Take Back That Text

Have you even sent a text that you wished that you could take back? Of course you have, you are human and that is part of the human condition. On the brighter side, technology and communication services have been developed that can help. There is a mobile application called Strings that lets you delete messages from your phone and any phone that you sent it to. The downsides to this apps is that it can prevent the person from receiving the text in the first place and the other phone has to have Strings downloaded as well. Strings isn't the first app that aims to control smartphone screw-ups. Invisible Text lets senders see whether or not the recipient has opened their text yet, and if they haven't, the sender can delete it. Ansa is the "Snapchat of texting," meaning your texts self-destruct after a certain amount of time. Strings say they are different because they let the user control everything from start to finish. Do you use any of these applications?

Need a Moment to Refocus

Do you ever feel like you are web browser with too many tabs open? You are probably focused on everything and nothing and running a bit slower on top of that. There are several great approaches to get you back on track though. The first step is shut everything off and that means completely. You should go to a quiet space where you do not have distractions such phone services or social media. You can even go so far as to shutting your phone off. The second step is to take deep breaths. It helps to connect with your body and get back on track. Once the outer distractions are gone, it's time to deal with the inner voice. Often the workload at hand distracts me. I might have a jumble of client tasks, school projects, column titles, family needs, and more. As it all jumbles around in my head, my brain struggles to keep centered on what's in front of me. That's when I pull out the notebook and make the classic to-do list. Lastly, take a look at that list and prioritize.

Textng Bad For Your Back

When you are texting or using many different phone services, how much of a tilt do you have on your head? When you tilt your head about 50 degrees, that is 50 pounds of pressure on your neck. This research was done with a computer program that analyzed the stress on your neck while the head is bend at various angles. One of the most important things to do is to pay attention to where your head is in space all the time. It is best when you are looking directly at the screen. Another cause of back problems is constantly being in a seated position. For those people that are constantly sitting at their job, whether it be software development or in a business, it is best to get up often and stretch. You should also take some walks, even if it is not outside. There has been some research that pointed to the fact that even if you do exercise in the morning, sitting all day can negate all the effort put into it.

Make Your Own Apps

Mobile applications are very important for businesses these days. On average, people spend over two hours a day on mobile applications. This means 86 percent of the average person’s phone usage is spent accessing apps. The data reveals that gaming apps lead the way, and account for 32 percent of people’s time, followed by Facebook, Twitter and YouTube, which collectively account for an additional 32 percent. One of the approaches that you can take is to appeal to gamers. Your company does not necessarily have to do with gaming but it might be a great way to put your logo and brand on something. When brainstorming, the first people that you should go to is your team because they know your target audience and customers and clients better than anyone. Another thing to think about is how to better use the features that are already in the phone such as the motion sensors and accelerators. After brainstorming ideas, you could hire a designer, then get quotes for the programmers, and lastly introduce and market the app.

The Power of Body Language

Whether you are talking to a client or having an interview over video conferencing, it is important to remember that most of the communication is nonverbal. You need to be aware of your body language and what it is communicated to the other person. One of the things that is very important when talking to other people is to maintain eye contact. If you do not make eye contact, it will come across as that you are not comfortable or not confident. Shaking someone's hand is often one of the very first impressions we have of another person. If your handshake is weak or flaccid, then you are sending the message that you are, too. Be firm in your handshake, but avoid the kind of death grip that actually causes pain. When your arms or legs are tightly crossed, this indicates to others that you are in a defensive frame of mind. The key here is to relax and not fidget either.

Driverless Cars

After all, we are prone to road rage; rush headlong into traffic jams; break rules; get distracted; and crash into each other. That is why our automobiles need tank-like bumper bars and military-grade crumple zones. And it is why we need speed limits and traffic police. Self-driving cars won't have our limitations. They will prevent tens of thousands of fatalities every year and better our lifestyles. The liability issues regarding fully driverless cars will be easy: the car's manufacturer or software developer will be responsible for any accident unless it can be shown that a human driver was at fault. This sounds like very muddy territory. There is also the risk of hacking and this software development for cars has to include some serious protection from viruses and other people. Being the devil's advocate, there is no better opportunity for hacking than a several hundred pound weapon on wheels. On the brighter side, just think about how efficient things would be because the cars will not need to have all the human precautions and we will not even need to have our own because it will be always available. Not to mention wasting time to find parking spots or being stuck in traffic jams. What are your thoughts or expectations for these cars?

The Phone Call

Is the phone call dead? The younger generation seems to be using other communication services such as texting and emailing. There is just so much that written words cannot convey when you can just call the other person. A lot of misunderstanding could be avoided if we would just pick up the phone. There is a mobile application that can combine all of these communication features and you can even do conference calls with it. It is called Talko. It is not the first of its kind but it does have some interesting features. If a conference call is in progress, for example, a late participant can listen to the part they missed or replay the entire call (or parts of the call) after the call is over. The app also includes indicators that display if a contact is driving or has a low battery; it can also tell whether that person is using Wi-Fi or cell signal. That way, others can ascertain when — and how — is the best time and way to contact that person.