Asana is a web-based to-do list designed to enhance the work flow of modern teams. One of the most important advantages of the service is that it is absolutely free for teams smaller than 30 members and it will remain this way. Along with the features that have already become default for many projects management tools, (like calendar, business collaboration and access rights management) Asana developers integrated the service with the customer’s inbox making it possible not only to get notifications about the changes to particular tasks but also reply, add comments, or mark tasks as completed right from the email box. Another big advantage of Asana is that it is available on mobile phones and tablets. The developers went even further and created an iPhone application to make their tool truly mobile.

Another way to manage projects online is Mavenlink. What makes this service stand out is its integration with popular Google applications like Google Docs, Google Calendar, and Google Contacts. The feature comes in handy for those who have gotten used to relying on these services and don’t want to change their work flow dramatically. The tool is excellent for conducting the fiscal aspects of your business as it has features like transactions and budget  management, invoice generation, and even the ability to accept PayPal payments – all in one place. The vendor is proud of the member services provided that include guest contributions relevant to today’s global workforce, as well as video tutorials that would help you use Mavenlink’s features to the full.
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Project’Or RIA (http://projectorria.toolware.fr/ )

Project’Or RIA presents a totally different approach to project management. The service can be used with any type of projects. However, IT-sphere is considered to be its main domain. One of the biggest advantages of the tool is that it is available in open source. It is quite simple in installation and what’s more important is it can be easily adapted to your particular needs. What’s even more important, it is absolutely free of charge. The vendor is not planning to stop and is already conducting a poll to find out whether to start offering the product in SaaS version to enlarge the client base.

TeamLab (http://www.teamlab.com/ )

If the recent spate of smartphone rumors and announcements are any indicator, we’re about to see a new breed of ultra powerful portable devices. This was in many ways inevitable. Computing has more or less followed along with Moore’s Law, meaning we’re able to fit many more transistors on a chip than we were a few years ago. But with that increased power comes increased burdens. In this case, it’s our poor batteries that suffer as we increase the power of smartphones.

It’s not only the computing power that is eating at our batteries. Cellular networks also eat at them. It wasn’t too long ago that people actually complained about 3G networks, because they ate battery much faster than EDGE networks did. It seems silly in hindsight, but it is a real concern. By many accounts, 4G LTE networks do eat into battery life at a considerably greater rate than 3G networks. This all points to the necessity of improved battery life.

There are some things that just will not change. It’s not at all likely that the basic structure of our batteries will change. Will we eventually move on from our current lithium-ion batteries? Sure. We did evolve away from the nickel-cadmium batteries that powered cell phones a decade ago. But we will continue to charge our phones using DC power, and we will in all likelihood continue charging them with wires. That is to say, there are only limited ways that battery life can grow in the current environment.

For its part, Samsung is making strides in the battery department. At CES they discussed releasing devices with greater battery life, which can last a full day with moderately heavy use. That’s a great goal, but unfortunately they’re going to have to rob Peter to pay Paul. That is, they’re going to release devices with physically larger batteries. For years smartphones have gotten thinner and thinner. It is, in some ways, a shame to see that trend reverse. But in this case we have to ask ourselves if it’s worth the trade-off.

This should send a clear signal to smartphone manufacturers everywhere. We’ve seen them make great strides on the consumer technology end. Our phones are faster than ever, and capable of doing more. They can take the places of multiple gadgets in our lives. But in order for them to become further ingrained, they simply need to last longer. That means better battery life by any means — preferably without creating larger devices. The development of battery power technology will play a large part in the future of smartphone usage.

The burden shouldn’t lie just with the manufacturers, though. Platform developers have opportunities to extend battery life as well. For an example of both, we can look to the iPhone and Android smartphones. The iPhone battery simply lasts longer than similar Android smartphones. This is partly because the iPhone has a hard battery connection — that is, it’s permanently embedded in the device and does not use the same connectors as the removable batteries of Android devices. But software does play a role. iOS is just a bit friendlier to batteries. As Google further develops the Android OS, they should look for ways where they can cut down on power consumption.

There is no doubt that these developments will come along. They’re simply too essential to the future of smartphone adoption. Samsung has gotten everything off on the right foot, and they’re actually making a sacrifice in form to get the function right. But that’s not the long-term solution. In order to continue growing in the long run, we need both developers and manufacturers to leverage whatever technology they can to create better battery life. Without that, smartphones will realize a growth ceiling in the not so distant future.

==== About the Author ====

Joe Pawlikowski is the editor of Prepaid Reviews.

Toyota has unveiled the Fun Vii. It’s a fun concept car that has brought in a new twist into the conservative auto industry. Vii stands for Vehicle Fun Interactive Internet.”  Though media is a very impotrant part of our culture today, being inspired  by these social media concepts that define the very world that we live in is nothing new. But apply these concepts on a car and you have some zing. The  Tokyo Motor Show 2011, which is just  around  the corner, has given its theme as    ”Mobility can change the world” that was used as an inspiration by  Toyota for the Vii.

Toyota  based its car on a smartphone for this project, which has allowed them to make radical changes on our normal perceptions of a “car”. So it still runs on four wheels and all that, but there are these few cosmetic changes that will affect our perceptions. For example,  consider  the touch-screen door.

Ready for more? No more one-color only for your car. With the Vii, you can customize the car’s exterior aka the wallpaper.

The Vii brings the network inside your car. You will be able to communicate with everything from location services for instructions to other  smart phones  (the ones  without  four wheels) using the Vii’s inbuilt assistant. For example, you can turn on the air conditioning before you enter the car.  How cool is that?

It could have been just another electric car produced by just another very fuel-efficient company. Toyota’s hybrid cars have been a hit all over the world for their fuel-efficiency, cost, and reliability. The Vii is an example of how we can look at a standard a bit differently. Though, there are no official plans from Toyota about the launch of the Vii, the public reaction to their concept car will be a likely litmus test to determine just how soon the Vii will hit our roads. That day is one that I do look forward to with much anticipation.

Images from  cardesigncommunity.com

Get ready to cut up those credit cards and replace them with a smart phone. More than likely your next phone upgrade will include technology that permits it to be used like plastic. In Asia and Europe, customers have been using their phones as charge cards. The smartphones there are equipped with what are called NFC chips. Near Field Communication technology allows phones to communicate with payment centers.

As the term implies, phones need to be near a payment machine (approximately four inches) for the transactions to go through. NFC enabled machines will operate rather easily with just a swipe, or tap, over an electronic reader at a checkout. The market is hot for devices equipped with such technology. One study said that by the end of next year, 100 million NFC enabled devices will be shipped to customers. It also says that smart devices with NFC capability will increase from 40 million this year to over 700 million by 2016.

Image courtesy: appadvice.com

There’s even a website whose sole purpose is to educate American consumers about the wonders of NFC. Google made a big splash this week when it announced an app called Google Wallet. The free application will run on Sprint’s Nexus S (one of the few phones sold in the U.S. that is NFC enabled). The search engine company has teamed with MasterCard and 150,000 merchants who have NFC capable terminals installed. In its announcement, Google said stores like Subway, Macy’s, Walgreen’s and Bloomingdale’s would soon be on board. Google hasn’t been hiding its interest in the NFC market.

Late last month it said that all future Android smartphones will have the technology. One major point that Google is stressing on is the security of such transactions. Each purchase has to be approved by a security code. The program does not allow for codes that are easy pickings for hackers (so no 1234), and the chip closes down when the smart screen goes dark.

Google’s foray into the market is just a taste of what’s to come because major technological players are getting on the ground floor. PayPal, Visa, and T-Mobile have plans to use NFC . Those lucky enough to be in London next year for the Summer Olympics will be able to use their phones thanks to Samsung and VISA. There are rumors that Amazon.com will get into the game. Microsoft’s upcoming phone will allegedly have the technology. Rumors are also attached to Apple’s awaited iPhone 5. Nokia is being the most aggressive with the chips by putting them in all future models.

These heavy hitters are just following the money. Or at the very least heading where profits will be. Estimated NFC transactions will reach $245 billion by 2014.

About the Author:

Elizabeth Demcsak is a marketing specialist for a variety of clients including JW Surety Bonds. She writes on a wide-range of topics from SEO to eco-friendly trends and surety bond insurance.

Created in 1996, the Universal Serial Bus or USB quickly became the preferred technology for computer peripherals. With the introduction of USB 2.0 in April 2000, computer users rejoiced that their go totechnology had become even faster and easier to use. And now with USB 3.0 products becoming more prevalent, consumers are excited to see what enhancements have been made to the tried and true technology. Here’s what you need to know about how USB 3.0 is different from USB 2.0, and why it matters.

USB 3.0 is 10 Times Faster than its 2.0 Predecessor
The main benefit to USB 3.0 technology is that it is approximately 10 times faster than USB 2.0 technology. And while this increase in speed may be virtually unnoticeable in some products, like your USB 3.0 keyboard, there are certain types of peripherals that will showcase the speed upgrade, namely portable and external hard drives.

Consider this: If you’re backing up a large music or image collection, or you’re creating a copy of your video files, transferring these files via USB 3.0 will take much less time than performing the transfer via USB 2.0. USB 3.0 is able to transmit nearly 5 Gbps, whereas USB 2.0 is capable of transmitting 480mbps of data.  Because of its much faster speed, a backup that may have taken a USB 2.0 drive more than 15 minutes in the past can now be completed in just over 1 minute on a USB 3.0 drive.

USB 3.0 Ads Additional Functionality but Stays Backward Compatible
Though the wiring that goes into the USB 3.0 cables is different than USB 2.0 wiring, the plug that connects to the USB outlet remains standard, providing full physical and functional backward capability. This means that your newly purchased portable USB 3.0 hard drive will work just fine with your older laptop that only has USB 2.0 ports. However, in situations like this, the USB 3.0 product will perform at the same level as a USB 2.0 product, so speed and power benefits will not be fully realized.

In the computer world, it’s common knowledge that your system is only as fast as its slowest component, and this certainly holds true when talking about USB 3.0. In order to reap the greatest benefits in speed, your receiving device will need to be able to function as quickly as the USB 3.0 device sending the data. For example, if you’re using a USB 3.0 external desktop hard drive to back up data to a machine with a magnetic hard drive that writes data at 7200 RPM, the process will be slowed considerably. However, if you’re backing up that same data to a solid state device like a flash drive, you’ll likely be pleased and impressed with the speed of the transfer.

USB 3.0 Allows for Bi-Directional Data Transfers
Another difference between USB 3.0 and USB 2.0 comes in the form of its signaling method—USB 2.0 uses a polling mechanism where USB 3.0 uses an asynchronous mechanism. In layman’s language, this means that USB 3.0 is capable of simultaneously sending and receiving data, while USB 2.0 can only handle only one direction of data at any time. This particular difference is likely to be the most noticeable in cases involving transferring data between USB hard drives, as bi-direction data support isn’t an issue in less complex USB devices like the standard computer mouse.

USB 3.0 Includes Power Management Improvements
Enhanced power management is also available in USB 3.0, making these devices more efficient and less costly to operate than similar USB 2.0 devices. Using about 1/3 of the power necessary for a USB 2.0 device, USB 3.0 devices are built to shift into a lower power state when not being actively used by the device. Additionally, USB 3.0 technology has a higher energy capacity, allowing the technology to power more devices from one hub and to effectively handle hardware with more robust power needs.

— About the Author —

Dan Coppen is a business technology writer. Follow him at @dancoppen for more tech insights.

In 1923 famed inventor Georges Claude made history by selling the first two neon signs. Priced at $1,250 apiece or roughly $16,000 in today’s money. The signs simply read Packardand were for the Packard Motor Car Company, a dealership in Los Angeles.

However, neon signs quickly swept the nation and spread to nearly every town during the roaring twenties. The signs themselves were a spectacle, and were sometimes referred to as liquid fire, because of their brightness, colorfulness and novelty, which attracted crowds, even during the day.

As the signs grew in popularity they became a part of Americana. From the bright lights of the Las Vegas strip to the simple open sign hanging in a restaurant window, neon signs have become a part of everyday life.

So common are neon signs that you can purchase a small Opensign for under $80 and virtually every restaurant, bar and gas station has at least some neon adorning its walls.

But while this familiarity breeds contempt, it means that neon signs are no longer the spectacles they once were. Crowds no longer gather to gawk, and neon, with the exception of the extravagant displays in Las Vegas, is barely even noticed.

However, even today’s modern marvels barely get a second glance, especially those trying to advertise to us. We routinely drive past giant LED billboards without much of a glance. We are constantly ducking past radio, television and Internet advertising, virtually blind to the messages contained within the medium.

It seems that nothing captivates us and draws us in like neon signs did in the 1920s and this is frustrating news for marketers seeking that kind of draw and that kind of connection. However, the digital landscape affords us a large number potential neon signmoments. All we have to do is be willing to look for them.

Where did the Power of Neon go?

Unfortunately, Claude’s formula just doesn’t work as well today. When LCD TVs are common in living rooms and we have the Internet in our pockets on our cell phones, new technology alone just doesn’t dazzle like it once did.

While the launch of the next iPhone will cause crowds to line up across the world, it largely captivates those already interested in technology and doesn’t seem to have the broad reach that a simple neon sign did just 80 years ago.

So what are today’s neon signs? There’s no simple answers to that question but a few things that may be very close.

The Power of New Experiences

The success of neon during the 20s and 30s was based on the fact that neon signs were, at that time, a very new experience. New experiences are extremely powerful and they bring people together in a way that can’t be replicated.

A good example of this is the recent Old Space campaign

The commercials, which were very novel at the time, went viral and people visited YouTube to just to watch the commercials again. In short, people were going out of their way to being marketed to and they did so over 100 million times. The effect this had on Old Spice sales was drastic, more than doubling some of their product lines.

What made the campaign truly stick was how Old Spice combined the traditional advertising venues, namely television and print ads, with YouTube, social media   and even social news sites to bring something new to their audience.

Conclusions

In the end, the masses of people huddled around monitors watching the Old Spice commercial isn’t much different than the throngs of people huddled on the street to watch a neon sign being installed in the 1920s. It’s possible that Old Spice may have more in common with the Packard Motor Car Company than anyone would have otherwise thought possible.

Creating a new experience, and one that people want to share, is not an easy task, but those who can do so will be rewarded generously.

==== About the Author ====

This was a post sent to us kindly by Lior who is an online marketing consultant at iAdvize.com, a live chat support tool. Lior says that you can purchase a small Openneon signs for under $80.

Increasingly, IT managers, CIOs and software developers are turning to a new approach for rapidly building robust database applications without programming – application generators.   Today’s business environment demands managers find ways to do more with less, and application generation allows both developers and non-developers to build applications quickly and efficiently.

What Types of Applications Can You Build?

Application generation tools build database-driven applications that can be deployed to the Web, the Cloud, or to Microsoft SharePoint environments.   Like any hand-built application, these database applications are typically used for:

While individual applications may look quite different from one another, these applications usually contain a variety of rich, interactive page types, reports, data import and export features, and integrated application security.   Because most business applications are built atop an underlying database, they lend themselves to automated and semi-automated solutions for creating and customizing their Web pages and data access code.   Only custom business logic need be added by hand. Moving from the conceptual to a concrete example, let’s take a look at one such tool, marketed as Iron Speed Designer.

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The image above shows a typical order management application that was generated by Iron Speed Designer. To develop this application, you begin with a simple application wizard to create a fully functioning Web application based on your underlying database.   This application can be deployed as isor further customized using an intuitive page layout spreadsheet and simple Microsoft Excel-like formulas to add custom logic.   Data elements, and even entire panels and charts, can be dropped from the Iron Speed Designer toolbox onto the layout spreadsheet.   Since Iron Speed Designer understands the relationships in the underlying database, no programming is required.

Since the tool includes a wide variety of professionally-designed page styles, you won’t need a graphic designer to make your Web applications look good.   You can customize these styles, or create your own to maintain your standard corporate look and feel. One significant advantage of these tools is they frequently add a bevy of sophisticated features to your application that would have taken weeks or months to build by hand.   These features give your application a level of polish lacking in most custom applications.   Reporting, data import and export and application security are commonly included features. For example, you can export formatted data directly to Microsoft Excel for further analysis and reporting, as shown in the image below.

Application Generation Yields Huge Savings

How well does the application generation process work?   An analysis of Iron Speed customer applications indicates they save an average of 19 person weeks and $37,000 of development costs per application.   In short, these tools could pay for themselves in one application.

Even non-developers can build applications in just a few hours or days, rather than weeks and months, all without programming.   Individuals, and small teams of just a few people, can out-produce entire development teams.   Moreover, corporate managers don’t have to pay steep internal transfer costs, which are frequently charged by their regular development organizations. Some key benefits of application generation tools include:

While traditional software developers may believe that machine-generated applications can’t possibly be as good as their own hand-written code, in most cases upper management will opt for quick standardized development at minimal cost rather than pay for time-consuming customized perfectionism. The time and cost savings of application generation tools are simply too significant to ignore, and most functional area managers prefer solutions that make their end-users productive and satisfied as quickly as possible.

Many of us hardened programming veterans remember the cumbersome fourth generation languages (4GLs) of the 70s and 80s, which were advertised as bringing in the new age of programmer free application development. We also remember the second phase of 4GLs, released in the 90s, that focused on end-user development and many times created more problems than they solved. Thus, we may be reluctant to even consider the new and improvedapplication generation tools. But, like the modern tools found in home improvement stores, improved technology has brought many application development tools that simply make the job easier. If you would like information on one of the most current application generation tools, you may want to visit Ironspeed, or similar Web sites, that can further explain how these tools can help you increase your credibility and performance as a professional application developer.

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Guest post by Alan Fisher, Co-founder of Iron Speed

Disclaimer: the veracity of the application/service in question is unknown. Whatever is said in this post comes directly from the website of the application, and we really have no idea about how it actually works. For all reasons and purposes, we will suppose that the application is magical and will actually work as it says, or that it is fake.

Now that the rather long disclaimer is done with, I really hope it’s magic at work when you use Snapkeys. At least it looks that way.

However there are no indications of how it exactly works. Although there are quite a few people typing away at blank screens on their iPads and iPhones, there is still no definitely clue as to how this revolutionaryproduct will actually work.

Perhaps you have to train it to respond to certain parts of the screen (in which case the imaginary interfaceselling point is basically moot), or it will start off with an algorithm that emulates a QWERTY keyboard and makes guesses as one types on one row and the next. That is, if I wanted to write MAT, I’d press the lowest row on the right, the middle row on the left and the top row on the left. How it’d interpret it differently than BATis a very valid question, and I’m afraid I have no answers to that except this conjecture: it’s either fake or there’s some sorcery at work here. Or if it works that way at all it probably has just two rows (4 keys in total). I am quite befuddled here.

The Snapkeys website is spartan on the details, and the downloads page (which threw up a suspicious warning on Chrome) just had wallpapers. Nothing yet.

I tried making the title better than URLesque’s, and as you can see, I failed miserably. Let’s face it, nothing introduces the video below better than Guy puts camera at the end of sword, takes awesome video. That title is full of #win.

So, what happened? Exactly what the title says. At Swordfish 2010, the Historical Martial Arts conference that takes place in Gothernberg, Sweden, a few people had a wacky idea of duct taping a GoPro Hero wearable sports camera at the end of the sword. They taped it well enough that even with fast moves, the camera does not budge from its place. While the Swordfish event itself is a serious and well known affair, the people who put the camera on the sword added fun to the seriousness of the conference.

As a result, the people around the sword seem to be revolving and spinning around the camera (while it remains stationary). Three people try out the sword-cam, each with different speeds. It’s almost like a level advancement, as each user figures out that the camera is not going to budge and notches up the speed.

But let’s all agree on one thing: the video is awesomeness unparalleled, thanks to YouTube user ryrlen.