by David Hakala
A smartphone is a cell phone with many of a computer’s features. A smartphone can store and run applications such as a calendar, contact manager, games, Web browsers and email clients, even a stripped-down version of Microsoft Office if you have the Windows Mobile operating system. Here are some things you should know when shopping for a smartphone.
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by Gabe Goldberg
Since this Tiplet is written in in English, I assume that most people reading it surf the Web primarily in English. And fortunately, there’s abundant English Web content, so we’re usually happy.
But occasionally I — a native English speaker with two long-ago years each of French and German classes but bare fluency in them — must read a non-English Web site or understand a bit of non-English text on a Web page I’m perusing.
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by Gabe Goldberg
When calling businesses, it’s common to hear the announcement, “This call may be monitored or recorded for quality assurance.” Everyone ignores or accepts the fact that a supervisor may listen in or evaluate the call after it’s finished.
But wouldn’t it be helpful to occasionally have access to a recorded call? For example, I might like to replay a complex call with a doctor, teacher, or lawyer, or I might refer back to a customer service call if I feel that promises haven’t been kept.
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by David Hakala
Compact, convenient smart phones are increasingly used in lieu of laptop computers for communication and personal information management when one is away from home or office. Consequently, it becomes necessary to ensure that up-to-date copies of your contacts, email, correspondence, and other frequently accessed information are on your phone as well as your desktop computer. You have to synchronize the two devices.
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by Gabe Goldberg
“Whine, whine, whine,” “Gripe, gripe, gripe,” and even “kvetch, kvetch, kvetch” usually mean “Shut up; stop complaining.” But when things go wrong, complaining courteously to the right person with a specific remedy in mind can be rewarding.
If a company Web site has a “Contact us” link, start there with an email or telephone connection. Be polite, identify yourself, mention how you’re connected to the organization (current or potential customer, etc.), and describe your dissatisfaction. Staying calm and cheerful will set you apart from most people and will improve the odds of your getting satisfaction.
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by Gabe Goldberg
What could be simpler than sending email? You type, someone (sometimes many someones!) reads. But aren’t there some people whose email you enjoy reading and some whose notes are annoying or even painful to slog through?
Simple tips will make you a “favored corresponder” and get your email read sooner rather than later.
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by Tina Gasperson
In times past the best way to get your news out was to mail or fax a copy of your press release to every newspaper office you could find the address and phone number for. But the Internet makes distributing your press releases much easier and more effective. One broadcast email can get your release in the hands of news desk editors in an instant. Or use a press release news wire service and extend your reach to the world.
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by Tina Gasperson
VoIP stands for Voice over Internet Protocol. It’s a relatively new protocol for telephone communications that uses the Internet and your broadband connection to facilitate phone calls. VOIP has grown by leaps and bounds over the last few years, and the reliability and quality of connections has improved proportionately. To use it, all you need is a reliable and fast internet connection, a VOIP phone or a microphone-equipped headset, and an account with a VOIP provider. You can even get free VOIP phone calls, depending on which service provider you choose to use. Most VOIP service providers allow you to call others in the same network for free, but change for calls outside the network.
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by Tina Gasperson
With all the things you can do with a computer and an Internet connection, going out to the post office seems an old-fashioned but necessary excursion into the “real world” to take care of business. It’s possible now to pay most of your bills online, so mailing letters with a stamp is almost a thing of the past. The only time a trip to the post office is necessary is when you have a package or large envelope to mail – and woe to you if you don’t have all the supplies necessary to get your package ready. Boxes, big envelopes, packing material, and the all-important sticky mailing labels – because after all, who wants to handwrite an address when the printer is right there, ready to do your bidding?
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by David Strom
As I mentioned in another Tiplet post on VoIP services for businesses, one of the best things about using a Voice over Internet Protocols (VoIP) phone service is a whole bunch of features that are included as part of the base package, features that normally you pay extra for if you use your ordinary local phone company. Let’s explore some of them that are available from Vonage to give you an idea of what you have in store for yourself.
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