When was the last time we saw a Windows product which captured the essence of “cool”? Before recently it had been a while, but when Microsoft created the Kinect for Windows that all changed. The Kinect is a motion and voice-sensing device that was initially developed for the Xbox gaming console.

A version of the device also works with Windows-operated PCs, and shortly after its release in February, people started coming up with innovative ways to use it.

Innovative Uses for the Kinect

Earlier this year the Chief Marketing Manager for Nissan North America created a virtual tour of the Pathfinder’s interior at the Chicago Auto Show. The only thing that was actually displayed was the outer shell of the Pathfinder, but participants could see the improved interior on a large screen using the Kinect.

Microsoft is cooperating with companies to produce applications for the Kinect. This not only motivates ingenuity but it puts the Kinect at the center of some of the most recent innovations. An example of a company that is working closely with Microsoft in this manner is Boeing. Boeing used the Kinect to make virtual tours of its jets. Another example is a medical facility in Canada. They’re using the Kinect’s gesture-recognition capability to swipe through CT scans. This eliminates the possibility of getting germs on their hands from a keyboard or mouse.

Kinect: A Solid Hit

When Microsoft came up with the Kinect for Windows they hit a home run. Last year the Xbox 360 was the best selling video game console. In fact, since November 2010, more then 18 million Kinect devices have been sold. This is definitely changing the way that the consumer views Microsoft products.

The Kinect has numerous uses outside of what it was originally developed for. Microsoft actually developed something which is not only useful, but viewed as cool. This change in attitude toward Microsoft could help the company in lots of ways.

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These days, whenever you post an open position on the Internet, hundreds of people respond. Many of these people are eligible candidates for the position, so you call them in for an interview. But how do you sift through them and find the truly innovative and enthusiastic people? Since the interview is in essence all you can go on, your interview questions are essential.

If you hold the conventional job interview, asking the same boring questions, the odds are you won’t be able to tell the top applicants from the so-so ones. That’s why it’s important to craft a unique job interview strategy.

Ask the Right Questions

Rather then asking people what their past positions were, ask them the way they positively impacted their positions at their previous employers. Did they create any processes that increased efficiency? Did they help their employers save money, if so, how?

One of the most typical things to ask a candidate concerns their strengths and weaknesses. Avoid asking them to list these; almost everyone has predetermined answers. Instead ask them what they bring to the culture of a company, or ask them what they do to make their job more satisfying. The answers you get to these types of questions will help you gauge the actual ingenuity of the person you are interviewing.

Another simple way to measure a prospective employee’s creativity is to ask them to carry out a task. For instance, you could ask them to brainstorm ideas for an ad campaign, or write a brief essay about their ideal work environment. Whatever it is, it is something your interviewee will not expect and it will give you a snapshot of their creativity.

Today’s job market is such that it’s probable that many skilled people will apply to your open position. So, in order to sift through these applicants and find the most creative and inventive individuals, change your interview tactics to hone in on these traits.

Traveling for business is not fun. We’re typically rushed, we don’t eat well, and we have to endure the hassle of airports and long-term parking. It is not surprising that numerous companies opt toward videoconferencing rather then traveling. As videoconferencing technology advances, many people wonder if business traveling could become a thing of the past.

The End of Business Travel?

But is this a thing that we ought to strive for in business? Is it a good thing if videoconferencing replaces face-to-face meetings completely? Perhaps not, think about the differences between meetings that are face-to-face versus videoconferencing.

During a videoconference, people from across the globe sign on, say their hellos, and get to the business at hand. The level of brainstorming is usually limited because people worry about the stability of their connections or succumb to the disruptions of the offices in which they sit.

The Benefits of Face-to-Face Time

At in-person meetings, however, agendas have a way of falling by the wayside, and that’s a good thing. Meetings may start only after a couple of minutes of personal chatter and they might end with attendees swapping office stories. Again, this is good. Often, the best business ideas arise from these moments of off-topic discussion.

Business Travel is Here to Stay

Yes, business travel is an inconvenience and videoconferencing is a convenience. However, there are times when meeting face-to-face is the best option for generating the most imaginative business solutions. Because of this, don’t expect savvy business executives to ever completely replace business travel with videoconferencing.

Doesn’t it seem like we should already have jetpacks? Teleporters? Or meals in pill form? We already have some impressive technology, like tablets, which are small computers that people can carry around. We can take advantage of the GPS in our cars to navigate around town. We can post an update to our social media sites and reach thousands of people at once.

So, with all of this technology, why don’t we have jet packs yet? What factors are preventing us from making these technological leaps?

Building a Better Battery

As we move into a more mobile world, batteries grow in importance. They are a foundation of our technological world nowadays. Thus, if we are limited by their power, and capability to hold a charge, the technology that utilizes them is also limited. For example, you wouldn’t want your jet pack to loose its charge in flight. Recently, researchers at Chicago’s Northwestern University discovered a way to make a much more powerful lithium-ion battery than the ones we have today. We explored this more thoroughly in a blog post last week. When these batteries finally hit the market, we will likely notice a increase in technological advancements.

Improving Internet Access

The second limiting factor has to do with access. Simply put, not enough of the world’s population can access high-speed Internet access. It might seem as if every public library, bookstore, and cafe’ provides its clientele with use of high-speed wireless Internet, but this is largely a mirage. The majority of humans don’t have quick access to the web. Until this occurs, we’ll be unnecessarily limiting the growth of technology. The more minds that are connected on the Web, the greater the possibilities are of reaching the next tech breakthrough.

The Business of New Tech

Finally, there’s the business end of things. Technological progress is stunted by arcane things such as patent law. Businesses take their time releasing new gadgets and services because they must first traverse a minefield of laws and government regulations. These laws are essential. However, they should be clear and easy to grasp so new technology isn’t bottled up needlessly.

Even though there are a few things that are holding technology back, it is still advancing at a rapid pace. Maybe we will finally get hover boards when battery technology catches up to our imaginations.

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Adobe Photoshop is an incredible tool. It lets organizations edit the images they need to produce professional-looking brochures, pamphlets, and marketing materials. The problem is that Photoshop is far from inexpensive. A quick online scan will show that newer versions of this image-editing program can run higher then $600. For small business owners on a budget, this program isn’t feasible. This doesn’t mean, however, that these small business owners don’t have photo-editing options. In fact, businesses can choose from a number of alternatives that are not only cheaper but are actually free.

These alternatives are not quite as dynamic as Photoshop but they provide enough of the elements to be useful to the small business owner. Here is a list of three that make photo-manipulation easy, without straining the wallet.

GIMP

GIMP, which stands for GNU image manipulation program, is the choice of many a cost-conscious designer. That is because this free program contains many of the most important features of Photoshop. The GIMP website even offers a version of the program—cleverly named GIMPShop—that features a screen layout that is a virtual twin of Photoshop’s.

Paint.NET

Remember that old MSPaint program that came with your Windows program? Paint.NET is the successor to this, and it’s a unexpectedly powerful—and free—photo editor. Paint.NET comes with its own special effects, an unlimited undo (a nice feature for those designers who are far from perfect), and an online forum full of users who aren’t shy about sharing their favorite tips and strategies for using this program. The only negative of Paint.NET? It only works with Windows-based systems.

Picnik

Picnik is a free program that works on Mac, Windows, and Linux operating systems. This program has some really fun effects such as blurring, darkening, and lightening images. It’s probably the most popular free editing programs, as you don’t have to download files to use it.

Business owners needn’t let Photoshop’s high price keep them from inserting professionally edited photos into their marketing materials. With only a little bit of online hunting, even the most frugal of business owners will find the perfect alternative.

The more we rely on mobile devices the more we rely upon one small technology. Batteries. Have you ever reached for your smartphone to look something up or to get directions and discovered that it has died? Well, in a few years, that may be something you don’t need to worry about.

A Better Battery on the Way?

Engineers at Chicago’s Northwestern University have been working on advancements in battery technology and may have discovered a way to make batteries charge in minutes and last significantly longer.

Northwestern’s researchers have found a method to prolong the charge of lithium-ion batteries by more then 10 times the current lithium-ion battery life. They’re even boasting that after 150 charges, which they believe represents about a year of operation, the new lithium-ion battery will be 5 times more efficient than batteries at this time.

A Charged Battery for a Week

This might be hard to believe, especially with all the apps we run on our devices, but this new battery may stay charged for a whole week. And the charging time could be less then 15 minutes. That will obviously make life easier but this technology could have a even more significant impact then that. It can be applied to the batteries utilized in electric cars, making them a lot more efficient, and drastically decreasing our reliance on fossil fuels.

Batteries Powering Technological Change

The new battery technology isn’t available yet for consumers, however the Northwestern researchers say that it could hit the market in three to five years. This is a big step. When we look at advancements in technology, we tend to ignore the batteries that power our latest gadgets. Battery constraints are one of the factors holding back an even greater technology revolution. The hope is that the research done at Northwestern University can change this.

When searching for something on the web, most people automatically go to Google. We even use it as a verb when we “Google” something. Nevertheless, a lesser-used yet powerful search engine is Microsoft’s Bing. While Bing may be often overlooked, it actually has a lot to offer surfers of the Web.

Taking Another Look at Bing

When you search on Bing, you will get more information about your search results than you’ll get from Google. Bing’s results include a left-hand navigation panel filled with Quick Tabs that allow users to focus their searches. Additionally there is a center row of search results that are grouped into logical categories. This makes it simpler for users to find multimedia files or quick answers.

Bing Goes Beyond Search Results

Bing also brings more than just search results. Say users search for websites about pop star Lady Gaga. Bing will also bring up Lady Gaga’s most recent videos. For users looking for a flight out of town, Bing beats Google easily. The search engine utilizes something it calls Farecast Technology in its Bing Travel site. This allows users quickly locate the cheapest airfare to specific destinations.

Bing Video Search Shines

Bing stands apart from Google in terms of searching for videos as well. Bing allows users to specify how long they would like videos to be, what resolution they want, and what screen size they would prefer. Additionally, to get a preview of the video, users only need to hover their cursor over the video to play a part of it without clicking on it.

These are some of the reasons why computer users should not be so quick to dismiss Bing. Yes, Google remains the go-to player with regards to search engines. But that doesn’t mean that it’s the only good option today.

Cloud computing is extremely popular these days. The cloud is basically a group of remote servers where people can store and access their information. People can store music, powerful programs, and essential files in the cloud. As information kept in the cloud isn’t stored on personal computers this saves lots of computer memory. The outcome of this is that people can access more data without having to use up space on their computer, which could slow it down.

Not All Clouds are the Same

However, not all clouds are the same. There’s the public cloud, the one with which we are most accustomed. But then there’s the hybrid cloud too. As its name suggests, the hybrid cloud is a combination of two different types of clouds, the public cloud and a private cloud.

To provide a hybrid cloud, an organization may store some of their client’s more critical or current data in-house and store older, archived, and less important files in the public cloud. They may also use the public cloud to store very large programs and keep sensitive data in-house.

The Hybrid Cloud Approach Makes Sense

Taking a hybrid cloud approach to data storage enables businesses to take advantage of the space-saving features of the public cloud without also exposing their sensitive current data to third-party providers. To paraphrase, the hybrid cloud provides businesses with security, cost-savings, and efficiency.

It’s no surprise, then, that a great number of businesses today are moving toward a hybrid cloud approach. There is simply too much data floating around today for small enterprises to properly store. At the same time, businesses in the present competitive environment do not want to expose company secrets and sensitive consumer data to either their competition or hackers. The hybrid cloud could enable businesses to accomplish both feats.

A growing number of employees these days work remotely. This is possible as a result of advancements in technology. The benefits are many for both employee and employer. Employers can spend less money as they have less people that need space in the workplace. Employees that work remotely are often more productive; they spend less time commuting, and they have the flexibility to adjust their work around their life rather than working 9 hours straight, which can lead to burnout.

Remote Worker Challenges

One worry that lots of employers have when deciding to hire remote workers is, how can they monitor the amount of work they do? How do they know they are actually working and not simply playing games on their computer all day?

Employers can solve this predicament by setting realistic deadlines for their remote employees and expecting these workers to meet them. What should matter for employers is that work is done on time. It shouldn’t matter if workers complete their tasks from midnight to four in the morning.

Setting Remote Worker Deadlines

Setting deadlines is the simplest way to monitor the work being done by remote workers. Supervisors can set short-term and long-term goals or make something due every Friday. Additionally, a manger could have a weekly or biweekly meeting via cellphone or video chat to catch up on the development of projects. This can put the manager and employee at ease.

Off-Site Not a Permanent Condition

Employers should remember, too, that remote workers do not have to stay that way. If employers find that their off-site employees are not meeting deadlines or are delivering sub-par work, they can require that these workers return to the office on a full-time basis. Trust continues to be the key element of a remote working relationship. Employers must place some trust in their workers that they’ll finish their jobs on time. Workers must show that they are worthy of this trust by hitting their deadlines, delivering quality work, and responding quickly to phone calls or email messages.

You handle many projects at once, every second of your day is booked, and you feel as if you are on the road more then you are at home. You don’t have time for smartphone apps that waste time, and you don’t have the time to waste to search through thousands to discover the few that will save you time. Thankfully, we have found some apps for you. Here are 5 apps sure to simplify your life.

Top 5 Business Apps

1. WhosHere: WhosHere enables you to locate freelance contractors in your area to help you complete projects. For example, if you need to find a freelance illustrator in Philadelphia to close out your latest ad campaign, you can send out a search via your smartphone. You can then send free text messages or calls to the experts who respond to your search.
2. Locale: It’s embarrassing if your phone chimes in the middle of an important meeting. But with everything else you have to do to prepare for a meeting it’s hard to remember to put it on silent. This app permits you to set specific modes for your phone depending on your location. So your phone will automatically go to silent when you enter your office, or the theater, even.
3. WaveSecure: One of the potential risks of traveling regularly is the chance of loosing your phone. This app enables you to lock your phone and backup the data stored on it remotely, as well as track its location through the SIM card. Talk about peace of mind.
4. Bump: It’s all about connections right? Well, Bump enables you to exchange contact information with another person merely by bumping the two phones together. Bid farewell to post-tradeshow data entry.
5. Scan2PDF Mobile: Need to scan receipts for your expense report, or proposals for your boss to examine? This app lets you do that with your smartphone’s camera, change them into color PDFs, then e-mail them to your computer’s desktop.