Big Data, Cloud, Social Networks and Mobility: IBM Key Trends for 2014

The technology is being decisive in shaping the global competitive map, to the point that those organizations who cannot adapt will find themselves struggling to compete and even survive. Technology has accelerated the pace of change, and those companies that do not react and transform run the risk of disappearing or being irrelevant in their markets.
There are three factors that are driving today’s business progress. These are the big data analytics, cloud computing and the new relationship model that is transforming businesses through both social networks and online relationship with your customers, and through mobility, as revolutionary Internet today as it was two decades ago.
IBM, a leader in this segment, according to analyst firm Gartner, has spent years, expanding and improving its capabilities in the field of cloud computing, big data and mobility. In its 2013 annual report, CEO Ginni Rometty outlined the company’s three strategies for the year 2014 – data, cloud and systems of engagement. The company plans to drive growth and profit through three key initiatives: transforming industries and professions with data, remaking enterprise IT for the cloud and building systems of engagement leveraging enterprise security and data.
Big Data and Cloud
For the last several years, IBM has invested heavily in these areas. To that end, IBM has acquired more than 30 companies including Cognos, SPSS, Varicent, Algorithmics, Vivisimo and The Now Factory; registered 1,000 patents related to this technology; incorporated more than 10,000 consultants and 400 mathematicians the area of analytical business; and invested in the new Watson Group, a new business unit dedicated to the development and commercialization of cognitive innovations in cloud. Investment in this group will amount to one billion. The objective is to accelerate the time to market of a new class of software, services and applications capable of learning and responding to complex questions managing a large amount of information.
The cloud computing and big data represent one of the core businesses of IBM. Not surprisingly, according to research presented by IDC, IBM is the market leader of professional cloud technology services in the world. In addition, 24 of the top 25 companies in the Fortune 500 list use the IBM Cloud.
IBM says that the world is generating more than 2.5 billion gigabytes of data every day, and 80 per cent of it is unstructured – everything from images, video and audio to social media and impulses from embedded sensors and distributed devices. The market for data and analytics is estimated at $187bn by 2015. To capture this growth potential, IBM has invested more than $24bn, including $17bn of gross spend on more than 30 acquisitions. Two-thirds of IBM Research’s work are now devoted to data, analytics and cognitive computing. IBM has an ecosystem of 6,000 industry partners, 4000 analytics patents and 1,000 university partnerships around the world developing new, analytics-related curricula.
Social Network and Mobility
Social networks, internet and new smart mobile devices have created a new model of relationship between companies and their employees and end users. IBM offers a wide range of social software. Today, more than 60% of Fortune 100 companies have chosen IBM social software. The Big Blue company says it will improve the productivity of the templates, which results in increased performance and cost savings when selecting the best talent and training. It will contribute to organizations that can provide the best online experience to their end customers, which is key to increase revenue and improve business performance factor.
On the other hand, the other component technology that is driving the new relationship is mobility. IBM has been positioned by Gartner as a leader in Magic Quadrant platform mobile application development. In its report, Gartner highlights the completeness and the ability to run IBM Worklight, a platform for mobile application development. In addition, IBM has made ​​10 acquisitions related to mobility for the past four years, among which were Tealeaf and Worklight. IBM also supplies mobility solutions in MobileFirst that integrates strategy to help companies leverage the opportunities offered by mobile technology.

Related Articles:

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• Ernst & Young: Mobility, Cloud and Big Data Analytics…
• Gartner: Top 10 Key Technology Trends for 2013

8 Ways Tech Has Completely Rewired Our Brains

Technology has altered human physiology. It makes us think differently, feel differently, even dream differently. It affects our memory, attention spans and sleep cycles. This is attributed to a scientific phenomenon known as neuroplasticity, or the brain's ability to alter its behavior based on new experiences. In this case, that's the wealth of information offered by the Internet and interactive technologies.
Some cognition experts have praised the effects of tech on the brain, lauding its ability to organize our lives and free our minds for deeper thinking. Others fear tech has crippled our attention spans and made us uncreative and impatient when it comes to anything analog.

Every emerging study and opinion piece is hotly disputed, yet each brings us closer to understanding how tech can fundamentally alter our minds. Below, we list some of the major ways tech has rewired our brains, for better or worse.

1. We dream in color.

Television impacts our psyche so thoroughly, it may even affect our dreams. In 2008, a study conducted at Scotland's Dundee University found that adults over the age of 55 who had grown up in a household with a black and white television set were more likely to dream in black and white. Younger participants, who grew up in the age of Technicolor, nearly always experienced their dreams in color. The American Psychological Assocation seconded these findings in 2011.
Previous dream research, conducted in the early 1900s through the 1950s, has suggested a correlation between exposure to black and white television and dreaming in black and white. In the 1960s, dreams returned to Technicolor with the advent of color film and television.

2. We experience FOMO…

The reports are anecdotal at best, but FOMO (fear of missing out), defined by The New York Times as "the blend of anxiety, inadequacy and irritation that can flare up while skimming social media," seems fairly legit.
Before Instagram and Facebook, people who chose to spend a quiet Saturday night at home with a glass of wine and a copy of Anchorman might have felt a little guilty or sad they weren't out whooping it up. But thanks to social media, that feeling is compounded by pictures and posts of scrumptious dinners and raging parties, plus endless videos of friends chugging beer. Even if none of these activities are your idea of fun, you'll definitely recognize that pang: "Should I be doing something else right now?" That's FOMO.
There's even evidence that looking at pictures of friends' meals on Instagram and Pinterest makes your own meal taste bland by comparison.

3. … And "phantom vibration syndrome."

We are now hard-wired to assume our phones are ringing, even when they're not. In a 2012 study published in the journal Computers and Human Behavior, researchers found that 89% of the 290 undergraduates surveyed reported feeling "phantom vibrations," the physical sensation that their phone was vibrating, even when it wasn't, once every two weeks. A survey of hospital workers found similar results.
A research psychologist speaking on NPR suggested that physical sensations, such as an itch, may now be misinterpreted by our brains as a vibrating phone. "Something in your brain is being triggered that's different than what was triggered just a few short years ago," he said.
Since nobody is especially bothered by phantom vibrations, the sensation is more of a nuisance than a physiological problem. Still, it's pretty freaky.

4. We can't sleep.

We technophiles are accustomed to falling asleep with laptops glowing softly by our beds, playing a soothing Futurama episode to lull us into sleep. Others might end the day by reading a chapter of The Hunger Games on their iPad. But those comforting nighttime routines may actually be screwing with our sleep patterns.
Neuroscientists suspect the glowing lights emitted by laptop, tablet and smartphone screens mess with your body's internal light cues and sleep-inducing hormones. Exposure to bright lights can fool the brain into thinking it's still daytime, and can potentially have lasting effects on the body's circadian rhythms (your internal sleep clock). Our eyes are especially sensitive to the blue light emitted by screens. This makes it harder to fall asleep, especially for those who already struggle with insomnia.

5. Our memory isn't great, and neither is our attention span.

Back in the old, old, old days, learning by rote was a prized skill. So prized, in fact, that students were often expected to recite entire books from memory. In a Google-happy world, when virtually any scrap of information is instantly at our fingertips, we don't bother retaining facts, let alone whole book passages. Who needs to memorize the capital of Mozambique when you can just ask Siri?
In 2007, a neuroscientist polled 3,000 people and found that the younger respondents were less likely to remember standard personal information, such as a relative's birthday or even their own phone number. Similarly, studies have shown that calculators may decrease simple mathematical skills. Some people are unable to navigate their own cities without the help of GPS.
Social media and the Internet have also been shown to shorten our attention spans. Individuals immersed in digital media find it difficult to read books for long periods of time, and often skim articles online rather than reading every word. This phenomenon can be particularly troubling for youth, whose brains are more malleable and, therefore, may fail to develop concentration skills.

6. We have better visual skills…

A 2013 study found that first-person shooter video games, such as Halo and Call of Duty, boost decision-making and visual skills. These immersive games force players to make snap decisions based on visual cues, which enhances visuospatial attention skills, or the ability to parse details of your physical environment. Gamers are also better at detecting contrast between objects in dim environments.
Meanwhile, complex, strategy-based games like Starcraft may improve the brain's "cognitive flexibility," or the ability to switch between tasks, thus enhancing the much-disputed ability to multitask. This was particularly true among older study participants.

7. ...But poorer impulse control.

Unfortunately, that same 2013 study found video games like Halo can inhibit players' ability to rein in impulsive or aggressive behavior. Researchers concluded that forcing players to make snap decisions in violent situations inhibited "proactive executive control" over knee-jerk reactions and impulses, meaning they were more likely to react with immediate, unchecked hostility or aggression in real life.
Other studies have substantiated the idea of a link between violent video games (and other violent forms of media) and aggression and attention problems.

8. We create more.

Ending on a high note, tech makes it easier for artists and non-artists alike to engage with creative media. Author Clay Shirkey argues that the Internet enhances what he calls "cognitive surplus," the excess hours and brain power we can devote to pursuing activities and goals we enjoy. Social media, according to Shirkey, prompts users to engage with texts, images and videos in a way that simply watching television doesn't. As social media promotes a culture of sharing, users feel more inclined to create and share something of their own, be it a Flickr album, a book review, a contribution to Wikipedia or a DIY project.

"We do things because they're interesting, because they're engaging, because they're the right things to do, because they contribute to the world," said Daniel Pink, author of Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us, in a conversation with Wired and Shirkey.

Malls Starting To Adopt 'Hybrid' Approach To Boost Sales

Shopping Malls have started to adopt an ‘Hybrid’ approach of sales to attract customers and boost revenues.

Delhi’s Select Citywalk mall will soon adopt the Hybrid Model of sales. It is expected to launch its online storefront via an eCommerce Marketplace model. Another Bangalore based mall, the Total Mall too has adopted similar technique. The Hybrid Model of sales allows the customers to check out various products that the Mall can offer and then later pay a visit to the place and pick–up the merchandise. Even Future Group’s Big Bazaar Direct essentially works in a similar manner

What is a Hybrid Model? Known the world over as the Bricks–N–Clicks Model, the Hybrid Model is a combined approach to sales that involves both the Physical Outlets as well as Online Shopping Portals. While Online Shopping offers the convenience of browsing from the comfort of one’s computer, the physical outlet offers the benefit of physically inspecting or feeling the product before making the final purchase.

The Hybrid Model attempts to combine the benefits of both the models. However, there is one elemental edge in favor of Online Model and that is lower overheads which directly translate to lower prices or discounts for the end–buyer. But, with urban shoppers getting ever more comfortable shopping online, malls seem to be losing their charm and hence are eager to explore newer avenues to keep the sales strong.

India is witnessing a strange phenomenon wherein players from either of the domain; Physical and Virtual, are keen to set foot into the other’s territory. While malls like Select Citywalk or Big Bazaar are exploring online channels, online players like TaxSpanner, Shaadi, etc. are setting up physical outlets. Is the Hybrid Model truly the answer?

Pinterest Introduces A New Gifts Feed

The team over at Pinterest has announced a new Gifts feed on the website. According to the official blog, it is a work in progress and will see more updates in the future.

This Gifts feed differs from regular pinterest feeds as it exclusively showcases products along with additional information such as Pricing, Availability and where users can buy them. This is done with the intention of making it easy for users to purchase the items that they desire on this feed. The team shared that over the years they have realized that product pins get higher clickthrough rates compared to regular pins. Higher clickthrough rates means that brands have more potential for spreading awareness about their products. The product pins on the Gift feed also feature brand logos so as to facilitate this higher visibility.

An additional useful feature is that those users who have pinned an item will get an email notification whenever the prices on the said product drops. The feed has a simple pricing filter which indicates price by using the $ sign. $$$$ indicates a price higher than $200, $$$ means that the product price ranges in between $50-200, $$ indicates a price between $25-50 and a lone $ sign indicates pricing lower than $25.

Brands that want to get their products onto this feed can do so by getting Rich Pins. More information about this is available on their developer site. The process seems to be simple enough.

This gifting feature is crucial for the website to build some meaningful revenue by acting as a great driver of sales. Pinning is based on active interests and product discovery via Pinterest seems to be very non-intrusive as opposed to other advertising programs out there. This could help Pinterest channel its interest based usage to drive higher sales for product companies in a meaningful way.

VLC Player App Is Now Available For Windows 8

VLC, one of the most popular open source media players, has now finally arrived for Windows 8 devices. VLC does have applications tailored to earlier Windows versions, Linux, Android and Mac, but it did not have an official app for Windows 8. This is due to the different criteria required for Windows 8 apps including a new interface that complies with Microsoft’s guidelines.

VideoLAN, the team behind VLC had successfully raised funding on Kickstarter for the Windows 8 app in early 2013. It has taken the team more than a year to put out the official app. Windows 8 users can now take advantage of the improved interface and the Windows 8 integration. The app is however in beta but is working fine according to reviews. Keeping with VLC’s philosophy of supporting every other media file format under the sun, the Windows 8 app has support for all codecs including OGG, FLAC and MKV. The app has four distinct sections called Home, Music, Videos, External Storage and Media Servers.

The app has complete feature parity with the desktop versions of VLC. It is functional but seems to be slower compared to desktop versions. Hopefully, improvements are on its way. The app is compatible with both Windows 8 and 8.1 and will support only those devices which have a x86 and x64 processor architectures.

Those of you who are on Windows 8 should give this app a try and let us know how you like it.

Download Link | VLC for Windows 8

Interview: What happens when your cloud provider pulls out of the market?

At the start of the year, the news that Symantec's Backup Exec.cloud offering had been removed from the market left customers just one year to migrate to an alternative solution.
This generous window of opportunity is not indicative of the cloud industry in general, with companies typically leaving a much smaller migration window. So what do you do if your backup provider pulls its product from the market?
Started over 10 years ago, Databarracks, based in Clapham, South London, provides secure, Infrastructure as a Service, Backup as a Service and Disaster Recovery as a Service from UK-based, ex-military data centres.
Oscar Arean, Technical Operations Manager at Databarracks, discusses what you should do if your cloud provider is forced pull out of the market, what it means for your data and how you can retrieve your data.
TechRadar Pro: What is the difference between retrieving my backups from a cloud service provider compared to regular data storage?
Oscar Arean: Retrieving backup data is a far more complex process than when working with normal production data. Unfortunately it's not as simple as collecting your disks from the data centre and extracting the data straight from them.
Due to the nature of backups, they are usually encrypted, compressed and stored in a way very specific to your provider's software. The process of extracting this data, in a readable state, is far more time consuming in comparison to application or file data.
TRP: How can I keep all the different generations of my backups?
OA: Good providers will do this for you, and export the data in a way that allows your next provider to set up your new backup service without losing any historical data. Not all providers do this as standard, however, and can charge a premium when it is required.
While not always possible, it's useful to have this conversation with your CSP before committing, to ensure you both understand the expectations and restrictions on the relationship.
Ideally your new provider will use the same technology as your previous one, making the transition as smooth as possible. You can transfer historical data to a different system if necessary but you need to bear in mind the extra time, storage and essentially money that this requires because you will be the one doing the work to convert it.
Check for additional charges from either provider that may be incurred. It may also be possible to export configuration settings which can reduce setup times, although at this stage it is recommended to review backup settings to ensure that they meet your requirements and are actually protecting all of your essential servers.
TRP: How fast can I get my data back from my CSP's environment?
OA: This is dependent on the amount of data you have and the speed of transfer. It is important to note that although you may have a very fast internet connection, some service providers to impose restrictions on the speed of transfer.
Unless you are only storing a very small volume of data and have a large internet connection, the most sensible method to retrieve your data is to have it physically sent to you.
To ensure fast delivery, negotiate an SLA into your contract that guarantees the couriered delivery of your data. For added security, the delivery can be tracked in transit from the data centre to your site.
TRP: Can I transfer directly to another provider?
OA: Sometimes, but there are four main things to take into account:
Are you happy for a complete refresh with no historical data? How will you get your historical data to another service provider? Have you considered the costs in exporting and importing historical data?
Does the historical data get de-duplicated or does it add to the overall storage which increases the cost of the solution?
TRP: Is there a cost for me to transfer my data?
OA: As I said, the process of transferring backup data can be a complicated one. If you just want your data back – this is quite simple, but if you want to keep the structure of your backups so you can continue with the same strategy, this can increase your costs.
Some CSPs will provide this as part of their service but at an additional cost, due to the amount of extra storage it requires in the short term, as well as the number of man hours.
If you'd rather not pay for the service, it is possible to perform the transfer yourself – if you have the available time, storage and know-how to do so. We don't usually recommend this though - imagine a company with 100s of servers, how do you guarantee that data has been transferred correctly?
TRP: Does it actually matter what country my Cloud Service Provider (CSP) is located in?
OA: The nationality of your service provider is usually brought into question in terms of security, but these worries are often unfounded. Backup is one of the more secure cloud services because backups are encrypted in transit and at rest. As this is the case, the location of your backup service provider is less significant than for instance your CRM or IaaS service provider.
Nationality becomes very important, however, when you have to deal with something like getting your data back from a provider if they pull out of your market.
The risk and complexity in resolving that kind of issue is far less with a domestic provider than it would be when dealing with a big international conglomerate.
For example, does the service provider have the option to store your encryption key? What's to stop them from restoring/assisting in restoring your data if requested by government agencies in the US? Really, in any situation where you need to recover significant volumes of data – having a service provider in your own country is preferable.

In Depth: Nexus 6: what we want to see

The key features the Nexus 6 needs

Fans of the cutting edge vanilla Android experience were quick to fall in love with the Nexus 5. It ushered in Android 4.4 KitKat with a sexy Google Experience Launcher on top, but it wasn't perfect.
Originally imagined as reference devices to inspire original equipment manufacturers, recent Nexus smartphones have grown beyond that brief to drive down prices and raise expectations. With Play editions of flagships like the Galaxy S4 and HTC One, you could argue that we don't need Nexus phones any more, but that doesn't mean we don't want another one.
If it comes, the Nexus 6 is likely to land, like an autumn leaf, towards the end of the year. Google will definitely have to revamp the naming conventions after that, because we already have a Nexus 7.
Here's what our friendly neighbourhood search giant could do to get us excited about the Nexus 6 - the phone we expect to launch Android 5 in November..

A bigger battery

Battery life has bossed the chart of complaints in the smartphone market for years now and last year's Nexus was a major offender, with a constantly weird amount of power suckage.
Scraping through a day simply isn't good enough. If you're going to pack more and more irresistible features into a device with a gorgeous hypnotizing display, then please give it enough juice to fulfil our obsessive usage.
The days of removable batteries appear to be over, at least where the Nexus line is concerned. Battery cases are too bulky and wireless charging is far from ubiquitous. We demand a bigger battery, or much greater efficiency. Ideally we'd like a mix of the two, especially when it comes to the leaky Nexus range.

A better camera

Google made some swift adjustments to roll out an update that fixed up the Nexus 5 camera, but it's still an obvious candidate for improvement. A new version of Android should handle the software side, but the Nexus 6 is going to need to pack some decent hardware.
Nokia is the current gold standard with the 41MP-toting Lumia 1020, but the Android pack is pushing 13MP and upwards now. Of course there's more to a camera than the megapixel count, but there's a lot more than can be done here.

It would be a very pleasant surprise to get a Nexus 6 capable of taking photos that can compete with the latest iPhone and the rest of the flagship gang. We want great quality shots, but also fast performance to help us capture those precious, spontaneous moments as they happen.

A slightly bigger screen

With some clever engineering and some ruthless bezel slicing we're getting bigger displays without smartphones growing to ridiculous proportions, although phablets are now a thing. Perhaps the 6 will refer to the screen size.
Realistically 6 inches might be pushing things too far, but we could always use more screen real estate. We'd like to see the Nexus 6 creep up a touch past 5 inches without becoming unwieldy. A slight increase in screen size without additional bulk would hit the spot nicely. An edge-to-edge display has long been a dream for smartphone fans.

A 64-bit processor

Since Apple made the jump to a 64-bit processor in the iPhone 5S it's inevitable that other manufacturers will want to follow suit. It doesn't matter if there isn't much obvious short term advantage. Let's face it, we're hardly bumping up against the 4GB RAM barrier yet, but you can bet we will.
App developers and manufacturers will be able to realize the potential of this in years to come, but perception is important and that's reason enough for the Nexus 6 to need a 64-bit processor.
It's likely the next Nexus will be the poster child for the latest iteration of Android, and with version 5.0 set to be the first to support 64-bit chips, the Nexus 6 needs to be an absolute monster when it comes to power.

Dual speakers

The front-facing dual-speaker setup on the HTC One was undeniably nice and the more we consume media on our smartphones the more important it becomes to get decent sound.

The Nexus 5 had one speaker at the bottom and it was less than stellar. It's another obvious target for a spot of improvement and it would be nice if headphones weren't a requirement for enjoying music on your phone.

A new form

The LG G Flex and the Samsung Galaxy Round have begun the transition to flexible displays which will enable new form factors.
A gentle curve is not much to get excited about, and it's still probably too early for the full potential of flexible displays to be realized, but anything that takes smartphones away from the black rectangle convention could be good.

A Nexus 6 with a really interesting design and some software innovation from Google could point the way for the evolution of the smartphone, and given LG is apparently in the hot seat to make its third consecutive Nexus, this could be a winner from one of the world's biggest makers of flexible phone screens.
At the very least a kind of secondary display portion on the edge for at-a-glance functionality and controls. Maybe even a dual-screen set-up with a low energy secondary display for notifications.

Always listening

The big USP for the Moto X was the voice recognition, allowing you to issue commands to Google Now without using your hands. The idea of hands-free operation has always been hampered by the need to press something first.
If the Nexus 6 was always listening for its master's voice, we might be tempted to make better use of Google's fortune-telling digital butler.

A 2K display

Full HD with a 1920x1080 pixel resolution became the new standard for top-end Android smartphones in 2013. The next development looks likely to be 2K, with a resolution of 2560x1440 pixels.
LG has shown off 2K display technology and Chinese manufacturers Vivo and Oppo have stated their intentions to release devices with 2K displays this year.

It wouldn't be a shock if the Nexus 6 brought us a new level of pixel density. It's probably too soon for 4K displays, but we're heading in that direction, and this would at least give a Nexus the headline grabbing features we love.
Of course, only if it can be done cheaply. We don't want to lose the low, low prices we've become accustomed to.

Biometric security

Face Unlock was a gimmicky feature that arrived in Android Ice Cream Sandwich. It didn't always work and it was easy to spoof with a photo but finding new ways to effortlessly, but securely, unlock your smartphone is still on the agenda.
Apple's Touch ID uses your fingerprints and there were strong rumours of a retinal scanner in the Galaxy S5, even if it never came to pass and instead offered up a boring digit scanner. If this kind of security is set to become a new standard, then you can bet the Nexus 6 should jump on board.

Indestructibility

We've seen Kevlar coating from Motorola and waterproofing from Sony and Samsung, and there's no doubt the Nexus line could stand to toughen up. You only need to glance at any Nexus 4 or Nexus 5 forum to find tales of woe from hapless owners with shattered screens.
Flexible display technology could put an end to cracked and broken screens. Waterproofing has left the rugged category behind and broken into the mainstream. A Nexus 6 that can survive a dunk and doesn't need a polycarbonate overcoat is surely on the cards.

• Want to know why your battery is rubbish... with solutions to the problem? Yeah, you do.

What do you think? Let us know below how you think Google needs to spec the Nexus 6 to make it into a winner.

The 14 Best Android Widgets for 2014

 New additions and old favorites to make your Android home screen more useful

Widgets are a classic example of where Android can go right and wrong. Pick some great widgets, and your phone transforms into a more powerful tool. Pick bad ones, and your home screen becomes an abomination.
We’re here to help. After doing these Android widget roundups for a couple years, our list for this year includes both new additions and old favorites, so your home screen can be as useful–and as attractive–as possible. Here are 14 of the best Android widgets to have on your phone in 2014:

• 1Weather

  

  OneLouder Apps

  1Weather includes your choice of six home screen widgets, the best of which is the “1Weather Tabbed” option pictured here. With this widget, you can get all the essential info of your local forecast, and switch between extended, detailed and hourly views. The appearance is also customizable, letting you choose from light, dark or “live weather” backgrounds. The app is free, but you can upgrade to an ad-free version for $1.99.
  [Get 1Weather from Google Play]
  

• BaconReader for Reddit

  

  OneLouder Apps

  That funny cat picture your aunt will share on Facebook next week? You can probably find it right now by scrolling through BaconReader’s slick Reddit client. The “BaconReader Scroll” widget includes light and dark themes, and lets you create separate widgets for subsections if you like. And it’s resizeable, so you can dedicate as little or as much of your home screen as you want to the so-called “front page of the Internet.” The app is free, with a $1.99 upgrade to remove the ads.
  [Get BaconReader from Google Play]
  

• Directions

  

  Google

  Using the Directions widget for Google Maps, one tap can get you instant directions to your usual haunts. Just drag the “Directions” widget onto your home screen, enter the address and a nickname for the location, and specify whether you want driving, walking, biking or public transit directions. This widget is part of Google Maps, which is probably pre-loaded on your phone, but here’s the Google Play Store listing just in case.
  

• Google Keep

  

  Google

  We’ve sung the praises of Google Keep before. It’s not a comprehensive note-taking app, but rather a fast way to jot down thoughts, lists, images and audio. Google Keep is even faster when you install the widget on your home screen, as it includes shortcuts to your latest notes and buttons for creating new ones. The app is free, and you can also access your notes from any web browser.
  [Get Google Keep from Google Play]
  

• Holo Bulb

  

  GekkoSteam

  This 1-by-1 widget serves just one purpose: Tap it, and it’ll turn on your phone’s camera flash. A handy prompt then appears at center-screen so you can turn it off again. It’s the only Android flashlight functionality you need, and it’s free.
  [Get Holo Bulb from Google Play]
  
• 
  

• Contact

  

  Google

  This little widget is great for keeping a close friend or loved one within easy reach. When you drop the widget onto your home screen, you then choose the contact you want it to represent. This widget is available in some form on most Android devices, but its name and appearance may vary depending on the phone maker. (HTC, for instance, calls it the “Person” widget, and gives you several options for what happens when you press the button.)
  

• CBS Sports

  

  CBS

  We’ve had other sports widgets on this list before, but CBS Sports ultimately proved triumphant with its clean design and abundance of options. You can choose from either a 4-by-1 ticker or a 4-by-2 scrolling widget, and each one can display your favorite teams, leagues or live events. There’s also a third widget just for news. And while other widgets pointlessly display game times for days into the future, CBS Sports limits itself to just the current day, so you don’t get lost. It seems like an actual sports fan designed this.
  [Get CBS Sports from Google Play]
  

• Slider Widget – Volumes

  

  hinterhofapps

  You may think that pressing your phone’s volume button down makes everything quieter, but then you start playing a video and for some reason it’s blaring. That’s because different functions on Android phones each have their own individual volumes, and you can’t normally control them all at once without going into the settings menu. Slider Widget gives you greater control over all your volumes straight from the home screen, and it throws in brightness adjustment for good measure.
  [Get Slider Widget - Volumes from Google Play]
  

• Flipboard

  

  Flipboard

  Flipboard is still the king of news reading apps, and its widget has gotten better lately. It no longer has the annoying bug where tapping on a story doesn’t take you directly to that story, so you can just mash that little reload button until you find something worth reading and dive right in. As always, the app is free, and there are two widget sizes to choose from.
  [Get Flipboard from Google Play]
  

• LinkedIn Pulse

  

  LinkedIn

  LinkedIn Pulse’s widget isn’t as pretty as some other news widgets, but it’s packed with information so you can catch up with the latest headlines. After adding your favorite news sources to Pulse, you can pick one of them to include in the widget, which always shows a few headlines at once. Pulse’s larger widget also gives you a snippet of the story you’re looking at, so you can decide whether to dive in further.
  
• 
  

• Shazam

  

  Shazam

  Shazam is an app that identifies songs and TV shows as they play, and having the widget on your home screen can be the difference between successfully tagging a song and just barely missing it. There’s really no good reason to have the standard app on your home screen instead.
  
  

• App Dialer

  

  Aleksey Masny

  If you’re overwhelmed by all the apps you’ve downloaded over the years, App Dialer can help you get to them just a little faster. Instead of a typical keyboard search, App Dialer displays a numeric keypad, with each number representing a trio of letters. As you type, the dialer suggests a few apps that match, so you can find them without digging through folders or running a full-blown search. The app is free, and there’s a $3 Pro version with extra features.
  
  

• Cal

  

  Any.do

  It was sort of agonizing to choose a calendar widget for this list. The Play Store is filled with them, many of which are crammed with features, such as multiple views, sizes and color themes. Ultimately, Cal stuck out because it doesn’t try to do all of those things. Instead, it recognizes that what you need to glance at the most is your agenda for the next few days, and that if you need to see more, you can just open the app. The app also supports Exchange as well as Google Calendar.
  
  

• DashClock

  

  Roman Nurik

  DashClock can technically serve as a home screen widget, but where it really shines is on your phone’s lock screen (provided you’re running Android 4.2 or higher). At a glance, DashClock can show a count of unread e-mails and messages, battery status, weather and a lot more using a variety of DashClock extensions. Essentially, it’ll let you know when your phone needs to come out, and when it can safely go back in your pocket.

In Depth: The secret technology that makes the F1 world go round

The secret networking tech of F1

"The first races are going to be test events … no team is taking it lightly," says Alan Peasland, Head of Technical Partnerships at F1 world champions Infinity Red Bull Racing.
He squirms in his seat as he considers what promises to be some tentative opening races as the new Formula 1 season kicks-off in uncertain circumstances. "Reliability is crucial."
So is global data exchange and communication, both of which have been overhauled for the new season by Red Bull's new innovation partner, AT&T.
The new networks are in place in Australia to help the team battle new technical challenges created by a set of radical new regulations being introduced this season by the FIA, the sport's governing body. So what's going on?

Rule changes

This year will see fuel limited for the first time - 100kg for each car per race, while the 2.4-litre V8 engines have been replaced by 1.6-litre V6 turbo engines.
One consequence is the birth of a new hybrid tech called ERS, an energy recovery system that – like its kinetic forbear KERS – consists of an electric motor that charges-up from energy in a car's rear axle that would otherwise be wasted.
This energy is then fed back into the drivetrain to add more speed to the car, a technology that is being developed for road cars as well as racers.
And, while KERS gave a boost for just under seven seconds, ERS is more like 30 seconds. It could be a lap changer. Despite worries that F1 cars will be slower in 2014, recent testing in Bahrain suggested otherwise, with lap times in Bahrain only a second slower than in last year's actual race.

Moveable feast

That gap is bound to come down largely because the cars that will race in Australia are nothing more than early prototypes – and not one will make it through to the second race without undergoing a lot of adjustments.
F1 teams never stand still. "Three years ago we were making 22,000 design changes to the car each season, involving about 7,000 new parts," says Peasland of the massive, constant task of keeping up with competitors.
It's an upwards trend, too; 32,000 design changes were made last season, and more are expected in 2014.
"If we didn't make design changes we'd end up at the back of the grid by the end of the season," says Peasland. The changes comes as a result of Red Bull and others relying more and more on data, on how they manage the data within the factory, how its communicated internally, and how it's kept totally secure.

Data explosion

"We're creating exponentially more data each year, and as you measure more data from the car it has to be stored somewhere and reused quickly," says Peasland. "We've got about 100 sensors on each car, each measuring more than one thing – from stress, strain, airflow, temperatures – and each sending data back to the factory in Milton Keynes.
"We're sending 100GB of data back to our factory so we need to be confident of the network's security," he says.
"AT&T arrive at the track before we do to set-up the point of presence, so for us it's a very simple plug and play."

New technology

The ante has been upped for the new season by AT&T, which has created a network 2.5 times bigger and faster than last season, while extending it to Red Bull's engine manufacturer Renault's Viry Operations Room in France, and also to Red Bull's remote wind tunnel in Bedford.
"It means we can reliably send more data at a faster speed to engineers in the UK, and it goes the other way too," says Peasland, who insists that FIA restrictions on wind tunnel use means that the team now has to get more from the bursts of data during the permitted sessions.
"We need to bet more for less, and AT&T helps us do that," he says.
Remarkably, the entire structured cabling and infrastructure provided by AT&T – in the last few miles at least – is created almost from scratch at each race track, then torn down and completely removed after the race.
It's a hectic weekend. "Friday is about optimising, and this is where we use real-time telemetry off the car, send it back to our factory in Milton Keynes so they can perform a lot of simulations to hopefully improve the performance of the car without it being on track," says Peasland. "We then relay that information to the engineers at the race track."

Track-side LAN

The track-side LAN is managing the data, which comes off-car and into the racks in the garage and then to all other areas of the track – the pit wall, inside the garage and to Red Bull's technical office (nicknamed the treehouse).
AT&T transfer the same data both to Red Bull's factory and to Renault.
However, F1 is not just about collecting data on your own cars. "Saturday is when we start to analyse the competition," says Peasland, who shows us reams of scary-looking charts and graphs.
"On Sunday we manage the health of the car and look at data as it comes off the car, but it's mostly about strategy – and that's where the Operations Room back in the UK comes into it."
Red Bull looks in great depth at data about its competitors' lap times, when they've pitted, and how it's affected their race.
"It's a live document we monitor and it's these hundreds of charts that our race strategists work from."
To the layman it all looks baffling, but within it are one-second gaps that a driver can exploit to pit and return to the track in clean air - and thus gain a massive advantage over a rival.
That's how races are won – and Red Bull is famous for it. With reliability in question and uncertainty about how the new regulations are going to play out, the collecting and analysis of data is set to play a bigger role than ever before. 

Moto X with wood panel coming to India soon

NEW DELHI: Flipkart, an e-commerce website that partnered with Motorola for the Moto G as the exclusive launch partner in India, has now announced that it will soon launch Moto X in the country. Unlike Moto G, which is targeted at budget conscious buyers, Moto X is a high-end Android phone and is likely to cost around Rs 25,000.

Flipkart on its Twitter page said on Thursday that just like Moto G, it would launch Moto X with some exclusive offers. While Flipkart did not reveal a launch date, the phone is likely to be available for purchase before March 20.

In answer to several queries from its Twitter followers, Flipkart said that in India Moto X will launch without Moto Maker, an online tool offered by Motorola in the US. Through Moto Maker, customers can customize the Moto X before Motorola ships the unit to them. But Flipkart said that the phone will be available with wood panel finish in teak and walnut.

"Walnut (will have) black front and silver accents. Teak (will have) white front and silver accents," the company noted. With plastic back cover, the phone will be available in five colours.

Moto X has a 4.7-inch screen with 720 x 1280 pixels resolution, 2GB RAM, 16GB/32GB storage, 10MP primary camera and 2MP front camera. It is powered by a dual-core -- but high-end - Qualcomm Snapdragon processor that runs at 1.7GHz. The graphics chip is Adreno 320, which is capable enough to handle almost all high-end games available for Android devices.

The phone launched with Android 4.2 last year but now has been upgraded to Android 4.4, which is the latest version of the OS. It runs an almost unmodified version of Android, though Motorola has added some special features to the OS. For example, Moto X is a phone that is always in listening mode and hence can be activated through voice commands even when its screen is in the sleep mode. Then there is a feature called flick-to-click that allows the Moto X user to start camera app by holding the phone in their hand and flicking the wrist.

Both Flipkart and Motorola consider Moto G launch in India to be very successful. Moto G was priced aggressively in India and Flipkart had trouble keeping it in stock immediately after the launch. But on Thursday the company said that it has "made improvements in planning (the stock) this time around".

However, one factor to keep in mind is that Moto G lacks a worthy competitor in the market. Unless Motorola is very aggressive with the price - somewhere around Rs 22,000, which seems unlikely -- Moto X will have to compete against phones like Nexus 5, the official Android phone that sells for Rs 28,999, and Samsung Galaxy S4, which recently got a price cut and is now available for around Rs 30,000. Both Nexus 5 and Galaxy S4 have better hardware than Moto X.

Meet the 'Most Connected Man' in the World

And you thought managing a smartphone and an inbox was exhausting.
45-year-old Chris Dancy is known as the most connected man in the world. He has between 300 and 700 systems running at any given time, systems that capture real-time data about his life.
His wrists are covered with a variety of wearable technology, including the fitness wristband tracker Fitbit and the Pebble smartwatch. He weighs himself on the Aria Wi-Fi scale, uses smartphone controlled Hue lighting at home and sleeps on a Beddit mattress cover to track his sleep.
Even Dancy's dogs are tracked via Tagg, which logs their daily activities.

Although this type of lifestyle would be tiring to many — with numbers running his day — Dancy calls it motivating.
"I started five years ago when I noticed my doctor was having a hard time keeping up with my health records," Dancy told Mashable. "Around the same time, I worried that the work I did on the Internet could be lost if [there's] a service shutdown. In an effort to collect this information, I started looking for ways I could gather data when I didn't have time to write things down."

Dancy has lost about 100 pounds since tracking his lifestyle.

Image: Chris Dancy

Dancy, who says he's always been tech-savvy and has a background in IT, explains that staying connected has allowed him to get more out of the way he lives.


"I've lost 100 pounds and learned to meditate," he says. "I'm much more aware of how I respond to life and take steps to adjust to my environment. I've also formed better habits thanks to the feedback I'm getting."

With so many devices to choose from, Dancy says his favorite wearables are the Body Media fitness tracker and the Pebble. He also prefers products that offer contextually aware information, such as Google Now and Google Glass.
"I am most passionate about feedback that is haptic — vibration or subtle environmental changes — such as lighting that changes to suggest the weather is changing," he said. "I do take days off with little to no tracking from wearables, but because I have so many systems that automatically track what I'm doing, it's impossible to truly disconnect."
As more companies look to integrate smart technology into products — from smart toothbrushes to tennis racquets and refrigerators — Dancy believes it's only a matter of time before people adopt a lifestyle closer to his.
"There are mountains of data in everything we use at home, even when it's not 'smart,'" Dancy said. "By the end of the decade, there will not be a job on earth that hasn't been changed by smart objects, wearable computing or personal information."
Although Dancy believes more people should infuse smart products into their lives, he cautions when to share personal information.
"I feel empowered but a bit scared by the looming future of connected humans that can't handle Facebook much less a relationship with their life data," he said. "I do think it's urgent that people look at the data they are creating and giving away.

"So much of our value to our employers, family and peers can be used in ways to make our lives better — instead of lining the pockets of mega-institutions that want to keep our attention."

Gionee to launch world’s slimmest phone, Elife S5.5 in India

NEW DELHI: Gionee is all set to launch the world's slimmest smartphone, Gionee Elife S5.5 on March 31, in the Indian market. The company announced Gionee Elife S5.5 last month at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. The company has sent invites to the media for an event that will take place in Goa.

Gionee Elife S5.5 sports a sleek metal frame with a thickness of 5.5mm and weighs 130gram . The phone features a 5-inch full-HD(1920 X 1080p) Super AMOLED Plus display with Corning Gorilla Glass 3 protection.

Powered by a 1.7GHz MediaTek MT6592 octa-core processor and 2GB RAM, Gionee S5.5 comes with 16GB internal storage and doesn't include a microSD card slot. It sports a 13MP rear camera with LED flash and a 5MP 95 degree ultra-wide angle front-facing camera.

The single-sim phone runs Android 4.2 Jelly Bean with Gionee's Amigo UI running on top. It has a 2,300mAh battery.

Connectivity options include 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0 and GPS. Gionee Elife S5.5 comes in Black, White, Pink, Blue and Purple colour variants. The phone has been launched at 2,299RMB in China and we expect it to be priced around Rs 23,000 in India.

Prior to the launch of the Gionee Elife S5.5, Vivo X3 was the slimmest smartphone in the world, sporting a thickness of 5.75mm. Huawei Ascend P6 is also one of the slimmest smartphones with a thickness of 6.18mm. Sony Xperia Z Ultra is 6.5mm thick. 

The internet is actually controlled by 14 people who hold 7 secret keys

This sounds like something out of a Dan Brown book but it isn't: The whole internet is controlled by seven actual, physical keys. The Guardian's James Ball was recently allowed to observe the highly secure ritual known as a key ceremony.

The people conducting the ceremony are part of an organization called the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN). ICANN is responsible for assigning numerical internet addresses to websites and computers and translating them into the normal web addresses that people type into their browsers.

For instance, type 64.27.101.155 into your browser and you'll be taken to Business Insider's web page. But www.businessinsider.com is easier for people to remember. ICANN maps the numbers (easier for computers to use) with words (easier for humans to use).

If someone were to gain control of ICANN's database that person would control the internet. For instance, the person could send people to fake bank websites instead of real bank websites.

On the other hand, if a calamity happened, the ICANN database could need to be rebuilt. So ICANN came up with a way to do that without entrusting too much control to any one person. It selected seven people to be key holders and gave each one an actual key to Internet. It selected seven more people to be backup keyholders: 14 people in all.

The physical keys unlock safety deposit boxes stashed around the world. Inside those boxes are smart keycards. Put the seven smartcards together and you have the "master key." The master key is really some computer code, a password of sorts, that can access the ICANN database.

Four times a year since 2010 the seven keyholders meet for the key ceremony where they generate a new master key, i.e. a new password.

The security to be admitted to the ceremony is intense, Ball reports, and involves passing through a series of locked doors using key codes and hand scanners, until entering a room so secure that no electronic communications can escape it.

The group conducts the ritual, then each person files out of the room one by one, and then they all head to a restaurant and party. 

TimesJobs.com Lists 5 Unusual Career Options in 2014

In this age of information overload, the world has only shrunk from all sides. While this has created many options, it has also allowed students to look beyond the run-of-the-mill options. TimesJobs.com lists 5 such unusual career options to look out for in 2014.

Neha Singh Verma, TimesJobs.com Bureau

Ocean Engineering – Explore the Over “seas” Opportunities

For those interested in water sports and research of coastal environments, Ocean Engineering is the study combining various engineering disciplines to develop systems that operate in the ocean and costal water. This field is considered to be an important link between marine biology, oceanography, geophysics and marine geology.  Ocean Engineers will lead the way in designing new equipment and structures to revolutionise the way we perceive our oceans.

Skills Required: Science & Technology, Design, Sketching & Building, Creativity, Attention to Detail, Critical Thinking, Math & quantitative Analysis, Research, Spatial Analysis, Water and wet lands analysis etc.

Career Path:

Occupations: Offshore Engineer, Ocean Engineer, Marine Engineer, Underwater Acoustician, Coastal Engineer, Geotechnical Engineer etc.

Industry Areas: Ocean Systems and Consulting, Coastal Engineering, Marine engineering, Environmental Engineering and Pollution Control, Dredging Engineering and Acoustics etc

Robotics – The Automating Career

Robotics is that branch of technology that deals with the design, construction, operation and application of robots. Robotics is being offered as a specialisations in Computer Science, Electrical and Computer Engineering, and Interactive Mechanical Engineering departments. The research focus lies in Human Robot Interaction, Artificial Intelligence, Medical Robotics, Control Systems and Sensors, Automatic Navigation Systems, Kinematics, Entertainment and Gaming Systems, Aeronautics and Space etc.

Skills Required: Critical thinking with a vast knowledge of technology, science, physics and robotics, complex problem solving abilities, knowledge of industrial machines, tools, ability to handle computer programs, analytical thinking, logical reasoning, ability to address problems with innovative solutions, comprehensive ideas to meet client requirements with strong budget planning skills and updated ideas on the future of robotics.

Career Path: When choosing careers, students have the option of working with Robotics as Engineers, Researchers, or design aspect in a wide-application of Robotics in areas of Psychology, Biology, Chemistry, Bioengineering etc.  As a field that is constantly changing and evolving, robotics is indeed a career for the future.

Environmental Studies: The EverGreen Career!

Environmental science is a very dynamic area of research and involves many different fields of study. It comprises various branches of studies like chemistry, physics, medical science, life science, agriculture, public health, sanitary engineering etc. All of these areas of study are necessary in order to gain a full and objective understanding of our environment, including the causes and possible solutions to our current environmental problems.

Skills Required: Attention to minute details, Curiosity, Inquisitiveness, Critical thinking and creativity, Quantitative Analysis & logical reasoning, Problem solving & technical aptitude, Teamwork & effective communication skills.

Career Path

Occupations: Scientist, Environmental Engineer, Agriculturalist, Geologist, Environmental Health officer, Natural resource manager, Environmental consultant, Conservation Analyst, Earth Scientist, Consumer safety inspector etc.

Industry Areas: Environmental Organizations, Laboratory Research, Public Administration, Recycling and Energy Conservation, Forestry and Natural Parks, Toxic Waste Disposal, Air & Water Quality Planning, Fisheries and Wildlife Management, Resource Economics etc.

Architectural Engineering – Build your Dream!

Architectural Engineering is all about application of engineering principles to construction, planning, and design of buildings and other structures. An Architectural Engineer does not only focus on aesthetic design of construction but they will work on building system design & structure, computer aided designs and models, and also address challenges and issues as to ensure the structure’s ability to withstand natural calamities such as hurricanes, heavy snow, earth quakes etc.

Career Path: Architectural Engineers will work in the Construction Industry or related areas. Strong growth is expected due to demand in commercial space because of demographic trends. The world is in need of people who can design efficient structures to meet the ever growing demands of the economy.

Occupations: Structural Engineering, Construction Engineering, Construction Technology, Urban, Community & Regional Planning, Environmental Design, Structural analysis etc

Art Director – Unleash Your Creativity In The Media Industry

With myriad job openings and a wide variety of media platforms to explore, art directors are always in demand because they are an asset in the movies, television and ad film industries. Art direction is the study of managing art in various industries and turning the ideas of the film director into reality. The role is about team work and how an art director brings the best out of everyone involved.

Skills Required: A successful completion of the course opens up a plethora of opportunities for the student. They are not only responsible for managing the entire team to bring creative ideas to life but also closely associate themselves with the production designer in budget planning. An art director has to take multiple factors into consideration before finalising a decision.

Career Path: With an ever growing media, aspirants who successfully complete the course can expect to get placed in advertising, film, television, publishing, web design or game development industries.

How to Hunt for a Job Using Social Media

BY YOHANA DESTA18 HOURS AGO

Securing a job is the tough part, but scouting an open position? All it takes is a strategic scroll through your favorite social media accounts.

Sites like Twitter and Facebook can be fun and frivolous, but they're also viable business opportunities. Plumbing through accounts, hashtags and personal pages could help launch next potential career.

Want to find a writing opportunity in a town near you? Just look up a hashtag on Twitter. Want to stay up to date with a company's career openings? "Like" them on Facebook. Want to create a beautiful resume that'll catch a recruiter's or hiring manager's eye? Head over to Pinterest.

Here's how to land your perfect job via social media.

1. TWITTER

In 140 characters or less, Twitter can help you find your dream gig. It's teeming with job applications and professional networking pages, if you know where to find them.

• Searches: Use that search bar to look for terms that apply to the job you want. For best results, type in words like "jobs," "hiring" and other specifics that apply to your desired field and location; for example, "writer" and "New York City."
• Hashtags: Typing #jobs and #hiring will result in a plethora of tweets from those seeking employees. Employers who want to cast a wide net will often tweet out job applications, with accompanying hashtags.
• Tweet often: Though it depends on your career of choice, tweeting is a great way to network with like-minded folks in your profession. Follow businesses and people you're interested in and don't be afraid to send them the occasional tweet. (On that note, make sure your Twitter account is polished and professional).
• Follow away: There are dozens and dozens of Twitter accounts dedicated to posting job applications. Go to the search bar and type in "jobs," then click "People" on the left-hand side. You'll soon see all the Twitter accounts with "jobs" in the username and can gleefully press the "Follow" button.

2. Facebook

Facebook is an undeniable social media juggernaut. According to its representatives, these are the top tips for trying to get a job through Facebook:

• "Like" some pages: Most companies strive for dynamic social media presences, and Facebook Pages are engagement 101. By "Liking" them, you can get daily updates about their activity. Plus, they will likely post links to available job applications.
• Private/Public: Take a thorough look at your privacy settings on Facebook, and make sure you know exactly how others view your Timeline. However, you should consider setting your work and education info public, enabling others to see your professional history.
• Stay updated: Make sure all of your work and education info is up to date and reflects your current position and past experience.
• Add "Professional Skills:" A few months ago, Facebook added a "Professional Skills"portion to the "About" section. Underneath work and education, add skills you've acquired, optimizing your professional appeal.

3. LinkedIn

Perhaps the most obvious of job hunting sites, LinkedIn is the network of choice for professionals.

• Connect: Unlike Facebook, it's a little less creepy to connect with strangers on LinkedIn, because everyone there is looking for networking opportunities. Connect to people who have careers you're interested in, and search around for those who might only be one degree away from you. For inspiration, check out the member stories portion of LinkedIn's blog, where users share their success anecdotes about networking through the site.
• Jobs Board: Not only does the site provide you with advice and connections, but it also has a jobs board highlighting available opportunities in nearly every field.
• Endorsements and recommendations: There's a portion of your profile dedicated to glowing recommendations and endorsements from your peers. Try to get as many as you can, and your page's likability will instantly boost.
• Share more: According to LinkedIn's Career Expert, Nicole Williams, sharing articles or content with your network boosts your chances 10 times for getting contacted by a recruiter. When you share content, it proves your knowledge in the industry.
• List all the things: Your profile is 12 times more likely to be viewed by a hiring manager if you have a detailed list of work experience, Williams says. The more robust your profile is, the more experienced and hirable you look.

4. Tumblr

You can use Tumblr, that vast Internet playground of GIFs and rabid fandoms, for help in the job search.

• Search tags: In the search bar, look for tagged terms like "hiring" and "jobs." It's a bit harder to separate the wheat from the chaff in the tag-happy blogging community, but you'll still be able to find plenty of cool companies advertising open jobs via Tumblr.
• Start Tumbling: This is especially important if you're the creative type. A Tumblr account attuned to your interests, and full of your own original content, automatically ups your unique appeal to employers. In addition, a good Tumblr following can lead to job offers from employers who happened to stumble upon your site.

5. Pinterest

Yes, Pinterest is more than just a pretty place to find wedding inspiration and delicious recipes.

• Pin your résumé: Tired of the standard, one-sheet format? Use a Pinterest board to "pin" your résumé. You can highlight certain aspects of your experience and add photos and links. See Rachael G. King, a social media manager at Sidecar who created a "living résumé."
• Follow these pages: For a never-ending well of job tips and opportunities, follow these seven helpful Pinterest boards.