Wordpress Plug-in round up

We have a few plug-ins that we enjoy to use and we thought we’d share the love, have a look and decide for yourself if these WordPress plug-ins are what you are looking for in your blog. There's  three things we've learned you need for a great blog. One is a lot of hard work concerning content (since you want it to be unique), second you want to perfect your SEO tactics and third you need interesting and relevant plug-ins. For all of these to work you need a quality ADSL package which most likely should give you an uncapped ADSL account to perform all three of these tasks.

Simple Facebook Connect

This plug-in is great to use if you want to give your new visitors an easy way to register on your site. Instead of having to take their time to add even more details once again to another site they can just connect with their facebook account. If they don’t have a facebook account they can just connect with their regular sign up details. This is a great way to make the sign up process fast and easy, it might even safe some potential users because of the simplicity of the sign up to your site.

Slick Social Share Buttons

It’s all about getting your name out there and what better way than making it easier for your guests to share your site with their firnds with the click of a button. This plug-in adds a button on your site with facebook, twitter, google +1, linkedin, digg, stumbleupon, delicious, reddit, buffer and pinterest pin buttons so visitors can merely press a button and share your site with other potential visitors. Great for pulling in some traffic, that is if you have worthy content to look at.

Uji Countdown

Uji is a great way to interact with your clients and give them a modern looking countdown clock to an event. It’s very customizable and is very well designed. If you need to count down a poll or a competition then this plug-in is your winner.

Snow Storm

If you’re site is about the alps, snow sports or anything to do with the cold and winter then this plug-in is perfect for your site. When activated snow starts falling at a slow pace, it’s not blinding snow and it doesn’t distract you enough to get agitated and close the site.

Big Door

Big Door is putting both feet in the door when it comes to gamifying your site. Initially a plug in it evolved into something more and we thought we should at least mention their work. Gamification is where you reward your viewers with gifts and points when they interact with your site. A good example is when they click “like” on your site or comment they will receive points, with which they can buy products online. Definitely a good way to keep your customers interested.

Convenience Culture

My parents grew up paying for everything in cash. In the digital era that we are living in, it is no strange occurrence to hear a 50 year old or older person utter the term “in my day”. The reason is simple, in their day a lot was actually different. A credit card or debit card was not even an idea yet. With the internet expanding exponentially, online shopping and online payment gateways have become the norm.

Nowadays everything is about convenience. We want fast food, speed mail, online shopping and internet on our phones. The list can go on for ages. We are a convenience culture. If we want something, we want it NOW! Just think of something as simple as a kettle. Many years ago you would have had to start a fire if you wanted to make a cup of coffee. I know that is really many years ago, but my point is that developers try to make every new invention/creation more user-friendly or convenient than the other.

Every effort is made to satisfy consumers and provide us with the most enjoyable and convenient experience no matter what the product or service.

The other day I heard about a couple who visited Zimbabwe. They were in a very rural and under developed area, and decided to go for supper at the only local restaurant. Because of the horrible shape of the Zimbabwean currency, it took this couple a cool bag and a backpack filled with cash to pay for their meal. If this restaurant had a payment gateway service to pay online or with a credit/debit card, this couple would have had a much more convenient evening.

Rise of a GIANT

A few years ago no one really knew who Apple was. Most people thought it is a fruit distribution company. In a matter of years, Apple has become a household name, and people all over have started to replace their normal computers with a Mac. Software like Metatrader 4 is even being developed for the Mac platform.

More and more developers are converting their software to suit the Mac platform, and some are even specializing their products to only work on Mac. Apple have established themselves as a true giant in the industry with products such as the iPod, iPad and obviously their wide range of Mac computers. In the end, nothing says success better than money or financial figures. With the release of the new iPad 3, stocks for Apple have broken new ground. Just a day before Apple’s new iPad came available in stores the stock ticked up to $600.01 at Thursday’s open before selling off. The new iPad, at a starting retail price of $499 is relatively affordable compared with one share of stock.

There can be no question about the rise and success of Apple, the numbers speak for themselves. Even with the passing away of Apple co-founder and chairman, Steve Jobs, Apple have not lost any ground in the market. One might even say they gained more since his passing.

Moving forward, software developers should follow in the footsteps of the metatrader range with products like the mt4 demo account made specifically for the Mac platform as well.

5 Things to buy online

Personally, when I walk into a computer store, I go into limbo. Even the sales people realize that this guy doesn't need any assistance (or maybe they are just bad at their jobs). There are so many things that I desire from a computer store. With e-commerce expanding wildly, geeks all over the world can now buy their favorite software/hardware from the comfort of their own homes. Fortunately for the rest of the world, almost anything else is also available online. I will now name five desirable products that I would love to purchase online.

1. An iPad. I have always wanted one of these, and with the unveiling of the iPad 3, it is the perfect time to jump on the Apple bandwagon. Apple has made some amazing products in the last few years, and the iPad is no exception.
2. Mass Effect 3 for Xbox. As a keen gamer, it would be unforgivable not to give this game a try. Mass Effect 3 is one of the most anticipated games of the last few years, so it is a definite must.
3. TomTom Start2 GPS Device. Everyone gets lost some or other time. A GPS device is a must have for any traveling man/woman. Knowing where you are going can make life a lot less stressful.
4. GoPro HD Helmet Hero. For those days when you do something crazy, it is always handy to have one of these on your helmet. I would love to record my first skydive with a GoPro HD Helmet Hero.
5. Metatrader 4. This product is probably the odd one out in my list. I have always been one for a challenge, and with this online forex trading platform I am able to trade currency from the comfort of my home.

The Diving Dog Phenomenon

Recently internet search engines have been buzzing with with the name Seth Casteel. Reason being, everyone wants to get to know the guy behind those camera lenses that brought us the photos of diving dogs.

If you are not following, then you probably aren't online a lot. Here is an explanation for you. Casteel started taking underwater pictures of dogs diving into swimming pools. This created such a stir, that it went viral within a few weeks. Even after his sudden rise to fame, Casteel stays a humble guy.

He has been very modest about his success, and has taken it all in his stride. Before the photos he was doing okay as a photographer but struggled getting buy sometimes. In light of his recent success, his client list has grown substantially. He has also had people from all over the world contact him regarding business opportunities and he has been featured in the New York Times.

He admits that he has gone from a struggling entrepreneur to someone who is going to have a career. Seth is not spending his new found wealth on fancy cars or big houses just yet. Instead, he is planning on getting a few new dog tattoos done and maybe buy a new underwater housing for his camera.

For Casteel it is not all about sigma lenses and underwater photos. He also has a non-profit company, Second Chance Photos, which aims to increase the quality of animal adoption photos at shelters across the country by providing photo equipment and technical training for shelter staff.

4 Tips for foreign exchange trading

Thousands of online investors and moguls try their hand hand at fx trading on a daily basis. This is a growing field, not only in terms of investors or traders, but also in terms of money. Foreign exchange trading is a fluctuating market, but when you trade shrewdly you may find yourself in a very fortunate position. Here are a few tips for foreign exchange trading.

It is important to know the difference between trade pairs and currencies. You have to know both sides. Knowing how both currencies impact one another will determine your success. If you are only informed on the status of one currency you will not make any gain. Assessing currencies in pairs is what gets your pocket filled.

Staying informed and keeping your knowledge fresh leads to profitable positions. Keep one eye on the market and another on the news and papers. Acting quickly may be the difference between gain or loss. Potential in the forex market is in the volatility not it's tranquility.

A lot of advice out there aim at emotional trading. This is utter nonsense in my opinion. Emotions are like waves in the ocean. When you make emotional decisions you tend to regret them in hindsight. It is important to make calculated and intellectual decisions. Not to totally disregard your gut feeling, but emotional and gut feel is different. You have to be able to distinguish.

Lastly it is wise not to trade in off peak hours. Using your mobile metatrader may be a helpful tool, but do not get trigger happy and trade just because of the novelty.

TAKING A GAMBLE

If running to the casino is your kind of debt management, maybe giving this a read will change your mind.

First of all, casinos are not in the business of giving away money, they are in the business of making money. If this is a revelation to you, we are definitely on the right track. Why would any business give away more money than they make. It just does not make sense. In other words, going to the casino with the hope of winning and clearing your debt is a gamble in every sense of the word.

If you are already covered in debt, spending your precious remaining pennies on gambling is not a good idea. Rather put your allocated “gambling money” into a nice pink ceramic piggy bank. When it is filled up, toss it against the wall, pick up the money and go to the bank and start paying off that outstanding debt.

Still adamant on taking a gamble? Here is a good place to start then. Consolidating your debt can be done in many different ways. It will be wise to approach an agency that deals specifically with such cases. This is not a proven solution, but hey, if you are into gambling you should at least try it out.

I would suggest that it would be a better gamble to buy your wife a bunch of flowers and stand the chance of getting lucky, than going for a quick gamble and be sure to spend the night on the couch.