Top Tools to Make VoIP Calls

The ways that how people communicated a few years ago and now have drastically changed. The ongoing technological developments have permeated society to a great extent, and in this technology-driven world there is an increasing tendency to get to new levels of communication that are easier, faster and cheaper. 

One of the most compelling communication services in the market today is considered to be VoIP which attracts millions of customers all over the world both for residential and business use. Some of the many reasons why VoIP termination generates so much interest are the affordability, multi-functionality, convenience and flexibility.

Communication over VoIP may be implemented in different ways, with the help of various tools and devices. There are several options for making VoIP calls and the most commonly used ones are listed here.

IP phones

Using IP phones for VoIP communication is rather comfortable. Nowadays IP phones are adopted by a large number of users for VoIP calling. Supporting connection over multiple lines IP phones are a smart solution for handling high volumes of calls. In addition to extensive features, some IP phones may also offer video calling opportunities which makes them even a more useful tool for a more effective VoIP communication. Whether for business or home use, IP phones create scalable solutions for complete communication management.

Smartphone

Because of the explosive growth of Smartphone, mobile VoIP is also gaining grounds. More and more Smartphone users make the switch to VoIP to make local and international calling more convenient for them. This is a great way for being connected and staying mobile all the time no matter where you are physically located. With the emergence of lots of IPhone and Android apps for international calling, it has become even easier to implement international VoIP calling directly on Smartphone.

Soft phones

Soft phones serve as another alternative tool for VoIP calling. As a software program, a soft phone may be easily installed and run on a desktop computer supporting VoIP calls through Internet connection. Usually soft phones come along with standard call handling features just like VoIP phones and as such, they may be very useful. To initiate calls through a soft phone be sure to also have a headset with a microphone or speakers with you.

Headsets

Along with all the devices mentioned above, it is important not to forget about headsets as one of the most important tools to enable VoIP calling. Headsets are widely used by call centers to facilitate call management process for the operators. With the help of headsets, it is possible to maintain a conversation with customers and at the same time use the computer to respond to inquiries accordingly. Headsets are an extremely useful tool to handle requests from customers via phone whilst working on the computer.

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6 Mobile Apps and Desktop Programs to Help You Manage Your Budget

Managing your finances can definitely be challenging, especially if making numbers add up isn’t exactly among your greatest strengths. Thankfully, there are now mobile apps and computer software programs designed to make it easier for users to budget their money and track their expenses. 

Some of the following apps can be linked directly to your bank’s online facilities to help you stay on top of your bills and other payables. What’s even better is you can use these programs wherever you are because you can download them on your smartphone or mobile device. Check out some of the most highly recommended budget management apps below: 

Yodlee

Yodlee is more than just your average budgeting tool. One of the first online money management tools ever introduced, it is designed to help you track your financial status and net worth online. The app can give you a report on your assets and all your financial accounts such as brokerage, insurance, mortgages, etc. The app also comes with all the basics—you can create a budget, track your spending, monitor all your online financial accounts, and access analytics charts using Yodlee. You can also pay your bills, send payments to another user, and receive eBills. The app also allows you to share account details with your spouse, accountant, or financial planner. 

Mint

Mint is a free money management tool that can help you analyse your spending and saving habits. Primarily designed to help you budget and track cash flow, the app offers suggestions on how you can improve your financial life, as well as saving and credit card tips. A feature to to track investments has recently been added by developers. Mint can be downloaded to Android devices, iPad, and iPhones.

Budget Boss for iOS

Budget Boss is an easy-to-use iOS app that allows you to create and manage a budget to help you make informed financial decisions. Cash flow projections are presented through a graph, which you can export as an Excel sheet. Budget Boss is a paid app; it makes for a reliable tool if you are serious about setting your financial affairs in order.

Manilla for iOS

Manilla is a free app that can shows you your account balances and upcoming bills. It can also remind you about your travel rewards programs and subscriptions that you can avail. The mobile app is basically a handy organiser that keeps tabs on all  your documents, travel plans, budgeting goals, and household events—making it ideal for home managers and budget planners. 

BillGuard for i0S

Billguard is a good app to use if you would like to manage your credit card payments more efficiently. Using Billguard, you can easily access details about your transactions while ensuring the security of your card. The app also has a feature that flags merchants who make erroneous charges on your account. 

YNAB

YNAB (You Need A Budget) is a cloud-based management app that is available for Android and iOS. You can access your account via web or download the app on your desktop computer. YNAB can be used to record all your transactions—right at the counter—so you can keep better track of your spending and manage your bills.

These are definitely some of the most helpful and  user-friendly budget management apps you can start using. Remember though, that the most important thing you need to achieve financial independence is a healthy mindset about money and how it should be used. Make saving both a priority and a habit. Be responsible in paying your financial obligations to avoid sinking even deeper in the quicksand of debt. 

About the Author:

This article is contributed by Michael Vincent Money Hero, Hong Kong’s up and coming financial comparison website. You can compare a broad range of financial products - like comparing credit cards and choosing broadband plans.

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7 Amazing Apps To Help Plan Your Wedding - Apple Couple| WedPics and More!

Weddings ceremonies are steeped in tradition that dates back thousands of years. That said, even they aren't immune to modern technological influences. If you're planning to tie the knot, learn about seven cool apps that can help you plan your wedding.

Appy Couple

Iphone
Source: cc-by-3.0, Wikimedia

Just about as interactive and detailed as the best wedding consultant, this app allows guests to view and download an array of information and news about your wedding, including the engagement, ceremony, honeymoon and more. Upload pictures, event details maps and messages. You can also make travel arrangements, share virtual champagne toasts, e-meet the bridal party, create customized polls and much, much more.

Wedding Dress Look Book

Exclusive to iPhone, this app from The Knot allows brides to search and view hundreds of wedding dress photos. It also provides detailed listings of local salons that carry each one. Search by shape, style or price.

Weddings Song Planner: Professional

Save yourself from hours of research with this awesome app. Created by a professional wedding DJ, Weddings Song Planner: Professional provides 1,000 song suggestions you can preview on YouTube. Share songs with friends or add them to your personal list of favorites. There are all sorts of categories to choose from, including: garter toss, bouquet toss, mother/son, father/daughter, cake cutting, first dance, grand entrance, processional prelude and more.

Carmindy

Looking to save some money by skipping the professional makeup artist? The Carmindy app is a handy tool that can show you plenty of different ways to do your makeup.

WedPics

This cool, convenient app takes guest photo taking to a new level. Remember when grooms and brides deposited disposable cameras on tables and asked family and friends to snap a few candids? Thanks to the WedPics App, this is an antiquated notion. Now, guests can use their smartphones to take photos and instantly upload them to a couple's personalized album in the cloud. Not only does this app allow guests to quickly capture photos, it lets couples easily convert digital albums into actual prints. Profiled by the BBC, The New York Times and ABC news, WedPics has also gained attention from professionals who think it offers nice - if limited - benefits.

"Photo apps are good for weddings, because they give guests the chance to take and share lots of candid shots," said Arnaud Brichet, a Punta Cana wedding photographer who owns hdcphoto.com. "With that being said, they should be used as a supplemental part of a greater wedding photography plan. To capture the unique essence of your ceremony, you'll want an experienced, knowledgeable professional who has the knowhow and tools required to take flawless, professional photos.

Projects

Every busy bride and groom needs a way to stay organized. This handy app can help you keep your sanity, as you try to schedule fittings, meetings with vendors and personal DIY projects.

Tie Right

Great for groomsmen, this app clearly shows users how to tie the six most popular necktie knots: the Pratt knot, the half Windsor knot, the small knot, the Windsor knot, the four in hand knot and the bow-tie. Demonstrations are provided from two different views, so users can get a clear vision of each step.

RJ Lawrence is a lead writer for 6COM Media. 

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Must Have Apps for 2014 | Mailbox | Dolphine Broswer | Pocket | Waze | Mint

Unless you already know which app, or at least what kind of an app you need, browsing the app store for any of the major platforms can easily be frustrating, simply due to the overwhelming number of potentially interesting or useful apps, that you just don`t have the time to check out. That`s why we decided to make a list of apps that stand out in their particular categories, and that just about anyone could benefit from having.

Mailbox

A great, free app for iOS, Mailbox gives you a ton of control over how your emails are arranged. Apart from allowing you to sort them any way you like, which allows you to always have your most important emails at hand, you can also easily set up reminders for when you want to reply to a particular email, which is a more than welcome feature, that is not exactly all too common in apps of this type.

Dolphine Browser HD

While the default Android`s browser is by no means substandard, and does have some nice features of its own, Dolphin is simply more flexible, and probably closer to what most people need in a mobile browser. For one, you can create tabs, which has become a must have feature for most users, but it also allows you to use a number of handy plugins, sync with Google bookmarks and set up custom gestures. The app is completely free, so you should at least try it out.

Pocket

An amazing app for people who are constantly missing out on good reads because they can`t remember where they`ve seen the article that seemed interesting. You often stumble upon great articles while you are browsing the web, but can`t always afford the time to read them immediately. You can easily save those articles for later with Pocket, and then read them at a more convenient time. The app is well integrated with different social networks, and works on all major platforms, including iOS, Android and Windows, which is to say that you can easily save the articles on your phone and then read them comfortably on the larger screen of your PC. Pocket is completely free.

Waze

One of the most transparent ways to illustrate just how useful this navigation app is would be to mention that Google decided to buy it for an amazing $1.3 billion, despite having their incredibly successful Google Maps. Basically, the app tries to provide you with the shortest route from one point to another, but it doesn't rely only on traffic reports and other conventional means for calculating the route. Instead, Waze rewards its users for any relevant information they provide regarding the current state of the roads, traffic, any possible accidents or other causes of congestion. Once you make enough reports, you can level up, which makes the app much more fun to use, and encourages users to provide as much information as they can.

Mint

This is a light weight finance management app that won`t let you make transactions or anything of the kind, but will give you a nice overview of your expenditures and profits for the current month. Naturally, since this information is what most people would consider highly sensitive, it comes with password protection that will keep prying eyes away from your data. The app is completely free, as well as very intuitive and easy to use.

About Author:

Dana Scott is a social media manager who is getting things done and stays organized thanks to her xperia neo smartphone which she carries all the time. If you want to connect with Dana you can find her on Twitter - @DanaSC32.

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Android VPN Vulnerability Exposed | Android OS Will Remain Vulnerable to This Exploit?

Android

For some time security researchers, including myself, have been encouraging Android users to avoid using public Wi-Fi hotspots as this type of internet connection is rife with data theft, this advice remains true. There were formerly two ways to provide a secure browsing experience in public: using your mobile data plan (3G, 4G, LTE), or using a mobile VPN (Virtual Private Network). However, researchers from Ben Gurion University have discovered a vulnerability that allows a malicious application to bypass the VPN settings and redirected user data to an alternate server. The researchers have notified Google of this vulnerably and have created a proof-of-concept application to demonstrate the malicious activity. The full details of the hack process have not yet been released and will not be released publicly until Google develops a patch.

The Cyber Security team from Ben Gurion University has published an article outlining the preliminary results of their research which includes a video demonstrating the VPN vulnerability in action. In the video the researchers activate the malicious proof-of-concept application, then correctly configure and activate a legitimate VPN service, and finally send an email from the device. In a normally functioning VPN the email would be sent encrypted to the VPN servers and then delivered to the destination address. In the video we see that malicious application exploits the vulnerability to capture the email in plaintext and forwards it to an alternate server (in this case a computer) running detection software where the email and its contents are captured. The article goes on to clarify that the vulnerability can also be used to capture data sent via SSL but in this case the captured data is encrypted.

The implications of this are very concerning, using this vulnerability cyber criminals can gain access to any sensitive information transmitted via VPN. This exploit defeats one of the most reliable ways to provide data security while using public Wi-Fi. Please be assured that this vulnerability is exclusive to Android and is not an exploit in the design of VPNs or even mobile VPNs. If you chose to access the internet through public Wi-Fi using any other device VPNs are still the best form of security to protect your private information. The use of a VPN remains essential.

Equally concerning is this exploit requires no VPN related permissions nor root access to the device suggesting that an application requesting very innocuous permissions may be capable of executing this malicious activity. This Android VPN exploit has been verified on Android 4.3 but research into this vulnerability on Android 4.4 is ongoing. Regardless of the exploit being verified on Android OS 4.4 any patch released by Google will not be retroactive. This means that all affected versions of the Android OS will remain vulnerable to this exploit. Android updates are never retroactive; this is why it is incredibly important for Android users to stay current with Android updates.

Once Google has released the patch for this vulnerability we anticipate that the researchers will publish the methodology of this hack. When the methodology becomes public we can expect cyber criminals quickly incorporate this vulnerability into new malware that is capable of stealing sensitive data sent via VPN connection. VPN use on Android devices is not particularly popular and as such we do not expect that malware exploiting this vulnerability will be widespread.

The most secure way for Android users to access the internet is via their mobile data plans. Until this vulnerability has been patched and the update has been released to the public it is unsafe to use VPN services to connect to the internet. Android device manufacturers and mobile service carriers are well known for delaying the Android update process to incorporate additional applications and customize the Android OS. This means that when Google releases the update you may be waiting several months for the manufacturer of your device and your carrier to release the necessary update. Until your device has received the update it especially important to install and use Antivirus software to detect malicious applications that are designed to intercept and steal your sensitive data. 

About Author: James Green is a security researcher for Android antivirus company Armor for Android. James has worked in the Android security field for several years and provides privacy and security advice to Android users.

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Forget the NSA: your technology gadgets are spying on you

The government has full rights to monitor your activities but did you know that it is not the only authority that’s keeping a spy on you? Advertisers and scammers are one good example. They use your information to earn money. From a smartphone to a game console, every gadget you are using is vulnerable to your personal information, may be the ones you are currently using too. Here are 6 of those daily-life gadgets that are rated the “most-vulnerable”:

#1: Smartphones

Smartphones are smart. And they are smart enough to track your information. GPS, NFC, Accelerometers, Internet Browsing and Wi-Fi antennas can give easy access to your information, while a spyware for iPhonecan do the trick too as it is especially meant for that purpose. According to a research, smartphones are now more vulnerable to “Remote Access Trojans” which were only found on computers. This malware can be used to steal your passwords and other sensitive data.

Moreover, smartphones are now vulnerable to other types of hacks and roots as well. As per recent studies, roots can now be used to activate a smartphone’s microphone to record your conversations behind the scene. And since you are on-the-move with your smartphone, GPStracking could also cause danger.

#2: Tablets

Just like smartphones, your tablet could also keep secretly spy you as they are configured in the same way your smartphones are. And just like any keylogger app, the TouchLogger app can detect each of your touch impressions which may then be used by scammers against you.

#3: Smart TVs

Smart TVs are also smart. They can be used by hackers to track sensitive data too. Hackers and scammers can easily get access to your history files and remote files, while they can also transfer malware through USBs connected to your Smart TV.

#4:Cable Boxes

If your TV is not connected to the web, it might still be prone to hackers’ attack. Although it might be a far-lesser possibility, but it is still vulnerable. For example, a TV set top box with motion and audio sensors can track users every movement impression to customize their experience. The same functionality could be used for other purposes too.

#5: Gaming Consoles

Microsoft’s KinectXbox One -the upcoming iteration of the original Xbox introduced in 2010- is supposed to have cyborg-like functionalities which may cause harm to user privacy. So you see gaming consoles are also capable of spying you.

#6: Smart Meters

Apart from the gadgets mentioned above, smart meters which often come integrated with touchscreenrefrigerators, and while wireless electric meters are one good example of spying devices. A person who is capable of hacking a smart-meter can get through your secret information to use it for the intended purpose which may cause harm to you.

You are surrounded by these gadgets so as you are surrounded by spies in your life. You can’t really quit using these daily-life gadgets but precaution is always better than cure.

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Clearing level 33 hurdle of Candy Crush

You might have played all the levels up to 33 in an effortless way. If you have come to a halt at level 33, you might want to explore various options to overcome the barrier. In this context, you are not required to spend money. You can certainly make the most of the existing pool of resources. If you go through the cheats and tips, you will get great insight. You will minimize your mistakes and maximize your thinking capabilities. Instead of focusing on getting 3 stars at level 33, you can focus to move forward to the next level. Your keen focus on the capabilities of various pieces at this stage can help you become a winner.

Level 33 challenge

Candy crush level 33 poses the greatest challenge for new as well as experienced players. There are players who have successfully cleared in the first few attempts as well. On the other hand, there are players who explore options to pay money to clear this level. As there is plenty of information at your disposal, you can go through the game without any difficulty.

By trying to overcome the barrier on a consistent basis, you will certainly overcome the level 33 challenge. There are players who have cleared the level after 60 or 70 attempts. Most of the levels in Candy Crush can be cleared in less than 10 attempts. Some players are able to clear 1 to 30 levels in a few hours. Hence, the exposure to gaming scenario and logical thinking will certainly help you in this context.

Cheats and tips

For those who are struggling to get a breakthrough at level 33, cheats and tips are readily available. These tips can be accessed from various blogs. The game developers have tightened the spot at level 33 so that most of the players will pay $1.99 to skip this level. It is a great way to make money. There are certain players who cannot wait forever. Such kinds of players are prone to go for payment. However, with due diligence and considerable patience, you can cross the stumbling block and you will be able to enjoy the rest of the game. Hence, you should focus on clearing the level instead of focusing on 3 star rating at level 33.

How to overcome the barrier?

In order to clear Candy crush level 33 very easily, you can utilize the information and clues shared by earlier players. By maintaining cool composure and sharpening your brain, the likely impact on various pieces and available options should be checked after each move.

If you take enough time before making a new move, you will take the most appropriate step. There are various strategies that can be implemented with each move. The available options after each move should be chalked out. If you can predict the impact of one move in making all candies fall, you can certainly make the most from your game. Even though luck plays major role in Candy Crush, by implementing the right kind of strategy at every move, you can go ahead and emerge victorious.

Enough attention should be paid to the position of striped candies. The direction a striped candy is likely to clear and your ability to guess the same will impact your performance in the game. The rows that will be cleared through the stripes’ direction will give you useful information. A vertical striped candy should be swiped in vertical direction and horizontal striped candy should be swiped in horizontal direction. There are some tips which are applicable at all levels of the game. 

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Must Have Apps for Android Users | WhatsApp and More!

If you are one of the new Android users who still didn't have enough time to properly explore all the different applications in the sea of various apps available nowadays, this text is the thing you've been looking for. It will give you a rough direction which to move in when it comes to the apps you should have on your Android.

This article does not only tackles the new Android users but also the more experienced ones who did not really have enough time to roam around the Google Play store and see if there is something interesting for them.

There are literally millions of applications nowadays. You can't get to see and try out all of them in a lifetime – however there are few that became sort of 'standard' in their branch and are certainly worth of having on your Android.

E-books: Aldiko Book Reader

E-books skyrocketed with the popularity after the first Smartphone and tablets hit the market. If you are one of those who like to have all the favourite readings at one place – Aldiko Book Reader is the application you might want to have.

This application supports the EPUB, PDF and Adobe DRM encrypted e-books as well as the option to purchase the new literature from the integrated e-shop. Aldiko allows you to adjust the size and type of the font, margins, background, line spacing options and the intensity of the background light.

Business: Kingsoft Office

If you could use a completely free Office for your mobile device then the Kingsoft Office application is the way to go. It enables you to view and edit the 23 types of different files including DOC, DOCX, TXT, XLSX, XLS, PPT, PPTX and PDF.

It has integrated file manager and it supports the cloud services like Dropbox, Google Drive, Box.net etc. This is fairly powerful and completely free Office package that will meet the most of your business-related needs.

Communication: WhatsApp

WhatsApp is worldwide popular messenger not only for Android but for the other platforms as well. It makes for a great solution to remain in contact with your friends. Besides the text, you can send and receive photographs, video, video messages, share your location or send the information about the contacts found within your name book.

WhatsApp is the application that ‘ties’ to the mobile phone number thus it is easy to figure out who uses it on their Smartphone. This is definitely a must-have when it comes to chatting and staying in contact.

Movies: MX Player

This is one of the advanced solutions when it comes to watching movies and series on your Android-supporting device. MX Player supports the hardware acceleration while smoothly interpreting your video even on weaker devices.

It has pinch-to-zoom feature, translation scroll and it sports organized and neatly-implemented user interface. MX Player supports wide range of formats, video materials and subtitles what makes it one of the most popular apps.

The above listed applications are far from final of the must-have applications but they do cover certain areas. Some of the other popular areas like music, widgets and weather prognosis have whole lists of simple but efficient applications.

To find out more you’ll have to dig out through the store but it won’t be hard to recognize the ones worth of attention. Choose your apps carefully and keep the ones you use – get rid of the ones you don’t need. Enjoy your device and get on hold of wonderful possibilities technology offers us nowadays!

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Doctor On Demand Medical App: Healthcare Over the Internet

Sick or feeling ill and feeling like you need to take a trip to the doctor's office? There's no need to leave the house, just use the online Doctor on Demand app and receive medical advice from a licensed physican right over the Internet!

Chat & Talk to a Doctor Online with the Dr on Demand App

Remember the old days when you actually had to get in the car and leave your house and go to a hospital or clinic when you felt sick and like you needed medical attention? Well, thanks to the new "Doctor on Demand" app premiered recently on the NBC daytime talk show series Dr. Phil, you can get medical advice from a real doctor right from your internet-enabled mobile device (iPhone, iPad or Android) in the comfort of your own home. Sure beats sitting in a drafty waiting room for an hour sneezing and coughing, right?

Online Diagnosis: Ask a Real Doctor a Health Question, but It's not Free...

The new Doctor on Demand app is a commercial application that was recently advertised on the NBC talk show Dr. Phil. The mobile application is basically a video chat service that connects licensed U.S. physicians with patients for a video consultation via iPhone, Android or tablet. The service costs $40, which is actually quite reasonable when you consider that that amount is only slightly higher than most peoples' health insurance co-pays for a doctor visit and even lower in some cases. The Doctor on Demand medical app is available for download on iTunes.

Overseen by cofounder Dr. Pat Basu, M.D, a White House fellow and former Stanford physician, the San Francisco based technology company launched at the end of 2013 and already includes over 1,000 physicians in its national network. Basu calls the medical app "a solution... for the cost, access and capacity issues that currently plague our health care system." I agree with him in that the Doctor on Demand medical video app marks a new chapter in healthcare technology. Will medical video apps and online doctor consultations like these catch on and grow in popularity? Would you ever use a mobile app like Doctor on Demand instead of going to see a doctor in person?

Sponsored by Calera Internet Service. Calera provides high speed internet solutions to rural areas across the United States.

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Want To Ensure The Safety Of Your Kids? Mobile Apps That Help Keep Tabs On Them

Safety of Your Kids
Source: cc-by-3.0, morguefile

There is nothing more rewarding than being a parent and you need to be ready for the huge responsibility that comes along with it. Thinking how you can mold and prepare your children to face this world on their own can be scary, so you will need all the resources you can lay your hands on to help you ensure their safety and security. Fortunately, you have technology to help you out.

Mobile handsets and specially designed mobile apps can be used to help keep kids safe, communicate with them and more. Chances are that your children own mobile phones or similar devices, so aside from being a cool parent, you can also keep tabs on them for their own protection.

The MamaBear App

It is important to continue keeping tabs on your kids as they start to participate in more activities and meet new people. The MamaBear app allows you to keep an eye on your children without having to call or text. All kids have to do is check in a location and communicate with a press of a button, while you keep tabs on their activity.

The Family GPS Tracker App

Your children might already be riding their bikes to and from school or commute by bus. Sadly, this can make it easy for them to wander into unfamiliar places and get lost. However, the Family GPS Tracker can help parents set boundaries and receive notifications whenever kids wander too far. The app also features communication tools so you can help your kids find their way should they get lost.

The FBI Child ID App

No parent will want to think about the possibility of their child going missing, but considering how dangerous our world can be at times, it is best to be prepared. The FBI Child ID app allows you to store photos and crucial information about your children along with tips on how to keep them safe. Resources are also made available to you via this app.

The Sex Offenders Search App

Whether you like or not, there are dangerous people in the world, such as sex offenders. This app can help ensure that your children are protected from any potential predators. A map of the surroundings can be checked using the Sex Offenders Search app for any registered sex offenders and you can warn your children to never stray around such places to prevent them from having to interact with such people. Learn more on what you can do if a predator contacts any of your children.

The Life360 App

If you spend long hours at the office each day, you will want to be able to locate your children to put your mind at peace. The Life360 app allows you to communicate with one another, sharing locations and sending notifications to one another. This app is useful among parents of a group of friends.

The MobileKids App

Children are now able to have access to mobile phones due to convenience for parents and children. Sadly, this accessibility also opens up a lot of possibilities wherein some can harm them. The MobileKids app protects children by allowing parents to block certain apps and contacts, while tracking mobile usage and setting hours for usage.

About Author:

Valerie Jones is a freelance writer specializing in personal injury cases and other legal issues for individuals and businesses. She regularly provides information about product and business negligence, safe shopping and personal injury claims.

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Using Mobile Applications For Organization In Your Law Firm

Law School
Source: Tulane Public Relations, CC-By-3.0, Flickr

Staying organized can be a tough task today, especially with the continuous flood of information. It can be easy to get overwhelmed. Especially, if you don't have any system of organization. The good news is that with the amount of mobile apps available today you'll be able to organize your business and life faster and easier than ever.

In this article we're going to cover the benefits to why you'll want to be using mobile applications for organization as well as a few apps you should begin to utilize starting today.

Why should I be using mobile apps for organization?

As technology becomes more and more ubiquitous, you'll want to integrate it into your life sooner rather than later. By using mobile apps to organize yourself and business you'll always be able to keep tabs on whatever is going on as long as you have your phone in your pocket.

Being able to manage everything from a small device will come in handy and be much easier than any system you're currently using. As mobile applications continue to develop they will only become better and cater to their users needs in a more efficient manner.

What are some examples of apps I should be using?

There are so many apps to choose from it can be easy to get overwhelmed, so we're going to focus on a few apps you can use right away:

1. Wunderlist

Wunderlist is a free to-do list app that manages all of your tasks in the best possible way. You can create sub-tasks, and the app also hides what doesn't need to be shown for the task at hand. You can even have others in your practice or business use this app, and send tasks for them to complete.

2. Expensify

Expensify allows you to take pictures of any receipts or documents you might need to save for any of your expense reports. It also syncs with Quickbooks so you'll be able to manage your finances very easily. You don't want to have a bunch of receipts lying around, snap a quick photo and get them filed away all through your phone.

3. Dragon Dictation

Dragon Dictation allows you to talk instead of tying or texting. This can save you plenty of time, especially if you're a slow typist. Through this app you can make calls, set appointments and send text messages.

4. Base CRM and Sales Tracking

It can be confusing to track all of your lead data, with this app you'll be able to see where all of your leads come from, as well as all of their information in one place. You can even manage each different level of the sales process.

5. Sprout Social

If you have a variety of social media accounts it can be hard to keep track of everything. By using this app you'll be able to see what's going on within each platform, as well as manage and post content.
I hope this article has been helpful and you have a better understanding of what you can be doing to stay organized. There are so many ways to keep track of your business and life, however, with all the apps available it becomes easier to stay on top of everything. All you need is a phone and you'll be able to keep track of your life efficiently and effectively.

Sources:
http://www.forbes.com/sites/davidkwilliams/2013/02/07/10-mobile-apps-to-organize-your-business/2/

About Author:

Zane Schwarzlose is a writer at Carroll Troberman Criminal Defense, a criminal defense law firm in Austin, Texas. Zane uses a few note-keeping apps to keep organized.

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Add A Little Technology To Your Next Diet With These 3 IOS Apps

Food
Source: Nina Hale, CC-By-3.0, Flickr

Whether you’ve decided to turn over a new leaf or perhaps you lost your way a little over the Christmas break, many of us use the New Year milestone as a reason to get back into shape. It is probably the most popular of all of the NY resolutions, but also the one that has the highest failure rate. Setting that bar too high is probably one of the most common reasons for these statistics, and maybe our will power needs a little TLC instead of unrealistic goals. So this time, how about looking at your Smartphone for some divine inspiration? We have found 3 cracking iOS Apps that really want to help you meet those weight loss and fitness objectives in 2014. Please take a few minutes to read the following unbiased reviews and see if you can’t find one that fits around your own personality this time?

Diet & Food Tracker By SparkPeople - $3.99https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/diet-food-tracker-sparkpeople/id568471693?mt=8

This App will run on your iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad and it requires iOS 6.0 or later for smooth running. Okay, our first weight loss/fitness App is all about the community around us. By joining in with other SparkPeople members, you can set yourself targets that will bring you closer together. It allows you to track your calorie intake and also the burning of these bad boys is taken into consideration. There are a bunch of really sweet exercise demos onboard and the chance to meet fellow SparkPeople meets is never far away. With more than 2 million foods available to track and a very cool daily weigh in page, this App is already one of our favourite for 2014, and beyond.

Gain Fitness Cross Trainer By Gain Fitness – Free https://itunes.apple.com/in/app/gain-fitness-cross-trainer/id441646808?mt=8

This App will run on your iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad and it will require iOS 7.0 or later for smooth running. We could all use a personal trainer and that’s exactly what this rather slick App is offering us. You use the Gain Fitness Cross Trainer to help build the perfect custom workout that fits around your present lifestyle. You get a neat Gain Plan calendar that motivates you to train regularly and we reckon this setup will work for most would-be athletes out there. Check out the link and you’ll soon be downloading this free but useful fitness App.

Nike+ Running By Nike Inc – Free https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/nike+-running/id387771637?mt=8

This App will run on your iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad and it will require iOS 6.1 or later for smooth running. Our final iOS fitness App is a real giant in the world of athletics and sports brands. Nike has developed a slick application that tracks your running efforts and helps you to meet your goals with a little more professionalism. You can add them to the onboard map by using the GPS feature and also share them socially. A real winner that will help you to cross that finish line in no little style!

New Year, New You?

So there you go, 3 ways to keep those weight loss and fitness goals within your reach – Happy 2014!

About Author:

Dave Richards, the author of this article, works as an instructor at Good Health Technology, providers of effective tips on how to lose weight in a week. Dave, a major technophile, loves reviewing the latest products that hit the market.

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5 Cleaning Apps That Make Spring Cleaning Chores So Simple To Do

Spring Cleaning Source: Seemann, CC-BY-3.0, via Morguefile

Winter will soon be over and Spring just around the corner. As spring comes around, we can all enjoy beautiful greenery and warm weather. Spring is also the season for everyone’s common activity – Spring Cleaning.  Sadly, spring cleaning can be quite tiring as well considering the amount of work needed to be done, so you will need all the help you can get, especially when you just do not know where and what to start cleaning. These apps can help you keep track of your chores and make sure you are doing them right.

App #1 – Good Housekeeping At Home 

This app offers a complete guide on how to deal with an array of spills and stains. All you have to do is type in the type of stain or spill in the Good Housekeeping At Home app and you will be provided instructions on how to remove it.  You can also get a complete guide on how to clean different surfaces in your home.

App #2 – Green Shine 

This app offers green solutions for your cleaning needs such as mopping floors, cleaning windows and polishing furniture. The Green Shine app provides details on how to make products as effective as commercial cleaners, while providing warnings about each method as well. The app is easy to use and will be handy for almost any type of household chore that you are having a hard time doing perfectly.

App #3 – Clean Freak Cleaning Schedule

This app offers basic, but efficient and useful features for your chores and organizing tasks. The Clean Freak Cleaning Schedule   makes sure that you commit to at least one chore each day and even informs you about the last time you had actually done a chore. It will tell you the last time you had vacuumed and even the last time you had your driveway and patio cleaned up.

App #4 – HomeRoutines

This app allows you to type a list of chores that you need to do each day and then rewards you with stars whenever you complete them. The HomeRoutines makes sure that you are able to manage all your cleaning and organizing chores, by separating them in to morning and evening tasks. In fact, you can also manage them as recurring tasks or create daily customized lists. The app features a cleaning plan for your home and notify you a week ahead about your tasks. The notifications are useful when you need to contact professionals to do a job for you, such as CleanSweep pressure cleaning, that should not be neglected such as removing grime and spots on driveways, dust and spider webs on the exterior walls and moss on the patio and walkways.

App #5 – Chore Hero

This app makes sure that you complete all your chores with a little competition. The Chore Hero app allows you to assign tasks to members of your family so everyone can help out with the chores. They can also receive points for every task completed and you can decide on what type of rewards to give them. This app will certainly help get kids involved and learn how to be responsible at home especially when they are in a competition with their parents.

Valerie Price is a freelance writer specializing in home and business management and DIY home improvement projects.

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Shocking Sexting Statistics That Every Parent Should Know

Is your teen sending sexually suggestive messages or pictures? Most parents would say no, but the research suggests that our kids may be sexting at alarming rates and we as parents have no idea about it. Sexting has been brought to the media when those text messages get shared with others and then eventually online. Teens are sharing these pictures usually with a friend or boyfriend/girlfriend that they trust. Unfortunately those images are being forwarded to others and taking on a life of their own.

A sexting scandal can be harmful to a teens self-esteem and even to their future. Images shared can find their way onto the internet where they then live forever, following them around their whole lives. Every recruiter or college admissions offer could potentially access that information when reviewing an application for a job or college. Many parents can’t believe that their child is taking part in sexting, but the truth is, it’s possible that they could be. 1 in 5 teens are sexting. Here are some more shocking sexting statistics that parents can’t afford to ignore.

They Are Sending Nude Or Semi-Nude Photos To Their Girlfriends Or Boyfriends

Young love can be difficult. Part of being young is falling in and out of love. We have all been there, unfortunately most of us didn’t leave nude pictures on a cell phone as a parting gift. What happens to those nude photos your child texted to their boyfriend or girlfriend? Some may just delete them, but unfortunately if things don’t end well, those photos can be used maliciously. Did you know that 71% of teen girls and 68% of teen boys who have sent these types of photos sent them to a boyfriend or girlfriend? 21% of girls and 39% of guys sent these to someone that they wanted to “hook up with”. Teach your kids that they shouldn’t send naked or suggestive pictures to their significant others as it may not always end well.

They Feel Pressured To Take Part In Sexting

Since sexting is becoming more and more popular, teens are feeling pressure to do it. 51% of teen girls said that the pressure they receive from a boy is the reason they send those messages. 18% of teen boys do it for the same reason (pressure from girls). Just like the pressure to skip school, try drugs or alcohol, this behavior can be just as damaging. And in some cases, it can be even more damaging. If a teen tries a sip of alcohol, usually that’s it, but if they share a naked picture of themselves, it can damage their reputation for a lifetime.

They Know Those Texts Are Being Shared

What’s even more shocking than how much teens are sexting is the fact that they know that these pictures are being shared 44 Percent of both teen girls and teen boys say it is common for sexually suggestive text messages to get shared with people other than the intended recipient.

What are you doing to prevent your kids from sexting? Talk with your teens today to make sure they don’t become a statistic. You can also monitor their text messages with a parental control for iPhone or Android phone.

About the Author:

Talia Smith is a parent of four and high school teacher. She also contributes to the blog at Phone Sheriff, parental control for iPhone that helps parents keep track of who their kids are texting and what they are viewing online.

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Enjoy Your Music With These Three Premium Streaming Services

The age of audio entertainment has reached a new peak of performance, thanks in large part to mobile technology. In the past, people were limited to cassette tapes, vinyl records and compact discs as the only forms of enjoyment in this area – all of which required you to purchase them individually and all of which required standalone equipment to use. With so much technology at our disposal these days, most of these concepts have become so antiquated that the newest generations have never even heard of them. Mobile applications are a key component in driving this approach, with dozens that now offer some form of audio enjoyment or another. If you want to have virtually unlimited access to all of the music you love, then you will appreciate the following three Android apps that are dedicated deliverers of high-definition audio.

TuneIn Radio Pro

An excellent application for those who want to be in total control, the TuneIn Radio Pro is an upgrade from the regular offering of this Android application. Available for $6.99, the TuneIn Radio Pro app allows users to sample thousands of different radio stations and create an unlimited number of customized stations and play-lists for their enjoyment. One of the big upgrades that is included in the TuneIn Radio Pro app is the ability to instantly record any and all live radio stations directly to your Android device. Once opened, anyone can quickly learn how to interact with the application via its intuitive interface and clearly labeled categories. Users can download this app from Google Play and immediately begin using it to find any and all desirable songs, news reports, sports coverage and more.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=radiotime.player

SiriusXM Internet Radio

Popular among automobile owners and those who spend a great deal of time commuting, SiriusXM is a subscription-based service that has recently extended its offerings to mobile devices. Available via Google Play for Android users, SiriusXM Internet Radio is a great way to connect to all of your favorite XM stations when you are at work, at home or anywhere else. Users will be able to fully interact with all programming and songs, with options such as fast forward, pause and rewind. If you have just tuned into a sports or news show and missed some of the commentary, no worries: SiriusXM Internet Radio allows you to listen from the beginning via its intuitive software; the same can be said for all songs. On demand access to all of Sirius' audio offerings is also available to customers.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.sirius

Spotify

Another great way to enjoy all of your music from anywhere is via Spotify, a popular music streaming service available for Android users. Anyone can sign up for a Spotify account (currently $9.99 per month, although free and limited services also exist) in order to access hundreds of thousands of songs within the app's catalog. You can create customized play-lists and save select songs to your Android device's storage for offline entertainment. In addition to this, users can share play-lists with one another and follow each other to keep track of the latest and greatest offerings in the world of music.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.spotify.mobile.android.ui

About The Author:

Paul Potter is a part of the team at V Media, providers of Bell Fibe TV. He enjoys fishing and loves spending time with his family on weekends.

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