The market of tablets has grown at a rapid pace. Over the last several years there has been a huge increase in the number of tablets being sold by companies such as Apple, Samsung, Microsoft, Asus and Lenovo. The explosive growth in the tablet market has benefitted consumers by providing them with various options at competitive prices.

You can find tablets of various brands, sizes and styles available in the market. They are portable and provide instant access to the internet. They are perfect for browsing, emailing and casual gaming. It can become difficult for a shopper to find the right tablet for his needs. Here are a few tips which can help you in buying the best tablet according to your needs:

• Convertible or Stand-Alone – Convertible devices are the combination of flexibility and convenience. They either come with a detachable keyboard or they are like a full-size laptop with a touch screen. Stand-alone tablets are like oversized smartphones weighing between 1 and 2 pounds. They are super compact and can be paired with a Bluetooth keyboard.
• Use – If you are looking for a tablet for general home use like browsing, emailing and music, you should not buy a high-end tablet. For business or work use, you should buy a tablet of at least a 9 inch screen. You can find a good branded tablet with handy multi-tasking features, pen-input support and optional keyboard attachment.
• Features – All new tablet models offer Wi-Fi connectivity and most of them come with a front facing webcam and GPS capability. You can find tablets of various screen sizes and shape and their screen resolutions are getting better. Storage space is also an important consideration while buying a tablet. Cheaper tablets usually have 8GB or 16GB built-in memory, while expensive tablets offer 32, 64 or 128GB space. Many tablets also have a memory card slot for expanding the storage of the device. You should also consider the speaker quality of the tablet. All tablets have a built-in speaker, but cheaper ones may not have good sound quality.
• Manufacturer – You should choose a manufacturer that offers the best customer support service. If you face any problem, you would want to make sure that there is a service center of the company nearby to solve the issues.
• Operating Software – You can choose iOS, Android or Windows operating system based on your comfort and needs.

You can find tablets of all major brands online. Check the ratings and reviews on various online forums to make an informed choice.

Source by Ritesh KR Dwivedi

Creating attractive interest is a challenge in today’s low interest rate environment. The attractiveness of First Position Mortgage Notes is in the fact that investors (lenders) are held in the first position as a lien holder of the property – so there is a hard asset (real estate) providing the security of their investment.

The 50-year average for homeownership in the United States is about 65%. Most experts see that number reducing as the move to rental communities continue to rise along with the challenges that younger consumers are finding in securing sustainable employment which is directly correlated to one’s ability (and desire) to own a home. The marketing for traditional residential mortgage financing in today’s marketplace has created a higher understanding of how these loans work for consumers. Couple that with the competition in the residential financing market and it is understandable why most adults understand residential financing. But what about Commercial Real Estate?

Each and everyday consumers leave their homes and visit multiple commercial properties – for work – for dining – for shopping – for entertainment – but few understand that differences in the commercial financing marketplace versus the residential financing marketplace. The term “commercial loans” is mainly segmented into “multi-family properties (5 plus units), office buildings, retail centers, industrial and warehouse space, single tenant box buildings (such as Lowes and Walmart), and specialty use properties such as gas stations, schools, churches, etc. Regardless of the use the access to commercial loans is quite different than residential borrowing.

In residential borrowing the normal procedure is for the lender to request 2 years of tax returns, bank statements, pay stubs, credit check, and appraisal of the property. The loan underwriters primary focus is the borrower’s ability (through an income and expense model) to make the monthly mortgage payments including taxes and insurance.

In a commercial loan the lender will first look at the condition of the property and its ability to service the loan out of the cash flow from its day to day operations. The lender will request copies of current leases (rent roll) and two years of the borrowers operating history. In addition, they will review recent capital improvements, internal and external photos of the property, and lien and title searches. With these documents in hand the underwriter will create a debt-to-service coverage ratio (DSCR) to determine if the property can cover the demands that the new loan will carry with it. In addition, the lender will look at third party appraisals paying attention to not only the property in question but also the surrounding area and the trends in the marketplace.

A commercial borrower needs to have strong financials and credit history to qualify for the loan. However, the lender places the greatest weight on the properties ability to sustain the loan over that of the borrower’s personal situation. This is in direct comparison to the underwriting of residential mortgages where the borrower’s personal financial situation is of a higher concern than the property that is part of the mortgage.

There are six sources for commercial real estate borrowing – Portfolio Lenders – Government Agency Lenders – CMBS Lenders – Insurance Companies – SBA Loans – Private Money/Hard Money Lenders.

Portfolio Lenders – these are mostly comprised of banks, credit unions, and corporations that participate in commercial loans and hold them on their books through the maturity date.

Government Agency Lenders – these are companies that are authorized to sell commercial loan products that are funded by governmental agencies such as Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae. These loans are pooled together (securitized) and sold to investors.

CMBS Lenders – these lenders issue loans called “CMBS Loans”. Once sold the mortgages are transferred to a trust which in turn issues a series of bonds with varying terms (length and rate) and payment priorities in the event of default.

Insurance Companies – many insurance companies have looked to the commercial mortgage marketplace to increase yield on their holdings. These companies are not subjected to the same regulatory lending guidelines that other lenders are and therefore have more flexibility to create loan packages outside the conventional lending norms.

SBA Loans – Borrowers that are looking to purchase a commercial property for their own use (owner-occupied) have the option of utilizing a SBA-504 loan which can be used for various types of purchases for one’s own business including real estate and equipment.

Private Money/Hard Money Loans – For those borrowers that cannot qualify for traditional financing due to credit history or challenges with the property in question – hard money loans may be a viable source of funds for their intended project. These loans have higher interest rates and cost of money than other types of loans. Regardless of the higher costs of borrowing – these loans fill a need in the commercial mortgage marketplace.

Commercial Mortgage Loans can be either recourse or non-recourse in their design. In a typical recourse loan the borrower(s) is personally responsible for the loan in the event that the loan is foreclosed and the proceeds are not sufficient to repay the loan balance in full. In non-recourse loans the property is the collateral and the borrower is not personally held responsible for the mortgage debt. In typical non-recourse loans a provision called “bad-boy clauses” are part of the loan documents which state that in the event of fraud, intentional misrepresentation, gross negligence, criminal acts, misappropriation of property income, and insurance windfalls, the lender can hold the borrower(s) personally responsible for the debt of the mortgage.

Understandably, in commercial mortgage negotiations the lenders prefer recourse loans where the borrowers would prefer non-recourse loans. In the process of underwriting the lender and borrower(s) work to create a loan that meets both parties need and objectives and if an impasse presents itself – the loan is not issued.

The world of commercial mortgages offers investors the ability to participate in a marketplace that can have attractive yields, principal safety through lien positions on real estate assets, and durations (12 months to 5 years) that are acceptable to most. The creation of ongoing monthly interest through holdings such as Commercial Mortgage Notes is attractive to both consumers and institutional investors.

Source by Daniel Reisinger

Staying In Shape Doesn’t Mean You Have To Give Up The Spice In Your Life!

It’s a common myth. Everyone assumes that if you’re going to commit to staying in shape, you have to sacrifice all the flavour in your diet and eat nothing but white rice, protein powder and chicken breasts day in and day out.

That’s simply not true! We asked some of the top athletes to help explode that myth, and they were delighted to provide us with some of their favourite recipes. Here you’ll find menus for every meal of the day – even dessert and late-night snacks.

Wait until you sink your teeth into these flavourful creations – you’ll be amazed that something that tastes so good can be so good for you!

1. FRENCH CREPES

2 cups flour

2 large eggs

2 Tbs sugar

2 cups milk

2 Tbs Cooking oil

Combine the flour, sugar, eggs and milk and beat until smooth. The resulting batter should be the consistency of thick cream. Add oil to the batter and mix lightly. Spray an 8-inch crepe pan with non-stick cooking spray.

Ladle about ½ cup of the batter into the pan and rotate the pan to spread the mixture evenly. Cook the crepe until it looks firm and is lightly browned at the edges (about one minute). Turn the crepe over with a thin spatula and cook the other side about 30 seconds. Re-coat pan with non-stick cooking spray about every other crepe, or when crepes begin to stick.

Add your favourite sugar-free fruit filling to top off these thin, delicious breakfast favourites.

(* Standard Cup Measurement: 1 cup = 250ml)

2. FRUIT FLAVOURED OATMEAL

1 cup one-minute oatmeal

½ cup raisins

¼ cup walnuts, chopped

1 banana, sliced

¼ cup skimmed milk

1 tsp artificial sweetener

Cook the oatmeal and place in a bowl. Add fruit and walnuts; mix in milk and sweetener and enjoy! Add cinnamon if desired.

3. BLUEBERRY PROTEIN PANCAKES

1 cup oatmeal

8 egg whites

¾ cup blueberries (frozen or tinned if not in season)

6 tsp sweetener

Mix all ingredients in a blender until consistency is smooth. Cook in pan coated with non-fat cooking spray; turn once to cook both sides. Makes one serving. Each serving consists of: protein 50g, carbohydrates 60g, and calories 440.

This recipe really packs the protein and carbs to give you energy for your morning workout.

4. EGG WHITE OATMEAL PANCAKES

8 egg whites

1½ cup Quaker Oats

2 tsp sweetener

Pinch of salt

1 tsp cinnamon

Blend all ingredients in a large bowl until mixture resembles pancake mix. Use a quarter of a cup for each pancake, pouring the mixture onto a hot frying pan. Cook until golden brown on each side and serve. This recipe delivers 30 grams of protein and 78 grams of carbohydrates.

These pancakes are great for dieting or anytime at all. Eat them plain or add your favourite jam or syrup.

5. OATMEAL PANCAKES OR WAFFLES

2-3 cups oatmeal (quick or old fashioned) or oatmeal flour

5 egg whites, lightly beaten

2 large apples

2 bananas

2 tsp ground cinnamon

½ tsp sweetener

Grate the apples and mash the bananas. Mix the oats with egg whites and stir until well mixed and add sweetener and cinnamon. Preheat frying pan (for pancakes) or waffle iron (for waffles) to 375°F/190°C. Add the apples and bananas to the mix and stir well.

For Pancakes: Pour slightly less than ¼ cup batter for each pancake onto hot frying pan (lightly greased with non-stick cooking spray if necessary). Turn pancakes when top and edges look dry.

For Waffles: Cook in hot waffle iron (lightly greased with non-stick cooking spray) until steaming stops and the waffles look brown and dry.

Start your day right with this sweetener!

6. BEST-EVER PANCAKES

1½ cup porridge oats

8-10 egg whites

1 egg yolk

1 cup raisins

1banana (sliced)

1 cup strawberries (sliced)

½ cup almonds (slivered)

½ cup sodium free baby food (pear, apple sauce, banana or peach cobbler flavour).

2 tsp cinnamon

2 tsp sweetener

Mix oats in large bowl with egg whites and yolk. Pour into frying pan coated with non-fat cooking spray. Cook like a pancake, turning once to cook both sides. Transfer from pan to plate. Sprinkle with cinnamon and sweetener, and then spread other ingredients over the top.

7. MARINATED STEAK WITH HONEY-PINEAPPLE SAUCE

1 small onion, chopped

1 green pepper sliced

½ cup white wine

½ cup apple juice

½ cup teriyaki sauce

2 tap soy sauce

1 clove fresh garlic, minced (or 1 tsp garlic powder)

¼ tsp ginger

16 oz very lean steak, cut into strips

½ cup tinned crushed pineapple (unsweetened)

2 tsp cornflour

2 tsp honey

Non-stick cooking spray

In a medium mixing bowl combine onion, pepper, wine, apple juice, teriyaki sauce, soy sauce, garlic and ginger. Add steak, marinate in refrigerator for three hours or overnight for incredibly flavoured meat. Remove steak from marinade. Grill for 3-4 minutes per side on a foil-covered grill pan coated with non-stick cooking spray. Meanwhile, pour remaining marinade into a saucepan. Add pineapple, cornflour and honey. Mix while heating over a low heat for three minutes. Pour sauce over steak and serve with rice.

Makes four servings. Each serving contains: protein 24g, carbohydrates 27g, fat 11g, fibre 1.5g, calories 303.

8. MEAL-IN-A-POTATO

2 large russet potatoes

1/3 cup skimmed-milk

¼ cup reduced-calorie margarine

½ cup grated low-fat mature cheddar cheese

1 Tbs chopped chives

Pinch salt (if desired)

Pinch black pepper

½ cup tinned black beans

½ cup low-fat cottage cheese

Preheat oven to 425°F/220°C/Gas Mark 7. Scrub potatoes, then prick skins thoroughly with a fork. Place them on the middle shelf in the oven and bake for about one hour (they are done when you can easily pierce them with a fork). Cool for 10 minutes. Slit the tops and scoop out the insides into a medium mixing bowl, leaving the skins intact. Add milk, margarine, cheese and chives to the bowl and mash with a fork. Season with salt and pepper if desired. Stuff each potato skin with filling, place on a non-stick baking sheet and return potatoes to the oven for 5-10 minutes. Meanwhile, heat black beans in microwave. When potatoes are done, top each with half the beans and cottage cheese.

This souped-up potato is perfect for lunch, dinner or a post workout treat.

9. FRESH FISH SALAD

1 cup fresh tuna fillet

1½ cups fresh salmon fillet

1 cup iceberg lettuce

½ cup red pepper

1 cup asparagus

Grill the tuna and salmon, adding some natural salt-free seasoning to taste. Chop the lettuce, red pepper and asparagus, and place in a bowl. When fish is ready, cut into small pieces and toss with salad. Add your favourite low-fat salad dressing or balsamic vinegar, and some walnuts for healthy fat.

If fish isn’t your game, try this recipe with chicken breast instead!

10. BLUEBERRY APPLE FILLET SALAD

3 oz of fillet of beef

4 cups of fresh spinach – discard the stems

2 oz blueberries (fresh if in season, if not use frozen or tinned)

1 large apple (sliced)

1 large tomato (sliced)

1 large onion (sliced)

1 oz oatmeal (uncooked)

2 Tbs balsamic vinegar

Salt and pepper to taste

Balsamic Dressing:

2 Tbs balsamic vinegar

1 tsp sweetener

1 cup water

Grill the fillet to your liking (rare, medium, etc). in a frying pan add a few drops of olive oil and then add the oatmeal and sliced onion. Stir until golden brown. In a medium bowl, toss the spinach with the balsamic dressing and add the blueberries, sliced apple and tomato. Sprinkle the roasted oatmeal over the top and slice the fillet of beef over the salad.

Makes one serving. Each serving consists of: protein 17g, carbohydrate 48g, fat 12g, calories 359.

11. YUGOSLAVIAN CHICKEN

8-10 oz of skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into cubes

3 cups green pepper strips

2 cups chopped fresh tomatoes

1 cup chopped onion

1 cup mushrooms

2 tsp extra virgin oil

1 tsp crushed garlic

½ tsp cayenne pepper

1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

Salt and pepper to taste

Heat one teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil in a non-stick frying pan. Add pieces of chicken breast; add salt and pepper. Sauté chicken lightly. As it browns, add one teaspoon olive oil, vegetables and spices into a second frying pan and cook for about five minutes. Pour vegetable mixture over chicken and serve.

Makes 4 servings. Each serving contains: protein 50-65g, carbohydrates 44-55g, calories 800.

12. HONEY-BOURBON PORK TENDERLOIN

3 X ¾ lb pork tenderloins

½ cup diced onions

1 Tbs minced fresh ginger

½ cup lemon juice

2 Tbs olive oil

½ cup bourbon

4 cloves garlic minced

¼ cup low-sodium soy sauce

½ cup honey

½ tsp salt-free seasoning

¼ tsp black pepper

Cooking spray

Trim the fat from the pork. Combine onion and next 7 ingredients in a large bowl. Add pork to bowl and cover with cling film. Marinate in refrigerator for 30 minutes. Remove pork from bowl, reserving marinade. Sprinkle salt-free seasoning and pepper over pork. Spray grill with non-stick cooking spray. Place pork on grill under a medium-low heat. Cover with foil and grill for 30 minutes or until the meat is just slightly pink in the middle. Turn and baste the pork occasionally with the remaining marinade. (If you have a meat thermometer, use this to test the temperature of the meat: it should be a constant 160°F/71°C).

When cooked, cut tenderloins into ¼ inch thick slices. Serve and enjoy.

13. FRUITY CARROT CAKE

2 cups wholemeal flour

1½ tsp bicarbonate of soda

1 tsp ground cinnamon

½ tsp salt

¼ tsp ground nutmeg

¼ tsp cloves

1¼ cup finely grated carrots

1 cup unsweetened apple sauce

1 cup vanilla fat-free yogurt

½ cup diced dried fruit and raisin mixture

¼ cup brown sugar

¼ cup sugar-free apricot jam

3 egg whites

¼ cup crushed pineapple

2 tsp vegetable oil

1 tsp vanilla essence

Preheat oven to 350°F/180°CGas Mark 4. Spray a cake tin 9”x3” with non-stick cooking spray. Mix flour, bicarbonate of soda, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg and cloves in a large bowl. Add remaining ingredients, mix until well-blended. Pour into cake tin. Bake for about 45-50 minutes or until skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Cool cake in tin for 10 minutes. Run knife around edges of tin to loosen and turn out.

14. STRAWBERRY BANANA LOAF

2 eggs

¼ cup oil

1 cup sugar

½ cup mashed strawberries

½ cup mashed bananas

1¾ cups flour

½ cup rolled oats

2 tsp baking powder

½ tsp bicarbonate of soda

½ tsp salt

In a bowl, beat eggs until frothy, stir in cooking oil, sugar, strawberries and bananas. In a separate bowl, combine flour, rolled oats, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt. Stir to distribute evenly, then add to first bowl, stirring lightly. Spoon into a greased loaf tin. Bake in oven at 350°F/180°C/Gas Mark 4 for about an hour or until skewer placed in centre comes out clean. Leave to cool in the tin for about ten minutes, and then remove from the tin to finish cooling on a rack.

15. BEEF STROGANOFF

16 oz lean sirloin cut into cubes

2 oz sweet and sour pickles

2 oz onions

2 oz chopped tomatoes

1 cup soya milk

1 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)

8 oz cooked rice

1 Tbs olive oil

¼ tsp crushed pepper

¼ tsp paprika

1tsp garlic salt

Pour the olive oil into a frying pan; heat on high. Add the beef and seasoning with half the garlic and salt; stir until medium rare. Add the onions and pickles (and cayenne pepper if you desire a spicier stroganoff). Stir-fry for one minute, then add the tomatoes. Continue to stir and add the rest of the seasoning except the soya milk. Turn down the heat and allow to simmer. Add the soya milk, continue to stir. Remove the pan from the heat before the soya milk begins to coagulate. Serve over the rice.

Makes 4 servings. Each serving contains: protein 24.7g, carbohydrates 20g, fibre 1.6g, fat 9g, calories 258.

Source by Andy G

There are a number of project managers today that use Microsoft Project to create and track project plans to keep tasks on schedule. Project is a fine application for small endeavors with one person in charge. However as a project grows and more decision makers are involved, managers need an application that can provide enterprise-wide project management.

On-line Management with Project Server

When coordinating a large venture, basic management tools like Microsoft Project may not serve the manager’s needs. It is a standalone application that can be used only on one computer. All project information is in one place and all decisions can be made only at that computer.

Once there is a large endeavor with a management team, this lack of access becomes a problem. What is needed is a project management tool that can be shared company-wide and allow all managers to track their respective tasks without needing to wait for printed reports.

Project Server was designed with exactly that capability in mind. All team members can access the application from anywhere on the company network or over the web. Coordination and communication is easier when everyone is on the same page.

Each Team Member Has a Role

Just because everyone can access the software, that doesn’t mean everyone has the same capabilities. Individuals are given permissions appropriate to their role in the plan and in the company.

Project managers use the basic Project Professional application just like they have in the past. However their updates and changes are transmitted to the server where they can be viewed by other managers and incorporated in their plans.

Team members who don’t use Project directly can still access the server to see what their tasks are, what the status of the overall plan is, and can send status reports to be used by managers.

Even interested parties not directly involved in completion of the tasks, such as executives or investors, can be given access over the company network or the web so they can monitor the progress. Comprehensive security settings ensure that each person is given needed access without any excess privileges.

Project Server Training

Even experienced users of Microsoft Project will benefit from training on the unique capabilities of Project Server. The enterprise-level features of the software greatly increase the size of the projects that can be handled but may not be obvious to new users. Tasks such as team building, resource substitution, and information pooling can be used more effectively after taking instructor-led courses.

The transition from Project to Project Server is a major step for any business but with guidance and proper planning, it is a move that can be made with a minimum of complication. The added capabilities will be invaluable to any mid-size to large business.

Source by Christine Harrell

Content marketing is one of the most profitable ways to showcase your business to the web. By creating high-quality content, your website will gain more backlinks from other websites, thus boosting your rankings in Google search results. With pieces of content, you can build a bigger audience to your website through social media, also. The more traffic you can pull into your website, the more people will avail of your products or services.

For a website only starting out in content marketing, it can be a daunting challenge to start producing content worthy of backlinks. In this article, we’ll check out four ideas for content marketing. If you like a certain type of article, you can start experimenting with that on your blog to see if it pulls in any traffic.

In this article, we’ll take a look at types of content which is popular on the web today.

1. List Based Article

One of the most popular news websites is Buzzfeed, which creates list based articles. Recent studies into online marketing have shown that customers tend to click on titles with a number at the beginning. Perhaps, having a number in the title consolidates the amount of information. It also gives a quick overview on the number of items the reader can scan through.

Examples of these titles include:

• 6 Reasons Your Swimming Pool Has Algae

• 5 Exciting Themes for Your Next Party/Occasion

• 7 Durable Apple iPhone Cases We Adore

• 4 Ways To Clear Viruses From Your PC

As you can see, these titles help make it easy for the reader to click on and this can boost your click-through rates on Google search results.

Coming up with list based articles is easy, if you know a lot about your website’s niche. Just because your niche is in motoring or mechanics or window cleaning, it doesn’t mean you can’t create content on it. Broaden your scope and focus on the practicalities of your niche and key information consumers would like to know.

2. Infographic

Infographics are the latest trend and they can help you attract more traffic and backlinks to your website. An infographic does what it states in the title. It is a graphic which contains information. In a typical infographic, you can display statistics, facts, figures and images within the graphic.

Infographics have seen recent popularity in the last few years, especially with the rise of Pinterest and photo sharing sites.

You don’t need to be a graphic designer to create an infographic. In fact, you can create one through websites such as http://www.venngage.com or http://www.piktochart.com. All these tools are free and offer templates. All you have to do is insert your facts and statistics into the template, and you will have a ready-made infographic!

Once you’ve created your infographic, you can ask other websites in your niche to display it or link to the infographic on their website. That way, you are gaining backlinks to your website. If you still want to create a textual article out of the article, just post the text of the infographic to your blog, and you will have a text article, also. If your infographic’s title is catchy and promises useful information, your infographic could garner hundreds of shares on social media, and many backlinks. Some infographics have even gone viral, resulting in millions of viewers. While that is very rare, it is quite possible that your infographic could attract new customers from both Google search results and from social media.

3. A How-To Article

This type of web article focuses on showing the viewer how to do something, whether it’s about baking cookies, or cleaning dust from their car’s interior. The scope can be very broad or it can be very narrow, depending on your niche.

Before you create titles for your articles, put a list of keywords through the Google Keyword Planner.

There are many guides online which show you how to do this, but I most recommend Backlinko’s Guide to finding profitable keywords with this tool.

When you have found keywords with the planner that get more than 2000 searches per month, you can turn these keywords into titles. Some examples could include:

• How To Bake Cookies In 10 Minutes: A Quicker Method

• How To Clear Your PC of Adware In Thirty Minutes

• How To Track Your Ancestry Using Online Research

When you are writing the article, you can keep the steps brief and concise. This is one of the advantages of the “how-to” article; there is no need to write long, winding passages. As long as you clearly state the steps in a concise way and the steps will help the reader, you have created a valuable asset for the online world.

Your article will start ranking alongside other guides, but if there is little competition, it might start ranking immediately.

Conclusion

Those who use content marketing as part of their business strategy will start seeing results in a few months. The effects of writing content may take a while to see, but once traffic starts to increase, you can expect that traffic to keep streaming in throughout the months.

Source by Keith Pattison

Are you looking for iPhone photo editing Apps? One of the most outstanding features of the iPhone is its good camera. The latest iPhone has an 8-megapixel camera with HD recording. Besides the iPhone camera, you can get different camera apps from the App Stores. These apps have lots of photo filters and effects.

Now I am going to talk about top 10 iPhone photo editing apps:

1) Adobe Photoshop Mix:

This photo editing app is easy to install and manage. You can merge the two images into one with the app. It has an excellent feature called the Adobe Intelligent selection. Using it, you can make pictures with two layers. You can increase the contrast, exposure, brightness, and saturation of your photos. There is a tool called Magic Wand that can be used to improve your image automatically.

2) Walgreens Photo App:

It is a multifunctional app for the Apple device. You can print photos directly from your phone or even Facebook and Instagram albums. Then you can pick them up at a local Walgreens. You can print the picture & get it from Walgreen’s showroom.

3) Shadow puppet:

This app is designed to make custom videos. The app can mix your pictures, videos, and voice together. This app has an embedded web search with safe search filters. It allows you to look for the pictures you want and prevent showing unwanted results.

4) Mosaics:

The interface of the app is simple to understand for the new users. You can make beautiful photo books with mosaics. You have to select the images from the album and arrange them according to your choice.

5) Photoshop Touch:

This app helps to adjust the colors in the image. You can share your edited pictures through social networks.

6) PowerCam:

PowerCam is a great app of Wondershare Software Company. It has eight camera modes for users. This camera app has fantastic features.

7) Instagram:

The app has over 200 million users worldwide. There is some unique filter that allows you to customize your photos and videos. You can use the cinematic stabilization to make excellent videos. You can share pictures or videos via Twitter, Facebook, and Tumblr.

8) Super 8:

You can make the film with the app. You can capture videos with 70 filters. At the time of making raw footage, you can see the results on a simulated projector. You can email the pictures or preserve it to your phone.

9) Photoshop Express:

You can edit and improve the quality of the photos with this tool. It has basic editing options to rotate, crop, etc. It has advanced options like white balance, exposure, and stain removal. You can share photos via social sites or through text messages.

10) Camera Genius:

This app was first released in 2009. The developers are improving it regularly. The app allows you to take pictures or videos with 6X digital zoom. Thus, you can get a clear photo. There is a timer option that is used to capture time group photos.

Above iPhone photo editing Apps are good enough. Check out which app is best for photo editing.

Source by Golam Mostofa Imon

There are heaps of music composition software and programs on the market, but which should you use? Perhaps you're a music composer who wants to move into digital music making or maybe you're just beginning your music composition journey. Whatever your goals, this article will be of interest to you.

Notation Programs VS DAWs

Notation programs are software used to create sheet music. You would need to know how to read and write music to use it. DAWs or Digital Audio Workstations are stronger for producing professional sounding audio. The amount of sounds libraries, virtual instruments and effects are endless. DAWs have more powerful ways to manipulate notes and sounds than Notation programs.

How do I decide which type of program to choose?

Generally, if you want to create great sounding audio, use a DAW. Alternatively, if you want to compose for live instruments, an orchestra, choir and won't need to record your tracks in a studio, plus you're game in music notation, choose a notation program.

Best Notation Programs for Music Composition

Finale

Finale is the cream of the crop in music notation programs and is used professionally by sheet music creators. The printed music at your local music store would most likely be made using Finale. The learning curve is a little high though, with tons of features. It may be too complicated for beginners but you can try Finale Notepad first which is a free, easier version to use.

Sibelius

The main competitor to Finale, Sibelius is great for all types of composers. Finale targets the traditionalists, and Sibelius the more general audience. Maybe too bold of a statement, but Sibelius tends to be popular with media composers such as film and video game music composers. The interface is very easy to learn and use, and is more beginner-friendly.

MuseScore

MuseScore is the best free notation program out there. It has a lot of features and is considered equal to the full blown programs such as Finale and Sibelius. A little hard to learn for the beginner, but will greatly pay off considering this is a free program with full capabilities.

Best DAWs for Music Composition

The following DAWs made the list because they are best at music composition . Pro Tools may be the industry standard for music production, but composition is the focus of this article.

Logic Pro X

Logic Pro is a favorite for music composers of film, games, TV and media, along with EDM music producers. Some hardstyle artists swear by it for its special plugins. Logic Pro is extremely versatile, has great MIDI manipulation capabilities and you can compose, edit, mix and master your track entirely in this program. This is an Apple-only product, so only Mac users will be able to use it.

FL Studio

FL Studio is a popular DAW for composers, and easy for beginners to use. It's best feature is the piano roll, which is very intuitive and powerful. Its pitfalls include audio editing and recording. If you're only working with MIDI, this is a good choice as well.

Cubase

Cubase is great for Windows users who want Logic Pro but don't have a Mac. It's a great all rounder like Logic and using MIDI and audio is easy. It has a few advanced features that Logic doesn't have such as rendering-in place and its VCA faders.

Digital Performer

A more conservative option but having a loyal fan base, Digital Performer is a favorite among film composers around the world. The newest versions have widened its offerings and now include a Hybrid Synthesizer and guitar plugins.

Whether you're DAW-inclined or more for Notation software, for the modern composer, DAW is the way to go. But why not have the best of both worlds? Many composers now use DAWs to create and produce the track, and Notation programs to produce professional sheet music. Whichever you decide, they are just tools to get the job done. Your mind is the ultimate music composition machine!

Source by Nate Riverstone

Viruses, ransomware, scams, identity theft and loss of digital information are becoming more and more common as we move towards a digital age.

With digital security becoming more apparent, it is very important to adopt a good habit in keeping yourself and your family safe online. Below are some basic tips and hints to protect your identity, files and your personal device.

Keep your computer, smartphone and tablet clean

• Keep your device up to date with the latest software
  Software updates provide enhancements and security updates.
• Keep your security software (anti-virus) up to date
  Security software needs latest virus definitions to identify new and emerging virus / malware. Yes, even Mac's and smartphones needs security software.
• Scan external devices (USB)
  USB and external devices can carry virus from infected devices onto yours. Make sure you enable external device scanning to ensure it doesn't get onto your computer

Be very web savvy online

• Watch out for dangerous links and attachments When there is doubt, delete it. Links / attachments in emails, tweets, SMS, posts and advertising are way cyber criminals can compromise your device. If its suspicious or too good to be true, delete it, block or mark it as junk.
• Check for trusted websites
  When banking online or shopping, ensure they have SSL (secure socket layer) security. SSL protects passwords and your banking information securely.
• Beware of Phishing
  Phishing is a way for cyber criminals to mask legitimate website with their own to steal your confidential login. Do not click on any requests to verify your password unless you requested it.
• Risks with public Wi-Fi Hotspots
  Adjust your security level on your device when accessing public networks. Your device firewall and anti-virus can detect and adjust automatically when connecting to different networks. Turn off your Wi-Fi to public networks when you don't need to use it anymore.

Protect your personal information

• Keep your password complex
  Don't use generic password. Keep it complex with the combination of upper case / lower case characters, numbers and symbols. If it's too hard to remember, use a secure password manager to keep track.
• Use Two Step Verification
  Two step verification will make it more difficult to access you online presence. If a cyber criminal has your password, they will be stopped if they don't have access to your other devices and accounts.

Back it all up

Backup your data, photos, documents, video and other digital information and store it securely.

Source by Sin Ngo

Today, we are the part of a digital revolution, with organizations going digital at a pace that’s unlike what we have ever witnessed before. This phenomenon is termed as digitization and it is revolutionizing the way organizations work. With software fast replacing manual systems, IT solutions are currently in demand and every organization is looking for a good IT solutions partner to help them digitize their business.

However, the truth is that not all IT solution providers are the same when it comes to skills, approach and expertise and this makes it necessary that one has a few pointers in mind before choosing an IT solutions firm to work with. Here are a few things that are common to good IT service and solutions firms and indicate that you are in safe hands when it comes to software solutions for your firm.

1] Expertise Across Different Platforms

It’s a fact that majority of computers and systems used in organizations run on Windows OS, but Mac devices also exist, so do other operating system such as Ubuntu and Linux. So, in such a scenario, it becomes extremely important for your IT solutions provider to provide support across multiple platforms, along with the capability of managing and configuring your workstations for seamless performance. While some platforms offer you the benefit of being economical, others offer higher levels of security. So, your IT solutions partner should have the desired expertise to decide which platform to go with, depending on the requirement at hand.

2] Familiarity with the Latest Trends

In the highly competitive market, an organization has to design products and solutions that cater to the current market trends. So, the least you can expect from your IT solutions partner is to be updated with all that’s new so that you don’t have to put in inputs. Your IT partner should be passionate about all the latest updates in the tech world, including the product and software launches by Google, Apple and Microsoft. Not just that, the professionals you intend to work with should also be enthusiastic enough to figure out if the latest software on the block can be used for the benefit of your business. Is your tech partner familiar with cloud technology, for instance? If they don’t have much clue about Amazon’s AWS, Apple’s iCloud or Microsoft’s Azure, just don’t think twice before you run the other way. Cloud is the next big thing and good IT solutions providers are expert in implementing cloud technology.

3] Certifications of Quality

Certifications of quality are a great proof that the IT solutions provider you’re interacting with, knows their job very well. For starters, if it’s a CMMi Level 5 company, then you can rest assured that they are implementing all the quality processes and adhering to the highest quality standards. You can also look for the entire series of ISO and SSE certifications among others.

In addition to the 3 key factors listed above, there are other factors that can be considered, such as their list of clientele and their portfolio of past work. Also, before you choose to work with an IT service provider, just research on their fields of expertise. After all, irrespective of their level of expertise, what really matters, is that they can design solutions that cater to the needs of your business.

Source by Elise Lowry

You’ve seen the amazing statistics on Apple Apps and how ordinary folks are achieving success with writing apps for the iPhone and iPad. Well, the first thing I can tell you is that you’re right! The Apple App store is taking the world by storm (exceeding more than 2 billion downloads). And my suspicion is that this is all just the beginning.

The problem is, how do you go about writing an app? In fact, what do you need before you being app development? Well, that’s where this article will help. I’ll provide you with 10 things you need before you start writing your Apple app. Even if you’ve never developed content for a mobile device, or if you’re new to software development, you should know that learning iPhone development can be a fun and rewarding experience.

1. Get a Mac OS X Computer

To develop applications for the iPhone OS, you need a Mac OS X computer running the Xcode tools. Xcode is Apple’s suite of development tools that provide support for project management, code editing, building executables and debugging.

I know many of you might be PC users are some of you might baulk at the idea of using a Mac. Well, my advice is – give the Mac a chance. I’ve many friends who were once die-hard PC users who have now switched over to the Mac. Why? Because they want to write apps! And once they made the switch – they found the Mac to be so much easier to use and a really enjoyable experience.

2. Download the SDK

Apple distributes an iPhone app software development kit (SDK). You’ll definitely need to download this and read it from front to back. Don’t worry, it’s more complex then it seems. Give it time and you’ll soon be on the app development bandwagon.

3. Learn Objective-C

Mac programs are written in Objective-C Apple also introduced a special abstraction API for Objective-C called Cocoa Touch for iPhone (and iPod Touch) development.

Objective-C will come quite naturally to those who have programmed in C, C++ or Java before. Now, if you’re new to programming, Objective-C might be a challenge.

Try to grab a basic book on programming to before you get into the nuts and bolts of Objective-C. One of the better books for learning Objective-C is the Programming in Objective-C by Stephen G. Kochan. It does not assume you have any previous knowledge in this area.

4. Become An Approved Apple Developer

Becoming an approved developer for Apple apps takes some time. Many people do not know this. I hear that there is a six month waiting list to be an approved developer. Some have speculated that the time to wait may decrease now that interest in the iPhone and iPad has hit the roof worldwide.

Becoming an accepted developer only gets you into the App Store. Of course, that’s the only way to distribute your applications, so it’s a necessary part of the process.

5. Research Your App

As in all things related to software development, the goal of your app will be to provide a solution to a set of end users.

Make sure you research your app. There’s no point just jumping in to write apps which don’t meet any user needs. A year ago you could easily write an app that did some nonsense (e.g. make a fart noise) and expect people to download it. That’s not going to happen anymore. If you want an app that is popular, you need to make it useful.

Usually, in mobile device development, your audience is a person on the go. People who use mobile applications want to have quick interactions. They absolutely don’t want to write a Word document on the go. They want to do useful things by just pressing a button or two.

The other tip I have is to think of the Apple iPhone as a pocket computer. For example, successful applications like Pandora that have typically struggled in a desktop setting now flourish as a pocket computer solution. When planning your application think about what is unique to the iPhone that can be utilized in your app.

6. Write For Portability

What do I mean by portability? Well, depending on which frameworks (major components of the iPhone SDK) are used in your application, your app may not work on every iPhone device. For example, an application that makes use of the camera, compass or microphone will work on an iPhone but not an iPod touch.

Now, it’s OK to write an app that’s limited to iPhone 3G or iPhone 3GS -but my feel is that you will be missing out on a potential chunk of target users.

7. Always Document Your Ideas

Before you commit any code to your new project, take some time to document your end-user experience. This doesn’t need to be a lengthy requirements document. It could be as simple as writing down some notes on paper or sketching some drawings.

There is actually a great sketching product out there called UI Stencils that allows you to mock up a screen design on paper. I love it and highly recommend it for app development.

8. Give A Great User Experience

When you start looking at Apple documentation, one recurring theme you will see is reference to a document called the Human Interface Guidelines (HIG). Essentially this is the master document for how your iPhone application should look and behave. Make sure you familiarize yourself with it.

It’s also important to download and try out other apps made by other leading developers. To ensure a great user experience in your app, ask yourself why those applications are the leaders and what elements they used to create a great experience. Also check out the ideas of usability expert Jakob Nielsen.

9. Data Management

Oh, before I forget, one of most complex things you will need to consider is data management. If your app is a basic utility (e.g. a calculator) you shouldn’t have to worry about storing data. If you build an app that connects to an Internet-based service, you’ll connect to these online resources through web services. Your third option will be to store user data on the device using the Core Data Framework.

10. Manage Memory and Battery Life

Those who are a bit more technical will understand what I mean by memory and battery life management. Note that there is no garbage collection for iPhone. Garbage collection is a programming term which means that if your program has a “memory leak”, it could cause the iPhone to eventually crash without warning.

Also, take note that certain iPhone functions will use more battery life than others. For example, applications that stream data from the Internet or make extensive use of the Core Location Framework (e.g. GPS) will drain battery life more quickly.

Conclusion

I certainly hope this article has given you a heads up on the things you need before writing an Apple app.

There are quite a number of things you need – a Mac OS X computer, Objective-C know-how, UI design experience, amongst other things. But if you’re serious about going about your app development journey, you should not be discouraged.

Learn a little each day, and I guarantee that you’ll become quite the expert developer in no time!

Next time, I’ll write up some articles on how to actually program an app in Xcode tools and Objective-C. Until then, have fun learning to developing those apps!

Source by Gary Hendricks