How To Increase Mobile Hotspot Speed On Android 🚀

Increase mobile hotspot speed on android devices

People are now working digitally and working from anywhere. The internet and mobile technology make for a super effective way to accommodate your work. Devices are portable; apps are available; and online tools are free. 

The only things you need are an internet connection and a device to keep you connected to the internet. While there are dedicated hotspot devices for such a purpose, you can easily do it through your smartphone. 

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Then vs Now: Classroom Technology & Gadgets

Educational Technology Gadgets

In past decades, the rapid development of technology led to technological breakthroughs that shaped the world we live in.  Now, it is safe to say that technology has a major influence on our daily life and the way we use technology has completely transformed the way we live our lives.

Education is no exception. Some of the technological innovations forever altered our process of learning and education. Modern educators realize that in order for education to be purposeful and effective they need to embrace the trends and push the classroom doors wide open to new tech trends.

The use of technology in the classroom is no longer a matter of choice, but a necessity. Traditional ways of learning, in which the lecturer is the center of attention that transfers the knowledge are getting repulsive and uninteresting to students all around the world. Cutting edge learning gadgets and software brought an altogether new way of learning which enables scholars to be active participants in the educational process.

In our last post we explained how one productivity tool can make the difference between boredom and curiosity in the classroom. Now we take a look at some of the gadgets that are used to make time spent in the classroom more dynamic and fun.

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How To Make The Modern Day Office Work For You

Computer desktop workspace setup

Image source: Hongkiat.com

As businesses strive to keep up with technology, they’re allowing more and more flexibility in how an employee works. And thanks to developments in technology and the internet, the modern day office now comes in all different kinds of shapes and sizes.

Naturally, one office space is never as effective as another. Each one generates a different atmosphere and environment that directly affects how you work. Fortunately, there are many ways to optimize your workspace no matter where it is.

We decided to take a look at 3 common types of the modern day office with a few basic tips on how you can improve your productivity at each one.

Personalize And Fine-Tune Your Desk

This standard office space is slowly being traded in for alternative working methods. It’s no mystery that your environment has a direct impact on your well-being. In most cases, we’re used to sitting an average of up to 8 hours in front of the desktop, which can take a toll on your health. From incorrect body posture and eye strain to carpel tunnel syndrome and back aches, the computer desk can be full of health risks over the long run.

Ergonomic office desk setup

Image Source: Lifehacker.com

But, you can improve them. While your office space might not be able to equal those of Google’s,  whose creative workspaces are geared to keeping their staff inspired, you can still try to get it suited to your own comfort level.  Try changing and practicing a few small things to improve your overall productivity like:

  • ergonomically adjusting your chair, desk and monitor
  • using bright and natural lighting
  • ensuring adequate temperatures and space around your desk
  • adding a personal touch like pictures, plants, and knick knacks
  • taking frequent breaks away from the computer
  • reducing stress while on your computer

Create A Distraction Free Home Office

This is usually the office space for freelancers, outsourced or online workers, work at home moms, pro bloggers, and employees who live too far to commute. This type of office comes with great benefits. You save on gas, traveling time, money spent on lunch, and you can easily fit in personal appointments or schedule home deliveries.

Unfortunately, a ton of distractions exist. Working from the comfort of your own home doesn’t give you the same busy feeling of a productive business office.  Instead, you have easy access to your entertainment system, a cozy bed, and your spacious backyard.

Home office computer station

Image Credit: Nico Kaiser

How do you keep your worker hat on? For starters, try to:

  • separate your work area from your relaxation areas  like your living room or bedroom
  • work in a place where you’ll be the least distracted
  • set up times for taking breaks around the house and follow them
  • keep the TV and other entertainment units off
  • set up your workstation just as you would have it set up in a regular office
  • keep your desk minimalistic and neat

Get A Tailored Set Up For Your Mobile Device

In a post-PC world that’s focused on mobile gadgets, the concept of the “mobile office” is now more widely accepted. Many companies in fact are turning to a mobile workforce, which makes sense as it saves time, increases productivity and reduces overhead costs. And you can get your work done from wherever you are.

Mobile smartphone keyboard

Image Credit: Johan Larsson

Despite this, working on a mobile device does have some drawbacks. You’re restricted to a small screen size, a touch-screen keyboard, and limited hardware resources.  Under those conditions, you need to find the right set up and the perfect balance to working effectively on a single device.

As a mobile worker, consider a few adjustments like:

  • getting a separate keyboard for your device
  • using a device with an adequate screen size
  • working on your device to get the small things done
  • getting mobile versions of desktop tools you use daily
  • backing up your work and data to one central location (desktop, online or removable storage)

There are a dozen of little tweaks you can make to keep your productivity levels up.  These are just a few. So start taking careful stock of your workspace and figure out if your current set up is helping or hindering your work.

Back-To-School Tech Advice: 6 Things Every College Student Should Consider

Studying with Technology

Image credit: Zitona (Flickr.com)

The end of summer is near, and that means students will be heading back into the classroom in a couple of weeks. That being said, it’s time to sit down and think forward about the upcoming school year.

On top of the back-to-school shopping list and registration chaos, it’s a good time to start thinking about how technology will factor into your daily routine.  We’re talking about the nitty-gritty routine spent on studying, researching, writing, and sitting in class.

So in case you haven’t thought about it yet, we’ve hammered out some basic tech advice on 6 things you should consider.

Map Out Personal Tech Support Resources

No matter how well you know your tech tools, there will always be a random issue you can’t fix in a hurry. Knowing where you can go for help is key. There’s only so much Google can do for you with 10 million results.

Do yourself a favour and get your resources mapped out ahead of time.  Scout out, follow, and bookmark a good range of How-To sites, forums, and even basic support pages for your device.

Find Textbooks  Online 

When it comes to textbooks go digital wherever possible.  Digital textbooks can be significantly cheaper than original hardcopy or photocopied versions, and you won’t have to lug around heavy volumes.

As a starting point, sites like Project Gutenberg offer a vast selection of books in a variety of formats. You can also take advantage of Google’s latest textbook rental and purchasing offer from Google Play Books.  There’s also the iBooks app, whose iBookstore offers text books from notable publishers, such as McGraw-Hill and Pearson.

Flatworld Knowledge Online Textbooks

If those don’t pan out, you can check out FlatWorldKnowledge, an online catalog of textbooks where you can personalize textbook content according to your needs.

Shop Around For Free Software

You’re used to hearing of big name software applications like Microsoft Office and Adobe Photoshop that are above your price range.  But you can just as easily get free software that offers the same functionality as other paid programs.

Search for open source software alternatives. There are a ton of free tools out there. You can also find apps for your device like productivity suites, note takers, and mobile converter apps. In addition, desktop suites like OpenOffice and LibreOffice are great alternatives to Microsoft Office you can get for free.

Organize Your Gadgets & Devices By Task 

Mobile Devices
Image credit: sean hobson

If you have more than one device, you should try getting them organized according to task.  You may think this is counter-productive, but different sizes, apps and OSes can actually make working on multiple gadgets inconvenient.

Think about how you’ll be dealing with your school work this year.  Will you be typing up your papers on a laptop in a coffee shop? Does research work better for you on a desktop? Or will you be on a tablet for on-the-go convenience? You get the idea.

Some devices are more practical than others for certain tasks.  Figure out your studying habits and get a gadget strategy and workflow in place.

Adopt Different Study Habits For Online Classes

Some of your courses may be offered online or have an online bulletin board component set.  Keep in mind that online learning environments have different dynamics and hence, need a different approach.

Tip? For starters, keep focused.  It’s all too easy to get distracted with opened browsers, the comfort of your own room, and online networks. Moreover, we’re all used to scanning stuff online.  So when it comes to in-depth reading, you’ll need to really shift gears once you log in. Remember that a lot of it is about independent learning.

Also, timeliness is a big factor that can possibly affect your grades. You want to be one of the first ones to submit a discussion response. Remember there are others who can possibly cover the same points you want to make. Don’t let them steal your thunder by posting it up first. In short, constantly scout out other minor adjustments you can make to your studying habits.

Always Have A Back Up Plan

Google Docs Revision History
Image Credit: Support.google.com

All too often does a program crash on us in the middle of a paragraph, a USB gets lost, or we quickly close that 1,500 word paper without saving. But a few things can help prevent that.

Create a copy of your papers every few drafts to different storage media. Use cloud storage services like Dropbox to save a copy of your last draft.

Or conversely, create your original copy online with Google Docs. It will save your changes automatically. In addition, it will create a back up of the file’s revision history. Let’s not forget that you can always send a draft to yourself as an attachment!

Once the year starts, a solid routine will be the only thing keeping you on top of things. So make sure you plan out your tech strategy well!

The Pros And Cons of BYOD

In the world of mobile devices, usage falls into 2 main categories: personal and professional use.  Thanks to the wide spread nature of mobile devices, the defining line between the two is getting blurred.

Having a device dedicated for work is no longer necessary. We instinctually pull out our smartphone or tablet to email a colleague or review a file while on the commute home.  And with the help of cloud services and online sharing services, you can access your work from anywhere.

Yet whether you know it or not, using personal mobile technology for professional use is affecting workplaces on a large scale.  How? Here’s a general look at what you need to know about this rapidly growing trend how it could potentially change the way you work.

What is BYOD?

BYOD or “Bring Your Own Device,” is exactly what it sounds like—bringing in your own device to the workplace. Thanks to laptops, smartphones and tablets, BYOD is a trend everyone is already taking part in.  No doubt you’ve taken your mobile device to work, and have probably even taken it a step further by accessing your company’s networks and systems. Well, that’s the BYOD trend in a nutshell.

The state of BYOD

However, because these are employee-owned devices, businesses that support this trend need to develop regulations to accommodate them.  Currently, there are companies like TrendMicro and Unisys, working to help develop BYOD strategies to make it easy for all parties to access and interact with company databases and servers safely.

Although as popular as it is to work “on-the-go,” BYOD is still a widely debated topic in data intense work environments.

The Pros & Cons of BYOD

Off the top, there are advantages which businesses and employees can gain .  You can work anywhere, any time.  The hardware is affordable, accessible and you can download any productivity app you need.

Combine that with company resources and IT workflows and your device becomes your most powerful productivity tool. It’s a dream for users who value productivity over location. Added benefits for adopting BYOD include:

  • Increases productivity; faster response rates
  • Companies save money on purchasing hardware
  • The choice of system and device is up to the employee
  • Flexible work hours; employees can work from home
  • Direct access to company resources and systems (no need for third party services)
  • A variety of apps can be used or integrated into workflows (document processing apps)

Yet, organizations are slow to adopt BYOD as a regular business practice.  Mobile device management is a major concern for IT managers.  For example, changes in mobile platform or device are crucial.

Whether it be Microsoft ending mainstream support for Windows Phone 8 or the critical release of RIM’s BlackBerry 10 platform, how does IT provide adequate support and security for all individual users?

Other issues keeping companies from integrating the BYOD model:

  • Lack of consistency in the quality of apps
  • Compatibility issues between apps and colleagues
  • Data breaches
  • Liability for devices if lost or hacked
  • Difficult for IT to maintain control over files and data being shared
  • Hardware and software support (power requirements, memory storage)
  • Employees invest their own resources to buy new devices and apps

BYOD: Stats at a Glance

Is your company looking to jump on the BYOD bandwagon? Here’s a visual look at where the BYOD trend stands so far.  Where do you and your company fall on this infographic?:

BYOD 2013 Infographic

Source:  The Magic Blog

Overall, it’s good to have a sense of the issues surrounding BYOD and what to expect.  If your company is going BYOD, get the 411 on the regulations and policies they have in place.

You can stay up to date with the latest BYOD developments on ZDNet.com.