5 Top Picks for Christmas Holiday Like a Fairytale

Posted by Andreas Christodoulou

Description :

As the festive period of the year sneaks up on us in a couple of weeks from now, it might be a good idea to plan ahead if you are looking to spend the holidays somewhere special. Not sure on where to go? Then here are some hidden gems to consider if you want to enjoy an experience that resembles the most to a Christmas fairytale like the one you have dreamed about. These are about as close as it gets to the real thing! 

Whichever idea you may have set as the perfect Christmas fairytale, it probably entails white days, warm nights, campfires, theme markets, warm drinks and cozy nights in. It’s a part of what many of us see Christmas as the favorite holiday season– the white ground laden with a magical feeling floating in the air! There are definitely quite a few places that can fit this description, yet we’ve gathered 5 top choices promising to offer majestically Christmas vacation.

Bibuby, Cotswolds, UK

This wonderful rural part of the United Kingdom can feel like a true Christmas special. If you find that you want to enjoy the beauty of Christmas in a fine festive theme, this might be the place to go. With fabulous thatched roofs to the old-school yellow-stone walls, Bibuby is a location that manages to capture that iconic Christmas look in kind.

If you were to receive a post card of this place, you would likely believe it was a fictional location made just for the setting of a Christmas movie, such is the quaint and wonderful nature of the town.

Dinant, Belgium

Dinant, one of the most picturesque towns in Belgium’s Wallonia region is a fine place to visit if you want to experience something that is bound to have that true festive feeling to it. This is a lovely hotspot for winter travel, based just on the beauty of the Meuse River. It looks magnificent during this cold weather, with the shine of the frost coming down and landing perfectly across the ground to make that true Winter Wonderland feeling.

Add in the fact that old ivy-clad castles and forts still stand so proudly here, and you can easily see why people might feel more than comfortable coming here for a winter break. It carries a unique and charming design that is pretty hard to forget, as well as a city that has all the appeal of a true Christmas fairytale story. 

For a picturesque Christmas this year that looks the part, Dinant is the perfect choice.

Rakotz Bridge, Kromlau Town, Germany

Don’t let the name fool you. This stunning bridge called Rakotzbrücke (Devil’s Bridge) as the locals call it can be found in Kromlau, Germany and is one of the most fantastically designed and detailed locations for a festive feeling and shine. It’s got a classy look that can be hard to forget, as well as a fine combination between the beauty of nature and the hardship of man to make that beauty stand out even more than ever before. 

This is a location that manages to fit the two perfectly together. The awesome stone bridge manages to appear almost natural, with a rather uneven look making it appear as if it was all put together without human touch!

For a Christmas wonderland design, this is the perfect place to pick and experience winter tranquility like never before. Constructed over 150 years ago, the bridge itself has a wonderful river below it that reflects wonderfully.

This creates the impression of a circular design – especially in the winter, when the snap of the ground illuminates back up and creates the perfect look down below. Hence, it goes to show that choosing Kromlau and Rakotz Bridge as your travel destination is definitely bound to be one of the most memorable sights at Christmas!

Giethoorn Village, Netherlands

This stunning like Dutch ton in the northeastern province of Overijssel, Netherlands is the perfect place to spend Christmas if you are looking for a place away from the bigger cities and be somewhere far more natural, less bothersome and nowhere near as busy. This stunning little town is known by many as the “Venice of the North” due to the fact that it’s loaded with canals like the famous Italian city.

When the frost of the winter helps to bring this all together and create something exemplary, it does create that truly wonderful Christmas fairytale look. If you arrive before the frost sets in then you can hire a little boat and go along the canals, taking in a winter sight that is truly hard to top.

From the shining lights from the houses and the locals to the stunning reflection of the town on the water, this manages to sell the picture of winter like few other places in this wonderful nation.

If you are going to be in the Netherlands for Christmas, then you should definitely do yourself a favor and pop down to the Giethoorn area to take in one of the most relaxing festive periods around.

Shirakawa Village, Japan

As a location well-known for making the most stunning take on winter-style designs, Japan makes its mark on this list with the pristine and wonderful Shirakawa Village, located in Ōno District, Gifu Prefecture. Easily seen by many as one of the most natural and fitting winter images around, this is a UNESCO World Heritage Site for a good reason. The small traditional village is something that can appear like it came directly from the tomes of a Christmas book, with a welcoming and engaging layout mixed with the tranquil, calm nature of the wilderness.

From stunning farmhouses which are centuries old to the snowcapped roofs that have stood for equally as long, this is a little location that really helps to show everyone what the true heart and beauty of Christmas is.

Final Words

Feel like you want to grab your passport and take the first flight to reach one of these destinations? We know the feeling! If you want Christmas this year to be a little bit more exciting than before, these magical places are worth considering. Obviously, these are just a few locations to check out, but each offers a distinctive and rather amazing Christmas fairytale type holiday for you and your loved ones.

From the comfort and calmness of a festive period to the beauty of lights and layout, the above list can satisfy any curiosity and preference, adding some stardust to your Christmas! Enjoy!

NOW READ: Tech Gadgets That Make Traveling a Breeze

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*by andreascy*

5 Fantastic Free Online Time-Saving Tools

Posted by Andreas Christodoulou

Description :

Nowadays life has an insanely fast rhythm, and all of us are trying to pick up the pace as much as we can, but there is always a feeling that we could do things more quickly, especially when it comes to our work. In addition to that people generally have a tendency to procrastinate, not willing to change their habits, and have an innate fear of trying new things. 

There is a massive number of useful tools and apps available that increase productivity and allow us to achieve more in less time, but unfortunately excluding the really tech-savvy individuals, most of us regular mortals never give them a chance, and by doing that we are robbed of the benefits that they can give to our everyday lives.

Today we are going to focus only on totally free and online tools, because they are easiest to implement and don’t require any cash spent or complicated installation. So, to keep this introduction as short as possible, here are the 5 Free Online Tools that you should definitely check out:

1. StayFocusd

StayFocusd is a fantastic Google Chrome add-on that help focus on important things while you are working, a thing that almost everyone has troubles with. It works by letting you select the desired amount of time that you can spend on websites that are distracting you from regular duties while working. 

When you use the time that you previously selected, these sites become inaccessible for the rest of the day, and you can customize it very precisely (you can block whole sites, just subdomains or specific pages on a site).

2. PDF to Word

PDF to Word is an online tool with which you can easily convert your PDF files back to Microsoft Word format. 

The PDFs are used across the planet for sending files among computers, but cannot be edited without specially designed tools and software just for that purpose. This tool is free, and it only asks for your email address.

3. Remember The Milk

Remember The Milk is a reminder tool that you can connect with any device (tablet, phone, computer and gmail), and with over 6 million users you can make a conclusion that it functions pretty good. 

It’s always tedious to keep track of all your tasks and obligations, but with this tool managing your tasks is way more fun.

4. Unroll.Me

Unroll.Me is designed to simplify your email subscriptions and allows you to see them all in one place, which is fantastic for unsubscribing from anything that you don’t want to receive any more, an issue that most of us surely have. 

It also has a feature that is called the Rollup, which connects all your subscriptions to one mail digest, so you don’t need to open every email individually.

5. Mystickies

Mystickies is basically a sticky note tool, but it allows you to stick them on any web page, and when you visit that same page again, the sticker remains. 

It is similar to bookmarking but more user friendly, because you don’t have to recollect why you’ve saved the page at the first place. You can also sort, edit and browse all the stickies you saved, which is also quite convenient.

Summary

This is all we have for you at the moment, hopefully you will try some of these tools if not all of them, and make your every day living more productive and far more awesome.

READ ALSO: Top 3 Tech Tools for Managers That Mean Business

Thanks for reading! Don't forget to Tweet this post if you like it, or follow me on Twitter if you find me interesting.

*by andreascy*

Get HQ Professional PowerPoint Presentation Templates and Diagrams with Powered Template

Posted by Andreas Christodoulou

Description :

Despite the advances in technologies and new tools emerging on a daily basis, when it comes to presentation software, PowerPoint is still the king. Are you puzzled however on ways to enhance your presentation in a way that it would be more visually appealing for your target audience? 

Powered Template provides such customizable solutions that will save you time and effort with a vast array of exceptional professional templates, diagrams, charts, maps, images and infographics among others. 

If you are interested in creative high quality templates that will boost your presentation, Powered Template can help make your presentation stand out from the mass. Search among their huge collection of which you can buy and download your template of choice within minutes.

Impress With Professionally Designed PowerPoint Templates

Key to a compelling presentation is how you manage to get your story across and visual messages are considered one great way to achieve this. In this case, you might want to take advantage of the killer PowerPoint templates by Powered Template to create a stunning presentation. Browse through the gallery of different categories which have been designed with built in layouts and cover any topic, idea or concept that will keep your audience engaged throughout your presentation. 

Each layout is carefully designed by expert professionals paying attention to details like appropriate blend of colors, graphics and ClipArt that give out a world class result that is clear and expressive. You can choose to either download a single template in PowerPoint (PPT) format with 3 master slides: Title Master, Slide Master, and Print Master, or decide to go with the template with additional slides consisting also of 17 additional slides with pre-created shapes, tables, charts, diagrams. All of these backgrounds are provided in separated JPEG files and include 3 or more pre-created palettes.

Once you have chosen your presentation template, Powered Template offers a wide variety of images in ClipArt available separated in different categories from which you can select to craft your presentation. Images carry a powerful message and can be used as a visual tool that can further boost your engagement with the audience and deliver the expected results.

Also of interest is how you can complete your presentation by getting professional pre-designed customizable document layouts in MS Word format to match your presentation slides. Each package offered by Powered Template consists of a cover page design, built-in heading and text styles, high-quality graphics (72 dpi images). Once downloaded, you can add your own content to the document, edit and print it for your audience as a take away of your presentation.

Visually Appealing Professional PowerPoint Diagrams and Charts

One of most difficult things to display within the limits of a brief presentation is a wealth of scientific research findings, business and marketing analysis etc. The best way to communicate such complex meaning is through diagrams, charts and infographics. Powered Template offers a diversity of creative diagram and chart templates that can captivate your audience with visually appealing presentation of data. Choose among others between education, flow, graph matrix, pie, organizational and medical charts, as well as process, puzzle and tree diagrams, timelines and inspiring infographics for showing general or comprehensive information in a sharp and refreshing way. 

All diagrams and charts are pre-designed and can be easily placed into your PowerPoint slides. With editable shapes, resizable vector graphics and changeable colors these templates are flexible and can be customized to cater for your individual preferences. Each template pack contains SmartArt graphics, objects, shapes, icons, charts, diagrams, or tables in PowerPoint (PPT/PPTX) format. 

The examples below are characteristic of the many diagram and chart templates available:

Exclusive High Quality PowerPoint Maps

Powered Template provides also with the option to enrich your presentation with location and regional characteristic features by adding exclusive PowerPoint Maps. These pre-made templates in Microsoft PowerPoint are vector graphics which can be downloaded immediately and used in existing slides while with Adobe Illustrator, you can either have the maps as web-ready graphics or incorporated high-end print designs.

These maps come with map layers and are conveniently editable and customizable to suit any presentation requirements with the option of changing size, color, position, remove or even add map features using PowerPoint’s drawing tools. You can easily add, change or delete text, define elements such as territories, regions and locations while assemble objects, diagrams and figures to customize these maps.

Comprehensive Collection of Professional Website Templates

Developing a website can be a hustle which you can easily avoid by using the services provided by Powered Template. Browse through their comprehensive and professionally designed collection of website templates which are easily downloadable and editable to suit your needs in terms of quality and cost. 

The templates have been designed with Adobe Photoshop and Macromedia Dreamweaver, paying attention to detail and following international web design trends. To use these templates you will need Adobe Photoshop 7.0 or higher and Macromedia Dreamweaver (Microsoft FrontPage 2003, or Microsoft Expression Web). Powered Templates ensures that these templates are cross browser compatible and therefore you are able to access them regardless of your preferred browser.

If you choose to buy these high quality designs, you should expect to get a website design template package including: Web Design source in Adobe Photoshop format (.PSD), HTML web template (.HTML), and Style sheet file (.CSS). 

Below are some indicative examples of website templates:

Powerful Professional Custom PowerPoint Designs

While there is no fixed recipe, certain design techniques have been proven most effective in getting the audience’ attention during a presentation. If you are looking to optimize the impact of your PowerPoint presentation, you can make use of the Powered Template experts’ knowledge and get a professional custom design that will be eye catching and succeed to sustain your audience’s interest to follow your message. 

Seek for their advice to create a presentation that will both match your needs and be within your budget. You can choose to incorporate different features like your logo, company colors, and any ask for any other specifications that will enhance your presentation and create a memorable outcome characteristic of your business or other purpose. 

Transform Your Presentations From Plain to Superb

Bottom line is, if you are feeling frustrated whenever you want to prepare a presentation, Powered Template is a business and presentation templated provider that promises to help take your presentation to the next level.

AS YOU GO, CHECK OUT MORE: Presentation Prep: Convert PDF to PowerPoint

To benefit from the powerful designs available by Powered Template you can pick among their wide collection of free templates or purchase their products by either proceed to a single buy or subscribe for one of their membership plans. Make the most of the opportunity to transform your presentations from plain to superb by choosing one of their featured templates to enjoy your presentation!

*by andreascy*

10 Gadgets to Help You Catch More Fish

Posted by Andreas Christodoulou

Description :

Fishing has changed dramatically over the past decade with the increasing popularity of smartphones and other technology. Even those who have strongly resisted the change are giving into the pressure to adapt. Once there is a smartphone in your pocket, it's difficult to keep refusing time-saving, fish-catching options. 

Here are 10 tech tools that will make your outing both safer and more successful without ruining the great outdoors.

Find Where to Go

Fishing Hot Spots Maps: It's an old tool in a new format. You no longer have to track down paper maps for the water you want to fish but rather this company provides digital maps for both freshwater and saltwater. You can even get maps that work with older units and handheld devices.

The Fishidy Mobile App: This app provides maps as well as a community for sharing tips and up-to-date reports. You can track your fishing successes on a map using GPS in addition to identifying water depths, underwater contours and fishery data.

Learn How to Get There

Broadband RADAR: This tool boasts that it is the most significant radar breakthrough since 1940. It has much lower power requirements and crystal clear images, which helps for limited visibility situations or tight maneuvering. Plus, it does not require a license.

SIMRAD: This tool is very similar to Broadband RADAR. It also has clear imagery, low power consumption and low emissions. Whether you combine navigation with your fishfinder or separate the two, broadband technology is taking hold quickly.

Locate the Fish

Lowrance HDS-12 Gen3: There are plenty of fishfinder models to choose from, but the new Gen3 model uses a broadband sounder, supports wireless signals and uses Spotlight Scan Sonar, making it a top-notch gadget.

Raymarine Dragonfly: For CHIRP (Compressed High-Intensity Radiated Pulse) lovers, Raymarine Dragonfly is the tool for you. This new unit delivers incredibly clear images and includes Navionics charts on microSD in addition to a temperature sensor and 50-channel GPS.

Play it Safe

Iridium Satellite Phone: Whether speaking with family or getting out an emergency call to the Coast Guard, you can always contact land and other satellite-equipped vessels when you pack a satellite phone. They also claim that their call quality is three times better than their competitor's.

C-pod Security: The C-pod sends current status information about location, heading, intrusion, battery voltage and other vital statistics to your phone or computer. Remote on/off capability allows you to be in control of C-pod sensors from the helm.

Stay in the Game

XPand: If you are you taking a green seafarer along on the next voyage, consider the Xpand anti-motion sickness glasses to keep queasiness at bay. Pills and patches often cause drowsiness and confusion, but the sunglasses use electro-optical systems to reduce motion sickness in a noninvasive way. They are powered by a rechargeable lithium-ion polymer cell.

Gomadic Solar Charger: Stay prepared with a solar charger to keep any of these gadgets charged and ready to use. It can charge multiple devices simultaneously, and does it just as quickly as a wall outlet would.

Prices in each category can vary widely, so be sure to do your homework. Many times you can cut back on features to make a tool better fit the budget. Yesterday's top-dollar fishfinder or navigation aid, for instance, can often be found at rock bottom prices as others switch to broadband units. So, get ready, be prepared and fish on!

SEE ALSO: Science Nation - Electric Fish Charges up Research on Animal Behavior

Join the discussion by posting a comment below or tweeting #OFFICIALANDREASCY. Let me know what you think.

(DISCLOSURE: This page contains affiliate links. If you purchase a product through one of them, I will receive a commission (at no additional cost to you). I only ever endorse products that I have personally used and benefitted from personally. Thank you for your support!)

*by andreascy*

Top 10 Best Cars of 2014 Under $60K

Posted by Andreas Christodoulou

Description :

Oh, cars. We can't live without them anymore in the modern age. They come in all shapes, sizes and colors. Some have so many different luxuries and safety add-ons that can make your car suitable for your every need. 

Whether you have a large family or are on your own, there will always be a car for you. Need a few suggestions of the best cars of 2014? Here they come (Hint: The prices are all from the sites of the car brands):

1. Volkswagen Jetta Hybrid

This hybrid comes in three versions. The comfortline (SE), the SEL and the highline (SEL Premium). Both are beautiful cars with a classy and beautiful interior that gives off a nice and professional feel. 

You only use 42 mpg and because of both the high comfort and the space you have it’s a great car to go on long trips with. 

The SE costs $27,645, the SEL costs $30,245 and the SEL Premium costs $31,895.

2. Mazda 3 4-Door

The Mazda 3 is an amazing car that perfectly shows what Mazda is capable of without it’s former part owner Ford backing it up. 

This elegant and innovative car is lighter than its former versions, which makes it faster. The cabin has an interface that will limit all your distractions with a simple but modern main screen. 

The best thing? It’s affordable at $16,945.

3. Subaru Forester

After it’s 2014 redesign this small SUV has climbed to the top of its class. It has both a lot of space and big windows and doors, while remaining user friendly with simple controls. 

You have an absolutely wonderful driving position in this car and not that expensive for an SUV with a price at $22,195.

4. Honda Odyssey

This beautiful car is one of the most complete family cars you could ever wish for. 

With enough capacity to seat 8 people and a great fit for child seats, this is the minivan you need when you have a big family. The car itself is very accessible and has a nice and peaceful interior. 

The cost for the LX? $28,825.

5. Dodge Charger SRT8

Are you more of a muscle car type of guy? This Dodge charger is the best muscle car for those who value good performance in a car. 

With it’s bulky yet beautiful design it’s still an eye catcher, though. It pulls up to 60 miles in 4.6 seconds, which is pretty good for the heavier muscle cars. 

You can make this car yours for $26,995.

6. Audi A3

Looking for a more compact yet stylish car? Then the Audi A3 might be something for you. This car has a somewhat professional look and even though it’s a compact car it still has quite a big amount of space. 

With a simple, but gorgeous dashboard with the newest technology and a classy interior it’s definitively a good car for anyone. 

You can buy it for $29,900. 

7. Nissan Rogue

This crossover is also an amazing family car. With a capacity of 7 passengers your whole family will be able to fit in this beautiful car. 

Not only that, but the designers actually made sure that you will be able to reach your baby, by letting the second row slide forward 9 inches. Parking will be no worry thanks to the Around View Monitor. 

This car costs $22,790.

8. Chevrolet Corvette Stingray Coupe 1LT

Classy and fast, that’s definitely a way to describe this gorgeous car. This sports car at it’s seventh edition has both a high performance and one of the best appearances. 

With a sleek, chic and unique interior it’s a great car for fans of Chevrolet. 

The price of this beautiful car? $53,000, which makes it the most expensive car of the list. 

9. Ford Fiesta 4-Door S Sedan

This is Ford’s smallest Sedan, but what it lacks in size it makes up for in a both balanced and quiet ride. This car is a good fit for those out there who are single, or who have a small family. 

The interior is a little more classy than the price suggest, because at $14,100 it’s the least expensive of the list.

10. Nissan 370Z 2-Door Coupe

Single, or have no children? Want a absolutely stunning car with a rooftop that’s foldable? This Nissan is just what you are looking for. 

This is the perfect car to use for romantic rides along the beach on a warm day. 

The price? Only $29,990!

Every year our editors create a list of vehicle models that are under $60K, then we choose ten standouts. Choosing a good car is easier than ever, but choosing the best car keeps getting trickier. Make an informed buying decision by investigating their rankings before heading to the dealership. If you need some extra help then there is no reason to stress. If you have any questions we can help you to shorten the process. 

Andreas also posted: 5 Top Tech Toys For Your Car

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*by andreascy*

Web and Software Dev - Metro Icons by Orphydian

Posted by Andreas Christodoulou

Description :

Hiya guys! Looking for some recent articles? Go here. Want to know more? Get alerts and exclusive insights advice for new stories within the topics you love. Thanks for your trust and for your time! 😀👍

It has been a while since i have written about Orphydian's 3D Software and Office & Productivity metro icon sets. 

Today we'll provide you with a few more links to recreate the look and feel of your apps and concepts. These sets include a variety of icons of the latest popular programs and services in .ico and .png formats.

See the images, download links and author's comments.

1. Modern Uinvert Icon Set I Web and Software Dev

" This set contains over 100 modern Uinvert Icons ( in both .ico and .png format) to be used on any Windows desktop depicting most of the relevant 3d graphics sofware out there: Integrated Development Environment, Code and HTML editing, Web authoring, Content Management System, eCommerce Platform, Bug tracking, Social coding, Revision control system, Git repository Web server, Database, Solution stack package etc.".

Download link

2. Windows 8 Modern Tile Set I Web and Software Dev

"This set contains over 100 modern UI style PNG's proper to be used for Windows 8 startscreen depicting most of the rellevant 3d graphics sofware out there: Integrated Development Environment, Code and HTML editing, Web authoring, Content Management System, eCommerce Platform, Bug tracking, Social coding, Revision control system, Git repository Web server, Database, Solution stack package etc.".

Download link

SEE ALSO: 

Amazing Metro Icon Sets by dAKirby309

Finesse Icon Pack : 125 Excellent Icons Now Available for Purchase!

Stay Connected to The *Official AndreasCY*. What are you working on? Let us know in the comments down below.

*by andreascy*

Keeping Your Treasured Photos Safe

Posted by Andreas Christodoulou

Description :

Just imagine all the thousands of photos stored in phones, digital cameras and laptops. The Daily Mail estimates that almost 40 percent of such individuals have no backup of those files. 

These devices break, wear out or are damaged every day, and with them thousands of photos are lost. Make sure you have backup plan for your treasured memories. Those moments in time can be lost forever if you don't protect them.

Local Backups and Broken Hard Drives

Most people know they should back up their files regularly. This often happens at home to a computer hard drive or maybe to an external drive. Local backups are a good idea because it does make a copy of the files. However, it's not such a good idea for long-term storage because hardware does break.

Backblaze estimates that 22 percent of hard drives, on average, fail in the first four years of use. The failure rate is higher if the computer or hard drive is used continually, or is used in hot, dusty environments. You also could experience a failure if there is a sudden spike on the electric circuit, such as during a lighting storm. You could lose years of photos on one failed drive.

While there are recovery services who will attempt to retrieve files off of a dead hard drive for you, these are expensive with no guarantee the recovery will be 100 percent successful. A better option is to have multiple ways of backing up your photos.

Backing Up to the Cloud

Cloud Storage Services have matured into an easy way for people to save all types of files, including photos. Most are easy to set up. Some offer automated backup, so you don't even have to remember to do the backup yourself. Some vendors require you to load small programs onto your computer to do the backup while others rely on a browser-based online application.

Having a combination of backups is safest. Do a local backup of your photos from your phone or camera to the computer and a regular backup to your cloud storage. One way to use your cloud storage is as an archival system.

Since your files are in the cloud, you have access to them anywhere. For example, photos you take during a vacation can be uploaded to your cloud storage from your hotel room and then you can access them again when you get home. Or you can check on photos you took during your last trip to your destination to see if you already have photos of certain scenic spots.

The Safety of Your Photos

USA Today finds that cloud storage is as safe as other storage options. Most cloud service providers use encryption to store your files so they can't be viewed by others. Data is stored on huge disk farms, which are constantly monitored for potential disk failures. The systems cloud providers use allow the replacement of disk drives without creating any downtime. You don't have to worry about a drive failing and losing photos.

Keeping Those Non-Digital Photos Safe

If you have a number of regular film photos, you can keep them save as well. CNET shows how you can scan those photos to create digital copies. Or you can have a service do that for you. A digital copy of a film photo is easier to store, doesn't fade, or get damaged by water or fire. You could scan your print photos and store the originals in a fireproof box or in a safe deposit box with your bank.

RECOMMENDED: 5 Ways to Preserve Precious Family Photos

We'd like to take a moment to thank everyone here for being a member of THE OFFICIAL ANDREASCY club! It's because of your great feedback and constant support that we're able to continue as a powerful community. More will come. 😊😊

*by andreascy*

5 Ways to Preserve Precious Family Photos

Posted by Andreas Christodoulou

Description :

It's worse than a punch in the gut—that awful realization that your computer has crashed and your wedding photos are gone, your beach vacation photos are gone, and your baby's first birthday photos ... gone. 

You scold yourself for not backing them up, saving them to a disk, or leaving them on your memory card. You swear you'll never make that mistake again, but how can you prevent a virus from wiping out your priceless photos again? Here are a few ways to make sure they're stored safely and securely.

1. Keep them in the Cloud

Upload your precious photos to cloud storage where they'll be safely stored until you need them again. Accessing them at any time is easy, and you'll never again experience that sinking feeling that comes with knowing you've lost an entire year's worth of memories to one annoying computer crash. Different features and fee structures are available at the various providers, so do your research—decide what type of storage you need and research cloud storage rankings for dependability.

2. Save them to Disc

Another efficient way of saving your digital memories is to burn them onto a disc. According to the International Journal for the Preservation of Library and Archival Material, CD-R discs made with phthalocynine dye are the ones that stand the test of time. They're less likely to exhibit laser rot and deterioration over time. The fact that the disc is a CD-R instead of a CD-RW, also means you can't accidently copy over the photos you have stored.

If you choose this method of storage, it's still a good idea to have a backup system in place. Even the best CDs deteriorate over time, so have an alternative storage method.

3. Use an External Hard Drive

Although external hard drives can be susceptible to viruses, they're a good back up to discs and to the regular hard drive on your PC. External hard drives hold a ton of photos without slowing things down and they're easy to retrieve when you need them. PC Magazine recommends the top five external hard drives, which include: 

•  LaCie Little Big Disk Thunderbolt (1TB SSD) 

•  LaCie Rugged USB 3.0 Thunderbolt (120GB SSD) 

•  Lenovo ThinkPad USB 3.0 Secure Hard Drive 

•  Seagate Backup Plus 

•  Seagate Backup Plus Portable Drive for Mac (1TB) 

4. SD Card

SD Cards are the small memory sticks that go inside your camera before you leave on a photo expedition. These are a viable option for storing photos, except that they have a size limit and can fill up quickly if you're not cautious of your volume of large file sizes. These are also not foolproof for life, but they'll do until you have a chance to upload your memories to the cloud.

5. Combination Storage

Of all these options, cloud storage is the safest file storage method of hanging onto precious digital files. Be extra safe, however, by using a combination of storage solutions. With more than one dependable storage solutions in place, your cherished memories will be safe and secure for years to come.

SEE ALSO: Keeping Your Treasured Photos Safe

We’ve shared our ideas, now we want to ask you – how do you preserve your family memories and not lose them forever? Share them with us in a comment below!

*by andreascy*

PowerPoint Templates: The Secret for an Amazing Presentation

Posted by Andreas Christodoulou

Description :

Microsoft PowerPoint has been the most powerful, helpful and successful presentation programs for more than two decades. It’s an easy to use program which helps you add that much needed visual kick to your work to awe and thrill your audience by giving an awesome presentation. PowerPoint helps you add a new visual dimension to your otherwise spoken presentation, and this visual dimension helps in not only simplifying a presentation so that it’s easily understood by your viewers or listeners but also by making it more interesting. 

Various templates are utilized in Microsoft PowerPoint for creating a presentation. A template is a pre designed presentation slide with its own graphics, colors, backgrounds, designs and fonts. A user then just needs to add the information regarding his presentation on the specific template that he has chosen. Templates offer convenience and help save a lot of time by letting a user focus on creating the presentation rather than creating both, the slide and the presentation. But if you want your presentation to have a specific style then it’s best to create your own slides as that offers the maximum flexibility. Templates are available in various designs and themes like nature themed PowerPoint templates or educational, business specific and many more, so you can choose one specific to your needs. 

There are many benefits of using PowerPoint templates for creating your presentations:

1. Suitably Designed 

The biggest benefit of using a template is that you can find one suitable for your presentation. Downloadable PowerPoint templates on the Internet are usually professionally designed and come in a variety of different themes like nature PowerPoint templates, educational templates, abstract, medical and many more. So it’s easy to find one which is suitable for your presentation. 

2. Time Saving 

PowerPoint templates help you save a lot of time so that you can focus all your attention on creating great content. Templates are specifically designed with various empty charts, graphs, tables and much more, so all what you need to do is fill in the required information. And Voila! You have a great presentation with you. It’s that easy and helps save a lot of time. 

3. Consistent Design 

PowerPoint templates are designed in a consistent manner, so you have an opening page, a title page, various graphs, charts and an ending page. So it provides ease of usage to a user with its consistent and professional design which might take quite some time for an inexperienced user to create. 

Although Microsoft PowerPoint offers many benefits, there are certain disadvantages too. One of which is that a PowerPoint presentation is rendered certainly useless if you don’t have access to a projector and you have to display it to a large audience. So that should be kept in mind before creating a presentation. 

SEE ALSO:

Download Free Business PowerPoint Templates And Diagrams At SlideHunter

Download Professional PowerPoint Templates And Diagrams At SlideModel

A quick Google search about PowerPoint templates shows us the amount of websites offering free templates in various themes, so you should research well before finalizing one!

As always, we’d love to hear what you think. Go nuts in the comments! If you have any questions for the team then please feel free to use the contact form.

*by andreascy*