Creating compelling, impactful video content is now an essential skill for nearly all businesses. Visual storytelling has far more influence than most people realize, whether it’s done through marketing, entertainment, or across social media platforms.

Achieving success with video content creation requires a blend of technical proficiency, creative vision, and marketing strategy. Viewers must be engaged to give their attention, and the content needs to be convincing to get people to take action.

How to Create Impactful Video Content

Next time you create video content for your brand, use the following tips to maximize engagement and make your content more impactful.

1. Know your audience

Before you start, it’s crucial to define who you’re creating content for and what you’re aiming to achieve. For instance, do you want sales, signups, traffic, or just views? Understanding your market’s desires, needs, aversions, preferences, pain points, and viewing habits should be the driving factor behind every decision you make when creating content.

If you haven’t yet narrowed down your business’ target marketing, now is the time. You’ll never be able to craft compelling content – copy or video – if you don’t know who you’re trying to reach. That’s because the most compelling content is created to address a market’s specific desires, goals, and pain points.

You can’t reach people at a deep level with general content. For example, telling your audience, “We sell the highest quality socks in the world,” won’t do much to inspire sales. However, if you target athletes by saying, “Our socks wick moisture away from your feet to keep you dry and prevent blisters,” you’ll get some attention (and sales).

Keep this in mind when creating video content to drive traffic to your website. Traffic is a vanity metric unless it’s targeted. The only traffic that matters is from your ideal customer. When you know who your market is, you can tailor your video content to reach them, and you’ll get higher-quality visitors who are more likely to buy from you.

2. Use screen recording software

A good screen recorder should be at the top of your list of video content tools. When you create content that needs nuanced demonstrations or explanations, it can help to insert clips taken from a screen recorder. For example, if you’re trying to explain how customers can use the member’s area of your website with ease, it’s easier to record yourself taking those steps compared to trying to explain it all verbally. Most people will understand better with a visual example.

Video recording software is also excellent for adding information and instructions to webinars, presentations, and any other content designed to enhance understanding.

3. Capture attention within the first 5 seconds

The amount of time you have to capture a user’s attention will vary depending on the platform, so it’s best to aim for around five seconds. This will help your videos do well no matter where you publish them. Most people are going to be using a smartphone when they view your content, and if it’s posted to social media, they’ll be scrolling. If you can’t capture attention in five seconds, people will just keep scrolling.

There are some exceptions. For example, desktop users are sitting down at their computers and might be scrolling like mobile users, but they’re going to have a bit more patience. There’s also a chance that some desktop users will be more willing to engage with your video for a little longer to see what it’s all about.

Capturing attention can be as simple as using an attention-grabbing opening statement, an interesting visual, or asking a question that makes users want to keep watching.

4. Prioritize audio quality

Nothing will kill your video content efforts like poor audio. When people can’t hear what you’re saying, or if there are too many pops and muffled sounds, they’ll bounce. Fortunately, you can get a good microphone for a couple hundred bucks. It’s best to avoid mics under $50 because they won’t give you a crisp, clear sound. If they start off that way, it’s only a matter of time before they break.

If you’ve never invested in a good microphone before, start by learning the difference between a lavalier mic and a condenser mic. You may want to use both for different purposes, depending on where you record.

A side note about audio that can’t be stressed enough is having multiple microphones recording at the same time. This way, if your main microphone fails, you’ll have a secondary source of audio.

5. Master the art of pacing

The pace of your video content matters. While it may have been fine to just casually speak in front of the camera years ago, that’s not a good marketing strategy. You need to learn how to keep your content dynamic and pace it to hold attention. This requires varying your visuals, camera angles, and speaking tempo. If you go too slow for too long, you risk losing viewer interest. If your content is too fast, it can be overwhelming. Experiment to find the rhythm that best supports your core message.

6. Tell a good story

Every effective video will have a compelling story, including educational or instructional videos. Facts tell while stories sell. Even if you’re selling an educational product, you can still use stories to explain how it works and what results people can expect. Stories are how people connect emotionally to the world, and the better storyteller you are, the more success you’ll achieve.

7. Optimize video content for each platform

Each platform where you publish video content will have a different audience with unique needs. People don’t behave the exact same way everywhere online, and it’s critical to make video content that reflects this difference. For example, people expect short, concise video content on TikTok, but you can get away with posting longer videos on Facebook. Twitter’s algorithm doesn’t favor external links, and YouTube is ideal for publishing long-form video content.

Of course, if you’re using video content on your website or sales pages, you’ll want to optimize each video for your intended audience.

8. Create a clear call-to-action

Once you get people to watch your videos, you need to give clear instructions regarding what you want them to do next. This is done through a call-to-action (CTA) that tells viewers to do something, like subscribe, visit a website, make a purchase, or try something your video is suggesting.

Your CTA should be natural, clear, and direct. Don’t leave any room for confusion. Tell your audience exactly what action you want them to perform.

9. Invest in editing

Let’s face it: if you’re like most people, you probably don’t like editing your own video content. Whether it’s too tedious, time-consuming, or you don’t feel like you’re good at it, there are a ton of reasons why you’d shy away from editing. However, the process of editing content is important. You can remove bloopers, seamlessly cut out (some) mistakes, and give your videos an overall polished look and feel.

10. Add closed captions

Most video content lacks closed captions, and this would be a huge mistake to skip. Closed captions make videos accessible to people with hearing difficulties, and if you skip them, you’ll lose viewers. Ultimately, losing viewers means losing sales.

11.  Make use of video shorts

Most video platforms have an option to publish short-form videos, sometimes referred to as “stories.” This includes Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube, among others. The short videos are typically displayed in a different area than regular videos. However, while these short videos remain accessible on YouTube, they disappear from Instagram and Facebook.

Once you have a decent audience, start publishing video shorts, even if you know they’ll just disappear. It’s a great way to engage your audience with short content that will leave them with a good impression of your brand. You can also use shorts to promote other content, sales, and products.

12. Use hashtags

Even though hashtags seem like they’re just trendy ways to state what your content is about, or make it searchable, they actually help video content rank. The algorithms on social media sites, like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, are designed to incorporate hashtags into ranking factors. There’s no hard rule about how many hashtags you should create per post, but don’t go overboard because too many tags might confuse the algorithm and make your content seem more generic. Keep your hashtags concise and related to your niche and target audience for the best results.

Transform your vision into engaging video content

Creating impactful video content is an ongoing process, and you’ll need to refine your tactics and methods as you learn what works best for your brand. If you’re new to video, remember that even the most successful content creators had to start from scratch.

Whether you’re making video content directly for an audience, or you’re using it for marketing purposes, when you apply the principles in this article, you’ll create videos that resonate with your intended audience.

The post 12 Tips For Creating Impactful Video Content appeared first on ReadWrite.

Are you considering building custom financial software for your company? This may be a good idea. Ready-to-use SaaS solutions are often unsuitable for all companies – they lack certain features, or providers ask you to pay for ones you don’t need at all. Having your own financial software created could be the best option, but what are the key features of such a system? Learn more.

Cloud-Based Technology

Custom financial software built on cloud-based infrastructure offers numerous advantages.

1. Seamless Collaboration

One of the greatest benefits of cloud technology is its ability to enhance collaboration across departments. With files and systems stored securely in the cloud, all team members, regardless of their location, have real-time access to the same data. This facilitates communication and improves decision-making processes, especially in organizations with remote or distributed teams.

2. Automated and Reliable Backups

Data security and accessibility are paramount in the financial sector. Cloud-based systems often come with built-in automated backup solutions that are not only reliable but also more cost-effective than maintaining in-house backup servers. These solutions reduce downtime and protect your business against data loss caused by hardware failures or cyberattacks.

Financial organizations often collaborate with third parties, such as auditors or external consultants. Storing data and applications in the cloud ensures secure and easy sharing of information, which streamlines operations and enhances productivity.

Access to data in real time

In order to make informed decisions on short notice, financial experts require constant access to the newest data. You can get ahead of your competition by gathering and analyzing data in real time. Ask your financial software development services provider for a solution that will collect and display fresh and relevant information.

Workflow Automation

The financial sector is inherently process-heavy. From generating invoices and preparing contracts to running financial simulations, employees are burdened with numerous manual and repetitive tasks. These activities not only consume valuable time but also increase the likelihood of errors.

Workflow automation is a game-changer in this regard. By implementing automated processes, your organization can eliminate redundancy and allow employees to focus on strategic, high-value tasks. For example, automated invoice generation ensures that payments are tracked and processed efficiently. Similarly, automated simulations can provide faster insights for decision-making. When designing your financial software, ensure that it includes robust automation capabilities to handle routine tasks seamlessly.

Built-In Compliance Audits

Compliance is a cornerstone of the financial industry. With regulations evolving frequently and varying across jurisdictions, staying compliant can be a daunting challenge. Non-compliance not only risks heavy penalties but also damages an organization’s reputation.

Custom financial software can help mitigate this challenge by incorporating tools that track and manage regulatory requirements. For instance, the software can set reminders for compliance deadlines, send automated notifications about regulation changes, and provide a central repository for audit-related documents. Such features ensure that your organization remains proactive and reduces the risk of non-compliance.

Error Prevention Mechanisms

Human errors, though often unintentional, can have far-reaching consequences in the financial sector. Incorrect data entries or mismatched records can lead to flawed reports, resulting in poor business decisions or even legal complications.

Custom financial software offers an effective solution through built-in error prevention mechanisms. For example, input validation rules can be established to ensure that only correctly formatted data is entered into the system. Additionally, alerts can be configured to flag any inconsistencies in financial records. These simple yet powerful features protect your business from the costly repercussions of data errors.

Advanced Reporting Capabilities

Data-driven decision-making is at the heart of successful financial management. Modern business intelligence tools integrated into custom software can elevate your reporting capabilities.

With advanced reporting, you can generate detailed analyses tailored to your specific needs. Visual representations such as graphs, charts, and dashboards make complex data easy to interpret. These visualizations can be used to communicate insights effectively to stakeholders, customers, or team members. By designing your software with robust reporting features, you enable your organization to gain actionable insights and improve strategic planning.

Why Custom Financial Software Is Worth It

When compared to off-the-shelf SaaS solutions, custom financial software delivers unmatched flexibility and functionality. It aligns with your organization’s workflows, integrates seamlessly with existing systems, and grows with your business. By considering the key features outlined above—cloud-based technology, real-time data access, workflow automation, compliance tools, error prevention, and advanced reporting—you can ensure that your investment in custom software will deliver long-term value.

The financial industry thrives on precision, adaptability, and efficiency. Custom financial software empowers your organization to excel in these areas, setting you apart from competitors and helping you achieve your business goals. Take the first step today and explore how tailored solutions can transform your financial operations.

The post What are the Key Features of Modern Financial Software? appeared first on ReadWrite.

Every organization needs tech tools to streamline operations, unlock new functionality, and improve profitability. But many organizational leaders get lost in chasing new gadgets and the promise of greater efficiency that they overspend and overcomplicate their tech stacks.

That’s why it’s important to ask critical questions before buying new tech for your business.

What Problem Am I Trying to Solve?

It’s exciting when new tools emerge, especially if there’s a lot of attention around them. The creators of the platform might pitch it as something that could revolutionize your marketing, accounting, inventory management, or some other aspect of your business. And depending on the strength of the demo or trial, you might understand how they could make such a bold claim.

However, before you get too caught up in the new, better-designed packaging, take a step back and ask yourself: What problem am I actually trying to solve?

Products are typically designed to solve problems that aren’t currently being addressed by existing products. Software developers are no different. They’re typically trying to solve various problems with the platforms they create.

If your business begins accumulating subscriptions for platforms that seem to be productive or empowering for other businesses, you probably aren’t going to strike at the heart of the challenges preventing your business from reaching its full potential. That’s why it’s important to know which problems you’re trying to solve before you start considering new software, let alone purchasing one.

What Tools Do I Already Have?

With a better understanding of the problems your business is trying to solve, take a look at the tools you already have. Decision makers sometimes develop blind spots around existing tech solutions, either because they don’t use them on a daily basis or because they overlook underutilized key features.

Taking a close examination of the tools you have means you can identify which problems you’re already solving, the gaps, and the opportunities for new platforms. If there’s too much overlap between your existing tools and your hypothetical new ones, it may not be worth making the investment.

How Much Value Will This Add?

The next question you need to ask is: how much value is this going to add to your organization?

Calculating the value of a piece of software can be difficult. Various metrics can help you estimate the impact of the software, but you won’t have a full selection of data until you use the platform in your specific circumstances. Still, using the information you already have, you can likely speculate about the forms of value that this tool will add to your organization.

For example, will it open the door to new forms of revenue generation? Will it help you drive more business, and if so, how much? Is it going to help you save time?

For each of these questions, attempt to quantify the value in terms of dollars. If this tool is going to generate new revenue, how much will it generate, and how will it do the job? If it’s going to save you time, would this allow you to save on labor costs? Or would it enable some of your valuable employees to better spend their time on more complex problems?

Naturally, it can be difficult to quantify everything, but do your best when making this estimate.

How Much Will This Cost?

Next, think about the costs associated with this new tech. Most software platforms are subscriptions, so you should have hard numbers that allow you to calculate direct costs of using this platform. However, you’ll also want to calculate secondary and tertiary costs.

For example, how much will you pay your IT team to integrate and manage this platform? How much time will you spend on educating and training staff members? Are there any new expenditures that your company is going to take on because of this tech?

Again, quantify everything to the best of your ability so you arrive at a reasonable estimate.

What Is the Overall Projected ROI?

Once you’ve quantified the total value and total costs, you can determine a rough estimate of return on investment (ROI). Hypothetically, as long as this piece of tech adds more value than it costs, it’s going to be a worthy acquisition.

However, a positive ROI isn’t necessarily the best ROI available. It’s a good idea to compare projected ROI of many different tech tools, so you can decide which one is going to be the best fit.

What Other Tools Are on the Market?

No analysis is complete until you also ask yourself about the other tools on the market. The most interesting software might check a lot of boxes, offering an impressive return for relatively low expenses, but it’s possible that there’s something better out there. You won’t know until you look.

What Is the Plan for the Future?

When looking at tech, you should consider the plan for the future, especially if you intend to use this tool for the foreseeable future.

Ongoing Support

Does this software developer or hardware manufacturer have a plan for ongoing support? Are they going to continue supporting this tool for a finite amount of time or indefinitely? If you experience problems, do you have a reliable source of help?

Patches

Cybersecurity is an increasing concern. If you’re purchasing new software, think about how much attention developers are paying to it. In addition to researching security features inherently within the software, consider whether this development team is committed to making ongoing patches when they identify new vulnerabilities.

New Features

Is there a road map for new features and product expansion in the future? This isn’t a strict necessity, but you may prefer having a tool that can grow and evolve with your changing needs.

How Will We Determine the Value of This Tool in the Future?

Finally, consider how you’re going to evaluate the success of this tool in the future. After using it for a few months, or even a year, what metrics will you evaluate to determine whether this tool is worth continuing to pay for? It’s important to have an objective standard, so you can tell whether your investment is paying off.

Most businesses benefit from acquiring new tech at a steady pace, solving problems, and scaling into the future. However, if you want to be successful, you need to ask the right questions before you make your final decision.

The post Before Paying for New Tech, Ask These Questions appeared first on ReadWrite.

Just about everyone who uses the internet knows they need to be concerned about cyberattacks, but not everyone knows what that means. It takes far more effort than refusing to download random files and scanning your computer with an antivirus program to stay safe.

Worse, some types of cyberattacks don’t seem like attacks. For example, phishing schemes can be pretty convincing when the attackers use advanced social engineering tactics. Most people know better than to click on (and trust) links in unsolicited or unexpected emails, but it still happens frequently.

There are countless threat actors out there constantly looking for new targets. Over time, their tactics get better and they find new vulnerabilities to exploit, taking everyone by surprise. If you want to avoid getting hit by one of these malicious attacks, you need to protect yourself.

Types of Cyberattacks to Watch Out For

The following are several types of cyberattacks you may not realize you need to address.

1. Botnet attacks

A botnet attack can be a serious issue. It targets IoT devices like home security systems, connected lights and thermostats, and smart TVs, refrigerators, and speakers. Anything that connects to the internet is fair game.

To launch a botnet attack, hackers first find a vulnerability in the target device. Then they infect the target with botnet malware and take over the device remotely. From here, the botnet takes over hundreds or thousands of devices to perform brute force attacks, Distributed Denial-of-Service attacks (DDoS), and large-scale phishing schemes.

In 2016, hackers used the Mirai botnet to take over millions of devices and launched a massive DDoS attack against Dyn, one of the largest domain name server providers in the world.

Some hackers take over IoT devices just to “brick” them. Bricking refers to the act of damaging a device’s firmware to render it useless. Some hackers do it for fun because they want to teach people a lesson in cybersecurity.

One of the most destructive botnet attacks was caused by malware called BrickerBot. The hackers scanned the internet for unsecured devices by using default usernames and passwords. Any devices found still using factory passwords got bricked. There are at least four versions of BrickerBot. The first one attacked 1,895 devices in the first four days. The third attack managed to get 1,400 devices in the first 24 hours.

You can protect yourself against a botnet attack by changing the default factory username and/or password once you buy a device. While some hackers can and do go to great lengths to hack IoT devices, the chances of that happening once you change the password are slim. Most hackers use botnets to take over as many devices as possible quickly and automatically. They usually won’t try to hack into a secured device.

2. LLMjacking

What is LLMjacking? It’s a term you may not have heard of before, but it’s a serious threat with severe consequences. LLMjacking refers to an attack on large language models (LLMs), which are used in generative AI applications. It basically hijacks the server resources, which can end up costing the owner thousands of dollars in usage fees.

Companies who use cloud-hosted LLMs are susceptible to LLMjacking because they have the server resources to run generative AI programs. A hacker might hijack the LLM resources for personal reasons, like generating their own images, or they could use it to generate malicious code, poison the models, or steal sensitive data.

An individual who hijacks a cloud-based LLM for personal use probably won’t do much damage, but since fees are charged based on the use of resources, a serious attack could cost the owner anywhere from $50,000 to $100,000 per day.

Anyone using these or other LLMs should get a security audit and double down on securing their cloud environment as fast as possible.

3. Ransomware

Everyone has heard of ransomware, but not everyone is fully protected. Technically, there’s no way to guarantee you’ll never get hit by ransomware. It can happen when you least expect it, especially if you’re in the habit of downloading random files. However, there are ways to ransomware-proof your data.

Ransomware is a special kind of cyberattack that locks down your computer by encrypting the contents of your hard drive so that you can’t access any of your files. There’s no way to get your files back other than by the grace of the hacker who locked you out. Typically, hackers ask for a monetary ransom to return your files. If you pay the ransom, there’s still no guarantee the hacker will make good on their word and release your files. Paying a ransom also gives hackers the incentive to continue using ransomware.

The only way to protect against a ransomware attack is to have a clean backup of all your data that you can restore on a new machine. The goal is to be able to ignore the hacker’s demands and never feel like you need to pay the ransom. You want the ability to walk away and start over.

4. Insider threats

Although many cyberattacks are launched by unknown attackers, there’s always a chance that someone on the inside of a company might do harm. Sometimes people plot and plan how they’ll use their credentials to do damage or steal information while working for a company, but often, attacks are triggered by disputes or getting fired.

There are plenty of signs that someone working for a company may be planning an attack:

• Signing into company accounts at odd hours, like 3 a.m.
• Attempting to access resources outside of their permissions.
• Asking others to borrow their login credentials.
• Asking for, or accessing data that isn’t relevant to their job function.
• Copying company data to a USB drive.
• Sending emails with sensitive data outside the company.

These signs are particularly troubling when the individual also works off-hours, shows resentment toward others, violates company policy regularly, tries to get around security policies, or constantly talks about quitting.

Not everyone who gets fired or becomes resentful will do damage on their way out, but it’s a possibility. It only takes one moment for a disgruntled employee to delete entire files, databases, emails, and other important records. If you don’t regularly create a full backup of everyone’s work and your company’s server, an insider threat can do a lot of damage.

5. Man-in-the-Middle attack

A Man-in-the-Middle (MITM) attack is when a threat actor positions themselves in between two parties who are attempting to communicate with each other. The threat actor alters their communications, while both parties believe they are communicating directly with each other.

This type of attack can be used to get information from people or deliver messages designed to alter a person’s behavior or decisions. For example, if someone intercepts a conversation between coworkers who trust each other, they might send a message to one of them asking for login credentials or a physical key. This person will believe the request is coming from their coworker, when in fact, it’s coming from the hacker.

There are ways to defend against MITM attacks, but they require a cybersecurity expert to implement across a network. Protection requires strong authentication, tamper detection, and forensic analysis of any captured network traffic. All of these defenses can be easily implemented by a security pro.

6. Phishing schemes

Perhaps the oldest cyberattack trick in the book is phishing. Hackers send emails using psychology and social engineering to get sensitive data from unsuspecting people. Phishing hackers are typically after login credentials, personal information, and bank and credit card numbers.

A phishing email will look like it’s coming from a familiar, known sender. However, the email address is simply being spoofed by the hacker. For example, a common phishing scheme is to send an email stating that there’s a problem with their bank account. They need to log in to their account in order to resolve the issue. When the link is clicked in the email, the victim is taken to a web page that mimics the actual bank’s website and presents them with a login screen. Once the login credentials are entered, instead of being logged in, they’ll get an error or nothing will happen. On the back end, the hacker will receive the credentials typed into the form via email.

The only way to avoid getting caught in a phishing scheme is through awareness and diligence. It also helps to learn how to view email headers to verify the sender. Still, the best solution is to go directly to a website by typing the URL into your browser instead of clicking on a link.

Cybersecurity professionals can help

As the digital landscape evolves, companies need to stay vigilant in identifying and defending against sophisticated cyberattacks. This list contains only a fraction of attacks to protect against. Because these attacks get more sophisticated with time, it’s advised to invest in professional cybersecurity services to get protected and learn proactive strategies to safeguard your operations.

The post 6 Types of Cyberattacks You Didn’t Know You Need to Worry About appeared first on ReadWrite.

Mine planning software is an industrial-age solution that makes this ancient profession more efficient—and prevents lost investments. More and more, technological progress expands the capabilities to revolutionize mining. Mining software provides multiple benefits that mining companies can get for efficient planning and making well-informed (and responsible) decisions.

Mining operations, which includes planning, performing and optimization, can be done better, faster, more cost-effectively, and certainly more responsibly using modern software. Here is what software can do for mine planning optimization:

Data Integration and Visualization

Mining is a data-driven industry where multiple metrics and datasets—geological, environmental, operational—must be aggregated to create a mine plan. Proper software for mine planning will consolidate this data into a virtual database in the cloud. This is also called a ‘mine model’ since there are a lot of spatial components and corresponding relationships between them. Planners can view their mine model to see the geographical extent of the space in which they have (or may have) mineral claims.

Optimization of Mine Design and Layout

But—the utility of advanced software goes much further than simple modeling. Designing a mine plan requires more than knowledge of what’s underground. Designers must also consider a mine’s surface infrastructure requirements, transportation needs, and the order of operations. Today’s software allows designers to optimize these configurations—running simulations to find the most efficient plan. Designers can test alternative options, such as changes in economic or environmental variables, in order to find the plan that recovers the most aggregate at the least cost and minimizes environmental impact on the community. None of this was possible with traditional modeling.

Risk Management and Automation

There are a million variables in the mining process—a piece of equipment goes down, a stockpile collapses, a slope gives way—and suddenly, production is delayed, or worse, people are endangered. Predictive analytics software can identify and mitigate those problems before they happen; processing historical and real-time data to identify a potential equipment failure, environmental event, or other mineral extraction issue before it occurs.

Automation software processes data for both the real and predicted world. It manages the schedule to ensure drilling, loading ore, hauling, and more happen in support of the production schedule. Performing production risk management, in other words, automates the operation to improve efficiency and safety.

Environmental Impact and Compliance

Mining companies are under increasing scrutiny over their environmental footprint. With the help of software, companies can deliver the required level of compliance. If a good environmental assessment process is carried out in the last stages of a project application, where improvements to reduce land impact, water control and waste reduction can be made, then it’s not just compliance, it’s doing the right thing for the environment.

Sophisticated software is changing the face of mine planning, enabling better data integration, modelling, design, risk management and environmental compliance. It enables mining companies to run more efficiently, reduce costs and be safer. Technology is only improving and, in future, software will have an increasing influence on mining operations.

The post How Does Advanced Software Improve Mine Planning Processes? appeared first on ReadWrite.

With the growing popularity of web-to-print solutions, print management has become more streamlined, efficient, and convenient. However, as more businesses adopt digital platforms, protecting customer data and ensuring secure transactions is more important than ever.

Implementing a strong web to print solution in Australia protocols is essential for safeguarding data, building trust, and meeting regulatory standards. A technical certification program for web-to-print security helps print providers maintain best practices and stay prepared for emerging security challenges.

Here’s a look at core security protocols, the role of certification, and the benefits for print providers and their clients.

1. Why Security Protocols Are Essential for Web-to-Print

Web-to-print platforms make ordering, file submission, and payment processing simple and accessible for customers, making it easier to manage print projects online. However, these interactions involve sensitive data exchanges, from personal information and payment details to proprietary files. Security protocols protect this information from unauthorized access, breaches, and cyber threats.

For print businesses, following these protocols builds customer trust and helps them meet regulatory standards. A technical certification program ensures consistent application of these security measures, reducing risks and providing clients with a safe, reliable user experience.

2. Core Security Protocols for Web-to-Print Platforms

Secure web-to-print platforms rely on key security measures covering data protection, network security, and user privacy. These include:

• Data Encryption: Encrypting data both in storage and during transfers prevents unauthorized access and ensures that intercepted data remains unreadable.
• Secure Authentication: Multi-factor authentication (MFA) strengthens user account security by requiring additional identity verification. This reduces the chance of unauthorized account access.
• Access Controls: Role-based access controls (RBAC) assign permissions based on user roles, ensuring that only authorized personnel can access specific data, minimizing potential vulnerabilities.
• Firewall Protection: Firewalls are a barrier between trusted internal systems and external networks, filtering traffic and blocking suspicious attempts to access the platform.
• Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS): IDS actively monitors network activity for suspicious behavior, alerting administrators to potential threats and allowing them to respond quickly.

These protocols form the backbone of a secure web-to-print system, protecting customer information at every stage.

3. The Role of Certification in Web-to-Print Security

A certification program creates a standard framework for web-to-print security across the industry. Certification confirms that a print provider’s web-to-print solution meets security standards, assuring customers that their data is handled safely. Certification programs typically cover data handling, software security, and network protection.

For print providers, certification demonstrates their commitment to security and can attract clients who value data protection. Certification programs are regularly updated to reflect new threats and industry best practices, helping print businesses stay compliant and adaptable to changing regulations.

4. Steps to Achieving Certification in Web-to-Print Security

Obtaining certification in web-to-print security requires a comprehensive understanding of protocols, adherence to data regulations, and ongoing audits. Key steps include:

• Conduct a Security Assessment: A full assessment identifies system vulnerabilities, including encryption and data storage.
• Implement Essential Security Measures: Based on the assessment, apply security protocols, such as encryption, access controls, and IDS.
• Train Employees on Security Best Practices: Training staff on secure data handling, phishing recognition, and protocol compliance reduces human error and strengthens security.
• Schedule Regular Audits: Routine audits are essential for maintaining certification, ensuring compliance with current standards, and identifying improvement areas. Certification programs often require annual audits.

Following these steps prepares businesses for certification, building a trusted security foundation for their customers.

5. Benefits of Security Certification for Print Providers and Clients

A certified web-to-print solution offers several advantages for both print providers and clients:

• Increased Customer Trust: Certification assures customers that their data is secure, building trust and boosting satisfaction.
• Lower Legal and Financial Risks: Compliance with data protection laws reduces the risk of fines and legal issues associated with data breaches.
• Competitive Edge: Certified providers stand out from competitors, attracting clients who prioritize security.
• Enhanced Operational Security: Certification encourages consistent security practices, protecting business assets, processes, and reputation.

These benefits underscore the value of a technical certification program, helping protect both customers and the business.

6. Emerging Trends in Web-to-Print Security

As technology advances, web-to-print security protocols continue to evolve. Key industry trends include:

• AI-Powered Threat Detection: Artificial intelligence enhances threat detection by identifying unusual patterns, helping prevent security breaches.
• Blockchain for Data Integrity: Blockchain can improve data transparency and prevent unauthorized data alterations, adding a layer of security.
• Advanced Data Anonymization: As privacy laws tighten, advanced anonymization techniques protect sensitive data while allowing for secure analytics.

Keeping up with these trends allows businesses to enhance security and remain adaptable in a changing digital landscape.

In the digital age, robust security protocols are essential for web-to-print solutions. Print providers can offer clients a safe, reliable experience by implementing effective security measures and obtaining certification. A technical certification program for web to print solutions in Australia builds customer trust, ensures compliance with data protection laws, and strengthens a business’s reputation.

Certified web-to-print platforms deliver both convenience and peace of mind for print providers and customers, making them a core component of modern print management solutions.

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If you want your tech startup to be successful, you’ll need to spend time generating excitement about its new technologies – and about yourself. This can be a challenging endeavor, especially if you don’t have much entrepreneurial experience or existing brand assets.

How can you start making people excited and enthusiastic about your new tech startup?

Strategically Positioning Your Tech Startup: Start With Your Business Plan

You should start with the elements of your business plan. It’s very unlikely that your target audience is going to get excited simply by reading and understanding your business plan. But this pivotal foundational document is going to help you understand what your business is at the conceptual level so you can create better messaging for it and be more effective in how you build that excitement.

These are some of the most important sections to nail:

Core Product

The tech product at the heart of your startup is going to be its nucleus. What is your company going to build or offer? How is it unique? What problems is it going to solve? Why is it better than everything else on the market? The better you understand your tech in context, the better you’ll be able to position it.

Target Market

Who is your target audience? How do they think about the world? What are their core beliefs and values? What types of things have made them excited in the past? Once you do a deep dive here, you should have a good idea of what types of things will get your customers talking. For example, are they eager for a new solution to a common problem? Will they be enthusiastic to see a product similar to existing products on the market for a lower price?

Competition

Next, thoroughly analyze your top competitors. How did they launch? Who are their customers and how did they win them over? What types of marketing and advertising techniques are they using to generate excitement? This section of your business plan is a great source of inspiration, but you should also be wary of excessive mimicry. Remember, it’s also important to stand out from the crowd.

Unique Differentiators

In line with this idea, pay close attention to your unique differentiators. What are the aspects of your business that set you apart from your competition, and which of those aspects are your customers going to love? Offering the lowest prices or the best service? Or, do you offer a fundamentally new type of experience?

Early Advantages

Also, what advantages are you going to have early in the formation of your startup? You may have a limited budget and an even more limited circle of influence, but do you have novel creative ideas? Can you capitalize on an emerging trend?

Supporting Your Technology: Flesh Out Your Personal Brand

A compelling piece of new technology should be able to sell itself, but it doesn’t always happen that way. If you want better odds of success, it’s a good idea to marry your tech to a personal brand – a human face that can carry, uplift, and support your tech. Many startups find early momentum not just because they successfully reached their target audience early via company channels, but because the founder, president, or other authority in the business has a strong reputation.

Accordingly, it’s in your best interest to flesh out your public-facing persona and start generating some good publicity and excitement among people in your target audience. You can start by getting a professional headshot. You can even use an AI headshot generator for this purpose, making things even easier. Once you have it, you can use it as the foundation of all your social media profiles.

From there, start generating content in line with your industry and the niche of your startup. This is your chance to demonstrate your abilities as a thought leader and set yourself apart from your rivals. Distribute your best content on the networks most favored by your target customers and start networking to generate a following. At this stage, it’s up to you whether you want to start talking about the upcoming brand or not.

Throw Out Some Teases About Your Core Tech Product

At a certain point, you’ll want to throw out some teases of the tech to come (even if it’s not quite finished). Don’t be too general: a phrase like “big things happening” isn’t going to generate much excitement. At the same time, don’t be too specific. If you give away all the details upfront, you’ll spoil the surprise, and people won’t have much to look forward to.

This is essentially an opportunity to demo your product, test out some of your marketing and pique interest in the startup that’s about to emerge. It’s also a great opportunity to see how your customers interact with your messaging, so you can tweak it in the future.

Develop Key Assets for Your Brand and Products

You’ll have a much stronger brand identity when you start building an audience if you already have key assets developed for your brand and its products. These can include photos, short videos, white papers, and pretty much anything else that your target audience can consume. Screenshots and video demos are going to be crucial for showing off your core tech.

When developing these assets, make sure they look professional and that they highlight some of the unique differentiators of your brand and its products. Also, take the opportunity to demonstrate thought leadership however you can. Be ready to distribute these assets across multiple channels.

Start Collecting Tech Fans

At this stage, you should be ready to start building an audience for your upcoming startup. If you haven’t yet, this is the time to start claiming the social media profiles for your startup and any key products associated with it. You can use your personal brand as a leverage point to create a seed audience. By engaging with the tech enthusiast community, you can make that following grow.

Submit Big Press Releases

While there are some drawbacks and limitations associated with press releases, they remain some of the most effective ways to circulate information about new businesses. You can announce that your startup is launching, announce new rounds of funding, reveal new products, or talk about anything else that’s newsworthy. It’s a great opportunity to promote your brand and get some relatively inexpensive publicity.

Host (and Attend) Tech-Centric Events

You and other leaders on your team should also consider attending tech events and events relevant to your target audience. Depending on the nature of the event, you may even have an opportunity to make a presentation or promote your brand and products with promotional products, demos, and reveal parties. If there are no events you can attend, consider hosting one yourself.

Reward Your Fans With Fun Surprises

You’ll be able to build even more excitement for your startup if you start rewarding your earliest fans with fun surprises. These people will have been with your company from the beginning, or nearly so, so consider giving them some freebies or special privileges that they can show off. Surprises are generally linked to positive emotions and strong memories, so this is a great way to ingrain your brand in their minds. It’s also an opportunity to have your target customers do some marketing on your behalf. Most people are excited to talk about free things they’ve gotten or fun surprises they’ve enjoyed.

Get Feedback and Improve

Throughout this process, get feedback from your target customers and work to improve your approach (and your tech product). No two target audiences are exactly alike, and neither are any two startups, so it’s going to take some experimentation and refinement to find the right blend of marketing strategies for your needs. If you commit to continuous improvement, you’ll keep attracting new people to your brand, your messaging will grow stronger, and by the time you’re ready to launch, you’ll have a loyal audience of fans who will patronize your business.

Generating early excitement for a tech startup isn’t especially easy or straightforward. Even so, this is such a critical time for business development and marketing that you can’t afford to neglect it. Hopefully, these insights have shed some light on the process, so you can devise a successful campaign for your own upcoming tech launch.

The post How to Make People Excited About Your New Tech Startup appeared first on ReadWrite.

Creating software is tough. Making that software profitable is tougher. But perhaps the toughest challenge is dealing with competitive software companies that offer similar products, sometimes for less money.

How are you supposed to deal with aggressive competitors in your software niche? What are the best strategies to overtake them?

Product Differentiation

Your first responsibility is to find a way to differentiate your product and brand. If you’re offering a product that’s similar to others on the market, you’re going to have a hard time convincing consumers to choose your product over another. On the other hand, if your brand or product is uniquely differentiated in a compelling way, it’s going to be easier to convince people to make the switch.

Determining this is going to require some internal contemplation and discussion. Depending on your stage of business development, this could mean initiating research and redrawing your business plan or simply meeting with team leads to generate new ideas. You should focus on the strengths and weaknesses of your own product and the comparative strengths and weaknesses of competing products.

Hiring a custom software developer or bringing in a software consultant could help you. A neutral third party will be able to provide a more objective perspective to your organization, and they may have new ideas for how you can adapt and improve your product.

Here are some of the ways that you can adjust your product or branding to become more differentiated and more competitive:

Target Market Dynamics

If your product is targeting the same market as someone else’s, there’s going to be rivalrous overlap in your outreach. You might find yourself in a better position if you can target an audience that no one else is thinking about, even if it’s only a portion of your total audience. Is there a way to rebrand or reposition your product to better appeal to them? If not, can you gain any kind of advantage by being more relevant or interesting to your shared target audience?

Price

One of the easiest ways to gain a competitive advantage is to slash your prices. If your product does the same thing as another, and it’s equal in quality, a lower price is going to make you the clear favorite in the market. Obviously, there are many factors you’ll need to consider before impulsively adjusting the price of your product. But if you can afford a slightly lower entry price, it could make it easier for you to differentiate your offer.

Core Features

You can also differentiate your product with better or more core features. The exact nature of these features will depend on the nature of your product and the desires and needs of your target audience.

Quality

Don’t forget about the quality of your work. When shopping for software, most people inevitably focus on marketing over substance, in part because they probably won’t get their hands on the software until they get closer to a final decision. Still, it’s important to cultivate a reputation of quality work.

Updates and Long-term Plan

You might be able to position yourself more favorably in the competitive landscape by drawing up plans for better updates and new features to roll out in the future. Producing a long-term roadmap shows not only confidence in your product but also dedication to it. It also gives you, your fans, and prospective customers more things to look forward to.

Support

Another way to differentiate your business, and your product indirectly, is to offer more overall support. Giving clients and users more ways to contact you, providing more information, and generally improving user experience can instantly make you a favorite in even the most competitive fields.

Company Culture and General Branding

It’s also not a bad idea to focus on company culture and your general branding. Depending on your niche, users may be more likely to choose your software product if they respect your principles as a business or feel aligned with you ethically.

Marketing Strategies

Once you have a solid foundation with a perfectly sculpted brand and a uniquely differentiated product, you can begin contesting the positions of your competitors with more effective marketing strategies.

Highlight critical differentiators.

The things that differentiate your business are the most important highlights in your marketing campaign. Figure out what your unique value proposition is and what your key differentiators are. Then put them at the forefront of all your marketing and advertising materials.

Focus on benefits, not features.

You can also differentiate yourself in the field by focusing on benefits, rather than features. Instead of focusing on the qualities of your product, focus on how your product is going to change lives for the better.

Tell stories.

You should frame many of your marketing and advertising materials as stories. Stories are more resonant and more memorable to most people. Talk about how your users’ lives have changed for the better after using your product.

Appeal to niche markets.

Remember who your most important target demographics are and target them very precisely. Your materials should be highly relevant, and you should make those materials available on the most relevant channels. Superior targeting can instantly make your marketing messaging more effective, even in very competitive landscapes.

Mimic and exceed channel selections.

Most businesses rely on a wide range of channels, platforms, and mediums when marketing and advertising themselves. If you want to outdo your competitors, you first need to at least match their presence in most of these areas. Then, you’ll need to find critical opportunities to stand out, such as taking over a platform that one of your competitors underutilized.

Get local.

Another interesting strategy for overtaking rivals and marketing is focusing on local audiences. This allows you to dampen the power of your competitors while still increasing your overall reach.

Practice thought leadership.

Demonstrate why you’re a more competent expert than your top competitors. Practice thought leadership through the creation and cultivation of better content and resources.

Cultivate a stronger reputation.

Similarly, you should focus on cultivating a stronger reputation overall. Writing and submitting positive press releases, doing good things for your community, and earning more excellent reviews and testimonials can all help you in this regard. Building and nurturing a user community can also be impressively helpful in boosting the reputation of your brand.

Experiment aggressively.

Marketing experiments are a consistent path to success because they can lead you toward more successful tactics and guide you away from lesser ones. Experiment aggressively with new strategies, new messaging angles, and new techniques. Use objective metrics to determine which ones are worth keeping and which ones should be tossed. Never get complacent. If you keep moving and adapting, it’s only a matter of time before you exceed any competitor with a stagnant marketing approach.

Finding a way to stay competitive in a hyper-competitive software niche isn’t exactly fun, but it is vital if you want to keep growing your software company sustainably. With a superior, more uniquely defined product, and a robust array of dynamic marketing strategies in play, you’ll be in a much better position to succeed.

The post How to Deal With Aggressive Competitors in Your Software Niche appeared first on ReadWrite.

Longtime usage of a low-end PC or laptop can be a struggle. Running applications or games or even opening browsing cards can take forever and cause big lags. Then there is the issue of too many opened windows or tabs in your browser and then the computer refuses to work and just freezes.

There is nothing strange about this happening. Old hardware may not work properly with newer software, especially if the hardware or operating system was never or rarely updated.

4 Ways to Increase the Life of Your Laptop

Before you think about spending money on a new computer, you can try something else. You can give a new lease on life to your old machine. That’s what we will focus on in this article. We want to share some tips and tricks for working on a low-end computer and how you can optimize it.

Format

First, back up your files. This will prepare your laptop before you format the hard drive. Formatting will reset the laptop to its original settings. This means it will remove all applications and other software previously installed. Too many programs are enough to cause lags. On top of that, there could be some malware inside your computer that you had no idea about. The format will get rid of everything. Once you do this, you’re ready for the next step.

Operating System

If you want to work on any computer, you will need to install an operating system. Most computers use Windows, but you can choose Linux if you are proficient. Use whichever one you feel comfortable working on. Some people use the free Ubuntu operating system, while others use macOS, Unix, Chrome, etc. If you have a low-end PC, installing an older version of Windows or Linux will be the best solution. These systems won’t burden the older hardware and will perform well with this operating system. Older doesn’t mean worse. You can still work just fine on your low-end machine. Check the specs of your PC and ensure that the hardware will work with the operating system you would like to use.

Adding the Essentials

Once the operating system is ready and running you should notice the first difference. See how smoothly it runs? Now it’s time to start adding the programs you need. However, install only what you need; don’t overburden your fresh system. A good idea is to look for the lighter versions of each program. You don’t need the latest Microsoft Office suite. Opt for a light version of Word if you’re a content writer, a light version of Excel if you’re into accounting, etc. Another option is to check free OpenOffice software. Perhaps it will run better and maybe it takes less space.

Also, look for online versions of some of the applications you use, especially if it is not something you require frequently. In these cases it will only be the Internet browser chipping of your RAM but without weighing on the disc space.

Keep It Simple

When adding more programs to your freshly cleaned laptop just keep in mind how such an install may affect the speed and responsiveness of your system. If you want to play video games, make sure it’s not one with heavy graphics and one that will drain your processor. Remember your limits. However, that doesn’t mean you’re in a lost position at all.

Lately, it is not AAA gaming titles that make the biggest buzz but smaller indie games. Those smaller games are often based on pixel graphics, which is adorable and needs far fewer resources. Check Reddit for the best games played on low-end PCs or games that are less demanding in terms of hardware requirements. You should be able to run Minecraft or Stardew Valley or the first two Fallout games and the plethora of other titles. Check GOG or Steam for the best fit and then look the games up on GG.Deals for the best deals.

These few tips should be enough to give you a a fresh start with your not-so-fresh machine and ensure that you will give it one last chance before tossing the old laptop in the trashcan. On a serious note, formatting and installing everything from scratch should buy you some time to save money and invest in getting a new PC in the future. You can’t run on the low-end computer forever, but you may breathe enough life into it to keep it going as long as you have the financial means to buy something better.

The post How to Extend the Life of Your Old PC or Low-End Laptop appeared first on ReadWrite.

Let’s say a brand new game called Galactic Quest is available. When a legitimate user buys the game from an authorized store, they are given a unique Steam key to activate their account. Upon activation, they have permission to download and play the game. Now, a possible pirate wants to play the game for free without buying it. They try to get a generated key and add it to their account but they can’t because the Steam key authentication detects it as invalid and denies the user entry. Keep reading to find out more about how Steam keys work.

How Steam Keys Function

Steam keys are created and deployed by video game publishers and developers. Once made, they can be distributed over various platforms — online stores, boxed retail copies, giveaways, and the occasional promotional events. When you buy a game with a key, you get a Steam code you can add or “trade” with your Steam game library.

It’s pretty much like activating an old CD key, but different since it’s all happening online. Unlike CD keys where you have a physical copy of your key, Steam keys exist in the digital world. This makes them more convenient to maintain and distribute. When a player activates their Steam key, the client surveys and validates the code. Afterward, the game is associated with the player’s account, and they can now download and play it.

The Security Aspect

Security is the top priority in the gaming industry, and Steam Keys help protect gamers and developers. Steam keys provide the first level of security to ensure correctly titled games are accessed. This is important because piracy is more prevalent than most of us believe or know of. Accessing a game without permission can affect the sales and the company behind the title.

Another way Steam keys offer security is that they can be used only once. Once used, they cannot be resold or even shared with a friend.

Authentication and Account Security

Steam keys connect specific games to an account. This is necessary for many reasons. For one, it allows gamers to control their libraries and track progress and trophies. The titles can only be used following a successful unlock and can be accessed from any computer by logging into the platform.

The Future of Steam Keys: Innovations in Game Security & Authentication

The use of Steam keys is undergoing substantial change as the online gaming industry continues to evolve. The future of Steam key updates may well feature the integration of blockchain technology. A decentralised and immutable ledger, it’s practically impossible to create fake or duplicate Steam keys with blockchain.

Assigning a key to each game based on blockchain would mean that a world-wide and transparent record could be used to verify the authenticity of every game, reducing risk from both fraudulent transactions and key re-selling. Moreover of course this extra layer in verification beyond today’s centralised systems might totally revolutionize the way ownership works.

Biometrics and Cloud Gaming

A second area of innovation could involve biometric authentication methods, be they fingerprints or facial recognition as new means of authenticating Steam keys. Biometric data is linked with a unique set of Steam keys, only that set could activate any game and play it, reducing the chance of illegal or unauthorised use even further.

The advent of cloud gaming will open up new horizons for the future of Steam key updates. In a cloud-based gaming environment, Steam keys can be associated with a user’s cloud account instead of being locked to a specific device.

So, a game which is bought and sold over Steam could be on a user’s computer but still available for play through their desktop, tablet, home entertainment system and smart phone. Under such conditions restricted access to games would also be much more flexible: time-limited use or geographical limitations might both boost gaming security on the whole quite considerably.

Conclusion

As the gaming industry moves forward, we can expect that the future of Steam keys will incorporate cutting-edge technologies. This will ensure robust yet adaptive security and authentication in online gaming.

The post The Role of Steam Keys in Game Security and Authentication appeared first on ReadWrite.

Most entrepreneurs who start new businesses understand that failure is a significant possibility, but optimistically hope that their startup will defy the odds and become massively successful. No matter how hopeful you are – or how skilled you are as an entrepreneur – a failed startup is never more than a few bad decisions away.

A startup failing isn’t necessarily a reflection of your abilities, but it can hurt both your ego and your wallet. How do you recover from a failed startup and maximize your chances of success the second time around?

Make the Final Decision

Before you get too far into the process, you’ll need to finalize your decision and take the actions necessary to dissolve your business and prepare for the consequences of losing it. Most businesses aren’t permanently closed because of financial difficulties or some threatening external event; rather, entrepreneurs make the decision to close a business once they realize there’s no way out.

If your business is failing, that doesn’t necessarily mean it will continue failing in the future. A struggling business can recover by means of revitalized marketing strategies, cost cutting measures, new product development, rebranding, and other strategies. But if you’ve already tried these and you’re out of options, or if you’re ready to throw in the towel, it may be time to make the final call.

This is a major decision that you can’t easily walk back, so make sure you’re in a clear-headed, unemotional state of mind when you make it – and make sure you have all the information necessary to ensure you make a logical call.

Audit Your Finances

As you prepare to close your business, closely audit your finances. Take inventory of your standing debts as well as outstanding accounts and speculate which of your assets can be easily liquidated. If your business is in a difficult financial position, closing the business can be complicated; in some situations, the right move may be to declare bankruptcy.

According to attorney Rowdy G. Williams, “People sometimes see bankruptcy as a singular monolith, but the reality is that there are many types of bankruptcy. The type of bankruptcy you choose will impact how much debt will be discharged, and how long the process will take.”

Working with a lawyer, you can determine whether bankruptcy is the right move for closing your business, and if so, which type of bankruptcy would be most appropriate. Otherwise, you’ll need to keep a close eye on your assets, liabilities, and transactions as you begin to shut the startup down.

Facilitate an Organized, Orderly Shutdown

An organized, orderly shutdown is going to be quicker, less stressful, more legally sound, and easier on the people around you. Accordingly, you owe it to yourself and to everyone else in your business to remain as structured and professional as possible during the shutdown.

Work with decision makers.

Consult with major decision makers in your business if you haven’t already. Depending on the structure and nature of your business, you may need them on board with your decision before you begin to follow through.

Collect outstanding accounts.

At some point, you’ll need to collect on outstanding accounts. This can help you reconcile your final finances and receive some money to settle any outstanding debts.

Inform your staff.

Think carefully about how you want to inform your staff. In most cases, it pays to let them know as early as possible and as sympathetically as possible. Give people time, direction, and resources so they can properly process what’s happening and set a course for their futures. Make sure you explain your reasoning for shutting the business down as well.

Inform your customers.

You’ll also need to inform your customers. Give them full instructions on how they should handle this, and consider recommending alternative product and service providers who can fill their needs.

File the necessary documents.

Depending on your type of business and where it’s located, you’ll likely need to file some paperwork to formally dissolve or close your business.

Plan for taxes.

Even if your business is closed, you’ll likely still have some tax obligations. Consult with a tax advisor to ensure you’re planning for those taxes properly.

Cancel your licenses and permits.

If you have any licenses or permits for your business, now is the time to cancel them.

Distribute assets and close accounts.

Finally, you’ll be ready to make a final distribution of assets and close any of your active accounts.

Initiate a Postmortem

As you begin delving into the final closure of your startup, or after you’re all done, consider initiating a postmortem analysis. Essentially, your goal is to figure out what went wrong so that you can prevent something similar in your next venture.

What was the root cause of your business’s failure? And what were the intermediate causes? Don’t make any snap judgments. Dig deep into the details to see if there’s anything you might have missed.

These are some of the best places to find clues:

Financial documents.

A company’s finances can tell you nearly everything about how it operates. You can quickly identify any financial strategies that disrupted your business and pinpoint moments in time when momentum began to shift.

Interviews and discussions.

It’s also a good idea to conduct interviews and hold discussions with other people who were active in your business. Leaders and decision makers can give you a high-level perspective of what they think went wrong. Lower-level employees may have critical ground-level insights that leaders might lack.

Major decisions and resulting outcomes.

Focus on major decisions that you made throughout the course of your business and whether you could have made an alternative decision in each scenario that would have turned out differently. Hindsight is 20/20, of course, but this exercise is valuable in helping you make better decisions in the future.

External threats.

Review any external threats that played a role in the demise of your business as well. New competitors, economic turmoil, and changes in market dynamics can all play a role in compromising the integrity of your startup.

Take Some Time (If You Can)

Losing a startup you loved and worked so hard on can be incredibly difficult. Just as you wouldn’t want to return to work after losing a loved one, you shouldn’t immediately dive into a new venture the day your first business closes. Even if you feel okay with the situation, it’s wise to take a few weeks, or even a few months to process what happened, relax, and reset your frame of mind so you can start your next venture on an even footing.

Take Accountability (But Go Easy on Yourself)

You’ll greatly increase your chances of success if you can take full accountability for all your decisions and actions that may have contributed to the failure of your business. Yes, there were variables and factors outside of your control, but focusing on them isn’t going to help you succeed. You can only control your own actions and behaviors, so this is where the locus of change needs to be.

At the same time, don’t beat yourself up. Even the best entrepreneurs in the world experience failure and make egregious mistakes. What separates them from other entrepreneurs is that they learn from them and move on.

Consider Your Future

You don’t have to start a new business. You could also transform your old business idea into something new, start a new career, or take your experience and find a position that complements your new skill set. Think critically about all your options before you decide to move forward.

Prepare

If you do plan on starting a new business, take some time to prepare.

Classes: Many classes can help you cultivate skills or new knowledge to become a better entrepreneur.

Research: You can also start researching new possibilities, and potentially drafting business plans for your new ideas.

Connections: Don’t forget to network! Ongoing networking habits can help you find new mentors, partners, investors, employees, and even customers.

It’s tempting to think of the failure of your startup as the end of a journey. But it’s also the beginning of a new one. If you can fully and properly recover from a failed startup, you can use your new knowledge and experience to start something even better.

The post How to Recover From a Failed Startup appeared first on ReadWrite.

Taking notes has evolved beyond traditional pen and paper. With the upsurge of smartphones and digital gadgets, capturing information in various formats has become commonplace. One popular method is converting pictures to PDF notes, which offers convenience, accessibility, and organization. 

Whether digitizing handwritten notes, saving diagrams, or archiving important documents, converting JPG to PDF online provides a versatile solution for storing and sharing information. 

This article explores converting pictures to PDF notes and the tools and techniques to streamline this workflow, enabling you to effortlessly create comprehensive and portable digital notes.

Online Image to PDF Converter

Converting a picture to PDF format can be done using various methods. One convenient option is utilizing an online JPG to PDF converter. These web-based tools allow you to upload JPEG, PNG, or other image files and convert them into PDF documents quickly and easily. With a few clicks, you can select the images you want to convert, adjust settings such as page orientation and size, and download the resulting PDF file to your device. Additionally, many online converters offer batch processing capabilities, letting you convert multiple images into a single PDF document efficiently.

Desktop Software for Image-to-PDF Conversion

For users who prefer offline solutions or who require advanced features, desktop software provides a robust alternative for converting images to PDF format. Numerous software applications specialize in document conversion, offering various features such as batch processing, Optical Character Recognition capabilities, and customization options for output PDF files. These applications typically provide a user-friendly interface where you can easily drag and drop images, adjust settings, and initiate conversion. Moreover, desktop software often allows for greater control over PDF documents’ output quality and formatting, enabling users to tailor the outcomes to their specific requirements.

Mobile Apps for On-the-Go Conversion

Mobile devices are ubiquitous and having the ability to convert JPG to PDF notes on the go is highly beneficial. Many mobile applications are obtainable for iOS and Android gadgets, specializing in image-to-PDF conversion. These apps offer intuitive interfaces optimized for touchscreen interaction, allowing users to capture images using their camera or import existing photos from the gallery. With cropping, resizing, and annotation tools, mobile apps enable users to customize their PDF notes directly within the app before saving or sharing them. Additionally, cloud integration features allow for seamless synchronization across multiple devices, ensuring that your digital notes are always accessible whenever and wherever you need them.

Steps to Convert Pictures to PDF Notes

Choose a Conversion Platform: Decide whether you prefer an online service, desktop software, or a mobile app based on your needs and the features you require.

Prepare the Images: Ensure the pictures are of high quality—clear, well-lit, and free from distortions. This step is crucial for maintaining the integrity of the information when converted to PDF.

Upload or Import Images: For online converters, upload your images directly to the platform. If using desktop software or a mobile app, import the pictures from your device.

Adjust Settings: Set your preferences for the PDF output, such as page orientation, size, and resolution. This customization is vital for ensuring the documents meet your requirements.

Convert and Download: Initiate the conversion process. Once complete, download the PDF file to your device or save it directly if using a mobile app.

Organize and Annotate: Group related images and add annotations, captions, or titles for clarity and better organization of your PDF notes.

Backup and Sync: Regularly backup your PDF files to avoid data loss. Utilize cloud storage for syncing across devices, ensuring access to your notes from anywhere.

In conclusion, converting JPG to PDF notes offers a convenient and versatile solution for capturing, storing, and sharing information in a digital format. Whether you prefer online converters for quick and easy conversion, desktop software for advanced features and customization options, or mobile apps for on-the-go convenience, various tools suit your needs. By following best practices and leveraging the capabilities of these tools, you can create comprehensive and portable digital notes that enhance productivity and organization in both personal and professional contexts.

The post How Do I Convert a Picture to PDF Notes? appeared first on ReadWrite.

The European Commission has fined Apple €1.8 billion (£1.5 billion) for streaming violations.  So,1,800,000,000 EUR is equal to 1,952,277,657 USD @ 1.08 US dollars to 1 Euro. Anyway you figure it, this is a significant fine. The reason is that the EU said it’s because the streaming service didn’t inform users of payment options outside the Apple app store.

Margrethe Vestager has said in the music market Apple has abused its dominant position for over a decade — and she ordered the music giant to remove all restrictions. Apple replies that it will appeal the decision and that there is no evidence that any consumers were harmed. Ms Vestager also said that Apple restricted “developers from informing consumers about alternative, cheaper music services outside of the Apple ecosystem, which is illegal under EU antitrust rules.”

The DMA — promoting competition

The DMA of the European Union aims to promote competition in the technology sector and attempt to weaken the market dominance of companies such as Apple and Google.

Ahead of the impending introduction of the Digital Markets Act (DMA), Apple said in January that it would permit users in the European Union to download apps from stores other than its own.

The Swedish music streaming provider Spotify filed a protest with the European Commission, citing dissatisfaction with both the restriction and Apple’s 30% fee, prompting the EU to take a closer look.

Apple said, “The decision was reached despite the Commission’s failure to uncover any credible evidence of consumer harm and ignores the realities of a market that is thriving, competitive, and growing fast.’

Spotify is the largest music streaming app in the world

Apple claims that “Spotify has the largest music streaming app in the world and has met with the EC [European Commission] more than 65 times during this investigation.” Previously, Spotify claimed that the EU restrictions helped Apple’s rival music streaming service — Apple Music.

Apple’s protracted legal spat with Fortnite developer Epic Games led to the introduction of US fees in the first place. The largest developers pay 30% to utilize this method, whereas smaller developers charge 15% or less, and 85% of developers pay nothing at all.

Apple pointed out, “The primary advocate for this decision, and the biggest beneficiary, is Spotify, a company based in Stockholm, Sweden.

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According to lawyer Sara Goldstein of the law firm BakerHostetler, the Change Healthcare massive attack has caused approximately 120 of the company’s IT products and services to go offline since February 21. This cyber disruption substantially and extensively affects the whole healthcare business, including major companies. The cybercriminals claimed to be from BlackCat/Alphv.

From eligibility checks and prior authorization to pharmacy benefits and claims processing, Change Healthcare, a division of Optum, a UnitedHealth Group company, offers a broad range of vital IT tools to healthcare sector enterprises. The company conducts 15 billion healthcare transactions every year.

The devastating effects of cybercrime

“So the amount, the volume of information that’s transferred to them and that’s transferred out, as well the role that they have in healthcare is tremendous. The impact of this has been substantial,” said Goldstein. She went on to say, “Many healthcare providers cannot process claims, payments, or do patient billing. Without these services and being able to generate revenue, it’s really going to create a precarious financial situation for many healthcare systems and healthcare providers.”

350,000 doctors and 15,000 group medical practices are represented by the Medical Group Management Association, which pushed the US Department of Health and Human Services to “utilize all the tools at its disposal to mitigate these impacts, so medical groups do not have to take drastic actions to remain in operation.” The HHS was told by the MGMA that “guidance, financial resources, enforcement discretion, and more are needed to avoid escalating an already serious situation.”

The downside of large companies consolidation

Goldstein said that organizations with no contractual relationship with Change Healthcare are also affected. She continued, “One thing that is being flagged is about the downside of consolidation of these types of vendors in healthcare. So, that has been a challenge. This is pretty catastrophic.”

Cybercrime affects everyone.

Here is the Goldstein interview from Inforisktoday.com.

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The US government says it would be better for them if you ceased using C or C++ when programming tools. In a recent report, the White House Office of the National Cyber Director (ONCD) has urged developers to utilize “memory-safe programming languages,” a classification that does not include widely used languages. The recommendation is a step toward “securing the building blocks of cyberspace” and is a component of US President Biden’s cybersecurity plan.

Memory-safety is the defense against flaws and vulnerabilities related to memory access. Examples of this include dangling pointers and buffer overflows. Java’s runtime fault detection checks make it a memory-safe language. Nonetheless, unconstrained pointer arithmetic with direct memory addresses and without bounds checking is supported by both C and C++.

In no particular order, the NSA suggests these memory-safe programming languages

• Go
• Rust
• C#
• Swift
• Java
• Ruby
• Python
• Delphi/Object Pascal
• Ada

According to a 2019 analysis by Microsoft security engineers, memory safety problems were the root cause of almost 70% of security vulnerabilities. In 2020, Google released a similar figure, although this time it was for Chromium browser issues.

The extensive report says, “Experts have identified a few programming languages that both lack traits associated with memory safety and also have high proliferation across critical systems, such as C and C++.”  And the report continues, “Choosing to use memory safe programming languages at the outset, as recommended by the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency’s (CISA) Open-Source Software Security Roadmap is one example of developing software in a secure-by-design manner.”

The 19-page report aims to ensure that small organizations and individuals are not the only ones responsible for cybersecurity. Instead, the onus is on bigger institutions, digital businesses, and ultimately the government. The report seeks to detail what is considered “unsafe” programming languages, namely the use of C and C++.  The Microsoft report says, “We’re not here to debate the pros and cons of programming languages, but it is interesting to see that the report does not suggest a specific language in their place. We are told that there are “dozens of memory-safe programming languages that can — and should — be used.”

Additionally, the paper recommends improving software security metrics. According to ONCD, better measurements let technology providers plan, predict, and address risks before they become an issue.

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The US dollar decreased slightly following confirmation of economists’ predictions on January’s inflation data. As the Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) price index, the Federal Reserve‘s primary inflation measure, displayed a 0.3% increase, the dollar recorded a slight slip, symbolizing the perceived influence of inflation rates on currency strength.

Simultaneously, other notable shifts were seen in the Forex market. The euro slightly rose, the yen saw daily growth of about 0.6%, and the Australian dollar improved due to the Reserve Bank of Australia’s positive economic outlook. Conversely, the Swiss franc slightly weakened, and the Canadian dollar, correspondingly, slipped with a dip in crude oil prices.

The global foreign exchange market is persistently fluctuating due to various factors such as economic forecasts, geopolitical tensions, and central banks’ monetary policies. Amid this, other currencies are also experiencing significant changes. Of note, the yen has depreciated over 2% against the euro over the month, hitting nine-year lows against the Australian and New Zealand dollars.

The US dollar drop may be resulting from other economy’s near-zero interest rates

Economists believe the drop in the US dollar results from Japan’s central bank policies that aim to revive the stagnated economy by maintaining near-zero interest rates. The Oversea-Chinese Banking Corporation Limited (OCBC) currency strategist, Christopher Wong, suggested that unwinding yen shorts might drive bears to retreat, leading to a more bullish market sentiment.

Simultaneously, minor fluctuations were seen in the global currency market during February, with the euro and the sterling showing stability. In contrast, the Australian and New Zealand currencies experienced a downward trend, indicating a ceiling on interest rates in these southern hemisphere nations.

This report also highlighted losses for the New Zealand dollar following steady rates set by domestic central banks. The Australian dollar showed a slight increase, contrasting with a monthly drop of 0.8%, embodying investors’ cautious assessment of fiscal policies. British Pound Sterling noted a minor slump due to the Bank of England’s decision to keep interest rates steady, undermining investor confidence. The Euro gained 0.3%, hinting at the expected launch of the European Central Bank’s quantitative easing program, while the yen remained unchanged at 105.05 per US dollar.

Such shifts underline the unpredictability characterizing the global financial landscape as foreign exchange rates continue to fluctuate.

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Nvidia, the leading force in artificial intelligence (AI), witnesses continued revenue growth in its AI sector, contributing to a 400% increase in data center earnings. The high quality of their graphics processing units (GPUs) and cutting-edge deep learning applications have been instrumental in this advancement. The technology is bringing significant transformations, especially in automotive, healthcare, and other sectors.

The latest in their line of innovations, Nvidia Drive PX Pegasus, an AI computer developed for autonomous robotaxis, identifies with the company’s revolutionary approach. Furthermore, strategic partnerships with industry giants like Google, Alibaba, and Microsoft have accelerated Nvidia’s exponential growth in the AI space.

Beyond fundamental AI chips, Nvidia’s data center enterprise offers many products and services.

Its recent achievement of a $1 billion annual revenue within a quarter demonstrates the growing industry demand for AI technology. The company continues to deliver innovative solutions that cater to the intricate needs of its clients.

CEO Jensen Huang highlights the software’s potential to become a significant business segment for Nvidia. He envisions it as a potential drive for their AI division, allowing Nvidia to persist with innovation and dominate advanced technology. However, the future stability of Nvidia’s high-performing shares remains uncertain.

Nvidia’s software strategy adopts the integration of multiple open-source software components to construct a strong AI software platform. It overcomes potential security and stability threats through Nvidia AI Enterprise – a comprehensive software stack management system. This system provides consistent performance, enhanced security, and outstanding scalability, fostering a conducive environment for developers to work on AI applications without concerns about underlying infrastructure.

Nvidia’s ambitious growth strategy implies its substantial influence over AI

Huang foresees a global adoption of Nvidia AI Enterprise, stating that its expansion into software supports growth trajectory and significantly impacts AI technology. The company’s ambitious growth strategy implies its substantial influence over the landscape of AI technology, paving the way for enhanced AI implementation across various sectors.

Lastly, Nvidia’s commitment to outperforming competitors is made evident by an increase of 18% in its R&D investments the previous year. The adoption of a leading-edge software strategy across all major cloud providers indicates a pathway to growth. Despite occasional challenges, Nvidia possesses the necessary resources to sustain its growth trajectory in the long run.

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The rise of artificial intelligence is causing a surge in demand for sustainable electricity. Data centers around the globe are straining to keep up, causing tech companies to turn to renewable energy sources.

New AI technology requires high-performance computing power, raising the energy efficiency bar. In addition, responsible management of these resources is becoming a priority for reasons related to cost efficiency and environmental protection.

Leaders in the tech industry are examining ways to minimize potential environmental harm. Some initiatives involve using advanced tech to pinpoint areas rich in solar and wind energy.

These leaders are focused on developing hardware and equipment that conserve resources and promote energy efficiency. Their goal is to reduce carbon emissions and the overall environmental impact.

There are also strategies in place for managing waste and recycling, ensuring obsolete technology is disposed of responsibly. A global collaborative effort is underway to ensure that tech growth does not harm our planet.

It is impossible to predict how your request for homework assistance from AI may impact freshwater stocks or carbon emissions.

Cirrus Nexus CEO, Chris Noble, emphasizes the need for data centers to exploit renewable energy sources. The anticipated widespread adoption of AI-powered computation is believed to have strong implications for climate change.

Currently, data centers and transmission networks, including major tech companies like Google, Microsoft, and Amazon, are responsible for roughly 1.5% of global energy use. These companies have sworn to meet climate goals; however, the quick progression of AI applications poses challenges to these targets.

Load shifting, a solution promoted by Google and Cirrus Nexus, might be the answer. It matches data center operations with the availability of renewable energy. However, potential obstacles exist, such as data sovereignty policies hindering data flow across borders.

Despite these obstacles, Google and Cirrus Nexus have field-tested load shifting and found it promising in reducing emissions. In fact, Cirrus Nexus recorded lower expenses and reduced carbon intensity thanks to increased access to solar power in The Netherlands.

These advancements show that significant strides are being made in developing sustainable practices in our technological world.

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Google has announced its plans to discontinue the Google Pay app for US users as of June 4, 2024, refocusing its efforts on the Google Wallet service.

All users must switch to Google Wallet for their financial transactions from this date. This service offers the same financial services as Google Pay but promises to be more efficient and improved. Furthermore, Google Wallet will introduce new features not available in Google Pay.

Users are assured that they will not lose any data during the transition.

All saved cards and transaction histories will be transferred to Google Wallet automatically.

According to Joris van Mens, Google’s head of product management, Google Wallet has seen impressive growth and popularity in the US. The platform securely stores credit cards for tap-and-pay transactions, transit cards, and driver’s licenses.

As part of its redesign, Google has emphasized the user-friendly interface and robust security features of Google Wallet. They aim to make the platform a “digital safe house” for users to store sensitive data without fear of security threats.

Users of Google Pay are encouraged to transfer any funds they have in the app to their bank accounts before June 4th, 2024. After this date, peer-to-peer payments and in-app deals will no longer be offered.

To aid in the transition, Google has provided detailed guides to help users transition from Google Pay to Google Wallet. The company has also reaffirmed its commitment to user privacy and security throughout this process.

Google Wallet will offer several new and interesting features

After the transition, Google Wallet will offer several exciting and interesting features, including making and receiving payments and sending money to friends and family.

Google Search will accommodate the deal-finding aspect of the app, allowing users to find deals and offers with a few simple keywords, enhancing the user experience despite the app’s discontinuation.

However, this discontinuation will not affect Google Pay users in other countries like Singapore and India, where the app will continue to function as usual. For users in the U.S., Google Wallet will soon become their default Android payment app.

Despite not currently supporting money transfers or cash-back offers, Google Wallet will continue operating as a simple tap-and-pay service, storing payment and loyalty cards. Google has plans to introduce more features to Google Wallet in the future, in line with its philosophy of simplicity.

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A magician from New Orleans claims that a Democratic operative hired him to create the phony Biden robocall. According to text messages, call logs, and Venmo transactions, the creator shared with NBC News — a Democratic consultant working for a rival presidential campaign paid a magician in New Orleans to use artificial intelligence to impersonate President Joe Biden for a robocall that is currently the subject of a multistate law enforcement investigation.

Paul Carpenter claims he was hired in January by Steve Kramer, who assisted Democratic presidential contender Dean Phillips with ballot access. Carpenter’s task was to use artificial intelligence (AI) to create voice impersonation of Joe Biden asking Democrats in New Hampshire to abstain from voting in the state’s presidential primary.

“There was no malicious intent. I didn’t know how it was going to be distributed.”

“I created the audio used in the robocall. I did not distribute it,” Carpenter said in an interview in New Orleans, where he resides. “I was in a situation where someone offered me some money to do something, and I did it. There was no malicious intent. I didn’t know how it was going to be distributed.”

Carpenter’s claim to fame is that he holds the world record in fork-bending and straitjacket escapes. He told and showed NBC News how he made the fake Biden audio file. Carpenter says that he only came forward to apologize for his part in the incident and to alert people to the ease with which artificial intelligence may be used to deceive.

Carpenter told NBC News that it only took him 20 minutes to make the robocall and cost approximately $1 — Carpenter, himself, was paid $150 according to the Venmo payment transfer from Kramer and his father, Bruce Kramer.

The authorities have not identified Carpenter and Steve Kramer as inquiry targets.

Federal law enforcement officers and New Hampshire officials are paying close attention to the robocall because they may have broken federal telecom regulations and state laws prohibiting voter suppression. Authorities have promised to look into the matter and have named the Dallas-based company that was responsible for the automated phone calls made to voters prior to the state’s primary. They did this because they wanted to hold those responsible accountable for the first-ever instance of an AI-generated deepfake being used maliciously in an American political campaign.

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