100 Amazing How-To Sites to Teach Yourself Anything | Rated Colleges
Posted by Site Administrator in Online Learning May 7th, 2009 Learning new skills and expanding your knowledge doesn’t have to cost you an arm and a leg. There are loads of free resources on the Web that can help you find instructional videos, tutorials and classes to learn a wide variety of skills from fixing basic car problems to speaking another language. General Tutorials These sites offer a wide range of tutorials and videos. Around the House Want to know how to fix that broken cabinet or hang up some great wallpaper? Business and Management If you feel like you’re seriously lacking on business and management skills at work, no need to worry. KnowThis? Language and Writing Those who want to learn a new language, improve their writing skills or just learn more about literature will be well-served by these instructional sites. Technology These tech-focused sites offer help to both technophiles and beginners alike. actDEN: Never learned how to use Microsoft Excel? Math S.O.S. Science Creativity
6 Best iPad Apps for Business Users
This post originally appeared on the American Express OPEN Forum, where Mashable regularly contributes articles about leveraging social media and technology in small business. Since the iPad was released, more than 450,000 devices have been sold. While some may decry the lack of a physical keyboard and the App Store ecosystem as reasons why the iPad can't be used for "real" business work, the truth is, the form factor is perfect for the business professional on the go who doesn't need to have a full laptop. A few weeks ago I discussed some of my favorite business apps for the iPhone. 1. GoodReader is hands-down, the best PDF reader for the iPhone and the iPad version is even better. It handles really large files extremely well (it can even unzip files) and it connects to Google Docs so you can download your Google Docs files for offline reading or to open in another application for easy editing. 2. Cultured Code's Things is easily one of the top task managers for Mac OS X. 3. 5. 6.
10 Lesser Known How-To Video Websites for DIY Stuff
How-to instructional video websites take self-learning to another level of comprehension. You can repeat, fast forward and pause through the video instructions to grasp the ins and outs of how something can be done. It’s really great actually; you can teach yourself how to dice an onion or repair an iPod. You can even teach your grandmother how to work with a cash vending machine. Thanks to how-to video websites. Wonder How To Think of Wonderhowto.com as a “˜How to’ search engine. MonkeySee Do you know how to prepare for a hurricane? Trick Life Trick Life can’t compete in the looks department with some of the other sites listed here. Mindbites Mindbites is positioned as a marketplace where you can create and sell instructional videos. Graspr The instructional video website has neatly collected videos (20,000 filtered videos across 19 categories) on specific topics from Arts & Crafts to Home Improvement. Common Craft Teacher Tube WatchKnow How Do I WatchDoIt Image: kodomut
10 Beautiful and Usable iPhone and iPad Interfaces
This series is supported by Rackspace, the better way to do hosting. Learn more about Rackspace's hosting solutions here. Mobile devices like the iPhone and the iPad have been a real springboard for designers and developers. Because we can now literally have our computers in our pockets, our favorite applications and websites and services can now come with us. However, when designing for mobile devices, it's important to focus on the size and resolution of the device's screen, as well as how the user interacts with the device. What are some of your favorite iPhone and iPad apps from a design and usability point of view?
HOW TO: Develop a Branded iPhone App on a Budget
Trevor Ginn runs the online baby and nursery shop Hello Baby. Hello Baby’s first iPhone app, Peek-a-boo Baby Rattle, cost the company $750 and receives 3,000 downloads a week. Many leading major brands, including Audi, Zippo, Orange and Cadbury, are using branded iPhone apps as a way to reach their target audience. It's not hard to see why when more than 3 billion apps have been downloaded, and iPhone users are generally young and affluent. These days, branded apps are not just for big corporations with money to burn. Step 1: Pin Down a Useful Idea Don’t fall into the trap of thinking that your app has to be groundbreaking or fiendishly clever. A world clock that converts multiple time zones (for a watch manufacturer or retailer)A customized MMS message generator to celebrate special occasions (for a gift store)A baby rattle (baby product manufacturer or retailer) The app need not be revolutionary or unique, but should be visually attractive, easy to use and serve a useful purpose. 1.
Content-Focused iPad Apps Value Form Over Function, Study Finds | Epicenter
One set of instructions for the Moleskine iPad app. A report released by the Nielsen Norman Group shows that many iPad apps are confusing users by being too subtle about the gestures needed to navigate them, and some are not sensitive enough to the accuracy limit of fingertips. The authors also found that many companies with perfectly functional websites are wasting their time making a less-functional iPad app. [partner id="arstechnica" align="right"]The authors of the report sought to determine what roadblocks a group of 16 individuals interacting with iPads they’ve owned for two months would experience during use. The test subjects were asked to perform a variety of tasks on different apps and a few websites, including finding a story of interest they could easily get back to on The Daily, listening to the last “Science Friday” episode on NPR’s app, and looking for a birthday gift for themselves on Amazon. At the same time, users didn’t want to read instructions on how to use an app.
How to Decide Whether Your Business Needs an App [INFOGRAPHIC]
Does your company need a mobile app of its own? This question is something we think about a lot at Mashable, and the answer depends a lot on the kind of company and product or products in play. It also shifts based on the demographic you're targeting and the current state of the mobile landscape. One thing to consider is the cost. If you do decide (or if you've already decided) that building a native app is the way to go, check out our tips on how to build a mobile app, written with small and medium-sized businesses in mind. Alternatively, you can check out our resources on native versus mobile web apps and how to make your mobile web app look and feel like a native app. This infographic comes to us from BuySellAds, an online ad sales platform. Click image to see larger version. [source: BuySellAds] top image courtesy of Flickr, blakespot
