Mobile Phones Apps Great For Keeping On Track Of Gold And Silver Prices

Given today's current economic crises around the world, some people have chosen to invest in precious metals to ensure future financial security. According to an article submitted to Zero Hedge, a top financial blog, "This is the first time in human history in which all the world's major currencies are collapsing together." Mike Maloney, the originator of the article, addresses the fact that the state of money throughout the world is constantly in flux, and right now, we're at the end stages before a new currency is introduced into the system backed by "sound money," or money backed by precious metals. Those who invest in gold, silver and other precious metals will find greater security in the coming years. How do you know the worth of these metals? There are apps for that.

The following lists several apps to help you stay informed on the going rate of precious metals.

For Android devices:

1.) Gold Live!

Developed by Kitco, one of the leading metals information sites in the industry, Gold Live! offers a plethora of features for those staying on top of the metals game. Its layout is customizable and interactive, allowing users to see the information they need quickly. With multiple language options, real-time metal pricing updates and rate comparisons with 13 countries, Gold Live! presents a wide array of features and is free to download.

2.) Gold & Silver Price Checker

If you're looking for a simple, intuitive app to help you buy and sell precious metals, then Gold & Silver Price Checker for Android is your go-to app. Its 2-click system allows users to access updated information quickly. This simple app features historical charts on gold prices as well as current spots, letting you find the information you need quickly, for free.


For Apple devices:

1.) Gold Silver

Developed by the American Precious Metals Exchange (APMEX), the free Gold Silver app for iPhone brings you up-to-date information on a comprehensive list of precious metals. Unlike other apps, this one locates over 40 types of precious metals and their current pricing, which means you have a complete list of all major metals in the palm of your hand.

2.) Gold Tracker

According to the app's developer, Hearn Apps, LLC, "Gold Tracker has the most advanced calculator of any precious metals app on the App Store." With over 150 currencies available on the app, dealers and investors alike will find the information they need for currencies around the world. Its comprehensive set of features includes accurate updates, history charts and personalized records to help you stay on top of your metals. The fee for the app is $2.99 as of this writing.

If you need to stay on top of gold, silver and other precious metal prices, then having a handy app will help you to do that. These four apps come highly rated by thousands of happy customers. Whatever type of mobile device you own, you can stay up-to-date on the latest values of gold and silver in the current economy, which will allow you to determine whether it's time to buy, sell or invest in precious metals.

Author Bio:

Sally writes for hard to find metals company Dynamic Metals who also stock 300M steel alloy and many other hard to find metals.

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A Technology Comparison: Was This The iPod Of The 1800s?

These days we’re pretty lucky. When it comes to technology, we’re just about overflowing with advancements that were probably unthinkable as short as five or 10 years ago.

Just take the iPod, for instance. A small, compact touch-screen device that can slot neatly into your pocket, and thanks to a sophisticated PCB layout, can store thousands of your favourite music tracks and play them back in supreme quality.

It’s the type of thing we take for granted now but just ponder for a moment those unlucky sods that came before us. I mean, a CD player? How impractical is that?! Replacing a disc every time you wanted to change artist? Ahh the hassle eh!

But what did folks do back in the 1800s? What was their iPod?

Well, perhaps the iPod of the 1800s was the object pictured below – a jukebox. Ok, so it wasn’t very portable and it certainly wasn’t personal enough to have headphones attached, but it did store and playback music.

Invented by Louis Glass in 1889, the jukebox was originally branded as the “Nickel-in-the-slot”. A pretty self-explanatory name really as, in order to activate it, you had to put a nickel in the slot. It wasn’t until the 1920s when radio was fully integrated that the jukebox was challenged for its top spot on top of the musical podium.

The first person to use the term “radio” was Lee Deforest who can also count himself as the inventor of AM radio. As for FM, that was introduced by Edwin Armstrong who also made it more straight forward for listeners to tune into their favourite station by tuning their device to the matching frequency.

At this stage, listening to music had made a significant step into making itself personable to the listener. The influence of jukeboxes, only appropriate for establishments that could afford them, had dwindled while radios were becoming the way for individuals and families to consume the very latest musical hits and trends.

Make our way to the 21st century and we have the iPod. First brought to the mass consumer market in 2001, the Apple-manufactured product has become a staple piece of technology for any person whom has a remote interest in music. Thousands of tracks can be stored while new ones can be downloaded in seconds from an online store.

Music has made its way to the 21st century in some style. It’s just hard to imagine what we’ll be lauding in another 100 years.

Author Bio:

This snapshot look at music over the past 300 years has been researched and written by Matthew Wood who is contributing for the PCB Design Services Concept CAD.

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Social Media – Making Our World Even Smaller

There was a point in time where hearing from friends or knowing the latest news stories happened to be more of a rare treat as opposed to something that you could constantly check. It wasn't until social media and networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter, and others took off along with the use of smart phones that we are continually connected to everyone we know and follow. This trend of social media has helped us not only remain connected but makes the world we live in much smaller.

How is social media making our world smaller?

One of the most interesting parts of social media has to be the fact that most of us have a smart phone that is connected to these networks all day long. It makes it very easy to quickly make comments on news, stories, share photos, give followers video clips, and be part of the conversations that are going on. It's easy to become part of a conversation with people that you may or may not have met before interacting with other people constantly. It not only makes it easy to talk with friends and family but people who live in other nations that you share interests along with.

Is this kind of connectivity a good thing?

While there are complaints about people being too addicted to devices like the stereotypical teenager on the smart phone or even those who fall for the misinformation that is on social networks at times, this connectivity is merely an outlet for people to express who they are and what they think. Some of it is great while some is not. All in all, being connected like this is something many enjoy.

This type of connectivity allows many of us to stay informed about various news, stories, local events, popular projects, charity initiatives, family issues, and the lives of friends. For many, this can make it so much easier to keep up with what is going on in an otherwise busy world.

How are people staying connected?

Many are either going directly to the social media sites, using smart phone apps, following blogs, or even using websites that allow them to consolidate all their feeds and interests in one spot. One of these that is fairly interesting is called Dwibbles that will literally learn what you read the most so that the most relevant information will be right there on the page which is easy to read and access.

If you haven't checked out social media and networking sites, it might be something that you could find to be interesting. Since it does keep us connected and make the world a bit smaller by interacting with others, it's something fun and valuable to look into.

Author Bio:

Eric Santos is a blogger, problem solver, and entrepreneur. Eric is the Co-Founder of Dwibbles, and the CEO of Soshowise. Eric received a B.S in Entrepreneurship from CSUF. Eric has served as an Account Manager for the survey software company Decipher, and have managed accounts for clients such as eBay and PayPal. Eric has done some social media consulting in the past.

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Cloud Computing - What Do You Need To Know?

You might have thought that cloud computing would never catch on, but it's definitely here to stay. Latest market forecasts are predicting a 30% annual growth for the industry, so if you haven't paid attention before, now's the time to start.

People all over the world are flocking to use technology to store data in a virtual space, but cloud computing isn't just for data. You can also use it to run applications and software remotely, so you don't need to be chained to your office PC.

If you're a small business that needs more IT expertise than your current employees can provide then outsourcing your IT to a cloud company could be the ideal solution. It might be slightly more expensive than hiring an in-house IT expert, but the pros definitely outweigh the cons. Cloud services will increase your efficiency and mean that your small business can take a "big business approach" to any issues you face.

Are there different types of cloud service?

Put simply, yes, there are three levels of cloud service.

First level: Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS).

It provides virtual hardware such as computers, storage software platforms etc. This means that your employees can access everything they need via the internet, rather than being office based.

Second level: Platform as a Service (PaaS).

It provides all the resources a small business would need to create its own software and programmes. This will usually include an operating system, programming environment, database and web server. Useful if you're looking to reduce costs.

Third level: Software as a Service (SaaS).

This provides you with programmes and software that are ready to go. You can run them remotely, there are no lengthy installation times and no concerns about whether your hardware will cope.

What could go wrong?

Nothing is risk free and here are some of the potential pitfalls explained.

Data security

This is the most obvious concern that most people have, but in most cases, if you use a reputable supplier, your data is safe. When you combine a specialist cloud provider with an in-house expert your security will be better than most small businesses can normally manage.

Information control

Your information is stored on someone else's computer, and you'll have no idea where that is. You should be aware of all the contractual terms of your cloud supplier to make sure you comply with your legal, contractual and moral obligations.

Flexibility

At the moment it isn't possible to "pick and mix" cloud services like you would with internet providers. You could find it difficult to change cloud services and if you use more than one cloud service it could be hard to make them work together.

How do I choose a provider?

Ask yourself these three quick questions:

1. Is the provider stable, trustworthy and have a good reputation to lose?
2. Do the conditions of the contract work for your business?
3. Will this provider really benefit your business?

Trust your instincts, finding the right IT support is tricky whether you're in London or Lewes. Be sure to look before you leap, but don't be afraid to take the plunge.

Author Bio:

Rob Rudd enjoys his job as a writer and regularly contributes to several IT and technology blogs. When he isn't writing he enjoys learning to play the ukulele.

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Cloud Safety: A Survival Guide

Creative Commons image source

Safety in the Stratosphere

There is no doubt that cloud technology is revolutionizing the digital sphere. It's efficient, it permits employees to work from almost anywhere, and reduces the amount of money needed to be spent on data storage hardware. However, with the sheer proliferation of cloud-based computing, the question of privacy arises. How do you ensure that your information remains protected when it is stored online?

IT Advice

• Encrypt personal data: When saving personal information to an online storage source, it is best to encrypt the data. Identity theft and fraud are rampant on the internet, and as the old mantra goes, it's better to be safe than sorry. The kind of information that should be encrypted includes copies of personal documents, bank statements, medical records, property deeds, etc. Confidential business information should also undergo this process. There are numerous simple encryption programmes available to help you protect your data.
• Back up your info: Cloud technology is not infallible. In the worst case scenario, hackers can erase all your valuable information. The golden rule is to back up everything you don't want to lose on a hard drive or two.
• Passwords: Don't use the same password for all your accounts. It may be easier for you to remember, but it also makes it easier for nefarious hackers to access all of your accounts. So remember to diversify! Use date combinations that mean something to you. Save the password combinations in your phone contact list under a false name– that way, it looks like just another number to someone who happens to glance at your screen.
• Two-factor authentication: Simply put, this refers to the use of two methods to confirm your identity. This usually includes a password which you type in, and then an authentication code that is sent to your cellular device. This helps to prevent your social media accounts from unauthorised access, particularly if you are logging in from an unfamiliar device.
• No daisy chains: Refrain from linking all of your accounts together, for example, using your Facebook login details to sign into other websites. In the event of a hack, all of your interlinked accounts could be accessed. It's better to register social media accounts with a separate email address each time.
• Choose your devices wisely: Be careful when choosing where to log in. Try to avoid computers that everybody else uses, and if you do end up logging in from someone else's device, remember to clear the cache afterwards. And of course, don't forget to log out. This may seem obvious, but it's amazing how many people completely skip this step.
• Antivirus Software: Both antivirus and anti-spy software can add an extra layer of protection when browsing the net and accessing your personal data. This makes it a lot more difficult for people to access your system, and as a result, your online information.

So there you have it. Whether you use virtual desktop infrastructure, or even online storage sites such as Dropbox or Google Drive, implement a few of these tips and safeguard your data.

Author Bio:

Grace Matthews is a London-based lifestyle blogger who makes uses of Nasstar VDI so that she can travel and work from anywhere in the world.

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What To Keep In Mind When Buying A New Cell Phone Or Mobile Device

Image Credit: freedigitalphotos

There are so many kinds of cell phones and mobile devices on the market that it can be extremely challenging to figure what kind you want and what is a good price for this type of item. Intelligently programmed cell phones are among the most widely recognized type of cell on the market and with good reason – it’s also one of the best. Cell phones are now such a commonly used item that it can actually be difficult to remember when they were rare, bulky and barely functional. Compare the primitive cellular phone devices of the 1980’s with those of 2013, and it is easy to see how quickly progress has come about.

Getting an Intelligent Device

Some types of cellular phones are actually a type of computing system on a telephone rather than just a phone. These phones feature many upgraded technologies including cameras, web browsers, wireless data transmitting capacity and even mobile and high speed broadband. Depending on the phone carrier, these new phones may be able to feature magnificent imaging and photography options, much larger and longer lasting batteries and super sensitive touchscreens. This means that you need to see what is new on the market before you buy or you might miss out.

Getting a Good Deal and Good Phone

Since any kind of cell phone or mobile device requires an investment, it is important to make a good choice that will help make your life easier and not a financial burden. Look for a carrier has become a leader in wireless technology and smart technology as this means you will have access to the latest and most innovative products. The means of communication have changed, but the need for a quality phone provider has not.

When looking for your next cell phone, be sure to carefully weigh your options. There are literally almost unlimited options available to you, but you don’t want to get stuck with functions or features you don’t need and end up paying for. Consider how much you use your phone, whether it is for work or personal use, and what functions you absolutely need to have. After you determine this, you can determine what extras to add to that. This will help you make sure you have a fully functional phone that will not cost an exorbitant price.

When it comes to staying up with the latest technology and the latest trends in cell phones and mobile devices, computational cell phones can make a big difference in the convenience and functionality overall.

Author Bio:

Stephanie Frasco is the Community Manager for MyReviewsNow.net -- the #1 Social Shopping Website online!

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Spice Up Your Photos Using These Top 10 Photography Apps

Credit: freedigitalphotos

Want to make the most out of your Smartphone camera? Here are the top 10 photography apps you should try out.

1. Photoshop Express (iOS, Android)

Adobe Photoshop Express is a cost-free mobile version of the revolutionary 'Photoshop' program. With lots of effects at it's fingertips along with the ability to share edited pictures, this is a 'must' have for anybody who is seriously interested in photography on mobile phones.

2. Pixable, (iOS, Android)

Pixable is a one stop app for storing your photos. It goes beyond that basic function and even includes a feature that enables users to rank the photographs based upon popularity. This app was listed on CNN's best 50 tech tools mainly because it is highly useful and easy-to-use.

3. Camera+ (iOS)

Camera+ app is a must for all Apple iPhone and iPad users. It is a basic, yet powerful program that improves the stock camera with the help of the ability to increase zoom and various effects.

4. Instagram (iOS, Android)

For lovers of social networking, Instagram is probably the most in-demand photo sharing tool today. The app for iOS and Android OS make it very convenient to use the website's functionality on the move and share photos across several sites like Facebook, Twitter and Tumblr. The effects tool lets users to simply customize the visual appeal of any photo.

5. Snapseed (iOS, Android)

This fantastic photo editor (developed and owned by Google) offers you a fast and remarkably powerful solution to transform your snaps on the go using its advanced, user-friendly interface and in depth set of features. For instance, Selective Adjust option lets you edit a small part of the picture and leave the remaining untouched, while a 'Straighten' feature enables you to adjust the alignment of pictures that did not turn out quite as level as you expected.

6. Pixlr Express (iOS and Android)

Here is another one of the apps that offer a bunch of features for zero cost whatsoever. Would like to fix pictures with red eye removal, resize, crop or basic stuff? After doing enhancements, send the photos off to your buddies and contacts or social network apps. Don't bother about getting confused with the over 600+ options; pick favorites and use them all the time.

7. FotoDanz (Android)

Why bother capturing a basic snapshot when you can actually take a dancing image? No, not really a full-video, but a quick (3-5 seconds) looping photos. Fotodanz makes it extremely easy: film a short video clip (3-5 seconds will be enough), after that circle the area you would like to move using your finger. The application does the rest. You could include filters as well - but that will require in-app purchase.

8. 360 Panorama (iOS, Android)

The 360 Panorama app from Occipital is an excellent tool that allows for panoramic photo recording, sharing as well as storage. This flexible app has several attractive features beyond its primary function, like gyro-viewing and embedding and automatic GPS-tagging.

9. Photo Studio (Android)

Photo Studio for Android is used by both beginner and expert photographers who are looking for easy, but effective image processing on the move. Users can turn their mobile into a wonderful photo editing studio. There are more than 70 incredible special effects: frames, shadow, rust, fabric, heart, akvarel, fire, light, water, heart, noise and much more. Additional features include Color Splash editor, Lens Boost and Magic Tools.

10. FhotoRoom (Windows Phone)

Windows Phone might be a little light on big named photography apps, but this app is just as effective as many of the popular alternate options for other software platforms. FhotoRoom provides more than 75 editing special effects, filters and frames and allows you to share your pictures to its Instagram-esque online network - and also direct to the likes of SkyDrive, Flickr, Twitter and Facebook.

Author Bio:

Warren is a passionate blogger about new technologies and works in a photo studio in Perth.

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