Author Archives: schatzi

Types of Computer Monitors and Their Costs

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Your monitor is an important accessory to your computer. Computer monitors are available in different sizes and styles and some offer various functions, such as a built-in speaker system. You will obviously consider what type of monitor you can afford but may also want to consider how often you will be using your computer and how you will be using it.

How Computer Monitor Sizes are Measured

Monitors are available in 15, 17, 19 and 21 inch sizes. The size of a monitor is the viewable area of the screen, which is measured diagonally (i.e., from the upper right corner of the screen to the lower left corner of the screen and vice versa). These diagonal measurements are of the screen only and not the computer monitor’s casing. Regardless of what type of monitor you decide to purchase, the larger the monitor, the more expensive the monitor will be. However, if you use your computer several hours a day, you will experience less eye strain with a larger monitor.

CRT Computer Monitors Deliver Usability and Bargain Prices

If you are looking for an extra monitor or just want something cheap for your home office or kids, the CRT monitor will probably be the most economical option.

Although they are big and bulky, CRT monitors will work just fine for basic home computing uses such as sending and receiving email, playing video games, or running a word processing program. These types of activities do not require an expensive or elaborate monitor.

A standard CRT (cathode ray tube) computer monitor works like a standard CRT television, accounting for its television-like appearance and bulk. Many people are switching to the less bulky flat screen monitors and as a result, the prices of CRT computer monitors are dropping. I have found refurbished CRT monitors at auction for just $12. Brand new CRTs might run anywhere from $40 to $100, which is just a fraction of the cost of the flashier LCD monitors.

LCD Monitors Are Less Expensive Than They Used to Be

They look sharp. They’re elegant. And they don’t take up a lot of space. For these and other reasons, many computer users these days are choosing the more advanced LCD (liquid crystal display) computer monitors for home and business use. Nowadays, the flat screen LCD monitors are often packaged with a new computer system. LCD monitors are lighter and flatter than CRT monitors, and can be more energy efficient and produce sharper pictures.

While the prices for LCD monitors are falling since their initial appearance in the market, they are still more expensive than CRT monitors. Generally speaking, an LCD monitor will cost around four times as much as a CRT monitor.

Considerations for Choosing Your Monitor

Whether you choose to buy a CRT or LCD computer monitor, you will want to choose the size that you will be most comfortable with. As mentioned above, the more time you sit in front of the computer, the more you will benefit from a larger view screen. Although larger monitor screens can be beneficial, you want to make sure that the monitor will fit in the area where you will be using it, and will fit your budget as well.

There are some fantastic deals for any type of computer monitor online. If you are looking for something reliable but have a tight budget, you can save quite a bit of money by purchasing a refurbished model. Before buying a new or refurbished computer monitor online, however, review the warranty. Check out the shipping costs, too. Because of their size and weight, shipping costs for CRT monitors can get pricey. Some online vendors offer free shipping.

Estate sales, garage sales and yard sales are excellent resources for used CRT or LCD monitors … and of course, you avoid shipping fees if you shop locally. When buying from individuals, see if the seller can plug the monitor in and demonstrate that it is in good working order. You can find any type of monitor at your local computer shop.

Regardless of whether you are purchasing a new monitor online or offline, make sure that it is compatible with your computer.

Hey Online Entrepreneur – You Keeping’ Up With Those Social Media Trends?

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Social media keeps changing and evolving. Mostly for the better. That means you, as an entrepreneur, need to keep on top of the trends, and find a strategy that can move your forward in building your business… even as change continues to happen.

What happens of you don’t?

You get lost in the mix. You get ignored by the masses. You lose out on building a following and increasing your sales.

But a solid strategy, guided by an evergreen approach to your social content, will ensure that, even with every new change, you can still stay ahead of your competitors.

So just how do you develop better strategies to keep up with the ever changing social media trends? Here’s a few tips to help you out:

1. Use Multiple Platforms

There are several social media networks. While it’s not wise to use them all – at least not manually, it’s a good idea to master one or two, and then syndicate your content to the other major networks as well… Because you never know where someone might find you.

If you confine yourself to only one platform, like Facebook for example, you’ll be restricting your reach to only those who are there. But simple syndication of the posts you create for Facebook onto other networks, like Twitter, Pinterest, or LinkedIn, can get you found by a much larger group of people.

Besides, single networks can be fickle. They might change their posting policies or the types of content that users respond to might change… or worse: your target audience might migrate to another network. So take time to diversify your social media tactics.

2. Social Media for SEO?

It’s kind of like a three-in-one power play. Use social networks to build your website’s search engine recognition, and manage the flow and reach of the content you create as well.

The internet is intertwined far beyond any offline communication platforms we used to use. So taking one piece of your content (like your blog posts or your videos) and optimizing them through the use of social media can result in a huge lift to your reach, giving you much higher visibility, and resulting in far more traffic being pulled in to your website.

So be sure to interlace your different marketing methods with one another. When you promote a blog post to your email list, for example, also include a link to your social media pages. Or better yet, syndicate the blog post on social media, and direct your email list to that post instead of the original blog. If they share it, which you should encourage them to do, you’ll be seen by sen more eyes.

3. Be Visual

Nobody wants to read a full block of text anymore. We have shorter and shorter attention spans, and too many distractions calling us to look at something new all the time. That’s why we’re seeing most social media posts including images. The visual inclination of most consumers has created huge successes out of both Pinterest and Instagram, and made them cornerstones for many businesses selling physical goods.

But you don’t need to just share images of products. Thought provoking or educational quotes presented visually are hugely successful too. And seem to spread like wildfire across social media.

How do you get visual? Simply find the right visual platform for your business and niche, and then make sure that you incorporate some branding as well.

5 Step Roadmap to Successful Email Marketing

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Did you know you can get up to $50 return on every dollar spent on email marketing? What is the secret of their success? How do they achieve very high levels of responses? The great thing about email marketing is that everyone both novice and expert alike have to follow the same 5 step roadmap to be successful.

Action One: Define your business objective

You need to be absolutely clear about what you want to achieve. Is it customer acquisition using promotional offers? Is it sales lead generation to secure qualified prospects? Is it customer nurturing and retention with relevant & informative newsletters? Whatever it is you must have a clear and defined business objective.

Action Two: Build your email list

Successful email marketing starts with quality contacts. You can start with a handful of contacts. When you make the effort to email relevant content to your list, you will start achieving your business objectives. Put a plan in place to start growing your list. Use your website to collect permission based email contacts using enquiry, registration or subscription forms. Make sure every member of your staff understands the importance of building your list. Collect email contacts at every opportunity making sure you get their permission to contact them with future information.

Action Three: Prepare your message

Do not rush to get your email out. Plan ahead and spend most of your effort on the message you want to get to the recipient and what action will result from it. Take care that the message is relevant for your target list. Put yourself in the position of the recipient. Will you want to open and read the email? What is in it for them? Will the message compel the recipient to your desired action? Every message you send out must provide real value to the recipient so that they will be continually receptive to your messages. Follow the AIDA guide; attract the Attention of the reader, generate their Interest, create a Desire for the reader to act and provide them with a call to Action.

Action Four: Test and test again

Statistics have demonstrated that most (65%) of us will open an email because we know and trust the sender. This trusting relationship is built over time by providing relevant information that is of value to the recipient. However, even if you are a trusted sender you must not take the relationship for granted. Test that you have a compelling and interesting subject line that will encourage the recipient to open the email and act on your message. Send the email to a test group of contacts. Test for open rates with different email subject lines and test click through rates for different call to actions. Once you have the email that best performs send it to your target list.

Action Five: Measure and track your results

Use your email marketing analysis tools to measure the results of your effort versus the objectives you have set for the email marketing campaign. What worked? What did not work? What did we learn? How can we improve and do better next time? Let this become your digital marketing system. As you gain experience and learn what works for your business and target market you will be able to crank up the digital marketing system to generate more business results for your next email campaign.

10 Mobile App Development Trends in 2018 Set to Transform the Technology Space

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As the year ends, the Mobile App development heads out with the list of the innovative trends going to hit the market for the next coming years. At times innovation may refer to small iterations in existing technologies, but for others, it could describe completely major overhaul and transformation.

Mobile Apps has, by its very nature, always been at the forefront of problem-solving” but now consumer experiences are dominated by latest trends. This tech-savvy era has already taken a giant leap in understanding users’ pain points and needs and it’s no surprise we are far beyond the root of innovation. Now armed with so many underlying technologies, solutions, and ideas we think more of simplifying the existing process. That could certainly be possible when we keep up with the upcoming trends.

Here we bring to you the five hot mobile app development trends that are going to take a lead spot in the subsequent year.

1. Augmented Reality (AR)

Both Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) and have taken the entertainment and gaming industry by storm. Nothing can deter AR technology in mobile applications to gain new momentum in 2018.

2. Blockchain

A study conducted by IBM states nine in ten government firms are planning to invest in blockchain for financial transaction management, asset management, contract management and regulatory compliance purposes. While another research by Infosys says that one-third of banks are expected to adopt commercial blockchain in 2018. This proves demand for security sees no bounds.

3. Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Through the use of advanced analytics, cognitive interfaces into complex systems, and machine learning techs, AI will apparently provide business users access to powerful insights never before available to them.

4. Cloud Tech

Cloud tech that provides major benefits like streamlined operations, reducing equipment cost and hosting, increased app storage capacity and enhanced productivity and collaboration intend to dominate 2018. Have you integrated yet? Don’t miss out.

5. Internet of Things (IoT)

The very familiar technology that has certainly made a special place in our family or homes and gave it the title of so-called smart home is now powered by a major change says analysts. Lets’ wait and watch what it wraps in the coming year.

6. Business Bots

No matter if you work in B2C/B2B and develop your own SAAS application, bots will become irreplaceable for you. Optimized business processes, minimized costs and increased profits give them the tech tiara of 2018.

7. Lazy Loading

We all abandoned the app or website that took too long to load the images. But now with lazy loading trend, this would be no more. Now images will be loaded only when the page gets turned ON. Smart indeed.

8. Android Instant Apps

Android Instant Apps allows Android users to run your apps instantly, without installation. Additionally, it lets users experience beautiful and immersive apps, with material design and smooth animations, without installing them on their devices. Again the new ones to rule the years ahead!

9. AMP (Accelerated Mobile Pages)

AMP will enable the developers to develop rapidly loading websites and mobile apps. This will reduce bounce rates and increase performance level across various mobile devices.

10. Security & Protection

With the rapid evolution of mobile app industry, 3rd party SDKs gains dominance and apps gather more and more information which surges the risks, vulnerabilities and security breaches. This hesitancy certainly calls for security & protection solutions as a great necessity.

The market cares more about the potential new market value, innovation and something which was never seen before. Mobile App Development trends 2018 are once again ready to disrupt the technology sector. Let’s see what pace they move forward.