One of the best things about the internet is that you are always in control of what you can do and how you can earn online. The best thing about it is that you can easily create a blog regardless of your age. The best thing about starting a blog as an university student is that you get to express yourself in any way that you see fit.

But at the same time, it’s also helping you grow your career. It’s a lot harder than you would imagine to gain exposure online. Yet creating a blog early on in your career may very well be the best idea to focus on. It will make things easier for you, and it will bring in front amazing results without that much of a hassle.

In addition, this helps bring in front some unique results and the outcome is second to none every time. The power of networking is outstanding, and it really goes to show that you can obtain great results.

The simple fact that you can talk about whatever you want is a good option. But you make connections, you talk with people and stuff like that can be nothing short of amazing in its own right. You get to be in control and you can focus on the stuff that really matters for you. In this case, nothing can stand in your way, and you will be extremely impressed with the outcome due to that.

Blogging also trains you for the challenges you can encounter in life. You can meet new people, you can obtain a good way to understand how this type of software works and how you can get it. Plus, you will end up learning new stuff that will help at your college too.

But maybe the best part is that blogging is a portfolio. It enables you to show your work and ideas to other people that may be interested in it. This is a great opportunity and one of the best ways to explore new methods of spreading the world about yourself online.

If you’re new to blogging however, it may feel a bit confusing at first. Here’s a quick tutorial on creating a blog, this should help you get started and it will bring in front some very distinct, unique experiences for you to enjoy every time. The best part is that you can adapt new stuff every time and you can integrate it as you see fit.

It’s always a good idea to try and implement new stuff. As a university student, you don’t really have a lot of extra time. But when you do, it’s important to make the most out of it. And that’s why starting a blog as a university student does make a lot of sense. It brings you unique moments and benefits, which in the end will help your career. Experiment with blogging early on, and it will be great for you in the long run. 

Competition in Ecommerce is fierce, and it’s only going to get worse this year. Millions of people visit multiple websites, but only a small percentage actually buy; others are mere ‘window shoppers’. There are thousands of online businesses competing for a slice of the market pie; so how are you going to get up there with the top dogs? Even though it is a fiercely competitive industry, you can still achieve ecommerce success and find gold if you have a proper plan and right approach. So, what do you need to do to ensure that you stay a step ahead of your competitors? Here are a few tips, based on the trends for this year as collated from some leading ecommerce development agencies in India:

• Ensure quick loading; the slower your website loads, the lower your conversion rates. God help you if your site takes more than 3-4 seconds to load; the majority will just go to another site because they don’t want to wait. Use clean, lean code, avoid Flash, use smaller or compressed images, and make your website responsive to provide a seamless UX to the visitor regardless of their device. This is the reason why many people turn to a website design agency in order to set their websites up. 
• Use a harmonious color scheme: Every color evokes specific emotions; choose the colors of your website based on your target audience, products and your values – and stick to a few basic colors. Too much color, and you will confuse and distract the audience; too few, and your pages may be dull and boring. Ensure sufficient contrast between the text and background, to make reading easy.
• Content continues to dominate: The success of any website depends to a great extent on the quality of the content on it. This includes the web copy, the blogs, CTAs, the messaging – and most importantly, the videos. Video is easier to consume and understand – visuals send stronger signals to the brain. Ensure you have clear, fresh, engaging, and value-adding content on your site. And lastly, but very importantly, use good sized fonts, to make it easy reading; you don’t want people reaching for their magnifying glasses to read the tiny fonts (that probably look cute but is illegible). Headers need to be 18 or 20 points, and for the body, 12 is a good size; leave adequate space between lines as well. You’ll have a much better chance of converting your visitors when you give them messages and information that is easy to read.
• Plan page layouts: People tend to read web pages in an F shape. So you need to have the important bits at the top of the website, and then at the left hand side. Always have a catchy header and arrange your pages based on this reader behavior.
• Simple Navigation: Have an uncluttered, sleek design, and make it easy for your visitors to navigate and find what they’re looking for. Research ahead, and identify popular categories and products, and arrange your product menus accordingly. The layout needs to be clean; put essential stuff like the price, description, images, sizing or color options, review links, ratings and so on, above the fold, and the other details including shipping options can be displayed on the rest of the page.
• Images: Stock images are so yesterday; use genuine and relevant pictures, professionally shot, that showcase your products, services, workplace, employees, and even existing customers. This helps potential buyers to get a feel of your brand; it is information that can persuade them to make the purchase decision.
• Personalized Assistance: Live chat boxes, chatbots, FAQs, instant email query and response systems – these are all tools that help you provide assistance to your customers regarding your products and services. Of these, chatbots and other live chat tools are the most important, as they are personal and instant to boot. By analyzing the visitors past browsing behavior and purchase preferences and using predictive tools, you can get the capability to anticipate their needs and provide guidance at the critical moment. You can offer help when they have some difficulty (at checkout or finding the color/size they want), and even provide 1:1 personalized product or service recommendations.
• Implement progress bars: Also called breadcrumbs, these bars act as a visual trail, allowing visitors to see their progress in the customer journey. You may have noticed when purchasing from, say, Dominos: You are prompted to login, then at checkout your order summary is displayed, then your delivery (shipping) info; you get an opportunity to review your order, and add or delete from it, and then the payment page; finally you come to the order confirmation page; Dominos goes one step further and allows you to track beyond this: Order placed, Pizza prepared, Packed, Out for Delivery. This simplifies navigation for the customer, who doesn’t have to manually keep track of their progress.
• Subscription Models: Many Ecommerce sites are offering subscription models. That is, you sign up and pay in advance for say 6 months or 1 year, or sometimes even 3 months, and receive a box every month containing products, samples, or a combo of both. Amazon is one retailer who has this scheme: for the customers it’s convenient. You sign up and receive your monthly provisions or staples – say coffee powder, paper napkins, and so on. The Ecommerce retailer has assured business for a specified period of time. Win-win all round!
• Simplify Checkout: The highest cart abandonment happens at checkout. Though sometimes it happens because the visitor changed their mind, more often than not, the reason is the complicated checkout procedure. Too many steps, and your visitor will be likely put off. Allow them to preview the items without leaving the main page, and to add purchases to cart straight from the categories. Another thing to remember: don’t compel them to make an account; but mention that with an account, future purchases will be much faster. Allow them to decide.
• Multiple Payment Options: Minimize the number of form fields shoppers have to enter by offering options to pay like Apple Pay or Android Pay – you’ll save them time. Make sure you offer a variety of payment options, as not all your customers may have credit cards.

If there is a preconception of gamers being losers who have no friends and therefore no life, that would be in 2000. It might be true that in the past, staying at home and playing computer games rather than going out and socializing might seem like some kind of faux pas. The Japanese even have a name for it: otaku. But it is 2017, and professional gamers are nothing short of being celebrities, especially in Asia.

South Korea especially, where professional gaming have become so widely accepted and integrated into its culture, that it has been nicknamed the capital of esports. Starcraft II gamers earn an average of six figures per game and they take what they do very seriously. Just like how a sportsman might study their opponents, coaches make their players breakdown the other team’s tactics and have strict training regiments.

They attract many admirers, which is apparent from their training cubicles which is lined with personal effects and gifts from sponsors and girls. Boys make up more than 80% of all gamers, and are treated with the same attention as k-pop stars.

Esports have even gotten noticed by The International Olympic Committee and was quoted saying, ” The Summit agreed that ‘eSports’ are showing strong growth, especially within the youth demographic across different countries, and can provide a platform for engagement with the Olympic Movement” and will be part of the medals event at the 2022 Asian Games.

However, it is DotA 2 which has the most lucrative industry. An annual tournament, simply known as The International, had a record breaking pool prize money of $24.8million for the previous round that took place in June till August. Invited gamers from Europe, Southeast Asia, China and all over America, flew to Seattle for the main event.

Instead of stadiums, esports employ the use of gaming hubs that have an auditorium and many do flock to watch these tournaments. One such venue has recently emerged in Malaysia where they are still battling the negative connotations attached to gaming. Their neighbour, Philippines, do not have such a problem and only just launched a League of Legends Varsity League in an effort to up the standard of collegiate esports.

Many of those who make esports their vocation are still in school and are bound by scholarly commitments. However, esports have gained recognition. A school in Connecticut have accepted its authenticity of being an extracurricular activity. It is the very first state in America which has joined the “Electronic Gaming Federation as a High School Esports League”.

With such a growing recognition all over the world, you will be hard pressed to find someone being laughed at for being good at a computer game. Instead of being seen as an antisocial activity, it has become accepted as a sporting event. And sports is the one thing that garners respect everywhere, the only activity capable of driving people together. A powerful force in itself, let’s hope esports have an equally long and lasting run.

With technology being developed becoming more intuitive, affordable and offering better security, there are certain precautions one may take in order to build a secure home. Matrix Locksmith is one of the few locksmiths in Toronto nowadays that provide solutions to problems which do not yet exist. Instead of waiting for a security to be compromised, here are five technologies and tips which may help secure your home.

1) Keep your car keys next to your bed

According to one individual’s experience that led him to having a security discussion with the police, the law enforcement officer suggested that if one does not have an alarm system in place, it is advisable to keep one’s car keys next to one’s bed. In the event a burglar has entered the premise or to raise an alarm, simply press the panic button for your car. The sudden noise may startle any unwanted visitors into fleeing the scene.

2) Invest in an alarm system

There are many gadgets on the market that offer protection from emergencies such as in the case of a fire or if someone at the household is in need of medical emergency. To set up, one only needs to connect to the wifi and the software takes care of the rest. There are other features that allow you to switch lights on and off remotely, giving you that extra layer of added protection when you have gone away.

3) Set up surveillance cameras

While cameras are unable to send a distress signal, they are useful for those who leave their homes unattended throughout the day and have nobody home to keep an eye on things. Authorities would suggest that burglars often learn one’s schedule so as to know when best to conduct their unscrupulous means of thieving. Some surveillance cameras come with face recognition and would take multiple shots when it has detected a face. In which case, if you were robbed, there would be ample evidence to prove who did it. The only concern is to install it somewhere unnoticeable so as to avoid burglars from tampering with it.

4) Use a mix of the two

Instead of getting both system, there are products that combine both in one. However, it might be rather obtrusive and it does not make it a secret of what it does. One such example is the Somfy One Smart Camera. It has a built in alarm to ward off intruders and if that does not do the job, it records motion as well. The only down side is that in low light situations, there is an audible click as it switches to night mode and there is nothing keeping it from being stolen or destroyed.

5) Look into smart home security

The one offered by Fluent Home synchronizes everything from alarm systems, surveillance cameras to sprinklers. It is a seamless integration of technology into one’s home. One problematic downside is that it might be hacked by a burglar with background in tech and that a home system like that does not come cheap. However, if affordability is not an issue, it is definitely something worth researching into. Not only does it provide homeowners with a peace of mind, it will also give you convenience at a tap of your smartphones.

With all the technologies available for every beck and call, there are some which will make you wonder how you got by without them in the first place. The twenty first century has enhanced productivity by assisting with everything from managing our time to keeping our ideas safe, what’s more, many of these are easily accessible through any smartphone – a device every working man or woman possesses.

1. Task oriented and time sensitive applicationsThere are many popular time tracking software capable of organizing tasks in accordance to its level of importance. It is also possible to collaborate with a team through the application and have everyone on the same page at all times.

   Asana is one of these apps which is highly popular due to the fact that it is free and one is able to delegate tasks, check on the status of various projects and ultimately, reduce chatter and time spent on communication.

2. Manage your finances with Mint and Freshbook Every individual, much less every company, should have a budget that sticks. This application allows the user to create personalized budgets. It also keeps track of transactions and will alert its users of any odd activity. Other than that, it provides tips on how to save, improve credit score and helps with payments. It is a virtual treasurer – one that does not require a salary.

   The latter helps with sending out invoices and keeping track of them. Furthermore, senders can check to see whether the recipient has received and whether or not they have opened the invoice.

3. Don’t forget to update your social mediaIf you’ve got several accounts for your business, it is wise to download a virtual manager which is capable of scheduling posts in advance. This would free you up and take one thing off your mind, rather than having to concern yourself over the neglected Instagram page which has not made a new post in months. Another reason scheduling is important: you want potential customers to remember your brand. By staying updated, one stays relevant.
4. Stalk through social media or have an app do it for you There is an age old saying: keep your friends close and your enemies closer. With an application like Flipboard, one can keep track of all other competitors and stay up to date on the news in one’s industry without the hassle of going through every social media account and page. Upon adding the link to one’s account, one is instantly granted access to a the only feed that matters.
5. Never forget an idea or appointment with EvernoteNo productivity list or article is complete without the mention of Evernote. A powerful word processor stored on the cloud. Memos, checklists, audio recordings, anything is possible on this versatile digital notebook. Furthermore, given its extensive features, it is free to use. Touted as “your second brain”, it is an app used by millions.

These digital assistants will help you make better decisions, improve performance and productivity. Ultimately, it will also be instrumental in higher job satisfaction.

It’s difficult to get away from the thought that security in today’s digital space is in a general sense fragmented. The more grounded the resistances that are raised around the advanced resources of organizations, the more predominant are the assaults from hackers. The more quick witted that workers get about securing gadgets and passwords, the more brilliant that the assaults move toward becoming. That reality has driven numerous Internet security analysts to the conclusion that the blockchain could speak to the fate of digital security.

What is Blockchain and why is it relevant?

The blockchain is a decentralized, digitized, highly distributed public ledger. At first this technology does not sound like a huge innovation, however it is quite complex than it seems. Hacking information requires something other than accessing one database – it implies accessing hundreds, if not thousands, of various duplicates of that database. Also, it implies that if even a solitary “block” of information is altered in any of those databases, the whole framework will know.

Blockchain technology and Cyber Security

Blockchain allows data to be stored across its network, which eradicates the risks that come with the Internet, which is a very centralized data security structure. Blockchain networks lack weak centralized points, which make the Internet vulnerable for cyber hackers. Currently the Internet has security breaches that we are all acquainted with. Typically we all rely on the basic username and password protocol to keep our information and assets safe on the web, whereas, Blockchain’s security method uses encryption technology. So even if individuals are using a VPN, either on Mac or Windows, they can still be at risk.

You can quickly start to get a handle on why blockchain solutions are being incorporated by security experts around the globe. Executing a blockchain-based security framework in a general sense changes the amusement for digital security, showing an about unimaginable errand for cyber criminals.

It is not to say that blockchain security is invincible, however it is safe to say, so far there hasn’t been any kind of a major breach in the blockchain security framework. Hackers haven’t figured out how to crack this technology, hence why cryptocurrency is still intact.

There are a few critical ways that blockchain innovation is being connected by digital security organizations in the field to make private blockchain arrangements:

• Designing peer-to-peer consensus mechanisms to decrease fraudulent activities
• Generating end-to-end encryption and privacy
• Preventing data tampering 

How are companies integrating with Blockchain and Cyber Security?

The fascinating part about blockchain and digital security is that it has effectively changed from being only a hypothetical technology into a genuine, functional application.

For instance an Estonian blockchain Cyber Security Company has been safeguarding millions of local health patient records since 2016. Whereas, the United States healthcare uses a centralized system to secure patient records, which has resulted in several security data breaches in the past.

It is an exciting time to be alive. The boom of the internet, particularly web 2.0, has disrupted how the world does business. With the growth of personal computing, more and more people are turning to cost and (more often) time saving benefits of internet shopping. Rather than the time-consuming task of browsing numerous stores in person, a large portion of the world now has access to thousands of different options to select the product, and ultimately company, best suited to their needs, desires, and vision. This isn’t limited to products; expanding your vision on the definition of “what is an online business?” may shift your paradigm, and ultimately, your next steps.

All too often, we hear about people that “can’t stand their bosses,” “hate their jobs,” or are “exhausted of their toxic work environment.” This truly begs the question: what are these people doing about it? After all, we live in the day and age where self-employment and business ownership are more accessible than they have ever been, requiring little to no startup capital. If some of these people hustled as hard as they griped, they may remove themselves from the very situations they claim to have utter disdain for.

When thinking of an “online business,” many will think of traditional physical products. This is most certainly not the case: an online business is analogous to other forms of employment. As one of quite many examples, a strong parallel would be envisioning dozens of “normal” jobs: a firefighter isn’t inherently providing you a product, but a service. The same bodes true for many online businesses: they may not ship you anything. Put as simply as possible, an ecommerce store which ships physical products is only a slice of the possibilities to consider when launching an online business: a service provider, such as one that creates revenue via a membership site, is a great method to consider, in particular due to lower startup and maintenance costs.

In fact, this observation regarding online businesses and products (or lack of a need thereof) goes even further: many of these online businesses don’t even need to sell you a service. Many individuals that run online businesses are self-employed in fields such as content creation – and are often compensated via ad revenue or other passive means of income generated through the viewing and use of their created content. In essence, this enables you to have the job of which many dream of: you simply talk about (or write about) your passions, educating and inspiring others, and receive compensation.

As some examples of content creators making a profession of an online business through content creation a reality (besides the obvious, such as YouTube ad revenue,) a service that went viral last year, Steem, compensates content creators for high quality posts and comments directly through their platform via a blockchain-based asset. This decentralization of compensation for content creators has been in demand in a growing industry, where more and more content creators are seeking the optimal methodology to bolster their visibility while simultaneously optimizing their revenue, as many platforms take what is considered a highly disproportionate percentile of the overall profit.

Are you an innovative, ambitious aviation or aerospace student? Then Air Charter Service (ACS) has some fantastic opportunities for you. The private aviation giant, which specializes in luxury, group, and cargo jet services, runs over 12,000 charters a year and is passionate about funding the future generation of the industry. Find out below how to offset your university and research costs by applying for ACS aviation scholarships or student grants worth up to $5,000.

How ACS is funding the future of aviation

From a humble basement start-up to a global leader in the aviation sector with offices in six continents, ACS has always believed in nurturing the next generation of aerospace and aviation students through internships. Founder Chris Leach started the company in 1990 and helped to finance its development by taking in a lodger, Justin Bowman, a university student who ‘had an encyclopaedic knowledge of aircraft’, says Leach.

It wasn’t long before Bowman became an intern at ACS and worked his way up to become the company’s CEO. Other students who’ve benefited from internship opportunities include David Lewis, who’s now the ACS Search Marketing Executive, and Lloyd Robinson who started an internship in 2004. Since then, he’s risen through the ranks to his current position as Business Development Director. Robinson says:

“Over the past 13 years I have seen the company go from strength to strength. ACS has grown from a team of 30 to a company with over 400 employees, and offices across the globe.”

Today, ACS offers everything from luxury private jet services for business and leisure, to transporting humanitarian aid around the world. ACS is keen to continue investing in the next generation of aviation leaders through its new grant and scholarship schemes, so what exactly are they offering?

How much are ACS aviation scholarships and grants worth?

If you’re a bright, innovative aviation or aerospace student, ACS is eager to help you finance your studies and fund ground-breaking research in the field. Here’s what they’re offering:

• $5,000 aviation scholarships to students who are conducting cutting-edge research for an established scientific journal. Winners will be chosen according to the caliber of the journal and the impact their study could have on the world of aviation.
• Up to $500 for publishing research on the ACS website. Apply for this grant option and you’ll make some incredible contacts with aviation experts at ACS. They’ll provide you with industry insight and statistics that will enhance your research.
• Up to $500 to support your existing research set to be published. The amount you receive for this type of grant will vary depending on how important your study is likely to be to the field of aviation research.

Am I eligible for an ACS grant or scholarship?

To apply for an ACS aviation scholarship or student grant, you must currently be enrolled in a university in the United States that is fully accredited. To qualify, you should be studying an engineering or aviation course such as Commercial Aviation, Airport Management,Professional Pilot programs, or Aviation Management.

How to apply for an aviation grant or scholarship

ACS is keen to hear from ambitious students who’d like to benefit from financial study and research aid. Apply before the deadline of December 31^st 2018 for your application to be considered. Please send the following details to Glenn Phillips (Glenn.Phillips@aircharterservice.com):

• Full name
• Contact details
• Mobile number
• Email address
• Name of your university program
• Your research topic
• The potential publication website
• Name of existing publications you’re researching for.

If you have any questions about applying for ACS student grants or aviation scholarships, please contact Glenn Phillips. Don’t miss the chance to build your career in aviation, apply today.

Artificial intelligence is not just some buzzword anymore, it’s becoming the reality of many businesses and firms. According to NewScientist, there is a 50% chance that machines will start outperforming humans at their jobs by the year 2060. Machines will be better at translating languages, driving trucks and even writing a best-selling novel. The development industry is not immune to this shift. In fact, despite its disruptive capacity, AI provides plenty of potential for improving both software development and testing. Weaker versions of AI have been used in the industry for quite some time, but advances in AI and machine learning mean that applications will be able to learn autonomously and react to complex scenarios, without intervention.

Turning an idea into code has never been an easy task for developers, even with initiatives like Agile and DevOps. But advances in artificial intelligence (AI) are about to make it a whole lot easier. Advanced AI is going to help developers find the data they need to fix, simplifying the testing process. Plenty of developers consider testing the most important phase in the SDLC, firms will be able to implement AI to increase automation in testing and achieve high quality results.

DevOps often spend hours, or even days, trying to pick out the faulty code in a software project. Automated AI will be able to find that data for them, and suggest possible changes, and how to apply them to the software development life cycle (SDLC). It will also allow text recognition in any software model. This kind of technology is a real boon for those working with custom software development, allowing them bring up similar development cycles to reference, as well as error phases and flaws, giving the team valuable resources to improve the current project.

AI will improve communication between developers too. Sometimes it can be difficult to pinpoint who worked on a section of code, AI will solve this problem by tracking and recording who works on what data and making it easily accessible.

Currently, programming languages like JavaScript, Ruby, and Python allow templating of businesses policies and best practices. AI and rule-based learning can enable better implementation of policies like these, which aren’t confined to a single problem. This cuts down on business costs, as coding policies through traditional language can be an expensive task.

While the days where developers will be able to tell a computer to create a program, sit back and watch the magic happen are still a way off, the new advances in AI technology will allow programmers to create better, safer software than those currently created in traditional environments. Software development is never going to stop needed tech-savvy professionals with the capacity to think outside the box. But understanding the shift towards AI and knowing how to apply it is going to become an important skill in both quality assurance and other development jobs. Developers will need to be comfortable with machine learning, data science and deep learning, and eventually they’ll be building applications that learn all on their own.

Technology has made our lives so much easier. At the same time, it has taken away a few things that we always related to our growing up years. For example, alarm clocks are close to an extinct device in today’s world. And our children might never even get to see postcards! We didn’t know this might happen 20 years back. Similarly, it is hard to predict how the world would be like 20 years from now.

Technology has reached a new high now, when we are thinking of building an exclusive highway just for self-drive cars, because they obviously follow the rules to the T, unlike human beings. Have you ever thought, how technical advancement might affect the future of some professions? It seems like these professions might face extinction.

If you look at data and statistics, in the last 60 years the only job that has become extinct is that of an elevator operator. So what will happen when technology enables the business to be automated? Basically, the job doesn’t disappear completely, but the profile changes. Professionals need new skillset to be suitable for it and in most cases they do not have it.

So, which are the professions that are likely to be taken over by the robots? Experts agree that telemarketing is one sector that 99% businesses will automate. Pre-recorded robotic calls are something we are quite used to now. The tax consultant is another profession that is probably endangered right now. Since tax preparation would just need a few figures robots can easily do it. Similarly, other professions that involve highly structured and predictable processes can be automated. Legal assistants, for example, might face the heat as well.

However, there is one more aspect to automation. Each and every business will have to consider whether having a robot will be more feasible or not. Robots might be too expensive the and job outcome might not be as good. In those cases, it is far better to employ a human than automate the business. However jobs at factories that require a lot of manual labor and has rote tasks work better with robots and tend to be less cheap as well. Data collecting and processing is another field where automation might play a big role. Retail, finance, insurance – all three industries will be highly affected due to this. But, as mentioned before, it is best to remember that automation doesn’t mean the jobs will disappear completely. Just that the roles and responsibilities will change.

So what are the professions that will not be at risk? Of course, the ones that require creativity. Robots are perfect for rote tasks, but they will never be able to think independently and come up with new ideas for business, create an artwork or invent something new. Hence, be creative in whatever you do and you will always be valuable as an employee.