Creation Of A Smart On-Demand Grocery Delivery App

The inception of on-demand applications has revolutionized the whole scenario, and it is a need-of-hour for every business. These are smart applications that are readily available whenever a user needs them. From taxi services to other food delivery services, everyone is using on-demand applications to cater to the needs of their customers. Another vertical that is enjoying the benefits of these smart applications are online grocery delivery companies.

We are dwelling in a busy world, and people don’t have the time to move out of their homes for grocery shopping. So, it is the right time business owners should consider getting an on-demand application for targeting their audience and helping them in buying the products on the go.

Building an on-demand grocery application is a challenging task. You need to keep several things in mind to build an app that performs up to the mark.

Here is how to build an on-demand grocery delivery app

Before we start let us help you with a crucial piece of information.

Market giants like GrofersBig Basket, and Instacart have already initiated their on-demand applications. And it is a clear proof that the future of on-demand grocery delivery app will flourish at a rapid pace.

Select A Perfect Developing Model

Software Development Life Cycle Models and Methodologies - Mohamed Sami

Start the process by developing a robust model of your business structure. You have to design the way your business will work and how your application should behave.

Imperative factors you should pay attention to are:

Same Day Delivery

GoETra(Same Day Delivery Delhi NCR) - Delivery Service in Subhash Nagar

Many users tend to buy grocery from apps that offer one-day or same-day delivery.

Appropriate Warehousing

Warehouse Operations: Optimizing the Storage Process

Make sure that your warehouse is located nearby to your logistical service so that you can seamlessly carry the orders.

Customer Engagement

Tools to Optimize Customer Engagement | TBE

Lastly, you should focus on the user engagement of your on-demand app. It is vital if you want the buyers to choose you as their online grocery partner.

Some must-have features that will make your app a preferred choice among the customers

An on-demand app is of no use if it has irrelevant features, and there are no useful features present in the application. Here is a list of features your app should have in order to assists your buyers with convenience and ease.

Must have features in an on-demand buyer’s app:

Identification Features

  • Signup and sign-in
  • Forgot password
  • Phone number and email verification
  • Social media profile linking

Operational Features

  • Wishlist
  • Best-in-class shopping cart
  • Coupons and voucher code section
  • Live updates or order tracking
  • Checkout
  • Product listing
  • Product filter and search
  • On-going promotions
  • Support and customer helpline
  • Encrypted payment gateways

Features Customizable By Buyers

  • Address and delivery details
  • Payment option
  • Delivery schedule

These are some of the basic features your online grocery delivery app should have. Every buyer prefers to use an application that has all the features needed to make the shopping experience better.

You need to make a checklist of the required elements in your app before you get your app uploaded on the platforms.

Once you have completed all the necessities, you need to look for a reliable app development company in Toronto for getting your app developed.

What Do You Need To Tell Your On-Demand Application Development Company?

On-Demand App Development Company | On Demand App Developers

Disclose What You Need:

Make sure to disclose each and every feature you want in your on-demand application. Don’t feel hesitated in discussing for the features as you can incorporate anything when the app is in the initial development stage.

Discuss Your Budget

Discuss your budget with them in 2020 | Financial documents, Business finance, Finance

It is crucial to discuss your budget before you hire a grocery delivery app development company. The total expenditure on your grocery app depends on the type of application you need. If you need a high-end application that works for all mobile platforms and is very compatible, then it is the time to tighten your belt with a substantial budget.

Ask Whether They Provide After-Sales Or Maintenance Services

How to Ask for a Referral to a Potential Client [+ Free Email Templates]

Just like any other thing, an on-demand app needs maintenance. Ask the development company and make sure that they are readily available to help you in the case of uncertainties.

Get A Prototype

Before you get the final app delivered, it is vital to get a prototype. It will help you in evaluating the performance of your grocery delivery app. An indispensable thing that needs your attention is the format of the application. Think like your customers and ensure that every feature is present in your on-demand application before you air it in the market.

Lastly, selecting the best application development company in Toronto, Ontario, is a necessity because they can upscale the level of the game by adding some spice to your on-demand application.

Wrapping It Up

Long gone are the days when customers preferred brick and mortar stores for shopping. It is the era when everything is delivered at the doorsteps and to make an impact on the market, you need to build an on-demand grocery app that is quintessential and appealing to the customers, in every way.

How to Protect Hybrid Cloud Data

Hybrid cloud storage: What data goes where?

Data loss can be devastating for a business, affecting operations, damaging reputations and leading to significant fines. For this reason, it is absolutely critical that those with hybrid cloud systems fully understand how to keep their data safe. In this post, we‘ll explain how this can be done.

Physical security

Hardening physical security - City Security Magazine

One key area of data protection is physical security; making sure data is not lost through power failure, natural disasters, accidents, loss or theft. To do this, datacentres are often located away from other buildings to reduce the risk of fire spreading and have more than one backup power supply available. They also have backup communications systems and secure physical security such as human patrols, access control, secure fencing and CCTV. The location of all devices is also monitored, as is logical access. The scale of this physical security is far more robust than most businesses can afford in protecting a much smaller datacentre on their own premises.

In the event that the datacentre itself is compromised, perhaps due to a natural disaster like a flood or earthquake, cloud providers remotely store backup copies of data at other datacentres and have enough inbuilt redundancy to continue service so that the data remains available.

Device failure, human error and corruption

All is not lost: Dealing with data corruption at your organization

Three common causes of data loss are device failure, human error and corruption from malware. One of the advantages of using hybrid-cloud is that data is dispersed across multiple machines managed by the cloud provider. If a failed drive occurs, the end user won’t even notice, a backup can be initiated immediately to maintain data availability. At the same time, for improved protection, it is possible to configure storage so that data cannot be erased, ensuring that saved files are always available for recovery.

Disaster recovery

Disaster Recovery

Having a disaster recovery strategy is essential for any business, ensuring that in the event of a disaster, it can be back online as soon as possible. Today, many businesses use two separate storage systems to put this into place, one for primary storage and another for backup and recovery. For those using a hybrid cloud model, there is no need to do this as the same cloud storage can be used for both primary storage and for disaster recovery backup.

An additional advantage is that the storage architecture used in the hybrid cloud puts data into a single store, preventing multiple copies of files being stored on separate file servers. This cuts storage costs and eradicates the problems of having different versions of the same file being stored in different places. A hybrid cloud storage service is not only able to support file-level restore, it can also, when used with versioning, enable users to access earlier file versions if they are needed.

Security from data breach

The Top 12 Data Breaches of 2019 | 2019-12-05 | Security Magazine

Data breach is a significant issue for businesses and, with the advent of GDPR, could result in enormous fines. Key areas of weakness are phishing attacks and social engineering, especially where staff have saved restricted data to their personal cloud storage accounts such as Dropbox, OneDrive or Google Drive.

There a number of problems caused when staff use their personal accounts to save company data. Firstly, these personal accounts rarely offer the encryption needed to keep data secure and secondly, the company has no knowledge of what data has been shared or who with. Thirdly, the saving of data in this manner can be a violation of regulatory compliance.

While rarely malicious, these human errors are a serious threat to data security. However, by using a hybrid cloud architecture the threat can be minimised. Cloud services can provide at-rest and in transit encryption while employing ID and device management technology to limit how files can be shared and to prevent employees saving data to personal accounts. If a data breach does occur, accurate logging ensures that it will be easier to trace the source and speed up recovery.

Ongoing security

Businesses more likely to buy from companies offering ongoing security | BetaNews

As new threats appear all the time, there is never a point at which your data is fully secure; you should always remain vigilant. To do this, regularly check that your platform has all the security features it needs and that it remains compliant with changes in regulations. You should also ensure that your cloud service provider does the same.

Conclusion

Hybrid cloud offers one of the most secure solutions for businesses, providing physical security and an end to end architecture that protects data at rest and as it moves between locations. Importantly, it does this in a more affordable way than can be achieved in an on-site datacentre. Public cloud providers, for example, can use big data and AI to monitor cloud systems for threats and vulnerabilities on a scale that would be too costly for most businesses to do on-site.

IPhone Vs Android : Android Handily Beats The IPhone?

Android vs iPhone: users' favorite features - Ting.com

When you plan to buy a new phone there is always a battle as in which phone to buy. Whether you should go for an Android operated phone or an iPhone is a perennial doubt. However experts are of the opinion that an iPhone seems a better choice when compared with an Android phone.

I like Android phones. But when most friends and family ask me what phone to buy, I tend to recommend the iPhone over Android. Here’s why.

Android v iOS market share 2019

So let us explore some of the reasons as to why iPhone has the capacity to beat an Android operated phone.

  • The first reason as to why iPhone seems a better choice is that an iPhone is much faster when compared to Android phones. The result is that you can get a lot of features done quite fast. For example, editing 4k videos or opening of large files can be done almost in no time.
  • If you’re thinking of buying the iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus or iPhone X, know that the A11 Bionic chip inside blows away anything from the Android camp. Not only did this processor pace Apple’s flagship to huge wins in synthetic benchmarks such as Geekbench 4 and 3DMark; it also ran circles around the likes of the Galaxy Note 8 and the Galaxy S8 when doing things like editing 4K video and opening large files.
  • iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 plus has better camera. Hence, you can take more colorful and vibrant photographs. Especially when the photos are taken in sunlight you can expect better results.
  • The hardware and software integration in iPhone is a lot better than that of Android operated phones. Consequently you can take quick actions from the home screen by pressing on the app for long.
  • It is true that Android has made promises to launch phones which are user friendly but it is the iPhone that has won the race. Right from its inception in 2007 the iPhone has retained its simplicity of usage. You will just have to pick it up, turn it on and press on the app to proceed with the functionalities.
  • The best thing about an iPhone is that there is automatic updation of the OS when compared to the Android phones. You can update the latest version of software on the day it is released.
  • As far as apps are considered an iPhone has the best of applications. This means if you are someone who has a fetish for apps, undoubtedly the app is the best choice.
  • iPhone is known for not having unnecessary software unlike a lot of other Android phones. Even if there are certain applications that you do not need you will be able to disable them.
  • An iPhone works excellently with Mac. You will always have easy access on your Mac to the photos that you take on your iPhone.
  • iPhone offers an extraordinary feature of family sharing. Purchases from the App store, iTunes, and iBooks can be shared among six people.
  • When you face any sort of problem with your iPhone there is no reason to worry because you can access numerous articles and blogs on Apple’s website and also live chat and schedule an appointment to solve the problem. In case of Android phones you will have to try to find solutions from various online forums.

When you have a problem with your Android phone, you can try online forums or calling your carrier. But with the iPhone, you can tap into a vast database of useful help articles on Apple’s website, get help via live chat, or you can schedule an appointment at an Apple Store Genius Bar. Google doesn’t have this kind of direct relationship with its customers. With Android, you’re on your own.

Why User Authentication is Essential for Cloud-Based Systems

Cloud-enabled workforce models to disrupt and shape future Asia Pacific workplaces: Colliers Research - The Economic TimesAs businesses move more of their services on to web-accessible, cloud-based platforms, the need for robust security grows increasingly important. One key element of this security is controlling who has access to your data and applications. To strengthen security, reduce risk and improve compliance, it is essential that only authorised users get access to a company’s system and that authentication is required before that access is granted.

Cloud authentication explained

Cloud authentication is the means of verifying that someone logging in to a cloud-based platform is the person they claim to be. It is a way of preventing stolen usernames and passwords being used to log in to the system. The user’s identity is authenticated by cross-referencing information stored on a database with information held by the user, such as PIN numbers, biometric data or the use of secret questions. If the information provided by the user is identical to that stored in the database, authentication takes place and access is granted.

Authentication isn’t just required for people. Companies may also require external machine access to carry out automated services, such as cron-jobs, remote backups, auto updates and remote system monitoring. In these instances, too, it is crucial that external apps are authorised so that hacking bots disguised as genuine apps don’t slip through the security net. Authentication in these areas can be done through the use of digital certificates and APIs.

Authentication and authorisation

Authentication Vs. Authorization | Difference between Authentication and Authorization - javatpoint

Authorisation is the granting of permissions for individuals to access different parts of a system. It is not desirable, in any organization, for every user to have the same permissions. Access to sensitive data, for example, might be restricted to only certain staff.

One of the advantages of authentication is that it helps prevent unauthorised users from accessing data they do not have the authority to see. In particular, it will stop employees who have forgotten their own passwords being able to log in using their colleagues account details and gaining access to all the areas they have permission to use.

Why authentication is so important

What Is a User Authentication Policy? - Cisco

Preventing unauthorised access to cloud-based systems is vital. Hacked companies face enormous consequences: operational downtime, significant fines, potential lawsuits, reputational damage, industrial espionage and ransom. Customers can suffer just as much as companies too, with financial information being sold on the darknet and sensitive data being leaked across the internet. Lose personal data under GDPR and you could face a fine of up to €20 million or 4% of global annual turnover.

Authentication is a process which protects web-based systems from hackers and without it, your entire system is vulnerable. Cybercriminals use seriously advanced software that can crack usernames and passwords and they also use other techniques to phish for credentials from employees. Authentication provides an extra layer of security, using information that hackers can’t use. In this way, they are prevented from getting access.

Practical authentication

Types of two-factor authentication, pros and cons: SMS, authenticator apps, YubiKey | Kaspersky official blog

One challenge for businesses that use cloud-based systems is how to balance ease of use with strict security. Strong security is essential, but it can also be a hassle for users who need a quick and convenient way to log on. There is a range of different methods which can be used, here are two of the most common.

Two factor and multifactor authentication

Is two-factor authentication (2FA) as secure as it seems? - Malwarebytes Labs | Malwarebytes Labs

To increase security, many organisations require two-factor authentication. This consists of a password plus one additional piece of information. Multifactor authentication requires a password and up to four other methods of verification.

There are four ways that a users ID can be authenticated, these are:

1. Asking for something the user knows, such as a PIN, date of birth or the answer to a secret question.

2. Using something the user has in their possession: customers may be required to get a code from a card reader or be sent a code to their smartphone.

3. Biometric data: the user may have to provide biometric data such as a fingerprint, photograph or retina scan.

4. Location data: smartphone GPS data and computer Mac addresses can also be used to verify the location of the user.

The need for strong authentication

Why You Need Advanced Authentication to Protect User Identities

The term ‘strong authentication’ is used to describe systems where authentication is robust enough to guarantee its security. What ‘robust enough’ means, however, depends upon the needs of the system, how critical its apps are, how sensitive the data it holds and the type of organisation it belongs to.

Some organisations may be adequately protected by two-factor authentication, however, for those with high-security requirements, multifactor authentication is the standard practice.

Many companies are now using smart card technology for authentication. Here, biometric data, passwords and other vital information is stored on a smart card and the card is used by inserting it into a reader and inputting a PIN. Contact less cards can also be used by tapping against an RFID reader. Lots of organizations use the same card to grant physical access to the companys premises.

Conclusion

Authentication is essential for organisations wanting to keep their systems and data secure, especially when it based in the cloud and can be accessed over the internet. To ensure your system is well protected, you should, as a minimum, use two-factor authentication. However, if you hold sensitive personal data or run critical applications online, then multifactor authentication may be the safest option.

7 Essential Features of Dedicated Server Hosting

How to Buy Dedicated Server Hosting at Kinsta

When upgrading to a hosted dedicated server, it is important to remember that not all dedicated servers are the same and neither are the hosting solutions offered by service providers. As it can be difficult to know the key features to look for when finding a provider, we‘ve put together this list of those we think are the most essential. Hopefully, they will give you a clearer insight into what to look for.

1. Operating system choices

What Operating System Is the Best Choice for Software Engineers?

One of the factors in choosing a dedicated hosting solution is the freedom to have your own choice of operating system. The applications you need for your business may require a specific type of operating system, such as a Windows Server OS or one of the different Linux distributions. In some circumstances, the software you run may only be compatible with a legacy OS version. Make sure that the provider you go with enables you to run the OS you need.

2. Server configuration

Server Configuration Services in Noida | Server Configuration Company

It’s not just the choice of operating system that is important. Another key requirement is the ability to have total control over your server so that you can configure it to meet your needs. You may, for example, need full root SSH / RDP root access.

3. Hardware choices

Microsoft's curious hardware choices for the $1,399 Surface Duo leaves it in limbo - TalkAndroid.com

As dedicated servers can be expensive, always look for a hosting provider that offers plenty of hardware options. This way, you get a hardware setup that has the capacity and performance capabilities you require, without having to pay for something that is far more powerful than you need.

Ideally, you should have a range of options over the CPU model, number of cores and speed, the size of RAM, the type of RAM (e.g., DDR3 or DDR4), hard disk capacity, hard disk type (HDD or SSD), bandwidth and RAID.

4. Control panel options

Cloud, control, panel, settings icon - Download on Iconfinder

Great control panels make it much easier to manage your server and the applications which you run on it. While vanilla control panels may be sufficient for some companies’ needs, many benefit from using cPanel & WHM (for Linux servers only) or Plesk (now for both Windows and Linux servers).

Easy to navigate and with a wide range of incredibly powerful, built-in management tools, cPanel and Plesk are industry leading control panels used by millions of businesses across the globe.

5. Security

Security Policy

If your server is hacked, your IT operations could be taken offline and your company put at a standstill. If there is a data breach, there’s also the risk of huge fines, reputational damage and customer legal action. This is why 60% of hacked companies go out of business within 6 months.

With this in mind, security should be a decisive factor when choosing a dedicated hosting provider. You should consider everything from the location and physical security of the datacentre to the range of security features your host provides as part of your package and as additional services.

You should look for next-generation firewalls, intrusion prevention, web app security, DDoS protection, and malware and virus prevention. In addition, they should also provide SSL certificates, dedicated IP addresses and spam filtering.

6. Server management

What is Server Management? Get rid of server issues

Outsourcing server management to your service provider not only makes things easier; it could also save you significantly in the long run. This service will include such things as OS updates, patching, application installation and server monitoring. Server monitoring constantly checks the health of your server and its performance to ensure it remains in top condition.

7. High availability

Four nines and beyond: A guide to high availability infrastructure

If your server runs critical applications, you cannot afford for it to go offline. The consequences could be disastrous. This is why it is essential that you choose a host that can guarantee high availability – i.e., that your server will stay online for 99.95% of the time or higher. If this is not good enough for you, here at Anteelo we can offer 100% uptime, guaranteed by SLA. This is because our N+1 datacentre model means we have a redundant backup of everything waiting to take over if a failure happens.

8. First class technical support

Technical Support - Daavlin

There may be times when your IT team needs your service provider’s technical support to carry out a task or to troubleshoot an issue. This support should be an inclusive part of your contract with the provider and, very importantly, be available 24/7 by phone, email, live chat or ticket. After all, if your dedicated server goes offline on Friday night, you don’t want to wait until Monday before it gets fixed.

Technical support differs entirely from customer support. By technical, we mean having a specialist IT team available that can provide solutions at the point of contact. They will have the necessary expertise and be actively able to deal with any problem.

Aside from person to person assistance, a good hosting provider will also publish a range of helpful online resources for their customers, such as knowledge bases, tutorials, technical forums and ‘how-to’ blog posts.

Conclusion

Dedicated servers offer companies a high-performance, large storage solution for hosting their applications. However, to get the best from your dedicated server, you need to consider a number of options, such as your choice of operating system, hardware and control panel, your freedom to configure the server as required, the security, server management and technical support put in place by a provider and the guaranteed uptime offered.

SEO Basics: A Beginner’s Guide to SEO Success

Defining SEO and its best practices | Status Labs

The better your site ranks in search engine results, the more visitors you will get to your website. However, to achieve those higher rankings, you’ll need to do some Search Engine Optimisation (SEO). For many business owners, this can be a technical challenge. SEO is a big subject and one which is in constant flux due to the regular changes search engines make to their ranking criteria. It is impossible, therefore, to provide a comprehensive guide in a single article. Instead, this post will provide some simple, common sense tips to prepare you for your SEO journey.

1. All three types of SEO are required

What are the different types of SEO? (Complete Guide with Examples)

There are three main types of SEO and to effectively optimise your website, you’ll need to work on all three. These are:

  • On-page optimisation – this is essentially putting the right keywords in the right places on your pages and providing high quality content for your visitors.
  • On-site optimisation  â€“ a more technical form of SEO which requires things such as fast loading times, mobile-friendly pages, a well-structured site, easy navigation, good use of internal links and search engine-friendly URLs.
  • Off-site optimisation – improving the authority of your website and its pages by getting your content linked to on other high-ranking websites.

2. Learn from your competitors

10 Important Things You Can Learn From Your Competitors

The ultimate aim of any SEO strategy is to come top of the first page of the search engine results.  According to Smart Insights, the top ranking site gets 35% of all clickthroughs. Between them, the top five sites get 65%. Those in the positions between 6 and 21 share out most of the 35% which is left, while any website that ranks lower than that is unlikely to receive any clickthroughs at all.

If you want to be at the top of the list, then analysing the websites that achieve those positions is a good way to start. This doesn’t just mean looking at the website, it means using competitive analyses tools that go much deeper and can show you the number of backlinks a site has, how fast its pages load, where its traffic comes from, what search terms it ranks well for, etc. With high-quality information like this, it can be much easier to implement the strategies that have worked well for your more successful competitors.

3. Patience and perseverance

Overcome Frustration and Set Examples for Patience and Perseverance

Patience and perseverance are two essential requirements for those doing SEO. Patience is important because the things you implement can take some time to have an effect on your rankings. It can be weeks or months before you see the benefits. So, if you change some keywords and don’t see any improvements after 48 hours, it isn’t a sign that they have not worked and need to be changed yet again, it’s the fact that they haven’t been left long enough to have an impact.

Perseverance is equally important because SEO is an ongoing process. Search engines are always tweaking their ranking criteria and not responding to those changes can result in your website losing its hard-won position. At the same time, the search engines prefer to give their users the most up-to-date information, if your web content is old or out of date, it will eventually slide down the results page. You’ll need to regularly update your pages or add fresh content.

4. Play by the rules

Why I Don't Play by the Rules - AP LIT HELP

Search engines make it very clear about the expectations they have of website owners, as can be seen in Google’s Webmaster Guidelines. Here you’ll find a list of things they expect a good website to do and a list of things they prohibit. The main aim of these guidelines is to ensure that users get the best experience from the search engine, for example, Google will not want to send its users to your site if there’s a chance their devices will get infected by a virus.

Another key element of the Webmaster Guidelines is the stipulation that website owners must ‘avoid tricks intended to improve search engine rankings.’ Failure to do so can result in your site receiving a penalty or manual action from Google. If these things happen, your site will disappear from Google results completely. With a manual action, you may be able to submit your site for reconsideration after you have made the necessary changes.

5. Team up with the right partners

Is Teaming Up with a Business Partner the Right Choice for You?

The complexity of SEO often means that website owners will outsource it to a third-party agency that has the tools and resources to undertake the on-site and competitor analyses and implement the necessary changes. When you do so, you need to choose a partner you can trust not to use unscrupulous black-hat SEO methods that can result in search engine penalisation. In particular, make sure that anyone offering content outreach (writing content containing a link to your website to publish on other sites) only publishes on relevant, quality sites. Creating lots of backlinks on poor ranking sites can have a long-term, negative ranking effect and lead to a penalty.

Another partner you will need to consider is your hosting provider. From an SEO perspective, you should identify a web host that can has the resources to help your site load more quickly on your visitors devices and which offers the security tools (firewalls, intrusion prevention/detection, SSL certificates, etc.) to keep visitors safe – these are both things that can help you rank higher.

Conclusion

Undertaking SEO is essential if you want your site to rank highly but there’s a learning curve to go through and so you cannot expect to achieve everything overnight. Indeed, the process is an ongoing one and will require regular monitoring and input. Hopefully, the information provided here will have given you the preparatory guidance you need before starting your SEO journey.

Windows Shared Hosting – Is It Right for You?

Shared Hosting | Best Shared Server Hosting Plans | Cheap Shared Hosting in India - CloudOYE|Cloud Hosting Cloudoye

While it’s not suitable for hosting all types of websites, Windows web hosting can be a powerful platform and for those with smaller sites, a Windows shared hosting plan can be the ideal solution. In this post, we’ll look at whether Windows shared hosting is the right choice for you and explain what to look for when choosing a hosting package.

Is Windows shared hosting right for me?

Choosing a Hosting for your WordPress Website - Maxcode IT Solutions

One of the biggest mistakes made by people new to web hosting is to opt for Windows hosting on the basis that they use Windows on their home computers and are familiar with the way it works. When it comes to hosting websites, the choice isn’t dependent upon personal preference for one type of operating system over another, in this case, Linux or Windows: far more importantly, it depends on the operating system’s compatibility with the software you use to create your website. Some website software will only work with Linux and others with Windows – and while there are some, like WordPress, which can work on both, there is always one option which is more suitable.

Should I choose Windows or Linux hosting?

Microsoft helped me install Ubuntu Linux on my Windows 10 PC, and it's actually pretty good | ZDNet

Though Windows is the most popular operating system for PCs, when it comes to web hosting, Linux is the dominant force. The key reason for this is that, unlike Windows, a Linux operating system is open-source and free, as is the majority of website software that runs on it. If you are using CMS applications like Magento, Joomla or Drupal to build your site, you’ll need Linux hosting. And while WordPress, which has been used to build a third of the World’s websites, can be used on both, the huge majority of users opt for Linux hosting because WordPress is native to it and there is an abundance of online help for WordPress-Linux users.

However, you’ll need to use Windows if you intend to run Windows technologies as part of your hosting. This includes anything that needs the .NET framework, for example, anything written in ASP  or ASP.NET, or if you intend to work with Visual Basic. Similarly, you’ll need Windows hosting if you want your website to make use of Microsoft Exchange, SharePoint, Access or MS SQL.

Should I opt for shared hosting?

Shared vs Dedicated vs Cloud Hosting for Faster Websites

Shared hosting, whether Windows or Linux, is an entry-level solution designed for those with small websites and who have a limited need for storage, RAM and CPU resources. It’s ideal for the needs of many small businesses and is the least expensive form of hosting, making it a very cost-effective way to host a website.

Shared hosting works by hosting multiple user accounts on a single webserver and those users will be allocated a specific amount of storage space and share other resources like CPU and RAM. This is what enables the hosting to be so affordable.

Shared hosting is not without its constraints, however. As users have to share the server, they’ll have to use the operating system and server configuration provided by the host. This means users cannot optimise the server for their own purposes. At the same time, to prevent individual users hogging all the server’s resources, users might be prohibited from running resource-heavy applications, such as operating their account as an ad server or as a streaming service. Those who need additional resources should consider alternative hosting solutions such as VPS, dedicated servers or cloud hosting.

What to look for in a Windows shared hosting plan

Best free web hosting of 2021 | TechRadar

While every website will have its own needs, there are certain attributes that you should look for in your Windows shared hosting plan. At the top of the list is the ability to make use of Windows features, such as support for ASP.net and .NET core, as well as the ability to create MS-SQL databases and to import and export data to and from them. For anyone wanting to run WordPress with a Windows server, it is also vital that the package allows you to run PHP & MySQL based applications.

For ease of use, look for a plan that comes with an intuitive, user-friendly control panel to manage your hosting and website, for example, by providing you with 1-click installation. A host that will provide free migration from another service provider can also be very helpful and can ensure your migration takes place without any technical issues.

As website hosting can be technically challenging, having the support of your web host to help you out in case of any difficulties is vital. Always look for a hosting plan that comes with 24/7 technical support included. This way, regardless of the time of day, an expert will be on hand to help you resolve any issues.

Conclusion

Windows shared hosting is an affordable, entry-level solution for those wanting to host websites that require the use of Microsoft and Windows-based applications and databases. Hopefully, this post will have explained whether you need Windows hosting, whether shared hosting is the right choice and what to look for in a Windows hosting plan.

Why GPS Tracking Devices Are Getting More Popular Among Parents

GPS tracking devices industry to grow 12.2% CAGR by 2026 - GPS World

GPS tracking services has been into existence for quite some time now. The technology has been helping a lot of sectors with its advanced features. For example, GPS tracking technologies help military in their operations, the drivers while they are driving, businesses while managing their fleet, and parents to monitor their children round the clock.As GPS tracking devices have become quite popular in recent times a large number of parents have started using it to track their children 24*7.In fact, these devices have become quite popular among the parents. One of the first reason as to why GPS tracking devices have become popular among parents is that it is a reliable and easy-to-use technology. Consequently, even the ones who are new to the technology can conveniently use the device.

Secondly, these new age GPS tracking devices are compact ones. Hence, they can be conveniently used along with the children. It can either be put in their pocket or backpack as it is light weight. The best thing is that parents can check the whereabouts of their children just by logging in either through their smart phone or computers.

Moreover, there are numerous additional features in these GPS tracking devices that make them real popular among parents. For example, there are features like Safe Zone that sends alert to the parents through text messages or emails that the child has moved to the pre-determined safe zone. The benefit is that parents get a peace of mind when it comes to the safety of their children. With the help of these advanced features parents right from the comfort of their home get to know if the child has arrived or departed from their school premises or amusement parks, and so on and so forth.

Nevertheless, it is quite normal for parents to worry about the safety of their children. For example, if you are at office and your child is left at the day care you constantly worry about his or her safety. But if you have the GPS tracking device fitted with the child you will have a personal tracking system at your disposal. It will help your child stay away from potential dangers while they are in the safe zone. Another advantage of these devices is that when your children grow up and get a driver’s license even then you will be able to track their whereabouts and ensure their safety.

Why Parents And Children Need GPS Tracking Systems

The best GPS trackers for kids: 10 of the best child safety wearables

The GPS Tracker App uses the latest Global Positioning System (GPS) technology to get the precise location of people within your network. Satellites send triangulated positions to the GPS Tracker Apps providing the most accurate location. This process continually updates to provide very accurate, real-time GPS tracking.

7 Ultimate ideas to skyrocket your Online Business

10 Promotion Ideas To Drive More Sales In 2021

Starting an online business is challenging enough but after putting in all that work to get launched, the last thing you need is your venture to fail just because people do not know about it. Luckily, there are quite a few things you can do to spread the word and reach out to your target market and in this post, we’ll look at seven of them, most of which won’t cost you a penny.

1. List your business with the major search engines

Top 10 Search Engines In The World (2021 Update)

If people are going to look for a business like yours, chances are they’ll start their search on the internet and do so using Google or Bing. These search engines have free business listings services that enable your business to be found much easier online and let you add relevant information about your business for potential customers to see. This can include physical and internet addresses, phone numbers, map locations, opening times and customer ratings. You can even upload images. The listings services are Google My Business,  Bing Places for Business and Yahoo! Local.

2. Reach out on social media

Reaching out on social media – Grass never grows on a busy street

Setting up business pages and accounts on social media platforms is now more or less a necessity for online businesses. With billions of worldwide users, it is the ideal channel to reach out and grow an audience of followers.

You can use social media for advertising, brand development, showcasing products and services, customer service, promoting events, sending offers and much more.

The challenge is to choose the most appropriate social media platforms on which to communicate. There are now so many about, it is impractical to devote time to all of them. You need to discover the places where your target market is most active and engage with them there – whether that’s Facebook, Instagram, Twitter or Snapchat. If you are a B2B business, LinkedIn is definitely a place to promote yourself.

3. Start a blog

How to Start a Blog and Make Money - The Definitive Guide (2021)

Many businesses misunderstand blogging and tend to think that a blog is some kind of diary or journal that an individual writes. In reality, a business blog is a content marketing vehicle. The aim is to create posts that solve your customers’ problems. Doing so provides a raft of benefits, such as:

  • Improved SEO and search engine rankings
  • Increased traffic to your website (both new and returning visitors)
  • Customers perceive the company/brand as an expert in its field
  • Growth of blog subscribers enables targeted, free, email marketing
  • Improved conversion rates and increased sales

For a blog to be successful, new content needs to be posted regularly and it can take time before it has an impact. Once it does, however, it has massive marketing potential.

4. Outreach

Back to Basics: Building a Successful Outreach Campaign on Good Data and a Personal Touch | by Data@Urban | Medium

If your website is new, it is sometimes beneficial to write posts to publish on other relevant websites or blogs which already have established audiences. Doing this helps spread the word to these new audiences and often you are allowed to provide a link that they can use to find your website. You’ll need to find the most relevant websites to do this and contact them to see if they accept guest posts.

Alternatively, you could send your products to influential bloggers and they may write a review which their audience can read.

5. Create a YouTube channel

How To Create a YouTube Channel - YouTube

An alternative to writing blog posts is to create videos. Indeed, in some circumstances, videos are more helpful than written posts, for example, when showing people how to carry out practical tasks, such as putting a new hard drive in a computer.

Creating a helpful YouTube channel can help you amass a substantial online audience, many of whom will subscribe to your future posts and even share them to a wider audience on your behalf. If you mention your products in your videos and add a link to your website, there’s huge potential to improve your sales.

6. Optimise your website

Free SEO toolkit: 20+ free SEO and SEM tools to help you optimise your website — O'Brien Media Ltd

While search engine optimisation (SEO) isn’t a promotional tool in itself, its value in helping bring new customers to your website should never be overlooked. SEO is a multi-faceted task that involves making your website easier for search engines to index and making it more user-friendly and valuable for searchers. It can include everything from speeding up your site’s loading times and installing a mobile-friendly theme to having a well-structured site and the use of effective keywords in your content.

Essentially, a website that is optimised has a better chance of ranking well in search engine results. The better your site ranks, the more you will be seen in search results and the more visitors you will get.

7. Online advertising

What are the benefits of Online Advertising? Types of Online Advertising

Paid advertising is used by millions of companies and for many, it is a major source of traffic. The main form of advertising is known as pay per click (PPC), which basically means you pay a fee every time someone clicks on one of your ads. The benefits of such advertising schemes are that you have excellent control over who sees your adverts and when. You can choose people in specific demographic groups and locations and choose the times when the ads are displayed. This means you can use your advertising budget very effectively to ensure the right people are clicking through to your site.

The downside of PPC is that it can be expensive. Ad spaces are often given to the highest bidders and competition means you may have to pay quite a lot for each click. The problem arises when you have poor conversion rates – in other words, if only one percent of people who click go on to buy your product, advertising might not provide the return on investment you need. There are many places you can advertise; Google and Bing are key players, as are many social media platforms.

Conclusion

Getting the message out about your online business is essential if you want to attract visitors that will buy your products or services. The sooner you can do this after launch, the better. Hopefully, the seven methods shown here will help find the right marketing solutions for your online venture. If you are looking for hosting for your online business, visit our homepage to see our range of hosting solutions.

7 Benefits of Artificial Intelligence for Business

The Reality of Artificial Intelligence | Ivey Business Journal

One of the newest benefits of cloud computing is that it enables businesses to take advantage of artificial intelligence (AI). This rapidly developing technology offers significant development opportunities that many companies have already been quick to seize upon. In this post, we’ll look at some of the ways your company can benefit from cloud-based Artificial Intelligence.

1. Improving personalized shopping experiences

Disruption in Retail — AI, Machine Learning & Big Data | by Prannoiy Chandran | Towards Data Science

Providing customers with personalised marketing increases engagement, helps generate customer loyalty and improves sales. This is why companies are putting so much effort into it. One of the advantages of using AI is that it is able to identify patterns in customers’ browsing habits and purchasing behaviour. Using the millions of transactions stored and analysed in the cloud, AI is able to provide highly accurate offers to individual customers.

2. Automating customer interactions

10 reasons why AI-powered, automated customer service is the future - Watson Blog

Most customer interactions, such as emails, online chat, social media conversations and telephone calls, currently require human involvement.Artificial Intelligence, however, is enabling companies to automate these communications. By analysing data collected from previous communications it is possible to program computers to respond accurately to customers and deal with their enquiries. What’s more, when AI is combined with machine learning, the more the AI platforms interact, the better they become.

One example of this is AI Chatbots which, unlike humans, can interact with unlimited customers at the same time and can both respond and initiate communication – whether on a website or an app.

It is estimated, that by 2020, 85 percent of all customer interactions will be taken care of by intelligent machines that are able to replicate human functions. The days of using a call centre look like they are coming to a close.

3. Real-time Assistance

Artificial Intelligence | Solve real world complex problems - Mantra Labs

Artificial Intelligence is also useful for businesses that need to constantly communicate with high volumes of customers throughout each day. For example, in the transport industry, bus, train and airlines companies, which can have millions of passengers a day, can use AI to interact, in real-time, to send personalised travel information, such as notice of delays. Some bus companies, for example, are already tracking the location of their buses and using AI to provide travellers with real-time updates about where the bus is along its route and its estimated time of arrival. Customers receive this information on the bus company app.

4. Data mining

Difference in Data Mining Vs Machine Learning Vs Artificial Intelligence

One of the biggest advantages of using cloud-based AI is that artificial intelligence apps are able to quickly discover important and relevant findings during the processing of big data. This can provide businesses with previously undiscovered insights that can help give it an advantage in the marketplace.

5.Operational automation

How AI Can Give You Time to Think | NICE

AI is able to operate other technologies that increase automation in business. For example, AI can be used to control robots in factories or maintain ideal temperatures through intelligent heating. In Japan, human-looking robots now serve as receptionists in some of the countries’ hotels automating check-ins, booking services and dealing (in four languages) with customer enquiries. In retail, Artificial Intelligence is also being linked with RFID and cloud technology to track inventory. In China, police forces use AI to catch criminals. The country has a vast CCTV network and AI uses facial recognition to spot and track suspects so that they can be apprehended.

6.Predicting outcomes

ISM Semiannual Economic Forecast is positive for the remainder of 2021 | supplychainology.com

Another advantage of AI is that it is able to predict outcomes based on data analysis. For example, it sees patterns in customer data that can show whether the products currently on sale are likely to sell and in what volumes. It will also predict when the demand will tail off. This can be very useful in helping a company purchase the correct stock and in the correct volumes. It is predicted that, within 10 years, the days of seasonal sales will be over as AI will mean there is too little leftover stock to sell off.

This ability to predict is not just useful in retail. Artificial Intelligence is also being used in many other areas, for example, in banking where it can predict currency and stock price fluctuations or in healthcare where, remarkably, it can predict outbreaks of infections by analysing social media posts.

7.Improve the recruitment process

4 Ways AI Is Improving HR Recruitment Process | HR Blog | Central Test

It may be bad news for recruitment companies, but AI is now helping businesses automate the recruitment of new employees. It is able to quickly sift through applications, automatically rejecting those which do not meet the company’s personal specification. This not only saves time (or money spent on a recruitment agency), but it also ensures that there is no discrimination or bias in the shortlisting process. The AI programs available can even take care of the many administrative tasks of recruitment.

Conclusion

As you can see, AI systems provide businesses with a wide range of benefits, including personalised marketing, customer service, operational automation, inventory management and recruitment. And these are just a few of the many ways AI can be used. What’s remarkable, however, is that many of the AI apps, which are designed specifically for cloud-based systems, are quickly and easily deployable. Companies whose systems are in the cloud can be benefitting from them in no time at all.

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