Wednesday, October 7, 2015

The FRENZY has Started Towards Your Financial Freedom!

2015-10-07_14h07_41OMG! Matt & Jason told me their servers are close to MELTING DOWN with all the people trying to sign up for Amazing Selling Machine!
Doors just opened three hours ago and already HUNDREDS of people have signed up!
Change your life today. Grab your spot NOW and watch the fourth video that explains EVERYTHING: http://snip.ly/yMXb

Saturday, October 3, 2015

Question about selling on Amazon?

I just found out that Matt & Jason from Amazing.com are hosting a LIVE Q&A session Saturday, October 3rd. This live session is already past but the recording is still there. They answered some of the most popular (and wackiest) questions they've received from the hundreds of comments on the first two videos about building a 7-figure physical products business. They answered everything from, "What happens if Trump becomes President and starts taxing imports from China?" to "How do I ship products directly to Amazon FBA?" Plus, they've also brought on two mega successful "regular" people who've built THIS business from SCRATCH from $0 to $100K PER MONTH to tell you their story (and secrets). Here's the link: http://snip.ly/IZDK  

Tuesday, September 8, 2015

Evolution of the iPhone to the Apple iPhone 6s Release

the original Apple iPhone
the original Apple iPhone
With the release of the Apple iPhone 6s coming up tomorrow (September 9, 2015), it’s interesting to see the changes in the iPhone over the past years. When Steve Jobs first announced the original release of the iPhone in 2007, it’s doubtful even he realized how popular it would become nor how it would evolve and change over the years. It really defined what a smart phone was and of course other companies hurried to release their own versions.
So what has changed? Certainly the speed of operation from one screen to the next and download time. There have been added features. Was the original iPhone without GPS or was the capacity just greatly improved? The camera and video functions are known to be amazingly good now – almost high definition quality – quite amazing for a point and shoot camera. Perhaps the most significant change has been the increased data capacity in all devices including laptops and desktops. Lastly, the screen size has increased and with it a more responsive touch screen.



Here is the predictions from Cellular Outfitter regarding the soon to be released iPhone 6S and the iPhone 6S Plus.
So, what is Apple going to announce on September 9? Rumor has it that successors to the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus
New iPhone 6S Plus
New iPhone 6S Plus
are to be announced. These might be called the 6s and the 6s Plus, should Apple choose to stick with its current naming scheme. The two phones are highly likely to retain the size, looks, and design of their respective predecessors, but on the inside, the hardware is expected to be given a serious boost. The camera of choice, for example, is rumored to be a 12MP unit with 4K video support. The new SoC will probably be accompanied by 2GB of RAM instead of just one gig. The housing of the handsets is said to be made of 7000-series aluminum, which is tougher. And the display could be given Force Touch abilities, the kind of which we first saw on the Apple Watch. The two phones' commercial release is extremely likely to coincide with the rollout of iOS 9. For more of what we think we know about the two, feel free to explore our iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus rumor round-up.
Read more by clicking here.
The Apple staff has become masters at marketing these phones. By using the tactic of scarcity during their launches, thousands (even millions) flock to their stores to get the first limited editions of new releases. There are long lines before stores open as if there won’t be more phones for sale later. The release of the Apple iPhone 6s release should be no different. Is it clever marketing or are these phones really superior to the competition? I leave that question for you to answer.

Saturday, August 1, 2015

Young Merchants Learn About Business

A program called Kids, Inc. 2015 offered a great opportunity to young merchants ages 6 - 15 in Port Arthur, Texas at their Central Mall. According to Chelsea Henderson reporting in "The News Port Arthur", the young people were learning about marketing, packaging, and other aspects of business management. What a great idea. Why aren't these ideas taught in school as regular courses with this type of "hands on" learning as a graduation from the course?
The group in Texas included young people who sold cupcakes, puzzles, magnets, cell phone holders made from lego and of course, lemonade. However, this is not your usual small business that every kid tries. Take Travis and Aubyn Moore, 9 and 7 respectively who are selling phone and business card holders. They design them and their dad is the investor. They say business is booming. They've never been this busy.
Their father, David Moore, said as a business owner himself, he thought it was a terrific idea to give younger children an opportunity to start and run their own businesses.
“The packets they gave the kids when we got here has really led to some interesting conversations today,” David said. “It’s a lot of very basic and general information about how to run a business, and one of the things it hits on is customer service. Travis asked, ‘Well, what is that?’ and now he’s been working on his customer service skills all day.

“But I love this whole program, because no one really teaches kids about how to start a business. We’re talking about profits and losses, and figuring out how to turn their ideas into something that can give them spending money."

Kayleigh Sadler, 9, of Groves poses in front of her business, Cupcake Concoctions, during the fourth annual Kids, Inc. entrepreneur program at Central Mall Saturday.
Kayleigh Sadler, 9, of Groves poses in front of her business, Cupcake Concoctions, during the fourth annual Kids, Inc. entrepreneur program at Central Mall Saturday.
It seems like a great concept and I hope it will spread to other communities. Kids need more practical skills from their many hours in school, and what could be better than an activity where they are making money for themselves?

Saturday, June 13, 2015

Cell Phone Holder Inside a Human-shaped Cushion

Hiroshi Ishiguro (center), an ATR fellow and professor of robotics at Osaka University and 2 other colleagues.
Hiroshi Ishiguro (center), an ATR fellow and professor of robotics at Osaka University and 2 other colleagues.
The Japanese are know for their inventions and occasionally for their wacky ideas.  I think it would only be in Japan that you would find a cell phone holder shaped like a human torso. The reasoning behind this is to reduce the stress of having too many mobile phone calls, even late at night and to help people feel close to each other when talking on the phone.
According to the article written by the Japanese Kyodo Press, this is a joint project of  Advanced Telecommunications Research Institute International, known as ATR, a bedclothes manufacturer, Kyoto Nishikawa Co. and industrial materials maker Toyobo Co. The cushion is called, "Hugvie" and they hope to market it at nursing homes and child care facilities as well as to the general public.
According to research by Hiroshi Ishiguro, an ATR fellow and professor of robotics at Osaka University, human beings can feel the presence of others more strongly if two or more senses are engaged, such as hearing and touch.
"We found a material that makes us feel human presence more," Ishiguro told a press conference in Osaka, adding the developers are even considering creating a system to hold conversations with the cushions.   Read more here.
And what is the price for this new invention? It retails for 10,800 yen (about $87 US) and it is 80 centimeters long by 55 cm wide. Batteries and cell phones not included.

Monday, May 11, 2015

In Search of the Standard Electrical Plug

When electricity first became popular appliances were wired directly into the power system - no plugs. As you can imagine this caused any number of fires as the wires were quickly overloaded with gadgets that everyone couldn't do without. Then in 1904 Harvey Hubbell invented the "Separable Attachment-Plug" which was the first screw-in light socket, turned on with a pull chain. This was followed by the first screw-in electrical plug, which was screwed into the same socket as the light fixtures. Thanks to all these inventors we now have surge bars that regulate our power use even in the case of an electrical storm.

In search of the standard electrical plug

So what's the problem? Anyone who travels knows that these handy plugs are not standardized, nor is the level of power use the same. I first discovered this is a most dramatic way. I was in a hotel room in Thailand and plugged in my battery charger loaded with batteries from Japan. The batteries literally popped out of the charger and flew across the room, totally fried and unusable.
It would be OK if there were only a few variations in power source and plug configurations. We could carry with us a small kit with the different plug types with chargers that would adapt to the local power settings. However, the international situation is unbelievably complex and is not getting resolved by any international edict either. Here is what Harry Herman writing for Gizmo has to say about it.
In the meantime, this means that things really aren't going to change. Your Walmart shaver will still die if you plug it into a European socket with a bare adapter, Indians will still be reminded of the British Empire every time they unplug a laptop, Israel will have their own plug which works nowhere else in the world, and El Salvador, without a national standard, will continue to wrestle with 10 different kinds of plug.
The British plug with a fuse built into it.
The British plug with a fuse built into it.
This situation started long ago with people not realizing how the development of future international travel and communication would effect us all. Who in 1928 would take a new vacuum cleaner or a lamp with them on a ship to Europe, for example? Then there was the destruction of Europe and England during World War II and the need to rebuild as quickly as possible. The Brits took all their electrical gadgets to India but then they left in 1947, leaving behind an old version of their plug still in use in India today. The power situation in India is so overloaded with the amount of electronic devices there that it's usual to have weekly rolling power outages everywhere.
There is hope for the future with the USB plug. Although the power going to the USB plugs still varies, the plug itself is all the same. You can plug into one in Africa just as easily as New York City. In addition, as bluetooth technology and WiFi improves, we won't need to plug in at all. Hopefully it will all be invisible in the walls and we won't have to deal with snarls of cords collecting dust in those corners OR lack of standard electrical plugs. However, it will be years yet before there is an alternative to batteries. My battery charger may still throw the batteries across the room in Thailand.
18mn6p37jctyxjpg

Sunday, April 26, 2015

USB Charging Rates

ipad-usb-charger-300x165We all use our USB ports and charging cables all the time for an increasing number of devices. We all know that they plug into ports one way but not the other. However, did you know about the power differences between chargers or wall plugs and that certain ports on laptops contain different charging variations?
While these differences tend to be mostly on older computers, it is beneficial to test the output to find out. However, your cell phone won't blow up if you plug it into a 1500 mA socket and it will actually charge faster.
There are certain computers that will also charge your devices while it is turned off (called the "sleep-and-charge port") and others that have ports that won't charge at all. While you now online manual will probably tell you, it's again a good idea to electrically test these ports. The lowest USB charging port is in your car at approximately 1A to 2.1A.

USB charging rates

According to ExtremeTech, companies are now moving towards using the USB-C plug.
USB-C is a different connector entirely. First, it’s universal; you can put it in either way and it will work, unlike with USB. It’s also capable of twice the theoretical throughput of USB 3.0, and can output more power. Apple is joining USB-C with USB 3.1 on its new MacBook, and so is Google with the new Chromebook Pixel. But there can also be older-style USB ports that support the 3.1 standard.
Just to complicate things further, if you have an older device that uses a USB cord, it might not be able to charge with these new USB-C cords or even the USB 3.1. In sum then it's better to keep the original cords with the devices and to use them always for the best charging situations. Since we are all used to having the electrical currents for each country a standard wattage, the issue here is that these modern devices are moving around a lot more. However, I look forward to a bit more standardization for USB charging rates in the future and hopefully some longer lasting batteries as well.

Thursday, April 2, 2015

Japanese Companies to Create Phone Gaming

Nintendo 3DS Virtual Console
Nintendo 3DS Virtual Console
It was bound to happen. While there have been cell phone games available on smart phones in particular for some time now, they have been very rudimentary compared to what is still available on game consoles. I'm actually surprised that more ads do not use games to keep the viewers involved.
Recently Japanese game giant, Nintendo announced a partnership with DeNa, a company specializing in mobile and online game services. While Nintendo will continue producing console games and the accompanying software and hardware, this is strong statement about the future of gaming. Will this mean 3D games on the small screens? How can games be made to adapt to touch screens? It seems to me Nintendo should partner with one of the cell phone companies too so that special components or apps can be developed.
According to a report by Charles Herald, about.com's Wii tech expert, Nintendo's president, Satoru Iwata, said this did not mean that Nintendo's console business was suffering. It was simply a move into a new field.
Iwata says that these phone games will not simply be ports of Nintendo's console software: "For smart devices, even in the case where we utilize the same IP, we will create completely new game software that will perfectly match the play styles of smart devices."
To read the rest click here.
 
 
The two presidents of Nintendo and DeNa are working to replace Club Nintendo (which will be closed down soon) with a fuller and more engaging membership club. Obviously Nintendo sees big bucks on the horizon with this move towards the burgeoning market of cell phone users, particularly when this also includes the users of tablets and the larger smart phones.
While it is unknown when we will get more information about these plans, there is a large trade show coming up in June - E3 Trade Show, and it is known that Club Nintendo will be shut down a few weeks before. It seems likely that there will be further announcements at this show June 16 - 18 at the Los Angeles Convention Center.

Sunday, March 22, 2015

How To Mount And Use Your Awesome New Cell Phone Holder

The new cell phone holder for the car by StarShine products has been very popular in the past months. This video will describe how to mount the mobile phone holder onto your windshield or dashboard. It also shows how versatile, sturdy and flexible it is. Here are a few of the best points about this holder:. 1. Legal, safe way to drive, talk and navigate. 2. Have your phone where you need it to use speaker phone or GPS. 3. Durable and firmly holds your mobile phone even on rough roads with suction cup for windshield and stick-on plate for the dashboard. 4. Made from eco-friendly plastic used even for children's toys. 5. Comes with foam-lined grip to prevent your phone from being scratched. The video shows a young customer who really likes her brand-new car cell phone holder and drives off around the waterfront of Vancouver, Canada. to show you how well it works.

Wednesday, March 18, 2015

Cell Phone Watches Are Here Big Time in 2015

While cell phone watches have been for sale for at least a year now, they haven't become mainstream till this year. Now with the Apple watch to be unveiled on April 23,  the time has come to take a closer look at these new mini-computers in a time piece.
Are these smart watches that popular? A quick survey of Amazon: I typed in the words, "phone watches" and came up with 19,582 entries - all phone watches! I've picked out a few that stand out above the crowd. Right now the Androids dominate since the Apple watch has yet to be released.
61409-gear-fit-boxThe ones on the top of the ranking are Androids with Bluetooth technology and the prices are more affordable now in the range of $30 - $50 US. I have picked out a sports watch to feature as it is waterproof and shockproof. The Samsung Gearfit will appeal to the very active person and the band fits well with numerous size adjustments. While it has amazing functionality for fitness, it is not a complex as some of the other smart watches. The price is less than $200. Here's what TopTenReviews.com has to say about this watch:
On the underside of the watch is the heart rate monitor, which utilizes an LED to measure your pulse. Next to the monitor is a proprietary docking and charging port; the device can run up to four days on a single charge. It utilizes Bluetooth 4.0 Low Energy to sync with your smartphone, and also comes equipped with an accelerometer and gyroscope to track precise movements.
To read more, click here.
63357-apple-watch-boxApple Watch - While this smart phone watch has yet to be released, it is still at the top of this list of new cell phone watches with the functionality and even the look of it. The price is also top coming in at nearly $500. Is it worth it? I suspect there will be thousands of buyers even in the first week it is released. Want to pre-order? Not till April 10! Let's look briefly at the suspected options of the Apple Watch. One very appealing feature is the digital crown, a small button on the right side that allows you to zoom the screen larger or smaller. I suspect that none of the smart watches has a responsive screen as the modern smart phones and tablets have now. More on this watch later.
57180-im-watch-boxi'm Watch - Here is a watch for the techie who wants all the functions in a small package. It is the only bluetooth watch that has its own app store including apps for music, games and social media. Many are pre-loaded, but hundreds more can be downloaded. The 4GB hard drive can go for several days without recharging. The price is mid-range at around
The entire watch face is a touchscreen that allows you to read messages, emails and social media notifications with just a tap. You can also answer, reject or place phone calls with the watch, thanks to the built-in microphone and speaker. If you get a call when your hands are full, just shake your wrist to reject it. The speaker can also be used to play music via the i'market music player, or you can plug in your headphones.
Certainly there are some attractive and useful toys out there to choose from. What should you be checking before you buy? Certainly you want to make sure it is compatible with your phone, tablet or laptop. Like any watch you want to make sure the band fits well and that you can see the dial clearly. You want something durable and lasting with a good warranty. All this is before you start to look at the functionality (which is what the sales personnel will focus on).
Look for a watch that works with apps such as Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest as well as access to thousands of others. Some smartwatches can control your TV and you can actually make and receive calls, all on your wrist.
Last, don't forget to make sure it keeps good time!

Sunday, February 15, 2015

How to Stop Tracking Through Your Cell Phone

downloadWe all know that companies and even government agencies track us through our mobile phones. Most of us know to turn off the WiFi connection when not in use. But did you know that you can still be tracked even with WiFi turned off? However, this short video will show you how to still be able to use your phone but keep it from being tracked.
So now you can see how with most phones to have some privacy. I personally find it amazing that the younger users (10 years to 25 years) don't seem to care if they are tracked or recorded on social media. Just a reminder: something that is posted as well as tracked is a permanent record and theoretically could be accessed 50 years from now.
Another issue is avoiding or blocking internet tracking. However, let's take up that issue in another blog.

Saturday, January 17, 2015

Best Cell Phones for 2015

With the market for cell phones growing exponentially every year, it's difficult to pick out a few that stand out as unique. Therefore, I've picked out four from different countries. It seems most of them will be unveiled at the Mobile World Congress, this year scheduled for March 2-5, 2015 in Barcelona, Spain. Here are some of the sharpest phones.
  1. Samsung-Galaxy-S6Samsung Galaxy S6 - This Korean phone has generated a lot of speculation as to the features, both online and in the stores. Samsung has released a number of other models recently but this one seems to be the flagship version for 2015. There are actually to be two versions - one with a metal case and the other in plastic, super-thin with the usual Samsung wide screen. Perhaps this is the correct image. You can pre-order it online or in the stores for only $800 US!
  2. Huawei-Ascend-D8Huawei Ascend8 - The Chinese have created this pretty phone with a 5.5" screen and high resolution panel, 4GB of RAM and 64GB internal storage. The scheduled release in in May and will sell for $800 US.
  3. Microsoft-Lumia-1030Microsoft Lumia 1030 - This American phone has the same 5.5" screen but with a great high resolution camera and 4 speakers to record and play surround sound.
  4. Sony Xperia Z4 - We couldn't finish this review without including the Japanese who use their phones so frequently. Here is what Daniel P. (no last name given) posted in phoneArena.com
"Sony will pull out all stops" and intro a monster with 5.4" QHD panel, to an info one insider sent us that says Sony will keep using 1080p display resolution, but up the chipset to Snapdragon 810. As for the camera, all agree that it will be Sony's newest stacked 21 MP model that allows for real-time HDR stills, and has 192-point AF tech for shooting blur-free fast moving objects.
 
All phones will take top dollar but compared to the price of computers or even laptops or tablets they are still cheaper. For most of the world population their mobile phone is their connection to the internet. It's now several decades since the cell phone was used primarily for calling your friends. It seems from the reviews above that the most popular phones today will have excellent cameras as well as the capacity to take great pictures with increased storage capacity. The other features are yet to be announced. Please return to this column later this year for an update.

Thursday, January 8, 2015

Clever Cell Phone Gadgets

Yes, the holiday season is over for 2014 but not in Asia. Besides, January is a great time to shop for bargains. Companies are looking to get rid of leftover goods and you are the one who benefits. Here are some great gadgets that you will find at reduced prices. But hurry - others will see these low prices too.
1.61lGzbYUFJL._SL1500_ Multipurpose Travel Router - This router comes in handy in that hotel that is charging you an arm and a leg for poor WiFi service or a higher price for using several devices at once. Here's the Hoo Too Trip Mate to the rescue. It can also serve as a power source, a personal cloud (media sharing), and an independent WiFi source.
Here's the link to the router.
61UrDodCb+L._SL1000_2. Selfie Accessory Kit - Today taking pictures of yourself and your friends is very popular. Remember those cameras that used to take remote photos after 5 seconds? No need to do this any more with your selfie kit. Just put your smart phone on the pole, frame or attach to a tripod (tripod not included - only the attachment). It even has a Bluetooth remote control for the shutter.
713L3AndSXL._SL1500_3. Cell Phone Waterproof Case - Like to snorkel, surf or just hang out at the beach? Great for the boat owner as well. It's padded and lined, watertight and it floats! Since most wet cell phones are toast, this is what you need for all water-related trips. Now on sale.
Here's the link to the case.
It's great to accessorize your favorite piece of equipment that everyone carries with them now. There are so many nice cases, holders and desk top stands. Please remember the cell phone holder from StarShine Products available through Amazon.com by clicking on http://net-on-the-go.com/awesomeholders and on this very website.

Tuesday, January 6, 2015

Cash Back on Computers and Cell Phones

Need a new computer or cell phone, maybe some accessory or other gadget that can go with your media? Here's a company that will help you out with cash back shopping. It's like shopping during Black Friday or Boxing Day - but discounts like these all the time. It's a new system called Dubli Network. It has actually been around since 2003 but it has just arrived in North America. Here's a page from the network under the category of computers and cell phones: electonic_stores How does this work? It's easy. Just sign up as a free, Premium or V.I.P. member and start shopping. What's this V.I.P. membership? You get cash back in three different ways: 1. Get cash back on what you buy and what the people you refer buy. 2. Get paid for referring your friends who Get Cash Back too! 3. Get a higher percentage of cash back as a V.I.P. member. Interested in finding out more? Just click here.