There is nothing more irritating than having to hold your smartphone continuously for an hour or so while you read or watch a movie. Yes, smartphones are multifunctional and they can be used in a personal setting and in almost every commercial setting possible. In fact, in the last two years, Apple has managed to push iPads and iPhones as mobile billing stations for small and large businesses. Walk into a large store like McDonalds and there is a good chance that roving staff will bill you with an iPad or iPhone. They aren’t the only ones as large stores like Nike, Dominoes and even Pizza Hut now have iPad checkouts. In fact, most small business like popup stores, flea market stands and even food trucks now prefer to use mobile or tablet based billing systems to help them serve customers better. The older computerized POS systems are slowly being phased out and tablet or mobile-based POS systems are here to stay.

Tablet or Mobile-Based POS Systems are the Future

For businesses, this could not come at a better time. Tablet or phone- based billings great way to hasten the billing process and create a favorable impression on customers. Compared to the traditional billing systems, tablets and phones are cheaper, portable, super effective and much more impressive. The primary problem being the delicate nature of the iPad or iPhone. An involuntary jerk and the tablet or phone could easily shatter into a hundred pieces, hold up your billing process and cost you a huge amount in repairs or rentals. To prevent this from happening, most stores now use stands to hold store tablets or phones in a stationary position. If you are already using a wireless POS system with tablets, it’s a good idea to start looking for tablet or mobile stands right away. Here is a quick look at what is available on the market.

Table stands

These types of stands are usually made from simple plastic or thick heavy-duty wire and they are recommended for personal use. However, they are not a good idea for a cluttered billing station. The most common varieties are small and just enough to hold the smartphone or tablet for reading or easy viewing.

Security mounts

For businesses, security mounts are the best. These mounts are usually made from heavy duty plastic or metal like aluminum. The tablet stand is clipped to the table or the billing station with screws and most stands can be swiveled around for viewing from multiple directions. Some models also come with thick scratchproof gorilla glass covers, internal padding for the tablet, and cable locks with security slots. These models may also have additional locking systems to prevent theft and an inbuilt charging station to ensure that the tablet remains operable at all times. Most manufacturers make these mounts in multiple colors, shapes and sizes and you will easily find something to suit your unique business requirements.

Handheld security mounts

Apart from counter billing stations, most businesses now use tablets with roving staff to speed up the billing process. As a result, employees may be holding tablets and moving about the store. This increases the risks of data theft, actual theft and breakage. To prevent this, POS system vendors like Shopify now offer unique handheld security mounts and stands that prevent damage or theft. These cases are usually made from flexible TPU, aluminum, or ergonomic materials that will protect the tablet and your hand. The back of the case will contain a hand holder to secure the tablet to your hand during operation.

Floor stands

For small stores or quick billing, floor stands are also available and they are ideal for pop-up stores, flea market stalls, etc. that have to manage with minimal furniture and amenities. The portable stands fold up and are extremely lightweight and easy to use.

Conclusion

Using a tablet or mobile POS stand just makes sense as a protective measure, says Posios. Your billing counter appears clear of distractions, wires, and cables, and there is a very low chance of operator error. In fact, stores do tend to lose quite a lot of revenue due to missed products during billing, billing mistakes and operator error. With a small tablet, securely held down on a stand, these errors are minimized considerably. In the end, not only does the store create an impressive appearance but it also reduces pressure on staff and ensures optimum billing practices. Although there are several different models on the market, it would be a good idea to check with your POS vendor.

The need to meet with colleagues and clients is ever increasing, and the methods of holding such meetings are evolving. Face to face, meetings are the best, since people can freely express themselves and develop a better relationship. However, with distance between the parties, covering the distance will cost them time and eventually money. Video conferencing is the solution to the above problem. However, a Mac infrastructure is the way to go for the best video conferencing outcome. Here are a few reasons why Mac is the way to go.

You get speed with Mac

Every development in the business world has a close relationship to speed. The faster you can close a deal, the sooner you can get to the next one and make as much money as possible. Other video conferencing platforms are good, but Mac is ideal for your business owing to its speed. The Mac cloud based system will help you and your business to account for every minute of every day. The above will lead to huge savings, better customer care, and more profits. However, according to Apple Support, you need to make sure that you have a good camera and are operating with a reasonable bandwidth for the best results.

Establish a face-to-face relationship

Traditionally, business used to be about trust, which is still a very important aspect if you want to grow. In previous years, businesses would focus on the communities’ right outside their premises, and had no chance of developing a global reach. Today, businesses have changed and are spreading to different continents. The face-to-face aspect is still central to the growth and spread of a business to foreign lands, a factor where video conferencing will play an important role. Meet with potential clients face-to-face through a video conference, and let them trust you enough to enter into a transaction with you.

The Mac video conferencing will make you stand out

Your tools of trade will either drown you in the sea of competition, or make you stand out as the best. Many businesses are trying their best to attract clients, and many are venturing into the use of video conferencing. You do not have to be catching up when everyone else is already there, you and your business should be the pace setters. The seamless advantage of the Mac video conferencing system will surely give you and your clients a reason and a means to keep in touch.

Nature will have little influence over your meetings

Going for a meeting in the building across the street or in another country, is to some degree dependent on nature. A heavy downpour, an ash cloud, heavy snow, a fire or any other natural calamity can all work towards delaying a meeting or leading to its cancellation. Acts of nature lead to delay of flights, traffic jams, overbooking of planes and other inconveniences; these will hurt businesses like yours. However, no form of calamity on the roads or at the airport will hinder you from video conferencing. According to Video Conferencing Advice, video conferencing connects individuals in real-time. Hold and attend meetings from the comfort of your office, thanks to the Mac video conferencing system.

In-house trainings will get better

Without the Mac video conferencing system, to train your members of staff to adapt to a new system of doing things will take a very long time. You will waste a lot of time moving from one department to the other, repeating the same information. The situation is even worse when you have to train your staff in other offices outside the country. However, with a Mac video conferencing system, there will never be need to repeat any information in different departments. Everyone will only be required to attend the same meeting without having to leave his or her country or his or her department. The above will save you time, money and energy.

You get to move your business at the speed of light

The greatest speed known to man is the speed of light, and moving with such speeds to your clients will work wonders for your business. Most transport systems today have reached their speed limit, and they will hardly come close to getting you to the next office in the speed of time. A Mac video conferencing system, however, promises to get you to the next town or even several different countries in real time. This helps get to clients, meet their needs, get their feedback and improve their overall experience without having to pack a single bag. According to Video Conferencing guide, video conferencing makes people more productive.

Today, the Mac based video conferencing system offers the best and most reliable way to meet online. The quality of the face-to-face meeting, the efficiency of the communication and the level of personal interaction will help your business to grow. Companies such as BlueJeans cloud video conferencing are in the forefront of providing video conferencing services to businesses, whether small or large scale. The advantage of such a system is the ability to connect people seamlessly regardless of distance, time, and type of gadget.

You have decided to switch over to an iPad based POS system, which is a very wise decision. “Tablet-based POS systems are faster, simpler to use and affordable,” states Point of Sale. However, they are not without their problems. The tablet can withstand ordinary wear and tear, but dropping it can result in serious long-term damage. This is particularly true in the case of cashiers who are swiping thousands of items for several hundred customers each day. A sudden jolt or a jostled elbow could result in the cashier dropping the tablet or dinging it with some kind of can or product.

Users who dropped the iPad have reported issues like a red screen, cracked glass facing, loss of data, etc. A few of these problems can be repaired, but severe damage to the tablet cannot – which will require you to spend even more money to replace your hardware. To prevent this, vendors such as Shopify have developed different types of iPad stands that will protect your tablet and keep it safe.

Types of iPad Stands

There are several different types of iPad stands available for customers. Here is a quick guide to the different varieties you can choose from:

There are many more varieties available in the market and you can choose from different colors, shapes, sizes and brands. Most of these stands also contain swivel features by which you can move the tablet into a different position or height to suit the cashier using the tablet.

• Casing with Stand – This type of stand is very useful at billing stations. The iPad is covered with a solid plastic, fabric, metal or cloth casing. The casing has a stand built into the back of the case and the iPad can be propped up anywhere to carry out billing. The casing also ensures that the tablet is protected from dings and dents during handling. The only problem is that the stand is not locked down. In case of a good push, the stand and the tablet may be pushed off the billing counter.
• Security Cases with Stands – For businesses, this option also makes good sense. As billing counters are usually covered with items, there is a good chance that the tablet will be pushed off or dropped. Furthermore, customers or staff members may walk off with the iPad leading to theft and loss of customer data. To prevent that, storeowners may choose to use transparent security cases with table locks to keep the iPads in place. The locks prevent anyone from moving the tablet and the casing prevent damage to the tablet.
• Wall-Mounted Tablet Stands with Covers – Wall-mounted tablet stands are a good idea. The tablet is secured own into a transparent or colored casing and mounted on a wall stand.
• Flour-Mounted Tablet Stands with Covers – For flour mounted stands, the tablet and its stand is attached to the floor. These stands are popular with restaurants as they can be shifted about to different locations for billing.
• Cart Mounted Tablet Stands – Restaurants also use cart mounted tablet stands to process billing in different locations.

There are many more varieties available in the market and you can choose from different colors, shapes, sizes and brands. Most of these stands also contain swivel features by which you can move the tablet into a different position or height to suit the cashier using the tablet.

Choosing the Right iPad Stand for Your Tablet POS

There are different varieties of tablet stands available, but you do need to choose a variety that suits your particular needs. You can start by taking a good look at your POS billing counter. Do you have enough space to keep your iPad and its stand on the counter? If yes, then you can opt for table-mounted POS systems. You should know that a POS system does require additional hardware like a printer, barcode scanner, etc.

If the billing counter does not have enough space, you should consider using wall mounted or floor mounted iPad stands to secure the tablet in place. For roving staff, it is a good idea to use a ruggedized case along with a flip stand. The ruggedized case will protect the tablet from spills and falls and the stand can be used to hold up the tablet when required. The most common variety seen is a table mounted stand that secures the tablet to a billing station and covered with a security cover to prevent theft, scratches, and spills.

The Bottom Line

“iPads are the perfect billing device for storeowners who want to reduce their POS hardware and update their technology,” according to Gotta Be Mobile. The tablets are easy to use, affordable and fast. With the right stand and security case, you can secure your tablet and ensure that your POS runs as efficiently as possible.

What Vintage really is

Vintage is a term that’s typically used to describe things that are between 20 and 100 years old, and is a word that is often applied to clothes, furniture, and more. Originally used to describe the year of an aged wine, vintage is now often referred to as “retro,” and rarely used to discuss wines, except amongst sommeliers. While vintage used to be used primarily for clothes and wine alone, vintage has taken on an entirely new culture over the past ten years. Now, “vintage” applies to everything from art to shoes, and is considered to be highly fashionable by many. In this time frame, vintage has gone from shab to fab in a blink of an eye, and clothes and styles that were once considered old and outdated are now considered chic.

In fact, many clothing lines and designs have begun focusing solely on what could be considered vintage style. Furthermore, vintage has even become part of youth media culture, with artists like Macklemore talking about thrift shops and their value. On point, the song mentions things like velour jump suits, brown leather jackets, and clothes that were worn in “grandad’s” time.

However, vintage doesn’t just apply to fashionable clothing. As mentioned above, the vintage culture has expanded to include many different things that are antiquated and no longer used, including things such as single-speed bicycles, vintage Polaroid cameras, record players, vintage type-writers, old keyboard and other musical instruments, vintage alarm clocks, and more. Additionally, many types of artwork are now considered to be vintage, most typically artwork that is done in black and white, features owls or top hats, or art in the form of photographs of Charlie Chaplin and Marilyn Monroe. Housewares items, clocks, watches, hats, stationary, and more can also be considered to be vintage.

The vintage trend is chic and stylish, but also meaningful and expressive. For many, vintage items go beyond being fashionable, and instead provide an insight to the past, another culture, and a different, simpler, time. Additionally, vintage items when purchased at a thrift store are often amazing and inexpensive finds, allowing people to be elegant and sophisticated in their clothing at a relatively low cost.

For Vintage lovers using iPads

With the development of vintage culture and a love for all things antique, many amazing and beautiful types of vintage iPad wallpapers have been developed. These wallpapers feature everything from basic patterns to antique bicycles to modern designs that have been made to look old-fashioned. Beautiful vintage iPad wallpapers may also feature significant landmarks, such as the Eiffel Tower, a well-known mountain range, or a famous city. Often time, even photographs of modern-day people can be considered vintage, especially when the camera settings are played with or the photo is later aduject.

The most beautiful types of vintage iPad wallpapers are those that tell a story. Pictures of old cameras inspire curiosity about all the things those cameras must have seen; pictures of outdated keys and old letters make you wonder who they belonged to; and photos of old cars raise questions regarding where the vehicle journeyed to, and what happened along the way. With black and white images capturing shadows and nuanced meanings, and colorful images illuminating emotion and happiness, vintage style is amazing. Check out the following 10 beautiful vintage iPad wallpapers:

1. Vintage Bruges

Credits: Megahdscreen

2. Vintage Bike and Brick

Credits: New Ipad Walls

3. Bicycle Vintage

Credits: Megahdscreen

4. Vintage Love

Credit: ilikewallpaper

5. Beautiful Vintage Girl

Credit: Widescreenwall

6. Vintage Durdle Door

Credits: Widescreenwall

7. Golden Days Vintage Postcard

Credits: iPad Wallpapers

8. Vintage Heart Pattern Blouse

Credits: Wallpaperstock

9. Coca-Cola Poster

Credits: Ipad3wallpaper

10. Tower Eiffel Vintage Photography

Credits: Wallpaperswide

On the other hand, one just as often meets managers who are paranoid about conducting meetings of any importance online, who are afraid of their research and industry insights leaking and reaching their competitors or others who shouldn’t be privy to this information. This type of manager will go to extreme lengths, often wasting resources, to ensure that meetings are for the most part face-to-face affairs. Both approaches are often catastrophic and reflect a lack of appreciation for today’s reality. Secure video conferencing programs, like the one offered by Blue Jeans, are solutions designed specifically for organizations that need to hold virtual meetings and who need these meetings to be secure. Here’s why you should use a secure video conferencing program, as well as a closer look at how one should operate.

The Risk

It might seem a little too Hollywood to consider that someone is secretly listening in on your most important business meetings. However, a New York Times article details the experience of a chief security officer who did just that. He discovered that to accommodate individual participants, many large organizations set up their conference call meeting outside of protected firewall. Even further, many set their systems to automatically answer calls, rather than have participants enter a password to join in. Whether it is likely that someone is spying on your meetings, it is important to know whether that potential exists and to prevent others from gaining access to proprietary information, financial records, and other top-level information.

Video Conferencing Security is Real

It is not surprising to come across people who honestly think that the security levels provided by different services, whether it is a chat window in your email or a paid video conferencing program, are the same. These people believe that if a hacker was interested enough in accessing a conversation, they would experience more or less the same difficulty getting in. This could not be further from the truth. Understanding how video conferencing security works can help you better gauge the advantages of using a secure video conferencing program. The security of data stored and transmitted depends upon the security protocols set up, encryptions, network security, level of data radiation, and so on. A secure video conferencing program takes into account the limitations of other services with lower security levels, and it far outdoes these on all security parameters. The security of Skype conversations depends almost completely on user access passwords. This program and others like it should not be treated as a viable video conferencing option because of this and other security-related issues. In contrast, a service that specializes in providing businesses with secure solutions will use cutting-edge technology to fulfil its promises.

There are two main types of security that are used in enterprise-level video conferencing:

• 128-bit AES encryption is standard. According to EE Times, this is the type of encryption used by government organizations. It has a total number of solutions that is calculated as 3.4×10^38. The article calculates the amount of time it would take to try each of these possible solutions. Simply put, it would take an impractical number of years to crack such a code.
• Firewall and NAT traversal are also used. It uses internet protocol connections between network address translation (NAT) gateways. This leaves no method for traffic to be intercepted by a third party.

Combining these two security features makes penetrating a security system practically impossible. Often the only reason this type of security fails is due to not updating necessary software or not using high quality passwords. Additionally, these systems can be turned off, so it is important to verify that they are active prior to beginning a meeting.

Freely Share Confidential Information
Using a secure video conferencing program will change your whole approach to video conferencing. No longer will you feel obliged to carefully filter through information you would like to share, making sure to delete anything confidential where a security mishap could cost you big time. With a great secure video conferencing program, you will find sharing data to be easy and safe. From simple presentations and videos to confidential reports and sheets, you can freely share them all. This can only improve business, even as greater transparency is introduced together with a greater willingness to discuss what’s most important. Information on each individual device should also be secured. Typically this is done through the use of password protected files, folders, or drives. This prevents an individual who is participating in the exchange from accessing unnecessary files on another’s device. When a meeting is held over a cloud-based system, the administrator can designate which files are available to others.

Save Time, Energy and Money

If you’ve been one to prioritize face-to-face meetings when it comes to sensitive information or data, you will find that using a secure video conferencing program will save you a great amount of time, energy and money. Travel costs and time taken off regular work won’t be things you have to think about anymore. Knowing you’re using a secure service will allow you to better schedule your meetings and conferences, replacing many “real” conferences with video conferences. Having the option to host a video conference wherever you are and at any time will help you to optimize your resources, ensuring that neither you nor the participants of your conference are anywhere other than where they need to be.

Additional Features

Video conferencing services like Blue Jeans offer far more than just greater security. While having the freedom to securely hold meetings and video conferences when conducting business may be the reason why you’re considering a video conferencing program, you will find that features like multi-device interoperability, seamless conferencing services for large numbers, rich content sharing, and fast video sharing will improve the quality of your conferences. Since these services cater primarily to businesses, they provide a platform perfectly suited to your purposes. After using a great program, you will find everything else you used before primitive and simply not up to the mark.

One of the key benefits to using an enterprise-level video conferencing service that is cloud-based is that is can be used on almost any device. Users are connected to the meeting through any device that has both video capabilities and internet access. This includes desktop and mobile devices, as well as the most popular operating systems: Windows, Linux, and Mac. The video conferencing program takes care of security for all information transmitted during the meeting. Your company can designate a specific number of individuals admitted to any meeting. To increase capacity, the only steps necessary are to add additional licenses to your software and to designate allowed virtual ports.

Additional Security Concerns

For businesses with video conferencing security concerns, there are additional elements to take into consideration. Although your video conferencing program will provide exceptional security for your meetings and protect all transmitted data, this does not ensure against other types of security breaches, such as to your data storage systems. A closer inspection of your other security protocols may also protect vital information from hackers or leaks. Computer security is essential on all levels. Your communications network through which your conference calls are conducted will be secured by a combination of firewalls, a virtual private network (VPN), and similar technology. Data transmitted during the calls will be protected through encryption, ensuring only those with direct access can find the information. Each individual’s device must also have appropriate security protocols in place. Some companies provide devices for employees to use; others may prefer to verify that each device is identified by the system and is updated with the latest security software to prevent viruses and the like. You may also require users to provide a security code or additional login information to access meetings. It is important that your company has existing policies that dictate when and how this information is made available. Finally, there must be security on a physical level. Meeting rooms may only be accessed by key card, sensitive files may be stored under lock, and visitors to your facilities may need to pass through security and have access to only designated areas. Securing your video conferencing meetings is only successful when all other potential breach areas are also secured.

Using a secure video conferencing service can change your life. Knowing that this service really does provide you with maximum security will allow you to more openly discuss the intricacies of your business during video conferences without fear of hackers or leaks. By benefitting from a host of additional features, you will find video conferencing a very real and cost-effective alternative to holding conferences at a physical location.

In recent years, thanks to the growing popularity of the Mac, the launch of the Mac App Store, and Steam’s availability on Mac, users have been inundated with brand new gaming options. Previously, most of the popular games were only released on Windows, and Mac users had to install virtual Windows environments that were inconvenient and frustrating. Developers have finally started to see Mac as a viable gaming platform, and have been releasing a stream of top rated games for Mac users. Here are some of those that we enjoy.

Credits: OS X Daily

FIFA 13

As far as sports games are concerned, the FIFA series is the most popular one out there. No surprises there, since soccer is the most watched sport in the world. The latest FIFA instalment is tremendous fun, and will keep you occupied for hours on end. The Ultimate Team mode, where gamers have to win matches and gain points to purchase booster packs (just like how we purchased sticker packs back in the 90s) to unlock new players and skills, is one of the most interactive and innovative features in a sports game. Our favourite game mode is Online Seasons, where you get to challenge other players around the world. Nothing is more satisfying than utterly humiliating your opponent, and watching him resort to petty insults to mask his agony. Heh.

Credits: NowGamer

Left 4 Dead 2

Everyone loves killing zombies and first-person shooters; combine them and you get Left 4 Dead 2. Unlike other games from the genre, this one actually requires strategy. You play as one of four survivors, and must work together as a team to survive the zombie-infested levels. Try lone-wolfing it and odds are you’ll be zombie food in no time. The characters are lively and humorous, which take away some of the tension of trudging through creepy terrain. Weapons are aplenty; you can choose from a bunch of long and short range weapons (including a frying pan, our favourite) to help you bludgeon, decapitate, and annihilate your enemies.

Credits: YoYo Games

Diablo 3

We had to wait more than 10 years for the next instalment of Diablo, making this dungeon crawler one of the most anticipated games ever. There’s not much of a story, but the meat of the game comes in the battles. There’s lots to do, from battling monsters to finding weapons and materials, to keep you entertained. You get to customise your character based on five classes: Barbarian, Wizard, Monk, Demon Hunter, or Witch Doctor, with each having its own strengths and weaknesses. Despite a few reported flaws, such as lags and game crashes, this is still an extremely addictive button masher.

Credits: OS X Daily

Batman: Arkham Asylum

Batman has made a triumphant return to pop culture in recent years, mostly due to the movies starring Christian Bale. This Batman game maintains the high quality associated with the caped crusader, by delivering a compelling story with simple but effective mechanics. The inmates at Arkham Asylum have taken over, and it’s up to you to step in to save the day. Test your wits and skill against classic Batman villains like The Joker, Bane, Scarecrow, Killer Croc, and many more. The best part of the game is the story, which will keep you at the edge of your seat. After beating this game, do check out the sequel, Batman: Arkham City.

Credits: Batman Wiki

World of Warcraft

One simply cannot compile a list of great Mac games without including World of Warcraft. This MMORPG has been around since 2004, but it still remains an undisputed fan favourite. You get to select your character from a variety of races and classes, before embarking on an epic journey around the mythical realm of Azeroth. You can choose to go solo, team up with friends, or join a guild to enhance your gaming experience. In short, the possibilities are endless, and expansion packs are frequently released to ensure that the game doesn’t get old. Beware though, as immersing yourself into this game may result in a non-existent social life!

Credits: Blizzard Entertainment

Among technology-based companies, Apple is the undisputed leader when it comes to creating products and services with strong visual and emotional appeals.

These qualities ensure that users enjoy memorable product experiences, which is the first and most important step in cultivating brand loyalty. They key to understanding customer experience is not simply having an aesthetically-pleasing user interface, but having a product which fulfils tangible consumer needs. Let’s have a look at some of Apple’s services, and how they manage to create magical user experiences.

Credits: Good E-Reader

Apple ID

Having an Apple ID is essential for all Apple users. The ID serves as a login for almost every Apple-related service, such as iCloud, the App Store, and iTunes. One of the characteristics of the online world is usernames and passwords; you require a set no matter which site or service you choose to become a member of. Having a universal password may seem like common sense, especially for companies that provide services on multiple platforms. But Apple is one of the few that actually integrates basic common sense into decisive action.

Credits: AnandTech

iCloud

iCloud lets you access all your important content and information, such as music, photos, contacts, calendars etc, from whatever Apple device you are using. Not only does iCloud grant extreme convenience, it’s valuable as a backup to your important files and documents. In the past, buying a new iPhone or Mac requires endless hours of transferring data from your old machine/phone. We really did not enjoy all the manual work required, so we are eternally grateful for the value iCloud has been providing.

Credits: Digital Trends

iTunes

iTunes is Apple’s default media player and library, and most users’ preferred choice to play and store music. If you own an iPad, iPod, or iPhone, iTunes is the only way to manage your video and audio options on those portable devices. Innovative features of iTunes include the option to share your media library over a local network, smart playlist support based on user customised criteria, and audio normalisation. iCloud has added a new dimension to iTunes, allowing users to download new music purchases onto any Apple device when purchased at the iTunes store.

Credits: CrunchBase

iBooks

iBooks was released in conjunction with the iPad, taking advantage of the bigger screen to offer an e-book service. iBooks has since been upgraded to support the iPhone and iPod Touch. Customisation is the key feature of the app; you can change fonts, text size, screen brightness, page layouts, and viewing themes. iCloud also works perfectly with iBooks, so any books you purchase from the iBookstore will be synced to all your Apple devices.

Credits: Good E-Reader

Conclusion

All these services have one thing in common: they fulfil tangible needs and enhance the user experience. Apple has a slightly arrogant philosophy of assuming that customers do not know what they want, and that it is up to them to provide what they deem to be true value. While this approach may be questionable in this age of connected consumerism, more often than not, magical user experiences are created instead.

Kickstarter is a company that utilises crowd funding to provide tools to raise funds for creative projects. It allows members to pledge a certain amount of money towards an idea in exchange for a reward or unique experience provided by the project creator. Types of endeavours funded by Kickstarter include music, film, comics, stage shows, and food-related projects. No monetary transactions are allowed, in favour of benefits like creative collaborations (backer makes an appearance in the creator’s project), creative experiences (a concert in the backyard, dinner with the project creator etc), creative mementos (personal note of thanks, acknowledgement in credits, meaningful project-related tokens etc), and copies of the project. This system has allowed many creative projects to receive the funding required, turning dreams into reality. Here are some notable ones for Apple products.

Click here to view Trygger’s kickstart project.

Credits: Kickstarter

1. Brydge

Imagine doing up a 10,000 word business plan on your iPad; you’ll probably end up frustrated and give up halfway. Brydge is a keyboard specially designed for the iPad, essentially turning it into a Mac. Aesthetically, it matches the iPad perfectly, so much so that they seem like one device. Brydge transforms your iPad into a perfect business companion by combining portability with functional qualities.

Click here to view Brydge’s kickstart project.

Credits: Kickstarter

2. Pebble

A customisable watch which lets you display notifications from your iPhone, Pebble has a simplistic charm which disguises its “smart” features. It is light and comfortable, with useful apps that allow you to monitor heart rate and distance travelled, making it an ideal exercise companion.

Click here to view Pebble’s kickstart project.

Credits: Kickstarter

3. TikTok and LunaTik

Speaking of exercise companions, the iPod Nano fulfils this role with aplomb, keeping us motivated with our favourite music. TikTok has a strap-like design which allows you to securely fasten the Nano onto your wrist, while LunaTik is a more premium device you can screw together with the Nano to make it a permanent watch.

Click here to view TikTok and LunaTik’s kickstart project.

Credits: Kickstarter

4. Elevation Dock

The Elevation Dock is the best iPhone dock we’ve used. It’s simple to use, unlocks quickly, and works with or without a case. It looks great too, and compliments the craftsmanship of the iPhone perfectly.

Click here to view Elevation Dock’s kickstart project.

Credits: SlashGear

5. iZZi Orbit

This iPhone 4/4S/5 case adds a stabilising grip, three tripod mounts, and three lens converters which allow you to switch between fish-eye, wide angle, or telephoto focal lengths. This will significantly boost your iPhone’s ergonomics and lens capability; a must-have for all photo-obsessed iPhone users.

Click here to view iZZi Orbit’s kickstart project.

Credits: PRWeb

6. Trygger

Made with 1.8mm-thick polycarbonate, this iPhone case offers great protection in case you drop your phone. For camera enthusiasts, it also has a polarising filter that can be used to enhance the appearance of your photo. A dedicated app allows you to calibrate the filter accordingly.

Click here to view Trygger’s kickstart project.

Credits: Kickstarter

7. HitFilm

This video editing software combines video editing, advanced compositing, and visual effects for a seamless and cutting edge experience. Previously only available on Windows, this popular software will finally be getting a Mac release in Q4 of 2013.

Click here to view HitFilm’s kickstart project.

Credits: Creative Observer

8. Snuglet

Mac power cables are hardly the most secure of cables, and even slight movements will cause it to disconnect or stop charging. Snuglet ensures that your cable will never be accidentally disconnected by increasing magnetic connection between cable and Mac.

Click here to view Snuglet’s kickstart project.

Credits: Kickstarter

9. C.24

The C.24 transforms from a protective cover for your iPad into a music keyboard at a touch. The keys are sprung using anti-polarity magnets instead of plastic or metal springs, giving a semi-weighted feel which makes playing music a comfortable and fun experience.

Click here to view C.24’s kickstart project.

Credits: Dexigner

10. StoryPress

If you want to leave your legacy behind, or simply record your life story, this iPad app is your choice. Instead of words, StoryPress allows you to tell your story with your own voice. When you finish your story, it’ll be saved as an audiobook that you can share exclusively with loved ones or the StoryPress community.

Click here to view StoryPress’s kickstart project.

Credits: Google play

Since launching in 2005, YouTube has ascended and claimed its place as the number one video sharing website available. YouTube enjoys 800 million visitors, and more than 4 billion hours of video content per month. None of its competitors, such as Vimeo, Hulu, and Dailymotion, come close to matching YouTube’s popularity and market share. During YouTube’s initial post-launch years, many people, ourselves included, expressed frustration at not being able to download our favourite videos onto our hard drives. We wanted to transfer them onto our iPod Video (our favourite Apple product back in 2008) for convenient viewing, so not being able to do so was a major downer.

Thankfully, we’re inundated with YouTube downloaders today. One of the hottest and recently released YouTube downloaders is Airy: a tiny but powerful app exclusive to Mac. We find it really simple and easy to use. No frills and no complex user interface to bog us down and stop us from having YouTube videos for our own keeping.

Trying to download Gangnam Style video with Airy

The key factor that makes YouTube work is that videos are owned by individual users. However, this could pose a problem if the owner of a popular video decides to take it down for whatever reason. Imagine logging on and realising that the video you bookmarked and planned to watch over the weekend is no longer there. Airy spares you from going through this heart-breaking process. Downloading your favourite videos also liberates you from overreliance on internet connection, as you can view them even when offline.

Credits: Eltima Software

Airy is easy enough to use. Copy and paste a URL onto the download bar, and select your desired output. Supported video outputs are MP4, WebM, FLV, and 3GP. To download just the audio from a YouTube video, simply select the MP3 option. Download speeds vary according to the selected output and your internet speed; but it works fine for us. We tried downloading a few videos and there were no errors in the output. We especially hate it when some converter programmes give a sub-standard output with out of sync video and audio, but Airy gave us no such problems.

The Bottom Line

Airy is a no-frills converter that does as advertises. It’ll not wow you, but it’ll not fail you either. It’s a safe and reliable choice if you’re looking for a YouTube Converter app. Airy is not free; the full version costs $20, while the trial version allows you 5 free downloads to try out all the functions. For that small price, it’s value for money.

For UsingMac readers, you are in for a treat! Use this coupon code for the purchase of Airy, which gives 30% discount on Airy for the visitors of your site: AIRYMCTRST

Credits: Eltima Software

When the iPad was launched in 2010, it received its fair share of criticism. Naysayers predicted that the iPad would sell only a few million units a year, and that it would never hit the success levels enjoyed by the iPhone and iPod. Three years later, those critics have been made to eat their words. The iPad has revolutionised the world, extending its reach far beyond the tech industry into education, F & B, retail, healthcare, and many more. So how can businesses take advantage of this trend to add value to their customers?

Credit: Mundo33

The iPad is a convenient customer self-service tool which businesses can use to showcase a more complete and informative catalogue. Picture this scenario: You’re at a restaurant, and the waiter presents you with a thick and clunky menu. You flip through the numerous pages, unable to decide on what to order. Each item has a short description, but words alone can’t help you depict an accurate representation of the food. The menu does not contain any pictures at all. You ask the waiter for help, but he seems hesitant and unsure. Does this sound familiar? Recently, we’ve noticed an increasing number of F & B and retail outlets replacing the traditional menu with one hosted on an iPad. Navigation is simple and intuitive, product descriptions are colourful and accompanied by pictures, and customers generally enjoy using an iPad more than flipping through a dusty old menu.

Credit: Jeff Houck

The iPad can also offer a more unique customer experience, by allowing businesses to foster a deeper connection with the customer, integrating traditional business elements with technology, and enhancing the in-store experience. Imagine this: You go to a cosmetic store which carries hundreds of different products. Instead of going round the whole store searching for that one particular item you want, there are iPads available at the counter which clearly categorise the products according to brand and location at the store. The sales staff are also armed with iPads. When you ask them for recommendations, they search your name in their database, which shows your previous transactions. Scanning a product will bring up reviews from other customers. There’s even an app which recommends the ideal product for you based on your features. These iPad-related techniques allow businesses to create brand-new shopping experiences for their customers.

Credit: iPadEnclosures.com

Conclusion

The iPad, being only three years old, is still considered a novelty in the business world. Soon enough, its convenience, innovative features, and flexibility will make it a necessity for businesses looking to add value to their customers. Do not be a casualty of this inevitable power shift towards iPads and tablet PCs. Embrace it and find ways to integrate the iPad into your business models. More and more businesses are coming on board.