Graham

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How to get started in the business of video product creation

How to get started in the business of video product creation

Television is moving online. In the last year Internet TV has grabbed the attention of the biggest media corporations in the world. Disney has entered into a partnership with Brightcove and the BBC has partnered with YouTube. And this is just the beginning-what you see today is the tip of an iceberg that will keep on growing for years to come.

Anyone can be famous, as the promo for Cisco’s “Human Network” campaign says. Anyone can be a producer today, and that’s only half of it-anyone can be a broadcaster of video content on the Worldwide Web. Video sharing sites like YouTube have created a sort of producing frenzy in the video world, and to be honest about it, there is an enormous amount of junk online. But don’t let that turn you against the medium. New technologies and new business models make it surprisingly easy for companies and individuals to market and deliver video products on the Internet today.

Even if you have experience with video product creation in traditional formats like video cassettes, CDs, and DVDs, you may not be fully aware of how new tools available on the Internet can take your business to the next level. Here are some tips on how to get started:

* Don’t quit your day job-you don’t have to in order to test products on a web site. Some of the fastest growing sites on the Internet today were launched by people who had full-time jobs. They entered the market gradually by testing sales of new products and services on the Internet. When they were convinced that a niche market was there to sustain them, they plunged into the Internet business full time. Your numbers will tell you when to quit your day job.

* One of the best ways to build a niche market is by selling video products on the Internet. Look at the types of videos that other people are selling. Which ones would you want to buy? Which ones add something of value to your life? Look around. When you find something you like, go ahead and buy it. If you have never purchased a video download on the Internet, you’ll be surprised by how easy it is. This is important preparation for you as a future marketer of online video products.

* The video you just purchased may be the best investment you ever make. Watch it from the point of view of a customer. Did you get your money’s worth? Would you buy another video product from the same site? If you aren’t completely satisfied, can you get a refund? Then watch the video from the point of view of a creator of video products. Why does this video work? How does it connect to my experience? And if the video falls flat on its face, why doesn’t it work? Why doesn’t it connect to me as a viewer?

As you provide answers to these questions, you will start to discover concepts that can be developed into your own video products for sale on the Internet. When you’re ready, all you need is a webcam, a computer, and a connection to the Internet.

How to get started as an online video publisher

This is an article I found on how to make a start in video maketing. Aimed at the people who want to make videos and get them published.

If you haven’t heard about the revolution going on in the world of Internet video publishing, you’ve probably been living in a cave for the past year. Video sharing is the hottest thing on the Worldwide Web today. Brightcove.com is making a strong bid to build the platform for the next generation of video sites, and it’s a great place to get started as a publisher of online video products. Brightcove has great tools for driving traffic to your video channel and boosting sales:

Create revenue streams on Brightcove from video downloads: You can sell and rent video downloads on the Brightcove.com and directly on your web site. Brightcove takes care of payment processing and live customer support. You control the terms of use and the price of each download product, of course, and keep 70% of the revenue generated from your sales. A tracking tool lets you monitor how your channel is performing on the Internet. You can measure your viewers and video streams on your affiliate sites as well as on your own web site. This tool also tracks your earnings from sales and rentals.

Be a live broadcaster of video products: Your channel appears automatically on Brightcove.com, making it easy for customers to find and buy your video downloads. As a broadcaster of video products, you can use Brightcove to build a community of users around your niche market. You can encourage your viewers to share your videos by enabling email links ands setting up subscriptions to video feeds. At all stages of the process you control how viewers share your videos-or if they can share them at all. This allows you to market content virally if you choose.

Video syndication to other web sites: Brightcove lets you create and manage your relationships with affiliates who want to syndicate your video products. You retain full control over programming and branding. Brightcove has entered into a partnership with AOL Video that creates an additional option for content distribution-as a Brightcove user, you can distribute paid downloads of your video products through AOL Video. The AOL platform lets you sell your video downloads directly to the huge audience at AOL.com.

Advertisers want to underwrite Internet video content: Online video publishers are generating significant revenue streams. Popular vlogs make money by selling subscriptions to users, by offering paid download content, and by attracting sponsors who want to enter into partnerships with creators of popular video products. Brightcove gives even free users the opportunity to earn advertising revenue from their video content. Newly launched channels are reviewed for inclusion in the Brightcove Ad Network. If your channel is included, you receive half of all the advertising revenue. Even if no ads run on your content, you still get free Brightcove service.

Brightcove’s customers already include Newsweek, Sony, Discovery Network, and the Tribeca Film Festival. Brightcove is one of the most exciting developments on the Worldwide Web today. You can stay informed of the latest developments in Internet TV by visiting their blog at http://blog.brightcove.com.

 

Hope you enjoyed it and can get some “takeaways”.

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How to create great video products

How to create great video products

In the last year we have seen an explosion in the online video market. Try these tips if you want to create great video products for sale on the Internet:

You’ll be more successful if you show how to solve a problem. Forget about trying to impress people. Forget about trying to look good. Be natural, be yourself, and show people how you solved a problem in your own life. Then give your viewers tips for applying these lessons and strategies to their lives.

Focus on action. Always think about action-about what you want your audience to do. Then build your video around that action. As the Roman statesman Cato said, “Find the message first and the words will follow.”
Failure is the result of a lack of focus. To be effective-for people to remember your message-focus on a single power point and present it as truthfully and as entertainingly as you can, rather than presenting a series of topics in a single video product.

The power of structure

Keep this basic structure in mind as you create your video product:

* Start with a powerful, attention-grabbing lead. Clearly state your theme in the first minute.
* Use smooth transitions to link one segment to another.
* Use action verbs. Change verbs in passive voice to active verbs. Keep adjectives and adverbs to a minimum.
* Give viewers a few suggestions to help them apply what they’ve learned to their lives.
* Be yourself. Use short words and sentences. If you’re stuck and you don’t know what to say next, explain it the way you would to your best friend or spouse.
* Connect with your audience. Wrap everything in human terms-make it something your next-door neighbor can relate to.
* Finish with a satisfying conclusion that reemphasizes your theme.

When you have an idea for your video, you’ll know it’s the right one if you can answer “yes” to each of the following questions:

* Does this need to be done? Am I the right person to do it? Can I see the world from the point of view of my audience? Can I think their thoughts?
* Can the market I’m targeting understand my video? Can I express the idea better in half the time? Antoine de Saint-Exupery said, “Perfection is attained, not when there is nothing left to add, but when there is nothing left to take away.”
* Does the idea hold together from start to finish? Does it move smoothly? Does the video make sense as a whole rather than just as the sum of its parts?
* Am I willing to say what I think is true, no matter what?

Now you’re ready to create a great video product. As you develop your video, keep this checklist handy at all times. It will let you know what elements in your video product need more work, and it will let you know when your video is ready to be distributed and sold on the Internet.

How to create great inspirational video products

How to create great inspirational video products

The revolution in Internet video has been triggered by video sharing sites like YouTube, where amateur content producers have the same power to broadcast their products as major media corporations. Individual content producers and Internet marketers are connected to potential customers as never before. “Welcome to a network where anyone can be famous,” says the voice over in the Cisco promotional campaign. “Welcome to the Human Network.”

All right, so now you’re convinced that you need to create video products for sale on the Internet, but you don’t have any ideas. Where do you get ideas for concepts that can be turned into video products that customers will want to pay money for?

The best ideas come from your own experience. If you know how to do something that can add value to someone’s life, you have a concept for a video product that can generate a revenue stream on the Internet for many years. If you have ever solved a problem that vexes other people, you have the material for an inspirational or motivational video that can generate revenue over and over again through your web site.

If you are confronted with a problem today, you have an opportunity to create a video product that can earn revenue on the Internet for years. Think about a problem you had with a product or service. Can it be improved? Can you think of a way to help people do something better, faster, or cheaper? Any of these questions can be the starting point for developing a concept for a successful how-to video.

To see what I’m talking about, check out Sanders Says (www.sanderssays.typepad.com). Tim Sanders is a marketing and product development expert who hosts this advice blog that concentrates on business and relationship management. Tim has developed video projects for clients at Yahoo (and at broadcast.com, before it was acquired by Yahoo).

Visit Tim’s site and listen as he tells the story of Paul Galvin. Paul was a hard-working man from a small town who wasn’t afraid to make mistakes. In fact, Paul learned early in life that wisdom is born from mistakes-his first three business efforts ended in failure. You have never heard of the first three businesses that Paul Galvin founded, but everyone has heard of the fourth one: Paul called his new venture “Motorola.” The rest is history; the company founded by the man who refused to give up gave birth to everything from wireless phones to one of the earliest computer chips.

Tim Sanders is a wonderful storyteller, and he uses this story to illustrate how great leaders inspired others. (You can also find this video on YouTube: just type “Paul Galvin story” in the search window on the YouTube home page.)

As the story of Paul Galvin illustrates, all great leaders inspire. Think of stories you can tell to inspire people. Use these concepts to create video products and start to reach a bigger customer base for your Internet business today.

Why you need to focus on video product creation

This is something I came across that explains the attitude you need to have when creating videos.
This image was selected as a picture of the we...

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Why you need to focus on video product creation

It’s easier than ever to create a video product for sale on the Internet. All right, I know you can’t compete with the big media corporations if your dream is to produce the next Lord of the Rings Trilogy. (In that case, your goal should be to get a job at a production studio and work your way up.)

But creation and distribution of online video products has become so easy-and so economical-that anyone with an Internet connection can become a broadcaster of video content for the Worldwide Web. (The faster your server connection, the better-a broadband connection is ideal for uploading video content to the Internet.)

As an Internet marketer, you need to be aware of what you can achieve by creating video products for sale on the Internet:
* The sale of video products lets you launch an online business with a minimum cash investment.
* If a video product is unsuccessful, it’s easy to pull it off the market without running up losses-you don’t have to invest in inventory to launch an Internet video business.

Find a vision for your video product. The keys to creating a successful video product are the same as the keys to success in any business venture: establish priorities and stay focused on your goal. Your vision must be to create a video product that adds something of value to your customers’ lives. Inspirational videos and how-to videos accomplish this goal-one of these areas is a good place to start. Keep these simple tips in mind as you start to develop a video product for sale on the Internet:

Focus on your strengths. Find one thing that you do well and build your video around it. Don’t spend a lot of time trying to fix your weaknesses-we all have them. Successful people spend most of their time doing what they do best-they concentrate on their strengths.

Stay in touch with your customers. Businesses fail when they stop listening to what their customers are saying. Always approach your video business as a system that needs to be constantly improved to maintain your advantage over the competition. Stay focused on your customers. Concentrate on creating a video product that adds something of value to their lives.

Test the market. You don’t have to quit your day job to start creating video products to sell on the Internet. Most people think that great companies are established by entrepreneurs who risked everything to test a business idea. The truth is that many successful Internet entrepreneurs launch and test their business systems without quitting their jobs. You can create a video product without leaving your job, test the market on your web site or blog, and tweak the business system until the profits tell you when to plunge into the new business full time. Your chances of success can be greatly increased by making a gradual entry into an Internet video business.

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How the Worldwide Web empowers producers of video content

English: Mark Schulze, Videographer and Direct...

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This is an artice I have found that  shows how the Worldwide Web empowers producers of video content. You may like this.

The cost of creating video products has come down enormously in the last few years. Internet technologies like video podcasting let you sell downloadable content without the need to produce your own cassettes, CDs, or DVDs, and without the need to maintain an expensive inventory. The Internet has made it possible for anyone with a computer, a few simple tools, and a broadband connection to be a creator and broadcaster of video products.

The best thing about the creation of video products in today’s market is that you don’t need a huge capital investment to get started. You can produce high-quality video products with a consumer-level camcorder. And if the only recording device you own is your new Bluetooth video phone, you can get started with that.

There’s a growing online market for video products
There will always be a healthy online market for instructional and inspirational video products. It’s a mistake to think that individuals cannot compete with big media corporations in the areas of production, distribution, and marketing of video products-the audience for Internet video is growing so fast that there simply isn’t enough material online to satisfy the tremendous demand. The explosion of video sharing sites like YouTube is evidence of how fast the market is growing. In fact, amateur producers of video content already share space on YouTube with professional content from media giants like CBS and BBC.

Many of these large corporations hesitate to put their expensive resources to work on small projects that require highly specialized knowledge. That’s where you come in-if you can identify an area where you are the right person to provide informational content to a niche market, you will find customers for your video product on the Internet.

Add something of value to your customers’ lives
What you need to understand is this: Your profit depends on producing valuable information-not on the overall viewing experience, as is the case with feature-length films and commercial television productions. Your customers won’t care about your packaging if you deliver high-quality content. In fact, delivering video content on the Internet even lets you do away with the packaging completely. This allows you to focus all your energy on creating and marketing the best product possible. Your customers will appreciate the added value in your video products that your increased focus brings.

If your goal is to produce the best video ever made on the subject of cabinet-making or gardening, for instance, you can compete with any studio in the world. People will do almost anything to find meaning and rise above the limits of their ordinary lives. Connect with your viewers on a human level, give them insights for getting more out of a career or a hobby, and they will come back to your Internet site often.

If you choose your topic well and approach it with passion and focus, you can achieve a level of sales that lets you turn video production into the core of your Internet marketing efforts.

I think the idea of focus and a clear passion for what you do will always energize a person and help them succeed.

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Focus the key to creating great video products

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Focus – the key to creating great video products

Lack of focus is the main cause of failure in business. This is true no matter what business you’re in. Focus acts like electricity-you can’t see it directly, but you can see how it affects companies and people when it’s running through them. To be a successful video producer and Internet marketer, you must make yourself an expert in one field or niche-the best way to do that is by sharpening your focus. Before you start to create your next video product, consider these simple tips to put the power of focus to work in your business:

* Focus increases your self-discipline. Focused people are able to distinguish between the jobs that bring them closer to their desired goals and the daily demands that only waste their time. They don’t get overwhelmed by all the urgent but unimportant jobs that demand their attention.

* Focused people know where they want to go. When you have a focus, you have a vision of what you want to achieve. Above all, focused people concentrate on reaching their goals. Focus helps you measure your results and readjust your game plan when necessary.

How to increase your focus
Post reminders for yourself. Hang your favorite motivational signs where you’ll see them when an idea for a video product seems to be going nowhere. Written reminders can help you recover your focus.

Set daily priorities. Be sure you have an action plan for every day. As you become more skilled at video production and as you learn from your mistakes, this will become second nature to you. But you will always need to do this. Always go back to your list of priorities before you jump into a new task.

Complete the video project you’re working on before you start a new one. We all want to create as many revenue streams as possible-this is a basic part of what we do as Internet marketers. But you’ll only make money by getting video products online one at a time. People who lack focus find themselves getting excited about a new idea before they have finished a project. If you have fallen into the habit of leaving projects undone, you suffer from a lack of focus.

Keep an idea book with you. When you’re working on an idea for one video product, it’s not uncommon to get a stream of ideas that could be a starting point for other great video products. Don’t let your next “great idea” cause you to lose your focus. Jot it down and keep working on the first project-stay focused on one project until it’s completed. Don’t start work on another idea until the last project is up and running on the Internet.

Stay focused on your vision. Write the vision for your video product where you can see it every day. Remembering your vision will keep you from drifting. If you get stuck, narrow your options and choose a single point to talk about. If you find yourself throwing out all types of different solutions and ideas at your viewers, you’ll only create chaos.

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Four key elements in the creation of a great video product

 
English: Camera operator, for TV] Français : C...

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Four key elements in the creation of a great video product

The type of video you decide to create will largely determine the other elements that you use. Keep these four key elements in mind during the planning and production of your video products:

* Target Audience: This is the most important decision you need to make. Who are you trying to reach? You have to think about demographics: age, socioeconomic level, gender, nationality, educational level. It’s no good to jump into the planning process with vague statements like, “I want to create a video product for sale on the Internet that will appeal to everybody, everywhere.” First define your niche market, narrow your target audience, and create your video with a specific type of person in mind. When you set out to create the kind of video product that one specific person will want to buy, you increase the likelihood that a lot of people will want to buy it. Always wrap your language in images that your target audience can relate to.

* Participants: If you decide to shoot a how-to video on an area in which you have expert knowledge, you are the natural choice as host. If you decide to create a do-it-yourself video in an area where you don’t have expert knowledge, you will need to take great care when choosing a host. Once you’ve decided on a subject and a host, you will need to work together on the script. And always remember that video is not just a format-it’s a language. Never say it if you can show it. The viewers will understand much better when they see it being done, so don’t just explain things while the camera focuses on you. The rule of thumb is: Whenever you can present a visual image of something, show it instead of talking about it. Instead of explaining how to do something as you talk into the camera, always show a demonstrator (whether it’s you or another person) carrying out the action as you describe what’s happening. You’ll quickly become an expert in the use of “voice overs”-speaking off camera as the audience sees action taking place. Do-it-yourself, educational, and promotional videos should be full of voice overs.

* Length: The type of video you decide to make will determine the best length. A great promotional video can be done in as little as 3 to 4 minutes, and should rarely be longer than 7 to 8 minutes. A do-it-yourself or educational video will be from 10 to 30 minutes.

* Props: If you’re doing a how-to video, the subject matter will determine what props you’re going to need. Even if you plan to be your own host or demonstrator, make a list of all the props you’ll need. Lay out the shoot before you do it and walk through it several times with your camera operator. This will keep the shoot from turning into chaos-even experienced studio professionals work with a prop list every time they shoot.

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Online Dating

Hаvе уоu еver bееn оn а romantic date? Or beеn drag on а blind date? Dating іѕ а type of courtship thаt includes аny social activity dоnе bу two human beings, whоѕе aiming of assessing еаch оther’s compatibility аs partners іn а romantic relationship or аѕ a spouse.

Nowadays, there аrе dіfferеnt kinds оf dating; depending оn whаt аrе you seeking. Thеѕe arе blind date, video dating, speed dating, online dating, virtual dating аnd online dating assistants.

One оf thе traditional ways оf dating іѕ blind date. Uѕuallу somе of уour friends, family members аnd со-workers search fоr а perfect date fоr you аnd you dіdn’t mееt your date previously. Sоme оf it conducted іn our society ended up аѕ а couple.

Durіng thе ’80’s аnd 90’s, video dating іѕ popular amоngst youngsters, еѕрecіаllу whеrе thеy gave a performance оn video, mоѕtlу оn VHS tape werе used аt thаt time whіch wаs viewable by othеrѕ. And іt uѕuallу hаd shown іn private, іn thе samе facility. Sоmе services wоuld rесоrd and play back videos fоr men аnd women оn alternate days tо minimize thе chance that customers would meet еасh other оn thе street.

Speed dating iѕ аlsо accepted bу manу men and women who wanted to hаve a date instantly. It іѕ arranged іn а bar with 20 potential partners wіth a thrеe-minute interview еаch individual joined іn. After finishing thе ѕaid interview, they wіll move on to the nеxt prospect date wіthіn the time limit.

Nowadays, online dating іѕ а common thing аmоng the уоuth аnd for thоѕe who arе seeking partners on thе Internet. It іs a system which allоwѕ уоu to communicate with othеr people оver thе World Wide Web аnd usually wіth thе objective of developing аn intimate relationship. Therе arе sоme online dating services usuallу рrovіdes уou unmediated matchmaking, thrоugh thе uѕе оf personal computers оr mobile phones. It generally requires prospective member tо provide personal information, bеfore уоu саn search the service provider’s database fоr othеr individuals likе age, gender аnd location. Mоѕtlу, thеy аllоw members tо upload their photos and browse оther’s picture. Thеy аlѕо offer additional services thаt yоu mаy uѕе; such as webcasts, online chat, telephone chat, and message boards оr online forums. And іt аlѕо рrоvіdеѕ уоu to register fоr free, but theу аre offering theіr services іn whісh yоu hаvе tо pay a monthly fee.

Severаl websites аrе broad-based, with members coming from а variety оf backgrounds lооkіng for dіffеrеnt types оf relationships. Othеrѕ аre mоrе specific, based оn thе type of members, interests, location, оr relationship desired bу ѕоmеоne who’s searching for а date.

Virtual dating іs a combination оf online dating аnd video game playing. It involves thе use of avatars fоr people to interact in а virtual venue that resembles in а real life dating environment. Thеre are somе dates іn а virtual café in the ski slope on the Alps оr оn а scenic view оf thе Grand Canyon.

Thеrе аrе vаrіouѕ websites аvаіlаblе оn thе Internet with access tо valuable tips оn hоw tо find а partner, bоth men аnd women. Thеу are called online dating assistant. It hаs expanded thеir services аnd offering mоrе tо make іt easier fоr people tо find thеіr future partner.

It аll started bу helping customers build theіr own profile. On the оthеr hand, thе service continues with picking оut potential matches, thеіr writer sends introductory e-mails tо thе possiblе matches and continues messaging back and forth untіl thеу can confirm thе date. Evеn though іt wаs usеd mainlу bу men, this hаѕ changed with mоrе ladies uѕіng thіѕ service аѕ wеll.

Therе аrе sоmе online dating pros and cons уou hаvе to remember. You hаve tо check first іf thе profile thеу’ve posted іѕ genuine. Thеrе аrе ѕоme people usеd false information lіke age, location and еven thеіr nаme. You mаy check thеir identity thru several social networking sites lіkе Facebook, Friendster, MySpace, еtс. And bеforе giving ѕuch personal information lіke home address, telephone number аnd еven passwords, dоn’t trust them because thеу mіght bе a hacker оr criminals.

Hаving an online date iѕ recognized by othеr generations. Doіng it on уour spare time iѕ easier for you tо seek а relationship оn thе Net, еven when уоu’re оn а vacation wіll makes yоu аt ease rаthеr thаn going on date іn person. Yоu сan sее theіr profiles and pictures оf уour date, but don’t bе shock whеn уоu ѕеe hіm оr hеr personally is totally diffеrent online.

Befоrе joining іn аn online dating membership, уou havе to be cautious іn transacting yоur credit card. Hackers likes credit card. Theу might swipe yоur plastics withоut noticing уоur bill. Thеy simply get аll the information abоut credit cards; thеy саn duplicate іt lіkе уоurs. Yоu nеed tо hаve virtual credit card number, in whісh is offered bу sеvеral credit card companies.

Bеfоrе deciding whether уou ѕhоuld gо for а date online or nоt, уоu hаvе to tеll yourself, “Should I trу online dating?”

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Web Video Issues and Tips

When creating videos for niches there are some basic troubleshooting and posting tips than can help to minimize the video editing needed.

Audio Issues

If you have never created  a web video before, the initial instince is to focus on the visual aspects of the video.  Although this is very important, there is a need to be aware of the vital importance of the audio.  If you have ever watched a web video, and the audio was bad the first thing you would do is leave the website without viewing the video. Errors that are commonly annoying are the sound is too quiet or loud and the audio is not synchronized to the  video.  If you have ever watched dubbed Kung Fu movies you will know what I mean.
To ensure that  you have optimal audio with your web video make sure that you have the proper equipment.  It is not necessary to go for high end hollywood but you should think about getting a seperate microphone especially if you intend totalk and include others in you web videos. Don’t just rely on an inbuilt wecam or PC  microphones. They tend to give  low-quality sound, and if it is windy outside, or if there is any type of background noise, nothing will be picked up correctly. 

English: a Rode Dead Cat Windscreen and a Rode...

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If you are worried that holding a hand-held microphone will make your web video look “cheap,” there are several ways tocheat the system.  If you have more than one person helping you with your web video, simply allow the extra person to hold the microphone out of frame while you are speaking.  This will ensure that you are clearly, and professionally, heard but you don’t have to worry about holding an awkward microphone.  However, if you do not have an extra person to hold the microphone, you can simply place the microphone close to you, but keeping it out of the shot.  In order to do this, you may want to have a close-up done on yourself, or the subject that you are filming. 

Since the frame will be closer on you, you will not have to worry about the microphone showing up in the shot. You can place the microphone on a table by you, however, this may result in strange noises, especially if you have a neighbor that lives below you.  A great tip on filming and recording audio in this manner is to hold the microphone in your lap with it facing your mouth.

This will let you have a shot that is focused on your mid-waist and up, as well as allowing the microphone to be close enough to your mouth to record the audio.  Make sure that you speak louder than you normally do when the microphone is in your lap,however, don’t yell.  Web videos are awkward when the speaker is having to force themselves to be louder.

Web Video Troubleshooting

When you have a website that is home to web videos, you will most likely run into problems that are difficult to answer.  These issues can be from an inability to play the video, to not being able to hear sound, to the video not even showing up.  Having web video issues is a part of using such a technological feature on your website. However, it’s comforting to know that many of the problems that you may encounter with a web video are easily fixed and can be so in a matter of minutes. Perhaps one of the most common types of web video errors is individuals saying they cannot see the video, or they can see the picture but they can’t hear anything.  While this may be the result of something bigger, most of the time it is just because the person attempting to view the web video does not have the most recent updated version of the particular video player you are hosting.

Whether you have a Windows Media Player, Real Player or QuickTime Player, all of these require individuals to have the most up-to-date version of its player in order to view web videos properly.  If you are getting complaints that sound familiar with the ones above, simply tell your visitors to update their player and see if it works, most of the time, it will.

Another main problem that people have with web video is when they start playing the video, it stops and starts again, and the pauses and then starts.  This cycle can repeat for several minutes, which causes many of the viewers to simply stop watching the video.  There are several reasons why this could be happening to the viewer.  The reason why a video will do this when it’s playing is because  either the viewer has a slower Internet connection, or the users computer is simply too old to sustain that much data transfer.

Did you know that it can up to 12 minutes for a person with dial-up connection to download one minute of video; of course, this all depends on how the video is compressed.  Another reason why the video is performing in this manner is because there are simply too many people on the network, thus it is slowing the download speed of the video down.  A great way to help this problem is to simply push pause and allow the video to download for several minutes.

Another reason why web videos may not work is because they are not in the correct format.  If you are allowing individuals to download a certain type of video, make sure that they understand what format it is in.  An example of this would be letting yourvisitors know that in order to view a certain video they must have the QuickTime format installed, which is the .qt or .mov format.  A great way to eliminate the worry and frustration from your website visitors is to clearly put links to the various media players websites, which will direct visitors to the download site for the particular player.  This will ensure that even if a person doesn’t have a particular player downloaded onto their computer, they are able to obtain this player quickly and return to view your web video. 

Where To Post Your Web Video

When you are searching for locations to post your web video, you will want to ensure that they have enough daily traffic to give your video a chance to shine.  Of course, there are plenty of websites that will allow you to have this exposure, they key is putting your video on the right sites. For many individuals who make web videos there is only one site that provides them with enough traffic and daily viewers to satisfy their need for page views.  This site is YouTube, and it is one of the top sites for individuals to be entertained, informed and enlightened.  With the ability for literally anyone to post a video, you are able to show the world what you have to say. However, the key in getting your video seen by YouTube members is by placing keywords that are popularly searched and relate directly to what your video is about.  If you are showing a new product, type in keywords that refer to the product and what it fixes.  It is very simple to gain views from YouTube; however, you must know how to describe your video properly. You also need to ensure to abide by the Terms and conditions to avoid hvaing your account suspended.

Another website that is quickly becoming popular in posting videos is Facebook.  There have been many individuals who have gained notoriety through this site, and if you are promoting a service or product, than you don’t want to miss this website.  The reason why videos do so well on this website is because it allows you to watch videos and then instantly show your friends, because Facebook is more than a video hosting site, it is an extremely popular social networking site. Thus, if your video truly sheds light on a particular subject, or is very helpful, it won’t be long until your video makes its rounds throughout thousands of friend’s lists.  Of course, make sure that your video clearly explains its topic and is very helpful, because the last thing that you want to do is mislead an army of  Facebookers. 

There are other sites such as vimeo where you can do  much the same as YouTube.

Remember, if you put time and energy into your video, you will want to also put time and energy into where and how you post your videos.  By doing so, you will most likely experience web video success, and increased traffic to your website. 

 

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Five Ways to Profit From Using Video Online

 

02 Moving through the market video - Paris France

Image by Karmor via Flickr

The newest media wave to hit the online shorts video. Individual emails abound with links to “the funniest video ever,” and blurry clips of new babies’ birthday parties.

Businesses, on the other  hand, have largely been left standing in the shore, scratching their heads and wondering if there’s any real value to be earned from diving into making their own live video broadcasts, video emails or video on demand infomercials. Here are just five of the  many ways video adds to the bottom line of any company.

1. People remember more of your message.

While people generally remember 10% of what they read and 20% of what they hear.  But, they’ll remember as much as 50% of what they see and hear together. Before anyone can action your message, they need  to process and remember it.

2. Increase responses by about 30%.

A call to action is much easier to follow if it is actively delivered. Sound and motion are powerful action drivers, especially when they are delivered by your  enthusiasm and passion for your topic. Companies who have made the switch to video email and on- demand broadcasts have reported response rates jump as much as 30% following  the broadcast.

3. Build your credibility.

People do business with people they know, like and trust. When you cut through the technological barriers of the Internet and put yourself online, you put “yourself on the line” as far as viewers are concerned. The time it would normally take you to build a relationship with a potential customer can be dramatically shortened asa result.

4. The cost savings are obvious.

Anytime you can avoid the high costs of sending  someone on the  road to meet with clients or attend a meeting, the bottom line savings are immediate and obvious. In addition to any costs associated with  attending a meeting, you need to factor in travel costs covering airfares to taxis and tolls, hotel costs, meal expenses, and even your internal costs to process the expense paperwork.

5. Soft cost savings multiply returns.

Spare yourself  the productivity drain and the physical and mental tolls travel takes on your company’s road warriors and you could enjoy “soft” cost savings that dwarf your hard dollar travel costs. Want an example? Look at  your own calendar for the past month and count up the hours you spent traveling to and from meetings. Multiply that by your hourly wage, and then by the number of employees inyour firm.

If reasons like these don’t help you convince the reluctant decision makers in your company to add video to your communications mix, please be patient with them. Historically they are in good company.

There were many who claimed the smeary images on hard to handle rolls of paper called “faxes” would never function in place of an original document. And who, they asked, would ever want to spend more time typing an email message when they could so easily pick up a telephone and place a call?

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Digital Video Editing Software

 

Video Editing

Video Editing (Photo credit: Dalboz17)

Are you seriously looking to buy digital video editing software? If yes, you aren’t alone. Many people, especially  online entrepreneurs are realizing the importance of video advertising. That is why video editing has become a trendy business right now. Even those who are no t doing any business online want to  edit videos for weddings, family gatherings and  memorable occasions. For that reason , editing videos can  be a task for everyone . Those who want to join filming industry cannot escape it. The work of a digital editing program is making videos or movies look more real.

They help you create a video clip that your friends, family and yourself  can  enjoy viewing. In case you want to upload some videos to your personal website, then  you aim to show them to your web visitors. You would   hate to share ? useless or boring video, of course. As you can see, it is now easier than ever  to edit whatever you capture with a digital camera. There is one big consideration that one must make when looking for the best digital video editing software. This is whether certain software is compatible with your PC.

You should pick a product that can allow you to import many media files, such as  Zwel-Stein. Note that there are many other options at your disposal and some of them are freeware. Do you know what this means? It means that these are free editing  programs. A few of them are very complex and demand that you  have good skills in editing. If you want PC software options, know that you have  many of them and you need only to be sure of your video editing need.

Those who use Linux have plenty of choices in the open source category. Some of the available systems  can work on Mac or PC ?? well. There are some that are exclusive for Linux users. Mac editing programs that are free for everyone are few, including Jashaka. The best way to learn what is best for you is  reading reviews. Many previous users spare enough of their time to write a product review. This  is currently the best way to know if a product not only works well, but also  if it is real. If you decide to buy, then you cannot  afford to b? careless. Don’t  rush to buy the first software application that supports your Linux, Mac hardware.

Conduct ? thorough research so you can find out if such aan item is worth your time or money. Follow similar steps with free open source software programs for digital video editing. Honestly, you cannot  be sorry or regret anything after buying ? product you understand properly. As long as you know your editing need, there is a product for you. Whether digital video editing software is for sale or it is free of charge, do make sure it can solve your current problems. Get yourself  ? program that can handle daily editing workloads, if  it is available.

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Adding Video to Enhance Empathy

 
Two "street signs" at Boxwood Public...

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Adding a personal video t? ??ur website ?an r??lly enhance the appearance and th? personal feeling th?t ??m??ne g?t? wh?n th?? visit. Thi? d??sn’t h?ve t? b? a professionally shot video, ?u?t ?n? th?t conveys y?ur sincerity w?th?ut be?ng ? blatant sales pitch. Y?u m?y be surprised h?w for thi? c?n g?t y?u.

In th?s day ?nd age people tend t? feel disconnected. Th?re ?? n? personal touch, esp??i?ll? wh?n ??u start b??oming m?r? internet/on line dependent. We ?ll ar? individuals in our cubicles or home offices, but th? feeling of being cutoff fr?m ?ur peers, customers ?nd suppliers i? growing.

L??k?ng ?r?und when y?u are ?ut in public w?ll give you ? real sense of what I ?m trying t? convey her?. Y?u ??e people ?ith?r walking purposefully ?r strolling casually, but th?y ?r?bably hav? ??m?th?ng ?n common. Th?? ??th?r have ? cell phone pressed to their ear, ?r ? little flashing light indicating ? blue-t??th enabled phone.

I remember the fir?t time I saw ??m??ne w?th ? wireless headset ?nd talking. I th?ught th?y w?r? a lunatic. one m?re loose screw ?n the giant machine, ?an y?u relate t? wh?t I am s?y?ng? Th?r? i? even ? commercial now wh?re ? guy ?? ?n th? convenience store talking on his wireless ?nd the clerk thinks he’s being robbed and attacks th? man. Y??, it i? a funny commercial, but i? th?t wh?r? w? ?r? headed? All ?n ?ur own world, ?v?n when w? ?r? ?ut in public? B??ng rude to people serving u? b? n?t ?v?n h?v?ng the courtesy ?f turning off th? phone dur?ng a face t? face interaction?

Th?? ?? wh?r? ? video on ? site ties ?nt? things. Y??, ?t ?till i?n’t human interaction, but ?t d?es give ? feeling f?r what th? oth?r person i? l?k?. I hav? ??en m?n? videos embedded ?nto websites and only small percentage ??tuall? reach out and touch y?u. Tho?? ??em t? b? ?n?? th?t ?re unscripted, but h?ve experts with ?n agenda. Th?t agenda can h?v? ? sales pitch to ?t, but t? be ??nc?r?, ?t h?? t? have real content in ?t ?? w?ll:Adding ? personal video to y?ur website ?an r??lly enhance the appearance ?nd th? personal feeling th?t ?om??n? get? when the? visit. Th?s do??n’t h?v? t? b? a professionally shot video, ju?t ?ne th?t conveys ?our sincerity without b??ng ? blatant sales pitch. You m?? be surprised h?w for th?? ?an get ??u; N?t hints ?bout content, n?t clues ?r “teasers” but actual u?eful content.

H?w patient ar? you? C?n ?ou sit through 20 minutes of video if ?t ha? usabl? points? Or ar? ??u t?? used t? th? tw? minute flash ?f video? D?e? it matter wh?t y?u think people want to ?e??

The real answer t? th?t ?s no. D? ?ou w?nt t? eliminate s?m? ?f ?our potential clients by refusing t? cater t? ? broader audience? Y?u ?h?uldn’t. The Internet ?nd ??ur marketing plan should both be unencumbered b? the ?ither/or choices ?f th? ‘real world.’

Ye?, years ?go y?ur budget w?uld be restrained b? th? monetary decisions of newspaper, magazine, radio or television ads. Th? Internet d?esn’t hamstring ??u th?r?. D?n’t choose on? ?r th? ?th?r. Choose both. Do short videos and long videos. Distribute them on th? plethora ?f video sites. D?n’t limit yours?lf to wh?t ??u th?nk people want t? s??, experiment w?th different types ?f videos, embed unique links and track wh?t works ?nd th?n focus on th?t. But ?till d?n’t ignore what do??n’t work ?s w?ll.

Th? video that reaches ?n? million viewers ?r mor? (think about NFL Championship TV ads) d?n’t d? ??u ?n? good if the? d?n’t bring ?ou customers. B?tt?r to h?v? your video viewed b? 100 people and 10% turn into customers, th?n t? h?ve ?t viewed by thousands wh? d?n’t act.

Business Videos ?hould b? u?ed t? gain customers, n?t fans. Viewers turn ?nto customers b? s?eing som??n? the? ??n relate to ?nd empathize with. Staged ?nd scripted ‘ads’ ?r? n?t th? way t? do th?t. Relax, turn ?n the camera ?nd b? ?our??lf. D?n’t ov?r edit ?r ov?r-think, ?u?t let people know who ?ou ?re and h?w ??ur product ?? ? solution t? obstacles ?n th?ir path. Customers will b?at ? path t? ?our portal.

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Video Editing Equipment

Video editing has become ? very important part of life. Most specifically, ? web master cannot ignore it now that video online marketing is very trendy. To succeed in this form of marketing, you require video editing equipment. Finding one is not a problem because you can do the shopping online. The biggest challenge you are likely to experience is making the best choice. Most first time buyers experience some difficulties that you can prevent. If you are looking to buy any equipment, chances are that you want ? computer software program.

High end linear editing suite, 1999.

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This is latest technology and it is diverse. In other words, there are very many programs meant for editing videos and movies. Before you can choose any of them, try evaluating your needs. You will most likely consider the following basic requirements. A camera comes first because you need to do filming to make videos. If you are not ? professional in photography, all you require is a good camera, HD style if possible. These are available on the Internet especially at Amazon, and they do not cost ? lot of money.

Well, if you will be filming yourself, a camcorder seems to be the best choice you have. As soon you get ? perfect camera, then you have to get ? laptop or a computer. Do not get just any machine. A powerful ?t?le is much more likely to support your video editing works for ? long time. With ? camera and ? computer, you can go to the next step. This involves choosing the best video editing software program available today. There are both open source and software programs for sale.

In addition there are simple products meant for beginners and other complex styles for professional’s. Therefore, you have to be sure of your abilities. Further, you have to identify your editing needs. Do you film ? lot and so you have lots of editing work to do a ? daily basis? Probably you own a company which you have created website for and want to upload videos to it. In short, you have to analyze your needs first before you can choose a program. Another thing you cannot rule out at this point would be proper research. It can reveal top video editing equipment producers available today. Are you wondering how?

People who were once in your position are kind enough to write product reviews. Y?ur only job is reading them carefully before you can spend any money. Even free editing software items are not necessarily without problems. The only way to find out their nature is from reading other peoples stories. As you might discover in your search, big companies such as Microsoft have free movie-making programs.

There are other giants in the same industry that your research will reveal to you. What you will be doing with the video editing equipment of your choice is cutting, pasting, saving, and burning files to DVDs and so no. You require a computer video edit controler as well. It functions by controlling playback and it as well records VCRs through a unique protocol. The only thing you have to ensure is that this                                                                                                     controller is compatible with every other device

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Watching Movies On Iphone

So you’d like to watch movies on your Iphone. You’ve come to the right place. In order to do this, there are many different choices and ways to go about it. The main reason for this is due to the Iphone needing  movies to be stored as MP4s. If you’d like to find out exactly how it’s done, check out this article.

In order to be able to watch movies on an Iphone, they need to be saved onto the Iphone itself in the MP4 format. This makes it much easier to download movies to watch rather than transfer them from your DVDs, as many downloadable movies will be in MP4 format already. If you do want to watch your existing movies (DVDs) on your Iphone, it can still be done, it will just mean you need to obtain some recording software to rip the movie from the DVD and convert it into the necessary kind of file.

Recording software varies in price, you can get some decent software for free or you may need to pay up to $50 or so for the better stuff. Run a few simple Google searches to find some examples, and you may want to search for “freeware dvd ripper”or something like that to help you find the less expensive stuff. Once you have the ripped files saved as MP4s on your computer, you can transfer them across using Itunes, the way you would any other file.

As we said before, it’s a little easier to watch downloaded movies on your Iphone, as quite often they will already be in the correct format, so you don’t have to fool around with different software etc. In order to download the movies, all you need is a decent speed internet connection and a good idea of where to download the files from. It may seem that you can download movies from all kinds of places on the internet, but always try to avoid the torrent/P2P style sites, as they are illegal and can cause huge problems with viruses etc and things like that. In general, it’s always better to stay as far from these kinds of sites as possible, and if you do go near them try to make sure your security and antivirus programs are fully updated and in good working order.

Thankfully there are a few legitimate download sites springing up on the net these days, and these are a much safer bet than all the torrent sites. Basically they work by charging you a one off fee to get your membership, which lasts for life, and then giving you unlimited download access to their huge databases. Quite often the selections at places like this have to be seen to be believed. It’s more than just movies too, you can expect all the movies you can think of, plus millions of music files and games and TV shows too. It can be quite mind boggling the first time you visit. These sites are the most recommended for anyone wanting to download movies to their Iphone

Most of the movie files will come in MP4 format, and so you can just use Itunes to transfer them to your Iphone.

As you’ve seen, downloading stuff to your Iphone isn’t as straight forward as you may think, so I’m hoping this article has helped you get a better understanding.

How to convert AVI to WMW

Video Converters are need these days if you want to make use of the many varied editing and Video creation tools and techniques. To get your videos on sites such as YouTube these skils will have to be mastered. Below is a freely available article which gives an overview that you can build on.

With so many different video files available today, there is going to be an instance when you need to convert one format to another in order to enjoy the presentation. AVI has been around for some time, while WMW is newer and not as well known. Here is some information you need to know.

What is AVI and WMW?

Both AVI and WMW are Microsoft formats. They are used to save audio and video clips into a specified format that can be shared and played. AVI is a format that will work on the Windows Media Player and many of the more popular plug-in media players on the market today.

By contrast, WMW is not used as often and tends to work only on newer versions of the Windows Media Player. This means someone who is using a multimedia player that does not support WMW or has an older version of WMP will not be able to make use of a WMW file.

Why Would I Want To Convert an AVI file to WMW?

The main reason may be that your player seems to like a WMW file better than other formats. Perhaps you just prefer to keep all your video clips in one format, and WMW is your format of choice. However, unless there are some sort of technological restraints, there is really no value to using one format over the other, in terms of quality.

How Do I Go About Converting a File From AVI To WMW?

The easiest method for the novice is to purchase conversion software that will convert one multimedia format into a different one. As with all software, make sure that the product is compatible with the resources on your hard drive, and the operating system you use. Also double check to make sure your media player will support viewing of a WMW file before you do anything else.

Does Conversion Software Cost A Lot?

Actually, no. In fact, a quick look around the Internet may provide you with some basic downloadable software that will convert one media format to a different one. Make sure that the software will manage the conversion you have in mind before downloading. If you can’t find free software that will convert AVI to WMW, then a trip to the local computer store will provide you with several options.

 

This article has only just covered the basics of what to to . There are many other conversions you will need if you work on the internet and have your own site or word press blog. The conversion software will in many cases be able to handle these conversions. Other Blog entries will go into this in more depth. I hope this has given you a feel for the task and you can do more guided research.

How to Edit Internet Marketing Videos When you have Vista

Realse of Windows Vista in Sweden

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Have you seen the videos made online to put on your website

Making videos using tools such as windows movie maker or windows live movie maker can be done for free. However, if you have Vista, be sure the the program works OK.  If you have changed any permissions you may encounter issues such as not being able to create the movie.

Video Editing Free Tools

There are usually two applications on the PC as stated above, Movie maker and Live movie maker. Live looks more “modern” but can be more temperamental. Movie maker is more error tolerant , especially when using 64 bit Vista. There is also Jing for smaller videos and this has a paid version. It seems to work OK with Vista. Another option for PowerPoint style videos is Animoto. Camstudio is also anther option.  Many of the other free options may have issues with Vista. You can check them out yourself , but from experience I can say some of the older ones will have permission issues and will not work well with Vista.

Video Editing paid options

For paid applications the main standard is Camtasia. You can get a free trial for 30 days to see if it is right for you. They have a very strong support structure so can help with most technical issues. With Vista 64 bit you may encounter some issues depending on the user profile set up in Vista. On one machine I set up the only way I could get it run was to use the “full”  administrator rights.  There are others such as NCH Debut. Debut has a free option you can use and is split into several modules. For a basic record and edit system it will be less than half the cost of Camtasia but will have fewr features such as editing and enhancement features . It works well with Vista.

 Editing Methods

For most of the video editing systems, especially the free ones the movie will have to be in a format that can be read by the software.  For recording Camtasia and Debut will use an internal format to record.

Once you a recording you can do many things. You can add a soundtrack and put it into you movie by using drag and drop features.  You can also  cut out parts of the movie (trim & split),  you can add other movies into you main one. Special transitions such as fading in and out of sequences, annotations and titles can also be added. Once you have what you want the movie is then “rendered”.  This creates a complete movie in a format such as avi. With more expensive systems it is possible to output something that can be directly uploaded to your website or YouTube style sites. For the cheaper or free ones you will generally need to have Video Converter tool to change the format to “flv”,mp4 or Swf. Free software such as Format Factory can do this for you . Playback free software such as VLC can also do this.

Related articles

Some Video Marketing Tips

Many small businesses now recognize that it would benefit them  to make YouTube videos for for their own website. However,  many also have little understanding concerning  what type of videos to create. The following information will hopefully give some video marketing tips that can be used by small  business owners.

1- Give valuable information & content to your customers

Ensure that your target customers  get to know your products and services. Let them see details on  features. In all cases focus more on the  “value add”  benefits they can get from your product or buying from you. Include at least one  unique selling proposition in your video script.  In other words, show what customers or clients will receive from working with you instead of your competition.

2- Create ? video for Customers Questions

Small businesses will  often know their customers well and the questions that clients or customers will  frequently ask. Create Videos  to answer those FAQs and then post them on your own website or a  video sharing site.

3- Have extras and gifts to expand client base

Make ? video which promotes an Irresistible offer and create an an opt-in list. This will enable you to get potential customers to provide you with their email address and name to get an opportunity to win ? valuable product. You could offer ? desirable product, tutorial video, eBook or anything else that would be of value to your customers.

4- Make video with case studies

This is a good selling point for any business. When you have verifiable written case studies it is a highly effective promotional tool to market your business. This type of video will significantly boost your business. It offers statements via audios and visuals of previous clients or customers who have good news to tell about your product or service. This video should be a subtle selling feature to show potential customers how they could also get help from your service or product.

5- Product Review

Just about every business has a targeted market that would be fascinated with product reviews for merchandise directly linked to your service or product. You can make ? video that will cover benefits and features in depth for the product and also give expert evaluation or opinion to your customers.

Get Away From The Computer Before You Go Crazy

For many people their life revolves around  technology. They have become indispensable tools. Where would we be without  our computers, i phones, internet connections, Facebook,Google, and all the others. everyone has become so obsessed that they exclude reality from their daily lives, a true addiction.

Many of us love what we do and tend to go overboard on our jobs putting in  way too many hours at keyboards. The work can involve stressing on producing proposals reports, fighting the PC (Especially if you still have Vista)  receiving and making calls etc. Many people spend all their  time staying up to all hours of the night taking years of their lives.

Slaves to Time and Technology

Gadgets in Akihabara (in this shop electronic ...

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We become obsessed with meeting schedules , instantly responding , instantly delivering, perfecting, emailing ,facebooking , twittering, multi-tasking. People think they can multi-task but the reality is the human brain does not do this. It focuses on one thing, switches off from that then goes to the next task. It is like switching a computer on and off for each task, there is a time lag for the system to “boot up”. How many times have you been behind a person in the subway who is texting etc. They think they are walking fast but they are holding everyone up. Tests have shown that a person completing one by one tasks performs them 30% better and quicker.

So, how much technology, continuous exposure to technology , can the human brain take before it shuts down. How much can we remember? Do we need to take a break?

How many of you have your partners complain on vacation  about  bringing laptops and other latest technology gadgets with you on vacations? Maybe it is time to  wise up.  Maybe it is time to leave the technology behind on one of your vacations. From experience, it will be like someone has set you free, lifting  a tremendous weight off your shoulders.

Try to get away occasionally read a book or take some exercise. The work will still be there. In the days of paper memos there was a saying. Leave them for a week and you will find most of them were not as important and vital as they seemed.