Brain Wave, Computers and gadgets

4 Apple Products Every Apple Aficionado Must Have

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Do you consider yourself an Apple aficionado, or are you really just someone who casually dabbles in their product lines? If it’s the former, then you should have the following products either already bought or as part of your shopping list when you’re out and about to buy Apple products in the Philippines. Anything less means that you’re not getting the true kind of Apple experience that you deserve, the kind of bleeding-edge tech that has made the visionary company a tough act to follow and compete with.

The Apple iPhone X 64 GB.

When it comes to Apple essentials, we have to start with the biggest and most important one on the list: namely, the iPhone X. This is the latest, state-of-the-art iteration of the mobile device that truly made Apple the electronics giant it is today. While it comes with all the improvements and refinements that we can expect to set it apart from the previous generation of iPhone, the iPhone X also sports some new bells and whistles that come from the bleeding edge of tech.

One notable example is the FaceID facial recognition system, wherein the iPhone creates a 3D map of your face using its TrueDepth front-facing camera system and uses that map as a fingerprint to unlock itself and other features with. This essentially makes your phone truly and utterly yours, as it won’t function unless it knows you’re the one holding it. Best of all, it uses infrared camera tech and machine learning in order to detect your face flawlessly even if you’re in the dark or if you’re wearing something like caps, glasses, and so on. Moreover, the fact that it’s using a 3D map of your face means that it can’t be fooled with pictures or masks of your face either.

The Apple Airpods

Let tangled earphone cables be a thing of the past with the Apple Airpods. Launched alongside Apple’s historical removal of the 3.5mm jack from their iPhone line, these tiny little technological wonders allow for a truly wireless mobile listening experience—literally! Pop them out from their charging case, and they’ll automatically sync to your active iPhone, Apple Watch, iPad, or Mac—immediately turning on to pipe crystal-clear sound into your ears. They also automatically pause whatever’s going on once you take them out, allowing you to get back in the groove seamlessly once you put them back in.

Audio controls are simplified for your convenience too. Whether it’s adjusting the volume, changing tracks or even starting a call in the middle of your sound trip, all it takes is a double-tap and Siri will come up to help attend to your needs. As for battery life, you won’t have to worry about them going flat during your day, as the carrying case guarantees a charge that can last up to more than 24 hours.

With this kind of innovation driving all their products, it’s easy to see why Apple is at the forefront of mobile tech.

The Apple MacBook Air 13 inch 256 GB

Apple dominates when it comes to laptops as well, and this can be seen in none other than their Apple MacBook Air line of laptops. Made with the rationale that laptops should be as powerful as they can be while still being as portable as possible—i.e. not weighing you down like a thousand-pound barbell that you have to carry in a backpack or suitcase—the MacBook Air packs as much processing power as Apple can cram into it, while also sporting a feather-light weight and blade-thin profile. It’s the ultimate in on-the-go business convenience that’s straight out of science fiction.

In this, the Apple MacBook Air 13 inch 256 GB, one of the latest entrants in the MacBook Air line, continues that illustrious pedigree. For one, it sports a beastly 1.8GHz Intel Core i5 processor that can be Turbo Boosted up to 2.9 GHz, and is supported by 8GB 1600MHz of LPDDR3 memory. This means that whatever you’re doing on the go, this MacBook can handle it more than adequately. It’s no slouch when it comes to graphics either, with its integrated Intel HD Graphics 6000 card pumping out high-fidelity, high-quality visuals through its 1440 x 900 panel. Finally, it sports one of the best keyboards and trackpads ever made in the mobile tech market today, with smooth tactile action and pin-point accuracy following your every tap, click and swipe.

All of this, in a powerful package with a 12-hour long battery life and a total weigh-in of only 3 measly pounds. Whether you’re an Apple fanatic or you simply travel a lot in your line of work, the Macbook Air is a godsend and an essential.

The Apple 12W USB Power Adapter

All your Apple devices need an adapter to charge. However, you just can’t use any adapter you have lying around the house, even if the connections match and they do work. This is because third-party chargers have a higher chance of failing, and can easily damage your Apple gadgetry if you’re not careful. Protect yourself from that heartbreak in the making by only using first-party power adapters, such as the Apple 12W USB Power Adapter. It can charge any Apple product, so long as it has a Lightning connector, that is. It also features folding prongs so you won’t have to worry about it getting damaged (or damaging your stuff) if you toss it in your bag along with your other electronics.

Make your mark as a true Apple aficionado, and include these items as part of your daily loadout. In doing so, you not only prove your loyalty to this innovative and groundbreaking tech company, you’ll also be making your digital life all that much easier.

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Brain Wave, Family and Home living

Home Projects with Best ROI

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Quality and value. These are two reasons why you should seriously consider doing some renovations in your home. If you either want to live under significantly better conditions or you want to make your home increase in value than it would fetch in its current state before the renovations. Looking at it, this is a win-win situation. Even if you do not end up selling your house, there’s nothing that brightens your mood faster than being able to finally use your new and upgraded kitchen. Many homeowners are however inadequately informed about which areas in their homes they need to focus their attention on. Areas that will not only look good but also areas that can simultaneously significantly add value.

You may want to have a master bedroom suite, but it would be better to install that steel front door in place of that frail wooden door. It is not very much about how much money you use for an upgrade, but more about where you focus this money. At the end of the day, several factors determine how good or bad your renovation idea is. So how do you know whether a renovation project is going to add value or not?

You do not spend a fortune

Taking a risk and spending too much money on a small upgrade reduces the chance of making good returns. Average spending more often than not translates into a valuable addition. For instance, an ostentatious kitchen would bring significantly low returns than a mid-range kitchen project. Is your focus inside or outside? In the real estate world, the first impression means everything. How your home looks on the outside can open or close the door to opportunity when you want to sell. Exterior renovation projects have been found to bring better returns than interior renovation projects. Remember that projects that cannot be seen when standing in front of the house are also considered interior because they are not part of the view.

Where is your home located?

If you reside in an area where it is relatively cold most of the months in a year, then it would mean more value to renovate the interiors of your house where the owners spend the most time. On the other hand, if your home is located in an area where the climate is warmer, it makes more sense to focus efforts on the exteriors of your house.

Home improvement projects that will add value to your home

    Steel entry door replacement

    A 20-gauge steel door is purposefully made to provide your home with security and to complement the face of your property. This steel door is a significant upgrade from the good old 36” by 80” wooden or iron door. It comes ready-made by the manufacturers. No glass panel, hinges or other additional accessories are required. Simply unload and install. On average, a steel door costs $1,471 and brings a 91.3% return of $1,344.

    Manufactured stone veneer

    Most houses use vinyl siding which tends to wear off faster. Manufactured stone veneer is not only durable but brings with it significant curb appeal. On average, installing stone veneer costs $8,221 and would bring back $7,986 hence a 97.1 return on investment.

    Garage door

    Replacing your garage door stands top among the list of best return on investment-ROI projects. Say your current garage door measures 16ft by 7ft and you want to replace it with a heavy duty garage door with steel tracks. This seemingly simple renovation project can help sell your home in an instant. A good garage door on average costs $3,470 with its resale value being $3,411 which translates into a 98.3% return.

    Simple kitchen upgrade

    Say your kitchen measures 200 sq. ft. and has fitted cabinets covering at least 30 ft. seek to have the cabinets upgraded with stylish wood panels and attractive drawer fronts. Have old electric cooking appliances upgraded with new yet more energy saving ones. Also, it’s wise to have your old countertop laminate replaced with fresh laminate. Likewise, you should install a new sink and taps, add a new coat of paint and re-do your old floors by getting new vinyl tiles. A full kitchen renovation would cost an average of $21,198 and bring a return on investment ROI of $17,193 or 81.1%. Quite impressive don’t you think?

Lauren Horowitz

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Brain Wave, Entrepreneurship & Business Talks

What Does It Take To Manage A Business?

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Managing a business is something that many people dream of, but few know exactly what it takes to become competent at it. People find many different avenues into this career path. It might be that their discipline and loyalty towards a firm has helped train them from the moment they entered that workplace from a young age. It could be that it’s a natural fit after building competence in another important management role, perhaps even as intense as a military leadership role. Some people naturally fit this around themselves, not joining a pre-existing hierarchy but developing their own to chase a dream.

All of these are valid methods of becoming a business manager, but they’re by no means the only options available to you. If you hope to truly understand what makes a manager competent, you should consider these following personal virtues:

Great Education

Many people enjoy the idea of opening a business and romantically hitting all the pitch-perfect notes they need to in their operational activity to grow and expand. The reality is that it takes time to learn this, and many many mistakes. While no business is free from error, and will often learn things the hard way, managing a business is a complex task. It requires being well educated. You may decide to head to university to gain a degree in this complex issue, perhaps furthering on into a masters in business management. Alternatively, it might be that before you even begin to dream of opening your own business you gain some real insight into the commercial sector by working under competent managers or by hoping to hold that position yourself. While on-the-job training is considerable, it’s always best to learn in either a safe environment or an environment where your money is not on the line.

Patience & The Ability To Listen

It’s essential to have patience in the management fields. Management is not easy to deal with. You will need to rely on those under you as part of your job role, and this is something that many incompetent managers fail to do. Remember that managing a team is reliant on the team working together, so it’s your best responsibility to serve as a form of social and communicative guide for the problems and excitements your team have to articulate. With a little patience and the willingness to learn, you will allow the wind to power your sails, rather than rowing alone.

The Basics

Of course, management is not an isolated skill. You will usually be in management of something, and this is very important to figure out. Without this, you may find yourself truly worrying about the effectiveness of your daily efforts. You need to have more competence than any of those under you, and continue to learn the frontline efforts of those you manage. Without this, you’ll often find that leading from behind demotivates your employees and makes you feel incompetent on a daily basis.

It takes guts and patience to manage, but if you ensure to hit these vital markers, you’ll be on your way forward.

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Brain Wave, Entrepreneurship & Business Talks, Money matters, Work at Home

Financial Management Advice for Home-Based Business Owners

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Running a business from the comfort of your own home is convenient, but it isn’t without its struggles. As many can attest, it can be difficult sometimes to keep the lines of home and business from blurring. This isn’t just true when it comes to the management of time and responsibilities, it is also true when it comes to your finances. Keeping the finances together as you work on turning profits is a must, and it’s also challenging in the beginning. To help keep your money in order at home and in the business, here are a few financial management tips to remember.

Establish Separate Financial Accounts

The very moment you start your business you need to separate your personal finances from your business affairs. Therefore, you should create different banking accounts to keep things in order. Any and all expenses related to the business should be withdrawn from your company account while all household expenses should be maintained on the personal account. This makes things easier to track and helps a ton during tax filing season.

Pay Yourself

When the money starts coming in from the business it can be tempting to use every cent of it for your personal affairs. If you do this, however, where does that leave your business? To maintain your finances appropriately, it is better to pay yourself and then deposit the rest of your earnings into your business account. Whether you are going to charge a flat rate, hourly fee, or take a percentage of the profits each month, this money should be considered your personal income and used for that purpose.

Make Separate Budgets

Again, it is important to keep the lines between personal and professional finances separate, so your budget should be separate as well. Your household budget should consist of all expenses related to your personal finances and covered by the income you pay yourself with (along with any other income from others in your home). Your business budget should be a list of all company expenses and covered by the remaining profits you have left in your business account.

Have a Backup Plan

Things go wrong in business and at home that will inevitably need to be handled right away. There are plenty of avenues you could explore as you try to secure cash when you don’t have it on hand. For example, you could apply for a loan advance online and get a few hundred bucks overnight. You can also tighten your budget to stretch your income or profits. Lastly, you should create separate savings accounts for emergencies. You should have at least 3-6 months worth of expenses (for business and personal needs) in an account so you can access it if you need to.

Keep Debt to a Minimum

It’s almost a given that you will accumulate debt at home and in business. The trick, however, is to remain debt free or at least keep this debt low. Falling behind on bills in both areas would mean a serious financial hardship for you. If you have outstanding debt, start paying those bills down. You can also keep debt down by watching your spending habits. For the business, you might buy used instead of new when you are in need of furniture or electronic devices. Hire interns or outsource instead of hiring a team. Use free software and applications, go paperless, and plan virtual meetings to cut back on travel. At home, you can reduce your energy and water consumption, bundle your cable, phone, and internet services, make meals at home instead of eating out, and cancel unnecessary subscriptions.

Always Look for Opportunities to Earn More

You can never have enough cash, so you should always be on the lookout for opportunities to earn more. This can help to balance the books at home and in the office. Fortunately, there are several ways you can do this without sacrificing too much time or money. Answer surveys in your spare time, become a personal shopper, start a blog, babysit in the evenings, and whatever else you can think of to accumulate more cash.

It’s easy to blur the lines of business and home – especially when it comes to finances. However, if you don’t want to end up in a world of financial trouble, it is important to learn how to properly manage both. Start by separating the two, then create a budget and backup plan for emergencies. Lastly, make sure that you’re always looking for ways to earn more. It won’t be perfect, but if you keep these tips in mind, managing finances both for your home based business and for your household won’t be so bad.

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Brain Wave, Shopping and Merchandise

Best ideas for a Lego party

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Lego has always been a favorite among kids. The Lego bricks are the building blocks. These Legos have miniature figures, wheels and so much more that you can make a city out of them. The Lego blocks are not only fun but also educational. These help in promoting educational things. Right from the young age, kids start developing good habits by using Legos. They have always been on the hot trend. Legos have become extremely famous and hence, parties too are being organized in Lego theme. If you are looking forward to organize a Lego themed party for your kid, you can choose to contact Bricks 4 Kidz Atlanta who will help in organizing the best party.

Nevertheless, mentioned below are a few ideas you can set up for your Lego themed party.

  1. Lego Building Block Invitation
    The first step of a party are the invitations. Start out with sending little Lego-inspired building bricks invitations to your known ones. This will your kids to get a brief idea about the party and is also pretty fun.

  2. Building blocks decorations and foods
    If you have sent out Lego building block invitations, you can put up all the Lego bricks decoration into your house. You decorate everything in the colorful Lego theme to impress your guests. You can always choose to use the Lego brick plates and glasses to attract the attention of the kids. You can put up some small Lego trucks and cars on the table as a part of the decoration. Use the Lego building blocks to hold the napkins and stands for the foods.

    Food is yet another important factor. After building the Lego blocks the kids are surely to get tired, make sure you set up the eating theme according to the theme. All you will need to do is put up a card saying “build your own” sandwich. Then keep all the essential ingredients in the side. The children and adults can have fun while preparing your meal. A Lego theme cake would be the perfect addition to the delicacy. Decorate the table with solid colored popcorn holders and chips. The table would be a perfect addition with your snacks.

  3. Party Activities
    Now that you are done with the invitation and food, the next thing that comes up to your mind are the activities in your party. You need to set up some really cool games at your party. After food, everyone needs time to play with the Legos. Make sure you put up some Lego coloring pages so that the kids can come up with their wide range of creativity. There is a list of games you can try for your party.

      a) Car Partner Challenge
      Decorate your table with Lego building blocks and Lego miniature bricks. Allow the kids to make a car and set in the car driver. However, do not forget to bring about a twist in the tale. Create a group of 2 but allow each player to use only one hand. Present in front of them a tub containing the Lego figures. Set a time limit and see which team gets to complete their car first. This game would work fine if you prepare the group members regarding alternate ages.
      b) Small to Big Tower
      This is yet another interesting game idea for a Lego party. Give the kids a tub of the building blocks and let them play their own Lego game. Nevertheless, make sure that the bricks they are using for building the tower is bigger than the previous one. So, from the small bricks the tower would grow out to be in a long brick. Give them a variety of bricks so that it is easy for the kids to build the tower. Set a time limit in this game too. After the end of time limit, observe which team was able to build up the biggest Lego tower.

      Put up some rules in the game so that it becomes even more interesting. Tell the kids to start building the blocks from the measurement of 1X1 and then go on increasing. SO, right from the smallest Lego tower they will be able to build to the highest one.

      c) Treasure Tower
      This is quite a favorite game among the kids. Build a large Lego tower and place some gifts within it. Make sure the prize is hidden in the tower. Give the kids a time limit so that they can remove the bricks and achieve their gift. If one fails to do so, forward it to the next kid. Whoever is able to remove the bricks will keep the gift. Then you can set up another for the other kids.

  4. Favors
    One of the perfect favor idea for a Lego party are Lego building blocks. Gift every kid a set of Legos building blocks and make the party even more interesting.

A Lego themed party is one high rise in today’s generation. Kids are absolutely in love with these. If your kid is willing to have a birthday party, make sure to put up a Lego themed one. Invite everyone to your party and let the kids enjoy their best.

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Brain Wave, Shopping and Merchandise

Tips to improve the salon and spa retail sales

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If you’re running a business, the first thing that you would wish to grow are your revenues. The simplest way to increase your revenues is to improve your product. The products can have a huge impact in boosting up your business. The profit margin is boosted more by the products compared to the services provided. Since the window time of the stylist does not have any impact on the product, customers can get the opportunity to access your products any time they wish to. This in turn helps to increase the transaction value of the customer, thereby boosting revenue for your business.

The salon management software too can have an important role to play in improving your product revenues. Apart from the financial benefits, another significant reason why selling products is important is the satisfaction of the customer. The salons and spas should not limit their business only to the business, instead they should expand it for the convenience of the customer. This will help the customer to continuously keep visiting your store. If you offer top-notch products to your customers, they will rely on you. The products that you sell act as a beneficiary on your part. The products speak for you, making the customers believe that they have been using the best.

      1. Product Selection

      When you have decided to sell a product, you should know what it is about and why it is reliable. The best way to improve the sales of the product is to use the same during an appointment. Most of the salons make sure to do it. The software companies like SalonTouch Studio can provide the software which help to keep a detailed record about the product. Even if the products fail to satisfy the customer during their home usage, you may be held responsible for it. This may further have an impact on your future business.

      Every client is different; therefore, your products should be able to cater to the needs of your customer. Put up various offers for your customers. You can promote your products by putting up different products for different prices. You are more likely to draw the attention of your customers by offering them different various discounts.

      2. Display

      Make sure to let your customers know about the products are available for purchasing. Apart from just rather simply putting up the products for display, you can choose to decorate your shelf. It will help to draw the attention of the people. The signage can also be of great use when you are trying to grab the attention of the people. Your shelf should be attractive enough to pull the attention of customer from their screens to that of the lined-up products. Make it so available that the clients get to know how much beneficial it will be for you. You should analyze the products from the perspective of the customer, as in how beneficial it is and will it be worthy to use or not.

      To give a hint to your customer, you can line-up products on your shelf or near the counter, so that they can purchase it. The products should have tempting offers so that the client efficiently purchases the product. If a client has bought a specific product, you can also put them up to hint the customers towards buying it.

      3. Consultation

      Your product choice and display aren’t the only factors that can help to boost up your revenue. Gradually, you can choose to develop a friendly relationship with your clients. This will help to strengthen your relationship with clients so you would get more chances to interact with them. You can share your experience and recommend certain products to them. You should take information about their hair and their daily routines to recommend the best to the clients. Apart from suggesting the product, you can also explain to them regarding the benefits of the products and explain to them how to use it.

      You can also choose to develop the relationship farther than that of the current appointment. If you find that a customer has purchased any new product, ensure to keep a check on them. Tell them whether they are satisfied with the product or if they have any doubts related to it. Also, look after them in the next appointment. Remind them about purchasing the new bottle.

      4. Inventory control

      One of the major cause for having your sale improving is to keep the items in stock always. You should make sure that you have enough products at a time which are to be sold. The various salon management software can help you keep a track of the products’ availability. If anyone purchases the products, the software would help in keeping a track of how many products are sold. All this would keep you reminded whenever you are to fill up a stock again.

      Your product base and salon management software can have an important role in boosting up your business. Retailing can be of great help in building up the trust. It helps to enhance the revenue. Thus, retail sales are an essential factor in the salon and spa business.

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Brain Wave, Money matters

Stuck In A Financial Rut?

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If you feel as though you’re a bit boxed in with money at the minute, we’re not surprised, and you’re not alone. It’s so easy to get yourself into a pickle with money that you might not feel as though you can get out of. There’s so many twists and turns that your life is going to make financially, and sometimes it can lead you to the rut that you feel like you’re in at the minute. To make sure your financial future is bright and clear, we want to try and make things easier for you. We think that we’ve come up with some great ways that you can get yourself back to a good financial position, and onto bigger things. So, have a read on to see if we can help you through this dark time.

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Serious Setbacks

There are some serious setbacks that you’re going to have faced in your life, all of which will have ultimately lead you to reading this article. One of the worst that can happen is getting yourself into a pile of debt that you can’t pay off, with the consequence being bankruptcy in some cases. Now, whilst this might not apply to you all, you shouldn’t think that your debts are going to stay your debts for the rest of your life. If you miss minimum payments, or don’t pay them all together because you simply can’t then bankruptcy is the only option. Now, it’s not the be all and end all, and you can get remove bankruptcy from credit reports if you know how to. Having it on your credit report can mean big trouble for you in the future, so make sure that you follow that link and see if you can find any useful information. If you haven’t gone as far as to file for bankruptcy, but you know you’re running out of time to pay your debts, you need to get in touch with a financial advisor to put you on the right path before things get out of control.

Minor Setbacks

Minor setbacks can so easily lead to big problems, so we want to help you avoid them as much as possible. The first minor setback that you can have is something like losing your job. We’re living in such an unstable economic climate, that it’s no wonder so many people are being put in a rut with money. If you are ever to lose your job, have recently lost it, or are having your hours reduced, then you need to think logically of a way forward. Even if it’s just getting a small part time job to increase your income, it’s so important that you do!

Learning From Mistakes

The main mistake that you need to learn from is debt. We’ve spoke about how easy it is to get yourself into debt, but it’s not so easy to learn from it, especially when you have relied on borrowing money for so long. So, cancel all credit cards, close down store cards, cancel any memberships you don’t need, and focus on your own money. The less chances you have to borrow, the less likely you are to be tempted to do so.

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