User Experience Design Blog: Examples of What to Emulate

The user experience industry is a constantly evolving one. For both seasoned practitioners and newbies, it is important to stay abreast of developments and be in the know about what is happening. The best way to do this is by following a user experience design blog, or a few really, to stay current. It's easy to set up an RSS feed in your email, and just receive the updates in your inbox. You can then choose to read it immediately, or set it aside for further reading later on.

The Best User Experience Design Blog

The good thing about following more than one user experience design blog is that you get to read the opinions and thoughts of recognized industry leaders. You can also follow niche blogs that discuss new trends and innovative topics.

Here are the top user design blogs in the industry:

1. Nielsen Norman Group

The Nielsen Normal Group or NNG is considered as an authority user experience design blog. It is one of the longest running blogs that discuss and cover everything about the UX topic. This blog is known for its insightful pieces which are backed by research and concrete examples. You will also find case studies and interviews. A new post comes out once a week and you can sign up to receive their “Alertbox Newsletter” to be sure that you don't miss any single update.

2. UX Booth

Another good example of a great user experience design blog is UX Booth. This blog is run not by a single person but features the work of several credible authors. It is a comprehensive and high quality blog which publishes lengthy articles which are well researched, with reference citations. It also suggests related materials for the audience to read should they be interested to learn more about the topic.

3. UX Movement

UX Movement is a blog that is geared towards user interfaces and how it affects the behavior of users. This is a very specific niche that focuses on interface and this complements theories and different perspectives offered on the blog. There are also plenty of visual examples which will appeal to artists, who are of course, more visual learners than text-oriented ones.

4. Boxes and Arrows

Boxes and Arrows comes out with a post only every other week, but it certainly makes up for it by sending out quality posts. The articles are well-researched, insightful, and represents all angles. There are usually articles on interaction design, business design, as well as information architecture. The topics are always useful and fresh.

5. A List Apart

This is a design blog which was created for people who truly do web design. It focuses on the best practices and standards when it comes to designing for websites. It contains both shorter blog pieces and longer articles. Both are well curated and are written very well. It does not publish as often though, so you better subscribe to receive it if and when a new post does appear.

Apart from user experience design blogs, you can also check out videos and some ebooks on the topic of user experience design to further your learning.

How To Choose A Cheap Dedicated Server

Are you looking for the best dedicated server hosting solution for your business? Many business owners fail to realize the importance of web hosting when it comes to maximizing the potential of their website. Most of the websites on the Internet use shared web hosting. While this is perfectly fine for websites that get little traffic, this may not be the best option to use for your business. In this article, you will learn the benefits of using a cheap dedicated server and why it might be beneficial to invest a little more money for this web hosting solution.

What Is A Dedicated Hosting Service? 

A dedicated server is a type of web hosting in which all the hardware and software features of the server are used by a single person or company. Because of this, it has greater flexibility compared to shared web hosting or a virtual private server. By having the best dedicated server hosting, you have full control over the server including the choice of hardware and operating system. It is considered the most powerful web hosting solution especially for websites that get a lot of monthly traffic. 

The Advantages Of Using A Cheap Dedicated Server 

Since you have complete control over the cheap dedicated server, you get to enjoy all its features without having to worry about other webmasters sharing your bandwidth and other important resources. In shared web hosting, the server is used by multiple clients, which explains why it comes at a much lower price. However, there are also more security issues associated with a shared server. You would want to protect your business from such issues so choosing the best dedicated server hosting is usually the better choice.

How To Choose The Best Dedicated Server Hosting 

Since dedicated servers are much more expensive compared to shared web hosting or VPS, it’s tempting to go for the cheap dedicated server you can find. While it’s natural for you to want to save as much money as possible, it’s also important to consider a few important points other than price. Keep in mind that you want the best quality server for your business to ensure that there will be no downtimes.

The first thing to look for is good quality hardware. If possible, try to find enterprise grade HDDs or even SSDs. Do not hesitate to ask for the brand names used in the server. This can give you a clearer picture as to the quality of the different parts of the server.

When selecting the best dedicated server hosting, you must also take into consideration the needs of your business. If your website isn’t generating a massive amount of traffic, a dedicated server with decent specifications might be good enough. There are cases in which you do not need to rent a dedicated server with the best specifications. You can speak with the web hosting company to assist you in selecting a dedicated server that matches your business needs.

To choose the best dedicated server hosting, it’s a necessity to choose a host with excellent support. Chances are you are going to need their help at one point or another. Check their response times and see whether their support team really knows what they are doing. If all they do is send you links to other webpages, it is a sign that they are not offering high quality support.

A dedicated server may prove highly beneficial for your business. When looking for the cheap dedicated server, be sure to look beyond price and consider other factors including hardware quality, uptime and customer support.

Developing Your Own Forex Trading Strategies

The biggest mistake done by any Forex trader is not developing his own trading strategy. Most of the new Forex traders with XTrade or XFR Financial Ltd are excited and they are over confident that they can build their fortune quickly. But thinking so, they act in a non-professional manner. Soon they realize how complex this really is and they start accumulating losses which throw them away from the trades. Trading with sound Forex trading strategies XTrade or XFR Financial Ltd is what is required for every successful Forex trader. You must be aware that these strategies are the most important things which build a successful Forex trading career. Developing your own Forex trading strategies is vital and in developing those, you should be aware of the following things:

• What is the logic of trading? 
• What is the objective? 
• Managing funds 
• Analysis of results and documenting them 
• What to learn from your mistakes

Every time you enter a trade, you should have a good reason to do that. The reason that you are entering a trade because you are feeling bored or to get some excitement is not enough. A technical or fundamental reason for every trade is important.

How to develop Forex trading strategies with XFR Financial Ltd(XTrade)? 

The beginners in trading area commit a lot of mistakes which arise from inexperience. They allow losses to accumulate and collect their profits too early. Experienced traders have mental discipline and they use various Forex trading strategies in order to run trades successfully for their profits. Though there are many strategies freely available at XTrade(XFR Financial Ltd)and every one of them looks promising, it is the responsibility of a trader to check what suits best for him or her. It is not a good practice to adopt any strategy and start trading with the help of it. Every strategy has to be first understood carefully knowing the pros and cons of it. Then a back-testing process of the selected Forex trading strategies should be done. Not every Forex trader is same and all may have different goals and objectives from Forex trading. So the trader should first analyze himself and the style of trading he has. What time of day or week you will trade? What are your objectives from Forex trading? Is it a full time job or just part time? All these factors along with some more have to be considered.

It should also be noted while devising a strategy for you that not all Forex trading strategies XTrade or XFR Financial Ltd are hundred percent successful. What works for you should be used by you and whatever is the approach, every trading strategy requires self discipline and trading with patience in order to get the most out of it.

Apple Releases new Rose Gold MacBook with Longer Battery Life

Apple MacBook – Faster Process Option, Rose Gold Finish Option

A year after its first release, Apple had updated its MacBook product line with faster process options, longer battery life and a rose gold finish option to go along with silver, grey and gold options that were earlier available. The 12-inch Retina display laptop now comes with an extra hour of battery life, improved graphic performance and new Intel processor, after the product line presented a comeback last March. Before last year’s announcement, Apple had not restored the MacBook range since 2010, concentrating on the thinner MacBook Air and the more powerful MacBook Pro.

The weight of the new model is two pounds, measuring 13.1mm thick, making it the thinnest, lightest laptop of Apple till date. It comprises of sixth-generation dual-core Intel Core M processors, ranging from 1.1GHz to 1.3GHz based on configuration, 8GB of memory with around 10 hours of wireless internet browsing, according to the company. Apple has also stated that it has upgraded the MacBook’s memory to a faster 1766 MHz module from the 1600MHz version in last year’s computer and the integrated graphics are bounded to Intel’s more powerful 515 module with a potential of 25% improved performance.

Likely to Feature Integrated Version of Digital Assistant Siri

Last Apple had initially introduced rose gold as a colour option with the release of the luxury Edition Apple Watch last April, prior to extending the shade to the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus last September as well as Apple Watch Sport, before recently adding it to its 9.7 inch iPad. Though the latest MacBooks are shipped with OS X El Capitan, Apple will probably reveal its new version of Mac software during the annual developer’s conference WWDC which is said to begin on Monday June 13.

For the first time, after testing it for four years, OS X 10.12 is likely to feature an integrated version of digital assistant Siri. The latest software would comprise of a Siri microphone icon on the Menu bar which, when it is clicked would launch a dark background with coloured waves just the way it tends to appear across iPhone, iPad and the Apple Watch.

Implanting Siri in Mac’s infrastructure tends to be reasonable, Apple has been very clear regarding how it foresees its numerous devices working together cross-platforms. Announced at WWDC 2014, its Continuity umbrella comprises of a range of latest features which were designed as a first push towards seamless assimilated in the middle of the systems.

Remarkable Difference in the New Model

While the name of OS X 10.12 tends to be a mystery, there is a possibility of it being inspired by a Californian landmark or a location according to the most recent releases of Apple – El Capitan, Yosemite and Mavericks. It is very likely to be showcased along with iOS 10, the latest operating system for iPhone and iPad in June. Updates on watchOS for Apple Watch as well as tvOS for Apple TV are also anticipated. The new processors together with faster memory, is expected to make a remarkable difference in the new model.

 The pricing will begin at £1,049 for a 1.1 GHz dual core Intel Core m3 processor with Turbo Boost speeds to around 2.2 GHz, 8 GB memory together with 256GB of flash storage. It would increase to £1,299 for 1.2 GHz dual-core Intel Core m5 processor with Turbo Boost speed to 2.7 GHz, 8GB of memory and 512GB of flash storage.

It's confirmed - Your iPhone has a limited lifespan, says Apple

Apple – iPhone has Limited Lifespan of Three Years

It has been revealed by Apple that the iPhone has a limited lifespan of only three years. According to the Cupertino giant, the Apple Watch and iPhone is said to last for three years while Mac computers and the Apple TV would be lasting for four years. Apple had published on its site, recently in a new question and answer section which outlines the company’s environmental push, and released the life expectancy for different devices, together with the amount of greenhouse gases they expect to contribute in that time.

Apple considers the greenhouse gas life cycle for products by observing the hardware components, size and weight, shipping methods, daily usage patterns and disposal practices.Apple centres its lifespan expectancy on modelled use and the exact use of data. The Cupertino California Company groups its products by operating system to make lifespan projections, irrespective of other product specifications. Apple had mentioned in the report that `years of use that are based on first owners, are assumed to be four years for OS X and tvOS devices and three years for iOS and watchOS devices. In all cases, Apple is assessing first owner device lifespans.

Apple Revamped App Store – To Support Preservation

Hence if one purchases a used Apple device, the countdown has already started. An operative iPhone 5 for instance, which was launched in September 2012, could be considered as a living dead phone. Schemes whether Apple tends to build its products to die within a few years have been circulating around for years. Laura Trucco, then a PhD economics student had analysed the number of Google search for `iPhone slow’ all over the world for the last seven years and found that the search term spiked whenever a new model had been released.

In an effort to prove the theory, users of iPhone carried out test concerning phones running older software and updated forms to prove that Apple self-disrupts its out-of-date hardware, probably to inspire users in upgrading as early as possible. Apple revamped the app store recently with a range of Apps for Earth, created in business with the World Wild Fund for Nature –WWF in order to raise funds and support for preservation, as part of its new environmental awareness push.

Built Custom Content for 27 Apps

Apple had helped in building custom content for 27 apps which tend to promote the mission of WWF, that comprise of conservation of wildlife, forests, fresh water and oceans and would be donating 100% of the profit to the charities they are connected with from April 14 to 24. Likewise to Apple’s Campaign for RED in 2014, Apps for Earth includes updates to popular apps like Kendal & Kylie, Enlight and Star Wars Galaxy of Heroes.

The fact regarding the life cycles came about in answer to question regarding Apple’s Product Greenhouse Gas Life Cycle Assessment. Apple had broken down its environmental impact measurements in five segments, part by part measurements, power use scenarios, transportation cost, material composition as well as emissions data. The lifespan details had come from the power use scenario estimates.