9 simple steps to going digital

They say it takes 21 days to form a habit. And therefor another 21 days to break it. But making the switch from analog to digital is harder than just breaking a habit. It's generational. But just because you were born in a specific decade doesn't mean you have to be stuck in the paper age.

Here are nine tips to help you go from a scribbling-pen-and-paper boomer to a digital millennial:

1. Shopping List: Stop writing your shopping list on that dry erase board on your fridge and start keeping track of your grocery needs in an app that syncs between devices. Now, if your spouse picks something up at the store at lunch, you won't accidentally also buy it after work.
2. CDs: If you're seriously still buying and/or burning CDs please stop. Trade in that compact disc player, get an iPod, and turn all those 15-song albums into 100-song playlists. Then throw away that CD sleeve on your car's visor. You can thank me later.
3. Notes: Stop taking notes on post-it's at work or home -- jot them down on your phone or tablet instead. Now you'll never forget them and they'll never accidentally end up in the trash.
4. FM/AM Radio: Ditch the radio at work or on-the-go and download an app and/or podcasts instead. They're fully customizable and sound better too!
5. Movies: Are you really still driving to the video store for rentals? Just rent it online on iTunes, Vudo, Amazon, or stream it on Netflix. Or at least go to the nearest RedBox. Then be sure to rate it on whichever service you're using. Now, next time you're looking for something you'll like, you'll get recommendations specifically for you.
6. Wallet: Replace all those cards in your wallet or purse with an app like Lemon, Passbook, or CardStar. It easily scans the barcodes and membership numbers to quickly create a digital copy on your phone. You'll lose a little weight (off your shoulder or out of your back pocket) and save some money at the same time.
7. Books: I know physical books have a "smell and feel" that are harder to quit than crack cocaine, but give a Kindle or Nook a try for 2 months and I guarantee you never fall off the wagon again. Syncing across devices and the ability to download new books anytime, anywhere, are just a few of the reasons you'll never turn a page again.
8. Recipes: Are you still writing your recipes on index cards and filing them away in box? Type them up on your computer for easy searching and sharing. Or download an app on your tablet or phone and instantly multiply your list of dinner options exponentially.
9. TV: Some shows are better live, one-at-a-time, on a week-by-week basis, but there are also hundreds of shows worth binge-watching on Netflix and Hulu at any time. Late to party on the new hit show? Out of the loop at the water cooler? Start a new show a month or even a season late and get caught up in a few days with TV on-demand.

Follow these tips and you'll find yourself not only paperless, but also much more organized and ultimately happier.

Have any other helpful tips? Add them in the comments below:

14 reasons I love iOS 7

iOS 7 on my iPad mini

iOS 7 isn't available yet. It won't go public until this Fall. But the beta version was released to registered Apple developers nearly 3 weeks ago. I downloaded it. And I love it! Here's why:

1. New Design: The new UI and UX is refreshing. I love the pastel, translucent design. I love the new fonts. And I love the redesigned native app icons.
2. Control Center: Easy access to Bluetooth, WiFi, airplane mode, and other settings is long overdue. Just swipe up from the bottom of any screen.
3. Flashlight: Control Center also includes quick access to your calculator app and a built-in flashlight on/off switch that controls your camera's LED flash -- one of the handiest apps I had in iOS 6 that I can now delete in iOS 7.
4. Photo Moments: The photos app now automagically gathers all your camera roll pictures into "moments" based off time and location.
5. Safari: Safari has been updated to include swipe navigation, bookmark icons on new browser windows, and new browser tabs that look like your flipping through a filing cabinet -- you can even tilt your phone to look down the page to get a better view of each tab.
6. AirDrop: I guess it's pretty cool functionality -- being able to share things with other iOS 7 users in your vicinity -- but the best part about AirDrop is stuffing a sock in the mouth of all those Galaxy S4 fanboys who think sharing playlists with friends is the "coolest thing ever!"
7. Group iMessages: A few subtle updates in iMessage, like photos of those involved, make group chats better than ever.
8. Integrated YouTube / Vimeo: I take tons of photos, but I always wish I shot more videos. With system-wide YouTube and Vimeo integration, hopefully I will.
9. Auto-Update Apps: Apps automatically update in the background so you never have to open up the AppStore again -- which should save you some money too. 
10. Camera App: The camera app has been updated with built-in filters and an Instagram-like square lens. I'm one of those people who take photos outside the social network then import it into the app later, so being able to frame the photos correctly on my first attempt is a big deal.
11. iTunes Radio: I've honestly never been a huge fan of Pandora Radio, but Apple always outdoes the competition, so I have no doubt I'll become an avid iTunes Radio user. Plus, it's integrated with your Music app which means it already knows what songs & artists you like, making it an immediately more powerful music discovery tool.
12. Notification Center Today: The new Notification Center includes a "Today" tab that gives you a personalized overview of your day, including appointments, weather, stocks, tasks, and more. And it's accessible from the lock screen!
13. Unread Mail Folder: The mail app now includes smart inbox folders including an "unread" folder of just new email messages.
14. New Siri Voices: Siri has been updated with a more natural sounding woman's voice as well as a brand new male voice.

Have you downloaded iOS and found other cool features I've missed? Add them in the comments below:

[INFOGRAPHIC] How social media changed the search for jobs & talent

The internet and social media have completely changed the way people find jobs and recruiters find talent.

Pre-social media, and even pre-technology, the word "search" had an entirely different meaning. For job hunters, searching for your dream job was a difficult, time-consuming, and often times luck-dependent process. Those who found their dream job just happened to be in the right place, at the right time. For recruiters, searching for qualified talent depended entirely on personal relationships. If you didn't know the person, or know someone who knew someone, you couldn't shake their hand.

Then Google (and Yahoo) changed everything -- and searching was instantly easier. Technology redefined "the search."

Today, technology has made it easier than ever to find what you're looking for. And with social media, you often find things you're not looking for. With everything your friends and follows are sharing you can't avoid it. Every time you check into your feeds and timelines your presented with new opinions, research, and opportunities. And if you're online, you can be found.

Today, everyone is a passively-seeking candidate, whether they know it or not. 

The internet and social media have completely changed the way people find jobs and recruiters find talent. The following infographic from TalentBin shows how these emerging technologies have contributed to improvements in the passive and active search for both the recruiters and the candidates:

[INFOGRAPHIC] Recruiting has always been social

Recruiting has always been social -- technology just changed how we define "social".

From the beginning, recruiting was always about the handshake. You met someone, got their resume, and shook their hand. Some time later, you introduced that person to another person, they shook hands, and the job was done.

Today, those handshakes still occur, just on a digital level. Instead of shaking hands in-person you connect on LinkedIn, follow on Twitter, circle on Google+, and like on Facebook.

Below is an infographic from JobVite on the social history of recruiting technology. The timeline clearly shows how technological innovations have created a new era of recruiting -- that's oddly similar to where it all began.

4K is the new 1080p. Ultra HD explained.

4K is the next generation of high-definition video. And if you think HDTV is high-def enough? Wait until you see Ultra High-Def TV!

4k is now officially "Ultra HD". But to officially qualify as Ultra HD, a display needs to have a resolution of at least 3,840 pixels horizontally and at least 2,160 pixels vertically. To put it simply, a 4K image has more than 4 times as many pixels as a standard 1080p HD image.

However, resolution isn't everything. Many other screen technologies (contrast, brightness, etc.) and viewing distances must be considered. For most displays under 50-inches, our current 1080p displays in our current living room setups are near "retina display" quality. Retina Display is a term coined by Apple to define a resolution where the human eye cannot resolve individual pixels at a typical viewing distance.

But for bigger displays (and bigger is always better), Ultra HD is like looking through a window on your wall. It's huge, and it's incredible.

Unfortunately, as with all new things, it's an unattainable technology for most consumers.

Right now, only three brands even offer 4K "Ultra High Definition" displays: Sony, LG, and Toshiba. And all three are extremely expensive.

LG's "Ultra High Definition" TV is an 84-inch display that will cost you $20,000. Sony's is the same size. but even more expensive at $25,000. And Toshiba's "Quad Full HD" TVs currently come in two sizes -- 55-inch and 84-inch -- at similarly high prices.

But even if you could afford these TVs, there's not much content out there in the 4K ultra high-def format. Of course you could always upscale Blu-rays or HDTV and it would look fine. Or you could shoot the footage yourself using a 4K-capable camera (i.e. the new GoPro Hero 3 Black Edition). But unless you can somehow get your hands on the 4K content produced mainly for commercial movie theaters, you're SOL.

However, just like HD and 3D, this technology will become more affordable and the content more mainstream. But unlike 3D, this is no gimmick. 4K is the inevitable future of television and film. And before long, Ultra HD will be the norm.

Meet the Newest Angry Bird

Say "Hello" to the newest member of the Angry Birds family: Balloon Bird

Balloon bird is little orange canary that blows up like a balloon when tapped. It will be introduced in the new Halloween update to Angry Birds: Seasons, a spinoff of the wildly popular original.

And when I say wildly popular I am not exaggerating (which I tend to do). Angry birds has been downloaded more than 400 million times and has 30 million users playing it every single day. And only half of those Angry Bids fans are in America!

Angry Birds is a perfect example of success through simplicity. Today, things are often over-complicated.  Even things that are start off as a simple concept all-too-often become over-complicated with success. The people at Rovio have resisted this urge. Even while spreading their reach across multiple channels -- multiple spin-off games, plush toys, a movie, and even cookbook -- they've managed to KISS (Keep It Simple, Stupid).

Software companies can learn from this. Take Facebook for example; thefacebook.com started as a simple concept where classmates could see each other's headshot, connect, and share notes. It soon became a way to "take the entire college experience online," and with every update, it became more and more complicated (and not without angering users). Today, Facebook is not just a place for classmates to connect, it's a place that 800 million people connect, post pictures, share what they're doing, who they're doing, what they're reading, eating, watching, listening to, and more. And with the upcoming Timeline update, it has officially become over-complicated.

But it's not only software companies that could value simplicity, all products and services should simplify their offer. Expansion and multiplicity only lead to confusion and devaluing your product. Soon-thereafter you'll have a complicated product surrounding what was once a valuable core concept. It can only go downhill from there. And the last thing you want is for it all to blow up in your face like when a green pig meets little yellow bird.

Marketing Meets Minority Report

As I marketer, I found myself watching "Minority Report" the other day wishing marketing was capable of the advertisements Steven Spielberg, Philip Dick, and Scott Frank dreamed up in their futuristic world. Imagine what we could do with the hyper-personalized messages to passers-by in the airport or at the mall. ROIs would multiply ten-fold. And all the guessing that comes with audience, location, and interest would disappear. There is hope. The at-the-time unimaginable motion-controlled technology in the film is now widely available for a few hundred dollars with Microsoft's Kinect. I just hope I am lucky enough to be the marketer and not the marketee when it happens.

Top 10 Best Things About TechColumbus

Besides "accelerating the growth of the innovation economy by providing vital resources and assistance to people and enterprises that depend on technology to achieve their business goals," TechColumbus is a great place because...

1.	...of Teresa and Tracy at the front desk
2.	...you get to have your very own key fob
3.	...the bathrooms have towels and blow-dryers

see the rest of the Top Ten here

Apple's new iPod Touch: Features and Details

Apple just introduced the new iPod Touch. "The iPod touch is a landmark iPod, ushering in a whole new generation of features based on its revolutionary multi-touch interface and built-in Wi-Fi wireless networking," said Steve Jobs, Apple's CEO. "People are going to be amazed at how thin it is and how much it does." It is basically the iPhone without the phone.

Apple iPod Touch features:

• 3.5 inch touchscreen
• 8mm thin
• cover flow library browsing (finger dragging you see on every iPhone commercial)
• 22 hours of audio playback
• 5 hours of video playback
• availability later this month
• the 8GB iPod touch model is $299 and the 16GB model is $399
• Apple's multi-touch user interface (same user interface as the Apple iPhone)
• WiFi internet connection
  
• Safari web browser
• YouTube capable
  
• iTunes Wi-Fi Music Store, which lets you buy songs on the go on the iPod touch
• motion sensors that automatically readjust the screen to landscape or portrait mode, depending on how you're holding the device
• AND an exclusive agreement with Starbucks that allows you to access the iTunes Wi-Fi Music Store for free in participating US Starbucks stores starting next month. When you enter a participating Starbucks location, your iPod touch, iPhone, or PC or Mac(R) running iTunes will automatically recognize the iTunes Wi-Fi Music Store. You can see what song is currently playing or has recently played in the store, and immediately preview, buy and download it over Wi-Fi.

Apple iPod Touch - Walkthrough from Apple.com - http://www.apple.com/ipodtouch/