New Feature From Facebook Helps Connect Blood Donors With Recipients

Facebook is rolling out a new feature to help connect blood donors with blood recipients in India. Ahead of the National Blood Donor Day on October 1st, this new feature on Facebook places a special post on the home page. Depending on the requirements, Facebook requests blood of certain group and in the required locations, and based on donor profiles, it sends out notifications to qualifying donors.

Leveraging the power of social media

 

Leveraging its social connect for a good cause, Facebook is trying to make it easier for donors, recipients and organizations to achieve their respective goals. Taking note of the fact that there is a shortage of safe blood in the country, Facebook has teamed up with health industry experts and non-profit organizations to make sure that this new feature is safe for donors as well as recipients.



Facebook will start letting users sign up as blood donors starting from October 1st, on the National Blood Donor Day. Facebook will display a message in the news feed to encourage users to participate in this drive. The social network notes that all information in this regard will remain private and set to “Only me” by default. Users will be given the option to share their donor status on their timelines, which could lead to other users in the network to also sign up as donors.



Blood recipients and organizations can create a post when in need to blood, in which they can share their requirements, area, blood type etc. Once Facebook has this data, it will then compare it with qualifying blood donors based on the blood type, location, quantity etc. If a blood donor is okay with the request, they can respond through WhatsApp, a call or through Messenger. The blood donor’s information remains private even at this stage, helping privacy conscious users donate blood without worrying about divulging their information.



It’s worth noting that users have been trying to connect with each other for a variety of causes, blood donation being one of them. Several user-created pages are dedicated solely for this purpose on Facebook and even on Twitter, helping connect blood donors with recipients. With the kind of tools that Facebook has, this attempt to connect two parties for such an important aspect is a good move that can be a win-win for everyone involved.

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10 Social Media Tips for Startups

According to The Social Habit, 42 percent of consumers making a complaint via social media will expect a response within the hour.


This demand for instant attention has led to most business Twitter feeds pushing out "sorry about that" and "please Direct Me your details so I can resolve the issue" tweets almost every minute.

 
To help, we've compiled a list of useful tips to help your startup avoid these common pitfalls while also offering general tips on gaining followers and building brand awareness...

1. Assess your social media channels

 

 

 

Before beginning a social media campaign or reshuffle, it’s vital that you gather all current metrics of your social media channel in order to measure growth, and determine what works and more importantly, what doesn't (and could harm your brand). 


Key metrics worth taking down are followers/likes, clicks on links, mentions/shares, impressions and profile visits.


A weekly and monthly log of changes in these channels is the best way to monitor changes.

2. Respond as quick as possible to negative comments

 

 

 

Understandably, with small teams it's difficult to respond to each comment or tweet as soon as they come in. However, for negative comments the faster the response, the less likely they are to be annoyed (obviously).


Acknowledging the negative comment within an hour is the best was to quickly defuse a potentially brand damaging situation.

3. Don't just promote your own products or services

 

 

 

Your followers don't just want to see shameless promotion, they want interesting discussion, retweets and an insight into 'office life'.


Posting a messages like 'Happy Friday' or asking a topical question could generate much more social attention than a plug for a product. 

4. Use emojis

 

 

 

No one likes to feel like they're talking to a robot.


Social media marketers should show emotion in every tweet, whether it's excitement for a new product or a sincere apology for a glitch in service. 


Emojis are a great way of doing that, although without stating the obvious, don't over do it!

5. Use Hashtag when necessary

 

 

 

As we know, hashtags can open up your tweets to a variety of different groups, people and further social promotion. But 'irresponsible' hash-tagging or hash-tagging every word - is not going to win you any fans; and probably won't make your content to be discovered by the right audience anyway. 

6. Create a social media calendar

 

 

 

 

By creating a calendar of scheduled social posts, you'll be able to figure out which times of day provide the biggest return on your measured key metrics. What's more, a calendar should stop over-posting and posting the same content too many times.  

7. Know when to post

 

As we know, you'll be able to determine the best times to post by using a social media calendar and measuring that against your key metrics. But it's also worth noting that for most business profiles, tweeting or posting on the hour will result in being hidden among the thousands of others that tweet on the hour every hour. 


So opting to tweet at off peak times (for example, 6.03pm or 10.35am) could mean your post miss the rush and will be more visible to your audience. 

8. Direct unhappy customers away from your social page

 

Without being heartless, you don't want your corporate Facebook or Twitter page full of threads trying to resolve issues. To make sure this doesn't happen, startups can create a dedicated social page designed to to deal with customer issues and 'gently' direct them to this page to discuss the issue further. 

9. Create a house style

 

Finding a 'voice' that represents your startup's social presence is a great way of creating the perception of a reliable brand. 


Publishing chatty informal tweets twinned with corporate lingo is confusing and won't result in a loyal following. 


Instead create a best practice guide if there is multiple people tweeting from your accounts so all posts fit the overall message you're promoting.

10. Use paid advertising

 

Most social media channels will offer a paid advertising platform for businesses wanting to grow social reach. You should test the waters first, running small campaigns to see if this is something that will work for your brand and make sure they are specifically targeted for your target audience. 


This could get the ball rolling, but might not be a long term solution for some brands wanting to grow in popularity.


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4 Marketing Tips For Small Businesses And Startups

 


Marketing is tough for startups because it’s usually very difficult to measure value from it, and it can seem like throwing money away.

It’s difficult for new companies to understand and master the nuances that go into sales and marketing. Here are some tips to help you understand some of those:

 

Sell the benefits of your product

 

Your business model might be surrounded by the quandary of cost and quality. You want to either beat the competitor in cost or quality or if you can do both, then even better.

 

However, how you sell is different than how you market. Marketing is about showing the benefit of your product, not a direct comparison to your competitors.

 

Test and Fail FAST

Marketing is all about testing. It’s hard to measure how effective a marketing campaign is without trying it. Even experts get it wrong sometimes. Make sure to measure results and set up ways to track conversions (promotional codes, online marketing tracking) and run multiple types in small batches.

 

Allow customers to provide feedback in multiple channels

 

Having a place for customers to provide feedback and talk to one another is best in the current state of the world, and in most cases unavoidable. Even if a customer comes mad, you have a great PR opportunity to make it right. Nowadays people are more willing to do research before spending their money, and sometimes no reviews are even worse than mediocre ones.

Plus, it allows you the opportunity to improve your product and experience.

 

Market your product even before it’s finished

 

Waiting for a product to be perfect is a flaw most businesses make because the product will never be perfect. Creating awareness that the product exists will create demand and help start sales as soon as your product is launched.

How to Send Sensitive Information Over Email

Supposing corporate needs your bank's routing and account numbers to get you set up for direct deposits. Or the IT department needs your password to upgrade or modify your account.

That's not the kind of information you typically want to share via email. Or instant message. Or even fax. Ideally, it's the kind of thing you'd write on a sticky note and hand directly to the person who needs it.


Of course, that's not always an option, meaning you need some kind of safe, electronic way to transmit sensitive information.


Enter OneShar.es, which lets you create a secure, self-destructing message for one recipient.


 


It works like this: You click the blue Create One Now button, then type or paste the information you want to share. You can choose to automatically "self-destruct" (i.e. delete) the message if it hasn't been viewed within a designated amount of time -- anywhere from 30 minutes to 3 days.


Next, click Create Link, then copy and paste that link into an email. When the recipient clicks it, he'll gain access to the private message -- an action that also self-destructs the link (meaning no one else can use it).


OneShar.es is free, easy to use, and incredibly handy. Nevertheless, is it secure? According to the OneShar.es About page, the service relies on SSL to encrypt the data between your browser and their servers, and keeps the data encrypted while it's stored. Once your message is viewed, it's deleted from the system.


Granted, there's still no guarantee your data will be kept private and secure, but the same is true of any information you share online. If you have misgivings about using OneShar.es, well, there's always the telephone. Personally, I think it looks like a much safer solution than email or IM.


By the way, if you're an iOS user, the 99-cent OneShar.es app lets you create self-destructing messages on the run.


Have you found a better way to share sensitive data? Tell me about it in the comments.


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Lenovo’s New ThinkSmart Hub Promises to Revolutionize Videoconferencing

 



Over at Microsoft’s big Ignite event in Orlando, Lenovo has announced a new all-in-one device for the company meeting room, designed to easily facilitate Skype for Business videoconferencing.


The Lenovo ThinkSmart Hub 500 is a Skype Room Systems device, which is simple to set up, and allows for easily conducting Skype meetings and sharing content with local and remote participants.


 It does all this with a minimum of fuss, avoiding the time-wasting fiddling with laptops, cables and such which can often disrupt the start of a meeting session.


Lenovo built the Hub in conjunction with Microsoft, and it consists of a base unit with an 11.6-inch touchscreen which is mounted on a fully rotatable 360-degree stand.


It also benefits from an array of 360-degree microphones and Dolby Audio Premium sound, and is portable enough to be easily moved to any meeting room.
On the software front, the ThinkSmart Hub runs Windows 10 IoT Enterprise.

The wrong tech

 

Christian Teismann, senior VP and general manager, Commercial Business Segment, Lenovo PCSD, commented: “One obvious need for change is in how meetings are conducted, including the ongoing issue of the wrong technology to get meetings started quickly. This wasted time can cost businesses millions in lost productivity, so we’re thrilled the ThinkSmart Hub 500 can help solve that issue.”


The ThinkSmart Hub 500 will go on sale in the first quarter of 2018 with pricing still to be confirmed. Ahead of that, some businesses will be invited to test the device in pilot programs later this year.


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4 Best Bitcoin Exchanges in 2017

It’s all about reputation, currency support and transaction fees

 

 

 

A Bitcoin exchange is a digital marketplace for users to buy and sell Bitcoins using different currencies. The Bitcoin can be exchanged for either fiat money (legal tender) or other alternative cryptocurrencies such as Ethereum. The exchange serves as the middleman for traders of the cryptocurrency.


Being able to purchase Bitcoin is the initial step to trading in it. Just like trading a stock, Bitcoin exchanges charge transaction fees, which range from 0 to 1%. In order to trade Bitcoin on an exchange, the user needs to have an account, and go through a series of steps to be verified. 


Remember that Bitcoin and alternative cryptocurrencies are a completely digital currency, and there are no physical Bitcoins.


However, before plunging in with both feet, users should be aware of what to look for in choosing a Bitcoin exchange for their cryptocurrency transactions. This is analogous to the issues and potential pitfalls in making a choice of where to do your banking, or open an online brokerage account. Furthermore, bear in mind that unlike banks and stock trading, Bitcoin trading is largely unregulated by most countries, although this is changing as its popularity increases.


A good place to start is to look at the virtual coins which are supported by an exchange. With over 4,000 cryptocurrencies, and additional ones being added all the time, it is key to figure out which currencies you want to trade in, and then match the exchange that deals in those. For example, Ethereum mining has recently become more popular, but not all Bitcoin exchanges support this alternative cryptocurrency.

Language barriers

 

Next look at the country that is hosting the Bitcoin exchange. Some are in less regulated countries, and there may be additional problems if something goes awry. This can include time differences, international long distance costs, and language barriers. In general, it’s preferable to find an exchange that speaks your language.


Additionally, pay close attention to the fees levied. While all these exchanges charge transaction fees – after all, they are businesses looking to make a profit – as the user, it is obviously best to find one with the lowest costs in order to maximize your own profits.


Also look for a secure trading platform, and a Bitcoin exchange which has robust security measures. After all, you wouldn’t use a bank that didn’t have a vault, and stored its money on the counter…


Desirable security features include two-factor authentication, SMS or email alerts, encrypted emails, and wallet monitoring. A smartphone app can also be very useful in terms of accessing and monitoring funds – but equally, poorly implemented software can represent a security risk.


Finally, look for an exchange which is doing a good volume of trading – in other words, one with a high number of trading pairs, and high liquidity.
Now that we know the features to look for in the best Bitcoin exchanges, let’s move on to pick out our particular favorites.

 

1. Coinbase

 

 

 

This is a US-based exchange which was founded in 2012, and it supports over 32 countries. Coinbase exchanges Bitcoin and the alternative cryptocurrencies of Ethereum and Litecoin, and it’s the largest of the exchanges, claiming $20 billion (£15 billion) in currency exchanged. In 2014 Coinbase created GDAX, the Global Digital Asset Exchange which was developed for professionals with high volumes of trading.


The firm offers a mobile wallet, offline storage, and insurance protection for currency stored on its servers. Coinbase supports several fiat currencies: British Pounds, US Dollars, Euros, Canadian Dollars, Australian Dollars and Singapore Dollars.


The Coinbase exchange has a 1% flat fee for each purchase, while cryptocurrency deposits and withdrawals are done without any fees. A streamlined user interface which is ideal for novice traders – and fast trades – makes Coinbase a popular exchange with traders.

2. Gemini Exchange

 

 

 

Gemini Exchange is another US-based outfit founded by the Winklevoss twins – the pair who sued Mark Zuckerberg over social networking, and were awarded $65 million (£48 million), which they put to use as venture capitalists. This exchange is based in New York, and is available in 45 US states, as well as the UK, Singapore, South Korea and Hong Kong.


Gemini’s only supported fiat currency is US dollars, and it only trades Bitcoin and Ethereum. Gemini does not charge deposit or withdrawal fees, and levies a low flat rate of 0.25% for trades, to both the buyer and the seller.


Another advantage of Gemini is that it’s a New York state limited liability trust company, and is regulated by New York’s Department of Financial Services. Close proximity to the Wall Street financial markets allows the company to easily provide a bridge from more traditional investments to newer cryptocurrency markets, for both individual and institutional investors.


Gemini is also notable in that it accepts ACH transfers for fast access to money for trades. A potential downside is that the interface is not particularly novice-friendly.

3. Changelly

 

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Changelly is a cryptocurrency exchange with support for many more virtual currencies than most, including Monero, Dash, Bytecoin, and DigitalNote among others. If you are mining a less popular currency, chances are that Changelly can exchange it for you.


This exchange comes from the popular mining platform MinerGate which provides a merged mining pool across Windows, Mac, Linux and Android operating systems. While Changelly focuses on exchanges between different cryptocurrencies, users can also purchase cryptocurrency with US Dollars or Euros.


Note that this exchange has a shorter track record, as it only entered the market in 2016. Exchange fees are 0.5% on transactions.

4. Cryptopia

 

 

 

Cryptopia was founded in 2014, aiming to be a comprehensive exchange that focuses on the user experience, with integration of additional services including a marketplace and wallet. It is based in Christchurch, New Zealand. Cryptopia is notable in that the first level of verification happens very quickly, and only requires an email address for initial verification.


While Cryptopia does not support fiat money trading, it does support a ridiculously large number of cryptocurrencies: over 400 to date, with more being added all the time. The trading fee is also a low 0.20% per transaction, which compares favorably with many competitors. The website is quite large and sprawling, meaning that new users might find their first experiences with the site a little daunting.

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Review of 5 Best Photo Editing Software

Photos have been manipulated since the early days of photography in the 19^th century, when snappers would use ink, paint and scratches to alter their pictures. The emergence of digital photography transformed the editing possibilities.


The usability, features and prices of today's editing apps vary immensely. The best pick for you will depend on the type of images you take, the purpose of your editing and the time you want to spend doing it.


Advanced photo editing software can have a hefty price tag attached, but there are also more affordable options on the market with an impressive range of features.


Our top picks overall are:

1. Adobe Photoshop
2. GIMP
3. Corel Paintshop Pro

1. Adobe Photoshop

 

Adobe Photoshop remains the dominant photo editing software in the market and CC is its flagship version. The app works across desktop and mobile devices and can create and edit photographs, videos, websites, banners, app designs and 3D artwork.


It includes a wide range of professional photography tools to retouch and combine images, advanced cropping tools and a variety of Adobe Stock templates. It's available for a selection of pricey monthly subscription fees. Adobe also produces a range of simpler and cheaper alternatives, including Photoshop Elements.

2. GIMP

The GNU Image Manipulation Program (GIMP) is an excellent option for the thrifty photo editor. The free software offers advanced features for desktop users, who can customise the view and behaviour of their interface to suit their personal preferences.

GIMP comes with sophisticated tools for tasks such as image composition, authoring, retouching and restoring. It supports a wide range of file format which can be compressed to save disk space.

3. Corel PaintShop Pro

 

 

 

PaintShop Pro is an affordable alternative to Adobe Photoshop. Users can enhance their photos with professional editing tools, and create graphic designs using brushes, gradients, patterns, textures and a selection of colour palettes.


The product comes in two different versions: PaintShop Pro 2018, which costs £89.99, and a premium version called PaintShop Pro 2018 for £89.99.

4. CyberLink PhotoDirector

 

 

 

PhotoDirector packs a wealth of editing features into a user-friendly product. Users can identify and individuals in images and then sort them for easy browsing, automatically fix unwanted tints, blend layers from multiple photos, turn videos into images or create animated GIFs.


The standard version is the £49.99 Deluxe edition. PhotoDirector is also available in the £79.99 Ultra version, which adds storage space in the CyberLink Cloud Service and a range of features including editing for photos taken using 360-degree cameras. Both editions are available on a free trial.

5. Affinity Photo

 

 

 

Affinity Photo offers comprehensive editing for RAW images and all major camera files formats. Features include precise selection refinement, advanced adjustment layers and a vast range of filters, and a range of retouching tools for everything from quick corrections to detailed modifications.


The software was built for professional photographers and is regularly updated. It's available for £48.99 and as a free trial for both Mac and Windows.

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