Posts from — December 2010

The following product review was written by Tania Tod of TryingtoConceive.com.

Most couples who start trying to conceive have some idea about the products they think they are going to need for any future baby. For the vast majority of parents, the list of “must haves” include a stroller, a car seat, and a crib. But one item that I seriously could not have done without is a baby carrier. I did not buy a baby carrier while I was pregnant with my first child, but I certainly discovered the need for one very soon after my baby arrived.

While you are shopping with a big baby bump (while fighting pregnancy signs, like having to run to the bathroom every five minutes, of course!) it’s easy to get carried away by the big ticket items, and admire beautifully decorated nurseries and the latest strollers, that look like space ships. But look around you in the mall, and you’ll see that lots of new parents push a stroller in one hand, and hold their baby in the other. There are still plenty of places without stroller access. Using public transportation is, in my experience, a true nightmare with a stroller.

And then there is the fact that most babies simply prefer to be snuggled up close to their moms most of the time. When I discovered that my baby daughter liked being carried much better than riding in the stroller, and simultaneously concluded that I didn’t really love lugging a heavy stroller around with me, the first carrier I bought was a Baby Bjorn. Since then, I have tried practically every baby carrier on the market – from the traditional Korean podaegi, mei tai carriers, and slings, to soft structures carriers.

After carrying two kids in various baby carriers for more miles than I care to remember, both around the house and while out and about, I can say without a doubt that I like the Ergo baby carrier best of all. Like the Baby Bjorn, the Ergo baby carrier has the advantage of being adjustable and easy to use. You snap a bucket around your hip, put your baby in the carrier, and then buckle up the shoulder straps. And like the Asian baby carriers, the Ergo allows you to wear your baby on your front, back, and even on your hips.

What does the Ergo baby carrier have that other carriers don’t?

• Baby Bjorn type carriers put all your baby’s weight on the parent’s shoulders, as do slings. Because the Ergo divides the baby’s weight equally between your hips and shoulders, it is much more comfortable and can be used to carry your baby for much longer periods.

• The Ergo promotes a healthy spinal and hip position for the baby, while some other carriers actually put an unhealthy amnount of pressure on baby’s spine, and essentially have him or her dangling from the crotch.

• The Ergo is easy to use and doesn’t require you to learn how to tie your baby using long straps, like the Asian baby carriers.

• It comes with handy accessories including a back pack you can simply attach to the carrier. That has been a life-saver for me on many trips!

• Unlike “feminine” looking ring slings or pouch slings, the Ergo is also great for men and women who don’t like flower prints (me!)

• Finally, the Ergo baby carrier is sturdy, and can be used from the newborn stage (using an infant insert) until around three years old. Parents of all sizes and shapes can use the Ergo.

I have been using the Ergo baby carrier with much pleasure for over four years now, and it is the only carrier that I still love once my babies get to the toddler stage. We don’t use the front carry any more, but my two year old still loves riding on my back, and I love carrying him in the Ergo. Occasionally, even my four year old hitches a ride! I love it, and would warmly recommend it to any parent of babies or toddlers. A good baby carrier also makes a great baby shower gift, so if your friend told you she started trying for a baby and using an ovulation calendar, think about buying her an Ergo once she gets pregnant!

It is no secret that the mobile industry is changing the world as we know it. This is already obvious when it comes to the world of technology but there are many industries that are completely low tech and are now seeing the effects of mobile technology. Some examples include the billing, sports, gaming, travel, and even the translation industry. One more market that is now beginning to see the effects of mobile is foreign exchange. What was once a completely real life hand to hand transaction is now taking place online and Forex brokers reviews are now starting to talk about mobile trading and how it is changing the market.

Many Forex brokers are now trying to separate themselves by offering full-fledged mobile trading for their traders. The advantages of this platform are obvious. The trader can now open and close positions and does not need to be confined in their home or office but can trade on the go. This also provides traders with a more flexible schedule since they won’t be required to stay near a computer in order to trade Forex.

Mobile trading platforms come in all shapes and sizes but can be categorized into two basic groups: web-based mobile platforms and native mobile applications (aka apps). Both web-based and native mobile applications have advantages and disadvantages, and traders should choose their mobile trading platform based on their own preferences and trading styles.

The following are some key advantages of the two types of mobile trading platforms:

Web-Based Forex Trading Platform
Advantages:

• Trade from any web-enabled device irrelevant of location
• Personal settings and information backed up virtually
• Software is always up to date with no need for manual updates

Disadvantages:

• Slower performance and response time
• Cloud backups may cause security issues
• Fewer customization options and updates pushed to you from the server

Native Mobile Trading Platform
Advantages:

• Higher performance
• Information stored locally for extra security
• Highly customizable

Disadvantages:

• No flexibility with the application installed on one device
• Updates must be done manually
• More prone to bugs

It may be impossible to say which type of mobile trading platform is better and it depends on the preference of each individual trader. One thing that Forex brokers reviews are saying with full certainty, is that the world of foreign exchange trading is not what is was three years ago and is also not what it will in three years from now, thanks to modern mobile technology.

Hillel Fuld is the Content Manager of DailyForex.com. DailyForex is a leading site in the foreign exchange industry and provides traders with up to date Forex news, analysis, articles, and tips. In addition, DailyForex offers professional reviews of the web’s leading Forex brokers, which enables traders to make a more educated decision when choosing a Forex broker.

If you’re reading this article, I suspect that you’re seriously considering using Drupal as the open source content management system for your new website, or, at the very least, you haven’t ruled it out yet. My goal with this post isn’t to make the decision for you, but to explain what Drupal is so that you can make an independent, informed decision. I hope you find the information useful.

Even a cursory glance at Drupal’s content management platform, and you’ll see that it is slightly more complex than other systems such as WordPress. But don’t let that deter you. For one thing, Drupal offers extremely comprehensive tutorials, support forums and cutely named Drupal Cookbook (for beginners). Although such useful support isn’t unique to Drupal, it is comforting to know that it’s there if you need extra assistance.

One thing that makes Drupal more complex than its competitors is that you’ll need to download multiple files in order to begin, as compared with WordPress which is compressed into one file. The good news is that by the time you complete the installation process, you’ll probably have a taste for how Drupal functional, so you should have a bit of an easier time moving forward. And I’ve got more good news – Drupal has impressive e-commerce capabilities, which sets it apart from its competitors and makes it a great option for anyone looking to sell products on their website.

Here’s a video clip that explains a bit more about what Drupal is:

Still, despite what Drupal lovers will have you believe, there are some additional disadvantages worth pointing out. For starters, Drupal uses a database to store all of its data, which can be confusing for users without database experience or those not familiar with this system (as most new users aren’t). Some users also complain that upgrading to a new version of Drupal can cause bugs and templates to break which is time consuming and difficult to fix. That being said, I’ve had similar experiences with WordPress, and I’m sure many other content management systems have similar quirks. Sadly, there are few (if any) programs that work without any technical glitches.

In the final analysis, Drupal can be a worthwhile option for you if you’ve excluded other CMS options and are willing to undertake a steep learning curve. The results are likely to be worthwhile after an initial time investment.

If you’ve seen the Joomla add-on on the side of your web hosting control but aren’t quite sure what it is, you’ve come to the right place.  Joomla is an award-winning content management system (CMS) that enables users to manage content, photos, videos and any other type of web content imaginable.  Joomla may sound a bit less serious than WordPress but the word is actually derived from the Swahili ‘Jumla’, meaning ‘all together’.  A quick look into Joomla’s offerings, and you’ll see that this phrase truly encompasses exactly what Joomla is.

The advantages of Joomla may not be obvious to new users, but they are worth reviewing.

• Joomla is free and works well with shared web hosting packages, and this combination makes it possible to build powerhouse websites with an extremely reasonable operating budget.
• Joomla is ideal for businesses, non-profits and multi-media sites.  This content management system is especially suited to sites hosting forums, newsrooms and other user-generated content.
• With over 6,000 extensions to choose from, Joomla makes it possible for websites to perform nearly any web-based action.
• Joomla is an open design platform that can be used by any design company, so if you use Joomla you won’t be obligated to stay with your web designer if the relationship sours or your budget changes over time.
• URLs created using Joomla don’t have any query strings, which makes them SEO friendly.
• Once installed, Joomla is relatively easy to maintain.
• It is easy to modify Joomla’s core system to reflect your specific needs and preferences.

On the other hand, the disadvantages of Joomla are often touted by nay-sayers are reasons to choose an alternate CMS.  If you’re considering Joomla, you should be aware of the disadvantages so that you can make an informed decision on your own.

• Joomla is slightly more difficult to install and setup than other content management systems (such as WordPress), and may require professional assistance.
• Users looking for a straightforward blog site may still prefer the simplicity of WordPress over the more complex offerings of Joomla.
• Many users complain that Joomla has difficulty accommodating sites that receive more than 50,000 users per day.
• Users often complain that Joomla sites run more slowly than sites built with other content management systems.

Although it may be impossible to find a CMS that is entirely perfect, Joomla seems to come pretty close.  If you’re starting a blog, you may still be better off with WordPress, but if you have your sites set on popular site or a multimedia presentation, Joomla may very well be a good option for you.  Just make sure that you’re familiar enough with the technical aspects of building a website so that you’ll be able to maximize the building process.  If not, you may want to hire someone to help and to teach you how to proceed independently.  With a bit of technical know-how, you should have no trouble maintaining a successful Joomla website.

If starting a new blog was one of your New Year’s resolutions for 2010, you’d better get a move on it because the year is nearly over.  And if you’re planning to start a new blog in 2011, you’ll probably want to know your options before the ball drops.  Luckily, you’ve come to the right place.  Over the next few weeks we’ll be featuring different blogging CMSes (content management systems) to give you a glimpse of what each one offers and to help you determine which one is best for you.  This week’s featured blog CMS will be WordPress, which has long been the most popular blogging software available.  But if you’re a conscientious consumer, you wouldn’t want to choose WordPress just because everybody else is doing it.  Instead, you’d want to know what it is that makes WordPress so great.  So without further ado, here are my favorite 8 reasons why WordPress is so fantastic (and I’m not just saying that because we use WordPress to power this blog).

1. It’s easy enough for newbie bloggers.  Believe me when I tell you that setting up a simple WordPress blog is easy.  It may not be as snazzy as a professionally-designed WordPress blog, but it’ll still be nice and functional.  Many (but not all) customizations are easy to do, and most plugins are easy to configure (more on that later).
2. It’s great for professional web developers, designers and techies.  There are some seriously high-profile blogs that are powered by WordPress.  TechCrunch and gigaom are just two examples.   Believe me when I tell you that hundreds (or thousands) of big businesses aren’t using WordPress just because it’s free.  There are endless ways to personalize or configure a WordPress blog if you have technical know-how.
3. Search engines love WordPress.  Although there’s no documented reason why this is, there’s no question that Google (and other search engines) seem to take notice of WordPress blogs over other blogs and sites.  Perhaps it’s the intuitive navigation, the easy-to-create page tags or the general popularity of the CMS.  But whatever the reason, if you want your site to get noticed, building it with WordPress might help.
4. The spam-filter rocks.  WordPress uses the widely recognized Akismet spam filter to keep junk posts as far away from your blog as possible.
5. You can privatize your blog.  If you blog for business, you’ll probably want as many people as possible to access your blog.  But if you’re starting a family blog you may not want strangers stumbling upon your posts.  WordPress makes it possible to privatize your blog so that you can make sure it reaches your target audience – and nobody else.
6. Entries are autosaved. This may sound obvious, but other CMSes like Joomla require a download in order to  have them autosaved.  WordPress just saves automatically so that your entries are never lost.
7. Thousands of plugins are available.  Need your blog to do something that isn’t automatic?  Chances are great that you can find a free plugin that can help you customize your blog.  From SEO plugins and social media plugins to graphic design plugins and advertising plugins, someone’s probably already created the plugin for you.
8. Free backups.  WordPress keeps an automatic backup of your blog so that you don’t have to (though you may choose to do so anyway).