Motorola is a company better known for its stylish phones as opposed to its top of the range sports gadgets, but recently it has leapt into the fast paced GPS watch market.
For those of you who arenâ??t familiar with GPS watches, they are the latest gadget to hit the running and cycling world. You can record things like pace, distance, time and speed using a small GPS sensor that fits into the same space as a normal watch.
Recently, there has been a number of watches hit the market as each of the large manufacturers seeks to create something that offers nothing any of their rivals can.
Motorola is one such company and they have come forward to take the market but storm with their latest creation, the Motorola Motoactv. This watch contains a number of features that no other GPS watch on the market offers and as such is has literally take the market by storm
One of the main features of the Motoactv is its full colour touch screen combined with advanced firmware. It is this winning combination that gives the Motoactv a seamless interface that makes navigating to the feature that you need quick and easy, even when running or cycling at speed.
But the Motorola GPS watch is not just a pretty gadget, it has some serious hardware to back up its good looks. A high precision GPS Sensor makes tracking your vital statistics easy and its in built accelerometer means that you can keep track of your vitals even when your GPS reception fades.
Any runner, cyclist or triathlete will know that having a timepiece that can keep up with the demands of training is invaluable. This unit allows you to quickly and easily setup advanced training sessions such as intervals or hill reps at the click of a button.
Another great feature is the ability of the Motoactv to upload all of your hard worked for training data to an online training poral using WIfi. This is something that no other GPS watch features and makes for quick and easy transfer without you having to fiddle around with any kind of cable or sensor.
If that is not all then we can take a quick look at some of the other great featurs the Motorola Motoactv offers. You can keep track of your running or cycling route using the full colour map that is updated in real time. Although this man only shows streets and roads, it is a great aid to finding your way back home after a long day of training.
To read more about the Motorola GPS watch as well as come of the latest additions that have been made (updated firmware and batterylife) see the Motorola GPS watch post over on the London runners blog or check out one of the other excelent posts on this Blog.
Thank you for reading this article from a London Runner’s Blog
Millions of Americans enjoy watching football, whether its their favorite college or professional team.
While most of the world considers football to be a very different sport, one we all know as soccer, we stand behind our unique way of play because it is the evolution of many years of changes and tweaks that starts with the creation of Rugby Football.
Ever wondered how American Football truly became the game that we all know and love today? Back during the early 1800s, there were seven major public schools in England, yes, just seven schools. During this time, each school had started to truly take an active interest in sports, particularly football. During these early times, six of the schools were using almost the exact same style of play, one that today is known as Association Football, or Soccer in the United States.
The seventh school though, didn’t conform to the same style of play though, this last school was called the Rugby School. While we don’t know why the school took a different route, that’s part of human nature I suppose. The reason why there is some many different types of football, such as soccer and rugby, is because different cultures and communities have different ideas, part of what makes our planet so great. As you probably guessed, this seventh school’s way of play was eventually known as Rugby, and in time Rugby ended up making its way over to American shores.
While Rugby wouldn’t instantly or magically change into American Football, it was instead a gradual process. Eventually, major universities in the States, such as Rutgers and Princeton, would adopt this style of soccer and by 1869 they would start to meet together for intercollegiate games. This would be the beginning of the modern evolution of the game, and by 1873 it was clear that there was a need to revise certain rules and ideas. The new format of the game was still not quite American Football but nor was it traditional rugby anymore, during these days it was the style of play used by the â??Intercollegiate Football Associationâ?.
When exactly did American Football as we know it, so up? You can really say that the game started to look much more like modern football by the early 1900s, with changes such as the introduction of downs and the distance of ten yards being adopted.
Unfortunately, this evolution of Rugby had also managed to become quite brutal, and in the early 1900s there was as many as 180 serious injuries and even eighteen deaths reported because of the play of football.
You know that a sport has become popular when it becomes a matter that gets the President involved, and soon Roosevelt decided to step in and ask the major schools to get together and revise the rules, in order to make the game better, and ultimately safer. The end result would be the revision of rules on the NCAA.
Since then, the game has continued to change as new situations are encountered that need to be addressed, but for the most part, you can credit the American Football game that we know of today as being the works of rule changes that were at least in part initiated in thanks to President Roosevelt.
A big thanks to Elite Kicking and their Football Kicking Coach, Shane Andrus, for the resources and information provided in the creation of this article.
If you walk across a typical town or city street across the world today, you will likely find a vast majority of people you pass to be carrying a handheld mobile device or PDA of some description.
Technological advancements have lead to heightened levels of communication via e-mail or text wherever we find ourselves, but on the flipside, a negative implication of our love for gadgets could be seeing our conversational and interpersonal skills rapidly decreasing.
Fighting for Attention
In halcyon days gone by, traditional conversation would have consisted of largely undivided attention and regular eye contact to truly engage and listen with the person you choose to speak to. Eye contact has developed as a vital body language signal cue which can be as important as any form of verbal communication for providing a necessary indication of interest or otherwise in how someone responds to what you have to say. Nowadays, smartphones and tablets have the ability to interrupt this natural form of communication by dividing the interest of the mind and the gaze of our eyes between person and screen.
There is arguably nothing more infuriating than looking at a family member, friend or colleague while in mid sentence to discover they are staring blankly at a screen, seemingly ignoring the fact that an actual human being with the ability to talk back has been replaced by a device comprised of intricate electrical circuits.
Even if eye contact is lost only for a few moments while they check a message, the natural flow of conversation has been lost, leading to repetition of a question, joke or imparting of considered enlightening information, seeing a mobile phone becoming the proverbial â??elephant in the roomâ??, as a repeated source of utmost frustration for those on the receiving end of its apparent technological wonder.
Fear of Eye Contact
Having a smartphone or PDA available in moments of boredom is obviously a plus point in having such a gadget, with lengthy waits for buses or trains no longer such a chore thanks to possible interaction with friends and information on sports or news stories available at the touch of a button.
The danger is that a mindset could be created amongst modern society whereby a genuine fear of leaving the house without such a device would instill fear amongst those who wish to negate social interaction and eye contact with their peers as much as possible.
A mobile phone can become a subconscious crutch when in social groups of unfamiliarity or when conversation is sparse, leading to the worrying thought of future generations only talking or looking at each other when they must, or when staring at a phone is simply not considered socially acceptable, as if we are destined to become a society of tech orientated robots.
Jamie blogs about lifestyle for Direct Sight who help you buy glasses online.
Get a bunch of men together in a sports bar and ply them with drinks. As soon as the games heat up, you will notice the testosterone level of the bar becomes more charged. More often than not, this will end up in a bar brawl, with one group taunting the other. If you get caught up in this situation, what will you do?
Get Out of the Bar
If you and your group are not directly involved in the bar brawl, then it’s best that you leave the bar immediately. Leave the fighting, lest you become embroiled in the fight. You most definitely don’t want to end up in the middle of the altercation.
Diffuse the Situation
On the unfortunate chance that you or your friends are already involved, then you have to do everything in your power to diffuse the situation. Ignore the other group even if they’re already taunting you for being a coward or calling you names. If they can’t be ignored, then calmly talk to them to stop.
If possible, you could also try talking to the more sober friends of your opponent. Try to make them see reason, and try to get them to make their friends stop and see reason as well. You’ll be surprised to know that, just like you, they also want to avoid bar brawls.
The important thing that you have to remember is to not fight back. Fighting back can put you and your friends into a lot of trouble.
Ask for Help
If the other group won’t stop and they still continue to provoke your group to fight, then seek help. You can approach the bartender and tell him of the problem. More often than not, bartenders have ways of diffusing a rather volatile situation.
If this still doesn’t get the other group to stop, then have one of your friends look for the bouncers. Bouncers are there in the bars for a reason, the most common of which is to prevent fights or to break up altercations. They can kick the other group out of the bar to ensure the safety of all customers.
Act Decisively
If you’ve exhausted all options and they’re still after you and your friends, then leave the bar. It’s better to leave the bar unscathed than to exchange blows with the other group. Not only can this land you or one of your friends in the hospital, but you could also end up hurting one of your opponents, prompting him to go to the hospital.
If you happened to send one of them to the hospital, then you should know that he can legally file an assault and battery case against you. It doesn’t matter if they started the fight. As long as you laid a hand on another person with the intention of hurting him, you can end up facing a lawsuit.
If your opponent filed a case against you and you were arrested, then you need to act fast. Call a criminal defense lawyer, look for witnesses who can attest to your innocence and that you were only defending yourself, and more importantly, work with your lawyer.
Jennifer Daley contributes law-related articles to numerous blogs such as www.ElliotSavitzLaw.com. She mostly writes about simple crimes and how to defend yourself against these criminal charges.
There are different reasons for getting up on stage and singing karaoke. Some people do it on a dare while others just want to see what it’s like. There are also those who actually have talent, and they’re eager to show it off to the rest of the world.
Even if it’s just for fun, no one enjoys being embarrassed under the spotlight. Unfortunately, sometimes things don’t always go as planned. Karaoke should be fun and a great way to express yourself, but an unpleasant experience can turn a person that way forever. In general, crowds are supportive and you’ll probably have friends in the audience, but it’s important to follow a few unwritten rules to make sure your performance goes off without a hitch. Here are some of the most common mistakes people make that can lead to disaster.
Making Fun of It – karaoke still suffers a few stereotypes, and some people have the natural urge to make fun of it. This can come out in a variety of ways whether it’s poking fun at different singers, or ridiculing the activity itself. But it’s important to remember there are always people in the crowd who take karaoke seriously, or at least respect it. While you might think you’re being funny, you run the risk of offending one or two people, and maybe more. If you want the crowd to be behind you when you hit the stage, keep your critical comments to yourself.
Not Being Prepared – there’s really no excuse not to be prepared unless someone drags you up on stage out of nowhere. It’s a common scenario that plays out in movies, but it doesn’t happen in real life too often. Usually people know exactly when they’re going to sing, and that means you have time to get ready. There are lots of ways to prepare yourself ranging from visualization to vocal exercises. It’s also important to take a look at the crowd and gauge the energy of the room.
Picking the Wrong Song – choosing the right song is one of the most important decisions, especially if you’re new to the game. It’s essential to take on something that you can actually handle. Remember, the crowd has to listen to you for several minutes, and you want to make it as pleasant as possible. When they have fun, it creates an energy that will give you a boost. But if you pick a song that’s too hard, or too boring, they might not be on your side. Try to read the vibe in the room, and make sure to avoid any song that’s already been done.
Unfriendly Ways – it’s important to recognize the communal spirit of karaoke because everyone is there to have fun. Unfortunately, sometimes personality types clash. There are also those who are not as considerate as they should be. One prime example is trying to hog stage time and getting up more than your fair share. Some people even resort to cheating by registering to sing under false identities. Imagine how embarrassing it would be to get caught! That’s a surefire way to make enemies, and it’s unlikely you’ll be welcomed by the regulars at that bar.
Being Drunk – don’t make the mistake of thinking karaoke will be more fun if you’re drunk. While a bit of â??liquid courageâ? might help to make it easier, it’s doubtful that you’ll put on a good show. Think about the audience and realize the fact that nobody wants to see a drunk person on stage. It might be funny to your friends, but it’s disrespectful to everyone else in the crowd. There are limited chances for people to get up on stage, and you shouldn’t waste it or take it for granted. No matter how much you think your performance will improve with a few drinks â?? youâ??d be wrong!
These are a few simple rules to help you get along with everyone else. This site karaokemachineguide.com can help out if you want to set up your own singing environment at home. Making your own rules and using the best equipment gives you a whole new type of experience that gives you bang for your buck.
So, you have an idea for an online business â?¦ surely itâ??s time to sit back and let the money roll in?
Unfortunately, thatâ??s not quite the case. Very rarely does it work that way. The online world makes it easier than ever for individuals to get started with their own business, but simply having an idea isnâ??t going to get you millions.
Much the same as the concept that everyone has a novel inside them, everyone has the potential to come up with an idea for a business. Whether it will lead to success or failure is the big question. If you want to know whether your online business idea is perfect or poison, think about the following factors. What is the Competition? You might think that seeing no other business is using your idea means that you have a clear field. It could well be that you have come up with a truly groundbreaking idea, but perhaps more likely is the possibility that others have tried your idea in the past and found that it simply didnâ??t work.
Try to assess exactly why your niche remains unfilled. It could leave you a clear path to domination or show you that youâ??re better off trying something else. Alternatively, you might have an idea in a realm such as SEO services, where there are many companies already in the market. A large amount of competition doesnâ??t necessarily mean that your idea is a non-starter. You may be able to offer something unique or specialized, take advantage of a gap in the market, or use a new technology that others are not yet aware of. In either case, you need to evaluate the current level of competition, understand why your niche is as it is, and see whether there is room for your idea. What is Your Market? Donâ??t forget to look at the potential your idea has for growth. Simply solving a problem is not enough to make a viable business if you only have a potential market of five or six people! What Do You Bring? You might have the best idea in the world, but if thatâ??s all you have, youâ??ll find it difficult to realize your vision. Ideas must be brought into reality, and you may find these barriers insurmountable.
If you have start-up capital, development skills or even just a good network of contacts, youâ??ll find it much easier to develop your business idea into a profitable venture. Assess what resources youâ??ll need to get your business off the ground and the amount of knowledge youâ??ll need to evaluate its potential. Taking some time and even spending money to evaluate the likelihood of success can give you the information you need to avoid a costly mistake. Now that you know a little bit about evaluating online business ideas, perhaps youâ??d like to learn about SEO services.
How many times in this day and age have we commented how cool it is to see something more convenient that enhances our lives? Such items are often here to stay and will not go the way of the Beta machine anytime soon. But with new and better technology comes greater responsibility for protecting information. Here are 5 things that will never die in today’s technological world.
1. Â Mobile Devices
Smart phones, laptops and tablets have become particularly important in the business world. Â Everything from communicating with clients to carrying out business applications has made these devices essential business tools. Â With the vast amount and sensitivity of data being carried from one city to the next or even one country to the next, remote data protection is a priority. Â Clients trust that their information is protected for customer-focused businesses. Â Protecting privacy and information on mobile devices is often viewed by businesses as even more important than any other business requirement.
2. Â The Customer’s Desire for Convenience
Many customers value convenience above all else. Â Unfortunately, convenience often trumps security. Â Many people feel like their security could never be compromised and are too trusting of technology. Â Unfortunately, many technological conveniences that customers use can be hacked into. Â However, businesses must stay competitive in today’s world and this usually means delivering a product to the customer as quickly and efficient as possible. Â With convenience comes technology. Â With technology comes information. Â With information comes the responsibility of protecting it. Â Data protection will always need to balance on the one hand security and the other hand convenience.
3. Â Identity Theft
Identity theft is increasingly becoming a problem, particularly where private and personal information is involved. Â This is the number one reason why organizations who handle customers’ personal information want to protect it. Â The cost of having one’s identity stolen is detrimental to the customer but can be even more detrimental to the business whose responsibility it was to protect that information. Â This again supports the idea of remote data protection. Â As technology becomes more enhanced, so too does the criminals’ desire and capability of stealing information. Â Identity theft is not going to disappear so long as anyone’s sensitive information is out there for the taking. Â Remote data protection is undoubtedly the best first line of defence.
4. Â Internet Use and Tech Savvy Employees
As we move from one generation to the next, the internet is becoming the choice of communication and information retrieval. Â Generation Y has proven to be the most tech savvy generation yet and it is highly unlikely that future generations will not be the just as, if not more, tech savvy. Â The workplace is making room for these tech-minded generations and taking advantage of their tech know-how. Â This is translating to a much more mobile use of internet applications and an increase of internet use. Â This has created a high demand for remote data protection. Â Businesses want to take advantage of the skills of the younger technological minded worker but by doing so also want to protect data exchanged on the internet.
5. Â Moneyless Purchases
Many shoppers are moving away from making their purchases using cash and instead using debit or credit now and even cell phones in the not too distant future. Â For this reason, businesses want to ensure remote data protection is in place. Â Point-of-sale terminals are seeing an increasing number of card swipes and even now, card taps. Â Thieves see an opportunity here too. Â Technological devices are being utilized to steal personal pin numbers. Â Having customers’ transaction cards’ information compromised is a worst case scenario for any business. Â So again, the application of remote data protection is paramount.
These are just 5 of many technological existences that are not going to disappear from everyday life. Â But clearly, the technology that is here to stay must also have effective remote data protection to go with it. Â Otherwise, the purpose of everyday technological conveniences can easily be defeated.
iPhones are highly expensive and incredibly useful pieces of kit and it doesn’t take you long owning one before it becomes almost like an extension of yourself and something that you probably couldn’t live without. It has all your pictures on it, all your games, all your contacts, all your messages… and generally it is a device you become completely dependent on.
And it’s for that reason that it’s so distressing when it gets shattered and you pull it out your pocket to see a huge crack across the screen. As you carry it with you everywhere it’s all too easy for this to happen, but with the right precautions it can be avoided. Here will look at how to avoid damaging your iPhone with a few tips to keep it safe and sound.
Choose its Home Wisely
If you are currently just sticking your iPhone in your pocket and going about your business then this might be a bit of a mistake. The problem is that it’s very easy for your pocket to come into contact with a sharp edge of a table or for things to fall out of it. If you carry a bag then that is a much better home for it. However failing this, you should look into coats with inside pockets and zips, and you should always face the screen in towards your body. Oh and don’t put your phone in the same compartment or pocket as a set of keys.
Apps
There are plenty of apps available for iPhone that can help you to avoid theft and the best of these let you track your iPhone using the GPS if it gets lost or stolen. Look into the options available to you and consider installing something that should present a good investment.
Protection
You should also invest in physical protection for your iPhone and that means buying both a case and a screen protector. Screen protectors will protect your iPhone from little chips and scratches, while a case will mean it’s a lot less serious if you drop your phone. Unfortunately these both will damage the look and appeal of your phone and make it much bulkier, but at the same time this is much more attractive still than an iPhone with a cracked screen or riddled in dents.
Leave it At Home
Sometimes though it’s just better to leave your iPhone at home. Going to a concert? Then you really won’t need your iPhone and if there’s going to be crowds, dancing, or moshing, then really it’s just not smart to have an iPhone with you in your pocket. Instead have a standby phone you can put your SIM card in and take a cheap digital camera. It might pain you to be away from your beloved device, but at the same time it will save you the heartache of having to bury it and allow you to concentrate on enjoying yourself rather than worrying about your expensive bit of kit.
I think my phone demons started troubling me because I never had a phone in my house when I was a kid.
I am not sure whether this was due to some bizarre anti-technology idea on my parentsâ?? behalf or because the family budget never stretched to one, and to be honest I have never got around to asking. All I know is that I was the only kid in my school that didnâ??t have a phone connection.
This never really bothered me all that much, as pretty much everyone I wanted to speak to lived in the same street as me anyway. However, it meant that I never got the chance to get comfortable with the idea of answering the phone.
My First Job Blues
As luck would have it my first ever job involved answering phone calls for a local insurance company. I canâ??t say for certain that the first call I answered there was my first ever phone call but I donâ??t remember ever answering a phone before that.
No one had thought to mention to me at the job interview that I would be expected to wear a headset which went â??beeeepâ? every time I ended a call and a new one came through annoyingly quickly. The queue of calls was relentless and I very quickly got fed up of the job. Every morning as I travelled there I would feel a horrible sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach.
In the end I had to stick it out for a year before I got something better, and when I walked away from my headset for the last time I swore that I would try my best to avoid answering another phone call again in the rest of my life. I had genuinely tried all the tips about smiling on the phone and trying to imagine the person on the other end of the line but phone calls just werenâ??t for me. The demons had won.
The Phone Finally Rings
My new job didnâ??t involve headsets and even though there was a phone on my desk it never rung. Thatâ??s not actually true. It rung once and I nearly feel off my seat in shock. It turned out to be a wrong number and to be honest I never found out what the correct number of that phone was.
That would probably have been the end of phone interaction in my working life but for one of those twists of fate which sometimes come around. I lost my job and ended up moving across the country to be close to my family again. Finding a new job was tough and in the end I got desperate and took a commission only job which involved phoning people at home to sell them insurance.
The first week was a nightmare. I would pace up and down the living with the phone in my hand plucking up the courage to make a call. Any excuse to walk away from the phone was valid. Large numbers of biscuits were eaten, the weather was analysed forensically and a few shirts were even ironed. Eventually my wife told me to stop whinging and get on the blooming phone before we got kicked out of the house for not paying the rent.
This seemed to be the jolt I needed and as I gritted my teeth and got on with it my attitude changed. Suddenly I realised that the phone was actually a communication tool rather than a barrier. I guess everyone else has known that since they were about 5 years old but it was news to me. I ended up enjoying my phone calls, selling some policies and finally winning the battle against my demons.
With the use 0800 phone numbers you can make it easier for customers to contact you and get some proper communication going on.
So, you have an idea for an online business â?¦ surely itâ??s time to sit back and let the money roll in?
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