PrintBucket.com: Indian Online Digital Photo Printing
Posted on July 2, 2009 in Digital Photos
PrintBucket(www.printbucket.com): Pictures are indispensable for human beings as they help us to retain memories for special occasions. No party, marriage is completed without pictures. However, printing pictures was a tedious task as you need to hunt for a photographer in your area and they also charge high prices. With the growth of internet, many businesses have gone online and same is the case with printing. PrintBucket.com is one of the website which offers printing services online.
PrintBucket.com saves you from the hassle of looking out for printing services and provides photograph printing at very low price. You can get your 4″ * 6″ image printed in only Rs2.95. they provide you interactive user interface to deal view and select your photographs and you can also upload unlimited photographs at their gallery. This is also a best place to upload and store your images forever. You can send your digital photographs by uploading, though a CD and will get your photographs within 3-4 days. The printed photographs are of high quality and the service is very quick. They ship the photographs within 3-4 days and it saves your time as you get images directly at your home.
You can also print high quality big size images and calendars at very nominal prices. You can also get posters, photo cards, prints and greeting cards. They accept all payment sources including visa, master card etc. You will also get discount on bulk order and a special sift of 10 free prints at sign up.
Design & Usability: People behind Photobucket claim “ease of usage as the highest priority” while designing the website. I feel that the website looks a bit amateurish. Please do not make web2.0 as an excuse to give such designs to people. Post login, things looks fine but could be improved. Examples of some of the existing products on the homepage would have been great. There are lot of repetition of links on the home page which do not look good. Printbucket.com should go for a redesign.
Competition: itasveer.com, zoomin.com, Picsquare.com
The Effects of Consumerism
Posted on July 2, 2009 in World Economy
Consumerism is becoming the hallmark of most world economies. In the West, it is a common phenomenon, but now even developing countries in the world are resorting to it.
Consumerism refers to the consumption of goods at a higher rate. The economy is judged by the production and selling of goods. The gross national product is the sum total of goods and services produced for a specific period at a specific time. The more goods produced and consumed by society the higher the growth rate of the economy. The prosperity of a nation is judged by the per capita income of individuals residing in it. The economy is considered to be” doing well” if the purchasing power of the people is high.
In consumer society, people replace their goods with newer ones. They purchase goods, use them and throw them away. New goods when they become old are replaced by newer ones. The question of repair does not arise People have money to purchase goods in plenty. In case, they do not do so as it leads to recession and depression and also results in unemployment.
What are the effects of the consumerism?
Consumerism is appreciated in Western economies since a person’s standard of living is valued by his or her material possessions. There are certain positive effects such as:
Positive Consumerism Effects:
Primary positive consumerism effects are:
- More industrial production.
- A higher growth rate economy.
- More goods and services available.
- More advertising since goods manufactured have to be sold.
- Increased production will result in more employment opportunities.
- A variety of goods and services to choose from.
- More comforts for a better living style.
There are always certain pitfalls to a given situation in a society. Material prosperity may be there in consumerism but, it has its negative effects on the people and society at large.
Negative Consumerism Effects:
Top negative consumerism effects are:
- Craving for goods is high. The wants and desires of the people increase. The better their income, the better their purchasing power. But in case, they are not able to do so, then they feel dissatisfied.
- One is in a rat race to earn more and is forced to cope up with stress and other work related tensions.
- Material wealth is the deciding factor about whether a society is highly developed or not. Spiritual values are underplayed. This may not be suitable to a person from the East, who generally is appreciative of spiritual values.
- Over-dependence on labor saving devices.
- A car for each individual would mean gradual erosion of public transport.
- Crime rate also increases as wants to possess expensive gadgets increase. Thefts become common and daylight robberies take place.
- Personal relationships also get affected as people are busy trying to earn more to maintain their standard of living.
- Cheaper goods are imported from other goods affecting the growth of locally based manufacturing industries.
- Consumerism has also resulted in ecological imbalances. The natural habitat is being destroyed to create more goods and build more buildings affecting the weather. Global warming will eventually result in health problems. Industrial pollution is affecting people in many ways.
- People lifestyles have also changed in the sense they are more lavish, full of material comforts rather than focusing on simplicity. The Eastern spiritualism and philosophy has always laid emphasis on simplicity. Gandhian principles and values favor a non-materialistic approach to life. Even well known sages such as Jiddu Krishnamurthi have also eulogized simplicity in one’s lifestyles and thinking.
- Consumerism is also depleting the natural resources of the respective country.
- Psychological health also can get affected if one’s desires are not meant such as depression. Jealousy and envy can lead to crime.
The United States is a consumer economy and is known for its material growth and prosperity. But presently, the economy is reeling under the pressure of recession. People who have lost their jobs are finding it difficult to meet both their ends. In the East, India is also progressing towards materialism, although this goes against its ancient philosophical approach towards materialism, which favors a simple, non-materialistic life.
Genetree.com - Build the ULTIMATE Family Tree with your DNA
Posted on July 1, 2009 in Genealogy
GeneTree (www.genetree.com) - The society is divided in to families. Family contains a group of people which are related to each other by blood. This system is working since the time of human’s existence on this planet. Earlier people lives in joint families but as they time passes people never prefer to live in nuclear families. With this everyone has lost many brothers and sisters from ancestors and you cannot even identify them. If you are looking to make a family or trying to find out your brothers or sister from your ancestors GeneTree.com is for you.
The website offers you DNA testing which helps finding links from your ancestors. The uses the latest technology and offers DNA vigator tool. DNA technique searches common mitochondria, as they are passed by mother to the son and find out the relation between two. The test is different for male and female. This DNA vigator tool searches thousands of mitochondria and helps you to find common connection. The website offers you different DNA tests for males and females. This way you can find maternal as well as paternal relatives.
Apart from DNA test GeneTree.com also offers you a platform to get connected wit your loved ones. You can share your photographs, videos and memories secretly with your family and this service is absolutely free of cost. You can also link with your family and create a family tree. You might have heard of many social networking websites but this websites searches your family members and joins you with your family.
Usability and Design: The homepage of genetree is catchy with just what is required. It clearly shows the three services this website provides namely:
- Share photos, videos with family members.
- Connect with family members
- Order DNA Test and acess to DNA ancestral database.
Navigation is easy and the website is professionally designed with very usable post login features.
Use of DNA test and access to DNA ancestral database did not match so nicely to family tree community. I am not sure how many people would be using this feature on the website. GeneTree has a database of about nearly 100,000+ samples in its DNA ancestral database.
Picsquare.com - Online Digital Photo Printing and Personalized Gifting
Posted on July 1, 2009 in Digital Photos
Picsquare.com (www.picsquare.com): It’s a famous idiom “A Picture is worth a thousand words”. They put big impression and help you to express your feelings clearly. Photographs play a very important role n our life and they are the perfect give for any occasion. People love to click, share and keep photographs as they preserve the moment. Y Picsqure.com provides you facility to print your favorite pictures at very low cost. You can select your pictures from flicker, Picasa and get them printed at never heard low rate. They also provide you the facility to upload your pictures and select them to be printed.
If you love to paint and design, the website is for you. You can design your t-shirts, mugs, key chains, pillow covers online and get them printed on your material. You can also gift your own designed items to your loved ones. If you are not interested in designing you can select from large number of predesigned items designed by top designers. You can select and send them to anywhere in India. Company charge little price for shipping but they guarantee to ship it within 3-4 working days
Picssquare.com is a place for greeting cards, address books, and collage posters. There are lots of special offers to avail and there is always discount on special occasions. The website provides free prints on signup and you can also earn reward points on using their services. These reward points can be used to take discount in future packages.
Design & Usability: I am not sure why lot of ecommerce websites looks somewhere inspired by amazon.com. The website is designed professionally. A tagline to summarize what actually the website does is missing from the top of the home page. However it is present in the bottom just above the footer. I think even well known companies follow this age old guideline. Navigation Areas are very clean and clickable. Meaningful use of Graphics, prominent search, easy login/register is some of the other prominent design features of the website.
How do they generate money? Picsquare sells digital photo prints, personalized photo gifts like Greeting Cards, key chains etc which could be sent as gifts to loved ones or to you.
What is Entrepreneurship?
Posted on June 30, 2009 in Entrepreneurship
What is Entrepreneurship?: An entrepreneur is an individual who owns a firm, business, or venture, and is responsible for its development. Entrepreneurship is the practice of starting a new business or reviving an existing business, in order to capitalize on new found opportunities.
Generally, entrepreneurship is a tough proposition as a good number of the new businesses fail to take off. Entrepreneurial activities differ based on the type of business they are involved in. It is also true that entrepreneurial ventures create a number of new job opportunities. A large number of entrepreneurial projects look for venture capital or angel funding for their startup firms in order to finance their capital requirements. Besides, government agencies and some NGOs also finance entrepreneurial ventures.
Entrepreneurship is often associated with uncertainty, particularly when it involves creating something new for which there is no existing market. Even if there is a market, it may not translate into a huge business opportunity for the entrepreneur. A major aspect in entrepreneurship is that entrepreneurs embrace opportunities irrespective of the resources they have access to.
Entrepreneurship involves being resourceful and finding ways to obtain the resources required to achieve the set objectives. Capital is one such resource. Entrepreneurs need to think out-of-the-box to improve their chances of obtaining what they need to succeed. According to management experts, vast majority of entrepreneurs desire to be in control of their own life and they can’t find this beyond entrepreneurship. Studies have demonstrated that people derive great satisfaction from their entrepreneurial work.
A number of entrepreneurs are of the opinion that managing their own business offers far greater security than being an employee elsewhere. They feel entrepreneurship enables them to acquire wealth quickly and cushion themselves against financial insecurity. Additionally, an entrepreneur’s future is not at peril owing to the faulty decisions of a finicky employer. So, while some people feel that being employed is less risky, entrepreneurs feel that they are better off starting a business of their own.
Today, there is the increasing awareness about entrepreneurship. People aren’t confining themselves to one business. They are following one business with another. Such entrepreneurs are referred to as “serial entrepreneurs.” Sometimes these entrepreneurs become angel investors and invest their money in startup companies. As a person gains greater insight into business and entrepreneurship, his chances of succeeding in business improve.
Entrepreneurs are a different set of people. They often see things that others fail to notice. They endeavor to bring about change and foster growth. They believe in themselves. Entrepreneurship propels them to strive and move forward, to get to where they want to be.
10 Valuable Tips to keep Spirits High during Recession
Posted on June 29, 2009 in Getting into Roots
Recession is a tough time for working professionals, particularly those who get laid off. Presently, recession is a world wide phenomenon affecting thousands of people worlds over. It is trying times for them. They have no way out, but to bear it. Countries world over are trying their level best to provide relief to their citizens, but it will take time to provide it.
Employees are losing jobs or are being paid less then what they should be normally earning. The management is harsh on them. They are interested only in cutting costs, but fail to realize that the laid off person has families to take care of and the income he or she receives from them is required to sustain their families. Naturally, all this sounds very depressing. Some are unable to cope with the pressure and are committing suicide. Sudden loss of income is unbearable.
The question that arises in this demoralizing situation is how to keep one’s spirits high?
Let us consider a few suggestions that could help us to overcome these trying times.
How to keep spirits high during recession?, How to Fight recession?
- One must keep a positive attitude at all cost. One must realize that this is a temporary situation, and very soon the scenario will change. Lost jobs will again be available.
- Cut down on unnecessary expenditure as you have to rely either on your savings or income from some odd job, which would obviously be less.
- See if you can sharpen your professional skills. This would keep your mind occupied with constructive activity and professionally also you will benefit.
- Try to socialize a lot as you will understand the situation better. You will be able to take better decisions for future course of action.
- Take up any odd job which provides you some income as you will feel productive. Your self-esteem will also improve as you will be earning something.
- One has to be motivated in performing well despite no additional perks or pay rise as one will eventually either land up a better job or perhaps the present company may be in better position later on to reward you for your efforts.
- Do not neglect our work on hand due to demoralized feelings as you may lose out on the present assignment. The job may not be to your expectations as of now, but it is better than not having any job.
- Share you’re your feelings with a close friend or confidante. Pent up feelings could harm you.
- Be on the search for a better job. Do not lose hope. It gives you a better insight into the job market scenario.
- Keep your mind occupied with hobbies so that your do not feel low and de-motivated. You have to be in proper frame of mind for your next assignment.
Beating recession is tough. No doubt, your standard of living comes down and you could feel very, very upset and de-motivated. Yet, you need to hope for a better future. Be brave and withstand the pressure as in the end you will be the winner.
20 necessary requirements of a Woman Pilot
Posted on June 27, 2009 in Jobs and Career
Women have entered various sections of the job market. They are competing on equal terms with men, taking up the same challenges that come their way in their professional careers. They have access to any kind of profession they now like to undertake, from police to being a pilot.
Flying an aeroplane is quite a demanding task. Earlier it was a man’s prerogative to fly one. Now even women have entered this profession with full determination to excel in it to convince men that it is equally easy for them to face the risks that come along the way in flying an aeroplane.
Women who take to flying need to equip themselves well with various skills to captain an aeroplane. Before venturing onto this profession, it is better to have an insight as to what attributes a woman needs to be a pilot.
Requisite attributes to be a woman pilot
- A woman has to be brave. A nervous disposition will not help.
- She needs to be risk taking.
- Mental and physical alertness are required.
- Complete concentration on work at hand.
- Dedication to flying.
- Team spirit. Must be able to get along with co-pilots and other staff members.
- Top priority to duty.
- Ability to manage time well.
- Be prepared to undergo requisite training to acquire necessary skills.
- Adventurous.
- Good at making decisions. She must be firm in her stand.
- Committed to her profession.
- Be role model for others who would like to take on the profession.
- Set goals and try to achieve them.
- Self-reliant.
- Self-discipline.
- Be eager to take on responsibilities.
- Maintain a positive attitude towards one’s work.
- Hard work is very important.
- Be full of enthusiasm in order to encourage others to take on the profession.
Flying high in the sky is an onerous task for a woman pilot and she has no doubt equipped herself with all the requisite skills to carry out her task of piloting the plane well. She rubs her shoulders with her male colleagues without any reservations and is confident enough to prove that she is as good as them in her line of work.
Top 20 Ways to Win over People
Posted on June 26, 2009 in Personality Development
One wants to be success, be it in the professional or personal life. The ability to communicate and win people over does matter. It may sound very easy, but difficult to attain. It requires hard practice and meticulous cultivation to convince others about your views and opinion and have them on your side.
Today’s professional life is highly competitive. Even in personal life it has become necessary to have a wide circle of friends. One has to socialize a lot, interact with all kinds of people and sell one’s ideas. Be it any profession, salesmanship is essential to excel in one’s field. Even a doctor has to communicate well with his or her patients and win them over in order to have a thriving practice.
How does one win over people? Let us give an insight into it, so that a person can improve upon his personality to make it more attractive and convincing.
How to win over people?
- One must change one’s undesirable behavior for positive reinforcement. Losing one’s cool, being rude can put off a person.
- Develop an amicable personality. A friendly disposition can win over many people. Most people like to interact with cheerful and bright people.
- Be courteous. Politeness pays. Use words such as “please”, “I am sorry” wherever required. If a man, be a gentleman and if a woman, be a lady.
- Try to be as sincere and truthful in your utterances. A person who deceives others and tells a whole lot of lies is shunned.
- Dress up appropriately. One must dress up according to the occasion. In formal situation one must go in for formal wear. Be in informal dress where it is permissible.
- One must not try to control people. Do not tell them what to do. Convince them in such a manner they control themselves to do things that you would like them to do.
- Make a person feel comfortable in a relationship. They should feel wanted and secure. Financial and emotional security are essential for people. The other person must be made to feel he or she is gaining from the relationship.
- Know what you want. You must be very clear about your goals.
- Be clear about what the other person expects of you. After all, the person who your dealing with also expects something in return for interacting with you.
- Be persistent. Do not give up so easily. It takes time to achieve your goal. One has to work hard at it.
- Use first names if possible. Initially, be formal with a Mr. or Ms. After you buildup a good rapport start using first names as then the relationship would become more amicable. You transcend barriers.
- Pay attention to what the other person is saying. By not being attentive, you lose out on the person.
- Have high expectations. When you expect a lot you achieve a lot.
- Be a good listener. You will win over people easily. Communicating with the other person is easy if you he or she feels you pay more attention to what he or she is saying.
- Do not appear domineering. See the other person’s point of view.
- Be sure of your facts. You need to be well versed in your respective field in order to convince the other person.
- Respect the sentiments and feelings of the other person. Make him or her feel you care for him or her. Do not appear to be indifferent.
- Get rid of distractions while conversing with a person. Your full concentration will be on what the other person is saying. The flow of conversation will be smooth and easy.
- The questions you ask require specific purpose or else you will lose out on credibility.
- Your message has to be well understood. Avoid ambiguities. Message with benefits are more appealing. The other person must gain by interacting with you.
Social popularity can be achieved if you are able to convince others about your intentions and what you can achieve. Be polite and courteous and a good listener. Avoid showing disregard to the other person’s feelings. Winning over people is an art.
The Need for Sleep - Do not ignore it
Posted on June 25, 2009 in Getting into Roots
Sleep is very essential for health physical and mental growth of a child and adults also need plenty of it to keep good health. Body recuperates after a good night’s sleep. Yet, there are moments when one is unable to sleep.
Sleep disorder afflicts many who are unable to get proper sleep due to worries and tensions. Sometimes a loss of job, financial distress, health concerns can keep a person awake. Improper sleep means your have difficulty in carrying out your daily chores or taking decisions at workplace. Irritability, uneasiness and fatigue could result because of it.
Nearly about 50 to 70 million Americans suffer from sleep disorders. Most of them can get treated, but many such cases go unreported.
Why do we sleep?
Sleep remains much of a mystery. We work during the day and in the night we need to go off to sleep in order to recuperate for the next day. According to Dr. Michael Twery, director, National Center on Sleep Disorders Research at National Heart Lung and Blood Institute of the National Institute of Health, “sleep originates with the timing of biological clock. The biological clock operates in all our tissues.” He further says that in the suprachiasmatic nucleus, which happens to be a particular area of the brain, operates the master biological clock. This biological clock “orchestrates” the “symphony” of hormones as well as other changes that make us go off to sleep.
Effects of not sleeping too well
- Less off sleep can affect our performance levels and memory functioning and decision-making process the following day.
- We are listless and tired.
- Our thought processes also get affected.
- We may not appear very friendly and may even ignore people or insult them since we happen to be in a bad mood.
- For a working person, it is difficult if he or she moves around with a grouchy appearance.
- We may not be able to drive properly as we are not mentally alert. For professionals whose skills are required to resolve a major crisis, such as a doctor, sleep is very essential. Adequate sleep means one can concentrate better.
- Our health can get affected. We can develop cardio-vascular diseases such as heart attacks, strokes etc.
- Lack of sleep causes much stress, which in turn affects the body functioning.
- Sleep improves the insulin tolerance levels among diabetics.
- People who suffer from sleep disorder are faced with problem of diabetes, obesity, heart disease and high blood pressure.
How much sleep one needs?
Adults need 7-8 hours of sleep to feel fully rested. School going kids and teens need about 9 hours. Children in pre-school need about 10 to 12 hours a day and a new born requires about 16 to 18 hours of sleep.
Attitude towards sleep
Many people tend to sleep less hours as they are either busy watching television, or working at the office or simply spending time with friends. They prefer to sleep late at night, even though they have to get up early in the morning. This reduces their sleeping hours. If they continue to do this over a period of time then their health gets affected.
There are also underlying psychological factors which make a person sleep less. or keep him or her awake throughout the night. Many suffer from insomnia and various sleep disorders such as sleep apnea and chronic sleep deprivation. They do not get sufficient sleep.
How can the problem be tackled?
- It is good to maintain diary of what one is doing throughout the day, how often one takes naps, or what one eats, daily sleep timings at night.
- Maintain a schedule of your sleeping hours. Go to bed at a particular time and get up at a particular time.
- One should relax before going to sleep such as listen to music or read a book.
- Exercise also helps a person to sleep well.
- One should get rid of one’s worries and tensions.
- Having a bath before going to bed is very relaxing.
- Consult a physician if there are underlying problems.
Sleep is essential to maintain good health. One must deal with problems that prevent you from getting proper sleep. One must learn to cope up with problems and get enough physical exercise to sleep well. If suffering from continuous sleep disturbances then one must consult a physician.
Way2sms - A Mess of everything
Posted on June 25, 2009 in Website Reviews
Long back I registered for way2sms.com to send free sms in India. I wrote a very short website review too for it but never used it again.
Today I visited it once again and to my surprise it is completely changed. This website was supposed to be meant to send free sms to India. I was surprised to see that it is offering everything under the sun now.
The free sms services are buried way down on the page. A very small percentage of people actually go down on the page towards footer.
Keeping the features/services and other important information pertaining to the website in the bottom of the page shows that these people do not want much registrations from web. They just want to cash on their existing user base.
Instead of concentrating on the core services way2sms is now offering data about latest news, cricket news, movie news (Hindi, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada), online games, radio, stock market updates, mp3 downloads and …
The home page of the website looks more like a blog design. Well, the strategy might be justified by the fact that free sms business has to incur huge costs and to survive you have to generate revenues but at what cost. It is on the way2sms people to decide.
Icing on the cake: On top of the page I saw an ad of mginger (one of their competitor). Dear, there is a competitor filter in google adsense.