Multipurpose WordPress themes typically have the basic features you’ll need to create any website type or style. They are versatile and they are ideal for web designers who serve a variety of niches and clients. A specialty theme can at times be a better choice if you have a specific need in mind. For example, an e-commerce website in which you want to incorporate unique functionalities. Both types are well represented here. Be Theme – Responsive Multi-Purpose WordPress ThemeBe Theme, the biggest WordPress theme ever, has so many outstanding features that’s it’s hard to know where to start. It’s responsive, WooCommerce ready, there are unlimited colors and special effects to work with, and on and on. A highlight is Be’s large (250+ and growing) selection of professionally designed pre-built websites. These websites, most of which are multi-page, and have the functionality you need embedded within them, provide ideal conceptual baselines to get you off to a rapid start. You can even use them for prototyping to get a client’s feedback. Be Theme is easy to use; starting with one-click pre-built website installation, after which the Muffin Builder and Options Panel take over; or use Be’s Layout Configurator to start a page from scratch. A selection of more than 200 shortcodes will help you along the way, plus there’s no need for coding on your part. Would you like to be able to build a ready-to-go website in 4 hours? With Be Theme is just as easy as it sounds. ProPro is a multipurpose WordPress theme that is designed and built for pros; and, for those who aspire to become pros. Pro has always had its place among premier WP themes, but the latest version of this powerful tool is not just evolutionary; it’s revolutionary. Furthermore, you can work with this site-building tool from the comfort of your favorite browser. You don’t even have to search for a new app to do so. Just pick the browser of your choice, and off you go. The Header Builder, Content Builder, and Footer Builder make up the three main Pro modules. Dozens of free extensions, together with recently introduced presets that consist of a set of powerful building blocks, give you a virtually unlimited number of design options to work with. Pro is fun and easy to work with, and it helps you optimize your workflow. Should you have a question, or need any assistance, its world-class support team is at your beck and call. The Core – Multi Purpose WordPress ThemeThe Core, with its comprehensive assortment of options and features, gives you everything you’ve ever wanted or needed in a WordPress theme. The website demo selection alone makes you feel as if you own 20 themes instead of one. These website demos address key business and corporate niches, as well as giving you design baselines for building non-profit and creative websites, restaurant, bistro, and travel blogs. Other features include multiple page layouts, header, footer, and slider options, color and font options, along with plenty of shortcodes and other helpful design elements. With The Core, you can build virtually any website you’ve been carrying around in your head; and do so without any need for coding. The user support is rock-solid, and 24/7, plus there are plenty of user instructions and video tutorials, and a nice selection of informative articles. Visit the Test Lab and take The Core for a free trial spin! Houzez – Real Estate WordPress ThemeSometimes, a specialty theme is the best choice for a web designer serving a special client. A case in point is Houzez; a specialty WordPress theme focused on the real estate industry. With Houzez, it’s easy to quickly deliver a website having all the features and functionality a real estate agency needs to go about their business. Most of these features are specific to this business niche, and won’t be found in other WordPress themes. Kalium – Creative Theme for ProfessionalsKalium has the essentials you need to build creative and e-commerce websites, portfolios to showcase your work, and blogs. With Kalium’s demos, layouts, design options, shortcodes and page-building tools, you can put in place virtually any website type you can think of, and you can often do so in minutes. If you’re in the market for a premium creative multipurpose WordPress theme, you’ll be smart to give Kalium a close look Uncode – Creative Multiuse WordPress ThemeSelect an Uncode design concept from the 5 neatly arranged collections. Pick what you need among the many design features and 22 special pages. Then it’s time to put Uncode’s powerful tools to work; including the enhanced Visual Composer, Hierarchical Options System, the Adaptive Grid System, and the Adaptive Images feature (the latter guarantees correct rendering of your site on any display). The result will be a pixel-perfect website that goes a step beyond responsive. TicketLab – Advanced Helpdesk and Ticketing WordPress ThemeTicketLab is the only WordPress theme that enables you to smooth out your customer support workflow by helping you establish a complete customer support system. You can integrate TicketLab with Trello and GitHub, and manage and update support tickets from your site’s dashboard or from Zendesk. Send support tickets to Trello, and make bug reporting and fixing much easier with GitHub. In addition, TicketLab has a forum feature which you can rely on to reduce support time. TheGem – Creative Multi-Purpose High-Performance WordPress ThemeCorporate or creative, one page or multipage: TheGem has a huge selection of smart tools, creative concepts and templates, blog layouts, portfolio layouts, and hundreds upon hundreds of design elements, shortcodes, and widgets. With over 50 unique multi-purpose design concepts, 150 stunning demo pages, eight navigation settings in over 20 styles, plus flexible page layouts, the possibilities are really unlimited. Perfect for corporate business, creative agencies, including fully featured WooCommerce fashion store ready to go, your website will spring to life! ionMag – Premium News WordPress ThemeYou can build a magazine-style website with most of the multipurpose themes if you have the required skills. With ionMag, your task is an easy one, as it lays out everything right in front of you. Various custom widgets, out-of-the-box elements are ready to make your dream come true without requiring any coding skills. This theme is powered by a one-of-a-kind page builder, TD Composer, with live editing options and provides five customizable pre-built demos to start with. ionMag is AdSense-ready, so monetizing your magazine, newspaper, or blog will not be a problem at all. KALLYAS – Creative eCommerce Multi-Purpose WordPress ThemeThe Kallyas multipurpose WP theme is as flexible, and about as easy to use as any multipurpose theme on the market today. Built around a Bootstrap 3 framework, Kallyas is extremely fast; while the Visual Builder, with its 150+ design elements, makes it a joy to work with. Kallyas lets you handle the creative aspect or website building, while it ensures the website’s infrastructure will be the proper one. Check it out. Brando – A multi-purpose one page WordPress themeBrando is a premier, multipurpose WordPress theme specializing in feature-rich, fast-loading, responsive, and SEO-friendly one page websites. There’s a great selection of one page demos to choose from based on your business niche or interest. There’s an impressive selection of blog and portfolio layouts as well. Brando is an Evanto product created by 5-star rated author ThemeZaa. You can also expect intelligent, responsive, 5-star support H-Code – A modern one page and multi page multi-purpose WordPress themeH-Code is a tech-savvy, deliberately-designed, multipurpose WordPress theme. It’s an e-commerce theme, featuring professionally-crafted intro pages for creative individuals, products, and many types of businesses. One page websites are where H-code is at its best; but you’ll be more than pleased its multipage capabilities. Sleek layout templates, demos, powerhouse plugins, and lots of settings and shortcodes come with the package. XStore – Responsive WooCommerce ThemeXStore makes building an e-commerce site easy. That becomes obvious once you’ve seen the 50+ customizable, good to go shops that address the most popular e-commerce categories. There’s no need to attempt to design and build an online shop from scratch, when you can borrow what you need from these shops to create one that perfectly meets your requirements. The page builder, Visual Composer, is complemented with a nice selection of e-commerce-related plugins. TheFox – Responsive Multi-Purpose WordPress ThemeA WordPress theme will all the bells and whistles won’t necessarily get the job done for you. It must be smart, and TheFox is smart in terms of its design, and in terms of its performance. It has been designed down to the smallest of details. It offers a combination of 30+ professionally designed demos, a wealth of supportive design elements, premium plugins, and Visual Composer. TheFox will make you a clever web designer. Check out the demo to prove it. Conclusion While some themes shown here may on the surface appear to be quite similar, closer examination will usually reveal differences that might be of importance to you. Visit the websites, look for free trials or demos, and then make your selection(s). from http://www.designyourway.net/blog/misc/are-you-using-one-of-the-top-multipurpose-wp-themes-in-your-projects/
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3D models are important elements of digital production. This is the reason why selecting an ideal software for 3D modeling is very essential. It assists to actualize your creative ideas with little or no trouble. However, it is a daunting task to find the ideal software for 3D modeling. To assist you in making the best decision, we have compiled a list of the best free 3D modeling software. Although, to make our list precise and straight-to-the-point, some programs have been excluded, therefore there shouldn’t be a cause for alarm if several premium ones are not listed here. TinkerCadTinkerCad is a nice starting place for total beginners at 3D modeling. The 3D modeling software allows you to make geometrical 3D shapes, and they can be saved, shared online and exported to .STL files when set for 3D printing. Although, TinkerCad is apparently a little limited when it comes to features, but it is brilliant for tinkering, and because shapes are the starting points, beginners can slowly build up from the simple ones to the more complicated or intricate ones. TnkerCad provides a few 3D shapes for a start, and also an arcade of complete printable 3D models to give you inspiration. 3DSlashAnother free and great choice for beginners is 3DSlash. It was launched just a year ago, and t was made particularly for non designers of every age, even children, to initiate concepts of 3D modeling in interesting and fun platforms( actually, 3DSlash is really Minecraft based.) Users make use of regular tools such as chisels and hammers to form blocks of three dimensions in 3DSlash. The process of 3 steps is colorful, intuitive and exciting, and ultimately, you can share 3D model online or export it to .STL to 3D print. The recently released V2.0, and they have comprehensive video tutorials featured on their website. You should probably check them out. BlenderThis is an open source and free software for 3D modeling and it is one of the most versatile and reliable programs available. You will instantly realize it is more capable than your expectation, and it can easily handily things such as 3D animation and 3D printing. The great community at the back of Blender’s success guarantees steady improvement and development of the software. This community we are talking about can as well help in troubleshooting and in giving essential information on how to maximize Blender. Add-ons can be installed to unlock several extensions and functionalities based on your task. Daz StudioThis is feature-filled and free software for 3D modeling which may not be simple for beginners, but provides sophisticated functionalities for experts. It allows brilliant 3D art to be created by users, with GPU speedy real time rendering. Apart from posing, 3D Morphing, rendering, and animation features, Daz Studio turns you to a skilled 3D artist, with the assistance of in-built interactive tutorials. It supports Mac OS X and Windows. FreeCADThis is parametric software for 3D design which can be adopted to design real objects of different sizes. Because it is parametric software for modeling, your model parameters can be simply and easily changed by returning to the history of your model. It is available for Mac, Linux, and Windows, this is an apparatus which can be used to create 3D architectural models, gaming models, animation models, and industrial models. A few of the primitive objects that it gives Cone, Sphere, Torus, and Cylinder, while the tools for editing images include Cut, Thickness, Fillet, Fuse, Extrude, etc. For the fact that it is a multi-platform product, multiple file formats such as STEP, IGES, IFC,DAE, DXF, OBJ, STL, SVG and many others can be read and written. LeopolyLeopoly provides a free web based software for 3D design. It is extremely easy to use. Pre-made designed objects can be used on their site, and you can use their apparatus to customize them. Shapes, letters, and colors can be added easily. Your design can be started from scratch, and by using another software, files can be uploaded easily. Afterward, your created files can be exported, and you can directly 3D print it on their platform. K-3DThis is one of the best free Cad software with its creative approach, tailored to animation and 3D modeling. Provided you have a need for more sophisticated design features, the software can be upgraded with plugins like architecture and visualization pipeline. Several interactive tutorials will provide you with guide for your design modeling. LeocadThis is a program to create virtual models of LEGO. Although, it is helpful for this function, it has limits; therefore it is not the kind of software to be used for a difficult project. It has a friendly UI, and includes more than 6000 pieces that can assist 3D model to be created quickly. Google SketchUpIt started as a science experiment in the basement of two university students, and fast forward a decade, it has flourished into the most used modeling software in the world. Although several experts ridicule the idea of making use of SketchUp to do anything other than concept Sketch, however, its growth as a full fledged design program is beginning to topple that old stigma. It is simple and fast. It has several tools for modeling that enable you pull, warp, push, and shape your way approach into the world of 3D modeling. You can swiftly go from idea to photorealism with tons of available plugins. SketchUp offers a lot to computer savvy people, and it is fast turning into a practical apparatus for even the most displeased 3D visualization experts. Open SCADOpen SCAD is not for people who are not really savvy about the basics of computer scripting and coding. It concentrates on the practical parts of computer assisted designs instead of the artistic designs. Users create their model via a sequence of text based commands, algorithms and coordinates, and run the script to produce the 3D model, that you can use to manipulate or render in other software. If you are lost at ‘scripting and coding,’ you shouldn’t be blamed. It is recommended for you to use Open SCAD if you are more ‘figures and numbers’ than a ‘squares and circles.’ However, provided you’re the former, this software is perfect for you, and is indeed one of the best free cad programs. VUE PioneerThis is a tool for 3D modeling for the landscape builders in our midst. Although, it has a toolset and interface that could be too sophisticated for the regular user. It has several tools that enable you to mold, shape and make practical terrain models which integrate effortlessly with an on-board engine to render. The majority of programs for 3D modeling have difficulty with modeling of land, thus having VUE pioneer available for occasions like this, it would be of great assistance, and it is absolutely free. Wings 3DThis is a highly developed modeler which provides a wide scope of tools for modeling and an interface that can be customized, together with an integrated tool for AutoUV mapping, and also export capacity for 3D formats. Although, despite the fact that Wings 3D offers stunning features such as support for virtual mirroring for symmetric modeling, it doesn’t support animation. MeshmixerMeshmixer enables you to design and create 3D designs by joining two models or more in just a couple of steps. It has an easy cut and paste process, and even bolsters sculpting such as shaping and improving the surfaces just like virtual clay. It offers support for 3D printing, taking models of design as inputs then transferring the models over to a 3D printer. 3DReshaper3DReshaper is simple to use and affordable software for 3D-modeling devoted to the 3D mode process. You can use it in numerous fields like mining, arts, ship-building, and civil engineering. It supports many textures and scripts, and filled in a lot of features for simple modeling. 3D CrafterThis is another real time tool for 3D modeling and animation which includes using a sensitive drag and drop method. Complex and intricate models can be built making use of 3D shapes,and there is support for sculpting and printing also. This is a highly developed tool to create animations. PTC CreoThis is a broad program for mechanical engineers and designers that design models that make products making use of straight approach for modeling of 3D CAD. Direct modeling enables designs to be created by pre-made designs or new ideas. Therefore, you can make easily and quickly add changes to the geometry of an object. PTC Creo is a premium system but it has a free trial of 30-days and also for teachers and students. NaroCADNaroCAD is an extensible and full-fledged CAD modeling program. Based on the Open Cascade technology and it supports both Linux and Windows. It provides support to both advance and basic modeling operation, plus you can extend it via programming interface and plugins. LEGO Digital DesignerLego Digital Designer or LDD, by the LEGO group, is available for Windows and Mac OS. The program allows the +building of models using virtual LEGO bricks in CAD. The software has an export feature, allowing the created models to be opened and edited in other 3D modeling software. ZCAD2D or 3D drawings can be created using ZCAD. It provides support to several platforms but gives nice angles for viewing and several apparatus to ease the entire modeling project. It has a very easy to understand interface and the process of drawing is simple. You can save the complete design in AutoCAD’s format and also several other popular extensions. Houdini ApprenticeArtists, hobbyists, and students can make a non commercial 3D modeling project with the use of Houdini Apprentice, which is Houdini FX’s free version. Apart from a limited size of render, A free version of Houdini FX, Houdini Apprentice can be used by students, artists, and hobbyists to create non-commercial 3D-modeling projects. Other than a limited render size and some other restrictions, Houdini is a feature filled tool with a nice UI. DesignSparkDesignSpark enables users to produce detailed 3D designs by offering a design worksheet. It promises simple features to get rid of blocks by making additions and amendments to your design and also concepts of changing the product in 3D swiftly. It supports also direct modeling system and also 3D printing. SculptrisSculptris offers a brilliant entry into the fascinating 3D world. It has easy to learn, navigate, and use features, even with people who aren’t experienced in modeling or digital art. It assists to eliminate geometry worry from the process of design, and will animatedly separate the model, handling better the resources of your computer. MeshMagicThis software assists to create 3D rendering files, and draw 2D objects or extend them to 3D. It is a simple and sensitive software for 3D design for users of several fields. While it presently supports Windows only, it enables you to save the output file in the well known STL format, which you can open and edit in numerous offline and online 3D models. Open CascadeThis is a software development kit designed for software developers who deal with 3D CAD DATA. The unique, community developed class libraries which gives 3D modeling and surface services, rapid and exchange app development, and data visualization is incorporated into this software. OnShapeOnshape is a fairly fresh 3D modeling software still, and its free account comes with a number of limitations. Though, Onshape provides a few professional-grade and exclusive features of 3D modeling, such as team-based 3D design and real-time, which make it a distinctive choice for professional engineers. Onshape is a mechanical CAD program for 3D modeling for making intricate components. The entire platform which is based on the cloud can be used with many devices, as well as Android and iOS smartphones, and enables many team members to all together work together on the 3D design. It includes other features such as version control, complete CAD functionality, and limitless export and import for 3D printing. In addition, both Pinshape and Materialise have partnered Onshape through their individual applications. The only restrictions that the free account has are that it limits users to just ten private docs and a mere storage space of 5GB If that is not sufficient, professionals can upgrade for only $100 per month. DX StudioDX Studio provides a complete development setting for the development of interactive 3D graphics. DX Studio includes a real time 3D engine and a set of tools for editing. By making use of DX Studio, you can create sensitive 3D animations, 3Dgames, 3D models and a lot more. Despite providing a wide scope of 3D models, it provides apparatus to make these models as well. Also, it enables two models or more to be created at once. Among the several available tools for 3D modeling, you will see apparatus to create special effects, terrain system to add rocks and vegetation to your terrain, and a real time editor for 3D and 2D scenes. Ending thoughtsIn selecting the ideal software for 3D modeling, it is essential to determine the reason why you want the software at first. Another vital factor to be considered is file conversion. If you plan to print the fraction you design in 3D, remember that 3D printing makes use of the kind of STL files. However, like they rightly say, the more expensive it is, the better it will be, and there are a lot of tools for 3D design that can do the job efficiently. The majority of these features are best suitable for beginners because they come with integrated applications and learning tutorials. The list highlights a few of the best free 3D software you can get on the internet. Evidently, free isn’t the same thing as bad. The programs on this list can turn you to a proficient visualization artist or 3D modeler, and you wouldn’t need to break a bank to get it. from http://www.designyourway.net/blog/resources/the-best-free-3d-modeling-software/ Technology is moving in fast forward these days and the gadgets that are produced always bring something new and interesting. You’ll notice that in this collection of the coolest office gadgets that I have for you. Most of them can be bought, but there are a few which are in production phase at the moment and should appear soon in stores. For those you just have to wait a little longer. Regardless of how much you like your job, spending 40 hours a week in the office will still be a painful process without some cool office stuff to keep you entertained. You’re all passionate and energetic in the beginning, but routine and stress eventually kill the magic. You need cool office toys! At that point, even the simplest assignments start looking difficult and boring. That’s, of course, without the right widgets in place. Aware of how boring office life can become, designers made an incredible effort to give this experience a stress-free and exciting vibe. They created must have office accessories which won’t only make overtimes fun, but will also help you organize the task and paper clutter you’ve been stuck in for years. Regardless of the type of technology you’re looking for, you’ll be overwhelmed by an array of cool gadgets and applications. Feel free to forget about outdated desk caddies and pencil sharpeners – office operations are on a good way to become easier and fully digitized! Rain Design mStand Laptop StandDesigned to uplift. Made of a single sturdy piece of aluminum, mStand transforms your laptop into a stylish workstation with its elegant curves and silver-anodized finish. The single piece design solidly holds a laptop while the aluminum panel acts a heat sink to keep the laptop cool. A cable hole in the back of the stand routes wires to reduce clutter. Ergonomics Long-term use of a laptop as the main computing device can strain the body as the user hunches down to see the screen and type. mStand raises the screen 5.9 inches (150 mm) to meet the user’s eye level, thus promoting better posture, while its tilt design brings the screen closer for easier viewing. With an external keyboard andmouse, mStand creates an ideal ergonomic desktop setup for laptop users. Compatible with all sizes of Apple MacBook, MacBook Pro. Also fits most 14″ standard PC and 15″ widescreen PC with depths not more than 10.4 inches. Power Cable BoxLaptop, mobile phone, iPad, e-reader, digital camera… Nowadays there are so many devices that need to be charged. Add to that your regular appliances: TV, laptop, printer, etc. The E-BOX Cable Organizer is the perfect storage solution for all power strips and cables that you have lying around. It hides them neatly, efficiently and dust-free! The E-BOX Cable Organizer makes power strips and wires disappear, so the cable chaos is under control. It combines optimal functionality with a stylish, contemporary design. Your electronic devices (mobile phone, tablet, iPad, e-reader, digital camera) can be placed on the specially designed lid, where you can safely plug them into your charger. Thanks to two small holes in the lid these cables are also hidden in the E-BOX. The special grid structure at the bottom of the E-BOX Cable Organizer provides ventilation that prevents overheating of power strips, chargers and cables. Apple Magic Trackpad 2Another one of these cool office gadgets, the completely redesigned Magic Trackpad 2 features a built-in battery, Force Touch, a much larger surface, and pairs automatically with your Mac. Four force sensors under the surface of the Apple Magic Trackpad 2 detect subtle differences in how much pressure you apply. You get increased functionality and a deeper connection to your content. Lots of workspace — the edge-to-edge glass surface area of the Magic Trackpad 2 is nearly 30 percent larger than the previous Magic Trackpad. Long-lasting power: your Magic Trackpad 2 stays powered up for about 1 month after every charge. Sleek – the low profile design makes scrolling and swiping through your favorite content more productive and comfortable than ever. TechMatte Apple Pencil Charging Dock/StandThe TechMatte Apple Pencil Charging dock allows you to place your Apple Pencil into a stylish aluminum holder. Charge your pencil on our sleek charger rather than having messy cables cluttering your desk. Remove your pencil cap and place the pencil down into the connector portion of the stand. Place your cap into the cap holder section of the stand. When fully charged and not in use place the pencil into the cap hold of the stand until you are ready for further use. Under-Desk Headphone StandGet rid of cord clutter on your desk and have easy access to your headphones with the Anchor. Mounts in seconds and holds ultra-strong with the same adhesive GoPro uses. Flexible silicone construction protects your headphones and won’t hurt if you ever bump it with you knee. If you ever need to remove the Anchor and it is holding too strong – just heat it up with a hair dryer and the adhesion will soften. The 3M VHB (Very High Bond) adhesive will hold with over 40 pounds of adhesion to clean and finished surfaces. It will not hold to unfinished wood, bare mdf, or if the surface feels fibrous. If the bottom of your desk isn’t finished, it is recommended either putting some finish on (polyurethane works well) or screwing it in. Height-Adjustable Standing Desk for CubiclesAnother one of these cool desktop gadgets is this height-adjustable desk that sits on top of your existing desk and allows you to work comfortably from either a sitting or standing position. Don’t let space limitations keep you from having a healthy workspace. The Cube Plus 48 is built with size of the standard cubicle in mind. It’s 23 3/4″ depth makes it slim enough to use in a standard cubicle, while still offering complete comfort and stability in either the standing or sitting position. Cube Plus 48 gives you a wide 48-inch display surface to accommodate dual monitors, and the roomy keyboard and mouse deck to give you plenty of space for typing and maneuvering in ergonomic comfort. Like all VARIDESK models, the Cube Plus 48 features our patented, spring-assisted lift mechanism that allows you to raise and lower it almost effortlessly in just seconds. It can hold up to 45 lbs. It comes fully assembled and ready to use – just place it on top of your desk and you’re ready to work! Universal Touch Screen PenAnother one of the cool desk gadgets presented in this article is the Stylus. It is 100% compatible with all capacitive touchscreen devices;Apple, Android and Windows Smartphone’s and 5V Tablet; (Compatible with Apple iPad 1 and 2, iPhone, iPod, Kindle Fire, Kindle Touch, Motorola Xoom Tablet, Galaxy, and Blackberry Playbook Virtuoso Touch). Due to the non-durable nature of the capacitive touchscreen (iPad, smartphones, etc.) the tip has to be soft. Treat the stylus like a small, soft-tipped paint brush and stroke the screen. If the tip is collapsing or if you tore the tip off quickly, they you trying to write with the stylus versus stroking the screen. LCD Writing tabletLCD Writing Tablet uses high technology flexible liquid crystal technology,depends on the pressure sensing to display text, pictures and graphics. It can be erased over 500000 times. You don’t need to use an eraser, just press the button, the screen will be clean again. Save much much paper! Save many many trees! It’s very thin, just 0.18 inch thickness. It’s very light, just 3.9 ounces. Just use the plastic pen to write on the board, or use other small plastic material. Then erase with the button. Touch Desk Lamp With LED Screen DimableFeatures on this lamp increase its functionality, making it an excellent addition to your desk. An LCD screen hosts a clock which features the date, time and temperature, helping you to be prepared throughout the day. The clock also bossts of an alarm, with a snooze option that can be utilized if necessary. Light can be directed with simple angle modification with a flexible and pivoting head. The lamp also has a high sensitivity dimmer, and features three levels of brightness. The dimmer allows for easy one-touch adjustment. Many of these features are not available on standard lamps, yet are exceptionally helpful on a desk lamp, especially in an office setting. While the lamp has many features that increase its appeal in a business setting, it also has the benefit of using LED bulbs. Compared to standard light bulbs, these long lasting LED bulbs are ecologically friendly. These bulbs use considerably less energy than traditional incandescent bulbs, and have a much longer lifespan. Cable Management SystemCableDrop Multi is a self-adhesive, multi-cable clip that keeps charging cables and connectors anchored where you need them. CableDrop Multi keeps up to 4 charging cables anchored and prevents cords from slipping away, behind desks, under nightstands and off of flat surfaces. The two outer channels have a looser grip for cables that you take in and out frequently. The two inner channels have a tighter grip for cables you rarely remove to stay put. CableDrop Multi uses a semi-permanent (3M) adhesive tape to stay put on flat surfaces. Want more office gadgets? We still have a few more. Cryptex USB Flash DriveAnother one of these cool desk accessories is Cryptex. Cryptex is a special container which has mechanical combination lock (rotating rings with letters or digits), which people used hundreds years ago to keep secrets. Inside the cylinder there’s a container, where you can keep piece of paper with secret data. Today it’s better to use a USB flash drive for data storage. Cryptex USB flash drive was engineered in the accordance with original sketches of Leonardo Da Vinci. Mechanical combination lock protect your digital data. You need to know 5-digit code to get access to the USB flash drive hidden inside. The only one, who has the password can use it. A great way not only to protect the information, but also to add an element of a game into everyday life. Logitech HD Pro WebcamLet’s take a look at another one of these cool computer gadgets. With the Logitech HD Pro Webcam C920, you’ll be seen in more clarity and detail than ever before with Full HD 1080p video calling—the highest quality available. Enjoy vibrant, true to life video clips that capture the smallest details. Faster, smoother, and compatible with more computers, H.264 encoding takes the pressure of compressing off your computer so you can enjoy quick uploads. The C920 goes above and beyond the typical webcam, offering amazing clarity and detail thanks to the five-element, Full HD glass lens and precisely tuned autofocus. Dual mics capture natural stereo sound for superior audio. Whatever your network, connect with everyone you care about through Full HD 1080p on Skype, and fluid HD 720p on FaceTime for Mac. You can also make high-quality video calls with Google Hangouts and nearly all other video-calling clients. Two mics with automatic noise reduction allow friends, family, and clients to hear the real you. Wacom Intuos Art Pen and Touch digital graphicsSketch, paint, design, and edit with a pressure-sensitive pen on a digital canvas. Create with a natural line in paint, pastels, ink, charcoal, and so much more. Intuos Art is a powerful tool for creative people. The Intuos Art pen is remarkably sensitive. With 1024 distinct pressure levels, it perfectly mirrors your brushstrokes and lines with natural feel and movement. On the tablet, use simple multi-touch gestures to zoom, scroll, or navigate through your artwork. Customizable ExpressKeys give you a shortcut to the functions you use most often, like changing tips or tools. Intuos Art works with all Adobe programs including Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign all Autodesk and Corel programs. Intuos Art lets you try something new, or perfect what you do. With so many different views, styles, and tools, you won’t be able to stop creating. Wireless rechargeable document scannerDoxie Q is the automatic document scanner reinvented for true mobility to let you scan anywhere — no computer required — with a rechargeable battery, collapsible automatic document feeder, included memory, integrated Wi-Fi, and included Mac, PC, and iOS apps. Doxie’s small size makes it easy to tuck it in your bag or a drawer when you’re done scanning. Engineered for ultimate simplicity, Doxie just works — no special drivers needed — simply flip Doxie open, insert your paper, and hit scan. Doxie’s automatic paper feeder scans stacks of up to 8 full color pages at once at up to 600 dpi. Or, use Doxie’s direct feed slot to scan all your photos, receipts, cards, and fragile items. Doxie makes it easy (and fun!) to go paperless. Doxie’s included Mac and PC apps let you sync scans via USB or Wi-Fi to your desktop to organize and create searchable multi-page PDFs with award-winning ABBYY® OCR technology. Save scans to your desktop, local apps, or your favorite cloud services — like Dropbox, Evernote, OneNote, and iCloud Drive. Or, sync scans to your iPhone or iPad with Doxie’s iOS app to save and share your scans wherever you are. Wireless Compact Laser PrinterThis Compact Digital Copier with Easy-to-install Wireless Networking, Automatic Duplex Printing, Automatic Document Feeder, and Enhanced Mobile Device Connectivity Provides Fast, Low-cost Output for Your Home Office or Small Office. The Brother DCP-L2540DW is a fast, reliable monochrome digital copier designed squarely with the Small Office and Home Office (SOHO) user in mind. Its compact, desk-friendly size is ideal for smaller offices where working space is at a premium, and it prints and copies sharp, professional black and white pages at up to 2400 x 600 dpi resolution. It offers the added benefits of business-friendly scanning from the scan glass or automatic document feeder, so it’s ideal for the small office that has the need to duplicate and digitize documents. Thanks to its fast print speed of up to 30 ppm, and automatic duplex printing, it’s ideal for printing business documents including multi-page reports, spreadsheets, invoices, and more. RAVPower FilehubBridge WiFi and share network with your families and friends securely in hotel or other public places. And it also can extend the WiFi a little at home or office. Recognize your sd cards, usb sticks, and hard driver on your devices (phone/tablet/laptop) via new App “rafilehub plus”. (Appstore in iOS device, Google Play Store in Android device). Stream and share smoothly movie, music, photos with your families and friends at the same time. Save much more space for your device (phone/tablet/laptop), except for Windows Phone. Charge your device: It has 3000mAh power bank (5V/1A) with polymer battery for emergency. It work with Windows file system (NTFS, FAT16/32) for now, but did not support for Mac formatted hard drive. Due to the limitation of the Apple iOS system, you can ONLY access the folder “photos” on your iPad/iPhone; Filehub is unable to sync with media files stored in iTunes to USB storage devices due to digital rights management (DRM). Older office gadgetsWireless Desktop 2000 – $49.95Unlike standard keyboards, this one features Advanced Encryption Standard (AES), which can help protect your personal and business information by encrypting what you type. Enjoy the classically designed keyboard, with a pillow-textured palm rest for support and comfort. The desktop is completed with a wireless, full-size mouse that features enhanced side grips, four-way scrolling and Blue Track technology. Not only is this desktop secure, comfortable and convenient – it’s simple to use—just plug in the transceivers and you’re ready to go! Postcup – $52Clean Postcup™ with soap and water or wipe with lint free cloth and alcohol. Apply message or art with Pebeo porcelain pen. Allow to dry for 24 hrs after application then bake in oven for 35 minutes at 300℉ (150℃). Porcelain paint will set permanently once baked. Avoid abrasives when washing. You may erase the paint prior to baking using rubbing alcohol. XDModo Solar Window Charger – 49,95 €This XD Design solar window charger, with big USB and small USB output, is easily attachable to your window. The outside of the charger catches sunlight, while the smooth designed inside spices up your interior and charges your electronic equipment. Lenovo C325 and C225 All-in-One PCsSelf Stirring Mug – £11.99A tiny battery-powered impeller at the bottom of the cup spins rapidly to swirl the liquid around the bottom of the cup. Press the button on the handle and watch as your hot beverage slowly starts to spin, until it’s a veritable steaming whirlpool. Pitched as the ultimate gift for the lazy tea-drinker in your life, what tickles us is that you’ll still need a teaspoon for adding coffee, or removing the teabag. Which you’ll still need to wash up. So it’s no more time-saving than using a regular mug and giving it a stir. And that’s why we love it! PlugBug – $34.99PlugBug is a 10W USB wall charger that piggybacks onto your MacBook Power Adapter, creating a totally unique, all-in-one, dual charger for MacBook + iPad or iPhone. That means you can charge your MacBook + iPad or iPhone at the same time using one wall outlet. Remarkably simple and elegantly designed, this go anywhere power pack means one less charger to carry and one less wall outlet to find. PlugBug simplifies your life in a way you never imagined. iPad CF and SD Card Readers – $40 bothDesigned to get images from a DSLR to an iPad quickly and with zero fuss, these tiny CF and SD iPad Card Readers can give you just that! Since the dawn of time*, it’s been one of our pet peeves that the iPad doesn’t come with a card reader. These little guys more than make up for that. Simply plug one into the iPad, pop in a memory card and the Photos app will open — letting you upload files in one step. You’ll be back to shooting before you know it! Not only are there no nasty cables, but the readers also boast USB input for flash drives and cameras with internal memory — bonus! Air Voltage iPhone 4 Charging Pad – $106Hitachi Maxell have developed a series of sophisticated wireless charging docks for Apple smartphones. The Air Voltage iPhone 4 is a pad that can charge up your iPhone without any wires or cables. Just hook up the pad (e.g. to your laptop), slip the special cover onto your phone, and then all you need do when you require power is put it onto the pad. Quack Tape Dispenser – £15If it looks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, it’s probably a sticky tape dispenser. Resonant Decor – From $199 to $700Listen to the world around you and you will hear music, children, animals, heartbeats, laughter, and more filling every empty space with sound. Each creating a unique sound wave that ripples through the air until it meets an attentive ear. Fuse this waveform with the richness of color and a one-of-a-kind Resonant Decor brilliantly emerges. Why “Resonant” Decor? Because it has the capacity to “resonate” with the imagery, emotions, and memories a specific sound brings to mind. Your personal Decor canvas visually explores a favorite song, expresses your vocalized emotions, celebrates the beginning of new life, enshrines your favorite speech, and more. The Magic Charger – €49.90The Magic Charger from Mobee Technology is the world’s first wireless charger dedicated for the Apple Magic Mouse. Never replace batteries again with Mobee’s magical wireless inductive charger for the Magic Mouse. The sleek and unobtrusive design lets your mouse rest easy on a slim charging station that plugs in to a USB port. A full charge takes approximately five hours and then lasts and lasts for worry-free pointing and clicking. Have to travel ? No worries, because a full charge will last about six days. And if your trip is longer, the slim charging station is easily portable. Various UI StencilsThe Silhouette floating lamp – €980The Light Light series creates an incredible visual conversation piece. It is like an optical illusion, yet one that is kind to the eyes and easy on the mind. Once you know how it works, it is still fascinating tobehold. It is timeless, classical and, at the same time, contemporary. Lifelines from Enesco Teamwork Tape Dispenser – $19.99Monkey Mug – $6No actual tiny animals were harmed in the making of our wild animal mugs. But some fine ceramic stoneware did make the ultimate sacrifice. Available in elephant, giraffe, monkey or zebra. Wood Laptop ValiseRazer Blade – $2800Razer, the world leader in high performance gaming hardware, introduces the Razer Blade – a full aluminum chassis gaming laptop featuring true portability, incredible performance, and an all-new revolutionary user interface. With the introduction of the Razer Blade – a feat of modern-day systems engineering and technology, Razer is reinvigorating technological and design innovation for the entire PC industry, and encouraging gamers and developers to return to the PC as the primary gaming platform of choice. Perpetual Calendar Grey Silver – $29.96Designed by Gideon Dagan for the Museum of Modern Art, this elegant calendar can be used year after year. A magnetic ball marks the day on a bar suspended in space. A second ball seems to float as the magnetic tension pulls the string toward the month printed on the outer ring. A distinctive addition to home or office. Wacom Inkling – €169.90Do you start your artwork with pen and paper? But at the same time regret that your work is stuck on paper until you have scanned the image? Then Inkling is an indispensable tool for you. This digital sketch pen allows you to sketch with a real ballpoint pen on any paper. While you are drawing, all strokes are recorded electronically which can then be imported as raster or vector artwork in to your preferred graphics applicationfor further editing. With just one button click you can record layers, for instance, to separate preparatory and final drawings. These layers are then retained after import. In a nutshell, Inkling enables you to start off your artwork the traditional way, while making the first step of your digital workflow simultaneously – wherever you are. Logitech G300GreenMarker – $10GreenMarker is a set of grass-shaped page markers. Item: 75 Markers (25 x 3 designs) / double-sided printing R.A.T.7 – $99.99Still uncompromising, unparalleled and unmatched and still featuring a jaw-dropping array of customizable features the R.A.T.7 just took things to a whole new level. Looking ultra fresh in white and silver, with a next generation 6400 DPI sensor that further improves on the incredible tracking and precision of the original, the R.A.T.7 Albino is now even more eye-catching than before. Karlsson Wall Clock One To Twelve – $89.99Klipsch Mode M40 Noise Canceling HeadphonesMeaning manner, tune, measure, rhythm. Mode is how something is accomplished and in the case of the new Klipsch Mode M40 headphones, it’s beautifully mastered. In every sense of the word. High-grade leather ear cups surround your listening experience with comfort. State-of-the-art active noise canceling (ANC) for up to 45 hours on a single battery or use without battery as a stereo headphone. With or without batteries, the show will go on the entire plane ride, the entire commute or the entire album collection. Generation Knoll chairGeneration by Knoll offers a new standard of comfort and unrestrained movement, supporting the range of postures and work styles typical of today’s workplace. Designed by Formway Design, Generation takes the idea of elastic design—where a product rearranges itself in response to its Music Branch Headphone Splitter in Multiple Colors – $10HDR-PJ50 – 220GB Hard Disk Drive Camcorder with ProjectorShare your memories virtually anywhere using the HDR-PJ50 Handycam® camcorder’s built-in, high-contrast projector. This mobile theatre can project up to a 60″ (diag.) image on any flat surface, and with powerful stereo speakers, you’ll hear all the action. Mhin ClockIn giving a vague approximation (~) of time Mhin contrasts the specificity and scheduling associated with our daily lives. The unrelenting tick-tock and minute by minute progression is replaced by absolute silence and a slow consistent linear motion. TDK Sound Cube – £299.99The TDK Sound Cube is the smallest in their range; although, at 25.5cm³ it’s no pipsqueak. Each of the Cube’s vertical sides has its own speaker (two active and two passive), giving you 360° of party-starting audio; and the sturdy leather handle on top just screams “pick me up!”. Which is a good thing, as this funky sound system is at its best when it’s on the move. Whether you’re hooking it up to the mains or going portable with batteries, it’s great for using all around the house, carrying into the garden, or even taking on a picnic! Avatar SIf you are looking for a simple, precise, and flexible option for firm gaming control at your fingertips, the NZXT Avatar S Gaming Mouse is for you. Crafted with Teflon feet for gliding action on any surface, Avatar S is armed with a 1000Hz polling rate to match your reflexes and 30 inches per second tracking to match your speed. MiLi Pico Projector II – $399.99The Pico Projector II is built with the MiLi Power Pack and a LCOS LED micro video projector(with hands-free stand) so you can do anything from watch your favorite digital playable movie to giving a state of the art presentation to you colleagues. Imagine the possibilities of the video recording capabilities of an iPhone 3GS and the MiLi Pico Projector II working together; anywhere the lens can see is your playground, and the MiLi Pico Projector II is your toy. HP Wi-Fi Mobile Mouse – $49.99The new HP Wi-Fi Mobile Mouse is the first mouse to connect quickly and easily without a USB dongle via a PC’s built-in Wi-Fi receiver. A reliable, first-time pairing connects the mouse to the PC, allowing users to work with ease and confidence. The mouse instantly reconnects during each use and operates without interference from other wireless devices. Epson MovieMate 85HD Projector- $849Experience the ultimate versatility in widescreen, high-definition home entertainment with Epson MovieMate 85HD, a powerful projector, DVD and music player combo that brings you brilliant blockbuster performance. Just plug, load and play. Get larger-than-life entertainment — anytime, day or night — with 2500 lumens color/white light output1 and 720p widescreen performance. A sleek, portable performer, Epson MovieMate 85HD includes a built-in DVD player and dual Dolby® 5.1 Digital DTS® 10 W stereo speakers. Add to that its convenient HDMI connectivity and you’ve got everything you need for amazing HD adventures. Porch Of The Maidens Acropolis Bookends Book Ends Greek – $43.99The Erectheum of the Acropolis sits upon the most sacred site of the Acropolis. Where Poseidon and Athena held their contest over who would become patron of the city. Athena touched the ground with her spear and an olive tree grew. Athena was declared the victor and the great city of Athens was named for her. The columns of this part of the acropolis are carved maidens, known as Caryatids, therefore, this section is known as the Porch Of The Maidens. Made of cold cast resin, this stunning pair of Acropolis bookends is part of the Historical Wonders Collection. Measuring 7 3/4 inches tall, 4 1/8 inches deep, and 4 1/2 inches wide, they show excellent detailing, and add class and style to any bookshelf or table. This pair also makes a great present for the holidays or for housewarming gifts. Nexus Silent MouseThis mouse has been on our wish list for more than 4 years. But it turned out not to be so easy to make a mouse that does not make the clicking-sound. Finally we have found some patented silent switch and integrated it in a nice and practical mouse. GRID-IT GREY MED – $22The Grid-It organization system is a unique weave of rubberized elastic bands made specifically to hold personal objects firmly in place. Designed to provide endless configurations of digital devices and personal effects. Slim design and conveniently sized for your current laptop bag or travel case, lets you easily find what you need. Features rear zippered pocket for additional storage. Alienware™ M14x – $1099Gaming is all about experience — the experience of visiting new worlds, of helping friends and crushing enemies, of showing off your skills. Give that experience a boost with the M14x. Mind-Blowing Graphics: You’ll feel like you’re part of the action with the optional HD+ display and cutting-edge graphics technology. Stay on the Couch and Ditch the Wires with Wireless HD: With optional Wireless HD, you can wirelessly blast 3D or Full HD games to any properly equipped display. Iconia Dual Screen Tablet – $1,199.99Acer introduces ICONIA: the world’s most advanced touchbook. Dual screens. Full touch interface. A truly unique experience. So, have you enjoyed these awesome desk toys? Let me know via twitter if there’s one that I should mention here. from http://www.designyourway.net/blog/inspiration/office-gadgets-that-you-would-certainly-like-to-have/ User onboarding is one of the core components of UX (User Experience). Similarly, user offboarding is also equally important. Many brands have started taking their app or website’s user onboarding experience very seriously and have been working on it. Yes, the trend is gaining momentum but unfortunately user offboarding hasn’t gained its fair share of importance so far so. This article is an attempt to grab the attention of those who care about UX towards user-off boarding. This article explains the importance of user offboarding and also gives some practical tips. You’ll get to know about user offboarding best practices too. Let me quickly explain the term ‘user offboarding’ for those who do not know or have not heard of it before – user offboarding is a process a user goes through your website when he/she wants to end the business relationship with you (deleting an account, cancelling a subscription etc). It also refers to post-conversion experience of a user on the website – what is the user asked to do on the website after completing a purchase or the exit process he undergoes on the site post-sales. Importance of Providing Users a Great User Offboarding Experience
Many a times it gets difficult for users to discontinue a service they had availed or subscribed to – say, closing/deleting an account, cancelling a subscription, stopping auto-renewal of a service etc. There are service providers who try their best to retain their users through unfair rules/policies, tricky procedure or even shady tactics or they show you clauses in fine prints to make money of you before you part ways with the company or service provider. Similar things happen when you place an order or make a purchase on a website as well – delay or refusal to refund when it is rightful, delay or complex process to exchange a damaged product etc. Many businesses still believe in the old thinking that every attempt should be made to stop a customer from parting ways even if it amounts to causing them difficulty or significant monetary loss. But, they surprisingly they do not realize that a bad user offboarding experience can damage the reputation of their businesses badly. Bad user offboarding not only breaks users’ trust on your brand and but also results in a bad view of your product or service and the experience associated with it. There are anyway parting ways, so what’s the big deal, right? Wrong! User part ways for many reasons – dissatisfaction with the service or product, it’s not useful anymore, there is no need of it anymore or there may even be cases where users may not need the service now but may come back later. A pleasant user offboarding experience leaves a great impression on your users, they may come back later to subscribe to your service or if they were very satisfied with your service and are quitting only for other reasons, they may even recommend your product/service to others. In contrast, a bad user offboarding experience may result in sustained negative word-of-mouth which may irreparably damage your brand’s reputation. Providing a Pleasant User Offboarding Experience – Tips and Best PracticesUser offboarding Journey MappingKnowing your audience in-depth, analyzing and identifying the reasons why they unsubscribe or cancel your service or part ways is the first step. Brainstorming with your team, closed user group testing, surveys etc. are some of the ways to find out the reasons. Finding out the reasons will not only help you to build more a relevant user flow and task flows but also, helps you to fix key issues with respect to your product or service if any, which will, in turn, help you to greatly minimize the number of cancellations. Based on the findings, build user flow and tasks flows – once the user decides to unsubscribe, what should the user do next – define the step by step process and workout the path he/she needs to take and also the tasks that the user needs to do. Raise relevant questions and find answers – is the process too long? Where does the user face issue in the whole process? Is the process easier, quicker and convenient? What are the pain points? If your user flow addresses these broad issues, you are half-way through towards providing a good offboarding experience. Rest, you need to work on the personalization part based on specific user inputs to make the experience even more seamless and positive. Below given are the dos and don’ts and also some practical tips to improve offboarding experience. Positive Approach and TransparencyAs discussed before many businesses make the whole user offboarding process a bitter experience which often results in bad word-of-mouth and completely diminishes the chance of user coming back to them. The alternate and sustainable approach is to make the whole user offboarding process a positive one. Avoid tricks or deceptive methods to retain users. Do not hide or make the cancel or unsubscribe button less visible. Do not make them go through a complex process such as asking the user to send email or call you followed by a long processing delay. Do not charge the users unfairly or deny any refund due by citing clauses mentioned in the fine prints as reasons. Such unfairly actions are often the reasons why customers go ahead and post horribly bad reviews. In today’s times bad reviews severely damage businesses’ reputation online and remember that reviews are one of the very important factors in local search rankings (search engine rankings). The positive approach includes having a transparent and quick user offboarding process. Make the cancel or unsubscribe button visible, clearly convey the consequences of cancellation. LinkedIn ensures a quick and clear offboarding process. Go to ‘accounts and settings’ and then to ‘subscription’ – you’ll find ‘Close your LinkedIn account’ text big and bold right below ‘Account’ as shown in the screenshot. Once you click ‘Close your LinkedIn account’, it takes you to another page where at the top you see a message that shows that they care – ‘we’re sorry to see you go’ and right below that they clearly explain the consequence of closing the account. On the same page, they use ‘guilt trip’ method as a retention strategy where they make you realize that you’ll lose contact with people you know in your professional life. Faces of some of your connections are shown to increase the impact. Below that you can see the feedback form that asks you to tell them the reason behind the decision to close the account. Through-out the process, display encouraging and positive messages (ex: You are one of our esteemed customers, we are really sorry to see you go) Here is another example – Quora too provides a very simple and quick user offboarding experience Go to Privacy section, you’ll find the both deactivate and delete options clearly in red and the red color though makes the links clearly visible, it also gives the user an impression that it is not something that they should do ( red is often used to indicate danger or emergency alert/alarm ). Once you click on either of the links, you will be told the consequence of deactivating or deleting the account along with the ‘deactivate’ and ‘delete’ buttons. Deactivating the account is better than delete because in the former case you’ll be able to recover your data later – so showing both the options together will make the user think a bit before taking the final decision. Many may opt to deactivate instead of deleting as you never know, they may want to come back. After you finally click on the delete button, a final warning of the consequences is shown and here buying time is used as a retention strategy. If the user changes his/her mind, he/she may choose to come back and login again within 14 days and the user’s data will remain intact. Show that you care – a better retention strategyInstead of adopting tricky methods or making the process complex, making the user feel respected and important is a better retention strategy. Give them better options. Provide more value –say a discount or a limited period trial of a next level upgrade. Give assurance to resolve issues if any – show them a quick contact CTA. Pause Vs. cancel – offer them the option to pause the service instead of deleting or cancelling the account – it’s a win-win situation where user’s data will remain saved and since the user is still a member, there is a better chance of him/her coming back in the future. Pure Chat, a sales management tool, makes a very positive approach towards the users who want to cancel the account – ‘maybe we can help’ at the top of the dialog box hints to the user that he/she may be taking a hasty decision and there are options to consider – such a positive line shown at the right time makes one think a bit. They offer to talk to the user about the issues or there is an option to ‘pause’ the account instead of cancelling it, which will help the user retain his/her data. You can also see two buttons clearly, one leading to the plans and billing section (there is a chance of user changing his mind or he may downgrade to a lower plan) and the second one is the cancel button clearly visible. Above the buttons they clearly display the consequences of cancelling the account with an alternate option to ‘downgrade to free’ so that they can retain their data yet don’t have pay for it – which is again a very persuasive CTA. End it on a Positive or Cheerful NoteDespite the positive approach and the persuasive offers, some users may not want to stay back. They have already made up their mind. It could be because of financial reasons too. Wish them luck. Thank them. Display a smiley. Display a funny message. Tell them that they are welcome to subscribe again. Most importantly, ask them to feedback, give a quick list of reasons to choose from – additionally add ‘other’ option and a field to explain if the reason has to be elaborately told. Finally, when they unsubscribe or cancel the account, along with the cancelled/unsubscribed message, you may even display a friendly message with some animation and ask them to resubscribe or sign up again in a funny, cheerful way (Note: it depends on the nature of your business and the types of services you offer, for example – it may work in case of email subscription and may not in case of SaaS-based subscriptions.). Design, Implement and TestOnce user flow and task flows are built based on your findings and the tips/ best practices explained above, it’s time to implement and test. Go for closed user group testing. Ask them to go through the process and feedback. Let them share their unbiased experience with you including the difficulties they faced and at what stage. Identify the gaps and fix the issues. Once you throw open the newly designed user offboarding process to your larger target audience, you may even make a final call or email those who part ways – thank them for using your service and go for a quick feedback session – did you face any problem while cancelling or deleting the account? If yes, at which stage did you face the issue and why? – asking simple questions like these will help you to understand issues from your target audience’s perspective. Last but not the least, use analytics effectively – at what stage of the user offboarding process, majority of the users drop-off and decide to call or email you instead. Also, analyze the kind of complaints w.r.t cancellations you receive. Despite having an easy offboarding process, do your users choose to call or email you? Is it because the ‘delete’ or ‘deactivation’ button has been placed somewhere deep inside the account setting section that the users are not being able to find it? Or is it because parts of the user offboarding process are a bit confusing? – Raise valid questions, fix issues, test and fine-tune the process with an objective to provide a great user-off boarding process. Providing a great user onboarding experience is highly important to make a lasting first impression on the users and to keep the user retention rate high. Similarly, providing a great offboarding experience is equally important to leave a positive impression about your brand on your users’ minds which in turn results in positive word of mouth, low chance of negative word of mouth and high chance of users coming back to use your service or product again. from http://www.designyourway.net/blog/user-experience/guide-to-user-offboarding-tips-and-best-practices/ GitHub is one of the most widely used git repositories for developers. It comes with a lot of functionality, both for beginners and advanced users as well, but it doesn’t always fit the bill when you’re looking for something specific. For example, you might have clients that want to host everything on their own servers, or some other problem that doesn’t allow you to use GitHub. Even more so, for some beginner developers, grasping what is a Git repository can be a bit difficult and they have problems with getting used to the service. There was a GitLab survey not long ago, and it turns out that the majority of developers, 98% of them to be exact, use open source tools. Git, as a specific tool, was the version control tool of choice of 92% of the developers. Even though there are plenty of alternatives to GitHub, its users continue to support it immensely and the company’s branding efforts only add up to that. If you’re in the market for a distributed version control language software (DVCS), you will notice that there is more than one alternative to GitHub, and some of them have plenty to offer. There are a couple of reasons why you might be looking at a GitHub alternative, some of the key ones include, but are not limited to:
Whichever of the aforementioned is you, here is a list of GitHub alternatives that you’ll want to try. BitBucketQuora and Reddit both favorite this option, and there’s good reason for that. Since it’s a paid service, you’ll appreciate that the first five users you connect are for free, which gives you a chance to try things out before you commit. Since it’s a part of the Atlassian software family, BitBucket works well with other services such as Bamboo or Jira. It comes with all the features that you’d love with a Git repository, such as pull requests, in-line comments etc. Depending on your specific needs in terms of security, you can deploy BitBucket on a local server, in the cloud, or even on your data center. GitLabAnother great alternative with plenty of features, you will find a dedicated project website as well as a project Wiki with GitLab. The testing and delivery of your code are both automated, thanks to the continuous integration, which significantly reduces how long you wait for things. All the standard features that users of Git repositories are used to, such as code viewer, pull requests, etc. SourceForgeOnce a staple for open source software code repositories, SourceForge went through a bit of problems in 2015, but by 2016 it was back up and running as good as ever. SourceForge predated a lot of open-source alternatives for version control, and you will now find multi-factor authentication, which supports their claim that they’ve moved towards higher security levels.Standard features such as discussions, issue tracking and others are present, as expected. ChiliProjectThis is a great option for anyone looking for a full-fledged web-based project management system. It’s there for you from the moment you start to set up the project plan, until the very end. It was made with Ruby on Rails. CodeplaneThis is also a paid solution, and another one that gives you 30 days to see whether you like it. Afterwards, you get Git as your version control software, and 2 gigabytes of storage for your repositories, and no limits on how many repositories you have or how many users access them, for $9 a month, which is half the price of the previous alternative. This is best suited for smaller companies, and even freelancers or freelance teams. Your repositories will be backed up and stored in the Amazon S3, so that’s one less thing to worry about. CodePlexA Microsoft-made solution, you will get an option to create your projects and each of them will get a domain. However, this means that they should all have names that haven’t been used before, which might get tricky. And, the domain name is limited to yournamehere.codeplex.com, you don’t get to create a custom website for the project. You do get a fair share of VCS, as Team Foundation Server, Mercurial and Git are all options. Your projects will be private for the first 30 days, and you get an option to make them public earlier than the expiry of those 30 days. If you don’t, your projects will be removed. CodePlex doesn’t set any limits for the number of users, and all its features are free to use. RedmineIf you’re after a complete toolset for flexible project management, Redmine is one of the best possible alternatives to GitHub. It’s free, it’s open source, and won’t ask you for any payments of any kind. You can create as many repositories as you want, and no, there aren’t any hidden charges, which are all things that developers will love. It’s a bit tricky to install and set up, but it will save you a lot of money and time in the long run. It comes with plenty of cross-platform and cross-database capabilities, and supports Wiki, forums, SCM integration, role-based access control etc. BeanstalkAgain a paid solution, you get two weeks of free trial period with Beanstalk. Afterwards, you get packages which start at $15 for 3 gigabytes of storage, 5 users and a limit of 10 repositories, and only go up from that. There’s support for Git Version Control Systems, as well as Subversion, and the code can be edited within the browser which saves you time from switching to the command line interface all the time. Apache AlluraThis is one of the free ones, and it gives you a simple, yet functional toolset. Code comments, issue tracking, and committing everything to a Mongo database are all included, and there’s support for Subversion, Hg, and Git, which is enough flexibility. You can track changes with color coding, build Wiki pages and search artifacts, and there’s also the ability to connect other tools as well. Cloud Source by GoogleThis is Google’s version control, which appeared after Google Code’s demise. You can choose between Google’s own repositories, and connecting to other ones such as GitHub or Bitbucket. There’s an advantage with using Google’s repositories, since the storage is across Google’s infrastructure, which guarantees safety. You get things such as the Stackdriver Debugger, which lets you see debugging, side by side with any app, as well as cloud diagnostics to deeper investigate issues, all while your code is continuously running in the background. AWS CodeCommitIf security is your primary concern, this is one that’s worth looking into. You get private and secure Git repositories, and the option to connect other AWS products. CodeCommit is completely usable with the Git tools you’re using now, but your code is safe in the AWS environment. You don’t need to purchase any hardware, and AWS has plenty of partners that give you a lot of plugins, for greater control over the software stack. GitKrakenIt’s a fact that many of the tools mentioned don’t really have the prettiest user interface, but GitKraken stands out. It is beautiful to use, and the focus on ease of use and speed will be a welcome improvement. You have a free version for companies with less than 20 employees, or a pro version with plenty of exclusive features. GitKraken works on multiple platforms, such as Linux, Mac and Windows, and comes with a goal of cutting down on building and testing time, which can be pretty useful in the long run. ConclusionRegardless of what your team chooses as a version control software, you will want to put an emphasis on privacy and security. You have a great deal of options available, and all come with different pros and cons, and at different prices. You can definitely find the ideal one for you and your team, just make sure your team agrees on it. from http://www.designyourway.net/blog/resources/git-repositories-to-use-as-github-alternatives/ What is a coding bootcamp? A coding bootcamp may be defined as a specialized program for training that educates trainees to meet market requirements. It allows students with next to no coding capability to concentrate on the most essential parts of coding and instantly apply their new coding aptitudes. Coding bootcamps show individuals with almost no specialized coding foundation how to compose code, and design applications on an expert level. The majority of coding bootcamps last somewhere in the range of 8-12 weeks and are intended for high impact learning and speed. SpeedThe majority of computer engineering students spend four years to finish their Computer Engineering degree. Coding schools segregate the most applicable abilities from a 4 year degree and inject it with important industry aptitudes to cross over any barrier between the theoretical academia world and this present reality of new companies. Compressing a 4 year software engineering degree into twelve weeks is only conceivable through a laser concentration on the required technologies for the industries at the moment and high effect learning. High Impact LearningCoding bootcamps concentrate on high impact learning and show learners around ten percent of a conventional software engineering degree. That ten percent will not first seem like much at, but because it only incorporates the most important skills of coding needed applications build and launch on an expert level, it is fantastically significant. All trivial skills are brutally removed from the coding bootcamp programs. Top Ten Coding Bootcamps with Best General ExperienceChoosing a coding bootcamp isn’t easy, but I hope these listed here will help you in making a decision. ThinkfulThinkful is a web based programming bootcamp that use 1-on-1 mentorship and organized educational modules to tutor full-stack web development and information science. Although Thinkful is a web-based bootcamp, the school additionally has face to face groups, as of now holding events and holding classes in Raleigh, Atlanta, DC. Their most thorough yet remunerating courses are the Full Time Web Development Bootcamp, Flexible Data Science Bootcamp, and Flexible Web Development Bootcamp which incorporate individual tutor meetings, custom-manufactured educational programs, and day by day guide facilitated Q&A sessions open to every student. SkillcrushSkillcrush provides 12-week web courses in website development or website design. Needing to show students advanced aptitudes to kickstart their vocation, Skillcrush gives their “Blueprint,” which is a well ordered guide to get students ready for the profession they crave. Students take part in learning solid specialized aptitudes while making an arrangement of genuine undertakings also. These three month outlines are on the web, yet offer squares of available time, and access to instructors, classmates, and career mentors to make an organized learning condition. General AssemblyGeneral Assembly provides courses in mobile and web development, product organization, information science and so much more, on the web and face to face, over fifteen campuses in four continents. Concentrating on the most pertinent and sought after aptitudes over design, data, technology and business. General Assembly is going up against an abilities crevice through best-in-class guideline and giving access to chances in tech. General Assembly works with learners on the web and face to face crosswise over fifteen campuses in four continents. General Assembly provides an expansiveness of various course offerings and classes’ scope from full time immersive courses for students that need to change to another vocation, to part time courses for students that are hoping to enhance their profession direction by getting another aptitude set, and guide drove online circuits for a more adaptable approach to procure foundational abilities. BlocBloc is an expansive, internet coding school that joins 1-on-1 mentorship to set up every student for a vocation as an expert programming engineer. Bloc’s apprenticeship method is custom fitted particularly to every learner’s adapting needs. Not everybody can leave their place of employment or move to another city for a bootcamp, so Bloc has composed a far reaching bootcamp considering this. Learners can enlist full-time, or finish the program at a part time pace. With Bloc, a devoted tutor will give 1-on-1 guideline to clear up ideas and combine program with every student. Le WagonLe Wagon is a 9-week Ruby on Rails focused bootcamp based out of Paris and other various locations. With a community of students with various backgrounds (engineers, journalists, architects, designers, etc.), applicants will join an exciting tech community. All the students of Le Wagon share the same technical background and apply industry best practices. This mix between diversity & technical expertise makes the community unique. Le Wagon is a nine-week garnet on Rails centered bootcamp based out of Paris and different areas. With a group of students with different foundations (writers, engineers, designers, architects, and so on.), candidates will join an energizing tech group. Every one of the student of Le Wagon have a similar specialized foundation and use industry top practices. This blend between differences and specialized aptitude makes the group one of a kind. DevMountainDevMountain provides both immersive and after-hours twelve-week coding bootcamp programs in Dallas, Salt Lake City and Provo, UT where learners are prepared and coached by industry specialists. The projects are intended to suit everybody from learners to people with all the more programming knowledge. DevMountain’s professional faculty like sharing their skills and enabling the following influx of developers and business people through hands-on taking in, extraordinary guideline, engaged mentorship, and a flipped classroom. App AcademyEstablished in 2012 by Kush Patel and Ned Ruggeri, App Academy is an immersive twelve-week Ruby-centered course on web development with campuses New York City and San Francisco. Learners keen on this exceptional program ought to hope to put in 90-100 hours for every week. Upon graduation, learners will have an arrangement of genuine tasks to show to potential employers. Flatiron SchoolFlatiron School is a result centered code bootcamp that provides full fledged iOS Development and Web Development programs on its online and NYC grounds. Flatiron School has driven the bootcamp business on results, backing its ninety-eight percent occupation arrangements rate and $75k beginning salary with yearly freely checked employments reports. Flatiron School as well provides numerous basic courses, as well as Bootcamp Prep, and Certificate courses on their online grounds. AcadGildAcadGild is a web based tech platform providing courses in full-fledged digital marketing, web development, mobile development and data science based out of California and India. Established by IT experts, AcadGild’s emphasis is on tutor based tech tutoring and the fulfillment of tasks by learners to develop their portfolios. Learning straightly from the specialists, learners will get assistance from coaches to clear questions, investigate code, and steadily review projects. To guarantee better collaboration and individual consideration, classes are little comprising of ten to twelve learners and are built to be available and at a reasonable price. WyncodeWyncode provides a ten-week, full time and 12-week, part time bootcamp for web development situated in Miami, FL. Planning to instruct functional and important skills to inspired people, Wyncode can assist whether you will probably land a position or to begin your own organization. 5,000 lines of code will be written by students, they will team up with classmates to create difficult apps, and partake in a hands-on immersive course in their journey to be Ruby on Rails designers. Ahead of the program’s completion, students will have gotten thorough education in Rails, Ruby, JavaScript, CSS3, and HTML5, despite gaining skills like leadership and business skills. Coding Bootcamps Train What Is Needed By StartupsOther than speed high impact learning, coding bootcamps instruct the most recent hard specialized abilities that match the advanced technologies that the best new businesses in the nation are utilizing for product build and lunch intently. To put it plainly, coding bootcamps show you the particular aptitudes of building web apps with the most recent technologies that is required for you to be a high impact worker at a tech or startup organization from the very beginning. Why do people undergo a coding bootcamp?Individuals undergo coding bootcamp for numerous reasons, however without a doubt the three most usual reasons why individuals learn coding are vocation changes, dispatch their own thought, and straight driving technological development at their present place of employment. Since we discovered that coding bootcamps concentrate vigorously on the most recent techs and allow anybody to create and lunch apps quick, we can comprehend why they are so prevalent. However, you’re most likely making the following inquiry: Who precisely are those individuals undergoing coding bootcamps and what is their inspiration? Understanding what sort of individual coding bootcamps regularly draw is an incredible method for knowing if a coding bootcamp is ideal for you. Coding bootcamps commonly draw three sorts of individuals – work searchers, business visionaries and office trailblazers. Let us take a comprehensive look at them. Work searcher at a Tech or Startup CompanyThe sum of coding and development jobs available at new companies and tech organizations is astonishing, and just developing. Seeing that individuals with genuine practical skills of coding are being demanded and the eagerness of companies to pay better than expected pay rates for those abilities, leads many individuals to switch vocations and turn into an expert web designer for a tech organization. Individuals who are looking for work instantly after the completion of coding bootcamp, have to concentrate on taking in extra aptitudes like database structures, algorithms and whiteboard interview implements close to the major programs that are taught in the coding bootcamps. Entrepreneurs needing technical skillsPossessing an idea for an awesome application however inadequate with regards to the abilities to realize the idea is the thing that drives numerous business visionaries to find a coding bootcamp to join. In many cases those same business people hunt down the specialized co-founder (a man who can code their thought for them) for an expanded timeframe. After many fizzled endeavors of persuading another person to create their own particular dream, they understood that figuring out how to code will build their odds of success Workplace InnovatorsWorkplace innovators are “business visionaries” who see the chance to take care of enormous issues at their present job with technology. Instead of enlisting an outside expert to provide an answer to their problem, they join coding bootcamps (usually on a part time basis) to pick up the important specialized coding aptitudes to fabricate an answer themselves. Cases extend from modelers who understand that there is a superior method to deliver results on a particular task to container shipping experts who acknowledge how to decrease general expenses by improving loading times of containers. What is the common thing between the best coding bootcamps?There is a major contrast on how numerous coding bootcamps train learners to code and set them up for this present reality of new businesses and tech organizations. All things considered, the best coding bootcamps share a few traits that enable them to accomplish remarkable results and put them over the pack. This is what you need to search for in an extraordinary coding bootcamp: First Factor: First-Class Trainer and Coding Mentors Coding coaches and educators need to join a strong foundation in coding with teaching background. Having a decent handle on coding and web development or design is something that originates from expert work experience with an awesome tech organization. Factor Two: The founding team and greater part of their team know how to code Taking part in a coding bootcamp where the whole staff can really code and construct web applications is regularly a better than average sign of a first class coding bootcamp. By having everybody on staff comprehend what it takes to launch a web app and secure employment as a web engineer, the whole structure of the bootcamp – from software installation on your PC to preparing you for specialized interviews- is intended to help you accomplish your objectives. Furthermore, the tutor and teacher quality at “technical founder” bootcamps are in many cases an order of importance higher. This means that a specialized staff who knows all about coding can assess and judge a would-be new educator on a totally extraordinary level than, say someone who knows next to nothing about coding. To put it plainly, a coding bootcamp with an establishing group that comprises of real web designers and where most of the staff can really code will give you a better chance of arriving at your coding objectives. Factor Three: Students are set up for the genuine web development from the very first moment Web development at tech and startups organizations is only done through a collaboration. In this collaboration, a gathering of web engineers, splits a huge fresh project into individual coding assignments, each colleague completes her coding undertaking and after that the whole code to make the element work is amassed, tried and propelled. Being useful in such an expert web development group and joint coding condition is completely essential for a low grade web engineer. The best coding bootcamps acknowledge and see how elements and applications are designed in reality and effectively prepare their students to be efficient in such domain from the very beginning. This implies that an incredible coding bootcamp won’t just clarify how the process of reality web development functions comprehensively, but effectively get students engaged in collaborative coding tasks. All through those collaborative projects, it is required for students to take an intricate component task, break it into littler coding assignments, request help on difficult steps and synchronize with other colleagues on the best way to build and launch the feature. Communication though this shared coding stage will depend intensely on similar instruments that expert engineers utilize (majorly GitHub and git) and show students to compose great code, as well as assess the code of other people, provide effective opinion and settle on choices in view of value and similarity with their own code. Having group tasks that produce web app that take care of a genuine issue is a necessary piece of the best coding bootcamp educational programs to get students ready for the world of expert web development. Factor Four: Full-time and committed technical coaching staff This is a subject that shouldn’t be a piece of this guide. Shockingly, an excessive number of non-specialized founders still do not attach adequate importance to having committed and specialized staff be a piece of the full-time group. In the event that this sounds insane to you, that a place where you learn how to code and start a career in web development does not have any full-time educator in their ranks, you are not the only one. But unfortunately, numerous teachers and educational programs creators are just contracted on an impermanent basis or as a part time assistant help despite the fact that they have full time jobs at somewhere else. At the point when just having access to only part time teachers, it’s anything but difficult to perceive how the instructive results and how attention given to each student is not as much as perfect. Actually, it’s normal that trainees don’t see their part time teacher for a few days if deadlines of full day job overshadow instructing a class and thinking about the objectives of individual students. Ensure your chosen coding bootcamp uses full-time and devoted coding trainers, so that you are not abandoned without assistance. SummaryYou have done your enquiries and are prepared to get committed to the best coding bootcamp for your own objectives. Wonderful! Now is an ideal opportunity to deposit a sum of money to hold your seat in the coming class or pay the entire tuition forthright. Abstain from hesitating and “thinking it through” over and over. You have effectively settled on a choice and making a commitment is the ultimate step. And having read this whole guide from start to finish, finished your research and conversed with a few code schools, you are probably going to stand in our entrance. from http://www.designyourway.net/blog/resources/the-best-coding-bootcamps/ When going to a professional web designer or agency, you’re likely to be recommended a WordPress website. Most of the agencies we work with and talk to are either WordPress only or they use it as their primary CMS. Even if WordPress allows you to create a website basically for free, businesses are sometimes paying $10k and more for their WordPress websites. But how do you know if to expect a $500 proposal or a $10,000 proposal when you go to an agency? This article takes you through some of the main factors behind the pricing of WordPress websites: 1) the agency you work with, 2) the content on your site and 3) the features you need. The agency you hire
To start with, digital agencies have different sizes and business models. Some are young startups, or a developer making extra money from his college dorm room, while others have Mad Men style offices in Manhattan with experienced professionals. This is one of the main drivers of cost – you pay for the experience of the people building your site. The reason for paying more is that you expect their experience to help make your site more valuable, as an investment in higher conversion rates and better SEO. Depending on your business, this may be overkill or a great way to get an advantage over your competition.
Let’s assume that you want a simple brochure site, with a landing page, 6 internal pages of content and a blog. You can probably get it from around $500 from a fresh web designer who doesn’t feel comfortable charging more, or who is starting out helping companies that otherwise wouldn’t afford to get a website. A typical local web agency would charge around $3,000 – $5,000 maybe. But, you can also go to a large agency and get a well-branded and optimized site for $10,000 or more, with no extra features that are visible to the untrained eye. The main difference will be the content on the site. The agency would create better copy, professional images, and a smart user experience that helps your site convert. Further, the site will probably load faster, be more resistant to hacking attacks and won’t crash when you update your WordPress install. For you, you can also leave the job to the agency to figure out what you need – they know from experience what will work for you, and the process will manage itself. On the other hand, this may be well more than you need. Getting a site up there that works is way better than defaulting a company with the most beautiful site ever made. Besides the small and large spectrum, there’s an agency business model that helps you bring down the costs for you sites, to get a product that’s better than what you pay for. Many agencies sell websites without a profit, because their main business is managing your digital advertising and SEO. In order to provide those services, they need to sell you a website too – and with a low price tag, it’s more likely you’ll become a customer of their main services on a monthly plan. The content on your site
Some businesses prefer to write their own content and provide images to their websites, while others leave that work to the agency. According to a pricing guide from American Writers & Artists Inc., the brochure site from our previous example would cost around $1,500 – $3,500 to get copy for by a professional. The number of pages also affects the amount of design and development work to be done. But not always, which is obvious to some but news to others. A page in WordPress only needs to be designed and developed if it has a unique page template. Most of you have probably either used or built WP sites, and you know that for each page you select a template. These templates are what need to be designed and developed, and then you can create as many pages as you want based on those with only some copy-paste magic and the visual editor. A page template can take 1-20h to design depending on how long and complex it should be, but we develop almost all page templates in 4-12h once the designs are done. This means that the brochure site we mentioned earlier (with a landing page, 6 internal pages and a blog) if developed by a typical local agency could be $2,000 if all the internal pages use the same page template, and $6,000 if they all have unique designs. I based this calculation on each page template taking 12h to design and build at a rate of $75/h, i.e. $900 per page. Remember that these are ballpark estimates just to give you an idea of the impacts of unique page templates. If you are OK with sticking to the pre-made page templates of a premium theme, you only need to configure them with your content, which means you save $900 per page template. Many businesses prefer to have custom made templates, but there are many themes to choose from if you’re on a low budget. Especially if your web developer is not primarily a designer, this can help to get a decent looking site up and running while focusing more on e.g. the content and SEO. The features you need
Finally, let’s talk about the main driver of cost for a WordPress website – the features. Now we have to pimp our example of the 8 page brochure site and see where it takes us. Many websites serve more purposes than providing information. The visitor might need to be able to schedule an appointment, fill out a contact form, find a store on an interactive map or search functionality, or make a purchase on the site. There are plenty of plugins for WordPress that lets you do this things quite easily, but it always requires some thinking to go into it. Hopefully not too much customization, since plugins are rarely easy to tweak without running the risk of breaking them. Developing (i.e. the coding part of the job) a feature like an interactive map, a gallery, a custom contact form or a search functionality would probably take a good 5-20h or so. It would increase the cost of your $2,000 to maybe $2,500 or $3,000, much depending on how much time the agency needs to spend with you to understand how you want it to work. Getting into more details here is beyond the scope of this post, but you can find more about development time for different elements in this article on WordPress costs. If you want a webshop on the other hand, there are plenty of rules to set up for how it should work, add products, configure the checkout stages etc. So even with the widely used WooCommerce plugin to take care of most of the coding, you’re looking at a site that’s now $6,000 – $10,000 at least depending on how advanced your store needs to be and the amount of products and their specification. However, you’re not only buying a website – you’re building an online store. The value of this investment should pay off, given that your products sell. In summaryIn the same way that a $500 watch can tell the same time as a $10,000 watch, your business can get a WordPress website at different price levels that in essence tell your visitors the same information. However, its features, appearance and effect on the visitors will be different, so you need to adjust what you buy to your wallet and your goals. Here’s a quick summary of the two extremes that we’ve discussed in this article: Getting a WordPress website built for you at a cost of $500 requires that you:
If your proposal from the digital agency lands somewhere around $10,000, this is probably why:
If you have experience buying or building WordPress websites, please use the comment section to tell us what you paid or quoted for different types of WordPress sites to help extend the knowledge base. from http://www.designyourway.net/blog/wp/the-difference-between-a-500-wordpress-site-and-a-10k-wordpress-site/ Adobe Photoshop is a has become the go to photo editing software for designers and photographers. As it’s been mentioned before, ‘photoshop’ has turned to a verb and we often talk about ‘photoshopping’ pictures no matter what software was used to do it. We can say the same thing about software for editing photos. Photoshopping pictures is no longer the prefecture of professional photographers and art directors. Regardless of the kind of smartphone you take your pictures from, if you care about the look of your pictures, you would send them to your PC to arrange them, select the best ones, and make them look perfect. In the past, everybody would say ‘Photoshop’ if you asked them what is the best photo editing software. Although Photoshop remains the best photo editor according to some, others have a different point of view. We have compiled a list of the best photo editing programs. Serif Affinity PhotoSerif disregards its spending foundation with a stunningly intense Photoshop equal. Macintosh clients who needn’t bother with Lightroom’s hierarchical instruments and who ache for a Photoshop elective on an old-school permit course of action need to take a look at Serif Affinity Photo. Best-known as a builder of budget creative applications for Windows such as PhotoPlus, Serif has spread out into professional Mac programming with its new range of “Affinty”. A couple of the processes and terms are distinctive, but so far you can use Photoshop, it won’t take you long to get used to this also. Advantage of Affinity Photo (aside from the cost) is that it’s been developed from the scratch to work with the latest hardware computing hardware. Corel PaintShop Pro X9Corel’s veteran picture altering programming is brought straight up to date. PaintShop Pro’s point is to adversary Photoshop’s flexibility and picture altering power, yet to be simpler to utilize and for a small amount of money, and the virtually all of Photoshop’s most valuable tools have an identical in PaintShop Pro, and however they regularly work marginally differently, it doesn’t take long to adjust, particularly with assistance from the Learning Center. Nevertheless, even with rendition X8’s speed improvements, a few apparatuses can be frustratingly languid, and after that there’s cost to consider. A while ago when Photoshop cost a huge instalment payment, PaintShop Pro could surely be had at a small amount of the cost. PixlrPixlr is a self acclaimed “most well known online photo editor software on the planet”, which may be related to the fact that it is free. Be that as it may, it likewise brags over 600 effects, borders, overlays, and enables you to do all the basic things you would anticipate from picture editor, from trimming and re-measuring to whitening teeth and eliminating. Also, in case you’re accustomed to making use of Photoshop you’ll discover Pixlr’s UI simple to get rapidly, as they are very similar. AcornPicture editing software Acorn came into life in 2007 and has given specialists and craftsmen on a budget with an extraordinary, moderate bit of picture editing programming. Highlights include layer styles, non destructive filters, levels and curves, mixing modes and substantially more. The most recent version, Acorn 5, included enhanced speed, an upgraded UI and that’s just the beginning. A standout amongst the improvements was the inclusion of non-destructive filters, which incorporates an incredible interface to bind filters together to make exceptional effects. Your filters can even be saved and modified after you have shut and re-opened your Acorn picture. GIMPAn open-source image editing software that appeared on Unix-based stages, GIMP is for GNU Image Manipulation Program. Today it has versions accessible for Linux, Mac and Windows. GIMP provides a broad toolset – all that you are used to can be easily reached, including painting apparatuses, cloning, colour correction, selection, and improvement. The team that is in charge of improvement has endeavoured to guarantee compatibility as well, so you’ll have the capacity to work with all the prevalent document formats with no inconvenience by any means. You’ll likewise locate an exceptional built in file manager, along comparative lines to Adobe’s Bridge. Adobe LightroomLightroom is not really an alternative to Photoshop. Started as a tool to RAW workflow , Adobe has been relentlessly bringing it up to date through four iterations and on the off chance that you don’t have to cut up your pictures too seriously, it’s an incredible option to ‘full quality’ Photoshop. In case you’re a RAW shooter you may as at now be utilizing Lightroom as a major aspect of your work process, as it covers a couple of Photoshop’s shortcomings: arranging your pictures, labelling your images, and applying snappy fixes and improvements. Provided you work basically with RAW documents and need a program to rapidly handle your pictures, modify exposure, get rid of noise, and apply similar adjustments to a clump of pictures, Lightroom might be all you require – which was absolutely why Adobe made it. DxO Optics Pro 8In the event that you need computerized, customized to your camera lens correction in your RAW-processing programming, DxO Optics Pro is the answer. This is an alternative to Lightroom and it features a broad database of combinations of camera/lens, which you can set in motion as “modules” to apply lens correction, sharpening, chromatic aberration, and noise reduction fixes automatically. The Standard version’s database of camera/lens combination is made to bolster everything from RAW-proficient simple to use cameras to DSLRs, while the Elite release is a superior fit for those shooting with a full-frame DSLR or other expert level kits. Optics Pro 8 is quite hard to get used to, yet it’s an amazingly capable tool and its lens redresses are truly unbelievable. Get set to wait for new lens modules and cameras to be included, however DxO is showing signs of improvement in this aspect. Paint.netPaint.net is a shockingly skilled and helpful apparatus, available at no cost at all. The attention is on usability, and there’s a clear inclination towards photo editing in the stead of aesthetic creation. Having said that, set of great effects accessible are available, permitting you to effortlessly make fake point of view, combine and drive pixels round the canvas, overlay and selections of repeat, et cetera. A decent scope of selection apparatuses, bolster for layers, and alterations, for example, curves and contrast/brightness imply that Paint.net is an awesome other option to Photoshop for editing photos, particularly if you can manage without some of the new tools added to Photoshop’s toolset. CyberLink PhotoDirectorIn case you are searching for an expert photo editing program with a decent preset selection and editing options, but yet affordable, PhotoDirector might be a decent choice. This product has a smooth dark interface with coherently organised panels for your work process. There’s a decent choice of organisational apparatuses, and you have a great deal available to you for editing. PhotoDirector has a lot of tools for making your database of images. You can add presets, add text, omit copies and rename photos. Then you can rapidly put pictures with a similar face in a group, and put names with the feature of facial recognition. Once done, those names are then searchable in your file. You can mark pictures for later editing and also add star ratings. Compare mode enables you to rapidly see images next to each other for easy processing. Nikon CaptureNikon Capture NX2 is a maturing raw converter and expert image editor focussed largely at Nikon clients. In case you are searching for programming that works especially well with the crude NEF files, and needn’t bother with an all-inclusive organiser, Capture NX2 might be an ideal choice for your necessities. Capture is not an extraordinary tool for arranging files. The importer functions admirably, and you can effortlessly work with extensive amounts of pictures, however, none of the database tools that are known with great photo editors is available. After import, star ratings plus tags can be added to the pictures. GPS-empowered cameras will give you pinpoints on a worldwide guide to take location organisation into consideration. Tethering is an outstanding feature of this expert photo editor. PortraitProPortrait Professional Studio Max is a specialty in one area: portraits editing. This software is one of the best photo editing software around and is intended to make your picture editing fast and natural. As the title proposes, it is designed for portrait work only, however it can roll out sensational improvements with just a couple clicks. It functions rapidly and acts as connect for photoshop and Adobe Lightroom. The product guarantees to be anything but difficult to ace without critical preparing. PhotoScapeThis is another great program that probably has a stake as the best free picture editor. Your photos can be edited with its very simple tools and it enables you to make pre-sets right on your toolbar so that images can be edited faster. PhotoScape can as well make animated GIFs and slideshows for your pictures. It includes features such as RAW to JPG converter, face finder, colour picker,2 and a lot more. On1 Perfect EffectsThis is a magnificent all round photo editor, and you can make use of it at no cost. It can be downloaded and installed easily, and can also be used on any kind of operating system. It comes with 170 effects such as brush, photo editing, and masking tool. Also, it has add-on accessible for Lightroom, Photoshop, and Aperture. PhaseOne Capture One Pro 10Capture one is a top of the line opponent to Lightroom and conveys excellent results. Capture One began as a devoted programming instrument for Phase One’s expert medium- plan cameras, yet it’s been produced into a capable raw conversion and photo editor for any owner of a camera. Similar to Lightroom, it can bring in your pictures into a concentrated, searchable database and after that apply non-dangerous modifications and preset effects. Your original or real pictures are never directly altered, and the modifications are just made changeless when you send out prepared JPEG or TIFF variants. Be that as it may, there’s a whole other world to this program than the uncovered specs claim, on the grounds that Capture One Pro’s raw conversions are very brilliant, frequently removing obviously more keen detail, with less clamor, than Adobe Camera Raw. LuminarLuminar’s crazy looking way to photo editing is quite brilliant. Try not to be tricked by that mushy “MacPhun” play on words making. This organization makes legitimately intense programming that joins single-tick presets that anybody can use with capable back-end modification for specialists and enthusiasts. Luminar is affordable, interesting and rather smart. You can utilize it as a straightforward independent photograph editing tool, as connect for Photoshop, Lightroom, Elements and Aperture and and even as an editing expansion for Apple Photos. There’s an abundance of cutting edge controls here and an astute versatile interface, while there are a large group of a single tick presets to appreciate. Mac users should give this one a look. MacPhun Creative KitThis Mac-only suite is a clever, modern creativity-booster. You get a set of programs that can function as separate as plug-ins or tools for Lightroom, Photoshop, or Aperture. Snapheal and Noiseless are simple and useful tools for removing noise and object correspondingly, whereas Intensify applies drama and contrast to your pictures and Tonality is good at making retor/mono effects also. Focus is great for tilt-shift and bokeh effects, whilst FX Photo Studio has in-your-face photo effects which reveal surprising depth and subtlety. Adobe Photoshop Elements 15Elements is a great image-editing tool, but version 15 brings just a handful of changes. Photoshop Elements is like the ‘amateur’ version of Photoshop. It’s a lot more novice-friendly, but you do miss out on a lot of Photoshop’s more advanced features. Elements’ big draw used to be the massive price differential, but you can now get a year’s subscription to Photoshop CC and Lightroom for not much more than the price of an Elements license. Elements’ main strength is its ability to cater for all kinds of user, but the novice-orientated interface can grate, the editor lacks proper curves adjustments and the version of Adobe Camera Raw that’s included is a bare-bones, cut-down version of the real thing. Elements is great for newbies and non-professionals, but its cost advantage has been eroded by Adobe’s Creative Cloud Photoshop and Lightroom deal. Handy PhotoThe selling point of Handy Photo photo editor is its interface, which uses the corners of the screen to cater for rotating menu options. It’s all designed to keep the central area of the screen clear, allowing you to use swipe gestures to tone your effects up or down. It’s a powerful photo editor; the UI isn’t for everyone, but this is an amazing price for the effects you get. The ‘Move Me’ tool enables you to clip out objects and move, resize or flip them. Photo Editor by AviaryAviary is a very pleasantly designed app that strikes the perfect balance between serious photo-editing and playful photo-decoration functions without looking bland or childish. However, the selection of filters and stickers are fairly small, so any future updates would give this app great room for play. Ending thoughtsNothing is to state that professionals can’t incidentally utilize a beginner level application or that a prosumer will not run Photoshop, the most capable picture editing application around. The only issue is that, generally, both beginners and professionals would want to use the products that are made for them. from http://www.designyourway.net/blog/resources/best-free-premium-photo-editing-software/ For quite a while, Skype was the world pioneer whenever VoIP applications were mentioned. It was so prevalent, indeed, that “Skyping” turned into a verb. However, with a lot of people complaining about low quality calls, an excessive number of crashes, and a general doubt of Microsoft, for some, Skype lost its allure, in spite of its current redesigns. However, since Skype’s glory days, numerous different apps like Skype have been launched that allow you to call others from your gadgets, and some are even better than Skype. In case you’re tired of Skype then, you might need to check out the alternatives to Skype. If you want an alternative to Skype or Skype replacement, a service such as the ones in this list may just do it for you. TelegramTelegram is an incredible application made by previous VK makers with an emphasis on security and speed. It is very fast, straightforward and free. It is similar to Skype, perhaps more intense. You can send photographs, messages, and recordings to individuals who are in your telephone contacts (and have Telegram). Also, you can make groups for about 5000 individuals or channels for boundless subscribers. For those intrigued by greatest security, Telegram included Secret Chats, which has uninterrupted encryption to guarantee that a message must be read by its expected recipient. This is perhaps, this is the best Skype alternative. DiscordAn all encompassing app which has text and voice chat for gamers that is secure, free, and supports both your phone and desktop. Quit paying for TeamSpeak servers and bothering with Skype. HangoutsHangouts is an application for messaging which gives you a chance to send and get messages, photographs and the sky is the limit from there, and even begin free voice and video calls – With a group or one-to-one. This is a program like Skype. “Hangouts” are spots used to encourage group video talk (with a highest of 10 individuals partaking in a solitary Hangout anytime). Within the ten man bound, members may utilize voice only telephones to dial into the hangout rather than the desktop or mobile phone video talk feature. On a laptop or desktop situation, Hangouts additionally contain the inclusion of Google document sharing, group talk, and synchronous viewing of videos on YouTube. SlackSlack unites all your communication together. It is real time messaging app, documenting and searching for contemporary teams. WhatsApp MessengerWhatsApp Messenger is a versatile messaging application which exists on different platforms. It enables you to send and receive messages without paying for SMS. This messenger can be used on iPhone, Android, BlackBerry, Nokia, Windows Phone and yes, all these phones can message one another. Since WhatsApp Messenger utilizes similar data plan that you use for web browsing and email, it is free to message and stay connected with your family and friends. Besides messaging, users of WhatsApp can form groups, send boundless pictures, video and sound media messages to each other. Now, WhatsApp can be used on your web browser. WhatsApp Web is just an extension of your telephone: the web program mirrors chats and messages from your cell phone – this implies the majority of your messages still exist on your telephone. JitsiJitsi (formerly SIP Communicator) is a sound/video and chat communicator with complete end-to-end encryption that gives support to procedures like SIP, ICQ/AIM, XMPP/Jabber, Yahoo, Windows Live, and additionally ZRTP, OTR, and so on. It can deal with each and every firewall, and has numerous other valuable features. Jitsi is totally open source/free programming, and is available at no cost under the terms of the GNU Lesser General Public License. WireWire is a protected and private messenger for tablets, phones and desktop. Perfectly clear video and voice chats, private group chats, document sharing, sound and video messages – all end-to-end encrypted. Wire is compatible with iOS, Android, Linux, Windows, MacOS and any advanced web program. Why Wire?
Facebook MessengerFacebook Messenger is a speedier approach to messaging. Connect with friends and family on their telephones, receive and send messages quick, message everybody simultaneously and a lot more. Best Features:
LinphoneLinphone is a web phone or Voice Over IP telephone (VoIP). With Linphone you can discuss uninhibitedly with individuals over the web, with video, voice, and instant texting. Linphone uses the protocol of SIP, an open standard for web communication. You can utilize Linphone with any SIP VoIP administrator. Wide scopes of sound and video codecs are bolstered, including Speex, Opus and H264 (by means of a module). TrillianTrillian is a texting application that is compatible with tablets, phones, and desktops while keeping your conversation conveniently synchronized between every one of them! We think discussion ought to be effortlessly shared between each of your gadgets, not caught as instant messages on your telephone. Here’s the manner by which we do it:
Riot.imRiot (previously Vector) is an opensource interoperable application running on Web, Android and iOS. It is designed around chat rooms, both open and private and offers messaging, filesharing, video and voice conferencing (beta on Web and Android), incorporations to devices like Jira, GitHub, Jenkins and significantly more soon. Vector is based on the Matrix.org open standard which gives extensions to different frameworks like IRC, Slack and significantly more soon. Appear.inSee 8 friends or thereabout on live video while having a chat with them! Make your own particular room (appear.in/your-room) and share the link on chat, Facebook Messenger, email or SMS to invite friends. No registration is needed, they will show up with you immediately they tap the link. Group chat – Avoid loneliness, 8 of your friends can be invited to a talk Video + visit – see each other in chat, do not pass up the opportunity to see that weird face expressions! Ending thoughtsDespite the fact that Skype is generally the default choice for internet calls, there are numerous awesome programs like Skype out there. These range from the super straightforward, to the ones filled with features, with a lot in between.
from http://www.designyourway.net/blog/resources/best-skype-alternatives/ A website-building tool may have the features necessary to create an excellent user interface and/or a user experience. It’s still up to the web designer to understand what needs to be addressed to make it happen. If, for example, you are in the habit or relying on the tools you have on hand to build a better website, without giving any thought to what goes in to UI and UX design, you’ll be a better designer if you take the time to find that out. The short version is that the objective of UI design is to determine a website’s look and feel. What you are doing is defining the way it presents itself to the user. The objective UX design on the other hand, focuses on how a website functions, and its usability. UI design is digital in nature, UX design is customer and market oriented; and is not digital in nature. Every decision you make when designing for UI and UX should be backed by research. Design collaboration platform InVision makes it easy to validate your decisions at every step of the product design process. Whether you’re using commenting or whiteboarding features to create a shared vision within your team, creating a high-fidelity prototype for stakeholder buy-in, or testing your UI with real customers through user-testing integrations, InVision features save you time and guesswork. InVision works the way modern digital product design teams work. From speeding up your feedback loop to streamlining your design-to-developer handoff, it’s designed to remove friction and inefficiency from your workflow, freeing your team to build the best products possible. Companies like Airbnb, IBM, NASA, and Starbucks rely on InVision to create world-class digital user experiences and delight their customers. Sign up for a free trial and discover why. Proto.io is a web-based prototyping platform that allows you to easily create fully interactive prototypes code-free. You can create your prototypes on the browser via drag-and-drop, and in addition, apply multiple touch and mouse events to any UI element. You can choose between designing your prototypes directly within the Proto.io editor or import your designs directly from Sketch or Photoshop. Proto.io also carries one of the most realistic and useful interactive UI libraries you will find in any prototyping tool, plus its popular design patterns such as slide-in menus, drag to refresh and much more will make your design process much easier & faster. With its integration with popular user testing platforms, such as Lookback, Validately and UserTesting, you can easily test your prototype on an actual device and discuss your design-related info with team members with its collaboration tool. Modern designers naturally gravitate toward using modern tools, such as the one the creators of Sketch placed on the market. With its vector-based workflow, this app enables you to create amazingly complex shapes without having to go through a lot of fuss and bother. The shapes you create are editable and can be adapted to virtually any layout, or website interface you have in mind. Sketch is easy to learn, and easy to use. With Notism, you can create interactive prototypes, and share and review them, along with other creative content and project documentation, in real-time and on video. Notism makes collaboration with co-workers easy. It allows you iterate design layouts faster, sign off on completed tasks, and even guerrilla test your creative work. Notism transforms your static screen into interactive prototypes, whether the product is for the web, or for an iOS or Android mobile application. Project information that is shared is always under version control. Notism’s task management capabilities are designed to ensure project status tracked and visible. If, in your search for top-of-the-line UI and wireframe kits, or core design elements, has come up a little short, or far more than a little short; stop right here. You don’t have to look any further than Great Simple. The attention they put into every one of their products will satisfy even the most demanding designer. No designer’s tool box should be without their bestselling Great Simple’s iOS Design Kit and Material Design Kit. They also have some nice GUI kits for iOS and Android that you can have for free. These free kits have been downloaded into the hands of happy designers to the tune of 70,000+ times. If you’re platform of choice is Sketch rather than Adobe Photoshop, it’s not a problem. Great Simple products are Sketch compatible, so check them out! Tips for Making a Better User InterfaceInternet users are more sophisticated, and choosier than they were a few years back. Most of them are no longer willing to put up with substandard digital displays; at least not for long. Businesses need to take note of this, and need to pay close attention to the quality of the experiences they deliver. But, what is it that makes a quality interface? Keep it Simple A quality user interface is minimalist to the point of being nearly invisible. That simply means it should contain the user-essential elements, and only those elements. Don’t add potential distractions, or require the user to think. Make Everything Clear Creating an effective user interface does not require special artistic skills on your part. The purpose of a UI is to make it as easy as possible for users to interact with your system. Your messaging is kept simple, buttons are clearly marked, and actions are concisely explained. A user that must pause to try to figure out how to get from here to there, is a user you’re in danger of losing. Keep things simple – that’s where your UI design skills really shine. Make the Interactions Efficient An efficiently performing interface is one that not only lets users complete their main task without problems, but actually helps them to do so. A poorly designed interface can cause user confusion, and can even cause them to lose whatever they were able to accomplish up to a certain point. One way to avoid confusion is to hide options that aren’t absolutely necessary during basic operations. Be Consistent in Your Design A user doesn’t have visit a site for long before falling into a comfort zone, and developing a usage habit. That assumes your UI design allows that to happen. If your design fails to maintain consistency throughout the user experience, users may opt out, and your chance of seeing the again as repeat visitors is virtually nil. Use Familiar Design Patterns There’s a saying that “familiarity breeds contempt”. The exact opposite applies with respect to how users view the interfaces they must work with. They like encountering UI design elements that are familiar and easy to grasp. Excessive artistic creativity can make an app memorable for all the wrong reasons. An app that is logical, straightforward, and intuitive will be memorable for the right reasons. Understand How UI Plays into UX The ideal UI should be both simple, and it should be intuitive. UI design however, is not without its challenges, including the need to gather interface-related information from the user’s perspective. This UX-related information helps in determining the optimum user flow, and key product and hierarchical information. It should be gathered and assimilated before mockup or prototyping efforts are initiated Implement a Visual Hierarchy While every UI element should be important, some are always more important than others. Implementing a visual hierarchy simply means that the most important UI elements tend to be bigger, brighter, and located where they are easy to find. Conclusion The tools featured here will enable you to build websites exemplified by exceptional UI and UX characteristics. To achieve this however, you need to understand what UI and UX design entails, and what the differences and objectives of the two entities are. The UI should establish a website’s look and feel, and how it visually presents itself. The UX determines both its inherent usability and the ability to provide user satisfaction. from http://www.designyourway.net/blog/misc/excellent-tools-uxui-design/ |
AuthorPleasure to introduce myself I am Jamie 27 years old living in Searcy, AR. I am web developer and have developed over 50 sites for clients. Now a days I am focused on designing as I feel I am lacking it. Archives
April 2019
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