question, try rephrasing it to make it more open ended. For example, asking, “do you play any sports” is not as effective as asking “what sports do you play?” Sure, there is a chance that the responder doesn’t play any sports, but that’s an answer that they will be able to give as well as elaborate on. Allowing the chance for elaboration makes the responder feel appreciated.

Networking is all about staying comfortable and maintaining sincere conversations. For more tips, check out this article.

When large companies change their service plan it usually comes as a surprise to the consumer. They may change pricing, put new limitations, or get rid of certain services altogether. While these transitions go smoothly for some companies others make changes so abruptly and drastically that it can cause quite a stir.

A perfect example of the latter is the recent Netflix debacle. Netflix, seemingly overnight, raised their prices and changed their service offering significantly. Because of this, more than a half million people dropped the service completely, a number significantly higher than they had anticipated. Last Sunday, Reed Hastings, CEO of Netflix, sent out emails to each customer and posted an apology on their blog for the way the company handled the announcement of the recent reorganization. For some his acknowledgement that he “… messed up. [And he owes] everyone an explanation,” was not enough. Within the apology he dropped another bomb that the streaming and DVD-by-mail services will be separated into separate services altogether. The DVD service will now be called Qwikster and the streaming services will remain Netflix. This triggered even more backlash. Besides the letter and video apology, no effort was made to “make it up” to their customers.

When AT&T changed their service plan in late June, it was not happy news to some existing and potential customers. They replaced their unlimited data plan with a tiered pricing plan. However they did allow subscribers who already had unlimited data plans remain grandfathered into the plan. This placated the customers who were reaping the benefits of the service being nixing. AT&T handled the situation with skill and there wasn’t a significant impact to their customer base as a result.

When companies announce changes to their service plans it can be a tricky situation. Before doing so they should discuss how they are going to announce it and consider the possibility of an adverse reaction that could lose them customers. Proper planning can provide a plan of action if a negative backlash occurs. Here are a few ideas to help soften the blow.

• Notice, and Lots of It:  Give the public plenty of notice and utilize a forum where customers, particularly those directly affected, can express questions and concerns.
• Grandfathered Services:  Honor services and prices current clients have prior to the change.
• Details:  Explain the change in detail! The more transparent you are with your announcement, the more your clients will trust your decision.
• Discounts: Offer a free month of service or some other type of coupon if clients take advantage of multiple services

If you have any more ideas of ways companies could make the news of service plan changes easier, we’d love to hear from you!

    We’ve talked about how easy it is to get distracted while working with the World wide web at your fingertips. The Internet is one of the greatest technological advancements of the past 30 years, but workers have been getting distracted in the office long before the World Wide Web. Here are three of the most frequent ways that workers can get distracted in the office without the aid of the Internet (as well as a few steps on how to combat these bad habits).

The Water Cooler

    A strong work culture is important for any business. Research has shown that workers who have developed a strong community will be more productive. However, making this community constructive for productivity is also a necessity. It’s easy to spend too much time discussing your personal life with coworkers during working hours. To help combat this, try planning a weekly after-work-hours gathering with your coworkers. This will help you stay up to date on each other’s lives without decreasing productivity during office hours.

Minesweeper

    No matter what computer you use, there is likely some kind of preloaded game saved to the hard drive. Whether it’s Minesweeper, Chess or Solitaire, there is always a mind numbing game to indulge in during work hours. With these games, it’s easy to let a few minutes of distraction turn into hours of wasted work time. In this case, the best thing to do is to simply delete the game off your computer. Let’s be honest, you probably don’t even enjoy playing these games that much anymore.

Daydream

    We all know what it’s like to get lost in thought, daydreaming about our favorite TV show, book or movie. It’s something we do when we have low focus and it can be a big time waster. Try changing your lifestyle to help increase your focus to avoid daydreaming. Simple changes can help, like getting more sleep or eating foods that are lacking in processed sugar.

    Working without distractions can be a challenge. Even without the multiple distractions offered by the Internet, staying focused on your work can be difficult. Remember these tips during the workweek and do your best to stay on top of things. Don’t forget, 90% of productivity is focus!

In the past few years, our options for accessing entertainment have grown drastically. This increased access has changed the way these industries function. Brick and mortar stores like Blockbuster, Borders, and even the iconic Virgin Megastore in Times Square are disappearing as people head online to get their entertainment. Many companies are going this route because there are fewer overhead costs associated with running a business primarily online. The benefit for the customer is that there are now more and cheaper options available. In general, with increased options, prices are driven down across the board.

It wasn’t always easy to buy single songs from a new music album.  If the song you wanted wasn’t released as a single, you would have to buy the total album. Thanks to sites like iTunes and Amazon MP3, people can now buy any single song from a record. Musicians also allow people to purchase their songs on their websites and many choose to give their songs away. Many independent and chain music stores have been forced to close due to these new options for purchasing music. The industry as a whole has changed as well and record labels have had to raise concert ticket and merchandise prices in order to turn a profit.

Streaming music sites such as Pandora and Grooveshark allow for free customized radio with few commercials. The music is available on most Internet connected devices anywhere at any time. Many people use these services to “try out” music before purchasing and often times use them instead of purchasing new music.

Another hot item that is changing the face of their industry is the eBook. Sites like Amazon sell eBooks for much cheaper than their paper counterparts. Another benefit is that they never sell out and they only weigh as much as the eBook reader they are stored on. We have seen many local and large chain bookstores close due to this competition.

Rather then pay a large monthly fee for satellite or cable TV, many people use services like Netflix and Hulu to stream television shows and movies. The competition in the TV industry to keep viewers and gain ad revenue has pushed many networks to make recently aired episodes available from their website and on handheld Internet enabled devices such as a smartphone.

Instant access to all of our entertainment needs via the Internet has greatly decreased the cost we used to have to pay for these services. Recently, however, it’s been big news that Netflix has raised their prices and segmented their service offering. There is a lot of speculation about whether this will help or hinder them. Their success with this change over the next few months will most likely determine if other online entertainment services will follow suit. Only time will tell.